The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-02-01 00:00:00

ZBanteb. RCERr, TOYER- days, at iCK of a great hionable lks and l Square versified t of the ehurgs, e Linen, !fs, and Drapery )nsisting Ermine, r now in Y be had on the James's- other n going Six Ma— ahogany e, Four angings, nd other h Ware, :minster • be had lanover- PARK. evening, lanover the con-- ,uate in on the thereto, ise, five being. in aon may Os. e 100 yards ject to a ctioneer TION, stant, at i, Olive • of the , Plate, Walsh, onniers, I Couch, y Crown n Hair, gs, &c., ;, under in Po- Ids and ;hest of Marble ;, 49 oz. irniture when ffices of Prnoon, 01, sub- ?.red 7, idth at inches. Rental, WANTED, an ASSISTANT MASTER for the EVERTON and KIRKDALE BOYS' SCHOOL. He racist have a competent knowledge of Singing. Apply for information to Rev. J. LAWRENCE, 14, Clarence- Street, Everton-road '0 MANAGERS OF CHURCH OP ENGLAND SCHOOLS A SCHOOLMISTRESS, possessing a high Certifi. cate of Merit, and other excellent testimonials. desires an APPOINTMENT, in Liverpool or its immediats vicinity. Address, X. Y., 310, Scotland-road, Liverpool. TO PARENTS AND GUARDIANS. ANTED, as an APPRENTICE, a Gentlemanly W Well-Educated YOUTH, who would have an opportu nitY House of acquiring a knowledge of Reporting and Counting. Business. Apply at the Office of this Paper. TO LANDED PROPRIETORS. TAE Advertiser desires a SITUATION as S TEWARD. He is well acquainted with the management of Estates, and, having a small income, would accept a mode rate salary. Unexceptionable references can be riven. Address M. E., Post-office, Leigh street, Burton Crescent, London. E for Cxsar, tantial Brews. TO GENERAL BROKERS AND A YO UNG GENTLEMAN, Si x t een Y ears o f A ge , Educated by a Protestant Clergyman, who has been two years in an Office, the Principal having failed, understands thoroughly the Custom,Rouse Business, Writes an excellent Hand, quick at accounts, and with capital Testimonials, is anxious for as ENGA.GEMENT, at a small progressive salary. See Reference List at the Standard-office. TO YO MEN. SPECIAL arrssioN T O NG ROMAN CATHOLICS IN M ISSI GREAT BRITAIN. ONARIES are 'WANTED for the above work. Young M en res i dent in Liverpool and Birkep beau, Who Can spare two or three hours a day for study, will I=4. received into t ra i n i ng. The necessary qualifications are piety, Ability, aptness to teach and speak extemporaneously, a flood temper, and bodily health. satisfactory references must be given . A.Pplyby letter) to L. L. D., STANDARD Office, Liverpo Contracts. PARISH OF LIVERPOOL. TO .TOINERS. THE SELECT VESTRY of this PARISH require a number of TABLES for the PAUPERS' DINING -HALL at the Workhouse, Brownlow-hill, and are ready to receive TENDERS for the same, accordinz to Plan andiSpecifications to be seen at Mr. IVEIGHTNIAN'S Office, Pemberton-buildings, Fenwick-street, the Tenders to he delivered at the Office of the undersigned, on or before SATURDAY. the sth of February. CHARLES HART, Vestry-clerk. °follow-hill, January 28th, 1853. Pariah-offices, Erc LONDON AND NORTH-WESTERN RAILWAY. TO BUILDERS. THE Directors are desirous of receiving TENDERS t , for the Erection of an ADDITIONAL BUILDING, 140 bY 90 Feet, to the Repairing Shops of the Locomotive --entirtment, and about ONE HUNDRED COTTAGES, at Parties disposed to Tender may see the Drawings, Specifica tions, and "Conditions of Contract, and obt9 in other information, by appticition at the Engineer's Office, Warrington. , _Sealed - Tenders t o b e sen t t o t h e un d ers i gne d , Li me-s t reet Station Liverpool, not later than February 10th, 1853. The CoMpatty do not bind themselves to accept the lowest Tender. Liverpool, 2611: January, 1853. H. BOOTH. [DUTY FREE. TO CONTRACT RS. TWAFERTREP LOCAL BOARD OF HEALTH. rIE WAVERTREE LOCAL BOARD of HEALTH are prepared to receive TENDERS for the DRAINAGE of theTILLAGE of WAVERTREE, according to the Plans and Specifications prepared for that purpose. The Tenders must be sent in, addressed to the Chairman of the Vi r avertree Local Board of Health, Public-office, Wavertree, near Liverpool, according to the forms, with a schedule of Ices attached to each, on or before the sth day of February next. The Plans and SpecifiCations will lie for inspection al the T s ublic-office, in Wavertree, from Friday, the 21st day Ten of , Ja "Fuary instant, to Saturday, the sth dayof - February next, wnere The orms Board of der may be obt a i ne d on application. • do not pledge themselves to accept the lowest or any Tender, unl ess i n all respects satisfactory. ISAAC ATHERTON, Law Clerk. 26, North John-street, Liverpool, 17th January, 1853. LIVERPOOL DOCKS. THTO 0 WIVERS OF STEAM -PACKETS. E COMMITTEE o f t h e LIVERPOOL DOCKS are willing to receive TENDERS for TOWING their MUD BARGES from the Docks to the place where they are to be dis charged, and back again to such of th e Docks as may be d. The Contracts to be for a period of Twelve Months certain, and at the expiration of that time subject to a termination upon either side at any time upon Three Months' notice being given. Parties who are desirous to Contract for the same may see the Specification on application at the Dock SURVEYOR'S OFFICE, Dock-yard, south sid e o f C o b urg D oc k , unt il F RIDAY, the 4th of February next. Sealed Tenders, endorsed " Tenders for Towing Mud barges,,, . and Sealed, to be sent under cover to the SECRETARY not Later than Ten, Q TURDIVT, the sth of February, a.m., on ...A 1853. Doc k-office 29th January, By order, 1833 order, MASON, Secretary ' /tionty. LOAN FOR THE PURCHASE OF PROPERTY. THE DIRECTORS of the HOUSEOWNERS' an d GENERAL LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY are willing to ADVANCE SUMS OF MONEY, not exceeding .500, for the PURCHASE OF PROPERTY, repayable in Small Instalments, ill Five or Seven Years, to •enable Rentpayers to become House nwners. Apply to Mr. W. WEBB, 1, Church-lane, Liverpool. MONEY LENT on PLATE, WATCHES, JEWEL LERY, SILKS, VELVETS, WOOLLENS, and every description of Manchester and Leeds Goods, at Half the Paws brokers' Rate of Interest. Apply at 66, Seel-street, two tloorsfrom Back Colnuitt-street. Private House LOANS •OF MONEY. BOROUGH OF LIVERPOOL. T TIE CORPORATION OF LIVERPOOL are prepared to receive LOANS OF MONEY, For Periods of Three, Five, or 'Seven Years, at 43105. Interest Gent. per Annum payable on the Ist of Januar and Ist July in ever Year. wiThe Security is the "Liverpool Water Account," composed t the Rents, Rates, and Charges for the supply of Water within the Borough of 'Liverpool and the Neighbourhood for bernestic, Trading. Manufacturing, and other purposes, and for Shipping THE BOROUGH FUND BEING AN ADDITIONAL OR CO LLATERAL SECURITY FOR THE I NTEREST , AND THE NDS TENEMENTS, HEREDITANIENTS, LND ESTATE OF T HE CORPORATION FOR THE PRINCIPAL. _ A pplications to be made to CAPES thesq, Treasurer, !Town-hall, Liverpool; from either of whom further particulars may be obtained. By order, SHUTTLEWORTH, Town-clerk. Town-hall, 22nd January, 1853. HILHARMONIC-HALL. LAST WEEK THOMAS'S UNRIVALLED BAND OF FIFTY PERFORMERS. Commencing at Halt-past Seven every Evening. ADMISSION, ONE SHILLING ; Stalls, 2s. ; Boxe s , 2 s. 6d. See Programme offthe Day in the First Page. WEIGHTS AND MEASURES. AMONG the many frauds practised by dishonest trades- Men, perhaps the most deserving of severe punishment is the practice of cheating the poorer classes by false weights and measures. The subject was brought more promi nently to atte n ti on on Wednesday by a number of persons being fined for offences of this description. The Mayor, SAMUEL HOLME, Esq., took the opportunity of making some remarks on the subject. He stated that, in order to remove any objections to the expense of re-adjustment, the Council had determined, after weights and measures had been once stamped in Liverpool, to make no further charge for a dj usting, except for materials required to make 11 13 deficient weights. This plan renders deficient weights lees excusable ; and the law should be strictly enforced, not only as a p ro t ect i on to the poor purchaser, but also in iustic e to the honest tradesman. .GRANT - TRAPPE...RS IN LIVERPOOL. At the Police-office, yesterday, a pair lo oking creatures were b roug ht up before of miserable retAlr.Nm of icol, x o l n o a . cha rge of defrauding a poorlrishgirlof h Ileir nam es were A n d rew and Rosanna Dunn, esu apparently husband an d w if e . Th ey were both attired in the s can ti es t raiment, and seemed to belong to the lowest grade of s ocie'..7. The girl, Dublin by the steamer on who appeared Years of age, came over from to be about eighteen liiitesdzy last. She states that were in father America m o e r ric a motherand ,4%; and that, as both her . she brothers h i as w n e o r th e `j'autrd exceedingly . to be with them Dublin, abstracted £lO th t-box of an uncle who rest es . inshe broke into ete trorn and took a YerPool, t c, 4 ' on the quay by the her arrival here she was accosted passage in the steamer for Li- D who having e serf prisoner, prisoner, Andrew Dunn, addressed a she was an emi .eries of questions to her, and learned that lodgings. la the% gra t, said he would take her to " daycint" afternoon or evecing of the same day, her eqflue 7(7 fhetrhet g . e him the money she had, and he would take S e Care of i o t for lv her. She intimated that she wished to day they proceeded in corn Purelase some clothing; and next sorters —to the shop of Mr. riscoe. Before setting out pant—the girl and the out he gave the girlher money back again ; but in the shop he asked it from her once more, and, after they had pur chased some goode, went out with the professed purpose Of procuring change. In the ln the s h op had had their suspic meantime two young men ions aroused as to the man and the elder female ; and, on they e li cited the circumstan questioning the girl aside, es of the case. While this neither she nor h er h usband came back again. The police once acquainted with the case, and wrote off to the Dublin police authorities relative to the robbery of the girl's uncle. A reply was received on Sunday morning, stating that no such man as the uncle could be found at the address supplied. Subsequently fresh particulars re lative to the girl's uncle were transmitted to Dublin, but Of course no answer had yet been received. The two sales- Men in Mr. Briscoe's shop, and the girl herself, swore Positively that the prisoner and his wife were the guilty Parties ; but, in spite of this, Dunn asserted in the most solemn manner that he had never seen the girl in his life before atmorning—that he knew nothing of her—and that, on the very day she had stated that she had given him £lO to keep for her, he had not tasted food for the long period of twenty-four hours. The female prisoner stated that they could produce evidence to show that they had been elsevvhere than at Mr. Briscoe's shop at the time Mentioned ; and, in order that the culprits might have an o Pportunity of doing y (Tuesday). 'the case was remanded till this ( la --.--__________ Vxscr lf 1 )ve cal to Its cs. -OUST itIELBOURNE, brothe r of Viscountess Pal naerston long in the diplomatic servic e of the State, and better known as the Hon. Sir F. Lamb and Lord Beauvale, died on Saturday morning, at Brockett Hall, Herts, after a short ilium, He leaves no familY, and the title becomes extinct. Etberpoot giptanbarb+ TUESDAY MORNING, FEB. 1, 1853. THE LATE BUDGET AND THE QUARTERLY REVIEW. THE last number of the Quarterly Review contains a critique on Mr. DISRAELI'S financial statement. It is ascribed to Mr. WILSON CROKER, and is said to be written in revenge for Mr. DISRAELI having caricatured that gentleman in his novel of " Co- NINGSBY," under the name of " RIGBY." There is little in the article itself to warrant such an accu sation; for though it contains an able exposure of the faults of the Budget, the writer pays the follow ing just tribute to the merits of Mr. DISRAELI : No one, of whatever political creed, can now " affect to doubt or disparage the many high par " liamentary qualities of Mr. DISRAELI. His re " solute spirit has been conspicuously displayed " under very extraordinary difficulties. He has " combined an indomitable perseverance with great " fertility of resource. In opposition he has been, " and, if he does himself justice, he must again be, " most formidably influential : he may yet acquire " whatever he needs for the discharge of the high " functions of a minister. He has shown himself " at once a brilliant orator, and, what is still rarer, " a powerful debater ; but he has not, as yet, we " think, earned the reputation of a statesman." The writer, however, condemns the bringing for- ward of the Budget before Christmas, as an unne cessary and impolitic experiment, and stigmatises it as a common-place Budget, of which the three main features were halving two existing taxes, doubling another, and extending a fourth. But slightly passing over the proposed reduction of the Malt duty, which he condemns for reasons similar to those which we advanced at the time, the chief part of the article is devoted to those propositions of the late CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER which more immediately affect the Shipping Interests, and these are dealt with seriatim. The statement of Mr. DISRAELI, that the practice of the Shipping Interest paying the interest for the purchase of private lights is indefensible, the reviewer con demns, upon the ground that the private lights were erected and subsequently purchased for the benefit of the Shipping Interest that the purchase money, which amounted altogether to £1,250,000, has, by careful management, been reduced to nOB,OOO, and will shortly be paid off altogether; and that those who now pay for lighting our towns ought not to be burthened with the additional ex pense of lighting the Channel and the North Sea. Mr. DISRAELI'S proposal to relieve the Shipping Interest from contributing to the charities of the Trinity Corporation, the reviewer objects to, on the ' ground that they are bestowed exclusively on worn out merchant seamen, pilots, boatmen, and their widows and orphans, in no case exceedings. per month to a destitute master, 4s. 6d. to a mate, and 3s. to a seaman. The next point is the alleged grievance of paying passing tolls, which, the writer says, only applies to the maintenance of four harbours of refuge— two on each side of the mouth of the Thames, and which have proved of inestimable value in the fre quent hour of danger, not only as shelter for ship ping, but also for assistance in anchors, cable, and boat-help, which are not elsewhere within reach. The writer does not, however, state—which is the fact—that the passing toll is only a halfpenny a ton upon the ship's registered burthen, and that the master or owner has the right to charge the same rate upon every ton of the cargo; so that the toll, except in a very few cases, is no charge whatever upon the shipowner. The remarks of Mr. DISRAELI upon the alleged anomaly in the system of Pilotage, the reviewer equally condemns. The alleged hardship of a pilot from the Thames to a Cinque port not being al lowed to take a vessel back, he says, is no hardship at all, as the shipowner would in any case have to pay for each service, and the advantage of the pre sent system is, that an efficient body of pilots is kept up at the outports, which would not he the case if pilots to vessels outwards were allowed to return with vessels homewards. The next item in the list of Shipping grievances proposed to be remedied is that of Salvage, to which the reviewer takes exception as founded on erro neous premises. The services of officers and sea men of the Royal Navy are often of the greatest importance to merchant vessels in danger and dis tress ; but, so far from their being paid at the same ratio as other salvors who risk their vessels as well as themselves, those only who are actually engaged are remunerated for their personal services, ivhidh are altogether additional to duties they are paid to perform. He further states, that, so far from its being an Admiralty grievance, as asserted by Mr. DISRAELI, the Admiralty has nothing to do with Salvage. It is not collected under their authority, nor in any way subject to their jurisdiction. It is a branch not only of our own most ancient statute law, but of the law of nations. And it is singular enough that the only trace we find in the " Admi ralty Instructions for HER MAJESTY'S Service at Sea," is a provision, not that the QUEEN'S ships should receive salvage, but that they should pay it to merchant ships in case of assistance. Another of the alleged Admiralty grievances is that of a seaman being allowed, when in a foreign port, to enlist in a ship belonging to the Royal Navy, and demand his wages • by which, says Mr. DISRAELI, the captain of die merchant ship not only loses one of his crew, but is called upon im mediately to pay wages which are not due till the ship's arrival in port ; and, to remedy this, he pro poses that the seaman so enlisting shall not receive his wages until-the rest of the crew are paid off. The reviewer, quoting the authority of officers of high rank and experience, defends the present sys tem, upon the ground of its being a measure of police and protection for the men when in foreign parts against ill-treatment; that in practice it has been as far as possible discouraged ; and that, so far from the wages being paid in cash, the more ordinary mode is to accept an order on the owners at home. We come next to Mr. DISRAELI'S proposal to relieve the Shipping Interest from the alleged grievance of a merchant vessel being disturbed in its anchorage by the superior claim of a ship be longing to the Royal Navy. The reviewer denies the existence of the grievance in toto, and, to prove his position, gives the following extract from the Admiralty Instructions for the general conduct of the Naval Service : " Ch. v. § 39. Whenever the Captain of one ." of H. M. ships shall have occasion to anchor, he "isto be extremely cart - fill to place the ship in a " safe berth, and so as not to endanger any oTHEa. "ship which may be already anchored." The concluding remarks on this subj e ct by M r . DISRAELI, with reference to the restrictions upon manning the mercantile navy, the reviewer sup poses must allude to the regulation by which the crew of a British ship must consist of at least two thirds British seamen. He argues, that, although the abrogation of this law might be a relief to the Ship-owners, by enabling them to man their ships cheaper with Danes, Swedes, or Germans, it would be the destruction of the merchant service as a nursery of seamen for the Royal Navy, and prove, in short, a burning of the candle at both ends. He proceeds to comment upon Mr. ID's- RAELI'S objection to the system upon which the Royal Navy is manned, of which he enters into an elaborate defence, and concludes with an apology for the EX-CHANCELLOR, upon the ground that he was addressing "the feelings" of what he signi ficantly termed " a modern House of Commons." The writer says-: " No doubt every Minister must consult the " reason, and even the feelings of the House of " Commons which he addresses, but we will venture " to assert that the Old House of Commons showed "a good deal more solicitude about the Shipping " Interests than its ' modern' successors have done; " nor can we help adding, in justice to modern " Houses of Commons, our conviction that if any " one of those alleged grievances had been real, " they would not have been left for twenty years " unredressed by the reformed Parliament." We have thus given a necessarily brief sketch of this able critique on that portion of the late Finan cial Statement which was put forward as a relief to the Shipping Interests, and which will, of course, excite public attention on the renewal of the session, as it is not to be supposed that any Ministry can leave so important a class of the community without a more substantial remedy for their grievances than that which has just been disposed of. The object here has been to show that the proposals of Mr. DISRAELI were illusory, and it will now be advi sable on the part of those who are most familiar with the details to point out those particulars in which the interference of Parliament would be be neficial. We cannot, however, anticipate any ad vantage from the present ill-assorted Coalition Ministry, and we conclude by giving the reviewer's regret at the resignation of the late Administration, for reasons in which all our readers will concur : " Our regret is, that the Government should !!have gone (Age...-021 what principle ox even point "we really know not—without having shown any "sympathy with the feeling that was most pro " minent and decided at the late elections—the vin dication and maintenance of the PROTESTANT " CONSTITUTION ; and that the ostentatious viola tion of the law by Dr. MACHALE and his fellows "has been not only sanctioned by impunity, but " crowned with the very triumph which his audacity "foretold." THE FRENCH EMPEROR'S MARRIAGE. ON Sunday last, according to official announcement, and for which the most elaborate preparations were made, LOUIS NAPOLEON celebrated his union with the Spanish beauty, whose charms are his consola tion for his rejected attempts to ally himself with any of the royal families of Europe. If the ques tion were viewed simply as one on which a philoso pher might moralise, there seems something har monious in the Emperor, who prides himself on being the elected of popular suffrage, allying him self—for better motives than those which usually influence the matrimonial contracts of royalty— with a lady, whose character is unquestionable, whose position is at least as respectable as that of her royal consort, and whose personal charms will prove a centre of attraction in a capital more no torious for frivolity than solid worth. By this mar riage Loins NAPOLEON has cut the Gordian knot of diplomatic difficulty, which might have hampered the independence of his position, had he the family interests of a wife to consult, and he is as free to act as he was before his alliance. Of the new Empress it may not be so easy to speak with con fidence. After all that has been said of her beauty and fascinating manners, we can hardly believe her to be inspired by any more tender sentiment than the gratification of a not unnatural female ambition to shine in the proud position of an Empress, for however brief an interval, leaving every speculation as to the future out of consideration. The chance was open to her, and she accepted it ; and she pos sesses the advantage over her husband in having attained her elevation by a less questionable path than be reached his. But while the appropriateness of the alliance may be admitted as more suited to the antecedents of Louts NAPOLEON than an ad mission into any of the royal families of Europe, the very isolation of his position renders him a more dangerous neighbour. As yet his policy has been peace, but his main, if not sole, object has been his personal aggrandisement. From President to Dic tator, and thence to Emperor, the upper round of the ladder was reached. The marriage is but the legitimate mode of providing for the permanence of the NAPOLEON dynasty, without resorting to the collateral line of his uncle JEROME, which is most distasteful to the French people. The progress hitherto has been all action, and, so far, the French love of excitement has been gratified; but where are the guarantees for his maintaining his position, when, like ALEXANDER, he can do nothing, unless he can discover new worlds to conquer. Will Frenchmen be content to see their new Emperor, the ambitious nephew of his ambitious uncle, quietly settling down with his new wife to play DARBY and JOAN, when half a million of soldiers, and a fleet of war steamers to match,have nothing else to do but to look on in restless inaction ? The recent fall in the French funds has alreadysupplied a significant warn ing that the name of NAPOLEON is ill-assorted with the patient industry which can alone secure the blessings of peace, and Algeria will no longer afford the safety-valve for military ardour which served Louts PHILIPPE so long, and shattered his Go vernment at last. The history of France during the last sixty years has shown the utter inaptitude of its institutions to permanent peace, and every change of Government has been for the worse. This has been prominently exemplified in the career of Louis NAPOLEON, who has only been able to preserve his position by a severity of despotism unknown in modern history. Every man opposed to him has been imprisoned or banished; political discussion is altogether forbidden; the Press is the mere organ of the Government; and throughout all the provinces the creatures of the Emperor exercise absolute sway. The only really efficient instrument of popular strength, if it can be so termed, is the army—won over by German sausages and cham pagne, and kept in hand by implied promises or allowed hopes of military conquest. When Louis NAPOLEON has nothing more to do for himself, what plan more feasible to keep that he has got— what project more popular with the majority of the French nation, than an attempt to revive the glories of the Empire with which the name of NAPOLEON is alone identified There may be nothing to gain, and much to lose, but the danger is to France and not to the Emperor ; and when did Frenchmen ever calculate consequences, when it interfered with the gratification of the impulse of the moment ? The French papers have lately taken to criticise the comments upon their Emperor by the organs of public opinion in England, as though anxious to discover a cants Belli which may serve for want of a better; and some of our pusillanimous contempo raries have treated the mushroom monarch with honeyed phrases, as though they deprecated his anger. But independent English journals, which freely comment on their own rulers, will scorn to truckle to a neighbouring potentate, because he rides roughshod over his own apologies for newspapers. He has attained a position which it is far more difficult to keep than it was to arrive at, and the only solution of the diffi culty can be found in his giving employment to that vast materiel of war which he has been so care ful to collect. Time alone may serve to discover where the blow will fall, but: wherever the point at which the present position of the States of Europe may be attempted to be disturbed, England must be prepared, if she would preserve her own integrity, to maintain the same high place in the Councils of Europe which the skill of the illustrious WELLINGTON won for her at the close of the last war. The French Emperor, by his marriage, has given not the slightest security for the preservation of peace, but rather the contrary; and it is our duty, while we may hope for the best, to be pre pared for the worst. ITIE LIVERPOOL STANDARD, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1853 REDUCTION OF TAXATION. As the time is approaching when some financial statement must be submitted to the House of Com mons, as a matter of course, the public feeling out of doors will be anxiously directed to agitation for the repeal or reduction of such portions of the pub lic burdens as press more immediately upon the immediate interests of the individual agitators. If the State followed the example of the prudent man in private life, the surplus income would be devoted to a partial reduction of the heavy debt, the interest of which forms such an important portion of the annual expenditure:; but the system of modern policy is to absorb all the surplus in reduction of taxation, leaving the debt unreduced, and to be further augmented when the necessities of war, which now hovers over the political horizon, shall demand a greatly increased expenditure. So long, however, as this system is pursued, and popular demands for devoting the surplus income to reduc tion of taxation must be met, it becomes a question for grave consideration in what way it can be most beneficially applied. Among the many schemes now afloat, a petition for the abolition of the duty on Soap has been extensively signed in Liverpool during the last few days. This has strong recom mendations on sanitary grounds, but it may be doubtful whether habits of cleanliness will be ma terially promoted by a reduction in the price of Soap, though there is no doubt it ought to have that effect. The demand for an abolition of the duty on Paper is not without its supporters, who have many strong reasons in its favour ; and this ques tion has also been mixed up with that of the Ad vertisement Duty and Stamps on Newspapers. The two former are entitled to attention as a positive benefit, while the latter may be of questionable ad vantage, especially if coupled with the loss of free dom from postage. There is also the question of the heavy duty on Tea, a reduction of which has been postponed through the defeat only of a Chan cellor of the Exchequer, and is confidently expected to form an item in the next Budget. There are also the claims of the Shipping and Agricultural interests to special relief in any further reduction of the public burdens, and they are claims which cannot escape the attention of the House of Commons, however they may be evaded by the present mon grel Administration. But, perhaps, the most im portant of all is the Income-tax, which has still to be renewed. It is felt by most as a grievous impost, and the unfairness and inequality of its pressure has been acknowledged by all parties. It is a mode of taxation which nothing but stern necessity can justify, and any margin in the National Balance-sheet should be devoted to its ultimate extinction, lest, when war comes upon us in its stern reality, the sources of additional taxation will be pre -occupied. With these claims, and the many more which the ingenuity of Financial Reformers and popular agi tators will discover, the concoctor of the next Bud get will find it a much more difficult task than he did to help to demolish Mr. DISRAELI'S financial scheme. MINISTERIAL DIFFICULTIES. IT does not seem to have required a Parliamentary campaign to expose the utter weakness of that un natural coalition which is put forth as the ABER• BEEN Administration, and boasted of by Liberals and renegade Conservatives as comprising "all the talents" of the country. Rumours are already rife of serious disagreements on important subjects, and changes in the highest offices are talked of. It is said that the Earl of ABERDEEN will re sign the Premiership, on the plea of ill-health, and that his place will be supplied by Lord JOHN RUSSELL. If this be true, it will prove that the whole fabric has been raised on false pretences— that the affair has been a wholesale swindle, for the sake of entrapping reluctant PEELITES,—and that the real object is to restore the party who this time last year, with a more favourable House of Com mons, confessed their inability to carry on the Government of the country. This view is further confirmed by the report that the vexed question of the Income-tax has proved a stumbling-block to financial unity, and that Mr. GLADSTONE, the new Chancellor of the Exchequer, unable to agree with his colleagues—which no one ever fancied he would —has been required to give place to a man of more Whiggish tractability. The next rumour will be that Lord PALMERSTON has resumed the seals of the Foreign-office, with which he has been so long familiar, and that each of the few remaining PEELITES has found some convenient pretext, apart from acknowledged political disagreement, for surrendering his office, in order that there may be no clog to the march of Liberalism. It is evi dent that there is something wrong, that either the PEELITES are ashamed of their position, or find it impossible to go the lengths demanded of them, and in either case the time cannot be far distant when the Earl of DERBY may be called upon to try his hand once more at the formation cf an Adminis tration. He will have the advantage of experience, and be better able to select his officers, with due regard to their capacity for fulfilling the duties they will have to perform. Nor would it be at all sur prining, atop what has taken place, if come of the moderate members of the PEELITE section give their adhesion to a DERBY Cabinet, and excuse their apparent tergiversation by attributing their late adverse votes to their objections to the Lois- RAELI Budget. There is no doubt that the Earl of DERBY may make some alterations in the selection of his colleagues with advantage to the country. The Earl of MALMESBURY has not been most felicitous in his essay at Foreign diplomacy, and many may be of opinion that, with Mr. HERRIES as Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Mr. DISRAELI as Home Secretary, a Conservative Cabinet would enjoy a larger share of the confidence of the House of Commons. Under any circumstances, it is next to impossible that the present Cabinet can endure, for it will have to encounter the enormous strength of the Conservative phalanx, in addition to the Romish Brigade and the disappointed PEELITES. BEERHOUSES AND SINGING ROOMS. THE great moral and social evils arising from the preva lence of cheap singing -rooms in Liverpool, attached to public-houses and beer-shops, has led to the formation of a" Liverpool Association for securing the better regula tion of Houses of Public Entertainment." John Crop per, Esq., is the president, and there is also an influential committee, comprising some of the leading Clergymen of the town. A petition to Parliament is now in course of signature, and the object of the association may be gathered from the prayer of it, which is as follows : " Your petitioners pray your honourable house to grant to magistrates, or other local authorities, an effective check over the issue of licenses for the sale of beer; and at the same time to take out of the hands of licensed vic tuallers and beerhouse-keepers the providing of public amusements for the people, at present undertaken with a view to the promotion of tippling, by extending to the whole kingdom certain provisions of the 25th George 11., (by which a license is required for the opening of any place of public amusement, within the cities of London and Westminster,) and by rendering unlawful the sale or consumption of any kind of intoxicating liquor in any place so licensed for public amusement." It can need but little argument to show the importance of providing some effectual remedy against the growing evil complained of; and the difficulty of legislation on the subject is considerably lessened by an act which partially meets the case being already in existence for the metropo lis, but which requires to be extended to other large towns. CREWE. THE LATE CHARLES LAWRENCE, ESQ. THE death of this lamented gentleman has been deeply regretted by the inhabitants of Crewe. As a tribute of respect to his memory, the ensign was displayed half. mast high on the church, and the bell tolled at intervals till the period of his interment. A funeral sermon was also preached on Sunday last, by the Rev. E. Hastie, curate of the district, from the words, " The faithful fail from among the children of men."—Psalm xii, 1. After dwel ling particularly on the many benefits which the town has derived from the late Mr. Lawrence, he noticed the duty of faithfulness to the obligations which worldly influence and the possession of the world's goods impose. The late lamented gentleman was mainly instrumental in originating the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, which, by its success, gave so great an impulse to the construction and extension of railways. The town of Crewe, with upwards of five thousand inhabitants, has sprung up within the last ten years, in consequence of the London and Northwestern Company having erected there their works, which, for the temporal and spiritual welfare of the inhabitants, and the promotion of their best interests, Mr. Lawrence ever manifested the deepest anxiety. He was a steady and liberal supporter of the church and schools: his donations to the Mechanics' Institution, and the religious societies connected with the place, were most munificent. Though his loss is deeply lamented, there will still be found in Crewe a lasting memorial of those labours and exertions, which were continued to a period of life to which but few attain. ILLEGAL LOTTERY SHOPS. IN the excitement of great affairs, little ones are some times neglected ; and this seems to have been the case with the lottery shops, which have become a nuisance of the worst character. Temptations are held out of prizes to be obtained on the payment of a shilling, and servant girls, boys, and others are beguiled by such inducements to commence a system of gambling which too often results in their ruin. In addition to this, it was stated before the magistrates, on Thursday, that robberies were of frequent occurrence at these places—so that they are fruitful sources of crime. As the attention of the police has now been called to the nuisance, it will be their duty to suppress it, as all lotteries are positively illegal. THE CONCERTS AT THE PHILHARMONIC lIALL.—The public have, during the past week, displayed great interest in the admirable concerts of our townsman, Mr. Thomas —an interest pleasing to every lover of music, and which we trust will prove profitable to the projector of these high-class entertainments for the million. On Tuesday and several evenings since, as also last night, the magnificent hall was crowded in the area, and well filled elsewhere, with an audience attentive, and capable of appreciating the performances. Mr. Thomas is a graceful conductor, and we are not surprised that the reputation of his band is extending-. We hear that the proprietors of the Free Trade Hall, Manchester, have engaged the band for a fortnight, commencing on Tuesday next. As a dispenser of pleasant amusement, and a n elevator of the popular taste, Mr. Thomas merits our warmest commendation, and we hope that his scheme will prove as remunerative as it ought to do, THEATRE-ROYAL.—The " Three Legs" continues to attract, and, on Thursday last, was played as a first piece to the great delight of a host of juveniles, who thronged the boxes. The day performances, on Saturday, have also been well attended. The management have an nounced that they have in preparation the new comedy of " St. Cupid ; or, Dorothy's Fortune," which was recently played before her Majesty at Windsor Castle. Amentnt EATRE.—Madame Isabelle's great equestrian company continue their attractions, and nightly receive the plaudits of full houses. Among the novelties this week is an alleged trial of skill between an American and an Englishman, to throw the greatest number of somer saults, during the week, for a prize of £2OO. ROYAL PARK THEATRE.—The author of the panto mime now playing at this favourite place of amusement will take a benefit on Wednesday evening. Mr. Charles Millward, whose witty production has been much relished, is sure to have a bumper. The performances will include a new drama from Air. Millward's pen ; the farce of " Bloomerisra ; or the Follies of the Day ;" and the pan tomime. BIRKENHEAD AND WALLASEY BUILDING SOCIETY.— This society has now received so large an amount of public support as to place it on a firm foundation, and leave no doubt as to its success. One of its first good effects will be an improvement of the value of house property in Birkenhead and its vicinity, as it is said that several who have recently joined the society have done so with the view of purchasing property. The second meeting for the payment of subscriptions has been announced for to morrow, (Wednesday,) at the Castle Hotel, and a nume rous attendance is anticipated. ST. MARY'S CHURCH, KIRDALE.—GRAND EXHIBI TION ON SHROVE-TUESDAY EVENING.—We beg to direct attention to an advertisement in another column, of a grand exhibition of dissolving views, including a rich variety of celestial scenery, and splendid representations of ancient and modern cities, cathedrals, bays, harbours, &c., about to be given by our talented and generous townsman, Dr. Fisher, of Great George-street, in aid of the funds for liquidating the remainder of the debt against St. Mary's Church, Kirkdale. This rich intellectual treat will come off on Shrove-Tuesday evening, at the Collegiate Institution, and no pains will be spared to render it the most attractive of the kind ever submitted to an assemblage of spectators in this great town. And as in this instance every person attending will receive more than an equivalent for the admission money, we trust Mr. James will have the gratification of Geeing a very large attenclaucc. SECOND EDITION. Standard-office, Two o'clock, p.m. [BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.] TUESDAY AFTERNOON. FRANCE. PARIS, MoNnAr.—Another fall has taken place on the Bourse in the prices of leading securities, except Bank Stock. Threes closed 781 ; Four and Halves, 104.10. No upward movement in Railway Shares. MANCHESTER STOCK EXCHANGE.—THis DAY. NOON QUOTATIONS. London C quarters, 1 7-16 p ; Sheffield new pref., pp ; Lancashire and Yorkshire, 771 ; Dovers, 231. LEEDS STOCK EXCHANGE.—THIs DAY. NOON QUOTATIONS. Great Northern, 18 13-16 ; York and North Midland, 271 ; Lancashire and Yorkshire, 771. LIVERPOOL CORN MARKET.—Tars DAY. Our imports for the creek are liberal of Wheat and Flour from abroad ; we have also a larze fresh arrival of Oatmeal from Scotland, and a fair quantity of Wheat, Barley, and Malt Coastwise. The market this morning was moderately well attended. In Wheat we may quote a decline in value of 4d. per 701 b, and in Flour ls. 6d. per barrel, from the rates of this day week. Oats and Oatmeal are also lower in value, and the demand very slack. In Indian Corn and other articles so little doing that it is almost impossible to give accurate quotations. THE LICENSING SYSTEM. THE Magistrates of Liverpool having appointed a Sub- Corn mittee to consider the present system of licensing public-houses, have received their report, and agreed to a series of resolutions recommending the abolition of the present system ; the throwing open of the trade upon payment of a certain annual sum ; the restriction of the license to the individual to whom it is granted, without power of transfer, except to widow or son, until the next licensing day ; and the merging of beer-house licenses into the proposed new system. With every respect for the magisterial wisdom which dictated these resolutions, we have the strongest objections to their adoption. The throwing open the trade would at once put an end to the investment of capital for superior houses of accommoda tion, by increasing the competition, while the charge being simply an annual payment, would operate as a great injustice to the small trader when compared with the larger one. What is chiefly required is a more active authority by - the Magistrates for the removal of licenses where the number of public-houses is too many, into increasing neighbourhoods where they may be wanted. A more strict surveillance should also be kept over the management of public-houses, so that a forfeiture of license may follow a breach of the regulations. In the plan proposed, however, a great sacrifice must be made by the owners of property, from such houses being gene rally constructed purposely for the trade, which could not be the case if licenses were merely personal. BARBAROUS MURDER IN PRESTON. Great excitement was created in Preston yesterday morning by the discovery that a barbarous murder had been committed during the night, in Turk's-head-yard. The deceased was named Thomas Wilcock, and was a vendor of nuts and fruit. He had been drinking with men, named James Parker and Ralph Ireland, in the Turk's-head public-house, and had some high words there. About two o'clock in the morning Wilcock left the house, and was followed by Parker and Ireland ; and the former was heard by a man named John Atkinson, a bailiff, who lives in the yard, to say, " Now give it thee, for what thou hast done to me before time." A disturbance took place, and Atkinson went to the window ; and on looking out he saw Parker strike Wilcock twice on the head. and knock him down. Another man, named Joseph Livesey, who was present at the time, saw Parker knock the deceased down, and after he fell, he gave him several kicks on the head and neck with his foot, and then ran away. The police were then called to the spot, and it was found that Wilcock was quite dead ; a quantity of blood having flowed from his nose ar.d ears. The body was then conveyed to the lock-up, and shortly afterwards Parker and Ireland were apprehended in a housa in Turk's-head-yard. The prisoners were brought before the magistrates, at the Town-hall, yesterday (Monday) morning), when the above facts were deposed to, and an application was made to have them remanded till the result of the inquest on the body should be known. The application was granted, and the prisoners were remanded till Wednesday. An inquest will be held on the body to-day (Tuesday). POLICE COURT Y.-- E ST ERD AY. A NICE DISTINCTION.—A miserable woman, advanced in years, of the name of Glassford, was charged with stealing a shawl from the shop of Mr. William Kewley, Brownlow-hill, on Saturday night last. A person, named Allen, in the employment of Mr. Green, pawnbroker, de posed that, when the woman came to pledge the shawl, his suspicions were at once awakened by the hesitation which she displayed in accounting for her possession of the shawl. On inquiry he discovered where the shawl had been procured, and immediately led Mr. Kewley to a knowledge of his loss. The woman said she had not stolen the shawl, nor had she ever stolen anything in the whole course of her iife. She happened to be passing the shop on Saturday night, and she felt the shawl under her feet, and so, of course, picked it up. Mr. Nicol: And then went and pawned it. The prisoner said she was a poor widow woman, and had never cemmitted " any robbery in the world ;" but she was, notwithstanding, sentenced to be imprisoned for seven days. AN OLD THIEF.—Mary Banks, an elderly woman, was charged with stealing a shawl from Bridget Judge, No. 11, Addison-street, on Friday last. The prisoner went to Mrs. Judge's house, under pretence of asking for some individual of whom she was in quest ; and, when Mrs. Judge turned her back, the artful woman extracted the shawl from a basket which lay convenient. Twenty-one days' imprisonment. STABBING CASE : CONNUBIAL WARS.--John Crewe was charged by his wife, a woman apparently older than himself, with stabbing her on the afternoon of Saturday, in his mother's house. They had been taking tea toge ther, when something occurred to mar their felicity, and so Crewe took the knife with which he was cutting some ham, and made a thrust with it at the bosom of his spouse. She held up her hand to protect herself, and saved her throat at the expense of two fingers, which were cut seriously. So ran the woman's story ; and she further averred that her husband used her most cruelly, that he separated from her, and went to live at his mothers's, that he frequently beat her till she was blue, and finally that he told her to go out at night, and rob men—making the most violent threats if she did not comply with the request. The prisoner denied the allegations ; and stated that, although he admitted having once been a bad cha racter, he had for a long time been endeavouring to re form, and the only obstacle in his way was his wife, who was addicted to the most evil habits. From the state ment of the officers, it seemed that the complainant was one of the most notorious thieves in the town. The pri soner was accordingly discharged. Two MODEL SOCDIERS.—Isaac Woolmer, a private in H.M. 46th regiment, was charged with having stolen from a brother private, on the passage from Belfast to Liverpool, a pair of stockings, a pair of muffatees, and other apparel. It appeared that the soldiers on board the steamer had got drunk over a bottle of whiskey, and were not very well aware of what they did, so that the pri soner was discharged. HOUSEBREAKING.—WiIIiam Campion, a young house breaker, was sentenced to one month's imprisonment, for surreptitiously introducing himself into the wash-house occupied by Mr. Blackeley, Grafton-street, at the early hour of five o'clock on Monday morning. The lad had to climb over an eight-foot wall in order to get to the out-office, where he was found by Mr. Blackely busy making a selection of goods, which he doubtless meant to " appropriate." STEALING A RING.—A flashily-dressed young man charged a prostitute, named Sarah Ann Brown, with steal ing a gold ring from him on Saturday night. He was walking along one of the main thoroughfares of the town, when the girl accosted him ; and, as he entered into con versation, she drew nearer to him, and before he knew, whipped the ponderous gold ring from his little finger—a work not very difficult to achieve, as it was " a loose fit." He at once accused her of the theft, when she flung the ring away. A policeman recovered the precious article, and the magistrate told the prosecutor he ought to be very thankful that he had not lost it, and discharged the girl. A FATHER AND DAUGHTER.—A melancholy case came before Mr. Nicol, the culprit being Frances Story, a young woman apparently under twenty years of age, and the prosecutor her own father, an old sailor, who had not taken the extreme measure now adopted without great sorrow and pain. Since the death of the girl's mother, twelve years ago, he had refrained from going to sea, for the sake of his family ; he had been a hard-working man, and had contrived to save a little money, but all his efforts were likely to be rendered unavailable by the icked actions of Frances, who had become intimate with a circle of idle and dissolute girls, whose unprincipled conduct she soon began to imitate. She had repeatedly robbed her father, and on Saturday she broke open a private box, ab stracted from it a gold watch and some silver spoons, the former article being immediately pledged with a Jew pawnbroker for the sum of £2. The girl wept bitterly during the investigation of the case, and appealed to her father to get off ; and, in accordance with the magistrate's suggestion, the prosecutor agreed to see his daughter pri vately, and the case was accordingly remanded. A FEMALE TRIUMVIRATE.--3far'y Tallon, Jane Swann, and Eliza Dolan, charged with breaking into a bakehouse in Great Howard -street, and stealing therefrom a quantity of wearing apparel, belonging to Mrs. Georgians Anderson (with whom one of the party had been employed in the capacity of a domestic servant), were remanded for seven days. A DISHONEST 'Bus CONDUCTOR. —A young lad, named James Wright, who had been employed by the Messrs. Busby, 'bus proprietors, for the past five weeks, was committed for trial, on a charge of embezzling v a . rious sums, received in the shape of fares from the p as . sengers. The dishonest young man was con ductor of the omnibus running from Dale - str eet to Cabbage.. hall. LIKTURE TlTis EVENING.—Our re a d ers will notice that the Rev. John Kell y will d eliver the fourth l ec t ure o f the series on Protestant Nonconformists, in the Concert ina!, this evening. The three first lectures on Noncon. Milton, and Cromwell , formists, .ae been delivered to crowded audiences. DOCK REFORMS MEETING OF THE POLYTECHNIC SOCIETY LAST NIGHT. The usual monthly meeting of the Polytechnic Society was held at the Royal Institution, last night, at eight o'clock,—Mr. Horner, the president, in the chair. The Mayor having promised to honour the society with his presence, and the subject for the evening being Mr. Grantham's plans for improving the working of the docks by a high-level railway and water cranes, there was a large attendance. As the subject was considered one of great importance to the town at large, invitations had been sent to the members of the Town Council and the Dock Committee, several members of which we observed present. The PRESIDENT, who was supported by Mr. Holme, the mayor, having stated the object for which the society had met, Mr. GRA)7IIAIU, engineer, rose to explain his plans, which were illustrated with a very beautiful model, exe cuted at, we believe, a great outlay of thought and time. In requesting his audience to excuse any little omission which he might make, he reminded th ose present that he had some small claim to their favoura ble consideration. He had been one of th e ear li est members of the present society, and i n i ts i nfancy he occupied that chair when it was not such an honourable post, perhaps, as it had now become. He had further on more occasions than one brought forward subjects for their consideration, in the treatment of which it might be thought he was over sanguine, but, as in the case of the screw propulsion, he had proved himself a true prophet. With regard to the method of landing passengers from sea-going steamers which he had at that early period of the Society's history the honour of expounding to them, he believed it was now about to be carried into practical effect—the plans being but little varied from those which he had then tub mitted to their attention. The subject to which he now. proposed to direct their attention was a local subject of unrivalled importance. All of them were perfectly aware of the very imperfect condition, at the present time, of that branch of their local business included in the conveying of goods to and from the warehouses and the docks, and in lading and unlading vessels at this port. They all knew that it was a subject entitled to attention and remedy. It was a hundred years ago since the first dock of Liverpool was constructed. He believed the town had made no progress whatever in the department to which he alluded during the whole of the subsequent hundred years ; and that he contended was not as it ought to be. To prove the importance attached to the subject by those who were best entitled to express an opinion, he quoted various extracts from a report issued by a committee of that most im portant body, the Chamber of Commerce—an assemblage of all the most influential men connected with the different branches of trade and commerce. The report said the subject was of the utmost importance to the wellbeing of the export trade of this port, and entered into a lengthy statement of the difficulties under which the port at present laboured. The amount of damage done to the goods in being shipped—the gross pilferage which took place in consequence of the exposure of these goods —was a subject of great complaint. The difficulties which arose from this damaging of goods, was too familiar to them all to require any lengthened explanation. They were aware that a railway had been constructed along the whole line of docks—for the special purpose, however, of forwarding the designs of the Dock Committee, and removing the earthwork from one part to another. Some outcry had been raised against the Dock Committee, because it was not suited for other purposes; but he held that it was a most serious obstruction to the thoroughfares, and tended to retard rather than to promote business, making the overcrowded way dangerous to passengers and car riages. And if they looked at the Birkenhead Docks too, they would see that it amounted to an obstruction rather than to an increase of facilities. He held that the system was radically bad, and could not be carried out. And, when he introduced the high level railways to their attention, he proposed no new thing ; it had already been executed elsewhere, and he only asked that, if they adopted the plan, they might recollect that it was he who laid it be fore them, in the form in which they now saw it. (Cheers.) He then proceeded to explain the nature of the plan from the model, which he did in a clear and lucid manner. It was, in effect, taking our present sheds and making them two stories instead of one; it was no more. Therefore, the new sheds would be no more obstruction of the quay ground than the present sheds were. In a busy thoroughfare like that at the bottom of St. James's-street a bridge might be introduced, which would be no obstrac tion whatever. There would be three lines of railway laid in the shed, and at the same time a large vacant space within the span of the ordinary shed. On one line car. riages could stand while they were being laden or unoc cupied. Then there would be a crane at each opening in the shed going over to the ship, and at the same time ' enabling goods to be put in the carriages on the line. There was one feature, familiar to those at all acquainted with railways, that the carriages might be lowered or made level at the convenience of the managers, which would here prove of great service, in turning the carriages aside to private or public ware houses. Then the sheds might be made ornamental, whereas the present sheds were ugly and uninviting to the eve. But the subject o f b ranches was the most im portant one ; and he had no doubt that not only public warehouses, but private individuals having timber or coal yards, would soon find the advantage of having branches constructed to the main dock line. The railways should invariably cross streets at a high level, and thus remove all those sources of danger which crossings created. Were the plan once adopted, he felt convinced that no cart need ever be seen approaching the docks. As to the manner in which he proposed to approach the sides, he would at first hare the carriages lowered from the upper line, and turned off upon simple tram lines. But this would be merely a temporary arrangement ; for he felt convinced that, once so far carried out, the entire scheme would be accomplished, and the high-level line carried round the whole of the docks. He then enlarged on the advantages of the cranes working so as to have every facility, without on the one hand injuring the ship, or on the other coming in contact with the shed ; and he stated that there would be immense advantage in intro ducing the steam or water cranes. Thus he showed how they might attain three great advantages :—first, the sheds ; second, the railway ; and thirdly, a good system of crainage. He did not think it would be advisable to intro duce locomotives, as horses would probably be found cheaper and more convenient. As to the change being likely to throw great numbers of carters and porters out of employment, he reminded them of the fact that railways had extended, instead of diminishing the number of people employed in connexion with modes of conveyance. He believed that a railway, such as he had sketched, and four miles long, might be constructed at a cost short of half a million—the interest of which, at 4 per cent., would of course be £20,000 per annum. His calculations proved, however, that the increased facility of transmission to the docks, and of loading, would far more than repay the expense, besides which, less quay room would be required ; and, while the trade of the port might still continue to progress, the way in which they would be able to discharge and lade a vessel would ren der the existing docks sufficient for the traffic, a double advantage, inasmuch as it saved the millions of money which the building of new docks required, and prevented the extension of them beyond the disadvantageous distance from the heart of business, which they had already reached. In the course of his lengthened speech, which was listened to with marked attention, and fre quently applauded, Mr. Grantham spoke of the efficiency with which the new system of high-level railways was wrought at several new ports. He lamented that the Dock Committee were the only parties who were empow ered to carry the scheme into effect, and that private en terprise dare not interfere. But he hoped the public would so act upon that Dock Committee that they would listen to the voice of the town ; and, as the head of the required agitation, he suggested one whom he had long had the honour of calling his friend, and who was now the representative of this town. (Cheers.) It was a work in every way worthy of Mr. Holme, who had already done many useful things for Liverpool. Mr. SUTTON confirmed Mr. Grantham's opinions, from his own experience of the way in which goods were at present injured from exposure. Mr. PURNELL, master of the Queen's Dock scheme was inapplicable to the west docks. The MAYOR, after eulogising the able exposition of Mr. Grantham, expressed his general concurrence in the scheme, which;he had seen successfully at work at Car digan. He would not like to undertake the duty assigned to him by Mr. Grantham, as he was muzzled for twelve months at the least, and it was perhaps well for the coun cil that he was so (laughter); still it was a subject of vast importance, and should have his earnest attention. said the • Mr. Poole, of the goods' department of the London and North-western Railway; Mr. Higgins, Mr. Joseph Hubback, Mr. James Lord, all supported the statements of Mr. Grantham, and their approval of the proposed high level railway. Mr. MALCOLMSON, as a member of the Dock Commit tee, defended that body. , Mr. BENNETT commended the paper of Mr. Grantham; and after an eloquent and loudly-cheered speech by Mr. BRAMLEY-MOORE, in which he acknowledged the impor tance of the scheme, but declined to give an opinion till he was better acquainted with it, the discussion was, on the motion of Mr. MILNER, adjourned till the next monthly meeting. _ Mr. GRANTHAM having replied to some of the objec tions of the various speakers, Mr. MILNER, in a neat and appropriate speech, pre posed a vote of thanks to the Mayor, whose practical mind had effected much, and was still labouring for the good of the town. Mr. BENNETT seconded the motion, which was carried with great unanimity and warmth of feeling. A vote of thanks to Mr. Grantham, for his able Paper, was likewise tendered, and the proceedings terminated. NORTH mmander, AMERICAN ROYA L M AIL STEAM-SHIP TI N SH IA A G N A D N RA, L de parture hence for New York on eo Saturday ' took her at noon, with forty passengers an d a fair cargo on board, b es i de the usual mails. THE CENTENARY OF ROSCOE.---The committtee ap pointed to consider the nature of the demonstration to be made on the Bth March in com memoration of Roscoe's cen t e nary, m Saturday m evening . att h e o l y t al ha l s nse e u n ti c m o i n , cCluodlqeudittto et C i e the day w i t h a public breakfast and soirée, in• course et°' of which some interesting details will be given tcshot ermee tmconcerning; the accomplished biographer of Lorenzo de Medici. The breakfast over, the company will, probably, proceed to an inspection of the Royal Institution, originated by Roscoe. Thence it is intended to join in the inaugu ration of the Free Museum, presented to the town by the Earl of Derby, and which the Council have agreed to open for the first time on that day. The noble donor has been requested to honour the occasion with his presence. A general wish has been expressed that the Earl of Elles mere should be invited to the demonstration. A sub committee has been appointed to correspond with other eminent literary and scientific men of the day, to whom invitations will be sent. The Mayor, Mr. Samuel H o l me , has intimated his intention of loving in the evening the first of several soirees that, we hear, are to be held at the Town-hall during his mayoralty. It was mentioned at the committee that Mr. Mayer was striking a medal in com memoration of the day. A committee, consisting of the presidents of all the l earne d societies, has been appointed for the purpose of maturing the plans and 'rendering the demenitratien is every way weribY of itl 011416