The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1849-01-23 00:00:00

Korai sritlus. Mr. Procter has been appointed chairman of the new Water Committee, and Mr. Bennett, vice-chairman. The committee have determined to 4o on with the inquiry into the charges as to withholding the water. A young woman, named ilargaret Wilson, was sent to gaol on Thursday for twenty-one days, for disorderly conduct, and refusing to work at the sheds at Brownlow hill. Messrs. J. and G. Campbell and Co., of Liverpool, West India and Mexican merchants, who suspended in February, 1848, have announced the payment of a final dividend of 2s. 6d. in the pound, making, with the pre vious instalments, o full payment of 2( TkIE Wedn---1 nis at Kirkdale, on Cropper, Esq., qt and J. Brantley M sq., Meyrick Bankes, Esq., ed as magistrates for the , Esq., subscribed the oaths 'NATI( )N OF MASTERS AND MATES. -At a hoard of examiners, held the 18th inst., examined and found qua :—Mr. William of the royal mail, North aria, of Glasgow, and Captain ..raster of the Blue Bell, of Liver 111`L2od, mate, was found qualified the foil gentlemen sv certificates certificate dinner of ratepayers in this Theatre Inn, Chris which about forty )wn, amongst whom were Councillors lified for first Fletc :her Millar, firs for a secoi ST. AN Harbord, and Hod tended later in the evenin- Fairhurst, Watt both parties, Woodruf Mr. Parker at , -also Messrs. Litchen, Barton. and other leading men in the ward of Kitchen, chairman of the ward, ably and Mr. Barton, the vice-chair. —..—An address from a great num ..cipal electors has been presented to Mr. Harbord, " recognizing his valuable labours in J. own Council, and recording their decided approba -.neral public conduct." To this Mr. Har ---;+ghle reply. A more substantial ber of the n Counc tian of h bord has ation in which tl is, however, ab worthy Councillor is held by the with._ out to be presented to him, and, with that view, subscription books have been opened at most of the newspaper offices, by which means it is expected that a fitting testimonial can be obtained for THE Gc NESSES BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION. as it deserves to be, ing attention to the 3 well kr annual meeting next week, when the public will have an opportunity of learning the excellent objects aimed at by the society, which is increasing yearly in usefulness as a public institution, being of the greatest importance, not only to the class which it seeks to benefit, but to families Since its formation, ble relief to those who registration of gover ie institution. reqUiring well quail& the society have affor have required its ass nesses is an importan instructress led consi, 0,--00 Thursdsy, Mr. is summoned before for havin g , rates upon a number of refused to p r, two of the county magistrates, the improvement and sewerage ouses, in respect of which he is )ok. The court was "owner occupied three or four hours with the case, which was ultimately referred to Mr. Kent, the clerk, and the ma gistrates, to settle the amount which Mr. Hughes ought to pay, it being understood that the present summons should be dismissed. Mr. David Appleton, who had likewise been summoned upon a similar complaint, acceded to the same sort of arrangement. SIGHT.—A few dais since there were no fewer than six of the large steam-ships of the British and North American Royal Mail Steam-packet Company in the Coburg Dock, namely, the Canada, the - -nara, the Cambria, the Hibernia, the Acadia, and the We have no hesitation in saying that they are not to be equalled in any country. it should be known that the steam-ships of the British and North kmerican Royal Mail Steam-packet Company are, in a to the view of the public, without A. box is always at hand for con- Britannia tickets tributions from visitors divided amongst the hos A FEW ARGUMENTS BY AN ENGLISH PRO TESTANT AGAINST THE ENDOWMENT OF THE CATHOLIC PRIESTS. SECTION I In these times, when the doctrines of political expedi ency to often ride rough shod over the principles of true religion, it is through the public press alone that we can appeal to the common sense of the British nation. Having resided for a number of years in aParl of Ire land almost exclusively inhabited by Roman Catholics, I have had a good opportunity of observing carefully the system adopted by the priests of that religion, and which believe varies little from that which they have placed amongst the lower orders in all countries where they have gained any permanent footing. I have been induced to send the result of my observa tions to your paper, because the opinions expressed in its editorial remarks so perfectly agree with my own, and will, I have every reason to believe, be strongly corroborated by the facts which I shall lay before you, facts which, though perfectly well known to every inhabitant of the south and west of Ireland, whether Protestant or Catholic, are, nevertheless, unfortunately not so well known to the Protestants of England as they ought to be. Roman Catholicism, notwithstanding its pretensions to unchangeableness and infallibility, is made to suit all things and all men, and can alter its apparent complexion to fit different states of society and the various ranks con tained in it. The day for the sale of indulgencies to crime is now gone by, thanks to the influence of the press, but it still holds out ample forgiveness and comfort to all who may have damaged their consciences in favour of the church. But the key to the system consists in its cultivating the moral propensities and animal passions of its followers, so that the former may nearly balance the latter, and at the same time gradui-lly degrading the intellectual and rea soning powers, until they become amongst the lower orders nearly extinguished. Thus, then, disciples dege nerate at last into bigoted human machines with moral stops, which the priests know well how to turn and twist to their own purposes ; thus the priests alone are the rea soning power, and the lower orders merely the bone and sinew of the Roman Catholic church. The final effect of this system would be, and is intended to be, to overwhelm the world with crusades of savage bigots, and to crush liberty of conscience in every corner of the earth. But it has pleased Providence to establish such won derful counter-checks in the moral world, that no evil can possibly occur which does not eventually work its own destruction, and generally end in advancing the cause of true religion upon the whole face of the earth. Any departure from the great trnths of the Bible, whether individual or national, is sure to bring retribution before the " third or fourth generation," and that retri bution generally falls bitterly on all who may have either actually or tacitly encouraged such violation of the Divine The system above referred to will sufficiently show why the Bible is held back from the Roman Catholic laity with a grasp of iron. Let a man once learn to read, and the study of the Bible alone, without referring to any other book, will gradually and surely bring his reasoning and intellectual powers into play ; it will of itself almost create and develop the reasoning powers of the human soul, more extensively and mire effectually than any other book, sacred or profane. It was intended to reveal truths which, while hidden from the wise and prudent, were revealed to babes, that is, to men of simple minds, who read it with a sincere desire to learn their duty to God and man. Why should this jealousy exist against spreading the Bible amongst the lower order of Catholics, while the first act of the Protestant clergyman is to hand every one of his flock the Book of Life ? Because, unlike the Protestants, whose creed is founded on, and can be compared fearlessly with the truths con tained in the Bible, the Roman Catholics have added a few doctrines necessary to the aggrandizement of their church in a temporal point of view, and erected a new system upon the sandy foundation, that "It is lawful to do evil that good may come ;" and in order that their doctrines may not be diligently inquired into by persons who, like the wise Bereans, " search the Scriptures." They have endeavoured, and are still endeavouring to take away the Bible, and extinguish the intellectual powers of the lower orders (their chief strength) amongst all the nations with whom they have come in contact. Whatever may be the disagreements amongst the Pro testants of England as to various points of doctrine, there is one point upon which all will agree. That is, that Jesus Christ has said, " It is not lawful to do evil that good may come ;" and no man professing himself to be a follower of Christ can, on the ground of political expedi ency, allow himself to be taxed for a single farthing to support a contrary doctrine. This is the fundamental point of all morality and Christianity, and in my future contributions I shall en deavour to show the deplorable effects which a departure from this rule has produced in leeland, the reaction of which has been felt in England, and will be felt yet more strongly so long as we hold out the right hand of fellow ship to a creed founded upon the principles detailed above. SENTIM. A CONTRAST, and tl she is a o the company, and is always at ease interlude of the " Loan of a Lover" acting of Mr. C. Rice, in Peter Spyk excellent. Mrs. R. Power sang with much of •` Mother r'-^^.-" was v ability avourite pantos week, M lan is e n- the legitimate drama, and appeared lamlet last evening. We shall notice :es nex not state the exact hich ring to we learn tt erred "very fair inex pensiveness of to from thi ensive than art of the nity Colic Dublin. ; while ;tend t ,ent Ard that ti leue w. y lectures p of Cant ,t Birkenhead OA the r the friends of the col- :ese of Car ..!e of the G but t in its working- ozen of its students s within his Grace's earn also that the Society have inti rdination, who may head, expen, )st of in-patients, per buildings, and law mark and A. cora- bows t spitals Is of the )iture, door pat £2 18s, Liverpool, in the 1 idmitted for the yet out-patient 10d. : cost. ain 17 or lt3 days only s, being to number of ,r were 2 t furniture, nchester, the num Bd.; c loor ditto without buildings, &c., o r t e r n Hospital patients hink little can be-d NATIONAL' PROVIDENT INSTT Lnd effi ing life-office, for which 3 the actiN . . on an average, and the cost is each in-patient only 19s. 11d. -patients received into the infir n item from , inasmuch as the 116 (Huddersfield), -patients from 541 'his flourish- Itownts 3 annual annually . W. Wilson, of th Sit, has just held meeting. The ordinary number of policies issued by associations of high standing lies between ~_ and 600 ; the.numbcr issued last year by the National Provident was 1423, and this was not occasioned by a too ready acceptance of every proposal offered, for 113 were last year declined. The annual premiums derived from the 1423 policies issued by the National Provident Insti tution during the last year, amount to £24,475 ss. 5d., bringing the annual income of the society lip to £126,232 44.—and tuis, too, in the face of a reduction of 6d. to those members whose date of policy Z 10,7 2, has brought them into participation of pr o fit s . The total capital ofthe institution at the present time is £440,028 15s. 3d. We lay no particular stress upon this amount of capital, as several offices could be named, from length of standing, with much larger assets ; but as an index of progressive action, it may be stated that the Equitable, the most successful institution of the kind in Europe, at the end of its first twenty years only i found itself in pos session of £150,000, the basis of its present millions ; whilst the National Provident, at the end of 13 years. has invested, in real and government securities, nearly treble that amount. As our report of the proceedings is much curtailed, it may be desirable, in this place, to state that the balance of receipts over disbursements for the year is £72,855 19s. 3d. ; whilst the sum on claims for policies during that period is £16,250 10s., exclusive of £7,742 for a like purpose, not yet applied for. of precisely ti holds. The "juni that he has discove created by I M MR. COBDEN IN 1836. R. COBDEN IN 1849. But we have remarked an He wished to express his inclination on the part of the sympathy with the farmers in landed interest to slight—to their efforts to get rid of a tax use the mildest possible term they considered the greatest —the public creditor, a feeling obstacle to their business— that shone forth in the motion the malt tax. They said the of the Marquis of Chandos to not having malt to give to remove the malt tax thus their cattle was a great obsta aiming at the insolvency of the cle to their perfect feeding. Chancellor of the Exchequer— He saw one of the ablest far ... . - without caring first to inquire mers in the country the other by what fresh imposts he day, who said he bought a large should meet the engagements quantity of malt-dust every of the country. These unre- week to mix with the food fleeting minds are, we appre- given to his lambs, for it was hend, quite incapable of esti- one of the best ingredients for mating the consequences that fattening. He never would will ensue if ever we should be tolerate one shilling of protec found unable to meet the into- tion in the way of a corn law ; rest of the debt, — in other and he would co-operate as words, if the British nation heartily with them as they did should be declared bankrupt. among themselves to get rid of an obnoxious tax that ob structed them in their busi- THE BIRMINGHAM CURRENCY MEN CHEAP GOLD. Our remarks, a fortnight ago, upon the change which had come over the spirit of these gentlemen's dreams, since the discovery of the new Gold Region of California, has called forth a reply from a writer in the Midland Counties' Herald (Justitia), upon whose previous effu sion in the same paper we commented. Justitia is a little Anderson, the tra- I sort and we ourselves, he says, have been " illiberal and unjust" in interpreting him. We are sorry that we can not plead guilty to the impeachment; sorry that our in terpretation was but too just, inasmuch as, if Justitia re presents faithfully the views of the Birmingham Currency Reformers, we must submit to be without their aid in the effort to establish a sound monetary system. Our Birmingham writer repudiates the charge of wish ing to pay to the credit interest less than its due. We refer him back to his declaration that the credit interest must have " its bond and nothing more"—a " certain number of grains of gold" for each pound, whatever may be the deterioration produced in the value of the commo dity, whether the pound in gold be worth 20s. or only 15s. The original idea of the Birmingham Currency writer, he says, was that the country's obligations—debts and taxes—should be "discharged in money of the same value as that in which they were contracted ;" an idea which might have had some shew of justice, as applied to the adjustment of the standard on the return to cash pay ments ; but Justitia's idea is to insist upon paying the country's and individual obligations in money of a differ ent value to that in which they were contracted, viz. in gold no longer worth £3 17s. 10d. per ounce, but more probably reduced to £2 17s. 10d. We cannot permit this writer, whilst defending himself, to misrepresent us. It is true that , a e are "an advocate of paper money not convertible into gold"—that is to say at a fixed price ; but we are not on that account amenable to the charge of " a desire to defraud the credit interest, inasmuch as we propose to pay that interest in a currency same value as the securities which it ble of ideas," which Justitia imagines ph of our article, is bled quotati Journal enters into an et important subject, from which we take some of the prin cipal heads. It appears that during the year 1848, the number of persons (exclusive of contractors) who crossed by Woodside Ferry alone was 1,877,870 ; and the number of contractors 912,500, making a total of 2,790,370. The Birkenhead Commissioners have come to a resolution that the present system shall be continued. The ferry has been worked for the last six months at Id., previously at 2d. The experiment has not had sufficient time to allow a complete development (of its effects, but our con temporary fully anticipates " the ultimate and steady suc cess of the reduction." By a variety of tabular and ex planatory statements, comparing the receipts in 1847 and 1848, and allowing as probable that if the 2d. fare had been retained the receipts of 1848 would have been one fourth less than those of 1847 ; and taking the receipts at the ld. rate for the six months, he arrives at the result that had the higher charge been continued, the amount received would have been considerably smaller than that actually received with the penny fare. After a variety of comparative statements, which appear to bear out the writer's conclusions as reasonable and probable, he states that the reports which had raised apprehensions in the minds of some of the bondholders that their interests had been sacrificed by the reduction of the ferry charge, are proved by the facts adduced to be at least grossly exagge rated ; and be concludes by showing that the commis sioners of Birkenhead have taken every means to serve them by economizing the expenditure of the township and the ferry. The reduction of expenditure in the township 1848-1849, is £5209, and that of the expenditure of the ferry £4067, making in all, and almost wholly since June last £9276. _ _ _ On Tuesday night the body of a new born male child was found in Barclay's-court, Johnson -street. It was quite naked, and there were no marks of violence on the body. The child was born alive, and died from exposure. The Hostess of the Roe Buck Inn gave a ball to her numerous friends on Wednesday last. The ball-room was beautaully decorated with evergreens, &c., under the superintendence of Mr. Whitfields. _ IRISH POPLIN TABINET.—We would draw the atten tion of our fair readers to the advertisement under the above heading. This beautiful fabric, so rich in texture, is manufactured in every shade and colour, and does great credit to the Irish loom. The gold and silver tissues for gentlemen's waistcoats are really beautiful, and we are sure that many of them will be worn at the Mayor's soiree And on other festive occasions, . >, and the money so collected is pitals and infirmaries of the town, SHIPWREC lay last the bark Cestrian, Thomas Armstrong master, on her homeward voyage from Bonny, Africa, for Liverpool, struck near Barmouth, on the Welch coast. The place where she grounded is called the St. Patrick's Causeway, and is a long bard bank, ex tending out for miles into the sea. The unfortunate ves sel must have struck with great force, as the captain re ' t her back is broken and upper works stove in, here appears no chance of her again being got The crew fortunately escaped in the boats and - The ship was laden with a large T 1 oil, iv 1, was t lieh, together with the Maxwell, of Liverpool. ,e first pr ci his nom been exhi- the most sanguine could have i!xi ;see Many of his tri( )f M and in ti .e similar to Houdin, whilst others are perfectly novel ; ith respect to which we can institute a ,arison with Houdin, we observe much more finish. is especially the case with his inexhaustible bottle In both these he greatly double sight," by Ma- DTI and Wonderful Resus of birds, &c. are surpris- excels hi dame He will not make a long ke the hint and be in ROYA the last Mr. Copeland has, during !ek, offered a variety sual drama, by engal the entertainment; g Messrs. Cony and They have appeared Butchers of Ghent," ?erformance of one f the dogs was xcity. There is between Messrs. pplauded : and we stained her part of . This lady is re ved in her costum Cony and must also Jessie Cal ozvb ell ual ability .kable far the taste di 'ery useful a( I were THE UNERPOOL STANDARD. CHRIST CHURCH, OXTON. This new edifice, in Claughton-cum-Grange, (Oxton,) is now completed, and will be opened for divine service in about a month. It is. though not florid in ornament, one of the most beautiful and effective ecclesiastical strac tures on the Cheshire side of the Mersey, and does much credit to the parties who have contributed towards its erection, as well as to the architect, and the contractors for the work. The site is exceedingly appropriate—being on the eastern side of the acclivity of the hill on which stands the increasing and select hamlet, or rather village of Oxton ; and sufficiently elevated to form a conspicuous object for miles round. The church (in plan) is cruciform, with a handsome well proportioned steeple. It is in the early English Gothic style of architecture, and though not elaborate in details, is so well combined in the several parts as to present a richness of appearance rarely attained in buildings rather plain than pretending. It is built of good red freestone, and is two lofty stories in height from the level of the ground. The lower story is appropriated as the school, which occupies, in one immense cruciform apartment, the whole of the ground floor, with the exception of a portion at the west end, where the ground rises, and at the ex tremity of which stands the steeple. The roof has consi derable pitch in accordance with the style. The stone is chiselled throughout, and the whole of the masonry most faithfully put together. The main windows are of the lancet form in both stories. The large window at the east end, to light the Communion, consists of three lancet lights, the centre one taller than the other two. and giv ing the whole the appearance, at a distance, of one pointed Gothic arch. This, though glazed in diamonds, is as yet a blank window, being built up inside until the funds will admit of its being filled in with handsome stained glass. Over this there is a fine wheel window, with massive tra cery, and already glazed with bright coloured glass. Be sides this, at each side of the chancel, there are two lancet windows of plain glass. Each of the transepts is lighted by a similar combination of triple or three light lancet windows, with a stained glass wheel over each to corres pond. The whole pile is supported by buttresses, taste fully disposed, and not overdone in projection. The gables of the transepts show great architectural taste in design, and, without being florid, have an admirable and substantial effect. The two entrances, or doorways, north and south, at the east end of the building, are finished in the neatest style of the pointed arch. The stairs' leading to the body of the church are well executed in fine stone, with hand some railings. The appearance of the interior of the church is highly pleasing, from its great size, height, and cheerfulness. The roof is what is called an open one, and is enriched with interior varnished oak work of elegant and appropriate design. The ceiling (if it may be so called) is composed of diagonal planking in larch, stained and varnished to represent oak. The pews are most com modious, all in oak, or stained wood resembling it, and with sloping backs. Those in the chancels rise gradually from the front to the back, giving the congregation a full view and hearing of the pastor, There is a spacious gallery over each of these portions, with the seats also rising backwards. Thepulpit is on the left of the front of the communion table, and the reading desk on- the right, so that any one in the remotest seat may see both, as well as the table. The fronts of the galleries (which span the entire width of the transepts without the obstruction of columns or pillars) are finished in oak panelling, repre senting a succession of gothic arches. The pulpit is a very beautitul and chaste specimen of gothic design and ofsectagonal form, expanding from a cor responding upright shaft, and enriched with gothic carving in arch-work. The upper part is classically supported by angels, or cherubim on the wing, each holding a book. This, as well as the reading-desk, is finely carved in real oak. There are numerous free sittings for the poor, a number of them close to the pulpit, in the middle aisle. They are precisely like the others, no invidious distinction being made between the free and the appropriated seats. The organ-loft is in a recess formed in the steeple, and is lighted by a stained glass qu - atre,feuille window. The walls are coloured in a warm buff tint ; ventilation and heating have been especially attended to, and all gives assurance of more than ordinary comfort and accommo dation. The church ha 3 in all 1200 sittings. The clergyman appointed to the incumbency by Mr. James Ball, the new patron, is the Rev. William Francis Taylor, chaplain to the most ncble the Marquis of Sligo.. The rev. gentleman has officiated for nearly twelve months as curate of the neighbouring church of St. Catherine's, Tranmere. As Mr. Taylor bears the reputation of being not only an eloquent man,. but remarkably indefatigable in visiting the poor—by whom he is much beloved—this fine church will, no doubt, be well attended. EXETER DIOCESE The following petition was agreed on at the recent meeting held at Plymouth to receive the Archbishop of Canterbury's reply to the memorial which appeared in the last Record : " TOTHE QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY. May it please your Majesty, " We, inhabitants of Plyinbuth, Devonport, Stone house, and the neighbourhood, lay members of the Church of England, assembled at a public meeting, held at Ply mouth, on Thursday, the 11th day of January, 1849, " Humbly desire to approach your Gracious Majesty, deeply impressed with sentiments of devotion and loyalty to your Majesty's sacred person—of thankful appreciation of the many blessings vouchsafed to us under your Ma jesty's protection and government—and of genuine attach ment to the constitution under which it is our happiness to live. " We desire especially to record our sincere adherence to the Church of England—recognising in the Protestant principles on which she is established by law, a valued security, as well for the continued purity of her general teaching, as also for the stability of your Majesty's throne, and the happiness and well-being of your people._ _ _ " EsteeMing the maintenance of those principles in their full integrity, as of paramount and sacred impor tance, we have, for some years past, observed with deep and increasing apprehension, the adoption, by a large body of the clergy, of a system of divinity andi ministerial teaehing, which has for its object the depreciation of the distinctive doctrines of the Reformation, as taught by the articles of our church, and the encouragement in an equal degree of opposite doctrines of the Church of Rome ; a system which, in proportion to the extent to which it is received or avowed, either leads its adherents to an open conformity to that church, or, as we believe more fre quently happens, to a virtual adoption of the essential principles of Romanism, under a nominal and ill-sustained allegiance to our Protestant Church. " - The class of unsound divines to whom we refer, in variably base the defence of the principles on their con struction of certain passages and forms of words which occur in some of the offices of the Church—particularly in those appointed for the Ordination of Ministers—the Baptism of Infants—the Visitation of the Sick, and the Catechism—forms of expression which taken alone. and unexplaimed by the tenor of the Articles and the Church's general doctrine, may perhaps be of doubtful meaning, and therefore afford opportunity for misinterpretation. "It is, unhappily, too notorious, that this system of error has become widely prevalent throughout Great Bri tain, and this diocese in particular, and we grieve to state it to be our deliberate and painful conviction, that its principles, as well as the ceremonial practices which its advocates have introduced, receive encouragement from the Lord Bishop of Exeter. " Impressed With these sentiments, we have felt it to be our duty recently to present a memorial to his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury (a copy of which we pray to be allowed to append to this petition), in which we have alleged as follows : " Tractarian principles and practices have greatly in creased within this diocese. It is within the knowledge of many of us, that whilst a large body of the clergy, chiefly young men, deeply committed to the Tractarian system, have freely obtained appointments, and are now ministering within the diocese, a considerable number of other clergymen of piety and learning, but not holding Tractarian views—some of them advanced in years—bene ficed, and serving in this, and the neighbouring county of Cornwall, have been from time to time rejected by the Bishop as unfit to receive institution or license, by:rea son (as his lordship has alleged) of their holding doctrines contrary to the true Christian faith.' " This practice having been extensively pursued by the Bishop, has been necessarily attended by the two-fold ring clergymen of opposite views from accepting ap. ntments within it—so that patrons and incumbents of anzelical sentiments. can. with difficulty. procure mi. tasters and curates whose doctrinal principles shall be congenial with their own. A great and crying evil has thus arisen. The ministerial care and oversight of large bodies of the peopie, especially in our populous town, have been committed to clergymen, to whose teaching and ceremonial practices the people at large entertain a well grounded aversion, and who consequently withhold or withdraw attendance at their churches. Thus the inten tion of the legislature in making provision for the spiritual destitution of the people, the liberality of the public in contributing to the erection and purchase of churches, and the especial purpose of a church as a national esta blishment have been in those cases alike defeated,' and which Memorial contained a respectful request that his Grace would be pleased to introduce a bill into parliament for the redress of the evils of which it treats, by the attainment of the following objects : " Ist—A better definition of the ceremonial of the Church, in accordance with the usages to which the people have for generations been accustomed. " 2nd—An express declaration of the supreme authority of the Thirty-nine Articles. " 3rd—A determination of the sense, in conformity there with, of any ambiguous phrases in the formularies of the Church or, - - " 4th—The adoption of such other measures, to the like effect, as to his Grace might seem meet. " To such Memorial his Grace has been pleased to re turn a kind and courteous reply, (a copy of which we also pray to be allowed to append to this Petition,) in the course of which his Grace observes as follows : " ' The time may possibly arrive when such a change as you contemplate might be effected, without occasioning far greater evils than those which we wish to remedy'-- and adds : "It must, however, be generally acknow ledged that such a time is not yet come.' " We defer cheerfully and readily to the high autho rity of his Grace, and to the opinion which he has thus been pleased to express—and we trust that it will not be found inconsistent with the unfeigned and deep venera tion in which we hold his Grace's character to give re spectful expression to our belief, that the facts which we have set forth in this petition, added to public events of recent occurrence in the Church, emphatically announce that the time to which his Grace has adverted, but which he regards as not having yet arrived, is not--cannot be far distant. " Under a deep conviction that the extensive evils to which we have adverted will be aggravated by any lengthened delay, and that the strength and eff i ciency of the Church, and the best interests of the community will be largely promoted by a removal of the occasion of a complaint so general and well founded, we humbly but earnestly pray that your Majesty will be graciously pleased to direct the adoption of such measures with a view to an authoritative and Protestant determination of the sense of the Liturgy in all its parts, and also for defining the ceremonial of the Church in conformity to established usages, as to your Majesty's wisdom may seem best cal culated to obtain those desirable objects." THE JUSTICE OF THE BRITISH MILITARY SYSTEM VINDICATED In our last publication we gave a very able and tempe rately written letter, in reply to the charge brought by the president of the Liverpool Financial Association, of ex travagance on the part of the Government in allowing their present rate of pay to colonels in the army. Our correspondent argued very justly, that after from twenty to thirty years of service, in whatever fields of danger, and in whatever climates his duties might call him to brave ; and after having morever to pay about £7,000 in the purchase of his various degrees of promotion, the pay of £l,OOO per annum was but a small return for his long and arduous service, and for the capital invested. In the Times of Fuesday last, General Napier took up the cud gels, in defence of the service of which he is so distin guished an ornament ; and thus refutes, by facts which cannot be gainsayed, another charge, brought by Mr. Gladstone, that the British soldier is universally discon tented with his lot ' • and that oar military system is so much felt by him to be unjust and oppressive as to dimi nish his efficiency. After admitting that, under the French system, there is more of familiar intercourse be tween officers and men which he attributes to the differ ence of the national character, whilst he maintains that the asperities formerly prevailing in our system are being gradually softened down, he proceeds _ _ _ " It is in bivouacs during the night that the soldier's real feelings are let loose, with as much freedom and wit, and more decently, than Caesars veterans used towards that commander in his triumph. Then it is that officers hear home truths, and wise ones will profit from what they hear; the men relate their own adventures without reserve, and make them the vehicle for sarcasms bitter and original. Officers of high and lovi rank have I heard made the subjects of their scathing scorn or irre pressible hatred ; but never did I hear the general system of the army condemned, beyond the half-jocular, half-melancholy declaration of some poor suffering fellow (alluding tothe King's bounty)—` That he wished the man had his money again.' " 1,66 k now to the history. Alexander the bre'at was un questionably the commander in whom were united the'gseatest number of excellent qualities r natural and adventitious., for in suring the devotion and exciting the system of his troops. He was ostensibly religious ; he was beautiful and strong of per son', a King and a conqueror when scarcely out of boyhood ; hardier than the hardiest of his warriors ; braver tban•the bravest ; of inimitable dexterity and prowess in single com bat ; unmatched as a skilful captain ; eloquent, generous. to prodigality, and of adroit familiarity with his soldiers. Yet they would not pass the Hyphasis—they would not go to the end of the world. " Scipio, Lucullus, Caesar—scarcely inferior to the Macedo nian in personal advantages and attractive grace—equal in ca pacity for war, though armed with all the terrors of Roman mi litary law,, the sternest the world ever beheld, and based upon the profound veneration of the Roman soldier for his military oath, were yet thwarted by mutinies when at a distance from Italy. "When has that happened to British generals? Have not many of them, of meaner intellect and slighter courage than the meanest of Alexander's body guards,. or the dullest of Cwsar's centurions, led the British troops to conquest without having to silence a murmur, under privations, and dangers, and fatigues, not less terrible or wearing than what those an cient mutineers - would not endure, and to distances from their native country which surpass the incursions of Alexander? The British army has conquered an empire scarcely inferior to the Macedonian's beyond that river which his soldiers refused to pass. How have such results been obtained?' Solely by the justice of the British military system. The soldier knows that his rights, according to the conditions of his servitude, are se cured ; lie is not menaced nor cajoled, but his just conventional rights are respected. and he, like the truly gallant man he is, respects his oath to serve faithfully to death." LOCAL MEETINGS, On Wednesday the monthly meeting of the Financial Reform Association' was held in the Concert Hall, Lord Nelson-street. There was a numerous attendance, this being the last meeting of the association previous to the assembling of parliament. In the absence of Mr. Robert son Gladstone, the president of the association, Mr. Ri chard Sheil was called to the chair. THE HEALTH COMMITTEE. -At the meeting, on Thursday, Mr. Tinne occupied the chair. The medical officer of health reported a considerable increase (64) in the mortality during the last week, arising from atmos pheric causes.: The deaths from all causes during the week were 291, against in the previous week. There had been no case of Asiatio cholera since the 17th of Decem ber. The memorial from the inhabitants of Abercrombie ward, as to the removal.' of the fever sheds, was referred to the committee of general purposes, to consider and report. WOODSIDE FERRY,—At a special meeting of the Birkenhead Commissioners on Tuesday, a communication haying been received from Messrs. E. and S. Willoughby, signifying their willingness to conclude a treaty with the Corporation of Liverpool for the Birkenhead Ferry, on condition that the commissioners of Birkenhead unite with them in resuming the charge of 2d. for each passen ger, and in making some advance on the contracts, Mr. Bentham proposed that the recommendation be acceded to. Some discussion followed, but, on a division, an amendment for continuing the penny fare was adopted by a majority of eight to five,, the members who voted in the majority considering that as the penny-rate paid the ex pences, it would be detrimental to the interests of the towns lip to increase the rates. WEST DERBY BOARD OF GUARDIANS.—At the meet ing, on Wednesday, Mr. Fowler, the poor-rate collector of Bootle, was admonished for neglect of duty. A letter was read from the Poor-Law Board, approving of the erection of a chapel and schools at the rear of the present Workhouse ; but expressing a wish, before they finally sanctioned the addition,, to have plans and estimates of the probable cost. After- some conversation, a committee was appointed to obtain plans and specifications. it was suggested that a voluntary rate should be levied in the various townships of the union, to meet the expenses in curred in reference to-the movement for an alteration in the control and expenditure of the county rates. The Law-clerk is instructed to take proceedings against Mr. Halsall Seger, brewer,.for compensation to a poor woman named Mary Ansdow, whose husband was killed by ma chinery whilst in the employ of Mr. Segar, who had treated with contempt all applications made by the poor woman, and two letters from the Law-clerk. THE SAILORS' HOME.—The annual meeting of this excellent institution was held on Saturday, Mr. James Aikin in the chair. Including last year's arrears, there was an excess of expenditure over receipts of £394. Dur ing 1848, not less than £1505 had been deposited by sea men in the institution's savings' bank, £1509 had been withdrawn, and there remained, at the close of December, a balance in hand of £B4l, held by ninety-one seamen. The encouragement afforded by the institution to seamen to maintain good characters was, without doubt, producing its fruits, a large number, uniting practical seamanship with sobriety of conduct, being on the books, and obtain ing good employment. Th e num b er o f suc h was steadily increasing, affording strong ground for the belief that the establishment of " sailors' homes" in all the ports of the kingdom would be productive of great benefit to the mer cantile marine. The number of seamen registered during 1848 was 2018 ; since the opening of the institution 11,451. The number of ships supplied with crews during the past year was 490 ; since the opening of the institution 1716. The number of seamen shipped during 1848 was 6712 ; since the opening of the institution 22,617. The number of crews who had been paid off in the institution was 330. The committee again impressed upon shipowners and con signees the great importance of crews being paid off at the institution, where every convenience is provided free of charge. The committee had in practice paid due defer ence in the past year to the expressed opinion of the ship owners, that the system of giving advance notes was ob jectionable. The amount paid during the past year upon seamen's notes was £3447, and the committee had the satisfaction of stating that very few of the men had abused the confidence placed in them. The report announced that the new building would, in all probability, be roofed before the ensuing autumn ; but a large sum would be required for its completion. The report was unanimously adopted. SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND.—The annual meeting of the friends of this benevolent institution took place on Friday, at the Asylum for the Blind, William Brown, Esq., M.P., the president, in the chair. After the usual routine business, the Rev, Mr. Hull furnished a com parative statement between the Liverpool institution for the blind and similar institutions in other towns. This was the oldest in the kingdom, and the example was followed by other towns, Ddblin, Glasgow, Edinburgh, London, Norwich, Bristol, York, and Manchester. One was also about to be erected in Birmingham. The "curiosity" of our institution had consequently gradually died away, and subscriptions formerly received from a distance had naturally been withdrawn. This accounted for the falling off in the sale of goods, inasmuch as per sons purchased from the schools in their own neighbour hoods. He gave the amounts received in donations and legacies each year from 1820 to 1847 inclusive. The total in the first year was £2,439. The amount rose in 1832 to £3,171, and after since decreasing generally, though at times fluctuating, it was in 1817, with interest on stock, £1,132. Taking the average of the fifteen years and comparing it with the last, it would appear that for the first fifteen years the income was £2,375, whilst for the last it was £1,317, being a falling off of a thousand guineas per annum. It would, therefore, be necessary to make an appeal to the public. The active treasurer had written to the treasurers of other similar institutions in the kingdom. The Edinburgh school had 16 resident pupils, and 52 living in the town. The sales there made £3,336 per annum. The sales at Liverpool had fallen off from nearly £2,000 per annum to about £6OO or £7OO. At Edinburgh there was a loss on the sales of £350. At Glasgow the sales were £4,575; Norwich, £6OO, being a loss of £4O; at Bristol, £950; London, £974, being a loss of £241, and at Manchester £707 ; being an apparent nett profit of £22l;—but he (Mr. Hull) had no doubt but that in the last town the cost of masters had not been charged, and that there was a loss there as elsewhere. At Liverpool the sales were £653, and the loss was only £7. He wished gentlemen to emu late the example of Mr. Lockett, and ask their friends on 'Change for subscriptions, otherwise it would be requisite to raise the charge for inmates the same to that of twenty years ago, namely, males 35., and females 2s. 6d. Mr. Aikin thought the lower the harge the greater the claim of the institution for public support. This point (as to the charge) was ultimately left to the committee. From the accounts of the treasurer, it appeared that the balance in the bank was £217 7s. Id., and the collections in the churches in 1847 amounted to £365 7s. 10d., whilst in 1848 the amount collected was £5O ss. 6d. less than in 1847. The pew rents in the church had been reduced 25 per cent., and had fallen off during the past year. A vote of thanks to the ciAircan terminated the proceedings. THE DOCK COMMITTEE AT A STAND.—At the weekly meeting of the Dock Committee, on Thursday, the par liamentary sub-committee presented a memorial. which they recommended should be presented to Parliament, complaining of the non-compliance with the standing orders by the promoters of the bill for the rating of the docks. The resolution of the sub-committee was, that the chairman should be requested to affix the seal of the trustees to the memorial.— The Chairman read the head ing of the memorial, and stated, that as it professed to be the "memorial of the trustees," it must be approved of by the Council before he could sign it.—Mr. Nicol said the invariable practice had been to take all steps in the name of the trustees.—The memorial was read over, and the alleged non-compliance with the standing orders was, first, that the notice in the Gazette did not specify that the new act is to alter other acts, and, second, that notice in writing had not been given to the committee, as owners of the property, of the intended application to Parlia ment.—The Chairman said that as the majority of the trustees were not opposed to the rating bill, it was only reasonable he should have their sanction before he used the seal.—Mr. Nicol said it was necessary that the peti tion should be presented before the 24th, and it became a question of principle whether the chairman was to obey the instructions of the committee or not. He moved that the chairman be instructed to append, without delay, the seal of the trust to the memorial.—Mr. Poole said it was an infringement of the right of conscience to insist upon this, for the memorial was one that could not be concur red in by a majority of the trustees.—Mr. Nicol said the committee was the executive of the trustees, and that the Council had no control over it, except the power of veto ing its proceedings. Everything relating to the docks must originate with the committee.—After some further discussion, Mr. North was called in, and brought a pre pared written opinion to the effect that the chairman would not be justified in waiting for the sanction of the Council, as..by delay, the committee might lose all op portunity of petitioning. The case was still stronger as the bill was likely to prove injurious to the dock estate. — Mr, Nicol moved that the chairman do forthwith append his seal, which was seconded by Mr. Saunders.—Mr. Poole moved as an amendment, that as the memorial did not speak the sentiments of the trustees, the chairman should not affix his seal,—seconded by Mr. James Holme. —Upon a division, there appeared for the original motion, 16, and for the amendment, six.—ln reply to Mr. Aikin, as to how it were best to proceed, Mr. North said there was no precedent to appeal to in the case, and he thought it advisable for the committee to present such a memo rial as they could, stating the refusal of the chairman to affix his seal After some further conversation the sub ject dropped; without anything conclusive being arrived at.—Mr. Nicol, in consequence of what had just taken Place, postponed his motion as to the protest of which he had last week given notice.—A letter was read from Mr. Councillor Thomson, offering the free use of a room for the recovery of persons who might fall in the new north docks, no such receptacle having as yet been provided. Mr. Thomson was thanked, and the matter referred to the committee of works.—Some letters were read from Mr. Worthington,. the late dock solicitor, craving a reti ring pension. Several members expressed themeelves adverse to the application,• and its consideration' was postponed. TOWN COrNCIL PROCEEDINGS, On Wednesday, a special meeting of the Council was held at the Town-hall, for the purpose of considering and determining upon the resignations of Messrs. Nicol Tinne, Danson, Hornby, James Holme, Morris, and Cooper, as members of the Water Committee. The Mayor took the chair at eleven o'clock. Mr.. SAMUEL HOLME requested, as a matter of privi lege,. to refer to a report of a speech made by Josias Booker in the Council at its last meeting. He (Mr. Holme) was ill and confined'to his bed when the meeting in question had been held but he confessed that he felt exceedingly pained on reading the speech. The passage of which he particularly complained was the following : " Common sense, watching their action, pronounces them both (Mr. Hawksley and Mr. Samuel Holme) wheelers, alleging that Mr. Hawksley saw £lO,OOO coming in the Rivingtbn scheme, and nothing in keeping in the old course. Mr. Holme's wheeling propensity was involved in mystery, but it is rumoured that he first began to jibe when looking over his shoulderin the Victoria Tunnel." He threw back with scorn and indignation the insinuation here conveyed, and he called on Mr. Booker to prove the charge, or to explain his meaning. Mr. BOOKER said he felt unconscious of having used any language that would bear the construction attempted to be put upon it—that he had imputed unworthy motives to Mr. Helme. He had accused that gentleman of " wheeling propensities ;" but he stated at the time that Mr. Holme-was an honourable man, and he repeated the same now, in the best possible sense—(hear, hear.) A discussion followed—Eventually, in reply to the Mayor, Mr. BOOKER again denied that it was his intention to impute any unworthy motives to Mr. Holme. A very long communication was read from Mr. Hawks ley in reply to certain mis-statements im the last Council, and personal 'reflections upon his professional character. —This communication was referred to- the Water Com mittee. The Council were of opinion that the retiring members of the committee should state their reasons for sending in their resignations, and the retiring members acordingly did so Mr. IstzcoL said it was impossible for him to serve on the committee •after the deliberate opinion given by the Town-clerk, at the last Council, that personal responsi bilities would attach to those who took: steps contrary to the carrying out of the Water Act. He had gone to Glasgow to see that the contracts for the making of the pipes was carried out faithfully : but after • the decision of the last Council, he felt, as a merchant of Liverpool and a man of integrity, that his character was now somewhat involved. The other retiring members of the committee assigned similar reasons for resigning. The TOWN-CLERK stated, that if a mandamus issued, a majority of the Council who should be guilty of contempt towards the Court of Queen's Bench in not carrying out the Act of Parliament, would be liable to pay the fines and incur the imprisonment. The resignations were accepted by a majority of 18 to 17. The following-gentlemen were then appointed upon the committee in the room of those who had resigned ; Messrs. Procter, J. Booker, Beckwith, Bent, Wagstaff, Langs dale, and Hudson. Mr. S. HOLM E was proposed, but he declined to act, and was not consequently elected. In reply to Mr. Harbord, The TOWN-CLERK stated that ha was informed that a professional gentleman had been instructed to take pro ceedings against the Council, in consequence of the motion adopted at the last meeting. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. THE BEER-SuoPs.—On Friday, after several beer-sel lers had been fined, Mr. Rushton observed, "Mr. Wy bergh, remember that in all cases where they do not pay, we will sue them under the act, and have their sureties enforced. How many are there of these cases to-day ?" —Mr. Jameson : " Seventeen."—Mr. Boothby : " Four teen beerhouses."—Mr. Rushton : " I will make them pay every farthing, or proceed against their sureties ; I will not have them continually debauching the town in this way." ROBBERY Oi• LINEN.—On Thursday three men and two women were sent for trial, charged with stealing a quantity of linen which had been consigned to Messrs. Vianna and Jones for shipment. On the 9th instant the linen was placed on the quay of the Salthouse Dock, pre paratory to being shipped for Glasgow ; it was subse quently found that the box in which it was deposited had been broken open, and eight pieces of the linen abstracted. The stolen property was traced to the house of one. of the prisoners, in Hodson-street, where all the prisoners were apprehended. . • ROBBERY BY A TRADESMAN Tuesday, a very respectably-dressed young man, of th_ name of George North, was committed for trial, on a charge of having robbed Mr. Dawbarn, tailor and draper, of Bold-strJet, of a quantity of property. The prisons r had acted n' 1"." ASSISTANT some time, and slept at lodgings in another' part of the town. Suspicion having been excited that he wEs not pursuing an honest course, the police-officers searched his lodgings on Monday night, and found three waistcoat pieces, six vests, a black dress= coat, and other articles, the whole of which were identified as Mr. Dawbarn's property EfOtritt ~~~v~. On Wednesday the windmill at Cockerham, near Lan caster, was burnt to the ground. Measures are being taken to establish at Lancaster an Athenaeum' on the model of the Manchester Athenaeum. It is believed that £lOO,OOO a-year would not clear the duty on illicit spirits made in the parish of Manchester. On Wednesday, the Bishop of Chester consecrated the new church of St. Mark, Bredbury, near Stockport, and on the following day the new church of St. Mark, Dukin field. There is a Macclesfield,. great improvement in the silk trade of Middleton, Failsworth, Leigh, and the The number of unemployed is rapidly di- vicinities. minishing Work in the cotton mills at Bury and Heywood appears to improve every day. The operatives generally are em ployed ten and some twelve hours per day. There is every appearance of this state of things continuing. THE JEWS' SOCIETY.—On Sunday sermons were preached at Chester by the Rev. F. Parry and the Rev. M. Margoliouth, in behalf of the auxiliary in that town to the Jews' Society. The Marquis of Cholmondeley presided at one of the anniversary meetings yesterday, and the Bishop of the Diocese at the other. Until a recent period Manchester was not a corporate town. The manor was sold in 1596 by John Lacye, mer cer and citizen of London, to Sir Nicholas Mosley, for 43500 ; it remained in this family up to 1845, when the Town Council passed a unanimous resolution to purchase the Manorial rights from Sir Oswald Mosley, of Rolleston, in Staffordshire, for £200,000. Two MEN DROWNED.—On Saturday week, at mid night, two men, named John Porter, aged about 55, and Robert Dawson, aged about 28, were drowned in the brook near Shaw's Bridge, at Clitheroe. The night was very dark and stormy, and the deceased are supposed to have fallen from the bridge into the stream, which was much swollen. THE LEAGUE BANQUET.—The list of guests up to this time, who have accepted invitations, includes upwards of twenty members of the legislature, besides other public men. It is expected the Free-trade-hall, which is to be decorated for the occasion, and will have an organ erected in it, will be fitted with seats to accommodatQ from 2,50 xo x,OOO persons, Jan. 23, Ma. Esau Acknm, a young Chinaman, now employed hf Labrey, Scholes, and Co., tea dealers, Manchester, lia furnished the Manchester Guardian with an account of s Chinese wedding. If (says he) during courtship any P 4 or earthen vessel is cracked or broken, it is considered a bad omen, and one that is never disregarded. Should the young gentleman, therefore, while i n th e h ouse of the lady's parents, hear or see anything of her that is not to his mind, he generally manages (by accident, o f course,) to break his ta-cup—and so break off the match. WILFUL MURDER.—A verdict of this nature has been returned at Wigan, by the coroner's jury, against Bei': nard Kay, accused of strangling his wife. The deceased ,- when Kay married her, about eight months ago, wa S maintaining herself in a respectable manner by letting apartments. Kay was always considered a dissipated man, and at the time of the marriage he left the party in chapel, previous to the arrival of the priest, and was absent for two or three hours. On his return, he was in' toxicated, but the ceremony was proceeded with. FESTIVITIES AT RUFFORD-HALL.-011 Tuesday 154 Sir Thomas G. Hesketh, Bart., high-sheriffof the county'', celebrated the anniversary of his birth in a style of 014 ' English hospitality, with some modern accompaniements . , The hon. baronet, as a mark of respect to the javelin men who accompanied him in his official capacity as hig h sheriff, invited them, along with a number of his other tenantry and their sons and daughters, amounting to up.' wards of one hundred, to join him on the happy occasion. A spacious room at the hall was tastefully decorated for the occasion with evergreens, interspersed with mottoes appropriate to the interesting event. The company as . sembled in the evening, and the worthy baronet and his. amiable lady led off a country dance. REMARKABLE DECEASE OF A MOTHER AND DAUG!V TER.—On Friday, o ld B e tty Cl ewes, w h o li ves i n Lover s• lane, Atherton, had the misfortune to receive a fall while' carrying a pail of water in h er h ouse . H av i ng at t a i n ed the venerable age of ninety, this accident was felt by her very severely. She had at th e ti me a d aug ht er nam e Nelly living with her, and suffering under an illness ev long duration. On the day following the old lady's fair, she said to Nelly, " Thou 'd better get foret and dee W l . me." Poor old Betty gave up the ghost the same doll On Tuesday the interment took place, and sorrowing 84 . '4 quaintance mourned over the as h es o f th e pa t r i arc Betty. The funeral proce ss i on h a d no t procee d e d moire"'' than a quarter of a mile towards the nearest church, he" fore the earthly career of the daughter Nelly was also an end, and she was buried beside her mother on th Thursday following.—Preston COTTON FROM PCRT NATAL..—On Monday, at the! annual meeting of the Manchester Commercial Association', two samples of cotton were exhibited, which had been grown at Port Natal, by Mr. Sydney Peel. One of the samples is of the indigenous cotton of the country ; it ' of a yellow colour, almost amoun ti ng t o " nan k een , which could, however, be taken out by bleaching. The staple is fair, but not very strong ; it would be worth about 4id. per lb. The other sample is grown from Sea Island seed ; the colour is good, and the staple long and silky ; it is worth 6d. a lb. Both samples are hand-picked. The capabilities of Port Natal for the growth of cotton and otheragricultural produce, without the expenditure of a heavy amount of capital and labour, may be j u dged of from the fact that Mr. Peel had several hundred acres (we believe, we might say thousands) of virgin land, through which the plough could be run without removing a stump ; and the whole is but thinly wooded. CANINE ATTACHMENT.—The wife of Peter —, 5 coalheaver, in Moor-lane, being taken ill a short time ago, a spaniel dog belonging to the husband manifested the most extraordinary sympathy for the poor woman, bf taking up his station at the foot of the bed, and occa sionally emitting a low melancholy howl. The wife died, and the animal's grief redoubled. Taking by the coffin a similar position to that be had occupied in the sink cham ber, he refused to quit his post, even for food, and would have been hungered to death if his meals had not been brought to the room where the deceased was laid prior to the interment.. On the day of the funeral the dog fol lowed the mourners to church, and could not be ejected without considerable difficulty. Nothing more was seen or heard of him until the same evening, when he was heard scratching foradmittance, about twelve o'clock, at his old master's door. On ingress being afforded, the faithful brute was found nearly covered with soil, and ap peared greatly fatigued. It transpired next morning that he had visited the grave, and displaced a considerable quantity of the earth in his attempts to reach the coffin- He refuses food, and is literally falling a prey by inches to his affectionate solicitude for his late mistress.—Pres ton Pilot: MANCHESTER COMMERCIAL ASSOCIATION.—On Mon day, the annual general meeting of the members of this association was held at their rooms, King-street, and was very numerously attended. J. A. Turner, Esq., presi dent of the association took the chair. The report entered at length into a statement of the various subjects which had engaged the attention of the board, a consider able portion being devoted to the East India cotton question, in which such an interest had been always taken by the association. It was stated that during the past year upwards of 1700 bales of cotton, of a greatly improved quality, imported from various quarters of India' had been consigned by the- company to the secretary of the association for sale • that public attention h a d been' carefully directed to each shipment as it arrived, and• in every case satisfactory prices had been obtained. An ac count was also given of the cotton saw-gin constructed under the direction of the board for introduction amongst„ the natives of Indi a as an i mprove d and cheap means a cleaning cotton. A table of the results of the compara tive workings of the cottage gin, the hand-gin, and th e churka, from the pen of Mr.. J. Petrie, engineer in- the company's service, was read, showing the results to be greatly in favour of the former instrument, the cottage' gin. It was also stated that the East India Company had ordered 200 cottage gins to be furnished with all' possible despatch, so as to be in readiness for the crop or the next season. THE PRESTON BOARD OF GUARDIANS.—EXTRAOUDI. NARY PROCEEDINGS, AND CONSEQUENT RESIGNATION , OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD.—The absorbing topic of conversation in Preston is the resignation of the chairman of the Board of Guardians of that town, namelya T. Birchall, Esq., late mayor of the borough. On Tues day last, when that gentleman took his seat at the board, he said that he had received a letter from Mr. W. Rees, district auditor, by which lie was informed that that func tionary intended to surcharge him (the chairman) with certain payments made out of the funds of the union, which he conceived to be illegal, and he demanded £ll7ls. sd. He thanked the board for the many, in etances of kindness he had received at their hands since he held office, but it was a luxury too expensive for him at the rate stated. He had, therefore, resolved to resign office, and had written to the Poor-law Board in London to that effect. The sum stated was, it appears, due for repairs and alterations at Preston and Woodplumpton Workhouses. A, long discussion ensued on this extraor dinary and unlooked-for notice from the auditor. Many parties expressed a wish that the chairman would not re sign, but that the Poor-law Board (or as they are more familiarly styled " The Kings of Somerset-house,") should be memorialised respecting the matter.—The Vicar said he did not know who would occupy the chair at any board if they were to ba thus liable. He thought it would be the best way, when a check was brought in to be signed or any payment is proposed to be made, that they should all take their hats and walk away. (Hear, hear.) He him" self would take care not to be present.—Mr. Abbott :. We had better all resign. (Laughter.)—Mr. Parker : It is a strange thing that we cannot get £24 worth of timber without going to London and getting the sanction of the Poor-law Board for it.—The Clerk : It is the law.—Mr. Taberner : Then it is an infamous law.—Mr. Parker : The sooner such a law is repealed the better.—A resolu tion was agreed to, to the effect that extracts from the minutes of the board, referring to the payments which the auditor had surcharged to the chairman, should be laid before the board at the next meeting. The chairman and all the guardians refused to sign the several checks for the tradesmens' bills. The letter of the chairman to the board in London is spirited and decisive. The payments were for timber, bricks, &c., and the writer states that he had not, in any capacity but as chairman of the guardians, ordered the payment of any sum whatever out of the union funds. He concludes by saying that he cannot con sent longer to retain an office wherein his public acts ren der him personally responsible, and th a t hi s communica r ' tion must be receive( as a notice to resign his office. RAVELS OF A £lOO BANK ON ENGLAND NOTE last year, the 24th of April we believe, a gentle man residing in Hulme had the misfortune to lose £2O O in Bank of England notes, but how, or in what way, We THE One d ainformed. One fact, hi ;tate, namely that he had no reason to suspect be had been robbed, but rather that his loss was an accident. He, however, made known his loss to the police, furnishing the numbers and every particular of the notes, with a view to their reco very ; and, in consequence, Mr. Taylor, superintendent of the D division of police, used every effort to find and restore them, but not the smallest tidings could be heard of the money, and after the lapse of two or three months, the owner gave up all hopes of its recovery. Some five months afterwards, early in September, Mr. Taylor re ceived information from the authorities of the Branch Bank of England here that one of the lost notes had come into their possession, and that officer succeeded, by dint of inquiry, in tracing it to Glasgow, and thence to the possession of Messrs. Harnden and Co., of Liverpool, emigration agents. Without pursuing the note through all its travels, as did Mr. Taylor, we may state that he finally traced it to the possession of an Irish lodging-house keeper in Liverpool, one Mrs. Daly, who, it appeared, had paid it to Messrs. Harnden and Co. for the passage of her brother, his wife, and three children to America, in the ship Java, which sailed for New York on the 26th of August. From Mrs. Daly he learned that her brother had been living in Manchester, and that he was in posses sion of a considerable sum of money when he left this country ; and from farther and subsequent inquiries, it turned out that he bad lived in Emery-street, Little Ire land, under the assumed name of Anthony Handley. The result was that Mr. Taylor got bills printed, giving the numbers of the notes, viz., one for £lOO, and two for £5O, giving also a description of Handley, his wife, and three children, and offering a reward of £2O for the reco very of the lost notes. A number of these bills were des• patched to various parts of the States, for distribution amongst the police there, which led to the capture, in New York, of Daly, alias Handley, by Captain Johnson, of the New York police, shortly after his landing in that city. He had in his possession a £lOO note, the identical one missing, and stated that it had been found by hie daughter in Manchester. After apprehending the man, Captain Johnson wrote over to Manchester for instruc tions, when he was directed to sell the note for what it would realise, and after deducting the expenses incurred and the reward, (X 20,) to remit the balance to the right ful owner, These instructions were literally fulfilled, Handley or Daly being deprived of the note and sent about his business, and the end of the story is that a for days ago £77, reached Mr. Taylor, from the British Con' sul, and has been since paid over to the unfortunate (a rather fortunate) loser.—Atonchester Courier. ,__ J ftne 2, ARRi Tu Est Macei e sv Orl e aral Jameson ns_ from--73 eean : IC ° o nI N _ AILE Mobile— Davi es . Se aWn, jonexs,°ngz WEDNi hie,ivEr, hitc fro m , f rom It terst4 r, f rom s. t xDre k tLi glana al l tar. 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