The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-11-13 00:00:00

FROM OUR LONLON&PRRESPONDENT„

MONDAY MORNING.
Aim the: frequent disturbar.efis of ralty re:ations, and
The
_recurrent disrciption of Cabinet arrangements, it de-.
hghtful tVenow.ihat in at .110 onoian4'ithatthe highest
department of the State—social tranquillity remains un-
broken, and domestic peace sheds its beneficent influence
around. In the sylvan retreats and regal halls pf Windsor,
our gracious.liQYZßEV:ix.-11114PS.14—lastIMILlias„ been,
sharing the hosPitalities of dOtnestic life witlfei numerous
array of noble and illustrious guests. Friday was the four-
teenth anniversary .of the,.hirthaday itrince.af.
and the auspicious occurrence was celebrated more in accord-
ance with the simplicity which-,.characterises the dogrestic
arrangements of the Royal houiehold, than to many Observers
might seem befitting the ,celebration of such an event, in
connexion with the heir-apparent of so great a throne. - The
day was ushered in by the ringing of, merry peals
_ppon
the bells', of the Chapel ROyal, of Si: George, IRK St.
JOhn's Church, and the evening closed with a -juvenile ball,
held in the Red Drawing-room, in honoUr of the occasion:
Not less ,pleasing is it to learn that the usual paStithos for
the entertainment of the Royal Family, which were in it kreat
degree,
,suspended or withdrawn last year, on account Of the
serious losses incurred in the Crithea, are about to he re-
sumed: The theatrical performandes at Windsor, which were
the sources of so muck gratification, but which were discon.
tinued last year, from the cause referred to, have been ordered
-to be revived, the first performance of the season taking place '
on the evening of Thursday week. HER MAJESTY is about to
receive the visit Of her august Ally, VICTOR EMANUEL, King
of SARDINIA, who is to leave Turin on the 20th of this, and,.

• •
journeying by Paris, will arrive in England at the beginning
of next month. This visit is already very popular by antici-
pation, and, considering the independent and spirited man-
ner in which, disconnecting himself from the trammels of.
Austro-German thraldom, be has thrown his fortunes in with
the Western Powers, and joined their alliance against
Russia, this is not matter for surprise. His reception will
be in all respects such as befits a great and loyal people to
'-bestow on the guest of its Sovereign, augmented, in his case,
by a sense of his gallant conduct. As if wonders were never
to cease, we of the secluded- isle are also, it seems, to be ho-
noured with a visit of the SULTAN. Such an intention on the
part of His Majesty has been for some time currently rumoured
in the diplomatic circles of Constantinople, and the. report,
"with many added circumstances," has now obtained currency
among the quid nuncs of London society. This visit, it is
said, will take place early in the spring of next year. These
expected visits, and their courtly concomitants, afford ample
scope for conversation, and furnish no trivial amount of stimu-
lus for the gossip-mongers and retailers of court scandal. To,
those who see in every footstep of a monarch the incipient
form of a great state manceuvre, they are yet more prolific in
anticipated results. With this latter, as with some other
classes of political vaticinators, "the wish is oft the father to
the thought," so it might prove hazardous, as it certainly would
be tiresome, to follow their conjectures; instead of doing which,
it will be safer to fall in with the general feeling, and assure
both that they will meet with a hearty and "right royal
welcome."

Among the small, though scarcely to be accounted
trivial incidents, by which the last few days have been dis-
tinguished, there are two, in both of which a portion, if not all
-the judges of the land, have played a part. One of those has
been the formal inauguration of a, Jew Lord Mayor ; .the other
the formal admission of a judge to office—the first-named a
very singular, the latter a very ordinary, though .a very im-
portant affair. This last, which took place in the Court of
Queen's Bench, when the newly-created judge, Mr. Justice
WILLES, presented himself to take the oaths which custom-
arily precede the admission to office. The oaths were adminis-
tered by Lord CAMPBELL, Lord Chief Justice of England,
between whom and the novice judge a scene occurred which
has occasioned no small amount of scandal, and given rise to
many a solemn commentary. Among the oaths administered
was the oath of abjuration ; and the grey-haired legal veteran
observing that his junior brother did not repeat the words of
the abjuring obligation, admonished him of his omission. To
this the newly-made judge pertly replied, that "he he abjured in
his mind, though his lips did not appear to do their office." The
mental abjuration, not being in Lord CAMPBELL'S estimation
a good legal form of procedure, he insisted on the words being
expressed, but added, " the law requires such a farce to take
place." Thus encouraged, the more juvenile histrione com-
plied with the law's requirement, and so the was farce ended.
Every day supplies evidence of the reckless disregard with
which certain parties look upon the value of an oath, and
society has serious reason to complain of such disregard.
What, however, is to be thought of the administration and
value of oaths, when one judge sitting upon the judgment
seat, in the act of administering an oath to a brother judge,
which the latter appears unwilling to emit, gravely states
that the oath is a farce which, under the circumstances, the
law insists upon compliance with. Many people believe that
example is better than precept in the inculcation of important
social and religious duties ; if so, the example set by some of
HER MAJESTY'S judges does not seem very favourable to
securing the sanctity of oaths.
The advent of a Jewish Lord Mayor is memorable on several
accounts, the first being the decided breach which such an
appointment makes in the Christian defences of our consti-
tution; another and less important consideration is the sin-
gular reception given at the civic banquet to Lord JOITN
RUSSELL. In answer to a toast which at the saturnalia
coupled his Lordship's name with the House of Commons, he
essayed to offer his opinion that the attainment of the office of
Lord Mayor by Mr. Alderman SALomoms was a triumph of
the cause of civil and religious liberty, of which he (the speaker)
had always been an ardent and conspicuous supporter; but
the assertion was met by a clamour of derisive cheers and
hisses, which made the city representative suddenly resume
his seat. His notable dodges in reference to the famous Jewish
Disabilities Bill were too fresh in the memory of the Lord
Mayor's friends to allow so shallow an artifice to be successful ;
his instability of purpose and want of integrity in other public
matters deprived him of support from other sections of the
guests ; and he was left, forsaken and dispirited, to brave the
storm of popular indignation he had drawn upon himself.
Every one is now convinced that his unseated colleague must,
at the next election, provide himself with a more popular
political twin than HER MAJESTY'S ex-plenipotentiary at
Vienna, if the City is to be represented in parliament at all.
At the same banquet Lord PALMERSTON came out with a
speech so full of warlike energy, that the Times of the fol-
liming morning declares the whole symposium to have been a

" warlike demonstration." - I
Connected with this bellicose speech, the opinion strongly
expressed about it at the clubs is that it was a desperate and
not over discreet bidding for popularity. In these nuclei of
political conjecture, it is held by all parties that the Ramps,
STON Cabinet has arrived at a crisis, from which it will with
difficulty and diminished influence, if at all, escape. That So:
Ministry, which finds difficulties almost insurmountable la, 1
filling up a vacancy occasioned by the death of a principal
officer of state, is in a moribund condition, few can doubt.
That such is the condition of the present Cabinet, is a matter
of equal certainty. Personally Lord PALMERSTON is pos- ,
sessed of considerable popularity, which has in a large measure
been increased by his conduct of the war during the period
he has held the reins of government ; but one man .is not
sufficient to sustain the character and credit of ar admi-
nistration, and his lordship feels the truth of this.. With
a desperate resolution to remedy the evil, if -possible,
he endeavoured to ally himself with that party, which at
his own advent to power be treated with mean dupli-
city and out-manoeuvred by ungentlemanly shuffling. He
offered the colonial seals to Lord STANLEY, as—so it is said—
a sort of party compromise to buy off the opposition, if he
could not secure the active co-operation of the Conservative
section in both Houses of Parliament led by the Earl, of
DERBY. In his anxiety to grasp the office of Premier, in
February last, he disdained the proffered cc-operation of Lord
DEBBY ; within eight little months of that time he has seen
the necessity of soliciting the aid of Lord. DERBY'S son,, and
has been humiliated by its refusal. The, present conjuncture
of affairs with Lord PALMERSTON is evidently a perplexing
one; and rumour takes advantage of the opportunity to cir-
culate all kinds of absurd conjecturea relative to his move-
ments ; the most recent being, that, foiled in his attempt to
secure. Lord STANLEY, and fully satisfied of the futility of ad-
vancing Mr. FRED. PEEL to the %leant office, he has turned
the matter over in his mind, and sees no one now so fit to fill
the empty chair as his quondam friend and colleague the
Duke of NEWCASTLE. To him accordingly it is said he has
turned in ,his extremity, and has placed the Colonial Secretary-
ship at.this acceptance. What will be the result of this appli-
cation is a matter of anxious speculation to many, not the least
interested of whom is understood to be Lord PALMERSTON
himself, who in some of his wild dreams is said to look upon,
Lord Jonrr RUSSELL as his stop-gap and forlorn hope in this
affair. If such an idea ever seriously entered his mind, the
sibilations with which that " Wandering Jew" of state craft
was greeted at the Guildhall on Friday evening must have
effectually dispelled it. Other parties beside those referred to
affect to see in the begging for colleagues an intention to
prepare the public mind for an early dissolution of Parliament.
His lordship is without doubt an " artful dodger," although
hardly so deep in the mysteries as that would indicate; the
least informed on such topics looks upon the solicitation part
of the affair as greatly more indicative of a dissolution of
the Cabinet than the House of Commons.

Apropos of the House of Commons, it appears much more
than likely that Sir CHIPLES NAPIER will secure his seat
as the happy representative of Southwark. The vigour of
his fire and the efficacy of his broadsides have driven his

opponent, Mr.-ScovELL, from the field, and to all appearance
the " Old,ConfraodoiV will now walk the "c0ur5e,,,,,,,, Prior to
!this.,,consummation, and in anticipation of it, lie was on
Friday resented with a new hat. The partieS"who thus
geno;usly stepped forward to relieve him from the imputa-
,,tion of` "'shocking bad hat" are the workmen
employed ..Messrs;' CHRISTY, the eminent " Golgotha'
manufacturers."'. The hat is not a vulgar " four-and-nine"
affair, but a tip-top Admiral's " regulation trowner" mann-
,factpred of gauine beaver, and_ bedizzened with the richest
gold bullion lace: -It is-entirely comme it faut, and is fitted
alike ,tbr'parading upon the
.quarter-deck prifor•sviaggerifig
iraeatlax, "Lgaapyay.'-' --Like-other candidates for popular
favour, Sir CHARLES NAPIER has provided himself with a
political manifesto, which is got. less singular• for its terse
brevity than it is remarkable for the bold 'vigour of that
political confessio,iedi which it enunciates. It includes-.-a
vigorous prosecution • of war,—vote by ballot,.—the
franchise of all ratepayers,short parliaments,—adrainistra-
five reform, a`c~; remo~aTof the BishOpi from" the House
of Lords. A tolerably comprehensive budget, truly ; and
one which likely will not be quite exhausted at the termina-
tion of his Parliamentary campaign, if ever he should be
permitted to open it, even though it should extend beyond
the -period generally expected for the - land cimise of a
veteran " salt."

That the minds of great men are occasionally beset by
vagaries, is abundantly true; and many well-disposed indi-
viduals believe this infirmity wisely imposed upon man,
"lest," in the language Of "Holy Willie,"

" - he owre proud and high should turn
'Cause he's sae gifted."

In following out such vagaries, which vulyo vocantur aunt
"riding hobbies," it has been found that no one rides with
such energy and determination as a man who, having obtained
some credit by flying with borrowed pinions, is still boldly
aggressive to the work. Of this kidney is RICIIA.RD COBDENt
representative of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and political
Caleb Quotem ! On various occasions, when the dark-lantern
of his wisdom has been withdrawn from the illumination of
parliament, its sable radiance and leaden lustre have been
thrown upon the path of the outer world. In each of these
instances it has revealed something extraordinary. Its virgin
splendours lifted the happy owner to a public testimonial,
value £80,000; the second application of the " mag.e, lantern"
displayed, before the eyes of an astonished world, how the
Russian empire might be crumpled up like a sheet of ques-
tionably brown coloured paper, furnished by the necromancer
himself; in its third demonstration, the implement has
seemingly been turned upon its owner, and instead of
approaching Russia as a trampler-up, it shows him destitute
of crushing powers or propensities, and displays him as one of
the meekest of mortals. Under the new arrangement of the
lamp he has seized the olive branch, and now presents a
twig to each of the contending parties: The picture he now
shows is one altogether, or nearly, based upon profit and loss.
He does not now protest against the war on account of its
being war. Even for the sake of bringing about peace he does
not crumple up his bullying and acquisitive friend the CZAR,
but he rates his countrymen for their unskilful way of making
war. The war„ he maintains, is wrong in principle, and more
unpopular in fact, On neither of these grounds, however, is
his indignation vented. He hates the war, but he hakes its
bungling conduct worse. In the war his own precious carcass
runs no risk. In paying the cost of it, his• eighty thousand
pounds are trenched on. Of the injustice of the war he is
quite convinced ; but he would rather see our injusticetrient-
pliant through able management than baffled, while costing
much as to make an inroad on his pecuniary resources.- He
had no such compunctious- visitings about useless expenditure
when his £BO,OOO were being collected. He never wished, I

wring
From the hard hands of peasants their vile trash
By any indirection,

unless it could be made to benefit himself. The war experts•
. diture affects the value of and the demand for cotton- twist,-
andtherefore he condemns, it. He now warns us of thediffil
culties to be encountered in opposing the power he could- at
one time so easily have crumpledup, and having heated him-
self into an exaggerated idea of. those difficulties, he- ad-
visesus to abandon the war as too costly a luxury, whichrif it,
could only be • got through within brief time and at little
cost, he yet could bring himself to patronise and admire. Not
seeing his way clearly in that direction, and descending from
his moral rostrum, he places prominently before the editees of
the Leeds-Mercury, and his readers; the heavy task width
must be overcome in " humbliug and reducing to abject terms
of peace an empire of sixty millions of people by invading
their territory at a distance of 3,000 milesi and thus contend-
ing with-the passive obstinacy of the most stubborn races:
existence, under the greatest possible disadvantage to one-
selves." In the fearfully protracted panorama of ctifeselt7
and dang,er. which Mr. COI3DEII -now drawer one consolation at
least presents - itself to ordinary men. The estimate he
formed of the Russian power and obstinacy seven years age
was a sad' mistake, and he offers no better guarantee far -
accuracy in this. Both have their foundation in the same
' source, the ignorance and selfish presumpticinof the charlatan:,
That difficulties of great magnitude and. number beset the
endeavour to limit the aggressive spinit of. Russia, is a prepo-
sition which has long been felt in western Europe. Nay more;.
the knowledge of its truth has operated in a high degree to.
check the opposition which otherwise
.it would have encoun,
tered. Each province addedlo the outstretched and still out-
stretching. territory of the Czar, if it has -not absolutely
strengthened his position, has at least tended to weaken-Sie
means of opposition. Fear has kept many in subjection ton
system which, though hating., they could not., cope with, r,nd a
knowledge of this fact, together with the reluctance mani-'
fested be our rulers to avail themselves .of the means which
those dislikes would have. ,laced readii.n at their sere:_ce, to
weaken and humiliate Rurssin, have concurred in fostering the
belief that ministers have never been hearty in their prosecu-
tion of the war.. A more earnest aspect appears to be settling
on affaire. The Allies seem more alive-to the advantage of col-
lateral aid. They are nowt- it is said, endeavouring to secure the
new alliances in the north. In this insiszion the Emperor of the
French:has taken the initiative, and, it is-understood, with good
prospects of success. Gen. CA.)7EO33HW has been despatched
to the courts of Copenhagen and Stockholm; ostensibly on a
message of ceremony—in reality it is believed to lay the
foundation .of an extended alliance which shall lade& the
monarchies of Sweden and Denmarkill the emprise, for bring.
ing_Russia back to reason and restraining her ambition. The
contemplation of Such. a project us this gives an entirely new '
character tothe war. If either of tbnae Scandinavian-powers be-
come parties to the war against Russia,their safety for the future
will compel them toezact obligations from France and Britain to,
bear them through whatever consequences may arise from the-
alliance. From the moment such an alliance is formed—if.
formed it ever shall be—all talk about non-aggressive war upon,
Russia must cease, as the idle babbling of children. Repress
sion, not limitation, must, in that case, be the designation of the
struggle. This new alliance plainly means extended objects
—a widened Reid of action—increased respensibilities—Ml
protracted struggle. On th other hand, it indicates, with up
less certainty,fa full attainment of the end in .view--such a
limitation of Russian power as will render the Autocrat a
safe and quiet neighbour.. While thus,seeking to extend the
European, compact on the west and north, it is singular that
no overture has-been as yet made to, reconstruct the-Polish
empire, as a sharp anductive antagonist to Russia. This, it
is understood, would be dangerous to Prussia, and,would in-
evitably give umbrage to Austria, therefore it must not be
thought or spoken of. Surely enough of dawdling has been
already conceded to the nicely-poised friendship-of these two
respectable neutrals. Time has been lost, treasure squan-
dered, and blood- poured out like water, to disarm their pre-
judices- and conciliate their good will. And. what progress has
been made in, effecting so costly an, operation.? None ; abso-
lutely none! If either of them is now more prepared to take-
part with us than before,, it is not owing to any increased:
affection towards us, but has been wrung from them by a
process which would hare been more effectual if it had been.
sooner applied. The leases inflicted on the Catu have-been
more persuasive advocates than our forbearance.
In the meantime, the active prosecution of hostilities must
perforce be suspended for a space. The elements impel the
necessary truce, and for some months to come preparations for
future strife are all that can be carried on with hostile aim.
Experience has so far been left to do its work in the period
which is past, and it has read us so bitter a lesson, that little
surely is 'now to be feared on the score of ignorance and ,
nothing from negligence. Our fleets and armies will beeared
for this winter after a fashion very different from the last.
That period of the year when a campaign cannot be conducted
is generally selected as the time when the less formidable,
although sometimes not less dangerous agents of diplomacy
are set in motion ; and already the note of preparation for their
muster is sounding in different quarters. Let us beware of
losing by negotiation what we have won through fire and
blood. Already a great blow has been struck at the most
dangerous as well as the most vulnerable part of Russia.
This is felt all over Europe, and the present time is looked to
anxiously by many a beating heart. "Strike," says an able
writer in Blackwood,—" we again say ' strike' at the military
strength of Russia—strike firmly and unsparingly. With
every blow her far-spread influence will ebb back from the
face of Europe,—the fetters, not less potent, because moral
will fall from many a state,—and each people will have an
opportunity of developing its powers and its institutions its
own way. That is what we are fighting for. It is at once
the Independence of Europe and the Safety of Europe. The
two go together
_and have their natural result in PEACE.
Peace—not a truce—not a mere breathing-time of arms—a
lasting, healthy, righteous peace—a blessing to all, and desired
by all, because continued at the expense of none."

CONSULAR LAW' AND CONS UL _IR , name we unfortutiately are ignorvit of, will: be suitably re-
P BACTICE, _ *warded by his underwriters, thoughit is much to be regretted
-- 1 thi4 that the rapacity ofo-the parties: at Pernambuco, into whose
40- - hands a disabled "hip . falls; should cause brave men to run
THE CASE OF THE, SHIP MERMAID,. such a risk. A vessel belonging...to this port had the misfor-
tune some years ago to fallinto their clutches, and a bill was
.g,V• To a country so eminently commercial and nautical as that of run up nearly, if not quite, reaching the whole value of the
Zfreat Britain, few matters are more,immedieely important than ship and freight whin, she
.arrived home, The fees of the lon-
al well-defined code of maritime laws, which shall be so simple Sul and agents were something astounding;' the latter having,
in their form, and so comprehensive in their principles, as to .
if
: we remember right, charged on a very valuable cargo 2f
per cent. for landing, and a similar rate for reshipping, in ad-
admit of ready .application under ahnost 'any-'peculiarity of, dition to all expenses. The value of the Mermaid's cargo was.
Pllll cii4 "3- e a sib. aboutr
taljo°uPl(k haanvdeleri ight
be
imagined4--Olf4rer4iliaikia
-circumstances.— The.fallimportance of this
deducible-from the numerous means which have been adopted, P. eY
A large portion of the cargo was on Irish account.
'from time to time, to render those laws of general and ready !
- pplication.— -The-legislature -has been frequently busied in.
—i
4
producing enactments to meet new cases—and applying cor-
rectives where altered circumstances have .rendered the old ,
regulations burdensome or nugatory. Like the label* of
-
important subject is never-ending. New
_combinations of sir- That there was misconception here, is probable ; but the
state of affairs which could gfre-famdation for sucirremarks.
providing remedies for existing defects in those laws,
-n is truly deplorable, and ought to be forthwith remedied.lvery
one will be glad to learn that: the suggestion of_ the Irish
journal as to rewarding Captain DEvnv -is being - vigorously
Sisynhus, however, the occupation of the lawgiver on this
carried out. The court of inquiry to which his case was sub-
mitted, have, as we stated last week, honourably acquitted
him, and pronounced his conduct most praisewbrthy. ' The
cumstances are constantly occurring, which call for new legis- !
, committee of Lloyd's have resolved to confer on-him a sub-
Wive arrangements. Only last session of parliament, a new ! stantial-tokeh of their approbation ;. he meets wiiiil a similar
enactment for the safety of lives and property in course of meed of gratitude and recognition at the hands of the teder-
transit by sea was passed, and has come into operation. This writers of Liverpool; while those of Glasgow, Cork, and other
is the well-known Merchant Shipping Act, which, altheugh
places follow their example. __From the very painful and try-
containing many valuable provisions, is found also to -ccttain lag position in which he was placed by his accidental trip to
-some very dangerous, if not exceedingly objectionable ones. Pernambuco, Captain Davar has reaped honour and reward
These, and the abuses to which the whole of our consular to himself—has vindicated the character of his noble ship—,
regulations are liable, receive forcible illustration in the case of and has justified the reputation of the owners to whom she
the ship Mermaid at Pernambuco, on the occasion of her recent belongs.
voyage from Melbourne to LiverpOol. The circumstances of
that remarkable case have been sufficiently sifted and exposed,
to show the dangerous nature of the power conferred on
consuls, in the investigation caused by Messrs. Pilkington and
Wilson, owners of the ship, and made in this town last week,
by Captain Robertson, R.N., Inspector General of the Board
of Trade, and J. S. Mansfield, Esq., the Stipendiary Magis-
trate.

.~,

LIVERPOOL "TOWN COUNCIL.

ELECTION OF MAYOR.

FRIDAY being the 9th of November, a meeting of the
Council was held for the election of Mayor. There was a very
numerous attendance. The retiring Mayor (James Aspinall
Tobin, Esq.,) who occupied the chair% intimated that the first
business which devolved upon_ the Council was to elect a
Mayor for the ensuing year.
Mr. Alderman J. H. TURNER said he' felt much pleasure in
proposing Mr: John Stewart, a gentleman so well known to
all the members as to require no eulogy from him. The high
character and- sterling moral worth of Mr.- Stewart in an
especial degree entitled him to esteem and confidence, and
these, combined with his long experience and active business
habits, together with the extensive knowledge' of all matters
connected with the affairs of the corporation which he pos-
sessed, rendered him peculiarly fitted for the office. One
circumstance connected with Mr. Stewart it wa.¢. impossible to
pass over. That was; the' great ability and tact displayed by
him in the negotiations for' purchasing the Birkenhead Docks.
(Hear). Without offering disparagement to the ' valuable
services of others who formed the deputation to London, he
(Mr. T.) had no doubt that to the untiring zeal, patient-atten-
tion, and discrimination of Mr. Stewart—aided, no doubt,. by
the high and deserved estimation in which he is personally
held—the difficulties by wadi' the project was besei,..the
success of the negotiation was-mainly to be attributed. (Hear,
hear.) After alluding at Considerable length to the prospect
of further usefulness to the borough to result from the assi-
duity and judgment of Mr. Stewart,- heconcluded by proposing-
that John. Stewart, Esq., be elected Mayor for the borough for
the ensuing year.
Mr. How= seconded the nomination of Mr. Stewart, and
indoing so said he believed it to' be universally felt that the
valuable-services rendered to Liverpool by Mr. Stewart con=
(erred on-his-election to the office- the character of a duty on
thepart of the- council. He could' hope for no happier for-
tune-for Mr. Stewart, in connexionvith. the office, than that
at the conclusion of his mayoralty he- might be able to
restore the office-to the gift of the council,. and to retire into
private life;. possessing to the same extent the approbation,
the esteem, and the good wishes of all;-as-was possessed by
the gentleman whawas now retiring ficm-it.
The question was-then put and carried with =halation.
Mr. STRVA.RT was-introduced by his prdposer and seconder,
and having taken the. oaths of office and the chair, said :
Gentlemenof the Council, I feel quite at'aloss-to express my-
self in suitable terms-of aeknowledgmentrat the way in which
this office has been 'conferred upon me. (Hear) It is to me
most gratifying' that eo- numerous and respectable a body of
my fellow-townsmen have. thought me worthy to•preside over
them, and to act as- chief magistrate of this- important
borough. (Hear, hear.) I will not attempt to' ,mike any
promises-1 think- it quita unnecessary thatlishould endea-
vour to tell you what I will do, or how I will discharge my
duties. (Hear; Lear.) Yau, lime placed me here;- and lam
quite sure thr.t- you would> not have done so,' if you had not
believed that Tlwnuld do my utmost to discbargath-those
good
.7: theeoo
fpobifeloisaffiitoreneoea:tviry:fitnai
ft;yeilaoti
httuyia,
0. ability.
gvu
regain,
expressed
Is,hear.)psaedr all
ti rtid tle
vio:ert.
,nhidltelasy;
t.hbey
th
samethe
honour which you-have 'unanimously conferreri -Upon,me. It
will be illy stud:,;.eertainly, to-merit it. (Head hear:). I feel
proud indeed, that in this ray-native town I have • achieved
ivtilledehiinghtdhiisstieniclitofihaeimngsloovuetthbelymyedo,ngstitiworomthye..nt,:-tphare-t
.I feel it difficult to say more; .and will not atain.you- from
the public busine-ss-which will occupy your attention;-further
than again to thank you; and to-intimate to you thatrin. con-
formity with the custom.whicb Dis,prevailed, as,l6vecas.l can
'recollect, it is my intention to go' to the parish church.of St..
Peter's next Sunuay morning, art& that I shall lie happy to- be
accompanied by as many members-of the Council as sray'do me
the honour to ad.6.1.42-..'• (Mr. ..to, .-5, opolEo
emotion, resumed hiS sent amid land: applause.)

That ship on the homeward voyage, in addition to a nume-
rous- body of passengers, had also on board a very valuable
cargo.; in bulk consisting chiefly of wool, but including gold
to the value of £400,000. Shortly after leaving Melbourne,
she encountered very rough and stormy weather, which con-
siderably delayed her progress, and among otherthings revealed
the fact that she was leaky. Her commander, Capt. Edward
Devey, an officer of great prudence, skill,. and firmness of
purpose, on discovering this important fact,. took immediate
means for ascertaining the extent and nature of the leak; and
from a most careful examination of the ship, and a full consi-
deration of all the circumstances, he satisfied himself that the
leak was in itself trifling in extent, and was not at allcalculated
to endanger the vessel: In this judgment he was further con-
firmed by the fact thatcafter having encountered a very severe
gale, in which the ship, rolled and pitched heavily, subse-
quently to the discovery of the leakage, this latter was not in
the slightest degree augmented. This fortified him in the
opinion. he had formed as tothe trivial nature of the leak, and
fully assured him of the absolute soundness and complete
seaworthisiess of his ship. This•oonviction he also fully estab-
lished in-Vie minds of his passengers ; the officers and crew
seem never to have entertained any doubt about it. Partly
in consequence of the delay occasioned by the severe weather
she had encountered, and partly caused. by an unexpected
mortality among the live stock, it became-desirable to obtain
an additionalastock of fowls and other-'fresh provisions, and
for the purpose of obtaining these the ship called off Pernam-
buco. That no-other object was contemplated beyond merely
replenishing, is-fully borne out by thoevidence adduced at
the investigation; and by the fact that so soonas the captain
could get landed he-went direct to the stores from-which such
articles could be purchased, seeking no assistance of any kind
from any body. The-fact of the leakage, however, washy some
means communicated to the consul. That officer, it is but fair to
presume, actuated by'anxiety for the lives-of the passengers,
and the safety of thevaluable property on beard, deemedit his
drty to make inquiry into the condition of the ship, and, hav-
ing sought an interview with the captaina.represente& the
statements which he had-heard, and suggested a survey being
made of the ship. To this. proposition the captain, who had.
represented to the consul, the entire absence of any ground for
apprehension, and confidently relying, from actual knowledge;
on-the-seaworthiness of the Mermaid, assented, and the ship-
was-surveyed. To his surprise, however, the report of those
employed in the survey pronounced the ship unfit to -proceed,
on her voyage without being brought into port, and thoroughh'-
overhauled, of course with.a view to being repaired. - In the -
correctness of this report,. and the advantage- of its -recom—
mendation, Captain Devey did not concur ; and here that gen-
tleman and the consul came first into collision.
Duty on both sides came-into direct opposition. The cap—
tain, still-unshaken in his belief that his ship was quite fit to-
proceed on her homeward voyage, was unwilling: to incur-the:
great responsibilities implied in •the detention of, the vess.l,
.and the heavy costs attendant upon that, and on the large
charges which in such a port must necessarily arise in effect-
ing imperfect repairs upon &ship which stood in no immediate
need of them ; added to all which he had before- his eyes the
large sum which would be exacted by the consuitin the shape
of a commission, which he himself fixed at two and a half. per
.cent. on the value of the cargo, amounting on the:gold alone
which she -carried (£400,000 worth)- to £10,000.) To add to
the difficulties of Captain Davey in -the circumstances, he re--
ceived a-notification from the agent for Lloyd's and other
societies- of underwriters. at Pernambuco, that this -heavy.
per centage • would not be paid by the underwriters.-
In these-trying circumstances the consul endeavoured to.
persuade Captain Devey to yield, to have hisship lightened,,
brought into-port, and repaired.. Against this. arrangement
he was memorialized by- his. officers and crew, and by the
passengers. on board. Acting on the conviction that the
Pernambuco survey was- wrong, and backed by- the expressed,
confidence -of his passengers and crew, Captain Devey took
the bold resolution of proceeding on his, voyage without
deferring to the comae .request ; and in disobedience to, the•
latter'S authority he sailed.. By doing so, nedoubt can exist in,
any mind that Captain Devey, took upon himself a very unusual
weight of responsibility,- which, under most circurnstanees„,
success. itself could scarcely have justified. Fortunately
for- him the event proved the accuracy- of his judgpient
in relation to the goodness; of his ship. He made a rapid
voyage from Pernambuco. to Liverpool,, where he landed his
passengers safely, and his cargo uninjpred. The ship was
immediately put under surrey, and the-A-rifling nature of the
leak diecovered, the government emigration officers verifying
upon, oath the correctness of Captain Devey's estimate• of his
ship's sea-worthiness, More than this,. these officials, as well
as. Mr. John Wilson Green, shipwright surveyor to. the
Board of Trade„ concurred in the statement that Capt. Devey
did exactly as- he- ought to have done in proceedhag ost his
voyage ; and that they themselves, if placed lu his posi-
tion, would have done the same in addition to. ,all which
the court of inquiry adopted the;r- views, and intimatsal their
opinion that the captain was justified in prosecuting his
voyage to England in the Mermaid ; and, so fac.frova being to
blame in doing so, did all that could.-be reasonably expected
from a persca in his responsible- and trying position.
So far, than,, as Captain Dewy and the Mermaid are con-
cerned, alLhas been right and. bas gone ri4t, but how Stands.
the case with respect to the working of the law ? The consal
was armedavith power, in accordance with, some of the pro..
visions of the Merchant Shipping Act„ to summon a naval.
'court, consisting, it might be, of a British merchant residing_
in the place, the captain of a merchant ship, and himself ;, and
if these three were unanimous in the opinion that the safety
of the ship or crew, or that the interest-of the owners absolutely
demanded it, they might have superseded even so ski3ful and
intelligent a commander as. Captain Devey, and have, supplied,
his.. place by some parties whose knowledge and general.infor,
mation on the subject might have been akin to that possessed
by the surveyors who examined the Mermaid at Pernambuco,
Surely such a state of matters is one imperatively calling for
redress. In the- ease supposed;we have given all parties credit
for disinterested zeal and well-meant attention boan,importaut
public duty. It is obvious., however, that cases may arise in
which the temptation held. out by the prospect of so large an
amount of commission astbat which would have accrued to the
consul at Pernambuco, in the case referred, to, might prove too
much for the integrity of the official.
At all events, it is not seemly to place so responsible an
officer as the Consular representative of this great mercantile
country in a position where distress might yield him a profit,
and in which his interests would be brought directly into
collision with those whom it should be his duty to protect.
The law should be so constructed, that the British Consul at a
foreign port may never be necessitated to debate with captains
of ships in need of his protecting care, the terms on which
that protection shall be afforded ; and, above all, he should be
relieved from the odium of attempting to secure payment of
those charges upon misfortune, by " extorting bonds of hot-
tomry on the ships and refusing bills drawn upon the owners."
The office of Consul is one which ought to be placed above the
reach of circumstances so degrading. Its real intention is one
of protection and assistance, not of exaction. What, however,
is the necessary and almost inevitable inference to be drawn
from some of the painful circumstances which fortune and the
law may encumber those officers with ? The misconstruction
to which they may be liable is great, and such as no honour-
able man should be subjected to. The Dublin. Freeman's
Journal of the 29th ult. has the following comment on the
then undecided case of the " Mermaid," from which it would
appear that Pernambuco is a sort of Siren's island, where
distressed mariners have, ere now, been allured to their
destruction :

3SATOIt'S WINCE.ALIKV

On the motion of Mr- HOBNIXT, seseroded by Mit .8-Ammo.
Mira's, it was unanimously resokerk that the c: +£:2,o©O
be- paid as an allowance. to the mayor:.

THE qtrARTERLT IfEETINGS.

On the motion tnapPoint the first-Wednesday intFaraary,
the first Wednes(Ly ,in May, and..the first Wechiesday in
August, as the days-for bolding the quarterly meetings of. the
Council, in addition-, to. the 9th of November,
Mr. ROBE ECTSON,; GLADSTONE revived a suegestion, made
last-year, as to the propriety of having meetintnere-thani
foist times a year, at which members. of the couneilenight
trodnee matters trinsidered of impertance or int.-:eat, to the
town. At present-the quarterly meetings were sncrowded
with business that: it was almost impossible firms a private
person to find an opportunity of da:ifur this, evenou-the• days
on which the act of parliament gave• them the priiiiege:.
Mr. PICT() N also spoke in favour otmore frequent open. days.
- The TOWN-CLERK:said the "quarterly. meetingeg werelohe
appointed in compliance with the'express-direetichs-ofthe.act
of parliament. if more frequent meetings_ were thought
necessary, there was nn difficulty in: the way of: their being
held; and it was the power of ar.yi five members- of the
council to present_ a' requisition to. the- mayor to..convene a
special meetincfr and,,upon. his refurali: they .ceuldriconueue a
meeting themselves.
The resolution then passed.
The minutes ofrthe last council, era the proe...E.:fingsca the
dock committee, were read and confirmed.
Messrs. T. Di:Anderson, Robertson, Gladstone,- anti_ William
Mann, whose seats. in the dock committee lied become- vacant
by their retirement from the counci4 by rotation,. om the Ist
of November,
_were unanimously re-elected. members- of that
committee.

The anntxlLoacers were re-electA,: and-.the -annual direc-
tions and staniiing orders passed without amenJtuent.
The council;adopted unanimously the ,recenamendation of
the education committee to appoint Mr. ,Jantes- Ellis second
master of the south school in the pleeeof Mr. Rigby, resigned,
at the salary of £€O per annum ; Mr, John Daltiel, as third
Master, in:ll:el:Awe of Mr. James Ellistat the salary of £5O
per annum ; and to increase the salaries of Mr. William
Owens from £3O to £4O per annum, and_ Thewss Robin-
son frem..£l;B4l,s. to £3O per annum...
the necessity,of thorozNl review of
On OW mcAipanAll'Gtoilre•Nr:3lTntotYla-eccOLtiTeellss‘fir the ensuing
year, r..S
ch the car.: tortfohn°46°'ssi3sm:itrireignii.ttofestlib:ercitrhP."agedo-iisirtimielnieedfl ai
mittees-wore constituted, and
ccmplaincd a the unequal distribution a the work among the
members ofAhe council. He woad move• that the appointment
the
ethcoamt
mar-ittspee:miaolf
last year
appointedlto make such a distribution er the work among the
memherssof the council, as they. might think advantageous to
the public interest, and to report to Ahe- council on Wednesday.
Mr.WOODRINIF sec,ondelthe motion..

After some discussion, Mr„•Sheif's motion was rejected by A,
majority of 29 to 23. Thii4nenabers who voted in its falmu•
were Messrs. Crosthwaitei Anderson,Woodruff, A. C. Stewart,
Sheil, W. Nicholson, Headley,. Hay.dock, Holden, 3lcGintlle,,
Godfrey, Holt, Hornby,, Banner, R.. Gladstone, Kitchen, Hod-
son,. Clint, Beckwith,.' Ajkin, Farnworth, Langsdal,_ and
Bennett. Those who voted. against it were Messrs. Mellor,
C. Turner, Tyrer, Jarnes.Hohne„ Fernihough, W. P." Jeffreys,
Wagstaff, John Lawrence, Fleming, Brancker,
J. 13. Lloyd, Tobin, Piston, James Robertson, Gregsou,. Hal-
head, Preston, Dover, Parker, Robinson, Cooper, J. IL. Tur-
ner, R. C. Gardner, Bramley-Moore, M.P. ; Totihnin, S.
Holme, and the Mayor. ,

The constitution- of the committees was then proceeded
with, and after a. good deal of discussion was. settled as
follows :

COMALITTERS OF TIM COUNC!.A,Y.
Finance.—Hugh Hornby, chairman ; J. A. -Tatin, de-
puty-chairman„; James Lawrence, John.. Brantley-Moore,
James Parker' John' H. Turner, Joseph Cooper, James Tyrer,
Thomas Toulmin,' William Preston, J. C. Fernihough, Sir
JOhn Bent, Samuel Holme, Thomas Dover, Samuel M. Mellor,
John Buck. Lloyd.
11. Wat-oh, Lighting, Fire Police, antlFire Prevention.—
Matthew Gregson, chairman ; James. Johnson, deputy-chair-
man ; Thos.. D. Anderson, Thos. Godfrey,. Jos. G. Livingston,
Hilton Halhead, John Farnworth, J. B. l3rancker, 'John Ni-
cholson, Oliver Holden, William Nicholson, John Gladstone,
jun.,. Walter P. Jeffreys, Thos. Bold, Francis A. Clint, John
Alkln, James Robertson, William Mann.

,
111. linprovement.—Samuel Holme, chairman ; Williartl
Bennett, deputy-chairman; R. C. Gardner, Sir John Bont,
Thomas Robinson, J. G. Livingston, Edward Langsdale,
Samuel M. Mellor' James Johnson, John Aikin, James A.
Picton, Walter P. Jeffreys, William Earle, James Robertson,
Joseph Kitchen.

IV. Law Courts.-1. Hayward Turner, chairman ;J. A.
Tobin, deputy-chairman ; J. Bramley-Moore, James Alanson
Picton, James Parker, J. B. Brancker, Samuel Holme, Wil-
liam Earle, John Buck Lloyd.
V. Markets.—Joseph Cooper, chairman ; John Farnworth,
deputy-chairman ; Thomas Wagstaff, James Johnston, Har-
mood Banner, John 'Woodruff, Walter P. Jeffreys, J. R.
111`Guffie, John Gladstone, jun., Robertson Gladstone, Richard
Sheil.

VI. Educalion.—Harmood Banner, chairman; T. D. Ander-
son, deputy-chairman ; R. C. Gardner, Thomas Wagstaff,
Richard M. Beckwith, Thomas Fleming, John Gladstone, jun.,
Walter P. Jeffreys, Alexander Shand, William Nicholson,
James Robertson, Bernard. Hall, Daniel Crosthwaite, J. G.
Livingston, Edward Bradley.
VII. Gaol and House of Correclion.—The Mayor, chair-
man ; Hugh Hornby, John H. Turner, George Holt; Robert-
son Gladstone, Sir John Bent, John Nicholson, Oliver Holden,
Thomas Godfrey, James Parker, Charles Tsnner, Harraood
Banner, Thomas D. Anderson, Samuel Hohne, John B.
Lloyd, J. A. Tobin.
Vlll.—Town-hall Eslabliah►nent.—The Mayor, chairman ;
James Lawrence, J. Bramley-Moore, William Preston, Hugh
Hornby, Sir John Bent, Samuel M. Mellor, Thomas Little-
dale, Samuel Holm, John H. Turner, John B. Lloyd, J. A.
Tobin.
IX. Health.—Edward Langsdale, chairman, Thomas Dover.

The Mermaid, from Melbourne to Liverpool, which put into
Pernambuco in a leaky state, has arrived safe at Liverpool,
the captain having refused to allow his vessel to be repaired
at that port, and brought her home safe. It is to be hoped
that the courage and management of the master, whose