The Express.
London, England, 1847-02-11 00:00:00

41i t rprd

N0.141.] LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, FE8.11,1847. [3d.

besides other vessels. On the Mersey there is not near so
many. It is of same importance to eseertain when. the
difference arises, and to point out how the disparity may be
reduced. The Clyde ship-builder bu two advantages over
the builder on the Mersey—namely, wages end rent, both of
which are considerably lower in Glasgow than Liverpool.
The name of the Clyde builder is also in his favour. These
are no mean advantages. But then, the trade of Liverpool
is greater than that of Glasgow, and, as we think, requires
that the balance of ship-building should be in favour of the
Mersey. We do not think wages or rent the reason, because,
though these items be higher in this town, the difference is
not very serious. Neither can it be talent. The magnifi-
cent vessels built by Wilson, for the Peninsular and Oriental
Btesm-peeket Company, the war-frigates of Laird, and the
elegant steamer' of Vernon, and Bury, Curtis, and Kennedy,
prove that ample ability exists. Besides this, them is a point
in favour of the Liverpool shipwright which outweighs every
advantage possessed in Glasgow—namely, the facilities for
purchumg timber on the bast terms. Why then does so
marked a difference exist between the two ports ? Two rea-
sons, we think, may in some degree seenunt for it. The first
is, undoubtedly, the removal to which the Liverpool ship-
wright has been subject. " Three removes are u had as a
fire," and as the ship-builders have been twice removed,—
first front Trentham-street, and then from the north shore,
the injury has been next to fetal- It most be admitted that
the construction of docks is of greater importance to Liver-
pool than the building of ships; but at the same time ship-
building justly claims to be the chief trade of the port. It
should be looked upon u one of the principal supports of the
town, and treated aceordiagly. We are aware that the dock
committee have provided such accommodation as presented
itself, which in some memo» broke the fall. But the re-
moval of large concerns is at all times injurious. Another
reason for the decline of the trade is tote found in the intract-
able spirit of the rights. Their high demands, the
=Jut yob el strangers, and the frsquent strikes,
Insensibly but damaged the trade. Happily the
dark days appear to be passing away, and the trade is re-
viving. It is to be hoped that its energy will again return ;
that the talent, capital, and spirit of our shipbuilders will be
brought to bear upon it, and that it will again resume its
healthful character. We may also perceive important
ground for the shipwrights at Birkenhead, the commissioners
having offered lend for their use ; we trust that they will
endeavour to bring it into operation as speedily as pomible.
For the result we have no fear. The shipwrights of the
Mersey can at any time equal those of the Clyde, or Thames,
if encouragement be given.—Liverpool Courier.

vented, the common belief was, that the effect on Consols
would have been a decline to 90.
We have a further depreciation in the prices of Mexican
stock, which is now quoted only 211 to 21. In other foreign
securities there is scarcely any. variation in prices. or any
tranaletions carrying on. Spanish Fives are celled 244 to 1;
the Threes, 341 to 1. Portuguese, 36 to 6. Dutch 21 per
Conte., 6g to 4 ; the Fours, 92 to 1.

/0101.1.1114
Bask Mock, MI 4
par ,
Sr, CUM Omni.,

FUROR.
3 per COt.erek /or AWL. 303 I
31 per Cent.. kti
Beekeeper Mk ft. to.

Der Ct. AW= ask 94-11---
39 per Or. Weir pi
129 per CeaL On,
per Ct. liraellir Nes..9l 7
Dias N•woide
• per OL Deem Apo , 40 2
Ditto thella /AL, 03 3
Dille Oplemb. Deb DAL
~
Celembles Prissim OIL 3i
3 per OL llealliadp..l7 9
II p 1 OL Deleb OP
I per OL Omer Deish.ll2

I 1,11.11.
..
1 par orc onnws. ma., IN IN
Ottawas Deferred Be., bit
3 per Ct. 140214 N, 1011.211 II
S 0/7 Ct. !Wallas Ml, ae 41
Paean.= C 1...
0 pre CL NNW. 1144., 110 If
DUN Itputiab 1100. 21*
per Cl. 10.11 alt
Ppealsit Deferml BY, 1 17
Spa•l46 Naar* Ws *
2 prr Ct. Tottes•els DM, N I
VmesseLs D•o47nd IN., 111 111

RAILWAYS.—The market hea been fiat all morn-
ing, but is now rather Armor, without, however, any
improvement in prices. North Western shame, at 188 to
190 per share, are 11. lower than at the commencement of
liminess.

SALMI ormaten DP TO TWO THIS DAY IN LONDON.
ClineWs pies will be found in het pare.)
clirlawg Amp, %St. E. Je, 24 lirn.,Bux., =dLeede in:L.ll4p
131 4 Illttland, 12
81r, , and Dad., 91 104 Do. New, 2311
Newts. and wick, 32 If
E. North British. 344 1
...046
..... fl} Do. Extension, If I
DeLS.4I I Do. Thirds, 31 i
Low North ,ftlhrdshue, 8 4
!ye* Wake%
De -it I Reed, Gad.. eSiterite, 34
Esst 6 1 &sten Ifidland, 21
FAIL sad Oho. • Shrews. & lilnii., Clan A, 34
Gt. N. of Emend New, 594 Strews. and Hereford. If
Gt. Westerw.ll6l4 Slunahlre Union, 1 d
Do. Ql6, If 8. E. and Dover New (ha at 327.)
Do. likm, 11l No.l, 23
Leeds ell lealed. 301 Do. New (ire. at 137.), N 0.4, 44
Leafing Mak New, 4 E. Yorket., Done., & Goole, 11
Livened. kite. & New. J., 11 2 Treat YaL, Mid., & Gr. In., 4 p
Leaden Mt Illadorall, 81 6 WhaL, Blames, and S. W., 4 p
De. ISz.2 1, lir York k Newesstle New, 111
, De Do. Pref., 81 4
un.lloBo &Coast, 36 York NH. bed , 90
Do. Omelblated Eighths, 12 Do. 2,102, 391
Win k N. W., 189 91 Do. Extension, 371
it& 411144144111, 21 Do. Peel, Ili
DIL SI% 14 Do. E. & W. Riding EIL, 21/
De. 111. limns IL ID., 721 2 Dutch Rhenish, 41
De.ion MD D.(k), 114 Namur & 1.1212 T. 21 1
10468. Wink NY Pd., 11 4 Northern al Trance, In}
Ls. a York Mites. Bern, 24 Orkom k Borden; 7
MANCHESTER SALES, Pro. 10.
Ask, Not., & Boa, E. Jn., par Leeds, Dewsbury, & Manchester,
Blarkburn,Clith.,&N.W., 1 346 d New Brandies (Blue). 3 P
Bost., Stant., & BS., If p London & N. Western, 192
E. Laaesslitre, 11 p lon., Man., N Ble., 72
Do. do., 21 p Do. Qrs. (B), 61 p
Do. New (Senn), I p
Pic & Hontiredet. 11 P N. is re, 2 1-16 1 p
N. Western, 7.161 p
Peet., Pres., & W.R. ~4 7-16 p N. Counties Union, 11 d
Had. & Man. Rail. & Gene, 31 Oldham Alliance, 7.141 p
Do.
d''''
" Preston & %Tyre, 33
Leeds and ltdrek Pref., 11 p Do. Halves (8), 4 p
1A.., Man., & New Jo., I 3-16 d

LITERATURE.
ALlgows History of Europe. New and cheep edition.
NAPIER'S Florentsne History.
Ans'e Catholic History of England.

One might suppose that, of all branches of litera-
ture, history should be that which most truly reflected
the currant opinion of the age in which it was written.
It is strange to say that, in England at least, history
has in general been written in a spirit, and by men,
opposed to this current, and altogether out of it. The
cause no doubt lies in this circumstance, that history
with us has never been written by men of the world.
And some will say, that for men of letters there is
nothing that may be called " a social world " in Eng-
land. The English historian, at least within the last
century, is a book man, not a business man. He lives
in his closet, and peeps out at the past, as at the pre-
sent, through a small aperture. The atmosphere of
his volumes becomes that of the library, not the
world.
When Hume wrote his history, the current of the
day was Whiggism. But Hume read the world in
Clarendon, and construed the other world by some
volumes of French philosophy, framing that singular
amalgamation of Toryism and infidelity of which he
was perhaps the only living sample. lis book was a
solecism, and a dangerous one. It was a long time I
finding an audience, which its merit at last created.
Mr. Alison is even still more out of the current of
his age than Hume. He sees things as people saw
dos half a century ago. And that half century is,
in the rapid progress of ideas,far more than a century
intim, peat. His work, or its spirit, is a huge ana-
ehameira in the present day, when people's judgments
ana as far removed from the ravings of Burke as
from these of Tom Paine. And yet Mr. Alison's
work is popular. It is in every library, and con-
sulted, if not read, by every
.hand. Why is this ?
Because, after all, the work is an honest one. It
avows its leanings, fully holds up the light by which
it views facts; it fairly represents those facts, and
allows the reader to divest them of the historian's
colouring. There is no power of eloquence or seduc-
tion calculated to instil dangerous principles, and
gloze over pernicious doctrines. Alison's is a safe
book ; a Tory history of our times ; valuable from its
very mediocrity. The present cheap edition will ex-
tend its circulation amongst a new class of readers, to
whom such a work is perhaps fitter than other histories
more brilliant, more philosophic, and even more true.
Capt. Napier's "Florentine History" is conscien-
tiously and ably written. And it cannot be said that
the author is behind or beside the opinion of his time.
But the task which he undertook is one of extreme
difficulty, that of rendering interesting the petty revo-
lutions and interminable struggles of a city which,
after all, has sunk to insignificance, and left nothing
but a literary and artistic reputation behind.
Nothing, indeed, can be more instructive than the
development of a community of manufacturers and
bankers, capitalists and operatives, struggling whole
centuries with each other; the former pleading birth
and feudal privileges, and fortifying. themselves, and
arming their adherents; the operatives and trades-
men, in tarn rebelling, sacking, murdering, burning,
and decreeing republic and forms of government,
which lived by the week or month. Throughout all
these we curiously trace the tendencies of our own days,
and many of the acts of our republican neighbours on
the other side of the Atlantic. But the hatred of the
Florentine democrat for bankers and capitalists was
more honest than that of the Yankee. Thus, when
the artisans of the wool trade got the upper hand, in
1378, they ordered " that no more interest should be
paid on the public debt, but the whole principal
be honestly discharged in twelve years." (Napier,
vol. 2, p. 427.) This is certainly better than re-
pudiation.
We most own, that what most attracts us in the
Florentines is, not so much their artistic or literary
history, nor yet their family feuds, as the commer-
cial and industrial development of the republic,
together with the struggles of its classes. The latter
are well depicted by Captain Napier; but the con-
nexion of this struggle and its fortunes with the rise
and fall of trade, and of commercial prosperity, is not
traced closely enough. The fault of this may not be
in the modern, but in the contemporary historians of
those times, too apt to omit what we now consider the
essential. An industrial history of Florence. such as
those of Holland and Athens, given us by Mr. M'Cul-
legh, is, however, a great desideratum.
The last work upon our list is " A Catholic History
of Englani," by Mr. M'Cabe. Why Catholic, in
times previous to the Heptarchy ? Who is anti-
Catholic in dealing with those times P By Catholic,
Mr. M'Cabe seems to mean respect for mookiiit
tomes. And we do not object to this respect, pro-
vided it does not oblige us to swallow all their legen-
dary food. Mr. M'Cabe does with the dark ages,
what M. de Barante has done with the middle ages,
made the people of the time tell their own story,
instead of taking it out of their mouths. The method
is certainly instructive, though startling. It enables
us to judge, instead of having judgment pawned upon
us. Applied to later times, it would be very inter-
esting indeed, if not too voluminous : although it
would require a spirit of selection, more catholic in
the derivative than the sectarian sense of the term.
The present volume is a valuable library book.

•
BIRMINGHAM
Bir.,Wol.,&StostrVaL,Me 9d. tjp
N. d• ta7riord9°lrlire,jBl96lM.lllllB; 9_
P..
Shrop. Union Res.,* d

SALE& Pee. 10.
Shrews & Rlr. (A). Oh. 3d. I{ p
Do. (B), 60. 3d. I p
8. Btaf. Reg. (late Jose ft p
Do. (late Trent V01.),4118.3d.p

HULL BAL
North Brit:alb Quarters, ara.
Do. Paten. Scrip, no &L ISs. p
Black., Du., & Bolt.,

FA Pm to.
N. Waters, 9.. 6d. p
wS, 31. 36. 9d. p
est Biding nun; 3/.116.34L

East Lancashire, New, 24 S p
Do. Scrip, 245. 6d. p
Hod. & blanch , 3
Do. Thirds, p
Dewsbury Est. (pink) Its. 6d. p
Gt. Northern, Lna.t
Leeds &Thlet, 2I 3 d •• Pas
Do. Pref., 21a. p
New Thirsts, 22.. 6d. d
Leeds, k Midland, 9s. 6d. d

New Jn., 10s. 13s. d
Matlock & But., 111.6 d. 12s. 6d. p
Glam. & Dumfries, I p
Carlisle Ext., 13s. 6d. 13s. p
N. Staffordshire, 3 31. lc p
N. COAIMIC6 Union, 21. 235. d
North Western, Bs. 6dL Ss. p
N. British, Qrs, 44t. p
fiber., Rotherham, &c., 2s. 6d. p
York & North Mid., 139 i

.
YORK 8/11
Otßorth. (TAred. & York. Reg.),
2/. tae. 6d. 21.
N. Bratsk Thirds, Si

Fra..lo,

N. Eirrtirdiduartere, 41
York and Neweactle New, 111
Do. Pref., 8/. Us. 9d.

Cork, Blackrock, & Pam. 2
Kid. (It. West. & R. C., 92
&Haat and County Down, 2a.
Cork and Wattrford,
Dub., Dun., & IGGOkrk.,
EDINBURGH

Flu. 9.
Mid. Gt. We. K. to OIL, 6. 9d.
WaL, Wex., Wk. & Du., 6e. 96.
Wek.,Car.,&DubJun.,l2a. 6d.
Irish North Mid., 12.5. 6d. 126.3 d.

4—.-
Caledonian, New, 6;. 41 4.
Caledonian & Dumb., 034.
Pk. Nor. Seep, 534. 6.3.
Dundee Is 234
Do. New 141 15
Edna., Leitk,t O. 16c24-
166. fkL
rain. & Northern, 161 I
Do. New, 73.. 734.6 d.
Do. Newport, 54

BALPA, Pr.. 9.
Plat of Pile, Ms.
Fief LOthisneen, 43e. 43e. ed.
(14.Vorthereilsten.N.),73s.6d 74e.
N. &Matt, Qrs., ills. 6d.
Do. New Qrs. berip, 290.
Do. Thirds, 73.. 6d. 73e.
floottieh Midland, 211
Shrews., Oswe., & 61
latir. and UnnfereL, 72e. Bd.
Dir. Bombay & 94d es, b.
ALEN Fes. 9.
Edio. & Qrs., 191 191
Edin. & Northern, Neer, 725. ed.
OW., Fill., and Ayr Halves, No.N

-
GLASGOW
Ayr and Galloway, 400. Mk ed.
CaL & Dumber., 33e. S2a. ed.
Direct Northern &sip, Sic
Intake & Ar., No.
Dundee & Perth,ow, N
New, IS 271
Nace el We, 520.
Etat Indian Railway, 90. ed.

91.15.
OW. k Oreeuock Halves, 91
N. llntlob Thirds, 72e.
Scottish Mid. Nasdaq 314

PRODUCE.-MINCING-LANE, Half-pad Two.-
Sugar : The market has been steady to-day, but the harp
public sales, to take place to-morrow, check business. The
public sales of 600 coos of Brazil, duty paid, went off
at ,yesterday's currency. The 700 boxes of Bahia, of-
fered for exportation only, were withdrawn, so buyers did
not appear disposed to gave the full market value. The
sable of West India have been limited. Refined continues
inactive.-The Coffee sales went off as yesterday, good con-
earning qualities commanding full prices, while other sons
aredifficult of sale at last week's currency.-Indigo : The sale
is programing with spirit to-day, and prices are aabade higher.
-Cotton steady, but not active. Rice without alteration.
-Item: Full poi es were paid for small parcels early this
morning, but the purchases bad reference to the contract to
be taken to-day, and does not alter quotations. In other
articles no alteration.
PRICES CURRENT.
Suomi. per cwt. tore rare. Pigs, No 1. SS 0.. S 1
W. 1nd1a,8.P.bw0.5.45 d0..1.50 Od Hoops ll 5 .1.1 1
Yellow &Grey ... 30 0...33 Cargo at Cardldbar 3 13_ 9
Pins 53 0...56 Swedish II 10... 0
Mauritius, brown._ 99 0.. 47 Las" at pet toe.
Yellow 49 0 .32 Pig, boat lB 13..10
Pine. 53 0...37 Mfr 'beet .
Brapileadrea,b. 30 0_46 Bus 22
Yellowt
Whits 32 0 SS red or minim ... 19 10. .20
ftwirelizrbrown
490
...10 Spatter 2O 0 .10 1
Oua, per 232 lap. gaL d.p.
Grey and irides.. 52 o_oo Fish, 804 pale ls 0... 0
Refined, Hambro'.. 70 0-.76 straw.. -.
Lumps 69 6...67 brown k swam- 29 0.. 33
Coma,
Wart India, ordiln „ Wiwi =Matter 9l 0..12
nary 23 0...40 0 Cod 27 0...27 1
Good , 45 0... 40 0 Booth Sao W 10...20 1
Pins 7O 0-113 0 OUvo,oaWpokl,p.tint 49 0...30
Ceylon, good ordl- Cocoa Nat
5.7 .
..... ... .... 41 8... 43 0 Seed, gape, pole,
Mae ordinary.- 43 0... 46 0 per ton. VI 0... 0
Pine......... 54 0... 70 0 Linseed.—
Mocks, tOBW/34 C.. 25 0 Paorterows, par cwt.
Coda Itica. ore- Batter-Oxk, la 92 0...94
writ° One 36 0... 94 0 god 0 9 0
Sumatra and Pa 3id 0 0... 0
dans 24 0... 18 0 Dublin, Ist_ ...... 0 0.. 0
Tm, at par lb. Lustig*. G; lO 0...90
Coogoo,ooounon.. 9 0 ... 099 Oralew, Ist .. ll4 0- 96
Paw, at per ewt. llawry, lot ...... „ 0 0... 0
Bengal white. 23 0... 23 0 Walarbrd BO 0...92
Cams...-. ...... 20 0... 22 0 god. um., Per
lava l6 0... 21 0 0 0.. 0
Paw 27 0.. 18 0 kin; 0 0... 0
csioNms. OO 0... MI 0 mans_ 78 0 _BO
Swans. teeth 0..80 0
Bata at per
Leeward Island Bonk Waterford,
Proof lO . 4 0 64 0...66 0
Danerara, 16 to azirt.
60 0...62 0
38 per cent. snick
0.P...
JaaMW, 90. to $6 BM,
per out. O.F. Awarfera
Favourite gamin 1 ... 6 Hama, Ox and Cow, at par lb.
Brandy, Ist kande .. 6 B. A. and AL Yids*,
Scotch
British spirits, d.p ... 0
=led 40 4645.0 071
0 0 4...0
Id& 0 =4l? 0 a .0
FIAX, per tom.
Bigaiy.a.L. :44 0...62 itle. fry 0 41-0 6
St. liam&Vaip. dry_ 0 5 ...0 6
bred 4O 0...0
53 =Ma, dry._ 0 1...0 6
Cato, and Ploadrit 0...03
Friesland
Mawr, at per ton.
W.PetertharmainntS7 10_48 Valli IjiIAZN try
0 :9 ....: :
ootabot ..... .... 34 10_21 B. Afar ono, pee
ball elan 3l 0. 31 1 WM. ~... II o_3B 0
tip, Shine ..
catalog
Can 26
0... 0 1,4 1awa10n..44 3_. 4 IS
Moab 36 C 39 Haar ones ...... -.. 3 5... 3 IS
But bolls Swan.- 13 0. _IS
Bombay lO 0..426 Pg=la II 10 .6 0
Jute
Yes, at per cwt. l4 0...13 0
Baum 101 0..102
Welt. - 10 C .16 0
Com. in Make 16 0... 0 boa. 10 0...17 10
law, at per we. lad Ilmiers. 9 0... 810
Bars AI IS £lO Data- ... 00 0...90 0

TALLOW.—The market remains steady, at yeo-
terdly's Toadies: Petersburg Y. C. ea the spot, 605.;
January to Mot disilvooy, 490. W. to SOL
-

CORN.—Beemortata, Fn. 10.—Wheat of supe-
rior guslity NM at Boa 100. ho 160. load dearer,
whim saw pessael fe>uuty at last vrook,
vvryhor vein sely sapthksi bet the vary beat qualities ;
Rea midis alio thew Lis 101. per load ; rod, Roe 191. to
201. Theo, go. 41.10. ea Brea4 Id. per bib. Ica higher.
Harley wait lay men mood salting made boa Ob. to
Oiler qr. ; bold moltios fro mod, from 66a. to 000. • light
doe from 46e to Ms. Malt Is 10s. 6d. per bead, best;
6d. to 10s. wooed quality. Bosky M. 2ea. per bag.
J Naas mold to* es high as het wsek—yory short sop*.