Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-08-10 00:00:00

-~-

GREAT FLOODS.—We find that the heavy rains on Sun-
day flooded many parts of Yorkshire and .Lancashire, At
Todmorden .the rain was remarkably heavy, and consider-
able damage has been done. The water-courses were. broken
by the violence of the torrent of water, warehouses and mills
were flooded, and great quantities of cotton goods were de-

• al
stroyed. A short distance from- Todmorden,- the water ran
down the turnpike-road a yard deep. The railway was
mueb. damaged at and near Walsden station, and the trains
were delayed for some time. Several •of the mills in the
neighbourhood sustained great injury.

DISTURBANCES AMONGST THE' CHINESE IN VICTORIA.

The imposition of an annual residence tax of S 4 per head
upon the Chinese population of Vietoria has excited a vast
ferment amongst that singular. 'people. • The Victorians
would, of course, be very glad were this impost to check the
immigration of a people whose silent acquisitions in the
auriferous districts have always been viewed with 'great
jealousy. : The Chinamen, however,-impassive as they may
seem, have not failed to imbibe a few of the notions upon
which Britons are accustomad to, pride themselves. They
scout the notion of being subjected to a differential, and,
therefore, unjust tax, and express ,their determination to
4resistactuals,oo
violence. its
souls,
oucollection.ls,oi
Ilby every means in their power, short of
!' °lel
b
decorated with gold buotft
an inch .and upwards
haveo au s
appliedas Chinese
for population
protection
have been held, whereat mandarins
Chinese meeting
well as with " finger-nails
in length," have ventilated their
oratory; :Chinese processions,
with banners and recusant in.
seriptions, have 'paraded about ; and some 10ml-headed
Chinamen,have.even been hardy enough to "beard the lion
in his den," wait upon . the chief secretary, , and wage an
argumentatiVe battle with him. Obstinacy is a quality.iayn-
herent in the Chinese character, and the Government ln
yet have a good deal of trouble 'in the matter, which, how-
ever,. presents no feature suggestive of anxicty.—Australian
,email. . , ~
•• A LUDICROUS MISTAKE.--A la.drof title recently rented
a house in a fashionable watering-place, within an easy ride
of Edinburgh, through the medium of a local house-agent.
The day fixed on for the arrival of the servants being
duly announced, the. house-agent attended at ,the railway
station to receive and conduct them to the' mansion.
Among, their number was a plainly dressed, agreeable;
gentlemanly man, whom the agent took to be the
butler, and accosted accordingly. On arrival at the
house, the supposed butler was shown over it, and
made acquainted with .the butler's' pantry, and the merits
of a • small bed therein, fitted up for . his particular
accommodation: A walk through the town was then pro-
posed, and assented to by the gentlemanly butler. On ar-
riving at the shop; of • One of the grocers and spirit-dealers
in the place, the ready-witted agent, considering 'the posi-
tion of:hia companion, thought an introduction to the
owner of the premises might be advantageous to the latter,
and he accordingly introdueedqhe pair. The grocer took the
hint, and immediately produced wine, &c. The. wine,- the
supposedbutler remarked, Was veryleavy, and inquired 'if
his friend had no •lighter. " Oh, yes," said the -spirit-
'dealer, and shrewdly added, " But you mint be: aware
the price is also lighter, and the customary allowance
decreases with the price." As the bottle circulated conver-
sation became free, and the butler inquired concerning the
principal gentlemen of the,, neighbourhood, and was an-
swered in language not very complimentary to some of them.
He next inquired if any trout fishing was to be. obtained in
the neighbourhood,. and a ready, reply. was given that the
river! not a hundred miles off, afforded excellent sport, but
that the permission of a noble earl must. first be obtained.
The butler said he would ride over. in one, of her la.cliship's
carriages and get the necessary authority. ' This, the grocer
said, rwas unnecessary, as he would take him over in his
trap, and they would have a day's fun together.' The
denouement Was now at hand; for the agent, asking the sup-
posed servant how old the countess might be, that gentleman
replied, "Just. two years younger than myself ; I am her
brother." ' Then taking his hat, with apOlite good morning
he took his departure. Had a shell burst in the room the
consternation of the agent and his friend could scarcely have
been greater • and to add to their annoyanee, the story is
universally knownintlie toia,-the noble lordhaving sussed
the neighbouring gantry by .rela ang his, golreliture.—„SottisA