The Express. — London, England, 1853-11-04 00:00:00

Eht erpreiso. TO CORRESPONDENTS. 8 de vied Edition of '•The Lapreee." containing the name evening's "Gamete." 141 published every Tuesday amid Friday night, in tune for pod. eleerleenteele Intended he .11e Vapor," Leaden Zemin, perm melt be at tee 0111c*, 10. Ileseetie-eireet, by No 0 . 4.11Pak IS Ile day *I publiteueo. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. Ties DAT —Kumla& 34. 3: ... Atterwoa. Ib. Ps. TU.II4IIIwW —Settling, I Mimeo% 4ts. 3s. LONDON. FRIDAY. NOVEMBER 4. A TELL011.11•111C despatch from Vienna states that hostilities have already commenced between the Turks and Ituesisns, on the Asiatic frontier. Tele graphic messages from Vienna do not bear at present a vury• high character for accuracy ; and the one to which we now allude avers that news had reached Constantinople on the 2.ith ult. of a battle fought on the 21st—four days being rather a brief period for conveying intelligence from the vicinity of Erzrouns to Stamboul. There can, however, be little doubt that in the event of a serious and prolonged war be tween the two States, Russia would be certain to ex tend still further the encroachments she has made upon Turkey in the region where the Araxes and Tigris have their sources. This is an eventuality which would deeply affect the commerce of England. We entertain, it is true, no serious apprehensions of Russian armies finding their way to British India. Even were Mesopotamia and Western Persia to be reduced to the condition of Muscovite provinces, British ships of war would effectually bar the pas sage by sea against the Russians, and the immense extent of barren country that must be crossed to reach the Indus is an obstacle not to be overcome by operations within the compass of a Russian exche quer. Russian emissaries, it is true, swarm, and have been swarming, for years in every province of Persia and Afghanistan, and may cause us annoyance by keeping us in constant hot water with tkese two nations. More they cannot accomplish in that direc tion ; and they could not have accomplished even that but for the unutterable folly which made our Government exchange the frontier of the Sntledge with only the narrow practicable tract between the desert and the Himalayah to defend, for the every whet-, assailable frontier of the Indus. But further encroachments of Russia upon the Turkish provinces of Kars and Erzroum would ma terially affect the lucrative and growing commerce we carry on with Central Asia by the route of Trebizonde. There arc two routes by which trade can find its way into Central Asia from the eastern coasts of the Black Sea; one by the Sea of Azoff to the east of the mountainous country inhabited by the Cireassians and Georgians ; the other by Trebizonde, turning the southern extre mity of those mountain masses. During the middle ages both routes were traversed by Genoese mercan tile adventurers. After the irruption of the Kb*. ears, and the expulsion of the Genoese from their Black Sea settlements, Central Asiatic commerce, for a considerable time, took the long overland route from Smyrna. For somewhat more than a century the more easterly of the two routes mentioned above has fallen into the hands of Russia, while the other has remained in the possession of the Porte. The Russian route, though incomparably the more practicable of the two by nature, and the more easily susceptible of being made at once safe, speedy and commodious, remains to this day her metically sealed against us ; while the trade returns show that along the Turkish route, notwithstanding the rough mountain c.itintry over which it is carried, an important trade has developed itself, which is still on the increase. The Russian route, too, is barred against us by an insidious financial policy, in violation of treaties. Between England and Trebizonde an active com mercial intercourse is carried on by means of steamers to Constantinople, and steamers from that place to Trebizonde. But to reach the Sea of Azoff, the mer chant must trust to sailing vessels, or betake himself by steam from Constantinople to Odessa, and thence to Taganrog by a steamer, which only goes and returns twice in the month, taking ten days to a passage which by any other people would be effected in three. But this defective system of transit is not the only obstacle interposed by Russian policy to the development of trade on the Sea of Azoff. A recent traveller thus describes the exactions and annoyances to which merchant vessels are subjected in that region : to common Fur some Damns reason, erase, no Tribunal of Cousins woe transplanted front Theadasis, a teen advantageously situated at the head of a deep capacimes harbour, which is sever frozen, to the shores of these straits [Yon•liall], which are closed for lour months of the year, when the sachorsp is dangerous and the erste r shallow. Here every ship nut noun and perform a four days' quareatioe. The larger ones wait until their cargoes arrive from Taganasy or Roelof is lighten; while those drawing less water cress the bar, sad pressed to load at Tsgsaaey. Oa their recurs, it bemuses seesesary to treader half their forgoes Leto lighters at Yoni•ILIJO, aad drop doves the shallow straits to Korea to re-lead—a pros ding which stools a rick beivest to a rapacious new of Greek lighter mea resident at the hewn place. All this may be very wettable to Kruk, but it is sztresesly expensive to the pablie. Fee inetanse, sappesing the produce to be Siberian Eros which has descoaded the Dee to Resta, it is there pot Leto lighters sad ernmed, slaty miles, to Tagansey, where it is duly loaded ; sad who. the right vessel arrives, sad sachets Mee. miles from the shore, it mast be put on board by meal of lighten spin. la two days Ow eke has • bees leaded la this ezposain way at Tawny, the Alp probably noshes Teal Ulf, where the prome I have already deseribe4 takes place; sad this the amp h bees sal** to No treashipmeste before it am WOO said to Imo left the Russian shone. While at the Turkish Trebiaoode the merchant is left free and unlettered, In the Russian ports he is retarded and pillaged for the profit of bum boatmen— &maniere—in short, every kind of peculating vermin the Government eta let loose upon him. If the kungen' are allowed to annex Eraroum and Trebi sonde—an object which they keep constantly in view. and towards the attainment of which they have been creeping, serpent•like, toe years —the route to Central Asia, along which our commerce now finds its way with so mach profit to the nation, will be as effectually blocked up as that by the Caspian. The integrity of the Ottoman Empire, in which England is interested, relates quite as much to the far east of Asiatic Turkey as to the provinces of the Danube. Rends, always adroit at fishing in troubled waters, has succeeded by playing off the hereditary jealousies of the Turkish and Persian courts against each other, in plundering both alternately, and push ing forward its frontier, between the Caspian and Black Sea, far to the south of Constantinople. Its armies have turned the flank of Turkey, and it awaits only some new period of confusion in these countries to avail itself of this position. To this end the honours recently heaped on the Persian envoy to Russia. Already the friendly disposi tion expressed by the Persian government to Tur- key at the commencement of the Russian troubles is said to have visibly cooled. The intrigues of Ramis are palpably at work to harass and paralyse the powers it most dreads, in order that 1 it may be left at liberty to pursue its nefarious schemes of agurondisement. The independence and integrity of Turkey, the commerce of England with Central Asia, the peace and liberties of Europe, can only be preserved by effectually check-mating the Muscovite. And, in so far as the South-Eastern 1 frontier of Turkey is concerned, that is a task of no difficult accomplishment. So long as the indepen dent Circassians hold out, the advance of the Russian power in that quarter must be slow, guarded, and timid. THE STRIKES. FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT. PRESTON, THVIODAT. You have had the ease of the masters laid before you rather fully. Their strong position is that the men have now taken a coin which is fatal to all freedom of intercourse between master and man—that they have placed themselves unreservedly under the arbitrary guidance of a set of leaders who lay down arbitrary rules unsusceptible of relaxation or limita tion according to the individual circumstances of each. They assert that the great outcry of the men for equalisation of wages is absurd, because equali sation would at once destroy the relation between capital and profits. One owner's mill cannot be selected u an unyielding type by which others are to be regulated. They abseil also that, with high prices for all the articles on which labour is employed, with a rise in the price of coal, and perhaps an impossibility of getting enough to Mork their mills, with a dead stoppage of the China trade, with their mills burdened with a stock which there is no prospect of getting rid of, while at the same time property to the value of a million is lyiog dead and useless in foreign ports, they should be mad to allow a third party to come in between them and their " hands " and establish a minimum of wages, which the same party might elevate to-morrow without knowing any of the true circumstances which act upon the capitalist. To this the men reply in something like the fol lowing manner. The masters have never voluntarily raised their wages, although it is notorious that at various periods prices have been so high that, had the rate of labour depended on the cotton districts, as it depends, or ought to depend, everywhere else, upon the higgling of the market, there would have been no question about the right of the men to a rise. The owners themselves acknowledge this, inasmuch as they have confessed that, had the hands asked for an Increase a year ago they would have obtained it. I may remark that I 'Live had this corroborated from the mouths of owners themselves. They (the " hands") go on to say that, under the system adopted by the owners, there is no possibility to them of taking advantage of the state of the market. They complain that, so far is this from being the case, that, on the contrary, the instant a " hand " asks for an increase of wages, he is a marked man, and may look for his dismissal without any cause assigned. They deny point-blank that they should have gained an increase had they asked for it a year ago, un less they had established an organisation similar to that under which they have now placed themselves. This for the general, answer. Descending to particulars, George Cowell, who may be considered to be best informed about the views of the men, states that in spite of the unfa vourable season which the men; have chosen, they had no alternative. He says that the universal conduct of the masters, upon the receipt of applications for in crease, was such u to make it necessary for the men to take measures to find a channel in which applica tions for increase might be urged without subjecting them to certain ruin. He states that on the lit of June,lBs3, the power loom weavers agreed upon a form of circular to be sent to each manufacturer, soliciting for an "advance of 10 per cent. on the weaving of all fabrics of sloth." Up to this period he emphatically de mise that there was combination or organisation of any kind amongst the weavers. The wording of the circular was purposely made as respectful as possib!e. The vicar of the town, at a conference which took place on the subject, admitted this fact. He allowed that no fault could be found with the tone of the document. Notice how these considera tions of mere etiquette are entering into the question. Something beyond mere buying and selling is in volved. Is it to be a relation between buyer and seller, or between muter and servant ? Cowell agate; that some of the masters " spurned their hauls from them ;" I cannot find this corroborated. Nevertheless, that a general belief of something of this nature existed amongst the hands is evident, *ss the sudden union which was formed &l ime magically amongst them. Thy declare that Ind any disposition been shown towards con session or arguing the matter, no organisation could bare been formed. As it was, a powerful combina tion was made at once amongst 25,000 of a popula tion declared to be by the owners themselves "the best workpeople in Lancashire." About the middle of August, as I have before stated, the masters, alarmed by the Stockport strike, conceded the 10 per cent. There were some exceptions, but only in the ease of six or seven firms. The mills not on strike were perfectly contented with the increase,andevery thing was settling down harmoniously, when on the 13th of September a bill appeared signed by 35 ma nufacturers, announcing their intention to close their mills in a month," unless those on strike were prepared to resume work, and a better understanding be estab abed botwosa employer and employed." Deputations flies Bohai of the various mills waited upon their separatemployers, but they were told that in future disputes must be referred to the committee. The masters had adopted :he tactics of the men. Beaten in detail, they determined to unite. The above account is one which will be counter signed by most of the men. I have left out many technical details which will be uninteresting and unintelligible to the unitiated. But all these details —all the actual circumstances—are as nothing in importance to the solemn fact that the masters and mea have voluntarily put it out of their power indi vidually to WIN to an understanding. All that com =amity el feeling which might form an element el union in the intercourse between masters and neon is given up, and the chance of remmeiliation is left to mere dry official reply and rejoinder. Each party is looking about in all quar ters for news to make union more perfect, and to augment their separate powers of offence and de frost. The nianofacturers bind themselves, under heavy realties, not to &art the Amociaiion or treat with their respective men, except with the parodies of the Association. Cowell's constituents plate their interests absolutely in the hands of him eelf and his brother delegates. The chimes of re conciliation are confined to dry official hands, who are bound to leave out of consideration two-thirds of the elements which ought to influence both masters and men in coming to an agreement. The men rejoice in the universal sympathy which they meet with from their fellow-workmen in other towns and from the public in general. They point to the fact of the large sums that pour in from the manufacturing towns round Preston ; they fancy that they have a weapon of irresistible force in their ex tended organisation, by which those who are in are made to support those who are out. As long as the majority of the labourers in work can be made to contribute to the support of the minority out of work, a screw of great power is certainly put upon the manufacturer. It is forgotten, however, that the' manufacturers have the same opportunities and greater facilities of playing the same game. The association of the owners at Preston has at present even paralysed the movements of the Preston hands. What if the masters extend their union to other towns? Blackburn at present is supporting Preston at the rate of 600/. per week. What if the Blackburn capitalists voluntarily or involuntarily join with their brethren at Preston? The belief among the capitalists of Preston is, that political as well as commercial reasons operated to induce the owners to raise the rate of wages. Another reason, which I have endeavoured to find proof of without effect, is that the Blackburn owners take advantage of the present strike to make "a pull" upon Preston, which, by reason of the low rate of wages, has until now undersold it. It is easy to see how these two conditions may cease to operate. What is to be done if the capitalists as a body choose to sink all minor considerations and resist the demands of the la bourers ? Who can foresee where such a contest may terminate? I have to-day given you the labourers' version of the dispute, as I gave you yesterday that of the masters. I may add that Cowell's version of the tte between Birley, Brother, and their hands, from the accouct as stated in my despatch of yesterday, as well as from that given in the Times of yesterday, which is in fact that adopted in a placard THE EXPRESS, which made its appearance on the walls of Preston yesterday morning. Cowell maintains that the two: prices were 7 and 8 per " cut," and that u there was no possibility of calculating 10 per cent. accurately on either neveopence or eightpence, he suggested that the ten per cent. should be reckoned on the two to gether, which would have been possible enough -10 per cent. on fifteen-pence being exactly three-half pence. The counter statements of the parties form the great difficulty in getting at a right decision on the subject. One thing, however, is clear enough the results which loom in the distance threaten to be be most fearful. Capital is being diminished. The best labourers are being removed from Preston ; those who remain must infallibly become pauperised and demoralised. The shopkeepers in the town are suf. fering from the want of the usual expenditure made amongst them. Two classes who have hitherto been the great agents in the elevation of the county to its grand position, are becoming estranged. It will be to the county but a poor consolation for these sad results that either capitalists or labourers should be able to boast of a victory. 1-16th, instead of 1-160th, was printed by mistake in the despatch of yesterday. THE STATE OP WIOAN.—The latest reports yes terday were that the town and neighbourhood remained quiet, but that there was no security for this state of things so long as the straggle between masters and operatives con tinued. The civil and military forms in the borough and neighbourhood are sufficient to overawe the people for the present, but it would not be by any means safe to withdraw them. LATEST FROM ABROAD. AUSTRIA. VIENNA, Nov. 2. The rate of exchange on London rises, indicating the renewal of distrust. Exchange on London, 11.9 money. Five pet Cent. Metalliques, 91. Bank Shares, 1,297. FRANCE. PARIS, WED/WS/DAT EvexiNo. The following very warlike piece of intelligence appears in the Paine: —" A letter from St. Peters burg of the 22nd announces that PrincePaskewitsch had the evening before been admitted to an audience with the Emperor of Russia to take leave, and that he had gone to assume the command of the army of invasion at the Danubian provinces." Thus it would appear that the old fighting general, who, it was pretended, had pleaded age and infir mity as an excuse, is, after all, to be sent to head the army against the Turks, which if Russian intrigue to retard timer Pacha's advance has saoceeded,would have been reinforced by the legions now pouring into the Principalities from all quarters, while the Turks remained inactive on the right bank of the Danube. The Bourse to-day was completely dominated by the exigencies of the settlement, and was scarcely affected by the conflicting political rumours. There were considerable fluctuations. The Threes opened at 72.0, rose to 73.90, fell to 73.60, and closed at I 73.40, with a rise of 30c. Thus the highest price of the day was maintained. The leading feature observed was a disposition on the part of the specula tors for a fall to maintain their position, and very large rates of " continuation" were paid in many instances. In railways little business was done, and the prices left off with little variation. The Patrie has the following notice of the " mythic" Russian manifesto, which has been so much talked of:—" The document in question is not a note is the diplomatic sense of the word, but sim ply a circular addressed to all Russian agents abroad, declaring is substance that the Emperor Nicholas is animated by pacific intentions, and will use all his efforts to induce Turkey to make reasonable conces sions. Whatever, however, may be the form of this document, it has lost much of its interest after the events that have recently happened." Yesterday, being All Saints-day, was ept as a close holiday at the offices of all the Paris jour nals, j consequently not one of them is published this morning. Prince Napoleon has returned to Paris from Stuttgardt. The Patrie says it is assured, although the news is not yet publicly known, that as soon as General Narvaez arrives at Madrid ho will be elevated to the rank of envoy extraordinary and minister plenipoten tiary and sent on a special mission to all the northern courts. so that he may reside either at Vienna, Berlin, Brussels, Paris, or any other capital that he may choose. The Patrie suggests that this mission may perhaps be connected with the Eastern question, which cannot be regarded with indifference by Spain. The latest corn averages taken down to the second week in October show the considerable rise of 83c. per hectolitre throughout France. PARIS, THURSDAY EYRNING. According to private intelligence received from Vienna, Bucharest and all the towns in the Princi palities have been placed in *state of siege. Martial law had been proclaimed, and correspondence with the Turks prohibited on pain of death. The first conflict was expected to take place at Krajowa. Semi-official accounts report the fleets on the move from Lampsaki to the Bosphorus. The rumour of a new conference, having its seat at London, for the settlement of the Eastern ques tion, is again revived, and was very prevalent this day. Indeed, the rumour went farther, namely, that the question was completely terminated. On what authority, if any, these reports were founded was not stated. There is no doubt that the Western Powers are desirous of peace, and we have seen that they have spared no e ff ort to secure it. _ _ A letter from Marseilles states that the Turkish fleet in the Bosphorus weighed anchor of the 25th for the Black Bea. The tendency of the Bourse to-day we. decidedly upward. Ihe Three per Cents. exhibit a rise of fully 1 per cent., and the Four-and-a-Half per Cents. a rise of 40 centimes. Closing prices of the day, for money :—Three per Cent. Renter , 74.30; ditto Four and-a-Half per Cents, 99.90. Bank Shares, 2,793. Despatches from Constantinople state that MM. Argyropoulos and Pisani, with the Russian Chancel-. lone de Commerce, have left that city for Odessa. RUSSIA AND TURKEY, The following telegraphic dispatch has been re ceived at Vienna: " Constantinoele, Oct. 28. " Hostilities have commenced in Asa. A serious engagement took place on the 21st." As at the date assigned, the space of 15 days given to Russia for evacuation had not expired, it apparel at a first glance unlikely that an engagement of a serious nature should have taken place. The occur rence at Isaatchi, however, weakens the force of this consideration. It is to be presumed, although in this respect the despatch is silent, that Turkey and not the Clreassians was the Russian foe. The Sultan has promised to sign the note which Lord Stratford has drawn up, on the basis of the Czar's declarations made at Olmiitz. It is, however, considered doubtful whether the Czar will be willing to accept the same, as it is understood he still demands the original Vienna and unmodified note, consenting to have it explained in a sense favourable to Turkey. M. do Bruck presses the Sultan to comply with the Czar's requirement. Meanwhile the issue appears to be transferred to the northern and eastern frontiers of Turkey, where the four armies of the two powers are face to face. A correspondent of the Cologne Gazette writes from Berlin :—" By advice, received directly from the Danubian Principalities, the te:egraphic message respecting the cannonade at Isaatchi, on the 23rd, is fully confirmed. The small Russian fortress is di rectly opposite the point of Satunora, which served the Russians in crossing the river in 1848. The fort was bombarded by the artillery of General Luder's corps from the left bank of the river, and set on fire. The Russia flotilla landed .50 killed and wounded. FRIDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 4, 1853. It is very I emarkable that the earliest report of three events reached us via Paris, instead of through Vienna, where it was known to the government, but withheld from publicity. CONSTANTINOPLE, OCT. 20. It will scarcely be credited at this stage of our affairs, that within these last few days the Vienna note, pure and simple, has been again on the tapis, and its adoption urgently pressed by certain diplomatists, with divers commentaries and assu rances, implying a supplemental equivalent to the rejected modifications of the Divan. Tetik Pacha, bearer of the decision of the Porte to the Commander-in-Chief, returned to Constantinople on the 18th inst. He states that on the day after his arrival at the camp an imposing ceremony took place. The Hatti-Scherif was read, and the declara tion of war proclaimed in the presence of 30,000 men ; who all protested on oath that they would defend to the last their Sovereign and their country. On the 13th inst., two officers started per steamer Hervaz Bahri, from Varna, with instructions for the camps of Batoun and Erzeroum. Advice' from Varna, of the 17th inst., state that several vessels had arrived there, laden with warlike stores. Tho hledari Tidjaret steamer had also just come into port, with 44 brass cannons and 30 mor tars, having also on board Vekil Hassan Pacha, Roumeli Seraskier, and Kiretlu Moustafa Pacha-oglu, chief of the irregular forces. It is said that the Austrian steamer Schild, in her last voyage, had towed some Russian war-ships as tar as Bat - Ilk. The third Russian corps trarni le, it is stated by the same correspondent, was passing at that date the Moldo-Russian frontier. The Russian mail steamer, due on the 14th, has not yet come in, but is anxiously expected, with or ders to take the Russian Consul, M. Pisani, and other officials who remained here after the departure of the embassy. The Odessa mail steamer of the 16th delayed her departure two days, and quitted port with Mr. Arggropoulo's family and other Rus sians on Tuesday last. Advices from our sanitary officers along the Danube confirm the accounts of cholera, dysentery, and inter mittent fever, with great mortality among the Rus sian forces ; whereas, singular enough, the Turks are relatively speaking exempt from these diseases, although exposed to the same influences of climate. By letters of October 1, from the sanitary inspec tor at Erzeroum, we learn that the cholera had re- , appeared at Tehran, and its victims amounted from ' 100 to 150 per day, in consequence of some regi meets from infected districts having been impru dently quartered there. These troops having been removed, there had been, according to later accounts, an improvement in the state of the public health. The epidemic was also raging in the camp at Sul tanie, and had carried off great numbers, and many' ' high functionaries, so that orders were issued for disbanding, and the Shah was expected on the 18th ult. at Tehran. A French war-steamer, on the 12th instant, was seen off the Peninsula of Cysicus, and the captain, in reply to the sanitary officer, stated that he had to sound the hat hours, by order of the Admiral, so that we all hope soon to see the combined fleets in our immediate vicinity. The Friedland, after having been repaired, had left port for Besika, but received orders on her way to station at Gallipoli, where she has been ever since. Lord Redeliffe, it is said, had an audience of four hours with the ultan on the 18th instant, and has at length, it appears, been invested with full powers to act, as circumstances may require, and conformably with his own well-known policy. Vie Court. WINDSOR, Nov. 3. The dinner party yesterday included the King of the Belgians, the Duchess of Brabant, the Duchess of Kent, the Duke of Brabant, the Count of Flanders, the Duke of Newcastle, the Belgian Minister and Madame Van de Weyer, the Prussian Minister and Madame Bunsen Vis count Palmenton, the Lady in Waiting to the Duchess of Brabant, the Lady in Waiting to the Duchess of Kent, lA4 Frances Bruce, the Baroness de Speth, Major-Oeneral the Hon Sir Edward Cast, Count Gustave de Lannoy, Colonel de Moerkerke, Baton Prism, Monsieur Ricken, and Mr. Gibbs. The Band of the let Life Guards attended In the Cut], during dinner, and played the following pieces: Mardi Overture," 1 Olee, "ne Red Crom Knight* ... Wyatt. Walser, "Lille" Potpourri, " La Favorite" Donizettl. Ana from the opera "Martha" Flown. Her Majesty's Private Band afterwards attended in the evening, and performed the following selection : Overture, "Les Cha Manes" Mater. &Immo "aids " RFullr• Adagio and Allegro Divertimento:it,Prophete ssiger The Queen and Prince walked in the Hotne Ms Patk and • Slopes this morning. The Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, and younger members of the Royal Family took their accustomed exer cise. The Duchess and Princess Mary of Cambridge visited her Majesty to-day. The Duke and Duchess of Brabant, the Count de Flandres, and the Princess Charlotte of Belgium returned from Lon don at five minutes before seven last eveniug. Messrs. H. aad G. Nicoll, of London, had the honour of submitting their newly invented sewing machine to the inspection of the Duke of Brabant and the Count of Flanders. A deputation from St. Paul's, Covent-garden, had an interview with Sir William Molesworth yesterday at the Office of Public Works and Buildings, in Whitehall-place. The deputation consisted of Meters. W. H. Walker, Thomas Dicks, Robert Watts, Robert H. Carroll, John Tapeter, and D. Paine (architect). The French Ambassador visited the Earl of Clarendon yesterday at the Foreign-office. Despatches were received at the Colonial-office yesterday from the Governors of Ceylon, Hong Kong, Gibraltar, Malts, and the Lord High Commissioner of the lonian Islasds. Despatches were sent yesterday to the Governon of New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia. ROYAL FAMILY BIRTII-DAYS IN NOVEMBER.- Yesterday the 3rd of November was the birth-day of her Royal Highness Princess Sophia. On the 9th (Lord Mor's Day) will be the birth-day of the Prince of ales, 1811, and that of tie Princess Royal on the 21st, 1. MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS. KIDDERMINSTER. There have been contests in both wards, but the tones have only succeeded in returning (and that by a majority of a single Tote) one member out of the six. The liberals halm gained two more seats in the council. BATH. There have been severe contests in two of the ward., in one of which the liberals were victorious, the success in the other being divided. Last year the council consisted of 29 liberals, 26 consavativse, aad one neutral; there are now 31 liberals and 24 conservatives ; and as 4 of the 6 retiring aldermen are else conservative, the liberal party will have an opportunity of still further increasing their strength. HULL. Two wards In this town hare been contested. The Edgard Counties Herald states that the question was not a political one, the belligerent parties being the "muck interest" and the "sanitary interest." The sanitary men carried the day. TEWKESBURY. The three liberals who retired were re-elected. Ngw Cntracu IN Leers.—About two years since a elerrymaa in the midland counties, who does not wish to have his name made public, placed at the disposal of Dr. Hook, the vicar of Leeds, • sum of 2,0001.. to be applied towards the building of two new churches in some of the densely-populated districts in that important parish. In September of last year the foundation stone of • new church, to be dedicated to St. Jude, was laid in the district of Pottery-fields, and in little more than twelve months the building was ready for consecration. The bishop ap pointed Wednesday last for the consecration of the building. In the morning of that day a great number of the clergy in Leeds, and from the neighbourhood, met together and waisted in the ceremony. , - ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.—At a monthly general meeting, held yesterday, at the society's house, in Hanover-square; Mr. Broderip, vice-president, in the chair; Messrs. W. Cory, E. Lechertier Barbe, W. Cory, jun., It. ITress, and J. Shirley Lcskey, were elected Fellows of the society; and Earl Granville, Earl Bruce, Rev. William Fallofield, Mrs. Moseley, aad Messrs. J. Massey Stanley, T. Jackson, C. H. Latouche, and J. S. Wilier, were pro posed as candidates for the Fellowship. The report from the council contained a long list of additions which hal been acquired for the menagerie since the last meeting, and stated that the total number of visitors to the gardens during the current year had amounted to 385,43.51., making an in crease of 80,232 over eke whole twelvemonths of 1852 ; while the number of Fellows proposed and elected since the lit of January last pretests an increase of 68 over the ave rage of the last 13 year.. COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL. ROYAL COMMISSION.-CORPORATION INQUIRY. Yesterday the court was most numerously attended long before the appointed hour of meeting (12 o'clock), it being expected that some notice would be taken of the evidence adduced before the royal commivioners during the last two days. As soon as the minutes of the last meeting bad been read and passed, Mr. Under-Sheriff ANDEaTON rose and said—My Lord Mayor, I wish to put what I think a very important ques tion to the chairman of the Consolidated Committee. I know myself that it refers to one of a great many gross falsehoods which have been uttered before the Corporation Commissioners of Inquiry. (Hear, hear.) Alderman Wins —My Lord Mayor, I movo that strangers do withdraw. Mr. ANDIRTOX—There is no occasion for stranger* to withdraw. (near, hear.) Alderman WIKE-1 persist in my motion, that strangers withdraw. Mr. ANDIRTON was proceeding to say that the evidence to which he had alluded had already appeared in the public journals, when the court wee cleared of strangers, who were re-admitted in the course of a quarter of an hour. Mr. Anderton, who was still on his 1. gs, then proceeded as follow:—My Lord Mayor, I am not going to make any speech, nor am I going to answer all the calumnies which have been uttered before the Royal Commisaionrrs, but there is one calumny and one gross falsehood which I think it right this court should lose no time in repelling. It is this—Mr. Ackland, in his evidence, states "that in 1849 the consolidated committee reported to the Court of Common Council that, in consequence of the newspapers at that period having said a great deal against the corpora lion, •n.l from the peculiar p)sition of the corporation with her Majesty's government, it was desirable that a sum of money should be voted for the purpose of putting them selves right with the press. The court received the report, and voted the sum of 1,0001. per annum for this purpose to the consolidated committee. 4,0001. has thus been spent in ordering hundred. of newspapers in cases where these newspapers have reported, as the committee thought, satis factorily. Of this money the Times never received • single farthing. The object of this expenditure was to induce the papers to give as favourable a report as possible to the corporation's proceedings No detailed account of money so expended has ever been published." Why, no, because it never has been expended. " The Chairman—Who decides what piper shall he taken ? Mr. Ackland—The committee have confidence in some of the officers, either high or low; they take the orders and execute them for the committee. There arc fourteen alder men, exclusive of the Lord Mayor, on the consolidated com mittee." Now, my lord, as a member of that committee, if there were a single word of truth in this statt ment, I should consider that I myself stood in a most degraded position, not only with respect to my constituents, but with respect to the public at large. (Hear, hear.) If there is any truth in the statement lam en entire stranger to it. I declare that Ido not know it. I have examined the ac counts of the corporation for the past year, and if any such I payments have been made, they have been smuggled in some way or other, for they do not appear. I think that I myself, and the other members of the court, ought to be degraded in the eyes of our respective censtituents and the public if we allowed this foul calumny to remain far one mo ment uncontradicted. I now ask the chairman of the consoli dated committee if there is any foundation for the state ments of Mr. Ackland ? Mr. J. Wooll—l have asked the clerk, Mr. Woodthorpe, to get me some documents, to which I should have very much preferred having reference before answering the question, of which I have only just had notice. I always prefer to speak from documents themselves, and since Id l e. Auderton rose, I asked Mr. Woodthorpe to find the report, and the order of the Court consequent upon it ; and then the Court will be in possession of the circumstances of the case from the documents themselves. It would certainly puzzle me very much—as much as it would my friend Mr. Anderton, to find that a thousand pounds a year or anr thing like this sum had been expended fur the purpose in question. (Hear, hear.) At the proper time this court will have the fullest opportunity of stating their own case, and of rehiring to documentary' evidence in existence. Meanwhi,e I wait with per fect contentment the course of conduct that the com missioners may deem it right to pursue ; and I am sure that our fellow-citisens will be patinnt and will know and feel that we are—l will not say upon our trial—but waiting our own time, and that hereafter we shall hate an oppor tunity afforded us of answering any statements that may have been made with rehrence to the conduct of this cor poration. (Cheers.) Mr. WOODTHORPZ then read a report of the consolidated committee, dated Bth March, 1849, to whom the court had referred the subject of making urrangiments to insure reports of its proceedings. The upon recommended that a considerable number of copies should be taken of any daily journal giving at the greatest length an account of the pro ceediugs, after such sittirg of the court. [A$ great im portant* was attached to the contents of this document, our reporter requested the Town Clerk to furnish him with a copy of it, for the purpose of publication, when that learned gentleman, in a very courteous manner, replied that he felt it his duty to decline complying with the request, considering that the inquiry before the commissioners was still pending.] Mr. ANDERTON said be was very glad that the report had been read, and hoped it would be communicated to the public, who would, he was confident, suspend their judg ment for the present. In the course of a further discussion on the subject, Mr. WOOD stated that the hall keeper was to select the newspaper which contained the longest account of the proceedings of the previous day. That course has been pursued up to the present time. The result of the order of the committee to the hall-keeper has been thought by members of advantage to the corporation in this way—it has brought to their no ties that the proceedings have been fully and fairly re ported in many instances. The hall-keeper has, by direc tion of the committee, ordered 800 copies of the paper con taining the longest report of the proceedings of the court. Of this number about 250 are circulated amongst the members of the court, the other 50 being sent to the town clerks of the various boroughs throughout the kingdom, in order that the country corporations may know what is going on here. The cost of this amounts to 51. or 61. each time the papers are purchased, and does not exceed 160/. a I year. (To the hail-k-,eper.) Have you ever purchased the Tina I Hall Keeper—l could ascertain. Mr. Woon : -Then do ascertain.. Mr. H. L. TAYLOR-1 can say that the Times has been purchased. If I bad been in court at the commencement or the proceedings, u I ought to have been, I should have suggested to Mr. Anderton to put a simple question. Mr. ANDERTON—I did. Mr. H. L. TAYLOR—I should have suggested—ls there any statement of 1,04J1. a year being spent in the manner described by Mr. Ackland. I then should have suggested to my friend, Mr. Wood, to report that there was no truth in the statement of Mr. Ackland. (Hear, hear.) I am quite sure that very many of the statements made by Mr. Ackland might be explained as this has been. But while you may complain .of that gentleman on account of the course which he has taken, you might else, if you choose, complain of the next witness, namely— Mr. BLARE—I. rise to order. I feel deep regret that pending an inquiry of this kind, this subject should be fur ther discussed. I hold it to be the height of indecency that this matter should any longer occupy the time of the court, and move that we proceed to the business of the day. (Cries of " Ob, oh," and " Hear, hear.") Mr. 11. L. T►Yr-ott—While so much time has been al lowed to be consumed with reference to Mr. Ackland's statements, I say we should not he doing our duty if we did net also pat in the strongest disclaimer upon the observa tions and evidence of Mr. Travers. (Hear, hear.) Deputy BOWER appealed to the Lard Mayor as to whether Mr. Taylor was in order, there being no motion before the court, when _ . The LOUD MAYOIL said he considered that be was. Mr. H. L. TAYLOR said he would not further occupy the attention of the court. The subject then dropped. PROJECTED NEW BRIDGE. Deputy Dm-moot moved, " That it be an instruction to the Improvement Committee to retain possession of such ground on the western side of Old Chance, and on the south side of Watling-street, a. is likely to be affected by the projected new bridge and the approaches thereto, until this court shall have decided upon the report of the Bridge house Estate, Committee, delivered in on the 14th day of April." At the suggestion of Mr. T. 11. chairman, who un dertook that the land in question should not be let for three months, Mr. Bennoch consented to withdraw the motion. LONDON DRIDOE. Mr. H. L. TAYLO;;C:•;:i.fhIIi it be referred to the Bridge-house Estates Committee, to ascertain the condition of London-bridge, as regards the stability of the structure; and to consider the expediency and prat icability of con structing • way for foot passengers on the eastern and western sides, and appropriating the entire centre thereof for a carriage road; and in the event of the committee re commending the same being carried out, that they do pro cure drawings of the proposed alterations, with an approxi mate estimate for the execution of the work ; and that the committee do consider what funds are most applicable to defray the cost, and how the money could best be raised, and to report thereon to this court, with the fullest infor mation ou the subject." The motion was seconded by Mr. Rout:, and carried unanimously. THE CITY LIBRARY. The court entered into a discussion upon the report on the reference relative to the establishment of a free library and a free circulating library, and for an application to parliament for an act. _ . . The report included the report of their sub committee, and recommended the adoption of it. The report stated as follows :—'• Your committee having I on the 26th of May presented a report recommending the establishment within this city of a free library and a free cir culating library for the use and benefit of all persons resi dent within this City and its vicinity upon the model of those established at Liverpool, Manchester, and other places and that the Right lion. the Lord Mayor should be re quested to convene a public meeting of the bankers, mer chants, and all wiser persons resident within this City and its vicinity for the purpose of determining upon the most eligible means for electing so desirable a puipose ; but upon the reading of the report the court ordered the same to be referred back with instructions to make further inquiry and report; and it sppeuriog de sirable to ascertain whether the recommendations can or cannot be carried into effect within this city under the au thority of the act of Victoria 13 and li, cap. 65. and also to make further inquiries as to the probable success of founding and maintaining such libraries without emdanger. log or interfering with the existing library of the corpora_ tine (the Guildhall library), we do certify that we ha % proceeded iu such inquiries, and we feel satafied that th e establiehnient of • free library, and a free circulating library, would be the means of introducing the works of the most approved authors so the homes and firesides of the inhabitants of this city, and would also afford to all thi s ," an impetus tu diligent and thoughtful readidg, and encourage the pursuit of studies, the result of which, under favourable circumstances, would extend the boundaries of knowledge and national civilisation. At the same time, we lava weer. twined that the act of the 13th and 14th years of her pen_ sent Majesty above referred to cannot be appliel in cat, Wishing a public library and museum by the tutyor god corporation of this city, and we have ascertained that by an act of her present Majesty's reign, cap. 3, en t it l e d , f . An Act for Establishing a Public Library and hla, um, an d • Gallery of Arts in Liverpool," it is enacted that the coup_. cil of that town shall establish and maintain a p a nu n library and museum, with • gallery of arts, and from Gran to time extend and change such site, and a'so appoi n t , I committee and officers for its management and directi on , t h e admission thereto being free of charge, with ounary other powers, provisions ' and authorities therei n contained. In pursuance of which act of parliament a public free library and a free circulating library have been established in that town, whilst Manchester, Hull, and other corporate towns have availed themselves of the act of the 13th and 11th of her Majesty, and have, with the aid of their re spective towns, established ouch libraries, oil of which are now in sueceasful operation, and auto's, the expectations of their supporters. And it appears to as desirable that measures should be adopted, under the authority of the Court of Common Council, to apply to parliament, authorising the cotabliAment of a free library and free circulating library and museum, and that previous then to, the Lord Mayor should be requested to convene a public meeting of the merchants, bankers, and other inhabitants of the City, to procure their aid and support to such an undertaking, tie., 6,:c." The report was agreed to, and, after the transaction of other business, the court adjourned. A.VILSTATB CHURCH .A6ZOCIATIO.V. TRIENNIAL CONFERENCE. The third Triennial Conference of Delegates from thermions Protestant Dissenting bodies who are in cunnetion with the British Anti-Stato Church Association, opened its sitti:ists yesterday morning, at half-past ten o'clotk, at the London Tavern, Bishopsgati -street. The ordinary routine business of appnintirg a Business, Finance, and Selection Committees, for nominsting achair. man, for framing rules fur the conduct of the business of the conference, and secretaries and other officers for the neat three years having been transacted, Mr. MunisEtt, of Kettering, was called upon by Mr. W. EIMAItDi the Treasurer, who acted as ch airman pro tent., to state the stare and progress of the Anti-State Church Movement in his locality. Ile said that the movement in Kettering was going on most satisfactorily, and that since the last conference two attempts to imp ose a church rate on the parish hidl been defeated. They bad to congratulate themselves on the accession of several influential inhabitants of Kett, ring to the ranks of the association, and upon the fact that there was a grow ing feeling there of the necessity of a complete separation between church and state. The inhabitants of the town who were connected with the movement were most anxious that delegates should be sent into the surrounding villages, to &third explanations of the; objects and purtoses of the association. The Chairman of the Business Committee reported that they had chosen Mr. Cripps, of Leicester, as the chairman of the sitting, and that gentleman took his seat accordingly as the president of the dire. Atter the appointment of the secretaries, and the bye laws for governing the order of business, as recommended by the committee, and the report of the finance committee, hied been put and adopted, The CHAIRMAN delivered a brief address, in acknow ledgment of the honour conferred upon him is appointing him to the office of president. The report of the executive committee was then read by Mr. U. Wit hams, which stated that the association had successfully mimed through its preliminary duties of making its object known, and familiarising the public mind with its principles, and that the wore commenced in 1843 in faith might now in 1553 be carried ou with hope. In the publishing department the association had since the last conference published eleven volumes of "The Library for the Times," of which 20,000 copies ha-I been circulated. Arrangements were making by which two new wo r ks of th e highest interest would be added to the Senn at the come mencement of the ensuing year. Local meetings had been formed at Manchester, and preliminary steps had been taken for similar movements in several towns in Lancashire and Yorkshire, and the committee propose that measures should be taken for the establishment of concentrated local action in the most productive districts. Referring to the last general election, the committee congratulated the conference on the fact that forty protestant dis senters had been re'uraed to the present parliament, representing the largest constituencies of the kingdom, com prising in the aggregate not less then one fifth of the whole electoral body ; and they added that the cap rience of the last session gave them reason to believe that they would be enabled to bring the anti-state principles under the notice of the legislature without interfering with the ordinary legislative business. The conference was next con gratulated upon the voluntary extinction by the go vernment of the Reyittin Doutins, and upon the passing of the bill empowering the people of Canada to deal with the clergy reserves. The report next referred t.) the pro ceedings of the last session on the Maynooth endowment grant, to Mr. Trelawuy's committee on church rates, and to the debates on the same subject in the pest session. It was an important consideration that the power of the mi nority to impose a church rate egainst the will of the ma jority had become an exploded fact, and there was reasoa to believe that the time was not far distant when it would be impossible to raise a church rate in any perish. The new Cemeteries Bill wa complair.ed of as creating invidious ecclesiastical distinctions. The various other legislative meuurts of ectir g the interests of dissen ters were elluded to, and the general success of the friends of that body in parliament was urged as a ground for en couragement, and as a reason fur furth.r exertion. The prospect of an extension of the franchise, and the creation of new electoral bodies, by means of which the Anti-State Church Association would probably add to its parliamentary influence, was next urged on the attention of the conference. Then as to the condition of the church of England itself, of which church, agitetion might now be said to be the normal characteristic. It was sorrowfully observed by the evangelical party that the protietantiun of the church was being undermined by its own clergy, and the warmest friends of that church now ac knowledeed that her vast resources arid revenues were wantonly squandered and misapplied, and this eatement was confirmed by references to statements made by Mr. Gladstone, the Rev. Mr. Bennett, of Frome, and by the Morning Chronicle. The report concluded by submitting various suggestions for the more efficient conduct of the society, and for rendering its efforts more efreotive. The Rev. THOMAS TOLLER, of Kettering, moved the first resolution, adopting the report of the eommittee, de claring that the conference thankfully recognised in the facts recorded therein indications of success calculated greatly to encourage the promoter: of the movement, and recommending an exteesion of the society's operations. Mr. J. BELL, M.P., seconded the metian. lle advocated , free trade in church matters as in everything else, and ob served taut he knew not which was worse in reference tO religion, state control, or state protection. The resolution was put, and carried unanimously. Mr. KINOSLY read a paper explaioing the recent pro ' ceedings of the committee in Manchester and its neigh bourhood. The principal points of this paper, beyond de scribing what had been done by the writer as the Manchester agent, appeared to be to urgo the value of local organisation, of voluntary Christian agency, and of conformity to the feelings—and even the prejudices—of these whom it was their object to unite in the movement, end tie importance of holding periodical meetings for discussion, and fur afford ing explanations of the society's principles. The Rev. JOHN GORDON, of Coventry, the chairman of the business committee, moved the reception of Mr. Kingely's paper, observing that the consideration of its contents would be taken when they came to inquire what improvements might be made in the constitution of the as sociation. _ _ _ The motion having been seconded by Mr. W. EDWARDS and carried, The Rev. Josern FLETCHER moved that the revised constitution, as prepared by the executive committee, be read, in order that its clauses might be considered seriatim. and expressed a hope that the result of that constitution would be to secure the cooperation of all those who agreed in the desirability of the separation of Church and State, but had hitherto held aloof from the society. The document was then read by Mr. Fu3TRIL : NAME —Society for Separation of Church and S:ate. PniticiPLE.—lnsatnach as the province of law is to re gulate overt acts, and of religion to affect the conscience and the heart—law by compulsion, religion by persuasion —and where compulsion begins persuasion ends, the autho rity of law can only be consistently employed in aid of religion to protect its tree exercise ; and the objects of both are obstructed, as well as the teaching of Christiaoity dis regarded, when law is applied to direct the affairs, pre• scribe the instruction, or maintain the worship, of any re ligious body. On ECT.— The abrogation of all laws and usages which inflict disabi;ity, or confer privilege, on ecclesiastical grounda,upou any subject of the realm. The discontinuance of all payments fn‘m the consolidated fund, and of all parlia mentary grants and compulsory exactions, for religions purposes, both at home and in the colonies. The applica tion to secular uses, after an equitable satisfaction of exist ing interests, of all national property now held in trust by the united church of lingland.and Ireland, and the yresbyte rian church of Stuitlind, and, concurrently with it, the libe ration of those churches from all state control. . . ritisswity Itei.x.s.—The means reverted to by the society shall be moral and constitutional only. The society shall pursue its ob 4 without reference to :•ectarian or party distinctions. The society shall not bi WI responsible for any acts or opinions of its friends or side:Tates not performed or expressed in its 'Lime, and with its authority and sanc tion. Monts or Acrtem.—By collecting and diffusing statis tical and other information illustrative of the tendency and results of employing law in aid of religion. Ily making use of the periodical press, and by publishing tracts, reprints, and volumes, with a view to et plain and further the society a ol.ject. By holding public meetings, and delivering lec tures, on all questions within scope of the avowed aims of the society. Ily organising the friends of the society in such a manner as Will best enable them to curt their combined