The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-12-08 00:00:00

EARTHQUAKE IN CHINA.

The Moniteur de la Flotte, of Dec. 3, describes,
on the authority of a private letter from China, the
destruction of the town of YooTching, on the
north-western frontier of the Celestial Empire, by
an earthquake, on the 17th of August. Several
days previously some shocks of earthquake were
felt throughout the southern districts of the pro-
vince of Pe•Tchi-Li, and the superstitious terrors
of the people were dreadfully excited. The
16th of August passed quietly, but at three
o'clock in the afternoon of the next day came
a tremendous and irresistible shock, which con-
tinued for two minutes, being at first felt to
move horizontally in the direction of from east to
west, and presently changing to the direction of
from north to south. The town of Yoo-Tching,
where it was most violently felt, and several of the
neighbouring villages, were reduced to ruins, and
some hundreds of people lost their lives. This
town was a favourite summer residence of the
Chinese grandees, and the Prince Taouk Long, the
present Emperor of China's youngest son, is
beliered to have perished, together with the man-
darin who governed the province, and many officers
of state, in a sumptuous palace of marble and
porcelain erectad about four years ago in the most
aristocratic suburb of the town. This unfortunate
prince is said to have been the favourite of his royal
sire, to have been distinguished by many virtues
and accomplishments, and so precocious in learning
that in 1834 he was appointed by the Emperor "the
supreme chief of the class literati," which erudite
fession comprises in China about half a million pro-
of persons, forming the academical and official
aristocracy of the empire, and privileged with
a monopoly of all employments in the civil ser-
vice. This prince had a brother younger than
himself, who was killed in 1852 by a panther,
which he had rashly attacked whilst hunting
in company with his tutor ; the poor boy was only
eleven years old, and his tutor, like our friend,
Dominie Sampson, when " Little Harry " got into
mischief, was very severely called to account for
his culpable negligence in letting his young pupil
run into so great a danger, and was condemned to
pine for the remnant of his life in an iron cage,
where he still continues, notwithstanding the
intercessions of his influential family. These par-
ticulars may perhaps be less true than romantic
but there is no doubt of the catastrophe which has
befallen the unhappy town of Yoo Tching.

BURGLARY AND INCENDIARISM IN ESSEN

A most diabolical outrage was perpetrated early in the
morning of Wednesday last at the Rectory-house of
Safford, near Grays. It appears that the rector, the Rev.
William Palin, did not retire on the night in question until
one a.m. At six o'clock the servants found the library
window open, and the remains of a bonfire, happily
extinguished, on the carpet within a foot of the window
curtains. The shutters had bean wrenched, and the
secretary, together with every cupboard and drawer in
the room, had been broken open and ransacked. A
part of the rev. gentleman's papers had been taken out
of the drawers and set fire to in a heap, on which were
placed the fragments of the broken shutter, some
lucifers, a check-book, account-book, and other small
articles. Near these was placed an old oat chair, nearly
the whole of the cane, back and bottom of which had been
burnt away. Lighted paper had also been placed in the
secretary and drawers. A great part of these com-
bustible materials had been consumed, but the fire was
providentially arrested with far less injury to the room
than could have been anticipated. The burglars were
Idisturbed, and took nothing but a few halfpence (all the
money in the room), some postage stamps, and other
small articles, and left behind them a jemmy and other
housebreaking implements, and a bellhanger's gimlet.
There was a bell on the broken shutter, and a remarkably
sharp dog lying in an adjoining room. The whole
' affair is enveloped for the present in great mystery,
and has caused deep anxiety in the neighbourhood.
from the diabolical attempt to combine incendiarism
with burglary. Four other houses in the same village
were attempted on the same night, with less success.
Some tools were taken from the shop of Mr. Burchill,
blacksmith consisting chiefly of gimblets, hammers, and
chisels, of which the gimlet left at the rectory proved to
be one. Burglaries have been of almost nightly occur-
rence in the neighbourhood for some time past, and we
heartily hope the police will succeed very shortly in
breaking up the gang. Other burglaries are reported at
Waltham and Pleshey.—Chelmsford Chronicle.

It is stated that the guaranteed interest of the Ceylon
railway is to commence on the completion of the survey,
showing that the line can be constrncte'l within the limit of
£1,200,000. The anticipated cost is about £1,000,000,
The shareholders of the Presse have finally accspted 51.
Milhaud as their director, in the place of M. Emile de
Girardin ; but it is now said that the Minister of the
Interior puts difficulties in the way of the new manage-
ment.

ROYAL INSTITUTION SCHOOL.—We are glad to remark
that in the late examination at Trinity College, Dublin,
Mr. S. G. P. Pope, late of the above school, succeeded in
obtaining the for Latin Verse, and for Italian in the
freshman's year.
THE STORM ON SATURDAY NIGHT.—A very severe storm
burst suddenly over the town about midnight on Saturday
night, and continued to blow with great violence until early
on Sunday morning. The ships in the river had much
difficulty in avoiding collisions, but we have not as yet heard
of any accident.
ST. ANNE'S DISPENSARY AND EYE AND EAR INSTITU-
TION, 9, ROSE HILL.—New patients entered on the books
last week, viz., December 6,185 ; relieved at the institution,
135; relieved at their own dwellings, 54 ; total, 189.
Visitors, Mr. Watts and Mr. Kirk. Honorary Secretary
and Treasurer, Joseph Kitchen, Esq.
ACCIDENTS.—A man named Bernard Gillan, fireman on
board the royal mail steamship Baltic, fell into the hold of
that vessel on Saturday morning, and severely injured his
back and shoulders. On the same morning a labourer
named James Griffith, residine in Stockda'e street, fell into
the hold of a vessel in the Prince's Dock, and sustained a
severe scalp wound and a bad compound fracture of the arm.
Both cases were received at the Northern Hospital.
QUEEN'S HALL, BOLD STREET—HOFFMAN'S ENTERTAIN-
MENT.—The long expected opening of this hall takes place
this evening. The hall has been fitted up at considerable
cost, and we can say that it is one of the prettiest houses of
the sort in the town—elegance and comfort combined, and
carried out with superior taste and artistic skill, have left
nothing to be desired in that respect. Au to the entertain-
ment, we shall say little until to-morrow; but from what
we know of it by a brief observation, at semi-rehearsal, we
may venture to assert that there never was anything like it
introduced to our citizens, and we promise the public a
rich. intellectual, amusing and scientific treat, such as must
command the approbation of all.
HIGHWAY ROBBERY AT BIRKENHEAD.-0(1 Saturday
evening, between six and seven o'clock, as Mr. Singlehurst,
of Bridge street, Birkenhead, was proceeding from the
Ferry to his residence in Canning-street, he was suddenly
attacked by two or three men, and plundered of his watch
and a considerable sum of money which be had in his pos-
session at the time. The robbery was most audaciously
effected, and it is to be hoped that it is not the precursor of
a like series of such crimes in this district which at present
prevail to so alarming an extent in the metropolis. Pester-
' day placards were extensively posted through the town
offering a reward of £4O for such information as would lead
to the apprehension of the offenders.
OPENING OP THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHAPEL IN CIN-
NECTION WITH ST. EDWARD'S COLLEGE, EVERTON.—The
chapel of the " Immaculate Conception," Everton, was
opened yesterday for divine service with all the pomp which
the Roman Catholic church is accustomed to impart to such
ceremonies. It was consecrated on Saturday by the Presi-
dent of St. Edward's College, with which it is to be in con-
nection, and at some future time, it is hoped not remote, it
will be enlarged and erected into a Cathedral. At the
ceremony of yesterday, most of the leading Catholics of
Liverpool were present, and, after the sermon, a collection
in aid of the funds of the chapel was made. The Right
Rev. Dr. Goss was the celebrant priest, and the Rev. Canon
Fisher, of St. Edward's College, the assistant celebrant.—
The other clergymen present were Rev. Mr. Cookson, Rev.
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Mr. Maddocks, St. Oswald's ; Rev. Mr. Kenricks, St
Patrick's ; Rev. James Fisher, St. Oswald's ; Rev. Mr.
Walker, Rev. mWaarlylw,sork, Copperas Hill ; Rev. Thomas Almond, St.
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Mr. Richardson resided at the organ, and the music sung
was the ordinarypMass, " Coram Episcopo." The sermon
was preached by the Rev. John Walker of Scarborough. He
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took for his text the 14th verse of the second chapter of the
second epistle of St. Paul to the Thessalonians :—" Therefore,
brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which you have
learned, whether by word or by our epistle." In his dis-
course, the Rev, preacher vindicated the Roman Catholic
religion from the charges generally urged against it by those
outside its pale, and exhorted his hearers to stand firm to
their faith.