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that they may be fairly regarded as having quasi-vested interests in the annual grant, and that no other means of early transfer exist by reason of the absence of " vacancies,” I would venture to submit that it would be but fair to allow the diminution to the Church of England to take place gradually, say in three instalments beginning with next year, and leaving the current year's grants to the discretion of the Governor, as heretofore.

14. Also that in future such internal adjustments of the "Fixed Establishment" grants as may be found necessary by the Bishop and the Diocesan Council be sanctioned on the occurrence of vacancies, and saving existing interests. Otherwise needless and impracticable difficulties may arise and the best distribution of the available funds be hindered.

15. I have made these suggestions on the hypothesis of the necessity of a transfer. But believing, as I firmly do, that the Church of England has deserved well of the Govern ment in her varied and difficult work, and especially during the late years and altered circumstances of the Colony; and that there has never been a time when her work was more needed than at present, or perhaps more promising, I respectfully, but earnestly and confidently, commend her just claims to your Lordship's sympathy and

I am, &c.

care.

To the Right Hon. Lord Knutsford,

&c. &c.

&c.

(Signed) P. S. MAURITIUS.

53

questions made in the second part of it will be so worded the same witnesses being again examined) as to elicit all the possible arguments against the proposed change. If this is really what they intend to do, well and good. But if the contrary is the case, all their labour will not only have been thrown away, but used for an evil purpose; to bottle up the truth with care and to favour the desires of a minority of Conservatives.

2405.

GENTLEMEN,

No. 25.

COLONIAL OFFICE to the CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

Downing Street, February 10, 1890. I AM directed by Lord Knutsford to acknowledge the receipt of the memorial of the Committee of the Church Missionary Society, dated the 31st of January, on the subject of the redistribution of the ecclesiastical grants in Mauritius, and I am to acquaint you, for the information of the Committee, that this question is receiving his Lordship's

anxious consideration.

The Secretaries to the

Church Missionary Society.

I am, (Signed)

&c.

EDWARD WINGFIELD.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

IPLIC.O. 882

سسسل

5 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

Enclosure in No. 24.

THERE is no doubt that the majority of the Creole population are in favour of the English language being made as general as possible. If it became facultative to use the French language in courts of justice one great incentive to its being learned by their children would be taken away, as the latter would be tempted to think that a knowledge of French would be sufficient for them to get on in the Colony as they might hope to become barristers, attorneys, doctors, &c. without taking any trouble to become masters of the English language.

The great object which the Conservatives, of which the "Cernéen" is the political organ, have at heart is, that themselves being Frencher than France, they wish the whole island to become French, and would be delighted, if the truth was known, notwith- standing their professions of loyalty to the Queen, if a war could only break out between France and England and Mauritius, by the fortune of war, again revert to Gallic sway. At any rate their policy has always been to undermine all British institutions, and the pretended talk about the French language being made facultative at courts of justice is but the thin end of the wedge which, if once they once get in, they will hammer upon with all their might and main until they attain their object.

The same party, who are also ultra clericals, have done all they could to overthrow the Royal College by endeavouring to get the English scholarships thrown open to all comers, in order to establish a Jesuit college where all branches would be taught through the medium of French, but in which pupils would be prepared for the English scholarships of the Royal College.

Seeing that the pupils taught in Government schools left them with a sufficient knowledge of English to enable them to obtain situations in English mercantile houses, they moved Heaven and Earth to get the Government schools especially in the country districts abolished by the establishment of grant in aid schools in their neighbourhood, where French was the principal medium of instruction. The priests in some districts threatened the parents with excommunication if they did not take away their children from the Government schools and send them to clerical schools where they were not half as well taught.

In our article of Saturday last we stated that the questions addressed to the witnesses by the Commission were so put as to elicit only such answers as, taken by themselves, might be construed to favour the facultative use of French at the Assize Court. No opportunity was given to any of the witnesses to express their candid opinions on the question, except, of course, those who were known to belong to the French party. It stands to reason that if only the arguments for are brought forward in the Report of the Commission and 'none of those against, it will be a one-sided affair altogether. Let us hope, however, that the Commission are now only conscientiously going through the first part of their programme, viz., to elicit all the possible arguments for; and that the

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3554.

(No. 43.)

MY LORD,

No. 26.

SIR C. C. LEES to LORD KNUTSFORD.

(Received February 24, 1890.)

Government House, Mauritius, January 20, 1890.

I HAVE the honour to transmit to your Lordship a letter from Archdeacon Mathews, containing his observations on the memorial of the Rev. S. Walshe, which was forwarded by my Despatch, No. 19, of the 9th instant, and on which Mr. Mathews desires that the opinion of the Bishop of Mauritius, who is now in England, may be obtained, if your Lordship has no objection.

The Right Hon. Lord Knutsford, G.C.M.G., &c.

SIB,

&c.

&c.

Enclosure in No. 26.

I have, &c. (Signed) C. C. LEES,

•

Governor.

St. James' Vestry, January 14, 1890. WITH

your Excellency's permission, I have now the honour to subunit my observations on the Rev. Mr. Walshe's memorial of the 7th instant, and the documents am sorry to see appended to it.

1. The general memorial of the Diocesan Society had the advantage and support of that gentleman's vote at the large and unanimous meeting by which it was adopted. So that, as Mr. Walshe has been good enough to inform me, the private memorial now under consideration happily has not to be considered as an opposition to the former, although it is not altogether consentaneous therewith.

2. Reviewing the whole circumstances, instead of assuming in full the responsibility of criticizing Mr. Walshe's papers, it seems to me preferable that, in the first place, [ should beg your Excellency kindly to do me the favour of transmitting this letter to

• No. 19.

H 2

↑ No. 28.