opening a separate Protestant place of worship, how can the King refuse the same toleration to the German, French, or Swiss Protestants, who would naturally expect it," In the Articles of Capitulation between the Neapolitan and Swiss Governments for the hiring of troops, it was provided that the Protestant troops should enjoy the free exercise of their religion in a chapel. But when they arrived at Naples and claimed the fulfilment of the Treaty, the King was obliged to confess that he could not effect it, and the chaplain of the Protestant corps was obliged to perform service in a barrack-room where the men sleep. The Government tells us that the English not only enjoy the privileges of the most favoured nations, by having their religious worship tolerated, but still more, it has been conceded to them to have it in the house of their Consul instead of that of their Minister.

Thus matters rest. I am still houseless. Herewith I send you a memorandum of the total expenses of the English church at Naples, except the rent of the rooms.

You will perceive that the income on the spot at the present rate of subscription is nearly equal to meet the charge and by a small increase it would leave even a small surplus. The rent of the actual chapel has been paid in advance till the 4th May, 1844. If, then, the Government will contribute 2507. per annum to the chapel to cover the rent of the house, without which it cannot be opened, all will go right, and after May, 1844, the surplus funds of the buryingground might be appropriated to defray the rent of those rooms, amounting to 700 ducats per annum. By that time I anticipate that there would be a balance in hand amounting to 2,000 ducats of that fund. Part of it could be appropriated to enlarge the cemetery, and the remainder would be held in stock. I am naturally anxious for your final determination on the subject.

J. Bidwell, Esq.

I remain, &c.

THOMS. GALLWEY.

(Inclosure.)-Expenditure (exclusive of Rent) per annum of the British

(Clerk's commission on collection of subscriptions, 3 per cent.)

Government (deficit) 844 57 1,310 71 1,076 00 1,018 00

Ducats 2,468 33 2,694 30 2,779 00 3,095 60

Local subscriptions should be raised one-third at least.

Naples, June 22, 1840.

SIR,

THOMS. GALLWEY.

No. 101.-Mr. Bidwell to Captain Gallwey.

Foreign Office, July 24, 1840. VISCOUNT PALMERSTON having received a communication from Mr. Temple on the subject of church affairs at Naples, and having taken into consideration Mr. Temple's statement that the British residents are anxious to regain the support of Her Majesty's Government, I am directed by his Lordship to acquaint you that he is willing to accept the regret expressed by the residents for their past conduct, and to rely upon their assurance that they will in future adhere strictly to the regulations of Her Majesty's Government. Under these circumstances, Lord Palmerston is disposed no longer to object to replace the British Church Establishment at Naples under the provisions of the Act 6 George IV, cap. 87; but before doing so, his Lordship is desirous of receiving precise information in regard to

the ways and means of the Church Establishment during the last 10 years. I am accordingly directed to transmit to you the accompanying paper, and to desire that you will return it to this department, inserting therein the details thereby required.

I am, however, to state that Lord Palmerston does not see why the determination of the residents to have a chapel in the Calabritti Palace should either put the public to additional expense, or subject the Consul to inconvenience or loss. The public contribution under the Act could not be paid by Her Majesty's Government for the private apartment of the Consul; and any compensation to be made to the Consul for changing his residence should be given by the residents, as Lord Palmerston cannot prescribe to the Consul what particular house he shall live in. I have, &c. Captain Gallwey, R.N.

SIR,

JOHN BIDWELL.

No. 102.-Viscount Palmerston to the Hon. W. Temple.

Foreign Office, July 29, 1840.

I HAVE had under my consideration your despatch of the 16th ultimo, respecting British Church affairs at Naples; and I transmit to you, under flying seal, for your information, a despatch which I have addressed to Her Majesty's Consul upon this subject.

The Hon. W. Temple.

I am, &c.

PALMERSTON.

No. 103.-Captain Gallwey to Mr. Bidwell.-(Rec. September 5.) SIR, Naples, August 26, 1840.

I HAD the honour to receive your despatch of the 24th ultimo a few days ago, the subject of which I communicated to the British residents; and I am authorized by them to convey through you their grateful acknowledgments to Viscount Palmerston for the willingness expressed by his Lordship to accept their declaration of regret for their past errors; and they request me to repeat to his Lordship their determination to adhere strictly in future to the regulations of Her Majesty's Government on the affairs of the church and buryingground.

The prospects held out to the residents of being speedily enabled to re-open the chapel for the celebration of divine service, under the protection of Her Majesty's Government and of the provisions of the Act of Parliament, has diffused general satisfaction through the settlement, and I am sure that nothing will in future be wanting on their part to convince Lord Palmerston of the sincerity of their present professions on the subject.

I have to acknowledge the receipt of the paper inclosed in the [1844-45.] 4 H

despatch, purporting to be, when filled up, an exposé of the ways and means of the church and burying-ground during the last 10 years. I have inserted therein the required details as far as I possessed or could procure the materials for doing so, but from 1826 to 1830 inclusive no accounts for the burying-ground are in existence, and those for the year 1833 I never could obtain on my first arrival at this Consulate, nor have been able at any subsequent period to procure them. At that date it was the desire of the residents to withhold all information on the affairs of the cemetery from the Government, and of the accounts for the year in question (1833) I could only obtain the amount of cash in hand from the preceding year, and the amount appropriated to the uses of the then contemplated new church, but there is no return of the amount received, or of the expenses of the cemetery during the year. Throughout the subsequent period the accounts are correct, and will continue so henceforth. I return the papers herewith filled up accordingly.

With respect to the manner in which the excess of expence of the new establishment is to be defrayed I will not presume to suggest an opinion, having already on different occasions ventured to do so; I will merely say, that in the present altered state of the apartment in the Calabritti Palace, of which the intended chapel-rooms form a part, and to insure access to which it is necessary, from local national causes, that Her Majesty's Consul should occupy the apartment as his actual residence, I am disposed, in deference to the conciliatory wishes of Mr. Temple, to pay 300 ducats, about, at the present exchange of 573 grains per 17. sterling, 527. per annum, as my portion of the rent of the apartment, and I do this in the sincere spirit of terminating, if possible, the unpleasant differences on church questions that have for so long a period existed in this settlement. If Her Majesty's Secretary of State will admit of the balance, or 1,200 ducats, about 2107., being carried to account as church rent, all difficulties would be got over, and the sum to be required for the ensuing 4 years from Her Majesty's Government as its contribution to the chapel, would exceed by a small sum the annual deficiency during the last 9 years.

I will merely add, Sir, that it would be desirable (and the residents are very desirous) that the apartment should be secured and the chapel opened on the first Sunday in October.

J. Bidwell, Esq.

I have, &c.

THOMS. GALLWEY.

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