The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-01-15 00:00:00

JA,./ITARy 15, 1856.1 letter LOCAL INTELLIGENCE. r lord' f So u of th e d a b o ut thes e ler th e 49 peel for QUEEN has been pleased to approve of Mr. John Nay consul at this port for the republic of Peru. Orr u t he esunY, Mr. John Cropper was elected a member of o ateth-park Burial-board. bott the Salford quarter sessions, on Monday, John Hickin- th tto.aal Chambers, Esq., and Bertie Matthew Roberts, Esq., s.'.e oaths and qualified as deputy-lieutenants of Lan • out ill ? ain 11111 igbt A „" tie g oevi rrecl* • tbi s 02 00 0 ;ties,' ins, '" De ie tbc ci f r .can Infk ride Eric3 o? 3e o°M isef e ei oci fQ h fort' atie'''' cio'clu Roy, held of SURGEONS.—At a meeting of the add on Friday, Mr. John Atcherley, of Liverpool, a zesi. oate of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons, of Glas ' Nvas admitted, ad eundem, member of the college. Rea 14 4 j I IT NEEDHAM PHILLIPPS, Esq., of the Park, near of 11,ter, has been selected by her Majesty to fill the office aer,sa-sheriff of the county of Lancaster for the current lae,„nAustralian mail clipper (" Black Ball" line) Oliver t'ele' e r' r.,a Ptain Mondell, sailed, on Tuesday, at half-past twelve tia ? ,°a for Melbourne, with a heavy mail, 130 passengers, and Crag of 1,200 tons of general cargo. , loa e r t 4 EZILX-LANE MUTtAL IMPROVEMENT SOCIETY. — This tat'celebrated its fifth anniversary on the`ednesday evening tai e pra roirle, which took place in large room of the rea Y: in Limekiln-lane. The attendance was numerous and ' ec table laa p OF 1,..5.RE1T STEA.MEE.—On Thursday, there was taks:Jed from the shipbuilding yard of Mr. John Laird, at the'nll3lead, a splendid iron screw steamer of 1,000 tons t alit for a Spanish company. She is a sister ship to tow l ,, a reelona and the Cadiz, lately built by Mr. Laird, and lu le in the Sandon Dock. Her dimensions are 260 feet Coand 36 feet in width. She is to be supplied with Co 'es of 300-horse Dower by Messrs. Fawcett, Preston, and T '' , o !tlai e t own. ' te te ' MasoNic BALL.—Upwards of five hundred persons the T P r esent at the annual masonic ball, which took place at 11,41va-hall, on Tuesday night. Mr. G. A,. W. Phillips's lie e -1 , 4 e band occupied the orchestra, and Ma. Lawton, of the 411 4° tel, provided the refreshments. The proceeds of the ihi r :r. o to be applied in aid of the funds of the West Lance ofe,„arasonic Institution, for the education and advancement 'adren of distressed Freemasons. aa h ll Ejitoposen COUNTY REFORMATORY FOR LA NCA SHIRE. lie j ,:,alenday, at Salford hundred quarter sessions, Mr. James tl e aeed, M.P., called the attention of the magistrates assem der, a motion of which notice had been given by Mr. San et,Var the adjourned annual county session in April, to the t h s t lG that a committee be appointed to inquire and report as N e ue . r establishment of a county reformatory. The chairman it iv ". P. Foster) said he felt that the matter deserved, and afild no doubt receive, the fullest consideration. iaci ti ZlDE BY A MASTER 'CARTER. — On Wednesday, an co q Was held 'on the body of Thomas Booth, of Bank telfe: near Bootle, who committed suicide by hanging him low Aloe deceased's wife stated that her husband had been 'very te l ; s Plrited for about six weeks, on account of his horses being N ew out of work. He had attempted to hang himself Year's-day, at the back of the kitchen door, btit 'he L rerented by his wife. •On Wednesday morning he deft tigr, b abyoutilve o'clock, went into the stable, and hanged his neckcloth, to a peg in the wall. A verdict of Ael aPorary insanity" was'returned. th e h tar Donny UNlcee.—At the meeting on Wednesday, a er ev- William Baduallin the chair, the following - cheques J l e , aTawn for out-door relief: S. Potts, £170; G. Olney, £2B ; of triagoe, £lB. SamuerSmith, Esq., was appointed treasurer th e ,e Union, at a salary of £5O per annual, in the place of Pa 'ate Joseph Langton, Esq., deceased. The number of f ite l ) ere reliev e d in th e Workhouse and Hospital during the week was : in -door, 818; out-door, :3.614; 'total, 4,432. 137 W ing an increase of 26 in-door, and 471; out-door ; total, When compared with the correspondingweek'inlast year . l a I'P LAVNCH.—on Friday, a splendid merchantvessel, the lat e st'oak ship ever built at this port, was launched from the le : 4 m.g-yard of Messrs. Thomas Royden and Co., Raffin.street. b e amnnensions are as follows :—Length over , all, 2 0 6 feet ; old 00 feet ; and depth of hold, 28 feet ; tonnage, 1,360 tons li a leasurement, - and 1,176 tons new measurement. She is ed the A nne . Boyden, the ceremony of naming being per oW7 by Mrs. Boyden, the lady of the builder. 'The vessel is pt We d by Royden and Mr. Tyrer, and *is to be ein thii':' in the Calcutta trade. She is classed at Lloyd's for een Years,lind is in every respect a very supeflor vessel. at„ Itrrie.aa Hospioax,.—W. Brown, Esq., M.P., presided te Te annual meeting on Tuesday, when the report was pre liete,Led. It showed that during the past year 3i422 cases had e ke " . admitted, of which 2,541 were accidents, 303 medical of Whem el ' , 472 surgical ca disch ses, and 106 ..on recommendations, 2,526 had been arged, , ss3 reliev ed, 84 irregular, 11 teiZ r able,alletl, 115 out-patients, f 0 remaining in the hospital; 1- I, 3 ,422. The total number 'of patients, consisted of 2 6 i 12 labourers, 913 sailors, 259 mechanics, .447 women, and b e i r ,ehilde ; of whom 1,107 were natives of :Liverpool, 413 iO 'eging to different parts of England, 1,082 to Ireland, 88 k et e etland a P3 to Wales, and .63a were foreigners. The state- Of of accounts showed that the receipts had -been upwards a ,O OO, and that there was -still a small • balance in the l nd et the treasurer. The dfficers of the institution were them u nanimously re-elected, and a vote of thanks was accorded for the care and attention they had bestowed on the - 'agament of the institution. k e „ Lut COMMUNICATION wsair AMERICA.—In and after k e L l l t ext, 15 gigantic mail steam packets wiEt. leave Europe fie e ." 4 3' for the American continent, namely,' seven English ae e 'L e te, four United States, three Belgian, .airid one ta;" Portia- Fourteen of these will start from or touch at England, th A '' f-ortuguese packet being the single exception ; eight of teen steamers will start from Southampton, and the th'maiiiing six from Liverpool. These mail packets will cross AtAantic by three different-routes, which terminate 1 .;,4 the American side at the Brazils, Central America, and the llitcd States. Rio de Janeircarill be the most southern point ached at by them, and Halifax, in Nova Scotia, the most nthern point. In connection with these Atlantic packet 1 . 0 4 ea, there will be nearly 20' tributary ones, some of them as 11, 11 g as the Atlantic lines the wn mselves. By these the whole of e s:e American continent, do so far south as the River Plate f ;': i tlae eastern side of the great continent, and from Peru to C i ffernia :in the Pacific, also the whole of the adjacent islands, t, -r ,‘iding those of the West Indies, will be supplied with opean,correspondence. l a DiE TRADE.—From-: the published ret - arns of the 4 0 , ( ma leading branches of trade during the past :year, that in a t ' seems to have been the most prosperous of our native raw qti Ztlucts, ,and that in coal to have been the , .text. Large Iltities have been consumed for home purposes, and the tot pt has been proportionately:large. The annual return of ellaorted from the various anorts has not yetabeen made aV th e that e amount sent out o tp f the country during the cannot be stated with any degree of certainty. That it ~,ast ha v e 'b een ver y grea t w ill be obvious from the following zenaent of exports during the month of Novemberia,s taken 1 11 ~ the , mon thly export list of Messrs. W. and - H. Laird. this-source we learn that during the month of. Novem er therewere 312,771 tons of coal sent from Great tßritain, a„Which 29,977 were shipped at Liveroool; 6,562 from Hull, eesby, and Goole; 177,504 from Newcastle, Shields, Blyth, aalble, Sunderland, Seaham, Hartlepool, Stockton, and Mid it,eeboro' ; '69,395 from Bristol, Cardiff, Swansea, Newport, W'ftelly,--piart Talbot, Neath ; while the Scotch ports of,Glas t„?, Fort. Glasgow, Greenock, Grangemouth, Alloa, Borrows et'esa, Troon, Ardressan, and Inverkeithing give a :total. IW e rt of 29333 tons. Liverpool, itwill thus be seen, export -644 tons more than all the Scotch ports put together, in coa rse of the month. From Liverpool it also appears , the ee r Zest expertA:as been to America; .12,979 tons having been to North America, and 4,176 to South America. The I ;` o gest absolute amount of export has, been from the northern 48, , of what , may be called the Tynebasin, which in Novem- Went 53,058 tons to France ; the next largest amount being ja0438 tons from the same rts to Turkey. To Ausralia, tons weredespatched, po and these mere all sent t from erPool. e,„,T., 11 2 PLEA OP aNFANCY.—In the County Court, on Wed- Cla n Y, Mr. George Bumby, a car proprietor, brought an ac. n against Mr. Henry Hornby, of Kirkdale, to recover da- C 4 ges for injury done to a " whitechapel;":Which the defendant alq hired of the plaintiff. The defendant pleaded" infalicy." . 1 .1-1 defendant -(who, although proved to be a minor), is an L'Aletic young fellow, in appearance about :30 years of age, e time ago hired a whitechapel and horse from the plaintiff, Jo to -Waterloo races. The horse, which :had received in was brought back in the evening by a man, who stated f at the whitechapel was at Walton. The plaintiff's man, the ell day called for the whitechapel, which he found so seri dainaged as to incur the sum of between se: and £8 for Cire. The defendant now, in answer to the , claini, pleaded, 5v,,, - : u agli his attorney, " infancy," which was established by the aZence of his mother, who showed that her son .was only 19 a'a's of age. His Honour, in adjudicating, said the action tr pa one really founded upon contract. The defendant pro -I,:sed that, if he hired the whitechapel at a reasonable C on . D2lSatiOn, he would take care of and return it in good and OPer condition ; but, instead of that, the plaintiff by his tie defendant's) negligence, had incurred damage to between £B. On the action being brought against hint, the de la'anfrot roves that he is under twenty-one, and, therefore, re lijed p responsib ility to which otherwise he would be eaZe: Here there was a great hardship imposed upon a man lug on a car business; for any one, looking at the defend of would take him to be at least twenty-one. In the,case ennings v. Rundell," 8 T. R., 330, it was distinctly held, th, e , r e a man had damaged a mare by improperly riding her, tw: b the defendant was not liable, he being under the age of 11 0 ',, 4 t3r-one. In the case of a minor, where damage was roc through negligence, however gross that might be, if it mould not be shown that such damage had been caused by a ia..,. -411 act, he was not liable. There must, therefore, be a pct for the defendant. Sra Of.-4cm/ createdo A SOLICITOR AT KENDAL.— ne A painful Sell -I°ll was in Kendal, on Wedsday, in consequence " a y r ePort that Mr. Eldred Harrison , of the firm of T. and LLoaarrison, solicitors, had committed suicide by hanging Zeelf that morning, at the Commercial Hotel. The de- Ned, with several friends, had been attending a ball the '.°lls evening, at Abbot Hall, the residence of Henry Iy a- trison, Esq., one of the newly-appointed magistrates of eh ea tmoreland. The deceased left the hall, near Kendal tw i e ll. * and about a minute from the Oommercial Hotel, be geien two and three o'clock in the morning, and, instead of C e Zt to his own house, on the Beast Bank, he went to the D e 'utn, ercial Hotel, where he subsequently retired, as was sup ilea, to bed ; nothing peculiar either in his conversation or manner being observed. Not making his appearance at e : o'clock in the afternoon of Wednesday, some little un delneas was experienced, and a female servant was sent to the a sed's bedroom. On entering the apartment, she was a: t t .ified in finding the deceased suspended by the neck to a N o lon of the top of a bedstead by a rope. Her screams la lt a i ,ght to the room some assistance, when he was cut down, mot lj ea which e was quite extinct. Rumours are various as to the the induced the deceased to terminate his existence ; th a it l e which has gained the most extensive circulation being, tlec e , n ' e had experienced disappointment in the ball-room, The hod• was in the prime of life, with excellent prospects, and ed, and a native of Penrith; and his family connec aaa re of high repute in that town. He was a temperate sfenlittstrions man, and much esteemed. An inquest was T e ° nWednesday, when the jury returned a verdict of e nl Porary insanity." , t eer N ranazirs.—" No law (says the old adage) was ever , but there as immediately made a way to evade it ;" and b llti a . Y be added w hat no article of value was ever yet produced, he immediately counterfeited, .and the . base imitation . e n ,„ 1 .1 the public as real. The spirited proprietors of one of isc'st i ndispensable articles of the toilet, have suffered so much t he ai3 1 2 1 '6, irom this species of fraud, that they have called in r some o perceiveost eminent engravers on steel, pros it tlu ee r a de i_ ris . will by Cur advert sing columns, have so perfect, yet so minute, for thp protection of a meiQ n 'salacassaaoin as to stall counterfeits effectually at LOCAL WAR, ITEMS. - The steam transport Cleopatra sailed from the Mersey on Thursday, with detachments of the 34th and 27th regiments. After calling at Cork, she proceeds direct to Malta. The steam-ship Cambria, which has been engaged in the Government service as a transport since April last, arrived here on Wednesday, after calling at Plymouth, on her return from the Crimea. During her employment by Government, the Cambria has steamed upwards of 22,000 miles. Amongst the passengers was Captain Brett, of the 15th Hussars. The Cambria brought home two horses belonging to Colonel Wilson Patten, M. P., in command of the Dulie of Lancaster's Own militia regiment, now stationed at Malta. THE HISTORIC SOCIETY.—A meeting of the literary sec tion of this society was held on Thursday, at St. George's-hall. The chair was occupied by Mr. H. Danson. Mr. Percy M. Dove exhibited (partly in illustration of his own paper) two manuscript volumes, containing autograph letters from dis tinguished persons during the last 60 or 70 years. Amongst them were several original letters from Dr. Franklin, one of which anticipated the modern discoveries in magnetism and geology. There were other letters from Bloomfield, Rogers, Miss Edgeworth, &c. Mr. Sansome exhibited, on behalf of Mr. J. P. G. Smith, a series of twenty-eight photographs of the interior of Sebastopol, executed by Robertson, of Constan tinople. The most remarkable were a large view, of the church of St. Peter and St. Paul, the salient angle of the Redan, the interior of the Malakoff and the Redan, the docks, barracks, &c. Dr. Bell exhibited, through Mr. Mayer, an original edition of " Reynard the Fox," printed in 1660, writ ten in the low German dialect. The work is illustrated with curious woodcuts, so applicable to the text, that they have served as types for most of the modern editions of that most renowned poem. Mr. Marsh exhibited a rude colt found among the Maoris. Mr. Bloxham exhibited a copy of the transiation of Cicero's De Senectute, printed and published in Philadelphia, in 1745, by Benjamin Franklin, interesting as a specimen of printing in the United States a century ago, and as being the first translation of a classic made in America. It contained a characteristic preface of Franklin himself "to the reader." Mr. Jacob exhibited a large ring, taken off the finger of a Russian soldier who fell in the Redan ; also a helmet from the same !place. The Rev. Dr. Hume read the remainder of Mr. Percy M. Dove's paper on the unpublished letters of Franklin. After a brief dissuasion the meeting broke up. Doct COMMITTEE. — On Thursday, the weekly meeting of this committee was held, Mr. Charles Turner in the chair. The other members present were,—Messrs. Shand, Robinson, Palmer, Gregson, Chaloner, Holme, Rounthwaite, Barber, Monde', Holden, Anderson, Hubback, W. Rathbone, inn., Rankin, Smith, Littledale, and Gladstone. —The sub-com mittee of works recommended that a portion of the Harrington estate, to the eastward of Mr. Miller's shipbuilding yard, be let to him at the rate of '9d. per square yard, subject to the usual conditions.—The Stanley Dock warehouse sub-committee Submitted a plan of a 'residence for the superintendent : the estimated cost was £BOO. Adopted.—The marine subcom mittee submitted the annual returns of the marine surveyor as to the casualties to life-ships and buoys, the ecnsumption of oil and wick, the number of vessels passing through the channel in and ost, and the services rendered by the life boats. From the returns, it appeared that the number of ves sels that passed through the Reck Channel, inwards and out wards, in 1855, was 13,351; the total number in 1854, 14,513, showing a decrease in the past year of 1,162 vessels. The number of vessels which had passed inwards through the Vic toria and other northern -channels was 1'8,756; outwards, 20,601, making the total intercourse to and from the port, through the northern channels, 40,356 ; in 1854 the number was 37,143. The number of vessels assisted by life-boats in 1855 was 14, - ; the number of lives saved, 2L; in 1854 the num ber of vessels assisted was 26; number of lives saved, 175. The returns were ordered to lie on the tables, for the inspection of the members.—Thomas Abernethy was appointed keeper of the Pornft lighthouse, in the place of Thomas Lloyd, recently dead.—The harbour-masters' sub-committee recommended the appointment of -James Steel, as assistant at the timber quays, Huskisson Dock. Confirmed.—The usual advertisements were ordered to be insetted, soliciting tenders for supplying 'the usual ..elotbing to the dock-gatemen and others.—Mr. 'W. Rathbone; jun., was appointed a meaner of the master porters, and works committee, in the place of Mr. Steele.—Mr. Mondel gave notice that, an Thursday next,Ale would bring forwardtii motion to the effect that the electric telegraph communication with Holyhead be carried out. A.-short conversation followed on the subject of the notice, andAhe general business voVthe comsnittee•coneltded. _ _ fleaefst Commtrren.—The 'weekly meeting was !held on Thursday. 'Present—Messrs. Dover (in the chair), M'Guille, Beckwith, Crosthwaite, Shell, slitimson, Tinne, Halheadsilay doola Godfrey. The borough 'engineer, building surveyor, and inspector of nuisances reported various particulars of the operations in their several departments during the week, from which it appeared that 543 houses in the unhealthiest districts, containing 1 4 772 apartments and 221 cellars, had been put under examination, with the view of improving their-sraiitary condition.—The medical officer reported that the returns for the week ending Saturday last showed a decrease of 26 in the mortality of the borough, the deaths having been 218 against 244 in enolsof the two mouths preceding, while theseerrected average of the same week etthe previous eight years was 250. Of the deaths last week, 155 were in the parish, anch63 in the out-townships. The deaths from disease of the lungs, in the last four weeks, have been respectively 107, D 2, 86, and last week - 74. Correspondingivith the decrease, there has been an increase-of temperature ; the mean, which in the two previous weeks -averaged more than eight degrees below that of the same period of former years, was last week more than two degrees above it, having been 43 degrees ; 70 deaths were re corded Of the zymotic class, and of these 24 were'from hoop ing cough, the largest weakly mortality yet recorded of that disease ; scarlatina, 21; typhus, 6 ; measles, 57,' less than in anysweek of the previous four months; small-pox, 2. The deaths- above 60 years. of age were 21, the number in the previous week having been 32.—The law-clerk - read a report of a special committee on the subject of the removal of the Cornwallis-street offices. The report embodied .a resolution to the-effect that the surveyor and borough engineer report on the probable cost of the new buildings to be •erected in Dale streetiand the amount to be obtained for the site and mate rials in Cornwallis-street.—A resolution was . read from the Watch Committee, -stating that Mr. Latham shad attended that body, and submitted specimens of stained glass lamps on which the names of the streets were to be inscribed. The feeling of the committee was, that they could not, under pre sent-.circumstances, incur any expense in the matter, but if the Watch Committee chose to try any experiment such as that proposed, they were at liberty to do so. :This being the whole, of the business, the committee separated. Sr. MA.TTITEW'S CETTRCII, SCOTLAND ROAD.—At the County Court, on Friday, a cause was tried in which Mr. Geo. Philips, stationer, South Castle-street , was plaintiff, and the Rev. Dr. Hillcoat, incumbent of St. Matthew's Church, Scot land-road, the defendant. The action arose out of the late disputes between the incumbent and a former-curate of this church. The plaintiff appeared in person, and Mr. Tindal At kinson appeared for the Rev. Dr. Hillcoat, who -was also in attendance. The plaintiff stated that the action was to re cover £l5 for books, InapS, &c., supplied to the eehools of St. Matthew's Church, Scotland-road, upon the order of the Rev. Mr. Cooke, lately a curate of that church, in:1854. Mr. At kinson here contended, :that there was no_ground of action whatever, as there was nothing to show any responsibility on the part of Dr. Hillcoat. The plaintiff requested permission to examine Dr. Hillcoat, which was granted. -Plaintiff: You are quite -.satisfied that tthese goods were supplied to the schools ? Dr. Hillooat : Certainly. Plaintiff: Do you not hold yourself responsible cfor any orders the Rev. •Mr. Cooke gave at the time ? Dr. Hillcoat : Certainly net. Plain tiff: Dr. Hillcoat told me that during the timeofthe Rev. Mr. Cooke's curacy, Mr. *Cooke received several :amounts of money illaich he did not account for, and Dr.:Hillcoat thinks that before any debts are paid these amounts should be accounted for, therefore, under these circumstances, I-should like to have this case adjourned to a future day, when, by making Mr. Cooke the defendant, he might be compelled to account for these amounts. Mr. Atkinson : To making Mr. Cooke the defendant, we have no objection at all. His Hon our explained that as he oolihi not show a distinct -authority from the incumbent to Mr. Cooke or himself for the supply of the goods, the present action must fail to reach the Rev. Dr. ,Hillcoat. His Honour observed that he was informed some other actions were to come before the court, between Mr. .Cooke and Dr. Hilleoatt. He had been given to understand that in one of the former actions in that court he hadea pressed an opinion which might seem to refer to future cases. He begged to intimate that any-opinion he had expressed re fereed solely to the circumstances of the case then before hint, to which it was his duty to confine himself. Dr. Hillcoat stated that the Rev. Mr. Cooke held money in his hands, for which he gave no account. He understood the Rev. Mr- Cookefreceived upwards-of £3OO, ormearly £4OO, of which, up to that hour, he (Dr. Hillcoat) had been unable to receive any thing Wm a regular or , consistent account, except that -the money -had been received. The plaintiff said he had brought the present action partly out of kindness to Dr. Hillcoat, for whom he lad a great respect, and whom he considered had been very basely used by the Rev. Mr. Cooke, in order that he might have an opportunity of clearing himself from the charges of that gentleman. His Honour ,said Dr. Hillcoat's character was not in any way impugned in - the present action, and therefore he could not allow any reference to be made to what occurred in other actions. The plaintiff was then non suited, with costs out of pocket.—His Honour then expressed a hope that no action between the Rev. Mr. Cooke and the Rev. Dr. Hillcoat would again come before that court. He could not but think that between two brother clergymen there must be another and a better tribunal for settling dis putes than an appeal to a court of that kind. COMPENSATION Eon PERSONAL INITIRT.—In the Court of Passage, on Tuesday, an action was brought in behalf of a boy, named Green, nine years of age, the son of a labourer, against Messrs. Robinson and Co., St. James's-street, to recover compensation for serious injuries, the result of negli gence on the defendants' part. Mr. Aspinall, for the plaintiff, gave a description of the premises occupied by the defendants, elucidating it by a reference to the plan. There were three doors to the premises, which doors projected beyond the windows, in front of which was an iron railing enclosing a small area, formed by the projection of doors beyond the windows. The defendants had been for some time in the habit of making use of this small space between the wall and the railings for the storing of barrels, one end of which touched the wall, and the other projected over the railing into the street. On the night of the 2nd of October, the plaintiff was going along the street, when one of the barrels tumbled over, and, falling against him, broke his leg, which had to be amputated, and several operations performed, occa sioning much pain and suffering. The damages were laid at £5OO. Several witnesses were called to establish the danger ous way in which the barrels had been piled, and to the cause occasioning the injury to the boy ; also surgical testi mony to the great suffering occasioned to the plaintiff, and to the fact of amputation having been rendered necessary. Mr. Brett, for the defendants, contended that there was no negli gence, and that the accident was attributable to circumstances over which the defendants bad no control, and for which they were not responsible. Mr. Wainwright, one of the firm of Messrs. Robinson and Co., deposed to the manner of piling the casks, and to the fact that, although they had been so piled for a number of years, they had never before given way, neither had any accident ever previously occured. Se veral other witnesses were called to the samo polish , A man named Hardie, formerly a police-officer, said, when on duty, he had observed the barrels, and did not consider them in a dangerous position ; had he thought to the contrary, it would have been his duty to have laid an information. He had seen some boys that morning swing upon the barrels. In case of publicans or tradesmen placing articles to project over the street, it was his duty to lay informations. These barrels did project over the street, but he had not laid an information in the case. Other witnesses were called to establish that the barrels were not placed in a dangerous position. One witness, named Rogers, deposed that he saw some boys on the day of the accident swinging on the rails, but not at the place where it occurred ; but he did see a boy (assumed to be the plaintiff) swinging from a barrel where the accident did occur. The jury ultimately found for the plaintiff, with aso damages. THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. Two HUSBANDS.—At the Police-court, 'en Friday, Anne Lehoe, alias Anne Cline, a young woman, was brought up on remand, on a charge of bigamy. The prisoner was married in April, 1854, to a seaman, named Lehoe; and in June last she married another seaman, named Cline. She was committed for trial. BACHELORS' BALL.—This ball took place on Wednesday, at the Royal Assembly-rooms, Great George-street. It was nu merously and fashionably attended. Refreshments were pro vided by Mr. Oakes. We understand that it is the intention of the committee to give a series of balls next season. THE SHIP CONSTITITTION.—Messrs. Sutherberry and Co. have purchased the bull of the ship Constitution, lately destroyed by fire, for £6lO, and, as the lower deck timbers are not much damaged, they expect to make a good bargain by rebuilding and refitting her. - ROBBERY IN AN 03INIBUS. — On Monday evening, Mr. Fergusson, of Pownall-square, entered an omnibus in Church street, proceeded to Edge-hill, and shortly . after alighting, discovered that he had been robbed of his purse, containing about £l2, including a £lO note. Information of the robbery was given to the detectives, who are on the alert. LIVERPOOL JUVENILE REFORMATORY. — The school frigate Akbar, now lying in the Great Float at Birkenhead, has been certified by the Secretary of State for the Home Department as a reformatory under the Youthful Offenders' Act. The vessel will be at once appropriated to the object for which it has been designed, and, in a few days, will be commenced the work of reformation. LIVERPOOL BANE; DIVIDENDS. — The following half-yearly dividends have just been declared by the Liverpool banks : North and South Wales Bank, at the rate of six per cent. per annum ; Borough Bank, seven per cent. per annum ; Liverpool Commercial Bank, seven per cent. ; Union Bank, six per cent. ; and the Royal Bank five per cent. per annum on the original shares. THE STRIKE AT MANCHESTER. — About 100 of the work people on strike at Messrs. Birley's mill have resumed work on the terms offered by their employers. At some of the other mills, a few of the turnouts have resumed work also, at the terms originally offered. A large number of operatives have been thrown out of work at another mill, not in conse quence of reduction of prices, but through the entire stoppage of the concern. THE SCOTT RITES= SHIP AND THE NEW LANDING STAGE.—The great ship is to be launched in June next, and her Majesty is to perform the ceremony of naming. This ship will come to Liverpool if she can get proper accommodation. One of two things will be necessary—either the dock-gates at Birkenhead must be made wide enough to admit a vessel of 126 feet wide, or the new landing-stage must be moored on the Cheshire side. The dock plans provide for a gate of 100 feet, but this will not do. Sourrironr.—Robert Rawlinson, Esq., superintending in spector, under the board of health, has just presented his 're port on a preliminary inquiry into the sewerage, drainage, and supply of water, and the sanitary condition of the inhabitants of the town 'of Southport. The inquiry took place on the re presentation of a number of the inhabitants who desired the introduction of the Public Health Act. The inspector recom mends that as the town is governed by commissioners holding large powers under the local act, no further proceedings be takenby the board of health. it remains, therefore, with the local commissioners to exercise their powers as Ito remove 'cause for complaints of local nuisances, defective drainage, Sr.o. CAPTURE OF A GANG Cdmens.—On Wednesday morn ing, three men and two women were captured by 'the detective police, after a desperate resistance, in a house in Eldon-street, where one of the men,'named Clark, was engaged at the time in `the manufacture of base coin, the other prisoners being present. When Clark made coins, the other prisoners examined them, and, on - searching the room, seventeen base half-crowns, a quantity of metal for making coins, moulds, and ether apparatus were found. Clark is the husband of a woman a few days ago, Was committed for triel for having thirty !base crown pieces in her possession. The7prisoners were com ,mitted for trial, the Mint authorities undertaking to prosecute. "To DULL POEGETFMNESS A Pater."—At the Polite court, on Friday, a well-dressed gentleman, who gave his name as John Hilton, was charged by two officers of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway'with having ridden from Manchester in a second-class - carriagee without paying the fare, on Thursday. When asked for his ticket he pretended to look for oat, but could not find it; and when asked for the fare-45., he said he had no money. Heivas then takenAo bridewell, wheireeveral pounds were found in his pockets. 'The prisoner, who said he was drunk and quite oblivious of the whole matter, was fined ss. and costs, and the railway fare. SALE OF THE' COUNTESS OF EELESMERE.—This favourite steamer, one of the fastest boats on the river, has 'heen pur chased by a firm in Liverpool. She is now being overhauled, in the Birkenhead Dock, and, when completedovill be sent out to the Crimea, her present owners anticipating that she will be purchased there, either for a despatch boat or a gentle man's ,yacht. The screw-sterner Weaver, another boat be longing to the Bridgewater trust, has also beerr"f3old, and will shortly be sent-oat to Constantinople. A new and commodious boat is heingqmilt for trallic between Liverpool-and Runcorn, and it is expected it will be plated on the stationin the spring. In the meantime, the steamer Rival, under. the-command or Captain Stred, late of the Countess of Ellesnaere, will perform the ;usual daily trips to Runcorn. THE ROBBERY OF COTTON - BY THE MATE. OF At the Police-court, on Friday, John Barker, , the chief mate of the Zenobia, remanded from Thursday, was again brought up, and Owen M`Cabe, Hugh Curran, and Thomas Leff were also placed - in the dock for examination, having been taker: into custody at the office of Mr. Campbell, solicitor, that morn ing,whilegning him instructions to defend them. It appeared that the ship bad been consigned to Messes.Jacot, Taylor, and Tipper.; that the cotton found was pickings from the ballaSt; that the consignees had made no claim, although there was a defitiency in the cargo of two bales. The mate was discharged. Mr. Clough then directed informations to be laid against M'Cabe and Curran, for having bought cotton without 'pos. , sessing a. license. The -conduct of •police-officer 643, for having permitted the cotton to pass the dock-gate, was then laid before'the magistrate: The officer said that he had known Curran many years as an? onest man, and expressed regret that he had not seen the-consignee before allowing the cottoon to pass. He had been before the committee on the subject on Thursday, and disrated. PICRI/610 A LADY'S :PoZICET.—Mary Roarke, a gh-1 13 years of age, was charged; at the Police-court, on Friday,grith having , picked the pocket af Mrs. Sophia Thomas, under - the following -circumstances : -The prosecntrix said that, yester day afternoon, about two• O'clock, while walking- up London road, she .was accosted' by a boy, who inquired the weryr. to Hope-street, and asked several minute questions, , which occu pied perhaps two or three minutes. In the meantimethe prisoner. came along, and asked the boy where be wanted to go. He then informed her, and they both went off together. Proseentrix- at once discovered that her purse had been gab stracted from the pocket of her dress. She ran after the toy and girl, overtook them, and saw that the prisoner kept her hands behind her back. ; . On insisting thatehe should shim what she had in her hand, she exhibited a2s. piece, and the purse was.dropped by her muthe street. The purse contained a 20. piece,and some papers. The latter were not disturbed. Mr. Mansfield said that this was one of the most; and impudent pieces of pocket-picking he had ever:heard of. No doubt the boy and girl had concocted the plan to rob the lady, in which they-succeeded. The prisoner mustgo to gaol for three months, with hard.labour. WATRELOO SANITARY INA'r'IRY.—On Wednesday, Alfred Lamed Dickens, one of the superintending inspectors under the general Board of Health, held a public inouiry, at the National School-room, Waterloo, in reference to the proposed introduction of the Health .of Towns' Act into the townships of Great Crosby and Litherland. The inquiry,was held in, consequence of a report made to the General Board of Health' by Mr. Raavlinson, sifter holding a public inquiuy last year, and from which report it appeared to the general board, that in case the act should be applied to the two townships, the present township boundaries were not those which might be most advantageously, adopted for the purposes of the act, and that it would be proper to form a new boundary. There were several ratepayers present, some in favour of, and others in opposition to, the introduction of the act into the township. The evidence as regarded the township of Litherland was first gone into. The inspects went to view the land proposed to be included in the new boundary. At, one o'clock the inquiry was resumed, when the case of the township of Crosby was proceeded with. After receiving evidence, the inquiry ter minated, the inspector stating that .he should make his report to the general board, which would be communicated to the attepayers. LYING-IN HOSPITAL.—The annual meeting of the sup porters of this institution was held on Thursday, in the Board-room, Pembroke-place. The Mayor, John Stewart, Esq., presided. The report,contained the following statistics: —The admissions into hospital ;this year have ;been in excess of those of last. Last year there were only 142 interior .cases ; whereas, this year, there have been leit ; while the total number of those who participated in the benefits con ferred by the hospital, in 1854, was 1,313. During the past twelve months the total number was I,sl2:—Labours, 182; special cases, 12 ; total, 194. Children born: Boys, 100; girls, R 5: total, 185. Twin cases, 3 ; still-born, y, ; mother died, 1; dispensary eases, 058; wet nurses' register, 176. Making a general total of 1,512. With respect to the finan cial prospects of the institution, the committee bad been a much crippled by the want of adequate funds, and by a de creasing revenue. They trusted that some efforts Would be made by those who might secede from it by a variety of causes, to which all charitable institutions are liable. The treasurer's report showed a balance of £35 9s. fid. Mr. Stitt was authorised to receive and to hand over to the treasurer a legacy of £lOO, lately bequeathed to the institution. Thanks were voted to the committee, the officers of the in stitution, and to his Worship for presiding. Before retiring, his Worship placed in the hands of the secretary a donation of £5, in aid of the funds of the institution. ARCHITECTURAL AND ARCHJEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. - At the fortnightly meeting on Wednesday, Mr. John Hay pre sided, and a discussion took place upon the question, " Whe ther it was desirable or not for this society to co-operate with the London Architectural Association hi endeavouring to ob tain the issue of a diploma." The subject having been intro duced in a paper read by the chairman, Mr. Boult insisted at length, and with great force, upon the necessity*of a diploma, It was supposed that the spirit of the age was opposed to the principle of a diploma. The contrary, he thought, was true. The mercantile marine had, within a few years, originated an examination, and issued a diploma. The East India service did the same ; the civil service do the same ; the military have also an examination, which is about to be extended. Mr. Boult next dwelt upon the course of studies desirable for the profession. He characterised as absurdthe idea, that because the profession had such men as William of Wyckham, Wren, and Stephenson without any diploma, they should not/have any. Mr. Boult concluded by proposing a resolution in accordance with his views : " That a certain course of studies be authori tatively prescribed, and that a certificate of qualification be necessary to be given in every instance, and that the society remit the matter to the Royal Society of Architects." Mr. Thomas M. Rickman, of the council of the Royal Institution of British Architects, addressed the meeting in favour of the principle of certificate and examination, but was opposed to a diploma. Mr. Rimmer opposed the resolution submitted. He denied that the issue of a certificate would give any advan tage to the party, afford any test of ability, or secure any con fidence from the public. He would, of course, support a pro per education, but not a certificate. Mr. James Hay sup ported Mr. Boult's resolution. Mr. Verelst was in favour of a specific education for young architects, and a certificate ; but he differed from many of the details of Mr. Boult. He regretted the haste in which buildings were now constructed, and the hurry with which young men entered on business, without proper study. So far as he had formed an opinion, it was opposed to Mr. Boult's proposition. Mr. Davies thought the meeting was so thin, the resolution should not be pressed. Mr. Boult replied, after which a division was taken, and the resolution declared carried by a majority of five to three. Loss OP THE BRITISH BRIG MESSENGER, AT SEA.—The ship Adriana, Captain Preble, from Liverpool, arrived at New York, reports—Nov. 26, lat. 52 deg. lou. 36 deg, 30 min., fell in with the British brig Messenger, of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Captain Howard Van Norden, from Glasgow for Bos ton, 21 days out, in a sinking condition. Took from her Capt. Van Norden, six seamen, and two boys. TowN IMPROVEMENTS. — The extensive range of buildings extending from Exchange-street East to High-street are nearly enclosed by hoarding, and the demolition of the pile will speedily follow, to make way for the erection of commercial chambers. The houses in Dale-street, from Sir Thomas's buildings to Crosshall-street, present a dilapidated appearance, and they will be razed shortly, when that portion of Dale street will be widened and improved. Another block of premises at the top of Bold-street are doomed, when the dangerous corner leading into Berry-street is intended to be rounded and made more commodious. TOS:TETII-PARK BURIAL BOARD.—A meeting of this board was held on Tuesday, at the Public-office, Park-place, Mr. Halhead presiding, for the purpose of electing a member in the place of Mr. Richard Mellor, resigned. There were pre sent Messrs. Craig, Griurod, Kidd, Alpass, and J. Jones. On the motion of Mr. Allpass, seconded by Mr. Craig, Mr. John Cropper was elected without opposition. The meeting was also called to consider the provisions of the bill intended to be introduced into parliament, relative to the extension of the boundaries of the borough of Liverpool. It having been stated that the bill had been withdrawn, the subject was not _ _ gone it. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the proceedings. PRAISEWORTHY CONDVCT OF A. POLICE-OFFICER.—OR Friday, the borough coroner held an inquest on the body of Mary Markey, seven years of age, whose parents reside at 25, Eldon-street. On the 26th December, she was boiling some rice, when her pianafore caught fire. Hearing her screams, Michael Aldridge, a police-officer, (202), who lived on the op posite side of the street, rushed into the house, and tore the burning clothes from the child, who was, however, so severely burnt about the head and shoulders, that she died on Wed nesday. The jury, in their verdict, desired the coroner to bring the gallant behaviour of the officer (who was off duty at the time of the accident) under the notice of Major Greig. The coroner said that he had often had occasion to speak in high terms e different members of the police force of the town, and, In the present case, he would have great pleasure in for warng the recommendation of the latter to the officer's superiors. nIICK IN G A BARDER.-At the Coroner's Court, on Friday, an inquest was held on the body of Anthony Stephens, a barber, residing in 18 court, Chisenhale-street. On New Year's night, the deceased, who was of very intemperate habits, was drinking in a becrbouse in Chisenhale-street, when he offered for a wager to swim in the canal. His wife, who was present, vexed at his making so foolish an offer, said she would give the party present half a gallon of ale if they would make him swim. The whole company then adjourned to the canal banks, but the deceased refused to swim in the canal, on which his companions threw him in. He was, however, got faut safely; but shivering with cold. He was drunk from that time to Thursday morning last, when he was found dead in the yard. FREDEUICK-STRBEW SCHOOLS.—A meetingof the subscri- bers was held on Tuesday, at the new building, Frederick street, to receive the treasurer's accounts, and the report of the building fund, &c. Amongst those present were Mr. Alderman Robinson, the Rev. Hugh M'Nelle, Messrs. W. P. Jeffrey's, J. Rigby, Wilson, West, Southward, Gough, Thomp son,•&e. The chair was occupied by the Rev. T. L. Pain. The report gave a highly satisfactoryaccount of the progress of 'the schools, and announced that the average attendance of 'children had considerably increased. From the treasurer's .account it appeared that the amount received was £1,541 :3s. 4d., and, after defraying all 'expenses, there remained a 'balance tolhocredit of the schools of £2 4s. Sd. The , schools :are'rioW 'freeffrom debt. The 'report having been received and adopted, and the committee for the ensuing year appointed, the Rev. Dr. M`Neile 'moved a resolution expres sive of thankfulness to the Alniiihty for having blessed the efforts of those engaged in :the 'establishment and conduct of the schools, and that they would trust in Him to raise up friends to assist them in the work. The resolution was agreed to, and the meeting shottly afterwards broke up. PREtnNTATION TO a Ottmo-ymAN.---01/ Wednesday, the inhabitants of Little Brighton and Waterloo, desirous of show- ' ing their regard and esteem for the Rev.vGeorge Troughton, and their gratitude for the -services he has rendered them in establishing and conducting, for a period of upwards of twelve months, a cottage lecture :in the schoolroom of the former place, presented him with u testimonial, , consisting of a hand some gold pencil-case and pen, with n suitable inscription, 'together with a beautifully illustrated copy of Herbert's poetical works. After , an address by 'Thomas Eccles, Esq., Mr. Dorley presented the testimonial, expressing the feelings •eirthe subscribers in 'tbe following terms :—" In behalf of the inhabitants of Little• Brighton and vicinity, who have been in he habit of attending , the evening lecture, I present. ou with c small token of their esteem and affection for your gratuitous iservices among them e and may the Lord give you health and strength long 'to minister to the spiritual welfare of Tour ' fellow-creatures." :The reverend -.gentleman returned -au ap propriate response,-and the meeting separated. PRESTON IND NOE= IiAIiCAZEIRB POULTRY aIItINV. - 011 Wednesday mad Thursday, a grand poultry show took place in the Exchange-buildings, Preston, 'when nearly 3,000 birds were brought together, the exhibitors consisting of some of the most celebrated , hreeders from 40 parts of the , country, in addition to those residing in the more immediate district. Amongst the exhibitors from Liverpool and the neighbourhood were Captain 'foray, of Knowsley, who carried away the silver eup, and the •extra silveronp, for the best pen of Spanish chickens 4.1855. The Cochin Chinas shown by Mr. Stretch, of Bootle, were highly commended, as also the coloured Dork ings, by Mr.•Jeseph Hindson, or Barton-house, Everton. Mr. W. C. Worrall,of Knotty Ash, took the second prize for the golden-spangled Hamburghs, and the other pens of golden and. silver-spangledliamburglis, exhibited by him, were all marked " highlynommended." The other exhibitors from this neigh bourhood included Mr. Robert Horsfall, Everton; Mrs. Col bourne. New Brighton ; Mr. C. Jones, Birkenhead ; Miss Musgrove, Seaforth ; Mr. Richard Moss, Old Swan ; and Mr. John Williamson, of Whitfield-house, Walton-on-the-Hill. There were no less than twenty-two silver cups given inprizesr the first prizein each class being a silver cup. The attendance on Wednesday, the charge of mdmission being high, was not so good, bat on_Thursday the rooms were crowded. The show • closed on Thursday night, having been highly successful. GENERAL INTELLIGENOE. :TIER StrITAIC of TURKEY has ordered that ben .young offi cers should be,sent to Paris, to study engineering. Duntra thelast few days* petition has been. prepared and signed by upwards of 300 of the leading men of 111111, to make ,Russis pay 'Thrall the cost of: the, war. THE Morning Advertiser states that Mr. Milner Gibson_ will, soon after the reassembling of parliament, .-Inove for .leave to bring in a bill for the repeal of the Oath ofAbjuration. .LanY ELT:Prßououarr.--',The reported death ,of Lady Ellenborough has been contradicted, the family having-received letters from her.ladyship, dated Damascus, Dec. 10. TUB proposaifor an amalgamation of the Protestant Asso ciation with the Protestant Alliance has been megatised by the Committee 41 the Protestant Association. TllNParis correspondents of the inde'pendanceßeige<revive the story that the Emperor Napoleon intends placing himself at the head of one of the expeditions of the coming campaign. TR)! auditors -of the county of Durham, in presenting the accounts the other day, mentioned that the late pros3cu ,tion in the great Burdon poisoning case had cost the county MO less than .£4l2.—Gateshead Observer. Tan Senatus Acatlemicus of the Edinburgh .I.Tniverieity ,have voted Dr.. Alison £250 a year, as a retiring allowance. The learned Professor is the elder brother of Sir .Archibaid .Alison, Bart., the- celebrated historian. Wm. MACATMAY43 HEALTU is by no means good. A gentle man, who saw him a few weeks ago,-states that he experiences great difficulty in 'conversing even [yr a short time.—Durn friat Standard. Croons FACT.—Dr. Lushington stated in the Admiralty Court, last week, that forty years ago he was counsel in a causcxelating to the very ship which brought William 411.,t0 this country. - - - THE , much celebrated :twenty-five thousand copies of Ma caulay ate said to hang a little in the trade—but then money is scarce,:and the season 'has not been one in which people have been:at. all prone to .spend much on books.—lllustrated News. 74171411,R1CENT LITERARY RROVISIOIT.--liter Majesty ,has been pleased to grant a pension of £25 a year to Mr. Joseph Haydn, author of the well-known " Dictionary of Dates." There is nothing in the warrant about "distressed circum stances." ME convict Abraham Baker underwent the extreme pe nalty of the law,on Tuesday morning, at Winchexter, for the murder of Naomi Kingswell, at Southampton, on the 14th of October last. Since his committal to prison, and especially since his sentence, Baker has been most earnest in making preparation for the .change that awaited him. He fully ad mitted the " wickedness of his crime." ACCORDWG to a correspondent of the .IVord, the Emperor of the French preserves in all its integrity . , at the Palace of the Elys6e, the famous cabinet in which the coup d'ita of Dec. 2, 1851, was prepared. Here is the secret drawer con taining the bundle of papers, orders of arrest, proclamations, xie., tied together, the wrapper bearing the one word — Rubicon." ONE OF TICE DEFENDERS OF Kens.—Dr. Sandwith, one of the_ gallant defenders of Kars, has reached London, after undergoing extraordinary privations on his journey from Kars to Batoum. Dr. Sandwith was set free by General Mouravieff in consideration of the great attention he had bestowed on the Russians wounded in their unsuccessful attack of September 29. LIBERALITY OF EMPLOYEES.—Among the several banking firms who have presented to their clerks £l,OOO for distribu tion since the commencement of the new year, are—Messrs. Heywood and Co., London ; Messrs. Heywood and Co., Man chester ; Messrs. Prescott and Co., Messrs. Hankey and Co , and the London and Westminster Bank. In addition to these gifts, it is understood advanced salaries have in some cases been granted. COUNTY COURT JrnoEs.There have been no less than nine vacancies among the County Court Judges in four years ; five have died, and four have resigned. There have died Messrs. Chilton, Carrow, Hildyard, Wing, and Barnaby ; and there have resigned Messrs. Amos, Wilkinson, Palmer, and Elsley. To succeed these, Lord St. Leonards appointed two, namely, Messrs. Adolphus and Taylor ; and Lord Cran worth has appointed Messrs. Losh, Cooke, Lonsdale, Willmore, Temple, Sir E. Wilmot, and Mr. Miller. A FEARFUL CASE OF DOUBLE SUICIDE was perpetrated on the railway near Antwerp. A man and woman, well attired, and supposed to have resided at Brussels, placed themselves across the line and were cut to pieces by the train. The en gine driver having perceived a smart shock on passing the spot, reported the circumstance at Malines, whence a telegra phic notice was immediately sent back to Vieux Dieu, and upon examining the line the two bodies were discovered. MR. SCOTT RUSSELL'S MONSTER STEAMER.—The Portland (Main) correspondent of the New York Express, writing from that port on the 14th ult., states that an examination of that harbour had been made by Captain Harrison, R. N., (recently in the service of the Cunard Company, and who has been appointed to command Mr. Scott Russell's monster steamer), and that he is satisfied that the water is quite deep enough to receive that vessel, and allow her to perform all necessary nautical operations. She is expected to make her first trip to Portland in May next. TUE CHILD STARVATION CASE.-At the Central Criminal Court, London, on Thursday, Charles Butler, aged 30, musician, and Sarah Butler, aged 23, his wife, were indicted for the manslaughter of Emma Butler, their child. The prisoners lived in Bermondsey-street, and the child, who was between two and three years old, had been much neglected and ill-treated, especially by the woman. The prisoners were in the most abject state of poverty, the man being a street musician. The medical evidence proved the child to have suffered much from disease and want, but did not clearly establish death to have resulted from any specific act of neg lect or violence. The jury acquitted the prisoners. BIRMINGHAM CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.—A meeting of the Council of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce was held on Wednesday. The meeting was made special for the purpose of taking into consideration the present state of the monetary laws, and, after considerable discussion, the follow ing resolution was passed, viz.:—" That it is the opinion of this Council that it will be found impossible, without great injury to every interest, to carry on the war to an issue, con sistent with the honour and safety, of the country, under the present monetary system, and that it is the incumbent duty of parliament to take into consideration the effects produced by the acts of 1819 and 1814, with the view of calling out the energy and power of the nation." EXTRAORDINARY CONDUCT IN COVENT GARDEN THEATRE. —On Wednesday, during the performances of the Wizard of the North at Covent Garden Theatre, Loudon, a well-dressed man suddenly stood up in the balcony of the boxes, having a pistol in his hand, which he appeared to be about to raise, when his arm was seized by a gentleman who sat next to him. An altercation and scuffle ensued between several occupants of the balcony and the individual who had behaved so strangely, and great alarm and excitement were created in the theatre. The lunatic, for such he seemed, was compelled to resign the pistol, and Mr. Anderson, the lessee, caused him to be placed in the hands of the police, who removed him from the theatre. SERIOUS CHARGE AGAINST THE ROVELEY POST3IASTER. —Samuel Chesshire, master of the Rugeley post-office, was on Friday charged before the magistrates, at Rugeley, with open ing a letter from Professor Taylor, addressed to Mr. Gardiner, solicitor, Rugeley. Mr. Phillips, from the General post-office, attended for the prosecution. The letter in question contained a reporot of the analysis on Mr. John Parsons Cook, and its contents were communicated to William Palmer, his alleged murderer, in a very mysterious manner, as was seen from a report of a discussion on the subject at the last adjourned inquest. The accused was held to bail to appear next Thurs day. The prisoner has admitted the offence, and is discharged from his office. nicle. EXTRAORDINARY STORY.—A correspondent of The Times says :—I have recently received, on good authority, the follow ing extraordinary account of an act of cruelty perpetrated by an ambassador from the Court of Persia now resident in Rus sia. It appears that during the stay of the ambassador in Moscow, a fire of charcoal, lighted by his servant in a stove of the room where his son and the servant slept, caused the death of the former by suffocation, while the latter narrowly 'escaped with his life. The ambassador, in order to avenge the death of his son, commanded the servant, to whose careless ness the accident was attributed, to be flayed alive. The Russian police, however, interfered, alleging that such a pun ishment could not be allowed in their country. Accordingly his Excellency ordered a boi with air-holes to be made, for the purpose of transporting his unfortunate servant to Persia, there to suffer the fearful death which even Russian civiliza tion prohibited ! The poor man is probably now on his way to Persia. THE EDUCATION or THE ROYAL CHILDREN (observes the Court Journal) being a matter in which all must feel interested, a few details of the manner in which the day of the royal scholars is divided may perhaps be entertaining to our readers. A primary regard is paid to moral and religious duties. They rise early, breakfast at eight, and dine at one. Their various occupations are allotted out with almost mili tary exactness. One hour finds them engaged in the study of the ancient, another of the modern, authors ; their acquaint anceship with languages being first founded on a thorough knowledge of their grammatical construction, and afterwards familiarised and perfected by conversation. Next they are trained in those military exercises which give dignity and bearing. Another hour is agreeably filled up with the lighter accomplishments of music and dancing. Again the happy little party assemble in the riding school, where they may be seen deeply interested in the various evolutions of the menage. Thence—while drawing and the further exercise of music and the lighter accomplishments call off the attention of their sis ters—the younger princes proceed to busily engage them selves in a carpenter's shop, fitted up expressly for them, at the wish of the Royal Consort, with a turning lathe and other tools essential to a perfect knowledge of the craft. Thus they early become, not only theoretically, but practically, acquainted with the useful arts of life. A small laboratory is occasionally brought into requisition, at the instance also of their royal father; and the minds of the children are thus led up from a contemplation -of the curiosities of chemical science and the wonders of nature to an inquiry into their causes. This done, - the young carpenters and students throw down their saws .and axes, unbuckle ,their philosophy, and shoulder their miniature percussion guns-which they handle with the dexterity of practised sportsmen—for a shooting stroll through the royal gardens. The evening meal, the preparation for the morning's lessons, and brief religious instruction, close the day, ALARMING OUTRAGE NEAR SIIEFFIELD.—OnIy the other =day it was recorded that an outrage of the most diabolical character had taken place at Dronfield, namely, an attempt o blow up the workshops of Mr. George Ward, and now we have to narrate au act of a daring and murderous nature. The scene of outrage was the premises of Mr. E. France, surgeon, of Dronfield. On Saturday night, Mr. France's -servant girl entered the drawing-room, and announced that there were thieves in the garden, having a light with them. Mr. W. Henry France, (who is on a visit to his brother,) at once rose to see after the depredators, but declined the offer 4of the servant girl to accompany him with a light. He opened the door, and was takinga survey before entering the grounds, which are in front of his brother's house, when a miscreant 'fired a gun at him. A portion of the contents struck Mr. France on the, forehead, whilst the remainder, a large portion, struck and shattered the • windows in front of the house. It is said that Mr. France's wounds are not of a very serious nature. Had he taken the light with him, he would have presented a better mark to the assassin, whose intention, it can scarcely be doubted, was to murder. Only a night or two previously, while this gentleman was sitting in his brother's drawing-room, be was alarmed, on raising his head, by seeing a man, disguised, push the door open, and look in. Mr. France seized a gnu, which. stood by, and discharged it at the intruder. The piece, however, was loaded with powder only, the charge of ahet.having just previously been drawn to pre vent accidents ; and before Mr. France quite recovered from the surprise and excitement of the moment, the man made off, leaving not a trace behind. A reward of £2O has been offered -for the apprehension of the offender.—Doncaster Gazette. A SOLDIER FLOGG-ED TO DEATIT.—The correspondent of - the .Morning Herald,. in his letter from the Crimea, dated December 24 ; sayss—A private of the English Artillery has this .week died under the lash at Balaklava. I believe offence was drunkenness. Be it so. Are there no roads to be made or mended ? Are there no stones to be broken ? Are 'there no • round shot to be polished ? Is it not better to stop grog than to stop life? Let your readers answer. My opinion is, that though in many cases, such as mutiny or desertion, flogging is =admissable, it (now that the enemy does net harass us, now that men can well be spared for sentries over prisoners) is not the beet punishment for drunkenness. I shall not argue this,questionemt now. I shall simply say that this private was made fast to the usual limber-wheel, that his state was apparently. not one of health, that he was sentenced to receive, and did receive in full, fifty lashes, at the hands of the sergeant-farrier of the left siege-train at Balaklava Heights, And that on being cast loose he fell to the ground like a log, there remained a short time, was carried to hos pital, and there died. lam told that this private belonged to the *3lsh company of the lth battalion (Royal Artillery), but I have failed as yet to learn his name. He died on Sunday morning'(yesterday), having been flogged on Saturday, after the departure of the last mail from Balaklava ; and I think that the War-office authorities ought to investigate the case. Men are men, and must not be treated as beasts, for which latter, we have at least, a " Martin's Act." EXTRAORDINART Surerne.—On Sunday evening, the 23rd of December, at ten o'clock, anaan in the prime of life, but whose appearance betokened poverty and misery, entered the Grantham Arms, Dyer-street, Leeds, and, having called for a , pipe, sat down moodily by the fire. Two or three persons were sitting in the room, but the stranger was not heard to weak a word. After sitting thus for ten minutes, the man put a poker into the fire, and, when it had become red hot, took it out and knocked it against the floor, to remove any exerescence on it ; 'he then deliberately put the red hot end of the poker down his throat. • The persons present caught hold of him, and, having removed the poker from his possession, bathed his mouth with warm water. The man was ultimately removed to the Mendicity-office, where every attention was shownlim; and, in answer to inquiries as to the cause of the rash act, he only replied that it was a very foolish act, and he did not know what he was doing. His tongue, throat, and under lip were very much burnt, from the effects of which he died last Friday. The only information that can be gained about thesleceased is, that his name is Thomas Barker, and that he.came from Bolton, in Lancashire. An inquest was held on the body, at the Court-house, last Saturday, before Mr. John Blackburn, when a verdict was returned—" That Thomas Barker died from the effect of the burns which he had wilfully inflicted on himself ; but there was no evidence -to satisfy the jury as to the state of his mind."—Leeds Mercury. TUB LADY, THE LOVER, AND THE HoasEs.—The following story is told by Gelignani :—Although Count Maison is only 25, and Made F. de Nujac, a Parisian lady of some celebrity, is nearly 40,-he some time ago became captivated with her, and made an arrangement by which he was to allow her 150 E a-week for household expenses, exclusive of petty disburse ments and presents. Some time after Madame de Nujac, who lived in grand style, 'being in debt, found it necessary to sell her horses; and the Count approved her doing so, but gal lantly said that as he had several horses of his own, and ex pected others, he would not allow her to go on foot. A few days later Madame de Nujac announced to the Count that she had heard of a pair of fine horses to be sold marvel. lously cheap, and hinted that he would do well to pur chase them. The day after she wrote him this letter : " Tell me, my dear love, how you are this morning, and receive the assurance of my warmest affection. You will come this evening, will you not ?—FELICITE. P.S.—As regards the horses, Joseph tells me that he has seen them in harness, and that they are magnificent—much better than mine. They are to be had for 5,000 f., and you would do well to see them. The owner is to leave this week, and Joseph says they will soon be sold." The Count saw the horses, tried them, and bought them for 5,000 f, taking a receipt for them in his own name. He then offered the use of them to Madame de Nujac; but he did not give them to her, and the proof of this was that he did not send them to her stables, but to a private one belonging to her coachman, which be hired for 30f. a-month ; and he, besides, undertook to pay for their keep. The very next day, however, he learnt, to his surprise, that Madame de Nujac had caused the horses to be removed to her own stables. He immediately wrote to her to request that she would write him a few lines, just to say that she did tibt consider the h orses h er property; but, instead of writing, she sent him a message to go to her. When he went, she pretended to fly into a passion at the idea of his suspecting her of being capable of doing a mean thing, and she made him beg her pardon. The Count, however, determined to regain his horses, sold them, and sent a servant for them. They were refused. The Count himself then went to Madame de Nujac, but the servants refused him admission ; he, however, insisted on seeing her, and found her breakfasting with another gentleman. She then formally declared that she would not give np the horses, and that if he thought fit to go to law about them he might do so. The Count did go to law, and the case was tried in Paris on Tuesday. The advo cate of Madame de Nujac, after complaining that Count Maison had needlessly revealed her age, contended that the horses had been not lent, but given; but the Tribunal ordered the horses to be restored to the Count. widow, is now living at Dyrham and Hinton a widow, named Anne Ball, in the 99th year of her age, who actually takes in washing, and does it herself.—Bath Chro- At the request of the Spanish government, the authorities at Bayonne have taken the liberty of transferring to England (after a mouth's imprisonment) a man who had been arrested at Urrugue for having arms, ammunition, and Carlist letters in his house. ORDERS havebeen issued to the commanding officers of provisional battalions and depots to hold in readiness for im mediate embarkation the whole of the disciplined men belong. ing to the service in the East. The drafts of infantry regi ments will proceed to the entrepot at Malta, whence they will be conveyed as occasion may require to the aeat of war, and the drafts for the cavalry will join the cavalry reserve at Scutari. About 450 rank and file, belonging to the household infantry brigade, will proceed to Malta and join the reserve battalion. The number of troops under orders exceeds 4,500. FOUR TEACHERS DEVOURED. BY CANNIBALS IN ONE OF THE SOUTH SEA ISLANDS.—The missionary ship John Wil liams, named after the heroic martyr of Eromanga, has re cently completed a voyage among the New Hebrides and other westerly groups. Among the news she brings are some items of encouragement, and others of great sorrow. The journal of the voyage says :—" On reaching the Island of Fate,- the distressing news was brought on board that some of the teachers who, with their wives, left there on the last voyage, had been barbarously murdered. Only nineteen days after they were landed, under the most cheering circumstances, the two Raratonguan teachers and their wives were murdered to furnish materials for a horrible'cannibal banquet. THE CASE OF PALMER, TICE SURGEON OF RUGELEY.— On Wednesday last, in the Birmingham District Court of Bankruptcy, Palmer, the surgeon charged with the murder at Rugeley, of Mr. Cooke, by the administration of slow poison, was declared a bankrupt. The petitioning creditor upon whose application the fiat was issued, is Mr. Spittle, of West bromwich, his claim being for money lent. Mr. Brown, of Bilston, is the solicitor for the bankruptcy. The adjudication will be disputed, and the bankruptcy in no way interfere with the sale of the bankrupt's stud, appointed to take place at Tattersall's yesterday. On inquiry, it is ascertained that no attorney of Birmingham was ever employed as an agent for the Midland Counties Assurance-office. RUMOURED SECRET TREATY BETWEEN RUSSIA AND PRusslA.—A communication from the Vienna correspondent of the Daily News contains the following :—" Within the last few days the report of a secret understanding, confirmed by a treaty, between Russia and Prussia, is again brought forward, and gains some degree of credit. It is affirmed that this secret treaty has been only very lately concluded by the present Emperor of Russia, and that it was brought to Berlin by Count Munster, who could never induce the Emperor Ni cholas to sign it. This treaty is one of offensive and defen sive alliance between the two states, under certain possible contingencies ; but whether the King of Prussia will be able to rely on the co-operation of his army in such a case is a question that has given rise to great doubt and discussion." A NOVEL PROJECT. The prospectus is issued of the " Patent Jointed Ship Company," with a capital of £50,000 in £lO shares, on which the deposit is to be £2. The object proposed is a novel one, being the construction and working of vessels composed of several sections, jointed each into the other, and admitting of being readily disconnected. One engine, it is stated, would suffice to work three sets of sec tions ; one set loading at one port, a second discharging at another port, while a third is performing the voyage between the ports of loading and discharge. The promoters contend that this system would be of peculiar value to the London coal trade, especially if applied to jointed steam colliers, con structed to bring 1,000 tons of coal at a trip, in four sections, loading 250 tons each, and drawing only 5 feet 6 inches of water, so as to float over bars and shallows. The company is brought out under the new Limited Liability Act. GOLDSMITH ON RUSSIAN AGG-RESSION. Goldsmith's " Citizen of the World" is an interesting evidence of the long standing apprehensions of Russia as an encroaching power : " I cannot avoid beholding the Russian empire as the natural enemy of the more western parts of Europe—as an enemy already possessed of great strength, and, from the nature of the government, every day threatening to become more powerful. It was long the wish of Peter, their great monarch, to have a foot in some of the western parts of Europe ; many of his schemes and treaties were directed to this end ; but, happily for Europe, he failed in them all. A fort in the power of this people would be like the possession of a floodgate; and whenever ambition entered, or necessity prompted, they might then be able to deluge the whole western world with a bar barous inundation. Believe me, my friend, I cannot sufficiently condemn the politics of Europe, who thus make this powerful people arbitrators in their quarrel. RELICS or THE PAST.—A variety of relics of the past, descending from 701. D. to the present century, have been turned up in digging the foundations for the new model lodging-houses in Copenhagen-street. One is a small copper coin of the Roman Emperor Vespasian, who reigned from A .D. 69 to A.D. 79. It bears on the obverse the head of the Em peror, with the legend—" Vespasian Aug. Cos.," the first part, probably, " Imp. CEes.," is undecipherable ; the reverse is obliterated. A silver penny of one of the Edwards, some small copper and latten coins, foreign, English, and Irish, the latter dropped here, perhaps, by Cromwell's soldiers who had served in Ireland ; a small copper medal, bearing on one side the head of King George 111. and Queen Charlotte, and a ship on the other, apparently struck in commemoration of some naval triumph, have also been found, as well as portions of skeletons, including the under jaw and thigh bones of a person of gigantic proportions, a prodigious quantity of goats' horns and other exuvice. Mr. Bowan, of Copenhagen-street, who has preserved several of these relics, has also in his possession an ancient Roman patera or saucer of red clay, with a greenish mottled glaze upon it, obtained from a depth of 17 or 18 feet below the surface.— Worcester Chronicle. ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.—A Stockholm journal contains the following :—ln Sweden, females never by any chance enter a coffee-house to take refreshment ; though, singular to relate, in nearly all such places, females are employed to wait. Great, consequently, was the astonishment felt by the fre quenters of the coffee-house of the Bazaar of the Pord-Nord, in this city, to see, in the evening of the 28th of December, a young lady, dressed with extreme elegance, and whose bear ing showed that she belonged to the higher classes of society, enter unaccompanied, and, quietly taking a seat at a table, call for a cup of coffee. Many of the persons were so struck at the extraordinary visit, that they could not refrain from rising from their seats to gaze at the lady ; but she took up a news paper and began to read with apparent attention. After n while, when the curiosity had somewhat subsided, she rose hastily, and advancing towards another table, as if to take a newspaper, pulled a pistol from her muff and prepared to dis charge it; but at that moment an officer who happened to be near seized her by the arm. The pistol, a double-barreled one, went off, and the balls striking a chandelier, broke it, and then lodged in the ceiling. The lady was immediately arrested, taken before a magistrate, and after being interroga.- ted, was placed in secret confinement. She is said to be the widow of a superior officer in the army, but what she meant to do with the pistol is a profound mystery. The affair has created intense sensation here." SINKING OP ,AN EXPERIMENTAL MORTAR VESSEL.—A serious accident occurred at Portsmouth on Friday, in the trial of the new indiarubber mortar raft, the invention of the Rev. Mr. Berthon, of Fareham. This raft had been tried several times with every success, and Friday was appointed for a final trial, the raft being ordered out to sea, off Southsea Castle, and there to fire 150 rounds of shell. She was accordingly towed out at an early hour by boats belonging to the Excel lent, gunnery-ship, the mortar being a 13-inch mortar, and the charge of powder 201 b., the usual charge for such a piece. A party of seamen, gunners from the Excellent, under the command of Lieut. Lethbridge, of that ship, went out with the raft, as did also Mr. Berthon, the inventor. Everything went on well till the 15th shell was fired, and the concussion at this discharge was so great as to cause the sides of the raft to fly apart, and she sank immediately. Lieut. Lethbridge and the seamen gunners were immersed in the sea, but all were picked up, with the exception of one of the men, who must have sunk immediately after the disaster, as his body was not afterwards seen. Mr. Berthon was on the raft during most of the practice, but he had got into a waterman's boat to ascertain the effect of the recoil of the mortar from a short distance. The mortar was slung on Capt. Julius Roberts's principle, which deprives it of a large amount of recoil at its discharge. RAILWAY IN BRAZIL—The prospectus has been issued of a Brazilian railway, with a capital of £1,200,000, to bear a guaranteed interest of 7 per cent. The line is from the city and port of Pernambuco, which have a population of 120,000, to the town of Ague Preta, in the interior—a distance of 78 miles. Of the 7 per cent. guarantee 5 per cent. is from the Imperial Government, while the remaining 2 per cent. is from the province of Pernambuco. The road will pass through the cotton and sugar districts, and the shareholders are ultimate ly to have the privilege of continuing it to the river San Fran cisco, at the point where its waters become navigible, through the heart of the country for nearly 1,000 miles. They are likewise to enjoy the right to all minerals within 20 miles on either side, and to be allowed the free importation of their machinery and coal. This enterprise furnishes another illus-* tration of the calls on English capital which are likely to be made under the principle of large guarantees from foreign Go vernments desirous of improving the condition of their terri tories. 'or States in good repute like Brazil the system is available even in war time, and it promises to become indis criminate whenever peace shall be attained. Among the rea sons given in the present instance in mitigation of the objec tions against a withdrawal of capital, it is urged that Brazil is one of the best customers of England; that a free communica tion with the interior is essential to the colonization plans of the Government, with a view to supplant slave by free labour; that £240,000 of the required amount will be subscribed in Brazil; that a large proportion of the remainder will be dis bursed in England for plant, rails, locomotives, w n of e and, finally, &c.; finally, that the expenditure will be spread ove r several efiifines church lead ing a r a s t SINGULAR SCENE AT AMBLE SID E Ambleside has recently been warmediTy T means from a coke fire. Owing to some imperfectione church during in the flues Idasit suntotnhdy . eabodyof t 'gas se issued Young children tandeel morning eterious nearest the floor, were fi rs t affected. , and about 2oo , f being theni followed one another out before the adults took the alarm. At about the middle of the sermon the congregation rose in p a r e b a o c d h y e r who, a, ndN vent out, to the a pp aren t a s tonishment of the in his elevated pulpit, was unaware of the mis chief. He was left entirely alone in the church ; and it is the opinion of the medical men, that if the congregation had re mained a quarter of an hour longer, no one would have been able to help himself or his neighbour, and many, or all, must have perished. The scene in the churchyard was singular for a day in January ; numbers of persons were laid on the grass, fainting, convulsed, and moaning. None altogether escaped injury. In the lane leading from the church to the village persons dropped as they walked, and lay quivering, or as if dead. Some who believed themselves able to reach their homes fell at a short distance from their own doors, and one at least was actually unable to reach home till the next day. Fortu nately, one of the surgeons of the place, on his way to church, was called to a patient, and thereby left in a condition to give prompt assistance. During the afternoon the druggist's shop w as crowded with applicants for stimulant medicin es —d e bi lity, an d headache prostrating the population like a plague. None e p nac e t itnhratth the there intolerablyccold willoc church, l of the cases have i h t a e m ibn i ee i einna as tt imminent. found fatally, It t a ndni ta e ba l m l yy y 0 db,e experience ep u s eoturfpwarming the several. i danger t o bw m eh u s inc t oh, f have uhtouwr been e v e e nr, carelessnessm before the present experiment was tried. Repeated warnings had been given to the authoritie s f or weeks past by the ringers and others who had suffered from the fumes of the coke, but no notice was taken, and on Sunday last the doors were shut, and kept shut, by the churchwardens, whose practice is to go to the inns during prayers to see whether any drinking is going forward, and who will allow no admission of air during their absence : or on their return. By the latest accounts• some of the invalids were rather worse than better, while others had nearly recovered.—Express.