The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-02-19 00:00:00

''• • .... T. 1 - ':s tuttpoZit ~~~+ 3~~ . ~-~r,~ i ~~~~~ _.-..-w' iarb. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1856. FROM OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENT MONDAY MORNING. The QUEEN, Prince ALBERT, and the Royal Family, arrived at Buckingham Palace, from Windsor Castle, on Mondty afternoon. The Court will remain in town till the 22nd proximo, when HER MAJESTY and her augnst family will return to Windsor to pass the Easter holidays. A Court was held at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday, at which Prince ALBERT was invested with the order of the Seraphim, by command of the King of SWEDEN. On Wednesday there was a Cabinet Council held at the Palace, which was attended by nearly all, if not the whole, of the Cabinet Ministers. At this Council, which sat nearly two hours and a half, it is under stood that Lord CLARENDON received his final instructions .relative to the peace conference to be held in Paris. On Saturday morning his lordship set out for that capital, where he arrived the same evening. Most of the plenipotentiaries of the conferring parties have now arrived in the French me tropolis, M. de Bunxsrow, the Russian envoy, being the first to arrive, and AALI PAD UA, the envoy from Turkey, will be the last, his arrival not being expected before Friday. The conference will, it is understood, be formally opened on Saturday, and some who lay claim to the gift of diplomatic second-sight profess to know that the conferences will not be of so protracted a duration as was at first anticipated. Others, from the peculiar nature of the preparations, pretend to a clairvoyant knowledge that the whole will have its beginning, its middle, and its end iu talk ; that, in point of fact, the proceedings will consist entirely of " a great palaver," . accompa nied by marvellous ceremonies, intended to demonstrate that Louts NAPOLEON is in verity and by " Ceasar, Reeser, and Pheezer, an Emperor ;" that there will be grave and dignified discussions as to precedency—as to who shall sit down or who shall rise up first ; that his Majesty the Emperor of Fizarrcz will be specially designated by all the conferring parties Monsieur, mon frere, but that here the practical result will end, that the liberties of Europe and the fair claims of the Allies to be indemnified for the ex penses of the war will be bartered for the application of those three magic words. Many, who are sincere advocates for peace, contend that the Allies run the risk of being utterly bamboozled by the combined diplomacy of Austria and Russia. In the meantime anticipated discussions as to the precise in terpretations of the fifth point give rise to a very prevalent belief that both France and Austria will concur in the decla ration that razing the Russian fortifications on the east coast of the Black Sea is not " a measure required by the in terests of Europe." Dwelling on this doubtful point, some of the journals go so far as to hint that we may henceforth have to wage the war against Russia single-handed; of which ne cessity ominous indications are picked out in various quarters. In the House of Commons, the other night, Sir C. WOOD, in describing the gigantic preparations for carrying on the war, was particular in pointing out that 350 pennants for the Baltic and 100 for the Black Sea, the intended armament for _ next year's campaign, is an amount of naval force sufficient to enable us to carry on war against any power on our own sole resources. By many this is looked on as a shadow of one of those coming events which most men would deem very unde sirable to meet ; but which, if in reality , coming, cannot be too soon or too steadfastly looked in the face. Others, with probably more reason on their side, see in the observation a friendly hint to our loving cousins in the United States. The Times, as is its wont on tatraordinary occasions, is ex eeedingly sententious and admasitory on the subject of the ' conferences, and bestows on Lord CLARENDON such an amount of advice and second-hand wisdom as may render that statesman's task an easy and successful one, if he will only consent to act on the disinterested counsel, and can persuade the country to sanction it if acted on. " Let our plenipotentiaries," says the typographic Jupiter, " bring us home good terms and they shall be supported." Good, doubtless very good ! " Above all," he continues, "we fear nothing, so long as they maintain with suitable dignity the honour and position of the couuntry. 'We shall forgive every thing to the man who shall err in asserting too boldly and too loudly the rights and honour of England ; but an Am bassador who should commit at Paris the error of Vienna, and humble the nation to the dust before Potentates, would commit an offence which our sensibility could never forget, and our self-respect could never forgive." Many years have now elapsed since England was represented by the three vicarious and self-elected tailors of Tooley-street, but even they, in the wantonness of their self-imposed dignity, did not soar so high into the sublimities of egotism as is thus indulged in by the "fustian" manufacturer of Printing-house square. While all'. eyes have been turned with less or more of anxious speculation towards the Conference at Paris, and with even more anxiety to a contemplation of the means by which war is to be carried on with vigour, if the negotiations fail, the proceedings in Parliament relative to these have been attentively scanned. Although JOHN Bunn is admittedly sensitive in reference to any move which threatens to dip into his pocket, the announcement made by Sir CHARLES Woon, on Monday night, that the naval estimates for the coming year are formed upon a war and not a peace policy, has met with general approbation. It is looked upon as the most elo quent mode of advocating the benefits of peace, to show that we are also fully prepared for war. Among all classes of poli ticians the intimation of unrelaxed endeavours to conquer a satisfactory and lasting peace, will give more cogency to the arguments of our ambassadors than any extent of Bombastes Farioso exhortation which can he bestowed upon them ; with such respectable backing as that represented by 450 war vessels, and an efficient and well-disciplined army, the British plenipotentiaries at Paris will find themselves in a position to propose and insist omgood terms. Such terms the country looks for from them, and will rigorously exact. The The Parliamentary session, although little more than com menced, has already been marked by the discussion of several , questions bearing seriously upon the public interests, too many of them, however, beitg of a character little fitted to give general satisfaction. The one which for the time being has created the greatest amount of jealousy and anxious dis cussion in Parliament and out of doors, has been the attempt to tamper with the constitutional privilege of the second estate of the realm. By an extraordinary indiscretion in the use of the Royal prerogative, Ministers have created disputes among themselves, have provoked serious suspicions as to their real intentions, and involved the Crown and the House of Lords in an unseemly contention, all of which could have been easily avoided. In raising Baron PAnza to the peerage, if the patent had been issued in ordinary form, little risk woald have been entailed of making a permanent addition to the peerage, if it was considered desirable to avoid such an addition. The learned Baron is so far advanced in life as to render his con -tinned celibacy a matter of secure calculation. How, under all- the circumstances of the case, Ministers should have felt themselves tempted into a conflict on so unnecessary a subject, it is impossible to divine; unless it be referred to the pro verbial science of the Whigs, in constructing walls to knock their own heads against. The first meeting of the Committee of Privilege, to which the consideration of this question has been referred, was looked forward to with much interest ; but it resulted in little beyond the arrangement of the preliminary steps for bringing the question to issue. In the meantime, it has assumed an important aspect, through the operation of adventitious circumstances. The LORD CHANCELLOR and other members of the Government affect to stand aloof from the inquiry, and the question immediately arises, is it the intention of Lord CEANWORTH to enforce the preroga tive of the Crown, and insist on Lord WENSLEYDALE taking his seat in the House of Peers, whatever may be the decision of the committee ? If such be the course he intends to pur sue, he will have done more to disturb the harmony of the British constitution than any man who has held office since the revolution of 1688. If he does not mean to do this, but to submit to the decision of the committee, he has, probably without any such intention, subjected Baron PARKE to an amount of annoyance and a degree of indignity as wanton and unwarrantable as it was unnecessary and unconstitutional. That the step is felt to be an unwise one, is evident from the peevishness and irritability exhibited by ministers in relation to it. The LORD CHANCELLOR, who tendered his resignation an the subject, as his opinion differed from that of several of his colleagues, treats the matter in a morose and dogged spirit. Lord GRA.NYILLE is pettish, and snarls at any one who dis putes his dictum on the question of ministerial interference with the peerage. Those affecting to be deep in the cabinet secrets say that ministers calculate on defeating the inquiry ,by putting obstacles and raising difficulties in the way. The tact and resolution of Lord LYNDRUEST and the other law lords, who are all against government on the subject, will prove too much for such a style of tactics, which, if resorted to, will tend greatly to lower ministers in public estimation. In the House of Commons, some interesting and important discussions have occurred during the past week in connexion with matters referring directly to the law or to its administra tion. On Tuesday evening the propriety of appointing-a" Minister of Justice was introduced to the notice of the mem bers by Mr. NAPIER, one of the represoutatives of the Univer sity of Dublin. The propriety of some such measure as that suggested by the Right Hon. Gentleman was concurred in by both sides of the how, and the motion, slightly.modified as was agreed to, and will, i n a ll proposed by Sir GEORGB Guar, likelihood, be consigned to the limbo of vanities, in which the good intentions of parliament are said to be locked up. On _•/may Thursdiehe house was astonished ;vell as gratified at witnessing the noble and daring ae‘ei Sir FITZROY KELLY in offering to undertake that superhuman task—the conioli dation of the statute law ! He introduced two bills upon the subject, prefacing their introduction by a speech of great length, filled with well digested learning and coient argu ment. The motion for introducing the bills was seconded by Lord STAranY, and, after complimentary remarks from several members, leave was given to bring in the bills- Immediately on disposing of this matter, the, ,house was plunged into one of those partizan debates, which have a tendency -to bring scandal . upon the usages' of—Parlia-- meat. Sir Joirs SHELLEY, in moving for returns calcu lated to show the manner in which the Irish Judges had dis charged their duties, delivered himself of an address in which he represented the three chief Irish Judges as so oldas . to be incapable of rightly discharging their duties • and dwelt par ticularly on the fact that, besides being very far advanced in years, Baron PENNEPATHER was blind. He declared the re tention of the judge's seat by the three - judges, Mr. Justice LEPROY, Mr. Judge TOUREN; and Baron PENNEPATHER, was a scandal to the Irish bench, and that the Government should interfere, and put a stop to it. The speech of Sir jaux called forth a vigorous and manly.defence of the assailed judges from Mr. NAPIER, who Accused the Government of a want of proper spirit in not defending these judges from so scandalous an at tack, if they knew it was unfounded, or in not moving au ad dress to the Crown for their removal, if they believed the as persions to be correct. 'ln indignant terms, he denied the accusation, and denounced the proceeding as a party manoeuvre to clear the way to the bench for some of the Government sup porters. Sir GEORGE GREY admitted that he had made in quiries, which had received answers, stating that all the three judges performed their official duties with regularity and assi duity ; but, still, it seemed true that Baron . PENNEPATHER was both old and blind, and that the other two were old, and he should, in consequence, support the motion. This conclu sion drew forth the ire of Mr. DISRAELI, who, in a strain of satirical invective, combined with powerful reasoning, severely flagellated the Home Secretary. Lord PALMERSTON closed the debate by declaring that the partisan view of the matter had been started by the opposition. On a division, the motion was carried by a majority of eleven, in a house containing 253 members. The subject of Crimean military mismanagement has occu pied much general artention, and has also, during the past week, been oftener than once brought under the notice of Parliament. The provocative to public discussion has been the remarks made chiefly in the House of Lords, complaining of the statements, contained in the Report made by Sir JOHN MNBILL and Colonel Terme:seer. The terms of that report have - been severely reprobated by the Earls of CARDIGAN and LuciN, and each of those noble lords has, in his place in Parliament, gravely impugned the statements of the commis sioners. They slander me, says Lord CARDIGAN ; lam calum niated, echoes Lord Lucax. The general public, with a feeling of considerable uneasiness, recals to mind the some what similar charges brought mutually against each other by the noble lords, and remembers, with pain, the attempts of both to inculpate his commanding officer, in reference to points which affected the personal character or judgment, or both, of the immediately subordinate one. What particular portions of the report these two gallant officers complain of chiefly is not stated by them, or at least not publicly. Both officers were connected with the cavalry. One of the chief causes of the disasters to the army was the loss of horses, the want of which, for the transport of necessaries, caused the death of numbers, and exposed thousands to the most agonizing misery. Con nected with the loss of horses, the report does not interfere with the "death ride" of Balaklava, but says :—" Considering, also, the suffering and severe loss of horses, from exposure to the weather in the commencement of the winter, there ap pears to have been a want of promptitude or ingenuity in de vising for them some means of temporary shelter, such as saved the baggage-horses of the Sappers and Miners at Bala klava. Experience has now proved that even a very moderate degree of shelter would have been sufficient to save the lives of many of the horses, if not to maintain them in serviceable condition ; and it must be presumed that such measures were considered practicable, for a • proposal to erect, with the assistance of his men, some sort of cover for the horses of the corps, appears to have been made by the officer com manding the Scotch Greys, but the manner in which it is stated to have been received by the Lieutenant-General commanding the cavalry was calculated to deter other officers from making any similar proposal." The officer was actually threatened with arrest ! Can it be matter for wonder that such revelations caused LORD LUCAN to feel uneasy ? It seems to have been a settled point that the horses must be starved to death. The report goes on to say:— "When the supply began to fail, the Commissariat officer referred to, who appears to have done everything in his power to meet the difficulties of the case, proposed, as he knew that there was plenty of barley at Balaklava, that if a detachment of the horses were allowed to go down daily he would engage to bring up enough for the rest of the brigade. The proposi tion appears to have been brought especially under the notice of Lord CARDIGAN by Lieutenant-Colonel MAYOU, Assistant- Quartermaster-General of cavalry, who states that his lord ship declined to accede to it, as he had previously done, when a similar proposition was made to him to send the horses down for hay before that supply failed." The circumstances under which these refusals were given may be susceptible of explanation, and their lordships should, if possible, at once afford it. Lord PANMURE assured the house, and most people will agree with him, that the commissioners had no intention of attacking Lords LIMAN and CARDIGAN, or indeed of per tonally attacking any one; but the cases stated imply grave charges, and the assurance of Lord PANMURE that no derelic tions of a secondary nature could detract from the lustre of those actions for which the noble lords had received decora tions, must be looked on as a sorry palliative of the accusation. The public will not readily acquiese in construing the care of the men and horses placed ruder the command of an officer as matter of a secondary character. They look with pride upon the display of fortitude, courage, and personal daring as characteristic of every man in the army, from the drum-boy to the commander-in-chief ; but in officers of distinguished position they expect, united with bravery, presence of mind, resource, judgment, seizure of opportunity, —in a word, the combination of those high mental and bodily qualities which used to be signified in that suggestive expression "conduct in the field." For a long period the impolicy of exacting duty by Govern ment on premiums paid for insurance against fire has been a subject of general and well-founded complaint. The old argument as to its being a premium on improvidence has been met by the readily used one of the state necessity, and the impossibility of the CHANCHLLOR of the EXCHEQUER parting with so large an amount of revenue as £1,000,000, produced by the duty on fire insurances. The matter has recently assumed a new form, and presents itself to Sir G. C. l LEWIS, as one of the finau cial dissolving views which form such frightful phantasmagoria to the eyes of a finance minister. Ou the Continent, in most countries, if not all, no duty is ex acted on fire insurance polices, yet the proverbial energy of British enterprise has induced many of our insurance com panies to establish an agency in France. Our Allies, profiting by the example, and animated by the reciprocal good feeling happily established between the two countries, are busy in extending their fire insurance system here. La France, a fire office of some standing in Paris, has recently opened an agency in London, and is busily engaged in planting branch agencies in Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow, and other districts, with the avowed object of taking ordinary fire risks at 2s. per cent., under the impression that their polices, being issued in Paris, are not liable to British duty. In this belief they are understood to be fortified by legal opinions, obtained on both sides of the Channel. If La France is successful, there can be little room for doubt that other foreign offices will enter into the competition, to the great detriment, if not to the utter ruin of the English companies. In this state of matters strong representations have been made on the subject by the British companies, who have a large amount of capital in vested, and now insure in this country property to the value of about £850,000,000. At first, the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER appeared to treat the matter coolly; further consideration of the subject, however, seems to have wrought a change in his views, and the whole question has now been referred to the Board of Inland Revenue for consideration. What may be the result of that consideration it is not easy to foresee. One thing, however, is clear. The British Insurance Companies must be diligent in looking to their own interests, or they may, ere long, behold their business transferred from this eonntry to the continent while, by the same movement, the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER may be denuded of his much-prized million of revenue derived from the duty on fire policies : his loss being further augmented by a proportionate diminution of the ineorae tax, caused by the loss of revenue arising from capital invested in British Insurance Companies. The question, more particula r l y i n i ts new aspect, is a momentous one for all parties, and is creati ng a great stir in the metropolis. SABBATH-DAY RECREATIONS. TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. Stn, —Observing a desire on the part of some benevolent, and no doubt conscientious, persons to promote the relaxation and, at the same time, instruction and improvement of the masses, by enticing them to listen to p er f ormances, on our noble organ at St. George's-hall, on Sundays, it has oc curred to my mind, if full cathedral service was celebraed there, admission free, it would attract those who never visit our churches, and would bring them under the sound of the Gospel, and lead to much good, if our most popular ministers would take it in turns to give their services, with a suitable discourse. S. C. W. THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. LIVERPOOL TOWN COUNCIL. AN adjourned meeting of the Council was held on Wedni day ; John Stewart, Esq., the Mayor, presidiuk. The MAYOR, in reference to the question otthe Town-dus - Bill, said he had received communications front the Town-clek and from Mr. Horsfall, intimating that the bill would not pe in the hands:of members before next day (Thursday), and sg gested that any discussion would be premature, and oughtto be forborne. , The suggestion was concu7ed in, and he .Council proceeded to the ordinary business. VPATTsIi F Aild-LEZA:gt iitkiironl, FILLED WITH WATER. The report of the Water Committee stated that an extenson of time-to the - 21st of. this month had been given to Mesrs. Miller and Lawton, one of the contractors at the Rivingon Works; mid it alsO comprised a - report from Mesers. Dalian and Statham, engineer and clerk of the works, stating that;he Anglezark and Rivington reservoirs were now being rapdly filled: Mr. HOLT moved the adoption of the proceedings, and in doing so confirmed the statement as to the filling ofthe Anglezark Reservoir, which he said was filled to within anew inches of the top; and that there was a much larger bod• of water in the lower reservoir at Rivington, in which, atthe last report, there was water to the depth of 17 feet atthe lower end, and it might now have a depth of 20 feet. It was particularly gratifying to learn that every part ofthe works seemed so far tight and good. Mr. HODSON seconded the motion. _ _ Mr. 'HORNBY, in answer to a question from Mr. R. Cad stone, said he had no doubt that water from the Rivioton works would be delivered in Liverpool by midsummer. Mr. HOLT, in answer to a question from Mr. Aldernan Bennett said, the engines for the Green-lane works were failt, and the boilers were nearly ready ; the boring would be om menced immediately; that at Windsor, he observed, had seen very successful, the yield being 140,000 gallons per lay. After this, the proceedings were confirmed. LIBRARY AND MUSEUM : THE PROPOSED NEW BEILDSG: DONATIONS FROM PRINCE ALBERT AND THE BART OF DERBY. The proceedings of the Library and Museum Committe in cluded a recommendation to authorise the borrowing of alum of £20,000, for the purpose of purchasing a site on Slues brow, for a building for the Library and Museum, at Ight angles with St. George's-hall, and fronting the south (de; that plans and specifications be advertised for, a premink of 150 guineas being given to the successful competitor, andloo guineas to the second best plans; the Council, however, /IQ to bind themselves to take the plans of the successful arhitet ; that the architect, whose plans are chosen, receive fiveper cent. upon the cost of the building, in addition to theire mium, such per-centage to include travelling expenses, that the final adjudication upon the plans be made by he Town Council, with what architectural assistance they mkht deem necessary to obtain ; that any person divulging his mine before the final selection, be struck off the list of competitos ; and that designs, &c., be sent in before the Ist of June. Mr. PicToix moved that the proceedings be confirmed, aid, in doing so, intimated that during the month the commitee had received, as a present from Prince Albert, the receuly published book descriptive of Balmoral, by Dr. Macgillivrty, as well as a donation of some valuable works on natural hs tory, from the Earl of Derby. He stated the mode of carrying out the plans, and said the interest of the moiy borrowe should be defrayed by the Library and Muse= Committee; without bringing any charge whatever upoh tae corporate fund. (Hear, hear.) Of the additional £20,00 proposed to be raised for the erection of the building, thy had £lO,OOO in hand, 'and £6,000 was promised by Nl'. Brown, M.P. ; while the sale of the building in Duke-streit, now occupied as a library and museum, was expected to realie the difference. Mr. .Woonßum? seconded the proposition, which was car ried ; as also a special vote of thanks to the Earl of Derby ilr his valuable donations. A Library and Museum rate of id. in the pound, to pay tie interest of the £20,000 to be borrowed for the site of tie building, was confirmed. The report of the Hackney Carriage Committee was co firmed, and a copy of proposed new bye•laws was referred kr further consideration. The proceedings of the Baths Committee were confirmed. CLEARANCE OP WRECKS. A report was submitted from the Water-bailiff, detailnga correspondence which had passed between him, the Reteiver of Droits of the Admiralty, and the Board of Trade. It seemed that after the wreck of the Glide, sunk off the :North west Lightship, had been raised, and removed by the Vater bailiff, a passenger applied to the Receiver of Drota, to know whether any clothes had been saved ? This w►s the first intimation that gentleman had received that these had been such a wreck, and, thinking that its clearance was ttneh ing upon his duties, he wrote to the Water-bailiff, who replied to the effect, that the Receiver of Drafts had nothingto do with wrecks occurring within the jurisdiction of the conser vators of the river. In subsequent correspondence, the Receiver of Droits drew the attention of the Water-baiiff to certain powers vested in the Crown by the Mercantile Shipping Act, of 1854. On behalf of the Water-bailiff, ii had been replied that that act did not affect a previous att, of George 111., by which power to remove wrecks withit the jurisdiction of the Conservators of the river was given to the Water-bailiff. The question was next referred to the Board of Trade, who ruled that, as a matter of law, the Receivor of Droits was right in his interpretations ; but it was recom mended that in future all such wrecks should be reportel to the Conservator, who should raise the wreck, and hand over whatever surplus there might be to the Receiver of Droits, and suggesting also that the Town Council should give the Receiver of Droits an indemnity against any parties who might proceed against him for property wrongly appropriated. &r. ilonNr.y, in moving that the recomiiiendiiion of the Board of Trade be agreed to, expressed his belief that in no single instance since the passing of the Conservatory Bill bad the expenses incurred in raising wrecks been counterbaltinied by the proceeds ; and in very few instances had the Council been able to-recover any deficiency from the owners. Mr. Alderman J. HOLMB seconded the proposition, which waS carried. • TUB GAS QUESTION: REPLY OF THE GAS COMPANY TO THE PROPOSITION OF THE COIINCIL. The proceedings of the special committee on the supply of gas included the following communications from the Gas Company : " Gas-office, Newington, 29th January, 185 E. " Dear Sir,—We have laid before the directors of the Liter pool United Gaslight Company your letter of the 21st instant, and the copy of the resolutions- of the council, adopted at their meeting on the 9th instant, transmitted therewith. " The directors having considered your letter and the rase lutions, have instructed us to reply as follows : " With regard to the first resolution of the council, pro posing ' that the share property of the company should be converted into bonds of the company, bearing a fair and equi table rate of interest, and that the undertaking should be managed by a board of nine directors, three of whom- should be appointed by the council, three by the consumers• of gas, and three by the bondholders,' the directors consider the pro posal to be so extravagant and unreasonable, and so devoid of every fair and just element of security to the shareholders, as respects their preperty and income, that they decline•to enter tain it. " With regard to the proposal ' a' of the second resolution, " That an immediate reduction be made in the price of gas, "The directors beg to observe that, on the Ist- Jamiary, 1855, they reduced the price within the borough from 4s. 6d. to 4s. per 1,000 cubic feet. The full effect of that reduction on the income of the company has not as yet been ascertained, and the directors consider the request of the Council for a further reduction, at so early a period, as unreasonable. The directors hope that they may be enabled from time to time to make reductions in the price of gas, in conformity with the provisions of the Company's. Act of Parliament. Those pro visions were for the benefit of the consumer on the one hand, and the protection of the shareholder on the other ; and the directors deem it their duty to observe them. faithfully, as re spects both parties. " With regard to proposal ' b,' " That the Borough Engineer for the time being shall have access to all departments of the company's works, with every „facility for testing the quality of the gas, and ascertaining the pressure at which it is supplied:- " The directors are responsible for the management of the undertaking, and the appointment of competent officers and 'servants in all departments of the company's works, and they consider that, were they to permit an officer of the Corpora tion to have access to all departments of the works, it would tend to weaken that feeling of accountability to the directors solely with which all their officers and servants should be im-. pressed, and the interference of such officer of the Corporation (which would probably result from his admission) would, in the opinion of the directors, lead to differences and collisions between him and the officers and servants of the company. The directors, therefore, decline to grant such access to the- Borough Engineer. " As regards the testing of the gas, the directors would re-. mind the Council that an apparatus, on the most approved principle, was some time ago fitted up by Mr. King, in.the Borough Engineer's office, for the-purpose of enabling him to test the gas at all times. " With regard to proposal `c-,' " `That the company consent to the appointment of officers, responsible to the Council, to test, examine, and adjust the meters on behalf of the consumers,' " The directors have already signified their willingness that a public inspector of meters should be appointed; and, if the Council have matured any plan, having this object in view, the directors are prepared to give it their best consideration. " With regard to proposal `d,' "`That the powers of the auditor be extended so as to enable him to have access to all documents and accounts which he may think necessary to enable him to report fully on the financial position of the company, and to ascertain. that all moneys are paid out of and carried to the credit of the proper accounts," " The duties of the auditor, or accountant, are defined by a general act, having reference to all gas companies, and the directors do not consider that they have auy power to extend such duties, and they would observe that on no occasion has any complaint been made by the gentlemen appointed to examine the filed accounts of the company, that any informa tion was withheld which was necessary to enable them to dis charge their duties fully and satisfactory, according to the act of parliament—We are, dear Sir, yours, very truly, " THOMAS CARSON, "JOHN B. LLOYD, Secretaries. " Wm. Shuttleworth, Esq., Town-clerk." The report was accompanied by a bill against the Corpora• tion, for £34 19s. 7d., for the attendance of officials during the inquiry and during the examination of meters. Mr. KITCHEN, as Chairman of the Special Committee of Inquiry, moved a resolution to the effect that the whole sub ject be referred back for the consideration of the committee, explaining that that course was considered advisable in conse quence of the comparatively recent period at which they had received the Gas Company's reply. Mr. BRADLEY seconded the proposition. Mr. Alderman BENNETT considered the whole justice of the case would be met by the appointment of a meter inspector, and moved, as an amendment, the following :—" That the Council sanction the appointment of an inspector of meters, and also that the borough engineer attend to the testing of gas ; and that the present Gas Committee confer with the Directors of the Cas Company, with respect to the terms and conditions under which such appointment of inspector should take place, and also as to the duties to be performed by such officer." Mr. ROBERTSON seconded, and Mr. HORNET supported, the amendment. A protracted and somewhat acrimonious discussion ensued, in the course of which the gas company was defended at great length by Mr. Alderman S. Holme ; and the proceedings of the committee were vindicated by Messrs. J. C. Stewart, Sheil, and Robertson Gladstone ; after ; which, Mr. Bennett's amendment was put and carried, by a majority of 25 to 13. For the Amendment:—Messrs. Holden, .M‘Guilie, Holt, Livingston, Fernihough, Jeffreys, A. Shan4Wagstaff, Law rence, Brancker, Johnson, Picton, Hodson, Aikin, Robertson, Farnworth, Gregson, Halhead, Ald. Langsdale, Bennett, Pres ton, Parker, F. Shand, S. Holme, and the Mayor. Against :—Messrs. Crosthwaite, Woodruff, Stewart, Sheil, Nichols n, Bradley, Haydock, Godfrey, Hornby, R. Gladstone, Kitchen, Clint, and Beckwith. The following gentlemen, being gas shareholders, did not vote :—Mr. tanner, Mr. Earle, Mr. J. B. Lloyd,. and Mr. Alderman Cooper. Mr. Alderman _Bennett's amendment now became the ori ginal motion. Mr. SIIEIL proposed, as an amendment, thatthe subject be referred to a special committee ; but on a division it was ne gatived, and Mr. Bennett's motion for the appointment of meter inspector was carried. A report from the special committee as to the purchase of the Birkenhead Docks, recommending a lease of land at Bir kenhead to Messrs. W. Laird and Co., at is. a-yard, as a coal export station, was unanimously adopted. CORPORATION OFFICES, CORNWALLIS-STREET. A recommendation of the special committee appointed on the subject of the removal of the Public-offices from Cornwal lis-street, gave rise to some discussion. It was proposed to build new offices on the land at the back part of the old Sara cen's-head, the cost of the land being estimated at between £5,000 and £6,000, and the total interest on the cost of the erections at not more than £BOO or £9OO. It was stated that, if the plans of the committee were adopted, the land fronting Dale-street would be occupied by shops. In the course of the conversation, Mr. LANGSDALE (chairman of the Health Com mittee) stated that, with an outlay of £2,000, the present offices might be made to answer every purpose, and that, for ventilation and accommodation, they were the best public offices in the town. (Hear, hear.) At this stage of the proceedings, The MAYOR announced that he had received another tele graphic communication from the Town-clerk, to the effect that the. bill (Town-dues Abolition) was printed, that it was neces sary, to take immediate action, and that he required the presence of some of the officials in London. Under these circumstances, Mr. Hornby agreed to the re commendation as to the Public-offices being referred back for further consideration. _ The Coroner's monthly account, amounting to £55 2s. 6d., was passed. A letter from the Right Hon. W. L. Bathurst, inclosing an order in Council applying the provisions of " The Summary Procedure on Bills of Exchange Act, 1855," to the Court of Passage, was referred to the Finance Committee, as was a memorial from ratepayers in Vauxhall Ward, praying that a new road might be made between Leeds-street and Great Howard-street, by the removal of the old Borough Gaol. This terminated the proceedings, and the Council adjourned. THE LOCAL DUES ON SHIPPING BILL. Mn. LOWE'S Local Dues on Shipping Bill consists of four parts ; the first part relating to passing tolls, the second part relating to taxes applied to other than shipping pur poses, the third part relating to differential duties and exemptions, the fourth part relating to miscellaneous matters; and the act is to come into operation on the' Ist of January, 1857. We subjoin PART 11. APPLIgH TO oTnuu THAN SHIPPING PIMPOSES. VIII. The second part of this act shall apply to all rates, dues, duties, and imposts (hereinafter included in the term taxes, leviable in the United Kingdom on ships, or on goods carried in ships, with the following exceptions ; that is to Duties leviable by the Commissioners of Customs for the use of her Majesty, &e. IX. All taxes to which the second part of this act applies, with the exception of taxes leased to private persons entitled to apply the proceeds to their own use, and of taxes leviable by any harbour authority in its capacity as such authority, shall be collected by the- Commissioners of Customs; and the said commissioners shall, with respect to the collection and recovery of the said taxes, have all the powers conferred' by " The Harbours, Docks, and Piers Clauses Act, 1847," upon the undertakers therein mentioned ; with respect to the col lection and recovery of rates payable under the special act therein referred to, and for that purpose the clauses of such last-mentioned act with respect to the collection and recovery of rates shall be incorporated with this act ; and in the con— struction of such clauses this act shall be deemed to be " the- Special Act ;" the taxes to which the second part of this act applies shall be deemed to be " the rates authorized to be levied by the Special Act;" the said commissioners shall be deemed to be " the undertakers ;" and any officer employed by them in the collection of the said taxes shall be deemed to be "the collector of rates." X.—All taxes so collected by the Commissioners of Customs and their officers shall, after deducting the expenses of collec tion, be paid over to her Majesty:l Paymaster-General, in such manner as the Board of Trade directs. Xl.—The Paymaster-General shall apply all moneys paid to him- under the provisions of this act in such manner as the Board of Trade directs ; and the Board of Trade shall keep a separate account of the moneys paid at or iu respect of each place. Xll.—ln cases where the taxes-to which the second part of this act applies are subject to any charge, the rights, remedies, and obligations of the mortgagee shall continue in force to the same extent as if this act had not passed. XlLL—Subject to the rights of mortgagees as hereinbefore reserved, the following rules shall be-observed with respect to the discharge of all charges on taxes-to which the second part of this act applies :- I.—Every charge made on any taxes to which the second part of this act applies in common with other property of the mortgagor shall he payable out of such taxes and other pro perty respectively, in the proportion which the income de rived from such taxes, calculated, on an average of the three years immediately preceding- the first day of Janu ary, one thousand eight hundrethand fifty-six, or the last preceding day on which the annual accounts of the mort gagor were made up, bears to the income derived from such other property calculated on a like average : 2.—For the purpose of ascertaining the amounts payable in the case of any charge out of the said taxes and other property respectively, the mortgagor shall render to the Board of Trade an account of the income derived from such taxes and other property respectively in such man ner, and to be authenticated by such evidence as the Board of Trade directs; and the- said board shall there determine such amounts : 3.—lf at any time any taxes to which the second part of this act applies are applied in satisfaction:of any charge to an ex tent exceeding the above proportion, such excess shall be repaid by the mortgagor and shall be deemed to be a debt due to the Crown, and to be recoverable accordingly : 4.—lf at any time any mortgagor makes payments in satis faction of any charge to an extent exceeding the above proportion, such mortgagor shall be repaid the amount of such excess out of any taxes in the hands of the Pay master-General standing to the- account of the place where the taxes so charged are levied :- 5. —The mortgagor and the Board of Trade acting in respect of the taxes subject to any such charge shall respectively, until the whole of such charge is satisfied, in every year, oat of the property and taxes so-charged, cause to be paid off five per cent. on the amount of the principal of such charge, or lay aside a sufficient sum to pay off such per centage, and apply the same-as-early as may be to that parpose. 6.—The mortgagor and Board of- Trade respectively may enter into any arrangement they think fit with any mort gagee for paying off any charge-at an earlier period than that at which the same would 'otherwise have been pay able, and marpay any . moneys-by way of inducement for such arrangement. 7.—S'uch mortgagor and the Pewerdbf Trade respectively may, if they think fit, invest in the -Three Pounds per Centuta I Consolidated Bank Annuities-, or- in such other security as may he approved by the- Board of Trade, any sum that may be so laid aside by them as aforesaid, for the purpose of paying off any such charge as aforesaid ; and they shall, accumulate the proceeds of- any arch investment by way of compound interest ; and-such proceeds shall be appli— cable to the same purposes as the funds from which they proceeded : B--Where the mortgagor is a. local authority having power to levy any rate or rates other than rates on ships or on, goods carried in ships, such authority shall in each yeari, if their property is insufficient to discharge their propor tion of, any charge to which it is by this act made sub ject, raise by means of any rate or rates leviable by them.. • other than =tee on ships or goods carried in ships, a sum sufficient to satisfy the same;. and no prohibition contained in any act of pariiamentas-to the maximum amount of rate to be levied by any sueltauthority shall affect any rate to be levied in pursuance-of this section : 10.—Every such local authority may from time to time-bor row at interest on the security of any rates, other than rates on ships or goods. carried in ships, which, it• has power to levy, any sum or sums, and apply the same in satisfying or reducing any charge so incurred as aforesaid; and for the purposes-of such borrowing the clauses of the Commissioner Clauses Aet, 1847, with respect. to- the mortgages to be executed by the commissioners (except the clause numbered. LXXXIV.), shall be incorporated with this act. _ _ _ XlV.—The duty hereby imposed on any lota authority in respect of any charge shall be deemed to be a duty in which any person or body corporate is or are personally interested, and no evidence to the contrary shall be received ; and the nonperformance of such duty or of any part thereof by any such local authority shall be deemed to be a sufficient ground upon which such. person or body corporate may found a claim for a writ of mandamus; and he or they shall be deemed to have sustained damage by such nonperformance; and he or they may accordingly bring an action, in pursuance of the Common Law Procedure Act, 1854, for a writ of mandamus to enforce the performance of such duty or of any portion thereof, or may take such other proceedings in the premises as he or they may be advised; but nothing herein contained shall prevent any other proceeding from being instituted by which the performance of such duty on the part of such local authority may be legally enforced. XV.—ln cases where any of the taxes to which the second part of this act applies would, if this act had not been passed, have been applicable to shipping purposes, or to the payment of any charitable or other pensions, superannuations, or other allowances which have been lawfully granted or allowed before the first day of February, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, and which would, if this act had not been passed, have been paid out of the said taxes, an annual estimate may be presented to the Board of Trade of the sums that will be required during the current year for such purposes and pay ment as aforesaid; and such estimate shall contain such par ticulars and be authenticated by such evidence as the Board of Trade directs. XVI.—If on such estimate being presented it appears that any such purposes or payments as are mentioned in the last section would have been satisfied partly out of taxes to which the second part of this act applies, and partly from other sources, the Board of Trade shall make an apportionment, and direct the due proportion to be paid out of taxes to which the second part of this act applies. XVII.—The Board of Trade may, if satisfied with such esti mate, direct the Paymaster-General to pay to the local authority submitting the same the amount thereby claimed out of the moneys for the time being standing to the account of the place to which such such local authority belongs. XVlll.—Every local authority to which any amount has been paid by the Paymaster-General, under the provisions of this act, shall render to the Board of Trade, at such time and in such form as they may direct, an account of the manner in which the moneys so paid have been expended. X1X...-Her Majesty may, by order in council. direct that any taxes to which the second part of this act applies shall, ! subject to the provisions herein contained with respect to leases and mortages thereof, be paid over to any harbour authority. . XX. —All taxeso paid over to such harbour authority shall be by them applied to quell shipping purposes as.may be in the said order in council specified, and to'no other purpose whatsoever; and such. harbour authority shall keep an ac count of the amount received on account of such taxes, and of the manner in which they are expended, and shall render -such account to the Board of Trade every year. XXL—In cases where any-taxes to which the second part of this act applies, by any lease made previously to the first day of February, one-thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, been leased to any persons who-.are entitled to apply.the pro ceedS to their own use, such taxes shall, until the expiration of such lease, continue to be collected by the lessees ; but any rent reserved on such lease shall be payable to the said Pay master-General, and- be recoverable as a debt due to the Crown ; and such rent shall be subject to the provisions of this Act in the same manner as the taxes in respect of which such rent is paid would have been if they had not been leased ; and at the expiration of such lease the taxes so leased shall be dealt with in the same manner as other taxes subject to the provisions of this act. XXII.—In cases where any such lease as aforesaid com prises taxes to which the second part of this act applies together with other taxes or property, the rent reserved under such lease may for the purposes of this act be apportioned between auch first-mentioned taxes and such other taxes and property ; and such apportionment may be made by agree ment between the Board of Trade on the one part, and the lessors on the other part, and in the event of disagreement shall be settled by arbitration in manner hereinafter provided. XXIII.—In cases where any tax to which the second part of this act applies is leviable by any harbour authority in that capacity, such tax shall continue to be collected by or on behalf of such harbour authority ; and so much of such tax as is by law appropriated to shipping ,purposes by such harbour authority shall continue to be so appropriated, and the residue of such tax shall be payable to the said Paymaster- General, and shall be recoverable as a debt due to the Crown, and shall be subject to the same provisions as if the same had been collected by the Commissioners of Customs under the second part of this act. XXIV.—In cases where any of the taxes to which the se cond part of this act applies, or any sums forming part of or arising therefrom, would, if this act had not been passed, have been applicable by any local authority to other than shipping purposes, auy sums which by reason of such taxes or sums being taken away from such authority may be needed for such purposes may be provided out of any rate or rates, other than rates on ships or goods carried in ships, leviable by such au thority ; and no prohibition contained in any act of parliament as to the maximum amount of rate to be levied by such au thority shall affect any rate to be levied in pursuance of this section. XXV.—ffer Majesty may, by order in council, from• time to time direct that all or any of the taxes to which the second part of this act applies shall be reduced in amount or shall be abolished, either generally or.with respect to particular classes of ships ; and may also, if in any case such taxes are reduced to such extent as to be insufficient to satisfy the charges thereon, again direct the same to be raised by an amount not exceeding the amount by which they have been reduced ; and on such order being published in the London Gazette such taxes shat be reduced in amount, raised, or abolished, as the case may be; in such manner as-is thereby directed, and from such time as is specified in the said order. THE POSTAL SERVICE. Tas copy of a Treasury minute,dated the 27th of November, 1855, upon the subject of postal communication between England and the Australian colonies, has just been issued. The minute enters into a variety of details relative to the com munications which have- passed with the Colonial-office, the colonies, the Postmaster-General, &c. The concluding portion of the minute shows the result. The plan which "my Lords" propose is thus shortly summed up:- "1. That they shall instruct the Admiralty to obtain ten ders, by open competition, for a monthly postal service between this country and Australia, the vessels (outward and home ward) touching at King George's Sound, Melbourne, and Sydney, carrying the mails for the six colonies of New South Wales, Victoria, South AnstraliasWestern Australia, Van Die men's Land, and New Zealand. "2. That branch services shall - be established by open compe tition from Melbourne, as the central point,with Port Adelaide, Van Diemen's Land, and New Zealand. "3. That all letters and newspapers- shall be prepaid, and that each post-office shall retain its-own receipts... " 4. That the entire cost of the- services described shall be divided equally between the homt government and the colonies collectively. " 5. That each of the colonies shalbeontribute to•the moiety to be paid by them collectively in proportion to the-number of letters despatched by each, to be ascertained-every two years. " In the first place, it will be necessary to obtain, from each of the colonies named a duly authorised legislative acqui escence in the arrangement proposed. For this purpose let a copy of this minute be transmitted to the Colonial-office, and request that the Secretary of State will take the necessary steps with that view; but state that, as some time must elapse before replies can be received from. the different colonies, and at my lords are anxious that no time-should be lost in re establishing a monthly mail by steant,.my lords relying upon the correspondence now before them from the governors of New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia, have-decided to take immediate steps in order to secure a cotnmencement of the service at the earliest possible time after the receipt of communications from the different colonies acquiescing. in. the proposed arrangements. " Write to the Secretary of the Admiralty, and regent that the- Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty will take im mediate steps to procure tenders for a monthly postal com munication by steam with Australia on the following:condi tions; and report to this board beforeuny contract is actually made:— " L The tenders to be delivered within two months- of the date of the advertisement. "2. The tenders to specify the route and the 92412iMUM number of days between the departure of the mail from.South hampton and its arrival at Melbourne and Sydney, . and King George's Sound, respectively ; and - also the number of days on the homeward route. That the service shall be performed under a penalty of £loo'a day for delay in starting, and £3O a day for any time• consumed in the voyage beyond the allowed maxianraa: , "4". The contractors to state in what time from the accept ance of their tender they will be prepared (under a penalty to be agreed upon) to commence the service. " 5i The contractors to give such adequate securityaczto the Lords of the Admiralty may appear necessary for the.payment of any penalties which may become-due, and generall,y.for the performance of the contract, whiff penalties in no ease:what ever-GI:all be relinquished. " - The contract to be for five years," The following table, partly compiled from a Parliiinmntary paper,.shows the estimate for the-Post-office packet service for the .current year, ending the 31st of March, 1857, as-compared. with that for the preceding twelve months. There was a decrease- last year of £57,587, exohisive of the dedwatiOns made• from the Cunard contract for the. alternate pasasges-omitted by that company, and which have only just been. resumed ; but;.on the present occasion, no alteration is exhibited, except a slight addition for a mail conveyance between Thurso and Stromness:— Year. Route. Company. 1356-7; 1855-6. S- Lir. and I. of Man Iltdyhead and Kings town City of Dublin 25,000 25,00) Aterdn. and Lerwick- Thurso and Stromness Soutliamp. andChnnl. Islands ......... South,W. Railway .... 4;000 4,000 Dover and Calais and Dover and Ostend.. Doves .Mail Co. .......- 15;500 15,500 Southampton, Vigo, Oporto, Lisbon, Ca diz,and Gibraltar.. Peninsular and Orienal 20,500 240,5'00 Liverpool and Halifax and Boston, and Li verpool and N.York Cunard Halifax, Bermuda, and St. Thom as, and Ha- Ma and St. John's, Newfoundland Onnard ..... 14,700 14,700 Southamp. and West Indies . ........ Royal Mail Southampton, Brazil,. and Buenos Ayres., Royal Mail ... 30,000 30,000 Panama, Callao, and Valparaiso Pacific Steam.., 25,000k 25,000 England and West Coast of Africa...... African Steam.... 21,500 22,000 England and Alcutn dria, Ceylon and Calcutta.. ......... Peninsular-4c Oriental 145,414 145,414 Aden and Bombay ... Peninsular-Ss Oriental 24,700 24,700 Allowance of Govern agents on board the contract packets ............... ....... .240,000 240,000 7.50,599 749,499 Packet Esblishrnents—Dcter, Holyhead, Liverpool,. and Southampton... - 6,888 6,740 £756,487 755,239 Mr., DALLAS, 'TICE /sTzw, AMERICAN ENvoY.—The New York Herald gives the following account of the new American Envoy to London, the Ron. George Ma.pplin Dallas, LL.D.: —" Our newly-appointed minister to England was born in Philadelphia in the year 1792, and is consequently now in his silty-fourth year. Its father was Alexander James Dallas, a native of Ireland, who emigrated in early life to this country, and subsequently became Secretary of the Treasury and Secretary-at-War,in which posts he rendered eminent services to his adopted country. The English family from which our new minister is descended is very highly connected, and has from time to time been brought into prominent notice by the literary and scientific talents of its members. Sir George Dallas, whose political writings were so highly appreciated by William Pitt, and his brother, Sir Robert Dallas, Chief-Justice of the Common Pleas, were amongst its most distinguished ornaments. Miss Dallas, the minister's aunt, married Capt. Byron, of the English navy, and was mother of the present and seventh Lord Byron. His eldest brother rose to the rank of commodore in the American navy, and his youngest was the late Judge Dallas, of Pittsburg. Mr. Dallas himself entered the civil service of the country at a very errly period of life, acting as private secretary to Albert Gallatin, in the mission of the latter to Russia. On his arrival home be applied himself to the study of the law, and, in return for his services rendered to General Jackson, he was, shortly after the election of the latter, appointed District Attorney of the United States for the state of Pennsylvania. In 1831, he was chosen United States' senator, by the Pennsylvanian Legislature; and in 1837, on the election of Mr. Van Buren to the presidency, he was appointed minister to the Court of St. Petersburg. In 1839, lie was recalled from his mission, at his own request, and six years afterwards, havinc , received the nomination of the Democratic party, he was erected Vice-President of the United States, and took the oaths of office on the 4th of March 1845. Since the.expiratiou of his term as vice-president, Mr. Dallas has resided in the city of Philadelphi a , ' and applied himself closely to the practice of his profession. The whole of his career has been Marked by a thorough and consistent demo cracy, and an unsullied integrity of character, both in public and in private life. [REBRuARY 19, 1856. CROSBY, and SOUTHPORT RAILWAY AN extraordinary meeting of this company was held ea Friday, at the Clarendon-rooms, for th e p ur p ose o f considerthf, a report of the directors, as to the agreement for sale as! transfer to the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway of the uud e _ r ,, , taking of the Liverpool, Crosby, and S ou thp or t. The repel" which was read by Mr. Duncan, solicitor to the company , as follows : REPORT. "The proprietors will recollect that at the special meeting 4)( this company, held on the 14th June, 1855, it was resolved tu sanction an agreement previously entered into by the die , tors for the transfer of this company' s li ne t o th e La4o- - mid - YeirlfAiife-Railway CoMpany. The terms agreed upon and adopted were, that the Lai l n' shire and Yorkshire Company should assume all the engin d . ments of the Liverpool, Crosby, and So u thp or t C o mpany, ? r " f pay to the proprietors thereof, fo r th e y ear 1855, a dividefl! ) .. 21- per cent. per annum; for the yea rs 1856 an d 1857, aat dead of 3i per rent. per annum, and subsequently the aa'' ci rate of dividend as that payable to holders of Lancashire a n Yorkshire Stock. And your directors were empowered to take all needful reea' sures to carry out such arrangement. agre e , After much discussion, a deed, embodyin g the terms upon, was duly sealed on behalf of the two companies, Pe to sion of the line and property of thi s com p an y w as giveli n , the Lancashire and Yorkshire Company, and your board flu!,l expected that, in accordance with' he provisions of that dezi the dividend for the first half=year.of.lBss,would be preraP' paid to the proprietors of this company. - It was intimated, however, t o yb ur b oar d, by letter fr° the Lancashire and Yorkshire Co m p an y, un d er d a te Of - ith t . e October, 1855, that upon examination of the accounts of t 55, Crosby Company for the half-year ending 30th June, t, and of other claims sent in for payment, certain items dia in the opinion of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Board of Di d rectors, come within the scape of liabilities contemplated , 6 t a the amount of these items, it was intimated, w o u ld be deduc ed from the dividend payable to the Crosby shareholders. ( 1 , 4 The board of this company, having carefully examined to unexpected demand, came to. the conclusion that it Was in accordance with the agreement as settled between the ceuf, panics. In order, however,- to avoid liti ga ti on , y o ur directe r ' s first proposed that the legal advise r s of the two compail_ le . should be empowered to settle the diffe r ence, a nd have sub, ea quently used their best efforts to induce the Lancashire Yorkshire Board to refer the-claim to the decision of any cP . lified umpire they themselves might select. Your board regrets to state that all offers of arrangeme nt have been absolutely declined by that company. • I The board entertains a strong conviction that the claira the Lancashire and Yorkshire Company is untenable either a' law or in equity ; but considering the amount of the cl which is £630 only, and the positio n o f thi s company, the „b, directors leave to the proprietors to di c t a t e th e cours e virr'' under the circumstances of the case,- they prefer to be take,!' A , Mr. James Aikin, in answer t o a- question by Mr. Gie u stone, said that the sum in dispute amounted at first to rf, r ; but it had been reduced to £630 by an a gre e men t, the um', standing being that the Lancashire and Y or k s hi re were 1 1.3 , 1) ' ° t for £l5O. One of the most curious facts..of the affair watt, tl e more than half of the whole amount in dispute was due to Lancashire and Yorkshire for foliage. When this was poil'" 0 out to the Lancashire and Yorkshi re di r e c t ors , som e of the,. seemed astonished, but notwithstandi ng a ll th e e fforts oft ; Southport directors, they still resisted their claim,•and it 1 0 ,„ rested with the shareholders to sa y w h e th er th e y wo uld !P t mit to that resistance, or go to law. Individually he thous,., the better course would be to refer the matter back to. time rectors, empowering the latter to come to some arrangera„ e l with the Lancashire and Yorkshire board on the subject. some conversation, resolutions agreeing to this - course we', adopted; and a claim of £3O, m a de by M r . T au nt on , for of peaces- in connexion with the committee under-whose tnarley 4 . ment• the transfer to "the Lanca s hi r e and York s hire f_„, effected, having been also referred to the directors, the IP' ceeclings closed. ECCLESIASTICAL INTELLIGENO PREFERMENTS AND APPOINTMENTS. • el Rev. H. H. Adcock, M.A., to the Vicarage of Hamberstil! O Leicestershire... Rev. F. Addiaor., to the Perpetual Curacy of Cleator,.Ctior bet' , and. ..of,. Rev. T. Allanson, M.A., to the Incumbency of Martin-le-14v' near Thirsk.• Rev. J. S. M.- Anderson, M.A., Rector of Tormarton, to 1° Honorary Canonry in the Cathedral or Bristol. Rev. J. ArchiVeld,. M.A., to the Vicarage of Downton,n esl Ludlow. ei ( Rev. J. W. Attie,: 8.A., to the Curacy of Withernwiclri Hull. Rev. F. A. S. Bellamy, to the Curacy of Sturton with Bauro be near Horncastle. Rev. H. F. Ben-well, 8.A., to the Curacy of Bassingham, tl Newark. Pet er Rev. W. A. Cartledge, MA., to the Incumbency of St. in-the-Willows, York.. Rev. E. Clay,. M.A., to the Incumbency of St. Margar et Chapel, Brighton.. Hon. and Rev. At G. Douglas, 8.A., to the Rectory of SOO' well, near NVellingborougli. • tricf Rev. G. Duinias„MA. to the InCumbency of the new Drs. Church of St. Matthew, Nottingham. Rev. C. M. Empsow, to the Stipealiary Curacy of Kuutsford'' Cheshire. Rev. T. Evans,. M.A.,. to the Vicarage of Eglywavrnv, nee Cardigan. Rev. R. Fowler, 8.A,, to be Mathematical Master of Tuu rjag Grammar-school. be . Rev. R. W. Greaves ' . M.A., Rector of Tooting, Surrey, to Chaplain to the Lambeth Parochial Cemetery. Rev. J . G. H. Hai; M.A., to be a brother of St. liather•fl Hospital, Regent's-park. Rev. E. J. Howniart,MA.,,t the-Vicarage of Exhall, Warair l ‘' shire. - orlf" Rev. J. Jones, 8.A.., to the Curacy of St. Thomas, BraniPt Derbyshire. Rev. J. G. D. La Touche. M.A.., to the Vicarage of Stokese' near Ludlow. net' Rev. L. C. Lewis, MA., to the Rectory of Peterstone.sue- Ely, near Cowbridge. Rev. I'. R. J. La ngliarne,.to thel I ead Mastership of St. Jo lin Royal Latin School, Rockingham. Rev. R. Lovett, M.A., to the Rectory of Peckwell, near Oakb 3 . ll l net% E. N. Mangin, Nl.A.,.Vicar of Horsley, Gloucesterah lr ' to be Rural Dean of the Deanery of &tonebouse. Rev. R. Michell, to the Rectory of South Moreton, Be be Rev. 11. Power, Head Master of the Cathedral School, to Prebend of Moreton Parva, in Hereford Cathedral. Rev. G. Procter, M.A., to the Perpetual Curacy of Egton-co o' Newland, Lancashire. Rev. F. F. Reavely, RA., to the Curacy of St. Jan Nottin H gham. Rev. H. Rice, B.A, to the Rectory of Great Rissington, ale cestersh i re. Rev. C. Scott, M.A., to . a Mastership in Merchant Tailo rs School. g'o6 Rev. H. Skipwith, to- the Rectory of Boothby Gra f near Lincoln. Rev. R. Skipwith, M.A.,.t0 the Rectory of Milton, near s vestry._ _ _ _ Rev. R. A. St. Leger,. to the Rector y of Kenn, Devon. Rev. T. P. Sproule, to tAie Rectory of St. thave's, Sontliwarg,, Rev. B. Town, to the Curacy of Great Harwood, near Blackbe f to Rev. C. D. Ward, M.A., of St.. John's College, Cambridge' be Principal of the Co!legia'ke School, Sheffield. Rev. M. Welburn, M.A. r to the Incruntiency of Nether POP , ton, near York. DIOCESE OF CHESTER. , e Of ORDINATION AT CHESTER.— On Sunday, the 17th February, 1856. —Deacons :—Arthur Thomas Atwood, 13 ; t o of King's Hall and Colle g e of B rase n ose , O x f or d, license"i, Halsall ; Thomas Holland Pain,. M.A., of King's Hall and °1; lege of Brasenose, Oxford, li c ensed t o St. Th omas ' s , LirerPv", William Alfred Bell,_ examined student, of Queen's, 00 , licensed to Congletou Gyles, 8.A., of St. John's, e°, o 4 bridge, licensed to St. Barnabas', Liverpool; John Gerb°,. Tearks, 8.A., of St. John's, Cambridge, licensed to Aiderle;„ William Fretwell Newton, 8.A., of Gonville and Caius, Ca{ bridge, licensed to St. Bride's, Liverpool ; Charles Reusw t , Ord, S.C.L., of Gonville and. Cains, Cambridge, liceo St. Thomas's, Hyde;. Henry Pegou; BA., of Pembroke, bridge, licensed to Halton ; James Whiteside, 8.A., of.*4 Catherine's Hall, Cambridge, licensed to Rainhill ; Will, John Freil, 8.A., of Trinity, Dublin, licensed to St. Steph,_s, Edge Hill; William. Henry Harke, 8.A., of Trinity, Do° o f , licensed to St. Mary's, Edge Hill ; Charles Hughes, B•A" Trinity, Dublin, licensed to Woolton ; Rowley Armstrong' c i St. Bees', licensed to. Bollingtou; John Evan Davies , 4, St. Bees', licensed to Hale; Charles Peter M`Carthy, of Aidan's, Birkenhead, licensed to St. Mary's, Birkenher l . Henry Postance, of St. Aidan's, Birkenhead, licensed to• James's, Toxteth Park.;. John Farmer, 8.A., of Gouville a of Caine, Cambridge, George Girdlestone Woodhouse, B.A' g o Christ Church, Oxford, both licensed by letters dismissoll the Lord Bishop of Lichfield.—P r i es i s: —Ch ar l es Brit o 8.A., of St. John's,. Cambridge ; Thomas Jarrat Cooper, B . of of St. John's, Cambridge ; Richard Holgate Brown, 8.A. , „ 1 , Christ's, Cambridge;. john Durrant, 8.A., of Queen!s, 0, 3 ; e : bridge; John Firth„Franks, 8.A., of Trinity Hall, Canabrict4 Frederick Leicester, 8.A., of Trinity, Cambridge„ Montgomery Norris, 8.A., of Emmanuel, Cambridge; . Sata4 f . George Cochrane,. BA., of Trinity, Dublin, licensed. to " 0 , , Stephen's, Liverpool; Robert Tronson Leslie, BA., of Tri o l'; ' Dublin ; Joseph Dundas Miller, B.A. of Trinity,. Dob w il George Robert Pigot, of St. Bees' ; Edmund Ilarapoo King's, London.;. William London Corbet Havard,.of KO° London; Eardley, of Queen's, Pirmingkim ; Step Mountcashell Lines, of St. Aidan's, Birkenhead ; Philip Be Harrison, Literate. °' VACANCY.—The perpetual curacy of St. James's,. Litb ° jp in the parish of Ormskirk, by the resignation of Rev. E. "' Blenkinsopp. iesof -- BY the death of the Bishop of Carlisle, the deanerr,il Kendal and Kirkby Lonsdale in the county of WestmoreiSl of Couplaud in the county of Cumberland, andsof FurneseLo; Cartmel in the county of Lancaster, have been detached the diocese of Chester, of which they heretofore formed W' and are now attached to and included in that of Carlisle. , eO l DR. PUSHY AND THE RErORMATION.—A correspolluos of the Brighton Gazette having spoken of the "elemert,o declaration" against the Reformation by Dr. Pusey, called upon by the Rev. T. W. Perry to verify the pasPe o The correspondent acknowledges his inability, and the r e v gentleman publishes the following letter from the rev. do e cn in reply to the question whether he had ever used st i n t language :—" My dear Friend—l never said or wrote nO o i in disparagement of the English Reformation. You 103 . upon ours; but that was 0 that I always disliked the influence of the foreign refortev a o p a ssing. I could not use sucb",. expression as ' the principles, if emp, of the English Reforrof tion.' Nor should I ever have admitted it into any w0r 13 ,1 which I was responsible. For I have always believed t o ,I the English Reformation had very definite principles , what I have wished to do (as far as in me lay) was to br i o people back to the principles tf the English Reformatio n 0 , expressed in the Prayer-book and Homilies. l am n ot Ow English Reformation., T t h h e ing re b fo c r y m on e d rs th a e ck p u te l i e p d l g ei ed e r i, t e Holy Scripture as . the sole source of faith ; they acknowlevt'd the early ages of th e G ospe l it s b es t interpreter ; cf (EcuMel Councils as authoritative ; they believed i n th e sacram9, ll 4.st Baptism, the re a l pre s e n ce of the Body an d Bl oo d of '`tior; in the Holy Eucharist; they provided a form of abs(l, 4 o! for penitents who specially confessed their sins ; they 1)1;4' in the value of good works done through the grace of Cl' i 4 and by His Spirit ; they believed that He would come "9.1 at the end of the world to judge both the quick and the die according to their works. They gave directions as tg ir i' and seasons of fasting; they_taught the value of alms-gl of daily public prayer, of frequent communions, and OtiJe I believe that those whom people call Tractarians have iii tioP main been true to the principles of the English Reform! iflf and I must believe that those who taunt us with not 1 1 1 true to those principles; taemselves only take as IV.V° them as they like. God is the Judge. I wish those W„ e judge us would only exercise as much charity andiror much pains to know what we really believe, and lock to iv 9 thing which they would think good in our teaching, i f oe,, a knew it, as they would in the case of Dissenters.„. would soon be more peace and a better understanawai God's blessing. — Ever yours affectionately, rA," n. TELE( 41 e Mag 4. w-Le prop Way of I BL UE . 9 1 i8 just Innior he Whose el Finm o'clock P , iehard: soon in their an Lexc of direct r oeud to , annum. ceiNed office, Guild