Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-10-29 00:00:00

THE DAY'S NEWS.

The threatened. war between Spain
.and. Mo-
rocco makes the state of, our naval forces at
Gibraltar an object of anxious interest. It ap-
pears that we have some fifteen, ships of war,
great and small, there at present,—the Spaniards
have some five or six vessels,' mostly of small size,
—and the French have eight vessels, including
one three-decker; 'find four two-decirers. We
would seem to be quite prepared, therefore, to
maintain our authority in that quarter. •
The belief appears to gain ground, that there
is likely to be a combination of the French and
Spanish forces against Morocco; and it is sus-
pected that: an ulterior object is in view, on the
part of France, further than that of obtaining
redress for recent plunders and insults on
the part of the Moors. The Times well ob-
serves that "the subjection of Spain to French
influence, and the formation of a system of which
France is the chief, and. Spain, Piedmont, the
Papal States, and Naples, are the dependants,
deserve the attention of every politician among
us."

A reactionary plot in Tuscany has been dis-
covered. The provisional authority, under the
revolution that has taken place, is in the hands
of the moderate party,—a party, therefore, ob-
noxious to what are called the Reds or Maz-
zinians, on the one hand, as well as to the Grand
Ducal and priestly party, on the other. The
plot is said..to be_one in which theseveral conflict-
ing parties are in league. Their papers, which
have been seized, afford. evidence, it is said, of a
deep-laid scheme to upset the new order of
things. '
If it be true that the French Government are
taking up vessels in British porti, for the-large
quantity of 40,000 tons of coal, for China and
the East, they would seem to be in earnest in
their preparations for an expedition to 'Secure
redress from th 6 Chinese for the recent outrage
on the.Peiho. It is stated that our' own Gevern-
.ment has not yet taken steps to provide a.supply
of coal for a similar purpose.
So far as can be learned from ,a letter received
in Paris from London, it appears that 'the joint
expedition between England and France, against
China, has been• definitely arranged, and that it
will sail during the first fortnight in February.

. ---
It ___
will, be perceived with regret that the
Downey
_Lady
.‘l)eef died suddenly yesterdaymorning, at her residence in Whiteliall-gaßlens.
On the
.previons night her ladyShiP retired to
rest in her usual healtb:and spirits, and on her
' maid going in the morning into her bedroom she
'faind- her, quite dead.: Medical .assistance \vas
:.SenOor, and means to restore animation were
V resorted to, but life was extinct.
The loss of the Royal Charter, and consequent
frightful sacrifice of human life, continue to ex-
i.erciso .a painful influence over the public mind.
,iTheb•getieral feeling, as was to be expected, is
of and regret. In addition to the
.e9/41};441,4CCOTilit. Of the. disaster given in our early
and- subsequent. editions yesterday, We to-day
publish- a further account of the appalling inci-
dents which occurred ou the fatal occasion. No
event
.Connected with the Liverpool shipping
trade, for several years . past, has created any-
thing like so painful a sensation here. • Without
doubt,, the sub,jeei of the wreck, and it§ antece-
dent and.concomitant eireuMstances, will be fully
investigated under government authority. .

THE spirit of enthusiasm and sympathy which

this day's demonstration is calculated to spread
among Conservativeawho ate earnest and sincere,
will be thrown duchy,' or worse than thrown away,
.unless it incite them to greater zeal and solici-
tude in the exercise of ,their electora). rights. It
is, therefore, on every, account apropos to remind
uur readers, that next Tuesday will give them a

special opportunity of showing their 'appreciation
of the lesson, which to-day's proceedings are to
teach.
No doubt it is something invidious to import
political distinctions into a municipal contest.
But the device has never yet been found, and
while men are constituted as they are, will for
ever disappoint the search of students and philo-
sophers,—by which political passions shall be
restrained from invading every subject of discus-
sion, and every walk of life, where they can find
anything to colour with the least degree of their
own hue, or divert, however indirectly, into their
favourite channel. But to come to particu-
lars : when Ministers are careful to select for
Bishops men whose political opinions assimilate
with their own, it can scarcely be expected that
municipal electors will be careless about the poli-
tics of their nominees.

Yet, there are many imaginable reasons why