Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-12-24 00:00:00

B IPKE NHRAD.

The preparations here indicate that Christmas has
come again, with all its gaieties and cheerful associations.
This year--notwnstanding the straightened " ways and
means" of many of the inhabitants, occasioned by late
commerclat disasters—is not a whit behind any of its
predecesors in the provision made for giving Old
Christmas a hearty greeting. Butchers have ransacked
all parts of the kitutdorn for the primeet specimens of
beef and muttori awl their'stalls in the market are cone
pletely crammed' with monster heifrrs, bullocks, sheep,
and pigs. The' groaers, too, are in their glory, and their
' shop windows display piles of " good things." In addition
to the usual dinneT parties, treats to workmen, &c., we
hear that the festive season is to be marked by a reunion
of ail the officials cewtected with the several public bodies
and companies in the town4iip, the object being to culti-
vate-and maintain a friendly feeling amongst each, other,
The idea is a good one, and no doubt there will be a large
gathering. Success to it.
The chief attraction in Birkenhead, at Christmas, is
the large and beautiful market, which was last evening
illuminated,, and exhibited a number of very pretty
device& in gas, which have been put up by the Birkenhead
Gas Company'. Of 'these devices there are: eight, le the
form of arches, which are erected in the centre avenulat
a moderMe distance from each other. The next device is

the motto, in large characters, "Faith, llope, and
Charity,''' with laurel leaves on. each side 4 surmounted by
a crown. The other devices are, "Contentment is bettt
than' riches," " Live and let 'Hier " P. A. " and a large
star In the rentre. " God save the Qienn,' and" Be honest
and truthful." The whole of these devices eini, a flood of
light, and with the fountain 3 playing in the centre, a
beautiful effect is produced. A few deviee3 are also
exhibited by the occupiers of sorneof the stalls. . ,

All the stalls contain a prodigious quantity of prime
meat, and it is almost difficult to say which of, the
‘f nights of the steel and the Cleaver" has been the h.iiTest
caterer for.the public, or has exhibited the best j-aclgoant
iu the selection of the stock which he Ofk?rs for sale to his
customers. Mr. E. Full ird exhibits a splendid Durham
ox; which won a prize at Birmingham,-three fine Hereford,
heifers, a Short-horn heifer, a number of prime fOur.year
old Soithdowns, some fine Scoteh sheep, two (ore
from Australia, and the otivm from the East Indies), which
attract much attention, a monster pig, several other fii.e
pigs, and six pigs, each weighing about 13 or 14 score. At

the stall of Mr. Hilton may bo seen two splendid short
horn heifers and two prime short-horn bullocks, andi 16
fine shecp, fed by Mr• S. G trnett, of Arch Hall, comity'
Meath. Mr •W. Heatheock exhibits two Hereford heifers,
two. Hereford bullocks, and a number of sheep, all of fine
quality. Mr. Joseph Heathcock has provided for his
-customers a very find Hereford beast,: three- IriSh beaSts
and a large nutriber of Irish sheep. 'Mr.W. KtrAtlS 56.11
contains five short-born, beasls and a number of prime
sheep. Mr. Doyle exhibits four very prime Irish heifers
and a nu•nber. of Irish sheep.• The other butchers Who
have also liberally catered for the public in the market
are Messrs: Greenwood, Lloyd, Joseph Edge,
Davis, Strongitharm, Burns, Walters, and James Edge.
The lovers of pork can have their wants supplied at the
stall of Mr. J• Matthews, who exhibits upwards of thirty
fine pigs, one of which weighs upwards of thirty score,
and was bred and fed by Mr. Jones, of the Stanley Arms,
Easthatn. Mr. W. Teem also has a number of very large
and prime pigs at his stall : one of them, bred and fed by
Mr. George Whittle, of Gayton, Cheshire, weighs u p wards
of forty scorn,

The poulterers in the market are Mr. C Wynne and
Mr. J. Lloyd, whose stalls, inside and outside, exhibit an
immense number of geese, turkeys, fowls, rabbits, hares,'
&c , all best quality. • •
The greengrocers range on each side of the central
avenue, and cut a great figure amidst their piles of fruit
which are very tastefully and temptingly arranged. The
dealers are Messrs. G. Sadlow, W. Maddocks, J
Wniieuibily. W. Taylor. G NV: C;;lhwilr. Ana P
Callen. The stalls of M .ssrs. •R. Teece. IL Kaight, 11.
Roberts, and J. Leech, provision dealers, have laid in an
extra stock to meet the demands of their customers.
TUB' OWN GENERALLY

Looks ♦ery gay—rather more so than usual at this season,
and the decorations in shops, public houses, &c , are
extensive in the evergreen line. Whole woeds of holly,
and ivy, and laurel, and mistletoe, and every other "green
thing," with artificial flowers to no end, are up" and,
we may add, " stirring ;" and all faces seem to smile as

the corrpninents of the season' are showered good
naturediy from one to another. In wishing the same to
all mankind, we must not forget, in the exubrance of the
blesaings bestowed on us,

THE POOR, '
For, alas there are hundreds—Yr,: fear thousands—who
may not have the means of making their he firths happy at
Christmas. We know the fine benevolent feeling of ourtowns-
people—their sympathies or purses:were:never appealed to
in vain. We know there.are many who, at this season,
only require a channel to pour out the balm of consolation
to those who need it—if there be thousands of poor, there
are also thousands of good Samaritans. Yet such may
not come the way where the poor sufferer lieth. The
clergy of all c'asses know where the needy are to be found,
and we would respectfully suggest that the ministers of
religion are tho proper sources through which charity may
be dispensed to such as require assistance.'' The rich can
enjoy themselves with all that wealth can bestow, but will
not consolation be added to the enjoyment, and will not a
tenfold blessing fall on the cheerful giver, who contributes
to tho wants of others, as well as satisfying his own ? We
have no more to ad,!, but the good old hearty salutation'
which, with all sincerity, we greet our friends, and if we
have any enemies—which we trust we have not—we wish,
one and al!,
A HAPPY catuz.rtilas AND NEW YEAR.

"A Merry Christmas and a Happy Now Yuir !" 01 the
C.)ntinent the great day of the year is New Yea:';
when there is one continued exchange of embraces. Fair
maiden, kiss on each cheek, and bearded men follow the
same fashion ; but with us, the warm shake of the hand
and the hea,ty °id English greeting conve:„ at bast to our
minds, more of real cordiality and warm-heartedness than
this demonstration. The fi stive season of Christm,s brings
with it other r however, than visions of rol,:t
beef, plum puddings, twelfth cakes, and rejoicit,g3 ; the
past bars to ba scanned over,
,and the future has to be
lo( Iced to. On the present occ:ion the past year cannot
be re arded generally with an 3 thing like satisfaction, for,
with one or two exceptions, the last twelve months bare
been perhaps among t'ae nr.st disastrous that this counry
has ever witt

Last Christmas the ricture wan apparently as b ight as
could be wikhed. We had just tome triumphantly out of a
greet war, in which we hod had serious reverse;, and
incurred enormous expenses. All these had, heivever, been
verc me ; just tribute had been paid to the memory of
those who had fallen in their country's service; the sur-
viving h^roes had been
.more or less fitly rewarded ;• the
heavy debt incurred had been lig lated ; and the war
taxation was about to he removed.' Trade, too, wes in a
most flourishing condition ; in fret, there was employment
for all. The WorthaoceS were comparati* ly empty, and
her Mejesty was enabled to open her Parliament with a
sve2ch of general congratulation. Rot soon all this was
changed. fi;re many months had elapsed rumours become
rife that there w s a storm brewing, in our Asiatic
'dominions. The Eastlodia Company could not or model
not credit that the troops which they had raised; fostered,
anti petted for a century, cool I turn out treitore. The
authors, of these reports were condemned and scouted 'es
pusillaTimens, rig farners. Io their opinion the Governor-
0-116ral Of India fully. cinceded, and re-assuring deTatches
'were sent to the' Government:who, in their turn, felt,
justified in calming the aPp7ehensiont of Parliament. . At"
length came.vcconnts of die' ff.alon in one or two regi-
ments ; bat those were attributed to lii3al causes. No one.
-would believe that a storm was impending, only too soon to
btirst out with tremendous for;. Then fell° wed the
ou!break at Meerut, the mureer of the European efficors,
the-niansee.re at Delhi, the slaughter at Cawnpore, and the
universal revo't of the Ben;al army. Never were the
energies ^nd resoarces of this country more severely taxed,
and never did the country more readily respond to the
apnea' male to it--throughout the land there was but one
feeling, but' one mind. Everybody was ready and willing
to lend a helping hani' to relieve the sufferers, and to
supply the lneaus.to overome and Oastisq tho mutluters.

DECEVIBER 24.

1857.

In an-ifictediblisl!oftlime one of the largest ntmiei th.rt
ever•lefr. these allures -weft despatched -for Tall, • aid
although they did not arrive in time to take part in tho
glorious victories which have rendered the proWeis of out
countrymen more rennwnej even- thin before, they will
. atilt be in sugleient limn to -i, fret eoncig ). punishment on
the revolted hordesoso deeply stained with 'he filo d'of our.
countrymen and cittutywomcn. Thus, th-n, although We
may. jeetly pride ourselves on the renown whjey li4s
attended Our armies, yet the Indian revolt Cat.ii ,t hut be-
regarded in every Aense of th word as most disastrous.
~.I}tatibis is not; the whole of !be nisfor'nn.,s of theyear.
Tri the early antnnan eeconnts of a threatening charactet
arrived CrpmAtutrice, pn-1, befoie the E-..glish pahlio e
prepare for_iiich a to.Foalt, a cot menial 0;1910 place in
that coul•try,sech as had, oever before heenwi nessed. Its
effects, from the intimate ri-eions lintwhen The two coon.
tries, s, ere not long ir. being fdt, and • a finaticial ,crisis
ensueB *641W-beg cot-been f rpaaed 0103- -1825. • Firms of
the highest .sending and reepectability wets! 'obliged to
succumb cue after -another ; balk tiller Valle was corn.
pelted to close i's-deors; and nothing but the „prompt
Vehiskin of the Giverennent saved the connt:y tram a
state of -financial-ruin. conseqaetes have nett/rally
been most distressing. Trade is at a stand-sill; cern-
merciat onnfidetee has been shaken to its very- centre ;
and thcusands- upon -thetisands of the working elaitses.
hatv'S 'been thrown out of employmeat. Such is the
gloomy-side of the record of thy past year. Nov for the
few liti2Vet points.
'During the pest twelvs months the health of the people
has Urea wonderfully gold ; in tact, for many yeas the
mortality h.:s not been so hell-. We hive b 'el favoured
with filo wsetberrand e most bountiful harvest has been
gathered. The prices of the necessaries .of li a have
generally fa:len •full thirty per cent;. and, although the
state of trade has produced much disaster. our poor suffer-
ing countrymen have borne it most manfully.
And now one glance to the picture wAch appears to be
one of great pr. mise and hope. The rebellion in India
may he, corpitiercct as crushed ; inasmuch as although
there may:44M lie much bloodshed, the goal issue cannot
he doubted for an instant., -71 e bloody part will perhaps
he thin:leans of-opmin*. ft trlot?-,icla of presnerhy in our
Eastern dominions, lon4 desired, but:Whirl) oliTy for past
events, years, perhaps •eenturlts, would hava elapsed before
it arose. Mireorer,.the financial crisis may be considerad
as at an end; the new year, in all probability, will biag
path it returning confidence, said trade , will be carried on
upon a surerhesis.,.isacaasc men. will. act with, mon pm-
dence.and elution. Oar relaions with foreizn states ere in
..a most datistactory condition 0,111 under the. sweti
ofaaord Pitlmers-evr England holds her proper position on
.the.ffontitient... , No . goVeronlent. now dares- to insult or
,diot:ate to England.- .illuramo has seen that thmigh not a
miliOiry,nation, yet where elnergences aris;, -she is quite
equal to every centiugenor. The faug ire, therefore, is thes
.„fm.llpqappe, and we feel we are justifiel. cotwithstandireg
pa-se3, in vOsitimr-t;a ell n Al Merry Clicistwasi._
a;4l v New Year."—Weceeb.

PI)3L-10. ri USF,VENTS