"I am happy to say that the survivors of the expedition remain as much unshaken as ever in their confidence regarding the final success of this undertaking, as well as the manifest advantages, facilities, and cheapness of this line of communication. The hurricane has been, it is true, a most trying and calamitous event; but I believe it is regarded by all, even at this early day, as having no more to do with the navigation of the Euphrates in other respects than the loss of a packet in the Irish Channel, which might retard, but could not put an end to, the intercourse between England and Ireland.

"We are therefore continuing our descent and survey to Bussora, hoping, not only to bring up the mail from India within the specified time, but also, if it pleases God to spare us, to demonstrate the speed, economy, and commercial advantages of the river Euphrates, provided the decision of Ministers shall be in the true spirit of Englishmen—to give it a fair trial, rather than abandon the original purpose in consequence of an unforeseen and, as it proved, an unavoidable calamity.

"I have the honour to be, &c.

"F. R. CHESNEY,

Colonel, commanding the Expedition.

Officers and Men lost in the Tigris, May 21. "Lieutenant R. B. Lynch, 26th Regiment Bengal Native Infantry, passenger; Ensoff Sader, interpreter; John Struthers, engineer.

"Royal Artillery-Lieutenant Robert Cockburn, Acting Sergeant R. Clark, Thomas Jones, gunner, Robert Turner, ditto, James Moore, ditto, James Hay, ditto.

"Sappers and Miners-Archibald M'Donald, private. "Seamen-Benjamin Gibson, John Hunter, Thomas Booth, Thomas Batty, George Liddel.

"Natives-Aboo, Wasoo, Jacoob John, Manneh, Pedros. "H. BLOSSE LYNCH, Lieutenant."

LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE OF
SAILORS' CHAPELS.

MR. EDITOR,-I have just seen an account of the services appointed at the laying the foundation stone of a "House for the worship of the Almighty Triune Jehovah." It has

much pleased me, and I beg you to accept for the PILOT a little extract from its preamble.

"If there be a time when prayer and praise should more especially ascend up as a memorial before God, surely it is when permitted to build an house unto Him whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain; and to plead the fulfilment of his promise-'I will make the place of my feet glorious.""

When Solomon began to build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem (2 Chron. iii, 13), and at the foundation of the second temple (Ezra iii, 10, 11), "all the people shouted with a great shout, and praised the LORD because the foundation of the House of the LORD was laid."

And shall sailors! Christian sailors! men proverbially zealous in all they undertake, forget, on a similar occasion, to shout their chorus of joy on such an event; and to praise aloud the Lord their God, for "He is good, for his mercy endureth for ever!"

Precisely what the kind of shout-that great shout-of the Jews was, is not known: but British sailors have one very peculiar and characteristic mode of making known the joy. of their heart and the firmness of their purpose: a mode from which nothing can restrain them when the heart is full-I mean a loud, hearty, continued, orderly, impressive cheering, till (as in the time of Ezra) the noise of the shouting of the people is heard afar off.

These ideas have occurred to me on reading the pleasing narrative that the sailors at Appledore, in Devonshire, have contributed largely toward the erection of a Bethel chapel there.

The foundation stone of that chapel has been laid; and the building is in progress; but the top-stone is yet to be placed; and on that occasion the seamen may again rejoice, and (not vain-gloriously nor ostentatiously, but) simply and gladly raise their voices till the shout of grateful praise be heard far and wide.

Most sincerely wishing great prosperity to the efforts at Appledore, and desirous of hearing the like good news from many a British out-port, I am, Mr. Editor,

London, 15th August, 1836.

Yours truly, for,

DUM SPIRO SPERO.

CONVERSION OF NEARLY A WHOLE

SHIP'S CREW.

THOUSANDS of seamen are, doubtless, converted to God and prepared for everlasting glory of whom we shall never hear upon earth. And the distribution of the Scriptures, the loan of ship's libraries and single books to sailors, and the circulation of religious tracts among those who go down to the sea in ships, are as seed of the word of God, which will be watered with the life-giving dews of his Spirit:

Our readers will peruse the following communication with lively gratitude to God, as illustrative of the preceding observations, though the precise means of the blessed results are not detailed.

"TO THE EDITOR. Sir, Your readers will doubtless be rejoiced to read the following account of the power of divine grace, which has been so remarkably displayed in the conversion of nearly a whole ship's crew, and that too by the instrumentality of a humble individual, who three years ago shipped himself as a common sailor. It is worthy of remark, that this vessel has never received ardent spirits on board for the use of the crew. 1. P." "London, Aug. 1836."

New York, June, 29th 1836. (Ship Philadelphia.)

My Beloved Friends,-I do with pleasure and gratitude inform you of our safe arrival in the port of New York, on Friday, 17th June, all well. You will be able to see what time we left Canton, and how we had got along on our passage so far as St. Helena (nearly), in the note I wrote a few days before we passed that island. I wrote expecting we should go in for water, but did not. I shall now send it. Since that time the hand of the Lord has been with us in a remarkable manner. He has not only brought us through various dangers, but, to his name be praise for ever, he has brought many of our number from darkness to light, and they are now rejoicing in a sin-pardoning God, and telling to all around what a precious Saviour they have found. There are eight out of ten of our sailors who have given up themselves to Christ; and I have no doubt but the change that has been effected in their hearts has been effected by the mighty power of divine grace. We

gt n the river on Friday, and so far from the men leaving the ship, which is the common practice, all hands remained on board until the following Thursday, when all their work was done, and their services no longer required. Grace changes the whole man and all his habits. Their conduct has been consistent in every respect since they have been in port. And those of them who have parted with us (having left New York for home) left us with tears in their eyes, and their hearts filled with gratitude and love. I hope to meet them in the port of glory. Oh! what hath God wrought!

I now close this scroll, by subscribing myself your most sincere and affectionate friend in the bond of Christian love; praise God, it is that love which constitutes my happiness. How I have rejoiced since I have been here to see the devil's kingdom tremble, and to see some of the most abandoned sailors falling down before God under the power of conviction. Praise the Lord, we shall see the kingdom of Jesus coming with power!

BASIL GUNN.

REVIEW.

THE Life and Voyages of Captain James Cook, drawn up from his Journals, and other Authentic Documents; and comprising much Original Information: by the Rev. George Young, A. M. Corresponding Member of the Wernerian Natural History Society, and of the Northern Institution, &c. &c. Illustrated with several engravings, pp. xii, 472, 12mo. cloth. Whitaker, London.

CAPTAIN COOK, as a scientific, experienced, and successful navigator, has secured the admiration of the civilized world, and, by his important discoveries, conferred unspeakable obligations on Great Britain. A melancholy interest attaches to the history of this great man by the circumstance of his lamented death by the fury of the savages at the Sandwich Islands, Feb. 14, 1779.

Captain Cook was not a Christian missionary to the heathen, nor do his Memoirs present to the reader what is eminently religious; but his discoveries and researches were, under Divine Providence, made instrumental in opening and preparing the way for the most successful missions to Tahiti, or Otaheite, and the numerous islands of the Southern Ocean.

Mr. Young has conferred a favour on the British public by this publication, and it cannot fail to be read with much interest, especially by those who take an interest in maritime affairs. He remarks, "The Life of Captain Cook, by Dr. Kippis, was published in 1788, four years after the appearance of his last voyage to the Pacific; and although several biographical sketches have since been produced, no other respectable life of Cook has issued from the press. Yet during the forty-eight years that have intervened, materials for an improved history of the great navigator have been accumulating."

Mr. Young has availed himself of the abundant materials supplied by various sources, and his long residence at Whitby, and frequent intercourse with the intimate friends of our navigator, have enabled him to produce this instructive volume, which we rejoice to learn is "dedicated with permission to the King."

What have I to do with Sailors? by Thomas Timpson, one of the Secretaries of the British and Foreign Sailors' Society. 18mo. pp. 36. Thomas Ward and Co. MANY persons, especially those in remote inland towns, are apt to consider that as they have no immediate connection with maritime affairs, they "have nothing to do with sailors," consequently are under no peculiar obligations to promote their religious improvement. This little pamphlet, illustrated with several engravings of Bethel Meetings, &c. contains a rich mass of information on the condition of seamen, and the means used for their religious improvement. Its price is only threepence; it is designed and adapted to give away, to diffuse information relating to sailors; and its profits are appropriated to the Society.

THE SEA OF LIFE.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.

Psalm xxiii, 6.