d Sydney: a few
vessels also pass irregularly between the islands themselves, and
can at times be chartered, or be employed to carry goods. So far,
therefore, as mere goods are concerned, there is no great difficulty
in supplying about twenty out of the twenty-seven missionaries of
the Society who are labouring in the South Seas. But, besides
supplying stores to their missionaries, the Society is carrying on
most important evangelistic work in several small and isolated
groups; as the Pearl Islands, the Penrhyns, the Ellice and Lagoon
Islands, and in detached islands of the larger groups. These isolated
spots require to be visited regularly, for the protection of the
people, the encouragement of the teachers, and for the supply of new
men, medicines, and books. The vessels that may be hired are not
always available. They are often far from suitable to the work; they
are very deficient in that amount of comfort which on public duty
the missionary brethren ought to enjoy. Not seldom they wish to go
where the missionary finds no work; to stay at some places when his
work is finished; and to leave others when the work requires him to
remain. Besides, evangelistic work is growing on our hands; the
native churches are strong; labourers are abundant; the groups lying
to the north and west are more open than ever; and the Directors are
called upon to look fairly in the face a large extension of the South
Sea Mission among three hundred islands, containing millions of
people who are heathen still. All the objects desired through the
entire range of the Society's interests and the Society's work, can
with ease be secured by a vessel of our own, commanded by a truly
missionary captain, officers, and crew.

With considerations like these before them, the Directors were
unanimous in resolving that another MISSIONARY SHIP should be
provided without delay. They had clear evidence that the ship should
be smaller than the last. They were urged also on every hand to keep
the ship between the islands and Sydney, and to recall her to England
only at long intervals. Accordingly, another vessel, the third
bearing the name of the _John Williams_, has been launched, fitted
out and despatched to the Islands. Amid the busy work of the past
two years, no single matter has occupied a larger share of the
Directors' attention and care than the building and equipment of this
vessel. She is a beautiful barque of 186 tons register; she went to
sea we