The Press.
London, England, 1854-02-25 00:00:00

zlituat anb 6tntral.

THE " PILLAR OF PEACE," erected in 1815 to com-
memorate the close of the war, and which has long
formed a conspicuous object to travellers through
the vale of Todmorton, fell to the ground on Wed-
nesday week. Standing on the summit of the
highest hill of the range dividing Lancashire and
Yorkshire, the column had received much injury
from the lightning some months ago, and is sup-
posed to have finally yielded to the violent storm
which took place on the night before its fall. This
event, taken in connection with passing occurrences,
has excited a feeling of almost superstitions interest
in the neighbourhood.

AT A DINNER, given on Tuesday at the house of
the American Consul, Mr. Saunders, there were pre-
sent as fellow-guests his Excellency the American
Ambassador in England, the American Vice-Consul,
Mazzini, Kossuth, Ledru Rollin, Arnold, Ruge,
Herzen (the wealthy Russian iniigri), Worcell (the
Pole), Garibaldi, and Orsini.

SATURDAY,

SEVERAL OF THE LAND AND BUILDING SOCIETIES
in the metropolis are adopting petitions to the
House of Commons, praying that a clause may be
inserted in the new Reform Bill to extend the elec-
tive franchise to the members of such enrolled
societies, in the same manner as to depositors in
savings banks.
THE ESTIMATE FOR WORKS OF ART at the new
Palace of the Legislature is 53,3351., and the amount
paid to August last was 29,0001., which sum extended
over a period of nearly twelve years.
LIEUTENANT ENGLEDUE, who was restored to his
professional rank by the late Board of Admiralty, has
been again struck off the list of naval officers. He
was appointed First Lieutenant of the James Watt,
90, but declined to join at the sacrifice of the lucra-
tive appointment he held at Southampton under
the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation
Company.
A FUND IS RAISING IN SOMERSETSHIRE to in-
demnify the Bishop of Bath and Wells for the costs
he will incur in the proceedings about to be insti-
tuted against Archdeacon Denison. This fund has
already reached the amount of 5001.
THE PRESTON STRIKE shows symptoms of gradual
extinction. Last week the Royal Sovereign Mills,
belonging to Mr. Hollins, reopened for work. An
interview between that proprietor and the operatives
resulted in mutual concessions, and an arrangement
as to prices satisfactory to both employer and em-
ployed. The hands on recommencing work en-
tered the mill amid the hearty acclamations of a vast
crowd, numbering several thousands, assembled to
witness the gratifying scene. Messrs. Gratrix Bro-
thers have also made an arrangement with their
operatives. The number of unemployed bands re-
lieved last week from the Trades' Union Fund was
15,507; on the previous week, 15,875 ; decrease, 308.
The amount disbursed in relief was 3,4541. ss. 10d.
THE LIBERAL MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF COM-
MONS met on Tuesday in a committee-room upon the
summons of Mr. Hume to consider the now Govern-
ment scheme for parliamentary reform. Atter a
three hours' discussion the members are said to
have unanimously decided on supporting the bill
when brought on for a second reading, On Wed-
nesday a meeting of the National Parliamentary Re•
form Association was held to discuss the new bill,
and a resolution finally passed to the effect that
while the measure " falls short of that which is due
to the unenfranchised, and contains some provisions
which the friends of progress cannot approve and
should exert themselves to amend in its progress
through the House of Commons, it nevertheless de-
serves a strenuous support of all Reformers as a
large and valuable instalment of the objects they
seek."

THE MORTALITY IN THE METROPOLIS presents little
variation and still remains slightly below the average
Last week the registered deaths numbered 1,154,
having been 1,178 in the previous se'nnight. The
births were 1,539, being 87 above the average num-
ber for nine years past.
A NEw SAILORS' HOME was opened in Poplar on
Tuesday. The house was presented to the Sailors'
Home Institution by Messrs. Somes, and has beds
to accommodate fitly inmates, together with a re-
freshment and reading room, while attached to the
home are spacious grounds for the amusement of
seamen.

WITH THE RETIREMENT OF MR. O'BRIEN WOLSEY
the title of Deputy Accountant-General of the Navy
will be abolished. As in the departments presided
over by the Storekeeper-General, the Comptroller-
General, the Medical Director, &c., there will in
future be no office of deputy.
THE MANCHESTER MILLOWNERS held a crowded
meeting on Tuesday at Manchester, to consider
what steps should be taken in consequence of the
recent order of Mr. Leonard Horner, chief inspector
of factories, directing the machinery in cotton and
other mills to be fenced off. Mr. ii. H. Gregg, who
was in the chair, observed upon the difficulty of
fencing off every portion of the gearing in mills, and
contended that there was no justification for the
proceeding. A resolution "that the order in question
was uncalled for, that it could not be practically
carried into effect., and that the Legislature did not
intend that the provisions of the Factory Act should
be enforced to the letter," was unanimously- agreed
to, and a committee appointed to confer with the
factory-owners, and form a deputation to Lord Pal-
merston on the subject.
CONVICT PEISONS, on a large scale, to contain
several hundred each, are about to be erected at
Chatham and Woolwich, with a view of finally abolish-
ing the hulk system, and providing for the execution
of the labour required in connection with public
works. At Portsmouth the hulks are already abo-
lished, and a well-arranged prison on shore erected in
their stead.

THE NUMBER OF PUPIL. TEACHERS in England and
Wales who have completed their term of apprentice-
ship, under the minutes of the Committee in Council,
up to August last, was 1,871, including 942 males,
and 429 females.

FEBRUARY 25, 1854.

SIXPENNY POSTAGE STAMPS are in preparation, and
will be issued by the Post, office authorities on and
after the Ist of March.

THE BOYS Or THE RAGGED SCHOOL SHOEDLACE
SOCIETY earned, by cleaning shoes in the streets,
during the year 1853 the sum of 8531. Of this 4701.
was paid to the boys, 1921. put by for them in a bank,
and 1911. retained for expenses. The number of
pairs of boots and shoes cleaned during the year by
30 boys was 204,750, or about 4,000 pair every week.
A LADY has recently bequeathed 1,0001., and the
residue of her estate, which may amount to several
hundred pounds more, for the purpose of building
and repairing churches in the diccese of Glasgow.
The same testator left 5001. to the Cathedral of Perth.

RETURNS OF THE TRADE BETWEEN ENGLAND, Russia,
AND
TURKEY show that in 1852 the official value of
imports into the United Kingdom from Russian
northern ports was 4,190,8301., and from the Black
Sea, 2,212,2881. The official value of the imports from
the Turkish dominions, exclusive of Wallachia, Mol-
davia, Syria, Palestine, and Egypt, was 2,252,2841.,
and the exports 2,079,9101.
THE BILL TO ABOLISH PROPERTY QUALIFICATION FOR
MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT has been printed with the
names of Mr. Tufnell, Sir Benjamin Hall, and Mr.
Ewart. It is a very short bill, reciting the several
acts from the 9th Anne, c. 5, to the 41st (ieo. 111.,
and declaring that it is " expedient" that they be re-
pealed, so far as relates to the qualification of members
of Parliament.
A COURT OF DIRECTORS was held on Wednesday
at the East India-house, when the Right Hon. Lord
Harris was appointed Governor of Madras.
THE SIXTH ANNIVERSARY FESTIVAL, of the City of
London Hospital for Diseases of the Chest was held
on Wednesday at the London Tavern, Lord John
Russell in the chair. It was stated that since the
first commencement of the institution the number of
patients relieved has undergone a steady increase, and
during the last year amountedto 4,199, making a total
of 81,910 persons admitted to the benefits of the insti-
tution since its opening, in June, 1848. The average
attendance of patients in each week in the year 1853
was 632. The subscriptions announced during the
evening amounted to nearly 3,0001.
AT THE HORSE GUARDS Major-General Charles
Yorke has been appointed to succeed Colonel Airey
as Military Secretary to the Commander-in Chief.
Major-General Yorke served in the Peninsula with
the 52nd Regiment at Roleia, Fuentes d'Onore, Sala-
manca, Vittoria, Pyrenees, Nivelle, Nive, and Orthes,
and also in the Waterloo campaign. He has received
the war medal with ten clasps for his services in the
Peninsula, and only very lately returned from active
service in the Kaffir war.
CAPTAIN AARON TOZER (1830) died on Tuesday at
Plymouth, aged 65. He was in receipt of a good-
service pension, which is now placed at the disposal
of the First Lord of the Admiralty.
A QUANTITY OF GUNPOWDER, intended for exporta-
tion and delivery to the enemies of England, has
been seized. Two large operations of this kind have
been happily disconcerted, and it is hoped that all
others will meet with the same fate. This result has
been obtained by anonymous communications made
to the authorities. " Athough," says the Times, in
announcing this event, " we are no friends to anony-
mous communications in most instances, still, when
the lives of our gallant soldiers and sailors are at
stake, we cannot afford to be over sensitive. The
only point for consideration is, is the information
true or not? If true, or probably so, the Executive
must act at once, at their proper peril if they make
mistakes. This is no ordinary case. When we think
of the brave fellows who are leaving our shores
every day to meet the enemies of England in the
field, it is too shocking to think that the powder and
ball which are to lay them low may be made by
English hands, and probably manufactured a few
streets off the barracks from which one or other of
the English regiments sets out upon its march.
The public in a case of this kind will, we are very
confident, throw political economy to the four winds.
The thing simply must not be, if we can prevent it.
We deeply regret, of course, that the English gun-
powder-merchants and bullet-factors in the con-
fidence of the Russian Czar should be disturbed in
their operations, but we really cannot maintain the
principles of commerce in this one instance. We
would rather have our soldiers alive in never so
blundering a way, than have them shot according to
the doctrines of Adam Smith, Ricardo, or anybody
else. We therefore call upon the public, upon every
man, woman, and child in Englanderso, who may have a
reasonable conviction that any pn of their ac-
quaintance, or in their neighbourhood, is about to
despatch contraband of war to the enemies of their
country, instantly to give information of the fact at
the nearest police station, or, if they so choose, by
letter to the office of the Home Secretary. It would
be much to say that this nefarious traffic can be
altogether stopped, but, at least, great difficulties
may be thrown in the way of the merchant who is
willing to deal in the blood of his countrymen."


THE PRESS.

THE BOARD OF TRADE RETURNS for the month
ending the sth January, and for the year ending the
same day, have been published. The exports, as
compared with the two previous years, are as fol-
low :—Declared value, 1852, 08,531,6011. ; 1853,
71,375,0661.; 1854, 87,357,3001. For the month
there is an excess of 423,0001. as compared with
the corresponding month of 1853. The net receipt
of customs duties for the three years stands
thus-1852, 2'4,104,1571.; 1853, 22,036,2971.; 1854,
22,419,3081.
H.M. FRIGATE Pique, 40, Captain Sir F. Ilicolson,
had a narrow chance of sinking at her moorings in
Hamo'sze on Sunday. It appears that on Saturday
the wash-deck cock was omitted to be turned, anti by
next morning there were nearly 14 feet of water in
the hold, by which a quantity of bread and some of
the ship's slops have been injured or destroyed. The
crew of the Pique were unaware of their perilous
position until apprised by the warrant-officers of a
neighbouring ship.
A PROCLAMATION prohibiting the exportation of
arms, ammunition, gunpowder, military and naval
stores, and machinery available for war, was ordered
to be issued at the Privy Council held on Saturday
last. Further explanations on this subject have been
given by a Treasury minute, and by Lord J. Rus-
sell in Parliament. The proclamation has been
issued, it appears, from its having become known
to the Government that extensive shipments of war-
like stores were in the course of being shipped to
Russian ports, and that other shipments were con-
templated of a like kind. It is stated, however, that
while every means will be taken to prevent such
shipments being made, either directly or indirectly,
to countries where they are likely to be used against
her Majesty's forces or those of her allies, the
Government are extremely anxious that the neces-
sary restrictions should as little as possible interfere
with the large and important trade connected with
the manufacture of such goods when of a legitimate
kind. In all cases, accordingly, where satisfactory
proof is given that all such goods are really destined
to other markets and ports than those of Russia,
taking into consideration the character of the per-
sons and the nature of their usual trade, such goods
and the vessels containing them are to be cleared in
the usual way ; and, espedally with regard to such
goods as it is proposed to carry coastwise in a regular
and established trade, every facility will be afforded
consistent with the object is view.