Northern Times. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-12-31 00:00:00

AV(II3Et4F,Nri, PUBLIC) X.ERTIN6IS, &a. Tamil DAY.I • Timavii ROTA!. —Graml Coalle ea:l:Q.:limn-7 p.m. 116Yar. isr ui AATIL S-Tuaatrivi. Pirformsaaa-7 par.] Qvum'a Hata., Itoi.,r-irra Tar - p oico _s p.m. aiNcti... iR.s Pali rri , !)ale-street —7 p.m. Okg&DVAT'S EXEIRITI•N, Post-OriCe-place. ROYAL ADELrEti CnzArl4—Gra id Comic Pantomime —7 p.m. Itoe•t, PARE 1 . 1.-A ram—Til, Great Park Pi, tonatme. Boa.:.;. JL •• —t.aferal Entertainment-6.mi p.m. rf,c tirerti.ements ers secoad psgs. r rl 4 I Isp. At twelv, o'clock, co-nua?„king n the cutav, .otit'i aide Ssuidon Dock a largo q of ;t •e7. —t•x Za 11 WIT 'N NOTICZ TO ADVISRTISERS. Persons seeking Employment, _parties requiring Servants Assistants orCierks, and those in search of Apartments, or having Lodgings to Let, can best bring their wants under the notice of the public, by advertising in the NORTHERN TIMES. and which, from its large circulation, is the most efficient medium of publicity in this district. The cash price for this special class of advertisements is now reduced to THREEPENCE FOR TWENTY WORDS, and for every additional five words one penny. O❑ SATURDAY NEXT, JANUARY 2, 1858 WILL BE PUBLISHED, THE NORTHERN EK LY TIMES /WITH A SUPPLEMENT, MAKING A TWELVE PAGE, OR 7;2 COLUMN NEWSPAPER, THREE HALF-PENCE. News Ants must, to prevent disappointment, give early orders. 0/110E, 10, SOUTH JOHN-STRZET. , , E-41 ITP a. L I. vi r, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1857. THE DAYS NEWS. The Neat Derby Board of Guardians held tha'r usual weekly meeing yesterday. It was stated by Mr. Cleaver, the clerk, that there had been several more complaints against one of the relieving officers—Mr. Brahman—und he asked the Board whether they were ready to enter into the particu lars of the affair. They did not seem to be in a mind to do so, and the case will be inquired into on another date. The lunacy fee of 103. 6d. to Dr. Nevins was rescinded. The resolution appointing the officers committee was also rescinded. After some routine business, the board adjourned. At th 2 Police-court, yesterday, the case of the alleged murder of the man Leonard, in Copperas hill, was gone into. After some new evidence, the magistrate decided upon committing the accused on the capital charge of murder. A very singular case came before Mr. Aikin, the presiding magistrate, yesterday. Mr. J. H. Isaacs, the well known picture dealer, of Castle -street, preferred a charge of felony against Coleman, his brother-in-law, and, until lately, his manager and cashier. Mr. Isaacs receives prints, Sca., on sale or return. His manager left him about August last. Lately, the firm for whom he sells on commission required certain pictures to be returned. When these were reckoned up, one was found to be wanting, and, after some trouble, Mr. Isaacs learned that it had been pledged, along with others, at Byford'e, Dale-street, for £4o— valued and pledged for £35. Isaacs had Coleman apprehended, and yesterday pro ceeded against him on a charge of felony, but eventually abandoned this, and went on the charge of illegal pledging. Mr. Celeman proved, through his counsel, and the admissions of the prosecutor, that he (Coleman) had been in the habit of pledg ing property belonging to Mr. Isaacs, for the purpose of paying his men on the Saturday night, and Mr. lain consequently dismissed the case, expressing his opinion that it it never ought to have come before the bench. The stagnation of home affairs is broken only by the murmurs of destitution . and discontent among the workmen of the North of England, and the announcements, too frequently recurring, of some crime of greater or less magnitude. The state of things amongst the unemployed at Bradford is described as rather menacing, and reports of murders and fatalities scarcely fall below the average number. The Ve - otus arrived at Marseilles on Tuesday night, and the mails were despatched from that place at ten o'clock yesterday morning. In due course they will reach hero to-morrow (Friday) morning. A controversy is at present going on between some of our metropolitan cotemporaries on the subject of the free emigration of negroes from Africa and the West India Islands. The West Indian negro peasant is, according to the Times," as much like a bsast as ever;" he won't work, be won't cover his person, or shelter himself or his family; he is vagrant and indolent to the last degree. Goose quently, argues our cotemporary, West India planters must be allowed to commit felony by buying Africans, or, at all events, to import Indians as French restaurants supply bread, a discretion. The Daily News, in answer thereto, bring several telling facts against this assertion. It says :—" The true policy of the West India planter is to purchase at its proper market value the labour he allows to be wasting for sugar purposes around him. But the real object of the West India planter is the very reverse of his true policy—it is to lower the rate of wages for field work by immigration. The emancipated peasantry can live without the planters, and their labour is only to be had for substantial wages ; those wages the planters, we have seen, will, not pay, and then, because the peasantry will not work for inadequate remuneration, they are in sulted by being told that they are as much like beasts as ever;' as if at any time or under any circumstances, conscientious, serious, and tem perately minded men could or would apply such a term or use such language to describe any of the human race, 'heirs to immortality,' however low in the scale of civilisation. Some further evidence of the errors of the planters are adduced, and the rapers from which we quote, avers that the Times. endeavouring to lecture upon the matter, brings itself under the category of the blind leading the blind.' " Yesterday the Duke of Portland wee severely burned, by the upsetting of a spirit lamp at his residenoe in London. The foreign news continues to exhibit an unim portant character. An article in the Constitutionnel, a paper known to reflect the sentiments and views of the French Government, openly defends the new slave trade inaugurated by the French from Africa to their West Indian possessions. The paper in question has probably been emboldened thus plainly to avow the purpose of the French government, by the recent declaration of the Times in favour of a revival of slavery. From Persia we learn that the Shah, is about to solemnly recognise his son as heir to the throne ; but the honourable C. Murray, her Majesty's Pleni potentiary at Teheran, objects. because he has chosen an heir himself, who happens to be a different person from . the Shah's choice. The European commission, whose business is finished, since the Wallachian Divan persists in its abstention from all further legislative discussions, is about to leave Bucharest. The Prince of Prussia has declined to open the session of the Prussian Landtag in person. It will be done by the President of the Council. A Stockholm letter states that the session of the Swedish Diet, which has already lasted more than eighteen months, is about to be brought to a close. THE statements contained in the last Indian Mail require the cool and undivided attention of the public. The desperate character of the con test which Sir CoLIN CAMPBELL had to engage in to release the garrison at Lucknow. and the course which the Commander-in-Chief was corn pelled to pursue subsequently —namely, to mass his infantry beyond the reach of the rebels' fire, and to rely on his artillery to harrass and keep the enemy at bay, are indications of numerical weakness which must produce intense anxiety in all dispassionate and reflective minds. The bayonet has done the work of conquest hitherto in all our Indian wars—from the battle of Plassey down even to Sir Coun's attack upon the be,siegers of Alumbagh ; and when this strong and victorious arm is thrown aside for long balls, or what appears to us to be an impracticable line of defensive field operations, we cannot help looking despondingly on what may be the issue. The reason assigned in the Indian newspapers for this change, was a desire on the part of Sir ComN to save his infantry as much as possible, and to keep them together for an emergency. But herein lies the paramount difficulty of an Indian campaign. Congregated numbers add to the dangers to life in the sickly jungle, and the many obstacles to provisioning a large force in the field. Our old and heroic Commander hastened to the rescue of the chivalrous HAVELOCK and his followers, with his usual devotedness to his country, and without waiting to consider the possible hazards of an imperative duty. He saw that this relief movement was one of the most critical exploits of the war, and he put himself at the head of the relieving force. The Commander-in-Chief had scarcely crossed the Ganges, however, before the rebels began to display renewed activity on their whole line of defences on the south side of that river, and around Cawnpore, the base of our operations in Oude. From Dinapore to Gwalior the muti neers were in motion. Sir CoLIN had no sooner attacked the rebels at Lucknow, than we find them advancing in force from Gwalior to Calpee, a fortress only a few miles from Cawnpore. ' Another large force appears in the neighbourhood of Allahabad, to intercept reinforcements from Calcutta. The entire country from Nusseerabad to Saugor, and from Jubbulpore to Neemuch, becomes suddenly alive with Mutineers, while the districts around Meerut and Delhi are found to be infested with moving columns of the enemy, and require large additional forces to open the communication between the evacuated city of Delhi and Agra and Cawnpore. The interruption of this line of communication leaves us in utter ignorance as to what is going on at Ferozepore, Lahore, and Peshawur. The far North and West may be as badly off for succour as the Southern and Eastern portions of the Native States. The renewal of active operations by the rebels in Central India shows clearly that their object is to draw our attention from Oude, and to cut off supplies from the army of the Ganges; and, for the accomplishment of the latter object, we again repeat that the enemy's plans have been most ably devised. And once they get a large body of our troops into Oude, we should not be surprised to find the whole rebel force concentrated at some point on the Jumna, and ready to oppose the advance of further rein forcements, and cutting off the retreat of our Oude army at the same time. The raising of the seige of Lucknow, coupled with the simulta neous movement of the rebels throughout India, are circumstances which must naturally prepare us for news of the most important and interesting character. In other rebellions we have always had a pros pect of a speedy termination of bloodshed by. the offer of terms to the deluded victims of arch traitors. But the refusal of all quarter to the Indian Mutineers, leaves us no such hope. The issue of the struggle depends on the extermi nation of one of two hostile races, and in all such contests it is impossible to say which side can lay claim to the greatest amount of hu manity and wisdom. History ,is, however, a valuable premonitor, and we have yet to learn from its pages that, the destruction of a mighty armed host, wisely selected, carefully cultured, earnestly fostered, perfectly disciplined, rendered equal to any service when ably commanded, and which formed at once the nucleus of mutual confidence, sympathy, dominion, and political life in a conquered country, was not a great an d irreparrable loss. We governed India by British bayonets in Mahommedan hands. By one race we governed a thousand races who despise and loath our rule. Emancipate these from the iron grasp of their Mahommedan masters, and each petty native prince becomes a leader of a turbulent people, and legions of im placable enemies to the British Crown. The wisest heads in India have foreseen all this; and the late governor of the Western Provinces, Mr. CoLviN, was the first to endeavour to stem the torrent of rebellion, by offering terms to the Mutineers. Unfortunately, his farsightedness was not re ceived and seconded by those around him ; and even now, when it has become self evident that without our native Indian army, our hold upon our great Eastern Empire is even more than en dangered, Mr. COLYIN'S policy is loudly condemned. In moments of great public exasperation this is all perfectly natural. The inhuman atrocities committed by the Sepoys have placed their race almost beyond the power of pardon. Had they embarked in a war to deliver their country from its conquerors, and observed the ordinary decencies of armed contests, they might have some claim on mercy. This they have not in an ordinary sense. But when we look coolly on the 150,000,000 of merciless and un tutored beings who will be let loose on civilisation, by the destruction of this savage and debased element of human control, it becomes a question whether, in destroying one of the instruments of civil and political amelioration and established government, we are not making room for a far worse order of things, and raising up a thousand of cut-throats for every Mutineer we slay. We must ignore the existence of politics as a science, if we treat these questions with contempt, and allow natural impulses to direct our actions. The British-Indian popula tion have done these things, and the more thoughtless at home have encouraged them in what, on mature reflection, must appear both rash and impolitic. No one pretends to doubt our power of putting the whole llindoo nation to the sword, if we went about it; but there are few, except 'our most inveterate enemies, who would wish to see us embarked in such an undertaking. It would appear that, at this moment, we find it politic to grant certain privileges to the dethroned King of Delhi and his youthful son. Our communication with this former stronghold of rebels being cut off, exces sively high bribes, and the influence of native princes, are required in order to get a message through the rebel districts. It may, in fact, prove a most providential circumstance that this old man's life was spared ; and, taking the whole position of our Indian affairs ints account, it is sincerely to be hoped that our rulers will throw aside all rashness and view them as great Imperial questions, requiring the utmost dis cretion and foresight of the enlightened and experienced statesman. THE COURT, &e. WIND:O7I, Tuesday.—The Judge Advocate General had an audience of her Majesty yesterday, to submit the pro ceedings of some courts-martial. The Portuguese Minister and Countess de Lavradie arrived in the afternoon on a and in the evening dined with her Majesty. The party also included her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, her Royal Highness the Princess Royal, his Serene Highness the Prince of Leiniugen, Lady Anna Maria Dawson, Lady Augusta Bruce, and ,Sir George Couper. Her Majesty's private band played :afterwards in the drawing room. The Queen rode in the riding house this morning. The Prince Consort, accompanied b) the Prince of Leiniugen, went oat shooting. The Princess Royal walked and drove in the Home-park. The Prince of Wales went to London, and attended a lecture at the Royal Institution. The Duke of Nemours, with his family, visited her Majesty. Lord Dufferin and Lieutenant-Col . W. Frederick Cavendish have succeeded Lord Waterpark and Major-General Berkeley _Drummond as Lord and Groom in Waiting. Teta ROYAL MARAIAGE.-13ERLIN, December 26.—The approaching marriage of Prince Frederick William with the Princess Royal forms just now a most prominent topic of conversation, not only on account of its interest. ing character in itself, and its high political importance in future years, but also, because in the present unhappy state of the reigning Powers, these nuptials, and the ent: y into Berlin, promise to be the only event to mark the coming season. According to the latest arrangements made here, Prince Frederick William will leave this city on the 21st of January, attended by General Baron von Schreckenstein, Major-General von Moltke, Major von Heinz, who is to be the Prince's " Hofrnarschall," or Master of the Household, his two personal adjutants, and an orderly officer. The ladies and gentlemen of the Princess's future household, the Count and Countess Perponcher (Chamberlain and Mistress of the Robes), the Countesses Marie zu Lynar and Wally von Hohea thal, Ladies in Waiting, will, in compliance with an invitation from our Queen, proceed to London previous to the wedding, and enter on their duties as soon as the nuptials are concluded. Not only will the Prince (?) and Princess of Prussia be present at the marriage, but most of the other members of the Royal Family of Prussia will avail themselves of the Queen's invitation, and re pair to London on this occasion. Prince Friedrich Carl and Prince Albrecht, jun., cousins of the bridegroom, Prince Adalbert, cousin of the King, have already accepted the invitation. Prince Carl, the uncle of the bridegroom, has been prevented as yet by indisposition from accepting it definitively. The newly married couple will leave London February 2nd, and proceed from D over to Antwerp in the royal yacht Victoria and Albert ; the 3rd of February is to be devoted to a visit to the Belgian Court at Brussels ; on the 4th they will cross the Prussian frontier at Aix-la-Chapelle, and stop that night at Cologne. On the following day, the sth of February, they pass on to Hanover, and, after a stay of a few hours there, will proceed as far as Magdeburg, where they will rest again, and on the 6th will arrive at Potsdam. February 7th will be passed in Potsdam, and possibly on the evening of that day the young couple will continue their progress to Charlottenburg, from which more convenient spot they will make their public entry into Berlin on the Bth of that month. The question of their stopping a night at Charlottenburg previous to the public entry doubtless depends upon the Bing's health and circumstances. On a former occasion I men tioned that the Prince of Prussia had, in consideration o f the cold weather probably to be expected on the occasion, struck out of the programme of the ceremonial to be observed at the public tintry of the newly married couple the item of the young girls, who should, according to prescriptive custom, receive the bride at the gates of the town in bridal costume, and present her with flowers, &c. It is understood, however, that the Princess Royal has since then expressed the wish that this youthful party may be admitted to present to her their whiteclad selves, their address, and their flowers, the next day after her entry at the Schloss, where the Prince and Princess will reside until the summer admits of their removing to Babertsberr, the Prince of Prussia's seat at Potsdam . There is a great commotion to be noticed already in the ranks of the virgin aspirants to the honour of being included in this favoured band, but the vast majority of those already looking forward to it are doomed to disap pointment, for only about 200 of them can possibly be admitted, and the very numerous municipal officers of the city of Berlin seem to rejoice in an unusually large number of female descendants; the ill-starred damsels, therefore, who cannot boast of Berlin aldermen or com mon councilmen as their progenitors, have but small chance of sporting their white satin shoes on this occasion. The different guilds and trades unions which are entitled by prescriptive right to form part of the procession on this occasion of the public entry of the bride and bridegroom have already had various meetings at the Rathhaus for the purpose of arranging the numbers of the masters, journeymen, and apprentices that shall be admitted to its ranks, and the order of precedence to be accorded to each. Various trades have voted from 1,000 to 2,000 thalers for the furbishing up of their flags, emblems, &c., or for the providing additional bravery. The butchers boast of the Iroud privilege of appearing on such occasions on horseback, and great is the activity observable at present in the titling schools, in which was- THE NORTHERN TIMES.---LIVERPOOL, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 18:47 tors and men are alike busy in perfecting themselves in the elements of equitation, and very considerable studs of horses are being got together by liverymen and jobmas ters to supply for sale or hire the quadrupeds required for the cavalcade. On the evening of the day of the entry into the capital there is to be a general illumination, which promises to be something unusually attractive. The municipal authorities hive voted a very handsome sum for the illumination of such remarkable buildings and works of art as do not fall within the ordinary range of Governmental or Ministerial care. Thus, for instance, it is intended that the Victoria which rides triumphant in her quadriga on the Brandenburg Thor shall be rendered resplendent in eleetrio light; while the colessal statute of Frederick the Great and the other monuments at the west-end of the town shall also be lit up with gas. The Schloss, the Palaces of the different Royal Princes, the Ministerial hotels, and all the public buildings in the town will, on this occasion, shine forth in unwonted light. The gala opera which is to be given 'on this occasion, when' doubtless, the young married couple, as well as the whole Court, will be present, is. to be Spontini's Vestalin, a composition generally chosen for these occasions of pomp, sot so much on the merit of its score as on the score of its merit—viz., as a musical spectacle. The decorations and dresses are to be quite new for the coming fete, and the rehearsals of the choruses and the processions have already commenced. Prince Frederick William will probaly take up his abode in the suite of apartments destined for his temporary abode in the Schloss even before he sets off from here to London; but this arrangement does not prevent him from bestowing very unremitted attention to the progress of the Palace that is being got ready for him. The Princess of Prussia accompanied him this day last week to the new building and inspected the works very carefully, accompanied by the architect, Professor Strack. The exterior is now finished, with the exception of the portico, which is to be added to It; and the interior is sufficiently far adianeed for one to be able to appreciate the judicious and convenient alterations that have been made in it. One of the most prominent ornaments, that will strike the eye of every visitor immediately on entering the main hall, will be a statute that will stand on the first I • andtngsplace of the main staircase, representing the late King, who lived and died under that roof, and whose memory is' so closely intertwined with this " the old Being's Palace." that he may be looked on as the genius of the place. At the foot of this staircase two marble Victories will stand and form an arch of entrance to it by the inter. wreathing of the sprays of palm which they extend towards each other over their heads ; these two Victories may be looked on as allegorizing the glorious days of Quatro Bras and Waterloo, that laid open the joint path of victory to La Belle Alliance, that well-named precursor of the event now about to crown the happy results of a bygone struggle. ,The Gedenk Hall, in the new Palace, which the talent and munificence of Berlin intends to adorn with choice works of art, as a testimonial of respect and attachment to the future occupants of the Palace, will hardly be so richly fitted up as its originators contemplated in the first instance. Prussia is not over rich at the best of times, and since this plan was set on foot the country has had its purse called on most imperatively on three different occasions—during the summer by numerous conflagrations, which burned down whole villages ; since then by the explosion at Mayence ; and last, but far from least, by the late commercial crisis. In another point of view the greatest loss of all has been the death of Rauch.—Times S ERIGUS ACCID ‘NT. —George Monson was run ever in Strand street by a brewer's dray, and dreadfully injured. He li - s at the Southern Hospital in a dangeroni state. ELECTION OF SURGEON TO THE SOUTHERN HOSPITAL . Yes'erday, Mr. Hitiginson was elected house su-geon of the Southern Hospital, is the room of Dr. Ninshull, who has retired. NEW CATHOLIC Cnurtcu,Ansa LANE.—Yesterday, the new Catholic Church of St. James, Marsh-Isne, Bootle, was opened with the usual earem'nies prescribed by the Catholic Church. LEWIS AND COMPANY'S NEW ESTABLISHMENT NOR BOY'S CLOTHING.—Number of boys clothed for the weak ending Saturday, December 26th, 1,016 ; corresponding week last year, 547—increase, 469. THE GREAT BARON or BEEF.—Tbe great baron of beef (alluded to in our report of the Christmas markets) dressed by Mr. Lowthian, of John's Market, will be roasted this day at Mr. Morrish's Merchant Dining Rooms, Tithe barn-street, awl, no doubt, from its superiority, will attract more attention than the last great joint of this sort cooked at these Sae rooms. The clipper ship, Alice Walton, belonging to Messrs. Edmund Tacm:non and Co., (Nferaey line), sailed for Mel bourne, yesterday, having on board a large and valuable cargo, and a full complement of passengers. The beautiful new clipper ship, Florine, is announced as the succeeding paelcct, and on her last passage to B)mbay, she made the 4xtraordinary rust of 327 miles per diem. She will doubtless make a rapid run out. We understand her chief cabins, which are unusually large and commodious, are engaged nearly full. A CHRISTMAS PRESENT FROM HER. MAJESTY THE QUEEN TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCE ALFRED.--HCF Majesty having decided on presenting to Prince Alfred a marine chronometer as a Christmas present, and being deeirions that it should be one of the highest character for performance, cau ed enquiries to he made as to the beat method o f securing such an instrument. The Prince Consort having been made acquainted with the means employed at the Liverpool Observatory for testing the value of these instruments, expressed his entire) approval of the method. Mr. Towseu, secretary to the Local Marine Board, was therefore directed to select an instrument with the performance of which he should be best satiefi By means of the records kept at the Liverpool Observatory, he was enabled to select one from fifty-fire new chronometers, without reference to the name of the maker. The instrument chosen was " No, 6054, Thomas Russell and Son, Slater-street, Liverpool," and the Prince has expressed himself very much pleased with it, from the high ch tracter it bears and also from its external appearance. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE —MERSEY DOCKS AND HARBOUR BOARD.—The Council of the Chamber met yesterday, when the fAlowieg list of proposed candidates for the Provisional Board, to be elected on the Ist January near, was agreed to, and ordered to be forwarded, with a voting paper, to each of the dock ratepayers :—M , s;re. T. D. Anderson, R. Brocklebank, Eyre Fvans, T. B. Forwood, R. Gladstone, S. R. Graves, J. Hubback, W. Inman, G. Kendall, John Laird, H. Litoledale, J. Mondel, Robert R inkin, Wm. Ratbbone, jtin., J. Smith, J. A. Tobin, and Charles Tnrner. The list was accompanied by the annexed circular : —"Sir : Your name appearing upon the list of voters for the eighteen members of the Provisional third, to be elected on Friday next, Ist January, between the hours of ten and four o'clock, the Council of the Chamber of Commerce beg respectfully to enclose a voting paper containing the names of the eighteen gentlemen recom mended by the Council for el,ction. I am, 6ee , JOHN TORR, Preestdent of the Chamber of Commerce._ Liverpool Office in London.—lmmediately after the above meeting, a conference of the deputies from the various commercial associations was held, when it was resolved— " That in the opinion of this conference, Mr. Baines and Mr. Tronson are the fittest of the candidates submitted to it for filling the vacant office in London; and Mr. Tronson having withdrawn his candidature, the conference has much pleasure in recording its u nan i mous vote i n f avour o f M r. Baines, and that it be suggested to each of the publie bodies supporting the office, the propriety of somewhat incesasing the amount of its sehscription, in order th it the emolument to be derived by the agent may be better proportioned to the services required at his hands." CALEDONIAN LITERARY SOCIETY.—The anniversary of of this association, established in this town a few years ago, was, last night, commemmorwed in the Caledonian Hotel, Duke street. Dinner was, by arrangement, on the table at seven o'clock, at which hour the members began to muster strongly. The Rev. Mr. Forfar, of the Scotch Church, presided ; and, among the members and supporters of this combination, we noticed seva al gentlemen whose names stand high in connection with the town and trade of Liverpool. The laudable objects of this association, though, comparatively speaking, in its infancy, are too well known to require comment at oar hands, their own prospectus fully explains. The cloth being removed, the Chairman, after the usual loyal toasts, including the " Navy, Royal and Merchant ;" and, though last not least, the "Bcitish Army of the Union"—their exploits, whether by flood or field, their distinguished commanders, &c., each in turn. After which followed tho toast of the evening, " Success to the Caledonian Literary Society," which was heartily received and enthusiastically responded to. After which sentiment and song circulated har moniously, interpersed with fluent flashes of real native wit: Our space will not permit ni to eater upon detail; suffice it to say that a more happy evening, combined with intelligence, could no ,here be spent. The leading members of this praiseworthy Association enjoyed an intellectual feast among themselves, which could not be appreciated by aliens. It were indeed unkind as well as unjust to conclude this hasty notice without adverting to the excellent taste of the most worthy landlady, Mrs. Captain Chenoweth, who on this occa , ion as well as on all former similar occasions, displayed her usual good taste as a caterer 1(4 for deservedly numerous patrongere, MONETARY AND COMMERCIAL. LtvEnrooL, Wednesday Evening. An active demand continues to prevail for Cotton, and prices are very well maintained. The sales to-day were about 12 000 bales, 8,000 of which were on speculation and for export. The upward movement continues in the Liver pool Share Market. To-day there was a good business done, and prices are higher than those current yesterday. Miscellaneous Shares. Blackburn Chester and Birkenhead.. ..... Cale on:an . Chester and Holyhead ... Eastern Counties. East Lancashire ........ . 9 hhare3 ..... . Great Northern.... G , eat Western . ... Lancashire and Yorkshlro Stock.. Do. £9 shares .............. Liverpool, Crosby, and Southport.. London and N'Orth Western Stoce Do. Ish res Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln Midland Stock .... North British . North Staffordshire North lantern—Be7wick ........ York and North Midland—. Leeds Capital Stock.. ...... South Eastern and Dover .. FOREIGN. Buff.,lo and Lake Huron Ditto New Shares Dutch Rhenish„ Great Western of Canada.... Di. to New Share., . . Gr.-at Luxembourg.. Grand Truck of Canada ........ • • Cloa. Prices To-day. 9i .. 6St .. 6g 42a 421 17i 17a 114 11 15-16 92 .. 93 par .. IP 24 24} 10 .. 10a 55 .. 55 914 .. 94 iP .. 181 934 984 11-16.. 41 .. 414 914 .. 911 124 .. 13 31 3 d 24i .. 24f 424 .. 42; 26f .. 27/ 21 19-16 211 15 .. 151 6 .. 51 34 .. 3 d 2 .. 201 • • 1 1 4 - 1 71 .. 71 2/ ...12 7-.6 Loc tr. gIIkILES. Bank of Liverpool.. ••••1 e orough Dlto Pronal,sory N0te5....... Ditto 6 Months Ditto 12 „ cash without Ditto 18 ~ recourse. Ditto 24 Commercial. Liverpool and London Fire & Life Royal Insurance L n 'ashire Instipanze Mugnel releg.aph ...... 11, 11 15.16 921 c 941, 942-, Hi- 98, 1,8, f s 98i, I Dd,1,11-i6 90i, i t , li, I, G, a 24i ic, 42! 21, I, 2, 7 3, Z. 12j, 21 .. 21} Oct. 24, '57 96 93 91 .. 93 86 .. 87 82 .. 84 11-1 .. 12 8 81 311 .. 3f id 37 .. 33 intereit included 92 87 83 Increased ease is experienced in the Money Market, but there is good demand, in consequence of the preparations in progress for the heavy mass of commercial paper, due on the 4th prox. The liquidation of annual accounts also stimulates the demand, but there is an abundant supply, and the tames are easier, bills having been discounted as low as 6f and 7 per cent. A further decline of the minimum is therefore expected, but not until after the January dividends are pail. The distribution of the interest on Consols will add to the easiness of the money market, and promote investments in public securities. In the Market for the Public Funds and Securi ti is today there has been a fluctuation to the extent of per cent, under the influence of the speculator who was " declared" two days ago. This event has proved more serious than was at first imagined, and, until the settlement, the quo tations will no doubt continue variable. The Party referred to refuses to give up his books, and thus it is difficult to close his engagements, and whenever any of them are terminated the market is immediately affected. The fluctuation thus occasioned no doubt induces many of the speculators to retire from the market. Consols, from 93! 934. dropped to 93; 931, but at the close of the Market they had advanced to 931 to 934: for the account. The Now Three per Cents. were quoted at 93-4 to Oli. The London Railway Share Market was animated to day. London and - North Westerns and Great Northerns are only one per cent. Midlands have reached 901. North Staffords were in especial favour. The following were the closing prices :- Caledonians, 851 ; Chester and Holyhead, 34, 35 ; Eastern Counties, 114, 12; East Lancashire, 911, 924 ; Great Northern, 98, 99 ; Do. A, 84, 86 ; Grand Trunk of Canada, 494, 50 ; Great Western of Canada, 203, 201 ; Do., (new), 3, Great Westerns, 543, 553 ; Lancashire and Yorkshire, 941, 95 ; London and North Western 084, 99 ; London and South Western, 96, 97 ; Leeds Northern, 544; Manchester. Sheffield, and Lin ncolnshire, 41 ; Oxford, Worcester, and Wolver hampton, 304, 311 ; South Eastern, 714, 724 , Midland, 913, 914; North British, 02, 93 ; Mexican, 201, 2^ ; Northern of France, 383 ; Paris and Strasburg, 271; Paris and Lyons, 341, 344; York and North Midland, 854. 864 ; York, Newcastle, and Barwick, 974, 93 ; Western of France, 264, 274 ; Sanabres and Meuse, 74, 7 ; Namur and Liege, 81 ; Great Luxembourg, 7 4 , 73 ; Antwerp and Rotterdam, 64, 66 ; Dutch Rhenish, 21, ; Lombardo Venetian, 58, 5 3 . After official hours, the following were the quota tions :-Caledonians, 851. 854; Eastern Counties, 593, 603 ; East LanCashire, 914, 924 ; Great Westerns, 524, 55; Great Northern, 974, 984; ditto A, 84,86 ; London and North Western, 984, 99. The amount of gold purchased by the Bank of England yesterday was 140,0001, inclusive of 90,0001. or 100,0001. in bar gold and United States coin ex the steamer America, but exclusive of 30,0001. is sovereigas received from Scotland. A large quantity of sovereigns ex the America are understood to have been sent yesterday into the branch of the Bank at Liverpool. The total amount of gold purchased by the Bank since the date of the last return is calculated at about half a million, inclusive of SOlll3 consider. able parcels of sovereigns received from Ireland, whence more coin is coming. Notwithstanding the abatement of the crisis, its effects are still exhibited in occasional failures, and during the next two or three weeks several small firms will no doubt be compelled to succumb. Four London failures were announced yesterday, viz., Messrs. Hinton Brothers in the Italian trade, and Messrs. Lupton, Hooton, and Co., warehouse men, Messrs. T. M Waters and Co., of Fenchurch street, wine and general merchants ; and Mr. E. L. Goetz, of Crutched-friars, described as wine merchant and general agent. The liabilities in each ease are small. At Vienna the Bourse shows some duhitsss, but nearly all the other continental stock markets on Monday were better. At Amsterdam Spanish, Portuguese, Mexican, Granadian, and Venezuelan Bends ware all in demand and higher. Austrian stock rose per cent. At Berlin a rise of 2 per cent. is announced in Russian Five per Cents. At Hamburg the recent improvement in the money market is maintained. The steamer Alhambra has taken out 14 9101. in specie to the Peninsula. - The steamer Dolphin has brought 26,0001. in silver from Antwerp. The transactions in silver for transmission to the East, by the steamer Colombo, on 4th of January, continue on a very limited scale The East India Company are not expected to make any remittances of silver by this packet, an 1 those on private account will probably be under 200,0001. The Bonds of the State of Alabama, guaranteed by the Bank of Mobile, due on the Ist proximo, will be paid by the Union Bank of London. The interest on the South Australian Govern ment Bonds will be paid on the Ist proximo, and also on the New South Wales Government Debentures. The half-yearly dividends on the South Carolina are also advertised for payment on the same day. Dividends, at the rate of 8 and 5 per cent., are declared by the Scottish Union Fire and Life Insurance Company, and the British Industrial Life Company respectively. A NOVEL TRADE CIRCULAR.—The following is a copy of a circular ree.;ivea by a Canterbury tradesman, with a present. from a London house, on Christmas eve :—" We forward you herewith our usual Christmas present, and sinctre!y wish you and yours health, happiness, and prosperity. The year, now speedily drawing to its close, will be long and painfully remembered. The Indian mutiny and the commercial panic are without precedent is the world's annals; but we anticipate brighter and better days. The light of Sacred Truth will dawn on the millions of India, and chase away the darkness and cruelty of idolatry ; and we trust that the expose of that hollow system in which many merchant princes have long speculated in this and other countries will induce a more healthful spirit of hottest industry and enterprise among all olams." TELEGRAPHIC NEWS►. THE CALCUTTA AND CHINA MAILS. We have been favoured by the Peninsular and Oriental Company with the following message, received by them from Marseilles. The steamship Vectus, with tha Calcutta and China mails, arrived at Marseilles on Tuesday night. The mails left for London at 10 on Wednesday morning. COMMERCIAL GENIUS.—Fond parent(to his son)—"yes, New York is the Wale to get to in. Look at Jamez ; he started without a penny, and has lately failed for a hundred and fi ty thousand dellars. Of course, that's an extreme case. I don't expect you to do as well as that. Still, with honesty and industry, I sea no reason why you should not, in a few years, fail for fifty thousani dollars." N. Y. Picayune. INSTRUMRNT OF TORTURE, ALLEGED TO BE OF BIRMINGHAM MANUFACTURE.—IdoIs for Africa, and false coins for most parts of the world, have given Birmingham some celebrity, but all that is surpassed. if the Gazette is to be believed, by an instrument of torture made here and used by the King of Delhi. It is one of the most horrible inventions ever heard of, completely crushing the victim under a heavy weight.—Birmingham Press. TAE IRONMASTERS OF YORKSHIRE.—The dispute between the master and men at the Park Gate Ironworks and Midland Iron Company is at an end. The men returned to their work on Monday at former prices. Th 3 attempted reduction of 10 per cent. will, however, take effect without further notice, should wages suffer a corresponding reduc tion in the Staffordshire districts. Reductions of from 20 to 30 par cent. have been made in the wages of those engaged in the iron trade of Wales and the north of England. DUELLING IN ALABAMA.—Among the oaths adin'nistered. to G vernor Moore at his inauguration was the following: —" Do S ou solemnly swear that you have not, directly or indictly, giver, accepted or knowingly carried a challenge in writing or otherwise, to any parson losing a citizen of this Sate, to fight with dead'y weapons, either in or out of this State ; or aided or abetted in the same since you have been a citizen thereof ; and that you will not, directly or indirectly, give, accept, or knowingly carry a challenge to any parson, being a citizen of this State, to fight, with deadly weapons, either in or oat of the State, or in any manner aid 07 :Ott the same during your continuance in office ?"—New York Journal of Commerce. RFDUCTION of 'IIIE SHIP LETTEit RATE OF POSTAGE.-- On the let of Jaeuary next and thenceforward, the British rate of postage upon letters despa` clied from any port of the United Kingdom by a private ship, whether steamer or sailing vessel, will be reduced to 6,1 the half ounce, in ail cases where it new exceeds that sum. The charge upon letters above half an ounce in weight wiil increase according to the scale for charging inland letters. Lath ra conveyed by private ship from this country to France or Baygium will continue liable to a combined British and Foreign rate of fourpence the half-ounce ; and letters conveyed by private ship to Holland, Hamburgh, or Bremer, will still be charged with a combined British and Foreign rate of eightpenco the half-ounce, as heretofore. TIIE Crrunco-RATE CONTEST AT Gremaxwictr.—The poll of the ratep iyers of the parish of Greenwich has terminated in the triumph of the churchwardens. At the close of the poll, last evening, the votes were declared as follows : For a church-rate of one penny in the pound, 921 ; against the rase, 381 ; majority in favour of the rate, 540. A meeting of the Anti Church-rate Committee, appointed at a public meeting on Saturday, has been held, and it was decided to dispute the legality of the rate, on the grounds that the rev, chairman, at the vestry, called for making the rate, refused to pat an amendment for an adjouroment, in order to revise the estimates, and it is contended that the celebrated Braintree case decided the right of a vestry to vote upon every item of the estimates ; a decision which is supported by the opinion of Mr. Baron Bramwell, Sir Fitzroy Kelly, and other eminent lawyers. IMPERIAL GIFT TO THE SourH KENSINGTON MITSEUM.-- We have much plensurc in learliing that Prince Napoleon has transmitted to the CismnoiVee of Council on Education a very int resting specimen of Gobelia tqestry, the subject being " Arria presenting the dagger to her husband Pallls, after having stabbed herself." This piece of work was commenced under Louis XVI., was completed during the republic, and received its border in the early days of the first empire. It was given on his marriage in 1807 to Jerome, King of Westphalia, by the Emperor, his brother. Prince Jerome his just given it to his s:11 Prince Napoleon, in order Vint it might be presented to the Mus:lint of Art at South Kensington, as some proof of the interest which they both took in that establishment. Viewed for its money worth, this specimen must have been valued at above £2,000 ; but, looking to the curious facts of its history, it is of far higher valve, vs an evidence of the friendly relations which have sprung up between the two countries, net merely in politics, but in the promotion of the arts. STATE OF TRADE IN FEtNCE.—The report of commer cial affairs for the past week may be regards 1 as rather more satisfactory. In Paris a very fair amount of business has been done daring the wee‘e, and the small dealers along the boulevards already seem tolerably well satisfied, which implies that they must have sold a large quantity of their wares. At Havre, the demand for cotton has bean active, the sales of the week amounVng to 5,500 bales, and the arrivals to 7,500. The stock of cotton now on hand exceeds 81,400 bales, being 33,700 more than at the corresponding period of last year. Prices have undergone but a trifling alteration since the last report. Several purchases of printed calicoes have been made at Rouen for abroad, but the prices have been generaky rather low. Business at Mulhausen shows some improvement, several orders from the south having been receives; prices were becoming firmer. At Roubaix, business was also more active, and some considerable purchases had been made. At Lyons the demand for silk goods shows a decided improvement, and sengeine hopes arc entertained that a favourable reactien in business is on the eve of taking 'lace. —Galignani. SINGULAR AND DIiTRESSING ACCIDENT.—We have to announce, with deep regret, the loss of one of the m ost respected members of the legal profession in this town, by a very singular though easily to be explained accident, Mr. Cambridge, senior, whose reti-ement from the clerkship of the Court of Guardians, which he had held for so long a pert )d, we recent'y noticed, had breakfasted at his usual hour on Sunday morning, and afterwards went out to look at his o'geros. kept i i a loft to which there was access from the laurdry by a ladder and a folding trip-door, Mrs. Cambrilge having jest left him to p re pare for accompanying him to church. A short time atte-, Mrs. Cambridge, passng through the launiry, observed him with his head between the trap-doors, and at first supposed that be was listening to the pigeons, but as he did not answer she went nearer, xvh n to her horror, she found him suspended between the flips of the trapdoor, having either lost his footing on the ladder from the trapdoor falling unexpectedly, or hiving pulled down the shutters upon himself in coeseqecnce of losing his foothold. Mrs. Cambridge and her servant, in their agitation, were unable to extricets the lifeless body, but an alarm being given it was taken down, and found to be quite dead. We lately remarked that Mr. Cambridge's Inn; conaexion with our parochial affairs was distinguished by his careful avoidance of litigation ; and this honourable trait was especially noticed by the coroner as having marked his general practice. Mr. Cambridge was in the 72. ad year of his age.—Bury and Norwich Post, SERIOUS ACCIDENT YESTERDAY MORNING —newly ESCAPE or Foust MEN.—A fearful amount of excite ment prevailed yesterday morning, at ton o'clock, in the locality of Canning-place, Sailor's Home , in consequence of a report that a portion of the new Custom House Bazaar had fallen in and killed several men, who ware at work on the !milling. The place eni g . immediately crowded, and the deepest anxiety was raani fest. We are glad to say, however, that no lives, Wer e lost, although it seems almost a miracle how the men were preserved. The facts are these : —At the time stated, four men, named Philip Bond, foreman bricklayer; Ite°_ d eli Woods, William Ward, and John Carron, thr e e joine' wore engaged at what is termed " striking the centre of e i fi t arch ;" that is, taking away the props and still e d of the arch, thinking the masonry wo r k wa s set".. properly. It 'would seem otherwise, f or on ... moving one of the main props, the whole lnag fs bricks, wood, and i-on came down with a te rr ible cr a 'a t ' i burying the four men in the ruins. Bond a nd Vt r c ) °_ e were thrown into the c. liar, and for a moment all consideT; the men were smashed to pieces, as the weight f tpi ri materials that fell on them was enormous. Police-office Joseph Isaacs, 327, and John Dill, 54, were instantly on a bout the spot, and with the assistance of the mentar to the place, and a portion of the pubic, set vigo r° to work to extricate the sufferers, and eat great exertions, through a large mess ef debris, they the poor fellows out alive. They were at onc e conveyed r ebid to the Southern gospital, when every attention was no to them. They are dreadfully bruised, bat it is sw a n bones are broken. Looking at the place and the h i e l of the accident, it is quite astonishing how Of pro n 7. escaped being crushed to atoms, bat the hand t about done* was about them. There are auroral rumou rs the accide4tl but we do not give publicity to any of these, Oho the Oft