The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-10-30 00:00:00

up to the present day ; and, though it is not to be
supposed that any British Government would hazard
a similar rash experiment on colonial loyalty, other pro-
vocations may lead to a similar result. The West
Indies were, in many respects, our most valuable pos-
sessions, for the interests were in comparatively few
hands, and the profits flowed into the mother country ;
but they were ruthlessly sacrificed to encourage slavery
in Cuba, after paying twenty millions to abolish it in
our own Colonies ; and although we may not hear so
many complaints of distress, it is simply because all
the real sufferers have long since been ruined. Canada,
it is true, is, for the present, enjoying the quietude
which springs from unbroken prosperity and rapid
improvement ; and we hear also of exuberant rejoic-
ings at the successes of the British arms in the Crimea,
showing the feelings of loyalty which animate the
British portion of the population ; but prosperity is not
always to be counted upon, reverses might excite other
feelings, and there are numbers in the neighbouring
states who would gladly encourage a proposition for
annexation. Australia is comparatively a new colony,
but she is fast acquiring the sinews of strength, and
would have no indisposition to shake off her allegiance
if the opportunity were afforded. Something has been
done by way of provision for the future in granting
constitutions ; but, if England is to maintain those
Colonial appanages which many believed to be the
chief elements in our national greatness, the affairs
of the Colonial-office must be conducted with far more
ability than has lately been exhibited. Earl
.GREY
almost provoked insurrection both at the Cape of Good
Hope and in Australia, by persisting in his insane
attempt to contaminate the population with convicts.
Lord JOHN RvssELL showed his contempt for the
duties of the office by undertaking a special mission to
Vienna, which fortunately resulted in his dismissal ;
and now, by the death of Sir WILLIAM MOLESWORTEC,
the Colonies are once more left to chance or to the
unpractised hand of some embryo statesman whom
Lord PALMERSTON may elevate into place, not perhaps
so much from choice as from necessity ; unless,
indeed, the loss of the Colonial Secretary, and also of
Viscount CANNING, who has been made Governor-
General of India, should eventuate in another minis-
terial crisis, which may once more put the right men
in the right places. •

LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY.

A SPECIAL meeting of the members of this society was held
last night, at the Royal Institution, for the purpose of further
considering the proposition submitted at the last meeting, for
increasing the annual subscription to one guinea, and the life
subscription, from January next, to ten guineas. The motion
was agreed to.

The second ordinary meeting was held directly afterwards,
J. B. Yates, Esq., in the chair ; when the Rev. H. H. Higgins
presented a handsome collection of butterflies, contributed by
C. S. Gregson, Esq.

Dr. LINE exhibited a funeral vase which had been brought
to Liverpool by Miss Hope. It was supposed to be the work
of about the third century. He also exhibited some ancient
Egyptian coins and cameos. One of them, Dr. Ihne stated,
was, he believed, of the first Ptolemy, under the guise of
Jupiter Ammon.

Mr. T. C. ARCHER then read a highly interesting paper on
the useful products of the natural order " Palmaceee." He
said this order comprised some of the most beautiful plants
known, but it was to the value of their products rather than
to their botanical distinction that he should call attention.
He went on to describe the varieties, which produce the ma-
lacca cane, the rattan cane, dragon's blood, the seeds used by
the natives of India as a substitute for the arica nut; sago, of
which several specimens were exhibited, and the variety of bas-
kets, packages, and other materials, for which the palm is so
highly valuable to the inhabitants of tropical climates. He
also described the talipot thatch, imported into this country,
and used chiefly for cheap hats; and vegetable wax, brought
here principally from Para and Maranham. He exhibited a
singular umbrella, made from the broad leaf of the palm ; and
described the date-palms, which supplied wjth food so many
inhabitants of the East. The arica-palm produced the arica-
nut, extensively used in India as a narcotic by cleaning it
with quick lime. Mr. Archer also exhibited several interest-
ing specimens, not only, of portions of the plant, but also of
cordage made from the fibrous material, and commented upon
the vast importance to the trade of this country of the impor-
tation of palm oil, which had been manufactured to a large
t,B
extent by the Patent Candle Company, aromborougb Pfy-dt
which had large plantations of the eneoa-nut on the island of
Ceylon. where they grew their own oil. Mr. Archer gave
some interesting particulars with reference to the cocoanut-
palm, and, at the conclusion of his paper, thanks were unani-
mously voted to him.

SMUGGLING TOBACCO.—Charles Rowlinson, a sailor be-
longing to the ship Conqueror, arrived from Bombay, was
yesterday brought before Mr. Mansfield, charged with having
in his possession 21 lbs. of tobacco, of foreign manufacture.
He was ordered to pay a fine of 275. Gd., the value of the
tobacco.
STEALING FROM A BUTCHER'S STALL.—An elderly Irish-
woman, named Ellen Mc.Guire, was brought before the police
magistrates yesterday, charged with having on Saturday night
stolen a shoulder of mutton from the stall kept by Elizabeth
Downie, in St. Martin's Market. Mc.Guire, who did not deny
the theft, was sentenced to be imprisoned for seven days.
ROBBING A MASTER.—Mary Ryan, about 30 years of age,
was charged yesterday at the Police-court, with stealing 38
lbs. of flour, the property of Mr. John Paul, of 124, Stanhope-
street, with whom she lived as servant. The prisoner was
seen putting the flour into a bag. She made no defence, and
was sentenced to imprisonment for a month.
THE NEW BRIDEWELLS.—The four new bridewells erected
in accordance with a resolution of the council have been
opened for the reception of prisoners. They are situate in
Prescot-street, Olive-street, Essex-street, and Athol-street.
They are much more extensive and commodious than the old
stations ; all the sells are on one floor, and no cellar apart-
ments are to be used for the confinement of prisoners. The
buildings are warmed throughout with hot air.
POCKET Prox ix G.—Yesterday, a young man named Farrell
Cain was charged at the police-court with picking the pocket
of Mrs. Ann Booth, in Great Charlotte-street, oil Saturday
night. The prisoner, observing the prosecutrix in a crowd,
took the opportunity of putting his hand into her pocket and
abstracting ten shillings. Cain, who had been previously
known as a pick-pocket, having been tried at the sessions in
February last, was again committed for trial.
MAN FOUND DROWNED.—On Sunday morning, the body
of a man unknown was found floating in the Wapping Dock,
by a man who works in one of the flats. The body was that
of a man about 22 years of age, with sandy-coloured hair. He
was about five feet four inches in height; and was dressed
in an old moleskin waistcoat, with sleeves, with a plaid waist-
coat under it. He had also on corded trousers and a check
shirt, and laced boots.
FATAL ACCIDENT AT STANLEY DOCK.—On Friday night,
about six o'clock, a female named Eliza Carney, who had landed
from one of the Irish steamers, in proceeding along the road
leading by the east side of the docks, came to the bridge
across the entrance to the Stanley-dock, which was open at the
time to allow the passage of a ship. Carney, not being ac-
quainted with the nature of the place, inadvertently went too
near the edge, and fell down the open. In falling, she struck
on the masonry, and was so severely injured that she had to be
taken to the Northern Hospital, where she died on Sunday
morning.
DASTARDLY ASSAULT ON A FEmALL—Yesterday, a man
who gave his name as Edwin Wheeler, and said he was the
mate of a ship, was charged before Mr. Mansfield with a
violent assault on Mrs. Ann Howard, a respectable married
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Bolton-street, the prisoner came up, and without receiving
the slightest provocation or saying a word, he struck her a
violent blow in the face and knocked her down. After doing
this he kicked her severely several times, on the knee and on
other parts of her person. The prisoner was totally unknown
to her, as she had never seen him in her life. The magistrate
commented in terms of great severity on the ruffianly and
brutal character of the assault, and the risoner to
pay a fine of £lO, or to be imprisoned forsentenced three months with
hard labour.
ASSAULTING THE PoLICE.—A man named Elijah Carwin,
who stated he came from Bolton, was brought before Mr.
Mansfield yesterday, charged with a violent assault on Police-
constable No. 491, on Saturday night. The constable stated
that as he was passing the corner of Cavendish-street, Mary-
bone, about eleven o'clock, he saw the prisoner and another
man quarrelling and in the act of going to fight. He in-
terfered to prevent them, and the prisoner stepped back a
pace or two, and suddenly rushing forward with his head
down, butted the witness so severely in the stomach as to
knock him down. The prisoner then kicked the witness
with great severity while he was on the ground and unable to
rise. Assistance being procured, the prisoner was appre-
hended and taken to Bridewell, where he again butted at the
witness. Mr. Mansfield said, the practice of butting with the
head as described by the constable was most dangerous and
brutal; and kicking a man when down was a most dastardly
and un-English proceeding which he should do his utmost
to repress. He sentenced Carwin to pay a fine of £5 and
costs, or to be imprisoned for two months.
THEFT OF SIXTY SOVEREIGNS FROM A SAILOR.,—A young
woman named Harriet Bradbury was brought before the
Police-court yesterday, charged with having, between Thurs-
day night and Eriday morning, robbed a sailor named
Thomas Brown, of sixty sovereigns. The prosecutor said he
had the money in a belt, which was buckled round his waist,
and at the time mentioned went to a public-house in Sir
Thomas's-buildings, where he met with a number of men and
women, whom lie treated to liquor, and got the worse of
drink himself. He then accompanied the prisoner to her
lodgings, where he remained the night, and fell asleep. On
awaking in the morning, he found that the belt and his
money were gone, and on making the discovery, he had the
prisoner taken into custody. An attorney, who appeared for
the defence, maintained that there was not a shadow of evi-
dence that the prosecutor ever had the money at all. No
money was found on the prisoner, and, on his own showing,
even if lie had had the money, there was nothing to connect
the prisoner with it. The prosecutor had been drinking with
and treating men and women of the lowest character, with
whom he got drunk. Under the circumstances, he submitted
that the prosecutor was not entitled, indeed was unable, to
say who had robbed him, supposing be was robbed. He fur-
ther urged, that parties so careless of their own property were
scarcely entitled to the protection of the law, The prisoner,
who said nothing, was remanded for a week.