The Northern Daily Times. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-02-09 00:00:00

AY N NE, w: :s TW 3rS REWARD MING EDI ry 4_l T, in or near Dale- Head. —Apply to I, 95, News of Rottliffri tuitto Ili. Df the is composed of men ), 1856 a has told the ff salutary reforms, and have thus served lumanity. Years of diplomatic ended n the Russo- looking bick t the last ti place in France, Portugal, that in which n dealing with his country ~ century hen will only IA nnl Ind most p preth it is I indet edness yvernment tc by lav TO THE NORTHERN I for tI GUINEAS PER ANNUM. ghten aperatio ie ex ich it dis the revenu from the whole of the government he amount of the sec h© nat ger be The Ministr ed as I expending four times the a a the s are decidedly I already a part of our total would at any moment enable the meet the conditions laid down It would make no addition to our taxes, debt bears All that is required is to issue ities no when redeemed, could simple that the a to the Bank of agbear to the people from asking to be relieved use it now to startle little of mount in war. They io so far as to say that they are opposed to e privileges of the BanL T ELE ANNUA DATLY TT OW A Evening B containing the Markets De Ministerial present Minister a "ri 1 Spain gained by ecures pea can ha gard the da natura in the in same place i PALMERSTON has play a, and Poland, we heart The on NIT foreign policy great attend his reign in office and t ed the most conspicuous s as a war Prem ing the social Nv nterual vicil The Deo and I These per cent. inte Now, briers and bramble which w that al. suffers, fi checked he s industry be paralysed abroad, I advanced price of commoditi from s nnot fall uno e is but one source from lcljast all accounts, namely the nation derivc es its and as it is from th nrofits, it is quite certain It )n the same quarter Sonia fide producer—who tion at home be am! if Ind it is for these ons that we would callon every man who r on his labour for existence, to study the E ,employed in matters relating to Currency and to gote specially the fact, that the great practical aim and end of all that is said, are to draw from labour from 6 to 1 eep t the money required to pay n. It should also be o of industry in that if, after he has laid in h shin), industrial products, is added to taxati y the trader in th pound he cannot add that shilling to the price of what he sells Compelled to order to meet but is ibmit to a Positive K - Increases in the State I followe pre banking rates of int( ire caused by the lie.h are .Iways The time allowed t o expire. The the actual o peration of thi s system has now Cl-14.1s:CF.LT-011. of the EXCHEQUER tells us that the exclusive privileges of b an ki ng Tiven to the Bank o f E ngland by the Act of 1844, - id other Acts, are declared subject to redemption - He then states them. " One is two conditio e of not less than twelve months `he Bank of England, at some " shall be given to t that the public debt Bank arrears and the-Bank Act quer 811 and Parlia Bank may hold at th repaid on of the E ration on authority lave no pra )r the money-eapitali like other .gust, 1855 ; the other is, lue by the nation to the 11,015,000/ KCREqu for The public r 3. POS to meet any corn or rather bri., -in!* the and also all Toned in try funds which the hall b are much indebted to the CHAN )mparativety paltry price at which they can - -v. and place the Bank of England -..ion tha throwing open bankina 11 pursuit. Adding rational debt, and probably of Exchequer Bills, A' hole into the mar- I extinguis ke any change in our I at a ti ne of war is a I g classes I , eking and I _ islation t pinion that the peculiar relations of the Bank hen large remittances of bul- gn countries must be made, and the and exceptional state of things created fa unfavourable for the xammation of th affairs of the Bank Whig twaddle, MACAULA leased t to expose in what he call his " History of England." If lelight, wept away the metallic circulation y reason why lacking banking should be th rown open, an d t h e de b t aderstanding, and paid off to the Bank of E ng l an d, th a t th e emp l oyers i to obtain money to pay m in o aded the i ir may be which pr hould have been it ar had continued, we f not a worse Vhen trade is pro- its life's blood—gold—must commence But is this natural effect of a well-recognised cause, to be suffered to prostrate the industry and commerce I of England? Again, we contend that there never was a when the condition of the Bank of examination Between and the 31st of May, 1854 and purchased 44,631,960/. of amount, they sold within the momen nd required ( the Ist of Jauuary, 18.18. the Bank same time 10,536,328/., leaving the heavy balance of 34,075,6321., which neither we nor any other journal. ists in the kingdom have been able to account ror. And yet we are told that the present usurious rates of interest for money, are the natural result of that metal ! We have repeat- a scareit le whole Press to shew become of that prodigious ved no explanation from our spaper cotemporaries, it is not t oo much to rom a committee of the House of Commons hen the ti 6 - ME MON for the return from which i our figures, he must have contem- rigid enquiry into the eh ; and why it should eu the public will be at a loss to except it be that the Whigs of the t day are as strongly wedded to usury awl estrictions as were the founders of the But to th e rking man this is a question which he must never lose sight of, as his very existence depends on the rates of interest demanded for the use of money wherewith to pay wages. ) signs himsel 2V no:, in our r ,OWE'S Bill "OL ignts, man, of the PRINCE of mines of Cornwall." having thrown open the door for confess we have been som iiss in not alludina o the large sums m the public on a title, which appears as . qction as that set up by any carp°. akin to Town and other Dues aend as We hope, e proceed, and with many valuable correspond s, we in the North are not goißg ie exanapl t at centralisatior in a great minis he met while the Lendone coruoi to be deal with in a requiremet and when or how whether it is to b e dealt we are, and lose a revenu e of 125,000/, a year, of whicu the proposed recipients of our Town Dues are to apply 14,0001. a year to tho purposes of commerce, and 0 make a free gift of 50,000 z. a year to the shipping of f' world unde r th e disgraceful pretext of bene: Manchester, and relieving the trade of the No from the heavy imposts levied in this port The poor right honourable Mr. LOWE must tak us for very muddy - brained and comical people in Lancashire We had better be serious, however, as Mr. LOWE may be one of those men whose wrath when once roused is not easily appeased. With such en it is better to tell them in plain language mean, and to skew them we see through Some men are thought an income of 1,000/., and to towar navigation s the ad- and the vancer n their Hums „,o profoundly weather-wise that when they speak the sensible portions of a village arm themselves with an umbrella, or put on an extra And when crammed gin to talk about demolishing the and other coat, to keep out the rain noney rights of corporations, S 110 U I (1. unfurl our banner and put on us tell Mr. LOWE broadly ie dread ight. L ses of this town will not surrender 25,000/. a year, to bestow 50,0004 on the shipowners of the world ! Let our shipowners tell them such a sum is scarcely divisible among the world's tonnage, and that they really cannot comprehend what portion of the spoil will come to them. Mr. LOWE proposes no boon to the merchant —he think s of take compensation from pilots, and all those like " for services rendered." It is true, he would I allow them to raise the present rates of pil o t age as a Proposes t o b estow on the 50,000/. a y ear which ho certainl shippin g . Australia had y a good riddance of such law ma k ers They would tax the citizen for the kanciaroo, if it were only for the pleasure of robbing its nest. lir. LOWE says, he expected to be assailed by cor e towns, when his measure was fairly known, Ind it would be a pity if he should be only for the of time-honoured political axioms, when endeavouring to palm on Ithe country a measure of wholesale spoilation, and replete with public immoralit y. It is not for us to ask whether he is able to h ear t h e flagellation them, set-off against porat made he has provoked ; but of this the right honourab l e gentleman may rest assured, that he has only yet tasted one end of the rod, and he should lose no time in preparing himself for the other. The Government have no right to interfere with the corporate property of the country, unless they come into the market as buyers. They have no business to ask corporate towns to hand over to them the power of levying taxes to the amolnt of upwards of 1,000,0001. annually without representation. Our Government is repre it is true ; but our corpora tions are equally so ; and the shipping interest must have far greater confidence in men elected in seaport towns than they would have in such Government officials as Mr. LowE in the levying of Dues and the administration of funds derived from tonnage. If there is anything wrong in the application of Corporate revenues, no matter from what source derived, let it be reformed. That grave wrongs do exist in the management of corporate estates, we freely admit; but Mr. LOWE'S notion of transferring municipal property to any Government department is not the reform which is sought. If the Ministry are resolved to take all matters of self-government of the country into their hands, as they propose to take that of the police, let them abolish corpora tions altogether ; but let the corporate estates of England be put up and sold for the benefit of those to whom they belong. The business of assessment and levying rates could be placed under the supervision of magistrates in towns as entative, well as in counties. We could understand such a proposition as this. We could comprehend what the country would gain by such a reform. Breaking up factions and jobbing cliques, would secure us more intelligent and able representatives, and, therefore , more popular representation. We should get rid of a host of local employees and corporate sinecures. The political atmosphere and commercial morality _ _ of Liverpool would be immensely purified by such a change. If Mr. Lows contemplated any such measure we are not prepared to say we would not give him our humble support, but as he means nothing but what is highly reprehensible in prin ciple, we shall continue to expose the extraordinary depth of deception displayed in his speech, and the gross injustice and danger of the scheme which has emanated from his extraordinary and ill-regulated brain. NORTHERN TIMES.-LIVERPOOL, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1856. THE COURT. Wnqnsra, Feb. 7.—Prince Ernest of Leiningen, Lieut.- general the Hon. Sir J. Scarlett, and Colonel the Hon. A. and Mrs. Gordon, arrived yesterday afternoon on a visit. The visitors and Major -general the Hon. Charles Grey had the honour of dining with her Majesty In the evening. Prince Albert, attended by Captain Du Platt, went today to the site of the Wellington College, near Blackwater.— Preparations are being made at the Castle for the depar ture of the Court to Buckingham Palace on Monday next, Her Majesty will remain in town until the 22nd March, when, as usual, the Court will return to Windsor for the Easter vacation. DEATH OF THE BISHOP OF CARLISLE.—We yesterday briefly announced the death of the Hon. and Right Rey• Hugh Percy, D. D., Lord Bishop of Carlisle, who expired on Tuesday night, at Rose Castle, Cumberland. The deceased prelate, who was born in 1784, was the third son of the iate and brother of the present Earl of Beverley, He was educated at St. John's College, Cambridge, where he graduated in 1805, and was consecrated Bishop of Rochester, in June 1827, and was translated to the see of Carlisle in September in the following year. He was also Chancellor of Salisbury and prebendary of St. Paul's. ELECTION INTELLIGENCE.—At Edinburgh, the state of the poll at four o'clock yesterday (as received by tele graph), stood thus :—.For Mr. Black (Liberal), 2,429 ; for Mr. Douglas, 1,786; majority, 643. At Cambridge we learn that the following was the close of the first day's poll:—`Walpole, 329; Denman, 178. Second Day (twelve o'clock)—Walpole, 402; Denman, 208; majority, 196. At Tamworth there was no opposition to the return of Lord Raynham, eldest son of the late member, Captain, now Marquis of Townshend, who was declared duly elected. At Rochester, yesterday, at twelve o'clock, the subjoined was the state of the poll :—Martln (Mini sterial), 495; Bodkin (Conservative), 433; majority for Martin, 57. THE TRIAL or THE REV. Da. VAtiGHAN.—At the Central Criminal Court yesterday the Rev. Dr. John Vaughan, late incumbent of St. Matthew's Church, Brixton, surrendered to take his trial upon three indict ments, charging him with having unlawfully and felo niously made false entries in the books registering the burials at the church of St. Matthew's, Brixton . The rev. defendant appeared very unwell, and having 'was accommodated with a seat. ito the do, ine several indictments having' been read, the defendant in a most decided tone of voice pleaded Not Guilty. Mr. Sergeant Wilkins, :Mr. Clarkson, and Mr. Clarke pro secuted; and the Attorney -general, Mr. Ballantine, and Mr. C. G. Prideaux defended. The first indictment tried was that of falsifying the entry of Jane Webb. The pro ceedings occupied the whole of the day, and at the close of the case, the jury, without a moment's hesitation returned a verdict of Not Guilty. Mr. Sergeant Wilkins thereupon informed the learned judge (Mr. Justice Wightman) that he should proceed with the next indict ment to-morrow (this day). THa AMERICAN MAILS. —The royal mail steamer Asia sails this day for Boston, with t'ie mails, &c. Letters, &C, will be received at the General Post Office, up to nine o'clock in the usual course, to ten o'clock with fees, and to eleven o'clock at the landing stage with additional fees. —Though thi s sc h o ol and ' t C s b O r L a l n .E c O he lA. s T h E av S e C b u e o e o n r. i n O P operation .ki only th ree - quarters of at year, prizes have been already a war d ed by government to the f o ll o wing pupil teachers :—W. Griffiths, of the North of England School, Band -street ; Henry Mercer, of St. Thomas' School, Grafton-street; and John Malcolm, of St. Barnabas' School, Greenland -street. TUE KNlFE.—Rachel Patrick, a Scotch girl, was charged tor having struck Margaret Murray on the fore head with a knife, but, fortanatef, the wound was not serious. The affair took place in a bad house in Skel horne-strcet. The magistrates said they roust endeavour, by making an example, to put down the use of the knife, and sent the prisoner to gaol for three months for the assault. THE LATE GALE.—There was a considerable amount of damage done to houses through town by the late terrific storm. Chimneys were blown down, windows forced in, houses partially unroofed, slates blown away, &c. Two squares of plate glass, value about £24, in the house of Mr. John Brooks, High Park Road, were destroyed. The pro perty was, however, insured iu the Universal Plite Glass Company. We are happy to state, that we did not hear of any serious accident to life or limb. DISTRESSING Suxcina (a , A MAGISTRATE.—It is with deep regret we havc to announce the melancholy death of Mr. John Mather, an eminent and wealthy retired merchant of this town, which took place, yesterday; at his residence, Mount Pleasant; and, from what we have heard, we are pained to say that his death was the result of wounds inflicted by himself. At present we do not give publicity to any of the rumours afloat in reference to this melancholy event, the more so as all the facts will be elicited at the inquest this day. GREAT SALE AT THE BIRKENHEAD DOCK WORKS.- Messrs Brassey and Al•Cormick having fulfilled their great contract at the Birkenhead Docks by the comple- tion of the embankment, enclosing the south reserve, the immense stock of plant and materials with which the work has been carried on, has been offered by public auc tion. The sale has occupied the whole of the present week, and will close to-day. The property comprised about a dozen valuable steam-engines, pile-driving, and other machinery, railway plant (including several hun dred tons of rails), wrought iron, engineering and survey instruments, &c., &c., divided into 770 lots. The sale has been attended by dealers from all parts of the country, and the lots have generally brought good prices. Thurs day's sale alone produced between 6,0001. and 7,0001., and the whole property is expected to realise about 14,0001. or 15,43001. The following were some of the most valuable lots: -_446, a 40-h orse - power horizontal engine, brought 1 ,19001, or about 281. per horse ; 447, three boilers, 210/. ; 44 feoeunr pair mortar mill s , 850/ . ; 517, 30-horse high es prsure beam engine, 9451. ; 51 8, a set of 14-inch iron ?/. All these w ere k noc k e d down to one party. has b It Is believed that a con s id era bl e portion of the property the gro un d, bo ught for th e corporation, and will remain on MONETARY AND COMMERCIAL. LIVERPOOL, FRIDAY EVENING Messrs. T. and H. Littleciale and Co. have issued their usual monthly circular, from which we quote the following general remarks on trade : ' The course of our produce markets has been somewhat irregular during the past month. The year opened with a general dulness and a limited business till the 17th, when the acceptance by Russia of peace propositions caused a momentary excitement. This, however, quickly passed off, and whilst those articles chiefly influenced by the war have declined from 10 to 15 per cent.—say, wheat 8s to 10s per quarter, flour 5s per brl., rice 2s 6d per cwt., seeds 12s per quarter, tallow and palm oil 7s to lOs per cwt.—others which may be termed peace articles (cotton and wool excepted) have not advanced. This may be accounted for by the high range of prices to which the former has reached (one of the chief dangers apprehended in taking a prospec tive view of the coming year), whilst the r ema i n i ng uncertainty of peace being realised, the continued dearness of money, and the certainty of heavy loans, are sufficient to keep down other produce. The question of increased custom and excise duties has also its influence both with sellers and buyers in such articles as are most likely to be taxed ; but as the usual period for the budget is sufficiently remote to allow the result of the Paris Conference to be known, and as we believe the government feel confident of a favourable issue, we scarcely think that additional duties will be levied. We think it not improbable that the effect of peace on certain articles will be less than is now anticipated, and that a reaction will take place should they decline further. The rates of discount became slightly easier in the middle of the month, but have since stiffened again, and the demand for money appears as great as ever, partly owing, no doubt, to the large operations in public securities in anticipation of peace. The position of the bank has not improved since the Ist of January, but in the three principal features its returns are less favourable—the circulation has increased 600,0001.—the reserve of notes diminished 900,0001., and the stock of bullion is 6/0,0001. less. The value of money has probably attained its maximum, and the next move ment will be downward ; but until the gold begins to flow back to this country, which it must do shortly, no great change can be lookel for. On the one hand, parties hoarding will part with their funds more readily, as politi cal matters appear more certain ; whilst, on the other, the heavy loans for our own government and the continent, and the greater activity in commerce and public stocks, will absorb larger amounts of money. The Corn Markets continue to droop. At Wake field to-day, there was a very small business done, and prices declined 2s per quarter for wheat. The Liverpool market was very dull, and the sales of wheat were small, at a trifle under Tuesday's prices. Flour was also rather lower. Indian corn was 6d to Gd cheaper during the past week, owing to the fears entertained about a possible rupture of diplomatic relations between America and England. A few lots of bonds have been thrown on the market in consequence, and orders to pur chase have been, in many cases, withdrawn. Illinois Construction Bonds continue firm at the highest points. Freeland Bonds are held for 85. We note transactions in New York Central, 6 per cent at reduced rates; in Erie Third Mortgages and Sink ing Fund Bonds at previous rates. We strongly recommend our friends to pick up any lots that may offer cheap in this market before the arrival of the next mail from New York, as we believe such purchases will result to their advantage. Another conference has been held at Copen hagen on the question of the Sound Dues, at which the representatives of Prussia, Russia, France, Sweden, and six other delegates from the Germanic States, were present. On this occasion the Danish Plenipotentiary laid upon the table several documents requested at the previous meet ing by the members of the Conference, relative to the receipts during the last ten years. He also made a new proposition to the meeting, which was sanctioned by his government, viz :—that they would take the sum of 3G,000,000 thalers as com pensation for their interest in the Sound Dues. BANK OP ENGLAND It ETURNS, An Account, pursuant to the Act 7th and Bth Victoria, cap. 32, for the Week ending Feb. 2, 1856. ISSUE DEPARTMENT. Debit. Credit. Notes issued .. £21,532,620 Government Debt Other securities 3,459,900 Gold Coin and £24,532,620 1 10,057,620 £24,532,620 BANKING DEPARTMENT. Debit. Proprietors' ca pital Rest Credit, Government 5e £14,553,000 curities ~... , £12,092,363 3,410,083 Other securities 18,216,497 3,782,871 Notes ........ 5,411,985 13,807,258 Gold and silver coin Public deposits Other ), Seven day, and other bills.. . 648,246 815,880 Total .... £36,369,091 Total £36,369,091 The foregoing Bank Returns show the following results when compared with those of the preceding week :—Notes issued, increase 359,040/ ; bullion in both departments, increase 359,76:11; rest, increase 3:3,4521; public deposits, increase 5!8,666/; other deposits, increase 9:35,7051; seven days and other bills, decrease 28,1471. On the credit side, govern ment securities have decreased 543,8981. other securities increased 1,465,841/ Notes unemployed, increase, 537,0101. Actual circulation, 19,120,6351; decrease, 177,9701. The subjoined are the closing quotations in Foreign Exchanges : — Amsterdam short, 11 171 to 11 18. Do. Three Months, 12 to 121. Rotterdam, Do., 12 to 12k. Antwerp, Do., 25 50 to 25 55. Brussels, Do., 25 50 to 25 55. Hamburg, Do., 13 101 to 13 10i. Paris, Short, 25 30 to 25 40. Do., Three Months, 25 72f to 25 771. Mar seilles, 27 to eO 7 t 7 c4e 1 :30 .. snit)s F ouor r ilgs a o n , 5 k D2 f Frankfort, yesterdayr Do., 119 10 to ID2 rid, D5 0 o 0 1:.. Vi enna,ois7 to _ i t D o . 4 0 9 2 . ,; 5 7) 1 D M o ad ' 361. closed at 90 9-16ths to 90 11-16ths. The Railway Share Market presented the follow ing quotations at its close :—Dover 621. Caledonian, 551 551 Eastern Counties 11;. East Lancashire, 72 73. Great Northern, 90 91. Do. A, 74 75. Great Western, 55! 561. Lancashire and Yorkshire, 811 811. London and North Western, 1004 1004. Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire, 241 25. Midland Stock, 691 691. North British, 29. j York3ol . andl YoNrlio,rtNh Midland, 501 50!.ewcastle, 6i and Berwick, 75! 7. A late number of the official Gazette of Madrid contains two rather curious paragraphs. The first is:—." The Countess de Montijo has given a bill in honour of the anni versary of th e marr i age o f her august daught er w i th the Emperor Napole on 111., and of the birth-day of he r e ld er daughter, th e D uc h ess d e Alba ; it was like a fet e o f t h e Arabian Ni g h ts ' E nter t a inment, and was worthy of the proverbial gr an d eur o f the mother of those t wo j ewels of the Spanish ar i stocrac y." The second is as follows :" Mr. Drummond, a tt ac h e t o the English embassy, gave, in his saloons, a f ew n i g h ts ago , a very curious fete, which w as attended by th e e lit e of the society of Madrid. Mr. Drum mond him se lf d ance d so me boleros with Senorita Piga, and was really remar k a bl e f o r a son of c l ou d y Albion. the grace an d f ac ility with, which he qecuted our nati ona l dances were greatly admired. liis agilit y , i n 'Particular, There has been no change in the tone of the Cotton Market today, and only a small business has been done; the sales amounting to 7,000 bales, inclusive of 1,500 taken for speculation and export. The total sales of the week are 57,340 bales ; of which 10,380 have been on speculation, and 10,920 for export. Prices are about the same as on Friday last. 1 The Liverpool Share Market was quiet at the opening, but the announcement of a 44 per cent. dividend on Berwick Stock, had the effect of creating a little speculative business. There has not been any real business doing, and the approach of the fortnightly settlement makes th'3 dealers cautious. The closing prices were : Aberdeen, 121 124. Chester and Birkenhead, 131 14. Caledonian, 271 271. Chester and Holyhead, 13 134. Eastern Counties, 10 101. East Lancashire, 18 183. Great Northern, 23 231. Ditto A Shares, 98 93. Great Western, 56 564. Lancashire and Yorkshire Stock, 814 813. Liver pool, Crosby, and Southport, 15 154. London and North Western Stock, 1001 1001. Manchester, Sheffield and Lincoln, 244 251. Ditto Preference, 111 11g. Ditto New 6 per cent Pref., 7.16 9-16 p. Midland Stock, 694 697,-. North British, 74 71. North Staffordshire, 8 74d. South Eastern and Dover, 18 11-16 181. York, Newcastle, and Ber wick, 19 194. York and North Midland, 251 254. Leeds Capital Stock, 144 141. Dutch Rhenish, Ditto New Shares, 2 2 1-16 p. Great Western of Canada, 253 251. Ditto New Shares, 3 33p. Great Luxembourg, 9 81 d. LATEST INTELLIGENCE. SECOND EDITION. PIEDMONT. Ad vices from Turin announce that the Turkish Ambassador presented his credentials to the King on the 7th inst The Senate had voted the loan demanded by the Government; the numbers being—For the motion, 50 ; against it, 7, There was a rumour generally current that Count Cavour will replace the Marquis d'Azeglio at the Peace Conferences at Paris. AUSTRIA. The Imperial Gazette of Vienna, published the 7th instant, announces that her Majesty the Em• press Elizabeth is enciente. RUSSIA A despatch just received states that the prospects of peace are generally regarded at St. Petersburg with great satisfaction. Count Valentine Esterhazy, the Austrian Am bassador, had become very popular, in conse quence of the part he had taken in the advance of the peace propositions. THE FRENCH FUNDS PARIS, FRIDAY EVENING, The transactions on the Bourse to•day closed at the following prices :—Four and a Half per Cents., 96f 25c. ; Three per Cents., 72f. 900. PEACE CONFERENCE. Owing to the non•receipt of the usual letter of our Paris correspondent, we have but little to add under this head to our former intelligence. From Berlin, under yesterday's date, we have advices which inform us that the Austrian com munication on the subject of the Five Points accepted by Russia was, on the previous day, presented to the Diet of Frankfort and was referred to the respective committees without discussion. We learn also that Sardinia will be represented in the ensuing Con ferences by Count Cavour and the Marquis Villa marina—Chevalier d'Azeglio being obliged, on account of ill health, to decline the office, to which he was originally appointed. Thus the rumour circulated that the representation of Sardinia in the Conferences would be in some way exceptional, entirely falls to the ground. In the number and authority of her plenipotentiaries she will take her place on the same footing as Austria, or any of the States represented. It is stated that Russia has declared that the participation of Prussia in the conferences is a special question, entirely independent of the signature of the preliminaries of peace, and the solution of which may take place at a later period in the course of the conferences. From Holstein it is stated that the Emperor of Russia is purchasing horses for his approaching coronation, which is to take place after the conclusion of peace. The Patrie of Thursday evening says that it is the intention of the Emperor of Russia to visit Paris next May —that is, immediately after his coronation. HESSE CassEr..—The government of Hesse Cassel has commenced a prosecution against some officers, its subjects, for accepting commands in the Legion AoS'nco_esmaonu)gbh,aavpepraeraesnontlyto, nboetliienveeludthedatinitmirs.iLnocwo:,; temlVe ( plati th measure—to abolish the London Trinity House. In the custom-house of Limerick, within the last fort night, a sum of 20,0001 has been paid to the collector of inland revenue on account of whisky duty alone. The largest sum paid by one house was 10,000/, by another 2,000/, and by others smaller sums. Surely the chancellor of the exchequer must rejoice. —Limerick Reporter. NAVAL STATION IN QuEENsTow*:.—There are now five men-of-war on the Iri.h station, under Admiral Sir G. Sartorious, a part of the Baltic fleet sent here to winter, at the requisiti on o f th e : c i t i zens of Cork. Their names and stations are'ras follow :—The Russell and Hastings, 60 gun ships, at Queenstown ; Edinburgh, 60, at Dublin ; Meander, 50, in the Shannon; and Hecla, frigate at Wat erford.— Cork Reporter. 3' THE CLERKSHIP OF THE COMMONS.—Mr. Wilson's new bill confirms thejappointment of Mr. T. Erskine May as Clerk-Assistant of the House of Commons, and requires that the clerk assistant and his deputy, the second clerk, shall be hereafter appointed by her Majesty, and be removable from office only upon an address of the house to her Majesty for that purpose. MR. CORDEN•—•" WHERE NEXT ?"--The annual election for honorary officers of the Manchester Athenmum took place last week. The election is by ballot, and at least four-fifths of the members who voted (and hundreds did so) have rotes for Manchester. Richard Cobden, Esq., was proposed and seconded as one of the vice-presidents, and he was black -balled! What a change! But two or three short years ago, and he would have been elected with acclamations. THE LATE MRS. OLARKSort. —On the 31st ult., died at Playfield-hall, near Ipswich, aged 83, Mrs. Catherine Clarkson, the relict of Thomas Clarkson,—he who stood in the front of that noble band of labourers which, after many years of seemingly . hopeless toil, effected the aboli tion of the African slave trade, Mrs. Clarkson was dis tinguished by her social virtues, her animation, and her colloquial eloquence. Mons CAUTION TO LETTER CARRlERS.—Yesterday at the police court, before Messrs. Bolton and Sands, Mr. Bales, the superintendent o f l etter carr i ers, General Post office, appea re d t o c h arge a man named John Barnes, who was lately a letter carrier, for having neglected to deliver letters intrusted to him for that purpose. Tha charge was brought under the Post-office Act. It appeared from the evidence that on the 19th January the prisoner received certain letters which he should have delivered by noon on that day, and that at seven o'clock in the evening the letters in question were found in the possession of the prisoner at his lodgings. He was sentenced to pay a fine of 45, or to be imprisoned for three months acc or di ng to the act. DEATH OP THOMAS P RIGS , E SQ .—Th e C i ty of York has this week to lament the loss of one o f i ts most honoured citizens, Thomas Price, Esq. The late Mr. Price was the fourth son of Sir Charles Price, Bart., of Spring Grove, Richmond, Surrey, an eminent banker in London, an alderman and Loed Mayor of the metropolitan city, and also the representative of that important constituency in three successive parliaments. The deceased was, on Monday, in the parlour of the City and County Bank, conversing with his brother directors on general matter when he was suddenly struck with apoplexy, attended with paralysis. He expired the following morning at six o'clock. Deceased was a deputy-lieutenant of the West Riding, and a magistrate for the city of York. this has gotseason abroad by ikf that r. Lumley, MADAME JE NNY LIND.GOLDqQIIMIDT.--A rumour which l Al ey a : l w es i t t y h 's it T la n d e a a m tr e e is Goldschmidttoheope a opened the prima donna, is, we have every reason to believe, des titute of foundation. No such arrangement has been made; nor is there any likelihood that Jenny Lind will change Weraasc boy y r r i nw a i e g edas her delib erate and fixed resolution to abandon the stage. Daring th e l ast two weeks Madame Goldschmidt has gi ven a numbe r o f concerts in the provinces—at Reading, Exeter, Plymouth, and o th er pl aces . Th e y h ave b een attended by great cr ow d s, an d the '• Nightingale " has b een everywhere received w ith acc l ama ti ons . A t R eading an accident happen e d, w hi c h f or tunat e ly did not prove serious, but le was showedknocked naoE eklleaving ad v l di e no n gw r _ n 7 t ha L en i d n T d :eo s lwl nu kindly ..nhdaelrl disposition. tahf ete wheels, h teheels. c 3 n A nc e s to the hospital, and was found not to have been dangerously hurt. Madame Goldschmidt showed the utmost concern and used for anxiety benefit on his account, and i mmediately sent £ 5 t o b e , FRANCE. Cram OVR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) PARIS, WEDNESDAY. On the grand question of the day, the Paris papers have literally not a line of news, and the telegraph has brought none. All that I have learned from my usual sources of information con sists of this one fact :—The Sardinian Minister, the Marquis de Villamarina, hearing that it was intended to allow Sardinia only one representative in the approaching Congress, and even, perhaps, not to give him the right of freely dealing with all the questions that may arise, went to the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, and represented that it was very hard that Sardinia should not be placed on the same footing as Austria, especially as she had spent blood and treasure in the war, whereas Austria had only spent ink ; and that it was hardly fair on the part of England and France, after drag ging her into a war by which they, and the latter especially, had gained political power, military renown, and the certainty of immense commercial advantages, to leave her not only without any advantages at all, but in a position of decided inferiority to Austria. The Minister of Foreign Affairs referred the complaints of the Ambassador to the Emperor in a Cabinet Council ; and, after deliberation it was, I am told, decided, that though there was great justice in what the Sardinian Ambassador had said, still, the decision come to could not be departed from—first, because it was contrary to all diplomatic traditions to allow a third rate power to occupy the same rank in the the congress as a first rate one; second, that to place Sardinia on the same level as Austria would grievously offend the latter, whose good will it is important to obtain ; and, third, that Sardinia in the congress, on a level with the great powers, would diminish the chances of peace. The United States quarrel with England is beginning to be noticed by the Paris press, and to form the subject of conversation in political circles, but no newspaper or person seems to think that war is probable. On the whole, I find a much stronger disposition to sympathise with England than was to have been expected, from the very decided liking that was felt for the States in this country some years ago. The French seem to think that the Americans are wantonly forcing on a war, and, besides, during the last few years, and especially since the accession of Louis Napoleon to the Empire, and more espe cially still, since the Americans, in the existing war, have been so strongly on the side of Russia — they (the French) no longer look on them as • " brothers and friends." The Presidents of the Senate and Legislative Body, and the Council of State (M. Troplong. Count Morny, and M. Baroche,) are, I hear, to be the official witnesses of the accouchement of the Empress. THE AFRICAN MAILS. PLYMOUTH, FEBRUARY 7. The mail steamer Retriever arrived this afternoon. She brings 1.824 ounces of gold, 226 puncheons of palm oil,and a full cargo of African produce. Fernando Po was very unhealthy, but business was brisk. At Came roon trade was suspended. A similar condition of affairs prevailed at Bombay and Calabar, and the consequences of the late rebellion are now being felt by the traders. At Lagos things were quiet, and a good business doing- Town and shipping healthy. Her Majesty's steamer Hecate had destroyed au American brigantine, named the Chadsworth, of New York. She was fully equipped for slaves. The crew escaped. A great deal of dissatisfaction had been created at Accra owing to the authorities placing a duty on British and French imports. Already several merchants have established factories on Dutch territories where no duty is levied. The Columbus, of Liverpool, was at Teneriffe, leaky, a n d lik e l y to be condemned. Oil at Old Calabar ranged from £lB to £24, and at Bonny at £l7. Mr. Stanton, the surgeon, and Mr. liars, chief officer, of the Hants, had died of fever. At Sierra Leone, trade from the interior steady, notwithstanclin,. the unsettled state of the country. 'War has recommenced in the Ntmtz. At Cape Coast Castle loud complaints of the additional import duty. The Governor of Bathurst had zone to Spalla to conclude a commercial treaty with the Bing. The number of lives lost by the collision which caused the Josephine Willis to founder, is believed to be between sixty and seventy. We understand that the designation of the new Order which we have already announced is " The Order of Valour," the decoration is termed the " Victoria Cross." The coining of silver, which was interrupted in October last by a sudden and severe pressure for gold on the part of the bank of England, has lately been resumed, and will enable the master of the mint to furnish, in a short time, a sufficient supply of threepenny pieces, and. silver coins of other denominations, for the use of the. public. THE MAYORALTY or BELFAST. —One of the acts of the town council, at its quarterly meeting on Monday, was the election of Samuel Gibson Getty, E.g., one of the most estimable and deservedly popular of the highest mercantile class in Belfast, to the office of chief magistrate of the town for the current year, in the room of Captain nouns, Verner, resigned. MELANCHOLY DEATH.—Captain Maher, of the Gla mcolprgtaaiinishuiorempLeirethztinlteiofamnnitrayn,dwohfothbeutrelacrteul jytinsgncseteardeadt Swansea, met with his death, on Thursday in a shocking manner. The captain went to a party on Wednesday night, and returned to his lodgings at an early hour on Thursday morning. About six o'clock a smell of buraing linen was perceptible in the house. A gentleman named Tomlinson, on entering Captain Maher's room, found it full of smoke, and the bed furniture on fire. Whe n the flames were extinguished the lifeless body of Captain Maher were found on the floor, and close beside him his favourite dog, also :dead. It is supposed that while Wl' dressing himself on a chair the deceased, fatigued War' being up all night, had fallen asleep, and owed the• candle to fall against the bed curtains. Deeeased was partially dressed, and had evidently been suffocated by the-smoke. ANOTHER CLERGYMAN IN TROUBLE.--A commission issued by the Bishop of Durham to inquire into c h a rges of drunkenness against the Rev. Alexander J. Howell, perpetual *curate of Darlington, has been sitting for the' last few days in the Town-hall of that town, and brought its investigations to a c lose last Monday afternoon. 'rho cemmissioners were, the Ven. Archdeacon Thorpe, Rev Messrs. Eade, Dike, and Dugard, and Mr. .1. 11. Aylmer , a magistrate of Durham. The proceedings were con ducted with closed doors, bnt the decision was given in, open court. A rc hd eacon Thorpe said he had been deputed by the commissioners to state their unanimous opinion that the charges of drunkenness, and something lik e habitual drunkenness, had been so far proved as to pre sent prima fade evidence against Mr. Howell, and it was their intention to make that report to the bishop, who would be morally and legally required to proceed against him. He would (the ven. archdeacon repeated), b e not only morally bound, but legally bound to do so. The costs of the defence have been met by a subscription is the town. .e.CTENSION OF THE IRON TRADE IN THE NEIGHB O UR' HOOD or L EEDS .— Somo weeks ago, we mentioned the ' erection of a blast furnace at Beeston, by Messrs. Hard ing, who had discovered a valuable bed of iron ore upe° their estate; and now we have to add that this valuable trade is on the eve of very considerable extension on the. opposite side of L ee d s. Messrs. Lassey and Wilcox ane, Mr. Garside have, in working their collieries, come r pen beds of iron ore identical with the Low Moor b ed, and are carrying on the excavation of the ore wit'., ~,eeess' The ore is considered to be fully ecrial to tb- , i;k-',,--n will the Low Moor bed, and all that Messrs, * "" 8, wilc oS have raised is taken by the Low UOol' l'asseY whilst the Bowling Company are eustornars l' company, tr rnp l an l y e'of the or e also extending its operatioar:int. won by Mr. Garside. Th.% )'. .nle e lr w on 'o Cenap a nv i g ascertainedi to have secured fully 3faa no , A - -- , es of land in the same 1( c ility 3 ( 1 Messrs. Lassey And C,',.'s works, and are actively engag e . in preparing i to w '''.. the iron upon the estate. This ore 1 1 a h r e same direction. - Thei r wi th t he - '"D",v Moor bed, and both quantity and quality are unexa-eptionable. At present, we believe the Farnlei e 1- oe of first quality; indeed, it is identio Com pany do not intend erecting a blast furnace on tb spot, but propose carting the ore to Farnley works. THE CRIMMA.—SEBASTOPOL, JANUARY 22.—The enerol e opened a instanth, eavy fire late on the evening of thc, 20th about ten o'cloc, p m., fro m soe n es. batteries on th at part of the kMackenzie ridge wh ict, A' walls in to th e northward of the Tchernaya valley. large qua n tit y of shell was thrown in the direetie" towards th e position at Traktir but was not preiceed 4 ruins far enough. At the same time, the Russian batteries on the heights above the Inkertnann valley fired with more than their usual activity. Some of the work , `," O the north side sent an occasional shot or shell into t" 0 of Sebastopol and its suburbs. The shelling Cr"' t the Mackenzie heights continued rather heavy for fi b 0 3, 11, an hour and then subsided. Our Allies have just e° :,, r pleted some batteries connected with their position, e i .i, the Tchernaya, and have lately commenced another r 7 " rs , to defend their lines in that direction. A weekly 11 , e d fair, for the convenience of officers, has been establi" „, in a central situation, and a sergeant appointed on auctioneer. The weather has continued mild. ' - ', 6 ., Friday afternoon our engineers blew up, m os t suce,e,7 ot fully, the bottom of the west dock, which was one : t u b , under water. To-moriow our Allies are to complet; .iog demolition of their half portion of the docks by hit° side up the front half of the entrance and the right half s of the basin,