CO882-(4-5) — Page 171

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

गय

Reference :-

C.O. 882

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO

5 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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APPENDICES.

A.

(1.) Extract from Petition :-" Nous demandons qu'à Maurice, on agisse comme aux "Seychelles, (sic) à Trinidad et dans d'autres colonies anglaises, et qu'on admette " ici le principe pratiqué dans ces pays, à savoir: que sans toucher à la somme affectée tous les ans aux deux cultes par le Budget, les salaires et allocations venant à vaquer par la mort ou la retraite des ministres protestants soient assignés au culte catholique, jusqu'à ce que la juste et équitable proportion des allocations calculée sur le nombre

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"des adhérents soit obtenue."

(2.) The Honourable Dr. O. Beaugeard's Motion-"That the principle, lately introduced (sic) in the Dependency of Seychelles on which the ecclesiastical grant anqually voted for the use of the Christian churches is to be apportioned to those churches according to the number of their adherents, be laid down likewise for this Colony, and gradually carried into practice, provided that all rights vested in the present titulars "be reserved."

B.

In support of this we need only quote the following paragraph from a communication addressed to Sir A. P. Phayre by the "Catholic Union dated 18th October 1878 :—

"Acting upon such principles, nay, going far beyond them and straining to their utmost the kindly feelings of fellow citizens, the "Catholic Union " in its memorial to the Colonial Minister, as well as the Catholic community in its petition to your Excellency, carefully abstained from trenching upon the State aid granted to the Anglican clergy, nay more, the "Catholic Union" has repeatedly expressed the hope that this grant should be maintained in its integrity to that church."

C.

(1.) Every Sunday the Church of England in this island provides regular services for more than 50 congregations of various languages (6 in all) worshipping in her churches and chapels, besides many more in scattered schoolrooms, hospitals, depôts, &c.

(2.) Though these congregations are individually much smaller than they would be if we employed but one tongue, we consider that this arrangement (according to the vernacular language) is far more profitable for the people and so better attains the end desired by Government. But it involves greater labour and agency on our part.

(3.) To overtake the ministerial work of any given charge requires that arrangements be made commensurate with the extent of its area no less than with its number of adherents. It is impossible to overtake the ordinary work of the Anglican Church with- out a minimum average of at least one clergyman to each district of the Colony. And this is all that it has on the " Establishment."

D.

(1.) The Church of England fixed appointments are as follows :--

"Establishment.”

! Civil chaplaincy of Port Louis

1 do. of Vacoas and Black River

7 Incumbencies at Rs. 2,000 each

p.a.

Total 9

•

Rs.

Rs.

4,000 + 500 Travelling 3,500 + 500 Travelling = 14,000

Rs. 21,500+ 1,000 Travelling Total Rs. 22,500

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The corresponding numbers of the Roman Catholic Church (as last published) are as follows:-

1 Vicar General

·

17 priests at Rs. 2,000 p.a. 16 do.

Total 34

♪

1,500

Rs. 3,500

= 34,000 24,000

Rs. 61,500

Each church has its Bishop on Rs. 7,200* and Rs. 1,000 travelling allowance. (2.) Under Ordinance 54, of 1844, the sum of Rs. 10,000 per annum is also annually voted towards "church building" according to the varying circumstances of the applications submitted, and on" equivalents" being furnished by each denomination; and Rs. 8,000 are similarly divided †[to clergymen serving in churches so constructed. A further annual sum of Rs. 10,000 is similarly divided] for agents using the Indian languages for the moralisation of the non-Christian population.

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(3.) It is submitted that any true comparison between the financial position of the Churches of England and Rome can only be justly made as between the parochial clergy on the "fixed establishment" of each church. For confessedly each requires its Bishop, and these annual votes are only apportioned in accordance with the varying wants and equivalents" submitted every year to the local Government. This comparison gives nine Anglican clergymen on Rs. 22,500 per annum and 34 Roman Catholic clergymen on Rs. 61,500. If the one Presbyterian chaplain on the "Establishment" (on Rs. 4,000) be also included, the total thus assigned to the whole Protestant communion is Rs. 26,500 as against Rs. 61,500 similarly given to the Church of Rome.

(4.) Even supposing the denominational statistics of the last census (which have been officially "protested") were to be received, which give 108,000 nominal adherents of the Roman Catholic Church, the latter has long enjoyed more than the proportion of priests laid down by Lord Grey (when Secretary of State), namely, that of one priest to 4,000 persons. That proportion would give 27 instead of the 34 priests now on the "Establishment."

(5.) In the year 1879 on the urgent appeal of "the Catholic Union" supported by the singularly mistaken explanation of Governor Sir A. Phayre (only published in July 1884), the sum of Rs. 12,000 per annum was added to the "Fixed Establishment" of the Church of Rome for the support of eight new priests. No increase whatever has been made to that of the Church of England for a quarter of a century. Great efforts however have been made by it independently to advance the work of Christianity and Christian moralisation and there is no doubt that the often repeated proportion between the numbers of the Roman Catholica and Protestants is very inaccurate. But in any case (to quote the words of Governor Phayre) "it is impossible, and quite beside the "mark, to judge of the wants of a scattered community like that of the Church' of England in this Colony from any mere numerical calculations as to residents within a given area.'

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E.

In an important Despatch on a similar attempt in 1884 (No. 85 of the 14th March) the then Secretary of State, Lord Derby, wrote as follows." If the general question of "State aid to religion in Mauritius should be again raised it is not improbable that the "result would be its total abolition, as in many other Colonies."

F.

The Rev. J. Grandjean (Civil Chaplain of Seychelles) writes as follows — "As early as 1810 the Rev. Mr. Morton, Chaplain of the Fleet, exercised his ministry

at Mahé. Mr. Clark, in connexion with the Mico Charity, started the first school about

• Since this was written the Official List gives Rs. 9,000 as the pensionable emoluments of the Roman Catholic Bishop. But his diocese does not contain, as that of the English Church Bishop does, the chief Dependency of the Colony, viz., the Seychelles.-P.S.M. 10th August.

†The words in brackets have been added at the Bishop's request. See No. 9.