The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-01-08 00:00:00

THE i r ,ibtrpool tanbarbf TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 1856. NECESSITY OF COMBINED ACTION UPON THE PART OF CHURCHMEN. THAT " the children of this world are wiser than the children of light," we are assured by authority which precludes doubt or question : and yet, unless - men are strangely altered within the last eighteen hundred years, we may venture to say that He Who spake the above quoted words, in speaking them rather remarked upon a self-evident fact, than revealed a previously hidden truth : for certain it is, than no one can pay the least attention to the ordinary course of things without perceiving that far more practical wisdom is manifested by those, who have mischievous ends to accomplish, than by those, who profess to be, and no doubt generally are, anxious to do good. The ends proposed by the former are bad : but they manifest skill in their selection of means ; and, when they have selected them, they use them with diligence and perseverance. The ends proposed by the latter are good : but, when they have proposed them, they too frequently blast every prospect of success by want of skill and energy, or, worse still, by intestine divisions. And by no parties is the general truth of all this more clearly exemplified than by those, who are anxious to uphold and defend the Church, on the one hand ; and, on the other, by those who are anxious for her overthrow, or, which is the same thing, for her being reduced to the same level as is occupied by the multifarious sects by which she is surrounded. - The Church's foes are of various parties, separated from each other in doctrine and discipline as widely as the poles ; yet, having a common object in view, they wisely combine for its accomplishment, their differences notwithstanding. As regard discipline, what difference can be greater than that which exists between the Wesleyan and the Independent P as regards doctrine, what greater than that between either of these and the Baptist ? or between all three and the Romanist P And yet, if an attack is to be made upon the Church, we find them frequently combining their forces, and alivays employing them upon the same side. But Churchmen, whose dif ferences are nothing like so important, and who, being members of the same body, have one grand interest in common, viz., the defence of that body, regard each other with suspicion ; and fritter away in internecine contests that strength which, if directed against the common foe, would be irresistible. We are no ad vocates for that indifferentism which constantly urges men to sink their differences, and keep them out of sight, as if they really were of no consequence ; but we do think that, when common interests are at stake, it_would be wise either to postpone their consideration, or at least so to discuss them as not to interfere with that combined action which is absolutely necessary for successful defence. What would be thought of the Politician, who, though convinced of the justice and necessity of the present war, should refuse to vote the supplies necessary for carrying it on, because they were asked for by men upon the other side of the House ? or, what would be thought of the citizen, who should refuse to arm against an invader of his native country, because some of his neighbours already in arms differed from him upon the corn-laws, or the bill for reform of Parliament ? And yet to our poor thinking Churchmen are acting just as absurdly, just as wickedly and unpatriotically, when they permit their differences to hinder combined action with refer cm to ends, which are admitted by all to be desirable, if not absolutely necessary. Thoughts of this kind are, from time to time, forced upon us by various circumstances, and just now by the near approach of the time when Parliament will re-assemble. What have Churchmen been doing during the recess ? They know that, whenever Parliament meets, the Church will be threatened with various measures, the carrying of any one of which would be confessedly injurious to her. They know also that, in order to her efficiency, much is needed, which, as things are at present constituted, only Parliament can provide. There are attacks to be met and defeated, and wants to be provided for ; and yet Churchmen, rather than combine for either pur pose, are willing to leave everything to the chapter of accidents. We are aware that there is a growing disinclination upon the part of many Churchmen to have anything to do with, or to seek anything from, Parliament ; and, no doubt, a careful study of the history of the past is calculated to strengthen it. The State never gave the Church anything for nothing; -and-while its best-intended acts have frequently proved most detrimental, the Church has been reduced to a state of absolute bondage by the submissions which have been exacted from her in return for them. All this we admit ; but, still, we maintain that it is necessary to deal with things as they are. The fact is, that Parliament possesses the power of injuring the Church; and there are many, both within and without its walls, ready and anxious to put that power in motion. If we can persuade it to give up this power, to relinquish all claim to legislate upon matters in which the Church is interested, well : but until we do this,—(of which there is as much likelihood as there is of a railway to the moon, or of the reali sation of any other incredible or impossible scheme,) — it is our duty and our highest wisdom to endeavour, by all lawful means, to hinder such damage as Parlia ment has the power to inflict. We ask nothing but simple justice,—protection as regards that which is our own, and the rejection of measures calculated to inflict injury and injustice. But, besides what the Church already possesses, there are many things . 1 4. I 3- in order to ner efficiency, she sore y nee us ; and which, as things are at present, only Parliament can bestow. But herein also we simply ask for justice. We ask not for State-grants, or subsidies, the very bestowal o? which would only serve to rivet still faster the fetters with which the Church is already bound. What we do ask, is the removal of restrictions. Now it may be all very well to argue, that Parliament had no right to impose them, and that the Church, as a spiritual corporation, ought to be free from all inter ference from such a quarter, at least so far as regards matters in which her efficiency is involved ; but, again, the simple fact is that she has been interfered with— restrictions have been imposed ; and, without a revo lution, which every true Churchman would deprecate, no power but that of Parliament can remove them. These, then, are the two objects for which Churchmen of all parties should combine, first, to procure the rejection of all measures calculated to inflict injustice and injury upon the Church ; and, secondly, to obtain the removal of those restrictions upon her free action, by operation of which she has been reduced to a state of almost helpless bondage. We spoke last week of the necessity which exists for an increase of the Epis copate. We ask for no State-grants for this purpose; but we do ask for liberty of action, which, while at present denied to the Church, is enjoyed by every sect in the country. Suppose the funds necessary for an additional Bishopric to be given by a single individual, or raised by subscription among many, nothing fur ther could be done without Parliamentary permission. Not all the clergy and laity of England, with the bench of bishops at their head, could subdivide the most Populous diocese, or add one to the existing number of the Church's chief pastors. But we are glad to think that we can perceive in some quarters signs of change, which lead us to hope, that Churchmen may possibly be more drawn together than heretofore for the purpose of advancing those objects wherein all, or nearly all, are agreed. A con temporary remarks that, on the subjects of coadjutor bishops, and free and open sittings in churches, we may anticipate the co-operation of that party which takes the Record for its organ ; and that, speakin - g of the alienation of the working classes from public worship, the Record declares its foremost cause to be " the vicious arrangement of nearly all our churches and chapels." "It is important," (says the writer) " when we speak of this, to bear in mind the real date and origin of the evil of which we complain. The pew-system, or rather the whole internal arrangement of the churches and chapels-of the metropolis ; is not ancient : it is not Roman Catholic, nor is it Protestant. It took its rise nearly two centuries after the Reforma tion, in one of the darkest *and most deplorable periods of the whole British history. . . . The first half of the last century, within which most of the present churches and chapels were built, was a period in which religion, morals, science, and literature were all at the lowest ebb. Unblushing corruption in the govern ment, and vulgar selfishness among the people, cha racterised the age. Yet a traditional respect for the religion established by the law still existed. The churches of the City were rebuilt; and, as the West minster parishes largely increased in population, new churches were built for them. But, throughout the whole, one principle of action is everywhere discernable. The upper and middle classes built the churches for themselves. Examine any of them, and see what pro vision is made for the largest class of all—the work ing men and their families. Enter St. Clement's Church, or St. Martin's, St. Paul's, Covent-Garden, St. George's, Bloomsbury, or St. John's Chapel, and see what seats have been provided for those who form two-thirds of the population. A few benches up the middle aisle, or at the back of the galleries, constitute nearly the whole accommodation set apart for those whose numbers, in the immediate vicinity, must be told by thousands. What wonder is it, then, if the mechanic, entering such a church, and feeling himself regarded as almost an intruder, resolves to go there no more ? Is not the resolution, on the part of a man not yet religious, a very natural one P The truth is, we have gone in the very teeth of St. James's injunc tions, and are now ' reaping that which we have sown." The simple remedy is repentance, and imme diate restitution." This, from such a quarter, is a hopeful sign; and we would earnestly commend it to the attention of all, especially in Liverpool, who lament the Church's pre sent inefficiency, and wish to see it remedied. FROM OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENT. • MONDAY MORNING. THE season of merriment and feasting is now coming ra pidly to a natural termination. The citizens having ex hausted the ordinary means of killing time during the holiday season by endless rotations of visitings, inspections of the new pantomimes, attendance at the exhibitions, and having greatly pleased themselves without edifying others by criticisms on the various amusements which form the staple topics of con versation and enjoyment during the good old Christmas pe riod, have begun once more to turn that ever-revolving wheel of industry which plies its ceaseless rounds in the metropolis. Conspicuous among-the cheering events which render the fes tive season delightful, is the .frequent exercise of that active benevolence whose mission it is in so far to equalise the par tial gifts of fortune by making the poor participators in the bounties of the rich. The example in this, as in most chari table deeds, was, as usual, taken by the QUEEN, whose New Year's-day charities, to the extent of £550, were dispensed on Tuesday forenoon to six hundred of the poor of the parishes of Windsor and Clewer. The charity in this instance con sisted of food and articles of clothing, and they were distri buted in the Riding-house of the Castle in presence of HER MAJESTY, the PRINCE CONSORT, and the whole of the Royal Family, together with the illustrious guests who were partici pating in the royal hospitalities. In the evening of the same day, MEHUL'S sacred drama of "Joseph," transformed into an oratorio by the introduction of descriptive recitatives, composed by CusiNs, organist to the QUEEN'S private chapel, was performed in St. George's Hall. The drama, in its present form, has been translated into English by W. BARTHOLOMEW. SHAICSPEARE, who lets us into many other secrets, makes us also acquainted with various cares affecting royalty, and emphatically declares Uneasy is the head that wears a crown. It so happens, however, that most of the difficulties with which he surrounds his crowned heads are matters of serious moment, and it is questionable if even his teeming invention could have realised so dire a mishap as that which has threat ened to disturb the peaceful arrangements of Her Majesty QUEEN VICTORIA. The Windsor Castle theatricals are to be revived ; and, on the 10th of this month, one of the pieces se lected for representation was " A Nice Farm," Mrs. F. MATTHEWS, Mr. CHARLES MATHEWS, and Mr. ROBERT ROXBY being selected to perform the leading characters in the comedietta. " One man may lead a horse to water, but twenty shall not compel him to drink," says the proverb. One sovereign may command the services of any one of her sub jects, but it requires the authority of another potentate to se cure the co-operation of " Her Majesty's faithful servants." Our liege lady VICTORIA may have perfect sway at Windsor Castle, and in all other portions of her dominions, but King SMITH is head of the reigning dynasty at Drury-lane Theatre, and it so happens, that, at the present conjuncture of affairs, there has been a diplomatic arrangement between the wielder of the real and of the mimic sceptre. His Smithian Majesty refuses to allow his subjects to take service, even as volunteers, in the theatric armies of the QUEEN of BRITAIN! " This is the first time that our House has been embroiled with the House of Boum:3°x," was the modest remark of VESTRIS, the dancer, in reference to some cause of offence he had given to the Court of Versailles. It has been reserved for the second half of the nineteenth century to witness a similar embroil ment between two great houses. The House of SMITH has become embroiled , a ith the House of BRUNSWICK. How these rival houses are to be reconcile it is difficult to conjecture. One thing only seems certain, the House of SMITH will not give way. CHARLES MATHEWS is the ambassador from Drury; and he pleads as his reason for not taking part in the Windsor theatricals, that King SMITH, to whom he owes dramatic allegiance, has strictly "forbidden him to perform at Windsor ;" and in this condition, with true diplomatic reserve, he leaves the cause of I this prohibition in the dark—or to be guessed at. The , I Monarch of Drury Lane, however, has another, and more communicative emissary in the Era, which unfolds the caucus belli : this it does in a style which would do credit to a nego tiator no less adroit than Lord Jonx himself, the newspaper protocol having decidedly the advantage over his Lordship's double-headed Vienna interpellations, in so far as they are comprehensible. It commences by an assurance that " the play-going mind " has for some time past been puzzled to find out "why HER MAJESTY does not visit Drury Lane Theatre." With the true liberality of an envoy who has made up his mind to uphold his position through good report and through bad report, he admits that HER MAJESTY has an undoubted right to please herself in bestowing her patronage ; but dextrously adds, that the " exception of Drury Lane " creates perplexity in that portion of the public gifted with " a play-going mind." He, with wonderful as well as com mendable naivete, gives indications of the point at which King SMITH'S shoe pinches : "the QUEEN'S box at Drury Lane is a national custom almost amounting to a right," says the diplomatic Era. Whose right, however, he does not state, but it also involves an annual payment of £2OO. In the meantime matters are run to extremity by the House of SMITH against the House of BRUNSWICK. Windsor Castle has been put in a state of dramatic blockade. The QUEEN will not go to Drury Lane, and, unlike the tactique of MAHOMET, Drury Lane cannot go to the QUEEN. The potentate of Drury makes reprisals, and will not allow his histrionic trio to convey their Nice Farm to Windsor. Such a state of matters is indeed serious. Many well-meaning people, not so well-gifted with prescience as the astronomers of Laputa, can perceive no means of escaping from the difficulty so promising as an Austrian intervention. The nature of the dispute seems happily adapted to the genius of such a pacificator. How beautifully the terms of amity could be arranged by such a diplomatist, in some such terms as the following :—The Royal box to be established at Drury Lane in all respects, except the rent ; the equivalent for which being the permis sion for MRS. P. MATTHEWS, MR. C. MATHEWS, and MR. R. RoRBY to play at Windsor Castle for the honour of the , thing. Every one feels satisfied these would be terms on which the individuals in question would be only too happy to render their services. While public attention has been somewhat rudely stirred by such theatrical and =courtly strife, the general hum of preparation, which is almost always expected as a prelude to opening the parliamentary campaign, seems totally absent. Frequent,in deed almost dai l y , meetings of mi n i s t ers, give token that the members of the government are not entirely oblivious as to what the country expects from them when the opportu nity for asking questions shall arrive. In the meantime poli tical speculation of all kinds seems dead or dormant. The leaders of all parties seem more intent on watching the move ments of their opponents, than desirous of revealing their own plans of parliamentary strategy. Many topics for Ude resting discussion vrill . readily present themselves when par liament assemblies, noi'• the least interesting of which will be a consideration of how the funds for carrying_ on the war are to be providej. The publication of the revenue returns indicates the unpleasant fact that there is a deficiency of 8400,000 in tke actual expenditure to make up; besides which there is also a large provision to be made for the war expenditure of the current year. Here is a fine nut for the economists of all classes to crack, speaking, as these facts do, of coming loans and increasing taxation. However complete the legislative and ministerial lull may be, these topics are engrossing much attention out of these charmed circles, and lively anxiety is expressed by many in relation to the war expenditure ; the . present state of the money market, and the operation of the Bank Charter Act of 1844. True enough, on this last subject there is much conflict of opinion. A large amount of " au thority" exists in favour of repealing the Act altogether—an extensive section of the monied public are favourable to a mere modification of its provisions, retaining its principle entire— while a third, and by no means contemptible, portion are op posed to any alteration at all. The Bank Charter Act is a measure on which it is understood Sir ROBERT PEEL bestowed the utmost attention, and that he believed it to be so perfect that he set his heart on it with all the enthusiasm o devoted love—some do not scruple to say that he looked on it as the crowning measure for securing the ascen dancy of a plutocracy, rich only in money-wealth. Not. withstanding all the care and caution which he bestowed on its concoction and consolidation, it was once in most material jeopardy from the vote of a parliamentary committee, of which he was himself the chairman. The story is thus narrated, and it is not very generally known. In 1848, when Sir ROBERT was not in office and Lord JOHN RUSSELL was Premier, the support of the former was invaluable to the Whig Cabinet, who, in return for that support, agreed to back the pet scheme of Sir ROBERT against all odds and chances. The act was not popular among the Radical section of parliament or of ministers, and a committee was appointed to inquire into its operation. The alliance between Sir ROBERT and the Cabinet was perfectly understood and acted on, and accordingly when Mr. HuME, who was not in the secret, moved the adoption of a resolution by the com mittee for repealing the act of 1844, Sir CHARLES WOOD, the Whig Chancellor of the Exchequer, moved a counter resolution in favour of the act ; Lord JOHN RUSSELL, who had never attended a meeting of the committee, came down and voted against Mr. HUME'S resolution, which was rejected by the casting vote of the chairman, Sir ROBERT PEEL himself. On this occasion Mr. DISRAELI, Mr. THOMAS BARING and others of the Conservative party, left the committee without voting. The result of the vote puzzled Mr. HUME greatly, the grounds of the combination by which it was brought about he could never unravel, and it is said the secret springs of action which led to it have not yet been revealed. The prospects of peace, which have for some time past occu pied so large a share of public attention, have "grown fine by degrees and beautifully less," until now no one can find for them " a local habitation or a name." Consideration seems to be now prudently and properly directed to the discovery and provision of means, by which, at the commencement of operations in spring, the Allies shall be able to deliver heavy and vital blows at different points of the Russian territory. Preparations of the most vigorous and energetic character are being made for striking heavy blows against the enemy in different quarters. Many circumstances point with unmis takeable precision to the Baltic as one scene of terrific action, so soon as its waters shall be sufficiently freed from ice to admit of uninterrupted navigation. " There is no use in hesitating," says the Post, understood to be deep in the secrets of Lord PAIMBRSTON " there is nothing to be gained by the system of cautious delay—it is time that we should not only show, but should activk employ, our enormous strength by sea—that we should show them that no strength of defence, that no armament of forts is suffi cient to secure them from the force of the British attack. We must appear close to St. Petersburg with argu ments which Russia cannot answer. We must see what conditions of peace she will venture to offer when the last sail of the navy on which she has spent her time and her treasure is demolished—when even Cronstadt is insufficient to defy the armament that we are now gathering for this ex ploit." Big words, indeed, are these, but not bigger-than the occasion calls for—not higher in their tone than the armament 'to which they are applied will fully warrant, if that armament is meant, indeed, to go forth in its might. Let it also be borne in remembrance that the Post is not given generally to 'flourish " in King Cambyses' vein," but is rather remarkable for the sobriety of its tone, and is not a little entitled to respect for the accuracy of its information. What, it may be asked, is the extent and power of that armament, from which so much is expected P—and in what does it difilr from those which have already, on two occarsiuns, pruuthed so much, and accomplished so little P The fleet is, really, something stu pendous to contemplate. It is to consist of twenty ships of the line, and eighteen frigates, armed with such a number of guns, and capable of throwing sueh a weight of projectiles, as has never before left our shores. These are to be accompanied by a line of floating batteries, heavy mortar-ships and gun boats, amounting in all to 243 sail, and carrying the enor mous number of 3,140 guns. Such a flotilla it can never be the intention of any sane Minister to send to the Baltic, or any other sea, merely for the purpose of taking care of the ships of which it is composed, and avoiding danger, as has been the case with those which were sent in the two first campaigns. While this immense armament is being got ready for despatch, the Russians appear to feel satisfied that this time the war is not to be conducted on the principles of drawing-room conflict. They are concentrating troops in the . . . _ . - vicinity of St. Petersburg, and taking active measures for putting the capital in a condition to resist a siege. They are also busily engaged in strengthening the fortifications along their vast line of frontier in the interior. As an indispensable corollary to such expensive expeditions as the Allies are fitting out for attacking Russia at different and distant points in Europe and in Asia, the plausible fiddle-faddle of Lord JoHN RUSSELL and his friends, as to no alteration in the boundaries of Russia, must be given up. No good purpose of even a temporary character can be attained by entering.a territory on so many different points, if we mean to abandon them at the end of each campaign. If dismemberment of the Russian Empire must follow the obstinacy of the autocrat, he must be prepared for it. The time has long since gone by when. the war could be carried on against Russia With the• arms of courtesy ; the struggle is one for very life, and as such it must be fought out. A curious coincidence of indications appears to- mark. the course of feeling in respect to the present. war, as was at tendant on the great struggle which raged with such extra- ordinary and perilous violence at the commencement of the century. Then, as now, a few degenerate sans of Albion took every opportunity ancl means of exhibiting:.sympathy with the enemy. Then, as now, every opportunity was seized to throw discouragement in the way of our progress, and, like the peace at-any-price faction of the pretient day, the disaffected of that period were continually diScovering symptoms of lukewarm ness on the part of our allies, and were equally ingenious and communicative with respect to the resources of the enemy. In point of fact, it would seem that cowardice and treachery are ever actuated by the same motivev, and are at all times equally skilled in the use of the same weapons. For the last few weeks all the Russian organs, of whatever calibre or pre tence—both British and continental—have been, busy in repre- senting that the EMPEROR and people of France are both tired of the war, and that its longer continuance, if it be per- severed in, must be maintained, by Britain, single-handed. On the twenty-ninth of last month a grand military fete was given in Paris, every indication of which was widely at va riance with such an opinion. The occasionwas the celebration of the return of the Imperial. Guard from the Crimea, and never since the year of Austerlitz has France displayed such a spec tacle of military ardour and enthusiasm Monarch and people vied with each other in rendering the entry of these brave, men into the capital a triumph. The military feeling reacheda pitch. of enthusiasm which sober Englishmen have a difficulty in understanding, but is easy of comprehension to him who knows the warlike partialities of Frenchmen—above all, to him who knows with what exuberance of hope the youth of France, of the middle and lower ranks, look to the career of arms as the ladder to fortune and to fame. The address made to the returning heroes by the EMPEROR was calculated in the highest degree to influence the martial sentiment, and every one resident in France knows that the war never was so po. pular among that high-spirited people as it is at this moment. A similar feeling pervades our own countrymen. It is mani fested by less palpable signs. Like their personal and collective courage, it is more earnest than demonstrative, but it is not the less truly there. The nation stands on the tip-toe of ex pectation—by the people no effort has been spared, no means withheld which ingenuity could suggest to bring the contest to an honourable end ; the people are now in a mood to demand realization and to scout pretence. AN INTERESTING EVENT.—On Friday morning last divine service was celebrated in the parish church of Studley, when a large congregation of parishioners and neighbours assembled to unite with Sir F. H. Goodricke, Bart., and family, in re turning public thanks to Almighty God for the preservation of Lieut. Goodricke, under circumstances almost miraculous, at the attack on the Redan. Lieut. Goodricke, a very young officer, volunteered from his own regiment into one going to the Crimea. At the final attack his revolver was struck with three balls, either of which from the position in which the pistol was held, must have proved mortal had it struck him. self. His sword point was carried off by another ball, and a fourth passed through his coat. As the English were retiring another ball struck the gallant officer in the breast, and passed right through him, near an artery. This wound was pro nounced mortal. Lieutenant Goodricke has, however, returned home, and is now likely to recover. THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. TO TfrN CO UXCIL MEETINGS. ON Tuesday, a meeting of the Council was held for the purpose of appointing trustees, &c., for the different local institutions :—ln compliance with the terms of the trust, the Mayor was appointed a trustee, under a local Act of 9th Geo. IV., for enabling the trustees of Mrs. Ann Molyneux's Charities, in Liverpool, to grant building leases, and for better vesting the estates in them.—The Mayor and Messrs. Fleming and Gregson were -appointed trustees, under the local Act of 7th Geo. IV., for establishing St. James's Ceme tery.—The Mayor and Mr. Alderman Bennett were chosen to execute the powers given to the mayor and senior aldermen by the Local Act of 10th Geo. IV., cap. 15, relating to the School for the Indigent Blind, at Liverpool, nd the chapel attached thereto.—The next proceeding was t appointment of forty-one members of the Council as commissioners, to . carry into execution the Local Act sth Geo. IV., for the better regulation and encouragement of pilots, and the appointment of three members of the Council as auditors under the act. All the members were re-appointed, except in those instances where there had been changes in the Council, in which cases Mr. J. M. Wood, Mr. J. Bigham, and Mr. J. Moss, all of whom had left the Council, were succeeded respectively by Mr. J. Lawrence, Mr. Shen, and Mr. Roger Haydock. PERILOUS CONDITION OF THE WALLASEY EMBANKMENT On the motion for the appointment of the Commis sioners of the Wallasey Embankment, Mr. Samuel Holme called attention to the great danger which the embankment had of late sustained from severe gales, accompanied by high tides. The damage resulting from this cause last quarter it would take upwards of £B,OOO to repair. The total amount of rates which the commissioners were enabled to levy amounted to £3,000 only per annum. The commissioners bad had to incur a debt of nearly £4,000 at the bank, the result of the damage done in one year alone, and more than half the rates which they were entitled to raise during the next year had already been disposed of. Under these circum stances, and considering the rapid decay of the foreshore from the incursions of the sea, he urged that the Dock Committee, who were owners of a large amount of property on the other side of the river, should unite with the Corporation in the erection of a sea-wall, beginning at Seacombe, and ending at Hoylake, a distance of about eight miles, which would cost about £400,000 or £500,000. The appointments were then filled up as follows :—The Mayor and Messrs. Hornby and Samuel Holme. Forty-one members of the Council were then appointed commissioners, under the acts relating to the churches of St. Paul and St. John. The members were re•elected ; except Mr. John Aikin, appointed in the place of Mr. Arthur Hen derson ; Mr. Farnworth in place of Mr. W. J. Horsfall ; and Mr. John Lawrence, in place of Mr. J. M. Wood. The gen tlemen who had served last year as commissioners to inspect, audit, and adjust the accounts of the Trustees of the Liverpool Docks, under the Dock Acts, and the appointment of commissioners under the Income and Property Tax Acts, were re-elected. THE PROPOSED PIER-HEAD CLOCK. Amongst the Mayor's communications was one signed by a number of brokers, merchants, and others, complaining of the inconvenience caused by the irregularity of the clocks near the pier, and suggesting the establishment of a central Pier head clock, to be illuminated, and high enough to be seen by parties approaching either the north or south bridge. After some discussion it was decided that the memorial could not be entertained. WEDNESDAY. The monthly meeting of the Council was held on Wednes day, the Mayor presiding. FINANCE COMMITTEE.-INCOME AND EXPENDITURE 02 TEE CURRENT TEAL The proceedings of the Finance Committee included a report from the Sub-committee of Finance ; and upon the probable income and expenditure of the Corporation for the year commencing Ist September last and ending the 31st August next. The committee were of opinion that the in come of the Corporation, from all sources, could not be estimated at more than £177,582, nor the compulsory ex penditure, of all kinds, at not less than £160,984, leaving a gross surplus 0f,216,598. The• several branches of discre tionary expenditure, which the Council has been in the habit of making, for the public benefit of the inhabitants, on ac count of the Corporation Schools, the charities,• and the Observatory, would require, if continued, a sum of £3,147, and there were sundry improvements already ordered which would cost £1,950. These two sums, making together £5,097, being deducted from the gross surplus of £16,598, would leave a net surplus of £11,501. Last year the Council had voted, out of the surplus income, the amount charged to the several townships, on account of the' watch-rate, and if this arrangement were continued the parish of Liverpool would be benefitted to the extent of £8,525 10s. 6d.; the township of Toxteth-park to the extent of £1,405 15s. 10d.; the town ship of Everton to the extent of £897 12s. ld.; the township of West Derby to the extent of £687 10s. sd. ; and the town ship of Kirkdale to the extent of £303 13s. Id. These several sums, amounting in the whole to £11,820 ls. 11d., would, if they were voted, leave an estimated deficiency of £319• ls. 11d. Mr. HOENBT, in moving the confirmation of the proceedings, said the Council would have been prepared to expect that the re port would have been far less favourable thanhad been the case for several years. Last year the estimated surplus was £30,600 ; this year it was £16,600 only, showing a falling off of £14,000. The deficiency, however, was not owing to any apprehended falling off of income, which was expected to ex ceed the income of last year by about £5,000, in consequence of the greater productiveness of the Town-dues ; but was attri butable altogether to large additions to their expenditure;. which additions were expected to amount, within , the year r to. 219,000. The principal items of increase would be the interest on the bond, debt of the Corporation s which would exceed the amount paid under the same head last year by £6,700, and the loss upon the Birkenhead purchase, £7,000. There would be an increase of £l,OOO under the head of the Mayor's allowance, in consectuence of the expenses incurred, by order of the Council, in celebration of the fall of Sebastopol. The accumulating fund would call for an additional sum of £600; and the aggregate amount of these items of increase would be, according to the estimate of the committee, £19,000. He would first move that ths• report of the committee be received and printed for the information of the Council ; which having been agreed to, the annual donations to the charities were proposed by Mr._ Hornby, and agreed to; and , the grants in aid of the watch rate ordered to be made as usual. Mr. Hornby then movecithe confirmation of a resolu tion directing the sale by auction, on lease for seventy-five years, of the property now in, possession, and this-resolution was adopted, after some discussion, by a majority of 34-to 10. WATCH, LIGHTING, AND TIRE POLICE CO3IMITTEE: MR.. HODSON'S - CHARGE AGAINST THE POE/CE. The proceedings of the Watch. Committee included certain resolutions having reference to what passed at the last meeting of the Council on the alleged. existence of bribery in the police force, and. on the mode in . which investigations into charges of briberyhad been conducted. The first of these re olutions was in• the following terms : " That, after the remarks made on the conduct of•tke chair man, at the last meeting of the• Council, the committee em brace the earliest opportunity of expressing, in the-strongest manner, their confidence in himi and of bearing testimony to the undeviating:rectitude of his character, his strict honesty of purpose, his unremitting attention to the duties of his office, and his unwearied zeal in their discharge." This was followed by another :resolution, to the-same effect, and almost in the same words, _having reference to the vies chairman. Then came-these further resolutions : " The attention of the committee having been called to the statement made by T. L. Hodson Esq., before the Council, of £2 per week being given to ' the police force' to prevent in formations, resolved that a special committee, consisting of all the members-of the Watch Committee, be appointed to inquire into and report upon such charge, and that the Town-clerk be instructed to , write to Mr. Hodson, informing him of this re solution, and 'requesting him. to afford them any information he may have upon the subje* .on such day and: at such hour as may be• most convenient to•hiraself." It appeared, from the further proceedings orthe committee, that the Town-elerk had written to Mr. Hodson: in accordance with the-instructions of the committee, but that no answer had. been received to his commimication,whereupon the committee resolved, at their meeting on, the 22nd of December, that the• investigation should take place at the Town-hall on the fot, lowing Wednesday, at two , o'clock, and instructed the Town clerk to 'write to Mr. Hodson again, and to. inform him that the committee would thankhim to attend the meeting, to afford the Special' Committee any information he might possess, ,to aid them in their investigation. The Spacial Committee met, accordingly, at the time and place appointed, but Mr. Hodson, did not attend, nor was any communication received from him ; and, after waiting half-au-hour for him, the meeting broke up. Upon these facts being reported to the General Committee, the following resolution was adopted : "That as the publication of serious.charges against the con duct of officers in the police, which are not sustained, tend to impair the efficiency of the whole force, and to weaken the confidence of the public therein, the-committee deemit proper to-call the attention, of the Council to the course pursued by Mr. Hodson, who having, in his place in the Council, ventured to promulgate a specific charge that some member or members of the police force habitually accepted bribes to suppress in formations, as detailed in the above report, declines, when called upon, to affbrd the committee the means of investigat ing this serious charge, and of correcting the evil, if found to exist, and yet has not done the-force the justice of withdrawing the accusations." Mr. GREGSON, in moving the confirmation ofthe proceedings of the committee, called, attention to the resolution, and ex pressed his opinion that the Council generally would agree with it. Mr. BRAMCKER seconded the resolution, and, in a marked manner, called on Mr, Hodson either to come forward and substantiate the charges he had made, or to withdraw them. Mr. Honsor replied at considerable length, expressing his conviction that the chairman and members of the committee discharged their duty in a straightforward and conscientious manner. After a few remarks from Mr. Joux Anicxx,Mr. GODFREY, and Aldermen PARKER and LANGSDALE, the proceedings of the committee were confirmed. DOCK COMMITTEE.-INCRRASE OF WEIR DOCK BATES. The proceedings of the Dock Committee having been read, Mr. CHARLES TURNER moved their adoption, referring es• peeially to the proposed increase of the dock rates, and stating that the committee, looking at the financial position of the trust, at the increased pressure in the money market, and at the decrease of tonnage resulting from the alterations which had been made in the mode of measuring ships, under the pro visions of a recent act of parliament, had come to the conclu sion that it was prudent, at least, if not absolutely necessary, that some increase should be made. It was abundantly evi dent their present revenue, as shown by the income of 1854-5, was not sufficient to meet their expenditure, and, although some gentlemen were of opinion that they might safely rely upon the increase of trade to make up the deficiency, the majority were of opinion that the sufficiency of their income to meet their expenditure should not be left in any manner of doubt. The addition of ten per cent. to the tonnage duties would barely make up the loss occasioned by the altera tion in the mode of measurement. With respect to steam vessels, indeed, the loss was considerably greater than the ten per cent. would cover, but the committee were bound by law to put both steam and sailing vessels on the same footing. The addition of ten per cent. to the charges was thought only fair, because goods had had a great advantage over tonnage in previous revisions of the rates. After one or two unimportant questions had been put and answered, the proceedings were confirmed, The proceedings of the St. George's-hall, Markets, Educa tion, and Gaol and House of Correction Committees were read and confirmed.—The proceedings of the Health Committee were read and confirmed, with the understanding that a letter to which Mr. Alderman Bennett called the attention of the Council, suggesting an improvement in the manner of num bering the houses throughout the borough, should be consi dered by that committee, before any steps were taken to pro ceed with the numbering upon the plan recommended by the Borough Engineer.—The proposal of the Health Committee for the erection of new public offices, on the site of the Sara cen's Head, was referred to a select committee of nine mem bers of the Council—the Finance, Watch, and Health Com mittees each contributing three.—The proceedings of the Gardens Committee were read and confirmed.--The proceed ings of the Church Expenditure Committee included a recom mendation to discontinue the payment of the salary of the organist of St. Peter's Church, after the expiration of the present year. A discussion arose, and eventually the recom mendation was not confirmed, and it was left open to the committee to make any futnre proposition on the subject. The proceedings of the Water Committee, of the Library and Museum Committee (including power to raise, by rate, a sum of £5,500 for the service of the current year,) of the Baths Committee, and of the Hackney Carriages Committee, were read and confirmed. TEE BIRKENHEAD AMALGAMATION SCIIEME.—The special committee on this subject recommended the Council to with draw the bill for the municipal amalgamation of the two towns, in consequence of the refusal of the Birkenhead bond holders to assent to the proposed arrangement, although Mr. Hornby said the Birkenhead Commissioners, as far as they were concerned, were satisfied with it. The recommendation of the committee was confirmed. The Coroner's account, amounting to £4O 12s. 2d., was ordered to be paid. An application from Mr. Surr, auditor in the Town Dues office, for an increase of salary, was referred to the Finance Committee. The Council adjourned at three o'clock. THE ROYAL FIRE AND LIFE INSURANCE CO.7IE.PANY. (FROM THE MORNING HERALD.) IT appears now to be almost universally acknowledged that the conductors of the daily press should not forget, among their multifarious duties, the necessity of warning the public to be cautious in its known tendency to snatch at any corn. mercial bait which presents itself, however extravagant or impossible of attainment its promised allurements may be. If this be conceded as respects ordinary business-speculations, it behoves them to be doubly watchful in such matters as life assurance, where the victim, once spell-bound by specious promises, is likely to remain enthralled until, possibly, the savings of a life are expended, and until, in old age, the bursting of the bubble suddenly surprises him with the• heart breaking announcement that his family are destined to penury in place of the competence which it had been the dream of his life he had provided. Considerations such as these, we suppose, have led many of our contemporaries in the metropolis and elsewhere recently to draw the attention of their readers to the position which has been, attained by one of the many excellent establishments now in existence connected with life and fire assurance. W e allude to the Royal Insiranee Company ; and certainly the success of that company has been so rapid, and has so mani festly followed on sound prudence in the management of it s finances, that we consider it advisable to refer to its proceedings as an example to the conductors of similar institutions. The attention of the public appears to have been first and mainly drawn to this company by the wisdom which marked its financial operations in the year 1849. From the annual report read at that time, it appears- that, after paying ample interest to its proprietors during the four preceding years, there remained a reserve fund of £108,640 to be disposed of, Considering the practice and baneful example of many modern public companies, here was clearly a , strong temptation to divide a large sum among the shareholders which, as it turns out, might have been done in safety, as the manager stated in , his speech,. a year or two since, that every subsequent year has yielded a profit and added to the surplus capital, after paying a dividend to the proprietors. However, instead of following the course we have indicated, the-directors of this respectable company added from the sum named about £90,000 to their permanent capital:, for the in creased protection of its insurers. This step distinctly shows that the company has always acted on the principle enunciated by one of the directors at the last annual meeting of the pro prietors —" that the interests of the assured have s paramount claim on , the directors—a claim superior even to , that of the shareholders themselves." From that moment, as might be expected,•. the company attained the highest consideration throughout the country, and has retained it ever since. The result is shown in the unexampled fact that its fire revenue alone rose,. in about fivb years, from little more than £30,000 to about £130,000." A further cause of this rapid growth lies domewhat below the surface, But is yet of importance. From inquiry we learn that no fire office possessing half the above revenue-annually deposits its accounts with the registrar-general. This fact has recently- been noticed with just commendation by one of our contemporaries. Instances have followed each other of late years of firms and companies enjoying a celebrity almost the growth. of generations, flourishing by the sole aid of their established prestige, multiplying by these means their vast responsibilities,, and thus only heaping up by the aid of their annual resources, which serve but to defer• the final catastrophe, an- ultimately greater weight of domestic• and public woe. These events could never have happened to the sanae•extent if the public had had themeans to sift and examine theposi tion of these establishments annually during their existence. It has been truly said that the " wealth of the oldest• com panies may have dwindled instead of accumulated," so far as the information which they afford to the public gives any sign. The resources and balsince , sheets of this great company are,. on the contrary, annnally registered, and unmistakeable 'evi dence is thus given periodically of its capacity to raeet its engagements. Ilia we should not omit• the life branch, which has chiefly attracted attention lately. Thereversionary bonus to assurer& on this branch is stated to be " eqoal on the average to 80 per cent. on the premium& paid from ages 20 to 40." Although this amount of bonus, strikingly large and satisfactory as• it undoubtedly is, is not unprecedented, as some have stated, it has evidently reached a point of magnitude which is not likely to-be exceeded in permanence by any respectable and prudent ()ace computing its liabilities on so sound a principle as that recited in the actuary's report. This is, indeed, self-evident from, the statements of that document itself, to the effect that the mortality has been more• favourable than the ordinary tables of mortality—the- expenses unusually small ; and that the-interest on the investments has yielded fully 5 per cent., without the loss of a single fraction by bad debt—a financial success in itself almost unexampled, we should. think, ill-such large transactions. If with all these advatitages the result produces such a bonus as that adverted to,qaeople may indeed. look with sus picion on any company either declaring, or leading.: their assurers to anticipate largerresults in the way of profit. Tha opinion acquires greaten strength in our minds when we remember that the bolias.is stated to be larger than that latterly given by some of the most successfu3l and flourishing offices either here or in Scotland. It has been asserted that no check can be devised by which either the public or even the government, if assurances offices were•placed under its cautrobabould be able to test the com parative soundness or danger of each. We confess that, look ing at the report of the actuary of this company, we arrive at a different conclusion. The bases of his mathematical investigation of theliabilities of this company are given• in• plainer terms, and freer from technicalities, than in the. report of any other actuary that we happen to recal at the moment. The safety of thecompUt;ii;ils is proved by the , -following facts The rate of interest assumed is fixed at 3 per cent. Con sidering the fluctuations ,to• which interest of money is -liable, taking the scope of an-extended series of years, . _ any higher rate than this would, wo.opi ne ,b e unsound. If thedegislature sokly required that at the periods of valuation, each office should declare the rate of interest it adopted, that single step in the right direction would not be unattended. with. good results. But further, the future. premiums receivable-are not taken, it appears, at the rate• which the assurer has, und er t a k en t o pay, but at a smaller sum, which, in the actuary's opinion, would at 3 per cent_ interest just provide the- exact amounts assured. It is clean- that this is another act of judicious prudence, providing. another element of safety.. It is obvious that each office includes in its annual charges-for assurance a sum to cover future expenses, as well as to provide a profit on its transactions. If this be the case, it is equally evident that if the present value of those future payments in full were taken to reduce the present amount of liabilities of a company, the computer would be anticipating as an immediate disposable sum the future profits, and would be giving_a delusive appear ance of prosperity to the accounts, contrary to, fact. Thus again we have- a feature in life valuations, which, if required to be stated, would tend to the security of the assured. The actuary, having stated his mode of valuation, explains the sources of future profit in the following plain terms, intelligible to the masses who are interested in life assurance :-- "There remain, therefore, untouched, for your entire security and future-profit, over and above the ample reserve set apart to meet future liabilities under your present engagements, the fol lowing items, viz. : "1. The additional interest above a per cent. which you will, receive on the said reserve and on the future premiums. "2. The amount of annual premiums now receivable beyond. that which is involved in the calculation. This has already been referred to as the " loading," and will be an addition of upwAnda of 20 per cent. _ _ "3, The probable advantage of a more favourable decrement of life than the tables of mortality would indicate, arising from the high standard of eligibility which has been adopted by the company. `f4. The property arising &oust policies lapsed or surrendered!' The statements from which we have taken these remarks are contained in a little almanac lying before us, which is eirculathd by this company, and which contains very interest ing and useful information on fire and life assurance, as also on other general subjects.. We have taken up this subject, and selected as our example this influential company, as the management, or rather the mismanagement, of many of our commercial establishments, as well as insurance offices, has recently startled the prudent and violently shaken the confidence of many ; and we con- Bider that by holding up to public commendation any instance da judgmentl is hme t fo r an s d o i s m uc p h or as tan the h an e epresentnd being e o i u f gthe governedaffairs soesuntb unshaken integrity, we are helping on a better state of things for the future, and by this case at least, from the eminent success which has attended the society, are illustrating to th e directors of public companies generally the truth of th a t by homely, though oft-forgotten, proverb, that after all, and in the long run, " honesty is the best policy." While upon this subject, we would call the attention of some of the most eminent insurance companies to the fact, that there are now in existence many small offices which, from the nature of the business transacted by them, we are certain cannot be in a prosperous condition; and we would, therefore, suggest that some steps should be taken either to amalgamate the affairs of these doubtful concerns into one or more respectable establishments, or that the more fortunate undertakings should gradually absorb their smaller brethren, and thus prevent anything like public scandal being brought upon a principle which, under proper management, we look upon as one of the most valuable of the age. [JANUARY 8, 1856. ECCLESIASTICAL INTELLIGESag • PREFERMENTS AND APPOINTMENTS. tO im" Rev. J. C. Bates, M.A., o f Q ueen ' s College, Oxford, Incumbency of King Sterndale, Derbyshire. Rev. W. Blow, M.A., to th e Vi carage o f L a y er Breton, n° Colchester. • Rev. W. H. Davies, to the Cu rac y o f Shi p l ey, nea r Hors1 1 1:0 Rev. C. J. D'Oyl e y, t o th e I ncum b ency of St. Mark's goel, Church, St. Martin- In -th e -Fi e ld s, f ormerly Long-a cre London, Rev. J. D. Gray, to the Vicarage of Abbotsley, Rev. Hobson, to be Chaplain of Kilkenny Goal. fo lk, Rev. H. Howes, M.A., to the Rectory of Spixworth, or „ t ip, Rev. A. W. Pearson, 8.A., to the Curacy of Sunni* near Chertsey. Rev. H. M. Roberts, M.A., Chaplain of Magdalen Co ford, to the Rectory of All Saints', Saltfleetby, Lincolnshi re ' Rev. J. W. Ramsey, Curate of Grays Thurrock, to the NI" of Rolvendon, Kent. Ferrel l ' Rev. R. S. J. Shirreff, to the Rectory of Woodham Essex. Rev. J. Todd, to the Vicarage of Ardleigh, Essex. ,v e go; Rev. H. Tudway, M.A., to the Rectory of Walton-caul' ' in Gordano, Somerset. sseX• Rev. G. C. Tufnell, M.A., to the Vicarage of Takely, E ht Rev. T. Wildman to be Domestic Chaplain to the Bigh t the Earl of Galloway, at Galloway House, Wigtonshire, licence of the Bishop of Glan•sow and Galloway• Roda e l i Huntingdo n Rev. C. 11. Wilson, S.C.C., to the Rectory of White near Chipping Ungar. 13Iv DIOCESE OF MANCIIESTEE.—The Lo r d Bishop of ' 1 to chester, on Wednesday, licensed the Rev. John Robinsotc, the stipendiary curacy of St. Oswald's, Collyhurst; . _rst, Ernest Augustus Lang, 8.A., t o t h e stipendiary curacy James's, Birch, n ear M anc h ester; Rev. Alexander Shaw R ey, 8.A., to the stip en di ary curacy of St. Paul ' s, Preston ; of Edmund Boteler Chalmer, B.A. to the stipendiary c, ll f ac A i ii, St. James's, M anc h ester ; and the Rev. John Leighton -ogF eri :, to the chaplai nc y o f t h e Manchester General Cel re Harpurhey, in the pl ace o f th e Rev. Charles Marshall' signed. COURT AND FASHION. ;fake' Her Majesty and the Court have remained at I V- - during the past week. ,‘„ e et, LORD STANLEY has l e ft K nows l ey f or H ughen d o n AL' on a visit to the Right Hon. B. Disraeli. the Ax APPROACHING MARRIAGE is announced betwee „ TOP Lady Emily Curzon, daughter of the Earl Howe, and Colonel Kingscote, of Kingscote Park, Gloucestershire. r i t fl THE MARRIAGE OP S IR R OBERT PEEL, Bart., 3 1 •P": d t, the Lady Emily H a y, i s pos t poned until the 17th a The Duchess of Wellington will celebrate the event grand breakfast in the Waterloo Gallery of Apsley Hous e ' k MR. WILLIAM Ros s , b ro th er o f Major-General Si r g ri tl oe , Rose, is about to form a matrimonial alliance with the Miss Thellusson, daughter of the Lady Rendleshain , "- sister of the Lady Walsingham. e ke 01 Their Royal Highnes ses th e D uc h ess of Kent, t h e Cambridge, Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar, and Prince ill nest of Leiningen have been on a visit to her Majesty dui ' the week. A The Prince of Wal es an d P r i nce Alfred came to Lon"nn :05' Wednesday, and visited th e D uc h ess o f Gloucester at Gl°"gt. ter House. Their royal highnesses afterwards attended .A Faraday's lecture at th e R o y a l Institution, and then reta il ' to Windsor. .01 LORD PALMERSTON, wh o h a d b een stay i ng since n u ' 00 0, as the guest of the Q ueen , t oo k leave on Saturday for eN y having to attend a meeting of the war department. Palmerston accompanied his lordship to town. n t Ho Royal Highness the D u k e o f C am b r i dge was pre on Friday, at the mee ti ng h e ld at the war department, 51',0e, which Lord Paumure, L or d P a l merston Lord Clare n i Lord Hardinge, Si r Ed mun d L yons, and ' Sir Charles u " . attended. TICE Hon. Wyndham Quin, late of the Grenadier GU only brother of the Earl of Duuraven, is about to forma trimonial alliance with Caroline, third daughter of Ad l)3 ,,fio Sir George Tyler, M.P., of Cottesell, Glamorganshire• Harriet Tyler, eldest daughter of the Admiral, will be nia rr o, at the same tim e t o M r . Ed w. P . R i chards, of Plas NOY in the same county. Ox Saturday, Her Majesty a n d hi s R oya l Highness grine e o Albert, attended by L a dy Ely an d th e equerries in waitiogfo. the Castle,- and travelled by a s p ec i a l ra il way train to let don, in order t o i ns p ec t th e G al l ery of Paintins in W 3 to Colours, fa Pall-mall East. The Royal cortege returned p. the Castle from to wn , b y a special railway t he Duchess Her he jesty, before l eav i ng L ondon, paid a visit to her aunt , '. se Duchess of Glouceste r , a t h er res i dence, Gloucester Wu Park-lane. • S. ALARMING ILLNESS OF LORD' ADOLPHE'S FITZCLARA— c „ 1 — Rear-Admira Lord Adolphus Fit ze l arence i s i n ace; critical state, arisin g f rom a re l apse o f gout, from a stubl)e'r, attack of which th e no bl e an d ga ll ant admiral had been seil e o ing for the l as t th ree wee k s, On Friday morning be iv • assailed by the mo s t ser i ous symptoms, and the greates t fe d'' were entertained, when the memb ers o f hi s l or d s hi p ' s f 3 ra d learnt from the medical attendants that their patient 1 3 , seized with gout in the head. About three o'clock on Sul ) b is morninc , a decided change for the better took place, and to medical' advisers hold out hopes of hi s lordship's uit'''3r. recovery, although it cou ld no t b e sa i d he was out o f don , e , Up to a late hour i n th e even i ng t h e noble lord remaine d e the same, and the favourable change noticed early is " morning continued. t IMPERIAL PRESENT. TO HER MAITESTE.—The ro e r Napoleon, with fine t as t e an d d e li cate courtesy, has sent It, to the Queen a ver y pre tt y an d very precious Christmas g, it It is in the form of a latly.'s album,—and the substance 0 ,4 0 is an artisti c M emor i a l o f Her Majesty's Visit to Paris. n j drawings are i n wa t er - co l our, by the most renowned F r eac d masters. The Queen at Boulogne is bv,dll.- Morel Fatio, ° 3l the departure fro m th a t port by M. Mozin.. M. 9 . “ ll av et c°l ; tributes two illustrations, to t h e royal album —The px ,,, at sailles, and the Imperial supper. The Queen's ar rival iu Park is drawn by M. Guerard, M. Eugene Lami illustrates t arrival at St. Cloud. A few other drawings are by artists less known in England. The case which contains these tressul is got up in the most exquisite style, and with all the richni e of ornamentation for which French design is renowned. t book, we believe, was produced for the Emperor at a COS' of a thousand guineas.—Athenakum. - - DEATH OF THE M ARQUIS OF AILESBURY, K .T.— The Marquis of Ail es b ury exp i red on Friday morning, at . ham-park, the family seat, near Marlborough, 'Wilts. Th i venerable marquis had been.. in declining health for the three years, so that the- members of his Lordship's „, were not unprepared for the mournful event. The venert, Peer was born on the 14th of Februnry, 17.7:3, so that be .7 4 7 0 on the verge of attaining:the advanced age, of 83 years. o f ' deceased marquis, previous to his aecession.to the House ri i, Peers on the death of his father, the Earl cf Ailesbury, in AP ee 1814, represented Marlborough in the House of Colutl i i c during several Parliaments, -and was throughout his P" e f life a zealous Tory of the old .school and warm su pporter c , " our Protestant institutions." The noble deceased is ceeded in the family honours by his eldest. Geore liam Fredrickgarl Brnee,Lientenant-Colonel Commandan t p r , the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry Cavalry, born, 20th Noven.e 1804, who married, 11th of May, 1837, Lady, Mary Carlo Herbert, third daughter of the late Earl. of Pembroke. by Lordship was, in 1839, snmmond to the House of Lords the title of Baron Bruce, of Tottenham. ~ THE ANNUAL DISTRIBUTION OF, HER. MAJESTY'- YEAR'S GIFTS.—On New Year's Day the-gifts to the (10%63 ing poor of New Windsor, Holy Trinity, .and: Clewer park o f were given in the Riding . School. The arrangements werenr a similar description to those of formenyears, and the co v. mittee of management consisted of the, Hon.. and Very 1 -14 h the Dean of Windsor, Colonel Phipps, and Colonel BiddutP. with the Rev. Henry John Ellison vicar of Windsor; ti4,u. Rev. Henry Hawtree, Holy Trinity.;; the Rev. T° s, Carter, Clewer; and other clergy, the eburchward en _. overseers, and some of the leading residents of the three parishes. Her Majesty and the Prince Consort, with P . '. l Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, and the rest of the or: family left the Castle at ten o'clock,. walked to the RAI School,. and took their places as usuaLin the gallery overt eastern entrance, from which they had, an excellent view 8a the proceedings. in preparing the list. of recipients care t: taken that the poor to whom the gift did. not extend last Y":, should be includad in the present distribution. The naolsb value altogether was £550.• Tottelie FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. THE MEDITERRANE:AI4. By the Peninsular and Oriental. Company's steam- 81 1 Indus, Captain Br oo k s , wi th t h e India, China, and Meter mails, ,we ha v e dates froinAlexandria, Dec. 23 ; 27; Gibraltar, 31. The Indus brings 38 passengers, 9 12 " - At were screw,ships Lady Jocen; freight two , packages of specie, value n o t s t a t e d . Costa. politan,Alexandria the and. Austrian corvette Venus, a Mexican s tores and a large fleet of merc h an t men. re , From Gibraltar we have (laths, to. the 31st ult. inclus,! thr The steam transport Caroline left for Balaclava on the, 2 7 c 's and not for England, as previously stated. Her ggi e f;9lti ship London, from the Black. Sea,, left Gibraltar on the The for England, in tow of the ; Prometheus steam-sloop- f sailing_ transport D un b ar was at Gibraltar with a car r r e ° - powder,,shcbt, and shell frona.Malta, which she would land P 4 paratory to proceeding t o Spith ea d . Th e Cambrian st"' transport, which left Constantinople on the 21st instant q e . Malta the 26th, put in to Gibraltar to coal on the 30th hasiourteen horses on board for England, in charge olse v io , grooms, the property of British officers who have serves the Crimea. The Swedish brig Solids put into Gibraltar on the2Bth,o to land the mate and four seamen b e l ong i ng t o the Bo' 0 schooner Jane, Joseph Robinson, master, twenty days out fr o „h Maryport, bound to Marseilles, with a cargo of coals, whi i r e was run into by the Solide off Fuengirola, near Malaga , n previous night, about a quarter-past seven o'clock. In 1 .1 collision the five men. got on board the Swede; and, as C,ln Robinson and one of the c rew a re missing, it is feared riT O they must have gone down with the schooner.. When '';' oo accident happened, the vessels were not more than six from the land. A m C a.4B. IFIC ~; The Tyne arrived on F ship Medea, coming to St. Thomas's for the Admiral's l AN vith D th P e quence of meeting there the United. States sloopnA ila g. WEST INDIES AN D at Bermuda, was detained some days in Antigua, in Cr o of Cyane, of 20 , guns, which refused to salute the British oliD, The cause assigned by the Cyane was that an American ° I $ t jAecnttig(auas.lavAl Demerara e b r e a e r i a t t t h a e ke w n ea o t u h t Francis Burke, a gentleman from Montserrat, had arriveui efeoTi l ti A nu m ed eri d ea r3 n, . veo - 15 :1; British Guiana, and applied to government for a P at l ii ,"eni Her M.,,ef ter s tp protect an invention, to separate and prepare in an elu -l o d manner the fibres contained in the plantain, banana, aloe, other vegetables, for various manufacturing purpose s ',.. 0 0 Grenada the wea th er cont i nued favourable to the planta'l.Alil and some fine seasonable showers had fallen. From Trin7o. we learn that the crop of sugar which was making wa s fat usually good. At Porto Rico the cholera, after ragiogod some time about the outskirts, had entered San Juan. , 4 o l( was committing great ha voc among th e i n h a bit an ts. ` fever was also existing at Martinique. O ci From the Pacific we learn that a great quantity of go- - coly been discovered near Naciamento, ninety miles above be , ception, in southern Chili. The Republic of Bolivia 1,3 `;`, 0 0 come peaceful, and all the, revolutionary movements had v stett , successfully quelled. From Peru we learn that the C O 2 e i it g tion was still in session, and many projects of law were 'J oe to brought forward by the deputies. Among them was ° v ia; suppress freemasonry and prevent lodges from being a the another proposed that the Jesuits should be expelled, an, re same day a counter bill was introduced to legalize theli tsi t sidence in the country. Th e mos t ex t raor di nary an d iiniSL i of proposition made is the project of law, introduced 14 Roca, to sell the Chincha Island.%