amount of tonnage, 31,985. Eighteen of these ships were volunteers. There was one ship in the fleet (the Triumph,) of 1,100 tons, one of 1000 tons, one of 900, two of 800 each, three of 600, and five of 500, five of 400, six of 300, six of 250, twenty of 200; all the rest were smaller. But in the Armada, though there were only three ships that exceeded in size the Triumph, there were no fewer than forty-five between 600 and 1000 tons burden: and though the English fleet outnumbered the Armada nearly by sixty sail, its tonnage amounted not to one half that of the enemy."

At the close of the reign of Elizabeth, the English Royal Navy consisted of thirteen large ships, the largest of which was 1,100 tons burthen, carrying fortysix guns. The other ships were principally of 600 tons, carrying each 30 guns. Very little increase was made in the reign of James I. and Charles I.; and according to the printed orders of Parliament in 1646, the English Navy consisted of nine ships of the larger classes, the largest of which mounted fifty guns, and carried 280 men, the others from thirty-six to forty-six guns and seventeen smaller ships, none of which carried more than twenty-three, nor less than eight guns.

In

After the obstinate wars between the Dutch and English fleets, in the time of the Commonwealth, in 1660, the tonnage of the Royal Navy of England amounted to only 62,594 tons—after this period however the increase was rapid; and in 1688 it was 101,032 tons. The naval power of Great Britain probably attained its acmé in 1815, and it will probably never again be so numerous and effective as at that time. 1832, the British navy consisted of twenty-two ships of over 100 guns-109 ships of seventy-four and less than 100-104 frigates, razees, &c.—and 310 vessels mounting from four to thirty guns each, besides twenty-two steam vessels. In the whole, 557 vessels, employing 20,000 sailors, and 9000 märines-the whole tonnage probably amounting to between four and 500,000 tons.

OBSERVATIONS AND REFLECTIONS OF A YOUNG SEAMAN.

The following extract of a letter from a young seaman, on board of a large ship in the Royal Navy, will be read with interest by many who can sympathize with a pious mother who has an only son at sea :—

"Saturday, June 3rd, (1837.) We weighed anchor, and set sail for Bermuda. About a fortnight after, when in lat. 26° 55/ N., and long 29° 17", we observed a small vessel drifting about at some distance from us it proved to be a wreck, and had evidently floated about in that state many months: her name was quite imperceptible, owing to the numbers of shell-fish, called Barnacles, which adhered to it. The sight of the wreck caused many a dismal thought to cross my mind. Where, thought I, is the crew? What have become of them? Perhaps they may have been swallowed up in the waves, and thrown into the eternal world, without being prepared to stand before the great tribunal of God. Perhaps some fond mother may have been bereaved of an only son, in whom all her hopes were centered; and it may be, that another has had cause to mourn for a kind and affectionate husband, while the child at home longs but in vain for the fond embrace of its father!

"At the latter end of June, we were beset by contrary winds, which obliged us to steer for Halifax; at which place we arrived on Sunday, July 16, being upwards of two months from our leaving Portsmouth.

"I cannot express what were my feelings, when I, for the first time, trod the shores which had been marked with the footsteps of that great, but unfortunate navigator, Columbus. While looking round at the romantic country beyond me, it was like viewing the empty stage of some great drama, when all the actors had departed. The very aspect of the landscape, so tranquilly beautiful, had an effect upon me; and, as. I paced the shore,

P

I felt my heart swelling with emotions, and my eyes filled with tears.

"Now, my dear mother, I hope this letter may do as I have done, cross the mighty Atlantic in safety, and reach its destined port; and may God grant, that both of us, and all dear relations and friends, may cross in safety the wide ocean of life, and, finally, reach the haven to which we are steering-the holy haven of God."

SHIPWRECKED SAILORS IN CHINA.

Chinese humanity has not generally been famous, especially towards Europeans. The following, however, from one of the weekly papers, if true, is calculated to create sincere respect for a heathen people, who would, in so noble a manner, relieve distressed strangers; and to desire that they may be blessed with the saving knowledge of the doctrines of Jesus Christ:

"The last accounts bring intelligence, that Captain Quin, in Her Majesty's ship 'Raleigh', had returned to Macao Roads, on the 29th of August, after a voyage to Foo-chow-foo, in the province of Fukun, whither he had proceeded, accompanied by Mr. Gutzlaff, for the purpose of obtaining from the Chinese authorities, fifteen British seamen, who had been wrecked on the coast. During their residence with the Chinese, these persons had been well fed, lodged, and clad; and, upon their final departure from Foo-chow-foo, for Canton, each individual received a present, in silver, to the amount of about fifty shillings. The one half of their journey to Canton was performed in chairs."

May these humane pagans be rewarded with that, which is infinitely more precious than silver or gold, the "glorious gospel of the blessed God."

NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS.

An Appeal to the_British Nation, on behalf of her Sailors, by Rear Admiral Sir JAHLEEL BRENTON, Bart., K. C. B., LieutenantGovernor of Greenwich Hospital, 18mo, pp. 107. Nisbett, London.

Sir Jahleel Brenton, is one of our most worthy patriots; and the whole British empire is greatly indebted to him, not only for his professional services in the Royal Navy, but for greater services which he has rendered to our Colonies, and to the cause of our common Christianity

This "Appeal on behalf of Sailors," happily indicates his humanity and piety. It contains many instructive passages, and we trust it will be the means of exciting many to consider the powerful claims of our Seamen. This work is designed especially to serve the "Sailors' Home," that noble "Boarding House for Seamen," in Dock-street, London; and the "Destitute Sailors' Asylum," in the same street, and now connected with it, as a valuable charity. While these establishments are useful and necessary, it cannot but be acknowledged by every believer in Divine Revelation, that the communication of the gospel of Christ to seamen, by every possible means of evangelical instruction, will be the most effectual means of improving and regenerating that noble body of our fellow men, as of every class and every race on all the face of the earth.

Lectures, illustrating the Contrast between True Christianity and various other Systems, by Rev. W. B. SPRAGUE, D.D. Author of "Letters to a Daughter," "Hints on Christian Intercourse," &c. 12mo, pp. 372, cloth, Dinnis, Lond. Dr. Sprague's work contains eight Lectures, under the following titles:-1. Christianity contrasted with

Atheism. 2. Christianity contrasted with Paganism. 3. Christianity contrasted with Deism. 4. Christianity contrasted with Mohammedanism. 5. Protestant Christianity contrasted with Romanism. 6. Evangelical Christianity contrasted with Unitarianism. 7. Practical Christianity contrasted with Antinomianism. 8. Experimental Christianity contrasted with Formalism, Sentimentalism, and Fanaticism.

These Lectures are admirably adapted to instruct and improve intelligent and educated young enquirers after genuine Christianity. They are sound, scriptural, and judicious; and their style is chaste, forcible, and elegant, altogether worthy of the high reputation of the American Divine, their author.

REV. JOHN WILLIAMS'S MISSIONARY SHIP"CAMBDEN."

Christian Missions, and their divinely-beneficial operations among the heathen, being crowned with the blessing of God, are deeply interesting to all classes of the readers of the PILOT. They will, therefore, expect some notice of the Rev. JOHN WILLIAMS, and his Missionary Ship the "CAMBDEN," which recently left the port of London for her important service among the Islands in the South Seas. This notice of the CAMBDEN will be the more grateful to many, as this now distinguished and consecrated vessel is commanded by one of our excellent Bethel veterans CAPTAIN MORGAN.

Mr. Williams's extraordinary labours and successes, in the conversion of the South Sea Islanders to the knowledge of Christ, as published in his "MISSIONARY ENTERPRISE," have astonished and delighted all classes of the community; and his powerful sermons and instructive addresses at Public Meetings, in all parts of the kingdom, with his indefatigable exertions in accomplishing his plans to obtain a ship devoted to Missionary service in the South Seas, have excited a degree of interest among Christians around London, unparalleled