The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-10-09 00:00:00

play. It was a most lame and impotent attempt
to counteract the Coroner's mistake in so abruptly
dismissing the case without sufficiently searching
enquiry. We trust these proceeding will serve
as a warning to officials; but at the same time we
hope the gross blunder of authorising a private
government enquiry such as that of Mr. SLACK'S,
—which smacks more of the Inquisition than of
English justice—will never be repeated. The
only certain and palpable result of these costly
and vexatious proceedings has been to cast impu-
tations upon the character of two young women,
the one sixteen and the other twenty-three years
of age, *him nobody believes to be guilty, even if
'capable of perpetrating the offence ; and to wrap
up the whole circumstances in a tissue of contra-
dictions and difficulties which have probably
done more to obscure all chie to the discovery of
the real offender, than to offer any probable sug-
gestion as to the direction of the actual truth.

It is truly frightful to think that such a terrible
crime could have been enacted in this country,
and that its perpetrator should have been able to
laugh to scorn every effort at detection. The
very idea is alinost enough to banish altsense of
'security, to rob us of our midnight repose, and to
Convert sleep—" nature's sweet restorer"—into a
troubled and feverish dream. Who shall lie
down upon their couch to rest under the curtain
of night, without the fear of a violent death, if
even our childreh are not safe in their cots by
our side ? Whom shall we look upon with con-
tdence, if we are to become accustomed to have
suspicion cast tupon the seemingly innocent Mem-
bers of our olva households ? Ho* shall We
secure society from lapsing back into a reign of
terror, if we 'are to be habittated to see the law.
atrocioadly transgresga without a penalty ?
Verily there is 'heavy responsibility resting
terhevihore:; bit we have no reasonto despair, so
long know that all has not been done that
Viaglk to have been done, and that was certainly
within the duty of the proper authorities. Coro-
ners, magistrates, and police officers mast be
taught their duty. We pay handsomely for the
due administration of jestice, and it is ;not to be
tolerated that., through official tatelesshess, sing-
gishness, er stafiidity, the 'lieges ilittid live in
constant jeopardy Of their dives, or that ruffianism
and savage brutality should flourish amongst a
Civilised people ender the encouraging hope of
Perfect freedom and impunity.

THE VOLUNTEERS AND THE FETE ON

THE 18TH.

Some misunderstanding having ocdtirreil 'among the
officers of Volunteers regarding the int angements for
the banquet on the lath, the follei•Ang resolution was
adopted at a meeting held on Saturday last :—" That
the officers commanding brigades and battalions cannot
separate without expressing their regret that the wile
of no officer of Volunteers, as such, appears upon the
Arrangement Committee ; and that, in consequence, the
distribution of tickets for the banquet has been so
arranged that the Volunteer officers, as such, have been
'Unable to procure admission." Colonel Bousfield
attended the General Arrangement Committee yesterday,
as a deputation from the meeting of officers ; and the
'committee, who had themselves been selected by the
Town 'Council in spring, repudiated any oversight or
'discourtesy on their part, either in act er intention.
'Certain explanations also took place, after which Colonel
tousfield gracefully withdrew the resolution. Arrange-
runts were then made for the part which the Volunteers
Wish to take in the proceedings of the 18th instant,
iu accordance with another resolution of the officers
adopted also at their meeting on Saturday.

FRIkEXS ON 'CHANGE YESTERDAY.—The frequenters
of the Exchange Newsroom were, yesterday afternoon,
'disturbed by the unusual sight of a pugilistic encounter
between two well-known merchants, Mr. F. and Mr. J.
It appears Mr. F. complained of some remarks made
concerning hint by a brother of Mr. J.'s, which the
latter denied. The language between them then became
anything but courteous, and resulted in Mr. J. receiv-
ing a severe punishment about the face, which he
returned by a vigorous use of his umbrella, when friends
interfered, arid stopped further bloodshed! We do
not mention names, as a magisterial enquiry is probable,
When alt particulars will be elicited.

THE MUNICIPAL ELECTION.—The key-note of the
'municipal election was struck last night, when, as will
'be seen front our reporting columns, meetings were held
in two of the wards. Mr. Siddeley, who comes forward
►for the Conservative interest, to fill the vacancy occa-
sioned by the lamented death of Mr. James Robertson,
is as yet the only candidate in the field, and the election
is fixed for Saturday next. It is understood that Mr.
Sohnson will retire from. Lime-street Ward, and an
address from Mr. P. G. Heyworth, offering himself,
appears upon the walls. It will be seen that Mr. R. M.
Beckwith, who has so long been unopposed in West
Derby Ward, will not this time enjoy an uncontested
Valk over. The address of Mr. Crellin, who is the
retiring /cumber for Scotland Ward, will be found‘in
our advertising columns.

THE NEW FREE LIBRARY AND MUSEUM.—The works
in connection with this noble building are being pushed
forward with unexampled energy, in view of rendering
them as advanced and complete as possible preparatory
to the formal opening on the 18th instant. Hundreds
workmen are employed in every department. The
nest backward part of the building is the grand entrance-
hall; but it is now in complete possession of the plas-
terers, who are expending their skill in the elaboration
of ornamental stucco work, and who are working with
such energy that we get a peep already at the grandeur
and beauty which breathe through the general design.
The library itself, and the various museum rooms, are
in a more advanced state of progress ; and in the latter
the cabinet-makers are busy in fitting up glass cases for
the thousand treasures in natural history or the applied
science, which they are intended to display. The lec-
ture-hall, the entrance to which will be by a flight of
steps from Clayton-street, is being seated, and already
assumes an air of considerable completeness. In their
present comparatively empty condition, the noble extent
and proportion of the various rooms are seen to the
highest advantage ; but, with the view of preventing
the workmen from being impeded in their various opera-
tions, the committee have felt compelled to prohibit
admission to all who are not strictly on business. Out,
side, there is equal activity, and an army of labourers
are engaged in laying down a small square-set pavement
on the spacious and elevated esplanade in front of the
buildino.

LOCAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE PROMOTION or SOCIAL
SCIENCE.—On Friday, the 19th inst, in the forenoon,
Lord Brougham will take the chair at a meeting of the.
Members of the Local Association for the Promotion of
Social Science, of which body William Brown, Esq., has
accepted the once of president.
THE MARKETS CommirrEE.—The usual weekly meet-
ing_ of this committee was held yeiterday, at the Town-
nail. Mr. Alderman Woodruff presided. The other
member resent were Messrs. Shillala% Kitchen,
Nickson, Johnson, Barton, and Holden. 'The superin-
tendent of the markets reported that the receipts for the
several markets were : from the the 30th of September,
1859, to October 14, 1860, £1,799 4s 6d, and for the
e4iTesponding period of the previous year, £1,62018s 4d.
The quantity of unwholesome meat seized and destroyed
during the past week was 2,0801b5. An application was
read from Mr. Manders to place his menagerie on the
Vacant ground at the top of Shaw's-brow for a short
time about Christmas next, which was refused. The
other business transacted was of a routine character.
THE WATER COMMITTEE.—The usual weekly meet-
ing of this committee was held yesterday, at the Town-
hall, Mr. Hodson presided. The other members
present were Messrs. Bennett, Farnworth, Crellin, Wag-
staff, Earle, and Estill. The engineer reported that the
average rainfall for the week ending the 6th of October
was 0.17 inches, and the depths of water in the several
reservoirs, under their respective overflows, were, on the
morning of the same day—E,oddlesworth fall, 5 inches;
Rake-lane, 5 inches fall ; Anglezark, 1 inches fall ;
Rivington, 1 foot 01- inch fall; Prescot (No. 1), 21
inches fall; and Prescot (No. 2), a rise of 4 feet 3 inches.
Tha quantity of water received from Rivington during
the week ending 6th October, 69,647,497 gallons ;
Pumped from the wells, 30,269,311 gallons ; total
quantity, 99,916,808. Proportion of :Rivington and
Well water as 22 to 10. It was annou need that Mr.
George Parry would be ready to undertake the duties
as the assistant secretary in the engineer's department
,on the Ist of November next. There was no other
°llsiness of importance transacted at this meeting.
TRADE OF LIVERrOoL.—The Customs Bill of Entry
Published on Monday gives a return of the number
of ships entered inwards and cleared outwards in the
foreign trade of this port for the week ended Oct. 5,
and outwards from foreign ports from the Ist January,
1860 ; and of ships reported inwards to the same date
as compared with the corresponding period of the
Year, 1859 :
REroRTED INWARDS, For the Week en ding Oct. 6.
1860 • 80 ships ... 47,215 tons.
1859
Decrease in ships ..........................................
Increasein tons .......... .............. ! ............. . . 5,498
REPORTED INWARDS From Jan. 1 to Oct. 6, 1860.
1860
1859
Decrease in ships .......................................... 82
Increase in tons ................. . ......•••••••• 234,157
CLEARED OUTWARDS, For the ..... ending Oct. 6. •
1860
1859
14 112 ships ............... 62,655 tons.
cerease in ships
Decrease in tons
186 CLEARED OUTWARDS, From Jan. 1 to Oct. 6, 1860.
1859
Increase in ships
4 030 ships ...............1,997,733
226
tons.
Increase in tons 317,986