Northern Times. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-07-21 00:00:00

Co ntnercfal fiate4.--trbt's MET. t twelve o'enek at the brok.rs' offi e, 14, Exchange-bulking!, 34 tons Iron.—S. Dutton and Nephew. At twelve o'clock, at the broker?' °fan, 8, Lineastv-buildings, 674 barrels Rosin —Slit aid Mougen.s. I iVr For particulars see advertisement.. AAUSENIESTS, PUBLIC MEETINGS, &c. THIS DAY. ay. G.ARGE's Elam—Concerts—The Brousll Family. ROYAL Am PRIT itEATRE —Dr amatte Performance-7 p.m. Etorax. Cotosseux—Geeeral Entertainment-6.30 p.m. ZooLocacat GA,RDENS—Grand and Varied Entertainments. eIArION HALL, Clayt n-square—GlJrdon Cumming-8 p.m. Ausop's CRYSTAL Palau s, Lime-street —lO a.m. to 10 p m. Cr For particulars see advertisements. Rgr4ein gum TUESDAY, JULY 21, 1837. THE DAY'S NEWS. There was not much business of importance transacted in either Houses of Parliament last night. The rumours that prevailed in the City of London yesterday, respecting the Mutiny of the Bombay Army, was strongly denied by the Govern ment. The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced his intention of abandoning the Savings' Bank Bill. A somewhat desultory conversation ensued upon the war with India, without resulting in any practicable result. The House of Lords was engaged in discussing the Mersey Conservancy Bill, which was read a second time, on a division of 23 for the bill, and 15 against it. The chief speakers were the Duke of Newcastle, Lord Ravensworth, Lord Wensleydale, and the Earl of Derby. Of course the reading of the bill a second time implies that it will be opposed on its further stages. Lord Campbell, it appears, is to create another discussion respecting the Oath of Abju ration. The first meeting of the newly constituted Board of Guardians of Toxteth-park was held yesterday at the public offices, Toxteth-park. Mr. G. Horsfall was elected chairman ; Mr. Alpass, vice chairman, and Mr. Cleaver, clerk. Of course, no business of any moment was transacted, but in the course of a short time the board will be in fair working order. We hope that the severance of the Toxteth district will tend to the advantage of tae ratepayers in both Unions. Yesterday, the Recorder, Mr. Gilbert Henderson, opened the general Quarter Sessions of the peace, and delivered his usual charge to the grand jury, from which it appears that there is still a great increase of crime in the borough, the numbers of committals for trial from the 13th of May to the 17th of July being no less than 266 persons. At the same time it is gratifying that there were not any crimes of magnitude noted in the calendar. His worship alluded to the new regu'a tions in regard to penal servitude and transporta tion, and explained the leading provisions of Sir George Grey's proposal, which we published in extenso a few days ago. The Police Court cases are at all times matter of interest to our readers. We refer to our reports, and would call attention to the case headed A Curious Charge about Murder," but as the case is to be further investigated tc-day, we refrain from further comment. The " Mysteries of Dance street" is well worthy of notice, as it shows the positive evils of intemperance, whilst Mr. Cros thwaite's decision respecting buss conductors, wil be a warning to all who take an interest in the regulation of these important public conveyances The election for a member to represent the City of Oxford, in the room of Mr. Neate, who was un seated, commenced yesterday. The candidates were Mr. Thackeray and the Right Hon. E. Card welt. The show of hands was declared in favour of the former gentleman, and Mr. Cardwell's friends demanded a poll. He was not present on the oc casion. Both parties are confident of success. We understand that the deputation of liberal members appointed at the meeting on Thursday last, on the question of the Parliamentary Oath's Bill, will wait upon the Premier this day. A London cotemporary of last evening, states "if they intend to ask him what he proposes to do in the matter, he will tell them in effect that he pro poses to do nothing. Already has he intimated his intention to give no support to Lord John Russell's bill; and is it to be supposed that, seeing he allowed Lord Harrowby, a member of his cabinet, to absent himself from the critical division on the Parliamentary Oaths Bill, he can, with any sincerity, countenance the course pro posed by Mr. Dillwyn ? The truth is that the noble lord is insincere in the question ; and the Liberal members who slavishly follow his lead are unconsciously betraying their constituents and the principles they profess. Reports from the North of Ireland reach us that Orangeism has broken out into angry effervescence under the influence of the 12th of July; and riot and bloodshed hold their orgies nightly in Belfast, that eminently intelligent and loyal town. Mr. Justice Jackson, himself at one time a fiery Orangeman, has felt himself bound to read a sharp lecture on the subject to the gentry of Downshire, in which county also serious and fatal riots have occurred. A great step in the direction of free trade is on the eve of being taken in Germany. In the Zoll verein arrangements the difference between the excise on beet-root sugar and the customs duty on foreign-grown and refined sugar has hitherto acted as a powerful protection to the manufacture of beet-root sugar ; so much so, indeed, that the im portation of foreign sugar has dwindled into insignificance, and the exchequers of all the Zoll verein States have severely suffered. This latter circumstance swept away all remaining opposition to the free trade demand for an equalisation of the sugar duties, and a special Conference is now en gaged at Berlin, in laying down the terms of the new arrangement. The Pays, a French ministerial organ, asserts that Mazzini has been informed by the British Government that although England will not cease to offer an asylum to political refugees, he cannot be allowed to make preparations here for revolu tionary enterprises abroad. The responsibility of this assertion must, of course, be left to the Pays. Letters from Paris in the Belgian journals contain some hints as to the results of the inquiry which the French police is pursuing with regard to the Italian outbreak. As they are' unauthorised communications, they must be received with caution. It is reported that the French Government coincides in the representation made by the Italian Governments to that of Great Britain, respecting the alleged European dangers created by giving refuge to Italian refugees in England. Count Walewski, and Baron Hubner, the Austrian ambassador, have been in conference with Lord Cowley on the subject. The news from Spain, as might have been anti cipated, report s little, save the numerous execu tions of the captured insurgents, who it seems were all condemned by military tribunals. As a result of the failure of the negotiations carried on f o r some time between th e M e xican plenipo tentiary, Signor Lafraqua, and the Spanish govern ment, we now hear of serious preparations for an expedition agai nst Mexico in the p or t s o f C u ba. Reliable information from Berlin confirms the previous announcement, that the two German Powers have again delayed federal measures against Denmark, until the discussion o f t h e constitution by the Holstein Diet shall have taken place. A " dismal" rumour, has been current to the effect that the whole of the Bombay army had mutinied and joined the Bengal revolters, was published this morning by a cotemporary. This alarming intelligence, it is hinted, has reached England overland through the medium of Russian mercantile house. We believe that there is no truth in the report. The t enor o f a ll the authentic i ntelligence received by the reoent mails" from India, which represented the Bombay army as perfectly sound, notwithstanding the spread of successful revolt in Bengal, would of itself have led us to reject this rumour, originating as it does one knows not where or how. But besides this reason for considering the rumour a silly or " dismal " fabrication, we have the assurance that no intelligence from India, later than that brought by the last mail, has been received up to the pre sent moment, either by the Government, or at the East India House. The Parliamentary Election Committees pro ceeded to prosecute their investigations yesterday. That entrusted with the Falkirk Petition proceeded with the evidence, it had not gone far when Mr. Phinn, who was counsel for Mr. Merry, the sitting member, said he could not resist the evidence which had been adduced against Mr. Merry's agents, and he must therefore retire from the case. The committee room was then cleared, and on the re-admission of strangers, Sir John Pakington, the chairman, announced that the decision of the com mittee was that Mr. Merry by his agents had been guilty of bribery and treating, and that therefore the election was void. The Weymouth and Mal don Committees were engaged in taking evidence, but nothing peculiar took place. THE Dock Committee is adopting a somewhat singular, and, to our mind, objectionable course with respect to the Mersey Conservancy Bill. At the meeting held on Thursday last, Mr. SMITH expressed an anxiety to be made acquain ted with the tenor of a report which had been presented to the Parliamentary Committee, respecting the proceedings in Parliament in regard to the Bill in question. The Chairman, at the outset, deprecated any discussion on the subject, alleging that any further debate upon it would be highly prejudicial to the interests of the Dock Estate. Mr. SMITH, finding that the standing orders of the Committee were against the views which he entertained, gave notice that, on Thursday next, he would move that the resolution of the Committee on the 9th instant, adopting the report of the Parliamentary Sub-Committee on the proceedings in Parliament on the Mersey Conservancy Bill, be rescinded. This notice provoked a debate, which clearly mani fested the determination of the Committee not to tolera e any public discussion on the subject. Now we must join in the principle set forth by Mr. HUBBACK, that as the representatives of the Dock ratepayers, the Committee should have an opportunity of discussing the aforesaid Par liamentary proceedings in such a manner as would enable the public to form an opinion upon their respective sentiments on the subject. The habit of managing important public trusts in secret conclave, and of allowing a Sub-committee of three or four persons, to control and regulate such matters as the Mersey Conservancy Bill, by their mere fiat, is preposterous. Mr. CHAS. TURNER'S doctrine, about the inexpediency of giving to the public the information Mr. SMITH sought to obtain, was identical to that avowed by Lord PALMERSTON a few hours afterwards in the House of Commons, when he argued that it was not desirable that the public should know what were the actual operations of the Govern ment, in carrying on the war with Persia. We have elsewhere alluded to the unconstitutiona nature of the principles enunciated by the Premier on Thursday night, and, as the ground taken by Mr. TURNER, Mr. BOLD, and other members of the Dock Committee, for preventing the public from knowing what steps had been taken, and what further efforts will be made to defeat the Mersey Conservancy Bill, we need not pursue the argument further to prove that it is untenable, and in its operations must prove injurious to all the parties whose interests are at stake by the nefarious project of the men of Manchester, and their interested a e'tors. We hold that the principle of conducting the affairs of public bodies in secret, and refusing to the Press an opportunity of placing the people at large in possession of everything calculated to en able them to judge whether such bodies discharge their duties with efficiency and zeal, is open to the strongest objection• It begets suspicion that all is not right; jealousy, and afterwards con tempt, follows. Moreover, it has been a fact— but too often demonstrated—that " secret management" has ended disastrously for the parties engaged; with such a system, some how or ' other, corruption and jobbing creep in, and evils of the greatest magnitude follow. We do not mean to insinuate that there is jobbing in the Dock estate. Far from it. But we contend that the fact of preventing discussion on the Parlia mentary proceedings, connected with the Dock estate, is not only discourtesy to the ratepayers, but an inference that all the steps which have been taken therein, will not bear public scrutiny. We are willing to believe that such is not the case, still we cannot come t 3 any other conclusion. Sooner or later, all that has taken place in the matter must be known, and it would come with a far better grace, were Mr. TURNER and those who act with him, to be less reserved; for, assuredly, we have passed the age of " secret conclave," and one sided Committees. Mr. SMITH was met by a motion, proposed by Mr. Alderman BOLD, that. Mr. SMITH'S proposition should be discussed with closed doors, and was carried by a large majority—only three members voting against the Alderman's proposal. We have said enough to satisfy our readers that the standing orders of the Dock Committee, like those of both Houses of Parlia ment, require revision and alteration. We have also showed every one that the practice of con ducting important debates, in the absence of the reporters, tends to the disadvantage of the public, whose servants the members of the Dock Committee are. Whilst on this subject we cannot refrain from expressing our surprise that the people of Liverpool should be so long without having a public meeting called, in order that they may give an emphatic expression of their unmiti- THE NORTHERN TIMES. LIVERPOOL, TGESDAY, JULY 21. 1857. gated hostility to this dishonest and one sided act of public spoliation. THE question of national taxation, and the principles by which it is regulated, is one of no minor importance to every class and condition of the population. It is, moreover, a topic to which frequent allusion has been made in these columns. We admit that there must be national expenditure, and to meet that constant, and we are sorry to add, increasing drain, every mem ber of the community should contribute accord ing to his means and position in society his fair share of taxes levied by authority of Parliament. But while we go this far we must protest against any plan of governmental and assessed taxes, which is not only capricous but one sided in its character. To levy taxes upon the poor which" do not apply to the upper and middle classes is unjust. That such is at present the state of the law none can deny. No better illustration of the fact can be found than what took place in the Police Court, on Thursday, where a poor indus trious man, named OWEN CRAVEN, the owner and driver of a spring cart, was brought before Mr. MANSFIELD. by an excise officer, for having brought passengers from the race course, in his " trap " without a license. The offence was established, and the magistrate was compelled to inflict a fine of 21. 10s., and costs. Here was an individual who by industry, and taking advantage of the races, was endeavouring to turn his horse and cart to the best advantage. His crime is simply industry, and that the law rewards by making the poor man pay a license of 3s. for one day or 4s. 6d. for two days, in default of which the taxation shark pounces upon the poor man's property and retains it in custody until whatever fine is levied be paid, and the avaricious man of the excise has been satisfied. 'With regard to this particular case, we object not only to the imposition of the excise license for using spring carts as travelling vehicles on the days of the races, but we also hold that for such a trivial offence, as omitting to take out a day license on such an occasion, the power of mulct ing the offending party in a fine of 101., and costs, is decidedly a punishment far beyond what the infringement of such an Act of Parlia ment should be awarded. A word or two on each of these points. Alluding to the remarks at the commencement of this article we maintained that taxation should not fall heavier on one class than another; in other words, that the poor should not be saddled with the payments of national im posts whilst the rich were allowed to escape scot free. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. (By British and Irish Magnetic Telegraph.) HOUSE OF LORDS-MONDAY. The Haase met at five o'clock. Lord CAMPBELL gave notice that to-morrow he should put a question to the Lord Chimellor, respecting the appeal in the case of Solemn's. v. Miller, involving the necessity or otherwise of taking the Abjura tion Oath In the usual form, and that he should draw attention to the statement of that question. The Thames Conservancy Bill was read a second time after a dis cussion and asdivision in which the numbers were— For the Bill Against Majority .... .. ...... Oa the order for the second reading of the Mersey Conservancy Bill, a number of petitions, incluling one by the Earl of Derby, signed by thirteen thou,and inhabitants of Liverpool, were presented against the measure. Tie Dake of NEWCLSTLE moved the second reading of the bill, and trusted that after tha decisl ,n give❑ in the case of the Thames Conservancy Bill, the House would not oppose the bill than under consideration. He alluded to the bills formerly introduced, on this subject, and explained that the measure was promoted by the com mercial and railway interests concerned, and only touched incident ally the tolls. It would not abo Lib them, but would create a new body or their administrivion, whose interest it would be to maintain them. Ee stated that the measure had received the support of various committees, it was also supp irted by reports of the Board of Admiralty and Board of Trade, and he begged their Lordships to al:ow it to be read a second time. Lord RAVENSWORTH opposed the motion, and moved that the bill be read a second time th-t day six months. The measure was in his opinion of an arbitrary character, at variance with the existing law, and opposed to the great p. incipla of justice, which should regulate proceedings of this kind. It was an attempt at apoilation, and if Parliament approved of the principle upon which it was founded, there would no longer be any szcurity for property in this country. Lord WINSLETDAOII also opposed the bill. The Earl of DEIIST said the Government by exereking thetr authority is the matter, had made it a party question—he referred to the increase in the trade of Liverpool—and argued that the corporation had ctscharged their duty, and that the object of this bill was to pass in a special clause, what the Government had failed to do by their general measure of last session. Lord STANLEY OF ALDERL EY defended the bill. After same further conversation, their fordships divided. The numbers ware— Contents ........ Non-contents .... Majority .. ...... ........ The bill was accordingly real a second time. The Larceny, &c., Bill, Offences Aga rat the Person Bill, Malicious Injury to P.operty Bill, Forgery Bill, Libel Bill, Coinage Offences Bill, Den*, Game, and Rabbits Bill, and Turnpike Trusts Bill, were read a nird time and passed. The Constabulary Fo:ce (Ireland) Bill went through committee. Their lordships rose at twenty-five minutes past nine o'clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS.-MONDAY. The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock. At the time of private business, Hay's Divorce Bill, and Smith's Divorc 3 Bill were read a third time.and passed. The Edinburgh, Canongate, and Montrose Tax Abolition Bill was read a second Ume. On the motion for the second reading of Shepherd's Disabilities Mr. FITZROY gave some:explanation as to this class of bills, the first of which was introduced in 1843, since which five others only had been asked for. The objeat in this case was to allow a clergyman ordained by a Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in America to hold church preferment within her Majesty's dominions. He refrained from excressing any opinion as to the claim, but submitted to the con sideration of the House, whether it might not be advisable, rather than set aside the law, where the claimant was rich enough to bear the expense of the application to Paniaatent, to enact a general measure dealing with all each cases. Mr. Fosxsa and Mr. ESTCOURT did not think that it would be expedient to pass a general law for a great hardship to reject the present cialm. Dlr. GLADSTONE also urged that the bill being founded upon pre cedent, could not be rejected. He advocated, however, an amend ment of the law which al owed the or !illation of Jumpers, Shaker s, . and Mormons who conformed to the Estahishei Church, while it excluded Protestant zeiniseers on account of their ordination in America. Sir G. GREY admitted the absurdity of the existing law, but sup ported the second reading. Mr. ROEBUCK hoped a bill to amend the present state of the law would be shortly introduced. The bill was then read a second time. Sir Josef PAKINGTON reported from the Falkirk Burghs Election Committee that James Marty was not duly slanted, and that the late election was void. 'I he committee had also agreed to resolutions to the effect that by his agents James Merry had been guilty of bribery and treating, though there was no truth of his cognisance, and that the requirements of the Bribery Act, as far as related to the return of expenses, had not been complied with, an expenditure of .e 825 having been incurred over the amount accounted for by the Election Auditor. The SPEAKER read a communication announcing the abandonment of the petition complaining of undue election for Bridport. Mr. Roznucx inquired into the truth of a statement in a morning page that the army of Bombay had broken out into mutiny. Mr. V. Smrra said that neither the Board o f Di rec t ors nor ~he Government had received any such information. News from India could be obtained only from te e mails, which left India twice in the conrse of the month, and a summary which was received by tele graph, and no informs ion having arrived in this way, there could be no loundatTon for the rumour alluded to. Thelast accounts received by the Government were of quite a contrary nature, and he thought newspapers should not publish such alarming etatementa without some authority. In reply to a question from Mr. Baxter, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER stated his intention of aban doning the Savings Banks Bill for the present session. In reply to Captain Vivian, Sir JOHN RAMSDEN said that two regiments of cavalry had been under orders for India, and a third regiment had been placed under orders, but the order in the last case had since been suspended on the bringing up of the report of supply. Mr. BENT iNCK drew attention to the state of the country not being satisfied with the reply given to him on the subject, wh n he before brought it under the consideration of the House. The forces of the coon ry had been drained for the Incline and China hostilities, and there was no reserve left for purposes of defence in case of a European war, and he demanded from the Government some explana tions of what had been done for the security of the country. Lord VANE TEMPEST asked what steps had been taken to supply the drain upon the army for Indian service, and stated that the mili tary service was not looked upon with favour, in consequence of the treatment of the Foreign Legions. He also advised the employment of screw line of battle ships for the transport of troops to India. Mr. W. eliternmee quoted the authority of the Dake of Wellington for a statement, this 80,000 men were sufficient for a standing army, and remarked that at the present time the number amounted to 126,000. Col. KNOX considered that the extraordinary army at the present time wet more than accounted for by the extraordinary demand for military as [stance. Lord PALMERSTON hoped credit would he given to the Government for not neglecting to atte d to a question of such importance as coast derences, and he believed that there would be no difficulty in inducing Par.iament to grant the funds necessary for the purpose. The estimates laid before Parliament, however, under existing circum stances, were considered sufficient to meet all demands; but if an emergency should arise, and Parliament sitting, they would be app ied to; but if not, the Government had power to call them together. Events in 'edits had drawn part of the troops from this country, and measures were taking to fill up the gap so occasioned by ' recruiting, which the Government had power to do, calling out the militia to recruit the Poe would be a very expulsive proceeding, and as to the permanent embodiment of that force, there was no legal power to do so, as there was no fear of danger from foreign invasion, nor of holm insurrection. The for,es now under order for India— part of which had gone—amounted to 20,000 men, which was all the number that the Governor-General considered necessary. But should farther information prove that strength insufficient it would be for the Government to consider in what way it should be aug mented. Mr. LINDSAY observed that an invasion could not take place with oat being expected some ttime beforehand, and there would be ailfll - opportunity then to provide for the defence of the country. fir Cass. Nan - a urged that the country should never be without a Chanel squadron Lord C. Hannrote thought the whole expense of the Persian war had been useless, as more was offered before than was secared after the hostilities. Sir CA ks. WOOD stated that Persia had been compelled by the war so respect the treaties, and he contended that the establishment canctioned by the votes in supply was sufficient lot the defence of the toantry. After some further discussion, Sir J PAKENTON drew attention to the position of the China question, and asked for further explanations from Government upon the subject. He could not but think that the Government la e:1 received some forewarning of the mutenies in India, and if so, he t ought them extremely culpable for entering, at such a time, upon a war with China. He chnrged the Government with neglecting, after N s Ew PATENT FAMILY FIRE ESCAPP.—With th e sanction anrgeditthtaotbdeurnecessary n t m p r o o n s t e h c s u t t o e t hostilities t o w c d a h n to C n h . ' n a w , h an en d d of the Mayor.—A public trial will take place on Thursday i he arrived there he would probab'y find the whole of the war junks next, in Exchange-street West, at twelve o'clock, under destroyed, hut no other eroceedmgs would be taken without his the management of Mr. Superintendent Hewitt and part " n e e f t t i e o r n . a brief conversation, the subject dropped, and the House of his fire brigade, when the public may witness its I went into committee on the Probates and Letters of Administration efficiency in cases of fire, in the absence of any other I Bill. assistance. Orders received by Messrs. Mawdsley & Son, i On the Attorney-General's new clause, prohibiting District Regis- Carle-street, or William Odell, Bold-stre e t, so l e a tears from granting probate, Sec., relative to Government Se;ck, or ' gent for other stock or shares transferable in the metropolitan district, a long Liverpool. discussion took place. FATAL ACCIDENT IN PARK ROAD.—Yesterday forenoon, declined o clause divi w tle on as strongly opposed, and the Government eventually t t it. a fatal accident took place in Park-road. It appears thatA new clauee was proposed by Sir F. KELLY, and was negativeei, a servant in the employment of Mr. Richards, of Aigburtb, after a discussion, without a division. was driving a one horse vehicle down the Park-road, The ChPAirman then reported progress. towards the Dingle, the horse from some unexplained The Reformatory Schools Bill, and the Attornies and Solicitors cause ran away, and when near the shop of Mr. Alpass, the Cole:aial Courts Bill were read a third time and passed. rile Clerks of Petty Sessions (Ireland) Bill, the Loan Societies Bill, vehicle came in contact with a lamp post, and the driv e r Co m m ons Inclosure Bill, and Boundaries of Land (Ireland) Bill, went either leaped, or was thrown off, and unfortunately was . through committee. The Co . killed on the spot. The police conveyed the hod) , to lb')! Whiteside. urt of Chancery (Irelaid) Bill was Wi.II(IPP/11 by M r. Southern hospital , but life pro quite gone, r The House adjourned ,t two o'clock. Now, if my Lord DERBY, and the young Earl Of SEFTON sent out each 100 spring carts to carry passengers to the race course would the officious exciseman step forward and make seizures of all, as did officer BURTON on the goods and chattels of poor industrious OWEN CRAVEN. Every one of our readers know that he would not. There is, however, another objection to be urged against the imposition of this tax on spring carts, on occasions like the Liverpool Races, namely, that this Excise surveillance of spring carts costs the revenue of that department of the public service much more than it realizes. The officer's time is consumed in watching for infringements of the law. He has to be paid for that time which could be usefully employed in every other branch of the excise. But it is also a tax upon industry. It forbids any attempt to earn an honest penny, no matter how special may be the occasion, without paying the crown a fee to employ to advantage any opportunity that may arise for the carter's horse and vehicle. When the income-tax was levied unon individuals whose annual earnings were barely 1001., loud and indignant were the protestations of the people against such an im post. Here, however, is a poor carter who may realize for his horse and cart 11., out of which the former has to be kept and the wear and tear of the last, and harness to be allowed. Ms day's clear gain cannot be more than 17s. 6d., fr which amount the crown demands 3s. Now, apply the rule of three to this matter, and en quire if 17s. 6d. pay :3s. —what will 1001. pay ? We would almost like to give the working of this sum, as an arithmetical master in one of our schools or academies would say. It will be enough to state the result, viz., 171. 2s. 101 d. A pretty wide per tentage on the poor Catter' 3 day's earnings. This is equal to an income-tax of 3s. s;cl. on the pound, And here we stop to inquire, is not such a tax truly monstrous and unjust ? It savors of oppression and should be repealed. God knows the poorer classes are pressed down enough by indirect taxation ; many of the necessaries of life have to pay heavy duties, and numerous articles that would contribute to their material interests and enjoyments are saddled with the demands of the Excise or Custom House. But this nefarious impost caps them all, and will, we trust, go along with many other items of revenue levied in times never to return. TELEGRAPHIC NEWS. By British and Irish Magnetic Telegraph. INDIA. Very alarming rumours have been circulated respecting the extension of the Indian mutiny to the Bombay Army' As silence upon these subjects may give rise to misappre_ hension, it is right to say that • the; Government havo received no information from f India in addition to that o which the public is already in possession.] THE MUTINEERS AT UMBALLAH. The following is an extract from a letter, dated Timbal lah, May 14, written by Mr. Evans, the gentleman who, having been made the scapegoat of the practical jokers at Canterbury, has most creditably redeemed his position in the army, and was appointed to the 9th Lancers on the recommendation of Sir W. Williams for his good services at Erzeroum Perhaps this may give you the first intelligence o f the disturbances in this part of India, which is now in a very unsettle] state. Since Thursday, April 16, we have hid incendiary fires of frequent occur refire, without being able to find out the perpetrators. C'n the 16th a barrack and a hospital burnt down, and since that almost every sight up to last Sunday some building has Teen set on fire. The bungalows, being low thatched buildings, are easily set on fire, which it is impossible to extinguish in a place so badly supplied with water as this station. The native troops for some time have been showing a discontented spirit, without breaking out into open mutiny. There are here two native infantry regiments, the sth and 60th, and one regiment dilative cavalry—viz , the 4th Light, besides some rregulars ; and we have only one regiment of Europeans —viz , the 9:h Royal Lancers, and two troops of horse artillery. Last Sunday, afterwe had returned from church, and had just finished our breakfast, at about ten a.m., the alarm sounded for the regiment to turn out. The men were lying in the barracks undressed, and many of them asleep, bat in an almost incredibly short time they_ were al l on parade mounted and fully equipped; the artillery were ready nearly as soon. When on the parade ground we found that the 60th Native Infantry had mutinied and turned out with their arms, but we could not go down because they had their officers prisoners, and threatened to shoot them if we came down, but that if we did not they would return quietly. If our men had the chance to go in at them, they would have made short work of them ; they are so enraged at having . had so much nightwork lately in consequence of fires, which are attributed to the ser oys. They (i.e. our men) get about two nights a-week to bed. At 12 o'clock, noon, we were turned out again in consequence of the sth Native Infantry having turned out ; but we were again disappointed. They appeared to think us too attentive' and returned to their barracks. For the last two nights the wives of married officers are sent down to the canteen for better security. An officer remains at the main guard all night, and an artil:ery officer with the guns, which are loaded, and ammunition is served out to the men. Two patrols are out every hour, and all is alert. Yesterday, three companies of the 75th (Her Majesty's) marched in from Ku sowlee. They started at noon on Tuesday, and arrived at about 2 p.m, yesterday (Wednesday). The distance is 48 miles, a wonderful march urver an Indian sun, when the thermometer was 92 to 94 degrees in the shade. They had not a single straggler. ITALY. It is said that a Convention is to be signed between the Sovereigns of the Italian States, with the exception of the King of Sardinia, to guarantee each other against revolutionary attacks• THE FRENCH REPUBLICANS. After some time spent in taking counsel and deliberating among friends and colleagues, it seems to be settled that three out of the five Democratic deputies for Paris refnse to take the oaths to the Imperial:Gcrvernment. These three are General Cavaignac, M. Goudchaux, and M. Carnot. M. Darimon and M. 011ivier persist In their determination to accept the condition rejected by their colleagues, and, as it would be unfair to presume they do so with mutual reservation, we may take it for granted that they rally to the Imperial regime. WRECK OF A SCEbONER AND LOSS OF LIFE' Intelligence from Cape Town, under date of May 12, informs us that the schooner Barry had been lost in crossing the bar at Brede river, and that the master and his wife were drowned. Most of the cargo will be landed, but the greater part of it in a damaged state. THE MILITARY DEMONSTRATIONS AT BERAN. (PER'S FUNERAL. The symptoms of alarm exhibited by the government were quite astonishing. All the heavy cavalry quartered at Versailles was brought into the Bois de Bonlogne and there kept in waiting for several hours. The masses Of troops that took military occupation of the Boulevards and Fauborgs were as nothing to those under arms and out of sight. During the whole day the artillery was in readi ness for action—the horses put to and the men standing by their guns. The Minister of War, Marshal Valliant, got up twice in the night and went to Marshall Magnan's head quarters in the Place Venchme. The National Guard was warned to be in readiness to turn out. The various guards ware not relieved for 48 hours, in order that small bodies of troops might not bs exposed to the danger of marching about the streets unprotected. THE NEAPOLITAN STATE PRISONERS. NAPLES, July 16.—The prisoners taken in arms will not be tried by a council of war but by the royal court of Salerno, says the official organ, because the prisoners liberated at Ponza were compelled by threats to engage in the conflict. Many who refused were shot by Pisacane. The second in command, Baron Nicottera, formerly a government functionary, but implicated in the insurrection of 1848, and then banished, is among the wounded pri soners. Incendiary proclamations continue to be circu lated. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. TATTERSALIIS.-YESTERDAY. LATEST BETTING. NOTTINGHAM HANDICAP. 3 to 1 agat Borderer 4 - . 1 Janet 7 .. 1 .. King of the Gipsie% 7 .. 1 .. Young Hopeful GOODWOOD STAK 7 to 1 agst Rosalie 10 ~ 1 .. Fisherrnar, (offered) 12 .. 1 .. MAriirtf/ t (taken) 15 1 .. llad'eur 20 .. 1 .. V9in Dunek 20 .. 1 ... .loquenee 100 1 Somerset 100 Gunboat (taken) GOODWOOD CUP. 7 to 1 agst An!on 7 .. 1 .. Gemma di Vergy 7 .. 1 ... Fisherman 8 1 .. Florin sr. L7GER. 15 to 1 agst Drum.our (talon) Cmcicnr.—On Wednesday end Thursday next, a match win be played between the " Birkenhead Victoria" and Shrewsbury Clubs, upon the ground of the latter a t Shrewsbury, and as both clubs are o-ing their utmost exertions to bring their strongest elevens upon the fietd, a very interesting well-contested game Anticipated, ' CANADA. TORONTO, July 6.—Throughout the length and breadth of the Canadas, the recent steamboat catastrophe seems to be the one and only subject of interest and comment The whole newspaper press of the country has for the last week teemed with accounts and particulars of the disaster, and the quills of editorial gentlemen: have been very actively employed in inditing indignant leaders upon the looseness of the system which provides so meagerly against such accidents ; and very groaning ones upon the melancholy frequency of similar massacres upon the North American Continent. lam sorry to say that the number of souls, which, by the burning of the ill fated Montrael, have been " untimely hurled" to their last account, has by no means been exageratcd, and that the tote. number of victims approaches far nearer 300 th 200, as by the first accounts. The carelessaeei in which the whole thing ;; seems]: to have been managed from first to last is almost unparalleled. It now appears that the unfortunate steamer was furnished with no life preservers ; that no efforts seem to have been made, by officers or crew, to make the small boats avail able', to save lives; no order was preserved, 'no proper steps taken—but that, in short, all was panic, confusion, and disorler. Human ;life in Canada is, I regret to say, held now-a•days veay cheep indeed. There is not one of her principal cities, from Q xebec to Hamilton, which has not been the theatre of some terrific sacrifice of human life. Too truthfully does the Colonist observe, that "the routes of travel in Canada are fast acquiring a terrible notoriety by the frequency and the enormity of the accidents which have occurred periodically within the past two years. It is not long since the Mississippi River was cursed with the unenviable reputation which is now transferred to the St. Lawrence and the Canadian railways ; and in both cases the cause of the fearful destruction of life has been precisely the same—incompetency and recklessness." The fate of the Ocean Wave, the ferry boat at Longuel, the inkerman, and the Desjirdins accident are all fresh in our memory. They came thick aud fas` upon us and now we have to moralise upon a massacre, which, through its heart-rending incidents, and the gross and criminal negligence by which it ever happened—casts, by its lurid horrors, all its predecessors into the shade. A cry,. and an unmistakeable one too, has gone throughout the country, that the Government should take the initiative in thoroughly s'fting to the bottom the cause of this calamity. The people demand that it shall be definitively determined whether this disaster was a massacre or an accident. With all the evidence of carelessness which we have had placed before us, when we know far a positive fact that the Montreal had been on fire twice during the afternoon of the same day, and that the furnaces were badly secured, and the wood work not yroperly protected by metal sheathing, there is certainly a powerful preponderating reason for applying to this entastrophe the former term; but if, on the other hand, it can be proved to be an accident, it surely is not too much to imperatively demand that Government shall take the matter up, and insist, through the strong arm of the law, that railroad and steamboat insecurity shall no longer be perrgitted—that every bridge,:boat, engineer, and captain, shall undergo a rigid examination before the fate of hundreds and hundreds of souls are intrusted to them. The time has gone by for us to count these accidents or massacres as among the mysterious dispensations of Providence, over which men have no control; we have their cause in critninal economy, and in official negligence and imbecility, and until these are checked by a stern and inflexible meting out of a condign punishment, Canada may expect to look forward to a long array of still more terrible accidents than the breaking down of a Desjardins-bridge, or the burning of a Montreal ; and, further, if Canada goes on at the present rate, it cannot fail in frightening emigration from her shores, for how can it be possible that emigrants will relish the notion of all the risk of an ocean voyage, only to be destroyed when they have reached a promised land, when they might have fully counted upon some better security against the awful fate awaitiny them. It seems possible enough that seal fishing is destined to become a very notable branch of Lower Canada enterprise. A Mr. Warren has been building during the last winter a strong, tidy craft, of 250 tons burden, which he intends to engage in a direct trade in the seal fisheries. In relation to this novel movement, a correspondent of the Montreal Witness writes, that " for the first voyage, the vessel will proceed to the Straits of Belle Isle, where she will be fitted out with a portion of her crew, consisting of the hardy fishermen of Newfoundland; and if this adventure proves successful. no doubt many French Canadians might be induced to enter this service, provid ing them constant and profitable employment, and thereby fostering a large number of valuable marines- The business of capturing seals is conducted during the months of March and April, and has this season proved very successful, nearly 500,000 having been secured, the value of which is estimated at 1,500,000 dollars." Sanguine hopes are entertained of succeeding in establishing a profitable business. The Montreal and Plattsburs, railway was; sold last week to Mr. Halstead , New York city, for fifty thousand dollars. The tide of immigration continues very large, and im mense numbers of Norwegians are continually being passed through this city along the line of the Grand Trunk ; probably but a small proportion of the many may remain in Canada, but pass forward towards the peopling of the Great West. The weather continues very favour able for the crops, but, notwithstanding the comparatively advanced period of the year, we have had but very little heat to boast of. In politics there is a complete stagna tion..a Throughout various parts of Canada we are con" stantly turning up the traces and relics of the aboriginal race ; these remains must ever possess most peculiar interest to the antiqurian and the ethnologist, enabling them bit by bit to thread together the dimly-defined, un certain story of a noble poople, now unhappily a ll b u t lost and extinct. Extensive remains of an Indian village of very remote origin, the plough has lately turned up .on Hmee Island, near the Somers depot of the Grand Trunk Railroad, between Lancaster and Cornwall. Above them, we are told, grew a forest, some of the pines of which yielded timber squaring twenty-five inches. On clearing and breaking up the land, the remains were discovered extending over a frontage of about sixteen acres. The plough turned up large quanti ties of broken pottery, covered with figures and ornaments of chaste and elaborate design, stone hatchels, and toma hawks, pipe bowls, skulls, bones, and parched corn. All the remains bear the appearance of are, as though the village had been burned down. When the ground was new ploughed the site of the several huts and streets were apparent from the different colour of the soil. From the absence of all articles of European make, and from the great age of the timber ore the land, there can he no doubt but that to these remains a very, far hack antiquity must to ascribed. luta resting as such. discoveries as these un nibtedly are, Omelet the same time waken up within one a train of mourneul thought ; at once and instinctively the imagination wanders feacX through the dim grey vistas of unrecorded ages, while, from amid these silent relics of the past, clear and solemn whispers, as from the old forgotten time and its vanished race, seem to strike upon the mind. A Grand Trunk whistle shrieking over the site of an ancient Indian village! what an illustration of worldly mutability ! what a picture does it present for a maudlin poet to wonder over t what a fitting locelity for a modern philosopher to sit in and smoke his calumet of reverie and contemplation THE RIOTB iN NEW YORK.—The bloodthirsty riots of the 4th of July, in New York, have deprived a respected British subject of life, and plunged his family in this country into the deepest affetion. Mr. William Pentony, brother of Mr. John Pentony, of Commutation-row, in this tovoa, was literally murdered whilst standing at his owe %;rinslow, at 78, Bayard-street, New York, on the evening of the 4th inst. Mr. Pentony, as w 4,11 as his brother, was well known and respected in Liverpool for his integrity and honest business character, and it seams, from the accounts in the New York papers, that he was held in the highest estimation in every relation of life. The papers sperA in strong terms of the atrocious butchers who, with (Pat a particle of provocation, and in the open day, cora- L milted as foul a murder as any on record. The report of the inquest, which occupies a considerable space in the New York journals, shows the esteem in which Mr. Pentony was held, and the strong expressions of the coroner and jury on the diabolical offence will be the beet comment on the tragedy. It appears that the unfortunate gen.. tleman was at tea, and hearing the rioters rushing through the street, he went to the window to ascertain the cause, and was standing there for a moment, when so me murder ing ruffian ley shed a gun and shot him right through the head. This frightful piece of assassination caused a pro found sensation through the city. A considerable number of witnesses were examined at the inquest, and in order to show the state of things in .N ew York, the following observations of the coroner will throw some light on the subject. In winding up the evid ence , t h e coroner sa id to the jury : is a matter of deep regret to you and nie that a horrible case of this kind should occur: It seems to have become the fashion lately to shoo' men down, to stab theta, to garotte them, and to encourage a very great disregard for human life . I will Eay fearlessly, as an officer of this city, that two' thirds of this trouble has arisen from a want of proper nerve on the part of the public functionaries of this city: A Juror : I belie ve yo u ar e right, sir. The Coroner: With , the blessing of God I regard no man—no station-- 111 the aischarge of the duty that is imposed on me by the oath I have taken, and I will do that duty fearlessly whether lam shot down or not." The jury found that death was caused by a gunshot wound received at the. hand of some person unknown to the jury. This, 01 course, is a verdict of wilful murder against some one unknown. Mr. Pentony (as stated in the papers) has l ei t considerable property and funds, which it appears. 11 1 : proper authorities have taken possession of, until , proper representative appears to oiaitu them.