The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-02-26 00:00:00

A TREASURY MINUTE, upon the subject of postal communi-
cation between England and the Australian colonies, has been
published. The plan pr)posed is on au extensive scale, and
contracts for five years are directed to be made. The com-
munication each way is to be monthly.
A MEETING of the Eastern Steam Navigation Company was
held on the 19th instant, and the report of the directors was
adopted. The chairman said that he had every reason to hope
that their vessel would be launched by August next, as Mr.
Russell's friends would enable him to complete the contract.
OCCUPATION OF TURKEY.—A telegraphic despatch from
Berlin intimates that the allied powers and Austria are stated
to have determined on a temporary occupation of the Turkish
territory after the conclusion of the peace. This will be done
with a view to guarantee the tranquillity of Turkey whilst
the reforms in favour of the Christians are carried out. The
Danubian principalities, Constantinople, Gallipoli, Adrianople,
Varna, Trebizond, and Erzeronm, are named as points of oc-
cupation. Russia is to take no part in this measure of pre-

caution.
NOVEL BrEGLARY.—A singular burglary was committed
at Genoa, on the night of the 11th, when a gang of thieves got
into the sewers running underneath the streets, and following
their intricate windings for some distance, at length reached
a point just below the floor of a goldsmith's shop. Here they
made an aperture through the arched roof of the sewer, and
then in the floor above, and got access to the interior of the
shop. Unfortunately for them, their ingenuity and perseve-
rance, worthy of a better cause, did not meet with an adequate
reward, for everything of real value had been stowed away in
another part of the house, and only a few gilt trinkets left in

the shop.
THE AUSTRALIAN COLONIES.—A small blue book, just
published, contains further papers relative to the discovery of
gold in Australia, in continuation of papers presented last
July. These include Sir C. Hotham's despatches on the dis-
turbances at the goldfields, and returns from the goldfields.
On the 23rd of July, 1855, the estimated population in the
various goldfields of Victoria amounted to 102,644 men, 28,855
women, and 27,185 children—in all, 161,684. The amount of
gold received at the gold-office, Melbourne, was, in May, 1855,
126,978 ounces; and in June, 236,327 ounces. The quantity
of gold exported from the colony in May, 1855, was 132,715
ounces ; and in June, 235,213 ounces.
THE CZAR'S HORSES.—A Hamburg correspondent, writing
on the 17th instant, says :—At the annual horse fair.held here -
last week, the principal purchaser was a stallmeister of the
Emperor of Russia, who bought up all the serviceable carriage
and riding horses, of the better descriptions, for the imperial
stables at St. Petersburg and Moscow. He states that the
usual complement of horses belonging to the Emperor is 1,500,
but that, owing to disease and the severe work exacted from
them during the last two years, the number has fallen off to
nearly one half. He further states that, if peace is concluded,
the ceremony of the coronation of the Czar will be performed
at Moscow in the month of May.
THE LATE MR. JO3lll SADLEIR, M.P.—We are authorised
(says the Daily News) by the directors of the London and.
County Bank to state that the late Mr. John Sadleir's trans-
action with the bank had ceased for some months past, and
that no loss will therefore accrue to the establishment from
his connexion with it. Considerable excitement has prevailed
to-day amongst the shareholders of the Royal Swedish Railway
Company, in connexion with the over-issue of shares, recently
brought to light. An investigation into the company's affairs
has been commenced by some highly respectable shareholders
largely interested in the undertaking. A statement of its po-
sition will, we believe, be drawn up as speedily as possible, and
laid before the proprietors at a public meeting. It seems to be
placed beyond doubt that an extensive over-issue of the com-
pany's securities was fraudulently made by the late chairman,
Mr. John Sadleir, M.P.
IN the case of Croft v. Lumley, judgment was delivered in
the Court of Error on Wednesday. There were two questions
—whether there had been a forfeiture of the lease of the Opera-
house ; and, secondly, if there had been a forfeiture, whether
there had been a waiver of it by the acceptance of rent. The-
court were of opinion that the three grounds set out as
breaches of the covenant operated as a forfeiture; but the
Queen's Bench had considered that the warrants of attorney
which had been given by the defendant amounted to a for-
feiture, though afterwards waived. This court did not, how-
ever, consider that the executing warrants of attorney under
the circumstances were encumbering the property so as to
warrant a forfeiture ; they were given under compulsion, and
were not voluntary, being given only to save expense and gain
time. Therefore the judgment for the defendant Lumley
must be affirmed. This decision will, doubtless, lead to the re-
opening of the Opera-house.
THE RUGELET PoiSONING CASES.—Since the termination
of the inquiries into the circumstances attendant upon the
death of the persons for the murder of whom Mr. William
Palmer has been committed for trial on the coroner's inquisi-
tions, much additional information, we are informed, has been
obtained, and will be produced at the trial of the prisoner. In
order that he may have every opportunity of knowing the na-
ture of this additional evidence, it is intended that the exami-
nation of the prisoner shall take place before the magistrates,
on a day yet to be fixed, when the whole of the evidence will
be gone into and the cases completed, for presentation of bills
to the grand jury. The hearing will take place, we believe, in
the county prison. We believe that the bill introduced into
parliament for the purpose of removing such trials to the Cen-
tral Criminal Court, London, prepared with a special view to
' this case, has passed several of its stages in the House of Lords,
without opposition.—Staffordshire Advertiser.
THE LOCAL DUES ON SHIPPING.--On Tuesday, a special
court of the Common Council was held in London, for the
purpose of receiving and acting upon the report of the Con-
solidated Committee on the Local Dues on Shipping Bill in
Parliament. Although the notice was extremely short, there
was a large attendance of members. Mr. Woodthorpe, the
clerk of the court, read the report. Mr. Wood said there was
never an occasion on which it was more necessary to call the
members together for the purpose of opposing au injurious
principle. It was not because the Corporation of London was
touched by the obnoxious measure, but he thought they were
called upon to act for their brethren in Dover and Liverpool,
and other towns which would be affected by its operation,
The committee looked at the bill calmly and dispassionately,
and they found that the non-compensating principle was its
prominent feature, and then came to the unanimous conclu-
sion that it should receive the most vigorous opposition.
THE ARmY ESTIMATES for the year ending the 31st of
March, 1857, have just been issued. The grand total amount
that will be required for the financial year ensuing is stated
to be £34,998,504, against the sum of £28,670,497, in 1855-56,
thus exhibiting an increase of £6,328,007. The sum of
£32,758,280 is required for the effective, and £2,240,224 for
the non-effective service. The items are thus distributed :
viz., £10,950,398 for the land forces (246,716 in number) ;
£3,150,129 for the embodied militia; £BB,OOO for volunteer
corps ; £408,595 for the army works corps ; £169,026 for the
war department; £22,791 for "head-quarters, military de-
partments ;" £514,141 for civil establishments ; £915,301 for
artificers' wages ; £9,886,261 for clothing, barrack-furniture,
&c., provisions, forage, fuel, and light • £4,371,165 for land
and sea stores ; £2,044,069 for works andbuildings • £238,404
for the educational and scientific branches ; £25,400 for re-
wards for military services ; £67,000 for the army pay of
general officers ; £519,094 for the pay of reduced or retired
officers ; £220,420 for widows' pensions ; £83,558 for pensions,
&c. to wounded officers ; £32,096 for " in-pensions ;"
£1,168,392 for " out-pensions ;" and £124,264 for superan-
nuation allowances. Of the sum voted last year, £13,718,678
was under the head of " army," £9,990,165 under " ordnance,"
and £4,961,654 under that of " commissariat."
Miss P. HORTON'S ENTERTAINMENT.—Miss P. Horton's
entertainment, "Illustrative Gatherings," which gave us so
much pleasure at the Theatre-Royal a few months ago, is now
attracting crowds to the " Gallery of Illustration," in Regent-
street, London. The Times, in noticing this entertainment,
says—" At the mere indication of peace, Messrs. Grieve and
Telbin have rolled up the beautiful series of views which, in-
creasing from time to time, formed a perpetual chronicle of
the war, and have left the `Gallery of Illustration' to Mr. and
Mrs. T. G. Reed (late Miss. P. Horton,) who repeat the well-
known entertainment entitled Illustrative Gatherings' in a
region more western than has been hitherto attempted. A
private performance took place on Saturday night, as a sort of
prelude to the opening on this present Monday ; and the two
old countrywomen played at once, the fal-lal young lady, who
likes nothing, and who, by the way, takes part in a new duet,
and the exquisite gentleman, with his faultless whiskers, and
the perpetual simper that accompanies Win through the whole
of a sentimental song, are found as amusing as ever. However,
Messrs. Grieve and Telbin have not quitted the gallery with-
out leaving behind them a worthy mark of their talent. The
accomplished lady is provided with a drawing-room scene,
which is a luxury to look upon, even in an age accustomed to
decorative elegance." Two of the most agreeable songs in
this entertainment—" Under a hedge," and " The fairest of
the fair "—have been published by Messrs. Cramer, Beale,
and Co.
MURDER OP A GlRL.—Last week, there was another murder
in London. On Sunday afternoon, in consequence of, private
information given, two police-officers were despatched to No.
18, Linton-street, New North-road, Islington. The officers
were met by a young woman ascending to the passage, and a
man, who came from a back parlour, whence, an instant beforq,
the tones of a piano-forte were heard. The woman evinced a
determination to oppose their progress, while the man stood by
in apparent surprise. Finally, the inspector and his sergeant,
having opened the door of a cellar, entered, and discovered,
lying on her back, a young girl, about 14 years of age, her head
nearly severed from the trunk, which lay in a pool of blood.
The body was cold, and apparently had been dead some hours.
When arrested, the parties gave the names of Celestine Som-
mer, 25, and Carl Sommer, 29. The female is an exceedingly
pretty woman. She asserted herself to be a singer at St.
Martin's-hall. The man is a German, and by trade an en-
graver. The prisoners were brought up at Clerkenwell on
Monday, the principal witness being Rachel Mont, the servant,
a girl 14 years of age. She stated that her mistress went out
on Saturday night, and told her to go to bed. She, however,
sat up making an apron. Shortly before her mistress returned
home she put out the candle, and when her mistress came in
she said, " Are you in bed, Rachel ?" She made no answer.
Her mistress then went upstairs, and came down with a little
girl. Mistress went into the cellar, and the little. girl stopped
at the kitchen door. She said, "I am not afraid, but it is a
strange place to me. I have not been here before." When
they were in the cellar, the little girl said, " Oh, you want to
murder me !" and called out " Murder !" several times. She
afterwards said, "The devil will take you ; the devil will take
you. You will kill me ! you will kill me ! lam dying ! lam "
dying !" Mistress said,Hush," and I then heard a noise as
if she was breathing hard. Mistress then put out the candle,
came into the kitchen walked about, and said, " I will kill
you. She came and lit the candle, and went into the cellar
again, but I never heard the girl speak again. Master was
out at the time, arid did not return until one o clock. She
had seen the little girl once, and only once before, at her
mistress's house. The police gave evidence that under a bed
in the house had been found an old black gown with blood-
stains partly washed out; also a pair of stockings with spots
of blood, marked with the initials of the female prisoner's
maiden name, Celestine Christmas. The petticoat which the
woman had on at her apprehension was produced. It was
covered with blood. The magistrate said there was no evidence
against the man, and he must be discharged. The female
would be remanded for a week.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

THE CHASE.
The CHESHIRE HOIINDS Will meet on

...• v .......- ____
Tuesday, Feb. 26..
Thursday, 28 . . Crewe Hall
Saturday, Mar. 1
Each day at Half-past Ten o'clock.
Sir W. W. WYNN'S HOUNDS will meet 011
Tuesday, Feb. 26 __Wood Gate
Thursday, 28 .. .
Friday, 29
Each day at Half-Fast Ten o'clock.