sidered permanent, the difficulties growing out of an uncertain and temporary residence will cease. On the 14th of March Mr. Samuel M. Irvine and his wife left Pittsburgh to occupy the new station with Mr. and Mrs. Ballard.

ADDITIONAL MISSIONS.

In view of the amount of means that might be contributed by the churches connected with the Society, the Committee believed it to be their duty, to bring into view other stations, which ought to be occupied. Two of these would be the enlargement of missionary operations among the Indian tribes, another a mission to Calcutta, and another a mission to China.

INDIAN TRIBES.

Beyond the limits of the respective States, and east of the Rocky Mountains, are 40 tribes of various sizes, containing a population of near 200,000. Ten other tribes or parts of tribes east of the Mississippi river, with a population of 50,000, are under treaty stipulations to remove west of that river; thus making an aggregate of 250,000, all more or less accessible to the labours of the missionary.

The relations of the Indian tribes, with the government of the United States, long embarrassed and complicated, are beginning to assume a more settled and permanent form. By the act of Congress of 28th May, 1830, "The President was authorized to set apart a district of country west of the Mississippi, and without the limits of any state or territory, for the reception of such tribes or nations of Indians, as may choose to exchange their lands and remove there. Further, the President was authorized solemnly to assure the tribe or nation with which the exchange is made, that the United States will for ever secure and guarantee to them, and their heirs or successors, the country so exchanged with them; and, if they prefer it, the United States will cause a patent or grant to be made and executed to them for the

This Indian territory, as designated by the commissioners to apportion it among the different tribes, is bounded by Red river on the south, and the Missouri and Platte rivers on the north; and is estimated to contain 206,738 square miles-a country more than three times the size of the six New England states, and more than four times the size of Pennsylvania. Upwards of 45,000 Indians have already emigrated to this territory,

which, with 6500 Kanzas and Osages residing there, and 50,000, under treaty stipulations to remove within its limits, will make a population of more than 100,000. Here are no interferences with the jurisdiction or rights of any of the states; and the whole Indian territory will be held by them under the solemn guarantee of the Government of the United States. In every treaty the most ample provision has been made for the support of schools, and for teaching agriculture and the most simple of the mechanic arts. It is a most important question, will this experiment of the government, in thus providing a permanent home, save the remnants of this noble race, from the melancholy destiny of those who have perished before the advance of the white man? Is it practicable to elevate the mass of this population, so that in time they may safely be entrusted with all the rights of citizens, and they be brought into the Union on an equal footing with the original states? It would not be difficult to prove, that if the proper means are used both these questions may be safely answered in the affirmative. But leaving this discussion as not properly belonging to this report, the Committee would notice but one aspect of the question. This experiment will fail most certainly, unless the Indians are made acquainted with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. How important then is the agency the Church has to perform; and how great will be her guilt, if from apathy the part assigned to her is left undone, and thereby all the other efforts fail! In view of this responsibility, the Committee have decided, that as soon as they can obtain qualified men, and the means are afforded, to occupy suitable stations in the Indian territory, and thus to aid in sending the Gospel to every tribe and people within its limits.

The committee had also in contemplation to send a mission to the Mandan Indians. They reside high up on the Missouri, and have a population of 15,000. There are many considerations in favour of a station so remote from the white population on the borders of the settlements. There are also disadvantages. The committee are not prepared at present to occupy this station; and this mission must wait till the spirit of the churches has reached a higher elevation in favour of foreign missions. In the mean time the committe will seek for the best information in relation to all the tribes upon our borders.

MISSION TO CALCUTTA.

Looking to our large and extending missionary establishments in Upper India, the Committee have decided to establish a mission at Calcutta. Through this place all the remittances and supplies

for the upper stations must be sent. This city is the seat of the British Government in India. It is crowded and surrounded by a heathen population; and the devoted labourers from other societies now there, are anxiously looking to this country for assistance in this arduous work.

The committee have not definitely selected any other stations in India. What additional points they may be able to occupy will depend on the men and the means which may be at their disposal. A pressing call has been made in favour of Munipore, a station about half way between Calcutta and Ava, and on the direct road between the two cities. Various stations on the Ganges above Benares are very eligible, and call loudly on the churches to occupy them. It is the wish of the committee, as soon as practicable, to make arrangements for occupying one or more stations, at or above Allahabad. All these stations would be on the direct travelling road from Calcutta to Lodiana.

MISSION TO CHINA.

This great people, not more remarkable for the extent of their territory, and the number of their population, than for their entire ignorance of the true God, have of late engaged the thoughts of professing christians in all parts of our country. The remarkable fact that one-fourth, or perhaps one-third of the human race read one language, ought long ere now to have called for the exertion of every friend of missions, and of the bible, to give to them that blessed book in numbers somewhat proportionable to the demand. But alas! a few small editions of the Chinese bible is the entire supply for these hundreds of millions. The missionary and tract societies of our own and other countries, have of late years been most usefully employed in furnishing tracts and scripture histories; but all that has yet been done, cannot bear any comparison to what is yet wanted. The impression that China is closed to missionary exertions, seems yet to rest like an incubus on the minds of christians, and to paralize and throw doubt on every exertion in her behalf. China is closed in some respects, but China is open and waiting for the gospel in others. The government of China, fearful of European politics, and still remembering the intrigues of the agents of the church of Rome, have forbidden the residence of foreigners within their limits, except at one designated point. The government do not permit even their language to be taught, nor their books to be sold to foreigners. They forbid also the reading of any books brought by foreigners They permit no schools to be taught by them, nor printing presses to be established. New edicts make

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their appearance from time to time, but these prohibitions are of long standing. Notwithstanding these measures, the people of China are anxious to receive our religious, scientific, and historical books; and if instead of five thousand copies of the bible, we had half a million, and prudent and qualified men to distribute them, it would not be long before they would be in circulation, in the most thickly settled part of the empire. All the Mandarins, and all the military officers, could not prevent their teeming millions from receiving and reading them. It ill becomes the Church to be discouraged till the missionaries abroad report to them that nothing more can be done. In other respects China is open and perfectly accessible to missionary labours. In every island in the Eastern Archipelago, Chinese emigrants are to be found, mostly residing together; and men of a right spirit, sustained by the prayers and the contributions of the churches, only are wanted to carry to these accessible perishing thousands, the bread of life. These emigrants, to a greater or less degree, are connected with the population at home; many are constantly coming and returning; and thus affording facilities and opportunities to disseminate printed books to a great extent. The hundreds of thousands of the Chinese population, engaged in fishing, far out of sight of land, and in large companies together, ought neither to be overlooked nor neglected. The attempt to supply them with printed or oral instruction might not in all cases be permitted, because they are for the most part accompanied by war boats. But let the trial be made. It may be found that these very war boats, will be the first to receive the words of life.

Heretofore the Chinese printing has been almost entirely performed in the Chinese manner on blocks of wood. The preparation of these blocks require the employment of Chinese artists. Hence nothing could be done without their assistance. The Chinese language has no alphabet, every character represents either a word or an idea. Their number is estimated by Dr. Marshman at 30,000. The expense of preparing steel punches and matrices for such a number would be so great, that till lately no attempt has been made to supply the whole. Besides the expense, the difficulty of arranging 30,000 different characters in a printing office, so as to be manageable by the printer, is seen at once to be too great for practical purposes. The Rev. Mr. Dyer at Penang, has been for some time engaged, with good success in preparing steel punches and matrices for two or three thousand of the characters most in use. These types when prepared can be used in the common printing press, and even that number of characters will afford great facility in Chinese printing. Still it is most desirable, that when the missionaries have acquired a full

knowledge of the language, they should have the advantage of using any character in it they might prefer, in translating or explaining the Bible or in writing their other publications. This most important discovery has quite lately been made. More than thirty years ago, Dr. Marshman discovered that most of the Chinese characters consisted of two elements, which he called formatives and primatives. He pointed out this principle to the student of the language with great clearness, as one of great importance for him to know. Dr. Marshman does not seem to have been aware how very important this discovery was in relation to the preparation of a body of metal type, for the whole language. Pursuing the subject with the light thus afforded by this venerable and able missionary, the Chinese scholars in Paris carried it one step farther in reference solely to printing. They divided the whole language into two classes of divisible and indivisible characters, and by a careful examination of the divisible characters and a reduction of them to their most simple elements, it appeared that with 9000 punches and matrices, the whole 30,000 characters can be formed. By arranging and numbering these 9000 elements under their respective keys, the whole presents but little more difficulty than a common English printing office.

The Committee are much indebted to the Rev. Robert Baird, now in Paris, for the promptitude and ability with which he answered all their letters in relation to this subject. He also forwarded specimens of the printing, which in beauty of form and perfection of finish, excel any Chinese printing with which they have yet been compared in this country. An experienced typographer has engaged to furnish matrices for the whole or for part of the language as individuals or societies may order. Deeming the subject of the first importance in reference to the present condition of China, the Committee, in October last, ordered a set of matrices for the whole language and forwarded $500 in part payment. The expense at first was stated to be nearly $5000, but by later information from Mr. Baird, some additional charges for polishing, preparing, and numbering the matrices, amounting to $1600 must be added. The payment of this additional sum has been assumed by a single individual, which, in the present state of their funds, very much relieved the committee. There is also some uncertainty whether the whole number of matrices will be made. The typographer states that for less than two orders he cannot afford the expense of completing the whole set. No other society, either in Europe or the United States has ordered a full set, but the last advices are favourable to a second order being given by the Royal Printing Establishment of France. number however that will be of essential service will be obtained,

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