Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-07-04 00:00:00

of the chief. articles of food

The last return

taken for home consumption, show a very

great

improvement in some of the most important things—

more especially of tea, cocoa, currants, eggs, and

Concurrently with this marked improveinent in
trade, it were equally satisfactory in finance. The

return of the quarter's revenue shows a general in-
crease of about £200,000 in the period, notwitk-

standing the, loss arising from the fall in the rate of
income tax fiom 7d. to sd. There is an increase in
the receipts of the customs, the excise, the post-
office, and the land and assessed taxes. The entire
increase in the above heads of revenue are about
£7so,ooo—against which there is a falling off of
about £120;000 on stamps, and about £420,7000 on
income-tax ; leaving a nett increase on the whole
account for the quarter of rather more than
£200;000. The returns for the whole year show
quite as good results, similar allowances being made.
For instance, while on income-tax there is a loss of
upwards of £4,000,000, owing to the collection for
the year being at an average of 6d instead of 10d,
in consequence.of the variations in the rate, in every
other branch of revenue the year's account yields
increased receipts, which reduce the nett loss on the
year to about £1,200,000, thus making up about
£2,800,000 of the loss sustained by the reduction of
the income tax.

Take it altogether, then, this is a very satisfactory
state of things, under which the Ministry enters upon
its official career. Let us hope our new and cer-
tainly talented Administration will be able to keep
up so great an improvement in the state of the
country.

TILE- COU_RT

His Royal Highness the Prince Consort, accompanied .by
the Prince of Wales, left Buckingham Palace at three
o'clock on Friday afternoon, travelled to Windsor by the
South-Western Railway, and distributed the prizes in the
Home Park at the annual meeting of the Windsor Royal
Association, of which his Royal Highness is president.
Her Majesty the Queen, accompanied by the Princess
Alice, left-Backingham' Palace at four o'clock, travelled by
a special train on the Great Western Railway to Windsor,
and proceeded to visit her Royal Highness the Duchess of
Kent, at Frogmore.
The Queen and Prince Consort returned to Buckingham
Palace at ten minutes past seven o'clock, accompanied by
the Prince of Wales and the Princess Alice.
The Prince of Wales visited the Water Colour Exhibition
in Pall Mall on Friday morning.

The Princess Beatrice took a-carriage drive.
The Duke of Oporto went to Grenhithe, and returned to
Buckingham Palace in the afternoon.
The Queen had a dinner party in the evening.
A•concert took place in the evening.

FASHIONS FOR JULY.—For ladies' dresses the double skirt
will not be so much in vogue for the month of July, in
consequence of the change of mode just beginning, which
only permits of a grear width to the lower part of the
dress, thereby diminishing the proportions of the upper.
Perhaps this modification may already be looked upon as a
sort of invasion of the right of the long-triumphant crinoline.
Flounces are preferred, but they are not carried beyond
the knees. There is not much variety in the form of the
sleeve. The flat sleeve is too warm in summer, and the
pagoda sleeve is certainly that which will be the most
generally worn. As for stuffs, we may principally indicate
bareges, muslins, light silks, and gauses de Chambery.
The form of the bonnet has not undergone any change
since our last ; straws and tuse_ans' of course, predominate—
the latter, ornamented with cocks' or • ostrich feathers, or
with a few large flowers of delicate shades, mixed with
black lace, having a charming effect. We have also seen a
very pretty bonnet of rice chip, ornamented with bands of
plaid silk ribbon and narrow black ruching, and with blue
flowers or poppies ; underneath a ruching of black tulle
over the forehead, with small poppies and plaid strings.
Hats i la Diana Vernon, with white cock-feathers' will be
still fashionable for a sojourn in the country or for ladies en
voyage. While on the subject of travelling we' may,
perhaps, be permitted to add, for the advantage of such of
our lady readers as study economy, that dresses with gimp,
and other trimmings are still ala mode. These trimmings

refresh and renew all articles of dress, and. it is sometimes
impossible to recognise a robe that has been renovated by
these means, and which is quite suitable for the solitude of
the country or for travelling.—lllustrated London News.