Lord Stanleyrose to move for leave to bring in a bill to amend the act 6 Geo. 4th., cap. 88, for making provision for the salaries of certain bishops, and other ecclesiastical dignitaries and ministers, in the diocese of Jamaica, and in the diocese of Barbadoes and the Leeward Islands, and to enable her Majesty to separate such diocese. He did not think that any objection would be raised to the introduction of the bill for leave to introduce which he now intended to move. It might be in the recollection of the House, that in the year 1825, a bill had been introduced, authorising the establishment of the bishoprics of Barbadoes and Jamaica, and assigning salaries to bishops and archdeacons respectively. Since then, he need hardly say, that from circumstances the labours of the clergy in our West Indian colonies, had increased to a great extent. It was one of the happy circumstances attendant on emancipation, that there had been of late an increasing desire for spiritual instruction. Churches and chapels had risen in every direction, and there had been an increasing desire to have the superintendence of the clergy. But of course this spread of religious feeling entailed increased duties on the superintendence of the Bishop of Jamaica, and on the Bishop of Barbadoes, whose diocese included all the Leeward Islands and Demerara, and which could not all be performed by him. At this moment the Bishop of Barbadoes had tendered the resignation of his see, and in conformity with the provisions of the act, 6th of George 4th, c. 88, by which, after ten years' service, the bishop was entitled to a retiring allowance. The Bishop of Barbadoes had now served sixteen years, and had laboured most zealously in his office. That Prelate now claimed the benefit of the act, and had placed his appointment at the disposal of her Majesty. He had felt that it was desirable, as the noble Lord who had preceded him in his office had done, to make more effectual provision for the discharge of the episcopal functions of that island; and he was happy to inform the House, that in accordance 149 with an arrangement he had made, with the consent of the Archbishop here, and of the Bishop of Barbadoes, he proposed to subdivide that diocese into three dioceses instead of one, without involving any increased expenditure either to this country, or to any other party. The salary assigned to the Bishop of Barbadoes and charged on the consolidated fund, was 4,000l. a year, with a retiring allowance of 1,000l. a-year. There were also two archdeacons, to whom salaries of 2000l. a year each were assigned, though only 1,500l. a year each had been drawn, the rest having been contributed for a third archdeacon, who received 500l. additional from the colony of Demerara. This left a disposable amount of 8,500l. a year. Instead of giving to the Bishop of Barbadoes 4,000l. a year, and to each of the archdeacons 2,000l. a year, the intention of the bill which he was about to lay before the House was, to appoint three bishops, and to give to the first 2,500l a year, to the second 2,000l. a year, and to the third 1,500l. a year, with 5001 added by the colony of Demerara, and he proposed to assign to the three archdeacons the salary of 500l. a year each, instead of their present salary of 2,000l. a year, which appeared to him to be exorbitant. He proposed also to add two clergymen to the establishments in Trinidad, and at St. Kitt's, to perform the duties of rural deans; and the same amount of money which went to provide for one bishop, and three archdeacons, would go to provide the services of three bishops, three achdeacons, and two rural deans. He trusted that he had exhibited a proper regard for economy in this arrangement for subdividing the important functions performed by the bishop of the diocese, and obtaining an adequate superintendence in the episcopal government of these colonies. It was only due to the Bishop of Barbadoes to state, that although the pension for his services was not granted till his resignation was actually given, and though the resignatiou was tendered in August last, owing to a doubt as to the form of it, it had not yet been actually received; the bishop had said, though in form he was entitled to receive the salary of the bishopric, he was willing to receive the quarterly sum of 250l. alone, under the pension he had accepted, though this had not in form been confirmed upon him. He proposed to make similar arrangements with regard to the diocese of Jamaica. He proposed to take power to her Majesty, by letters patent, if she should so think 150 fit, to appoint one or two or more dioceses in Jamaica, providing that the expense of two dioceses should not exceed the sum of 6,000l., appropriated to the support of the present diocese. He did not anticipate any opposition to the proposition, and should conclude with moving for leave to bring in "a bill to amend the act 6th Geo. 4th., c. 88, for making provision for the salaries of certain bishops, and other ecclesiastical dignitaries and ministers in the diocese of Jamaica, and in the diocese of Barbadoes, and the Leeward Islands, and to enable her Majesty to separate such diocese." Leave given.