The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-06-13 00:00:00

Etberpool iziptanbarb, FROM OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENT. MONDAN MORNING. WHITSITNTIDE week, proverbial though it he as a period devoted to those enlivening sports and for the enjoyment of those rural pastimes which appropriately welcome the advent of summer, has this year, for the denizens of London at least, aye, and for many miles round it, presented but one event, and that event took place on the day of its close. No one pursues the business of rural pleasure-seeking with an avidity of aim and a seriousness of purpose so peculiarly sui generic, as your thorough cockney ; and in this respect the example he . sets is fol lowed out by many who affect to deride his factitious joys and disclaim all sympathy in the hearty zest with which he literally revels in them. Yawning, itself never was more infectious, or spread with more unconquerable rapi dity in a company devoted to conventional hilarity, than does the epidemic desire to escape from the burning brick walls and seething streets of London, and view the face Of Nature in all her liveliest grace, beset the indweller of the modern Babylon. Having accomplished this annual achievement, and stuffed as much enjoyment into the performances of one day as the few hours of its duration will admit, how cheerfully do the sons and daughters of toil resume their arduous struggle in the "battle of life," and concentrating their physical and mental labours on a few points, lend their valuable aid in raising the name of Englishman to its proud pre eminence in moral and physical improvement. The event of last week was singularly significant in one and all of these directions. It was the ceremonial inauguration anti public opening of the Crystal Palace at Sydenham ; an institution designed for the purpose of combining recrea tive amusement with mental culture. Its construction and establishment having appropriately devolved upon popular enterprise, its completion, inauguration, and encouragement have with equal appropriateness been countenanced by the most popular Sovereign who ever received homage or accepted duty at the hands of a devoted and loyal people. The rearing of the noble fabric, the progress of its various departments, and the aim and objects of its gene ral intention, have for many months constituted fertile and not unprofitable topics of popular discussion, not only in every quarter of Great Britain, but they have furnished themes of speculative pleasure to the people of every civi lised country on the face of the earth ; and in all quarters of Europe, as well as on the other side of the Atlantic, the day of its opening has been looked forward to as one which should mark a new era in the progress of human improve ment. The idea of concentrating in one spot tangible representations of every step in human advancement, and accompanying those with a systematised collection of the natural products of every country and clime; and still farther tracing the progress of creative wisdom by com bining with these, symbolical representations of those monstrous forms of animal and vegetable life, which preceded the flora and fauna over which our pri meval parent was set as the intellectual though short lived lord, was, and has been, felt to be a vast and an ennobling one. It has accordingly met with the warm and lively approbation of all classes—the prince and the commoner—the peer and the peasant—the wise and the simple—the learned and the illiterate have vied with each other in their expressions of anticipated delight and instruction to be enjoyed amid the accumulated wonders of'the Crystal Palace. The inauguration having been fixed for Saturday last, and it having been extensively announced that the cere monial would be participated in and graced by our beloved SOVEREIGN and her Royal CONSORT, and attended by a large assemblage of the aristocracy, the wealth and the intelligence of the land, preparations for the august event were made on a scale of grandeur and magnificence com mensurate with its importance. The day was fine, and the inauguration ceremony an imposing one. The royal party arrived at a few minutes past three o'clock, when HER MAJESTY, ascending the dais, took her seat on the chair of state, and was greeted by the performance of " God save the Queen" by an orchestra of 400 instrumentalists and 800 voices, producing an effect of the most elevating gran deur. The chairman of the Crystal Palace Company then addressed HER MAJESTY, briefly describing the origin and objects of the project ; after which, she was presented with copies of the medals struck in commemoration of the event, and was next presented with descriptive guide-books b the various departments. Han MAJESTY then, heading a noble procession, preceded by the directors of the com pany, and the officers of the royal household, proceeded through the various courts, returning to the chair of state, when the Archbishop of CANTERBURY, having offered up a prayer and besought GOD'S blessing on the institution, the Hallelujah chorus was performed, HER MAJESTY de clared the Palace opened, and retired from the building. - - _ Having briefly glanced at the very imposing inaugura tion ceremony and its august associations, I am tempted, notwithstanding the completeness and excellence of the departmental hand-books, prepared under direction of the managing committee, and unawed by the avalanche of guide-books to the Crystal Palace which has poured upon the metropolis for the last few days, to offer a rapid and it may be desultory sketch of the leading features by which the institution—for it is an institution—is characterised. The grounds, with all their varied beauty and classical decorations, being still in an unfinished state, may for the present be left without particular remark, although it would be unpardonable, if it were possible, to avoid allu sion to the charming variety furnished by their terraced walks, their shaded avenues, sunny lakes, and sparkling fountains—their Italian gardens and classic sculpture— their noble English landscape, anomalously, it may be, guarded by Egyptian Sphinxes—their antediluvian ponds and marshes, serbonian bogs and thickets. The grounds, indeed, challenge first remark, and inexorable they are in this demand ; but, before yielding it, I must pause a breathing space, during which my eye is caught at once by the magnitude and general beauty of the stupendous, glittering, and transparent fabric, to which all around are adjuncts. This " wondrous fane" differs in several parti culars of importance from that which was its prototype. In the original Crystal Palace there was a combination of the bazaar with the manufactory ;—in the present it has been sought to unite the museum with the class-room, the Academic Grove with the workshop. At Sydenham the aim has been to afford means of comparison, if not of con trast ; and in it the civilisation of the past is symbolized in contact with that of the present—and here, also, the artificial is contrasted with the natural. In the Hyde-park collection everything was resolved into the triumph of progress j —in the new one that progress is traced in its details, and its march is measured step by step, and recorded from age to age. The fabric itself is more lofty in its structure, and more symmetrical in its form. It is possessed of more variety in its parts, yet it is more compact, and covering less ground, it yet affords more space available for the display of its contents than that from the ruins of which phoenix-like it has arisen. The entire length of this new palace is 1,608 feet, that of the former extending to 1,848 feet ; the full length of the central transept is 384 feet, that of the previous one lima- sured 456 ; in' height, froni the floor to the highest point of the arched segment of the nave in the present structure is 110 feet, that of the former was 66 ; the height from the floor to the highest point of the middle transept reaches 180 feet, while in the former building this transept was only 108 feet high. The actual space covered by the present fabric is 542,692 feet, or 132 acres, the former covering 767,150 feet, or about 19 acres. It possesses external features which considerably differ from the aspect of our old favourite in Hyde-park, but which, while adding to its charms in point of variety, without in any way destroying the general simplicity of its outline, are yet in numerous instances made happily available for adding to its grandeur of appearance. Conspicuous among those diversities is that occasioned by the ground falling towards the park, whereby on that side the altitude of the palace is raised to 194 feet, an increase in elevation which tells very favourably on the appearance of the structure when viewed from the park. This difference in the ground level has been judiciously made available for the Purposes of the institution, and, under the name of PAILTON'S tunnel, is made to furnish admirably appropriate space for the disposal of working machinery, and the arrangement of boilers for 'heating water to raise the tem perature of the building, and for the conveyance of which upwards of fifty miles of iron piping, seven inches in diameter, are had beneath thefloors, and connected with valvula r and orifices, other for dispersing of th e warmth throughout the galleries structure. This hydro heating apparatus is i ngeniou d s e l e f e onstricted on the prin ciple which is so beautifully in the e arterial and venous systems of the animal economy . the boiler inwithbraitnselealliniffi ct:libs water is con ducted from tub es like up by arteries, and, after parting pipes, • a concentrating series of which, acting like the veins, return the gelid water to the boiler to be heated, and again distributed throughout the building. The furnaces employed in this operation, and also in raisin g steam for driving the machinery , are on the most improved smoke-consumi ng generated in the various operations are pr oj ected thronggh central shafts in the water-towers at each end of the building. A slight glance at the exterior will be f o und to delight as well as to edify, and for the purpose of otaining broad b it I start from the upper terrace, and, descending three flights of steps, reach one on a lower level , and of larger dimensions, whose area extends to thirteen acres. The flights of steps referred to are flanked on eithe r hand by colossal sphinxes, resting on ponderous granite bases, overlooking the terrace, which is laid out as an Italian garden, ornamented with tasteful and well-arranged foun tains, and gradually losing itself in the graceful outlines Of a glowing English landscape,—producing, in fact, a classical wilderness of horticultural beauties in combina tion with artistic triumphs. From this British Trisculum the pedestrian finds little difficulty in wending his way towards a depressed corner of the grounds, close by the Penge Road, where he will find himself enshrouded by a geological model of the earth's crust, in which the vege table and ani ma l i n h a bit ants o f our earth, as they existed during the primary, secondary, and tertiary periods of geological nomenclature, are represented in picturesque combination, and with startling fidelity of magnitude and 9lltlille, Here be will perceive without difficulty, although not without wonder, that the frog, which the fable tells us burst itself in a vain effort to assume the magnitude of the ox, was only following the suggestions of a family instinct, and that its pre-Adamite ancestors required not the modern aid of puffing to shoW them off in all the dignity of bovine bulk. In this place also he will find that the antediluvian toad was as big as a hippopotamus of our degenerate days; and that the screw-propeller of modern invention has been borrowed from a fishy monster, whom the learned in such matters delight to call an icthyosaurus, whose body was enveloped in impenetrable mail. Here, too, he will learn that the iguanodon, an extinct animal, of gigantic magnitude and hideous form, had a paunch so large that the cavity of his chest formed a dining-room big enough for twenty gentlemen to dine and to carouse in. These strange and uncouth monsters are singularly suggestive of the various mutations which our earth and its inhabitants have undergone long ante cedent to the creation of man, and, being arranged in the natural order of their succession, they form most inte resting points by which to trace the progress of creation. A single visit being altogether insufficient to examine with minute attention any single department even of the wondrous whole, I shall linger no longer about the outer court barbarians, but proceed at once, with rapid pace and eye alert, to scan the wonders of the vast interior. Being a stickler for " the order of our going," and having now left the pre-Adamite monsters out of sight and out of call, I shall not, I think, be out of place in beginning with the most ancient of our human pro ducts, and for this purpose opening, as it were, the door of history, proceed with a survey of the EGYPTIAN COURT, the entrance to which is appropriately guarded by recumbent lions ; the corridors being lined with massive pillars of every kind of Egyptian architecture, crowned with capitals of varying but highly characteristic design, the lotus flower and leaf holding conspicuous places in their ponderous ornamentation. Memnon and monarchs, sphinxes, sarcophagi, and idols, are ranged along the walls and placed under the different canopies, or entablatures suited to their historical arrangement. On the right hand side of this court is placed a miniature reproduction, little more than one-third of the original in size, of the entrance colonade to the famous palace of Karnak. This colonade consists of twenty-two massive pillars. The ruins of Kar nak are admittedly the most ancient and, at the same time, the most splendid and gigantic in the world. They occupy a portion and formed part of the ancient city of Thebes, and date from a period at least fifteen hundred years before the Christian era. The portion of the palace here repre sented is not the most colossal in its proportions, although, when all its features are considered, it is probably the most characteristic of its period and style. Besides this portion of the palace of Karnak, the court, beyond this colonade, contains subjects illustrative of the conquests of Sesostris, and descriptive of domestic life in ancient Egypt. In one of these symbolical compartments, Sesostris is represented grasping the hair of a group of kneeling captives, with his hand raised and holding a short broad dagger, as if about to slay them; below are representations of conquered cities praying for mercy with halters round their necks. The whole of these interesting sculptures, and the scarcely less interesting architecture by which they are accompa nied, are finely harmonized, and by that means are emi nently suited for creating and sustaining the mysterious and awe-breathing feeling which so pecuarly attaches to the unbending and stately grandeur of Egyptian art : the oppressive sense of permanence, placidity, vastness, and eternal repose. The Court most kindred to the Egyptian, though not contiguous with it, is the ASSYRIAN. Here, reared under the direction of Mr. FERGUSSON, assisted, it is said, by suggestions from Mr. LAYARD, we are treated to a hypo thetical reproduction of the audience chamber of an Assy-' rian monarch, in the bold and primitive grandeur which three thousand years ago distinguished the courtly halls of Nineveh. This audience-hall measures one hundred feet in length by a width of about fifty feet, its walls enriched by historical emblems of the first empire as it existed when Sennacherib ruled and Ezekiel prophecied—a history traced in sculptured stone, and which, after having been buried under the dust of thirty centuries, have been once more drawn forth in our day to bear incontrovertible witness to the artistic greatness of the world's youth, and to point out undeniably the truth of prophecy. To the biblical student, this restoration of an Assyrian hall of justice must be productive of the most profound emotions, and from its contemplation the student of history will also derive much gratification, and both will imbibe instruc tion, mingled with delight. As regards artistic merit s the labours of the Assyrian artists occupy a place midway be tween those of Egypt and the early Greeks. In correctness of form and boldness of general conception, apart from mere size, they generally surpass the Egyptians, yet fall short of the flexible grace and truthful delicacy of Grecian art. Following the chronological order, I shall next peep through among the numerous beauties and innumerable graces which adorn the GEE COURT. On entering this, the spectator feels at once that he is in a reqicin over which a pure and simple taste presides. The visitor, fa miliar with London and its thousand attractions, will also at once feel himself surrounded by old familiar friends. Here he finds himself unconsciously adoring the spirited and graceful sculptures of the Parthenon; and on looking round finds his easy admiration reproached by the sterner charms of the world-renowned Theseus, the idol of artists and the rex deli of sculptors, of every age and country. Here also he is arrested by the pathetic tenderness and mental agony of the Dying Gladiator; the patient forti tude and dreadful resignation of the Laocoon ; the bewil dering beauties of a score of Venuses, Niobes, Proserpines and Ceres ; Wrestlers, and Herculeses, Flora, Illysus and Nox, with groups of busts and statues ; painted ceilings, and, oh, horror frightfully ingrained basso relievos. The ROMAN Couirrs stand nest in order of chronological sequence, and, with the boldness characteristic of that great and noble people, claim while they reward attention. In the style of its architecture, less pure, though more seductive than the Greek, the Roman is happily charac terised. Roman sculpture differs from that of Greece in such a way as by comparison greatly to enhance the mani fold charms of the latter. The great characteristic of Roman art is its more everyday and less idealized spirit ; it is more allied to historical and mythological illustration than to that spiritual essence and abstraction which ren der Grecian art as independent as poetry itself. Among the most celebrated sculptures to be met with here is the famous Appolo Belvidere, the Young Hercules, Diana with the Fawn, the Tortona Hercules, and a large col lection of busts, including the celebrated Jupiter Serapis. The collection likewise contains models ,of the Roman. Forum, of the Colisseum, and of the Neptunian temple at Pmtum. In close proximity of interest and association to the Roman Courts, is the PDXPEIAN, which is nothing more, and very little, if anything at all, less, than a fac simile of the restoration of a Roman mansion in all the brilliancy and luxurious beauty in which it existed, and was over whelmed by the relentless lava-streams which poured from the throat of Vesuvius eighteen hundred years ago. As it stands here, the edifice is complete in all its ornate elegance, and ministrative luxury. In design it combines studied simplicity with unobtrusive art ; each apartment is covered but not loaded with ornament, and all are adorned with delicately executed pictures of moderate dimensions, mostly representing mythological, or marine subjects, and all open into the comprehensive or open court, in the centre of which is a tasteful fountain. The pilgrimage through these courts (and I have only enumerated a few) is, I discover, no trivial draw upon the patience of your readers, and I must consequently hurry somewhat more speedily through the remaining ones, catching first a dazzled glimpse of that in which the cele brated Court of Lions, or Hall of Justice of the Alhambra, is made typical of Arabic architectural and decorative art. The centre of this gorgeous hall is occupied by the famous fountain, supported on the backs of twelve lions, and de corated with all the dazzling splendour which can be con ferred by an admixture of gold and positive colours, arrayed and intermingled with a prodigality which mocks the radiance of the rainbow. Besides the departments enumerated, there are others devoted to Byzantine and Romanesque art ; to German and Italian, and French Gothic art ; to .Mediaeval art ; to National art, including Elizabethan and other subdivisions ; to English and Ger man modern scalpture,conspicuous amongthe contributors to which is Guisorr, who shows several works ; and the Historical Portrait Gallery, in itself constituting an ex haustless treasury of mental wealth. The profusion of statuary, both in the building and in the grounds, forms a marked and graceful feature in the adjuncts of the People's Palace, and produces effects at once pleasing to the eye and elevating to the mind. As an educational institution, if backed by a reasonable amount of public support, it must be productive of benefits which ought not to be lightly estimated. It offers unprecedented facilities for the study of art in all its industrial applica tions—for acquiring accurate knowledge in geology and other branches of natural science—for the study of natural history and botany; and for duly estimating theyalue of manufactures and - the various branches of mechanical skill. Having, as the lawyers phrase it, travelled a good bit " out of the record"—as that is usually observed in the communications of your metropolitan caligrapher,—it is time T should, if possible, resume the ordinary course. The deviation from it, however, will have caused the less regret on account of the paucity of public topics. On Monday night, HER MAJESTY, Prince ALBERT, the two eldest of their royal sons, and their guest, the youthful King of PORTUGAL, attended by an unusually numerous retinue, which was swelled considerably by the attendance on the Lusitanian Sovereign, attended ... the Philharmonic concert. The illustrioas — pariiwas enthusiastically received_ by the auditory, and welcomed by the National Anthem, which was played through by the full band. A splendid ball was given on Wednesday by the Marquis of BREADALBANE, at his residence, in Park lane, which was honoured by the presence of HER MA JESTY and Prince ALBERT, the King of PORTU G AL, the Duke of OPORTO, and a swarm of foreign princes and ambassadors. Among the Britons present were the Earl of DERBY, Lord STANLEY, Mr. DISRAELI, Lord Joint RUSSELL, and Sir E. B. LYTTON. The affair was a very splendid one, and it was attended by about a thousand members of the hard ton. The last levee of the season was held by the QUEEN on Friday : the attendance was very numerous. Both houses of parliament have been sedulously holding holiday during the greater portion of the week ; and, though it might be as difficult as it would be unprofitable to guess the nature and value of the va rious matters which have occupied the attention of our legislati ve corps individually, if the head of the house my be taken as its representative, "war's alarms" may be Presumed to occupy a prominent portion of their thoughts ;—at least I find Mr. SPEAKER has been apply mg his spare time to commanding the Hampshire yeo manry, in all probability a less troublesome set than the body he has had to deal with " in the house." During the holiday time a considerable shuffling has taken place among the ministerial cards, which has ended in finding a stool in the cabinet for Lord Joini RUSSELL as President of the Council; and in granting leave of ab sence from the care of Lancaster to the Right Hon. EDWARD STREIT, the somnolent representative of Not tingham) .being _ succeeded by L or d G RANVILLE, pro tern., as it is said. The ostensible cause of these shift s has b een the creation of a fourth. principal secretaryship, that of war, which has beenretTned by his Grace of NEWCASTLE, although the place is said to have been sorely coveted by Lord PALMERSTON, who, although Home Secretary, is, by his friend and admirer, the Examiner, does not said "not to be at home in his present office . it ce .suit him, and he does not suit it." Might not the truthfulness of thi s over the the eCe nies a co bi l n o et; , seems G it ßli. treomaharvke be e e ex n NEWCASTLEtadeeC)lfgenery an VILLE andth c e T icc res e i p d titn ency cv , and o Q S fa T c y T h T y :d he ,J L Q ags , Lancaster DuchY. The course, sends him back to his " friends" in the city, some of the influentials among whom are understood to enter tain no genial feeling towards him for his fast and loose game of brag" on the Jew Bill, which it is considered may jeopardise his seat, and so create a necessity for his long-talked-of elevation to the Peerage. It is currently rumoured that " the talent" has been wanting in the upper house to set down the querrulous criticism of Lord GREY, connected with our colonial administration, and if that were evident in the self-confident hands of the Duke of NEWCASTLE, it is felt that an accession of prating power will be doubly wanted when our colonies are left to the safe-keeping of Sir GEORGE GREY, who now takes the seals of that department. A feeling of this necessity has, in all likelihood, originated the rumour that Sir W. MOLESWORTII is about to be called to the Peerage as Baron PADSIOW, Sir WILLIAM being pre sumed to be familiar with the ministerial management on colonial affairs. Among the notabilities which have turned up during the past week has been a twinge of conscience which is said to have affected the ATTORNEY-GENERAL, relative to the newspaper-stamp laws. That astute functionary has, it seems, discovered that to enforce the law as it now stands would inflict gross injustice on a great number of respect able people ; and having winked hard at infractions of those laws ever since he has been in office, his conscience has become troubled, and he must either enforce the law or have it altered. So it is said the penny stamp on news papers will not much longer swell the money-bag of Mr. GLADSTONE. Another sham has also come again to light in the simulated patriotism of KOSSUTH. That gentleman has been haranguing the Sheffield sabre-grinders on the " solidarity of peoples," the " nationality of Poland," and, of course, the magnanimity of Loris Kossuni ; and, what is more, he has been applauded to the echo for his nonsense. COMMERCIAL 4 , MONETARY NEWS. MONDAY NIGHT. THE past week being Whitsuntide, which is usually devoted to popular recreation, business has necessarily been much at a stand still ; but, notwithstanding this, a more than usually active trade has been done in Cotton, and towards the close there was much animation in other markets. The reports from the seat of war have not shown any particular changes,and nothing having occurred to disturb general confidence, the public funds have maintained their value with but slight fluctuations, having reached the highest point which has ruled for many months past. No alteration has taken place in the value of money for commercial pur poses, which has been comparatively easy, and foreign exchanges have remained the same, with the exception of that with Austria, which slightly improved. The Bank returns, on Friday, showed very trifling changes, there being an increase in the stock of bullion to the amount of £9,300, and an increase in the actual circulation of £111,465. It would appear that the drain for gold is now but moderate, and there is no immediate prospect of any change in either direction. We have noticed in a leading article the arrange ment by which the London Joint-Stock Banks have been at length admitted to the privileges of the London Clearing-house, and this will, no doubt, have the effect of rendering a large amount of capital available for discounts, and thereby exer cising a favourable influence on the rate of interest. Tire Corn trade has presented little alteration during the week. The downward tendency has been slightly checked ; but as the supplies are sufficient for the present rate of consumption, no reaction can be confidently calculated upon. From the following table of the quantities of the several articles upon which Excise duty has been charged during the three months ended the sth of April last, compared with the corresponding quarter of last year, there appears to be a steady increase in the consumption of paper, and also a large increase in the exportation of this article, the ship ments within the quarter having been 1,949,406 lbs. in 1853, and 3,378,448 lbs. in 1854. Spirits also show a large increase ; and home-made Sugar, which is that manufactured by the Irish Beet Company. Malt, however, shows a decrease of about a million bushels : THREE MONTHS ENDING THE STH OF APRIL. Quantities Articles. Quantities charged retained for home with duty. consumption. ---- ---- United Kingdom. 1853. 1854. 1853. --- 1854. Malt, bushels 18,533,210 17,514,018 18,533,210 17,512,998 Paper, lbs. Spirits, gallons 6,073,796 6,678,045 5,992,077 6,566,913 Sugar,home-made cwt. 731 987 731 987 The African Steam-ship Company, at their meet ing, on Friday, declared a dividend of five per cent., and held out a prospect of larger returns from the reduction of expenditure by the employment of smaller vessels more suited to the trade. The report stated that their two largest ships, the Charity and the Northern Light, had been sold to the Canadian Steam Navigation Company, and that the Hope had been chartered by the Govern ment for the Commissariat service in the Mediter ranean. They had, therefore, devoted the vessels intended for the Mogador trade to the mail service, and deferred the opening of the Mogador line until their new vessels are completed. The accounts showed a favourable result after making an ample allowance for wear and tear and other contingencies, and devoting £7,236 10s. 11d. to a guarantee fund. Our SHIEEMASfiET has been extremely steady all week, and prices generally have continued to show an upward tendency. Midland, York and North Midland, and Berwick have been much in demand ; the former from the expectation of an increased dividend and a very favourable report, and the two latter from the extremely good traffics. But, the settlement just commencing, stock of all descriptions . very scarce, and commands a back in almost every instance. Midlands have been bought in to-day for cash at £63 2s. 6d., and Caledonians at £3O 2s. 6d. ; the market price for the current account being only £62 12s. 6d. and E 2 9 ss. In our local stocks Bank of Liverpool have been done at 21, and several lots of Insurance at the quoted prices. The Liverpool and London Insurance Company have issued a circular proposing a return of 10 per cent. per share of their paid-up capital to their shareholders on the Ist of September next, in consequence of the rapid accumulation of their reserved fund. In ordinary times this would have caused a considerable advance in these shares, but at present it has merely incited a few purchasers at current rates. We annex prices of business done to-day :—East Lancashire, 15 7,16 ; Lancashire and Yorkshire, 624 ; London and North Western, 100; Midland, 624 2 ; St. Helen's R and C 5 per cent. (B), 991 ; Liverpool Borough Bank, 11-1 ; Royal Insurance Company, lip. PRODUCE.—The markets generally have been dull, particularly for Sugar, Coffee, Rice, &c. Tea has, however, been in better demand at an advance of ld. to 2d. per lb. Palm Oil has been in better request, and tallow a little more animated to-day. Sugar continued in moderate demand, both from grocers and refiners, the sales since Friday com prising 160 hhds. Jamaica at 335. to 365. 9d. ; 70 hhds. Barbadoes at 335. 6d. to 375. 6d ; 120 bags Dates at 335. 3d. ; 80 bags low white Pernams at 235. 6d. per cwt., and 20 hhds. Porto Rico at pre vious prices. We have no sales to notice in Molasses or Rum. There has been more doing in Coffee, the transactions consisting of 200 bags Rio, from the quay, at 455., with 650 bags (all faults) at 41s. 6d. ; 100 bags Bahia at 465., and 130 bales of Mocha at 455. to 565. ; a small parcel of Trinidad Cocoa is also reported at 365. per cwt. In Tea the sales are not large, but prices are well supported ; the chief demand continues upon the medium kinds of Congou. 1,800 bags middling white old Bengal Rice have been taken at 12s. to 12s. 3d. per cwt. COTTON.—Last week there was considerable animation in the Cotton trade, although the great demand had not much effect upon prices, the advance upon middling being only *d. per lb. from the previous week. This has been in some part produced by the greater activity in the Manchester market, where yarns have advanced from !gd. to Id. per lb., and to the greater confidence in the maintenance of prices. The sales for the week, up to Friday, reached the large amount of 72,920 bales, of which 19,190 were on speculation, and 7,450 for export, leaving 46,280 for the trade. The stock of American is now only 518,280 bales, against 628,940 bales at this time last year ; and the total stock of all sorts, 831,560 bales, against 880,560 last year. TO-DAY the advices per Europa were received, but had little or no effect on this market, which is experiencing the reaction consequent on such unwonted activity. The sales amounted to about 5,000 bales ; prices were slightly easier, and the market closed steadily. The following are the current rates compared with those of the corres ponding period last year : 1853. 1854. New Orleans, midd1ing......... 6d. sfd. fair ...... . ...... Uplands, middling , ed. 5 3-16 d. fair ...... ...... 6d. eid. Wool.—There has been more inquiry in this market since the close of the London sales, but business still continues on the same limited scale as we have had to report for some months back. Prices remain unchanged. The announcement of several failures in and about Bradford, last week, has had a decided effect in that quarter. Combing and clothing fleece and skin wools are ruling from 10s. to 15s. per pack lower there than in this mar ket. The English clip is now coming freely to market, and farmers appear disposed to meet the times, although thy reductiell Qn lost year'o prim. THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD, AND GENERAL COMMERCIAL ADVERTISER. is from 251 to 301. The following are present rates :—Down tegs, 121 d. to 13d. per,lb. ' • ewes, 12d. to 121 d. ; half-bred hogs, 12d. ; Cheviot hogs, 121 d. to 13d. ; wethers, 12d. to 122 d. ; Kent fleeces, 12d. to 121 d. ; Irish hogs, 121 d. ; wethers, 12d. Imports for the week only 81 bales, of which 61 are Irish and 18 coastwise. Messrs. W. GREAME and Co., in their weekly report, say : We have no new feature of any moment in the wool market since our last monthly report ; the same stagna tion is manifest as regards the home trade, which has so long prevailed in this branch ; but some sales have been made for export to the States, as also to France and Bel g,ium, chiefly in Buenos Ayres and low-priced foreign wools, at about the average reduction in prices. The accounts from Yorkshire and other manufacturing dis tricts still continue very unsatisfactory, and in some cases we are again compelled to make some slight reduction in our quotations. THE FRENCH PLAYS. TO THE EDITOR OF T lIE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. Sin,—ln reply to a letter inserted in to-day's relative to the high prices of admission charged for the French Plays, will you have the kindness to permit the following explanation to appear in your paper ?—On the first visit of the French company to Liverpool, the prices were : boxes, 7s. ; pit, 3s. ; gallery, 2s. This first engage ment was the joint speculation of myself and Mr. Mitchell, and the very great appreciation of the performances by the Liverpool public induced me to form an arrangement with M. Lafont to g ive a season of the same length in Liver pool as in London. The prices of admission being this time under my own control,ll reduced the boxes to 55., pit 35., amphitheatre 25., gallery ls. At some considerable expense, I reconstructed a portion of the auditory as stalls and private boxes. The stalls are 7s. in the Theatre Royal, Liverpool ; at the St. James', in London, they are 10s. 6d. I am fully aware of the policy of a moderate tariff; but French plays, like French wines, cannot be appreciated by the whole English public, and, therefore, I respectfully submit the slight advance made cannot be fairly objected to by those for whose more select taste and gratification they are especially provided. I beg permission to add, also, that the paragraph going the rounds of the local papers, to the effect that Messrs. Cramer and Beale will give Italian operas in Liverpool, with all the advantages of the Covent-garden band, chorus, dresses, and properties, is erroneous. It is my intention to do so, and for that purpose a nego eiation is pending, but the whole expense of the perform ances—the present French, and the anticipated Italian — are, and will be, borne by myself ; and I think you will admit, it is but just to give the credit of these popular (if not always profitable) arrangements to the party incurring the risk.—Your obedient servant, W. R. COPELAND. Theatre Royal, Liverpool, 12th June, 1854. HISTORIC SOCIETY OF LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE. Ox Thursday evening last, the eighth meeting of the above society, and the concluding one for the session, was held in the Collegiate Institution, Dr. Kendrick, of War rington, in the chair. John Johnson Banning and John Herd, Esqrs., were elected members. _ _ _ Donations were laid upon the table, including a curious Roman vase from Jesse Hartley, Esq.; several Reports of the Board of Health, from Robert Rawlinson, Esq., of London; the Report of the Joint Societies of Northamp ton, Lincoln, York, and Bedford ; and a Table on the Decimal Coinage, from Samuel Richardson, Esq. Mr. Mayer exhibited a series of objects found in a Roman grave near Cologne, apparently children's toys. Mr. Mayer had kindly lent for exhibition three old maces of the corporation, which, from the royal arms engraved upon them, seemed to belong to the time of James I, Charles 11, and Anne, respectively. Mr. Brackstone, of Bath, exhibited three curious silver coins, one of Philip of France, and two rare Napoleon medals. Mr. Mayer exhi bited several gold ornaments from Etruria ; a document addressed by William 111. to the Primate of all Ireland, enjoining a thanksgiving after the Battle of the Boyne. The Rev. J. S. Howson exhibited several curious figures of ancient and mediaeval ships, in illustration of his own paper. Mr. Mayer drew attention to the fact that, in a recent tour on the Continent, he found the Historic Society well known at Vienna and Berlin, anti its transactions pre served in the principal libraries there. The papers for the evening were then read. The first was on the History of Naval Terms, Part 11., by the Rev. J. S. Howson, M.A. ; and the Second Concluding Address at the Close of the Second Triennial Period, by the Rev. A. Hume, D.C.L. Thanks were voted to the donors, exhibitors, and authors of papers, and the session closed. COLLISION ON THE RIVER, AND LOSS OF TWO LIVES. YESTERDAY, P. F. Curry, Esq., held an inquest on the body of a boy named Frank Thomas, aged nearly eight years, who came by his death on the 29th of May, in con sequence of a fishing-boat in which he was in on the river having been run down and cut in two by the Countess of Ellesmere steamer, plying to Runcorn. The captain of the boat and some of the parties belong ing to her were present, and Mr. Wright, the Clerk of the Peace, appeared for the owners of the vessel. It appears that, on the morning of the 29th ult., the Countess of Ellesmere left the Pier-head, as usual, for Runcorn, and that when in the Dingle bay, she ran into a fishing-boat. In the boat were Samuel Kay, his son, aged about ten years, and the deceased lad. The allegation of Kay is, that the steamer came right on, without altering her way, although the boat could be seen a mile or more off, and that the steamer ran into him, although he shouted and hailed her to alter her course, which was not done. He alleged that there was no one on the look-out, nor did he see any one on the paddle-box of the boat, at the time when she struck the small boat. There were from sixty to eighty passengers in the steamer at the time, and the moment the accident happened, she was reversed, and a boat lowered to the assistance of the parties who had been in the small boat. Kay was rescued, but the boys were drowned, although no exertion was spared to save their lives. At the moment of the accident the captain was be low, collecting the fares (as that is part of his duty) from the passengers. It did not, however, clearly appear that the mate had taken the place of the captain, before the latter went below. _ The first person belonging to the ship was Isaac Eccle ston, who said he was on board the steamer between Run corn and Liverpool for four years, and there was always a look-out kept from the paddles as well as forward, except when the fares are collecting, and then the mate takes the look-out on the paddle-box and then captain ; can't say at what speed the boat was going on the day in ques tion ; he did not lose sight of the small boat from the time she was one and a half miles off ; and up to the time she was within one hundred yards of the steamer. Nothing more than was done could have been done to avert the danger. William Ball, another of the crew of the Countess of Ellesmere, said he was in the same employ for twenty nine years; when the accident happened he and the cap tain lowered a boat to assist the party; the steamer was going 10 miles an hour, and she could be stopped in double the length of herself. She is 170 feet long. The captain of the boat got an excellent character for steadiness, prudence, caution, and sobriety. The CORONER, in an elaborate charge to the jury, summed up the evidence. The Juror found the following verdict--Accidental death, with the accompanying presentment :—" The jury, in returning a verdict of accidental death by drowning, consider the captain of the Countess of Ellesmere was guilty of some amount of negligence in leaving his post on the paddle-box before the mate had taken his place, and we also consider the man at the look-out forward was guilty of some amount of negligence in not earlier noting the position of the small boat when at a distance of a mile and a half." ZOOLOGICAL GARDENs.—The proprietor of this esta blishment has succeeded admirably during the past week in attracting numbers of visitors to the gardens ; nearly 6,000 entered on Whit-Monday alone. The selection of amusements has been judicious, combining all the attrac tions and allurements of a summer resort, with a grand comic pantomime,.entitled " The Wizard and the Fee, or Harlequin Topsy 'Aunty," which excited to no small extent the risible faculties of those who witnessed it. The pan tomime, under the arrangement of Mons. Leclercq, abounds in fun and witticisms. Those celebrated pantomimists, Herr Nicolo Deulin and his sons, appear as clown and sprites, and Mons. Leclercq's company, including Miss Louisa Leclercq, appear in several graceful and popular dances. The scenery, which has been painted by Messrs. Norrie and. Matthews, represents several places of local interest, including a view of the Custom-house. The pantomime is announced for every gala evening this week. The great Etna bursts forth as usual every evening, much enhanced by the very lavish displays in the pyrotechnic art with which Mr. Atkin surrounds the huge mountain, and a ball usually concludes the evening's entertainments—most assuredly abundance of amusements for the very low charge of admittance. OPENING OF THE NEW CORN EXCHANGE.—For several months past, since leaving the Old Gas Company's pre mises, in Dale-street, our corn merchants have held their markets in a portion of the new building in Brunswick street, to which the entrance was from the Old Ropery, Fenwick-street. During last week the temporary parti tion dividing the back from the front portion of the build ing has been removed, and on Friday the entire hall was thrown open for business, and occupied with the ordinary stands used by the trade. It presents a noble appearance, and is admirably suited for the purposes for which it has been erected. Its dimensions are 28 yards in depth from the front, and 35 yards in width. An almost perfect square might have been secured; and it is thought by some that the increased space would have been most desirable, considering the large number of foreign and other firms which have been lately added to our native dealers. The committee, however, have decided to appro priate a portion of the frontage in Brunswick-street for offices. The plan and construction of the hall reflect great credit upon Mr. Picton, the architect, and exhibit strik ingly the advantages afforded by the introduction of glass into such buildings. The roof is formed of three pointed arches, supported by elaborately ornamented cast iron framings. The centre arch is loftier and wider than those at the sides, and rests upon Belt iron pillars. The lower portion of the roof is cased with timber, whilst the upper part is formed of large plates of glass, which throw an ample and clear light over the entire space below. One half of the centre roof—in the rear of the building—is entirely cased over with wood ; but from the portion just opened being painted white, whilst the iron and wood work of the other portion is painted oak colour, it may be presumed that light is regarded as the great desideratum, and that the whole will ultimately be made uniform, by the centre arch of the latter being also provided with glass roofing. The offices in front of this building being as yet uncompleted, and the propel: entrance impeded by scaffold ing, bricks, &c., the admission is, therefore, still by the door from the Old Ropery. When the front is finished, the Corn Exchange will provide a most admirable room for public meetings, being, from it s grea t ar ea-980 square yards of flooring—capable of accommodating conve niently, at the low estimate of three 4 a yard, nearly three theamtutt People,—loirnsF4 COUNTY COURT-YESTERDAY. [BEFORE JOSEPH POLLOCK, ESQ., JUDGE.] ARRANGEMENT OF CASES.-The first June court com menced yesterday, the business being confined to fraud summonses, insolvencies, &c. There are 100 cases for to-day; 131 on the 14th ; on the 15th, 25 cases in which the amount claimed is for £lO or upwards ; on the 16th, cases adjourned from the 26th of April and the 19th of May ; 109 cases on the 19th ; 105 on the 20th ; 100 on the 21st ; on the 22nd, 26 actions for £lO and upwards ; and on the 23rd adjourned cases, making a total of 587 cases, exclu sive of what were disposed of yesterday, and those ad journed from former courts. FRAUD SuantortsEs.-Orders of committal for 30 days were granted against the following parties for non-pay ment of the amounts affixed to their names :- John Haskayne, Oak-street, 14s. ; Charles Burke, market-man, £2 lb. ' • Robert Walme, alias Vaughan, Wolstenholme square, £2 2s. 4d. (not to issue for a month) ; Andrew Croall, Penrhyn-street, £1 lls. 4d.; James Halliday, Porter-street, £3 7s. 6d. ; Oliver Shannon, master lumper, Upper Mann-street, 14s. 11d.; Eliza Peel, 69, Finch street, £4 17s. 11d. (to issue in a week); W. Francis Ellis, joiner, 41, Clayton-street, £33 16s. Bd., (to issue on the 15th of July) ; Jackson Macviccar, Argyle-street, £4 3s. 10d. (summons not to issue until the Ist of August) ; john Jackson, hoop-maker, Pownall-street, £1 9s. 2d., (to issue in a month) ; Edward Boardman, 11, Portland-square ; Thomas Goodwin, 7, Woolfe-street, £1 13s. ; Margaret Macauley, 23, Nor thumberland-street, £6l6s. 3d. ' • Charles Smith, butcher, Trowbridge-street, £1 14s. ld. ' • David Parker, porter, £1 19s. 9d. ; James McGill, 65, Hill-street, Park, hair-dresser, £2 13s. Bd.; and James Walls, at Mr. John Garbage's, Shaw's-brow, for £1 9s. Bd. INSOLVENCYCA.SES.-Richard Warburton, late of Smith down-lane, stonemason and beerhouse keeper, came up for his final order, which, there being no opposition, was granted.-Jonathan Beckett, beerseller, late of 29, Mill lane, came up on his first examination. He was unop posed, but, in answer to questions by his honour, stated that he had been a bankrupt in 1848, but had got his cer tificate immediately. He was formerly an ironmonger. Since leaving that business he had kept no books of ac count. His honour observed that it was a very unsatis factary balance sheet, memorandums only existing for the payment of £2OO odd pounds in each case. These large sums were put together, without the court being able to trace out of what they were composed. The insolvent passed his first examination, and was ordered to come up for his final order at the first September court, protection being granted in the meantime. ACTION AGAINST A CORN-MERCHANT.-Francis Alvis Pinto, Captain of the Portuguese ship Dois de Julho,sued Mr. John Francis Goodwin, of 16, Water-street, corn merchant, for £3O 7s. 2d., for freight on 69 quarters of beans delivered, being at the rate of Bs. per quarter, and 10s. primage. Mr. Woodburn, solicitor, appeared for the plaintiff; and Mr. Goodwin's clerk for defendant.-Mr. Woodburn said the question would be upon the construc tion of the bill of lading, which stated-" Shipped, in good order and condition, by the good ship Dois de Pulho, at Larasche, to be delivered in Liverpool, 700 quarters of beans." They were to be delivered to Messrs. Prescot Brothers and Co., who were the consignees of the goods, and the real defendants in the case, " paying freight on the said goods, as per chatter." He (Mr. Woodburn) had got a translation of the charter-party. It was dated Lis bon, 12th December, 1853, but he should only call atten tion to the 9th clause, which was :-" The charterers oblige themselves to pay the said consignees on their order, after the faithful discharge and delivery of the goods by the Dois de Pulho, the sum of Bs. on each quarter of grain received in Larasche." Now the bill of lading stated that there were 700 quarters, and the captain had signed it with the endorsement-" Contents not known." In point of fact, 769 quarters had been delivered to the de fendant. He had paid a freight of Bs. per quarter upon 700 quarters, and the question involved was -whether he should pay freight upon the 69 quarters in excess. The amount was £3O 7s. 2d.-His Honour asked if it was in tended to carry the action further, into one of the superior courts ?-Mr. Woodburn replied in the negative; and Mr. Goodwin's clerk stated that both plaintiff and defendant were on good terms, and were perfectly content to abide by his Honour's decision. The defendant wished, how ever, to direct his Honour's attention to the second clause of the charter-party, which stated that the vessel would receive "a full cargo" of grain.-The learned Judge said he would take the papers home with him, consider the subject, and give his judgment on that day fortnight. The court rose at an early hour, till ten o'clock this morning (Tuesday). POLICE-COURT. YE STERDAY. STEALING OATMEAL.—John Sutton, a carter, in the employ of Messrs. Brown and Co., King-street, was charged with stealing five sacks of oatmeal from his em ployers on Saturday, the 3rd June. From the evidence, it appeared that the prisoner was employed to deliver 120 sacks of oatmeal to Messrs. Train and Co., India-buildings, Water-street. While in the course of delivering the meal, the prisoner borrowed five sacks from the warehouseman of Messrs. Train, and these he filled with meal and took away. This he had no authority to do, and the meal bad not been traced as yet. The prisoner, who did not say anything, was remanded fora week. ATTEMPTING TO ROB A LODGING-HOUSE.—Catherine Clegg, a middle-aged and dirty-looking woman, with an infant in her arms, was charged with attempting to steal some wearing apparel, on Saturday night, from the house of Ann Wilton, residing in a court off Norfolk-street. The attempted theft was clearly proved, and the prisoner, who had been before the court on a similar charge in Novem ber last, was sentenced to be imprisoned for three months. SINGULAR CHARGE OP THEFT.—James Rusty and Sarah Rusty (his wife) were charged with stealing various sums of money from the chest of Sidney Severn, an omnibus-driver, who lodged in their house in Duke's. place, Earl-street. The prosecutor said he had lodged with the prisoners for about eighteen months, and on several occa sions he had missed money, which had been taken out of his box. About 3 months ago he applied to Mr. Clough on the subject, who advised him to mark the money he putinto his box, and if he missed any more to let the police know. He did so, and on Sunday last he missed three shillings from his box, about one o'clock. In the evening he called in the aid of the police, and on searching a cupboard three of the marked shillings were found in it, and a marked sixpence was found on the mantelpiece. The prisoners were accordingly given into custody, and the present charge brought against them. In defence, the male prisoner said he had been a grocer by trade, but had been five years in the police force, from which he retired, (he was not discharged,) in November last, since which time he had been out of employment, till a few weeks ago ; that the prosecutor had been very kind, and had frequently paid the rent of his lodgings in advance; and that on Sunday, a few minutes before one o'clock, the prosecutor had given three shillings to prisoner's wife, the three shillings alleged to have been stolen. That the prosecutor had himself put the marked sixpence on the chimneypiece, while the police officer was in the house, as if to ensure conviction. This story was corroborated by the wife, and both persisted in its truth. There being no case against the wife, sh e was di sc h arg ed, and the male prisoner was remanded till this day. STEALING CHEESE.—Elizabeth Arnold and Catherine Hillay were charged with stealing a piece of cheese from the shop of Mr. Thomas, Dale-street, on Saturday night. It appeared there was a third female connected with this theft, who was not in custody. The prisoners were seen with the stolen property in their possession, but it had been lost, both of them being in a state of intoxication at the time. They were remanded till to-day. ROBBERY AND ASSAULT.—WiIIiam M'Cormick and Philip Oats were charged with having assaulted James Pennington, a country dealer, in James-street, on Satur day last, and robbing him of £5. 'From the evidence of the prosecutor it appeared that, having been ,transacting some business, he had occasion to change a £5O note, which he got in sovereigns, and afterwards went to a public-house in the street named, where he had a glass of ale by way of refreshment, and where he met the two prisoners. In paying for his drink he unintentionally showed a sovereign, which elicited an observation from Oats. Soon after he (the prosecutor) left the house, and was followed by the prisoners, when Oats fastened a quarrel on him, and struck him. On this he closed with Oats, and the two came to the ground. While struggling there, M'Cormick turned his coat pocket upside down, and the money fell out on the ground. M'Cormick then busied himself in picking up the prosecutor's money, and giving it to him, but he suddenly disappeared, carrying with him five sovereigns, Oats also decamping at the same time. No money was found on either of the prisoners, and evidence was produced to show that there was a mis take as to the identity of M'Cormick. The prisoners were remanded till this day. FlRE.—Last night, about twelve o'clock, a fire, which threatened to be of rather a serious nature, broke out at the shop of Mr. Detmar, outfitter, Park-lane, but owing to the prompt and efficient services rendered by the fire brigade, it was quickly got under, or the stock and fur niture must have been destroyed. GREAT CHESS GATHERING IN LIVERPOOL. —The an nual meeting of the Northern and Midland Counties Chess Associations is announced to be held at the Exhibi tion-rooms, Post-office-place, in this town, on Friday, the 23rd, and Saturday, the 24th instant. The occasion will be one of unusual interest to admirers of the game. ATTEMPTEI? MURDER AND SUICIDE:A woman, named in consequence living at Bury, had been so distressed in her mind, consequence of her husband having left her in a state of absolute want, that she took a shilling that had been given to her for relief, and purchased a packet of vermin poison, and having mixed it with water, she first administered it to her children, and then drank the remainder herself. The cries of the children attracted the attention of a woman who occupied another portion of the house, and on entering the room she found the two children on a bed, the one in convulsions and the other screaming. The woman was seated on a chair, with her eyes fixed. On being asked what was the matter, the woman replied, " We are all v served alike ; we shall be with the Lord soon. We are all poisoned." The visitor, having sent for medical aid, fainted in the room. Two medical men were speedily in attendance, and some sulphate of zinc having been administered, the mother and the eldest child vomited and recovered, but the younger child died. The woman is in custody. BRITISH TELEGRAPH COMPANY.—By an advertisement the public will perceive that this company have made con siderable reductions and equalized the rates for telegraphic messages. According to the former absurd rates, a mes sage sent 50 miles was charged one shilling, and if sent 110 miles was charged five shillings. The charge now will only be half-a-crown for the latter distance. The public are much indebted to this company, as the first op ponents of the Electric Company, which, after a severe struggle, commenced with shilling charges under 30 miles —abolished sixpence charge for porterage—granted the addresses in messages free, and now have established rates per charges which ought to insure support. The company's system extends from Dover and Deal to Glas gow, and as the submarine cable from Scotland to Ireland is already laid, Belfast and Dublin will soon be included. The British Telegraph Company's wires will, in a little time, be carried on to Edinburgh, Greenock, Sunderland, and other important places. They telegraph daily with wire carried on poles, without any break or change, a dis tance of 380 miles, and altogether the system is feund tp be most §4OOB wcl cQUIPIet% A LI7NA.TIC, named William Carson, escaped from Rainhill Asylum, on Saturday, and has not since been heard of. WINE, ROSY WINE.—The lovers of rare old wine will have a rare opportunity on Thursday of gratifying their taste. Messrs. Winstanley and Sons have announced a sale of wines, which they say are of the finest quality, and their respectability is an ample guarantee for the correct ness of the description. DIORAMA or THE HOLY-LAND.—The fine Diorama of the Holy-land, including the interesting scenes of Christ's miracles and sufferings, and the other remarkable locali ties in Jerusalem and its vicinity, may be seen, nightly, in the Queen's Hall, Bold=street. This Diorama is spoken highly of by the press. ST. PAHL'S PROTESTANT ASSOCIATION.—OR Tuesday evening, the Rev. Thomas Robinson, of St. Bartholomew's, delivered an eloquent lecture to the above society, in the New Hall, Hackin's-hey, the subject being " The House of Commons and Popery. The chair was occupied by the Rev. George Read, curate of St. Paul's, and the audience, which was numerous, consisted principally of the work ing classes, who warmly applauded the rev. lecturer dur ing his address. The Rev. S. Minton will deliver the next lecture to the society, in the same place, on the 20th instant. CLEANSING or THE PRINCE'S DOCK.—For the first time these last fifteen years, the Prince's-dock was run dry on Thursday, in order that the gates may be repaired, and that the large deposit of mud may be removed. As notice had been given, the dock had been pretty well cleared of vessels, and those that remain are merely small craft. THE SELECT VESTRY held their fortnightly meeting on Tuesday, at the Workhouse, the Rev. Rector Campbell in the chair. There were present also, Messrs. Came, Brancker, Whitty, Savage, Hand, Satchell, Bradley, Meacock, Rae, Denton, John Jones, Crawford, Chesney, Hughes, Luff, Hutchison, Mellor, Rawle, William Jones, and Whitby. The proceedings of the finance committee having been confirmed, Mr. Gardner said if their collectors were employed in the collection of the voluntary rate, he should like to know what amount had been collected, be cause it was a question often asked when the clocks would be set in motion. Now, if they had funds sufficient, it should be done at once.—Mr. Came : The vestry have nothing to do with it.—Mr. Gardner : Then if we have nothing to do with it, how is it that our collectors are employed in collecting that rate ?—Mr. Hutchison did not know the exact amount collected, but he was sure the other day that sufficient was not collected for the church. wardens to undertake the expense.—Mr. Gardner : Was £lOO collected ?—Mr. Hutchison : There was. Mr. Gardner : Then it is full time that the clocks were set agroing.—The Chairman was in hopes that the clock question had beensettled,but hefound that although the clocks were standing still in the streets, they were going there.—Mr. Denton agreed with Mr. Gardner that those things needed winding up continually.—Mr. Hughes believed it was a fact that St. Peter's church clock was actually wound up, and it only wanted the pendulum touching to set it going, but the churchwarden had refused to give his august per mission.—Mr. Came : I beg your pardon ; whatever has been done in any one church, both the churchwardens take the responsibility of.—Mr. Hutchison : I share in the responsibility.—Mr. Denton : I say it is no go. The subject then dropped.—The Workhouse committee re ported that the total number of inmates in the house was 2,284. Amongst these there were 672 sick cases, 63 being of fever, and 55 of itch.—After some miscellaneous busi ness, Mr. Came proposed a modification of the instruc tions given some years ago to the collectors. Regulations were then passed that a certain amount should be received in rates from property under and up to the value of £l5. He had no intention of altering the amount ; what he proposed was, that in any reduction that might be made to cottage tenants, it be a condition that the sum ordered to be paid shall be paid within six months.—The Chair man, after alluding to the appointment of a select com mittee of the House of Commons on the subject of poor removal, suggested that it would be advisable if the vestry authorised the clerk and himself to watch the proceedings of the committee, and adopt such measures as might be expedient.—Mr. Came moved, and Mr. Denton seconded, a motion to this effect, which was carried nem. dia.—Mr. Hart, the vestry-clerk, then read a report in reply to a statement in a daily contemporary that twenty-two people had died last year of destitution in Liverpool. The coroner's returns showed that there had been no death from that cause within the last three or four years.—Mr. Came moved that the report be recorded on the proceed ings, and censured the proprietor of the paper, who had been formerly a member of that board, for permitting to appear in his print such a reflection on their officers. The motion was agreed to, and the board adjourned. LATEST INTELLIGENCE. THE EASTERN WAR. At a dinner given to the Duke of Cambridge at Con stantinople, on the 30th of May, the Austrian Ambassa dor spoke in strong approval of the policy of the 'Western Powers. The whole of the English Light Division is now al Varna. 10,000 English troops were still at Scutari. The third French division was daily expected at Con stantinople. Great part of the combined fleet has left Sebastopol to transport troops from Constantinople to Varna. A few steamers are still on the Circassian coast. Captain Gifford, of the Tiger, was buried on the 2nd. The crew of the Tiger, by the intervention of the Austrian Consul, have received their pay, and in three days will be removed to the interior. The first lieutenant will be sent to St. Petersburg, and the other officers to Moscow, The Russian Embassy will leave Athens. The Dragoon corps is ordered to advance by forced marches to Moldavia. The Transylvania frontier is described as swarming with Cossacks. CHINA. By Overland Mail we have intelligence from Hong- Kong to the 22nd April :—Pekin accounts state that the place must fall in a fortnight. The Emperor has been in great danger, having escaped just in time attended by 2,000 cavalry. The affair at Shanghae is explained. The European residents having been insulted and pillaged by the Impe rial beseiging forces, assembled themselves into a body of 300 volunteers, made a sortie with four guns, and en abled the insurgents to capture the enemy's artillery and camp with an immense booty. The English and French squadrons on the station were preparing to atack the Rus sian fleet. The insurrection at Manilla was with difficulty sup pressed. BY JOSAPHAT AND CO.'S CONTINENTAL TELEGRAPH. PARIS, MONDAY.—Closing prices this day, 4/ per cent. Rentes, for money, 97 40; 3 per cent. Ditto, for account, 71 85 ; Bank Shares, 2910. There was again an improved feeling, and all funds closed about 1 per cent. better than on Saturday last. VIENNA, MONDAY.—Closing prices this day, Exchange on London, 13 ; Gold, 39 ; Silver, 34.—The Tunisian go vernment will send 10,000 men and 18 guns to Varna. BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH. MONDAY EVENING, JuNE 11. LONDON.—After official hours, the market was steady, and Consols, 914 Last quotations of Crystal Palace Shares, 4 / pm. THE WAR. There is no later telegraphic news from the Baltic, Black Sea, or Turkey. The Himalaya, steamer, had arrived at Malta in 8 days and 3 hours from Cork. The continental letters contain nothing of importance. Allusions are still made to the probability of Russia agreeing to evacuate the Principalities, with a view of detaching the German powers from England and France. The Russian government has permitted all British and French vessels to leave Odessa. PARIS, MONDA.Y.—No change of importance. THE OVERLAND MAIL. INDIA AND CHINA. Despatches have arrived. ticipated. The general news is an- BOMBAY, MAY 9.—Money is tight. In imports a fall in most classes of goods. Iron is unchanged. Copper is lower. Linseed in much request. Freights : Demand still firm at £4 to £4 2s. 6d. to Liverpool, and £4 ss. to £4 7s. 6d. to London. CALCUTTA, APRIL 29.—A fair amount of business has been done in some staple articles of EZport. The Import market continued in a satisfactory state, and if the present stocks are not increased by more arrivals, a further im provement might be expected. No change in Money. Freights, no material alteration. CANTON, APRIL 19.—Freights to England, £7los. SHANGHAI, APRIL 12.—Scarcely any transactions in Cotton and Woollen goods ; sellers of English goods would readily submit to a reduction. Tonnage much wanted. Freights to England £7 10s. for Tea and £9 for Silk. The British ship Dumfries, for Liverpool, with about 560,000 pounds of Tea, was totally wrecked on Pesca• dores, on the evening of the 11th : crew saved. BETTLNG AT TATTERSALL'S—Tms DAY. ASCOT STAKES. —4 to 1 agst Kingston, tk ; 11 to 2 agst Ilex, tk ; 20 to 1 agst Hercules. ASCOT GOLD CIIP.-3 to 1 agst Stockwell, off.; 4to 1 agst Kingston, tk ; a to 1 agst Rataplan, tk.—Virago scratched. ST. LEGER.-5 to 1 agst King Tom, tk; 6 to 1 agst Dervish, tk ; 12 to 1 agst Acrobat, tk ; 15 to 1 agst Ivan, tit. NORTHTIMBERLIND PLATE.-7 to 1 agst Acrobat, tk ; 7 to 1 agst Kingston, tk; 10 to 1 agst Early Bird, tk and offered. DERBY, 1855.-18 to 1 agst Graceulus Esurieus, tk ; 20 to 1 agst Oulston, tk ; 50 to 1 agst Bounie Nun, (iracculm Egurieu4 iu great demand; TUESDAY, JUNE 13, 1854. HOUSE OF LORDS.—MONDAY, JUNE 12. The Earl of DERBY asked the government whether it !VI, intended to proceed with the Testamentary Jurisdiction and the bill for theamendment of the Law of Divorce, in the present session. The LORD CHANCELLOR replied in the affirmative, 111 1 4 added that if the Testamentary Jurisdiction Bill passed, it would only come into operation on the Ist of January, 1855, and the Divorce Bill on some subsequent day, to ba named by the Queen in Council ; and with respect to the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of the Courts, a separate measure would be introduced in the next stssion. The Exchequer Bonds (.e6,000,000) Bill was read a second time. The Earl of ABERDEEN, in answer to the Earl of Ellen borough, said it was not intended to bring in a bill to repeal the statute of Anne, which enacts that no more than tWo Secretaries of State shall sit at the same time in the House of Commons. The Vaccination Acts Bill was r.lad a second time. The Railway and Canal Traffic Regulation Bill was read a third time. The Income Tax (No. 2) Bill, the Church Building. Act Amendment Bill, and the Industrial and Provident Societies Bill, severally passed through committee. The house adjourned at twenty minutes past seven. HOUSE OF COMMONS—MONDAY, JUNE 12. A new writ was ordered for Morpeth, in the place of Sit George Grey, who is appointed secretary for the colonies. Mr. DISRAELI, after complaining of the appointment of morning sitting s for so early a period in the session as to morrow, asked if there would be any objection to postpone them until after the government had been reconstituted. Sir C. WOOD replied that the bills appointed for morning sittings were not Government measures, but the Government were willing to be guided by the sense of the house. The house went into committee on the Stamp Duties Bill. Mr. HUMS objected at some length to the changes pro posed to be introduced by the bill, and trusted the Chancellor of the Exchequer would reconsider many of its provisions. He also reviewed the monetary affairs of the country generally, and contended that no ground had been made out for sub hecting foreign bills of exchange to any tax. and intimated is intention to move the exclusion of the clause by which such tax was imposed. Mr. G REGSON, Mr. THORNELRY, and Mr. MCGREGOR con curred generally in the objection of Mr. Hume. The first three clauses were proposed and agreed to. A discussien arose on the 4th clause, imposing a tax on foreign bills of exchange, in which Mr. MASTERMAN and Mr. BROWN took part. Mr. WiLsos defended the new scale as regards foreign bills, as being lover than the existing scale, and urg ed the benefit that will result from the general reduction of duty to the low rate proposed in the bill, more especially with re spect to small traders. Mr. J. BARING maintained that the advantage which might be anticipated would not be sufficient to counterba lance the inconveniences that would result from taxing foreign bills of exchange. WILLIAMS supported the proposition. Mr. GLADSTONE explained the meaning of the clause, con tending that it did not enact a fresh tax, but rather rendered its operation uniform as regards foreign bills. If the exeMß tion in reference to foreign hills were to be considered deci ded, it would be impossible for Government to persevere with the project of reducing the duty to the low scale as pro posed by the bill. The tax on foreign bills would be about is. on the £lOO. _ After some further discussion, the house divided on the amendment of Mr. Hume for the rejection of the 4th clause , imposing a tax on foreign bills of exchange. For the clause For the amendment 173 110 Majority for the clause 63 Mr. HADFIELD moved an addition to the clause relating to the duty on conveyances. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER defended the clause. Mr. BRIGHT supported the proposition of Mr. Hadfield. After some debate, the amendment was withdrawn. The other clauses were agreed to, and the bill reported. The house then went into committee of supply. The proposal of the vote for the maintenance of prisons lea to a discussion on prison discipline. Mr. MACARTNEY urged the necessity of establishing one uniform system of discipline. • Or Lord PALMERSTON described the favourable operation the ticket of leave system. The excess on the estimate e' last year was caused chiefly by the increased price of Fr ° ' visions and clothing. Mr. SPOONER strongly objected to the sum for the payinO t of Roman Catholic priests attending convicts. He moved the omission of that item. Lord PALMERSTON said that as it happened we had a inl e t proportion of Roman esti': lira in this country, he thouglit 4 best that their religion should be treated with respect. Vi d e principle was ndt new, and it was in contemplation to ext eu the practice to all government prisons. Mr. SCHOLEFIELD briefly expressed his approval of the vote. Mr. NEWDEGATE at some length supported the view s ett' pressed by M r. Spooner. Mr. De umm OND spoke in favour of the payment of Ronie t Catholic priests in prisons. The principle of tolerationeuP to be extended to them in all things. After a few words from Mr. CROSSLEY and Mr. Honsra . 11 ; Mr. Fox supported the principal vote, though objecti e g the payment of any class of priests for their services prisons. The vote was supported by Mr. J. PHILLIMORE, and Or posed by Sir J. PA KI NI:I7'ON . Mr. Lucas replied at great length to Mr. Spooner Mr. MILES supported the amendment. Mr. MIAL.I. addressed a few words to the house, and 3ttr . SPOONER briefly replied. st The house then divided. For the amendment, 158 ; the amendment, 136: majority for Mr. Spooner's amen" went, 22. The result was received with loud cheering. FUNDS, STOCK, AND SHARE 'MARKET. Again an absence of business in the English market, ol d Consols, heavy throughout the day, closing 91i, Railways quiet. and generally a degree lower. Land, pant , and Mining Shares, flat. Crystal Palace, much depressea. closing at f pm. Foreign, inactive. CLOSING PRICES. 4 )04 6 Consols, Account .. 91} Bank Stock .......... seller.ss Do. Money—. } 91i EXCIT. Bills, L. tk 5... par 4 ply Three&ClrperCents 91f 2 I FOREIGN STOCKS. Mexicans 234 4 [Spanish Passives .... 44 ji Spanish Deferred ...... 6 Do. Threes 4oi Do. Fours RAILWAY Amberg.,Nottinglum, and E. Junction si Caledonian Do. Preference Eastern Counties East Lancashire 62 Edinburgh & Glasgow 58 60 Great Northern B9 90 Do. Great Western Lanc. an d Yorkshire 621 Do. Fifths London, Brighton, and South Coast lo2* MINING Novean Monde I.AND SHARES. diS AnstralianAgricultnral 42 4 Peel River ....... I .. -- S. Australian — Van Diemen's. ...... • S. Australian Invest N. 13. Australia. •" • • rn Weater n suda nAdisonscs. L w ee No si rt N he . London & S. Western Nlanches., Shelf., and -" Lincolnshire , Midland Stock 33 North British ....... • Do. Preference -- North Staffordshire .• 52 3 S. Eastern and Dove; York, Newcastle, and 62 i 'Pt .. yo ßr rekwanicdkN. Midland Do. Preference. ••• SHARES. CORN MARKET. We have a scanty show of English Wheat, Barley, 13° 1 and Peas, but the supplies of Foreign Wheat and Oat s ! , liberal. The Wheat trade opened very steadily, but th has been no advance. Foreign Is held firmly, but li la passing. Flour steady, at late rates •, barrelled is held , quite former terms. Fine Oats are fully as dear. Ba le° Beans, and Peas, are slow of sale. , ARRIVALS. English. Irish. Foreign. Wheat 960 2731 3 Barley Oats 1976 975 38015 Malt 2200 Beans Peas 73 218 1 855 eicg l 8 Flour Anil, 8 SECOND REPORT.—The Wheat trade closed very . 0 0 decline of Is. per qr. To effect sales of Foreign, a " s ' e sol abatement must have been accepted. but holders Tett p o i reduction. Flour fully as dear. Barley, Beans , an se e° unchanged. Fine Oats 6d. per qr. dearer. Callan' rather higher. CATTLE MARKET. t Ben Beasts, Lambs, and Calves, cheaper. Sheep did O wen, and in some Instances lower. Od A to 55 od Beef 35 Od to 5s Od 1 Pork 35 8 - 65 „ c i tO Mutton..... 3s 10d to 55 Od Lamb 55 Veal ARRI VA LS. .... • 330 Beasts 4298 l Calves ......... Sheep and Lambs Holland Beasts .................... • • 1510 Do. Sheep .......................... • • ';230 Do. Calves ............................ 36 Spanish Beasts ............................ 360 Do. Sheep ............................ 50 0 Scotch Beasts ............................ 0300 Norfolk and Suffolk Beasts ................ PRODUCE MARKET. m ot Sugar: In Foreign no improvement ; Fine, quiet.; m at Lumps, 455. 6d. to 465. Coffee: Plantation CeYlon at 545. to 745. ; Native, slow of sale, at 43 5. to 435. . demand increasing—Ordinary Congon Ild. to 1 1 _IMP dull—White Bengal, 12s. 3d. to 13s. 6d. Cotton: 5 mend ; prices are supported. . TALLOW MARKET. , St° oe . Tallow is in good request ; rates are maintaine";sr. 34,831 casks, against 23,791 casks same time last Y . ; yew liveries, 820 casks, against 1,194 casks same tim e laii` GLASGOW CORN MARKET. No alteration in any article of the corn trade. Agar' MANCHESTER STOCK EXCJL Crystal Palace, 64. LEEDS STOCK EXCHAIO. York Midland, tanAdT,NEosrtA.heßrwlsactilitie galel3.—:_The following ma, Marianne, Heuri e " t3 ' damaged :ro S eg r ec N Y i n th e M ve r), oriat. Cullode__ o ( f stea lcl i P se ' al“ f N ull au o til:us wofa P . t ; hr n e a ; e Castle WADS Wrnclie D ou r a nd Dund Z 8 TOWN, bale. HOBART M E e is f o o tr r : 14 E1 IA-RCH 9 of 1341 ' °- eolc a ll( ' the crew of In nellan sold for g 260; Earl _ fe d ; wr of the after a tedious passage. reached The clipper nortg Anue rer. - AILkAPG-10ET.—NT1TELie AlBlllBlGS:thae:'t. siel" the s Tu to bal Cain having set fire to . 1 9t1t -------.", ________ - --- - „ sley a ral- THE RIVINGTON WATBRWORSS.--"Alr. Haw,' er P° " #, on or about the Ist of January next ; eipates commencing to impound water in the low and Knowell are certain of being ready for him Dl_ ',, ii i i ir while Messrs. Miller and Lawton have no reason 0 ,.',,j. Calcutta on the otherwise, unless very bad weather enstalensdin3.ltehses:;:ell-ige?ltto; The reservoirs, it is calculated, will take nine ino%trael; fill laying he supply depths ate d, Mr. Docwrits e e si% of for the pipes extends over eighteen months, which are scarcely yet expired. About a mil° of th e pipin gk has been laid in communication with the Norwich elli'veg the reservoir ; and at this end about six miles of tt e ,h c ot. are already embedded from Green-lane towards ...1,,.904 The pipes cross the Lancashire and Yorkshire xv."....cer twice, at Blackrod and o under and once and it. Our reservoirs are to c ov er about 461 acres , ! P o f when full will contain about 464,000,000 cubic fe e ' __......./%1 HAYDN'S CREATIO'' PHILHARMONIC HALL• THIS EVENING (TUESDAY), the 13th Dotard- ADMISSION, ONE SHILLING• [See Advertisement.] LIVERPOOL : b y the Printed and Published every_Tuesdg morni n g'f No. 7 ' Proprietor, ROBERT PEARSON TRACKER, 00,risa Percy-street, at the STANDARD GENERA L , p r 'opolit OFFICE, No. 4, ST. GEQROX'a CROW; lA'fv Dodgy, hue 04154 it