The Express. — London, England, 1861-03-27 00:00:00

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Mrs HoWA RD ri.ll Swiss el lir. al ICS ILUvla a• ZAISIN 114/01D. —Am d &VW a. Barad Ilatmaa. Rama Weyer. an A Marna Ran Canoga c.. Mims Z. Jacobs. Ilwaro. te. ; Coo tad and Sam CCM AT 10S110!! BRIDOL TO DTiLitaimiisTllClTs.. ..Afbresees. m. nu. Toisospow—Swers irs.....Attamok, stl. soft. LONDON, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27. appointed last August to inquire into the system of management of her Itiorsrei. Dockyards, and the cost of maintaining the Royal Navy, have presented a Report which justifies to the fullest extent the complaints which led to its appointment. After visiting and in specting the yards of Deptford, Woolwich, Chat. ham, Sheerness, Portsmouth, Devesport, and Pembroke, and examining and ernes-examining some sixty or seventy of the principal officers re sponsible for the conduct of these costly esta blishments, they declare that " the control " and management of the Dockyards are inefti " cient." The causes of that inefficiency are stated to be the constitution of the Board of Admiralty, the defective organization of the subordinate de partments, the want of clear and well-defined re sponaibility, and lastly, the absence of any means of effectually checking expenditure, from the want of accurate accounts. THE This last reason would of itself be quite suffi cient to explain the extravagance of the coat of our Navy, and much of its disorganization. Derange ment of accounts is a great evil, but it is one which never stands alone. Wherever it exists we may always safely predicate the presence of a cluster of mischiefs. The system of accounts in use in the Dockyards is elaborate and unique, but the Commissioners go the ex treme length of saying that "it is not "to be relied on for any practical purpose." As • notable illustration of the state of things of which they complain, they refer to the report of an ex amination into the detailed accounts at Woolwich Dockyard. The examiners report that they have discovered 7,906 errors in the accounts from April 1 to November 30, 1860, of which 6,566 are in the rating, valuing, and totalling of timber and store notes in the storekeeper's department, varying in amount from id. to 4901. In the ac countant'. department there was an omission of 4,4801. for engines and boilers for H.M.S. Ranger, in the monthly return for May. The Commissioner., in reporting these facts think it right to state that they attribute these errors to the complex and elaborate system fol lowed, the inconvenient printed forms on which the accounts were kept, and the fact that the accounts were seldom used for any practical pur pose. We take the liberty of suggesting that there is yet another cause of errors and mistakes, one which the Commissioners themselves have suggested, though not in this connexion. At an early stage of their Report they make • sugges tion calculated as much to startle the public as an unworthy truism, as it will the majority of employisi as a dangerous and revolutionary innovation. The Commissioners recommend " that the Dockyards "should be looked upon as manufacturing total)- " liahmenta for the purpose od building and repair , " ing the ships of her MAJINTY'S Navy." Now, although it is quite true that ships have been built and repaired in the Dockyards, the notion that the yards exist for the sake of the ships is one which only a tax-payer could for • moment entertain. The correct view to take of them is to consider them as great centres of the civil service of the Crown. A service of that kind demands and deve lops many excellent qualities, such as punctuality, order, and obedience, but it is by its nature ex empted in great part from the motives which stimulate efficiency in private establishments. Whenever the qualities which would be most esteemed in • private manufactory come into com patties% with the quasi-military virtues of " the " service," the heads of departments have no homiletics be to which they prefer. We will go no further than Woolwich yard for an illustration of this position. About the begin ning of last year a clerk was transferred from the office of the Chief Engineer at Woolwich to that of the Storekeeper. He proved his incapacity in every possible way. He was put upon the simplest duty ; ho had the benefit of the best superintendence and assistance. It was all thrown away : the man was willing and gond-natured, but naturally stupid, and incapable of under standing his business. Several complaints were at last made of his antimonies, and therefore his obstructiveness, and it was the duty of the Store keeper to transmit them, as he did with much re gret, to the Commodore Superintendent, repre senting the serious consequences which must ensue if • person of demonstrated and confessed incapa city were permitted to deal with the accounts, and requesting that an efficient man, who had been vent to China on special service but who had re turned, might be restored to the poet. What is the order of the Commodore 1 To make • further trial of the clerk's abilities for air months. Instead of the obvious remedy of removing the clerk to some duty which he could do, this unfortunate blunderer is actually ordered to be put on the store ledgers--be is to have a six months' ding at the ledgers to see what his damaging power really is. The Storekeeper remonstrates again, complaining that the constant removal of efficient men to make way for incompetent recruits, by which his staff has been so seriously crippled, is in direct contravention to the Admiralty instruc tions, which place the selection in his own hands. He points to the interests of the service, and ap peals against such injustice to himself and him su reties j but the Com:n(l,l.4e simply makes his rule absolute. The Storekeeper protests, the matter is carried before the hoard, and then comes the dinouenient. " My Lords," and the Secretary of the Admiralty, can see no necessity for any remonstrance ; pet' fie et ivfiss the o fAtleuintfty authority most be inaintainei!, and fur the good of the service the Storekeeper twist be crushed. He is ordered to make an humble apology all round, kiss the Com- THE EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY EVENING, modore's toe, and keep his stupid clerk at the ledgers ; submission to this edict against efficient, being at the same time enforced by a most unworthy threat of removal from his appointment. This is a fair specimen of official notions of responsibility and efficiency in departments. The most able and invaluable public servants—the real beads that do the work and the shoulders that have to bear the burden—these men are sacrificed ; while upon the nominees of favouritism and interest, and upon their jobs and blunders, millions are squandered. It would be no wonder, therefore, if the responsible men, having once been made to eat their own words in mock obedience to this revolting official tyranny, should swear eternal indifference to those national interests which they see disregarded and trampled on in the highest quarters of the service--no wonder that they should smothertheir zeal and steel their consciences like all the rest of the Quzzir's very hard bargains. Have we not a right to say that efficiency is not the first requisite in the public service 1 And are we not a great way from the state of things desi derata by Mr. Manua and his fellow-commis boners, when the Dockyards shall be regarded as manufacturing establishments t We commend this Waterier, at Woolwich to the notice of the Parlia mentary Committee. Irk Court. WEOBO9. CANTLE, SlAltca 2G. The Prince of Leiningen, Prince Freierick of Schleavrig.Holetein Augeetenbourg, and Prince Victor of Iluheolohe, have left the Coati'. Mr. Henry Tupper, magistrate and member of the States of Guernsey, had yesterday an interview with Sir G. Corns wall Lewis, at the Home-office. The Commimioners for the Exhibition of 1862 held a meeting at their office, in the Strand, on Monday. The Commiasioners for the International Exhibition of 1462 have, with the sanction of her Majesty's government, ►ppointed as their secretary F. It. :landlord, Esq., amistant secretary to the Committee of Council on Education. Viscount sad Visoountess Palmerston left town yesterday for Torquay. The Duke of Newcastle left town for Clumber, Notts, yesterday. Deepatehee were sent yesterday from the Colonial-office to the Lord High Commissioner of the lecke Islands, sod to the goveroors of Australia, New Zeeland, Hong Kong, Ceylon, Lima, Malts. Mauritius, sod Gibraltar. COURT MOURNING. (From kat idild's Ckszeite.) Lard Clumberlidtes-ollies, March 26. Orders for the court's change of mourning on Thursday, the 18th of April next, for her late Royal High ness the Duchess of Kent, mother of her Majesty the Queen, viz. : The ladies to wear black silk, fringed or plain linen, white gloves, necklaces, and raring', black cr white shoes, fans, and tippets. The gentlemen to wear black full-trimmed, fringed or plain linen, black swords and buckles. The court to change the mourning further on Tburs day, the 25th of April next, viz. : The ladies to wear black silk or velvet, coloured ribbons, tans and tippets, or plain white, or white and gold, or white and silver stuffs, with black ribbons. The gentlemen to wear black costa, and black or plain white, or white and gold, or white and silver stuff waistcoats, fall-trimmed, coloured swords and buckles. And on Thursday the 2nd of May next, the court to go oat of mourning. Collage of Arms, Much 26. In reference to the order fora general mourning for her late Royal Highness the Duchess of Heat, which wee announced in the Goma lf the 18th instant, those are to give notice that it is asaespected that the public should appear in mourning Misr Ifbersday, the 11th of April next. R O.F. HOWARD, D.E.M. VOLUNTEER IIELD-DAY ON EASTER MONDAY. Arrangements have been made for a march out sad field-day ►t Wimlilades oo Easter Monday. The fol lowing corps an expected to be present :—viz., Cavalry— Ms Surrey Mounted Rasa, the Ist Middlesex Light Hone, and the Metropolitan Light Horse ; Infantry—The Victoria Rides, 4th Middlesex, Civil Service Regiment, Queen's (Westminster), 39th and 38th Middlesex, Lt, 7th, and 12th Surrey, god City d London, 3rd Westminster, kc. The various corps will proceed from their respective parades to assemble in (root of the barracks at Knights bridge in time to march off thence at 11.30. and proceed by Pullman-road and over Putney-bridge to Witribledon-common. . - On arriving at Wimbledon they will bivouac, each corps providing its own commimari►t. After reining a short time they will be put into position in two brigades, and per. 101111 a Min of brigade movements. The Duke and Duchene of Argyll have left town M joie the family circle staying with the Durhees (Dowager) of eatherlead at Cliefilea, Bucks. The Duchess of Montrose, accompanied by Lady VioLsl Graham and Colonel sad Lady Avis Mum, ar rived is 13elirrave”squars on Monday maim from Paris and The Marquie of Bath left Berkeley-square on Monday to visit the Marchioness sad lady Louisa Throne, at her ladyship's seat in Hampshire. The Martinis and Marchioness of Aides, with the Fort of CasailliNhave left the Burlingtoo Hotel, Cork-street, for Celina Castle, Ambito, M.& The Karl and ConMem de Grey and Ripon have left Carltoeierclaaa, to pus the none at atudeley Park, Yorkshire. The Earl ►nd Countess Stanhope will leave town so flaiarday for their Beat, Chemins Park, Kant. for • few days. Viscount Mahon left town yesterday to join his regiment is Irebud. Loral and Lady Wensleydale, accompanied by Mrs. G. Milldnaey, left town yeatenlay for Ampthill Park, Bedfordshire. Sir George Cornewall and Lady Theresa Lewis will have tow', on Sattutlay, on • 'tail to the Esti avid Cousion Cloroodoo, at Ms Grove, near Watford . The Right Hon. the Speaker anal Lady Charlotte Denim bit Qs right les. lestisatao's official mamma is Ur Neer Palo" Wirfabslir. ea Mooday, far Oudigtos Park Notts. The Right Hos. B. Disraeli aad Mrs. Dinrseli ban left Gramisousate if South Wale. Mr. John R. Vard,Amorican Mmiger to China, accompanied by Kr. Beery P. Blanchard and Colonel Ripley, hare arrived at Teuton Hotel. LCentenant-Geueral Baron Hammerstein and Capishe vas Disk!ache wm have the Hanoverian Leption as Tuesday neat for Hanover. • large number of parsons vinited the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, yesterday. The main object of those who were We to obtain tickets of admission was to gratify Mao cariosity by s sight of the Armoire's( gun factories. This being the termiaatioci of the financial year, the room wewleilig the whole of the Armstrong guns to be delivered over this swain to the charge of the princiral military storekeeper for issue to the army and navy, consisting of apwaiiis of WO in number, GO of which were the 100- peeadire for the navy, was thrown open. The perfect Ilia et the gam. their bright brass fittings and adjuncts, sad die high polish of the materials, gave the room the appointee et a private museum. - - DILL= or Ma THOMAS LrrrtroALL—Yesterday moniker mite► regret was felt in Liverpool on the announce meet that Mr. Thomas LittWale, the principal or the well known fined T. end H. Littledido sod Co.. bad died rod. deoly in Leedom on the rereviona evening by the Ininedng of a Vocal vemeL Mr. Littledale was only about 43 years old at the time of his death, and was much esteemed in Liverpool on account of hie universal urbanity and social qualities. Mr. Littledale some years ago occupied the civic chair of Liverpool, and was one of the youngest mayors which has been selected for that borough. lo politics be was a conservative; he was likewise commodore of the Koval Mersey Yacht Club, captain in the Lanc►hire Militia, and • member of the Liverpool Town CounciL 31r. Littledale niardrsl at HiFlineld, near Liverpeol, and has left • wife and several children, whose untimely loss is much participated in by the general public of Liverpool. POLAND. The Lkllpendatice Beige of yesterday publishes the following in a postscript " When on the point of going to press, we re ceived • despatch direct from Warsaw, stating that disturbances' had taken place at that city on the evening of Monday. The people are reported to have smashed the windows of General Abramo witch, director of the Imperial theatres of Warsaw, and one of the officials who shared the unpopularity of M. Mukhanoff, the minister recently dismissed." The despatch adds that the military did not in terfere. BREBLAU,_ !Luca 26. According to a telegram received here from Warsaw, Major-General Geccwicz, who is per sonally much liked in Poland, has been appointed to replace M. Mukhanoff. 0.011 OMB of MARCH EXPRESS FROM PARIS. PARIS, TVICeDAT Emma. It was only late this afternoon that the journals received permission to publish the Pope's allocu tion, and the removal of the prohibition came too late for the majority of the evening papers to take advantage of it. The text as given by the Gazette de Prance is even more violent and more incom patible with any possible compromise than the analysis which I sent yesterday would have led you to suppose. The only concession which the Pope will vouchsafe to make is his "abundant pardon" to those who may repent of their temerity in re monstrating with him. The allocution throws • flood of light upon the motives of the French government in making a stand last week upon those four words in the address, "resistance to wise advice," which the Pope's band of 91 voted for striking out. Their leaders knew that the Pope meant not only to continue to reject " wise advice," but to stigmatise the author of it as an impertinent hypocrite. The government, without perhaps knowing the exact measure of the insult which the Pope meant to fling in the teeth of the Emperor, was quite aware of the spirit which prevailed at the Vatican, and therefore made a point of committing the Corps Legialatif to an approbation of the "advice" which his Majesty had given to the Holy See, in order that the deputies might share with him the obloquy which, while finally rejecting it, the Pope would seek to throw upon the giver of that advice. In the following passage of the new manifesto from Rome, notwithstanding the affected' useTi — iTe plural number, the Emperor is personally referred to by the Head of the Church as plainly as be was in that of the Pope's subordinate who called him Pontius Pilate : Apostates, who speak not in the name of God, but in the name of Satan ! Their doctrines are shameful. They hesi tate not, with their usual hypocrisy, to exhort the Holy See to become reconciled with Italy. . . . Before God and man we declare distinctly and positively that there exists no reason why we should consent to such a recon ciliation. The Frew observes upon the latter expressions that coming events will be the best answer to them, and goes on to say : What particularly strikes ns in the allocution is that the Holy Father 'mews to think of nothing but hie property and temporal patrimony ; of the conquests of the spiritual kingdom not a word is said. He is silent about Europe, which has protected the Marmites; about France, who planted the cross on the walls of Pekin, and thereby opened the doors of redemption to ninety millions of GentileT; not a word in favour of the Christians of the East, who rise against their Mahometan oppressors - Wis y God alone to fight for us," says the Holy Father in conclu sion. We respectfully beg leave to remark that iffOod does protect the temporal power, he is not doing it alone. General Ooyon and his soldiers have a hand in the matter, although the Pope does not seem to be aware of it. Count Cavour's important speech marks the be ginning of a new phase of the Roman question. He resolutely proclaims the pretensions of the King of Italy to have Rome for his capital, and throws upon the court of Rome the responsibility for the schism in the church which is likely to ensue if the Pope obstinately persists in holding temporal and spiritual powers united. This news is the more important, because there is much I evidence that the modification of the Sardinian min istry was a device resorted to by Count Cavonr, on the receipt of a despatch from Paris, announcing that at a ministerial council held at the Tuileries the papal party had obtained an advan tage. The Emperor, it is said, was persuaded to defer to the strongly expressed opinions of the Senate and Corps Legislatif, and to modify resolu tions which had been taken relative to the with drawal of the troops from Rome, and Count Cavour was so taken aback by the news, that he felt it necessary, calk-qui-coite, to postponed the interpellations on the Roman question. It is, therefore, after the circulation of such rumours, very cheering to find the prime minister of Italy able to speak out, as he does now. The Pope's insolent allocution comes in well to help the Em peror to make head against the ultramontane party. The Bishop of Orleans preached yesterday, at St. Roch, the famous sermon about Ireland which one of your contemporaries prematurely—and it must be added inaccurately—reported as having been delivered on St. Patrick's Day. I was not able to get into the church, the doors of which were shut to prevent accidents from overcrowding long before the sermon commenced. I hear from a friend who was there that Mgr. Dupanloup did not say a word about Lord Plunket, or his tenants; but :le preached a violent sermon against England, the moral of which was that English ideas of what was good for Italy must be bad, because England was the oppressor of Ireland. He read long extracts from O'Connell's speeches and parliamentary blue books, from which he drew the con clusions that seven-tenths of the great men of England were Irishmen, that the popula tion of Ireland had been reduced from eight millions to five millions, entirely by English oppression, and that Ireland was the most ill-used country on the face of the earth. In the course of the compliments, many of them most deserved, which he paid to the Irish character, he said that the emigrants rent home one million sterling a year to their poor relations in the mother country. He did not appear sensible of the fact that such a brilliant result of the recent Irish emigration was a proof that the government under whose auspices it was effected could not have been very oppressive. I never heatiftf any money being sent to France by labourers, from Algeria or any other French colony. The sermon is to be sent to the news- PlLlvrc. M. Jules Fevre dined the other day with Prince Napoleon. The Bourse remains in the same dull state. The Route closed at yesterday's price, 681 r. 20c., for account, and fell bc. for money. Mobilier rose lfr. 2bc. Railways were scarcely quoted. The adage Mires fell 4fr., closing at 92fr. 95c. I hear that Mdme. Ristori was most successful at the Odeon last night, although the piece in which she appeared is not considered yory good. Galiy mai says : Great excitement prevailed at this theatre last night in coasequence of the appearance of the great Italia* trage dienne, Udine. Ristori, in a new drama by X. Legouve. Ili title is Beatriz ; Os Lrt .Vadnete de CA re, Milne. Histori playing the character in French. Want of space, and the 1at.,.• nem of the hourat which the piece concluded, oblige us to limit our notice this morning to record the fact that the perform ance was moat successful, and that this first of Italian artistes went triumphantly through the trying ordeal of speaking in a foreign language before the meet critical audi tory is Paris, perhaps is Europe. THE Nrw HONDUZAR MINISTER PLENIPOTEN TIARY AT TEL BRITISH COURT.—Dor Carter Gutierrez, who has been recently appointed representative of Hoodures at her Britannic Majesty s Court, has for many peat been actively engaged in effecting important uK and oom merrial improvements in the Qintral American Stake, and since his arriv►l in England he has negotiated a treaty of frieudebip, commerce, and navigation with Great Britain, thereby placing the relations between this kingdom and the Centnil American Republics upon ►solid and durable basis. CRYSTAL PALACZ. —ONZ SHILLING DAY. TrRaDAT, MARCH 26.—Arbrdirione cm payment, 1,254 ; ditto by swan tickets, 1,053. Total vialton, 2,309. THE ITALIAN CHAMBER. TURIN, MAIM 26, Eviauo. The discussion of the affairs of Rome was con tinued to-day in the Chamber vt Deputies. The Marquis Pepoli protested against the unjust accusations brought forward against Piedmont by some members of certain foreign legislative assem blies. Hr eulogised Napoleon 111., who, by sepa rating the spiritual from the temporal power, will, he said, render a greater service to the church than Charlemagne by his fatal gift of temporal sovereignty to the papacy. Signor Buoncompagni, in his speech, stated that the Italian movement had nothing in it offensive to religious feeling. He proposed that the Chamber should vote the following resolution, viz. :—" The Chamber, having heard the declaration of the minis try, and being confident that after having insured the dignity and independence of the Pope and the complete freedom of the church, the principle of non-intervention will, in concert with France, be applied to Rome, and that Rome will be made the capital of Italy, passes to the order of the day." Several speakers of the Left proposed the simple proclamation of Rome as the capital of Italy, and the calling upon Napoleon 111. to withdraw his troops. Signor Ferrari said :—"Our only political system is alliance with France." DISTURBANCES IN SICILY. MARSEILLES, Yawn 26. Two newspapers of this city publish intelligence to-day, asserted to have been received from Sicily, which states that diaturbanoes had taken place at Palermo. According to the same intelligence a bloody con flict had taken place at Santa Marguerite, and demonstrations of • hostile character at Messina, on which latter occasion, it is added, the people demanded the demolition of the citadel. They arc also said to have cheered for Garibaldi AUSTRIA. VIENNA, Mince n. An imperial decree grants to the congregations of Lombardo-Venetia the right of electing twenty delegates to the council of the empire. The Vienna papers assert that the resolutions of the Hungarian Judicial Conference, in reference to the re-establishment of the Hungarian laws of 1848, and the demand for an independent ministry for Hungary, have been rejected by the govern ment. HUNGARY. TEMEBVAR, TUESDAY. The municipality of this city resolved to-day upon protesting against the order of the Director of Finance for the collection of the taxes by execu tion in cases where payment is refusal. _ _ The °barge:pan& has published a proclamation warning the people against instigators of dis turbances. TURKEY. AGRAM, Mace 27. The troops under the command of Ismael Pacha are cmcentrated at Trebigna. Since the last fight hostilities have boon sus pended. The insurgents, however, are preparing a fresh attack in concert with the Montenegrins. All the places south of Trebigna have done ho mage to the Prince of Montenegro. CALCUTTA AND CHINA MAILS. The Euxine, with the above mails, arrived at Marseilles at 9 a.m. this day. The made were to leave for London at 10 a.m. The Ceylon, with the heavy portion of the mails, left Malta on the 22nd (midnight), and may be ex pected at Southampton about the 31st inst. _ The Bengal brought the mails to Suez, arriving there on the 17th. THE OUTWARD BOMBAY MAIL The Valetta, from Marseilles on the 20th inst., reached Malta on the 22nd mat at 5 p.m., and left for Alexandria at 11 p.m. AMERICAN MAIL. LIVERPOOL, WZDNVIDAY. The Liverpool, New York, and Philadulpiia Company's steamer Edinburgh, which sailed to-day for New York, took 102,0301. in specie. SPECIE FOR THE EAST. IN. Mara 27. The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steam ship Pere, sailing to-day, takes out in bar silver 182,0001. ; bar gold, 10,0004 ; sovereigns, 5,50 W. ; rupees, 240/. ; jewellery, 3841. A letter from Rome says :—" The English artiste in Rome aro preparing their home contribution■. Mr. John Adams has forwarded for exhibition in the Royal Academy a 'moray and justly-admired group, representing the Lady of the Lake gazing wistfully and sadly on the retreating figure of Fitshunes : parts; the maid, unconscious still, Watch'd him wind slowly round the hill.' Mr. J. Adams has just completed his term as travelling pupil, in sculpture, of tho Royal Academy, and the judi. cious manner is which he has completed this his latest work shows that he has profited largely by the opportunities of his position. Mr. B. Spence is advancing his statue, drawn from the same poem, for the Queen, and is modelling an in teresting Beare of Jeanie Deans supposed to be in the act of plesetbse for her sister's life. This is to be executed in marble for the Great Exhibition of 1862." The Singapore Free Press of the 21st ult. ears : "As earthquake was felt here on the evening of the IGth sanest, about half-past 7 o'clock, Luting about • minute. The direction appeared to be from S.W. to N.E. Two shocks were AIR The feeling produced in many per- Sens was that of names or sickness. The um deletions were very distinct sod gave the ides that the house was going to tumble down ; doors settled and hanging lamps swung about for some minutes. It was only in the upper stories of houses that the earthquake was much felt, as many per. eons who happened to be on the ground floors did not notice it. Those, on the contrary, who were upstairs were alarmed, and many ran below, thinking that their houses were about to fall. The weather was cam at the time, although there had been rain during the day, and about au hour afterward' • squall of wind 0000zrad." :Z..:..: liflr... _._ tr Ann , - • THE GREAT EASTERN. MILFORD, TOIBOIT Evzsinro. The Great Eastern left the gridiron at 6.10 this evening, and steamed off admirably. She dropped anchor at Milford at a guarter•past 7. Amongst those on board were Messrs. Gooch and Fothergill Cooke, two of the directors, Captain Ramsey, R.N., Captain Hall, R.N., Captain Cries, and other dockyard officials. Mr. Pommy, the Queen's pilot, brought her to the moorings. Every. thing worked perfectly, and this first trial trip was most satisfactory. LOSS OP viz LIVERPOOL AND NEW YORK PACKET SHIP MIDDLESEX, AND PORTY FIVE LIVES. A most distressing shipwreck, attended with serious loss of life, was made known yesterday at Lloyd's— the abandonment of the ship Middlesex, 1,423 tons nes. ter, a fine Liverpool and New York trader, commanded by tkptain Harmer Parmelee, which took place on the 10th just. in the Atlantic, • few hundred miles off the Irish coast, while on an outward passage to New York, and which there can be no doubt shortly foundered, with fortyfive souls on board. The Middlesex appears to have been an American built ship, owned by Messrs. Edward St. limes and Co., of New York, where she wan registered as an A 1 ship, built at Connecticut in 1853. She cleared from Liverpool Dock on the 17th of last February for New York, her cargo consisting chiefly of coal and crockery, shipped by Messrs. Harris and Co., and consigned to the Manaliathon Gas Company, New York. She sailed on the following day, her crew numbering 31 hands, besides the master, and carrying 20 cabin and steerage passengers. It is supposed she took the north passage, anti soon after she bad cleared the Irish coast she encountered the fearful gales which commenced about the With, and nontinued almost without intermission for several weeks, when she was abandoned on the 10th instant in lat. 53.0, long. 22.10 W., in a sinking condition ; the water had almost reached the cabins, and it was evident she could not continue afloat many hours longer. The captain, seeing that his ship must founder, endeavoured to get the boat out to save the bye, of the passengers and crew. The ship was lying almost on her beam ends, with a terrific sea running, and all the boats, excepting one, were smashed or stove in in the efforts to get them over the ship's side into the sea. Out of the 60 people on board only 16 could be taken off in the boat that had been launched uninjured—namely, thecaptain, four passengers, and eleven of the crew, who soon after lost sight of the ship and those helpless on board, and the impression is, that she went down almost immediately after. wards. The survivors in the boat suffered great privations ; for four days and nights they were exposed to the severest weather and cold, without food or water, until the boat was washed ashore at Great Blaaket Island, a few miles to the westward of the entrance to Dingle Bay, on the south-west coast of Ireland. Two of them, however, died before the boat gained the land from exposure and iutense cold. It was considered truly marvellous that the boat could have withstood the heavy ems and gales that had prevailed the whole time. Captain Parmelee, on his arrival at Dingle on Saturday last, reported the loss of his ship to the receiver of wreck at that port, who, in accordance with the Shipping Act, pro ceeded to examine Captain Parmelee on oath. This exa mination wee received yesterday at the Board of Trade and at Lloyd's, and contains the following : "Captain Parmelee states that he left Liverpool as master of the ship Middlesex on the 18th of last February, bound to New York, and proceeded, wind-hauled, to the south•west, blowing a strong gale, which continued up to the 7th instant, when a heavy gale came on from the north west, ship rolling and working severely. The gale con tinued, and on the 10th, ship being in Lt. 53.0 long 22.10 west, was struck by a heavy sef, which threw her on her beam coda, and shipped her cargo to port. All bead sail was set ; every endeavour was made to get the ship before the wind, but she refused to pay off, and, making a great deal of water, she commenced to settle down, not withstanding the pumps were kept going, as a last resource. Had the main misenmast cut away to relieve the ship and get her to pay off, but without effect, and on the 12th, find ing there was no hope of awing, abandoned her in the only efficient boat, along with eleven of the crew and four pueengen, leaving the remainder of the crew and passengers on board to share the fate of the ship, all the other boats, five in number, having been stove to pieces after being lowered down. Their boat reached the Great BLuket Island on the 16th inst., four days after leav ing the ship, and the inhabitants of the island assisted them in landing, two of the boat's crew having died previously. He remained on the island till the 23rd inst. before he could proceed to Dingle." [The report of the examination does not furnish the names of the people who were saved, and, us will he seen, is exceedingly vague in its particulars.] The Middlesex was valued at 15,0001., and the loss, with her cargo, is calculated at 17,0001. The amount of in ' nuance effected on both does not, exceed 10,0001., and this appears to be executed chiefly at New York and Liverpool. MR. COBDEN AND THE PREACH COMMERCIAL TREATY. At a special netting of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, held yesterday, the following letters from Mr. Cobden and Mr. Malec, - in connexion with the French com mercial treaty, were reed by the secretary : " Algiers, March 20. " beg to acknowledge the receipt of the resolution of the Chamber of Commerce of Liverpool, bearing your signature as president, thanking me for my exertions in ar ranging the commercial treaty with France. I observe with satisfaction the judicious reserve with which the chamber abstains from committing itself to an approval of the general principle of commercial treaties. The arrangement lately entered into with the French govern ment is not, in its old and exclusive sense, • commercial treaty, but a simultaneous movement on the part of the two countries in the direction of (opera freedom of Ueda. Nor should the changes made in the French tariff be judged merely by the standard of abstract principle, but with a fair consideration for the opposition which the government bad to encounter, in its first serious measure of commercial reform, from so unbroken phalanx of mono. palate, whose power can be more fully appreciated after the late demonstrations of the conservative party in the French Minters. The great feature of the recent commercial ar rangements, to my humble apprehension, is their tendency to limit the power of governments to disturb the amicable relations of the two countries, by making their friendship depsial. not on dynastic sympathies, or the alliance with any particular ministry, but, to borrow the sentiment of Prince Napoleon, on the union of France with the great English people. For the first time in the experience of living men, a huge part of the population of the two countries will be invested with the meet powerful motives for keeping the peace. Old diplomatic rivalries may survive, to find nourishment in topic of shadowy interests; and the rela tions of the two governments may even be subjected to ocsessional disquietude from the resentments of statesmen who live in the traditions of the pest, and who will accept with reluctance the new order of things. But I rejoice in the belief that the legitimate interests of an industrious people, rather than the caprices or passions of politicians, will for the future control the relations of my country with Its great continental neighbour. " Prey assure the members of the chamber that I highly appreciate their approval of my services ; and begging you to accept my thanks for the cordial expressions contained in your letter enclosing the resolution, I remain, Sir, your obedient servant, (Signed) " BD. Colll3=. " W. J. Tomlinson Eaq., Chamber of Commerce, LiverpooL" " Board of Trade, 22nd March, 1861. "Rir,-1 beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 21st March, enclosing a copy of • vote of thanks to Mr. Cobden, Mr. Ogilvie, and myself, for our recent services in connexion with the commercial treaty with France, which was passed at the annual general meeting of the Liverpool Clamber of Commerce. I must request that you will con vey to the chamber my very best thanks for the honour they have done me, and assure them that I have re ce i ve d this resolution wit h much gratification.—l have the honour to be, air, your very obedient servant. (Signed) " LZWIII MALIT. " Robert 'Tronton, Eaq. , Secretary, Chambord Commerce, Liverpool. THE FAMINE IN UPPER. INDIA.—TEIHCEday the Lord Mayor stated that although be had been under the necessity of writing to Colonel Baird Smith, telling him that he could not comply with his wishes and the wishes of the committee under which be was acting, by calling a public meeting at the Mansion-house, he had that morning been waited open by a number of gentlemen, and had agreed that if they would present him a requisition, numerou►ly signed, ho would convene a public meeting in the Egyptian hall, at the Manaion-house. on Thursday the Dith inst , and he had no doubt but that through the influence and energy of those gentlemen, with whom he bad had an interview, there would be such a meeting as would ensure a very powerful movement tbroughoat the metropolis, something at all events to send to the &oilstones of the sufferers in India for the relief of their urgent necessities. BAST LONDON REFORM DEMONSTRATION. Last night • very crowded meeting wan held in the Standard Theatre, Bishopegateatreet, for the purpose of promoting the cause of parliamentary reform. A large concourse of persons had assembled outside the theat r e long before the hour of meeting, and on the doors being thrown open, pit, boxes, galleries, and stage were instant aneous l y filled. If the sasembling of . a great number of the mi en . franchised class and the enthusiasm manifested by them be the proof of their desire to the franchise, nothing could be more satisfactory than the present demonstration. Unfortunately, the meeting was fixed for Monday evening, but in consequence of the funeral of the Duchess of Kent the theatre wu not permitted to be opened, and consequently many gentlemen, including Mr. S. Morley, the intended chairman, were prevented from being present. Letters of apology for absence were read from Mr. M..wley, Mr. Midi, Mr. P. A. Taylor, Mr. Ayrtos, M.P.. Mi. Butler, M.P., Mr. Buncombe, ALP., and Sit S. 31. Peto, M. P. Mr. Ncirrox was called to the chair. Mr. SLACK moved the following resolution:—" That we regard with indignation the conduct of government and the House of Commons in their extravagant expenditure of public money and their contemptuous refusal of reform • that the efforts of Mr. Locke King, Mr. Edward Baines, anti other independent members, to obtain an immediate ex. tension of the county and borough franchise, us worthy of approval and support ; and that we most cordially recom mend the formation of societies like the London Political Union, aiming at nothing less than the complet e eofrachisement of the people, by means of maiven a l registered suffrage, the ballot, short parliaments, and equitable distribution of members, and the exemption of candidates from personal expenses." Mr. WALLORGE, in seconding the resolution, said that this was an indignation meeting. (Hear, hear.) It showed that the people were not apathetic. But perhaps . Lord I. Russell wished that they should hold open air meetings, and commit themselves to actions which would renew the scenes of Peterloo. (Hear, hear.) Well, he would go for ref orm and for the charter, and he salted his fellow working men to go along with him in that demand. (Hear, hear.) Lord MYNHAJI, who was received with loud cheers, said that when one man looked in the face of another man, whether high or low, he looked upon an equal. rheas.) They were all equal, for they were all taxed. When 'in fanner times some of their fellow-men were held hi elevecy, the poor slave was represented with the chain around him, and with this motto written under, "Am 1 not a man and a brother r (Cheers.) Well, were not the unenfranchiaed of this country men and brothers ? (Hear, hear.) Were they to be kept in political bondage, and for how long? Let them not expect a reform bill from the House of Lords or from the present House of Commons. He believed the present government took the most dignified course they could—and that was not saying much—in leaving reform alone. (Hear, bear.) But let the people out of door' be of one mind, and reform could not be resisted. (Hear, hear.) Had they a leader in the House of Commons? (" No, no, and a cry of " Bright.") The resolution asserted the right of the people to universal registered suffrage, vote by ballot, and short parliaments. The people were entitled to that. He respected Mr. Locke Kiog end Mr. Baines for pursuing their own ideas of reform, but whilst he would support their bills he could not approve of them, for he never could un derstand how the possession of a shilling more or less could make a man worthy or unworthy of the franchise. (Hear.) With regard to the ballot it was necessary that the voter should be protected from the intimidation of the landlord or the customer. A man was not the less brave because he used a shield. (Cheers.) Their aim must be manhood suffrage and vote by ballot. The means must be the creation of a great national reform union, by which the opinions of Loudon, Manchester. Birmingham, and other great centres of activity could be brought to focus. How was this to be dons? By sending delegates. Where! To London. When? Whenever parliament was sitting. Then and then only would they obtain the reform they wanted. (Cheer.) Mr. W. \Vitus next addressed the meeting. The resolution was then put and adopted. Mr. MCGILCHRIKT moved the adoption of • petition to parliament io favour of reform, which was seconded by Mr. Locaarr, and supported by Mr. FIKI.M. The motion was adopted, and the meeting ',panted. cm' COURT OP SEWERS. The weekly meeting of the Commissioners of Sewers was held yesterday, at Guildhall ; Mr. Deputy Osamu presiding. Dr. LICTIIPST, the medical officer of health, reported on the state of 192 houses that had been inspected during the week, and submitted a list of 46 places for sanitary im provement. Dr. Urines also reported that the officers had seized 3,115 lbs. of meat during the week as unfit for human food. It consisted of 26 sheep, 24 quarters of beef, 3 pis% 1 call and 16 quarters and joints of mutton ; 2,184 lbs. were seised in Newgate•market, by Mr. Fisher ; 1,303 in Leadeohall, by Mr. Davidson ; and 62S in Aldgate and Tyler's markets, by Mr. Newman. Rather more than half of it was seized on account of disease, and the rest because of the animals having died from natural causes. The mortality returns continue to decline. In the coarse of the last three weeks the numbers have been 57, 49, and 46. Rather more than half of the deaths in the week which has just expired were among infants, and 32 of the 46 were among young persona of less than 17 years of age, 10 were among old pawns of GO and upwards, one, a servant, ha,. log reached the age of 96, and another, the widow of a lawyer, 92. The chief causes of deaob were as follows : phthisis. 5 ; pneumonia (all of children), 4 ; bronchitis, 4 ; in all but 13 deaths from diseases of the lungs ; 9 deaths were due to climaxes of the zymotic class—namely, .1 to whooping cough, 3to measles, Ito croup, and 1 to scarlet fever. There were 2 deaths from continued fever or diarrhcea. BLACKFREIRS BRIDGE. A apmial Court of Common Council was holden yesterday, at Guildhall, for the purpotie of taking into con sideration a report presented on Thursday last from the Bridge-house committee, which recommended that the pre sent bridge at Blackfriars should be pulled down and a new one erected in it. place. The subject was considered to be of too much importance to be thus summarily dis posed of, and yesterday was consequently specially ap pointed for the consideration of the matter. The Right Hon. the Loan Msroa presided. Mr. fiIINRY WILLINGTON VALLANciI, chairman of the Bridge-house Estates Committee, moved, „ That the court should agree with the committee in their report, and that it be referred back to them to obtain designs for the con struction of a new bridge, with estimates of the probable expense thereof, and of making temporary provision for the traffic, and lay the same before the honourable court for their approbation." Mr. Alderman DAMN moved ns an amendment, " That the consideration of the question be deferred until some determination had been ar, iced at with regard to the embankment of the Thames, and the plans fur carrying out the same were agreed to." The amendment was put and lost ; and, on a division being demanded, there were 72 for the motion and 47 for the amendment, the motion being carried by a majority of 25. Sir E. Creasy, returning thanks at an anniversary dinner of the Ceylon Planters' Association, on the 16th ult., spoke warmly of the good feeling which exists amongst the advocates in that colony. He added :—" I was told to prepare myself for something very different out here. I re. collect a learned friend of mine, who was supposed to be wsllaequainted with colonial scenes, saving to me, 'Well, I suppose you will do like other colonial judges. In six months you will be in a paper war with the governor ; you will have indicted your attorney-general for libel, and suspended half your advocates and proctors for contempt of court.' (Laughter.) Gentlemen, this was a pleasant prospect for a quiet man. I replied, ' Well, I do not know what may happen, but I have now had tour years judgeship at the Middlesex Sessions, and I have never had • quarrel with anyone there, and I do not exactly see why I am to begin quarrelling when I get to the tropics.' Still I might feel a little uneasy on the subject. I could not tell how permanent the calorific effects of the Red Sea might be on my constitution and temper ; and I shuddered at the thoughts of finding some. thing like Hoeg-Hong in this island. (Laughter.) But I soon discovered ou landing that it would be hand Ma, al for me to Sod or even to pick a quarrel here. The executive authorities of every rank with whom I have been in communication, my colleagues ou the bench, the members of the bar, WA every officer of the courts have shown the lame urbanity, the same friendly desire to assist • new oomer and to make my duties as little irksoml as possible, and the discharge of them is rather a pleasure than • toil. I recognise a similar good feeling here, and I 01200 more sincerely thank you for the honour which that good feeling has led you to confer on me this evening: (Cheers.) The celebrated drams, the Corken Bowe, 13 about being produced in Dublin by Mr. Boacicault and the staff which performed in it at the Adelphi. NATIONAL EDreATION (IREL.:N D). —A puha' mentarl return, lamed this morning, specifies the &eves! schools in connexion with the National Board of Education in Ireland, in which protestant and Roman catholic children were jointly receiving education et the period to which the return. were made up hi the last report of the Education Commissioners, and the lumber of protestant and Roman catholic children in each school. In Ulster there were 1,602 schools, with 72,868 protestaut children of all denominations, and $1,414 Roman catholic,. In Munster these were 433 schools, with 1,974 protestant children, and 49,092 Roman catholic. In Leiuster 509 schools, with 3,10 n protestant children, and 48.Rp0 Non. es tholics. In Connaught 354 schools, with 2,147 protestant children, 00 11 35,737 Roman catholic. The totals were 2,R*41 wk.* , with 80,117 protestant, sad 215,133 Roman catholic scholars. Bac Bari Bloc rood n Th 4 first i Pcd the E and a Lim. Th spoke wane Mr Was I . Ser but tl thew defeo - 17 the w and o and b Corn int:, the pt linnet end n berg b day a I: j, iii L situ wider cheer( the di the 010 decors the M pietur has IN be so; will b which