The Northern Daily Times. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-02-15 00:00:00

FIRST EXHIBITION of the FRENCH SCHOOL of the FINE ARTS in Liverpool, including MAD'LLE ROSA BONHEIIR'S EAT PICT ' 'THE HORSI NOW OPEN at the L ace, Church-street. men's Season Tickets Ebt FRIDAI ) nit Ins. Old Post-oftle ODSHAM, Seen ttS'r ti THE Gas Company's rep propositions of the Corporation was discussed on Wednesday, by the Council, and the preposterous Company's letter, as we anticipated, contained an indignant refusal of the terms proposed. The Directors will not allow their shares to be converted into bonds, and why should they ? What have the consumers to do with shares or bonds? It makes no difference to them under what name ten per cent. dividends are paid. The consumer seeks cheap gas. He wants to get it at the same price at which it is supp!ied at Bolton, and Stockton-on-Tees, for his house ; and at the same rate for the street lamps at which it is sup plied in London. To this demand the Company reply that they have not yet discovered what effect the late reduction in price has had on their income, and, therefore, they think it is unreason able to ask them further to reduce the price at so early a period as the Council desire. With regard to admitting the Borough Engineer to inspect their works, and to watch the Company's system of manufacturing gas, the Directors give a point blank refusal, and tell the Council to employ their engineer i here h( has a most costly apparatus for testing the pres sure and quality of gas. They will not allow Corporate officers to go upon their works to see what description of retorts they use, the quantity or quality of coal (they consume, whether they get a proper return of gas from each ton of the raw material used, or whether waste in the first stages or be a great matter for the public to . amount of gas made in the year, that they mi E compare it with the incom e of the Cornpan ) and so ascertai n w h at surplus of income to be charged to exc ess i ve pressure, and what loss was to be set down to waste. But this the Company refuse, a n d for obvious reasons. Stilt, if believe Alderman Bar:NETT, th e are willing, not only that a meter be appointed, b ut would ins p e ctor should even have no objection to p ay the salary of such an rag-- - we can any unnecessary Company So glaring an imposition was I portion of the B pretend to alleu i publ consumers, showing that burned, more money was than Do Aldermen Bsmorrr, Messrs. PICTON and ROBINS MIS DAY, t On accoun THIS DA .7, at Mes Cusack and Sons, M J. & M. HAI On aecoun This DAY precisely at Messr Yellow I ex Tonawa , from P, ouse, Chap Baring, Brother )., Met, 75 Barr ex America, Husk and Sons, This DA Brokers' saleroom, 32 Bales Bombay HEMP, a: just landed ex Salem .Hobert-street, North and can be insfic MOLYNE NEXT WEEK TT, Brokers e 15:h instant, at Twelve o'clock, at the ce. 16, Fachange-buildings, Is PEARL ASHES, on Dock.—Apply to Messrs. C. Cassel at Thompson's WEDNESDAY On WEDNESDAY next, Bro 24 C at the 13 D, DITTO landed ex Rita, from Bill; Oleaga and Co., Merchants, On WEDNESDAY Oldhall 646 Bales Fine Ann now landing ex Cordealidad Messrs. Leech, Harrison and Forwood, M ROOKE & OE from I 10th instant, at Twelve o'clock )kers' office, 20, Hackin's-hev ses LIQUORICE PASTE, S. H. SLEIGH, Brokers EXT WEEK e Brokers' o ORCHELLA WEED -Apply R point en bait, ALMONDS, AND FRENCH PLUMS. uitable for Export THOMAS PARRY, Bioker 13, North John-str News of t, FRENCH SOFT SHEI In Tin Cases and B Apply to THE ANNUA L SUBS( DAILY TIMES Is EVENIi~ Cr An _Evening Editic TIMES is now Published eve containing the Markets, tog, Day, up to the hour of going Y DELI Y OP TAM subscriber within four mil es of the—l HERN TIMES iverpoql Exch —Any Rock-ferry Trannle Ctaughton, aeacomne, Egrernont, or New Brighton, who does not receive his copy of the "NORTHERN TIMES," by Eight o'clock will oblige the publisher by addressing a note to him at the office notifying the fact, in order that the cause of complaint may be investigated and removed. As our messengers commence their delivery at five o'clock on each more some 1 disapp npted on any - other Do the Council and receipts of here less gas was 1, to be forgeries HOLM tend to say, that there were no false meters fo----- - pool by the Corporate Inspector, Mr. TA and that the public cannot be robbed to an I in Liver- the use of ti extent b, lose measures, and by excessive pressure Gentlemen stand up in Corporate Councils to question the honesty, the ability, and the tom iertial Balm )AY THIS -Apr MONTT ,INETARY AND COMMERCIAL. LIVERPOOL HURSDAY EVENING lands Mr. 1101.111 E ma pleases, tha re has been less activity in the Liverpool Cotten Market to day, and the business done does not exceed 8,000 bales, 2,000 of which have been taken for speculation and export. There was a fair supply, and prices were firm at yesterday's nitely more true, namely : that advance. iverpool Share Market opened with some I speculatiVe buying at an improvement upon yesterday's closing prices, advanced slightly in the course of the day, and in the afternoon receded opening prices. The buying -vas weak in character, of support, and sympathizing )Is, the decline took place :—Aberdeen, The. - and Birkenhead, 134 14. 27 Chester and Holyhead, asti 10 108. East 8 Great Northern, 22! 23. o A Shares, O. Great Western, 561 561. • and Yorkshire Stock, 821 82g. t—.at the Ga to a shade below the luring the morning 21 12 Chester Caledonian public Eastern Counties, sby, and Southport, 15 151, London Western Stock, 1011 1011. Man- Eeld and Lincoln, 25 25k. Ditto 111. Ditto New 6 per cent. Midland Stock, 70,-1 70k. North . North Staffordshire, 7: 71 d. rn and Dover, 191 19k. York, and Berwick, 19 19*. York and 1 261. Leeds Capital Stock, Dutch Rhenish, 11-16 13-16 p. ) 3-16 2 5-16 p. Great Western Ditto New Shares, 39 p. 9 8 d. en a very firm feeling shown in the qanchester Goods Market to day, and better prices isked, but the amount of business done was .ly so large as on Tuesday. - d this day of the Court of Assis )rs of the South Sea Company, as that Canact. it Luxembourg, I Prof to receive a report from the governor and court of assistants, in reference to a final distribution of the assets realised under the Act of Parliament for the dissolution of the corporation, Charles Franks, Esq , in the chair, a financial statement and report were read, which shewed the total amount of remaining assets, including India Bonds and Exchequer Bills, to be 137,905/. 18s , the sum to be paid over to the trustees being 44.0061. lOs. 5d., after deducting 3201. to meet sala ries and office expanses. This, deducted from the assets, left a surplus of 93,5411. 17s. 7d., which at 5 per cent. on 1,864,7351. lls. ld., the amount of stock standing in the names of the proprietors would be 93,2361. 15s. 6,1., which left 3051. 2s. ld., amount - appropriated for payment of expenses and distri butions, and meeting all liabilities not yet ascer tained, making together, with the sum referred to, 93,541/. 17s. ld., the amount surplus. A dividend of 5 per cent. was declared, payment of which is to commence on the 21st instant, and to terminate on the 20th March. It appears that owing to the policy adopted by the court of assistants, 120 per cent. on the capital has been realised. Cordial votes of thanks were given to the chairman. The Corn averages published to-day are as follows: Wheat 78s 3d ; Barley 37s 5d ; Oats 24s 6d; Rye 51s 4d ; Beans 43s 4d ; Peas 42s 2d. The Grain Markets throughout France indicate that the fall in prices is checked for the present. In the departments a rise has occurred at some, while others remain without any variation. At Paris the price of flour is firm at last quotations, with an upward tendency. Sellers held out the prospect of an advance, which has stopped buyers in their operations. Bargains for the current month are effected at 96f per sack, and for March delivery 97f. The bank of England usual " parlour" meeting has separated, but the Directors, as was antizi pated, have announced no alteration in the rate of discount. The Funds opened favourably this morning, and soon attained a fresh rise of k to I per cent, closing at 92k to 921. At Paris to day the three per cent Rentes experienced a fresh rise of Ito per cent. The Railway Share Market this morning was firm. We subjoin the closing quotations, which were as follows :—Caledonian, 551 s'l. Eastern Counties 10 10k. East Lancashire, 72 73. Great Northern, 901 91. Do. A, 74 75. Great Western, 56 561. Lan cashire and Yorkshire, 81i 821. London and North Western, 101 1011. Manchester, Sheffield, and Lin- colnshire, 241 25k. Midland Stock, 70 701. North British, 29 30. South Eastern and Dover, 64 64i. York, Newcastle, and Berwick, 754 76k. in g are the Railway Tra illoßeturns for k ; as compared with those of the same ENGLISH LINES. Blackburn Bristol and Exeter Chester and Holyhead .... Cheshire Junction Corresponding week last year. • . £3,158 4,650 • 3,898 • • • • 1 774 122 ▪ : 4,554 .... 20,150 •• • 17,762 • • • • 148 • 17,154 ..... 44,035 •. • • 9,983 • • 8,104 583 •••• 7,323 • • 24,485 ••• . 578 ..... 4,518 .... 1,070 ▪ . 1,745 • • • • 872 ▪ 10,262 £3,584 5,493 4,501 1,735 East Lancashire Great Western 172 .5,251 23,885 Great Northern Kendal and Windermere . Lancashire and Yorkshire 20,341 148 19,605 London and North Western. London and South Western . London and Brighton ...... Manchester and S. Junction. Manchester; Sheffield, &c.... Midland Newport, Abergavenny, 4c.. North Stafford Shrewsbury and Birmingham Shrewsbury and Chest'r Shrewsbury and Hereford ... 49,997 12,346 9,696 647 8,125 26,512 855 6,416 1,261 2,4"6 1,057 South Eastern South Devon Shropshire Union Taff Vale Wes; Cornwall West Hartlepool Whitehaven and Furness IRISH LINES. Belfast and Ballymena . 825 Cork and Blackrock Dublin and Wicklow .. 268 Dundalk and Enniskillen Ulster ... 1,202 Waterford and Limerick SCOTCH LINES. 13,961 2,139 682 3,551 496 2,384 286 Aberdeen. Caledonian Dundee and Arbroath ...... 472 ...• 400 Edinburgh and Glasgow.. .......• 4,442 .... 4,228 Glasgow and South Western....... 5,522 ..... 4,851 Great North of Scotland ..... 716 632 FOREIGN AND COLONIAL. xerp and Rotterdam Dutch Rhenish Grand Trunk of Canada Great Western Great Luxembourg .. . • • Liege and Turnhout Ontario, Simcoe, and Huron Sambre and Meuse . 475 1,321 2,534 8,161 Lord Adolphus Fitzclarence is gradually regaining strength, and has been able during the last few days to take occasional carriage drives. Admiral Sir Edmund Lyons, G.C.8., will leave the Earl of Arundel's early in the ensuing week to resume the command of the Mediterranean fleet. A grand entertainment was given on Wednesday night by the Lord Mayor to Sir E. Lyons. The gallant admiral, in returning thanks for the honour done him, paid a high compliment to the conduct and efficiency of the mercan tile marine in connection with the operations of the war. He said it reflected the highest credit on the country, and he could but express his admiration of those beauti ful transports which were commanded by men of such zeal, ability, and gentlemanly bearing. He could name to them endless proofs of the invaluable services rendered by these men. In tha attack on Sebastopol these vessels were employed in towing the line of;:battle ships into positiqn, and when they were not required for such purposes they were always at hand to render other important services. (Cheers.) SUSPICIOUS DEATH.—Yesterday a Lascar sailor was brought to the Southern Hospital, under very suspicious circumstances. He died shortly after being admitted, and the coroner received notice of facts from the medical gentle. man at the hospital, but until enquiry into the *lse takes place, we forbear to say more of it. ORGAN PERFORMANCE AT ST. GEORGE'S HALL, --A per formance upon the organ by Mr. Best is announced to take place as usual on Saturday, at three o'clock, and Monday, at seven. The Saturday's performance promises to be exceedingly attractive, as it comprises selections from t i andel, Rossini, Mey er b eer , M en d e ll so hn, and A u b er. An lizeinang stcoatrhceelypebreforsmpeanntowbiyththmisoreemiennejnotylymeenktilftuhlahnanid in upon the nobleinstrument. NORTHERN TIMES.-LIVERPOOL, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 18M FRANCE. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) PARIS, WEDNE/IDAT EVENIN6, Baron Brunow, the Russian negociator, arrived here last evening, and took up his residence at the Hotel of the Russian Embassy, in the Fabourg St. Honorie. To.day he has had an interview with Count Walewski, Blinister of Foreign Affairs, and it is said that they proceeded at once to the disc cussion of the conditions which are to be com prised in the fifth point. They came to no specific understanding, but are to have another interview to-morrow. The Russian Baron is said to be very conciliatory. Both the French and English Governments are anxious, if possible, to Coale to an understanding about the fifth point, before the opening of the Conferences, and it is on that account, that naron de Brunow has come to Paris sooner than any other plenipotentiary. In the event of an under standing being arrived at, peace would be nearly certain, and in that case, Prussia would no longer have any objection to sign what is required of her, as the price of her admission to the Con ferences, and there would no longer be any objec tion to such admission. The French Government on its part is very desirous that some means of admit ting Prussia may be found, so that in the event of a treaty of peace being signed, it may bear the sig natures of all the great powers. Austria, too, is employing all the means in her power to obtain the admission of her rival, without signing any thing, probably because she wishes to see Russia strengthened. The dabblers in diplomacy are chattering a good deal to-day about two matters to which they attach great importance; the first is whether or not Baron Brunow is to be received at court, and the next, whether or not his arrival in Paris is to be announced in the Moniteur. They decide both in the neiative %Vie first, because it would be contrary t o c am ' second, because England's susceptibility might be hurt. In my humble opinion, both things are utterly indifferent. A letter from St. Petersburg, in one of the news papers, says that the change which has taken place in public opinion in that capital, since peace became probable, has been most extraordinary. Everybody is now for peace—and especially for peace with France,—and the government is taking measures for executing railways, and other enter prises, as if peace were certain. Accounts from Constantinople to the sth have reached Marseilles, and the telegraph gives us the substance of them. Keirseli Mehemed Pacha had been nominated Grand Vizier ad interim during the absence of Aali Pacha at the Paris Conferences. The Sultan had attended masked balls given by the English and French Ambassadors. In the Crimea the Allies had blown up the last dock of Sebastopol, and had undermined Fort St. Nicholas. Five English regiments were preparing to return to England ; but, on the other hand, the Anglo-Turkish legion had been increased by 2,000 men, and according to accounts from Trebisonde, the English were seeking on the coasts a place for the disembarkation of 25,000 men; three thousand of the allied troops and two batteries of artillery had been sent to Kertch. Thaws had commenced at Kinburn and on the Danube. At Tiflis, General Williams and `Massif Pacha, prisoners of war, had been feted by the authorities and the inhabitants. 8111rWRECX.—We regret to state that intelligence reached town yesterday of the wreck of the Proteus, off Wexford, on Tuesday evening last. The vessel sailed from this port for Jamaica on Monday, and was wrecked as stated ; but the cause of the disaster is not mentioned. The crew, we are happy, however, to state, have been saved. THE EMPEROR AND EMPRESS OF THE FRENCH.-Our fellow townsman, Mr. Branston, sculptor, of Norton-street, has produced busts of the above celebrated personages Independent of the fidelity of the likenesses, which are said to be excellent, the busts, as works of art, exhibit consider able skill and classical taste, which adds to the well-earned reputation of Mr. Branston. THE CAMPANALOGIAN BAND.—Last evening this band gave an entertainment at the Hope Hall, Hope-street. There was no charge for admission, but boxes were handed round, and the amount of the collection will be appropriated to the benefit of the children of the soldiers and sailors who have fallen in the late engagement in the Crimea. The attendance was not numerous, but those who availed them selves of the opportunity of listening to the performance of this band, which we may say discussed most excellent music, contributed to the fund witb, we understand, a liberal hand. NIGHTS WITH THE WORKING CLAsszs.---Last evening, Professor Griffiths delivered a highly interesting lecture in the class-room of the Concert Hall, Nelson-street, on Geo logy. These lectures, which are intended especially for the working classes, are purely of an instructive character ; and it is much to be hoped that the class for whose improvement these are devoted, will avail themselves of the opportunity thus afforded them of gaining sound and practical infor mation. Last evening, doubtless owing to the unpropitious state of the weather, there was not so full an attendance as might have been expected. The lecturer explained the various phases of the science upon which he was treating with great minuteness, and at the conclusion. received a vote of thanks from the meeting. A STIP IN TEE RIGHT DIRECTION.--There is an old adage that " if there were no receivers, there could be no thieves." At the sessions held at Knutsford, the presiding magistrate in a case committed from Birkenhead, (the details of which appeared in the columns of this journal) expressed his determination in all cases to punish the receiver more severely than the actual thief, particularly in such a case as that which was then under his consideration, wherein it was evident, however it might be regretted, that the mother had instigated her own daughter to commit acts of theft from her employer, and had received and disposed of the property thus acquired. The prisoners names were Ellen and Mary Quinn (mother and daughter), and they were charged, the one with stealing, and the other with receiving a large quantity of property belonging to Mr. Steel, a publican of Birkenhead, with whom the daughter was employed as a domestic servant. The mother, (the receiver) was sentence I to twelve months, and the daughter (the thief) to six months imprisonment. THE LATE EXTENSIVE ROBBERIES AT BIRKENHEAD.— After the trial of Elizabeth Fairclough, at the Knutsford sessions, who, it will be recollected, was committed to take her trial on five different indictments, the chairman stated it was one of the most difficult cases that had been brought before the court for some years, and that there was much credit due to the Birkenhead officials for the manner in which the case was investigated, and for the clear and explicit manner in which the depositions had been drawn up. The prisoner was sentenced to eighteen months' mprisonment. _ _ _ THE LADIES' CHAEITY.—The sixth annual meeting of the members and friends of this association was held yester day, at the Blue Coat Hospital, School-lane. Mr. G. Moss, the vice-president, and the treasurer of this soci e ty, occu pi e d the chair. Amongst the subscribers present were—Mrs. Fletcher, and Mrs. Shuttleworth, and Messrs. H. Royds. and C. J. Smith. The secretary read the committee's report for the past year, in which it was expressed that the charity held its position, although the subscriptions were less than in any year since 1832, from the deaths, removals, and other circumstances, amongst the original subscribers, yet, from other causes, there was a very handsome balance in the hands of the treasurer. During the past year, 1,269 patients had received assistance through the benevolence of this :society, being an increase of 131 over the year 1854. The report concluded by expressing a hope that, to increase the usefulness of the institu tion, greater energy would be used to further its object, as in the ensuing year it was apprehended that the applications for assistance would be more numerous. From the treasurer's statement it appeared that the total income of the charity for the past year was £1248 103 Id, and that the balance in band was £384 9s 10d• It was unanimously agreed that the committee's report and the treasurer's accounts should be adopted, and passed ; also that the thanks of the charity be cordially g i ven to the ladies of the committee and also to the medical officers for the services they had rendered during the past year. Mrs. A. Gladstone was elected a lady patron, and Mr. J. A. Tobin the president for the ensuing ye ar . M r . Batty, who has for upwards of thirty years filled the highly responsible situation of one of the medical officers to this charity, having, in consequence of his:long serv i ces , requested to be appointed the consulting surgeon, that request was most cordially agreed to, and a day was fixed for the appointment of a successor. A vote of thanks having been passed to the chairman the meeting separated. to approach him, or pr ian that a, if taken awa Borough rate, ( y may think proper ? The public are in arms against railway management, and meetings have been held in nearly all our large towns ling a certain must be made good by a other mode —teas A taxation few men a >f the gas supply of th ) those prices for light which 3ne can render necessary—and is according to an measures th enforce upon directors honest iduct of railway affair and econo- Phis is al e do not ask to take away ie as Mr. LOWE does : but an in he community, do rest cottage occupier supplied with on sum er )plieci a rates, and we find in places far less advan- tageous at from ated for its manufacture, that lower than it is in Ily alleged that 1 any amount of We have challenged point, and the result has hat our allegation was correct Ind if in these matt rs we are told " that there is i Liverpool that has under- the Gas Company," we Mr. HOLME that all venture to tell said was not founded on false and umption and the only reason )cal cotemporaries passing over in s that they either lack the ;le req4,_ Arr. Hou i , Y , (I to earn ATE informs us he desire cheap and must, therefor( as much as any one els we beg to remind that gentleman that, considering the locality in which he consumes gas, it would be cheap to him at lOs per 1,000, and that the com pany, if they had had regard for the pockets of their consumers, would not have supplied his tenants at Mosley-hill for less, if, indeed, they ight t b the C( e against ter inspec tor ? What is that officer to do when he comes to a meter overcharged with water by the Company's servants ? Is he to seize the false -qsure, and bring it befrs— '-- that Consumer lferior quality act of Parliament, what course secure redress to the public? It tile Uompany use greater pressure than would be required if their plant were perfect, and their mains the proper size and well laid, what remedy would the Burgesses then have? If he is not allowed to go into the works and ascertain how many tons of coal are used in the year, how are v.'e to ascertain what the actual cost of the raw mate rial really is? Are we to have no redress in any case? If so, the appointment of a meter inspector is a gross imposition upon the town. We have inspectors enough walking about our streets in Parisian costume, looking more like military apes than the civil servants of a Constitutional country, and to add another straight-collared idler to the phalanx may be very gratifying to those who love jobs, and the creation of fat sinecures. If Mr. HoLmE be allowed to select a fit and proper man for such an office, it Liat his protege will not be an V Irishman, as h took care to remind Mr. SIIIE L of his Hibernian found it impossible to answer that gentleman s clear exposition Of Alderman BENNETT'S claptrap. We hope, for Mr. SIIIEL'S sake, that Mr. HOLME has no Irish blood in his veins ; and that, if a meter inspector should be appointed, no Irishman will accept that office, from which he can make no honest return to the public for his livery and hen h pay. Mr. HOLME was quite right iri saying that a new gas company could readily obtain an Act of Parliament. The production of the evidence taken before the Gas Committee would be quite sufficient to induce the Legislature to sanction competition. And as the Committee have suggested in their report, in the event of the Directors refusing -- with the course recommended by the to compl, Jo not dc to make and our present monopol Will give tne and the suburban districts light as che ap as i t i s to be obtained in other parts of England. t both the Boroug THE COURT tinexmantoo PALACE, TnimigniY.— The Queen, w ith Princess Alice, t oo k Buckin the P r i ncess Royal and the e q ue strian exercise in the riding sc h oo l attached to gham Palace yesterday morning. Prince Albert, accompanied by the Princ e of Wales and Prince Alfred, and attended by Captain Du Plat and Mr. Gibbs, visited the British Institution in Pall_ mall, and afterwards the Architectural Exhibn SutTolk.street. The Duchess of Cambridge and the Suffolk Mary and the Duke of Cambridge visited her Majesty in the afternoon. Count Bjornstjerna, chamberlain to the King of Sweden, at the audience at Buckingham Palac e on Tues day, invested Prince Albert with the Order of the Seraphim, by command of the King of Sweden. The Queen had ' a dinner party last evening . 0'1;h; tripant included the Princess Royal, the Duc h e ss th e Swedish Minister and Baroness de Hochschild,anthde Earlajand Countess o of e y B , e L s o b r o d r o a u n g d h L , a d L y e w Comt e o u s d ee, ornstjerna, nd Major-General Wylde. ck, at the s. G. C. Schw NDIAI` cusinte nk, if h appeared i t the articles which have this paper were "fo ut we beg to tell him s and zed in another omething morc BEAN 5 to 40 per cen iment b be practis 222 1,107 710 831 3,448 6,155 LATEST INTELLIGENCE. SEOOND EDITION. 7 THE PtACE CONGRESS A despatch dated Paris, yesterday evening, an. nounces that Count Buol will arrive in that capital during the night, to assist as Austrian Plenipo- tentiary at the approaching Conferences. It adds that Count Cavour, the Sardinian Minister, will arrive there this day Aali Paeha, the Turkish representative, who left Constantinople on Wednesday, will reach Paris on the 22nd inst. The Conferences will open on the 23rd instant T-- RUSSIA Intelligence received from St. Petersburg via Berlin, presages important personal changes in the higher administrative departments. The removal of the Minister of the Interior, and of the Chief of Police is spoken of THE FRENCH FUNDS PARIS, THURSDAY EVENINC To-day the closing prices in the Funds stood on the Bourse as follows :—Four and a Half per Cents., 97f 50c; Three per Cents., 74f sc. THE EAST. ILLNESS OF THE HERO OF KARS A despatch, dated Berlin, Feb. 13, brings the following intelligence : One hundred pieces of brass field artillery, English and Turkish, brought from Kars, have been placed in the Alexander-square at Tiflis General Sir W. F. Williams is ill Kerim Paella, will, it is said, go to Moscow. The state of the health of the Empress Dowager of Russia causes considerable anxiety. From Vienna, we learn that the following intelligence has been received there, under date of Constantinople, Feb. 4 : There are hardly any foreign troops here. There are 1000 French in camp at Maslak, and two Eng- lish battalions, with a small cavalry detachment, at Pera and Scutari. Advices from Trebizonde of the 28th of Jan. state that the Russians have evacuated part of Turkish Armenia, and retired to Erivan AMERICAN MAILS.—The Royal Mail steamer, America, sails to-morrow for Boston and Halifax, with the Canadian and United States Mail. The letter box at the General Post Office will be open, in the ordinary course up to one, and to two o'clock with fees. At the Landing Stage the box will be open to three o'clock with additional fees. DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.-About six o'clock yesterday mor ning an alarming and destructive fire broke out on the premises occupied by Mr. James White, timber merchant, Yardley—street, Clerkenwell. Much valuable timber was destroyed, and nearly the whole of the implements and tools belonging to the workmen. Fortunately there was no loss of life. The losses are estimated at between 20,0001. and 30,0001., Mr. White himself having lost, it is considered, no less than 10,0001. A similar conflagration occurred at the same establishment about four years ago. CHEmisTs' ASSOCIATION.—The usual fortnightly meeting of this society was held last evening at the Royal Institu tion, the president, Mr. Abraham, in the chair. Mr. Edw. Whalley was elected a member of the association. The secretary announced donations to the museum from Messrs. J. H. and S. Johnson and N. Mercer; he also exhibited a comb and brush, each containing a small galvanic battery, for applying a galvanic current to the skin of the head. Mr. H. S. Evans, F.C.S , read an interesting and important paper on the " Natural History of the Cinchona Bark," which was illustrated by a series of barks, authenticated by J, E. Howard, Esq., and presented to the museum by J. Evans, Esq., of London. Mr. Rowland exhibited and explained his micro-photographic and enlarging apparatus (adjourned from last meeting), and practically showed its mode of working. The thanks of the meeting were voted to Messrs. Evans and Rowland for their communications, and also to the donors to the museum. THE JOSEPHINE Wimas.—Yesterday morning the in quiry, directed by the Board of Trade, under the autho rity of the Merchant Shipping Act, 17 and 18 Vic., cap. 101, into the circumstances attending the unfortunate wreck of the Josephine Willis, which was run down off Folkestone by the steam-ship Mangerton, belonging to the London and Limerick Steam Shipping Company, on the 3rd inst., when !upwards of sixty lives were lost, was opened at the Town-hall, Poplar, before Mr. Yardley (magistrate of the Thames Police-court), and:Capt Robert son, R.N., assessor on the part of the Board of Trade - Mr. O'Dowd, a barrister, appeared as the solicitor of the' Customs, appointed under the Merchant Seaman's Act ; Mr. Ballantine for the London and Limerick Company, and Mr. Parry on the part of the owners and underwriters of the Josephine Willis. Some conversation took place as to the right of 'counsel to appear. After a lengthened discussion, Mr. Yardley said he was fully convinced he could not recognise the right of any one to appear as counsel, as this was a mere inquisition. When any charge was made against an individual, that person must be sum moned, and then counsel might appear. The inquiry was then proceeded with, it being arranged that the witnesses should be out of Court. The investigation is expected to occupy several days. GREAT FIRE AT RANGOON. -On Monday, December 10, the cry of fire was heard through the town, and in a short time the inhabitants crowded in numbers to witness the conflagration, and the Christian portion of them to assist in endeavouring to extinguish it. A fire had previously broken out in the neighbourhood of the gaol, destroying about 100 huts, from which the authorities had scarcely returned when the very centre of the city, the site of the valuable and extensive native trade of Rangoon, was dis covered to be in jeopardy, in consequence of a fire having broken out immediately on the rear of this side, and in the direction of which the wind unfortunately was blowing at the time. In less than an hour the fire had seized on the temporary roof of bamboos and mats of the first pucka godown, and the only alternative was to endeavour to save its contents ; unfortunately, however, there was but little assistance available. The few Europeans and the authorities, civil and milit ary, did all in their power in assisting to drag out piece goods, &c. ; but this proved useless, as the fire spread so rapidly, that the piles of goods, representing in value hundreds of thousands of rupees, were afterwards des troyed where they were deposited. The thousands of Burmese present displayed their usual indifference, and the police seemed more bent on the plunder than the pro tection of property. Such were the ineffective protective arrangements, that numerous instances were observed of ruffians snatching money and valuables from the hands of those endeavouring to save them, and escaping with impunity, Property to the amount of 30 lacs of rupees has been destroyed. Only one or two lives were reported to be lost.—Madras Athenceum. LONDON AND SOUTH WESTERN RAILWAY.--The ordinary half-yearly meeting was held yest er d ay ; Mr. Chaplin, M.P., presided. The chairman, in moving the adoption of the report, congratulated the shareholders upon meeting under rather more auspicious circum stances than usual. The revenue during the half-year had exceeded that of the corresponding half of last year by £57,786, whilst the working expenses had only increased £12,973, including an outlay of £9,426 in completely renewing a considerable portion of the line. They had also built four new locomotives, aad placed £5,000 to a reserve on account of the company's steam boats. Moreover, £106,000 had been spent on the Andover and Salisbury line, which, not being yet open had yielded nothing in return. The gross revenue of the year is had been £816,701, and plant charged to 'capital was only £662,973. Th e directors proposed to vote to capital the sums of. £73,692 for plant, an d £20,249 for new works, sidings, and stations during the whole year. The company now paid the best dividend of any of the metropolitan railways, anti the property . was altogether in a health y and satis factory f .ate. The shareholders, generally, expressed themselves highly satisfied with the rep ort, b ut several of them spoke in opposition to the Salisbury and Exeter extension. The report was agreed to, and a dividend for the half year at the rate of £5 12s 6(1 was declared. Other resolutions for carrying out the recommendations of the report were also carried. LIVERPOOL GUARDIAN SOCIETN The anniversary dinner of the Liverpool Guardian Society was held last night at the Angel Hotel, Dale stret. The chair was occupied by Mr. John Wren, pre" sident, and the vice-chair by the Fite-president, Mr. dr. 5 , Upton. About 70 gentlemen sat down to dinner (which was of a most excellent description, and served up with comfort and despatch), and among them were—Mr. Stoe c o vice-elect; Mr. David Evans, solicitor: Mr. Councillor Kitchen, Mr. John Smith, Mr. James Johnson, Mr. Liiir man, Mrt Darby, Mr. Sam. Moss, Mr. John Evans, Mr. 11. E. Broom, Mr. George Jones, Mr. Edward Jones, Mr. James Reay, Mr. Johnson, Leeds • Mr. Cottam Chester, Mr. Dathgate, Mr. T.Walmsiev, Mr. R. Cro Mr.:Harman, T. H. Dalziel, Mr. Day, ters, and Mr. Bayles. After the cloth had been drawn, The Chairman proposed, in brief but appropriate termS) he health of " The Queen, the Duchess of Lancaster." The toast was drunk with all loyalty and enthusiasm, the company standing, and singing the national anthem. The " Health of Prince Albert, the Prince of Wales, and the rest of the Royal Family," was drunk with equal hon. our!'and enthusiasm. The Vice-President, in giving " The Army and Navy, called for a bumper in honour of the toast. There was a time, he observed, when it might have be , n necessary to make a speech to obtain for the toast the honour of a bumper, and to prove that the army and navy merited flee distinction, but, happily for him, that was now unneces' sary. They had proved their bravery by their deeds, and they bid shown that they could fight, well and successfully' fight—the battles of their country. (Cheers.) He would, therefore, without further observation, give them the toast of " The Army and Navy," and would couple with it their noble Allies, French, Sardinian, and Turk. (Cheers.) . 1 The toast was drunk with all the honours. Mr. John Smith, on rising to propose the toast of "The members for the county and borough," was warmly received. He said that it was thirty-three years, nearly a third of a century, since he had been an active member of the society, and he was glad to find,—and he con gratulated them upon the circumstance—that since that time their progress had been, year by year, steady and satisfactory. (Hear, hear.) They had protected the community of Liverpool and the neighbouring towns to a very large extent, from fraud, perplexity, and every evil connected with the pursuit of industry; and they had not only shown a zeal for their pwn defence, but they had instituted, from time to time, such movements towards improved legislation, and had sometimes tardily, some -. times rapidly. but always successfully, obtained the cone currence of the legislature in their views, and had placed on the statute books some monuments of their zeal, industry, and determination to serve their country, (Hear, hear, and applause.) They had done more than would have immortalized half a dozen members of par• liament, but still he was bound to say that for that large measure of success:they:were much indebted to the able gentlemen who represented the county and borough in parliament. (Hear, hear.) He was gratified at the course, the society had pursued in regard to th e Bills of Exchange bill, which he believed was a beneficial measure, and he was equally gratified at the conduct they adopted towards that class of insolvent debtors, who contracted debts without any intention of paying thenl• He quarrelled with the title of the court in its being desie' nated a court for the relief of insolvent debtors, for he did not see why there should be a court for the relief Ot one party out of two, and why the court should not be simply one for doing justice between debtor ante creditor. (Hear, hear.) The speaker then referred to the pees P e rts of peace, and declared that while he would hail wit.l l .ll so auspicious an event, he would yet' rather s u b m it to - increase of taxation, than accept a peace which was not 0 good and solid one. (Cheers.) In conclusion, he pro posed the health of the members for the county and the borough—Mr. W. Brown, Mr. Cheatham, Mr. Hors' fall, and Mr. Ewart. (Cheers.) The toast was drunk with every honour. The Chairman proposed the toast of the "Mayor and Town Council," and in doing so declared that the trades` men of Liverpool were much indebted to Mr. Kitchen for' the part which he took iu the gas question. They had tea long slumbered on the matter, and though they werS willing and anxious to pay for what they f a i r l y o bt a ined and used, they certainly would no longer pay for whs' they did not get. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) Mr. Kitchen, in acknowledging the compliment oil behalf of the corporation, dwelt on the onerous nature el the duties which devolved on them, and the sacrifice of time which the due discharge of those duties required a! the hands of each member of the council. Ile then re ferred to the question of the town dues, and trusted that ever/ member in the community would aid the council in resist.. ing Mr. Lowe's nefarious bill. He was quite certain that c on this question the council were soun d to a man, and that no effort would be wanting en their part to secure the overthrow of the bill. (Hear, hear.) He was eled find that the part which he took on the gas Question, had met with their approval. (Hear, hear.) He believed that it was a most important matter, and his first stell , therefore, had been to make himself acquainted with the facts. He had studied those facts, and being convince d by them that the cause which he was about to espouse, was true and !righteous, he had little anxiety as to the result. (Cheers.) After all their battleing and fighting , the ceuncil had consented to the appointment of an officer for the purpose of protecting the consumer from fraudu lent meters. (Hear, hear.) Although at the outset, 1 50 would have considered that all that would be neeesserf in the matter, yet he had found oceinquiry, that the prev e sure should also be carefully lo o k e d a f ter ; that it shoul'e he seen that the standard ill um i na ti ng powe r IP' the gas was fully maintained, and that ever! account was fully examined before being audited. (Flea" hear.) /But even that would fall far short of co mplete protection (hear, hear), and he, th e r e f ore , s t rong ly ad , vised them to look after their gas bill s , an d if t h e y did not find them reduced in proportion to the reduction in the price to insist until a proper and sufficient remedy was applied to the evil. (Hea r , h ear .) H e cou ld a ssure them that so far as he was co ncerne d no exert i on on his part would be wanting until they had arrived at a set' s ,. factory result. (Cheers.) I n conc l us i on Ai r. Kitchen proposed " The health of the Officers and Secretary of the Liverpool Guardian Society," and in doing so testified to the services which Mr. Reay and Mr. David Evans ha rendered in the gas inquiry. The toast was suitably honoured. Mr. Reay proposed the next toast—. The Officers 0 , 1 similar societies of which they were in connect ion,'' an in doing so took th e opportun i ty to refer to the debate oe the gas question in th e counc il on Wednesday, Be i carefully read the proceeding s i n the papers, and be regretted to have to say, for he would not mince it, that r more one-sided discussion on a p u bli c quest i on he ha d n eve ., read. Men got up there to sp ea k upon a question wh i c h thee did not understand, and without any knowledge o f thee', subject, presumed to de n y th e sta t ement of men acqua intei with the gas question since 1834, when the consumers pat 455. the 1000 feet. (H ear , hear.) He himself had paid ete for four years: at the rat e o f 34 5 . th e 1000 feet ; and, 'red, that day to this, let the co m p any say w h at they welleei they had never made a s i ng l e f art hi ng of reduction P e what the Guardian Soci e ty h a d f orced on them. (gear ; hear, and applause.) H e was glad, however, that one remark had fallen from M r. S amuel Holme, which 141; that the corporation w ere t h e parties who had forced t ) amalgamation on the two o ld companies. (Hear, bea r d Hitherto the society h a d b een lib elled i n that respect, eede he was, thereforee rejoiced to find that it was now tet e , publicly known that,it wa s th e ` corporation who consume the scheme, fr om th e f ru i ts o f wh i ch the cons umers were now suffering. (H ear , h ear. ) The company w ent not doing their duty t o th e consumers, and they were eof the parties to be the trustees of so large an emount st public property. (Hear, hear.) He would tell them t he the the consumers had as great an interest in the adrninist' o e tion of that large estate as the shareholders :thernseiv,o had ; and, if the company had discharged their dote I s, the public in half the ratio they had done to themsel ve s, they weted now have gas at a much lower price. (", e ; r l hear.) They had been told before the Parliamen`" oo , Committee that the amalgamation:would effect great e se nomy in the management, and that it would be of inult e e n e t benefit toehe consumer; but though the act of Parnell:tot had fixed the maximum price at 4s. 6d., yet they : e 0 waited for eight or nin e years before any economy Nag practised in the administration and when the price e' ite reduced, it was only d one under the threat of a new c° ol pany. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) When the coMesee arrived at the apex of th e i r prosperity they forthWiol extended their works into unproductive districts , a te though they never submitted a statement in referenc e their proceedin g s in that respe c t, y e t h e cou ld tell t t lo where they had suffered the loss, and thereby steely of they were not fit to be trustees for the administratio e ar e public capital of half a million of money. (Hear, h e tee They had men in the counc il w h o professed to be advecteeet• of the interests of th e t ra d esmen, and who, while eNeeete ing them on the w a t er question, turned round on lee-00! when the subject of gas was introduced, and told ele„ro that the reply of th e company was mainly straightfeev-ot and honest. He (Mr. Re ay ) would say that it wa s 00 straightforward, and that it was dishonest• had some knowledge as to how the m a . l , n -r glie t had been obtained in the council. fie state that one resolution which was to be Pe ° e ° tllv by a certain man, y Ito was a tradesman, was fe tell handwriting of a lawyer's clerk. He would n et e e them whose cle r k it was, but probably they had e ll s: pretty good idea. He had friends in th e counc il as fe the gas comp any, an d he would tell the company' that eat If new and more serious inquiry was going on, and t i " te il they refused f ac iliti es t o it next N ovember would ag tale. (Hear, hear.) The question was not whethe r het was cheaper in Liverpool than in other towns, but w het 110 it could be supplied cheap er than at present, would, therefore, never c ease to agitate the cl ue- , until it was truthfully answe. ed. (Ch eers .) , Nag toast was dru n k w i th all the honours, ane“eitrol responded to by Johnson, of Leeds, and Mr. L of Manchester. b. ie th e L ie Crossley , i n proposing the " Town and tr`e th 0 Liverpool," took occa s i on to re f er to the repor t 0 ; 110 W' society, which among other matters contained the I° , o aJ e ing paragraph ;_e The usual appli ca ti on has beelle,et „ to the rec or d er for an appointment of an accoune.fieo Of examine into and repor t upon the state and cen(l l ;,,as °- 0 the concerns o f th e gas company; and Mr. Bele,' „ T el s e appointed. and is now en gage d upon the enqu i r y ; pr it is lik e l y t o b e a much more extensive one the' ee te°, viously, a g r e at d ea l o f va l ua b le information is an tler t h a ; When the report is filed with th e recorder, it winr:ol3c duty of the committee t o t a k e such steps i ll ref thereto as the circumstances may require. pr tr Mr. J. Pemberton in m os t complimentary terea S te th e posed the health of Mr. David Evans, solicitor society. The toast was dr un k w i th " three times three." M e VO Mr. Evans b r i e fl y replied, and in referring t o the „ fe l f o on the town d ues , expressed the readiness of the t teee and its officers t o a id i n resisting the governenell„ r e i 1 ure of spoilati oe . , e The company asaajafterwards broke up. , 1 it, di, 41;