The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-01-31 00:00:00

'2 Eibtrpoot -ztatibarb, TUESDAY MORNING, ,TAN. 31, 1854. JUVENILE CRIME.-THE LIVER• POOL MEETING. Fs - sv subjects have attracted more attention, or are likely to lead to more important social results, than those which seek to regulate the application of punishment to crime. On nearly all hands, it is now admitted that punishment must embrace three separate elements, or its chief, indeed almost its only value will be lost; these are, nicely adjusted yet wholesome severity—the probability of its being a warn i n g to deter others from crime—and the likelihood of its proving salutary to the individual punished. Its character must be adequate clearly to mark the criminal's divergency from the paths of rectitude—its severity must be sufficient to operate as a physical monitor, teaching him, in un mistakeable terms, that infringement of the laws will be followed by personal suffering; but it must also keep in view his reformation as well as the punishment of his crime. Above all, the adminis tration of punishment must be accompanied by that calmness and solemnity which remove from it even the suspicion of vindictiveness. To combine these elements has been found a most difficult task. This difficulty has been vastly increased, where it has keen attemptedte adapt punishment to the repression of delinquency among youth and children of tender years. No portion of the magisterial duty can be more painful in its discharge than that of inflicting punishment on juvenile criminals, where it is ob vious, as in many instances it is, that the criminal has, at first, been the victim of misery, or, alas ! more afflicting still, the instrument of social monsters, who, dead to every sense of shame, and regardless of even the semblance of virtue, foster and trade upon degradation and crime in the un suspecting years of inexperienced childhood. How much would the pain of this feeling be alleviated, if, while awarding punishment for crime, the magis trate could, at the same time, secure the criminal from being again thrown into the power of those who instigate and train him to wickedness, or re move him from the influence of those pinching neeesfsities which have driven him to crime. Re formatory institutions, which have been tried with marked success in other countries, would, if established here, in a great degree accomplish this ; and we therefore hail, with unmixed satisfaction, the commencement of an effort for their establishment. As will be seen from a report, in this day's Standard, a meeting was held in Liver pool, on Thursday last, in furtherance of this object. That meeting was appropriately presided over by the chief magistrate of the town, and was attended by the leading philanthropists of our community. The expediency, indeed the necessity of the move ment? was inculcated in eloquent terms, by gentle men of all shades of political opinion, and of nearly every religious creed. Mr. BaowN and Mr. Holm run, representing the legislative section of our population ; Mr. POLLOCK and Mr. MANSFIELD, as administrators of justice among us ; while the vene rable Archdeacon BROOKS, the Rev. Rector CA.mr- ItELL, the Rev. Dr. M‘NEILE, and other ministers of religion, joined in cordial emulation to forward the great and good work. In his eloquent lamentation over prostitution, as one great moral cancer, eating into the vitals of society, and fertile in the production of crime, the reverend doctor displayed even more than his usual delineative power in depicting the misery of vice ; and, in his highest strain of moral indignation, de nounced the heartlessness of the seducer, and justly reprobated the leniency with which his crime is looked on by society. The baneful influence of inebriety was forcibly adverted to, and censured by him, as among the chief instigators to even juvenile crime. He appealed, at his conclusion, in happy terms to the soothing and reclaiming in fluences of kindly feeling and Christian love. Of Mr. POLLOCK'S manly and intelligent address, it would be difficult to speak in terms of overstrained praise. His telling illustration of that malignant emulation which, among the vicious, leads to even a further corruption of the moral sense, and is a powerful incentive to crime, was delivered with rare felicity, carrying conviction to the mind of every thinking man ; while his appeal for having the objects of such emulation changed—to have the vicious teaching replaced by virtuous lessons — to have the satanic model substituted by one in harmony with Christian principle and moral beauty, was creditable alike to his judgment and his feel ings. The - sound practical good sense which cha racterised the remarks of Messrs. BROWN and HORSFALL were also of happy omen. The sugges tion thrown out and supported by those gentlemen, for having a floating reformatory moored in the river, where delinquent boys may be trained into honest and useful seamen, was in felicitous con formity with the genius and requirements of Liver pool associations ; and from the spirit of unity and benevolence which was breathed throughout the addresses, there seems good reason to hope that something salutary may be effected. THE DUTY ON FIRE INSURANCES. THE approach to the opening of a session of Parliament is usually a time for preparing for at tacks upon the Exchequer, and agitating for the repeal of some tax which the agitators profess to believe the most grievous of all the public burdens. These projects, though ostensibly designed for the public benefit, are more commonly dictated by the self-interests of the promoters, and there is, there fore, less cause for complaint when a CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER receives the deputation with his blandest smiles, listens to the various argu ments which they may have to advance, and finally bows thew, out of the room with no other satisfac tion than that their request shall receive his best attention. There are few taxes for which much might not be said in favour of their repeal, but so long as a national revenue is necessary for the maintenance of the State, the national credit, and the national defences, so long will it be necessary to levy taxes, however grievous the interests of individials or of classes may endeavour to make thera appear. There are, however, some taxes to which this remark will not so particularly apply, inasmuch as they press, in some degree, unfairly, and - operate to deter from those measures of pru dence which it should be the object of the Govern inent to encourage. Of such a nature is the duty levied upon Insurances from Fire, which is charged at the rate of three shillings per cent. per annum, an d, as the ordinary rate of premium charged by Fire-offices for common risks is ls. 6d. per cent., it virtually amounts to a tax of two hundred per cent. The effect of imposing so large a proportion of duty upon the performance of such a prudent and proper precaution as Insurance from Fire is to prevent many from performing it, and it has been computed that not more than about forty two per cent. of the whole property of the kingdom is insured, although in France, where no duty is levied, nearly seventy per cent. of the property is insured. Taking, therefore, this view of the case, it must be obvious that such a tax is impolitic, and possesses hi gher claims for repeal than those which apply to the majority of other taxes. On the other hand, its repeal would involve the loss of £1,100,000 to the Exchequer, and at such a time as this, when we may be o n the eve of an expen oive warp and w h en the ingenuity of a CHANCEL' i N. LOR of the EXCHEQUER - has been fruitlessly exercised in devising some-new tax which shall be palatable to his supporters, it is questionable whe ther it would be prudent to give up so much upon the remote chance of obtaining so little as any new impost would yield. Let us, however, suggest a [ compromise, so that some advantage may be afforded to the prudent in humble life, without making bankrupt the National Exchequer. In all cases where the premium is three shillings and under, which would include what are called hazardous risks, let the duty be reduced to one shilling per cent, retaining the present duty on higher rates of premium, which usually apply to premises used for profitable purposes. Should this reduction have the effect of inducing many to avail themselves of the security afforded by Fire Insurance who have not hitherto done so, the Ex chequer may be little or nothing the worse, while the public, both insured and insurers, will be con siderably benefited. The question is now being agitated by those who go for the entire abolition, which, of course, cannot be conceded ; but, as it is customary in every Budget to propose some change in our fiscal regulations, if only for the pretence of doing something, the alteration we have suggested may satisfy, at least for a time, the requirements of both parties. I~.'' AGRICULTURE BY STEAM. WHILE the powers of steam and the skill of the mechanist have been applied with unceasing energy and perseverance to the manufacture of textile fabrics, producing a revolution in the industrial activity of England, it is a singular fact that nothing of the same kind has been done for agri- culture, although a pursuit of infinitely more importance to the welfare, and even to the exist ence of the community. By the application of machinery to manufactures, from the rude hand loom to the complicated mechanism which now turns out woven fabrics by the mile, many millions have been added to our annual production ; and yet the plough, which was known to remotest antiquity, has received but trifling aid from the vaunted scientific skill of the age. It is true that occasionally a steam-plough has been announced, and at agricultural meetings many ingenious im plements have been exhibited, but few for the purposes of tillage have proved of sufficient utility to induce their being brought Into use ; and so signal have been the failures of inventors, that it has almost become a belief that agriculture is beyond the reach of aid, either from the powers of steam or mechanical skill. Much of the failure which has been experienced is, however, no doubt attributable to the adherence displayed to the old form of the ploughshare ; and, therefore, the success to which we are about to allude may be considered owing, in a great measure, to the inventor having introduced a new prin ciple in his mode of turning up the earth, so that the whole process of ploughing, harrowing, sowing, and rolling is performed at one operation. The machine, which is the invention of Mr. Ro- MAINE, of Peterborough, in Upper Canada, and for which a patent has been granted in this country, is, in appearance, something like a large cart drawn by two horses abreast. In the body of the cart is a steam engine of ten-horse power, with tubular boiler, on the principle of the locomotive engine, which turns a shaft through the naves of the cart wheels, and connected, by crank and rods, with a large cylinder suspended behind and supported on two smaller wheels, so as to be independent of the unequal motion of the horses. The cylinder, which is six feet in length and about three feet in dia meter, is armed with projecting iron prongs with blades at the points which form the diggers. In each row they are a foot apart from each other ; but, being arranged in a spiral form, they operate successively about an inch asunder, so that the whole of the ground is turned up and effectually pulverised to any depth that may be required, ac cording as the machine is fixed by a screw. The cylinder is partly enclosed at the back by a box against which the earth is thrown, and on the top is a seed roller, with tubes through which the seed is deposited in rows, and a roller following after leaves all smooth and complete. Several obvious dif ficulties are ingeniously surmounted. By the cylinder hanging free of the motion of the cart it is more completely under control from inequalities in the ground ; the speed may be increased or slackened without reference to the speed of the horses, and the regulating screw is at the imme diate command of the engineer, who requires no other assistant than a driver for the horses. The weight of the machine, including the steam engine boiler, and the whole apparatus, is not more than a ton and a half, but as the motion partakes of a pro pulsive character, the horses have little more than to guide the direction, which is a great advantage in tilling hilly land. An important benefit from the use of this machine is the large amount of work which can be performed, and the rapidity with which a field of grain can be sown in catching weather, which often proves a serious drawback to the labours of the husbandman. By the present method little more than an acre of land can be ploughed in a day by one team, and then the work is but imperfectly performed, leaving the operations of harrowing, sowing, and rolling still to be done. By this machine, with the aid of two men, or a man and a boy, ten acres may be begun and finished in a day, so that in speed and economy there is a very great gain. At a time like the present, when labour is becom ing more valuable, and there is an increasing de mand for more abundant supplies of food, it is almost impossible to over-estimate the importance of the application of mechanical skill to agricultural purposes, particularly in this country, where the uncertainty of the weather often seriously hinders the operations of sowing, and, in our Canadian colo nies, where the shortness of the season and the rapidity of vegetation render speed in agriculture of great consequence. The first cost may be appa rently great, but the steam engine may be applied to thrashing and other farm purposes where power is required, so that, in reality, it will considerably lessen expenses, and we have no doubt that, when its utility has become known, it will be extensively patronised by our enterprising agriculturists. LIVERPOOL SAVINGS' BANK. THE thirty-eighth annual report of the Liverpool Provident Institution and Savings' Bank, which will be found in our advertising columns, affords some interesting particulars respecting this valu able institution for encouraging habits of economy and frugality in the humbler classes. It appears that the whole sum due to about 20,000 depositors is no less than £655,000, of which above £40,000, was added during the past year, and that the in terest alone amounts to about £20,000 a year. In the classification of accounts there appears to be a great variety as to the amount, those of about twelve hundred depositors averaging less than £BO each, while nearly fourteen hundred depositors have amounts which average £l4O each, fifty-two of them being above £2OO each. In the classifica tion of depositors it appears that the largest pro portion in numbers and amount are artizans, and the next largest class females, while no less than £87,000 belongs to 2,747 domestic servants. In deed it will be seen that the persons most largely benefited are those for whom savings' banks were more especially designed. The Rev. J. J. Butler las been assiduous in the discharge of his duties as chaplain during the past year, and it is hoped that God's blessing has attended his zealous minis trations. Mr. HARMAN, the secretary, read the treasurer's annual statement, which showed a balance of £399 against the institution. Mr. TINNE, in moving the adoption of the report and statement of accounts (for this and other resolutions see advertisement), spoke in terms of gratulation of the satis factory state of the institution. Since its formation in 1845 it had continued to increase in usefulness, and was more appreciated by the seamen frequenting the port. There was one matter, however, to which the attention of the public ought especially to be drawn. He did not think the school for giving youths a knowledge of mer cantile marine, and which was calculated to be of immense usefulness to the pert, was sufficiently known. (Hear, hear.) Whether the fault lay with the shipowners or the shipmasters he could not tell ; but he was astonished that comparatively so few boys availed themselves of the great advantages afforded by the school. (Hear, hear.) It was conducted by a master of the highest qualifications, and there could not be two opinions as to the benefits it would confer upon those who sought them. The adoption of the report having been seconded by Mr. MANN, and unanimously adopted, Mr. BOOKER pro posed, and Mr. TommissoN seconded, the next resolution, which was also passed. On the proposition of 'Mr. RANKIN, a vote of thanks was accorded to the chairman, Mr. Aikin, and to the other officers of the institution, to which Mr. AMIN responded. Mr. COTESWORTH, in proposing a vote of thanks to Captain Ainley, and the other officers of the institution, including Mr. Harman, the secretary, spoke highly of the zeal and industry with which they had discharged their duties. He also coupled with his motion the name of Mr. Boardman, who, though not now connected with the Sailors' Home, was entitled to their thanks for the satis factory manner in which he had conducted the Savings' Bank, and his system of cashing notes. The proposition was unanimously adopted. On the proposition of Mr. TYREE, seconded by Mr. CROSBY, a vote of thanks to Mr. Aikin, for his conduct in the chair, terminated the proceedings. LIVERPOOL EXCHANGE B UILDINGS. The CHAIRMAN read, as follows, the statement of ac• counts : THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD, AND GENERAL COMMERCIAL ADVERTISER. THE annual meeting of the company of proprietors of the Liverpool Exchange tiras held at noon yesterday, in the Cotton Sale-Room. Mr. James Bateson in the chair. " The proprietors of the Liverpool Exchange in account current with John H. Younghusband, their treasurer, from the Ist of January to the 31st of Dember, 1863, both inclusive. By rental of the building, from 31st December, 1862, to the 31st December, 1853, £6,836 17s. 6d ; dividend on amount charged in 1848, £5O ; bank interest, £llB 3s. ld. By amount of subscriptions to News-room, &c., annual, 2,499 at £3 35., £7,871 17s. ; quarterly, £292 19s. • sale of newspapers, &c., £348 3s. 7d. Total, £15,518 Os. 2d ; by balance brought down, £7,498 Bs. 5d ; de duct amount to be transferred to the contingent fund, £lBB Bs. sd. ; disposable balance, £7,310. - To amount paid on account of building, viz., joiners' work and iron work, £7l 3s. 10d. ; masons', slaters', and brick work, £lO6 9s. 3d. ; plumbers', glaziers', and painters' work, £l4l ls. 10d. ; insurance from fire, taxes, and law charges, £430 18s. 9d. ; property tax, £254 13s. 6d. ; salaries and incidental expenses, £416 16s. 10d. To disbursements on account of news-room, viz., newspapers and other publications, £2,273 14a. 4d. ; tele graphic intelligence, £300; coals and gas, £lOO 17s. ld. ; rates and taxes, £257 16s. Bd. ; salaries and contingent disbursements, £1,146 Os. Bd. To amount paid in lieu of the right of nomination to the news-room for 1853, on 800 shares, at £3 3s. per share, £2,520 ; to balance, £7,498 Bs. 6d. Total, £16,518 Os. 2d.- Contingent fund invested in the new 3} per cents, £3,724165. 10d. Mr. THOMAS Bovrox asked what the balance was as compared with the previous year. The CHAIRMAN said last year it was £7304. The great increase of expenditure was in telegraphic commu nications, which had cost £3OO, and in renewal of leases about £95. The whole of the expenses were less, but the receipts were more than in the previous year. The Con tingent Fund,which last year was £3,400,was now £3,724. He might remark that the committee had found the system of paying dividends by the treasurer a little in convenient to many proprietors, who had to call at the office for their dividends ; and the committee had there fore adopted a system of paying them by a warrant, which they hoped would be satisfactory to the proprietors. Mr. ZWILCHENBA.RT observed that the rent of the land on which their buildings stood had increased within a few years £l5 or £2O the square yard, and it appeared to him that in proportion the rents should be raised. The CHAIRMAN said their rents were upon a lease of seven years, and they had increased them ten or fifteen per cent. eight years ago. They thought, by, the advice of their surveyor, that the rents were high enough, and they had since renewed the leases for another seven years. Mr. ZWILCHENBART said, if one gentleman was an ori ginal shareholder at £lOO, and he had had to come in at £3OO, their position was quite different : so if the land in that part of Liverpool from £lO was now worth £4O a yard (and he believed that had been paid), the revenue should be four times as much as in former times. If all their property was let, he thought they should have some previous understanding that when their offices were to let again there should be a higher rent got for them than before. _ _ _ Mr. JA.CQVICS Muss said it should be borne in mind that from 1801 to 1818, the old shareholders never got a shilling dividend, so he did not think that the old share holders were in such an enviable position as Mr. Zwilchen bart seemed to think. He believed that £40,000 was taken oat of the original proprietors before a single divi dend was paid. (A voice " aopo.") ,Well, £30,000 was a great deal. The CHAIRMAN—But under the advice of our surveyor, we consider the present rents about what they should be. Mr. BOLTON thought, in connexion with that subject, it would be well to look a little ahead. There had been an experiment by which some of the buildings around had been altered or re-built, and that being successfully com pleted, he hoped they would go on making them more fit for counting-houses than at present. Mr. Zwilchenbart had given the market price of their land, and he did hope that in a few years, when the warehouses were gutted and remodelled, they would bring in a larger income to the proprietors. Mr. JACQUES MYERS agreed with what Mr. Bolton had said, and he thought it would be desirable to offer pre miums for plans. (Applause.) Even this year they might entertain it, although the leases had four years to run. Mr. HARMOOD BANNER said, the subject had already been fully taken into consideration. Before the renewal of the present leases, the committee had the advice of their surveyor,`mid went fully into the question of the improve ment of the offices and buildings altogether. It was then found that, from their original construction, it would be impossible to convert them into those convenient offices which were surrounding them in all other directions, with out going to such an enormous outlay that they could not possibly accomplish it without an act of parliament. Therefore they had thought it advisable, under the excel lent counsel of Mr. Stewart, to re-let their offices at a similar rent to that which had existed before, on a lease of seven years, being at as little expense as possible, in fact at no expense in regard to them, which the committee had considered most advantageous. Their original construction was defective. They were built for warehouses as well as offices, and now the warehouses had to be converted into offices. They could only be converted at an enormous expense, many thousands of pounds, and they could not accomplish it without going to Parliament. Therefore, he thought the proprietors would see that they were doing well, and, without going to much expense, deriving a handsome income. As to the value of the shares, what they were worth before, and what they were now, he was afraid that Mr. Zwilchenbart did not look at the relative value of the property. Originally, the £lOO share, as Mr. Myers had stated, had received nothing. All that time, at compound interest, it would have come to £2OO ; and from that time not only had the rents advanced, but the subscriptions to the rooms. Their property was thus in creased in value, and ;he who paid £3OO for a share now was getting it cheaper than those who got them at £lOO or £2OO. It was his impression that the buildings were doing exceedingly well, and, he was sure, they should be much obliged to the directors for bringing so nice an account. (Applause.) He thought what they should do with regard to the costruction of the buildings was to adopt the old and sensible maxim of " letting well alone." Mr. JAQUES MYERS said, he could hardly agree with Mr. Banner, as to not altering the offices. They had cer tainly had the talents of Mr. Stewart, and, he believed, he was adverse to the alteration which had led to the present Stock Exchange. Mr. BANNER.—At our expense, but not as they wished it, nor as it was done, at their's. Mr. Mvaas said they-liad made those warehouses into as good offices as could be for £/2760. Now, if they could at that outlay make such an improvement, he thought they (the proprietors) should try with one part of the buildings. (A voice : "Do it by degrees.") The difficulty could not be got over, Mr. Stewart had said, because there was the fan-light above the doors ; but he (Mr. Myers) thought that the judicious way. in which the Stock Exchange had altered their offices showed that it could be got over. Mr. BANNER said Mr. Myers appeared to have left out of his calculation that the work had not been done by the proprielors of the Exchange Buildings, but had been done by otliti's, and yet they still go t th e same ren t. H e thought they could not get much more. rent from their property than at present, for they must bear in mind the immense competition. Mr.MYERS thought that they would increase their rent materially, and that they would be serving, the interest of the proprietary, if they could get from various archi tects plans for alterations, and go on by degrees. He thought that if they started with the West End, next to Mr. Horsfall's, the rent would not be doubled, but it might be made one-third more, (hear, hear,) and the out lay to achieve that could not exceed £2,000. He thought it was worth the committee's while to turn their serious attention to those buildings, and he was sure that with the present talent amongst architects, no difficulty would exist whatever. He would ask Mr. Carson, the solicitor, if it would be necessary to go to Parliament to raise the necessary sum, because they had a reserved fund now of, in round numbers, nearly £4OOO. Mr. BANNER said that fund was sacred. It was obliged to be put by, by the act of parliament, for repairs. The CHAIRMAN.—You will be obliged to go to parlia ment for alterations. Mr. MYERS.—Then why not let off a portion to a party who would alter them. (Hear, hear.) Mr. BANNER said that was another thing. Mr. MYERS thought that parties would offer. Mr. JOHN 3IYERs said he believed that the Stock Ex change sat rent free. Mr. JAQuEs MYERS said yes, the Magnetic Telegraph Company would have paid them £l,OOO a-year rather than miss their office. Mr.BOLTON thought there would be found a way if there was a will. They might take a couple of offices at once, to alter, and if they could not use the reserre fund, they could get the work done by borrowing money. The only ;inconvenience would be a : , emporary4leficiency of dividend to tlje proprietors, but taking part of a stack at a time they go road the wilding without any fox of _a WRECK OF THE SCREW-STEAMER OLINDA. THE public mind had scarcely recovered from the shock it had sustained by a narrative of the disaster which had overtaken the Tayleur, when it was again startled by the announcement that a serious calamity had befallen the South American and General Steam-ship Company's new iron screw-steamer Olinda, Haram, corn commander. Happily this case has not been attended with loss of life, though the result proves exceedingly severe, there appearing to be little chance of recovering the ship. The Olinda took her departure hence for Brazil on Thursday, having on board a valuable carg,o , of manufac tured goods and about twenty passengers. At the time of the accident she was under charge of the pilot, who, having been unable to laud, had intended to accompany the vessel to Lisbon. We are informed that, though the weather was unusually rough, he took the ship through, instead of round, the Skerries. However that may be, it is clear that on Thursday evening, between eight and nine o'clock, she struck on the Harry Furlong Rocks, which lie to the eastward of the Skerries. The first offi cial information, containing a statement as to the position of the Olinda, was, in a telegraphic despatch to Messrs. Miller and Thompson, the agents of the Olinda, received from Captain Hirst, of the Chester and Holyhead Rail way Company, which intimated that, at 4 40, a.m. ' an officer, with Lloyd's agent, called on Captain Hirst to say that the screw-steamer Olinda was on shore at the Harry Furlong Rocks. It also intimated that all hands were safe ; but advised the adoption of prompt measures for saving both the ship and cargo. On Saturday the following letter from the chief-officer was received by Messrs. Miller and Thompson, Captain Haram having been prevented from writing by being on board the wreck. " Cemlyn, 27th January, 1854. "SIR,—I beg to report the stranding of the Olinda on the Harry Furlong Rocks, at 8.45, p.m., yesterday. The ship was in charge of the pilot at the time. Passengers are landed all safe. Ship was quite dry at low water, and all the crew left the ship. Mails not yet landed. Found the fore cargo-hold full of water. The ship is in a very dangerous situation : if the wind veers to northwest she will break up in six hours. We have had the steamer Cambria from Holyhead, but she cannot come alongside. Flats will be the best means of saving the cargo, if she holds together. The rudder and propeller are carried away ; six feet of forefoot gone ; and the rocks through her forward. Masts, &c., all standing. Nothing saved as yet up to 11, a.m. : blowing hard from west. Captain Haram managed to get on board this morning, and has not yet returned. lam waiting for his coming ashore to open a communication with the ship, and take this oppor tunity of informing you of our position, as Captain Haram may not have an opportunity of writing himself from being on board, and a messenger is about to leave for Holyhead.—Your obedient servant, " W. Hadfield, Esq." JAMES Blow, Chief-officer. The surgeon and one of the passengers arrived in Liver pool on Saturday, whose narratives bear out the impression conveyed in the chief-officer's communication, that no blame is attributable to the captain. They state that the passengers were loud in their praises of the calmness and intrepidity which Captain Haram, the chief-officer, and the crew displayed in the trying circumstances. They succeeded in lowering the boats, without sustaining acci dent, and in landing the passengers, although there was a heavy sea at the time. The pilot is said to have been an experienced man, having been twenty-five years connected with the port. Before the accident occurred, he stated that he knew the coast accurately, and that there was no danger in running so near the shore. It is feared that there is little chance of recovering the ship ; but there are hopes of a portion of the cargo being saved, three steam tugs, two lumps, fifty men, and diving-apparatus having been sent down. Captains Richard and Daniel Green proceeded to the scene of the disaster on Friday, as well as the representatives of the London and Liverpool Under writers ; and Mr. Hadfield, the active secretary of the company, also went for the purpose of attending to the passengers and seeing after their baggage. The Olinda was built on the Clyde, by Messrs. Reid and Co. The steam-tug Constitution returned on Sunday from the Olinda. She brings some of the cabin passengers' luggage and stores. Hopes were entertained that a great portion of the cargo would be saved, unless the wind changed to the north. The Dreadnought returned here also, not being able to get alongeside. The vessel at low water is dry, and the cargo is being conveyed ashore over the rocks. Fortunately most of the cargo consists of light packages, which facilitates its removal. Captain Green and the lumpers remain with the ship. There is no pro bability of the hull being saved. The masts have been cut away to ease the ship. The following correspondence between the agents of the Olinda and Mr. Banning, the postmaster at Liverpool, re fers to some bags of private despatches, on which the post office authorities desire to enforce postage. To the Editor of the Liverpool Standard. "Sir,—For the inforMation of those who have forwarded letters per screw-steamer Olinda, we enclose you copies of correspondence we have had with the Postmaster as to how the bags will be forwarded. " Yours, respectfully, MILLERS and THOMPSON. Agents to the South American and General Steam Navigation Company. Letter addressed to Millers and Thompson. GENTLEMEN In reply to your letter of this day's date, I beg to inform you that all the mails but one for Cape de Verd have been recovered from the Olinda and sent to this office, and the earliest opportunities will be embraced in forwarding them. The vessel mentioned by you, the Genevieve, had already been selected for the conveyance of the mails for Pernambuco, which will be put on board here without delay. The remainder will probably be sent by the Neptune, the Margaret Dean, the Bella, and the Albatross. Three bags, containing letters, parcels , and newspapers, which had not passed through the Post-office, have accompanied the mails here, which will be sent to the General Post-office, London, as, without payment of the postage, they cannot be forwarded.—l am, &c., C. B. BANNING, Postmaster. Post-office, Liverpool, 28th January, 1854. " Liverpool, 28th January, 1854. "SIR,—We beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of this date. With regard to the latter part of it we beg to state that the three bags you allude to contain our private despatches to our agents, and consignee's letters and newspapers. We submit that these should be at once returned to us, as we have an undoubted right to put such on board. We do not attempt to evade the post-office laws: on the contrary, we have always volunteered every information as to the sailing of our boats, and publicly advertised that all letters and newspapers must pass through the Post-office. We contend, therefore, that we should be met in a more liberal spirit by the Post-office ; not in this case, for we think "right," not " liberality," is our plea, but in regard to the general question of remu neration, which, certainly, is inadequate to the service performed. You will, perhaps, forward this letter to Lord Canning.—We are, sir, your obedient servants, (Signed) MILLERS and THOMPSON "C. B. Banning, Esq." (Copy.) " GENTLE3tEN,—In reply tOYOu, for the communication of this day, I beg to inform you that I am not in a posi tion to entertain the idea of forwarding by the packet of the 9th proximo a portion of the letters received from the Olinda ; as, however, it appears some of the merchants are of opinion that the packet will be out earlier than a sailing-vessel, it will, of course, be advisable that they should avail themselves of that conveyance for duplicates of the letters sent by the sailing-vessels.—l am, gentle men, your obedient faithful servant, (Signed) " C.B. BANNING, Postmaster. " Post-office, Liverpool, 28th January, 1854." Up to Saturday night, about 200 packages had been landed from the Olinda. The weather, on Sunday, was too boisterous to allow the flats to get alongside. The whole of the cargo is expected to be saved. We hear that Mr. John Laird has received a contract for building another large iron steamer for the South American and General steam-ship Company. She is to be 2,200 tons burden, 450 horse-power, and will carry 1,500 tons of cargo, 1,000 tons of coal, 150 first-cabin passen gers, 100 second-cabin passengers, and is to be made capable of accomplishing a speed of 13 or 14 knots. LIVERPOOL SAILORS' HOME. Tan annual meeting of the friends and supporters of this excellent institution was held on Saturday afternoon, in the board-rooni of the bUilding. Among those present were Mr. James Aikin, chairman,and Messrs. Cotesworth, Crosbie, Mann, Tinne, Tyrer, ooker, and Rankin, Cap tain Ainley, superintendent of the Home, &c. After a few introductory observations by the Clam- MAN, Mr TOMLINSON read the Report, which stated that when the committee presented their last report, the insti tution had been open only one month ; and they now sub mitted the results of the practical working during the past year, with which, under all circumstances, they have rea son to be satisfied. During the past year farther portions of the building have been furnished, and the number of boarders who have availed themselves of the Home during that period amounts to 2,332, namely, 1,922 seamen and 410 appren tices; 192 have been resident at least twice, i.e., have per formed voyages and returned, almost all of whom have expressed themselves in terms highly gratifying to the committee, and have, moreover, proved their appreciation by inducing their shipmates to accompany them. The advantages the friends of the sailor expected from the establishment of the Savings' Bank have been fully realised since the Home has been opened. The balance of deposits, which at the end of 1852 amounted to £2,438. 155., has been considerablS increased during the year, leaving £3,079. Bs. Bd. on hand .31st December, 1853. Independent of the Savings' Bank, £10,364 of the sea men's money has passed through the hands of the cashier, considerable portions of which have been forwarded at their request to their relations and friends. The committee have satisfaction in reporting that the construction of the building is found to meet the require ments for light and ventilation. The large hall is well adapted to afford the means of social intercourse. The reading-room, which is generally tolerably well attended, is supplied with papers (gratuitously),as well as periodicals, and some amusement for sailors. Various friends have made presents of useful books, for, which the committee feel very grateful, and they hope for future contributions, which will soon make the library worthy of the institution. Among the objects originally contemplated by the founders was the establishment of .schools for sea appren tices and sons of seamen; and the committee are happy to be able to report that a school has been established in the left wing of the building, by and under the immediate direction of the Board of Trade, who have appointed two members of this 'committee to co-operate 'with their officers in the management. They have appointed a master every way qualified to make it one of the most useful schools in • the kingdom. It is now open to apprentices entirely free, and to seamen at a moderate charge. The Advantages of this school cannot be too generally known uor too highly appreciated.. The rational amusement of the seamen is a snl?ject of some difficulty. Arrangements are in progress for aseries of illustrated lectures, which will be both instructive and entertaining ; to be conducted in connexion with thesehool, under the auspices of the Board,of Trade, and to .whieh all inmates of the Rome eluill.hoss.free,kome. diminution of income, and certainly with n great increas of It. (Hear.) The remaining business was simply formal. The ac counts were passed nem con. £lBB Bs. sd. was carried, pursuant to the act, to the fund for contingent expenses. Then came tke resolution of the day, which was that a dividend of £8 17s. per share be paid to each proprietor, after the 16th of February, and a further sum of 3 guineas a share to non-attending proprietors in lieu of the right of nomination to the news-room for the current year. The chairman explained that this was the same dividend as last year. The motion was of course carried unani mously. Thanks were voted to the retiring auditors, and Messrs. Bateson and Macrae appointed to the office. The following gentlemen were appointed on the committee : Messrs. Houghton, Banner, Ritson, C. W. Newman, and Henry Newman. A vote of thanks was passed by accla mation to the committee for the past year, and also a vote of thanks to the chairman. The meeting then broke up. FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. FRANCE.—The popularity of the Emperor has increased with the difficulties of his position. On his first public appearance after the arrival of the Russian courier, on Tuesday, he was much cheered.—The ball at the Tuileries on Monday was very brilliantly attended. Between 3,000 and 4,000 persons were present, and the number of foreign uniforms was considerable. Among the English officers was Lord Gough. The members of the diplomatic corps, including M. de Bisseleff, the Russian Ambassador, were present. The Emperor conversed some time with M. de ICisseleff. The ball was opened by the Emperor and Empress, his Majesty dancing with Lady Cowley, and the Empress with Lord Cowley.—The Paris Moniteur pub lishes a report, addressed by the Finance Minister to the Emperor, giving a financial account of 1853. It shows that, though the budget of that year had been voted with a deficit of 34,000,000 f., and that it had, moreover, since opened a supplementary credit of 64,000,000 E, by which the deficit was apparently increased to 98,000,000 f ? still, by cancelling credits to the extent of about 20,000,000 E, and by the excess of revenue of 74,000,000., this deficit of 98,000,000 f. will be reduced to one of 4,000,000 f. The budget of 1855, which is at this moment under the examination of the State Council, will leave no deficit. — The Empress Eugenie having been prescribed exercise, she had a pair of skates made fitted with wheels,, and on these she skims the polished floors of the salons in the Tuileries. Spine.--The Gens. Manuel de la Concha and O'Donnell have been exiled to the Canaries, Gen. Jose Concha to the Balearic Islands, and General Armero to Leon. This was known on the 18th ; and it was to the general astonish ment that the next day's Gazette was silent on the sub ject. Some supposed that the government hesitated; others, that they waited to see banished generals fairly out of Spain ; and others, again, that there was a screw loose in the Ministry, and a new crisis. The resignation. of several officers had also been accepted. The Minister of Justice had been removed, and the Minister of Finance placed in his stead. M. Zaragoza had been replaced as Governor of Madrid by M. Quinto. On the 19th the other political arrests were spoken of. It was said that Baron de Meer will be dismissed from the Presidency of the Supreme Court of War and Marine for his hostile vote in the senate. It is also reported that General Lersundi will be sent away. Advices from Cadiz state that the British brig Brothers, from Bristol, and the Russian brig Juno, from Liverpool, both laden with iron rails for Genoa, had been wrecked on the coast of Conil. AusrßrA.—Forty thousand troops (Austrian), under Lieut. Field Marshal Clam Gallas, have been ordered to Hungary forthwith: RUSSIA.—The excitement in St. Petersburg, when it became known that the Western Powers had taken com mand of the Black Sea, to the exclusion of the Russian flag, was, as may be supposed, exceedingly great. Letters from St. Petersburg say The armaments throughout the whole Empire surpass all belief. The organization of all the reserve battalions has been ordered. The Cologne Gazette has the following from St Petersburg, of the 17th :—" In addition to the order given to the persons belonging to the army who had obtained leave of absence to immediately join their corps, an Imperial ukase directs all sailors to return by March 15th to the vessels of the Baltic fleet, in the ports of Cronstadt, Revel, and Swer borg. A special order concerning the distribution of the vessels of the fleet is to be published by the Grand Duke Constantine." We learn from Warsaw, under date of the 20th, that the Ist corps d'artnie of infantry, com manded by General Paniutin, received on the 6th orders to hold itself in readiness to leave. The army of occupa tion of the kingdom of Poland is at present 43,000 strong ; and the garrisons are occupied by an additional force of 24,000 men. GIBBALTIB.—We have accounts to the 16th inst. The screw-steamer British Queen, seven days from Liverpool, arrived on the 13th, and proceeded to Constantinople on the 14th. The Astrologer, from the Levant, arrived on the 14th, and sailed for Liverpool on the 15th. The British bark Cockerilos, bound to Cork, put into Gibraltar on the 12th to repair damages sustained in a heavy gale off Cape St. Vincent. A French frigate in tow of a steamer passed the Straits of Gibraltar on the 14th to the westward. The screw steamer Arabian, seven days from Malta, arrived on the 14th and cleared for Liverpool. The Melita, from the Levant, arrived on the 15th, and left on the 16th for Liverpool. She had been in contact with the schooner Tiphyo off Jersey. At Gibraltar exchange on London was quoted 51k, Spanish pillared dollars 4 per cent. premium. EAST INnfEs.—Papers from Bombay to the 29th of Dec have been received. Advices from Burmah to the 3d ult. state that, for some days previously, rumours were afloat of a conspiracy having been detected at Rangoon. It was, says the Bombay Times, determined that, at the full or the moon, (22d tdt.,) 500 men, armed with knives, were to mix with the large mass of worshippers who, at that pe riod, visit the Pagoda, which, in our possession, serves the double purpose of a fortress and place of worship. They Were to seize upon the fortress, overcome the garrison, and fire a gun as the signal of success, upon which their fel low-conspirators were to fire the commissariat godown, and, taking advantage of the confusion which the confla gration would cause, massacre the troops, and plunder the city ; but information was given to the authorities, and, on the day of the expected outbreak, fifty men of H.M. 80th Regiment, and a company of the 9th Madras Native Infantry embarked on board the steamer Nemesis, with the avowed intention of attacking some dacoits, but as soon as darkness came on they disembarked, and pro ceeded suietly to occupy the commissariat godown. The different guards were all doubled, artillery were posted, a double supply of ammunition was served out, the muskets of all the soldiers were loaded, and everything put in rea diness ; but these preparations seemed to alarm the con spirators, for the expected outbreak did not occur. The next morning eighty men of the 80th marched to Kern mendine, and took seven prisoners and some stands of arms. It is said that a governor for Rangoon, in case of the success of the outbreak, had been sent from Ava, but that he decamped on hearing of the plot being detected, and that his robes of office were found in the Bazaar. Some people appear to despise this conspiracy, but the extensive preparations which the Government made for the occasion tend to prove that there was cause for alarm. The Gover nor-General left Calcutta for Pegu on the 9th inst., intend ing to return about the 18th proximo. The health of Sir John Cheape, who commands the forces in Burmah, is very precarious ' • while suffering from illness, he fell from a window and fractured his collar-bone. Accounts have reached us of the murder of Naib Mahomed loosen, for many years the confidential adviser of Nusseer Khan, Meer of Khelat. It is also alleged that Dost Mahomed, of Kabool, is encamped at Candahar, with a large army. It is not known for what purpose he has left the seat of his government. A large body of Persian troops have marched from Shirax to Bushire, which port has been blockaded by the Hon. Company's sloop Clive. The Rajah of Nagpore died on the 11th without natural heirs ; and, as the British Government had steadily refused to allow him to adopt a successor, the whole of the magnificent valley of Berar lapses into the possession of the paramount authority. The ship Alfred struck on a reef ahont thirty miles north of Bimlipatam. She was got off, and her commander let her drift down opposite Bimlipatam ; the troops and pas sengers were all disembarked. During the absence of Lord Dalhousie in Burmah, the Hon. Joseph Alexander Dorin, first ordinary member of the Council of India, has been nominated President of the Council and Governor of Bengal. Lord Elphinstone, our new Governor, reached our shores on the evening of the 25th, and assumed the reins of office the next day. The ex-Governor, Lord Falk land, returns home by the present mail. WEST INDIES ...The Medway arrived at Southampton on Friday, with advices from St. Thomas to the 7th inst: The yellow fever was again commencing at St. Thomas', and that island. with some of the surrounding smaller islands, was likewise being frightfully ravaged by cholera. Up to the sailing of the Medway, 791 deaths had occurred in St. Thomas' alone. The proposed removal of troops from several of the West India islands was creating great dissatisfaction, and in some places considerable alarm among the inhabitants. CHINA.-There has been no very reliable intelligence about the progress of the rebels since last dispatch of the mail. A report, however, was brought from Shanghai by the Lady Mary Wood, that, after being defeated by the imperialists at Sinchow, in Pecheelee, the insurgent army continued to advance, and had at the end of October reached Jinkew, about sixty miles from Pekin. Pekin is presumed to be well garrisoned, and its stores of rice are sufficient for three years' consumption. Of other provinces we learn that Kiangsi and Ngan-hwui are now quiet, mat ters proceeding in their usual course, as if they had never been infested by rebels, who, that is, bands claiming to belong to the Nanking body, are now committing ravages in Hupih; their object, according to the accounts we have received, being mainly plunder, They came near without entering the capital of the province, but set fire to a city to the west of it. About 300 of the orderly inhabitants have been recently slain by the rebels ; and about 100 of their spies have been taken and put to death by the impe rial troops since their arrival. _ AUSTRALIA.—The Hurricane arrived at Portsmouth on Tuesday, with advices from Melbourne to the 3rd Nov., and 64,000 ounces in gold on freight. The Great Britain had arrived out in 65 days. During the greater part of the passage she had contrary winds. The letters and papers from Port Philip reach to the end of October, and are about a fortnight later than those previously received. Their contents are satisfactory, both as regards the supply of gold, which was coming in freely from the mines, and the general state of the import markets, prices in a large majority of cases being still remunerative. As regards colonial produce, wool was ls. 4(1. to Is. Bd., but tallow was not offered, the prospects of war between England and Russia having already exercised a considerable influence. The quotation for gold was 765. 6d. Flour was £3O per ton, and oats 9s. to lls. per bushel. The anticipated increase in the duty on spirits had not yet taken place. The last advices from England had been brought by the Great Britain, which had made the passage in sixty-five days, but the number of letters was not large. She was to sail on her return passage on the 3rd of December, and may, therefore, perhaps be expected in the course of a fortnight. The mismanagement of the ocean postal ser vice by the home authorities was still an angry topic with all classes. The steamer Cleopatra cleared out from Ade laide on the 16th October, for Liverpool, with 18,829 ounces of gold and 346 tons of copper on board. From Van Diemen's Land by this arrival the dates are to the 1941.9 f October, A subscription list had been filled for £IO,OOG as a reward to any person who should discover an attractive gold field. The Fingal deposits still yielded amotugs, but what was wanted was a field that might comp* with those of Victoria. THE WAR IN THE EAST. LBTTERS from the Danubian provinces, received at Paris on Tuesday, state that it is impossible to form an idea of the terror which the exactions of the Russians, under the most futile pretences, have caused there. They arrest, dispossess, and seize moveable property of all sorts. Several persons of high distinction axe mentioned who, after having been stripped of all they possessed, were trembling for their lives. It is stated that despatches were received on Monday at the Russian embassy from St. Petersburg; and though their contents are not known with any degree of certainty, they are supposed to contain the Emperor's reply to the note of which M. de Reizet was the bearer, and the notification of the entry of the combined squadrons into the Black Sea. That reply, though not described as couched in any veryj strong language, is nevertheless of such a character as leaves little hope of a change in the Emperor's mind. It de mands, it is said, explanations as to what the French government means by making the Black Sea neutral, and requires that a declaration of such neutrality shall be set forth in an official memorandum. Otherwise the reply is, as usual, evasive. The Czar makes the old protestations of the purity of his intentions and the harneesEmess of his designs, and though ravaging the principalities and burn ing the Turkish ships at Sinope, he still declares that war is not his desire, nor conquest his object. His intentions are pacific, non-aggressive, and, though his troops may be established in the Ottoman territory, aggrandizement is as far from his mind as ever. At the order given to the fleets to enter the Black Sea he is understood to express his surprise and regret, as the powers must know that Russia is not at war with France and England, but only with Turkey. It is a personal quarrel between him and the Sultan, with which the powers have no concern what ever. CONSTANTINOPLE, JAN. 9.—The first regiment of the Christian Cossacks formed by Zadyk Pasha (Charkowsky), and mostly composed of Bulgarians, leaves to-morrow for the head quarters of Omar Pasha. It is believed that the Governor of Sebastapol contented himself with answering to the notification of the entry of the fleets into the Black Sea, that he was astonished at so unforeseen a communi cation, that he could not understand what they wanted of him, Russia being at war only with Turkey, and that, consequently, he could not say what he meant to do under the circumstances. VIENNA, TUESDAY NooN.—Advices from Krajowa of the 21st inst. state that Prince Gortschakoff will remove his head-quarters to Boleschti. A renewed expedition against Kalafat was shortly expected. The Turks crossed the Danube near Turnul. An engagement ensued. The Turks returned to Nikopoli. The Russians have returned to Galatz, from an expedition to the right bank. PEAGUE, JAN. 23.—Forty thousand troops (Austrians), under Lieut.. Field-Marshal Clam Gallas, have been ordered to Hungary forthwith. VIENNA, TUESDAY AFTERNOON.—OfficiaI advices from St. Petersburg, of the 16th inst., state that the Emperor makes no immediate cam belli of the entrance of the combined fleets into the Black Sea. He awaits a written communication, touching the object and import of the measure. VIENNA, WEDNESDAY.—Very tranquillising advices have been received from St. Petersburg, of the 18th inst. The Czar is reported to be inclined to accept, though con ditionally, the basis of a project of peace. The Czar de clines the responsibility of declaring war. People here think that this will secure to him the support of the Ger man Powers. CONSTANTINOPLE, Jan. 16.—There is a report that the Russians have taken Kars. The combined fleets were at Sinope and Varna. The Czar's answer to the Turkish propositions is not expected, till the middle of February. Persia will, it is now said, remain neuter' The Porte is sending additional reinforcements to Batoum for the army in Asia. BUCHAREST, JAN. 12.—The grand attack upon Kalafat appears definitively fixed for the 18th of January, the day of the baptism of the waters. It is immediately after that religious ceremony that the Russian army, still under its impression, will march with the banner of the Cross displayed against the Turks. It is estimated that the capture of the place (if captured) will cost the Russians at least 10,000 men. There is much discouragement among the troops in consequence. Additional reinforcements have been sent in to Lesser Wallachia. The Russian estimate their forces at 44,000, and those of Ismail Pacha in the intrenchments and on the island at from 25,000 to 30,000, but these numbers ap pear exaggerated. various young Wallachian officers have been attached as aide-de-camps to the staff of the Russian generals. BUCHAREST, JAN. 21.—General Aurep has been com manded not to attack Kalafat until further orders, when Prince Gortschakoff shall have returned from his country inspections. SEBASTOPOL, JAN. 10.—On the 7th two steamers of the English fleet appeared before Sebastopol, to announce officially to our admiral that the fleets had entered the Black Sea, having left the Bosphorus on the 4th. The two steamers then departed to join the fleets, which will sail towards Batoum. Since then no vessel—French, Eng lish, or Turkish—has been seen before Sebastopol. The Russian fleet is distributed at different points. ADRIANOPLE, Jan. 6th.—All the preparations are made for the arrival of the Sultan, which is to take place in March. Nnmerous articles of furniture, as also 800 do mestics and 500 horses, have already been despatched. The retinue of the Sultan will consist of 1,000 persons. ST. PETERSBURG, JAN. 18.—It is believed that Count Orloff has received a confidential mission from the Czar for the courts of Vienna, Berlin, Paris, and London. The ener getic conduct of the:western powers has produced that effect, and might lead to an arrangement without wounding too much the national amour propre. The Czar is said to be greatly irritated against those who had urged him on to war, and fears were frequently entertained that he would have an attack of apoplexy. Another rumour says that he has sent to Prince Menschikoff the order to operate at sea as if the combined fleets were not there, and to continue the armaments at Odessa. PARIS, FRIDAY EVENING.-It is asserted that a great batttle took place near Kalafat on the 20th. The issue was completely in favour of the Turks. It is also asserted that the Turks have retaken two islands on the Lower Danube. CONSTANTINOPLE, JAN. 15.—The combined fleets which arrived on the 11th at Sinope, detached a division of steamers to escort the Turkish convoy to Batoum. The English steam-frigate Retribution, however, having, on her return from Sebastopol, announced that the Russian fleet had quitted that port, the two squadrons made sail for Batoum. The Turkish convoy has since returned without any accident to Constantinople, after having dis embarked the troops and provisions at Batoum. The Turks are about to resume the offensive against Akhalzik and Gumri. A telegraphic despatch, dated Constantinople, January 19, states that nothing was known at Constantinople of the rumoured conflict off Batoum. The Russians had suffered a severe loss at Matchin on the 13th, and had a steamer disabled. It is certain that the whole Russian fleet was in Sebastopol on the 11th, but left in the direc tion of Batoum on the following day. Count Orloff had arrived at Vienna on Saturday evening. BUCHAREST, Jam - . 21.—0 n the 17th the Turks got pos session of Turnul and Jannitsia, as also of the village of Sistobanion. FOREIGN MISCELLANY. A SINGULAR PROOF of the unpopularity of the Queen of Spain and her government has been given by the oppo sition journals. No allusion was even made to the Queen's confinement in their columns ! TURKISH TOLERATION.—COMMUIIiCatiOUS from Con stantinople state, that not only is it true that a Turk has lately been executed at Adrianople, for becoming a Chris tian, but that a Jewish Rabbi is under sentence of death for blaspheming Mahommed. A BOY FLOGGED TO DEATH.—The Daily Argus (Madison, Indiana) contains the following harrowing re cital. The facts are said to have been established by judi cial investigation, and were related by the presiding judge : —A beautiful, fair-haired, blue-eyed boy, about nine years of age, was taken from the orphan asylum in Milwaukee, and adopted by a respectable farmer of Marquette, a pro fessor of religion and a member of the Baptist persuasion. A girl, a little older than the boy, was also adopted into the same family. Soon after these children were installed in their new home, the boy discovered criminal conduct on the part of his new mother, which he mentioned to the little girl, and it thereby came to the ears of the woman ; she indignantly denied the story, to the satisfaction of her husband, and insisted that the boy should be whipped until he confessed the falsehood. The man proceeded to the task assigned him by procuring a bundle of rods, strippinc , the child naked and suspending him by a cord to the rafters of the house, and whipping him at intervals for over two hours, till the blood ran through the floor, making a pool on the floor below ; stopping only to rest and interrogate the boy, and getting no other reply than ' Pa, I told the truth—l cannot tell a lie ; ' the woman all the time urging him 'to do his duty.' The poor little hero, at length released from his torture, threw his arms around the neck of his tormentor, kissed him, and said, ' Pa, I am so cold,' and died. It appeared in evidence upon the trial of this man and woman for murder, that the child did tell the truth, and suffered death by slow torture rather than tell a lie. The age of heroism and of martyrdom will not have passed till mothers cease to instil holy precepts into the minds of their offspring'. The man and woman who murdered this angel-child are now in the penitentiary at Waupun, to which they were sentenced for ten years." HORRIBLE FATE OF DISSERTERS.-014 the night of the 21st October last, privates William Lemon, Thomas Buckley, and Patrick Cullinan, 67th Regiment, deserted from the detachment stationed at Tortola. They were accompanied by a black man, named William Brooke, and we proceed with the narrative in the words of William Lemon, the sole survivor of this ill-fated party. "We took a boat from the bay, the property of Mr. Percivall, with an intention of deserting to Crab Island, thinking to get a vessel to take us to America. On the third night of sailing we came in sight of Santa Cruz; our provisions were then out, and the next day a gale came on, took our mainsail, and drove us out to sea. Two large sea-birds lodged in the boat during the night, which was all the food we had for eleven days. Patrick Cullinan then pro posed to cast lots which should die ; this was done by four pieces of straw, the shortest to die. It fell to the lot of private Thomas Buckley. Cullinan then bound Buckley's arm for the purpose of being bled to death. Buckley bled himself with a knife, Cullinan and the black man drink ing his blood, and shortly afterwards they went mad and jumped overboard ; but previous to this I bound Buckley's arm up ; he being my comrade, I did not like to drink his blood ; he tore the bandage from his arm, and Cullinan, with Brooke, the black man, drank off his blood again, and then jumped overboard. Buckley soon after this died, and I was left alone in the boat with nothing but his dead body, which in about five hours I threw overboard. I then tied up the helm and laid down in the boat, and let her drift before the wind. That night I caught a sea-bird that lodged on the boat ; two or three days after this I came in sight of land (St. Domingo). I ran the boat on shore, and two of the coast-guard came and carried me to a hut on the beach, where I got some refreshment. I was then taken in a boat to Jacmel, before the English consul, who kept me at his house until the steamer arrived, and then sent me to St. Thomas's, f r om thence to Tortolo." The above is corroborat e d by the English consul at Jacmel, who states that Lemon landed -at Saltour, St. Domingo, having, as he stated, been three weeks at sea. — United Service Gazette. TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 1854. • , ' TABLE TALKING.—A woman has been sent to Metz for making a table "talk " scandal 0 0 °701 women. The libellous table maintained a discr eet ' in court. el PUZZLES FOR POLL-CLERKS.—An American OP e n.i tracts from the poll-book at Nebsarka the follow:" free independent electors :—" Jane-e-tak-e-q orl* Os-si-e-men-e-me n -h e , Mah- men - wan -e-kah, Pe- e.tatt) me-quah, Muh-at-tah-noh-no-to, Kah-ku-noh-ne - w .4 1 , MAD'LLE GEORGES, the great French actress,..: life, after having bee n a ser i es o f brilliant adven t 7, been gradually declining, has been reduced to P et/ o (c for the o ffi ce of umbrella -taker at one of the doers Great Exhibition of 1855 ! t w ittft ° PROTESTANTPROGRESS OF PIEDMONT.- -K •••• .,, -- A ia ing the steady progress which Piedmont ismne wards religious as well as political liberty, the of , her advancement does not e ven y e t seem to he I ' 4 b dated in this country. It appea r s t o us , that altho s & measures which the Sardinian Government has alr e. ' troduced, and that which is now anti c ip a ted, do 11 0 b of any doctrinal contradiction to th e dogmas 0 1 they are in spirit essentially of a Protestant c' The state is overrun by an enormous clerical arn l P b • ~ a population under five millions, it has thirty-five d more than eight thousand priests, besides the ra°„ A " l nuns, who are stowed in nearly five hundred c e : Some of these monastic orders subsist by begging majority of the priests possess a paltry pittance, ..,‘ - p i, ble only to that of the priests in Ireland. 1 1 °1 much depressed, this immense ecclesiastical shall ! army has been an instrument of civil disorder+ deavouring to depose the sovereign temporal aut' ,;4 setting over it the authority of the Pope. SarwT,, been able to sustain herself against such ado:DI2;V she now proposes to make a further step towar ds e nf. tical independence, by bringing the whole bou r .' e ,', clergy more under the control of the s tate. _,,' - ',, r : measures are, the suppression of the medicant 0 7,.,'" , t ,.. taming only those which are self-supporting and ell, o ' a reduction in the number of bishoprics and w,„ with equalization, of emoluments, especially an in c t :','. . salaries for the poorer priests ; and finally, an eccle ° ,,, , commission to investigate and re-arrange church rel ic There is no doctrinal question here; but while, b. very nature of the proceeding, the government of yr' Oro ) asserts its supremacy over the indwellers, of all 0 must win a grateful feeling on the part of the is' i clergy, to whose comforts it will so tangibly mihr,; it must secure the confidence of its own people. •`''- . pith of Protestantism is independence of Rome' Sardinia is thus by de g ree s es t a bli s hi ng. —s pe etatw , ' GROSS IMPOSTURE.—A gross imposture wa s t practised at Venice, which excited the highestloAt from the peculiar circumstances attending it. A' latter end of last year a young man made his aP,, in that place, clad in the episcopal costume of t' He pretended to be a certain Giovanni B a ttist 3 ~ Ile') Apostolic Vicar-General of Fez, travelling for in' 0 and using sea baths. The reception he met with be called brilliant. At Venice, Gor z , Ci v idale, and an d he was received by the Catholic bishops as well a!) elite of society with the utmost distinction. lie l '' . te large sums of money for pious p ur p oses , ee l e bra d , s to in the largest cathedrals, a n d was a b ou t to recel"i the privilege of con fi rming bishops, when the pon r 7o fered in right time, and discovered that the P a bishop was no other than a common impostor,.")? Petriolo, near Florence. He had been expelled, >n N from the Ecclesiastical Seminary, w h ere he DP"“) reared, when he practised his imposture in severy of Tuscany, where he read mass , exerc i se d var ious co functions, and committed all sorts of knavery. 1 1 ' e ,40, travelled, in 1852, with a fal s e p ass p or t, t o Malta+ i f " Asia, and the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea. l 'el he forged a decree, as Vicar-General of Fez, with 11 . 1i 0 / 1 4 was, at last detected at Venice. The episcopal &I which he wore had been fabricated from yellow liael raper. It is rather strange that he should have r+ to maintain his false position so long in high 0' Augsburg Gazette. IRELAND. IRISH FanßnrEs.—The Dublin Express say's'' i r long neglected fisheries of the west of Irelan d length in a fair way of being rendered availably / understand that Captain Symonds, R.N., has f cently at Clifden and Westport for the purpose ° taming the most proper place for fizinga fishing _A and it is rumoured that Clew Bay was considercuo eligible. It is said that two large screw-steanier ° 4; st l the stocks, constructed so as to carry, in wells 4 alive to market, and •at the same time take cattle' to) butter, or any goods that may offer, to Liverpool. can be no doubt that, in either way, this s must pay, if properly worked." b.. THE IRISH COURT.—The L or d-Li eu t enan t hela 1 , levee for the season on Wednesday, at Dublin CSS attendance was respectable, and comprised a fair sr' of lords, spiritual and temporal. ..,, r yti, f 1 SINGULAR ACCIDENT.—A few day s ago an 01: o r the Belfast Iron Works, w hil s t suc ki ng w ith in' s 0 4 the air out of a pipe through which molten il l If pass—a usual custom in the p rocess —h e swalloW, l e, tion of the melted mas s , r e ce i v i ng t err ibl e interns,' , INAUGURAL BANQUET.—The Lord Mayor of Di , Sir Edward M c Donnell, gave his inaugural banclu e ,llo King's-room, Mansion-house, on Tuesday. His F' P ' w ~ the Lord-Lieutenant was among the guests. re, DREADFUL THUNDERSTORM IN 311Y0.--1.!" . it there was an awful storm of thunder and lightnOlpt neighbourhood of Ballinrobe, county M a y o. Colone lie ( two little sons were returning home from Athav l b o A. Blosse's), and had a narrow escape, the ho e h l4 been killed under the jaunting-ear, and the sersr ui .' 0 1 , off, quite stunned by the shock. Near the voi f e: belonging to Mr. Courtney Kenny, were 1:11 0 ""' A ar ,s 'l ti'l and a house thrown down, and several t ree were" — bel Mr. Geoffrey Martin, of Curramore, also k..t so ne 6 A NEW DRAMATIC COMPOSER has appeared i 1 1 1 1 1; who promises to deprive Verdi of the pre-eminen ce so long held. The Carnival season at Milan b? d s d opened with a new opera, II convito di B O (Belsbazzar's Feast), the maiden work of a you, i t i p poser named Buzzi. No piece produced at Of Sc, many years has created such a degree of enthusiaso Madame Clara Novello, the prima donna, a ppears t ° l „. shared in the triumph. This opera is described O a t a return to the pure vocal style of the olden Italiar4ci The spectacle is distinguished not only for ruag,n, P el but for taste and research. The great scene and gyp; of the banquet are copied from Martin's we, picture of Belshazzar's :Feast ; and the decor:11101i modelled from Layard's Assyrian remains in th e museum. may PRICE OF HOME-GROWN TIMBER.—The grjY, advancing rates demanded for foreign timber du w e, past year are now beginning to operate on the pril ye home-grown material. We learn from the 107 now taking place, that an advance fully equal ' c 'd, A cent. has been obtained on every variety of 500 n.,,, grown timber, with a prospect of further increase. shire Journal. A SUBSTITUTE FOIL GUANO, Consisting of deco: ce l and concentrated seaweed, is about to be int' . 1 , " Mr. Longmaid, with the view of claiming the £l,OOO offered by the Royal Agricultural SocietLyi material is reduced to a powder, and rendered S be applied by the drill. Many experiments with , its fertilising powers are said to have been made d hi past year, and an analysis of a sample has been fv, „ie. by Professor Way. The process is stated t o b e sly, price is estimated at £5 per ton or u n d er, andl' i l templated to establish manufactorie s a t var i o us s' on the coast. SALUBRITY OE LONDON.'-"A respectable corn: ~de " ir, now living in the Whitechapel-road, who is in a''' year. He is nearly six feet high, and has all the 1 ance of a man of sixty, with dark hair, and he active in business. IA NEW THEATRE.—Mr. E. T. Smith, of Drurt of about to build a new large theatre on the lb' Shadwell Workhouse. fry ( 1 , TRADE BETWEEN FRANCE AND ALGERIA.- - "" re ee' mittee of the Privy Council for Trade, &c., hec e ps, t i copies of two despatches, enclosing imperial dee" .. . c e authorising foreign ships to trade between FrT e 9 Algeria, and the other extending the coasting try i ties to foreign ships till the 31st of July, 1854. De THE EMPRESS JOSEPHINE.-The history Of the press Josephine had been very remarkable. born in the West Indies; and it had early been 1 13 0 / sled, by an old negress, that she should lose i a husband, be extremely unfortunate, but she shotts 4 4 wards be greater than a queen. (The author h et prophecy long before Napoleon's elevation to th 00 from the late Countess of Bath, and the Count 4 cram, who were educated in the same c onveno r ; Josephine, and had repeatedly heard her menlA circumstance in early youth.) This prophee3r , A' thenticity of which is placed beyond a doubt, wa s , Ar t ,i' in the most singular manner. Her first husbaotd der Beauharnois, a general of the army on the ou'o 6 been guillotined during the Reign of Terror ;„„e, herself, who was also imprisoned at the same is;cil only saved from impending death by the fall of Rube t ) So strongly was the prophecy impressed on h;ft V that while lying in the dungeo n of Conciergerie,e 4 i j every hour to be summoned to the revolutionary " Pi she mentioned it to her fellow-prisoners ; and, be t°4, them, named some of them as members of the ef ( ber ; a jest which she afterwards lived to realise ° l li their number. Josephine herself narrated this 15)1, dinary passage in her life, in the following terinVi memoirs :—" One morning, the jailor entered the 1 0 i where I slept, with the Duchess d'Aiguillon ° Ol / rd other ladies, and told me he was going to telE e , 1,10" c tress, to give it to another prisoner. Why, sal' , 8 )0 1 d'Aiguillon, eagerly ; will not Madame del3e 3 , 00 4 , obtain a better one ? No, no, he replied, wh'" or i t` smile ; she will have no need of one, for she is . ., 6l Voti led to the Conciergierie, and thence to the gulli t/ d Floil these words, my companions in misfortune uttere, t o , /,, shrieks. I consoled them as well as I could' 3,f' length, worn out by their eternal lamentaue-tp them that their grief was utterly tmreasonable; , only I should not die, but live to be queen. 0 ,,,,ei Why, then, do you not name your maids of hooL", 051 Madame d'Aiguillon, irritated at such expression of,vlJ a moment. Very true, said I ; I did not thia'ijapl well, my dear, I make you one of them. UP 1 I i ti fears of one of these ladies fell apace, for they e.mdi ted I was mad. But the truth was, I was n ot f o o7 any extraordinary courage, but internally Pe i : o osi the truth of the oracle. Madame d'Aigudl oo , o ,/,','„ became unwell, and I drew her towards the winu c h le I opened, to admit through the bars a little fre° 0, 4 0 there perceived a poor woman, who knew trT,', o ool was making a number of signs, which I at fir' 3 ' 4 . o * ; understand. She constantly held up her goo' i , r0,,,k , seeing she had some object in view, I called ° a2 or", which she answered, yes. She then lifted uP 3 I, e ( put it in her lap, which she lifted a second tirl e tii) ,: , out ' pierre ;' upon which she evinced the gr.„7009 perceiving that her sign was understood. `" Il iot t y", the stone in her robe, she eagerly imitated th e to f.,,, cutting off the neck, and immediately heg, 3-11 '; , i`. and evince the most extravagant joy. This sn: t rA tomime awakened in our minds a vague hope ti'., o ot , ( Robespierre might be no more. At this Ilic" - -Ag i l i lie J we were floating between hope and fear, we -, o ar lii noise in the corridor, and the terrible voice °Le, I 6) who said to his dog, giving him, at the same tip 0 1 j ` get out you cursed Robespierre.' That coax!: sal once taught us that we had nothing to Jel.. 'i. ' France was eased,"—Alison't History of Al/' We, re s the