The Northern Daily Times. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-01-29 00:00:00

Commercial Zaltl. THIS DAY, at Twel►e o'clock, 8, Chapel-street, branded (1855) Montreal POT ASHES Tars DAY, the 29th instant, at the Brokers' saleroom, 1 57 B a rrels ex Harvest Queen ; 367 Barrels Thin Oblong LINSEED CARE, ex Joseph Rowan, from Montreal.—Apply to Charles B. Buchanan and Co., or to DAVID C. BUCHANAN & CO., Brokers. THIS DAY, the 24 natant, at Half-past One o'clock, at the Commercial saleroom, Temple-court, 120 Barrels Choice American LARD. Apply to Messrs. M'Andrew, Sons and Hall. Merchants, or to WM. GARDNER & CO., Brokers THIS DAY. the 2gth instant, at Twelve o'clock, at the Brokers' office. 13, Exchange-buildings, 1368 Bags Bengal RICE, now landing ex Prompt, from Calcutta. No. 9, Albert Dock. — Apply to T. & H. LITTLEDALE & CO., Brokers. THIS DAY 2gth instant. at Half-past One o'clock, nmerc'al saleroom, Temple-court, About 3000 Boxes American CHEESE, Apply to Messrs. Trimmer and Grainger, Bank-chambers, Cook street, or to AVM• GARDNER & CO.. Brokers. On account of whom it may concern. THIS DAY, the 2gth instant, at Half-past One o'clock, at the Commercial saleroom. Temple-court, 5R7 Barrels French PORK, ex Eugene from Umlaix.—Apply to WM. GARDNER & CO., Brokers, Tars DAY, the 29th instant, at Half-put One o'clock, at the Commercial saleroom, Temple-court, 6 Tierces American PIGS' HEADS, in dry salt, • 17 Hhds. Di. DITTO, in pickle, ex Arctic, from New York,—Apply to WM. GARDNER & CO., Brokers TO-MORROW oth instant, at a Quarter to Eleven o'clock, at the Brokers' office, 11. Temple•court, 250 T•unk Half-Chests ORANGES, ex Gleaner. 200 Boxes Messina DITTO. ex Euphrates, TO-M 0 RHOW, the :60 Casks } Leghorn CHESNUTS, ex Maria Spes Mea. 55 Bags 00 Do. Para NUTS, ex Princess Royal, 50 Do. Turkey FILBERTS, ex Thessalia, HOUGHTON & LEVY, Brokers Apply to e 30th instant, at Twe' now landing ex Fleetwing, Apply to To-sicntaow, the 30th instant, at One o'clock, at the Brokers' office, Exchange-building.i, • 56 Bales COTTON, ex Milton, from New Orleans; lying in y ■ea water damaged Tobin's, Galton-street.—Apply to T. & H. LITTLEDALE & CO., Brokers TO-MOBioW, the 30th ,scant, at the Broker's office 3, Chapel-street, 6 Bales SAFFLOWER, 4 Do, Pers , an Yellow BERRIES, 2 Casks ANNATTO, 9 Do. Scotch ALUM. ALEX. S. MACRAE, Broker. at the Brokers' off.ce, Excha 8 Casks ANNATTO, HARPIN & CO., Brokers ge-place, To-mossow, the 30th instant, at Twelve o'clock, at the Broken' office 10, Oldhall-street, 350 Bags SAGO FLOUR, from Singapore, in Stanley Dock. COX, BROTHER 4, Brokers. Apply to THURSDAY On TOURSDAY next. the 31st instant at Twelve o'clock, at the Broke ,, ' office, 13, Exchange-buildings, 1365 Bags Bengal RICE, landing ex Blackburn, from Calcutta. 2 and 3, Albert Dock.— Apply to T. & H. LITTLEDALE & CO., Brokers. On THURSDAY next, the 31st instant, at Twelve o'clock, at the Brokers' office, Victoria-buildings, Hackin's-hey, 682 Bags RAPESEED, 572 Do. LINSEED, ust landed, ex Blackburn,c from Calutta.llAlbert Dock. —Apply to CORRIE & CO., Brokers FRIDAY On FRIDAY next, the Ist February, at TA elve o'clock, at the Brokers' office. Victoria-buildings, Hackie's-hey, 238 Bales JUTE, just landed ex Chapaltapec, from Calcutta. Albert Dock.—Apply to CORRIE & CO., Brokers. en bah. BONE PHOSPHATES, in Crnst or Pulverised BIRD ISLAND and MEXICAN GUANO, for Analysis, &c. Apply to ARNOTT, BROTHERS, Liver-chambers, Tlthebarn-street TO EXPORTERS VINEGAR. PICKLES, SAUCES, JAMS, &c., Prepared expressly for Exportation. Always on Sale, by EVERY & CO., 35, South John-street. THE ANNUAL SußscßirrioN TO THE NORTHERN DAILY TIMES Is TWO GUINEAS PER ANNUM. EVENING EDITION tsar An Evening Edition of the NORTHERN DAILY TIMES is now Published every Afternoon, at Three o'clock, containing the Markets, together with all the .News of the Day, up to the hour of going to Press. i'd.* IntOtrn firm TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 1856 ---4110... r.-• ON Thursday Parliament will meet for the despatch of business. The QUEEN'S Speech will be the engrossing topic of the day. What the advisers of the Crown will give us, by way of a programme of the past and future, is impossible to predict. With peace negotiations on the tapis her MAJESTY can scarcely harangue her Peers and Commons in a warlike strain. Continental chords must be struck lightly, dulcet notes must be addressed to the American ear, and domestic affairs, though doleful in the extreme, must be chaunted to the airs, " There's a good day coming," and " Cheer boys, " cheer." In such a composition we shall have a tolerably accurate outline of the mental charac. teristics of the leading members of the administra. tion—the light and exquisite finger of the Premier the extraordinary placid reassurance of the Foreign Secretary, and the excessive ponderosity of Sir CORNEWALL LEWIS heaving like an earthquake. We should, in fact, never know our rulers if it were not that they have to go through the ordeal of preparing the Royal Speech. Men speaking for themselves may in these o.ays say what they please ; but, when they come to preparing addresses for others, words are treated according to their real value and used with immense discretion. This, we nay be certain, will be the case in the present instance. No pledge will surely be given that peace is about to be restored ; that an armistice of unprecedented duration will be granted by the victors to a treacherous enemy, or that terms will be accepted which would render a 'renewal of the war as necessary and as as it was held to be before the Peace Conferences have taken place. We have nothing to encourage the hope of the world's tranquillity being restored, beyond the chance of Russia's becoming internally convulsed, and leaving her Southern territories exposed to the inroads of the Allied troop t With reference t o our Transatlantic affairs,s' Her MAJESTY may safely repeat th e stereotyped phrases, and assure both House s o f P arliament that our relations with America ar e o f t h e most friendly character. With regard to oth er foreleg' Powers, little can be said, beyond the fact th a t th ey have not sided with the Allies; even in an expression of opinion ; and that Russia continues to receive money from Holland, and large supplies through the Prussian and Austrian territories. The treaties concluded with Japan and Siam, will, as a matter of course, be alluded to, and then will come our internal affairs, and probably a stray sentence about our Colonies. The prosperous state of our commerce, trade, and industry will be dwelt upon in glowing terms as a prelude to the question of supplies. Here the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER will quake, and the visages of the Ministry will exhibit all the colours of the chameleon. Mr. LABOUCHERE will tremble when allusion is made to the actual con dition of our Colonial Empire ; but Ministers will, one and all, survive the infliction, and return to the duties of office, wonderfully relieved by having disclosed all they conceive is necessary for the country to know. Yet there never was a moment lin our history when greater caution and circum spection were required. The Crown can, in no way, be identified with assurances which may emanate from the most contemptible sources of intrigue, nor be induced to convey to the national of our internal condition which the ear views common-sense of the public cannot sustain Her MAJESTY has nothing to apprehend from dealing with palpable facts. In telling Parliament that while taxation has been doubled no increase has taken place in the circulating medium required to sustain industry, trade, and commerce—that all the vital elements of war are prostrated by usury—that the whole burdens of the State must, under the pre sent monetary system, be thrown upon income and property, as labour, ill-remunerated, and constantly subject to be thrown out of employ ment, cannot answer the calls of the Exchequer,—that local taxation without repre sentation, and, consequently, replete with corrup tion, is fast swamping the productive energies of the country, and must, ere long, render the more just and equitable burdens of the national Exchequer intolerable, and our recognised prin ciples of political economy a pure sham—that in prosecuting the war, if we desire to bring it to speedy issue, we must appeal to the popular voice of Europe, and not rely on Crowned heads and their diplomatic tricksters—and, though last, by far the most conspicious fact, that if we would pre- serve the present unanimity of opinion, and temper of the country, something should be forth with done to relieve trade, as the money market is in much the same state, as it was in the famine year of 1847• Though these statements would be somewhat novel, coming from the Crown, neverthe less, they would be most gratifying to the whole community, as Parliament would then know how to deal with the anomalies and emergencies of the times The fund-holder, the merchant, the manufac turer, and the working millions would then know that relief was at hand, and recreant foreign States would see, in the undisguised disposition of the British ministry to call forth our inexhaustible resources for the prosecution of the war, sufficient grounds to induce them to make their election between a continuance of bloodshed and the restoration of the world's tranquillity on a really enduring basis. We will not be thought premature in endeavouring to anticipate the tone and character of Her MAJESTY'S speech, or suggest ing what the public must think would best become the Cabinet under existing circumstances, as all we have recommended is simply a resume of what we have contended for on many occasions. Our cotemporaries have taken time by the forelock, and anatomised the Royal Speech many days since, as though it had been thrown into their editorial boxes by the hand of some magician. The London Times had a very brilliant leading article on the subject some days before the peace negotiations were talked of, and, therefore, their lucubrations must go for nothing, as far as the war is concerned ; and as they cannot detect the slightest commercial distress or embarrassment in the country, it is as well that those who can should speak out boldly that the administration may not deceive them selves or those who rely on their knowledge of facts and good faith. THE COURT WINDSOR, JAN. 27.—The Queen and Prince, the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, Prince Alfred, Princess Alice, and the Duchess of Kent, the Ladies and Gentlemen of the court, and the domestic household, attended divine service this morning in the private chapel of the castle. The Rev. H. J. Ellison, Vicar of Windsor, officiated. Lord Brougham arrived in''.,Paris on Saturday, on his way from Caimes to London, for the opening of Par liament. The noble and learned Lord appeared to be in excellent health and spirits. LORD ADOLPHUS FITZCLARENCE. —We are gratified to learn the noble and gallant lord is going on very favour ably. His Lordship was able to be removed to the draw ing-room on Saturday for the first time, and there received the Duke of Cambridge, Viscount Falkland, the Earl of Erroll, and other relatives. The noble Lord is, however, much enfeebled by his illness. The Duke of Cambridge had a dinner party on Saturday evening, at his apartments, in St. James's-palace, in com pliment to General Alphonso Della Marmora. There were present to meet the gallant Sardinian General, the Duchess of Cambridge and the Princess Mary, the Countess Helene Kielmansegge, Field Marshal Viscount Hardinge, the Marquis d'Azeglio, Admiral Sir Edmund Lyons, General Sir Harry Jones, Major-General Sir R. Airey, Admiral the Hon. R. S. Dundas, and Colonel Browning. LIVERPOOL BANE RUPTCY COURT.—(Before Mr. Commis sioner Perry.)—ln re JAMES RILEY.—'The bankrupt in this ease had been a glass and earthenware dealer in Chester. He applied this day for his certificate, and his Honour granted one of the second class. THE CHARG E OF SETTING A COTTON MILL ON FIRE AT PREsToN.—EI zabeth Grundy, 14 years of age, was finally examined on Friday, and committed for trial, on a charge of wilfully an d maliciously setting fire to the cotton mill of Mr. W. Seed, D er b y - street, Preston. THE RECTOR'S FEEs.---We understand that the question of the rector's fees is by no means settled, and that the rector is about to commence proceedings in the spiritual court for their recovery, under the provisions of the 10th George IV. The fee, even by the old table, is one shilling, including the registation, and the auditor has only allowed sixpence. TILE WEATHER—ACCIDENT FROM LIGHTNING. Th e weather, for the last few days, has been rather more variable than even January usually presents. It has been alter nately mild and severe, with heavy showers of sleet. Yes terday, about one o'clock, the town was visited by a smart thunder storm, but it was of short duration. While it lasted there were a few flashes of vivid lightning, with heavy peals of thunder, and a fall of bail. The lightning struck the chimney of Messrs Hill's chemical works, Vaux hall-road, and injured it considerably, but we are happy to say we did not hear of any accident to lite or limb. The atmosphere was excessively cold during the afternoon, and some sleet showers fell at intervals. The evening was fine, but there are indications of a heavy fall of rain, or perhaps snow. SUDDEN AND ACCIDENTAL DEATHS.—Elizabeth Connor, aged 56 years, died suddenly at her residence, No. 20, Upper Frederick-street, but at present the cause of death is unknown. A child, named Daniel Christian, seventeen months old, died yesterday morning in Pellew-street, in consequence of injuries received by hts clothes having caught fire. A woman named Elizabeth Turner, who resided in a cellar in Ilornby-street, died yesterday under the following circumstances : On Sunday morning the deceased had a child buried, and it appears the woman afterwards got drunk, and whilst in that state her clothes caught fire, and she was so terribly injured that she died before the police could convey e h tsh e e r ee t ag o sier t is h , e hospital. Maria Cunningham. aged were of such a description twelvellt years , be held instant,in these Thom ts SHILLING These delightful so' and each performanrc died yesterday in the Royal Infirmary ; on the st this clothes t. o caught cause death. and . I n t q h u e e i s n t injuries a r will ies No CONCERTS—PIIILTIARMONIC HALL.— These are kept up with unabated vigour, and the ensemble i s equal to band is now perfectly organised, to the audienc es . nreenlsto give increased satisfaction excepting the far famed Jur'Yetiling we have heard, not all Ea t e h ill' at ltl7ght s en in ted th , e pr emb o r v a in ei c n e g s. t, a v ar i e d bill o f f are at least, as his troupe a is pp p e r a e r s is reci! ' erehe in overture, symphony, ope ra ti c se l ect i on, dance and popul ar and a f ew songs culled both f rom t h e c l assical interspersed. The vocalist during the past school, are Pt week ha s b een Miss Thirw a ll, a l a d y possess i ng a very sweet wanting only experi ence t o b e an admirable vocalist soprano, a n d singing of the beautif u l b u t diffi cu l t " Casta Diva'. Her e7inced powers of a rare order. Thi s wee k a f a i r contralto ' , in person of the admired Miss Fanny Iluddart, undertakes the vocal department, and with grea t cre di t to herself and delight to her hearers. We would remind the public that . this is the last week of these concerts ; and we trust public appreciation will substantially reward Mr. Thomas for his arduous endeayours to please. , MONETARY AND COMMERCIAL. * LIVERPOOL, MONDAY EVENING, There has been a steady and active demand for Cotton to-day, and a large business has been done, the sales amounting to 12,000 bales, of which 5,000 have been taken for speculation and export. Prices continue very firm. The Liverpool Share Market has been very animated to-day, notwithstanding the high rates of Contangos, but did not close quite at the best. The following were the latest quota tions :—Aberdeen, 12a 128. Chester and Birken head, 13 131. Caledonian, 283 288. Chester and Holyhead, 121 13k. Eastern Counties, 9 1-16 9 8-16. East Lancashire, .183 181. Great Northern, 23i 24. Ditto A, 91 103. Great Western, 57 574. Lancashire and Yorkshire Stock 81 811 Liverpool, Crosby, and Southport, 15 151. London and North Western Stock, 981991. Manchester, Sheffield and Lincoln, 253 25k. Ditto Preference, 131 132. Ditto New 6 per cent Pref., 3 Np. Midland Stock, 694 693. North British, 7 11-16 7 13-16. North Staffordshire, 76 73d. South Eastern, 18 7-16 18 9 16. York, New castle, and Berwick, 18ti 183. York and North Mid land, 244 241. Leeds Capital Stock, 13H 143. Dutch Rhenish, 13-16 x all 15-16 p. Ditto New Shares, 2 3-16 21p. Great Western of Canada, 26 26k. Ditto New Shares, 3 7-16 3 9-16 p. Great Luxem bourg, 8g 83d. The movements of the precious Metals last week comprised arrivals to the extent of about 513,1251., and ascertained exports to the amount of about 494,2651. The importations included 15,0001. from Africa; 2,1251. from the Peninsula; and 496,0001. from Australia. The exports comprised 255,6411. to India and China, 28.700/. to the Peninsula, and 5,4001. to the West Indies ; 1,320 ounces of gold to the Continent, and 23,2041. in silver, besides 180,0001. to the Bank of France. By the recent arrivals from Austrrlia, accounts from Tasmania furnish a comparative statement of the revenue of the colony for the quarters end ing 30th June, 1855 and 1854, showing a deficiency in the general revenue of the colony for 1855 of 17,0001., and in the territorial revenue of 909/. The total Customs duties for that period was 50,3191. in 1854, and 34,6741. in 1855. Of this item, the decrease in spirits alone was 7,7981. The Hashmy, from New South \Vales, has arrived, with seventy ounces of gold. Her advices are to the 6th October only, and have therefore been anticipated. In reviewing the receipts of the French railways for the last two years, a comparison between them and the returns published by the companies in Great Britian has been published, showing that while both have increased during the war, the French have progressed more in proportion. The gross amount of receipts on British railways in 1854 is set down at 464 millions of francs, and in 1855 at 506 millions, exhibiting an increase of 46 mil lions ; while the total receipts on French lines were 191 millions in 1854, and 252 millions in 1855, being an augmentation of 61 millions. This speaks well for the general management of the French railways. The earnings of the principal lines for the last week show the following increase as compared with the corresponding week of 1854. North of France, 180,151 f, East of France Old, 116,297 f, Do. New, 5,396 f, Paris and Orleans, 130,143 f, Paris and Lyons, 76,813 f, Lyons and Mediterranean, 155,658 f, West of France, 145,982 f. Accounts from Russia, by way of Hamburg, state that the Russian Government are raising a new Loan (?) in Findland, amounting to 600,000 silver roubles—equivalent to 100,0001. sterling—to be specially collected in that province, towards defray ing the expenses of the war. The recent establishment of Credit Mobilier banks in Spain and Austria, on the basis of the French Bank of Credit, has induced the govern ment of Saxony to concede a similar power to M. Dufour Feronci, consul at Leipsig, and Dr. Otto Hubner, director of the Central Archives at Berlin, authorising them to establish a general institution of credit, for the promotion of agriculture, com merce, and industry, The establishment is to have a capital of 20 millions of thalers. and the com mittee of management to consist of wealthy per sons of distinction, and foreign financiers. The Stock Exchange Market continued to be powerfully affected by the prospects of peace. The funds to day attained a fresh rise of only 3 per cent, notwithstanding an active demand for money both in the Stock Exchange and out of doors. Owing to this pressure a number of loans were obtained from the Bank of England at 6 per cent. Exchanges are also givers of 73 per cent Contango on consols to the March account. In other words the price of consols for the settling of the middle of March is fully per cent higher than that for the 7th of February. This is the result of the extensive operations for a rise which have been entered into from a belief that the waris approach. ing its termination. At the close the quotations were 91 , :f 911. At the Paris Bourse buoyancy also is exhibited. The further rise established to day in the 3 per cents was about ;7 7 per cent. Owing to the large number of applications the subscription list of the Newßank of Egypt was closed this afternoon. The Shares are at 3 to 41 premium. The Railway Share Market continues decidedly good. The tone to day was very good, and prices, at the close, stood as follows : Caledonian, 563 574. Eastern Counties, 93 91. East Lan cashire, 73 73/ Great Northern, 941 951. Ditto A, 78 80. Great Western, 571 58. Lanca shire and Yorkshire, 80/ 81. London and North Western, 98/ 991 Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire, 251 25/. Midland Stock, 69/ 691. North British, 301- 31. South Eastern and Dover, 811 611 York, Newcastle, and Berwick, 731 74i. York and North Midland, 48/ 49/. THE GREAT BRITAIN.--This celebrated steamship having been again taken up by the Government, is being refitted and repaired, to be made available for the conveyance of troops. She will sail from this port on the 9th February, with about 1,100 troops for Malta. SUDDEN DEATH OF A SOLICITOR.—On Saturday last, Mr. William Mosley Perfect, one of the partners of the firm of Messrs. Robinson, Perfect, and Co., of Blackburn, suddenly expired near the Ribchester station, in Billington, near Blackburn. The deceas e d gent l eman h a d b een shooting with a few friends when the melancholy event happened. His loss is much regretted by all in the town who had the pleasure of his acquaintance. SUICIDE AT MANCHESTER.—A young German, of a good and wealthy family, committed suicide at his lodgings in Great Ducie-street, Manchester, on Saturday morning, whilst suffering from a state of temporary insanity produced by a love affair. It appeared that the young gentleman, whose name was Edwin Carstein, and who was 24 years of age, had become passionately attached to a young waitress of one of the public dining rooms in Manchester, but his parents had refused their sanction to his marriage with her. About a week ago he had d ec l are d h i s intention to destroy himself, and a friend slept with him subsequently to watch him. On Friday night he took some opium, which was inoperative ; and, on Saturday morning, while dressing, he shot himself through th e r i g h t l ung, and expired instantly. A portrait of the young woman, and some letters from her, were lying on the bed when he committed the rash act which deprived him of life. THE BILLETING SYSTEM.—DEPUTATION OF LIVERPOOL LICENSED VICTUALLERS TO LORD PANAIURE.-011 Satur day a deputation, appointed by the Liverpool Licensed Victuallers Society, had an interview by special appoint ment with Lord Panmure, for the purpose of representing the grievances under which they laboured, owing to the present system of billeting. The deputation, which was introduced by the Hon. H. F. Berkeley, M.P., consisted of Mr, John Atkinson, of Hurst-street, Liverpool, trustee of the Liverpool Licensed Victuallers Society ; Mr. James Morgan, of the N ork Hotel, Williamson-square, one of the members of the committee ; and Mr. George Candelet, of Manchester, agent to the society. Mr. Atkinson having entered into a statement of the hardships entailed upon the licensed victuallers of Liverpool by the present system of billeting (more than 30,000 men and 400 horses, and a per manent recruiting staff having been billeted in the town during the last year,) Lord Panmure said he would take care to investigate the matter thoroughly, and see whether some means could not be adopted to remedy the evil. The depu tation then withdrew. THE RUGELEY POISONING CASES.—We understand that the Lord Chief Baron has been appointed to try Palmer, and that the assize will be holden at Warwick, commenc ing on the 20th March. A Court-martial assembled on Friday at Portsmouth on board the Victory, to try Mr. Henry Thornton, a c ti ng assistant engineer of the fleet (first class), serving on board her Majesty's sloop Falcon, on a charge of neglect of duty, in consequence of which the port boiler of the said vessel was burnt and otherwise damaged, the casing of the boiler Set on fire, and the safety of the ship thereby endangered, she being at the time under sail and steam. The Court found that the charge had been fully proved, and adjudg e d the pris oner t o b e di s mi sse d f r om her M a j es ty' s s hip F a l con, to be r e d uce d to t h e ran k o f an ass i stant eng i neer of the third c l ass, and to be debarred from promotion for one year, NORTHERN TIMES.-LIVERPOOL, TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 1856. FRANCE. -....-.-.-- (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) PARIS, SUNDAY EVENING Doubts are now thrown on the existence of a circular from Count Nesselrode, explaining the reasons of the Russian government for accepting the Austrian conditions—reasons of a nature said to be unsatisfactory to the Allies. And the Dresden Journal says that the explanation ref the Allies, on the sixth point of the conditions, was known to Russia, before she accepted the first four. These facts have caused things, once again, to assume a couleur de rose. In fact, the confidence in a peaceable issue of the approaching negotiations, has decidedly augmented, and I find that well informed people, who have hitherto entertained the greatest doubts on the matter, are beginning to be seriously shaken; still it will be well for your readers not to be over sanguine. The French are delighted at having Paris chosen as the seat of the conferences ; and they look on it as a just homage to the gloire they have gained in the war. They say that the Emperor of Russia was the first to propose Paris, and that the French Government, from modesty, suggested London. but that the English Cabinet joined the Russian Emperor in electing for this city. A Berlin letter received in this city says that the Emperor of Russia wrote, a few days ago, a very friendly letter to the Emperor of Austria, expres sing his positive desire for peace, and begging that the letter might be communicated to the Emperor Napoleon. The latter, it is added, replied in a similar spirit, and begged that his lett er m i g ht b e communicated to the Emperor Alexander. General Gcrtschakoff arrived at St. Petersburg from the Crimea, on the 24th. In the account which the Moniteur gave of the speech of the English Ambassador at the banquet to the new members of the Order of the Bath, it was stated that he said that " the Allies and par. tieularlarly the English nation" had a strong desire to see peace established. To day the Moniteur gives the very text of my discourse and singular to state it contains no such passage. What his lordship said was this—" Allow me before separating to propose this toast "To the re-establishment of peace!" I do not fear to propose: such a toast in in presence of so many soldiers, for they who know the misfortunes of war, can better than any one appreciate the happiness of peace. God grant that the negotiations which are about to be opened will lead us to a peace as honourable as lasting. I drink also to the French army and navy, and more particularly to the generals, officers, and soldiers, 'the admirals, officers of the navy, and sailors who have taken part in the present war, and who, by their bravery, energy, and devotedness have been able to secure success whendver they were opposed to the enemy." The French Minister of Foreign Affairs in his turn proposed a toast to the English army and navy, and in doing so expressed a hope that they might always fight in conjunction with those of France, and that the alliance between the two countries would never be weakened. These diplomatic speeches, though very well as far as they go, throw, it will,be seen, no great light on the great question of the moment. In addition to the names of the officers nominated to the Order of the Bath, which I have already communicated to you, the Moniteur says that Rear Admirals Penaud and Regault de Genouilly have been nominated Commander and Captains Saisser and Pothnan, of the navy, Companions of the Order. The Sardinian papers continue to manifest the greatest distrust of Russia, and repugnance at the idea of peace. One of the principal of them, the Opinione, of Turin, received this morning, says : " The negotiations, in which Russia takes part, in consequence of a simlllated acceptance of condi tions, will have for her not only the 'advantage of gaining time for [military preparations, but for exciting a rupture of the Anglo-French alliance. Austria shares with her in [these designs. But we doubt not that on this occasion the result will be the same as at the Conferences of Vienna. A dash of the pen of the EmperoiNapoleon will at the decisive moment destroy the schemes of un faithful and perfidious diplomatists." Singu. lar to relate, even the journals of the Austrian provinces of Italy, express doubts that peace will be brought about. And even the official journals of the government, the Milan Gazette, and the Official Gazette, of Vienna, say exactly the same thing. People ask what can the Austrian Govern ment mean by such conduct as this ? The answer probably is, that peace is so unpopular in Italy, that that government fears to encounter unpopu larity by advocating it. A marriage between the King of Sardinia and the daughter of the King of the Belgians, is again spoken of. From a Warsaw letter of the 21st, I make these quotations .—" The streets are filled with troops of beggars, who clamorously insist ou having alms ; the country districts rare also scoured by similar bands, whose prayers for charity strongly resemble threats. There is, in truth, so to speak, a veritable ocean of misery in this unfortunate country. The sudden thawing of the snow has caused it to be feared that the crops will be damaged again this year as they were last. We have scarcely any troops in this city—a proof that the force of the Russian army is running low. We have, however, 6000 militia. When the arrival of these ' orthodox' militia took place, we expected to find them composed of stalwart bands, burning with enthusiasm for Holy Russia, but they consist almost entirely of men exhausted by hunger, or weakness, or age ; most of them had no shoes, all were badly dressed, and their arms were de plorable. They were headed by choristers, singing furious songs against the English, the French and the Turks. The news of the proba bility of peace has been received with the liveliest joy in this city. First, because the country groans under the burden of war, and suffers from a scarcity of labour caused by the immense number of men it has ha.l to supply, and next because Poles are delighted to see Russia hu miliated." Accounts from Constantinople to the 17th have reached Marseilles to-day. They say that the conferences on the Principalities had suspended their deliberations as to the political organisation of them, owing to the English ambassador having pleaded the want of instructions, but that the conference had begun to discuss the situation of the Christian population of Turkey. Dervish Paella had been sent off to attend the Council of War. The probability of peace has given, as was to be expected, a great impulsion to trade in this coun try, and manufacturers have begun to renew pur chases of raw material in the expectation of being overwhelmed with orders. Those who are accus tomed to supply Russia have set to work with spe cial alacrity. It is said, too, that it is already proposed to bring forward the railway, and other projects, which, on account of the war, it was deemed prudent to suspend. PARIS, SATURDAY EVENING The Constitutionnel publishes one of its soi-disant Vienna letters, in which, "to reassure the English newspapers," it is stated that the Allies will con tinue to occupy the Russian territory until Russia shall have faithfully fulfilled all the conditions of the treaty of peace which may be concluded. General de Martimprey, Chief of thetStaff of the French army of the East, has left Paris to return to the Ciimea. He was oue of the members of the Committee of War. The newspapers say that the portfolio of Prince Mensehikoff, taken at the battle of the Alma, and one of the infernal machines of Jacobi, fished up at Cronstadt, have been deposited in the Museum of Artillery. The quantity of cotton sold at Havre, for the week ending Friday, was 8,034 bales, and that imported 16,974 bales. Prices closed at, lfr. below the quotations of the previous week for ordinary sorts. M R . JACKSON, Tug DONCASTER PAWNEROKER.—Ifer Majesty's pardon, and the warrant for the liberation of Mr. J ac k son , the Doncaster pawnbroker, were received at the Wakefield house of correction on Saturday morning, and were immediately communicated to the prisoner, who lost no time in leaving the place, and was in Doncaster at half-past 11 o'clock. During the day, numerous friends and sympa thisers called upon Mr. Jackson to offer him their congra tulations. Ile was convicted on the 6th of December, and has been in actual custody seven weeks and two days. It seems he has never been put to any hard labour, but has had every indulgence the prison regulations would allow. LATEST INTELLIGENCE. SECOND EDITION. POSITION OF PRUSSIA BERLIN, JANUARY 28 The participation of Prussia in the negotiations for peace, and in the Conference, is considered almost certain, France having renounced its oppo sition, and England alone still raising some difficulties. TURKEY IN ASIA. Despatches dated Marseilles, Jan. 27, state that Omer Pasha will soon disembark at Trebizonde, and as soon as the weather improves, he will march upon Erzeroum. Moukmai Pasha has been des patched to organize the defence of the latter place, where 20,000 men are now concentrated General Williams has set out for Moscow, where he will remain a prisoner. ♦ THE FRENCH FUNDS PARIS, JAN. 28 The transactions on the Bourse to-day, closed at the following quotations :—Four and a-half per cents, 95f 25c ; Three per cents, 69f, 60c. SWEDEN. A dispatch dated Hamburg, Monday Evening, informs us that a Royal decree has appeared at Stockholm, ordering the immediate raising of 550,000 dollars banco for military purposes, on the extraordinary credit voted for the defence of the kingdom last year. THE PEACE MOVEMENT. Despatches from Vienna repeat the statement that Russia proposed that the preliminaries of peace shall be signed at Paris. She also expresses, according to this despatch, a strong desire to conclude peace as speedily as possible. Another despatch mentions that on Sunday Count Buol had not obtained the Russian signa ture to all the demands which the Cabinets of England and France have thought proper to signify as being necessary before opening nego ciation s. The Journal des Debats, of yesterday, contains a correspondence from Berlin, in which it is stated that at St. Petersburg it is conceived that Russia has the right, under clause five of the peace propositions, to introduce special conditions on her own account, but it is remarked that if this interpretation were admitted, the claim would be neutralised by con trary provisions. The report is, that in self defence, Russia will demand that England shall impose on herself obligations similar to those Russia has declared her willingness to accept. For example—England to be prevented fortifying Heligoland, which menaces Denmark and all North Germany, and that the number and strength of her ships of war entering the Baltic, be limited. The Independance Beige, of Sunday, publishes the following statement:— " The text of the Russian acceptance arrived at Vienna on the 23rd ; it was found satisfactory on all points. From thence it was forwarded to Paris and London, where it produced the same favourable impression. The necessary authorisations to sign the protocol have been forwarded to M. de Bour queney and Sir Hamilton Seymour. As to the Conferences at Paris, on account of the necessity of waiting for the Turkish Plenipotentiary, they will not probably be opened until the end of February." The fridependance also intimates that Piedmont will only discuss in the Conferences those ques tions in which she, as an Italian Power, is espe cially interested ; and states that Prussia will in all probability be admitted to the Conference, on account of the manner in which she supported the Esterhazy propositions. The following appeared in our Extra Editions o f yesterday : APPROACHING CONFERENCES The Morning Post contains the following :—We are enabled to state, that a protocol will be signed almost immediately at Vienna, by the representatives of Eng land, France, Austria, and Russia, recording the fact of the acceptance of the Austrian proposals by the Cabinet of Russia, and fixing a date for the opening of confer ences upon the basis of those proposals. The conferences will take place in about three weeks from this time, at Paris, which capital was simultaneously proposed as the seat of negotiations both by England and Russia. Plenipotentiaries will be immediately appointed by the powers concerned. Lords Clarendon and Cowley will repres!nt England. The perfect accord which subsists between France and England on the important and vital questions to he submitted to those conferences, make it certain that they will be opened under the most favour able auspices, and we trust they may issue in the hap piest results. The Frankfort Gazette states that the sth point contains not only the clause which forbids the re-construction of Bomarsund but also the demand that the Island of Aland shall be converted into neutral ground, and never be occupied by a Russian garrison. The same journal says that Count Nesselrode will himself probably be at the negotiations. The Piemonte, of Turin, has an article against peace on the proposed terms, couched in a strong, if not stronger, language than any that has been employed by any English journal. The same journal also says : " Russia knows what she is about while the Western Powers apparently do not. In leaving Russia still mistress of Poland she will he left with her principal instrument of aggressive force; she will soon renew her strength. The proposed arrangement is a miserable expedient--a truce and not a peace." The assertions of the German press, that it was Prus sia,:and Prussia only, that decided the Czar to give way, are alluded to by the Paris correspondent of the Times, with a view of showing that, while the Prussian Ambas sador was giving good advice, his colleague at Berlin was urging the Cabinet of Vienna to content itself with the Russian counter-propositions. The forwarding agents in Memel and other places, have received orders from their Russian customers to hold their hands for the present, as the opportunity of sending goods cheaper by water is very shortly expected, by the conclusion of a looked for peace. VIENNA:SUNDAY.—The text of the Russian accept ance of the propositions was received officially on the 23rd. It has been transmitted to London and Paris. The necessary forms are expected immediately for Baron Bourquenzy and Sir Hamilton Seymour to sign a pro tocol. THE CAPE OF Goon HOPE.—We have received files of papers from the Cape of Good Hope to the Bth of Dee. inclusive. The Natal papers publish long accounts of the visit of Sir George Grey to that colony. At Springfield his Excellency visited the sugar estate, and expressed much astonishment at finding an area of 120 acres of cane ripening for next crop. He was, moreover, informed that there were from 400 to 500 in other directions, north and sonth, on the coast lands in a similar state of progress. His Excellency was everwhere received with the greatest enthusiasm. THE EASTERN COUNTIES MEETING.—ReaIIy, unless the Eastern Counties shareholders can manage to conduct their meeting proceedings with more propriety, and them selves in a more gentlemanly manner, it will be better for them not to meet at a'l. Personally we should think some of them will suffer severe shocks to their constitutions from their extremely excited conduct, and may have to pay more in doctors' bills than they will ever receive in dividends from their stock ; and of course, no business worth transacting can be done by a meeting i n a state of uproar. The person who was listened to most attentively was a fellow near us, who successfully imitated the howl of a dog.—lierapath. Too Mucrr AND Too LtrrLE.—The:mate of a transport at Balaklava has been flogged for drunkenness, by order of the Provost Marshal. It appears to be far from cer tain that the man was drunk, a natural stammer having been taken for the defective utterance of intoxication. The case was thus only one of strong suspicion of drunkenness punished with the cat-o'-nine-tails• But, assuming that it was proved drunkenness,llet us , compare the punishment with the treatment of t4e same offence on the part of the clergy, who should be our patterns of conduct, in the ecclsiastical court, which we have lately had occasion to notice. 'The charges in those instances were of habitiial intoxication, not of single eases, and the ready excuse found by the Court for the vice was that the reverend defendant was led into it by a kind and social disposition, The Provost Mar shal at Balakla,va discovered no such extenuating circumstance in the mate's case. It was enough that he found him drunk, or seeming drunk, and he flogged him accordingly. If the culprit had been a clergyman instead of a ship's mate, how much more indulgently his offence would have been treated. Or if, on tha other hand, the rev. rector, whose habitual drunkenness the Arches Court so indulgently ascribed 'to his amiability, had been in the Place of the Mate; in the hands of the Pro vost Marshal, ibist he would have smarted for his cups. Certainly it would seem that the church would be better for a little of the Provost Marshal in its discipline as regards drunkenness, and that the army would not be the worse for some of the leniency of the Arches Court.— Examiner. RAILWAY REFORM. MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS.- YESTERDAY A public meeting of parties interested in railway Pro" perty, resident in Liverpool, Manchester, and the neigh bouring towns, was held at one o'clock, yesterday, in the Cotton Sales' .room, Exchange-buildings, to consider the propriety of forming a Railway Shareholders' Associatio n . The meeting was convened by advertisement, whi ch appeared in the Liverpool ipapers for the first time ° LI Saturday, and:owing, probably, to this shortness of n otice , combined with the inclement character of the weather, th e . attendance was not as numerous as the gene ra ll y a d m itted importance of the subject would warrant. There we re not more than 150 gentlemen present. The chair wad occupied by Lawrence Heyworth, Esq., M.P. ; and Mr' Malins, chairman of the meeting held in London on th e 22nd inst., attended to state the views which were a l ' templated in the formation of the association. The Chairman said: Gentlemen, I dare say you all fee with me that the meeting, for the purpose on which w e are assembled, is of very great importance, and that the matter we have to consider, as far as property is involved in the question, is of the utmost importance. (He al ; hear.) There is no one that has been engaged in railway matters as long, for instance, as I, who have been co lt ' nected with them from the first introduction of the railway system into this country, but must have seen there bag been a crying evil somewhere, which has destroyed th e finest property that was ever brought into action arnoll mankind, and robbed of their just profits those who eta ployed their capital in the construction of works so bea t ' ficial to the general interests of the country. (heat' hear.) Gentlemen, it is desirous that we should find out' if possible, what are the evils which have thus destroy ed our fine property. Mr. Malins is here, as chairmali of t he Association of Railway Proprietors formed in London, t° give us his views and opinions on the subject. He 113 : already stated his opini on o f th e na t ure o f the evils w hin: have fallen on railway property, and in the chief portie" of his views I perfectly coincide. He will pardon a te , i however, if I point out one observation in his publish e i remarks at London—l do not k now if it i s correctly reported or not—in which Ido not coi nc id e . H e seetcst j attach but little importance, in considering the e vils; railway property, to the extensions and branches S"1 • have been generally unproductive, and which have, a s consequence, rendered the first lin es th a t were constructs unprofitable to the original proprietors in the compaa je ; Now, I think that is precisely the point where a ll evils have originated. I believe that if we had kept the great arterial railways disconnected with, and sepa l ' s / from, unprofitable branches and unprofitable extension s if we had kept the London and North-western, the 0 0 11 Western, and the other great le a di ng ar t er i es o f rally/ ai l? throughout the kingdom to themselves, we would nc ti t o receiving the just remuneration of 10 per cent. for ° O , money, and 1 think that is only a f a i r remunerat i on ou t to outlay, or great works like railways, which, at their C mencement were very like speculations, in which o° o ° l could tell whether he would loose or ga i n. (Here , be 0 This evil of making additional branches and extensi e er has never received a sufficient curb from railway C prietors. At the very d awn o f the evil I pro tes o d po i against it, and I know th a t o th ers too protested ag3ity it. For instance, when that branch was first p r opose e , the making of a line from Manchester to Crewe, I P 1 tested against it. H owever, it was/218,de, and tho 4 ' , o o l l abstracted a consid era bl e amount of capital in the or instance, and dimini s h e d our profits on the Grand Jo'ibet) tion line, it in ti me recover itself, it is true, but 'Of our property was depreciated for a period. It W aS t ot quick recovery of that line after it was made'o o caused shareholders to o ver l oo k t h e evil of este r tte lines, but still it is true, that nearly all the other e x lie f sious that have been mad e , an d a ll th e ot h er WI, that have been made through un p ro d uc ti ve districts' o/ uniformly diminished our dividends. It is possibl e ' oef after the commerce of th e country has b een still Or!" developed, and its pop u l a ti on and wealth increased' t,/ unproductive branch lines, a hundred y ea ,.,, hpn , °' y ep also turn out profitable, just as the Manchester :repot line to Crewe, become profitable in much less ' tinie•; still it is the interest of shar e h o ld ers t o protest 4901 any branch lines or extensio ns b e i ng ma d e , air' against the inveterate competition which railways ti3 os i tain between each other. (H e a r , h ear, and 013Pitp Railways ought to look upon their interests as one; 0 1 ought to bear community of interests. Now, wha t G:01 more mad, or foolish policy—and I only mention i t 35 t j instance—what can be more mad :orimpoliti e s s t the contest going on between the Lanc!gt and Yorkshire, V and the Ea;; - company, here at hand. A line was made from the : i re , ' bourhood of Ormski r k t o S outhport. There is 3 line to Southport, which has been purchased by tp e d cashire and Yorkshir e com p any, and the traffic 11(4,,";(1 ought to flow over that li ne . N ow, lam intere st, both of these railways, and, therefore, speak disi li rd edly as regards one or th e o th er. T he traffic Oltpoj flows direct from Liverpool to Southport, over wool belongs to the Lancashi re an d Yorkshire corapaa.eofjv did the East Lancashi re com p any d o, b ut iudeflaile moral feeling—of what is mo ra lly r i g ht between go man—they say to the Lancashire and Yorkshire .0 pany, "we have the power of competing with i °- ti tio' because we have that power, we will put it into e%e e , though to our own injury, and the injury of our holders, and to the injury of you and your share l° for we will have a p or ti on of this traffic, though )t 0 5 0 4 not naturally flow over our line, w h a t ever it n-ti Thus are the int eres t s o f a ll sacr i ficed , because 1 : 0 P aware that the traffic is totally unr emunera tive East Lancashire company, and very little remiln e V 4 if at all, to the L ancas hi re an d Y or k shire compaePoit' I only mention that as an instance of what ig - - upon all the lines. We have all a common inter" , we have all shares more or less in all those railw a/ tr ' ite' what then does it signify whether this railway e° with that railway, when both are our. property? 11 1 5 we should say is this--" observe, gentlemen, t ile " rights which exist between you as companies , would between yourselves- as individuals. you not go and act towards individuals in that way, or e 0 did, you would b e scouted in society, well,Lco,'/, moral in your conduct to the other railways aren a e : (Hear, hear.) Th e very f i rst rupture bet wee n the 0 41, and North West ern an d t h e Great Western eattiii; commenced by an immoral act on the part of ° fie to r j ,' directors of the form er li ne, b ut who is a (11;4 more. The traffic of the Ch e lt en h am and t' district, flowed nat ura ll y : over the Great Wesrtivi but he, acting on the immoral principle which sfr( above pointed out, d ec l ared that the other lio° have a portion of that traffic, and so began tb Wien. Th e resu l t has been, that the one 10-, 1$ ~ formerly paid ()W P 4 it p er cent, now only i 4 e e 7 per cent, ar46l the other li ne , which also 1 33 f per cent, now only pays four or five P e j !*,`, Ruination has c ome upon us, when if they I°selrp" fitowards e e ll a o c v h e O h t :ler as honest men d o among th e m e i 0 ray conscience th a t we weal(' ) receipt of IQ per cent at this day. (Hear, hear',,,i Mr. Marius, after apologising for his presetl ee s tio il l them, on the score of the importance of the ( II 10'1'only to them, but to the w h o l e nation, proceeded tIY that having been invit e d t o appear before as urged by his colleagues in London to att eli oe te ri l Or believed it his duty t o attend, however incitlef:. might be to bri ng the suLdeet, to consider wh iell' '',' assembled, bef ore th em. The capital which 105 e to V S in railways was So enormous as almost to P 5 l i e prehension; but it might be imagined wh°3oArl' that the c a pit a l so embarked, representta t ; preference shares, or debentures and bonds , Il e el ' twenty times as large as the capital of tb„-e 0' pt England, and from six to eight times a s lar'' o P`,, T on 4 10 embarked in the cotton trade, on which the 0 1 ". of of England so much depended. He would 0 or sl y 9 comparison between it and the agricultural re g interest, because he conceived that the fig li ce ,..' already given sufficiently showed its impee rtalj a i f r ;" one of the strangest things to be witnes s ; to v o 4t , property a such magnitude should be allow e o oo decay. (Hear.) 'the downward course was still for he would not call the spurt that 113( 4 8 14 / within the la s t f ew days, in consequence of ` ro gr e o f; of peace, any deviation t o th e downward Ptiell'4 had been g o i ng on. There were a few exce v constructed lines, a n d th e results which el t l t l eP ; og showed that the f au lt was not in the railways f d e ~~ as commercial undertakings, but in the rneclell meat (hem', hear), fo r even unc l e r, nearly o