The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-12-26 00:00:00

CHRISTM

SATURDAY AND CHRISTMAS EVE.

An oidiWzrri SAOlay tfveningin our northern metro-
polis is one of atria iatiok'bu'stlei and exeitement ; and
to a stranger much matter for iiihTereplation is afforded,
as well as much to behold. The Bitinlrdtey preceding
the great Christian festival has always been ffiVbitatit
and attractive throughout the town ; and Saturday
Miring and Christmas Eve of this year have lacked
none bis tht interest of former times. 'Tis true, the
weather has bed' setere,, but people must live in bad
weather as well as in good; Erficl if we enjoy the sunshine
we must also make up our mineid intet the showers.
Perhaps 'tis better also to have frost avid snow at tbis
peculiar time of the year than at a more udvanted
wield, when agricultural operations would have COI&
Meneed for there is an old saying that it is more
Seasonable to hate frost and snow about Christmas, for
a greed ehristmas is said to make a fat churchyard ;
and; if that slim holds good, the churchyard will be
&Mid lacking tenants dethig the coming year—a
consummation most devoutly to he wished for. For
tato' or three hours before gaslight, on Saturday
eteniftg; the attnosphere became soft, and a thaw
of a gentle' sort eet in, and this caused the streets
to be filled With large crowds of all classes. Some
Were out on business and others tame to see the
sights; and certainly there were
.plenty of sights to be
seen, turn where you would. We remarked more pri-
tate tehitles in the leading thoroughfares on Saturday
evening last thatt We aid on any Saturday afternoon for
a long time. Bold, Chnrck and Lord streets,
Great George's, and Ranelagh streets, and other places,
were crowded with private and public equipages, and
the shops were crowded with visitors. Of course the
markets were special objects of attraction, and thousands
Who had really no business to transact went to see them
" dressed," and very neatly attired they were with fine
beef and mutton, perk and lamb, and every other deli-
cacy of the season. The man who went about the mar-
kets or the streets on Saturday evening with the most
determined phlegmatic temper, could riot help feeling a
little animation from all that was passing about
The fathers and mothers, with their juveniles by the
hand, the latter lisping out exclamations of wonder and
delight at some great ox or fat sheep, or a prize pig, and
the like. The toy shop windows, and all the places
where tempting presents were held out, claimed atten-
tion. 'Twas even so, and it is a joyful thing to behold
the young heart thus enjoying itself, for the time may
come when the arrows of falsehood and guile will scar
many that are now pure, and joyous, and happy; for—
. I've seen a pretty child, •
Pure as dew-drop, playful, mild,
Bursting into life aud light,
Like a flower before a blight
Had scered #as littleheart. But will it be
Always that same happy thing?
Joyful as a sammer tee,
Sweet as sweetest flowers of spring;
The cheek still unprofaned by tears,
Wilt thou be so in twenty years
Alas, it will hot and, therefore, youth is a beautiful
season, and should tie enjoyed rationally. The streets
were really animated on Satnrday evening, and every-
one seemed more or less happy' and had apparently
something to do ; and we have heard it remarked by
that respected individual, the ancient inhabitant, that a
pleasanter Christmas Saturday he had not seen for years
past. This, for all the severity of the weather, is
pleasing. The shops were as attractive as possible, and
in the markets there was a considerable diminution of
the marital/is of meat that were observable in the fore-
noon, asthe majority of people made their markets on
Saturday father than wait over to Monday, which was
understood to be' a holiday in many departments of trade
and business in the tuft': Altogether, Christmas Satur-
day of this year passed off pleastarttly enough, and with
a degree of pardonable excitement permittable at this
season. _ _ _ _ _

--T1; weather changed during Saturday night, and
another fall of snow came down, and on Sunday there
was a smaller fall, with frost in the afternoon. To
pedestrians the streets on MondaY were rather disagree-
able, being very slippy, and it was hard to get on. We
have heard of many river accidents, but, thank good-
ness, nothing Very serious. Many shops in the leading
streets were closed on Monday, but otherwise business
went on as usual, so far as the frost and snow would
permit.
Christmas Eve was a partial holiday, many shops
being closed, and many merchants' offices also, so that
the employes had a holiday, but we do not think that
many resorted to the country, consequent on the state of
the weather. The streets, therefore, were .tolerably full
of people during the day, and in the evening the chief
places of public amusement were thronged, as " boxing
night " has been intercepted this year in conse-
quence of the day intervening between Sunday and
the great festival. and that day (Monday), too, being a
semi-holiday. However, no doubt this evening the
theatres and concert-rooms will be again largely
patronised.
About the usual excitement that prevails at this
season is observable, but beyond this we' have nothing,
up to the present, to remark on.
Amonzst the great varieties of attractions and enter-
tainments offered to the public at this time, we may
notice the appearance of the celebrated female Christy
Minstrels, at the Teutonic-hall, Lime-street, whose vocal
and instrumental performances have caused quite a sensa-
tion. We shall have an opportunity of speaking more
in. detail of this troop during the week, as well as of
other performances and attractions in town.
Yesterday (Christmas Day) we had a continuance of
the same frost-bound weather, and although the more
robust might set off on friendly or little excursions, the
day was largely given up to social gatherings and in-
door hilarity. Owing to the extreme coldness of the
weather, the churches were very thinly attended ; but
the streaming lights from drawing-rooms in the evening
spoke of numerous happy parties, in which the great
festival was honoured with national heartiness and glee.
We believe that at the workhouses the inmates, as usual,
were regaled with the traditional roast beef and plum-
pudding
• 2 'even the night-shed vagrants shared in the
general bounty, and the spirit of Christmas pervaded
every where.

ON THE ICE.—The severe frost which has existed for
the last week has frozen over the ponds and other places of
water in and about Liverpool. Yesterday, many thou-
sands of pleasure seekers left the town for the favourite
skating resorts at Sefton Meadows. Prince's-park,
Wavertree-park, and Birkenhead-park had each their
attractions for the pleasure seekers; and so large a number
of those who spent their Christmas on the ice has not
been known for some years.

CHRISTMAS TURKEYS.—In our account of the Christ-
mas markets, and the Christmas display at the shops, we
omitted to mention the display of poultry at Mr. John
Driver's, Brownlow-hill. Both in number and
quality of the birds the exhibition was not surpassed by
any poulterer in or out of the market ; and, judging from
the melancholy appearance of his premises late on the
eve of Christmas, his catering for the public was
horoughly appreciated.

TOWN IMPROVEMENTS.

TO THE CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE FINANCE

COMMITTEE.

Gentlemen,—Though there may be a difference of
opinion as to the extent of the improvements which have
become necessary in the town of Liverpool and its out-
skirts, I am sure you will admit that, with the increase
of our population and the consequent, increase of the
traffic through our thoroughfares, the improvements
must be of an extensive character, involving a very large
expenditure of money. The longer they are delayed the
greater will be the cost, especially in the outskirts of
the town. In an economical point of view, therefore—
a view by no means the most important, in my opinion
—the evil which is staring us in the face ought to be
grappled with at once. Since the alteration that has
taken place in our municipal body, upwards of a million
sterling has been spent in the paving, sewerage, &c.,
of our streets, and well-spent money it has been. A large.
amount of its benefits are not visible to the eye. I

should rejoice to see a million spent in something above
ground which would not only be gratifying to the sight
but highly conducive to the comfort and well-being of
the inhabitants at large, especially of the working
classes. How is the money to be raised ? is the ques-
tion. I should be sorry to advocate any measure that
would place the corporate estate in jeopardy, but I can-
not see the wisdom of directing our sole attention_to the
making of investments tending to raise a fund for future
generations, while we are doing nothing to promote the
welfare of the present generation. It has struck me
that many new streets in the town might be formed in
various directions which would have the effect of reliev-
ing those now in existence from the excess of traffic in
them, and that those streets might be carried through
property which, from its pestilential character, ought
to be swept away. Instead, however, of allowing the
owners of such property to have any further benefit
from the improvement than the comparative high price
which they would obtain for it, I would take powers to
purchase land sufficient on both sides of the street so
formed for the erection of buildings, the land to be after-
wards disposed of on lease. The future value of the
corporate estate would thus be considerably increased.
A question may no doubt arise whether such an opera-
tion would be ultimately advantageous in a pecuniary
point of view; but at all events the land would be-
come occupied by property of a respectable nature. I
understand that this has been done in London in the
formation of the new street from Blackfriars Bridge
on the borough side of the. Thames to London Bridge
If this be the case, I cannot see why a similar act, if
thou:,,ht desirable, should be refused to Livertiool,
particularly if its, preamble set forth that the streets
were to be formed for the purpose of relieving our over-

crowded thoroughfares, combining at the same time the
removal of a class of property highly prejudicial to the
health of the public. Why may not our surplus funds
and the money we are to receive after paying off our
bond debts be employed in this object ? I do not say
that it might not be expedient to have the power of lay-
ing an improvement rate of a moderate amount, say six-
pence in the pound. It might not be necessary to levy
any portion of it, but the public would be more recon-
ciled to the introduction of such a power into the act,
when they saw that the corporate funds were also to be
employed in making the improvements. Besides, if the
improvements were carried out upon a large scale, they
would occupy years in the completion of them, so that
the money would only be required by degrees.
Now, as regards the outskirts of the town. It is quite
clear that all the laud for two or three miles encircling
the borough is destined to be covered with buildings.
We have heard our worthy chairman declare in council
that he would never consent to new roads being formed
at the expense of the public for the benefit of the owners
of the property through which they might pass. lam
not going to advocate anything of the sort; but, surely
no man will pretend to say that the roads may not at