The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-04-30 00:00:00

April :30, 1844. RAILWAY INTELLIt;ENCE. DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF RAILWAY PROPERTY. An article appeared, with this heading, in the first number of a new periodical, " the Railway Chronicle," which has just been started under able management, and we quote it here, in the first plice to enable a youth ful aspirant to public favour to make the acquaintance of those interested in rai:way matters in thisl cality ; and in the next, beeause it affords a kind of text upcu which we can found a few remarks of our own upon the same sub ject--" THE DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF RAILWAY PRO PERTY." " Every property brings with it duties as well as rights. It is the general reproach of the holders of some kind of t r °Perty that they exercise, to the uttermost, all their g i lts, while their duti, s, being forgotten, are neglected and pass into disuetutle. To the duties of railway pro- Prietors, the public has always been sensitively alive. All failures in speed, regularity, economy, safety, are culled with care by the public ce nsor, ' se t i n a n ote bo o k, conned by rote, to cast into the teeth' of the great railway mo nopolists." But then their rights—what are they ?' 4 Right: ! Who ever heard of the rights of railway pro prietors ? Rights! Why these monstrous monopolists— these_ m illi oriaires—these speculators—what rights have they ?, They have the right to be abused,. to be found f ault with, to be 1-gislated upon, to be set upon by boards of trade and select committees—to carry her Majesty's Nils for nothing —to carry a peasantry in coaches, for leas money than the cost, and less than half of what it costs them to walk,—in short, to lo as the public choose ! ' Well, and their pay—surely these public servants should •be paid their hire—have they not a right to their wages, to c ompensate for loans and risks, and expended money and time and toil, and all this service ?—they may surely have their hire a nd a reasonable profit upon their work ? ' Well, we must think about that—we will consider of it.' If they are to be paid at all, we must see that at least they are not too well paid.' Be it so. " . The n l et the rights of railway'property beTconsidered ! .332tss pities b e i ng already so well understood. And first let avhinatqnire who thes e great ra il wa y p ro p ietors are, and authorsheov have done for the public. Are they not the by enter f o ne of the very greatest boons ever co n fe rr ed • vial rise adyapnceeZt. skill, upon commerce, industry, and so 4/ Have they not carried through, to a ti me PY Is sue, one of t h e greatest inventions of modern 8--and carried it through in the face of difficulty, dis .couragement, and vast unpopularity ? Let us see what has hit erio been the general eir. pression of public feeling towards railways. The inventor .of a new art was deified by the Greeks and Romans. Are We to advocate an apotheos , s of the great projectors and constructors of railways? Theie seems little fear, in the present temper of pubic opinion, of our perpetrating tha t folly. Never, perhaps, were such great enterprises achieved with so little aid from public opinion. " While the experiment was doubtful, the attempt was derided by all who were indifferent, and denounced by all who were prejudiced. Its objects were assailed by selfish interests, and its resources devoured by rapacious claims from those whose aid was required, or whose neutrality had to be purchased. From the first survey to the final - completion of the line, difficulties of all kinds met the pro jectors—local hostility, corporate opposition. Toe public looked on; and if it took part, it was with their oppo nents ;—the legislature, the government, afforded no effec tual aid. The promoters fought their way, step by step; and were received as if, instead of preparing for the coun t'the gre a t est b oon i t h as received i n mo d ern t i mes, c."" had been conspiring to def a ce and imp o veri s h it. i n were general, {for the instances of better judgment mere exceptions,) was the temper with which rail- Way projects were met in the first stage of their national existence. Lamentable enough ! but not unnatural. It is the price which those must be ready t- pay who attempt h an y t hing at on ce great an d new. But surely it entitles tem to enjoy their reward, when, in sp to of these ob stacle successs , their e nergy an d perseverance have conquered " Their efforts had, indeed, been successful; the inven tion was found to surpass belief, and the country saw it self enriched by benefits which the reo-t sanguine of the l i Ti e ctors had not dared to promise. A rapidity of tran arntooet miraculous ; a reduction of ex"nse quite unex sYstern and uniform tariffs, substituted for irre rarttY and vulgar extortion :—and with all this a safety :Inch (. (3 . 111 Y the silliest panic could dispute) hitherto un 11—° in public travelling: These were bene fi ts—vast, incalculable notorious :—experienced by every one every 'ay• Under any circu ms t ance s. th e y sure ly d eserve d a large ftward : a larger, if the real difficulty of the task had ?Dee:: troubled by needless hindrances. And how was this geneir.c: bestowed ? might universal outcry, so loud and to de l, that one have thought it had been raised the " n nee some great na .i ena l enorm it y . Th e di rectors , were en g i neers, the proprietors, the manager; of railways Mort9eestioned, and lectured, and worried on every side. _ field,i men, who wanted courage to share in the work, cantle s full of risk—men of bibit, averse to new ways ; me ° of rank and wealth, accustomed to command _uuerever they travelled, and impatient of all regulations of p U h l d rivals who covered their anger with pretences public car e — liberals ,whose wisdom lay in 'repeating the ph WOrd, r ''T eB of monopoly.' competition.' and sim il ar hubbub vv deas—the weak of all classes whom the tied, o slavesnventors, eager to have their nostrums hi r e at m men, wanting purchased—busy men anxious to regu late;scanting to be employed—all joined in the thecl While Parliament became suddenly full of zeal, and goveromentitelf, stepping in to meddle where it had sotarned _ o mend, after standing aloof when it -might have done good, seemed to sat,ction the general excitement. Of this, however, a part which was but tem porary soon yielded to time :—a part, merely absurd, was easily exploded by obvious proof; counter attacks mutu ally defeated each other; and the main burden of what bow remains, may be referred to two principal hvads—the disposition of men in power to interfere with whatever they feel to be imp3rtant ; and the common jealousy which is provoked by success." We must suggest that, in these remarks, our new con- emporary goes too far, although in many of them we perfectly coincide. Wi admit fully the justice of the claim of railway proprietors to protection of their pro perty, and a fair profit to compensate for the ri=ks which they have incurred ; and we should be the first to de nounce any tinkering interference, by government or any other authority, with their regulations, except upon very strong grounds. But w hil s t we t h us recogn i se " the right s " of railway property, we have also a strong opinion With respect tt the nature of its " duties," and greatly suspect that they are not, in general, very satisfactrfrily Perf”rmed. We have given to powerful companies a m onopoly, or at all events a quasi monopoly, which en -ables them to levy font the public large revenues ; and in return for this we have a right to demand for the public th s e l argest possible amount o f accommodation and cheap- With t may be q ues ti ona bl e h ow far we can now interfere with companies already formed, to reduce extortionate charges. mor illv so Even as regards these, however, we are not teu.the Raiitrnvo4ych bound to non-interference as the writer Chronicle would have us infer. It was „ e nilY in the contemplation of parliament, whilst .pass -1 n ,'" 4 3 7 Of the hills under which existing railway inter est-8 nave tato iirrt „ grow n up, to restrict t r within a rid e of ; and when we see such res trictionstrio got rid of h a slu e -wind —su c h as the cre atio n of new shares, half shares, &c. —in order to enalle proprietors to enjoy forvidends larger than the spirit of their acts prescribed them, we are inclined to say that s.tell railways ar e not. Performing their " duties" to the public, and ought to be Mode to do s?. W ith re s pect t o ne w schemes there can no hesitatio n in applyin , to them very stringent pro !isions to insure niodetate charges and accommodation. In bills now, or in future to be brought before parlia ment, every care should be taken that, after the payment of a fair interest for capital and risk, any surplus of re ceipts ought to be met by a reduction of rates. We can not depend unto the effects of competition to bring down the rates of railway companies, for in nine ca• , es out of ten a railway once formed becomes a close monopoly, from the very hopelessness of such competition being suc cessful. We u n do aiderstand that the applications for shares in the Glasgow, D um f r i es, and Carlisle Railway, no w grea tl y ' exceed th e amount of pital to be disposed of. A line o f steamer . is t put on bet ween B r i s t o l an d Newport, i n connexion ;be with,the Great Western Railway. A ves'el will ply daily. BRICKLAYER'S ARMS BRANCH. —This line which abuts upon the Old Kent road, near Swan-street, and which was projected by the South Eastern (London and Dover) and Croyden Railway Companies, to furnish them Jointly with a West End Terminus, will shortly open. THE JONC rioN RAILWAY.—This railway was opened on Saturday last, after which day all.the Liverpool trains arrive and depart from the commodious station at Hunt's Bank ; the station in Water-street only being used for good s , — Manchester Courier. The Wexford and Kildare, or South Eastern Railway, piasconnexion with the Dublin and Cashel, capital £600,000, been taken up by all the monied interest in the local itiesutlhrough which it will tun. Mr. Brunel has planned ,w 7,; the harbour at Wexford, which, in conjunction email )le. South Wales railway, will enable the London / C I De delivered at Wexford in less than 15 hours. Th e c ,:w.A . Y FROM PARIS TO THE MEDITERRANEAN.— MM. l ' e e r li t : de Fer Belye says, that the proposal by the 2,1 60,00 0 t °, grant fifty-four millions of francs, about Farts to t ir _lor the establishment of the railway from the yonne!un ; that it will take the valleys of the Seine, far 1844_ Armencon ; four millions may be granted N E 1 3 ;7 ten for 1845. Mgerstsud tha t OVER THE MENAI STRAITS.—We un enai 13 ', 1 ?t the landed proprietors in the vicinity of the t hat it . $ ridge oppose the passage of the railway, and will havoeLi_erefare probable the passage across the Straits ," be made at the Britannia Rock, and will in the, 2east, two arches of 350 feet span. This will 4cait,a most giganti c ra il way work ever undertaken.— eChronicle. "Ph t lions4,l ste t ), Dr * British railways now exceeds sixty mil s, Train. fig, and yields a ‘ revenue of six millions per ..," I . eted a " .. ,!'a . rly 2,000 miles of railway are already con r,",rharTie„,7 in operation, and the proposals of the present nil to ti ';' ll l' session will have the effect of adding one tai of th e extent of this productive property. The capi- Z.hek. f,s! railways has now become a great National 14 051 • IS held, in larger or smaller quantities, by hll tio in sou end t•;,v_ery re . nk of life, and of every variety of po.si ri Yee of inz,-,llnation, to whom it affords a productive er e s s n o h l '_ )t ne• As a security, this stock is every day . line i n ;Teter ; an investment, it is every day in it,„", by to . C iative value. Every extension of the present th e s 'the r s e: 3h s s ti l f i p t r y anches over the face of the country, niti ems b and value of this stock. Indeed, ~„, , t e little doubt that railway property will, r' 4o lte f,, - ; o 7!.ttain the same permanence and value as the m'sßailway C4ronicle. NEWCASTLE AND DARLINGTON JUNCTION RAIL WAY.—The Durham branch of this railway was opened on Monday to the public. There is therefore now only about lour miles of coach road between Gateshead and Lond , n, and the entire line, we are assured, will positively be opened on the 18th June. IMMENSE RAILWAY STATION.—The great railway station of Green's Field, Gateshead, is in course of rapid erection. The length of the station wi'l be 348 feet, and the shed will be 88 feet wide. The roof will be construct ed of wrought iron. A large proportion of the roof will be glazed, and the whole will be of a light and airy cha racter. The plan includes accommodations of every de scription—booking offices, first and second class waiting rooms, ladies' ro in, post-office, &c. 'The building for refreshments will comprise bed-roams for travellers. OPENINGS OF RAILWAYS IN MAY.—The next month promises to be remarkably prolific in the opening to the public of various imporant railways throughout, that have hitherto been but partially or not at all in operation. On the 4th will be opened the Liverpool and Derby Junction line. Early in the montn also, as is understood, the West London Railway will be brought into full operation, to the great advantage of the Birmingham and Great Western lines, whose passengers will be furnished with a west-end terminus. Then the Bricklayers' Arms Branch, that affords a like accommodation to the Croydon and Dover Railways; and the Norwich and Yarmouth Railway, will come into play in the ensuing month, the opening of the latter being fixed upon for the Ist. Lastly, and most im portant of all, the Bristol and Exeter will also be opened to the travelling public, completing nearly 200 miles of railway to the western parts of England. May, thus, has quite its share in interesting railway occurrences. DUBLIN AND CORR RAILWAY.—MF. Francis B. Elea mish, Secretary to the County and City of Cork Railway Committee, returned from Dublin on Sa•urday evening after having had several interviews with the provisional directors of the proposed line of railway between Dublin arid Cashel. In the course of the interviews it appeared evident that the board were satisfied that it would be ad visable, in a pecuniary point of view, to make Dublin and Cork the termini, arid further, that by doing so all serious opposition would be removed to the suspension of the standing orders of the House of Commons, and the bill to ,Cashel might therefore receive the royal assent this ses sion, and in the event of the company not acceding to the proposition, and that if the bill was stopped in its progress this year, there was every reason to suppose that another company would be prepared next session of parliament to apply for one to make a line the entire Way. The result of the interviews was a concurrence on the part of the di. rectors in the views laid before them by Mr. BertriliA; and they declared that it was their most anxious 'wish to see the line continued to the City of Cork, leaving its route to be decided on by the shareholders, to be subse quently submitted to government for their approval.— Cork Constithlion. TRENT VALLEY RA ILWAY.—A correspondent (writing from Manchester on Tuesday night) informs us " that the Gra•Kd Junction and Manchestr and Birmingham join the Trent Company in applying for this line of railway from Stafford to Rugby, with a branch to Alrewas, and that the official adhesion of the London and Birmingham will no doubt be given at their next meeting. The line (he continues) will be more strongly supported than any railway in the kingdom, and will produce important re sults. It will he the grand direct route from London to Holyhead, London to Scotland, (West Coast,) London to Liverpool, Manchester, Chester, &c. It will save 351 miles between Stafford and Derby; therefore 351 between Liverpool, Manchester, Chester, Ireland, and Derby, Nottingham, Lincoln, &c. If any line in the kingdom h is a prospect of being obtained, and of paying a good and immediate dividend, this is it. If the Shrewsbury line comes to Stafford, the communication between Shrewsbury and Lincoln, west to east, will be complete through Stafford, Derby, Nottingham, Newark, &c. This little line will have most important results. The prospec tus was issued on the 11th of April, on the 13th the line was taken up, on the 17th notice was given that no more parties need apply for shares, and in one week applica tions were made for 130,000 shares. The shares are at £5 prem. here (Manchester) to-day.—Midland Counties Herald. RAILWAYS.—Scarce fifteen years have elapsed since railways became a fact to the public understanding. Blun ders innumerable have been committed, money has been wasted by millions, yet have they spread in all directions over the face of the island. They have set the pattern for half the world, and from English workshops bas a large portion of the material of foreign lines been furnished, even before the permanent form has been attained, while struggling forwards towards the perfect state. And all his has been done, not by a government, but by indivi duals. The first and foremost work of civilization is the making of a road. The making of roads, which will put a final close to the large mass of cruelty annually inflicted on horses—which substitutes steam for muscle—is a far higher triumph of civilisation. What railways have done for us in labour-saving, we have yet no statistics to verify, but the annual accumulation of capital thereby must be of large amount. What they have done towards the pro gress of national education in breaking down provincial prejudice, is of still greater value. What they will do, when they shall emerge from their infancy and attain their full growth, fills the heart with hope to think of. The steam-boat has bridged the ocean, but it is the railway that spans the land, and will ultimately make all men brethren. We never behold a Saxon name graven in let ters of brass on a south-eastern engine, without thinking of all the marvels which have sprung from the Saxon ad vent; converting Celtic Britain into the English land, and sowing the seeds of the world's ultimate universal peace. Happy was the i;hought of the man who chose such a nomenclature for a part of the modern conquerors of the world—the Dover locomotives—that will bring more Frenchmen into England as friends, than ever were slaughtend or made prisoners by all the engines used in the trials of war since the time when the British Celts were driven into Brittany. The" Captains of Industry" have vanquished' the captains of war : and the Celt:c taunt of Perfide Albion" is only replied to by the harm less hissing of the safety valve. We doubt not we shall be the record of their constantly increasing triumph.—Rail way Record. DUTY ON RAW COTTON. On Tuesday last, at the instance of Mr. Dennistoun, M.P., a deputation from the council of the borough of Manchester—including the mayor, several aldermen, and the town-clerk—and another from the associated spinners of Lancashire, another from Scotland, &c., accompanied by Mr. Mark Phillips; M.P., Lord Francis Everton, M.P., Mr Milner Gibson, M.P., Mr. J. Wilson Patten, M.P., Mr. Joseph Brotherton, M.P., Mr. Thos. Houlds worth, M.P., Mr. Richard Cobden, M.P., Mr. Richard Walker, M.P., Itr. John Ireland Blackburne, M.P., and others, had a long interview with Sir R. Peel, to urge on the government the repeal of the duty on cotton. Mr. Dennistoun, M.P. for Glasgow, drew the attention of the premier to an elaborate statement' of the bearings of the cotton duty, which had been drawn up and circula ted by his constituents, sheaving, amongst other things, that our export trade in cotton goods was 86 per cent. of the whole manufacture. Mr. Thomas Ashton stated that the tax bore very hea vily upon the trade; that it could not be otherwise when a concern like his own paid £4,000 a year upon the cotton he consumed ; and, as a large portion of cotton was again exported, it was felt to he a serious impediment to cur successful competition with foreigners, especially the Americans, who were meeting us now almost everywhere. Mr. H. Ashworth said the tax was a du'y upon indus try, and bore heavily upon the operative class in the cot ton trade, who worked five days every week for the foreign market, and in competition with the labourers of other countries who paid no such tax ; therefore, by the repeal of this tax, some £600,000 or £700,000 a year would at once be . added to the fund from which our profits and wages were derived. With regard to the manner in which so large a sum would ultimately be divided, be could ap peal to all who had studied such subjects, whether every increase of the funds for the payment of profits and wages did not eventually, either directly or indirectly, find its way to the working class ; and it mattered not whether this was done by extending employments or increasing the wages of those already en.ployeJ, the working class would ever get the full benefit of it. The remission of the tax would afford a wide and.saltitary field for employment. Mr. Peter Dixon. of Carlisle, corroborated these views, and said, that if the cotton duty were remitted, he intend ed at once to raise the wages of al his hand-loom weavers. Mr. M. Phillips, M.P. adverted to the fact, that this tax affected the working class the most seriously, not only because the tax affected his earnings, but because his clothing, being chiefly cotton, paid heavily to the tax, whilst the lady who wore a light drtss, paid very little. Sir R. Peel said, he did nor, know in what way others might be ready to view this question ; possibly some in quire whether the repeal of this duty would aid, rather than otherwise, the advantages of America, and confer only a questionable benefit upon this country. It was well known that we were dependent on the States for a large portion of the supplies of our cotton, and it became a consideration in what way the price there would be affected by the repeal of the duty here. Mr. Phillips and Mr. Ewart entered into a conversation with the premier, on the advantages to this country of re peal of the duty, in making Liverpool a mart for the cot ton of Europe, and thus aiding our shipping and mercan tile interest. Sir - R. Peel remarked, that they would not expect from him any definite answer on the subject; that a revenue must be provided, and the income tax was a tax whiclithe country would have to consider, &c., concluding with a promise to submit the subject to the consideration of his colleagues. Mr. H. Ashworth said the question was not the price the American planter got for his cotton, for he could charge all alike, not excepting his own home manufac tures. The deputation complained, that after having manufac tured the cotton, they had charges to pay which no other manufacturers did pay, namely, 5-16ths of a penny perlb. of cotton duty, and 2-16ths of a penny more for the duty upon the waste of cotton in process of manufacture, and these two sums of 7-16ths formed a large item in the cost of production, and was a great burthen and disadvantage to a body of men whose industry was restricted by time bills, and who had recently been disposyssed by parlia ment of the adv an t ages w hi c h t h ey posses sed in superior ity of machinery —an advantage which they had acquired by long experience and persevering industry.—The depu tations then retired. • We may add, that they_ were received, and treated throughout the interview, with the greatest courtesy and kindness of manner b y the premier. The above is condensed from the columns of the Man chester Guardian, which paper adds, that the memorial to Sir U. Peel on the subject, which was unanimously agreed to at a meeting of merchants, spinners, and manu facturers, on the same day that the interview took place, was transmitted that evening to Sir U. Peel, and would tend to confirm the statements and opinions expressed by the members of the deputations. CORRESPONDENCE. MR. COLVILLE AND THE OWNERS OF COT TAGE PROPERTY. TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. Sir,—Conceiving that a few remarks by way of animad version upon the principle and results of the measure proposed by the member for South Derbyshire would not be opposed to the design of your esteemed publication, and also that some, I lowing few winlaerioelsmu wouldtmlmeasure indeed, a i s i y o u r gsbuler requ e stttel inclose j a ru m rs tat o : amount ngo t d: o n, f thesagacityersunconstitutional.oofw ne ev er s t r e yo g f u c i r e e r dt descrip tion ) n uef o t next.ab a unattended ia vour sinee with f ortbe benefit o r . discover a at m t enements"eas m eas u re r e tt Trifl i ng, of house property would beunconstitutional, inasmuch as the poor rate is not a tax upon property but a rate upon the person according to his ability to pay ; but a proposal to rate only one class of owners, to the exemption of all others, is not only unconstitutional but unjust, because partial. Such a measure would establish an invidious distinction between classes, and thereby furnish legitimate grounds of complaint to many. Singular and far-fetched, indeed, must be the argument by which a measure of this character could be sustained: it is a crotchet which ho nest, plain-dealing men cannot comprehend. They natu rally inquire why it is that the established laws of assess ments should be in part subverted, or, if an alteration be necessary, why it is that so large a portion of houseowners should be exempted from the impost. It has, however, been alleged that cottage landlords obtain a greater rate of interest upon their capital than do the owners of larger property; but whi acquainted with cottage property can give credence to that assertion ? Does the capitalist be lieve it? If cottage property be so pre-eminently lucrative "Why is it, 1 would ask, that he cannot be induced to em bark in the profitable trade ? If the assertion be true, upon what principle can the sanity of the monied man be ma;ntained in this money-making age—an age in Which everything that is respectable and virtuous is associated with cash?—but, granting the truth of the allegation, is there between it and the rating of the cottage-owner only the least sequence? Suppose it were not only alleged but proved that the business of a pawnbroker was more pro fitable than many others I could name, would any one out of bedlam suppose for a moment that the pawnbroker should, therefore, bear a greater burden of taxation —or, in other words, that he should be imposed upon merely because he can afford ? Would such an apology have jus tified Mr. Richard Turpin—" True it is" (he might have said) " I have plundered many, but only those who could afford it." It is also stated that the rating of the owners, instead of the occupiers, would reduce the rates generally; but the reasonable deduction from this assertion, even assuming that it is true, is, rate all owners indiscriminately! But, peradventure it will be said that the rates are col lected from the occupiers of large property, while they cannot b e extracted from the tenants of cottages : this reminds me of Paul and Onesiinus, if the allusion be not considered profane. So, then, the owner of cottage pro perty is to be rated because the tenant capnot pay. The landlord is to be converted into an honorary tax collector, and to be responsible, not for the payment by the tenant, but for their due payment by himself. Now, if Mr. Col ville be a considerate man, I shall certainly expect to bear of him through the papers ere long, astonishing the Com mons' House with a legislative motion to the following effect :—Mr, Speaker, Sir ! It is notorious that the income tax is at and after the rate of sevenpence in the pound ; 't is also known to this honourable house that this tax does not affect incomes that are under £150; the conse quence to the public is, that the rate is sevenpence; Sir, I have discovered that if all incomes, from the highest down to that of the metropolitan postboy, were levied upon, the tax would thereby be materially reduced. It may, however, be objected that a tax upon the small in comes would be difficult to collect; but, Sir, that objec tion could easily be obviated. I would propose that the employers be rated instead of the owners." This would certainly be consistent, however ridiculous it might ap pear : it would be the legitimate application of the prin ciple involved in the "certain clauses," for the introduc tion of which into the government poor law bill Mr. Colville has already given notice. Political depravity, like the first departure from moral rectitude, is a sloping declivity along which men glide with ease, but stop or return with difficulty. The first deviation from principle is frequently the prelude to a long and uninterrupted ca reer of delinquencies : it is upon these grounds chiefly that Mr. Colville's measure should be opposed by all. Legis lators would thereby learns salutary lesson upon political consistency, alas 1 much disregarded these times. Having, I trust laid bare the principle of Mr. Colville's proposed measure, I shall in my next proceed to an en quiry into its efects upon cottage owners and cottage builders, and upon building societies. ILLANDATUS. Liverpool, 27th April, 1844. TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STAN DARD, AND THE ORANGEMEN OF LIVERPOOL. SlR,—Will you have the goodness to insert, in your widely-circulated journal of Tuesday next, a copy of the original address from the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council of the city of London, to the Prince of Orange, in November, 1688, which was presented by a deputation of four aldermen and eight commoners, after a meeting of the Lords spiritual and temporal at Guild hall, who signed a declaration to assist his Highness to obtain a free parliament to disarm papists, to secure all jesuits and Romish priests, and to be ready to do all that should be required of them on that occasion? Here is the beginning of Orangeism, and an example for our Protestant Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council of Liverpool ; and may the same sacred fire be kindled in all their Protestant hearts, to maintain with unflinching integrity the religion, laws, and liberties of Protestant Britain! THE LIVERPOOL k'rOlDAiii4, ADDRESS. " We, taking into consideration your Highness's fer vent zeal for the Protestant religion, manifested to the world in your many hazardous enterprises, wherein it hath pleased Almighty God to bless you with miraculous suc cess, do render our deepest thanks to the Divine Majesty for the same, and beg leave to present our most humble thanks to your Highness, particularly, for your appearing in arms in this kingdom, to carry on and perfect your glorious designs, to 'rescue these kingdoms from slavery and popery, and, ' in a free parliament, to establish the religion and laws and liberties of these kingdoms upon a sure and lasting foundation. We have hitherto looked for some remedy for those oppressions and imminent dmaers.which we, together with our Protestant fellow subjects, laboured under, from his Majesty's concessions and concurrences with your Highness's just and pious purpose, expressed in your gracious declaration. But of hum blycapital h ere in finding ourselves finally disappointed by his Ma prottheectio name n, and this most Ma jesty's withdrawing himself, we presume to make your city, beseech Highness eismeci oohrneyrruoeriflur Highness Highness'se , an d do , in to repair to this city, where your Highness will be received * with universal joy and y satisfaction." Sir, having given you the above address, I beg to add the following Orangeman's submission : We've fund the banner that wav'd so long its sunny folds around us; We've still the note of our ancient song, and burst the tie that bound us. No, no ! that tie, that sacred tie, can ne'er be loos'd or broken, And thoughts will flash from eye to eye, altho' no word be spoken, Go, raze old Berry's tell-tale wall; hid Enniskillen perish ; Choke up the Boyne; abolish all that we so fond y cherish : 'Twill be but as the pruning knife, used by a skilful master To concentrate the sap of life and fix the strong root faster. We love the throne; oh ! deep ye plann'd the hateful wile to prove us; But firm in stainless faith we stand—our Queen shall know and love us. When William came to free this isle from galling chains that bound her, Our fathers rear'd beneath his smile a living rampart round her. Ye've ta'en the outer crust away, but, secret strength sup plying. A spiritstriii'd within the clay, dwells quenchless and undying; A sparkle from the hallow'd flame of our insulted altars, Pure as the fire from whence it came, our love ne'm fades nor falters. That love to thee, dear injured land, by mocking foes insulted,-- That love to thee, Victoria, by artful craft assaulted ; Banner, and badge, and crished name, here at thy call we tender, — The loyal truth that guards the throne we'll keep, 'and "NO SURRENDER.' AN ORANGEMAN AND PROTESTANT. RESPITE OF MARY P ----- uni EY • - -Op Saturday afternoon, about four o'clock, the sher ' iffs . re t te e ivr i d a communication oistende to D e r p e a sp rt i m te e t n h t e , a fr t o at m ing th t e h a S t e Secretary ag , j o e f s t S y ta h t a e d for r een le: sentence of death passed at the last assizes of the Central Royal pleasure. It will be recolvlecteu d rin th g at he th r e Majesty's wretehed been long Criminal Court on Mary Fulle ; she had circumst outanc e e s f ofa woman was convicted under • having no means of suppor ting stroyit herself or her offspring. distressing kind she resolved on de suicide. The former part of l employ, peculiarly and, and afterwards committing into effect, but was fortunately her resolution she carried latter. The poor creature, o n frustrated us regarded the that her life would be spared, receiving th e i n f ormat i on burst into a flood of tears, and when she had somewhat recovered ex pressed her gratitude i n the wan her self-p ossess i on st gen tlemen who had so kindly interestedme terms to the themselves in h er behalf. It is not at present known wh at her co mmuted sentence will be, but it is expected th at under she will a very short imprisonment. go THE GREAT BRITAIN.—Since th e abandon ment hopes of obtaining the enlargement o f t h e dock -ga of all pre parations have been made for floating this vessel tes' tangs, to be filled with air , preparatory to "t on p l acing her upon which it was necessary that she should be taken out of dock. Wednesday morning last was the time announced for her displaying her enormous bulk in the harbour crowds had assembled to witness her egress— hut ; not such crowds as attended upon the occasion of Prince Albert's visit ; and another remarkable feature in the case was the absence of the success which then followed the efforts to float her out of dock. The endeavours made to free her from the dock were continued till Friday afterno on with out being sufficient to move her more than a distance of about 40 feel—thus far would she go and no farth er The cause of her detention was stated differently by ,' a persons, but it appear to be the general opinion thatrwas further progress was prevented by her pressing ab out ler ships on a portion of the blocks on which she had hitherto rested in the dock, caused by the immense weight of Ina chinery which has been put into her since the ti me of Prince Albert's visit. Alter resorting to a variety of ex periments to release her the caissoon was at length re placed, and we understand that it will be attempte d- li to day, (Saturday.) by means of men diving, to cut away the obstruction.—Bristol Journal of Saturday. KIRKDALE SESSIONS. THE ST. HELENS COLLIERY RIOTS : EXTRAORDINARY SCENE On Saturday afternoon John Knowles, John Penketh, John M•Donough, and Tuernas Burrou?hs were arraign ed before the Rev. Rea r Brooks, at Kirkdale Sessions, on a charge of having been concerned in the late serious colliery riots at St. Helens. The prisoners pleaded " not guilty." Mr. Hutton and Mr. James appeared on the part of the prosecution, and Mr. Monck and Mr. Pollock for the defence. The case, which has appeared in detached portions from time to time, may be briefly summed up as f .11 .ws ; —ln the neighbourhood of St. Helens there are several collieries, the men employed at which, with the exception of a few, turned out, on a strike in January last, far an in crease of wages. The collieries were consequently almost stopped, and had been so about a month wnen the coal masters finding that the workmen were more obstinate than was, at first expected, determined to procure workmen from other places, and accordingly, deputed four of their body, who proceeded to Shropshire and succeeded in engag ing about seventy men, who were to be sent to St. Helens, and, on their arrival there, deposited among the collieries in its vicinity. The Shropshire colliers arrived at St. Helens late on the evening of Monday, the 26th of February, and were accommodated with apouse in the New Market place, belonging to Mr. David Brovvnlow, otie of the col liery proprietors, until they could be distributed and sent to their work on the following morning. The turn-out colliers bad evinced their disapprobationOf the proceed. ings of their late masters in attempting to engage strangers and fellow-workmen who hid not turned out ; and, on Tuesday morning, the 27th of February, they assembled at an early hour, in great numbers, in front of the house where the Shropshire men were lodged. About 10 o'clock, a party consisting of about 20 of the nea men. escorted by Mr. Storey, the Superintendent of Police, and six con stables, and also by several of the coal proprieters, started to go to the collieries belo.ging to Messrs. Bourne and Robinson and Messrs. Johnson and Worthington, in Parr.; and, in passing through the street or place called Smithy-brow, half of which is in Windle and the other half in Parr, both in the parish of Prescot, they were as sailed by a mob, consisting principally of the turn-outs, who had followed them, and who succeeded in violen.ly dragging away the strangers from the prot.ecton of tne police and colliery proprietors. At the same th e the police were driven back, and several of them received injuries from the stones and other missiles hurled at them by the mob. During the remainder of the day great ex citement prevailed throughout the town. The prisoners Knowles, Penketh, and M'Donougb were apprehended immediately. after the riot and covarnittetL to take their trialtand warrants were obtained against several" 'others "of.the-rioters. At.-asubsegnent period -of the-day. white Mr. Superintendent Storey was endeavouring to appre hend a turbulent fellow named Thomas Leyland, in toe -New Market-place. he was again assailed by a mob who had gathered: round the Town-bah; where the magistrates were then sitting, and received a dangerous wound on the head; and eventually both the officers and himself were obliged to release the prisoner and seek safety in flight. The magistrates then determined to send for a €l , -taebnient of the military force stationed at 111 nichesser : and de spa,ched an order to that purpose ; and about eight o'clock the same evening a company of the 'infantry en ered the town, where they remained until within the li,t few weeks. Several of the rioters had since hen apprehended and summarily committed under the combination act. Mr. Mortcx moved on an affidavit, made by Mr. Ro berts, the attorney in the case, resident at Newcastle•on- Tyne, that it might be postponed until Tuesday morning. In the affidavit, which ran considerably into detail, Mr. Roberts swore that he was the attorney for ten prisoners against whom a habeas corpus had been issued, and that it was necessary for the ends of justice that he should be in London, to give evidence in the Court of Queen's Bench, on Monday. The learned counsel apprehended that a more satisfactory affidavit could not have been sub mitted, because it must be clear that the trial itt the pre sent instance could not be c nducted with satisfaction to the parties concerned if the gentleman immediately inte rested in preparing the defence was absent from the court, as he must necessarily be on Monday. He assured the bench that there was no wish on the part of the tra versers to seek unnecessary delay, inasmuch as they were ready at that moment to go to trial. The CHAIRMAN said it was impossible to proceed at that late hour, (half-past three o'clock) as the jury would have to go to their homes for the night. Mr. HULTON also admitted the impossibility of pro ceeding with a case, in which there were a large number of witnesses, at that advanced period of the attei noon, but contended, that it would be inconvenient to postpone it until Tuesday. He stated, that, in the case of habeas corpus, affidavits, and not evidence, were received by the Court of Queen's Bench. Mr. JAMES followed on the same side, and said that, if Mr. Roberts bad any material facts to communicate to the Court of Queen's Bench, he could as well do so by affidavit sent from Liverpool as by affidavit sworn in London. Mr. ROBERTS here rose, and, looking towards Mr. Holton, said : The man who states anything against my veracity tells an untruth. He that quest ons the truth of my affidavit imputes a falsehood to me. Mr. H ULTON.—I call on the court to protect me. Mr. MONCK was about to interfere, when Mr. ROBERTS said, I have sworn that I am to give evidence before the Court of Queen's Bench, and you deny it. You have uttered, sir, what is false. The CHAIRMAN (who had been, up to this time, in consultation with his brother magistrates,) here observed that he had not beard what was said. Mr. HULTON.-1 call upon the court to protect me from the observations made by my friend's client. He has charged me with uttering a falsehood. Mr. ROBERTS.—I said that, in stating what you have, you have uttered a falsehood. The CHAIRMAN.—You must know enough of courts of justice to be aware that, in opening your mouth here, you have no right to do so at all. Certainly, disrespectful language of any kind is not to be tolerated. If you ar3 a professional man, I hope you will see that you have done wrong and that you ought to regret it. That's what you ought to do. Mr. H uvroN : I stated that the affidavit was an extra ordinary one, and I referred to the practice of the Court of Queen's Bench ; and it was upon that that this gentle man chose to make use of language which I call upon the court to protect me from. . . _ Mr. ROBERTS ! Will the court allow mP to state how I am circumstanced? You, Mr. tlult n should have called upon me to explain, before you imputed a falsehood to me; The CHAIRMAN: I think those remarks exceedingly improper, and that you ought to make an apology to Mr. Hulton for the language you have used. The conversation here dropped. Mr. Roberts retained his seat, and did not ,apologize. The case was then fixed to come on at the sitting of the court yestet day (Monday) morning, a report of which will be found in our eighth page. LIVERPOOL DOCK BILL. The Committee met again on Monday last, and declared that the preamble or the bill was proved ; and the Committee then proceeded to deliberate on the respec tive clauses, and, on their separation, had agreed to the three first. Thus the preamble, and several of the principal clauses, having been concurred in, it may be confidently antici pated that there will be no further hindrance to the bill speedily passing the committee, in its integrity; as any discussion that may now arise will refer merely to the settlement of comparatively unimportant details. We congratulate the merchants and other inhabitants of Liverpool on the satisfactory settlement of this im portant question. [fhe above appeared in an early second edition of our paper of last Tuesday. On Tuesday the committee went through the remainder of the clauses of the bill, when the chairman was directed to report to the house, and the committee broke up.] A rumour has been extensively circulate 1 that Captain Hamilton, member for this borough (Aylesbury). intends to resign in favour of Mr. Thesiger, the new Solicitor- General. We can assure our readers that nothing could be further from the truth than this report.—Bucks Herald. The rumour still prevails, that foreign free-labour sugar, including that of Siam and Jaya, Will be admitted for home consumption, although the amount of duty has not transpired. The whole measure is kept so profound a secret, that the best informed persons do not believe that even the inferior officials of Government know the precise intentions of Minist ers. GLOBE INSURANCE COMPANY.—The general half yearly meeting of the Globe Insurance Company was held at their office in Cornhill, last week, when the annual re port on the affairs of the company was read, and the meet ing haying been made special for the further purpose of receiving a report from the directors, with reference to the bill now before parliament, the same was discussed clause by clause, and it was resolved :—" That the thanks o f thi s meeting of proprietors are justly due, and are hereby given to the chairman, deputy chairman, and directors, for their general attention to the interests of the company, and es pecially with reference to the bill now before parliament, for enabling the company to alter and amend some of the provisions of the deed of settlement, and also for the very satisfactory report on the affairs of the company made this day." MELANCHOLY OCCURRENCE.—A very awful and dis tressing occurrence took place at Barmoor lime kiln on Thursday morning last. James Johnston, a labourer, went on the kiln for the purpose of breaking a large lime stone into pieces ; the stcne on which he stood suddenly sunk under his weight, and he suddenly became embed ded in the contents of the centre of the kiln. His fellow workmen seeing the accident, gave immediate alarm, and attracted to the spot the quarrymenand others thereabouts. These parties threw a rope towards the sufferer which he tied roundhis body, but they could not succeed in drawing him out ; he continued throwing from him the stones which pressed against him until his fingers were com pletely burned off. In this horrible situation he existed for about three quarters of an hour, when death released him. Horses were procured from Mr. Philips, but these also failed in drawing out the body ; ultimately a pulley was erected over the spot, and by its means, and after great dif f iculty, the body was raised out of the kiln. The scene was most painful from seven o'clock, the time the accident occurred, until ieleven when the body was got out. He retained his senses up to his death, and in the midst of his tortures made great lament for the fate of his children ; bis sisters were on the scene before he died, and witnessed his awful fate. When the body was got out it was found that his legs so far as they had been buried in the limestone were not the least burned, but his thighs and body were dreadfully injured ; an d hi s i ntest i nes pro truded. and his limbs were nearly severed from his body. The deceased was a widower.—Edinburgh paper. LOCAL NE WS• The bill of th e Li verpoo l New Gas and CAS j om p an y has passed both houses.of Parl'ament. Arrangements have been completed fOr securing so re gotta in Douglas Bay, Isle of Man, in the mouth of July next. FAREWELL SERMON. —On Sunday the Rev. Mr Bates. who is about to he located at Dover. preached his farewell sermon to a numerous and respectable congregttinrr at Chrkt Church, Waterloo, where he has been incumbent for the last three or four years. He was formerly con nected with St. Bride's Church, Liverpcol. EARLY CLOSING OF SHOPS. —The booksellers and ironmongers, we are glad to perceive, are the first in the field to carry out the resolutions whilh were come to at the great Music-hall Meeting. We hope to see their e±- cellent example speedily followed by the other trades in the town. UNWHOLESOME MEAT.—On Friday, at the Police coin t, a man, named Charles Cumiky, was fined 40s. and costs, making altogether £2 4s. 6d., for having exposed unwholesome meat for sale upon one of the stalls in St. John's Market. The offence was proved by Inspector Thompson, of the police force. PUBLICANS AND BEER-SELLERS.—Seventeen cases against puhlicans and beer-sellers were heard, at the Po lice-court, on Frid,y, for offences against the improve.. ment act. Of the whole number fifteen were convic'ed ; four of them in the highest penalty of £.5 each, and two were acquitted. DORAN'S CLAIM FOR INSURANCE.—The application for a new trial in the case Doran v. Ritcher was made last week in the Court of Exchequer, before the new Lord Chief-Baron Sir F. Pollock , and Barons, Parke, Alderson, and Rolfe, by Mr. Knowles, but the court refused to grant the application on the ground that it would be invading the province of the jury to interfere. MONTGOMERY ' S NEW WORK.—The Rev. Robert Montgomery, the popular author of " Luther," " The Messiah," Ste. is aewn in the field of publication. His new work. " The. Gospel before the Age, is intended, we understand, to bring the deep and divine philosophy of the Gospel to bear with powerful and impressive effect on the leading signs of the age, and the social developments of the present era. TESTIMONIAL TO MR. WHITTY.—Tbe late bead con stable, Mr. Wnitty, has received a letter from Mr. Ed ward Rushton and Mr. Francis Haywood, enclosing a check for £4lO, being the amount of a subscription entered into by several gentl.inen who were desirous of presenting him with s Mme substantial mark of their ap probation of his conduct whilst he held the situation of chief constable of the borough. The subscription was limited to £5 each. ' EXCISE INFORMATIONS. —We last week noticed that two panics had b-eo fined in heavy ~ u rns each for mixing ee,tain quantities of sacchatine with tobacco. We may now a , that on 1 u?sday last, one of the individuals (Mr. Brown) who was not, as reported by a contempo rary, put into custody, appeared in court, and handed up some papers to Mr. Rushton, who said the magistrates had already recommended the board to reduce the p nal ties to £125. He added that if the gentleman who had addressed a letter to hi.n (Mr. Rushton) would write a letter to Mr. Wood, and state the circumstances as de toiled to him, tho doubt the board would take them into fs4ourable consideraton. FATAL ACCIDENT IN VICTORIA DOCK.—Last Tuesday, Nicholas Bailey, a seaman, one of the crew of the Ameri can ship Berwick, lying in Victoria dock, was engaged with several others, in taking up the canvas for the fore topsail yard, when he and another man, leaning over too far, lost their bahtnce, and were precipitated upon the deck. They were immediately taken up and conveyed to the Northern Hospital, where Bailey expired soon after, in consequence of the injuries he sustained in the fall. The other man is still alive, but his recovery is almost hop-less. An inqu-st was held unon the body of Bailey on Friday, at which a verdict of accidental death was returned. SPLENDID BALL.—On Wednesday evening last, Mrs' Elliston gave ajavenile bail at the R3yal Assembly-rooms, when about sixty of her pupils went through a variety of beautiful dances, which, from their chaste execution and the elegance and grace with which they were danced, elicited the unanimous praise and admiration of a very large party of the elite of Liverpool and its vicinity, who were present on this very interesting occasion. As the bull was not a public one, being only open to the friends and relatives of tile pupils, we are unable to afford parti culars as to the names of the figures and dances; but we understand that the band was a most efficient one and the music excellent, a great part having been prepared and a.lapted for the dances. The company separated shortly after twelve, after an evening's amusement that will be long remembered by the parties present. k I A STOLEN CHILD RECOVERED IN LIVERPOOL. — The Scottish Guardian states :—" In our paper of Tuesday ! last, we noticed that a female child had hem stolen from Camlachie, and that there was strong reason to believe that the girl had been recovered by the Liverpool police. On Tuesday last an officer was despatched from the She riff's establishment here, and returned on the following Friday with the girl, and the woman, named Greenwood or Wade, who is accused of having stolen her. The latter was lodged in pri-on, and will, no doubt, soon be com mitted for trial. The mother of the lost child awaited her arrival at the boat, and the meeting was of the most tender kind. The Liverpool authorities (to their credit be it said) had attired the child in new and comfortable clothing, not'forgettiug a little mantle, and all that could add to her comfort on the voyage." Tus HAIR.—Of the numerous compounds professing to promote or reproduce the hair, few have survived even in name, whilst ROWLAND'S MACASSAR OIL, with a re putation already utiparallelled, is still on the increase in public estimation ; which fact, together with innumerable testimonials in the possession of the proprietors, is suffi cient to satisfy the most incredulous as to its sovereign virtues so repeatedly shown in restoring, preserving, and beautifying the human hair. In dressing the hair, no thing can equal the effects of ROWLAND'S MACASSAR OIL, on either natural or artificial hair, rendering it so admir.bly soft that it will lie in any direction : it produces beautiful flowing curls, and, by the transcendant lit- tre it imparts, renders the head dress truly enchanting ! It preserves the coiffure in the heated atmosphere of the boll room, and neutralizes the effects of a damp atmosphere, or I violent exercise.—See advt. TAXES ON COTTAGES.—On Friday evening, a very 1 numerous meeting was held in the Toxteth.hall, Mill- \ street, for the purpose of considering the propriety of peti tioning the legislature against the clauses affecting cottage owners, proposed by Mr. Colville, M.P. for South Derby. shire, to be introduced_ into Sir James Graham's Poor Law Amendment Bill. These clauses are to the effect that owners of house and cottage property, of the annual rent of £2O and under, shall be rated to all the parochial rates instead of the tenants, and that tenants may be dis trained upon for those rates to the amount of the rent actually due, and may deduct the amount from the rent. Mr. Ephraim KnappPr was called to the chair, and in a forcible address he pointed out the absolute and con tinent evils of the proposed clauses, not only upon cot tage landlords but cottage tenants. Several gentlemen afterwards addressed the meeting in support of the resolu tions, and the meeting terminated at ten o'clock. RuNconw.—On Thursday last, a number of gentlemen, friends of Thomas Hazlehurst. Esq., and upwards of one, hundred of the workmen employed in the Camden soap ery, met at Hills Hotel, Runcorn, to celebrate the mar riage of that gentleman, which took place on the morning of the same day, with the amiable and accomplished daughter of John Howard, Esq., Park-place, Leeds. From an early hour on Thursday, the Old Church bells announced to the inhabitants by their best sounds, that something more thin usual was about to take place; the British ensign was seen floating from its venerable tower, and from the Trinity Church, whilst from many other places in the town flags were fluttering in the breeze; and from the great respect in which every member of the Hazlehurst family is held by the inhabitants of Runcorn, there was more than the usual interest felt on such occa- , sions. Perhaps there is no establishment in England in which a greater number of hands are employed, where a better feeling or a more kind and generous sympathy ex ist, than between the employers and the employed at the extensive soapery of the Messrs. Hazlehurst. CHESTER RACES.—This important annual meeting will commence on Tuesday next, and from uresent prospects, both as regards the attendance of company, and first-rare snort, will surpass in splendour and interest all former gatherings, (brilliant as they lave been,) of the patrons of the turf of our verdant and most beautifully situated lioo dee. The course is in admirable order; and the alterati ons which have lately been effected by the Committee, who have been engaged in directing the works necessary to adapt it for the exercise of the Cheshire Cavilry, as well as the attention paid to the matter, by the racing au thorities here, have greatly improved its appearance. The city has already begun to put on its holiday face, and seems to be eagerly anticipating the forthcoming week ; when rank and beauty are to throng old Chester 's walls and streets, hospitality is to spread its most liberal repasts, and the banks of the Dee are to present an animated pa norama of the national sports of British horse racing. The ' crack' event of the meeting, the great 'Cup Race,' is to take place on Wednesday next ; 30 horses it is ru moured, will start, and intense interest, as to the result is excited. The programme for Tuesday, Thursday, an d Friday, also holds out a promise of abundant sport. We understand that 100 horses are expected to compete for the various stakes.—Chester Courant. FEMALE PENITENTIARY. —On Tuesday the annual meeting, of the friends and s ubscribers of the Liverpool Female Penitentiary, was held at the Charitable Institu tion-house, Slater-street, and was respectably, though not numerously, attended. In the absence of the Mayor, who had kindly promised to preside, the chair was occu pied by Edward Cropper, Esq. Mr. Michael Ashton, the secretary, read ;he report, from which it appeared that the design of the Committee was to afford an asylum to female-, who, having deviated from the paths of virtue, were desirous of being restored by religious instruction, and formation of moral and industrious habits, to a re past year alone o pu ut ta o b f l e 94 s t a a p t p i o l ca i n n ts s f o o c r ie a t d y D En . ssi u o r n i , n 4 g B t w he ere received into the probationary ward, 31 had been admitted to the full privileges of the house, and 13 others had been restored to their sorrowing friends, or placed out to resptetahle pleasingorntionia. The total number and satisfactory evidence service, y t i h c e e i , r after indisputable g fre since the commencement of the institution was as follows —Admitted since the first establishment, 1250; expelled, 161 ; eloped, 51; left at their own suggestion, or dislike of rules, 486 ; restored to their friends, or placed in ser vice, 390; removed to other institutions, 50; died, 19; remaining in the house, 55. Upon the motion of Mr. John Howard, the report was adopted, after which a number of excellent speeches were delivered, and urgent appeals made in favour of the institutions. FATAL ACCIDENT AT THE ALBERT DOCl{. Ye4er day. an inquest was held before the b•tr u; t coroner on view of the body of John Griffis h, a la' ourer, ag ad 35. On Saturday last, while deceased was engsg 'd at a lime tub close under the wall of one of the warenooses now in Icourse of erection at the Albert nick, a piece of timber, weighing from 20 to 25 lb., by some means—proba ay the hie% wind at the time—felt down, stud struck him so vio lently on the head as to fracture his skult beyo la hope of his recovei - v. He was carried to the Northern Hospital, and expired a Few' minutes after being received there. — Verdict, " Accidontallq killed." CLOSING SHOPS AT' SEVEN O'CLOCK. —The respecta ble shopkeepers of Livei;ootal are gradually adopting the rule of closing at seven o'clock. The trades individually are taking the matter up, and :able/vial parties who have agreed to close at the above-named hour will, no doubt, be a stimulus to others. A meeting of the assistants to booksellers and stationers was held, in the Clarendon rooms, on Thursday evening, when the thanks of the meeting were unanimously voted to those employers who so kindly responded to the memorial soliciting an earlier hour of closing, and the necessity of adhering to an ar rangement that will prove equally beneficial to the em ployer and the employed was respectfully urged. ASSAULT ON POLICE-OFFICERS.—At the Folice-court, yesterday, a well-dressed young man, named Thomas Rowlands, and a working man, John McDermott, were charged with a violent assault on several police-officers, in Adlington-street, Marybone, on Saturday evening. Ca therine McDermott, wife of the latter, was also charged with assault and attempt to rescue her husband. The two male prisoners had, it appeared, been very active in a gratuitous attack upon the officers with stones and bricks, by which the face of one of them was much bruised and mutilated. Rowlands was formerly appren tice to a pilot-boat, had often been brought up for dis orderly conduct on board and on shore, and had [left his employ. He was fined £5, or one month, and also• re quired to find bal himself in £3O and two sureties tat £2O each. The other man was fined in a less amount, ttor to be imprisoned ; and the female, whose case was but slight, was discharged. THE " IRON DUKE." —This steamer made her second, experimental trip on Thursday, and the result was highly satisfactory to those connected with her, and also to se veral scientific individuals on board. As regards her speed, that is unrivalled. As a proof, she ran from the Clarence Pier to the anchorage in Douglas harbaur in sh. 27m., and the return trip occupied but sh. 31m. To go more into detal to show what was done in a remarka bly short period, she went from Liverpool to Douglas, remained forty minutes in the harbour, and returned to Liverpool, the entire time occupied being only eleven hours and thirty-eight minutes. To show that she de rived but little extraneous aid from wind or tide, it is only necessary too-..serve that the firmer was on the bow going to llouglas, and fell to a calm on the return; and the tide was almost the lowest in the year, being but lift. 9in. The most extraordinary property connected with this steamer is the fact that her speed through the water `approaches closer to the velocity of her wheels than that of any oth-r vessel afloat, whether propelled by paddle wheels, the screw, or any other principle. Thursday's trial proved indisputably, both by the log and. by the dis tance actuolly passed over, that there was a slip of only 1-14th—that is to say, the velocity of the vessel through the water was as great as the velocity of the centre of the paddle-boards within one-fourteenth part. No doubt this fact will cause a sensation in the scientific world. as it will undoubtedly procure Mr. Thomas Wilson, addi tional fame. The engines and boilers are everything that their constructors can desire, and as the machinery inva riably continues to work more and more efficiently for months after its first operations, it may be asked, what steamer will be able to compete successfully with the " Iron Duke," when her engines (built by Messrs. Few-. cett and Co.) have arrived at the maximum of their effi ciency ? ADULTERATION OF TOBACCO.—It appears that our own town is not the only one in which manufacturers of to bacco have, during the past week, been convicted forde frauding the revenue by adulterating the article with mo lasses, sugar, and other saccharine matter, Chinese flow ers, sand, Etc., and also selling such tabacco to retail deal ers. At Bolton three parties were brought before the special session. In the first `rase a dealer was convicted in a penalty of £2OO for adulterating tobacco,and the to bacco (amounting to 1,083/1b) was condemned. It was also stated that, in little more than six months, this dealer had gained by this species of fraud nor less than £3,000; the adulteration at 20 per cent (and it was stated that it really amounted to 23 per cent.) on the quantity of to bacco on which he had paid duty within that period, amounting to £3.254. On - this ground the bench refused to grant any mitigation of the penalty.—ln the second case, against the successor of the defendant, 3131 h. of to bacco was seized on the defendants premises, and 20Th. at the shop of a retail dealer, which was stated to have come from the defendant ; and the latter was convicted in a mitigated penalty of £so.—On Friday there were two cases heard at the Mane:ester police-court, in the first of which the defendant, a tobacco manufacturer, virtually admitted having committed the offence, by his solicitor stating that the solicitor for the excise and himself had agreed to a conviction on the second count of the infor mation. The case was heard, however, and the defen dant was convicted, on that count, in the penalty of £l5O for having adulterated tobacco on his premises, and the tobacco seized (891 b.) was condemned.—Another case was gone into, in which it appeared that the defendant, a re tail dealer, was convicted of a similar offence in the miti gated penalty of £5O, as it appeared that he had purchased the tobacco from one of the parties convicted on Wednes day at Bolton; and the tobacco seized (3621 b.) was con demned. It thus appears that within five .days, in three large towns within a space of forty miles, no fewer than eight convictions, amounting in the aggregate to £1,550, have been made, and more than 2,4001 b. .of tobacco seized and condemned by the excise. HER MAJESTY ' S BIRTEI-DAY.—Thursday last being appointed for the celebration of her Majesty's birth-day, all the public offices were closed.' Tine royal stanlard, a new one, admirab!y painted by Mr. Parr, of Berry-street, was hoisted at the Town.hag; and at several places, as welt as on the, ships along tile line of the docks, flags floated freely, imparting a lively and pleasing appearance to the town. At, noon the bells, of St. Peter's rung a merry peal. It wis further enlivened and gratified by the enrolled pensioners who assembled at the ha/lacks, in Duke -street, from whence they were marched by Captairt Gteig_ to the police-station in Seel-street, where they underwent the necessary formalities. From Seel -street they marched in Sections, down 80ld -street, along Church-street, up Lord-street, and through Castle-str ee t, forming on the Exchange flags. They wore a very be coming uniform : and although several show: d, not only by their personal appearance, but their pendaqt medals, honours of Waterloo and the Peninsula, that they had " fought in famou., battles," still they were a fine body of men, quite capable of rendering, if necessary, a great local service. They were preceded by a band of music, all pensioners. and the fine old fellows had warmed in them again the martial feeling of other days. On the Exchange area along with the inspecting field-officer, Colonel Falconer, his adjutant, Lieut. Covell, and a com pany of the Gth Regiment, several other officers were also in attendance,—amongst others, Lieut. Sautey, of the engineers, who is at present here on a survey, and Major Axford, of the East India company artillery. His wor ship the Mayor was present on the occasion, together with Edward Rushton, Esq., Sir Thomas Brancker, Francis Heywood, Esq., and other gentlemen. At one o'clock a feu de joie was fired in honour of her Majesty's birth-day, the band immediately strking up " God save the Queen," which was responded to by three hearty cheers from the troops and gentlemen assembled. The whole of the pensioners then retired in military order to the barracks, where their arms were lodged. It is worthy of remark that in this district every pensioner voluntarily came forward to be enrolled. Each man received £1 bounty, and one day's pay. None above the age of fifty five were required to attend. In the evening his worship the Mayor entertained, at the Town-hall, the heads of the various public departments, all the consols, and se veral gentlemen of the town. The pensioner's band at tended, and played several airs during the dinner, and Mr. Holden's glee singers delighted the company the re mainder of the evening. TRANMERE FERRY 'AND THE BIRKENHEAD RAIL WAY.—In the Vice-Chancellor's Court, on Wednesday, an application was made on behalf of Mr. Chamberlain to prohibit the Birkenhead Railway Company from giving a preference to the Monk's Ferry, as a terminus (by means of a tunnel), to Birkenhead and Tranmere. It was urged that it was stipulated in the act th. t no railway or tram road should he made from the terminus at Grange-lane to the ferry at 'Woodside, until a similar railway or tramroad had been made to the ferries at Birkenhead and Tranmere, and that no locomotive or stationary engines should be used by the company for propelling carriages from the railway to Woodside, until roads on which the like engines could be used were made for the same purpose betweenthe railway and the two other ferries. In 1840 the railway com pany purchased for £25,000 a piece of land, and the claim to a ferry at a spot called Monk's Ferry, many hundred yards from the place at which the boats at the Woodside station were accustomed to arrive and depart, but still within the , district called Woodside. The Commissioners of Birken head, a short time ago, became the purchasers of the Woodside Ferry, and had agreed with the Railway Com pany to make a tunnel to Monk's Ferry, and there to have a boat always ready to convey passengers to Liverpool. This the proprietor of Tranmere Ferry considered an in fringement of the clause of the act which put Tranmere and Birkenhead Ferries on an equality as to communica tion with the railway. It was stated, for the Railway Company, that this was not a case of parliamentary con tract ; they did not intend to make three railways, as they had no power to take land for that purpose, and having procured land to Monk's Ferry which enabled them, by means of a tunnel, to extend the advantages of the rail way in a manner not prohibited by the act, the court could not interfere.—The case was adjourned to Thurs day, when it was further contended for the defendants that they had not infringed any law, they had merely adapted their arrangements to the state of the law, and proceeded to open such a communication with Liverpool as the law allowed. Tranmere Ferry was, in fact, a ferry not offering sufficient convenience to induce those who crossed the Mersey to use it; it had not been worked for nine years. Mr. Temple replied, and insisted that Monk's Ferry was, in fact, the Woodside Ferry under another name, and was a merely colourable evasion of the provision of the act which had been introduced for the protection of the other ferries. Monk's Ferry was not a legal ferry when the railway act passed. His Honour said, that if it: were then a legal terry, there would have been no ground for the present application. Without expressing any opinion on the construction of the clause, he would say it was certainly not so clearly that which the plain tiffs contended as to entitle them to the injuncti°hether would read the evidence for thapurpose of seeing w he ought to 'require the Railway Company t° .enter into quiescence of any terms for a trial at law, or whether tll the assistattoec the plaintiffs ought to deprive them Q i e court in that respect. 4~