Page:Elizabeth Fry (Pitman 1884).djvu/178

 H., who has promised me that if you will extend your favours to Dutchmere, he will distribute the books, and carefully attend to the performance of Divine Service on the Sabbath day. Also Lieutenant D., who will shortly have a command in this division. I trust, Madam, I shall be still further able to forward those views, which must, to all who embrace them, prove a sovereign balm in the hour of death and the day of judgment. With respectful compliments to the ladies, allow me to remain, dear Madam, your devoted servant.

This communication enclosed another little note from the seamen, which expressed their feelings as follows:—

We, the seamen of Salt Dean Station, have the pleasure to announce to those ladies whose goodness has pleased them to provide the Bibles and Testaments for the use of us seamen, that we have received them. We do therefore return our most hearty thanks for the same; and we do assure the ladies whose friendship has proved so much in behalf of seamen, that every care shall be taken of the said books; and, at the same time, great care shall be taken to instruct those who have not the gift of education, and we at any time shall feel a pleasure in doing the same.

Some ten years later, when visiting in the Isle of Wight, she conceived the plan of extending the system by supplying libraries to all the Coast Guard Stations in the United Kingdom. The magnitude of the work may be realised when we state that there were about 500 stations, including within their boundaries some 21,000 men, women, and children. How to set about the work was her next anxiety, for it seemed useless to attempt it without at least £1,000 in hand. She submitted the proposition to Lord Althorp, at that time Chancellor of the Exchequer, and asked for a grant of £500 from Government, in order to supplement the £1,000 which she hoped to raise by private subscriptions. A grant could not, however, be made at that time on account of different political considerations;