The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-05-09 00:00:00

THE NEGLECTED WIFE TO HER HUSBAND. OH ! I have watch'd thee ever With the tenderest of care, In thy sorrow-stricken weariness, And thy moments of despair; When thy heart beat slow and feeble, And thine eye was dim with tears, I have sooth'd thee in thy wretchedness , And cinell'd thy gloomy fears. I have watch'd o'er thee in sickness; I have tended by thy bed ; And striven long and anxiously To calm thy aching head : And when thy speech grew fainter, And thy frame was bent and weak, 1 strove to cheer thy sinking heart. Though mine did well nigh break. And when thy boon companions— The gallant and the gay— Applauded loud thy revellings, And led thy heart astray, The midnight hours I pass'd alone, With anxious vigils dull, And then I met you with a smile, Altho' my heart was full ! And canst thou now reproach me In tones of bitter ire? And canst thou turn in hasty mood On me those looks of fire? Dbes not one kindly thought prevail O'er wrath and fell decree— One memory that will win thee back In constancy to me? Does not Affection's early dream Still haunt thy truant breast? Nor vow, nor duty, broken long, Disturb thy wonted rest? Does not the voice of her prevail Whose joys are all heart-riven 7 Whose only bliss indeed it were To make thy home a beav'n? REVIEWS OF BOOKS. Nannette and her Lovers. By Talbot Gwynne. London : Smith, Elder, and Co. This is a pleasing and well-told tale, in which her naturally good disposition, aided by careful and religious training, carry Nannette through nume rous and severe trials. The incidents are repre sented as opening at the period of the first French Revolution, and represent in forcible and well sustained-pictures the inroads upon private peace and rustic happiness, by the ruthless agents and dire occurrences of that distracted and demoniacal page in human history. The scene is laid at St. Elog, in Normandy, and one of the early occur rences—indeed that from which the action of the tale takes its most lively start—is a midnight in road. into the neighbourhood of the village, by a band of the lawless patriots who, true to their revolutionary instincts, commence the work of political regeneration by burning the chateau, desecrating the church, murdering the priest at the altar, and carrying off a number of victims to the guillotine. At this point, the distresses of the heroine Nannette commence ; she is in love with and betrothed to Antoine, to whom she is about to be married ; but the revolutionary incendiaries, in addition to their atrocities in having polluted the church and slain the cure, have abolished marriage, and in its place have set•up the formula of a civil contract. To this Nannette, a faithful daughter of the church, refuses to listen, and her beloved Antoine is dragged from the village and carried off for a soldier, under a conscription of all the un married men, for service in the army, and along with him Arsene Potier, a disregarded though sincere lover of poor Nannette. The simple-minded girl remains at home, and through difficulties and severe struggles, not always unattended by danger, and but little heered by hope, she supports an unwaning affection for Antoine, buoyed up only in the expectation that one day priests and marriages will be restored, and that she will be united to her betrothed. Antoine proves himself utterly un worthy of her ardent regard, and displays nume rous characteristics of his baseness. As a wind-up, Nannette is undeceived as to the true character of Antoine, discards him, and is ultimately married to the worthy and aithful Arsene Potier. In working out the story, a great deal is made out of very simple elements. The purity of character, and unsuspecting as well as unrepining fidelity of Nannette, are delineated with much power, and are touched with delicacy. The rustic scenes are beautifully elaborated, and in their peacefulness contrast charmingly with the rude and remorseless activity and cruelty of the revolutionists. In the military portion of the story there are several spirited and highly-wrought illustrations of a soldier's lifeandadventures, duringthat singular and stormy period, when all the bonds by which society is held together were shaken and subverted. As a whole, the story is well conceived and cleverly worked out. Its scenes and incidents are in admi rable keeping. The Dublin University Magazine. Dublin : James McGlashan. The May number of this excellent Magazine is a fair and favourable example of its general charac ter. Its contents are, as usual, varied and interest ing. It opens with an admirable review of Pro fessor Forbes of Edinburgh's able work on the Norwegian Glaciers. To the study of the laws which regulate the formation and dispersion, and which, in some degree, tend also to direct those great physical operations in which glaciers act as second causes, Professor Forbes has devoted long and arduous attention, indefatigable industry, and an inquiring zeal which no difficulties could re press. In this, his latest work on the subject, he strengthens his former arguments, and gives ad ditional illustration of his previously announced theory. To this interesting paper succeeds a spirited biographical memoir of Colonel Cameron, of Fassifern, one of the disting uished Scottish officers who served under Wellin gton throughout the Peninsular campaigns, and who terminated a long and brilliant series of military exploits on the field of honour at Quatre Bras, on the 16th June, 1815. This brave highlander, the lineal descend ant of the younger brother of the great Lochiel, who commenced the insurrection in 1745, com menced his military career in 1793, and on the 24th of June, 1794, with a company of his own raising, he joined the 92nd, or Gordon High landers, to which regiment he was all his life afterwards attached, and in the command of which he was killed in the midst of a conflict as severe as it was gallantly sustained. At the present mo ment, when military expeditions and martial ardour are so much in vogue, and when the claims of those near and dear to the valiant upholders of our country's honour are so properly made subjects of public consideration, the fatigues, dangers, priva tions, and actual sufferings—apart from the casual ties of battle to which the military life is subject— cannot be too generally known as incentives to the public gendosity. Those sufferings are well pour trayed in the annexed description of PA SSIPERN'S PROGRESS THROUGH ESTREMADURA. During the harassing marches of Hill's division in the desolate Estremadura, his (Cameron's) native hardihood never flinched, though the miseries endured by the troops were excessive in that naked district, where they were constantly in arrears of pay, bivouacking without tents or fire, or cantoned in roofless and ruined towns, marching day and night in the wet and chill of winter, or the heat of the summer solano, when the white dust blew down the mountain passes, and the air became thick with flies; when the soil of the vast plains cracked and rent ; when the perspiration rose in hazy steam above the marching columns ; when comrades fought like tigers around the wayside wells and casual pools, to fill their canteens at the puddle through which, perhaps, the advanced guard had passed an hour before ; when years of hardship, danger, starvation, and rags, were to be endured, Fassifern never had a day's illness, or absence from parole ; nor did his hardy Gordon Highlanders ever lose a man, save upon two occasions —(of course t hi s means by desertion or straggling ; for between the 17th of August, 1799, and the 18th of June, 1815, th e reg i ment, we are told in the same memoir, lost in killed and wounded, 117 o ffi cers and 1634 men.) These two exceptions were Lieutenants Marshall and Hill, two fine young officers • the first of w h o m died in a wretched bullock car—died 'of sheer s tar va ti on , just as he was being convey e d i nto Badajoz ;and the second, unable to keep up with his men, perished of the same awful death among the mountains, bet ween Talavera and Toledo. Surely the wives and children of men who volun tarily face such horrors in addition to the pe r il s of the battle field, have a large and urgent claim upon their country's sympathy. Among other admirable papers contained in the number is an eloquent and just tribute to the memory of Professor Wilson ; as also a sensible paper on the Eastern question, i n which . latter occurs the following piece of excellent __ prac tical advice : " Temporary posses sion shou ld instantly be taken of Petropanlovski, in Kam schatka, so as to cut . off the retreat of any Russian frigates in the Pacific that may have cap tured any of our gold ships, or done other damage to our commerce. " Blackwood' s Magazine. Edinburgh : Blackwood. The number for this month opens with a tem perately written essay on the Oxford University Reform Bill, but as the writer observes " that acre is an apathy in the public mind upon this great question which has reacted upon its repre sentatives," we fear that attention will not be revived by any re-discussion of it. As a political speculation, it has been a failure, and for any other purpose the amount of good it will effect will be bid small. An article on " Ancient and Modern Fortresses" will be interesting to more than the lovers of antiquities, the writer showing that poetry and romance owe more than half their charms to the ancient castle, with its symmetrical external strength, and the gloomy mysteries of its interior. Sir Walter Scott would have been shorn of half his glories without his castles, and even Shakspere would have failed in Macbeth had he adhered to the historical truth of wicker or turf huts, instead of mysterious Norman castles, which did not exist until centuries after Macbeth's day. A notice of " Firmilian : a Tragedy," by T. Percy Jones, justly exposes that spasmodic style of out rageous fierceness which some modern critics mis take for fine writing. The pleasant story of " The Quiet Heart" is here brought to- a conclusion. With all its Scotticisms, it possesses a claim not easily definable, in leaving much to the imagina tion, without rendering the author's description in any way obscure. Recent events have rendered the study of geography one of no ordinary interest, and here the student may be oTatified in fair mea sure and variety. "London ''to West Prussia" is descriptive of the manners and customs of a people with whom the progress of the war is likely to bring us more acquainted ; " The Progress and Policy of Russia in Central Asia" furnishes a theme for discourse which is daily increasing in interest ; and "The National Life of China" affords some information on a singular people, who, long shut up in exclusiveness, are rapidly coming out into the world around them. The Beard ! Why do we cut it off? An Analysis of the Controversy concerning it, and an Outline of its History. By David. London. Bosworth. A long title this for so short a pamphlet ! And yet it professes no more than it fulfils ; for, in a style lively and racy, the whole subject is brought for ward, and reason with the argument. John Bull has been, it is said, rather too .long " bare-faced ;" and the author of this treatise urges him to return to the wise uses of his ancestry, and, stroking his chin, " swear by his beard." " The case," says David, " stands thus. It is ordained, among the laws of nature, that hair shall grow upon the chin and upper lip of man,—at least, throughout the European race ; but English men, for the last hundred and fifty years, have declared that this hair is a disfigurement and a nuisance—that nature made a mistake in putting it there, and that they will diligently cut it off." Fashion says we all must shave. But " the domain of fashion is confined to that marginal region—that frontier land—where the great laws of nature are vague and indistinct. Here let her rule unchal lenged. But wherever nature's voice is clearly heard—wherever her intention is evident—there the laws of fashion have no force—they are super seded by the fiat of a superior power. * * * No law of hers was ever more distinctly uttered than that which ordains that hair shall grow upon the lips of man ; and when fashion presumes to con travene that law, and to require of man that he shall engage in a laborious contest with nature, ending only when the coffin-lid is nailed over his shaven face, she is beyond her sphere, and has no authority on which to claim obedience." Passing over the argumentum ad judicium, we come to a sort of argumentum ad hominem, in which there is wholesome truth : " The delicate and complicated mechanism of the throat can have no surer protection than the beard, and if man will cut this off, no artificial envelopes of silk, linen, or wool, shall preserve him from cough, stiff-neck, sore-throat, and miserable hoarseness, without at the same time destroying all free movement of the head. Let the beard grow, and any other covering which is required may be of the simplest and most comfortable kind." " The beneficial action of the moustache as a natural respirator, in all the changes of this varia ble climate, has been practically proved by num bers of persons who have adopted it, and may easily be imagined by those who have not. Who shall say how much of that English and American plague—consumption—which is still rather on the increase than otherwise, has been originated, in the male sex at all events, by our shaven chins ?" The author closes the " controversy concerning it," with these words : " Englishmen have waged this war with nature for a century and a half, but they have not gained, in all those years, an inch of ground. Nature still utters her protest unceasingly, though in silence, and will utter it to the end of time. The beard still grows as vigorously as it did five generations back, in spite of all our efforts to extirpate it. And the very fact that it grows only the more vigorously after the application of the razor, should be to us convincing proof that nature rebels against this nudity, and strives earnestly to restore the true order of things which our folly has disturbed, Is it not time to cease this unreasonable warfare ? Let us frankly acknowledge ourselves wrong, and return to the true paths of dignity and wisdom. Nature is magnanimous and kind. She will not upbraid us for our folly, nor jeer at us for our ine vitable failure in the strife. She will gladly wel come back the prodigals, and will not grudge her choicest robes to clothe their nakedness." We have not space to enter into the historical portion of this pamphlet, but let us refer to the epoch of Queen Bess. " This was the golden age of the beard. It was now cultivated in what may be called the decorated style.' It was worn in every variety of shape and size —round, pointed, swallow-tailed, curled, and twisted. Fashion let go the reins, and every new-fledged fop aspired to handle them. The absurdities acted with the beard in this reign were only surpassed by the still more monstrous follies practised upon the hair of the head two centuries later, when a lady's head-dress was made-up' for a fortnight of tow, powder, and pomatum, adorned with ribbons, flowers, and coloured beads, and stood three feet high ! Pride goeth before a fall ;' and when either art or fashion run into extravagance, a speed revolution, probably of the opposite extreme, may be pretty safely - II predicted. Russia and the Russians; comprising an Account of the Czar Nicholas and the Souse of Romanoff. By J. W. Cole. London : Richard Bentley. When the nature of our present and prospective relations with Russia are considered, it will be readily apparent that at no previous period had we ever such active incitements to acquire a real and practical knowledge of the condition and resources I of that empire, as now. On the outbreak of a serious war, every light which can be thrown upon the capabilities—upon the strength and the weak ness of our antagonist, should be made carefully and dispassionatly available. Of the ultimate issue of this struggle there seems little reason to form a doubt. The spirit, the intelligence, and the resources of civilisation, must, and will, pre vail in the contest with barbarism and ignorance; but whether that contest shall be of long or short duration whether it shall end in an empty triumph, or be productive of lasting benefit to the civilised world, depends greatly on the mode in which it is begun, and the direction in which it is prosecuted, and on the adequacy of the resources applied to effect the objects in contemplation. The greatest military authority of modern times has assured us, in emphatic terms, that we cannot, if we would, have a " little war ;" that war, if begun, to be successful in its result, and economical in its management, must be conducted on a scale of magnitude and with an amount of energy in every way equal to the arduousness of the conflict, and the extent of the interests impending. It is clear to all that, to provide in such a style, it is not less desirable to possess a thorough knowledge of the means and resources of our antagonist, than to be familiar with our own. Such knowledge is indis pensable to the proper direction of our own efforts, and every means of communicating it is peculiarly valuable at the present moment. The work before us is written by a veteran officer of the 21st Fusiliers, and contains interesting speculations on ' the military strength of Russia, and the degree of readiness with which that strength can be made available. Before commencing his military survey, our author casts a keen and scrutinising glance over the political position of the Russian empire, and stronlly condemning the unscrupulous dupli , city of its policy, with equal judgmentanad dangerearnest nessnd he incul ca t es the impropriety of listening to any te rms o f compro mise, or to any arrangement of the present quarrel, without full indemnity for the past, and the most ample security for the future. The military resources of Russia are estimated by our author with a readiness of professional skill, and a matter-of-fact precision, which lead him, by comparison of their respective means, to conclude that either of the two powers, England or France, is, single-handed, fully a match for Russia, with the rest of Europe neutral. In estimating the boasted military preparations and resources o f Russia, Mr. Cole depends partly on actual know. ledge of the circumstances, and partly on a com parison of their pretensions with their performances during the great French war. He dwells, also, on the advantage possessed by the allied powers in being able to select their own field of operations. THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD, AND GENERAL COMMERCIAL ADVERTISER. RUSSIAN MILITARY OPERATIONS AND PRETENSIONS. United, we can select our field of operations, and reduce her to listen to such terms as we shall think proper to dictate. Throughout her own extended territory, in the sandy plains of Russia Proper, in the steppes of Lithuania, in the deserts of Siberia, in the wilds of Tartary, she is inaccessible ; we are not going to march our armies 2,000 miles inland, without a defined base of operations, to perish in the snow ; we have no intention of going to her, but we can confine her within bounds, and effectually prevent her from coming to us. At home, and in the wide circle of her own limits, she is formidable. In aggressive and distant wars, although insatiable in desire, she is weak in execution. She cannot produce in the field the large armies that are created in a ukase, and terrify the credulous by imaginary numbers.' If so, how is it that they have never yet stood in battle array, or been concen trated on a given point in the hour of necessity ? We read of 800,000 men, and as there are no colonies to de mand large garrisons, no distant wars to operate as a per petual drain, where are they when their presence would overwhelm, crush and annihilate opposition ? At Boro dino, in the heart of their vast empire, retiring on their resources, and resolved at last to make a final stand to save thqjliapital, and fight for independence, 120,000 was the fullaixtent of their muster-roll. Neither did they ever exceed this aggregate in the successive invasions of France, in 1814 and 1815. Moreover, the Russian con tingent would never have arrived at all but for the sub sidies of England. M. Schnitzler, whose work is generally correct and authentic in facts, as it is often sound in opinions, has been m isinformed, or is tinctured with pre judice, when he says, " The assemblage in the Plaine des Vertus (10 September, 1814) of a Russian army of 160,000 men ready for the field, struck with amazement the diplo matic corps of Europe, who were present at the imposing spectacle; but such an exhibition of the military strength of a vast empire alarmed them much less than the invisi ble power and perfect moral influence which the greatness of soul and well-known principles of the monarch who now reviewed his troops had created." I cannot tell what were the impressions of civilians and diplomatists to whom I had no access, but happening to be an insignificant unit among many hundreds of military men of all nations who were looking on, I can testify, that as a mere military dis play we were neither petrified with amazement nor awe. No mistakes are so easily made as calculations of the numbers of troops estimated from a coup d' cell; the general belief was, that on this occasion they did not amount to 90,000, and the entire Russian contingent which marched up to Paris, subsequent to the battle of Waterloo and the second abdication of Napoleon, I was assured by an officer of the Russian staff, never exceeded, even on paper, 110,000 men. At this vaunted review, which had been long in preparation, and lasted three days, little or nothing was done to illustrate strategy or capa bility of rapid movement. Three days previous to the commencement of the display were required to place them on the ground. On the first day of action, the operations consisted in marching past in review order; on the second, they were confined to performing worship according to the rites of tha Greek Church ; and on the third, the whole force marched off again to the cantonments from whence they had been summoned. Not long after this, in an after-dinner conversation, arising incidentally, the Duke of Wellington proposed to the Allied Sovereigns, or they suggested to him, to show them the British army with their allies in British pay, including the Hanoverian and Danish divisions, amounting in all to more than 80,000 men. A representation of the principal manoeuvres and incidents of Salamanca, as nearly as the ground permitted, was afterwards stated to have been the programme agreed on for the evolutions of the day. There was no previous announcement or rehearsal. At nine at night, the orders were sent round to the different brigades, and by eight on the following morning the whole were drawn up in two lines, the left resting on Montmartre, and the right on the Seine, with St. Denis a little in the rear. The Sove reigns with a gallant escort, comprising many of the lead ing generals of the day, rode hastily along the front. All were then put in motion ; the entire day was occupied in a series of complicated movements, and at seven in the evening the corps marched past the assembled potentates, and returned to their several quarters. The quickness and precision of their evolutions, the martial bearing and exact discipline of the men, and especially the equipments of the horse artillery, excited the loudest approbation. It was a proud day for Britain, as showing a solid exhibition of her power. Thousands still live who will recollect the impression it produced, and the reminiscence will not in cline them to join the ranks of despondency. We have not, at this moment, the same numerical amount of men, for we have not hitherto required them ; but we possess a substantial nucleus of similar materials, which we can in- I crease at pleasure, now that the necessity of a supply has arisen. The Russian Imperial Guards, during the occu pation of Paris, in 1815, were chosen troops, well appointed, and imposing in appearance ; but their ordinary infantry of the line were anything but formidable. They had neither muscle nor stamina. This want of muscle and stamina is accounted for by Mr. Cole, as by many other authorities, as occasioned by the miserable quality and scanty amount of their provisions. The Russian contin gents are clearly shown, even under the most favourable circumstances, to consist almost exclu sively of men and animals, for whose efficient main tenance no adequate provision is made, and whose lives and comforts seem to be estimated as of the lowest possible value. " I can," said the Czar, on a recent occasion, " afford to lose a million of men, but I cannot afford a stain on the national honour." Many would be led to think that the sacrifice of a million of men would amount to something very like " a stain on the national honour ;" not so his Imperial Majesty of all the Russias. The inva riable question of this humane and paternal poten tate after a battle is not " How many men have been killed ?" but " How many muskets are missing P" The weapon being obviously of more importance in his Majesty's esteem than the living machine into whose keeping it had been entrusted. In accordance with this view, the soldiers of the Russian army are represented to be ill-paid, shockingly clothed, and worse fed, and are, it is said, totally neglected when in hospital, whether from sickness or from wounds. The system of clothing and provisioning the troops is said to involve an amount of barefaced and systematised plunder scarcely credible. Mr. Cole says of the RUSSIAN COMMISSARIAT. This wholesale organised system of public plunder exceeds all that we have ever read or heard of in the history of ancient or modern peculation. Our own home practice is not without some shining examples, but they furnish the exceptions rather than the rule. Verres in Sicily, and John of Cappadocia at Constantinople, under Justinian, were honest administrators of finance compared with these insatiate bloodsuckers. Here is a true and satisfactory solution of the supineness of the Russian leaders in Wallachia, who cannot concentrate strength sufficient to drive the Turks from Kalafit, or attempt the permanent passage of the Danube. They poured into the undefended Principalities more than nine months ago ; time was everything to them, that they might have the chance of crushing Turkey before her allies could come to the rescue; and yet they have been beaten in every encounter with the troops of Omar Pacha, and have looked for a long time on the Turkish lines without venturing a decisive result. If they do not endeavour to strike a great blow before the French and English auxiliaries arrive, their inactivity is a confession of weakness more damaging than a total defeat. In fact, they have neither the forces they would wish the world to suppose, nor generals capable of handling them, if they were ready to march to the Turkish entrenchments. In considering the subject as it presents itself to an insular and maritime people like the British, Mr. Cole makes the following sensible observations on RUSSIA AS AN AGGRESSIVE EUROPEAN POWER. In a war with maritime nations, how can Russia avail herself of her only two commercial outlets, the Sound and the Bosphorous, within which she will be hermetically sealed by the overwhelming fleets of France and England ? It is difficult to answer this question, unless it be true, as Sir Francis Head told us in 1851, on the authority of the Hon. Captain Plunket, R.N., that Russia could send thirty sail of the line to sea before England could send three. Oar readers will start, but they have no occasion to be under any apprehension. Matters are mended since that alarm-trumpet blew such a foreboding bla,st and the Liverpool merchants may rest assured that a Russian squadron will not lay the Mersey under contribution, seize the defenceless shipping, and pillage their well stored warehouses. The Muscovite nobility are luxurious as well as rich, but their revenues are principally derived from kind, nor can they easily convert their hides and tallow into specie, if the ordinary channels of commercial egress are impeded by a fleet of screw-steamers. There will soon ensue a paralysis of the body, unless a timely cure is applied to the head. Beyond all doubt the Emperor Nicholas is individually and solely responsible for the im pending storm which will soon burst in thunder on his country ; the feeling of all the world which is not his is against him, and not even the autocrat of half that world, and the arbitrator of countless millions can stand up be fore the battery of public opinion, so heavily and so unani mously erected to oppose his wild pretensions. Sooner or later the crisis must have arrived, and most fortunate is it that he has brought it on when we are well prepared, and when an unexpected coalition between former rivals has linked them together in a bond of confiding amity. We may now fathom the secret of his obstinacy. He has ex cited revolt and revolution in Turkey, relying on his power to coerce Austria, and to neutralise Prussia; but he dreamed not of the possibility that France and Eng land would join the flags in friendship, which for so many centuries had waved in opposition. Neither did the first Napoleon believe in this, when from his island prison he prophesied that Russia would never pause until she held the destinies of Europe in her grasp, and that there was no opposing power strong enough to prevent this con summation. In Mr. Cole's book, and even in the extracts given, the general reader will find means to explain some of the otherwise inexplicable events which have occurred in the valley of the Danube. He will there see that the germs of Russian inertness and inefficiency, where promptitude and vigorous ac tion should have been all in all, have been marched with its hordes to the theatre of strife. For several months past the press may be said to have teemed with memoirs, military and statistical, connected with Russia and the impending war, but probably in no one of these will there be found a more judicious or more clearly arranged view of the subject in most of its bearings than is gontained in this interesting and opportune publkation by Mr, Cole. • . Kidd' s Own Journal. London : Groombridge. Another number of this entertaining magazine by no means diminishes the interest in the con ; tents, which are numerous and varied, and chiefly devoted to developing the beauties of nature, which are ever new, and more so in this delightful season of spring. There is something refreshing in such titles as " The Bright Side of Nature," " Season able Enjoyments," " Our Wild Flowers," " Notes on the Hyacinth and Hawthorn," "Birds," &c.,while the prose is interspersed with numerous short pieces of poetry of more than ordinary merit. Indeed, such a repertory of natural history, natural philo sophy, popular science, and things in general, must find many admirers, both in town and country. Decimal Coinage. London : Ridgway. A pamphlet, by "one of the million," professing to describe what decimal coinage ought, and what it ought not to be. It would be waste of time to discuss the many absurd arguments brought for ward to bolster up an impracticable theory, the only possible advantage of which is to save mer chants' clerks a few minutes time in calculation. The author recommends the substitution of a new tenpenny piece for our long-established pound as the unit, and the conversion of the shilling into one and twopence. He quotes the celebrated ac tuary, De Morgan, who says :—" The pound is more than a mere matter of arithmetic. There is a great deal of political and moral association con nected with it. Under the phrases ' £5OO a year' or £l,OOO a year,' we think of states of society. To make a violent alteration would be such a nui sance and mischief as should only be encountered for some great benefit ; and I see no benefit at all in the change." Upon this the pamphleteer re marks :—" If this kind of sentimentality is to pre vail over common sense and sound argument, we had better not have a decimal coinage at all." This is the correct conclusion, and will, no doubt, be the result of all the spasmodic labours of the advocates of this abstract theory. The People's Magazine. Nos. VI. and VII., for March and April. London : Kent and Co. From its cheapness and general excellence, this is a periodical admirably adapted for dissemination among the working classes. It is devoted to the diffusion of sound religious and political principles, and the intention is judiciously carried out. VARIETIES. A SrATEs3rix.—One master of a well-regulated house is more beneficial to the state than a hundred political declaimers. MEEKNESB.—A boy was asked what meekness was. He thought a moment, and said—" Meekness gives smooth answers to rough questions." To MAKE A YOU'D(} Lint HAPPY.—Give her two canary birds, half a dozen moonbeams, twelve yards of silk, an ice cream, several rosebuds, a squeeze of the hand, and the promise of a new bonnet. If she don't melt it will be because she can't. Alf InisnmAN, who was early one morning busily engaged in sweeping the shop of a cheesemonger, was interrupted by a voice from au inner room, saying, " Well, what are you doing—are you sweeping out the shop?"— " No (replied Pat), I am sweeping out the dirt, and leav- ing the ;hop," THE REV. MR. JOHNSON was one of those rough but quaint preachers of the former generation who were fond of visiting and good living. While seated at The table of a good lady in a neighbouring parish, she asked him if he took milk in his tea. "Yes, ma'am, when 141 get cream," was the ready reply. ODD PROOFS OF POLITENESS.—The following circum stance illustrates what Mrs. Trollope might be disposed to call " American manners." A man one day came to do business with my father, and, as was the custom among many in the region, kept his head covered during his stay. Soon after leaving the house, he remarked to some one that he had always heard that General M was very much of a gentleman, but he didn't think so, " for," said he, " I sat in his parlour half-an-hour or more, with my hat on, and he never once asked me to take it off!" DENSITY OF POPULATION —The 624 registration dis tricts of England and Wales, classed in an order of density, range from 185,751 persons to the square mile, in the east London district, to 18 only in Northumberland. In all London, the number of persons to a square mile, in 1851, was 19,375. In 1801, the people of England were on an average 153 yards assunder ; in 1851, only 108 yards asunder. The mean distance between their houses in 1801 was 362 yards ;in 1851, only 252 yards. In London, the average proximity in 1801 was 21 yards; in 1851, only 14 yards.—Cheshire's Results of the Census. LORD LINDSAY states that in the course of his wander ings amid the pyramids of Egypt, he stumbled on a mummy proved by its hieroglyphics to be 2,00() years of age. In examining the mummy he found in one of its hands a trobes or bulbousroot, he took the root from the mummy's hand and planted it in a sunny soil, allowed the rains and dews of heaven to descend upon it, and in the course of a few weeks to his astonishment and joy, the root burst forth and bloomed into a beauteous dahlia. THE Brnrsi. PLACES OF oun Poyrs.—lt is not often. that the grave of a poet's father is recorded, and pointed Out to strangers. The poets themselves frequently rest without any memorial of their burial, sometimes with no remembrance of its place. Chaucer was buried in the cloisters of Westminster Abbey, without the building, but removed to the South aislein 1555; Spenser lies near him. Beaumont, Drayton, Cowley, Denham, Dryden, Rowe, Ad dison, Prior, Congreve, Gay, Johnson, Sheridan, and Camp bell, all lie within Westminster Abbey. Shakspere, as every ones knows, was buried in the chancel of the church at Stratford, where there is a monument to his memory. Chapman and Shirley are buried in St. Giles's-in-the-fields ; Marlowe, in the churchyard of St. Paul's, Deptford; Fletcher, and Massinger, in the churchyard of St. Saviour's Southwark ; Dr. Donne, in Old St. Paul's ; Edmund Wal ler, in Beaconsfield churchyard ; Milton, in the churchyard of St. Giles's, Cripplegate ; Butler, in the churchyard of St. Paul's, Covent Garden • Otway, no one knows where • Garth, in the church at Harrow ; Pope, in the church at Twickenham ; Swift, in St. Patrick's, Dublin ; Savage in the churchyard of St. Peter's, Bristol ; Perna% at Chester, where he died on his way to Dublin. Dr. Young, at Welwyn, in Hertfordshire, of which place he was rector ; Thomson, in the churchyard at Richmond, in Surry ; Col lins, in St. Andrew's Church, at Chichester; Gray in the churchyard of Stoke Pogis, where he conceived his Elegy ; Goldsmith, in the churchyard of the Temple Church ; Falconer, at sea, with " all ocean for his grave ; ' Churchill, in the churchyard of St. Martin's, Dover ; Cowper, in the church at Dereham ; Chatterton, in a churchyard belonging to the parish of St. Andrew's, Holborn ; Burns, in St. Michael's churchyard, Dumfries; Byron, in the church at Hucknall, near Newstead ; Crabbe, at Trowbridge ; Cole ridge, in the church at Highgate ; Sir Walter Scott, in Dryburgh Abbey ; Southey, in Grosthwaite church, near Keswick; Shelley, "beneath one of the antique weed grown towers surrounding ancient Rome ;" and Keats beside him, " under the pyramid which is the tomb of Cestius."—Barker's Three Days of Wensleydale. THE PRESENT STYLE OE FEMALE DRESS.--We are quite willing to allow that the present style of dress is much more reasonable, and assimilates itself better to the figure than any which has been in fashion for many years past. Still there are some changes which, in our humble opinion, might be made with advantage. For instance, why should the ample skirts, which fall in such graceful folds to the ground, be pulled or gathered in (we believe those are the technical terms) in all their width round the waist, instead of being gradually sloped upwards so as to suit the figure ? We think M. Karr is right in saying, that if any woman of taste, on undressing at night, was to discover she was really formed as she appeared to be dur ing the day, she would be found next morning drowned in tears. Why should not the long skirts, that certainly look elegant in a drawing-room, be provided with means for shortening them when out of doors ? Could this be arranged we should then be saved the discomfort of being enveloped in a cloud of dust worse than a simoom, when walking by the side of our fair companions, though we might, perhaps, be sorry to loose the pretty wavy pattern their dresses leave upon the pavement. We should be spared, too, all painful doubts as to the love entertained by our ladies for that quality which is akin to godliness, caused by seeing them defy alike the consequences to themselves and others of dust and mud, rather than avoid both, by lifting their skirts an inch above the ground. As to the bonnets in vogue we dare scarcely touch on them, though we will venture to express the charitable hope that our ladies have more iit their heads than upon them at present.—Fraser " CUTENESS" OF A YANKEE PAINTER.—A person who kept an inn by the road side, went to a painter, who for a time had set up his easel in a town not a hundred miles from Lake Ontario, and enquired for what sum the painter would paint him a bear for a sign-board. It was to be " a real good one," that would attract customers. " Fifteen dollars," replied the painter. " That's too much," said the innkeeper " Tom Larkins will do it for ten." The painter cogitated lor a moment. He did not like that his rival should get a commission in preference to himself, although it was only for a sign-board. " Is it to be a wild or a tame " A wild one, to be sure." " With a chain, orhwe uir without one?" again asked the painter. "With a chain." " Well, I will paint you a wild bear without a chain for ten dollars?' The bargain was struck, the painter set to work, and in due time sent home the sign board, on which he had painted a huge brown bear of a most ferocious aspect. The sign -board was the admiration of all the neighbourhood, and drew plenty of customers to the inn ; and the innkeeper knew not whether to congratu late himself most upon the possession of so attractive a sign, br on having secured it for the small sum of ten dollars. Time slipped on, his barrels were emptied, and his pockets filled. Everything went on thrivingly for three weeks, when one night there arose one of those violent storms of rain and wind, thunder and lightning, which are so common in North America, and which pass over with almost as much rapidity as they rise. When the innkeeper awoke next morning, the sun was shining, the birds singing, all traces of the storm had passed away. He looked up anxiously to ascertain that his sign was safe. There it was sure enough, swinging to and fro as usual, but the bear had disappeared. The innkeeper could hardly believe his eyes ; full of anger and surprise, he ran to the painter and related what had happened. The painter looked up coolly from his work. " Was it a wild bear or a tame one ?" A wild bear." " Was it chained or not ?" " I guess not." " Then," cried the painter triumphantly, " how could you expect a wild bear to remain in such a storm as that of last night without a chain ?" The inn keeper had nothing to say against so conclusive an argu ment, and finally agreed to give the painter Steen dollars to paint him a wild bear with a chain, that would not take to the woods in the next storm. For the benefit of our unprofessional readers, it may be necessary to mention that the roguish painter had painted the first bear in water colours, which had been washed away by the rain ; the second bear was hinted in oil colours, and was there fore able to withstand the weather.—Church of England quarterly Review, EXTRAORDINARY CONDUCT OF A CLERGYMAN. TICE Rev. Charles Fuge Lowder, one of the curates at St. Barilabas Church, Pimlico, appeared on Tuesday, at the Westminster Police-court, to a summons charging him with assaulting John Ledwich. Mr. Peckham, from the establishment of Mr. Hewitt, solicitor, appeared on behalf of the complainant. In open ing the case, he said he might perhaps be allowed to state the circumstances which had given rise to this extraordi nary charge. There was in the district of St. Paul and St. Barnabas an election on Easter Tuesday for the office of churchwarden. It was not necessary to mention, as im portant to the charge with which the magistrate had to deal, the particular character of that contest ; but there were two candidates for the office, the cause of one of which was espoused by the defendant, whilst the complainant was a man employed to carry a board by a committee seeking to procure the return of the other candidate. The com plainant was carrying his board in Ebury-street on the day in question, when he was astounded to find himself suddenly attacked by a number of lads throwing eggs and stones at him. _ _ . Mr. Broderip jocosely remarked that it was not only Unlawful to carry a board, but an attendant evil upon the illegality seemed to be that it had the effect of attracting eggs and stones, certainly not very pleasant things. Mr. Peckham would say nothing about the legality or illegality of carrying a board at present, as there wa's no charge upon that subject at present before the magistrate. It was unpleasant to the bearer that it had in this instance the attractive qualities described. The circumstancebecame the subject of inquiry by the committee, when, to their surprise, it was ascertained that the eggs were furnished to the persons throwing them by the defendant, and that they were incited by him to commit the assault which was the subject of the present charge. Mr. Broderip expressed his opinion that there was some difficulty in sustaining a charge like the present ; the very first step in the case showed an illegal act on the part of the complainant in carrying the board. Mr. Peckham remarked that it was not the sort of board prohibited by statute--it had em pole. The man and his boards were what Mr. Charles Dickens had face tiously termed " an animated sandwich." Mr. Broderip smiled, and thought that if a man was guarded like a tortoise by his shell, and had no pole, it was a very ingenious way of avoiding an act of parliament which, it seemed, must have a pole to make it of effect. However, to leave the pole, if Mr. Peckham could prove that defendant directed, or by words encouraged A B to throw anything, it would be an assault. As there was evidently much else behind this, would it not have been better to have taken another course ? If the case were competent of the proof described, defendant might have been made answerable for a riot, instead of a common assault. _ __ _ _ _ _ Mr. Peckham admitted that if he had been consulted before the summonses had been issued, he should not have recommended proceedings to have been taken in the pre sent form, but as it had been done, he was in a condition to support the charge in the present shape. After the information received by the committee, the Churchwarden waited upon the defendant, as they could not possibly be lieve that he had so far forgotten himself, when he made a direct admission of the act imputed to him, stating that it had been done in a moment of indiscretion and want of reflection.- This admission was followed up by a letter from defendant, repeating it, and acknowledging that he had incited the boys (the choristers at St. Barnabas) to bedaub the boards, and offering to make• any reparation to the person who had carried them. As it was a public offence, and required a public notice, the matter had been brought to this court ; but if the defendant was now wil ling to express his regret publicly,as he had done privately, his (Mr. Pecldiam's) instructions warranted—nay, desired him to retire from this prosecution. The Rev. Defendant said he would most distinctly now repeat his regret. He admitted that it was a most foolish thing for him to have done. Mr. Broderip was happy to see this gentlemanly feeling exhibited in the matter ; but hoped that no more such unseemly things would take place. We understand the defendant gave the complainant E 2 as a recompense for the pelting he had received. THE MAY MEETINGS. NATIONAL SOCIETY.—The annual meeting is fixed for Wednesday, the 31st inst., when the president and vice presidents will nominate a vice-president in the room of Earl Brownlow, deceased. The four committee-men who will go out by rotation for re-election will be C. B. Adder ley, Esq , M.P., William Cotton, Esq., the Rev. Lord John Thynne, and Richard Twining, Esq. CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY.—The annual meeting of this society was held on Tuesday, in Exeter-hall, the Earl of Chichester in the chair. There were also present the Earl of Cavan, Lord liaddo, Lord Benholme, Lord H. Cholmondeley, M.P., the Bishop of Sierra Leone, the Hon. and Rev. S. Waldegrave, Sir T. D. Acland, M.P., Sir R. H. Inglis, Sir E. N. Buxton, M.P., Admiral Hope, General Sir Peregrine Maitland, Bishop Carr, Sir Edward Parry, General Macinnas, the Revs. Dr. Kraff, Canon Stowell, A. Ostertag, S. Barth, D. Marsh, E. Auriol, and T. Nolan ; Mr. J. M. Strachan, Mr. J. Thornton, Mr. C. Moody, &c. The" Chairman, in his opening address, alluded to the present war with Russia. regarding it as a chastisement inflicted upon the nations concerned in con sequence of their misdeeds. Among the sins, he said, which had called down so terrible a calamity was the want of a missionary spirit, and a neglect on the part of Christians to send forth the• Gospel to every creature upon the earth. The result of the war, he hoped, would be to remove many obstacles which now existed to the extension of civilization and Christianity ; and a solemn responsibility rested upon this country to take advantage of whatever openings might arise from the present conflict to sow the seed of Gospel and extend the kingdom of Christ in the world. The Rev. J. Venn then read the annual report, from which it appeared that the amounts received by the society during the.past year had been as follows : General fund, £110,478 1,35. 2d.; fund for disabled mis sionaries, £2,016115. ; China mission, £BO3 2s. ld.; total received in the united kingdom, £113,298 6s. 3d. • local funds, raised and expended in the missions, £10,617 12s. Bd. ; making the gross income for the year, £123,915 18s. 11d., being an increase over that of last year of £2,983 15s. The expenditure, including general, special, and local funds, amounted to £131,783 13s. 11d., being an excess over the income of £7,867 15s. This excess included special grants out orthe balance in hand, in April, 1853. In the year closed the current expenditure had, it was stated, been probably covered by the current income ; but it was believed that the current expenses of the present year would be considerably increased by the enlargement I of the missions : while the balance in hand, exclusive of working capital, was only £3,292. The following were the principal statistics of the society's missions presented in the report :—Number of stations, 118 ; English clergy -men, 103; foreign clergymen, 49; Native and East Indian clergymen, 24 ; European laymen, 30 ; European female teachers, 14; Native catechists, and teachers of all classes, 1,661: attendants on Christian worship in the society's missions throughout the world, estimated at, 107,000; number of communicants, 17,124. The report then dwelt at length on the extension, effected or con templated, of several of the society's most important mis sions ; to the success attending the labours of its agents : the promising character of many of the converts (especially those in the Punjab, the Sikhs, and the Mulvis) • and the probable effects on missionary enterprise of the various movements at present agitating the world. Of the revo lution in China a hopeful, yet anxious, expectation was expressed, it being stated that the insurgent leader kept 400 men constantly employed in printing portions of Gutzlaff's version of the Scriptures, making his soldiers colporteurs, and his officers expounders. The meeting was then addressed by Lord Haddo, Lord Benholme, the the Bishop of Sierra Leone, the Hon. and Rev. S. Walde grave, the Rev. J. F. Fenn, the Rev. Hugh Stowell, the Rev. George Fisk, and other gentlemen. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the proceedings. COLONIAL CHURCH AND SCHOOL SOCIETY. The annual meeting of this society was held on Wednesday, in the Freemasons' Tavern. The Marquis of Cholmon deley occupied the chair. From the report it appeared that the income of the society during the past year I amounted to £12,111 155., which was an increase of £2,940 over the preceding year. The report gave a gratifying account of the labours of the society's agents in our colonies. The Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Sierra Leone moved the adoption of the report, and made a powerful appeal in behalf of the society. The motion was seconded by the Rev. Canon Stowell, of Manchester, and adopted ; and the meeting was subsequently addressed by the Rev. Canon Millar, of Birmingham, the Rev. Messrs. Nolan and Hamilton, and other clergymen. A vote of thanks to the Marquis of Cholmondeley for his conduct in the chair terminated the proceedings. IRISH CHURCH MISSIONS.—The fifth annual meeting of the society was held on Friday, in Exeter-hall, under the presidency of Sir Robert H. Inglis, who was supported by the Marquis of Blandford, the Earl of Clancarty, the Earl of Cavan, the Earl of Mayo, Lord Benholme, Bishop Carr, Sir John Warrender, Sir Peregrine Maitland, the Hon. Somerset Maxwell, Mr. Moody, M.P., and numerous clergymen. From the report it appeared that the society's missionaries in Ireland had been most successful in obtain ing converts from Romanism. Large Protestant congre gations had been formed in localities the population of which, a few years ago, was entirely Romanist; new churches had been consecrated, foundation stones laid for others, and a large number of schools established for the education of the poor in Protestant evangelical principles. A mission house and several training establishments had also been established in Dublin. Thirty-six additional agents had been engaged during the past year, making the total number of persons wholly or partially employed by the society 1,028. The receipts for the year exhibited, as usual, a considerable increase ; the progress of the society's funds from the commencement being as follows : —ln 1849 the income was f.:4,674 ; in 1850, £6,284 ; in 1851, £12,688 ; in 1852, £28,931; and in 1853, £37,182. THE FRIEND OF THE CLERGY SOCIETY. — The fourth anniversary of this society was celebrated on Wednesday, by a dinner at the Hanover-square Rooms. The society, which was established in 1849, has for its objects the pro vision of temporary assistance to necessitous clergymen and their families, and the allowance of pensions to the widows and orphan, unmarried daughters of clergymen. The attendance was numerous, a considerable portion of the assembly being composed of clergymen. The galleries at each end of the room were well filled with ladies, who appeared to take a warm interest in the proceedings. The chair was occupied by Mr. T. W. Booker, M.P., (in the absence of the Marquis of Salisbury), who was supported by the Bishop of Chester, Lieutenant-General De la Motte, &c. The usual loyal toasts having been given, the chair man proposed " The Clergy." The Bishop of Chester, in responding, said, it had been stated that the society inter fered with the operations of a venerable and useful insti tution—the Sons of the Clergy Society. No one felt deeper attachment towards the corporation of the Sons : of . the Clergy than himself, and as bishop, he had often wit nessed the amount of good effected by the society's opera tions, and the delicate and considerate ma nner in which it afforded assistance. No one could entertain a wish but that the approaching anniversary of the Society of the Sons of the Clergy might be an indication of prosperity. In fact, there was ample room for the operations of both societies. The chairman, in proposing " Prosperity to the Friend of the Clergy Charity," stated that the society was established in 1849, and was incorporated by Royal char t ter on the 26 th of J anuar y last, pillo its estozawalcA the society had paid to its pensioners the sum of £2,572 ; to the temporary assistance of 172 clergymen, a sum of £2,070 ; and had also administered permanent relief to 90 widows, by the expenditure of £1,089 ; and to 101 daughters of clergymen, at an expense of £931. He might add that assistance had been temporarily afforded to cler gymen, by way of loans, to the amount of £930. The expenditure of the society since its establishment had been between £7,000 and £B,OOO. After an eulogium upon the objects of the society, the chairman concluded with an appeal to the charitable for support. The appeal was so well responded to that subscriptions to the amount of £5,746 14s. 3d., and 500 new subscribers, were announced by the secretary during the evening. In announcing the amount of subscriptions, the secretary (Mr. Aldrich) observed that a charge had been made that he, as founder of and secretary to the institution, received a commission of from 10 to 15 per cent. upon all subscriptions. He gave the assertion the most unqualified denial. Other toasts having been proposed, the .proceedings were brought to a close shortly before eleven o'clock. ELECTION OF BIRKENHEAD COMMISSIONERS. TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. Six,—As the election draws on, I bear a great deal of talk on board the Woodside steamers about certain com missioners, the chairman amongst the rest, having at tempted in the month of August last to obtain leave to go to Parliament for powers to levy a tax of is. in the pound on all houseowners, in order to pay the interest on the bonded debt, and that they intended to let the land owners go free ; it is also said that the bonded debt was borrowed by the commissioners who were at the time land owners, and that it raised the value of the land in many instances 300 to 400 per cent. in value, whilst the poor houseowners have been suffering ever since, and their property has been depreciated in value considerably. It is further said that the four or five commissioners who strongly advocated this measure have not the misfortune to own one house amongst the lot of them. Can you, Mr. Editor, give me any particulars about this most extraor dinary proceeding. Is it really true ? If it is, the rate. payers ought to bestir themselves, as, whatever taxes may be imposed on houseowners, they are always levies upon the tenants indirectly, in some way another.—Yours, &c., Birkenhead, May 8, 1854. A SHOPKEEPER. [We shall endeavour to answer our correspondent's question next week.] PERSECUTION AT CHESTER. TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL• STANDARD. Sfu,—A few days ago, I came across an old odd volume (minus its title), which contained an extraordinary his torical account of persecutions at Chester, in the year 1657, in the days when the blessed Cromwell protected this country. One Richard Sale, an undaunted reproacher of vice, without respect of persons, lost his life by being shoved into " Little Ease." This place is described to have been a "hole hewed out in a rock—the breadth across, seventeen inches; from the back to the inside of the great door, at the top, seven inches ; at the shoulders, eight inches; at the breast, nine inches and a half ; from the top to the bottom, one yard and a half, with a device to lessen the height, as they are minded to torment the per son put in, by draw-boards, which shoot over the two sides to a yard height, or thereabout."—ln this place they tor mented many of those who were induced, with Christian courage, to reprove- the vices, either of ministers, magis trates, or people. For instance : Ist—" Richard Scostroph, for preaching repentance in the streets, was put in `Little Ease' till next day,. and then, by the Mayor, sent to briciewell." 2nd—" Thomas Tarwood, who, as the Mayor and Aldermen were going to a customary feast, with , music playing before them, dared to remind them wherein real Christianity stood; viz., in true holiness and the fear of the Lord, was sent to ' Little Ease,' and kept there five hours, by which he, being but a weak sickly man, was much bruised and hurt." 3rd—" William Simpson, attempting in Christian• love to exhort the people, after their public preacher had ended his sermon, was first put in the stocks, and afterwards kept in ' Little Ease' nine hours. When, on the next morning, he complained to the Mayor of his cruel usage, he was sent again to the same place, after the sheriff, in the Mayor's presence, had struck him on the face, so that he bled very much." 4th —" Edward Morgan, complaining to the Mayor against a drunken fellow who had grossly abused him, was sent to `Little Ease' for not putting off his hat when he made that ' complaint, and the drunkard went unpunished ; as had also a servant who had robbed his master." sth—" Into this place was the first-named, Richard Sale, put several times, in 1656-57, for three, four, five, and eight hours together. Being corpulent, it required the strength of four men to thrust him in, in doing which, they crushed him till the blood gushed out of his mouth and nose. He survived the last torture but two months, and died im puting his death to the cruelty of his persecutors." My principal object in sending to you the tragical account of this ironically-called " Little Ease," is to draw to it the attention of the Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire, as well as of antiquarians in general, for further particulars of its origin, spot,—historically and chronologically—and what has become of this tormenting place.—Yours, Rinivome.wc. Liverpool, May 6, 1854. ECCLESIASTICAL JAILeLLIGENCE. PREFERMENTS AND APPOINTMENTS. Rev. W. Arthurs, M.A., to Dr. Downe's Lectureship in Waterford Cathedral. Rev. H. J. Barnard, 8.A., to the Prebend of Combe the Fourteenth, Wells. _ _ Rev. A. Barry, 8.A., Sub-Warden of Trinity College, Glen almond, N. 8., to the Head Mastership of Leeds Grammar School. Rev. T. Blair, to the Vicarage of Milbourne St. Andrew, with the Chapelry of Dewlish, near Blandford. Rev..R. P. Blalceney, to the Perpetual Curacy of the new church of Christ Church,. Claughon-cutn.Grange, Bidston, Cheshire. Rev. R. S. Bryan, Rector of Cheldon, at.d of East Worling ton, to be Domestic Chaplain to the Earl of Portsmouth. Rev. Bull, to the Incumbency of the new church at Bus lingthorpe, Leeds. Rev. G. H. Cooke, 8.A., to the Curacy of Tolleshunt Knights, Essex. Rev. A. Cowburn, M.A.,, to the Vicarage of Tidenham. Gloucestershire. Rev. H. A. Dance, to the Curacy of Heyford, Northamp tonshire. Rev. J. Davidson, late Curate of Whitby, Yorkshire, to the Vicarage of Nafferton, in the same county. Rev. H. J. Ellison, Incumbent of Edensor, to be an Hono rary Canon in Lichfield Cathedral. Rev. A. S. Fuller, M.A., to the Curacy of Kilmacrenan, Raphoe. Rev. J. Leatherdale, 8.A.., to the Rectory of Little Plump stead, Norfolk. Rev. G. W. S. Menteath, M.A., to the Rectory of Has combe, Surrey. Rev. E. Morgan, to the Incumbency of Lianychairn, near Aberystwith. Rev. G. 0. S. Pigott, to the Rectory of Kingston Seymour, Somerset. Rev. G. Renaud, M.A., to the Ministry of the new church at Woodhill, in the parish of Bishop's Hatfield, Herts. Rev. T. Richardson, to the Chaplainship of the York Lunatic Asylum. Rev. T. Robson, M.A., Second Master of the Darlington Grammar School, to the Vicarage of Kirkleatham,Yorkshi re. Rev. S. Rolleston, 8.A., Curate of Somerley, Leicestershire. to be Chaplain of the Oakham Union Workhouse. Rev. H. G. Royle, 8.A., Vicar of Islington, Norfolk, to the Curacy of Guestling, near Hastings. Rev. T. B. H. Thompson, M.A., Fellow of Queen's College, Oxford, to the Rectory of Weyhill, Hants. Rev. C. Thornton, M.A., to the Vicarage of North Ranceby, Lincol nshire. Rev. R. Wilton, 8.A., to the Curacy of St. John Micklegate, DIOCESE OF CHESTER. CONSECRATIONS.—Christ Church, Claughton-cum- Grange, in the Parish of Bidston, in the County of Chester.—This church was consecrated by the Bishop of Chester on Monday. It contains sittings for 1139 per sons, of which 295 are entirely free and unappropriated. The patronage has been vested in trustees, under 8 and 9 Victoria, chapter 70 ; and immediately after the consecra tion, the Bishop granted his license for the publication of banns and solemnization of marriages therein, under 6 and 7 William IV., for a particular district specified in the license. St. Chrysostom's Church, Everton.—This new church is to be consecrated by the Bishop of Chester this day, (Tuesday,) the 9th instant, at eleven o'clock. PREFERMENTS. — The Rev. Richard Paul Blakeney has been preferred to the Perpetual Curacy of the newly con secrated Church, called Christ Church, Claughton-cum- Grange, in the Parish of Bidston, Cheshire. Patrons, the Trustees. The Rev. John Edward Blakeney has been licensed to the Stipendiary Curacy of the same Church, on the nomi nation of the Rev. R. P. Blakeney, the Incumbent. The Rev. William De Courcy Ireland has been licensed to the Stipendiary Curacy of Christ Church, Liverpool, on the nomination of the Rev. Fielding Ould, the Incum bent. DIOCESE OF MASCllEgTElL—Preferments: The Bishop of Manchester has licensed the Rev. Theodore Percival Wilson, M.A., to the perpetual curacy of Bardsley, vacant by the resignation of the Rev. James Murray Rawlins, the last incumbent there, on the nomination of the trus tees of the estates devised by Mr. William Hulme, the , patrons. Also the Rev. John Woodhouse to the stipen diary curacy of Goosnargh, near Preston, on the nomina tion of the Rev. Robert Studholme, the incumbent. RightN Ev Rev.B I S 1 I Dr. o W. S i t s m u i a l t - x o . n - Th the e of Tthliezßishop confirmation Elect for the diocese of Salisbury, took place on Thurs da y , in the -metropolitan church of St. Mary-le - Bow. The prayers rector, the court assembled in t he centre aisle, the Vicar and appointed service having been read b y Mr. Venn, the General, Dr. Twigs, presiding on the occasion. The prin cipal Registrar of the province of Canterbury (Mr. F. H. Dyke) then read the Royal conge d'elire to the Dean and Chapter of Salisbury, commanding the election of a bishop to the vacant see. Mr. Shepherd appeared as proctor on behalf of the Dean and Chapter, and exhibited their return of the election of the Rev. Dr. W. K. Hamilton as the bishop of the diocese. Mr. Barber, the apparitor, having made the usual proclamation, calling upon any person who had any objection to make to such appointment, to come forward and state their objections, and no one answering, Mr. Shepherd read the letters patent, and also read and exhibited the usual formulary articles prescribed by the statutes, and prayed their admission and the decree of confirmation. Dr. Hamilton, as Bishop Elect, having taken and subscribed the oaths of allegiance and supre macy, and also the oath for the faithful discharge of his duties as bishop, and the various other formulary pro ceedings having been gone through, the Vicar-General pronounced the final decree of confirmation, and the pro ceedings terminated. The consecration will take place at Lambeth Palace on Sunday next. MAILS.-It has been officially announced, that an ar rangement for the transportation of the mails between the United States and Australia has been made, which embraces the entire ocean postal reform. It fixes the rate of letters between these distaut countries at two cents, or one penny. • TUESDAY, MAY 9, 1854• CHESHIRE AND TV.ILES. -40. % f lier MR. JOHN HOLME has resigned his seat as $ head commissioner. Willi THE BIRKENHEAD COMMISSIONERS illterid p ro pe, a goods manager for the ferry, at a salary 0., annum. - - Pare° WILLIAM JONES, not quite two years old, whosel,7k reside in Love-street, Chester, was poisoned , a , 0 1 1 10 1 ago, by swallowing a quantity of white arsenic, Wu' been placed in the house in order to kill mice. to it/ Giscas ANDRONSI, a _Greek sailor, belonging d ship Telletnaceo, lately arrived from HonduraN,Vols.'• lying in the great float, Birkenhead, was, ". So•3 11* fined £5, or a month's imprisonment, for smugg" - " of A tobacco. . 11 WEDDING, the particulars of which will be and the usual column, took place at Christ Church, Cla a6 ee le' on Tuesday, and being the first marriage c eremosn r r e pr brated in that edifice, the bride and bridegroom iv e ,All s sented by the incumbent, the Rev. Dr. Blakeneb - handsome Bible and Prayer-book. .0 to THE LATE CASE OF ASSAULT.-We are reClaf cow state that James Stephenson, who appeared as . tl ;,: a bc. plainant in the assault case heard before the / 30 ',, t onf magistrates on the 27th ult., was not Dr. J. F. Ste of Hamilton-square, Birkenhead. =ACCIDENT.-On Wednesday night James Ne w :to driver to Mr. Edward Davies, of Birkenhead, ara s ,rjr4; upon his car, when the horse suddenly started nrsevers' ee: ging the driver under the vehicle, by which he bast wit's. in ; of his ribs fractured, besides sustaining other ~atta The animal galloped through Grange-lane, Ivy.st r Chester-street, but was ultimately stopped at W4s u" - u Ferry. 4. CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAILWAY.--The)l•s f°t the week ending 30th April, 1854, was as ib li r (11 1 Passengers, parcels, &c., per railway, £2, 53 9, „o , ott' steam-boats, £332 Is. 7d.; total, £2,862 4s. £1,628 3s. Od.: total, including Carnarvou troth rail, £4,058 6s. Od. ; steam-boat, £332 ls. 7d ,' 14; responding week last year, per rail, £3, 343 per steam-boats, £316 14s. ld. Increase, £73011 go( BIRKENHEAD FERRY RECEIPTS.-At the ni ee ;ide e the Commissioners, on Tuesday, the Ferry COlO,Ol made the following return :-Receipts for April, Is: 1844 :-1853 : £1,897 17s. 11d. ; 1854: £2,5 39 Receipts for the year ending 20th April:-18 53 ' 9s. 7d. ; 1854: £25,212 9s. Expenses for the year.jool„; 24th April, 1854, £24,754 3s. 3d. The C,onnuP to tie confirmed a resolution of the Ferry Committ ee : effect that they should only pay £1,500 to the a t fund, as they had many contingencies to prepare for ; o licr, A MAN ON FIRE.-Late on Wednesday, the ~ora officer close to the dock warehouses at Birkenhead el t' be• cries for assistance, and on going into an engineloaL . longing to Mr. Moxley, he found the engineer, ,thetv, in flames. By the assistance of another pers° l ' '-',),elt`),, was extinguished, but not before the man was very burnt. He was conveyed to the hospital, where of cation a dangerous state. The man was in a state 01 cation when his clothes caught fire.. So' BIRKENHEAD LITERARY AND' P 111L 050V..,,- 3 „ 0 0 , 0 CIETY.-The monthly meeting was held on We'tel b in the Assembly-room ) Hamilton-street, Mr. 1 1 - I, ore vice-president, in the chair. Dr. Maedougal, tae,,ldas dent, read an interesting paper on "Naturatillagic' eda geot trating his subjeet by diagrams. At the- coed thanks were voted to Dr. Macdougal, who ie'' the necessity of an effort being made to procure su .- mechanical apparatus for the society. hoe lb°l lip, BIRKENHEAD FEICRY.-011. Thursday last, - SC S—, incautiously jumped from the• Nun to the Wroodsi.esalea and fell into the water, when a young s eaman, ° s ots' Edward Lamb, who was a passenger on board'. seaman, boat, gallantly plunged in after him, and got ith° llb e little worse for his ducking, which, we trust, withi/ll' warning, to him and others,. who are in the habi t ing ashore before the boats are alongside the sl i t ) ; o ted . ,! Ferry Committee, at their meeting on Friday to t, vo lt: gratuity of two guineas to the young man wb°' sa rescued the boy. Or r CARDIFF.-A large and influential meeting of theiao chants, shipowners, and brokers, of this port, s'r 4s goo° Monday last week, at tbe Bute Dock C,ommercial a (the Mayor in the chair), when a memorial was dra: dist for presentation to the Commissioners of Castolnlisar more officers be appointed, the present staff bein : A os' quate for the large and increasing business 0110pr' here, also that the Custom-house- be removed to 3. ,,fitt convenient, spot, the present one being very m uc'''. from the shipping and offices. -A 31f ; PASSENGER REGULATIONS Air WoonsrnE. Richard Foster summoned one of the BirkenheaTt oar before the magistrates, on Thursday, for all asstV oci lsil ie mitted on Good Friday. The plaintiff was on As vg slip, about to proceed to Liverpool, and on a boat e r.tb e up, before the passengers had landed, he crossed o,ffiiier chain that extends from the top to the-bottom theoS,,,,Eei to divide the passengers, and went on board ;„ on He was followed by the Officer, who first ordered bile He shore, and, on his refusal, took him by the shonl" 0 4 pushed him on shore. The case waskdismissed, theoot being of opinion that the commissioners were erdt o gef s to make any regulations which would prevent Pa th e from crossing the chains and getting-into the w ats way described. annal. ale eti c. _ 0 0 BIRKENHEA 1. AD COMMISSIONERS,-.. e o“ 0 1 for commissioners of Birkenhead will tak„' e a, r a t there first Tuesday in June, and we understan d Laird;t be a sharp contest. The friends of 31r. John the Pr,l l said to be determined to do their best to oustotog trustees of the docks, and a great many rate'l )3 ,i; e , • I supported the " Blues" last year will oppose t . ,, 5 1. year, on the ground, it is reported, that nothing ,P',.„4 rim' ing been done for the good of the township, no tarlPLA'; ing the large promises that were made at the last,e'''' BIRKENHEAD- MODEL YACHT CM:IL-The • 11 145 ii meeting was held on Monday, last week; Esq., was elected. commodore for the present 5e.17,01 £6O voted for prizes. The following " events!' 11 , 1 ; ye ,cs -geedfixed :-17th Jane, Ist yacht race for £2O, fixetits,o; Ist July, Ist yacht race for £lO, per 2. torLboo keels ; 29th July, 2nd yacht race for £lO, Pe r cev tr l fixed keels ; 16th August, 2nd yacht race for 0 04 :g boards. The first class yachts are from 21 T 0 4 ,1" j e and the second class are np to 2 tons only. for: ; 3 models are excluded. Amongst the boats buSw i ' m 'goe club are one of 8. tons by Bishop, Birkenhea d ' i 0 tons by E. C. Hicks, Birkenhead, one of `,•"• 40 34 '01,1) Morrison, of Birkenhead, and one 31 tons b. _, 1 9 . of Greencastle, near Londonderry. The Cna" - -% to e pla Race (2nd September), for a cup value- £5O, the world ; to be won two successive years, b' 3ta es owner. v• w ive NEW SCHOOLS AT WYBUNBITRY.-The (te - ,, to' Margoliouth has published nine sermons 01 1 ,,, f 0te°,,1 , , Repentance," the profits of which are to be ` . 'ehetjolt wards the blinding of a school in Wybunburye i tl , o oo 4 v/ where the rev. gentleman is now located, 10 t orit e with the parish church. The Chester Cooral to y, " The new school and school-house now buitto.blantioe' poor-district of Broad-lane, in the parish of "Id load is are approaching completion, and may be oPe„„,tl,, sell tical purposes in the course of a month. ias'„oor licensed for a Sunday evening service. It is. ,r 7 the the ing to observe the heartfelt delight with vall e , s s tot e people, both young and old, watch the Prcg:i l eirnta" humble structure : the children point to it 8 ' e a 01;4 ) 0 school-a blessing they were hitherto denri v o f Or i orci t _, the parents look upon it as their future plac e _;;;li r'"a•eP of which they were heretofore destitute, the 1 0 'os being some miles from Broad-lane. The sit i e . a re by Mr. J. Madders, of Stapeley, and the fo i l; e sricg raised by congregational collections and vobo,',. th e butions, which will be thankfully received °' e s c ti or the Rev. Mr. Margoliouth." Wet a r „ LISCA.RD PETTY SESSIONS. were held oa Afar but the only case of interest wasa claim for 6 al' o f 00 4 150 by Mr. William Rushton Coulborn, proprietoros Brighton Ferry and landing-stage, and Th e ,. ; risA boatman of new Brighton, against the ori e ,; e eke ss 4 o6 per the schooner " Coromandel " which Wa s ,r o f Ve, l ' . oo lll February. It appeared that in the early PtElt the Coromandel, of Ulverston, sailed for Liverpool, laden with a cargo of wheat, tt,iy go' f ,cis, shipped by different parties. She had scas"„ o °the t v. a tota•s ebr oarp s eP side the bar when she was dismasted, and scar` wree l; ' sb ° so seriously injured that she became of F oie 1%, w itls was deserted by her crew. On the 18th was seen from New Brighton drifting il l to rae . .„o l l She passed the New Brighton stage, but re S the ebb, and fouled with the chains of the nie!;, dtsm sd aco damaging the pier, she was after considern_se a ssis;ig made fast by Mr. Coulborn and Evans, with tl i , s fe e 0' of a number of men. The cargo was got ou t. i' ere ceif t as possible, and given up to Mr. Chapman , va lued the droits. The hull of the Coromandel was ; sa lase,',l s et and Mr. Coulborn obtained from the ownerv_ the rate of 50 per cent., or £2O. The cargo 'elysalvaft;gl.! £2BO, on the which he and Evans now clo•i m ne OA; the same rate. After the case had been tlO O,O Mr. Lawrence, the presiding magistrate, ant!! P e d el* pro per sstr e ' t ,` o , tio t the court considered £95 a fit and to the salvors, these latter to pay the cour t / trs e e' expense of the assessor. REMOVAL OF PAUPERS.-The following_T.ois:atbe fel from a letter by S. T. KekewichsEscl , Board of Guardians, St. Thomas, Devon, sho‘ v sa ys • pi' . of the present system of poor removals. It a r4 o li g . widow, named Norman, appeared before our 01 0 4 day last, with six children (the oldest fifte e t tll 'had n es e ' order for admission to the workhouse. Ssi e „„ of the servant in many families, and the appear - S i ";itsc e " be and children was most clean and resneet able. ye ti /re death of her husband, which took plate 3 few d, 0 0 11 on board ship, she had resided at Birkenheket o _ co v. had supported herself and her children 11 ',L s istn l ',,k dustry in washing and needlework, and the cler i o l e s some charitable neighbours. On accoun,t te a her o dis ° , 4 the sight of her eldest daughter, who ass", o f ta:_alinv e work, she was obliged to apply to the Boar., five sr;+: o tls t at Birkenhead for relief, and she was alloweQ!..;;Ajed,l4oo per week for four months. The oversee! ,tt's',4s.o".tijnios?; magistrates for an order of removal, and e st th at Ord ,a on the parish of Withycombe, in the Au appeal was entered by that parish aga i : o ) t iees: but it was confirmed on the hearing by = an y, th_e ve oc!,`, quarter sessions, at Knutsford. On the t _ t re 05 - 0 the pauper and her children were brou i r_' ..o ' o f zo l u ro r t i ss . from Birkenhead to Withycombe, a d i ' 1 for t hem s tio r l 250 miles, where lodgings were provit e<„ to 01: nights, and on Friday they were hroul ar e n°,, u t o' o l Workhouse. The grounds of the are e l settle vie To l lo s to me, but the woman stated that t „ f her _ e was made on Withycombe in con sequene ° o ; on ty .-0 " oo 0 0 . p having resided there in service about no frierds tion whatever with the parish and - a . she had left her home and furniture t -T ot " ine di.t e er e ot t e co return has the impression that she should s he won. withot although she was much ill want, her di lc Der ago. The woman further stated that she had I t l ie re,., l jef. voured to have struggled tbrougitishe." pile ha hiha tt aid of her charitable neighbours , 'f t nlPa iii U f The 0 removal to a distant part of the en o he exPe ---bose • no interest. With regard to her application for relief would have considerable : 0 tion it must have been very 3 r r! eo f ti t So ginal order ; 2nd. The cost of tbnforsee s to w removal to such a distance ; 4th. Ist 15s. per s_sre. t and 6th. The maintenance, at P_, Ari thye9iPf t to ° foil been f°ll.°o, workhouse, charged to the parrn_..`it'ig, /s ob r P,..1 0 1: 0 ; 0 , 0 these facts for the purpose of nv" Iyhich the Poo. _Des; the operation of a law from . 1. „ to i l PM/ grievous injustice, and the count 4 [4p EI e 511 the i /ne° ! ll rii)servaitlioontioi 41 anci a f hir% t l,ias Itjh so eh nit ye l ' e fTEsit t; ) , 4 , tett co th e 1 . 1 7 tisILLE,