The Northern Daily Times. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-02-04 00:00:00

. . " - ~.- -• • - . . N• . _ t .....i.... , fro In nitrria; sate tyranny which cannot be long endured, ---------------- even if we leave usury out of the TAIS DA Y. question altogether. But where we have .... Tats D::". the 4th instant, at a Quarter to Eleven o'clock, our banks and money changers doubling and at the Brokers' office. 11, Temple-court, trebling the rates of interest for the money with 120 a-Chests Li, son ORANGES. 4 Boxes Tangerean DIlTa, }ex Cintra, which a twofold amount of taxation is to be paid, 153 Do. Messina (bitter) DITro, ex Lizzie (farrow, 30S Cana Do. LEMONS, ex various steamers, we need not go beyond the first rudiments of 1 eta CHE37.4IJTS, ex Ebro, arithmetic to prove the approach of a certain col :1"4 8a 11a 1,,,..5 kt 100 D. Leghorn DITTO, ex Maria Spes Men, lapse of the arch-superstructure on which states -290 Do. Brasil NUTS. ex Princess Royal, 150 Do. Turkey FILBERTS. ex Thessalia. men rely for the prosecution of their ends. Apply to HOUGHTON & LEVY, Brokers. That a matter of so much importance should .-......—.----I== , --- -- .a. 4 T 0-M 0 R R 0 W. have been wholly overlooked by both branches of the Legislature, when reviewing all other imagi- On account of whom it may concern. To-monnow. the sth instant, at Half-past One o'clock. nable topics, is a matter which must have caused precisely, at Messrs, Gold ß in r g as 's e s t alereom, Corn Exchange, t h e utmost surpr i se i n t h e mercant i le world. Yet , A Quantity Damazed INDIAN CORN, distasteful as it may be to those entrusted ex Jeremiah Thompson, from New York.—For particulars apply to Messrs. Rodocanachi, Sons & Co., or to with the destinies of this great empire, J. &M. HARNETT, Brokers. turn to it they must; and if they • cannot find any other means to r e li eve t ra d e ant i WEDNESDAY. commerce, they must abolish usury, which is the On WEDNESDAY next, the 6th instant, at the Public saleroom, sole remaining perfection of their unique monetary 2 Tona Afri.an BEES' WAX. Apply to ALEX. S. MACRAE, Broker, system. Parliament is doubtless aware that the - - - -- -- country is suffering from a scarcity of bullion, and THURSDAY. men of business, who devote attention to these .On THURSDAY next, the 7th instant, at Twelve o'clock, matters, are at a loss to understand whether that at the Brokers' office, 11, Temple court, 27i Barrels scarcity is natural or artifi c ial. T o arr i ve a t a 10 Cases } CURRANTS , ex Corinthian and Euphrates , 19 Skelrton Cases } Turkey FIGS, ex various steamers, solution of t his important question , we have re -2507 Roxeq peatedly asked what h a s b ecome o f th e amount o f 23 Barrels DATES. ex Tamaulipas. 150 Boxes Layer 51USCATK LLES lex Tweed, gold purchased by th e B an k o f E ng l an d b etween 94 Do Jordan ALMONDS, 159 Cases Pers an SULTANAS, ex 'Thessalia. the Ist of January, 1848, and the 31st of May, zont) i and 1-Drums DITTO. ex various steamers, 435 B xes Turkey Eleme RAISINS, ex British Queen, 1854, as shown in the return presented to the 50 Barrelss 1 i k Black DITTO, ex Parliament, House of C o m mons by th e B an k o f E ng l an d , i n 05 Keg 3 Bales Soft Shell } ALMONDS, ex Asia. obedience to the order made on Mr. H UME' s motion. 79 Do. Jordan Apply to HOUGISTON & LEVYlBrokers. We have thrice put this query to our bullionist oracles, and as we have not received a reply of any Tall ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION TO THE NORTHERN kind we will now put our stereotyped problem,with DAILY TIMES is TWO GUINEAS PER Aiisrm. one or two brief remarks, to both Houses of Parlia- EVENING EDITION. ment :—" The return in question was ordered to be " printed by the House of Commons on the 30th Mr An Evening Edition of the NORTHERN DAILY "of June, 1854, in which we find the Bank bought Tuns is now Published every .Afternoon, at Three o'clock, " and sold gold as follows : containing the Markets, together with all the News of the From Bought Sold Day, up to the hour of going t o P ress. Ist Jan. to 31st Dec., 1848, £5,798,038 £1,779,589 ._ _. - - -____,.- „ 1849, 3,646,658 116,771 11 „ 1850. 2,938,223 735,953 1 , E4c ll,ort4.r u (Times ~ „ 1851, 7,099,584 307,323 " ~ 1852, 15,350,771 1,377,705 ~ „ 1853, 8,706,696 3.560,955 - - " to 31st May, 1854, 1,091,990 2,678,032 MONDAY. FEBRUARY 4, 1856. _____ 1,377.705 3.5 - 60,955 2,678,032 Total, £44,631,960 £10,556,328 From these figures it will be seen that the AN opportunity has been given to every member of both Houses of Parliament to dilate on the politics of Europe, and the domestic affairs of this Right well have both Lords and Com " Bank of England purchased, between the first " day of January, 1849, and the last day of May, countr ' 1854, 34,075,6321. more gold than they sold ; and ' now we want to know what has become of that huge amount of metallic treasure ? THE COURT WINDSOR, Feb. I.—Captain the Hon. H. Keppel, R.N., and Colonel Simmons, R.E., Queen's Commissioner at the Head-quarters of the Ottoman Army, arrived yesterday afternoon on a visit to her Majesty. The dinner party included the Duchess of Kent, Lady Fanny Howard, Baroness de Speth, the Hon. Mary Seymour, Major- General the Hon. C. and Mrs. Grey, Captain the Hon. H. Keppel, R.N., Sir George Couper, and Colonel Simmons, R.E. Prince Albert went out shooting this morning, accompanied by Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar, and Captain the Hon. H. Keppel. Earl Spencer, Lord Steward of the Household, had an audience of her Majesty, to pre. sent the address from the House of Lords in answer to the from t 2.—The Hon. Captain Henry Koppel, of the royal navy, took leave this morning, and quitted the castle. Her Majesty and his Royal Highness Prince Albert ' promenaded the Slopes during the forenoon Th SATURDAY, Feb when I thing mons used this privilege ; but not one Minister or member had ti consistency t mone Bank Charter Act moral courage or the political allude, di ectly or indirectly, to our aws—the e: piration and renewal of the ;he drain of bullion which cannot be accounted for in an tional way, and usurious rates of interest which have added so )f the war. of the p much to the in tensit Can it be possible that such a numerous body as the Peers and Commons Juntry can be this c^ unanimous in their opinions on this grave question? ght which can only been wrou If so, a miracle has _ be viewed as a precursor of th sion of the heathen. But it does appear strange at a time when so much avidity was shown by the Opposition to make voluminous speeches on what universal conver vas, and what was not, in the Royal speech, even one of th pokesmen should have shunned the currency, and the monetary condition of the realm, as if by mutual consent Can Parliament be labouring under th >Bed a npression that, with a money market elk ..gainst our Indian,China, Australian, South American, and other bills having more than ninety•five days to run, busk ess can be continued without bringing ruin on every merchant engaged n trade with those distant countries? If they do i is opposed to the experience and nan practically vitti comm persuaded at a profit cation that trade car be carried on without cordial c accommodation in the shape of discounts, assumed the mastery over the legislative brain ? It cannot oe possib " MERCATOR'S" lettertil have arped the Alective wisdom of this great Empire Our represents- tives must see that no ma ter how sublime in theor and P JONES I EL'S enactments nay be, their practical operation in the ing a train of bullion is total ineffe 2cl that usury is the sole end attained If Parliament can show us that t —this for- bidden extortion—is much less justifi- able, the industrial and mercantile classes will submit to that most ancient and torturous of Whig inflictions without a murmur, and will take all that " MERCATOR" and other scribblers choose to put into type, for Gospel. But when we see that ibullion leaves us in spite of all contractions of the circulation, and that a Money Market ruled at from six to ten per cent. discount invariably leads to panic, wide-spread distress, and increased outrage, we feel leas commiseration for the money-changers of the temple, and see the wis dom of the Divine interdiction of usury in the purest light. Our rulers are too apt to assume that News papers merely take up certain questions for the purpose of pandering to the fancies of a particular class of readers who are few in number, and. therefore, unimportant—that they do not com prehend what they put forth, and that a small effusion of metaphysical twaddle will so mystify their limited understanding that they would be glad to hide their diminished heads under the wing of the vulture, who lcves to feed on the eyes and brains of our species. This, however, is simply playing with that mighty engine, which represents, if it does not direct, the popular opinion of civilisation, and since the Legislature, together with the great majority of our cotemporaries of the Press, are ransacking our parliamentary debates and all that has been written on money from the days of LYOURGIIS down to the present time, and trying to swamp us by all that has been deified by Pagans 'and politicians, we are constrained to abandon the ordinary course of reasoning, and ask them what they propose as a remedy for the prac tical defects in their system, more especially the curse of usury. We always knew where we could fall back upon an immutable injunction, and could bring to the support of our cause the moral conviction of the community. " MEECATOR" may see in his coffers 7 ,000,000 Z. as the heir-loom of his offspring, and know no other code of ethics than that of Mammon. We have no objection to men's assuming the dimensions of a camel, and flattering themselves they have passed through the eye of the needle. But we see, in the actual result of all that Jorms LOYD preaches, nothing but a nation borne down by usury and all its concomitant abominations. And we tell those who treat the crying evils of any age with contempt, that it only requires one honest voice and one determined hand, to make men think and pronounce in favour of right. To embark in war, which, at most, can only be a political necessity, and to continue heaping Vocation on the citizen far beyond the available mean s allowed to him in a sea son o f peace, is l a king from him his substance by a species of are no visitors staying at the castle, for Colonel Simmons, who had been the guest of the Queen since Thursday, has left, and no company has arrive d this day on a visit. The Address from the House of Commons, in answer to the Speech from the Throne, will, it is expected, be presented to her Majesty by members of the Lower House, known as " white wands," viz., the Treasurer and acquainted I the Comptroller of the Queen's Household. THE QUEEN'S SPEECH.—The following is her Majesty's answer to the address of the House of Lords in reply to the Speech from the Throne:—" I thank you for your al and dutiful address. I rely with confidence on your peration in all measures which I may consider iecessary to maintain the honour and dignity of the empire, and to promote the permanent interests and welfare of my people MONETARY AND COMMERCIAL, LIVERPOOL, SATURDAY EVENING, The transactions in the Cotton Market to-day have not been quite so extensive. The total sales amounted to 8,000 bales, of which 2,000 were taken for speculation and export. The supply continues moderate, and prices steady. The Liverpool Share Market opened with an animated appearance at an advance upon yester day's closing prices, but the buying being entirely speculative, and consols weaker, we leave off flat at the lowest point of the day :—Aberdeen, 12i l2i. Chester and Birkenhead, 13 14. Caledonian, 28-1,- 287,. Chester and Holyhead, 13 13/. Eastern Counties, 07,- 10. East Lancashire, 18 18.1. Great Northern, 23 23. Ditto A Shares, 9- 94. Great Western, 581 59. Lancashire and Yorkshire Stock, 811 814. Liverpool, Crosby, and Southport, 15i- 151. London and North Western Stock, 1001 101. Manchester, Sheffield and Lincoln, 251 251. Ditto Preference, 11h 111. Ditto New 0 per cent Pref., t gip. Midland Stoek, 70 701. North British, 7: 7. North Staffordshire, 8 711 South Eastern and Dover, 184 181. York, Newcastle, and Berwick, 181 181. York and North Midland, 244 25. Leeds Capital Stock, 14;3 143, Dutch Rhenish, 1 ip. Ditto New Shares. 2 3-16 21p. Great Western 'of Canada, 251 254. Ditto New Shares, 34 , 31p. Great Luxembourg, 84 811. It is stated that the half-yearly accounts of the London and North Western Railway Co., to the 31st December last have been made up, and that the balance of nett profits will enable the directors to declare a dividend at the rate of 51 per cent. per annum, and add some 40,0001. to the reserve carried over from last June account. We also learn that while the receipts have increased, the working expenses have been reduced. The imports of the precious metals this week have been principally confined to the remittance per West India steamer, viz., 699,895 dollars. The Haskemy, from Sydney, brought 70 ounces of gold. The exports have not been large, but the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Company's vessel, which will leave Southampton on Monday, takes out 492,4021. 12s. 9d., chiefly to India and China. The Circular of Mr. William Avens gives the following review of the London Stock and Money Markets during the past week. Although there has been some fluctuation in the price of most descriptions of securities, the market has been almost perfectly steady since my last, and its firmness is rather increased. Business has not been quite so active as it was last week ; still transactions have been numerous and heavy, while the public have appeared both as buyers and sellers. At the same time there has been an obvious sensitiveness, though much less than previously, to political rumours, particularly to such as have had reference to theapproaching conferences for peace, and to our relations with the United States. On these points, however, no apprehension is now felt. The state of the money market daring the week has also had considerable influence on the market. Money has been exceedingly tight, and the rates of interest for short periods extremely high. Out of doors, at the bank and in Lombard-street, the demand has partly arisen from preparations to meet commercial bills falling dr e on Monday, which are understood to be heavy, and partly from a considerable extension of mercantile operations which set in immediately upon the news of approaching peace a fortnight ago in various branches of manu facturing trades. In most of these trades stocks have been kept at the lowest possible point for many months past ; now there is an increasing pro duction, and consequently a greater demand upon coun try bankers foe temporary accommodation, the influence of which is perceptible upon their London agents. At the same time the payments of the dividends has practically ceased, and the public having made their reinvestments and advances, the comparative abundance of cash from this snuce is exhausted, and the market to that extent straitened. Very few cases are reported in which the best bills have been discounted under the bank minimum, but many where higher rates have been required. More ease, however, prevailed yesterday. On the Stock Exchange the rate obtained for short loans since Monday has averaged 7 per cent, and money is still in demand. This has been owing to the vast extent of railway transactions for the account which ended yesterday, and to the heavy differences which had to be paid at the settlement. Next week is the Consol settlement, the account for which is also very heavy. Considering these circumstances, together with the fnrther probable extension of trade, the necessity of the Allied governments, whether peace is made or not, to contract additional loans, and the inadequate imports of the precious metals compared with the demand for them, no expec tation can be held out of much easier state of things for some time to come. Consols closed last Saturday at 91 k to I, last night at 91 to a; toe fluctuations of the well( have averaged about The Government have been occasional sellers. 'lbis circumstance, together with the rather unsettled state of political feeling described above, has been effectual in preventing a rise, which the general firmness of the market would certainly have justified in the absence of thoze reactionary causes. For the March Account the price is 914 to Rail way Shares have maintained the advance referred to in our last, and they have been very firm throughout. In some Stoe:., Great Western and South- Western for example, tilere beg been a further improvement of £4 per cent is the former, and £4 10s in the latter. Eastern Counties are also better. The rates of Gontango at the settlement were extremely heavy. The Account was on the whole, readily arrang ed. 'though large sums changed hands; but unfortunately three members were unable to meet their en g,gaments. In Foreign Stocks the principal dealings have been in Turkish 6 per cents. The fluctuations during the week have been considerable, but in the end the stock has improved to the extent of £3 since last Saturday. The Four per cent. Guaranteed, the first dividend upon which was paid yesterday, have also improved. Russian ere bet ter; and in fact nearly all descriptions have risen and the market is firm. Joint Stock Banks are higher, and two new establishments are in course of formation in consequence of the high profits which these Institutions have been realizing. One is the Bank of Egypt, the shares in which are at a premium of £4, and the Western Bank of London. In the Mincing-lane Markets, this week, there has been less animation. Sugar has receded is. to 2s. per cwt., and the purchases have been very limited. There has been a steady inquiry for Coffee, at former values. Rice has been sold at rather lower prices. Saltpetre has tended down ward, and spices have ruled dull. Tallow advan ced early in the week, but has since declined 6d. to 9d per cwt. Tea has been quiet. Messrs. Grant, Hodgson & Co. give the following report of the London Tobacco Market during the past month : Sales last month have not exceeded 600 hhds., 200 of which were taken for exportation, and 400 for home trade. Purchases having been very freely made in the previous month, and manufacturers having supplied themselves to some extent, a quiet state of market was generally antici pated. The present extremely small stock of 9,331 bhds. (inclusive of Maryland) is less than has been known at any period in remembrance, and precludes the possibility of any transactions of magnitude ; and bad it not been for the large introduction and consumption of all descriptions of Conti nental growths of Tobacco, very high prices for American would have been established, quite irrespective of any san guine calculations of last year's productions. Prices have remained firm and steady, and we have resumed our previous quotations. Latest advices from New Orleans state a firm market, and the estimate of the last crop, from reliable sources, is at least from 10,000 to 15,000 hhds. less than that previously reported, being now computed at 65,000 to 70,000 hhds. Trade at Antwerp is a little brisker than usual. Some large sales have taken place in American rye at 121 florins per 70 kilogrammes. In coffee there has been a large speculative purchase in Brazil qualities. The demand for oleaginous grains is limited, and prices are declining. In cotton the prises are firm, and the market active. The best qualities range from 54c. to 70c. the kilogr amme , and a large sale of Louisiana inferior sorts realised from 34ic. to 35c. In Carolina rice a good business was doing at 48i florins per bag. Sugar s were steady at the reduced prices of the week, a sale of 80,000 kilogrammes ranged from 401 to 59 florins per 50 kilogrammes. Accounts from Hamburg announce that naviga tion is now open for the season at that port. The prospects of the spring trade are looked upon with favour should the pending negociatious for peace be concluded, although the grain exports will not be so profitable. The reduction in wheat conti nues at this markst, and sales are not easily effected at a decline of 35., 49., and ss. per quarter. The following answer has been received by the committee of Spanish bondholders to a letter addressed to the Earl of Clarendon on behalf of their constituents : Ferr:gn-office, January 31, 1856. Sir,—l am directed by the Earl of Clarendtin to acknow ledge the receipt of the letter signed Baron Lionel Roths child and Mr. Louis Samson. on behalf of the committee of Spanish bondholders, upon the subject of the state of their claims upon the Spanish government, and requesting that instructions may be given to Lord Howden, her Majesty's Minister at Madrid, to make such representations to that government as may induce them, without further delay, to recognise the just claims of the bondholders ; and I am to state to yon, in reply, that instructions will be sent accord ingly to her Majesty's Minister at Madrid, and that th e , committee may rest assured that no effort on the part o f Lord Howden will be wanting to procure justice for the bondholders.—l am, sir, your most obedient, humble servant, J. S. Collett, Esq WoDE - ROUSIL Consols opened this morning at 91. to 91k, the the closing price of last night, but the demand for money out of doors having again become active, sales were pressed and the market shewed a ten• dency to droop. Concurrently with this state of things a report was abroad that the American Minister had demanded his passports, and was about to leave the country. It was also stated that the Russians, as well as ourselves, are making vast preparations, particularly in the Baltic ports, for a vigorous continuation of the war. These rumours weakened the tone very much, and prices gradually fell to 901 to t. A recovery, however, then took place, and the market progres sively improved until the final close, when Console left off at 90/ to The feeling at that time was increasing in firmness. The busi ness of the day was but limited. The rates for carrying over until the next account are heavy, being Ito 9 per cent. The price for the 11th of March was 911 to 1. In Paris the French Three per Cents opened at 73f 45c, and the noon quota tion was 73f 60c., being an advance of 18 per cent• upon yesterday's prices, but the closing quota tions were 71c 90c for money, and 73f for account. This great difference shows a continuation of speculative purchases. Rail way stocks opened very strong, but subse quently they experienced a slight decline, closing, however, firm. The transactions were numerous, particularly in the early part of the day. The following were the quotations at the close of the day:—Caledonian, 561 56a. Eas tern Counties 91 10. East Lancashire, 72 74. Great Northern, 91. 92. Ditto A, 77 78. Great Western, 587,- 59k. Lancashire and York shire, 811 82. London and North Western, 100,1101. Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire, 25 259. Midland Stock, 70 701. North British, 30 1. South Eastern and Dover, 62 621. York, New castle, and Berwick, 74/ 761. York and North Midland, 491 49/. LATEST INTELLIGENCE. SECOND EDITION. - .......,...._..._.. DEATH OF PRINCE PASKIEWITCH A despatch from Hamburg brings the news that intelligence had reached that city from Warsaw announcing the death of Prince Paskiewitch on Friday morning last. FRANCE. • (FROM otia OWN CORRESPONDENT.) PARIS, FRIDAY EVENING. I have been informed on fair authority that the French Emperor yesterday remarked to some influential persons, that come what might in the approaching Conferences, he had no intention whatsoever of breaking up the alliance betwen England and France. " But," it was respectfully observed, " as England seems disposed for war, whilst France is notoriously in favour of peace, what does your Majesty propose to do ?" "If I must choose between the English alliance and peace," was the imperial reply, " I shall, to maintain the alliance, choose for war." Without, however, guaranteeing to you the precise text of the language employed, it is quite certain that the Emperor has expressed himself to that effect. This is clear from the marked change which has taken place in the tone of the semi official newspapers :—instead of speaking with anger and continually of England for desiring war, they now admit that France was too hasty in her demonstrations in favour of peace, and they say all manner of civil things of us. Wllat is more surprising is that the Constitutionnel this morning publishes an article which evidently emanates from an official source, and which declares positively that England and France are, and will remain, united in the negociations as they were in the war ; that all the attempts that are being made to separate them will be vain, and that their alliance is a civilising one, and will survive the circumstances which gave rise to it The Patrie of this evening, another official organ, ' publishes an article in the same spirit. From the tone of the Queen's speech, and from what the telegraph tells of the debate in Parliament last night, it was to have been expected that the Bourse would have checked the ascensional move. ment, which for some time it has, with an occa sional exception, so blindly followed. But it has not yet got to the end of its vein of confidence in peace, and it again closed to-day with an advance. It is quite true that, as I informed you a few days ago, the Emperor of the French was anxious that Prussia should be admitted to the Peace Conferences—not, however, that he thought her conduct merited the honour, but because, as I told you, he was anxious to obtain the consent of all the great powers to another matter—the revision of the treaties of 1815, in so far as they declare that the Bonaparte family shall for ever be excluded from the French throne. But it is not the less true, as stated by the Morning Post, of London, that at this moment the determination of the Allies is, that Prussia shall not be admitted. England, I understand, was very decided on the matter, and the French Emperor has considered it expedient to submit to her. A despatch of Lord Clarendon had, I am told, great effect in modifying his majesty's views. In this despatch our Foreign Secretary urged that it would be very impolitic indeed to admit Prussia to the Conferences, as from her known sympathy for Russia she would probably take her part on all questions, with"great heat, and in the event of the Confer ences failing, would be obliged in honour to assist her with arms also, so that in this case the Allies would have an enemy more; whereas by keeping Prussia excluded, the chances are that she will never, whatever may happen, have heart to go to war for Russia. The Journal des Debats publishes a mischievous article this morning from the pen of the well known M. Saint Marc Girardin. The tenor of it is that if the war be continued a separation between France and England is to bo feared, inasmuch as they have now arrived at a point at which their interests diverge, France having no reason to fight in Asiatic Turkey, as that would be to " defend Calcutta," nor in the Baltic, beyond certain limits, as to do so does not suit her views, nor to revolutionise Poland, as she could gain nothing thereby, and would prefer if a revolutionary policy were adopted to attack the Rhine. But if peace be established. M. Saint Marc Girardin sees no reason why the alliance between England and France should not beeornA closer than it has yet been, and he tries to eonsole England for her military disasters by promising that in peace France will take her as a model. The article is very cunningly written, but perhaps its Russian spirit is not quite enough disguised. A Berlin diepatch says that Prussia has not yet consented to the propositions which Austria intends to submit to the Germanic Diet relative to the war, and to call on it to adopt. In consequence the Minister of Saxony has gone to Berlin to endeavour to carry out an understanding between the two Powers. Saxony and Bavaria, it is added, intend to recommend the Diet to adopt those propositions. _ _ A St. Petersburg despatch say that in the expectation of peace, trade had become very active, and that enormous quantities of tallow and hemp had been purchased for exportation. GENERAL RENtovEs.—The Board of Inland Revenue, by general order of the 21st ult., have extended the general removes of excise officers from four to six years.—Civil Service Gatette. A GROUP OF TROPHIES.—A very appropriate addition, and one which excites considerable curiosity, has been made to the group of trophies now exposed in the Dial-square at Woolwich arsenal, and which are awaiting her Majesty's inspection - namely, a wooden sentry box, bearing the arms of Russia, the double headed eagle, over the entrance. Like other articles of that description pertaining to the Russian government, it is conspicuously decorated with the imperial Russian colours, black and white, in alternate . and broadly painted lines. It was taken f ro m Hango, with a number Of guns, by Captain Hall, of her Majesty's ship Blenheim. It will give some idea of the hopeless absence of knowledge on the part of the foreign journals in all that concerns the cha' aster and position of the British press, if we state the fact that Le Nord of Thursday, referring to an alleged change in the tone of the English newspapers, while treating of the war, alleges that " Lords Palmerston and Clarendon have presided over a meeting of the proprietors of the principal English journals, and explained to them the true situation and the necessity of modifying their language upon peace, in order tot to compromise the alliance with France. The English correspondents at Paris (continues Le Nord) have received a similar order, and obey it with remarkable zeal and docility." SATURDAY HALF HOLIDAYS.—On Friday afternoon a numerous deputation waited upon Lord Campbell. at the Court of Queen's Bench, Westminster Hall, to obtain a rule from his lordship, and his 'learned brethren, by which to make two o'clock p.m., on Saturdays the closing of the day for serving legal notices, summonses, &c., so as to release solicitors, and that numerous body the managing, copying, and other clerks dependant upon the profession at that hour. His lordship said he highly approved of the principle of the movement, expressed his hope that the present proposal would be found a practicable one, adding, that be would take the opinion of his learned brethren upon the subject, and that the same should have his consideration. The deputation then withdrew. Monniin AT ExirrEa.—On Thursday, a young woman, named Mary Weeks, was committed by the magistrates of Exeter, charged with wilfully murdering her son, aged about four years. A few weeks ago the body of the deceased, a fine boy, was found in the river Exe, near Star cross. As there were evidences of his having been murdered, the Secretary of State offered a reward of £5O for information. This gave rise to a good deal of talk about the :alleged murder, and ultimately the prisoner was arrested. The principal witness was a man named Thomas Warren, who became accpainted with the prisoner about three months ago, and agreed to marry her. One evening, on his return from work, Warren (who is a widower with four children) found prisoner at his house. She said she had lost her situation at the Bude Haven Inn, through his visiting her. Prisoner after that used to go to Warren's house to look after his children, returning to her lodgings at night. One night, when Warren returned home, he found the accused there with the deceased. After some conversa tion, in the course of which Warren said, " Mary, I shall never marry you," it was arranged that the child should stop at Warren's house for a week or two. On the evening of the 3rl of January the prisoner, who had been repeatedly pressed by Warren to take the child away, as be could not afford to keep it, came to t h e house and took the d ecease d , saying she was going to send him home to her mother by the carrier. On that evening, a woman named Ware, and her husband saw a woman resembling the accused near the river Exe, and she appeared to be concealing something with her dress. On seeing them she went round a tree and got off. After the reward was offered, the prisoner, in reply to some suspicions expressed by Warren, declared that the child was alive and at her mother's, and she would fetch it. It was shown, however, that the deceased had never been inquiry,taken to the th prisoner e mother was committedp.sor er. tok Aftertae herat length enedria on the capi al oharge. purposes --4.--- THE WENSLEYDALE PEERAGE —The creation of a peer age for life, in the person of Baron Parke—now Lord Wensleydale—has caused some small grumbling in one or two journals devoted to the dignity of the British peerage. It has now assumed a higher importance from the debates in Parliament, and still more from the fact that the astute veteran law lord—Lyndhurst—has given notice of a formal motion on the subject. We do not know the ground which the learned lord means to take, hut we have reason to know that the government mean to defend this act. That it is a perfectly legal exercise of the royal preroga tive nobody pretends to doubt. The question of its expe diency is all that remains. No doubt the peerage conferred upon Baron Parke might have been made out in general terms, without the limitation to life, as was that of Lord Lyndhurst, Lord Truro, and others. Baron Parke—like Lord Lyndhurst—has no male issue, and even if the peer age was continued to the heirs male of his body, there would be none to inherit it. It is confessed to be desirable to strengthen the legal staff in the House of Lords ; and it will, probably, be strengthened from time to time by the elevation of some one or two of the best lawyers at the time —not in batches, as it has been somewhat injudi eicius"y r succes si o no g a t i v e ca e uo f e n e n t eodt p auper Surelypeerages. this course better than iaundating their house with a The limitation of a pre by any ingenuity be be strained into an abuse of its legal exercise.— CHARTERS OF INCORPO R ATION. It e Gazette that the R oc hd a l e and Stalebr the grant of a chart er of incor p ora ti Y on iid to gneo e t i fi c e h teidt o io f inn t s h the o fo se r boroughs will be considered in the Privy Council to be held on the 6th of March. Captain Bell, late commander of the St. Abbs, of London, has been committed for trial at the Mauritius, on the twofold charge of losing his ship with negligence and that of manslaughter, twenty-two persons having perished. The estimated loss of property was £120,000. THE BELFAST MAYORALTY.--At the last meeting of the Belfast town council, a letter was read from Captain Thomas Verner, mayor of Belfast, from the camp at Aldershott, thanking the council for their vote of thanks passed at the late meeting ; and resigning the office of mayor of the borough, the duties incumbent on which he could not discharge owing to his military duties. FRAUD AND PERJURY.—A case disclosing gross fraud and perjury was heard at the Salford police court an Friday. It appeared that on the 16th ultimo an action, "Roberta v. Hunt and another," was tried at the Salford Court of Record. The plaintiff, a joiner and draughtsman, claimed £45 as the value of a chest of tools which had been seized by the second defendant for arrears of rent due to Hunt. The defencelwas, that the box did not contain what wa s represented, but an old plane, tvo gauges. two plane irons, an old baker's bread tin, half filled with sand, a stone, and about a dozen bricks. The verdict was for the defendants. On Friday Roberts was charged with having committed wil ful and corrupt perjury. Mr. William Storr, reporter, pro duced and swore to a verbatim report of the evidence of Roberts at the trial, from which it appeared that Roberts swore that the box contained tools for which he would not have taken £5O, and that it did not contain the articles named. The evidence given on the trial for the defendants was now adduced in a s l u ta p hf p toe o urw r g t of the charge of perjury; and itatni time of fapttrboaev short that seizure, time Robert s re f use d to open t h e b ox, at t h e although bad when th theek loeyienk hie was picked in a n a dj oining ho a ,it contained pocket, mboosxt worthless articles en umerated: o t b f o t h a e i At the trial Roberts called one witness, a man named Walker, who said that he went into the plaintiff's house a shortrli and saw the 'cheat filled with tools, o f before the seizure, inventory and valuation, though h e a :ad which he made an doing so. But Walker was not now calledl no object in Roberts, who was proved to,have pledged a on behalf of of' tools prior to the seizure, which, also, in hi s le quantity denied. No defence was offered ; and Mr. T rafford he Mr. Ross committed the prisoner for trial at r th r e nrd and a nd Mr. Trafford remarking that this was one of the grout cases of fraud and perjury that had come before him for some time. AUSTRIA AND PRUSSIA Despatches dated Berlin, the 2nd inst., state that Austria and Prussia have not succeeded in arriving at any agreement with respect to address ing tho Diet on the Peace propositions. RUSSIA Letters have been received in Paris from St Petersburg, dated the 25th ultimo, which con- arms the statement that the Grand Duke Constan- ine is now convinced of the necessity of concluding a peace The same letters further announce the conversion of the war party in Russia to the same opinion WHAT THE YANKEES SAY OF lIS.—We copy the following from Ballon's Pictorial, Boston, 19th January, 1856 : " Bread riots are becoming common all over Great Britain ; —while the working classes are clamouring by thousands for bread, the Queen, as some one says, is in her parlour, eating bread and honey, perfectly indifferent to the sufferings of her wretched subjects. The war is literally eating up England, and the erd is not yet." THE MILITIA.—The Gazette of Friday contains the followi2g notifications: Ch or Duke of Lancaster's Own (Light Infattry) R )yal I,'lncashire Militia, Bartholomew Lloyd O'Brien, gent., to be ensign, vice Troughton, resigned, sth regiment of Royal Lancashire Militia, Anthony Blake Lynch, gent., to be ensign, vice Cruise, resigned ; Matthew Blake, gent., to be ensign, vice Bicknell, resigned ; Henry John Barker, gent., to be ensian. 6th regiment of Royal Lancashire Militia, Ensign William Bagot D'Arcy to be lieutenant, vice Roche resigned. LIVERPOOL ROYAL INFIRMARY.—Week ending 2nd of February, 1856.—Admitted : In-patients, 30; out-patients, 9; casuals during the week, 12. Discharged. In-patients; cured, 18; relieved, and at own request, 9 • made out. patients, 5; irregular, 3 ; dead, 1. Remain in th e house, 169: House visitors: C. B. Robinson, Esq., and Rev. John Stewart, A.M. Physician and surgeon for the ensuing week : Dr. Turnbull and Mr. Long. House surgeon : Mr. G. H. Hal ford. Junior house surgeon : Mr. Cecil Webster. Chaplain : Rev. H. J. Garrod, B.A. Robert Hutchison, treasurer. THE ASSIZES.—The following are the days fixed by the judges, Mr. Baron Martin and Mr. Justice Willes, for hold ing the Northern Circuit :—Lancas:er, Feb. 18 ; Appleby, Feb. 21; Carlisle, Feb. 23 ; Newcastle and Town, Feb. 27 ; Durham, March 4 ; York, March 8 ; and Liverpool, March 22. For the North Wales and Chester Circuit, Mr. Justice Erie has made the following appointments : Welchpool, Monday, March 10 ; Bala, Thursday, March 13; Carnarvon, Saturday, March 15; Beaumaris, Wednes- day, March 19 ; Ruthin, Saturday, March 22 ; Mold, Thurs.- day, March 27 ; Chester, Saturday, March 29. RAILWAY LEGISLATION.—The following are amongst the bills which, on Friday last, passed the examiner on the standing orders of the House of Commons :—Liverpool Extension Bill.---This bill is for the formation of a railway from iSandbach to Moore, Warrington, Stockport, and Liverpool. Also for a railway from Garston to Liverpool, and for running powers over various adjoining railways. It also seeks powers for facilitating the transmission of traffic, affecting the Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire Junction Railway, Manchester, South Junction. and Altrincham Railway, and Warrington and Stockport Railway Compa nies. Such powers to be conferred on the North Stafford shire Railway Company, and St. Helen's Canal and Railway Company. DISSOLUTIONS OF PARTNERSHIP.—W, E. Dickenson and E. Swithenbank, Bradford, Yorkshire, wine merchants. E. Hunt and S. Shaw, Manchester, silk brokers. J. Martin and T. Renton, Leeds, millwrights. J. Roper and P. Holdsworth, Allerton, Yorkshire, dealers in stone. J. Beswick and W. Gaskill, Manchester, cotton waste dealers. R, Grundy and J. Barne4, Heywood, Lancashire, coal mer• chants. W. Long and P. Long, Manchester, and Grappen hall and Partington, Cheshire, tanners. I. Taylor, J. Taylor, and T. Taylor, Oldham, Lancashire, cotton spinners, so far as regards T. Taylor. CENTRAL CRIMINAL Coua.r.—Tbe February: sessions of this court will commence this day at the Sessions House, Old Bailey. The judges, in addition to the recorder, are Mr. Justice Willes and Mr. Baron Bramwell. There are, notwithstanding the short period that has elapsed from the last session, no fewer than 86 persons are for trial, many of the cases being of a very serious character, there being three cases of murder, that of Corrigan for the murder of his wife, in Church-street, Minories ; that of Westron, the hunchback), for the murder of Mr. Waugh, the solicitor, of James street, Bedford-row; and that of a female, for the murder of her infant child ; but the most important case is that of the Rev. Dr. Vaughan, which, in consequence of the abandonment of the writ of certiorari, will be tried at this court. It is believed, also, that the indictments against Gordon and his co-conspirators will be proceeded with for the City fraud s . B eyon d th e cases mentioned, the session will be a light one. EXTRAORDINARY SCENE AT A MARRIAGE.—On Friday last an elderly young man, tired of the monotony of " single blessedness," and discovering from sad experience that it is not good to be alone, led to the hymenal altar at Dunaroad Roman Catholic Chapel a young and blooming damsel to be made happy for life. The gay Lothario is somewhere on the shady side of 50 ; his lady love has seen 17 summers. The priest was early in attendance, and numerous friends of the happy couple were present to give eclat to the proceed ings. His reverence proceeded with the eventful ceremony with due gravity and d;spatrh. The bridegroom had already plighted his hand and heart, and now came the bride elect's h oi oldth epl attach mentriopv.?,rh turn to giv e a s i m il ar res p on se, when, to the utte r di smay o f all present, s h e u tt ere d a most decisive negative, b oun d e d to her feet, an d b o l te d i ns t an tly from the sa nctuary, l eaving the unhappy swa i n i n es t a t e more to be piti e d t h an laughed at. The p resen t w h erea bouts of the spirited d amse l i s not known, It tm t o is said a is new th ali at p illustrationp et r w i o n r a andn the m o more re cup con genialand jkin " s r of Mar. THE WAR, THE CRIMEA. The Courrier de Marseille contains the following letter, dated Kertch, Jan. 9, which corroborate* generally the telegraphic news already published —" The status quo continues. There is a report is imvn that an advanced guard of 5000 Russians is approaching, and that a body composed of the same number of men has been detached from the army before Sebastopol to reinforce the corps* which is to lay siege to Kertch. I am inclined to believe that there is no truth in the report. The season is anything but favourable for such an ex' pedition, and the marshy plain, at the extremity of which our town is situate, is altogether impractic able at this moment. Should the Russians, hew' ever, entertain such a project, we are prepared to receive them. The activity of General Vivian, the Commander_in Chief, has provided for every con. tingeney. In a very short time he contrived to have huts built for 11,000 men of our division, to erect fortific.ations, to dig fosses ; in short, he has enclosed the town within a line of works capable of victoriously resisting any serious attack. All this is incredible, but literally true. It is but just to arid, that General Vivian is well seconded by his officers and staff. On the 2nd inst , upwards of twenty transports, which cost the Government about 510/ a day, were imprisoned by ice in the bay of Kertch. The General in-Chief was desirous to render available those vessels so costly, and fat the present so useless. To extricate them from' their position was a very difficult undertaking. The operation required much patience and bold ness, and notwithstanding the enticing offers of the General, nobody presented himself to execute it. One of the General's aides de-camp, Major Berganzi, at last proposed himself and succeeded, at a trifling cost, after three days' most arduous exertions, in freeing the steamer Derwent and four others, and ultimately the remainder of the flotilla. I feel pleasure in relating to you this fact, not only on account of its invaluable merit in securing our supplies and communications, but also because it saves the Government of her Majesty 5001 a day." According to official reports, writes a St. Peters . ' burg correspondent of the Cologne Gazette, the Russian army in the Crimea, which Prince Gorts chakoff has just handed over to General Luders, is compose as follows :—The 4th, sth, 10th, 11th. 16th, and 17th division of infantry (24,000 men). the 15th reserve division of infantry (4,000 men). with the appurtenant rifle battalions of artillery and cavalry, the drusbines of the 38th and 54th (7,000 men) militia of Kalgua, two regiments of the 2nd brigade of the 6th division of infantry (2,000 men), a brigade of the 2nd dragoon divisions (two regiments, 1,600 men). In the positions of Sarabus and Troch.Ablun, the 2rd and 3rd grena dier division (8.000 choice troops) with artillery' the half of the 12th division of infantry (2,000 men) with artillery, the 39th, 40th, 41st, and 42nd drushines of Kursk (4,000 men). Of artillery 280 field pieces. The corps of observation near Kertch, Theodosia, and Eupatoria, are not included in this computation. AUSTRIA, Advices from Vienna announce to us that on Friday, Count Rechberg (Austrian representative) communicated to the diet at Frankfort the con -- ditions of peace proposed by the Austrian cabinet and accepted by Russia. The topic of conversv tion of the day here is that Sir Hamilton Seymour and Prince Gortschakoff spoke to each other in 11 friendly way when they met in the salons of the Countess Buol last Sunday evening. It is be. lieved to have been the first conversation 04 had together since the British minister has been here. In reference to the case of Colonel Turr, a cor respondent writes as follows :—About a month since you learned from me that the life of M. Turf_ was not in danger, and it now affords me great: pleasure to be able to inform you that the Emperor Francis Joseph has, as a proof of hia high consideration for his illustrious ally, ge l condic, gnat Ile snail at once Majesty the Quee n , granted him a full p ar d o n.' quit the country, and never retu rn t o it . Th e Austr i n a generals insisted strongly on th e necess i ty f or I•Z•Tarp's being put to death, but th e E m peror took into consideration th e f ac t o f file man's having worn the Briti s h un if o rm, and spared his life. The lib era ti on o f M Turr will not fail to give great satisfaction to Sir Hamilton Seymour, who is said rare l y to hare' had an interview with Count Buol with ou t remind ing him of his promise to i n t erce d e w i t h 10 Imperial master i n hi s (Turn's) favour. The salve writer adds, th a t th e t yp h us i s somewhat l es t prevalent, but th ere are now many cases 0 1 cholerine. When the packed ice moved down the Danube, it took with it three of the piers of the great bridge. As the railroad bridge was not injured, the postal communication suffered no in terruption. The negotiations f or th e exchange of a part of the garrisons of Ears and Kinburn are still going on. PRUSSIA, Under date of Friday last, we learn from Berlin that the attack on Schamyl by the Russians, so acknowledged in their own despatches, has pro' duced the effect that might have been anticipated. Two Circassian chiefs are now in Constantinople► and there is no doubt that the co-operation of the mountain tribes will be very energetic should the war recommence in the spring. The despatched received state that at the departure of the mail from that quarter a Russian force, with artillery* was seen to be advancing on Kertch, The got" rison was considered to be fully prepared. Not• withstanding the many contradictory reports afloat• no doubt is felt here of the final admission 01 Prussia to the Paris conferences. The proposi' tions drawn up by Austria, which she has submit' ted to the German Diet, have been received by the Prussian cabinet; but whether the latter Govern' ment will support them is a question of consider' able doubt, r s differences are well known to exist upon the subject: The Saxon Minister, Herr Von Beust, arrived here yesterday ; the ostensible motive of his visit is to compromise matters between Austria and Prussia, so as to enable the German Confederation in some way or other to adopt the five points. The ardour with which the Saxon Minister is pressing his mission, will, however, not interfere with lug being satisfied with " half a loaf rather than n° bread ;" he only wants a sufficient amount of acior tion to admit of the Bu n d b e i ng en ti t l e d , or finding ground fora claim, to be represented by two Germs 1 , statesmen, in which case he will take the liberty suggesting himself and Herr von der Pfordten. GREECE We learn from late adviees received from Athens that Riza Bey, the new Turkish Minister at that court, in delivering his letters of credence to King Otho, made the following speech : S're,--Called by my august Sovereign the SultanV renew relations between !Greece and Turkey, I cannot too strongly e x p ress to your Majesty the pleasure I fee ' at being charged with so honourable a mission. Your s Majesty m a y b e assured that in my quality of faithfu l interpreter of the f r i e ndly sentime n t s o f my auqu st master towards Greece, all my efforts shall he exerted t° preserve that good understanding from any interruption , and to strengthen the bonds of friendship which ought t h a exist between two neighh . °tiring states, united to et c i" other by such numerous interests. I shall never fa i l ' sire, to seize with eagerness on every opportunity “! pointing out to the Sublime Porte the proofs of friendl between the two count r i es which the government of you f Majesty, I douht not, will givo me during the course ° my mission. S uc h, s i re, are " my ardent wishes, r nd I, venture to hope that I shall he assisted in their accor° plishrnent by the exalted kindness of your Majesty. The King replied : The great value which I attach to a good understandi n g between Turkey and Greece m a k es me rece i ve with pleasutro the lett ers by which his Al tjesty the Sultan accredits yo° me as hi s E nvoy E x t raord i nary and Minister Plenipote.n, tiary. It i s an agreea bl e c i rcumstance to me that the cho i ce of y our augus t mas t er s h ould have fallen on one who tel i , l° fies so m uc h zeal in b e i ng t h e fa i thful interpreter oc t . friendly feelings of th e S u lt an towards me, feelings in wo lch I fully participate. Y ou may b e full convinced that r i y v g Government will eage r ly secon d your efforts In stre ngthenitt, the relations of amity and good neighbourhood between two countries. NORTHERN TIMES.-LIVERPOOL, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1866.