The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-04-30 00:00:00

April 30, 1844. RAILWAY INTELLINENCE. DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF RAILWAY PROPERTY. An article appeared, with this heading, in the first number of a new periodical, " the Railway Chronicle," which has just been started under able management, and we quote it here, in the first place to enable a youth ful aspirant to public favour to make the acquaintance of those interested in railway matters in this locality; and in the next, beeause it affords a kind of text upcn which we can found a few remarks of our own upon the same sub ject--44 THE DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF RAILWAY PRO PERTy.,, " Every property brings with it duties as well as rights. It is the general reproach of the holders of some kind of Property that they exercise, to the uttermost, alt their rights, while their duties, being forgotten, are neglected and pass into disuetude. To the duties of railway pro prietors, the public bas always been sensitively alive. All failures in speed, regularity, economy, safety, are culled with care by the public censor, :et in a note book, conned by rate, to cast into the teeth' of the great ' railway mo nopolists.' But then their rights—what are they ?' Right, ! Who ever heard of the rights of railway pro prietors ? Rights! Why these monstrous monopolists— these millionaires—these speculators—what rights have faey ?' They have the right to be abused, to be found fault with, to be lsgislated upon, to be set upon by boards of trade and select committees—to carry her Majesty's flails for nothing—to carry a peasantry in coaches, for SS money than the cost, and less than half of what it costs them to walk,—sin short, to lo "as the public choose ! Well, and their pay—surely these public servants should be paid their hire—have they not a right to their wages, to n omPensate for loans'and risks, and expended money and tune and toil, an d a ll thi s serv i ce ?— t h ey may sure l y h ave their hire and a reasonable profit upon their work ? we must think about that—we will consider of it.' „If th e y are to be paid arall, we must see that at least In!Y are not too well paid.' Be it so. 11 183 : 1 T u h ti e e r: b le e t in t g h e rights of railway'property be'considered! already so well understood. And first let whatquire who these great railway proprietors are, and autho;Pel: have done for the public. Are they not the by enterpriseci 'one of the very greatest boons ever conferred ,caial adva and skill, upon commerce, industry, and so neement. Have they not carried through, to a ti PPY issue, one . of the greatest . inventions of modern anti lne s carried it through in the face of difficulty, dis touragement, and vast unpopularity ? " Let us see what has hitherto been the general ex pression of public feeling towards railways. The inventor of anew art was deified by the Greeks and Romans. Are we to advocate an apotheos , s of the great projectors and Constructors of railways? There seems little fear, in the present temper of public opinibn, of our perpetrating that folly. Never, perhaps. were such great enterprises achieved with so little aid from public opinion. " While the experiment was doubtful, the attempt was derided by all who were indifferent, and denounced by all who were prejudiced. Its objects were assailed by selfish interests, and its resources devoured by rapacious claims from those whose aid was required, or whose neutrality had to be purchased. From the first survey to the final completion of the line, difficulties of all kinds met the pro jectors—local hostility, corporate opposition. The public looked on; and if it took part, it was with their oppo nents;—the legislature, the government, afforded no effec tual aid. The promoters fought their way, step by step; and were received as if, instead of preparing for the coun try the greatest boon it has received in modern times, s ,fe y had b een consp i r i ng t o d e f ace an d i mpover i s h i t. °ltch, in general, (for the instances of better judgment ;ere mere exceptions,) was the temper with which ran o:icy proj ects were met in the first stage of their national the rstence. Lamentable enough ! but not unnatural. It is aprice which those must be ready to pay who attempt l Y t bing at once great and new. But surely it entitles them to enjoy their reward, when, in spite of these ob stacles, their energy and perseverance have conquered success. " Their efforts had, indeed, been successful ; the inven tion was found to surpass belief, and the country saw it self enriched by benefits which the most sanguine of the Projectors had not dared to promise. A rapidity of tran sit almost miraculous ; a reduction of expense quite unex ampled : system and uniform tariffs, substituted for irre gularity and vulgar extortion :—and with all this a safety (which only the silliest panic could dispute) hitherto on- Flown in public travelling. These were benefits—vast, I , llc alculable, notorious :—experienced by every one every day- Under any circumstances, they surely deserved a tlarge reward : a larger, if the real difficulty of the task had been troubled by needless hindrances. And how was this reward bestowed ? By an universal outcry, so loud and !general, that one might have thought it had been raised denounce some great national enormity. The directors, she engineers, the proprietors, the managers of railways W ere questioned, and lectured, and worried o n every side. Mortified men, who wanted courage to share in the work, while it was full of risk—men of habit, averse to new ways `men of rank and wealth, accustomed to command wherever they travelled, and impatient of all regulations— sregulations— superseded rivals who covered their anger with pretences re public care—liberals whose wisdom lay in repeating word rases of monopoly.' 'competition,' and similar hubbub t ideas—the weak of all classes whom the tried,alarmed inventors, eager to have their nostrums l s or at least' purchased—busy men anxious to regu late; ; idle men, wanting to be employed—all joined in the cry while P ar li ament b ecame su dd en l y f u ll o f zea l, an d the governm en t i tself, stepping i n to me ddl e w h ere i t h a d not learned how to mend, after standing aloof when it might have done good, seemed to sanction the general ' exc itement. Of this, however, a part which was but tem porary soon yielded to time :—a part, merely absurd, was easily exploded by obvious proof; counter attacks mutu ally defeated each other; and the main biarden of what now remains, may be referred to two principal heads—the disposition of men in-power to interfere with whatever they feel to be important ; and the common jealousy which is provoked by success." We must suggest that, in these remarks, our new con- emporary goes' too far, although in many of them we perfectly coincide. We admit fully the justice of the elaim of railway proprietors to protection of their pro perty, and a fair profit to compensate for the risks which they have incurred ; and we should be the first to de nounce any tinkering interference, by government or any other authority, with their regulations, except upon very strong grounds. But whilst we thus r ecogn i se " th e rights of railway property, we hD.ve also a strong opinion With respect to the nature of its " duties," and greatly suspect that they are not, in general, very satisfactorily performed. We have given to powerful companies .a monopoly, or at all events a quasi monopoly, which en ables them to levy from the public large revenues ; and in return for this we have a right to demand for .the public the largest possible amount of accommodation and cheap ness. It may be questionable how far we can now interfere with companies already formed, to reduce extortionate ' Ch arges. Even as regards these, however, we are not morally so much bound to non-interference as the writer in the Railway Chronicle would have us infer. It was ,vidently in the contemplation of parliament, whilst pass enagtsTany of the bills under which existing railway inter ", aye grown up, to restrict their profits within a cer }7ll ; and when we see such restrictions got rid of Z, Y a side-wind—such as the creation of new shares, half -.4"aree, &c.—in order to enable proprietors to enjoy dividends larger than the spirit of their acts prescribed for them, we are inclined to say that such railways are not Performing their " duties" to the public, and ought to be 12aad e to do so. With respect to new schemes there can be no hesitation in applyiur to them very stringent pro visions to insure moderate charges and accommodation. In bills now, or in future to be brought before puha !7.ent, every care should be taken that,. after the payment a fair interest for capital and risk, any surplus of re ceipts ought to be met by a reduction of rates. We can he depend upon the effects of competition to bring down tens of railway companies, for in nine cases out of a railw a y once formed becomes a close monopoly, from the very hopelessness of such competition being suc cessful. We understand that the applications for shares in the Glasgow, Dumfries, and Carlisle Railway, now greatly exceed the amount of Ca pit a l t o b e disposed 'of. A line of steamers is to be put on between Bristol and Newport, in connexion with the Great Western Railway. A vessel will ply , daily. BRICKLAYER S ARMS BRANCH. —This line which abuts upon the Old Kent road, near Swan-street, and which was projected by the South Eastern (London and Dover) and Croyden Railway Companies, to furnish them jointly with a West End Terminus, will shortly open. THE JuNcrioN RAILWAY.—This railway was opened on Saturday last, after which day all the Liverpool trains arrive and depart from the commodious station•at Hunt's Bank; the station in Water-street only being used for goods.--Manchester Courier. The Wexford and Kildare, or South Eastern Railway, i nconnexion with the Dublin and Cashel, capital£6oo,ooo, has been taken up by all the monied interest in the local likt_te!l through which it will run. Mr. B r unel has pla n ned ~; , improved harbour at Wexford, which, in conjunction mail the South Wales railway, will enable the London It k to be delivered at Wexford in less than 15 hours, on a: l %lr FROM PARIS TO THE MEDITERRANEAN.— 72 I n s itt4l" l de Fer Belge says, that the proposal by the ir ,l 6o,oo o t° grant fifty-four millions ot francs, about ar itto 'or the establishment of the railway from th e Yon q „, " a n; that it will take the valleys of the Seine, `or 1844," and Armencon ; four millions may be granted NEW tell for 1845. !leystind'iltiocE OVER THE MENAI STRAITS..—We un !nettai -n.?t the landed proprietors in the vicinity of the I .hat i t :''''"age oppose the passage of the railway, and '8 therefore rob ble the passage across the Straits voi 'lave t o P a b. ye, at be made at the Britannia Rock, and will in :Ff.:4%e - ' e ast, two arches of 350 feet span. This will i llea; l3° ,,t gigantic railway work ever undertaken.— n, e `.'aroarcie. ate a r rtal of British railways now exceeds sixty mil- Ur- 44.4 11 k N ill gr and yields a revenue of six millions per early 2,000 miles of railway are already con ilaitieto," in operation, and the proposals of the present tre tj' l 7 session will have the effect of adding one itotof the. e xtent of this productive property. The capi 'aid I'. I t it" railways has now become a great National ti o : 11 141,, is held, i n l arger or sma ll er quantities, by indi sour of zver rak f lfe and of every variet of osi- ?jai c e ef I ) ecuP y atio n n, o to i whom it affords a pr y oduc p tive er ea 4 in ei, 4 e ° ll le. As a security, this stock is every day 16 ant i n Meter ; as an investment, it is every day in- I np , relative value. Every extension of the present th -re aser i ' lea us of branches over the face of the country, lllt se e4ls e to st s abil:ity and value of this stock. Indeed, ateh „,. be little doubt that railway property will, 'ate fund7sin the same permanence and value as the • --Railway Chronicle. NEWCASTLE AND DARLINGTON JUNCTION RAIL - WAY.—The Durham branch of this railway was opened on Monday to the public. There is therefore now only about four miles of coach road between Gateshead arid Loud , n, and the entire line, we are assured, will positively be opened on the 181 h June. IMMENSE RAILWAY STATION.—The great railway station of Green's Field, Gateshead, is in course of rapid erection. The length of the station will be 348 feet, and the shed will be 88 feet wide. The roof will be construct ed of wrought iron. A large proportion of the roof will be glazed, and the whole will be of a light and airy cha racter. The plan includes accommodations of every de scription—booking offices, first and second class waiting rooms, ladies' ro m, post-office, &c. The building for refreshments will comprise bed-rooms for travellers. OPENINGS OF RAILWAYS IN MAY.—The next month promises to be remarkably prolific in the opening to the public of various important railways throughout, that have hitherto been but partially or not at all in operation. On the 4th will be opened the Liverpool and Derby Junction line. Early in the month also, as is understood, the West London Railway will be brought into full operation, to the great advantage of the Birmingham and Great Western lines, whose passengers will be furnished with a west-end terminus. Then the Bricklayers' Arms Branch, that affords a like accommodation to the Croydon and Dover Railways; and the Norwich and Yarmouth Railway, will come into play in the ensuing month, the opening of the latter being fixed upon fur the Ist. Lastly, and most im portant of all, the Bristol and Exeter will also be opened to the travelling public, completing nearly 200 miles of railway to the western parts of England. May, thus, has quite its share in interesting railway occurrences. DUBLIN AND CORK RAILWAY.—Mr. Francis B. Bea mish, Secretary to the County and City of Cork Railway Committee, returned from Dublin on Saturday evening after having had several interviews with the provisional directors of the propOsed line of railway between Dublin and Cashel. In the course of the interviews it appeared evident that the board were satisfied that it would be ad visable, in a pecuniary point of view, to make Dublin and Cork the termini, and further, that by doing so all serious opposition would be removed to the suspension of the standing orders of the House of • Commons, and the bill to Cashel might therefore receive the royal assent this ses sion, and in the event of the company not acceding to the proposition, and that if the bill was stoppedin its progress this year, there was every reason to suppose that another company would be prepared next session of parliament to apply for one to make a line the entire way. The result of the interviews was a concurrence on the part of the di rectors in the views laid before them by Mr. Bearnish, and they declared that it was their most anxious wish to see the line continued to the City of Cork, leaving its route to be decided on by the shareholders, to be subse quently submitted to government for their approval.— Cork Constitution. TRENT VALLEY RA ILWAY.—A correspondent (writing from Manchester on Tuesday night) informs us " that the Grand Junction and Manchester and Birmingham join the Trent Company in applying for this line of railway from Stafford to Rugby, with a branch to Alrewas, and that the official adhesion of the London and Birmingham will no doubt be given at their next meeting. The line (he continues) will be more strongly supported than any railway in the kingdom, and will produce important re sults. It will be the grand direct route from London to Holyhead, London to Scotland, (West Coast,) London to Liverpool, Manchester, Chester, &c. It will save 351 miles between Stafford and Derby ; therefore 351 between Liverpool, Manchester, Chester, Ireland, and Derby, Nottingham, Lincoln, &c. If any line in the kingdom his a prospect of being obtained, and of paying a good and immediate dividend, this is it. If the Shrewsbury line comes to Stafford, the communication between Shrewsbury and Lincoln, west to east, will be complete through Stafford, Derby, Nottingham, Newark, &c. This little line will have most important results. The prospec tus was issued on the 11th of April, on the 13th the line was taken up, on the 17th notice was given that no more parties need apply for shares, and in one week applica tions were made for 130,000 shares. The shares are at £5 prem. here (Manchester) to-day.—Midland Counties Herald. RAILWAYS.—Scarce fifteen years have elapsed since railways became a fact to the public understanding. Blun ders innumerable have been committed, money has been wasted by millions, yet have they spread in all directions over the face of the island. They have set the pattern for half the world, and from English workshops has a large portion of the material of foreign lines been furnished, even before the permanent form has been attained, while struggling forwards towards the perfect state. And all his has been done, not by a government, bitt by indivi duals. The first and foremost work of civilization is the making of a road. The making of roads, which will put a final close to the large mass of cruelty annually inflicted on horses—which substitutes steam for muscle—is a far higher triumph of civilisation. What railways have done for us in labour-saving, we have yet no statistics to verify, but the annual accumulation of capital thereby must be of large amount. What they have done towards the pro gress of national education in breaking down provincial prejudice, is of still greater value. What they will do, when they shall emerge from their infancy and attain their full growth, fills the heart with hope to think of. The steam-boat has bridged the ocean, but it is the railway that spans the land, and will ultimately make all men brethren. We never behold a Saxon name graven in let ters of brass on a south-eastern engine, without thinking of all the marvels which have sprung from the Saxon ad vent, converting Celtic Britain into the English laud, and sowing the seeds of the world's ultimate universal peace. Happy was the thought of the man who chose such a nomenclature for a part of the modern conquerors of the world—the Dover locomotives—that will bring more Frenchmen into England •as friends, than ever were slaughtered or made prisoners by all the engines used in the trials of war since the time when•the British Celts were driven into Brittany. The " Captains of Industry" have vanquished the captains of war : and the Celtic taunt of " Perfide Albion" is only replied to by the harm less hissing of the safety valve. We doubt not we shall be the record of their constantly increasing triumph.—Rail way Record. DUTY ON RAW COTTON. On Tuesday last, at the instance of Mr. Dennistoun, M.P., a deputation from the council of the borough of Manchester—including the mayor, several aldermen, and the town-clerk—and another from the associated spinners of Lancashire, another from Scotland, &c., accompanied by Mr. Mark Phillips, M:P., Lord Francis Egerton, M.P., Mr. Milner Gibson, M.P., Mr. J. Wilson Patten, M.P., Mr. Joseph Brotherton, M.P., Mr. Thos. Houlds worth, M.P., Mr. Richard Cobden, M.P., Mr. Richard Walker, M.P., Hr. John Ireland Blackburne, M.P., and others, had a long interview with Sir R. Peel, to urge on the government the repeal of the duty on cotton. Mr. Dennistoun, M.P. for Glasgow, drew the attention of the premier to an elaborate statement ogg, the bearings of the cotton duty, which had been drawn up and circula ted by his constituents, shewing, amongst other things, that our export trade in cotton goods was 86 per cent. of the whole manufacture. Mr. Thomas Aehton stated that the tax bore very hea vily upon the trade; that it could not be otherwise when a concern like his own paid £4,000 a year upon the cotton he consumed ; and, as a large portion of the cotton was again exported, it was felt to be a serious impediment to our successful competition with foreigners, especially the Americans, who were meeting us now alniost everywhere. Mr. H. Ashworth said the tax was a duty upon indus try, and bore heavily upon the operative class in the cot ton trade, who worked five days every week for the foreign market, and in competition with the labourers of other countries who paid no such tax ; therefore, by the repeal of this tax, some £600,000 or £700,000 a year would at once be added to the fund from which our profits and wages were derived. With regard to the manner in which so large a sum would ultimately be divided, he could ap peal to all who had studied such subjects, whether every increase of the funds for the payment of profits and wages did not eventually, either directly or indirectly, find its way to the working class ; and it mattered not whether this was done by extending employments or increasing the wages of those already employed, the working class would ever get the full benefit of it. The remission of the tax would afford a wide and salutary field for employment. Mr. Peter Dixon, of Carlisle, corroborated these views, and said, that it the cotton duty were remitted, he intend ed at once to raise the wages of all his hand-loom weavers. Mr. M. Phillips, M.P. adverted to the fact, that this tax affected the working class the most seriously, not only because the tax affected his earnings, but because his clothing, being chiefly cotton, paid heavily to the tax, whilst the lady who wore a light dress, paid very little. Sir R. Peel said, he did not know in what way others might be ready to view this question ; possibly some in quire whether the repeal of this duty would aid, rather than otherwise, the advantages of America, and confer only a questionable benefit upon this country. It was well known that we were dependent on the States for a large portion of the supplies of our cotton, and it became a consideration in what way the price there would be affected by the repeal of the duty here. Mr. Phillips and Mr. Ewart entered into a conversation with the premier, on the advantages to this country of re peal of the duty, in making Liverpool a mart for the cot ton of Europe, and thus aiding our shipping and mercan tile interest., . Sir R. Peel remarked, that they would not expect from him any definite answer on the subject; that a revenue must be provided, and the income tax was a tax which the country would have to consider, &c., concluding with a promise to submit the subject to the consideration of his colleagues. Mr. H. Ashworth said the question was not the price the American 'planter got for his cotton, for he could charge all alike, not excepting his own home manufac tures. _ _ deputation complained, that after having manufac tured the cotton, they had charges to pay which no other manufacturers did pay, namely, 5-16ths of a penny per lb. of cotton duty, and 2-16ths of a penny more for the duty upon the waste of cotton in process of manufacture, and these two sums of 7-16ths formed a large item in the cost of production, and was a great burthen and disadvantage to a body of men whose industry was restricted by time bills, and who had recently been dispossessed by parlia ment of the advantages which they possessed in superior ity of machinery —an advantage which they bad acquired by long experience and persevering industry.—The depu tations then retired. We may add, that they were received, and treated throughout the interview, with the greatest courtesy and kindness of manner by the premier. The above is condensed from the columns of the Man chester Guardian, which paper adds, that the memorial to Sir R. Peel on the subject, which was unanimously agreed to at a meeting of merchants, spinners, and manu facturers, on the same day that the interview took place, was transmitted that evening to Sir R. Peel, and would tend to confirm the statements and opinions expressed by the 'members of the deputations. THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. CO R R ESPONDENCE. MR. COLVILLE AND THE OWNERS OF COT TAGE PROPERTY. TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD, --- • Sir,—Conceiving that a few remarks by way of animad version upon the principle and results of the measure proposed fly the member for South Derbyshire would not be opposed to the design of your este -med publication, and also that it might Hot be unattended with benefit to some. I venture to request as a favour space for the fol aeed, measure is the for fol lowing few lines in y our next . am ra runttig "thesagacity e required raofc ertai t r o i discover T rn that indeed, tenements" would be unjust and unconstitutional. A measure that would inclose the owners of every descrip tion of house property would be uncoostitutional, inasmuch as the poor rate is not a tax upon property but a rate upon the person according to his ability to pay ; but a propo-al to rate only one class of owners, to the exemption of all others, is not, only unconstitutional but unjust, because partial. Such a measure would establish an invidious distinction between classes, and thereby furnish legitimate grounds of complaint to many. Singular and far-fetched, indeed, must be the argument by which a measure of this character could be sustained : it is a crotchet which ho nest, plain-dealing men cannot comprehend. They natu rally inquire why it is that the established laws of assess ments should be in part subverted, or, if an alteration be necessary, why it is tbat so large a portion of houseowners should be exempted from the impost. It has, however, been alleged that cottage landlords obtain a greater rate of interest upon their capital than do the owners of larger property; but whi acquainted with cottage property can give credence to that assertion ? Does the capitalist be lieve it? If cottage property be so pre-eminently lucrative why is it, 1 would ask, that he cannot be induced to em bark in the profitable trade? If the assertion be true, upon what-principle can the s an ity o f t h e mon i e d man b e maintained in this money-making age —an age in which everything that is respectable and virtuous is associated with cash?—but, granting the truth of the allegation, is there between it and the rating of the cottage-owner only the least sequence? Suppose it were not only alleged but proved that the business of a pawnliroker was more pro fitable than many others I could name, would any one out of bedlam suppose for a moment that the pawnbroker should, therefore, bear a greater burden of taxation —or, in other words, that he should be imposed upon merely because he can afford ? Would such an apology have jus tified Mr. Richard Turpin—" True it is" (he might have said) " I have plundered many, but only those who could afford it." It is also stated that the rating of the owners, instead of the occupiers, would reduce the rates generally; but the reasonable deduction from this assertion, even assuming that it is true, is, rate all owners indiscriminately! But, peradventure it will be said that the rates are col lected from the occupiers of large pruperty, while they cannot b e extracted from the tenants of cottages : this reminds me of Paul and Onesimus, if the allusion be not ' considered profane. So, then, the owner of cottage pro perty is to be rated because the tenant cannot pay. The landlord is to be converted into an honorary tax collectors and to be responsible, not for the payment by the -tenant, but for their due payment by himself. Now, if Mr. Col ville be a considerate man, I shall certainly expect to hear of him through the papers ere long, astonishing the Com mons' House with a legislative motion to the following effect :—M r, Speaker, Sir ! It is notorious that the income tax is at and after the rate of sevenpence in the pound; it is also known to this honourable house that this tax does not affect incomes that are under £150; the conse quence to the public is, that the rate is sevenpence. Sir, I have discovered that if all incomes, from the highest down to that of the metropolitan postboy, were levied upon, the tax would thereby be materially reduced. It may, however, be objected that a tax upon the small in comes would be difficult to collect; but, Sir, that objec tion could easily be obviated. I would propose that the employers be rated instead of the owners." This would certainly be consistent, however ridiculous it might ap pear: it would be the legitimate application of the prin ciple involved in the " certain clauses," for the introduc tion of which into the government poor law bill Mr. Colville, has already given notice. Political depravity, like the first departure from moral rectitude, is a sloping declivity along which men glide with ease, but stop or return with difficulty. The first deviation from principle is frequently the prelude to a long and uninterrupted ca reer of delinquencies : it is upon these grounds chiefly that Mr. Colville's measure should be opposed by all. Legis lators would thereby learns salutary lesson upon political consistency, alas I much disregarded these times. Having, I trust laid bare the principle of Mr. Colville's proposed measure, I shall In my next proceed to an en quiry into its effects upon cottage owners and cottage builders, and upon building societies. ILLANDATUS. Liverpool, 27th April, 1844. TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STAN DARD, AND THE ORANGEMEN OF LIVERPOOL. SlR,—Will you have the goodness to insert, in your widely-circulated journal of Tuesday next, a copy of the original address trom the. Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council of the city of London, to the Prince of Orange, in November, 1688, which was presented by a deputation of four aldermen and eight commoners, after a meeting of the Lords spiritual rind temporal at Guild hall, who signed a declaration to assist his Highness to obtain a free parliament to disarm papists, to secure all jesuits and Romish priests, and to be ready to do all that should be required of them on that occasion? Here is the beginning of Orangeism, and an example for our Protestant Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council. of Liverpool ; and may the same sacred fire be kindled in all their Protestant hearts, to maintain with unflinching integrity the religion, laws, and liberties of Protestant Britain! KIRKDALE SESSIONS. THE ST. HELENS COLLIERY RIOTS : EXTRAORDINARY SCENE On Saturday afternoon John Knowles, John Penketh, John M'Donotigh, and Thomas Burroughs were arraign ed before the Rev. Reet ;r Brooks, at Kirkdale Sessions, on a clian.e .having been concerned in the lat.- serious c •lliery rioss at St. Helens. Tue prisoners pleaded " not guilty." Mr. Hutton and Mr. James appeared on the part of the prosecution, and Mr. Monek and Mr. Pollock for the defence. The case, which has appeared in detached portions from time to time, may be briefly summed up as f 11 , we; —ln the neighbourhood of St. Helens there are several collieries, the men employed at which, with the exception of a few, turned out on a strike in January last, for an in crease of wages. The collieries were consequently almost stopped, and had been so about a month when the coal roasters finding that the workmen were more obstinate than was, at first expected, determined to procure work men from other places, and accordingly, deputed four of their body, who proceeded to Shropshire and succeeded in engag ing about seventy men, who were to be sent to St. Helens, and, on their arrival there, deposited among the collieries in its vicinity. The Shropshire colliers arrived at St. Helens late on the evening of Monday, the 26th of February, and were accommodated with a house in the New Market place, belonging to Mr. David Brownlow, one of the col liery proprietors, until they could be distributed and sent to their work on the following morning. The turn-out colliers had evinced their disapprobation of the proceed ings of their late masters in attempting to engage strangers and fellow-workmen who hid not turned out ; and, on Tuesday morning, the 27th of February, they assembled at an early hour, in great numbers, in front of the house where the Shropshire men were lodged. About 10 o'clock, a party consisting of about 20 of the nes7 men. escorted by Mr. Storey, the Superintendent of Police, and six con stables, and also by several of the coat proprieters, started to go to the collieries belonging to Messrs. Bourne and Robinson and Messrs. Johnson and Worthington, in Parr; and, in passing through the street or place called Smithy-brow, half of which is in Windle and the other half in Parr, both in the parish of Preecot, they were as= sailed by a mob, consisting principally of the turn-cuts, who had followed them, and who succeeded in violendy dragging away the strangers from the protection of the police and colliery proprietors. At the same ti i.e the police were driven back, and several of them received injuries from the stones and other missiles hurled at them by the mob. During the remainder of the day great ex citement prevailed throughout the town. The prisoners Knowles, Penketh, and M'Donough were apprehended immediately after the riot and committed .to take their trial ; and warrants were obtained against several others of the rioters. At a subsequent period of the day, while Mr. Superintendent Storey was endeavouring to appre hend a turbulent fellow named Tuomas Leyland, in the New Market-place. he was again assailed by a mob who had gathered round the Town-hall, where the magistrates were then sitting, and received a dangerous wound on the head ; and eventually both the officers and himself were obliged to release the prisoner and seek safety in flight. The magistrates then determined to send for a detachment of the military force stationed at Manchester, and de sna'ched an order to that purpose ; and about eight o'clock the same evening a company of the infantry entered the town, where they remained until within the last few weeks. Several of the rioters had since been apprehended and summarily committed under the combination act. Mr. MONCK moved on an affidavit, made by Mr. Ro berts, the attorney in the case, resident at Newcastle-on- Tyne, that it might be postponed until Tuesday morning. In the affidavit, which ran considerably into detail, Mr. Roberts swore that he was the attorney for ten prisoners against whom a habeas corpus had been issued, and that it was necessary for the ends of justice that he should be in London, to give evidence in the Court of Queen's Bench, on Monday. The learned counsel apprehended that a more satisfactory affidavit could not have been sub mitted, because it must be clear that the trial in the pre sent instance could not be conducted with satisfaction to the parties concerned if the gentleman immediately inte rested in preparing the defence was absent from the court, as he must necessarily be on Monday. He assured the bench that there was no wish on the part of the tra versers to seek unnecessary delay, inasmuch as they were ready at that moment to go to trial. The CHAIRMAN said it was impossible to proceed at that late hour, (half-past three o'clock,) as the jury would have to go to their homes for the night. Mr. HULTON also admitted the impossibility of pro ceeding with a case, in which there were a large number of witnesses, at that advanced period of the afternoon, but contended, that it would he inconvenient to postpone it until Tuesday. He stated, that, in the case of habeas corpus, affidavits, and not evidence, were received by the Court of Queen's Bench. Mr. JAMES followed on the same side, and said that, if Mr. Roberts had any material facts to communicate to the Court of Queen's Bench, he could as well do so by affidavit sent from Liverpool as by affidavit sworn in London. Mr. ROBERTS here rose, and, looking towards Mr. Hulton, said : The man who states anything against my veracity tells an untruth. He that questions the truth of my affidavit imputes a falsehood to me. Mr. ULTON.—I call on the court to protect me. Mr. MONCIC was about to interfere, when Mr. ROBERTS said, I have sworn that I am to give evidence before the Court of Queen's Bench, and you deny it. You have uttered, sir, what is false. The CHAIRMAN (who h'ad been, up to this time, in consultation with his brother magistrates,) here observed that he had not heard what was said. Mr. HULTON.-1 call upon the court to protect me from the observations made by my friend's client. He has charged me with uttering a falsehood. Mr. ROBERTS.—I said that, in stating what you have, you have uttered a falsehood. The CHAIRMAN.—You must know enough of courts of justice to be aware that, in opening your mouth here, you have no right to do so at all. Certainly, disrespectful language of any kind is not to be tolerated. If you are a professional man, I hope you will see that you have done wrong and that you ought to regret it. That's what you ought to do. Mr. HULTON : I stated that the affidavit was an extra ordinary one, and I referred to the practice of the Court of Queen's Bench; and it was upon that that this gentle man chose to make use of language which I call upon the court to protect me from. Mr. ROBERTS : Will the court allow me to state how I am circumstanced? You, Mr. H ult on should have called upon me to explain before you imputed a falsehood to me. The CHAIRMAN : I think those remarks exceedingly improper, and that you ought to make an apology to Mr. Hutton for the language you have used. The conversation here dropped. Mr. Roberts retained his seat, and did not apologize. The case was then fixed to come on at the sitting of the court yestet day (Monday) morning, a report of which will be found in our eighth page. ADDRESS We, taking into consideration your Highness's fer vent zeal for the Protestant religion, manifested to the world in your many hazardous enterprises, wherein it hath pleased Almighty God to bless you with miraculous suc cess, do render our deepest thanks to the Divine Majesty for the same, and beg leave to present our most humble thanks to your Highness, particularly, for your appearing in arms in this kingdom, to carry on and perfect your glorious designs, to rescue these kingdoms fr om slavery and popery, and, in a free parliament, to establish the s u pon sreulriegioanndand lasting la ws tind libertiesfoundation . e th h e ia s v e e it k h ing h d e om up r o lo kne d a for some remedy for those oppressions and imminent dangers which we , tog ether with our Protestant fellow_ s ubjects, laboured under , from his Ma j esty's concessions and concurrences with your Highness's just and.pious purpose, expressed in your gracious declaration. But herein finding ourselves finally disappointed by his Ma jesty's withdrawing himself, we presume to make your c highness l o o r u re f uge, er your rand Highness's do in h , protection,te m nae a o n f d capital hum bly beseech your Highness to repair to this city, where your Highness will be recei ve d w i t h universal joy and satisfaction." Sir, having given you the above address, I beg to add the following Orangeman's submission : We've fund the banner that wav'd so long its sunny folds around us; We've still the note of our ancient song, and burst the tie that bound us. No, no that tie, that sacred tie, can ne'er be loos'd or broken, And thoughts will flash from eye to eye, altho' no word be spoken. Go, raze old Derry's tell-tale wall; bid Enniskillen perish ; Choke up the Boyne; abolish all that we so fondly cherish : 'Twill be but as the pruning knife, used by a skilful master To concentrate the sap of life and fix the strong root faster. We love the throne; oh I deep ye plann'd the hateful wile to prove us; But firm in stainless faith we stand—our Queen shall know and love us. When William came to free this isle from galling chains that bound her, Our fathers rear'd beneath his smile a living rampart round her. Ye've ta'en the outer crust away, but, secret strength sup „ plying, A spirit, shrin'd within the clay, dwells quenchless and undying; A sparkle from the hallow'd flame of our insulted altars, Pure as the fire from whence it came, our love ne'er fades nor falters. That love to thee, dear injured land, by mocking foes insulted, — That love to the?, Victoria, by artful craft assaulted ; Banner, and badge, and herished name, here at thy call we tender, — The loyal truth that guards the throne we'll keep, and "No SURRRNDER." AN ORANGEMAN AND PROTESTANT. aydbiystaiTarioue RESPITE OF MARY FURLEY.—On Saturdtaoy Department,aft respitee r no the , about four o'clock, the sheriffs received a communication statingfro m th t e h a S t e Secretary of Majestyof , State ed fo b r ee t n h e Home pl e as e d sentence of death passed at the last assizes of the Central Criminal Court on Mary Purley during her Majesty's willwßoomyaalnpwlenassueroen.vieltted under be recollected circumstances o t f h e e peculiarly distressing kind ; she had been long out of employ, and, having no means of supp orting h erself or her offspring, she resolved on destroyig it and afterwards committing suicide. The former part of her resolution she carried into effect, but was fortunately frustrated as regarded the latter. The poor creature, on burst t iv i in t g the information ecovereCi l h o er a ti s - t p o o t s i s i ession 77d of tears, and d t whheernlisfehewhoaudldsobme somewhat recovered i m en u ' t ee dr expressed her gratitude in the warmeshttahttlhmsees r elv c e e s m gen tlemen behalf. wlhtoishnadetsaot kpirnesdelyntinktneorewsntewd sentence will be, but it is expected that she will undergo a very short imprisonment. THE GREAT BRITAIN.—SinCe the abandonment of all hopes of obtaining the enlargement of the dock -gates, out on pre parations have been made for floating this vessel tanks, to be filled with air, preparatory to placing her upon which it was necessary that she should be taken out of dock. Wednesday morning last was the time announced for her displaying her enormous bulk in the harbour ; crowds had assembled to witness her egress —but notsuch crowds as attended upon the occasion of Prince Albert's visit ; and another remarkable feature in the case was the that her absence of the success which then followed the efforts to of to float her out of dock. The endeavours made to free her with outf rom beingthe dock sufficientw ere t o m continuedove her till moreFr afternoon , idatyhntha n about 40 feet—thus far would she go and no farther. The persons,cau se of but tr it detention appear t o was e stated the general ndeirffider opinionen tl further progress was prevented by ber pressing about mid ships on a portion of the blocks on which she had hitherto rested in the dock, caused by the immense weight of ma. chinery which has been put into her since the time of Prince Albert's visit. After resorting to a variety of ex periments to release her the caissoon was at length re placed, and we understand that it will be attempted to day, (Saturday,) by means of men diving, to cut away the obstruction.—Bristol Journal of Saturday. LIVERPOOL DOCK BILL. The Committee met again on Monday last, and declared that the preamble of the bill was proved ; and the Committee then proceeded to deliberate on the respec tive clauses, and, on their separation, had agreed to the three first. Thus the preamble, and several of the principal clauses, having been concurred in, it may be confidently antici pated that there wilt be no further hindrance to the bill speedily passing the committee, in its integrity ; as any discussion that may now arise will refer merely to the settlement of comparatively unimportant details. We congratulate the merchants and other inhabitants of Liverpool on the satisfactory settlement of this im portant question. [ rhe above appeared in an early second edition of our paper of last Tuesday. On Tuesday the committee went through the remainder of the clauses of the bill, when the chairman was directed to report to the house, and the committee broke up.] A rumour has been extensively circulate] that Captain btGoeefnrueersrtaihgle.nr from me fa ct v ah o ne u t r arsu o s Hamilton, member for this bo roug h (Ayl es b ury ), i n t en d s de g pe e ro r s , r t t h h— e a tß n nu e oc w tz nH o i Herald. couldat o l d r -. t ul h r e than oM r .O Tr t this e s e sa r i The rumour still prevails, that foreign free-labour sugar, including that of Siam and Java, will be admitted for home consumption, although the amount of duty has not transpired. The whole measure is kept so profound a secret, that the best informed persons do not believe that evtlt the inferior officials of Government know the precise intentions of Ministers. GLOBE INSURANCE COMPANY.—The general half yearly m eeting of the Globe Insurance Company was held at their office in Cornhill, last week, when the annual re port on the affairs of the company was read, and the meet ing having been made special for the further purpose of receiving a report from the directors, with reference to the bill now before parliament, the same was discussed clause by clause, and it was resolved :—" Th a t th e t h an k s o f t hi s meeting of proprietors are justly due, and are hereby given to the chairman, deputy chairman, and directors, for their general attention to the interests of the company, and es pecially with reference to the bill now before parliament, for enabling the company to alter and amend some of the provisions of the deed of settlement, and also for the very satisfactory report on thb affairs of the company made this day.' MELANCHOLY OCCURRENCE.—A very awful and dis tressing occurrence took place at Barmoor lime kiln on. Thursday morning last. James Johnston, a labourer, went on the kiln for the purpose of breaking a large lime stone into pieces ; the stone on which he stood suddenly sunk under his weight, and he suddenly became embed ded in the contents of the centre of the kiln. His fell ow workmen seeing the accident, gave immediate alarm, and attracted to the spot the quarrymenand others thereabouts. These parties threw a rope towards the sufferer which be tied roundhis body, but they could not succeed in drawing him out ; he continued throwing from him the stones which pressed against him until his fingers, were com pletely burned off. In this horrible situation he existed for about three quarters of an hour, when death released him. Horses were procured from Mr. Philips, but these also failed in drawing out the body; Ultimately a pulley was erected over the spot, and by its means, and after great difficulty, the body was raised out of the kiln. The scene was most painful from seven o'clock, the time the accident occurred, until leleven when the body was got out. He retained his senses up to his death, and in the midst of his tortures made great lament for the fate of his children ; his sisters were on the scene before he died, and witnessed his awful fate. When the body was got out it was found that his legs to far as they had been buried in the limestone were not the least burned, but his thighs and body were dreadfully injured; and his intestines pro truded, and his limbs were nearly severed from his body. The deceased was a widower.—Edinburgh paper. LOCAL NEWS. The bill of the Liverpool New Gas and Coke Company has passed both houses of Parl ament.. Arrangements have been completed for securing a re gatta in Douglas Bay, Isle. of Man, in the month of July next. FAREWELL SERMON. —On Sunday the Rev. Mr. Bates, who is about to he iocated at Dover. preached his farewell sermon to a numerous arid respectable congregation at Christ Church, Waterloo, where he has been incumbent for the last three or four years. He was formerly con nected with St. Bride's Church, Liverpcol. EARLY CLOSING or Suors.—The booksellers and ironmongers, we are glad to perceive, are t h e fi rst i n the field to cur) , out the resolutions whilh were come to at the great Music-hall Meeting. We hope to see their ex cellent example speedily followed by the other trades in the town. UN WHOLESOME MEAT. — On Frid a y, at t h e Police- COUI t, a man, named Charles Cumisky, was fined 40s. and costs, making altogether £2 4s. 6d., for having exposed unwholesome meat for sale upon one of the stalls in St. John's Market. The offence was proved by Inspector Thompson, of the police force. PUBLICANS AND BEER-SELLERS.—Seventeen cases against publicans and beer-sellers were heard, at the Po lice-court, on Friday, for offences against the improve ment act. Of the whole number fifteen were convicted ; four of them in the highest penalty of £5 each, and two were acquitted. DORAN'S CLAIM FOR INSURANCE.—The application for a new trial in the case Doran v. Ritcher was made last week in the Court of Exchequer, before the new Lord Chief-Baron Sir F. Pollock , and Barons, Parke, Alderson, and Rolle, by Mr. 'Knowles, but the court refused to grant the application on the ground that it would be invading the province of the jury to interfere. MONTGOMERY'S NEW WORK.—The Rev. Robert Montgomery, the popular author of " Luther," " The Messiah," &c. is again in the field of publication. His new work, " The Gospel before the Age," is intended, we understand, to bring the deep and divine philosophy of the Gospel to bear with powerful and impressive effect on the leading signs of the age, and the social developments of the present era. TESTIMONIAL TO MR. WHITTY.—The late head con stable, Mr. Whitty, has received a letter from Mr. Ed ward Rushton and Mr. Francis Haywood, enclosing a check for £4lO, being the amount of a subscription entered into by several gentlemen who were desirous of presenting him with some substantial mark of their ap probation of his conduct whilst lie held the situation of chief constable of the borough. The subscription was limited to £5 each. EXCISE INFORMATIONS.—We last week noticed that two parties had been fined in heavy sums each for mixing certain quantities of saccharine with tobacco. We may now add, that on Tuesday last, one of the individuals (Mr. Brown) who was not, as reported by a contempo rary, put into custody, appeared in court, and handed up some papers to Mr. Rushton, who said the magistrates had already recommended the board to reduce the penal ties to £125. He added that if the gentleman who had addressed a letter to him (Mr. Rushton) would write a letter to Mr. Wood, and state the circumstances as de toiled to him, no doubt the board would take them into favourable consideration. FATAL ACCIDENT IN VICTORIA DOCK.—Last Tuesday, Nicholas Bailey, a seaman, one of the crew of the Ameri can ship Berwick, lying in Victoria dock, was engaged with several others, in taking up the canvas for the tore topsail yard, when he and another man, leaning over too far, lost their balance, and were precipitated upon the deck. They were immediately taken up and conveyed to the Northern Hospital, where Bailey expired soon after, in consequence of the injuries he sustained in the fall. The other man is still alive, but his recovery is almost hopeless. An inquest was held upon the body of Bailey on Friday, at which a verdict of accidental death was returned. SPLENDID BALL.—On Wednesday evening last, Mrs• Elliston gave a juvenile bail at the Royal Assembly-rooms, when about sixty of her pupils went through a variety of beautiful dances, which, from their chaste execution and the elegance and grace with which they were danced, elicited the unanimous praise and admiration of a very large party of the elite of Liverpool and its vicinity, who were present on this very interesting occasion. As the . ball was not a public one, being only open to the friends and relatives of the pupils, we are unable to afford parti culars as to-the names of the figures and dances; but we understand that the band was a most efficient one and the music excellent, a great part having been prepared and adapted for the dances. The company separated shortly after twelve, after an evening's amusement that will be long remembered by the parties present. A STOLEN CHILD RECOVERED IN LIVERPOOL.—The Scottish Guardian states:—" In our paper of Tuesday last, we noticed that a female child had been stolen from Camlachie, and that there was strong reason to believe that the girl had been recovered by the Liverpool police. On Tuesday last an officer was despatched from the She riff's establishment here, and returned on the following Friday with the girl, and the woman, named Greenwood or Wade, who is accused of having stolen her. The latter was lodged in prison, and will, no doubt, soon be com mitted for trial. The mother of the lost child awaited her arrival at the boat, and the meeting was of the most tender kind. The Liverpool authorities (to their credit be it said) had attired the child in new and comfortable clothing, not forgetting a little mantle, and all that could add to her comfort on the voyage." THE HAIR.—Of the numerous compounds professing to promote or reproduce the hair, few have survived even in name, whilst ROWLAND'S MACASSAR OIL, with a re putation already unparallelled, is still on the increase in public estimation ; which fact, together with innumerable testimonials in the possession of the proprietors, is suffi cient to satisfy the most incredulous as to its sovereign virtues so repeatedly shown in restoring, preserving, and beautifying the human hair. In dressing the hair, no thing can equal the effects of ROWLAND'S MACASSAR OIL, on either natural or artificial hair, rendering it so admirably soft that it will lie in any direction : it produces beautiful flowing curls, and, by the transcendent lustre it imparts, renders the head dress truly enchanting ! It preserves the coiffure in the heated atmosphere of the ball room, and neutralizes the effects of a damp atmosphere, or violent exercise.—See advt. TAXES ON COTTtGES.—On Friday evening, a very numerous meeting was held in the Toxteth-hall, Mill street, for the purpose of considering the propriety of peti tioning the legislature against the clauses affecting cottage owners, proposed by Mr. Colville, M.P. for South Derby shire, to be introduced into Sir James Graham's Poor Law Amendment Bill. These clauses are to the effect that owners of house and cottage property, of the annual rent of £2O and under, shall be rated to all the parochial rates instead of the tenants, and that tenants may be dis trained upon for those rates to the amount of the rent actually due, and may deduct the amount from the rent. Mr. Ephraim Knapper was called to the chair, and in a forcible address lie pointed out the absolute and con tingent evils of the proposed clauses, not only upon cot tage landlords but cottage tenants. Several gentlemen afterwards addressed the meeting in support of the resolu tions, and the meeting terminated at ten o'clock. RuNconN.—On Thursday last, a number of gentlemen, friends of Thomas Hazlehurst, Esq., and upwards of one hundred of the workmen employed in the Camden soap ery, met at Hill's Hotel, Runcorn, to celebrate the mar riage of that gentleman, which took place on the morning of the same day, with the amiable and accomplished daughter of John Howard, Esq., Park-place, Leeds. From an early hour on Thursday, the Old Church bells announced to the inhabitants by their best sounds, that something more than usual was about to take place; the British ensign was seen floating from its venerable tower, and from the Trinity Church, whilst from many other places in the town flags were fluttering in the breeze ; and from the great respect in which every member of the Hazlehurst family is held by the inhabitants of Runcorn, there was more than the usual interest felt on such occa sions. Perhaps there is no establishment in England in which a greater number of hands are employed, where a better feeling or a more kind and generous sympathy ex ist, than between the employers and the employed at the extensive soapery of the Messrs. Hazlehurst. CHESTER RACES.—This intilikortant annual meeting will commence on Tuesday next, and from present prospects, both as regards the attendance of company, and first-rate sport, will surpass in splendour and interest all former gatherings, (brilliant as they live been,) of the patrons of the turf of our verdant and most beautifully situated Eloo dee. The course is in admirable order; and the alterati ons which have lately been effected by the Committee, who have been engaged in directing the works necessary to adapt it for the exercise of the Cheshire Cavilry, as well as the attention paid to the matter, by the racing au thorities here, have greatly improved its appearance. The city has already begun to put on its holiday face, and seems to be eagerly anticipating the forthcoming week ; when rank and beauty are to throng old Chester's walls and streets, hospitality is to spread its most liberal repasts, and the banks of the Dee are to present an animated pa norama of the national sports of British hol se racing. The crack' event of the meeting, the great 'Cup Race,' is to take place on Wednesday next; 30 horses it is ru moured, will start, and intense interest, as to the result is excited. The programme for Tuesday , Thursday , and Friday, also bold s out a promise of abundant sport. We understand that 100 horses are expected to compete for the various stakes.—Chester Courant. FEMALE PENITENTIARY.-0° Tuesday the annual meeting of the friends and subscribers of the Liverpool Female Penitentiary, was held at the Charitable Institu tion-house, Slater-street, and was respectably, though not numerously, attended. In the ab se nce of the Mayor, who had ki n dly promised to Preside, the chai r was occu pied by Edward Cropper, Esq. Mr. Michael Ashton, the secretary, read ;he report, from which it appeared that the design of the Committee w as to afford an asylum to female, who, having d e viated from the p at h s of virtue, were desirous of being restored by religious instruction, and formation of moral and industrious habits, to a re past year alone the e ere received into o p u u t t a o b f l e 94 station c a i n n t s s f o o c r i e a t d y . Dtt r During , the probationary ward, 31 had been admitted to the full privileges of the house , and 13 others had been restored to their sorrowing friends, or pl ace d out to respecta bl e service, after affording pleasing and satisfactory evidence of their indisputable reformation. The total number since the commencement of the institution was as follows : —Admitted since the first establishment, 1250; expelled, 161 ; eloped, 51 ; left at their own suggestion, or dislike of rules, 486 ; restored to their friends, or placed in ser vice, 390; removed to other i nst it u ii ons, 50; died, 19 ; remaining in the house, 55. Upon the motion of Mr. John Howard, the report was adopted, after which a number of excellent speeches were delivered, and urgent appeals made in favour of the institutions. FATAL ACCIDENT AT THE ALDF.Rf Doc ieNter- Griffi.h, a la our T. ag d 35. v d i a e y w , a o n f in t q h i e tes b t o v iy as or he j l o d bet* r the b u; cormer on On Saturday last, while decea ed WaS cog g a a Hale tub close under the wall of one oc the ware!,, s now in course•of erection at the Albert D , ck, a e f timber, weighing from 20 to 25 lh., by some means —proha 1, the high wind at the time—fat down, cod stru .k him so vio lently on the head as to fracture his s•;:il hey° I hope of his recovery. He was carried to the Norther Hosoital, and expired a few minutes after being rece.iv,l there.— Verdict, " Accidentally killed." CLOSING SHOPS AT SEVEN O'CLOCK.—The resoecta ble shopkeepers of Liverpool are gradually adopting the rule of closing at seven o'clock. The tracl-s are taking the matter up, and influential parties who have agreed to close at the above-named hour will, no doubt, be a stimulus to others. A meeting of the a.si-tants to booksellers and s'ationers was held, in the Cl treodon rooms, on Thursday evening, when the thanks of the meeting were unanimously voted to those employers who so kindly Desponded to the memorial solici'ing an eaqier hour of closing, and the necessity of adh ri,:z to an ar rangement that will prove equally b-n-ticial t the em ployer and the employed was respectfully urged. ASSAULT ON POLICE-OFFICERS.—At the Police-court, yesterday, a well-dressed young man, named Thomas Rowlands, and a working man, John McDermott, were charged with a violent assault on several police-officers, in with t A h d e r l iinngaetsoi assault r e e ar e nu t ;do M tat t, a t e r l b y i b pf e o t n o e t fo , t o hr n ee g el S au a te t t u ehr r r a w v ah chanted e two male prisoners had, it appeared, been very active in a gratuitous attack upon the officers with stones and bricks, by which the face of one of them was much bruised and mutilated. Rowlands was formerly appren tice to a pilot-boat. had often been brought up for dis orderly conduct on board and on shore, and had left hia employ. He was fined £5, or one month, and also re quired to find bal himself in £3O and two sureties in £2O each. The , other man was fined in a less ain ,, unt, or to be imprisoned •, and the female, whose case was ' but slight, was discharged. THE " IRON DUKE."—This steamer made her second experimental trip on Thursday, and the result was highly satisfactory to those connected with her, and also to se veral scientific individuals on board. As regards her speed, that is unrivalled. As a proof, she ran from the Clarence Pier to the anchorage in Douglas harbour in sh. 27m., and the return trip occupied but sh. 31m. To go more into detail to show what was done lit a remarka bly short period, she went from Liverpool to Douglas, remained forty minutes in the harbour, and return .d to Liverpool, the entire time occupied being only eleven hours and thirty-eight minutes. To show that she de rived but little extraneous aid from wind "or tide, it is only necessary to ohserve that the former was on the bow going to Douglas, and fell to a calm on the return ; and the tide was almost the lowest in the year, being but Ilft. 9in. The most extraordinary property connected with this steamer is the fact that her speed through the water approaches closer to the velocity of her wheels than that of any other vessel afloat, whether propelled by paddle wheels, the screw, or any other principle. Thursday's trial proved indisputably, both by the log and by the dis tance actually passed over, that there was a slip of only l-14th—that is to say, the velocity of the vessel through the water was as great as the velocity of the centre of the paddle-boards within one-fourteenth part. No doubt this fact will cause a sensation in.the scientific world, as it will undoubtedly procure Mr. Thomas Wilson addi tional fame. The engines and boilers are everything that their constructors can desire, and as the machinery inva riably continues to work more and more efficiently for months after its first operations, it may be asked, what steamer will be able to compete snecessfully with the " Iron Duke," when her engines (built by Messrs. Faw cett and Co.) have arrived at the maximum of their effi ciency ? ADULTERATION OF TOBACCO. —It appears that our own town is not the only one in which manufacturers of to ' bacco have, during the past week, been convicted Vr de \ frauding the revenue by adulterating the ar'icle with mo lasses, sugar, and other saccharine matter, Chinese flow ers, sand, &c., and also selling such tabacco to retail deal ers. At Bolton three parties were brought before the special session. In the first case a dealer was convicted in a penalty of £2OO for adulterating tobacco, and the to bacco (amounting to 1,08341 b) was condemned. It was also stated that, in little more than six months, this dealer had gained by this species of fraud not less than £3,000; the adulteration at 20 per cent (and it was stated that it really amounted to 23 per cent.) on the quantity of to baccqamoun t o in n g wtoh.tic3h.2hse4.ha o d n p t a h id is d gr u o ty un w d i t t h h e in b e t t h w a h t. r p e e r r u i s o e d d , to grant any mitigation of the penalty.—in the second case, against the successor of the defendant, 3131 h. of to bacco was seized on the defendants premises, and 201 b. at the shop of a retail dealer, which was stated to have come from the defendant; arid the latter was convicted in a mitigated penalty of £so.—On Friday there were two cases heard at the Manchester police-court, in the first of which the defendant, a tobacco manufacturer, virtually admitted having committed the offence, by his solicitor stating that the solicitor for the excise and himself had agreed to a conviction on the second count of the infor mation. The case was heard, however, and the defen dant was convicted, on that count, in the penalty of £l5O for having adulterated tobacco on his premises, and the tobacco seized (891 b.) was condemned.—Another case was gone into, in which it appeared that the defendant, a re tail dealer, was convicted of a similar offence in the miti gated penalty of £5O, as it appeared that he had purchased the tobacco from one of the parties convicted on Wednes day at Button; and the tobacco seized (3621 b.) was con demned. It thus appears that within five days, in three large towns within a space of forty miles, no fewer than eight convictions, amounting in the ag;regate to £1,550, have been made, and more than 2,4001 b. of tobacco seized and condemned by the excise. HER MAJESTY'S BIRTH-DAY.—Thursday last being appointed for the celebration of her Majesty's birth-day, all the public offices were closed. The royal standard, a new one, admirably painted by Mr. Parr, of Berry-street, was hoisted at the Town- hall ; and at several places, as well as on the ships along the line of the docks, flags floated freely, imparting a lively and pleasing appearance to the town. At noon the bells of St. Peter's rung a merry peal. It was further enlivened and gratified by the enrolled pensioners who assembled at the barracks, in Duke-street, from whence they were marched by Captain Greig to the police-station in Seel-street, %here they underwent the necessary formalities. From Seel -street they marched in Sections, down 80ld -street, along Church -street, up Lord-street, and through Castle-street, forming on the Exchange flags. They wore a very be coming uniform : and although several showed, not only by their personal appearance, but their pendant medals, honours of Waterloo and the Peninsula, that they had " fought in famous battles," still they were a fine body of men, quite capable of rendering, if necessary, a great local service. They were preceded by a band of music, all pensioners. and the fine old fellows had warmed in them again the martial feeling of other days. On the Exchange area along with the inspecting field-officer, Colonel Falconer, his adjutant, Lieut. Cowell, and a com pany of the Gth Regiment, several other officers were also in attendance,—amongst others, Lieut. Sautey, of the engineers, who is at present here on a survey, and Major Axford, of the East India company artillery. His wor ship the Mayor was present on the occasion, together with Edward Rushton, Esq., Sir Thomas Brancker, -Francis Heywood, Esq., and other gentlemen. At one o'clock a feu dejoie was fired in honour of her Majesty's birth-day, the band immediately strking up " God save the Queen," which was responded to by three hearty cheers from the troops and gentlemen assembled. The whole of the pensioners then retired in military order to the barracks, where their arms were lodged. It is worthy of remark that in this district every pensioner voluntarily came forward to be enrolled. Each man received £1 bounty, and one day's pay. None above the age of fifty.. five were required to attend. In the evening his worship the Mayor entertained, at the Town-hall, the heads of the various public departments, all the consols, and se veral gentlemen of the town. The pensioner's band at tended, and played several airs during the dinner, and Mr. Holden's glee singers delighted the company the re mainder of the evening. TRAN MERE FERRY AND THE BIRKENHEAD RAIL WAY.—In the Vice-Chancellor's Court, on Wednesday, an application was made on behalf of Mr. Chamberlain to prohibit the Birkenhead Railway Company from giving a preference to the Monk's Ferry, as a terminus (by means of a tunnel), to Birkenhead and Tranmere. It was urged that it was stipulated in the act th‘t no railway or tram road should he made from the terminus at Grange-lane to the - ferry at Woodside, until a similar railway or tramroad hid been made to the ferries at Birkenhead and Tranmere p and that no locomotive or stationary engines should be used by the company for propelling carriages from the railway to Woodside, until roads on which the like engines could be used were made for the same purpose betweenthe railway and the two other ferries. In 1840 the railway com pany purchased for £25,000 a piece of land, and the claim to a ferry at a spot called Monk's Perry, many hundred yards from the place at which the boats at the Woodside station were accustomed to arrive and depa r t, b u t s till w i t hi n t h e district called Woodside. The Commissioners of Birken head, a short time ago, became the purchasers of the Woodside Ferry, and had agreed with the Railway Com pany to make a tunnel to Monk's Ferry, and there to have a boat always ready to convey passengers to Liverpool. This the proprietor of Tranmere Ferry considered an in fringement of the clause of the act which put Tranmere and Birkenhead Ferries on an equality as to communica tion with the railway. It was stated, for the Railway Company, that this was not a case of parliamentary con tract ; they did not intend to make three railways, as they had no power to take land for that purpose, and having procured land to Monk's Ferry which enabled them, by means of a tunnel, to extend the advantages of the rail way in a . manner not prohibited by the act, th e cour t could not interfere.—The case was adjourned to Thurs day, when it was further contended for the defendants that they had not infringed any law, they had merely adapted their arrangements to the state of the law, and proceeded to open such a communication with Liverpool as the law allowed. Tranmere Ferry was, in fact, a ferry not offering sufficient convenience to induce those who crossed the Mersey to use it; it had not been worked for nine years. Mr. Temple replied, and insisted that Monk's Ferry was, in fact, the Woodside Ferry under another name, and was a merely colourable evasion of the provision of the act which had been introduced for the protection of the other ferries. Monk's Ferry was not a legal ferry when the railway act passed. His Honour said, that if it were then a legal ferry, there would have been no ground for the present application. Without expressing. 9 0 1 opinion on the construction of the clause, be would say that it was certainly not so c l e arly th a t w hich the plain tiffs contended as to entitle them to the injulcti°Aethe; would read the evidence for the purpose of seeing styh he ought terms fora to require a t t he law ß , a o il r w w a h y e C th o e n; h a nc the plaintiffs ought to deprive them o f Comp a ny ouiee the assis n sc t t e enter intoenotof nce of he court in that respect. _._,,.~,