The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-01-29 00:00:00

THE ktbapoot -=,tanbatb+ TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 1856 FROM OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENT. MONDAY MORNING. Tits Court continues at Windsor, where HER MAJESTY has, daring the past week, been receiving a series of distinguished visitors, among whom has been her illustrious kinsman, the Duke- of CAMBRIDGE, on his return from assisting at the War Council at Paris. The COUNT of FLANDERS has taken his departure from this country, having embarked at Dover for Ostend on Monday evening. The visit of this young Prince to the British Court still furnishes food for the gossip mongers; and many profess, by the process of putting this and that together, to make out a fair and conclusive matri monial issue to the recent visit. Another priceless piece of twaddle has formed the staple of another Court story: it has been to the effect " that in the exercise of her Royal Prero gative HER MAJESTY has likewise assumed the office of censor of the press," the story being that the Hon. Miss MURRAY, one of HER MAJESTY'S ladies in waiting, having during her sojourn in America collected materials to write a book de tailing her experiences in different portions of that land, — that she wrote the book and requested permission to dedicate it to the QUEEN—that her Royal Mistress, like a prudent woman, requested to be furnished with a perusal of the proof sheets, in order to satisfy herself that everything was comme it faut before granting the desired favour—and that on reading the unhappy lady's proof sheets HER MAJESTY'S sharp eye detected the expression of sentiments on the subject of negro slavery at variance with the canons issued in respect to this social blot from Stafford House. This silly rumour, which has been extensively printed and circulated, adds, that Hsa MAJESTY expressed dissatisfaction with Miss MURRAY'S declared opinion that slavery may be "a means designed by Providence for the making of some good Christian men and women ;" and signified that, if she persisted in the publication of such an opinion, not only must she dedicate her book to some less scrupulous patron, but that she must also dedicate her personal services to some other duty than directing them to her Royal Mistress ! This singular rumour could be traced so far as the New York Inquirer, but there inves tigation, for a time at least, ended, or ceased to be attended with any result if pushed further. The book has been pub lished without any dedication to the QUEEN, and its accom plished authoress has ceased to be a lady-in-waiting on HER MAJESTY. It turns out, however, that the dedication and the proof-sheet reading are entirely matters of romance. In the course of her travels, Miss MURRAY discovered that, as has been said of a certain unnameable personage, slavery 'in the United States may be " painted blacker" than the truth would warrant ; and farther, that the Stafford-house mani festoes had been drawn up on the inspection of only one side of the subject. The change in her views, caused by personal observation, Miss MURRAY communicated to her august mistress in a letter, to which the QUEEN replied, communi cating in turn some wholesome advice as to the unsuitable ness of such themes for female discussion under most circum stances; still further pointing out the impropriety of one of the royal household interfering with a subject which was of so grave a nature, and which formed so formidable an element of discord among the Americans themselves. Unluckily, the letter from the QUEEN missed its object till it was too late for Miis 'MURRAY to profit by the suggestions it contained. As already stated, the book has been published, and Miss MURRAY has been superseded in the arrangement of the royal household, but under circumstances very different from those stated by the Inquirer. On Friday evening another dramatic entertainment took place at Windsor Castle, on which occasion SEA KSPERE'S five act play, " The Merchant of Venice," was performed ; the arduous character of Portia being sustained by Mrs. CHARLES KEAN with her customary tact and delicacy of perception. HER MAJESTY is confidently expected to open Parliament in person on Thursday; and already the metropolis begins to fill with members of the aristocracy, several of whom have arrived in town for the season, and many more are expected in the course of this day and to-morrow. Apropos of the meeting of Parliament, preparations are on foot for a vigorous parliamentary campaign, both sides pro fessing confidence in carrying out their respective arrange ments. Disguise the matter as they may, however, both sec tions of the opposition seem tacitly to admit that Lord PAL MERSTON will open the session under an unusually high pres tige. The rumoured willingness of the Russian autocrat to concede terms which he previously treated with scorn, is, doubtless, something of a very different complexion to place before the country, compared with the miserable and heart rending narratives of sorrow and suffering with which Minis ters had to meet Parliament at the opening of last session. Lord PALM] RSTQN has issued the usual ministerial circular, calling on his supporters to meet him on the 31st, when Par liament assembles, as business of importance will be brought under their consideration. The address in answer to the Royal Speech will be moved in the House of Peers by the Earl of GOSFORD, and seconded by the Earl of ABINGDON ; in the Commons, the Hon. G. H C. Brica,M.P. for Tavistock, willmove, and Mr. E.BAXTER, M.P. for Montrose, will second the address. Of course, the success of the Allied arms in the Crimea, and the consequent agreement of Russia to the terms on which to negotiate a peace, will form the leading topics of the Royal communication, and, pleasing though both are in contempla tion, it is more than probable that they will form prolific sources of adverse comment. The people of Great Britain are not by any means settled in their minds as to the propriety of our vaunting those successes,and they are a good deal mystified as to the benefits which will arise from the other operation. Sagec on s titutional authorities maintain th at, wh atev er honours have been reaped in the Crimea, the British have but a sorry share of those reaped in the last campaign. The disastrous and ill-supported assault upon the Redan, in that great conflict which led to the immediate evacuation of Sebastopol, these parties insist have thrown a tarnish over the lustre of our other achievements, and they maintain that in active warfare the glory of the combatants dates only from the latest victory. Some such feeling appears unhappily to pervade the French people as well as the British ; and, to render matters still more dangerously unpleasant, feelings of estrangement, if not of jealousy and dislike, have made unmistakeable appearance in both the armies. In the camps before Sebastopol contentions more serious than snowballing, and an interchange of some thing different from the hospitalities which served to mitigate the severities of last winter's storms and privations, is to be met with now in the intercourse between the two armies. The inimical feeling, it is said, is by no means confined to the rank and file of either army, but to be largely parti cipated in by the regimental officers on both sides. This tendency to dispute is said to test severely the authority of those in higher command, and to be a subject of anxious consideration to the authorities on both sides. Unfoitn nately, also, the Crimea is not the only ground on which this reciprocity of bad feeling seems to have taken root. At Constantinople, where there is greater laxity of discipline than in the camp, an arm of the sea interposed hardly suffices to maintain the peace. A letter from that city, dated the 9th instant, communicates the unwelcome news in reference to the performances at a French theatre, that " a slight disturbance in Pera threatens unpleasantness between the French and English officers; and that the commandant at Scutari has issued an order for no officers to quit that place for Pera with out:permission." _ An unaccountable rumour is likewise preva- lent that, at the late war-council, high words were exchanged between the Duke of CAMBRIDGE and Prince NAPOLEON, relative to the " Restoration of Poland ;" while, worse than all, a whisper is current that the French plenipotentiary in the approaching Peace Congress is to be M. DE MoRNY, whose anti-British feelings are notorious. Such rumours and scraps of gossip are in themselves of little moment ; yet few will deny that so numerous a list of unfriendly indications constitutes no unreasonable cause for uneasiness. The uneasiness so occasioned be comes doubly disagreeable w h e n comparison . n made as to the losses and gains which each of the contending parties has come by in the struggle. Viewed in this light, it must at once appear that the French have gained greatly, and in many ways. Before the outbreak of the war, they, from whatever cause, were held in small esteem among the Orientals. Since then they have made themselves seen and felt powerfully in the East ; their legions and their prowess are now themes of conversation and applause in courts and among people where heretofore they were but little known and less respected. They have gained immensely in prestige. They have appeared to grapple with and crush the power of Russia, which was previously thought by those semi-barbarians to be invincible. How, on the other hand, has Britain ap peared in the eyes of the same scrutineers ? They seem responsible for many reverses of fortune which they did not and must, be held accountable for several which they could have prevented. They have neither courted nor received sympathy from the Circassians, whose aid would have been invaluable in preventing the successes of the Russian cam paign in Asia. The British are widely charged with having permitted the fall of Kars, which they might have prevented. The Russian successes in Asia have enabled that Cabinet to back up its intrigues in Persia, which has taken possession of Herat, and so contumeliously treated the British envoy at Teheran, as to cause his departure from that country. Consideration of these important facts leads to another and scarcely less uncomfortable view of the present aspect of affairs. Grave reasons exist for believing that, in the event of Russia actually accepting such terms of peace as may be at present imposed on her, she will use her utmost endeavours, aided by her neutral allies, to cause a rupture of the present good understanding between the French and British govern ments ; and although for the present relinquishing her hold on the south-eastern portions of Europe, she will follow up her insidious aggressions in Asia, rendering each new acqui. sition a stepping-stone in her advance upon our Indian Em pire. These are matters which are deeply involved in the negotiations now pending ; and without doubt they will also engage the early and earnest attention of the legislature. Upon them the fate, not only of the ministry, but a large share of the national interest will inevitably turn. If Lord PALMERSTON will adopt a policy at once vigorous and wise, and pursue it steadily and with prudence, he will secure, as he will deserve, the support of all real states men and true patriots. If not, his tenure of 3ffice will be brief, and beset with thorns. The policy of peace, under present circumstances, is encumbered with more difficulties to a British minister than he would encounter in pursuing the war. With the immense preparations for another campaign, which we have now all but matured, a man of tact and prudence, combined with a clear mental vision and firmness of purpose, is in a condition to negociate successfully ; but to do so he must be watchful of every form in which Russian intrigue can present itself or operate. The wisdom of France and Britain must be employed to cement their hearty and unalterable union. The two nations united can secure the peace of Europe ; if they are disunited, the power of Russia will dominate the world. The danger to this union arises chiefly through another combination. An un grateful Orleanist faction in France, upon whom so much court favour has been and still is lavished by Britain, com bines with Russia, and seconds her endeavours to sow dis sensions between the two countries. " The peace of 1856," says the Debate, " in order that it may not falsify our expecta tion, must have its basis on the alliance between France and England. It is that alliance which led the war to a success ful issue. In that alliance, also, must peace find its force and efficiency. Weaken the union between these powers, and the peace of 1856 becomes nothing but a skilful calculation of Russia for subverting, by peace, the harmony which she could not disturb by war." These are the manly sentiments which ought to actuate and cement the union between two great and gallant nations. To uphold them as the measure of general feeling ought to be the business of those who rule in each of them. Imminent as the meeting of Parliament is, it would appear that the plans of that heterogenous body which boasts Mr. GLADSTONE as a head ; Messrs. BRIGHT and COBDEN as the right and left hands; Sir JAMES GRAHAM, Mr. SIDNEY HERBERT, and the remainder of the Peelite faction as a body ; and the general parings and scrapings of the Whig rump as lower limbs, aided by Lord JOHN RUSSELL, as a crutch, has not as yet settled upon any definite plan of policy by which to assail the Government, and distract the attention of the country. The rumoured willingness of Russia to concede the demands of the Allies, if it prove correct, and peace fol low the pending conference, the ground on which these gentle men meant to construct their opposition and their demand for "peace at any price," is cut from under their feet ; and they are greatly disconcerted. In the meantime, Lord JOHN RUSSELL, entirely powerless for good, is nevertheless gifted with many elements of mischief, any or all of which he is willing to use. He is standing somewhat aloof from, and no little at enmity with the opposition which he props, but is busy hatching schemes for the dismemberment of all parties, to af ford himself the chance of once more becoming a leader in that career in which he has committed political suicide. He is, it is affirmed, deep in the construction of a new reform bill, which missile, when fired off, will unquestionably create dis sension and scatter dismay among the ministerial ranks, em bracing, as it is said to do, a project for the social and political revolution of Tiverton itself. Whether he will explode this " infernal machine" during the coming session or not, will de pend on circumstances. Several alterations in the composition of the House of Commons must take place immediately on its re-assembling, as several have already occurred, and on the re sult of these his Lordship's tactics will, no doubt, in a great degree be formed. The retirement of Mr. MACAULAY from the House places the chance of one card in his Lordship's hands. MACAULAY has been an idle Whig, one on whom, if active, Lord Jonx RUSSELL could have calculated as a coad jutor; as it was, he has been a mere stop-gap. The Whig ridden capital of Scotland has now the opportunity of choice as to whether it will play into Lord JOHN'S hands, support the present administration, or, by returning to the exercise of sober judgment, elect an independent representative who will look to the constitutional safety of the state. Two candidates are already named for "auld Reekie," the one, Mr.ADAM BLACK, publisher of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, a respectable tradesman, and an uncompromising Whig. He, it is expected, will have the aid of the Whig clique, and of the Dissenters generally ; and he, in return will, it is understood, support the anything arian educational projects, and the infallibility of Whiggism with the supremacy of Little Join/. The other is Sir WILLIAM JOHNSTON, of Kirkhill, a demi-lune among the Freekirk batteries, who, from his sectarian affinities with the head of the war department ; his fraternization with the church polity of the Postmaster-General, and on these points following zealously in the lead of the Lord Advocate, may be safely presumed as favourable to the existing occupants of Downing-street. Both these gentlemen occupy the position of second-class publishers in the Scottish metropolis; both are understood to have been attentive to their private busi ness, and each has been chief magistrate of the city of which both of them are natives. Each of them, of course, has a host of friends, and one of them at least, if not both, has un bounded confidence in himself; but among the better edu cated classes of that intellectual city, neither of them is looked on as in any degree entitled to the honour of being its repre sentative ; and but for the energetic and untiring pragma ticism of a few busy-body underlings, and the apathy of those who know better, and who ought to lead, neither of them would have been thought of as candidates. If both stand, the opportunity for a Conservative will be a rare and tempting one. Nearer home, and more immediately connected with our selves, the present vacancy for the University of Cambridge, occasioned by the death of the Right Hon. HENRYGOITLBOURN, (Sir ROBERT PEEL'S Chancellor of the Exchequer), occasions much speculation among political and literary circles. Ani -1 mated by sincere admiration for his sound political principles, I his eminent legal qualifications, and his eminence as a dis tinguished alumnui of the University ofCambridge, a large body of the electors have joined in soliciting Mr. WALPOLE to become a candidate, which he has consented to do. In reference to his senatorial and statesman-like qualifications, it may be enough to state that, as Secretary of State for the Home Department under the Earl of DERBY'S Administration, he was mainly instrumental in passing that Militia Bill which, with slight modifications, has since proved so valuable'a means of recruit ing our army under the pressure of late difficulties, and with out which the honour of the country, as well as the prestige of its military character, must have suffered severely, if they had not been entirely ruined. As an attentive Member of Parliament, an able lawyer, and an accomplished gentleman, Mr. WALPOLE is well known ; and all these circumstances combine, in an eminent degree, to fit him for the high honour of representing the University of Cambridge; and every lover of his country, and all who venerate her educational institutions, must rejoice to learn that the probabilities of his success are great. His election for Cambridge would occasion a vacancy for Midhurst, which he at present represents, and for this Borough every Conservative must rejoice to know that Mr. SAMUEL WARREN, Q.C., Recorder for Hull, has come forward as a candidate, with very cheering prospects of succeeding. The election of Mr. WARREN would be an especial benefit to the country and an honour to the electors of Midhurst. He is well known as a sound practical lawyer —as deeply read and familiar with the constitutional law—as a consistent Christian politician—and as one whose literary renown is spread abroad the world. High as is his reputation in the general walks of literature, and deservedly as his works in that department are admired, it is not on them alone, or even chiefly, that his claims to senatorial honours rest. These, in addition to his forensic attainments, will be found, in a great degree, built on the able elementary and other works which he has written on the theory and practice of. British law; and in a particular man• ner, on the valuable abridgment which he has recently given to the world of " Blackstone's Commentaries," concerning which an able and eminent critic says—" Like every work that has proceeded from the pen of its accomplished author, the basis of its teaching is Christianity, which Mr. WARREN ever treats in the spirit of the dictum of Sir MATTHEW HALE, as part and parcel of the law of the land." At a period like the present, when latitudinarianism is so virulent in its attacks upon all the Christian institutions of the state, the presence of such men as Mr. WARREN in Parliament must be pre-eminently useful, and the probabilities of his election are, therefore, looked forward to with much interest and anxiety by a large portion of his countrymen. THE Crystal Palace Company have entered into an engage ment with the Canadian Commissioners at the Paris Exhibi tion, by which one of the departments in the palace has been this pur given for the purpose of an exhibition of the p ro d uce and ma nufactures of Canada. It is understood that th e C anadian Parliament will vote a sum of about £ 5 , 00 0 to car r y pose into effect, as also an annual grant for keeping it in ord er , and supplying it with new objects of interest and attraction. THE TWEED.—Perhaps never in the memory of man has there been a greater show of salmon iu the streams than there has been in the Tweed and her principal tributaries during the last ten days. Every stream between Coldstream and Tweedsmuir has been swarming with spawning fish. At New Mills, on the Whitadder, immense number of sea-trouts have congregated there, in consequence .of the high cold obstructing their progress up the stream. They have literally not bad room to deposit their spawn, which will in a great measure be lost in the river, in consequence a the redds being repeatedly turned over by other ash, THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. THE ROYAL 1!1 AIL STEA.X-SHIP PERSIA. Tins magnificent new steam-ship sailed on Saturday for New York, under the command of Capt. Judkins, commodore of the celebrated Cunard fleet. Although the present is a period of the year at which the passenger traffic between Great Britain and America is at the lowest point, the Persia started with seventy passengers, the greater portion of whom were first-class. She also carried out the usual mails, and a large and valuable cargo. The very fine lines and stately appearance of this noble vessel, combined with her great steam power, have induced much speculation as to the probabilities Of her performance, expectation running very high as to the great speed and the comfort to the passengers which her very efficient finding and power will afford, many parties well qualified to form a judgment on such matters maintaining that she will complete the voyage from Liverpool to New York within the short period of seven days. Oh Wednesday, the Persia, having been completed with the additional fittings which were not supplied by her builders, Messrs. Robert Napier and Sons, of Glasgow, was hauled out of dock, and taken to her moorings in the Slpyne. A select party of gentlemen connected with the various public depart ments of Liverpool had been invited by Messrs. D. and C. Mac Iver, managers for the Cunard Company, in this town, to witness her departure from the Huskisson Dock; and for those gentlemen a tasteful and bounteous luncheon was prepared on board. The gentlemen invited included his Worship the Mayor, (John Stewart, Esq.) and the magistrates of Liverpool ; the commander of forces for the district, and for Liverpool; the members of Parliament for the county and the borough ; the chairman and members of the Dock Committee; the chairman of the Pilots' Committee ; the chairman of the Underwriters' Association; the American, French, Sardinian, and Turkish Consuls ; Commander Bevis, R.N., Admiralty Agent ; Captain Schomberg, R.N., Government Emigration Agent ; C. B. Ban ning, Esq., Postmaster f or Li ver p oo l ; th e Collector and Con troller of the Customs; and several others, heads of commer cial associations connected with the port. The parties invited having been comfortably embarked, pre cisely at eleven o'clock the hawsers were thrown off, and the magnificent ship was hauled out of dock. From her great weight and length, much caution was required, and altogether this was an operation of some difficulty, and it occupied nearly an hour from the commencement of the proceedings to the period when, completely emancipated from the intricacies of the dock, she got fairly into the river. She immediately pro ceeded to her moorings in the Sloyne, where she remained till the time of her departure for New York, on Saturday, about noon. Immediately on the vessel reaching her moorings, the com pany adjourned to the main saloon, an apartment of great elegance and substantial beauty. It is 60 feet long, 20 feet wide, and 8 feet high in the ceiling, affording ample accom modation to dine 170 individuals. The whole length of the noble cabin is panelled, the framing being of bird's-eye maple, beautifully varnished and polished, and ornamented with twisted pillars. The panels are filled in with artistically executed vases and baskets of flowers, painted in distemper on a pale and cool stone-coloured ground, which displays the delicate and warm tints of the floral groups with fine effect, and conduces greatly to the airy and elegant appearance of the saloon; this being still further enhanced by the elaborate but not profuse introduction of gold mouldings and ornaments in the ceiling, and other portions of the fittings. The seats are covered with rich crimson velvet, and the window curtains are crimson satin damask, edged with gold. The fore, or midship end of the saloon, is fitted up with large and beautiful mirrors ; the after end being devoted to a handsome book case well filled with a select collection of books : in the centre of the bookcase are folding doors, which open into the smoke room. The skylight is filled with stained glass of simple and unobtrusive design, the chief features of which are two oval pictures containing representations of Persians, one male the other female. These, like the other pictorial devices which ornament the saloon and the other cabins, are artistically pure in their taste, aiming at truth and elegance rather than great power and effect ; similar characteristics of design prevailing throughout the whole of the internal arrangements of the ship, in which every effort has been devoted to secure comfort combined with elegance. On the occasion referred to the saloon presented a gay and animating appearance, being occupied by about eighty gentle. men. The chair, in the absence of Mr. Charles Maclver, was occupied by Mr. Donald Currie, who was supported on the right and left by W. Brown, Esq., M.P., and F ranc i s Sh an d , E sq., deputy-chairman of the Dock Committee; Captain Judkins acting as vice-president. After partaking of the dejeuner, numerous toasts appropriate to the occasion were proposed by the chairman, vice-chairman, and other gentlemen, and duly honoured by the company. Among these were, of course, the " Queen," and the other loyal and constitutional toasts. In returning thanks for the " Navy," Captain Schomberg made happy allusion to the great service rendered to the govern ment and the country during the present war by the mercan tile steam marine, conspicuous in which service the noble steamers of the Cunard fleet had been prominent. In responding to the toast of " The Dock Committee," Mr. F. Shand, as deputy-chairman, said the Dock Committee were at all times desirous of doing the utmost that lay in their power to forward the interests and provide for the wants of the shipping interests of the port. No parties connected with those interests were more straightforward and intelligible in stating their requirements, which he admitted to be great, or more liberal, candid, and decided in meeting the Dock Com mittee in reference to those requirements than the owners of this beautiful vessel. Indeed, he felt justified in saying, that no small share of the enterprise in Liverpool was prompted by the sagacity and wisdom of the Cunard Com pany, and by the energy and perseverance of Mr. Maclver, their Liverpool manager. These remarks by Mr. Shand were received with loud cheers by the company. To the toast of " Success to the Collins' Line, as Com petitors on the Atlantic," Mr. Brown, M.P., the Liverpool agent for the Messrs. Collins, said his own conviction had long been that iron ships were superior to wooden ones; and he was glad to find that his intelligent and enterprising friends of the Cunard Company had come over to that opinion, and had constructed the noble specimen of marine architecture in which the gentlemen present were now assembled, of iron. In conclusion, he proposed " The health of Mr. Maclver, and that of his family." The toast was drunk with great enthusiasm; as were also those of the Hon. Mr. Cunard, of the Messrs. Burns, of Glasgow, and of the Messrs. Napier, of the same city. In returning thanks for his health, which had been proposed in highly eulogistic terms by Mr. Harold Littledale, Captain Judkins remarked that, as allusion had been made to the expected speed of this noble vessel, he should make no farther comment on that topic beyond saying that he should endeavour to lose no time ; but he certainly considered that safety was an element of higher consequence than even speed; and he should endeavour as far as possible to combine them, giving, however, a decided preference to safety. Several other toasts followed, and, after spending an hour or two of unalloyed pleasure, the company embarked on board the tender Satellite, and were conveyed to the landing-stage, where they disembarked. SABBATH DEFENCE MEETING. ON Tuesday last, a Sabbath Defence meeting was held in St. George's-hall, which was completely filled on the occasion by a highly respectable and enthusiastic assemblage of both sexes, and of nearly all ranks in life. The chair was occupied by T. B. Horsfall, Esq., M.P.; and the following gentlemen were also present :—Revs. S. B. Sutton, D. T. Barry, T. Daw son, J. Gilmore, H. J. Garrod, Wm. Hurt, Vaughan, B. S. Clarke, G. C. Harvard, W. A. Mocatta, D. Joseph, H. T. Heckar, Webb, Dr. Hillcoat, John Roberts, J. B. Lowe, John Hughes, T. C. Cowan, A. Knox, D. Anderson, Thomas Sleigh, Josiah Pearson, L. Thomas, D. Price, James Mann, D. J. Hirsch, J. Gibson, E. Williams, T. 0. Powell, Walter Smith, R. D. Fowell, W. T. Newenham, H. Marlen, W. M• Falloon, H. Chettle, T. Robinson, Thos. Jones, J. J. Moss' Dr. Blaheney, F. A. Power, S. Fenton, R. H. Lundie, Hellmuth, R. Vincent Sheldon, W. Jones, J. Nicholas, J . Herbert Jones, Joseph Bardsley, W. Rawson, C. W. Lawrence, H. Carpenter, John Kelly, F. M. Harke, C. J. Hamilton, W. Woods, V. M. White, H. M'Neile, D.D., S. Minton ; and J. H. Johnson, Charles Inman, William Crossfield, J. K. Roun thwaite, Wm. Cleaver, Josiah Jones, Wm. Jones, David Hodg son, Edward Jones, David Rowland, John Reed, Hugh Donald. son, George J. Duncan, Joseph Robinson, Edmund Buckley, Thomas Haigh, Joseph Leather, Wm. Brown, Win. Jones (Fulwood), Samuel Holme, Owen Williams, Statham, F. A. Clint, John Eden, William Gregson, J, A. Tobin, James Montgomery, Herbert Campbell, John Campbell, Anthony Jones, Royston F. Boultbee, T. D. Anderson, Thos. Dent, Thomas Ball, J. B. Williams, J. R. Jeffery, John Crone, Robert Williams, John Brownbill, William Ackers, John Roberts, Wm. Williams, John Atkinson, and Thomas Kaye,, Esqrs. Precisely at twelve o'clock, the hour fixed for the meeting, the chairman, accompanied by the members of the committee s made his appearance on the platform, and was greeted with loud cheers. After prayer by the Rev. C. M. BIREELL, The CHAIRMAN addressed the meeting, explaining that the circumstances out of which it had been called arose from the attempts recently made by members of the legislature to legalize the opening of places of amusement and resort on Sunday, and out of an endeavour made by Lord Grosvenor to pass into an act a bill for the " better regulation of Sunday trading." The principle of this bill he, the Chairman, said was wholly at variance with the law of the land, alit proposed to regulate that which the law condemned as entirely at va riance with its provisions, which condemned all tradinc , on Sunday as illegal. The whole principle of mrkiutaining a'holy Sabbath was assailed in that bill, and he felt he was cnly per forming a conscientious act of duty 'in opposing that bill, which he accordingly did. (Great cheers.) In allusion to the recent riotings in London on the Sunday, ite observed that the object of the bill to which he had alluded was ostensibly to correct the evils out of which those gatherings had arisen, and the scandals to which they had given birth. If traffic was to be regulated on the Sunday, it recognized the propriety of such traffic, and must give rise to serious consequences. He be lieved it would be injurious, because it would interfere with and trench upon the sacred character of the Sabbath. In con clusion, he said he hoped that the movement now made in Liverpool would meet with synvathy and imitation throughout the length and breadth of the , land, till it had been made plain that whatever other nations may do, the people of England still love,and are determined to maintain inviolate, the sanctity of the Sabbath-day. (Great cheering.) The Rev. Dr. 31`NEILE, in a long and eloquent address, moved the adoption of the first resolution, which was as fol lows :—" That this meeting regards the Sabbath as an ordi nance essentially divine. It believes that it was given by God to man, immediately on his creation, as a day both of religious observance and of physical rest; that, having meantime ob tained a distinct recognition, it was solemnly re-enacted in the publication of the moral law ; that its sanctification was con tinually pleaded for, its profanation continually rebuked by the voice of the prophets ; that it was redeemed from tradi tional corruption by Christ himself, who, being the great founder of the Christian church, did not hesitate to proclaim himself `Lord of the Sabbath;' and that, accordingly, it was presently transferred by the inspired apostles to the first day of the week, when it became thenceforth especially ' the Lord's day,' being the day of his resurrection." Joni.; CROPPER, Esq., J. 1., seconded the motion, which was supported by the Rev. A. Knox, of Birkenhead, and unanimously adopted. The Rev. F. A. WEST, after a long address, moved the adoption of the following resolution :—"That this meeting solemnly believes that the Sabbath is essentially desecrated, whether by its open profanation in evil works on the one hand, or by its simple secularization, as a day of mere amusement or of worldly business, on the other. It sees, therefore, with pro found sorrow, the licensed opening of public-houses on th e Sabbath, for the sale of intoxicating liquor, to the great and acknowledged demoralization of the people; and it regards with the utmost apprehension the existing or proposed provi sions for their so-called amusement, whether by music in the public parks, or by opening museums, exhibitions, or other like places." The Rev. J. S. BAIDSLEY seconded the motion in a long statistical speech, in which he gave ample illustration of the evil effects arising from the very general sale of intoxicating liquors, particularly . on Sunday. The motion was unani mously adopted. The Rev. V. M. WHITE proposed the adoption of the third resolution, viz. :—" That while this meeting is thus persuaded that the religious observance of the Sabbath is of universal obligation, it entertains an especial sympathy with the work ing classes of the community in this matter. It is sure that the Sabbath cannot long be maintained as a day of rest from labour, if it should cease to be recognised as a day set apart for the service of the Almighty ; and that it must, sooner or later, be encroached upon by the competitions of commerce, and the greed of gain, when once it is believed that man's time is his own upon the Sabbath, to do his own ways, and seek his own pleasure, on that holy day. It deeply feels, moreover, that the working classes, engaged as they are for six days in almost unremitting toil, stand most of all in need of the sign of the Sabbath as God's remembrancer to their souls, and of all the blessed privileges in which it abounds to them and to their children; and it cannot but fear that if the Lord's day ever become a common day among them, the interests of religion and morality will surely suffer propor tionately, nor will the Divine authority of the other nine commandments of the law be acknowledged, when that of the fourth is openly set aside; and it hereby adopts the following petition, and requests the chairman to sign it on behalf of the meeting." In addition to this resolution, the rev. gentleman also moved the adoption of a petition to both Houses of Parliament, em bodying the spirit of the resolutions. In a long and eloquent address, the rev. speaker proposed that, instead of the permis sion to trade on Sunday being legalised, the proper mode of securing the healthful recreation of the working classes was to secure a half holiday each Saturday. The Rev. Jolts HUGHES seconded the motion, which was unanimously agreed to. JOHN CAMPBELL, Esq., moved, and C. BUSHELL, Esq., se conded, a vote of thanks, which was carried amidst loud and enthusiastic cheering. The CHAIRMAN briefly returned thanks, and the meeting separated. It was intended to hold a second meeting, at the Concert hall, but this intention was renounced, in consequence of the limited attendance at that building. ECCLESIASTICAL INTELLIGENCE. PREFERMENTS AND APPOINTMENTS. Rev. C. Baring, M.A., one of Her Majesty's Chaplains, to the Rectory of Litupsfield, near Godstone. Rev. W. A. Bartlett, 8.A., to the Assistant-Curacy of Wyke, Hants. Rev. C. W. M. Bartholomew, M.A., to the Curacy of St. Mark's Church, North Audley-street, London. Rev. W. F. Bickmore, ALA., to the Vicarage of Kenilworth, Warwickshire. Rev. D. B. Binney, 8.A., to the Curacy of St. Mark's Church, Gloucester. Rev. T. H. Braim, D.D., Incumbent of Belfast, to the Arch deaconry of Portland, in the diocese of Melbourne. Rev. M. Brock, M.A., to the Incumbency of Christ Church, Clifton. Rev. H. W. Brooks, M.A., to the Incumbency of St. Stephe n ' s Church, Westbourne-park, Paddington. Rev. W. H. Brookfield, 13. D., one of Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools, to be Minister of Berkeley Chapel, Berkeley-square, London. Rev. C. Bull, 8.A., to the Curacy of St. Michael's, Burleigh street, Strand, London, Rev. R. M'D. Caunter, LLB., to the Curacy of Hanwell, near Banbury. Rev. sir N. Chinnery, Bart., M.A., to be Assistant-Minister of Trinity Chapel, Conduit-street, London. Rev. R, P. Cornish, 8.A., to the Incumbency of Ivy-bridge, Devon. Rev. 3, Ellis, M.A., (late of Marlborough College), to the Head Mastership of the Cathedral Grammar-school, Salisbury. Rev. C. T. Erskine, M.A., Fellow of University College, Dur ham, formerly Incumbent of Stonehaven, to the Stipendiary Cdracy of Thelbridge,. Devon. Rev. W. E. Evans, M.A., to the Perpetual Curacy of Skelbroeke, near Pontefract. Rev. R. Farquharson, to the Rectory of Long Langton, near Blandford. Rev. N. A. Garland, M.A., to , the Perpetual Curacy of St. Mat-- thew, Brixton, Rev. A. Gilbert, 8.A., to the Vicarage of Benham, near Holt Norfolk. , Rev. J. Griffith. M.A., to the Rectory of Neath, with the Per petual Curacy of Llantwit. Glamorganshire. Rev. H. C. Glanville, M.A., to the Rectory of Sheviocke, near Devonport. Rev. J. Hall, M.A., to the Donative Curacy of Edensor, near Derby. Rev. W. G. Holmes, 8.A., to the Vicarage of Little Hampton,. Sussex. Rev. M. Hopkino,.Curate of Queenstown, to the Incumbency of Ba Ilycotton. Rev. F. Hopkinson 8.A., to the Curacy of Christ Church, Paddington. Rev. E. G. Hunt, M.A.,. to be Chaplain Ptieat at the Parish Church of Ottery St.. Mary,. Devon. Rev. J. D. M‘Gachen, M.A., to the Curacy of Selby, Yorkshire. Rev. W. W. Mills, BiA., to the Curacy of St. Thomas's, Liberty of the Rolls, Chancery-lane, London. Rev. G. Pearson, Mi.1. 2 .t0 the Vicarage-of Combe, Hants. Rev. W. A. Robinson, late of Kensington, Chapel, Bath, to be Officiating Chaplain to , the Horse Artillery attachectto the Osmanli Irregular Cavalry. Rev. G. T. Sharland, to the Vicarage of We,- Devon. Rev. P. A. Singer, to. be Chaplain to the- Right Hon.. the Lord Bishop of Meath. Rev:W. Smith, 8.A.,- to the Curacy of Caterham, Surrey. Rev. J. H. Thompson,. to the Incumbency of Cradley, near Stourbridge. Rev. J. P. Waldo, 13.1., to , the Incumbency of Woburn Episco pal Chapel, Tavistock-aquare, London. Rev. W. Walton, to the-Incumbency of Aelacton, near Long Stratton. Rev. J. R. Watson, Lecturer of Clapham, to• be Minister of Percy Chapel, St. Pancras. Rev. R. Wood, 8.D., to the Incumbency of Christ Church, Pad dington. DIOCESE. OF CHESTER. THE examination of candidates for the-ensuing ordination of the Bishop of Chester will commence on Thursday morning the 14th February, a the palace, at 10 o'clock. VACANCY.—The perpetual curacy or St. Paul's Church, Werneth, in the parish of Stockport, in the county of Chester, by the resignation of the Rev. John Rodgers, Patron,.Charles Andrew, Esq. Valne„.£lso. THE cathedral of Ulm has been in a very dilapidated state; workmen have been, at length. employed.to make the necessary repairs to the church,. which dates as far back as 1377, and its nave is higher than any other in Germany. The tower has remained since 16d in an unfinished state. THE London Gdz.ette•announces that the Queen has been pleased to constitute the colony of Western Australia to be a Bishop's see and. diocese,. to be called: the Bishopric of Perth,. and to appoint the Yen. Matthew R Hale, Archdeacon, of Adelaide, to be ordained and consecrated bishop of the• said, see. INTERESTING- OCCURBENCE.—The Staffordshire Adver— tiser records a very interesting occurrence which took place recently in the parish of Harlaston, near Tamworth. Six brothers, four of whom are clergymen, met together to cele brate the birthday of the eldest, who is rector of the parish. The day being Sunday, they all assisted in the performance-of Divine service in the morning —the rector, the Rev. R. R.. Bloxam, read the Prayers and Litany ; the Rev. Andrew Bloxam, incumbent of Twycross, preached; the Rev. John Bloxam, D. 11,. Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford, read the Communion, service; the Rev.. Thomas Bloxam, of Rugby,. read the Epistle ; and the two laymen, Mr. Matthew Holbeehe Bloxam, of Rugby, author of G.2thic Architecture, and Mr.. Henry Bloxam, of Shrewsbury ) , read the Lessons for theday.— Birmingham Gazette. Buswonmn CHURCH.—On Thursday, the church; of St. John the Baptist, Blisworth, was re-opened, after considerable restoration. The roofs of the nave, north aisle, amb chanael have been. renewed; those of the nave and chancel. are high pitched,, and covered with Westmoreland slates, graduatelin size from the eaves to the ridge. In the chancel.-roof,, the opening above the collar beam and the spaces between the arch-ribs and principal rafters are filled with tracery of deco rated character. A gallery at the west end of the church, has been. removed, and the tower-arch thrown open: and restored. The ringing -loft and staircase have been entirely. cleared away, the window and its tracery restored ; and. this, with the pretty tower-arches now thrown open, presents. a, pleasing feature in the interior. The pews or seats haveheen entirely remodelled, made low and open, and finished with substantial seat-ends, of uniform character throughout. The arches and piers of the nave and chancel have been restored; with stone corresponding with the original. The walls have been en tirely re-stuccoed with rough stucco, not Muted. The wood work is of yellow foreign deal, and stained, with Stephen's stain, of oak-like tint. The whole outlay- is about £B5O, of which the rector liberally contributed about £4:00 ; : the parish subscribed £351), leaving a deficiency of £lOO, towards which £44 4s. 2d. was collected at the services on Thursday. CARLISLE CATHEDRAL.—For some time past the style in which the beautiful restoration of thkw.oodwork of the waggon roof of Carlisle cathedral is to be decorated has been a ques tion in dispute between the authorities directing the restora tion. The plan proposed by Mr.. Christian was of a highly ornamental character, and Mr. Harcourt, whose taste and re search in such matters are well known, approved generally of Mr. Christian's proposition. On, theether hand, the Bishop was in favour of a more subdued tone of decoration, in which he was supported by several members of the chapter. Speci-. men& of both styles have lone been, in existence on portions of the roof, for the purpose of judging of the effect of each ; bat of such a partial description that it was impossible to come to. any satisfactory conclusion:• at length it was determined that lir. Owen Jones should be called in to decide the point. Ac cordingly that gentleman visited Carlisle, examined the, res pective specimens, and, has just sent in his recommendations, which have been adopted, and are to be carried out forthwith, They are thus described by the local Patriot :—" The panels are to have a groundwork of bright azure, powdered with gold stars, the ribs and bosses are to be painted various colo urs , red, blue, &c., and the coats of arms and other armorial bear bags are to be restored after the most accurate heraldic de. signs ; the angels, which surround the cornice are to be gilded and coloured, and the large angels on the hammer-beams are to be treated in a similar manner. In fact, the. whole of the roofing will be restored in the most gorgeous style of decora tion, and will have a magnificent appearance. When com pleted, there will be nothing in this county that will bear comparison with it for elegance and beauty, and it will form one of the principal material attractions of the stately edifice. We should think that the cost will not be less than £7OO or £Boo,and it is a satisfaction to know that there are artists in our own town to whom its execution can be safely confided. The restoration of the other portions of the cathedral is progressing rapidly, and it is expected that before the close of the year the service of the Church of England will be resumed within its walls. The splendid new organ will be placed in the gallery at the end of the choir, where the old one stood." CURE OP ASTHMA, COUGHS, &C., BY DR. LOCOCE'S PVL MONIC WAFERS.—Extract of a Letter from Mr. Morris Banks, chemist, 3, High-street, Birmingham.—" Gentlemen,—l have much pleasure in stating that I do not remember keeping a re medy for coughs, asthmas, &c., that sold so freely, or gave such general satisfaction.—l am, &c., M. BANKS."—TO singers and public speakers they are invaluable for clearing and strengthen - mg complexion, mg the voice. They have a most pleasant taste. Price is. lad., 2s. 9d., and 118 . per box. DR. LOCOCK:S COSMETIC :—A delight fully ntrenP d re e p ri p n r g ati t o h n e f s o k r in i , in c p i r e o a v r: ng sof a t n , d an h d eau tr t a lf n y s i p n a g re t l l l i t e , removing all irruptions, freckles, sunburn, ion, pimples, and roughness. Sold in bottles at is. 21s, 2d., and 4s, (ltl. each. Beware of counterfeits. Observe the words " LOCOCK'S COSMETIC on the government stamp outside the wrapper. Sold by alechemists. LOCAL INTELLICrE.ATCE. A WOMAN, named Isabella Kirkpatrick, aged 56, residing in a cookshop, No 62, Park-lane, was taken suddenly ill on Tues day afternoon, and expired before medical assistance arrived. THE annual ball of the Chatham Society was held on Wed needay, at the Town-hall, the receipts being devoted to the Orphan Boys' Asylum. The lady patroness was Mrs. Adam Hodgson. The attendance was upwards of 700. ARCHITECTURAL AND ARCHZEOLOGICAL SOCIETY.—The hi-weekly meeting of this society was held on "Wednesday, at the Royal Institution; Mr. John Hay in the chair. The paper of the evening, illustrated by some ingenious and beautiful models and drawings, was read by its author, Mr. C. Davies; the subject being "Notes on Isometrical Perspective." EMBEZZLEMENT.-011 Wednesday, at the Police-court, David Roden was charged by his late employer, Mr. Rawle, Lord-street, with embezzling half-a-crown. The latter, having some suspicions, watched a customer come out of the shop, who he ascertained had bought certain trifling articles. These he found were partially entered in the shop-book, but the money in the till did not agree with the book, and hence he taxed the prisoner with taking the money, which the latter did not deny, but simply left the premises. There being some doubt in the case, the prisoner received the benefit of it, and was discharged. Cuaiors ACCIDENT TO A VEssEL.—A few days ago, a leak was discovered on board the ship Pamella, lying in the King's Dock, and then in course of being loaded. The leak was un accountable, as the vessel had lately been undergoing repairs. In consequence of a survey made by direction of the under writers, the ship was ordered to be discharged. This was completed when it was discovered that only eight packages of the cargo on the ground tier were slightly damaged. The cause of the leak was found to be a bolt, which had been driven in awry while the repairs had been in course of execution. Of course a new bolt was at once substituted, and the ship made "as tight as a barrel." TEMPERANCE IN THE SUBURBS.—On Tuesday, a lecture on teetotalism was delivered by Mr. Henry Watts, at Green-lane, Stanley, near the Old Swan, and was attended by cleanly and well-behaved working people, of both sexes. The Rev. Mr. Gardner, of St. Anne's, Stanley, has offered the use of his school-room for meetings, to be held on Sunday evenings, after church service, over which he has promised to preside; and the same clergyman, in conjunction with several other gentle men, is promoting the establishment of a provident fund, to be called the St. Anne's Savings'-bank. Deposits are to be re ceived as low as sixpence per week, on which bank interest will be paid, facilities being afforded for the withdrawal of money in cases of emergency. THE SHIP BRITISH EXPIRE.—The steamer Demerara, which grounded a few years since in the Bristol Channel, was purchased by Messrs. J. and R. Wilson, of this town, from the underwriters, for £7,000. As a sailing ship, and under the name of the British Empire, she sailed for the west coast of South America, and last week she arrived in the Channel with 4,500 tons of guano, at £5 a-ten freight. Her speed once reached seventeen knots an hour, and she frequently averaged fifteen. An action has been brougst against the editor of the Shipping Gazette, for admitting last° his columns a letter respecting her, containing statements said to be untrue, but which induced the underwriters to increase the premium of insurance from eight to twelve guineas per cent. Ax ABANDONED MOTHER.—Margaret and David Living ston, mother and son, the latter a sharp-liaoking lad of four teen, who had been remanded from last week, were again brought up at the Police-court on Wednesday, when quite a crowd of females attended to claim their property. Forty-two pawn-tickets were found in the Woman's possession. Their plan of robbery wan this : the woman kept "nix" while her son pulled the clothes-props away, and then, if neeone observed them, they stripped the - line, and decamped with the property. The woman, in her defence, denied that she instructed the boy, asserting that he was very wild, and that she could not keep him in order. The property pledged was her own, and she had been compelled to adopt that means of living from the fact that she -had not seen her husband for six. months, and she was in great distress. The magistrate committed her for two months. The boy was remanded for seven days. WEST DERBY GUARDIANe.—The following guardimuf were present at the meeting on Wednesday : —the Rev. William Badnall, chairman • Messrs. lita.ison, Lunt, Morris, Siddeley, Pickup, Mountfield, Edward Medcalf, Abrahams, Shaw,.Pitts, Wensley, Roberts, Clayton, Birth, Patten, and Mullins. The balance in the treasurer's handa- was found to be £705 851-4 d. It was resolved that the Poor-law Board be requested to cause new averages to be taken for the union. A further letter having been received from the Poor-law Board, objecting to the increase proposed by the guardians to be made in the salaries of Messrs. Allen, Lathamland Barnett, it was resolved! that the- Poor-law Board be requested to instruct the Poor-laws' Inspector to make inquiry into the circumstances under which the guardians consider such increase- necessary. The number' of paupers relieved last week were 85t in -door, and 3,654 out door, total 504, as compared with the- corresponding week in , last year. ATTE3IPT TO DROWN A YOUNG- WOMAN.—On Monday, Henry Mahomed, a young man, apparently of foreign extrac tion, was charged, at the Manchester Police-court, with attempting , to drown a young woman). named Ellen Grady. She stated that the prisoner had kept: her company for a short time. About ten o'clock on Sunday night, he came I to the house of her aunt, in Ashley-lane,-- where she resided, and asked her to have a walk. They walked for some distance, - when , he made some indecent proposals to her, which she in dignantly rejected. He then threatened that, if she resisted, lie would drown her.; upon which she rau away down a street .leading to the river - Irk, into which the prisoner pushed her. She went over headybut managed to scramble to the side, and shouted for assistance, when a man came and helped her out. The prisoner then. made off, but the police took him out of bed in his mother's house. The case was remanded for the attend ance.of the man who.had taken complainant out of the water. ROBBERY or' DRAPERY STOCR.—George and Agnes Macgregor, a well-dressed couple, who reside in.apartments at DI, Christian-street, were charged at the Police-court, on Wed nesday, the former with receiving goods from• Messrs. Cook and Townshend, Byrom-street, and the latter - as an accom plice. Detective Scott-stated that he searched the prisoner's lodgings, where he found a great variety of articles connected with the drapery business, and a number of pawn-tickets. Mr. Taylor, Cook and Townshend's manager, identified several of the articles, and said. that they had lost a considerable amount of property lately,.among which was upwards of £l2 worth of furs. The male prisoner had been in theiremploy two months. Mr. Fairhurst, pawnbroker, St. Anne-street, stated that some coburg cloth.was pledged with him on-the 18th of December, and that on. Tuesday, he received an envelope by post, containing.a slipof paper and the ticket, on-which was written, in reference tea, Lift this the moment you get it." Shortly afterwards, Detective Scott entered the sh.epv when he stated the case to him.. He could not recognise- the female prisoner as having pledged the cloth, but his shopman swore to her servant girl. The handivriting of the slip-transmitted to Mr. Fairhurst was asserted to be that of the prisoner, by Mr. Taylor, but he would not positively swear to it. Mr. Woods, pawnbroker,, Whitechapel, produced a , victorine pledged with him, but he could not swear to either prisoners. The servant girl deposed that she pledged several of the articles produced in court, and said that Mrs. Macgregor had told her she hacb purchased some of them at Cook and Townshend's. The magistrates remanded the male and dis charged the female • prisoner. —On Friday, Agnes M`Gregor was again taken into:custody : . Edward Jenkins, an assistant at the prosecutors',, stated That some time ago he had met the male prisoner in the • passage adjoining the show...and saw a box under his arm.. Witness said to the prisoner, " That's the box I've beau looking for." The prisoner said, " Oh, I have had it givemme by Mr,Taylor, the manager." Such, however, was not the-fact. An assistant to Mr. Woodruff, pawnbroker, said that the female prisoner pledged the victorine produced on the- 15th December. Both prisoners were com mitted for trial at the sessions. [Upwards of 100 pawn-tickets were found at tlas-prisoners! residence, referring to articles of drapery pledged-in-Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow, and New castle-upon-Tyne.] TEMPERANCR. AND THE LoEE's-DAY.--An association has been recently formed under the designation of the" Christian Alliance for the• Suppression of Intemperance,and for Pro curing the Better Observance of the Sabbath." John Cropper, Esq., is the president, and several gentlemen have associated themselves with the movement. The inauguration meeting was held on Wednesday, at the Teutonic-hall; Reginald Rad cliffe, Esq., in, the. chair: There was a good attendance, and the clahns °lithe association to public support were advocated by the Rev...l..R.Rutherford, of Newcastle. He said that he was a teetoWler of twenty years' standing, and , that, during that period,.he•had.often, travelled three thousand miles in a week, and spoken as often as six times a-day, but still he never required the • `drop" to strengthen his body. Although suffer ing from a.eold, he .had no doubt that a dripping sheet, accom panied b:6 - applications, of cold water, both outwards and in wards, would. soon, cause his system to flow with its accus tomed vigour. The working men of this. country ought, at least, to, have Saturday afternoons at their, disposal, for im provingrtheir minds,,and worshipping the Almighty in his. own works. Then they could better affordito devote the whole, of Sunday, for religious purposes. It was said, he continued,, that the-Maine-law would interfere with our rights as Britons. What would be the-popular opinion if a. man were discovered ; manufacturing, gunpowder in one of our populous cities P. Why, he-would-be-prosecuted, and when his conviction came.- about, the people ; would exclaitn, " Serve him right." How,. then,oan we-caledy stand by and witness the degradation-and ruih• of our countrymen by an insidious liquor, which is pen naitted by law to be retailed at every-street corner ? Ne i said , Le j when men infringe on the liberties of their fellows, the popular voice declares that they ought-to be punished„and this, ien law founded on Holy Writ itself. THE Stra.na - r-Scnoor. INsTrrizrE.—On Tuesday.,-the-sixth of, the winter couse of lectures, in connection with the Sunday- School Institute, was delivered, at the Concert-ball, by. the Rev. J., Cranbrook, of Liscard.. The chair was. occupied- by J. C. Ewart, Esq., M.P. The - subject of the lecture was,. "Dr. Arnold and Education." Mr,. Ewart, in the course of some remarks on education, said was well aware-of the diffi culties surrounding it, but he hoped they would,be overcome in a wanner satisfactory to,all parties, and, that Christians of all denominations would cordially unite in the- blessed work of devising some means of educating the poorer classes of the people of England. The rising generation had certainly greater advantages than the preceding one. Some years ago, the counting-houses in this town seldom closed. before ten o'clock ; now, they were seldom open after five,. and, Saturday was half a holiday. The shops, too, were now closed much earlier, and the young people of both sexes had, more leisure for rational _ _ --- amusement and improvement of their minds ; lectures, such as this evening,. were almost weekly given on popular subjects. In this hall, too, were weekly concerts, at prices within the reach of almost every one, and they bad the opportunity of hearing the finest organ in the world in St. George's-hall—all which tended to improve the taste of the people for music. They had, also, a free public , library, with a valuable collection of books, both for amusement and instruction. He hoped his young fkends would avail themselves of these advantages, and bear in mind, that "if the spring put forth no blossoms, in summer there would be no beauty, and in autumn no fruit: so, if youth be wasted away without improvement, manhood would be contemptible, and old age miserable." But while he earnestly pressed upon them the advantages of education, let them never neglect the religious part of it, nor forget what are generally ailed the common maxims of life. Most of his hearers would be well acquainted with the works of one of the most powerful writers in the English language—he meant Dr. Johnson—and they would probably recollect that beautiful composition of his, the Life of Savage. Now, Savage was a man endowed with the greatest abilities, which would have fitted him for any situation ; but those abilities were obscured by the most vicious and dissipated habits. In summing up the life of Savage, Dr. Johnson says:—" Let those who, in confidence of superior abilities or attainments, disregard the common maxims of life, be reminded by this Life of Savage, that nothing will supply the want of prudence ; and that negligence and irregularity, long continued, will make know led a and genius contemptible." [JANUARY 29, 1856 MR. NIGHTINGALE has been appointed judge of the Waterloo coursing meeting, fixed for the 26th and 28th of February THE 6th Royal Lancashire Militia, now in Ireland, 8 1 ", during the last week 200 vo l un t eers t o t h e l i ne, which en titm no less than three officers to commissions in the line. A DETACHMENT of the 3rd light dragoons and the 1 6 1 c 1 lancers, comprisin g 35 men an d 75 h orses, arrived at this Pe,v on Thursday, in th e s t eamer P r i nce, f rom Dublin, and cre' forwarded to the camp at Aldershott. ON Monday, Mr. Robert Mullen, barrister-at-law, one of the municipal assessors, spent th e even i ng w i t h some f r i en ds !I Phibsborough, and was in the enjoyment of his usual g'. health ; but on leaving it a b ou t e l even o'clock, when in the a ct of wishing a lady good n i g ht, h e dropped dead from an 81)°. plectic attack. - BARTON, ISLAM, AND H I GGI NSON ' S ESTATE.-At a dividen d meeting held on Thursday, in the District Court of Bankruptc before Mr. Commissi oner St evenson, a f urther d i viden d of' ,' in the pound was declared on the estate of these bankrupts' making a total dividend d ec l are d up t o th e present o f ds. in the pound. MR. PILKINGTON, adverting at the last meeting of al Preston guardians, t o th e manner i n w hi ch the accounts ha': been kept at the county workhouses, said that when he firs" came to Ashton they actually had no books, and they kepttheir money in a ju g . JOHN MIDDLETON A ND JOHN HOWARD, both grer headed men, lately employed as letter-carriers in connecti?l; with the Manchester post-office, haVe been committed for trial at the sessions for mi s d emeanour , i n h av i ng rece i ved letters for delivery which they had neglected to deliver according to the regulations. VILLAGE LECTURES.—On Wednesday, Mr. J. A pieta delivered his lecture on "Paris," in the Assembly-room of the Coffee-house, Wavertree, being the second of a course of lectures which are being delivered there for the benefit of the working classes. The chair was occupied by Mr. Swindoni and there was a respectable attendance. Mr, Picton illustrate' his lecture by a number of excellent photographs. THE HISTORY OF EUROPE.—On Wednesday, Professor Retslag, formerly of the University of Rostock, and the author of " Political Sketches," delivered, at the Mechanics' Instita• tion, an introductory lecture to a series he is about to deliver, on the " History of Europe since the Congress at Vienna' He surveyed the condition of Europe during the feudal aystenif and the different causes which, operating in different war throughout European nations, gradually developed thomposP tions of social progress and political freedom in which these nations were found at the close of the last century. Mn. JOHN F. Quicrg, of Parker-street, has on show a roar nificent cake basket, of an oval form, elaborately chased with vine leaves and grapes, which bears the following inscription's —"Presented to the Misses Campbell by the scholars of Std John the Baptist's School, A.D. 1956." Also, a sugar basket , of a novel form, namely, an urn, of opal glass, with silver fit tings, and engraved, "Presented to Mrs. A. Minton, by the scholars of St. Joh n th e B ap ti s t' s S c h oo l , A . D . 1856. ' , very handsome sugar sifter, of the Albert pattern, acconl ponies the latter article, and is engraved with the name of Mrs. A. Minton. EXTENSIVE ROBBERY.—William Johnston, John Flood' and William and James Hadfield (brothers), were brought LIP st the Police-court on Friday, on rianund on a charge of steal ing a trunk from the Custom-house depot, containing property to the• value of £6OO. The only evidence against Johnston was that he had. tried to sell, at Mr:. Washington's *Shop, Oldhall-street, a quantity of valuable jewels- When asked where begot them, he said, "I found them• at low-water, near the Primus Pierhead, amongst the sand."' Mr. Washington stated the jewels had all the appearance of having been covered up with sand and salt-water. Johnston, whowas areordinglY discharged, had the assurance to ask for the ii3wels,which were sworn to as being the prosecutor's property.. The other pri soners were committed for trial. The property recovered is valued at £320;. and that missing at about £2130: COMPLETION , Olr THE LIVERPOOL CORPORLAIIO,..P WATEB . WORKS.—On Monday, at the Palatine Hotel, Manchester, 3 certifitate, acknowledging the completion of the last contract for this work, was' given to Messrs. Miller and newton,. the contractors, by Mr:. Thomas Hawksley, the engineer. - The contractors made their total account to be £51,2881 , 1o.141.„ of which they received , £33,000. The remaining balance of £18,288 11s. ld. contained some items which were disputed bl Mr. Hughes, the Deputy Town-clerk of Liverpool, with -whom there was also Mr. Statham, the resident engineer. It wag expected that the items- would be investigated by ihonaarni' nation of witnesses who could speak to the various measure , meats, &c. ; but on its being known that Mr. Hawksley: had an independent record of all that had been done, both partie , agreed to refer the accounts• to bis decision. The certificate of absolute completion i to be given when the reservoiris' Ito% which is expected to bathe case in a week or two. ST. ANNE'S DISPENS.I-BV.—The annual meeting of the' oubseribers was held on Thursday, at the Institution, in Rose , hill, for the purpose of receiving the treasurer's accounts for' the past, and electing the committee for the present year.. 'e meeting was presided over by the mayor, J o h n St ew art,• Esq., who, er stating that he had great pleasure in lending' the aid which his position enabled him to do to an institution: which seemed to him to be of so meritorous and useful a' character, called upon the honorary secretary and treasurer,. Mr.. Joseph Kitchen, to read the report, from which it 11P-' 'peared that the receipts and donations during the year' amounted to £4BB 2s. 3d., the eepeuditnre to £44) 12s. 41, andithe number of patients to 11,310: The number of deaths which occurred was 329, and, what is very remarkable, the average age attained in these 329. eases was only 13 years and 9:nionths. In the eye and earqlepartment, 2,085 patients were treated during the past yeas-;..0f these, 71 were cases of cataract, a disease well known to be- so, fatal to vision. The importance of the institution in connection with this disease is morwespecially noticed in the summer mouths, when many patients4roni distant places in England,. Wales, and Ireland, as well as those of the to wn and neighbourhoo d, seek relief at this charity. The remainder of the- proceedings were of the usual routine character. COTTON'. FROM NAPLES.-Mr. Clegg,. of Manchester, is in Naples, endeavouring to organise an-extensive growth of cot ton by free labour, partly with a commercial and partly an anti-slavery view. A letter from Naples,. in the Daily News, says :—"The Two Sicilies would in every respect be admirably adapted forthe cultivation of cotton.- The average rental of land is not high, and of sandy, swampy, ground, suited to the object proposed, very low. Of such land. too, there is a vast quantity lying almost waste on the shores of the Adriatic from Lecce t> Brindisi, and between Torre•dell; Annunziata and Castellamrxe, and other parts. Cotton, too, is actually' grown both in Sicily and on the continent, so that the experi ment wouldnot be new, and it has entirely succeeded. In Sicily, about 2,000,0001b5. are grown annually, half of which is exported te'Naples, and the other half .is eonsumed in the island • in the continental p ar t o f the- kingdom about 2,200,000 We- are grown and consumed,,whilit 800,0001bs. are imported from New Orleans. The ananaLproduce of the king dom is therefore about 4,200,0001b5., while the annual con sumption is about 6,000,0001b5. In protkof the yet greater ca pabilities a the country, a letter from aSieilian merchant now before me ; says Notwithstanding the great consumption, it would not be difficult to export a. quantity of cotton. This report is eminently encouraging_:te the project of Mr. Clegg ; and all that is wanting is a little capital and enter prise —justwhat the Neapolitans have not."' MANCRERTER COMMERCIAL AssocrawroN.—At the annual meeting ef this association, on Monday, last week, the thair man, Mr:-.L. Aspinall Turner, said he, felt assured that the members of this association, while regretting the dire evils of the war hi which we were engaged, had been fully sensible of the justice and propriety of this country entering into the contest. The people of Manchester had :borne cheerfully the sufferings, entailed by the struggle, and he-was quite satisfied that if there should exist any necessity. ; for- vigorously prose cuting ite , still further, this community would continue to exhibit the same feeling. The state:. of mercantile affairs during the. past year had not been. so. disastrous as might naturally. have been expected. Although, the exports from this country during the past year had ,not been generally re munerative, this was in some degree-mitigated by the gene rally favourable results of returns;., and he believed the mer chants, .at all events, had not hada:very unprofitable year, althcvigh in some quarters there might have been difficulties and loss. To the manafacturers Ise 'thought the result might have been different ; but to the eperative classes, he believed, it had;been a comparatively prosperous. year, for, although provisions had been high in employment had been prettyteonstant. He expressed 2:hope that any peace which might be concluded would not deprive us of the great advan tages..that had been gained by the opening of the Black Sea te our commerce. In reference to India, he was glad to see• signs -of progress there by thee construction of railways; but he feared we had not yet in authority the right class of men te , develop the resources of tha,country., Dom; A Dux. —Not the least among the notabilities of: Liverpool is a collector of accounts, whose hard metallic form,. mounted upon a wiry pony,And surmounted by a face redo— lent of smiles, is as well known as the Nelson Monument._ His, imperturbable good-humour,. notwithstanding the dis— agreeable nature of his avaeation, hassometimes laid him opera topraetical jokes. At one time he rode about all day, withia card fastened to him, onwhic.h,was printed in conspicuous letters, " Full to the bung at other times, the animal whill he has left in some convenient gateway, and which is said.to be a better Christian than himself, from being oftener en his. knees, has been removed, by nwag to another resting-plane) One day last week tha. pony was left at the corner of Drury lane, while the rider adjourned to a celebrated hostelry ad.- ioining, where, finding the ale deserving of its reputationdils stay was somewhat prolonged. This excited compassion for the pony, which was exposed. to a heavy rain, and attempts were made to find. him shelter in a cellar, but the intelligent beast refused to descend until a sack being thrown, over his head, he was lowered,into the place of concealment, On the re-appearance of the. collector, he inquired in vain for the Whereabouts of his steed, and on the advice of one of his friends, proceeded in, a car to the Rose-hill station thence he was sent to Mailer Oreig,where being alike unsuccessful, it was suggested,that asthe animal had long been used to. dunning, he might have gone on his own account to SOMP of the places where a few pounds were still due. A search in this direction proved also, vain the ear was dismissed, and the steedless rider relished to his home. In the meantime the pony had been released from durance vile, and conveyed to his own stables, where the next morning he was found by his owner, unable to give au account of his wanderings. TAIE CASTL=OWN (ISLE OF MAN), STEAM NAVIGATION CO.ALRANY wnMonday, last week, at the Court-house in Castleto, the shareholders of this company held their amnia meeting. Two previous meetings of the shareh o ld ers had ea curred, at which the directors for the eighteen months last past made their report. It appeared that from the Ellen Vanniu's coming upon the station, at a late period of the season of 1854, from a serious accident occurring to her machinery in the best of the season of last year, her long delay for repair's, the large expenses incidental thereto, and various other cir cumstances inseparable from a new undertaking, the company was considerably in debt, The total claims upon the compartY, for bal ance o f account current, and for the original purchase of the boat, are under £3,000. As an offset to these claims, the assets, chores in action, and Holmes's notes in the hands of the directors, amount to some £4OO or £500; and besides these, there are some £l,OOO of unpaid shares sold, and about the same amount of shares unsold ; so that the real defalcation of the company is much less than the claims upon it. Under these circumstances, it had beeil resolved, at a previous meet ing of the shareholders, to continue the boat on the station till October next, further to experiment for her future succes.s. On Monday considerable change was made in the directorship. The following is the list of new directors, viz : —Mr. B. F. Wilby, James Burman, Esq., Mr. Thomas Boyd, jun., Mr. Walter Brown, awl Mr. James Mylehreest. Messrs. Robert Quayle and John M'Meiken were elected auditors.—To-daY the half-yearly meeting of the Douglas Steam-packet CompauY will be held at the office in Douglas, when tt will be proposed to sell two of the company's boats, and make arrangements. the building of another fait test.C.leSSAassej,. .....,. SEci messa g e sec 4 t Can be ted bin g , eannir first lit ton ( Lob slow to t Win