Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-11-24 00:00:00

l'eading of journals_ of a higher class." There
big' however, in these conclusions, quite a
begging of the question. Where is the proof of
Illethocrity in the cheap papers ? Why, except
in the quality of the material, perhaps, on which
they are printed, the cheap papers,—the daily
Papers we mean of course, whether metropolitan.
(31.‘ Provincial,—have, generally speaking, nothing
Whatever of mediocrity about. them. The
'standard and the Morning Star are quite as
°chi, in our humble opinion, as respecti their
subject-matter, as the. Morning Herald and the
34r/zing_ Advertiser. And if we institute a
comparison of the provincial daily papers with
their weekly contemporaries, we slzall find 'that
It will be quite as favourable to the for Mer, if
aot more so. , •
But granting that there were some degree of i
illediocrity in the cheap 'Press, what we should
iatend for, as of the utmost importance to all,.
the necessity, on that very ground,, of its,receiv-
sag such popular support as may enable it to
rise more and • more out Of that Mediocrity.
Whether it is a good thing or bad thing," our
3atemporry admits—" whether we like it or not
the Penny Press will continue and will spread.
Nothing except the continuance of the paper
,111tY. prevents it 'spreading much more than it
``°es• Perhaps the best thing that could be done
I'Guld be to remove the paper duty, because, as
the Commercial prospects of a penny paper would
.b
thus greatly improved, it is not impossible
that a high class journal might then flourish,
although offered at so small a price." With.
411 this we entirely agree. Nothing can pre-
/eat the spread of the cheap Press, as the
Popular everyday reading. of - the masses of
the people ; and whether :we 'regard the
111).ieet as members of a political party,
°l'as members of society, it is impossible
I.
`e avoid the conclusion, that, such being the
'se, it is of the highest moment, both to politi-
cal and social interests, that the popular Press
Should have every encouragement to rise above
Mediocrity, and every inducement to become an
49h°11r and an advantage to the country.
AS respects Liverpool, and such other towns
48 have nothing but the cheap Press in daily
Peration, the importance of its being above
xikedioerity, and in every respect calculated
only to communicate early and correct
eitelligence, but to inculcate virtuous prin-
Piest and incite to praiseworthy objects,
swat be of the highest importance, we repeat, to
the interests not only of the political parties
Which they seek respectively to serve, but to so-
elet37 at large. And it rests with the public to
.We full effect to this. The three daily papers
la Liverpool are, one and all, of the cheap
Press. Not speaking for ourselves in particular,
but for us all, we honestly think, that it cannot
`kith much fairness be imputed to any of us that
qa are very mediocre. We should certainly like
i.. 5
than
our readers a better quality of material,
the price at which we supply the paper will
Present enable us to 'do ; and this feeling, we
40,4 doubt, is participated in 'by both our re-
'eeted contemporaries. But in other respects—
regards the general quality of that with which
t've BuPply them—whether it belocalintelligence,
Political
of public proceedings, general news, or
Zlitical disquisition, we can scarcely think, were ,
the Price of the several papers three times what
is, that, as provincial journals, we could very
raise them much higher above mediocrity '
111 they stand at present. •

MERSEY STEEL AND IRON WORKS
VOLUNTEERS.

tbs.Of late, we have had frequent and gratifying oppor-
7ittles of bearing testimony to the 'patriotic feeling
ab has been evoked in Liverpool, and responded to
4 such praiseworthy alacrity in raising the requisite
.0f
:;'.s, and enrolling a fine body of men as volunteer corps,
ItZfrerent arms, for the protection of our shores from
br'ace, or the yet greater insult of aggression. In
f.°tooting this patriotic movement, all ranks and classes
),,ythe community have vied with each other. The
') f have contributed liberally ; and up to the end
04d-st Week, donations to the extent of £2,085 had been
401,443411 in, aid of the, general fund. , This included a
balition of £lOO from his' Worship the Mayor, (Thomas
\p-74,1,eY Anderson, Esq.,) one each of p5O from
Es' Brown, Esq. (late-M.P.) and William Preston,
(late Mayor;) one of £2OO from J. P. Heywood,
t 2,1 ' and other munificient contributions, including'.
from each of our borough members of Par-
ti,; °t• In addition to the donations, annual subscrip-
tl; to the amount of £196 have also heen made, and
contributions to each of the funds are still on .the
kixte,ttse. As we 'stated'-yesterday, on Tuesday night
kindred 'and forty new members of the Volunteer
A(itr:47 Corps were sworn in by Worship the
iten,,"; in St.. George's
Hall, and for these a guard of
was formed by nearly four hundred of the Volunteer
ae to- "'IN, who have so far advanced in their military drill
il,Present a very soldierlike and imposing appearance.
deg this, the general movement is being carried on
thZ°l-isly through many channels, conveying the en-
*ith aSt ra into numerous districts in immediate contiguity
that '4lverpool ; and in all these it is gratifying to know
tk&7reat ardour and alacrity are manifested in the aid
is defensiye organisation. To this, however, we
t° add, that several sectional bodies of the inhabi-
itieetate bestirring themselves for the establishment of
he a "Ills, of which those whose names stand at the
tie l' of this notice claim peculiar and favourable consi-
ration.
hem The Mersey Steel and Iron Works Company, at the
I))to of which, as is well known, is our respected
k to ugh representative, Mr. T. B. liorsfall, have organised
atilorlls of Artillery and a corps of Rifle Volunteers from
hOllg their numerous workmen—some eight or ten
Nitrzed in all. The Mersey Steel and Iron Works
itt,_ftteers already number 200 rank and file, divided
els°two companies. The artillery company is under
lltqlhand of Captain William Clay, managing partner
firm the rifle company under command
Ca
tet„*Dtain M'Neile, another partner of the
Ctuneut. These corps, which . are to be clothed
Ilk,: cost of the Mersey Steel and Iron Works Com-
-414',,,at0 remarkably fine bodies of men, and they are
creZtlY_ well advanced in organisation: It is a fact,
Isble
it must be gratifying to all concerned, to
the first night of muster no fewer than one
tog 4 d and thirty-eight men were enrolled, theyemain-
voll. er, up to two hundred, being speedily supplied;