This chapel, which is “capable of holding twelve hundred persons, was opened on the fifteenth of November, 1818, by the Rev. Dr. Busfield,” the first appointed minister. And from that day to the present, it has not cost the parish of Paddington one shilling for its support: a fact so impressive, that no comment or commendation is required. Badly enough must those who wished to see a state-religion preserved, have thought this chapel needed; for, from the returns made in compliance with directions given to the commissioners appointed by the above-named Act, we find that, at this time, in the parishes of Kensington and Paddington, “there are no less than twelve thousand persons more, than could be accommodated in the several places of worship.” Connaught Chapel—now St. John’s. For a single proprietor of the soil to have built one chapel which would hold a tenth part of this unaccommodated population, was something; but this could not satisfy the conscience of the good curate of Paddington, who saw the population of his parish every day increasing. From 1811, to 1821, the average rate of increase was two hundred souls, per annum; from 1821, to 1831, eight hundred; and although, early in March, 1826, Dr. Crane applied to the Church Commissioners for assistance, it was not till July, 1839, that the plan for Connaught Chapel was finally approved by them. There was no bishop, no lessees, who could see their curate’s distress, and who would come forward with the remedy. The want of the necessary funds to carry out the design; and the death of Mr. Cockerill, the bishop’s surveyor, and the architect originally employed; seem to have been the other chief causes of the delay. For immediately after the first application to the commissioners, we find that they “think a chapel capable of holding fifteen hundred persons, _with seven hundred free sittings_ should be built;” and they offer, from the funds entrusted to them by Parliament, £5,500 to accomplish this object. Communication and correspondence take place respecting this offer; and, within a week, the proposed grant is increased to £6,000, _with the assurance that one __third of the number the chapel will hold will suffice for the number of free sittings_. This was in March, 1826. By July, 1829, the voluntary subscriptions, amounted to £2,400; {145} which sum, with £59 18_s._ 6_d._, was placed in the banker’s hands, in order that the building might be begun. Mr. Cockerill’s first plan would have cost £11,020; this he was obliged to modify from the circumstance of sufficient funds not being forthcoming. £8,000 was the amount of his next estimate, but this plan he did not live to carry out; and with its execution his son, the present Royal Acadamician, was not entrusted. To Mr. Fowler, we owe the design for the present building; his final estimate for which was £8,592 5_s._ 0_d._