The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-12-27 00:00:00

THE STRIKES IN EAST LANCASHIRE.

(FROM OUR OWN REPORTER.)
DECEMBER 26.
To-day:a large meeting of operatives took place in Union-
square, Bury, for the purpose of taking into consideration
the steps that should be taken with respect to the present
struggle between the factory operatives and their employers.
On Saturday evening last a meeting of the " Bury cotton-
spinners and manufacturers' association" was held, the re-
sult of which was that a notice should be extensively posted ,
throughout the district, which might in the opinion of the
meeting lead to a final settlement of the matter in dispute.
'The following is the notice to which we have referred :
" Some months ago we were compelled, in self-defence, to
form an association for the purpose of supporting each other
against the encroachments and unreasonable demands of a por-
tion of our work people; and on the 25th of October we
issued a notice that if the disputes then existing between the
operatives who were on strike and their masters were not
arranged by the 10th of November, we should cease working.
We did this because we thought it necessary to counteract the
action of the Trades' Union—to stop the intimidation used in
our mills to compel every person to subscribe towards the sup-
port of turn-outs, and to prevent combined efforts being brought
to bear upon individuals. Since that time the hands on strike
have remained in the same position, quite regardless of the
misery inflicted by their proceedings; and as we are sensible
that many of the hands who are not implicated in the strike'
are suffering great wretchedness, we have agreed, at the request
of those masters whose hands are on strike, to give permission
to such masters as may be desirous to do so, to resume work
for any time, not exceeding four days a week until the first
day of February next, on the condition, however, which is in-
dispensable, and compliance with which alone, will enable us
to hold out the hope that we can relinquish our associated
capacity, that no collection be made among our work people for
the support of either local or distant turn-outs ; and we dis-
tinctly state that we shall resist such conduct by all the means
in our power, even if we should again have recourse to the
total stoppage of our mills.
" As nothing can possibly be gained by the present ---bina-
tions and counter combinations. hope that mutual good
understand;ns out enlightened views, will induce both parties
to rely solely on that system of individual arrangement, without
which, neither workmen nor masters can enjoy long-continued
prosperity.
Bury, Dec. 24, 1853."
The notice having been posted on the walls, attracted
considerable attention in the town yesterday morning, and
it was resolved to have an open-air meeting of the operatives
to determine what should be done. In order to secure a
large attendance the various committees refused to pay the
operatives the usual weekly relief until after the meeting
had terminated. The operatives walked in procession from
the various committee meetings to Union Square, when
there were several thousand persons present. A
waggon was used as a platform, from which the speakers
addressed the meeting. Mr. W. Platt occupied the chair,
and the meeting was addressed by Mr. Shaw, of Radcliffe,
and Mr. Walsh, of Bury. The speakers commented at con-
siderable length on the notice which had been issued.
Subsequently the following resolution was unanimously
carried : " That this meeting is of opinion that the notice
of our employers now posted on the walls of this town be
rejected, and that we accept nothing less than the free
exercise of our own opinions upon all subjects affecting our
rights and privileges as Englishmen." After the passing of
the resolution, the people were admonished to retire
peaceably, which they did accordingly.

LORD PALMERSTON'S REPLY TO THE OPERA-
TIVES OF PRESTON.
FR OUR OWN CORRESPONDFZ.Nt.
PRESTON, EC. 26.—1 t will be remembered that a short
time ago, a memorial was addressed to Lord Palmerston in
reference to the contest at present going on between the fac-
tory. operatives of this town and their employers. That me-
morial was adopted at a general meeting of weavers' delegates.
Yesterday, Mr. Winder Smith, president of the operative
executive council, received the following reply from the
Home-office :
Whitehall, 24th December, 1853.
Sru—l am directed by Viscount Palmerston to acknow-
ledge the receipt of the memorial, dated the 15th ultimo,
signed by you on behalf of the power-loom weavers of Pres-
ton and its vicinity.
Lord Palmerston has delayed till now answering this me-
morial, in the daily hope that he might hear that an amica-
ble arrangement of differences had been come to between the
workpeople and their employers. I am, however, to assure
you that his lordship read the memorial with much sympathy
and with deep regret.
It was impossible that he should not sympathise with the
feelings of a large number of a most deserving class of the
community who have been led to think they are suffering under
acts of injustice, and it could not but excite his deep regret
to reflect upon the severe privations which the state of things
to which the memorial refers must have inflicted upon those
on whom it so hardly bears.
Lord Palmerston desires me to state that he feels bound,
moreover, to do justice to the temper and moderation with
which the memorial has been drawn up. His lordship is sorry,
however, to say he has no means of interposing to apply a
remedy for the evils referred to. It would be impossible
for him, without much more detailed information than he
possesses, to form a just opinion as to the merits of the points
in dispute between the working men and their employers.
And he could not, as a member of the government, possess
any right or power to interfere in the matter.
Under these circumstances his lordship would only
venture to suggest, in the most friendly spirit, some topics
for the consideration of the memorialists. They must be
well aware that labour being a commodity like any other,
its money value in the market must be regulated by the
same general principles which govern the price of other
commodities, and that among these governing principles the
most influential are the cost of production and relative pro-
portions of demand and supply. The cost of productions
in regard to labour means the price of the necessaries of life,
and the proportions of demand and supply must depend very
much upon the periodical fluctuations of trade. It is greatly
to be wished that the working men and their employers
would allow these general causes to act silently, and gra-
dually, in equitably adjusting from time to time the proper
rates of the money reward for labour, and it is scarcely to
be doubted that by forbearance on both sides, and by
mutual and reciprocal good feeling, these arrangements
might generally be effected without a recourse to such in-
jurious methods as strikes and lock-outs.
It may be said that in times when, according to the gene-
ral principles above adverted to, an increase in the rate of
wages would be just, that increase might be too long delayed,
and the working men be thus subjected to undue privations
if the adjustment was left to the gradual operation of for-
bearance and good will. But may not an appeal be made
to the result of recent events to show that even such incon-
venience would be less than the evils arising from extensive
and general strikes. These evils are many and great. The
strike of the workman deprives the strikers of their wages,
and so far as wages are concerned, it deprives them of the
means of subsistence. On the other hand the strikes, of
course, stop production, and unless markets happen at
moment to be much overstocked, strikes give to the foreign
producer a position of advantage from which he may not
afterwards be so easily dislodged. And if strikes were to
become too frequent, or of too long duration, a part of that
capital which is now applied to give employment to
labour at home, might possibly be transferred to
other countries, to the disadvantage of British industry, and
that this is not a groundless supposition, is proved by the
fact that British manufacturing establishments have been
founded in Belgium, in France, and in Mexico. This, too,
leads to a reflection upon the opinion which seems to have
actuated the strikers, that the general prosperity of our
export trade was in itself a proof that the rates of wages
ought to be increased. Lord Palmerston does not pretend
to form any judgment as to whether that opinion was well
or ill founded, in the particular instance to which it referred ;
but his lordship has desired me to remark, that our power
to supply foreign markets with manufactures depends upon
the cheapness at which those manufactures can be sold;
that their price must depend mainly on the cost of produc-
tion, and that the wages of labour form a material part of
that cost.
Therefore, as our reported manufactures must always be
running a hard race with the similar manufactures of other
countries, an apparently flourishing trade may possibly be
checked by an increase of wages, which would add to. the
cost of production, and the gains made by the manufacturer
may often consist of a very small profit upon each separate
article, the aggregate amount of gain depending on the
quantity exported, and that quantity depending on the
cheapness of the commodities, which cheapness again is
governed by the cost of production.
In directing me to submit these general reflections to the
consideration of the memorialists, Lord Palmerston does not
mean to give any opinion on the immediate subject of dis-
pute ; but his lordship would earnestly entreat the working
men to lay aside those feelings which are too apt to be en-
gendered by a struggle, and to endeavour, if possible, to
come to some arrangement with their employers.—l am, sir,
your obedient servant,
Mr. R. Smith, Preston.

H. 11rA.DDINGTON.

OPEN-AIR MEETING OF OPERATIVES.
This afternoon, a meeting was convened in the Orchard, at
the request of some strangers who were anxious to witness one
of these out-door demonstrations.
The CHAIRMAN (Mr. K. Smith) announced that the funds
available for distribution (this being the " little week")
amounted to £2366. The chief items included in this amount
were—Blackburn, £642 ; Stockport, £240 ; Preston, £206.
Mr. GRIMSRAW stated that Blackburn would send nearly.
£lOOO next week, and other districts in proportion. Alto-
gether, next week's income would be £3OOO. (Cheers.)
Mr. COWELL having briefly addressed the meeting, the pro-
ceedings terminated.

FIRE AT MCMURRAY'S PAPER MILLS.—We yesterday
noticed the extensive fire at these mills situate at Esher,
near London. The following appears in the London jour-
nals of Monday :—Sunday, 6 p.m. There still remains a
vast body of flame in the ruins ; and as there are some hun-
dred tons weight of rags and paper burning, there seems no
chance of getting the conflagration entirely extinguished
for a day or so longer. The property destroyed will amount
to a very serious sum ; by those best competent to form an
opinion, it is feared that the total loss will exceed £lOO,OOO.
Upwarcl4 of 260 Rums oait of

WHAT .A.DE OUR POLICE GOOD FOR?

TO THE RDITOR.OF TEE NORTHERN DAILY TIMES,

SIR,—In a recent copy of your journal I saw an
exposition of our police .I§y a " Working Man,"
which is anything but creditable to a force of men
that ought to be the means of putting a stop to a
system of iniquity that they otherwise foster.
The want of attention to their duty, on the part
of our police, has become proverbial ; and as the
public are at the expense of supporting this listless
mass, I think it is only proper that they ask—what
are they good for? They are good for easy work,
but where their assistance is needed, there it is
denied. _ _

The boy with his marbles, or the poor ballad
singer, feels the force of a policeman's duty. But
our police are too well known, I think, to need any
comment on such incidents of " daily observation."
A short time since, I was retuning home, and
passed the end of a street, in which there was a
" row," or fight. I had not been there many
minutes before a policeman came up. Of course I
expected he would bring the quarrel to a termina
tion; but, with the greatest indifference, he looked
down the street, and said, " 0 ! let them fight it
out," and so passed on. In coming through Law-
rence-street on Christmas-eve, I happened to see
the commencement of a general quarrel among
some young men, the result of having indulged
too freely with potent liquors. Four police were
on the spot in a short time ; a few minutes before,
one man shouted " Orange and blue," whiCh so ex-
cized the feelings of another, that he cried out,
" Now, Harry, where's your knife ?" The same per-
son was almost within the embrace of a policeman ;
he heard him ; but I suppose to save trouble, he let
him go—and thus we are to abolish the dastardly
practice of

- About half past one o'clock yestela.,,
down Richmond-row, I saw a man, without the
least provocation, strike another to the earth. I
waited there about 20 minutes, but up to that time,
no policeman was to be found, nor do I know
whether one has been found yet.
Taking everything into consideration, I wonder
what our police are good for.—l remain, sir, yours
most respectfully, JOHN PVGH.
11, Exchange Buildings,
Dec. 26th, 1853.

SOUTH WESTERN RAILWAY— PROPOSED NEW DIREC-
TORS. —The South Western conservative committee have
proposed . several gentlemen to supply the places of the
retiring directors, and of those to go out by rotation next
February. So far as we can learn, they are honourable
men, and worthy of the support of those who are anxious
for a strong and united board.—Herapath's Journal,
GREAT TAKE OF HER RINGS. —On Thursday our bay con-
tained immense shoals of herring, and the fishermen being
on the alert, realised a plentiful catch, particularly en the
north shore. The market was abundantly supplied, and
owing to the quantities procured, they were retailed at one
halfpenny per dozen. The late fishing season has been less
productive than usual, and we trust that this seasonable
assistance to the fishermen will be of frequent occurrence, as
we understand the whole of the coast has been prolific of
fish during the past few weeks.—Southern Times.
LEEDS, BRADFORD, AND HALIFAX JUNCTION RAILWAY.
—LE K DS, SATURDAY.—A special general meeting of the
shareholders of this company was held yesterday afternoon,
at the Court-house, Bradford, to consider and determine on
the expediency, or otherwise, of authorising the execution of
the powers of the act to borrow money. William Walker,
Esq., of Bolling-hall, presided. The chairman moved a re-
solution to the effect that the whole capital they were autho-
rised to raise for the purposes of their work was £200,000,
that one-half of this sum had been actually paid up, and
that, therefore, the sum of £60,000, authorised by the act,
could be borrowed accordingly, and that the directors take
the necessary steps for borrowing the money. The chair-
man was happy to say that arrangements were made witt.
the Lancashire and Yorkshire company. He might observe
also that the directors were anxious, as soon as the line was
completed to Bradford, to hasten the completion of the line
to Gildersome, in order to open the coal field in that district
to the inhabitants of Bradford and Halifax.

HULL AND lIOLDERNESS RAILWAY.—A speci,l general
meeting of the shareholders of this company was held at the
Station Hotel, Hull, on Saturday, to take into consideration
the propriety of applying to parliament for power to lease
the line. Anthony Bannister, Esq., chairman of the com-
pany, presided. It appeared, from the report, that the di-
rectors had had an offer from Mr. Cabry, C.E., to lease the
line at five per cent. for the first sever. years; that
at the expiration of that period he might, if he chose,
Five up the lino with proper notice; but if he retained
it, the company might require six per cent. for the next
seven years, and seven per cent. for another seven years;
at the expiration of which 21 years the lease would termi-
nate. A resolution was proposed, giving the directors power
to go to parliament for powers to negotiate a lease. It was
Curled.

RIOT IN A PLACE or WORSHIP.—On Tuesday evening
last an affray took place at the Wesleyan Association chapel,
Worle, by no means creditable to the members of that deno-
mination. The late Mr. Rich placed in the chapel a sera-
phine at his own expense, which, at his death, he bequeathed
to his daughter. The instrument has 'remained from that
time to the evening in question, and Miss Rich very kindly
performed on the same; but from the manner in which some
of the members of the chapel behaved to the family, Miss
Rich determined on its removal, and employed a bailiff named
George Fry to remove it. The trustees of the chapel claim-
ing the property as their own, the officer's demands were
treated with contempt, consequently a scuffle commenced,
and the members, who ten minutes before were praying that
good fellowship might exist between all men, joined in the
encounter. From words they came to blows ; unfortunately
their late pastor, the Rev. J. Harris, was present, on whom
a member of the chapel wreaked his vengeance by throwing
him to the floor. The affair having assumed so serious an
aspect, the parish constable was sent for, who, after some
time, restored order ; but the seraphine was borne away in
triumph. Such is an account of this disgraceful affair. A
place set apart for the worship of God became the scene of
riot, and the oaths and imprecations then uttered by the mob
attracted by the noise, would be horrifying in the lowest
pot-house.— Western Flying Post.
AN Ox WITH REFERENCE TO THE FINE ARTS.—At this
season of the year I regard oxen as beeves : an ox is no
longer an ox to me. If the royal academy were open now,
the works of the cattle painters would be seen from a new
Mint of view. The main figures in the fresh landscapes of
essrs. Lee and Cooper, would be spoken of, were I a fine
arts critic, with distincter reference to the character of their
joints than would at any other time be usual. I should ad-
mire in them richness, delicacy ; should object to wiry or
dry-looking cattle, or to those which might suggest a want
of tenderness and flavour. The exhibition in Trafalgar-
square not being open, and its oily cattle not being on view,
I always go at this. season of the year to the Baker-street
Exhibition, where I see the works of farming artists, cattle
executed in real flesh and blood that has been laid on most
artistically by the exhibitors. The works of agricultural
masters annually shown by, the Smithfield club have been
occasionally laughed at by irreverent spectators. In'their
earlier productions there was no doubt a tendency to exag-
geration of outline, and much coarseness in the filling up.
Years, however, have been ripening experience, and our
artists in beef now turn out specimens of their art that are
perfect pictures, and which command accordingly our ad-
miration and respect. There are no pre-Bakewellites among
the farmers; Bakewell, it should be understood, and Collins,
having been the Raffaelle and Michael Angelo of cattle
farming.—Dickens's" Household Words."
ROBBERY FROM THE PERSON.—£6S STOLEN.—On Thurs-
slay last, five girls of the town, named Maria Senior, Mary
Ann &holes, Mary Campbell, Ann Duffy, and Mary Ann
Howarth, with four of their " fancy-men," named Hugh Mul-
doon, William Greenwell, Thomas Malony, and Michael Ward,
were placed in the dock before John Brooke, Esq., at the Guild-
hall, Huddersfield, charged with being concerned in robbing
Mr. Thomas Armitage, a respectable stonemason, residing in
Upperhead-row. It appeared the prosecutor received from
Mr. H. B. Taylor, on Tuesday, a cheque for 1001. on the
Yorkshire Banking Company, with which he proceeded to the
bank and received the amount in their Si. notes, gold, and
silver. During the afternoon, Mr. Armitage, in company
with a stone-delver named Whiteley, visited the house of Mr.
Jacob Senior, the Unicorn Inn, in Castlegate, where they got
Intoxicated in the room called the "vaults." Most of the pri-
soners were also present, and left with the prosecutor. On
arriving at home about eight o'clock in the evening, he, or
rather his family, discovered that he had lost eight 51. notes,
201. in gold, and about 61. in silver, and had only thirty-three
sovereigns left in his pockets out of the 1001., and one sove-
reign which he previously had in his pocket. Information was
immediately given to Mr. Superintendent Thomas, who soon
learnt from the servant girl at the Unicorn Inn, that Muldoon
had exhibited a quantity of notes during the afternoon, and
had asked the prisoner Malony to read them for him, and then
went away ; that in a short time afterwards he returned to the
house and charged the persons in the room with having stolen
three of the notes, as he was three short. The prisoner, Mary
Campbell, also exhibited six sovereigns and a half about six
o'clock, and paid for seven pints of rum for the company to
drink, and had three sovereigns and a half left when she left
for home. In consequence of this and other information, the
nine prisoners were taken into custody. On Muldoon two
sovereigns and thirteen shillings in silver were found, and
smaller sums on most of the others. The prosecutor, however,
could not recognise any of the prisoners, nor could he remem-
ber being in Castlegate at all, nor at any other public-house,
after leaving the " 'Wine Butts" in the Beast-market early in
the afternoon. His companion, Whiteley, however, recollected
having taken his friend to the Unicorn, and to seeing most of
the prisoners there, but this was all he could recollect. From
some information which had reached the police, but which was
not permitted to transpire, Maria Senior and Mary Ann Scholes
were remanded to Saturday and all the others discharged.

VENTILATION OF SHIPS.

THE NEW AMERICAN CLIPPER-SHIP,
" EMERALD ISLE."

Then-Lis no subject which at the present moment
deservedly commands a greater share of public
attention, than that of ventilation. The disastrous
reports from outward bound ships of the " old
schoOl," lead us to hail with satisfaction any im-
provement that may tend to lessen mortality.
Though government may, by their enactments,
have done some little to ameliorate the* condition
of the emigrant voyager, a comparison of the ships,
whether British or Foreign, would show that pri-
vate enterprise has contributed far more to this
great desideratum. Ventilation, to be effectual in
a ship, as in an edifice, must be commenced with
the construction ; and we are happy to call atten-
tion to.a new clipper craft named the " Emerald
Isle." in which improvements so great, in this as
well as other points, have been effected, that a
brief notice may not prove uninteresting.
The " Emerald Isle," like most recently built
ships, is a clipper in the fullest sense of the term.
She has a finely modelled bow, sharp as a wedge;
a long extending floor; and a well turned bilge,
dying imperceptibly into the run, which is as
"clean as the tail of a dolphin." Her stem, which
is of- remarkably graceful form, rakes well forward.
Her side, not kettle-like, nor yet wall-shaped, is
the happy medium that approaches perfection ;
while her counter and quarters—the admiration of
nautical connoisseurs—are circular, light, and ele•
gant, gaily decorated, pannelled, and relieved with
bold mouldings, interspersed with carvings richly
gilt, through which is , interwoven the emblem of
the Emerald Isle—" the shamrock." Surrounding
the stem is a well-executed carving of an Irish
wolf-dog in full chase ; and running aft round the
name-boards, hawse-holes, &c., are decorations of
corresponding character and elegance. She is
euvr...—a t 4 1d feet 6 inches, and above painted
black, which gives her wen-nmsh, a 00....tz.Las
much better appearance than would " quaker
ports." At the water line she appears as fine as a
London wherry ; indeed she is so compact a ship,
that her look gives but little idea of her magnitude.
" She sits the water like a swan." As Falconer
says—
" Where'ershe moves, the vassal waves are seen
To yield obsequious and confess their queen."
The masts and spars are enormous for her tonnage ;
she has " fidded" royal masts, and top-gallant
masts, and has two sets of crosstrees. The rigging
is finished in a very superior manner. She has an
extra shroud from each mast-head, and double
back-stays ; in fact she lacks nothing. -
Beautiful as is the exterior appearance of this
gem of nautical skill, her internal arrangements are
not less adMirable—her deck has a fine appearance,
and passengers are protected by a lofty bulwark,
a top-gallant bulwark, and a monkey rail. For-
ward is a top gallant-forecastle. Amidships a per-
manent house, and aft is a slightly raised quarter
deck. The hatches are also all covered with
houSes, which,by a new and excellent arrangement
form independent gangways to the main and lower
decks, and powerful ventilators. To the lower
decir, there are seven distinct entrances, and three
double ones to the main deck. Passing from the
lower deck through the midship-house are a series
of tubes run at each side (between deck staucheons
and the waterways) forming extra stancheons, and
acting as flues to carry off the vitiated air from the
lower deck. Each of these chimneys (and there
are many of them) is two feet wide and one foot
deep. In appearance, they are not at, all unseemly
and their utility must be undeniable. The same
principle is applied throughout the ship, and she
has also enormous wind-cowls fore and aft. The
after part of the main deck, is fitted up as a saloon
for the richer class of passengers. The state rooms
are most comfortable and roomy.
The timber of which the Emerald Isle is built,
is of the choicest live oak, white oak, &c., and
there is no scarcity of strength. Her knees, deck
beams, keelsons, sister keelsons, bilge pieces and
waterways, are fit for a much larger craft. The
ceiling and planking is narrow, and well-finished,
and neither inside or outside is an awkward butt
end to be seen.

The Emerald Isle registers 2000 tons. She is 236
feet long over all, has a beam of 43 feet, and her
depth is 30 feet. She was built by Messrs. Trufant
Drummond, and Co., of Bath, Maine, as a sister
ship to the William Tapscott, for Messrs. Tapscott
and Co., of Liverpool and New York, than whom a
more enterprizing firm does not exist. The
commander is Captain Cornish, an experienced
transatlantic traveller, a thorough sailor, and a
gentleman.

SOUTH WALES RAILWAY.-Traffic for the week ending
Dec. 18, 1853, 3,7651. 18s 8d; corresponding week, 1862,
9,60112 2s 10d.
CORBETT ON THE EASTERN QUESTION. —" It (England)
was a glorious and a great country until the government had
made it otherwise; and it ought still to be what it once was,
and to be capable of driving the Russians back from the
country of our old and best ally—the Turks."—Speech at
Tring, Cobbett's Register, Sept. 23, 1829.
Tix SALMON SPAWN.—On Tuesday no fewer than 70,000
of the ova of the salmon of the Tay was sent to Ireland, for
the purpose of ascertaining, if on coming to maturity there,
whether the fish would keep up the high character, as re-
spects quality,. they have ever maintained in all markets. A
like quantity is to be sent here from the sister isle for the
same purpose.—J.Vorthern Warder.
THROUGH TOLLS.—On Wednesday the collector at New-
castle-on-Tyne was summoned before the bench at that town
for using threatening language to a person who had refused
to pay him 4d. for a butt of currants, but who had offered
him 2d. The collector having offered an apology, and paid
the costs, amounting to £2 15s. 2d., the case was with-
drawn, but it was admitted that the toll, which had been
collected for years was illegal.

CHRISTMAS DAY IN THE LONDON WORKHOUSES.—On
Sunday, the inmates of the different metropolitan and sub-
urban workhouses, were liberally regaled with Christmas
fare. A comparison of the returns of last year shows a
tendency to increase in the amount of metropolitan pauper-
ism, although there are only three unions in which the
amount of that increase is at present considerable. In St.
Pancras alone there is an increase of 1,576 persons receiv-
ing relief. The total number receiving relief is at present
about 100,600.
THE LEEDS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND THE BOARD
OF TRADE. —The board of trade have at length seen the
necessity for an improved classification of woollen and
worsted manufactures exported. Up to the present time, as
all connected with these departments of trade are aware, the
published tables of exports and imports periodically issued
by the board of trade have adhered to a system of classifica-
tion so imperfect that it has been impossible to ascertain the
relative proportion of woollen and worsted exports. This
has very properly come under the notice of the board of
trade, who have consulted the Leeds chamber of commerce
upon the propriety of a new .classification
_ _

RUSSIA ANn TURKEY.—The following is in course of sig-
nature at Southampton :—" To J. T. Tucker, Esq., the
Worshipful the Mayor of Southampton.—We, the under-
signed, inhabitants of the borough and county of the town
of Southampton, respectfully request you will convene a
public meeting to take into consideration the important
question of the unprovoked aggression of the Emperor of
Russia against Turkey, and, should it be deemed expedi-
ent, to memorialise her most gracious Majesty the Queen
to immediately adopt, in conjunction with her powerful
ally, the Emperor of France, such prompt and energetic
measures as will tend to preserve the integrity and inde-
pendence of the Turkish empire, and compel the Emperor
of Russia to submit to such conditions as will guarantee the
future peace and tranquillity of Europe and Asia."
RAILWAY GUARD KILLED.—On Wednesday evening as
the six o'clock train for Perth and Dundee emerged from
the funnel at the Scotland-street station, one of the guards,
named Cleghorn, was missed from his post, and was not to
be found. He had been seen to leave the train, being on
the parcel-van arranging the luggage when it started, and it
was conjectured that he had fallen off in the tunnel. The
circumstance was telegraphed to the head of the tunnel, and
men with lights entered both ends in search of him. He
was found lying about thirty :or forty yards from the top,
and quite lifeless, having sustained a severe injury on the
head. The cause of his fall from the van is, of course un-
known. The deceased, who was above fifty years of age,
was one of the oldest servants in the Company, and was a
steady, well-conducted man. He was on his return journey
to Dundee, where his home was, and where he had a. wife
and family.
AUDIENC2 WITH HER MAJESTY.—It is sometimes better,
for reasons which will occur to most of our readers, to put a
question, than to state a fact. Can it then be true, as we are
assured it is, that at the audiences which cabinet ministers
have with her majesty, there is usually another distinguished
party present ? Can it be that tiv• foreign minister of Eng-
land is obliged to canvass all his measures in the presence of
one who is, not only not a member of the cabinet, but who
is in constant and confidential communication with all the
foreign courts, with the single exception of that of France ?
If this be so, as we much fear it is, then we unhestitatingly
say that it is wholly at variance with the spirit, if not the
letter of our constitution. What foreign minister, we ask,
could feel himself a free agent, if he can only explain and
defend his policy to her majesty in the presence of a party
on whom rests no responsibility, and all of whose preposses-
sions and predilections are in favour of that Germanism
which is so entirely antagonistic to the free institutions and
interests of England?—Morning Advertiser.

SHIP WRECKS.
IMPORTANT TO MERCIIANTS AND UNDERWRITERS.

The following article we take from a communication from.
Winterton, Norfolk, and appears worthy the attention of un-
derwriters and merchants :

The gale from the N.E., with snowstorms, continued all
the day on the 15th inst. • and at night, between ten and
eleven o'clock, the Friendship,- of Whitby, Mr. Wood, mas-
ter, timber laden from Cronstadt (about 200 tons,) came on
the beach a little to the eastward of the Winterton light-
house. Mr. Lugard, of the coast-guard service, by the mor-
tar threw a line on board, and by 12 o'clock, or soon after,
the life boat was hauled on board, and the crew of nine
persons landed in safety, but without their clothes. The
master, Mr. Wood, had broken his arm in the course of the
day, but all the others were well. It appears that the thick
snowstorm for 48 hours had prevented their knowing exactly
where they were, as they mistook the Harboro' light ?or the
Lowestoft light, and on this dangerous coast, with such
weather, it is difficult to avoid such mistakes. At noon neat
day, the vessel was lying in the surf, with her sails closed
up, and every thing on deck and afloat as when she struck
the beach. The fishermen on the beach were within fifty
yards of the vessel, ready to go on board, and to have half
unloaded her cargo of deals before night, if there had been
any person to give orders what to do. The sails, masts, and
stores of every kind might have been landed in good condi-
tion, and the vessel, when lightened of the cargo might have
had a chance of being got off, and towed into Yarmouth.
But some dispute between the agents at Yarmouth as to who
should take charge of the chip and cargo for the underwrit-
ers, was the cause why nothing was at once done to preserve
the ship and cargo.
Until the legislature shall direct an inquiry to be insti-
tuted on the spot after every shipwreck, there will be a can-
tinuation of shipwrecks, with loss of life and property, to a
great extent, which in many cases arise from the carlessness,
or something worse, and the property of the nation, as well
as the lives of the sailors, are daily sacrificed for want of
such inquiry.
The foreign vessel of 125 tons from `7ronstadt, with
wheat, that came on shore on the night of the 10th and
11th instant, opposite the town of Winterton, became a
perfect wreck, the cargo of wheat was all lost, and the
vessel, although built in 1850, broke into pieces. The
crew was landed in safety from the vessel, but they lost
their clothes.

AN AMERICAN TRAGBDY.

A SERIES OF HORRIBLE DOINGS.

The North State Whig, of the 30th ult., printed at Wil-
mington, North Carolina, publishes a condensed report of
the trial of the Rev. George W. Carawan, for the murder of
Mr. C. H. Lassiter, a school teacher in Hyde county. The
whole case is remarkable, on account of the status of the
accused, the depravity developed, and the tragical issue of
the trial. Eminent counsel were arrayed for both the pro-
secution and the defence, and much excitement prevailed
during the proceedings. The paper before us gives the fol-
lowing particulars :--
Carawan was 56 years old, and for many years had been a
popular preacher in the Baptist church—a man of strong
will, exercising a powerful influence over his friends, and
feared as much as hated by his foes. Lassiter was a quiet
young man, engaged in the business of teaching. Some
months before the murder, Lassiter boarded in the house of
Carawan, and a quarrel arose between them, Carawan alleg-
ing that Lassiter was too familiar with his (Carawan's) wife.
Carawan talked very freely among his neighbours on the
subject ; said that Lassiter ought to be shot ; that shooting
was too good for him; and that he and Lassiter could not
both live in the same neighbourhood; and finally tried to
get out a peace warrant against Lassiter, alleging that he
had attempted to take his life. He went on this way for
some time, when Lassiter sued him for slander, laying the
damages at 2000 dols. A few hours after the writ was
served on Carawan, Lassiter was killed. _ _ _

He had finished a school on Rose-bay, and on Monday,
the 15th of November, 1852, started on foot, with a carpet
bag in his hand, to go to the Lake, where he had engaged
another school. About three o'clock p.m. lie passed Cara-
wan's house on his way to the Lake. Shortly after he
passed, Carawan left his house, and went across the field
toward the woods which lie between the hoase and the spot
on the road where Lassiter was killed, his wife following
with a gun wrapped up in her apron. She returned to the
house immediately • Carawan not till sundown. That night
he was absent from home.
Tuesday he remained at home; but on Wednesday, a
rainy day, he took a hoe and went into the woods, and was
gone several hours. On Thursday, before L. was missed
(the people on the lake thinking he was at the bay, and
the people on the bay thinking he was at the lake), C.
went to one of the neighbours, and inquired if he had seen
anything of L , stating that his (C.'s) family had seen him
pass his house on Monday with a package of clothes, and he
was thinking he had run away. On Friday evening, when
told that the people were searching for L., he expressed
great surprise that he should be missing—never had heard
anything of it.
On Saturday morning, the search for Lassiter still going
on, he wrote to a friend to come and see him—that Lassiter
was missing—supposed to be killed—and added that he
(Carawan) was at home all day Monday, Tuesday, and
Wednesday, and that he could prove it by Carawan Sawyer
(the main witness on the trial for the state), his nephew, a
boy who was living with him. The body of Lassiter was
found on Saturday evening in the swamps bAtind Carawan's
house in an open lot, which was surrounded with briars,
underbrush, &e., and covered with moss. The moss over
the grave had been carefully removed, the grave dug just
large enough to hold the body, the body pressed into it, the
grave filled up even with the surrounding earth and pressed
down, and the moss carefully laid back upon it. The moss
leaving no trace of a footprint, there was no sign that any-
body had ever been there, except that the moss over the
grave had faded a little; about a handful of fresh dirt was
near it, and a dead limb of a tree had apparently been re-
cently disturbed ; the bark, which had evidently just fallen
from it, lying in one spot and the limb in another. The
men who were searching for the body had stopped in this
lonely spot to rest, having given up the search for the day,
when these appearances attracted their attention, and the
body was found.
L. was killed by gunshot wounds. Several shots were
taken from the body, three from the heart. There were
three sizes of shot found in the body, and in one of the
barrels of C.'s gun, found in the house, just such shot, and
of three sizes, were found. That night C. left Hyde county,
telling his nephew (Sawyer) that if he stayed there he should
be hung ; that he should send for his family, and he (S.)
must go with them. On Sunday. morning he landed from a
canoe at Durham's Creek mills, in Beaufort county, about
thirty miles from his home, telling the man who rowed him
over that he was after a piece of land which another man
was trying to buy, and that was the reason of his hurry, and
charging him to keep his movements a secret.

From this time fill his arrest at night in his house, in
January followEg, the state did not know his whereabouts.
But from letters received by the sheriff of Hyde, from Ten-
nessee, it seems he had been in that state, preaching under
the assumed name of John Forbes.

After his imprisonment in Hyde county goal, he tried to
get a friend to hire the witness Sawyer to go away. He
had offered the same witness,, before the body of Lassiter
was found, a negro, if he woull swear that he, Carawap,
was at home all Monday, the day on which the murder was
committed. And while in Hyde goal he wrote to a friend
(the letters were produced in court), to get Sawyer out of
the way. He had given, he said, in one of h;s letters, Mary
(his wife) 500 dots. to get Sawyer off; if that would not do,
give him 1,000 Bois. If that would not do, lie (his friend)
must get r;d of Sawyer " by hook or by crook" and not suffer
his (Carawan's) neck to be broke.
The defence set up for the prisoner was, that three of the
witnesses (including Sawyer) had sworn falsely, committed
wilful and deliberate peijury, and that it was impossible for
Carawan to have gone through the woods, after Lassiter
passed his house, quick enough to have cut him off.
The jury, after a protracted sitting, brought in a verdict
of guilty, and the judge ordered a recess of the court for an
hour. As the crowd was leaving, the prisoner suddenly
drew two pistols, one of which he fired at Mr. Warren, the
counsel for the state, and with the other shot himself through
the head, killing himself instantly. The ball of the other
struck Mr. Warren on the breast, just above the heart, but
fortunately, glanced off and left only a slight wound. The
Korth State Whig says :
Carawan maintained his self-control throughout the trial.
He was as fine looking a man as one would find among
a thousand—tall, admirably built, with a massive head,
showing, with enormous animal passions, large intellect.
These passions have destroyed him, he having given himself
all his life to their unbridled sway. His wife, apparently
about his own age, and his children, had been with him
during the trial, accompanying him to and from the court-
house and gaol.

Lieutenant Atkinson has invented a process of throwing a
line from a sinking ship to shore as a preferable mode of
communicating, rather than that of endeavouring to cast
a line from the shore over the ship.
SUICIDE AND ATTEMPTED MURDER.—On Saturday night,
a shocking attempt at wife murder, followed by the suicide
of the husband, took place in Soho. The man's name was
Heise, a German, a tin-plate worker, who lived with his
wife and two children in the attic of No. 15, King-street.
It appears that his circumstances were good, but that he
had strong feelings of jealousy against his wife. The poor
woman was confined only on Wednesday last, and Heise
had become impressed with a conviction that the child was
not his. He frequently taunted her with his suspicions, but
she ;had no reason to suspect that he meditated violence
towards her. On Saturday night, however, as she lay in
bed with her infant at the breast, he suddenly rushed into
the room with a dagger-knife, of the Italian form, and
stabbed her in several places on the left side and arm. She
immediately jumped out of bed and run out of the room,
loudly calling out " Murder." She dropped on the stairs
from loss of blood. She was removed to a room below
stairs, and was subsequently taken to the workhouse, with
the infant, which was drenched with blood. Heise was
afterwards found lying partially on the bed, his throat cut
from ear to ear. He had nearly severed the head from the
body,. with the exception of the vertebrae ; both the carotid
arteries, the windpipe, and all the soft part being cut
through. So extensive a self-inflicted wound is of rare
Eminence.