The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-02-25 00:00:00

THEATRE-ROYAL, LIVERPOOL. rrHE Public is respectfully informed, that this Establish -11 went will be OPENED, for the SEASON, on MONDAY, MARCII 23d, on which Evening MIS ELLEN TREE, of the Theatre-Royal,S Covent-garden, who is engaged for a limited num b er of nights, and will make her appearance in her original character of the Countess of Eppenstein, in the last new and highly successful Play, (written by James Sheridan Knowles, Esq.,) called L 0 E , which will be produced with new Scene , Dresses, Decora tions, &c. The new Play of THE LEGE OF FLORENCE, written by Leigh Hunt, Esq., as no performing- with great success at the Theatre-royal, Covent-garden, will also be pro duced during Miss Tree's Engagement. Full particulars will h e day annobnced by future Adver tisements and Bills. LIVER THEATRE, CHURCH-STREET, In consequence of the great attraction of that celebrated and justly popular comedian, Mr. T. D. RlCE,,during his re cent engagement at this Theatre, the managers have been induced to Re-engage him for Six NIGHTS ONLY, being the very latest period he can delay is departure for America. Mr. J. L. HATTON, for a united Period. JACK SHEPPARD, having proved triumphantly successful, will be repeated for oneweek more. THIS present TUESDAY EVENING, the 25th, TO MORROW, the 26th, and THURSDAY, the 27th instant, the Entertainments will commence with a new Drama, entitled THE PLEDGE OF LOVE : OR, JIM CROW IN THE ARMY. Sir Hector Florid, Mr. Higgie ; Capt. Mr. Barton ; Jim Crow, Mr. T. D. Rice ; Susan Mrs. Barton. After which, an admired HIGHLAND FLING, by Mad'le. Chevalier, and a popular PAS SEUL, by Miss Thornassin. To be followed by a laughable Negro Farce, written expressly for Mr. T. D. RICE, and acted by him so successfully at no less than Five London Theatres, entitled THE SARCOPHAGUS Ginger Blue Mr. T. D. Rice. in which he will introduce an entirely new version of "JIM CROW." A celebrated Shawl Dance from the Revolt of the Harem, by Misses Thomassin and Lydia, • A FAVOURITE PAS SEUL, by Mad'le. CHEVALIER, And a GROTESQUE DANCE, by Mr. MUNGALL. The whole to conclude with celebrated Historical Drama of JACK SHEPPARD; OR, THE HOUSEBREAKER OF 1703. Owen Wood Mr. Tilbury. Toe Blueskin Mr. J. L. Hatton, In which character he,will sing " The Jolly Nose," " Now Farewell my Rowry Towries," and the Chorus " Nix my Dolly, Pals, Fake Away " Jonathan Wild Mr. Barton. Jack Shepherd.. Tickets and places for the Boxes may he had of Mr. BREZE, at the Box-office, from Eleven till Three o'Clock. Boxes, 35.; Pit, 2s. ; Gallery, 6d. Second Price at Half-past Eight : Boxes, 2s, ; Pit Is. ; no Second Price to the Gallery. Doors to be open at Half-past Six o'Clock, performance to commence at Seven precisely. ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE OF ARTS, WHICH WILL SHORTLY CLOSE. THIS EVENING, (TUESDAY,) the 25th instant, and during the week, will be atedthe GRAND EQUESTRIAN FETE re AND S CLASSICAL SPECTACLE, Two New Pieces, and Six Novel Productions in the Circle. On account of the immense expense attendii{g the produc tions of the following Novelties, the whorvill be repeated during the Week. The performances commence every Evening at Seven o'clock, With, for the first time in Liverpool, one of those unequalled and magnificent Spectacles for which this Establishment is so po W pular, entitled the VICTORIES OF EDARD, THE BLACK PRINCE ; OR, THE BATTLE FIELD. Unequalled Feats of Horsmanship, and Ducrow's Classical Scenes in the Circle.—For the first time out of London, Mr. Ducrow will have the pleasure of presenting a magnifi cent Picturesque History of ancient and modern Eques trianism, introducing M A DAME DUCROW and the highly tritined Steeds— Beauty ! Pegasus! Bucephalus ! Spanish Steed! with the whole Equestrian Troop and Stud, entitled CATHERINE OF RUSSIA; OR, THE GRAND ECOLL. The Lady's Palfrey, Beauty, will be managed and instructed by Madame Duct.Ow, as Catherine, in her extraordinary and admired Voltes Terre a Terre, Cabriolles, &c.—ln the course of this pageant, the Waltz, Gavotte, and Cotillon, will be Lanced by Trained Steeds of LA BELLE ASSEMBLEE, and in which each Horse will execute a separate and single Pas Seul, &c. The Evening's Performance will conclude with, for the first time out of London, MOORE'S LALLA ROOKH ; OR, THE FIRE WORSHIPPERS As the Company will shortly depart for London and Bir mingham, all p ersons having CLAIMS on Mr. DUCROW are requested to send them in.; THEATRE-ROYAL. A GRAND MISCELLANEOUS CONCERT will b e -L - 1- given THIS EVENING, February 25th, the profits of which will be wholly appropriated to the DISEENSAMES, INFIRMARY, and NORTHERN HOSPITAL. The Orchestral Arrangement wil be on t• . same scale as the Subscription Concerts. LEADER Mr. HE' MANN. • Principal Engagemei s. VOCAL PF.RFOR ERS. Miss MARIA B. HAWES, I Mr. DODD, and Miss WH ITN A LL, Mr. STRETTON. INSTRUMENTAL. PIANO-FORTE Miss CHRISTIANA WELLER CONCERTINA Signor GIULIO REGONDI. VIOLINCELLO Mr. LIDEL. A Plan of the Boxes will lie at the Theatre, from Ten to Three o'clock. Prices of admission—Boxes, 65.; Upper Boxes. 4s. ; Pit, 3s. ; and Gallery, 12s. Tickets to be had at the Music-shops. The Doors will he opened at half-past seven„and the Con cert commence at eight-o'erock:—. TEMPLARS' HALL. SIGNOR GUILIO REGONDI has the honwir to an nounce, that he will give a CONCERT of VOCAL and I NSTRUMENTAL MUSIC, at the above Rouins, on MON -IAV EVENING, March 2nd. Signor 0. Regefridi will be as sisted by Mi ss YANIEWICZ and Miss PAULINE YANIEWICZ. Further particulars will be given in fr( w days. Tickets, Fi v e Shillings each, to b had at all the Music Shops. The Concert to commence at Eight precisely. TO CORRESPONDENTS. The correspondent who has sent us an account of a" Pedes trian Fete" (query " Feat") ought to have given his name as a voucher. flow are we to know that it is not a hoax? We shall feel obliged if " One of the Agents" will call at our office to explain one or two statements in his letter. We have not lost sight of Mr. Whitehead's co mmunications, but w e h ave not vet been able to obtain answers to some inquiries which we have found it necessary to make on the subject. Ebt AAanbarb. rI VESD.4Y MORNING, FEBRUARY 25, 1840. By the packet-ship South America, we have received It file of New York papers to the 3d instant, inclusive , The letters and papers brought by the South America arrived in Liverpool on Sunday morning, via Cork, Where the passengers landed on Thursday last. T he commercial intelligence in the papers before us 18 of a chequered character. We proceed to give as full and careful a summary as our limits will permit. °n the 27th of January a limited business was trans acted, and stocks in general advanced. At Baltimore the ma r k et continued dull. At Ph il a d e l p hi a b us i ness ha d again become inactive. At New Orleans cotton '5 dull, and rat h er on th e d ec li ne . On the 29th of J anu ary stocks at New York continued to decline ; st ock disposed of being at a reduced rate. On tile 3rY h stocks were still down. On the 31st ult. the arrival of Liver- Pool, A t ne packet-ship Patrick Henry, from Liver rr°uoced an unfavourable reaction upon the money. market. The market was, however, tolerably brisk in British exchange. Very large amounts were sold at 10711 to 1081 on London, and Southern, not endorsed, at 107 to 1071. On the Ist instant stocks experienced a further decline. .Tlie Daily Express of the 3d instant states that the favourable character of the news from England had Produced a good effect in the United States. The ces sation of the drain of bullion from the Bank of 'Eng land, and the favourable turn taken in American secu rities, had contributed materially to inspire confidence. The almost entire absence of any new business had had the effect of lessening the active demand for money. Good paper, hav:ng a longer time to run than 90 days , had been purchased at New York for L per cent. a month. There was, indeed, a considerable demand for first class paper, and the supply was very small. The same journal states that the situation of the currency, during the preceding month, had not much improved, although the value of domestic exchanges 'as rising gradually. This improvement is not at tributed to any real corresponding improvement in the currency; but to the increasing demand for cotton in the South, which was more active than usual . at the same season of the year. As, soon, however, as the cotton purchases are made, exchange will fall back. The currency of the country, it is alleged, is deficient for the ordinary purposes of business; and until some thing is done to increase public confidence, and give it stability, there can be no improvement. From a state of repletion the currency has sunk into a state of ex haustion: and although a feeble and fluctuating busi ness may be done, under existing circumstances, there can be no sound and active state of trade until there is a prospect of a stability in the domestic exchanges. The circulation of the specie paying banks had been reduced to the very lowest possible limit, The condition of the New York banks is said to be ''°und. Their loans and discounts had scarcely ever been nearer to their capital. The Maine boundary question continued to occupy the attention of the United States Senate. An addi tional correspondence of much importance, had been. t ' c 'trimunicated tO'tlie Sedate, from the President, on t he 29th ultimo. The correspondence is made up of i " l etter from the British Minister to the President, and the answer of the President to the letter of Mr. Fox. The British Minister, on behalf of the Colonial Go vernment of New Brunswick, denies many of the ru moured allegations touching the occupancy of the disputed territory by the British. He reduces the number of the British troops, said to be at Lake Temis couata, from four regiments or four companies, to two companies. He denies that any extensive for tifications have been made, or that any barracks have been erected, within the limits of the dis puted territory. Everything of that description had been done only within the limits of a territory indisputably belonging to Great Britain. While Mr. Fox asserts that no infraction of strict neu trality has taken place, he, at the same time, distinctly intimates that the future actions of the Colonial autho rities will depend upon circumstances. Mr. Fox very justly complains that the language of the Governor of Maine, in his letter to the President, was extremely violent, and recommended action, contrary to the letter and spirit of the agreement entered into in the month of March last. He recommends, in conclusion, that the whole question should lie left with the negociating powers of the two Governments, and not to any minor power. Thus left, he believes that the whole question would, at no distant day, be amicably adjusted. The President, in his reply, states that he is glad to be officially informed that rumour had told more than truth in regard to the extent of the pos'session of the territory of Maine by the British. He expresses his regret, however, that the Colonial authorities intended to act as circumstances might dic tate. He says that he believes that when the autho rities in England hear of this determination, they will not only discountenance it, but demand the withdrawal of the troops on the disputed territory, though there may be only two companies stationed there. He con cludes by expressing his anxious wish that the amica ble relations now existing between the United States and Great Britain may he strictly preserved. On the Ist instant there rasa tremendous snow storm at New York--the severest experienced this All out-door business bad' been suspended in season consequence. The Lexington investigation, after nine days' patient hearing of witnesses, and going through a mass of conflicting testimony, had terminated in the Jury bringing in a verdict and presentment. They ex onerate the captain from all blame after the fire had broken out, but strongly condemn the present system of fitting up and inspecting steam-boats. A very destructive fire had occurred on the 27th ult. at New York, by which an immense amount of pro perty had been consumed. It broke out in South street, and destroyed a great number of stores or ware houses, one of which was 50 feet in front and rear, by nearly 200 feet deep, and five stories high. The accu mulated destruction of property from this fire is esti mated at TWO MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. of which very little was insured. Another fire also broke out in Pearl-street on the evening of the same day. The loss from this catastrophe is estimated at 115.0,000 dollars. There must be something egregiously wrong in the fire police systeM at New . York.'' -- There is no news of any importance from Canada. By an arrival from Rio de Janeiro, news had been received that two French bomb vessels had reached that place at the end of November, and that from two to three thousand troops were daily expected. The villanously ungrateful conduct of the respective governments of Spain and Portugal towards those un fortunate British subjects who have been instrumental, more or less, in the overthrow of Don Carlos, in the one, and Don Miguel, in the other, of these distracted countries, is such as must excite the indignation of every man who has the least spark of feeling, or the least degree of respect for honesty of principle. The case of those British subjects who entered the service of Don Pedro is, if possible, even worse than those who were inveigled into the service of Queen Christina. We rejoice to find that Lord Sandon called the atten tion of the House of Commons to the condition of those poor men who are still claimants on the Govern ment of Portugal. His Lordship's speech, on intro ducing this subject, will be found in another column. He said that the men who had been induced, by the policy of this country, to enter into the service of Don Pedro, in 1832, had afterwards been called upon by the Portuguese Government to abandon the conditions upon which they had entered the service, and to accept otherS in their stLad. That, however, they had re fused; and in consequence of that refusal they have been subjected to the most gross and brutal indignities. They have been put into dungeons, deprived of every means of subsistence, and almost reduced to a state of nudity. This is the sort of return with which they have met for contributing to place the 'present Queen of Portugal upon the throne. This is a characteristic specimen o f " liberal" honesty and gratitude. These men, who had, in many cases, shed their blood, and, in all cases, risked their lives, on behalf of Don Pedro and his daughter, have been refused every farthing of their pay from 1833 to 1835—not because the means to pay were not in the hands of the Government, but because they refused to submit to fraudulent imposi tions of the most scandalous description. It is true that Commission after Commission had been appointed, for the alleged purpose of inquiring into these claims : but the real objects of each of these Commissions were, undoubtedly, delay and chicanery. From 1835 to the present time nothing has been done towards satisfying the just claims of these unfortunate indivi duals. They have been compelled to wander about the streets of Lisbon in the most destitute and misera ble condition. Their appeals even for temporary relief from the government have been treated with contempt. Many of them, goaded on by despair, have committed suicide. The representations of the British Govern ment on the subject of these claims, have throughout been contemptuously disregarded. This is not to he wondered at. England, under the present Administra tion, is uniformly treated in the same manner, not only by Portugal, but by every other petty government in the world. As was very properly remarked by Lord Sandon, " we hear nothing of French claims, or Bel gian claims, or American claims." The claims of other countries readily obtain satisfaction, while those of Great Britain are contumeliously postponed or refused. This is one of the blessed results of Whig ascendancy. The " tyranny" of the liberals is only matched by their consummate impudence. Never were these odious qualities more completely or unitedly developed than in the instance of the Middlesex county meeting of freeholders, to petition for the liberation of Mr. Sheriff Evans, which was held on Friday last, at the Freemasons' Hall, in London. That meeting was convened by Mr. Sheriff Wheelton, in compliance with a requisition, most numerously signed by the magis trates, freeholders and electors of the county. The object of the meeting was most distinctly and empha tically stated in the advertisement by which the meeting was convened. That object was declared to be, the liberation of the Sheriff now in custody, under the charge of the Serjeant-at-Arms, at the instance of the House of Commons. To attain that object it was proposed that the meeting should p rocee d b y an ad dress to the Crown, or otherwise, as might be deemed most advisable. It is necessary to make this explana tion in order that the character of the extraordinary scene which we shall presently describe may be the better understood. The meeting was convened for a specific purpose, which purpose was clearly defined and well understood. It was, therefore, a matter of some surprise to find that, before the appointed hour for the meeting, Mr. Hume, Mr. O'Connell, Mr. Warburton, Mr. Wakley, Mr. Tuffnell, Mr. \rigors, and Mr. Pryme, all members of Parliament, backed by a horde of Precursors, had taken possession of the room. There could have been no objection to the presence of these gentlemen as mere listeners at the meeting : but it certainly appears to be the very height of impudence that they should take an active part in the proceedings. Such, however, appeared to be their determination. One of the most prominent topics to be brought before the meeting was the conduct of the House of Com mons, or rather of the " tyrant majority," in reference to the Sheriffs of Middlesex. The House of Commons was, in fact, to be put upon its trial, before the bar of public opinion. Where, then, was the decency or the delicacy of those. members of the Commons who thus obtruded themselves upon the meeting ? But why ask such a question ? No rational man would ever expect either decency or delicacy ,from such coarse and vulgar buffoons as O'Connell, Hume, Wakley, and others of the same kidney. It was evident that the presence of the Radical worthies whom we have enumerated was a prelude to a disgraceful and disgusting scene—a scene quite in keeping with the recent tyrannical and unconstitutional proceedings of the House of Commons. O'Connell was, of course, backed by the Precursors of the metro polis; while Mr. Coppock, the redoubtable agent of the Reform Club, was busily engaged in collecting and arranging the Radical scum of Middlesex. A " row" was evidently contemplated ; and a " row" ensued, such as it would baffle• the descriptive powers of a " Boz" to narrate. Soon after 12 o'clock, taking ad vantage of the temporary absence of the county func tionaries, that old humbug, Hume, was moved into the chair. It was of no avail that Mr. Mann protested against such a barefaced intrusion. It was of no avail that he said that "it was a county meeting, convened by the Sheriff, and that that functionary, or his dele gated representative, had the right to preside." This protest was met with the mingled hisses and groans of the " most beautiful pisantry on the face of the earth," and of the " ragged janiscaries of revolution from St. Giles's." Mr. Hume's conduct in occupying the chair, at the instance of the Precursors and Radicals, has sunk him lower than ever in the opinion of the electors of Middlesex. His effrontery in usurping the chair was only exceeded by his impudence in asserting that " the right of publication by the House of Com mons was a privilege conducive to the rights and liber ties of the people." This bold assumption of the "rejected of Middlesex" was treated with becoming indignation by the great majority of the meeting. The only parties who " honoured" him with their cheers were the Ribbonmen and the revolutionists. To them the tyrannical sentiment was exceedingly welcome. After Mr. Hume had, in vain, essayed to procure a hearing, Mr. Wakley,_ the " fire-king," alias the " medical mountebank," obtruded himself upon the notice of the meeting. He rose, he said, to move a resolution, which he had brought with him, ready • "cut and dry." From this token of preparation it is evident that the whole proceeding was a preconcerted affair—that it was, in fact, the development of a plan which had been diligently concocted in the Reform Club-house, in the first instance, and then in the pur- year Leus of St. Giles Mr. Wakley's attempt to address the meeting was very properly met by Mr. Taylor—a liberal common councilman—who rose to order, and desired that the requisition to call the meeting should be read. This demand forced Mr. Hume to confess that "he had not got a copy of the requisition." What right had this conceited and pragmatical personage to occupy the chair, if he was unprepared to show for what object the meeting had been convened ? To remedy this glaring informality, a hue and cry was made for a espy of the requisition. At length a reporter for one of the evening ministerial organs discovered, in the profun dity of his inexpressibles, a slip of a newspaper, con taining the adver4senient calling - the meeting:. This document was seized upon with great avidity by the " gentlemen" on the platform, and read amidst loud hisses and cries of "That's not the requisition." Such was the miserable subterfuge to which the factious intruders were compelled to resort, in order to give a colourable regularity to their mischievous pranks. After this contemptible farce had been enacted, Mr. Wakley again attempted to " drug" the meeting with his - nauseous oratory. He had the impudence to de nounce the party by whom the meeting had been called as " noisy fellows," asserting that, " as the Sheriff had not arrived, he, the fire-king, ought to have occupied the chair !" This we suppose, was a burst of spleen and jealousy at the elevation of the member for Kil kenny, He next called upon the meeting " fairly to discuss the question :" as if there was any degree of fairness to be expected from O'Connell and his coal heaving myrmidons. The whole speech of this over bearing quack was a strange jumble of incongruities and self-contradictions. After voting, in every in stance, against the Sheriffs, and giving utterance, in his place in the House of Commons, to the most harsh and unjustifiable language towards the Sheriffs and those who stood up in their defence, he had the auda city to declare, that " no man valued liberty more than he did"—that " no man could he more reluctant to place any restriction on his fellow subjects that was not called for by law and justice"—and that " if any man complained against the Sheriffs for acting as they did, he was guilty of a gross injustice." Well might the impatient audience exclaim, " You have done It would be almost as sickening a task to wade through the mass of vulgar abuse with which Mr. Wakley loaded the respectable part of the meeting, as it would be to peruse a volume of the Lancet, Among the choice and delicate expressions with which he gar nished his oration, we find the following :—" Stupid old fellow"—" I wish I had a strait-waistcoat for that old lunatic"—" who is the old vagabond?"—with many others equally elegant and dignified. Such lan guage is quite familiar to those Irish audiences.who are in the habit of listening to the harangues of Daniel O'Connell ; but it is somewhat new to find an English member of parliament so far forget himself, as to adorn his speech with the " Bowers of Billingsgate and St. Giles." But we forget that we are living under a re form dynasty, when it is by no means necessary that a senator should be a gentleman. Mr. Wakley had not been long on his legs when the Under-Sheriffs of Middlesex entered the meeting. The appearance of these gentlemen, one of , whom claimed the right to occupy the chair, was the signal for a scene of confusion and riot which beggars all description. A rush was made to the platform by a party of indivi duals from the body of the room—the barrier in front of the platform was torn down—the tables and chairs allotted to the reporters were upset—and an indescrib able scene of tumult and violence ensued, in which the low Irish vagabonds that had obtruded themselves into the meeting were riot the least conspicuous. Mr. Un der-Sheriff France was precipitated from the platform, and narrowly escaped being seriously injured.. Mr. Warburton and others skulked into one of the side avenues leading to the platform. Mr. Hume . was ejected from the chair, and that post of honour, toge ther with the chairman's table, was thrown off the hustings on to the floor of the. room. So serious was the collision, that it was deemed advisable to read the riot act, which was done amidst the most deafening. uproar. After the RIOT ACT had been read, Messrs. Wakley; Hume, Warburton, and others quietly sneak ed out of the room. Not so, however, O'Connell. He was determined to bully the Sheriffs, by displaying his utter disregard of the law. Even after the reading of of the RIOT ACT, this " bloated buffoon" had the ef- frontery to move that Sir J. S. Lillie should take the chair, in order that a resolution, approving of the un justifiable proceedings of the " tyrant majority" might be passed by the unwashed non-electors. After this disorderly meeting was broken up, the requisitionists, accompanied by the Under-Sheriffs and a great number of the respectable electors, adjourned to another room, where there was no fear of their be ing overborne by physical force, and where they gave utterance to the strongest expressions of condemnation in reference to the incarceration of the Sheriffs. The independent freeholders of Middlesex have done ho nour to themselves, by thus stepping forward in de fence of the constitutional rights of Englishmen. We hope their example will he extensively followed, until the " tyrant majority" are compelled to moderate their unwarrantable pretensions. THE PRESIDENT STEAM-SHlP.—This magnificent vessel, the largest and, we suppose, the longest in the world, arrived at this port on Saturday last, under canvass, from London, last from Plymouth. For the present, she lies at anchor in the Sloyne, but will, no doubt, enter the Trafalgar dock, if her great size will permit of it, to take on board her engines, which have been manufactured by Messrs. Fawcett and Co. The President will, we believe, make her first trip t o N ew York from Liverpool , an d, in conjunction with the British Queen, keep up a regular communication by steam between the old and the new world. [We have endeavoured to put our readers in possession of a more detailed description of this splendid vessel, but have not succeeded in getting on board of her. We hope to give particulars on Friday.] 'Fur MONA'S ISLE STEAMER.—We have great pleasure in inserting the following testimony to the humanity, zeal, and intrepidity of Captain Gill, of the Mona's Isle st eam :. packet, as exhibited by him on a late trying occasion : " Lloyd's, 21st February, 1840. " SlR,—The circumstances under which you, with so much promptitude and zeal, rendered assistance to the crew of the Magazine Life Boat, thereby enabling them to save the crew and passengers (twenty in number) of the barque Corsair, wrecked on Jordan Flats, on the 27th ultimo, hay: ingbeen brought under the notice of the Committee for ma naging the affairs of. Lloyd's, I am ditecten'tO express to yo u the high sense entertained by them of your benevolent ser vices on that occasion.—l am, Sir, your obedient servant, " W. DOBSON. " Captain William Gill, Mona's Isle Steam-packet, Liverpool." CAPTAIN CLEGG.—We perceive that Mr. Brotherton,the member for Salford, has given the following notice of a motion for Wednesday, (to-morrow,) in the House of Com- mons : " That an humble address be presented to her Majesty, praying that her Majesty will be graciously pleased to con fer upon Captain Clegg, commander of the merchant ship the Huddersfield, of Liverpool, some mark or title of dis tinction suitable to that peculiar heroism which braves dan ger in the rescue of human life—a spirit of humanity so worthy of encouragement, so congenial to our nation, and so becoming the character of a female Sovereign to notice, and which was so nobly exemplified towards the crew and passen gers of the Steam-ship the William HuskissOn ' from the wreck of whi c h th e capta i n o f th e Huddersfield,aud his ship's company, saved 93 persons, including 15 women and some children, from inevitable death." We would suggest the propriety of conferring some naval distinction upon individuals signalising themselves in the manner Captain Clegg has done. The transfer of men of such intrepid courage to the Royal Navy would be the best possible plan for supplying a succession of heroic spirits to that already distinguished service. UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH. — On Tuesday, the 4th inst., the Town Council of Edinburgh elected Dr. James S. Simpson, to be Professor of Midwifery, in their University. Among the candidates were some of the most celebrated physicians in London, Dublin, and Edinburgh. The ap pointment is highly honourable to Dr. Simpson, who has thus raised himself, at a very early age, by the strength of his high attainments alone, to one of the most honourable and lucrative offices in the medical profession. Dr. Simpson is son-in-law to Walter Grindley, Esq., Toxteth-park, and has many friends in Liverpool who will rejoice to hear of his promotion. MN'EMONICAL CONVERZATIONES. — WC are glad to find that Master Bassle, the extraordinary youth whose mnemo nical powers hare been the theme of wonder and admiration wherever they have been exhibited, has returned to Liverpool. He has announced two couverzationes, to be held in the Medical Hall, on Thursday next, at 12 o'clock. Master Bassle's answers to questions upon history, chronology, geography, mythology, and the physical sciences, will sur prise and confound the visitor. No matter how difficult may be the queries the answers will be prompt and correct. The system by which he has acquired such extraordinary faculty will be published. CONCERT FOR TILE CHARITIES. — We beg to remind our readers that the grand miscellaneous concert, on behalf of the funds for the public charities, takes place this evening, (Tuesday,) in the Theatre Royal. We trust there will be a full house for the sake of the object in view, which we again recommend to public support. LIVER THEATRE.—The performances, at the Liver The atre, continue in the same superior and correct style twat we have frequently praised. The season will shortly close, con sequently those who have not yet visited this elegant place of amusement, should lose no time in doing so. WIRRAL CONSERVATIVE ASSOCIATION.—A meeting of the members of this loyal and constitutional body was held at Poole's Royal Hotel, Woodside, yesterday. George King, Esq., presided. The business done had reference to a con servative candidate for South Cheshire, in the place of Mr. Tollemache, who, by a ruse of the Whigs, will be prevented coming forward in the event of an election taking place this yea After about an hour's deliberation, the meeting se lar 'ed. LIVERPOOL GREAT STEEPLE CHASE.—The betting on this great national event, which has hitheito not been over brisk, now begins to assume abusiness-like appearance. Lot tery, the winner of the chase last year, still holds his rank of first favourite, with increased claims to patronage, for, in ad dition to other victories in the early part of this season, he carried off the prize at Dunchurch the week before last in gellant style, beating several horses of great celebrity in this description of racing. It is admitted, on all hands, that the Steeple Chase of last year eclipsed every thing of the sort in this quarter, and we have strong reason to believe, that the forthcoming one will at least keep pace in attraction. The town is expected to be full of fashionables and persons from a distance. Thursday, the sth of March, is the day fixed The betting is 5 to 4 against Lottery (taken;) 7 to 1 against The Nun ; 10 to 1 against Seventy-four. PRESENTATION .TO THE SHERIFF OF MIDDLESEX.—WC find in the Times of Saturday last the following interesting memorandum :—" Presented to Mr. William Evans, Sheriff of Middlesex, Epistles of the Right Rev. Joseph Hall, D.D., Bishop of Norwich, by the Rev. Ambrose Dawson, 8.D., one of the Senior Fellows of Brazenose College, Oxford, being a very small token of his very great regard for his pri vate character, and still greater esteem and admiration of that public line of conduct which he has pursued during this most extraordinary collision between the courts of law and the House of Commons, in which a straightforward honest man is suffering for doing his duty to hi s Q ueen an d country, which is enough to bring down upon the nation the contempt of every foreigner, rend the heart of every true Briton, and rouse sympathy and condolence for the sufferer in the heart of every right-minded man.—Feb. 21." Our readers will recognize in this paragraph the name of the late respected minister of St. Michael's Church in this town, and the bro ther of Mr. Richard Dawson. The sentiments which he has thus put on record reflect honour on his character as a man and a Christian minister. LEEDS.—ANOTHER CONSERVATIVE TRIUMPH.--Wed nesday morning was the day appointed for the election of a councillor for the Bramley ward of the borough, in place of a Whig whose office had been declared vacant by the council last week, in consequence of his having been declareda bank rupt. As soon as the probability of' a vacancy was made known the Conservatives met and nominated Mr. W. Wil son, of Armley Grange, tanner, as their candidate, and every preparation was made for a contest; but it was early signified by the Whig party that they did. not intend to start a candi date. Of course the affair went off very flatly ; the poll opened, at nine o'clock, and within the first quarter of an hour, 23 votes were tendered for Mr. Wilson ' and after au hour had elapsed without a vote being tendered for any other candidate the poll was closed, and Mr. Wilson, declared elected. HEROIC CONDUCT OF A YOUNG LADY.—A few evenings ago, as a young lady was on a visit to a friend in the peaceful village of Youlgreave, in this county, a young gentleman, son of a wealthy and highly respectable miller and farmer, in the same neighbourhood, was escorting her front her friend's house, and having to pass.. &small fishpond situated in the pleasure grounds attached to the house, and, from the dark ness of the night he accidentally slipt into the water, and would, in all probability, have been drowned, had it not been for the determined resolution of the young lady, who, at the imminent peril of her own life, rushed into the water, and succeeded in grasping firmly hold of her lover's arm, and safely brought him on terra firma.—Derby Mercury. SERMON TO THE JEWS.—We understand that the Rev. H. S. Joseph will preach a sermon at St. Simon's Church, Sir Thomas's Buildings • on .Friday evening next, when the ordinance of baptism will be publicly administered to a con verted Jew. The " children of the House of Israel" are affectionately invited to attend this very interesting service. INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT.—Thomas Barton Bowen, Esq., one of her Commissioners, will hold his next courts for the relief of Insolvent Debtors as follows, viz.:— At Lancaster, on Tuesday, the 10th of March • Preston, the 17th ; Liverpool, the 18th ; and Chester the 20th. THE HORNBY CASTLE ESTATE.--We hear it stated, and believe the report to be substantially correct, that with a vie w to prevent further litigation, an amicable arrangement has been made, and that an application will shortly he made to parliament for an act to confirm the rights of all pa r ti es ._ Lancaster Gazette. Thomas Fitzherbert Brockboles, Esq., the sheriff of Lan cashire, has been pleased to appoint Mr. Emery Skellorn, of Oldham, solicitor, his deputy for taking or granting rep l ev i ns within the hundreds of West Derby, Salford, Leyland, and Blackburn, in this county. The office Of physician to the County Lunatic Asylum is vacant. Amongst the candidates is Dr. Hunter Lane, formerly of this town, but now of Lancaster ; of his high pro fessional skill and attainments there is no doubt, and the in mates and science would benefit by his appointment. Tun BACIIELORS' BALL.—The bachelors of Liverpool have given halls heretofore, but they have generally been dress balls. They have once more determined upon a higher flight, and the ball which they are to give to the fair maidens of our town, on Thursday next, is nothing less than a fancy ball. FIRE IN KENT -SQUARE.—On Friday night, about a quar ter before ten o'clock, a fire broke out in the cellar of the house occupied by Mr. Pritchard, in the southeast corner of Kent-square. lite smoke from the premises excited con siderable alarm in the neighbourhood; but the apprehension was speedily allayed by the comparative slightness of the danger and the activity of the police. LIST OF PASSENGERS By THE PACKET-SHIP " SOUTH AMERICA," FROM NEW Yo x.--Adam Hope, Jas. Brush, C. Schuehitrdl, Fernand Schuehardl, Martin Norman, Geo. Howland, jun., Jas. Donaldson, Alex. Murry, Lieut.-Col. Chichester and servant, Miss Chichester, three children, and two servants, Lukin Robinson, James Connell, Jos. Mackay, John Torrence, Wm. Cormick, John Wm. Carter, A.Shaw, John Greenshield, jun., Felix Mercare, William Wright, and Robert Lyons. SMUGGLING TOBACCO. —At the Police-office, on Friday, James M'Clerrin was brought before the sitting magistrate, John Holmes, Esq., on a charge of smuggling a quantity of tobacco in the brig Clio. It appeared, from the testimony of the tide-surveyor, Mr. Stoker, that he boarded the vessel in the river, and, after rummaging through her, found about. 1 9 1bs. of tobacco stowed away in the hammock of the pri soner, who acknowledged that it belonged to him. He was given into custody. The captain was in attendance, and gave the young man an excellent character. The prisoner de clined to say any thing in his defence, and he was convicted in the usual penalty of £lOO, the Magistrate stating, at the• same time, that the Board of Customs, with whom alone the power of mitigation rested, might, in consideration of his previous good character, be induced to remit the whole or a part of it. The directors of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company have humanely voted the sum of sixty pounds to the widow and children•of the late Edward Watt, engineer of the Queen of the Isle steamer, who was unf or t unate l y kill e d on board that vessel about a fortnig ht sin ce, while on the pa ssage f rom Douglas to this port. MEMORIAL OF CRAnIER, 4IDLEY, AND LATIMER.— A meeting of the subscribers to this undertaking is convened for Thursday week, in Oxford. The committee have found it impracticable to obtain an eligible site for " A Church commemorative, chiefly by external decoration, of the three Martyr Prelates." It will, therefore, be proposed to substi tute for this a monu mental structure at the extiemity of St. Mary Magdalen Church-y ard, together with the rebuilding and enlarging the northern side of tine church in a correspond ing style of architecture, with a view of containing about as many persons as would have been accommodated in a sepa rate place of worship. GRATIFYING TRIBUTE OF RESPECT TO A CLERGYMAN. —The ladies of Birkenhead have presented the Rev. A. Knox, the minister of St. Mary's, with a purse, containing the handsome sum of two hundred and fifty sovereigns, and also a beautiful time-piece for the chimney, on the base of which is the following inscription : Presented to the Rev. An drew Knox, by his congregation and the inhabitants of Bir kenhead and its vicinity, the above time-piece and £250, as a token of their esteem and affection for his indefatigable zeal in the discharge of his ministerial duties:" LECTURES ON THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.—We per ceive from an advertisement in the London papers, that the course of Lectures on the English National Church Esta blishment, by the Rev. Hugh M`Neile, will he delivered in the metropolis on the 6th, 10th, 13th, 18th, 20th, a nd 24th March. The Rev. Gentlem a n's eloquence will, doubtless, secure him an attentive audience ; and we feel assured his addresses will produce a powerful effect on his hearers. THE CHARITABLE Socit:Tr.—We beg to call the atten tion of our readers to an advertisement, which appears in another part of our paper, of a sermon to be preached this day week, at St. Michael's Church, by that highly-esteemed and popular preacher, the Rev. Hugh Stowell, of Manches ter. His name will be sufficient to draw an overflowing congregation, and it is only with a view of calling attention to the excellent charity whose cause he will then plead, that we notice the sermon. We think the Charitable Society, whose visitors make it their duty to relieve the poor at their own dwellings, and to comfort them in their distresses, an institution well deserving a warmer support from a Christian community than it at present enjoys. One mode in which they afford assistance —namely , by the loan of blankets — must be particularly beneficial during such a perishing frost as the present. We sincerely hope they may receive a large addition to their funds, and shall be glad if these remarks should induce any of our readers to become subscribers to this useful charity. RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE. PROCEEDINGS TO ENFORCE CALLS ON RAIL WAY SHARES-SHEFFIELD AND MANCHESTER RAILWAY COMPANY. Our attention has been called to this subject by a few re marks addressed by Mr. Lawrence, a proprietor of the Northern and Eastern Line, to the Directors, at their late half-yearly meeting, in which he alludes to " the highly sa tisfactory contrast which their forbearance has afforded, during seasons of difficulty, now successfully overcome, to the cold severity with which some Boards of Direction have pressed on the proprietors, the carrying on, or the attempting to carry on, an unwilling proprietary, in opposition to diffi culties which seemed almost insurmountable." The result of this considerate course of proceeding has been to produce amongst the shareholders that cordial and hearty desire to second the endeavours of the Direction, which, now that the difficulties of the money market are gradually dissipating, will enable them to proceed with their works as one united and unanimous proprietary ; and in proof of this, a number of shareholders, holding to the amount of 2200 shares, have voluntarily pledged themselves not to sell their shares until the road is opened. Now what, we ask, would have been the result, if the Di rection had pursued the more stringent course of proceeding, and acted up to the full powers of their act of parliament? They might perhaps have extracted more money from the pockets of their present proprietors, but having gained the money they would have lost the men. Their shares, with £25 paid, instead of being worth £l3 or £l4 in the market, with a probability of rising to par, so strong, that, the Direc tors themselves have offered to take to the amount of £lOO,OOO at that rate within three years, would have been given away, or transferred to paupers, and the works now fast progressing to completion must have been stayed entirely. The Com pany would in fact have consisted of a Board of Direction, Engineers, Lawyers, and Secretary, without a proprietary worthy of anything but the name. We wish to call the attention of a Company, whose title is at the head of this article,- to the proceedings of the Northern and Eastern Directors, and to urge them to pause before plunging into the vortex of litigation, towards which, we have reason to believe, they are hurrying. It is true that for up wards of two years past the Directors of this Company have not attempted to enforce from their Shareholders the pay ment of arrears, but it is scarcely necessary for us to tell them that their prospect of doing so is not improved as yet, and will not be improved, until' something like confidence is infused into the minds of the Proprietors. They may drive respectable men into the Gazette to avoid paying, or they may in a few cases recover the amounts due ; but, in either way, they will lose the men,—for there are few persons who will continue paying their money into a concern, the value of whose stock decreases with every call that is made upon it, and will decrease, until the undertaking itself is reduced to the same extent as its bona" fide proprietary. Let us not, however, be misunderstood. We do not allow the principle that men who have voluntarily contracted lia bilities should be altogether released from them, without contributing something to compensate for their breach of faith. We would not advise indiscriminate forfeiture of every share upon which the full amount due has not been paid up. There are, however, amongst the Proprietors of the Sheffield and Manchester Railway Company, a certain number of in dividuals who cannot pay, and perhaps others who ought not to be called upon. Let the shares of these individuals be at once forfeited, and the undertaking reduced proportion ately. There are other Proprietors who have sold their shares, but not got rid at the. same time of their" liabilities. Let these individuals pay up a portion of the amount due and retire from the concern. There will then remain a smaller proprietary composed of good and substantial men, able and willing to pay up their calls as they become due; and the Directors knowing the amount which every call will realize, will then be able to form a correct idea how much of the line they can successfully proceed with, and of how much they ought to defer the execution. It is plain they cannot now proceed simultaneously with the entire line. If they at tempt it they must press upon the willing proprietors to make up for the tardiness of the unwilling. If they accom pany this course of making heavy and frequent calls by law proceedings against defaulters, a still further depression in the price of their shares must take place, and the proprietary will very shortly limit itself. But it may perhaps be argued by the Directors that they can still arrange to proceed with only a portion of the line, without releasing any considerable number of the present proprietors. True ; but where is the advantage of keeping a stock of shares constantly hanging upon the market, from which nothing can be derived in the shape of capital, and which in the meantime only contribute to prevent good men from entering into the concern? The fact is, that the know ledge of this heavy lot of shares being ready to pour into the market on the first rise which takes place, is the very cir cumstance which deters such men from becoming proprie tors. Let the company at once say, "We will proceed with half the line, and lop off all our doubtful shares, reserving to ourselves the benefit to be derived from their re-appropri ation ;" and the market being relieved, their stock will at once assume a fair and legitimate value, instead of being, as at present, unsaleable at any price. We have thrown out these few remarks for the considera tion of the Directors and Proprietors at the approaching half-yearly meeting. We firmly beiieve that the undertaking is a sound one, and will be a profitable one. The line to Ashton-under-Lyne, or to Glossop, would of itself be a paying line; and if this were once got into course of forma tion, the shareholders and the public would begin to appre ciate it as it deserves. We shall probably return to the sub ject in our next, when we shall have had an opportunity of knowing the result of the general meeting. In the meantime we may observe, that our Liverpool friends are not quite aware of the value of this undertaking as an opening for the commerce oil their port to an important district, which has hitherto been almost entirely shut against them. HALF-YEARLY MEETING OF THE NORTHERN AND EASTERN RAILWAY COMPANY. The half-yearly meeting of this Company was held on Thursday at the Company's Offices, Moorgate-street, City, William Crawshay, Esq. in the chair. The report, which was read by the Secretary, and appeared to be received with great satisfaction by the proprietors pre sent, explained the motives by which the Directors had been actuated in suspending the prosecution of the works during the past half year. This, it appeared to them, could not have been effected without pressing more hastily and urgently for calls than would be advisable in the present state of the money market, or resorting to some mode of raising the ne cessary funds which might have seriously injured the ultimate fair prospects of the concern. The Directors, however, confidently expect that in March next they will be enabled to complete arrangements for the most rapid prosecution of the road to Broxbume, and that a considerable portion of the requisite funds will, by that time, have been raised upon loan on reasonable terms. The estimate for completing .he line to Bishop's Stortford has again been revised by their engineer, Mr. Stephenson, and the Directors are confirmed in their view that the 29 miles of railway which will belong to this Company, when in a complete state of conveyance, including stations, engines, carriages, and stock of every description will be obtained for a capital not exceeding_£7oo,ooo. or little more than £24,000. per mile, which when compared with the cost of other lines, and the extensive traffic considered, the Directors think must render it an investment equal to the most advantageous in lucrative prospect. The Directors, in conclusion, congratulate the proprietors upon the improved prospects of the undertaking generally, and express their confident expectation that before the next yearly meeting a portion of the line will have been opened, and that th• whole will be completed in the autumn of 1841. The Chairman, in the course of a long conversation which ensued, detailed the manner in which the Directors intended to raise the necessary funds to carry on the undertaking. The Directors had entered into several contracts for works, the payment for which they had been enabled to defer; and they had also taken up on loan a sum of £lOO,OOO. upon their personal security, to be repaid by the Company in the course of three years. In return for this unexampled in stance of zeal and confidence, they only claimed the privilege of receiving the amount of this loan in an equivalent number of the shares of the company at par. It was also announced that only an additional amount of £l5. per share would be required to be called up at present, and that the line from London to Broxburne will be completed at a cost of £4O. per share, upon the present number of shares appropriated. It was also stated that a number of proprietors holding 2200 shares, had entered into an engagement not to sell their shares until the road is opened, and that not one of the forfeited or unallotted shares held by the company would be brought into the market, until the proprietary have had an opportunity of ascertaining the working of that portion of the line which is now in course of formation. In order to enable the Company to borrow money upon their works, and to effect other objects, rendered necessary by the present position of the undertaking, the Directors are now before parliament for an amended act, reducing their nominal capital from £lOO. to £6O. shares, which there is every reason to expect they will be able to procure this ses sion. PROPOSED BRANCH RAILWAY TO CONNECT THE HIGH PEAK . WITH THE NORTH M IDLAND R AILWAY .— A sur vey o f this line of railw a y i s now comp l ete d , an d application isintended to be made to parliament next session for its formation. It is to join the North Midland line at Amber Gate, at which place there will be a first class station ; from thence the line winds along the course of the river Derivent, and forms ajunction with the High Peak Railway at Croin ford. The length of the line is about four miles. The de lightful village o f M a tl oc k w ill t h en possess th e advantage o e o f f a direct railw a y commun i cat i on w i t h L on d o n and mo r s the principal to wns . Th e di stance f rom Matlock to om. ford being only a b ou t a m il e , o mnibuses doubtless e be i established for the conve y an ce of passengers, be t ween c., 'ee the two places.—Derby Mercury. MANCHESTER AND BIRMINGHAM RAILWAY —THE STOCKPORT VIADUCT.-All the arches, except one, on the Lancashire side, are turned, so that ten of the 63-feet arches may be said to be almost completed ; whilst the stone piers for two others, on the Cheshire side, are ready to receive the super-structure; and the brickwork for the two small arches at the extremity of the viaduct, like those at the Lancashire end, is rapidly proceeding to a termination. T we l ve of the twenty-six arches may therefore be said to he pretty well out of the hands of the workmen, and another six months will see the perfection of one of the most gigantic productions of art of a similar character in this kingdom.—Stockport Ad vertiser. SEIAKSPEAR CLIFF SLIP.—The part of the Shakspear Cliff, on the west end of it, which slipped down on Monday fortnight, is likely to be very beneficial to the railway, and a great saving of expense. The tunnel will be improved by being shortened about 100 feet. It is said at least 25,000 cubic yards in the solid state, have fallen. It extends not less than one-sixth of a mile into the sea, and being about ten feet above high water mark, forms an excellent break water for the Dover harbour. Some believe it will be of the greatest service to the harbour in preventing that accumula tion of shingle at the mouth which causes the bar. NEWCASTLE AND NORTH SHIELDS RAILWAY.—At the annual meeting of the proprietors of this company, held at Newcastle on Tuesday week, a highly satisfactory report was read from the directors. The number of passengers from the opening of the railway to the 31st of December (little more than half a year) had greatly exceeded the parliamen tary estimate, amounting altogether to 350,000, and yielding a revenue of £10,500. The increase in the traffic had been so steady, notwithstanding the state of the weather, that the di rectors felt justified in anticipating that the number of pas sengers in 1840 would amount to nearly one million. This traffic would yield a most remunerating rate of interest to the proprietors. The traffic in goods had also been consider able, and had proved a great convenience to the public.— Midland Counties Herald. LONDON AND SOUTH WESTERN RAILWAY.—From the extraordinary exertions made by the contractors for that por tion of our railway between Winchester and Basingstoke, there can be no doubt the Directors will be enabled to re deem the pledge they gave at the last half yearly meeting, that the line should be opened throughout in the spring of the present year. The facilities afforded, by the expeditious travelling on the railway, to visitors to the Isle of Wight, will cause an increase in the number of those who yearly seek the enjoyment of the delightful scenery and the pure air of this garden of England. To meet this increase of traffic, a company is about to be formed, to establish a line of iron steam boats, of forty horse power each, and with better ac commodation to passengers than that afforded by the vessels now employed on the station.—Hampshire Independent. WEEKLY RETURNS OF RAILWAY TRAFFIC. (From the Railway 4ifagazinej ' Passen- ' cash Passeng. N A M tiers. • pr.wk. p. day. per day. .-1 X. X. X. Birmingham .. 111093 981 14 South Western.... 20271 35 5 Great Western .. 2 243 73 Greenwich 21788 752 1981 28 1 31121 Manchester& Leeds 10279 577 43t 6} 1468 Birming. &Derby — 720 181 21 York &N. Midland 1331 290 20 f 3 190 Croydon Midland Counties 2668 2491 16 2t 381 Eastern Counties 4170 —f 5 9 5 1 Glasgow & Ayr 1395 j 55 5 t 1 2324 Ulster — WELSH LITERATURE.-MANUSCRIPT SOCIETY. (SEE ADVERTISEMENT.) It affords us pleasure to inform our readers that the of of the Welsh MS. Society are in regular progress, and that the members of the committee proceed with the administra tion of its concerns, for the attainment of its objects, with as much expedition as circumstances will admit. The first literary work which has engaged their attention, and which they have undertaken to publish, is entitled "Liber Landa rensis, or Llyfr Llandaf, ' being the ancient register of the cathedral church of Landaff, which was originally written in the twelfth century, having been compiled by Jeffrey (Gal fridus), brother of Urban, bishop of Landaff, who was pro moted to the see in the year 1108, and died in 1134. This ancient MS. is written partly in Latin and partly in Welsh, and the whole is intimately connected with Welsh historical literature, and contains information relating to the Christian church in Britain from an early period, but parti cularly with respect to the see of Landaff and the surround ing district from the fifth to the twelfth century. Its con tents consist more especially of biographical memoirs of St. Samson, St. Teilo, St. Dubricius, and St. Oudoceus, (the last three of whom were the first prelates of the see), and of particulars of its ancient territories granted to the church by various individuals, with much curious information relating to that district during the (lark ages, at a time when history, with respect to similar places in the principality, is nearly silent. The nature and importance of the book may be best esti mated by considering the esteem in which it has been held by our most eminent ecclesiastical historians and antiquaries, viz., Usher, Spelman, Cressy, Dugdale, Wharton, Collier, Nicolson, Turner, Browne, Willis, and Godwin, all of whom have quoted passages from it, and made references to it, as containing interesting information relating to the antiquities of the church nowhere else to be found. _ _ _ To execute the office of editor, the committee considered themselves fortunate in obtaining the services of the gifted and learned Professor Rees, of St. David's College, Lampe ter; but he had scarcely commenced his official labours, when a sudden and premature death deprived both the soci ety and his country of the benefit of his talents and acquire ments. This unexpected event necessarily caused some in terruption in the progress of preparing the work for the press; but the Rev. W. J. Rees, of Cascob, Radnorshire, readily undertook to supply the place of the lamented de ceased, considering that honourable office as a kind of legacy bequeathed to him by his departed nephew, whose studies were much in unison with his own. A considerable space of time was afterwards taken up in collating the MS., in making fac-similes, and in transcribing a copy of the work and preparing it for the press. These necessary preliminaries having been accomplished, we are informed that at present the work is proceeding through the press with all possible expedition ; hut an undertaking of this kind necessarily requires much time, in order to ensure the utmost accuracy, and to render it worthy of the society and of the public. The original work, with English transla tions and notes, constituting a volume of considerable size, is expected to be ready for publication in the course of the ensuing months. It is worthy of observation, that several ancient copies of this celebrated and interesting work are reported to have been in existence, and to have been met with in the course of the last two centuries, which at present are not to be found, viz., the Selden copy, which was in the library of flengwrt, Merionethshire; the copy which was in the library of Llan nerch, Denbighshire; the copy in the Cottonian library, British Museum ; rnd two copies in the archives of Landaff Cathedral. Respecting these copies considerable inquiries have been made, but without success! Some of them, how ever, it is believed, are still in existence ; and should any persons possessing collections of Welsh MSS., on examining their literary stores, meet with them, the communicating such intelligence would doubtless be most acceptable infor mation. We are informed that the committee, being anxious that the concerns of the society should proceed without interrup tion, have been, and continue to he, busily engaged in pro curing suitable materials for the printing of another volume, to succeed the Liter Landarensis without delay, and have been most fortunate in their researches. To carry on their proceedings considerable sums will of course be wanted, but they hope that the object of their undertaking will procure an important addition to the present list of royal, noble, and highly-respectable patrons, and that their exertions will be appreciated and encouraged by a liberal and discerning pub lic, so as to prevent any hindrance in the accomplishment of their laudable and patriotic designs. THE STATE OF THE STREETS. TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. Sir,—Having read in your paper (many miles distant from Liverpool) of the increase of salary of your chief constable, I did expect to find your streets at night orderly, but am sorry to say I was much disappointed, and although I am acquainted with many of the principal towns in the kingdom, I have no hesitation in saying, I have, for the last three nights, witnessed more immorality and indecency in your town than in any other. The state of Dale-street, Chapel street, and Tithebarn-street, from the number of prostitutes and other bad characters, is disgraceful ; the language made use of by those parties is most revolting, and the streets are almost impassable. On Saturday night last, in Tithebarn street, I heard women, principally Irish, shouting to persons on the opposite side of the street, in language of the most horrid and beastly description, (indeed so awful was it, that it can never be erased from my memory,) and with impunity. Your chief constable may be an efficient officer, but there can be no doubt that he is a well-paid one, and such a state of things does not reflect much credit upon him or his assis tants. By giving these few remarks publicity in your excel lent paper, you will oblige A COMMERCIAL MAN. Crooked Billet Inn, Exchange-street East, 24th Feb. 1840. UNIVERSITY AND CLERICAL INTELLIGENCE OXFORD ' FEB. 22.—Three scholarships are now vacant i n University College, and the election to fill them will be on Friday, March 20; one of them is on the Bennett foundation open to natives of the province of Canterbury, and the others are open without limitation as to place of birth. Candidates are required to present the usual testimonials in person to the master on or before Monday, March 16. The examina tion will commence on the day following. On Thursday. March 12, an election will be holden in Pembroke College for an exhibitioner on Mr. Oate's founda tion ; candidates for which must not have exceeded the age of 19, certificates of which and of good conduct must be pre sented to the master or vicegerant on or before Tuesday, the 10th, when the examination will begin. Addresses have been unanimously agreed on, in convoca tion, to his Royal Highness Prince Albert, and to her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, on the marriage of her Majesty. The Rev. John Ashworth, of Brazenose College, has been approved of, in convocation, as one of the classical examin. ing masters. Edward Wells Esq., Fellow of New College, has been elected Radcliffe fellow, in the room of Dr. Hammick. The Marquis of Downshire has been pleased to a ppoint the Rev. H. Randolph, of Balliol College, one of his domes tic chaplains. The Lord Bishop of Hereford has instituted the Rev. Richard Lane Free, of Christ Church, to the vicarage of Manzel-Lacy, Herefordshire. On Monday a public meeting was held at Salisbury, th e mayor presiding, at which it was resolved to take immediate steps for the formation of a branch railway from Salisbury, to join the London and Southampton line between Stock- bridge and Basingstoke, on the direct route to London. MILDNESS OF THE SEASON.--Finsthwaite, Feb. Ig.—The mildness, the serenity, and the gentle and " shifting g a l es p, appear to have virtually ousted the chilling blast of old winter, whose thraldom seems to have yielded to the geni a l exhala tions of spring. This is manifested by the appearance of the modest floweret, claiming the protection of Flora's breath— by the throstle wh istlin g a benedictio n on the semblance of an approaching spring—by the woodl an d choir uniting in proclaiming a jubilee on the emerging of a happy season. It might seem, however, that the general spring -like appearance is to be attributed to the openness and humidity of the past and present month, and that a return of wintry weather to again hold the little flower in embryo —to retard the carolling of the joyous choristers —and usurp the prerogative of the present seemingly forward spring—may be anticipated.— correspondent of the Lancaster Gazette. VALUABLE DISCOVERY OF LEAD ORE.—The neighbour hood of Minsterley and Pontesby, in Shropshire, was, on Friday week, the scene of great rejoicing, in consequence of a rich vein of lead ore having been discovered on the top of one of the hills forming one of the Hiperstones, ill that coun ty. A very poor man was enclosing a little of the hill to make a garden to a mud hilt he had built ; and in digging a ditch round it, he found some pieces of ore which, upon fur ther examination, proved to be a large vein of lead. It has been opened to the d e pth o f 12 yards, and there is 4 feet thick of solid blue ore of very fine quality ; and in all proba bility, will prove a source of great wealth for ages to come. It is said that the person who discovered it was so poor, that he and his family had had nothing for some days but potatoes and salt, and that when he saw the great body of wealth, he was so alarmed that he did not know what to do ; but, after a time, he went and informed the parties, Messrs. Cross and 'Walker, of Chester, who had taken a lease of those hills for mining purposes andi there is no doubt, from their known li berality, that he will be richly rewarded. TESTIMONIAL TO THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON. Abridrlfrom the akow Mail. In consequence o ge f a requisitio Gl g n addressed ) to the Lord Provost, by about - 130 noblemen and gentlemen connected with the West of Scotland, a meeting was held in the Assem bly-rooms, Ingram-street, on Tuesday last, for the purpose of taking measures to erect a memorial in this city comme morative of the eminent services rendered to his country by his Grace the Duke of Wellington. At the hour appointed, one o'clock, the spacious hall was completely crowded, by gentlemen of the highest influence and standing in the West. Out of the total number of 500 or 600 who were present, a party of 50 or 60 chartists took up a position in the centre of the hall, and though of course they completely failed in tripping up the heels of this meeting, as they have done in other cases, they nevertheless were successful in creating some annoyance. This,_.perhaps, was beneficial after all, for it had the effect of increasing the enthusiasm of the admirers of the Great Dille in a commensurate degree, and the burst of applause Ivbich followed one of the biting hints of Sheriff Alison, addressed to the chartists, was perfectly thrilling :-- " In what state would you have now been, (said he) if when you had the national debt on your backs, you had had the chains of France about your necks ?" Amongst those on the platform and in other parts of the hall, were—the Ld. Provost, his Grace the Duke of Hamilton, Ld. Belhaven, Ld. Kelburn , Geo. Houstoun, Esq. M.P. for Renfrewshire, Col.. Macin tosh. Capt. Anderson, Kirkman Finlay, Esq., W. M. Alex ander, of Sothbar, Sheriff Alison, Principal Macfarlan, Dean of Guild Browne, Jas. Reddie, Esq. Jas. Campbell, Esq. Jas. Campbell, Esq, of Moore-park, Robt. Findlay Esq. Wm. Leckie Ewing, Esq. Robt. Dalglish„ Esq. A. S. Dalglish, Esq. John Smith, ygst. Esq. Archd. M`Lellan, Esq. William Brown, Esq. of Kilmardinny, Professor Jeffrey, Wm. Davie, Esq. the Messrs. Baird of Gartsherrie, W. Campbell, Esq. Esq. T. D. Dougla s , E sq . J o h n Pollok, Esq. William. Mathieson,Esq. J. R. Denniston, Esq. And. Macgeorge,Esq. John Leadbetter, Esq., Alexander Morrison, Esq., C. L. Donald, Esq., &c., &c. We were delighted to observe on the platform Major-General Sir Neil Douglas, K.C.8., a townsman of this city, a companion in arms in many Cam paigns and battles, and a personal acquaintance of the Great Duke. The gallant veteran travelled a long journey in order to be present on this interesting occasion. Leiters of apology for absence were, we understand, re ceived from the Duke of Montrose, Sir W. M. Napier, Sir Norman Lockhart, James Ewing, Esq., of Levenside, Robt. Monteith, Esq., younger of Carstairs (from indisposition.) Lord Brougham will reside at Cannes, in the south of France, where he has an estate, for about two months. in order to recruit his exhausted strength. _ _ Her Majesty will hold a court this day, at Buckingham Palace, to receive the addresses of congratulation from the universities of Oxford and Cambridge. It is again said that African corsairs have been seen cruis ing off the coast of Spain. Three French ships of war have been sent in pursuit of them. A portion of her Majesty's bride-cake has reached Dur ham ; and, as we have had the pleasure to taste this rarity, we pronounce it without hesitation to be " a righte royale daintie," which far surpasseth any compound of flour, sugar, butter, eggs, currants, citron, and other fruits, that we have ever before partaken of.—Din-ham Advertiser. A letter from Trieste, in the Journal de Franrfort, says that a short time since Madame Schoberlechner, a singer, who enjoyed a high reputation in Italy, became suddenly in sane in consequence of the disapprobation expressed by the public on her appearing before them for the first time in the character of Norma. , CANINE SAGACITY.—A few days ago a Highland drover was stepping on board a steamer at Port Glrsgow, and as he was rather late, he only made his way into the vessel by climbing over the paddle-box. His dog was left behind, and no sooner did the Highlander notice his loss than he set up a " sad lament" for " my poor dog Tray," in which he shared the sympathy of the whole of the crew and passengers. From Port Glasgow to the Broomielaw the poor Celt was gloomy and desponding, and the loss of his four-footed friend pressed heavy on the man's spirits. Arrived at the place of debarka tion, the drover was amazed by seeing the dog that he had lost and lamented, wagging his tail to him in token of wel come; and upon investigating the matter, it appeared .that the brute had accompanied the steamer at her full speed; the whole way up, on the south side, then crossed the Glasgow Bridge, and scudded down to the landing-place, to meet its master. The feet of the poor animal were sadly cut up, but this was made up to a great extent by the almost enthusiastic reception of its master.—Glasgow Mail. IMPORTANT DISCOVERY. - A patent has lately been granted by her Majesty to a gentleman residing near this city, for producing a beautiful and sparkling wine resembling the Foreign Champagne from the green stalk of the Rhubarb plant grown in England. We understand the plant is %Try wholesome, and the quantity of wine .to be made from it is immense—the annual produce of an acre of ground exceed ing one hundred and fifty hogsheads.—Bath Herald. WARNING TO WOULD-BF. INSOLVENTS.—At the court for the hearing of insolvent:debtors, on Wednesday last, at Wakefield, before J. 13. Bowen, Esq., Elkanah Fearnley, of Swamp, near Queen's-Head, stuff manufacturer, was op posed by Mr. Wasney on behalf of Mr. Joseph Dobson, manufacturer, Halifax. It appeared, on examining Fearn ley and investigating the matter of his petition, that he had neglected to put in his schedule £l5l 14s. received from a house in Leeds. The court also found him guilty of selling machines and goods at a great sacrifice, but the sale was found not to be a real one, and, in fact, nineteen of his ma chines with some warps, &c., were proved to have been lately in the hands of insolvent weavers. The insolvent was de fended by Mr. Dowes, but after a lengthened hearing the court sentenced him to six months imprisonment, and ap pointed Mr. Dobson to be assignee of his estate. We hope this will have some effect in putting a stop to such practices which are now as numerous as they are disgraceful. EXTRAORDINAY INSTANCE OF DEATH FROM FRIGHT. — On Wednesday afternoon, as Miss Susan Shipley, a maiden lady of independent fortune, residing at No. 28, Devonshire place, New-road, was enjoying a walk in the Regent's-Park, a large dog, of the Newfoundland species, in a fit of playful ness, sprung up and put its paws in front of her. Such was the alarm created that she immediately fainted away and fell upon the pavement. On recovery she gave her address and was placed in a hackney-coach, and conieyed to her residence. On her arrival she appeared much excited, and shortly after getting within doors was seized with violent paroxysms and fits. She continued getting gradually weaker, and medical aid was called in, but in the course of a few hours she died. information of the occurrence has been forwarded to the coroner, but no one has been found who saw the dog or the deceased at the time the animal jumped up at her. EXTRAORDINARY FAT BULL.—On the 11th instant was slaughtered by Mr. Edw. Tapp and Mr. John Phillpots, of Leominster, the extraordinary bull, eight years old, fed on grass, hay, and Swede turnips only, which won the prizes at the Hereford and Gloucester Agricultural Meeting for 1839, and which was bred by Mr. John Morris, of Stockton, whose breed is so much apps eciated. The weight per quarter of this splendid animal was as follows :-455 lbs., 452 lbs., 404 lbs . ., 386 lbs. ; total, 1697 lbs., or 141 stone 5 lbs. ; being 35 stone 4A lbs. per quarter. The weight of rough fat was 16 stone, and the head and tongue weighed 53 lbs.—Hereford Journal. The increasing importance of the Moldavian and Walla chian ports of the Black Sea is shown by a statement pub lished in the Marseilles journals, from which it appears that during 1839 no fewer than 294 ships, measuring together 74,868 tons, arrived at that port from the Black Sea ; and from Galatz and Brailow, which in 1837 sent only 13 ships of 2,456 tons, 71 ships of 11,958 tons were entered, being te u more vessels than Egypt sent. Rear-Admiral Sir John Louis has been appointed to the command pro. tem. of the fleet, at Malta. On Wednesday last, Sir Frederick Smith, one of the Commissioners appointed to ascertain the most desirable line for a railway into Scotland, arrived here, and has since been Over sands, surveying the Morecambe Bay line. lie leaves to-day for Carlisle. Professor Barlow, another of the com missioners, was expected, but he has not arrived.—Lan caster Gazette. CANNING AND BROUGHAM.—The premier is said also to have offered the place of chief baron of the exchequer to Brougham, who refused it on the ground that it would pre vent him sitting in parliament. " True," was the reply, " but you will then be only one stage from the woolsack." " Yes," returned Brougham, " but the horses will then be off." It has occasioned some surprise that the Bishop of Car lisle should have been married at Marlborough House, and not in a church. This savours too much of Lord John Russell's broomstick marriages ; nor is it really one of the highest dignitaries of the church the person whom we should expe'ct to see turning his back upon the sacred edifice on such an occasion. The conservatives of the county of Dublin are up and stirring, in anticipation of an election. A requisition has been got up, and is already numerously signed, calling upon J. H. Hamilton, of Sheep Hill, Esq., and Captain Thomas E. Taylor, of Ardgellan Castle, to offer themselves as candi dates, because the present members do not represent the interests and opinions of the majority of the constituency. For the following net amount of the receipts of the post office for nearly two centuries, we are indebted to the Mirror : 1653. £lo,ooo 1663..... 1674... 1718... 1724. 96,339 1746. £88,323 1774. 1779. 657,388 1817. 1,353,601 1838. . 1,659,553 AN ACTIVE MAN. — Lord Brougham arrived at Paris at one o'clock in the morning, went to bed, got up at nine, went out at ten, paid visits till dinner time, dined at the Rocher de Cancale, attended the opera, thence went to .the ball at the Hotel de Ville, after which he proceeded to the bal masque at the opera, and started at five in th e morning for Frnjes. imagined h a d been long enough mar r i e d to hate Miet 1 ii " A weaver of Levon co u rt in the Meuze," says a locittiii per. " who children, im proper connection existedhe ined that an tweet* his wife and an old man of 78 I Meeting • Mai - his supposed rival a few days ago at a public house, the weaver abused the old man, and threatened him with such violence that he dropped down dead with terror. The weaver, in his pass i on , hastened home, and finding his wife occupied in milking their cow, seized a mattock, and killed her at one blow with it. He then rushed to the house, caught up a razor, and cut his own throat before one of his sons, who was witness to both fatal acts, could prevent him." THE DUKE.—The Duke of Wellington is so much better, that it was not thought necessary by his medical attendants to publish any bulletin yesterday. We are happy to learn that her majesty has sent to inquire after the duke's health. Prince Albert sent his private secretary, Mr. Seymour; on the same mission, and the Duke of Saxe Coburg called in person. Her majesty the Queen Dowager has manifeited the most anxious interest on the occasion of the duke's late illness, and has sent to inquire daily at Apsley House.' Co.. lonel Cowper, from her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, called on Wednesday, and also vast numbers of the leading nobility and gentry.—Times of Friday. A LAPLAND Wircis.—l lay once more on the floor of a Lapland fisherman's hut on the way, cooked some reindeer tongues for supper. The owner was out, and the place was tenanted only by a hag that realised all my ideas of a sorce ress, ready to raise a storm or sell a wind. Her face, dark brown and wrinked, from the combined action of dirt, smoke, and hard weather, showed her to be of the genuine Semi breed. Her chin was peaky, and, with her sharp prominent cheek bones, formed a well-defined triangle. Her hair was concealed beneath a red cloth cap, which terminated in what resembled a horse's hoof turned upwards; and a belt studded with silver stars confined round her waist a moudda, from which the hair was worn oft' in front, and which displayed a shining surface, polished by th e f requent w i p i ng o f her hands. In the corner of the room something movedi but whether dogs or children, or both, the uncertain light- from the hearth did not allow me to distingush, and the smell that pervaded the whole place did not invite a closer inspection of that particular spot. Not speaking anything but her native language, she spaced me the witchery o f het tongue; but seeing my raw v i ctua l s, s h e brought me a small filing eau and wood en l a dl e , ta ki ng t h e precaut i on to lick the-latter by way of ridding it of grease. As the savoury smell_of the thawing meat became pe rce ptibl e , a dozen halry d dogs, something like those of the Fesquin'a"; cr owdedba ro u nd e w e ,„ me, and eyed me and my food alternately. sue d for the remains, and each showed so much . voracity, . and seem e d . so unused to eating, that it became doubtful whether they would not devour one another by mistake. In the meantime the deer were supplied with moss collected and stacked for p e ople. When they were r e f res h e d , I put a into t the hand of the dame, w hi c h b rought a winter silver use coi b n y i horrible grin on her features. 1 bade her adieu.—Dillon's Iceland and Lapland. ces art ) at ind