The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1861-01-04 00:00:00

Nor are the greatness and significance of his
position to be fully estimated alone by reference
to the past and. present, even although these
demonstrate that Mr. TURNER directs the affairs
of the greatest port in the world. Enormous as
is the traffic of the Mersey, it has doubled. itself
within a dozen years; and the statistics of the
last year not only bear out the anticipations of a
like increase for the future, but shew that
the present rate of increase is more nearly geo-
metrical than arithmetical. In a word, every
known fact and figure in connection with the
present position of our docks and harbour point
to a degree and rapidity of development never
paralleled in the tide of history, and likely to
exceed all ordinary expectation. What enthu-
siastic eulogy could we pronounce upon the
lengthened management of Mr. TURNER, that
would exceed the splendour of the prospects
which, under his care, are thus opened up to the
people and port of Liverpool ? It might seem
strange to some at a distance, who are unac-
quainted with our local affairs, and with Mr.
TURNER'S individual qualifications for this almost
regal office, that he should for so many years
have been re-elected to a position which
any man must be proud to fill, at almost any
sacrifice. But the truth is, that notwith-
standing the thousands of able and expe-
rienced men who are immediately interested in
this matter, Mr. CHARLES TURNER is believed by
all to be the only gentleman equally able to meet
its requirements. On this point Mr. RANKIN
yesterday well expressed the general opinion
when he said, "Notwithstanding my personal
friendship for Mr. TURNER, if I thought any one
of the board was equal or superior, I might be
induced to vote for him; but I know of none
such." Moreover, we had a recent proof of his
devotion to his duty, when, in consideration of
existing peculiarities in tde present position of
the board, he declined, at the request of a majority
of the board, to accept the highest municipal
dignity—that of the Mayoralty—because, for the
present year at least, he did not clearly see his
way safely to divide his attention between the
Municipality and the Dock Trust. When we
think of what Liverpool owes to Mr. CHARLES
TURNER, we feel ashamed to remember that
through the unworthy machinations of a miserable
Radical clique he was defeated in his candidature
for Parliamentary honours; but, at the same time,
we cannot but think that, in his present position
as Chairman of our Docks and Harbour Board,
he has entitled himself to a more honourable and
lasting reward for his labours in the public inte-
rest than even a seat in the legislature could
have bestowed. Liverpool and the whole com-
mercial world arc under an inestimable and ever-
lasting debt of gratitude to CHARLES TURNER,
Esq.

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

FRANCE.
[Our Paris letter had riot come to hand at the
time we went to press.]

THE GARIBALDIAN VOLUNTEERS.

CHRISTMAS IN ITALY.

(Fitom orn SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.)
SALERNO, Dec. 26, 1860.

You will, no doubt, be anxious to hear an
account of how the remnant of the English
Garibaldian volunteers spent Christmas in Italy,
and although labouring under considerable bodily
suffering, I sit down to give you some particulars
respecting our festive experience. Without pre-
face, I will acquaint you that our officers have on
this occasion treated us with every respect, and
their conduct has gone far to remove the mis-
understandings which have existed between us.
In the first place, they have got up a splendid
dinner at their own expense, to which every man
belonging to the Legion was invited ; they have
personally superintended the arrangements, and
they have been liberal of cash in whatever way
it was required. Our fare last night consisted of
roast beef fowl plum pudding, apples, oranges,
will see we had the good old English cheer, and
I assure you you need have no hesitation in
„ thinking that ample justice was done to it. The
I battalion was paraded at four o'clock, and the
several companies, headed by their officers,
marched to the banquet hall, which was deco-
rated in a most magnificent style. There was
some difficulty in obtaining a suitable room, but,
when found, arrangements were immediately
made for having it appropriately laid out. Capt.
Morris, Colour-Sergeant Meek, Colour-Sergeant
Watson, and Lieutenant Martin were intrusted
with all preliminary matters; and setting to work
with a will, they attained a result creditable to
themselves and to the Legion. On entering the
hall, which is about 100 feet in length by 20 in
breadth, the eye immediately rested on the union
jack, which completely spanned the opposite wall,
supported on either side by Sardinian ensigns,
and enriched by festoons of evergreens, woven
together in an artistic manner. The walls' were
covered with green, white, and red, both grace-
fully relieved by evergreens, while here and
there was seen an orange branch laden with
fruit. In the centre of the wall an arch was
improvised, which was, perhaps, the chef d'oeuvre
of the decorators. It was surmounted by the
Sardinian cross, and composed of orange branches,
bags, and fantastic aervvolk. IN hen o -taus p.O
add that the whole was lightened up by two
magnificent candelabra, each containing twenty
candles, you can easily conceive that the
effect was very grand and imposing. The
evening was spent in a manner which showed
that all care had, for the time, been set
aside, and had it not been for the conspicuous
absence of the familiar smiling faces, we could
almost have fancied ourselves at home. At any
rate, it must not be thought they were forgotten.
Many and many a time over, the healths of those
we had left behind were pledged in bumpers ;
and many a hearty cheer rang along the room as
reciprocal toasts were freely passed amongst.
Thus passed the Christmas of 1860 with us: it
was more merry than we anticipated, but it was
not altogether unmixed by vain desires and
regrets. I cannot leave the subject without ex-
pressing the deep obligation under which we
will be to Captain M orris (No. 2, Liverpool Com-
pany), Captain De Burg, Lieutenant Martin,
Col.-Sergeant Meek (No. 2), Col.-Sergeant Wat-
son, of Liverpool, &c.
I understand that there was a dinner given to
the inmates of the hospital at Naples by the
Countess della Torre, and that the evening passed
quietly and respectably, the death of one of the
inmates that morning necessitating the strictest
decorum.

CuaMisTs' AssoeinTroN.—The sixth meeting of the
present session of the Chemists' Association, was held
last evening, at the Royal Institution. Dr. Edwards
presided. The gentlemen elected members were Messrs.
T. B. Dauber, 13, South John-street ; Patrick Pugh,
St. Helens; James Amsdall, Southport; Martin Murphy
College of Chemistry, Duke-street; John Matthews,
Jun., Blackstock-street ; and John James Rose, Scot-
land-place. Several donatioas were announced, including
splendid specimen of tragacanth from Mr. S. H. Maltass,
of Smyrna.—The President drew the attention of the
meeting to the fact of three valuable horses having been
poisoned on Sunday last, by drinking water which had
been stored for use in a cask in consequence of the frost.
This cask had been returned, in the ordinary course of
trade, to the firm who were the owners of the horses,
-without any intimation that it had been used for con-
taining poison ; yet, on examination, it was found to he
coated with arsenious acid, or white arsenic, and the
water stored in it, and given to the horses, had become
a highly poisonous solution of arsenic. He cautioned
those who were in the habit of using such substances in
the way of trade to greater care in the cleansing of
vessels" as if the water had been used for human
food, the consequences would have been very serious.—
Mr. Abraham made some remarks as to the liability of
the parties returning the cask to an action for the
damage sustained by the owners of the horses.—Mr.
N. Mercer delivered an able lecture upon the commercial
value of alcohol in wine. He referred to the dissatis-
faction of the wine trade, in consequence of most of
the low-priced wine having to pay the high rate of duty,
and said he did not agree with the writer of an article
in Wednesday's Post that the present scale had been
decided on because it was thought by Mr. Gladstone's
advisers that the better the quality of wine the more
alcohol it contained, and vice versa. He was of opinion
that it was a mistake on the part of the French officials
in agreeing to the scale. They no doubt were under the
impression that the standard for estimating the strength
of alcoholic liquors was the same in England as in
France, in which case 18 per cent. of alcohol would re-
present 28 per cent., and 26 per cent. of alcohol would
represent 43 per cent. of proof spirit.--The proceedings
then terminated.