The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-12-24 00:00:00

TO CORRESPONDI,2NTS. A correspondent, who signs himself " A Ratepaydr of Toxteth park," but for whose letter we cannot find room, suggests that, instead of en argine the present St. James's Market, it would be preferable, and, at the same time, more ecomanical, to erect another market further to the south of the park. lle says, if the Corporation would purchase the field above St. Joh., the Baptist's Church, say about five acres, from the Earl of Sefton, at a cost of about .ret 2,f700, and erect a market on the portion adj: , ining Park-road, extending to Essex-street, Church-street, and a new str' et on the oath side. occupying altogether an area of about 800 or 900 yards. tue remainder of the land, from its increased value for building purposes, NTOUM realise the full cost of the whole. About .t'5900, he thinks. would build a market sufficient for the wants of the district; whereas, to would be required for the proposed enlargement of St. James's Market. Such new market, he states, would be near the intended new landing slips at the south end of the town, and would accommodate the increasing population at the Potteries, the intended new yards at the south of the town, the Prince's Park, and the inhabitants of the neighbourhood. fie adds that since the site for St. James's Market was fined upon, the population of Toxteth-pa.k has increased by about 33,- , 0 inhabitants, and that another marke is required in the district where the in crease is principally located. We are not much in the habit of complaining, after the fashion of some of our contemporaries, of plagiarism from our columns without acknowledgment, although we have frequently sufficient occasion. But. when a whole column of otiginal description, which had cost us both expense, time, and trooble, is adopted without a word to intimate our claim to authorship, we cannot submit to the liberty with our usual philosophy. Last week the Macclesfield Courier copied verbatim our description of the course, revels, &c , of the. Birkenhead and Manchester Railway, and passed it off us his own. which was shabby, if intended. The worst of this practice is, that your extensive pilferers have seldom any thing in their columns with which we can make free in return. We have not been able to obtain the information sought for by " A Constant Reader." Ebr Zitnrpool TUESDAY MOR.NING, DEC. 24, 1844. Our publication of this day will be laid upon the breakfast tables of hundreds of our readers, whose hearts and thoughts are full of anticipations of the coming festivities of this festive season. The eve of Christmas ! How many hearths this night will shed their warmth and light upon happy faces, as sembled round them in joyous converse ! How many tongues will this night dilate upon happy events of the year now speeding to its close, and happy pros pects of the year which is to come ! How many fond parents will be gazing upon the matured fea tures of beloved children, brought once more for a brief period of holiday into the family circle ! How many will be listening with rapture whilst they tell over their schoolday triumphs, or touch rnayhap upon subjects more delicate and more em barrassing to the ingenuous mind of the young and the pure of soul ! The Eve of Christmas ! How many a loving heart will be this night sadly dwelling upon the tokens of decay in some endeared form— how many an eye watching the dimmed expression, the furrowed cheek, the stooping form, of those whose mature strength and anxious care have shel tered them in their passage through this weary world, and looking back the while, through the dim vista of bygone years, to a period when life's pro spects were brighter—when the loved ones, now hovering on the verge of the grave, were in their young beauty, or in their prime, and their firm hold upon the world and its joys and possessions seemed to defy the envious hand of Time to launch his dart against them! How many may be marking the seat, now vacant, at the Christmas board, which last year was occupied by some dear one, full of lusty youth or mature health !—but pause we here. "It is good for us to go down into the house of mourn ing ;" but ours shall not be now the task to start afresh the tear which the hand of Time has dried, or to bring a fresh pang to hearts whose beatings resignation has stilled. We have, however, a few words to offer to our readers, which may possibly excite thoughts not pleasurable and regrets which may mar the other wise unclouded joy of a thoughtless hour. We have to remind the lighthearted, the prosperous, and the happy, who are now looking forward to a succession of mirthful days in prosp et, that there are those, in this world of our 3, to whose dreary lot the Eve of Christmas brings no alleviation--to whose heavy hearts it brings not even a hope of better things—to whose tear-dimmed eyes the em blems of our Christmas festivities, the holly and the mistletoe, bring only added and bitter floods—in whose ears the mirthful music, heard through many a well-barred window, are but a mockery of their misery. Before we meet, then, around our cheerful hearths—before we shut ourselves up in the selfish ness of our enjoyments—before we raise the Christ mas hymn, and resign ourselves to the deluding thought that we are performing all that is expected from us, as Christians, when to-morrow we wel come, with prayer and thanksgiving, the coming of the Star of Bethlehem—let us ask ourselves," What have we done, each in our several spheres, to dry the tears or to lighten the hearts of these outcasts from joy and rest? What widow blesses us ?—what aged man's eyes overflow at the thought of our bounty ?—what orphan tongue thanks us for a shel tering roof and a plentiful meal ?" Alas! these are questions to which too many of us, we fear, will receive replies from conscience little calculated to satisfy the heart. We may point to our vast commerce, to our warehouses loaded with merchandise, to our mills and to our work shops, and exclaim, " How many- thousands have these maintained in competence through the past year !" But if this is all of which we can boast, it will scarcely suffice to still the whisperings of the accusing spirit. We may point to our munificent charities—to our names emblazoned within the walls of hospitals and colleges; but even these will not avail us much. We may boast that we expend freely our means, thus giving employment to in dustry ; but, alas ! the motive—the motive of such liberality I The very extravagancies which we call charity are too often made up of selfishness and an avaricious spirit, and seldom extend their benefits to those who most stand in need of our sympathies. View the rich dress which adorns the fair form of Some youthful beauty. "There," the worldling may exclaim, " is at least no evidence of a grudging, griping spirit !" But, turn your eyes, reader, upon another scene. Follow the feeble footsteps of that pale young girl, as, half-clad and half-fed, she pro ceeds, shivering, to her home, in the bitter cold of this joyous Christmas Eve. Her hands fashioned the gorgeous dress of that proud beauty ; her at tenuated frame was bent over it for sixteen or eighteen hours in the day: and yet, what a wretched remuneration for her young bloom wasted does she bring home to the miserable room which shelters her, although it cannot warm her, during the few hours of worn-out nature which she is permitted to spend out of the crowded and heated work-room! What a " merry Christmas" is this to her ! And yet such is the poor result of the bulk of that charity which consists in the liberal indulgence of our per sonal vanity and love of ostentation. We have made foi ourselves a different world and a different atmosphere from those in which the humble worker , toils and suffers ; we have set up a griping minister of our charities, a sordid " putter out" of the em ployment which we offer; and we resolutely shut our eyes to a knowledge of the miserable amount of the pittance which finds its way from the brilliantly lighted and splendidly-adorned shop—in which we delight to feast our eyes upon the magnificent pro ductions of pa ient industry and ingenuity—to the humble hands by which they are wrought. " The poor ye have always with you," said one who was himself poor and humble for our sakes; and yet Christian men and women strive unceasingly to forget that there are such beings at their very doors, made of the same clay of which God made us all. Oh, what a different world would this be if wealth and even competence would know and perform their duties to humble poverty ! How many a cold hearth would this night be warm ! how many a sunken eye beaming with light ! how many a heavy heart throbbing with happiness ! Readers, we ask you to think over these things before you sit down, on this eve of Christmas, to its cheer and its joyous ness. Ask yourselves, strangers though you have made yourselves to their wants, their sufferings, their natures, if even yet there is no deserving fa mily near you whom your bounty might make happy to-morrow around their own hearths, and your constant kindness and protection, during the year to come, might raise to permanent comfort, and the indulgen i ce of a b e tt er di s p os iti on , t owa rd s their su periors n Worldly station, than we fear now animates them. We have said our brief say; and now conclude by wishing to our indulgent readers " A Merry Christmas." They may yet earn happier reflections for to-morrow, and the blessing of some fellow worm, if they have neglected to earn them already. It is a lamentable infirmity, attending the oratory of gentlemen possessed of a certain quantity of brains and a negative quantity of discretion, that, when they enter upon the advocacy of any particular measure, they invariably prove too much. Such infirmity we have often noticed as characterising the proceedings of the oratorical amongst our neigh bours of Manchester. Wind them up for any pub lic occasion; and, like ill-regulated specimens of clock-work, they run themselves down, after having proved, not only what they set about proving, but just as much beyond the question, or to the con trary of their chosen position, as the durance of their wind or the length of their chain will permit. A striking instance of this infirmity is before us, in the proceedings of a " borough meeting," held in Manchester on Tuesday last, for the purpose of pro moting the repeal of the tax on cotton wool. \‘' e have again and again expressed our own sense of the impolicy of that tax. We have urged it at a time when the manufacturers and spinners of Man chester were not only indifferent with respect to the advantages which its repeal was to confer upon themselves and the public, but when they obstinately set their faces against any measures directly calcu lated to alleviate the distress and depression, under which the commerce of the country laboured ; and when, in the hope of coercing the legislature to grant their favourite specific—a repeal of the Corn-laws — they welcomed, with absolute rapture, every fresh development of that distress. We raised our voice at a time when the town of Manchester was for 24 hours in the possession of an excited mob, and when, nevertheless, not a merchant nor a manufac turer in Manchester even mooted this very ques tion, which we now find is one of the most vital questions for the legislature to deal with in their be half. We claim, therefore, for ourselves the merit of consistency and forethought, as well as of a sin cere desire to procure the boon, now agitated for, of a repeal of the cotton duty; and we cannot, there fore, be accused of a desire to impede the success of such a movement when we state our thorough con viction that nothing is more calculated to produce such a result, and to injure in the public estimation the standing of the cotton manufacturers of Great Britain in the eyes of Parliament and of the country, than spouting such as that which formed the staple of the proceedings of the meeting under notice. Undoubtedly a strong case would have been made out by the speakers in favour of the repeal of the tax in question, had the speakers chosen to limit themselves to that object. Mr. R. H. Greg sheaved that it presented a serious hindrance to the attempts of the British manufacturer to compete with the fo reigner, in his own or in neutral markets. The American manufacturer, he chewed, possessed, by the saving enjoyed by him in freight, insurance, and duty, an advantage over the British manufacturer in the production of coarse fabrics, of " from 25 to 30 per cent ;" and has already dispossessed us of the greater portion of our trade in these articles with the Indian, the South American, the Chinese, and even the Canadian markets. Unfortunately the statement is true in the main, although a little ex aggerated. American domestics and heavy cottons do occupy largely the space in foreign markets once filled up by British goods, but we cannot admit that such circumstance is altogether attributable to their superior cheapness, and are rather more inclined to impute it to the superior reputation of the American manufacturer for producing an honest article. The cost of the raw material is certainly less in the Uni ted States than in this country; but when we bear in mind the greater cheapness of production in Great Britain, the alleged advantage of the American ma nufacturer appears to us a little over-estimated at "25t0 30 per cent." Nor is it easy to reconcile this and the rest of Mr. Greg's statements and authorities with the following extract from a letter produced by him, dated "New England, 15th Nov. 1844. " Upon this basis, it is clear that we can undersell you in yarn. You will ask, if such is the case, why have we not gone into that branch ? We answer, first, that while cloth pvys 15. 20, and 25 per cent., it has not been thought expedient to make yarn." Manufacturers who realise extravagant profits like the above ought not to be such very dangerous competitors with our own. The attempt made here to prove too much rather inclines us to doubt the correctness of the remaining positions of the speaker. - Admitting, however, the views of Mr. Greg and others to be correct, what is the conclusion to which they bring us ? Why that no mere repeal of the cotton duties c m restore to us this particular branch of manufactures, of whose loss we complain. Take away the impost of ten per cent., which the cotton duty forms, the American manufacturer will still, according to Mr. Greg's own shewing, have an ad vantage over us, in the manufacture of heavy fabrics, of 15 to 20 per cent., a circumstance which might induce a statesman to go the length of refusing al together the boon required, when the beneficial result must be so inconsiderable compared with the sacrifice of revenue to. be made, and when there are so many claimants of similar favours, each of whom can make out quite as good a case. Another speaker, however, Mr. Robert Gardner, throws far more light than Mr. Greg has done upon the nature and motives of the present movement for a repeal of this tax, so far as the manufacturing interest is concerned. The demand for a repeal of the cotton duties is only a portion of an attempt to get rid of every tax which, however remotely, stands between that interest and its ambition to absorb the trade of the whole world. Repeal this duty, then, and what next ? It will be, by the admission of these gentlemen themselves, insufficient to enable them to undersell the American manufacturers ; and the further steps, to insure such a consummation, cannot be better described than in the words of Mr. Gardner himself. "If," said the speaker, "English manufacturers were not able to compete with their rivals in foreign markets, they put their wits to a stretch to ascertain how they could reduce the cost of production,"—(mark the admission reader and its bearing upon the League's outcry for a repeal of the Corn-laws !)—" and as the spinner and the weaver were perhaps the least capable of protecting themselves, the reduction would probably first come upon them."—(Candid, indeed, most philanthropic free-trader !) "If the reduction in wages did not enable the manufacturers to meet their competitors in foreign markets, the neat reduction must come upon manufacturers' profits,"—(aye, there's the sore point !) " and then the next upon the wear and tear and the interest of machinery. ' But to avoid the dire necessity of a reduction in " manufacturers' profits" or " interest of machinery;" we must be asked to repeal the Corn-laws, take the duty off tea, coffee, sugar, every thing which can be imported in exchange for cotton goods, and the reduced cost of which will aid in the attainment of that great object for which Mr. Gardner tells us that manufacturers " put their wits to stretch," viz., ' 6 cheapness of production!" We are not at all inclined to under-estimate the value to this country of the cotton manufacture. We have already expressed ourselves in favour of a repeal of the duty on the raw material. But we cannot, whilst contending for this concession, admit the validity of the claim put forward by the manu facturer, that whenever, and by whatever circum stances, he ceases to be able to meet competition in foreign markets, he is entitled to the aid of the legislature, and the whole system of our revenue laws is to be broken in upon for his benefit. What is such a demand but a demand for protection—in a modified shape, it. is true, but still, substantially, protection ? And under what circumstances is this demand now made ? It is admitted, on all hands, that the cotton trade was never more prosperous than at the present moment—that never was money being more rapidly amassed by the manufacturers than it has been during the past twelve months. A new world has just been opened to their enterprise; and, to enable them to supply it, new mills and new machinery are springing up in every manufacturing town, village, and hamlet. And yet, because these men, who are absolutely gorging themselves with wealth, cannot grasp the wealth of the whole earth at once—because other nations are able to enjoy a pitiful fraction of its commerce—we are to pander to their avarice, although it may lead us to peril the national honour itself. We cannot recognise the propriety of such a claim. We cannot believe that it is consistent with the justice of the Almighty Disposer of all things, that this nation should be the workshop of the whole world, and monopolise its supply with manufactured fabrics, any more than it is in accordance with that benign wisdom which has given to every land the climate and fer tility, the soil and the minerals, the herbs and fruits, most suited for the necessities of its inhabitants, that one portion of the earth should he a productive garden and the remainder left a wilderness. This may be unfashionable and unphilosophical doctrine, but it is not the less likely to be true on that ac count. Pudsey Dawson, Esq. of Hornby Castle, is to be the high sheriff for this county for the year ensuing. The Rev. Wray R. Hunt, A. 8., has been licensed by the Bishop of Chester to the ministry of St. Saviour's in this town with the sanction of the rectors, on the unani mous call of the congregation. THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. LIVERPOOL DISTRICT COURT OF BANK- RUPT CY.-YESTERDAY. MESSENGERS' BILLS IN INSOLVENCY The public may have observed that during the last few days, a letter, signed a " Solicitor," has been going the round of the Liverpool papers, charging the messengers of the Court of Bankruptcy with making extortionate charges to solicitors employed by insolvents, in what is termed " messengers' fees." The charge went to show t hat they (the messengers) exacted the enormous sum of £3 14s. Od. for advertising alone; and that they had, moreover, made a bargain with a newspaper to put in these advertisements at one-half the price usually paid by solicitors before the passing of the late act, the infer ence being that the messengers put the other half into their pockets. AIr.GAsKELL, one of the messengers, on behalf of him self and the other messengers, denied the truth of these grave assertions, and called upon the anonymous solicitor to come forward and substantiate them before the Com missioners. The solicitor, in reply to this, in the same paper which originally brought forth the charges, con sidered being called upon to substantiate a very easy and convenient mode of meeting charges on the part of the messenger," at the same time sending his card to the paper, on which was inscribed " Green, solicitor." It subsequently appeared that the letters of Mr. G; een re ferred to a case of insolvency ; a person named Bleakley, whose petition, &c., he took into the Bankruptcy Court, requiring the messenger to advertise and do the ordinary duties on receiving the insolvent's petition. This, the messenger refused to do without the fees were paid down, amounting in all to £3 145., unless he was ordered by the Commissioner (who was then sitting) to do so. Mr. Green did not apply to the Commissioner, and the necessary advertisements (by the insertion of which in the Gazette and papers, a locus standi for the insolvent could be obtained) were withheld, and yesterday was the day appointed for the insolvent's first hearing.— Mr. Green then complained to the commissioner that the messenger had refused to insert the necessary advertise ments. Mr. Commissioner PHILLIPS enquired from the mes senger, (Mr. Gaskell,) why the advertisements were not inserted: The Messenger said that Mr. Green owed him upwards of £lO for fees, and that he had refused to send any more advertisements to the Gazette or elsewhere, unless a de posit of £3 14s. was made. Mr. GREEN replied, that he did not owe the messen ger a farthing, as he considered his charges were un warranted. Mr. DODGE, the solicitor, then rose, and said that the real facts of the case were these :—On Friday week, Mr. Green went to the messenger, and desired him to insert the advertisement of an insolvent named Bleakley ; the messen er refused, unless he paid the fees, which he un derstood amounted to £3 14s. Mr. Green then tendered him £1 for the first advertisement and fees, which the messenger also refused. Now he (Mr. Dodge) thought that the proper cuurse to have pursued was, to have ap pealed to his Honour the Commissioner who was sitting at the time, and then if the messenger was doing wrong he could have been brought before him, instead of which Mr. Green left the court and wrote a letter in the Liver pool Hail, which he then held in his hand, bringing charges against the messengers, the statements in which were denied by Mr. Gaskell as being wholly devoid of truth. Mr. Commissioner PHILLIPS said that he could not listen to any newspaper letters. Mr. Green could not be responsible for what a newspaper had put forth. Mr. DODGE said that Mr. Green had admitted being the author. Mr. Commissioner PHILLIPS thought that Mr. Green's proper course would have been that which Mr. Dodge had laid down, viz., to have applied to the Commis.ioners, for neither himself nor Mr. Sergeant Ludlow would tole rate any thing that was wrong on the part of the officers of the court. A newspaper could not be a proper tribunal to appeal to in such matters. Mr. GREEN said, that he thought the charges of the messenger were most extortionate and illegal. Mr. Commissoner PRILLirs said, that he thought that the charges of the messenger ought to be paid before be put in the first advertisement. A messenger must be rich indeed if he could afford to advance money for every insolvent who came into the court. Mr. GREEN contended that the act of parliament stated that the Commissioners should cause notice of the filing of the petition to be inserted in the London Gazette and the local newspapers, and that nothing was said in the act relating to paying the fees to messengers before hand. Mr. GASKELL, the messenger, said that he should be very glad to explain bow the fees amounted to £3 14s. The COMMISSIONER stated that he conceived the ques tion of fees was for the officer below him to regulate— viz., the Registrar. He would leave the matter to him, and he could report the result. Mr. DODGE said that as the messenger's character had been attacked in the letters referred to, he would wish the scale of fees to be investigated. Mr. Commissioner PHILLIP 3 said the matter was left to the Registrar. And here the affair ended. The insolvent's case was then postponed for a week, in consequence of the non-insertion of the advertisements. LISCARD SCHOOLS.—An examination of the children belonging to the schools took place on Wednesday last, and was attended by a numerous and respectable body of friends, among whom were the Hon. Mrs. Kenyon and family, who were highly pleased with the improvements which had taken place since previous examinations in the education of the children—great praise being due to Miss Wells and Miss Price for their attention to the children entrusted to their care. On the re-opening of the school after vacation, a treat will be given to the children by the Rev. J. Tobin, consisting of bun, loaf, &c. TYPOGRAPHIC PLANS.—A short time ago we noticed the very beautiful and novel plan of Birkenhead, which had been published by the Proprietors of the LIVERPOOL STANDARD. We have now been favoured with an early copy of a remarkably well-executed plan of the present and intended docks at Liverpool, and also a plan of the proposed Railway Tunnel from Waterloo Dock to Edge Hill, in that town, to be circulated with the STANDARD to-day. It is a very clever specimen of the application of typography to this purpose, and does great credit, not only to the care and skill of the printer, but also to the liberality and public spirit of the publishers.—Chester Courant. _ _ V -- THE MARINER'S CHURCH SCHOOL.—Yesterday, the half. yearly examination of the female children of this school took place in the Floating Church, George's Dock, before the Rev. Mr. Maynard, the incumbent,—who takes an unwearied interest in their advancement,—and a con s'derable number of visitors. About sixty children, all neatly attired, attended, and acquitted themselves in a manner that fully evinced the great attention they had paid to the able and assiduous instructions of Miss Maxwell, their principal teacher, and of Miss Brewer, her very young but able assistant. A considerable part of the examination was conducted by the rev. gentleman himself, who, from time to time, in the kindliest terms, impressed upon his juvenile hearers the importance of abiding by the virtuous and self-denying precepts inculcated by the several passages from Scripture read or repeated from memory. The junior classes commenced by recit ing successive verses of sacred poetry; readings, succeeded by questions upon them, followed, which were answered with prompitude and accuracy, shewing the great pains that had been taken in their tuition. The higher class were next examined with equal effect on Scriptural facts. In the geography of the Holy Land, and finally of the world, the whole evinced remarkable precision, even in details. Spelling, with meanings, and parsing were handled with equal ease. The copy-books exhibited much im provement in the general manuscript of the pupils, who also shewed much proficiency in the common rules of arithmetic. Several beautiful and affecting pieces of poetry appropriate to the occasion were recited in an impressive manner by girls of various ages. The whole concluded by a hymn "On Leaving School." At the close, buns were distributed, and the gratified scholars broke up for the holidays, _ MEETING OF OPERATIVES CONNECTED WITH THE IRON TRADE.—Last night, a meeting took place at the Nelson•street Assembly-room, of the workers in iron, in this town—mechanics, engineers, millwrights, moulders, smiths, and boiler-makers—for the purpose of forming a branch union with the original club of the same trades in Manchester, for the protection of their labour. The principal speakers were from Manchester, and had come as a deputation to invite their fellow-workmen here to hear an exposition of their views. The room was well attended by well-dressed mechanics. Mr. Ro binson, of Manchester, took the chair, and in open ing the business read some documents, showing that the masters had formed a union which he believed had for its final cbject a reduction of the wages of their men. The printed circular purported to be signed by several respectable firms in this town and elsewhere. Another circular was also read from the secretary of the masters' association of this town to the effect that if the re gulations of the masters were not complied with the men would be discharged. He observed that the ob ject was to break up all unions of the men, even benefit societies if at all connected with the regulations of their trade, and reduce them to a state of bondage. The other speakers, Messrs. Roberts, Roche, Cornforth, Shep pard, Homle, and others spoke at great length, with much animation and no little eloquence against the union of the masters, but expressed a feeling of respect to them as such, and a wish, if possible, to accommodate matters ; but a determination, if that could not be effected, to stand out to the last—especially against what they termed a " quittance " paper on leaving their service, which they all alleged would leave them destitute of employment afterwards, as it was to the effect that they had left in consequence of being discon tented with the wages they bad received, so that no other master would employ them, of which there were already many instances. They also complained of misrepresen tations in a letter in the Journal, to the effect that the society had not carried out the objects for which it was in stituted, whereas the Manchester union had since its for mation-1837 to 1844 inclusive—paid £12,600 to sick members, £24,000 to men travelling in search of employ. ment, £l,OOO to members injured by accidents, £l,OOO to aged members (above 60 yerrs of age), and £3OOO for funerals. Resolutions were passed-Ist, to tne effec t that the mechanics present (of Liverpool) should form a branch of the Great Protection Society of Gt. Britain and Ireland ; 2d,that the society adopt the principles laid down in the rules of the mechanical trades of the union in Man chester ; 3dly, that 3 members of each of the 6 trades named should meet to choose a committee to consist of 15. A Mr. Dixon, who stated he had been brought up in a coal pit, addressed the meeting with great vigour and eloquence. It was stated that several masters had withdrawn from the masters' union, and a vote o f thanks was returned to them. _ _ WRITING, &c.—Adults, who write indifferently, would do well to take a few lessons from Mr. Thompson, Clay ton-square. His plan is novel, simple, and ingenious, and admirably calculated to secure the attainment of fine penmanship.—See adv. POLYTECHNIC SOCIETY.-NEW MARINER'S CONIPASS. At the last monthly meeting of this society, the Presi dent, Mr. Grandam, exhibited a new mariner's compass, invented by Commander West, 11. N. The advantages proposed are twofold : first, to reduce the oscillating, and, secondly, the rotatory motion of the card when in a heavy sea. To reduce the oscillating motion, a small ivory ring is attached to the under side of the card, and about two inches below it, by wires. This ring surrounds the pivot on which the card revolves, and only allows as much side motion as the difference between the diameter of the ring and of the pivot. To reduce the rotatory mils, tion, two very thin pieces of horn are placed, also, on the lower side of the card, and perpendicular to its plane. These present a broad surface to the air as the card re volves, and tend to check its motion. Lieut. Lord had tried the compass at the Light-ships and in small boats, and expressed a favourable opinion of it. Several experi ments were tried at the meeting to enable the members to form some idea of its merits compared with the com mon compass, and also with the beautiful new compasses now extensively sold by Messrs. Jones, Eray, and Keane, of this town. From the results thus shewn, it did not appear that the ivory ring was any advantage, but, on the contrary, rather added to the motion of the card. The President, however, cautioned the meeting against form ing a decided opinion from these trials, as they possessed very imperfect modes of testing it. The horn fans did shew some favourable results. A rotatory motion was gis en to the card, and the vibrations were counted. With the fans properly set, it made only seven vibrations before coming to a state of rest ; with the fans laid flat on the card, it made eight ; and when altogether removed, it made nine vibrations ;—thus shewing that light paper or horn fans might be advantageously employed. At the conclusion of the meeting the president gave his accustomed annual address, in accordance with the rules of the society. He spoke at some length of the progress and general success of the society. II e said he was aware that a great change had taken place in public feeling with respect to scientific societies, only a few years back, lec tures on chemistry, mechanics, &c., would attract crowded audiences, every man thought he could become acquainted with the arts and sciences through these means, but the novelty soon wore off, the public became as well acquaint ed as the lecturer himself with all the beautiful experi ments and models which he had to exhibit,—but little or no progress had been made in the elements of the study itself, and the consequent disappointment caused a corres ponding reaction—and now our lecture-halls are to he made places of amusement before an audience can be ob tained. He hoped, however, that better things were at hand and that more solid results were about being obtained. He only alluded to the above fact to make a favourable contrast with the society over which he presided. Their pursuits were purely of a practical nature and much solid benefit had been derived from them. Having warmly thanked the members for their uniform kindness and sup port during the tour years in which he had been at their head, he said, that he felt himself under the necessity of declining to be re-elected to the high office he held, should that again be their intention, and hoped the members would come prepared at the next meeting, with a fresh candidate for the honour. To fulfil the office properly, it was necessary to give considerable time and thought to its affairs, and having undertaken numerous heavy and responsible duties, he thought, in justice to himself and to those who had entrusted their property to his charge, he ought not to engage in any occupation, however flat tering to his own feelings, that could distract his attention or occupy h:s time. PROPOSED DOCKS IN TRANNIERE POOL. In another part of the paper we present to our readers a typographic plan of the new dock proposed to be formed upon the site of Tranmere POol. Its main features will require little description at our hands. The entrance, it will be seen, is through a gut 70 feet wide, with double gates, the silts .of which will be sunk nine feet below the Old Dock sill, and which will afford ingress and egress to the largest of our sea-going steamers. On the south side of the gut is a quay of 100 feet in width running round the east end of the dock and about two-thirds the length of its south side, upon which it abuts upon the present Tranmere slip, which, with that of Birkenhead, will be left untouched. The projecting gut on the north side of the dock covers the site of the canal now forming by Mr. Gilbertson ; and the west side affords space for additional quays. building yards, or dry docks, as may be found most desirable. The total water space afforded is 11 acres 1980 yards, in addition to which the open basin at the mouth of the gut is proposed to be deepened to 9 feet below the Old Dock sill. Two other plins have been lodged by the projector of the scheme, Mr. Chamberlain, vary ing in details and form ; but that which we have given is, we believe, the plan which meets with preference. The estimated expense, we learn, is somewhere about £60,000, and the engineer is Mr. John Hartley, son of the dock surveyor of this port. It will be observed, by the report of the proceedings of the dock committee, on Thursday last, that the whole of these plans have been submitted to their inspection ; and that without pledging themselves with respect to the course to be adopted towards them, they evidently regard the project with no disfavour. On the other hand, looking at the valuable property, possessed by the corporation on the north side of the pool, including the Birkenhead Ferry and estate, that body cannot look upon a project, whose success must tend materially to increase the value of such property, with a hostile eye. It is probable, therefore, that no material local objection will be offered before par liament, provided, however, that the scheme can be car ried out without abstracting any portion of the tidal water at present discharged from the pool, on which ground the dock committee, last session of parliament, based principally their opposition to the Wallasey plans. It is said, we know not with what degree of truth, that the acting conservator of the river, on the part of the admi ralty, has set his face against the scheme, being of opinion that the volume of water held by the pool in its present state cannot be furnished. This, ho•vever, is a question of practical engineering which we should think could easily be got over, when the now greatly reduced capacity of the pool is considered. _ _ It has occurred to us, and we dare say will suggest itself to many, that a scheme so feasible in its details, and so comparatively inexpensive, ought not to be allowed by the authorities of Liverpool to pass entirely out of their hands ; and th.,t they ought rather to become parties to its construction than to oppose it. We suggest this, not solely because of the operation which its success must have upon the value of their extensive estate in its neigh bourhood, but as calculated in itself to be of great utility to the general trade of the port, whilst it cannot be re garded as calculated to damage the interests of the docks of Liverpool. It may be argued that this would be a course full of inconsistency, after the opposition offered to the Wallasey Docks. We do not think that the pub lic at large, or the shipowners and merchants of the port, will regard it as such. There is no great danger here of any serious diminution of the tidal waters and consequent decreased action upon the banks outside. There is no extensive beaching ground abstracted from the shipping of the river; and rather than regard the adoption of this project by the dock committee as an inconsistency, we much question if three-fourths of the intelligent public have not for years past been directing their attention to this particular locality as the spot on which docks on the Cheshire side of the Mersey should be erected, if required at all. We leave this matter for better judgments than our own to decide upon. MESSENGERS OF THE:COURT OF BANKRUPTCY. TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. Sin,—A letter signed "A Solicitor" has appeared in the Liverpool Mail and Courier, stating that the mes sengers of the Court of Bankruptcy exact the enormous sum of £3 l4s. in every insolvent case, for advertisements alone. Mr. Green, a solicitor practising in insolvency, having acknowledged to my solicitor that he is the author, I shall feel obliged by your doing me the justice to insert the following items of a messenger's bill, so that the pub lic may judge between us, and so dispense with my giving the unpleasant denial in more direct terms. If truth travelled as rapidly as fiction, I would not have tres passed on your valuable columns. MESSENGER'S BILL IN INSOLVENCY. INTERIM ORDER. o 11 0 0 0 1 Advertisement in London Gazette . Postage Copy of Gazette for file. 0 2 10 Messenger's fee for preparing advertisement for Gazette * Advertisement in newspaper 0 9 6 We pay sometimes as much as 12s. or 15s. ac cording to the length, but make no extra charge. Copy of newspaper for fi1e...... Messenger's fee for preparing advertisement for newspapers £1 10 6 The whole of the above business to be repeated for the final order of the insolvent, viz .... 1 10 6 £3 1 0 Examining insolvent's property, and the whole of the charge of the messenger through the insolvency, as allowed by the court 0 13 4 £3 14 4 I may add that the messengers are bound to find pens, ink, paper, and attendance at all their meetings and ad journed meetings in the Court, for which they are al lowed—nothing. Your obedient servant, L. T. GASKILL, Messenger to the Di.trict Court of Bankruptcy. * In Bleakley's (case of Mr. Green's) the Mercury's charge for the Insertion of the advertisement is 10s. 6d. THE FUNDS, SATURDAY NlGHT.—Business at the Stock Exchange, though not particularly brisk, to-day was sufficiently good to give prices an improved appear ance, and Exchequer-bills rose to 635. to 655. p.m. Con sols for the account left off 100+; Bank Stock, 2081 to 2094 ; Three per Cents. Reduced, 11)04 to ; Three-and a-Quarter per Cents., 1031 to s ; Long Annuities, 12 1-16; and India Bonds, 745. to 78s. premium.—ln the foreign house a good deal of speculation was going for ward, and the general movement seemed to be in favour of a rise. Spanish Stock was particularly buoyant. the Five per Cents. leaving off 264 to 1-, and the Three per Cents, 381 to 4 ; Russian closed 119 to 120 ; Peruvian, 29 to 30; Portuguese, 584 to 594; Mexican, 361 to t ; Dutch Two-and-a-Half per Cents., En to 641 ; the Five per Cents., 994 to a ; Danish, 89 to 90 ; Colombian, 141 to 4; Chilian, 99i to 100 i • Buenos Ayres, 37 to 38; Brazilian, 831 to 894; and Belgian, 102 to 103. PROSPEROUS STATE OF THE REVENUE OF THE LI VERPOOL CORPORATION.—The reduction going on in the bonded debt of this estate, from the recent sales made to the Dock Commissioners of Wallasey and to our own Dock Committee, promises very shortly to place the Corporation of Liverpool in possession of a large surplus revenue, to be expended in the improvement of the town, and in advancing the health and comfort of its inhabitants. On Friday last £45,000 was paid on account of the pur chase in Wallasey Pool ; another sum of £25,000 is to be paid in the beginning of the present week, and the balance of the whole amount of £260,000 on the 31st of December. This, with the deposit of 10 per cent., already paid, will make the entire amount received by the Corporation from this property during the present year.£2B6,ooo, in addition tothe interest which has accrued since its sale, making in round numbers nearly £300,000, by which the amount of the bonded debt of the estate may be diminished. The amount of the sales to the Liverpool Dock Committee, in all £254,000, paid for in dock bonds at 3& per cent., will make a present reduction in the bonded debt, from these two sources alone, of, in round numbers, £550,000, or, in other words, increase the ordinary income of the estate by £17,000 to £lB,OOO per annum. THE WEATHER.—After a few days of thaw, with occa sional slight showers, succeeding the severe cold of the previous week, a change took place on Thursday night, and a fine black frost gradually set in with, for the most part, a clear and bracir ' , atmosphere. By Saturday, which was a remarkable fine winter's day, the skaters were again busy at their recreation on the pits and lakes in the neighbourhood, the ice having attained considerable strength. It is remarkable that though in the beginning of this frost there was here only a light breeze from about the east-north-east, strong easterly gales were experienced on the eastern coast of Ireland, and several vessels were lost or damaged, including a fine barque outward bound from this part, stranded near Dublin. Sunday was a fine clear day, and so was yesterday, the frost continuing. SOUTHERN AND TOXTETH HOSPITAL.—On Sunday morning last, after a most eloquent and touching appeal from the Rev. Hugh Wlsleile, the sum of £67 was collected at St. .iude's Church in aid of the funds of the Southern Hospital. The reverend gentleman made a most appropriate allusion to the recent meeting at which so many congratulations were offered about the anticipated extension of our commerce ; and argued, that as we must therefore necessarily increase our dock room, timber yards, forges, &c., and in consequence multiply propor tionately the number of casualties, we were bound to en large the spheres of our benevolence, and provide, pro tank), more accommodation, with every other requi-ite for the immediate relief of those who may suffer from such calamities. THE ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-SIXTH ANNIVER SARY OF THE SHUTTING OF THE GATES OF DERRY.— The commemoration of this great event in the annals of Derry, and in the pag of British history, was this year conducted with an energy and enthusiasm worthy of our palmiest days.—Although the spirit of discouragement for some years past has presided supreme among many who ought to encourage and perpetuate the recollection of the great and noble exploits that decided the glorious Revolution ; and although, in too many cases, the ill concealed dislike to the principles then eaunciated and established has exhibited itself in successless censure against the celebration of,those deeds of glory ; the ar dour and fervent zeal of the youthful citizens of Derry have become strengthened and confirmed during those times wherein the friends of the British Constitution looked upon the ascendency of adverse principles. Dur ing the day (the 18th December), cannons were fired, colours were seen on the public buildings, and an im mense procession was formed to the Cathedral, where a sermon was preached by the Rev. J. Graham. In the afternoon, the burning of an effigy of " Lundy the trai tor" took place, and in the evening, the apprentice boys sat down to an excellent dinner. NEW MUSIC. Do you ever List to Music. Leoni Lee, Albemarle-street, London ; James Smith, Bold-street ; Liverpool. An excellent and truly pathetic song, illustrative of the tender feelings; the words and music by Mr. Joseph Robinson, who, we learn, is about to be located amongst us ; dedicated, by permission, to the Countess de Grey, and admirably adapted to the piano accompaniments. The words, as also the music, will, we predict, become po pular : Do you ever list to music, At the silent hour of eve, When all nature is reposing?— Oh ! 'tis then the heat t cloth heave 'Tie then the soul expandeth, When it hears those notes divine; They expel all wordly visions, Unto which we oft incli ,e. If the mind is torn by sorrow, Or misfortune's chequer's! shade, Then, oh ! then 'tis music's sweetness Makes the heart cease to upbraid : In the hour of mental anguish, There is nought to me so dear As the sound of music wailing, When it steals upon mine ear. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. TATTERSALL'S,—THURSDAY. A very thin attendance, and only the following bets laid:— CHESTER CUP. 500 to 10 agst Pagan. 1000 to 20 agst Corranna,looo to 20 agst Rowena, and 1000 to 30 agst Aristides. Offers to take 40 to 10 about Winesour. DERBY. 850 to 50 agst Icas, 1000 to 30 agst Old England, 2000 to 60 agst Ironmaster, with a qualification ; 4000 to 100 agst Fitz Allen, 500 to 10 agst Cabin Boy, 350 to 10 agst Laird o'Cockpen ; 1000 even between Anti-R"pealer and the colt out of Calypso's dam. Offers to lay 20 or 22 to I about Ram, and to lay 30 or take 33 to 1 about the colt out of Calypso's data. CREWE SCHOOLS. —A public examination of the chil dren educated in the schools, erected by the directors of the Grand Junction Railway Company at Crewe, for their workmen's children, took place on Friday last, in their respective school rooms, when were present J. Moss, Esq., his lady, and Miss Moss, who take a great interest in these schools, the Rev. J. Simeuck, chaplain, the Rev. J. Cooper, rector of Coppenball, with other ladies and gentlemen, besides a large number of the parents and friends of the children. This being the first examination it excited considerable interest. The infants' school was the first her,lwt with h a t s delightful heirhapp to yfac ee es s ,be n a i m n i e n ty g with docile intelligence, and answering questions that would puzzle many an adult, p rov i ng t h e va l ue o f t h e in structions of Miss Davis, their kind teacher. This, as well as the other school rooms for the boy s an d g i r l s , was tastefully decorated with evergreens, indicative of the coining Christmas, and presenting a delightful and poeti cal effect, wreathing as they did the scriptural pictures, doctrines, precepts, and aphorisms, which adorned the walls of this truly college for babes. The visiters next proceeded to the girls' school, which is under the manage ment of Miss Armstrong, who is deserving of every praise for the manner in which her pupils acquitted themselves at their first examination. The boys' school is conducted by Mr. Hardman, and, although a smaller number of scholars attend this school than the other, it was equally delightful to find that every attention possible had been given to raise its character as a proper seminary for the sons of the workmen. The system of tuition is a mixture of the Bell and Lancaster, and is well adapted for this lo cality. The boys are better taught than most work people's children. The examination terminated, and the children, to the number or 250, with their teachers and friends, were entertained, through the kindness of the committee, with tea, &c. PREVENTION OF ACCIDENTS ON THE MERSEY.—We have of late years bad to record not a few fatalities, from time to time, to parties crossing our river, which, though they may generally be ranged amongst the fearfully long catalogues of "accidents" that, at first sight, appear to be inseparable from the rapid mechanical loco-lotion now demanded by the mass of our dense population, may, we think, on maturer reflection be attributed, to a great ex tent, at least, to the want of due regulations to be ob served by those who present difficulties or needless ob structions to the passage of the ferry-boats. We are re minded of this by several lamentable accidents which have recently taken place on our own and other rivers. We would suggest, in order to avert as far as possible a recurrence of such accidents—First, that on all dark or cloudy nights every vessel anchoring in the stream should, by a local regulation—which may be readily framed, and sanctioned by parliament—be required to carry two good lights, one forward (say white), and the other aft (say red), red and white being the most distinguishable—all other colours but red being found to be less brilliant in the distance. Secondly, that all such vessels should, during thick fogs, be required (in addition to carrying such lights to point out the position and length of their hulls) to continue to sound a bell, gong, or other land in strument to give warning to approaching vessels that may not possibly see the lights. This latter plan is frequently adopted from motives of individual security, and a desire that smaller craft may avoid danger; but there is no peremptory regulation to this effect. Third, smaller vessels to carry one light somewhere about the centre aloft, and also in fogs to sound a bell. A fine in the event of non-compliance, should be imposed. Fourth, the compulsory application to all steam vessels plying on the river of the steam-whistle. The railroad has its whistle, and why not the steam boat? which might be kept up during the whole of the passage in a crowded river during a fog. While on this subject, it occurs to us, that vessels large and small, are often, we think unneces sarily, permitted to anchor in the river, particularly towards the Liverpool side, greatly to the interruption of the grand highway by water to and from the Cheshire ferries. Op posite George's pier, so many generally lie (some of them fur days together), that it is difficult for ariver steamer to thread her way through them even in broad day, and, we may add, often dangerous during the strong runs of our spring tides. Most of them, it may be said, are waiting to dock, or otherwise to discharge, or to proceed when favoured by wind and tide to their destinations. But surely many of them might quite as safely lie at an chor in the Sloyne, anchor or beach on the Cheshire side, or be otherwise disposed of. The subject is one which we think highly worthy of the attention of the dock com mittee, or the conservators of the navigation of the river, who might readily obtain the opinion upon it of practical nautical men, which, we have reason to believe, w i ll gene rally accord with our own. The interests of Liverpool and Birkenhead especially are becomin g so intimately welded, and the transit of passengers and effects so great between them, that it is high time something sh ou ld be done to abate, at least, the g rowin g evil we have pointed out. THE HAND GYMNASIUM. --W e are glad to perceive that this excellent finger exerc i se,. which we have pre icTuloart,h; is invaluable—giving the viously reviewed at . length, is daily growing into more who play any instru ment, fingers, favourable piano u in w t p o a n r t. hours require an immense labour to attain on the instrument itself. Mr. Smith, of Bold-street, whose advertisement appears in another column, has just received a fresh upply. Dec. 24, 1844. WEST INDIES. The Royal West Indian Steamer Thames arrived at Southampton on Saturday—the day she was due. she brings dates from Demerara to the 18th, and Jamaica 23rd, ult. The whole of the West India Islands were genel:a li / i and in a v t ehjeY N h i e , a in it d h w y a s r t d ate isla T nd h s e G w o er v e ern a o bo rs ut of to th p e ro T c r e i e n c t i da tt d Jamaica, to consult with Lord Elgin on the expediency 01 forming a final settlement for the West India colonies. There is every prospect of good crops throughout thi islands generally. The weather has not been so propitioas for many years. The House of Assembly was sitting s t Jamaica, but no particular business was being transacted. A bill had been introduced to prevent trespass on PO' perties, which was read a third time, and ordered to be t engrossed. And another, for the summary punishmen. of p e tty l arcen i es, h a d gone i nto comm i ttee an d p aaed. The Lazaretto Bill, for the establishment of a lazaretto for the islands, had also been introduced, and, after some little discussion whether it should be a floating one or not, it was ultimately passed, on the understanding that it should be on shore. The expense will be sornevvher B about £lO,OOO. Assent had been given by his Excellency the Governor to the following bills : sis T t e h , T e o ß n i n n a , g e t h Duties m ß i D I 1 u , t t y h e ß O il l ffi . c t e h r e s Addit io ßulesnal ASurb! tt• Iles of War Bill, the Commissioners of Accounts Bills and the Board of Works B:11. Tschech, the miscreant who recently attempted the _ assassination of the King of Prussi a , was execu ted on the 14th instant, at the F o rtress o f S pan d au , near Berlin' That part of the sentence which condemned him to be drawn upon a hurdle, and broken upon a wheel, was corn' muted by the clemency of his Majesty. • JESUITISM IN SWITZERLAND.—A meeting of 25 00 electors of the Canton of Berne was held in that town on the 15th, to take into consideration the means of prevent ing the spread of Jesuitism. Resolutions expressing F 011• fidence in the government of Berne, and inviting it to place itself at the head of the Liberal movement, wer e passed unanimously, amid loud cries of " Down with the Jesuiti." ICHABOE.—We yesterday saw a letter dated from Oil, Island October 15th, in which th e wr it er , t h e cap tain 0 1 a vessel lying there, says, " I did not call at Angra Fe' quina, as the guano there is not equal to that of Ichabolr and several vessels now here have thrown overboard their cargoes obtained there. I expect in the space of six or eight months, if not sooner, the whole of the guano on the island will be carried away, 'there being no less than 35 0 to 400 vessels now lying here." AUSTRALIA.—Port Philip papers to the sth of August have arrived. The official abstract of the revenue of the colony is published at length in the journals, but es we have already received the main facts through previous Sydney advices, it is scarcely necessary further to advert to the subject. The deficiency of £1,500 on the quarter's return is borne out by both statements. In the interior one or two murders by the aborigines are alluded to, but scarcely a file of papers comes to hand without some simi lar atrocity being recorded. The Goulburn tribe seem to be the most ferocious set of vagabonds that infest the bush ; and they, in most cases, single out shepherds ou remote stations as their victims, and treat them in the most cruel and barbarous manner. Trade is stated to be steadily improving. The weather for three weeks previ; ous to the date of these accounts had been inclement and unpropitious for business. Cold winds and almost inces sant rains had quite kept the people in doors, the wet and mud rendering the roads impassable, and the heavy rains having caused the overflow of the Yarra-Yarra. The month of August had, however, set in with a more pro mising aspect, and it was, therefore, expected in the course of a little time business would resume its usual current. On Saturday, at Manchester, Sir Henry Pottinger was presented with an address from the working classes, which received 10,438 signatures in fourteen hours. A hybrid bird, partaking of the colours of the pheasant and the black cock, was a few days ago shot on the estate of William Ord, Esq., M.P., Northumberland. The Cork Examiner publishes the official notification of the appointment of the Commissioners under the Charitable Bequests Act between mourning lines, as 4' pical of the fate of the Church of Rome. It is said that among the guards and policemen on the Great Western Railway are three persons who have been attorneys, one a surgeon, one an officer in the army, and two commercial travellers. In the Exchequer Court, on Saturday, Mr. Mullett, a paper maker, of London, obtained a verdict of £75 0 against Lloyd, the proprietor of several penny publics-' tions—Lloyd's Sunday Times, &c.—for the seduction of the plaintiff's wife. BOAT RACE.—In a paragraph elsewhere we have given the result of a match between the two experienced water men—Coombes and Clasper. Another match for £3OO was made up between the same parties to come off yester day, (Monday,) the distance the same as before. Coombes depositing £2OO and Clasper £lOO. THE NORFOLK ARSON CASES.—At the Norwich assizes, on Saturday, thirteen parties were brought up for judgment for as many distinct cases of arson in that county, and were sentenced for periods (according to the enormity of their offences) of from fifteen years' trans' portation to twelve months' imprisonment. The Court will remain at Windsor Castle during th e Christmas festivities. i mme di ate l y a f terwar d s h e r Ma jesty and his Royal Hi g h ness P r i nce Alb ert, accor ding 4 present arrangements, will honour their Graces the and Duchess of Buckingham with a visit at SOW' . The Court is expected to leave Windsor for Stowe On Tuesday, the 7th proximo. EXETER.-The Bishop of Exeter bas published a reply to the memorial from the Dean and other dignitaries of the diocese, on the recent matters which have caused such agitation in the district. Theibishop criticises the memorial, and alleges his opinion that it would bring the Archbishop and Bishops who acted upon it under the vi sitation of the law of the land, if they met for any such purpose without a stated permission from the Crown. Dr. Murray, of Dublin, has issued a pastoral address , in which be exposes with great force the gross inconsis tencies of the majority of the Romish hierarchy, who, it appears, about three years since drew up a memorial 0 Government, which, with one exception, bore the Sig' natures of the whole body, praying, as an act of especial justice, that " one " Roman Catholic ecclesiastic migh t be appointed to the Board of Bequests. BERLIN PATTERNS.--A question has recently been made by the Customs' officers, with respect to the portation of German patterns, brought to this country in large quantities, as is well known, to form patterns or models for fancy needl ewor k, i n the shape of chairs, otto • mans, shoes, &c., which are in the present day so much in vogue, particularly in the higher circles. The Custom s have admitted them. FAT OXEN.—The weight of the short-horned s teer which gained the first prize at the late Smithfield shpo r was said to be 210 stone. Upon the carcase being weighed on Saturday, the result was as follows :—.Eacu n hind quarter weighed 60k stone, and each fore quarter 5 u stone, making in the aggregate 221 stone, or 17681 b. Ia addition to this, the loose fat weighed 24 stone (192110 , and the hide 12 stone (961 b.) The short•homed OW' one of Lord Spencer's stock, bred by Mr. Beasley, nea r Northampton, which gained the first prize of £2O in clB O 7, weighed 156 stone, exclusive of 20 stone of loose rat! SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. MONDAY, DECEMBER 23. —Wind S.S.E. moderate. ARRlVED.—Adelaide, Hannah, from St. John, N.B.—Anne , Seager, from Smyrna—Georgiana, Murray, from London"' Demetrius, from Cardiff. SAlLan.—Wm. Pelle; Sprout, for Buenos Ayres—Expresg , Cubbon, for Bombay—Norfolk Hero, Holmes, for Constant i ' nople—l 0, Barnes, for Trinidad, and George Canning, 1 405- tard, for Maranham. Princess Royal, Hoodless, from Calcutta, off Cove; sailed 5 01 Sept. from St. Helena sth Nov. Bencoolen, from Manilla, at Crook':aven Brockett, from Valparaiso, at ditto Providence, Ford, from Ichaboe, ditto Lavinia, Kellas, from Newfoundland, ditto Mersey, Macbeth, from Quebec, ditto Sophia, Jacoba, from Messina, ditto Active, M'Guffie, at ditto, with loss of bulwarks, &c. On 1. instant, in lat. 50, long. 15, spoke the Albion, for Liverpool Mary Ann, from Laguna, off Castle Haven Susan Thomas, Wishart, from Trieste, at Waterford The leak and h sofe is the Independence, for New York, has bee n stopped, LIVERPOOL PROVISION MARKET, Disc. 23 ' An extensive country business has been transacted since of last, and prices of all descriptions of Butter were fully as hie", Pickled Butter does not move off so freely, the curreney, h ° 7,B ever, is unchanged Beef and Pork are high in price; former is worth gos to 92s 6d tce. for the heaviest, and t, latter 7os to 72s 6cl per barrel for prime mess. LIVERPOOL CATTLE MARKET, DEC. 23 , We have had a good supply of Beast at market to-day, p, hich me' with dull sale at high prices. A small supply of She e p nothing of good quality easily sought aft , .‘r—a ready sale Beef 64d to 6d ; Mutton bid to 6id. LIVERPOOL: TUESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1844. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY MORNING' By JOSHUA FLETCHER LACE, of 53, Grove-street, and .61N0.4, ST. GEORGE'S CRESCENT,LIVERPOO L • .4 LEONARD ADDISON, of 14, Great Orford-street. Orders and Adertisements are received by Messrs. Newton 70 Co , Warwick-square ; Barker and White , Fleet-street, Deacon, Walbrook ; Reynell, Chancery-lane ; Charles BaL„-0, Birchin-lane ; Joseph Thomas, 1, Finch-lane , Cornhill; 115.7,0. den Hammond, 27, Lombard-street; Mitciell, 8, Red court, Fleet-street; Lewis and Lowe , 3, Castle-court, Colli''e, hill; at the London Commercial Conee-house, Mincingiot , at the Jerusalem Coffee-house, Cornhill ; Chapter _ 0 fee-house, Pternoster-row ; North and South m arl y iv , Coffee.house, a Threadneedle-street ; Parsons, g, Ave-b 1 7 0; lane, London ; Johnston and Co., Eden Quay, Pu b _....t, Wheeler, Exchange-street , and C. H. Lewis, Market-strv-,. Manchester; Haddock, and J. and W. Booth, Bookselln Warrington; Clarke, Pilot-office, Preston; and Wright `. Dain, Herald-office, Birmingham, JR/ Terms of Subscription for this paper :—On cr .d• one year, £1 3s. ; half-year, 11s. 64.--If pall advance—one year £1 14.; half-year, 102. 6a. LIVERPOOL COTTON MARKET, DEC. 23. The demand for Cotton Wool is increasing tremeodoe sll , every day. On Saturday, :4,000 bales were sold, and to-14 fully the same quantity at full, and in so m e i n stances, adval i ol rices. Speculators seem disposed to go on with the trade , s ois have purchased freely in Surat and Brazils. The trade ‘.eo , willing purchasers, but find some difficulty in suiting W e it selves. except at very extreme prices ; from all appearan c „do would seem that the market had bottomed, and it never S tg " stiil for many days together.