The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-04-09 00:00:00

LONDON GAZ ETTE,

BANKRUPTS.—Wm. PILLEY, Aldermanbury-postern,
City, tailor. JOHN BRETT, Tower Shades, Trinity-square,
Tower-hill, licensed victualler. WM. GASCOINE, Hitchin,
Hertfordshire, butcher. THOMAS RYDER, Old Broad-
street, City, merchant. JOHN THOMAS METCALF, and
GEORGE METCALFE, Bow-lane, City, and Farnham, Surrey,
canvas merchants. GEORGE BYFORD, Liverpool, slate
dealer. THOMAS GORE, Manchester, Lancashire, machine
maker THOMAS 'WALKER BLOTT, late of Stamford, Lin-
colnshire, innkeeper, corn factor, and coal dealer.

ENNIS ELECTlON.—Yesterday, the newly appointed
Attorney General for Ireland, the Right Honourable J. D.
Fitzgerald, was re-elected for Ennis without opposition.
We regret to notify the decease of Mrs. Huskisson, the
• relict of the late Right Hon. William Huskisson, formerly
membar for this borough, and so long one of the most
distinguished members of the House of Commons, whose
vt,U4Sivu of the opetilllg Of tile
Liverpool and Manchester Railway, cast so deep a gloom
over the whole community. The amiable lady departed
this life on Monday last, at Eastham, near Chichester, in
the 79th year of her age.
THE MERCANTILE MARINE Acv.--A series of three
petitions to the House of Commons on an important ques-
tion is in course of preparation and signature in this town.
The subject to which the petitions refer is the Mercantile
Marine Act of 18.50, and the injurious operation of some of
its provisions. The first of the series emanates from the
captains and mates of the mercantile marine frequenting
our port, and, after adverting to a notification recently put
forth by the Board of Trade, cautioning shipowners against
employing any but " licensed parties, or persons bona fidc
in their employ" to engage or provide seamen for mer-
chant ships, proceeds to allege that an experience of five
years working of the act referred to, fully convinced the
petitioners that it hal completely failed to carry out the
object the legislature, when passing it, had in view. The
petitioners complain that they cannot so sttisfac-
torily select their men, and that hence they are
compelled, though under penalties for so doing, to employ
a private shipping agent to obtain and ship a crew, before
going to the government office to sign articles ; and, after
describing the unnecessary delay to which they are
exposed, they pray for the repeal of that part of the act
which renders it compulsory to ship and pay off crews at
the Government Shipping Office, or that the Legislature
will revoke that part of the statute which prohibits the
employment of private agents, who should be under license
to carry on that branch of the business. The petition has
received the signatures of about 400 captains and mates, and
has been enclosed in a similar petition, which bears the
signatures of upwards of 1,700 seamen. The third petition,
which embodies the same complaints and opinions, emanates
from the merchants and shipowners of the town and port,
to which the names of no less than 120 firms have been
appended. The three petitions will be forwarded on
Thursday to Mr. T. B. Horsfall, 3LP., for presentation,
and it is to be hoped they will secure that attention, both
from the Government and the House, which th)importance
of the question, and the position of the petitioners, ought to
command.

SELECT VESTRY ELECTION.—The polling for a select
vestryman was resumed yesterday. At the close of the poll
Mr. Syred was 165 votes a-head of Mr. Flanagan
THE WEanien.--Yesterday, from an early hour, there
was a heavy fall of rain, accompanied by a very cold atmos-
phere. The rain was very welcome, and will prove of
considerable advantage to the country.
LADIES COLLEGE, BLACRBURNE HOUSE.--The Rev. W.
H. Channing, will give a lecture, which will be free to
ladies, on " the relations of the poets of England to the
national life," at Blackburne House, on Friday morning,
at ten minutes past eleven.
COMPLIMENTARY DINNER AND PRESENT TO MR. JOSEPH
PROCTOR.—It is always gratifying to find the services of an
officer duly appreciated by those who may be under his
directions, and in the many compliments which, from time
to time, we have seen presented to deserving persons, we
have not witnessed one of more interest than that which
took place on Saturday evening, when Mr. Joseph Proctor,
the conductor of the jobbing department of the office con-
nected with the NORTHERN DAILY TIMES, was entertained
by the gentlemen connected with that and other departments
of the establishment, at a sumptuous banquet, and presented
with a magnificent gold chain, in token of the esteem he is
held by them. The presentation took place on the retire-
ment of Mr. Proctor from the office, which he had ably
filled for the last fifteen years. The dinner was held at
Lawton's, Bee Hotel, Queen square, and was of that
recherche description for which the house is well known.
The viands were of the first class, and the wines of the best
vintages. There were about twenty gentlemen connected
with the establishment present. the chair being filled very
efficiently by Mr. William Griffin. When the good things
had been discussed, and the usual loyal toasts disposed of,
tine tizmai gave the health of the respected guest in
appropriate terms, stating that his late colleagues held him
in the highest esteem, for his general kindness and fatherly
attention to them on all occasions. They had asked him to
present him with a gold chain as a lasting record of their
regard. The chairman then presented the chain to Mr.
Proctor amid applause. The worthy and respected recipient
returned thanks, both for his health and the splendid gift,
which he said he would cherish as long as he lived. The
evening was passed in the happiest manner, and all felt reget
that the hours seemeed to wing their way with more than
usual swiftness, for parting with an old friend is not an easy
task. However, all felt satisfied with the enjoyment in
which they bad participated.