The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-04-21 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY TIMES

SIR,—To our great surprise we find our firm has
been mentioned in the most discreditable way at the
Dock Board yesterday, and the intention imputed to us
of wishing to defraud Messrs. Schroeder of Riga of the
sum of £l9 dock dues.

We certainly think we should have had notice of such
a charge being made against us before our name was
brought before the public in a manner so likely to pre-
judice our position in the eyes of those who do not
know us, particularly when an explanation could have
been so easily given.
Under the item " dock dues," most foreign captains,
especially those interested in the present case, include
sundry amounts paid by them in connection with the
docks, which they consider necessary to expend in order
to facilitate their business. These payments the cap-
tains, of course, make themselves, and request the
amounts to be added in our account to the sum paid tq
the Mersey Board, and the money refunde4 to, them,
which our receipts can show was done in the present
instance. Thus, so far as ye aro personally concerned
we have derived no, pecurliary benefit from this imaginary
fraud, and, when applied to by 'Messrs. Schroeder & Co.
respecting this supposed claim (of which until to-day
we have been in total ignorance), we shall be happy tet
afford them such explanations as will prove us entirely
free from all blame in the matter.

We cannot conclude without suggesting the propriety
of the Dock Board isi.\\ing receipts for all dues paid
them, so that, vouchers can be demanded by the parties
inteusted.—We are, sir, your obedient servants,
Liverpool, April 20, 1860. jai 66' Co.

The death of Professes Amos, of Cambridge, is
announced.

The Earl of Elgin will take his departure on Monday
next on his mission to China.

The inspectorship in the education office, vacant by the
death of Mr. Sellinger Symonds, will not be filled up.
The Bombay pap,ers, announce the death of Captain
Fox Maul; 56th regiment.
Mr. Cobden, M.P., left London, on Thursday, for
Folkstone, and was expected to arrive in Paris yes-
terday.

According to present arrangements the Prince of
Wales will take his departure for Canada at the end of
next week. '

H.M.S, Trincomalee (24 guns) is to be fitted as a
training-ship for the Naval Coast Volunteers, at New-
castle and Sunderland. As soon as completed she will
be sent round to the Tyne, where she will be stationed.
On appeal yesterday to the Middlesex Quarter Ses-
sions, Nat Langham's lieense was refused by four votes,
19 against 15 ; and Ben Caunt's by a majority of sixteen
votes, 24 against 8.
The Globe says that Mr. Massey's proposal to refer
the. Reform Bill to a select committee would be not
merely a defeat of the measure, but an ignominious
defeat, which would only be treated in one way by the
Government.

The Star says, in consequence of the attempts which
are being made to delay the progress of this measure
through the House of Commons, the Parliamentary
Reform Committee have convened a meeting of Reformers
to be held on Tuesday next.

TALMA'S WIDOW.—The Countess de Chalot (Talma's
widow), who has just died at a very advanced age, was
the last surviving actress of the old French Comedy.
She first married a person named Petit, and on being
left a widow married Talma. After his death she became
the wife of Count de Chalot.

The suspension is announced of Messrs. Taylor and
Pears, of Great Tower-street, in the Staffordshire wars
trade. The firm have an establishment in Staffordshire,
and deal chiefly with America. The absence of remit-
tances from that country is stated to be the immediate
cause of their embarrassments. The amount of liabilities
are supposed to be limited.
A VOLT.TNTEER SHOT AT HUDDERSFIELD. —At
Huddersfied, John Brook (son of Mr. J. Brook, regis-
trar for the Huddersfield district), sergeant in the 2nsl
.Company of the Huddersfield Rifle Volunteers, was
mysteriously shot in his father's mill, at Apsley, where
he is overlooker. He was found in the ongine-room, at
a little past eight in the morning, sitting against a chest
in a helpless condition. His rifle was lying beside him.
A ball had entered the left breast jast below the ribs,
and had come out below his left shoulder-blade. No
one was near him ; and, as he is unahle to give an
account of the occurrence himself; it is left to conjecture
how he received the wound. He called upon a friend
the night before, and asked for a few cartridges, saying
saying he was going to practise next morning; and it
is known that on the same evening he took his rifle into
the engine-room to dry it. He was immediately con-
veyed to his father's house, where he now lies in a
dangerous condition.
EXTRAORDINARY ATTEMPT AT SUICIDE.--A singular
attempt at self-destruction is described by the Sheffield
Telegraph. as having occurred :—A man named James
Axon, aged 45 years, went to the cemetery gates, and
asked permission to go into the grounds to see the grave
of his mother. lie was refused admissiorit,ing whereupon
he threatened to avenge himself by committing
He went to some lads who were playing_ himself,
if he
nalisltrort dsiusiteaindcee.
off, and told them he was going to .uo'!".8 The lads, too
could only find a likely spot for the b
Tritoinsteoeka
anxious to, see the fun of tdhetut
an ehinpgar,
t hy
e le
adjournedd h
a place for the Purr)", A fine strosg tree, with a
neighbouring
-ha here rewarded their research, and the
good stout bong
gr
here
man very methodthicearl,ly p
and a cord tosereceeded to tie his handkerchief
and attached them to the branch
above He divided his halfpence among the boys, and
.
told the senior of the party not to cut him down till he
whistles!. The lad promised to do so, and Axon attached
the cord to his neck and flung himself into the air. He
had no sooner done so than blood gushed from his nose
and mouth ; and, without waiting for the signal, the lad
cut the rope, and
sprawling
the would-be suicide came
to the earth. His first words were a sounii blacimarcl-
ing to the boys around him, and an indirinant remon-
strance to the eldest of them for not waiting as
he had
promised; but the boy gave information to a policeman
who happened to be close by, and Axon was taken into
custody.