The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-01-12 00:00:00

Thig had all along been told out of doors. Although he might not have precise information with regard to their movements, yet he had also learned that owing to a commu nication from a noble lord, and also owing to differences among themselves, (cries of " No, no !") they had expected they should have brought before the council a measure of a more decided and a bolder character, and that they looked to another gentleman in the council to do it. But that gentleman had had more moderation, more good sense, and had the public weal more at. heart, than to bring forward the niotl'on. The present was the best they could procure, after a ll ; but the intention of it was not the less noxious. Their hopes were altogether rested upon the report of a committee—that that committee would pull the bill to pi eces , that they would impose restrictions here and lay injunctions there, and that they would so alter it as to compel the Dock Committee to renounce,it altogether. That was the object. He had reason to know from indivi dual reports, that some of the warehouse owners would hear of nothing else but the protection of the warehouses under any circumstances whatever—(no, no)—but there were others who wished to lay hold of the dock qu a ys t h emse l ves, and to convert to their own private advantage the warehouses upon them. Everybody recollected that there had been in the latter part of the year, a new election of members of the Dock Committee. In London and elsewhere it had been held out that the ratepayers were averse to the erection of warehouses ; but what was the result of th that gentlemen were nom the warehouse me& triumphant maiorit lection the measure to deal with now payers ; and with regard to the ..labiiants, be would an swer for it that ninety out of every hundred were for, it least out of all who understood the question, and the o only wanted to be informed about it.. It was upon the rate payers that the greatest stress had been laid in London, but the world had been undeceived on that point ; and who, he asked, had they to deal with now ? A remnant of the ware house owners and warehouse keepers and no others. Would they be botind by the report of the committee? No, not if it were against them. They hoped the bill would be over thrown by the council; if it were not they would hear the like language to that which they had heard before in that council and out of doors—" I will let nobody cut my throat, and I w ill su b scr ib e my m it e t o over th row thi s bill. ' The other day a gentleman, one of the most active, noisy, and influential upon the subject, mentioned to him openly and candidly—" the fact is, I cannot afford to let the public have dock warehouses, so there is the principle we are con tending for—it is that of self interest." Now, with regard to the clai m th at se lf - i nterest h a d to put out the commercial prospects of Liverpool, he (Mr. Evans) had never heard a case made out. It would never answer with any one. It would not with Sir Robert Peel., He was told that the hope of the warehouse owners was now upon Lord' Lyndhurst, who had honoured one or two of them before now with a breakfast, and that 'therefore they hoped to try ano ther experiment with his lordship. He (Mr. Evans) had not the slightest apprehension about Lord Lyndhurst upon a point of this sort. But if the warehouse owners had any case let it be made out, and he had not the slightest objection to go into it. He should be glad to know what they wanted. Himself and 'other gentlemen in the Dock Committee, in their individual capacity, had made many at tempts to suggest what they should propose—and what they wanted as the price for which they would withdraw their oppo stion. He had never met anything from them but evasion ; not one of them had answered him in any other way than ho had the promoters of tainly not ith the rate exactly as he had described, continually reverting to their own interest as the only reason for their opposition. what was the proposed committee to do that the Dock Con mittee could not do ? Had the present suggestion been mad, there? Had any overtures been made to the Dock Con►- mittee either in their general or sub-committee charities? Nothiniofihesoit7 Was not the Dock Committee likely to be more impartial and fair upon this subject than the coun cillors ? Were they not appointed for the purpose ? They . . Committee talked as if there was an issue between the Do and the warehouse owners—as if the Dock Committee were interested in it—as it was a dispute between one set of railway proprietors and another. The Dock Committee were open to suggestions and overtures ; and he thought they were a great deal better qualified to entertain them under all the circum stances, having more knowledge of the subject than could be expected elsewhere, than any committee that could be formed out of the council. He conceived that the question would not have been entertained for one moment, if it were not for the sympathy which wealthy men had for each other. When he heard them saying that there were warehouses sufficient in Liverpool without erecting more, he replied that there were roads enough to London before the Grand Junction Railway was made. If warehouses upon the dock quays happened to pinch upon the interests of warehouse owners, ,as the railway had upon the existing turnpike trusts, that was no reason for thro wing away improvements. Warehouse owners were liable, like other people, to the vicissitudes of human life, of wordly affairs, and to changes or value of all kinds of property arising from improvements. Mr. Evans then referred to the timber trade as having been loud in opposition to the mea sure, contending that there was no ground for their proceed ings, inasmuch as they had greater accommodation than any other trade, and more than was given them in most parts in the empire. They were enabled to discharge their vessels quicker here than anywhere upon the face of the globe ; and be believed, if the subject were investigated, it would be found that they were lower rated, in proportion to the quay and water space they occupied, than any other trade. What they had been holding out, and which, as usual, had been grabbled at by the interested party, was that it would not be fair to involve the timber trade, who slid not want warehouses, in the risk of building them, as they might end in raising the dock rates upon them. Now what had been their conduct ? They willingly gave their consent to make an open' dock, which would require double dock rates to make it answer if it were made without warehouses. See the incons. stency of that. Mr. Evans then went on to contend that the ware . - houses would pay, that so far from adding insecurity to the docks, they would afford security, and that they would be the means of bringing an increased income, which would enable the dock committee at a future period to reduce the rates. He then urged that as the bill was now in course, any alterations could best be made before the parliamentary com mittee, and that indeed would be the easiest plan of effecting them, as it would prevent the necessity of a discussion, which could only tend to embarrass the council. He next entered upon the question whether the proposed warehouses would not be converted into a monopoly, and be the instrument of great political influence, both of which positions he denied ; and the idea of building the warehouses, and letting them off, he ridiculed as lortposterObs. Hetoncluded by referring to a speech of Mr. G. H. Lawrerice, at the 'West Derby ward dinner, and on that speech appealing to Mr. Lawrence to support his views. Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE said he was not aware that the opinions he then expressed would enable him. Mr. EVANS replied, there was " a chiel amang them taking notes, and 'faith he'd prent 'em." Before he sat down he wished to make another remark. The public had long been amused with talk about the reduction of the dock rates. When we listened to that kind of talk we were apt to forget that improvements such as the building of sheds and the deepening of docks were better than reduced rates, inasmuch as they facilitated the entrance, the discharge, and the departure of ships. There was in the expenditure of the income upon improvements a virtual reduction of rates. The MAYoR here announced that the Town Clerk was now prepared to state the legal bearing of the motion. Several members said it was not necessary; and therefore the Town Clerk resumed his seat. Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE said that Mr. Evans had com menced by deprecating any further discussion of the subject, yet he had himself gone step by step till there was scarcely any portion of the question upon which he had not touched. Mr. EVANS observed that he had done so because he could not see what case had been made out for the motion. Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE was glad that the worthy alder man had adopted the course which he had. The council most probably recollected the way in which the Dock Com mittee had forced this subject before them in October last, fearful, no doubt, of the election which was about to ensue. There was then an express understanding that the council should have the power of discussing it again about this period. He should enter upon the subject generally, as it was one in which he was much interested, as well as a mem. ber of the council, as a merchant, and as one of those who possessed the unhappy property now to be attached by the Dock Committee. He looked forward to the appointment of this committee, in the hope that its efforts might have a good effect, in making such suggestions as would render the bill not perhaps palatable to all parties, but such as the town generally might approve. He had never risen in his place in that room without expressing his anxious wish that this question should be fairly and amicably settled in Liverpool ; and he hoped that upon a careful and dispassionate view of the whole case, that might be done through the means of this committee. When it was first brought before the Council, he was one of those who acqui esced with, and voted for, the recommendation of the Finance Committee, that bonded sheds should be erected, in place of the warehouses required by the Dock Committee. At that time he thought the Dock Committee would have acted wisely if they had acceded to the proposal then made, because, in the end, they might have gained every thing they required, the Finance Committee having recommended that the foundations of the sheds should be of that strength and solidity that, if required, warehouses might hereafter be rear ed upon them. The Dock Committee refused to accept this recommendation, and the bill was abandoned. Next year the same bill 'was presented to the Council, and then the party to which he belonged changed their policy, and instead of adhering to the former proposal of bonded sheds, they supported the scheme of leasing the land to joint stock com panies. He was a supporter of that ; hut he now thought it would be wrung to separate the warehouses from the dock management, and that either would be equally prejudicial to private interests. He supported that scheme, he said, and he regretted it, for it was to that that all the present difficul ties were attributable. They were beaten on this point, and the bill went before parliament. Then came on a struggle in parliament, where so much money had been spent. From the committee of the house neither party returned victorious. A great mass of evidence was taken, and he believed the opi nion of the committee was in favour of building warehouses upon certain conditions, and opposed to separate manage ment • but the bill did not pass in consequence of the late ness of the session, though he believed, if there had been time, it would not have p passed without some assurance or guarantee that parties, who were only indirectly interested in the success of the scheme, should not be damaged by its failure. He alluded to the timber trade. Then came on the election of members of the Dock Committee by the rate payers. On that occasion the merchants, the parties most competent to form an opinion on the subject, declared their willingness to accede to the Corporation scheme. They were in favour of building warehouses, preferring them to bonded sheds ; they were opposed to leasing the land to joint stock companies, and were willing to run the risk of building the warehouses upon the security of their own dock rates. That he considered was the decision of the rate-payers, by the election of Mr. Horsfall and the defeat of Mr. Potter. It was a result which be did not expect ; but he felt it his duty, as a councillor, to use the very best means in his power for carrying the resolutions of the Council into effect, at the least possible expense and detriment to the warehouse inte rest. To this end he had laboured, and though he had been supported by one whose fairntss and disinterestedness could not be called in question, he was bound to say that, like many other mediators, he had met with few friends, and many opponents. He was not, however, discouraged on that account, nor should he be deterred from expressing w h at h e felt upon this occasion. He declared that he adhered strictly to what he 'conceived to be the watchword of those with whom he acted on this occasion, when he said that the public funds ought not upon slight grounds to be brought into com petition with private interests. But he made this distinction. He thought he had a right to draw a line between the past aid the future, and say that it would be unjust or inexpe dient to raise warehouses within the margin of Prince's Dock, in direct competition with the immense mass of property erected in the vicinity, which was more than amply sufficient for the accommodation of that dock. He contended that they, the dock trustees, had a right, if they choose. to determine that in any future dock they might have occasion to build, they should be enabled to secure to themselves the adoption of such advantages a nd Such improvements as they might see in Londqn or else where. In these times, when rival docks were springing up, tradeit behoved them 'to offer every inducement to the growing paniea Were port. The Harrington and Herculaneum com least they to have warehouses upon their dock quays, or at estate e)ught for them ; and it was hard that this dock and thebelonging r rather to the empire than to individuals, should exist. (Hear.) His advantages if they could be shown to that they should is proposal to the council, then, was this ; build warehouses upon the quay of Salt house Dock quay would hold, alone—thatand they should build as many as the use of the dock. He cit i s d many as would be sufficient for the not oppose the building of transit sheds, which many People thought a good thing, upon the brink of Prince's Dock. He could wish that these ware houses were built upon the security of the warehouses them selves, which, if the land were not taken into account, and paid for by the dock trustees simply as quays, he thought might be done. But no difficulty of the kind should be thrown in the way, merely for the sake of preventing ware houses being built. At all events, some arrangements might Ise made. Then, he should wish some assurance or guaranlee might be introduced into the bill, which should render it beyond a doubt that there would be no loss upon those parties who considered that they were not interested in the warehouses. He should also like to aim at a clause which would compel the dock committee to charge the highest rates consistently with keeping the warehouses full; and, on the other hand, care should be taken that importers into these warehouses did not gain an advantage over the public; for he contended that they should be made to pay, and be the means of actu ally reducing the dock rates generally. With some proviso of this sort, the rate-payers would feel less aggrieved if the warehouses were built than if the docks were built solely. He would then do this—he would acknowledge the principle that the existing warehouses were sufficient for the existing docks—that the rates should be made as high as was con sistent with keeping them in repair —that those parties who disputed them should not be injured by the failure of the scheme—and he would leave the management of them in the bands of the Dock Committee. He aimed also at making the Dock .Committee more popular with the rate-payers. He _aimed at making them a more responsible body than they were, and more amenable to the rate-payers. Though he (lid not expect that the council would adopt any plan of this sort, he thought it was not its interest absolutely to refuse it. These were the opinions he had formed on this subject. He had taken some pains to form them ; and he was sure it would not hastily be said that he had spoken rashly or at random. Considering his humble means, he had more at stake in this question than most of those whom he was then addressing; but it should never be said that, for the sake of personal or pecuniary interest, he had thwarted any measure for the ge neral benefit and interest of the town. Mr. GEORGE HOLT wished that the subject had been nar rowed within the limits of the appointment of the committee, and not opened again upon the general principle, because that had been so often discussed, both in and out of doors, and in the papers, that every one had expressed his opinion upon it. The consideration of the question seemed to be confined to the private interests of the warehouse-owneis. Of course, they would naturally take a view of their own interest ; still, he could not but admire the fairness and candour of the last speaker. He thought, too, that the mover of the resolution had shown as much fairness and candour as under the circumstances could be ex pected from him. But still there seemed to be no sympathy with the public estate. Here was an estate of about £1,000,000 in value, and on this question there was no sym pathy with it. It was scarcely to be expected that a bill of the magnitude of this dock bill could be successful in the first session ; it was a great deal to have paved the way for a successful result this year. Concerning the expense, how did it arise ? Although it made every provision for parochial rates, we found the parish authorities oppcsing it with the public funds. A more unwarrantable interference was never witnessed ; and this was a great source of additional expense. While they were opposing the building of warehouses in Liverpool, which should be subject to parochial taxation, just out of the boundaries of the borough, what was the fact? The Herculaneum and Harrington bills were encou raged, and Liverpool was to be the only port in the world having docks without warehouses. After expres sing an opinion that Mr. Lawrence need be under no ap prehensions about the warehouses being always full, he said, that bonded sheds would entail an enormous expense, whilst they would bring in no reVenue ; and as to raising money to build the warehouses, he thought that would be easily done in the way suggested. It was diffi cult to say that there would not be a benefit to the estate. If the warehouses_ paid 20 per cent, and there was only 5 per cent to be paid for the interest, a surplus went to the estate. I hus, dock warehouses were as necessary to docks as the masts of a vessel were necessary to a complete ship. With regard to the appointment of a committee, for any purpose, except to embarrass the bill, it was totally absurd. It was quite unnecessary, as the subject was perfectly under- Mr. H ARBORD said, that being a party interested in this question, it became him to express his sentiments upon it, unless he wished to be accused of a want of candour. The reason he objected to the proposition of the dock trust was, because there was no just principle for the formation of such a property. For the last 15 or 20 years, and especially within the last 6 or 7 years there had been constant complaints from the merchants, and more especially from those of recent settlement in the port,.that the dock rates were enormously high—higher than in any other port in the kingdom. After strenuous exertions they had been reduced no less than 33 per cent. If,warehouses were to be built by the Dock Trustees, and merchants were put to the same trouble and expense with the warehouse rents, as they had been for years past with the dock rates, they would have just reason to complain. But why should this property be created at all, risking, as it did, the property of private individuals to the amount of £1,000,000 ? It was just to satisfy a few schemers, and not to promote the public good. That, at least, was his opinion. But he might say also, that merchants had good reason to complain of the management no less than the charges of the dock trustees. The docks had been impro perly managed; there was not the accommodation that was to be found in other ports, whilst the charges, till within the last six years, had been higher than in other,ports. Taking these matters into consideration, he was fully convinced that if there was not a better disposition or► the part on the dock trustees than there had been hitherto evinced, the merchants would not meet that accammodation at that moderate expense that they anticipated. Mr. Evans had stated that the ware house-owners had never come forward with any proposition, that they had never met the dock committee fairly, and that they would never come to any conclusive arrangement. He must protest against that statement, as showing a want of gentlemanly conduct. An overture was made to the dock committee at the commencement of this scheme. He had copies of the letters in his office, as he was then, for a short period, the secretary to the warehouse-owners. One was sent to Mr. Daniel Mason, the secretary to the dock trust, signed by the president at a public meeting. Mr. Mason acknowledged the receipt of that letter, and stated that the dock committee could not then appoint a day for an inter view, as their plans were not maturely laid down; but that they should hear from him in a short time, when the com mittee would give them an opportunity of expressing their sentinients, and of making some arrangement. Strange to say, although - they had partkttlaxly requested an interview, in order to make some arrangement, they never received any further communication from Mr. Mason, except verbally, when the whole proceedings were brought before the council, and they were told indirectly that some mem bers of the Dock Trust did not want to be troubled any fur ther with them. He said, therefore, that there was a want of candour, of common honesty, and of gentlemanly conduct on the part of the Dock Committee in thus throwing the warehouse owners overboard altogether. Mr. Harbord then went on to contend, from the examples of London, Bristol, and Hull, that none of the statements put forward by the advocates of warehouses on the Dock quays could- be relied upon, and that the principle of competition would be the best for all parties. He then referred to the vast amount of capital invested in warehouses, sketching the rise and pro gress of them, and stated that he had encouraged capitalists to embark in thiskind of property, money to the amount of £200,000 ; and after this attempt of the Dock Committee, he supposed they would thank him for it. He thought that the whole subject ought to be reconsidered, and that such arrangements should be made, that the property which had already been built for the accommodation of the trade of the port should be protected, and not be made subservient to those who wished to try the scheme of Dock warehouses. If he had his will every dock should be leased off, and a trea surer appointed by the Dock Trustees, who should pay over the amount agreed upon to be paid by each company. They would then ensure to themselves the revenue, a wholesome competition would be established, dock against dock, and the trade of the port would have the advantage. (Hear.) Mr. ROBINSON, after alluding to the delay that ships ex perienced in discharging, for want of accommodation, and to the necessity of having the warehouse question settled, moved the following amendment, which is a very good epi tome of his speech. "That the Dock Surveyor be directed to furnish plans, for the approval of the Dock Trustees, for the construction of capacious transit sheds upon the west side of Prince's Dock, subject to rates for the use thereof, and to be erected forthwith after the passing of the bill; and that the Dock Solicitor be authorised to proceed with the bill for the above purpose, and for making the new dock on the west side of the Salthouse Dock, with power to the Dock Trustees to erect warehouses on the quays, and for the other provisions of the Dock Bill." Sir JOSHUA WALMSLEY, after some remarks on the gene ral question, seconded the amendment. Mr. HODGSON supported the original motion Mr. BARCLAY supported the amendment, contend ing, that no benefit could arise from the appointment of the committee. Mr. H. SANDBACH supported the original motion, in the hope that it would lead to the settlement of the question, and also on the ground that it would save the enormous ex pense of a contest if all parties united, and that it would also strengthen the hands of the Dock Committee very much before the House of Commons. The reverse was likely to interfere very materially with the success of the bill, and also with the surplus funds, which might be made available for other objects. There was in the statement of Mr. G. H. Law rence an index of the sort of compromise that would most likely be the result of the appointment of a committee. For his own part, he willingly concurred, as the best that was practicable, in Mr. Lawrence's proposal, that all the new docks, hereafter to be made, should have warehouses around them, be managed by the Dock Committee, and that transit sheds should be put around as many docks as they pleased. He should support the resolution. Mr. Bust-JELL said, that as they had now been talking for two hours, he wished to be informed whether it was the in tention of the promoters of the bill to offer any opposition to the formation of a committee. Mr. EVANS replied that he should oppose it. Mr. BUSHELL said that answer was necessary for the po sition which he should take up. What were the promoters of the bill about to do? Did they suppose that, when Mr. Earle put his motion on the books, that he intended to do anything so dishonourable as to propose the formation of a committee which should be all on one side? Did they sup pose that if lie intended to do anything which such a com mittee could do, that he would not have put some motion on the book at once, which would have done away with the bill altogether? If any such intention existed, as to propose the formation of a committee which should not be perfectly fair in every respect he (Mr. B.) would not have been one of the supporters of it. He did not know upon what authority Mr. Evans might calculate, but be (Mr. B.) could tell him that he, for one, was disposed to do everything in his power to meet the question fairly and honestly. What was the object of the committee ? It was, that the council should, by such a medium, be enabled to know that which it did not at pre sent—what the warehouse owners desired. The Dock Com mittee had brought charges against the warehouse owners that they had not told them what they wished for; the ware house owners, on the contrary, brought charges that they had never been consulted. The object of this committee would be to put themselves in communication with both, so that they might know what both desired. Now, was that fair, or was it not ? It struck him that Mr.. Evans had got a glimpse of something which he viewed through a glass darkly. Hence that which he had said with regard to the split of the conservative party on this question. If Mr. Evans rested upon that, he rested upon a broken reed. There might be differences of opinion upon a question of this magnitude amongst a reflecting body ; but it Mr. Evans thought there was a split amongst the conservatives upon it, he would find himself mistaken. _ _ _ Mr. EVANS (rather warmly) rose, and said that he had said nothing about the conservative cause. Mr. BUSIIELL.— . But I do. Mr, EVANS.—I must protest against this interpolation put into my words. Mr. - BUSIIELL repeated that if Mr. Evans took up the view of the conservatives being split upon this question, to the breaking up of the party, he would find himself deceived. They were sent to that council as guardians of the interests of the town ; but they were also sent there as conservatives ; and there was not a conservative in the town of Liverpool, who, however much he might desire the erection of ware houses on the dock quays, would allow his anxiety for the general good government of the country to be interfered with by any such consideration. He called on Mr. Evans to re consider the question, and to consent to the committee, in order to promote conciliation. Mr. Aims, in a speech of considerable length, supported the amendment. „__ Mr. JOHN HOLMES expressed a strong wish that the ques tion should be arranged. Mr. BOOTH concurred in the view taken by Mr. G. H. Lawrence, that the appointment of a committee was most likely to bring about a compromise, and to settle the ques tion; therefore he should vote for it. Mr. EVANS rose amidst loud cries of " Spoke, spoke," and claimed to be heard on the amendment. (Cries of " No, no.") Mr. BARCLAY asked the Mayor whether Mr. Evans could not be heard. The MAYOR replied in the negative. Mr.EVANS.—Is there not an amendment bef6re the council? The MAYog..—There is. Mr. EVANS.—Then I claim my right to be heard. The MAYOR intimated that such a course was irregular. Mr. EVANS said he should speak to the amendment, and nothing else. (Loud cries of " Vote.") Mr. EARLE rose, but not being heard, Mr. EVANS again rose, and asked the Town-clerk to decide the point. The T0w1 , .7-OLERK stated that Mr. Evans was irregular. The MAYOR then addressed the council briefly in favour of the amendment. Mr. EARLE having replied, a division took place, when the numbers were declared to be, For the amendment Against it Majority 2 No division was taken on the original question. The fol lowing are the names of the voters:— For: the amendrnent.-112essrs(4uayle, Thornhill, Case, Mellor, Walmsley, Aikin, Woolfright, Bright, Priestley, Hornby, Yates, Robinson, Morecroft, Coglan, M`Kee, Platt, Mather, Shiel, J. Hornby, Roskell, G. Holt, Benn, Evans, Barclay, T. Holt, Harvey, and the Mayor—Total 27. Against.—Messrs. J. Holmes, Hodgson, Isaac Holmes, Houghton, Sandbach, Copeland, Wright, Barton, Blundell, H. Holmes, Tculmin ' Cooper, H. Lawrence, Wood, Birkett, Gladstone, Bushell, Proctor, Rigby, Kilshaw, R. Jones, Leigh, G. Smith, G. H. Lawrence, Harbord, A. Smith, Booth, Earle, and Freme—Total 29. Absent.—Messrs. Sands, J. Lawrence, Slater, Jordan, Leathom, C. H. Jones, Moon, and Bulley. Mr. EARLS then proposed the committee as follows : Messrs. Walmsley, Evans, Freme, Gladstone, Harbord, J. Holmes, George Jolt, H . Hornby, Moon, Proctor, and Alexander Smith. Mr. EVANS objected to such a committee. It was not nominated in a fair spirit. Mr. Harbord had already told them that, let the committee propose what they pleased, he should oppose them to the last. Mr. H ARBORD had said no such thing. His assertions had already been perverted in a most unjustifiable manner by Mr. Aikin, but he had not thought it worth while to take up the time of the council by noticing them. Mr. Evans's state ment was one of the like kind. .Mr. GEo. HOLT said there were six individuals pro posed who were opposed to warehouses, and five in favour of them.' Such a committee could not be a fair committee. Mr. J. HORNDY believed that the numbers would be found seven to four. Mr. EvANs.—l never saw such a committee. It proves all that has been said about the animus. Mr. EARLE.—You see, Mr. Mayor, that Mr. Evans is determined to have all his own way. Mr. MELLOR considered the committee unfair, because there were only four in favour of warehouses, whilst there were seven against. Mr. EARLE defended the constitution of the committee. _ _ None other would suit tE other side bnt those who were i favour of the warehouse scheme Mr. ti. tiORNBY was sorry that Mr. Earle was not named upon it. He should also have liked to have seen the name of Mr. G. H. Lawrence upon it. Mr. EARLE stated that Mr. Lawrence could not attend, as he was going out of town for a fortnight; and as to him self, he was quite.unable through the illness of his peat - 4er. The following members were then appointed unanimously as members of the committee!—Messrs. Walmsley, Evari Freine, Aikin, Gladstone, J. Holmes, Geo. Holt, H. Hornby Proctor, and Smith. On the motion that Mr. Harbord be appointed, Mr. EvANs again objected to the constitution of the com mittee. Mr. BIRKETT said it was quite unfair to take Mr. Evans and Mr. Aikin, who had taken such a prominent part in promoting the dock bill, without they elected Mr. Harbord and himself. Mr. EVANS then moved that Mr. Mellor be added, so a to make the number twelve. Mr. HODGSON said, that if that motion was perMsted in, he should move that the name of Mr. Birkett be added. Mr. J. SMITH moved that the number of the committee should consist of eleven, and Mr. J. Hornby seconded the motion. Mr. BRIGHT said, that if the question was faily considered, it would be found that the numbers ought to be equal. Mr. CASE thought that the committee was sufficiently extensive, especially as its decision was not final, and why dispute about straws. Mr. EVANS.-It is no straw, they want a report against the previous decision of the council, and against the bill. It is absurd for the committee to enter upon the question, for you have their report already. As for myself I shall fling up the committee. I shall just leave them, and protest against them. Mr, EARLE.—That is just it. Mr. EVANS.—Aye, you find them going on as you ex pected. _ Mr. EARLE.—As he had proposed the committee he would not allow Mr. Evans's observations to go forth without a reply. In the nomination of the committee, he had been actuated by a sincere desire to settle the question ; but the fact was, that Mr. Evans had a monomania on this subject ; and every body knew that, of all the species of insanity, that was the most difficult to cure. Mr. EVANS would rather be thought insane that betray the public interests. He was not to be taken up by mere professions. Mr. Earle had put six against the warehouses, and only five in favour of them. Thus all his professions were sent to the winds. Mr. EARLE would contradict that in as plain language as he could. He had not had the fixing of the parties himself, but there were four gentlemen who were decidedly in favour of the warehouses, and four who were decidedly against them, and two were willing to make a compromise, Mr. Freme and Mr. J. Holmes. Mr. EVANS said that Mr. J. Holmes had given a direct negative to the warehouses. Mr. J. HoLikiEs.—l deny it. (Great uproar.) I deny what ,you say. Mr. EvAws. 7 -Did you use the word " false'! to me, sir? (Renewed uproar.) Mr. J. HOLMES said that he merely denied the assertion. Mr. COGLAN said that nothing would satisfy the public but a committee composed of equal numbers. Mr. BOOTH confessed that he did not consider the com mittee a petfectly fair one, as there was a decided balance opposed to the building of warehouses, and he thought there ought to be an equality. Mr. A. SMITH, jun., thought that the Council did not know his sentiments on the warehouse question, or how far he was in favour of, or against them. Mr. EVANS—They say you were returned for your ward upon the warehouse question. I know I am charged with the loss of that ward in consequence of it. Mr. PROCTOR had no interest in warehouse property ; but was as much interested in the welfare and prosperity of the port as Mr. Evans; and he should, therefore, do his duty on the committee. Sir JOSHUA WALMSLEY stated on the part of Mr. J. Holmes, that he had always voted for the erection of ware houses and transit sheds. Mr. G. HOLT said that the nomination of the committee was not consistent with the spirit of Mr. Earle's speech, because it g ave a decided preponderance aga i ns t th e bill . I t would, in fact, be the death blow to it. Mr. BUSHELL inquired whether the Mayor was not a member of the committee ? The TOWN CLERK replied that he was ex officio ; and that the chairman of it would only have a casting vote in cases of _ . The MAYOR said it was perfectly true that he was a mem ber ex officio of the committee, but he very seldom inter fered. If the council, however, wished him to attend on this committee, he would. Mr. G. EL LAWRENCE considered that the Mayor would act as other Mayors ; and it being known that he was of the same bias as Mr. Evans, the balance of power, which was complained of might be infringed. Mr. EVANS did not think that the mayor could find time to give his continued attention to the committee. Mr. BUSHELL—I presume the mayor could find time to give his vote. Indeed, he would take care that he did. Mr. SHELL thought it was not desirable that the mayor should attend, or give his vote one way or the other. At the same time, he thought the committee was unfairly con stituted. Mr. BUSHELL disapproved of the mayor's attendance on the committee, because it would give a preponderance on the side of warehouses. If the council had a pledge from the mayor that he would not attend the committee, then it would render unnecessary the addition of another member ; but, unless he did that, it would be necessary to have another, in order to equalize the numbers. The MAYOR most readily met Mr. Bushell's suggestion, and he hoped the council would excuse his attendance. Messrs. Harbord, J. Smith, H. Hornby, Isaac Holmes, Aikin, and Evans, (who strongly protested against the com mittee) addressed the council, after which the committee was appointed as proposed. The council separated at three o'clock. INTELLIGENCE FROM THE EAST. We received the following letter on Saturday last via Mar seilles, from a gentleman on board the Great Liverpool steam ship, who is well acquainted with nautical matters, and who, from his having visited Egypt on several recent occasions, takes an interest in the affairs of the East. Some few of the facts relating to China and India have already transpired ; but the interesting information relative to Syria, and the British shipping recently employed on that coast had not be fore reached us, and we therefore give our esteemed corres pondent's communication as it stands : " Malta, Dec. 28th, 1840. " TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. " Sir,—According to promise, I send you a few particulars of what is going on in this part of the world. " The Great Liverpool arrived at Alexandria on the even ing of the 16th instant, thereby making the shortest passage ever made between England and Egypt by steam direct. We were always of opinion that the Great Liverpool, after her alteration, would prove herself the crack boat of the ocean steamers. She sailed from Alexandria on the afternoon of the 24th, and reached Malta on the evening of the 27th, making a distance of 850 miles in less than 3k days. The Great Liverpool brings important news from China and In dia ; Dost Mahomed has given himself up to the India au thorities. Thus ends the war in that part of the world. The China question is nearly settled. Elliot has had an inter view with the Emperor, who has promised to pay two mil lions sterling for the opium destroyed, and another million to defray war expences. Thirteen passengers from India came by the Great Liverpool, also Sir Charles Smith, and Sir Wm. Eden, from their service on the coast of Syria. We regret to say the marines serving on shore are sickly. Syria is in a very distracted state. No possibility exists of getting even a letter conveyed between the seaports and Damascus ; so that to this day Ibrahim Pacha knows nothing of the conventions entered into by Napier and Stopford, although his Highness Mehemed Ali has made every endeavour to send his son the information. The Egyptian force is now concentrated at Damascus-70,000 troops, besides 30,000 women and chil dren. Unless these poor wretches are conveyed from the seacoast to Alexandria, we fear not one in three will survive the march. The British frigate Carysfoot lies in the west ern harbour of Alexandria. The Hydra sailed two days be fore the Liverpool,. s to join the admiral at M armor i n . N o other British ship is off the coast. The Zebra was lost about a fortnight since, off Acre : crew saved. The Pique frigate, dismasted and jury-rigged, sailed for Malta. The Bellero phon was also nearly lost. - I hope this will be the finish of the piratical expedition to Syria, which was got up to enable one man to vent his spleen against another, who, instead of being driven out of Syria, ought to have been allowed to take possession of Turkey. Mehemet Ali has nearly regenerated Egypt. A few years ago a stranger could not travel through that country in safety ; and now, even in these troubled times, every security is given. The Asia and H as ti ngs are here (Malta) repairing." ADULTERATION OF SUGAR.—We understand that the high price of sugar is likely to lead to considerable adulteration of that commodity ; and we have in our possession a sample of a substance manufactured expressly for the purpose, and of fered for sale to several grocersin this town. It consists, we believe, principally, of potato-starch, mixed apparently with some heavier material, probably not quite so innocent. —Manchester Guardian. CORRESPONDENCE. CATHOLIC AND POPISH FORMS OF CONFES SION AND ABSOLUTION. TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. am extremely desirous, for the better understand. ing of the subject under discussion, that your Episcopal readers may not forgot that dissenters invariably, and Papists when they would throw vatican dust into " liberal eyes," assert that there is no difference between the churches of Rome and England as to the nature of the absolving power attributed to the priest. It will be also well to bear in mind that the editor of the Mercury—as may be seen by re ference to my first letter--broadly states that " Protestants hold in common with the Roman Catholics, if there be any meaning in words, the "doctrines of transubstantiation, and the power of the minister to absolve penitents from their sins." When after I had placed in junta-position the Ca tholic and Popish forms, the editor of the above journal politely writes thus, in his notice to correspondents : " Pacianus has made ' a distinction without a difference.' " The distinction then is recognised at once • and, if after . what has been cited, and vet remains to be cited—from Popish documents, the difference be not palpable to the editor of the Mercury —I shall, indeed, marvel at his in fidelity. It lias been shewn, then, sir, by reference to authorities— authorities from which I defy any Popish priest, who holds allegiance to the " Man of Rome," to appeal—that the Ro mish church lays imperative obligation upon her children, under pain of damnation, to repair to the confessional, and that the priest sits in the chair of confession not to declare God's general promises to such as are penitent " by the mi nistry of God's holy word," but as a JUDGE to decide how far God has been injured, and what bulk of compensation is to be awarded. But, sir, the poor Papist is much to be pitied, for he is obliged to look upon his priest in such a light as, indeed, makes one shudder when perusing Papal treatises on the power of th..; priesthood : take the following as a specimen : —" Seeing the bishops and priests are, as it were, the inter preters and ambassadors of God, who in God's name teach men the divine law, and the rule of life, and PERSONATE God himself on the earth, it is evident that their function is such as a greater cannot be conceived. Wherefore they are worthily called not only angels, but GODS also, because they hold the POWER and THE NAME OF THE IMMORTAL GOD AMONG VS. "— Cat. Rom. p.. 293, and Latin edit. p. 270. The above extract, it will be remembered, is made from a work out of which the priest is bound to instruct the souls committed to his charge. Let, then, anything like the above be culled out of the formularies of the Church of England— anything so fulsome, so repuynant-to God's word, and so repulsive to Christian feeling—and then, and not till then, will there be any truth in the assertion that the Church of England attributes equal power to the priesthood as does the Church of Rome. But it is time 1 should introduce Dr. Phillpotts in continuation. " The words of the priest, I absolve thee,' are, I repeat, the form of the sacrament, what makes it to be a sacrament. And they confer, as is the property of the sacrament, the grace which they signify. They confer reconciliation with God; absolution, or remission of all sins, on those who receive `le sacrament with tl contrit2— .ton, or attrition, and that which have been described : and be it remem this grace of_ reconciliation with God (as I hefnrp sant) can be obtained by those who have,fallen into mortal sin after baptism, only in this sacrament, ordinarily, never without the desire of it. For not, as under the old law, is there now a power in the church given to priests ONLY TO DECLARE any person to be absolved from sin : but they do as the ministers of God TRULY ABSOLVE THEM : the SAME thing which Gon HIMSELF does, who is the author and .- , ce and righteousness.' I quote from the Cate -41 of ' 7 " "*.; "" faithfully father of y, ....Una minium translated into English by permission, page 211. " The Council of Trent, indeed, distinctly and in the strongest terms decrees that the priests are JUDGES, and their absolution strictly JUDICIAL. And this is stated by it to make an important difference between baptism and this sacrament (and of course between the absolution respectively given in the two). In baptism the minister ought not to be a JUDGE, for the church exercises no judgment over those who are not yet within it. But after b a pti sm s i nners are not to be cleansed by a repetition of baptism, but they are to be made to STAND AS caTINALs before this TRIBUNAL, in order that as often as penitents have recourse to it, after sins committed, they may be released by the SENTENCE of the priest.' Con. Ti•id., Secs. XIV., c. 2. " For, although . the absolutio'no - f - the priest be the dis pensation of a benefit belonging to another, yet it is not merely a naked ministerial act of either announcing the gos pel, or declaring that sins are pardoned, but it is EQUIVA LENT TO A JUDICIAL ACT, WHEREIN SENTENCE IS PRO NOUNCED BY HIMSELF AS A JUDGE.' [C. 6. Ad instar actfis judicialis, quo ab ipso, velut a judice sententia pronun ciatur.] And this in can. 9 is afterwards re-affirmed with an anathema annexed on all who deny it." We have thus seen the doctrine of your church respect ing confession and absolution. You, in this instance, (as I have been sorry to find, in different degrees, is almost inva riably your practice,) have contrived to evade the whole of the real question at issue between the two churches, AND HAVE AFFECTED TO PERCEIVE NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THEM. * * Consult your own heart, sir, and let that tell you whether you have not here deeply, I had almost said shamefully, prevaricated. You know that AURICULAR CONFESSION IS, WITH YOU, an essential part of a sacrament, which, as you value YOUR SOULS SALVATION, YOU MUST perform. You also know, (that, with us, the same confes sion is NOT AT ALL required 8S a NECESSARY service, not as apart, of repentance, not even of discipline:—[Will the editor of the Mercury say that here too there is " a distinc tion without a difference' ?]—that it is merely a matter re commended to those sinners whose troubled conscience ad mits not of being quieted by self-examination however close and searching, nor any other instruction however diligent; that he only who requireth further comfort or counsel,' after all that he can do for himself, is invited to repair to some discreet and learned minister of God's word, and open his grief; that, by the ministry of God's holy word, he may receive the benefit of absolution, together with ghostly coun sel and advice, to th e qu i e ti ng of his conscience and avoiding of all scruples and doubtfulness.' (See Ist Exhortation after Warning for the celebration of the Holy Communion, Com munion Service, Book of Common Prayer.) * * * * ic * • I shall proceed to state Melly what else our church teaches, or requires, in respect both to CONFESSION, espe cially secret confession, and also to ABSOLUTION. " The confession ordinarily required is only general and public confession to Almighty God, made simultaneously by the whole congregation, every individual being expected ta citly to include the acknowledgment of his particular trans gressions under the general form. This confession occurs at the beginning of M orn i ng an d E ven i ng Prayer, and in a different form in the office of Communion, and is always followed by absolution. in the two former cases the nature of the absolving power committed by God to his ministers is EXPRESSLY stated; it is to DECLARE and' (not only de clare, but) ' PRONOUNCE' (that is, authoritatively declare in God's name) to his people, being penitent, the absolu tion and remission of their sins'; and, having made that statement, the priest (i. e., of the Church of England) exer cises his power by declaring that God then pardoneth and absolveth all them that truly repent, and unfeignedly believe his holy gospel. " In the Communion Service, the church does not again state the nature of the absolving power, (it would have been unnecessary,) but directs the priest to exercise it in a some what different, an optative form. But this form is equiva lent to the other : it consists of a declaration of God's gene ral evangelical promises, and invokes the fulfilment of those promises in favour of those who have just made their hum ble confession to him. —Such is the ordinary confession and absolution of our church. But in the office last mentioned, the church further invites those who need ghostly counsel and advice [in the terms already cited] to have recourse to particular confession, and to seek the benefit of particular absolution. And here again the nature of that particular absolution is distinctly intimated to be of the same kind as the two former instances of general absolution; it is to be exercised (not by the JUDICIAL sentence of the priest, after a PROCESS carried on before his TRIBUNAL, as YOUR church insists, but) ' BY THE MINISTRY OF GOD'S HOLY WORD,' or an AUTHORITATIVE DECLARATION of God's general pro mises applied in favour of that particular penitent, if BE BE INDEED PENITENT. " There remains one other.instance, that in ' the Visita tion of the Sick,' which h as b een correctly though not fully cited by Dr. Milner. The rubric requires, that at a certain part of this office ' the sick person shall be moved by the minister to make a special confession of his sins, if he. feel his conscience troubled with any weighty matter.' I hate said that this is ordered at a certain part of the office, and it is important that this be borne in mind. For so little is our church inclined to encourage its ministers in prying into the secrets of their penitents, that it enjoins every other step to be previously taken, before the last measure of particular confession be proposed. The minister shall' (first) exa mine whether he (the sick person) repent him truly of his sins, and be in charity with all the world ; exhorting him to forgive, from the bottom of his heart, all persons that have offended him ; and if he hath offended any other, to ask their forgiveness ; and where lie had done any injury or wrong to any man, that he make amends to the utmost of his power.' Now, it is after he has done and said all this,—after he has satisfied himself, on such general inquiry, whether the sick person have indeed a true Sense of the awful condition in which he stands, of th e nature and necessity of sincere and universal charity —and whether he have, by God's bless ing, attained those graces, as well as learned the necessity of attaining them,—that the minister's duty respecting parti cular confession is laid down. If, from the sick man s an swers to his inquiries, he find him in a state of penitence and peace, his business is completed; he is not authorised— he is by implication forbidden—to move him to any further disclosure :—and in this case (as it will be necessary to bear in mind) NO ABSOLUTION IS PRONOUNCED, evidently be cause particular absolution is to be given in our church only to those whose minds cannot be quieted without such espe cial application to them of God's general promises. But if, after all general discourse and advice on the nature of re pentance and the means of making his peace with God have been exhausted, the sick man still exhibits signs of distrust and dismay,—be is to be asked whether he feel his con science troubled with any weighty matter' ; an d if h e say that it is, then, and only then, he is to be moved to a spe cial confession of his sins ; evidently, in the words of the former exhortation, that he may receive ghostly counse l an d advice, to the quieting of his conscien ce , an d avo i ding of all scruple and doubtfulness. To be continued in my next. I am, sir, yours f a i t hf u l ly, St. Helens, Jan. 6, 1841. PACIANUS CHRISTMAS FESTIVITIES AT Y ALE R OYAI nesday last the fine baronial mansion of Lord Delamere wa, the scene of Christmas festivities, on a scale worthy of the ancient hospitality of the noble house of Cholmondeley. An old Christmas pageant was got. up on th e occas i on, w hi ch was performed in the grand drawing room. The following is a cast of the characters sustained by th e di st i ngu i shed amateurs who took a part in the proceedings of the evening : —Prologue spoken in the character of Sir Hugh Chol mondeley, by the Hon. Henry Cholmondeley ; King of Misrule, Hon. Hugh Cholnaondeley ; Abbot of Un reason, George Wilbraham, Esq. ; Old Times (as Sir Roger de Coverley), Captain Cotton ; March of Intellect (a Yan kee), Hon. Thos. Cholmondeley ; Lord Chancellor, Arthur Brooke, Esq. ; Lord Steward,, C aptain Cotton ; L or d Hi g h Constable, William Glegg, Esti- ; Herald, Hon. Thomas Cholmondeley ; Knight of Pie Verdant Sp ec t ac l es , H on. Henry Cholmondeley ; Knight of the Tea-chest (a Tea totaller), Hon. Robert Curzon; Kni g ht of the Tankard, George Egerto n , E sq . ; Knight of th e B ath, Hon. Charles Cholmondeley ; Queen of Misrule, H on. H arriet Chol mondeley; Queen of Beauty, Sir Watki n Willi ams W ynne ; Maid of Honour, Miss Bentinck. T he character of the " Yankee " w as exceedingly well susta i ned b y the lion. Thomas Cholmondeley.The "Ki ng o f Mi srule " and " Old Times " also elicited great applause. Sir W. W. Wynne, as the " Queen of Beauty," kept the company in a continued roar of laught er . Th e following Lady C. Stanhope, Hon. were among the company . present W. W. W ynne , C apt. R. Curzon, Sir R. and Miss Brook, Sir Cotton, Mr. Tomlin, Mr. G. Egerton, Mr., Mrs. , and Miss Glegg, Mr. and Mrs. Warburton, Mr. Conway, Mr. Tatton, Mr. A. Brook, Mr. T. Egerton, Sir Philip and Lady Eger ton, &c., Lady Brook, of the Grange, Lord and Lady Bra bazon, Mr. and Mrs. Bateman, Mrs. and Miss Leigh, Mr. Bra and Miss Corbets.—Mr. P. Stubbs' Royal Harmonic Band was in attendance. The memhers of this excellent band were highly complimented on their performances. A ball was given on Thursday night, and the f estiv i ties terminated with a masquerade ball on Friday night. —On Wed- THE EXHORTATIONS OF THE ORANGE INSTI- TUTION TO ITS MEM B ERS (TRANSLATED PROM THE GERMAN. O ) TRou! whom we have initiated in the doctrines of Wisdom ! listen to us, and open thy heart to the serious pre cepts of Truth. We will shew thee the path to happiness of life; the way in which thou mayst please thy Creator; how thou mayst employ with benign success, for the benefit of mankind, all the means which Providence has entrusted thee with, and thus procure thyself the sacred pleasure of bene- volen CE —TRY DUTY TOWARDS GOD AND RELIGION. Thy first homage thou owest to the Deity. Adore the Being of all beings, of which thy heart is full ; which, how ever, thy confined intellects can neither conceive nor des cribe. Loci► down with pity upon the deplorable madness of those that turn their eyes from the light, and wander about in the darkness of accidental events. Deeply sensible of the parental benefactions of thy God, and with a heart full of gratitude, reject with contempt those shallow inferences that prove nothing but how much human reason degrades itself when it wanders from its original source. Oft elevate thy heart above sublunary things, and cast thy eye with ardour towards those higher spheres which are thy inheritance. Offer up in sacrifice to the Most High thy will and thy wishes ; strive to deserve His animating in fluence, and obey the commands he has prescribed for thy terrestrial career. 4 Let it be thy only happiness to please thy God. thy incessant endeavour, the incitement to all thy action. to effect an eternal union with him. The. Sacred Code is th, foundation of all thy duties ;--if thou didst not. believe in it, thou wouldst cease to be au Orangeman. Let every action be distinguished by an enlightened and active piety, without prejudice or bigotry. —let it I Religion doe - s not consist of speculative truths ;—exert thy self in fulfilling all those moral duties it prescribes, and then only thou shalt be happy—thy contemporaries will bless thee, and with serenity thou mayst appear before throne of the Eternal. Particularly, thou shouldst be penetrated by the feelings of benevolence and brotherly love, the fundamental pillar of this holy religion. Pity him in error, without hat ing or persecuting him. Leave the judgment to God, but— " do thou love and tolerate." Children of the same God! ye who are already Brethren through the universal faith, bind closer the ties of brotherly love, and banish for ever all prejudices that might disturb our brotherly union. lI.—THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL. Man ! King of the earth ! Master-piece of the creation ; animated by the breath of God, be sensible of thy dignified destination. The whole animal race is subdued under thy dominion. All that waves and moves about thee ceases again to be, but thy soul survives all component things, and is, by virtue of its divine origin, incapable of being destroyed. In this consists thy true nobility. Peel thy happiness without arrogance. Pride was the cause of the degradation of man ; it would certainly plunge thee into the same abyss. Degenerated being, what art thou iu the presence of the Eternal, with all the dignity originally appropriated to thee, and still distinguishing thee from other beings ? Adore Him, the Lord on High.; in the utmost humility, and take care that the heavenly immortal essence which animates thee be not depraved. This essence is thy soul : exert thyself in en dowing it, it is capable of infinite perfections. Make it to susceptible, so open to virtuous impressions, that, after thy dissolution, it may, without impediment, return to the pure and original source of virtue. So prepared, thou will be free, even in fetters ; serene in misfortunes, the heaviest storm will not make thee tremble, and with true heroism, thou wilt advance, even in the face of death. if ever thou couldst doubt the immortal nature of thy soul, and its high destination, in vain had we initiated thee. Thou wouldst not be the adopted son, the darling of wisdom, thou wouldst step back, and mix again with the multitude of the profane rabble, who, like moles, crawl in the dark. lII.—DUTY TOWARDS THY KING AND COUNTRY. God has ordained a sovereign power of each country to be his vicegerent. . Entertain reverence for the supreme power, and be faithful to it, in whatever corner of the world thou livest : after the homage thou owest to God, the duties to ward the state and country follow next. Should man wander rude and unsociable about woods and forests, he would be less inclined to answer the intentions of Providence and to ensure to himself all the good intended for him ; his being ennobles itself amongst his equals, and the difference of opinions improve his genius. But in society, were every one left to himself, the posses sion of property, and the unrestrained passions would cause incessant quarrels, and cunning or power would soon triumph over innocence. For this reason laws were necessary to re gulate mankind by, and rulers to support and keep inviolate those laws. Sensible man ! thou honourest thy parents, ho nour the fathers of the state also, for they represent the Deity. If they err, they are accountable for it to the Judge of Kings ; but thy own, often very errone ous , j u d gment cannot exempt thee from obedience. Pray to God for their preservation, and exert all thy powers in favour of thy country. Shouldst thou ever neglect this sacred duty, should thy heart not beat with joy at the dear names of thy country and thy prince, every Brother would turn thee away as a disturber of public tranquillity and order, and an outcast that does not deserve to partake of the pre rogative of a society that has particular claims upon the es teem and confidence of the sovereign power : because, ani mated with patriotism and zeal to form the best citizens, she makes it an invariable law for her pupils to fulfil all civil du ties in the most distinguished manner, and from the purest motives. An Orangeman ought to be the most valiant warrior; the most just judge ; the kindest master, the most zealous ser vant, the tenderest father, the most faithful husband, and the most obedient son ; for his duties as a citizen in general have been strengthened and rendered sacred by his voluntary ob ligation ; and he, if ever he should neglect them, not only would show a want of fortitude, but also be guilty of hypocrisy and perjury. IV.—DUTIES TOWARD MANKIND IN GENERAL. But should the compass of thy country, which opens to thee such a fruitful and charming field, still be too confined for thy benevol en t antivitv • L.. • , heart wisi . . .-..— expand beyond the limits.of empires, and to embrace all na tions with the tender feelings of humanity ; shouldst thou, reflecting on the universal pedigree, long to love tenderly all those that are with thee of the same shape, in the same need of benevolence, and have, like thee, the same desire to make themselves useful, and an immortal soul, come, then, into our temples, and lay down thy offerings on the sacred altar of humanity. Reflect with reverence on the majestic structure in which the ties of humanity and morality, too much relaxed, are bound closer. Love this universal alliance of virtuous souls, that were capable (by Divine assistance) of elevating themselves Oove the dust. Thou wilt find it in every country, where enlightened reason has forced its way, existing under the.sacred banner of humanity, and under the guide of simple and uniform laws. Be sensible of the objects of our revered Order; all thy faculties, thy whole life, be consecrated to benevolence and the happiness of mankind. Cultivate incessantly thy moral perfection, and effect the closest union with the Deity. Thus only thou canst ennoble, purify, and fortify, the motives of this laudable institution. V.—BENEVOLENCE. Being created in the similitude of God, who, in His mercy and immense bounty, communicated himself to men, and ex panded over them the abundance of His blessings, strive thou, assiduously, by making mankind as happy as possible, to resemble this Divine original. Thou canst not imagine anything good, that is not an object of activity. Look down upon the helpless situation of infancy ; it challenzes thy as sistance; reflect on the sad inexperience of youth; it demands thy good counsels. Find thy happiness in protecting them against errors and seduction, the common rocks of that age. Awake in them the heavenly fire of genius, and instruct them how to unfold it for the benefit of the world. Every suffering being has a claim on thy assistance—take care not to deny it ; do not wait till thy ears ring with the lamentations of the miserable; affectionately anticipate the wants of the unfortu nate, and inspire them with courage. Do not poison thy gifts by ostentation; thou shalt not find thy reward for thy benefactions in the vain and loud applause of the multitude; a Brother will always find it in the silent and sacred testimony of his heart and in the sacred pleasure with Which the Deity looks down upon him. Has Providence granted thee abun dance? Let it be far from thee to make an inconsiderate or shameful use of it. God has given thee above thy wants that thou mayest cause those that have received a scanty lot to feel less the inequality of the distribution of the riches of the earth. Enjoy this glorious prerogative, —may the most abominable of all passions, avarice, never predominate over thee ; may thy heart for ever revolt against the worthless cal culations of covetousness. But should this melancholy vice overpower thee, approach no more the temples of philanthropy ; they would have no more charms for thee, and we could no longer discover iii thee the image of God. Let religion and prudence be the rule of thy benefactions ; thy heart may be inclined to relieve every want, but thy rea son must direct to assist where necessity is most pressing. Instruct, advise, intercede, be charitable, console according to the exigency of circumstances. If thou findest at last that thou art confined, and that thy soul begins to mourn and lament the incapacity of expanding as much happiness as thou wishest, then haste to our temples. Behold here the sacred ties of benevolence, and contributing, as f ar as thy abilities permit, to the laudable institutions of our fra ternity, rejoice at the idea of being a fellow-citizen of this better world, and enjoy the sweet fruits of our faculties united and concentrated to one point. The sources of relief will then flow more abundantly ; instead of helping one thou wilt co-operate to make thousands happy, and thy wishes will be fulfilled. VI.—FURTHER DUTIES TOWARDS MEN. Love thy neighbour as thyself, and do unto others as thou wishest to be done by. The faculty of expressing thy thoughts by words is an external sign of thy command over nature. Make use of this gift to alleviate the wants of thy fellow-creatures, and to encourage them to virtue. Be affable and serviceable; edify others 1,4 y thy example, and bear thyself kindly and without repining at the prospe rity of others. Do not suffer thy heart to entertain any envy ; it would 'undermine thy happiness, and rage in thy breast. Pardon thy enemy, and have manliness and heart enough to do him good. This generous sacrifice, one of the most exalted precepts of religion, will awake in thee the most benign sensations ; thou wilt represent the image of the Deity, who with adora ble kindness pardons the errors of men, and, disregarding their ingratitude, pours down his blessings upon them. Always recollect that this is the most glorious victory thy rea son can obtain over the brutal instincts. VII.—CULTIVATION OF ONE'S SELF. By making thus the prosperity of mankind, the object of thy labours, do not lose sight of the necessity of forwarding thy own perfection, and do not neglect the concerns of thy immortal soul. Often unveil and examine thy heart to dis cover its most secret dispositions : the knowledge of one's self is the sum of all precepts. Thy heart is the rough ashler which thou must labour to polish ; thou canst not do ho mage more worthy of the Supreme Being, than when thou offerest up to him regular desires and inclinations, and re strained passions. By strictness and modesty in thy moral conduct, acquire the esteem of the world. Distinguish thy self by discipline, rectitude, love of truth, and humility. Pride is the most dangerous enemy of mankind, and the source of all their evils. Do not look back to the point from which thou proceedest—this would retard thy career; let thy eye continually be cast towards the goal, the short time of thy journey will hardly afford thee the hope of arriving at it. To compare thyself with those that are possessed of inferior faculties would be a dangerous flattery of thyself ; rather let a virtuous emulation animate thee when thou perceivest su perior talent. Let thy tongue be a faithful interpreter of thy heart. A brother, who could abandon candour, and hide himself behind the mask of dissimulation and deceit, would be unworthy to sit amongst us, he would sow upon our peace able soil the seed of distrust and dissension, and soon become the abomination and scourge of our assemblies. May the sublime idea, that thou walkest before the Omnipresent, strengthen and support thee. Review daily the vow of mend. ing thy life —watch and meditate, and call to thy recollection at night a noble action or victory over thy passions, then lay down thy head in peace, and gather new strength. pi_ nally, study eagerly the meaning of the hieroglyphics and emblems which the Order lays before thee. Even nature does not always unveil 4, her secrets ; she must be observed, compared, and frequently watched with attention in her operations. -Of all societies, on whose extensive field the industry of men gathers useful Illustrations, none will afford thy heart heavenly satisfaction but that which instructeth thee in thy relation to God and the creation. VIII.—DUTIES TOWARDS BRETHREN. Among the numberless inhabitants of the earth, thou hast chosen, by a voluntary vow, Orangemen as thy brethren. Equality was the first lot of nature, but was soon swerved from. The brother restores the original rights of mankind, he never sacrifices to vulgar prejudices ; the sacred plumb rule amongst 115 puts all ranks on a level. Nevertheless, honour the distinctions of rank in civil life which society has introduced or permitted. Oft are those gradations the productions of pride ; but pride would it be in thee to struggle against, or to disavow, those distinctions which civil society acknowledges. In our assemblies, step behind him who is more virtuous and more enlightened; the dignity which distinguishes thee in the -, d remains unnoticed here. 13e not ashamed of an insigni ficant but honest man out of the Lodge, whom thou hest a knowledged a short time before as a brother—the order woul, then be ashamed of thee also, and send thee back to the pro• time theatre of the world, there to exercise thy pride. Is thy brother in danger—haste thou to his assistance, and hesitate not to endanger thy own life for him. Is he distressed—open thy purse to him, and rejoice in having found an opportunity to make so benign a use of thy gold. Thy obligation compels thee to be benevolent to all mankind, but in particular to a brother. Is he blinded by errors, and hastens towards a precipice, take up the brotherly arms of rational representa tions and stop him; re-conduct the wavering creatures of God to the path of virtue, and raise up the fallen. Hast thou an animosity against a brother, on account of real or ima ginary offences, let not the sun set before thy reconcili a ti on call in an unprejudiced a rbitrator, a n d invite him to brotherly mediation, but never step over our threshold unless thy heart is clear of hatred and vengeance. In vain wouldst thou at tempt to supplicate down into our temples the Eternal, if they were not ornamented by the virtues of our brethren and consecrated by their unanimity. I.X.—DUTIES TOWARDS THE ORDER. By having admitted thee to partake of the advantages, which are the consequences of our alliance, thou hast re• signed a part of thy ❑atural liberty. Fulfil with religious strictness all those moral duties which the order prescribes thee : follow its wise precepts, and honour those who, by the confidence of the Brethren, have been made the guardians of the laws and the interpreters of the universal union. Thy will is subordinate in the Order—to time will of the law and thy superiors. Thou wouldst not be a true Brother if thou would:A resist this subordination, so very requisite in every society, and nothing would remain for us then, but to banish thee from amongst us. In particular, we have a law, the in violable compliance with which thou hast promised before the face of Heaven—it is, the strictest silence concerning our rites, ceremonies, signs, and the form of our alliance. Do not imagine that this obligation is less sacred than that which thou takest in civil life; thou wert free when it was administered to thee, but it is not now at thy option to vio late it ; the Eternal, whom thou hast invoked to witness it, has ratified it. Tremble at the punishments of perjury; never couldst thou escape the gnawing reproaches of thy own heart. Thou wouldst lose for ever the esteem and con fidence of a numerous society who would have an undoubted right to declare thee to be 9, perjured and infamous being. CONCLUSION Should these precepts, which the Order communicate to thee to make the path to truth and happiness smooth, im print themselves deep into thy heart, open to the impres sions of virtue; shouldst thou make those excellent princi-. pies thy own, which ought to distinguish each step of thy career, and render them the plumb-line of all thy actions, 0, Brother, how great would be our joy. Then wouldst thou answer thy exalted destination ; thou wouldst resume that resemblance with God, which was the share of man in his state of innocence, which is the object of religion, and the principal end of thy initiation ; thou wouldst once more be the favourite of Heaven, the abundance of its blessings would be poured over thee, and acquiring the title of a wise, free, happy, and firm man, thou wouldst run thy terrestrial career as the benefactor of mankind and the pattern of thy Brethren. DEATH OF CAPTAIN R. E. BAXTER (From the Bombay Times.) We have to record a most unfortunate and sad accident at Capsingmoon. Captain Richard Edward Baxter, commander of the Liverpool ship Litherland, was drowned while bathing alongside on the evening of the . Bth of August. From the mode in which it occurred, as described in the annexed deposition, it is supposed he must either have been caught by a shark, or taken with the cramp—most probably the latter. He was much liked by officers and crew, who are in great _ his distress t his loss. Though every exertion was made his body bad not been found by the last account from Capsing- " DEPOSlTlON. — Capsingmoon, Aug. 1, 1840, nine, a.m. My name is Nugent; I am second officer of the Litherland. Captain Baxter came on deck about half-past six o'clock, and said he would take a swim ; he then took off his clothes and jumped out of the gangway; he swam about a little with much ease—all at once he seemed to struggle in the water. I jumped dow❑ on the stage that was alongside to assist him ; but before I could reach the stage lie went down and never rose again. (Signed) "J. NUGENT, Second Officer." DREADFUL SHIPWRECK AND LOSS OF LIFE We regret to have to state the loss of the steamer Thames on the morning of Monday, the 4th instant, on the Scilly Island Rock. It would appear from the situation in which the hull of the Thames was placed, and from the statement of the man that was saved, that the commander had mistaken the Scilly lights for those of the Long-ships, the commander (Grey) expecting that the vessel would have floated next tide, as she made no water, remained on board, keeping the other boat s o f th e vesse l by him. It appears that several of the crew having taken one of the boats left the vessel, but the captain having prevailed on them to re turn and take the three females who were on board, they did so, when a number of recruits having jumped in the boat was swamped, and all lost ; a shore boat then came to the vessel, and the three females were taken from her by means of booming the boat off so as to prevent a similar accident, from a rushing of the other persons on board. The vessel went on the Rocks about five o'clock in the morning, after a tre mendous night of snow squalls, and much lightning ; a strong north and setting in with the flood tide, and the vessel having unfortunately listed to windward, from being smooth water, a heavy sea arose, and the vessel was lost with those that remained on board, including the captain, remainder of the crew, four cabin passengers, and eleven deckers, with some recruits. (From tl, Morning herald of yesterday.) FALMOUTII, FDIDAY NIGHT.—By the arrival of the Penzance coach to-night;-it is learnt that the Thames, steamer, Captain J. Gray, w s totally lost on Monday morn ing, at five a.m., on Rosevear Cavern, two miles south west of St. Agnes, Scilly, on her passage from Dublin for Plymouth and London ; whereby, from information ob tained, we regret to state, it is computed that upwards of 60 persons have been launched into eternity, three women and one man being the only persons saved of the total number of her passengers and crew. Details have not come to hand,,as post letters thence will not be delivered h ere un til to-mor row morning ; and the Scilly Packet only landed her mails and passengers as our informant quitted Penzance. It is further stated, that the captain mistook St. Agnes's light for that of Longships', which error he might unwittingly have been led into, owing to not giving proper allowance in his reckoning , for the stro ng ga l e o f nor th- easter l y w i n d t h en prevailing. Of the authenticity of the report there is no question; 17 bodies having been picked up, but of the vessel there was not a vestige to be seen. During the many years the Dublin and London Company's line of steam-vessels have been established, this is the first accident attended with fatal consequences. At present it cannot be ascertained in this case, either as to a definita loss of life or of property, both, however, must be tremendous in extent. Neither the Tagus or the Great Liverpool steamers have arrived at mid night, both being anxiously expected. The former, it is re ported, will have to take out the Peninsula mails again on Monday, owing to the failure of the Wilberforce. She is expected to bring home a Malta mail, and double mails from the Peninsula ports. Wooewica.—On Saturday night last a fine young woman, named Mary Youell, residing with her parents, near the market-gate, Woolwich, went to bed in good health, and rose and went down stairs to light the kitchen fire on Sun day morning. When her parents came down stairs some time afterwards, they found her lying on the floor quite dead. From the appearance of the body it is supposed she had died of fright at the time of the terrible thunder -storm • which prevailed at seven o'clock on Sunday morning. What renders the case more distressing to her afflicted parents and sweetheart is, that she was to be married on the following day to a recently discharged sapper and miner at present em ployed as a stonemason at Deptford. The storm and thun der and lightning were awfully grand here, and from the dis tant noise of the thunder appearing like the noise made by a park of artillery when marching, many persons jumped out of their bed in the firm belief that the French had landed, and were engaged in deadly contest with our troops ; but, with the exception of the fright, the case recorded above, and a large hole made in the new road sufficient to bury a horse in it, caused by the descent of a thunderbolt into the drain, no other damage has been done in this quarter. THE WEST INDIA COMPENSATION COMMISSION.—Th e commissioners of compensation terminated their labours on the 31st ultimo, after seven years of perhaps the most ardu ous and intricate duties which any commissioners were ever entrusted with, and in the discharge of which they have had the singular good fortune to give universal satisfaction. The merchants connected with the West India and other colonial interests, have, we believe on several occasions, testified their high estimation of the services of these gentlemen—Messrs. J. Lewis, H. Elwin, and H. F. Stephenson—and also of their talented and indefatigable secretary, Mr. Henry Hill. The thanks of the Queen's government have recently been pre sented to them in the most flattering manner, through the inedium of Lord John Russell, as secretary for the colonies. Mr. Field in his pamphlet on " Equity Reform," speaks in the highest terms of the proceedings of these commissioners, and bases his proposed changes in the administration of the Chancery Courts upon their mode of adjudication. When the number, complicated nature, and immense sums often in volved in the claims which they have had to decide upon is considered, the very few appeals from their decision (not withstanding the proverbial penchant of the colonists for liti gation,) is certainly remarkable, and affords conclusive evi dence of the zeal and ability with which the business of the commission has been conducted. There are a few outstand ing cases remaining undisposed, to the amount we believe of about £30,000, which for the present have been referred by the commissioners to the lords of the treasury, the disposal of which, as well r-s other matters connected with the wind ing up of the commission, awaiting the decision of parliament. NEW MANUFACTURE OF PAPER.—The materials in tended to be converted into paper are usually softened either by means of putrefaction, or by beating. Putrefaetion is a chemical operation which possesses some advantages ; but the inconveniences attending it are so numerous and serious, that the progressive improvement of the manufacture of paper occasions its use to be, if not altogether laid aside, at least to he very considerably limited. With respect to the softening of rags by merely mechanical means, it can only be done by the machinery now employed by a great loss of time and a great moving power. It has been thought that this opera tion could be brought to perfection by altering the method of trituration ; and accordingly the softening of rags, old cords, &c, has been effected by submitting the subsUvices, either dry or moistened, to the action of a roller, or a vertical mill-stone turning on asolid surface. The rags, when sorted, bleached, and torn to pieces by these machines, only require to be sieved before they are converted into paper.—Moniteur lndustriel. CROCKFORD'S CLUB.—This celebrated club has lately been dissolved, Mr. Crockford, the proprietor retiring, it is supposed, with nearly a fortune of half a million. The nu cleus of the new club consists of a hundred noblemen and gentlemen, from whom a committee has been formed for the purpose of arranging for the ballotting of the new members. Thus, contrary to general expectation, this club promises to retain its original sporting pre-eminence.—Conrt Journal. THE POST-OFFICE.—The whig-radical ;government are in course of taking steps to deprive the post-masters of all the provincial towns of the privileges they haue hitherto enjoyed for keeping private boxes and accounts, and making up letter bags for merchants, traders, and gentlemen in the country. The proceeds are to be appiied to the general revenue of the post-office —no doubt with the view of covering, in a small degree, the deficiency which has been found to arise from the scheme of the penny -post. Thus, while the entire face of the scheme of the penny -post. Thus, while the entire face of the country is covered with pensioners, commiioners, and overpaid function ar i es of all descriptions, to the ss tune of hundreds of thousands a year, the really useful and hard working servants of the public are unscrupulously divested of a material portion of their just incomes, and coolly told that they may either accept reduced terms or surrender their situations. Such is whig reform ! It offers another proof of the fraud, corruption, and abuse which have ever marked the public conduct of the faction that now afflicts the country.-- Cumberland Pacquet. REAL POSITION OF THE POLITICAL AF FAIRS IN FRANCE. (From a Correspondent of the Times.) Without some extraordinary event, a change of mi nistry does not seem possible in France for some months. Certainly the Gauche, a part of the Centre- Gauche, and a fraction of the Droite, have said, and will repeat, " The time for the Mole ministry has ar rived ; he is the man for the present state of affairs; to bun alone it belongs to pursue the career which is opening," &c. Is all this true ? is it sincere ? is it so self-evident that from the mere force of circumstances a change of ministry must be the result ? That is the question we are about to examine. M. 'Tiers, who at this moment in the Chamber is at the head of the political men, soi-disant resign., acts as he acted at the time of the coalition. At that period he intrusted:to M. Guizot the task of over throwing M. Mole, because M. Mole was the more di rect obstacle; now he coalesces with his former enemy, because M. Guizot, his ancient ally, has become in his turn the most prominent obstacle, and which must be the first overthrown. This is the key of those modest, disinterested, and philosophical declarations, which only admit that he has no longer any hope for himself, no longer any mission, but which push self-denial so far as to humble himself before fortune and before the merits of his ancient rivals. All these false virtues, all this false disinterestedness, are parliamentary come dies. M. Mole himself, who knows very well that a formi dable opposition would be again quickly formed against him if he were to replace M. Guizot frithout pledges, demands, first, before he thinks of f orm i ng a Mi n i stry, that the laws on the fortifications, the secret service money, and that the projected loan should be discussed and passed ; he desires that the Oriential question should be cicatrisee in France, and especially that the question of a new and more intimate Russian alliance should be entered upon and settled. These are the reasons why this statesman waits, with an appearance of calm self-denial, and of renunciation of office, till the propitious moment for seizing power offers itself to him. In the meantime, and even in complaining to to his friends of the kind of ministerial candidature which they make him sustain, in spite of himself, even in asking from everybody the means of silencing their reports, and to enable him to quit a part which does not suit him, M. Mole is, and ought to be well satisfied that his name is so perpetually brought on the minis terial tapis, and that he has been placed before the public as a permanent en cas (alternative)—a position so much the more advantageous that the opposition itself, by a manoeuvre which it deems skilful, takes the initiative, and pays the cost of a war which will be to his profit. The fraction of the Droite (the legitirnatist fraction) who join in the projects of M. Thiers as to the replacing M. Guizot by M. Mole plays the same . game as when it approves of certain projects of the republicans against the government of Louis Philippe ; it hopes to arrive at its object by a transition : it finds an immense advantage in setting M. Thiers in opposi tion to what it thinks the most exact expression of the - system produced by the revolution of 1830. In short, e the friends and skilful partisans of the present ministry do not too strongly reject the hopes of M. Mole, although they adjourn them to s i x or e i g h t mont h s, because they perceive that it is necessary, before all, to gain time, and that in some measure disarming M. Mole by a kind of adhesion, they reduce him to an opposition, inert or moderate, which for the moment is little to he feared. Thus, then, the position, general and private, of parties is l'expectative ; the ministry itself is reduced to this policy ; on the one hand, it does not clearly see how the politesses and the advances of Russia will end —it is afraid then of receiving them too well, and by that means to make too soft a bed for M. Mole; on the other hand, it is afraid of not acknowledging them sufficiently, and to see itself submerged by this system if it should arrive at maturity. In this position, M. Mole being more particularly the man of the Russian alliance, the English Cabinet, if it knows how to take advantage of circumstances, ought to sustain M. Guizot by some concessions capable of placing him in a posi tion to resist either M. Thiers making use of M. Mole to overthrow him, or M. Mole himself. M. Mauguin displays more activity than ever to tie the threads of the intrigue which he went to St. Peters burgh to set on foot. He runs from M. de Pahlen to M. Mole and M. Thiers, it is said even to M. Guizot. Notwithstanding all his activity, all his promises, all his developement of theories, he has not hitherto been able to make any serious progress towards the Russian alliance, either among the members of the Gauche or in the ranks of the Conservatives. All the papers are occupied with the nomination of General Bugeaud. There is no longer any doubt that he has caused the ministry to adopt his old plan, a little modified, and which would decidedly have for its object the cessation of the losses occasioned by the unlimited occupation and permanent state of war. If this is the case, and we consider it certain, it will com mence a new era in the colonization of Algeria. The concentration of troops will also be able to meet, in case of necessity, three eventualities—that of a war with Morocco, that of a new conflagration of the Oriental question, and that of a conflict with Spain, which France would thus attack at the same time by the north and the south. A French paper states that the bite of a mad dog, whether given to the human or brute creation, may be cured by fre quently washing the part with new salt water, and taking for nine or ten days a new laid egg, beat up with some oil of olives and calcined oyster shells, fried in a pan. THE ECCLESIASTICAL. COMMISSIONERS.—The official return presented to the House of Commons shows a sum exceeding £30,000 to be now in the hands of the Ecclesiasti cal Commissioners. It is justly complained that this sum remains inactive and inoperative, and that the augmentation of the smaller livings, to which a portion of it was to be ap plied, is continually delayed.—Morning Herald. The important turnpike trust, comprising the Fisherton, Wilton, Heytesbury, &c., lines of road, was last week put up to be let by auction for the forthcoming year, when note single bidder appeared ! It is said that the present lessee, who also rents several other lines of road, is at present losing £l6 per week by his turnpike speculations. SINGULAR COINCIDENCE.—III our obituary of this day will be found a notice of the decease of Dr. Simpson, r.nd also of his lodge-keeper, Mrs. Fuller, both of whom died on the same day. The latter and her husband were for many years in the" service of the late Mr. Redding, of Henwick, near this city, and, singular to state, Mr. Redding and his faithful steward (Mr. Fuller) also died on the same day.— Worcester Guardian. SINGULAR CONVICTION.-At the Herefordshire adjourned sessions (says the Western Luminary,) a young man, named Samuel Dunnage, was convicted of stealing a turkey, on the evidence of identity afforded by the bones after the turkey had been boiled and eaten. The bones of the thighs and wings were fitted to the drumsticks and pinions, which had been cut off and left behind by the thief. He was sentenced to three months' imprisonment. 'We regret to announce that two respectable merchants of this city were last week apprehended upon the serious charges of forgery and fraud. So far as we have been able to ascer tain the particulars, they are these :—The two gentlemen in question are charged with having procured several blank ac ceptances of a young man, a mercantile clerk in London, filled them up, from time to time, as suited themselves, and discounted the bills at the City of Glasgow and other banks, representing the acceptor as an extensive wine-merchant in London, and, as residing at a place in London where he never resided, but where a gen tl eman of the same name lived. Inquiry being made as to the circumstances of the gentlemen at the address given, the banks were satisfied, and conse quently induced, it is said, to cash the bills ; and the drawers, taking care to remit funds to London to retire the bills as they became due, the system was carried on for a considera ble time. One or two of the bills, however, being returned dishonoured, inquiry was set on foot, and the result has been that the gentlemen have been taken up on a charge of forgery and fraud. By consent of the Lord Advocate they have since been admitted to bail under a penalty of £3OO. The gentle men, we believe, deny that they gave a false representation of the acceptor to the banks.—Glasgow Herald. ATTACK ON THE EARL OF DARTMOUTH.-A daring attack was made on the Earl of Dartmouth's carriage on Monday evening, a little before ten o'clock, on the return of his lord ship from the meeting of the Operative Conservative Asso ciation, Wolverhampton. As the carriage, which is a phae ton, with a barouche box in front, was passing through the New Town, Bilston, his lordship observed a knife through the side of the leather head of the back seat, on which he was sitting, and instantly stopped the horses, and gave an alarm to the coachman and footman, who were riding on the box. The rascal immediately got down, and ran up Engiv Bank, leading to the factory of Mr. John Dean, japannef, followed by the noble earl and his servants. Fortunately, the gates at the top were closed, and a capture was made by his lordship, who was first in the chase. The prisoner turns out to be a young man of the name of Hammond, employed as a moulder at the Pot House Bridge Foundry. occupied by Mr. Wright, where, his father, a very respectable man, is foreman. PREMIUMS OF INSURANCE AT LLOYD'S LONDON & LIVERPOOL, Jamaica Leeward Isl. Dem. & Berbice, Honduras New York, Boston Charleston, Savannah New Orleans Havana Canada British North America Newfoundland Brazils River Plate East Indies China Batavia New South Wales Cape of Good Hope Africa Gibraltar Lima, Valparaiso, &c Malta, Sicily, &c. Smyrna and Constantinople Malaga Madeira Western Isles, Cape de Verds Lisbon Cadiz France Holland Hamburg, Bremer., &c. Gottenburg, Stockholm Petersburg, Riga, &c. Oporto Outward 25$ Oct@ 30 0 20 0-25 0 50 0— 60 0 30 0-40 0 30 0. -- 40 0 40 0 -- 50 40 0-50 0 40 0— 60 0 40 0 -- 60 0 40 0 -- 60 0 25 0-30 0 35 0 -- 40 0 35 0 -- 40 0 105 0 -- 35 0 40 0 - --- 30 0 - 20 0 - -- 50 0 - 60 o 25 0 - - 40 0- 50 0 25 0 - 30 0 15 0 - 20 0 60s odEpiiio 30 0-40 0 6o 0 —lOO 17 6 -- 20 0 20 0 -- 25 0 40 0 -- 80 0 60 0-80 0 30 0 -- 60 0 30 0-60 0 20 0-3" 0 25 0 -- 30 0 30 0 35 0-40 0 63 0 -- 84 0 40 0-50 0 40 0 -- 40 0 126 0 —147 6 20 0 40 0 - - 20 0 - 23 0 25 0-30 0 25 0- - 15 0-20 0 25 0 -- 30 0 25 0 -- 30 0 -- 40 0 30 0-40 0 40 0-60 0 50 0 -- 60 0 6o 0 -- 25 0 -- 30 0 17 6-20 0 20 0 -- ---- 25 0 -- 3U 0 25 0-- 30 0 30 0-40 0 40 0-- -......... 40 o._-- 60 0 17 6-- 2ft 0 LIVERPOOL INFIRMARY REPORT January 9, 1840 DISCHARGND. is In- ADItI TTID. .... 29 In-patients cured patients ... Relieved and at o wn ..... request . 3 Out-patients ........... 0 Made Out-Patten" 1 Casuals d ur i ng the last 'week 6 Irregular . ~ 2 Rents-41in the hou se Dead.. 2 Consulting Surgeons, Mr. Forshaw and Mr. Dawson. Chaplain ..... Rev. R. Davies. House Visiters, Mr. James Bold and Mr. R. Houghton Apothecary, Mr. W. Burgess. House Surgeon . Mr. Brancireth• Innations and Subscriptions thankfully received at Mum WA ; on and CO, and at the Infirmary. - , , ,t: ,-. .k:4:•;, - -' 7 '1,,.'-7 - ‹.:-. :. ...! ", • ',.:, - '~ 1. %', '~:~ . he ed :st th