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

HOME. BID all of kindly impulse now combine, And deep with wholesome thought the mind imbue; While sleeps the spirit that would else repine, Let strong affection's healthy pulse flow true. Tell but of Home, and straight the simple word Reaches the heart bereft of all its ties, Gathering its mem'ries there, that - give record Of early loves and household sympathies. Sad is his fate and bare of fortune's meed, From whom each homely link is rudely torn ; His breast hard heaving oft, too prone to bleed, And feels forgotten, slighted, and forlorn. The doomed exile, with fitful fleeting breath, While fast expires the last faint gleam of life, In soul-affrighted trembling strives with death, And friends, afar, reck not how dire the strife. The sickened one, to land, to native, strange, His hope but little and his comfort less, In fevered visions play-day haunts will range, And wake reluctant, mocked by dreamed caress. The needy wanderer, prey to black despair, Scarce curbs the tear his pent-up anguish wrings ; While ills unnumbered steep his soul in care, And thought of home some keen-felt mem'ry brings. Pity his secret throe, his silent tear, His gnawing want—but worse—his loneliness; Without one kindly look or voice to cheer, The passing stranger scans his deep distress. E'en yonder bacchanal at foreign boards, While the full wine•cup he prepares to quaff, Loathes the unhomely scenes that place affords, And drains the goblet with discordant laugh. The stranger bird that flutt'ring seeks to rest, Where feathered tribes are fearful of its kind, Heaves its small heart and mourns its native nest, Which, long storm-driven, it no more may find. Less love where first it grew may only thrive, Will slowly wither if too long estranged; But love of Home, heart-sheltered, will derive Nurture increasing as its clime is changed. It still will follow with undying light How or where'er the wanderer wends his way; Tho' fate may darken into blackest night, Or fortune, smiling, beam propitious ray. May glowing gratitude his breast inspire, Who 'gainst the ills of exile never strove; Ne'er hid the agony of strong desire That fills his heart who must despairing rove. Parkside. H. P. P. LITERATURE. The Englishwoman in Ameri ca. London: John Murray. To judge by the announcements of our leading bibliopoles, our fair countrywomen appear not only to share in the truly English passion for seeing every person, place, and thing, which cannot be approached except through difficulty • but they seem also beset by an ardent desire to make the most of their oppor tunities, and to chronicle their observations, and freely to disseminate the result of their deductions. One thing, however, tells in their favour, and secures for their narratives of experience a hearty welcome ; that is, the general liveliness and naive intelligence of their remarks. The general absence of prosy deduc tions, and the vigour and variety of their pictures, constitute the leading charms which woo and win the attention, and ensure the approbation of the reader. Among the shoal of books which have lately sweltered from the press, on the all-absorbing topics of Russian physical, social, and moral resources, no one has had a more extensive or deserved popularity than the able work published under the designation of " The En glishwoman in Russia ;" and in the instance now under consideration, "The Englishwoman in America," who somewhat unnecessarily tells us she is not " The Englishwoman in Russia," furnishes the reading public with numerous well-told and eminently in structive illustrations of American manners, morals, and habits. She pretends not to great depth of moral penetration, but nevertheless evinces much shrewd ness of observation, a happy knack of noting passing events, and the good sense to avoid making herself the heroine of her own tales. Her illustrative anec dotes are happily introduced without didactic for mality, and their meaning inferences are suggested through the action of the scene or event rather than formally deduced, or ostentatiously displayed before the reader. In short, she proves herself to be an intelligent and observing traveller, as well as an agreeable companion. True, her pictures of American social life are not so thoroughly rose-coloured as brother Jonathan himself might have desired ; but they bear the impress of truth, and a perfect absence of malice. So shrewd an observer of manners and morals as the " Englishwoman" was not likely to omit a remark or two on so important a matter as the vaunted tem perance movement in some, if not in all, of the States. If her information is to be relied on, the honest adherent to the free movement of social temperance may be put to considerable inconvenience, while less scrupulous observers of the law, even in Maine, may have their appetites gratified on comparatively easy terms. An accident reduced our fair traveller to a condition in which the application of alcoholic stimuli would have been rather more than merely agreeable, and in which many sober people would have looked on them as indispensable ; but the " Englishwoman" was in Maine, and thus narrates her EXPERIENCES AT AN INN IN PORTLAND. With the pleasant consciousness of being in a perfectly free country, where every one can do as he pleases, I entered an hotel near the water, and sat down in the ladies' parlour. I had not tasted food for twenty-five hours, my clothes were cold and wet, a severe cut was on my temple, and I felt thoroughly exhausted. These circumstances, I thought, jus tified me in ringing the bell and asking for a glass of wine. Visions of the agreeable refreshment which would be produced by the juice of the grape appeared simultaneously with the waiter. I made the request, and he brusquely replied, " You can't have it ; it's contrary to law." In my half-drowned and faint condition, the refusal appeared tantamount to posi tive cruelty, and I remembered that I had come in contact with the celebrated "Maine Law." That the inhabitants of the State of Maine are not "free" was thus placed practically before me at once. Whether they are " enlightened." I doubted at the time, but leave the question of the prohibition of fermented liquors to be decided by abler social economists than myself. I was hereafter informed that to those who go down stairs, and ask to see the " striped pig," wine and spirits are produced ; that a request to speak with "Dusty Ben" has a like effect, and that, on asking for " sarsaparilla' at certain stores in the town, the desired stimulant can be obtained. Indeed it is said that the consumption of this drug is greater in Maine than in all the other States put together. The subterfuges of the abstinent Maineites to obtain " intoxicatinc , liquors," narrated in the con cluding sentenc es o f the preceding extract, savour so much of what we are told of " Yankee 'cuteness," and taste for circumvention, as to obtain ready credence in most circles of intelligent British society ; but when advanced in the unostentatious manner in which they are placed by our authoress before her readers, few will be inclined to dispute their verity. They in some degree remind us of what we have read relative to the Turkish abstinence from wine, and the mode in which that difficulty is surmounted in Stamboul. The devout Mussulman, " Whene'er to drink he is inclined," betakes himself to the Greek quarter of the city in a state of mental unconsiousness. In this oblivious state he accidentally . enters a cafe, and seats himself near a small table, without seeing or knowing where he is. Speedily a small bottle, containing something concerning which he has not the slightest knowledge, is set before him, by an individual, who retires. The Moslem, a profound believer in ordination, sees in the circumstance of the uncalled-for wine being placed before him, a gift from the Prophet, which, with grateful veneration, he unhesitatingly applies to his personal gratification ; and, duly thankful for the miraculous gift, he deposits an alms on a small salver which has unaccountably been placed beside the bottle. This little oblation the ministering Greek carefully notes ; if his customer is completely satisfied, he walks away, and both parties are pleased. If a further libation is required, the oblivious Turk retains his seat, and the gift of the Prophet is again mysteriously repeated, till occasionally it is said the wine-denounc ing Mahomedan reels off his seat. Such, alas ! is the frailty of human nature, that practically artificial stimuli appear indispensable to man's enjoyment; and he, we fear, is but a sorry moralist who thinks that " because he is virtuous, there shall be no more cakes and ale." __ _ Not to dwell longer on the social impossibility of the Maine anti-liquor law, we shall quote another illustration of an American peculiarity, i n this in stance selecting one peculiarly illustrative of the national partiality for " going a-head." It may be described as-- A MISSISSIPPI STEAM-BOAT INCIDENT. An old lady was going down the river for the first time, and expressed to the captain her earnest hope that there would: no racing. Presently another boat neared them, and half e passengers urged the captain to "pile on." The old lady shrieked and protested, but to no purpose; the skipper "piled on ;" and as the race was a very long and doubtful one, she soon became excited. The rival boat shot ahead ; the old lady gave a side of bacon, her sole possession, to feed the boiler fires —the boat was left behind—she clapped her hands—it ran ahead again, and, frantic, she seated herself upon the safety valve t It was again doubtful, but lo I the antagonist boat was snagged, and the lady gave a yell of perfect delight when she saw it discomfited, and a hundred human beings strug gling iu the water. Examples similar to the preceding are so numerous, if we are to rely on the testimony of travellers, and are so commonly recounted, that we are almost tempted to believe we have seen the sam e anec d ote before. Our authoress g i ves a very repu l s i ve impression of the political institutions and condition of the United States, and out of the mouths of several natives, enthusiasts in the belief of American perfection, adduces fearful evidence of political corruption. One gentle man whom she met, who hotly upheld the superiority . of American institutions over those of all other coun tries, concluding his eulogy with the impressive re mark—" I think I shall give up politics altogether. I don't believe we have a single public man who is not corrupt." The italics are not the lady's ; but she gives many analogous illustrations of the low state of political morality in the " Model Republic." The Englishwoman does not take usveryfar through the American Union, but throughout her journeyings she evinces a ready self-possession and great clearness of perception. As a result of these qualities, she pro duces a pleasing, as well as an instructive book, which will be read with avidity and reflected on with satis faction. Its authoress is no grumbler, but takes her share of peril or privation with resigned good-humour; and when present matters look least cheering, she hopefully peers into the future. The Irish Quarterly Review. Dublin : W. B. Kelly. This periodical, which devotes much attention to matters peculiarly Irish, is deserving of high com mendation for the general ability with which it is con ducted. Intensely, though not insanely, Irish in its partialities, it advocates the social and moral condition of Ireland, and is eminently practical in its recom mendations. Sensitively, yet faithfully alive to the value of literature as a means of national improvement, the Irish Quarterly takes a prominent part in advo cating the claims of Irish literary men, and pays more than a passing regard to the intellectual status and worth of those gifted Irishmen residing in their native land, who have not yet devoted their time and atten tion to the literary advancement of their country. In following out this object, the conductors of the Review have rendered good service to Ireland, by directing general attention from the unprofitable political squab bles of the day, to the more healthful and invigorating discussion of topics which in their progress necessarily involve the process of social regeneration. It has, in pursuance of this object, been peculiarly kind and en couraging to the literary efforts of those whose posi tion in life rendered the extension of a helping hand not only useful but necessary ; but it has not done this at the expense of neglecting or sacrificing those with higher pretensions and more widely-founded claims. In the number for January, No. XX. of the series, we have a capital paper, entitled " A Quartette of Irish Poets," in which the poetic merits of four of the Poetes Minores of Ireland are brought forward in a fair, liberal, and candid spirit. The object of the paper is twofold; first, to bespeak public attention and pa tronage on behalf of obscure yet sterling merit ; se cond, to direct as far as possible the national intellect into some permanent and useful channel of literary pursuit, instead of wasting itself in the desultory and hurtful efforts to invest ephemeral subjects with abiding interest, by the fervid outpourings of a popular but worthless oratory ; a literary sin, by the way, which unfortunately is makinc , great and dangerous progress among ourselves. Besides the class of sub jects referred to, this periodical contains two admir able articles on European politics. The one is entitled " Polonia Redux ; a Steadfast Ally," in which the ge neral advantages to Europe arising from the re-esta blished nationality of Poland is insisted on with calm judgment and penetrating sagacity. The other is named " The War and the Future ;" and it contains a masterly resumi of the facts and bearings of the war, sinc%the opening of last year's campaign in March to its conclusion in September, by the capture of the town and southern defences of Sebastopol. In this the position of European politics, as bearing on the military character of Great Britain, is carefully con sidered, and many of the fallacies which ignorance or waywardness has heaped around the question are swept away. The author, without despairing of our military prestige, or becoming unnecessarily dolorous on the subjects of our numerous and palpable blunders, inculcates caution and courage, and a thorough de parture from those routine rules of diplomacy and tac tics which have cost us so much in blood and treasure. This paper is well worthy of attention, and, under the peculiar circumstances of the time, it acquires a double claim on public notice. The New Quarterly Review, and Digest of Current Literature. London : Bosworth and Harrison. The New Quarterly for January, like its prede cessors, opens with a smartly-written and lively " Retrospect of the Literature of the Quarter." In this paper we find the following pointed yet truthful observations on the psuedo great book of the day and age, Macaulay's new History of England. "If his tory be nothing but a series of tableaux vivant:, a procession of gay fete-like figures, wherein each mem ber of the train, each garment, each acolyte must be portrayed with a minuteness and brilliancy of colour resembling Mr. Harding's festival of the Madonna ; and not only that, but the whole suffused in an Italian I translucency of sunshine, and mock the medium of apotheosis for some imaginary hero, then good-bye to the continuity of historic events, to organic truth, and to the laws of visible fact. If we can project our selves, our prejudices, our sympathies, and aversions, apply them to some given period, wheel opposite events rapidly together as children wheel a chroma trope, we shall be contributing as greatly to the popular delight as Mr. Macaulay too often does in the pages before us." Bravo, New Quarterly ! For a disciple in the new school of progress, of which Mr. Macaulay is, or was wont to be considered, a great light, you speak with a freedom and terseness most commendable. The elaborated word-pictures of Ma caulay are so intensely studied, that they possess no semblance of natural fervour, but present to the mind's eye a series of regulated undulations, in which the ever-recurrent wave becomes nearly as monoto nous as the dreary and flat sameness of the arid desert. Besides the retrospect referred to, the number of the New Quarterly before us contains well-written reviews upon not a few of the leading publications of the by gone three months ; and an especial claim possessed by it on public regard will be found in the laudable attempt it makes to keep pace with the literary cur rent. To this end its labours are judiciously directed, and for the results of those labours it is entitled to general gratitude. Before closing our remarks we cannot refrain from observing the general spirit of an able article contained in the number. It is a review of the late Professor Johnston's " Chemistry of Corn mon Life." The review, like the book reviewed, is seasonable and useful. VARIETIES. DISCOVERY OF A MINE OF CASTILE SOAP California (says the .Alta-California) is certainly a wonderful country, and every week some new " resources" are developed. Of late, we have had "diamonds," " plumbago," " green glass," and "blue mass ;" and now it seems, by the following, which we take from the Sonora Herald, in which it is related in all seriousness, that a Castile soap mine has been discovered — who says this is not a great country ?—" We have in our pos session an article taken out of a shaft in the Table Mountain, about a mile and a half from Vallecito, which has all the appearances and characteristics (except taste and smell) of Castile soap. We have tried the article, and find it to answer all the purposes of good soap. It was brought to us by Mr. Dinsmore of the Kennebec claim, and he states that his com pany and the miners in that vicinity use it altogether for washing clothes, &e., instead of soap. They struck on this soap vein about 15 feet from the surface of the ground, and the vein is about 15 feet in thickness, running into the moun tain at an angle of about 45 degrees. We can assure our readers that this statement is no hoax. We have seen and used the article. What it is we cannot say. As a person who witnessed it remarked, `it looks like soap, feels like soap, acts like soap, and is soap—only it isn't.' Samples of it have been sent to San Francisco, to undergo the process of chemical analysation." MORE ASTOUNDING DISCOVERIES.—TabIe Mountain, whether, as is contended by some of the interior papers, it is the ancient Ophir, or not, must certainly be a wonderful place, producing not only gold in large quantities, but Castile soap and oysters ! It is not at all improbable, as discoveries pro gress now, that some time in the course of the present week, the hungry miners digging into its bowels will find a large basin of ready-made clam or oyster soup, smoking hot, and seasoned with all the condiments. The Union Democrat re lates the following as the latest Table Mountain discovery : Among other new discoveries that have been made in the mountain since last week, we may mention that bushels of oyster-shells, in a partially decomposed state, have been taken from the Jackson claim, by Mr. Chamberlain, at a depth of one hundred and fifty-nine feet—some retaining the rough appearance of oysters just lifted from the bed of a bay, while others were in such a state of decomposition as to present only the inner lamina, of a beautiful pearly texture. The mixed deposit of sediment and quartz pebbles, in which these shells are found, abound in gold. Pure lime, equal in appearance and value to the manufactured article, has also been found in great quantities, in tunnelling the mountain a few miles below the Pass." CIRCUITS OF THE JUDGES. Comm'ursday, the Judges of th e C our t s o f Q ueen ' s B enc h , n Pleas, and Exchequer; met for the purpose of de termining the several circuits upon which they should proceed to hold the Commission of Oyer and Terminer and Gaol deli very in and for the several counties throughout England and Wales. The following are th e arrangements finally agreed upon : MIDLAND CIRCUIT.—Lord Campbell and Mr. Baron Pollock. NORFOLK CIRCUIT.—Lord Chief Justice Jervis and Mr. Justice Wightman. HOME CIRCIIIT.—Mr Justice Creswell and Mr. Baron Bramwell. NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—Mr. Baron Martin and Mr. Justice Willes. WESTERN CIRCUIT.—Mr. Baron Platt and Mr. Justice Crowder. NORTH WALES AND CHESTER. - Mr. Justice Earle will proceed on this circuit, and Meet Mr. Justice Williams at Chester. SOUTH WALES.—Mr. Justice Williams. Mr. Justice Crompton will remain in town, as the vacation Judge. THE WAR. Intelligence from the seat of war in the Crimea continues rather to indicate the peace evolutions and the style of pastime adopted by our soldiers and their gallant allies, than to con vey information of a warlike cast. So far as can be gathered from the communications of the London journals' correspon dents, and also from the official despatches, the armies appear to be in the enjoyment of good health, and to be disposed, as far as possible, to make the most of the respite which has been allowed them. The weather has been severe, but not such as to cause any of the fearful sufferings and disasters with which the correspondence of this time twelve months was so harrowingly filled. The correspondent of the Times, writing from the camp before Sebastopol, on the 4th of January, says, in reference to THE WEATHER. We have had a heavy snow storm last night and this morning. The fall has ceased,' but the snow lies several inches deep on the plateau. On all sides, at the distance of about three-quarters of a mile, our horizon is limited by a haze a few shades greyer than the snow and semi-transparent, so that figures are dimly seen walking within it. The wind howls drearily round the huts, but the snow lends light to the foreground, and the temperature is milder than it has been for the last few days—far milder than it was on the 2nd, a piercing day of frost, wind, and sleet. Fatigue parties, in their short, fur-lined coats, their heads protected by those black sealskin caps, the shape of which reminds one of pictures of Russian travelling, bring up firewood on their shoulders to the different commissariat stores, and a considerable amount of snowballing goes on among them in the intervals of their toil. Here and there carts move slowly through the deep snow, in which, hard by my window, some Tartar dogs are now disporting themselves, apparently quite in their element. The winter piece is complete, and not unpicturesque. But it suggests a wish that the whole, instead of part only, of our army had more substantial shelter than tents against the sharp wind, the drifting snow, the bitter cold that will attend a return of frost, and the chilly floods which a thaw must in evitably bring. Well provided in most essential respects the soldiers are—well clothed and well fed ; but it seems strange that by this time they should not all have been hutted. Huts are getting up, however, with great rapidity, along the road to Balaklava. The health of the camp continues good. Drunkenness, from all I can learn, is much less rife than it was last autumn. There can be no doubt that in the autumn issues of back pay and the difficulty of transmitting money aggravated the evil. - JAN. s.—Nothing new since yesterday. It is a severe frost and a fine bright morning. Writing on the sth, the correspondent of the Daily News gives the annexed particulars as to SNOW-BALL SKIRMISHES. Yesterday and this morning the troops have been amusing themselves by snow-balling each other, and really, without exaggeration, military tactics were displayed by the con tending parties that would not have disgraced our greatest generals. Before a battle commences it is usual to construct a redoubt, or two or three batteries on each side, about 100 yards apart. In this open piece of ground, between the work, the fight is most curious. No distinction is made or shown during the contest between the officer and the private. Sorties are made, rifle pits established, and sometimes flags of truce are hoisted, all for the purpose of taking each other's works, on which generally are fixed two or three flags of different colours. Some of these flags are often captured ; but the chief standard on each side is always a make shift union jack. This is never fixed in the snow, but always waved over the works by a soldier, as long as they are tenable. The principal challenges given are one company against another, or the right wing of a regiment against the left ; but yesterday evening, in the Light Division, there was a most hot contest between the first and second brigades. The middle ravine was the great point in dispute. As one brigade charged down, the other retired, and then, as the former came almost to a stand-still, through being blown while ascending the enemy's side of the ravine, it was sure to be charged down upon, losing, in all probability, several men taken prisoners. These great battles, still unsettled, were at last stopped by a brigade-major, but not until he had ,got well slated himself. Amongst the prisoners taken by thd' 2nd Brigade, who were in most cases dragged by their legs, down and up the sides of the ravine, I noticed Colonel Wellesley, 7th Fusiliers, Capt. Thynne, Rifle Brigade, and several other officers. The operations of the engineers still continue, and the same correspondent, writing under the same date, says, in regard to THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CENTRE DOCK, On Wednesday evening the English engineers blew up the bottom of the centre dock, which is at top 236 feet long and 95 feet 4 inches wide, and at bottom 191 feet long and 40 wide. There were 13 charges in all-11 of 1601 b. each, and two of 300 lb. each—total, 2,360 lb. of powder. The hour named was half-past four ; but all was not ready for Mr. Deane to operate upon with his ten voltaic batteries and elec tric wires till an hour and a half after, when the demolition was pronounced complete as far as it went. Two cables were again used, to which the small wires leading to each charge were attached. In addition to a large number of engineer officers, there were present, although it was dark, the Com mander-in-Chief, with two aides-de-camp, Brigadier-General Straubenzee, with his aide-de-camp, and two officers of the 11th Hussars, viz., Captain Dallas Yorke and Cornet Wilkin, besides the garrison of Sebastopol and the officers on guard, the whole being under the superintendence of Brevet-Major Nicholson, R.E. The enemy took no notice of the explosion, nor have they been firing much lately from the north side, although it is reported that on New Year's Day the F renc h and Russian picquets were uselessly firing at each other. The Times' correspondent on the 6th January writes as fol lows, concerning THE RUSSIAN TROOPS AND THE WEATHER. Yesterday was a model of a fine winter's day. The long icicles that fringed the eaves of the huts glittered in the bright sun, the rays of which tempered a sharp frost. It was the very day for pedestrians, and, notwithstanding that the snow lay a foot deep on the ground, numerous walking parties were out, officers' ponies getting an unaccustomed holiday. Groups of young gentlemen, armed with fowling-pieces and revolvers, were seen sallying forth in pursuit of an imaginary game, and returning with empty bags, having been gratified by the dis tant view of a flock of bustards, by an overhead prospect of a flight of wild geese, or by a glimpse of a remote hare contemp tuously observing them. The Russians took advantage of the fine weather to hold a review of a large mass of infantry on the heights above Inkermann; and the Light Division, having no foe to combat, divided itself into two brigades, and had a furious battle with snowballs. At night the cold increased, and this morning it is very severe. There is no wind, so we feel it the less, but still it is tolerably intense. Early ablutions were a struggle with masses of ice, and towels stiff as boards, and which needed thawing ere they could be used. The cold weather has not yet lasted long enough for us to judge of its effect upon the general health of the army; but the men are so well fed, and in such fine spirits, that it is to be hoped, notwithstanding canvass coverings, there will be no serious increase of disease to record. At present the sanitory state of the army is most satisfactory. The difference between this year and last is very striking. To take the light division as an example : it is about 6,500 strong, and has 433 sick, no cholera, and but a small proportion of serious cases. In De cember, 1854, there were 258 deaths in that division; in De cember, 1855, there were only eight, and three of those were from wounds. Of course, the absence of trench duty goes for a good deal in this enormous difference, but not a little of it is also to be attributed to the shelter, warm clothing, and good food the army now enjoys. - ARREST OF A GREEK SPY. JAN. 7.—A Greek has been for three days in confinement at head-quarters on strong suspicions of being a spy. He was sent away from Karanyi last August, and warned not to come back. He lately returned to the Crimea with a French pass port, but instead of remaining in the French lines, went to Karanyi. He is to receive 25 lashes, and be sent home to his own country, with due dotice that if he shows himself here again he will be hung, AN OFFICER OF A TRANSPORT SHIP FLOGGED. There has been considerable excitement daring the past week among the masters and officers of transports in Bala klava harbour, on account of the second officer of the Star of the South, a large steam transport of 1,800 tons, having been flogged by the Provost-Marshal. It appears that he was taken to the guard-house on Sunday night last by a policeman, who charged him with being drunk. He had resisted capture, and his clothes were torn and soiled in the struggle. The next morning Capt. Frayne, of the Star of the South, and Captain Champion, of Her Majesty's steam transport Melbourne, went to the guard-house to intercede for him, and to request he might have a hearing, as be denied having been drunk, and said he could produce witnesses to prove his sobriety when taken up. Their efforts, however, were in vain, and he re ceived eighteen lashes ; and one of the two transport captains having been overheard by a soldier to remark to his companion that this was brutal treatment, he was threatened with the like if he did not go on board his ship. A complaint was made to Admiral Fremantle, and some correspondence has taken place on the subject between the naval and military authori ties and Captains Champion and Frayne, who, as highly re spectable men, holding very responsible situations, and well known to and esteemed by many officers out here, naturally feel aggrieved by the menace of a disgraceful punishment. The second mate's friends deny that he was drunk. It appears that he stutters, which may have coniributed to a mistake as to his state. However, whether drunk or sober, his case is a hard one, for, besides the lashes, he loses his situation, which he at once gave up, feeling himself disgraced and that he could not in future expect respect from the crew. The correspondent of the Daily News, writing on the 7th of January, says in reference to the INTENDED DESTRUCTION OF THE SUNK SHIPS. It is understood that, as soon as practicable, steps will be taken to blow up and completely destroy the ships which were sunk by the Russians at the time of the evacuation of the south side of Sebastopol. The masts of some of the line•of. battle ships remain visible above the water, just as when the vessels were first submerged, If the opportunity were given, there seems but little doubt but that some of the sunken ships could be hereafter raised by the Russians, and, at any rate, much valuable property could be recovered by them without much expenditure of labour or money. The sunken line of ships across the mouth of the harbour serves as a breakwater and protects the vessels which were submerged further up the roadstead from a great deal of injury to which they would otherwise be occasionally subjected by the agitation of the waves during the westerly gales. THE NIGHTINGALE FUND. Collections are being made in the various regiments, in accordance with appeals from the .commander-in-chief and generals of division, towards the Nightingale Fund. Both officers and men are responding with alacrity, and not a few are anxious to show their estimation of the- devoted lady to whose honour the tribute is made, by increasing the amount of subscription which has been generally suggested _by the superior officers—namely, one day's pay. THE PEACE NEGOTIATIONS. The Paris correspondent of the Tmes says :—" In my letter of Sunday last, speaking of the place that would be selected for the peace conferences, I mentioned that the French Govern ment had not, and would not, demand Paris, but that, if pro posed by England, they would make no objection. I believe I can pow inform you that Paris is the place selected. The Em peror Napoleon proposed to the English Government that London should be the place, and the English Government, not to be outdone in courtesy, fixed on Paris, and expressed a hope that no objection would be made. This choice, of course gives satisfaction here, and has been readily acquiesced in by Russia. Each government will no doubt put its best champion forward to represent it on the occasion, and the public voice seems to approve beforehand the choice that would be made of Lord Palmerston ; nor would Lord Clarendon be an unpopular one. The Russian Government has fixed on M. Brunow as its representative. It is not true, by the way, as has been stated, that an intimation has been made to Prussia that her accept ance of the Austrian propositions is a sine qua' non to her ad mission to the conferences. I believe no intimation has been made to her on the subject ; and it is to be hoped that Prussia will be left in the same inglorious loneliness in which her own choice has placed her. I should have said that the Russian Government previously ascertained that M. Brunow would not be objected to by England and France. M. de Buol is spoken of as the Austrian plenipotentiary." The Vienna correspondent of the Times writes :—" Things are for the moment at a standstill, there being a difference of opinion between the allies on the subject of the interpretation to be given to the fifth proposition. England stoutly main tains that Russia must not again be permitted to fortify the east coast of the Black Sea, and Austria and France propose that the question should be left in abeyance until the Peace Conferences have met. The British Government is, however, extremely desirous to come to a clear understanding with its allies on such an important point before it again enters the diplomatic lists, and, therefore, a few days may elapse before the preliminaries of peace are signed. A diplomatic corres pondence respecting the Aland Islands and the Caucasian coast is now going on between the allies of the 2nd December, and, therefore, considerable reserve is necessary on my part ; but it may be observed that it is, perhaps, not absolutely ne cessary that England should insist on the eastern coast of the Black Sea being disarmed.' Russia has herself destroyed the whole chain of forts on the Caucasian coast, and, there fore, the object of the British Government would be attained if the status quo should there be maintained. The less that is said or written about the northern forts of Sebastopol the better it will be for all parties, as neither France nor Austria are inclined to deprive Russia of what is now called her ' legi timate means of defence.' In order to avoid a schism, France and Austria may, perhaps, be induced to agree with England that the Aland Islands must not again be fortified, that the consuls of the allied powers must be allowed to reside at the different Russian ports in the Black Sea, and that the status quo must be maintained on the eastern coast of the Black Sea, but neither the one nor the other power is likely to go further. Certain it is that men high in office aver that Count Buol was not informed of the exact sense of the fifth proposi tion until after Count Valentine Esterhazy had left Vienna.', The Presse says :—" We understand that the Court of St. Petersburg has expressed a wish that the impending Congress should be held at a principal metropolis, and has suggested that either London, Paris, or Vienna should be named. The Allies,we hear, are rather of opinion that the Congress should assemble at some neutral city of less importance. Frankfort on-the-Maine is much talked of." The Globeof Saturdaysays :—" No step can be taken towards framing a preliminary treaty of peace, much less concluding such an important instrument, until the governments of France and England shall have been in possession of the pre cise form in which Russia has accepted the Austrian proposi tions. This acceptance will probably reach London and Paris within a few hours, but the diplomatic proceedings that will ensue cannot possibly reach a stage that would warrant the conclusion of an armistice for a period considerably more re mote than the day fixed for the meeting of parliament. A good deal of gossip is also printed in reference to the scene of the anticipated negotiations, and the persons who are to conduct them. We do not think, however, that anything has been yet decided in reference to this, and must, consequently, regard the statements in question as so many ingenious guesses, which may be in some respects justified by the probable re • sults." Although the governments of France and England have not as yet received from Austria the formal proposals, upon which alone official action can be taken, it is not premature to an nounce that the Earl of Clarendon will assist at the conferences, which will be held at Paris, as Plenipotentiary upon the part of the Queen of Great Britain. There will be no armistice until the preliminaries, at least, of peace shall be formally signed.— Observer. PARIS, Thursday. It is asserted that the governments of England and France have already taken into consideration the necessity of being prepared to name a city in which the negotiations for peace shall take place. Both cabinets have agreed that it shall not be a German town ; and, in all probability, Paris will be fixed on, as affording the envoys of the Allies the best opportunity of immediate reference to head-quarters. The Emperor, being so near at hand, would, under such circumstances, create the utmost confidence in France, and Lord Palmerston's personal attendance would, no doubt, be equally assuring to the people of England. BERLIN, Thursday. It has been determined, at a council at which the King pre sided, that Prussia will make no very open demonstration of her wish to be admitted to the conferences. It is expected here that the conference will soon resolve into a general congress, to which, of course, Prussia will be sum moned. Diplomatic relations between the representative of Russia and those of the Western Powers have been partially resumed. On their last meeting, the Baron de Budberg and Lord Bloomfield were in conversation for a very considerable time. The news of the Russian acceptance has been received very coldly in Sweden. The national feeling there is greatly dis appointed at the prospects of peace. We learn from Copenhagen, that a similar dissatisfaction is manifested by the ultra-national party of Denmark. BRUSSELS, Thursday. The rumour from Paris is, that an armistice is concluded for 90 days; another report runs that the conferences will take place in Paris. THE CRIMEA. MARSEILLES, Thursday. The Thabor has arrived with advices from Constantinople of the 14th, and from the Crimea of the 12th instant. The Eldorado has landed Russian cannons from Kamiesch. Conferences have been held in Constantinople in order to adjust the first and fourth points relating to the Principalities. The persons who took part in these conferences were Aali Pasha, Grand Vizier ; Fuad Pasha, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Prince Callimaki, M. Thouvenal, Lord Stratford de Redcliffe, and Baron de Prokesch. The firing continues on both sides of Sebastopol. The Allies have blown up two of the docks. The Russians are taking up their winter quarters at Sim pheropol and Baktchi-Serai. The news from Kinburn is to the effect that the Russians had 30,000 men iu echelon, between Petrosska and Otchakoff, and that in consequence fears were entertained of an attack on the fortress of Kinburn. The garrison had been rein forced by troops under the command of General Lebceuf. The flotilla was frozen in, but would aid in the defence, if the Russians should attempt the place. General Vivian, fearing to be attacked at Kertch, has called for officers of infantry and artillery to be despatched to him from Constantinople. _ - RUSSIA. HAMBURG, Jan. 24. An imperial ukase has been promulgated at St. Petersburg, decreeing the issue of 10 new series of paper money, each of three million silver roubles. At the same time, eight series formerly drawn are renewed, making altogether 54 millions. PERSIA. CONSTANTINOPLE. Jan. 14. The following is the text of the ultimatum addressed to the Court of Persia by Mr. Murray :- 1. The government shall restore to liberty the Princess, wife of Mirza. 2. That it shall acknowledge Mirza as Consul for the Queen of England. 3. That the Prime Minister of the Schah shall proceed to the residence of the English Embassy, to offer an apology, and withdraw his offensive note. Mr. Murray, in spite of some resistance, has left an agent at Teheran, and has threatened to support him by an English fleet in the Persian Gulf. The accounts from Constantinople state that General Mou ravieff, after destroying the advanced works of Kars, had left a garrison of 1,000 men in that place. well provisioned, and ordered the main body of his army to march on Gumri. There is at Trebizonde a force of 15,000 Turks and Egyptians, the greater part of whom are on their way to the relief of Erzeroum. These troops endure the most severe privations, and more particularly suffer from the bad state of the roads, which are much encumbered with snow. At Kinburn the sea is frozen to a distance of two leagues ; the gunboats which are frozen up will, in case of need, act as detached forts round the citadel. The rupture of relations between Persia and England is confirmed. The Shah declined the mediation of France the moment he heard of the fall of Kars. The English Minister, on his side, refused to make any concessions, and has left Teheran with all the English Legation. He arrived on the 6th of December at Kious, near Mossoul. BARON &BEACH AND THE CZAR.-A Paris letter in the Inde'pendance Belge contains the following :—" Although the result M. Seebach had in view, in his visit to St. Petersburg, is now in a good way of being realised, some details respecting this diplomatist's interview with the Emperor Alexander will not, perhaps, be uninteresting. M. Seebach was extremely intimate with the Emperor Nicholas, and the Emperor Alex ander witnessed, when very young, the friendship which his father maintained with that statesman. The latter was re ceived at the palace immediately after his arrival at St. Peters burg, which city he had not visited for many years. On seeing him, the Emperor exclaimed, ' What grave events have passed since we last saw each other !' and then threw himself into his visitor's arms. His Majesty for some time showed much emo tion, and spoke of his father, his childhood, and of the calmer times when he had known M. Seebach. In speaking of his father tears ran down his cheeks. But, recovering himself with a dignity truly imperial, he observed, ' But we have to speak of more serious matters. Ah ! you are not come hoping to weaken me.' The Emperor then expressed himself with great clearness upon the reasons which rendered the" establishment of peace desirable, but also upon his duties as the Sovereign of Russia, and' the difficulties and exigencies of the situation. My noblesse.' said he, `are not prepared to bow the head. I do not deceive myself upon the gravity of the events in the Crimea, nor upon the possible results of an attack in the Baltic, but, believe me, whatever be the situation, and whatever may be likely to arrive, it is much more difficult for me at this mo ment to make peace than continue the war. I encounter, in deciding for war, ten times less resistance among my noblesse and the people.' " CHESTER , AND HOLTICEAD RAILWAY.—The traffic for the week ended January 20th, 1856, was as follows:—Passengers, parcels, &c., £1;882 14s. 6d. ; steam-boats, £262 17s. 10d. ; goods, £2,109 15s. )d. ; total, including Carnarvon traffic, £4,255 Bs. ld. Corresponding week last year :—Passengers, parcels, &c., £1,897 '4O. 10d.; steam-boats, £256 Bs. 5d.; goods, £1,659 12s. 5d ; total, including Carnarvon traffic, £3,813 ss. .6d. _lncreas,e,Xl42 2s. sd. AMERICA. ARRIVAL OF THE CANADA. By the British and North American Royal Mail Steam ship Canada, Captain Lang, which arrived on Sunday, we have intelligence from Boston to the 16th, and from New York, by electric telegraph, to the 17th instant. The Canada brought 77 passengers. On the 17th instant, in lat. 43 12 N., long. 66 38 W., passed the America. During the outward passage of the Canada, the weather was so bad that the watch had to get into the rigging to save themselves from being washed overboard. The U.S. Mail Steam-ship Atlantic, hence, arrived at New York on the 13th instant, and the steamer Ericsson, from Havre, on the 15th. Mr. Crampton, the British Minister, had dined with the President, at Washington. Congress continued unorganised. The last ballot was : Banks, 93 ; Richardson, 66; Fuller 33 ; Pennington, 9 ; Scat tering, 8. The number necessary to a choice was 105. A telegraph to a Boston p a p er from Washington, says : " It is not true that the President has prepared a special message relative to the illicit recruiting. There is nothing new relative to the Speakership. The call for a preliminary Republican Convention, to be held at Pittsburg, on the 22nd of February, was issued. The statement in the English papers, brought by the steamer Atlantic, that a treaty of alliance, offensive and defensive, had been concluded between the United States and Russia, is a pure fabrication." An accident had occurred on the Hudson River Railroad, by which an engineer and fireman were killed, and a number of persons injured. It occurred through the ice lifting a bridge and displacing the rails. A dry-goods store, at Utica, had been destroyed by fire. Exceedingly severe weather, with intense cold and snow storms, had occasioned disasters and great loss of life at sea. CALIFORNIA.—The steamships Northern Light and Empire City had arrived at New York with $1,889,000 in California gold. The transit route was perfectly healthy, no sickness having occurred among the passengers, although they were obliged to remain at San Juan del Norte two days and eight hours, owing to the detention of th e N or th ern Li g ht , in New York, by the United States officials. The mines in California were yielding more abundantly than ever. Busi ness was dull to a degree which had not been noticed for many months. A vessel had arrived with intelligence about the Russian position in Amoor river, which is reported to be im pregnable. - Ili Nicaragua matters were improving under the adminis tration of Rivas. The governments of San Salvador and Honduras have sent letters of recognition to the new Govern ment, and the Minister from Hoduras was reported to be on his way to Granada. Walker was receiving accessions to his forces continually, 200 men having joined him recently. Colonel Kinney was still at Juan del Norte. A large number of his men had joined Walker. The U. S. frigate Potomac had arived at San Juan. H. M. ships Arab and Espiegle were also there. The Bermuda Gazelle, referring to the difference at An tigua, in consequence of the authorities having taken a negro from an American vessel, on the ground of his being a slave, and to inquire into which the United States frigate Cyane was sent to Antigua ' says :—On her arrival at E ng li s h Harbour, the Cyane fount}, much to her surprise, H. M. sloop of war Medea on the ground before her. One of the officers of the latter ship being sent on board the Cyane, Commander Fairfax is reported to have informed him that he was most happy to see the Englishman as a private gentle man, but could have nothing to say to him in his official capacity ' • and that he (Commander F.) wou ld no t sa l u t e th e English flag until reparation was made to the American Government for the insult offered to the stars and stripes. The Cyane, on entering the harbour, had taken a very menacing position in regard to the Medea and forts, but the Medea, as soon as she had finished coaling, managed to place herself so as to put the Cyane in what would have been a very uncomfortable fix, had they come to blows." COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE, NEW YORK, 15th Jan. The demand for money seemed to abate. The leading financiers, however, confidently expect a change for the better within a few days. Foreign exchanges continue dull, and, in some instances, lower rates have been accepted. The quota tions were—London, 108 to 108; ; Paris, active and rather firm, 5221 to 523; Amsterdam, dull, 404 to 41; Hamburg, firm, 36 to 36*; Bremen, dull, 771 to 78*. COTTON.—The market has been more active, at prices, if anything, favouring the purchaser, though not sufficiently lower to justify a change in the quotations. Sales, 2,000 bales, about half in transitu. Mr. W. P. Wright, in his circular, states that " a fair busi ness has been done in cotton in transitu, chiefly from Mobile and New Orleans to Liverpool ; the sales for the past ten days I estimate at 4,000 bales. I quote, from New Orleans with id. freight, ordinary, 71c.; good ordinary, 72c.; low middling, 84c. to Sic. • middling, 9c. From Mobile, sa m e f re i g ht, i c . t o lc. below these rates. Very little has been done in Atlantic cottons, owing to the high cost. Southern markets have been less active during the week under review. By telegraph we have the following : —New Orleans, Jan. sth : Receipts for the week, 45,000 bales ; same week last year, 28,000. Sales for the week, 48,000 bales. Middling, 81-c. to 8/c. Freight to Liverpool, 11-16 d. Sales to-day, 7,000 bales; market firm. Freight to Liverpool, id. 7th J an . : S a l es to-day, 15,500 bales. Middling, 9c. 9th Jan.: Sales two days, 25,000 bales. Middling, 9c. Freight to Liverpool, id. ; Havre, Vic. Mobile, 6th Jan.: Receipts for the week, 31,000 bales ; same week last year, 9,000 bales. Total excess in receipts over last year, 640,000 bales. Sales for the week, 18,000 bales. Middling, Bc. Freight to Liverpool, id. ; t o H avre , Li e . per lb. Exchange on London, 7i to 71." The following is a comparative statement of receipts, ex ports, &c. 1855. 1854. 1853. 1852. Receipts at the Ports 1,540,722 926,281 948,318 1,494,000 Exports to G►eat Britain 502,210 418,467 267,612 555,265 France 185,734 102,472 74,629 94,385 Stock on hand 642,435 353,183 490,000 595,000 BREADSTITITS.—The flour market has been much depressed since the sth instant, in consequence of the unfavourable tenor of the English accounts received per Canada and At lantic to the 22nd and 29th December respectively. The de cline in prices amounts to 37ic. to 50c. per barrel, at which the business transacted yesterday, after receipt of the advices per Atlantic, was still on a very moderate seale. Wheat is quoted sc. per bushel lower, and to effect sales to any con siderable extent some further decline would be required. Indian Corn in fair demand without material change in prices. FREIGIITS.—There was no material alteration in rates. To Liverpool : For cotton, 7-32 d. per lb.; grain, Bd. to 8-id. per bushel; flour, 2s. 9d. to 3s. per barrel. To London_: Grain, 12d. per bushel; flour, 4s. per barrel. To Havre: Cotton, c. per lb.; grain, 20c. per bushel; flour, 85c. per barrel. HAVANA, Jan. B.—The past week was almost entirely de voted to holiday pursuits. The stock of new sugars, about 5,000 boxes; and remaining of old, 8,000 for shipment; quota tions not settled. Molasses sought for at 7r. Cigars in good demand. Exchanges declined ; London, 82 pm. LAGUAYEA, Dec. 2L—The country is quiet, and business is more active, particularly in the produce market. Coffee, how ever, arrives in small lots as yet. Fair qualities obtain readily 121 c. to 124 c. Ox and cow hides are in good demand at 201 c. per lb.; cocoa, $23 per fanego ; indigo, 8 reals per lb. ; and cotton, 124 c. to 13c. per lb. The agricultural condition has greatly improved, and next year's production will exceed any thing this country ever yielded. Its products will consist of tobacco, Indian corn, hemp, sugar-cane, coffee, and manufac tures on an increased scale. LATER INTELLIGENCE. NEW YORK, JAN. 15, 6, P.M. — Stocks are better, but quiet. Money and exchange unaltered. Erie, 51/ ; Michigan South ern, 86/ ; Reading, 84/ ; Nicaragua, 22/ ; Indiana State s's, 80; Galena and Chicago, 125 k; Michigan Central, 89/. Cot ton heavy and unchanged. Common and medinm grades flour a shade higher, with a moderate demand for export and home consumption; sales, 13,000 barrels at $7/ to $Bl, for mixed to fancy and low grades extra Western ; $7,94 to $B, for common State ; $8 to 8/, extra ditto ; and 91 to 111, for extra Genesee, closing firm : 400 barrels Canadian, at $B/ to 94. Rye flour dull at $5/ to 55,67. Wheat lower. Corn better ; sales, 31,000 bushels; new yellow and white Southern, $B6 to $9O; mixed Western, $9l to $93, in store and delivered. Pork in better demand, at higher prices ; sales, 700 barrels, at $l6l to $l6, for ,mess ; $l4 for prime —Demand is chiefly for former. Beef unchanged ; sales, 200 barrels, at $9 to $lO for country ; prime mess, $lOl to $l2 : and $l4 to $l4l, for repacked Western. 400 barrels beef hams, at $l3 to $l4. Dressed hogs, $7/ to $7/. Bacon sides held higher. Lard, 500 barrels, $ll/ to $lll. Butter, $l7 to $22, and $23 to $27. Cheese, $9 to 5102. (By Electric Telegraph.) NEW YORK, JAN. 17, EVENlNG.—European news via Hali fax was published here this morning, and caused cotton to decline. Flour, also, slightly declined. Money to-day steady, with an improving tone in the money market. NEW ORLEANS, JAN. 11.—Sales of cotton to-day, 2,500 bales. NEW YORK, (SEcown DESPATCH.)—The ship St. Denis, hence for Havre, has foundered at sea. Thirty lives lost, including all the passengers. AUSTRALIA. ARRIVAL OF THE CHAMPION OF THE SEAS. Br the "Black Ball" royal mail ship Champion of the Seas, Captain WKirdy, which arrived on Friday, we have intelli gence from Melbourne to the 28th October ; Sydney to the 24th ; Adelaide, 21st ; Hobart Town, 20th ' • Launceston, 23rd ; and New Zealand, 12th. Sh e h a d 25 first cabin, 38 in second cabin, and 118 third cabin passengers. There was one birth on board on the sth of December, and on the 24th of the same month, one of the passengers, John Colquhoun, committed suicide by cutting his throat. The Champion of the Seas had on board 124,000 oz. of gold, value about £496,000, 1185 bales of wool, 13 bales of sheepskins, 40 casks of tallow, 382 bags tin ore, 3120 bags copper ore, 3 barrels of oil from New Zealand, and 202 packages of sundries. The'James Baines, M•Donnell, hence, arrived at Melbourne on the 23rd October, 78 days from Liverpool. In one day she logged the extraordinary distance of 543 miles. On her passage home, the Champion of the Seas spoke the following vessels :—Nov. 7th, the Mercedes, from Sydney to Valparaiso; 29th, Anglo Saxon, from Liverpool; Dec. 16th, Woodbrilge, from London to Akyab ; 17th, Electra, from Liverpool to Melbourne; 19th, Ellen Radford, Liverpool to Valparaiso ; 20th, Anglo Saxon, from New York to San Frw cisco; 22nd, Arequipa, steering north ; and 26th, M e d or a, steering north. The following vessels had also arrived out :—Oct. 17th, the James Paton, from Glasgow; 18th, Statesman, from London ; 23rd, Cromwell, from Plymouth ; the Vriendtrow and the Bucephalus, from Liverpool, at Adelaide. The Shalimar was to sail for Liverpool, Nov. 10, and the James Baines, Nov. 25. The reports from the gold fields were most promising, and the produce of the mines greatly on the increase. Another finding had taken place, in the shape of a nugget weighing 730 ounces, at a working situate between Old Daisy Hill and Back Creek. The quantity of gold exported from Melbourne in 1855 (exclusive of the amount shipped per Champion of the Seas) amounted to 83 tons 9 cwts. 2 qrs. 5 lb. 8 oz., in all above 2,000,000 ounces, of the wine of £8,013,872. The gold escort for the week was considerably under au average oue, which may be accounted for from the number of rushes that have occurred for the last two or three weeks. When the diggers get settled down to work again we may look for better returns. The most important of the new fields is that of Fiery Creek, at which . a population of 30,000 to 40,000 is congregated. _ The-sale of Cr"own lands in the neighbourhood of Melbourne .continue,s,(sais the Argus) to tahibitazarked change in the pipit of the people. The competition during the Octob i _ r , ssales has been by no means active, and large quantities we" withdrawn for want of purchasers. —Tte The Melbourne Argus, of the 25th October, say s: spring trade for the supply of inland de man ds has ral r '' n e t in, but many circumstances have prevented that improve oe 4 in trade which has been generally looked for. The prices "te breadstuffs have ruled high, and the uncertainty of ade c i l !'. / d supplies of this staple article of consumption has an unfavourable influence on the markets. The unfortunate state state of commercial affairs in Sydney, where a sort of cr_i!, • little inferior, apparently, in intensity, to that which r. bourne has just passed through, checks speculation. !,", crisis, like that of Melbourne, having arisen from over-traol4 and over-importation, it is certain that a great portion of w o surplus, in the shape of bankrupt stock, will be forced this market; and, in this way, the material revival in ne and confidence, which was anticipated, will, it is fear retarded. The general prosperity of the population oil gold-fields, which is evidenced by increasing consumptiont.P.:, by the presence of buyers in the town markets to meet trise; present wants, has added to the firmness in prices. W, Te 4 e it, remark that sales of merchandise have, within the last " ou la been at an advance of 10 per cent. on the prices that w A. have been gladly taken at the commencement of the gion"' - o f The conduct of Sir Henry Young, the Lieut.-Governor 1. Tasmania, has caused the utmost indignation in that 64 .,,, °1i n k The consequence was, that on the 15th of October a w,he exeret:te numerously-attended and influental meeting was held at"„ 4 Criterion Hotel, Melbourne. and the following resolut were adopted :—" That the arbitrary conduct of Sir g eli ro . Fox Young, the Governor of Tasmania, in su ddenly P. rouging the Council for the p ur p ose o f f orc ibl y suPPressli?c't inquiry into the conduct o f cer t a i n o ffi cers o f th e C° llcl 3 l. Department of the colony, charged with the grossest ii!,A version of their respective offices, an d th e un p r ecedeu t T e mode of prorogation adopted by him, in going in t° te, Council at a late hour of the night, i n th e m id s t o f a debu without the usual form a l no ti ce , i s an a b use o f th e pc' u ' re ; confided to him by Her Most G rac i ous M a j es ty, which t calculated to bring her na me an d authority into conteuir and which would, if succe ss f u l, b e u tt er l y d es t ruc tive of te . independence of the Legislature. That this meeting their pathises with the Legislative C ounc il o f T asman i a , it t d conflict with an arbitrary, and irresponsible Executive, an tenders to the said Cou nc il th e assurance o f it s cor dial l , eo port in maintaining inviolate their right to inquire into On affecting the welfare of the colony, and thereby maintain, the rights and liberties of the people whom they represent: COMMERCIAL. nts There was no change i n th e value of gold, but shipoe whe were active, brokers buying a t £3 15 s . 3d . per ounce. •"" general rates were £3 15s. 3d. to £3 15s. 6d. per ounce. e , There was a considerable de m a n d f or money a t Melbon:6 in small amounts, at short dates. The rate of interest 10 to 10i per cent. for lengthened periods. • es Breadstuffs were improving in value. Fine flour, £3 B, conds, £36 ; and Chilian, £37 per ton. WooL.—The shipments of wool from Melbourne to Octob , er 10th were 15,360,784 lbs., of th e d ec l are d va l ue o f £883,;''6, being an increase of 26 per cent. over the previous sen o ,. Very little of the new clip had come f orwar d. The latest (I' l s l tations were—superior flocks, 150. to 17d. • fair to good, ls e, to ls. 3d., inferior to average, ls. to ls. ld. ; broken, low, 10d. to 11d.; locks, grease, &c., sd. to Bd. ; handwashed afl slipe, 10d. to ls. ld. ; scoured, ls. 2d. to ls. 5d.; sheep -0 full wool, 3s. 3d. to 3s. 6d. each. • TALLow.—A few parcels chan g ed h an d s a t prev i ou s pri gs' viz., £37 to £4O per ton. Exchange on London, dr a ft s aga i ns t go ld purc h as ed, ° , l/ e e per cent. Freight of gold, 4d. p er ounce, d e li vere d at t' Bank of England. Insurance, two per cent. LABOUR.—Labour of every description is rapidly rising! value, and any man or woman w illi ng t o accep t wor k no w !: A perience little difficulty in obtaining it, as a scarcity of a male and female servants is beginning to be felt. Maras couples without encumbrance h ave b een engage d as hign,., £l3O per annum. The ord ers f rom th e var i ous go ld fleid tu, s2 o female servants are daily increa s i ng , an d muc h l ess difficulty now experienced in getting suit a bl e p ar ti es t o procee d thither' IREIAND. LORD VISCOUNT LIFFORD has been elected a t em P o peer of Ireland in the room of the late Lord De Vesci. The'" was no opposition. AT the recent burial of an English militiaman, a protestant' at Ballinasloe, a crowd of Irish assembled, and from the II" went the service began kept up a continual yelling, shouting' hissing, and whistling. TRANSATLANTIC COMUNICATION.-It is all but officifl M announced that Mr. Malcolmson, of Portlaw, Waterford, th, eminent steamship proprietor, is about to place a line of screl steamers between Liverpool and New Y or k, t ouc hing $ Queenstown on the outward and home voyages. " THE cheapest newspaper in the world" is advertised.,, t " appear at Cork on the 4th of Februa r y. It i s t o b e a dpi paper, and the subscription is to be a shilling per annvis e a, It is to be called 7'he Bizarre Gazette, a n d is t o b e co nnec t a n with the great interest of "charity" and "literature," the more volatile associations of " fortune" and " fun." THE IRISH CORN TRADE.—Accounts from Cork mentio n ole that the corn market held on Wednesday exhibited syn 3 P m - - ;$ of greater firmness, but quotations remai n una lt ere d. „ t d stated that large stocks of Indian corn, between 35,00 0 ! 40,000 tons are at present held on account in the city, heel deg considerable quantities of other grain, but the amount in store of sweet foreign wheat is believed to be small. Large VI; titles of grain are also understood to be held i n m o s t of w western ports. SINCE the visit of Her Majesty to Ireland, there have 1 1 ° t been such a levee and drawing-room at Dublin Castle as those held during the present week by the Earl of Carlisle. We tic/ not speak of the numerical attendance alone, but of the fa ct that, from all parts of the country, even districts the MO, t remote, the gentry and professional classes eagerly availe' themselves of the opportunity of manifesting their esteem fe t a the present Viceroy, and their admiration for those high a 5,..„, amiable qualities which have rendered him universally poPul'" in Ireland.—Dublin Mail FORTIINA.TE SON OF MA.III3.—A private soldier, Mine d , Benjamin Shaw, belonging to the 2nd (Queen's Ovi n ' Regiment, at present stationed in Mallow barracks, received letter on Friday, announcing that he had been left five bul l. Bred a-year by an uncle, who died in England last Septeraberi Shaw is represented to be a very steady, correct fellow, 9- 1 ?, 1 is quite a young man. He declares that his good fortune old not induce him to relinquish the "trade of a rms ," as he soul(' immediately get his name on the list at the Horse-guards t° purchase a commission. . TUE FLAX CROP OF 1855.—The annual meeting of the Royal Flax Improvement Society was held in Belfast on th e 18th, Sir Robert Bateson, in the absence'of Lord D o wnshire! presiding. In presenting their report, the committee expreP their regret that, from a combination of adverse circumstanc es ' the Irish flax crop of 1855 has been considerably less than that of the preceding year; but this temporary check did 0' dishearten them, and they' had no doubt that ere long a fre sh impulse would be communicated to a branch of a gr icultnr: which nature had pointed out as so peculiarly suited to Irelao' A DESTRUCTIVE FIRE broke out early on Friday, the IS th instant, in the extensive out-offices of Mr. Thompson, El nally-house, near Trim, county Meath. After b ur ning at noon, the fire was got under. There were destroyed eigh stall-fed bullocks, two horses, eight pigs, 150 barrels of po ts ' toes, 30 barrels of oats, a rick of corn of about 100 barrel s ' and a rick of hay of 100 tons. There were 14 or 15 house! in the range, all of which were destroyed. The loss is est:: mated at £2OOO. The dwelling-house escaped. The fire is supposed to have been wilfully and maliciously caused. CONSERVATIVE SOCIETY OF IRELAND.—An associatio n, under the above style and title, established about two yea the ° ago, but not since heard of, suddenly reappeared before , A public last week, a meeting of its members having been hew at a house in Upper Sackville-street, the Marquis of Dcal v shire in the chair. There was a fair muster of M.P.'s Pre sent, together with a sprinkling of the accredited men e / ~ note attached to the Irish Conservative party. The repot" read was regarded as highly favourable, and the committee state that "several eloquent and business-like addresses we re made by the proposers and seconders of the, various resole' tions." WRECK OF AN AMERICAN BARK.—On Tuesday morning' a splendid American bark, the Independence, of Bath, sta te of Maine, Captain Marshall, was wrecked on the strand, ne 3r Bettystown, north of the Nanny river. The vessel was re . turning on her first trip to New Orleans from Liverpool. She was 1300 tons register and 2000 tons b ur d en , h av i ng at th e time a crew of 30 hands, and carrying 700 tons of salt in bags' She struck on the above strand about four o'clock, a.inhl brisk breeze blowing inwards at the time, and which coal' nued during the day. About an hour afterwards one of t he Drogheda steamers, the Foig-a-Ballah, Capt. Heeny, coming from Liverpool, opportunely arrived, saved all the hands, "' ...,an„ had them safely landed at the Drogheda quay. The Sir I Ham Stamer, of Maryport, Captain Bruff, coming towards the Drogheda port immediately afterwards, is described as 1101 . sailed literally through spars and rigging belonging to the l u fated vessel, but owing to the heavy sea running at the tirne, and the darkness of the morning, no attempt could be 133 04 3 to secure them. The wreck at present lies on the banks, an r the wind continuing as described, there is every probability 0 ' her being broken up. AUCTIONS IN TUE CORN TRADE.—Owing to the unsettled and fluctuating state of the corn trade at the present time, and with a view of obtaining the opinions of those engag e d in the trade with regard to the probable future range prices, no less than three auctions of corn were held on Tues day, in Cork. The first took place in the Messrs. Ilau S stores, Charlotte-quay. The quantities offered for sale were 1000 barrels of Ibraila wheat, and 400 barrels of Egyptiat!. The highest price offered was 345. 6d. for the Ibrail, at which the owners refused to sell, and it was accordingly withdrawn; There were about 200 tons of Indian corn, about 60 tons of which were sold at from £9 to £9 7's. 6d., and no higher price being offered, the remainder was withdrawn. There were 3000 barrels of Ibraila wheat and 1000 barrels of Egyptian wheat offered for sale, at the second auction, which took place at Mr. H. L. Young's store, Clark's -bridge , of which 600 barrels were sold at from 365. 6d. to 375., and the remainder was withdrawn, in consequence of no higher price being offered. At the third, which took place at Mr. C. J. Can' tillon's store in Fish-street, 1200 barrels of Ibraila wheat were offered for sale. The attendance was pretty nu merate; The first lot sold consisted of 200 barrels at 385., the second a 100 barrels, at 38s. 6 d. , the third of 100 barrels at 3 984 and the fourth of 200 barrels, at 3 95. 3d. No higher pri c e offering, the sale was then stopped. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. THE CHASE. The CRESIIIRE HOUNDS will meet on Wednesday, Jan. 30 . Waverton 1 ,111 5 Thursday, 31 • T a ttenh • Saturday, Feb. 2 Delamere How' Each day at Half-past Ten o'clock. - Sir W. W. WYNN'S HOUNDS will meet on Tuesday, Jan. 29 4.. .ITaist °P . . ....... ... . •. Friday, Feb. 1 • • Saturday, 2... Cock 130' Every day at Half-Past Ten o'clock. ENGLISH ENGRAVING.--" What one man can do (says the mc e proverb) another can imitate" but we have an instance he'v o f us, in which we think imitation hopeless. and the perfectior t s art fully attained. We have an admirable engraving, the vv,o'io of Messrs. Perkins, Bacon, and Co., the execution of which ' , so beautiful, that, when seen, it excites the m os t i n tense adni" 4 ,.. tion of its beauty and effect. It is intended by MzssgS. LAND and F , oNs as a protection against the counterfeiting tr i g labels by unprincipled imitators, of their ROWLAND'S MACAS';aI OIL. To be fully appreciated, it must positively be seen ; 13 ;i af we recommend our readers to purchase a bottle, if onlY ev the sake of beholding what is at once so bea u tiful a s pecito of art, and so effective a safeguard against fraudulent imitation' THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. [JANUARY 29, 1856.