The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-01-31 00:00:00

gged laste g ift, Il he Dugh ; asid Ile LIVER THEATRE. CHURCH-STREET. R. RAYNER has the honour to announce to his Friends V-1- in particular, and the Patrons of the Theatre in general that his BENEFIT, and LAST APPEARANCE BUT ONE, Wil take place THIS EVENING, the 31st instant. The Evening's Entertainments will commence with a Romantic Drama, T , THE PEASANT AND HE entitled PRINCE ; Or, the Pelon Judge Ludovico ............. • Mr. Rayner, `After which will be produced a new Ballet, entitled AULD ROBIN GRAY. ...... . Miss Lidia. I Moggy.... Miss Thomassin. After which, the highly-popular Farce, called THE DUMB BELLE. Mr. Manvers .. Mr. Tilbury. O'Smirk 4 /Mr. Raymond. Eliza Mrs. Raymo In the course of the Evening, Songs and Duets. To conclude with the interesting Domestic Drama, (never acted here,) called THE MILLER'S MAID ; Jennie. OR THE RIVAL SWAINS. Giles, (originally performed by him in London,) Mr. Rayner. Tickets and places for the Boxes may be had of Mr. BREEZE, at the Box-office, from Eleven till Three o'clock, and of Mr. RATHER, 5, Anson -street, London-road. DUCROW'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE OF ARTS. THIS EVENING, FRIDAY JAM 31, SE COND LADIES' NIGHT AND , FASHIONABLE DRESS SPECTACLE. The same Entertainments repeated To -MORROW, (Saturday) the ast me. The following Splendid Rotat L ion of Ti Novelties, with the Gor geous Pageant of the TOURNAMENT, and the popular and unequalled Scenes in the Circle, which presents an union of Talent never before offered within the walls of any Arena. The Trained Horses, the French and German Riders, and the Wonders of the Olympians, astonish every beholder. Notwithstanding the great popularity and en couragement bestowed upon the Tournament, the short stay of the Company in Liverpool will oblige its represen tations to he limited, to give way for the production of THE SIEGE OF ACRE, FRENCH IN EGYPT, Aud other Entertainments yet in store. T HIS present FRIDAY EVENING, the 31st instant, and every Evening during the week, the Entertain ments will commence, at Seven precisely, with Ducßow's HISTORIC AND MAGNIFICENT TOURNAMENT, IN THREE PARTS, With all the unequalled pomp which crowned its long and Splendid career, during the greater part of last season in London. THE WHOLE STUD OF FIFTY-EIGHT HORSES. Mr. Dv CROW and every member of the Company will ap pear in the above Pageant. This costly production of the Amphitheatre will not offer merely , an outline of Tilting at the -Barrier, but a. true and effective living Picture of the Three Day's Ceremonies, Encounters, &c., and Scenes at the LISTS OF ASHBY, By Sir Walter Scott. New and admired FEATS OF HORSEMANSHIP! AND SCENES OF THE CIRCLE 1 The Spectacle will terminate with a favourite Christmas Pantniomine of HIGH-METTLED RACER. TO CORRESPONDENTS. The communication from Sheffield safely reached its desti nation. We shall avail ourselves of the admirable letter on the Corn laws in our next. To the accompanying letter, for which we feel greatly obliged, we shall forward a reply by this day's or to-morrow's post. The lines by " St. Leger" arrived too late for insertion to-day. EN) ktherpoot IZ'tattbarb. FRIDAY MORNING, JANUARY 31, 1840. We have received tiles of the Guiana Chronicle to the 1 3th of December, inclusive. The contents of these papers are extremely encouraging. The Colony seems to he gradually recovering from its depression; but the general cry was, still, "we want more labour qr°•" This want supplied, and British Guiana would becom e one of the most prosperous and magnificent colonies on the face of the earth—a colony capable of siustaining forty millions of inhabitants, and of supply ing this country with every one of those products for which we are now dependent upon foreign countries within the.tropics. A great banquet had been given at Georgetown, De merara, to Governor Light, on the 12th ultimo, which was attended by upwards of two hundred of the first inhabitants of the . Colony, comprising planters, pro prietors or representatives of estates, the judges of the Colony, and professional men of all classes. Sir Mi chael M`Turk occupied the chair, and the proceedings seem to have been chalracterised by a strong feeling of unanimity. His Excellency, in returning thanks, after his health had been drunk, observed that, on his • arri val in Demerara, he lost no time in presenting to the Secretary of State the resources of that "rich mine of gold." While7he faithfully represented its means, he said, " all that was wanted were hands." 'He strongl advocated th e necess i ty of encouraging immigration and that to an unlimited extent, at least as cultivation progress e d. H e d eclared that he had no other ambi tion than the prosperity of the Colony. Through ou t hie speech he dwelt most emphatically upon the urgent necessity of immigration into the Colony. This is the constant theme of discussion in all the papers that we have received from Demerara. The most flattering ac counts are given of the health and prosperity of those emigrants who have been already located in Demerara and Berbice. We have received our files of the Jamaica 'Royal Gazette and Standard to the 24th of December, inclu sive. The news from this important colony is ex tremely cheering and satisfactory. The House of As sembly and the Governor still continued to co-operate most harmoniously. After getting through an im mense mass of business, the House had adjourned to the 17th of March next. The appointment of Sir Charles Metcalfe, thus far, •at least, had been attended with the most favourable results. We trust that the Imperial Parliament will recognise the prudence as well as the propriety of avoiding any further interference with the legislative functions of the House of As- Beint)ly. The Royal Gazette, in reviewing the proceedings of the recent session of the House of Assembly, states that more actual business had been done during the period than on any former occasion. This cannot he looked upon as the result of the locus penitentice afford ed to the House of Assembly; for the members have been ever ready to do the work of legislation when ever they have been left to themselves. The constitu tional stand which they made, of a former period, was occasioned by that system of continued interference and unjust policy pursued towards the Colony. The fruits of a different and a more conciliating line of po licy are already too apparent to need any extended comment. The House of Assembly has fully proved that it is anxious only for the general welfara of all classes in the island, and that it is disposed to do equal justice between man and man, without any reference to creed or complexion. To what, then, can we attribute the disrepute under which the House of Assembly laboured ? The Royal Gazette has furnished ropriat e rep l y, when it says that the odium in the app curred by the House was not incurred " by any act of their own, but by the zealous influence of a party, who, in the language of Sir Evan AlTiregor, in answer to an address presented to him by the labourers of Barba does, whatever may be their ultimate designs, are un ceasingly engaged in end eavour i ng to persuade the public, and yourselves in particular, against the evidence of your own senses, that you are unhappy and op pressed.' " The parties here referred to are the well known anti-slavery agitators on whose recreant: hides We bestowed a merited castigation in our last. We perfectly agree with the editor of the Royal Ga zette when he remarks that " the jealousy with which every act of the Jamaica legislature has been received by the British public, wherever the labouring popula tion has been concerned, has been carried to no ordi nary height; nor can we easily account for the great excitement produced in their behalf, even since every vestige , of bondage has been broken, and since their admission to all the rights and privileges of British subjects." Our contemporary need be under no diffi culty in accounting for the prevalent excitement in Great Britain to which he so feelingly alludes. It has been superinduced by the violent, lying, and in flammatory appeals of those hypocritical agitators who have so impertinently and officiously interfered in the affairs of the West Indies. The pernicious harangues of such men as Sturge, Scoble, and Co., have gene rated a sort of morbid philanthropy in the public mind. Owing to the false and exaggerated statements of these pseudo-humanity-mongers, the West India planters have been looked upon, by the great mass of the peo ple, as perfect monsters, as frightful ogres, ''hose s o l e delight appeared to consist in the infliction of every species of torture upon the unfortunate negroes. This delusion is, we are happy to say, fast wearing away. The public are no longer to be gulled by the artful znisreprentations of those individuals who have so long claimed a monopoly of sympathy with the negro popu lation of the West Indies. The people of England now begin to find that they have been grossly and im pudently imposed upon by a set of as arrant scoundrels as ever disgraced humanity. They find that the 41 . iinter4 'hare' been scandalOusly maligned-44 -their conduct has been misconstrued—and that there are to be found among them men of as great kindness, huma nity, and liberality, as any in the United Kingdom. The rapid declension of the West Indies, under the infatuated system of policy so pertinaciously adopted towards the planters, has also done much to disabuse the public mind, and to produce a reaction in favour of the colonial interests. We agree with the Royal Gazette, that the labour ing population of the West Indies are peculiarly situated. During slavery they were allowed many privileges which can never be conceded to them as subjects. It was then the interest of their masters to do every thing in their power to render them 'happy . and comfortable. Extra allowances were given to them when well, and during sickness every care and attention was bestowed upon them: The slave was so liberally treated that he thought it no robbeiy to ap propriate to his own use whatever belonged to his mas ter. He was looked upon as one of his master's family. The spare lands were open to him to culti vate wherever he thought proper. The trees on the master's estate were felled for firewood ; and he was allowed to place his " fish-pots" in the rivers wherever he pleased. Such was the condition of the slave be fore he was emancipated. But a different era has commenced. " The affection which bound the master and servant together," to use the words of the Royal Gazette," has been removed, and the negroes have, by their conduct since the period of emancipation, totally severed every tie." Both parties are now independent . of each other. The labourer receives from the pro prietOr full remuneration for all his labour: It has, therefore, become necessary that laws should he passed for the protection of the planters' property, on which the negroes have no further claim. We trust that the important nature of the subject will be considered a sufficient excuse for this digression upon West India' affairs in general. We now return to Jamaica. During the eight weeks occupied by the late session of the House of Assembly, forty-three Bills, some of which were of a very important character, have engaged the attention of the members. To all of those which were brought to maturity, Sir Charles Metcalfe gave his cordial and unhesitating assent. The promptitude and alacrity with which he has met the views of the House have won for him an increased measure of popularity. Among the most important of the measures which have been under the consideration of the House of Assembly, we may mention those regulating the mone tary affairs of Jamaica. Provision has been made for placing the Island Treasury on a proper footing, and for paying the public creditor altogether in specie. The nominal and fictitious currency of the Island has been changed to sterling; and although the Bill does not oblige the banks and public offices to keep their accounts in sterling until 1841, it appears that it is the intention not only of the banks, but of many indivi duals, to alter their money of account forthwith, that, when the period arrives, the system may be in full operation. This is a very important change, which, we have no doubt, will be found to work well. This reform is greatly needed in others of the West India Colonies, in which we hope to find the example of Jamaica speedily followed. We cordially respond to the hope expressed, that the measures passed by the Jamaica .House of Assembly will prove satisfactory to the British Government and to the Imperial Parliament, and that the confidence which has happily existed between the popular branch of the Colonial Legislature and the Executive will 'ex tend itself to the Colonial Minister, that harmony may be restored, and every baneful feeling banished. We are happy to add, that the agricultural prospects of Jamaica are improving on the whole. The want of a sufficient number of labourers is still the prevalent comp!airit on most estates. We learn from the Ja maica Standard that the want of continuous labour was very severely felt in the parish of Manchester. By letters from that parish it appears that a large propor tion 'of the present crops of coffee is likely to be lost for want of labourers to pick it. One correspondent says, " we cannot ensure any thing like continuous labour, although five shillings per barrel is given for picking." Many of the labourers, it is stated, were travelling to Kingston, to purchase goods to hawk about the parish. Horse-stealing and cattle-killing were on the increase ; and the proprietors were anxiously looking for the contract, vagrant, - arid police laws, to save that once flourishing parish frOm destruc tion. The parish constables were, it is said, laughed at by the labourers, many of whom were well supplied with fire-arms. The news from other parts of the West Indies, not mentioned in the preceding articles, is,' generally speaking, of an encouraging character. From Barba does we have intelligence to the 11th of December. The House of Assembly had met, and the address of the Governor is satisfactory. His Excellency gives the numberof punishments inflicted upon the labour ing population, for various offences, from the Ist of August, 1837, to the'ist of August, 1838, at 10,868 ; and from the Ist of August, 1838, to the Ist of August, 1839, at only 2,916. The reports from the local autho rities indicate a more favourable disposition to work on their parts. The preparation of the land for the crops of 1841 is said to reflect great credit upon them. There had been refreshing showers in the Colony, after a severe drought of three weeks. Great mortality continued among the troops in the garrison. Several deaths had also taken place among the seamen of her Majesty's ship Vestal. From Trinidad the news extends to the 13th of December. The inhabitants of the island had drawn up a petition, for presentation to Parliament, respecting the equalization of the sugar-duties. The petition asserts, that if the planters of Trinidad were not ruined by the competition of slave sugars in the British mar ket, they could alone raise more sugar than the con sumption of the whole British empire would demand, and with much less labour than is necessary in the other British West India Colonies. We venture to question the accuracy of the latter assertion, especially in reference to British Guiana. Our reasons for call ing this statement into question we shall state here after. Private letters from Trinidad inform us of the arrival of a great number of immigrants from France, the United States, and the smaller West India Islands. The quantity of labour performed by the American immigrants is said to be twice or three times as much as that done by the labourers of the island. Here we have another proof of the actual indisposition of the negro to work at wages which other labourers consider adequate and satisfactory. A public meeting was held in Trinidad, on the 22nd of November, to protest against the placing of Trinidad under the Governor of Barbadoes. A counter-petition had been agreed to at another meeting in favour of that measure ; but at the latter meeting it was resolved that that petition did not express the feelings of the coloured inhabitants. The most perfect unanimity prevailed among all classes of the community ; and the island was daily assuming a whimeasure,elab labour to u r the a had large b e c m i neflumxo more e f more prosp erous aspect. This is attributable, in great abundant. img rn t s owing to The mutinous spirit which Mr. Hume has dared to manifest, in reference to the allowance to Prince Albert, is destined to meet its reward. He has presumed to act the part of an " independent" representative of the people, in opposition to the behest of the Great Dictator, and the penalty entailed upon him, for so flagrant an instance of disobedi ence to the will of his master, is, the uneconditthmnalsurrtendepr uoilfillizis3sieoartnifiolgr Kilkenny. We Register. That pre-eminently Liberal journal says that " he is not a fit person for any Irish constituency in the present state of things." What is meant by " the present state of things," it is difficult to con jecture, unless it is meant to imply that efery member of " the tail" ought to go the whole hog, for the sake of securing the continuance of Court favour and pa tronage, and for the sake of propping up the present tottering administration. One thing is certain; no member of " the tail " is to be so conceited as to imagine that he has a judgment of his own. Each and all are to be guided in their votes by the principal joint in the caudal appendage. As Mr. Hume was helped into Parliament by Mr. O'Connell, the latter seems to consider that he has a right to controul the votes of the former. Listen to the sage oracle of the Morn ing Register. "Mr. Hume does not choose to be fetter ed in the exercise . of a judgment which is wayward and fallible, and, it would appear, uninformed, as far as Irish interests are concerned." The only sense that we can glean out of this remark is, that it best accords with the interests of Ireland to pay a large sum to Prince Albert, or, in other words, to be lavish in the public expenditure. Ireland must certainly be in a very prosperous condition to be able to afford such a liberal and generous outlay of the public money. The Morning Register; in the amplitude of its liberality, seems to forget that the allowance to Prince Albert is to come, almost exclusively, out .of the pockets of Englishmen. If Mr. Hume (who, by the way, happens to be no favourite of ours) be really so very incompetent a per son —.so wayward, fallible, and uninformed—why was he selected as the representative of Kilkenny? Does not the complimentary charge of waywardness, and ignorance, convey an imputation upon the character of O'Connell himself ? If Joseph. Hume be so unfit to represent an Irish constituency, what shall we say of Daniel O'Connell, by whom he was singled out for that honour? If the'adage, " like master, like man," is to hold good, O'Connell must be the most .6 wayward, fallible, • and uninformed" man of the present age. He is welcome to the compliment. We are glad to find that the blockade of the River Plata by the French was adverted to by the Earl of Aberdeen, in the House of Lords, on Monday evening last. The subject is one in Which the mercantile inte rests of this town are deeply concerned. It was ob served with truth, by the Earl of Aberdeen, that there is no justifiable precedent for the course which France has thought proper to pursue in this matter. A block ade is a belligerent act of the most decided character. But France is not at war with Buenos Ayres. There was no declaration of war in the case. The only course which France would have been justified in pursuing, under the circumstances, was, to have ordered repri sals. Had this been done, no third parties could have sustained any injury through the quarrel. Instead of adopting this, the only rational, course, France has thought fit to act against the commercial interests of this country. Was it the original design of France, when she proceeded against the Government of Buenos Ayres, to injure and depress the commerce of Great Britain ? Recent circumstances seem to justify this suspicion. The ostensible object of France was to demand satisfaction for alleged injuries from the Bue nos Ayreans : her real design appears to have been to cripple, if. not to ruin, the commerce of Great Britain in that part of the world. The blockade of the River Plata has been carried on for two years, during which time the merchants of Great Britain, trading with Buenos Ayres, have been subjected to a series of hardships and encroachments of the most galling nature, not to say anything of the immense losses which they have sustained. We feel quite confident that if England had acted the part which France has done, in the matter of this blockade, we should have heard enough of the arrogance and presumption of the " nation of shopkeepers." France has no right thus to interrupt the commercial pursuits of Englishmen. As far as this country is concerned, the French ought not to have any greater controul over. the River Plata than they can have over the River Mersey. The im becile Government of this country has acted a most treacherous and cowardly part in this business. A firm and decisive remonstrance from the Government of this country would have deterred France from pur suing so unjust and oppressive a course. But what cares our present Administration for the mercantile in terests of the country ? They may all go to ruin as long as Lord Melbourne and his associates can dance attendance on the Queen. The parliamentary proceedings of the present week have brought to light another instance pf trickery on the part of the Whig administration. We allude to the " Naturalization Bill" of Prince Albert, which was laid before the house the other day. This bill pur ported, in its title, to be simply a bill for the naturaliza tion of the young prince, and nothing more. It con tained, however, a clause which empowered her Majesty to fix the precedence, or rank, of Prince Albert. This cunning stratagem, thanks to the vigilance of the Duke of Wellington, has failed in its object. The precipi tancy with which the measure was urged was enough to excite the noble duke's suspicion that " all was not right." When the second reading •of the bill was Moved, on Monday evening last, the duke insisted upon having the discussion upon it deferred until this day. 'He assigned the absence of Lord Lyndhurst as the reason for, thus postponing its consideration. This is a tolerably significant hint as to the probable fate of the insidious and objectionable clause in the bill. Lord Lyndhurst possesses a singularly felicitous talent for " cushioning" the suspicious bantlings of the Whig ministry. The success with which he detects, exposes, and defeats the cunning manoeuvres of the Whigs has rendered him an object of great dread to Lord Melbourne. We do not, therefore, wonder at the earnest importunity of the " glozing" viscount, when he entreated the Duke of Wellington to permit the bill to be read a second time. The duke's inexorable fiim ness seems to have have sorely grieved and disappointed the premier. No doubt he had pledged his word and honour (things of very little value, by the way) that the measure should be carried. He must have thought it very cruel and very unhandsome of the duke to deprive him of such a nice opportunity of still further ingratiating himself in the favour of her Majesty. But, as the Duke of Wellington and Lord Brougham ob served, there were other parties to be consulted before precedence was given to the young foreigner over the blood royal of England, Lord Melbourne thought he would silence this objection, by observing that the arrangement "had not been objected to by those pecu liarly interested in point of rank." He forgot to state that the Duke of Cumberland, the individual chiefly interested in the matter, had not signified his acquies cence in the arrangement. He forgot to state that Prince George of Cumberland, and Prince George of Cambridge, both being minors, are disqualified by law from giving their consent to so insulting and deroga tory a contract. But there is another consideration which ought to he conclusive against the passing of Prince Albert's " naturalization bill" in its present shape. The clause to which we have referred is intended to confer upon the Prince rank next to the Queen. This would place him above the Prince of Wales (supposing the Queen to have male issue)—a thing unprecedented in the his tory of England. The Prince of Wales has always maintained a rank only second to the reigning mo narch; and the people of England are scarcely pre pared to allow a foreigner to take precedence of the heir apparent to the crown. This impudent scheme must he frustrated. We look with confidence to the House of Lords for the defeat of so insulting a mea sure. The defeat which the Ministry sustained on Monday evening, formed a very appropriate prelude to the de bate, which has since occupied the attention of the House of Commons. A triumphant majority of ONE HUNDRED AND FOUR recorded their votes by anti cipation, in favour of Sir J. Y. Buller's motion : for what is the plain interpretation . of the vote on the allowance to Prince Albert ? Does it not imply that the overwhelming majority of the House of Commons are of opinion that the present Ministry are an extra vagant Ministry, and therefore unworthy of the confi deuce of the House Was it not equivalent to a vote of censure upon Ministers ? Such is the only con struction which we can put upon it ; and it will greatly surprise us if any of those gentlemen who voted for Col. Sibthorpe's amendment should have the hardihood to record their votes in favour of Ministers on Sir J. Y. Buller's motion. The division of Monday night must prove a source of deep humiliation to the Whig courtiers. They had evidently made up their minds to carry the motion for an allowance of fifty thousand pounds. It must be mortifying in the highest degree to find themselves deprived of so splendid an opportunity of paying their court to the Queen. However, this is not the last mortification which the degraded Whig Administra tion is destined to sustain. The Ministers are now upon their trial,—not before the country, for in that case there would be very little doubt of the verdict which would be almost unani mously given,— and the House of Commons will, probably, before these remarks reach many of our subscribers, pronounce upon them a verdict of " guilty" or not guilty." But it shoilld be-rernerg. bered that in this case the culprits themselves consti tute a part, or, at least, exercise the functions, of the jury. If the principals and subordinates in office had the modesty to abstain from voting in their own favour, there could be no doubt of the issue of the trial now in progress. As long as they sit as judges and jury in their own case—as long as they have the presump tion to vote on their own behalf, they may command a measuring cast" majority in the House of Commons. But if they left the non-official Members of the House to the free exercise of their opinions, they Would find themselves condemned as unworthy of confidence. Whatever may be the opinion of the House of Com mons—whatever may be the result of the anticipated division on the motion now before the House, there can be but one opinion as to the judgment which the elec tors of Great Britain have long since formed of Lord Melbourne and .Itis associates. In the present House of Commons there is a decided majority of English and Welsh representatives who are prepared to pass a vote of censure upon Ministers. Another general election would considerably augment that majority. The pre sent Ministers only hold office through the assistance of Daniel O'Connell and his tail. The destinies of England are now wielded by the Popish priests of Ire land. Is it to be wondered at that the people of Eng land are anxious to be rid of an administration which is neither more nor less than a pliant tool in the hands of the Jesuits ? Is it to be wondered at that a disso lution of the present Parliament is looked for with such intense interest ? • The debate on Sir J. Y. Fuller's motion is becoming more interesting as it proceeds. The first night's speeches were comparatively uninteresting. The mover and seconder contented themselves with a gene ral declaration of the principles on which the motion was brought forward. This thty did with much abi lity.. The only ministerial advocate who attempted to grapple with the motion, during the first night's de bate, was Sir George Grey,who laboured hard "to make the worse appear the better cause." His elabo rate defence of the ministry was, however, very ably and successfully answered by Mr. Colquhoun, whose speech, as reported in the Morning papers, reflects the highest credit upon his tact and ability. Poor. Mr. Ewart essayed a few words in defence of ministers : but his speech, like every other that he ever delivered, was the feeble effort of a puny intellect—the very small beer of oratory. The second night's debate was of a far more inter esting character. Sir James Graham delivered a speech which occupies five columns of the Times, in which he thoroughly exposed the meanness, the trickery, the time-serving policy, and the concentrated selfishness of the Ministers. His speech will have a powerful ef fect upon the public mind. Mr. Macauley's reply was an utter failure. It was " a thing of shreds and patches," ingeniously tacked together, but without strength or beauty. We shall not speculate upon the probable result of the present debate ; indeed, we care not what that re sult may be, as far as the division is concerned. We view .the debate as most important in the influence which it will produce upon public opinion. We beg the attention of our readers, and particularly of those interested in railway property, to a report of the proceedings at a meeting of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, held on Wednesday last, at which a dividend of 5 per cent. upon the half year was de clared. Our object in adverting to this meeting is to endea vour to counteract an impression, which the experience of the working of the Liverpool and Manchester Rail way has created, to the disadvantage of railways gene rally, and which in our opinion is erroneous. It was stated at the meeting, and in part admitted, that the per centage of expense for working this line is greater than that on most other lines of larger traffic ; and this fact, which is pretty generally known, has for many years been adduced as an argument against the system generally as one of a profitable nature, and especially where the conveyance of merchandize has been de pended upon for a portion of the estimated revenue. How, it has been asked, can the merchandize traffic on this or that railway be expected to pay, when it is a well-known fact that on the Manchester and Liver pool line, with its immense resources, the cost of con veying goods is found to yield so small a per centage of profit as to render it doubtful whether it would not almost be as well for the Company to discontinue it altogether. The answer is easily found, and at the same time perfectly satisfactory. The mode of calcu lating the working expenses is not a fair mode, and the result arrived at is incomplete, inasmuch as it only shows the proportion which expense of working bears to revenue upon a certain rate of charges. The Man chester and Liverpool Company are compelled by water competition to submit to the minimum rate of charge, and hence the disproportion between _their gross re ceipts from merchandise traffic and their revenue from it. Advance the rate of carriage, and, the working expense being the same, the profit will increase ; lower it and the profit will merge entirely in expenses. On lines where this advanced rate of carriage can be charged, merchandize traffic will form an important item of revenue, and the per centage of profit be greater, whilst the per centage of working expense will he proportionately less. At the same time the cost per ton per mile will not materially vary in any ; and we have no doubt that by this, the only accurate mode of computation, the working of the Manchester and Liverpool line will be found to be as economical as it can be made, with a due regard to efficiency. A correspondent, who signs himself "Mercator," has proposed to us several questions respecting the conductors of the Liverpool Chronicle. We really must confess ourselves unable to answer his queries. We have no means of knowing whether Mr. Dignan is, or is not, the editor cf the Chronicle; nor can we establish his identity with the Mr. Dignan who is re ported to have been the writer of that abominable pro duction, the Brazen I-lead. We are equally in the dark as to who " the Parson" is, to whom the Times so pointedly alludes. Perhaps the late Minister of a cer tain church not a hundred yards from Bold-street could throw some light on the subject. He is reported to have dabbled pretty freely in politics, and has the credit of knowing " a thing or two" about the secrets of more than one Radical journal in the town. We have only to add that we have no disposition to interfere in the quarrel between the Times and the Chronicle. If we did so, we should probably meet with the fate which usually befals those who interfere in quarrels between man and wife—that of being abused by both parties. "Itis a very pretty quarrel as it stands," and will most likely do good. THE " LIVERPOOL CHRONICLE." TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. Six,—ln the Liverpool Times of Tuesday last, there are some curious disclosures respecting the corductors of that scurrilous print the Liverpool Chronicle. I have, in com mon with many others, long thought that the best certificate of any man's character for gentlemanly conduct and honour able principles, was, his being abused in that scurrilous and trashy publication, and you may set it down as an established maxim that those who have had the honour of their abuse, whether Conservative or moderate Whigs, are men of stand ing,37, who are so f ar a b ove t h e talent, and respectability, con ductors of that paper in character, as the Andes are a b ove mole hills. The editors of the Times deserve the thanks of the community for their effectual exposure of these slander ers, who have done more to damage the cause they have es poused than they will ever do good, if they live to be as old as Methusaleh. You will probably recollect that some two or three years ago a publication called the Brazen Head was circulated for about twelve months, full of the most abo minable ribaldry and coarse personal abuse. Sir Thomas Brancker, Mr. John Wright, Mr. Samuel Holme, Mr. Jas. Aspinall, and several other gentlemen were libelled in this infamous publication, week after week, with a malignity and brutality that was most disgusting, and it was currently re ported that a Mr. DIGNAN was its editor. Can you inform me whether this Mr. Dignan is the same writer who is de ' scribed by the Times as being now editor of the Chronicle? And can you also inform me who " the Parson" is whom the Times so c l eve rly unkennels ? Alas ! for the Church of Eng land, when one of her ministers i s f oun d i n such company and so employed. Alas ! for the cause of reform, if it re quires to be supported by slander and propagated by infamous Yours, &c abuse. Everton, Jan. 30, 1840 MERCATOR. LIVER T HEA TRE.—The very humoro us d rama called " The Soldier's Stratagem" has been very successful in exciting the broad grins of the crowded auditors in this theatre; indeed, the genuine acting of Mr. Rayner, Mr. Tilbury, and Mrs. Barton, has m a d e it i rres i st ib ly ludicrous. The pleasing interlude , " You can't Marry your Grand mother," has been distinguished by the admirable perform ance of Mrs. Raymond, and of course it has given great satisfaction. A new drama by Mr. Tilbury, called " The Orphan and the Deserter," the title of which reveals the nature of the plot, has been as successful as it was in Lon don. The entire performances are remarkably well " got up," and deserve the support of the public. We perceive that Air. Rayner takes his benefit this evening : we hope be will have a full house. The managers have retained the ser vices'of Mr. Rice, the popular American, comedian, for a few nights, previously to his departure froth England. LIVERPOOL AND MANCHESTER RAILWAY COMPANY. The winter half-yearly meeting of the proprietors of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway Company was held on Wednesday last, at the Cotton Sales Room, in the Exchange buildings, and was most numerously attended by shareholders from all parts, owing to the uneasiness which many felt from the torpid state of the shares in the market, whilst all others in the neighbourhood were so buoyant. CHARLES LAWRENCE, Esq., took the chair; after which the report was read by Mr. BOOTH, the treasurer—in which comparisons were drawn with many of the items of expense for the London and Birmingham railway—hopes held out of retrenchment in some of the branches of expense —reasons given for delay in not forming a junction with the Manches ter and Leeds line for the present—and such a prosperous amount of receipt announced, as warranted a dividend of five per cent. for the half year, leaving a considerable balance in favour of the company. Mr. , ARNAUD then rose to observe that, as the accounts were presented for the inspection of the proprietors until the meeting had assembled, it was impossible that the latter .could form any but crude opinions thereupon. The differ ence in the rate of - expenses between that and other lines had certainly attracted their attention► ; but he trusted that the prospect of retrenchment and scrutiny contemplated in the report, would remedy the evil, should any exist. And he was anxious that the amount of any fresh debt incurred since July, 1836, should be stated, as, from the creation of new shares, to meet the exact amount of debt, expectations had been formed that,' on the payment of the final instalment now called for, the company would have been free from all debt. Mr. ALSTON, of Abercromby-square, followed, and par ticularly dwelt upon the expediency of electing some diree tors who could devote more time to the affairs of this com pany, and seemed strongly to be of opinion that, with the same directors, or nearly so, to both companies, the interest of the Liverpool and Manchester was made too subordinate to the Grand Junction. He was replied to by Mr. HEYWORTH and Mr. THEO DORE RATHBONE. After which a Proprietor, from Manchester, proposed the election of William Garnett, Esq., of that important town, as a director, in lieu of N. Robinson, Esq., resigned ; and as it was felt generally by the meeting that a director of local experience and influence there was desirable ) Mr. Garnett was forthwith elected. It was then stated from the Chair, that a debt of about £200,000 existed, and that some further sum might possibly be required, to meet the expense of new buildings for sta tions, warehouses, &c., on account of the increased business of the company, and its accommodation in premises, &c., to the Grand Junction line. A dividend of five per cent. for the half year was then declared, payable on the 10th Feb. ; and the meeting separated, after expressing for the chairman and other directors their acknowledgements for their impor tant services. SOCIALISM.' We have been requested to lay before our readers the following documents, which will sufficiently explain them selves : TO THE MOST NOBLE THE MARQUIS NORMANDY. 38, Church-street, Liverpool, Jan. 10th, 1840. My Lord,—l beg to forward the accompanying address to your lordship's care, humbly requesting your lordship to present it with as little delay as possible to her most gracious Majesty. Allow me to state that the address (a copy of which I enclose for your lordship's perusal) refers to the presentation of Robert Owen to the Queen, and is signed by fifteen thousand two hundred highly-respectable females of the town and neighbourhood of Liverpool. I have the honour to remain, my Lord, Your lordship's most obedient servant, JOSEPH CRISP. ADDRESS The humble Address of the Women of Liverpool, to her Most Gracious Majesty Victoria, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, &c. &c. &c. May it please your Majesty, _ _ _ We, your . Majesty's dutiful and loyal subjects, the women of Liverpool, desire to approach your Majesty, humbly to express the deep and poignant sorrow and regret with which we have learned that Mr. Robt. Owen, the head and founder of a sect known by the name of " socialists," has been intro duced into your royal presence. The regret which we thus express to your Majesty is founded on the conviction which we feel that the pestilential doctrines held and propagated by the above sect, in which they denounce " marriage and parental affection, declare re velation to be a series of diabolical falsehoods invented by the priests," are calculated to degrade our sex, to dissolve the social union, to shake the stability of your Majesty's throne, and, in short, by the overthrow of all order, virtue, and religion, to introduce universal anarchy, and establish a most revolting system of infidelity and atheism. Your Majesty, we humbly presume to hope, will most graciously condescend to receive this address with the cle mency which has always distinguished your illustrious house. We have waited for some time in anxious expectation that some more honourable and influential persons would have directed the attention of your Majesty to a presentation which was calculated to countenance a system of error, the character and tendency of which, we are confident, must have been unknown to your Majesty. If an apology be deemed necessary for so unusual a step as this we now take, it is found in our zeal and jealousy for the untarnished lustre of your Majesty's crown, the safety and honour of your sa cred person, and the happiness and prosperity of your do minions. As we are assured that these high objects can only be se cured on the basis of national virtue and piety, and by the blessing of the Most High, we earnestly pray that Almighty God may evermore inspire your Majesty's councils with wisdom, and surround your throne with righteousness, pu rity, and truth. With sentiments of the most profound respect and loyal attachment, we subscribe ourselves, Your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects. Whitehall, January 25th, 1840. Sir,—l am directed by the Marquess of Normanby to in form you, that he has not failed to lay before the Queen the address, signed by a very numerous body of the females of the town and neighbourhood of Liverpool, which accompa nied your letter of the 10th instant. I am, sir, your obedient servant, S. M. PHILLIPPS. Mr Joseph Crisp* 38, Mil - oh-street, Liverpool. ST. HEI.ENS AND RUNCORN-GAP RAILWAY.--A special general meeting of the shareholders and bondholders in this concern was held on Tuesday morning, in the Clarendon rooms, South John-street. There was a numerous attend ance, amongst whom was one lady. Seeing that other rail way companies think it advisable to permit the proceedings at their special and general meetings to be given to the world, our reporter applied for admission, but he was told that the sense of the meeting was against it. We are not, therefore, in a condition to state what was done. SPRING ASSIZES.—Sir J. T. Coleridge and the Right Hon. T. Erskine will go the Northern Circuit at the Spring Assizes. The former will preside in the Crown Court at the Liverpool Assizes, and the latter in the Nisi Prius Court. THE SESSIONS.—The intermediate sessions for this bo rough will he held on Tuesday next, in the Crown Court, at the Sessions-house, before James Clarke, Esq., Recorder. The Court of Passage for the trial of civil causes will be held on the following Thursday, in the Nisi Prius Court, before Charles Crompton, Esq., Assessor. THE BOTANIC GARDEN.—There is now in flower, in the conservatory of the Botanic Garden, a tine specimen of Musa Steelii, a new variety of banana, introduced into this country by W. Steel, Esq., of this town, from French Guy ana. This variety will be a valuable acquisition to the culti vator of tropical fruits, on account of its dwarf growth, being not more than six feet in height. There is also in flower the Strelitzia Augusta, a South African plant, belonging to the same tribe. It is probably the finest plant of its species in Europe; and this is the second time of its flowering in this country. NEW LINE OF ROAD FROM SOUTHPORT TO LIVERPOOL. —Application will be made in the present session of parlia ment for a new turnpike road from Southport to Liverpool, through Birkdale, Ainsdale, Formby, Crosby, &c. in a direct line, which will not exceed fifteen miles. This will be of great service to this rapidly improving bathing resort, and will also berrefit and improve the several townships which it will intersect. CAUTION TO THE MERCANTILE PUELIC.—A gang of swindlers, resident in Glasgow, have for some time past practised the grossest frauds on several houses in this town, London, Leith, and Bristol, by writing to them for sundry descriptions of goods in their particular line of business. References are given to many of the most respectable houses in Glasgow, who are known to be trading with the parties thus applied to, but these references are invariably coupled with the following paragraph in the letters, " send invoice per post, deducting discount, and a banker's bill will be re mitted for the amount." In this way they have succeeded, in several instances, in obtaining goods to a considerable amount, and the property, on arriving in Glasgow, has been readily disposed of in quarters not suspected, but serving the purpose to complete the fraud, and to place the swindlers, as yet beyond the reach of the police establishment there, who are aware of it and on the watch. TRIBUTE OF RESPECT TO A CLERGYMAN.—We under stand that a subscription has been commenced for the purpose of presenting the Rev. James Aspinall, M.A. late minister of St. Luke's Church, and now rector of Althorp, in Lincoln shire, with a piece of plate, in token of approbation of the ser vices rendered by him to the corporation schools and the cause of liberalism in Liverpool. The Reform Association are said to be the promoters of this project, but the rev. gentleman's late congregation pretty generally decline to encourage it, on the ground that he paid no attention whatever to the school in Cropper-street, belonging to the place of worship to which he was attached. NORTH-WEST OF IRELAND UNION STEAM-PACKET Co. —The annual general meeting of the proprietors of the North-west of Ireland Union Steam Company was held on Monday last, at Londonderry, when the meeting voted the sum of 30 guineas to Captain Clegg, of the ship Hudders field, and 20 guineas to his crew, for their humane and suc cessful exertions, in saving so many perishing fellow-creatures from the wreck of the steamer, William Huskisson. LIVERPOOL GRAND SUBSCRIPTION CONCERTS.—The third of this series of concerts was given at the Theatre Royal on the evening of Tuesday, and proved the most successful. The vocalists were Madame Balfe, Signora Ernesta Grisi, and Mr. Balfe ; and the solo instrumentalists, Mr. Lidel (known formerly as one of the brothers Hermann) and Mr. Thalberg, the first pianist of the day. Mr. Hermann ably led the orchestra which was complete in every department. The selection was of a various character, just adapted to chew the peculiar merits of the several performers. Madame Balfe and Signora Grisi sang their parts very well, although both were suffering from colds. Mr. Balfe also sung with much expression. Thalberg excited the greatest enthusiasm. His modest and unassuming demeanour won peculiarly upon the auditory. We borrow the following critique upon his performances from a contemporary :—" We find it impossible almost to convey an adequate idea of our admiration of his surprising talents. His peculiarities appear to be an asto nishing power of wrist, a perfectly equalised vigour and ac tivity and extraordinary extension of fingers. These advan tages, regulated by a taste grounded on an intimate know ledge of musical theory, enable him to produce a richly figured " mosaic" of harmony, each constituent of which is in itself a melody, while the leading subject stands out in bold relief, distinct as if wrought by some separate instru ment. Another characteristic of Thalberg is the combination of brilliancy and marked precision, with an admirably sus tained leg a t o . Hi s remar k a bl e touc h , a id e d by the ready answers of one of E rar d' s fi rs t- ra t e piano-fortes, pro sostenuto effect, beyond perhaps what was ever pulsatile. any other pe r f orm e r , f rom an i ns trument merely power, His adagios a re c o nsequen tly of considerably more and possess a f ar more grace ful and intimate i n tonation than produced a are generally attainable on the piano-forte. elicited by hands, the pi ano a pp ea rs almost as ' I f adagios Thal ber a g n ' l e ffective in cantabile arias, as in brilliant staccato m ovem ents. At times, His modulations are characteristic solemnity of the o n r t ga rp ugwlraeatase great treat a t t e thent o indeed, it s e eme d to give forth all thne.sustained strength and p u. a t e s with much caution, and e oint, and in the general theory of harmony. He such as attest his ability in transitions, leading an d alluring, rather than chiefly by chromatics, modulates • wit h r H a at e thu,iastically received, _ Close of his several Pe as r tf andoorn m i s ahni cordiallync g e s . t h e It cwu ear. na ag all who had the good fortune to be present." Altogether the micert gave unbounded satisfaction. POLICE INTELLIGENCE.-TUESDAY. BRUTAL ASSAULT Three huge individuals, who represented themselves as shipwrights, were placed at the bar, charged with having vio lently assaulted Sarah Lloyd, arid broken her ribs, and also with having assaulted several other young women. A female who resides, as we understood, at a house of ill fame in Brooks'-alley, stated, that on the preceding night, at nine o'clock, the three prisoners went up into the chamber where she and her child were in bed, and after beating her severely, they dragged her out of bed, and at length took her up by the heels and threatened to throw her out of the win dow. They had been at the house before that same after noon, and had so ill treated a girl named Sarah Lloyd, that her life was despaired of. She of course could not attend to give evidence. Another girl belonging to the house, who had also been ill treated, corroborated the above. The prisoners vehemently denied that they, had ever been in the house at all. It appeared, that they were apprehended by the poli ce - o ffi cers at a public-house hard by. 'The officer, (No. 147,) who had been first called, said, that they had all, since they had been placed in Bridewell, completely changed apparel with each other. The officer minutely pointed out what articles of dress each had worn that were now worn by his companions. Mr. Rushton ordered that they should each pars fine of £2, and costs ; in default of payment, to be imprisoned for a month. THE NORTHERN HOSPITAL. The Committee of the Liverpool Northern Hospital, in presenting their sixth annual report to the - trustees, return their best thanks to those who have so generously contributed to its support during the past year. The committee are proud to think that this charity is now beginning to assume a place in public estimation commensu rate with the benefit it confers; and they earnestly hope, when its commanding claims are more generally known, when the widely extended district it embraces, and the number of severe accidents which occur in its particular situation, are considered, that benevolence will flow freely in this channel. On comparing the receipts of the year with those of the preceding, it will be seen that a considerable diminution has taken place in the contributions received, from seemons in behalf of the charity, in donations and legacies, and from the want of the usual benefits of the triennial Musical Festival ; that, had it not been for an increase in the subscription list, the institution must have been involved in dfficulty, and its operations seriously cramped. Under these circumstances, the committee earnestly solicit in its behalf the countenance of ministers of religion, and of those whose influence in so ciety and means of making known the i n t eres t s and objects of the charity must render their services invaluable. No one, bestowing a moment's consideration upon the locality of - the Northern Hospital, - will deny, that its well being is of vital importance to the community at large. Surrounded by manufactories, and in the immediate vicinity of the most extensive and crowded docks, it must, necessa rily, be in daily receipt of accidents the most fearful ; yet the committee, for the want of accommodation, are too frequently reduced to the painful necessity of turning from its doors those whom the common feelings of humanity would prompt them to relieve. From amidst the frequent occurrence of such cases the following may be cited : In the early part of the year, a chapel, in process of being removed, in Leeds-street, fell, burying the workmen in its ruins. Six men and a boy were brought to the Northern Hospital, suffering from injuries so dreadful that two died before morning. At that time the hospital was crowded to excess, and into wards already filled beyond their comple ment the officers were compelled to place these unfortunates. A short time afterwards an explosion of steam took place on board her Majesty's ship Urgent, by which many of her engineers and crew were severely scalded. They were brought to the Northern Hospital (already in the receipt of thirteen accidents during the week), and, having received every at tention which their situation admitted of, were, of necessity, obliged to be sent elsewhere, the hospital being too crowded for their accommodation. After such painful evidences as these, and numberless others which might be enumerated, the committee respect fully urge the inhabitants of Liverpool to come forward in support of this charity, and, by affording the means neces sary for its further enlargement, evince their approval of an institution so noble in its designs. GENERAL R ADMITTED. .ETURN, 1839 Accidents 383 Med. cases l On recom- f 275 Surgic. do. J mendation 1 269 In-Patients, Dec., 1838 76 DISCHARGED, &C. Cured Relieved 5B Irregular 32 Incurable Died B9 Attending as Out-Patients 13 Remaining in the Hospital 82 NATURE. Fractures Dislocations 22 Burns and Scalds 29 Wounds and Contusions Suspended Animation . 9 Attempted Suicides.. 3 Various . OCCUPATIONS. Labourers 325 Sailors 237 Mechanics. 206 Women 173 Children. 1003 ACCID IENTS, LOCALITY. Town 147 Docks B3 Manufactories Shipping Warehouses l3 Canal . :NTS COUNTRIES Liverpool 439 Different parts of Engld 113 Ireland 269 Scotland . Wales Foreigners B9 1003 1003 SPRING CIRCUITS, 1840. Northern—Mr. Justice Coleridge and Mr. Justice Erskine. Oxford.—Mr. Justice Patteson and Mr. Baron Gurney. Midland.—Lord Denham and Mr. Justice Bosanquet. Horne.—Lord Abinger and Mr. Justice Littledale. Western.—Mr. Justice Coltman and Mr. Baron Rolfe. Norfolk.—Mr. Baron Parke and Mr. Baron Alderson. South Wales.—Mr. Justice Made. North Wales.—Mr. Justice Williams. MR. WOMBWELL'S :MENAGERIE.—Puncna sit OF ANI MALS FROM THE EAST INDIES.—The collection of birds, quadrupeds, ecc. now exhibiting by Mr. Wombwell, in this town, contains a vast variety of rare and beautiful animals, many of which have been subjected to a system of training and discipline which have brought into display such endow ments of sagacity as the beasts of the forest have never before been suspected of possessing. Mr. Wombwell has, since his arrival in Liverpool, purchased from Captain man, of the ship Lintin, from Bombay, a remarkably fine young male tiger, a full grown leopard, and an extraordinary buffalo of a species never before seen in this country. These will form a valuable addition to the menagerie. THE LAWFULNESS OF RULERS EMPLOYING THEIR OFFICIAL INFLUENCE FOR THE PROMOTION OF TRUE RELIGION.—The Rev. Dr. Tattershall preached a sermon on Wednesday evening, in St. Augustine 's Church, on this topic, in behalf of the Young Men's Established Church Society. The text selected for the occasion, was from the 3d to the 9th verse of the 17th chapter of the 2d hook of Chronicles. The Rev. Doctor, in a most eloquent argument, irresistibly established this doctrine, and answered all the ob jections urged against it. The discourse will forthwith he published, and we earnestly recommend our readers to pos sess themselves of it. ROYAL INSTITUTION.—The fourth soiree of the season will be held on Monday evening next. We trust there will be a large attendance, as the proceedings are expected to be highly interesting. ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE.—The Tournament retains its popularity, but it will soon be withdrawn. Let the hint be taken by all who understand it. The horsemanship this week is exceedingly curious and amusing. The evolutions of the Tartar horde, the precision of their movements, and the beauty of their costume, deserve especial praise. The other performances are inimitable in their way. INTERESTING TO LADIES.—The more delicate the beauty of a female, the more susceptible it is to the effects of our rigid winters. The fine skin of England's lovely women is not calculated to withstand exposure to their own climate, without the assistance of some soothing application to allay the smarting irritahilty produced by the action of a wintry atmosphere. No discovery has effected this purpose except ROWLAND'S KALYDOR, the application of which not only removes the tenderness of the skin produced by cold, but all cutaneous eruptions. In addition to these advantages, by imparting a pliancy to the surface, which is delightful and luxurious to the sensation, it decidedly prevents the skin from being susceptible to the attacks of bleak biting winds. —See advt. DISTRESS IN ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE.--We understand that the Earl of Stamford and Warrington, on being informed that much distress existed at the present time in Ashton under-Lyne amongst the poor, has generously subscribed £2OO. for their relief. A SoLLaill WARNING.—It seems as if it were impossible for any circumstance, or combination of circumstances to occur, which could not be converted into an argument for the perpetuation of the whig ministry. The " volcanic tran quility " of Ireland—the actual eruptions in Wales—the loyal disposition of one district, or the disturbed state of an other—war " luckily " terminated here, or threatening to break out there—all serve their turn equally well. If they are weak, it is an argument ad misericorrliam ; if they have involved the country in alarming difficulties, it is an argument in terrorem, why nobody should venture to take the govern ment of it out of their hands ; so that imbecility and mis chievousness are as good recommendations for their continu ance in office, as vigour and wisdom would be in any other party. The sum total of all this is the old cry of last ses sion—" For Heaven's sake, sit quiet, or the coach will be overturned! The coachman is drunk, and has let the horses run away ; and your only chance of safety now is, to let him keep hold of the reins !" The Examiner very adroitly ex tends this reasoning from the ministry to the House of Com mons. Sir Robert Peel, it presumes, could not govern with out a dissolution; " but beware," it cries, "that it be not the dissolution of more than the parliament. Is the country in a ptate for a dissolution ? In the fever of a general elec tion what would be the conduct of the followers of Feargus O'Connor, Stephens, end Vincent? Freedom of election would be out of the question with Chartist rioters in the field ; and how many soldiers would be wanted in every town to protect the inhabitants from the worst perils of commo tion?" Supposing all that cunning alarmists like these say to be true, we certainly are in a sweet dilemma. But where is it to end ? To an end it must come sometime and some where ; and, as matters are growing worse every day,,th e sooner the better. If the reasoning of the Examiner is good for anything, it is not for a long parliament, but for an ever lasting parliament ; for if we are to wait for a dissolution till such a ministry as the present one can set things right again, parliament may as well he declar ed p e rpetual to-morrow— aye, and (as Charley Fox is reported to have said of the cre dit he wanted from a Jew), longer, if needs be. B ut does not this affected terr or of Feargus, 'Vincent, Stephens, &c. , speak volumes as to the real a pp rehe nsions of the whigs? " Beware that a dissolutio would not be th e di sso l ut i on o f m ore than the parliament! Ominous owl! It certainly would be—would be the mortal dissolution of the whigs, and, perhaps , of morn than whi gs — the whig-radicals.— Morning Herald. SHIPPING. — The weather is still wild and u npropitious` an d all the creeks, ports, and s h e l ters on the west of Scot land are crowded by wind-bound vessels, or those which have escaped from the fury of the elements. On Thursday last, the United Kingd om , one of thelargest ships afloat, and which brought a cargo of more than 2000 tons to Liverpool in autumn, put into Gourock Bay. She left Liverpool on the 6th instant for Charleston, for a 'cargo of cotton, and has lost her spars,sails, &c., and some of the crew are disabled. Some of the vessels now lying at the Tail of the Bank and in Bay, Rothsay had been from ten days to three weeks at sea, and were obliged to put back. All of them, in fact, report the weather to have been dreadfully wild, and even grey headed seamen state that the gales of January, 1840, have been the most disastrous they have ever experienced- The Ariel brig has broken up off Troon. It is exactly forty years since this vessel was built in Whitehaven, for a Troon pro prietor, to which, or Saltcoats and Ardrossan, she has be longed since the day she was launched, and it is somewhat curious that the old brig should come to lay her bones in that harbour in which she was so often welcomed..—Scatith Gwirdian of Tuesday. The subscription to the Centenary Fund, which information has been forwarded to the secretaries, amounts to X 225,000, and the sum actually received by the treasurers - exceeds £llO,OOO. The Countess of Wilton has left town for Walmer, *here her ladyship's family have been since the summer. The Earl of Wilton . is among the party at Belvoir Castle, on visits to the Duke of Rutland. Casks of provision, littd and butter, have for the last few days been coining ashore in the neigbourhooil of Kilrrisli, supposed to be part of the cargo of the brig Quivedo ; which foundered off Bayle Bar about four years ago. The recent heavy gales, it is thought, have broken her up. The House of Lords has followed the example of the Com mons, and substituted the new police for the old parish constables. Inspector Martin, and six men of the A division, now do duty in the House of Lords. EARTHQUAKE.—On the afternoon of Sunday last, two successive shocks of earthquake were felt throughout the county of Perth, but particularly in the western districts, and along the banks of the Earn and Tay.---Perth Pape r . The Propagateur de l' Aube, in annou„cin, the death a a merchant of Troyes, M. Antoine Godet Hueard, mentions the following curious circumstances :—The father and grand father of this gentleman each died at the age of 54, and on the 16th January, M. Godet-Huchard, although forcibly struck with this coincidence, was without any superstition about it. On the evening of the 15th instant, he invited some friends to dine with him on the 17th, his patronymic day, andobserved laughingly " provided I he not dead before it arrives." On the morning of the 16th he was carried off by a suffusion of dropsy, a complaint from which he had 'been suffering for some years, but which had latterly shown no alarming symptoms_ Our letters from Ceylon are to the 17th November. Ex periments were making to introduce the sugar cane from the Mauritius, and the most perfect success had attended the commencement of these, a large tract of land having been devoted to the culture of the cane, which had produced excellent sugar, and it was expected in a few years that Ceylon would rival, if not excel, the Mauritius. The Lord Bishop of Madras was on a visit to Ceylon. The governor had returned from a cruise in the Wellington, by which his health had been much improved. CONSTANTINOPLE, DEC. 31.—A tatar arrived here on Sunday last, in nine days from Erzerourn, bringing letters from that city up to the 20th instant, which, I regret to say, contain intelligence highly unfavourable to the prospect of a• speedy settlement of our Persian affairs. The Shah Bard. ran, of Heral, having succeeded, by the friendly intentions he manifested towards us on our capture of Cahoot, in ob taining the recall of the division intended to occupy his capi tal, has now, it would appear, turned against us; and, hav ing reproached the Sh a h of Persia with being the means of forcing him into a dependence on the British, has induced the latt er t o prepare a new expedition, which,lie expects will be received at Herat with open gates.-41.forning Chronicle. Singapore papers to the 10th October state, thatletters had been received of the 9th Sept. from Hong-Hong, which men tion that a further edict of Lin calls upon all the natives to prepare arms and assemble in strong force to prevent the British landing, and if they try to obtain provisions to exter minate or make them prisoners. We believe the sth of next month is fixed for the solemni.- sation of the marriage of Lord Dinorben and Miss Gertrude Smyth, sister of the Princess of Capua. Lord Dinorben is expected in town on Sunday or Monday next, accompanied by his Royal Highness the. Duke of Sussex, from }Unlike' Park. His royal highness is expected to give the beautiful and accomplished affianced away, and the Prince and Princess of Capua give a splendid- dejeane to the wedding party, at Mivart's hotel. ANTI-CORN LAW AGITATION. - The colons of Black burn have formed themselves into an anti-corn law club, tti help with their pence and their eloquence the unprincipled agitation now going on against native industry and national interests. They had a meeting in the Music-hall last Friday night, having dispossessed a phrenological gentleman named Bridges, who had announced a lecture for that -evening. As to what they said, what need is there to report it, for is it not written, much better than it was spoken, in the pages of the Anti-Corn-Law Circular and the Morning Chronicle? Here, as elsewhere, the agitation against the corn-law is mainly carried on by the extreme radicals. Blackburn Standard. ARMS' BILL FOR IRELAND.—WhiIst parliamen,, is sitting we fain would call the attention (not of government, for that were useless, but) of the conservative oppoSition, and parti cularly of the Irish conservative members, to the necessity of providing for the public peace by a new and effective Arms' Bill. It will be seen by a reference to our last, in which the Quarter Sessions in the south of Ireland, with respect to the armament of the peasantry, are referred to—that the provi sion's of the existing registry of Arms' Bill do not suffice to keep fire-arms out of the hands of improper persons ; nay; have been adopted as the means of sheltering and securing them in the possession of those who have obtained, and would retain, them for unlawful purposes. Unless means be taken, then, to counteract the methods now in use for arming the peasantry up to the requirements of insurrection, it is obvious that the armament will go on under the sanction of the law till the law will not be able to repress it. There is no time to be lost.—Dublin Evening Mail. IRISH COAL MINES.—The extensive coal fields of the county Antrim, situate on the sea coast, have been recently let, by order of the Court of Chancery ; and a company is being formed, with a capital suitable to their complete de velopement. The seams are of nine feet in thickness, and of excellent and bituminous quality. They extend over 7000 acres, and promise a complete supply to the city of Dublin, and to Belfast, Londonderry, Dundalk, and the whole north eastern and western portions of Ireland. The mineral re sources of Ireland are now happily beginning to be appre ciated ; and every well wisher of the country must desire, as we do, the most complete success to the enterprise.—Dublin Evening Mail. MELANCHOLY SHIPWRECK AND Loss OF LIFE.-011 Saturday last, Captain Walker, of the Active, arrived at this port, from Trinity, Newfoundland, having fallen in with the John and Mary Stephenson, from St. John, N.B. for Swan sea, on the Bth of January, in lat. 47 40, lou. 27 24, having on board six of the crew, taken off the Jemima Sophia, of Hartlepool, from Quebec for London. Captain Walker took two of the crew on board his vessel and brought them to this port : their names are Thomas Nicholson and William Cormack. The following are the particulars wreck of the Jemima Sophia, of Hartlepool, from Quebec for London, Thomas Hinclinarsh, Master, on December 25th, at half-past eight, p - .m. in lat 45 54, N. lon. 26 30. W. wind E.S.E. aying to under the close-reefed maintopsail, head to the I°4 - :E., a tremendous sea struck the vessel on the starboard side, which carried away bowsprit, foremast, maintopmast, sweeping the decks of boats, companion, skylight, chief mate and man at the helm, and turning the ship on her beam ends. The water was then making free passage at the companion and skylight, the master, second mate, and three of the crew in the cabin at the time ; the master, second mate, and two others gained the deck, but one was unfortunately drowned in the cabin. When the vessel righted, six :persons were left out of nine, with no hopes of relief. The sin-rivers were upon the wreck 11 days, and nothing to subsist. upon but one four-pound piece-of pork, and some bread that washed up the companion and skylight. The crew of the John sod Mary, of Blythe, made out the wreck at three p.m. on the 3rd January, and bore down to the unfortunate survivors, the sea then running very high, which rendered all attempts at assistance useless, but the captain of the John and Mary humanely laid by until the next day, when he succeeded in hoisted out his boat and took them - on board .his ship in a very weak state. The only means they had 'of quenching their thirst was when it rained by sucking the moisture off the stump of the foremast, but they are now in a fairway of reco very. Captain Walker has taken every: care of these two men, and since his arrival here has applied to the Merchant Seamen's Hospital Committee, who have given d 2 to each man, and a subscription has also been made to assist them-in gaining their respective honies—Liverpool and Newcastle. — Dorset Chronicle. HOLM , ELL—The distress of the poor cotton spinners-in this town, caused by the stoppage of extensive factories, is very great. Many of those who were in comfortable eircum stances, are now reduced to the utmost destitution ; most of them being without fire, food, or clothing at this inclement season. The commissioners of roads have exercised a prompt. and extensive liberality by ordering their surveyor to forth with commence the new line of road, (which has for !Jame time been projected,) from near Milwr to Holyweli, in ordee to give employment to these poor men ; but front some tri fling cause or other, nothing has yet been dOne, and it is sincerely to be hoped, the commissioners will insist upon their benevolent determination being carried into effect ; and it is still further to be hoped, that Mr. Edward Lee, " whose ears are always open to the cry of indie . ence and sorrow," will allow it to be done: so that the needy may find help in time of trouble, and in the bitterness of their distress not to have to supplicate in rain.—Ches-ter Courant. We have late accounts from Siam which are of some coin mercial interest. The markets at Bankok continued in a very depressed state. A measure was also in contemplation by the Government, which, if carried into effect, was likely to prove a material impediment to a continuance of commer cial intercourse with Siam to the same extent as of late years. This was to levy upon all square-rigged vessels arrik! - ing at Bankok the full tonnage duty of 1,700 ticals per fa thom, no matter how often a vessel might go there. in the course of a year. The practice had formerly been to charge this duty only once in the year, the vessel paying it having the privilege of returning subject to a 'duty of only 600 or 700 ticals, and never exceeding the latter. On this footing the ships from Bombay have traded for more than the last ten years, and were thus frequently enabled, after discharg ing their original cargo at Bankok, to make three or four trips backwards and forwards in the course of the year. This had caused a very active intercourse, but the exorbitant tax would absorb all the profits of the adventure, and unless the authorities at Bankok abandoned the measure, which in all respects was an impolitic one, that trade would receive a very considerable check. CHARACTERISTIC STORY.—Whilst at Alidgilaril,.h:! was absent one evening from prayers ; long search was made for youthful yeai.s,an p d r t o a t k e i g n e g e lea lie s, him ; and at last he was found in a . situation extremely nau tical, but agreeable only to himselt. Ile had embarked in a a lo Y n ° g 4n 4 large washing -tub o w ut it e h le l s ', e is n hofadhcisonOt";inveTleby its means to . place his circular ship; with himself' and passenger, in the very centre of the large and deep water ; and through some inadvertence, probilly a s li g ht attention to the young lady, he lost his pol e . tinfor tunately, just as hie alarmed father arrived, it fell ealin'Cand the only motion the tub had was the unpleasant one 'Of:the pillory, going slowly round and round.. There stood - the future hero of many fights, with his arms folded in a manner that reminds one now.of the prints of Napoleon on the Wand of St. Helena. Night was coming on and the situation of the children was critical, when an expedient suggested itself to the embryo sailor. He hailed those on shore, and told tl?em to fasten the string of his kite to a favourite dog. This bting done, he called him to the tub, and thus conveyed a toning line on board the first craft he had the honour, of coma-Mind ing. —Memoirs of Sir Sydney Smith. ' -- The pious Postmaster-General has ordered that.theetshall in future be a general delivery of letters and siaperse s at the houses of the inhabitants of Newcastle on the mornings of Sundays—a violation of the 'respect of the Sabbath -from which the town has been free. This most unexpected mea sure has called forth a memorial •to the Earl of Lichfield, which is now in course of signature. It seems to be wholly unnecessary, as it certainly has been uncalled for by . tbe in habitants themselves. It will, besides, be a very difficult task to accomplish, in consequence of all places of business being closed on Sundays, and in most cases from therejseing no person resident on the premises, so that theletter s carrier will probably have to take more letters back to the pgat e ntfice than he is able to deliver. A delivery at the window to those who think proper to send, as hitherto, is generally con sidered to be sutficient.--Newcesslle fou) - nal. THE LATE HURRICANE IN BELGIUM. —BRUSSELS, JAN. 25.—The memorable hurricane of the 2jth of November, 1836, was, doubtless, one of the most violent that we re member to have witnessed in Belgium, but then it lastedonly one day ; that which now prevails'has desolated the country for this week past. It was, especially yesterday eveninC(th" 24th,) that the wind coming from the south.4vese•bleaewith the greatest fury. About eight o'clock a fearful tetnesAiaree and raged during the greater part of the night inehe eillif and the environs. Loud claps of thunder were mingled with the roaring of the wind, the impetuosity of which we's tcsriific. A great many houses in the city and suburbs Wes ea - tiered severely from this hurricane.. Fifty trees.in theslaoselesiards are torn up by the roots, and many others nnielv We look with anxiety for news (rani our seaports,-for is i s feared that fatal accidents have occurred on the.ceaSTs'e Al most all the accounts from the provinces .annouhcd mote ex. less considerable injuries done .by.the.storna. . The 5'415.....t as, fallen considerably,- and still continues to satesidate .The damage done by the inundations is not yet ascertained. • ake lup t tee ('he. urn- DrtY mled alter °nal suc- that ,and wor- hii rci,e staig fed° idful I WO :0 bS box anis, kind 0 hit ably orter ut on ight- ante d lOke I .11, il' o the melt o n to ition, ergY - were s !A rthur oging Lately .stant ietid, s MP t 'your weep arted neet , take n his vhole pqnen silent 'ands gra" en ao hus but Pro- 383 PATI 1003