Northern Times. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-09-05 00:00:00

SMITHSONIAN HOTEL BROLOWAT, Corner of HOUSTON-STREET, NEVI YORK. Named In honour of the SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, Established at WASHINGTON, by the U. S. CoNGEEas, With Funds bequeathed by JAMES SMITHSON, of ENGLAND, •Ilaving the Friendship of the 0 PFICIES Of the NATIONAL INSTITUTION, Is conducted on the EUROPEAN PLAN. CHAS. H. SMITE". du nnarciat aan. At twelve o'clock, at the broker's office, 10, Water-street, 3,200 bags lice.—Hall and Jones. At twelve o'clock, at the broker's offie', 30, Exchange-alley North, $26 barrels Rosin.—Shand, fligsola and Co- , ♦t twelve o'clock, at the broker's office Exchange-street, East, 139 barrels White hosin.—Wm. and Joseph Whi:o. At twelve o'clock at noon, on the quay of the Toxteth Dock, 5 fathoms Firewood.—Dancau Ewing at,cl Co. C-1" Nor particulars sea advertisementr AMUSE AENTS, PU3LIC MEETINGS, &c. THIS PAY. Rarer. Am PEUTII2 ATRE —Dramatic Performance-7 p.m. MATTON HALL, Clayt n-square—Gordon Cumming-8 p.m. ST. G 03GE'S }.TALL—Organ rertzmances —3 p M. Ecual CoLossanz—General Entertainment-6.•+0 p.m. geOireGICAL GARDEN;—Grand and Varied Ent,rtainments. er For particulars see advertisements. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1857. THE DAY'S NEWS. There is but little news this morning. The state of affairs in India continue the all-absorbing topic, and i although it is hardly a week since we published the details received per the last overland . mail, the public seem to be impatient to have further tidings. But this they could not possibly have before the lapse of another week Le Nord, of Brussels, publishes a long letter from its special eorreapondent in India, but which a London sotemporary insinuates was written much nearer home—be th . at as it may, there are several interesting facts contained in the despatch. The writer, after detailing the events which have recently been described in our columns, states that the government is originating a regiment of Sikhs, gives & description of the Indian army; what it has been, what it is, and what it ought to he, and pro_ eeeds to say—" Far from appreciating and practising .the virtue of toleration, the one towards the ether, the Mahomedans and Mahrattas look upon it as a mere delusion, or a sign of weakness. Since they have been allowed to have a voice in the Indian Government, and since re have treated them with the most perfect familiarity, they have encouraged the belief among themselves that such conduct on our part but serves to conceal some sinister project, and that we contemplate making them Christians upon one day or another, either by deceit or by compulsion. So far they judge accordinr , to their own tactics. • Every time th at the Mahomedans have seized upon the Hicdoos they have put the Brahmins to death, and have compelled the Hindoos to embrace Islamism. On the other hand when the chiefs of the INlaltrattas have captured the Mussulmans, they have treated them in such a way as to render their existence intolerable to them. We might very easily argue against those suspicions, but wo shall never be able to eradicate them ; and the necessary result of this state of things is that, without a strong European army, we cannot either main tain our position in India or preserve the population of the country from religious persecu tions or anarchy. These premises admitted, the re-organisation of our military system in India is imperiously demanded, not only by existing circumstances but also to secure our conquests for the future. According to competent authorities that rc-organisation ought to be founded upon two principal bases. Ia the first place the Angle- Indian army ought to be composed henceforward of at least one third of British troops. Every brigade of division should have a quarter-master general in hostile places, and the fortifi. , iations and garrisons of those places should be maintained of sufficient strength to resist either insurrection or foreign invasion. The letter concludes in the follow ing words. The mass of the English established at Calcutta regard the terrible crisis through which we are passing with a determined aspect, and without entertaining a doubt as to the future. That crisis imposes on us the most enormous sacri lees. We hesitate not, we shall never hesitate, to make them. Our Government has confidence in this spirit ; and even should the two other presi dencies be subjected to the same calamities our courage will never be weakened, —it would in that case be rather redoubled. Without doubt our eyes are fixed upon the mother country, and upon the assistance which we are expecting from it, and which is now beginning to arrive ; hut if, in the interval, the danger should become still more imminent, the local Government may calculate to the furthest limits upon our devotion and upon our entire abnegation ; and at the last extremities, even we shall thank it, as the Venetians thanked their senator, for never having once despaired of the safety of India. The London Journals of last night publish a letter written by Mr. Melvi le on behalf of the East India Directors, declaring that they sanction the measures adopted by the government at Cal cutta to gag the Indian Press. One of our metro politan a3temporaries thu s alludes to the subject:.Thel East Indian Company appear to be resolved upcn the perpetration of a policy at once despotic and suicidal. We have, however, the satisfaction of knowing that public opl.nion is daily expressing itself more and more in favour of the political extinction of the incapables of Leadenhall-street. Our police reports this morning show that Mr. J. R. Jeffrey was ve , 'y determined, but not more than he ought, against the system of sending out the police in plain clothes to entrap unwary beer house keepers and publicans, for the purpose of bringing informations and having them flo3d for Sunday trading. We have already denounced the system, but have something more to say upon the subject. Would that Mr. Jeffrey presided on the bench every Friday, their would be fewer of the publicans and beerhouse eases, less hard swearing, a►nd fewer injuries inflicted upon innocent trades men. Another attempt was made to mulct Mr. Wick} am, but after the decision in the Recorder's Court it was deemed advisable to withdraw the information. The other local news this morning is of a very meagre and uninteresting desoription. Respecting election matters, there are several facts of interest worth recording. Mr. Arthur Russell, who wished to confer upon Tavistock the honour of representing it in Parliament, declined to attend a pubEc assembly by whose decision he was requested to abide. The public meeting was held without his presence, and a resolution was unanimously passed, declaring that he was not a At and proper person to represent the borough. On Thursday tha nomination to )k place, the candidates being Mr. Russell and Mr. Edward The show of hands WAS dec:ared in favour of the latter gentleman, and a poll was demanded, which was to take place yesterday, but as yet the telegraph has - not put us in possession of the result. We regret to say that during the nomination the hustings gave way and one lad was killed, and several p ersons severely injured. This is the third time we have b een ca l led upon to record similar accidents Greenwich has been favoured with the offer of the services of Another Liberal candidate the son of the Lord Chief Justice, who declares that the Ballot is the Reform measure which he looks forward to with the greatest hope and confidence. Greenwich should call a public meeting, and make the decision of that meeting foal as to the candidate the Lib era l party w ill su pport. This was the course which Birmingham took, and at Greenwich it might prevent the representation falling into the hands of the Lories. When tha House of Commons re-assembles, a petition against the return of Major Edwards for Beverley will have to be tried, for two members of the Bever!ey Town Council have signed such a document, and caused it to be sent up to London. There. is rather important news from the con tinent this morning. In Paris the withdrawal of some of the directors of the Credit Mobilier has caused a panic at the Bourse, which shows that the French themselves have not mush reliance in the stability of that gigantic institution for the centralisation of commercial enterprise. The Emperor is still at . the Camp at Chalons, where great bustle prevails. Stuttgard is now named as the place where he will meet the Emperor of Russia. The choice is undoubtedly dictated by rho relations of both sovereigns to the King of Wurtemberg. The sympathies of the Wurtemberg people would justify it far less. The French journals are expressing their discontent at the tenacity with which the Govern.. merits of England and Austria are still said to oppose the project of a united government over the Danubian principalities, even in the case the Divan should declare itself in favour of such a measure. Letters from Vienna say that the Austrian Foreign minister and the English Ambassador are constan ly engaged in exchanging communications between themselves and in cor responding with Constar tinople. The gravest, but not tL e most unexpected news, we have to record is the recommendation by the Special Constitutional cemmittee of the Holstein Diet at Itzehoe, of a rejection " pure et simple" of the constitutional draft, by which the King of Denmark has again sought to cenoilia.te his Ger man subjects. We lot% ago decribed the feeling in the Duobies as exclusively directed to the main tenance of their treaty-rights, and nothing but these rights which the new constitutional draft utterly failed to recognise. There is no doubt, that the Diet will tilt upon the recommendation of the Committee, and the King of Danmark will then have to come to terms with the Getman Federal Diet at Frankfort, which claims the supreme judgment in the matter. The only hope for the preservation of peace is, that Europe will allow the question to be treated as an exclusively federal one, to effect which, the federal body will, no doubt, show itself to be animated by a spirit of justice and moderation. The offi3al Gazette publishes the Concordat recently con3lud2d between the Protestant state of \Vurtemburg and the Holy See The . r9:una of the Wink of England is rather more satisfa3tory this week. The bullion in the Bank coffErs, on the 28 . h ult., as per the Gazette of last night, was 11,500,5871, being an increase of 370,4501 upon the return of the previous wevk. All other subjects are just now swallowed up by the state of affairs in India. Hence it is that this and this alone is the prevailing topic of the day. And while the national mind is bent upon a most signal retribution for the cruelties and barbarities practised not only upon the British forces, but their defenceless wives and children, there is an evident desire upon the part of all far-seeing politicians to arrive at some legitimate conclusion how and why the Bengal army has mutinied. The eyes of the whole civilised world are upon us just now. The continent of Europe, the United States, the kingdoms of South and Central America, the republic of Mexico, and the ruling princes of other quarters of the globe are looking on, and with a feeling something. akin to anxiety, desire to glean from the struggle going on a renewed test of our national greatness, the strength of our military system, the permanency and capability of our resources, the capacity of our leading statesmen, the prestige of our name, the tangibilityand actual worth of our commercial pretensions, and the boasted greatness of our progress in civilisation. On each and all of these important points, Eng land, by her conduct and actions in the mighty struggle in which she is engaged, must main'ain the supremacy. Under such circumstances, she must look the danger which now surrounds her name and character in all the respects alluded to with determination and manliness. Although our first object should be to inflict summary and condign punishment upon every one who has acted the part of a traitor and inhuman butcher in Bengal, and thereby vindicate the invincible character of our arms, we should ever.bear in mind that to imitate the savage atrocities of the Indian sepoys,—turn Delhi into a heap of ruins, and, as it were, leave no trace of its former existence and greatness, can add but little to our fame as military heroes, or our moral and religious character as the pioneer of civilisation and religion. Again, in putting down the wide-spread mutiny, and once more obtaining complete sway and rule over the Indian Empire, the future government of its countless population must be settled so as to ensure contentment among the natives, and a hearty and unre served appreciation of the motives and inten tions of British authority in all_ the Presidencies. From what we know upon this subject, we have no hesitation in saying that much of the emeute which has taken place is easily traced to the doors of the happy family which holds its meetings in Leadenhall-street—commonly called the East India Company. The proceedings . of that body, and the control exercised 'over its actions as the de facto rulers of India, by the executive power in Downing-street, have become so transparent of late, that nothing more remains to be said respecting them than that they are 14 i imbecile and reprehen s ibl e n the extreme. If any thing were wanting to prove this position, we might just allude to the stupid and unac countable neglect of taking advantages of the navigable capacities of the river Hooghly. One of our powerful three-deckei screw steamers could lie within range of Calcutta, which, with three or four war frigates of smalle: dimensions. would ensure perfect security and confidence among the European merchants of that city. This would enable the soldiers quartered in that garrison to proceed into the interior, arrive before the gates of Delhi, and at once crush the rebellion between that stronghold of mutiny, Allahabad, and Agra. Our gun boats, so much vaunted in the Crimean war, have been kept at home. A few have been sent to China, but where their services are most required, and would be] invaluable, they are kept away. this a state of things to be endured ? Shall the honour and majesty of England—shall her brave soldiers—their innocent wives and helpless children—be slaughtered, ad libitum, by fero cious Hindoos, in consequence of the downright stupidity and official indifference of "Mr. SMITH, of Cannon-row," or the ignorance, and a portion of undue self-esteem of "Mr. Ross DONNELY MANGLES ?" Every true subject of the British throne is interested in giving a true response to these inquiries. The more we read of the private ad vices from the rebellious districts of India, the more we are confirmed in the remarks we have just made, and our fears are greatly increased lest the next intelligence may bring us facts and realities even more fearful, atrocious, and a ppaling, than any which has yet reached us. Lucknow, the localiity where the brave and heroic LAWRENCE fell a prey to the brutalities of the Sepoys, was in a most difficult p)sition. The last advices tell us that the English forces were so overpowered that they were com pelled to abandon the town lines and retreat into the fort. At that time they were provisioned only for five weeks, on short allow= ance ; so that should reinforcements not speedily arrive, the fate of Kars, without any of the civilised deeds which accompanied its surrender, awaits that Indian fortress. The prospect of General HAVELOCK being able to make his way from Cawnpore to relieve Lucknow were but feeble, seeing that the course he had to march was one of dreary swamps, and the rainy season had set in, whilst the General and his force were surrounded on all sides by disciplined mutineers and a hostile population. How stood it with Agra ? Not much better than at Lucknow. That fort, it is true, was more strongly defended ; but its extent, and the numbers of women and non-combatants of all kinds were so large, that if they could be extri cated large numbers of fresh troops must be marched to that garrison. GOD grant that the next mail may not bring us another chapter of cruelties and murders, from both Lucknow and Agra, harrowing to the feelings of every patriot and Christian. We only hope that our fears respecting these places are ill-founded, and that when the next mail arrives we shall learn that all is safe. Nevertheless, we have to prepare for the worst. The evil results of the mutiny, although not so quick in its effects at home, have already paralysed some branches of our trade with India. To these, and other matters relating thereto, we shall again refer. IT would seem that fault-finding is an occu pation not altogether unpleasant, and the task is specially easy if the Government is its object. It would be strange if we could witness the end of a Session of Parliament without a growl or two that .more work was not done in it. The late Session may not \ have come up to our desires or expectations in the amount of business trans acted, hut it has been better than many, and is, on the whole, creditable to the industry and independence of our representatives. They might have done better, perhaps ; but, as cer tainly, they might have done worse. If we mistake not, there has been less of mere speech making and more of working—less of parade and more of result. Though the House was chosen under the auspices of the Prime Minister, and was the answer to his appeal, yet it cannot be said that they have proved entirely subservient and indiscriminate supporters of Lord PALMER STON. The Government was beaten on the question of the superannuation allowances, and they had nothing to do but to take the beating, which they wisely did. If the Jewish Admission Bill was a failure, the Matrimonial Bill was a success, or, at least, a great improvement. And in the people's House the Jewish Bill was entirely successful ; our hereditary legislators have the honour of still perpetrating a wretched shred of a system of persecution now worn out and alien to the feelings of the nation. But even Lords must yield to the will of the people of England, and next session will probably see the Jew and the Christian sitting side by side. Fraudulent breaches of trust had become so fearfully multi plied of late ;—they had seemed so gratuitous and unprincipled, that the Legislature was forced to attempt the application of a remedy. This was a reform greatly needed ; and though evil minded men will still be ingenious in finding out methods to evade the best constructed laws, it is well to make the evasion as difficult as pos sible, and to increase the inducements to right conduct. In the matter of secondary. punishments, we consider that we are only in the commencing stage. Society is experimenting on the mode of dealing with crime, and has yet much to learn. Sooner or later the time must come when trans portation will be impossible, or at least extremely difficult and inconvenient. But long before that time arrives, we shall have learned how to prevent the growth of a criminal popu lation. Lunatic asylums in Scotland were a disgrace to the nation and to the age, especially after England had given so many successful examples of treating the insane on principles of kindness and humanity. We might especially instance the enlightened principles and great success of Dr. CONOLLY, at the Hanwell Asylum, near London. We remember once to have paid a visit to an Asylum near Birmingham, where this unfortunate class of persons was treated with the kindness that should attend human creatures who have suffered that saddest of human afflictioni—the eclipse o THE NORTHERN TIMES.-LIVERPOOL, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5. 1857. reason ; music, dancing, digging in the ground were substituted for the lash, the strait waist coat, and the cold bath. GEORGE COMBE, and the late JAMES SIMPSON, of Edinburgh, are among our greatest and most moderate of social and secular reformers. They are listened to in England ; shall we say that the are disregarded in Scotland, on the principle that " a prophet bath no honour," &c. The laws relating to Joint Stock Banks, and Bankruptcy, are, of course, of supreme import ance in a commercial nation, and they, of neces sity, called attention during the last session. But, next to the Indian War, it was the Divorce and Matrimonial Bill that for Med the chief interest of the session, and was the chief battle ground, and drew out the best speeches. We regret to find that it has not come out so unharmed from the Upper Rouse as at one time we fondly expected. It is still an improvertient, but with many drawbacks. One excellent feature of this measure, contemplated from the beginning, was to lessen the expense of matri monial suits. This is only very partially accom plished, for still the expense will be considerable ; and whereas an appeal to the quarter sessions would have been convenient to the poor, and to them an accessible tribunal, the Lords have proposed to omit this from the list of courts competent to try such cases, and the Commons have consented, As the bill left the Commons, it was proposed to enact that conjugal infidelity, perpetrated under the domestic roof, should be a ground to the wife for claiming a divorce. For some reason, to us incomprehensible, the Lords have struck out this clause, and so, in our judgment, improved the bill the wrong way. Still, we would rather take it than want it. It is abe ginning of reform in a most delicate and difficult field of legislation. It will need to be altered, and experience will suggest the needed modifi cations. On the whole, though the session was a short one of only three months' duration, it has been productive of legislative results beyond the average. We venture to prophecy that the House will prove a good working House in future sessions. It was elected at a great crisis in our national history and in the world's history. We had three wars upon our hands— a Persian, a Chinese, and an Indian. At few periods of our history has there been more de mand for comprehensive and far-seeing states manship. Some foreign journals affect to think that the star of England, having culminated, is now in its declination. We in England neither fear nor think this. But at this time we do pre-eminently and urgently need a House and a Ministry that understand how to deal with the portentous difficulties and dangers that loom on our Indian Empire—that can vigorously use the means which are necessary to attain wise and justifiable ends—that, having subdued insurrec tion, can then undertake the more beneficent work of reform in India—and so teach the world that peace, order, and civilisation are intimately connected with the undiminished sway of England, and her empire uncurtailed. OUR STRENGTH AND OUR WORK IN Ise:tete—The daily announcements of the despatch of fresh reinfo-cements to India, the long list of ,transports for the conveyance of troops, the visits of great personages to the points of embarkation, the magnificence of the vessels, and the continued din and bustle of a great expedition, tend to convince every one that astonishing efforts are being made for the complete restoration of our power in India. People in authority are ready with tabular statements of the number and strength of the regiments proceeding to India. It is remembered that there are already in that country to many Queen's troops, and so many in the service of the Company. The loyalty of the native armies of Bombay and Madras is very justly reckoned upon ; and Sikhs, Ghoorkas, and many other new levies are enumer ated. In short, 113 one doubts that, under every possible contingency, and even though the numbers and perfidy of the enemy may obtain for them some temporary success, our final triumph is not far distant. But it is the duty of those who wish to arrive at the real truth, and ascer tain the exact position of affairs, to discard all unneces sary details, and restrain a too sanguine spirit, which is, no doubt, valuable in the moment of action, but must be never suffered to influence our calcalatious. We wish on the present occasion to take a sober—not, indeed, a sombre—view of affairs, and of our disposable military strength as regards the crisis in India, and as much as possible to put ourselves in the position of a military man whose task it might be to restore order out of the present chaos with the means now available. It appears, then, that there are of her Majesty's troops in India, or proceeding thither, 8 regiments of cavalry, 45i of infantry, and 3 troops and 10 companies of artillery. Reckoning the infantry regiments at 900, the cavalry at 600 men each, and the artillery at 200 men a troop and 150 men a company, we have a total of 47,850 men—a great force truly. To these are to be added 9 companies' regiments of European Infantry, and 17 troops of horse and 49 com panies of foot artillery, in round numbers 20,000 men, with a few hundreds of unattached officers belonging to revolted regicneats,:and a handful of volunteers, forming a grand total of about 70,000 European soldiers. To this force must be added the native armies of Madras and Bombay, the Sikh auxiliaries, Ghoorkas, and other levies, and a few regiments of the Bengal army, which like the 31st, even yet :remain: stanch. Such a statement would propably be quite sufficient for a person without Indian experience and unacquainted with military matters, and he would feel quite a-sured that even if India were in re bellion from Cape Comerin to Cashmere it would be easy to reconquer it. A moment's reflection, however, will suffice to show the matter in a somewhat different light- In considering how the vast region from Benares to Delhi, inclncling Oude, Bundlecund, Agra, and Rolailcund, now in rebellion, is to be, recovered, we must strike out of the account all the troops in the two minor presi denc:es—whether European or native—as well as those that garrison the Puojaub. The Bombay army will have enough to do in preserving order within the limits of its own presidency, and in sending up reinforcements to Scinde and thePunjaub so as to keep a good front towards Affghan'stan and eersia. The columns which have moved on Mhow and Indore may also recover and hold those places. To expect further aid from the Bombay army would be unwise. The Madras army has also quite sufficient to occupy it within its ordinary limits, and in overhawing Hyderabad and Nagpere, and the bigoted Mahomedan population in other parts of the Madras Presidency. The troops already in Bengal are not even sufficient to garrison the principal points on the main lines of communication and hold the great oities. Cawnpore has fallen,:arecliithough.GeneraLßevelock:ihas :recovered it, and has been sufficiently reinforced to attempt the relief of Lucknow, the difficulty of that undertaking cannot be disguised. The disciplined troops of the enemy in Oude, even allowing for some reinforcements to Delhi, cannot be less than 20,000 men. There is, besides, a host of rabble very troublesome; on the lines of communication, and certain to cut off stragglers or weak detachments. - Grant that General Havelock's column, strengthened perhaps to 2,500 men, can advance fifty-three miles in the face of such ,opposition, and relieve the remains of the garri son at Lucknow, it is hardly to be thought that lie could retain that great city of 300,000 inhabitants in a country the population of which is altogether hostile. He will, therefore, either fall back on Alla hahad and Benares till reinforcements can arrive from England, or attempt to make his way to Delhi, 266 mires, in the face of immensely superior numbers. This appears so difficult an operation, when the want of carriage, the rainy season, and other things are considered, that it is possible no additional troops may be able to reach Agra, Meerut, and Delhi before the regiments now on their way from England:arrive at Calcutta—that is, the middle of November. It will be admitted then, that the position of our troops at the above place is most critical• At Agra every third man has already been killed or wounded, and there remain but 350 Europeans to defend the place. At Meerut our strength does not exceed 700. Our army before Delhi is, we fear, greatly overrated. General Reed has 5,090 native soldiers, two regiments of European cavalry, - and about five regiments of infantry, reckoning the wing of her Majesty's 61st and the six weak com panies of the 2nd Fusileers as one regiment. He has besides about 800 artillerymen. By Colonel Chesteep letter of the 17th of May we find that, of the European infantry, the 75th and let and 2nd Fusileers mustered together only 1,800 men even at Thnballah before the fighting commenced. We know that up to the date of the last mail several hundred men had been killed or wounded, and, allowing for deaths and non effective from disease, and for casualties in the three subsequent sorties, we can hardly estimate oar entire force before Delhi as much above 10,000 men. There are probably double this num ber of Sepoys in Delhi, and in rear of our army there is a great force of the enemy gathering. Computing the Gwalior Contingent at 10,000, and aching Bolkar's con tiugent, the Bhurtpore levies, and the mutineers from Nee much, Hassi, and other places, the rebels will have at least 20,000 men to operate upon Agra and Meerut, and then to , take up a position in rear of our beseiging army at Delhi. It is right to look these facts hi the face, and, in inquiring whether the 20,000 men now on the way from England can reconquer the revolted ;Cr ovinceq, we ought not so much to ask whether they are suf f icient, but whether it is possible in any way to add to them. In this cruel and exterminating war, in which so many precious lives have been sacrificed, he that counsels half measures or any measure short of the utmost that can be done is an enemy to England, and deserves to be gibbeted to the execration of his countrymen.T,Why is the garrison of Malta not sent overland with hot haste, and its place taken by militia regiments or volunteers—who would not volunteer at such a moment ? Why have Ministers posi tively refused to allow the Company to increase their European troops ? Is this a time for party quarrels or squabbles about patronage ? Is India:to be deprived of nw,v levies of Europeans because it is to be a question next session of Parliament what form the home government of India is to take? We trust the public will have their eyes upon the man who dares to trifle with the honour and dearest interests of the nation at such a crisis, and exact from him, in case of additional disasters, a severe account.—Homeward Jfail. 1 Tree Tit keSlT—Captain Elphinstene, M.P., writes a letter to the Ernes on the subject of this unfortunate transport, concluding in the following manner:—" In a discussion on the transport of troops to India last July, I stated my objection to the employment of iron troop ships, in my place in the House of Commons, and I most truly and sincerely trust that this digester, occuring so soon after, will induce Sir Charles Wood to take the sub- ject into his most serious consideration. Allow:me first hortly to advert to the striking manner in which the loss of this ship bears out my view, and then offer one or two suggestions on the suhject. If it had been possible to select a spot where a vessel could have been run ashore with a good chance of holding together long enough to enable , the crew and passengers to save themselves and their effects, the position of this unfortunate ship was that one. The Straits of BIIICA arc at all times as still as the Solent ; the wind, if any, would bg, light from Southeast, off shore : but most probably at that time of the day dead calm ; and yet we learn, that so rapidly did the water gain upon them that the troops were hurried out of the ship as soon as the boats could be got into the water, If this was the case of the Transit in dead smooth water, what would have been the effect of a surf? Why, simply this, that we should have lost a regiment; nothing earthly could have saved them. Let us, therefore, be thankful to Providence that this dis aster occurred where it did ; and let us further hope that it may open the eyes of the First Lord to the defects of iron troopships, The question now arises, are we driven to employ such ships ? I say we are not ; ;we have the remedy in our own hands. Henceforward we must dismiss the delusion that we can hold India with native troops. The bubble has burst,—not sooner than many of the most able men in India expected ; but burst it has, with a vengeance, and we must prepare for a new state of matters. During the winter months troops may be carried through Egypt with safety and comfort. but we must look to the Cape of Good Hope as our main route. What I would recommend is this : Take such ships as are not intended to be converted into screw line of-battle ships ; take the upper deck off the three deckers, leave the two-deckers as they are ; reduce their masts to such proportion as may be found most suitable for sailing them, with their guns out, ballast them with water-tanks placed in such positions as will counteract their tendency to roll, and we might have 20 of the finest transports in the world, roomy and airy below, with large upper decks—such ships as the Prince Regent, Rodney, Formidable, &c. These are the ships to carry troops out _serviceable. Each ship fitted with a small high-pressure engine, only to be used in light weather or calms, and the usual track to India to be taken. No short cuts on any account. By keeping the beaten track, and by a judicious use of steam power, the voyage will be performed on an average of 75 or 80 days —quite fast enough for comfort,'"and a soldier's time on board ought not to be unprofitably employed. If such a class of ships were created, carrying a post captain and 300 men each, with a sufficiency of guns for exercise, it would add a reserve to the navy of the most important character ; and if the loss of the Transit has any influence in producing such a result, she will have done more good in her generation than her warmest admirers could ever have hoped for." CLOSE OF THE SECOND OPERA. COMPAIk.TY'S PERFORMANCES AT via THEA.TRE ROYAL. We haie the satisfaction of recording that the last night of Mr. Lumley's opera troupe's performances, Mozart's " Don Giovanni," attracted a crowded house of brilliant character. It was more fashionably attended than any of the other operas. It is well-known, and always draws a good house in Laudon and here. Last night it was very effectively put aspen the stage ; indeed, we must do Mr. Lumley tlye justice to say that the management of the stage bufainess, and the conducting of the music by his party, has been in general, much better than Mr. Gye's. Last night the guests at Don Giovanni's supper were omitted, and the duet between the Don and Leporello was consequently much better heard than usual, but some stage effect was sacrificed—more than perhaps was necessary for the purpose. This is the only instance in which a scenic 'advantage was thrown away. Madile. Piccolomini was a characteristic and brilliant little Zerlin a—singing the music to perfection, and acting as easily and naturally as possible. In the ball scene at the close of the first act, when the Don led her out to dance, her rustic attempt to imitate the other dancers were in the finest style of comedy, and qttite original, Her acting and singing in Batti batti wore inirn. and greatly applauded,,bak_elle.cleclinektar4 moor —Vedrai caring was repeated. So was La ci deem, iII which she was admirably supported by Beneventano, who made a much better Don Giovanni than could have been expected from his Count A/mat/ire in "Figaro" on Thursday. With the exception of the serenade, Deh, vieni allafnestra, which was very coarse and rough, instead of being as insin uating as La darem, the character of Don Giovanni is by far Signor Bencventano'e best performance. Belletti was an excellent Leporello, except in the intro duction of English, ;and sang Madonina in a first•rate style, adopting a long rail for the catalogue of his master's conquesin, which enabled him to make the scene more intelligiVe to the audience, and giving scope for far more comic action than the bo sic sometimes used. Ortolani made a ladylike Elvira, and stood to be sung to with great good sense and expressive action. Altogether this was a great improvement upon Herr Formes's almost perfect personification of the part. Mddle. Spezia shone in Donna Anna. Her recitative ac count of her fathers death on discovering that Don Gio vanna was her fathers murderer, was very fine, and most of the music allotted to her was sung very effectively. The denunciation of the Don at the end of the first act was most powerfully given by all the singers,• and is the perfection of stage arrangements has not been so finely rendered for many years. Signor Ginglitei made spirited Don Ottarica, and sang Daria Sa c , Pace better than anything we have heard from him before, but Id ;Jlio Tesoro, though vociferously applauded and en cored, was not what it ought to be to please those who have heard Marie or D mzelli. The objection able aspiration, as "t&-r'sneo," for "We," and for miei," spread over more than two notes) aloo, in the fiorituri,—was too evident, chewing either want of power or very defccive training. As we said, yesterday, he has, in other respects, taste and fe:ling, and with care may remove this bar to being a first rate tenor. Pretegga, ih giusto eitlo was very well sung by him with leladlles. Spezia, and Ortolani, and encored, Altogether, it' was a fine representation of this grand opera, and a worthy conclusion to a series of performances of the highest class; and we hope Mr, Copeland avf:l have obtained something more substantial than mere credß, for having placed before Liverpool audiences two such °pet anise: companies as those who have left and are leaving us. The Lumley troupe will anpear at the Theatre-Royal,. Edinburgh, on the Bth and 10th instant, when, no doubt, from the high musical taste of the habitues - of the Edin burgh Theatre, a reception will be accorded commensurate with the talents of these great artistes. Mr.. Wyndham certainly deserves every support for his exertions in the preelection of first-class novelties. On Monday, Wein( slay, and Friday they will alos appear iu Glasgow. MIS 3 CUSHMAN'S FArtitiVELL PERFORMANCE.—Miss CllBll.- man played for the last time previous to her visiting the United States, at the Amphitheatre last night. There was a crowded house, notwithstanding the unfavourable weather, and the attraction of " Don Giovanni" at the Theatre Boyal. The performances consisted of " Guy Mannering," in which Miss Cushman appeared as Meg Merri'ies, and the little farce, " Simpson and Co ," in whiet she assumed the part of Mrs. Simpson. We can say nothing new of Miss Cushman's Meg Merrilies, a part which has become completely identified with her name, and in which probably no future actress, so long as the future memory of Miss Cushman's acting remains, can ever hope to succeed. Last night Miss Cushman equalled any of her own performances, and was enthusiastically applauded. We have spoken before of the versatility with which she can change from tragic to comic, and of the manner in which she gives life to a very commonplace little comedy by her spirited performance. As Miss Cushman sails to-day for America, a considerable time must elapse before she can again appear in a Liverpool theatre. No American artist ever obtained in Engand an' equal degree of success. Since her first London appear ance her genius has met with the readiest and warmest recognition, and for many years she has been acknowledged to stand without a rival in the peculiar path of the drama, which she has chosen. Until her return to this country in which she may be said to have become almost naturalised, as an actress, her place cannot be filled, and the memOrY of the triumph she won will remain undiminishel. Mr. DAVID Fara rt.—This singularly promising comedian Performed in the afterpioce at the Amphitheatre last ni g ht. Mr. Fisher's eng-tgemeot closes, we believe, to-night. He has been remarkably successful in Liverpool, &n,l indeed may be expected before long to rank among the highest in his profession. Mr. RYDER AND Miss. HERAUD.—The engagement of these performers, also concludes ta-night. blr. Ryder vial appear as Rata, and Miss Herald as Cora is "Pizarro." Mr. B. Frodsham, Vice-Secretary of the French and English Exhibition in Ameriea,' sails for New Yark in the Persia to say ( Saturday) Mdlle. Rosa Bonheur's celebrated picture, the "Horse Fair," is also to be des patched by the same steamer. Fine.—Al nut three o'c ock yesterday morning a fire was discovered in the shop of Mr. Dickson, Cahinet-maker, Monetpleasant. The reel from Seal-street, was immedi ately on the spot, and qeiekly subdued the flames. The damage has not yet been aqcert lined. Fiery, ACCIDENT LAS r T.—Last night a coalbeaver named Patrick Chtisty, in returning from the steamer Persia, to go on the Jackall, missed his footing and fell on a Lighter lying along side, and rolled into the water. Unfortunately, all exertion to rescue the poor fellosV proved unavailing, and he met with a watery grave. New Uses OF To B iCOO.—Dr. Stephenson (an American physician), calls the attention of the profession to the treatment of erysipelas by tobacco, and asserts that this agent is the most reliable one for subduing orysipelatous inflammation, He covers the inflamed Surface with wet tobacco leaves, which are left on until much nausea is produced.—Medieel l Imes. THE NEW YORE. PACKET-S'HI'P CONSTITUTION. &WO' months ago we gave a detailed description of this vessel, after her reconstruction in Liverpool, consequeet on the injuries she had received by fire. She had peevionsly bean a favourite and fast sailing packet, under the American flog, but since she became an English, vessel (all but new) , and sailing under our own flag— the flag that braved 0 . thousand years, the battle and th e b reez she has a dded, much to her popularity, and is considered one of the oracle ships in the trade between this port and New. York: Shortly after our description of her she sailed on her first voyage to New York, with a deep cargo aria about 4,0 passengere: The celebrated s hip Dreanought sailed et the same time, and got out five days before her: The tle vessels again starts from New York, and in the passage home the Constitution outran her competitor by si% days. These facts prove her sailing qaalities: She is now about to sail on her second voyage, with about 490 passengers, and yesterday we had a full inepection of net in the Bramley-Moore dock, where she attracts attentioe• In saying that she is a fine ship, would convey but a pool idea of her. She has bees got up expressly for the trade —has the most lofty, ample, and best ventilated cabins, for all classes of passengers, that we have seen. In these respzcts, we have seen two addresses presented to the able commander, Captain Anderson --one from the passengers going out (in the end of May), and the other from the passengers coming home (in August), and to these doce' meats the subscribers specially refer to the comfort of the cabins, the light, and excellent ventilation afforded by $ new priutiple. They also ecugratulated the owners of ih s ship, not only on aconite of her splendid accommodations 'and her victualling department, but particularly so on her having such an efficient and attentive cote' rnander as Captain Anderson, and they spoke to high terms of his seal, and the manner in which he visited all the passengers, two or three times daily, to ascertai n if they required anything. These testimonials mentioned also that th e s hi p was the easiest in motion that the most experienced hal sailed in, although her performance was rapia. In th e p resent instance nothing has been omitted to make her perfect. Her second and third class cabie s are excellent in all respects. Such a ship, and sue t ' cal:mender must be desirable for passengers; She is f urn i s h ed with an excellent hospital an ' e medicine chest, bat it i s cur i ous to rem irk, that althouC Captain Anderson has been many years in the trade, he hs: never lost a passenger by illness, and this is in scan° 'Measure attributable to vigilance and excellent sanitarl arrangement, and the o r d er h e has observed in all the shi ps he has commanded —none of which reflects more credit 0 $ him than the Constitution. Liverpool is proud of this . shill because she was rebuilt here, and it is to .be 1 0 1 ° she will continue a s successful as she has been under t ho command of Captain A,nclersett. TE] The E day. s het her of the 'dap, th it 0Q1 „,, cal, ar new indep c Da The ?aline] and lat from the 21 (FridO he avy Austr Prisin are—__ tar, 3 of sill Ad .the R11( . 1 and Ai Stall; out tea Ori( Gat