To" the Edivor of the "Norra-Carsa Datty News." and then finding fault with an uncomplet-! gyp,—There are few matters of more ed work. After that date there is to be! earnest importance for the spiritual and 4 weekly express service from Dalny and moral welfare of seagoing men and boys likewise from Moscow. {than to promote a habit of Divine wor-Several cargoes of tea from Hankow ship, in some form or other, on board have been dispatched by rail via Dalny British merchant ships. It is so often a to Russia, and as a preferential Customs bond of harmony, kindliness, and good-tariff has been arranged on tea brought fellowship in long voyages. Where for-into Russia by rail, it is even probable eigners or heathen form part of the crew, that Indian teas may now have an oppor-as is often now the case, the united we: tunity of competing with China teas in ship of our common Father in heaven is the "markets of Russia; which invaluable for the protection of the faith is the opinion of an Indian planter of our own countrymen, ast well as for a who visited this place recently. Over nine miles of streets avd roads are witness for the Christ under the British mushrooms. paved and houses are springing up like lat sea is the absence of Prayer-books One of the difficulties of united worship Only, foreigners seem to be shy of the and Hymn-books for the crews. For gen-place. A scheme so vast and ambitious erations the Admiralty have supplied these books to ships-of-war; the Trinity House do so to their Light-vessels; many of the large ocean-going passenger liners carry them for the passengers; and the numerous merchant ships of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark are frequently sup-aled with Prayer and Hymn books Seamen's Missions belonging to their own nationality. Daily prayer is common in Swedish cargo-ships as also in our own Royal Navy; and Sunday worship obtains in most other vessels which carry the requisite books. Whereas where these necessary adjuncts do not exist, as in so many British cargo-ships, the crews rarely assemble themselves together for united prayer when at se:
Neat and very convenient "Service Boxes," containing Prayer-books and Hymn-books, etc., have by the liberal aid of the S.P.C.K. been placed on board merchant ships by the chaplains Missions to Seamen during the last three years. It has been found that where captains are disinclined themselves to conduct Divine worship with their crews, earnest-minded officers, engineers, a] prentices or others on board have gladly accepted "Service Boxes" for the purpose of starting, by the permission of their captains, united service in their ships. The cost of each "Box" and contents is from 20s. to 35s. 7 The experience so gained justifies the expectation that, with the assistance of several shipowners, at least a thousand Service Boxes" might be usefully placed on board British merchant shi and The Missions to Seamen, 11, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C., would be very grateful to secure a fund of £1,200, towards which upwards of £200 has already been generously given.
Fowst1 Buxtos, Bart, Chairman,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.