Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-12-07 00:00:00

MANCHESTER TRADE REPORT.-DEC. 6.

During the last four .weeks producers have been
gradually extending their contracts, and the market has
consequently as gradually hardening in price. It is
firm to-day, at the highest point of the year, and per-
fectly steady, but the tone is more subdued than. Friday
last ; perhaps influenced by the more assured prospect
of an abundant supply of the raw material.

MANCHESTER SHARE MARKET.—DEc. G.
Londons, 971; Leeds, 99k, ; Dovers, 24Z, 5-16,
7-16, ; Sh,effields, 37a, 2.

HULL CORN MARKET.—DEC. 6.
Short -supply of wheat, which meets a bra sale at
last week's prices, and in some instances Is. per quarter
more is obtained. No alteration in other articles.

NEWCASTLE CORN MARSET.—DEC. 6.
A small supply of English wheat, and prices fully
Tuesday's rates. Fine qualities of south country in
good demand, and full prices paid. Foreign fully as
dear, and in fair request. Flour quiet, at Saturday's
prices. Barley sells slowly ; grinding qualities met a

THE DAY'S NEWS.

It appears from private information received
from the Spanish camp in Africa, that the suc-
cesses of the Spanish army have not been so great
as was at first stated ; but on the contrary that
the Moors have proved themselves more for-
midable antagonists than was at first expected.
There seems still to linger among them something
of that martial ardour and fire which distin-
guished them under the command of Soliman
the Magnificent. The Spanish army in its last
encounter with them has lost 805 killed and
wounded. The Moors appear to have fought
with great courage, although they have suffered
a greater numerical loss than their enemies.

We hope that the Mexicans will be taught a
lesson which will prevent them, upon any future
occasion, attacking the property of British sub-

jects. It appears by a despatch recently received
here, that a most wanton and unwarrantable
seizure was made of two English merchant ves-
sels by the brigand General Coronada. Her
Majesty's ship the Amethyst immediately de-
manded the restoration of • the captured ships,
which was as peremptorily refused ; upon which
the boats of her Majesty's ship received orders to
" cut the ships out of the harbour," and it is almost
unnecessary to say they accomplished it with that
promptitude and valour which ever characterise
the operations of British Blue Jackets. In the
attempt to d 9 this the citadel of San Bias opened
fire upon them, which was returned with fearful
vigour from the guns of the Amethyst. Certainly
for this attempted piratage our: Foreign-office
will require ample compensation.

If the Irish have beeri disposed to listen to the
suggestions of the Roman CathOlic party, viz., to
enlist 10,000 volunteers, and subscribe a -sum of
£lOO,OOO, to take the place of the " Swiss
Guard " for the protection of the Pope and the:
preservation of his power in the_Legatine States,
it is of no small importance that the well affected
portion of the Irish of the metropolis, or else-
where, should be encouraged in an oppdsite
directidn—to enrol themselves in considera-
tion of the possible invasion of this coun-
try. In this light it is satisfactory to observe
that the Marquis of Donegal, who presided
at the meeting held in the Freemasons' Tavern,
London, to effect such a purpose, announced
that the Premier had enlisted himself in that
Irish Volunteer Corps. The same noble lord
observed, that half a century ago Lord Palmerston
had joined a similar corps for a like purpose
against the expected invasion by the uncle of the
present Emperor of the French. .

The signs of activity in the Church of England,
which we have•from time to time taken occasion
to notice, are, we are happy to say, still rife
amongst us. The most gratifying feature of all
is when the clergy are not more zealous in the
defence of the Church's secular interest than in the
enlargement of her spiritual inflttence. The other
day, we had to report thel unanimous resolution
of the archdeacons of England and Wales, with
rare and trifling exceptions, in vindication of the
principle of Church-rates. This, our readers
of to-day's 'impression will perceive, has been
followed up by a united expression of opinion to
the like effect 'from the Episcopate of the same
countries; and an invitation to the clergy and
laity generally to more active and formal co-
operation. The London papers of yesterday
have given considerable space to the re-
port of a meeting of clergy and laity in
the East of London, which was the first
of a series which Bishop Tait purposes to hold
in the various rural-deaneries of his diocese.
The main object of this gathering was to excite
the laity- to. take a more defined part in the
prosecution of those good works, and those
special agencies, which can alone compensate for
the deficiences of the parochial system. The
bishop well observed how great is the debt of
gratitude due from this generation to its early
forefathers for the parochial system; and how
. .
perfect the ideal of that system is. It is the
more incumbent upon 'them to supply those
deficiences which the vast, increase in the popu-
lation of our towns has occasioned, and which are
due to our degenerate laxity. We cannot but
think that this move .in the metropolis presents
an example to other dioceses and other bishops.

The winter Assizes which have just been open..
ed in Yorksbire and Staffordshire—two of our

most populous manufacturing localities—present a
lamentable picture of the moral and social condi-
tion of the people. The sources of crime are yet
ascribed by the judges to that unfortunate addit-
-Con to intoxicating drinks, the consumption of
which, instead of bein g diminished, appears to spread
wider and wider. Such constant and accumulated
testimony, coming from persons so capable, by
experience and maturity of reflection, of forming
a correct opinion, -certainly does not hold out any
advantage as likely to arise by relieving the
lower classes from the taxes on such commodi-
ties, which, as it is, scarcely act as a
drawback to indulgence in this vicious habit,
leading so frequently, as it does, to poverty and
crime. It would be no boon to such persons that
the plausible recommendations of the Financial
Reform Association, to substitute direct for
indirect taxation, should be carried into effect, so
that those poisons could be obtained at a cheaper
rate.

The Yinzes of yesterday passes some very
stringent and satirical remarks upon the letter
which has been addressed to the Emperor of the
French by four merchants—one of whom we
learn is a clerk in a general broker's office—of
this town: The absurdity of such an appeal to
the Emperor of the French, considering the very
excited feelings of this country, is most apparent.
Whatever may be the intentions of the Emperor
with regard to any ultimate operations against
England, it was highly improbable that he
would reveal any of them to applicants in the
position to which these gentlemen belong. The
folly of such an expectation is only equalled by
the mission which.was undertaken by the peace
party to St.. Petersburgh previous to the out-
break of the Crimean war ; neither the one nor
the other could be likely to influence the deter-
mination of the Czar of Russia or the Emperor
of France.

At the monthly meeting of the Birkenhead
Commissioners, held yesterday, several matters of
general as well as local interest were brought
under consideration. Conspicuous—indeed, pre-
eminent—among these, was the suggestion so
judiciously and tellingly thrown out Ity Mr.
John Laird, the chairman of the beard, as to the
eligibility of Wallasey Pool, and its immediate
vicinity, for a national arsenal and dockyard. The
principal points of advantage to be obtained from
the adoption of this suggestion were so well brought
out in the admirable letter of Mr. Laird, to which
we some time ago gave currency, as to leave little
or nothing to add to that masterly demonstration.
A similar opinion appears to have prevailed at the
Board yesterday, for the letter was recognised as
a basis on which the commissioners ought to
memorialise the Mersey Docks and Harbour
Board, soliciting their assistance, and also to re-
quest the aid of the parliamentary representatives
of Cheshire, together with that of the Corporation
of Liverpool, and all the other local interests. A

resolution to this effect was, it will be seen by our
report, adopted by the meeting.
By the arrival of the Montreal Ocean Steam_
ship Company's steamer Hungarian, from Port-
land, we have intelligence from Montreal to the
26th ultimo, and from New York to the 25th,
and by telegraph to the 26th. The general news
by this arrival is not important. The report of
the melancholy loss of the Indian is confirmed,
and from the very meagre details, as yet furnished
it appears that more lives have been lost than
was at first stated. The exact number, however,
was not known. Six of the officers, and fifty of
the crew of the Indian were brought to Liverpool
by the Hungarian.

AMONG the sciences which have progressed the
most notably amongst us of late years, above all
question the science of " palaver " has reache d
the highest point of perfection. The circum-
stances—Of the day, indeed, are especially favour-
able for its culture and development. It is pre-
cisely among shallow, ready men—the men who
"run and read," who take passing draughts at
the Pierian Spring and straightway rush off to
deluge the forum and the senate—that this
science is the most -successfully cultivated and
assumes its most pretentious appearance. As
may be expected from the universal spread of
information, it is the characteristic of the age

that. what knowledge, gains in the extent of its
diffusion it loses in depth. It spreads over a
wide surface, and is seen in many places ; but it
strikes but a shallow root except in few.
Now we are not by any means going to depre-
cate this wide extent of superficial information.
With a modest and teachable spirit it is, doubt-
less, a sensible benefit to mankind. But we are
no less convinced that with arrogance and self-'
sufficiency, it is one of the most pernicious off-
shoots from our national character. It is a mis-
fortune, with little compensation, that a confident
and ready ignorance Can always lord it in the
ordinary walks of our public, life, and achieve a
decided supremacy over the, ordinary but predo-
minant mind of the day. When we reflect into
whose hands power is tending, and what claims are
the:most listened to among those classes who, ac-
cording to some prognostications, are to be in future
the governing instead,of the governed, we might,
perhaps, take anything but a cheerful prospect
of the future of this country. The great danger
is Jest " political mediocrity" should in the next
age rule the fortunes of the English nation.

What have we seen within the last week, in
this emporium of commerce and sharp rude
common sense ? We have seen a portion of its
business men, some few of its merchants, and a'
large number of its tradesmen, affect to bow'
down before the crude and shallow theories of
confident ignorance in the pers®n of Mr. BRIGHT.
Mr. BRIGHT may be taken as a favourable and
select specimen of the leader of what some say is