Edward Coffin, and the officers under him in the Commissariat, and their kind desires in forwarding and encouraging the operations of the Committee.

The Committee beg also to report, and with special gratitude and satisfaction, the great obligations under which they have been laid to James Matheson, Esq. of the Lewis, M.P. Interested deeply himself in the welfare of a very numerous island population, the Committee no sooner applied to him, soliciting his aid in forwarding their operations, than he more than exceeded the requests brought before him, even anticipating the wants and wishes of the Committee. Mr Matheson, immediately on learning the nature of the Committee's operations, instructed his agents that a free passage to Glasgow should be afforded by his steamer trading from Glasgow to Stornoway, to all the labourers from the Highlands and Islands resorting to the Lowlands for employment to whom his steamer might be at all accessible; and further instructing, that whatever quantity of provision to the destitute the steamer could carry, consistently with her engagements to the public, should be conveyed gratis to whatever points the Committee might direct; and not contented with benefactions so generous, Mr Matheson instructed the Committee, that on any emergency occurring, where the lives of his countrymen were ascertained to be in danger, the Committee were then, at once, to consider his steamer as entirely at their own disposal, and free of all charges, and to employ her accordingly, without hesitation, in the cause of humanity. The General Assembly will not be surprised by the Committee feeling, that the grateful thanks of the Free Church are due to Mr Matheson; while they feel assured that such generous kindness will make an impression on the minds of all the contributors to the Committee's fund not to be easily effaced.

It is due to the Free Church, and to every contributor to its Destitution fund, that this Committee should fully and faithfully report, as they now desire to do, their application of the means placed at their disposal.

Advised as the Committee were, even at the date of their appointment, of the severe distress already experienced, especially in some of the Western Islands, and among the cottar population, their first anxious object was to procure and to despatch the means of necessary relief. Here the Committee may be permitted to mention the fact, creditable to the Free Synod of Argyle, and of very great consequence, as the Committee can testify, in mitigating the severe distress for a time of many destitute families, in the islands of Tyree, Coll, Iona, Barra, South and North Uist; that that Synod, at its annual meeting on 4th September, having had submitted to it statements of the distress then

already existing, ordered a collection to be made in the congregations of their own bounds, with the proceeds of which the supplies now mentioned were purchased and despatched. Subsequently to this Committee's appointment, the balance remaining of that collection, (and certain of the congregations making a second collection,) having been transferred to this Committee's fund, the standing claims against the Synod's Committee were discharged from this Committee's fund, leaving still a balance by the transference in favour of this Committee. The amount thus transferred from the Synod of Argyle will be found in the Appendix, as collections by the several congregations named, in the bounds of that Synod.

The purchases made by this Committee are the following, and will be found specifically detailed in the Appendix, viz., 2198 bolls of oatmeal; 142 bolls of pease-meal, 268 bolls of barley-flour meal, 16 cwt. pot-barley, 1117 bolls wheat, and 870 bolls of pease. 200 bolls of barley-meal subsequently, and 192 bolls at another time, were purchased from the Government depôt at Tobermory, to meet special emergencies that had come under the observation of the Committee's visiting deputations, and were forthwith applied, under the inspection of the Local Distributing Committees where those emergencies had arisen. Of the quantity purchased by the Committee, as above, in the Glasgow and Edinburgh markets, 1500 bolls were shipped in four different vessels from the Clyde, with all the despatch possible in the circumstances, and sent to the following places, viz. Ross, Dervaig, Salin, and Tobermory, in the island of Mull; Iona, Ulva and Gometra, Tyree, Coll, Barra, South Uist, North Uist, Benbecula, Bernera, Harris, and Eig, some of the islands now mentioned including several stations in each; and on the mainland, to the districts of Ardnamurchan, Salin (in Ardnamurchan), Strontian, Moidart, Arisaig, Loch-Hourn, Glenelg, Dornie, Lochcarron, Shieldag, Applecross, Turriden, Poolewe, and Ullapool; and to the districts of Sleat, Strath, Portree, Snizort, Bracadale, Glendale, and Dunvegan, in the isle of Skye. The supplies to each station were regulated by the amount of the population, and the intelligence regarding existing necessities already in the Committee's possession. The average supply to each of these stations may be stated at from thirty to fifty bolls.

At this stage of the Committee's operations, it was judged expedient to exercise caution as to the amount of supply to be furnished; and the General Assembly, the Committee feel assured, will justify the Committee's views, in the importance attached by the Committee to the duty of personal visitation of the several districts and stations, by individuals of their own number, both with respect to the obtaining of full and accurate information, and with respect to the still more

important duty, if possible, of appointing suitable and efficient Local Distributing Committees in the several districts.

While the Committee refer to the regulation framed by them on this point, as found in the Appendix, they may be permitted to refer for a moment to the principles on which they acted in the framing of that regulation. In such a visitation as had befallen those districts of our land, it is well known to those acquainted with the structure and economical state of society in the Highlands and Islands, that the real wants of families, individuals, and neighbours, can be well and accurately known only to those more immediately around, and having full habitual opportunity of local and even individual acquaintance. Any practical form of procedure in administering relief, founded merely upon general survey of a district's population and state, or general knowledge of circumstances, will be sure to embrace in its actual operation, an omission of cases the most needy, and of undue expenditure also upon cases comparatively less needy than others. This Committee would pass over the liabilities to error, from which cases of real injustice may arise, incident to all men, in the exercise of delegated trust or authority. Such instances may and will occasionally occur, less or more, under whatever precautionary system of regulations and rules. Nor would it be possible, that any theoretical rules formed by parties at a distance, should overtake and accommodate themselves to every occurrent circumstance demanding immediate attention. It was this Committee's earnest object, as they felt it to be also matter of solemn duty, to place the trust reposed in themselves, where of course delegation was necessary, in the hands of conscientious. men, possessing both the needful local acquaintance, and the confidence and respect of their equals and inferiors in worldly circumstances around them. Of such men, in terms of their own regulation, they were anxious that the Local Distributing Committees should be chiefly composed. If fortunate in obtaining the co-operation of men thus possessing intimate knowledge of the temporal condition of their neighbours in each locality,-men who, by their acknowledged uprightness, had the confidence of those surrounding them, the Committee felt that they were thereby securing the most faithful and efficient agency. Such knowledge of circumstances and of personal character, joined with known integrity, they did consider as affording the surest guarantee to a faithful and equitable administration of supplies forwarded to the several districts. The Committee, at the same time, by means of their own regulations, furnished to every Distributing Local Committee, and of Distribution Books also supplied, in which every pound of meal distributed, with the names and designation of parties receiving such aid, were to be

regularly entered, secured to this Committee the full power of checking and rectifying any errors into which Distributing Committees might fall, and of adjudicating upon complaints which might afterwards reach them. The Committee have satisfaction in stating, that the selection of members of such Distributing Local Committees, was by no means confined to members or adherents, or office-bearers of the Free Church. A list of the Committees named by them would amply evince, that in proportion to the state of adherence to the Free Church in the several districts, the constitution of the Distributing Committees, as they anxiously wished the whole of their operations to be, was on the broad ground of catholic principles; and if with any bias, all circumstances considered, it was the wish of avoiding any semblance of partiality in favour of Free Church adherents, office-bearers, or members. While the Committee rejoiced when individuals of local influence and authority, and of acknowledged impartiality, without known bias or prejudice, consented to act on Distributing Local Committees; it would be, at the same time, but a false delicacy not to avow, that such bias and prejudices, in certain quarters not a few, were known and felt really to exist; and that occasions of collision between parties was sought to be avoided. The funds entrusted to this Committee's administration were the alms of the Church, supplied by its efforts on a call of emergency; and the great principle sought by the Committee to be carried out in their practical administration towards the ends in view, was, that the poor and the needy enduring the chastisements laid upon them by Him whose ways are faithfulness and truth, should experience, in the deliverances or alleviations thus afforded them, the mercy which accompanied judgment in His sovereign dispensations. Respect was to be had, in its own place, to the feelings of the most needy receivers of such bounty, as well as to those of the bestowers; and in wishing to follow that course, the Committee expect with confidence the approbation of this Venerable House, and of every willing contributor to the Committee's fund. And the authenticated statements which reached the Committee of the patience and modesty of the great bulk of the sufferers, the reluctance and shyness of very many among them even to make known their own wants, convince this Committee, that familiar and intimate acquaintance with individual cases, with sound moral rectitude, unbiassed and unprejudiced, to guide them, form the first requisites in members of such Committees, for the want of which no other ostensible qualifications can make any sufficient amends.

It falls now to the Committee to report, that circumstances subsequently occurring, to be immediately noticed, separated them officially from the duty of making specific inquiry, how far the duties devolved

upon

their Local Distributing Committees were fulfilled by them. But should it appear to the General Assembly expedient or necessary to re-invest this Committee with any such power, or to set such a duty before them, the Committee will feel no reluctance to accept such a charge, and to make full and particular inquiry, in each locality and district, and faithfully to report the results of their inquiries; meantime, they report their unhesitating confidence in the faithfulness of those local Committees.

The Committee further report, that, while they had entered as already detailed on active operations, and while hitherto no public movement was taking place in favour of the existing destitution in the Highlands and Islands; about the time when the Committee's first shipments were made to the destitute districts, movements did begin to be originated, first in Edinburgh, and afterwards in Glasgow, by public meetings in those cities, towards the administering of relief to our suffering fellow-countrymen. The time for this Committee to act upon the resolution they had formed and published, expressive of their willingness and desire to merge their own operations in those of a general national body constituted for the same ends,—this time had evidently arrived, and not sooner, when the Committees formed both in Edinburgh and Glasgow, the two principal cities of Scotland, had agreed to unite in one General or Central Board for relief of the destitution in the Highlands and Islands. And accordingly this Committee lost no time, early in the month of February, in communicating to both those Committees the following resolution ::

"Having heard the report of their Sub-Committee appointed to confer with the Sub-Committees of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Highland Relief Committees, and referring to the preliminary resolution adopted by this Committee at its first meeting on the 9th of December last, regarding the formation of a general Association for the relief of the Destitution, the Committee rejoice to find, that such an Association has at length been formed, and is to hold its first meeting to-morrow, at Edinburgh, and that the time therefore has now arrived, when this Committee can give effect to the desire it has all along entertained and expressed, of seeing its own operations merged in those of a great Central or National Board. With a view to the winding up of its affairs as a separate agency, this Committee direct the Secretary and Treasurer to make up a statement of the Committee's Accounts to this date, and authorise the acting Committee to audit these accounts accordingly. The Committee farther direct their Treasurer, meanwhile, to pay over to the Treasurer of the General Board immediately the sum of five thousand pounds to account ; and to assign to whatever parties the Central Board may authorise to re