The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1850-01-08 00:00:00

PROPOSED NEW CORN EXCHANINE IN LIVERPOOL A meeting of those interested in the prosperity of the corn trade was held yesterday at the Clarendon-rooms, for the purpose of meeting the Provisional Committee engaged in the promotion of the erection of a new Corn Exchange in Liverpool. The meeting was convened by circular, and was most numerously and influentially at tended. On the motion of Mr. Ridyard, T. B. Horsfall, Esq., was called upon to preside. _ The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings of the meeting, said,—The object of our present meeting may be stated in a very few words. It is held in accordance with the circular which has already been issued to you, and for the purpose of ensuring the erection of a new corn exchange in Liverpool, the provisional committee will be happy to receive any suggestions at your hands, for the purpose of carrying out that object in an efficient manner. (Hear, hear.) It is desirable, at the outset, that I should allude to the circular which has recently been issued by the committee of the old Corn Exchange, and which bears the signature of the chairman of the body, Mr. W. Lowe. I allude to it because he states in that circular that the plan which has been submitted to the committee of the old Corn Exchange, by the pro jectors of the new one, is unfit for the purpose. All I have to say is, that the provisional committee of the new exchange are bound to no plan. (Hear, hear.) The plan submitted by the projectors, and which has been before the committee of the old Exchange, has been likewise submitted to your committee ; they are not bound to it— That plan is before them, but it is not the plan of the committee; they are open to every plan, and committed to none. When that plan was submitted at the very out set, one member of our committee took exception to the architectural design ; and another took exception to the internal arrangements and the planning of the accommo dation, and I now repeat that the committee are commit ted to no plan, yet they do not entertain a doubt but that with your assistance, and the practical advice which they will receive from the gentlemenengaged in thecorn trade, they will be enabled to bring before the public a plan worthy of the corn trade of this great port, and worthy of the town of Liverpool. ( Applause. It is necessary that I should allude to the position of the proprietors of the old Corn Exchange ; because when this proposal was first submitted to me, I said that I would take no part in the erection of a new Corn Exchange, without due consideration being given to the interests of the proprie tors of the old one. (Hear, hear.) The Provisional Committee, adopting this view of the case, sent a circular to the whole of the proprietors of the old exchange, pro posing to them as the basis of an arrangement, that they should have three shares in the new building for every one which they held in the old; or, failing in that, that they should receive £360 per share for each share in the old Exchange, being the highest price which had ever been received for those shares. A portion of the proprietors only answered this proposal; the greater por tion have abstained from answering the communication at all; I regret that they should have done so on their own account. Ido not regret their doing so as far as the in terests of the proprietors of the new Exchange are con cerned ; for it is not on the proprietors of the old Ex change that we rely for support, but on the standholders who may occupy stands in the building. The next point will be one for the consideration of those who take stands in the new building. On no account will there be any thing done which will not be calculated to promote the general interest of the market—good light and good ven tilation ; and although there may be some difference in price for locality and accommodation, still the average price will be considerably less than is now paid. (Hear, hear, and applause.) Several objections to our proposal have been mentioned. I was asked, certainly in the most friendly spirit, why I, as an individual not at all connected with the corn trade, should enter into such an undertaking as the erection of a new corn exchange ? This question I might answer by another question : How is it that of the 76 proprietors of the old exchange only 17 are standholders, or engaged in the corn trade ? Ano ther question has been put to me by the chairman of the committee of the old corn exchange. The question I bee to say was put in the most perfect good humour. He said, " Mr. Horsfall, I am told that you have land in the neighbourhood of the proposed site of the new corn ex change." Now, gentlemen, though Ido not think it would have been any very great sin had this proved to be the case, yet I must say to you, as I said to him, " that unfortunately I have not one yard of land within a mile of the proposed site." (Hear, hear, and applause.) I mention this circumstance, as many persons may have beard the same report, and if so, in order that their minds may be disabused upon the subject. I deeply regret to understand that the proposal for erecting a new Corn Exchange in Liverpool should, as I hear, have given rise to some ill feeling. lam sure that there has been no ill feeling of the kind on the part of the provisional com mittee; and, as f )cvn feelings go—anxious as I am to have 'a good building—one worthy of Liverpool; anxious as I am that the undertaking should prove remu nerative to its promoters, I do not hesitate to say, that I should consider any , building, however splendid, or how ever lucrative it might be, as far too dearly purchased at the sacrifice of the good feeling of my fellow-townsmen. —(Loud applause.) Mr. D, POWELL proposed the first resolution, as fol -" That in the opinion of this meeting the present "ate to the wants of the trade." NI besides himself had reason ,roper accommodation in the men who had stands in the Corn Exchange is in He said that several new Corn Ex t of p I great advantages over d ends in regard to the which they had for exhibiting their. samples. applicable to flour in particular. The practice .ence to flour was,—a gentleman buying flout centre of the building y rho were at tt took a sample f look at it, fie went with the de into the centr room, and the probabilit the stand from which I that he never returned to ,k the sample, some more _ located broker getting hold of him in the meantime. In the new Exchange everything would be sacrificed to the market, and every person would have equal advantages, both as regards light and ventilation. He had taken some pains to ascertain the imports of grain and breadstuffs to the port of Liverpool in the year 1849, as compared with the average imports of 1809 and 1810, e old Exchange had been built. built in 1808. ortunatel DIVELI t Exchange might be very A. Vorc well in its day, but it is not sufficient for our pr( prospective trade. (Hear, hear.) In the respective years he had named the imports were as follows: sent and Wheat Barley, Mslt, Oats, Rye, In 1809 and 1810 160,000 quarters. 26,000 ~ 54,000 I p 338,000 ~ ~ 213,627 10,913 „ 142,991 14,000 Beans, Peas, ~ 33,943 Indian corn „ 851,597 Ditto meal, brls. 43,867 Oatmeal, loads, 254,141 sacks, 162,496 12,000 „ 109,000 „ Notwithstanding the present low price of breadstuffs, the estimated value of the amount which passes through the Corn Exchange was £4,500,000 per annum against £930,000 in the years 1809-10. The trade had nearly quintupled, and, therefore, taking all these things into consideration, he thought ho was justified in proposing to the meeting the resolution which he had just read. Mr. M`HENRY, in seconding the resolution, said that Mr. Powell's statement had made the necessity for a new corn exchange so patent, that he could add nothing to the force of his arguments, and, therefore, would simply second the motion, which, on being put from the chair, was carried unanimously. Flour, Ditto, 725,17 Mr. HUGH HORNBY proposed the next resolution as follows :—" That the site of the land on the west side of Drury-lane, fronting also Brunswick-street and Water street, affords a favourable opportunity for the erection of a suitable building, with 'adequate accommodation, and in the opinion of this meeting advantage should be taken of securing what land may be necessary." He thought that Mr. Powell bad already made it sufficiently plain that a new Corn Exchange is required for Liverpool. No per son could go into the present building without being struck with its incapacity for the purposes required ; and, in his opinion, if a change was to be made at all, it was desirous that they should remove as short a space as pos sible from the seat of trade. It was proposed that the site of the new erection should be in Brunswick-street, and certainly no person could say that that was far from the present centre of the corn trade ; and he believed that the accommodation would be suitable, not only for the present, but for the prospective wants of the trade. (Hear, hear.) He expressed his entire concurrence in the concluding remarks of the chairman. The provisional committee had been guided, not only by the belief that the undertaking would be lucrative, but also by the belief that it was absolutely necessary that new and increased accommodation was wanted for the corn trade of Liver pool. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Powell had shown them what increase had taken place in that for forty years; and any person who looked forward to the increase which was likely to take place in the commerce of the port &net at once admit that the requirement of the corn trade would be greater the ensuing than the past forty years. (Hear, bear.) It was therefore necessary for them to provide for the coming wants of the trade ; and therefore he had great pleasure in moving the resolution which he had just read. Mr. HUBBACK, having seconded the resolution, it wa! put from the chair, and carried_ unanimously. - Mr. WILLIAM EARLE, in a few remarks,, prooosed the next resolution, to the effect that it was desirable to pro ceed with the proposed new Exchange. This was sup uorted by Mr. Jump, and passed unanimously. then claimed the indulgence of ...-- - the chairman whilst he entered into a few details explana tory of the negotiations which had taken place between himself and the Committee of the old Corn Exchange; and, in order that the facts of the whole case might be put before the public, he would read a statement of facts which he had prepared on the subject : _ To carry out this object a treaty was commenced with the committee of the old Exchange, partly between a com mittee of the present Corn Exchange and myself, and partly through the medium of Messrs. Lowndes and Co. and Messrs. Lace and Co. The treaty progressed so fares to lead to an offer on the part of the Corn Exchange committee for the sale of the old building, preparatory to the removal of the market to the new site. The position of the treaty at this period is shown by the following note, addressed by Mr. Lowndes to one of the proprietors of the land " Brunswick-street, 14th Oct., 1849. ‘, DEA R SIRS I was in search of Mr. Bouch to-day, to report to him the result of the co mmittee ' s m eeting at Mr. Laces', and was sorry to find he had gone from home. I was sur prised to find that the impression in favour of your plan was general. and if you can offer to take shares of any dissentient* be able for at .e3BO, the task is accomplished. Will you favour me with a call in the course of Monday ? . "I am, deaisir, yours faithfully, . .. " M. D: . LOWNDES. * "I mean conditionally on your plan being taken by the public." This offer Mr. Lowndes accepted in the following terms : "DEAR SIRS,—The Corn Exchange.—We are authorised by the promoters of the new Corn Exchange to signify to the com mittee of the present Exchange, through you, their readiness to take the shares of the proprietors of the present Corn Ex change at the sum of three hundred and eighty pounds per share, contingently upon the plan of the promoters receiving, as they have no doubt it will, adequate support from the corn trade and the public. We are, dear sirs, yours truly, "LOWNDES, ROBINSON, & BATESON. "18M October, 1849. _ _ "Messrs. Laces, Myers, Rigge, and Roscoe." Subsequently the Corn Exchange Committee declared that the parties with whom Mr. Lowndes had been treat ing had no power to proceed as they had done, and efforts were made to procure a site for a new Corn Exchange in James'-street, and at the old Sessions-house, &c.— This proceeding was protested against as unfair to the owners of property contiguous to the present Exchange, who have a right to ask the committee, before removing the market, to weigh deliberately the advantages offered by the site already existing close to their present pre mises. And here it may be mentioned that at the outset the committee were informed no steps would be taken towards removing the market until it had been fairly proved that it was impossible sufficiently to enlarge it on its present site,and the fullest considerationwould be given to the interests of the old proprietors and to the conve nience of the trade. Consistently with these principles, on the invitation of the committee, Mr. Bouch made the following propositions :—First, To purchase the Old Ex change at £3BO per share, on condition that each of the present occupiers of stands (said to be 133) should trans fer his occupancy (by lease) to the New Exchange. Or, Second, To Amalgamate the whole property on the basis of £3BO for an Old Exchange share. Or, Thirdly, To erect a new Exchange, with room for 150 stands, and convey it to the proprietors of the old Exchange, in lieu of their property, which 150 stands, at £l5 15a each, would yield an income of more than £3l per share per annum. Or, Fourthly, To erect, indepen dently of the old Exchange, a new Exchange, and to offer the stands to the trade at 150 guineas each, to be paid for by instalments of £3l 10s, every three months, until paid up. And, in every case, the control of the market to remain with the trade. At this juncture Mr. Bouch addressed the following note to the Chairman of the Corn Exchange Committee : "Liverpool, Friday Evening. „ _ "MY DEAR SIR,—I have, at the request of Mr. Lowndes, seen Mr. Claxton, who promised to see you. Mr. Claxton seemed to think that no site incapable of accommodating 200 stands ought to be chosen, and this was my first opinion. The area we have submitted to you is thrice the extent of your present Exchange, and you have in the latter, I believe, 133 stands. An area could, therefore, at any future period, be enlarged to the required extent. lam leaving town to-night, and shall be absent until Tuesday evening. In justice to our selves, I annex a statement of what we could do, unaided, for the trade." The statements alluded to proposed the erection of the new market with our own resources. The stand rent to be what it now is, but the holders to have the privilege of purchasing one at 150 guineas ; in all cases the control and management of the market to remain with the trade. These protracted negotiations ended in a resolution of the committee rejecting all these proposals, whilst at the same time many members of the trade expressed an earnest desire that the plans proposed might be issued to the public. This step was objected to unless such a measure of support was promised by the members of the corn trade as would deprive the act of any appearance of uncalled for interference with the interests of the present Corn Exchange property. Mr. WILLIAM MANN, as a proprietor of the oil Ex change, thought it right to state that the dispute in question was not between the proprietors of the old. Exchange and the proprietors of the new. It was en tirely between those engaged in the trade themselves. MT. EARLE asked if Mr. Mann approved of the con duct of the Committee of the old Corn Exchange ? He (Mr. Earle) was a proprietor, and he did not. . . Mr. MANN said he Was finding no fault with any per son ; but he wished it to be understood that this was en tirely a matter with the trade; it was not a matter be tween the proprietors of the old and the committee of the new Exchange. The CHAIRMAN observed, that it was well understood that Mr. Mann was not finding fault with any one. Mr. Earle only blamed him for not finding fault with some one. (Laughter.) Mr. ItIDYARD, in cemplimentary terms, moved a reso lution bearing testimony to the handsome manner in which Mr. Bouch, on behalf of himself and his co-owners of the vacant land in Drury-lane and Water-street, had endeavoured to meet the wants of tae corn trade in refer ence to a new Corn Exchange. The CHAIRMAN, having corCially seconded this motion bearing testimony to the disinterested conduct of Mr. Bouch, it was carried by acclamation. The thanks of the meeting were then accorded to the chairman, after which the meeting separated. BRITISH AGRICULTURE AND FOREIGN COMPETITION. s Ma§az In last month's number of Blackwood' article, unmistakeably the production of Prof( excited the ire of the whole body of free trade Times especially, was furious, and raved through a column of leader in his best style of Billingsgate, without at tempting, however, to grapple with a single argument of the object of his abuse. The present number of the same magazine contain ome while to get rid of public will, no doubt, read the article for themselves ; but for those whose leisure is not sufficient to enable them to examine the whole of our able contemporary's pages, we shall not perhaps be performing an unacceptable task in furnishing an abstract. The writer commences by reminding the public of the fact that, in February, 1842, Sir Robert Peel made this express declaration to the agriculturist community :—" I cannot undertake to guarantee to you, by legislation, a particular price ; bul this I will say, that as long as corn is under 51s. you shall not be exposed to the importation of foreign corn," At the same time he calculated that, under the bill of 1842, prices would range from 545. to 58s. That calculation was realised, for in the six years from 1842 to 1847 the lowest price was 50s. ld., the high est, (18470 695. 9d., and the average, 555. 7 2-3 d. The tergiversating baronet, however, in 1846 turned his back upon his previously recorded opinions, seduced apparently by the desire to outbid his rival, Lord John Russell, for power ; and the result was the repeal of the corn laws. Amongst the pretexts for this change the most prominent were, in the first place, the alleged increase of yield to be derived from high farming, and in the next, an asserted inability of the foreigner to supply the British market for less than a price somewhat about 455. per quarter, and with a quantity which Mr. Tooke, in his History of Prices, considers " might approach to from 1,500,000 to 2,000,000 of quarters." We shall first consider the question of foreign price and supply ; and here we quote from Black wood : " In place of 2,000,000 quarters of wheat annually from the passing of the corn law repeal act, (26th June, 1846,) until the sth of November, 1847, a period of little more than sixteen months, we imported 7,229,916 quarters of wheat—while the total of all kinds of grain entered for cqpstimption amounted to 16,331,282 quarters ! Some idea may IYE formed of the effect of such an aggregate importation if we bear in mind that from sth July, 1828, to Ist January, 1841, a period of nearly thirteen years. the whole quantity of foreign wheat and flour entered for home consumption was 13,475,000 quarters." The writer continues " But lest it should be argued that this was a supply pro duced by extraordinary circumstances, and whch could only be furnished from accumulations of former seasons—as was, indeed, said at the time—the further history of the trade has shown us that our foreign supplies continue to pour in at pre cisely the same rate. The total of all kinds of grain and flour entered for consumption in the last nine montl43, ending sth September 1849, as exhibited by the Board of Trade returns, shows an amount of 9,870,123 quarters, the quantity of wheat being for this period 3,821,293 quarters; and of wheaten flour —besides frightening the farmers, bearing ruin to our own millers-3,236,993 cwt.—together equivalent to quarters of wheat, 4,746,147. And all this, be it observed, has been im ported while the average price per quarter has been one six pence only above that named as likely to exclude the approach of more than 1,500,000 or 2,000,000 quarters from our shores ! Formerly—in the first years of the century, up to 1842—the farmer bad to contend against a foreign supply of grain amounting to little more than 1,000,000 quarters per annum— now, in some Cases, under obligations contracted on the faith of protection to native industry, he is called upon to make the vain struggle against an inundation of foreign corn amounting to upwards of 1,000,000 quarters per month! He cannot it is evident, maintain the contest long." So much for the supply up to the closing of the ports in the north of Europe. Another question, however, discussed by the writer is that of the prices at which grain can be furnished to us. Thus far the surplus grain of Europe has been bought up by middlemen, principally Jews, on speculation, and furnished to us as our necessi ties opened the market. Of course these speculators had their profit to screw from us. But at present it is well known (and here we can corroborate the writer in Black wood) that grain is coming to us direct from the foreign cultivator on consignment, and will be sold for what it will bring, a very low price in our market being equal to what he has heretofore received. In order to give an idea of the price at which it can be sold, we are reminded of the remarks of Mr. Sanders, M.P. for Wakefield : "This much, we know for a fact, that an eminent corn merchant in Leith has, in former years, purchased fine wheat, ft ee on board, at Dantzic for 18s., with the offer of a constant supply, and that no circumstances have since then emerged to enhance the cost of production. Besides this, as Mr. Sandars well remarks in one of his published letters, we have had plain and evident experience of foreign production under the working of the corn law of 1842. We hEd a fixed duty of 20s. per quarter in actual operation for four years; and in 1844 and 1845, such duty was paid, week after week, and in the latter year for six months consecutively, at a time when our general averages were only 465. to 475. a quarter. Was the foreigner at that time selling at a loss ? His price, then, adapting itself to ours, was 265. and 275., deducting the duty, and at that time, be it remembered, he was unprepared for competition. So that, from experience not five years old, we may gather what kind of future competition awaits us, and also what we are annually sacrificing in revenue, by madly abandoning protection." We may also quote the writer's remarks as to the quan tity of the supply : " Of the capability of the foreigner to su pply us w ith any given amount of grain, we think no reasonable man can doubt. There is a breadth of soil open sufficient to supply more than twenty times the most exorbitant demand. It is his power to undersell us, and the extent of that power, which have been questioned; and on the solution of that question d e p en d s th e utility of high farming, in this country, on a grand and com prehensive scale. We shall show that, at present pric es , hi g h farming is so far from remunerative, that those who practise it are actually incurring an immense loss; and that, unless rents come down to zero, or at least to a point which would utterly ruin the landlords, high farming cannot be proceeded With. We have shown that, within the last five years, we have been supplied, and that regularly, from abroad, when wheat was at 465. per quarter, and a duty of 20s. existed ; and, at such rates, it is quite evident that all attempt at competition would be hopeless. Wheat could not be grown remuneratively at 265. or 275. in England before a single shilling of the national debt was incurred ; and no man is mad enough to insist upon its possibility now. When, therefore, the free traders tell us that the present is a mere temporary depreciation, we ask them—and we demand a distinct reply—for an explanation of the imports in 1845. How was it that, for along period, foreign corn came in plentifully, paying the duty of 205., when our home averages were at 465. and 475. ? Can they assign any special reason for it ? If not, the conclusion is plain, that the foreign growers can and will undersell us down to that point, if we possibly could compete with them so far, and all the while add to their profit, while they also abstract from our revenue." The writer expresses his opinion, and enforces it by strong corroborative evidence, that the European grower can and will sell in competition to us as low as 18s. per quarter. The agriculturists are told, however, by such authori ties as Lord Kinnaird, Doctor Buckland, and recently by Sir Robert Peel, that they may still maintain their posi tion by the adoption of the newest processes, or by what is styled " high farming ;" and the English portion of them have again had pointed out to them the example set them by the Lothian and other Scotch farmers. It is ad mitted that these men have devoted every resource of skill and capital combined to develope fully the capabili ties of the soil under their cultivation. The writer in Blackwood has, therefore, instituted inquiries as to the effect upon them of free trade and low prices. We can not go into the details and figures with which he has sup plied us : but must content ourselves with giving a few of the results. Mr. Hugh Watson, on an average of years, before the recent measures, cultivated a 500 acre farm, in Strathonore, county of Forfar, with an improved breed of stock and sheep, and aided by an ample capital. His average profit, after payment of interest, &c., was, before free trade, £lO6 per annum, a sorry sum enough for a man of intelligence and practical skill. With the, same produce at free trade prices, he calculates that he would be left minus, for rent, capital, and expenses of manage ment £412. 55., showing a difference altogether of £5lB. ss. Mr. John Dudgeon, occupying a farm, on the South Eastern borders of Scotland, in a full state of productive ness, and five hundred acres in extent, where the returns of stock form a very considerable means of remuneration, calculates that the result to him will be the conversion of a profit of £245 into a loss of £l4l. And this is upon the supposition that his receipts for stock remain unal tered, ,whereas he considers that the reduction under this head, is already 15 per cent.. Before publishing these calculations, our contemporary submitted them to revision by 50 of the most eminent farmers in Scotland. Twenty eight of these have authorised their names to be recorded as satisfied of the correctness of the calculations; several more have expressed their sanction to them without their names to appear. A few suggest trifling changes of cultivation, and three have refused their assent on the ground of difference of opinion. Statements shewing similar results are also furnished from Aberdeenshire, Roxburghshire, Mid Lothian, and a farm within five miles of Edinburgh. The writer remarks : " If our statistics should he admitted as correct, we think it must be clear to demonsteration that British agriculture can not maintain itself longer against the competition of the foreign grower, We believe it impossible for any man who has atten ded to the minute statements given above, to arrive at an opposite conclusion. No appliances, no energy, no high farm ng, can avail in this ruinous struggle. To expect that more capital will be embarked in so losing a:trade, is perfectly idle, even if tenants had the wish to do so, they would fail for the want of means. It will be seen from the preceding tables what amount of capital is usually perilled on Scottish farms, and what amount of loss, at present prices, the farmer must neces sarily sustain. Even in better times, few men could afford to do as much as has already been done by the agriculturists of of the Lothians and Berwickshire ; and, under existing cir cumstances, the great body of the tenantry cannot find the means to continue their ordinary operations. With capital exhausted and credit denied to him, what is the farmer to do? The question is one which we would fain see answered, and that immediately, by those who have brought us to the present pass. It cannot remain long unanswered, without such an augmen tation of distress as must render all remedy ineffectual." It will be remembered that a few weeks ago, at a farmers' meeting at Fettercairn, Mr. W. E. Gladstone propounded his views as to the operation of Free Trade upon the agriculturist, and maintained, firstly, that the present low prices have not arisen from importations, but from an abundant crop ; and, secondly, that in 1835, under the protective system, " we had wheat at 355. per quarter, and this not only for a short time, but for the whole year." The writer contends, and we think he proves, that Mr. Gladstone's statement is utterly incor rect. The average price in 1835, taken from the official tables, was 395. 4d., not 355. Not even for a single week did prices sink to 355. To discover a time when prices were ss. per quarter below our present average, we have to go back to the year 1779, when wheat war quoted at 335. Bd., the National Debt at that time being one-fourth of its present amount, and the poor rate being, instead of nearly eight millions, considerably short of two There is this important fact, too, to be borne in mind, _ _ whilst comparing the condition of the farmer in 1835 and at present. The crop of the former year was the last of a series of fine ones, extending from 1833, as shewn by the fact that the import of foreign corn in that year was only 82,346 quarters, and that it gradually diminished to 24,826 in .1836. We have now, however, nearly as low prices as in 1835, in the first fine year, after a series of bad ones. Mr. Gladstone says that our low prices have not been caused by importation, but by the abundant har vest of the last year. The crop of 1848, it is well known, was not an abundant one, yet in April, 1849, before cur abundant harvest was in the ear, we had wheat at 445. 5d., barley at 28s. 9d., and oats at 16s. 9d. • Obviously im portations, and nothing else, could have caused this effect of free trade upon the price of provisions is Ore us in an equally striking light. It has been v stock from that of cured meats. American beef, pork, and bacon undersell in the market the same articles cured in Ireland, and now form the bulk of the consumption of our shipping, and even of the British navy. A gentle man, who is said to stand at the head of the provision trade in Dundee, states that he now supplies " prime American mess beet" at £2 Os. 6d. per tierce lower than he can cure it for, although buying from the butcher at £4O per cwt., or a little over 34d. per lb. Hamburgh beef and pork are likewise sold at about 10s. per cwt. less that the price of Scotch ; and establishments are being opened there for its cure on the Scotch system, ti supply the London market. We shall close our abstract of this able article by giving a few words of advice which the author addresses to the British public : " One word in conclusion to our friends. It is the policy of those who are against us—and indeed their last desperate chance—to promote disunion among the ranks of those who draw their subsistence from the land, and whose welfare de pends upon the agricultural prosperity of Britain. They are trying to set the tenant against the landlord, the labourer against the farmer;• and their efforts have been assisted, to no inconsiderable extent, by the folly of weak men, who, in their terror, are attempting, by all the means in their power, to shelter themselves from the consequences which they thoroughly foresee. Our policy, as well as our duty, is to maintain a firm and united front. It would be madness to suppose that among the three great agricultural classes there can beany disunion of interest. Landlord and farmer depend upon each other; the one class cannot be prostrated without the other falling a vic tim. And both of them have a duty to perform to the labourer which must not be disregarded. He, as the lowest in the scale, is often the first to suffer; but woe to our land if the labourer should be trodden under foot “We repeat that we have no fear for the future. We see on all hands the unmistakeable signs of a mighty reaction, which cannot but defeat the designs of that grasping faction for whose benefit alone this ominous experiment has been made. Deeply as we deplore the misery which has overtaken us, we must re gard it as the penalty incurred for having swerved from the old path by which Britain attained her greatness- -for having listened too readily to the suggestions of selfish and incom petent men. The experience of each succeeding month shows the error of the course we have been pursuing, and demon strates the necessity of a return. Why should we fear? England—that noble country which stands pre-eminent among the nations of the world for its loyalty, enterprise, and inde pendence—for its regard to sterling worth in the lowest, as well as the highest sphere---has awakened from its momentary trance. The voice of the people, before which that of faction must be silenced, is proclaiming, in clear and articulate lan guage, that the virtual possession of its free and unviolated soil shall not be yielded, through fraud, to the foreigner, who never could have taken possession of it by force of arms; and that the English yeomanry will not submit to be sacrificed or anni hilated for the wretched interest of a handful of manufacturers, whose gains are dependent upon the extension of a foreign market. We rejoice to see that the men of England are up and doing. Their energy, if rightly directed, nothing can with stand. Cobden may bluster, as demagogues always do; and Bright may insinuate revolutions which he has neither the courage nor the power to attempt; but the day for such trashy vapouring has gone by, and England will no longer allow her greatness to be perilled at the bidding of such miserable up starts. The issue of the late elections, and the triumphant meetings which are everywhere held in England, for the main tenance of her national and agricultural prosperity, should ex cite us to similar efforts. If our statements of what is occur ring here can strengthen the hands of our brethren in the south, we shall he more than amply repaid for the pains we have expended in a close and laborious investigation. England may not require support; but support is ready for her. Ire land, from the depths of present misery, sees the hand which is striving to keep her down, and prepares herself for another struggle. Scotland will not remain inactive. Her interest is so clear, that it would be almost wasting words to attempt to explain it further. Let but this experiment go on for a few years longer, and all that we have gained, by more than a cen tury of unremitting toil, will be lost to us : our improvements will be annihilated, and our people pauperised. Deprived of her yeomanry, as noble a body of men as exists upon the face of the earth, the nationality of Scotland is gone. We trust, then, that in every part of the country the appeal will be ener getically answered. Scotsmen are slow to move; but being moved, they have a will and resolution that can bear down any obstacle whatever. There never was a time when the old national spirit was more imperatively required to show itself than now. Let us then speak out boldly in defence of our country, and tell those Manchester conspirators, in answer to their insolent challenge, that—beyond that circle of smoking factories, which they falsely imagine to be the heart of Britain— there exists a majority of loyal British subjects who despise their dictation, detest their hypocrisy, and utterly defy their Power.” SIR ROBERT PEEL'S LETTER. EGO, PEEL. Peel, egotistic, lacking something better, With " I " and " My" has filled his flippant letter; In vain the slippery snake his arts may try, His logic, like his letter's, '• all my (I) eye 1" The Duke of Wellington commences the new year with fresh evidences of health and strength. Thq other day he went out hunting, and actually rode between ten and twelve miles to cover. THE SCOTCH FISHERIES.—We learn from a Parliamen tary return that the total produce of the fishing in 1848 was 999,345 barrels of herrings, value £1,000,000. Du ring the same period, 364,951 cwt. of cod and ling were taken. The number of boats employed was 15,062, and the number of fishermen 60,346, besides 97,477 persons engaged in curing the fish. The tonnage of the vessels employed in conveying salt and exporting herrings was 66,214, and the number of the crews 5,097. The tonnage of the fish-boats was 125,946, and the total value of boats, nets and lines, £1,250,078,—n0t (be it observed) the capi tal of merchants or fish-curers, but the property of the poor fishermen, who, if he loses his boat, loses his all. CORRESPONDENCE. TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD SlR,—Having once trespassed on your kindness, I am emboldened to tax your courtesy again ; and as the sub ect on which I write is one of very great moment, and is daily becoming more so, perhaps you will permit me a short space in your columns. That a thorough investigation into the condition of the Masses must soon engage the attention of the Legisla ture no one can doubt, and how much soever we have reason for want of confidence in the present administra tion, whose weakness and tergiversation have disgusted even their friends, yet at all events the question will be forced upon them. That a very large portion of the labouring classes are suffering great distress is too true a tale ; many most anxious and willing for work can find none, and are either a burthen on the parish, or eke out a wretched existence in privation and misery. Yet, sir, though very many are deserving the deepest sympathy, sorry am I to say the working man has, (and the accusa tion is general), much wherewith to reproach himself.' After a week's hard labour, numbers on a Monday morn. ing have not a farthing, and what is More, made little or no provision for the week. I know several, in constant employment, who, towards Wednesday or Thursday, have only a little bread, their children ragged, and themselves selling matches or chips in the streets, their wives beg ging, and were their houses visited the inmates would to all appearance be in the direst destitution. The proof of my statement may very easily be solved any Saturday night or Sunday morning : for, in defiance of the law, plenty of public-houses are open. You have (see police reports) done much good by bringingunderthe notice of the authori ties the illicit sale of whiskey ; yet much remains for them to do, though the secret manner in which the prac tice is carried on, and the vigilant watch they keep, may well baffle the excise. Before the labouring class as a body can be permanently benefited, they must first re form themselves. A whole week's wages must not be spent at one debauch. The pawnbrokers' shops must not be a scene of such bustle on Saturday evenings to redeem clothes, and on the Monday to again pawn them. Their wives instead of gadding from house to house, and too often to the gin -shop, should stay at home, and strive how far they can make the money go to the best advantage. Economy in a working man's family is a rara avis—it is all waste, or all want, no thought for the future. Of course there are many and noble exceptions ; but they are few indeed, compared with the rest. If any emgloyer would go himself, or send so meone on whom he could depend, to the public-houses on Saturday nights, he would see how quickly the week's wages are dissipated. To attempt the amelioration of such, would be as hopeful a task as making a rope of sand. It may be a harsh truth, but the labourer is his own enemy. To do him good, so long as be is improvident, drunken .or addicted to low pleasures, is utterly impossible, and till he be radically changed, his mind elevated by cultivation, a feeling of forethought and reflection implanted in him, neither private benevolence, nor public statutes will benefit him. I write feelingly, for too well I know it by my own sad experience, that all the efforts of friends, all the privations I suffered, and few have gone throughl more, were worse than useless till I began with myself, and abstained from what proved my bane, as it is of thousands, and firmly determined, not by taking any pledge, but by continually reflecting to what it had brought me, to abjure it for ever. Let my fellow labourers do this, and they will find most of their dis tresses vanish. They will be more fitted to battle with afflictions, and should they be in need will have the heart. felt satisfoction of knowing that it is not a visitation brought on by themselves. lam led to these reflections by being so often a witness to the fatal effects of excess, and the misery it entails ; and also to show that depressed as things are, (thanks to free-trade), yet by our own mis conduct we make things a thousand times worse. Let the artizan and labourer firmly commence self-reformation, and the " good times" will come.—l remain, very respect fully yours, " A LABOURING MAN." THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY'S OPINION ON CHEAP BREAD. TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD Sir,—Having remarked during my travels for many years, both in Great Britain and various parts of the con. tinent, th at every cheap country, town, or village to which I came. was also poor, and that every flourishing place was dear—l am much struck by reading the following confirmation of my observations in a work published by the Archbishop of Canterbury, "On the Wisdom and Goodness of the Creator :"—" It has been remarked by various travellers, that they have nowhere witnessed more distress and poverty than where provisions were so cheap that a plentiful subsistence might be obtained at the rate of hi. a day."—" Records of the Creation," by John Bird Sumner, &c. Vol. ii., p. 381. Fourth Edition, A.D. 1825. It may be well, in these days of mania for cheapness, that the public should be made aware of the state to which experience has proved that our country will be reduced if the Cobden and Peel crew be permitted to carry out their devices. Jan. 2, 1850. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, VI ATOR TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD SIR,—In the Chronicle of Saturday last, I have read a great prologue about fires on board ship. The Editor says, that Liverpool is the only port in the world where fires are prohibited, which is entirely untrue, for I can name several ports myself, Riga, Antwerp, Havre, Dundee, and several other places ; therefore, to disabuse the minds of the uninformed, I request a space in your paper for the following, if you can spare me the favour a ques merchants, or seamen ; it is purely a case of American merchants, captains, and brokers—American sailors even detest the idea of it. For the only inducement for seamen to come to Liverpool in the winter time (to cross the Atlantic when Boreas blows his most discordant and coldest notes, enough to freeze a man's heart-strings,) is the anticipation of a good boarding-house, its hot and comfortable breakfasts of a cold morning —so much unlike a sea breakfast, with its hard bread, insipid coffee, with many other inconveniences which even a fire would not make comfortable ; and then, what does a sailor care about a fire till eight or nine o'clock at night, compared with these comforts—why, the fires being put out at night will only make the cold ten times colder. In the next place, Liverpool, its seamen and merchants, are not within its pale at all,—when the ship comes in dock, the crew, to a man, are discharged, and they go to their homes or boarding-houses, or wherever they agricultural alai ii?ortirultural COLUMN, In an extract from a cotemporary, last week, we alluded to the probability of many of our choice exotic aquatics succeeding when turned out in ponds and fountain basins ; there is no experiment in modern gardening better worth trying than this, and even should we only partially suc ceed, every successful remove from the stove to the exter nal aquarium is a decided gain. Even the indigenous species are worthy of much more care and attention, most of them being ornamental, and all interesting. If to these we can succeed in adding some of the beautiful Nymphwas, such as the blue and rose coloured ones of India and Egypt, and the many hand some white ones of various countries, some of which would certainly succeed, our artificial lakes and ornamental pieces of water will assume an interest totally new. Our native Nuphar is very beautiful, resembling, as it floats on the surface, a cup of purest gold ; and besides, there are several North American species of equal beauty —one with arrow-shaped leaves would form an interesting variety. The species of Limnocharis have been tried successfully it would appear, and if the Indian Nymphseas would succeed the splendid Nelumbium and curious Eu ryale might be tried. Victoria is almost too much to be hoped for ; nevertheless, as the seeds are so freely pro duced, and the plants are likely to be easily raised, it is worth a few trials. To break up the smooth surface of the water the Papyrus antiquorum and Cyperus elegans, might be placed out, if it were only during the summer months, and the handsome Arundo donax and its variegated va riety could be had at all times, and forms a fine object. But there is still another pretty feature which might be made with aquatics of smaller kinds, where masses of rockery form part of the scenery of the grounds, a small cascade might be made to fall into one or more small basins, just sufficiently to change the water and prevent stagnation in these little pools, how interesting it would be to watch the wondrous processes of Vallisneria, and examine the lovely forms of the numerous small but beautiful aquatic plants whose habits would suit them for such situations. Hottonia palustris, Aponogeton dista chyon, Byblis liniflora, Pistra stratiotes, Oxalis nataus, the Utricularius, and many others of similar habits, would be most interesting. Anything tender would have to be raised in a stove, and afterwards hardened off in a cistern in the greenhouse previous to final placing in the lake or fountain basin. Though the stately Calla lEthi opica is thought by many to be too tender, we have seen it tried with perfect success in this cold locality, and we believe a slight protection in winter would insure its suc cess in most parts of this kingdom ; when well grown it is a most beautiful object. We sincerely hope some of our readers will act upon these suggestions, and give an account of the results of their experiments. PAPERS ON AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY NO. XIN Agricultural chemistry is a science of observation as much as experiment, and if this is not borne in mind innu merable errors will arise. For instance, suppose, upon the analysis of a'plant it was found to contain a certain amount of potash, the mere experimentalist would rushto the conclusion that potash was indispensible to that plant : perhaps it may be so in its normal condition, but the ob servant agriculturist would notice how the same plant throve in different soils, and his observations might show that on a soil deficient in alkalies, but rich in lime, the same plant grew better and was more prolific; for be it remembered that a vegetable which naturally contains potash or soda, may, if planted in soils where these alka lies are absent, replace them entirely with magnesia or lime, and perhaps with this change may become more valuable to man. It is therefore necessary to study first the normal condition, if it can be ascertained exactly, and then observe the effect of other combinations upon it. We thus discover what condition is essential for improv ing the quality or productiveness of a plant, and the next step is to learn the most economical method of supplying it. All soils containing decomposed organic matter, whe ther of the animal or vegetable kingdom, possess some of the requisites for the growth of plants ; these should be previously ascertained, and then other materials which are absent or deficient can be supplied. Judgment is required to furnish the requisite supply ; for instance, if we obtain a good crop of wheat from land, and immediately after sow the same with barley, the probability is that we should be disappointed in our bores of this second crop, which would be a comparative failure. If we examine the cause we shall find a deficiency of silicate of potash in the composition of the barley-straw and ears, but it would not follow from this that we should supply silicate of potash to the land as a manure, and then sow wheat again. An examination of the case would teach us that silicate of potash is obtained by the slow disintegration of inorganic portions of the soil and requires time, and exposureto the decomposing power of the atmosphere to supply the enor mous loss produced in raising &crop of wheat; therefore it becomes necessary to lay the land in fallow, or else crop it with something which will not require the same essen tial bases as the cereal grasses. It is probable, however, that when our knowledge of organic and inorganic manures is more complete, we shall be able to establish a complete rotation of crops uninterrupted by fallow. In this respect the Chinese are far in advance of European agriculturists. PERICDICALS FOR THE MONTH Maund's Botanic Garden and Fruitist contains well executed figures of Zauschneria californica, Cosmanthus fimbriatus, Tris xiphioides, Oxalis roses, and the excellent apple, Mannington's Pearmain. The figure of Zausch neria is the most correct we have yet seen. Curtis's Magazine. The principal points of interest in this number are—first, our old friend Plumbago Larpentte, under the name of Valoradia plumbaginbides : it is not new, having been collected by Bunge in the same loca- Hey as by Air. lortune, and named by him Ueratostigma plumbaginoides, but belongs to the Valoradia of Hoch stetter ;—and secondly, Oxalis elegans, a most beautiful hardy species. The other figures are Echinocactus rod ophthalmus, Metrosideros tomentosa, Ophelia corymbosa, and Microsperma bartoniiiides. Hooker's Journal of Botany, and Kew Garden Mis cellany, contains Dr. Wallich's remarks on the flora of the Nicobar Islands, and the continuation of Dr. Hooker's interesting journal. Amongst the miscellaneous scraps of botanical information is an interesting account of the ma nufacture of toddy from the toddy-palm, illustrated with an elegant coloured drawing ; and various other subjects of interest. English Botany (the cheap re-issue) contains, in the January part, most perfect illustrations of the re mainder of the genus Juncus— Luzula, Oxyria, and Rumex. The rapid progress made, and the admirable colouring, must be highly satisfactory to the subscribers. MISCELLANEA Method of clearing tile drains when choked with roots. —At one end of a stiff wire, about 35 yards long, there is a wooden egg (small enough to go up the drain) that is pushed up. The men then step 35 yi;r3s, and dig down, take up a tile, and get old of the egg-shaped piece of wood, having tied a little wisp of ling to the other end of the wire; it is pulled through, and effectually clears away every obstacle.—Agricultural Gazette. Austrian Mode of Growino Asparagus,—At Vienna, though the cultivation of vegetables in maraiches or market gardens is very far advanced, the asparagus forms an exception, for if it is good and well grown, it is dear even when in full season. The temperature of Vienna being cold for a long period of the year, the gardeners employ a very ingenious method of preserving asparagus from frosts. As soon as the shoots begin to push out of the ground, they are covered with wooden cases or boxes, perhaps similar to sea-kale pots, fixed in the soil by means of three wires fastened to the " under extremity' of the boxes. This covering is pierced with holes at its upper part, to admit air to the shoots of the asparagus, which, treated by this method, comes up stronger, more tender, acquires a greater amount of edible substance, and forms one of the most savory dishes that can be placed on the dinner table. The covers are taken off during the sun shine, or mild weather, and replaced towards the even ing. This method reminds us of another that we have seen successfully employed in the department of La Meuse, [in France] ; one of which is adopted, from curiosity, with a great number of fruits, and which consists of in closing (inserting) a young fruit of an apple, pear, or melon, in a glass globe, (which is at the same time at tached to the branch close to the peduncle of the fruit,) where the fruit gradually swells and ripens ; and if the glass has been suited to the kind of fruit, ultimately fills it entirely. [This is very common in Scotland with large kinds of wall fruit.) For asparagus it is sufficient to have some bottles with the necks broken off. They may be placed over the shoots that have already come up, and fastened to the ground by twigs, similar to those used for pegging down verbenas, and other flowers in the parterre, but stronger ; but asparagus soon reaches the summit, bends and twists about till it entirely fills the bottle. When it is perceived that they have ceased growing, the shoots are cut at the base, and the bottles broken. Two asparagus shoots (done in this way) will be found sufficient for a dish. They are very tender, delicate, and of an exquisite taste. When served with green peas they constitute a very delicious vegetable,—Ghent's Annals, quoted in Gardener's Journal. On Drying Plants so as to Preserve their Colours. —No science, perhaps, requires so much practical knowledge as botany ; in its study, botanical ram blings and the preservation of gathered specimens are of the greatest assistance. The usual method, however, of drying plants is generally long and troublesome, and above all, very uncertain. Indeed, whatever quantity of papers is employed to separate the plants, and even if the damp papers are replaced by dry ones e ver y t we l ve h ours , ten days are required before the plants are properly dried, and at the end of that time they are so discoloured, and their characters are so altered, that a great deal of practice is requisite to enable one to make them out. I have made several attempts to remedy these inconveniences, and I take the liberty of laying their result before the academy. In a botanical excursion, I arrange my plants between sheets of grey paper, which immediately absorbs any free water arising from rain or dew. In this state the plants can be preserved for twenty-four hours without alteration. t T h h e e m n i e n x td a n a a y p p I a r place s them y i no own n e r i y dry p n v en ti o a n p h n; whicht e nI t h p e u y t are completely dried in 24 or 30 hours, preserving the colour of their leaves and the brilliancy of their flowers. The following is the. theory of my method :—The water of composition and interposition evaporates but slowly in ordinary cases. It, however, struck me that by rai s i ng the temperature and diminishing the atmospheric pressure should probably arrive at a good result. I accordingly made a copper cylinder half a yard high and two feet in diameter. In this vessel I placed a packet of papers con taining 100 specimens. I then put about eight pounds of lumps of unslaked lime in the places between the papers and the side of thecylinder and fixed the top of the cylinder on. I then put the whole into a small tub, and rose the temperature to about 125 or 130 de grees b y means o f boiling water poured into the tub. The air is then ex hausted from the copper cylinder by means of a small air-pump screwed into its lid. I make use of no anano meter, because, at this tqcoperatuxe, as the air is drawn country commodities Abstra t ~,,,,t i in , - , lace is filled by aqueous vapour, and beside s / ; . 5 un:1,,,,,..- 7 ation as this no precision is requisite. ji k i i three hours, the apparatus is lei v m ac ; ti l i " ;c o ~s . ide, that is to say after having putrn' l c Britainsth o f 4 intervals for' tiro or at the end of this time, o n oPr.v th jan ereof. ing the apparatus, the itself for 24 of 30 hours; p l ants are found dry and like , specimens I have the honour to lay before the acadera' ------____ Gannal in Cornptes Pendia.. w E euttirintrest scot, OPERATIONS POR TI 17V,e1 China Stove, Conservatory, 8,c.--Let the day tenaperauo',, the stove be from 55 degrees to 00, and that of the gr.l s ta c 'se ...... house 45 degrees to 50, and the night temperature in ers mPs• • structure five degrees less ; in the latter, the remoo o , p axes • • ..., ? r o e all decaying matter, such as leaves, &c., is of much portance, because with the low temperature they st °Mee., gender mildew ; never water unnecessarily, but whe. i s ;; ( ' s wu Land required, take care to thoroughly wet the whole earth. In the fruit garden, pruning should be procee d / I na llone, with as early as possible; all vegetable crops must be Mon eys free of dead leaves. • AdranCe L ~ s ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. ,t 4 d "James M'Farlane."—Your spar a xes an d i x i a s iciu Total better placed in a gentle heat, and as near as possible otal Inco: the glass. de' " Enquirer."—Tuberose should be p o tt e d w ithout lay : the double Italian is the best. "N. W."—Your Euphorbia jacquiniflora requir e° little more water, it must, however, be administered r9waus tiously, and if those in fl ower b e k ep t coo l, t h ey te ‘ ri urdi Y a e r t . ' main longer in flower. made u r giola P —Y TOO MUCH MONEY! Ice Some very singular features are manifesting themte in the condition of the monied interest throughout tba Not only is the great national establishnO overburthened with specie, and unable to employ its Pa ° even at the low rates of 1 to 2 per cent. ; not onlY l4l . the bill-brokers of London at their wits' end to find bil P, to discount, but private bankers even seem to be in °III same predicament. The Scotch banks have been CO' pelled to lower the interest allowed upon deposits ; an d joint stock banking company in Sheffield have actual" found it necessary •to return a portion of their paid' capital to the shareholders. The following is the circa!' of the company in question, announcing this step In pursuance of the powers gi ven i n th e 13t h sect i on of t be , deed of settlement, the directors of the Sheffield Bankin , Co w pany, finding that, in the present state of commercial and . 1 1 notary affairs, they cann t pro fi tably employ so large a Wo o as heretofore, have concluded to return to the shareholder' . t j sum of £lO per share, which will be paid a t th e bank or , ti " after the 21st January next." In what way may we account for such a state of thing' Is it prosperity at which the Sheffield Banking ConiPa ll , s l s point, as disabling them from employing so l arge a capitsu,,, heretofore ? It cannot be ; for notwithsta n di ng the 10s" inerease in our exports, over which the free traders 1 raising such paeans of triumph, we are at a l oss to that general activity in the industry of the country sa l ought to accompany an incre a se of ou r f ore i gn tint, Employment throughout the country is not now gene ; the shopkeeper and tradesman, except, perhaps, in portions of the manufacturing districts, are not thrill overmuch ; nor are bills very pu nc t ua lly pa id. It is 11° because we have all been getting riche r l a t e ly, th a t Enull' , has been flowing into the banks, but a directly contra . ' state of things is to be inferred. A vast dec - rease has taken place in the internal tranit; tions of the country. Speculation is at a stand-sn'`,4 improvements and new undertakings of all d e s c ripti°:; have been arrested, and confidence is dest r oy e d. 111 03 ; t 1 is returned to the banker, because we no l onger k no w I° to employ it profitably. Large masses of the communi t y too, too are economising their expendit ure . Th e f armer contract his bills with the tailor, the draper, &c. , every possible way, lessen his outgoin g s. Th e j an dlot 9 , also, must accommodate his expenses to his reduoit! rent-roll, Hence, with a plethora of money lying idle ,j 4 the banks, we hear from all parties the one regretful quiry,—whither has all the money lately in circuinti ° amongst us vanished ? Another consideration, bearing upon the accutnulatil l of the banking and monied int eres t, i s th e f ac t, t h a t so t lowered prices of every a r ti c l e o f necess it y an d comfor unaccompanied by any great increase of consumption , less quantity of currency is required for the purpose dill:, ternal distribution and exchange. Forty shillings is no the cost of a quarter of wheat, instead of sixty or seventl' and forty shillings accordingly is the sum required to ( 115; tribute it in return for a corresponding q u an tity o f othe r VARIETIES FORENSIC ELOQUENCE IN AMERICA.—The folio • " burst of eloquence" was delivered before a court justice in Pennsylvania :—" Your honour sits high on adorable seat of justice, like the Asiatic rock of Gibral while the eternal streams of justice, like the cadaver° clouds of the valley, flow meandering at your feet." SPORTING " FACE."—Mr. Gurney (Mrs. Fry's fatb was a strict preserver of his game. Upon one occasio_ t hat f In 1849. ;, quarters, THE STANDARD. choose, Are our merchants then going to give up their security to satisfy the wishes of a community who can well afford to pay the difference, and throw out of employment the hundreds of people who get a living by boarding them— we might be short of ships to carry cargoes backward and forward to America, in the room of having hundreds of ships of our own having nothing to do. There is some talk of an intelligent German captain, in Birkenhead, protesting against it. Why, it would not matter to us if there never came another German into the country, one American ship will leave as much money behind him, distributed for work done and other essentials, as fifty Germans. Many of them do not spend tenpence a man, besides harbour dues, &c. So that they benefit us nothing. _ _ Now, to clench all, let any one ask Captain Knight, of the New World, when next they see him, if he will sleep on board if be gets a fire ? And I anticipate the answer. No. Now, if he will not sleep on board in his splendid cabin, surrounded with every comfort and convenience, will the sailor be likely to do it, who, in ten cases out of every dozen, will not get on board till the fires are extinguished. By carefully inserting this in your paper, I know it will reach the public by a channel through which it will be properly appreciated, and you will oblige AN OLD SAILOR. January sth, 1850. ROMISH PERSECUTION. It is not unprofitable occasionally to contrast the inso lent reclamations of popery against British tyranny with the practices of the Church of Rome at head-quarters. The correspondent of the Daily News reports the follow ing sample of the liberty of conscience accorded in the popish dominions to Protestant foreigners : "An American Protestant minister had twelve of his coun trymen joining him at his own house last Sunday, in the Via S. Bastianello. The police were acquainted with the circum• stance before night, and the American charge d'affaires, Mr. Cass, was apprised that if the offence were repeated the mi nister would be sent away from Rome immediately." What terms would our Roman Catholic contemporaries apply to a like: mode of dealing with a Roman Catholic congregation on the part of a Protestant power ? We turn to another topic as we find it treated by the same authority : "With respect to Dr. Achilli, nothing favourable has yetibeen effected, although his friend Mr. M—, who leaves Rome for Civita Vecchia this evening, has made every possible exertion in his behalf. The British consul has warmly seconded his efforts, and I may add that the commander-in.chief has shown himself by no means indifferent to the case, although deci dedly averse to use any other infinence than that of the good offices, which I fear will be perfectly unavailing, as several French officers, acquainted with the circumstances of Achilli's arrest, and interested in his misfortunes, have stated it to be their conviction that he will be sacrificed to the vengeance of the Inquisition as a scapegoat for many others not in custody • I and that he is, to use their own words, un homme perdu! am aware that it is Dr. Achilli's own opinion that he is no longer subject to the tribunal of the Inquisition, from the cir cumstance of his having fully renounced the honours, rights, and character of a Roman Catholic priest, the indelibility of which office he maintains not to be a necessary dogma of the Roman Catholic faith, although an usually received point in theology, and his profound studies on the subject, whilst he filled the responsible charges I have already enu merated, must render him capable of judging of the question. Right and might are, however, two different things." Let us reverse the parties in this case, too. Let us suppose one of Dr. Pusey's English converts to Roman ism immured by the Protestant government of England, in a cellar in the tower, for abandoning the faith of the state, and ultimately disposed of by clandestine torture and death. Here would be something for papists to talk about. Though even were the practice enforced they could not consistently complain. We must allude to one fact more, illustrative of the incredible atrocity of the papal government. The " Ghet to," or Jews' quarter, it is well known, has long been abolished in every continental town by reason of its ex treme and excessive cruelty—with the single exception of those of the States of the Church. There, however, it was also abolished during the humane and enlightened administration of the republic. Immediately, however, upon the return of the cardinals, orders were issued for the re-establishment of the system with increased severity. These orders the Austrians have, to their eternal honour, refused to carry into effect in the towns garrisoned by their troops. In Rome, however, the orders are carried into prompt and rigorous effect by the French, without remonstrance or ono objection. Jan. 8 ~. when walking in his 1 neighbouring wood ; he hurried to the he heard 'a shot fired jo turally placid temper was consk., __ ...•• ....,.. - ge young officer, with a pheasant at his fa c t. deliberat reloading his gun. As the young man. however, repji to his rather warm expressions by a polite apology, Gurney's warmth was somewhat allayed ; b u t he co • not refrain from asking the intruder w h a t h e would dois he caught a man trespassing on his premises ? " I T volli ask him in to luncheon," was the reply. The sera nity„,?; this impudence was not to be resisted.—Me m oi r s of _.,, T. F. Buxton. lAs good an instance of w hat is kuowi at college as " Sporting Face," has been current sa il time at Cambridge. A grave and much-respected pro,,, c ' tor, who has a horror of tobacco, was much grieved find an esteemed under-graduate invet era t e l y a ddi c ted t ° o cigars, and called him, after early c h ape l , t o hi s rooms, b inflict a mild expostulation. " So, sir," began the pr tor, " you are, I hear, very much in the habit of smolii". ' Your are very good," was the brazen inter' ruption, " very kind ; but, thank you, I never smoke 9t/ early in the morning." This attempt to convert a lectel:, against the weed into an invitation to smoke, upset t proctor's gravity and broke up the conference.—Deit' News. - and -' ORTHOGRAPHIC COMBATS : SOUTHEY'S PROFICIESC I :: —Twice during the twelve months of my stay great int'A rest was excited throughout the commonwe a lth by a grail': spelling match, for which poor Flowe deser v es som e efe dit, if it was a device of his own to save hi mse lf troil° ,, and amuse the boys. Two of the big g est b o y s c h ose the , party, boy by boy alternately, till the whole school divided between them. They then hunted the dictiono" for words unusual enough in their orthography t o puzzid e ill-taught lads ; and, having compared lists, that the ssol,, word might not be chosen by both, two wor d s were do: vered to every boy, and kept by him profoundly sedv from ail on the other side till the time of trial. On a dof appointed we were drawn up in battle array, quite as a 0; ious on the occasion as the members of a cricket-club it the result of a grand match against all England. Arab i ' tion, that " last infi rm ity of noble m i n d s ," h a d its rUP share in producing this anxiety ; and, to increase the e%, citement, each person had wagered a halfpenny upon UP, event. The words were gi ven ou t i n d ue success i o n 01/ ' each side from the biggest to the l ea st ; an d f or ever y 013 , which was spelt rightly i n it s p rogress d own t o s , P I enemy's ranks, the enemy scored one ; or one was sc ore d on the other side, if the word ran the gauntlet safely' The party in which I was engaged lost one of tliese matches and won the other. I remember that my word for one of them were crystallisation and co t er i e , an d the li I was one of the most effective persons in the contest' which might easily be.—Southey's Life. DEATH OF BURKE'S ONLY SON.-131Irke'S son, uP° ll whom his father had conferred something of his ol celebrity, beard his parents sobbing in another rooral the prospect of an event they knew to be inevitable. t" rose from his bed, joined his illustrious father, and enact' r voured to engage him in cheerful conversation. Burlie continued silent, choked with grief. His son again mac?' an effort to console him, " I am under no terror," he said' " I feel myself better and in spirits, and yet my heart flat' ters, I know not why. Pray talk to me, sir ! talk o f reit' gi on, talk of morality, talk, if you will, of indifferent sub' jects." Here a noise attracted his notice, arid he ei claimed, " Does it rain ?—No ; it is the rustling of PS wind through the trees." The whistling of the wind sfl,„. the waving of the trees brought Milt on ' s ma j es ti c li n es sw_ his mind, and he repeated them with unco m mo n gra d and effect:— "His praise, ye winds, that from four quarters blow, Breathe soft or loud; and wave your tops, ye pines; With every plant, in sign of worship wave !" A second time he took up the sublime and melodioll strain, and, accompanyi ng th e ac tion to the wor d, woe" his own hand in token of worship, and sunk into the arro s of his father—a corpse. Not a sensation told him that in an instant he would stand in the presence of the Creator, to whom his body was bent in homage, and whose praise 4 still resounded from his lips.—Quarterly Review. WEIGHING DEPARTMENT OF THE BANK OF ENGLASP: —One of the most interesting and astonishing depar'll ments within:the whole compass of the Bank o f Eaglaiw is the weighing department, in which, with the rapidi t y of thought, and a precision approaching to the hundred th part of a grain, the weight of gold coins are determine d " There are six weighing machines, kept working by th e same agency which applies all the mech an i ca l power i n the bank, and three weighers attend to these. Rolls of sove", reigns, or half sovereigns, are placed i n grooves, and 11,„ " r shaken, one at a time, by the motio n o f th e mach i ne, in t o the weights. If they are of st an d ar d we i ghts they Rr t thrown by the same mechanical intelligence into a box 00 the right hand side of the person who watches the o pera' tion : if they have lost the hundredth part of a grain 0 0 are cast into a box o n th e l e f t. T hose which stan d tbe test are put into bags of 1,000 sovereigns each, and tb os ,, e below par are cut b y a mac hi ne , and sent b ack to t',"; Mint. Between 1,000 and 2,000 light sovereigns are thu 7 daily sent out of circulation. The silver is put up irat e bags, each of £l,OOO value, and the gold into bags of thousand, and then those bagfuls of bullion are through a strongly guarded door, or rather window, in the treasury. The treasury is a dark gloomy apartmen t s fitted up with iron presses, which are supplied with 1 10 5 locks and bolts, and which are pe r fe c tly fire-proof. Go' ' t silver, and paper money ready for circulation to the amcu it o of £22,000,000 ? sterling were in the treasury when Ft visited it. One of the gentlemen in that departme% placed 1,000 sovereigns in our hand, and at the same 0 0 pointed to seventy bags full of gold in the littl e rece s s which he had thrown open, making in all the modest sur, of £70,000. He placed notes to the amount of half aow lion also upon our palm, which no doubt had its own 5,,,e, 11 ; sation as the precious deposit trembled on it s t o p. 1 `; heads of departments meet is the treasury every even_io7 and there all the accounts ara balaliced 3r2 H oll ' B We e k I A Instructor.' Jan. 8, 1851,