The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-03-19 00:00:00

kT ANLEY VILLAGE FREE LECTURES.

Oa Trunday evening last, the usual weekly lecture was
delivered in St. Anne's school room, to a crowded and
attentive auditory. ne subject of the lecture was astronomy,
and the lecturer, Mr. of Stanley, in taking perhaps a
somewhat lengthened review of the principal facts revealed by
that sublime and beautiful science, vi,:` frequently greeted with
loud applause. The plan of the lecture appeared to be to
combine the popular with the scientific ; any although in
explaining his diagrams there was much that could under—
stood only by the geometrician, yet, on the whole, the ger7erst
scope of what was advanced was highly calculated to arrest.:
attention and impart instruction. In explaining the laws of
motion governing the heavenly bodies, Mr. Swan necessarily
had to introduce the names of the great and glorious men who by
their labours, studies, and indomitable perseverance, have raised
modern astronomical science to its present state of perfection.
The diagrams and illustrations exhibited, by means of the
Magic Lantern, at the close of the lecture, were of a very
beautiful character, embracing the principal bodies composing
the solar system, views of several of the northern constellations,
and, finally, a general aspect of the siderial heavens. These
various illustrations were highly appreciated by the audience,
who testified their pleasure by frequent expressions of appro..
tion. Mr. Swan has quite succeeded as a lecturer, and,
doubtless, should that gentlemen come forward, at a future.
time, to continue the subject, he will be listened to by as
attentive an assembly as the one present on the above occasion.
At the conclusion of the lecture the juvenile portion of the
audience were entertained by a few dissolving views of an
amusing character. A vote of thanks was accorded to Mr.
Swan, the Rev. T. Gartner occupying the chair. Next week
Dr. Nevins lectures on " Lions and Lambs."

ACTIVITY IN PORTSMOUTH DOCKYARD.--Artifieere are
employed from five in the morning until ten at night in
Portsmouth dockyard, to equip the gunboat squadron for
China fitting out at Portsmouth, and also the troopships
and frigates Transit, Assistance, Adventure, and Furious,
ELM THE COISDENITES PRoMULG kTE THEIR PECULIAR
Views.—The Tunbridge Wells Gazette gives prominence
to the following :—.4 We, yesterday, received an anonymous
leading article' on the Chinese question; which, from
its tone, unmistakeably appears to have hem written
under the inspiration of the Manchester Peace Association,
with the view of upholding Richard Cobden and his friends,
and, as a matter of eauree, in a spirit of declamative
opposition to the conduct of Lord Palmerston. Whatever
our own views, political and otherwise, may be, we think
we do right in promulgating those views undeniably at
our own—in fostering that fact in the minds of our
readers, and in placing our opinions on paper in IC
conscientious and untrammelled spirit. It is therefore
that we are decidedly unwilling to pawn our columns for
the purpose of aiding any party or faction, by publishing
ready made leading articles,' and sending them forth to
our readers as enunciations of our own."
IMPORTANT CASE.--In a case tried in Glasgow last week,
the Caledouian Railway Company were sued for a deficiency
on seven casks of whiskey while in their possession. The
quantity leaving the excise warehouse at Leith was proved,
and also the quantity on re-dip at Glasgow, showing the
deficiency sued for. The condition of the casks was also
proved to be good. The defence of the company was that
the casks were not full when received by them, and that it
was so stated on the receipt given them. The court,
however, held that the Railway Company were bound to
deliver the quantity of spirits they had received, whether
such casks were full or not when delivered to them. Under
this opinion, a verdict was given for the coat price of the•
deficient quantity, adding the duty: No account seems to,
have been taken of the possible contraction of the spirits•
from the atmosphere. The decision is a most important
one as regards railways and steam-packet companies, as, if
upheld, it clearly throws the liability of the loss in tranait
upon them, a very heavy item.
TREATING AT THE FORTHCOMING ELECTIONS.—The
lowing provisions in the new act on treating at elections
(17 and 18 Vic., c. 102, sec. 4) is of importance at the
present period, and for some time to come :—" Every cane
didate at an election who shall corruptly, by himself, or by
or with any person, or by any other ways and means oft hit
behalf, at any time, either before, during, or after any
election, directly or indirectly give or provide, or cause tobe given or provided, or shall be accessory to the giving or
providing. or shall pay, wholly or in part, any' expense.
incurred for any meat, drink, entertainment, or provision to,
or for any person in order to be elected, or for being elected,
or for the purpose of corruptly influencing such person, or
any other person, to give, or refrain from giving, his vote
at such elecion, or on account of such person having voted,
or refrained from voting, at such election, shall be deemed
guilty of the offence of treating, shall forfeit a sum of 450
to any person who shall sue for the same, with full costs of
suit; and every voter who shall corruptly accept or take
any such meat, drink, entertainment, or provision, shall be
incapable of voting at such election, and his vote, if given,
shall be utterly void and of non efftct."
APPREHENSION OF A DARING BURGLAR.-00 Monday;
Superintendent Robson, of the Darlington police, having
had information of a farmhouse having been broken into
and robbed, and the farmer's wife being much injured,
suspected a young fellow named Goldsborougb, and went
in pursuit of him, driving in a gig on the road towards
Bishop Auckland, while Sergeant Linn and Constable
Yodng proceeded inside the hedges, bordering the road.
Soon afterwards Linn shouted " Hold !" and Mr. Robson,
standing up in his gig, saw Goldeborough rise from the
hedge, lift a gun to his shoulder, and fire at Linn, who was
only five or six yards from him. Linn, on seeing hie
danger, throw himself down, and so escaped unhurt. Golds.
borough again raised the double barrelled gun to his
shoulder, and was about to fire a second time, when Linn
rushed up, seized him by the throat, and threw him down,
without the gun going off. Goldahorough being secured,
the second barrel was found loaded, and he had also tt
loaded pistol. The prisoner being brought before the
magistrates at Darlington, was remanded for q week, to
allow of the farmer's wife being sufficiently recovered to
give evidence.