The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1851-05-13 00:00:00

10 CORRESPONDENTS, should them, I- ❑nications were received yesterday, and we )een glad to have found room for one or two of arrival of the steamer, and a multitude& other isertion. Simms, referred to in the Health Com mittee's proceedings in our last, was stated to be not appli. cable to the holds of ships for expelling foul air. The reverse is the fact, and we cannot tell how the unfortunate word, imputing the contrary, was inserted in the eport. , resented thei Eln Rtinrpool OtaniaarTi, TUESDAY NORNING, MAY 13, 1851 IN the days of England's great statesmen, who may be justly regarded as intellectual Titans, when compared with the present pigmy race, there was no object deemed more worthy of the attention of the legislature than the building up and strength ening of a powerful commercial marine. As the result of a long period of wise fosteri ng; an d _ _ by the aid of " the Mariners of England,"w - e be came the first Laval power of the world, secured for ourselves a vast Colonial Empire, and hare suc cessfully defended our liberties and free institutions against every assailant. It has been the spirit and end of our modern philosophy, however, to get rid, bit by hit, of those wise measures of their prede cessors, which had at. length brought about so . glorious a result; and thanks, in the first place, to the concessions made to rival powers by our reci procity treaties, hut, most of all, to; the crowning blow dealt against the shipping interest by the Navigation Laws Repeal Bill, they are now in a fair way of achieving all that they meditated ; of stripping their country of her surest defence in the hour of danger and conflict, and of the greatest earthly source of the prosperity, which she has been permitted to enjoy. • There is one part of that measure which, although its evil tendency is now developing itself palpably, has been too much overlooked both by the oppo nents and supporters of the system which it de stroyed. We allude to the abolition, thrown in as a sop to the existing body of shipowners, of the system of apprenticing young boys to the sea. Impressed with the importance of rearing un and maintaining a constant supply of officers and able seamen, the legislature had insisted that every ves sel going to sea should have on hoard a number of ~roportion to her tonnage, duly in tured and registered, to he taught to perform, in time, the full duties of their avocation. The requirement was for every vessel of 80 tons or upwards one apprentice, at the least, for a vessel of 200 tons, and under 400 tons, two apprentices at the least; for 400 tons, and under 500, three at the least, and so on in proportion to tonnage, such apprentices to be bound for not less than four years; and a penalty of £lO, in respect of each apprentice, was to be levied on every master or owner not ful tilling tnese conditions. Inns tar we naa a body of men of good character and fair attainments continually in training, from whom to select the captains, mates, and other officers of our merchant service. By the Act of Parliament, which came into operation on the Ist of January, it has been rendered no longer compulsory on the part of ship owners and masters to take apprentices at all; and the result has been, just what might have been ex pected, that no apprentices are being taken. We learn that at the Liverpool Sailors' Home, where under the present regulations the ships of our first merchants are chiefly supplied with hands, only three apprentices have been indentured to the sea apprent den ces, in since the new act came into operation ! But it will be said, " lads do go to sea neverthe less, even under the present system." They do ; but on what terms, and with what prospects ? A captain outward-bound, engaging hands for his ship, picks out, amongst those offered for his selec tion, a stout lad or two, to put to rough work and drudgery, at the lowest rate of wages, often merely nominal; and, when the vorage home has been completed, he is sent adrift, 'to find another ship, and to seek engagement on the same terms. He Las learnt little. Nobody on board has been bound, or felt it his interest, to teach him. He has pro bably received more cuffs and kicks than good counsels, and the chances are against his ever reaching to a higher position than that of an " or dinary seaman." Should he even do so, he is not unlikely to transfer the ability, which he has at tained, under circumstances so discouraging, to the American or some other service, where it will be more valued than by his own country, now be come so neglectful of her best protectors. Already the best of our able seamen are to be found man ning the ships of our powerful rival, the United States ; and if we go on, as we are doing at present —harassing those who remain with the oppressive restrictions of absurd seamen's acts, whilst we ne glect making any provision for a future supply of efficient hands—we shall, in a few years, have only left available to select from, the men of had charac ter, the offscourings of their class, and a host of lubbers, little removed from landsmen, who have been driven to sea either by the mere love of de sultory roaming, or because every other channel of employment was closed against them. We are well aware that the owners and masters of our mercantile marine have a full right to say to us—" Yon have submitted us to an arduous competition with the untaxed foreigner ; and to enable us to do so successfully, we claim to have all restrictions which bear upon our interests swept away, and to be allowed to buy our labour, as well as everything else, in the cheapest market." True ; but a wise legislature would say, you shall not, in achieving cheapness for yourselves, endanger the institutions and sap the future security of the country. Such a legislature would ask the all momentous question—" Under this policy, ope rating as it now unquestionably is, how, in an emergency which may any moment present itself, are we to procure seamen to man our fleets?" And, unless the Question could be satisfactorily answered, it would insist, whatever might he its predilections in favor of a Free-trade policy—whatever might be its love of cheapness—that this great stronghold of the national defences must not be tampered with. The great text writer of the Free-trade party, Adam Smith, has left on record his opinion of the naviga tion laws, as they existed in the times ofthe Common wealth, and of the Second Charles—" It is not impossible that some of the regulations of this famous act may have proceeded from national animosity. They are as wise, however, as if they had all been dictated by the most deliberate wisdom. National animosity, at that particular time, aimed at the very same object, which the most deliberate wisdom would have recommended." The object re ferred to was the strengthening of the naval arm of England, and of its mercantile marine as the nursery of its seamen. That great man would have de nounced as the work of madmen such a measure as that is, upon which modern statesmanship prides itself; a measure which, sooner or later, must leave this great empire without a defence against its enemies. WE have again, this month, a flourishing of trumpets upon the subject of our increasing pros perity, the returns of the Board of Trade up to the sth of April, serving as the text. The writer of the city article in the London Times of Wed nesday last, says _ _ _ _ _ " The returns of the Board of Trade for the month ending the sth of April were issued this morning, and present singularly favourable results, considering the complaints that have been for some time circulated of the depression of trade in the provinces. The declared value of our exports shows, as compared with the corre sponding month of last year, an increase of £1,181,444, and of £1,599,533 as compared in 1849. This increase is again diffused in a striking manner through every branch of production, and the only falling off worth notice is in machinery, which would seem to indicate a renewed de pression of foreign enterprise, caused probably by the uncertainty of political affairs in France. Cotton, wool len, silk, and linen manufactures, all exhibit largely augmented totals; and the same is the case with the other various articles requiring the greatest exercise of skill, as well as those in which we are especially liable to competition. To represent that these exports are to be attributed in the mass to anything except a healthy and profitable business is at the present moment out of the question, since there has been neither undue speculation nor a pressure for money to cause goods to be forced off as a general rule at unremunerative prices. The decline in cotton and other articles of raw produce can alone account for any sacrifices that may have been made, and these circumstances are not only wholly irrespective of any general question as to the soundness of trade, but are actually favourable to its extension and stability for the future. We must take the liberty of denying the sound ness of the conclusion, at which the Times arrives. That we have exported more goods and produce in this particular month than in the corresponding month of last year may be accidental. In the month preceding we exported less than last year; and although there is a slight increase upon the quarter, it remains to be ascertained that it shows the existence of "a healthy and profitable busi ness." Manufacturers and producers generally must find markets for their commodities some- Where; if the h ome market been limited, as it unquestionably has, exportation is the natural and invariable result. The question to be decided has this increased importation been "healthy. and profitable ?"—and the Times would be puzzled - to name any one great foreign market, in ••which British goods have not been selling this year at a ruinous sacrifice. The merchant and the •manu facturer, we beg to assure him, are just now quak ing in fear for the result of this very extension of their exportations, which the 7imes regards with such great complacency. Of our imports the Times remarks "The evidences of prosperity conveyed by the above comparisons are confirmed by the importation and con sumption of articles of food and luxury. Wheat and flour still show an enormous increase, and as the quantities produced at home are all in like manner-consumed, the consideration cannot be too often enforced as to what would have been the difference in the position of our population, and in their general health and efficiency, if these supplies had been inaccessible to them. In the consumption of other articles also there is a steady but not excessive increase. Salted provisions show a falling off, and coffee furnishes the usual sign of its inability to compete with untaxed chicory and dogbiscuit, but sugar, tea, cocoa, wines, spirits, fruits, and spices have all been in improved demand." In the first place, we repeat that this increase may be accidental. We have experienced a very open spring throughout Europe; and produce of all kinds has come forward early. The prices pay ing in our market for cotton have caused that raw material to be poured in upon us in increased quan tities. Thus in the month ended April sth this year, we received of cotton 884,113 cwts. against 261,821 cwts. in 1850, or more than three times the quan tity. Surely the Times does not mean to argue that such a chance circumstance is any sign of in creased, or assured prosperity! We have received 893,983 cwts. of silk against 498,298 cwts. in 1850. Is that a test of the increased prosperity of the silk manufacture ? Why, the fact has been de clared on the most assured authority—Messrs. Littledale's Circular—that, in the very month when we were receiving these large importations, the mar ket had " Been marked by a want of demand for all raw and thrown silks not known for many years previous at this season of the year, particularly as importers and dealers have evinced a disposition to meet the wishes of the trade. " Amongst the causes of the depression there has been an inability on the part of manufacturers to sell their goods, and a considerable falling off in the exporta tion of raw and manufactured silks. " The large arrivals of China silk have been early this season, which may in some measure account for the pre sent heavy stock, and prices generally have given way." The same increased importation has taken place with respect to the article Woo/, and from the same causes, and with the same result also, viz., dull markets for that article. The Baltic, and the rivers of Europe and America, from which we re ceive our supplies of grain, were open unusually early ; and hence the increased imports. Surely it cannot be said that we have, on this account, been eating at double or treble the rate! We imported in the month referred to 14,835,620 lbs. of Tea, against 3,298,970 lbs. in the corresponding month of last year. Has every man, woman, and child, in this kingdom, been drinking above four times his, or her, usual quantity f We imported double the quantity of Tobacco ; and we are not aware that the smoker has had a pipe or a cigar the more for it. The whole argument attempted to be based upon the increase of imports in any particular month, or any particular quarter, over another, is absurd and worse—it is mendacious. The Times' writer knows well, besides, that nearly every item of these increased imports has arrived at a bad market. The same conclusion is sought to be drawn from the increase of tonnage, both inwards and outwards, exhibited in this return. Obviously, if more goods have arrived in the month referred to than previ ously, they would require more ships to bring them. Three times the quantity of cotton would require three times the number of ships. And, if three times the number of ships have been entered in wards, the probability is that they would have to go outwards again, at whatever freights they could catch. We have a proof of the extra supply this spring of American vessels, most of which have come out extraordinarily early, in the fact that, notwithstanding the immense extent to which emi gration is going on, passages from this or any other port were never lower. Besides, the question de serves to be answered,—has none of the increase of shipping set down in the returns been employed in bringing foreign products to the Great Exhibi tion ? A SHORT while ago we noticed as a somewhat anomalous fact that, in a community like that of Liverpool, largely engaged as it is in the exchange of commodities with every quarter of the globe, there were men to he found, reputed as intelligent, and shrewd in their dealings, by whom, if you mooted the question of money, the instrument by which exchanges are effected, you would be told, with a shrug of the shoulders, that the question was one which they had never considered and could not understand. These gentlemen were, perhaps, taking infinite pains to ascertain the probable crops of cotton, corn, indigo, and other com modities, in order to guide them in their operations ; but with respect to the probable " crop" of money— its abundant or deficient supply, by which prices are regulated, they never inquired. We are glad to learn, however, that an oppor tunity is about to be afforded to the few, who are now thus careless of their own interests, and to the many who have become enquirers, to arrive at a true knowledge on the subject, especially as bearing upon the present unfortunate position of our com mercial and industrial interests ; and we respectfully urge upon these parties to attend the lecture on the subject to be given on Monday next, by Mr. Jonathan Duncan, of London, at the Cotton Sales Room, over which, we are glad to observe, that Mr, F. Shand has consented to preside. The lecture will be specially addressed to the mercantile interest. Two other lectures will be delivered by the same talented gentleman at the Concert-hall on the Tuesday and Thursday following, with special re ference to the true interests of the working classes. The admission on each occasion will be gratuitous. We beg to direct attention to an appeal to the public, which appears in our columns to-day, from sixty-five poor emigrants, who are left in a state of destitution in this town by the master of a Swedish vessel, in which they had embarked as passengers to Buenos Ayres. The vessel, it appears, sailed on the 4th instant ; and, after nearly wrecking all hands, put back to Liverpool for repairs, the pas sengers being assured that, as soon as these were completed, she would again proceed to sea, and in the meantime subsisting upon the stores provided for the voyage. Upon the ship being ready for sea, they are informed that the captain has deserted her, upon whom whilst here was their only legal claim for the expenses of their detention, the government agent, Lieut. Hodder, whose kindness on all such occasions is well known, advising them that, the vessel itself, being a foreign one, the law has no control over her. Under these circumstances, and as it requires a sum totally beyond their means, having been robbed of their all, to enable them to proceed to their destination, they appeal to the public ; and announce that Lieut. Hodder has con sented to receive subscriptions in their behalf. Now it is true that the law cannot interfere even in a case so flagrant as this ; and it is, at the same time, lamentable that, under our present arrange ments with foreign countries, similar frauds upon the most unprotected of our own countrymen may become things of every day occurrence. Surely the legislature, which has opened our ports to these foreign ships, ought to insist that, with respect to emigrant ships, the sufferers shall be provided with an efficient remedy. A hint conveyed from the Foreign-office might be very effectual in ensu ring this. But we despair of any such decided step on the part of the present government. On Sunday, after sermons in St. Jude's Church, by the Rev. J. B. Lowe and F. Barker, the sum of £42 was collected in aid of the schools. The preparations for the experimental proof of the earth's rotation at the Sailors' Home, according to Mr. Foucault's discovery, are rapidly progressing. The Earl of Derby, Lord Lieutenant of this county has appointed James Bourne, Esq., of Heathfield-house and James Heald, Esq., to be deputy lieutenants. ST. THONfAS' CHURCH SCHOOLS.—After a most elo quent sermon by the Rev. Dr. M`Neile, on Sunday even ing, in which he appealed with great earnestness on behalf of the children of the poor who crowd our streets in this densely populated district, exposed to crime and its con sequences—the sum of £4l 17s. was collected in aid of these schools. The rev. gentleman urged those present to enable the committee to erect a permanent school to meet the requirements of the neighbourhood. He hoped that the owners of property not resident in the neighbour hood would respond to the appeal; and that the tradesmen and others resident in the district would aid to their ut most, that the wants of the poor children Ray he supplied. COMMERCIAL AND MONETARY NEWS. Monday Night. The advices from America, received to-:day, have, again had a depressing effect. The price of cotton in the-States,' it will be seen, had declined, and the receipts were again on the increase. The sale of manufactured goods at. New York was very dull, and purchases were effected at prices which entailed a serious loss on the original producers; and, although this was the case, there was no. prospect of any improvement —on the contrary, prices were expected to be still lower. There was a moderate business in the cotton market to-day. 3,000 hales were sold to the trade, at a id. re duction on Friday's prices. The share market has been very -flat all week, with scarcely a momentary reaction, and during the last two or three days prices have declined considerably from a pre ponderance of sales. These sales have been, however, chiefly speculative, some few only (of the more timid) of the public having been amongst the number of sellers. The speculators, it is said, are acting in the expectation that the public will sell from disappointment at the traffic rourns since the opening of the Great Exhibition. Some, however, are of opinion that the holders of shares gene rally did not look for very large traffics until the latter end of June, July, and August, and that these speculative sellers have miscalculated their time, and will, in conse quence, suffer severely. The market to-day has not been without symptoms of an inclination to rally, and there is an evident scarcity ofstock. We annex this day 's quotations : Aberdeen, 14; Caledonian, 144 a 14 ii 14 4 ; East Lanca shire, 16 151 ; Do. preference Quarters, 8 ; Old Leeds, 61 2 ; Do. Fifths, 61c1 ; London stock, 1264 7; Do. new Quarters, 44p ; M'chester Shef and L'ccln, 321; Mid land, 61 2 ; Do. Halves, 14 s 131 d ; Old Dovers, 261 411 -11-. s ; York, Wewc. and Berwick unpaid-up pref., 2d ; York and North Midland, 254 -1 Dutch Rhe nish, 41d ; Bank of Liverpool, 19 z ; Borough Bank, new £lO-shares, 4 ; Gas, 188. EXPRESS NEWS. BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH. LONDON, MONDAY NIGHT THE LIVERPOOL MAGISTRACY.—The Globe is authorised to state that there is no truth in the statement that the office of Stipendiary magistrate at Liverpool has been offered and re fused by many gentlemen of the bar. The town council of Liverpool have as yet made no application to the Secretary of State to appoint a successor to the late Mr. Rushton. Until this is done, and the amount of salary fixed, no appointments can be made. The nomination, however, rests not with the council but with the Secretary of State. THE EXHIBITION.—Her Majesty, Prince Albert, the Prince of Prussia, and the Duke of Wellington visited the Exhibition early. The morning was gloomy and heavy rain fell during the day, but the attendance of visitors was again large. THE GREAT MATCH : Even on the Flying Dutchman.— SOMERSETSHIRE STAKES : 7to 4 agst The Ban ; 4to 1 agst Cheerful ; 10 to 1 agst Terpsichore.—DEßßY : sto 1 each agst Teddington and Hernandez ; 12 to 1 agst Marlborough Buck ; 14 to I agst The Ban; 16 to 1 agst Prime Minister; 18 to I agst Theseus; 20 to 1 agst Heart Breaker and Constellation; 40 to 1 agst Black Doctor and Newminister ; 50 to 1 agst Hyppolytus and Glenhawk.—THE OAKS : 5 to 1 agst Aphrodite; 7 to 1 agst Hesse Homburg, and 7 to 2 agst Payment. Additional Arrivals at York.—York you're wanted, Abdallah, Colt by Sir Hercnles out of Lantern, Knavesmire Witch, Post Tempore, King of Trumps, Azeth, Mona's Pride, Paginitta, Eliza Middleton, Slang, Filly by Melbourne, Miss Sasinia, and Chantry. ROME, 29T11.—Count Reconati, ancient Deputy of the Con stituent Assembly, lately arrested by the Austrians, was con demned to death by the Tribunal of the Consulate. PARIS, SUNDAY.—The journal La Patrie contains a dis avowal of the constitutional plan for abrogating the electoral law of May, which it regards as the standard around which the party of order must rally. The revision of the constitution and the fusion question are the only topics of discussion. The funds are 15 centimes lower, being quoted 90} for England. ST. PETERSBURG, MAY 2.—A steamer has to-day, for the first time, made the passage from Cronstadt to town. There is no ice to be seen to the westward of Cronstadt. Several THE LI VZ1UPO:01 V'T INBAR% 'THIS LATE ACCIDENT IN THE SUTTON TUNNEL• ADJOURNED INQUEST, YESTERDAY. The lengthened investigation was resumed yesterday morning at ten o'clock. Mr. W. C. Oka, a farmer, was the first witness called, and he stated that he lived in the neighbourhood, and was on the railway-bridge, near Sutton, on the evening of the 30th ult. He first saw a train pass on the line at an average speed from Chester, and run towards the tunnel. In about fifteen or twenty minutes afterwards he was walking near'to the railway, when he saw another train approaching in the same direction from Chester, and just out of the Frodsham station. He walked back by the side of the railway, and still saw the train, which was making little or en progress,—indeed, on watching it he could not tell whether it was going or not. It was then about a mile-and-a-quarter from the tunnel mouth. He heard sudden puffs of steam, as if the wheels were re volving without making much progress; and as it ap proached nearer, the train went at not more than a walking pace. It afterwards improved its speed, but still a person might have kept alongside of if by running. It appeared the train could not go at the usual rate from some cause or other; there had been a fall of hail, and it was raining at the time. His remark at the moment was, that such a train ought not to have been started with only a single engine. He noticed particularly none of the carriages ; and saw no light attached to that train. At the same time he observed another train following in the same direction, to which a privete carriage was attached en a lorry, and at the tail end was a red signal lamp. When it passed him it was within 200 yards of the former train, and as far as he could see behind, they appeared to enter the tunnel together. It was then raining heavily. Shortly after, another train approached, but be did not see the carriages, yet he saw the steam from the engine flying over the battlements of the bridge. From the sound of the engine he judged it was going at the ordinary speed. By the Foreman.—He saw no sleet fall that night ; but he saw both hail and rain fall before and after he saw the trains he had mentioned. (Laughter,) He thought the carriages full, but not over-crowded. Mr. Bragge, the engineer, was recalled by Mr. Browne, and in reference to the evidence of Mr. Bancroft, given on Saturday, to the effect that he had calculated an inter val of twenty minutes to half an hour would necessarily pass between the starting of each train from Chester, he said he never received any instructions to that effect. He thought the interval that did elapse was sufficient to pre vent the probability of any accident ; had not a sufficient interval been, in his opinion, allowed, he should have re monstrated, although it formed no part of his duty. By Captain Laffan.—He was resident engineer of the Chester and Birkenhead Railway, and as such he con sidered himself responsible for all arrangements required to secure the safety of the traffic along that line. Mr. Gibson never interfered with his duties in that respect. He was not resident engineer of the line from Chester to Halton, and therefore not answerable for any arrange ments as to the working of that line. He did not con sider eighteen engines, the extent of the locomotive power on this latter line, as fully adequate to the ordinary traffic of the company. He had represented to the board that they required an addition to their locomotive stock, and four engines being added, he made no further representation to them, thinking they could get on a little longer, and that any further application on the subject would be unsuccessful. For the Wednesday, the day of the accident, the goods' traffic was suspended during the busy portion of the day; and he considered that with their locomotive power they should be enabled to work the increased traffic on account of the races. Three times the ordinary traffic could be worked with the same stock on a single day, as an excep tional case. He thought the weight of the Druid engine was about 21 tons, but when weighed last week at Crewe he found it was only 15 tons 2 cwt. If the weather had been favourable, undoubtedly, in his opinion, she could have taken the train to Manchester. Adverse weather, and the carriages not being in good running condition, were the cause of her stopping. He had had proof that some of the carriages were not in good running condition, by the test required by Captain Laffan, which had pressed the springs so much as to bring the train work of the carriage in contact with the tier of the wheels; many of them required to be blocked in order to prevent that. The weight in each carriage, under this test, averaged from 4 tons to 41 tons, and that would be equal to 62 passengers at 11 stone each. The interior dimensions of the carriages gave an available space of 135 square feet, and allowing each person a space of 18 inches square, that would give 60 persons to each carriage. The result of the trial that morning led him to think it probable that the body of some of the carriages bore on the wheels, on the night of the accident, in which case each carriage that did touch would act as a break, and so far tend to impede the progress of the train. That would arise from the want of a proper stiffness in the springs of the carriages, but the carriages in question did not form part of the company's stock. He believed that they had arrived at Chester on the previous night, but he had not had time to examine them. By Mr. Monk.—The passengers who left Chester by these trains on the night of the accident consisted of men, women, and young persons. By Mr. Browne, who appeared for Mr. Bragge.—His discretion as to providing rolling stock for the extra traffic of the races, did not extend to the provision of additional locomotive power. That subject was never mentioned to him by the board. It was his duty to see the locomotive power was in working condition, and effi ciently worked, but he had no power to increase it. By the Foreman.—There had been no hail or rain immediately before the Druid started. The weather had been very fine. After putting several questions on mat ters which have before been given fully in detail, the Foreman asked the witness one question, which drew from Mr. Monk the remark, that his caution to the court to prevent the investigation running into points uncon nected with the enquiry, was needful. The Foreman.—l know, Mr. Monk, you are a very cautious man. Mr. Monk.—l wish, Doctor, I could reciprocate the compliment. The Foreman.—l am here to do my duty, as one of the jury, to the public in sifting this affair to the bottom, and I am determined to discharge that duty, leaving it to the public to judge between us. Mr. Monk. - --And I am content that the public should decide between us, assured that the course you, as fore man of the jury, have pursued with respect to this in vestigation, will induce the public to agree with me that my remark, in reply to the observation you volunteered on me, was fully warranted. This witness having been examined at some further length, the coroner stated that the general evidence bad now closed, but he proposed to ask Captain Laffan a few questions. _ _ Mr. Monk objected to his being examined. It would be a most dangerous precedent, he said, were it permitted in this court, one of the most ancient of our Saxon insti tutions, that a government official, who had the means of information which no court of justice could possess, should be called upon to give evidence which might cri minate the parties connected with the railway, into whose conduct he (Captain Laffan) might be supposed now to be inquiring in the capacity of a judge. He submitted that Captain Laffan was not in a position to be examined. Mr. Browne, solicitor for the General Station Corn mittee at Chester, urged the same objection. The Coroner felt the force of the observations just made, and, although he had intended to have asked Capt. Laffan a few questions, he should now refrain from doing so. Captain Laffan here remarked that, although be was present on behalf of the government, he felt his position to be such, that if he were summoned to give evidence, he had no power to refuse to do so. Mr. Bragg, the engineer, was recalled, after the temporary adjournment of the court for a short time, at two o'clock, and he then stated that he had taken a train through the Sutton tunnel, attached to the Druid engine, that morning, and was accompanied by Capt. Laffan. The train consisted of six second, two first, and ten stand-up cart iages. The weight of the whole train was 144 tons 10 cwt., including the engine. Of this, i 3 tons 10 cwt. formed the weight of the engine, tender, and carriages, and 61 tons the nett load representing passen gers. Deducting from the 83 tons 10 cwt., the weight of the engine and tender, the weight representing passengers was greater by 1 ton 4 cwt. than the weight of the carriages in which they were conveyed. The train left the Frodsham station at 6i minutes past 10; reached the canal Midge at 10.14 ; the tunnel mouth at 10.164 ; and the tunnel end at 10.19/, travelling through the tunnel at very nearly twenty miles per hour. The Coroner, after declining to hear Mr. Monk for the defence, commenced summing up at one o'clock. His address to the jui y occupied five hours, and at five o'clock the room was cleared, and the jury retired to consider their verdict, but had not agreed when the last train left Preston Brook, at ei;,ht o'clock last night; and it was the general opinion that a con siderable time would elapse ere they would come to a decision. Gas.—The Newcastle Journal says that gas can be manufactured in that town for less than iwo shillings per thousand feet, and strongly urges the company to lower the price to two shillings and sixpence, or great dissatis faction will follow. FATAL ACCIDENT.—On Monday week a man named John Murphy, one of the crew of the Saranak, at present lying in the Waterloo Dock, fell into the hold of the vessel, and received injuries of such a serious nature as to render necessary his removal to the Northern Hospital, where he died on Sunday. The beautifully-modelled " black ball" line of packet Montezuma, has been placed in the graving-dock, and the ship, in her frame and planking, was as sound as the day she was launched. The yellow metal (Muntz' Patent) on being taken off was in most excellent order, many of the sheets having scarcely sustained the slightest in jury. CONFISCATION OF WEST INDIA PROPERTY.—The cruel policy pursued by successive administrations towards our West Indian colonies is rapidly rendering absolutely valueless the soil of these once fertile and valuable poeses- Rona. The following paragraph, wnich we find amongst the West India news, received yesterday per mail steamer Boston. presents a lamentable picture of ruin i—" A fine estate, called the Loo, containing 15,000 acres, was re cently sold at Demerara, under execution, for 2,006 dollars." Of course we shall be told that the exports or the imports of these colonies, or both, a re in a sa ti s f ac t or y osltion—the Board of Trade gentry would prove it in a minute—and that therefore they must be prospering. THE NEW CHURCH AT COCKERMOUTIL—We observe that further proceedings have been taken with reference to the rebuilding of the parish church at Cockermouth. Several parties were desirous of having the plan submitted by Mr. Clarke adopted, although the design of Mr. Hay, of this town, had been selected by the independent umpire chosen unanimously by the vestry. In conse quence of this disagreement, the opinion of all the rate payers was taken, and the poll continued open on Thurs end Friday last, when the design of Mr. Hay was carried by a large majority. We presume that the plan of our clever townsman will therefore now be at once proceeded with. YESTERDAY'S COUNCIL. = CONTINUATION FROM PAGE 6. THE HEALTH COMMITTEE. The proceedings of this committee have already from time to time been reported :n the public newspapers. Alderman PARKER rose to move their confirmation. There was nothing special stated, except a recommenda tion to increase the salary of Richard Blades, the district surveyor of West Derby, from £BO to £lOO, which will stand over till the next monthly meeting, pursuant to standing orders. Alder - man BENNETT seconded the motion. Mr. THOMSON rose to explain in reference to one entry on the books,—that as he had built a house and brewery in Prescot-street, without submitting the plans to the building surveyors, the walls should be de molished, and he charged with the cost of doing so. There were cries of " Chair, chair," b u t as the charge was de clared to be a personal one, he was permitted to proceed. He wished he said to explain in reference to the house of his ordered to be demolished, that there was no house. There was a wall intended to be a house eight feet high, and the bricklayer "as decent a fellow as there is in Liverpool, did not think it necessary to give a notice. He had given notice for the brew house but not for the house : thence arose this little matter. But relative to these walls, I would advise those gentlemen who have interfered to see the wall at Bebington, built by Francis, with a curious inscription, and I hope they will make a good use of it." (Laughter.) The proceedings of the Gardens Committee were passed nem. con. HOUSE OF LORDS.-LAST NIGHT, The Lord Chancellor took his seat onthe woolsack at five o'clock.—Numerous petitions were presented on various sub jects, and several bills were advanced a stage.—The Earl of GLENGALL presented, and supported at some length, a petition from the Grand Jury of the county of Tipperary, in favour of protection to home-made flour.—Earl GRANVILLE said the free trade system must be advantageous to millions by cheapening wheat and increasing the consumption of flour; and contended that it would be most unfair to make an exception in their favour, and afford them a protection which was not given to other British manufacturers. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—LAST NIGHT. The Speaker took the chair at four o'clock, when a large number of petitions were presented.—A new writ was ordered for the Isle of Wight,in the place of Mr. Simeon, retired.—ln re ply to a question from Sir B. HALL, with regard to the con tinuance of certain alleged Puseyite practices in the Church of England, Lord J. RUSSELL said the attention of the Archbishop of Canterbury had been called to the subject. His Grace had, in consequence, consulted the other bishops, but they had not as yet come to any decision upon the subject. Under these circumstances he did not think that it would be proper for him to say anything upon the matter, at least for the present, and he deprecated the introduction of such matters.—On the motion for going into committee upon the Ecclesiastical Titles As sumption Bill, Mr. MooitE moved, as an amendment, that the standing orders of the house, which required that all bills con cerning religion should be considered in committee before being introduced, be read, and that the order of the day for going into committee be discharged. The hon. member then entered into an elaborate argument, supported by several eminent legal opinions, to show that the Bill did concern religion directly, and not constructively, and that therefore the form of its introduction having been misconceived itmust be thrown out. [The further proceedings will be found in a Second Edition.] LONDON MONEY AND SHARE MARKETS.-YESTERDAY CLOSING PRICES, Consols Account, 97I3;Tiiieelind-Quarter ner Cents, 973 8 ; Bank Stock, 2103 11 ; Exchequer Bills, L, 49 52. — Foreign Stocks quiet ; Mexicans better. Mexicans, 353 3 ; Spanish Actives, 19t ' • Do. Threes, 393 3 ; Do. Pa ss i ves . 53 3.—Railway Shares : London Stock, 1263 7 ; Do. Quarters, 43 3 Prm. ,• Midland Stock, 61 4 ; Do. Halves, 14 133 Dis. ; North Staffordshire, 7 63 Dis. ; South Eastern, 263 73 ; Caledo. nians, 143 ; Eastern Counties, 73 3 ; East Lancashire, 16 =F Great Northern, 183 4 ; Great Western, 86 7 ; Lancashire and Yorkshire, 613 3 ; Do. Fifths, 7 63 Dis.; York, Newcastle, and Berwick, 21 4 ; Do. Extension, 43 32 Dis.; Do. Pref., 2 13 Dis. •, York and North Midland, 26 4 ; Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolrshire, 324 33 ; East Anglian, 43 I ; London, Brighton, and South Coast, 97 8 ; Leeds and Thirsk, 163 173 ; North British, 93 4 ; Shrewsbury and Bham A, 5 43 Dis. ; Do. B, 4 32. The English Market has been steady all day, closing strong. Railway Market exceedingly flat, at a fall from the lowest of Saturday's quotations ; but, from the rapid fall, a rally and re action took place, and by two o'clock, p.m., the Markets were all thronged, not closing quite at their highest prices, but steady, LONDON CORN MARKET.—YESTERDAY. The quantity of English W heat brought to market this morning is only moderate, and trade is steady at the cur rency of Monday last. Foreign Wheat firm ' at last week's rates. Flour may be quoted f u lly as d ear . Barley brought former terms. Beans and Peas stearly, without any quotable change in prices. Fine Englis Oats fully as dear, but foreign may be quoted the turn lower. In Seeds little passing. English White Wheat 438. to 48s. if Red ~ 375. to 43a. ARRIVALS. Qrs. Qrs. English Wheat „ Barley „ Oats „ Malt - „ Flour „ Beans „ Peas . 154 Irish Wheat — „ Oats „ Malt — LONDON PRODUCE MARKET.-YESTERDAY. Sugar: Foreign, little done, but no decline; refined, home dealers free buyers; brown lumps, 49s.—Coffee not cheaper, but little doing ; native Ceylon, 40s.—Tea dull, and rather lower. Wool, not much doing, and prices suppoi ied.—Cotton, not much cheaper, but few buyers.—lron scarce; pig dull, and 365. to 41s. Welch : buyers slow sPle at ,e 4 10s. to X 4 12s. 6d., and rails at .45 2s. 6d. TALLOW RETURNS, The market is dull to-day. Fine Y. C. 38s. 3d. to 335. Gd. on the spot. Stock is 34,718 casks ; corresponding week last year, 25,606 casks, being an increase of 9,112 casks over last year. Deliveries last week were 891 casks ; corresponding week last year, 1,13 S casks, being a decrease of 147 casks under the same period last year. SMITH FIELD CATTLE MARK ET.—YESTERDA v. There was a very large supply of superior beasts at our market to-day, and trade ruled very dull. Good quality sold with diffi culty at 3s. per stone. Sheep in ices lower, and the few Downs in the wool made 4s. 6d. ; lambs and calves dull, and 2d. cheaper. Beef, 2s. to 3s. 6d. ; mutton, 2s. 10d. to 3s. 10d. ; veal, 2s. 40. to 3s. 100. ; pork, 2s. to 3s. Bd. ; lamb, 4s. 4d. to ss. 6d. Arrivals.—Beasts, 4,718; sheep and lambs, 29,238; calves, 268; pigs, 210; Holland beasts, 510; ditto sheep, 2,510; ditto calves, 148; ditto pigs, 60; Scotch beasts, 6CO; Norfolk and Suffolk beasts, 3,300. INCREASE IN THE EMIGRATION FROM LIVERPOOL...-. Still emigration from this port continues to increase in a tremendous ratio even over the large returns of last year. The number of passengers who sailed from this port in the month of April, were 25,447 persons, against 17,558 in April last year ; making the number for the four months, 67,130, against 49,463; an increase of 17,667. A sad sign this of the condition of the country. CONFIRMATIONS.—The Lord Bishop of this Diocese, will hold a confirmation at St. Peter's Church, in this town, on Monday, May 26th, at eleven ; at St. Luke's, May 27th, at eleven ; at St. Paul's, May 28th, at eleven ; at St. George's, Everton, May 30th, at eleven ; at St. Michael's, Pitt-street, May 26th, at three ; at St. Jude's, May 27th, at three ; at Walton Church, May 28th, at three • and at St. John the Baptist's, Toxteth-Park, May 30th, at three. A fine screw steam-ship will be launched about the 3rd of June, from the building-yard of the well-known firm of Messrs. Tod and Macgregor, on the Clyde. This ship is intended for Messrs. Richardson Brothers and Co., of this town, and to trade between this port and the United States, and is the largest, with one exception, ever built in Great Britain for the merchant service. She is a three-decker, 273 feet in length on the spar deck, and 290 feet over all ; beam 37 feet 9 inches, and measures upwards of 2100 tons. She will be propelled by two en gines of about 450 horse-power. PEDESTRIANISM.—A pedestrian match, for 100 sous. aside, took place yesterday, at Aintree Race-course, be tween Hayes, of Halshaw Ikloor, and J. Tetlow, of Old ham—the latter to receive KO yards start. The men appeared on the ground in excellent condition, and the betting was in favour of the younger man, (Hayes,) mho had won a similar match with Conway, twelve months since, on the same ground, upon equal terms. Tetlow kept his advantage throughout, and increased the odds given him by his opponent to the extent of half a mile or so, when he appeared at the winning post. Considerable disappointment was expressed by the backers of Hayes. A match for seven miles, £5 aside, between two youths, (Burkie and Mevins,) succeeded, and the lads started with the resolve that the best should win. They ran their pace throughout almost level; but, upon Burkie attempt ing to pass Ps opponent on the final round, Me% in's struck him with his elbow, so fig to throw rim out, but the light-weight (Burnie) leaped a-h,o4d of him, and won by some yards. THE WATER COMMITTEE The proceedings of this committee having been read, Alderman COOPER rose to move their confirmation. The specifications and plans of Mr. Hawksley were now before the Council, under consideration; and they were waiting the attendance of Mr. Hawksley before the com mittee, to issue advertisements, inviting tenders for the work. Alderman BENNETT interrupted, and said that the minutes did not show that all the estimates had been re- ceived. Alderman COOPER said the printers had sent the re mainder since. Mr. Hawksley was expected in a few days. Mr. AvisoN seconded the motion. He must say, as a member of the Water Committee, he felt very glad that Mr. Hawksley, as the chairman had stated, was about to attend there soon, for they had been waiting long and anxiously to see him ; and, he must say, he thought the members of that committee had not been treated with that courtesy by Mr. Hawksley which they should have been. He had been a member of the committee for a year and a half, had attended its meetings pretty punc tually, and he was satisfied that Mr. Hawksley had never attended the committee above twice in that time. (Hear, hear.) Now, if the Rivington works were to go on, it was necessary that Mr. Hawksley should attend more regularly. Alderman BENNETT, in confirmation of what Mr. Avison had said, read from the minutes the numerous and varied requests to Mr. Hawkesley to attend the committee. On the 25th November Mr. Hawkesley was requested to attend the committee on the following Sa turday ; but he did not attend, and he did not even send an apology. Was this the conduct which a person in their employment should assume towards the Council ? He now came to the present months' proceedings, and he found that the committee had agreed to pay to Messrs. D. Y. Stewart and Co., pipe contractors, two sums, one of £9,247, and the other of £l,OOO, in anticipation. This he thought a most unwise course. There were 13 broken pipes lying at Horwich, and some be believed across the water; and by paying beforehand, the Council would be deprived of deductions for these, and have only the un pleasant alternative of bringing legal actions to recover the amount. But it appeared that not only had Stewart and Co., received some pre-payment, but that all the con tractors had been put on the same footing. He had to complain of the meagre character, and the vagueness of the entries in the minute book, which kept the Council quite in the dark as to what was really being done. Messrs. Goldie and Co., he saw, had applied to have 21 per cent., and he put upon the same footing as the other contractors. When he (Mr. Bennett) was on the com mittee, an arrangement had been made with that firm. Did they want 21 per cent in addition ? The TOWN-CLERK.—Yes. Alderman BENNETT said, then there was only one thing which astonished him afterwards, and that was, that the committee should pay the 22 per cent. He, as a private person, certainly would not do it, and he did not think the committee justified in spending the funds of the town in such a way. He hoped that no tenders would be ad vertised for till the plans were before the Council. Had the Parliamentary Sub-Committee power to arrange with the Chorlton Company, without bringing the matter before the Council? The TOWN-CLERK replied in the negative, and Mr. BENNETT expressed himself satisfied. He con cluded by protesting against the meagre minutes entered of the committee's proceedings at such an important crisis as the present; and said he must also repeat the strong convictions he entertained of the great inattention which Mr. Hawksley had shown. Mr. PICTON agreed with Mr. Bennett and Mr. Avison that there had been great delay in the preparation of the plans; and he must confess that his patience was be ginning to get exhausted. They were now if not in an absolute condition to advertise, nearly so. The plans had not yet all been laid before them. He thought their deputy-chairman was wrong in that. A portion of the plans had, and a portion of the specifications ; but what the committee were anxious for was, that Mr. Hawksley should come before them, go through the plans, explain them, and put the committee in full possession of his views upon the subject. (Hear.) The majority of the committee were of opinion that ought to be done before any steps were taken to procure tenders. He should explain the payments to Messrs. Stewart and Co. That firm had made large demands upon the Corporation for compensation for losses by delay during the time that the Pike question was being litigated in Liverpool. Expen sive law proceedings were looming before the committee, and they had acted in the way which they thought best for the Corporation ; they had cut down the compensation to the smallest sum, and made the advances stated, with the consent of their sureties. Messrs. Goldie and Co. were, as a matter of simple equity and justice, put upon the same footing. Mr. ARTHUR HENDERSON moved that it be an in struction to the Water Committee, that they advertise for no contracts till the plans and estimates have been before the Council and approved of by them. After some further discussion, Mr. CHALMER asked, Supposing Mr. Hawksley does not come ? (Laughter.) Alderman COOPER.—Then we should have to come to the Council to get you to appoint somebody else, I sup pose - Mr. CEIALMER.-1 think you should have come long before for that purpose. Mr. LLOYD seconded Mr. Henderson's motion. Mr. BIGHAM was inclined to believe that the commit tee would act fairly with them, but there was some dis position to throw a cloak over their proceedings, and there was an apparent attempt to blind the Council at the time when they were to be called upon to sanction the ex penditure of half a million. There was a minute on the book to the effect that the Town-clerk be instructed im mediately to advertise for tenders. Mr. PICTON explained that this was superseded by another, which forbad the issue of advertisements till all the specifications were before the committee. Alderman COOPER agreed to accept Mr. Henderson's motion, without a division, and the minutes were con firmed. THE FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY. The proceedings of the Library and Museum Committee comprised a recommendation to reconsider the alteration made by the Council in the Liverpool Royal Institution bill, now before parliament, by substituting a new clause for clause 12, as printed. Mr. PICTON rose to move the confirmation of the pro ceedings, and, at the same time, proposed, pursuant to notice— "To rescind or vary a resolution of the Council, passed at the adjourned meeting of the Council, held on the 2nd of April last, on consideration of a bill now before Parliament, intituled The Liverpool Royal Institution Bill, transfer of Property,' &c., by which resolution, clause 12 of that bill as printed, was directed to be struck out, and a new clause substituted in lieu thereof, and that such new clause be struck out, and a clause inserted in strict conformity with the arrangement by which the Committee of the Royal Institution agreed to transfer their property to the Corporation, viz., that a sum not less than .ilOOO per annum should be expended in the maintenance and support of the existing departments of the institution, irrespec tive of the contemplatc: library." In proposing this, Mr. Picton entered into a lengthy review of all the circumstances connected with the for mation of the free library, and contended that clause 12 as it now stood was in direct contravention of the treaty with the proprietors of the Royal Institution. He was, he said, in the position of a man who had built a house, and was about to put the top stone on it when, by some inter ference with the foundation, the fabric came tumbling down. If the clause stood as it was, it would he feared destroy the project. Mr. WOODRUFF seconded the motion. A very lengthy discussion ensued. Mr. FISHER moved as an amendment that the bill should be altogether withdrawn for the present session. Mr. W. K. TYRER seconded the motion. The Council divided, when the amendment was carried by rt majority of 21 to 18. The following in an analysis of the division : For : Councillors Thos. Chalmer, J. Thomson, John Bigham, Jonathan Atkinson, J. Briscoe, T. Godfrey, 0. Holden, J. Ferguson, John C. Fernihough, Algernon F. Jones, J. Johnson, W. K. Tyrer, J. Nicholson, R. M. Beckwith, A. Henderson, E. C. Hindley, W. Fisher, Thomas Lloyd—Aldermen T. Dover, J. Parker, Thomas Robinson. _ _ _ - Against : Turner, H. H C o o r u n n b c y il , lo T rs . A J. Wagstaff, T. Fleming, J. A. Tobin, J. A. Picton , J. M. d wr ru . ff p , .T e L fire H ys o , d T so h n o , ni C as . J. Nelson Wood, J. Bramley-Moore, J. H. Turner, the Mayor. Wood, M. Gregson—Aldermen W. Bennett, W. Preston, were next confirmed, Mr. Woodruff stating in answer to vi W so o n o , The proceedings of the Cars and Coaches Committee Mr. Ferguson, that the half-mile sixpenny fare was now legally in force. PAID OFFICERS' COMMITTER AND THE MAGISTRATES. The Report of the Paid Officer's Committee was read, embracing a detail of the embroilment which had taken place between themselves and the magistrates. Mr. Godfrey, as Chairman of the Paid Officers' Com mittee, explained that they had 'acted with no wish to interfere with the prerogative of the magistrates. These gentlemen, he had since heard, were taking steps to denude the Council of the privilege which the Com mittee had been instructed to assert. Mr. FERNIBOLIGH moved the following resolution upon this matter, with respect to which he trusted that the Council would at length be driven to assert the dignity of their position . "That this Council approves of the resolution of the Paid. Officers' Committee, adopted on the litit ofo.tpril last. caws Nay lg, 1851. sideration of the resolutions of the magistrates of the WI of the 12th of that month, "that Mr. Wybergb be allorrelf, attend the Paid Officers' Committee, it being clearly non,' stood that the permission is granted as an act of courtesY q n „„ '0( that, inasmuch as the power of fixing and the obligat i o n paying the salaries of tile clerks to the justices of the bo . roM . is by law vested in this Council, and the amount of such siiia i ß and also the whole cost of the establishment of the magistra clerks, is a charge upon the borough fund, this Council in w i, insist upon the right, by itself and any committee of the C o t . 0 , cil. to ingnire into the duties performed in respect of suc h 6e' of lanes and payments that this Council, with this expressi o n opinion, instructs the Paid Officers' Committee to laKe_"...rt steps as they may think necessary, for enabling them to r epo to the Council on the matters referred to them, so far CO pi spects the salaries of the clerks to the justices, and the o their establishment." Mr. PRESTON seconded the resolution. d Mr. C. TURNER w a s p resen t a t th e mee ti ng , an say that a portion of th e mag i s t ra t es were o f the 01 3 . 1 , that the resolutio n o f th e comm i ttee was no t c ourtert . in summoning the attend ance o f one o f t h e i r c lerks o '4 o out consulting themsel ves . H e b e li eve d th a t the "' A ! of the magistrates wer e di s p ose d t o g i ve every inforaustlo r through their clerks, t o th e comm i ttee. iniotl Mr. J. H. TURNER bore out the opinion of the prev l.olll speaker. Mr. DOVER thought that it was a mere ques ti o n of 10 which they now wish e d t o h ave decided. Had the co;al cil, or not, the power of summoning before them officers for whose services they nay ? Mr. J. BRAMLEY-MOORE contended that it di d ° S t follow that, because they paid officers, they were entitlt; to call those gentlemen before them. They Pai d : pr Stipendiary Magistrate an d th e C onservator o f the 1 13 /4 for instance ; but they could call neither of these officeo b b e ef b or o e rn t e he it m l m . in H d e th w a a t s th p e a m rt a ic g u is la tr r a ly te a s n , c x l i e o r u k s , t A h l a r t . it O w° wybett; should not be censured ; for the blame, if any, was to borne bythe magistrates. he Mr. BIGHAM con t en d e d s t rong l y i n favour of t • 5 course taken by the committee, which he showed we t justifiable in accordance with the opinion of an etni n , - r e ,,, il j is counsel in London, whi c h h a d b een ta k en. If the Y.. .• acted discourteously in addressing their summons to g Wyberg directly: instead of through the magistrates , tat could only say that the Town Clerk had told them that was their course. f Mr. H. HORNBY, expressed his opinion that the Infig i o l trates bad given to this subj ec t a very un d ue amount Id importance. It was re asona bl e th a t t h e C ounc il silo" enquire into the amo un t o f b us i ness transacte d by , men they paid. The Magistrates Clerks were ready „, explain all these thi ngs w h en th ey came before t h e Cow. cil to ask for a n i ncrease i n t h e number of clerks em plo 3 y i e r. d ,ToorßainN wished addition mr. to their salaries. a , laries. f ed question to be angw e— te g whether they had the legal right to call the magistr il before them. The resolution of Mr. FERNIHOUGH was passed wi ll° out a division. St The Mayor's communications were then read, amon„g„, which was an application from the Petty Jurors attent i g the Sessions for refreshments to be allowed them, "'j a i was referred to the Finance Committee; and a roetnor_,, from parties relative to tobacco injured in the Tobscs Warehouses, in the course of a discussion upon whi ch ra . was ascertained that the re were not twenty-fourplea hers present, the Council was therefore again our": out, at a few minutes before five, having sat for Dea r six hours. MEETING OF THE SHAREHOLDERS OF rrgt .-- LYCEUM NEWS-ROOM. ito The annual meetin g o f th e propr i etors of the LYe,,e,be News-room took pla ce l as t even i ng, i n the library of n"c. institution. The presid en t, H ug h M olyneux, Esq.+ "its cupied the chair, an d th e attendance of members e very numerous. From the report, it appears that di. affairs of the instit u ti on are i n a very prosperous 01.1 no tion—the funds showin g an i ncrease over the Previiigl year of .E 166 13s. The f o ll ow i ng gent l emen were elec . ,, on the committee, in lieu of the same number retirLlig' o , Messrs. John Turner, S. Thornely, H. Steele, F..,,v e b,, G. J. Jackson, I m l ac h, M . D ., J . G . Sand i e, Messrs. T. Owen, John Downey, and Duguid- Mr. J. ROBINSON, solicitor, having made some obSent vations relative to the unsatisfactory state of the Ares, laws respecting the sh ares o f d ecease d members, /(s cannot be made av a il a bl e t o th e h e i rs o f such merob_Ae',,tbs certain cases, and are a l oss t o th e institution, move' following resolution to meet the case : si er " That the committee sh a ll h ave power to d i rect the trapool of any share in the i ns tit ut i on i n any case where theY Df think it advisable, on having the request to transfer sign? en the next of kin of any d ecease d member, the owner of , 0 0 share, where no prob a t e o f w ill or letters of adm i n istri have been granted, and are no t lik e l y to b e grante d i n reap" " of the deceased's estate and effects." The resolution was carried. of th ei r. R o wHLeANnst commencedh e then ro b s eyt showing, h o move wing, the th resolution during evening. li dente in Liverpool of forty years, he had with so t : ;0 1) observed t'ie fearful amount of Sabbath desecration had takes place, an d w hi c h was st ill go i ng on. to I,,tuoso _ e hoved them, in his o pi n i on , t o se t an examp le below them in the sca l e o f soc i e t y , b y en ti re l y closing th reading-room on Sunday. Mr. PILCREI seconded the motion. 30' Mr. CHESNEY dissented from the views taken by Rowlands, and proposed to negativetileWoii;: Mr. OWEN, in a long speech, seconded the preyw o speaker. He complained of the system of carrying ° l litf institution, which had been found to wor k we ll for J-1,0 years, being altered, and d r e w a tt en ti on t o th e fact tn,e on a recent occasion the memb er s h a d consen t e d to "a room being partially closed on th e S un d ay , on the ground of humanity to the officers. This had been freely 6) ,"‘ ceded, but he dissented from any f ur th er concess i on b e " made. --- Mr. TOOMBS, Mr. DOWNEY, and another gent/ o ° l°4 spoke in opposition to the motion. a re Dr. MACINT YRE followed i n th e same di rec tion, , r ," opposed the motion on p o li c y, as h e was sur e if it F . ; 5 , carried the list of subscribers would be reduced ; the lanes of the office r s mus t a l so un d ergo a re ductions " the price of shares would be increased. Mr. RALPH HESS took a similar view. held On being put to the vote, forty-four hands Were er• up for the motion ; th e ma j or it y aga : es t it wa s not n,s e ' re • tained, but it was consider a bl e . Th e mo ti on was, 0 fore, of course, lost. 101 Dr. MACINTYRE then propos e d th a t one of the 1 0 5. which has undergone some mo difi cat i on during W'ilich eighteen months be restored to its original state, by s r et ao notice will have to be given of the intention of any 133 , the ber before he can bring forward a motion to alt e ` o tio o time of keeping open the room, and that such n i , t iof must be carried by a majority of two-thirds of the ol e ' r rie'" Mr. TOMBS seconded the motion, which was ee, bee° ian the meeting closed after a vote of thanks had gi. 'n to the chairman. 0 0. he TOWN-CLERK reiterated the opinion that the c mittee bad acted correctly. THE POLYTECHNIC SOCIETY. The usual monthly meeting of this society too k last night, .in the Hall of the Royal I ns titutioU ti , it , Milner, Esq., the president of the soci e ty, in the frou; Mr. SALT, the secretary, read a communicati ou , c bo o Mr. llornby with respect to the establishment of of design in Liverpool. The Chairman thought that a school of that de sc would be very desirable. the Mr. BOULT stated that ho had heard a runiee ; : e the es. that the Town Council had declined to 'wog''' . ta T OO ll tablishment of a public library. maTdlele in n SE t r e E C T o A u u n ir cil ex y p e l s a t i e n r e d d ay t , he w h re ic s h ult w j o lt f b th e e ga sl :uerec i from our report of the proceedings. anything On t ap h na compass, by Messrs. 0 4 and Keene. He said that friction, however produce"' d ot l the great enemy to a due performance of the con31);10, iatn\hnhvcaeeaadf anti-vibration eieet. e iehv m aenie:b b fcci roei acceleration u r lbnt s eni srotdiabendtde inm i ors n neama g vt rioeaio e fnrnn a aey l sl l opl e ofe d aetid,casese uponiiunnm useless ten t eet ( to insmo b gini r , ss i bring pe d sses w thi9 The first improvement was a floating bowl; but ° i o, l ° principle, as the re was a necessity for guides, to lge e ' f itv inner bowl in its position, there was a slight contact'fect' it therefore required somethi ng else to render it Peftii The agate was therefore inserted in a disc o f el bSt ti mineral, (vulca n i se d I n di a ru bb er, ) w hi c h, being i ojoil! conductor of vibr a ti on , p ro d uce d a more per f e ct iris!' #0 t ll '' and the two acting in conjunction, approximate d r; desired object. Mr. Walker also introduced a mod e l o f a screw ste boil;:c tug-boat, for towing on canals, or fo r s w ift passegico',# The principle of this boat is, that she has a seT i „ t o tunnel, nearly one-third of her width, running fr o g , to stern. A spindle, from about midships, is catr i o frP- thres the tunnel or gutter, and supported by a light ir6, ing, which also supports the he e l o f th e ru dd e r. „tis te ~ different portions of the spindle s ec ti ons of toefrij, screw are fixed, and their revo l ut i on i s atta i ne d "J booLt of spur wheels, connected with steam power o , ll o g, ""j The working has been tried by a boat of 20 feet,'% sP e e ,?, only at present by hand power. Two hands mu" e h - t, P a d of about five miles an hour. The floatage is i ltbec d " - if from the construction, the boat has been found cti°'ol/ difficult to upset. The advantage of the construijollo expected to be, that such a boat will obviate lc' e rs always been objected to in the application of steuV e bob canals, viz., the action of the water displaced by t P upon the side banks. tofej pock Mr. Walker also exhibited a neat little Poc— Pr D' registered by Mr. Rigby of this town, the heat 1 jau c e a by which is sufficient to boil a kettle, or cook %tele x The principle is extremely simple, and the heat is o e by the gas produced from spirits of wine, through es t," 0 0 gand burner, as we ll as b y a lamp, which igli„eriPlio liquid and contrib u t es a l so cons id era b ly to the ge„-erie" of the heat. Th e art i c l e can be conven i en tly the coat pocket. 0 4 ' Mr. SMITH stated, with reference to the stove of % fr ill' O i cl o j a t s that many years ago the same invention was u s- o' tP rse ofe wall for the melting of silver, and that in the coo ha t tee minute a heat could be obtained sufficient to reduce t 0 de o l e to a liquid state. The only difference which he _c ( 2,11 o'ld between the two processes was that on the Coril' ,, ‘4 jet of flame was emitted from the side of the 1)10%f g e , e - tv of, as in Mr. Rigby's, from the upright jet. Se v , e 's 0 5 men expressed themselves in very favourable tel 0 3 utility of the invention. The other articles exhibited excited much att eilti°l3' elicited several intelligent observations. LIVERPOOL : TUESDAY, MAY 13, I s sl ‘oV PRINTED AND PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDA Y e t,t - By JOSHUA FLETCHER LACE, of 53, GrOve s i t r r iet, LEONARD ADDISON, of 14, Great Orford- I 'ly, of No. 4, Sr. Gronos's CRESCENT, LIYRIA" - / . 4 BIRKENHEAD: TODHUNTER, Chester-street ; ..6 ` e i I 0 13 PINKNEY, Argyle-street; OSBORNEg Cheater - o t ' GRIFFITH, Hamilton -street. ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION. IN ADVANCE., .. 203. I ObT CREDIT.. ••