The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-02-15 00:00:00

Etbrrpoot tailbarb, FROM OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENT. ..--.--....-- MONDAY MORNING, THE great feature of the week has been, of course, the re-assembling of Parliament, and the first appearance at St. Stephen's of the wonderful Coalition Cabinet, which, if credence were to be placed in prophetic journalist an nouncements, is to " do the world and eV—such things as no Ministry before attempted, and such as no other Administration will ever have the genius to conceive, or the daring to accomplish. Like many other men who take an active interest in the political movements of the day, I found myself in the Speaker's gallery of the House of Commons, somewhere between 4 and 5 o'clock on Thursday evening. It was known at my club that Lord JOHN RUSSELL had been requested by the Cabinet to expound at the first sitting of the Senate the policy which the Givernment intended pursuing, and I made up my mind to be one of those who should hear and judge calmly and impartially for himself. You have had an opportunity of reading the Ministerial manifesto among the reported Parliamentary proceedings, but you had not an opportunity either of observing the manner of its delivery, or of mingling with the groups of the people's representatives who canvassed its merits, and on to the feelings which Lord JOHN'S exposition created in their minds. It seemed to me that gave expres the FOREIGN SECRETARY was most anxious to render himself as unintelligible as he possibly could ; and the s, how so much of what he did say ever reached the representatives of the public press who sat on the opposite side of the house, for he spoke in an un usually subdued tone, without one particle of energy— without the slightest semblance of sincerity, frequently a' a loss for words to communicate the decisions of the Cabinet, and as cold and phlegmatic as if he had been one of the diminutive Chelsea pensioners standing on a win- ter's afternoon repeating to some comrade the particulars of an every-day occurrence, with no other earthly object than that of the killing of time. According to very high authority, Lord JOHN'S speech contained rather less spirit than an ordinary auctioneer would put into his pre before a sale of old furniture, damaged goods, or shop-fittings. Now, my knowledge of the London auctioneers leads me to believe that this high authority, which is no other than the Thunderer of Printing•house Square, does them very great injustice. There is not a man among our friends of the hammer, who, when exposing his wares for public approval, ever made half so unimpassioned, wishy-washy, and chilling an as the FOREIGN SECRLTAAY thought proper to deli- liminary remarks ver, whea introducing the names and substance of our new sessional measures. That statement, if any such induce- e required, predisposed one to feel thoroughly satisfied with the elements of legislation so feebly sha med forth, and among those who occupied places near went vs to your correspondent, left a feeling of regret that the leadership of the House of Commons, the field of so many brilliant oratorical displays, shouli have again fallen into the ands of an icicled statesman, who, whatever may be his powers of head, is without one attribute of heart cal culated to awaken generous sentiments of sympathy, or to arouse the smallest particle of enthusiasm. So much for the manner of delivering the Ministerial manifesto. The matter can be easily disposed of. Men representing almost every political section in the Ilouse of Commons, concur in pronouncing it one of the most abortive pro- grammes ever concocted by any Administration. The Radicalg are especially indignant at its short-comings ; and I am in a position to tell you, that at a 'very numer ous meeting of Conservative Peers and Commoners, held on Friday, at Lord DERBY'S residence, St. James's-square, when Lord ABERDEEN'S policy, as enunciated by Lord Jonx RUSSELL, was thoroughly considered, nearly 300 noblemen and gentlemen declared it utterly insufficient for, and ill adapted to, the requirements of the country, and on that account entitling the coalitionist authors to their vigorous and persistent opposition. 1 HER MAJESTY, you will have seen, has been giving a series of banquets at Windsor Castle during the holidays, now drawing to a close; among the later visitors were ViscountH A aorNoE and SiriamEs GR. AHAM,—the former, though close upon three score years and ten, and minus an arm, as smart as a radish ; the latter, the gallant soldier's junior by nearly ten years, bent and much worn, thoough stately, and of mantlin; countenance, as Dis- RAELI would say. The mention of Viscount HARDINGE puts one in mind of the diversity which prevails respecting the proper pronunciation of the brave soldier's name. As a bit of gossip, it may serve to state that I recollect, when he took the oaths as a peer, young ROSE, the Lords' reading clerk, was going over the newly-made peer's names and titles—Right Hon. Sir HENRY HARDINGE, K.C.B , &c. The well-paid, but perfunctory clerk, pro- pounced the name according to the spelling, as he con sidered, making the g soft, as in syringe. In an instant the unfledged peer, having the Holy Evangelists in his hand, (preparatory to the oath,) exclaimed, with the im perious croakpeculiar to commanding officers—HAßDlNG ! giving all concerned to know that the last syllable, malgre the e final, was hard—like the first—ahem ! As a pendant to the foregoing, I can aver that, if the guests at the Court dinners, during the festive season, are, for the most part, the elite of both Houses, there is much less stringency on the occasions of state balls. Even with respect to these, full many a member I have known " dur ing the season" heave a sigh—and of Hibernian—not the sigh but the member, regret that a little rollicking, after the House was up, had come to the Chamberlain's ear, evented the issue of a ball ticket. This has been .he case at Buckingham Palace balls ; but, generally speaking, a season was not allowed to go down upon the wrath of the Court, and the member, who was tabooed at the first ball, might, perhaps, be as much perplexed at the last one to get his bag-wig and ruffles in order, as he was by the apparent slight at the commencement. A word in the ear of the young M.P. reader of the Standard. Go to the balls at Buckingham Palace as often as you can—if you are an Irish representative, go oftener. It is good to be seen in such company ; staying away, on account of trouble, may do you more harm than an adverse vote. At all events, " go to the ball" has been the undeviating advice I have given, and it was not repented of the next day. But, in truth, the Royal balls are afar off—the middle of next summer ; meantime, H. R. H. P. A. will do the honours at the earlier drawing-rooms at St. James's. Nearly the whole of the Ministers had; banquets last Monday, and, strange to say, the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER had ladies to grace his " feast of reason." This is certainly an innovation. if not an improvement, for Ministerial dinners are punctilious mattersnow-a-days. The dinner being on the table, with scarcely an attendant in the room when the seats are taken by the guests, to prevent blabbing. The dinner, as far as regards the produce of the cuisine is recherche, and varied enough ; the light wines of La Belle France and the clean vintages of Germany having the preference. The dinner s,—ltalian ope ra or French play, when s of PITT and Fox are now entirely eschewed. The former minister used to run down of an afternoon to The Black Dog, at Bedfont, some fifteen or twenty miles from town, with a brother minister or two, sans servant, or attendant of any kind ; mine host being entirely ignorant of the quality of his customers until after the claret had circulated well, when the politicians used to talk so loud—sometimes wrangle— that they could not but be heard and recognised. The old landlord, not long since gone to his account, was for e - reat while sorely puzzled to find out who were his PITT, who soon after dinner talked immeasure- Boniface could not understand, he was such a ere ultimately discovered and scared The prim gentlemanly ABERDEEN couldn't stand the nonsense of those days. " The historical misstatements and the fallacious argu ments of Mr. COBDEN"—so begins a letter in Thursday's Times, from C. C. GREVILLE, the late Duke of WEL LINGTON'S principal man of business, in vindication of " the Dead Lion." Mr. COBDEN, in his pamphlet, re marks—among other absurdities and crudities—on the infirmities of the DUKE'S mind at the age of 80, as com pared with it at 40. Mr. GREVILLE'S great authority sustains and vindicates the observations I considered it my duty to make in a recent communication touching Mr. COBDEN'S valuation of facts. I have often wondered to witness at the Covent Garden Anti-Corn-law meetings thousands of intelligent persons swallow, without strain ing—like great gobe mouches as they were—the facts of the honourable gentleman, and I have since laughed out right at the schoolboy adage about the greatness of truth prevailing a bit. The fact is, Mr. WILSON, Mr. Con- DEN, and JOHN BRIGHT threw the quaint maxim over board—yet succeeded. " The st raw i s mov ing," was a saying of that wily o ld politician, WILLIAM COBBETT, when he expected what he called a rumpus among the beggarly Whigs. COBBETT said the phrase originated thus : When a country boy, he and others used to go into the barn, armed with pitch forks, rat-hunting ; where the straw moved, the boys were sure there was something below. So it is at the present moment on the Continent; and I assure you the so-called insurrection at Milan ; anticipated disturbances in Spain ; - ... droll fellow ! They from The Black Dog THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1853. not forgetting the sham amnesty of Louis NAPOLEON, have presented ample scope for conversation among our foreign political quidnuncs at the clubs to- 1 wards the close of the week. Should the work of MAZ ZIN/ and his brother humbug, Lours KOSSUTH,— the former living quietly among the cow-herds of Swit zerland, far from the scene of strife, the latter within a mile of London town, still more safe, not soon be finished, NAPOLEON will have something to do ; he must assist Austria at all hazards. But the affair is over ; it was a mere spurt, though it disturbed the marital peace of the Emperor NapoLEoNIII, who did not at all expect it. So at least I am informed by one redolent of the puff and powder of the Tuileries. The Milanese scavengers, not withstanding the "blowing-horn" of KOSSUTH, were easily settled ; but there will be more of it : Mazzm is worth half-a -dozen KOSSUTHS in the cause of—Freedom, in their acceptation of the word. With regard to the French amnesty, it appears, on analysation, that the num ber, nearly 5000, is swollen by the insertion of the name of the same party two or three times over,—the insertion also of names of parties dead, &o. The amnesty, how ever, such as it is, appears somewhat incongruous with the recent political arrests, which are at present very much disliked in the French Capital. All sorts of rumours have been current towards the close of the week; among them the assassination of Louis NAPOLEON. They have afforded a slight relief to the ennui of the clubs, which Lord ABERDEEN and JOHNNIE RUSSELL have not yet achieved. " Such things will happen in the best regulated fami lies," is a phrase frequently in our mouths ;—but that a schism, or anything like one, or cause of grumbling, or dissentient voice should be heard within the walls of the Royal Literary Fund Society, is almost incredible, yet so it is, and that too on the score of expensive management. Passing strange, seeing that almost the only two persons really paid out of the funds are OCTAVIAN BLEWITT, the secretary, and his man-in-plush. True, OCTAVIAN has a bit of coal and candle o' nights, and chambers to live in : surely these were not sufficient to cause the expense to overrun the constable ! The Literary Fund ! How many pleasant remembrances are conjured up by the mere mention of the words ! Truly it has long been, yea still is, a corporate body, whose " right hand knoweth not what the left doeth," or vice versa as regards the hands. Full many a hungry author, with shirt " coaxed into neatness" on his bosom, have I known made glad by the unostentatiously dispensed ten or twenty pounds of the society : no one knew of it but the Secretary, sworn to secrecy, and one or two of the Council. What though I have seen a glorious but decayed writer indulge in a spitted woodcock, and one humble glass of sherry, off the first end of the bounty ! It was not much to one who had sub scribed his guineas in more refulgent days, and whose tastes still lingered beyond their gratification Literary Fund is not what it used to be ; there is not now the noble eccentricity of genius and charity which charac- terised the gatherings even twenty years ago, when the greatest litterateurs, wits, and bon vivants of the period made the welkin of Freemason's Hall ring with mirth and jollity, co-mingled with the " melting strain." The laugh then was real, Tom MoottE, MACREADY, POWER, LOVER, and a dozen etceteras. men with not a groschen capital to begin with, but raised by themselves —most of them to eminence—honoured the cause. About this time they had CUSACK RONEY as Secretary, since of great railway fame, and at present in Berlin catering for the ensuing Dublin (I was about to say DARGAN) exhibition. Then, too, it was that WILLIAM JERDAN, I believe the senior literary workman on the London press, became an iconoclast, cutting into ribbons DAN MACLISE'S image of Old SOANE, the architect, over the mantel-piece of the Fund Meeting-room, because the aforesaid image was so like the snappish old man, that he was constantly complaining of it. MACLISE, like a skilful artist at Bartholomew's strapping an Irishman's nose after a fray, laid on his sticking-plaister so nicely that the picture became " ash good ash new." The late Sir ROBERT PEEL, the present BEN DISRAELI, LANSDOWNE, ABERDEEN, JOHNNIE RUSSELL, used to unbend on the occasions I refer to, and hob-nob it with writers not worth, in tin, a sons ; aye, and invite on a Saturday to COMMERCIAL AND MONETARY NETT S. MONDAY NIGHT. AFTER the active business which has prevailed, both in Commercial and Monetary circles, there has been a lull, which, considering the natural ten dency to run into speculation, may have been more beneficial than otherwise. It is not, however, that the markets have shown any symptoms o f a re actionary character, for prices generally have been firm; but the disposition seems rather to pause, in order to watch the effect of recent monetary opera tions. Another week has passed over without any further change having been made in the rate of dis count by the Directors of the Bank of England, so that the primary cause of the alarm from French speculations maybe considered to he obviated; but the returns published in the London Gazette show a further decrease in the stock of bullion to the ex tent of above £340,000. This can hardly be said to be satisfactory, though it is no doubt partly owing to the continued shipments of specie to Aus tralia, from whence the returns are still compara tively small. The public funds have slightly fluc tuated in value, owing to the news of insurrectionary disturbances in Austrian Italy, through the machi nations of Mazzini and Kossuth; but intelligence of their suppression was received almost immedi ately afterwards, and large purchases, by Govern ment brokers and private individuals, soon restored the funds to their former value, so that, taken as a test of public confidence, the appearance of the Money-market is in every way satisfactory. Although the changes in the stock of bullion have lately been looked at with far more interest than usually attaches to this subject, it must not be forgotten that there is still a very ample margin for future contin gencies, even with the Restriction Act of 1844 still in force ; for the reserve of notes unissued is above nine millions. In addition to this, we may shortly expect the arrival of the steam-ship Great Britain, and other vessels, from Australia, with large sup plies of gold, so that, as far as the simple question of currency is concerned, there is not the slightest ground for apprehension. The strangest part of the affair appears to be, that whilst an attempt was made to create alarm for the disarrangement of commerce, owing to too great an influx of the precious metals, the result as yet has been in an opposite direction. It is gratifying, however, to observe that the fears on either side have not been. realized, for, with the exception of Pig Iron, on which we have previously commented, speculation has been kept within legitimate bounds, while almost all commercial markets have shown a most satis factory steadiness. The reports from the manu facturing districts state that the activity in almost all departments still continues, and most descrip tions of goods maintain their value. There has not been so active a demand for the raw material, but that is solely owing to the recent large purchases having placed the spinners better in stock, and their disinclination to buy more freely until they see more clearly the turn which the market is likely to take. The Return from the Bank of England for the week ending the sth February gives the following results when compared with the previous week : Public deposits .. £5,568,205; Increase £332,212 Other deposits .. 12,606,230; Decrease 459,963 Rest 3,308,432; Increase 89,991 On the other side of the account — Government securities £13,764,651 ; Decrease 35,962 Other securities .. 13,705,812 ; increase 51,647 Notes unemployed .. 9,338,820 ; Decrease 172,540 The amount of notes in circulation is £22,695,410, being a decrease of £288,040 ; and the stock of bullion in both departments is £18,700,812, show ing a decrease of £342,023 when compared with the preceding return. Notes issued .. £32,034,230 ISSUE DEPARTMENT Govrnt. Debt.. £11,015,100 Other securities 2,984,900 Gold coin & bu1n.18,015,076 Silver bullion .. 19,154 £32,034,230 X 32,034,230 BANKING D Prop.'s capita1.£14,553,000 Rest.... Public deposits. 5,568,205 Other deposits. 12,696,230 7-day, &c. bills. 1,439,998 I £37.475,865 MUSIC AND THE DRAMA THE GREAT TENOR, MARIO, who is at present at St. Petersburgh, seriously sprained his ankle in leaping from the window in the opera of the Hugenats. A REPORT has been in circulation of the death of the younger Strauss. MR. G. LODER is giving lessons at Sacramento—the price, two guineas per lesson. A NEW THEATRE is to be built at Amsterdam, by the municipality, at an estimated expense of £32,000. THE EQUESTRIAN TROUPE at the Royal Amphitheatre have advertised the current week as the last of their ap pearance before a Liverpool audience. Madame; Isabelle took her benefit last night. THE witty and accomplished ventriloquist, Mr. Duncan Macmillan, gave one of his laughter-moving and in their way wonderful entertainments at the Concert-hall on Sa turday evening. The audience was large and the enjoy ment general. AT THE TIIEATRE•ROYAL, on Saturday afternoon, a full audience assembled to witness the comic pantomime and Douglas Jerrold's new comedy. We have little doubt, from the success of its first performance, that the latter will be very popular. It is well worthy of a long run. MR. Thomas' CONCERTS. — After a short campaign at Manchester, Mr. Thomas has returned with his monster band, and another series of cheap concerts will commence this evening, at the Philharmonic-hall. The enthusiasm which was displayed on Monday last week ; at the con clusion of the first course, must render almost unneces sary any eulogium on the exquisite harmony which the the public spirited enterprise of Mr. Thomas has brought within the reach of the humbler lover of this divine art. The expenses of such concerts can only be repaid by crowded audiences ; and of those there is no fear after the experience of the past. THE PANORAMA OF THE NILE.—As it has been defi nitively announced that this exhibition will close on Sa turday next, those who have not seen this magnificent picture of the river Nile, should avail themselves of the intervening period to do so. It is not only interesting as a picture of one of the most ancient countries, but it is accompanied with an explanatory lecture, in which it is clearly shown how modern Egypt offers the most con vincing evidence of the truths of Holy Writ. AT THE MARYLEBONE POLICE COURT, LONpON, last week, Charlotte Spain, a fine-looking woman, was com mitted for trial, for stealing from Alexander Young, of Deptford, a £lOO note, which he had given into her pos session at Euston-square station, for the purpose of pro curing three railway tickets to Liverpool, baying promised to treat her and another woman to a trip to this town. On obtaining possession of the note she proceeded to the bank and had it changed. ELECTION PETITIONS.—The fight of the controverted elections begins this week before the select committee of the House of Commons. Committees to try the merits of the several petitions complaining of undue returns we! e appointed yesterday in the cases of Tacistock, Bridgenorth, Lancaster, and Canterbury, and will be to-morrow in the cases of Blackburn, Clitheroe, and Chatham. The com mittee on the four first cases will commence their labours on Thursday, and in the three last named on Saturday next. THE HEROES OF THE REFORMATION.—Mr. Lord de livered his second lecture at the Collegiate Institution, on Friday evening, when he treated of Henry IV., of France and the Huguenots, showing the causes of the failure of Protestantism in France. The attendance was exceedingly small. We understand that as regards the forthcoming lectures, the programme has undergone some alteration, the Rev. B. Percival, a clergyman connected with the church missions in Southern India, having kindly con sented to give lectures embracing leading subjects relating to India, These lectures will be delivered during this week and next. AN EXTRAORDINARY CASE came on for trial in the Court of Passage on Friday last. The plaintiff was Antonio Bini ; the defendant, Paolo Pifferi. They are both Italian refugees. Plaintiff was in the Republican army of Italy before he came to England. Defendant was at first a Roman Catholic priest, but afterwards turned Protestant, and subsequently came to England. Plaintiff had also come to Liverpool, and the action was brought to recover £44 10s. for information which the plaintiff says he gave defendant respecting events which occurred during the revolution in Italy, and upon which the defendant lectured or preached in Liverpool, and, as plaintiff says, made a large sum of money. The jury found on the first plea that there was no compact between the parties. The assessor : that is a verdict for the de fendant, gentlemen, so we need not consider the second question. THE MAYOR ON BURNS AS A POET.-At the dinner given by his worship on Thursday evening, to the sons of Burns, Mr. Holme said : Time has tested the popularity of the Scottish bard, not only in his own country, but ins every part of the civilised world ; and when 1 recollect that a Liverpool man was the biographer of Burns, that another (Mr. Roscoe) wrote one of the most charming poems on his death,—and that, after an interval of fifty four years, we were favoured with the presence of two sons of the poet, who have survived to witness to this day the fame of their parent,—and when T add to this that many of his countrymen are here present, some of them the personal friends of those sons, all will agree, that a tribute to the memory of Robert Burns is not unbefitting the occasion which has assembled us together. Humour, tenderness, and sublimity, were characteristic of his mind. Who does not feel the touching pathos of his " Man was made to Mourn ? " Many a time, when, in the stern ex ercise of duty, I have been compelled to refuse employ ment to " some poor o'erlaboured Wight," have the words of that poem flashed across my mind, and I felt that. I might he causing some " weeping wife or helpless off spring" to mourn. DR. FISHER'S EXHIBITION OF DISSOLVING VIEWS.— The exhibition which was given at the Hall of the Colle giate Institution on Tuesday evening, in aid of Kirkdale Church, met with the success which it deserved. Not fewer than one thousand seven hundred people were pre sent, including, of course, a large portion of the congre gation of St. Mary's Church, Kirkdale. The Rev. D. James announced the objects represented on the canvas during the first stage of the proceedings, offering an ap propriate passing remark on each. But when the pheno mena of the heavens- and of the seasons came on, Dr. Fisher explained briefly the diagrams until the close. Nothing could exceed the beauty and the clearness of the numerous views which the learned doctor had selected for the occasion. Poppleton Church, in Yorkshire, co vered with snow, in the dead of winter, and Llamberris and Snowdon exhibited during the same season, drew from the spectators immense applause. All, with the exception of those who occupied the hindmost seats in the body and lower gallery, whence, from the ill adaptation of the ball for an exhibition of this kind, the views were only partly visible, expressed themselves highly delighted. JUNCTION OF THE ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC OCEANS. —The project of forming a junction between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, by means of a gigantic canal cut through the Isthmus of Darien, from Port Escosci4, on the Atlantic, and San Miguel, on the Pacific, has at length assumed a tangible shape. The promoters have been assiduously employed in perfecting their arrange ments for the formation of a public company. Their labours have been successful so far ; and a direction com posed of Lord Wharncliffe (chairman), John P. Heywood, Esq. (deputy chairman), and Messrs. J. S. Brownrigg, Thomas R. Crampton, G. D'Olier Gowan, W. J. Hamilton, Lewis H. Hazlewood, T. H Hope. Captain M'Kinnon, R.N., Melva Wilson, Alexander Wilson, of London ; Messrs. Charles Brownell, Edward Cropper, J. C. Erna: t, Hugh Hornby, of Liverpool ; Admiral C. E. Moorson, R.N., of Birmingham; A. Montoya, Consul- General of New Granada ; Francisco de Riveiro, Minister Plenipotentiary from the government of Peru, in Paris; and Ezeq'iril Rogas, Minister of New Granada, in Lon don. The proposed capital is £15,000,000, divided into 150,000 shares. The plan proposed by Mr. Gioborne, out of three selected as the most feasible, is to form inter oceanic navigation by means of a canal without locks. SELECT VESTRY.—On Tuesday, at the meeting of this bbdy, the Rev. Rector Campbell presided.—There were reported to be present about 2,120 inmates in the Work house.—Mr. Mellor complained that some Protestant children in the governor's books had been taken to a Roman Catholic Chapel every Sunday, by somebody.— Mr. Hughes retorted by giving the names of seven boys who were Roman Catholics, but had been forced to attend the church in the Workhouse on Sunday last.—The Rev. Chairman suggested that the matter should be referred for inquiry to the Workhouse Committee. Agreed to.—The Vestry then proceeded to the election of three district medical officers. The following gentlemen were chosen : Mr. E. B. Durkan, 21 votes ; Mr. D. P. Thomson, 16 votes ; and Mr. Newton, 15 votes.—The next business was the appointment of a parish surveyor. The salary is £3OO a-year ; and private practice is allowed, so long as from ten to five o'clock each day be devoted to the public service. The Finance Committee submitted the fol lowing four gentlemen for the selection of the Board: — Mr. W. H. Weightman, Mr. H. D. Morgan, Mr. W. H. Graham, and Mr. Thomas Wylie. After a. lon g debate, the votes were taken, when there appeared foi Mr. Weightman, 12 ; Mr. Morgan,. 4 ; Mr. Graham, 0 ; and Mr. Wylie, 8 votes. Mr. Weightman not having a majo rity of those present, the Board again divided, with a different result. There then appeared for Mr. Weight man, only 9, and for Mr. Wylie 15 votes.. Mr. Wylie was accordingly elected. Mr. John Jones, slate merchant, was appointed a vestryman in the place of Mr. Baxter, resigned.. PROGRESS OF SOUTHPORT.--FrOM seventy to one hun dred new houses are about being erected, in addition to the two hundred built in the last two years. There are only two houses to be let in the whole town, and engage. ments are made as soon as the foundations are laid, by new tenants applying. Workmen of all classes are in great demand. The contract has been made for the direct line to Manchester via Wigan. A Welsh firm have con tracted to make the line for £70,000, the company finding the iron.—Preston Chronicle. THE SOUTHPORT DONKEY-DRIVERS' PETITION. — The following jeu d'esprit was written by one of the barristers on hearing the discussion by counsel relative to the lately proposed bylaws : "THE HUMBLE PETITION OF. MICHAELO'MITLLEGAN, DRIVER OF A SADDLE ASS, TO , THE COURT OF QUARTER SESSIONS, KIRKDALE : "The humble petition of Michael O'Slullezan Shows that his head with confusion is full again, From the rules the commissioners lately promulgated,. Which have puzzled him more than ever the vulgate did, And their end, men and asses, in Southport desiderate, If your honours will just be so kind and considerate,, For the mixture of bridles, and drivers, and asses, And stands for the donkeys, and stands for the lasses, Male donkeys, she drivers, and all the localities The commissioners fix for the sexes and qualities, Have so bothered the brain of your bumble petitioner, He don't know an ass from a Southport Commissioner." PHILHARMONIC HALL. SECOND SERIES OF CONCERTS BY AIR. EDWARD W. THOMAS' UNRIVALLED BAND OF FIFTY PERFORMERS. FIRST NIGHT. THIS EVENING (TUESDAY), AT HALF-PAST SEVEN. ADMISSION, ONE SHILLING. Reserved Seats, 2s. ; Boxes, 2s. 6d. Tickets may be had at the Philharmonic-office, Exchange, LATEST INTELLIGENCE. MONDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 14 ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH. CHINA. HONG-KONG, DEC. 28.—The accounts from the dis turbed districts seem more favourable for the Imperial troops. AMoY, DEC. 3.—Serious disturbances, originating in some irregularities in conducting the emigration of Coolies, by Chinese agents and brokers, occurred. The English marines were obliged to fire on the mob. A few Chinese reported killed, and several wounded. Order was at length restored. The new ship Spinning Jenny, from London to Shang hai, with a very valuable cargo, was lost on the 18th Nov., in the Royal Charlotte Shoal of Borneo. The captain and crew arrived at Hong-Kong on the 21st Dec. SHANGHAI, DEC. 17.—Prices of tea and silk unaltered. Freights, £3. 55., and tonnage wanted. Exchange on England for bills at six months' sight, under clean credit, 5.13. The export of tea from China shows a decrease on last year of about 4,000,000 lbs., but several vessels had to be reported. At Canton, trade was quiet in the early part of the month, but within the last week several vessels up for England at advanced rates of freight. Prices of tea and imports sustained. Value of iron improved. LONDON. HOUSE OF LORDS.-MONDAY. The LORD CHANCELLOR, in pursuance of notice, rose for the purpose of stating the intentions of Her Majesty S government on the subject of law reform. His lordship , at some length, traced the progress of legal reform from an early period. He considered that, as he had only held the great seal for a period of six or seven weeks, he ought not to attempt to legislate for Courts of Common Law or Chancery. The recent alterations worked well, and on, increase of twenty per cent. in the number of wr its issuer' this year over last, showed that the public had every con fidence in the present system. With regard to the transfer of land, he had adopted, with some alterations, the bid introduced by Lord Campbell in 1851, His lordship also proposed to reduce the statute law to a more simPle and systematic form, by striking out all those statute which have become obsolete. His lordship then resumed his seat upon the woolsack, having spoken for one hour and three quarters. Lord CAMPBELL, at some length, expressed his entire concurrence with the proposals made by the Lord Chan cellor. • The Marquis of CLANRICARDE rose for the purpose of learning whether it was with the sanction of Government that certain strictures had recently been made upon the French Government by Sir Charles Wood, at Halifax ?. Lord ABERDEEN replied th a t it was th e earnes t dew! of Her Majesty's Government to preserve the most inti mate relationship between this country and France. Ile believed no person was more desirous of preserving th!o feeling in all its integrity than Sir Charles Wood. 11ia lordship explained the circumstances under which Sir Charles Wood had made the strictu re s re f erre d t o , and stated that ; Sir Charles Wood expressed his regret that be should inadvertently have made use of any expressions which could have been interpreted as offensive to the French Government. Papers were not pressed for. Their lordships adjourned at half-past eight o'clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS.-: `MONDAY. Sir John Young, Chief Secretary for Ireland, took the oaths and his seat for Cavan ; also, Lord Alfred Paget for Lichfield. Mr. DISRAELI, in the absence of Sir Charles Wood. said, if it were more convenient to government, he would postpone his question relative to words used at the late Halifax election by the right hon. baronet, in relation to the policy of France, until before the house went into committee of supply, _ _ Lord J. RUSSELL said the right hon. genlleman had better put his questions now. (Hear.) Mr. DISRAELI then read a passage in the speech is question, which contrasted the proceedings of the French government with our own, particularly with relation to the press ; and asked Lord John Russell whether the re• port read was correct ? Lord J. RUSSELL said . the passages in question were used not upon any motion in relation to our foreign policYf but in the course of some observations relating to uni' venal suffrage; he had, however, received a letter frog Sir Charles Wood upon the subject, in which he said he was not aware that the fact of his being a minister pre.' eluded him from expressing his private opinion upon the' public events, but he had certainly no int en ti on o f us ing language at all calculated to give offence to the Emperor' of France. (Hear.) Mr. COBDEN, referring to a letter of Lord Mount Edge combo, in the Times, of Saturday, stating he had pecan liar means of knowing that the government of France had greatly increased their naval preparations, asked the Fo reign Secretary whether government had themselves re' ceived the like information. Lord J. RUSSELL said that although it was true the French Government had thought it right to increase and improve their naval resources, that increase and improve• ment,-considering that France was a great maritime coun try, had not been such as to lead the Government to remonstrate, or to make any question upon, with the Government of France. (Hear.) Mcre than that, the relations between the two countries were of the most friendly natcre—(hear)—and the best understand ing prevailed between the two Governments. With respect to the information which Lord Mount Edge• combe said he had received, he (Lord John Rue sell) could only say he had received none such, but he he did not attach any great importance to it. In answer to a question from Mr. H. HERBERT, the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it was his intention , as soon as he had time to consider the subject, to bring hi a bill for the better regulation of the Bank of Ireland. The General Board of Health Bill passed through cons' mittee with amendments. Mr. MONGRIEFF, Lord Advocate of Scotland, asked leave to introduce a bill to facilitate the procedure Sheriffs' Courts of Scotland. With the view of obviating the delay and expense attendant upon the present practice of pleading and taking proofs, one leading feature of the proposed measure would be to authorise pleadings and proofs to be taken aurolly, and a check to be placed upoll vexatious appeals. _ After remarks from Mr. HUME, Mr. BRUCE, gr. CRAWFORD, and Mr. DUNCAN, approving of the principle of the measure, leave was given to bring in the bill. On the motion of Sir JOHN SHELLEY, a Select Coca' mittee was appointed to inquire into the operation of the laws under which dues or taxes are levied on introductioa, of coals into the metropolis, the mode o f co ll ec ti on , ago the expenditure of such dues or taxes. Adjourned at a gull-ter-past seven. ,PARTMENT Gov. securities.Xl3,764,6sl Other securities 13,705,812 Notes .... ~.. 9,338,820 Gold & sily. coin 666,582 £37,475,865 In our SHARE MARKET during the week we have had a continuance of the struggle between the butls and the bears , the public standing almost altogether aloof. Hitherto the bears have had the worst of it, the bulls having contrived to raise the prices by well managed purchases, which, in the limited amount of business now doing, has not been a difficult matter to do; unless, however, the public come to the rescue, it is probable that present prices cannot long be maintained, their general tendency being to decline in idle markets. The Statement of the different compan ies have been as satisfactory as was expected. The Midland and Western are considered very good. We close —Aberdeen, firm this even' g The quotations of the day are 1'41. ; Belfast and Ballymena, 37i :1; Chester and Birkenhead 21f ; Chester and Holy head, 23; Eastern Counties, 1 31; Lancashire and Yorkshire, 79 8 i; Liverpool, C r osby and South ' port, HI; London and North-western stock, 120, ditto fifth-shares, 3+p.; Manchester, Sheffield and Lincoln, 301-; Midland stock, 781i4 g ; Newry and Warrenpoint, ; South-eastern and Dover, stock, 211 24 24c+ 24 1; Lancashire and Yorkshire 6 per cent. pref., 151. Borough Bank £lO shares, 1 PRODUCE.—Although the extent of business in Sugar has not been great, the market has been firm, and 240 hhds. 8.P., and 3,000 bags Bengals, realised full rates. In Foreign the sales were 350 bags of old Brazil, at 19s. for yellow, and 21s. to 225. 6d. for white, and about 3,000 boxes yellow Havana. In Molasses nothing doing. In Cof fee, very little. Of Cocoa, 400 bags Para sold at 245. 6d. to 25e. per cwt., and of Pepper, 500 bags Eastern realised 3-.1. to 3d. per lb. In Rice the business was very trifling, and the same remark will apply to Rum. The market for Tea is also dull, some few sales of common Cong - ou were effected at 10d., better sorts without alteration, and Green in fair request at previous rates. No sales of Indigo. Saltpetre dull, and Nitrate of Soda without change. Turpentine has ad vanced in value, 1,300 brls. having fetched 13s. 6d. Linseed Oil in active request. Spirits of Tur pentine in fair demand. Palm Oil, £32. 10s. to £33. Tallow has slightly improved, but the business has been trifling. Petersburg Y.C. has been sol l at 455. Of Jute, 150 bales fetched £l9. 10s. per ton. To-DAY, there was an im proved demand for Sugar, and very full prices were realised, the business, including Saturday's sales, comprising 350 hhds. Demerara, to the Refiners, at 325. 6d. to 345. 6d. ; 400 bags Benares, at 375. 9d.; 1,750 bags Madras, at 31s. 3d. ; and 185 cases Maceio, at 18s. per cwt. There is nothing to report in Rum. A few tierces Plantation Ceylon Coffee brought 58s. to 625., and 50 bags St. Do- mingo 435. per cwt. In Tea there is nothing new to notice. 100 bags black Pepper sold at 3:ld. per lb., 40 brls. Ceylon Plumbago at 155., and 370 slabs Straits' Tin at 107 s. 6d. per cwt. COTTON.—Owing in a great measure to the manufacturers having supplied themselves suffi ciently for immediate consumption, the market during the week was very inactive, with a tendency to decline, and the advices from America by no means tended to restore animation. On Thursday, however, there was a slight improvement, and a better feeling became prevalent, so that quotations were left unaltered in Friday's circular. The business done on Saturday amounted to 6000 bales, including 2000 for speculation and for export, at steady prices. TO -DAY, the Europa's advices have checked the demand; the sales are 4000 bales, at 1-16 d. to id. decline. Speculators are frightened at the increase of the receipts. Last year they were light in the two first weeks of February, and there fore an increase in the receipts is not to be wondered at. It is possible we may see a further increase up to March, but then, when a comparison is made with the extraordinary heavy receipts of last year, there is no doubt we shall see a great falling off. According to appearance, the present flatness will not be of long duration ; the last telegragh from New Orleans of the Ist instant quoted middling gic., freight id., or equal to 51d., and when they have the advance on this side of id., we shall doubt less hear of higher prices, and all chance of import ing cheap Cotton will be gone. The shipments to this port are again heavy. There are now at sea 350,000 bales of Cotton, including all sorts, destined for this country, the largest quantity we believe ever known. DESCRIPTION.I Sea Island Stained .. Boweds .. Mobile New Orleans Pernams, &c Aracati, &c Bahia, &c. Maranham Sawginned. Demerara,&c . Barbadoes Peruvian.. Laguayra Carthagena.. Smyrna .... Manilla .... Surat . Madras SALES. I IMPORTS. PRICES. Week Week Previ- . Week 1 This STOCK ending ously ending, Year. 1- Feb.ll.:this yr. Feb.ll.l ,Feb. 11 d. d. —Ol--i-- 18e30 89, 1310 7-1 15 130:: 130 21442 75682 1 4} 64, 12250, 55780 •-394080 4.1 6i: 6100 21640 )47494 144533 4} 7il 20080 16450 !..J 6 i 7 g } 970 7380 } .... 9919 } 17920 1 6* 6f 4660 1 16450 ' .... 8571 6 ' Ig i } 260 2620 } 20 14'730 , 1 . 60 I 1380 i 337 i 4340 3060 18430 } 18370 7 - 50' 5} 11 1 2900' Bengal 1 1 1 7$ - 4i - 4i 4* - ••••' 3i. 42, 5730 , ) 44_ 40 I 60 25090 780 f•• • • 14481 50150 257760 68036 266831 1 627850 Woor..—The Yorkshire markets have been rather flatter this week, but as stocks of all kinds are low, holders are asking very full rates. Irish Wool is not so much inquired for just now; former rates are, however, fully maintained. There has not been quite so much activity displayed in Wools generally this week, owing to the anticipation of the public sales in London, which commenced on the 10th instant. From the accounts received this morning there is a large attendance of the home trade, hut an unusual absence of foreign buyers, in consequence of which the competition has not been so spirited, and the advance quoted is about I.ld. per lb. on fine, and id. to id. per lb. on low descriptions, as compared with the series in Nov. last. In our Wool market we have no new feature to notice; we have a brisk demand for low Wools of all descriptions, and the late advance has so - far been fully maintained. Imports from all quarters continue very limited, and stocks quite inadequate to present requirements. IRON.—In Scotch Pigs we understand there is literally nothing doing, and prices are gradually dwindling down. There are further failures, chiefly amongst the outsiders ; and it is feared that many more will take place, from all we hear. 525. is about the nominal value, but no buyers. Each sale results in a reduced quotation. DEFRAUDING THE CUSTOMS.- IMPORTANT CASE. Yesterday, a most important case came before Mr. Mansfield and Mr. Sands, at the police-office, at two o'clock, at which hour an unusual number of spectators had assembled in the court. The prisoners were the principals of a respectable firm in Liverpool, and their chief clerk, the whole of whom had been in custody since the evening of Saturday. Thomas Fletcher, residing at Rice-lane, Walton, and Alfred Frith, residing at King street, Edge-hill, the members of the firm of Fletcher and Frith, fruit-brokers, 4, Temple-court, were brought up on a warrant charging them with defrauding Her Ma jesty's Customs of a sum of money. William Kerfoot, Rose-court, Park-hill, their managing clerk, was likewise brought up on the charge of conspiring to defraud Her Majesty's Customs of a sum of money. The case was stated to be in the hands of Inspector Kehoe. The charge was supported by Mr. Felix John Hamel, solicitor of customs, London, and Mr. Beverley. For the prisoners, Fletcher and Frith, Messrs. Davenport and Collyer and Sir G.. Stephen appeared. Kerfoot was not supported by any solicitor. Before the trial came off, the solicitors for the two principals applied to the court to accept bail for the prisoners, but, on being told that they might confer with their clients, they did not press the request, and Messrs. Fletcher and Frith accordingly remained in cus tody. When they were brought up at two o'clock, the court granted leave for them to sit, during the course of the trial, by the side of their counsel. Mr. FELIX JOAN HAMEL, who appeared on behalf of the Crown, said it would probably be necessary to a clear understanding of the case that he should give an outline of it, and explain the process, so far as he was acquainted with it, by which the parties at the bar conspired to de fraud the Customs. With reference to the importation of oranges and lemons, there were two modes of charging the duty upon them. In the first place, the rateable duty was charged by measure ; but as, from the perishable na ture of the goods, many were rotten and worthless, the duty was, in the second instance, charged upon value. The question of the value was generally settled between the officer of Customs and the importer. The practice in Liverpool was—for the fruit-brokers to lodge the full amount of the rateable duty with the Customs' officer ; to receive the oranges, and put them up for sale ; when an account of the prices received was submitted to the officer, and on that the duty was charged. Now, if it appeared that the account of a sale rendered by any broker was in correct and below the prices realised, then it would be at once proved that the Crown had been defrauded. In the present case there were a large number of frauds alleged against the prisoners ; but, from the great number and length of the documents which it would be necessary to ge into, he did not propose to take more than three cases. These three cases with which he proposed to trouble the court related to the cargoes of the ships Daunt less, Uzilla, and Affeto. In the first case they paid duty to the amount of :£ll 12s. sd. ; in the second, £8 4s. 4d. ;in the third, £22 6s. 10d. In the third case, although the transaction was not completed, still he was prepared to show that it had been so far similar to the previous cases. In these, Messrs. Fletcher and Frith were the brokers ; Mr. Wm. Kerfoot their managing clerk, and Mr. Howse the importer. In coupling the name of Howse with the names of Messrs. Fletcher and Frith, it was only due to that gentleman to say that he must be acquitted, in the most unequivocal terms, of having parti cipated in the fraud which Messrs.: Fletcher and Frith had practised, by submitting to the Customs officer ac counts of sales which were not true. It was left to the broker's good faith and honour to submit a correct ac count, and to prove that these persons had not done so, he would call witnesses who had been present at certain auc tions, who had taken notes of the sales which then took place, and who were thus enabled to show the extent of those particular cases of fraud by which he proposed to support the chow against the individuals at the bar, In connexion with , the cargo of the Uzilla, the following witnesses were then called : John Wignall deposed :—I am clerk to the Collector of Customs, at the port of Liverpool. The document which I now produce is a bill of sight, which I received on ac count of Thos. Fletcher and Alfred Frith, in respect of the cargo of the Uzilla, from Palermo. I received that bill, and I. likewise received £BO at the time. There is an indorsement on one side by William Kerfoot. I know Kerfoot, and recognize him now. I find £73 18s. paid. I cannot speak positively that this is William Kerfoot's handwriting, as it was not signed in my presence. It is in respect of 606 boxes of oranges and lemons, value £63 14s. Bd. This is a collector's entry bill I have in my hand, and refers to 520 boxes of oranges and lemons, and 82 boxes of oranges and lemons, value £7 3s. sd. The whole amount of duty is £73 18s. This is a special certificate for the return of duties to Fletcher and Frith in the case of the cargo of the Uzilla. There is a gross sum of £147 14s. 9d. in respect of certain ves sels, of which the £73 15s. formed a part, as it also did in the application for the return of certain duties which had been paid into the Customs. I find a receipt on the back of this certificate by Alfred Frith, one of the firm. I paid that sum either to Mr. Frith or to his young man. Cross-examined by Sir George Stephen.—The name of the young man was Kerfoot. I do not know that I have ever seen, or have ever had any connexion, with either Mr. Fletcher or Mr. Frith. For a good number of years I can speak positively that I never had any transac tion with them. I have been clerk to the collector for two years, and, if Mr. Fletcher or Mr. Frith had paid duties personally before that, I should not have known. Robert Fisher said : I am a landing waiter in the Customs ; 1 was on duty in the King's dock on the 12th of December, 1851. The vessel called the Uzilla was discharging shumac and oranges. On that day I received this bill on sight, which I now hold in my hand. In consequence I allowed the goods to be landed. The goods are mentioned in the entry. I allowed 682 boxes of oranges to be landed. On the 15th of December 14 boxes were taken for samples. They were delivered to James Melling, then in the employment of Messrs. Fletcher and Frith. On the 16th of December I saw the prisoner Kerfoot. He endorsed this sight on the 16th for 506 boxes lemons. He paid the measurement value for 82 boxes, which was £7 3s. I saw Kerfoot sign that, and put his address to it. The bill on sight was then handed back to the parties. I received from Kerfoot an account of sale ; I have not got it : it is not customary to preserve such documents, and they aro generally either destroyed by the surveyor or by myself. In this case I handed it to my surveyor, Mr. Rich. That was on the 16th. I have searched for it, but cannot find it. If the sights are per fected the account sale is afterwards waste paper, and accordingly is never preserved. That document par. ticularises the prices that the different lots of oranges sold for, per box. The surveyor, in this case, did not approve of the rate of duty, as he would not allow sound oranges to go for ad valorem duty. In consequence of that refusal that amount was paid for them. Cross-examined by Sir George Stephen.—lt is twelve months since I saw that account sale. The paper is printed on both sides. I cannot say what the paper contains. I only swear that it was produced, and that the surveyor did not approve of it. The surveyor would have the measurement, instead of the ad valorem, duty. Mr. Kerfoot brought down the bill of sale to me from Messrs. Fletcher's house. Mr. Rich deposed : I am landing-surveyor in the Customs at Liverpool. I was there on the 16th December, 1851. 1 received this document as a bill of sight for the lizilla, which I rejected. I claimed the full duty upon the goods, as they were in a sound condition. In consequence of that rejection they paid the full amount of duty, with the exception of upon 82 boxes, which were damaged. In consequence of an application for the return of the duty, the board ordered it to be returned. I find an ac .count of sale in that application of 602' boxes, less 82, which I had already returned as damaged. £lB 9s. Id. was the sum returned upon this application. The prac tice with regard to the importation of oranges on the 16th of December, 1851, was to demand the full rate of duties on all sound boxes and to admit demaged ones at an an valorem duty of one-third of the sale price. When the goods are landed and examined, they have to be landed by sight entry. Having been landed, a deposit is , paid sufficient to cover the full rate of duties. The goods are then sold by public auction. The orange bookers of the port are the sellers. I cannot swear that Messrs. Fletcher and Frith were the sellers of that particular cargo. The orange brokers, after the sale, give the officers a copy, supposed to be authentic, of the account of the sale, and all those boxes of oranges which have realised leas than ordinary prices are delivered on payment of the ad valorem duty of 75 per cent. upon a third of the proceeds of the sale. Cross-examined by Sir George Stephen.—l never bad any personal intercourse with Messrs. Fletcher and Frith. Samuel Howse said—l am a merchant, carrying on business in this port. I was consignee of the cargo by the Uzilla of oranges and lemons in December, 1851.. I caused that cargo to be sold by public auction. The brokers were Messrs. Fletcher and Frith. I had an account sale furnished to me by that firm. I had more than one account sale. The first was on the 19th of Dec. One has reference to 131 boxes of oranges, and 140 boxes of lemons. The amount of duty said to have been paid is £33 3s. Bd., besides an additional 5 per cent., £1 13s. 2d. The neat account stated to have been paid for duty is £l6 9s. Bd. The separate accounts are dated the 15th, 17th, 22nd, 23rd, and 29th of December. The whole amount of duty is £77 10s. 6d. These accounts have been submitted to me, and paid. In the month of February, 1852, I received this credit note from Messrs. Fletcher and Frith in respect of this cargo. I have no recollection of that duty. _ _ Edwin liuckworth Musgrove.—l am a landing-waiter in the Customs. I received this paper (the credit note) from Mr. Samuel Howse. Mr. Howse's examination resumed.—That note has the appearance of having been filed in my office, but I cannot swear to it. Examined by Sir George Stephen.—T believe that Messrs. Fletcher and Frith are in a very extensive way of business. Some hundreds of documents like that credit note probably pass through their hands in the course of a year. I know something of the fruit business, and those engaged in it are obliged to be extremely expeditious in their operations, from the perishable nature of the goods. They employ a large number of clerks, as they have often to effect sales on the same day on which the goods arrive. James Adam, fruit-broker in Liverpool, deposed : I am in partnership with my father. I attended the sale on the 15th of Dec., by Messrs. Fletcher and Frith. Goods are knocked down to the highest bidders, the catalogues being either printed or written. I❑ the present instance the catalogue was printed. 1 took a note of the prices at which the various lots were disposed of. A few of the lemons were not sold, 180 boxes. If Messrs. Fletcher and Frith state that 100 boxes fetched only 63. it would be in correct. If they said that the whole of these goods were sold on the 15th December, they were not sold at the auction at all events. If they said that 26. boxes sold for ss. 6d. that would not be correct. A few of the boxes, I see, from notes made at the time, were sold for 10s. and 10s. 6[1., 20 were sold at las., 15 at l Os. 9d., and 2 at lls. The prices given in the application of Messrs. Fletcher and Frith for a return of the duty are much less than those which the goods actually realised, so that the effect would be that the Crown would receive less duty than that to which they are entitled. Cross-examined by Sir George Stephen : lam well ac quainted with Messrs. - Fletcher and Frith. They are gen tlemen of very extensive business, and have borne hitherto a high character for honor. I cannot say that mistakes are of frequent occurrence in the department of the fruit trade to which the documents produced refer. There may be mistakes in the transactions of our firm with the Customs' officer, but lam not aware of any. It is always our prac tice to have the account sales submitted to the Custom house examined by one of the firm. Great expedition is necessary in the business. Examined by Mr. Hamel : It is not necessary that an account to be expeditiously done should be incorrect. John Dring, clerk with Messrs. Badenach, fruit brokers, who had attended on the 17th and nth of Dec., at the sale of the goods by the Uzilla, and who had likewise taken notes of the prices, gave evidence to a similar purport as the previous witness. This witness bad been in the employment of the prison ers for two years, and in reply to the question of Sir George Stephen, he said, Mr. Fletcher had many clerks, and it was his habit to sign papers brought to him for that purpose without reading them. I had nothing to Flo with account sales when I was there, and I cannot say positively he signed them without reading them. lam in the employment of a fruit-broker now, and it is the custom of the principal to sign papers without reading them. Robert Adams re-called.—The application made to the Customs for return of duty is in Mr. Frith's handwriting. This concluding the first of the three cases to be gone into by the prosecutor, it was agreed that the case be ad journed till the following day (to. day), at twelve o'clock. Sir George Stephen. said he was quite at a loss to ascer tain on what ground the charge of fraud was founded ; and, stating that it was a very serious charge indeed, not only in reference to its character, but in reference to the character of the gentlemen implicated, or said to be impli cated, complained that they had been taken into custody on Saturday night without any previous communication on the subject. Mr. Hamel said they had applied in due course for war rants, and the officer to whom they were entrusted had merely done his duty. There was no feeling on the part of the Crown to deal hardly by the prisoners. FUNDS, STOCK, AND SHARE MARKET. The English Market is feebler in tone, and closes lower. The fact of some unpleasant question to be put in Parliament tO - having had rather an unfavourable effect.—The. Railway Market opened with great buoyancy, but on the fall in Console declined and closed with a dullish aspect.—The Gold Mine are actively supported at former quotations, but Land ShareSt although a shade stronger, have not materially recovered. Peel River, 8i to 9 pin. Agricultural, ex Peel, 80 s,—Foreign Funds not changed, this being scrip settling day, and dealer ° occupied. CLOSING Oct 4 Consols, Account Do. Money 99; _ Three&QrperCents lo3* FOREIGN Mexicans 234, Do. Threes Spanish New Deferred 222.3 Do. Threes 47 RAILWAY 1192 20i. PRICES. Bank Stock Excheq. Bills, L. &S 227 1 . 1 . ..,' 52 6fmu STOCKS. Spanish Passives Turkish .... Swedish .... ; IPO London Stock Do. Quarters Midland Stock . • Do. Halves. North Staffordshire 4t S. Eastern and Dover 80-i Amberg.,Nottingliam, and E. Junction Caledonian Do, Preference Eastern Counties East Lancashire Edinburgh & Glasgow 76 S East Anglian Great Northern 7B 9 Do. A 43 5 Do. SHARES. Leeds Northern...... Lanc. and Yorkshire.. Do. London, Brighton, and SoutliCoait lO4 London & S. Western . 91 Manches., Sheff., and Lincolnshire Norfolks North British Do. Preference —" Shrewsbury, 30i 11 55 7 35 7 Great Western . Caley Preference SHARES. Nugget B. Australian Freehold .. • • Australasian Colonial Mariposa Noveau Monde Agua Fria Cordeliera Ave Maria Carson's Creek Port Philip York, Newcastle, and. Berwick Do. Extension 7i ~ Do. Preference York and N. Midland 6" MININO LAND SHARES. Australian Agricultural 233 40 I Van Dieman's.. South Australian .... 53 6 N. B. Australia CORN MARKET. The supplies of afl kinds of Grain are scanty. The %%rheaat trade opened very firm at fully Monday's prices; Foreign 18 the turn dearer. line Flour is held at stiff prices. BarleY Beans and Peas brought late rates. Oats 6d. per qr. dearer. ARRIVALS. English. Irish. .. 4505 .. 4750 .. 2279 .. 4490 .. 593 .. 454 .. 2925 Wheat Barley Oats Malt .. Beans Peas .. Flour . Foreign. 2067 1620 9310 12235 317 567 4357 Sac PRODUCE MARKET. Sugar.—Foreign is firm, with a fair demand. Refined:" Home dealers are free buyers. Low to fine Grocery LuttlP s 45s 6d to to 48s. In Coffee there is little business doing, bu t prices have suffered no decline. Native Ceylon 46s 6d to 47 0 ' Tea.—A larger demand, at previous prices. Ordinary Cong'o tt lOci to load. Rice.—The market for East India is dull. Cottoi l rather more in demand, at full prices. Indigo.—There is $ brisk demand for East India at previous rates. Tallow.—r e demand is better ; fine Y.C. 43s 6d to 445. The stock is 4(),3F casks, against 54,262; deliveries, 1316 casks, against 2528 lus t year. CLTTLE MARKET, Beasts were sold at an advance of 2d. per stone. Sheep a re dull of sale at Monday's prices. Calves 2d. per stone dearer. Beef 2s 6d to 4s 2d I Lamb Os Mutton.-- 3s 4d to 5s 2d Pork Veal 2s 8d to 4s 8d 30 . : 40cid t 0 00 4°BB v4°6, Beasts Sheep and Lambs 3961 1 Calves 17690 I Pigs . ARRIVALS. Norfolk and Suffolk Beasts Cambridge, Leicester, Lincoln, and North ampton Beasts Scotch Beasts Holland Beasts Do. Sheep Do. Calves Spanish Beasts 400 600 612 1350 125 GLASGOW CORN MARKET. ote At the Corn Market to-day prices were firm, and rather rn- existed ° M A NCHESTER STOCK EXCHANGE. j Closing quotations : — Eastern Counties, 131 ; Lancashire 9 0 Yorkshire, 79 I ; Midland, '79 ; Ma nc h es t er , Sh e ffield, gi Lincolnshire, 301. LEEDS STOCK EXCHANGE. Caledonians, 32; Bristol and Exeter, 109 , North Westerll4, 8 5-16 ; Southeastern and Dover, 24i ; York and North D P land, 30i. WL SALES. Messrs. Jacombe so ld ld 2,285 bales to-day. at previous adva n ce The sale comprised Australian, Port Philip, and Cape. LIVERPOOL : TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 185 3. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED ei EVERY TUESDAY MORNI. ,. 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