The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-01-01 00:00:00

SUGAR.

On referring to the market for this article during the
past year, 1856, we find that it opened after the failure of
a wild speculation in the autumn of 1855, when prices
were driven up fully 20s above the current value of the
article, which of course checked homo consumption and
brought importations from all parts of the world, as our
prices were 10 to 20 per cent. above all European
markets. The downward tendency of prices lasted
till the end of February, when a decline of 20s. to
255. was established upon the highest speculative point,
and as customary in violent reactions prices were then
below the prices of 1854 (at the same period). The tide
then turned, the trade bought freely, and speculators
became constant operators, watching the fluctuation of
the market, and prices gradually advanced, so that we
find them at the close of the year to be 15s higher than at
the close of 1854, which we take to be proper comparison,
so at the close of 1855 prices were nearly nominal. The
importations in the year 1856 show an excess of about
16,000 tons, compared with 1855. The deliveries for home
consumption will show a decrease of about 22,000 tons,
while the increase in the deliveries for exportation will be
about 38,000 tons. The stock at the close of this year will
be slightly in excess of the year 1855.

COUNTY COURT.

BEFORE dOSEPR POLLOCK, ESQ JUDGE.

M'CAFFREY V. BURNS.—The plaintiff in this case
sought to recover £6 15s from William Burns, a board-
ing-house keeper. The plaintiff does business in
discounting seamen's advance notes, among other
matters. The defendant came to him with two seamen's
advance notes, which he wished plaintiff to discount for
the sailors, who were to embark in the ship Tretwittn-
tain, for Calcutta. The plaintiff declined to have
anything to do with the seamen or their notes, but
consented to advance the money to the defendant
himself. This was agreed to, and plaintiff received from
defendant an 1.0. U. for the atnonnt. Defendant took
the notes and handed them to the plaintiff, giving the
money to the sailors. When the notes were presented
for payment, they were refused, on the ground that the
seamen had not sailed in the ship. The present action
was accordingly brought on the 1.0. U. Mr. Hime,
who appeared for the defendant, contended that his
client ha ving received no beneficial consideration for
tha 1.0. U., was therefore not liable in law. His Honour
said, the plaintiff had refused to have anything to do
with the seamen or their notes, but had given the money
to defendant upon his 1.0. U. The defendant: was, of
course, at liberty to do what he pleased with that
money, and, therefore, the plaintiff was clearly entitled
to recover. Mr. Hime then applied for time to be
allowed the defendant, on the ground that the case was
a hard one, as the plaintiff had obtained a posit ye profit
on the transaction, whereas the defendant received no
value whatever, and could only at some distant period
receive back the money he had paid away. His Honour
said, it was a transaction of the ordinary kind between
boarding-house keeper and discounter, between, whom
it would appear that sailors were to have accommodation
to the amount of about half what they paid for, while
the boarding-house keeper and the discounter divided
the diffirenee. The larger share of the profit fell
sometimes to the one and sometimes to the other, and
the only certainty in the transaction appeared to be that
the sailor should lose se much. His Honour ordered the
sum to be paid in two monthly instalments.
BUSIIVESS OF TILE PAST YEAR.—During the past year
15,600 cases were disposed of by the court, 199 days'
sittings took place.

M. Ziegler, historical painter, has just expired in Paris,
Amongst other works, the deceased painted the altarpiece of
the Madeleine.

THE BOROUGH OF NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT.—It is
stated on reliable authority, that immediately upon the
re-assembling of Parliament, on the 3rd of February next, a
new writ will be issued for the election of a member for the
borough of Newport, Isle of Wight, to serve in the place
of our highly esteemed representative, Mr: William Biggs,
who is prepared to resign his seat in the House of Commons
as early as the necessary matters can be arranged for that
purpose.

SERIOUS FIRE AT SHEFFIELD. —AbOll t seven o'clock on
Monday night, a fire was discovered on the premises of Mr.
Turnell, cabinet maker, Pinstone-street, Sheffield. It broke
out in the workshops, and, as a great quantity of dry timber
was stored in the adjoining yard, it spread with great
rapidity, and soon assumed an alarming aspect. In spite of
the praiswortby efforts of the fire brigades, the conflagration
was not extinguished until the contents of the shops and
yard were almost entirely destroyed. The total damage
will probably approach £2,000. While the fire was at its
height, the inhabitants living close by were seized with a
panic, and the furniture was thrown out of the windows in a
most reckless way. Many of the poor creatures are left in
a distressing state. Mr. Turnell is insured, but only to the
extent of about £3OO.
THE UNITED ASSOCIATION OF SCII(,OLMASTERS OF
GREAT BRITAIN.—On Tuesday, upon the assembling of the
members of this association in the House of the Society of
Arts, Adelphi, London, the Rev. G. R. Gleig, M.A ,
Chaplain General to the Forces, and Inspector General of
Military Schools, delivered a lecture on " The Influence of
the Teacher in Promoting Civilisation." The lecturer
remarked that the schoolmaster was neither the cause nor
the effect of civilisation on human society, but he com-
bined both characters in his own person. Where he
existed, there civilization, more or less, existed also. Wher-
ever you found him not, no progress wha ever had been
made towards social refinement. He proceeded to show
the influence of the teacher in promoting civilization, and
urged them to work zealously in the good cause which
they had taken in hand. It was satisfactory to know th t
gre!it progress bad been made in education, but much re-
mained to ,be done. He hoped to see the day arrive when
parents, even the poorest, would consider no money was so
well laid out as that which they expended in the education
of their children, and when the Government would take
the sul ject heartily in hand. Mr. W. M'Leod then deli-
vered a lecture on
" The Teaching of Physiology in
Schools, alter Which a discussion took place on the topics.
of the address. At the evening sitting, in the absence of
Mr. Tate, the president from illness, Mr. Buckmaster delivered
a lecture on "the use of Philosophical Apparatus in
Schools," with exerimental illustrations, and at the conclu-
sion explained several points upon which information was
required. Votes of thanks brought the session to a close,