The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-12-04 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

GENERAL INTELLIGENCE.

THE principal tradesmen of Derby are said to have agreed
to close their establishments on the Monday before Christmas-
day, thus enabling their servants to have a holiday extending
over three successive days.

THE gamekeeper of Mr. Llewellyn, of Buckland Filleigh,
fired the other night at what he thought was a large white cat.
It turned out, however, to be a peasant carrying home a lump
of salt over his shoulder. The poor follow is nit likely to live.
THREE convicts have escaped from the establishment at
Woolwich. Hats and coats belonging to other workmen lying
about have, it is supposed, supplied them with a ready dis-
guise, and they have passed out with the ordinary working
parties.

A FINE GIRL, aged about three years, and who appears to be
very respectably connected, was the other evening stolen from
the station of the Glasgow and South-Western Railway,
while her guardians were on the eve of starting with her for
Greenock.—Caledonian Mercury.
A FRENCH PAPER, mentions that some workmen employed
in draining a marsh, at Clairmarais (Pas-de-Calais), have
found a Celtic hatchet. The flint of which it is made remains
firm in a bone socket prepared to receive the handle, and thus
shows the mauner in which the handles and the cutting part
of the weapon were connected.

AMONG the boats on the Erie canal is one commanded by a
female—Mrs. Captain Peck. The Buffalo Republic says she
is a " screamer" in her way, and has been twice before the
Albany courts—once for whipping an impudent "deck hand,"
and again for trying to pitch a former owner of the boat into
the canal for demanding his pay of her.
MESMERIS3I.—At a recent meeting of the Exeter cor-
poration of the poor, a resolution was carried to the
effect that, on the friends of any of the paupers suffering
from temporary insanity or epilepsy making application,
relief to be granted out of the house, in order to place the
afflicted person under the care of a mesmeric practitioner.
Each of the four medical officers of the corporation gave an
opinion against the adoption of the system.
THE journeymen tailors of Sunderland, to the number of
nearly one hundred, are on strike for a rise of 6d. per day, in
consequence of the high price of provisions ; and this the
masters at first agreed to pay, according to a " statement"
which the men submitted to them, but afterwards they held
a second meeting, and resolved to pay them according to the
Newcastle statement, which the men refused to accept, and
then turned out.

Trrs FRENCIT ARMY.—The Moniteur de l' Arnule gives a
statistical account of the French army, from which it appears
that its present effective strength consists of 529 battalions of
infantry,32 battalions of light infantry and riflemen, 374 squad-
rons of cavalry, 245 batteries of artillery, with 1,470 field-pieces,
16 companies of pontoniers, 31 companies of artillery artificers,
55 companies of miners, sappers, and engineers, 27 companies
of 'the wagon-train, 5 companies of military carpenters, and
14 sections of operatives belonging to the military adminis-
tration.

Cousuis.—Who are a man's " cousins r was the question
to be decided in " Stoddart v. Nelson," an appeal to the
'Court of Chancery, on Monday. James Freeman left £ll,OOO
in equal shares to his " cousins ;" now, James Freeman had
first-cousins 21, and other cousins 128 ; so the first-cousins
filed a bill for the purpose of finding out whether they alone
were to share the money, or each of the 149 were to have a
portion. Vice-Chancellor Stuart had decided that all the
cousins were entitled ; on the present occasion the. Lord
Chancellor decided that the intention, judging from the com-
mon acceptation of the term, was to include first-cousins
only.

FREEDOM OF THE CITY OF GLASGOW TO THE EARL OF
-ELGIN AND SIR COLIN CAMPBELL.—On Thursday last, at an
ordinary meeting of the Glasgow Town Council, the freedom
of the city was unanimously voted to the Earl of Elgin, in
consideration of his distinguished services as Governor-General
of Canada ; and to Sir Colin Campbell for his yet more bril-
liant services in the Crimean campaign. To the latter this
compliment mast be peculiarly gratifying, coming as it does
spontaneously from the corporation of his native city; and
accompanied as it will shortly be by the presentation of a
splendid sword, the result of a subscription among his fellow-
townsmen residing in Glasgow and located in different parts
the kingdom.
VOLITICILL PARTIES IN AMERICA.—The following list of
the more prominent political parties now in vogue in the
United States is from the New York Tribune :—Republicans,
Whigs, Democratic Whigs, Woolly Heads, Silver Grays, Pro-
hibitionists, Temperance Party, Stringent Licensers, Moral
Stasionists, Constitutional Rights Party, Liquor Dealers,
ae
i,ll opsetyre
,ssc,t
"Protestants,
ae, r c asn, noHwiliemnNdootoehsc,iransgco3sn',,sUonf
Teetotallers, Democratic Republicans, National Democrats,
Hunkers, Barn Burners Hard Shells, Soft Shells, Half Shells,
Knowitteh
ediAe Somethings,
uebrAmericans,
nT s
land Reformers,
Anti-Renters, Liberal Party, Practical De-
mocrats, German Democracy, Working Men, e mAA nipn Lee nrsnii
ANTWERP, on Monday last week, was the scene of a remark-
uble demonstration, men of all classes and orders of occupation
uniting in doing honour to the well-known artist, M. Leys,
'one of the Flemish artists successful at the Paris Exhibition.
As early as ten o'clock in the morning, flags floated from the
louses, and the streets were lined with people. Artists, bur-
, gomasters, senators, representatives, and military authorities
.assembled at the Museum, while M. Leys was conducted to
the spot at the lead of a long procession, accompanied by
music and banners. M. Leys, on taking his seat, looked very
pale, and much affected : in the salle were his wife and chil-
dren. An address, written on parchment and splendidly
bound, was presented to M. Leys, amidst the acclamations of
the crowd. Ag:Town of gold was then placed by the Minister
of the Interior upon the artist's head, amid a tempest" of
bravos. After,which M. Leys made a speech. The ceremony

STRANG23 'ItAfTLROAD CATASTROPM3 IN AMERICA.—One of
-the most singular railroad catastrophes that we have had to
record for many years, occurred, on Monday evening, near
Boston Corners, on the Haarlem Railroad. The Albany
express train, vowsisting of engine, tender, a baggage car,
and three passenger cars, in charge of Mr. Robert White,
conductor, leftChatham Four Corners at half-past five p.m.,
and abodihaf-past six o'clock, as it was approaching Roston
Corners, on a part of the road elevated upwards of 35 feet, a
43udden and violent gust of wind threw the entire train, except
the engine and tender, off the track- and down an embank-
ment, a distance of fifteen feet. The scene which followed
-was truly 'painful. Most of the passengers, many of them
groaning from their injuries, lay suffocating beneath the cars,
which were turned bottom up by the catastrophe, and for
'some-time but little aid could be rendered. Mr. White, the
'conductor, with-others connected with the train, and some
"of the passengers who managed to extricate themselves, set
Ito work to rescue their fellow-travellers, a task which re-
,viired a conei&rable time to accomplish. One man was
killed, and twelve others severely injured.—New York
(Courier, Nov. 114.
- -

A Corruassous OLD WOMAN. The town of Shepton
Mallet, Somerset, has lately been the scene of several bur-
tlaries, one of which, committed on the night of Tuesday last,
Dias acquired oonsiderable notoriety from the courageous con-
, duct of Page/see Vining, who has reached the age of 84.
Mrs. Vininglives in a small cottage, and during the night
was alarmed‘by a noise as of some person forcing his way
.fint, the house. On looking up she saw a man enter her bed-
mom with a lighted. candle in his hand, his face being covered
sith a veil of Alsicik. crape. Nothing daunted, the old woman
Aenped out of hed,and, challenging the fellow as to his busi-
sees in her cottage, boldly said it should be life for life. She
&en ran up to,him and tore the mask from his face ; upon
which he dealt her a blow on the head, which felled her to
• tiae,,ro.und, and muttered her partially insensible.. On reco-
veriac, herself sbeeew the burglar about to carry off a box in
whack-was her;littleall. She at once resolved, if possible, to
save Aker property, and, seizing the tongs, she commenced a
.fierce attack npon.Mu. One of the blows which she aimed
at thecobber :knocked the candle from his hand. The old
womanitihen raised Atery of " Murder;" and, either fearing the
nrrivalef help,. or unwilling to remain in the dark with the
incensed owner of the cottage, the villain decamped. The
brave tidd woman saved her property.
Lavr ,rte PIUMOOEXIZURS.—At a meeting of the Juridical
Society the other day, Mr. F. S. Reilly read a very able and
instructiae
,psper on tbe subject of " Primogeniture." The
• object a dike paper was do show that, at this time, and in
this country, the baLlneo of advantage was in favour of the
existing law, with its three elements of non-partibility of
:inhesitances, preferenceef males to females, and preference
of the eldest of the males, au comparison with the alternative
system of tae equal:partUDY of inheritances. It examined
saccessionithe arguments put forward by those who advo-
,tate the -charge, and argsted that the proposed new rule
sivouldnot leaeliin England to the subdivision of land to a
4aulicient extent to create, as they wished, a race of peasant
_proprietors especially as the small-farm system, only for the
•eake of ,the. int:reduction of which peasant proprietors were to
1;)e desired, if at id', wia in the highest degree unlikely to
tale root in Enernd, under auy.system of laws, at the pre-
.sent day—the tendency being, on the contrary, to the
general extension of large farms. ;it was also contended that
the-sales of inheritance were not Ito be tested by " natural
justice" so,called, bat by considerations of civil and political
eousertience. Tbe.oanclusion arrived,st, after a review of the
controversy, was, -that much more *,an had ever yet been
shownsif evilon the ,cue side, or benefit on the other, was
neededytsjustiky a deinisnwdhhadfiocrhatthlheerdatbanttodineenmednent of a system
somefundincom measure.
unopaf proslieipty sar
icP°:uaw:tuetlrl.rga' enterprise or industrial exertion,
tinder wkiell political progress and politicaLetability had been
not unhappily combined, And under which the benefits of
the family ,relation .had been developed, hi harmony with the
upon whieht all systems.of inheritance ware founded, and
to the comminity.
iwdieasth cossolluent.advatita.

SUPPLY OF FWD.—Mr. iefiird has again written to the
/'imes on the yield of the past arvest, and in defence of his
fsxmer estimateof it. He adduces his own experience, for
Which Mr. Sturge bad asked- His wheat crop has mlotied 36
'bushels an acre on atiff landau Wigtonshire, and 26 bushels an
acre on light laud in Kent, both full average crops, One of
the statistical divisions of a Scottish county returns 4 bushels
per acre over last year as thertyield of this year's wheatorop.
Of 26,7aports published in Agricackural Gazette In Aug.,
122 desoribe the crop at or above an averag,e; and of 89 reports
The seed Uwe of last year
given in the Mark Lane Express in Sept, 69 are equally fa.
vourable. On all these grounds Mr.. Caird mtains opinion
and of every other circuit-
of the yield of the crop. Then as to its .extent r—drainage
extension of the wheat crop.
and good cultivation and guano bare rendered farmers less the
hriscrlonmtghmeye
nwdera markets en.
It only needs that the 570,000 farmers of this count,* extend
their wheat crop 2 acres a-piece to produce all the increased
saw:is:east
woafhprioecritlouLft
acreage for which Mr, Caird- contends. And it is not neces-
sary to suppose, as his " reviewers" have, that he in:twined
this extension to have been effected at the expense of the
barley. The fact that the price of barley, which, though high,
has not risen like that of wheat, indicates an undirehisbed
yield of that grain, is not inconsistent with his theory. en all
these grounds, then, he maintains its soundness. It thrs ap-
pears that Mr. Caird's opinion was not formed hastily or vith-
out due consideration of the various influences affecting the date
of the corn market; and accordingly he gives it for his advice
that with wheat between 80s. and 90s. the quarter, the Eng-
lish farmer would be wise to sell.' "It is just possible that by
the months of May and June, America, which has already
made a good beginning, may pour into our markets the surplus
of an abundant crop, as she has done before when prices were
far less tempting than they are now." We only add that oar
correspondents in the north, so far as we have received re-
turns, corroborate Mr. Caird's report—but the statistical re-
ports for Scotland will soon be published in detail. If at
English report in like manner were now forthcoming, of whas
immense value it would be to the country as a guide to the
most important trade And interest it possesses !—Agrieulturat
Ga;elle,

THE SHIP XVIII', belonging to Messrs. Money Wigram
and Sons, of Blackwall, Captain George Coleman, left Mel-
bourne on the 14th September, and landed her mails at Pen-
zance on Monday morning, the 26th inst., thus making the
passage in 73 days from land to land. She brings 15 days'
later news than by any other ship.

TRUST AND LOAN COMPANY OF UPPER CANADA.-At
the meeting of this company on Thursday, a dividend at the
rate of 7 per cent. per annum was declared. The net profits
daring the half-year were to the extent of £8,278 19s. 7d.
The prospects of the company in Canada were satisfactory.
A short discussion took place, when the report was adopted.

Tim screw-steamer Arcadia, from Constantinople, has on
board two camels, male and female, which were found at the
rear of the Malakhoff when captured by the French; the male
has been used to convey the wounded from the ground during
the Russian sorties, and has received several severe wounds.

WIDOWS AND WIDOWERS.—In 1851, 5,000 widowers were
married to spinsters, 2,400 bachelors to widows, and 2,700
widowers to widows. More than 7,000 widowers stand here,
by the side of rather more than 5,000 widows. In one case,
a widower of ninety was married to a spinster of eighty. The
youngest widower was twenty, the youngest widow sixteen.
SEIZURE OP LONDON PAPERS IN PARIS ON TUESDAY.—
The Morning Advertiser and Daily News, and the evening
papers of Tuesday, were all seized in Paris, in consequence of
their republishing the letter of Alexandre Dumas, in which he
states that the Government of Louis Napoleon has instituted
proceedings against him for having made use of the expression
My body is in Paris, but my heart is in Brussels and in
Jersey "—meaning with the refugees—with whom that cele-
brated author deeply sympathises.

SINCE the price of candles has so largely increased, man
families have adopted the economical practice of burning
cocoa-nut oil in lieu of the former, finding it much cheaper
for their domestic purposes. A lamp, adapted for the purpose,
may be purchased for the trifling sum of sd. with wicks
attached, while a pint of the oil can be obtained for 7d. This
quantity of oil will burn for eight successive evenings, affording
a clear and steady light ; whilst a pound of candles (eights),
costing Bd., fret away and are consumed in five nights.—
Morning Herald.
REDUCTION IN THE PRICE OP CANDLES, &C.—On
Thursday, a reduction of one halfpenny per lb. was made in
the price of candles ; the best store candles, which for some
time have been selling at 80. per lb., can be obtained at Bd.,
moulds at 80. to 9d., and composite candles at ltd. per lb.
Lamp oils of the various descriptions, which increased in value
simultaneously with candles, can now be had at lower rates ;
pale seal oil 4s. Bd. per gallon, refined cocoa nut ss. per
gallon, and refined Colza oil ss. 4d. per gallon.—Globe.

CONVICTION FOR MURDER.-At the Central Criminal
Court, on Thursday, Daniel Lorden, 48, weaver, was indicted
for the wilful murder of his wife, by stabbing her in the neck
with a knife. The deceased was a very dissipated woman, and
the murder was the result of a drunken quarrel. The jury
found a verdict of guilty of murder, which they accompanied
by a strong recommendation to mercy on account of the pro-
vocation the prisoner had received. The Chief Baron passed
sentence of death on the prisoner, without holding out any
hope of mercy.

GAZETTE NOTICES.—The Gazette contains an order in
council to the effect that goods and passengers may be con-
veyed from one part of the Island of Ceylon to another part
thereof in other than British ships. It also states that the
Portuguese government levied an impost of 5 1-9 d. on all coal
imported since July last for the steam-packet companies whose
vessels call at St. Vincent. It also announces that clean bills
of health are issued at Marseilles, cholera having ceased. The
Gazette likewise contains a notice that the government of
Brazil intends enforcing a strict quarantine at Buenos Ayres.
DURATION OF PARLIAMENTS.—The present parliament
has long since entered the fourth year of its existence, it hav-
ing been elected in July, 1862. The precediug parliament
endured just five years. The parliament of 1841, which induced
the accession of the late Sir R Peel to office, may be said to
have died a natural death, as it was not dissolved till the end
of the session of 1847. The Peel parliament of 1835, on the
other hand, only lasted two years and a-half, and the first re-
formed parliament only two years. The parliament elected on
the accession of Queen Victoria endured barely four years.
No general election has taken place in the middle of the winter
since that of January, 1835, nearly 20 years ago. This produced
the memorable Peel parliament, convoked shortly after the
dismissal of the Melbourne ministry by King William IV.,
and to the adverse majorities of which Sir R. Peel was forced
to succumb in the space of two months.
THE AMERICANS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN.—The Berlin
correspondent of the Times says :—The appearance of the
North American squadron in the Piraeus has been represented
to have had no other object than of enforcing the payment of
an indemnity to the American citizen, Mr. King; that affair,
however, had been settled in the main before the frigates
arrived there, and the only part of it still under discussion
was how the payment could be arranged so as to be least irk-
some and offensive to the Greek Government. The real
object was to back the negotiations for the purchase of one
of the Greek islands, as has already been adverted to in your
columns. This same game is being carried on by the United
States towards the Danish Government, for the purchase of
an island in the Baltic, under cover of the agitation for the
repeal of the Sound dues.

EARTHQUAKES IN SWITZERLAND.—A letter from the Velais
(Switzerland) says :—" Since the great shock of earthquake on
the 28th ult., shocks have been felt every day, and in the night
of the 12th one was so violent that it caused about 2000 yards
of forest ground on the western slope of the mountain of
Unterbach to roll into the valley with a loud noise. All the
bridges, three windmills, and two buildings on the side of the
mountain, were carried away, and two houses in the valley
were buried beneath the mass of earth and trees. The shock
caused by the fall was so violent that for some time after de-
tached trees and blocks of stone came rolling down. The
a iitrt Rg mountain, learel• -efsaw'llvraUlcarolalla
strongly built, resisted the detached fragments ; but the store-
houses of the inhabitants, in which they had placed their pro-
visions for the winter, are buried, and their fields are covered
with sand and stones. There are still large fissures in the
forest on the upper part of the mountain, and it is feared that
new shocks of earthquake, or the thaw in the spring, will
cause other falls of earth."

---
ENGLISH RAILWAYS.—To realise the idea of England, aided
by 8,000 miles of railway, we must try to imagine England
destitute of railways. Without railways now, where would
be our commerce, our military force, or our progress ? But
what are our railways ? They are so common to us as to cease
to excite wonder • and we are apt to forget their magnitude
and complexity. Well, they represent a capital of £286,000,000.
They are 8,000 miles long, and have 2,500 stations. Their
working gives employment to 90,000 persons. They conveyed
last year 111,000,000 of passengers, and the trade in mer-
chandise and minerals upon them will now amount to one
million of tons per week. To work them, 6,000 locomotive
engines, 100,000 waggons, and 20,000 passenger vehicles are
required. Their locomotives represent a force equal to that
of 1,250,000 horses ; and if all the vehicles working were put
together, end to end, they would reach from the Channel to
the Scottish border, or, at least, 400 miles. The Railway
Company is also a great owner of moving stock, and a great
constructor in consequence. It is also a great carrier, and
owner of steam-boats, omnibuses, horses, and carts outside.—
Morning Herald.

TUE IRON TRADE.—Statement of make, home consumption,
shipments, stock, and average price of Scotch pig iron for
ten years :

Shipments

and home Stock Average
Year. Make. consumption. 31st Dec. prices.
1845
1846 ...... 570,000 ...... 666,000 ...... 149,000
1847 ...... 510,000 ...... 579,000 ...... 80,000
1848 ...... 580,000 ...... 562,000 ...... 98,000
1849
1850 ...... 595,000
1851
1852
1853
1854
Till Nov. 20,
1855

. 695. 6d.

SHIPBUILDING ON THE CLYDE.— Steam-vessels of the
largest class, fitting with machinery, are still the prominent
feature of our long line of quays. No less than seven vessels
are at present fitting out. Mr. Napier's mammoth, the Persia,
4,000 tons burthen and 1,000 horse power, is in a forward
state, and will be ready for sea next month. We observe that
this magnificent vessel, with Mr. Napier's usual liberality, has
been thrown open to the inspection of the public, at a small
rate—the funds thus raised to be given to the Royal Infirm-
ary. The next vessel in point of size to the Persia is the City
of Edinburgh, 2,500 tons, by Messrs. Tod and Macgregor.
Unlike the other, she is to be propelled by the screw, and is
intended for the New York trade, from this port. A finer spe-
cimen of marine architecture has never appeared in our har-
bour. Messrs. Smith and Rogers' large screw steamer, the
Spartan, 1,400 tons, for the Liverpool and Mediterranean trade,
shows to great advantage, being nearly ready for sea. Besides
those we have mentioned, are Messrs. Napier's screw, the
Aquilia Imperiale, for Austrian Lloyd's, a vessel of about 1,000
tons. Messrs. Barclay and Curle have also in harbour their
last screw, the Tantallan, recently launched from their new
yard at Whiteinch. We have also at the crane on the south
side, the Khersonese, a very large auxiliary screw-propelled
ship, recently launched at Belfast, and now having her engines
fitted by Messrs. Randolph and Elder.—lron ship-building is
going on with much spirit in Port-Glasgow. In Messrs. John
Reid and Co.'s there is a screw steam-ship of 1,400 tons, for
the Pacific Company. Another is a screw of 325 tons, for the
same owners. The third is a sailing ship of about 1,000 tons,
for Messss. Heap and Son, Liverpool ; and, for the same par-
ties, a second ship of about 500 tons. Then there is a sailing
ship of about 500 tons, for Messrs. Rathbone Brothers, Liver-
pool, and one of the same tonnage for Messrs. Lamport and
Holt, of Liverpool ;- and a paddle steamer of 522 tons, for the
Oporto and Lisbon trade.—North British Daily Mail.
MEMOIR OP THE KING OF SWEDEN.—OsCar 1., King of
Sweden and Norway, born July 4, 1799,. is the only issue of
the marriage of Marshal Bernadotte, with Desiree Clary,
daughter of a merchant of Marseilles, whose elder sister mar-
ried Joseph Bonaparte. Oscar Bernadotte was placed, at the
age of nine years, in the Imperial Lyceum, where his name
may yet be seen on the walls of the various quartiers of that
establishment. Marshal Bernadotte was elected Crown Prince
of Sweden, accepted the reversion of the crown, and borrowing
2,000,000 francs, that he might not appear in Stockholm with
only his sword, proceeded at once to that capital with his son,
after both had abjured Catholicism on the road, and embraced
Lutherassism, the dominant religion of Sweden. Bernadotte
had shortly the satisfaction of seeing his son soon forget his
French in the course of a year, and acquire, under the
teaching of the poet Atterborn, perfect mastery over
the Swedish language. In 1818, when, after the death of
Charles XIII„ Bernadotte ascended the throne, he trans-
mitted to Oscar the title of Chancellor of the Univer-
sity of Upsal, of which, next year, he became a student. His
military instruction kept pace with his literary instruction,
and in 1818 he became Colonel of the Guards. He had
scarcely quitted the Swedish soil during his reign. Once,
however,' under pretence of going to visit the banks of the
Rhine, he pushed as far as Eichstadt, in Bavaria, the resi-
dence of Eugene Beauharnais, Duke of Leuchtenberg, whose
eldest daughter, Josephine, he married July 19 of that year.
This marriage was much talked of in Europe, as seeming to
prove that the plebeian origin of the new Swedish dynasty
had not been forgotten by the courts of the eontinent. In
1834 he was named Viceroy of Norway ; and in 1838, in con-
sequence of the continued illness of his father, Regent of the
kingdom. In 1844 he ascended the throne, and became heir
to a personal fortune of 80,000,000 francs, saved by the late
King from a civil list of but 3,000,000 francs per annum. His
government has been marked by liberality and justice. He
has four sons and two daughters, one of whom the old King
of Denmark wished to make his third wife, but received a
positive refusal,

THE IMMORAL PRESS.-It appears from the Edinburgh
Review, that the total number of immoral publications issued
was 29,000,000 annually, being more than all the publications
of the different religious societies, and the seventy religious
magazines. The present circulation in London itself of deeply
immoral publications amounts to 4,000,000 weekly, and in one
large manufacturing town alone the weekly issue of an impious
blasphemous penny paper exceeds 23,000: the editor and pro-
prietor of that paper both deny the existence of a God.

MAGNIFICENT PHENOMENON.—On Friday evening, about
7 o'clock, an extraordinary phenomenon was observed in the
heavens. A ball of fire suddenly appeared in mid-air, and
darted along in a straight line over about a third of the sphere,
leaving behind it a trail of vapour, like the tail of a cornet.
It then burst like a rocket, but without noise, falling in a
shower of sparks, which, however, instantly disappeared. The
phenomenon was wholly different from ordinary meteoric
appearances, and formed a spectacle at once sublime and awful .

SMITHFIELD CLUB.—The annual Christmas show will take
place on the 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th of this month, at the
Agricultural Implement Bazaar, Baker-street, London. In
addition to the five gold and thirty-eight silver medals, the
amount of money prizes this year awarded by the club is
£670, being an increase in that respect upon former years,
and the number of enteries and the names of the contribu-
tors indicate a belief that the show will altogether exhibit
more than an average excellence in the quality as well as
breed of the animals. A fine collection of agricultural
machinery, consisting of corn crushers, prize chaff-cutting
machines, &c., &c., are now being manufactured by Messrs.
Richmond and Chandler, South John-street, Liverpool, for
the above exhibition. The same firm are now executing an
order for H. R. H. Prince Albert, of improved machinery
intended for operations in the Isle of Wight.

ENGLISH AND FRENCH POLICE.—Some London police-
men were present at the closing of the Paris Exhibition, to
keep order among the English visitors. A correspondent
compares the policemen of the two forces :—The French police
constable is more polished than the English one—takes off his
hat with infinitely more grace—and, when he is quite at
leisure, answers a question with a greater appearance of a
desire to satisfy the inquirer. But cross him in the least,
attempt to explain to him any misconception of his orders,
try to gain his attention when he is excited from any cause
whatever, and he becomes a tiger. The English " Bobby" is
a man of few words, not much addicted to touching his hat to
strangers ; but, while a model of firmness, prides himself on
keeping his temper. lie is not quick to perceive rebellion,
accepts a first disobedience merely as a misunderstanding, and
repeats his commands in a determined but not angry voice.

THE LATE ADMIRAL BRITA.T was educated at the Ecole de
Brest, and was an aspirant of the first class in 1815, an en-
sign in 1819, a lieutenant in 1827, and commanded a frigate
in 1831. He obtained the rank of vice-admiral in 1852, and
was a full admiral in 1855. He was known in the French
navy as a brave, indefatigable, and generous officer. He was
early in life engaged on the African coast, when he was
wrecked, and taken as a prisoner of war to Algiers. On his
return to France he commanded the Jena and the Triton,
first-class ships. Afterwards he was named governor of two
French colonies, and subsequently occupied important naval
posts under the government of General Cavaignac. During
the present war he was second in command with Admiral
Hamelin, and was present at the bombardment of Sebastopol,
October 17. When Admiral Hamelin returned he. took the
command of the allied squadrons. He died of rheumatic gout,
which attacked his stomach. He had just left Constantinople,
after beingfilted by the Sultan, and was congratulated by the
ambassadors of the allies.
A HUNGARIAN TRAGEDY.--A young Hungarian soldier
named Wesseley, belonging to an Austrian regiment in the
'garrison of Rastadt, was executed a few mornings ago in that
town, for murder, in virtue of the sentence of a court-martial.
Wesseley, who was a young man of excellent character, con-
ceived a violent passion for a young woman named Manckert.
a countrywoman of his, who was servant in a publie=house at
Rastadt, and he paid his addresses to her. She pretended to be
in love with him, promised to marry him, and made him give
her all the money he received from his family, or was able to
earn by his skill as a farrier. All at once, to his dismay, he
learned that she had long been engaged to be married to a
man in Hungary ; and when he called on her for an explana-
tion, she admitted that she meant to marry that man and no
other, and that she had only pretended to be in love with
him in order to get his money, to be able to marry sooner.
On this Wesseley, in despair, plunged a knife into her beart,
and killed her instantaneously. He was sentenced for this
crime to be hanged, but no hangman could be found for miles
around, and so he was ordered to be shot. He was marched
to the glacis of the forts under a strong guard, and there
found about 2,500 soldiers drawn up. He calmly. took off his
coat, bandaged his eyes, and then knelt dOwn. The soldiers,
as is usual in Germany on such occasions, knelt also, and
three riflemen, who had recently carried off prizes for their
skill in shooting, were ordered forward. All the soldiers
then began singing a hymn, and, in the midst of it, the sig-
nal to fire was given —at the same moment the criminal,
struck by three balls, fell dead.— Galignant s Messenger.

ATTEMPTED MURDER IN LEICESTERSHIRE.—About mid-
night on Sunday last week, the village of Snarestone, which
lies between Ashby-de-la-Zouch and Atherstone, was the
scene of a most atrocious attempt at murder. - There is a
small farmer of Snarestone, an old man, named John Fowkes,
who was to make his will, leaving a large proportion of his
property to his grandson, names John Acres Fowkes. At
this, one of the old man's sons, who was also named John
Fowkes, felt aggrieved, and he had been repeatedly heard to
threaten his nephew. About half-past eleven o'clock on
Sunday night, the young man John Acres Fowkes met
with a county policeman, and asked him to go into his grand-
father's and have a glass of ale. To this the policeman as-
sented, and at the old man's house they found, besides the
grandfather, an uncle of the young man, a shopkeeper,
named William Fowkes. Just about midnight, a gun was
struck tie young man m the rate',al33itinfaeY4biinriliFWitts
and forehead. He was sitting nearly opposite the window,
about two yards and a half from it, and fell down directly he
was shot. Immediately the gun was fired, William Fowkes
exclaimed, " That's our Jack that fired." The policeman
rushed to the door, but found it fastened on the outside.
After some little delay the cord with which it was fastened
was cut, and the officer went into the street and round the
house, but could see nobody. He went to Ashby, and about
five- on Monday morning, the uncle, John Fowkes, was taken
into custody on a charge of shooting his nephew. A gun and
some shot were found in the prisoner's house, and a pair of
boots which corresponded with some footmarks discovered
near his father's house. The cord with which the door was.
fastened on the outside has been identified as his property.
The prisoner was a butcher, and lived about half a mile from
his father's. The young man's recovery was considered to be.
hopeless.

THE EMBASSY TO BIIRMAH.—The embassy has been duly
received at Ava. The official audience was granted on the
13th of September. The envoy, attended by Burmese officers
of the household and a magnificent cavalcade, entered the
palace by the eastern gate. The route was most circuitous,
the king having desired that his subjects should have a full
view of the procession. At the foot of the steps leading to
the audience-hall the British officers took off their shoes and
swords, and then seated themselves on the carpet in front of
the throne. The roof of the audience-hall is supported on a
vast number of beautifully•carved and gilded pillars ; the
floor of masonry is raised 15 feet from the ground, and is as
smooth as marble. The throne stands on a pedestal of gold,
inlaid with mirrors and coloured glass, and over it is a gilded
canopy. Below, within eight yards and a little to the left,
sat the heir apparent in a car facing the throne, and behind
him and on the other side sat some members of the royal
family, and in the centre and immediately before the British
officers sat the king's and the heir apparent's sons, five of
each ; all these were most richly dressed in velvet brocade
and gold tissue. Still further back, and in the same line with
the embassy, sat the ministers and other officers of state.
The King was magnificently dressed, being loaded down with
jewellery, while the Queen, on his right hand, wore a crown
of diamonds shaped like a cornucopia. A sort of hymn was
sung by the attendant priests, formal compliments were ex-
changed, and presents given and received. Major Phayre re.
ceived a gold chain of nobility, a ruby ring, a richly embossed:
gold cup, and a piece of silk. Captain Yule, Dr. :Forsythe,
Major Allen, and Captain Rennie received each a ruby ring, a
plain gold cup, and a kiece of silk: and Rll the, others a r"--
ring and a piece of silk. The reception wad gracious, ^ 174
there is evidence of the disposition to consider the mission aS
a sort of sin offering. Major Phayre has once or twice been
compelled to assert his dignity as a British representative.
The introduction of the Queen marks the wide dissimilarity
of Indian and Burmese manners. The embassy has, by this
time, returned to Rangoon.—Bombay Time..

EASTERN COUNTIES RAILWAY.—The committee of inves-
tigation into the affairs of this company have just issued their
report. It is a voluminous document, of which the following
is a synopsis :—The committee state that the investigation
not only sustains all the charges brought by the auditors
against the management at the last meeting, but that those
charges were far below what If Ould hsce been warranted. It
is asserted that /JO correct balance had ever been' struck in
the stores department since Mr. Waddington was chosen
chairman, that goods untouched have been sold for old stores,
and that on occasions when these transactions were
taking place the company were buying fresh goods at from
10 to 40 per cent. above the highest market prices. Illegal
additions are represented to have been made to the capital
account of £69,006 which belonged to the Norfolk Company.
Preferential contracts have been entered into with individual
firms to carry coals, cattle, &c., at a positive loss to the share-
holders, and also to the damage of regular traders, who were
thus shut out from fair competition. In one of the concerns
thus favoured—the Norfolk and Eastern Counties Coal Com-
pany—the locomotive superintendent was a partner, and his
certificates were actually taken as to the quality of the coal he.
himself supplied. The Tilbury and Southend line has been,
leased, in the opinion of the committee, on improvident terms,
and the arrangements with respect to the Woolwich line,
Lowestoft Harbour, the steam-boats of the Eastern Unioa•
Railway, and the steam traffic between Harwich and Ant-
werp, are also strongly condemned. With regard to the
locomotive superintendent; it is recommended that a claim on
his part of £3,193 should not be paid until•the'-iustice of
payments to the amount of nearly £20,000, made bar him for
percentages since 1850, shall have been settled by arbitration,
and that his existing engagement be referred to the law officers
of the company with a view to its termination. An advance
of £B,OOO to the corporation of Harwich and commitments to
pn outlay at that place of £30,000 are involved in obscurities
which the committee have been unable to fathom. Since Mr.
Waddington became chairman, in 1851, the additions to
capital have been to the extent of £1,213,952, or at a
rate which the committee consider would, if it were
continued, soon destroy the dividend available for un-
guaranteed shareholders. A considerable portion of this
amount should not have gone to capital at all.
In relation to the maintenance of the permanent wayi
which the last committee of investigation recommended °I'6"1:,1,
be met by an annual apportionment of £32,000, it appears
that the amount appropriated for the purpose in 1855 has been
only £3,200, and that an outlay is now necessary 0f£150,000.
The examination of the accounts for the last half-year has re-
sulted in showing that, instead of £57,581 being, as repre-
sented, divisible for dividend, the amount was only £21,263,
Previous returns are believed to have been of the same de-
lusiveh as be e cnhiamracpetrefreert and,an
and the audit by the professional auditors
in the opinion of the committee, en-
tirely useless. Finally, it is unanimously submitted that the
election of a chairman at a salary of £2,000 a-year has acted ,
most prejudicially to the intere
individualmembers interests of the company
e. bbyoardde:
creasing the influence of the
and it is likewise pointed out
that another great evil consists
in the fact that out of the 15 directors of the company Only
eight represent its regular interests, five representing the
Northern and Eastern Company, and the remaining two the
dE.eansete,AconngtlaitingAecxetoraomprdaninyainryg
rctl4elarteioponsrtoristhae msyasstsemofpeuvir:
sued daring the past five years,

TO FAMILIES, HOTEL-KEEPERS, & EXPORTERS.
CHATEAU calls attention to the following
• GOODS, purchased at the Sale by order of the Canadian
Steam Navigation Company, and also a Bankrupt Stock :-
83 Pair Linen SH EETS, 21 yards long, at 6s. 6d. per pair.
109 Dozen NAPKINS and TABLE CLOTHS, every width.
Irish Linens, Calicoes. Blankets, Welsh and Saxony Flannels,
300 Dozen Tumblers, Plated and other Cutlery, for Home con-
sumption and Exportation. Capitalists will find in this establish..
meat Goods suitable for every part of the globe.

E. CHATEAU,
o & 64, BEDFORD-STREET NORTH.

45 BOxEs
FLOWERS.
magnificent ARTIFICIAL
500 superb HEAD-DRESSES, from Is. 6d. to 2s. •; usually sold
at ss. to 10s. each.
A large Assortment of ARTIFICIAL FLOWERS, suitable for
Caps and Bonnets, equally cheap.
yard 2000 yards French BLONDE, every width, from 3d, to 2s. per
; usually sold
VALENCIENNES fromcheap.
ls. 6(1
. to nos. per yard. A large Lot of
100 Dozen Needle. work COLLA RS, to be sold at 4d. each, worth
Is. 6d. Also a magnificent Lot of EMBROIDERY, at extremely
low prices.

THE NOVEMBER CIRCULAR
OF THE
LONDON AND NORTH-WESTERN TEA
COMPANY.

THE Company's SELECTIONS OF THE NEWSEASON'S TEA ARE
NOW SELLING at Old Postolfice-place, Liverpool.
The BEST CONGOUS arrived of this Crop are of the KAisow
kinds, which we directed public attention to last year.
TheMoNINGS, or strong lull-bodied Congous, ARE NOT SO FINE
as previous imports.
The MONI NG districts are now largely occupied by the Rebels,
and this may account why the FINEST TEAS OF THE SEASON 1854
are now only finding their way through to the coast.
We are happy to inform our Customers that WE HAVE SECURED
SOME OF THESE. They are REMARKABLY FINE, finer than any
we hare hitherto sold.

Congous are better adapted for consumption in Liverpool, on
account of the HARDNESS of the water.
But where SOFTER water is attainable, we recommend our
SOUCHONGS and OOLONGS, whose MELLOW and EXQUISITE
flavour are not properly extracted by hard water.
To give our Customers an opportunity of tasting the FINEST
of the new Season's Congou, we shall sell it at 4s. per lb.
It does not pay us; but it is as much as it is worth.
Our FINE OLD MONINGS AND KAISOWS we sell at the SAME
PRICE, and they are IMMEASURABLY SUPERIOR.
By order of the Company,
Old Postoffice-place,Church•street, JOHN L. SMITH
November 14,1855.
N.B.—The Company take great care not to admit into their
Mel( any Teas mixed with Spurious Leaves.

BEDFORD-STREET, NORTH.
TO be LET, FURNISHED, an excellent HOUSE,
situate as above, and consisting of Three Entertaining and
Six Bedrooms, &c.—Apply to THOMAS LLOYD, Surveyor, &c.,
Sweeting-street, Castle-street.