The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-02-05 00:00:00

communion

THE FRENCH COURT.—The Moniteur announces that
the:marriage of the Princess Augusta Bonaparte, daughter
of his Highness Prince Charles Bonaparte, with his
Excellency Prince Gabrielli, her cousin, was celebrated
at the imperial chapel of the Tuilleries, their Majesties
the Emperor and Empress being present.

It is understood that the appearance of her Royal
Highness the Princess Royal in the great world will, for
this season, be limited to the palace, it not being thought
expedient to apply to parliament for the sum necessary
to maintain a household while she is so young, and it
being essential to the dignity of a princess of her rank, if
she visited a subject, that her royal highness should be
attended by a lady-in-waiting and an equerry of her own.
—Court Journal.

THE PEACE CONFERENCES.—It is understood that the
Earl of Clarendon will be accompanied as plenipoten-
tiary at Paris by Mr. Edmund Hammond, permanent
under-secretary of state (who, it will be recollected,
assisted Lord John Russell on his mission to Vienna last
year,) by the Hon. Spencer Ponsonby, and Mr. Thomas
Villiers Lester, private and assistant secretaries to the
noble earl, andby Mr. Francis IV. H: Cavendish, precis
writer. Lord Wodehouse will discharge the duties of
the foreign office during the temporary absence of the
Earl of C larendon in Paris.

A reference to our parliamentary intelligence will show
our readers that in the House of Commons last night, the
Vice-President of the Board of Trade (Mr. Lowe) moved
for, and obtained leave, to bring in a bill for the abolition
of passing tolls on shipping—an impost, as nefarious
in principle, as it is injurious to the interests of commerce.
The subject is one to which we have heretofore; earnestly
invited public attention, and hence we cannot but hail with
satisfaction the prospect of a realization of the hopes we
have inspired in others, as they were sincerely entertained
by ourselves. We perceive that 111 r. Horsfall came to the
rescue of our Corporate body, from an attack made upon it
by the Vice-President of the Board of Trade, but despite
this and other equally puerile efforts, the measure met the
general acceptance of the House.

NEW ORDER OF MERIT.—The Globs of last night pub-
lishes the following :—We have reason to believe that a
Royal Warrant founding a new " Order of Merit " has
been already signed by her Majesty, and that a copy will
be presented to Parliament in the course of a few days.
Its provisions will, we think, be found of a very satis_
factory character, founded as they are upon the principle
of the honourable recognition of personal gallantry in
whatever rank of the army or navy it may be displayed.
Thus in all likelihood the order will consist of only one
grade, and for this distinction every individual, from
the private soldier or able-bodied seaman up to the
Admiral or Commander-in-Chief, who shall have distin-
guished himself by a conspicuous act of personal
valour berf teore the enemy, will be eligible. In granting
the he particular reason for which it is awarded
will be specified, and along with the decoration the re-
cipient will be entitled to a small annual
pension. The
orderservice, is
as not intended e
a a
already
y a
recognisedreward
for
ocontinuous
wgaoyosd.
It will be confined to members of the
forces
of those who have
fboartcoehs
ooff
chreeartlViolnajsewstiyl,l
ca ontnd probable
and military
e that the first
evinced conspicuous gallantry throughout the late opera_ tions in the East.

MR.LIVERP COMM lOOL
SIONER BA NIERUPTCY
PERRY . COURT, YES TERDAY......IhpoR,
S--ln re JoHtsr ostits.---
bankrupt, tailor and draper of Chester, applied this day f his certificate. His honour granted an immediate certifi
of the second class, cte

MONETARY AND COMMERCIAL.

LIVERPOOL, MONDAY EVENING.

The cotton market continues steady, and a good
business has been done to-day, the sales reaching
12,000 bales, 4,000 of which were taken for specu-
lation and export. The supply continues moderate,
and prices remain without change.
;The Liverpool share market opened at lower
prices, and some speculative selling, in conse-
quence of the Times article on American affairs,
but buyers coming forward at the decline, a slight
improvement took place. Prices, however, closed
at the last about the opening rates :—Aberdeen,
12a 12Z. Chester and Birkenhead, 131 14. Cale-
donian, 28 3-16 28 5-16. Chester and Holyhead, 13
131. Eastern Counties, 9194. East Lancashire, 171
Great Northern, 23 231. Ditto A Shares,
_ Great Western, 581 59. Lancashire and
Yorkshire Stock, 811 811. Liverpool, Crosby, and
Southport, 151 151. London and North Western
Stock, 1001 101. Manchester, Sheffield and
Lincoln, 25 25+. Ditto Preference, 111 11g.
Ditto New 6 per cent Pref., I p. Midland
Stock, 691 60k. North British, 71 7+. North
Staffordshire, 8 71d. South Eastern and Dover,
18 18. York, Newcastle, and Berwick, 18 11-16
181. York and North Midland, 24125. Leeds Capital
Stock, 141 141. Dutch Rhenish, d Ip. Ditto New
Shares, 2 1-16 2 3-16 p. Great Western of Canada,
25 25+. Ditto New Shares, 2+ 3p. Great
Luxembourg, 84 81d.

91

The specie from Melbourne, by the Shalimar,
is valued at 296,000/. sterling. The Commercial
accounts by the same vessel are of an encouraging
character, notwithstanding the disarrangement of
affairs at Sydney. The ,:discovery of new gold
fields had given quite an impetus to trade at
Melbourne, and caused a considerable increase in
the demand for labour, which will no doubt induce
a renewal of emigration from this country. The
wages of agricultural labourers had increased
from 20s. to 30s. per week and board. The price
of flour had reached £5O per ton. The money
market was tolerably easy, the Bank rate of
discount being seven per cent. for ninety-five days
currency, and eight per cent. for over. Exchange
on London was quoted at one per cent. premium
for thirty days drafts. The imports into Melbourne
for the year 1855, up to the 13th of October, were
7,645,6631., and the exports for the same period
9,563,473/. showing an excess of exports over
imports of 1,917,8101. There was a good demand
for Tallow, the price of which ranged at about
£42 10s. per ton. The Wool was beginning to
come down freely, the dispute respecting
tare and draft having been settled by
the brokers' conceding to the demand of the
buyers ; and to the rule established in London, &c,
10 lb per bale tare, and Ilb per cwt. draft. The
Quotations are, for superior flocks, 150 to 17d
per lb ; fair to good, 14d to 15d per lb; inferior to
average, 12d to 13d per lb; broken, low, &c, 10d
to lld perlb ; hand-washed and slipe, 10d to 13d
per lb ; scoured, 14d to 17d ; sheepskins, 4id to 6d
per lb; locks half the price, and pieces two-thirds
the price of fleeces. We quote the following general
remarks upon the condition of trade at Melbourne
from the latest Prices' Current :

At this period of the year trade generally revives, and we
are now experiencing an extensive demand for the country for
such articles as flour, butter, soap, candles, groceries of all
descriptions, oilmen's stores, spirits, ale and porter in bulk and
in bottle. Even quantities of soft goods are now forwarded ;
whilst timber is inquired for at an advance in price, in conse-
quence of a decrease in importation lately from the Baltic and
North America. While we can thus report an improvement,
it ought to be remarked that there are circumstances which
will have a prejudicial effect on the trade of the present season.
We allude, first, to the commercial crisis in Sydney,
in consequence of which large quantities of bankrupt stock
are, and will be for some time, poured in upon this
market—in many instances with instructions to realize even at
a sacrifice. Another circumstance is to the fact that last year
the storekeepers at the various diggings, and in the interior
generally, laid in very heavy stocks in the expectation that, as
had been the case in previous years, the roads would become
next to impassable during the winter ; instead of which, the
main lines of road, have proved to be passable at all seasons.
Supplies were conveyed to the various diggings at a reasonable
rate during the whole of the last rainy season, and most of the
storekeepers either suffered very heavy losses, or were utterly
disappointed in their expectations of profit. It is found,
therefore, that, in the present season, the storekeepers
give orders for comparatively limited quantities. The
summer trade will not be what it has been, but
the trade with the diggings will henceforth continue during
the winter, and be more equally distributed over the year.
On the whole, the improvement of the roads is ono of the
most important circumstances to be considered in reference to
the import trade, as well as to the future prosperity of the
country. The immense sums formerly paid for carriage, are
so much in the digger's pocket, and he is now not only enabled
to work the poorer diggings, but he can devote a greater por-
tion of his earnings to the purchase of articles of comfort and
This latter circumstance is one main cause of the
immense demand that sprung up for butter, hams,
bacon, and other provisions. Formerly the diggers
seldom tasted butter, but now it is universally
and largely consumed, and notwithstanding the prodigious im-
ports, it maintains a remunerative price. The season of diffi-
culty, which so severely pressed for about a year on the
government, the trading, and the working classes, has now iu a
great measure passed away. The gold fields were never in a
more prosperous and promising condition ; the wool season has
fairly commenced, and the clip promises well; the hay crops
now being gathered are most abundant, and in the
course of a month or six weeks the colonists will
be reaping probably the finest, and certainly by far the
largest crop of cereals hitherto grown in this country.
Labour is becoming scarce, and wages are advancing. All this
of course will react on trade. While we mention these
favourable facts, we would strongly caution shippers against a
repetition of the madness that produced such disastrous losses
during nearly eighteen months in 1854 and 1855. From ad-
vices received from Great Britain, it is the opinion of several
of our shrewdest merchants that a similar period is again
approaching. The immense distance from the sources of
supply, and the extremely irregular communication with the
northern hemisphere, renders the trade of Australia a peculiarly
dangerous one, and it requires an amount of judgment and
skill which are only acquired by long and extensive expe-
rience. Hence the almost invariably disastrous re-
sult of ventures by " outsiders." The trade is
now competently managed, generally, at a low mar-
gin of profit, by houses of immense capital and thorough
experience, and hap-hazard shipments are more dangerous than
ever. The new Constitution of Victoria will be proclaimed
on the 23rd of November, and many of its provisions will take
effect from that date. The present Legislature will meet on
that day, chiefly for the purpose of passing an Electoral Act,
and the elections for the new Parliament will probably be
completed by the month of May or June next. In the
meantime, however, responsible government will be at once
inaugurated.

Accounts from Spain announce that the Minister
of Finance has resolved to withdraw his projected
measure for altering the import duties, and to
establish an import upon all spirituous liquors, so
as to raise an equal amount of revenue to that
which was contemplated by increasing the duty on
imports. The sale of the government domains
continues most satisfactory, and the total amount
now
disposed of by public auction has reached
ofitnodtihvi
sum 77,119,919 reals.
individuals The quit rents have also increa-
sed oZhO 23,755,311 Teals,
settled
thissum
the number
are
upwards of 6,000.

Letters from Berlin state that an increased
business had been done in wool, since the com-
mencement of the year. Although the quantity
exported during the past twelve months was
smaller than usual, the stocks were not multi
larger than in former years, and if extensive
arrivals from Russia had not taken place a
scarcity would have been experienced. It was
thought that an active demand for France would
arise, owing to the reduction of the duty on wool,
and enhanced rates were expected to be realised.
The Funds to day were rather dull, owing chiefly
to the uneasiness excited by the apprehension of
the diplomatic rupture with the United States.
Notwithstanding one or two large sales, however,
the decline in prices did not exceed to per
cent. The closing quotations were 90.1. 90Z-.. The
comparative steadiness of the market attests the
reluctance of the public to believe that any serious
result will arise out of this dispute. There was
an active demand for money in Lombard-street,
this being the 4th of the month. The large mass
of bills falling due to day have been very well met
At Paris the Three per Cent. Rentes opened at
73.10, but quickly receded to 72.95. The final
price for money was d per cent. above yesterday.
The 80 000 ounces, worth 320,0001.. brought in
by the Shalimar from Melbourne, will be in hand
to-morrow. It is apprehended that this supply
will not be retained here. The Railway Share
market to-day was less active, and some disposi-
tion was shown to realise the profits accruing from
the late rapid advance. The subjoined were the
closing prices quoted :—Caledonian, 561. Eas-
tern Counties 9 13-16 9 15-16. East Lancashire, 72
73- Great Northern, 911 911. Ditto A, 77 78.
Great Western,4
58i 58k. Lancashire and York-

NORTHERN TIMES.-LIVERPOOL, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 18.54.