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

JANUARY 1, 1856.1 LOCAL INTELLTGENCE. Retli,o,xa the patents recently sealed is one to Mr. James fo rd "."' , of James-stre e t, f or i m provements in machinery ressing Manila and other hemp and flax. A „N a stol e , milEa or BRI TISH COINS of the present reign were che s t r° n l glass-case in. the Peel-park Museum, at Man , e l' on Saturday. The thief has not been detected. 1.:'..}1E CLEOPATRA, screw-steamer, has been thorbughly over f7ed, cleaned, and repaired, at Liverpool, and will be ready f„r„ ea next week. She will be engaged in conveying troops ... 'n Crimea for the ensuing campaign. y„T . I I E loss occasioned by the late fire at the Lancashire and :iTcshire Railway Company's goods warehouse, at Blackburn, e ' v ot i ,anlotint, it is believed ; to £B,OOO. The roof of the warehouse 4119, and this has been entirely destroyed. Pe TAE Rot BERT oi , PALM OIL.—At the Police-court, on we re , \Villain Ratlibone, John Jones, and James Cooper , easkeeftuailted for trial, for stealing a quantity of palm oil , and staves the property of Messrs. Hill, Tatham, and Co. of th e v.' l itte.r.StA.S-DA.T, the scholars, teachers, and friends of j a ew Church Sunday School (established in Rose - place R h o : held th e i r annua l f ree t ea -party in their commodious Limekiln-lane. Upwards of 120 sat down to tea. aft er , Nottingham arrived in this town on Thursday tcali g 4°°n, and were immediately embarked on board the t). Port steamer Niagara, which sailed for Kingstown in eveni ng . JohnJoFh, \ IL EFFECTS OP DRI,NfCENNESS.—A shoemaker, named Kurullins, 40 years of age, residing .in Foster B:,coart, wed - street, fell at3Wll the cellar steps whilst drtruk, on fro a nes daY night, and received such injuries that lie died j concussion of the brain. fo w : c r SCOTT, a watchman at the Huskisson Dock, was o' e a m .°Y Polke-office ni r MS struggling in the watt?r at eleven tai te - ' 4 ,, on Wednesday ght. He. was sober Ana although ce•ii;;°llt of the dock as quickly as possible, 'he died before ' ll g the 'ortlier.n. Hospital. la l ~,C i lristmas, e ta. a large number of the 'employes at Mr t a .Pahipbnilding establishment dined together at Wilde notel, 'Clayton-square. The chair was. ably filled by p a ',.. 3l 'Nicol, and the vice-chair by Mr. Weston. The corn '''. separated after spending a delightftd.evening. tt. e q tt 11 111.1'16r MAns.—Notice has been given from the 4, 4 . e rsi Post-office, that ship-letter rails for Melbourne, to7 ra lia,Vill be .made up to• be !despatched by the steamer ti l -3 s l Charter, which is appointed to- 'from Liverpool on e 1 6tH ti this Month. O kra ,. - -..„To's To SAILORS.—At the 'slice-court, Friday, lah„ ue s 'unt's were committed togaollor ten mouths, with hard Are' , fey refusing to do their .thity.'in the ship Gossypiarn, 14,.„' eu- Eailed-from e 'this port, for thc'East Indies, on the 18th q ta 7,ht,und which had forcedto return _to port, in cause 'c'e, though declared awortil - ty' by two surveyors. 11 4 44: -•eTtVE WEIGHTS AND NEASITRES. T On ThursO**, • a - t e Court was held before the:Mayor, at the Sessions-house, 0th 4 ,,,‘-idicate upon, informations against - shop-keepers and ''h9 s , for haring: de=fective scales, weights, and measures.tb e ' court- opened at twelve o'clock. • Mr. Wybergh,-clerk - to I nagistrates, was in attendance. There were forty 4 three ° NlatiO OS . ST OTI N , s Cornell , StarooLs.—On Friday , week, :the • eb -S eo l'iren and teachers of the above schools presented to - `Airs. ti handsome.set of- 'tea trays,. on her resiondtton• of the h e as mistress of thusehool. The Rev. W. F. Taylor at laarne time presented Mfrs. Scott with a valuable vh. in testimony of ;his high appreciation :of those scrviees l en, daring r. period Of Six years, Mrs. Scott las rendered. ILIEGED ARSON ff' , " LADT.—On PridaY, Mrs. Helen o n n'aehl, of "42, Smith:street, Toxteth-pari, Was 'breuglit np k i ,'4 l aanci, at the Policecourt„for sefting said -to , herhouse. e on ': eyWooa the 'presiding magistrate, said • that he had w o ,,"°tuted with Mr.:Mknifield relative to the , case; and they O..Z e ; ofbpi:Mon that the prisoner must be discharged, as no . - ." .0 f fraud was made out against her. . • e n etEzaimat FridziV, at the . Tkilice•coart, John han the stewarE of the St. Stenlicri l / 4 'Toutine 'Society, th 'irged with: eniizzling f.t3 which - . he:received 4,a Ineeti on the -previous Friday, and. which' hr, had - not accounted for. The prisoner, who - a oknowledged that-he 10 6 7 'ne rionev "_ through, drink,'" . was -dis.chargckl, as the —gistrates had no jurisdiction in stich-Lrease. °x Tza - jisnay.-Ithe workmen in the oraplok-6f -Mr. Alder 111haad 413 enuett; to--;the :number of, between 70 - rcuLtke (and who f ormed ; lrimong:.t - iliemselves a " Workinert'sq' tntual.Bepefit celebrates: the - third anniversary of 4heir society by eh :.naeratt the eiliien Fleece,_ in Sir tilhomaifii-biEdings. The ch 1 6 1. ,__lvas:oceupietl by Mr. Alderman-Benitetti , und the vice- Plca. a 'YY 'Arr. E. ',Russell, the anager. :Aker spending :a --Ant evening; - the company s m eparated. fl. „.111 ,; 11111.1.. N3nr 4_-rSroam.—Tbekoge ship einimplain', bounds :New York for Queenstowill arrived on Tuesday, w ..le 270 milei-'-iseyond her deStination. 'The cause of 'this thatthe-cap4liin found himself. tunable' to make Queens-- %11 11 when the.westerly inds set in , orrSatarlay ; and his e h i l having sprung a leak, mid tv.-o •of her Tiimps become a w ° " 4 , -l ae - followed out a familiar Cauticl:niage, and bore 4 3 , for Liverpael witk.aa,much :canvas as she could carry. r bir o L ALORTILLITY.ON 1101. RD A LIVIZ , OOL SniF.---On rekfesday,A•ntilligenee'waS received here that the ship Ohe ''',"the property of Messrs. Flargfall;:ofthis port, was lying of it!"ltrianas Bay, in the Irish Channel; Rni2avigaye, rliat - a lia „'"arew Iraiir.g died, seven morelyint - rarel: in their berths, The mater me man, and a boy, oivl3 , b-iing fit for duty; aR-s l° l '-atn-tztornpany's boat tile :Rattler was sent to her. 'Etance ; and-tow her to LiNerpoOl. 4/ 1 111k-DlssE,': CHARITY BALT..—Tlie , annual ball for the T nefi ladies' of the idies' Charitable Unstitntim took place alc: lehaltsdav at the Town-ball, under-the patronage of Mrs. Min-- NetWithttanding the -unfavourablemiate of the wmther, and t , numerans other attraetions in - tne. to - wn, there WRS:fr huntionhblwrttemdance of the triiie:of the-tiWn and neighbour ,°od. 31.n.,,exe•Cllent quadrille band ocaqted the orchestra, and the" band -of the local pensioners , was: stationed in-the vestibule. THE WORKIICSE.-‘oll=ChriStMaS 4 la3,tEtC, ' u s •el dentB in•our workhouse and charitable institutions were a ; i analifeasted -on the time-honoured luxuries of roast' eef and D l ,,,Piamptidding. In the LiverpoonVorkhouse the 'mei theiSeleet Vestry's barmty rturhbered 1,300, and iin I k t`''' l) et'ht-Workhouse upwards.of•6oo , sat down to dimes% th '.„,,, ~e .Sailor's ;H o m e, the School for•tbd - BEnd, the School for e Deaf and - D b the Blue Coat Scheel; the National Schools;.. and "" 1 s,, ue -Protestant Orphan Schools, - the:inmates were -also . ' B die 4 : on old linglish Christmas fare. t * - A -rATTEENVet3 CHURCH, HIGLI,STZEZ"'-' -On Thursday, n knnual - tea meeting of the frequenters of the above ed,thurch and their friends took place-in the school-room the - church. The place wasrprofusely decorated for the. p'c s ' i cm,eatid presented a charmingaspect. Upwards of 500: tt r liartOnk of tea. At the lose of the repast, the Rev. 1 ) 4" bland; incumbent, took the-chair. .. , :kfter a hymn had th e l l„,aung' by the school children,,theatev.:Mr. Maynard, the bloating Church, and severalother.gentlemen, addreeaed, fleeti ng. th. e ItISEILLS":'TE.EE AT EDGE-irree.4Wtraderstano A that s l,adies connected with St. Mary's' Oranch, Edge-hill, • -g te toillavacChristmas tree, - very ;handsomely decorated 14" fancy work, exhibited at the Beye *hool-room, ' °II Thursday :and Friday next. 'The Earl of Derby has s,j B efted-tnena-Aiith a noble far-tree,.anci the.proceeds of the S e i e l B „‘", ll l:bagiven to the support of. the Edge-hill National It e "_, (4 s, and • for 'missionary prrposes reenneded with the '"titts. a ntl Syitney. !Suarionatrs.-A man, named _John Jones, was th e 's,B ,l at the Poliee-office, on Friday, , wititixfing found x . p Miceli early dr: the morning, samler theldlowing stoma- " i u lt,s circumstances. - A - police-officer said-that some houses 4,,., -r Aton-terrace -and Warwick-street had:beentbroken into, on making a search in the neighboutitoodihe found the thn ` 4B ener Berkeley-fields, with three :coats,..twenty silver T e r 's, skeleton keys, and other artiales,f,initis possession.. ben Prisonerwas- remanded fog seven days, -in order that Mr. ' ll gh might makeinquiries about Irian,as;he..is. suspected to a returned -convict. ths . 4 43 1:18T1NG- is not gift- ell-that-4n the quiet town of Accrington we have to record such. disgraceful lav ding s as-those-which it is now our duty:totlay before the ear le ; and which -occurred on Sunday last. On that day, ha ste 1 , 11 the hundreds of persons .might be seen towards.nilarge /commit, called Efumbleton„ to wit pi„B a wrestling match. between two young men, Richard Riley, tltation .Mill-square,:and James Hacking, 'Warner-street, `tl i Z ri ngton, the former betting 30s. to 205., In due...,time all • tat Preliminaries were arranged, there being bandreds.of spec of I T's• Hacking stripping himself naked, with the exception 4, 0 ' 8 stockings, and -to ;work they went, pulling each other lit as a tiger would.his,prey, for about au hour at five tae kin g when they both gave up, neither being •victoriens. 4t ' ''ng's body presented frightful spectacle. The :blood Rfr i , tinning down in several.JP•aces; and, in maim - parts,, the .le.`was torn from his tones,--ond hung like meat or butchers ,C* 4 -the crowd, while this lbarbarous work was going. on, all autin gat times and urgiag. au the combatants. Duriaw s e ,tte titne this was gang on Jeat a policeman was present ; s ee - does appear somewhat -strange that such 'disgustiag :) nes , as the one above described.-ean take place, and our police, sovham we boast so moth, not one word about it.- - '• re stoNeGuardi an . uzifilan SHELL.-A monster okell, fl feet 5 inches in nri z u. , x liference, and 36 inches in diameter, and one of a number tt ,,Lef l the Lowmoor Iron Company ore under contract to t hrSY c.Government, .is lying under the Clarence Dock 1„„' 8 , for transmission to the Duke oft Devonshire's residence, tp. ''Tfore Castle, Ireland, the company - , having, at the duke's 1?-„ Ile4 t , presented him with one :uneharged. Its weight-is a e - a n, 6 cwt. S- 71bs. The aperture by which it is charged, t ` llB fusee in is 4 2i inches in diameter, and the shell 14, f 21 inches *tick, and at the aperture.3l inches. Such tt, W eight.cif metarequires considerable leverage to place it in _".e mortar, and in the case of these shells it, tannot be done without the aid of : machinery, to facilitate -which the mouth . tL e Lne shell has 'four Llegs, made of wrought iron- and cast into Aeshe ll „ which, by these means, is placed within the mortar. a cost of each Shell unfilled will be and they re intended . for the of the Baltic fleet ,of The mo rtars for th e discharge of these monster shells are in course (.) aie of wrought l • mar iufactur ir ea o t n, the works of Mr. C. J. Marc , Blackwall, Ti tt and-will weigh about 35 tons each. au MERCHANT SUIWING correspondence of HlPortant character has passed between the Mayor of te „ ▪ eat Yarmouth (Mr. C. J. Palmer) and the - Board of Trade, i n Terence to the appointment of justices of the peace -Wad • B Puted salvage cases. The suggestions of the muse th e h e, understood from the following letter received from Tr ad 'Av , ard :-" Office of Committee of Privy Council for th e sg , December 20. Sir,-I am directed by the Lords of th e ~'° u Maittee of Privy Council for Trade to acknowle d ge taoS n e iPt of your letter of the 7th instant, relating to the ,Shr„2 33 which, under the 460th section of the Merchant fai ni rnF Act 1854 two justices who are to hear and deter eerie- sal vage ' eases 'are to be selected. My Lords entirely in ex u r with the opinion expressed in your letter, that it is ,w th o e tt r at d e i r e e n s t tea that the justices should be selected by either of Parties. They think that the obvious course in aa ( i i • be to deal with the case in question in the same way ti en I ,,eh the other eases falling under the summary jurisdic aPpe°l t wojustices are usually dealt with. As, however, it tlp o , r a that it would be impracticable at length to adjudicate " all the numerous salvage cases which arise at Yarmouth to r e ' l 3' sessions, my Lords think the plan suggested-viz., th fte e P a. rota of magistrates willing and competent to act in sn tses -the justices so named to act in succession, and i rates -,-me ns to be in each case taken out through the magis that answer the purposes of justice. Assuming lq 311 the justices in the place agree to this arrangement, It!R the do not see that there will be any difficulty in carry- Ri into effect. Idu to add that my Lords have Dowe r t he abode as their opinion, but they have no legal Jerear jurisdiction in the tnetter, ,,, T Sir your olviient ", 1- 11, V442,Hu." THE ROCHDALE ALIITZDSIL—Heywood, who was sentenced to ' death, at the last South Lancashire Assizes, for the murder of Margaret Jones, at Rochdale, is at present confined in Kirk dale gaol. He is kept in solitary confinement, none being admitted to his cell but the chaplain and the prison officials. He will be executed in front of Kirkdale gaol, on Saturday. AIISTRALIiN SNIPPING.—The following is from the ?del bourne Age of September 29th :—" The Guiding Star, . now two mouths overdue, has not yet arrived. The Ben Nevis, out 100 days, may be expected within the next fortnight. The Shalimar, 70 days out. is not yet in sight. The ship De fence, from Liverpool, arrived on the 18th of September, and the Western Bride on the 26th." CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY HONOI7RS.—The Hulsean prize, value £lOO, subject, " The influence of Christianity upon the language of modern Europe," has been adjudged equally to William Ayrest, 8.A., Caius College, and W. Jennings Rees, of this town, formerly of the Royal Institution school. This young gentleman, about a month ago, distinguished himself in gaining the " Crope Scholarship," which is open to the whole 'University. Tin BIRKENHEAD DOCK BONDHOLDERS AND THE LIVER POOL DOCK COMMITTEE.—We understand that a special meet ing of the Birkenhead Dock bondholders was held on Friday, in the Clarendon-rooms, to take into consideration the resolu tions of the Dock Committee to increase the dock lutes on tonnage and goods. The dismission had reference to the proba bility of the interests of the bondholders being prejudiced by this resolution, and, ultimately, it was decided to appoint a deputation to wait upon the Dock Committee, ivith the view of inducing them to reconsider thoir resolution of Thursday last. MAILS FOR AUSTRALIA.—GENERAL POST -OFFICE, Decem ber, 1855.—Subject to a notice of discontinuance on the re establishment of regular steam communication, arrangements have been made for the conveyance -of mails to Australia, twice in every month during the ensuing year, by clipper . ships, from Liverpool, the owners of which have entered into a contract' with the Postmaster-General for the performance of this service in a stated number of days. Unless a further notice be issued, tire mails for Australia will be made up in London on the - evening of the 'undermentioned days, viz': January 7th and 21st, February 6th and 21st, March 6th end 22nd, April sth and 21st, May sth and 19th; June 4th'and 19th, July sth and 21st, August 4th and 19th, September 4th, and 20th, .October 4th and 20th, November 4th and "I.9th, December 4th and 20th. the packets will, in each.case, leave Liverpool - on the following day. THE SAILORS' How.—The seamen, whose temporary abode Is at the Sailers' Home, in this town, untriberiug about 130, dined together m - t Christmas-day, in the large room of the insetution. An Obunda,et supply of roast amfboiled beef, geese, &c., was provided,' through the liberality of Captain Henley, the chief superintendent, and Mr. Hamner, the cashier of the establislimerit. The " good things" were done ample justice to ; r liberal - supply of ale was7served out ; 'and; after the removal.of theeloth, each per son was presented with a bumper of punch, in which the company dranklo the health of the Queen, the army and - navy, Our gellMit allies, and the seeress Of the Sailors' Home. MAN Dab ED AT INCE.—On 'Sunday week, as a :5-bung man,' yarned Ralph White was :skating. on a piece of water, annmonly called the " Big Flash," near the floss-hail Colliery,' Lim, the ice broke, and he 'it'as submerged in the • water, five ket in depth. He made an - ifort to getpu theice, - but it again broke. A collier, namedti-lomas Winstanley, endeavouritg to rescue him, himself - fell in, but was socm got out. 'A. , Plank was then laid across the thin part of the ice, and by ; that means the body 'of White was recovered, but life had beenlong extinct The deceased was 25 years of age, and has left •a widow,.but no elfldren. , The day of the nccideftt fhel.'irst anniversary of his wedding. ltflati - rruE CAsuirsrus.—The:Lic-erpool undervnitershar2 received the following items relating to maritime dismitersi— , The :f has (smack,) from 'Liv etpck3l to Stranracr, went ,-- ca afore. on the 18th, north of:Ramsay, and is not er A - .,ected - t6 - , gst-iiff; the cargo (damaged) hai , been discharged. They of Washington (steamel) had her , stern broken in two :phicesi. by , tra accident near Marseilles, - oa the 17th, has been 'repaired, mid quitted that port for , Livarpool. ;The Christiana ; for , Geroa, has put into Beaumaris' aly, in consequeneenf - a leak. 'The crew refuse to proceed tO:sEa in the ship The - Gostyfium has put back for the in consequence of 'lea:l:age. Sitc was bound for Men ; and` fist sailed on the I:3lr.October, and put back on the 26th. The Druid, which has arrived in Liverpool from Coquimbo, enteuritered a tren4endous tarnado , or. , the 20th December,:in lat. :10 north, long. 14 -w&;. The quid passed, off 'Tnkar, French barque, much 'chat aged, apparently from collision-with another vessel. ACCIDENTS TThell THE 'Tht,Wl-11.11C sakiden ihavi on Sa- Aurclay 'Week led to several.allidents in Laneashire, 'and much :;d elay in the arrival of railway trains. The temperature began to rise in the evening, andsoan after eleven o'eloilrthere was ...a fall of snow. At - twelvefit , was succeeded train. The mail which left Manchester at-twuity minutes past tem the night, by London and North: , Wcstern line, was rnuebilelayed by a fall of sleet, between ' Sandbach and Crewe,:andrwas Tun into by a heavy coeds train following in the same direction. The guard was in great ..danger, but was able tojuurpoff before the collision ocourred. gentleman in coteq)t the carriages was severely cut .about the face and head.. Theuptrai . ns from Bangor and Cilest.er,',2l4-lb from e down-trains froGlrraaester and Worcester were much delayed by the change of , weatber and consequent slipperiness of the 3km-cheater a .great number of water Pipes -hunt, during the nifitt,. - andmuch pro perty was damagedinthe,warehouses. A TRADESMAN lirasine.—On 3fourlay,theiirbabitants of Warrington heard that Mr. Joseph Owen, draper, of Bridge street, had been missing from an early hour , oirSunday, and a placard .of the chief 'constable's, appearing ontbewalls of the town offering a reward far his recovery, canfirmid. - the report. It appears that.about twc o'clock on Sunday morning, Mr. and Mrs. Owen were.awekcf-by the bursting of a waterlpipe on the premises, and Mr.l(lwen gat up for the purposeef Treventing any damage to-some goo& lying near the pipe. Ht on return ing to bed heappeared , uuhappy in his )1-MAl,a:id-said to Mrs. Owen that all things now seemed to go againstthem ; he had been in a desponding state of mind for some - weeks previously. In the morning he 'was missing. He was•seethby a watch man at the end bf theteurt leading to ilrisleuse-about three o'clock on Snnday morning, but since that tithe no tidings can be gleanedof thin). No tradesman was •morelaighly and worthily esteemed • than Mr. Owen, who for.mary years was partner in the firm of Cunningham and Owen, drapers, &c., and for several years was churdtwarden for the , parish ef Warring ton. He is about 50 years of age. OLD CcrErgcfr Christmas-day;; the children belonging to these schools, 'to the number of:3so,Anet for their annual treat-of teaand buns, the latter , a‘contribution from Mr. H. W. Balmer. 'After tea each child .reeeived a present, supplied by the liberality of the rector and .meribers of the congregation. A:hundred frocks and otheraiseflil articles of clothing were !distributed ; besides penknives, -sip-books, chess-boards, and , othernmasements to assist , in ~ passing the long winter everiingsplegsantly at home. The children were allowed to see :a Christmas twee, given by Mr.:J.:C. D. Watts, , and decorated for the. amusement of the younger , members of congregation. •Glees• were sung by the mernbers of the ;Ckoir, and theichildremwere reminded that the.proper object ,-of the Christmas tree-was . the promotion of •kind. feelings in homee,?ey:means of the interchange 'of:presents, at ithe glad season when'thagreat gift of God to .Man is com memorated, and that-the gifts prepared for themtnttle school 'were intended teasaist them in making home -cheerful, by :bringing their atnusenaentsi into their homes. ale parents •of:the children lied 'been4mited to the seherd ; and a few words were addressedlothenven the subject of Ania.:ing home happy for their chilth.er.,. anclftraining them to .a due obser :vanes of the Lord's , day, ,as- , well by example , asir . precept. It-avaz proposed to-open a: bignwei of the savings' 'hairk at the sehool, to afford increased facility for the working-elasses to tavalbtbemselves of that 'valuable institution. litg.T...nroot A ucirrrnc.xtruio - , :SocrEry.—On 'Wednesday, the. Liverpool Architectural aud.Arclueological Society:held a ossioual meeting in the ;Royal -Institution, Mr. Jobril4y in the ,ch,air. The Secretary react aAetter addressed to itlie pre sident I:by the operativethricklayers of Liverpool, who corn ligined:that, at the last meeting, the president charged:them 'with :uaiting for the raurse .of , opposing the masters.. .and psientinwout that their uuxm,was net for any such Objec% but rather fokinrposes of a benevolent nature.—The .Chairrnan tali:that:le never thought ;of .charging the Liverpool .opera ticks with : such an object. What the did say Waft, that he Atilachester.hodmen had stuck ; ; :kilt that he had to,cougra tulate this.aoniety that such state-of things did not exist t ir. Livemool.--trhe Secretary reed :a letter from Mr. Goodman, the secretary to the • ,London . Architectural. Society, urging • upon this socieby the eousideru6on oft the propriety of memo rialising the president and couLeil :of , the Royal Institute .of British Architects to organise an:examination, or to grant :a diploma, ago thatrthe real qualific4ions of-the architects should be brougikt before the public.—The ellairman said he should be very ltappy,:aletag with the other :members of this society,' to memorialise the Institute of British Architects for the purpose of bringing out some schecoethat,would be satisfac tory to all parties.-41r. Boult moved that-the subject be post poned until the •ner,t meeting of the aoeiety. The motion, having been seconded by Mr. Frodehem, -was carried.—Mr. Horner exhibited :Lund' portion of Romemconerete found at the head of Winder mom--Mr. Frank Howard then read the paper of the evening, --":On the Application .oftColour, to Clas-' ideal Architecture.' —A. ,Tote of thanks to Mr.. Howard con bduded the proceedings. - - - - WEST DERBY Gtrait.4l,ASTS.—The weekly meeting of this tboard was held on Wednesday, the Rev. W. Bagnall in the chair. The other nsembees present were Messrs. Abraham, :Wensley, Edwards, Bolshaw, Lightbody, Lunt, ,Medcalf, J. Birch, Siddeley, Ledger, Roberts, Mullens, Taylor, and Shaw. —The governor reported theaumbers in the house last week, 01; .admitted, 32 ; born, 1; discharged, 10; died, 1; number this week, 693; corresponding week last year, W.—The following letter was read from :Mr. Farnall relative to the question pending between the board and Mr. Lister, surgeon, as to whether the workhouse hospital is a general or fever hospital Kettlethorpe Hall, 'Wakefield. 20th Deem:cher, 1856. Dear Sir,—l beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the I.Bth inst. having reference to the union hospital, and desiring.to know from me whether every portion of the building may not be appropriated to the uses which the necessities of the union may require. I _have now to inform you that the hospital may be so appropriated, and that I have no power whatever to regulate the classification of diseases. With regard to the statement made in the medical officer's report to the West Derby guardians, I can remember that I approved of the plan adopted of placing bad fever cases in the top wards of the hospital, but I cannot remember laying strict injunctions upon him not to admit other patients into the top wards ; and as I well know I possess no such authority, it seems to me that the medical officer put a misconstruction upon something I may have said to him. It would be os well that the guardians should read the entry (if any) which I made in the visitors' book at the hospital on the 7th Sept., 1853, as the entry would convey to the guardians any recom mendation which I had to convey either to the medical officer or to themselves.—Yours truly, H. B. FARSALL, Poor-law Inspector."—Mr. Cleaver stated that he had informed Mr. Lister, in accordance with the instructions of the board, that the hospital was a general hospital. Mr. Lister had acknow leged the receipt of Mr. Cleaver's note, and asked him to define what a general hospital was, and whether he considered the West Derby hospital, in its present state, was fit for the purposes of a general hospital.—After some conversation, Mr. Edwards moved that the subject be referred to the Hospital Committee, to inquire into and report as to bow many patients could be accommodated in the hospital, and that Mr. Lister be requested to be in attendance when the report was pre sented.—Mr. Roberts seconded the motion, which was agreed to.—Mr. Thomas Horrocks was appointed registrar of births and deaths for Litherland.—On the motion of Mr. Ledger s seconded by Mr. Lightbody, the salary of Mr. Olney, relieving officer, was increased from £lOO to £l2O per annum, by a majority of nine to four.—The board authorised Mr. Edwards to have slides placed over the ventilators in the top wards of' the hospital, so as to make those wards habitable during the winter months,—The board then adjourned, TIIE LIVERPOOL BTANIARD. TnE_Atlantic_ (*U.S. mail steamer) sailed_hence, for New York, on Saturday, with fifty passengers and a full cargo. ON Christmas-day, a ewe of the Leicester breed, belonging to Mr. John Butler, farmer, Old Field Carr, near Poulton-le- Fylde, Yeaned two fine lambs. Sr. HEILN'S PARISH CAHURCH.—A very handsome silver communion service has been presented to the St. Helen's Parish Church by its members. MR. T. M. BLYTHE, of the firm of Charles Moore and Co., has been_nominated by the Shipowners' Association as a can didate for the vacancy created in the Dock Committee by the resignation of Mr. Steele. THE EXCISE.—Mr. Hickey, of Liverpool ; Mr. Derharn, of Wigan ; Mr. Flatteley, of Rochdale ; Mr. Rickwood, of Lan caster ; Mr. Williams, of Ormskirk ; and Mr. Webb, of Chester, supervisors, are now under examination at War rington for promotion. CUSTOMS APPOINTMENTS IN LIVERPOOL.—Mr. John Armstrong, Mr. John H. Jacob, and Mr. Edward W. Sudlow have been appointed clerks for general business. Mr. Allen Foote has been appointed an extra clerk, and Mr. Maurice Sullivan a tidewaiter and patrol. CAUTION TO Bors.—On Sunday afternoon, Wm. Roberts, a youth about 14 years old, climbed up the railings of St. Matthias's Church, Great Howard-street, and, overbalancing himself, fell down into the area below. He was taken, up in an insensible state, and conveyed to the Northern Hospital, where it was discovered that, though, he had received some severe contusions, none of his limbs are fractured. BURGLARY IT RAINHILL.—Between the hours of two and three on the morning of the 28th ult., the dwelling-house of Mr. Isaac Watkin, shoemaker., Rainhill, was burglariously entered, and a patent lever watch and half-a-crown were carried away. Entrance was effected by descending the chimney, the top of the house being easily accessible by means of the adjoining outbuildings. THE Tux or Mia Mr.NEs.—The Foxdale nines have paid £8,960, this year, in dividends, and the Lacey, £l,OOO. The returns of lead for 18.0 were—Foxdale, 1;900 tons of ore, yielding 1,449 tons of lead and 19,926 ounces of silver ; Lacey, 900 tons of ore, yielding 688 tons of lead ot.d 32,336 ounces of silvei-- - the latter mine showing a prOdnet Of nearly 36 ounces of silver to the ton of ore.—Mining Jotenal. • LIVEI3PCM SttPWRECK AND HVLIA.NE SOCIETY.—The monthly meeting of the committee of this society was held on Saturday; - at which a letter was Tend from Mr. Driffield, the County Coroner, detailing the , nOble conduct of William Lovett, master of the flat Frances Ann, in an attempt to rescue a drowning seaman ; and, 'though his exertions •ware, unfortunately, not crowned with 'success, (from the want of support from the ship alongside cf which his flat waslying), the committee -considered his -case one so-deserving of a favourable consideration that they awarded him ES. PERI"LOVS POSITION OP A t'LAT AND T WO :311rN.—On Thursday, the 20th ult- as the Duchess of Lancastersteamer . was proceeding from Lancarter to Liverpool, signals of dis trees twere seen at a distance,a gale of wind blowing at the and a heavy sea running. The Duchess steamer imme diately hauled up, and found a flat, with two Mat on board, beinnging to the Bridgewater Canal. It appearedthe fiat had patted from her author in'-the Mersey, and drifted - near to the 'Crosby lightship. Then and the vessel :Were taken in , tharge and brought safely into harbour. A SALT FLAT ow Frts.— On Saturday evening, the cabin 'of the fiat Richaed Wintiord, lying in the tanning Dock, was discovered to be on fire. - The fire brigade - - Atm-Temple-court was promptly in attendance, and, by elte.aidtf a plentiful sup ply of water, the flames were confined to theitart of thergssel in which the fire originated. The Wkhesds, furniture, ac., in the cabin were deitroyed, the damage arnotinting to aborrt £4O. The flat was a' new one, belongingto Mesrs. Cross and Co., and valued at 0 1 00. She had - recently - arrived from Wins ford, with a cargo-6f salt. The came of , the fire is unknown. A RETVILYED TEMILE CONN - WT.- l On Saturday utoridi3g a miscrable-loOktpg woman was 'conveyed, in a state of cation, to BridevrE.ll, where she, was'idnitified as a returned convict, having,-terne time age., been Transported from Liver- pool for shoplittimg. She was taken before Mr. Mansfield, charged with bciug at large hi Englcrld before the t xyliration of her sentence.- It seems that., owing to the intextososieva-of , a Rowan Ottlfca priest at the venal - settlement o which she was set ; she pkained a reprieve, Pud was forsvvr:aed 7to.sotne friciwis in "..•re\V York. Aft renidir.ing there a short she had sucteaded in finding be: way back to this!ceflantry: - Remanded. 'lx rtereeetv DEFElicr.—Josepif Stokes wag - charged at the. Felice-court ; . .on ' Saturate; - Witte - stealing a - box:from a poor' Iriela girle - reedetlicia ..1.0 - nell. - The proaeentrix.....areived in Livezpool from Dublin, on Fridiy,- and engaged 'the prisoner to .carry.lreeisox• and shoe hee.the v;ay; to Limestret. In- stead-of doing so, he trailed:her half-round the town, and ulti- nietelY• Fended her in Hu on-street. The girl .gaee infor mation tert'se police, and the Trisoner was apprehended in •a bye-etreeteenon afterwards, it the act of ransacking the box. With .erroat 'coolness, the prisoner declared. - 1. - lat the pro- : secutrix rat away from him, - -wad that he was looking into the box 'to see be could find her.- address, .in order to take her • box to her, •He was coneetaitted for a month, ItS:11 rogue anda . vageboied. ]. LIVERP3OL Tows Oetrevere—The following subjects oil be discuseed at the monthly meeting of the Veuncil; which.. Will be eleeld - to-morrowe-:-The -- proceedieqseof the Finance Commit, comprisinga^reeort of the: probable income atedi; expenditure of the Corporation for the yeareemmencing lst'.: September last, and ending - 31st August next; and a resolu- tionelireng the sale joby auction on lease - 4er seventy-fire Teare•Ofproperty now in possession. : The :proceedings of the , Health , Committee, comprising . a recommendation -to• - re- ' arrangethe numberingeofethe houses in the Borough. The 'Proreaings of the Library and Museum Qonm4ttee, compris ing. an estimate of the eetece - mt required for the year ending :: the - Wet Anvil next; -and recommendation to • take .the ue- • .cessareproceedings preparatory •to laying ea rate under the provisions of " The -Liverpool - Library-And .. Museum .'Act, 2652." The Mayor's 'communications, •commising an appli- cation - fteren Mr. Surreaudieor in the Town tees Office; for an .- increaseof salary. :Tar I-Ore - I-vim L ir-o. = at the Police-cotrrt., on Saturday.,.. ileefereMr. J. S. Maniefiekl, the stipendiary- magistrate. Le- ' -nard4eiret Watson,- late;eeurser of the-.ship Oliver Lang, helm:ging to Messrs.-James Baines astal•Catze " Black Ball" . lineef Aestralian peetketeesought to recover the sum of CSO, 2.8 I theilleged amount - , ofearages due. • Mr..]Almond appeared fortheplaintiff. On lieliiilf of the defendants, Mr. Forshaw ,objectedeto the claim-alb:get:leer, on . the ,gronad that he isad . i , 21eptenceaocount of the:lto:yes placed in hisecharge, and .that . the: provisions, espeCially:the sugar, bad dieeppeared . in a :rapid €l and extravagant mannereinere than one-third having, it was . 11 .calculated, been wastedorr•the homeward - voyage, leavingthee passengers shOrt in theirelliewance; ineeonsequence of which; Messrseßrines and'CoAirdte pay them each ..-.C5, as compene'e . ,sationeheall hetween.C3soand £4OO, assdallefec the want-of careand attention methepart of the ptueser,Ahe vessel having plentyl6:«tererything.oulboaed when she left:Ml:bourne. 31. c.;. Forshaw. 4licited from the. uenler-pursere : irecrosseexamination, : that - thereewere times wher. the plaintiff negieded.to weigh the-stores .when served .out, ,and that, on..one •accasion - , the stock of -r falling short; -ho poured a bucket of. water_ into eme-oftheltarrels. • Evidence having been addated confirma- tory eet..Mr. Forshaw's statements, the ease.-was dismissed; thernagistrate remarking4neet.rang terms on :theilrapropriety of -the plaices conduct. iilw. 135nxt.n.A.s' Cnrepn e - fc 1100LS.—There,-was a very nurserotneguthering oftheparoets and friends. of the children attendingeSt.«Barnabas! Charm :Schools, in Greenlaxd-street, ' °lathe-occasion of the Christmas examination, on Thursday. The easeetingieaving been Qpettel by the Rev. T.. De „tßarry, he peeeeededeto ,examine the :children in the Scriptures. . The first Book Of- Seueuel, and theGeepel of St. Mattheweevere the portions readein the present laalf-year. The children. were there.antheeel• by the Rev.... Mr. Woollam is -early English history; ,by T.Ni.e.. Popple, the, easeter, of the hoye' „stiles) in : keoeT4l4eie endsn•mental arithmetic, by the Rev. Mr..faiith. In the .eourse. of . .the evening several pieces of - vocill =tisk were performed - ley : the children:; .and there was a distribution of prises to - thoselwho had maintained the highest obeeacter for panetuality e edirigence, and good:conduct during the year; and after alew Affectionate. words 1.3 the parents, the eltey. • Mr. Barnj' cloied.ele.e.meeting, ley - the benediction. 0.n. - the previous Faidaytherewas a satisfactery examination of rtib2 infant schoele •ancl..on Thursdayafterneon, those eladren c who are depoeitors 'in - the school clothing Auld received orders ;`,.or • clothing, witlea tonntee of threepence li e l the shilling, .as Au encouragemeut to i prudent and sattaag - Aabits.. On Wednes . day last, abort 130-of the most respectable poor and aged people attentlisi - eg ..«St. ];Bateeabas' Chtxrch„,xere entertained with tea. -- Some idea marbelermed of the poeerty of the disteiet,, ,when we . state that .U. 3 who were ; invited were unable to e attend for want of -clothes. HEALTH COMMITTEE. — . fAt the weekly, meeting,on Thurs. .elay, the -Law-clerk • sulenitted a short report -of the sub-. -qommittee on the subject .of new offices for,trausacting the business of the - health ,committee. The committee made a ',recommendation that theil.a.n4 of the Sarecenle Head be ap .prpriated for. a new. :building for public rife es, that when these are completed the leeildings in Cortwallis-street be disposed 'of. After a short ,conversation, -it ,was agreed that e a sub-comniittee, consisting .of Messrs. Sheil, Hodson, Holm?, and the Chairman, havean interview, with4he finance 'committee of the council on :the following • day, when the recommazdation would be submittod.for consideratiQn. The committee came to the resolution :that they could allow no special exemption teethe owners •ofsteam tugs relative t to the conaumptian,Of smoke, and that .the ,team tugs . newt be regulated;hy 'the have on the subject, which affect all steamers and inanufaetories'emitting smoke: - Themeekly mortality of Liv.eroolstiiltontinues to -be above •the Average of the pre ceding seven„years. The medical oftleerofihealth in his repoet states that themegistered deaths in the town last week were 244, being 31,above the average. The deaths from symotie diseases, 67, were less than in any week-of title preceding six months. The •Offeet of the late severe weather in increasing the mortality has ;been chiefly felt by infants and young children. Of the.entire number.of 244 deaths, 341 occurred below five years of .age, and only 23 above sixty. The mean temperature of the ,week was 33 9-10 degrees., nearly nine . degrees below that of ttlee corresponding week of the preceding Aline years. During the latter half of the week, the tempe 'future was about 15 degreei below the average. .The wind moved at the rate of 440 aliks daily, about one-half more than ordinary. A S e en TALE.—A genteel girl, apparently about 16 years of age, who gave the name of Luey Lakin, was brought up at the Police-court, on Thursday. . Detective Eaton said that the prisoner 'had been given in carge for having attempted to oh • tai» four and a half yards of velvet, and four yards of silk, from the establishment of Messrs. Jeffery and Morrish, of Compton house. On the 3rd instant, the prisoner proceeded to the shop, handed au order - to Mr. George Mifflin, one of the assistants, which' ..bore the ,name of Mr, Wright, draper, of Church-street, requesting to be supplied with the goods men tioned. The geods were not supplied, however, in consequence of suspicion being -entertained in regard to the order. The prisoner was.not immediately accused, hut information given to the police on the discovery of the fraud, When appre hended; the prisoner gave her name as Tamerlane ; and it ap peared that a person of that name had, some two years ago, been in the employ of Mr. Wright. The officer added that the prisoner's father was a most respectable and independent gen, tlentan,.re6ding in Shropshire, and that her mother lived in Liverpool with a man whose name he did not know. He be-• Roved that the girl had, in sonic , way, committed herself, and that her.father had, in consequence, turned his back upon her. The prisoner, who wept - during the entire investigation, said that she -committed the offence from , poverty, - The reason of her having ] left Lome was, because she could not agree with her aunt, and she ran away. - She managed to obtain a scanty living,. by -dressmaking, at her .lodgings - ..with Mrs. Harrison, in Gregson-street, but, could: pot get as pinch work as would bring her sufficient money for food.—The magistrate said that 'it was a very distressing.case, and remanded the prisoner fora: few. days, requesting Mr. Clough to communicate with the father, , with the 'View of restoring the unfortunate girl to. her home. GENERAL INTELLIGENCE. AT Wareham, a young man named William Randall has been fined 6d. by the magistrates for kissing a cook-maid named Charlotte Musselivhite, against her will, as she was -coming from church. THE Sussex Advertiser states that, last week, Mr. W. Thomas, of Ratton, despatched a pack of foxhounds for the use - of his brother, Major Thomas, of the Royal Horse Artillery, and his brave brothers 7 m-artns at the seat of war. M. CHARLES SEBLY has withdrawn from his position as a candidate for the representation of Lincoln. It is now thought that the son of the late Colonel Sibthorp will be elected without opposition. THE new convict prison in the course of erection at Chat ham has already cost about £200,000, and, it is supposed, will accommodate 1,000 prisoners. The new huts recently erected for the Royal Sappers and Miners, capable of holding 525 men, have cost about £B,OOO. NEW - SPAPERS TO FRANCE.—Prom to-day all newspapers (whether stamped or not) going to France must have a penny postage stamp affixed, if the weight does not exceed 4 oz., and a twopenny stamp if the weight is above I oz. and not ex ceeding 8 oz. There will be no charge on delivery. If the paper be more than fifteen days old, the charge will be three times as much. _ _ . THE ROYAL BARON OP BEEP was this year supplied to Windsor Castle by the royal purveyors at Windsor. The baron was cut from a five-year-old Highland Scot, fed by Prince Albert, at the Norfolk farm, and weighed 425 lbs. The process of roasting occupied 15 hours. It was decorated with holly and ivy, and placed cold on a sideboard in the banquet-• ing-room, ea Christmas-day, where it remained with the boar's-head and woodcock-pie during the week. THE GtrA.No DISCOVERIES IN THE Set TII PACIPIC.—The New York Journal of Commerce states that two ships have been despatched by the company which has been formed to the =inhabited guano island recently discovered. The island is of -a coral formation., from eight to nine miles in circuna fertne, and it is claimed to possess unequalled advantages foranchoring and loading vessels. Prom the Chincha which have no harbour, there were exported last year 'cATr 400,000 tons of guano. GENERAL CAN'ROVERT, 'when in Copenhagen, one , evening, returned somewhat earlier thiin usual to his apartments` in the Hotel d'Angleterre, and flYand a strange man Standing at his secr‘faire; Which had been broke open, or opened with a false key, and-so busily occupied in examining his 'payers that he did not observe the General's entrance. In high indigna tion the General seized a candlestick or some -sharp-cutting object, and flung it at the Thief's head, who, 'firming round, either received a severe . wound in the eye, or had his eye knocked ett. The objert of the thief, it :is believed, was purely ofs political nature. A SWITCHMAN AND STATION-MASTER,VhOSE negligence • occasioned the terrible accident which toOk'ilace on thelrer sallies dlailway (left bank), on the eth November last, hart been -sentenced" to the severe punishment of five years' impri sonment, besides fines of five hundred 'francs. It was proved that'the switchmaulaad left his past to - take a glass of Wine with nn old friend; sand that the - station=master at Tangirard, whose duty it waeto see that the sWitOaes were duly turned, Bali taken it for granted that the manVas at his post, and had given the signal for a train to start witholit having personally certained tharthe line was ix readiness. TrrE Nrcrirtts. - Gstn FuNis--Eitensive arrangements are in progress for the purpose e oremisin - g •an aaixiliary corn tnittee in the (ity in aid of the Illghtingale funci. IV-ineeting • was'held at tliMansion-bousc,Loridon,onWednesdiry;At which the Lord Mayor presided, End•tit'which the nanies•Of many of the most iirfttential merchants, lAnkers, traders; mid manufac turers, were announced at hav ivig - consented to beccme bers "of thecommittee, and i dotiltless, a powerfalavement in aid of thUfraOst laudableObjett - will be the re - Stilt. A circular inviting - ekntributions, which is to be addressed"to the work,. ing classer.,. is in the , course 'of preparation, and application beAtade to the principals of large edablisaments to re ceive -donations. • SprirtopIDPILUSSICT.TOIiqttE KING OF SiAli.—An inkstand, probiaily . the most 'lrilliarltand beautiful Article of the kind ever made, has been mantiactured by Ur. Dadd, of Cornitill, • , Londozi, int ended msuipresent from her Majesty to the King of Siam. It, is of silver,-elsotro gilt, and, although not of very - great intrinsic value, yet deserves notice •as a work of art. The - figures, emkiemdtic of science, And the ornamental por fiona gen , irally, Are .:erecuted with . great taste, and if good e)uld te the beauty of the vessel from rtlrrh the. ink is drawn; - the King of Siam might become the. must popular author-of tale day. The ine=iption on the ink - stand pir rportstliatitis presented by the Queen to the -- King of - Siam, whosemairres , ere - fully set fortlqr.nd, certainly, do not erne tin der the -desdrigion of 'Coiranor. navies. They are 14hrit B and Somdetch 'Pima - 3lougkat Plies Mom F :bat AT T J unworitir•Comnizirr, last weik, a pitman, named .:James Barry, entered 'the cage for the purpose of descending t`he shrift. The person in charge of the engine, George Lower, , set th .e engine in - vnistion, but in-di:Ping so got • holdof the - wrong- handle,aig„' s instead of the 'taga descending the-iihaft, it was drawitup• tt'' the pulleys. Being unable to get furtb6r, the st rain was -so-great that the -, cliain broke, and the man was p recipitated• down the shaft. , Occ of his legs was iound about sixty ;fathoms down ;' his . 11a:A and shoulders ..a-few fatho andaiit seventy fathoms the other parts of his body were discovered. The prover engine-man, :ThOTTIFS Davison, was nem the engine at the time of the accident, , hat had got the:fireman to attend to :it for a while. At ques t • bola •on ' thelody, the j'arY'have returned a verdict of M: inslartgliter" against 'Davison ,- and Lowes, who wervee cord inglycommitted for trial. Faun as , ":PiriseN.---•The Veilwe Gazette gives tlae tails. of -a fire -in the prison at Baden (Canton of Argart)::— : "TI 3 e Ere hrokmout on' the gixintrilloor, and, - having •-iantne diat ely afteremight the wooden litairease, cat Off all eormunni - Hon.. with ihenpper ifioors. The•gaders had gone their-usn'al ram ads at nineee..lock- and - at- eleven, but saw nothing ; - they - were - theintelves roused from 'their sleep by the flames. The - prisoners on-the first floor succeeded in escaping, some of thei n by tearing.awry the iron .I.am from the winclow,•of the wat er-cleset; + but, many of their wore severely hurt in their attempt. • Those nn the second , floor were not so fortunate, as • the flooringheing 4 hunt through:gave way beneath them. • In cons equpence of Ike :severe frost; ,the engines could nor but very imperfectiy,:an4 the' 'fire-emiiiimed burning during -the whol e day. • 'Fifteen carbonized robtlies have alreadS beemgot out ,roan - the ruins, and the .4304 y paf one man waaiound jammed in - the pipe. of the waterkitoset i tbrongh which he had - efidearoured'toferce'a passage. • Tire Morningt:Firast states 'thatnnany of the Christmas gathmings of •the nobility have been: dispensed with altogether this year; and most fall short of -visitors. We are_ glad,- how .!; ever, to notice, 'that hospitality* tcrttlieir poorer brethren is 1 rather increased - 'than diminished. Its necessity. maybe gathered frowthe fact that in Isondonithe number of paupers 'this Christmas in-reesiipt of relief,iusileer and out-door, shows sa great increase .upon the list of lastsyear. In the City there an increase altogsither of about 500.; in Marylebone, 1,00 n; iet. Mary, : bilington, tOO ; St. Idartin's-in-the-fields,..2oo; Whitechapel, - 509 ; Hackney, .5(X); et. Leonard, Shorediteh, ; St. James; Clekkeswell, 500 ; et. 3.ltry,Lambeth, 1s00(); West London V2.10'1;1,900; the increase ;being, on an average, ..at4east 20 per-cent. The only. parishes 'not showing au in :crease are St. V. -y,';Retherhithes Brentford (where there is :a decrease of 450, andet. Luke, Middlesex, where the inmates of workhouses lame fallen from ..679 te:666, and the oat-door peer from 1,163 to 1,00. • • Is SNAKE SlVET.—One.of those. siortilar escapes occurred a for days back, e'er oareaCrag which old Indians get accused of ,11.tiwin„.7 the most formidable longbows when they settle down-on their peas -glens its-that portion.ofthe -metropolis, dedi cated to their retirement, sunder the appropriate name of -" Asia ;Minor." Mk s however, is a .fact, as ,doubtless is many a similar story whirl has sea& people stare soul shake their heads. A peon is the amulet), near the College-bridge, observes.; a rat run aessiss the floor. He stooped to look after it, havisiss his turban off and Isis back ,hair loose. While in this position he suddenlysfeit though someone were tug ging himsoack by Isis hair. put his hand up, and to his horror, hefound there was aUrge cobra on his back struggling to free itsteeth from his hair s insvisich they had gotentangled. Probablytto reptile had Idso-ohservcd the rat, and had dropped from the reef imbued With as _keen a love of Jitintissg as the peon himself. Be that as it may, -the snake ultimately suc . •ceedecl in getting loose, and escaped to a hole withoutinflict , ing any injurss on the man- By thearders of the, , ehicf ma gistrate, the Ogee was pulled down the next day, and :here, -sure enough, was the snake, with 'tbc:sst in hisstomaeb ,half sdigested.—Deihi,Gazette. Gunnies STAMTE OF THE QUEHN, which arrived in !Fssgland from Bowe a few week* am:je s tl4w uncased and.-set sip, so that an opinion may be formed sas to its merit as a work of art, and . its adaptability to the .site for which it Ls ansaut. Tice statue .is colossal. and belong's; to the school whisk affects heroic !forms, and therefore ,eliallenges cons parircna with heroic standards. As a likeness of the Queen the statue is a failure; ! , 4,11e figure is too plump, the pose too theatrical, the face too-Urge and heavy. The,nose as especially unlikessure; and the lineaments of the Royal -lady resemble those of some imaginary,postrait of a fabulous queen—creature of a sculptor's fancy, rather than recall the lines of that face 1 which we all knovv so ,welL But, apart from mere want of resemblance .to -the original—a grave defect, we -must -since these national monuments are to be a part of our historic record, witnessing to future generations of the men and women of our -time—the staime has a certain grandeurid outline, a certain snassiveness of conception, which bespeaks -the bandit' an accomplished artist. The Majesty of England I seems- to4it sbefase -the sspeetator --cal m r - grand, inflexible — but with the soft serenity that - belongs of right to those abstractions whisk take the feminine aspect, as the typical representative. Such, at ledst, is the impression that it pro duces on. the mind now, while it stands apart from gilding 'and colour, from brasswork and mosaics, in the dingy sed of the stonemason.—Athenousst. CHRISTMAS-DAY IN LONDON was as gloomy and unpropi tious as the previous Christosas-day, when the aspect of the skies but too truly represented the depressed state of the pub lic mind, owing to the disasters in the Crimea, and when our carols ware in a measure converted into nice Brea by the calamities iocident to war. This year the case is otherwise, but not so as regards the weather. Notwithstauding the associations of " Aferrie Christmas " with frost and snow, hard-frozen ponds, and trees bedecked with. icicles, slippery. pavements and snowballs, skating and , sledging, natures seemed bent on thwarting the popular predilections, and per„ versely changing the weather just on the eve of the festive season. On Saturday, the earth was frost-bound. The rain ou Christmas-eve had converted the roads and pathways, I especially in the suburbs of London, into a hopeless slough of despond, and the next was a dark, damp, dismal, and de pressing day. The sun, as if ashamed not to show his face on Christmas-day, did shine for a brief space between 1 and 2 o'clock, but clouds soon obscured the sky, and darkness visible prevailed till the shutters were closed, and the Christ mas candles lent their artificial light. Yet the traffic in the streets was immense. To obtain a scat in an omnibus, penny or sixpenny, was out of the question, unless the rash traveller was content to sit on the " knifeboard,". exposed to the rain and wind, and so likely to contract a catarrh to last him his life. All the public vehicles were crammed, and the pedes trians on the footways were often jostled by the crowds that, bent on exercise, or about to " visit their relations," content edly waded through the slush which defiled the pavements. Many of the shops, not forgetting the druggists', were open, and attracted the gaze, if not the money, of the passers-by. The red-coated shoeblacks had their hands full of business, and the cry of "Clean your boots " was assuredly not raised in vain. The tobacconists and grogahops did a roaring trade, in defiance of the Maine . law and the advocates of the tem perance and anti -smoking associations ; and, although—as Englishmen always do —the seekers Of pleasure seemed to go after it with a very grave face, as if " keeping the feast " were a matter of business as well as of enjoyment, it was manifest to a careful observer that every one was resolved, with true John Bull determination, to spend & merry Christmas. The weather was the only drawback. TllE.cold is_so severe at St. Petersburg that several sentinels. have been found frozen to death in their sentry-boxes, although they are relieved every half-hour. Auoira-sT the cargo sent out in the Alma, which left South ampton a few days ago, was an immense quantity of seeds for the gardens of •the Paella of Egypt. TUE Plymouth Mail states that, at next election, it is the intention of Lord John Russell to give way to Lord Palmer ston in the representation of London, and that the ex-Premier goes to Edinburgh. Two HUGE CANNON-BALLS have just been placed at the door, of the palace of the Governor-General of Algiers. They were lately conveyed to Algiers by the Algerian riflemen as a specimen of the projectiles fired at them by the Russians during the siege of Sebastopol. Two LADIES, sisters of an officer belonging to the Royal Artillery, who lately fell before Sebastopol, have placed at the disposal of the regiment the sum of L 2,000 for any benevolent purpose that might be proposed. Pa. CUMMING, of London, has heralded the end of the world in 1885 ; yet his publisher's arrangements for the copyright of his books extend far beyond that period ; and he has just .entered upon a nineteen years' lease of his summer house! Tun PATRIARCH Or CONSTANTINOPLE, accompanied by the Holy Synod, has, With the authorisation of the Divan, paid a visit of ceremony to the Greek Charge d'Affaires at Constantinople. This Is the first visit of the kind ever made officially. A SrParrLA.R ActrvENY occurred on the St. Helen's Railway on Monday last week, an eng ine and tender, in consequence of the bridge over the 'canal bing open, belig thrown into the canal. The engine sank, but the tender fell partly across a fiat which was passing at the time. No loss of life .was sustained. A CLOTH-ttI:SSER, named Mark Rider, who emigrated to Australia nearly four years since, last week sent to his wife, in Leeds, nuggets of ,gold weighing about 18 oz s. One of the nuggets weighs 9 ozs., and the whole have been gathered by himself at the gold diggings. A Mas , named Corrigan, in the service of the East India Company, murdered his wife, on Wednesday, by stabbing her repeat - e4Ay with a knife in the bedroom of a friend, with whom he was spending Christmas. Two women, who interfered, were severely wounded. There had -been no quarrel, and 'no motive is suggested. The prisoner's plea, at the police office, was that he had been drinking freely. He was, appa redly., overwhelmed with grief. MELANCHOLY AcCIDEN-T.—As Mrs. Lunisden, of Braco, war Keith, was on Wednesday evening driving home in a - mart (this being considered the safest conveyance through the - *now in the dark), along with several ether ladies, from a party, 'the driver, who was leading the horse, mistook the road, and the cart, with its contents, were p-ecipitated over an embank ment, when the lady named was killed on the spot.—Aberdeen Herald. THE North :British Mail states that the efforts of the Ayr shire.Agricultural Association to introduce a new and better system of cheesemaking into this country have resulted in complete success. Wherever : the Cheddar mode has been carried on several days •it has given entire satisfaction. The work is noknoWledged - by all to be easier and more methodical, and the quality - of the.cheese is•-aseertained to be superior to those made in the same dairies on the Dunlop system. THE -11131tRA.IN IN PRUSSIA. — The murrain continues to comnsiteeensiderable ravages in divers cantons of east Prussia. The frottier, from Thorn to Orletzburg, is closed and strictly guarded by military detachments, to prevent import of cattle from Russia ; and the most rigorous measures and precautions are taken .by the local authorities to arrest contagion. In, reeled animals are killed, and their carcases burned, sheds and cattle houses are whitewashed and disinfected, and medicine supplied ab/andantly:and gratuitously by government vete, rinaries. —II4IPNVAVIONS • it! - Sl'AlN.—Gaunt famine strides on stilts through tl ie provinces, - for the fiend cannot pass with dry feet. The waters are'eut everywhere, save where they have beonarrestred by the sharp hand of winter ; the heavy - rains, the torrents which rush down from the mountains, have con verted the; valleys which would have been filled with waving 'corn; o desolate swamps or huge lakes. The crops - are utterly etestroyed in many parts of Spain ; the vines have also suff( wed much from the inundations, or rather from the torrents,' which, `, - 11 rushing down the declivities, have laid bate th eir roots. The people are in an appalling' state of misery. THE 11UGELEY IiUBDED. — The report of the death of Palmer , of Rugeley, who was committed for trial at the Staf fordshi re assizes for the wilful murder of Mr. John Parsons Cook, 5a without foundation. Palmer is still a prisoner in the Staffoi 'd county •gaol. While waiting the completion of the inalys RS which Dr. Taylor, of Guy'S Hospital, has commenced upon the stomach-and the intestines of the prisoner's deceased wife r ani l brother, - the police authorities are busily_ engaged in maki - An another and more strict search for the missing betting book of the deceased Cook, the discovery of which, or of any trace of it, will be an important fact in the case which relates 'to tiva mysterious death of that gentleman. TICE Boan's HEAD AT QUEEN'S COLLEGE, OxroßD.—The anci( mt custom of serving up a boar's head, " bedecked with bays and rosemary," and a large orange in its mouth, at this colloge, on - Christmas-day, was duly observed, and the spacious coll!ge-hall was crowded with Oxonians and their town and -country friends. The -boar's head, which, borne on the shoulders of two servants, weighed upwards of seventy pounds, was announced by the sound of the trumpets, when the usual song was -chanted ; the Rev. T. Rennison taking the solo part, and -choristers from :Magdalen College singing the chorus, from the entrance of the hall to the high table, where a sump ~• tuous dinner awaited the invited guests. This, we believe, is the only , place where the ancient custom of serving up a boar's head every Christmas-day, with the original chant, is still ob aerved.- Son' - KrrpnEris Ix Penis.—ln consequence of . the se verity of the Weather and the dearness of provisions, the French Government has resolved to open kitchens in every quarter of 'Paris. A circular from the prefect of police to the police commissaries states that the Emperor and the Empress, who during the two last winters made large distributions . of food arulfiring at the dwellings of the poor, are now of opinion that a :more general system of relief should be introduced. Kitchens will be opened with all possible speed, in which a pint abroth will be served out for one sou. A portion of .meat or:vegetables is to be served out at the same price, and a half portion for a child will be delivered at the unheard-of .price -of two centimes (less than half a son.) The sisters of St.'Vincent de Paul will superintend this charity. APIRLY WITH POACHERS.--A few nights ago a keeper of the name of Hayes, employed by Sir Edmund Walker, of Berry-11, Notts, discovered three men, with their faces black ened, in a plantation near the hall. One of the poachers having shot a pheasant, the keeper went up and closed with :him; another of the poachers then attacked the keeper, and a struggle ensued between them, in which the poacher tried to stab-the keeper, but cutting through his trowsers and shirt only punctured his stomach. - During this struggle the third .poacher-came up, and, raising the muzzle of his gun close to the keeper's head, fired. The keeper fortunately moved his he.ad.atrthe time, and the contents of the barrel-entered his ,hat. :After . this the poachers decamped, and have not yet been apprehended. PIRAOT - ire - •TIIE LEVANT.—The Constantinople corres pondent of the Morning Herald says :—Ely advices of the '‘sth instant, from Samos, I learn that a piratical boat is prowl ing about the , neighbourhood, committing depredations as -often as favourable opportunities present themselves. The captain, a - brigand of fifteen years' standing, is well informed by his accomplices at Smyrna whenever vessels are about to proceed with money on board, and the boat lies in wait with a View, if posslle, of intercepting them as they go out of the Gulf. A - 13ritish schooner, with specie to the amount of £3,500, Was lately chased, and would not have escaped but for the for tunate circumstance of a breeze springing up just before the pirate could reach her, and this enabled her to get clear. The Gulf. of - Monica is also infested with several such craft, the terror of all honest navigators. T&E .LATE :SiMUEL ROGERB.—The remains of Samuel Rogers were interred on Thursday, in Hornsey churchyard, in a family vault, which was built some years since on the death of the -poet's brother, and where a sister, ivlio died last year, is also buried. The funeral, according to the particular wish of the deceased, was strictly private, being merely attended by his surviving relatives, his physician, Dr. Beattie, and Mr. Mozon, his publisher. The church was hung with mourning. The psalms were chanted, and portions of the Dead March in Saul were played as-the body was being removed to the church yard. A few persons -who had the good fortune to know Mr. Rogers in life attended to pay the last mark of respect to his memory, and there is no doubt that many others would have been present had they been aware of the time and place of the funeral. ROMANCE OF REAL LIFE.—Some years ago a banker, sup= posed to be wealthy, resided in a well-known borough town ' or considerable magnitude, in the west of England. The bank, however, failed, and the banker died, leaving behind him a' lovely and highly-accomplished young lady, his (knitter, penniless. She at one time took to the stage, .and. possessing a charming. voice, a beautiful person, together with considerable talent, she was very successful. In or near , the same town there resided at the same time, a gentleman ' upwards of sixty years of age, unmarried, but having three daughters* his deceased wife. He engaged the banker's daughter as a companion for them ; but became so ena moured of the banker's daughter, that he ultimately married her. Afterwards they went abroad, and resided for some . time in a town ,on the coast of Spain ; but ultimately he returned to n$ and, and bought a villa on the b an k s o f th e ' Thames. lirli' residing here, a young cler g y man b e l ong i ng , to the L ow (, nub' 'or Evangelical party, was a frequent visitor to the house, and accompanied them on visits or ex cursions. One day while sailing on the Thames, the boat was upset. The old gentleman caught his young wife in his arms, and sustained her in the Water as long as possible, calling out to the young clergyman to swim towards them and " save her 1" and he liken sank to rise no more ; but the clergyman had reached the lady, and making desperate efforts he saved her from .a watery grave. Some months afterwards she gratefully presented the preserver of her life with her ' hand, and an income left to her by her first husband of £2,000 a year. Subsequently they came and resided in a ' small town near Brighton. Here he was rector of the parish, and built a noble parsonage - ho use at the cost of £5,000, on '*lebe land, where he. resided. He had, at the instance, it is said, of his wife, abandoned t he Low Church for the Hi g h p Church party, and gave great offence to some 'of the old I.)arishioners by the changes he introduced ; but within the nut few days this gentleman has embraced the tenets of the Romish Church, and recanted . , it is said, what he now c on . sliders the errors of Protestantism. He ceases, of course, to be a clergyman of the Church of England. All his effects at the parsonage-house are to be sold ; and . he loses, we believe, all interest in the parsonage-house ; and he and his family, it is said, are about to proceed to ItalY. As a married man, he cannot be a priest in the Romish ChUrch, and therefore cannot administer at the altar ; but we believe that in some similar cases converts have been permitted to preach, and that may be all he may desire. This " conversion," or, as some will term it, " perversion," has made as great a sensa tion in the church as did the conversion of Archdeacon Manning, who is the intimate friend .of the gentleman we have,. been speaking of, and who, as it is said, was instru mental in his " conversion."—Brighton Examiner. By an Advertisement in our columns, it will be seen that, in addition to other advantages promised to subscribers to the ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS for 1856, a new and important feature is about to be introduced, namely the issuing a series of magnificent Supplements, worked in colours, which, we are in formed, will bear comparison with the finest Water-colour Draw ings. The great outlay necessary to their production, and the number required to meet the immense circulation of the Journal, amounting to near!y Two Hun d red Tho usand p er week, will render it only possible for those who subscribe regularly to obtain these splendid coloured Supplements. The period of the year . presents a filvournble oppertunity for entry on the list of regular , subscribers. ECCLESIASTICJE LLIGEY CE. PREFERMENTS AND APPOINTMENTS. Win. and Rev. W. Byron, to the Vicarage of Pyrton, Oxford. shire. Rev. J. Caner, Rector of Westport, to the Archdeacoury of Tnam _ . liet•. E. Herb , rt, incumbgnt of Kilpeacon, to the Union of Ratrikeale and Chancellorship. ReY. J. Eirkman, M.A., to theVicaraze of Field Dalliag,Norfolk. Rev. It. P. Little, 8.A., Curate of llerksweil t Aar:via:hire, to be a Chaplain, Hon. East India Company Service, on the Madras Establishment CLERICAL (~B["fUARY. Dec. 15, at Chard, Sornersetshire, the Rev. Henry Thurston Thomson, curate of Cudworth and chaplain to Chard Union. Dec. 23, at `Noolvtich-commoth.the Itev. John Watkin Downes, incumbent of St. John's, WOolwich, and for many years curate of St. Philip's, Birmingham. Dec. 23, at Lympstone, Devon, the Rex.. .William James, M.A., rector of South Moreton, Iterks, aged 68. Dec. 24, the Rev. John P. Mills, rector of Hockerton, near Southwell, Notts, aged 55. Dee. 25, at Bath, the Rev. Allen Wheeler, vicar of Old-Sod bury, Gloucestershire, in his 82d year. Dec. 25, at Marlborough-place, Walworth, the Rev. William Slowman Rowe, M.A., chaplain of her Mijesty's County Gaol for Surrey, aged 60. Dec. 21, at his residence, Burntwood, the Rev. It. L. Townsend, vicar of AU Wandsworth,t4ed 55. - DIOCESE OF CHESTER. GAWSWORTIL — The Bishop has granted a license of non residence to the Hon. and Rev. 11. W. Stanhope, rector of Gasysworth, in the county of Chester, on the ground of ill health, to expire 31st December, 1856. ORDINATION.—The examination of candidates for ordina tion by the Bishop of Chester, on the second Sunday in Lent, Will commence on Thursday, the 14th of February next, at the Palace, Chester, at ten o'clock. Candidates' papers should be addressed to Charles T. W. Parry, Esq., secretary to the Bishop of Chester, on or before Alonda,y, the 14th instant. MANCHESTER DIOCESAN CHURCH BUILDING SOCIETY. — The .quarterly rneeting_was held._ at the Town-hall, on Thurs day, the Lord Bishop of . Manchester in the chair. Grants were made towards the erection of a gallery in St. Peter's Church, Manchester, and also for parsonages for St. Bartholomew's, Salford, Holy Trinity, Blackburn, and Glodwick, near Oldham. TRINITY CHURCH, SOUTHPORT.7 - A stained glass window has just been erected in the south transept of this church, to the.memory of Mrs. Mary Ann Gaskell, late of Southport.The window_ is divided into three . compartments. - The trefoil in the top is filled with the arms of the family, draped back ground, and vine-leaf border; two other compartments con thin very rich. specimens of the transition period of stained. glass decoration. The harmonious effect of the colouring is exceedingly striking, and reflects great credit upon the artists, Messrs. Forrest and Bromley, Lime-street, Liverpool. At the bottom of the window is the following inscription :—" In me mory of Mary Ann Gaskell, who died in this town, 7th Sept., 1854." The window is the gift of John Fowden Hodges, Esq., of Bouley Court, Henley-on-Thames.-- Southport Visitor. ' CONSECRATION OF ST. JOHN'S CHURCH, MILES PLATTING. —The new church of St. John's, Miles Platting ; Which has been erected by Sir Benjamin Heywood, Bart., at a cost of £3,500, was consecrated 'on Thursday, by the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Manchester. The district contains a populk tion of 6,000, and divine service has, hitherto, been held in the School-room adjoining the church. The church is Italian in style, and similar in general character to the ecclesiastical edi fices erected in (principally the north) of Italy, previous to the revival of classic architecture. It is constructed mainly of red brick, with stone string courses, &e., and black brick decorations. In plan it consists of vestibule, tower. con taining staircase, north porch, nave of six bays, north aisle; of five bays, chancel of one bay, semicircular apse, and vestry. All the seats in the south side of the nave have been set apart as free. The church contains sittings for 507 adults, and 200 children. The church was much needed, and affords proof..pf the interest taken by Sir Benjamin Hey wood in the spiritual as well as temporal welfare of the district. —Manchester' Caviler. 11U It; AND TILE DRAMA,, PIIII2IIARNIONIC SOCIETY'S COYCkftl. The eighth sub seription concert of the season was given in the Philharmonic hall, on Friday evening, to a fashionable audience, which did mot, however, quite fill the hall.- The principal vocalists ad vertised were Miss Stabbach, Mrs. Sunderland, Miss Eyles, Mr. Simslleeves, and Mr. W. H. Weiss ; but, on account of a severe domestic affliction, Mrs. Sunderland was unable to ap pear, and the music alietted to her, in Handers magnificent erenata of "Adis and Galatea,"—the first, and much the best part, Gf the cencert—was undertaken at a short notice by Miss Stabbach, who thus sustained a very onerous portion of the evening's labours. To an unaffected, pleasing, and ladylike deportment, Miss' Stabbach adds a sweet, clear, and powerful voice, of great compass, subject to the behests of a fine taste, and tutored by careful and well-directed study. At first, when singing a Portion of the music which she had undertaken as the substitute for Mrs. Sunderland, she seemed uncertain, and a very sharp-eared critic might have imagined that the accom plished vocalist sung slightly out of tune. In coming to that portion of the score which belonged to her own part, and for which she was, of course, better prepared, she sang with charming simplicity, earnestness, and truth. Her rendering of the beautiful air, " Hush ye pretty warbling choir," was touchingly expressive and melodious. - The peculiar qualities of her fine organ, and her admirable reading of the author, were pleasingly evinced in the various recitations, airs, and con certed pieces with which the composition abounds and is en riched, and her general vocalisation showed her to be an artiste of feeling and judgment, combined with high executive culture. In the music of Adis, Mr. Sims Reeves found ample scope and exercise for the display of his rich and mellow tenor voice. His expression was generally appropriate and excellent, while, in some instances, it rose to the pitch of stirring and energetic emotion. In singing the noble air, "Love sounds the alarm," he completely took the audience by surprise, and excited a furore of admiration, which found expression in an enthusi astic encore. Mr. W. 11. Weiss sung the basso part allotted to Polyphemus with correct and steady precision. A new candidate for public honours was introduced on this occasion in the person of Mr. Pinkess. The peculiar fitness of this gen tleman for occupying a prominent position, if not indicated by the absence of the superior artist, may have been found in the delicacy of perception -with which he appreciated his own powers. As a vocalist, he seems to have sedulously studied and applied-Hamlet's injunction to Horatio. - He appeared to give the music "an ear and understanding, but no tongue,'' The second part of this concert was of inferior merit in selec tion ; and coming, as it did, after the beautifully-melodious strains of Handel, it fell flatly upon the ear. The chief- and most valuable characteristic of the second part of the 'pro gramme was the means it afforded of introducing Miss Eyles, who did not appear in " Acis and Galatea." In the second part, she sung a ballad with excellent effect, and in good taste; and, along with Miss Stabbach and Mr. Sims Reeves, she sustained her part in an excellent trio. The choristers were in high case, and sung delightfully. They were encored in two chorusses, and, most deservedly, in a madrigal. As a whole, the concert was an excellent one—yell executed, and steadily as Well as judiciously . perforthed. The instrumental part was full, steady, and regular, reflecting much credit on the executants, and also on the able conducting of Mr. J.. Z. Herrmann. M. JIILLIEN'S CONCERTS.—The well-drilled band of this leader of a large portion of public taste gave two concerts in St. George's Hall last week, the first on Thursday, the second on Saturday evening ; and on both occasions the Hall was crowded by fashionable audiences. The chief attraction iu both instances being the highly artistic performances of Madame Gassier, who, on her previous visits to Liverpool, excited so much interest, and caused such general delight. The music in the programthe of both concerts was distin guished by that picqUancy of style which for so long a period has formed the Jeading attraction of M. Jullien's entertain- meats. As usual, they were greatly applauded ; and the stirring effects of the Sebastopol quadrille were visble in many ways upon the demeanour of the delighted auditory. THE THEATRES. IN compliance with inveterate, and far from reprehensible usage, all our theatres have made vigorous efforts for aug: - menting the general stream of Christmas enjoyments ; Har lequin and Columbine, Clown and Pantaloon, forming prominent characters ia the merry array. AT THE THEATRE ROYAL the pantomime for the present year is founded on a tradition of local interest and connexion. Its name is " Harlequin Steam, or the Old Swan and the Knotty Ash." The story as set forth in the bill rests on the following legend :—" Once upon a time, a long time ago, be fore Leverpoole' was anything but a poor fishing village, there was a wicked - destroying monster, who, with a company" of spirits as bad as' himself, took up his abode in a wild part of the county, near to the said village of Leverpoole.' It was a place shunned on account of its evil repute. In the • midst of this wilderness stood a tree, known at that time as a monstrous ugly tree, and called The Knotty Ash.' Now, on the border of this wilderness, Nature, who is ever bountiful, had placed a most beautiful lake, Which was the abode of a fairy, who seldom appeared to • mortal eyes but in the shape of a swan, and this swan having been seen for hundreds of years, by successive generations, was, notwithstanding her exceeding beauty, naturally called ' The Old Swan.' " The . progre ss o f th e pan t om i me, r ounded on the . preceding traditiOn, involiei the annexed programme of events :—" Phosphorus, the Fire King, wages war with, and tries to overcome Crystalline, the Water Queen, who, being suddenly surprised by him, after having, as she thought, ex tinguished his flame, by throwing cold water on it, is released from his fiery embrace by the appearance . of Steam, to whom in return she promises aid and protection. Steam is in love with Sweetsmile, daughter of Baron Blunderhead, who is the proprietor of an important domain, inhabited by. the ' Some , bodies;' but the baron being a great enemy to scientific pro gress, and withal very ambitious, refuses to match his daughter; with any but a king. In this dilemina, Steam, with the ad-. vice of the Water Queen, and taking Science a n d L a b our, his companions, with him, visits the .aunciente fishing village of Leverpole,' inhabited by the ' Nobodies,' and which is on the verge of destruction and decay. Here the poor fishermen are almost starving, when Steam arrives in a lucky moment, and, to gain their aid in obtaining the object of his affections, changes with his irresistible power the poor, paltry village, to the first commercial city in the world. The Fire King is so enraged at the change effected by Steam, that he seeks to deprive him of his power, by capturing the AVater Queen, and for this purpose, takes advantage of a hard winter to invade the ice-bound dominions of her majesty. But here his rage overcomes his prudence, for, forgetful of the effect of fire among ice, a rapid un idt t l: , as t v h t e ak w es ,at p e l r ac Q e, u i e l e i n w i l e fic r h elens Fi e r d e is overwhelmed and , from her prison of ice, and Steam, united to his beloved Sweetsmile, sets the pantomime going at high pressure." The whirl ie w o h f he a p n a d n t u o d i d n i i t m i else, theeve n fu ts n leads f b r y o e n e e f a t s i y i e g t r i ld: - tio; l to t and these, by the aid of stage mechanism and scenic skill, are made happy monitors and sharp reprovers of our besetting follies. The scenery is cleverly drawn and well painted, and the spirited exertions of Miss Mansell as Columbine, and of the Laurie family as Harlequin, Clown, and Pantaloon, contribute greatly to the success of a highly interesting - local exhibition. The pantomime has been eminently suc cessful in attracting gratified crowds of spectators. AT THE ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE crowds have been nightly collected to witness the elegance of equitation and the won derful feats of dexterity displayed by a highly accomplished troupe of ladies and gentlemen, of horses and dogs, who, by their united efforts, rouse theltudience to mirth. Besides the horsemanship there are, also beautiful displays of tight-rope dancing, and feats of leaping and balancing. The company as a whole is eminently deserving of patronage. AT THE ROYAL PARK THEATRE the pantomime is entitled " The spirit of the Mersey ; or, Harlequin Jack and the Beanstalk." It is the production of Mr. C. Milward, and is, we believe, his fourth contribution in the same way, to our Christmas festivities. &Vend of the. scenes are laid in Liverpool ; and they are generally worked out with good effect. ...--''' •er, t ° ed hls in! 1,131 firth I ber feral' u se IP o ther, t e o f tb 1,04 t he OP t he to I I I