The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-12-05 00:00:00

FEMALE DIPLOMACY.

VIENNA, Nov. 26.—During the last few days
some excitement prevailed in our diplomatic
circles from the discovery of a scandalous breach
of confidence which forms a pendant to the
celebrated case of stealing the despatches at
Potsdam. In this case, however, the delinquent
is a lady of great personal attractions, in
whose saloons the highest of the aristocracy
of this city meet frequently, as she receives
almost every evening. The dupe of the lady
is Prince , who has only lately been
appointed by his Sovereign as ambassador to the
Court of Vienna, It appears, that shortly before
his appointment, the Prince had made the ac-
quaintance of a French lady, who was so charmed
with his talents and conversation, that she
removed also to Vienna, and being well in
troduced, set up a sort of political saloon, in
which the questions more especially affecting
the country represented by the Prince were
discussed. During the late ministerial crisis
at , the Prince, of course, received
numerous despatches informing him of all that
was going on at home, for his own private
use, and to regulate his condut towards the
other diplomatists. It so happened that a few
days ago the Prince discovered, from what fell
from the ambassador in a diplomatic confer.
ence, that he was acquainted with certain circum-
stances, which he could only have known through
his own despatches, and his suspicions being ex-
cited he followed up the clue and traced it to the
above named French lady, Madame de —. The
end of the story is, that this lady has sold off her
furniture and broken up her establishment, having
received a gentle hint from the police that the
climate of Vienna was not suited for her. It has,
however, created some surprise that the Embassy
that profited so largely by the lady's abuse of
confidence, has taken no step to prevent her
banishment, or in any other way to afford her
protection.

THE PERSIAN GOVERNMENT AND THE
BRITISH EXPEDITION.

The following article, alluding to the expedition
from India to the Persian Gulf, has been published
in a supplement of the Teheran Gazette :
" Reports are current here that an English ship
of war had arrived on the 13th of September, in
the Persian Gulf, after a passage of nine days
from Bombay. It i 9 also said that as many as
twenty other sailing and steam vessels will shortly
leave the latter place for the same destination, and
that each would have on board 300 or 400 soldiers.
We cannot give a decided opinion as to the truth or
falsity of this news. 'We aro completly ignorant
whether such a vessel or such vessels have or have
not arrived, but, we believe that, seeing the perfect
friendship which unites the two powers, such a
state of things could not take place. We are sure
that the Ministers of his Majesty the Shah too
highly appreciate the ancient friendship of Persia
with England, and the good dispositions of the
British Government to maintain the conventions
in vigour, to admit that the latter would be dis-
posed to break, without motive, existing treaties
with Persia. The Persian Government places
great confidence in the kindness, the perspicacity,
and the perfect equity of the English Cabinet.
It even the vessels were to enter the Persian
Gulf, as the rumour states, the Cabinet of
Teheran would not consider that fact as an act
of hostility, but would demand from the British
Government its intentions, in order to be well
assured of the true cause of the event.
So long as it will be possible the Persian Go
vernment will not assume the initiative, and will
abstain from any attitude contrary to the old and
valuable intimacy which for many years has existed

between the two powers. We have, however, heard
from the people of the country that as soon as it
shall be really proved that Great Britain, from the
suggestions of agitators, and impelled by malevolent
parsons, had broken her treaties of friendship with
Persia, and committed an act contrary to the har-
mony which has exis•ed for so many years between
them, in that case the Persian nation, professing
Islamism, and distinguished for its zeal, wonld be
obliged, to its great regret, to firmly oppose the
proceedings of the British government. Putting its
confidence in God alone, it would be compelled to
protect the dignity of the kingdom, and to defend its
honour, its reputation, and its true religion."

_-.,6.-

THE INSURRECTION IN SICILY

It was rumoured in Paris on Tuesday afternoon
that the movement in Sicily had been put down,
but there does not appear to be any official confir-
mation of the fact. General Zola, who commands
at Palermo, sent a Swiss regiment by sea to the
place where the outbreak occurred, and it was to
take the place of that corps that troops were des-
patched from Naples The opinion in official
quarters is that the revolt, which is said to have
occurred in more places than one, will be easily put
down, if it has not been before this. It is not as yet
clearly ascertained which of the political parties
began to raise the cry. nor what has been the cry
itself. There are several parties. We have first the
S paratiss, who were numerous and influential a few
years ago; their object was less of a general than
of a local kind; they were for the separation from
Naples, and the abs flute independence of Sicily. It
is believed, however, that a change has taken place,
and that a more Italian spirit has penetrated the
population. Another p Arty, by no means con-
temptible in number, or the influence of its members,
was for maintaining the union of the Two Sicilies
and the Bourbon dynasty with or without the abdi-
,
cation of the King in favour of his son ; but on the
indispensable condition of re establishing the consti,
tution of 1848. A third and smaller section was for
the union of Sicily with Piedmont, under the
sovereignty of King Victor Emanuel. This plan
found favour at Turin, and was supported by a cer lain
part of the press; but it was not popular among the
Sicilians, who did not wish the island to become a
dependency of the crown of Sardinia. There is not
in Sicily any o:e who puts forward a claim in
favour of Murat, on the contrary, his cause is in the
greatest discredit.

HISTORIC SOCIE IT OF LANCASHIRE AND

CHESHIRE.

A special general meeting of this society was held last
night, in the grand jury room of St. George's Hall. The
Vice President, Mr. .1. T. Danson, occupied the chair. The
first business was the adoption of a form of testimonial to
Dr. Thom, on the occasion of his retirement from the office
of Vice President of the society. Mr. Mayer, the treasurer,
proposed that a diploma of life membership be presented to
the Rev. Dr. Thom. The Rev. D:. Hume seconded the
motion, and in doing so took occasion to pay a high tribute
to the ability and attention with which Dr. Thom had dis-
charged the important duties of the office which he had held
for several years. He added that Dr. Thom had been a
member of the council from the commencement of the
society. In both of these capacities, as well as in attending
to the ordinary duties of membership, he bad displayed the
most exemplary diligence and attention. He (Dr. Hume)
bad, therefore, peculiar satisfaction in seconding the propo-
sition, being satisfied that such a testimonial would be
as gratifying to Dr. Thom as it was appropriate.
He should also propose that if the state of
Dr. Thom's health were such as would enable
him to attead on the occasion, the diploma should be
presented at the general meeting to be held next week.
The Chairman expressed his entire concurrence in the
appropriate and suitable character of the proposed tes-
timonial. The mode in which Dr. Thom had discharged
the duties of his office entitled him to the warm thanks of
the society. For himself he could sincerely say he hoped
he should be able to follow in the path, and profit by the
labour, of so good an exemplar. He bad very great
pleasure in supporting the motion.

- Several other members having paid a tribute to the
services of Dr. Thom, and expressed their concurrence in
the proposalF, the motion was carried by acclamation.

ARCHXOLOGICAL SECTION

The special business having been thus concluded, the
meeting then resolved itself into the ordinary archaeological
section.

The minutes of the last meeting were read.
Four gentlemen were proposed as new members, and the
following were ba'lotted for and duly elected :—Sir J. P.
Kay Shuttleworth, Bart. Gawthorpe hall, Burnley; John
An9dell, Esq.. St. Helens
;• Thomas Broughton, E q.,
Uls'er Railway, Belfast- William G. Crory, Esq., 7, Upper
Duke street; John O'Donnell, M.D., 34, Rodney street;
Walter Wren Driffield, Esq , York Buildings, Sweeting
street ; Robert Evans, E:q., Elder Grove, Rock Ferry ;
Rev. Philip Frost ; J. B. Haines, the Parsonage, lloylake ;
Edward Horrell, E q , Church street.
The following donatilns were announced :

From Lord Londesborougb, Miscellanea Graphica, No,
IX. From the author, Chap. Roach Smith, F.S.A., Col.
lectanea Antigua, vol. 11., parts 1 and 2. From the
author, Alfred John Duncan, Fpq., Archaeological Mine
and New History of Kent, parts XXII, XXIII, and XXIV.
From the author, Jas. Booth, L.L D., F.R.S., How to
Learn and what to Learn. From the editor, The Scottish
Field, edited for the Cheatham Society, by John Robson,
M.D., 1856. From the the society, Report presented to
the Cambridge Antiquarian Society at its 16th general
meeting, May 6,1856; also, Communications made to the
Society, No. 6.
Dr. Hume exhibited a very fine specimen of " the
leathern Bottel" supposed to be of the beginning of the
sixteenth century, and read some verses on the subject
from the songs common in Yorkshire and Somersetslaire.
Dr. Hume also exhibited some coins of the time of Vespa-
sian, and others of the Roman emperors.
Dr. Hume then proceeded to read the paper of the even-
ing, which was written by Thomas T. Wilkinson, Esq., and
was entitled " The Battle of Brimanburb, and the probable
locality of the conflict." The writer contended that the
locality of this battle between Athelstane and the Danes
and Scots was not, as generally received, in Northumber-
land, but at Burnley, in Lancashire.

A conversation which took place on this paper concluded
the business of the evening.

GOING Auss.D !—At a meeting of the Morayshire Erten
sion Railway, at Rothes, on Tuesday, a professional gentle
man, who addressed the meeting, stated—" If you give is
money we won't atop at Craigellaohie, or yet at Grantown
but send the railway everywhere, and further." Query—
Where to?—Elgin Courant.

DEFALCATIONS OF A POOR-RATE COLLECTOR AT HUD-
DERSFIELD.--A special meeting of the Board of Guardians
of the Huddersfield Union, was held at their offices,
Albion street, on Monday last, for the purpose of taking
into consideration the course to be pursued with reference
to the balance certified by the auditor to be due from Mr.
Jonathan Frost, assistant overseer and collector of poor-
rates for the township of Lockwood. The chairman read
the statement of balances, which the auditor certified to be
due from the overseers. On the 25th March, 1854, the
balance doe was £l5B 16s. 1,1 d., but was reduced on the
28th March, 1855, to £3B sa, Si. Since that period, how-
ever, a regular increase had taken place, which was certified
on the 29th September last, to be £154 93. 11d., and at
the present time, it amounted to £166 18s. 2d. Out of
this, however, the salary due to Mr. Frost, the collector,
had to be deducted,which would reduce the amount to a little
below the sum due in September. Mr. North, one of the
overseers, stated that he had signed the accounts as a matter
of form, expecting them to be all right. A resolution was
passed leaving the auditor to adopt what steps he thought
proper to recover from Mr. Frost, the collector, the money
he had thus abstracted.

BRUTAL CASE OP WIFE BEATING.—A most serious charge
of cruelty to a wife was heard on Tuesday at the Hare wood's
End Petty Sessions, Herefordshire, before an unusually full
bench of magistrates. John Robinson, a farmer living in
that district, was charged with committing a series of
the most aggravated assaults on his wife on the Bth of
October, having forced his fingers brutally into her ear till
the blood flowed, and committed other acts of inhuman
violence, at length seizing the poker and only being pre.
ventel taking her life by the timely interposition of the
servants in the house. The prisoner had absconded from
the neighbourhood soon after the occurrence, but was
apprehended in the Alpha-road, London, a few days since
by Superintendent l3lossett, the indefatigable bead officer
of the Rcss police. The investigation occupied several
hours. The evidence disclosed the most brutal conduct
on the part of the accused, who habitually primed himself
with drink, on purpose to gain courage for the inhuman
task of beating his wife, and the bench unanimously
decided on committing him for six months, with bard
labour, to Hereford County Gaol, being the utmost
penalty allowed by the law. The accused has highly
respectable connections, was farming a large estate, and
his committal caused quite a sensation in a crowded court

I WALLASEY LOCAL BOARD OF HEALTH

The usual monthly meeting of the members of this
board was held last evening, at the Public-offices, Egre-
mont. The commissioners present were —Messrs.
Neville, Penny. W. R. Colborne, Littledale, E. W.
Colborne, Ball, Caine, Hughes, Wilson, Singlehurst,
Chambers, and the Rev. Mr. Roberts. The chairman of
the board, Mr. Pooley presided.
The Law Clerk read the minutes of the last meeting,
and also that of an extraordinary meeting, held on the
19th ult..

THE WORKS AND HEALTH COMMITTEE

The proceedings of this committee were read and
confirmed. The only subject of importance was the
acceptance of the tender of Mr. Lea, for the construc-
tion of the sewer in the district.
THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.

The proceedings of this committee were also con-
firmed, from which it appeared that the board were
recommended, in future, to collect the rates on an
entirely new system, which the chairman said would be
very advantageous to the board—as much as 36 per cent.
over the old system.

In answer to a question relative to the non-collection
of the rates from some of the poorer persons,
The Chairman said the blame was as much attributable
to the finance committee as it was to the collector, Mr.
Ber, as his duty ceased on his reporting the defaulters to
that committee.
Mr. W. R. Colborne then moved that the committee
be instructed to take more stringent measures, by the
issuing of summonses or warrants, for the enforcing the
payment of the arrear of rates.
Mr. Neville seconded the motion, which was carried

unanimously.
Mr. W. R. Colborne also moved that the same com-
mittee be instructed to take the necessary steps for the
collection of the money expended in the making and
repairing the roads on the north and south side of the
ferry, amounting to £3,000.
This was also seconded, and unanimously adopted.
THE RATES.

In accordance with a resolution passed at the last
meeting, a general district rate of Is 9d, and a special
district rate of 33, for the district of &acorn!), and a
similar vote of 414 for the New Brighton district.
THE NEW POLICE ACT.
The board gave their assent to a memorial from the
magistrates assembled in special sessions, for having the
New Police Act applied to that district.

THE BIRKENHEAD DOCKS

A report of the proceedings of the special committee
appointed to co-operate with the Birkenhead Commis-
sioners, in regard to the Birkenhead Docks and
approaches to the Landing Stage, was then placed before
the board.

The Law Clerk said, at a meeting of the committee i
had been agreed to adopt a report on the above subject
agreeing to the draft of the bill before Parliament, and
at a meeting on the Ist of December, it was agreed that
the report be received, and laid before the general
board.

[This document was a very voluminous one, contain-
ing all the resolutions, correspondence, suggestions, and
reports which had taken place (since the question was
first mooted) between the Birkenhead Commissioners
the Dock Committee, the Town Council, the Birken-
head Dock Trustees, and the Great Western Railway,
all of which have, at the various meetings of the several
boards, been read, and published in this journal from
time to time]

Mr. Neville hoped that the clerk was not going to
read that report.

Mr. Caine did not see the use of it, as it had all
appeared in the public papers.
Mr. Penny said, on any other subject he should not
have thought of inflicting on the board the hearing read
of such a lengthy document, but feeling that a vote of
censure was about being passed on two of the members
of that committee, he thought it necessary that the board
should be first informed of what that committee had
done.

The Chairman : Mr. Penny, has anticipated a vote of
censure on some parties—perhaps, by reading the whole
report his anticipations may be be frustrated.

Mr. Penny: It is necessary that the whole should be
read, in order to see what the committee have already

Mr. Caine : Cannot the clerk give the heads of the
report, &c.
The Clerk did not see how such could be done.
Mr. Penny : Nothing will show what the committee
has done, except the reading of the entire report.
Mr. Caine : Why, everybody knows what it is. It
has been published in the papers.
Mr. Singlehurst expressed a hope that, it would all be
read, as he did not know the contents ; and he could not
vote on a subject without he knew about it.

---
Mr. Neville It has been published times and often.
Besides it is not the report of our committee.
Mr. Penny : It is the report of the committee ; and,
in justice to that committee, I must request that that
report be read.

The Chairman : Let us have the sense of the board
on the point. _

After some further conversation, the board divided,
when,

Tho Chairman said : The result is, that the document
must be read, and I hope you will all pay particular
attantion to its contents.

Mr. Neville : Well, I shall not waste my time by
hearing it.

The-Chairman; Indeed, indeed, I do hope you will
stop.

Mr. Neville : No. [That gentleman then retired from
the room, and was immediately followed by Mr. Caine,
whom the Chairman pressed to stop, but that gentleman
replied, " Perhaps I may call in by-and-bye, when it is
all over."]

The Clerk then commenced reading of the report, and
was soon questioned by Mr. W. R. Colborne on a
certain portion, but the chairman said, as the reading of
the document must of necessity occupy a considerable
time, and asin all probability an adjournment would be
necessary, he could not allow any interruption, but
should advise Mr. Colborne to take notes on those parts
upon which he might require any further information.
The Clerk then pursued his task of reading the report,
several commissioners expressing their disapp►oval of
having their time occupied, one gentleman observing,
" that he would rather wait an hour then, than come to
a special meeting, and be delayed two hours longer."
In reference to this subject, it would appear that au
extraordinary meeting of the board had been held on
the 19th of the last month, when the following subjects
were discussed :

1. The right of the board to be represented in the
permanent committee of management of the Birkenhead
docks. 2. The obligation of the Corporation of Liver-
pool to construct a proper road along the " North
reserve." 3. The preservation of the right of the board
to a public wharf or quay on North reserve. 4. The
obligation of the corporation to construct a sufficient
culvert or drain for carrying off the sewage from lands
on north side of Wallasey Pool and east side of North
reserve. .5. The obligation of the corporation to deepen
the pool, and convey foreshore and certain rights to
frontagers. 6. The necessity of speedy completion of
dock works. And whether any of the objects specified
above ought to be abandoned by the board, and whether
the board ought not to petition parliament to introduce
such clauses into any bill of the next session, relating to
the Birkenhead docks, as will secure the attainment of
such of the above objects as are not abandoned, but
cannot be got except by the authority of parliament.
The result of that meeting was, that the board agreed
to give their support, and act- in conjunction with the
Birkenhead Commissioners, in reference to the bill then
before parliament, with reference to the above subject,
and in consequence of the resolution then adopted, the
Chairman gave notice that he should move the following
resolution :—" That Messrs. Chambers, Caine, William
Coulborn, Odell, Ball, and himself, be a committee to
consider and conduct, under the control of the board, all
proceedings that nyty arise out of the resolution agreed
to at the extraordinary meeting of the board, and all
other parliamentary business of the board for the sessions
of 1857."

The business had not concluded when our reporter
left.

It is suggested that some enterprising photographer
publish a set of impressions from Raphael's cartoons at
Hampton Court.
The Emigration commissioners have advertised for
vessels to carry emigrants to Sydney and Melbourne, to be
ready for passengers between the 28th and 31st January,
as may be hereafter determined.

DEFAULTER.-A young man, about 19 years of age,
named James Allison, was on Tuesday brought up for
examination at the Central Police Court, Glasgow, as to
having, at different periods within the last 12 months, em-
bezzled several sums of money, amounting to about £2OO,
belonging to his employers, Messrs. James M'Night and
Co., merchants and commission agents, Queen-street• He
was remitted to the sheriff.

•
THE LAND TRANSPORT CORPS.—A body of the Land
Transport Corps met on Wednesday at the War Department,
by appointment, to lay their case before the Adjutant
General and Captain Yokes, the latter gentleman being
requested to attend by order of the Commander-in-Chief.
After stating the terms of their engagement, the men
received a promise from tha Adjutant General that their
supportstatements
of
twheo upledtibtieculla drebefore d tthoe
his Commanderuo y
al hitignlien
ehsi: f
bi
yn
Sir George Wetherall on Monday last, and that he Would
do all in his power to bring the dispute to a close.