The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-02-18 00:00:00

LIVERPOOL FIRE AND LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY The sixth annual general meetinc , of the proprietors in the Liverpool Fire and Life Insurance Company was held in the Clarendon-rooms, on Wednesday, for the purpose of receiv ing the report of the directors for the past year, the declara tion of a dividend, and the appointment of seven (one-third) directors in the place of that number retiring, according to the terms of the deed of settlement. George Hall Lawrence, Esq., chairman of the board of directors, took the chair. The CHAIRMAN said that in calling attention to the object for which the meeting had been assembled. it was not his intention to anticipate the details of the report which the di rectors were now about to lay before the proprietors, but at the same time he could not refrain from the pleasure of stat- log that the affairs of the company continued to prosper. They did not, however, upon this occasion, present the pro prietors with a result so entirely prosperous as that which this time last year they had the honour to lay before the proprie tors, notwithstanding that, they had been, upon the whole, Prosperous. Their local business had done remarkably well ; and if they had limited themselves to the town of Liverpool, they would have had few of the losses which they had now to lay before them. Added to that their property had im proved in the estimation of the public, their shares, which were at a di scoun t l as t y ear , h a d now , i n t h e f ace of these bad times, risen to a premium. They had also the satisfac tion of thinking that they had reduced the rate of fire insur ance here, which was the main object for which the company was established, and they could now look forward to the re ward of their exertions in an increased dividend, and bold out to the public the still further advantage of decreased rates of insurance. (Hear, hear.) Mr. BOULT then read the report, which is too long for in sertion here. It comprised a statement of the company's affairs on the stock account, the profit and loss account, and on the fire and life departments ; and it appeared that after making provision for the payment of a divivdend of £5 per cent. upon the paid up capital, £50,000 were laid by to meet contingencies. Among the items of expense was one of £4OO to the directors. The report concluded by stating that having made allowances on all these accounts, sufficient was shown to mark the steady progress of the company, and to give assurance of its prosperity and of its ultimate success. Mr. HEALING enquired whether he correctly understood that in the report a charge was made for direction ? The CHAIRMAN replied in the affirmative. Mr. HEALING desired to know when the charge was first proposed ? The CHAIRMAN said last year. Mr. HEALING asked whether permission had been ob tained to make that charge ? The CHAIRMAN : Yes ; and perhaps the directors would be snore likely to recollect it than Mr. Healing. Mr. HEALING said he did not recollect any such permis sion beinf , given, and he sh ou ld b e g l a d to h ear t h e resolut i on read which authorised the charge, The CHA1R44.11,. hoped. that the-word of-the directors would be taken upon'this subject, because the circumstance must be in the recollection of every one present, except perhaps the gentleman who had putttbe question. • Mr. BOULT said the resolution was carried at the last an nual meeting, on the motion of Mr. liathbone, seconded by Mr. Hardman Earle. The CHAIRMAN mentioned that the reserved surplus fund now amounted to £50,000. When it was doubled, or amounted to £lOO,OOO, they would have power to increase the dividend, hut not till then. They had been: five years in accumulating that £50,000, and, as money accumulated very fast, he hoped that in a couple or three years, they would completely have obtained the object of their wishes, in mak ing the reserved surplus fund £lOO,OOO. Mr. EDWARDS asked how much the combined capital and the reserved surplus fund amounted to? The CHAIRMAN, in reply, said £117,000. Mr. H. R. SANDBACH moved the first resolution, which was to the effect that the report and accounts now read be received and approved. Mr. LOWE seconded the motion. Mr. HEALING' said that at the last meeting some com plaints were made With regard to some bank shares. Had those shares been sold ? There was a promise made at that time that they should be sold. The CHAIRMAN replied that some shares had been sold since they had invested a portion of their capital in bank shares • but he did not understand that a p rom i se was ma d e at the last meeting that what they now held should be sold. It perhaps would have been better that they should have sold them, but they held them still. Mr. Nicol., one of the directors, said he did not recollect any such promise havi ng b een ma d e . Mr. HEALING remarked that there was a discussion on the subject at the last annual meeting, and that it was in con versation, after the general meeting, that the promise was made. The CHAIRMAN added, that whatever might have been said after that meeting, the company still held the shares ; that was quite certain. A PROPRIETOR inquired what number of bank shares the Company held ? Mr. BOULT said 740. Mr. WILLIAM EARLE said that as to any casual conver sation which was said to have taken place after the last an nual meeting, he did not recollect it ; and at all events the directors could not be bound by it. Mr. C. S. PARKER said, neither did he recollect it. Mr. HEALING repeated that there was such a conversation after the meeting, and in that conversation the directors said they would take every favourable opportunity of selling the shares. Mr. WM. EARLE believed the price of bank shares was much about the same now as it was then. Mr. HEALING said, they were £1 less now than they were at that time, so that there would be a loss of some £5OO or £6OO. A. PROPRIETOR remarked that it should be recollected that a dividend had just been paid by the bank. Mr. War. EARLE thought the shares were worth about Xti now. Mr. HEALING had no desire to have the risk of bank shares in addition to the risk this company ran, from the nature of its business ; and on that ground he objected to its holding any such investments. The CHAIRMAN said that if there was any strong opinion upon this subject among the proprietors, he was sure the directors would attend to it, for they had no wish to keep the shares. Mr. LOWE remarked that it was in the discretion of the directors when they sold them. A PROPRIETOR contended that the time for selling the shares at a favourable price had not yet arrived. Mr. EDWARDS (we believe) said, the shareswere a species of property that might easily-be disposed of to• advantage at another time, and — )ie should say, keep them till that time arrived. Mr. HEALING said it should be recollected that £4,000 or 5,000 had already been lost in shares. The CHAntatAN was aware of that, but it had been lost all at once. ----- Mr. HEALING, after what he had heard, said, if it were the Opinion of the meeting that the company should continue to hold the shares, he had no objection. The CHAIRMAN did not wish Mr. Healing to say that, without its being understood that the directors had a discre tionary power to dispose of the shares. Mr. BOOTH said, that for his part he wished the directors to sell the shares, but he did not think the time had yet arrived for them to do so advantageously. Mr. EDWARDS asked Mr. Mozley whether money would not be cheaper by and bye ? In that case the market for shares would be better. Mr. MozLEY, in reply. said, that with regard to the question of the original investment, there was no use entering into any observations now. It really was a question of prin ciple upon the one hand, and of advantage upon the other ; a question of principle if the proprietors thought this was a class of stock which they ought not to hold, and at any sacri fice they ought to sell ; and upon the other hand, if it was a question of advantage, he queried whether this was the mo ment in which, upon any recommendation of the proprie tors, the directors ought to follow it. If they came to a resolution that they thought this stock not such as the pro prietors should hold, either for their advantage or as being a description of security they wished the directors to hold, he, as one of the directors, should feel it imperative upon him, but not immediately, to sell that stock. If it were sold im piediately the consequences would be a still greater lss. If he looked at the question in a financial point of view, he should say, that, unless the present commercial gloom should continue, or some circumstances arise to affect the value of looney, and anything that affected it must affect the value of annuity property, and if the rate of money fell, they might expect—if not in six months at least within the current year— that every class of property paying interest, as Liverpool bank stuck, must sell to advantage. But any premature decision upon the part of the proprietors might prevent that conchs s'cri ; at the same time, however, the expression of their opinion ought to be treasured up by the directors, with the view of consulting their wishes at a convenient opportunity. Mr. BOULT, in reference to the payment of the directors, said he had , sent for the book of proceedings, from which ;t appeared that, on the motion of Mr. Rathbone, seconded by Mr. Hardman Earle, it was resolved that the sum of 400 guineas should be placed at the disposal of the directors for distribution among themselves in such a manner as they thought fit. Mr. HEALING asked whether this was a resolution of the general meeting? Mr. BOULT said it was, and the question was, whether the sum should be 400 guineas or £6OO. Mr. HEALING enquired the date of the meeting. Mr. Whichßas held on the 10th January, 1841, at the Clarendon Rooms. Mr. G. H. Lawrence was in the chair, and his signa ture was attached to the entry of the proceedings. Mr. HEALING thought the honour of being a director was a sufficient compensation for the trouble of the office without any payment. _ _ Mr. LOWE said he thought so at the time the motion for payment was proposed, but• he was of a different opinion now. Mr. WILLIAM EARLE was proud of the good opinion of the proprietors in appointing him a director, but he certainly did not consider it such a mighty honour as to compensate him for the inconvenience he was put to. He resided at some distance from the place of business, and had attended sixty or seventy times this year, and to him the office of a director was a most serious inconvenience. Mr. HEALING thought that if a dividend was paid equal to the amount of stock, the payment of the directors would be more reasonable ; but when only £5 per cent. were divided, he considered such an expenditure somewhat premature. Mr. GEORGE HOLT did not think that efficient persons were likely to be found acting as directors merely for the ho nour. All of them were actuated more or less—and there was no use in concealing it—by the consideration of what was to be gained by attending; and he would assure Mr. Healing that since the passing of the vote he complained of, the attendance of directors had been very good indeed—better than it was before, certainly, and in his opinion the money had been exceedingly well laid out. The CHAIRMAN said that as regarded Mr. George Holt and several other of the directors, their attendance had been tust as good without the money as with it, b u t s till " the abourer was wprthy of his hire." Mr. Lover. ment i oned that the duties of the directors had been very laborious in the past year, Mr. HEALING.—Have the profits been greater? The CHAIRMAN.—Yes, certainly. Mr. HEALING.—Then if it is a matter of economy, pay the money. The CHAIRMAN then put the motion, and it was carried unanimously. Mr. HEALING moved the second resolution, confirming the directors' recommendation of the payment of a £5 per cent dividend upon the paid-up capital of the undertaking. Mr. TAYLOR seconded the motion, and it was unanimously adopted. The third resolution was then proposed and carried unani -1 et?sly, to the effect that the cordial thank s o f t he proprietors se giver; to the directors and auditors for their attention to the interests of the company during the past year. • the CHAIRM4N returned thanks on th e p art of the retir ing directors, ob serv i ng th a t it had always been their object to discharge their duties to the proprietors with zeal - and fidelity. Mr. Lows moved that the seven retiring directors be re elected, for they had served the proprietors well. T he y were Messrs. G. H. Lawrence, Wm. Earle, George Holt, Joseph 1-I(ir ilbY, Lewin Mozley, William Nicol, and Herman Stol terfoht. The motion having been seconded was unanimously carried. Mr. MOZLEY said, that as one of those whom the pro prietors had done the honour to re-elect upon this occasion, ,1 r stepped fward to offer his pointed acknowledgments in nis own nam or e, and he spoke with truism when he said he sPoYe the feeling of those worthy colleagues who were as !nciated with him, in believing that they also appreciated the kind manner in which the motion had been carried. They Were one and all (droppi n g hi mse lf, if they pl e ased,) quite worthy of the respect and esteem the proprietors had been pleased to show, because no man among the whole body whom the proprietors had previously selected, had per formed their duty more faithfully to the interest of this in stitution. He certainly took some little pride in having been a director from the first formation of the company, for he had always thought it disreputable to the town of Liverpool, with its vast wealth and enormous commercial transactions, that so much in the shape of premium for security against risk of fire should be paid to the agents here, however well deserving they might be for their activity and zeal, of offices at a distance and in no way connected with the town except in the protection that they afforded in the event of fire. They had given strong evidence in this early stage of their proceed ings, now having had six years experience, and proceeding on a limited scale, and after paying verylargely for the losses which had occurred, that there was a very ample margin left to go towards the reserved fund, making thereby the capital itself more secure, and the assured that further security be sides the very wealthy, respectable body of proprietors who constituted this concern. With regard to the money affairs of this institution they had been worked to the very best ad vantage. He need only allude to one important fact to prove this statement, namely, that after paying £5 per cent. inte rest upon the paid up capital, and all the losses, they had now, in the sixth year of their existence, a capital of £60,000, and upwards of £50,000 of a reserved fund, thereby showing that after paviip , the interest of money the directors had nearly doubled the amount originally invested. If this had been the case, it . .ould have arisen only from good manage ment and activity—from skill in the management of the funds entrusted to them—and from a determination that whilst they refused no risk that was proper, they would never take any that was improper. And if this had been the case, how important was it that the proprietors should use all their influence to bring the greatest possible amount of insurance, inasmuch as the basis of the establishment was already laid, the expenses had been ascertained, and the premiums they had hitherto got showed a surplus. Mr. Daniel James and Mr. T. B. Blackburne were then appointed auditors for the ensuing year. Mr. BLACKBURNE said he was not acquainted with the duties of the office, but whatever they might be he would endeavour to discharge the duties of it faithfully. Mr. CROSSFIELD moved that the sum of £4OO be placed at the disposal of the directors for the time beinm for distri bution among themselves in such manner as they Might think fit. It was only proper to observe, that the resolution when put into his bands was a little different to this, for it said "that the sum of £4OO be annually placed," &c. He thought it was better that each annual meeting should decide for itself, and that on those occasions every proprietor should have an opportunity of stating his opinion. Mr. LOWE seconded the motion. Mr. HEALING said that as the proprietors had been se duced into this allowance at the last annual meeting, he should be sorry to offer any opposition to the present motion. If the directors had waited till they had paid a dividend upon the whole stock, be should have been better satisfied. The CHAIRMAN observed, that Mr. Healing would have no-abjection to the motion if they waited till they got cent. per cent. upon their capital! Mr. Wat. EARLE thought the word " seduction" ought not to go forth. The vote was the spontaneous act of the proprietors generally. A PROPRIETOR : There was no seduction. Mr. Wm. EARLE.—None at all ; and I believe it was in tended that it should be an annual vote. Mr. HEALING said he should have opposed it had he been aware of it. Mr. Was. EARLE mentioned that the business of the com pany had extended as Mr. Mozley had said. It had increased much in insurances on small houses, and though the amounts came in in small sums they made a large aggregate. Gentle men therefore should exert themselves to obtain insurances of this sort. The CHAIRMAN said there bad lately been a considerable increase in that class of policies. Mr. MOZLET; in reference to the payment of the directors, entered into LIR explanation of the duties they had to perform, stating that each one received according to his attendances, that the dutiet in general were very arduous, and that be would willingly give what he made in this way to some charity. He considered the money well spent, inasmuch as it caused the business of the company to be efficiently performed. The CHAIRMAN said, if the whole amount were equally divided it would come to £2O eadh. The motion was then put and unanimously carried. The CITAMMAN then announced that the dividend would be payable on the Ist of March next. On the motion of Mr. LOWE the thanks of the meeting were voted to Mr. Lawrence for his conduct in the chair, and the proceedings terminated. NORTH UNION RAILWAY COMPANY. Yesterday a special general meeting of the shareholders in the North Union Railway Company was held in the Claren don-rooms: South John-street, for the purpose of receiving the receipts of the directors and passing the accounts. THEODORE W. RATHBONE, Esq., chairman of the directors, took the chair. Mr. MooIN chairman of the Lancaster and Preston Junction Railway Company), before the proceedings com menced, requested that Mr. S. E. Bolden, the secretary to that company, might be permitted to remain in the room during the proceedings, in order to produce certain docu ments which he (Mr. Hi gin) should have occasion to refer to. (Cries of " no, no.") The CHAIRMAN said this was strictly a meeting of the pro prietors in the North Union Company, and Mr. Bolden could not be admitted unless he were one. Mr. fixGGIN said he could not concur in the justice of that remark. The CHAIRMAN said Mr. Higgin must see that if that course was adopted the room might be crowded. Mr. McGirr again requested that Mr. Bolden might be admitted as a privilege, as he should have to refer to some statemeuts in the report. The CHAIRMAN said the request could not be granted, as it would establish a precedent that would be very inconve ni ent. Mr. HIGGIN said he must be satisfied then with this de cision. The Cn AIRMAN said he had not been in the habit of trou bling the proprietors with written speeches, but, as he had some observations to make now which it was extremely im portant should be correctly understood, he had thought it better to follow the practice adopted by the chairmen of the Liverpool and Manchester and Grand Junction Railway Companies, and read his address. Mr. J oils! CROPPER enquired whether the directors' re port, which had been printed, should not be read first ? The CHAIRMAN said his remarks would be introductory to the report. He then read the following : The report of the Board of Directors, which has been already circulated amongst the proprietors, and which the secretary will immediately read to the meeting, contains a full statement of what the directors at their last board con sidered it needful to communicate to their proprietors; a preferable course, we conceive, to leaving anything which can be so stated to come in the the form of a speech from the chairman ; whose statements have a degree of official cha racter, though necessarily without the deliberate sanction and approval of all his colleagues, which can be obtained through their formal and regular report. 'What has taken place subsequently to the preparation of this report, a fort night since, will, however, call for one or two additional sup plementary observations ; after which—and submitting to the meeting the proposed report, the audited accounts of the last half-year, receiving the views of the proprietors as to the pro posed dividend, and their formal authority to certain needful official acts on the part of this meeting—the directors will have great pleasure in furnishing any further information that may be desired, and aiding in any discussions that may ap pear to their proprietors essential. I must, in the first place, call the attention of the proprietors to the absolute necessity —if they wish the reports to be hereafter circulated previ ously to the general meeting—of their tnaking a point of attending these meetings, and not being satisfiedwith merely perusing the report, or at all events of their putting their proxies into the hands of those who will, and upon whom they can depend for the use to be made of them. I have heard with regret, from more than one of our proprietors, on the present occasion, that they were quite satisfied with the report, and did not intend being with us to-day ; and the proprietors really must bear in mind that if this practice should become general, and our real bond fide North Union proprietors not take the trouble of giving regular attendance at their meetings, and supporting their directors, those who only come here in the guise and with the name of North Union proprietors, having often no beneficial interest what ever in this undertaking, or a comparatively overwhelming interest in others, may obtain an accidental influence most injurious and detrimental to their interests, and most unfair and unjust towards directors whose sole fault may have been a too faithful and scrupulous regard to the interests entrusted to them. Two general meetings of the company are not re quired in the year by the North Union act, and the proprie tors might therefore. if they preferred, be satisfied with the report and the audited accounts for the second half year, and only hold the second general meeting when circumstances seemed to call for it, which the act, they will be aware, gives them full power to do at all times. But if they wish uni formly, and as a matter of course, to have a meeting every six months, those who have North Union interests at heart will, it is hoped, take the trouble of regularly attending such meetings. It is now my painful duty to notice to you that the utterly unfounded statements which have been industri ously circulated by some party, apparently with the view of forcing the directors of this Company into a surrender of what they conceived due to the interests of its proprietors, and of which you may have seen the distinct official contra diction by our secretary, have been still persisted in, and that a paragraph has again been inserted in last week's Lancaster Guardian containing a statement as libellous, false, and ca lumnious as could have been devised. If any of you have seen the paragraph in question, and wish the real facts of the case stated, they are most simple, and such as are altogether creditable to the servants of this Company, and the secretary shall give them to you, and can substantiate them on oath if needful. We neither know, nor care to know, the author of these very disgraceful paragraphs; but, whoever he may be, he is mistaken if he thinks he can thus deter the directors of this Company from the determined discharge of their duty, or that any motive or incentive either is or ever has been wanting, but regard to that duty, to induce us to enter at all times cordially into any and every arrangement calculated to promote, and do the fullest justice to, public interests and convenience. I must next shortly notice a note and pam phlet which have just been forwarded to you by one of the Lancaster and Preston board, Mr. Higgin, with whom I have latterly had some correspondence, with the view, I hope, to arrangements of mutual benefit to the two companies, and in which he subscribes himself " chairman pro tempore" of that company. Mr. Higgin professes to have been led by fear of injury and loss to the revenue of the North Union Company, to address you in this certainly somewhat unusual way, and with a statement which we can readily shew you is utterly inaccurate and erroneous, and that to a degree pro ving not merely entire ignorance of the affairs of this com pany to which it relates, but of the general facts relative to railway management, to an extent I should scarcely have anticipated in even the pro tempore chairman of a railway company. And although Mr. Higgin neither is nor I be lieve ever was the actual proprietor of a single share in the North Union Railway, we are not at all disposed to scruti nise his motives in addressing you, but will cheerfully ac knowledge the service he has rendered by printing, at all events, a certain portion of the correspondence which is now on the table, and which your directors were prepared to sub mit to you, together with a fcw supplemental and additional letters, which may be useful, in case of need, in bringing the whole case and its real merits fairly before you. I can really, however, at present, add little to the distinct and full account of all that has taken place on this subject in our report, or do more than say that, whatever feelings may exist in the minds of the Lancaster board, there neither are nor ever have been any in ours but those of anxious desire to improve to the utmost the revenue of our undertaking, not only by affording every facility and encouragement to the traffic of our own line, but to that of every one of those connected with us ; and, however injurious the proceedings of the Lan caster board may appear to us to have proved themselves of late to the traffic of their railway, we neither have forgot, nor shall forget, that this traffic constitutes a por tion of our own,—one of the streams, though by no means the only one, which we welcome with cordiality, and at some sacrifice, of w h at i t may b e strictly fair and reasonable to re quire from us, have done, and wish, if possible, to continue to do, all in our power to encourage. Into the facts of the cauusuee,and aud th t e u ir wb pr u o te o v f er th e e xt b e o n a t rd tbe is p q r u e i p t r e ie p t r u e r p s a d re e d sir t e o ; e b n u te t r w a e t apprehend that the wish of the North Union shareholders will rather be to understand the present and future position of the two boards, than to go further into the history of past misunderstanding s . e can most solem conscienti ously assure you, (and ' after long gpe ny aid r l iodw iehavebeen en gaged in your service and enjoyed your confidence, some of us from the first origin of the undertaking, upwards of a dozen years ago, I hope and believe this assurance is all you desire,) that we. have uniformly been prepared to afford to the Lancaster Co., and to any other company at Preston, the great advantages and convenience of our station there. on fair and reasonable terms, to be fixed by any competent referee, and only desired a lair and moderate compensation for the trouble, responsibility, and loss of valuable service to this company, in providing locomotive power for the others. In our original notice, and in every one of our many and continued communications with the Lancaster directors, re muneration for the power was alone ever even mentioned; and however paltry, and perhaps inadequate, the remunera tion we had for our heavy expenditure in Preston, and he continued expenses we were incurring in providing for the Lancaster passenger traffic there, we were not disposed at any time to risk, injuring the thorough traffic of the west coast, by attempting to urge this point, nor ever did. The only solitary expression the Lancaster directors can lay hold of to warrant their abandoning this station, and subjecting the public travelling over their line to the inconvenience they have, is that at a meeting of some of the directors of the two companies so long ago as August last, when, in reply to their question of whether the ❑otice terminated the whole agreement, they were told that it did, the only answer, they must have been well aware, that could have been given to such a question ; but the secretary can, I believe, fully sa tisfy you, that not only at that time but long previous, and indeed before any notice whatever had been given them, they had been in negotiation with the Bolton Company on this subject, and that hence only can their persisting in so extraordinary a manner admit of explanation. All, how ever, that we shall now probably any of us care to know is, their present position, and we must require that the fact on this subject is honestly and accurately stated. Those who are in communication with them are led to believe that whilst they have made what they consider an advanta geous contract for power with another company, they are prepared to resume the former arrangement as to the Preston station, from the abandonment of which the travellers on their line have, in spite of every effort to prevent it, sustained so much inconvenience, to submit the terms to reference ; and the parties are further led to suppose that the North Union Company are the parties to object. We must repeat most distinctly that the reverse of this is the real tact. We submitted unhesitatingly to the award of Mr. Booth, the umpire proposed by themselves ; and at one time a consi derable projection in their line, and never hinted at or thought of disturbing it in any way. We have since offered to submit to the award of any other referee, if they have not precluded themselves from going to reference by con tracts with other parties, and if they have they certainly ought to say so, to those who are under such wrong impres sions ; and all we can say is, that whenever we are again at liberty, they will probably find us still able and willing to furnish their passengers the accommodation they formerly enjoyed ; nor shall we at all regret it, if these two compa nies should be the first to be brought by Mr. Gladstone's bill, under a compulsory and inevitable 'reference on this question. We may appear to some of our proprietors to go almost too far in our desire to settle this question on public grounds, and certainly not from any anxiety to have the traffic of another company in our Preston station, for the paltry miserable consideration we ever received for it. We we would even be willing to leave it to their own engineer, Mr. Locke, to settle the terms of remuneration we are to have ; convinced that Mr. Locke's character and unques tionable integrity, and his knowledge of railway business, would secure us a fair and just award at his hands ; and we only regret that Mr. Locke's frequent absence, and multi plicity of other engagements, deprive the Lancaster Board of what would be so valuable to them, as his knowledge and experience in railway management at all times. At all events, you will bear in mind that no offer of reference has ever yet been by the Lancaster Board, nor can we yet understand from a communication lately received, in reply to our renewed offer, whether or not they are even in a position to agree to anything of the sort, though it would appear they are dis tinctly not so. At the same time, there can be no little doubt of the utter impracticability of their having any other avail able station at Bolton at present. • In addition to the report, which the Secretary will now read, I have only further to mentionthat the amount required in the final settlement of the contracts, or works, between Wigan and Preston, has proved considerably larger than the hoard had any reason to anticipate, the referee agreed upon, Mr. M`Neiles, having set aside the contracts and awards of the company's engineer, in a way which they certainly cannot think equitable to the company at all events. Part of the original engine stock for the passenger traffic, &c., a conside rable amount for cottages, for parties residing on the line, have also to be provided for, with some other disbursements on the capital account, and the directors will presently pro pose to you a resolution, authorizing, if needful, to extend the loan to £150,000, being £40,000 beyond its present amount, but the whole of which is still a suns very far within that authorised by the company's acts of incorporation. I will only detain you further to congratulate you cordially upon the continued absence of accidents to all our passengers, the great improvement of the line, and the satisfactory way in which our dividends are sustained amidst so much gloom and depression. The SECRETARY (Mr. James Chapman) then read the report, of which we subjoin the most important passages : As stated in the report submitted to the proprietors at the last annual general meeting, notice was given to terminate the arrangement under which this company undertook to work the locomotive power of the Lancaster line on the 31st of December ; and since that period each of these two companies has provided the power for making its own line of railway. The directors of this company renewed their offer, some months since, of continuing to provide the Lancaster company with power, either on the footing—first, of the re cent arrangement, viz., to charge its exact cost according to mileage, agreeing upon a reasonable annual payment as re muneration for the very great extent to which the time and attention of the superior officers of the North Union Company are found to be occupied by their having the heavy charge and responsibility of the power on the Lancaster line, and a and a sum was named for this service not exceeding what the Lancaster board have stated that they understood the North Union Company was actually making by the contract ; second, of a very moderate addition to the actual cost per mile, with the same object; and third, of a fixed charge or price per mile for each mile run,, such charge to be below the price which this company has all along re ceived from another company (and which has been paid by them under the advice of their engineer, Mr. Robert Ste phenson,) for a similar service, and reduced in the degree in which the work of the Lancaster Company is upon a larger or more extensive scale. The Lancaster board, however, positively declined to renew the agreement (which terminated on the 31st December) on. any one of these three bases", un less the North Union directors would consent to the last, making the price they were to receive ls. 6d. per mile run, at which rate parties, it appears, had offered to contract. From several years experience and knowledge of the real ulti mate cost of power, both On the North Union and most of the other leading English Railways, your directors had no hesitation in unanimously rejecting this . proposition; and will, on every account, rejoice if it should prove that locomo tive power for passenger trains can be permanently supplied with due efficiency and regularity on such terms as these, their opinion that it cannot, and that such a contract will not prove either beneficial or satisfactory to either of the parties to it, is not the least altered by the short experiment that has been made ; and they pan at all events assure their proprie tors that no disadvantage to their interests will arise from being relieved from the provision of power for the Lancaster line, on either these or the former terms. There was, however, another and totally distinct provision in the above agreement, which, on imnortrit public grounds, the North Union Board were most anxious to have conti nued; and this was for an arrangement for the joint use of one passenger station in Preston by the railway companies uniting their lines at that place. By this provision it was agreed between the North Union and Lancaster railway companies that the commodious and complete station of the former company, at the original terminus of their line, should be the joint Preston station of the two companies ; a - id the Lancaster company sending their passenger traffic to this station—that is, beyond the terminus of their line at Dock-street, over the portion subsequently formed by the North Union company, to complete the railway connexion with the North,—that the Lancaster company should pay to the North Union company, for the use of their expensive station accommodation and connexion with Dock -street, as well as porterage, booking clerks, &c. such compensation as should from time to time be fixed by a referee proposed by themselves—Mr. Booth, of Liverpool. Nothing could be more satisfactory to the public than this arrangement, and the Lancaster company obtained the very great advantages of it to themselves, on what cannot but be considered, by any competent judge, very reasonable and moderate terms, under Mr. Booth's award. It was of such obvious and important advantage to the public not to have two stations, and con sequently, two delays . to the north and south trains, within two hundred yards of one another, in Preston, and to the companies not to have two establishments where one would better answer the purpose, that the North Union Board confined their notice for the termination of the agree ment entirely to that part of it for the provision of locomo tive power, although both arrangements being included in the same agreement, their notice certainly gave the Lancas ter Company the right to terminate both, if so disposed ; and as soon as ever they were aware that the Lancaster Board had any doubts about their views and intentions in this re spect, they at once transmitted minutes of their board, dis tinctly offering to continue the arrangement for station accom modation on the former footing, and pointing out the incon venience inevitably arising from the attempt to form a second station. Their continued efforts to prevent this attempt so long as there appeared any prospect of doing so, having, how ever, unfortunately proved unsuccessful, and the inconveni ences they anticipated having been experienced by the Lan caster and North passengers, your directors consider it due to themselves to state distinctly that they are, and ever have been, prepared to replace the Lancaster Company on the same footing as previously, leaving the question of their remuneration to any competent referee they can mutually agree upon. They must also distinctly deny the altogether unfounded statements inserted in the Lancaster papers, of unwillingness on their part to make arrangements with that, board to prevent inconvenience and increased charge to the public. So far from their being any foundation for these assertions, they have from time to time suggested to the Lancaster board whatever appeared to them calculated to reduce the delay and inconvenience arising inevitably from the double station. They can prove that the average deten tion of the trains in their Preston station has not been seven minutes, although a very considerable proportion of all the the passengers are for the North Union station, and nearly one-half of the carriages are there detached from the north trains ; they have constantly sent their porters, &c. up to do the work of the Lancaster Company, at Dock-street, in order to prevent delay to the north mails, &c., from the utter insufficiency of the establishment of the Lancaster Company in Preston, without ever receiving similar aid from them in return ; they have pushed their engines to the extreme speed warranted by due regard to the public safety, to pre vent the Lancaster passengers being left, when the trains of that company were late, and have offered to be prepared with a special engine to take them on when the North Union trains could not be longer detained without missing the Li verpool, Manchester, and London trains in communication with theirs at Parkside, but without being able to bring about any arrangement with the Lancaster board as to how they were to act with regard to their passengers under such cir cumstances. In addition to the original fares of the North Union Company for the conveyance of passengers between Parkside and the original terminus at their Preston station (which have always been, and continue precisely the same as fixed at the first opening of the North Union Railway for this distance) has certainly, and as a matter of course, been made, since the working and provision of the additional very expensive portion of railway between this original ter minus and Dock-street; Preston, has been recently thrown upon the North Union Company—just as was the case when the Liverpool and Manchester Railway was extended fur ther into Liverpool, and ought in fairness, always to be the pase when a line of railway is, at considerable expense to the proprietors, extended to some further point. But it must be borne in mind by the public, that the arrangement with the Lancaster Company, when their fares were fixed, was, that they should convey their passengers to the North Union Station, and undertake to provide the transit between this station and Lancaster, and that having now thrown this part of the expense on the North Union Company, and ceased to remunerate them for any portion, it is the Lan caster company and not the North' Univn that derive the benefit, and are the real cause of any increased charge to passengers beyond Preston. It has recently been found necessary, in consequence of the progress of the works of the Bolton and Preston Railway Company in connexion with their intended station at Preston, to apply to the Court of Chancery to restrain that company from violating the terms of the agreement entered into with this company, and the provisions inserted in the Bolton and Preston Railway Acts for the protection of the North Union Railway Company. After the motion for an injunction had undergone a lengthen ed discussion before the Right Honourable the Vice-Chancellor Wigram, that learned Judge states that this company were quite right upon the then state offacts,in applying to the court ; but as the Bolton and Preston company had not actually done, or threatened to do, the acts sought to be restrained, and as their counsel would not then avow an intention of doing them he ordered the motion to stand over, with an intimation that if the Bolton.akul Preston Company either did or distinctly threatened to commit those acts, this, company might then renew their application and ask for an Injunction. It is im possible to know, and it may not be strictly proper to infer, from anything that tell from the court,what may be the opinion of the Vice-Chancellor on the merits of the case ; but from the manifest indisposition of the adverse parties to make the admissions which his Honor deemed necessary to enable him to come to a decision, or to have his Honor's opinion, which he kindly offered to give, it i s reasona ble t o conclude that they are not sanguine as to the result ; and that the impor tant ri2lit: of uninterrupted coin muuication between the North Union Railway and the Lancaster Canal, as well as other railways approaching in that direction, will be fully pro tected from interruption by the traffic of the Lancaster Rail way Company being taken into the proposed new station across the lines which connect the canal and railway at Dock street. These lines of communication are already becoming much occupied with a portion of the valuable coal traffic whicn has been before referred to. Mr. HENRY HOLMES moved that the report be adopted and approved. Mr. WILLIAM BROWNE seconded the motion. He said that having been in some measure mixed with the formation of the company, and having been in London when the bill was obtained, and being, as he believed, the largest proprie tor in the undertaking, he begged to express his entire ap probation of, and confidence in, the management of the con cerns of this company by the directors. He was sure that there was not an individual among the directors capable of doing otherwise than the best for the interests of the pro prietors, and even the pamphlet—[" Copy of the official cor respondence betweeen the North Union and Lancaster and Preston Railways, on the subject of locomotive power and station accommodation." Manchester: Gadsby]—which had been placed in his hands only yesterday, confirmed him in the opinion that all their acts were honourable. Mr. HIGGIN said he intended to move an amendment. Since he last had the pleasure of meeting the directors and proprietors of the North Union Railway at Preston, the sub ject of locomotive power, as well as station accommodation at Preston. had undergone the discussion which was so much wished for at that meeting. The shareholders then ex- - pressed most decidedly, their opinion that the arrange ments between the two companies should be entered into upon liberal terms—that, as Mr. Thomas Battye Addison had expressed it, the North Union Company should treat the Lancaster Company as younger brethren. The share holders responded to that sentiment very warmly, and from what occurred at the time, he hart no other expectation but that atrarnicable feeling would have arisen. He was sorry to say, as was now known to the proprietors, that the meet ing at Parkside (24th August, 1841), where a deputation from the North Union hoard met a deputation from the Lancaster board, proved anything but satisfactory. The terms offered by the North Union board were 2s. ld. per mile, which were beyond anything the Lancaster board could afford. The CHAIRMAN said those certainly were not the tennis required by the North U n ion dire c t ors . _ _ Mr. HIGGIN said that was the report of the deputation from the Lancaster board, and he must take it for granted that it was correct. The North Union board proposed that the Lancaster board should pay 7d. per mile for every mile run more than they paid according to the joint agreement under which they had been working; and as a justification for asking this sum, Mr. Stephenson, the engineer of the North Union, mentioned that the Wyre Company paid it. Mr. RICHARD EARLE really must interrupt Mr. Higgin in this statement. He said that the offer made by the North Union Company was to supply locomotive power to the Lan caster board for 2s. Id. per mile; but the deputation from his board, what did they say in their report ? Why, they said that, " the agreement with the Wyre Company, of 2s. ld. per mile, was then alluded to, but that was considered not exactly in point." The CHAIRMAN said it was clearly stated at that time, that theirs should be a:reduction in:proportion to the business done. The larger the company, the smaller would be the rate. Mr. HIGGIN continued. Then the North Union deputa tion came to this proposition, that the Lancaster Board should pay them a certain mileage profit-3d. a mile—which would amount to £lOOO a-year, in addition to the profit which the North Union derived under the agreement as it then stood. This was thought extravagant by the Lancaster Company, their opinion being that they were paying quite sufficient for the accommodation they received. The remu neration under the agreement had been fixed by the referee, Mr. Booth, of Liverpool, and with his decision the Lancas ter Company did not find fault : they never objected to pay one farthing of it; but when an application was made, prior to that, to Mr. Booth for an increased allowance to the supe rior officers of the company (North Union), Mr. Booth de clined to grant it, considering that the stun he had named was ample and sufficient. The CHAIRMAN said it was only just to Mr. Chapman to say that the statement in the " official correspondence," that Mr. Chapman received £lOO, was not paid to him as salary. Mr. HIGGIN believed he was correct in stating that such an award had been made by Mr. Booth, and that an applica tion had been made for an increased rate to Mr. Chapman. The CHAI RMAN. —Never. Mr. HIGGIN thought that perhaps he should say for an in creased rate for management. The CHAIRMAM.—Very well. _ Mr. HIGGIN said the Lancaster board had Mr. Booth's reply, stating that the sum he had awarded for the service performed was sufficient. Whether it was appropriated to Mr. Chapman, orlwhether it went into the general fund, he knew not. The CHAIRMAN said he should strongly object to any statement going forth that Mr. Chapman received £lOO. Mr. HIGGIN repeated that he did not know how the money was appropriated, but certainly an application had been made for an increased allowance, which was refused by the referee. The CHAIRMAN.—I am not cognizant of it. Mr. HIGGE4 believed he had stated what was perfectly correct, but he begged to be allowed to proceed without in terruption. He had got to that part of the proceedings in which an application was made to Mr. Booth fur an increased allowance, hut Mr. Booth did not think proper to award it. The Lancaster Company were perfectly satisfied with that de cision, but if Mr. Booth had ordered - another xiop to be paid, they should have said nothing about it—the increased allowance would have been paid. He now came to the point at whiCh the two companies came to terms at last, which was that the Lancaster Company were willing to continue the arrangement then existing, paying to the North Union the sum awarded by Mr. Booth, and paying also the actual cost of locomotive power for the number of rules run. This was declined by the North Union Company. Allusion had been made to Mr. Locke, whom he (Mr. Higgin) should have been glad to have seen present to-day, as he would have con firmed him in the statement, that in submitting the pro position which they had made at Parkside, they acted under Mr. Locke's advice and assistance. The North Union Company had been advised that they ought not to pay a lar ger sum than they did then, and that plenty of persons could be found willing to contract for the working of the line for the same sum as they were then paying. With that advice, could the Lancaster Company pay the North Union a profit of 3d. a mile upon every mile run, which would have amounted to £lOOO per annum ? This was the ground upon which the Lancaster Company declined the offer made to them. The report stated that the sum which the North Union derived from this source amounted to nearly £lOOO per annum ; but as far as he knew the account, it was not exactly stated. He would read the items. The sum awarded by Mr. Booth to be paid by the Lancaster Company to the North Union Company, for station accommodntion at Pres ton, was £420 per annum, and for covering in lines in addi tion £l5, making £435; to be paid to Mr. Chapman, or some other party, for management, £lOO, and for Mr. Hunt's salary £9B, as their proportion for hls superintendence of locomotive power; the gain from interest on the plant £165 7s. 3d. ; saving from coke to North Union Company from joint working, as per Mr. Chapman's estimate, £152 3s. Bd. ; making a total of £950 10s. 11d., and coming within £5O of the round sum named at Parkside as the advantage annually derived by the North Union Company from the existing agreement. If he was wrong in this statement, he should be glad to know what the error was. Mr. HARDMAN EARLE asked Mr. Higgin whether the sum he named was net or gross receipts? Mr. HIGGIN in reply, said he did not know which it was, —(hear, hear,)—but it was the advantage which the North Union derived from the agreement with the Lancaster Com __ _ - - Mr. HARDMAN EARLE.-BUt you call it "annual gain." Mr. HIGGIN would show how it was " annual gain." If their expenditure continued the same now, upon the va rious items as it was then, they were, most unquestion ably, in the wrong to the extent of £lOOO a-year. The CHAIRMAN asked Mr. Iliggin whether he would be shown the inaccuracy of his statements now or after he had finished ? Mr. HIGGIN would go through his statements first. He had shown that they gained £lOOO per annum by the agreement as it stood, and that if the Lancaster Company had agreed to pay the additional three pence they would have gained another £lOOO. The next point was as to the station at Preston. The Lancaster Company were quite aware that one passenger station for both 1 ines would be a very great advantage ; he admitted that, and be was sorry that the course taken at Parkside was such as to induce the Lancaster company to make an application to the directors of the Bolton and Preston company for sta tion accommodation—which was never thought of or con templated till the question had been raised at a previous meeting of the board. He himself had raised the question, and he said, that if the notice from the North Union was meant to apply to locomotive power alone, or to the station as well, at the end of six months the directors might not only find themselves without locomotive power, but also without a station. In consequence of that the chairman was; speci ally required to put the question to the North Union depu tation, whether they intended the notice to apply to both points or not. The answer was that it did, therefore the Lancaster company were in this position, that they must either yield to the terms of the North Union for loco motive power, or be left without a passenger station. Under these circumstances, and being also advised by Mr. Locke not to pay a larger autn than ls. 6d., the direct - CisOf the Lancaster Company went to the Bolton Company to see whether they conld have the use of one station at Preston, the Bolton Company appointed a meeting, an d the terms were fixed. Mr. Higgin then urged that every disposition for accommodation had been shown by the Lancaster Com pany, and to contend that the directors of the North Union, by discontinuing the arrangement between the two compa nies had damaged the proprietors in the latter to the extent of £4,400 per annum. With respect to the prcsto n station, e he admitted that the public had su s t ai ned inconveni ence, but the blame did not rest w it h Ow director s of th e Lancaster Company. 'Very far from it, The detentions at Preston, as far as they were concerned, had been very slight; but he knew that great complaints had been made of the detentions upon the North Union side. He had no doubt, notwithstanding the interruptions which had taken place from bad weather, that the Lancaster line would be as effici ently worked as it had been, and he knew that the contract ing parties were anxious that no difficulties of that kind should occur. Some desultory debate followed, between the Chairman, Mr. John Cropper, Mr. Richard Earle, Mr. Hardman Earle, Mr. Higgin, and Mr. Park, respecting the terminus of the North Union at Preston, a nd the terms upo n w hi c h the Lancaster and Preston Railway Act had been obtained, but it ended in nothing. After some conversation upon the terms of the original motion, . _ The CHAiumtNputiito the meeting whether it would be necessary, by way of reply, to go through all the details which had been mentioned by Mr. Higgin. He thought that the general statements which had been made in the directors' report, and in his own address, completely answere d Mr. Iliggin. If the Lancaster company could ma k e a more beneficial arrangement elswhere for locomotive power, there was no objection to it. As to Mr. Locke's opinion, he should only say that in general engineers did not think there was any great advantage arising from companies joining to gether for this purpose. He, (the chairman ), ancaster company however, was afraid th a t exper i ence wou ld put L the right upon this point. With regard to the station, all that had been al rea dy so comp l e t e ly answered that it was use l ess for him to go over the facts. Mr. CHAPMAN then proceeded to go through the figures put forth by Mr. Higgin as " annual gain," in the appendix to the official correspondence. He showed that what was said to be annual gain was money which the North Union Company had actually disbursed in pursuance of the agree ment with the Lancaster Company. The CHAIRMAN added, that as to the charge for officers, it was quite impossible that their time should be taken up by the affairs of the North Union line without some com pulsation for it. The £lOO said to be paid to Mr. Chapman was by no means adequate for the labour he was obliged to give, and for taking him away from his other duties. "Vet this was put down as profit. Mr. Hunt's " salary" was ex actly in the same position. Mr. C!TAPMAN said it was unnecessary for him to state that he did not get the money set down in the appendix as paid for him. The statement was untrue. It was Mr. Booth's award tinder the twelfth article of the agreement; and it might as well be said that the Lancaster Coin/any paid the director's salary to that extent as that they paid him so touch. Mr. HIGGIN claimed the right to reply to Mr. Chap man. If he were not heard they would completely put an extinguisher upon one side of the question. (Cries of— " You have been heard all day.") Mr. DAVID flooGsoN warmly defended the proceedings of the directors of the North Union Company. A SIIMZEIIOLDEII expressed his belief that there wits and had been an under current at work be the Laucaater and other companies, which were in a sinking condition, to crush the North Union. The CHAIRMAN assured the worthy proprietor that the directors would do everything to vindicate the interests of the North Union proprietors. Another SHAREHOLDER, in a very conciliatory speech, said that the directors of both undertakings were honourable men, and he regretted that any collision should have taken place between them. The sooner an amicable arrangement could be come to between them the better would it be for the proprietors and for the public. Mr. BROWNE, in a few healing observations, suegested that negociations should be opened, with a view to :making the North Union station at Preston serve for all the railways centering there. - Much more debate followed, for which we have not room, at the end of which the report was adopted. By another resolution the dividend recommended by the directors was ordered to be paid. Several other resolutions were afterwards proposed, and the meeting separated, after having occupied three hours. MURDER AT WARRINGTON, (From our Prescot Correspondent.) We have this day to record another Instance of brutal fe rocity, by which a man in this town (Warrington) has been deprived of life, by the murderous hand of his own brother. The facts of the case are fully set forth in the following evidence, which was adduced before the coroner and jury on Tuesday last : Jane Taylor being sworn, rays—The deceased, James Tay lor, is my husband, and was turned 33 years of age. We have been married nearly three years, but have not lived to gether. I worked in the same shop with him, as a fustian cutter, but we have never taken a house. He lived with his parents, and I lived with mine. On Monday, the 7th inst., the deceased had to receive some money. He was at a pub lic-house called the Lower Angel, in Butter Market-street. I saw him that evening, about six o'clock. He appeared then to have had some drink. I went to the same public house for him about eight o'clock. Deceased came out to me, and we went together towards the Railway Station, ac companied by a man named Carter, and his wife. Before we got to the station, we met the - person who had brought the deceased his money from Manchester, and we all adjourned into the White Hart public-house. There the men had a glass of ale each, whilst the deceased and Carter received their money. On leaving the White Hart, we met the prisoner, John Taylor, brother to the deceased, and we went together to the Bear's Paw. From there we went again to the Lower Angel, where they had also something to drink. The de ceased and his brother John had some words, but nothing particular occurred. We left the Lower Angel about twelve o'clock, and returned towards home. My husband was then very tipsey. He walked between me and his brother John, having hold of an arm of each of us. When we got to Scot land-road, Carter and his wife left us. We proceeded to wards Church -street, and when we got opposite the Infant School, my husband and the prisoner began to quarrel. My husband said, " Jack, I'll take another shop to-morrow, in stead of thine; for I'll not he bothered with thee nor thy set any longer." John said, " Thou may go h—, and take ano ther shop; I could have set the shop for twenty pounds a-year six months ago." James said, "He might set it," and they then walked together until they got nearly home. They then stood before each other, and were going to fight ; but I threw myself between them, and pulled my husband away. I saw the prisoner strike the deceased ; but I did not see the deceased strike John. The prisoner then cursed his brother, and said, " Where's my knife? where's my knife ?" and he put his coat on one side to get to his pocket, and he pulled out a penknife with two blades in it, and opened it. He then said he would rip his bloody guts open, and he ran towards my husband; but I stepped between them. He struck at my husband several times past my head; but did not reach him at that time, as I think. After that, John rushed at James again, and my husband called out, " Oh! he has stabbed me in the belly : I am dying." I screamed out, and they then both fell on the floor together. I had previously asked my husband to go away, as John had pulled his knife out. On hearing my scream, a man came up, and separated them. A.candle was brought, and I then saw the deceased spit blood. He was then helped into his father's house, and I followed. John also came in, or was brought in, and he expressed great sorrow, and was lamenting what he had done when he saw the wounds. I first sent for a sur geon, and then went for Mr. Hunt, and his assistant, Mr. Atherton, came back with me. John remained in my hus band's father's house until Payne, the police-officer, took him into custody. I held a light for the officer when he went to look for the knife, and I saw it first, and pointed it out to him, when he picked it up, It was then closed, and the largest blade was covered with blood. The prisoner's thumb was cut, as if the knife had closed on his thumb when he struck at my husband. It was found half a yard or three quarters from the place where John stabbed my husband. My husband remained very ill until yesterday (Monday last), when he died about a quarter past three o'clock in the after noon. Before the prisoner struck at my husband, and after he had opeaed his knife, James said, " What art thou going to do ?" and John said, " I'll kill thee by G—d." Mr. William Hunt, surgeon, sworn.—l was sent for to the deceased on Tuesday, the Bth instant. I did not see him until twelve hours after the wound was inflicted. I then found a small wound in his right groin : it was about five eighths of an inch long, and about an inch and a half above the groin, through which the bowels had protruded. He was then labouring under inflammation of the peritoneum, or membrane of the bowels. I also found a small wound on the left groin, and also a wound on the back p ar t o f th e l e ft arm . I attended the deceased two or three times a-day until yes terday, when he died. I applied leeches, and blisters, and other remedies ; but nothing seemed to recruit him. The jury returned a verdict of " wilful murder" against John Taylor, who was committed, on the coroner's warrant, to take his trial, at the next Liverpool assizes. C. W. WILLIAMS'S PATENT FURNACES TO ANDREW KURTZ, ESQ. Dear Sir,—As your name was mentioned in the advertise ment which appeared in the Liverpool papers from Messrs. Dircks and Co. respecting the infringement on my patent by Mr. Joseph Williams, under colour of his being agent for yours, I have to.assure you, it never was intended to convey, in the remotest manner, an idea that you in any way en couraged or sanctioned Mr. Williams in the step he was taking. Your assurance on that point, in your former com munication to me, was quite sufficient, and your recent dis avowal of those measures only confirms me in the propriety of setting the matter right before the public. I regret the necessity for introducing your name in the advertisement of Messrs. Dircks and Co., and take this public means of ex pressing my obligation for your so distinctly disclaiming and condemning the proceedings of Mr. Joseph Williams, of whose conduct in this matter you so strongly expressed your disapprobatton.—l am, very truly, yours, Liverpool, Feb.lsth, 1842 C. W. WILLIAMS TO THE SHIPOWNERS OF LIVERPOOL GENTLEMEN,—your dignified sufferance under the many pressing embarrassments of your interests have won for you the heartfelt gratitude of ever y l over o f hi s coun t r y, an d which, when contrasted with the venal spirit that actuates every movement of cur manufacturers, stamps you the great est safeguard of our nation. But, gentlemen, permit a friend to warn you, that too much apathy is sinful ; and it is your duty at the present moment, if you would serve your coun try, to come forward manfully, and demand that all foreign corn should be imported in " BRITISH BOTTOMS."' It is true that, in doing so, wrong motives will be imputed to you ; but you must do your duty through evil as well as good re port. Our country is not yet so firmly fixed that the inte rests of her seamen can be thrown to the winds. I remain, gentlemen, your faithaiiiend, PHILO JUSTITIA THE HALIFAX STEAMERS.-It is a remarkable fact that the whole four fine vessels constituting the Halifax mail fleet —the Britannia, Columbia, Acadia, and Caledonia—are now (owing to the return of the latter vessel) in our port. It is a circumstance which in all probability will never occur again. We perceive, by the Telegraph report, that a ship with a black ball iu her foretopsail was off Great Ormshead 3 ester day afternoon. She was supposed to be the South America, from New York, the packet of the Ist. She will only bring papers one day later than those brought by the Britannia. DANIEL OUTWITTED.—In a letter, dated the 12th inst., and addressed to " my dear Ray," Mr. O'Connell says— " I intend being in Dublin on Wednesday morning. The " debate will consume a week, and thus, I am convinced, I " will be back to the division." We believe the hon. gent. passed through this town, on his way to Dublin, on Tuesday evening, and probably by the time our publication is received by our readers, he will have found out that his calculations for once have not been made according to Cocker. EXPRESSES FROM LONDON.—The provincial agents for the metropolitan press have lately evinced the greatest anxi ety to satisfy the curiosity of the public, by their active en deavours to place within the reach of the mercantile commu nity the London morning and evening papers, at an hour earlier than has been hitherto attained. The Standard and Courier have made the most extraordinary exertions to bring each evening's debate down to the latest possible hour, though the former has certainly been much more successful than its talented rival. On Tnesday morning last, we were favoured by Messrs. Willmer and Smith with a copy of the Courier containing a cantiensed report of Lord John Rus sell's speech, and at the same moment a verbatim report in the Standard of that noble lord's harangue, was handed to us by Mr. Aylward, of Lord-street, who is as obliging as he is enterprising, in the discharge of his duties. PROPRIETIES (!) OF AN ANTI-CORN-LAW BAZAAR. — We extract the following choice morceau from the Stockport Advertiser of Friday last:—" O'Connell's Opinion of the English Women in a fair way of being realized.—A corres pondent writes us, that at the Anti-Corn-Law Bazaar at Manchester last week, a lady, who failing in her solicitation to make a sale, where she expected to realize, after resorting to every imaginable artifice to induce a gentleman to add to her exchequer, at length yielded to the overture made her. and liberally submitted to the sale of a kiss for the price of a sovereign! So much for the inOuence of the cold calcu lating science of political economy on the mind of a liberal' female! ' What next, Mr. Merryman.' "—[What next? Aye, what indeed! We should be very sorry to prognosti cate.—g.d. L. S.l CommiTmENT.--A boy, named John Presto, was yesterday charged at the Police -court with having received some mo ney belonging to his employer, which he retained. It ap peared that Mr. Evans, in whose service he was, kept a stall in St. John's Market, and had, on Saturday, sold some beef to a Mr. Youds, in Walnut-street, which he sent the prisoner with, desiring him to receive the money, £2 3s. 9d., if it were offered him. Mr. Youds told him to call in the after noon, which he did, and received the money, but did not again make his appearance at his master's. He was found by a police-officer, in a public-house, and stated in his de fence that he had lost the money from his pocket, and was afraid to face his master. He was committed for trial. ROBBERY FROM AN UNOCCUPIED HOUSE. — Thos. Rourke, a iytohunhgaving, man , was, yest er d a y, c h arge d at t h e police -court on the previous day, e ntered an unoccupied w house belonging to Mr. Gandy, near E dge-hill, . and th e k ey of which was in possession of a female in the neighbourhood. He was observed by a person opposite who gave information, and the woman who had the key found. him in the h ouse, and asked him his business there. He stud be had been sent to clean the house, and escaped but was afterwards taken by a police-officer, who found on his person a piece of lead pipe, several brass door handles, &c., which were proved to be long to the house. He was summarily committed to g aol for three months. RETURN OF THE CALEDONIA STEAM-SHIP r It will probably be in the recollection of some of our read• ers, that, when noticing the short delay which took place in the arrival at this port of one of the royal mail steam-ships, from Halifax and Uoston, about twelve months since, we en tered into some not very unlikely speculations as to the acci dents which would in all probability sometimes befal our ocean-going steamers. We stated that the most scrupulous care could not invariably provide against every disarrange ment of the steering gear, which is of course liable to the same contingencies as in our ordinary sailing vessels. Such a casualty has unfortunately taken place. The Cale donia, which left Liverpool on the 4th instant, after having been at sea seven days, and experiencing a most terrific gale, has been obliged to put back, with sonic damage, which we hope will prove immaterial. The following extract from a letter of a passenger on board the Caledonia will explain the difficulties which that noble vessel has had to encounter, as well as the reasons which have led to the untoward event of her return. Ti►e letter is dated of Cork, 15th February. " For the first three days after we sailed, we got on ad mirably with a fair ;wind, but on the morning of the 7th the wind chopped round, and commenced blowing very hard. On the Sri►, the storm increased from the westward, with a heavy head sea. It continued throughout the 9th. On the 10th, the sea was tremendous, and carried away our fore starboard bulwarks and ice-house ; filled the fore -cabin with water; completely washed out the passengers, whose births were i❑ that part of the vessel, and thoroughly saturated all the bedding, and sprung the rudder. Part of the after larboard bulwarks and the hon-rail on the taffrail were twisted off, the wheel-house damaged, and the paddle-box partly stove in. `• The gale continued unabated during the 11th. We had to steer by the sails whilst endeavouring to secure the rudder (the maim piece of which was completely twisted in the case) by lashing chains round, passing iron bolts through it, and fixing chains over the stern. At six, p.m., (11th) being then in latitude 49 20, longitude 29 W,., the captain and officers found it would not be safe to proceed on the voyage, as they were all of opinion the rudder would not hold together for two hours more in such a heavy sea. The captain, therefore, put her head about for the purpose of running into this place for repairs. Lieut. Parsons, R.N., also coincided with the captain and officers. " Notwithstanding all our misfortunes, I must say the Caledonia is a most excellent sea boat, for she rode through the whole gale like a duck. Too much praise cannot be given to Captain Lott for his courageous and seamanlike con duct through the whole storm—in fact, on all occasions; and I refer you to a series of resolutions you will see published, drawn up by the passengers, acquitting him of all blame." This unavoidable accident does not diminish in the least our confidence in steam navigation across the Atlantic the damage is merely what might have happened to the best sailing vessels _afloat. The machinery of the CaledOnia has not suffered, we are informed, the slightest injury, which certainly goes a long way to prove that a well appointed steam-ship is equal to a sailing vessel under the worst cir cumstances, and greatly superior in general difficulties. With the energy and promptitude which characterise the agents of these steam-ships (Messrs. M`lver), we find that the Acadia is now ready for sea, and will leave Liverpool at two o'clock to-morrow, taking to Halifax and Bo s t on th e mails and passengers, returned per Caledonia. We under stand also that an extra mail will be made up in Liverpool, to be forwarded by the Acadia. The latter vessel was hauled out of dock yesterday, and is now quite ready for sea. The Caledonia, after remaining a short time in the Cove of Cork, proceeded to this port, which she reached about seven o'clock last night. The preceding letter succinctly conveys to the reader the damage which she has sustained. On the lath instant, as the Caledonia was returning to Cork, the passengers unanimously adopted a memorial, ex pressive of their confidence in the seaworthiness of the vessel, and in the skill and judgment of Captain Lott, her commander. We subjoin the letter addressed to the cap tain, together with the memorial just alluded to : " To the Directors of the British and North American Royal Mail Steamers. "The misfortune that caused the return of the steam-ship " Caledonia" induced the passengers to hold a meeting to take the circumstance into consideration. " On the 10th instant, after a succession of adverse winds, a severe gale met us, and such was its almost unprecedented violence, that had it not been for the deep confidence placed in Captain Lott and in the great strength of the ship, we should have felt most painfully anxious for the result. A severe blow of the sea so wrenched and disabled our rudder that it hardly held together. Our confidence in Captain Lott was, however, most nobly answered ; the first to discover the misfortune, he, by prudent and effectual measures, secured our immediate safety: it was his skill and judgment that directed every effort; and not content with directing, he applied his own hand to the work. The state of our rudder defied all endeavour to repair it sufficiently to permit us to continue our course in safety, and after many hours of severe labour, Cap. Lott, yielding to his own conscientious opinion, and after a consultation w►th his officers, unwillingly ordered our return. " We, the passengers, many of whom have been in the frequent habit of crossing the Atlantic in these latitudes and at all seasons, feeling that we owe our safety, under Provi dence, to his efforts and self-possession during the moments of trial, and as much to his final decision to return, feel called upon to express, in the strongest manner, our full and implicit confidence in the skill and conduct of Captain Lott. " We wait but the opportunity to evince this confidence by choosing the ship under his command to convey us again across the Atlantic. " The passengers desirous of giving a marked expression of their esteem, have instructed their committee to present Captain Lott with a valuable memorial of their obligation. "At Sea, on board the steamer CALEDONIA, Feb., 1842. PAT. D. CALVERT, Lieut. Col. Royal Engineers, Chairman. A. Casilli, of New York, Win. H. Jeffery, of Canada, I Frederick A. Lovering, of Paris, }-Committee. Geo. P. Oxley, of Nova Scotia, Rev. H. Warren, of Sussex, j " Petit D. Billier, Win. Lewis Calder, Jas. A. Ha milton, Henry Tobias, Wm. E. Lewis, D. L. Suy dam, Geo. S. Soren, Wm. Haycock, E. B. Strange. Chas. H. Harbeck, John H. Harbeck, Joseph Broadbent, jun., John Beck, James Beck, and Louis Delinotti, New York ; Hobert S. Tyler, Montreal; John Gordon, H. N. Jones, Thomas W. Caw, and J. Musson, Quebec, T. A. Sumner, Gib. H. Booth, Wm. Munroe, Jun., James E. Little, and Frederick Almy, Boston ; G. Blumenthal, Glasgow ; E. W. Freon, Isaac Haywood, Robert Cooper, M. Power, Andrew Maris, and Thomas Munroe, London ; John Cooper, Leeds; James Cocker, Hathersage; John I\l'Kenzie, P. E. Island ; Frederick Butterfield, Keightley ; William Barton and G. Stacey, Sheffield ; G. 0. Cjorter, Holland ; Wea're C. Little, Albany, New York ; T. Bream, Richmond, Virginia ; Robert Leslie, Virginia; James Stiff and B. B. Atterbuy, Manchester; John Munroe, Paris • Matthew Wil liams and Chas. A. Linder, Philadelphia." " On board the steamer Caledonia, "13th February, 1842. " To Captain E. G. Lott, of the royal mail . steam-ship, " Caledonia. " Dear Sir,—The committee appointed at a meeting of the passengers in the Caledonia, on her voyage from Liverpool to Halifax, on the 11th February, 1842, have the pleasure of transmitting Captain Lott a memorial addressed to the directors of the British and North American royal mail steamships, unanimously adopted and signed by the pas sengers.—With the assurance of our high consideration, we are, dear sir, your obedient servants, " ALEX. CASTELLI. " COMMITTEE OF PASSENGERS " F. A. LOVERING, " REV. H. WARREN, " GEO. P. OXLEY, " WM. H. JEFFERY." As a proof that the machinery of the Caledonia has not sustained the slightest injury, we may mention that she came up the river last night at full speed. PRESENTATION OF PLATE TO CAPT. HEWITT, OF THE BRITANNIA The Royal Mail Steam-ship Britannia, during her last out ward voyage, experienced continued gales and a heavy sea. On the 10th ult. she encountered a most terrific gale, in which her life-boat was stove, and some trifling damage ex perienced. In this gale especially, as during the whole pas sage, Captain Hewitt won the a pprobation and praise of a ll the passengers, for his indefatigable exertions for their com fort. Amongst them were the Earl of Mulgrave, who holds the office of aid-de-camp to Sir Richard Jackson, Lieutenant- Governor of Canada, and Charles Dickens, Esq., better known by his literary title of " Boz." _ __ _ The 13'ritannia arrived at Boston on the 22d ult., and on the day before a meeting of the passengers was held, Lord Mulgrave in the chair, when resolutions were passed deter mining to present Captain Hewitt with a piece of plate, as a sincere expression of their high appreciation of his nautical skill, and of his indefatigable attention to the management and safe conduct of the ship during a more than ordinary tempestuous voyage. . . . The service of plate, consisting of a pitcher, two goblets, and a salver to match, and valued at seventy pounds, were presented to Captain Hewitt at the Tremont Theatre, where a great number of the gallant captain's friends were assem bled, by Mr. Dickens, who delivered the following address on the occasion : " Ladies and Gentlemen,—l am assured by your presence here this morning, that you have become acquainted with the nature of the welcome duty which I have to discharge, and which is most pleasantly confided to me in a double sense ; firstly—because it cannot fail to be gratifying to a worthy man who has established a strong claim upon my in terest and esteem ; and secondly—because it affords me an opportunity of meeting you, whom 1 have a thousand rea sons for loving to see, here or anywhere. " We are most desirous to impress you with the fact that this is very far from being an ordinary or matter of course pro ceeding ; that it is not a matter of form, but 'of good sound substance ; that in presenting Captain Hewitt with these slight and frail memorials, we are not following out a hollow custom, but are imperfectly expressing the warmest and most earnest feelings; beiirg well assured that with God's blessing, we owe our safety and preservation, under circumstances of unusual peril, to his ability, courage, and skill. You will please to understand that these tokens on the table, are an acknowledgment not in themselves, but in the feeling which dictates their presentation, of many long and weary nights of watching and fatigue ; of great exertion of body, and much anxiety of mind; and of the prompt and efficient discharge of arduous duties, such as do not often present themselves. " In a word, this is anything but an extraordinary return for really extraordinary services ; and we wish you to regard it in that light, that our present may have a value it was in tended to bear, and which is far enough removed, Heaven knows, from its intrinsic worth or beauty. Captain Hewitt, continued Mr. Dickens, addressing that gentleman,) I am very proud and happy to have been selected as the instrument of conveying to you the heartfelt thanks of my fellow passen gers on hoard the ship entrusted to your charge, and of en treating your acceptance of this trifling present. The inge nious artists who work in silver do not always, I find, keep their promises, even in Boston. I regret that instead of two goblets which there should be here, there is, at present, only one. This deficiency, hoe ever, will soon be supplied ; and when it is. our testimonial will be, so far, complete. " You arc a sailor, Captain Hewitt, in the truest sense of the word ; and the devoted admiration of the ladies—God bless them—is a sailor's first boast. I need not enlarge upon the honour they have done you, I am sure, by their presence here. Judging of you by myself, I am certain that the re collection of their beautiful faces will cheer your lonely vigils upon the ocean for a long time to come. " In all time to come, and in all your voyages upon the sea, I hope you will have a thought for those who wish to live in your memory by the help of these trifles. As they will often connect you with the pleasures of those homes and firesides from which they once wandered, and which, but for you, they might never have regained ; so they trust, that you will sometimes associate them with your hours of festive enjoyment; and that when you drink from these cups, you will feel that the draught is commended to your lips by friends whose best wishes you have ; and who earnestly and truly hope for y our success , h app i ness , an d prosperity, in all the undertakings of yo ur lif e ." Capt. Hewitt replied in the most feeling and app_ropri_ate. terms, to the speech of Mr. Dickens, and appeared to feel most keenly the kindness of his friends. On Wednesday, Wombell's menagerie left Yarmouth, and in proceeding over Rollesby-bridge the large caravan, con taming the elephants, partially broke down, plunging the colossal animals in a cold bath. With the assistance of a number of men, and twenty-eight horses, they were, after considerable delay, again placed safely on terra firma.—Essex Herald. ilottrp. FAREWELL TO CHILDHOOD (For the Liverpool Standard.) Farewell, farewell to childhood's rosy hours ! When sportively my youthful, gladsome mind 'Would roam, untied, through fancy's sunlit bow And nought but beauties in my day-dreams find. How brightly then lif_•'s clondles,; sun would shin , Each sparkling ray diffusing hope and glee; Unfailing joys 1 fondly thought w ere none; And dressed in smiles all nature seemed to be. Farewell to childhood !—being's blushing dawn, Unopen'd into life's eventful day,— Ere earthly cares and storms their veil hare tira Athwart the scene that promised things so gay. Ah ! why is boyhood's moon, so blithe and fair, The harbinger of manhood's sterner noon ! And why within its bosom (loth it bear A night whose shades must darken life so soon ! Farewell to childhood's pleasures, sweet as brief That cheer'd with mirth and song the circling da That chas'd far off the transient tears of grief, And spread around contentment's grateful sway • Ne'er shall those pleasures strew again my way, Or tint lire's varied scene with colours bright; No more their charms the swelling tear shall stay Or lend to sorrow's gloom their soothing light. - . Farewell to childhood's hopes ! How bright wer Clear as the hlueerene that bounds the sky : Lovely they were as light's ethereal ray ; But only born, alas ! to charm and—die ! How would they kindly whisper peace and joy, And picture pleasingly futurity ! Youth's mimic griefs and fears can ne'er destroy The joyous hopes of mind's gay infancy. Farewell to childhood, with its thousand charms ! Sweet as the sound of music's softest lay ; Unhurt by sorrow's wounds or care's alarms ; Lovely and fleeting as a summer's day ! Liverpool, Feb. 14, 1842. • LITE RA RY NOTICES Ireland; its Scenery, Character, 4.c. By Mr. and Mrs. S. C. Hall. London : How and Parsons. ' Part XVI. of this work has appeared, and fully maintains the high character of the former numbers, both in the lite rary department and the illustrations. It is entirely devoted to the first, and probably the greater, portion or a most vivid and faithful description of Dublin ; its admirable situation; its ancient and modern history; its public buildings and in stitutions ;—and no city in Great Britain, or perhaps iu the world, is more delightfully situated in the midst of natural beauties, or presents a greater number of objects of interest to the tourist, the historian, or the literary lounger. The Hill of Howth, the magnificent bay on the south of the city, the splendid public edifices, the surrounding country replete with every variety of landscape—from the tranquil and luxu riant and beautiful, to the bold, the craggy, and the sublime —arc all depicted in the pleasing colours of reality, without . that minuteness of detail which too frequently render the works of less skilful travellers tedious or repulsive. Consi dering the magnitude of the subject, it may be said that all that is desirable to the general reader is here conveyed by a comparatively few masterly and effective touches of the pen. This is especially the forte of the fair author, who, as well as her respected companion and literary assistant, is pos sessed of perhaps more knowledge of the localities and man ners of Ireland than any writer of her day,--an advantage which she is enabled to improve by a clearness of perception, a correctness of taste, and an amiableness of disposition, rarely exemplified in the sex, bright as is our national galaxy of female intellect. " What a glorious impression," she emphatically remarks, " is conveyed to the eye and mind, upon approaching the noble and beautiful buy of Dublin! It is, indeed, inexpres sively lovely; and on entering it after a weary voyage, the heart bounds with enthusiasm at the sight of its capacious bosom, enclosed by huge rocks, encompassed in turn by high and picturesque mountains. To the south, varied into innu merable forms, are the Wicklow Hills ;' but nearer, rising, as it were, out of the surface of old ocean, is the ever-green island of Dulkey. To the north a bolder coast is commenced by ' the Hill of Howth,' on a leading pinnacle of which stands the most picturesque of the Irish beacons; on the other side of the promontory is seen a village, with another lighthouse, a martillo tower, an ancient abbey, and a calm, though now deserted harbour—for a long period the landing-place upon Irish ground.* And if the tourist will 'step ashore' at Howth, he may, before he is half an hour in Ireland, visit some of the most striking and interesting objects in the country :—a ruined church, a very ancient castle, some dru idic remains, a village, dignified with the name of town,' essentially Irish in its half-desolate character; and, standing beside the wall that surrounds the Bailey lighthouse, he may gaze over the wide ocean, or, looking to the right, admire the beautiful scenery that borders Dublin Bay, and, on the left, the famous little island called Ireland's Eye ; ' beyond it the renowned isle of Lanibay, and, some forty miles north of the spot on which he stands, the clearly defined and bold outlines of the Mourne mountains. " * Kingstown harbour has now almost superseded it." Such is a brief specimen of our author's style, selected at random ; but for many of a much more graphic and stirring description we must refer to the work itself, which is more over rich in anecdote of Irish character. The illustrations are exceedingly beautiful. The Boyne Obelisk, and the view of Sackville-street, in the city, from the bridge across the Liffey, terminating it on the south,—both engravings on steel,—ere gems of art. The woodcuts are scarcely inferior in execution, and the objects selected those that would most impressively strike the visitor to the Irish capital. Amongst these we would enumerate, Howth with its lighthouse ; the Obelisk in honour of the landing of George IV. at Kingstown, formerly Dunleary ; the College, from Dame-street ; the Bank of Ireland ; the Castle ; and the Cathedral of St. Pa trick,—very minute and tine in execution. The reader will find a most interesting and characteristic description of a Dublin " Jackeen." The number also contains some cogent remarks on the comparative treatment of Irish and English servants, which our fair friends of " Erin's Isle " would do well carefully to peruse. The work is one of the cheapest and best got up that has yet issued from the modern press. Episcopal Testimonies against the Doctrines advocated in the " Tracts for the Times." Liverpool: Arthur New- ling ; London : J. Hatchard and Son There is perhaps no doctrine more prominently professed by the members of the Puseyite schism than the profound deference which is due to the episcopal authorities of the church ; and how that profession has been adhered to in practice the public are sufficiently aware. The interdiction 01 episcopal authority did not prevent the re-publication, again and again, by Mr. Newman, of the tract No. 90, with notes and additions, increasing infinitely its objectionable nature ; and even nearer home we have, within the last few weeks, had an example of the tone of deferent submission with which the conduct of a venerable bishop has been ani madverted upon by the Puseyite press. The publication of the compilation before us, containing the testimonies of the Archbishops of Canterbury, Armagh Dublin, and Cashel, the Bishops of London, Calcutta, Chester, Chichester, Durham, Exeter, Gloucester, Lichfield, Lincoln, Oxford, Ripon, and Winchester, and the Bishops of Ohio and Virginia, is admirably timed at the present mo ment. The task, which we understand is by the Rev. Mr. Townsend, Curate of St. Bride's, in this town, is ably per formed; and we sincerely hope that it will be attended by that usefulness which has been the object of its reverend author. The Marquis of Londonderry has been appointed to the of fice of Lord Lieutenant of the county of Durham, in the place of the late Duke of Cleveland. After the St. George, from hence to Calcutta, had left the Cape, the cook in a fit of insanity, jumped overboard, and in the attempt to save him six others of the crew, including Jones, the second mate. were drowned.—Bristol Gazette. SOUTH SHROPSHIRE ELECTION.—The return of Lord Newport is certain. His lordship will walk over. No radi cal dare show his face. The statements in the Shrewsbury Chronicle of yesterday are wilful falsehoods. Thomas Whit more, Esq., will not offer.—Shropshire Conservative. It is worthy of remark that her Majesty never travels by railway. THE WILL OP THE LATE J. WOOD.—In the Vice-Chan cellor's Court on Wednesday, in the cases of Helps v. Wood, and the Corporation of Gloucester v. Wood, the sums of £70,000 in one suit, and X-10,000 in the other. were ordered to be paid into Court. It is currently reported at Leith, that there is to be a high duty laid on Russia tallow, and the holders have been busy taking all out of bond. Every article of manufacture sent from this country is overloaded with duties almost to prohi bition. A duty of ten pounds would raise the revenue more than half a million.---Scotsman. VESSEL RUN DOWN BY THE STEAM -SHIP Morrartcn.— On Monday night, about half-past nine o'clock, the General Steam Navigation Company's powerful ship Monarch, CaPt- Frazier, arrived at Brown's Wharf, Blackwall, from gGran ton-pier, near Leith, having on board the crew of a ves. l i with which thich they had come in collision during beet, sage to London. The sailing vessel went down ; but haPp_ the crew sueceeded in getting on board the Monarch. ''',-. have not yet ascertained- the name of the ill-fated ves sel, or the particulars of the collision. VII dnesdsY l'il!t• DEATH FROM A SINGULAR CAUSE.-011 - e ie __., a wi fe died at Ely, aged 3G, James Prior, shoemaker, 5 7' 6 o fellow's ~,,, poor and four children to lament their loss. i'' st ;i nc e that we death was accelerated by so singular a circum a r that he . seine cannot forbear giving it publicity. It apps for Mr. William time since made or mended a pair of shoe s that through the shoes being too tight, d, mortification i n Kempton, !lay Clerk of Ely Cathedral , r ton was lame ; r been inforrne:.l that rating the sole, Mr. Kemp .n a Corp 1n nailian t perfo rating eetrsvil'cl an effect, that he. it was all owing to him, it d sued, and his life was in danger. Pro " ma d ; when death, at last. became melancholy, then raving h Cambridge Indepentiant. bie....! extreme sensitiveness c f House of Commons have resolved. PRIVATE BILLS.— The receive any petition for private hills will not that no private bill he read the that the house p p o u o t r a P p r e io ri r o w d a t s o ,i h n i d s ee s d u r ff e e in ri a nrgksa. a March ; and that the house will not the 23r billafter the 9 ' h first time after _ such private _it of m a y.. receive any report or a ddressed a letter to the Literary Gazette. Dr. Burnes has h after the 25th of February; e that his broth er . slight op Sir Alexander, holding out a ,‘ I have a letter to tl Major Holland—a cool, calm, deliberate man, has not perished: — ay from my bro ther-in-law, and whom Sir . A. .13. called his alter ego dated Bombay, and in which he holds out more strongly the toil th hope that Sir A. B. has escaped, and is in the keep inglioneconcealment of the Kussilbashes and - , and who,believe, I are friends of Post Mahomed, and may have protected him." Dec. 31, CARTHAGENA--PaDers received from Carthagena, dated. 27th of December, 1841, mention th e d ec i s i ve v i ctory ga i :.ed by the Government squadron and the English brig of war Charybdis over the rebels. After a battle which lasted le.s than 40 minutes in the Zispata-roads, thewhole of the rei,et fleet, which consisted of a brig and ' I t five go_e_as, was tajaqi. This is, no doubt, the termination of the affair alluded t). on Saturday last. under the commandof The cause of the English brig Char; lulus Captain 1., all a ctiv e part in the affair, seenai to have been an insult offered to the English brig Jane Sarah by the rebels. Mompos, the princi pal'`ecn-incy, taking • town on the Magdalena, between Carthagena and Bogota, had returned to allegiance.