The Daily Times. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1861-01-29 00:00:00

f THE LIVERPOOL EXCHANGE.-ANNUAL MEETING. The ordinary general meeting of the shareholders of the company of proprietors of the Liverpool Exchange was held at noon yesterday, in the Cotton Saleroom of the Exchange-buildings. Harmood Banner, Esq., presided. The seal having been affixed to the register of pro. tiriptog;.. The CHAIRMAN said there was very little to com municate to them that day, except the agreeable aspect of their affairs, which would result pretty much as they had done in the former year. He then read the fol lowing statement of accounts : The Proidetors of the Liverpool Exchange in account current with John H. tortnghttsband, their treasurer, from the Ist of Jantafy to the 31st of December, 1860; both incltl!ive. To dividend for 1869 on 800 sliareg at £l5 pet . Share • • , t 111,066 0 0 To disbursements- on account of the jsle*s, t_oPm, viz: Newspape.rs publicar- PDII4, frly7o7 6s. 9d.; telegraphie illtelh pine; A 390 Os. Od. ; coals and gas, £BO 12s. ;;(1. ; rates and taxes, £495 17s. 6(1. ; salaiies and contingent disbursements, £9ll l9s. 2d. 3,525 16 3 To amount paid on account of the building, viz :—Joiners' work and iron work, £2l 7s. Bd. ; masons', slaters', and brick work, £l2 18s. 6d.; plumbers', glaziers', and painters' work, £3B 12s. 6d.; insurance from tire, taxes, and law charges, £412 4s. 5d.; pre perty tax, £376 9s. 2d. ; salaries andinci dental expenses, £415 Os. 91:1 1,276 13 0 To balance 12,000 0 0 £28,802 9 8 By balance of account for 1839 • £12,000 0 0 By amount of suhscriptions to News Room, &c.: Annual, 2673 at £3 35.£8;419 19 0 Quarterly. Sale of newspapers, Occ • 2499 0 , . • , .• Neg . 5 n By rental oi.the 1)044, fioni, Rift pecember;lBs9, to 31st Dectiliber, 1860: Received this date, £3,619 12s. Id. ; To be received, £3,468 10s. Ad . Bank interest 363 16 3 7151 11 9 Br received from Contingent Fund 474 5 6 £28,802 9• By balance brought (lowa £12,00) 0 0 The CRAllikAll added that the disbursements, , as they would see, taken from the receipts *mild again leafe a balance of £12,000, Which oiild enable the directors to tlbelarethe same dividend as last year, and still preserve In the Contingent filnd £2,888 17s. 7d. These accounts bid been audited by Mr. James Mill, who was appointed along with Mr. Sandbach, last year. Mr. Sandbach was, unfortunately, absent; but he might say that Mr. Mill had made a most searching audit, examining every voucher and entry made; and he had, in a note to the tummittee, complimented Mr. Tounghusband highly for the mannei in which lit kept his aabonnts. lie should now move that thb actiiitint§ pitidti6ed lic Massed, plinted, Aga eidh proprietor. tiateson seconded the motion. Mr. J. A. Tom - wished to ask a question as to the position of their p ro p er ty a t the present moment. Three years ago the old proprietors bad obtained an Act d Parliament for raising a fttrthei siidi of t o,bao in the aggrbglite, for the purpose of improving very greatly that property, which at that time was found absolutely necessary to enlarge, to give greater accommodation to the public; and a good deal of public indignation had been excited in consequence of their not \ going for larger powers than those contained in the bill. An opposition was raised in Parliament, and their hands were tied for twelve months, those parties going to Parliament themselves. They obtained an act in the subsequent session of 1859, with very large powers, which would expire on the 31st of July in the present year. Now, at that time they were very much abused for not providing sufficient accommodation, and it was confidently anticipated that those other parties would be prepared to carry forward a scheme, which would meet the requirements Of the commerce of. the port. Since that time they had heard very little indeed, and he thought it was incumbent on them to ascertain if there was any vitality in that scheme ; because they must bear hi mind that the public ottiplabuct of the *ant of accommodation at tile present time, but, at the same time, it sbedid be borne in mind that their hands were tied ilp ; there was a species of interregnum ; they had been deprived of the power of giving additional accom modation; and there seemed no chance of the other parties taking it up. When the new scheme was originated, he, for one, was anxious that overtures should be received in a kind and friendly spirit by the directors ; but they had a certain trust in their hands, and if parties sought to get their property it was the duty of the directors to see that full value should be realised. As to the present state of things it seemed monstrous to see land there of extreme value, going for from £5O to £6O per yard in the immediate neighbourhood, covered by a miserable set of offices, and to a considerahle extent by warehouses. (Hear.) Such a state of things could not exist long. Ware houses ought not to be put upon land of such value. They were precluded from giving leases and that accommodation which would insure a large increase in the rental. He thought it would be satisfactory to the proprietors to learn from the directors if they had received any information on this subject, which was one of great importance. The CnArusuar should be happy to answer the question, and was exceedingly obliged to Mr. Tobin for putting it. The fact was that they had had no com munication whatever from the other parties, and they were utterly at a loss to know what they were doing. Now, whether they were likely to be purchased or not, every fricility should at all times be afforded by the present company; but they could do nothing till some overture was made, or some 'desire shown to purchase. At the first, they had had some interviews, which came to nothing, and they were really in the situation from which they started. They were quite alive to what Mr. Tobin had stated. They did feel themselves rather aggrieved that they were not able to attempt even to ad minister that accommodation to the public which they should have been desirous of doing, for they were in a transition state. They were quite at the mercy of those who had obtained an Act of Parliament for the purpose of improving the accommodation of the public,—for they had till a certain time the option of proceeding or not, and the old company could not move. However much disposed they could do nothing for the public till it was ascertained whether they should be taken or not. They should afford every facility for a ; transfer, but in the meantime all they had to do as a committee was to take care that they got a fair and proper value for their pro perty, for really it was valuable. The other . party pro fessed to have plans by which they could increase the accommodation to the public, and if they would be able to do so, he with all his heart should afford them every' facility. He believed he spoke the sentiments of the', proprietors that they were quite ready to be made over if they could do it on fair and equitable terms. Mr. C. P. ISELLy wished to call -attention to matter of detail, th a t was the point of accommodation which they could afford to subscribers in their present condition. His opinion was that that they had too readily taken it for granted that the new company would buy them out : they had ra th er gone to sleep on the idea; and he could not' but hear with pain one or two remarks outside as to information absent which might have been afforded in their rooms. The one he should allude to related to telegraphic communica tion from America. A number of merchants had banded themselves together to get information by every steamer, two or three times a week, on different points of interest. That same despatch ought, he thought, naturally to have been prepared by that proprietary, and it should have been the means of attracting fresh subscribers to their room. lie thought if they took care that none attended the rooms but those who ought, and if they gave increased information, they should not only benefit the public, and be fulfilling a duty, but also improving the value of their property and rental. A number of leading merchants had combined, at 15 gnineas a-year, for that which he contended they had a right to look to them for. He thought they ought to fulfil their duties to the best of their ability for the term of their natural life, which he thought would be more prolonged than they had been thinking of. The CHAIRMAN believed Mr. Melly would find that the committee had been particularly alive to the sub ject he mentioned. They had increased their facilities for information, and he believed they derived as early information as any, both from America and elsewhere. They paid an increased sum for telegraphic communica tion, and the other day there was a letter from Man chester, complaining grievously that they got informa tion so much earlier than they did there. After a few further remarks from Mr. Melly and Mr. Tobin the subject dropped, the chairman promising on behalf of the committee that they should bestow every possible attention upon the matter. The resolution was then put and carried. M r . J. H. MACRAE moved that a dividend at the rate of £l5 per share be paid to the proprietors on and after the 4th of February next. He took the opportu nity of stating, as it might be some satisfaction to the Public, that if the new company did not show signs before the 31st of July, their own bill then took opera tion, and they might proceed to give the public better accommodation. The CHAIRMAN thought it would be the duty of the committee, if the time was suffered to elapse, and the new company made no advance for their purchase, to call a special meeting of the proprietors to consider the course they should take. (Hear, hear.) M • Titherington seconded the motion, which was carried. Thanks were voted to the auditors, Mr. J. Dickenson being appointed in lieu of Mr. Sandbach. The committee for the ensuing year were then appointed ; and after a vote of thanks to the Chairman, the meeting broke up. Livznron ROYAL l icrinsimir—Return for week ending January 26, 1861. Admitted : in-patients, 46 ; out-patients, 30; surgical casualties, 36. Discharged: cured, 20 ; relieved, and at own request, 8 ; made out patients 2 ; irregul ar , 0 • dd, 5 , Remain in the house, 206. Visitor s : Me'ssrse a . W. Rathbone, jun./ and J. G. Livingston. Physician, Dr. Turnbull ; surgeon, Mr. Bickersteth; house surgeon, Mr. It. Harrison ; house surgeon, Mr. H. C. Rawdon ; chaplain, Rev. E. Poole. glades Wilson treasurer. junior .... • , • tr.•:..; LIVERPOOL POLICE COUI,tT.-YESTERDAY. (Before * Mr. BAFFLES. OPEN LOCKS. WHOEVER INOCKS, Edmund Moody, a broker, carrying on business in Scotland-road, was charged by police-officer 179 for having assaulted him. If one were to judge of Mr. Moody's necktie, he might have belonged to the " blues," for the kerchief that done duty bet Ween his collar bone and under jaw was as blue as the sky over Ter6ra 'Etna heft attd there were „little sppts . ou it, like stars, which which made it resemble the "milky way." The policeman said on Saturday night, at a quarter to two o'clock, I was going my rounds in Scotland-road, and trying if the doors were fast, when I found the defendant's door had no lock on, and on pushing it the door opened. I called to some one in the house, when the defendant came down and flung me right into the middle of the street s saying I had no right to annoy hini at that hour'. Of the Illorfiitig: Sothe Witdesses were eiatilined ph s d and BA, when his Warship said the evidenCe Was s 6 Conflicting thA *odd give the benefit of the doubt to the defen i dtint; and darla'fge TUE MURDER IN JOHNST@N STREET. The following case, growing out of the above named awful murder,' came before his Worship at the morning sittings yesterday. Anne Johnston, a young woman of peculiar appearance, was brought up on a charge of having inflicted serious wounds on an elderly female named Bridget Winter. The complainant said—Last night I was in Johnston-street, when the prisoner and some other young women were standing and talking about the nittrder of Cassidy, I said it was a bad job for Ddnegati, when the prisoner asked me what right I had to speak abiiiit it ? I add I had as good a right to stietiE of it tiS ei6 dad; stttick the Oil the forehead with some sharp thing like a knife; arid then twice on the back of the head. Surgeon 111‘Caul said he dressed the wounds of the complainant ; there was a severe wound on the forehead, and he took a piece of crockery ware out of it. There were two other wounds on the back of the head of a slighter character ; that on the forehead was a severe one, but there was no great danger to be apprehended from it. She told him the wound on 'the; forehead was done with a knife, and it certainly looked lice ift indited *Dural; but inoonse quence of the piece of crockery taken out of it, it is clear there was no knife used. The prisoner was remanded for a week. TIIE END OF AN EVENING PARTY. Two well-dressed young men were charged for being drunk and disorderly, and for having assaulted a young man in Byrom-street, on Saturday night. The officer said— On Saturday night he was on duty in Byrom-street, when he saw the prisoners running after a third person, whom they knocked down and kicked. He arrested them at the time, and the person charged them, and he charged them fot being drnuk and disorderly. The third person, however, refused now to come forward to prosecute. One of the prisoners said some young men spent the evening at his house, and they had a glass together' Hiniself arid his ftlend went home with one of the young men, and on their rettirn, they were attacked by the person alluded to, and they were only defending themselves from the attack, when the officer arrested them. They denied being drunk, b,ut admitted having had " a glass." The bridewell-keeper, who took the charge, said both the prisoners were drunk, and. his worship fined them ss. each for that statutable offence.' A YOUNG VOLUNTEER IN TROUBLE. Thomas S. Atkinson, a boy about eleven or twelve years of age, whose head did not reach the top of the bar at which he stood, was charged with having stolen several sums of money belonging to Mr. Henry Thack stone, sharebroker, of India-buildings, where he was engaged as an office boy. The boy was in custody of detective-officer Patrick, and it was stated that he had stolen somewhere about £4O from time to time. The most remarkable feature in the case was this :—The boy had been in some juvenile volunteer corps, and was elected officer (!) and of course he must support the dignity—the greatness forced on him. Not having wherewith, out of 4s. 6d. a week, to gratify his young blood for military honours, he made free with his master's cash-box, and having helped himself to some " tin," he purchased a watch for £4, and a suit of glit tering uniform, for his position as an officer of volun teers, and for the latter suit he paid £6, like a "regular brick." His master (in the court) spoke in very strong terms of the impropriety of persons furnishing such a boy with clothes, as any one must ,know that such a lad could not obtain money in a fair way. The boy was remanded in order to see what was best to be done with him. CHARGE OF EXIBEZZLEINIENt William Thos. Cowlrick, a respectable-looking person, was charged with having embezzled about £2OO belong ing to his employers, Messrs. Pim and Co., otherwise Messrs. Williamson and Watson, wine and spirit mer chants. Mr. Cobb appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. Bluck for the prisoner. Mr. Cobb opened the case, and called the following witnesses to prove it :—Police officer 582 said : I took the prisoner into custody, and' told him that I was taking him for embezzling over £2OO, when he said, " I will not say anything about it at present." Mr. James Balderson, publican, of 141, London-road, said : In April last I was indebted to Messrs. Pim and Co. in the sum of £9. I paid the prisoner, and got his receipt for it. (Receipt produced.) Mr. David Buchanan, publican, corner of Comas-street, proved having paid the prisoner £1 7s in June last, as he was indebted to Pim and Co. in that sum. Mr. William Little, examined, said : The parties composing the firm of '• Pim and Co." are Jonathan Williamson and William Watson. I am cashier in the house. The prisoner was town traveller and solicitor for orders. His duty was to receive orders, collect money, and hand it over to me. He did not pay the sums stated to me. I never received such sums from him. The witness was cross-examined by Mr. Muck, and he stated that the prisoner was five or six years in the employment, but the defalcations were not found out until recently. He left in June. He said the amount missed at present was over £lOO. Mr. Gluck endeavoured to show that the prosecutors bad sent the prisoner to London in June last, to a house in which they had an interest, and that he remained there since. He com plained that neither Mr. Williamson nor Mr. Watson had come forward, for he could elicit such facts , from them, on cross-examination, as would induce the magis trate to discharge the prisoner. Mr. Raffles said the case, as before him at present, was one of embezzlement, and he must remand the prisoner on that charge; but he would take two sureties in £5O each for his appear ance. The prisoner was then remanded. "YOU ARE ANOTHER! James Taylor, a celebrated" ESCAPED A. who G A h I a N. d been before the cou r t on th ree or f our occas i ons d ur i ng t h e suspected bur glary, but w h o manage d t o ge t o ff eac h time , was last month, on c h arges o f b urg l ary an d rs M'Carter and brought up y es t er d a y, by det ec ti ve o ff i cers appear e d f or hi m . M'C ar t er sa id at a quarter Rigby, as a sus pi c i ous p erson . M r . Bl uc k (as usual)six past on Sunday ev en i ng I saw th e p r i soner, and his pa l, John B erry , at the corner of Wellington-road, and asked what they were doing there ? when I saw the prisoner slip this jemmy towards Berry, and I then seized his hand and got it. Inspector Carlisle said no doubt the prisoner was there watching when the people would go to church, and then break into and rob houses. Mr. Bluck said he bad no doubt but Mr. Carlisle was very well acquainted with all the thieves in England, but-- Inspector Carlisle said Mr. Bluck knew a trifle about them too. (Laughter.) Mr. Raffles said no doubt the prisoner was a most dangerous fellow, but the evidence not being sufficient he would discharge jhim. He thought, however, that the police were quite ustified in arresting such a daring character. (Before Messrs. COUBiLLY, BENN, and CROPPER.) SEAMAN'S WAGES. Robert Crowthers, a sailor, sxmmoned Captain Porter, of the ship Mayold, for a month's wages, under the fol lowing circumstances. Mr. Bluck appeared for the complainant,- and Mr. Cobb for the defendant. The case arose in this way. The claimant shipped as boat swain in the ship, and signed articles on the 18th, to be on board at twelve o'clock on the 19th. He went down to the pier -head on the 19th at half -past eleven, and called a boat to take him to tle ship, when he was met by the defendant, who told him to go away as he had shipped a man in his place, and he would not take him. He had his clothes with him at the time, and was all ready to go on board. Mr. Cobb contended that the claimant should have been on board at twelve on the 18th, but on the production of the ship's articles it appeared that twelve on the 19th was the time signed for. Mr. Bluck said if the man had not been on board he would be subject to imprisonment. Mr. Cobb said he feared his client was out of court, but he trusted only a small sum would be given to the man as ho could get another ship. The magistrates were of opinion that the man was entitled to a month's wages, and made an order for that amount. ARMSTRONG GUNS.—Orders have been issued to sup ply every large class ship in the navy with three Arm strong guns as a part of their armament, to consist of one of the largest description, 100-pounders, and two 40-pounders.—United Service Gazette. ATTEMPTED MURDER.—OD Sunday afternoon an attempt to murder was made in the neighbourhood of the Wandsworth-road. A man named George Parsons, a labourer, living at No. 7, P or tl an d-street,-Wands- worth-road, had been drinking with another man, named John Price, a bricklayer, living at No. 3, Horace-street, South Lambeth, at the Surrey Arms beershop, Spring place, Wandsworth-road, when a quarrel arose from some nexplained cause, and a challenge to fight ensued. The men went out of the beershop, and while going down the street to a vecant piece of ground the man Parsons was observed to take a large clasp knife out of his pocket and open it. The man who saw Parsons open the knife, called out to Price to warn him not to fight, when Parsons rushed towards Price and stabbed him twice in the back, fast between the hip and the ribs, on the right hand side. The unfortunate man Price immediately sank to the ground, weltering in blood, and two of the bystanders seized the perpetrator of the crime. Information having been sent to the police-station, New street, Larkhall-lane, Inspector Bushnell promply despatched Jones, 246 V., who at once took the man Price into custody on arriving at the spot. In the meantime the injured man had been con veyed to his residence, and Dr. Jones, with another medical gentleman, attended, and found Price in a most pecalions condition. THE CASE OF PATERSON OR BONA PARTE VERSUS BONAPARTE. This great cause celebre " Paterson Bonaparte Prince Jerome gapoleon and others " came on before the Tri bunal of First Instance of th 6 Seine, on Friday last. The coart was crowded to excess. The President's chair was occupied by M. Benoist Champi. The case having been called on, M. Berryer, the illusttious and superior pleader, rose and read to the Court his " conclusions," which ran thus " May it please ilie tottft td &elate valid the mar riage contracted on the 24th Vecont'ef, teCig, between the late Prince Jerome and Miss Elizabeth Paterson:, to take note (donner acted that M. Bonaparte, whilst demanding that the marriage of the 24th December, 1804, be declared valid, never intended to question, and does not question, the civil and political effects which the 1211101 ii contracted in 1807, by his father, with Princess Catherie of I'Vurtemburg, may produce." He thed COMMenCed his atddiess rrs follows men,--The aUthority of ferstiee, the MajiestY of Which must alviais aia!d eieryWheie be reipeeted; is a saillicient guarantee that in the Conduct of this Case i will net allow myself to be influenced by eOnSideratiOnS foreign to the question of validity whin is Eilitimitted to your decision. The crowd of hearers which throggS this hall warns me, that far from seeking to gratify an empty feeling of curiosity, I must carefully adhere to the simplicity of legal discussions. And yet there is much to be said, there are many delicate questions to be touched upon, in this great lawsuit. I will touch upon them as briefly and delicately as is consistent with my ditties. I will endeavour to forget the elevated pOsitiort of the defer:tants; I will endeavour to ob tain for thy client only that jtistice Whin It would expect if I pleaded only against a prifate eitiiert. I pritilished a few days ago, according to the tith&hontetfred ciisford of our bar, a memoir, containing a statement of fads; which was not premature in any way. Before I resume my seat all doubts will be removed from your minds touching the authenticity of these documents, whatever an anonymous writer in the Honiteur rashly ventured to assert to the contrary: It is impossible for me, gentle ' men, not to feel deeply moved when I reflect on the 'sufferings Which Mfs: Ilatefson lists endured for nearly sixty years, during which she has antimisly avkalted this 'day of justice, this day which h to decide whether she is to hold the position which is denied her, and which she has never been unworthy to fill. This lady, now in her 75th year, is present in this coutt, gentlemen—she asks you to pronounce on the honour of her life, on the legitimacy of her only son. M. Berryer then proceeded to describe, the arrival of M. Jerome Bonaparte in the States and his meeting with Mrs. Paterson. Through the Spanish Ambassador, he asked Mr. Paterson to grant him his daughter's hand. He then described the marriage, read letters showing the affectionate terms on which the young couple lived ; he then in vivid and impassioned strains described the heartless desertion which followed. For nearly sixty years Mrs. Paterson had never ceased to claim her rights. Bribes were offered, entreaties were made to induce her to give up her claim to be considered the prince's wife, and to submit to the degradation of calling herself his mistress. She and her son now appealed to the laws of France to vindicate their honour from the imputation laid against it by a so-called family tribunal, composed of, he knew not what persons, who arrogated to, them= selves a right of pronouncing on the validity of a contract which the law alone could pronounce upon. He then entered into the legal part of the case. M. Berryer then came to the decision of the conseil de famille annulling the marriage, and pronOuncing the illegitimacy of M. Bonaparte. He considered the decision of that tribunal illegal, and proceeded at great length to state the law relative to marriage and illegitimacy. The only solid ground for questioning the marriage was its clandestine celebration. He quoted a letter of M. Richon, the French envoy to M. de Talleyrand, showing it to have been made the subject of an official communication; its celebration at Baltimore, already decided, was a further proof of publication. He then proceeded as follows to argue that the plea of the want of consent of the parent of the bridegroom was groundless : Having left this country whilst still governed by the statute of 1792, M. Jerome Bonaparte thought himself fully competent to marry. A new law was pro mulgated after his departure, and it was clear that he was liable to the operation of that law when he married. The consent of the mother was requisite, and in the event of its being withheld the marriage might be annulled. It is true. But the law, precise as it is, contains an important proviso 'in this respect. Un doubtedly, according to the Code Napoleon, a marriage is null when contracted by a minor under 20 years of age without the consent of his parents. But the parents must make their objections or protest before a twelve month has elapsed. Now, Madame Letizia did protest; but though she knew of the marriage in 1803 her pro test was only drawn up in February, 1805—fourteen months after the celebration of the marriage. The protest itself is drawn up in such extraordinary terms that I must read it to the court : " Before Maurice Jean Raguideau and his colleagues, notaries in Paris, there appeared her Imperial Highness Madame Bonaparte, mother of the Emperor, residing in her Palace, Rue St. Dominique, faubourg St. Germain, who said—That she had indirectly heard tliat her son, M. Jerome Bonaparte, had contracted a marriage in America, for which her consent was not asked, and the usual publications were not made at the place of his domicile. That she cannot attach implicit faith to the reports current, according to which her son has ignored his duties and infringed the most solemn laws ; that if the fact be such she will not hesitate to enforce all the right the law confers upon her; that she could not take any steps at present uiless she joined to her judicial demand for annulling a legal copy of the marriage certificate. That that document is not in her possession, and is afisolutely . unknown to her. That, consequently, any steps she might take are necessarily suspended, as she cannot have prematurely a legal recourse against an an act which now has no legal existence in France. " Nevertheless— " In order to make known her intentions, and that her silence should not at any time be interpreted in a manner contrary to her real sentiments—in order to manifest her will as to the offence her son is alleged to have committed against the laws and her maternal dignity, so that her rights should remain intact, and that they may be enforced by her representatives, to whom she expressly delegates - them to enforce in ber name, and in lieu of herself were she prevented from so doing, declares— " 1. That her consent was never asked by her son, still a minor, and that, had it been asked, she would have refused it on grounds which the law does not require her to state. "2. That she solemnly protests against any marriage contracted abroad by her son Jerome Bonaparte, without her consent, and in contempt of the forms required by law. "3. That she reserves to herself to take steps to provide a copy of the marriage certificate to have the nullity of said marriage pronounced. "All of which her Imperial Highness signed with said notaries, &c." Ilerryer proceeded to say it appeared to say it appeared that a regular suit would be brought forward before a regular tribunal, and an active correspondence was exchanged between M. de Talleyrand and the French minister at Washington, but the result was simply the issuing of an imperial decree on the 28th February, 1805, in which Napoleon I. attempted to declare the union null, but the monstrous absurdity of that decree was so patent to its own author that nineteen days later he issued a more ample and revised edition, which concludes as follows: " Art. 1. The pretended marriage, contracted abroad by our pretended brother Jerome Bonaparte is null and void, and can never produce any civil effect. All con ventions relative to the said pretended marriage are equally null and void. " Art. 2. Any children born or to be born of the said marriage will always be reputed as illegitimate, and cannot claim any rights of parentage founded on such union." But can this decree (proceeded M. Berryer) have the slightest authority in France ? Has it been clothed with any formalities which constitute the promulgation Of a law of the empire ? Is it signed by any minister, or vised, like all imperial decrees, by the Secretary of State, Maret ? Certainly not. Six weeks later, con tinued M. Berryer, the Emperor wrote to his Arch chancellor, as follows : "Alexandria, 16 Floreal, An. XIII. (May 6, 1805). "Monsieur l'Arche Chancellor,—M. Jerome has arrived at Lisbon with Mdlle. Paterson, his mistress. I have given orders for bins to some to me, and that his mistress shall re-embark for America. I beg you to make known to me what must be done for carrying on the affair, and that the marriage may be made -, and the model of the papers which he must sign if he bad his consent." Thus the absolute ruler himself expresses that the mar riage is not altogether void, and that the decrees are utterly powerleis. The Arch-Chancellor (Cambaceres) was a great jurist. What answer did he return to the irritated despot ? " You must have a judgment, in order that that woman should not be condemned without a hearing, that the bastard should not be condemned as such without having offered his defence." The Empe replies : " 23 Floreal, An. XIII. "Monsieur l'Arohe-Chancellor,—l have received your letter of the 18th. I cannot agree with your opinion about Jerome. If he were married in France before the Etat Civil, it would require a judgment to annul it. But married abro a d, and his contract not being inscribed on any register, and being a minor with ou t an y publica tion of banns, th ere i s no more marriage than between two lovers who marry in a garden, on the altar of love and to the light of the moon and stars. They call themselves married, but when their love is at an end they perceive that they are not." An attempt was next made to induce the Pope to issue a bull annulling a ceremony performed according to the rules of the church, and according to all the legal formalities, which failed, as many other attempts had since failed, to induce the Pontiff to act against the dictates of his conscience and duty. (Here there was some applause, which was immediately checked.) This took place in 1805, but events crowded in suc cession upon each other. Jerome was wanted for a German princess --the kingdom was to be created. The marriage must be annulled at any cost. The Emperor applied, and applied successfully, to the Officialite (Bishop's Court). The OAcialitd after the Arch- Chancellor, after the decrees, after the Pope ! What is '%• . • • THE DAILY TIMES, TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 1861. the Qfficialitj ? Is it a 1eg,.1 authority in France after after 1789 ? Is it a tribunal to decide on marriage cases after the establishment of the civil code ? Is it an ecclesiastical court? What a decision in that case to appeal to it a twelvemonth after the refusal of the Holy See to sanction the grounds of nullity the Emperor had brought forward. There is no tribunal in existence would ccrusider a sentence of the (!fficialitj binding. But a powerful rifler 'till always find ready tools—a M. Borlay (the present Secretary of the Council of State) is always to be found who will pronounce Ittf illegal sentence, and sanction an iniquity. The priest who pronounced the dissolution of the marriage committed a breach of all canon and civil laws, but his decision, thotigh it may have deceived foreigners, aver deceived any one in Ftancre. (M. Berryer here quoted a list of authors and jurists, to' the effect that the Officialit6 when its jurisdiction was recognised b 7 law, 1. e. before 89, was only competent to decide cases in which the wife sued the husband, and vice versa, but wholly powerless to act on the application of two parties). Now, before this so-called tribunal (he pursued) did Madame Bonaparte appear ? No. Was Jerome Bona parte, her husband, heard ? No. To call the decision of such d cOdlrt a sentence is to utter a falsehood. There is nothing in the' decrees; nothing in the appeal to the Pope, nothing in the pretended sentence of the Officialite, that can be held as invalidating the marriage: Never th'eles's, We are told it is invalidated by the decision of what is termed the Privy Council. I will say nothing as to the competency of that council. When it sum moned M. Jerome Bonaparte before it that jurisdiction admitted him to be possessed of the claim which its decision attempts to deprive him of. I will row read the conclusions laid before the Council by Prince Napoleon : "Whereas a decree of the 30th August, 1854, of the Emperor Napoleon 111. states that M. Jerome Bona parte, born in London, of a French father, on the ith July, 1805 ; is reinstated in his quality of Frenchman ; and that a second decree, of Sept. 5,_ 1854, confers on the son of the fornier a tank in the French army. "Whereas these dectees are interpreted by some as attributing a name and a filiation which cannot belong to them legally. " Whereas the son, born in England, of the union contracted, on the 24th December, 1803, at Baltimore, by Jerome Bonaparte with Mdlle. Eliz. Paterson, can not bear, in France or under the French law, any other name than that of his mother.. " Whereas; in fadt, that this union, which has never presented any of the characters of a legal marriage, formed abroad by a young officer of nineteen without the authorisation of his military chiefs and of the head of his family, who was also the chief of the State, with out the consent of his mother and the preliminary pub lications in his own country, has been followed, as soon as it was known in France, by an authentic protest on the part of madame mother, of the 3.Ventose, An. XIII., and by a decree of 11 Ventose of the same year from the Emperor Napoleon 1., refusing all existence to the pretended marriage of 1803, in taking from it all effect out of respect for the violated civil law, and also for the personal dignity of the chief of the state and of the Majesty of the Throne. " Considering that on 6th October, 1806, the Court of Paris broke the said marriage, and declared that it had not been contracted : " Considering that the new situation created to Mdlle. Paterson and Prince Jerome Bonaparte has been accepted on both sides and followed by acts of execution of great importance : " That on the one hand Mdlle. Paterson, and her son have nct since borne the name of Bonaparte in France. 6' That Mdlle. Paterson, up to the time of the Rcstora . tion, received from the Emperor a pension of 60,000 f., which could only be considered as the price of her re signation : " That on the other hand, and on the faith of the absolute nullity of the pretended marriage of 1803, a new family formed itself round Prince Jerome by his alliance in 1807 with the Princess of Wurtemburg "Whereas the children horn of that union, the only legitimate one contracted by their author, and the only one which can have any civil effect, have the quality to attack the above quoted decrees, as far as they affect the rights belonging exclusively to them, and to oppose in all cases MM. Paterson from taking the name of Bona parte • "Considering that the Imperial Family Council, esta blished by the Imperial statute of 21st June, 1858, and which absorbs all other jurisdictions, is competent to determine the real bearing of the decrees attacked, as it is to solve the question of the usurpation of names, whereas those decrees have not solved the question of naturalisation, with regard to which no objection has been made, but that they have not produced the effect of legitimation in contradiction to the decree of 1805 and the declaration of the officialty of Paris of 1806 : " Says that Madame Paterson cannot exercise any of he tights which belong exclusively to legitimate filia tion : " In consequence prohibits 31. Jerome Paterson and his descendants from henceforth bearing the name of Bonaparte, the provisions of the decree of 11 Ventose An. hill. preserving, moreover, their full effect." M. Bonaparte in his turn, laid conclusions before the tribunal. He did not offer a demurrer. He merely said—' Those who claim the nullity of the marriage are not entitled to do so. According to the terms of the Code Napoleon neither, madame mere nor Prince Jerome, still living, nor Madame Paterson, had brought forward such a suit—and if they do not no one can. The coun cil cannot, therefore, entertain the action, and his Imperial Highness Prince Napoleon must be non suited.' The council, however, rendered a sentence deciding that M. Jerome Bonaparte i i hould retain the name of Bonaparte, but that he should not have the right to avail himself of the benefit of the 201st and 202 d articles of the Code N apoleon, relating to succes sion. The council do not pronounce any opinion as to the validity of the marriage, well aware that they could not do so without hearing either husband or wife. You will have, gentlemen, to decide whether the claims of my clients are well founded. I confidently leave the cause in your hands. I am confident you will once more give us the splendid example of the serene impas sibility of the administrators of justice, against which the shifts and devices of arbitrary power crumble into dust. You expound the law, and unjust pretensions vanish. Those of Prince Napoleon will be dismissed. Yes, that will be your decision, and I joyously expect it. I, too, am an old auxiliary of justice. For many years I have stood at this bar. I shall not leave it without carrying away with me the feeling of respect for justice and confidence in the bench, which has been created and confirmed by a practice of fifty years." It will be seen that the two great questions are-Ist. Whether the marriage was void or only voidable ; and 2nd. Supposing it to be voidable only, whether the pro test against the marriage which Madame Letizia Bona parte was made to sign by Napoleon I. was good in form, as being a reclamation in the sense of the code, and made in time in accordance with the provision that it should be made " within twelve months " of the time when the parties, whose consent was requisite for a regular marriage, " had knowledge " of the fact of the marriage having taken place. On M. Berryer resuming his seat, M. Allon, who is a ♦ery able lawyer, as well as as an eloquent pleader, rose and addressed the Court on behalf of Prince Napoleon and Princess Matilde. We shall give the substance of his address in our next. DESPERATE ATTEMPT TO MURDER A WARDER IN CHESTER CASTLE. On Saturday last Thomas O'Brien, an ill-looking fellow, who is imprisoned in the Chester Castle, was brought up before the county magistrates, in the chaplain's room at the Castle, upon the charge of attempting to kill a warden named Thomas Dunning. It appeared that on Tuesday morning Dunning was in charge of the prisoners at exer cise in No. 6 yard. After they had walked once round, the prisoner (Thomas O'Brien) and another prisoner named Thomas Kaster, commenced talking and laughing Dunning called them to order, but no attention was paid to him, and he told Kaster to fall out of the ranks and go to his cell. O'Brien immediately stepped for ward and said, " The man is not in fault, I caused him to laugh." Kaster then went to his cell, and O'Brien joined the men at exercise. Having gone round the yard a second time, O'Brien said : "You may as well send to my cell." Dunning said, " I shall do nothing of the kind ;" but he went out of the yard towards his cell. About eleven o'clock the same morning, Mr. Manning went to the bottom of the stairs of No. 6 ward, and told Dunning to bring O'Brien and Kaster to the governor. Dunning then opened O'Brien's cell and said, " Now . , O'Brien, this way." He then turned round to unlock the door of Kaster's cell, which is nearly opposite that in which O'Brien was confined, and he had no sooner done so than he was struck from be hind on the left side of the head with a piece of iron, which was hurled at him with great force by O'Brien. Dunning turned quickly round, when he saw that O'Brien had something in his hand (a stone), and was in the act of picking up the piece of iron which had bounced towards where he stood. Dunning, with great presence of mind, shouted, " Mr. Manning," and ran in the direction where he had seen him standing. O'Brien followed after with the iron and stone, threat ening to knock his brains out, saying be would not be content until he had his life. Dunning, at this time, was quite giddy, through loss of blood. Mr. Manning called to O'Brien to desist, and desired him not to com mit himself. The prisoner raised the iron, stood in a menacing attitude, and said, " Only I have some respect for you, I would knock your brains out." Kaster, who was in the passage, said " Don't strike him ;" when O'Brien called him a "skulk," and ran him along the pas sage for the purpose of striking him. Mr. Manning seized the prisoner by both arms from behind, some of the officers came to his assistance, and the prisoner was safely secured. When the governor charged him with wounding the officer, he said " I 'did it, and I'll not deny it;" he then turned towards Dunning and said, "Whether it is here or after I am discharged, your sacred life I will have." Dunning is still under medical treatment. The iron the prisoner used for his mur derous design is the " catch" belonging to the loom in his cell, which weighs 211 b. Upon being asked if he had anything to state, he replied that there was no mis take about his wanting to take Dunning's life, and if he could do it, he would at that moment. Committed to the assizes. At the last assizes he was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for committing burglaries in Birkenhead and Liverpool, previous to which he had been committed for four years' penal servitude. THE SHIPPING INTEREST. A deputation of the principal shipowners of the port of London, comprising Mr. James Anderson, chairman, Mr. G. F. Young, deputy chairman, Mr. William Phillipps, Mr. G. Marshall, Mr. A. G. Robin son, Mr. F. Somes, Mr. W. H. Tindall, Mr. Clifford Wigram, and Mr. Bonar, secretary of the General Shipowners' Society, waited upon Lord John Russell, at the Foreign Office, on Friday afternoon, with the view of ascertaining whether her Majesty's Government intended taking any steps upon the report of the Select Committee appointed to inquire into the laws affecting merchant shipping ir respect of reciprocity and belli gerent rights. Mr. Anderson, Mr. Young, and otlief frrembers of the deputation, addressed his lordship, and, having anded to the inquiry last session before the Select Committee, and to their report to the House of Commons, said the object of the deputation soliciting that interview was to ascertain Wuether her Majesty's Ministers intended taking any action Up Apti the report, and, if so, of what char/ter ; or if it was to remain a dead letter. The committee, in their report, remarked " Having opened our ports to the unrestricted com petition of all nations, it appears that, although many countries have in return thrown open their ports to English shipping, there are others that have refused to reciprocate. France, Spain, Portugal, and Belgium belong to the latter class; and the United States decline to allow Dritish ships to participate in their extensive coasting trade on both the Atlantic and Pacific sea boards." On the subject of reciprocity the committee further reported : " The question of the expediency of requiring foreign Powers having colonial possessions to reciprocate every advantage to our navigation, which Great Britain has accorded unconditionally to them, is one which demands peculiar attention. The British shipowners, who carry on the present restricted and scarcely tolerated inter course with the colonies of France, El,pain, and Portugal, find their ships placed at an immense disadvantage in the unequal competition which they have to encounter, while they have the mortification to see foreign ships resort to our colonies and secure much higher freights than our own ships, when chartered to a port in Europe." The report also stated that a considerable amount of capital was invested by British subjects in the ships of Spain and Portugal, and added : " Exposed to greater liabilities and enjoying fewer advantages than a foreign European national flag, the British shipowner is tempted to make over his property to the flag of a foreign State, by which proceeding the maritime power of Great Britain is, pro tanto, dimi nished." The committee stated that the retaliative clauses in the act of 1849 had remained dormant and inoperative, and, with regard to the indifference which had been evinced to legislate upon this subject, the deputation called his lordship's attention to the paragraph in the report : " There has, your committee regret to state, been an apparent apathy on the part of the Executive Govern ment to deal with this important question. It is admitted that nothing has been done to obtain reci procity from foreign States, and that no decided steps of any kind have been taken." The committee further expressed their opinion in the report— " That no country which enjoys the benefit of an unrestricted navigation with Great Britain and her vast territories, together with the incalculable benefits of our great and inexhaustible markets in both hemispheres, would for a moment run the risk of jeopardising these advantages rather than cede a share of that domestic and colonial trade and navigation which they still withhold with a commercial jealousy unworthy of enlightened nations." After the expression of such opinions by the committee, it was hoped that the Government would adopt some steps with a view of providing a remedy for this unfair state of things. As an illustration of the working of the present system, the case of a Spanish vessel and an English vessel of the same size trading from a port in Spain to England was cited, and that the Spanish ship would make £5OO more profit in the year from the differential dues than the English vessel. Lord John Russell inquired whether it was suggested that the retaliatory clauses should be enforced. The deputation said they did not ask for anything of the kind. They did not seek for any retaliation. All they asked was that 'her Majesty's Government would exercise their influence in inducing foreign Powers to reciprocate, and to give British ships the same' advan tages in forcing ports as were conceded the foreigner in English ports. The deputation then drew his Lordship's attention to the question of belligerent rights at sea, which was one of great moment to the British shipowner. The subject had come under the notice of the committee, who had reported : " From the evidence given by various witnesses it appears that at a recent period, upon a mere rumour of war in Europe, in which it was apprehended that Great Britain might be involved, American and other neutral ships received a decided preference in being selected to carry produce from distant parts of the world to ports in Europe, whereby . even' in a period of peace British shipowners were seriously prejudiced." The committee also considered it their duty "To call the attention of your hon. House to the great importance of this queAion, which if not solved during a period of peace may cause incalculable embar rassment at the outbreak of a war. It is, doubtless, the prerogative of the Crown to initiate proper measures to maintain the honour and guard the interest of the coun try in this respect. Your committee, however, cannot but express their opinion that a compact like the Decla ration of Paris, to which a great maritime Power has refused to be a party, may, in the event of hostilities, produce complications highly disastrous to British subjects." The deputation, therefore, suggested that the Govern ment should deal with that question as suggested in the report, for the outbreak of another European war would operate most injuriously upon the British ship owner. Lord John Russell admitted the importance of all that the deputation had urged, but he presumed that they did not anticipate that he would give an immediate answer to the questions that had been submitted to him. He might say, however, that they were matters that had and would have the serious consideration of Her Majesty's Government. The deputation then thanked his lordship for the attention and courtesy he had shown them and retired. MUSICAL, DRAMATIC, LITERARY, AND ARTISTIC NEWS AND GOSSIP. The celebrated tragde'ienne, Mrs. Caple, better known to the theatrical world as Miss Goddard, is now lying dangerously ill at South Shields. Her health and spirits have been gradually sinking ever since the death of her late husband, Mr. John Caple, in June last, and exposure to the recent severe weather has served to accelerate the present attack. In the early part of the week her life was despaired of, but, through the skilful treatment of her medical adviser, hopes are now entec tained of her ultimate recovery. Managers, says the Era, are now beginning to vary their bills with additional novelty, and looking to further attractions as the freshness of their Christmas productions wears off. The approach of the London season, which may be dated from the opening of parlia ment, with the return of many aristocratic families to town, will further benefit the theatres; and:though the competition for public favour has become greater than ever, evidence is not wanting that, if some sufficient inducement be provided, the steady patronage of metro politan playgoers may be calculated upon as surely as in the dramatic days of old. It must, however, not be forgotten that audiences are not to be satisfied with the simple fare that formerly sufficed them. They require now to be entertained with a true regard to the higher standard of their taste, to be startled as well as amused, and if literary excellence be combined with spectacular embellishment, managers would find no lack of support. Readers of Mr. Dicken's books, for whom his charac ters have been identified with the portraitures of Mr. Hablot K. Browne, will receive with satisfaction the announcement of Messrs. Chapman and Hall of a new edition, in monthly volumes, of Mr. Dicken's works, with the whole of the original illustrations. The "Lounger at the Clubs" says:—Mr. Doxat, the oldest London newspaper editor, both in point of age and press service, has just retired from the Observer newspaper. With this journal Mr. Doxat was connected for the long period of 54 years and six months, a term of service in an editorial capacity, it is believ( d, un-. equalled in the records of English journalism. Mr. Doxat, who, I am happy to say, retires in perfect health and with a handsome fortune, was, in years long gone by, the responsible manager of the Morning Chronicle, fulfilling at the same time his editorial duties not only in connection with the f• bserver, but likewise the En glishman, a paper long since defunct, but then enjoying a❑ extensive circulation. Great geniuses flower late, gossips the writer of "Literature and Art" in the Illustrated _Yews. Sir Walter Scott bad passed the perilous age of 40 ere he became prolific in immortal fictions; and Mr. Anthony Trollope seems to have waited for the cutting of his wise teeth ere he burst on the public with a succession of capital novels. The next ,literary venture of this versatile writer is to be a serial story entitled "Orley Farm," the first number of which is to appear on the Ist of March, under the auspices of Messrs. Chapman and Hall. It cannot be too generally known that the restrictions which have so long prevented ladies from participating in the advantages offered by the Royal Academy of Art Students have at length been withdrawn. At the council in June last the best drawing sent in by candi dates for the studentship proved to be the work of a lady, and on the recommendation of Sir Charles East lake she was at once admitted. Since then three other ladies have been equally successfully. On Monday last fourteen drawings were approved by the council, and in this case also the best drawing was sent in by a lady, who, with five other successful competitors, made her drawing under the superintendence of Mr. Thomas Heatherley, of the School of Art, in Newman-street, the able successor of the late Mr. J. M. Leigh. All impartial lovers of art must rejoice at the practical refu tation which the Royal Academicians have thus made to the charge of exclusive tendencies, by this spontane ous recognition on their part of the right of woman to be treated on an equal footing with men. POSTAL SUBSIDIES Mr. T. G. Taylor, of 10A, King's Arms Yard, recently addressed a long and able letter to the Chancellor of the Er:chequer, in defence of the present system of granting postal subsidies to steam packet companies, to which he received the following complimentary reply :- 11, Downing Street, Whitehall, sth January, 1861. Sia,--4 am directed by the Chancellor of the Exche quer to inform you, that he has read with care your clear and elaborate statement, dated the 2nd January, upon the subject of polte subsidies, and I am to add that he has never given any oplilion against postal sub sidies universally, at the same time, that he certainly believes that they have been carried too far t and in par ticular, that at a.recent period there was a tendency to great excess, which required to be confronted and repressed,—l am, Sir, your obedient servant, (Signed) G. I ISLE 'RI DER. Mr. T. G. Taylot; 19a, King's Arms Yard, E.C. HOW TO .PROTECT WATEI4-PIPES FROM FROST. The following excellent suggestion on this subject is made in a letter to the Times by a gentlerriun who writes from Dublin : If a small closed copper box, about four inches square, is placed below the lowest port of the supply-pipe and connected with it by a three-quatters or inch pipe, and a gas burner having about twenty small orifices, like a miniature gas stove, is fixed under the box and kept alight during the continuance of frost, an upward cur rent of heated water will be generated throughout all the pipes communicating with the supply-pipe, and the freezing of the water in them or the cisterns will be effectually prevented. The box may be placed in any convenient position, the only essentials being that it shall be below, and connected with the lowest part of, the supply-pipe. The gas burner may be a spiral of small brass tube, and should be placed within half an inch of the bottom of the box. As the flame of each orifice may reduced to a mere speck, the qnantity of gas consumed will be very trifling. Where gas is not available a lamp or candle may be used instead. Any plumber and gasfitter could do all that is required at a very small cost. As heated water will not descend, pipes which supply baths, &e., from cisterns should be connected with the main supply-pipes below their lowest points. These connexions can generally be made without difficulty, and will not interfere with or derange the proper work ing of the pipes for their ordinary uses. All exposed pipes outside a house should be covered with wooden casings stuffed with cork shavings, saw dust, or other non-conducting substance, the stuffing being at least three inches thick. REVISION OF THE FRENCH NAVIGATION LAWS. We do not say that the French Government contem plates the immediate abolition of all differential duties in favour of French shipping, but we are so satisfied of the intention of the Emperor that we shall not be sur prised any day by the appearance of an Imperial decree placing British vessels on a footing of equality with French vessels, in an important branch of the French trade from which our shipowners are practically excluded by the operation of the existing system. In which direction this desirable change will commence remains to be seen. Foreign flags supply already more than one-half of the tonnage required in the French foreign trade, under which designation is included the trade between France and the British dominions in Europe, the British colonies, and other foreign countries. The French coasting trade is absolutely reserved to French vessels, and the colonial trade so strictly, that of 625,252 tons entries and clearances in 1858 but 112 tons were foreign. The French Government, in revising the navigation laws of France, will, no doubt, be guided in the first instance by a consideration of French interests alone, and there is no branch of the French commerce more seriously affected by the operation of the existing law than the trade between France and her colonies. That it is so has been recently established by the memorial of the merchants and shipowners of Martinique, addressed to the home Government, and praying for a change in those regulations which, by excluding foreign shipping from the ports of that island, have pressed so injuriously upon her commercial prospects. What is true of Martinique is true of every other French colony. We have before us a circular addressed by a house of eminence in Calcutta to their correspondents in Liverpool, in which we find it stated that the shipping of coolies for Reunion under the recent treaty with France has commenced—the St. Bernard, a British ship, having taken a cargo at seventy rupees a head. This trade will probably be done alto gether in British vessels, the French having few, if any, ships adapted to the trade. " But in that case" (we quote from the letter referred to) " they (i. e., British ships) must ballast their lower holds with food for the Mauritius, for French vessels alone can import food into the island, unless, indeed, the French navigation laws are altered in that respect, which is not im probable, as the Bourbonnais are now clamorous for free trade, and for the same advantages as their countrymen enjoy under British rule in the Mauritius." We cannot doubt that the French Government are fully in possession of the opinion of the French colonists at Bourbon and elsewhere ; and they who are at all acquainted with the Imperial policy need not be told of the great importance attached by the Emperor to the advancement and prosperity of the French dependencies. He has already liberated the trade with Algeria, and we may be quite sure he knows that the commerce of the outlying colonies demands the adoption of a similar policy in respect to them. It is impossible, with the limited amount of tonnage at the disposal of those colonies that their commerce can develop, and, as a matter of fact, it has not developed, or at all kept pace with the demand for colonial produce in France. We shall not be surprised if the Emperor applies himself in the first instance to remedy this state of things, and if the first extensive breach in the French navigation laws be made in favour of the colonial trade. But, the principle once admitted, the French Govern ment cannot stop, even if they were disposed, and if it were consistent, which it is not, with the present com mercial policy of France to do so. The opening of the foreign and coasting trades to British vessels, and eventually to the shipping of other nations, will be sure to follow. The opening of the French colonial trade to British shipping will be, so far as it goes, an advantage to the British shipowner. Not that it will afford any thing like a harvest of freights—for the admission of additional shipping into any trade must bring down the rates—but because it will give him the choice of two markets occasionally instead of one, and enable him to make a profit "on the round " where it may be impossible to do so outward or homeward bound. The approaching revision of the French navigation laws in favour of British shipping will be effected, just as the commercial treaty was framed and concluded, from a conviction that the commercial interests of France imperatively require it. From the moment the Emperor was convinced of the necessity of a change, he has never wavered or hesitated in giving effect to his convictions ; and be knows, as well as any economist can tell him, that the revision of the French tariff must be followed by a relaxation in the French navigation laws. Those who had the best opportunity of forming a settled opinion as to the views of the Emperor, speak with the utmost confidence of their settled character. He has resolved to, make the com merce of France free by sea and by land. In effecting so great an achievement there must be great difficul ties to be surmounted ; but the present ruler of France has proved himself equal to them, and so satisfied is he of the wisdom of the reforms he has so recently effected, and of increasing the commercial intimacy of this coun try with France, that he is about to anticipate the time originally fixed for the complete operation of the com mercial treaty. We are not given to predictions, but we need not withhold the expression of our conviction that the complete revision of the French navigation laws, so far as they affect British shipping, is at hand, and that before another year has expired France will cease to appear in the category of non-reciprocating states.—Shipping Gazette. IRON-CASED FRIGATES IN . FRANCE.—We have re ceived information from France, on which we can place implicit reliance, that the Emperor has resolved to con struct with all dispatch ten iron-cased frigates of La Gloire class. This is no mere idle rumour, but a stub born fact.—Ariqy and Navy Gazette. _ . COTTON CULTIVATION IN AUSTRALIA.— What is required to bring the cotton lands of Australia into cul tivation in capital and labour. Of these two important essentials, the men of Manchester have no lack. They readily subscribed £lOO,OOO when the repeal of the corn laws obtained for them cheap bread for their factory hands, and procured them new markets for their manu factures in exchange for the corn and flour which would be imported. The same sum judiciously applied would have gone far to have obtained for them a supply of cotton from Queensland and other parts of the British possessions. With respect to the supply of labour, that been overcome, had the necessa r y ca p ital b e en forth is a difficulty which might ha ve been and would ha ve coming, by the importation of coolies and Chinese into the new cotton-growing districts. With such magnifi cent colonies as we possess ; with lands suited in every respect for the culture of cotton, which may be pur chased for a merely nominal sum ; with all our manu facturing skill for producing the necessary implements ; and with abundance of capital at our disposal, and with facilities for obtaining labour from India, and from China under the new treaty, it will be a crying. shame and a disgrace to the country if we continue much longer Whatever o states etten ot attention nto n e America.\v fieldsllr ein our state 'of precarious dep en d ence upon the donecotton be in cotton growing idirectingng we productiveness, may l hope that the unequalled facilities of Queensland will not be overlooked. We are glad to learn that the colonists are fully alive to the importance of providing additional labour, and a memorial is in course of pre paration to the authorities, praying for some relaxation in the present regulation respecting the introduction of coolie emigrants. Now that the treaty of Pekin recog nises the right of emigration on the part of Ch inese, there can be no difficulty in affording increased facilities to their leaving the country and settling in Australia. — Australian and New Zealand Gazette. SEVERE PRIVATION AT SEA. Extract from a letter from Mr. Nelson, com mander of the ship Sardinia, 969 tons, belonging to Messrs. Wm. Sinclair and Co. : RANGOON, Dec. 12th, 1860. On my passage from Akyab to this port I fell in with the wreck of the Queen of Martalan (brig), of and from Moulmein, to Calcutta (leaky), and rescued those of her crew and passengers, eighteen in all, including the master, mate, and super-cargo, who had remained by the ship. They were in a wretched state from hunger and thirst, not having had any food for thirteen days, the sea having swept everything away, and no means of communication with their stores existing. The brig having broached to, after loosing all her sails, and when on her bearnends, the master cut away the mainmast ; at the same time her cabin was stove in, and she filled from the deck. Six of the crew had abandoned the ship on a raft, and I spoke the Inkermann, of Greenock, which re ported having picked up four of these men, the other two having perished. The body of one of these they had kept on board the raft in reserve for food, until they saw deliverance at hand. MARRIAGE WITH A DECEASED WIFE'S SISTER. The First Division of the Court of Session in Scot land, in giving judgment the other day in the we 1 known case of '• Fenton v. Livingstone" (lately before the House of Lords), have unanimously decided that, by the law of Scotland, marriage with a deceased wife's sister is civilly null. In giving their present decision two points came up for judgment. In the first place, the Court (Lord Deas dissenting) held that, as the de fender was the issue of an unlawful marriage by the law of England, his place of domicile, he could not be re cognised as a legitimate child in Scotland, and entitled to succeed to a landed estate there. In the second place, the judges were unanimous that by the old statute law of Scotland the marriage of a man with his deceased wife's sister was civilly null, and that the defender was therefore illegitimate, and not entitled to succeed. The Lord President, in giving his opinion on the latter question, said it was a question on which he had no doubt at all. Ile did not think it necessary to go into those disquisitions of theology and biblical criticism which had been indulged in, for he thought, in reference to the construction to be put upon the prohibitions of the Levitical law, that they had an authoritative interpreta tion of them in the statute law of Scotland. Ingenious views might be suggested in regard to figurative expres sions in Scripture, taking them literally, and in regard to literal expressions, taking them figuratively; in short, there was no end to the variety of opinions that might be held in regard to these matters. But, dealing with the question as lawyers, and finding an authoritative and uniform interpretation put by the law of Scot land and the institutional writers of Scotland on the Scriptural prohibitions, that was the interpretation they were to follow. According to the interpretation put upon the 18th chapter of Leviticus by the Act of 1567 and by the Confession of Faith, confirmed by Act of Parliament in 1690, it was clear and explicit that, taking the marriage here with the sister of a deceased wife, the degree of affinity was held to be the same as consanguinity, and therefore that it was a forbidden degree for marriage. This, said his lordship, is the doc trine which has been taught by all our institutional writers—Stair, Erskine, Bankton, Mackenzie, &e. ; i is the doctrine which has been taught from the chair of law ; it is a doctrine that is not controverted by any writer of note in the law ; and although there are expressions in Mr. Hume's commentary on the subject in reference to the penal consequences, yet these doubts are raised, in the first place, upon a very curt consideration of two passages in the Levitical law, as suggesting a doubt upon the subject; and, in the second place, they are matters relative to criminal con sequences—not the expression of an opinion, but the statement of the existence of a doubt in regard to them, which I cannot take as counterbalancing those other authorities. And we are not here dealing mith civil rights and interests. Therefore, upon that matter of the illegality of the marriage, these degrees being pro hibited, I think that there is no room for hesitation on the subject. No doubt there may be ingenuous specu lations, and I know that there have been ingenuous speculations by very able and very learned persons upon the subject, but they go further than mere speculations. They are beyond my ingenuity, certainly ; and the impeachment of direct statute law, and of a uniform train of authority of the highest writers, unbroken and unshaken, is beyond my courage. Lord Ivory concurred in repelling the title of the defender. Lord Curriehill also concurred, observing, however, that he did not think a judgment on this question of marriage law necessary to the decision of this case, as, if there was no valid marriage in England, there was no marriage anywhere. Lord Peas referred at great length to the two acts of 1567—namely, cap. 14, which dealt with the question criminally ; and cap. 15, which laid down the civil law on the subject. He remarked that he could not resort to interpretations put upon the original Hebrew, for the Scotch statute proceeded upon the translation in use. After an exposition of the criminal statute and of the cases recorded of its penal execution, his lordship expressed his belief that intercourse with a wife's sister after the wife's death did not, under that statute, amount to the crime of incest. No doubt, in one case in 1705 the penalty of death had been inflicted upon a woman for intercourse with her decease t sister's hus band, the husband being banished " furth of the king dom;" but this judgment was challenged by Hume, their greatest criminal lawyer, as having stretched the penalties of the statute too far. As to the civil statute of 1567, its terms applied equally to consanguinity and affinity ; and in the Act of 1690, ratifying the Confes sion of Faith, it was distinctly stated " that the man may not marry any of his wife's kindred nearer in blood than he may of his own, nor the woman of the husband's kindred nearer in blood than of her own." As to precedents for holding such a mar riage to be unlawful, it was true they had none, but among the institutional writers who treated of the question in a civil point of view, they found an entire coincidence of opinion. Referring to the views of the late Lord Rutherfurd, Lord Deas said he thought too much weight had been given to his opinion on the criminal statute as displacing the whole argument against the nullity of the marriage. He agreed in holding the criminal statute inapplicable, for that marriage could not be lawful if a statute were applicable which declared intercourse between the parties incestuous and punishable with death. All he could say was, that according to the best opinion he could form, in the absence of argument to the contrary, the marriage in dispute, had it been a Scotch marriage, would have been held civilly null. From the sanction given by the statute law to the rules of the established church of Scotland, which denounced such a marriage, he thought it followed, that whatever might be the law of England on the subject, this court could not recognise the marriage as lawful in a question of succession to a Scotch heritable estate, the House of Lords having held that they could not recognise the legitimacy without recognising the validity of the mar riage. That being so, ho thought the pursuer must have judgment in the declarator, so far as it was directed to the regulation of the succession to the entailed estate. The effect of this upon the advocation would, however, require to he considered. Both the parties who applied to be served were now dead, and probably an application for service would require to be presented de novo. Our readers have only to send their address to L. E. Perrier 77, Regent-street, W., London, and they will r ec eive, free b y post, 105th edition of the "INVALID'S OWN GUIDE," or natural restorer without medicine or expense of perfect diges tion, strong nerves, sound lungs and refreshing sleep to the most enfeebled, effectually removing indigestion (dyspepsia), nausea, and sickness, even during pregnancy; debility, ner vousness, palpitation, cough, asthma, incipient consumption, dropsy, constipation, diarrlicea, dysentery, bilious ness, fevers, sore throats. !catarrhs, colds, noises in the cars, rheumatism, gout, impurities, eruptions, hysteria, neuralgia, irratability, sleeplessness, acidity, palpitation, heartburn, headache, despondency, cramp, spasms, sinking, fits, bronchi t.s ; also children's complaints. Accompanied wi,h numerous successful cures which had resisted all medical treatment, and been abandoned as needless. I NFANT -REARIIIO.- 51iss Martineau, who, like allphiltOisl phical ladies, has studied the matter tho roughly, says, " in England alone, 40,000 babes die annually ; and one-third more of that number grow u p either idi otic , sickly, or de formed." The reason is evident, as mothers, through inability to nurse their offspring, resort to the administration of baked flour, biscuits, tops-and-bottoms,or pap. The infant stomach, cannot assimilate such crude preparations, and frequently rejects them; but still the nurse or mother continues them, under the hope of soothing the child. Internal inflammation place—eructations, diarrhoea, and consumption appear —and most frequently convulsions are induced which seal the infant's fate. The Medical Times and Gazette, August 28, 1858, p. 215, conveys Dr. C. B. F. Routh's views on the same im portant subject, and his opinion of Du Barry's Revalenta Arabica Food, as adapted to obviate the mischief effectually. Dr. Routk is physician to the Samaritan Hospital for Women and Children. This learned and experienced practitioner says : " The human milk contains, besides salts of lime, chloride of potassium. Now, in common with carbonic acid, this salt enjoys the peculiar property of dissolving carbonate of lime or chalk. An absmce of it in the food, as in wheta 'read. Is very injurious to a growing child ; hence, a child fe.. on pap for a time grows fat, 'Out the bones are soft ; frequently it sickens, and severe symptoms supervene. Amongst the vege table substances, that which comes closest to mi k in its com position, besidesbeing more easily assimilated and strengthen ing, is, without doubt, Du Barry's Revalenta Arabica Food. containing both phosphoric acid in abundance, and chloride of potassium; it also includes caseine, the same principle which is found in milk in its constituent parts. No wonder, there fore, that under its influence many children affectedftwith atrophy (wasting away of the body) and marked debility have completely recovered. I have given it with the greatest advantage in such cases ; and, so far as I may judge from my own experience, practice fully carries out what theory, from knowledge of its composition, led us to anticipate. It give a good snuscle and strengthens the bones, restoring tone, and healthy. regular action to the stomach and bowels,i whether constipation or a relaxed state of the systeTnsciilainedof.' C. B. F. ROUTH, M.D.—Packed in tins , with i full comp instructions: 11b., 2s. 9d.; 2 lb.. 4s. 6d. ; 51b., 121b.7, Regent-street;,722s..ilb.,frec of carriage, 40s. Barry du Barry and, also Fortnum, Mason and Co. , church-street, London; and through Abbiss, 60, Grace h_a.hlal wgtrolc,ecrsaaatnied-acthreemeti;st J. Agents in this district :_N ixon . and AFipaGa.a;JoEn.esi,,esa,raaPaaraaddses-sotare;e J. Low ; J. Kirkus ; Forsyth . , It. Sumner and Co. ; 11. rp,s•Higgins, and Co. ; Clay and Abra ham, -treet • Evans, Sons, and Co., wholesale agents; hodpso n and Capper ;J. Strawson Isaac John 13 37 ey n no ° 1 1 1 d r T C. Bromlow, 1, London-road; G. Bramwell and Son ; Woodville, tea dealer, Raimes and holesale druggists; druggist, Price-street ;T. C0.,, D. Walker, Ranelagh- Staveley, , t ' rec t 11. 72, Dale-street; Ifingston, druggist, J. ; Henry Middleton; Gilbert Brothers; J. Cruiee; Grace Kelk ; Barber, 21, Great George-street, Birken head T. Fore, druggist ; B. J. Candler : J. Dutton ; J. F.. H a rgraves ; Sanders and Co.; C. Jones; J. Green ; J. L loyd, 69, Islington • J. C. Wales, 7, St. Anne-street; Thomso n an d Capper, 43, Bold-street ;J. Hamilton, 49, Mill-street; R. oulds, FAt-str . AT EST NEWS. (EY BRITISH AND IRISU MAGNETIC TELEGRAPH.) THE ITALIAN PARLIAMENT. FLORENCE, Jan. 28. The deputies elected to the Italian Parliament at Florence are Baron Ricasoli and Signori Peruzzi and Gimorn; at Bologna, Signori Ming hetti, Pepoli, Berti, and Pichat. The result of the elections are generally favourable to the Ministry. RESULT OF THE ELECTIONS. TURIN, Jan. 28. The number of elections in Upper Italy, of which the result is already known or assumed, is 134. Of this number two belong to the party of Dr. Bertani, two to the Garibaldian party, four teen to the Opposition or to the centre, and the remainder more or less to the Minister ial party. Signor Cabello has been defeated at Genoa, Dr. Bertani in Milan, Guerazzi in Leghorn, and Mor dini in Lucca. The first electoral news received from Naples have been good. TURIN, Jan. 28, Evening. The number of elections now definitely known is 200, of which 20 are of the opposition party. Garibaldi and Poerio have been elected at Naples. HUNGARY. PESTII, Jan. 28. The Assembly of the Comitat of Stahlweissen burg has voted an address energetically demand ing the restitution of the property of Count Batthyany, which the Comitat says has been illegally confiscated. The same Comitat has also demanded the recall of the heirs of Count Batthyany, who are abroad as refugees. AUSTRIA. VIENNA, Jan. 28. The Oisterreicheische Zeitung of to-day gives a positive denial to the statement of the Ost Deusche Post, that the national representation is to be composed in the non-Hungarian provinces by direct election, and says the members of the Council of the Empire are to be elected from the Diets. VIENNA, Jan. 28. The Ostdeutche Post says there is no doubt that the convocation of the Imperial Assembly of Representatives, elected by direct popular vote in the German and Sclavonic provinces, will take place at an early period, most probably in April. AUSTRIA AND FRANCE. The Independence says it can confirm of Prince Metternich having declared to M. Thou yenel that Austria will consider it. a cams belli with Piedmont if Garibaldi makes an attack on any portion of the Austrian territory. 111. Thou vencl replied, that in case of such an eventuality, if Austria employed the Federal Contingents of Germany, France would consider that fact as a violation of the principle of non intervention. THE VACANT IRISH JUDGESHIP. The Daily _Express says :—" We believe we may now state with certainty, that Mr. Deasy has accepted the vacant seat upon the bench, and consequently Mr. O'Hagan is Attorney-General. The elevation of Mr. Deasy will cause an election for the County Cork. Negotiations are said to be on foot with a view to provide a seat in Parliament for Mr. O'Hagan, and it is generally believed Mr. 'M'Cann will resign the representa tion of Drogheda in his favour. Who is to bo the new Solicitor-General is not decided." RUSSIA. ST. PETERSBURG, Jan. 28. The negotiations between the Banks of St. Petersburg and the Bank of France, in reference to the exchange of gold for silver, have failed. Prince Orloff, President of the Ministry and the Council of the Empire, has tendered his resignation, on account of ill-health. He is tem porarily replaced in his post of President of th e Council of the Empire by M. De Bladoff. WARLIKE ARRANGEMENTS OF RUSSIA. POSEN, January 28. The Posner Zeitung says :—News receive& here from St. Petersburg states that the corps dam je, stationed in the provinces of Lithuania and Voltignia, are to advance to the frontier of the Empire, and will be replaced by troops from the interior of Russia. The soldiers on furlough have already been recalled, and the formation of three corps d'arinee on a war footing has been ordered, which are to be ready by the Ist of March next—one to march to the Pruth, the second to the frontiers of Poland, and the third to any other destination that may be required. THE FRENCH FUNDS. PARIS, Jan. 28, 3.25 p.m. The Bourse has been very firm and animated. Rentes were finally quoted at 67f. 90c., or 30c. higher than yesterday. SOUTH CAROLINA. —IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION. CHARLESTON, Jan. 12. The State authorities have caused several ves sels to be sunk at the entrance to the ship chan nel, in order to prevent, it is supposed, the ingress of armed vessels belonging to the Federal Govern ment of the United States. Consequently, f or the present, ships will be unable to go to sea by this outlet. The swash, or middle, and tht maf fitt, or bed-channels, still remain open, by whi ch ships of not exceeding fourteen feet draught of water can still get to sea. RAISING OF THE QUEEN VICTORIA, PLYMOUTH, San. 28. The Queen Victoria was successfully floated this evening, and has been beached at Cremyll, where she will be repaired. Russell's engines were employed. A Cabinet Council was held yesterday after noon. The Aurora, of Aberdeen, has been stranded at Naples. Crew saved. The following appeared in our later editions of yesterday : STATE OF EUROPE. The belief is assiduously cultivated in Paris that the military preparations made in Prussia, professedly on account of the difference with Denmark, are in reality intended for a war with France. Prussia and Austria, it is given out, are on the eve of an anti-French alliance, and Saxony and Bavaria will join. A pamphlet is about to appear in Paris entitled The Prussia and the T reat i es o f Vienna." Emperor is represented as the champion of nationalities, and it gives the King of Prussia to understand that if he doesnot mind what he is about, Fran ce may ma k e war u pon him in the grand Duchy of Posen. ex presses th e . The Courier D cr Di m anche opinion that th e expe diti on in Syria must term nate either in the dismemberment of Turk e y may, or be a serious check to French po hitshould be remarked that if the Emperor's ep ees on the eve pacific, the alarmist views enco uraSed of its delivery would increase. the e ffect of the speech. INDIA LOAN. The prospectus has been issuedrede ; amount, £3,000,000, in 5 per cent. stock, emable on and after 1870 upon one year's notice. The day for receiving tenders is February Btk. THE OCEAN MARINE INSURANCE COMPANY. After deducting one-third for preliminary ex penses, besides all annual charges, the nett surplus of the company for the first year of its operation is L 75,478, of which £lO,OOO is recommendad to be applied as dividend on paid-up capital at rateeof 5 per cent., and the remainder carried against the outstanding risks of the company. STATE OF TRADE. The accounts to the close of last wee en k a re decidedly less favourable. There is lesster prise, less actual business, an hed less employment for the labouring classes. T complaints a yet more local than general, but some interests are suffering rather severely: The cotton and woollen trades are relativel in the best, but the iron, silk, and hosiery are in n the worst positions. E irette li d ° to US tl E le S e . ollapse of a large Public n um a i t ) T e t attention I n o t E f i ohn: GREEK principally Gr ee k, i n th e Levant trade. The reluctance to discount Greek paper has contributed to the present suspensions. It is stated that all the principal houses in the trade have for some time been engaged in strengthening themselves in preparation for the difficulties which have now occurred. The Daily News remarks that the present dis trust of a Greek paper is scarcely justified by the _ statements of accounts p u t f orw ard on behalf of some of the houses that have lately stopped. The great Bonaparte Paterson case is.expeetea to be *ought to a close on Friday , and Judgment will be delivered next week. . _. ---ice