The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-03-09 00:00:00

judging from the experience of the past, the liberties of Eng land are secure so long as, upon every question by the deci sion of which the temporal interests or spiritual predominance of the Church of Rome can be, in the most remote degree, affected, the feelings and the wishes of the British people, as expressed within the walls of the House of Commons, are to be over ridden by a tyrant majority of members, representing a Popish democracy, or, more properly, perhaps, a Popish priesthood—alien to Great Britain in feeling, and inveterately hostile to her religion and the social habits of her people. To the consideration of the whole question—" Popery or no Popery within the British legislature !—we must at length inevitably come ; and in a future opportunity I shall endea vour to offer to your notice a few facts, which you will, I trust, not deem altogether irrelevant to a proper considera- tion of the question at issue AN ENGLISH PROTE 3TAN T. Lir erpool, 3d March, 1841 LOCAL NEWS s a very skilful tuner, PIANO-FORTE TUNING _ and we can safely recommend him Venables PIANO -FORTED.—Any one wanting a gcod second-hand plane forte, should apply to Mr. Shade—they can be suited by him at an price. BIRRENHEAD.—There are two private bills before Parliament relating to this place, viz., the Gas and Waterworks bills, each of which was read a second time yesterday week. THEATRE RoYAL.—Shakspeare's noble play of "Julius (Caesar" was capitally represented at this theatre last evening. Mr. Van denhoff's Brutus was very chaste and clever. Mr. Stuart shone as Cassius. Mr. Elton's Marc Antony was a most classic perform ance—his readings were really exquisite. On Thursday next, this play is to be repeated, and we recommend all who love good acting, to visit the theatre on the occasion ; they will enjoy a complete treat; the forum scene is worth a pilgrimage. We regret our space is pre-occupied, or we should have given this performance a long and deserving notice. The Lords of the Treasury have authorised the use of foreign West India molasses in bonded refineries, but, we believe, under some restrictions, which are likely to render the permission inoperative for the present. HOURS OF BUSINESS.—The requisition to the Mayor in behalf of the tradesmen's assistants is headed by the Earl of Sefton, and bears the names of several of the most eminent clergymen of the town. COMMITMENT TO THE ASSIZES.—A r Edward Riley underwent an examination before of the name of Mr Rush- ton and Mr. Earle, in the magistrates' private room, on a charge of having committed a rape on the person of a young woman named Ann Manning. The charge was substantiated so far to the satisfaction of the magistrates that, the prisoner was committed td take his trial at the approaching assizes. LICENSED 'VICTUALLERS' BALL.—The ball this evening at the Town-hall, it is anticipated, will be very numerously attended. Some of the first families in the town, we believe, have intimated their intention of being present. The object is so extremely good, that we trust the hopes and expecta tions of the promoters will not be disappointed. Rocs HARMONICON.—This charming toned instrument we are happy to find attracts every Thursday a very nume rous auditory. The performances are to be repeated on Thursday next. Shakspeare says that there are sermons in stones ;" if he had heard this instrument he would have admitted that stones also " discovered most excellent music." Leigh Hunt had once a beautiful article in the London Journal on a pebble : we wish he could hear the Rock Har monicon and report thereon. It is the greatest curiosity now exhibiting in Liverpool, and highly diserving of notice. Mr. Davies (whose quadrilles and march we noticed in our last) might write up " Professor of the Rock Harmonicon." We believe that many blind persons have been to hear it, and have been greatly pleased with it, expressing their asto nishment on discovering its form and construction. EXTRAORDINARY CASE OF SUSPICION OF FELONY On Friday, a fashionably-attired young man, who gave his name as William Stewart, and a genteel-looking youth, of about 14, who called himself Thomas Collins, were placed at the bar of the police-court, on suspicion of having abstracted a quantity of money from the shop of Messrs. Mander and Co., hat-manufacturers, Castle-street. Mr. William Allan der, partner with Mr. Mender, said that about half-past two o'clock on Thursday afternoon, the prisoners came to the shop and purchased a hat for the younger of the two, who wore a cap, and wished to put it on, and take it with him as soon as it was craped. The elder prisoner gave two sovereigns in payment, and witness went to a cup in a desk in the back shop, in which money was kept,—put into it the two sove reigns, and took out three shillings and sixpence in change, which he handed over. There was another customer at the time in the front shop, and, as was usual in such cases, the prisoners went into the back shop, which forms a continua tion of the other, there being an archway but no door be tween them. There they waited a short time for the hat, which a girl was busy craping, behind the partition on one side of the archway, the desk being behind that on the oppo site side of it. In two or three minutes witness had occasion to go again to the money cup, to get change for the other party in the shop, and found the cash-16 or 17 sovereigns— was gone. The two prisoners then abruptly, as be thought, left the shop, without waiting for the hat, which was nearly finished, directing that it should be sent up immediately to where he lodged. Mr. Allander suspected they had taken the money, but from their very respectable appearance, had some doubts. A boy had passed through the back shop whilst they were there, with four hat boxes from the cellar behind, and no one else was in the back shop but the pri soners, except the girl who was employed in sewing on the crape, and who sat in such a position that she could not, without turning and raising her head, distinctly see what was going on at the desk. It was no part of her duty to look after the shop. Witness sent for police-officer James Ains worth, who afterwards traced the prisoners, and apprehended them. In cross-examination, witness said that after Ains worth came with him to the shop, before following the pri soners, the elder prisoner and another young man (not the boy) popped his head into the shop, and said, " have you sent it" (the hat)? The latter prisoner had left directions with a man in the shop to send it to Mrs. Hartley's, in Lime street. Lucy Foley said, that while she was engaged in craping the hat, and sitting sideways towards the desk, the elder prisoner drew a chair, and sat down close to her, urging her to finish the crape. The younger prisoner was then walking up and down near the desk, and he came up in a short time and' said to the other, " Come away." The boy who carried the boxes through the shop, said the prisoners were there when he went to the cellar, and when he passed through with the boxes. Police-officer Ainsworth followed the prisoners through Castle-street, Water-street, to the Glasgow Steam-packet Office, and thence by Castle-street, Lord -street, &c., to Church-lane, where they went into a billiard-room. He stopped them as they came out, and they were taken into custody. On the elder prisoner he found seven sovereigns, five half-sovereigns, and about 18s in cop per and silver. On the younger were found nine sovereigns, four half-sovereigns, 17s. 6d. in silver, and a gold watch. He also found some keys on the elder prisoner, who said he had some things at Mrs. Hartley's. He had opened a trunk belonging to that prisoner in the presence of Mrs. Hartley, and found in it a £5 note. Mr. Dowling stated that the prisoners had been three months out of London. The pri soners declined saying anything, leaving the case to their attorney. They were then remanded. On Saturday they were again placed at the bar. Francis Hill, who is in the employ of Mr. Mander, was examined, but he added nothing material to the testimony heard on the preceding day. Mr. Allender stated, that the coin in the bowl consisted of sove reigns and half-sovereigns. There were many half-sovereign. Mrs. Dismore, who keeps the tavern in the Haymarket where the prisoners lodge, stated, that the name of her daugh ter, Mrs. Hartley, was over the door. She spoke very fa vourably of the prisoners. She believed they came from London, and had frequently been here for the benefit of their health. She had frequently left large sums of money in places where they might easily have obtained possession of it, if they had been so dispcsed, and where they knew of its being deposited, but they had never missed anything. They had also paid her very regularly. She had more than once paid money for them for clothes and other articles, which were sent home for the elder prisoner, and he had repaid her very punctually. Mr. Rushton said, the case was one of strong suspicion, but he should not be justified in sending the prisoners for trial. It was necessary to weigh well the evi dence on such a case, and he had given this close attention ; but, though strong suspicions were excited in his mind, he had no certainty. The prisoners must, therefore, be dis charged. Ad4ressing the elder prisoner, Mr. Rushton said, "Young man, you had better not remain in Liveryool." . Prisoner :—" It is my intention to leave to nigh Mr Rushton :—" Very well. I have no doubt you will carry it into effect." The prisoners were discharged. . . • INQuEsr.—An inquiry of a very painful description was held before the borough coroner yesterday week, and by ad journment on the following day. The subject of the inquiry was the means by which a poer woman, named Mary Sheri dan, the wife of a shoemaker in Charter-street, came to her death. It appeared that the deceased was taken in labour on the Monday, and attended by a midwife on Tuesday ; that subsequently she was seen by Mr. Taylor, surgeon, who was unable to stay with her, he having another patient whom he had before visited to attend. He sent his assistant,however, to supply his place, until another professional man could be procured. • She was afterwards attended for several days by Dr. Weatherall, a gentleman who designated himself at the inquest—a general practitioner, and appended an M.D. to his signature. He visited her repeatedly, and the labour proceeding very slowly, and the patient sinking, effected her delivery of a dead male child, on Friday. He departed, ac cording to his own account, ten or fiteen minutes after the delivery. Before he left the place, a woman in attendance on the patient was requested before latter to ask him to apply a bandage, and he stated he would do so in the morning. , A post mortem examination was made, by Messrs. Batty and Cooper, surgeons, who stated that the bladder of the deceased was cut, and that there was a wound in another region, as well as a bruised appearance, which, in their opinion, would not have arisen from any natural cause, but must have been inflicted by the rough, hasty, and unskilful use of an instru- ment or instruments. The child, which was also examined, was found to be mutilated in the head. They concurred, however, in opinion, that the appearances described were not the immediate cause of death ; but that death was caused by exhaustion arising from the great suffering and the long pro tracted labour, and accelerated by the loss of blood, owing to the want of contraction of the uterus. Mr. Batty also stated that the wounds in the bladder (such as thoSe made in cases ofioperation) inflicted on the deceased, had she survived the exhaustiop and loSs of blood, might possibly have caused mortification and consequently death. It is remarkable that it did not appear clearly, from the testimony of the females present, that instruments were used at all, though they were produced, aired, and afterwards (as one of them said) wiped, nor did they speak to any violence on the one side, or suffer ing on the other. Dr. Weatherall being examined, gave his own account of the case, and positively denied that he had used any instruments at all, and stated that the delivery was easily effected without them, the finger of one hand being inserted in the mouth of the child. He stated that he did not apply the bandage at the time, as he was afraid, from the weak state of the patient, that syncope might ensue. The jury came to a verdict that the deceased had died from ex haustion from the severity of her labour, and declared that there was no blame whatever attributable to Mr. Taylor, but pronounced no opinion on the other part of the case. Susrrctpx of NURDETL.—Yesterday an Irishman, who palled himself Andrew Vicars, but whose real name is sup.. posed to be James Cronby, was brought up at the Police office, before Mr. Rushton, on suspicion of having been con periled, with Hugh Molloy, in having grievously assaulted ,James Hussey, since dead. The alleged offence took place on the 15th December last, at Mucbelow , in the baron y of Ballycowan and parish of Lynally, King's county, Ireland, but under what circumstances did not appear. Mr. Rushton, after explaining the charge to the prisoner, told him that un less he could produce somebody resident in Liverpool, who could satisfy his mind that he was not the party who answered the description given'of him in the Dublin line and Cry, he should be under the necessity of sending him to Ireland. The prisoner protested that he was not the man, that he was not at. Mucbelow at the time, and that he had an excellent character from his parish priest. This character Was pro duced, and it appeared to be written in favour of Andrew Vicars; but Lloyd, the officer who apprehended him, said, that when he was bringing him down Vauxhall-road, a coun tryman of his said to him, " James, I am very sorry you are in custody on such a serious charge." Mr, 'Rushton again told the prisoner that unless he could refer him to some per son in Liverpool, to show who he actually was, he must be sent to Ireland, as his description perfectly corresponded with that given in the Hue and Cry. He was eventually remanded, for the production of a witness who he said could prove that he was in Liverpool in December last. THE IMPORT DUTIES PUBLIC MEETING ON THE RESTRICTIONS AND PROHIBI TIONS OF OUR COMMERCIAL CODE. Yesterday a public meeting was held in the Sessions -house, of the bankers, merchants, brokers, shipowners, and others, for the purpose of taking into consideration the restrictions and prohibitions of our commercial code, and to determine upon all proper measures for obtaining such alterations therein as may appear expedient. The meeting was called by the Mayor, upon the requisition of eighty-nine mercantile firms. The meeting was numerously attended, by men o f all parties. The MAYOR entered the Sessions-house a few minutes past twelve o'clock. On taking the chair, he said the sub ject they had now met to discuss was one of the greatest possible importance, not only as relating to their peculiar situation as merchants, but as involving a question of much higher consideration—that of employment and subsistence for an increasing and numerous population. (Hear.) This subject was connected with, and in fact hinged upon, a revi sion of our custom-house tariff. If, upon a revision of that tariff, it should be found that commercial prosperity could be restored, employment given to the labouring classes, and, at the same time, with an increase of revenue to the govern ment, there could be no doubt it would be the duty of go vernment to act upon the petitions which might emanate from this and other places upon this subject, and to follow the course which had been so clearly drawn by the late Mr. Huskisson. With these preliminary remarks, he should re quest the Town clerk to read the requisition ; and as, in all cases of this nature, the requisitionists had been in the habit of preparing the resolutions, he would afterwards call upon some or those gentlemen to move and second them. In the course of the debate, it would be his duty, as it would give him sincere pleasure, to hear from every one an expression of his opinion ; and he sincerely hoped that the calmness, the clearness, and the orderly conduct which would be ob served in the meeting, would be found to give effect to their petition, whatever that petition might be. (Applause.) The TOWN-CLERK then read the requisition to the Mayor, as it appeared in our columns on Friday last. - Mr. Hoot' HORNBY having been called upon by the Mayor, rose to move the first resolution. Before he moved the resolution which had been placed in his hand, he hoped he might be allowed, as one of those individuals who had signed **requisition, to express his thanks to the Mayor for having convened this meeting, and also to offer his con gratulations to that assembly of British merchants, in whose presence he now stood, upon their having met to discuss a question which, whilst it involved considerations of the great est importance, both to their own interests and the interests of the nation at large, was one in which all parties in this great town must be expected cordially to concur. (Hear.) He thought he was entitled to say it was reasonable to ex pect, in the discussion of this question, that we might anti cipate great unanimity, and he could not believe that the unani mous expression of the sentiments of this great and powerful community, and that too in reference to a subject with which almost every member of it was more or less intimately con versant, could fail to be received with all the attention and respect from the government and legislature to which such a subject was entitled. (Hear.) The resolution which had been entrusted to his charge was to the following effect : (Mr. Hornby here read the resolution which, with the others will be found in our advertising columns.) He could notima gine there could be any doubt in an assembly of British mer chants as to the truth of the propositions contained in the resolution he had just read. That commercial intercourse between two countries differing in their climates, in their productions, and in their soil, must contribute to the prospe rity of both, and must have a tendency to increase the com forts and improve the condition of the inhabitants of each ; and every obstacle opposed to the interchange of their respec tive productions must have a tendency to circumscribe the field for the exercise of that ability upon which the power and industry of the nation and the wealth and happiness of the people depend. It appeared to him that this truth was so self-evident as to require no illustration at all. (Hear, hear.) All classes of society were no doubt interested in the removal of itnpoliticlaws and regulations which impeded the freedom of our commercial intercourse with foreign countries : even men of wealth, members of the community, although not probably deprived of any essential necessary for even the conveniences or luxuries of life, had a right to complain, in case unne cessary impediments were placed in the way of their progress towards prosperity. But there was one class, the most impor tant of all, whose interests it was their especial duty upon all occasions, both as commercial men, and as men endowod with the common sentiments of humanity, anxiously to con sider, whose well-being was closely involved in the reforma tion of the unwise regulations which disfigured the commer cial code of this country : he alluded to those classes of our fellow subjects who were dependent for their daily bread upon their daily labour ; to whom employment was one of the essential conditions of existence, and in reference to whom any check in the demand for labour must be immediately fol lowed by the most painful state of destitution. (Hear.) In moving a resolution which merely-contained the declaration of a general principle, it would be out of place in him to en ter into those details which would be explained to the meet ing much more satisfactorily by the movers and seconders of the subsequent resolutions. lie would merely observe that they would be much more competent to deal with the subject than he was—having been enabled to give that attention to it which other occupations had prevented him from giving. He trusted, however, that he should not be considered trespass ing upon the patience of the meeting if he briefly adverted to the restrictions upon the fiscal regulations of one or two articles of commerce, which, in his humble opinion, had a most powerful influence upon the lower orders ; he alluded particularly to the articles of tea and sugar; the duty upon the first of these articles was pro bably about 120 per cent of the cost of import. He was now speaking of that quality of tea which formed the bulk of the import, and therefore of the consumption of the lower classes. As to sugar, the duty was not so great in propor tion to the cost, but in consequence of being limited in the source whence we could receive, that is, to our own colonies, the price at which sugar was sold to the consumer in Eng land was three times above the price which the consumer in Hamburgh was paying for the same sugar. (Hear, hear.) They were all aware that these were two articles of universal consumption throughout this country ; therefore, any dimi nution in the price would have the effect of greatly increasing the consumption. And whilst there was not the least doubt , that a more judicious arrangement of our fiscal regulations in reference to these two articles, would have the effect of improving the revenue ; it would also have the effect of in crt..asing the present most scanty comforts of the poor, and probably also have a very important influence upon their moral habits, by substituting a healthy, agreeable beverage, for the deleterious liquids, now in use amongst them. (Hear, hear.) Besides this effect as regarded the lower or ders, an increase of consumption in the articles to which lie had alluded must necessarily be followed by a corresponding increase in the export of products of British industry, and consequently open a large field for the employment of the labouring classes. There was one other which he begged leave to mention before he sat down, and that was the article of tobacco : the duty upon which had always struck him as one of the most preposterous that ever entered into the minds of statesmen to impose. (Hear.) The cost of to bacco, of that kind which was used by the lower orders of the people, was probably 7d. per lb. The duty upon it was 3s. per lb. (Hear, hear.) It was acknowledged upon all hands, that were the duty reduced to ls. per lb., the revenue to be derived from that article would be as great as was de rived from it at present, from the simple circumstance that the reduction would cut up the profits of the smuggler. (" Hear, hear," and applause.) It would, therefore, de stroy the immoral influence which contraband trade exercised upon the minds of those engaged in it ; and it would enable the poor man to enjoy almost the only luiury which he could at a moderate rate, and would be attended not by loss but by increase to the revenue. (Hear, hear.) He was aware there were many persons who doubted the propriety of extending the use of tobacco amongst the lower orders; and perhaps as one who made use of tobacco him self, he might be considered as interested in the question. (Hear, hear, and a laugh.) But he would say that it was his most decided opinion, that if the poor man was allowed to smoke his pipe at a cheap rate, he would very often resort to it as a solace in his troubles, instead of going to the dram shop. (Hear, hear.) Feeling perfectly persuaded of the justice and propriety of the proposttions contained in the re solution he had great pleasure in proposing, that they be adopted by that meeting. Mr. RIPLEY, in rising to support and second the resolu tion, did so with feelings of diffidence and hesitation. It had been so ably proposed by Mr. Hornby, that it was un necessary he should do more than merely to second it; yet he was unwilling to pass it over without a few remarks, in offering which he requested the indulgence of the meeting. The system of free trade was no longer looked upon as smat ter of theory, for they had felt the benefits of it practically ; he alluded to the opening of the China trade, which had taken place about eight years ago. If his memory served him rightly, in the documents which were laid before parlia ment, the East India Company's accounts separated the China trade from their general trade, showing a profit of something like £BOO,OOO per annum for a series of years. At that time the East India Company had no competition in the China market for the purchase of their teas, therefore prices were steady, and lower than they bad been since the opening of the trade ; so far the East India Company had an advantage ; when the teas were got by the Company, they supplied the market at prices averaging ls. per lb. above what had been got by merchants since the opening of the trade. The consumption of tea since that period was something like 32,000,000 lbs. ; consequently the community generally paid £1,800,000 more for the 32,000,000 lbs. of tea than they paid at the present moment. it appeared that by the opening of the China trade, the public had been benefitted to the amount of £1,900,000 per annum, taking it for granted that the consumption of tea had been 38,000,000 lbs. per annum since the opening of the trade. He spoke in round numbers, but he believed he was under rather than above the mark. Now he wanted to know who had been the sufferers by the loss of this 13,900,000 which the public had gained. (Hear, hear.) It appeared quite clear, that if the charter of the East India Company bad been continued, and they had supplied the community with tea at the prices which the community was supplied by private traders, that, instead of showing a profit of £BOO,OOO, they would have shewn a loss of £l,O - 00,000. The manufacturers, then, of the country had been benefited to the extent of £1,000,000 per annum. The private traders who followed the company had, perhaps, not found it a very profitable trade, but it was clear the public had been benefitted to a large extent, and if the trade had not been profitable to the private merchants, the change had not been a very bad one. He spoke, of course, only for himself. He was satisfied with his own trade ; he had been engaged in it since the opening, and he believed that upon the *hole there had been a gain instead of a loss. We had no longer chartered companies to compete with the freedom of com merce, but we had what was somewhat similar, and almost as baneful, we had high duties—duties which were in smile cases exceedingly preposterous. He should merely quote one instance and one only, in an article which would be of the greatest importance to the lower classes, if we had the honour of introducing it. He alluded to the staff of life ; not the staff in this country, but in other countries, which sup ported from one to two millions of people—the article of rice. The duty upon rice from our colonies was ls. per cwt. ; upon that from other countries it was 15s. In times of great scarcity, when it was necessary we should be supplied at as cheap a rate as possible, wheat was allowed to be imported duty free, but rice was, not. It was fifteen shillings protective duty—a protect;pg duty of 15 per cent. It appeared to him that when parliament should revise our import duties that this would be found a subject which had been overlooked. He believed it was not generally known to be in existence , but it was a strong proof why a revision of our import duties should be m a d e . H e wished it to be understood he was not one of those who would remove all the barriers of protection which the inte rests of the country were fairly entitled to—but it was a question with him whether it would riot be better for all those barriers to be swept away, and trade be left as free as the winds, than we should remain as we were at present. He had great pleasure in seconding the resolution. The IVIa.eoR then put the resolution, which was carried unanimously. Mr. ATRIN rose to move the second resolution. He said that it presented various propositions altogether consonant to his feelings and wishes. It would be his duty to show, looking at the resolution, that prohibitions, restrictions, and what was generally called protection, were injurious, not only to the consumer but to the country at large, and frequently to the very parties to whom thewere intended to be a lepro tection. There w as an outcrymade aga i n st them, that the pr inciples of free t ra d e were al ver fid, "but," they were asked, be kind eno ug h to look at the . interest of the debt, at the vested rights of our colonies, at our ships, and you will find various reasons why you should not persevere.' H e had looked at all these questions, and he had not found them valid in any one point. (Hear, hear.) The object they had in view was no t to in jure any one portion of the community, butthe benefit of all. It was not to lessen the means of paying the interest of the debt, but largely to increase those means, and to make the public creditor's security doubly se cure. In proceeding he should attempt to show that, by encouraging and extending oar manufactures we should thereby encourage and extend our commerce and im prove the revenue; and that in doing so we should become the best of all missionaries, by spreading knowledge and civilization over every portion of the earth. They would also be come the best of all peacemakers, by binding the va rious nations of the world together in the firmest of all bonds, that of mutual interest, and the supplying of each other's mutual wants. He could not approach this question without at once casting his eye upon that great man whom all must acknowledge, however they might differ from him upon general politics, as the great commercial reformer of the day, the immortal Huskisson. (Loud cheers.) Let them recollect the difficulties that surrounded him—let them recollect the prejudices of the very party by whom he was supported—let them recollect how he was assailed all over the kingdom, and how he was insulted repeatedly in Liver pool, and they must concede to him not only the wisdom to discern, but the courage to persevere, till he obtained a large portion of reform in the commercial code of the country. Mr.Huskisson did much, and his only regret was that he was unable to do more; and the only regret of that meeting, as friends of Mr. Huskisson, was, that his life was cut off so prematurely, and anxiety that his successors had not justified' the expectations naturally formed from their ability, talent, and power, in the carrying out of the wise and beneficial measures of their great predecessor, Mr. Hus kisson. (Hear, hear.) Let him (Mr. Aikin) recall to their recollection,instead of dealing in these generalities, that Mr. Huskisson was principally assailed and abused because of his reciprocity treaties with the Northern Powers ; by the fearful forebodings and foretellings that sprung up on all hands that he was about to destroy the " wooden walls" of Old England, by giving privileges and powers to the Northern States of Europe, that because they could do the work cheaper, they would do it altogether. Let the meeting recollect those professions and then see the results. We should find that, although we had not so much of the carrying of salt to the Baltic ports, we had that which was worth ten times more, the carrying of sugar and coffee and various products from the east and west to the Baltic ports—that, in fact, we had the profitable part of the carrying trade, and that we had left the unprofitable part to those who had chosen to confine themselves to it. He spoke this as a shipowner.—(hear, hear) —Let the meeting recollect that by those treaties of re ciprocity, every port in the North of Europe was open to British ships, and that Mr. Huskisson secured this at the very time when we were upon the eve of losing it and other means of intercourse with the nations of Europe, inasmuch as they were about to adopt the very restrictive measures which we so long before felt the effect of upon ourselves. He wanted to show, first, a few instances of what had been done, in order to justify them in demanding large improvements, with re gard to what remained to be done. He would recall to their recollection the time when discriminating duties in favour of Irish manufactures were thought necessary to increase those manufactures. He need not call to their recollection the frauds that were committed byexporting cottons from England to that country, pretending that they were the manufactures of Ireland, and then getting the drawback, leaving in effect a very great expense on the revenue, but adding very little to it. He recollected being told that if those discriminating duties in favour of Irish manufactures were done away with, Irish manufacture must cease altogether. But what was the immediate result of their abolition? Why, from the first, within one year after the abolition of those discriminating duties, calicoes from Ireland were actually sent into the Man chester market ; and that we had from Dublin some of the finest prints in the three kingdoms in the London markets. Every one recollected the inconvenience and annoyance that took place from the examination of the luggage of passengers from England to Ireland, in consequence of those duties, that it was like passing the frontier of different nations. But now we might go in peace from the one country to the other, and in the absence of all those guards which never secured. Now instead of looking to Flanders as the only place for our supply of cambrics, Flanders was exporting flax to Bel fast, where it was spun and woven better than in any part of the world ; and why ? Because it was not trifled with. (Hear.) A great many other instances might be cited : the article of silk was a striking one; but he should proceed to consider the improvements which remained to be ef fected, rather than those which had been accomplished. Let him first call attention to one of the most im portant—the article of timber. (Hear.) It would not he denied that of all the manufactures of Great Britain, the manufacture of ships was not the least important ; yet, would it be believed hereafter that in Great Britain, upon the success of whose fleets depended the security of the country, and the nursery of whose seamen was in the manufacture of those ships, the manufacture Of ships was not only not encouraged, but absolutely discouraged, that while we had an opportunity of building the best ships in the world, relatively in point of quality, and absolutely of the very best materials, those materials were actually burdened with a duty that almost destroyed the chance of competing with foreigners? This was a subject with which he was familiar. There was no timber so well calculated for one part in the construction of a ship as the English oak ; that is, for the ribs of the ship ; the next best wood they could get, for the bottom of the ship, was rock elm, which was obtained from Canada. But we wanted a great part of the other materials ; we wanted planks and spars, and we had to look to other portions of the world for the best of these requisites. Now, it was most extraordinary that we had frequently fine Riga masts rotting in our yards, although our ships were using the inferior pine brought from North Ame rica. For other parts of ships it was most advantageg us to go to Riga and Dantzic for masts, for instance ; to Canada for rock elm, to Honduras and the Gulf of Florida for mahogany, and to the Brazils for various woods. Now give him these, the best materials, at the cheapest rate, and he should not only have a better, but he 'believed a cheaper ship than could be produced elsewhere. Was it not extraordinary, while we looked at the great advantages of North America for ships, as possessing the best materials, and ready to give them to us at a low price, that we should pass a law which approached to a prohibition upon the manufacture of ships compared with what Americaherself had to pay? Did not the meeting see that this prohibition was not only a tax upon us, but that it operated as a bounty for the construction of their ships to enable tham to compete with us? When he was examined before the Committee of the House of Commons upon this subject, he was asked, " Oh, Mr. Aikin, I suppose you are so great a friend to the principle of free trade, that you would build your ships at Hamburgh, or on the Elbe, and ask for a British registra tion ?" He said no ; but he wished to have the same privi leges here as they had there. In all probability he should I be twitted and told that he built his ships in the Isle of Man. He did so. There were some half dozen vessels built there in the course of a year, and this had actually been petitioned against. If it was an evil to build them in the British de pendencies here, let them go to the British dependencies in Canada and New Brunswick, and they would find bounties and encouragements to build their ships there—but did they not think that. he would not rather build his ships under his own eye in the ports of Great Britain? Did they not think that, instead of building his ships in the Isle of Man or in the colonies, it would not be better to allow him to build them in the ports of the mother country?— There was some wisdom in the one proposition—the other was paltry. He was at this moment discharging a cargo of pitch pine from America. He intended that cargo for the Isle of Man, but he found it would be more advanta geous to land it here. He had to pay 55s duty per load, or 300 per cent. upon the cost price, which he could have saved by sending it to the privileged ports of North America. But to go there in the winter months was not a very comfortable proceeding ; therefore, he would suggest the propriety, if the legislature were determined to persevere in this course, of allowing him to put this pitch pine in bond here, and sending him upon a pilgrimage or survey to do some service to the state : but to send his ship to a privileged port of North America in the winter season would be to injure the ship and the cargo, and to do no good to any body. He trusted how ever, that we were upon the eve of wiser and better measures, that they would be allowed to build their ships in Liverpool —and indeed in all the ports of Great Britain by the simple means of being allowed to get the best materials at the best market, and at the lowest price. (Hear.) There was ano ther article to which he would call attention, namely, the article of coffee. (Hear.) There was a duty of 6d per lb upon it if it came from one portion of the West Indies, and is 3d if it came from another portion ; but if it made a voyage of discovery —so to speak—for a short time, it was allowed to come in on paying a duty of 9d. (Hear, hear.) The conse quence was that a great quantity of coffee had been lately sent upon this " pilgrimage.' It went first to the Cape of Good Hope, and then it was allowed to come in on paying the 9d duty. lie did not think it could be argued that the flavour of the coffee was improved or that it was benefitted in the slightest degree by its long voyage ; he did not believe that there was any thing magnetic in the touch of the ground of the Cape of Good Hope to improve it. Allow him here to correct a mistake. It was generally supposed that it was an evasion of the law to send the timber and the coffee of North America to the Cape of Good Hope. The intention was deliberate, and it was a moral law—but it was a law passed for a very different purpose. There was an old law which punished our colonies in various hideous ways, and which prevented them doing many things ; it required that everything which they produced should touch British ground, the ground of the mother country. The thing was now reversed a little—and whatever was produced in one part of the country must touch colonial ground in some shape or other, and then it may come in upon more liberal terms. The consequence was that a great deal of coffee had been sent to the Cape of Good Hope, and in passing the entry it was reported as being imported from a British colony, be cause the words " produced from it" had been long ago obliterated. This was done to a considerable extent. Allow him nbw to call attention to another subject in which he had always been largely engaged. Perhaps it might be said that in speaking upon it he was not studying his own interest with regard to free trade in the article ; but he was prepared to shew that it would be an advantage to every one, not only connected with dealings in it, but that it would become a safer and a better trade if wiser measures were adopted. (Cheers.) Looking at the produce of sugar, he would men tion that at the commencement of the present century we consumed only something like 70,000 tons a year; yet, from lliat period to the present it had increased to 200,000 tons. It was going on increasing every year, till the late high prices and other causes checked the consumption, and it was ten per cent. less than it had been, notwithstanding the popula tion had gone on increasing to a very considerable extent. (Hear.) Let him now look at the effects produced by these measures of protection. Let them recollect that, in the course of the years of which he had been speaking, sugar was at one time as high—he meant the average price in bond—as 80s., and afterwards it fell down to little more than 20s. Now take from 80s. and 20s. the expenses of freight, the cur rent expenses of landing, &c., and see what the result was to the planter. The 80s. encouraged the extension of its pro duction ; it became a hotbed to stimulate production; and, in the course of a year or two, more was produced than this country could consume. The consequence was that they were obliged to take the corresponding price which could be obtained for the surplus upon the continent. But what was the result of the 80s. price ? It was not only to the Men who who got this price for one or two years, but it induced many to spend their money upon estates in the colonies. Having made their purchases and speculations, then prices came down to that which would scarcely pay for the production, and ruin came upon the parties so protected. (Hear.) The same thing might occur again. The late high prices of sugar would, no doubt, stimulate the production in India to a great extent, and there was the danger that the quantity might again exceed the quantity this country would require. The moment they were in a position to export the surplus, down came the price of British plantation sugar to the price of foreign, which at the present moment would be to the planters a ruinous rate. (Hear.) He thought it would be wiser and better as regarded the country, and the individuals protected, if throughout there had been a moderate protec tive duty; and be thought that the Brazilian Association of Liverpool had done themselves infinite credit by broaching the question as they had. He did not mean to say that men aught not to have their just rights; but he did say, taking all the relative circumstances into consideration, it. was wiser and better in them to propose a moderate protective duty, than to insist upon a total and immediate repeal of all pro tective duties. (Hear, hear.) He thought it was more likely to remove strong prejudices, and to disarm bitter hostility, if they left their opponents without a foot of ground of com mon sense to stand upon. should they attempted to resist the claims they had made. There were many other articles tq which he could make referenee ; but he should only be an ticipating many of the speakers who were to follow him, therefore he should abstain from occupying the attention of the meeting any longer with regard to detail. He should only occupy their attention for one moment further, whilst he spoke of that which was very strongly urged by a great many not advocates for protections or restrictions, namely, that it would be wise to cling to protections and restrictions, and hold them in terrorem over those with whom we made treaties. If others were foolish, do not let us be so : let us be wise, and by wisdom set an example to the world. It was encouraging industry in a course that was unprofit rble ; it was leading capital into a channel that was unpro fitable, whilst there was no doubt upon the minds of practical men that the best policy all governments could apply to in dividual pursuits, was to interfere as little as possible with them, so long as those individuals conducted their business with honesty and propriety. Although the resolution would bear him out in doing so, he should not refer to the demoral ising effects produced in consequence of smuggling, nor to the interference with the wise providence of the great Crea tor of things, who had given a variety of climes and soils, and various articles for the wants, use, and protection of mankind ; but he would conclude with one very important observation, which he wished might reach a high quarter. It was an arrangement that no allusion should be made in this meeting to party politics, and that no subject should be introduced like 'y to lead to controversy. He should not make any exception, but he could fancy the possibility that a government might exist without having the power to carry all the measures which it deemed necessary for the welfare of the country. He meant the supposition of such a possi bility occurring ; and then he should say to such a govern ment, " I cannot blame you if you are unable to carry your measures," but I should say, " I do blame you exceedingly if you do not propose them." (Cheers.) "If you do feel and see the absolute necessity for the welfare of this great commercial country, and feel strongly that it is absolutely necessary to adopt certain measures to retain the advantages which we have always had, then you must propose your mea sures, explain them an d en f orce t h em, to t h e u t mos t extent you have the ability and power. If you are not seconded by parliament, if you are not followed by the demands of the people, let the fault be with the parliament and with the people, but for yourselves can be the glorious self-satisfaction that you have attempted, at all events, to do your duty." (Cheers.) Mr. HENRY HARRISON said that after the able speeches which had been made it would be arrogance in him to add one word to what had been already said, and therefore he should content himself with merely seconding this resolution. The MAYOR then put the resolution, and it was carried unanimously, Mr. Toniisaid the requisitionists who had been the means of having this meeting convened, had done him the honour of requesting him to propose the third resolution, to which he regretted his inability. It was far from his intention, as it must be to their wishes, to make a long speech, but at the same time he would endeavour to compress within as small a compass as possible the few remarks which he felt the importance of the subject demanded. Be would first read the resolution, and then make his comments. (Mr. Todd then read the resolution.) It would be at once seen that a distinct proposition of great importance was here ad vanced, which it would be his duty to demonstrate. That proposition was that taxes upon raw materials and upon the necessaries of life were prejudicial to the national pros perity. (Hear, hear.) The resolution went further, for it did not rest with the assertion of the general prin ciple, but it pointed out the special injury which had always resulted from the existing system, namely, the emigration of our working population, and the encourage meat of rival manufactures among our neighbours. (Hear.) To an enlightened audience such as he had the honour of addressing, it would be needless to enlarge upon the perma nent importance of maintaining the supremacy of our manu factures. Our prosperity depended upon —nay, we existed as one of the great powers of Europe by our successful efforts in commerce. We were essentially a trading people, and the renowned chief, thougha pestof society,lwhom the great cap tain of the age had laid prostrate, was not far wrong in calling us "a nation of shopkeepers." How needful it was then that our rulers should foster and encourage by every means in their power, the success of our commerce, and that they should aid, by all means, the efforts of those whose ingenuity, in dustry, and perseverance, had contributed so largely to the national welfare and prosperity. But had that fostering care, had that vigilant superintendence, been exercised over our commerce, and in aid of the labouring classes, which might have been extended? The contraction of our ingenious but crushed workmen answered " No"! Many of the continen tal manufacturers, and of other parts of the world, many, he should say, of the continental markets, and the markets of other parts of the world, where the fabrics of our foreign competitors, met and supplanted the products of British in dustry, answered " No." (Hear, hear, and loud cheers.) It remained so; and our government, blinded to the consequences, relying too much upon the great natural capa bilities which we possessed, and upon the untiring industry, energy, and perseverance of our labouring population, had recklessly continued the taxes upon raw material, and upon the necessaries of life. He was well aware that the term of the various " necessaries of life" naturally suggested the article of corn. It would have been impossible, in a meeting called to discuss the policy of our entire system of imports, that an article of such importance and magnitude should have been wholly omitted or passed by in silence; but he would respectfully deprecate any attempt to raise, at a meet ing like this, any argument upon a topic of such importance and such magnitude—a topic which had attracted the atten tion, and exercised the eloquence, of the ablest statesmen, and which of itself was amply sufficient to occupy the time of a meeting called for the discussion of that special object alone. He would therefore confine himself to classing amongst the many necessaries of life, rice, &c., the taxes upon which had led to the emigration of the most useful classes of the community, and to the setting up of foreign manufacturers in competition with ourselves. Thus far he had-addressed them without adducing any proofs in support of his arguments, but in support of them he would refer to two official documents of great importance, lately published, which abounded—nay, overflowed—with ample evidence of the truth of the propositions before. These documents were—lst. "The Report of the Select Committee of the House of Commons, appointed in the last session of Parliament to enquire into the whole system of our Import Duties," and the other was, "The report of the Commis sioners appointed to enquire into the condition of the Hand loom Weavers." Both of these important documents showed that for a long time past a demand had existed on the part of Russia, Germany, Prussia, and the Netherlands, for the most able artisans, who had been induced to settle there, to in struct the inferior classes among the natives of those coun tries. And it was very important that it should be borne in mind that that demand had been for the most able of our workmen—(hear, hear)—the absence of whom had occa sionally been severely felt when sudden activity in our mar kets had led to an increased demand for our manufactures. It would be easy for him to quote whole pages from the evi dence of these important publications to show. that the high sort of living in England had occasioned a very extensive emigration of the useful classes to which he had' referred ; and in addition that the taxes upon raw materials had raised un paid competition on the part of our continental neighbours, who now met and supplanted us in supplying articles for markets which we used to have exclusively to ourselves. It was no reply to these arguments to say, " look at the increase in the general amount of our exports," because we were all aware that new markets were constantly opening that no sooner were they supplanted in one particular arti cle than our enterprising and ingenious manufacturers turned their attention to some other which had not yet met with fo reign competition. It happened, too, that those articles, the exports of which had increased, required a much less degree of manual labour than those articles the exports of which had decreased—which was more particularly the case when we came to refer to the great exports of cotton, woollen, and flaxen garments—while the manufactured articles of which those raw materials formed the basis, had in the aggregate exports to all the world very little increased ; whilst those markets which used to be our best, such as Russia, Ger many, and the Netherlands, had very nearly, if not altoge ther, fallen off. H e would' bring his address to a close by reading a short extract from a part of the evidence, in illus tration of the last part of his proposition. Mr. J. B. Smith, president of the Chamber of Commerce, Manchester, and extensively engaged in the cotton trade, said, in Question 2035 " The Germans have become manufacturers of cotton and woollens and hardwares to a great extent. We now supply them with cotton yarn, where we formerly supplied them with cotton goods. In 1820 Germany was the best customer we had for cotton goods : she took nearly £3,000,000 value, and now . she does not take one." 2036. " Unless we take the produce of Germany and Rus sia, I look forward to o ur l os i ng no t on ly th e t ri fli ng t ra d e we still have i n cotton manufactures, but also the trade in yarn, because Germany i s now esta bli s hi ng cotton - sp i nning concerns of herown." 2061-65. " The increase in the export of yarn between 1828 and 1838 was 114 per cent., and in the export of goods only 25 per cent. ; and therefore the measure of increased demand of cotton goods on the Continent between those pe riods may be regarded as 114 per cent. ; and had they conti nued to import manufactured goods from this country in stead of manufacturing themselves, instead of 25 per cent. increase, the increase in goods might have been 114 per cent." - 2666-67-6 8 -69-70-71. "25 per cent. is the increased ex port of cotton goods to all the world between 1828 and 1838, but there is an actual diminution in the export of cotton goods to Europe. The export of cotton manufactures to Russia, Germany, Prussia, and the Netherlands, has, in the above period, fallen off upwards of three millions sterling ; while the increase in the export of cotton twist to the same countries, during that period, has been £3,400,000 ; and there is no doubt that this decrease in our exports of cotton goods has arisen from manufactures being established in those countries," Mr. Todd then concluded in the words of the resolution, by expressing his conviction that it was highly desirable to ex empt from taxation all raw materials used in manufactures, and on articles of the first necessity to the industrious and labouring classes. Mr. RICHARD MOON seconded the resolution, which, on being put by the MAYOR, was carried unanimously. Mr. CHARLES HOLLAND moved the next resolution in a very long address, in which he entered at great length upon the question of import treating it as one of political eco nomy. Mr. MooitE seconded the resolution. He said that, al though the question appeared to have been exhausted, there were one or two subjects reniaining which might still be touched upon with advantage. The two branches of com merce in which he was interested had been already brought under notice. These were sugar and coffee ; and though the heavy duties to which they were subject had been stated, it would make the matter plainer if he stated the cost of them in bond. Brazilian coffee could be had in bond at 4id. per lb., and that would enable the meeting to judge more correctly of the heavy import duty to which it was now subjeet. With regard to sugar, a still greater difference existed. He held, and many others did, sugar which could he sold at the rate of 24-d. per lb. (hear, bear) ; and if a moderate rate of duty was levied upon it, the public would still be enabled to enjoy a luxury, or rather a necess a ry of life, from which ma n y o f them had been of late almost entirely excluded. There was one subject respecting shipping which Mr. Aikin had mooted, and to which he would refer, viz., to the number of vessels, and to the manner in which they were employed. From the port of Liverpool upwards of 30,000 tons were employed in the Brazilian trade; 48 or 50 vessels :annually went to one port of the Brazils alone, and they would hardly credit when he told them that in the y ear 1838 , out of 48 vesse l s l eav i ng Liverpool for one port in the Brazils, not one of them re turned here. (Hear.) There must b e something practically and radically wrong in th i s . (Hear, hear.) It might be said, perhaps, that cargoes could not be got, but he would take leave to state that the coffee crop alone in that port that year, exceeded 60,000 tons ; and instead of loading only 48 vessels of the tonnage that left this port, it wouldhave loaded 300. (Hear, hear.) He was not one of those who would advocate any sweeping or sudden measures of equal ising duty. All were ag reed that so me change was neces sary, but it sbOuld be decid ed am ong them what that change should be. He would allow the colonies a fair protection, but he would not sacrifice to them equally important inter ests, nor would he revolutionize them by suddenly withdraw ing the protection under which they had flourished, and con tributed to the greatness of the nation. He would have the question so arranged that it might both forward the revenue and increase the comforts of the poor man, by enabling him to obtain the necessaries of life at prices within his means. It was wisely observed by Sir Robert Peel, that during 20 years peace the nations of Europe would not stand still— rTiching u s i n the that the continental nations must progress, and make con siderable strides towards API , perfection of Y might progress, but they our manufactures 110 doubt. Th . e might progress too fast, and it behoved us to take such measures that we might still keep and maintain that marked difference between us and them which had always existed ; but he thoughtthiswould notbethe case long, when he stated the progress which France had. made.• For instance, in 1829 she exported manufactures to the value of 64,000,000 francs. In 1839, ten' years afterwards, she exported no less than 1,005,000,000. In 1829 her tonnage amounted to 647,000 tons. In 1839 it bad increased to the enormous extent of 1,200,000 tons. Th ese were facts and figures which nothing could overturn, and they marked a progress which perhaps many at that meeting were no t aw are of. Again, we all knew that coal had contributed to the greatness of England and to the facilities of foreign manufactures—that to it we were in debted in a great measure for the position which we main tained in foreign markets. Now, in France, in the y e ar 1829, the production of coal, which certainly was of inferior quality to that of England, was 17,000,000 metrical quintal, In 1839 the production was :30,09%000 quintals, exclu ive of a large importation. He stated this to show and to prove that where the re was suc h an enormous increase in the pro duction of this m i nera l, th ere must b e corresponding activity scmewhere. It must be consumed. It had not been taken out of the bowels of the earth for nothing. It must have been consumed in her furnaces and in her manufactories—in those things, in fact, which contributed to the greatness of the nation. To show the meeting it was so, he would state that in 1828 France had 393 furnaces, producing the amount of 3,000,000 of metrical quintals. In 1839 she had 475 furnaces, producing 3,477,000 quintals of iron. Her refining furnaces in 1828 numbered 2293, producing 1,500,000 quintals. In 1839 she had no fewer than 1500 refining furnaces, pro ducing 2,21,000 quintals. So that the meeting would find a similar increase in the number of her furnaces, in the produce of iron, and in coals, shipping, and exports. The exports of woollen stuffs from France in 1829 amounted in *due to 30,000,000 francs, and in this article there had been a most extraordinary increase, for in 1839 it had ac tually doubled, the exports amounting to 60,000,000 francs. Her exports in cotton manufactures in 1829 amounted to 47,000,000 francs. In 1839 they amounted to 85,000,000 francs. The consequence had been that a corresponding diminution in the price of these articles had taken place throughout Ira ce, which had allowed many of the poor to clothe themselves in cotton and woollen manufactures which, some few years back, they could not afford. He had just stated a fact to Mr. Rathbone which he would mention to the meeting, in order to shew how much in some articles the British merchant was interfered with by the fo reign manufacturer. In the letters he had received that day from the Brazils, he found a fact stated which should tell its own tale. In the common article of domestics [cot ton goods] and which had always been largely exported there, he was told that in consequence of the introduction and sale of 700 bales from America, the sale of his were for the present put an entire stop to. (Hear, hear.) The proposed revision of the import duties had already excited a deal of jealousy on the continent,; and he himself believed, that whenever we obtained a more equitable adjustment of our import duties, that the port of Southampton and some pther ports of England would become depots for supplying the continent with coffees and sugars, which could not at present exist, because we had not the twofold application of home consumption and export. He had been assured by a German resident in Hamburgh, that the revision of our im port duties would be one of the most fatal blows ever struck at their prosperity. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Moore, in conclu sion, deprecated some pointed allusions which had been made by Mr. Holland to the corn laws, because he had signed the requisition upon the distinct understanding that that question was not to be mooted. Mr. HOLLAND explained. He had merely alluded to the corn laws as one of those matters which affected our com merce and manufactures, but without at all intending to en ter into the merits of the question, or making it a prominent topic. Mr. RICHARD BATESON supported the resolution in an address of considerable length, in the course of which he called attention to the fact that the duty upon mahogany had caused the entire ruin of the export cabinet trade, and that it was gradually ruining the whol e t ra d e . H e ca ll e d on the meeting to avoid party discussions, and to unite all their energies in obtaining the revision of our commercial code. Some allusions which Mr. Bateson made to the rival regis tration bills now before parliament, called several individuals to call him to order in the course of his address. Mr. DUFFEY said he found from what had passed between Mr. Moore and Mr. Holland, that there had been an agree ment to talk of all monopolies but the greatest of all. He found that there had been a sat of under current at work, and that it had been cunningly agreed to talk about all mo nopolies that impeded them in their particular pursuits, and in their particular lines of business, but not about that which most oppressed the poor man. He found they had agreed to avoid all reference to this. How shameful was this ! Mr. Rossox said—No, no. He beggdiOcallMl. - buffey to order. No one who had heard the resolutions could sup pose for a moment that they did not include the corn-laws, although they were not expressly mentioned. He (Mr. Rosson) was as firm an enemy to the corn-laws as Mr. Duffey, but he must press upon Mr. Duffey the extreme impolicy of throwing any obstacle in the way of a discussion like the present, when he must see if he could reflect for a moment that a meeting of this description would operate in the strongest manner in supporting the opinions in which he agreed with him. It was now for Mr. Duffey to consider whether he could raise an obstacle to the future discussion of that important question, or whether he could throw away their new allies, for every gentleman who had entered on the subject discussed that day, must ultimately contribute, whe ther they thought so or not, to the solution of that still greater and more important question. Mr. DUFFEY attempted to speak, but was interrupted by The MAYOR, who said that by the terms of the resolution the corn question was scarcely called into discussion. He was quite sure that the gentlemen who had devoted so much time to the preparation of the resolutions intended that they shonld be such as would best promote the object in view, namely, increasing the revenue, and giving employment to the working classes. Mr. DUFFEY was very glad to receive that assurance from the Mayor. He was, however, only a plain, simple man, and understood men only by what they said. Taking that view of the case, and when he heard one gentleman telling another that it was improper for him to refer to the corn-laws be cause there had been an understanding that they were to be avoided- Mr. RATHBONE called the speaker to order. Mr. DUFFEY said he was referring to Mr. Moore. Mr. RATHBONE said Mr. Moore had used no such words. He (Mr. Rathbone) was, like Mr. Duffey, a plain man. It had been said that the corn-laws should not be made a pro minent topic ; but he must say that, in the way he read the resolution, they were adverted to. Mr. AticEN; as chairman of the Anti-Corn-law Associa. tion, could not patiently listen to such a charge as that ad vanced by Mr. Duffey. The fact was, that they had held re- peated meetings in that place, under the presidency of the Mayor, to petition for the revision of the corn-laws ; but every one, whether friendly or unfriendly to the corn-laws, who could see the distinction between a revision of the im port duties for the sake of revenue and not for protection, would see that the corn and food of man should not be sub ject to taxation, either for revenue or for protection. He therefore trusted that the gentleman would give them an op portunity of confining themselves to the object of the meet ing. - 111 r. L. HEYWORTR also spoke to the same effect, and quoted the Spectator's summary of the evidence before the import Duties Committee—[Mr. M`Gregor's]—to satisfy Mr. Duffey that with the expected change, the corn laws must be revised. Mr. DUFFEY.—Perhaps I have misunderstood something that has been said. I think it better to say no more. The MAYOR then put the resolution, and unani mously carried. Mr. RATHBONE proposed the next resolution. He re joiced that his brother merchants had at last come to their senses, and that each of them conceding a little they had united in asking for the great objects for which the commer cial and manufacturing interests were engaged, namely, the employment of their own capital advantageously to them selves, and to the support of the poor by giving them labour. (Hear.) It must be clear to the intelligent operative, that wages did not depend upon anything but upon the demand there was for their labour: therefore, they (the meeting) were best promoting the interests of the poor by giving the greatest possible demand for that labour, so that whilst capi tal had its remuneration, the poor man should be adequately paid for that labour which promoted their prosperity. He had some few facts to relate, in order to illustrate the duties on mahogany, to which Mr. Bateson had alluded ; but as the time was far advanced he should only just mention the figures :—from Honduras, one of our own colonies, the falling off in the importation was very great, and the ex ports had also very greatly increased. The result had been that a very lucrative business in Lancaster in cabinet work, which was of great importance to the poor, inasmuch as they could work at it both winter and summer, had been cut off. It had also damaged Liverpool, for, instead of supplying the West Indies with manufactured work of our own, they went now to Hamburgh for it. In 1839 there were imported 1,083,191 tons, whilst last year there had been only 618,000 tons ; shewing that we were really furnishing means to the Continent for cutting the throats of our own poor people, because, for the mahogany which the manufacturers of Hamburgh could get for £45, we were obliged to pay £9O. (Hear.) Mr. Rathbone, in conclusion, enlarged on the impolicy of giving a protection to the timber of Sierra Le one, the grave of British seamen, in preference to permit ting the use of mahogany from Honduras. Mr. HENRY ROMILY seconded the resolution. Mr. MELLOR, before the resolution was put, begged to say a few words. He wished to state one fact. There were at this moment 3,000 tons of Brazilian sugar in this port, which, including all charges, would require £22 per ton to cover the first cost. This sugar could ,not, that day, be sold for more than £2O per ton ; consequently, the impor ters of it, at something less than ad. per lb., would lose 10 per cent. upon it, or some £6,000. Sugar of equal duality Was selling for £4B or £5O per ton in bond. If they were permitted to sell this sugar here, instead of refining it merely and sending it for consumption to our own colonies, it would be a saving to the public of some £90,000; and if the govern ment had the wisdom, instead of putting a duty of £3 3s per cwt. upon it, to reduce it to 30s, they could this very day receive into their treasury £90,000 upon the present stock in Liverpool. (Hear, hear.) He had not risen to make a speech, but simply to state a fact, which appeared to him to be a strong one. When we considered that Brazil received all our manufactures at a very moderate duty, and that our exports there amounted to nearly five millions sterling—that our exports there were of finished articles, and not of the raw materials—it would show that at least three millions of them consisted in the wages of workmen, in the expense of machinery, and in the profits of the merchant. These facts, then—the way in which we imposed prohibitive duties, thereby injuring the revenue, and depriving the working classes of those comforts which they had a right to expect—made out a very strong case. As a man largely interested in the Brazilian trade, he would publicly assert, in the presence of that respectable meeting, that he was happy to see a meeting, consisting of men of every shade of politics in the town, convened on the subject ; and that it would be a disgrace to any legislature that would permit this system to continue one session longer, in the face of such clear state ments as had been made by a committee of their own body. The resolution was then carried. Mr. EDWARD MOON moved the sixth resolution, briefly expressing his concurrence in the objects of the meeting. Colonel WILLIAMS seconded the resolution in a speech of considerable animation. It was then carried; and after a short discussion between Mr. AIKEN, Sir. J. WALMSLEY, and Col. WILLIAMS, it was resolved that the petition, in stead of being signed by th e M ayor on b ehalf o f the meeting, should lie at the usual places for the signature of the public. On the motion of Mr. RAWDON, seconded by Mr. Roasar Hay- WORTH, a committee was appointed to carry the objects of the meeting into effect. Mr. RA.THBONE suggested that the petition should be sent for presentation to the members o f the borough, in the event of their refusal to Lord Francis Egerton, and in the event of his lordship declining the office, to Mr. Thornely, with a request to support The Mayor; said he would do Lord Sandon the justice to say that he had never known his lordship to neglect his duty. Colonel WILLIAMS observed that by the rules of the honourable house, no member could "support" a petition. He could merely state its contents. Mr. MOORE then moved a vote of thanks to the Mayor for his impartiality in the Chair. Mr. WATSON in seconding the motion made a few observations to the effect that a revision of our tariff was indispensable. The MAYOR returned thanks, and at twenty minutes past three o'clock the meeting separated. WESTMORELAND ASSIZES.—At the last Kendal assizes, the week before last, the grand jury appeared in court, and through W. C ackanthorp, Esq., their foreman, inquired if those prisoners•committed for trial after the sessions, and previous to the assizes, should be brought to trial at the assizes, or remain over to the next sessions? There were three prisoners at Kendal for trial, who had not been brought to the assizes. Baron Rolfe replied he was glad they had mentioned the subject, as it was one of great importance. The judges were not agreed upon the question, but he consi dered that the assizes being a general gaol delivery for the whole county, all persons committed for the county should be brought up at the court for trial. The learned judge in quired if the prisoners would be brought in time for trial at these assizes, as it was important that innocent persons should be acquitted on the first opportunity ? Mr. Crackan thorp replied they could not, as the distance was so great. He was glad the question had elicited these observations from his lordship, as they would get abroad, and become known. MEETING OF GAS CONSUMERS TO OPPOSE THE GAS LIGHT COMPANY'S BILL, NOW BEFORE PARLIAMENT. Yesterday evening, a numerous meeting of members of the Guardian Society, and others, consumers of gas within the borough, was held at the Adelphi Hotel, for the purpose of adopting measures to oppose the bill now before parliament, the object of which is to give additional power to the old or Dale-street Gas-light Company of this town. In the absence of the President of the Guardian Society, (through whose vigilance the meeting mainly originated,) Mr. George Walker, the Vice• president, was called to the chair. The CHAIRMAN stated that, on the secretary of the society receiving a copy of the Gas-light Company's bill, a com mittee was appointed to consider it, and, as they conceived that it militated against the interests of the gas consumers generally, they called on about thirty of the largest con. sumers, and finding them of the same opinion, that a depu tation was appointed, who waited on the Committee of the Gas-light Company, by whom they were most courteously received. The result, however, was such, that it was deemed expedient to call the present general meeting of con sumers. He then requested the secretary to read the mi nutes of the proceedings alluded to. The SECRETARY read the minutes, which were of iconsi derable length. At the first meeting on the subject t was resolved to write to Lord Sandon, expressing their opinion on the bill, and requesting him to procure tha postponement of the second reading (the bill having then been read a first time) for at least ten days, so as to enable them to prefer their objections to several of its clauses deeply affecting the consumers. The bill had been read a first time on the Fri day, and the second reading was appointed for the Monday following; and his lordship's reply was that it had been read a second time accordingly, but that he had procured the postponement of it going into committee for three weeks. It appeared from the further reading of the documents, and also of several clauses of the bill. (which were afterwards opposed seriatim by the meeting,) that the Company had been authorised to raise a further amount (above the original capital) of £50,000; but that they had expended a sum of £140,000 over and above that amount, which they stated they had expended in laying mains to the townships round Liverpool, and making additions to their works to enable them to supply those townships with gas, and that they sought to legalize that amount that it might become part and portion of their capital for the sole benefit of the present shareholders, as if described by them—making, in all, £190,000 to be divided and apportioned amongst them. They also required power to raise a further sum, to enable them to light those townships, the sum of £llO,OOO in shares, making, with their original capital of £50,000, a capital of no less than £300,000. On the £190,000 thus sought to be legalized as capital, they sought a profit from the public of at least 10 per cent.,—no advantage to be:derived by the public, until that profit was first secured to the company. To this appro priation of X 140,000, which they had raised on the strength of the present consumers, the deputation strongly objected. One clause sought for power to distrain for rents, without even the intervention of a magistrate's summons. The so ciety considered that they ought to be constrained to apply to a magistrate, or to recover the amounts due in the usual courts of law. The deputation further required that the ac counts of gas supplied in the borough should be kept separ ate from those of that supplied to the townships, otherwise that the additional shares required to raise the £llO,OOO, should be sold by public auction, in which case they would not insist upon that revision. The reply of the gas commit tee to this was, that they could not keep the accounts separ ate, but that they had no objection to raise £60,000 of the amount, in shares amongst themselves, and that the remain ing £50,000 should be offered by auction to the public. They also made several other minor.propositions, (the 10 per cent. being first secured to them), which, however, did not 'ews of the deputatio n . A n othe r c l a i m requ i re d —jury done to meters be paid for by consumers.. They agreed that this clause should be altered to " wilful injury" only. Another clause was to the effect, that any person inhabiting or using premises in which the company's pipes, &c. were laid from their mains, and who required the same to be removed, that the expense of such removal should be defrayed by the person so requiring their removal. The committee objected to this but without effect. The claim required authority for their surveyors to inspect their meters at " all hours," they agreed to alter to " all reasonable hours." It was stated by Mr. Carson, solicitor for the Gas Company, that the bill was in the hands of Lord Shaftsbury, who was making alterations in it, and he did not know what it would be when it came from his lordship's hands ; but that a copy should be sent to the society when it was printed. At a subsequent meeting of a committee of the society, it was agreed that Mr. Radley should be authorised to call the general meeting of that night. meet the vi that it - Mr. RADLEi remarked, that the meeting had heard that the deputation was most graciously received by the Gas Com pany. He remembered the time when the gas consumers applied to toe same quarter, complaining of some extraordi nary powers that were required by them, and received a short letter to the effect that their interference was not wanted. The times were now somewhat altered, and he was glad that the system pursued, and the legitimate weight of the con sumers had become better known. He stood as the repre sentative of the consumers of gas; and was in no degree connected with the shareholders of the Gas Company. He felt assured that if they would but put their shoulders to the wheel, they would be enabled to defeat the obnoxious clauses of the bill. The company stated that they had expended £140,000 over and above the amount they were authorised to raise, and they succeeded in legalising that amount as sub scribed capital, the interests of the consumers would be ma terially injured. They would, on Wednesday week, be enabled to add that larger amount to ,their subscription, could sell it to the public, and put the whole of the money into their own pockets. Whence, he would ask, did they derive that very large amount? Why, from the public—from the consumers. Their bill was to the effect that " each proprietor should be interested therein." And how many were those proprietors ? They were only, he believed, 60 in number. If they had expended the money, they had borrowed it on the strength of the consumers at their back. They (the consumers) had, however, a good Lancashire Rist. They had succeeded before, and if they pulled together, they would succeed again. What they went for was good gas, at a fair and moderate price. If they suc ceeded in legalizing the amount stated as new capital, they would create a property out of them. Where, he repeated, was this large sum raised from ? Mr. Fergusson has asked them the question; but they had evaded it. It was a ques tion that went too much into their books. He referred to clause 15 of their original act. By this it appeared that they had not power to raise money by loan ; and whence did they derive it? Mr. DOCKER remarked, " from the people here, who ought to have had their gas at a cheaper rate. Mr. RADLEY concurred. They sought to divide this sum amongst themselves. They did not come to them to divide any of their large profits, or to make a reduction of charge. By clause 4, they sought to raise an additional £llO,OOO to enable them to light the out-townships. The Queen's. square Company had attempted a similar plan of enrich ment, but they were defeated. If they wanted to raise £llO,OOO, why not dispose of shares to that amount? and if they sold at a high premium, let the surplus go to the general reserve fund, for the general benefit. He had no objection to new shares, if so raised. So large a sum should not go to increase the value of the script, but to the advan tage of the shareholders and consumers. The whole capital sought to be appropriated to the present shareholders was £300,090 ; and it could never have been contemplated by the legislatui e that so few as sixty individuals should have the sole advantage and control of such an amount. He concluded by moving the first resolution, for which see the advertisement. Mr. JEFFREYS had great pleasure in seconding the reso lution. They owed the opportunity they had of opposing the bill to the vigilance of the Guardian Society. They, as tradesmen, though numerous, were so much engaged in their own business in endeavouring to make money in small sums, that they had but little time to devote to the subject ; and meanwhile the greater capabilities of the Gas Company were busy in endeavouring to make money en masse. He traced the proceedings of the company from the commencement, when their capital was but £50,000. Their shares had risen in the market from £lOO. to £380.; yet they did not divide more than £5. per cent., arid sought to legalize a large sum as subscribed capital, further to enrich themselves. (He read an extract from the proceedings of a meeting of the proprietors of the Grand Junction Railway, in 1838, show ing the similarly delusive manner in which the accounts were kept, so as to effect an undue appropriation of their funds — the wear and tear being placed to new capital, instead of being taken from the profits.) Why should the company seek for a new appropriation of capital, and keep hack profits made? Last year their profits had been £20,000., and they had only paid £2O. per share, which was only 5 per cent. The profits were actually 40 per cent. He considered the applioation for the bill a clandestine proceeding ; and if they obtained it they would obtain it clandestinely. The money already raised should be a sunk amount for the general be nefit. He did not think that such a sum as £300,000 was required even exclusively to light the whole town and its outskirts. If they obtained their bill the shares would rise to £720 each. The bill, if it passed, was a draft upon them which they would be obliged to accept. It was a scheme to make money with very little trouble. It might be said by some to the consumers, "Are you not satisfied with two companies —is not this a protection?" He replied yes, if they were in fair opposition ; but what security had they that there was not a connivance between them ? Besides, could the company prove to them that they had value for even half of the £140,000. The bill was one which enabled the few to amass a splendid sum out of the money. Lord Sandon had, however, put off the consideration of the bill in committee, and he believed would do every thing possi ble for their interests. (Cheers.) He seconded the motion, which was put from the chair and unanimously carried. Mr. FERGUSSON recapitulated the proceedings that had been taken with reference to the bill, and furnished some dates of the actual cost of gas, to show the large profits of the company. Ten pennyworth of cannel coal would make 1000 cubic feet of gas, for which they paid Bs. • At Messrs. Fawcett and Preston's extensive foundry the cost was only Is. Including all expenses at the gas-houses, wages, rent, &c., the cost was within 3s. The same company supplied the public offices for 4s. 2d. per 1000 feet, and they would not do this without a profit. The company had been making great profits. The whole 500 shares (amongst 60 sharehol ders) realized £65,000 annually, or £130,000 in the 20 years of their standing. if they had the advantage of 10 per cent. on the £140,000 they sought to legalize, their profits would be immense. They called on them to pay 10 per cent. on that amount additional.. They wanted to go to Bootle and Linacre on one side the town, and to Garston (a distance of six miles) on the other ; but he did not think it reasonable that those townships should have gas at the same price, to their injury. He would give Vat:, old company the same power as the new, but none further. He moved the next resolution. The second resolution was seconded and carried unanimously. A petition to Parliament, founded on the rt solntions, was then read by Mr. EVANS ; and the motion, that it be carried, by Mr. II rex ING. This was carried with similar unanimity. Mr. TURNER, in a brief address, moved the next resolution, " That a deputation be sent to London to oppose the bill," &c. Mr. COWARD seconded the resolution, expressing his gratification that the names were such as convinced him that the bill would be carefully watched. The resolution was unanimously carried. Mr. SUMNER, after a suitable introduction, proposed the resolu. tion calling upon those interested to come forward with subscrip tions to defray the expenses of opposing the bill. Mr. TOWERS seconded the motion, and it was carried. On the motion of Mr. EVAN, seconded by Mr. FiraausoN, a vote of thanks was presented to Mr. Radley, for the gratuitous use of the room for the present and preceding meetings, and for his gene ral efforts in the cause. Mr. DOCKER then addressed the meeting, contending, among other matters, that gas might be afforded for 4s. Several other speeches were made, after which the meeting se parated. Irw CHURCH IN HOPE-STREET. —We have had frequent occasions lately to advert to the growing attachment evinced by the people of these realms towards the church establish ment, and seldom have we had a more gratifying fact to re cord, than the return of the Rev. Robert Aitkin to the bosom of the church. It is no doubt known to the generality of our readers, that this gentleman was formerly a clergyman of the Church of England, but some years since he left her communion, and formed several congregations, and was the means of erecting chapels in various places for the worship of the body he termed " the Christian Instruction Society." Ile, however, has become dissatisfied with the views which led to this change, and has applied for readmission to the church, and to have the chapel in Hope street, in which he recently officiated, permanently associated with the esta blished religion or the country. These requests have been complied with, and Hope street chapel will be termed for the future—St. John the Evangelist's Church. Two sermons will be preached on Sunday next therein by the Rev. Hugh M'Neile and the Rev. Robert Aitkin. The Rev. Fielding Ould will preach on the Tuesday wizening following. SOUTHERN AND TOXTETH HOSPITAL The ceremony of laying the foundation-stone of this hos. pital took place on Tuesday last, on the site of ground in Greenland -street, near the Queen's Dock. The worshipful the mayor, Thomas Bolton, E sq., accompanied by several members of the council, the committee, and other gentlemen interested in the erection of the building, arrived on the ground at twelve o'clock. The proceeding the chairman requesting the Rev. R. up a prayer. The latter impressivel , on the work, after which — Mr. AMBROSE LACE, chairman, have been invited to do this both as the en,,. the town and as the head of that body who have so liberally given the ground for the site of the hospital. ' " allowable to men to be proud of their - assisting at such works as the press"-' relieve the maladies of their - them to have the best o: wise the wealthy could only procur doubted how far charity, generall as tending to destroy that self-rel. guarantee for the well-being and adva ,s commence :A. Townsend to offei. awe, wt but a charity—such as the could not be subject to deception : the idle anu L., would not fly to it, to shelter themselves from labour ; nt, sity alone would bring them inmates. A good deal has been said of there not being a necessity for another hospital, but when they looked to tue great extension of the town south ward, to the dreadful sufferings of those to whom accidents occurred, in being carried to so great a distance as the cen tral hospital, he thought such objections would not be per sisted in, and he trusted that those who interested themselves in the several hospitals, would only consider how they might best promote the interests of all. Thanking the mayor for the kind manner in which he had accepted the office, Mr. Lace presented the trowel to his worship. JOSEPH BROOKS YATES, Esq., the vice-chairman, said— Mr. Mayor, permit me to impress upon the minds of the present audience the absolute necessity for the erection of en hospital in this immediate locality. Thirty years ago, when. Liverpool had only attained one-third of its present dimen sions, the old Infirmary in Shaw's-brow was not only suffi ciently capacious, but was so situated as to be convenient for the reception of patients from every part of the town. After this period the building became too small. It was pulled down, and the large and splendid edifice in Brownlow-street was substituted. The town, however, was found to extend itself rapidly north and south along the river, so that it was deemed necessary 7 or 8 years ago, to establish an hospital in Leeds-street, for the reception of patients from among the population at the north end of the town. In reference to this establishment, some persons then thought proper to state — as others may now, perhaps, do in reference to ours—that its necessity was not sufficiently apparent. Now, what has been the result? First, both these hospitals are constantly filled. Then look at the actual number of cases admitted last year into each—namely, about 2,100 into that of Brownlow-street, and 1,450 into that of Leeds-street. Out of these 1,450, it appeared that 650 have been taken in without any recom mendation at all. In other words, they were casualties or accidents happening in the neighbourhood, and requiring- im mediate attention. Two hundred and forty-five were ac tually brought thither from the docks and the shippin Four hundred were sailors, and 450 labourers, employed i' great measure about the docks. After this 'statement, will gainsay the necessity of having hospitals near to th, shipping? Now, the spread of the town and of its com merce has of late years tended so rapidly towards the south, that there appears quite an equal necessity for the establish ment of an hospital here ; and on reLrring to the books of the Southern Dispensary in this neighbourhood, I find in the course of last year nearly 1,200 cases of wounds, fracture , and dislocations, the greater part of which would hate- If it were I enabl which oti ,e reasonably as advisable, le they w out to ere more fit subjects of an hospital than a dispensary. Permit me now, sir, to state that our prospects are good. We have an active and efficient committee. We have skilful and as siduous medical officers. We have the sanction of your name, and the munificent donation of the land from the cor porate body of which you are the head. I see around me many gentlemen who have contributed most liberally towards the building, but it cannot be concealed that many who are largely connected with shipping and commercial transactions have not yet come forward. We shall require all their aid, and that without delay. Let each gentleman now present use all his influence with such. The gratitude of the future inmates of this hospital will amply repay them; and many a prayer and ejaculation will, it is hoped, ascend from its sick beds to the throne of divine grace in favour of the pro moters of the great and pious work which has been this day begun. Mr. S. MINSHULL,, honorary secretary, here read the scroll containing the record of the proceeding, which the architect afterwards deposited in a bottle, hermetically sealed, and placed in a cavity under the stone. The stone was then lowered by Mr. William Bateman, the builder, and was laid with the usual formalities by the mayor, who very feelingly addressed the gentlemen present, and after three hearty cheers the meeting separated. INQUESTS. BEFORE PHILIP FINCH CURRY, ESQ., CORONER DEATH BY FALLING INTO A DOCK.—Yesterday an in quest was held on view of the body of a man named William Roy. John Conelly, a shipkeeper, stated that on Sunday night, between 11 and 12 o clock, he was on duty on board the ship Mary Kingland, lying in the Prince's Dock. There was another vessel lying alongside of her, called the Stephen Whitney. About a quarter before 12 o'clock he observed a man in the act of crossing the vessel he was in, and going towards the Stephen Whitney. Whilst he was walking across the vessel, witness turned round and was going aft, and di rectly after he heard a splash in the water. He went for ward directly to see what it was, but could see nothing in the water. He immediately called for the police, who came, and he told them he thought there was a man in the dock. They got the grapnel irons, and in about twenty minutes afterwards the body of the deceased was brought to the sur face of the water. He was quite dead. The body was after wards taken to the station-house, and thence to the dead house. The deceased, who was a seaman on board the Ste phen Whitney, had been seen about eleven o'clock the same night, and was then much intoxicated. The jury returned a verdict to the effect that the deceased was accidentally drowned. A CHILD OVERLAIN.—Same day, on view of the body of George Clancey, a child of a month old, son of William and Elizabeth Clancey, who live in Elleuborough-street. On Sunday morning, the mother of the deceased went to bed, and took the deceased with her, placing him between her husband (who had previously gone to bed) and herself. She fell asleep. About eight o'clock she awoke, and found the deceased in the same position in which she had placed him. He appeared to he so still that she awakened her husband, who took the deceased up, and they found that he was dead. His right side, on which he lay, was quite black. A surgeon was sent for, but could render no assistance. Mr. Morgan, surgeon, said that he found the right side of the deceased discoloured, and could not account for death until he made an examination of the body, when, from the appearances, he was opinion that deceased had died from suffocation, having been overlain. The jury returned a verdict accordingly. CHILD STOLEN.—On Sunday last, at two o'clock in the afternoon, a poor woman, named Morgan, who lives in Povn ton-street, sent out two of her children to play, one of them a fine boy, aged three years. They had not been long out, in front of the Railway Station, when a man came up, took up the little fellow in his arms, and walked away with him. The other child ran home to tell his mother ; and though every inquiry has been since made by the police and others, no tidings of the child have been heard. The poor mother, as might be expected, is much distressed. NORWICH CATHEDRAL.—A very ancient Ilectorium, or reading desk, which has for many years lain neglected in the Cathedral, has by order of the very Rev, the Dean recently been restored, and is now placed in the choir. It was ori ginally adorned with figures, which in the time of the usurpa tion were mutilated or destroyed. These figures have been replaced by others, cast in brass, and elaborately chased by Mr. John Herbert, of this city, from models furnished by Mr. 011ett. They consist of a bishop in full pontificals, at tended by a priest and deacon arrayed in their respective vestments, and the chasing of the splendid robes in which the figures are clothed displays in the most creditable man ner the industry, skill, and taste with which Mr. Herbert has executed his task.—See Advt. MODEL OF THE LAKE DISTRICTS.—We regret to find that Mr. Flintoff is about removing his very beautiful model of the lake districts from this town. It is so extremely well worth seeing, especially by those who know the country, that we are surprised he cannot be induced to make a longer stay amongst us. Mr. Flintoff was occupied five years upon it, and traversed over mountain, glen, river, and lake, to gather sufficient topographical knowledge to complete his work. So important is this model that it really ought to be deposited (or a copy of it) in the British Museum. Before it leaves, which we understand will be next week, we recom mend our readers to inspect it. To those who are about visiting the lake country a sight of the model may be of use, as they may be enabled to form some idea how to divide their time to the best advantage. Mr. Flintoff will be glad to give advice on the subject, and point out the most remark able spots and the best worth visiting. THE BISHOP BRIDGE MURDER.—We are happy to say that, through the persevering though unseen exertions of the sheriff's department in this city, Patrick Redding, or Aitkin, a person deeply implicated in the murder of John Green, the gnager on the Edinburgh and Glasgow railway, has been. taken into custody, and was safely lodged on Saturday night in the prison of Glasgow. He was seized in England.— Glasaow Herald. The splendid marble statue of the late exemplary Bishop of Durham, Dr. Van Mildert, has arrived in this country from Italy, and will shortly be erected in the cathedral church of Durham. The publishers of the " Cabinet Cydopsedia" have found it necessary to alter the title-page of that work, in conse quence of the unpopularity attached to the name of Dr. Lardner.—Brighton Gazette. We beg leave to direct attention to a meeting to be held on Monday evening next, at Ryan's Circus. At that meeting we understand that the tribute subscribed by the citizens of Bristol, in grateful acknowledgment of the eminent services rendered to the cause of truth, by John Brindley, Esq., will be presented to that gentleman. Scott's Bible in six quarto volumes, handsomely bound, and purchased by the mechanics of Bristol, will likewise be presented to him on the same oc casion. Also, a portrait of Mr. Brindley, representing him in the act of burning the leaves torn from Mr. Owen's execra ble tract on Marriage, the objectionable passages having beers withdrawn by Mr. Owen. We hear that it is Mr. Brindley's intention to refer to the movements of the Socialist party in Bristol, since his last public meeting, and give an account of their present proceedings in London, to which place he is resolved to follow Mr. Owen, who is now lecturing there.— Bristol Standard. Mrs. Cockerell, now the Countess of Eglinton, was the widow of Captain Howe Cockerell, whom she first met on her passage to India, whither the captain was also going to push his fortune. He arrived at the period of the great fail ures in Calcutta, and through his family connections was ap pointed to wind up the affairs of some of the great houses, a service in which he realised £160,000. in a few years. He died shortly after his return to England, leaving his young and beautiful wife the life interest of his fortune, and £40,000. at her absolute disposal. DR. COOKE AND THE REV. T. D. GREGG.—A highly re spectable meeting of gentlemen connected with the churches of England and Scotland, and with several other protestant denominations in Belfast, was held on Tuesday in the office of Mr. Bates, on the subject of the proposed discussion be tween these gentlemen. The Rev. A. C. Macartney, and the Vicar of Belfast, were called to the chair. Aft e r some amicable observations from s evera l c l erg y m en and laymen, it was unanimou s ly reso l v ed—" That as friends of protestant peace and union we declare our decided disapprobation of" the proposed discussion between the Rev. Dr. Cooke and the Rev. T. D. Gregg, and that it is our earnest desire it shall be abandoned." To this resolution we understand every gentleman present, when it was passed , a xed his individual signature. It was then unanimously resolved, ffi "That the Dean of Connor, Rev. A. C. Macartney, the Rev.. David Hamilton, the Rev. Daniel a m John M`Neile, Esq., James Goddard, Esq., and, Esq.,_ Andrew ulholland, Jas. Blair, Esq., should be a deputation to present the above resolution to Dr. Cooke and' Mr. Gregg." The depbtation subsequently waited on Dr. Cooke and Mr. Gregg, and pre. sensed each of them with a copy of the resolulion. We un derstand that Dr. Cooke stated that, from his knowledge of th e g entlemen who formed the deputation, h e f e l t quite safe himself tinhesagieng he would place in th e i r h ands ; upon which members of the deputation stated their strong and de cidtd opinion that_ the discvssinn wel4 s uot do good, and b s O s hould be abandoned. -- s"(ttnicleri l mtes rifft•