The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-01-29 00:00:00

get? the JANUARY D, 1856.] Z IVERPOOL EXCHANGE BUILDINGS. IRE annual meeting of the proprietors of the Liverpool Exchange was held yesterday, in the Cotton Sales-room the chair being occupied by Mr. Robert Gill. There was only a 41 ZIted number of members in attendance. - - The CHAIRMAir said the chief business of the meeting was t ° receive the annual statement of accounts, which presented fe w features of difference from those of last year. In some Darticulars there bad no doubt been a little variation, but not t° an extent of any importance. The differences, he might °ate, were chiefly that there had been a little increase in the ab ftinit bald for property-tax, and a slight deduction in the ftlOunt realised by the sale of newspapers. There had like been an increase in the expenditure, by furnishing the belvsroom with handsome plate-glass windows ; and in making 41 terations on the entrances, for increasing the facilities of access, by widening the area gates, and giving a superior en- I nce to the area. Notwithstanding these increased items of e ' 4 Penditure, the committee felt that they could safely recom tend that the same dividend as in former years be declared, n amely, £B. 17s. per share, together with £ 3 . 3 s. pe r share in feu of the right of nomination to the newsroom. He con 44(led by calling on the secretary to read the accounts. YouNGEMBAND, the secretary, then read a state 11ent of accounts :- 4r. £ s. a. To Dividend for 1854 on 800 shares, at £8 17s. ,„ Per share .. 4 °amount paid in lieu of the Right of Nomina tion to the Newsroom for 1856 on 800 shares, per share '•° disbursements on account of the Newsroom, £ s. d. Newspapers and other Publica tions Telegraphic Intelligence 2OO 0 0 Coals and Gas Rates and Taxes 475 5 10 Salaries and Contingent Dis bursements 4,141 3 '2 ° amount paid on account of the Building, viz. : Joiners' Work and Iron Work. • 430 13 6 Illasons', Slaters' and Brick Work. 120 13 6 Plumbers', Glaziers' and Painters' Work Insurance from Fire, Taxes, and Law Charges Property Tax • 661 10 0 Salaries and Incidental Expenses 453 9 2 ----- 1 2,455 2 9 T C ) BOUM@ T 24,497 7 10 Cr, tY Bolance of Account for 185 4 2 ... ..... ............ 8,299 0 0 3' amount of Subscriptions to Newsroom , &c. Annual, 2,733 at £3 3s 8,608 19 0 g_9uarterly 269 17 0 'ke of Newspapers, &c l7B 16 4 ------ 9,057 12 4 11 / 2 ' 'Rental of the Building, from 31st December, 1854, to 31.t . t December, 1855. Xeceived'this date £4,862 17 6 To be Received...... 2,116 5 0 .6,09 2 6 Sauk Intertert -- 7,140 15 6 £24,497 '7 10 11 / 2 ' Balance brought d0wn...03,301 1 11 Deduct Amount to be transferred to the Contingent Fund....„ 1,221 1 11 Disposable 8a1ance,..•..:,.. 7,090 0 0 Audited 23rd Jan., 1856. CHARLES BOULT, JAMES H. MACRAE. I .,.Errors excepted. mverpool, 31st December, 13 . 55. -.JOHN H. YOUNGHUSBAND, Sec. and Treasurer. CONTINGENT FUND. Inrested in the flew Three per Cents. £4,992 !I s 'ln'the Bank of A. Heywood, Eons, and Co. 559 1 17 R5:651 V a iou a it ina aeo . 'The CHAIILMA.N moved that the statement of acCounti•be al ) oroved, printed, and eirmilated among the shareholders. The motion was seconded, and unanimously adopted. • Mr. liAmmoon BANNER moved that the sum of £1,1).:21 1)8. 11d. be carried to the contingent fund , as reco mmended 3 , the committee. In doing so, be said it was greatly to the c redit of the committee that, notwithstanding the increased e i 'cPenditnre on the year, they were still able to pay the usual 4 .,lvidend and lug aside - so - considerable a sum to the.con "agent fund. Mr. BATesoN seconded the motion, which was carried. Captain ALEXA.NDE3I moved that the dividend be payable ° ll and after the 4th of February, whiCh was also carried. Mr. Melley and Mr. Henderson were appointed auditors for the ensuing year. The following gentlemen were ap- Dointed directors in the room of those retiring by rotation, Liz. :—Messrs. J. H. McCrae, James Howell, Frederick Engel, Thomas Bolton, and Henry Robson. The CHAII2-11L11 said the next business to be brought under the notice of the meeting was a report made by the committee Who had mentioned the matter to Mr. Stewart, the Mayer, in reference to the -subject of enlarging the News-room. The subject, he stated, had received the most minute attention and the most careful consideration of the committee, and ulso of Mr. Stewart. He then called on Mr. YOUNG-11IISIBA.ND, who read the following REPORT. The proprietors 'having referred to your considerati on the oest means of enlarging the present Exchange-room, or other- Wise providing additional accommodation of that description. Counsel's •opinion being that streets, piazzas, -which bound the extremes of the present room could not be inter 111Pted, at once disposed of the question of enlarging the area of the present room: consequently, however inconvenient, the °III Y way in which the additional accommodation could be obtained was limited to providing a new additional room as contiguous as possible to the present room, or otherwise to Italie use of a room on the one pair floor to be constructed out of the present Underwriters'-room and the offices on that floor. Your sub-committee were of opinion that the least incon '"?enient way would 13e to proVide an additional room, and, as e most convenient in contiguity to the present room, a por n of the northern stack of the .present offices naturally pre 'lented itself. I propose, therefore, said Mr: Stewart, in his report 'to the 'sub -committee, to bring before you such information as occurs '‘o Inc as needful to be considered, should this suestion be adopted. ,_This northern stack of offices is the n arrowest, b e in g onl y tTI feet 6 inches in width on the ground floor, whilst your pre sent room is 51 feet -wide, and your western offices a little more than that ; the width of the 'northern stack is ample for Private offices, but narrow for a - publi c room, and its limited width must limit its length ; it follows that the area to be obtained on this site for a public room cannot be very great. I propose to clear away Nos. 14,1.5, 16, and 17, which will *lye a length of about 93 feet inside, from which, if a stair case and a master's room be taken, -there will be left a room . ., 44 81 feet clear in length by 37 feet 6 i nches in width, a great " Le ngth for a room of that width. Yourpresent room, clear of thear, is 111 feet long and 51 4 oet wide. b The height of the proposed new 'room would take two resent stories, and would be equal -to the side parts of the present room, but the width of the.new room would not allow of the division by columns into a centre and two sides, the e ctsequenee of which would be to make the want of height tore apparent. I think the cost of carrying out the alteration would be from ' 6 ,000 to £7,000. A year's rent would be lost on all the 'ti,u,Oildin interfered with, and about two-thirds of the rent ered permanently sacrificed, in substitution for which there Would be the nett return of additional subscriptions, after deducting the expense of the additional staff of officers. _ Simply as a qu estion of finance, it is doubtful whether it w.ntdd succeed, and how far it would promot e the convenie n ce of Parties frequenting the Exchange , is a q uestion which your c ommittee are better able to decide than I am. (Signed) JOHN STEWART. Some discussion arose as to the practicability of something being done immediately to increa se the News-room accommo dation ; in the course of which, Mr. m`Cain remarked that, having been previously a mem , of the committee, he had urged t his matter u p on their Llsideration ; but experience taught him that it was ver y difficult to get the committee to move o n the sub j ect. He i mpressed on the meeting the paramount importance of some s teps being taken immediately. After a few words from Mr. Bolto n, the chairman, and Mr. Melly,‘ the committee was instructed , on the motion of the l ast-named gentleman, seconded by Mr. Bolton, to obtain tlans for the most efficient means of improving the whole of ae buildings, so as to afford the most advantageous arrange ment of them for the general purposes of an Exchange. Thanks were then voted to the chairman, and the meeting ''Parated. Javnnroor, Purmuusiowie SOCIETY.—The annual meet ,.'44Z. of the proprietors of the Liverpoo l Philharmonic Societ y WI JS held on Thursday, in the Cotton Salesroom, Mr. Marriott residing. The report was unanimously ad o p ted. The re g ular eeipts of the season have about balanced the regular en dm ! ?ture. Two concerts; however, given this year with Madame uoldschmidt, and which do not appear in the accounts, have r esulted in the handsome pr ofit of £1,700; and, when this is taken into account, the present total debt of , the society may stated at about £7,40 0 . Ther e was very little discussion ; %allous reeommendations in the re p ort were agreed to, and 4 rter the election of some new me mbers of committee the ' , Letting terminated, THE STEAM-SHIP PRINCE PATRICK.—This fine vessel, l ately built by Messrs. Vernon and Son s, of this town, for the North Lancashire Steam Navigation Company, running be- IZeen Fleetwood and Belfast, made her trial trip on Saturday L She proceeded from the Prince's Pier about noon, and t he trial was in all respects highly satisfactory. A sumptuous tTactuet was provided on board, prepared by Mr. Morrish , of tie Merchants' Dining-rooras, Tithebarn-street, which did maple credit to the culinary taste an d r e sources of that g entle- ZaTa's establishment. About thirt y g entlemen were present, -,;‘, .`d, participated in the good things as well as in admiration the fine vessel. kAT the Society of Arts' weekly meeting on Wednesday last, ma nufacture G. F. Wilson read a most interesting paper relative to the eo a luxfacture of candles at the famous Vauxhall Works. He O l nienced by describing the constituents of candles, both b e '. l W and composite ; the main difference between the twa f o llg that the first were made from fatty matter in its crude 4 7' , while from the latter an ingredient called glycerine was ea ‘racted. The presence of this substance in fatty matter ts tised tall ow candles to require a wick three times the size p 0 e ,.. 4 steariue candles, and hence the greater illuminating ste ps by the latter. Mr. Wilson then proceeded to trace the prA.." which composite candles had beer. brought to their e ,'''ent perfection, and, in conclusion, alluded to the various ti i/er illlents made by his firm (Price and Co.) in the produc thell cf vegetable oils, observing that the Russian war had put screw on oil discoverers all over the world. So far th e fro , "l Paterial b e ing exhausted, he believed that they we re onl y at w e obt a i ned e commencement of their discoveries, and that oil would from ntauy inatteni which we r e now looked upon as refuse. THE ROYAL CHARTER. A CONSIDERABLE sensation was created in Liverpool on Saturday afternoon, by an intimation posted in the Under writers' Room, as follows :—" Plymouth, Jan. 26.—The Royal Charter, from Liverpool to Australia, has put in here, a little leaky in the upper works, from straining. Defects unimport ant : appears over-laden. Passengers, crew, and cargo all right." Royal Charter, (s.s,) Liverpool, at Plymouth, for Australia, all well ; put in on account of heavy westerly gales." Yesterday morning, the following letter, which had been re ceivedby Mr. Court, Secretary to the Association of Underwriters, from Dr. Scoresby, was made public. From this it is evi dent that the gallant ship has encountered exceedingly severe weather ; and that, notwithstanding the serious trial to which she was put, her qualities as a sea-going craft are of the highestorder; that she sustained the buffettings of an unusually tempestuous sea, and still retains the confidence of her able commander, Captain Boyce, of his crew, and passengers. The following is Dr. Scoresby's interesting letter on the sub ject : " Royal Charter, Plymouth Sound, Jan. 26, 1856. SlE,—The putting back of this splendid ship is a circum stance which will necessarily produce surprise, and, perhaps, unfair comment. I think it my duty, therefore, as one of the passengers, and not an unobservant one, to report through the medium of the Liverpool press, the principal circumstances leading to and rendering, according to my personal judgment, our return both judicious and essential. "The question of putting back was brought to an issue by very heavy weather, encountered off the Bay,of Biscay, and the condition of the passengers in the 'tween decks. To two circumstances, as it seems to me, the inconveniences and evils requiring our return, are clearly traceable, namely :-Ist. Some strange inadvertency or neglect about the ' waterways' and gunwale, with other smaller matters about the main deck, by reason of which, as soon as the sea sprays began to fly on board, the water poured down into the berths of the third and second class passengers in extraordinary quanti ties; and this, having no means of escaping, accumulated and washed about, to the great suffering and damage of the occu pants of the berths. "Secondly. The circumstances of the ship having inad vertently been far too heavily loaded. From prudential mo tives, in respect to the ship's proper stability under canvas, several hundreds of tons of ballast were distributed along the bottom of the hold, a full cargo, at the time, I understood not being at all expected. Too late, with reference to the time of sailing, for the removal ' of what was now a dead weight and encumbrance, cargo flowed in till the ship was full-. The,con sequence was most unfortunate, the ship being sunk deeper in the water by two or three feet than her proper tine of flota tion. The good qualities expected from so fine 'a model in naval architecture were overwhelmed, and the ordinary ma nageableness vastly injured. This latter inadvertency neces sarily rendered the ship wet on the main deck, and so became the cause of supply for the leakage there ; and whilst ruining the ship's proper qualities for nautical evolutions, occasioned the screw, even when raised up to its place above the ordinary level of the water, to be continually dipping, and thus inter fering, by the position of its opaque blades, with the action of the rudder in steering. "To my mind there appears no doubt, that, if the dead weight,-especially that which is at the two extremities of the ship, shotild be removed, and the defects about the gunwales made:good, that all the important difficulties and evils would be removed; and I can see no reason'why the Royal Charter shoUld .not fully regain the reputation which, prospectively, had been attained. And, in support , of this conviction, I may add, that her buoyancy and action as a ' sea-boat, was most admirable I may say splendid, rising above the formidable disadvantage of her deep loading, even in heavy weather, with high cross seas, we encountered .of the Bay of Biscay ; for Whilst her motions were singulariy easy, she neither leaked below nor ever shipped a oval - "I will just add, that painful and onerous as the step taken by Captain Boyce was, in putting'lack to this port, I am per fectly satisfied that a due regard for the health and safety - of 'the passengers, independent of tther considerations, rendered 'this important decision imperative—an opinion, I believe, which is concurred in by all - the passengers on board. 'F‘ven - the avoidance of the wear and tear of a westerly gales%ill blowing heavily, and which has already sent in here a 'fine clipper ship with loss of spars, might well repay for the loss of time in putting back.—l am, Sir, your obedient servant, " ILLIAM SCORESBY. "Thomas Court, Esq., Underwriters' Rooms, Liverpool." In addition to Dr. Scoresby's letter, we have also received the following extracts from the log of the ship, which fully testify to the terrific nature of the storm which the Royal Charter encountered-7. — Sailed 18th.-8 o'clock, passed lighthouse under steam and tide with us ; off Point Lynas at 2.30, p.m.; at 'Holyhead at 6, p.m., strong tide against us ; at 6k set fore mid aft can vass, at 7 and 8 knots, wind south, course S.W. by 'W 19th.—Stormy breezes from S.W., heavy sea rolling in from Westward; at 9, a.m., Tuskar, bore N.W., wind: changed to W. ; Continued beating down channel under all sail, -ship working admirably. 20th.—Off Cork, thick-weather, wind W.N.W, course S.W. by W. • at noon wind ; at 1, p.m., hove up screw, and ran under canvass only `122 knots ; at midnight•-wind hauled to W.N.W. with heavy gales ; put ship under close‘reefed topsail, very heavy sea,-ship behaving very well; under three close-reefed topsail, and- foresail out, screw up. 2lst. Gale increasing, - and sea worse ; wind hauled to S.W. Wore ship and stood to . W.N.W., keep on same tack till next morning—much water , coming on deck—ship going four to five knots being able to carry sail from size of ship and having lower topsail . yards fitted as they are—when most ships must have laid to. 22nd.—Gale continued terrific, and wind. changed to W.N.W. ; wore ship and stood to N.W. Ship -behaving very well, but storm so .violent that great quantities of water came on deck—four to . five knots. 23rd, five a.m.—Wind changed to W.S.W., heavy cross seas and blowing terrifically—four p.m., wore ship to N.W. and sea breaking over ship, and continuing -to that night —going through water four to five knots. 24th, wind N.W., six a.m.—Gale and sea as bad as before. Gale continued with every appearance of -bad weather; at eight a.m. wore ship—connected screw, and bore up for Plymouth. 25th.—Wind and weather the same; running 131 knots. 26th.—Arrived at Plymouth, at three, a.m. " Star of Peace"put in 25th, maintopmast, - &c.,c,arried away. ON Wednesday, theJlev. Dr. Raffles delivered a lecture on " Rome" to a highly respectable audience in Salem Chapel, Burnley. THE NEW CHURCH SOCIETY'S SOIREE will be held this evening, in the Concert-hall, Lord Nslson-street, Jas. Harvey, Esq., in the chair. GOMPERTE'S PANORAMA will continue on view, at the Queen's-hall, Bold-streeti-all this week. Yesterday, the pro prietor, with great liberality, admitted the children connected with the Blue Coat Hospital to enjoy the display. " THE LIVERPOOL INSTITUTE AND SCHOOL -OF ART" is the new name agreed upon for the Liverpool Mechanics' Institution, should the subscribers at the next annual meeting confirm the resolution of the directors. SACRED HARMONIC SOCIETY.—Mr. Hackett's new ora torio, " The Passage of the Red Sea," was produced, on Wed nesday last, at St. George's Hall, before a numerous audience. Mr. Best presided at the organ, and the leading -vocal parts were sustained by Madame Weiss and Mr. Thomas. THE MURDER IN TORTETII-PARE.—The man, John Fer guson, who murdered Sarah Drummond in Prince William street, Toxteth-park, yesterday week, as detailed in our last publication, was on Tuesday committed for trial under a war rant from the coroner, on the. charge of " Wilful Murder." DEATH OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP OF -"AVER •BOOL.—The Rev. Dr. Browne, appointed by the Pope Roman Catholic Bishop at Liverpool, expired' suddenly, at his Tesi deuce, Catherine-street, on Friday morning. Dr. Goss is to be-the new bishop. The solemn office of the dead, prcesegte cadavere, was recited at St. Nicholas's, Copperas-hill, last evening. IVIA.I)AME CONSTANTINI'S CONCERT, which takes placelhis evening, in St. George's Hall, under the patronage of T. E. Horsfali, Esq., M.P., and C. J. Ewart, Esq., M.P., will be-a treat, presenting, as it does, numerous features of novelty and interest. Among these will be the recitative and scerra, "Upon , the Doomed City," from Tully's new cantata, on the taking,of Sebastopol. THE SARDINIAN.—The Royal Mail.clipper ship "-Sardi nian," Captain Sheridan, which left Liverpool for Melbourne on Tuesday last, has, as we learn, been compelled to put into the port of Troon, in the Clyde, on the Ayrshire coast. After her departure she had a strong favourable breeze, and was .running .at the rate of fourteen miles an hour, when, about two p.m., of Thursday, th 6 wind chopped round in a southerly direction, and increased to a hurricane. The canvas being blown to ribbons, and several spars carried away, the captain bore up and reached Troon at midday on Friday. The crew and passengers. are all well. 'The ship behaved most nobly, and proved herself a splendid sea boat ; and Captain Sheridan and his officers and crew displayed great skill, coolness, and activity, under the trying circumstances. This fine vessel sustained no iniury,of any kind beyond the loss of-canvass to a small extent, which was set at the time the gale caught her. She has since been refitted, and was to leave Troon this mor ning at six o'clock, in prosecution of her voyage to the anti podes. IMPUDENT ROBBERX.—Three young men, named William Joving, Joseph Reynolds, and John Armstrong were charged at the Police-court, yesterday, with having, on Satur day night, robbed Mr. Meredith Roberts, a gentleman re siding in Hope-place. From the evidence it appeared that the prisoners, who are well known to the police as dissolute cha racters, and who are a pest to -the neighbourhood, were lurking about the corner of Murray-street and Marble-street, when the prosecutor, who was slightly elated with liquor, went into a public-house in that place, kept by a man named Jones, and he was immediately followed by the prisoners. They called for three glasses of ale, which were supplied. The conductor of the public-house asked them for payment, when one of them said, the "old gentleman" would pay, meaning the prosecutor. On being asked, Mr. Roberts said he did not mind, and pulled out his purse to do so. Immediately on his taking out his purse, Joving seized him by the wrist, and twisted the purse out of his hand. The other prisoner, Arm strong, then called out, " sling out." In answer to this, Joving put his hand behind him and gave the purse to Arm strong. The conductor, likewise named Jones, seized the two, and called for assistance, when Smith, a police-constable, came and secured them, along with the purse, which was found to contain £4. The prisoner Reynolds did not interfere in the robbery. He was accordingly discharged. The other two were committed for trial. AUDACIOUS ATTEMPT AT ROBBERY AND MURDER: On Thursday morning, about ten o'clock, a most daring attempt at robbery and murder was made in the shop of Mr. Durandu, bullion dealer. At the time mentioned Mr. William Hughes, clerk with Mr. Durandu, left the shop in the charge of a lad named Stoddart, the errand boy, while he went for the cash box, which had been deposited for safety, as was usual, in Mr. Hornby's, a few doors oft. Immediately on Hughes leaving, two young men, brothers, named William and Henry Eyre, entered the shop, knocked down the boy Stoddart; and placed him behind the counter, threatening to murder him if he spoke or stirred. They then placed themselves behind the door, in waiting for Hughes, whom they assailed with a poker and a life preserver, striking him over the head with such violence as to cut him severely, and to knock him down. He still struggled and called out " Murder," which brought hint assistance, and the ruffians were secured. So desperate was their assault upon Hughes, that both the poker and the life preserver were broken. He was taken to the Northern Hospital, where his wounds were dressed ; and he is now, we understand, recover ing. The two robbers were taken before the Police-court, and remanded to Thursday. They are the sons of a man who, in August last, was sentenced to six years' penal servitude for appropriating a bank post bill for £5OO, which he found in the street, to his own use, by forging the name of the party to whom it was addressed. TIE LIVERPOOL STANDARD CO.3I.2IOERarAL and _MONETARY NEWS. MONDAY NIGHT. IF the Public Funds be taken as a test of public feeling with reference to the probabilities of the forth coming negociations for peace, it would seem that great confidence is entertained of their ultimate suc cess ; for, in the fluctuations which have recently taken place, the tendency has been towards a marked advance, notwithstanding the continued demand for money and the payment of the final instalment of the Turkish loan. There is no doubt that a termination of the war would have a considerable effect in diminish ing the pressure which has prevailed for some months past—not only in the demand for gold from abroad, but also from our own government—as well as render un necessary any new loan ; so that the improved state of the Funds may be attributed solely to the belief in the present expectations of peace being realised. Money for commercial purposes has been in active demand, and no abatement has yet taken place in the rates of discount. There is nothing, however, to weaken the confidence in mercantile stability, and as the accounts just received from Australia by the Champion of the Seas are far more favourable than preceding reports, we may reasonably anticipate a more improved demand for exports. The accounts of the Bank of England published on Friday are, on the whole, of a favourable character, the changes being comparatively , unimportant. In the stock of bullion there is an increase of £8,361, which, with the decrease in the actual circulation of £16,630, accounts for the increase in the reserve of notes unemployed of £26,195, making the total nearly Five Millions, a sum considerably in excess of any probable demand upon the Bank resources ; and, therefore, rendering less justifiable the present high rate of discount. The private securities are diminished by £558,498, and the private deposits £455,263: the one probably accounting for the other, as the deposits are employed in paying acceptaces falling due, while the public deposits are increased by £219,628. The discussion on the operation ofthe Bank Charter Act is still going on ; and there seems no reason to doubt that it will be brought before the attention of the Legislature in the next session. Whatever may be the crotchets of the bullionists, who can see no virtue but in hard gold—which, except for the faith in its universal convertibility into other commodities, is intrinsically almost as valueless as paper—there is no legitimate reason which has yet been adduced why our merchants should be compelled to pay twice the ordinary rate for accommodation, in order to bolster up a system which all experience has proved to be a vicious one. No one can deny that there is an abundance of money, and that trade was never in a more healthy state ,; , so that the security for accom modation is as undoubted as it can be. Yet, because a law has passed, which the first alteration in circum stances has proved to be unsound in principle, the -mercantile interests have had to bear a heavy burden which virtually doubles their rate of contribution towards the ww, without in reality contributing anything towards the Exchequer. Such is the effect of our monetary regulations. The accounts from Manchester report a continued improvement in that market, and a considerable amount of business has been doing, at advanced prices, in yarns, and also in manufactured goods. This is owing to the better feeling which exists, from the probability of a termination of the war, but complaints are made of the advance which has been obtained not being a sufficient compensation for that in the raw material. The Woollen trade is' lso firm, and prices are maintained, without, however, realising any ad vance df importance. The 'Corn markets during ;the week have shown a firmer 'tone since the decline which took place when the intelligence from Russia was first received. This is owing probably to the belief that it maybe some time before we shall receive any large amount of foreign supplies, whatever turn the affairs of the war may take ; but it should be considered that the long continuance of high prices has tended considerably to diminish consumption, and thabthere is also a verylarge amount of home-grown Wheat in the hands of the farmers, who will do well to'bring it to market while a fair price can be obtained, as should it be kept till the season is more advanced,lt will come into conipe ton with the very large importations which we may reasonably expect to receive. The East India and China Association have pub lished their usual comparative statement of vessels both British and foreign, with their aggregate ton nage, entered inward and cleared outward with cargo from and to places within the limits of the East India Company's charter, from the Ist of January to the 31st of December,lBs4 andlBss. The statistics of vessels entered inward show that in the case of the port of London there was an in crease of 42 vessels and 45,251 tons, the difference between 824 vessels with a capacity of 443,515 tons and 866 vessels with a capacity of 488,766 tons. Liverpool exhibits an increase of 1 vessel and 29,998 tons, the arrivals in 1854 having been 260 vessels with a capacity of .160,572 tons, and in 1855 261 ves sels with a capacity of 190,570't0n5. It appears that the net increase is 24 vessels and 69,730 tons ; the arrivals in 1854 having been 1170 vessels with a capa city of 637,552 tons, and in 1855 1194 vessels with a capacity of 707,282 'tons. The principal arrivals have been from Calcutta, China, and the Cape of Goof' 'Hope. The statistics of vessels cleared outward exhibit in, the case of the port of London a decrease of 231 yes 'gels and 21,276 tons, the difference between 912 vessels with a capacity of 452,968 tons in 1854 and 681 ves :sels with a capacity 431,692 tons in 1855. The return for Liverpool shows an increase of 25 vessels and 66,739 tons, the departures in 1854 having been 440 vessels with a capacity of 313,735 tons, and in 1855 `465 vessels with a capacity of 380,484 tons. The net decrease in the number of departnres is 225 vessels, with an increase of 50,465 tons, showing a continued tendency to the construction and employment of ships of larger capacity. ~ The figures for 1854 and 1855 respectively are 1491 vessels with a capacity of 832596 tons, and 1266 vessels with a capacity of 883;061 tons. The principal departures have been for Calcutta, Madras, China, Singapore, and the Cape of Good Hope. The return from the Bank of England for the week ending the 19th January gives the following results, when compared with the previous week :-- Public Deposits ... £3,858,237 ; Increase ... £219,628 Other Deposits ... 13,512,245 ; Decrease... 455,263 Rest ... ..• • 3,365,212 ; Increase ~. 34,539 On the other side of the-account : Government Securities.. £13,728,246; 1n0rea5e....£314,787 Other Securities Notes unemployed The amount of notes in circulation is £19;370,670, being a decrease of £16,630, and the stock of bullion in both departments is £10,425,312, showing an iucrease of £8,361 when compared with the preceding return. ISSUE DEPARTMENT. Notes issued £24,283,870 Goverinut. Debt £11,015,100 Other Securities 3,459,900 Gold coin & - bull'n. %EWAN Silver bullion £14,283,870 BA.NEING DEPARTMENT,. £24,283,870 4, 1 Prop. Capital ... £14,553,000 Gov. Securities ,£13,728,246 Rest _ _. 3,365,212 Other Securities 16,857, 0 5 6 Public 'Deposits 3,858,237 Notes ... 4,913, 200 Other Deposits 13,512,24 , 5 Gold & Silver Coin 616 , 442 7-day &other bills 826,250 £36,114,9 , £36,114,944 Oun. SHIRE MARKET has been very active during the week, and there has been a general and steady advance in prices, which is well supported by purchases on behalf of the public. To-day is the first day for arranging the account, which appears to be progress ing satisfactorily. There is no pressure of stock, nor are contangoes excessive. Our local stocks have par ticipated in the general improvement, and Bank, Insurance and other shares have been much in demand for investment, all closing to day at the highest point of the week. It is stated that the London and North Western will pay 51 per cent., and the Leeds 41 per cent. for the past half year. We annex this day's prices :—Chester and Birkenhead £22 shares, 91d ; Blackburn, 5 5-16; Caledonian , 28 * 1 ; Eastern Counties. 9 k; Lancashire and Yorkshire, 81 1 a ; London and North Western, 99 98+ 9 ; Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln, 251 1 ; Midland, 691 1 g g 3, g, South Eastern, 18 7-16 ; Manchester, Sheffield and Lincoln 3+ per cent., pref., 61 ; Dutch Rhenish, s p. ; ditto new shares, 21 p. ; Great Western of Canada, 2614 ; North and South Wales Bank, s*. COTTON.—Although the excitement which prevailed the previous week has, in a measure, subsided, there has been a very active demand from all classes of buyers, and prices have in consequence been firmly maintained, with a tendency to advance. A large proportion of the sales consists of Surats, which are getting more and more into favour both here and on the continent. There is no doubt that, should the Money-market become easier—of which there is great probability if the negotiations have a successful termination—that prices will go still higher, as the stock of really marketable qualities is short, and the demand for consumption is on the increase. The sales for the week up to Friday amounted to 70,220 bales, of which 10,400 were taken on speculation, and 10,270 for export, leaving 49,550 for the trade. To- DAY the advices by the Canada were received. The sales reached 12,000 bales, including 5000 for specula tion and export, and the market closed firmly, but with no advance on Friday's prices, which were 1-16 d to rid per lb. higher on the week. The following is a comparison of present rates with those of the cor responding period of last year : New Orleans, middling ft fair.. Upland, middling „ fair • 1855 1850 6 3-16 51 . 5 6i 5 52 51 51- J SALES. IMPORT:. . STOCK r ----A--- 71 r ---- ` --- % - - DESCRIPTION., PRICES. Week I ~ Prey'. Week ' rh o s ending onsly endings i re ;';.. Jan. 25 Jan. 25. this yr. Jan.2s. Sea Island —-- -- -- Bi 3 31 650 1 1 1520 Stained Boweds Mobile 4i 5* 4200' 12030 1 33193 75441 New Orleans 42 7. 252001 50190 1 Pernams, &c si 6i 1120, 2750 1895 2298 20 520 Bahia, &c. Maranbain si 6i ... 2120 .... .... 1 19180 Demerara, &c — 920 . 50 .... X I 700 Egyptian 5 9 3700 5810 3892 249 44160 Co m.W.l.&c 5 7 340 570 924 4937 2870 Surat Madras Bengal — .... , 140 .... .... 140 --- -- 1--, 70220 127490 67819 127490 390590 PRODUCE.—There has been a good inquiry for Sugar, and prices for refining qualities may be quoted 6d to is per cwt. dearer, in other qualities no altera tion. Little doing in Coffee. Holders of Tea are firm, and business has in consequence been limited. Rice has been much depressed, and prices are is per cwt. lower. Rum has also given away. Of Hides a large quantity found buyers at public sales. Palm Oil, £4l to £46 per ton. Tallow dull at 61s. to 635. per cwt. for Petersburg Y.C.—TO-DAY our Sugar market continues quiet ; including Saturday's busi ness, the sales in West India amount to 250 hhds., chiefly Demerara, at 38s. 9d. to 425. 3d., and at 465. 6d. per cwt. for grainy ; 260 bags yellow Dates, with all faults, have also been disposed of. There is nothing to notice in Molasses, Rum, or Coffee. The Tea market is moderately active, but prices are unchanged. Rice remains flat, and we have no transactions to report. 260 bags Sago Flour have been sold at 255. per cwt. for sound. METALS.—There is very little to report in Pig Iron, which remains in an inactive state without alteration in value. Manufactured Iron is in good demand at full prices. Copper and. Tin without change. - - WOOL.—We have no new feature to report in the Wool market since our last public sales ; stocks of Levant and Mediterranean Wool are now very light, with little prospect of any great increase for some time to come. Good Egyptian and better classes of Bosnia and Servia Wools ; also Syrian fleece, white and grey, are wanted, and would realise full quotations ' - the market generally is firm, with rather an upward tendency :—lmports for the week:—l,l73 bales Australian ; 640, Peruvian ; 597, Mediterranean ; 562, East India ; 55, Portugal ; 30, Irish ; 13, Scotch ; 10, Coastwise. Total, 3,030. MARRETS FOR MANUFACTURE. MA.NOECESTER. — The market has continued to exhibit more firmness, and on the whole there has been a pretty extensive business done. Producers have not held for the extreme rates they were at first inclined to demand, but have been content to quote full prices, or a moderate advance, which has been obtained without much difficulty. On Tuesday, although a good feeling was maintained, the transactions were not extensive; but since then there has been more doing, which continues to impart g firm and slightly upward tendency to the prices of some dekriptions of yarns and goods. Yarns maintain a decided advance of about *d per lb. from the lowest point, and at fully this rate there has continued a good demand for the water, yarns usually required for the German market. Mediterranean descriptions also experience a steady inquiry. India yarns have maintained a somewhat improved position, 'though not so much in demand. Warps and weft for home , use are operated in w ithcautiou by manufacturers, the advance asked being sufficiently large to induce circumspection. Some 'pretty fair sales have been 'effected in goods, though the general demand is not very extensive. Full prices are obtain able, but the asking of enhanced values has only the effect of checking operations.—Manekester Courier. ROCHDALE. — WooI: The prospect of peace has imparted a very healthy tone to business generally. The improved firm ness of past weeks is fully maintained, and staplers are by no means desirous of pressing trade. The amount of operations for the past week have been of a very fair character. Flan nel : The gloomy nature of the weather has prevented any very large attendance. Nevertheless, transactions in home made flannels have been very extensive on the part of large firms. Many wholesale houses, accustomed to give out orders in June and July,• are already in the market. In Yorkshire goods there has been very little doing ; still, in prices, there is no giving way in the least. HUDDERSFIELD. —Prices are very firm, and in raw material an upward movement is not unlikely to take place. BRADFORD.—WooI. : The supply continues low, and the prices sought are too high for purchasers, except in a small degree. Noils are in rather better request, and prices firm. Yarns : The difficulties to produce yarns are not lessened by the state of the wool trade, and higher prices must be given. Pieces : There is great firmness in the goods market, and the tendency is upward. LEEDS. — At the Cloth-halls on Tuesday there was a pretty large attendance, and the supplies of - fresh goods being larger than for some weeks past, the business done was over an average. Prices are without alteration, stocks low, and the mills in consequence are well employed. Business has been brisk in the warehouses for the home trade, and there is also more doing by the'foreign houses than for some time past. NOTTINGDA3I. — Lace Trade : A much quieter feeling exists in the market than we experienced last week, after the recep tion of the news respecting the acceptance of the peace pro posals by the Emperor of Russia. All parties began to think that we were about to experience a great change, and that all descriptions of goods would be in great demand. These feel ings have in some measure subsided, and it is felt that the change, if it comes, must be gradual, and that after all we are not quite certain of peace, though appearances at present are favourable to it. There are some German buyers in the market who are purchasing about as usual. A few American orders have been received during the week, and, upon the whole, trade is healthy, - though not brisk. The general demand is more in favour of silk than cotton goods. Yarn in -some numbers is giving way a little.' Silk is advancing in price. Hosiery : The trade in this department is , upon the whole, in a healthy state, and it may fairly be expected that ..we shall get through the difficulties of this trying winter as favourably as most manufacturing towns. — Nottingham Journal. ;LEICESTER. — No change of importance in the state of trade -here since our last report. The business doing.is of a legiti mate character, and most manufacturers anticipate consider able improvement as the year advances, though the realisation 'of this must depend on the price of food and the blessings of peace. COURT AND FASHION. ME.-BNASSEY, the well-known railway contractor, has been made a Knight of the Legion of. Honour. THE Leeds borough election will take place on the oth of February. No opposition to Mr. Baines's return is anticipated. Ma. W.'CARPENTER Bowß, Q.C., of the Western Circuit, is appointed Chief Justice of Ceylon. Tan Duke of Cambridge, General de la Marmora, General Airey, Sir Harxy Jones, and Admirals Lyons and Dundas, ar rived in London on Tuesday, from the Council of War at Paris. SIR JORN TritELL having determined to retire from the representation of North Essex, Mr. Charles Du Cane, of Braxted-park, has addressed the electors in the Conservative interest. Thu Lord President of the Council, Earl Granville, as leader of the ministerial party in the House of Lords, will give a full dress banquet to-morrow, and Viscount Palmerston will also give a full dress parliamentary banquet. WE have reason to believe that the address in the Lords, in reply to Her Majesty's Speech from the throne, will be moved by the Earl of Gosford, and seconded by the Earl of Abingdon. —Globe. IT is rumoured that the Hon. Miss Erskine, daughter of the Dowager Countess of Rosslyn, who has just returned from the Crimea, where she had been assisting Miss Nightingale in the hospitals, is about to marry the Rev. John Milner ; 8.A., chap lain of Her Majesty's ship Orion, Captain Erskine.—Lancas ter Guardian. WE (Press) have authority to state that, in consequence of the strongly expressed wish of the constituents of North Essex, Major Beresford will not retire from the representation. C. Da Cane, Esq., of Braxted-park, formerly member for Mal don, is-the candidate chosen by the Conservative party to fill the vacancy about to be created by the retirement of Sir John Tyrell, Bart. WE have reason to believe that, according to the precedents of 1814 and 1816, when Lord Castlereagh, who was then Foreign Secretary, assisted at the negotiations at Vienna and Paris, Lord Clarendon will represent Great Britain at the Conferences, which will probably be held at Frankfort after the preliminaries of peace are signed. Baron Brunow and Count Orloff will, it is said, appear on the part of Russia. — Times. Ma. Msc Amer retires from the representation of Edin burgh. For two years he has striven to fulfil his parlia mentary duties in spite of failing health, by being present at important divisions and taking part in important debates ; and the experience convinces him that be cannot be ever again capable of performing them, even in an imperfect manner. He has, therefore, applied for the Chiltern Hundreds, and a new writ will be moved for on the first day of the meeting of parliament. This notice, he hopes, will be sufficient to enable his constituents to make a satisfactory choice of a better ser vant. Mr. Adam Black, the eminent publisher, has been named as his successor. FILL OF KAEs.—A meeting was held on Saturday, at the London Tavern, London, at which it was resolved to memo rialise Her Majesty on'the subject of the late fall of Kars, praying that Her Majesty will be pleased to direct a full and public inquiry into the whole of the circumstances involved. CONSUMPTION or Smoxr.—The Steam Collier Association at Newcastle-on Tyne are preparing a boiler to test the various designs sent in to compete for the £5OO prize offered by the association for the effectual consumption of smoke with a due regard to the economy of fuel. A great number of plans have been offered, and the experiments were expected to be very interesting. THE NAN"! ESTIMATES.—The number of men to be voted for the fleet in the forthcoming naval estimates is 76,000 (in cluding 10,000 boys and 16,000 marines). The number voted last year was a total of 70,000. The increase in this year's estimates is 6,000 men and officers, to complete the service of the gun and mortar boats, the expense of whose wages will be about £273,000, and about £140,000 for victualling, making a total increase as under this head of the war service of about £413,000. LATEST NEWS. THE PEACE , NEGOTIATIONS. VIENNA, January 26. Russia proposes that the 'preliminaries of peace shall be signed at Paris. She also expresses a strong desire to conclude peace as spee dily as possible. THE EAST. MA.ESEILLES, January 27. The Hydaspe has arrived with advices from Constantinople of the 17th, and from the Crimea of the 15th inst. Despatches left at 9 a.m. The Times' correspondent at. Constantinople, writing on the 17th of January, says,— The English transport Apollo has been wrecked in the Dardanelles. The captain has blown his brains out. The first conference respecting the rights of the Christians in Turkey was held yesterday. THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. We have received files of papers from the Cape of Good Hope to the Bth December inclusive. The Natal papers publish long accounts of the visit of Sir George Grey, to that colony, At Springfield his Excellency visited the sugar estate, and expressed much astonishment at finding an area of 120 acres of cane ripening for next crop. He was, moreover, informed that there were from 400 to 500 acres in other directions, north and south, on the coast lands in a similar state of progress. His Excellency was everywhere received with the greatest enthusiasm. INDIA AND CHINA. TRIESTE, January 26. The steamer Bombay arrived here this morning at 1.45 a.m. from Alexandria, which she left on the 20th. The India and China mails reached Alexandria on the 19th of January, with dates from Calcutta to the 22nd of Decem ber ; Bombay, 2nd of January ; Shanghai, Bth of December ; Canton, 12th of December ; and Hongkong, 16th December. Bills have been passed for turning the Santal country into a non-regulation province. The kingdom of Onde is to be sequestrated, and the ad ministration intrusted to General Outram. Trade in India was quiet ; the money-market very tight and unsettled. Exchange at Calcutta, 2s. 2-id.; at Bombay, 2s. 24d. The rebellion still continues in the interior of China, and paralyzes trade. Another extensive fire had occurred at Canton. Trade in Canton had been brisker. Exchange at Canton, 4s. 10d. ; at Hongkong, Is. 91d. ; at Shanghai, Os. 92c1. The American Commodore Abbott is dead. Lord Canning left Suez on the 13th January for Bombay. The English steamer, with the London mail of the 10th of January, arrived at Alexandria on the 20th of January, and was to leave again on the 22nd. THE APPROACHING CONFERENCES. The Morning Post says :—We are enabled to state that a protocol will be signed almost immediately, at Vienna, by the representatives of England, France, Austria, and Russia, re cording the fact of the acceptance of the Austrian ilioposals by the Cabinet of Russia, and fixing a date for the opening of conferences upon the basis of those proposals. The conference will take place in about three weeks from this time, at Paris, which capital was simultaneously proposed as the seat of negotiations both by England and Russia. Plenipotentiaries will be immediately appointed by the powers concerned. Lords Clarendon and Cowley will represent England. The perfect accord which exists between France and England on the im portant and vital questions to be submitted to those confer ences makes it certain that they will be opened under the most favourable auspices, and we trust they may issue in the hap piest results. - BY ELECTRIC & INTERNATIONAL TELEGRAPHS.] LONDON, Monday Night. A Cabinet Council was held at the Foreign Office this afternoon. THE PEACE NEGOTIATIONS. The Paris correspondent of the Post writes, on Sunday, at six, p.m. :—I believe, up to the present moment, Count Buol has not obtained the Russian signature to all the demands which the Cabinets of England and France have thought proper to signify before opening negotiations. The Times' Paris letters, of Sunday, contain no later news. RUSSIA. The Times' Berlin correspondent states, on the 26th, that the forwarding agents in Memel, Konigsberg, &c., have re ceived orders from Russian customers to suspend the forward ing of goods by land. THE FUNDS, STOCK, AND SHARE MARKET. The English market continues to advance as the prospects of peace become more defined ; Consols, to-day, showing a sustained improvement of -k per cent. The absorption of Money Stock on public account was considerable. Railways participated in the effects of the public confidence, and, pur chases, predominating, show generally a further rise. Land, Bank, and Foreign Stocks active, with an upward tendency. CLOSING PRICES Consols, Account _ 91i 8- Bank Stock 209 10 Do. Money 9li Exqr. Bills, L.S., Three per Cents. FQIIEIGN STOCKS. Mexican 2oi lrurkish R us sian Do. Canada Land 133 5 Do. (new) - 51 RAILWAY SHARES. Amberg,ate,Nottingham, London, Brighton, and and E. Junction • 31 4* South Coast 99 101 Caledonian Do. Preference Eastern Counties East Lancashire 73 4 Lincolnshire 2si / Edinburgh & Glasgow.. 50 2 Midland Stock Great Northern 9i 5,1 North British 3 0 ,1 11 Do. A. 7B SO Do. Preference 99 100 Do. B. ll4 16 North Staffordshire 7i 7 Great Western Lanc.and Yorkshire Bo* 1 York, Newcastle, and Do. Fifths — Berwick .. 73 4 Leeds Northern l3* 14* York and N. Midland.. 48* 9* LAND SHARES. Australian Agricultural 26 7 (Peel River S. Australian Invest.... 35i 61 N. B. Australasian Crystal Palace On 'Change, business very dull, without any alteration of moment. Tallow, 58s. for P. Y. C. ' The Commercial Daily List says,—The advance in Con sols, which touched 911, and the dull state of the Corn Mar ket,,clearly indicate the feelings of business men as to the prospect of peace, which seems daily gaining ground. LoxvoN CORN MARKET.—(From Kingsford and Lay's Cir cular.) —Supply of English Wheat small, and the condition, if possible, worse than last week, consequently it met with a slow sale at the rates of this day week. Foreign, sales retail at former prices: Finest parcels of Malting Barley taken off at the extreme terms of last week, but for other sorts the de mand was barely as good. Beans and Hog Peas, the demand unaltered, but quite 2s. dearer. Oats are slow of sale, at a decline of 6d. to is. Flour very dull, but Country Marks are held for an advance of is. to 2s. per sack. ARRIVALS. English. Irish. Scotch. Foreign. Wheat 5588 20 6050 Barley 8895 69 Malt 12764 Oats 6654 121 1902 2323 Beaus Peas — Flour 1790 sks. METROPOLITAN CATTLE MARKET. — The Beast and Sheep trade better, the supply being small. Calves sold at a con siderable advance. Beef, 3s to ss; Mutton, 3s 6d to 5s ; Veal, .5s to Os ; Pork, 4s 20 to ss. Beasts, 3,046 ; Sheep and Lambs, 15,770; Calves, 56 ; Pigs, 253. Arrivals :—Holland Beasts, 484 ; Ditto Sheep, 170 ; Ditto Calves, 46 ; Scotch Beasts, 350 ; Norfolk and Suffolk Beasts, 1,800; Cambridge, Leicester, Lincoln, and Northampton Beasts, 180; Irish Beasts, 60. LONDON PRODUCE MABRET.—Sugar dull at previous terms. Coffee wanted, rates stiff—Native Ceylon, 51s to 63s 6d. Tea : More business —ordinary Congou, 92d to 9d. Cotton sells freely at a small advance. Tallow dull and de- dining. GLASGOW Pm. 'Box MA mom—The demand for Pig Iron rather better—sales at 755. Od. in the early part of the day. In the afternoon, one lot of 500 togs was taken at 765.; No. 1, 775.; No. 3, 745. 6d. MANCHESTER STOCK EXCITA.NGE.—Cheshire Junction, 151 dis. ; Eastern Counties, 9 ; Great West. Canada, 26 ; Lan cashire and Yorkshire, 81; London and North Western, 98i ; Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln, £6 pref., 2 pm. ; mi dland , 691 ; North Staffordshire, 7 dis. ; South Eastern, 181. BETTING AT TATTERSALL'S—Tins DAY. CUESTER CUP.-20 to 1 agst Imogene, tk and off; 25 to 1 agst Courtenay, tk ; 1,000 to 30 agst Fatalist, tk and off; 28 to 1 agst Epaminondas, tk ; 30 to 1 agst Coroner, tk and off; 40 to 1 agst Mishap ; 40 to 1 agst Scythian, tk freely ; 40 to 1 agst Yellow Jack, tk ; 50 to 1 agst Stork, tk ; 66 to 1 agst Aldford, tk ; 100 to 1 agst Tug o' War, tk. LIVERPOOL STEEPLE CHASE.— 12 to 1 agst Sir Peter Laurie, tk freely ; 15 to 1 agst Black Swan, tk ; 15 to 1 agst Forest Queen, tk; 15 to 1 agst Harry Lorriquer, tk; 100 to 6 agst Odibam, tk and off. Two THOUSAND GUINEAS.-7 to 1 agst Fly-by-Night, off; 100 to 30 agst Yellow Jack. DEBBY.--7 to 1 agst Wentworth, tk ;9to 1 agst Elling_ ton, tk: 10 to 1 agst Fly-by• Night, tk and off; 12 to 1 agst Yellow ck, tk ; 1,000 to 15 agst Bonnie Scotland, tk, - INDISPUTABILITY THE ONLY COMPLETE SECURITY IN LIFE ASSURANCE. (Extracted from " The Register.") What is meant by an indisputable policy? In the first place, it is unlike other policies; the adjective being used to imply some thing to mark and distinguish such a policy from all other poll. cies. In the second place, it means much more—it imtlies that the policy to which the epithet " Indisputable" is given cannot be disputed, except upon grounds beyond the reach and power of the contracting parties to control. In other words, the policy is represented as being as indisputable as man can make it. Nothing can be more embarrassing than the situation of a man • who, after making payments to an Insurance Company for ten, twelve, or twenty years, on the suppoeition that by such pay ments he has purchased for his family the absolute property in a reversionary estate, is then told that at his death his survivors may receive such property, but that there is a great chance—a pos sibility—amounting to a probability, that they may not • and that the contingency depends upon circumstances which he cannot foresee. Yet such is the position of those who are held as wholly responsible for the precise and literal accuracy of every statement in numerous documents and schedules which precede the issuing of a policy. Take one of these schedules as an instance of aver meats, upon the accuracy of each of which the whole value of the policy will ultimately he made to depend :—" I do hereby declare that my age does not exceed years ; that I have bad cow-pox or small-pox (state which); that I have (or have not) had the gout; that I have not been afflicted with any fit or fits, or convulsions, nor with asthma, insanity, or spitting of blood ; and that I am not afflicted with habitual cough, diseases of the lungs, nor with any other disease or disorder tending to shorten life; and that the foregoing proposal contains a true statement of every matter and thing thereby required to be set forth ; and that I am now in good health ; and I do declare that I have not con cealed or withheld any matter or circumstance touching my past or present state of health, habits of life, or condition which may render an insurance on my life more than usually hazardous, or with which the Directors of this society ought to be made ac quainted; and that my private referees are well acquainted with, and fully competent to give, the requisite information as to my habits of life. And Ido declare that this declaration shall be the basis of the contract between me and the said society; and that if any true allegation or statement be contained in the said pro posal, or in this declaration, or if any material information be omitted which ought to be contained therein, all moneys which shall have been or shall be paid to the said society, on account of such insurance, shall be forfeited to the use of the said society, and the policy be absolutely null and void." Now. looking at the wording of this clause, it may be affirmed, without much exaggeration, that there is no human being upon earth who, looking on it as the literal condition of his contract with a company, can possess a certainty that the event of his death will place Isis family in possession of the sum specified in the agreement. It is a professional notoriety that there are nu merous diseases which may be in active play long before their ex istence is suspected by the patient or any one else. Yet, by the contrivance of making the proposer warrant the literal accuracy of numerous statements, the clause above quoted would vitiate and nullify the policy, if it could he proved that the invisible foe had commenced his ravages at the period when the instrument was issued. The responsibility of the party effecting the assur ance is unconditionas, and wholly irrespective of the contingency whether the "omission" of any tact, material or immaterial, were wilful or not. • The person who makes the statement must not onlysleclare that he makes no wilful mis-statement—that he has not " with held any matter or circumstance," and observe, not deliberately or of design, but that he has not done so at all. The declaration re quired is absolute as to circumstances or possibilities beyond the sphere of human knowledge ; and the responsibily of the decla rant is equally absolute, no matter how innocently he may have been led into error. • All theauthorities are of the same opinion as to the sole and un divided responsibility of the assured. Thus, Lord Eldon will not hear of any distinction as to whether an omission has been ma terial or immaterial. "If material," his Lordship observes, "that a materiality may be inquired into and shown ; but if there be a warranty, it is part of the contract that the matter is such as it is represented to be ; therefore materiality or inimateriality signifies nothing. The only question is as to the mere fact." This opinion has been affirmed, to the total ruin of families, by numerous deci sions of the Courts. It may perhaps he supposed that however close the net and narrow the meshes which are entwined round the party whose life is the subject of assurance—however minute and important and liable to error are the facts, and yet stringent in construction of law are the terms of the declaration he is called upon to make, yet that by great care lie may be able to comply with every de mand, and escape without a torfeiture of his policy. But that he cannot do • for there is something yet snore demanded of him before he 'becomes entitled to a policy—a requirement in which the greatest amount of care, and prudence, and scrupulous accu racy is of no avail. The proposer must give the names of medi cal attendants and two friends, each of whom returns answers to a long list of questions, and the facts and statements so received by the company, although the proposer is not made acquainted with any one of them, are yet as much the subjects of warranty as his own declaration, so that a wilful or innocent error in answer to any of the questions put to these referees will as effectually vitiate the policy as if had preceded from the assured himself. We can make room for only one example of the provisions just noticed, which we select from a large family of similar cases, and from the practice of a highly respectable office, Wilshere v. 'I he Law Life. Wilshere resided near London, and on several occasions had consulted a London physician as to his health, besides having the advice of a country gentleman. He came to London to effect an assurance on his life, and, in answer to the question, "Who is your ordinary medical attendant?" gave the name and address of the London physician, with whose report and that of their own medical examiner, the director of the company were satisfied. Some years after that Wilshere died, and his executors were defeated in a claim against the com pany for the sum assured, merely , and upon no other ground, because the name of the surgeon, and not that of the physician, I ought to have been inserted in the proposal. In consequence of this state of matters, there arosein the public mind a general feeling of insecurity in Life Assurance, which was increased by the perusal of numerous cases occurring in the courts of law and reported in the newspapers, most of them at the instance of assured parties against Life Companies, but many of them in which Life Companies were arrayed against each other. The great desideratum was to make policies indisputable, so as to remove all doubt, and dissipate every apprehension as to the certainty of the sum assured being paid when it became due; whereby the public generally would be benefited, and the business of Life Assurance much extended. "The Indisputable Life Policy Company" undertook this task, and in order most effectually to make the policies they issued in disputable and certain documents of security, they inserted the following clause in their Deed of Settlement, thereby creating an effective and legal obligation, imperative upon the Company to fulfil, and which it is the right of every assured member to plead and insist upon:— Clause 84. " That every Policy issued by the Company shall be indefensible and indisputable, and the fact of issuing the same shall be conclusive evidence of the validity of the Policy; and it shall not be lawful for the iJompany to delay paotent of the money assured thereby on the ground of any error, mistake, or omission, however important, made by or on the part of the per son or persons effecting such Assurance • and that, on the con trary, the amount so assured shalt be paid at the time stipulated by the Policy, as if tio such error, mistake, or omission, had been made or discovered." We have said that the above clause forms a part of the Deed of Settlement of the Company, and that deed being registered in terms of the Act 7 and 8 Vict. c. 110. there is nothing wanting to give it the fullest effect. It is not merely to be found in a pro spectus or other circular, which may or may not be obligatory on the Company, according to circumstances, but it forms a coin ponent part of the existence of the corporate body. A mere pro mise of indisputability is not enough. Such a clause as the above is required to give legal efficacy. It appears to have been care fully and anxiously prepared, for the purpose of cutting off every ground and pretext of dispute as to the validity of the Policy; and we confess that we cannot find any words or series of sentences more operative, effective, or compulsory for that purpose. In order the more effectually to show this, we would invite onr readers to compare this clause with the law as laid down by Sergeant Marshall in the passages already quoted from that learned authority. The indis putable clause says—" Every policy issued by the Company shell be indefeasible and indisputable, and the fact of issuing the same shall be conclusive evidence of the validity of the policy." Mr. Sergeant Marshall, speaking of the clause ordinarily inserted in policies, says," It is quite immaterial for what purpose or with What view it [a warrant] is made ; but being once inserted in the policy, it becomes a binding condition on the assured, and unless he can show that it has been complied with, lie can derive no benefit from the policy." In other words, an indisputable policy, when once issued, declares that, de facto, all precedent questions are held to have been finally'settled, whereas an ordinary policy declares on the face of it that the Directors retain the power to keep all these questions open to dispute, until they have actually paid the amount of the policy to the executors. Again, the indis putable clause says, "It shall not be lawful for the ompany to delay payment of the money assured, on the ground of any error, mistake, or omission, however important, made by or on the part of the person or persons effecting such insurance." Mr. Sergeant Marshall, on the other hand, says, "The very meaning of a war ranty is to preclude all question whether it has been substantially complied with or not. Whether the thing warranted was material or not, whether the breach of it proceeded front fraud, negligeuce, mis-information, or any other cause, the consequence is the same —i.e, the policy is void." In the next place, the indisputable clause says that, "on the contrary, the amount so assured shall be paid at the time stipulated by the policy, as if no such error, mistake, or omission, had been made or discovered." Mr. Ser geant Marshall says, "The warranty makes the contract hypo thetical ; that is, it shall be binding if the warranty is complied with. The only question is, has the thing warranted taken place or not? If not, the assurer is not answerable for any loss, even though it did not happen in consequence of the breach of the war ranty." Can anything be more conclusive than this in proof of the superiority of the Indisputable Policy? The Indisputable Policy settles all precedent questions—an ordinary policy leaves them all unsettled. An Indisputable Policy declares, by the mere fact of its Issue, that all questions relating to the health, habits, age, &c., of the assured are, as far as the Company is concerned, set at rest for ever—an ordinary policy leaves these points open to dispute, until the claim has actually been discharged. London Indisputable Life Policy Company, 72, Lombard-street. —Manager, ALEXANDER ROBERTSON. ESTABLISHED HALF A CENTURY. SARSAPARILLA. pRIESTLEY'S FLUID EXTRACT OF THE FINEST RED JAMAICA SARSAPARILLA. This most efficient and agreeable preparation of that well-known and valuable alterative, JAMAICA SA RS A - PA RI LL A, is prepared by a peculiar and scientific method ; and the experience of many years has fully established the reputation of this medicine, as containing mere of the virtues of the root than any other preparation. Its beneficial effects have been particularly striking in the following complaints;—Noctur nal pains in the limbs, scrofulous enlargement of the glands, cu taneous affections, chronic rheumatism, &c. ; in freeing the sys tem after a course of mercury, its beneficial efects are very power ful. It purifies the blood, and, by giving to the cutaneous vessels a healthy and regular action, it removes that disposition to erysipelatous inflammation from which so many persons periodi cally suffer ; and when taken in the spring and fall of the year, as an alterative medicine, it will be found to impart that strength to the constitution which is indicated by firmness of flesh, good appetite, and freshness of the complexion. N.B. To persons of a plethoric habit it is most invaluable, as it thins and promotes a free circulation of the blood, thereby pre.. venting attacks of apoplexy. Sold in bottles, 4s. 6d., 78. Gd., I Is., and 225., at 52, Lord-street. PRIESTLEY'S VEGETABLE PILLS, FOR PURIFYING THE BLOOD.—They are the best medicine that can be taken for removing all eruptions and pimples from the face, arms, and body; and for cleansing and purifying the blood and invigorating the system. To parties re siding in warm climates, or proceeding to sea, they are invaluable. These Pills require no confinement or restraint. Sold in boxes, 2s. 9d., is. 6d., Ils., and 225., each containing directions for use. carefully packed, and sent to every part of the kingdom, or world; on receipt of Post-office order, made payable to JOHN PRIESTLEY, 52, Lord-street. DRIESTLEY'S ANTIBILIOUS PILL 5- Established in the year 1822—are, from experience, decidedly the best aperient and antibilious medicine for general use, as they need no confinement or alteration of diet, therefore they may be taken at all seasons. These Pills will prove highly efficacious in bilious complaints, scorbutic complaints, affections of the nervous system, lowness of spirits, palpitation of the heart, rheumatic pains in the head, limbs, and other parts of the body; oppression of the chest, indi gestion, redundancy of bile, dizziness of the eyes, violent pains in the temples and across the forehead, impaired memory, sick headache, tremulous action of the whole frame, restlessness and frightful dreams, stuporific dozing, flatulency, costiveness, &c. Prepared and Sold by Joiirr PRIESTLEY, Chemist, 52, Lord street, in boxes, ls. lid., 2s. 9d., and 4s. 6d., and retailed by all respectable Chemists and Druggists in the Kingdom. For the SPEEDY and EFFECTUAL REMOVAL of COUGHS, COLDS, ASTHMAS, and DIFFICULTY of BREATHING. 11RRIESTLEY'S COUGH and ASTIIMATiCAL DROPS. This invaluable Medicine immediately reli eves Coughs, C o lds, Hoarseness, Difficulty of Breathing, and HuPki nesfin the Throat. These Drops are also the best preventative that can be taken against spitting of blood and affection of the lungs. Persons troubled with Asthma are considerably relieved by taking a few doses of the Drops, as they tend to promote ex pectoration and remove viscid phlegm. For the speedy cure of the Hooping Cough they are no less efficacious. Those who are troubled with that unpleasant tickling in the throat, which de prives them of rest night after night, by the incessant cough which it provokes, will, by taking one dose, find immediate re lief, and one Bottle, in most cases, will effect a cuie. Sold in bottles at Is. lid, 2s. 9d., and 4E. 6d. The above are prepared and sold by JOHN PRIESTLEY, Chemist and Druggist, 52, Lord-street, Liverpool.