The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-03-21 00:00:00

THE NORTHERN TIMES.--LIVERPOOL, SATURDAY.

out the authority and consent of your petitioners. That the
past policy of the company has been such as to call forth the
remonstrances of the public, and that it is inexpedient that the
powers sought by the said bill should be conferred on the
said company when they have so ill-fulfilled those already
committed to them. Tnat the preamble of the said bill is
untrue, and incapable of proof. That the said bill contains
other clauses and provisions adverse to the rights and
interests of your petitioners and the public, and no sufficient
provision for the protection of such rights and interests, and
that if the said bill be allowed to pass into law, clanes and
provisions, protective of the rights and interests of your
petitioners and the public, ought to he inserted. Your
petitioners, therefore, humbly pray your honourable house
that the said bill may no pass into a law as it now
stands, and that they may be heard by themselves, their
counsel, agents, and witnesses, before the committee to
whom it may be referred, against the preamble and
clauses thereof, and in support of such clauses and amend-
ments (in case the preamble of the bill shall be proved) as
they may submit for the protection of their property,
rights, privileges, and interests, and of those of the inha-
tants of the said district. And your petitioners will ever
pray, &c.
Dr. Baylee would urge on the Commissioners the great
importance of having a continuous supply of water, and that
should be looked after in the bill. In Glasgow there was
such a supply, and ho did not• see why the same should not he
adopted at Birkenhead,
Mr. Bailiff objected to the petition, on the ground that it
contained expressions against the Gas and Water Bill
that he didinot approve of. He was also of opinion that
allusions were made to defalcations by officials, which were
not necessary. As a consumer of water, be had not suffered
any inconvenience, except upon one occasion, and twat was in
consequence of an accident.

The Chairman remarked that, notwithstanding Mr, Bailiff's
opposition to the petition, the allegations contained in it were
true,

Mr. Rea thought, however he might feel individually, there
ought to bo an unanimous opinion to oppose the bill, i❑ order
to give them a locus standi in patliament, the main statements
of the petitio❑ being correct.
The Chairman said he was a shareholder in the company,
but there had been no meeting convened by the shareholders
to sancton the bill. Ho thought the course taken
with regard to the proposed bill, was one that was
disapproved of. In his own case the effect would be
that he would be a holder of Stock to the amount of £2,400
which cost originally not more than £l,OOO. It appeared
that the Birkenhead and the Claughton Bill, included 14 other
out townships. He then went into some statistics to show the
disadvantage to Birkenhead if the bill passed, and strongly
objected to it. Some discussion took place, but ultimately
it was agreed to support the petition against the bill, and then
the meeting separated.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

LIVERPOOL.
'BEFORE MR. J. R. MANSFIELD.

CURIOUS CASE.—Christopher Briggs, a horse dealer,
who resides in Dryden street, was charged with having
assaulted police officer 711, Davis, under the following
circumstances. Mr. Block was for the defence. The
case was rather peculiar, and the following history of it
will explain the whole matter. The officer was on duty
in Islington, about twelve o'clock on Thursday night,
when he saw a man rushing furiously along the footway,
and so great was his velocity, that he knocked down a
lady and gentleman who were passing along at the time.
He took him into custody, but the gentleman forgave
him on his making an apology. About a quarter to two
o'clock the constable was in Clifford street, when he saw
two panels broken in a stable door, and he concluded
that some one had broken into it, with the view of
committing a felony. He pushed the door cautiously
open, when the prisoner rushed out in a furious manner,
struck him a violent blow on the nose, and knocked him
down. A desperate struggle followed, and after some
time the prisoner was captured, and then the officer dis-
covered that he was the same person who had knocked
down the lady and gentleman i❑ Islington, and he then
concluded that the prisoner was a thief. The fight
between the two parties was of a serious description, and
the policeman's whistle was broken. The most curious
part of the whole affair was this. The stable belonged
to the prisoner, and he had a couple of horses there ;
and, from an able speech de!ivered by Mr Block, it
appeared that the prisoner had been to his stable to look
after his horses, awl having forgotten something there,
he went back, when the transaction took place. He
contended that the prisoner had been very badly used by
the officer, who, he said, beat his client most violently
about the head ; and, in proof of this be called a man
named Conway, and a girl named Mary Anne Daly,
who stated that they saw the officer with his hand
twisted in the hair of the prisoner's head, and he also
had him down with his knee on his stomach ; but, in
reply to Mr. Mansfield, the witnesses said they had not
seen the origin of the conflict, nor did they know what
it was about, but they heard the policeman saying, as
he thumped the prisoner, " You robber, I have you now,
and I'll pay you off." The bridewell keeper was exa-
mined, and said the prisoner was drunk. Mr. Bluck
strongly contended that the prisoner ought to be dis-
charged. Mr. Mansfield reviewed the case, and said,
under the circumstances, he would fine the prisoner 10s.
only. The fine was paid.
Liven Poor, versus CaSINAUGHT.—Sarah Holking, Mar-
garet Halls and Mary Carroll, were charged with having
assaulted and threatened to take the life of a young woman,
named Ellen Connor. Mr. Bluck defended the prisoner
Holking. This case was the result of a deadly feud that
existed for some time between the parties and their
respective backers. The prisoners were Liverpoolians,
and the complainant with her allies, were either from
Connaught, or, at least, the offspring of parents from that
famous province. All were denizens of Perry street, Park,
and from a mass of evidence given, it appeared that some
time ago a dispute arose between them about a boiling
tea pot, in which some of the prisoner's friends were
proceeded against by the complainant. This led to
very ill feeling, and it was much augmented when the
complainant appeared as a witness against one of the
prisoner's friends, who was charged and committed for
felony. The prisoners then threatened "to take the
precious life" of the complainant, and all her party, and
if the evidence for the prosecution could be credited, the
threat would have been carried into effect had not the
police prevented it. This was the history of the case,
and as usual Mr. Bluck made an able speech for his
client, contending that the evidence did not reach her.
The prisoner Halls made a long and violent speech
against the prosecutor and her pa►ty, in which she
poured forth some furious abuse against the Connaught
She proudly maintained that she was a native of
Liverpool, and therefore much better than the natives of
Connaught. Mr. Mansfield depreciated the conduct of
the parties, and said he would put down such disgraceful
scenes. Wad the prisoners been men, he would have
sent them for trial. As it was, he would inflict the
highest punishment the law allowed him in the case, and
he trusted it would prove a warning to others. He would
fine the prisoners £lO each, or, in default of payment,
six months' imprisonment with bard labour. This
sentence sorely astonished the prisoners.

ASSAULTINd AN ORGAN Boy.--A baker, named Edward
Lawson, was charged with.having assaulted a boy who
was playing an organ in Great Charlotte street. Police
officer 282 proved that he saw the prisoner beat the boy,
without any provocation. The prisoner alleged that he
gave the boy half a crown, instead of a halfpenny, but
this could have hardly been the case, as the lad was
searched, and only a few coppers found on him. The
prisoner was fined Ll for the assault.

BEFORE MESSRS, DIXON AND ANDERSON•

PUBLICANS' AND BEER HOUSE CASES.—Ed ward Bray,
beer house keeper, Paddington, was summoned for trading
at illegal hours. Case dismissed. John Gilbertson, beer
house keeper, Harding street, was summoned for a like
offence. Fined 5s and costs. William Cann, same
trade, Linden street, was summoned for Sunday trading.
Case dismissed. Henry Quaile, publican, Netherfield road,
fur doing business at illegal hours, and for allowing
drunkenness in his house. It was proved for the defence
that the parties found in the house were there on business.
Case dismissed. Edward Davis, beer house keeper, Price
street, was charged with Sunday trading. Fined 5s
and costs. Thomas Taylor, beer house keeper, Circus
street, was charged with trading at illegal hours. It was
proved for the dfence that the parties rlund in the house
were engaged electioneering. Dismissed. John 11. Wick-
ham, publican, Lime street, was charged with doing
business at illegal hours, and for allowing drunkenness
in the house. Mr. Snowball, for the defence, produced
several witnesses whose evidence went to negative the
testimony of the complaining officers, and also to show
that the parties found in the house were travellers. In
reply to the bench, Inspector Wilson said the defendant
was not sober at the time. Defendant : Why I am a
teetotaller. The magistrates said from the evidence the
house was a disorderly one, and inflicted a fine of £3 and
costs.

BIRKENHEAD.

BEFORE B. BRYANS. EVQ.

CAUTION TO SERVANTS.—James Henry Harrison, alias
James Henry Bedford, of respectable exterior, was
brought up by Police constable Egerton, charged with
b-gging in Clifton park. The constable stated, that
yesterday morning he saw the prisoner, and suspecting
that he was up to no good he kept watch, when he saw
him go up to a gentleman's house, and take a half sheet of
note paper from his pocket, upon which he wrote some-
thing, and then rang the bell, and upon the servantanswer-
ing it, he was about to hand the piece of paper to ber,
for the purpose of being taken to her master or
mistress, when the constable pounced upon him, upon
which the prisoner immediately tore it up. The constable
however managed to collect the pieces, and upon putting
them together, the following was found written on it:—
Respected friend, please to give me a mouthful of
victuals; I am out of situation.—James Henry Harri-
son." He was then brought to bridewell. The con-
stable stated that numerous complaints had been made of
fellows like the prisoner bringing notes to their houses,
telling the servant he would wait for an answer, and who,
no sooner is the girl's hick turned, than they walk into
the lobby and take whatever they can lay their hands
on. The prisoner, who could not give a good account
of himself, was sent to jail for twenty-one days with
hard labour as a vagrant. [Servants cannot be too
cautious when these fellows call, they should always shut
the door, leaving them on the outside. It was only the
other day that two fellows, of the prisoner's description,
went to the house of Mr. Shaw, a gentleman residing at
Parkfield, Birkenhead, and while one of them kept the
girl in conversation, about some frivolous enquiry, the
other managed to open the pantry window and abstraot
nearly £2O worih of silver plate, and got clear off with it.]

The Moniteur has a letter from Mauritius, stating that
the Government has conceded to an Anglo-French company
the mail packet service between the Mauritius and Aden.
Prince Albert, on Thursday, opened the St. Thomas'
Charterhonse Schools, in Golden-lane, a locality inhabited
by the very humblest classes. The Prince delivered a
speech, characterised by much good sense and Christian
feeling.
PERILOUS MERCHANDISE.—Three packages were received
at Southampton last week from France to be shipped on
board the Magdalena, which leaves the former place with
the 'West India mails. The ptlckages were declared by the
shippers to consist of woollen goods. Two of them were
shipped under other goods, but the other was by accident
separated from them. On Sunday this package caught
fire, and it was then found that all three of them consisted
of lueifcr matches. If this accident had not happened on
Sunday, it is not at all improbable that the ship might
have bet n set on fire at sea, and the tragedy of the Amazon
have been repeated.
The writer of the Times city article says—lt has
transpired that Russia has taken more active steps than
England to establish telegraphic communication with
India. According to private and reliable advices just
received she made a contract previously to the termination
of the late war, for a line from Nicolaieff via the Caspian
Sea to lspahan and Herat. It has since been in progress,
and although under the secrecy nforced in that country
no conjecture can be formed as to the probable period of
its completion. The contingency is not impossible of oar
finding before long that she is in regular receipt of news
from our possession weeks previously to its arrival in
London.

CLAUGHTON ANNUAL MEETING.

The annual meeting of the ratepayers of Claughton was held,
last evening, at the Claughton Hotel, and was numerously and
respectably attended. Mr. James Highton was called to the.
chair. The minutes of last meeting having been read, it was
Moved by the Rev. Charles A. Graham, and seconded by
Mr. Richard Stubbs, " That the following list of substantial
householders, of this township, be laid before the Magistrates
at the Birkenhead Petty Sessions, as fit and proper persons to
serve the office of overseers of the poor of this township, for
the year next ensuing, viz. :—Messrs. James Highton, John
H. Hind, Samuel Stitt, Thomas Robinson, Thomas Williams,
John Park, Henry B. Aspinall, and John C. Blyth.
It was moved by Mr. John Park, and seconded by Mr. G
V. Tanton, " That the following list of substantial householders,
of this township, be laid before the magistrates of Birkenhead
Petty Sessions, as fit and proper persons to serve the office of
assessors of assessed taxes for the year next ensiling, viz.:—
Messrs. William Scott, William Hind, Henry Curry, G. V.
Tanton, Thomas M. Blyth, Richard Stubbs, Samuel Rickman,
Benjamin Darbyshire."
It was moved by Mr. William Hind, and seconded by Mr.
Thomas M. Blyth. " That a Select Committee, consisting
of the overseers, and four of the ttatepayers, be appointed to
confer with the overseers of the poor of Birkenhead, and the
Commissioners of Birkenhead, for the purpose of more
accurately defining, and if practicable, straightening the
boundary line between Claughton and Birkenhead, and
having the same marked by stones, and that the following
gentlemen be appointed to act on the Committee. Rev. C
A. Graham, Mr. Thomas Davies, Mr. William', and Mr.
Samuel Stitt."

It was moved by the Rev. C. A. Graham, and seconded by
Mr. Thomas Williams, " That the best thanks of this meeti,y,
are due to the late overseer;, Mr. James Highton and Mr.
John H. Hind, for their valuable services in watching and
protecting the interest of the township."
A vote of thanks baying been passed to the chairman for
his able conduct, the meeting separated soon after nine o'clock.

LIVERPOOL PIIILOMATHIC SOCIETY.

The following is the address presented to William
Brown, Esq., M.P., a few days ago, by the members of this
Society : _ _

To William Brown, Esq.

Sir, We, the members of the Liverpool Philomathic Society,
feel ourselves called upon to express to you our sense
of the obligations under which you have placed the
great community of which we form a part, by undertaking
to erect at your own cost, and present to the town, a building
to be devoted to the purposes of a free public library and
museum.

We believe that we shall pay the most fitting tribute to the
motives by which you have been influenced, and to the delicacy
of your feelings, if we abstain from dwelling, at any length,
upon the liberality of the act itself. History supplies few, if
any, parallels to such munificence; and when we mentioa this
fact, we say that to which but little emphasis need, or can, be
added.

In an age which has been rarely equalled and never
surpassed, in the number, the variety, and the efficiency of its
agencies for the amelioration and the elevation of the condition
of the people, you have contributed signal aid to one of the most
important of those agencies—the work of education. In laying
the foundation of a system of intellectual culture and discipline
in the mist of a dense population, you will be instrumental in
imparting to many of your countrymen a duo perception of
their privileges and responsibilities, in instilling into them the
desire, and, at the same time, in bestowing upon them the
qualification, for the richest blessing of civil, and political, and
religious freedom.
Happily, too, whilst conferring advantages upon the Present,
the results of youtimunificence will stretch far out into the
Future ; and it is almost impossible to over estimate the
beneficent influence which, directly, and indirectly, your gift
to the town of Liverpool may exercise upon the happiness, the
interests, and the destinies of remote generations.
You have not been content to consecrate your name,
and your memory, by the deeds of a merely posthumous
liberality, and to give to the cause of charity or of religion
the wealth that you could no longer retain. That you
have not the less earned for yourself tLe affectionate and the
enduring recollections of posterity, wo are deeply convinced ;
and we will only add our sincere and fervent prayer, that you
may long be spared to enjoy the gratitude, the esteem, and the
respect of the living. Signed on behalf of the members.

•
JAMES tincll, President.
WILLIAM UNWIN, Vice President.
R. A. PAYNE, Treasurer.
JOHN M‘LAUGHLIN, Honorary Secretary.
Royal Institution, Liverpool, 25th Feb., 1857.

The address was most elegantly got up on vellum. Mr.
Brown's parliamentary duties requiring his presence in London,
the presentation of the address to him was kindly undertaken
by the two members for the Borough, Messrs. llorsfall and
Ewart. As already stated, the address was presented to Mr.
Brown a few days ago ; and a warm expression of his thanks
has been since received by the Society.

NEAPOLITAN PRISONERS.—Hitherto the custom at
Montesarchia has been for visitors to remain about ten
feet distant from the prisoners, with a iron grating
between them. Nicolo Nisco, in the month of Nov., I
am told, solicited permission to- embrace and kiss his
children. At first the privilege was refused, but within
the last fortnight it has been granted, and at the next
visit Madame Nisco and her children are to be permitted
the long wished-for favour. What must be the spirit of
that government which has required four months to
obtain a privilege such as this.—Letter in the Times.

THE MANOR. OAKS BURGLARY.—The trial of the three
prisoners, Dickenson, Gledall, and Marsden, was concluded
on Wednesday morning, before Mr. Baron Martin, at York,
when witnesses were called on behalf of Dickenson, to prove
an alibi, The jury found all the prisoners guilty. Mr.
Baron Martin, in passing sentence, remarked that the
prisoners had been found guilty of one of the most barbar-
ous burglaries he had ever heard proved before him ; and
if it had not been for the courage and bravery of his wife,
the prosecutor in all probability would have been murdered.
Judgment of death was recorded against the prisoners, who,
the judge said, would be transported for the term of their
natural lives. Dickenson declared he was innocent, and
Gledall hoped the judge would be convinced before long of
their innocence.

A LADY BURNED TO DEATH.—Wednesday forenoon, a
maiden lady, named Barraclough, residing with her father at
Heathfield place, Halifax, was burned to death in consequence
of her dress taking fire. Miss Barraclough has long been
subject to apoplectic fits, and it is supposed that, whilst alone,
sbe was seized with a fit, and fell into the fire, by which her
dress was ignited, and that she was burning for a long period
in a state of unconsciousness before any one became aware of
her dreadful situation. At length she partially recovered
from the effects of the fit, and without due consideration of the
consequences, rushed into the open air. She was speedily
enveloped in flames. A man, who was passing at the time,
pulled off his coat, and by wrapping it about the unfortunate
lady, after much trouble, smothered the flames, but she was
shockingly burnt on the face, hands, and various parts of her
body. She continued in great agony for three or four hours,
when death ensued.—Manchester Guardian.

EGYPTIAN ANTIQUITIES —I saw the other day at the Great
Temple at Karnac, a person, whom I afterwards discovered to
be a preacher from New York, hammering away with a pule at
the beautiful star spangled ceiling of the sanctum, endeavour-
ing to detach a " whole star," as he said. I remonstrated,
but in vain, for I afterwards saw him picking out a piece of the
stone which bears the effigy and oval of the King of Judah, by
which the victory of Shishak over Rehoboaru is recorded.
Then comes a legion of scribblers. In the grotto at Beni
Hassan, the walls of which are covered with pictures of scenes
in the daily life of the ancient Egyptians, among them of a
procession, believed to be by some the arrival of Joseph and
his Brethren, "J. B. Salter, Francis Abrahams, dragoman,
Nov. 1856," occupies something like four feet square, written
with a charred stick over the paintings, while on the ceiling, the
delicate colouring and chaste pattern of which any decorator of
the present day might advantageously copy, there is " W.
Stevenson, 1855," in letters nearly a foot long each, with the
smoke of a candle. Who these gentlemen are I have no idea,
but there are plenty of the same sort. I see at the Viceregal
Palace that your paper penetrates there, and you would confer
a benefit upon the whole civilised world, and upon Egypt in
particular, could you do anything that might lead to the
preservation of the most interesting monuments the world
contains.—Letter in the Times.

Rica MEN IN NEW YORK.—William B. Astor is our
richest man ; he inherited his wealth. Stephen Whitney,
5,000,000 doll., owes his fortune to speculations in cotton,
and the rise in real estate. W. H. Aspinwall, 4,000,000
dole , camp of a rich family, and gained vast increase of
wealth in the shipping business. James Lennox, 3,000,000
dole., which he inherited. The late Peter Harmony, 2.000,000
dais., came to this city as a cabin boy, and grew rich by
commerce. The Lorillards, 2,000,000 dole., came from
France poor; and made their huge fortunes in the tobacco
and snuff business. The late Anson G. Phelps, 2,000,000
dole, learned the trade of a tinner, and made a fortune in iron
and copper. Alexander T. Stewart, 2,000,000 dols-, now of
the dry goods palace, began business in a little fancy store.
Of those who are put down for 1,600,000 dole., George Law
began life 49 a farm labourer, C. Vanderbilt as a boatman,
.1. Lafarge as steward to Joseph Bonaparte. Of the million-
flakes, James Chesterman began life as a journeyman tailor,
and Peter Cooper as a glue maker. George Bancroft, Pro-
fessor Anthon, Tliormo M'Elrath, and Or. Francis are each
stated to possess 100,000 dots. Edwin Forrest is rated at a
quarter of a million ; so is S. E. Morse, of the Neu, York
Observer. Mr. Bennett has 150,000 dole, But perhapi the
most remarkable of all is that Mrs. Okill has made 250,000
dole. by keeping a school!—Charleston Courier.

EXPLOSION AT BIRKENHBAD.

Yesterday morning, about ten a.m, the inhabitants of
the township were much alarmed by a loud report issuing
from the:direction of the new graving docks. Upon enquiry
it was ascertained that it arose from the bursting of a
boiler used on the work of Messrs. Clover and Royle,
shipbuilders, of Baffin street, in this town, and who have
extensive premises on the other side of the Mersey, at
the new graving docks. The bursting of the boiler was
occasioned by the neglect of the boys who had the
care of the stove for drying timber, who, instead of
turning the tap to Lt the steam escape, turned it into
the boiler, which was the cause of the accident. A
number of boys and men have received some little injury
from the boiling water and steam, none of which are,
however, of a serious character.

ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS.

The explosion took place about half past ten o'clock,
and was of a most fearful character. Upon making further
enquiries at the scene of the disaster, we found that the
boiler which exploded was used for the purpose of stoving
timber, and was left in the care of two or three lads,
who were to see that it was supplied with water,
and the fire kept up. Whether that was properly
attended to we have not been able to ascertain,
but at the above hour it exploded, scalding a great number
of men and lads who were working near it, throwing down
part of a wail, and scattering timber in every direction,
even to a distance of 70 to 80 yards, and a portion of the
boiler was blown against the foreman's residence, making
a hole through the wall and breaking all the windows.
Immediately afterwards every exertion was made to rescue
and afford succour to the unfortunate sufferers, who were
extricated from the debris with the greatest possible
despatch, and the following were so severely scalded as to
he obliged to be taken to the Birkenhead Hospital, viz. :
ffenry Nixon, Henry Hodgson, William Birkenhead,
Alexander M'Roberts, William Venables, Thomas Ward,
George Ledsham, John Roscoe, and Henry Brace. As
they were being conveyed to the above establishment their
cries were most distressing. Dr. Baylis, Dr. Higgins, and
Dr. Stevenson (the honorary medical officer). and Mr. Mar-
shall (the house surgeon), promptly administered to their
necessities. It was found that Michael Donnelly, who was
at work about three hundred and fifty yards distant from
the scene of the explosion, was knocked down by a brick,
which struck him on the leg and caused a contusion ;
but after having his wound dressed he left the hospital.
The three lads, Henry Nixon, Henry Hodgson, and John
Rushton were also more or less injured about the head, but
were sent home after having their wounds dressed. The
most serious cases are those of Thomas Ward, who is very
dangerously scalded about the bead and chest; Henry Gray,
who is scalded about the face and neck ; and Alexander
M'Roberts, who is severely scalded over the head and chest.
The other men injured are William Venables, scalded about
the face; George Nelsen, face and both arms scalded ; and
John Roscoe, hands and face scalded, all of whom remain
in the hospital, where they will continue for a long period
before they are perfectly recovered from the injuries
sustained.

Inspector Castles and Police officer Fenna, Inspector
Gunning, and several of the men employed at the Wood-
side Ferry, as well as men from Messrs. Clover and Roy le's
yard, rendered every assistance in rescuing the injured men
from their perilous situation, after the explosion.

THE MAYNOOTH GRANT.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NORTHERN TIMES.

,Sir,—Lord Derby supports the grant to Maynooth, and
the fiercest denouncers of Maynooth in this town support
Lord Derby. What gross inconsistency. The majority
of our spiritual advisers in the Church of England tell us
from the pulpit that we should, if necessary, become
martyrs in defence of our Protestant principles, and yet
they themselves will not even sacrifice their political
prejudices. If the grant to Maynooth be, as these Liver-
pool clergymen assert, a national sin, they sin in support-
ing Lord Derby. If they desire, earnestly and sincerely,
a sound Protestant government they should use all their
influence to make Spooner the Premier, and Newdegate
Chancellor of the: Exchequer. How the Pope would
tremble at their appointments, Kentish fire would consume
him, the Papacy would be destroyed and buried, and the
Protestant Millenium would commence.

Many sincere English Protestants, including Churchmen
and Dissenters, regard the Irish church as the grossest
anomaly and the most monstrous injustice that was ever
forced upon an unwilling people. So long as this crying
evil remains for the benefit of a small sect is it fair or
generous to wish to withdraw the goverument pittance to
Maynooth, except on the principle that all religious
endowments are wrong, and ought to be abolished.—
Yours, &c., A LIBERAL PROTESTANT.
Liverpool, March 19th, 1857.

GUANO.-KOORIA MOORIA ISLANDS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NORTHERN TIMES.

Sir,—ln your paper of yesterday there is a paragraph,
communicated by a correspondent, respecting the lease we
hold of the above islands, so full of palpable errors, that
but for the erroneous impression it is calculated to convey
to the public, it would not be deemed by us worthy of a
moment's notice ; we are sure the admission of such
senseless trash is the result of an oversight.
The writer states that we have succeeded in obtaining
our lease, without being entitled to it by right of dis-
covery or otherwise.
True, Captain Ord did not discover the islands—they
have been long known; but he had discovered that there
was a deposit of guano on them, and in negotiating with
government, very properly declined naming the exact
locality until a distinct pledge was given to him
that he should be in some way remunerated
for his labour, and Government granted an exclusive
license to remove the guano for five years. Her Majesty's
ship Juno was then despatched to Kooria Mooria, with
Captain Ord, and his statements being confirmed, he
associated himself with us, and the matter progressed as
calmly as Government business usually does.
But this arrangement, for your correspondent's infor-
mation, was made by Sir James Graham when First Lord
of the Admiralty ; it was only perfected by Lord Palmer-
ston. His lordship, however, showed his sense of the
importance of increasing the supply of guano to the
agricultural interest, and immediately availed himself of a
modification of our lease, which we ourselves suggested,
namely,' to throw the trade open to all on payment of
a fair remuneration to us. The remuneration was fixed
at once, and met the prompt approtation of the leading
agriculturists and shipowners in the kingdom.
By so doing, a considerably greater supply will be
secured than if we had retained our licence in all its
exclusiveness; but we can assure your correspondent we
are not amongst the fortunate individuals who succeed in
obtaining profitable grants at public expense our arrange-
ments were completed only after considerable pecuniary
loss and expenditure of time and labour.

,We enclose for your guidance the terms agreed upon
between, the Shipowners' Association and us, the very
nature of which is a sufficient 'reply to the assertion that
we may combine with the Peruvian agents to maintain the
existing monopoly.
We shall be glad to see realised the Utopian vision
pictured by your correspondent of England becoming, by
means of an increased supply of guano, an exporter and
not an importer of grain. We fear the period is,far distant
when we shall produce sufficient for our consumption, and
a surplus for export.—Yours, &c.,
ORD, HINSON, & HAY4S.

Ilis Excellency Feruk Khan, attended by a numerous
retinue, arrived in town last evening from Dover.
Count Pair has received orders to quit his post if he
cannot obtain from the Turin Cabinet the satisfaction
demanded.

There have been terrible tempests throughout the East.
The Cressy and Majestic, men-of-war, had been compelled
to take refuge at Malta. In the last two days of calmer
weather 200 ships have arrived at Marseilles.;
EXTENSIVE AND MYSTERIOUS THEFT OF JEWELLERY.—
A. very daring and, for the present, mysterious burglary
has been committed in the premises of Mr. James Laing,
watchmaker and jeweller, situated at 53 and 55, Brunswick
Place. The particulars, so far as they have transpired,
are as follows :—Mr. Laing's premises are composed of
two shops, both communicating with each other, the one
occupied by two or three workmen, the other as the place
of business. The shop was closed up in the usual manner
on Monday night by Mr. Laing's brother, and the keys
carried to Mr. Laing's house. Two large Newfoundland
dogs were left on the premises ; one was chained to a
malleable iron safe, three feet square, placed in a closet at
the back of the shop, and the other occupied a sunk cellar.
The shop door was secured with two, strong looks and an
outside padlock. The robbery was discovered by one of
Mr. Laing's assistants, a lad about 17 years of age, who
opened the premises about nine o'clock. The shop door
locks were all found as they had been left on the preceding
evening, and not the slightest confusion was visible inside
the premises. Turning to the safe, which the lad was led
to examine from seeing a paper lying ou the top of it which
he thought should have been inside, he found one of the
two Chubbs' patent locks with whioll It was fitted open, the
other bolted. He at once opened the latter, when he found
that all the drawers of the safe, containing gold and silver
watches, chains, diamond rings, &c., &c., to the valve of
nearly e 2,000, had been rifled of their contents. The
police authorities were 'at o ce communicated with, and
the premises wero examined not only by them, but by
several practical mechanics and locksmiths, and to all of
them the robbery seemed a mystery. The shop door or
safe locks were not in the least degree scratched or
damaged, and admittance to the premises could only have
been obtained by the shop door, there being no back door.
The dogs were on the premises ; the OHO chained to the safe
appeared to look stupid, as if it had been dosed. Mr.
isaing had gone to Airdrie with an early morning train,
and knew nothing of the matter till he returned in the
afternoon. Between twenty and thirty of the most noto•
rious characters were apprehended during the day, and
Mr. Laing's workmen were subjected to a rigid examina-
tion, but no clue to the guilty party or the stolen property
has yet been obtained.—Glasgow Daily Mail.