Northern Times. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-07-25 00:00:00

Commtrrfal /tett—lFNl Man. at twelve o'clock. at the brokers' of 16. Exchange-buildings, 69g barrels H. Rayner and Co. ttff" For particulars see advertisements. A;IUSEUENTS, PUBLIC MEETINGS, &c. Tins DAY. lOTA/. A m nitre FAUX —Dramatic Performance -7 p.m. oLossecrx—General Entertainment-6.30 p.m. ZOOLG‘ICAL GAILDE:sTS — Grand and Varied Entertainments. cLATTON HALL, Clayton-square—Gordon Cumming-8 p.m. ALTAOI O II CLISTAL PALACE, Lime-street-10 a.m. to 10 p.m. tEE* For particulars see advertisements. Ole tartan gitneo SATURDAY, JULY 25, 1857. THE DAY'S NEWS. The house of Lords met at their usual hour, five •'clock, yesterday afternoon. After reading several bills a second time, Lord Deiby drew attention to a standing order of their Lordships' house for the purpose of limiting a time for receiving bills from the House of Commons, and urged that the rule of last session should be revived. This Lord Redes dale and Earl Granville deemed inexpedient. Can it be that Lord Derby wishes to prevent the prc gress of Lord John Russell'e new Oaths' Bill ? A discussion relative to the propriety of erecting a monument to the late Lord Raglan, at the expense of the nation, was brought on by Earl Forteseue ; but after Lords Panmure and Grenville, who, although admitting Lord Raglan's great merits as a warrior, had expressed their opposition to the proposition, the matter dropped, and shortly after their Lordships' adjourned. The House of Commons met at twelve o'clock, when Mr. Cardwell took the oaths and his seat for Oxford. He received the warm congratulations of his numerous friends in the house, and sat at the corner immediately above the gangway, and behind the Treasury bench. The early sitting was occu pied in the consideration of the amendments made in the Scotch Lunatics Bill, and the Police (Scot land) Bill, but the discussions thereon were not of any moment. At the evening sitting, Col. French postponed moving for a new writ for Galway until Tuesday ; 'and Mr. Disraeli declined a proposition made by Lord Palmerston, to defer the debate on the affairs of India until after the arrival of the next Overland Mail. Lord Clarence Paget drew attention to the loss of the Raleigh, and wished to know if it was intended to recall Admiral Keppel, whom he warmly eulogised. Sir George Grey deprecated any discussion on the matter pending the court martial now investigating the case. On the motion for the second reading of the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Bill, Mr. Henley moved that it be postponed for a month, urging a variety of reasons for the step he had taken. He was sup ported by Mr. Bowyer, Mr. Gladstone, and others. The Government defended the measure. Lord Palmerston wound up the debate, and after a division the second reading of the bill was carried by a considerable majority, and the third reading fixed for Thursday next, after which the House adjourned. Among the chief items of domestic intelligence is the address of Baron Rothschild to the electors of the City of London, seeking re-election. It is brief, and to the point. Of course, the Baron will be returned unopposed, but there is little hope to be entertained that his peculiar case will be ad justed and settled on this side of 1858. The Baron seems to think that the House of Commons will, by virtue of a resolution, allow him to take his seat without swearing him on the true faith of a Chris tian. Desirable although this course may be, sufficient has transpired to satisfy every one that. Government will not give its sanction to such a proceeding. Our private advices from London last night stated, that our impression gained ground in the City yesterday, that some later intelligence from India has reached Government per the steamer Simla, via Ceylon. On all sides the hope is earnestly expressed that Government will, at least for once, discard their habit of official reserve, commuicate instantly any intelligence that may reach them, and contradict rumours which impute to them the actual possession and withholding of unfavourable tidings. Refering to these flying reports, our metropolitan cotemporaries of last evening remarks :—" The rumours which have been circulated of a repulse of the European troops at Delhi are, we are assured, totally destitute of foundation. We really believe they are pure fabrications, got up by persons who have sinister objects to gain,or whose heads must be silly and whose hearts bad. We shall receive genuine intelligence in a day or two. At present nobody in Eng:and knows what may have happend at Delhi." In corroboration of this view, we may remark that the Australian mail has arrived at Marseilles, and that a telegraph despatch from that city states that there is no further news from Two more victims have been consigned to the gallows, they are named Brown and Jackson, and were tried at Oxfood for highway robbery and murder. No doubt Calcraft will be called upon to carry out the vengeance of tha law upon the unhappy culprits. The Agamemnon, one of her Majesty's vessels of war, has sailed for Cork, in order to enter upon the important task of laying the Atlantic cable. The Uuited States frigate, the Niagara, and her consort, the Susquehanna, are ready to start upon the same business."„We wish both vessels " God speed," and sincerely trust that success may attend their pro gress, until the old and the new world be bound together by electric wire, and bring us within momentary communication with each other. Some parties are beginning to doubt the final success of the undertaking, whilst others are pitching all sorts of faults to the arrangements for paying off the rope. It has been thought advisable to alter the arrangement by which the cable was to have been joined in mid-sea, and the Agamemnon and Niagara then make the best of their way to shore —the former to America and the latter to Ire land. Now the plan is, to submerge the whole cable in a continuous line from Valentia Bay to Newfoundland. The Niagara will lay the first half from Ireland to the middle of the Atlantic ; the end will then be joined to the other half on board the Agamemnon, which takes it on to the coast of Newfoundland. During the whole process the four vessels will remain together and give whatever assistance is required. While it is being laid down messages will be sent back to the coast of Ireland reporting each day's progress, and, if necessary, of course, each hour's. Scientific JO e n look forward to the result of the undertaking with the deepest interest, as some wonderful electrical phenomena are certain to be observed during the process of submerging. Those most ^early interested in the plan are sanguine as to all being successfully completed within a month, and the state of the markets at New York known every morning throughout England. There is not any very stirring news from the Continent this morning. From Paris we learn, through the columns of the Moniteur, that the rumour which had been circulated of the despatch of French troop s to China is entirely without foundation, at the same time the official journal does not deny that Louis Napoleon was asked to contribute troops. He could well plead an excuse for non-complia nee, by mentioning the financial difficulties in which his government is now placed. A political prisoner namei Marcel Lignon, con fined in the prison of Belleisle, contrived to escape three nights ago. He scaled the walls, and then, boldly throwing himself into the sea, took r e f uge on a schooner which lay in the roadstead. Th e captain, however, immediately gave him up to the authorities. The harv es t i s well nigh terminated in the South of France, and the results are magnifi cent. A general fall of prices is expected in the various corn markets, which already give s igns of a tendency to a d ec li ne. From Spain we have not any political news of importance. Amongst the persons condemned to death at Seville, for the participation in the recent insurrection, but whose sentences have been com muted, were a Frenchman named Lamotte and some personages of distinction. It is stated that at Utrera six insurgents were shot at the same time as the chief Lallave ; another man was to have been shot with them, but an order to have his exe cution suspended arrived just as he was about to leave the prison. The Second Chamber of the States General of Holland adopted on the 20th, by 47 to 13, the bill on primary instruction. In consequence of the adoption of this bill, M. Groenvan Prinsterer, chief of the last cabinet, gave in his resigna tion as deputy—the bill not being of the exclusively Protestant character which he con siders necessary. Letters from Vienna mention a report that a stamp duty was about to be charged on newspapers in Austria, with the view to reduc ing the deficit in the budget. It appears that the request of the ambassadors at Constantinople to have the elections in Moldavia postponed to the 27th has not been granted ; the last accounts men tioning that they took place on the 19th. The abstentions are said to be very numerous, parti cularly among the members of the clergy. A SOMEWHAT keen and interesting debate took place in the House of Commons on Thursday night, when Lord NAAS moved the second reading of the Civil Service Superannuation Amendment Act. The Government manifested unmistakeable symptoms of a desire to defeat the measure. For this purpose Mr. WILSON, as the financial Secretary of the Treasury, rose to oppose the second reading ; but the speech which he delivered was not only illogical and out of place, but failed to convince the House that the measure should be rejected. In opposing a bill of this kind—the absolute necessity for which appears to have been admitted on all sides —it was not a little remarkable that the Govern ment were unprepared with one of their own, whereby they propose to grapple with and remedy the evils which it is the purpose of Lord NAAS'S Bill to remove. At the line of po:icy pursued by the Ministry, with reference to this particular question, we do not feel surprised, for it is the regular habit of men in office to resist every effort to ameliorate and improve the position of those below them, until the pressure of public opinion compels them. In fact, they will concede nothing, however just, nor introduce any measure, however beneficial to the subordi nates of the Civil Service, unless a fear of defeat compels them to take up their cause. The origin of the grievances against which the Civil Service so loudly complains, lies in an Act of Parliament passed in the reign of William the Fourth, anno domini 1834. The 27th section of that statute provides that the salaries of all persons who had received their appointment since 1829, and whose income did not exceed 1001., should be taxed 21 per cent., to go towards the formation of a superannuation fund, and that from salaries above 1001. a deduction of five per cent. should be made for a like purpose. Every one connected with the Civil Service made as open and determined a resistance to this piece of governmental tyranny as they could, without running the risk of losing their appoint- ment. Many may at first glance deem the clause of the act in question not. only fair, brit por fectly plausible. This, however, we do not admit. We hold that when a man enters the public service, and has spent the flower and fruit of his existence in that service, it is the duty of any parental government to see that he is provided for in his declining years, and par ticularly if such persons have been labouring in the public offices at rates of remuneration little or nothing above the wages of a common office clerk, whilst they hare to assume a more genteel appearance, and maintain a much more elevated position in society. It is unjustifiable that the government should have the power of abstracting from the pockets of the officers of the Civil Service a certain sum yearly, and investing it as they please, without, perhaps, paying back one single penny of this annual abstraction. But glaringly unjust as the operation of this Act is, it would not be considered so monstrously unfair if its application were universal, and its partiality did not involve a serious spoliation of some, whilst others were in no way affected. The clerks in Somerset-house, the Post-office, the Revenu-, the Excise, and Customs are called upon to contribute to the Superannuation Fund, whilst Judges, Ministers of State, and such grand functionaries do not contribute a penny, although they have large and uncalled-for retiring allow antes. Such personages, when unfit to work in the state harness, throw themselves upon the downy cushion of idleness, taking uninterrupted repose, and a grateful country heaps upon them every comfort and enjoyment which their declining years require, and seems to mourn, should their minutest wants or wishes be unat tended to. Or shou'd some rash headed orin capable commander of an army lead the nation's forces into wilful destruction, or leave them to vanish from the face of the earth by famine, mis management, and pestilence, he is instantly, on his return home, received with open arms. Medals innumerable decorate his breast —pro motion follows promotion—increased pay being a necessary accompaniment of each step, and, added to all, is an addition to an already over loaded pension list. A moment's reflection will convince every one that such a system as we have sketched is fraught with injustice to the minor servants of the Crown. Theit cause has been frequently urged by liberal Members of Parliament, and no later . than May last, the Commissioners of the House of Commons appointed to investigate into the operation of the Civil Service Superannuation Clause, empha tically declared that they felt it their duty "to recommend the total abolition of reduction, for the purpose of superannuation, without any corresponding reduction in the salaries on THE NORTHERN TIMES.-LIVERPOOL, SATURDAY, JULY 25. 1857. which such reductions were charged." Lord NAAS has founded his Bill on this particular principle. He only seeks to repeal the objec tionable clause of the Act of 1834, and that is all the Civil Service require. What was the ground of opposition assumed by Mr. Wilson? An attempt to prove that the Civil Servants of the Crown were paid equal to clerks in the Bank of England. But this the member for Southampton, Mr. WEGUELIN, proved was not the case. We are not among that class of politicians who desire, or would in the remotest degree countenance, extravagant national expenditure ; nevertheless we wish to see a proper system of remuneration provided for all classes of public servants; such an amount as will enable them to make the most advantageous investment for themselves, and those dependant upon them, in old age. And there are many modes whereby this could be done without authorising the Treasury to extract from the Civil Servants of the Crown an annual sum, without, in the great majority of installees, granting any equivalent. The matter will be discussed on Wednesday, when we shall have an opportunity of again referring to the subject. IT is melancholy to find that our criminal statistics still continue to exhibit a steady or rather a rapid increase in the number of those who violate the law. The number of prisoners on the calendar for trial at our present Sessions is 226 and all these have been committed during the brief interval of six weeks; true, it may be some consolation to be informed by our worthy Recorder that the offences charged against the majority of these prisoners are not of a very aggravated character, but it must be borne in mind that grave criminals are tried before another tribunal than that presided over by the Recorder ; and we fear much that the calendar will prove, when our Assizes commence, that there has been a serious increase in the number of criminals charged with the commission of cri,nes of the most serious description against the persons and property of the leiges. This is a state of things deeply to be deplored by every one who desires to witness the amelioration of his fellow crea tures ; but how is this state of things to be remedied ? We have our churches, our chapels, and our schools, of every denomination; we have our benevolent institutions, our reformatories, and a host of other agencies, for the purpose of making men and women less criminal ; but, some how or other, their impressions are scarcely per ceptible in stemming the torrent of crime and consequent wretchedness which sweeps over our land. Our gaols are full—crammed to suffocation ; so are our workhouses ; yet they continue to yawn for fresh victims, like the monster in " Vothie ;" their rapacious maw is never satisfied— the cry is still, more, more ; nor will it be other wise till society at large adopts a very different method thin it hac ever done hitherto in grappling with that giant monster which stalks over and curses the earth. If we wish to cir cumscribe crime and diminish the number of our criminals, we must begin at the right end of the question ; we must hold out just inducements to honest industry ; we must convince that class from which our criminal population spring, that virtue has something more than a mere ideal reward in store for those who pursue it ; we may sermonise and philosophise till dooms-day, but we shall make no impression until such time as we set to work in earnest and put ourt eachings into practice. We have already said that poverty is the curse of the human race, and to that senti ment we still adhere, and until such time as some effectual effort is made to alleviate the material condition of the masses we need expect no cessa- tion of crime or criminals. This doctrine may not be very consolatory for those individuals who have some pet project of their own—some patent nostrum for the re formation of criminals, but all experience has shewn that it is the truth. We repeat it, honesty must be shewn to be as profitable, nay, more so than vice ; when we have done that, we shall find that the masses who now encumber our Goals and who spread a moral pestilence over the face of the earth, will pursue the one and eschew the other. But this is a social re volution which can only be accomplished by unity of action and purpose on the part of all possessed of influence, be that great or small, throughout these realms. Elevate the characters of our massss, drag them out of that slough of despondency in which they have been hitherto floundering, and you will soon have Goals and Workhouses tenantless and to let. The sure and speedy way to accomplish this, is for those who employ labour, of whatever nature, or kind no longer to grind its remuneration down to the starving point. All experience has proved that, as in the case of several classes of artizans, who have succeeded either by combination or some other means, in obtaining "a fair day's wage for a fair day's work, their social and moral habits have improved in the most re- markable manner. It would be invidious to name particular trades, but it is notorious that those classes who are the best remunerated "or their labour are the soberest and best conducted amongst us ; they are enabled to live in a better class of houses, to clothe themselves and families, not merely decently but respectably, and to provide their children with a good, often a liberal education, and to place them in the way of earning an honour and independent livelihood. Amongst such persons crime is virtually unknown, and if this amelioration in their position has produced such marked results, can there be any doubt that similar effects would be produced on others less fortunately circumstanced ? None whatever. But what can we expect from those steeped in wretchedness, poverty, filth, and de gradation ? What but their natural sequence —crime ! The condition to which vast masses of our labouring population have been reduced by the insane rage for cheapness, is most deplorable ; with such a state of things as is disclosed in a report, from the pages of which we recently quoted, how can we expect anything but moral and physical degradation. The report in ques tion was compiled by the, Guardians of the Poor for Kingston-upon-Hull, and is a most sensible and elaborate document. Speaking of the remuneration given to needle women and others, numerous cases are cited, shewing that the weekly earnings of those poor creatures did not average more than from 2s. to 3s. per week, even when their hours of labour were protracted from an early hour in the morning until late at night; to say that such a pittance was a just remunera tion for such toil, is absurd—it is an outrage on common sense. With such rewards for eighteen hours of incipient drudgery, it is no small wonder that poor creatures—otherwise honestly disposed —should fall into temptation, and from dire necessity—not choice—become plunderers, pau pers, or prositutes ; and who are to blame for this state of things ? Society at large. The rage for cheapness has become a chronic malady amongst all classes, and has led to infinitely more wretchedness and crime than even drunkenness itself. And it will continue until such time its atrocities has been fully exposed, and its patrons held up to that scorn, which their folly, if not their wickedness, merits, If this is not done, the blame shall not be laid at our doors. AMERICAN SECURITIES.—In 1838, a season of great commercial embarrassment fq)lowing the speculations of 1833, a bank was established in New York, called the North American Trust and Banking Company. Its capital, unluckily, was not a moneyed one, but consisted of bonds and mortgages, unconvertible at once into money , but, as the event has shown, substantially good securities. The general failure of the Western and Southern States to pay their interest caused the company to stop payment in August, 1841. Previous to the failure of the company, and while still in credit, in the winter of 1840, the com pany executed bonds to thl amount of about 1,000,000 dollars, and transferred various bonds and mortgages to the trustees as security for their payment. This was called the " Million Trust." In April, 1840, a similar transaction took place, and bonds to the amount of 500,000 jdollars were issued, and secured by a trust deed, called the " Half-million Trust." The bonds in these trusts were taken by English purchasers. Another trust deed was made for the benefit of American creditors, and among them of the United States Bank. These trust deeds have been the subject of litigation; unparalleled in the American courts. For fifteen years the receiver of the bank and his counsel have exhausted all the:powers of the law in resisting and obstructing the execution of the trust. At length the cases were brought to a hearing before the Supreme Court of New York, and the trusts were affirmed. The cases were taken thence to the Court of Appeals, where they were argued in January last by eight counsel. The Court held two sessions a-day, and the arguments congumed en entire month. The pleadings and proofs were of monstrous magnitude, and the argu" ments more full and learned than in any case.ever argued before the bench of New York. The decision'rendered on the 3rd inst. fully establishes the validity of the trusts.— Letter from New York. THE SUEZ CANAL.—M. Ferdinand de Lesseps has sent a letter to the members of the various chambers of com merce in Great Britain, in reply to the assertions of Lord Palmerston on the subject of the projected canal. Passing over the personalities in the speech, he says : " On the first point, touching the commercial advantages resulting to Great Britain, I answer with :the authority of your dictum, pronounced with full competency, and after a searching examination and discussion. My answer is in your unanimity—in that of eighteen commercial and manufacturing towns consulted by me throughout the United Kingdom. You have all declared that a direct communication by sea between the Mediterrranean and the Red Sea, shortening by one half the journey to India, would be advantageous to English commerce. On the second point, I oppose to Lord Palmerston's statement the report of the international commission, composed of eminent engineers and nautical men, English, French, Spanish, Austrian, German, Dutch, and Italian, who , after two years of minute study and careful exploration of the ground, have decided, in the name of science, that the execution of the canal was not only practicable, but that it was even easy. I oppose to the statement of the First Lord of the Treasury the sanction accorded to the plans of these engineers by the Academy of Sciences of the Imperial Institute of France. You will decide between the authority of this verdict, emanating from the science of Europe, and that to which Lord Palmerston vaguely appeals without revealing it is precise terms." M. Da Lesseps then replies to the political objections to the scheme' founded on the alleged dangers to our route in India, and to the integrity of the Ottoman empire. He then takes up the statements personal to himself :—Lord Palmerston has thought himself authorised in affirming in terms which in an address of serious import, it would be unsuitable to repeat, that I had come to England in order to lay a snare for the purses of the English, and to practice on the credulity of capitalists simple enough !to believe in a visionary undertaking. You, gentleman, can say whether in my conduct, or my language there, has ever been anything to justify imputations of this kind. Have I ever once made an appeal for capital ? You will re member that, on the contrary, I declared to you, repeatedly' it was not subscriptions for shares I sought from you, but an expression of opinion. If in the allotment of a capital of 200 millions of francs, England is to receive hereafter, in common with France, a share of 40 millions, this is an act of deference which I have thought due to a powerful commercial nation, directly interested in the execution of the new ship route. But so little is English capital needed in the enterprise of which I am the promoter, that if the share reserved to England were not accepted by her, that portion would be:entirely absorbed by the supplementary applications which I have received from various parts of the world." THE COURT, &c. OSBORNE, July 23.—The Queen, accompanied by Prince Alfred, the Princess Royal, and Princess Helena, embarked on board the Fairy yesterday afternoon, and went up the Southampton Water to meet the Prince Consort on his return from Salisbury. The Prince joined the Queen on board about six o'clock, and her Majesty returned to Osborne. The Countess Van Buren (Queen of the Netherlands) left Claridge's hotel at an early hour on Thursday morn. ing, and proceeded by special train to Windsor, where her Majesty inspected the castle, and afterwards lunched with her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, at Frogmore, returning to town by the great Western rail way. In the evening her Majesty dined with Lard and Lady Brougham, in Grafton-street, the following being honoured with t'avitatioos to meet the illustriousyi§itor,. His Excellency the Minister for the Netherlands, the Duke of Wellington, Emily Duchess of Beaufort, Marquis of Landowne, Earl of Aberdeen, Earl and Countess of Jersey and Lady Clementina Villiers, Earl Cardigan, Lady William Russell, kc. The marriage of Col. the Hon. George Cardigan, second son of the Earl Cardigan, with Miss Ashworth, eldest daughter of Lieut-General Sir Frederick and Lady Ash worth, was solemnised on Thursday, at St. Peter's Church, Eaton-square. In consequince of the infirm state of health of the gallant general, the father of the bride, who was unable from illness to attend, the wedding was strictly private, none but the nearest relatives of both families being present. While the Atlantic cable is being laid down, messages will be sent back to the coast of Ireland reporting each day's progress, and, if necessary, of course, each hour's. Scientific men look forward to the result of the under taking with the deepest interest, as some wonderful elec trical phenomena are certain to be observed during the process of submerging. Those most nearly interested iu the plan are sanguine as to all being successfully com pleted within a month, and the state of the markets at New York known every morning throughout England. AMUSEMENTS. Tit e AMPHITHEATRE.—The lengthened engagement of Messrs. Webster, Wright, and Bedford, necessarily con cludes this evening, as these gentlemen are announced to appear at the Adelphi Theatre on Monday next. It is long since an engagement so gratifying in every respect to theatrical audiences, has taken place in Liverpool. Although, owing to a combination of causes, the house was not so well filled several nights as might be expected, yet the talents of the performers was fully appreciated and enjoyed in Liverpool. We hope the same junction of melo-dramatic and comic ability may before long visit our theatre again. On Monday, Mr. Charles Dillon will commence a brief engagement. He will appear as Othello, a part in which he obtained a decided success in London. ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS.—The beauty of these Gardens daisy become more inviting, and the several " Gala Days" already given by the spirited proprietor, have fostered a desire for more ; therefore we are not surprised at the announcement for Monday next, when a " Variety of Entertainments, too numerous to mention," are to take place, the mere recapitulation of which will be sufficient to induce the public, on this "special occasion," to give to themselves a " breathing time." The Gardens will be opened at an early hour in the afternoon, and the amusements will be of so varied a character as to suit all tastes. A Grand Steeple Chase, and several other Races, for which Prizes are to be given, will cause an interest seldom excited in the breasts of the admirers of these places of resort ; the French Hercules will be prepared to match his strength against any " forty" of the multitude who are expected to attend ; and Signor Francois and his Pupil will go through their really clever and astonishing Performances ; Music will be plentous, in the shape of Double Military and Quadrille Bands, thus enabling the lovers of Terpsichore to enjoy the " light fantastic " in all their glory. Then the Theatre will be opened, and an Entertainment by the Dramatic Company will add to the pleasures of the day ; the Cricket Ground, Gymnasium, Centrifugal Railway, and Old English Sports of every description, will " lend enchantment" to the scene, all blending to the happiness of the visitor. Fireworks of the most gorgeous description, are specially prepared, to astonish the gaze of all, and the " Grand Coronation of the Russian Emperor" will be presented in its original splendour ; and in addition to all this, and the " thousand and-one" other innumerable attractions, Captain H. J Bedy will ascend in the Monstre Cremorne Balloon, Prince of Wales, than which nothing can possibly be a more en- tertainicg or instructive sight; and, we understand, several ladies and gentlemen have already made arrangements with the proprietor for a visit to the "Airy Regions." Altogether, we expect this will be one of the most successful fetes of the season ; all tastes will be gratified ; and therefore trust the projectors will receive commensurate support. ROYAL COLL OSSEUM .—This popular place of entertainment continues its successful career. The many novelties and variety of talent so constantly presented to the notice of its patrons, is full evidence of the desire of the proprietor to keep pace with the times. Without wishing to be invidious, we would mention the name of Miss Howell, a lady who has won for herself the golden opinions of all who have heard her, not only in England, but in the sister isle, and also in " land o' brither Scots." The fair , cautatrice is nighly hailed with rapturous applause by the frequenters of this elegant establishment. The singing of Mr. Brennan, who on former occasions made for himself a host of admirers, is more attractive than ever ; his characteristic songs are of so inimitable a cast that few can rival him in his peculiar line, and many of the most popu lar and highly valued of our English compositions are rendered by him nightly, in a style that at once stamps him as a gentleman possessing vocal talent of no mean order. All the other artistes connected with the house each re ceive their due mead of praise, for exertions in their various allotted parts. In the musical department all praise is due to the director, and altogether the amusements are as plentiful. healthful, recreative, and talented, as any popu lar place of the kind can possibly present to the public. THE LATE THEATRE ROYAL, COVENT-GARDEN.—.Theruins of this magnificent theatre are now fast disappearing; and last week, in the progress of the removal, an interest ing memorial was brought to light. It appears that on Friday evening the workmen met with the foundation stone which was laid by the Prince of Wales nearly nine and-forty years since. The account states there is a hole in the stone in which was found a brass box, and in which had been deposited several of the current coins of the realm at the time the stone was deposited. The box was sent to his Grace the Duke of Bedford, the landlord of the estate, in consequence of a condition of sale, which was to the effect that if the box was found it should be given into his possession. The old, or first, Covent-garden Theatre was burned to the ground on Sep'. 20, 1808, and twenty persons were killel in the ruins. Within little more than three months, on Saturday, Dec. 31, 1808, the first stone of the new theatre was laid with great ceremony. The event is thus recorded in the Gentleman's Magazine:— " The foundation-stone of the new theatre in Covent garden, now erec t ing by Mr. Robert Smirke (now Sir Robert Smirke), was this day laid by H.R.H. the Prince of 'Wales, as Grand Master of the Freemasons. The Duke of Sussex, Earl Moira, and others, attended in the pro cession lt attracted a great concourse of people : a'l the adjacent streets and houses were thronged, and near a thousand spectators were admitted with tickets, and accommodated within the inclosed area in a temporary covered building erected opposite the foundation-stone. Another building was provided for the Freemasons, and a marquee for H.R.H. the Prince of Wales. Above seven hundred workmen belonging to the building stood on surrounding scaffolds; military detachments guarded the exterior; and the grenadier company of the Ist Regiment of Guards was stationed within the ground at the Prince's entrance. The foundation-stone is at the nertii-east angle of the building—it is of an oblong shape, weighing nearly three tons ; it hung suspended over a basement-stone," &c. The inscription on the foundation-stone is as follows : —`• Long live George Prince of Wales." It is stated that the box will be sent to the Queen, who, on the destruction of the theatre, so sincerely exhibited her sympathy at the calamity; at the same time will be expressed a hope that her Majesty will allow the heir apparent as Prince of Wales to deposit the same box in the next foundation-stone of the building. LIVERPOOL BANKRUPTCY COURT.--111 OUT impression of yesterday it was incorrectly stated, in re George Ward, that "Mr. Martin opposed on behalf of the assignees." THE AMERICAN FRIGATE NIAGARA.—This ship, with half the Atlantic Telezraph cable, will sail on her mission in a brief period, but whether Monday or next day is not yet certain. Tu WEATFLER,—Yesterday, about three o'clock, there was a sudden change in the weather, when heavy rain fell for a considerable time, although the atmosphere continued heavy and warm. AOIORICtN I♦lAlLe.—The royal mail steamer Persia sails this day for New York, with the mails, &c. Letters received at the Post-office up to nine o'clock in the usual course, and to ten with fees, with additional fees of is each at box on landing -stage up to eleven o'clock. FArAL ACCIDENT.--A boy, named William Barker, eight years old, the son of a beer-house keeper living in Kirk(lale-road, was killed, on Thursday evening, in Great Homer-street, by the wheel of a lorry passing over his head. Some boys were playing at the vehicle, when it jolted over and caused the accident. POLICE PROMOTION.—Mr. Thomas Skermer, late a police.inspector in this town, has been promoted to the chief coustableship of the city of Coventry. M. Skermer was an active and intelligent officer, and Was much respected by his superiors and the men under 'his command, and carries with him the esteem cof ell bill comrades, TELEGRAPHIC NEWS• By British and Irish Magnetic Telegraph. AUSTRALIA. MARSEILLES, JULY 24' The following despatch from Malta, dated Al ll 19, has been received :—The Scamander sere r steamer has just arrived from Alexandria, bringing 172 boxes and six bags of letters from Australis, New Zealand, Point de Galle, and Aden, Wal l reached Suez, per Simla, on the 12th inst. Ther e was nothing new at Malta. No arrangement has yet been made about the sailing of the Australian mails. The present mails were brought froel Malta by the French postal steamer. The Austre' Han mails would be despatchA from Marseille s for London last night. FRANCE. PARIS, FRIDAY NIGHT• The Three per Cent. Rents show only a slight fractional change. They are lower, and close at 66f 90c. NAPLES. The official journal announces that the King , desirous of compensating the inhabitants of the Island of Penza for the sufferings inflicted upou it during the recent insurrection, has ordered 2,000 ducats to be annually appropriated to the execution of public works in the island. A s imilar sum is to be distributed amongst those who suffered most by the insurrection. GENERAL CAVAIGNAC. An absurd report has circulated for the last fe% days to the effect that General Cavaignac had been arrested, and that he is now confined in some mysterious dungeon. It is hardly necessary to say that there is not a word of truth in this rumour. General Ca vaigna° has not been in Paris for many weeks ; he was no t here even during the elections. He is residing on a small property near Chateau du Loir, in the department of the Sarthe, with bill family, and concerns himself very litlle with public affairs. He is, in fact, living in the utmost tranquillitf• Without being very opulent, he is in possession o f an ample income, which has been increased by the death of his uncle, and in other respects he is, to all appearance, amongst the most contented o f men. He took no part in the late elections beyond placing his name at the disposal of his politica l friends. For the present his chief occupation seems to be in superintending the building of a small pavilion on his grounds. The house he occupies is small, and Genera l Cavaignac wishes to have a spare room or two for the accommodation of a few friends who 11137 happen to visit him. This is the only durance to which he is reduced. THE FOREIGN CONSPIRACY. A London correspondent of the Austrian Gazett B writes : Several German journals state that the cabinet of Vienna is endeavouring to obtain from th e European powers their adhesion to a coninao°_, note in which the cabi ne t o f S t . J ames wou ld be invited to adopt suppressive measures toward s the foreign conspiritors in London. Without affirming this statement I may assnr° you that Lord Cowley is instructed to declare t.° the court of the T u il er i es, i n t h e name of b 1; government, that England cons id ers i t a po i n t o f honour no longer to tolerate the odious proceedings of those political refugees who have adopted for their flag murder and pillage. As soon as the proofs of the guilty participation of the revolutionary committee in the recent plot against the Emperor Napoleon's life shall have been proved, the English ministry will bring in 13 bill authorising it to expel all political refugees who have abused the hospitality which they have received. This resolution of the government is the mor e honourable from the fast of its being spontaneous. A letter from Vienna in the Bourse Gazette of Berlin says:—" It is certain, as we learn from very good source, that the last events in Italy, and especially those of Genoa, have caused the Turin,. cabinet to consider that the re - es t a bli s h men t of diplomatic relations with the Austrian government is more desirable than ever. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. STAMFORD RACES . - YESTERDAY. .-_ESTERDAY. Turbit . RETTON STAKES. ..... .. . , ..... 1 1 Blue Devils e. WELLAND STAKES. Huntingdon 1 I Polly Johnson GOLD CUP. Polestar 1 1 Turbit. . BANKRUPTS. By British and Irish Magnetic Telegraph. John Whedon, Manchester, packing-case manufacturer. 0 vren Ellis, Liverpool, stonemason. Thomas Mitchell, Preston, coal dealer. John Watson, Islington, piano forte manufacturer. Samuel Molyneux, City-road, mill sawyer and wood dealer. Cooper and i nn k ee per. John i a S n t p ß h r e o n w s o n n , , i ß t a r o m u s g g h a t t e o , painter, mull, glazier, and paper' hanger. W. Papinnean, chemical works, Harrow.bridge, Strat ford, manufacturing chemist. Samuel Wharton, Nottingham, late of Chesterfield, iron' founder. Robert Wilby, Camden-town, licensed victualler. John Bridges, Belper, millwright. QUICK SAILING.—The British frigate-built ship, Atne; thyst, Captai n C ampbell, which has arrived at this IVr"f from Manilla, reports that she was within 300 miles W. °' Madagasc ar , w h en 38 days out, after which she had 11° winds, with the exception of two gales of short duration from the W.N.W. when off the Cape. She only average' 60 to 70 miles per day when in the S.E. trades. Tre nt the equator t o 11. N. ex p er i ence d light baffling winds, an d having three days of N.E. t ra d es , an d was 14 days fv3 the time of s i g hti ng St. Mi c h ae l' s unt il reaching 03,,00 r o ' The Amethyst run the extraordi nar y di stance o f 2," at miles in six days, and shot a -h ea d o f every thing afloat that she met. WO believe thiat the Amethyst belongs " 1 Glasgow.