The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-02-22 00:00:00

TUESDAY MORNING, FEB. 22, 1553. THE WEEK THE sharp frost which we noticed in our last as having so opportunely set in, has continued during the week just closed, and there is no present sign of its breaking up. The consequence has been, that the local amusements have been augmented, skating has been in vogue on every available piece of ice, and the Scotch game of curling has been indulged th true Highland ardour. Of in-door amuse- ments the most attractive have been the concerts at the Philharmonic-hall. The band of Mr. THOMAS is gaining a national reputation, and nightly draw ing crowds of delighted hearers of its magnificent harmony. The first for the season of the Philhar monic Society's concerts will take place to-morrow, (Wednesday,), and on Thursday the shilling series will be resumed. Considerable excitement was created on Tues day afternoon, by the report received by telegraph, that the Queen Victoria steamer, which left this port on the previous afternoon for Dublin, with above a hundred passengers, had been wrecked that morning during a snow storm, when almost close to the desired haven, and that more than half her freight of human lives had been victims by the lamentable catastrophe. Further accounts not only confirmed the melancholy intelligence, but showed that the extent of the loss had been under stated, as it is now believed that the number of persons drowned was more than seventy particulars which have since been elicited from the survivors suggest some important considerations with reference to the means of providing against such a calamity as that which has so forcibly demonstrated the uncertainty of human life. It appears that the vessel, as far as her owners were concerned, was well provided with the means of safety; but, with the proverbial recklessness of sea men, who, inured to clangor, seemed to disregard all fear of its approach, those means were not available at the very time when they were in urgent request. One boat, from defect of the lowering tackle, capsized as soon as it touched the water, the other boat had the plug out of her bottom, and her oars were securely lashed to the sides. The first difficulty was partially remedied by the noble courage of a boy who used his fingers as a substitute for the missing plug, and the second was obviated by the passengers, who were destitute of a knife, wrenching two of the oars from the lashings by main force; and it was owing to the praiseworthy exertions of these individuals, aided by the boats from the Roscommon steamer, that so many were saved. There can be little doubt, however, that had both boats been in serviceable condition, with proper lowering tackle, the greater part of those on board would have been saved, as the distance to a place of safety was only about half a mile, and the sea was not very rough. The brave commander, with the spirit of a true seaman, remained at his post, but, unfortunately, with his second and third officers, perished with the sinking vessel. It is much to be desired that some steps could be taken to provide more effectually against the consequences of such a calamity, as it too often happens, par ticularly with steam-vessels, that the danger is im minent, when, perhaps, it is least expected. The meeting in behalf of the Liverpool Indus trial Ragged Schools, which was held on Tuesday last, attracted one of the most crowded meetings which has been witnessed for some time in this The speeches were listened to with great attention, and the resolutions agreed to with enthu siasm. The proposition for training some of the boys as seamen was favourably received, and it is hoped that the Committee will be enabled to carry it into effect. We have alluded to the meeting more at length in a leading article. _ The half-yearly meeting of the Liverpool United Gas-light Company showed a prosperous state of their financial affairs, the dividend declared amount ing to five per cent. on the half year. The public would have been better satisfied with an announce ment of a reduction in price, as a reasonable con sequence of such remunerative profits ; but a ques tion to the Chairman on this subject only produced an indefinite promise of a reduction being made at some future time. As diminished cost usually leads to increased consumption, the consumers will be disposed to think that the amount of dividend supplied ample argument for no farther delay. At the annual meeting of the Liverpool Provi dent Society, on Tuesday, at which the Mayor pre sided, the Rev. Rector CAMPBELL called attention to the importance of supporting the Society as one of the most efficient means for the suppression of mendicancy. It was too often the case that the bestowal of casual alms was offering a premium to imposition, and tending to perpetuate vagrancy ; whereas by contributing to the funds of the Society, and referring to them all applicants for relief, true charity would be exercised, and the really necessi tous would have their wants relieved. GOVERNMENT OF IRELAND.—WiII English statesmen and English parliaments never be made to see the great truth, that what is wanting for the efficient and peaceable government of Ireland is not the conciliation of this or that party—not a prop now to Protestant ascendancy, and a lift anon to Papal despotism—but the steady, impartial, unflinch ing, and uncalculating administration of the law. By that means alone, by the induction into the mind of Orangeman, Papist, and Ribbonman alike, of a conviction that every breaker of the law, every dis turber of the public peace will receive at the hands of the government, whether it be Derbyite, or Peelite, without paltering or evasion, the full mea sure of the law honestly dealt out. By these means alone, can Ireland be relieved from the baneful activity of party spirit, which has laid a spell upon all productive and legitimate energy, and worn her to the extremest point of helplessness and debility. —Morning Post. THE DERBY ELECTION COMNIITTEE.—MaIIy borough elections are a mere trial of skill between the Whig Flewker and the Tory Frail. The general who influences the greater number of indifferents wins the day. The Whiffs will have Flewkers, Tories will have Frails, and even Radicals look out for good and safe men. If by act of parliament we could create voters who would be unselfish, and act from principle, all this would come to an end. But as this is impossible, we must bear the evils inseparable from our corrupt humanity. It would be an exceedingly amusing sight to behold the whole body of Whig purists who uplift their eyes at the name of Frail, marched one by one through the lobby, and obliged to plead guilty or not guilty to the use of good and safe men in their election concerns. How few could lay their hands upon their hearts and say " Not guilty, upon my honour." We never yet heard of a Whig scrupling to make use of an election agent. Were the secrets of all boroughs disclosed, how many immaculate repre sentatives who are publicly wiping their mouths and saying," I have done no evil," would be found to owe their seats more to the tact of their Frails than to their own merits. They are happy that no Reform Club has as yet offered £7OO for their let ters. Give us a better system with all our hearts. Consign Frails and Flewkers to oblivion as soon as possible—the sooner the better; but it will be quite time enough for the Whigs to crow in the Drum lanrig fashion when they have wiped their hands altogether of using other than purely constitutional influences at their elections. We may well speak feelingly upon the subject. In Ireland we have suffered at our elections the full curse of Frails and Flewkers in long black coats, booted and spurred, with heavy horsewhips, and followed by a horde of myrmidons armed with shillelahs, for the last quar ter of a century. These are the " good and safe men" of the Liberal party. By virtue of their ex ertions the Whigs feasted year after year on the loaves and fishes of Downing-street. The recol lections are forced upon us by the rampant glee with which the Times recurs to the worn-out theme of Frail and Flewker. The Liberal party have much to forget, much to repent, much to undo, and much to amend, before they make the Derby committee a subject of congratulation.—Dublin Evening Mail. SIR CHARLES WOOD. - The abject, though shuffling, explanation which Sir Charles Wood had to make, by letter through his colleagues, to the Imperial Parliament, would be simply ridiculous, but for the untoward fact that the Queen and the country are . disagreeably compromised by his in discretion, Sir Charles Woofs personal dignity is a matter, we take it, of exceedingly small con- But it is a matter of serious regret and an noyance, that a Cabinet Minister should have put it in the power of a Foreign Potentate, and that Potentate a "parvenu," to demand a humiliating explanation at the hands of the British Government, the Government of Queen Victoria. The peccavi epistle of the blustering President of the Board of Trade is paraded in the columns of the Moniteur, as a humiliation inflicted on the peifidc Albion; but it will hardly be considered a sufficient set-off against Waterloo. SIR JAMES GRAHAM —The Irish Government has gone out of its way to commute the sentences of imprisonment pronounced upon two students of Galway College for an assault, arising out of their disrespectful and disloyal conduct in keeping on their hats and hissing at the performance of the National Anthem, " God save the Queen !" Such an intimation is of a piece with the proposed prose cution of the soldiers engaged at the Six-Mile Bridge in keeping the Queen's peace, by the Law Officers of the Queen's Government. The whole proceeding is worthy of a Cabinet, a member of which has dared to assure a Radical mob, that "although he is fresh from the Royal presence," they need not he afraid of contamination, because he brings with him "a clean bill of health." Is there no honourable member, by the way, that will make Sir James eat up that dirty speech of his across the table of the House ?—John Bull. CLERGY RESERVES IN CANADA.—The first question calculated to test the Conservative and Church character of the Coalition Ministry is before Parliament, and that by their own act. The result is that our worst anticipations are fulfilled. All regard for the religious principles which the Government of Queen Victoria is bound to uphold, and all regard for the principle of the sacredness of property, without which no human society can long continue to exist in peace and security, is cast to the winds, as a peace-offering to unjust, unreasonable, and irreligious clamour. Let the same rule by which the ministerial measure proposes to deal with the clergy reserves in Canada, be applied to the Church at home, to our corporations, and to other descrip tions of property whose origin can be traced to public grants, and there is an end at once to all our institutions—an end to the settlement of property in this country. The revolution commenced in Canada may not be attended with bloodshed, but it is a revolution nevertheless, and that a revolution fraught with the most mischievous, the most perilous consequences. Such is the Conservatism of the cabinet of the Earl of Aberdeen ! such the security which Mr. Gladstone's presence in the cabinet affords to the church ! Mr. Gladstone pro bably consoles himself with the assurance given to the House of Commons by Mr. Frederick Peel— the Duke of Newcastle being seemingly ashamed or afraid to introduce the bill, where it ought to have been introduced in the first instance, in the Upper House. " The Church of England," said the smooth-tongued Under-Secretary, "he doubted not, would win its way in the colony as it had done in the United States, by the purity of its doctrine, by the soundness of its teachings, and by the virtues illustrated in the actions of its clergy"—the clergy, to wit, whom the bill proposes to strip of their legal endowments. If the church's purity of doctrine, the soundness of her teaching, the virtues of her clergy, are sufficient reasons for stripping the Church in the colonies, why should not the same argument hold good likewise with regard to the Church at home ?—John Bull. THE NATIONAL DEFENCES.—The attention o the country appears to be at last fairly aroused to the state of its defences, and the Government, now that the subject has become popular, no longer thinks it necessary either to ignore it or impede its progress. Indeed, from no quarter, except Mr. Cobden and the Morning Herald, will there be the slightest opposition to well-considered and really efficient measures of defence. Men feel that the honour of England, her power and her liberties, are possessions far too precious to be exposed to the chance of insult, perhaps even to actual danger. They feel, too, that our security ought not to lie in the forbearance of our neighbours, but in our own inherent strength, and that our neighbours them selves are far more likely to keep the peace if they know that we are in a condition to repel them, and that the invasion of England can lead to nothing but the disgrace and defeat of the power which in vades her. The famous wish of the Duke of Wel lington, that " he hoped the Almighty would pro tect him from being a witness of the tragedy which he could not persuade his contemporaries to take measures to avert," has received one melancholy fulfilment in the death of that illustrious man himself. But it seems likely to receive a more worthy and happy consummation in the present state of public feeling, which the publication of his celebrated letter to Sir John Burgoyne not a little contributed to bring about.—The Guardian. THE LORD LIEUTENANCY OF IRELAND.— There is an obstinate littleness in the siege laid to the Viceroyalty of Ireland by the Whigs, which savours of the spite of the Olympian persecutions celebrated by Homer and by Virgil. The object is certainly enormously disproportioned to the indefatigable zeal and duplicity with which it is pursued. The passion which Lord J. Russell would seem to have conceived for the bauble, is as hot and pertinacious as that with s hich the Princess, in Andersen's tale, sighed for the Swineherd's pipkin. Nothing will satisfy the noble lord but Nahoth's little vineyard. He is melancholy, dys peptic, and good-for-nothing till he has gained his little end. Can anything be more paltry or more ! A few solemn asses in London, a couple of days ago, put their heads together, and made a hideous trumpetting over the little court in Dublin Castle. The Observer and the Morning Advertiser put on the cast•off finery of the Times, and talked of " tinsel," " mock-courts " and " ginger -bread pageants," with a hauteur that was perfectly awful. But when all these stereotyped impertinences, and a great deal that is personally and wantonly affiont ing to Lord St. Germans beside, are put by, a marvellous short supply of argument remains- in favour of the robbery. If the government meditate an attack upon this institution, we at all events acquit Lord St. Germans of the duplicity of having intentionally misled us. But no honest man will acquit the cabinet of a gross violation of ministerial faith, pledged by the solemn official response of their highest Irish functionary. The weakness of the administration is our best hope. They are in no condition to hazard an unnecessary battle and we venture to say, that if they do so upon this issue, they will raise such a storm about their ears as will swamp their crazy government some months before its time.—Dublin Evening Herald. THE JEW BILL.—The little Whig lord who undertook to herald this measure into the house, besides sundry private reasons of his. own, as mem ber for the City of London, has, in common with his brother Whigs, this notable reason, that consi dering religion an allotrion, an ad libitum affair, which men keep as they do fancy pigeons, or any other fancy thing, he cannot see the justice or the propriety of objecting to a Jew as a legislator, sim ply because he has a fancy to revile Him whom Christians worship. The Radical, who objects to religion in the abstract, and considers all belief in, or attachment to, religious doctrines and principles a social nuisance, discerns in the Jew who aspires to a seat in a Christian legislature, a brother-spirit, —one who, like himself, does not care a pin for his own or any other creed, and professes a religion on the principle on which every man that wears a waistcoat is forced to have it of some colour. He welcomes the Jew on the same bench with himself, because he feels that to have one scoffer more sit ting on it, will strengthen his cause. The Papist, who, as the history of his Church abundantly wit nesses, abhors a Jew as much as a conquer abho h r i s s pork, is nevertheless willing for once to aver sionappr for ach the to lad to l tolerate its the J ew h e animal,would and not g y to the dungeons of the Inquisition, or Not uncleanth at roast him in the flames of an Auto-da-fe,—but that he thinks he can put him just now to a better use. This Protestant kingdom, with its Proteetant Church, th e Papist knows full well, is strong in the protection of Him whose name the Jew loads with imprecations. To abet this nation in offering to Him the affront of seating the Jew in the legisla ture of a kingdom whose sovereign rules in His name, is, as again the P ap i st well knows, the surest way to bring this kingdom to a fall, and to weaken if not to overthrow, its Church.—J o h n Bull, , THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1853. FOREIGN NEWS. FRANCE.—The opening of the Legislative Bodies took place on Monday, last week, in the palace of the Tui leries. The members of the Senate had previously as sembled at the Palace of the Luxembourg, and proceeded from there in carriages, escorted by detachments of Lancers, to the Tuileries. The members of the Legislative Corps also previously met in their chamber and proceeded with a similar train to the Palace. The members of the Council of State left the Palace nearly at the same time. The ceremony took place in the same apartment—the Salle des Alar6chaux—where the Chambers were opened in February last, and with the same formalities as on that occasion. The Emperor was accompanied by the Empress. Beyond the members of the Senate, of the Legislative Corps, the Council of the State, the Judges, the other functionartes of State, and the members of the Diplo matic Corps, there were fewstrangers present. The speech of the Emperor is as follows : " Senators and Deputies,—A year since I called you to gether, in this place, to inaugurate the Constitution pro mulgated in virtue of the powers which the people had conferred on me. Since that period tranquillity has not been disturbed. The law, in resuming its sway, has al lowed the return to their homes of the majority of the men who were made the subject of necessary severity. The riches of the nation have increased to such a point that that part of our floating capital, the value of which can be estimated, amounts to about two milliards. The activity of labour developes itself in every branch of in dustry. The same progress is being realized in Africa, where our army has just distinguished itself by heroic suc cesses. The form of the government has been changed, without any shock, by the free suffrages of the people. Great works have been undertaken, without the creation of any new tax, and without a loan. Peace has been maintained without servility. All the Powers have recog nized the New Government. France has now institutions which can defend themselves, and the stability of which do not depend on the life of one man. " These results have not cost great efforts, because they were in the minds and for the interest of all. To those who would doubt their importance, I will reply that scarcely 14 months ago France was delivered up to the hazirds of anar chy. To those who may regret that a wider field has not been given to liberty, I will reply, that liberty has never aided in founding a durable political edifice ; it crowns it when it has been consolidated by time. Let us, besides, not forget that the immense majority of the country has confidence in the present, and faith in the future; thorn still remain incorrigible individuals, who, forgetful of their own experience, of their past terrors, and of their own dis appointments, obstinately persist in paving no attention to the national will, deny the reality of facts, and in the midst of a sea, which grows more and more calm, call for tempests in which they would be the first that would be swallowed up. These occult proceedings of the different parties serve no purpose, but to show their weakness, and the Government, instead of being disturbed at them, only thinks of governing France and tranquiflizing Europe. For this double object it has the firm determination to di minish expenses and armament, and to devote to useful purposes all the resources of the country to keep up with good faith international relations, in order to prove to the most incredulous that when France expresses her formal intention to remain at peace it may be believed, for she is strong enough not to deceive any one. , " You will see Gentlemen, by the budget which will be presented to you, that our financial position has never been better for the last 20 years, and that the public revenue has increased beyond all anticipation. Nevertheless, the effective force of the army, already reduced by 30,000 men in the course of the last year, is about to be immediately reduced by 20,000 more. " The majority of the laws which will be presented to you will not go beyond necessary exigencies, and that is the most favourable indication of our situation. The people are happy when Governments do not find it neces sary to resort to extraordinary measures. " Let us, therefore, thank Providence for the visible protection which it has accorded to our efforts ; let us persevere in this course of firmness and moderation, which re-assures without irritating, which leads to good without violence ; and so prevents all reaction. Let us always reckon on God , and on ourselves,as on the mutual support which we owe to ourselves ; and let us be proud to see in so short a time this country pacified, prosperous at home, and honoured abroad." ITALY.—A grand ball was given at the French em bassy at Rome on the 7th. There were upwards of 1,400 persons present. The king of Bavaria honoured the fes tival with his presence, under the incognito of Count de Werdenfels. A recent census of Rome gives a population of 175,0.00, divided into 54 parishes, and amongst them are 29 bishops, 1,280 priests, 2,092 monks and members of religious or ders, 1,698 nuns, and 537 ecclesiastical pupils: In 1848 the population was 179,000; but was reduced by the revo lution to 166,000 in the following year. The number of bishops in residence at Rome was 49 in 1846,. the highest known;. in 1849 it was, as now, only 29. The number of priests was never greater than in 1848, when it was 1541 : nor lower than in 1849, when it was 1,187 ; that of monks and members of religious orders was 2,589 in 1848, and 1,764 in 1849: The number of nuns was 1,592 in 1843, and being now 1,698, presents an increase of 1 per cent., after deducting the losses from deaths. The number of ecclesiastical pupils was 1,069. in 1844, and in'lB49 it fell to 492. The heretics of all shades—Turks, schismatics, Protestants, and unbelievers —amount, exclusive of Jews, to 412, and a very. groat number of them belong. to the foreign embassies. Leiters from Naples state that, in consequence of bles sings supposed to be derived from her intercession, the coffin of the late Queen has been opened, in order to expose her remains to public veneration. To the surprise of those present on the occasion, it was found that the body was in a most perfect state of preservation, although it was well known that rapid decomposition had taken place immediately after her decease. The strongest ex pectations of further blessings are, it is stated, enter tained, in consequence of the miraculous restoration of the body. A letter from Florence of the 10th announces that some rioting had taken place at-Orvieto, in the Itnsaan domi nions. No details are given, but it appears-that - an indi vidual was stabbed, that stones were thrown into the windows of a church, that menaces were uttered against the authorities and several inhabitants known to profess Conservative opinions. AUSTRIA.—ATTEMPT , TO ASSASSINATES. THE EM PEROR.-A telegraphic message from Vienna announces that an attempt had been made on the life of the Emperor of Austria. He had been fired at while out riding, but the effect of the shot was trifling, and the wound which the Emperor received is not likely to be attended with danger: The perpetrator of the crime was arrested on the spot.. The occurrence had given rise to considerable excitement in Vienna. Another communication says "Vienna, Satur day afternoon : The !mperor of Austria was, this day, walking on the bastion, at one o'clock,..when he was at tacked and slightly wounded on the head with a poignard, by &Hungarian, named Lebeney. His. returned to the palace on foot, and could not, therefore, have been dangerously woundel"- Aicounts have been received from Vienna, by tele graph, that in consequence of the evasive answer given by the Divan to the application of Austria, through Count Leiningen, orders had been given for the Austrian troops to , proceed towards. the Turkish frontier, their progress having been beforeatopped until an answer was received. PRUSSIA.—The cholera has onl? made its appearance in Breslau, but seems to increase in.virulence. From the 18th of December till the Ist of February, 86 cases were known, of which 55 proved fatal. Ou the 2nd of February, there were nine new cases and eight deaths. 6,ooo.clildren are mentioned in various reports-as ill of scarlet fever and measles. Polish papers bring the intelli once that all the Poles in the military service of the Porte had made known their determination, not to serve against the Montenegrins, whom they look on as a race of: like Slavoniannrigin with themselves. The well-known Japanese traveller, Von Bleb°ld, was lately at Berlin on his way to Warsaw, to have some inter views with, Field Marshal Paskievitch, on the subject of an expedition, which the Russian Government intends to despatch to Japan. _ . A. method has lately been introduced of printing, books on linen prepared for the purpose. It is the invenr. tion of an apothecary named Sanger, and is found very admirable in large schools. for the poor.. The appearance of the book is by no means injured,.and the price is the same as if printed on paper, Tr4TßKEY.—Letters. from the Dalmatian coast state that no new engagements had taken place, Omer Pacha having promised a cessation of hostilities, for the purpose of giving the Montenegrins time to consider the offers contained in his proclamation. An English war steamer is cruising in the Adriatic, off the month of the Bojana River, to watch the progress of the operations. it French steamer, the Chaptal, stationed. in the FyrEens, was about starting on the same errand. The Triest Zietaig, of the 11th, states that a, Russian government messenger had taken an extra steamer to Montenegro on that day. The Lloyd of Vienna announces, on the strength of intelli gence brought by commercial travellers from Dalmatia, that Prince Danilo has declared himself ready to accept the Turkish ultimatum. Letters from Vienna state that satisfactory news has arrived of Count Leiaingen'smission. The Imperial Commissioner of the Porte in Bosnia has published a firman, according to which the Christians are to have the same rights as the Turks. Hurshid Pasha, the new Governor of Bosnia, and Camil Pasha, the Im perial Commissioner, are said to be doing all in their power to ameliorate the condition of the Rayahs. The Trieste Gazette publishes intelligence from Con stantinople of the 29th ultimo. The arrival of the Greek Patriarch from Jerusalem, it is said, had created a great sensation. The Minister of Russia was discontented with the latest arrangement with respect to the Sanctuaries, and had invited the Greek Patriarch to carry the keys of the Church of Bethlehem to Constantinople. The Patri arch had accordingly placed them in the hands of the Minister. The French Government, disinclined to con. cede any of the advantages it bad gained, was disposed to treat directly with Russia on the subject of the holy places. REVOLUTION IN BUENOS AYRES. By the Royal Mail steam-ship Severn, arrived at Southampton, we have intelligence from Buenos Ayres to the 2d of January, stating that a new revolution has taken place, and civil war broke out. A private letter, dated Buenos Ayres, January 2, says :—" December has been a stirring month for our good city. On the Ist, a revolution broke out, beaded by the Minister of War. As a dislike to the person of Governor Alsina was the only motive assigned, he patriotically resigned, thinking thereby to allay the tempest. This point conceded, new demands were preferred, and it soon became evident that the first object was to levy a heavy contribution on the capital, and then seize the government, falling back on the assistance of Urquiza, if necessary. To this last con dition very few in the city were willing to accede, and accordingly we have another ne w government, and the revolution still continues ; the town closely besieged by _ the gauchos ; all business at a dead standstill. beef, the staff of life with a large proportion of the community. at forty to fifty times its usual price ; and almost daily skir onif the outskirts.isesinte neighbourhood ivoef is o he r ib c e it u yand rto in btl4e aoh laness dier ; and many foreigners, from instinct or sympathy, lend their aid for the defence of the capital. We consider. the triumph secure in the first instance, but should the rebels be allowed to retreat to the north end form a junc tion with Urquiza, it may occasiou a serious complica tion. We have very recent news from the capital of Paraguay. Sir Charles Hotham sad arrived there, but matters were not going on very smoothly with the foreign diplomatists. It is reported to-day that a son of the President of Paraguay has arrived :sere, supposed to be on a special mission. We should not be surprised to hear that the Paraguayans embrace the cause of Buenos Ayres. Their commercial interests may seggest and would amply justify that policy. "An official proclamation has just been issued, an nouncing the approach to the city of Colonel Pedro Rosas y Belgrano, at the bead of five thousand men, in support of the provisional government. On the receipt of this in telligence, General Pacheco salliec from the city and dis lodged the besiegers from the fridge, putting them to flight with considerable loss in killed and wounded, and capturing some munitions of war.' The British Packet of ian;;;;1, in its monthly retro spect, says :—" With the exception of powder, ammuni tion, equipments, and the absolute necessaries of life, nothing has been in demand and lothing consumed. As a business month, December m►y be blotted from the calendar." FOREIGN MISCELLANY. LOLA MONTES has been playng, dancing and lion ising at Mobile, where she is engaged as one of the seven wonders of womandom. HYDROPHODIA.—A letter from the Hague announces that two cases of hydrophobia hare been cured there by the employment of sulphate of quinine combined with opium. The Medical Society of Amsterdam is about to publish an account of them. PARRICIDE.—The Provincial Court of Friseland, in Holland, tried, a few days ago, a peasant girl, named Moorars, for poisoning her father and mother. She was sentenced to die the death of the parricide, which consists in being attached by the neck to a post and slowly stran gled. The punishment is dreadful. THE CALORIC ENGINE.—The agent of Ecrisson and others of New York have proposed to furnish the Secre tary of the Navy with one or more vessels, to be pro pelled with caloric-engines, which are to attain a speed of nine knots, with a daily consumption cf eight tons of coal. The proposition has been formally entertained, and Ericsson has been requested to send his new vessel on to Washington. This has been agreed to, and she was to be there within thirty days.—A ew York paper. AN AMERICAN CORRESPONDE:TT.—It would be an un precedented thing in the press to give a lady the lie direct, but what's to be said of the feminine correspon dent of the National Intelligences. (V. S.), who informs a credulous circle that at a royal ball at which she was lately present, " the toilets were sa very dowdy and badly put on, that one wonders if the ram of French dressing maids is extinct. Why, even Fier Majesty's , gown was abominably laced, not even meeting behind. MRS. E-PRESIDENT JOHN TYLER has addressed a letter, in the name of the women of America, to " the Duchess of Sutherland and the Ladies of England,' which purports to be a reply to the Stafford-house address on the subject of American slavery. Mrs. Ex-President John Tyler's letter is of unconsionable length ; and, if shrillness of voice and volubility of invective be esteemed the two things needful in a "polite letter.vriter," she undoubtedly may claim the palm. THE CALORTC SHIP.—A gew York corespondent declares the Ericsson caloric ship a total failure. The ut most speed it has obtained is seven miles an hour, and the increase of fuel to obtain an equal rate with an ordi dinary steam-ship would require six tons of coal e-day, the latter taking only three-and-a-half. He denies also the originality of the invention, mentioning several un successful attempts made within the last twenty years- in Europe to bring the motive power of the caloric or heated air system to bear. Trion PRICE OF NEGROES.—At public atction on Thursday, Thomas Ryan and Son gold fifteen likely negroes for 10,365 dols., or an average of OM dols. Three boys, aged about seventeen, brought the following sums, viz. :-1,065 doll. 1,035 dols. 1,010 and two I,ooo' dors. ; making an average of 1,022 dots. Capers end Heyward sold a gang of 109 negroes in families. Two or three families averaged from 1,000 dols. to 1;100 dols. for each individual ; and the entire sale averaged 550 dols. C. G. Whitney sold two likely female house servasts, one at 1,000 dole., the other - at 1,190 dolw.—Cherleston Courier, Jan. 22. EXTRAORDINARY ESCAPE.—During the saving of the passengers from the Parisian steamer, the boiler of which exploded . some days back on the Rhone, an infant was handed from one to another until it reached a small boat which had come to the aid of'the persons on board; but, just as the child was received by the men in the boat, a larger boat came violently against it, and the smaller one was overturned. The child' was, however, saved by the circumstance of having been placed on a cushiOn, which floated down the current, and carried the child to a point of the shore, where some boatmen took it up. When res cued, it still held an apple in its-hand. A' BRIDAL' CHAMBER.—Tire New York papers de scribe with much minuteness the beauties of a,"bridal chamber." in a splendid hotel which has just beerropened in that city. From the centre of the ceiling is a mass of elatiorately-carved work, overlaid with gold, supporting a magnificent canopy of white satin over the bridal bed, gathered in heavy folds at each corner. Simpended directly over this silken canopy are four magnificent chan deliers sparkling with crystals. The bedstead is almost entirely cushioned, inside and out, with white satin, drawn and tucked, and surrounded by' a foot cushion of the same material. The bed-spread is of embroidered canary-coloured satin, and over the whole is thrown a covering of rich lace. The toilet table, sofa, curtains, and chairs, are furnished in a corresponding style. The walls are also covered with white satin, plaited' perpen dicularly. JDRAZILIAN`DZAMONDS.—A letter;• dated Minas -Geraes, 26th December, says :—Fresh diamond discoveries have taken place at distances of eight, ten, and twenty leagues from Bagagene, that is to say, at Taboca, Reberaba, Re berabinha, Rio des Velhase Domados, in this province, and in that of Goyaz, at similar distances; at Corumba, Precorijuba, and Verissirno. At Taboca a diamond has latterly been found weighing five-and-a-half "octaves," -and purchased 'by Dr. Felix Andre, for 32,003' milreis, tabout 4,000). This gentleman alse rejected forty imme diately after he made this purchase, The population of Bagagem is very much diminished oa account of the new discoveries, to which the majority of those who have not made their fortunes there have rushed. Labour is at a stand-still in consequence of the heavy rains which have commenced early, and which have been so abundant on some days that the embankments of the rivers, formed by thick walls, have been carried 'away by the floods. Trade has suffered from this paralyzation of tl.e diamond works and from the emigration of the population. The letting of the diamond-ground allotments has alreadyeommenced, notwithstanding the many difficulties encountered in the execution of the regulation of the 17th August, 1840, one of the principal ones being the want of suitable persons to serve in the administration, in consequence of the slender emoluments they receive. THE AVERICAN ARMY, is composed of Germans and Irish, with a small portion of natives of the lowest caste, and a thin sprinkling of English and Scott'... The officers are all natives, and graduate for a certain period at 'West Point Military Academy before receiving their commis sions. As the idea of a standing army is very unpopular in the states, and as the mass of the army are foreigners, the of are allowed to govern or misgovern it as they, choose. The system of subordination exending through out the various grades of rank, on which the discipline and' good government-of an army principally depend, is very imperfectly developed in the American army. This evi' arises partly frog the ideas of equality in which the American officer has-been educated, and partly from the difilculty of enforcing proper regulations, owing to, the army being split let° a number of petty detachments, scattered at wide. distances. The officers commanding These small bodiea, thus removed from the inspection and control of their- superiors, too commonly become the petty tyrants and oppressors of their companies.. The American soldier's nominal pay is- larger than that of the British soldier, but his comfort and health are not eared for as well as the British soldier's- are, and no amount of pay can compensate for the deprivation. It would be much better, for the American soldier to havemore com fortable quarters, a more wholesome dietary, more liberal treatment when sick, and the sympathy and , protection of hisofficars, even if this shouid be purchased. by a reduc tion of his pay. At present, the American soldier is only paid once every two months, and his pay being most commonly consumed in riot and debauch in a few days, its large amount is more an injury, than a benefit to him. AN, A.IteIIITECT IN SYJINSIG.—The , following extract from a• letter dated Sydney, Sept. 14. 11352, will interest some of our readers. "The Solicitor-General introduced me to Mr. Mort, the auctioneer, the George Robins of Sydney. I had a long interview with this gentleman, who said his office was more than full, or he would wil lingly engage me. He then asked me to walk out with him to Mr. Hilley, the architect, from whom I have since received the greatest kindness. Mr. Hilley offered me a berth to superintend some extensive buildings at Port Philip and Moreton Bay ; to be a fortnight at each place, and to call at Sydney always on my road, the steamer always stopping there. I was to receive £7 per week, and all my travelling expenses. I, of course, ac cepted his offer, and was approved of by the directors ; but with all our united efforts, neither architect, builder, nor clerk of works can get men to work, now the gold diggings are at hand. Ask a man to work at 9s. per day, he will laugh at you ; consequently the works are post poned, and I have turned my attention to something else ; I am now embarking in partnership with one of our cuddy passengers in a store at the Bingera gold-diggings, and intend working a claim. From what I hear from all quarters, Bingera will turn out as lucrative as Mount Alexander. At present, the roads up the country are impassable, from the overflowing of the rivers. It is the general opinion that gold is more or less dispersed in quarts, or in the white clay soil, all over Australia. It is no uncommon thing to see some of the lowest black guards walking the streets of Sydney soon after their arrival from the diggings with massive gold pins, the heads of quartz stuck in their shirts, and massive gold rings upon their fingers. In very few instances does the gold do the fortunate diggers any good. The greater part of them take to drinking and gambling, and soon become ruined, and off they start again. At Port Philip things are frightful. People are knocked down and robbed with perfect impunity in broad daylight, and not a few are murdered and shot. These occurrences are very seldom put in the public papers. People, however, have in a great measure to thank themselves for imprudence i n drinking, or w a nt o f proper caution. Fire-arms are fetching an immense price : revolving pistols, which in London sell for two guineas, are fetching £lO : Colt's revolvers fetch £3O, and now are not to be obtained. Boots are also very dear. Beef sells for 3d. per lb. ; mutton lid. per lb. Sydney, indeed, is a singular place : by far the greater part of the population are rogues and swindlers, and carry the very villain in their countenance ; not all the water of Port Jackson can wash away the mark of Cain stamped on their foreheads. In Pitt -street stands a dashing chemist's shop, a few years since kept by Ta well, the Quaker, who was transported, made his fortune, returned to England, and was hanged lit Aylesbury for aurder."—The Bwilder. IRELAND. CARLOW ELECTION.—A petition has been presented by the electors of Carlow against the return of Mr. Alex. ander, on the ground of bribery, intimidation, and illegal majority. THE FITZWILLIAM ESTATES.—The Irish estates of Lord Fitzwilliam, producing £30,000 a-year, are about to be sold in the Encumbered Estates Court. A petition for this purpose has been filed by the noble lord himself. PIERCE MAHONY, ESQ., Clerk of the Crown, died on Friday. Already a crowd of applicants for the situation are before the Lord Lieutenant. Mr. Mahony was the author of the celebrated " Leinster Declaration" of 1830, which, according to Lord Anglesey and his back-stairs adviser, Lord Cloncurry, stopped the first agitation for the repeal of the union:started by Mr. O'Connell. IRISH POVERTY.—At 'Waterford guardians' board, Mr. Carroll said—" Although there is a famine in the country among the poor, and many farmers barely existing, still in Waterford no less than £1,200 was paid last year for macassar oil, for the nourishment of the curls and whiskers of the ladies and gentlemen of the city ! " PAPAL MOVEMENTS IN THE WEST.—The priests have identified themselves in all the cases of assault and violence against what are called Jumpers and Scripture readers as much as they possibly can. They make these acts their own. It is, therefore, in a very proper sense not particular individuals that are to be brought to trial in these melancholy cases at the ensuing assizes, but the Church of Rome in Connaught. Collections were made on last Sunday in most, if not ell the chapels in this part of the country, to defray the cost of defending those out rages at the coming assizes. This is a matter that must not be lost sight of.—Mayo Constitution. HONORARY FREE BURGESSES.—It is stated that a re cent decision of the Irish Court of Exchequer in favour of the claims of honorary free burgesses, even when non-re sident, to be placed on the Parliamentary registry roll, will affect the following boroughs, by adding the numbers attached to each to the new electoral rolls, the additions, being, it is added, in nearly all cases Conservatives : Armagh, 13 ; Athlone, 15 ; Bandon, 13; Belfast, 14 ; Carlow, 13; Carrickfergus, 41 : Cashel, 18; Clonmel, 20; Coleraine. unlimited ; Cork, ditto ; Drogheda, ditto ; Dundalk, 17; Dungannon, 13; Ennis, 13; Enniskillen, 20; Galway, unlimited; Kilkenny, 55; Kinsale, unlimited; Limerick, 39; Londonderry, unlin - yited ; New Ross, un limited; Portarlingtou, 15 ; Sligo,. 13 ; 'Pralee r 13; Waterford, 49; Wexford, 24 ; Youghal, unlimited. EX7RAORDINARY CASE.—The case of Henry and Rose Morton v George Birch was tried a few days since in the Court of Queen's Bench, Dublin. It was an action of trespass, for assaulting the female plaintiff, with intent to debauch her. The damages were laid at A5OOO, and the defendant pleaded not guilty. It appeared that the female plaintiff WAX the natural daughter of the late Edmund Kelly, a solicitor of great wealth, by a member of a res pectable family with whom Mr. Kelly used to' associate, in the county of Roscommon, and towards the end of his life he married a' Miss Kelly, with whom the defendant was closely and intimately connected, and was even said to have been privately married to her. The plaintiff, be fore her father's marriage, was sent to a celebrated school in Brighton, whereet.l3oo a year was paid for her edneation. She remained in that school for a few years, until 182.9 ; but about that time the connection had been formed be tween Mr. and Mrs. Kelly, and the presence of his child becoming disagreeable to her, the plaintiff was removed from Brighton, and sent to a more inferior school at Bath. While there a proposition was made to her to go to Ame ricas which she declined ;: and it would appear that :h 1836; while at school, she was visited by a gentleman whose- name was believed' to be D'Esterre, her father'a agent, with whom she had had correspondence, but had never seen. He was accompanied by a female that he represented to be his sister, and the child was kidnapped from school before she was' fifteen years of age, and went through what she thought was a marriage cere mony with the deceiver, D'Esterre, who afterwards took the name of Hamilton. From this- unhappy connec tion her life was one of misery' and suffering, and she became a mother before she' was seventeen. Her father became estranged from her; and she was enabled to obtain only one interview with him, at which he exhibited all the affection of a parent, but from that hour she never saw her father again. The plaintiff' having been cast off by the adventurer, Hamilton, employed her talents as a governess, and for several years remained in that capacity in families of distinction. In 1848'She was married to her present husband, who was a native of ' England, and the plaintiffs having been informed of thelitigation in a case of Thewles v. Kelly, relative to the will of the late Edmund Kelly, came over to Ireland. Accord ing to the recommendation of the judge, Mrs. telly was advised to make some. provision for the next of kin of her late husband, and' Mrs. Morton waited on Mrs. Relly in Baggot-street, but saw not her, bat the defendant, her agent, who, the plaintiff having previously heard Meg. Kelly speaking in a load voice to him, intimated that he had not been ouccessfal in his mediation, but asked the plaintiff to call on him at his office, intimating that he might eventuallykobtain for her some pecuniary assistance. Mrs. Morton; however, did not call then, but left' for the Isle of Wight e where her husband was lying ill. While in EnglandAhey heard of the judgment in Thewles v. Kelly, setting aside the will of Edmund Kelly, and having received a communication from. Miss Thewles, they came to Ireland 'again' in the latter-end of 1851. Ms. Morton called en the defendant to obtain some settlement from Mrs. Kelly' 'he directed her to call at his offece on Aston's-quay-,,and from time to time she did so, until the 24th of Julyv 1852;. when. having called, the defendant's manner sudthinly changed to her—he called her his dear girl, and addressed her by her Chrigtian name; .he drew his chair oecr very closely to hers, and then proceeded to commit an assault on her with a criminal intent, adding that there could be no great harm in the crime, as- he pretended that dee was not' mar ried to' 'her present husband. The circumstances of the assault having been deposed to by Mrs. Mbrton, as also the false marriage with Hamilton, and the defendaat having made a statement in which he represented the cir cumstanees of the case as- regarded his intercourse with the plaintiff as very different from the actoant given by her, while he entirely denied the assault, the Chief Justice briefy charged the jury, and said that the issue was a very simple one—Did they believe the plaintiff, Mrs. Morton, or the defendant. The jury ultimately returned- a verdict for the•plaintiff—darsages £2OO and 6d. costs WRECK OF THE QUEEN VICTORIA DUBLIN STEAMER. Wig. announced last wea l is second edition, the report which had just been received by telegraph,,of the total wreck of the Queen Victoria steamer, whichsleft this port on the Monday afternoon, for Dublin. The particulars of the calamitous shipwreck, as far as they can be collected, are, as follows : The Queen Victoria.. Captain Church, commander, be longing to the City of Dublin Steam Packet Company, started from Liverpool for Dublin, at halfi-past three o'clock on Monday afternoon, with a general cargo, and a crew and passengers -amounting altogether,..it is supposed, ta about 120 persons. Of these twelve were cabin pas :angers, and about ninety steerage and deck passengers, the latter including a large number of cattle dealers, re turning from the Liverpool market. The Queen• Victoria was a first-class vessel, and a few years ago had been em played carrying the mails between Kingstown and Holy head. Captain Church was an officer of great experience, high in the confidence of his employers, and had been more than twenty,years in the service, The following are some particulars, abridged from the Dublin papers : From the moment that the vessel left the dock at Liver pool, up to half-past one on Tuesday morning, all went well ; the wind- was N.E., the weather favourable, and she was making.a rapid and easy passage, but about that hour some heavy,falls of snow took place, which retarded her progress a. little. No material 'abatement, however, took place in. her speed, and about two, o'clock the first mate and some of the passengers perceived the Kish Light. An anxious look-out was kept for the Bailey Light, and,, for a few minutes they did. see it, but the snow coming down in a heavy, dense, impenetrable cloud, com pletely shut out the view. Under these circumstances, the obvious course was to have slackened-speed, and whether this was affected to any extent or not, we are at present without any, distinct or satisfactory information, some as serting that the vessel continued to goat full speed, and others that her " way" had been considerably reduced. However, thin may be, it is but too.clear that the land was huggad too closely, and the first intimation those who happened to be on deck had of their impending danger was a hurried and agitated cry from the first mate to stop the-vessel. The mate, who was on. the look-out, was hor riEed to perceive, looming dimly through the snow cloud,, at a distance of not more than twenty yards, the dark and ragged cliffs of Howth, a little to the north of the Bailey Light.. He immediately gave the order to stop, but it was too late, and the next instant the doomed vessel went headlong upon the rock, with a fearful and appalling crash.. The captain was instantly Apon deck, and gave orders, to reverse the engines. This was done, and the vessel being released from the rocks, backed out into deep water, when, finding that she was rapidly sinking, the captain attempted to run her ashore. In the meantime a scene of the most melancholy and heartrending description ensued. The cabin passengers were, of course, in bed, and, being awakened by the shock of the collision, rushed upon the deck, when, to their horror, they found the ship fast going down. The captain, the first mate, and the other officers preserved their presence of mind, and endea voured to keep order, so that the passengers and crew might have a better opportunity of effecting their escape; but such was the alarm and excitement, and so short the period that elapsed between the collision and the final destruction of the vessel that their efforts proved quite unavailing. The starboard quarter-boat was immediately filled by a number of the wretched passengers ;. but in the hurry and confusion of the moment, proper care was not taken to secure the ropes, and the great weight caused the boat to slip from her davits into the sea, when she instantly swamped, and all in her perished. The larboard quarter boat was then lowered, with more success. It contained 17 persons. On reaching the water, however, it was found the boat was leaking fast, and must have gone down in a short time were it not for the presence of mind of a lad, who, having searched with his hand, found that the plug-bole was open, and immediately thrust his fin gers into it. At the time the boat was almost immediately under the side of the sinking ship, the bulwarks of which were crowded with passengers, whom the captain was seen endeavouring to quiet and pacify. They had no idea at that moment that the vessel was so near her final destruction, but in a few minutes afterwards she went down bodily, bow foremost, and nearly all who remained on board were lost. Up to the latest moment the captain was seen upon the deck endeavouring to calm the agitation of the passengers, and to direct their exertions into the proper channel for the preservation of their lives ; and it is supposed that when the vessel took her final plunge he went down with her, together with the first and second mates, who clung to their ship to the last. In the meantime the boat, which could not hold another person, shoved off ; the water was baled out with a hat, and, after severe exer tion, ultimately succeeded in landing fourteen persons on the rocks, about half a mile below the wreck. terred by the dangers of the enterprise, and intent only on saving as many lives as possible, two of the passengers, named Ralph and Kegg, and the young lad, who still oontinurd to Atop the plug-hole with his finger, rowed back to the scene of the disaster, when they found the Queen Victoria had gone dawn, her masts alone being visible above water. Twelve or fourteen persons were clinging to these with all the tenacity of despair. Ralph and his companions took five off the foremast, and wer e proceeding to relieve those upon the mainmast from their perilous position, when the steward of the Queen Victo ria, who was one of them, cried out, " Don't mind us, my dear fellow, the boats of th e R oscommon w ill p i ck us up." On turning round Ralph perceived at a short dis tance the Roscommon steamer, the boats of which had already picked up several persons, and were proceeding as fast as possible to render further assistance. They soon arrived at the wreck, and the snow having by this time ceased, they at once perceived what had happened. The boats of the Roscommon were lowered without delay, and proceeded to the wreck, where they took off the men who were clinging to the mainmast, and rescued others who were then struggling in the water. A little child was picked up, its body yet warm ; but all effurts to restore animation failed. Mr. Ralph and those whom he had saved and landed on the rocks were also picked up by the Roscommon's boats, and the greatest attention was shown to the sufferers on board that vessel. All of them had suffered intensely from the wet, cold, and fatigue which they had endured, and many were reduced to the lowest stale of mental and physical prostration. About 45 persons were rescued in this manner, of whom 7 were females, and they were safely landed at Kingstown by the captain of the Roscommon. The entire number saved amounts to 53, of whom 20belonged to the crew. When the Queen Victoria first struck, about ten or twelve of the passengers and crew scrambled over her bows upon the rocks, and eight of them succeeded in ob taining a footing. They were afterwards brought by the police into the town of Ho w th, an d f rom thence forwarded by railway to Dublin, where they arrived in a most deplor able condition from exhaustion and exposure. The evidence given at the inque st confirms th e fore going account of the disaster i n a ll its essential features. All the witnesses at the inquest concur rrt stating that the Bailey Light was not discernible until the vessel had been backed out into deep water after the collision. To give a list of the cases of individual affliction from the loss either of relatives or of property would be to enumerate not only the survivors from the wreck, but the relatives of the lost. One poor man, named John Reardon, who had in vested a considerable sum in a speculation of cheese, and was returning from Liverpool to the Dublin market with it, lost his young wife and infant child. The ease of Roger M'Manus, of Wicklow, is even more painful and distressing. He held a small farm near Hacketstown, but the distress of the times having caused him to'turn his thoughts to the United States, he had saved a sum of money for the purpose of enabling him to go there. At• cordingly, accompanied by his wife and three children, he reached here a few days ago, with a view of taking their departure from this port for America ; but, alas ! his little' savings were not sufficient to defray the expenses of the . passage, he was compelled to return to Ireland, and, in ev few hours after his departure, he was an eye-witness of the death of all his family. When the vessel went down he bravely battled with the waves for nearly half-an-hour in endeavouring to save his wife, who was enceinte, and had' clinging to her bosom her youngest child, but he was at length compelled to loose his hold of her and allow her to perish. Every one of the other survivors had his own tale of suffering and distress to tell. 1 The way-bill gives a total of IZTersons D 3 the number that left Liverpool, but several more went on board with out taking tickets, or after the pay-clerk left the vessel. The list of cabin passengers gives the names of Mr. and Mrs. IVa!slie, Mr. Lipman, Mrs. Seott, Miss Arthur, and three or four whose names are not known. The sea on Saturday carried the hull about 200 yards from the shore. It lies on a level bottom, and, should the weather' continue moderate, there iss no immediate likelihood of its breaking up. No mere bodies have been recovered, nor any property of value- Same boes have been washed away at Bray strand. TERRIFIC SNOW STORM. iOSS'OF Li7E.-STOPPAGE OF THE . MA 3, The recent severe weather, which has- continued' for newly a week, with all the intensity of an extremely cold winter, has not been equalled, at least in- this country, for many- years. The wind still prevails from the piercing quarter of NNE, and there is every indication of the frost continuing with increased severity. In the course of Saturday accounts were received at the General P6st Office, St. Martin's-le-Grand, of a heavy fall of snow having taken place on Thursday evening and Friday morn— ing in almost all' parts of the country, which rendered , many of•the important lines of railway perfettlyimpassable.- The mail trains were blocked up, and in several instances. they were not extricated for twelve or more - hOurs, and' even then the bhgs had to be conveyed by cross-roads tc . . their destinations. 2barcely a county seems to have es• taped the•storm, and in places where the snowlas drifted, its depth is enorrnovis r such as cuttings and tross-roads; to the extent 'of some twenty feet. In the northerirdis-- tricts the storm was accompanied by thunder and- light ping, whi:e the aurora borealis shone luminously in the - heavens, all prognosticating more severe weather. The • fall on Thursday visited the counties bordering on the - eastern and northern coast to such an extent as to cause an obstruction to all traffic. Stretching from Essex' through Surfdik,- Norfolk, Lincolnshire, Ycrkshire, Dur ham, Northumberland,. &Lc., the snow came down in a general mass. Communications with villages were - cut off, and rnanch mischief arose. In the vicinity of Nor wich the faa was very considerable ; the anew lay in the streets several - feet in depth, and the mail trains which should have reached that city from London—at half-past two on Friday-morning, did not arrive until late in the afternoon, more than twelve hours behind its time. It appears that the snow drifted on the Eastern , Counties line, in the neighbourhood' of Brandon, to a great depth. After numerous efforts- to get along the - engine was brought to a complete block, the carriages being embedded almost half their height in the drift. In this position the train could not proceed for many hours. Gangs of navi gators were procured as soon as possible to cut a passage, and it was only after the above detention that the mail could proceed.' The inhabitants of the fen country are in a most distressing condition. The ground is covered with several feet of snow, which, obscuringthe tracks to the main roads,-rendera an attempt to travel very danger ous. A respectable baker, named George Lamb, living in Whittlesey,, loot his life in that way. Ie mistook his - road, fell into a river with his horse and cart, and was drowned: Several vessels were lost off Wisbeach during the anovvystorm.. They were unable to distinguish their bearings, went ashore and were wrecked. Throughout Lincolnshire, and far extending into the Midland Counties, the snow appears to have fallen heavily, and, as in other parts, the railways and cross roads were for a time impassable. Further northward the fall seems to have been more severe, and all communication with York by means of its various railways was discovered on Friday morning to be blocked up by huge driftings of • snow. The mail train, which should leave that city for London at; two did' not get away until eight o'clock, and even then could mate but small progress. Numerous gangs of men were employed in clearing the lines, and: much inconvenience was occasioned to the traffic. The Hull and Scarborough line and the Market Weigh-- • worser,ana great inCOn. venience has been. experienced in the .neighbourho,9d. e wa r s e . n r iE endered th ol e w lin ea e th w er er i Some of• the trains near Newcastle required four or liven engines to ,get fleetthe ofacloonge.rslhnotud L t y h n e e fr w o i s l t l continue,.. the the numerousanything, Towards Durham in. Frem•,all parts of the country simil ar accounts have been received.. Theintelligence from the French coast announces- the snow to be f a lli ng f ast, and the line,of , railway. from Calais to Boulogne to be much obstructed, MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.. MISS-EMMA JACKSON'S concert took place in the hall, Lord Nelson -street, on Wednesday evening. The house was a. crowded and enthusiastic one. The fair : young pianiste was favourable received, and the kindness of the mayor, in colmtenancing the cooeert,appeard to ha highly aPlveclated by all present. MR..TOSSPH ROBINSON, one of our most talented. resi dent musicians, announces a concert at the Philharmonic hall; for the 11th March. Among the artistes engaged are Madame Doria and Miss Kathleen Fitzwilliam. The former, who is a Hungarian, is said by the London press to,possess a voice of great sweetness and immense corn ;lass. Miss Kathleen Fitznilliam has long been, deservedly popular in Liverpool. She has lately forsaken the stage for the concert-room. The array of instrumental talent engaged by Mr. Robinson includes Herr Molique, the great German violinist ; Herr Lidel, with whose artistic powers we are all familiar : Mr. J. L. Hatton, Mr. Strea ther, the first harpist of the day, and Herr Halle. PHILHARMONIC Himr.L.—The first subscription Wednesdaycon cert will eFiorentini, m p i l s a s ee Al on ieyne, 3,ri. W (to e -morr 0 w ,. ) . , oiw)., wLhaeznartuhs: following eminent artistes will appear, viz. ; — Madam e and Madame Pleyel. AT THE ROYA, PARK THEATRE,,the pantomime was played, for the last time, on Wednesday night, when Signor and Madame Boleno took their joint benefits. An equestrian company has been engaged by the manager, to give a series of performances. THEATRE -ROYAL.—The pantomime still pursues its prolonged and, on the whole, successful career. As it is on the wane, however, a fresh attraction is provided in the shape of Jerrold's new comedy of " St. Cupid," which was acted last night for the third time with the utmost eclat. It is seldom that a piece has been put upon the Liverpool stage in a more creditable style, either as regards the cast, the scenery, or the dresses. It undoubtedly deserves, and we trust will obtain, a long and prosperous run. On Wednesd a y even i ng , the pantomi me was pre ceded by a French piece of a most dubious c h arac t er , betraying all the worst faults of the class of comp os iti ons to which it belongs. When we mention th a t, i n t hi s rnelo.drama, the heroine, a young French woman, i s made to retire to rest for the night, in the face of the audience, we think we have said enough to show that it is quite unfitted for performance on an English stage. WHO PLAYED THE ORGAN ?-.Mr. J. Blewitt, who has been always celebrated, from the early age of eleven, for his extemporaneous performance on the organ, on one particular occasion attracted the notice of the celebrated Sam Wesley, who, after expressing his admiration of the superior style of his performance to some friends near him, and not being able to satisfy himself who the per former was, considered it best to apply to the man who blew the organ. On an appeal to this great functionary, and putting the simpl e quest i on to h i m of " Who played the organ? he received th e f o ll o wi ng l acon i c answer " I blew it l" Wesley, considering this a great lib6rty of this mighty puffer, repeated the question of " Who played the organ ?" when he received the same answer, given with greater pertness. Wesley, indignant at the fellow's seeming rudeness, said : " I do not, sir, doubt your ability as a blow-bellows, but I wish to know (giving an imita tion with his fingers, being himself the greatest organist of the day) who played the organ ?" The wag still per sisted, saying, " This is the third time, sir, I have told you, I blew it; and I will tell you no further." Then putting on his great coat he left the gallery. WesleYl when he got to the door, inquired of some friends—who played the organ ? when he was told the name of the per former was I. Blewitt ! and seeing the wit of this facetious fellow, turned round and gave Lim a shilling, saying. , " You are the b es t pu ff er I ever met w i t h ; an d nO vgu" better qualified to handle such a subjeot."