The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1851-01-07 00:00:00

Jan. 7, 1851. GRATIFYING TESTIMONIALS.-011 the 26th ult. the congregation of St. Thomas' Church, Warwick-oreet, presented their schoolmaster, Mr. Caleb Beckett, on his Mr. Charles Groves has presented £5O for the erection removal to another charge, with sundry unique articles of - anew schools i n All S a i n t s par i s h. silver, v as a token of respect for him, and in appreciation The Royal Mersey Yacht Club purpose giving a grand of his services as teacher, organist of the church, and choir ball next month. master. The Rev. J. T. Bryan, curate of the church, General Ceara has been appointed Brazilian Consul at deputed to present the same, bore testimony to his ster this port vice Admiral Grenfell recalled. ling worth. The concert given by the children during The congregation of the Baptist Chapel in Pembroke- the evening, evinced the c are bestowed on them, and was place have contributed £l2O to the relief of the sufferers a conclusive proof of his tact and talent in affording in 'from cholera in Jamaica. struction. The West Derby Union lunatics confined in Haydock PRESENTATION.—On Friday evening last, the congre lunatic asylum have been removed to the new asylum at cation of St. Thomas', Toxteth-park, presented to the Rainhill. Rev. T. C. Cowan, their late minister, a purse with nearly Mr. Robert Batty, son of our distinguished t ow nsman, forty sovereigns, as a mark of their respect and their gra- Edward Batty, Esq., has been unanimously elected house titude for his faithful public ministrations, while in con- Surgeon of the North Dispensary. nection with the above church. We believe this is the The ladies of the congregation of St. Catherine's Church, second time that the St. Thomas' congregation have Tranmere, have presented the Rev. B. Arthure, the in- gladly come forward to testify to Mr. Cowan their value cumbent, with a handsome suit of canonicals. of his ministerial services amongst them. On Sunday The surplus income or the Corporation this year will last, the rev. gentleman entered on his duties as incumbent be £15,370, whilst last year it was only about half that of St. Andrew's Church, and preached two excellent ser sum. mons. We understand that an addition a l s erv i ce w ill take .. _ Ezra Arlo. Father Mathew has announced his intention to embark at New York, in August next, for Liverpool. On his ar rival he will become the guest of Mr. W. Rathbone. The workmen in the employ of Messrs. Segar and Tun nicliffe, corn merchants, presented, on Wednesday, at a Sumptuous dinner, a handsome gold watch as a mark of esteem to the ferernan. A girl has recently succeeded in robbing school children by sending them to parties they know to borrow money. as if for their parents, and when they got it she took it from them. On Sunday the senior classes in All Saints' Sunday Schools were examined as to their general scriptural knowledge, and extra prizes, the gift of Mr. Woodruff, one of the councillors for the ward, presented to them. An official inquiry has been instituted into the working of the Liverpool County Court, and it is likely that the inconveniences S 3 generally complained of will be reme died. A wooden house is now being erected on a piece of vancant land in the road leading to the Prince's-park. it is of large dimensions, and somewhat in the villa style, being surrounded by a raised gallery. It is painted red, and has a novel apperance. Ii is to be shiped for California. THE INFANT MARIE.—In consequence of the success which has attended the concerts hitherto given by this musical prodigy, she will give two other entertainments at the Assembly_rooms, Great George-street. They are fixed for Wednesday morning and evening. SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL IN FOREIGN PARTS.—On Sunday last a sermon was preached in aid of the above society in St. Anne's Church, Aigburth, by the Rev. G. W. Warre, incumbent of St. Saviour's. The collection amounted to £24. The first division of six companies of the 5 2 d Regiment of Light Infantry, now in garrison here,wilileav i 4 ijo this morning, en route to Dublin , and thence to B irr . Forrester and the remaining companies will leave on Thursday. On Tuesday night, a little before nine o'clock, as Mr. Southern, of Low-hill, was passing through St. Vincent street, he was attacked by two men,of respectable appear ance, who, seizing him by the throat, nearly strangled him, and stole from him a silver lever watch, gold guard, and chain. On Wednesday night, between six and eight o'clock, the house of Mr. Aitken, stationer, Great Charlotte street, was entered during the time the family were below, from the skylight, by some persons having gained access through au adjoining empty house, and a vast quantity of wearing apparel and other property stolen. Mr. Bower, of Birkenhead, has recovered £2O in the Chester County Court, from the proprietors of the Chester and Holyhead Railway, for inconvenience and detention, in consequence of the station master at Holyhead having sent a portion of Mr. Bower's luggage on board a steamer going to Ireland. The operatives employed at the North Shore Mills have presented to Mr. R. F. North, on his retirement from the firm, a beautifully -bound Bible, as a token of their regard and gratitude. They also presented a memorial expressive of the lasting and numerous benefits they have received from him on numerous occasions. MRS. M ' DOUGALL'S CONCERT.—This excellent voca list has prepared a rich treat for all lovers of music at her approaching annual concert. The programme has been selected with unusual taste, and Mrs.M'Dongall has been fortunate in securing the services of Miss Wbitnall, Mrs. G. Holden, Mr. Miranda, Mr. Percival, &c. The repu tation of such vocalists as these, and the favourite pieces assigned for their execution respectively, will no doubt' cause the Concert Hall to be crowded on he occasion. The friends of the Rev. Mr. Gardner, late minister of St. Andrew's Kirk, cf Birkenhead, will be glad to learn, by letters lately received from Adelaide, that he has met with the most cordial reception from his congregation there, they having presented him with the title-deeds of a house and garden, and subscribed already £l2OO towards the erection of a church, which is to have a steeple, a bell, and a clock, and will be the handsomest building in the colony, in connexion with the Presbyterian Church. Tax BIRKENHEAD RIOT.—At the Chester sessions, on Monday last, Mr. Case moved that the sum of £5OO be paid from the county rate, to defray the cost of furnishing the military with quarters and refreshment, the expense of the police, and other incidentals, in connexion with the late riot at Birkenhead. A question as to the legality of the payment having been raised, the subject was post poned to the next adjourned sessions ; counsel's opinion to be taken, if necessary, in the meantime. BIRKENHEAD Docxs.—The committee recently ap pointed to consider the present state of the trust, and the best means of raising funds necessary to complete the works, and to confer with a committee of the Birkenhead Dock Company thereon, have convened a meeting of the bondholders. to be held in London on Thursday next, to receive the report of the committee, and to determine on the propriety of assenting to the bill in Parliament pro posed by the Dock Company, and of adopting further resolutions for the support of the measure. ST. MATTHEW'S CHURCH, TORTETH-PARK.--On Tuesday evening last the friends and supporters of the schools connected with the above place of worship took tea together in the school rooms. About 400 sat down. The Rey. Mr. Brewster, the incumbent, said the church bad been opened about twelve months, and it was intended to hold a bazaar next fortnight for the benefit of the schools. Several other speeches were delivered, fol lowed by a series of dissolving views, which, in many in stances by their amusing character, afforded a consider able degree of merriment. FINAL CLOSE OF THE LI VERPOOL ACADEMY.—On Saturday l ast the Exhibition finally closed aft er a very succesEful se ason . Up to Saturday night 81 pictures had been disposed of, weeksf,th the en ettapount realized b e i ng £ 2,342, During the four admission, has been op en a t the reduced c h arge for admi industrious c l asses availed the mse l ves of the hi g hly ' intellectual tr ea t t o t h e number of 13,626 persons ; and not the slightest injury has been done to any of the works of art. From six o'clock until ten, on Friday night, no less than 1,389 persons visited the Exhibition-rooms. place every Sunday afternoon. The service on Wednes day evening will be resumed to-morrow evening, and continued weekly. ACHILL MISSION.—The following is a brief history of Achill Mission, on behalf of which an advertisement call ing a meeting for this evening appears in another column :—" The Mission has now been is existence for 17 years. When it first began its operations there was no church, no resident ministry, no Protestant school, and no Protestants, with the exception of a few English coast guards. The people were immersed in the barbarism and ignorance which Popery invariably gathers around it where full scope is given to its tendencies. Among the six thou. sand Roman Catholics inhabiting that extensive district not so much as a single copy of any version of the Holy Scriptures was to be found. There are now three churches and three stations, where divine worship is celebrated, and the gospel preached in English and Irish. There are four ministers and 30 schools. Theservices are attended by about 900 of the entire population, and it would be difficult to find in the whole district a single house without a Bible, or a portion of it, in English or Irish, and members of the family capable of reading it. The island of Achill is about being sold by the encumbered estates com missioners, and fearing that it might fall into the hands of those who would use the influence of a landlord to op press the converts, an appeal was made by the Mission for funds to enable the trustees of the Mission to purchase the island. This appeal was so successful that the trus tees are now in treaty with the proprietor for the whole of the Achill estate, and it is hoped that the contract will soon be concluded. The great effort made by the friends of the Mission to raise the required sum has absorbed the funds usually given for its ordinary pur poses, and in consequence of this three months' salary are now due to the persons employed in the work ; a debt of £3OO has been contracted for food for five hundred and fifty destitute children, principally orphans whose pa. rents died of famine, fever, or cholera ; and unless prompt and liberal assistance is given the teachers must throw up their situations, and the poor children must be abandoned to the degradation of the workhouse. But the committee are persuaded that this will not be the ease, and that the friends of this mission need only to be in formed of its wants to supply what is needed. Contribu tions will be thankfully received by the Rev. John Conor, Salisbury-street, Liverpool. TIMBER AND SHIPBUILDING TRADES.—The special sub-committee appointed, many months ago, to consider the best sites for giving increased accommodation to the timber and shipbuilding trades submitted their report on Thursday. They state that they have taken the opinion of the Dock Solicitor on the legal powers of the com mittee, as to the appropriation of the land the site of the Harrington Estate. It appears that the land appropriated under the Doct Act to dock purposes can only legally be so used ; that such portions of land as may not be re quired for dock purposes can alone be let for the use either of the timber or any other trades, with the exception of the site at the north, where the committee have some special power as to the shipbuilding trade. The report then proceeds :—`• In considering the various plans, the special sub-committee have had to bear in mind the limits which the Dock Acts have thus imposed. Coming then to the plans which have been called for as to the most desirable mode of meeting the wants of the timber trade at the south end of the docks, where it has been carried on through a long period of years, and where the want of water space for the ships, and quay space for landing, as well as for storing ground for the timber, have been most severely felt, and where no water storing place has ever existed, the special sub-committee, with a view of giving facility to the importer in the discharge of his ships, and at the same time not to encroach too much upon such ground as has temporarily only, and under a pressure of circumstances, been used as storing ground, and considering it simply as a modification of the plan originally approved, have selected, and recommend for the adoption of the general committee, a plan of enlarging Toxteth Dock, on the south side, 315 feet; the area will then be 4 acres, 2639 yards, together with 300 feet of quay space. The cost of which, the surveyor states, will be £53,560, and which can be completed within eighteen months from the commencement. The sub-committee regard this additional dock and landing space at the Tox teth Dock as net all that might have been desired, but all that, under the circumstances, can be allowed in that locality." The special sub-committee have also directed their attention to the land at the present north end of the Dock Estate, and have called for plans of dock, quay, and storage accommodation, which that site will afford for the timber trade, together with estimates of the cost. They, however, forbear at present, from recommending this plan for adoption ; but they recommend that the plan be not proceeded with beyond the Battery. With regard to the shipbuilding accommodation, the special subcommittee have not yet been able to arrive at any definite plans, either as to site or terms. The report having been adopted, it was agreed that it should be printed, and the plans litho graphed ; and that the further consideration of the ques tion should be postponed for a month. A discussion took place, in the course of which, Mr. Rankin expressed his regret at the decision come to by the special committee. He disagreed with it in every respect. He thought, if adopted, it would be a gross injustice to the shipowners, the importers of timber, and the shipbuilders of the port, so that it required most serious consideration. Quicx SAILING.—The screw steamer Nile, which left this port for the Mediterranean, on the 25th of_ _November, has so far fully co me up t o t h e ant icipations of her owners, having made the run hence to Alexandria, inclusive of stoppages, in seventeen days. She had previously called at Gibraltar, Palermo, and Messina, making the run from the latter port to Alexandria, a distance of 950 miles, in eighty-five hours, arriving the re on th e 11 t h ult. The Nile, Captai n Bu lkelev, which is about 700 tons burthen and 150 horse power, belongs to Messrs. Moss and Co., of this town, and will shortly be followed by the Arno, Cap tain George Haram, which leaves Liverpool on the 10th instant, fcr Italy and Sicily. MORE FUGITIVE SLAVES.—We understand that Wil liam and Ellen Crafts, about whom there was so much excitement in Boston a short time since, reached this port, by the Cambria, more than a fortnight ago ; but their arrival was made known only to a few friends, in consequence of Mrs. Crafts having been attacked by a severe and serious illness, brought on, beyond doubt, by the fearful season of agitation and suspense she passed through just before escaping from " the land of liberty." She is now convalescent, and is staying at the house of the Rev. Francis Bishop. Mr. Crafts has left Liverpool to meet and consult with an American friend at Edin burgh; but his wife was not well enough to accompany him. They were widely known and much respected in Boston, as the difficulties thrown in the way of their apprehension b y almost all parties strikingly testified. Mr. Crafts is a fine intelligent man, and Mrs. Crafts is so nearly white that only an American's keen-sightedness would detect her affinity to the proscribed race. STEAM SHIPS. —The departure of the first vessel to the Cape, a fortnight back, will be follo we d on th e 9 t h o f January b y the comm encement of the new line to Brazil. More powerful vessels are building for the West Indies. Thets o com petition to N ew Y ork will reach the utmost limif speed and cheapness ; and an Irish packet sta tion and a railway from Cape Canso will reduce the At lantic transit to six days. Lines also are already planned from Charleston to Liberia, and from San Francisco to China, wol!gand the selection of a route to Australia can no an(ler be avoided. With these movements emigration assume its true character. Instead of our colonies e fißedinew settlements being places of banishment, to b Whose c o"1Y by the poor, they will attract the classes o-aPeration is essential in the success of all new communities, and who, while extending the best influ {barnl:73ence of the mother country, will by their skill and capital .en up Pursuits for all who may desire to follow. In manner likewise our tie with the United States, with Central a n d South America, and other countries will be e x t ended. .. DEATH OP CAPTAIN BRACKEN.—WO have to record Ih o e death, by typhus fever, at the age of 45, of Captain 4 hn Bracken, of the 29th Native Infantry, and officiating ;Deputy Adjutant General of the Bengal army. The lamentable event occurred at Simla, on the 10th Novem ber last, after an illness of short duration. The profes sional knowledge and high character of Captain Bracken had obtained for him an appointment on the staff of the distinguished Commander-in-Chief in India, and he had been deputed to meet and escort the new commander in-chief, Sir William Gomm. The Delhi Gazette "He was well versed and took a deep interest in the g reat political questions Years aof his n a ti ve country ; an d near ly 20 go, when liberal opinions were neither so safe nor so fas hionable as now, d in the hebeing on furlough at Liverpool, t,_ active part principle s tation which resulte . v li c omph of refor m pin that town. For his ser clueal on this occasion, the Reformers of Liverpool, in scribed /lg the most influential gentlemen of the place, sub nc, o and presented to him a handsome present of plate to a I ' Captain Bracken was twice married : first, anther of the late Sir Herbert Compton, and a se- Wonnidtlitinife to the eldest daughter of the late Egerton Liverpool, who survives to mourn his loss. He altrsaoelke'r op four children : the eldest in the army. Captain skirmish cas t e ao_aeti service in the field was confined to the omptvie_if wnter in the Kohat pass, whither Assistant heac Adjuta lt a 4 b e e ra C i: ) ,Twatider-in-Chief as First LOCAL MEETINGS. WALLASEY COMMISSIONERS.—At the usual meeting on Thursday evening Mr. Mann presided. The parlia mentary committee expressed its opinion in favour of the Birkenhead dock works being completed at the earliest possible period. Mr. Winch resigned his seat as one of the wßuirskerneande,adhaDudociukgTtruustht.e cAhaliertintearufrtohme report Colonel Hardinge, R.A , Director of th • e Royal Labora tory, " upon th e possibility of lessening the dangers in cidental to tcarryinghe present mod e o f on th e t ra d e i n powder at the Magazines near Liverpool, until means can be taken for their removal." The chairman observed that the commi ss i oners wou ld find this reporta complete confirmation of the previo us one ma d e by Lieut.. np e a ete i Waters, although h e h a d an id ea that a second inspectionnl was sought for with a very diff erent expectatio. We publish in another column the most important part of Col. Hardinge's report. HISTORIC SOCIETY OF LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE. —On Thursday evening, the third meeting of this society was held in the Collegiate Institution, J. W. Whitehead, Esq., in the chair. In accordance with a by-law, the late mayor of Liverpool was enrolled as a member, without the formality of an election. Among the candidates for membership were three other mayors of boroughs in the two counties, and several . gentlemen were recommended by the council for election as honorary members. The donations of books, pamphlets, drawings, antiquities, curiosities, &c., were from Dr. Kendrick, Warrington ; Charles Roach Smith, Esq., F.S.A., London ; the Rev. Canon Raines, Rochdale; the Royal Irish Academy ; An drew Lamb., Esq., and H, C. Pidgeon, Esq. The articles exhibited, in addition to those which were intended to illustrate the papers, were a Roman coin of gold, from Wigan ; various antiquities, sent by the mayor of Clithe roe ; an ancient manuscript, lent by Canon Raines ; and objects connected with the Pretender, from Preston. The papers read were, notes of a visit to Heysham, by John Robson, Esq., Warrington ; a memoir on ancient English tobacco-pipes, and the practice of smoking, by Anarew Lamb, Esq., Everton-road ; and an examination of the implements of " the stone period," by Dr. Hume. Dom( COMMITTEE.—At the weekly meeting on Thurs day, a deputation, consisting of the Rev. Charles Hesketh, Captain Ball, and Mr. Richard Johnson, presented a memorial from the fishermen of Southport, praying the committee to put down Buoys in the roads at Southport. A long conversation ensued on the subject, in the course of which it transpired that, in the opinion of the Dock solicitor, Southport is not within the limits of the port, and therefore the committee could not legally incur the expense required. The deputation were recommended to take proceedings against the Ribble Commisioners by whom the former buoys had been removed. With this answer the deputation were politely bowed out. Two hands were appointed to the Point of Ayr life-boat. A letter was read stating the terms upon which the Health Committee would adopt the continuation of Regent-road. The letter was referred to the committee of Works. A communication was read from the Customs' authorities, stating that after the Ist of January, the sums paid to the officers of the Customs, for information, should be paid at the Customs' entries-office, from which office the infor mation would be for the future supplied. The report of the Sub-committee on the Shipbuilding trades, with the dicussion thereon, will be found in a separate article. HEALTH COMMITTEE.—At the weekly meeting, on Thursday, Mr. Bennett asked Mr. Langsdale, as a large owner of property, to state his opinion on the subject of the new act intended to be applied for by the committee. Mr, Langsdale " Taking it in a general view lam per fectly satisfied with it." (Hear, hear.)—The Town-clerk stated that the General Board of Health, in London, were prepared with by-laws for the towns in which the health act bad been in operation, and they were desirous to have the experience of Mr. Fresh, inspector of nuisances, as they might be valuable in his department. The chairman said it was satisfactory to state that the greater part of the general sanitary bill was founded on their local bill. Dr. Duncan remarked that many of the by-laws issued by the Board of Health, and sent down, were copied resolutions from the Liverpool by-laws. Mr. Fresh was ordered to supply the required information to the General Board of Health.—A communication was read from the Secretary of the House-owners' Association, informing the Health Committee that they had appointed a deputation to confer with them and the Council on the subject of their newly projected bill, for the purpose of obviating, if possible, opposition in parliament to the bill, and requesting an interview for this purpose. The communication was re ferred to the Parliamentary Committee. The Town-clerk was directed to place at the disposal of Messrs. Mallaby Tilt uurntrooL STANDARD. and Townsend, and Ms'. Thos. Lloyd,. secretary •to the Owners' Guardian Society, all the spare copies of the bill he had. Mr. Lloyd • moved that benches be placed along the new road leading to the Prince's-park, for the conve nience of aged and infirm persons who proceeded by that; road to the Piince'i park.—The medical of of health had to report a•considerable increase in the mortality of the borough during last week, the deaths registered being 246, of which 173 were in the parish, and 73 in the extra parochial wards. This shows an increase of 47 as com pared with the previous week, of 32 as compared with the corresponding week of two previous years, and exceeding the number registered in any week, with one exception, since the prevalence of epidemic cholera in 1849. The increase was chiefly in diseases of the lungs, which caused 102 deaths—a number which has been only once exceeded since the spring of 1848, when consumption was more than usually fatal—in consequence of the influenza, GRAND PROTESTANT DEMONSTRATION, On Thursday evening_ a large number of the gentle men who recently took a prominent part as supporters of the principles of Protestantism, in calling the meeting at Birkenhead to oppose the Papal movement, held a public dinner at Mr. Gough's, the Woodside Hotel. The large room was decorated in a very tasteful manner for the oc casion. The walls were covered with different shades of calico, fluted, to represent panelling, and over the chair was a large mirror, wjth flags disposed on each side, and tapestry radiating from the centre. Union jacks were displayed in other parts of the room. There were about two hundred present. The chair was occupied by John Laird, Esq., and the vice-chair by Percy M. Dove, Esq. Amongst the gentlemen present were—T. B. Golborne, Mr. H. Laird, Mr. H. Watson, Mr. J. Fry, Mr. R. Hughes, Mr. James Holme, Rev. A. Knox, Rev. J. Baylee, Mr. J. J. Conway, Rev. R. H. Lundie, Mr. Higgin, Mr. W. Pike, Rev. R. Wall, Mr. J. Greatly, Mr. E. Watson, Mr. Kelly, Mr. Ferns, Mr. J. Tyrer, Mr. R. Lamont, Mr. J. M'Cormick, and Captain Cooke. The dinner was served up in a style of liberality and elegance highly creditable to the taste of Mr. Gough, the proprietor of the hotel. Grace was said before and after dinner, by the Rev. A. Knox. The proceedings were enlivened by the efforts of a party of glee singers. The CHAIRMAN gave th e usua l l oyal toasts of" The Queen," " Prince Albe r t an d th e rest of the Royal Family, &c., which were drunk with peat enthusiasm, followed by the National Anthem, and the glee of " Hail, Star of Brunswick." The CHAIRMAN proposed "The bishop and clergy of the diocese," which was drunk with loud applause. The Rev. A. KNOX responded to the toast. It was a source of great gratification to the bishops and clergy of the Church of England to see that noble Protestant Christian spirit now manifested throughout this realm by the laity. (Cheers.) It had ever been the distinguished honour of the Church of England that she was a faithful witness against the Church of Rome, and against her un scriptural principles and practices. They had to acknow ledge, with regret, that for a long period of time that solemn protest against the Church of Rome had not resounded throughout this land, as it did in the days of the Reformation. Some few among the clergy had kept up the protest, and he was sorry to say that many of his brethren had been esteemed as bigots, because they never failed to protest against what they considered to be anti- Christian. They were then the exception to the general rule, but now matters had changed, and the exceptions were those who did not protest against the errors of the Church of Rome. (Cheers.) He was, however, thankful to say that the exceptions were comparatively few. (Cheers.) Never since the days of the reformation had the protest been sounded throughout the length and breadth of the land more distinctly and more boldly, or more faithfully, than within the last few months; and it was with such clearness that he believed, at that moment, it had reached the Vatican of Rome. (Loud cheers.) The bishops of their, church had taken a leading part; they had charged the clergy to follow them, and the clergy had listened to their call, and, with few excep tions, they had boldly borne their protest against this daring invasion of the Pope of Rome against our beloved Queen and her country—(cheers) —an invasffin which involved an interference with our civil and religious li berty. (Cheers.) It was a cause of unspeakable thank fulness that within the church there lay those scriptural principles that only wanted stirring up to manifest that she is built on the foundation of the apostles, and that Christ himself was the chief corner-stone. She did not assume to herself infallibility, or universal supremacy, for then she might be charged with anti-Christ. She claimed to herself the pure type of the apostolic church of Christ. Here she was scriptural, and in her principles and practices she was tolerant to all sects and parties. (Cheers.) Those who talked of the intolerance of the church in the present day were not worthy of the civil and religious privileges of the land. He hailed the movement which was going on in the country, as it would tend to drive out from the church all who had claimed relationship with Rome. (Cheers.) He hoped that the protest would be sounded in Parliament on its reassem bling, and if not responded to, that it would be sounded again, and again, and again, until we had a legislature that would, by proper enactments, restrain the intole ranee, and the presumption, and the audacity of Rome. (Cheers.) The Parliament should not persecute, but they ought to oppose this country being brought under the iron despotism of the man of sin, and show that if they wished to remain in England, it must be as British sub jects, and not as vassals of the Chuich of Rome. (Loud applause.) The CHAIRMA N aga i n rose , an d b r i efly proposed the " Army and Navy." Drank with the usual honours. Lieut. HOOKEY returned thanks. The army and navy had ever done their best to deserve, and receive the ap probation of their fellow-countrymen. (Hear.) Although he trusted the horrors of war were far from them,—so far that they might never return ; but should they be visited with the calamity, they would find the army and navy ready to defend the rights of the crown, the glorious con stitution by which they were governed, and their civil and religious liberty. (Applause.) The CHAIRMAN then gave the " Marquis of Westmin ster, Lord Lieutenant of the County," and then the "Members for the County." The toasts were well responded to. Mr. DOVE then rose to propose the toast of "Protes tant ascendancy." It was well they should call to mind the hedges that had been thrown up to protect the throne and the constitution of the country by the wisdom and the piety of their ancestors of old, One of those was the subject of the present toast—Protestant ascendancy. (Ap plause.) He was happy to have to connect with the toast a name that was well-known for his labours in the cause of truth, and for his lingual research, and who ranked se cond to no controversialist of the present day. He had much pleasure in proposing the toast of Protestant ascen dancy, and in calling on the Rev. J. Baylee to reply to it. (Applause,) The Rev. J. BAYLEE had great pleasure in responding to the toast. In the 16th century a voice was heard from an obscure cell, and that voice uttered a sentiment which shook the throne and cleansed the altar, which reached the minds of men and set them all a thinking—(hear, hear,)—that voice awaked a chord in the human heart which had been slumbering for ages, and this was the right of private judgment. (Applause.) The right of 'private judgment was also accompanied by its responsi bility. And there was also a right of public judgment, and by a combination of the two they were banded together in a great and most holy cause. In the Church of ,Rome public and private judgment would be crushed. Bibles would be closed, and liberty put under ban. But they would never permit England to be the slave of Rome. Why had the Church of England the hearts of Nonconformists ? Because they gave liberty. He loved the gospel better than the church, and would become a Nonconformist should the church commence to teach error. He asked, would England hold the position she now held if the right of public and private judgment did not belong to the people of this country. (Cries of "no, no.") Who split the Greek and Romish Churches ? That haughty power, which had unity in her lip, but dis sension in her acts. He concluded by saying that Pro testant ascendancy was the ascendancy of liberty, the ascendancy of truth ; not the ascendancy of libertine liberality in liberalistic form, but the ascendancy of that which recognised no power contrary to that of God, which, whilst it bowed low before God, made them de sirous to be free in the liberty wherewith Christ had blessed them. (Great applause.) by thny other excellent and elo quen t speec h es were ma d e e Rev. Mr. Wall, Rev. R. H. Lundie, Mr. Gol borne, Mr. Watson, Rev. T. F. Redhead, Mr. R. H. Sherlock, &c., &c. The items, which were as follow, were moved seriatim by Mr. Hornby •—The Dispensaries, .e 137 10s. ; Northern Hos pital, .elOO : Southern Hospital, .elOO ; Opthamic Institution, X3O; Refuge for the Destitute, .£25; Royal Institution, £ h )0; Ladies' Charity, .e3O; Lying , in-Hospital, ; and-that the sum of .elOO be subscribed for the present year to the-District Provident Society. Mr. HOLT objected to the principle of contributing to chari table institutions out of the fOnds of the Corporation ; but, after some discussion, the - grants were carried, with only a nominal amount of dissent.. The subscription to the Opthal mic Institution was increased , to .t'loo. The donation to be given to the Infirmary was referred to the Finance Committee. Mr. J. A. TOBIN moved. a grant of -e5O to the Ragged Schools, in Soho-street ; but this being contrary to the stand ing orders, the matter was also referred to the Finance Coln mittee. TOWN COUNCIL, The monthly Council was held on Wednesday, the Mayor, Jnhn Bent, Esq., in the chair. The Mayor was appointed as a trustee for Miss Ann Molyneux's charities. Mr. J. A. Tobin, Mr. Thomas Fleming, and Mr. Matthew Gregsen, were ap pointed trustees for St. James's Cemetery. Forty-one mem bersof the Council were placed en the Pilot's Committee. Mr. Thomas Littledale, Mr. Hugh Hornby, and Mr. Samuel Holme were appointed commissioners of the Wallasey embankment. Mr. DOVER, in moving the appointment of forty-one mem bers of the Council to be commissioners under the acts relating to the churches of St. Paul and St. John, complained of the extravagant expenditure on the Corporation churches. Mr. BIGHAM observed that an expenditure of nearly .el,OOO, engrossed by St. Paul's Church, might b e reduced to .t'soo. Mr. Dover's resolution having been seconded, it was carried by the Council. FINANCE COMMITTEE'S REPORT. The report of this committee comprised the annual state ment of the probable income and expenditure of the year, between the first of September last and the first of August next. The statement of the financial sub-committee showed that the nett income of the Corporate Estate, from all sources, could not be estimated at more than .t 154,530 ; amount of obligatory expenditure, £122,631 ; leaving a gross surplus of £31,899. The continuance of branches of discretionary ex penditure (the schools and public charities for the public benefit of the inhabitants hitherto sanctioned annually by the Council) must be stated at .e 2,437 ; leaving a nett surplus of £29,462 ; out of which sum the cost of the following works, already directed by the Council, must be defrayed, viz. : — observatory, 700 ; reformatory, ,•1700 ; total, .e 2,400 ; leaving as available surplus £27,062. By the arrangement of last quarter, relief would be afforded to the ratepayers of the borough to the following amount :—Parish of Liverpool, £8,527 12s. .Id. ; extra-parochial place of Toxteth-park. £1,588 38. 7d. ; township of Everton, Bs. 11 d . ; West Derby, £614125. lid. ; Kirkdale, £258 17s. 4d. If the Coun cil this year voted the same amount, .e 11,691 14s. 10d., in lieu of the watch rates from the several townships in the borough, there would be still £15,370 ss. 2d. disposable at the discre tion of the Council, for the public benefit of the inhabitants, and the improvement of the borough ; subject, however, to the interest for the half-year on any further sum which may be borrowed during the next month for the new gaol, and which amount will not, in all probability, exceed £4OO. The pro ceedings of the committee also contained a resolution that a communication from the lessees of the gunpowder magazines at Wallasey be submitted to the Secretary of State, and that a deputation be appointed to confer with Sir George Grey on the subject. The committee .also recommended the continuation of the usual subscription from the Corporation to the chari ties of the town. Mr. HORNBY, the chairman of the committee, having moved. the adotion of the report, Earxims HOLME recommended that the grant to the tra and Infirmary be increased from eao to etoo. THE POWDE4t MAGAZINES, Mr. BroxAm, before the proceedings of the committee were confirmed, wished to say. that the credit of their having £15,000 as a surplus fund for the ensuing year, belonged r in a groat measure, to the Watch Committee, by whose economi cal management there had been saved to the Corporation something like £7,000 or £S,OOO per annum ; thus making the. difference between the .e7,000 , 0f last year, and the £15,000 ,of the present. He then referred to the Powder Magazines, and wished to know whether the Finance Committee were really and truly wishful to remove this great danger from the town. He trusted that the letter from Sir George Grey might be read. Mr. HORNBY said that he had never recorded Sir George Grey's letter on the proceedings of the Finance Committee, and he thought it undesirable to do so. He was of opinion that the alarm upon the subject was greatly exaggeratal. (Hear, hear.) He assured the Council, however, that when ever the committee could take any definite step in the matter , they would bring forward such a proposition to the Council,. After a long conversation with regard to the propriety of the letter being read, the MAYOR said that, on Saturday last, ,he received a communication from the Home-office, which, he thought, would show that the Finance Committee were actively. engaged in settling this important question. Individually, he was of opinion that any disclosure of their proceedings would lead to most unfortunate consequences :—(hear, hear)--and that, at present, it was exceedingly desirable that the Finance Committee should not be interrupted in their negociations, with the Government, as they would be, undoubtedly, if the, required disclosures were conceded. Mr. BIaHAM intimated that he was willing to withdraw his request for the production of the letter, if could have an assurance from the Chairman of the Finance Committee that they intended, bona fide and absolutely, to carry out the re solution of the Council, that the question should he settled by the remo% al of the magazines. Mr. HORNBY remarked, that if the deputation were tot go for the sole purpose of havinr , the magazines removed, he,for one, would not be upon the deputation at all. Mr. BIOHAM then againasked whether the Chairman of the Finance Committee wohld state that the ultimate intention •f the Committee was the removal of the magazines. Mr. HORNBY.—Certainly not. sir. DIGIIIAM replied, that he and others would now be con firmed in the opinion that there was an intention, on the Part of the Finance Committee, to swamp or stave off the question altogether. The MAvon.—l cannot allow you, Mr. Bigham, to impute such unworthy motives to the committee. There is no such intention. It is wounCing our honour to tell us that we desire to swamp the question. The disposition of the Finance Com inittee is to do their duty to the public. (Cheers.) Mr. BIGHANI said be had not the slightest intention. to cast reflections, and that he must bow, of course, to the rebuke of the Mayor. He would ask the Town-clerk whether he could not, as a member of the Council, demand the reading of that letter? He knew its contents were talked about elsewhere, and tolerably well known. The TOWN-CLERK having given it as his opinion that the compliance with Mr. Bigham's wish would most seriously pre judice the interests of the Council, Mr. Bigham consented to withdraw his proposition entirely. The Town-clerk further said that it was the intention of the Finance Committee, so soon as the whole matter had been arranged, but before any thing was finally concluded upon, to lay the letter, concerning which the discussion had been arranged, and also other docu ments in relation to the question, before the Council for their decision. (Hear.) The proceedings of the Finance Committee were then con firmed. Mr. HORNBY moved the adjournment of the Council. The motion was seconded ana carried, to-morrow morning being fixed for the transaction of the large amount of business which remaii.ed upon the paper, and which comprises the pro ceedings of the Watch, Lighting, and Fire Police and Fire Pre vention Committees ; the Dock Committee ' • Improvement. Committee; Courts of Law and George's-hall Committee ; Education Committee ; Health Committee • Water Commit tee ; Church Expenditure, Library and duseum, Juvenile Offenders, and'other Committees. LAUNCH OF THE MARION MACINTYRE. A most interesting event in the annals of shipbuilding took place, on Saturday last, at the building-yard of Messrs. Jordan and Getty, Sefton-street, by the launching of a beautiful barque, called the Marion Macintyre. More than ordinary interest was excited from the fact that the principle on which this ves sel is built is almost entirely new ; but one experimental craft, the Excelsior, having been previously constructed upon it, under a patent obtained for combining the strAngthenin:g unity of wood and iron. The Excelsior was built for Josias Booker, Esq., to trade in the West India islands, and the success at tendant upon her voyage outward drew to the scene of the launch hundreds of merchants and others interested in the trade and commerce of the port ; and, at the hour announced, there could not have been fewer persons present than a thou sand, amongst whom were • many of the fairer portion of creation. Almost punctually to the hour, twelve o'clock, the launch took place amidst the usual demonstrations on such occasions, the ceremony of christening being performed by Mrs. J. Macintyre. The Marion Macintyre is about 303 tons register. She is 117 feet in length, (builders' measurement, keel and fore-Cake,) with a beam of 22 feet 5 inches, which amidships is carried well down to her bilge, giving her great bearing, and not in terrupting her well-rounded lines, fore and aft. Her bow, which is gracefully ornamented with carved work, somewhat approiiimares to that known as the Aberdeen clippers. Aft she is equally clean. On her stern is a bold carving of the' Royal Arms of Scotland, surrounded by relieved foliage work, running to the quarters. The peculiarity of this vessel is, that the whole of her frame-work is of angle iron, and, where extraordinary strength is required, it is rivetted back to back, forming what is known RS T iron. Diagonal pieces (iron) com mence, crossing each other amidships, and, run oppositely, fore and aft, connecting every "timber," while exterior stringers are carried to form a circle, so as to prevent the pos sibility of her either " hogging" or " breaking her back." The planking is most ingeniously attached to this framing, and while the;tension of iron is brought fully into play, the re sistance of wood is equally effective. Her ceiling is all put down with screw bolts, so that it can be removed whenever re quired, and thus full access is given to examine her relative to corrosion, &c. She has a flash deck, with a poop cabin, and is neatly, but not expensiveiy fitted. Though she bad in her nearly a hundred tons of ballast when launched, she sat light and graceful on the water as a swan, and looked as lofty and majestic as a vessel of double her tonnage. Immediately after the launch the company adjourned to the " mould-room," where a splendid def caner was provided by Morrish and Feeney, and a more elegant, tasteful, and sub stantial display we never witnessed. The room was appro priately and gaily decorated with models, flags, and other effective devices. The company present numbered upwards of three hundred, and, with the workmen and oth ers rega l ed below, ample provision must have been made for six hundred people. Mr. GETTY presided, and having given the Queen, Prince Albert, and the other loyal toasts, which were duly honoured, proceeded to that of the day, which he said, had special reference to the launching of the beaut iful vessel they had just seen go off the stocks. He trusted the same good fortune would attend the Marion Macintyre that had attended the Excelsior, which was launched from the same yard in July last. That vessel had reached Trinidad all right and tight, notwith standing that during the letter portion of her voyage a hurri cane was blowing from the islands of the West Indies. So far as great strength, beauty of model, large carrying capacity, and freedOm from those imperfections and defects which were inseparable from vessels constructed on the old system, went, there was no doubt the Marion Macintyre would prove a credit to her builder,—he said builder, for, although he himself was one of the firm, to Mr. Jordan solely was the credit to be given,—and a profit to her owners. He, therefore, called upon the company present to driiik " Success to the Marion Macin tyre, and health, wealth, end happiness to her owners," with whose names he would include that of the lady whose name the gallant ship bore. (Cheers.) The toast was drunk with great applause. Mr. L. H. MACINTYiq responded, and, having, acknowledged the compliment paid to the owners and his lady, said the whole credit of the new system upon which the vessel was built was due to Mr. Jordan, jun., and to Messrs. Jordan and Getty, who had so admirably carried it out. When he first saw the model in the newsroom, he was struck with the many advantages it possessed ; but there were two objections which had presented themselves to his mind, namely, the difficulty of connecting iron and wood, and the great difficulty of coppering iron-bound vessels ; but both of these obstacles they had entirely got rid of. As regarded the latter, the coppering over iron, which was the more important one, it had been obviated by two layers of gutta percha between the sheathing and the planting, thus making the vessel almost air-tight as well as water-tight, and the only danger now was that she might be even too tight. (Laughter.) The objections to which he had alluded having been surmodnted, they had nothieg left but ad vantages to be gained by the new system : they had any strength, almost, which they pleased, great carrying capacity, exceeding light draft, entire freedom from dry-rot, and last, though not least, the satisfaction of knowing that if any accident occurred to ithe ship, or if they were desirous to ascertain where she was in good and safe condition, they could do so without taking away the whole side of the vessel,or without displacing the im mediate joining parts ; and this, he need not tell them, was a great advantage possessed over vessels built of wood. (Cheers.) o great was his opinion of the principle upon which this vessel had been built, that he must confess that, without wishing to disparage those hearts of oak of which they had been so long and justly proud, he should now feel some littel hesitation in investing his money in them. He could only say that, as we were now open to competition from all the world.—for America was treading upon our progress, was beating us in the sailing capacities of her vessels, and in our stronghold, China, they were getting per ton for vessels, whilst English snips were fetching but .W 4 per ton.— it was necessary that something should be done to enable us to cope with other nations. To America he would say, " God speed," but he trusted that Eng land would be able to compete with her. (Cheers.) He wished briefly to mention the cause of the American vessels beating ours. It was simply this : they were built of wood of very light material compared with our ponderous oak-built vessels, and, consequently, had a light draft of water. Nothing yet had been tried so likely to compete with them as the vessel which had just been turned from the stocks. (Cheers.) This vessel was nearly 300 tons, and yet her whole weight, hull, spars,. rigging, sails, everything connected with her, would not weigh more than 100 tons, whilst another vessel not exceeding that burthen constructed upon the old principle, would weigh 200 tons at least; so that they had thus the means of putting into her some hundr ed tons more cargo than in another ship of like dimen sions, and of making her sail equally quick. (Hear, hear.) If they placed in her a cargo of double her tonnage capacity, she would not draw more than twelve or thirteen feet of water; and from this fact the company would draw their own conclusion as to whether this system was not likely to supersede those now in general use. (Cheers) Mr. C. H. MAciNTiRE again rose and said he begged to pro - pose the health of gentlemen who had that day distinguished themselves, and for ever distinguished themselves, in the pro gress of shipbuilding. It was no small compliment to say of them that they had adopted a new principle of shipbuilding, which, he felt assured, would, in process of time, supersede that :of any others. (Hear, hear.) After having witnessed the launch, and examined the strong way in which the ship had been put together, and the great trading facilities she pos sessed over other vessels, it became a matter of duty that they should drink to the health, prosperity, and permanent success of Messrs. Jordan and Getty. The toast was responded to most rapturously. Mr. Garry rose to reply. He said that Mr. Macintyre had exceeded his just limits in coupling his (Mr. Getty's) name with that of Mr. Jordan ; for, although he was a partner in the firm, lie was no practical man ; and, therefore, before going further, he wished it to be understood most distinctly that all the credit and honour attaching to any person, so far as re garded the construction of the vessel, was due to Mr. Jordan ; and, at the same time, it was necessary that he should do jus tice to another party—the patentee. He saw in the news papers, after the launch of the Excelsior had taken place, his name put down as the patentee. The statement was—" Mr. Robert Getty, patentee, took the chair." Now, he wished to state that he was not the patentee. The patentee was Mr. John Jordan, the talented son of his worthy partner in busi ness. Mr. Henry Jordan, who, with the advice and assistance, and profiting by the long experience, of his father in matters connected with ships and shipbuilding, had brought the matter to its present perfection. (Hear, hear.) He was glad t o sa y that the subject had been appreciated by more countries tban 1 our own, as in.tents had been granted by the French and American governments ; and: it might not be out of place for him to enumerate some of the advantages which the newly adopted 'system possessed. (Rear, hear.) .In the first , pli2ce, they got rid of dry yet altogether, which was one of the-greatest enemies the shipowner had. (Hear, hear.) Vessels constructed - opon the improved plan possessed greater strength than-those not so constructed. To gain strength in wooden . ships- it re quired immense timbers of great length and depth; but how ever strong they-made them they could not get over the diffi culty of the cross grain. So !mg. as- they -had the British oak to work upon they were all right, or if they could obtain timber naturally crooked ; but it unfortunatelyi.liappened, unless- in isolated cases,. that they could not get the natural crooks; and . in making them out of strong timber the cross grain was formed: A vessel so constructed; getting on a bank, was sure to break the whole parcel of her timbers, This, however, was obviated in the present system of building by applying iron ribs. (Hear, hear.) Again, ships, sa.constructed possessed considerably greatercarrying capacity over others of old build . which subject. as well as that of their floatation, had already been commented upon. The next advantage, and it was a serious. one, was the superiority possessed by the shipowner in investing Money on ships constructed upon this-plan, as compared with, others.. Mr. Crouse, the talented surveyor. .of Lloyd's, who. bad been sent over here to survey this vessel, had expended a. whole day in examining her minutely, and went away express ing himself in the highest terms. (Hear, h ear .) Th e mo d els which were then behind him had been exhibited befireLlOyd's Committee, the- Lords of the Admiralty, at and the Trinity B oar d, on a ll w hi ch °cc -- . attendance, and in a 1 cases, he was 11 been. approved, of; and, in fact, some .at by gentlemen connected with these .hod curved to the - constructors. Lloyd's had by giving the vessels the class of A 1 fi materials continue good. (Hear, h the cost of these vessels within such a s for all persons to invest in them. these vessels costing not more than when further to be able tar( ins there was- a.full ,y to -say, they had tntages pointed out which had not oc- ar.) TI , ed io bril lake it ea ,itice that still further; in fact, they were deter aed to bring it to the lowest point consistently with yielding fair remunerating profit to the builder. (Hear, hear.) There were other and great advantages which he had not touched upon;. but all persons who took an interest in the,subject were welcome tovis►t their building-yard, and view the system irt its operation._ (Cheers.) The health of Mrs. James Macintyre, the lady who el tened the vessel, coupled with that c given and heartily responded to. Mr. MACINTYRE replied. Mr. SAMUEL HOLME, in a long and appropriate spe sponded to the toast of "The town and trade.of Live, vuo,,- with which his name had been coupled. He concluded by pro posing the health of Mr. John Bramley•Moore, which was re ceived with loud applauso. Mr. BRADLEY-MOOPE replied, and in dci;ing so, expressed the gratification he felt in viewing so large anassembly on such an occasion. It had inspired him with hope for the future. He had been a most determined and warm opponent of the re peal o the Navigation - lag's. for he fancied i n suc h repeal he foresaw much mischief, and he regretted' tO say that the expe rience of the past, since the law had beeu altered, was anything but satisfactory and gratifying. He lamented to say that, when they should see the returns of the past year, they would find a Irmo, inrrekoc.;.. • Lusbanci, ... 6 c increase in toe foreign and a great decreiise in the amount of British shipping; but, so/long as ships could be produced at the pric e w h ic h h ad beer i stated, there was still a hope that we should be able to cope with our foreign conspe titors. (Hear.) Mr. W. B. JONES, shipbuilder, to the honour of his health having been drank, replied in a practi cal speech, in which he urged the duty of our local legislators to give encouragement by affording the necessary facilities to shipbuilding in the port. At th is stage of the proceedings, intimation was given to the chairman that the American Consul, Colonel Crittenden, was present. The chairman immediately availed himself of t h e f act to do honour to Am er i ca by proposing the health of the gallant colonel. Colonel CRITTENDEN, in a neat speech, replied to the com pliment. He said he understood, although he had not dis tinctly heard the sentiment proposed, that his own name had been honoured by mention by the chairman. He took occa sion to say to the ladies and gentlemen, that it afforded him great pleasure at all times to hear front any source in this country an expression of good feeling towards the people of his own land. • (Cheers.) It had been his pleasure to reside in the town for about eighteen 'months, and he had the gratifying satisfaction to number amongst its inhabitants manyfriends for whom he entertained th e ki n dli est feel i ngs; but, in addi tion to these personal considerations, he could not fo. get the mighty interests which united the two countries, and he there fore rejoiced at all these tokens of good feeling between them, knowing that they wfre matters of the greatest importance in strengthening the arnity existing between two great nations. (Cheers.) He had witnessed the bAlutiful specimen of naval architecture furnished in the construction of the gallant ship which they bad seen launched upon her proper, if not her native element. He trust e d th at she would be eminently successful, and 'that her builders and Owners would be rewarded for all their toil and trouble. He had not the pleasure of being present when the Excelsior was launched, but he would say, with all sincerity, that he hoped the Marion Macin tyre would prove more excellent in all respects than she.— (Cheers, folloWed by the band playing "Yankee Doodle," accompanied by the company.) The health of Mr. Feeney was proposed by the CHAIRMAN, in some eulogistic remarks, and that gentleman, in responding, stated that he had entered into an arrangement with the cele brated Soyer to be present at the great approaching Exhibition, when he should be glad to meet all f r ie n d s at t h e res i dence of the late Lady Blessington,Gore-house. The room was shortly afterwards cleared for a dance. District Ji-lcros. The organ in the parish chm ch. Orrnskirk, was opened on Sunday week, after being much improved. No county rate for Cheshire will be laid for the ensuing quarter. At a sale by auction, at Bagilt, on the 28th December, a piece of land, containing in all 351 square yards (with a frontage to the main street of about 20 yards) was put up at £6O, and sold, after some sharp competition for £125, which is equal to £1723 per acre ! or 7s. Ind. per yard ! On Wednesday, as one of the afternoon trains from Ormskirk was leaving the Burscough station, a middle aged man who was scuffling with some other parties on the platform unfortunately fell, and came in contact with the moving carriages. His skull was fractured, and the brain laid bare. It was feared that the injury would prove fatal. FOR TILE EXIIIBITION.—An old man named Dixon, aged nearly 118 years, applied to the Rochdale Board of Guardians, a week or two ago, to be received into the workhouse, on account of the ill-treatment of kis wife, who had had a child within the last few months. He had neither been washed nor shaved for above half a year, and his wife exhibited him at 2d. for each person. His request was complied with. New Year's Day was Observed as a general holiday in Ormskirk, when the children of the Church schools, nine hundred in number, attended the parish ch urc h, w h ere a sermon was preached by the vicar, and afterwards they were regaled at a bountiful dinner. Nearly all the shops were closed, and garlands of evergreens were suspended across the street ; the church bells rang, and flags were seen flying on every side. On Sunday, a prisoner in the Manchester Borough Gaol committed suicide by hanging himself with his handker ehief from an opening in the door. He was retained for want of bail, and kept in solitary confinement. The cor oner's jury, on Monday, found a verdict of" Self-destruc tion. As to the state of the prisoner's mind, as to sanity. no evidence to show ; and the jury wish to express an opinion that solitary confinement seems unjust when a man is waiting bail fora common assault." On Sunday week, the festival of St. John was celebra ted by the brethren of the Cestrian Lodge of Freemasons, at the Royal Hotel, Chester, on which occasion Brother Sir Watkin William Wynn was duly installed W. M. of the lodge, in the presence of the Right Hon. Vis. Corn bermere, M.W.P.G.M., who occupied the throne; John Finchett Maddock, Esq., V.W.D.P.G.M. ; Brother the Hon. Wellington Cotton, M.P., V.W.P.G.J.M., and a number of provincal grand officers and Brethren. Bro. Dixon, presented the master elect to the M.W.P.G.M. for his approvil, after which he was installed in the usual form by Brother Lewis, W.M. ; the ancient charges be ing delivered in a most effective manner by Brother E. G. Willoughby, V.W.P.P.G.J.D. _ REPEAL OF THE DUTY ON PAPER..—A meeting of paper manufacturers was held on Tuesday afternoon, at the Clarence Hotel, Spring Gardens, Manchester, in order to consider what steps could be taken to secure, in course of the next session of Parliament, the abolition of the paper duty. Mr. T. B. Crompton was called to the chair. Among the gentlemen present were Messrs. J. Smith (Smith and Ingle), C. Potter, (C. H. and E. Potter), Jas. Martin, (Leeds), T. B. Parke, J. Bennett, Crook, (Crook and Knowles), James Baldwin, (Birmingham), J. Rideout, (J. and T. B. Crompton), T. Holden, and J. Appleton. The chairman said that at a meeting held about a month since, he was requested to ascertain, as far as possible, the probability of getting, in the next session of parliament, an abolition of the paper duty. With this view, he had had interviews with Lord John Russell, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and a great number of leading men, both in and out of parliament, and of all political sentiments. The result of these interviews was a conviction that on the exertion made by the public and the trade, but emanating from the latter, would entirely depend whether they were to succeed in getting this ob noxious tax repealed or not. The next step he took was to have a circular issued by the " Association for the Abolition of the Duty on Paper," which existed in Lon don, and also himself to issue a pamphlet on the subject. He did this because he felt they could never hope for suc cess unless they informed the public of the true nature of the paper tax, and the extent to which it affected almost every individual in the community. He had that day met with an individual who was consuming £lOOO worth of paper yearly, but who said he " had not the least idea that paper paid any very serious duty," and he was per fectly astounded when he (the chairman) informed him that it paid not less than 40 per cent. This was not all ; some descriptions of paper were taxed to the extent of 120 per cent. on the cost price. After referring to the restrictive and penal character of the law respecting the manufacture of paper, he pointed out the extent to which, despite the vigilance of the excise, frauds were constantly being committed, and said that of this the government was fully aware and acknowledged the diffi culty of collecting the duty. Substitutes for paper were being continually produced, so nearly identical in their nature, that excisemen could not detect the difference, until told of it; but all these were allowed to go duty free. He himself, within ten days, had placed in the hands of a government officer, a specimen of a new ma terial, which the officer unhesitatingly pronounced to be pasteboard ; but he would not, nevertheless, dare to seize three tons of it, although he (the chairman) told him where it was lying. The chairman next referred to the great number of persons who depended upon the manu facture of paper, either directly or indirectly, an d urged the immense advantage which must result to them from the abolition of the duty on paper. Mr. Baldwin described the injurious operation of the paper duty on the trade of Birmingham.—The meeting was afterwards addressed by Mr. C. Potter, and other gentlemen ; and resolutions were agreed to for the commencement of a subscription, to aid the London association ; directing the secretary to communicate with all similar associations in the country ; and urging paper manufacturers to solicit subscriptions from their friends generall y, and to endea vour t o ma k e known the injurious operation of the tax complained of. About £2OO was subscribed by th ose present at the meet ing. Horse radish may be had all the winter by taking the roots.from the soil when at perfection, grating them, and placing the article in jars or bottles filled with vinegar. The air should be thoroughly excluded by corking, and covering the nozzle will% melted sealing wax. It is a superb article. THE COLUMN OF &atm anb Wlortirulturt Another year has flown by, and a glance at the past will tell our readers that it has been one of progress in the art of horticulture. The crude manipulations of the flower-fancier are lost in the dawn of a new science—a science which has now established its claim to that title, and allied itself with the 'kindred branches. botany, che mistry, geography, and others of less intimate connexion. This is the sixth year we have laboured to advance horti cultural knowledge in Liverpool, and we hope with some success; nor are we willing to abandon it while anv signs of improvement continue to reward our labours. But we have long been impressed with the idea that science has no representative in. the Liverpool press, and it is our intention in future to open this column to all matters of science, more especially connected with• local not, however, losing sight of the horticultural, v so long been represented.. London has a host of scientific Papers, which record the proceedings of the learned • but Liverpool ha- - ocieties particular portion of an ordinary para2rar of one v Its column societies, vhich has Ls to anything more than mence e do :lot intend, a t fi rs t, to report every lecture, and notice every new book ; but we will endeavour to furnish our readers with every matter of striking interest that occurs.. There are now from twenty to thirty societies in this locality which meet for scientific purposes, but what they as much hidden from the public as if they were not in Nevertheless, they possess members who are fie attainments, and who would reflect lustre upon our good old town if they were more We have hard workers in almost every branch men who devote all their energies to the _equisition of knowledge —some of European celebrity, but rarely known at home, like the prophet in his own. ”—men who can soar amongst the stars of the .ne depths of the ocean —who can read. _m in the flowers of the field, or reveal the hidden world by the powerful lens, and show the infini tesimal wonders of the Creator. And where do we find the record of these men's labours ? Not in any local publication, but in those of the metropolis. How few of our townsmen know the labours of the astronomer, Mr. Lascelles, orthe indefatigaole Mr. M'Andrew, whose dredges have swept the shores of half the kingdom. The medical profession of Liverpool is rich in men of scientific attainments in botany. Dr. Dickenson has long sus tained the reputation of the town. Mr. Francis Archer is deeply learned in mineratogy and conchology. Drs Nevins is well versed in the chemistry of the atmosphere, and the phenomena of light and heat. Dr. Brett is a profound chemist. Dr. D. P. Thompson is eminent as a meteorologist; and we must, for want of space, conclude the list with one of the most persevering and intelligent microscopists of the day, Dr. Thomas Inman. Amongst chemists we might notice many; but we have been com pelled to curtail the list of medical men so much that we must not trust ourselves further with the subject.. Suffice it to say, that the men of science in this town are amongst its brightest ornaments, and we hope we may be successful in our attempt to make their labours better known by devoting a portion of this column to the publi cation of local scientific intelligence. existence :tent in scienti known science-- county: heavens, or stu sons of wis MISCELLANEA. One of the most fascinating books ever written to tempt the mind to love philosophical knowledge was the " Poetry of Science," by Mr. Robert Hunt, of the Museum of Economic Geology. It was the attempt of a philanthropic mind to lead others to that deep pleasure he has himself enjoyed, in the search of wisdom, which has been the business of his existence. But there is a deleterious effect inseparable from all attempts to give an. introduction of science at one glance. We are too apt to be satisfied with the shadow, when the substance can only be acquired by laborious investigation. We may glance through nature as a book, pleasing ourselves with the beautiful illustrations ; but, to learn their history, we must study the written language. Mr. Hunt has seen the risk which may arise, and has judiciously sup plied the antidote to the bane in his new work, " Panthea on the Spirit of Nature." It is a bold attempt, in the style of a novel to show that true science is not visionary, but that, nevertheless, its realities are as truly poetical as the most luxurious imaginings. Of the language in. which Mr. Hunt has writt en thi s nove l ty we can rdly speak too highly ; it is the most poetical prose we ever read ; and never has matter-of-fact science been more beautifully expressed. The determination between two lines of action is per haps best exemplifi3d by Mr Cotton's weighing machine. This machine is destined to separate light sovereigns frogs those which are heavy—the light ones being thrown into the till, the heavy ones into the opposite. So perfect is this contrivance, that the mechanism will weigh accurately sovereigns to the one-hundreth of a grain, and, of course, more rapidly and more accurately than could be possibly effected by the ordinary process. When Professor de is Rive saw the mechanism at work, he said it was the per fection of mechanics ; and truly it is a most wonderful sight to witness a series of these machines at work in the Bank of England. When the sovereign is light, the scale beam rises, and the coin is thrown by a contrivance into a till made to receive it ; if the sovereign is heavy, the beam descends, and the coin is thrown into the opposite box."—Smee's Instinct and Reason. HORTICULTURAL. It is very usual at this season of the year to prune fruit trees ; but it is very questionable whether it is advisable in seasons like the present to perform tiiat operation whilst the weather is unseasonably warm. With gardeners it is a common saying that winter pruning should be com pleted before the sap rises ; this is the language of experi ence to a certain extent, and if it were expressed in other terms, for instance—when the sap is excited,—it would be perfectly correct ; we need not tell the scientific horticul turist that the rise and fall of the sap is an exploded theory. The root is always full of sap. How, then, can it receive that of the trunk and branches also ? When the wood has ripened the sap becomes inactive, and awaits a new stimulus, which it receives from those subtle solar influ ences which occasion that strange fluttering of new life perceivable in all organised individual s , an i ma l or vegeta ble, on the arrival of Spring. In very mild weather at this season of the year, this influence is often partially forestalled, and we now find the various deciduous trees and shrubs almost bursting into new vegetation. If pruning be carried on under these circumstances, we have noticed it most frequently happens that the shoot dies for some distance downwards ; the mischief of this is easily understood, because the good gardener never cuts at random, but prunes off the exact quantity which can be dispensed with, therefore a"positive injury arises from the loss of more wood than was intended. GARDENING IW_EMORANDA The Liverpool Horticultural Society is about to expe rience a great loss in Mr. J. H. Richardson, who has long been one of its mos t va l ue d members. The floral exhibitions, too, have always been greatly enhanced by his productions. To our regret, (for we lose a much valued contributor,) he is about leaving the neighbour hood. • ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. J. Neilso.n.—You can move roses, that is to say hardy ones, any time from the present to the middle of March. •I• •1 • .• if there is no frost on the —Your seedling , monies are pretty, but present Field Botany is no novelty Miss Catlow work, being both eas an excellent elementary It is a modem attractive GRATIFYING TESTIMONIAL, On New Year's Day, the officers, non-commissioned officers, and privates of the 52nd Light infantry, stationed in this town, presented to the Rev. J. R. Conor, the gar rison chaplain in Liverpool, a very handsome silver tea and coffee service, consisting of coffee-pot, tea-pot, sugar basin, and cream ewer, beautifully designed and manu factured by Mr. Mayer. We may mention that, in addi tion to other duties, Mr. Conor has had a special service for the regiment at St. Simon's Church, every. Sunday afternoon. The handsome donation was accompanied by the following letter from Major Forester : " My DEAR MR. CONOR,—I have been requesle'd by the officers, non-commissioned officers, and privates of the 52nd Regiment, to beg that you will accept of the accompanying breakfast service as a trifling testimonial of their esteem for you as their chaplain and friend during the sojourn of the regiment in Liverpool. Your untiring zeal and faithfulness in pointing out to all of us the alone way by which we can become faithful soldiers of the cross have been felt and acknow ledged by all ; and I am sure that I only speak the sentiment of the entire regiment when I wish you, in their name, a hearty God be with you' through time an and eternity.—Yours ever my dear Mr. Conor, with the highest respect, and in sincerity, ' CECIL FORESTER. " To the Rev. J. R. Conor The following is Mr. Conor's feeling and appropriate reply . " January, 4, 1851. "MY DEAR MAJOR FORESTER,—I had the pleasure, this afternoon, of receiving the handsome present of the 52nd Regiment, with your kind note. 6- Such a preient, from one of the first regiments in the service, cannot fail to be most acceptable to me, whose earliest recollections of military life are brightened by the remem brance of the achievements of your distinguished corps. Your letter makes it the more acceptable, for it shows the warm spirit of affection towards me which pervades the donors. " I am most grateful for the kindness of your regiment. and shall esteem their testimonial among the most honorable I possess. I hope you will assure your brother-officers of these feelings on my part, and also take steps for conveying the same assurance to the non-commissioned officers and privates, whose affection is equally encouraging. " In contemplating your removal from this quarter. 1 fancy that our parting will not be for ever. for I have good hope of meeting many of my soldier friends following the King of Kin gs in the day when He comes forth a t th e h ea d o f h eaven ' s armies. To every man who wears the uniform of the 52nd Regiment I beg to say that he carries with him my best wishes. Should the peace of the world be disturbed, I know that your regiment will go forth to gather new laurels, and add other victories to those emblazoned on your colours. And I hope that, whether in war or peace, your brave fellows will not fail to fight the good fight of faith, remembering that the Captain of their Salvation, Jesus Christ, calls them FORWARD to victory, and promises to every faithful soldier of the cross a crown of life.— Believe me to be, my dear Major Forrester, yours in respect and affection, '' JOHN R. CONOR, M.A., Garrison Chaplain of Liverpool, Domestic Chaplain to Major-General Lord Downes, and Incumbent of St. Simons, Liverpool.", GROWTH OF AMERICA.—The podulation of New York in 1840 was 304,852 ; it is now 517,849. That of Phila• delphia in 1840 was 228,691; last year it was 330,000. DRAINAGE OF LONDON.—There has been, it seems, lately, a rather considerable drain of specie at the Bank. It is a great pity that this is al m ost th e only efficient dralu that we ever hear of in the city.—Punch.