Northern Times. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-01-01 00:00:00

tomintrriii 2,aTes. NEXT WEEK. On TrIMAT next, the 4th January, at Twelve o'elock, at the Brokers' Office, 2, Dale-street, 510 Bales JUTE. . BROWNE, HUNTER, and CO., Brokers. Apply to On WEDNESDAY next, the sth January, at Twelve o'clock, at the Brokers' Office, 2, Dale-street, 198 Casks FISH OIL (for soap making), 200 Casks GLNGELLY OIL, 65 Casks TEEL OIL, 100 Casks CASTOR OIL, 1500 Bags MYRABOLAMS, 50 Bales SENNA, 48 Bags Blue GALL, 130 Cwt. SAPANWOOD.' BROWNE, HUNTER, and Co., Brokers Apply to On WEDNESDAY next, the sth January, at Twelve o'clock, at the Brokers' Office, 16, Exchange-buildings, 979 Barrels American ROSIN (various qualities), landing ex City of Washington (s.), from New York.—Apply to Messrs. A. Baruchson and Co., Merchants ; or to J. 11. RAYNER and CO., Brokers. On WEDNESDAY next, the sth instant, at Twelce o'clock, at the Broker a Office, 16, Exchange-buihtings, About 218 Bags GUM KAURIE, ex Marco Polo, from Melbourne. —Apply to J. H. RAYNER and CO., Brokers. AFTER NEXT WEEK. • Postponed from Wednesday, the 29th ult. On WEDNESDAY, the 12th January next, at the Brokers' Saleroom Oldhall-street, _ . 195 Bales Fine Mozambique OIiCHELLA WEED, now landing ex Fernandez, from Lisbon. —Apply to Messrs. -L e ech, Harrison, and Forwood, Merchants ; or to ROOKE, OKELL, and SPENCE, Brokers. On WEDNESDAY, the 19th instant, and following days, at the Brokers' Saleroom, 35, Dale-street, 1,000 Bales East India and other WOOLS. JOHN L. BOWES & BROTHER, Wool Brokers. Apply to On THURSDAY, the 20th January next, at Twelve o'clock, at the Brokers' Office, 2, Dale-street, 809 Tanned East India KIPS, 752 BUFFALO lI.IDES. BROWNE, HUN'PER, and CO., Brokers. Apply to On Salt. PATENT ASPHALTE ROOFING FELT. A cheap, durable, and perfectly Waterproof Roofing, ONE PENNY PER SQUARE FOOT. And PATENT HAIR FELT, For Clothing Steam Boilers, &c., by which a saving of one-fourth in the consumption of fuel is effected. WM. GIBSON, Successor to W. W. PowELL. Offfce and Warehouse-12, CABLE-STREET. CIIEESE, &c. FOR EXPOR T. North Wiltshire, Truckle, , Cheddar and Cheshire Cheese, always in Sto c k, su it a bl e f or Export ' to Australia and °tiler markets.—Apply to B. CLIBBORN, 22 and 23, Harrington-street. ON SALE, 100 Tons MANURE OIL CAKE. For analysis and price, apply to THOMSON, BAGNALL, and BUTTERWORTH, Brokers, 30, Moorfields. ON SALE, A Cargo of MANGANESE, to arrive, about 160 Tons. COPY OF ANALYSIS ALLDE BY MR. OEO. C. HUSON, ANALYTICAL CHEMIST :- "Tested in the dry state it contains, " Of Peroxide of Manganese . " Of water " Liverpool, 18th Dee., 1858." Apply to LEECH, HARRISON, and FORWuon, 37, North John-strest ... 73.10 ... 4.00 J. R. CAMERON, CHRONOMETER MANUFACTURER AND OPTICIAN, 54, SOUTH CASTLE STREET, LIVERPOOL. MARINE_ CHRONOMETERS ON SALE OR HIRE. GOLD AND SILVER WATCHES, SEXTANTS, QUADRANTS, BAROMETERS, TELESCOPES, &c. CHARTS FROM LATEST SURVEYS. WARM WINTER CLOTHING, THE GENTLEMAN'S OUTFITTING WAREHOUSES, 24 AND 26, BOLD-STREET. P. L. MACTAGGART. INVERNESS WRAPPERS. OVER COATS. • DRESSING GOWNS. DRAWERS AND VESTS. FANCY FLANNEL SHIRTS. RAILWAY RUGS AND PLAIDS. MUFFLERS AND SCARFS. FLANNELS AND BLANKETS. BOYS' WINTER CLOTHING. 0;- TO ADVERTISERS. THE CIRCULATION OF THE NORTHERN TIMES LAST WEEK w&s 71,322, GIVING AN AVERAGE OF 11,887 DAILY. OFFICE : 19 , SOUTH JOHN-STREET, December 13, 1858. AMUSEMENTS, MEETINGS, &c.—THIS DAY. THEATRE ROYAL—Grand Comic Pantomime. ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE—EngIish Opera Company. ALLSOP'S WAX WORK EXHIBITION (Lime-street). LIVERPOOL EXHIBITION OF PAINTINGS (Post-otlice Place). LIVERPOOL SOCIETY OF FINE ARTS (Queen's Hall, Bold-street). HENSLER'S CIRQUE VARlETE—Miscellaneous Attractions. TEUTONIC HALL (Lime-street) —General Tom Thumb. TILL PARISIAN GALLERY OF ANATOMY, Paradise-street. CLAYTON HALL—Carter's Mirror of American Scenery. f4' For particulars see advertisements on first page. TO CORRESPONDENTS. fader no circumstances can we insert communications not accompanied by the author's real name and address, not neces sarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. SATURDAY, JANUARY 1, 1859. THE DAY'S NEWS. The year of our Lord, Eighteen Hundred and Fifty-Eight, has passed from active being into the stillness of death, and we have now entered von another cycle. At this season last year, e. cry heart th ro bb e d w ith ap p re hension at the probable result of the struggle then going on in the East. Although the fall of Delhi had very materially altered the face of affairs, the spirit of revolt had spread over the land, a n d was h ere a nd there openly manifesting itself. Lucknow was held by the insur gent armies, and Central India seemed at the mercy of the enemy. Rajpootana was infested by a host of maraijaill„ rebels, and the G valiors were in the field wit:li,, the empire the u r m in iinished numb ,_st's. tnrltighou Prospects for England were cheer less enough, and happily, throubo foreboded nothing good. But now of our soldiers,the and b indomitable perseve rencemance of deeds that y the perfor- N". 11. for ever shed lustre on our arms, comparativeorder 0 has . taken the place of violent rebellion. been proclaimed Queen of India ur Sov ereign has theee.subjects have received her name vh - tr! Another feature of the year has been her . new nitusia • settle ment of our differences with China, and up of that country to European commerce enterprise. Added to this, also, is the concession recently secured by a treaty with Japan,' the immediate effect of which will be to open what, to us and other European nations, has, hitherto been an exclusive country. At h ome there has been many political changes. Lord Palmerston was, early in the year, hurled from an office in which every one believed him securely fixed, by the introduction of a measure to amend the law relating to conspiracy for murder. The Earl of Derby then assumed the reins of govern ment, . and succeeded, after several delays, in c onsolidating a ministry. Its existence, how ever, was greatly imperilled in the early days of its history. In the first instance, it s esca p e was owing to an alteration in the mode o f d ea li ng with the India Bill; in the second, its delivery from defeat was an act on the part of the independent Liberals of the House of Commons on the occasion of Mr. Cardwell's motion on Lord Ellenborough's despatch to Lord Canning_ The proceedings of opponents, therefore, and tlie dissention in Liberal ranks, rather flan any strength of their own, have thus kept the Conservatives in power, though, it must be confessed that since advent to office, more liberal measures have been conceded than was 1 expected from them. Chief among the political fruits of the last s ession are the admission of Jews to Parliament, and the declaration of a majority in favour of the total abolition of Church Rates. The only topic which how engages the notice and attention of the public at large, is that of Reform. The leading agitator of this question is Mr. John Bright, Member foi Birmingham. That town, as well as Manchester, Glasgow, and Edinburgh have responded to the popular orator's voice ; the 'wealthy inhabitants, no less than the woring populations, of those and of innumerable other great towns are more or less with him yet the people exhibit no signs of having been enslaved to follow any particular leadership. They agitate the Reform question for its own sake, and 1859 will witness them rapidly organising such a movement as will accelerate and compel whatever concessions they may demand. Most other home topiewof a press ing nature have been settled. The 'effects of the late commercial crisis are swiftly passing away ; our 'colonies are rich and tranquil. If the foreign horizon continues clear, there is no'human reason why . Parliament should not mainly apply itself, during an entire Session, to the work of modifying and ameliorating its own Constitution. The above is only a glance at the more prominent features of the year 1858. The Paris Moniteur announces an act of grace with which Louis Napoleon has closed the year. He pardons 164 condemned criminals, who had been sentenced by the tribunals during the late sessions, two of whom were , awaiting death. It is to be remarked, that these are not political offenders. Because Mr. Gladstone finds the people of the lonian islands determined to press their claims for union with Greece, the Palmerstonian journals contend that a great mistake has been committed by the Derby government in sending him thither. Mr. Gladstone, when he comes home, will be in a position to impart a wonderful amount of information as to the feelings of those over whom we hold a protectorate, and it can only be in the spirit of party we are informed that the information is undesirable. Further details from the lonian .islands certainly exhibit Mr. Gladstone in a not very enviable plight. He has to meet the protests that are presented to him with language of a very decided and peremptory character. is instructions place him in such a position that he can receive no intimations that the people want to join Greece ; but the lonians make their views on this point so plain, that it is impossible for such a conscientious Lord High Commissioner Extraordinary not to be most deeply impressed. A London contemporary calls attention to an act ot the Modenese Government, which it, with some reason, terms barbarous. A Modenese sub ject, a Signor Ferrari, is a political exile, and re ,sians in Florence. He is eighty years of age, and is naturally desirous to return to his native place to die. He, therefore, through his nephew, applies for permission to return, and the answer is to the effect that, although the Government knows Ferrari to be incapable of doing harm, on account of his great age, yet, as he was an incorrigible revolutionist in his youth, it will refuse his petition, as an example to others. It is certainly cruel. Modena is at present ruled over by an Austrian Archduke. At Bury, Mr. Philips, one of the members for that town, has addressed the non-electors. The hon. gentleman's speech was chiefly about Reform. He scouted the arguments pressed into the service of the opponents of Reform, from the condition of France and the United States, and showed that these countries differed so much from this in the circumstances of their population that analogy is fallacious. The plan of Reform sketched by Mr. Bright is to receive the entire support of the member for Bury. While on the subject of Reform, we may be allowed to ematAl IL% ft utu. uu c uuia ,uttLetttporary : " What will the public think of a rumour that Lord Derby will not, after all, get any Reform Bill ready for the approaching session of Par liament ? Undoubtedly such a rumour is non sense ; the interesting question is, how it ever could have been whispered about in West-end circles ? But this is the solution, namely, that there are a great number of gentlemen connected with the clubs who in their hearts are most anxious that the Reform question should be put aside, and the thought that the Government might manage to get out of their promise naturally crosses the threshold of their imaginations. It then as na turally escapes from their lips as a possibility which might turn out to be a fact. Rumours are very often the result of hopes and fancies." THE election of a New Board of Management of the Mersey Docks and . Harbour, on Monday, is an occasion in which not only the Shipping Interest of this great port, in all its various departments, has the deepest concern, but in which the, town generally must needs be warmly interested. It is a Board whose conduct must most materially affect the prosperity of the port, and therefore, in some degree, the welfare of our town generally. The Docks and Harbour of Liverpool have a world-wide reputation,—and for this, if for no other reason, that they are the best in the world. They form one of those characteristics of maritime and commercial greatness for which Liverpool stands unrivalled. They are a provision of ship _ ping accommodation for the port upon which there has been expended as many millions sterling, as would pay the cost of all the public works put together, not only of many a Continental capital city, but of all those even of some of the Continen tal kingdoms. Of this vast property, the Board to be elected on Monday will be the trustees, as well as the managers. With great propriety and fairness, the Board is mainly elected by the Dock Ratepayers—we do not mean to say that it ought not to be entirely by that body of men, interested as they are, above all others, in the right regula tion, and economical management of the Docks and Harbour. But so it is now, according to the enactment, to be ; and we are not now going to discuss over again that part of the case, which, as a fait accompli, for the time being at least, must be left to the test of another term's experience, we suppose ; at any rate, before the question of Govern ment interposition, which is the exception to the entirely local character and constitution of the Board, may have to be opened out afresh. This very Government intervention, however, it that forms one of the strongest reasons why so much independent judgment and careful discretion are required to be exercised in the election, by the Dock Ratepayers, of the twenty-four , out of the twenty-ei g h t mem b ers , o f w hich the Board is to consist —the rtwaining four being nominated by the Board of T Q , de. As was well 'observed in a letter from Londe which was given in our columns yest er d ay, \ -. rninentis " a dangerous partner in a n y b us i n 6 ., 64t e hold their ow n ." A nd iti i for those who wish to Board is by no means s o s li g rect influence in .this in weight as it may seem in number. " Four nomi sat the Board. Not enough to do more, in votiu Sou will say, than turn a wavering scale. Y e t - held, well-driven team of fo ur may do Compactly much goo d work to its owu ends, or its master's ' -as a lNizst a THE NORTHERN TIMES, SATURDAY, JANUARY 1, 1859 divided or indifferent four-and-twenty." The writer of the letter we refer to is evidently one who knows what he is writing about ; and his cautions are both forcible and timely. " Re member," he says, " one or two facts, which are not lost sight of here (in London,) thoughexcusably less visible in Liverpool. 1. The nominees of the Government need no qualification. Should ade quate motive arise, they may be sent from desks in Whitehall as easily as from your Exchange flags. 2. Every Government is greedy of patro nage, as every healthy stomach craves food. It is the nature of the beast : not at all blame-worthy, though much note-worthy. 3. So large a pro perty as the Mersey Docks has never yet been successfully managed by local and unsalaried authority. Nor is the atmosphere of Downing street favourable, as you know, to any arguments tending to prove that it might be. Hence I infer, that when your infant Board gets into trouble, it will not find its nurse here." No—we must depend upon ourselves.: we must have self-reliance, and then we may deserve to be entrusted with self-government—in our Docks and Harbour, as in every other concern of our own. The jealousy of Government influence and interference, is a wholesome jealousy ; and it is, above all things, to be guarded against in the management of our port ; that we may do nothing • to throw it into the Government's handS. As our well-informed and far-seeing London monitor has again truly observed, "Liverpool, with largest customs establishment in the kingdom, with other considerable Government establishments, and with the Docks all filled, from the highest places to the lowest, with nominees of the Government for the time being, would rapidly rise, by unalterable laws of political gravitation, to the rack of Devonport. The Government of the day would nominate your members, and relieve your commerce of the occasional disturbance of a popular election." . All this is not only possible, but probable—if we don't mind what we are about ; it would be but the natural operation of cause and effect. Hence, therefore, the importance of having, in such a Board, our own Liverpool men— men of character, of intelligence, and of independence— men practically acquainted with the great interests that are at stake—men who not only know what is right, but dare to do and to maintain it. Of such men should that portion of the Board be composed which will have to constitute, as it were, a sort of moral breakwater against the encroach ments of that Government influence which, through the Government's nominees in the Board, there will be a constant struggle to exert. Let the Dock Ratepayers, then, be true to themselves on this important occasion : let them look with a single eye to the one great object, of having the twenty-four members of the Board whom they are to elect, able, experienced, and independent minded men one and all of them, without exception if possible, " the right man in the right pl ace." THERE is an old apothegm which says, that " it and the principle is an important one, since he who notices the mistakes of another, may thence gain a lesson of great practical advantage. When, however, we allude to the United States of America as the source whence we are to derive instruction—from whose mistakes we are to gain a lesson of advantage—we do not mean to consider them in the light of an enemy exactly, but only as possessing political institutions at variance in their principles with our own. Those institutions were conceived in a spirit of opposition, if not of hosti lity to ours ; and their whole character is theoreti cally inimical to them. Yet, we repeat, is it quite fair to derive instruction from them, as they pre sent us, in their practical working, with the opportunity of doing so. And it was impossible, we think, to read in our American correspondence, on Tuesday, the account that was given of the recent elections to the various .public offices in the city of New York, without gaining an important lesson as respects the constitution and character of our own system, whether with reference to municipal or national affairs. In city affairs, as in those of the States them selves—and as in those also of the Federal Union itself—the principle in operation is that of a thorough democracy. In them the sovereign power resides in the collective body of the people ; but in practice, and very naturally, it is mono polised by that majority of the body politic which consists, as popular majorities generally do, of the least virtuous, and the least trustworthy-the most selfish and the most venal, of the whole. The minority embraces the great proportion of the wealth, and character, and respectability of the body politic ; which all goes for nothing in the universal suffrage that is called into action. The democratic element is predominant, and carries all before it. Honesty and virtue, public principle and patriotism, political reputation and personal merit—all this has no weight, and is of no account whatever, for its own sake, but is utterly set at nought wherever it is not ranged on the side of the more popular party and purpose of the occasion. Our correspondent on American Affairs does not content himself with giving only his own testimony. He quotes that of one of the more influential of the native journals also, which declares with respect to the elections in question, that, in the first place, "the various political parties selected , for candidates, the very worst men they could pick out, and the respectable portion of the community, with a few exceptions, abstained from voting altogether. It was a contest between a set of corrupt office seekers for the spoils of the treasury." Thus they who are the lowest in social rank,---and, as the proceedings showed, the lowest in public principle, and, it may be fairly inferred, in private character also,—have it all their own way; and that a very bad way - indeed. But what else is to be expected than what is bad, in " a contest between a set of corrupt office seekers for the spoils of the treasury ?" They succeeded in the election. As the journalist quoted goes on to remark, " a set of men, many of whom • no stake or interest bays no occupation, no Home, whatever in the well-being of the city, have been elected to the highest and most responsible offices in its government." Here is a practical issue of the democratic element, when it is permitted to predominate. And not unreasonably, therefore, is it bewailed, that " there is now no visible hope or expectation of any amelioration in the city government." The immediate and most serious consequence, in a practical point of view, is thus stated,—" The expenses for the municipal govern ment for this year will be nearly nine millions of dollars, a third part of which, at least, will be plundered or wasted ; and with the prospect now in view, it is impossible to tell to what amount they may be swelled next year—probably thirteen or fourteen millions,"—while, it is added, there is no doubt " that New York will be then, as it is now, the worst governed city in the world." Now here, we say, is a most instructive lesson to England—at a time, more especially, when so desperate an effort is • being made, in radical quarters, to convert it more and more into republican England. One must be stupid, or one must be perverse, indeed, not to gain a lesson of advantage from 'such a state of things as that referred to. Let Englishmen, therefore, beware how they give any countenance to those plausible pretexts that are addressed to the popular mind, for what has been not inaptly called'Americanizing their institutions, which, were even the necessity for some organic change apparent, would evidently be but, as the vulgar adage has it, "to get out of the frying-pan into the fire." EXECUTION OF REID, THIS DAY.—This day, at noon, Reid, who murdered his wife, will be executed before Kirkdale jail. We shall publish full particulars in our extra edition. TIM LIVERPOOL E3IIGIRATION ,TRADE. -EXTRAORDI NARY DECLINE DURING THE TEAR 1858.-The returns of emigrants sailing from the Mersey, for Colonial and Foreign ports, exhibit a decline of nearly fifty per cent, when compared with the returns for the year 1857. In the month of January, the decrease on the general emigra tion of Liverpool, when compared with the corresponding period of 1857, was 1,988 ; in February, 6,536 ; in March, 6,352; in April, 15,585; in May, 12,112 ; in June, '9,886 ; in July, 6,027 ; in August, 5,497; in September, 4,019 ; in October, 5,229 ;. in November, 496 ; and in December, 1,884 ; making a total falling off of 74,330 ; the aggregate numbers being in 1858, 80,722, against 155,652 in 1857. The diminution was most apparent in the second quarter, duringwhich a decrease of 37,789 occurred, although the gross number sailing from the port during the quarter only amounted to 30,345. The falling off has been chiefly observable in the emigration to the United States and Canada, arising, no doubt, from the great commercial depression of the past year, and the fact that, in many instances, the passenger ships, on their return voyages from the States, actually brought back to this country more passengers than they carried out, landing them in a state of the greatest destitution, and many appeals having to be made to the benevolent, for the purpose of assisting the poor creatures to their respective homes. The opening up of the Galway route has also, to some extent, influenced the emigration trade, as far as the United States and Canada are concerned. The Cape of Good Hope has been supplied with upwards of 2,000 etni g iuuts during the year, at the expense of the colonial government. It is believed that, „,„ „,f a will not be resumed, the results not being considered satisfactory. To the Australian colonies, the flow of emigration (although greatly decreased when compared with 1857) has been on a relatively larger scale than to the United States, and being composed, as it were, of the middle class of society, is entitled to more than a merely casual glance. Up to the close of December, the num ber of vessels despatched from the Mersey for AustraliZ ports was 118, of a tonnage in the aggregate of 130,361 tons, against 149 vessels and 169,515 tons in 1857. In January there sailed to the Australian colonies 1,800 persons; in February, 1,015; in March, 2,258; in April, 1,573 ; in May, 1,199 ; in June, 2,895 ; in July, 1,785 ; in August, 1,429 ; in September, 2,587 ; in Octobei, 2,091; in November, 1,604 ; and in Decem ber, 936. One-half of the emigrants belonged to Eng land. The Colonial Land and Emigration Commissioners despatched 25 vessels to Australia during the year, which conveyed 9,718 emigrants. The second and third qua . rters were the most active of the year, and the ships sailing during those periods were well filled-for instance, the White Star had on board 570 souls, the Red Jacket 454, and the Donald M`Kay 436 passengers on board-the largest numbers carried out during the year. The first quarter of 1858 gives a total of 5,137 emigrants to Australia (including 2,905 government), being a decrease of 1,904 in the private, lnd 1,254 in the govern ment emigration. The second quarter 5,199, including 2,116 government, being a decrease 6f 4,916 in the private, and 2,312 in the government emigration. In the third quarter the emigrants numbered 6,368, inclusive o 2,744 government-being a decrease of 3,254 in the private, and an increase of 463 in the government ' , emi gration, and the last quarter of th e y ear shows that 2,525 private, and 1,943 government passengers sailed being a comparative decrease of 1,624 in the private, and 417 in the government emigration. These merely embrace the steerage emigrants, the first cabin not being " under the Act," and the official returns (from which the foregoing were compiled) only guarantee the accuracy of the steerage passengers. The number of first-cabin passengers reached over 700 souls during the year. Inclusive of all classed "colder the Act," the White Star line carried out 6,724 passengers ; the Black Ball line, 6,388 ; the Mersey line, 3,006 ; the the Eagle line, 2,276 ; and Mr. J. M. Walthew, 512. There was no " bounty" emigration to Tasmania during the year, nor did any private ship sail from the Mersey with passengers for New Zealand. The only casualty of consequence connected with the Australian trade during the year, was the burning of the Eastern City, on which occasion the entire passengers and crew, with one excep tion, were saved, and finally sent from the Cape of Good Hope to their destination. LOCAL INTELLIGENCE. '":4 THE AMPIIITHEATRE.—TD.O English Opera Company at this Theatre have given a very satisfactory and creditable performance of " Fra Diavalo " every night during the week. There have, however, been some complaints, not unreasonably, made by the public, that the same Opera should have been repeated every night, although neither its novelty, nor the demands, appeared to call for such a repetition, we are therefore glad to see that there will be several changes during the ensuing week. PLEASING INCIDENT.—In consequence of the reduction in the staff of Wharfingers, at the Albert Do c k, C apta i n Geor.%) Atkinson was called upon last evening, by the working men, to receive a testimonial of respect from them. The testimonial (a pair of gold-mounted spectacles) was presented by Mr. Thomas, foreman ship worker, who begged Captain Atki nson t o accept i t as a token from the men who, with just cause, esteethed him. Captain Atkinson was very much affected, and could only reply by taking his hat off to the men, who gave him a hearty cheer. Long may the old gentleman live to wear the spectacles, and enjoy the evening of his days in peace And happiness. RAILWAY ARRANGEMENTS. —A meeting of the London and North-Western Company was held on Thursday, at which .it was resolved to sanction an arrangement by which the Company is to purchase and undertake the :management of the Chester and. Holyhead Company's line. .4.t . prewait the former Company holds about one half of the share capital of the latter, and it was felt to be desirable to have the arrangements for both lines wider the control of one board. The Chester and Holyhead Company also met, and resolved to sanction the sale. PEopLE's CONCERTS.—Notwithstanding the miserably wet weather, and the festive attractions of New Year's Eve, Mr. Hime gave a concert for those who might be able to spare an hour out of the wet. He gives another to-day at half-past two, when Madlle. E. Garcia will appear with the Brousil family, and Mr. Best will play . on the organ. In the evening, another concert will be given, when Miss • Dyer ' Miss Fanny Huddart, Mr. H. Haigh, and Mr. Rosenthal, will sing some selections from " Martha," and other music, and the Brousil family will exhibit their delightful instrumental performances. THE GALWAY LINE.—We learn that a very important deputation has waited upon the Lord-Lieutenant of Ire land, urging upon him the propriety of using his influence to obtain Government support in establishing the Galway communication with America. The deputation do not appear to be agreed as to the specific kind of assistance to be sought from the State. Mr. Grattan told the Lord- Lieutenant that they only required a share of public money for service performed ; but the Lord-Lieutenant seemed to understand, from other statements made, that something more was asked for. Accordingly, he reminded the deputation that the House of Commons would have to be consulted. At the same time, he pledged himself to press the question upon the attention of the Government. SOIREE TO THE REV. JAMES MARTINEAU.—A soiree was given last night, by the members of the Hope-street Unitarian congregation, to, welcome the Rev. James Martineau, formerly minister of that church, and who is at present on a visit in Liverpool. The soiree took place in the Hope-street Schools, which were crowded to excess. The chair was taken by Mr. J. B. Cooke. Mr. Thomas Bolton moved a resolution embodying the feelings of the meeting towards Mr. Martineau, which was seconded by the Rev. W. H. Channing, supported by Rev. J. H. Thom, and carried by acclamation. Mr. Martineau replied in a speech: of great eloquence, in . which he touched upon several topics of the greatest interest to the Unitarian body, and to the religious world in general. We shall publish a full report of the pro ceedings in our paper of Monday. THEATRE ROYAL.—We s m add nothing to the notices we have already written of the Pantomime at the Theatre Royal, except to say that the machinery improves by use , and that the occasional impediments and stoppages which appeared on the first and second nights are disappearing. The introduction of, the " Aunt Sally" incident, and the "row" following it, are received with great laughter eveij , night. Some of the incidents, such as the " Rarey horse," or, rather, " donkey taming," are now some what used up ; but as the system became famous during the interval between this pantomime and the last, we suppose the author is as well entitled to make use of a feature which other artists have.produced in all varieties of forms, as the editor of a weekly newspaper to bring out with a flourish on the Saturday some piece of news which his daily contemporaries have given to the public in every manner of version all the previous week. The attendance at the Theatre Royal has been very numerous during the evenings of the Pantomime. THE GREAT BARON OF BEEF, AT .Monnisif s.—As we anticipated, this great joint (now "no more") attracted an unusual amount of attention and admirers yesterday, at Morrish's Merchants' Dining Rooms, Tithebarn-street. It was " done to a turn "at one o'clock, with the same punctuality that characterises the house, and was laid "smoking hot" on the table to a minute, and then the real slaughteration commenced. The ox off which this splendid " Baron" was cut, was bred and fed by the Marquis of Breadalbane, and was purchased and slaughtered by Mr. Lowthian, " the King of St. John's Market." The joint weighed rather less than 400 lbs.—a pretty fair specimen, yet of the very finest quality, for every bit was eatable, and tender as a chicken. About 1,000 persons dined off it yesterday, and one and all expressed the most unqualified approbation of the cooking and the quality; and every one wished Mr. Morrish many happy new years, and every succeeding year a " Baron of beef"—a wish in which we join, and ma we be there to see all happy returns. EDGE HILL WORKING MENS' ASSOCIATION.—Last Thursday evening, a tea party . in connection with the above association took place in the boys' school-room, Wavertree-road. The room was most beautifully deco rated for the occasion, groups of flags being most artisti cally arranged, the effect being considerably increased by a choice display of evergreens. A p ar ty o f g en tl emen volunteered their services, and added much to the enter tainment of the company, by the admirable performance of a choice selection of glees. The chair was talon by the Rev. J. M. Harke, and on tlic platform were—the Revs. Thomas Moore, Joseph Bardsley, T. 'Watson, J. cutlet W. Gregson, Esq., C. P eers , E sq ., & c . Aft er a very doquent and practical address by the chairman, the secretary (Mr. Peers), was called upon to read the report, from which we learnt that the society was in a very flourishing and prosperous position. Afte r a dd resses by the Revs. J. Moore and J. Bardsley, the proceedings ter minated by singing the Nationel Anthem. CORONER'S COURT.—Yesterday, the Coroner held the followinc , inquests: —On the body of John Kincaid, a sailor, who fell from the yard of a ship in one of the docks, and was killed. The facts of this case appeared in our paper of yesterday. The evidence was the same as that already published, and the jury found a verdict of " Accidentally killed." On the body of Winifred Clary, aged four years, who was burnt in a Court off Saltney-street, and died in consequence. Verdict— " Accidentally burnt." On the body of Elizabeth Kemp, who resided at Burlington-street, and who formerly kept a public house in Commutation Row. She was in the Old Hay Market, where she met some men belonging to the war ship Hastings, and asked them if her son-in-law was on board ? They replied he was, and that he had given them leave to go on shore. She said, "Oh my God," and fell down, and died on the spot. Verdict— " Died of natural causes." [lt appeared that her son-in law is an officer on board H.M. ship Hastings, and that lie had given the men leave to go on shore.] On the body of John Smith, 26 years of age, who hung himself in the Workhouse, under the circumstances stated in our paper of yesterday. The jury found a verdict, " that he hung himself whilst labouring under temporary insanity." On the body of William Platt, 42 years of age, who died in Green-street, in consequence of injuries received by the kick of a horse. V er di c t accordingly. NEW YEAR FESTIVAL OF SCOTTISH MUSIC. —A series of entertainments peculiarly appropriate in their cha racter to the present month, will open in St. George's Hall, next Monday evening. When we say that the entertainment is entitled a National Festival of Scottish Music, we need hardly . remind our readers that its peculiar appropriateness just now lies in the fact that this month will witness the celebration of the Centenary of Robert Burns. Could circumstances allow of the perfor mances we speak of taking place nearer to the celebration of the centenary, it would have been singularly fortunate, and we feel no doubt would have been highly gratifying to the public. As it is, however, the character of the performances will, we believe, be such as to ensure their warm reception by the public ; and any period of the month which is to witness the festival to the memory of Robert Burns can hardly be unsuited for the production of a Scottish musical entertainment. The " Festival of Scottish Music " will be given by the greater number of the performers who recently exhibited before her Majesty, at Balmoral Castle, and who received then, we believe, the most gratifying assurances of royal approba tion. The company will consist of about twenty performers, who arc to appear in the costume of their several clans, along with the Royal pipers and dancers, as they performed at Balmoral. Reels, strathspeys, sword dances, Scottish ballads, Highland fling, " Tullochgormn," and many other specimens of Caledo nian music and dancing, will form the programme of the entertainments. Such a performance will be an agreeable novelty in Liverpool, at a time when ordinary concerts begin, by their pregnancy, somewhat to loose their attrac tions for general audiences. The Scottish National Festival of Music can of course only be prolonged for a few days in Liverpool, and those who can enjoy such a performance will do well not to postpone too long taking advantage of the opportunity thus offered. Mawdsley's school-boy pocket pericils i n grea t var i ety, 3d, 6d, and Is. Also, writing-cases and desks, from ss. 4, Castle-street. HOUSEKEEPERS.—The coffee sold by Thompson Brothers, 5, Elliot-street, at is 4d,.is better than you pay Is - 8d for at any other establishment. AN ADOPTED CHILD.—A married couple, named Graham, residing in the lower part of the city of Lincoln, who have no family of their own, applied at a meeting of the guardians of the union, for permission to take a child, six months' old, out of the house, in order that they may adopt it. What made the application more singular was the fact that the child was no relation., but the illigiti . mate offspring of an unfortunate young woman, who formerly lodged near the applicants, but who died in the union a short time ago, and whose name neither Graham nor his wife knew. Several guardians gave Graham an excellent character for industry and sobriety, and it was resolved that the application should be granted the relieving-officer for the home district being requested to call at Graham's house, now and then, to see how the child was treated. An amusing scene took place when the child was given up to the applicants, both h us b a nd and wife desiring to carry it to their home, but ,ultimatelythe wife proved victorio us — s h e having a thick shawl on with which to protect the infant from the cold, an d carried it off triumphantly. F rom t h e happy and graceful looks o! the good couple wh en th e application wasJgrante"' L " s but fair to presume that the child will be' treated by them as if it were their QW I I4--Zrotanyh am ,R,PieWe EXECUTION OF REID. At twelve o'clock to day, the sentence of death passed upon Henry Reid, who wilfully murdered his wife at Manchester, on the 23rd Sept. last, will be carried into effect. No doubt it will be fresh in the recollection of our readers that the trial took place at the last assizes at St. George's Hall, in this town, on the 14th inst., a full report of which we gave at the time. From the evidence, it appeared that the unfortunate man had been leading a very dissolute life. His wife also had been in the habit of drinking. On the night in question, when the murder _ was committed, the culprit, together with his wife, had been drinking at a public-house near to where they lived. They were both drunk, as was given in evidence against him, and the culprit was heard to say that "if his wife did not behave herself, before morning he would be the death of her." If he had not come out with this expression, it is quite possible he would have come off clear. During the trial, the unfortunate fellow stood quite unmoved until the last moment ; but as soon as the judge r had pronounced sentence, he dropped on his knees, as if to beg pardon. He was recommended to mercy on account of inebriety. The following was given as evi— , dente against him : - ---Joseph Wright said he was a police - constable, and in consequence of what Mrs. Dickenson had told him, he went to the prisoner's house at about twenty-five minutes past three. He saw the deceased ; she was lying as described, and dead. The body was warm, but stiff. She was laid at the bottom of the stairs, with her forehead over the floor. Her arms were bent, as if she had been endeavouring to raise herself up. Her face was towards the window, and her head would be about fourteen inches from the house wall; the feet were , on the stairs. The clothes were turned up over the left leg ; she was in her evening dress ; she had no bonnet on,_ and her hair was very rough. Witness did not see any blood on the stairs ; but saw a rope round decea se d's neck. There was blood on the floor where she lay, and the head was lying in it when he got there. The rope was tight round her neck. He looked at the bannisters. of the stairs, but there was no remnant of a rope there. He turned the body over on the middle of the floor on its back, and took the prisoner into custody. John Birchley, inspector of police, at Manchester, said he entered the house of the deceased shortly after ten o'clock, when he got the body removed to the Infirmary. He did not meddle with the cord till it had been inspected by the surgeons. He then searched the house, and found two pieces of cord, which, however, did not correspond with that found round the neck of the deceased. He was unable to find marks of the cord on the stairs and bannisters, though be had searched for them. The colouring was much loosened on the kitchen side of the staircase, and some had fallen off, as if there had been a scuffle there, and something had been in contact with the staircase. There was a large clot of thick blood at the bottom of the stairs, and there was a great quantity of thick blood in the middle of the floor of the lower room. The wound was still bleeding freshly. There was a strong nail in the partition of the staircase, about six feet from the gronnd. William Meakin, a rope-maker, proved that the piece of rope found round the neck of the deceased had been cut with a sharp instrument at one end ; the other had been broken. The cord would sus tain a weight of at least 2001bs. Thomas Parry deposed to being in company with the prisoner and deceased on the night before the murder, when he heard the prisoner say, "If my wife does not conduct herself in a proper manner, I will be her death before morning." These were the last words he heard him say; and they were both the worse for liquor at the time. James Smith, 5 scene-painter at the Theatre Royal, said, he was at the Windmill public-house on the night of the 22nd of September, and left there about twenty-five minutes p a st eleven. The prisoners were there, and they appeared quite tipsy. Mr. John Elliott, house-surgeon to the Manchester Infirmary, said, he remembered the deceased being brought to the Infirmary on the morning In question. She had been dead about two hours. He made a post mortein examination of the bodyr and found a wound over the right side of the forehead , by the ear. Blood was still flowing from the wound- He was of opinion that the wound had been inflicted 1 99 a knife. The wound penetrated to the skull, but did not cause the death. The piece of cord produced is the sane as that which was round the deceased's neck. It wa s quite tight. On each side was a mark from two to three inches in length, in front of the angle of the jaw. Dr' Frank Reynolds corroborated the statements ma de hi the last witness. Mr. Cobbett then addressed the jury for the defence, urging, at considerable lengtl!, that this was a case of circumstantial evidence. 11 ? Lordship then proceeded to sum up, remarking that thy; was a most important ma tt er f or t h e j ury to decide. it would be for them to d ec id e , w h et h er t h e prisoner Was the cause of the death of his wife, or whether she ha d committed suicide by strangling herself. The jury real:cur and His Lordship received a message from them, asking if it could not be made out a case of manslaughter. ifr a Lordship ordered the jury to come into court, an explained the law relating to manslaughter more clearly, The jury again retired for a short time, and returned verdict of " Wilful murder," but recommended the prisoner to mercy on account of inebriety. MILITIA DISTURBANCES AT EDINBURGH. A u out: break, which at one time threatened to prove seriow , occurred on Saturday night, in the Canongate, Edir burgh, about eight o'clo c k. Th e occas i on o f the tits. turbance was the entrance of some drunken men of th e Sussex Militia into a public-house, where they we re refused drink. Th e l an dl or d was attacked by them, an(i the scuffle attracted a large . mob round th e house , Two policemen were sen t' for, who apprehended one of the militiamen, b u t were attacked by other men fi p the same regiment on th e i r way to the police-station, the militiamen taking off th e i r b e lt s , an d using them again:, the constables, who were com p e ll e d to take refuge a neighbouring shop. This availed them little, for t° e shop door was burst open and the officers thrown doii t c ; one of them being nearly garotted, the p r i soner escapili:f., in consequence. Information having reached the nir police station, a posse of a b ou t t wen t y men were de' spatched to the scene of the tumult, who partially si te ' ceeded in restoring order. Theyapprehended a militiama n / who had been active in the riot, but before reaching 61e office with the second prisoner, an attempt was made at rescue by a picket of the militia, who, rushing against th e constables and drawing their bayonets took the prisoner from their charge, threateni ng v i o l ence if t h e pol i ce i n ter fered. The picket had marched up the High-street r a far as Parligmentlquare, when the p o li ce , in augment: numbers, approach e d th em , an d d emanded that tlieP , former prisoner, the militiaman, should be given nri but the men again drew their bayonets, 311 refused to comply w ith thi s d eman d . B y th i s , an immense throng of people had gathered together! who created a great disturbance, and apparently too k el part of the militia, so me o f w h om b e h ave d i n the 111°5o riotous manner, us i ng th e i r b e lt s aga i nst any officer w' came in their way. Eventually, five of the most dist; dedy were taken into custody, a n d s h or tl y afterward'' peace was restored. On Su n d a y severa l cons t a bl es wen t to the castle, and identified th e t wo men w h o h a d been taken by them into custody. The Paris Constitutionnel publishes a long serie! of remarks on the Board of Trade returns, with i view to prove that the int ro d uc ti on o f f ree t r ade has not increased the commerc i a l movemen t 1' England. It says : Free trade, we affirm, has not given a great imps ts to commerce in England. During the eight years, fr e 1842 to 184, which preceded the repeal of the Navie j ; tion Laws, the total tonnage of laden vessels whit a entered British ports increased sixty-six per cent. ; the eight years which followed that repeal, the incro: has been only forty-four per cent. ; so that the progre, instead of being acce l erate d , has slackened. But t ° most interesting fact to be noticed in this case is the Pr ~e ; portion which f e ll t o th e s h are of the British mercantli shipping in these t wo per i o d s. I n the eight years preceded the repeal, the tonnage of English ships ars l, '; mg with cargo es h a d i ncrease d 64 per cent ;In t ' t eight years whi c h f o ll owe d it has increased 24 per ce ll ,' On the othe r h an d, th e t onnage of foreign vesso ; which had increased 73 per cent during the forte period, gained 97 per cent., or nearly doubled, duril the latter. So that, in fact, the tonnage which I c tly augmenting in nea r ly t h e same degree for b°rat English and foreign v esse l s, after the appeal saw the r a ohncrease decline f rom 64 to 24 per cent. for Engli6h, vessels, while it rose from 73 to 97 per cent. for foreig; Nor is that all. Every one knows how important it j for England to maintain her maritime preponderance, to see yet it is n o t or i ous that rival navies are springing all be endanger it s con ti nuance. Th e e ff ect i ve force of British mercantile navy has no doubt increased since t':, 4 repeal of the Navigation Laws ; but the increase not been greater than before the repeal ; and 011 11 3 e especially mer its attention is th a t the force o f t United States' shipping has inc rease d i n a f ar gre ater proportion. In 1849, the strength of the British ale:i cantile vessels was 4,100,000 tons, and it had attain 5,500,000 in 1857---an increase of 33 . per cent. since the re peal of the Navigati on Laws. During the same pert. od what has been the d eve l opment of the United Staff navy ? It has risen from 3,300,000 to 5,250,000, being increase of 60 pe r cen t. H ence it is evident that*tti American shippinghas increased twic e as rapidly as the English. It will be rem ar k e d that the effec tive strength of the United States, which was a million t 0! below the English in 1849, at present almost equals it t and, if the inc rease cont i nues at the same rate, will 6 0 " ci I exceed it."