The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-02-17 00:00:00

OVERLAND MAIL.

We are in possession of advices from Bombay
to 16th; Calcutta, Jan. Bth; and Hong Kong,
to Dec. 30th. We proceed to
give a synopsis of
le most important intelligence by this arrival.

INDIA.
eteattere and transports were daily returning to
II no,
as,-"Y from the Gulf for the embarkation of
th
‘resh troop
I s and stores. A correspondent with
force informs the Pombdy Times that the
-11,' e
*)Ps are entrenched in an enoampmeut
ti Mile and a half from- the Fort
"L •
idoUtushire in the neighbourhood of the
Well, two
regiments only being quartered ,
to , the town, Up to the date of last advices
nothing of importande had Occurred, but .a force of
12yo00 to 15,000 Persians was said to be in the
Ileiglabourhood, and contemplating an attack anon
"r The health of the troops is
81tisiftet°rY, the men who were e.`„ first affected
the brackish water having completely recovered
cullell the discovery of a sweeter supply. The
the is said to be very severe at night, the
tii4.rtn, °meter falling as low als ;40 deg., while in
;naY the beat is Moderate, the range never
e Xebeding 80 deg.. The troops appear to be suf-
jfring considerable hardship, however, at present
i?onl the Camp being two miles distant from the
a• rei and all supplies having to be brought that
sectlig' that by the men, through a loose sandy soil
an of Scinde: Provisions are very dear, but .
L'4rovenlent, it was thought, vas beginning to
elate f .
eat itself by an increase in the number of
ttliallive dealers. The fact, however, is established
and
We are not looked upon as deliverers in Persia,
• rtalftet the people as yet are not reconciled to
r ▪
advices of the 24th D3O. say :—The
er, enehes on the land face of thedattp, Which were
-u.'slenced about the fatter end of last week, are
awls. LAJeo e_
~.plete, WaAing parties of fourteen men
"itnpany being sent daily to perform tasks ap-
,,''nted byengineer officers, and for which they
to'Pt° reCeive the usual government allowance The
kea feel a pleasure in working during these cold
6rniags, and as the line chosen is not interrupted
feY hard soil or stone, the job has progressed as
:ilrourable as the most sanguine engineer could
'll' An attack on our outlying pickets was
Ported this morning, and strange rumonrs of a
ha reran night attack are gaining ground. We
is v‘e no fear of surprise, as our chain of sentries
hi. "eed on well selected ground, and better
0.„." could scarcely have been sent on an expedition
re 7 fleet of transports is decreasing daily by the
Urn to Bombay of the merchantmen. Provisions
• not so plentifully brought in as it was supposed
007 wonld be, and the Political Agent has been
Ilt'Ned to issue a proclamation threatening confis-
o?a of all boats employed in e2porting edibles.
sittlact, it is evident, say wJeat they will, the Per-
ez ns are ot reconcwill show.iled. 'to our rule so soon as was
Pected— nyet tineP,
At el- CHINA.
ti)th -enton the foreign fact )ties have been burnt
en
:le ground The fire commenced about 11 p.m.
lee:l4° 1-4th i nst and, although every effort was
ale to arrest the flames, it proved utterly useless,
tio,, all the houses were destroyed, with one excep
lt „,-' wnieh has since been gutted by the Chinese.
(~as the result of a well planned and executed
oo",elne on the part of the Chinese. The fire broke
4'4 eimultaneously at different points, and was
thred by combustibles, fire balls, and rockets,
w.ewil from the suburbs; Many Chinese houses
'a also burnt. Mr. O. T. Lane, of the British
-.one
d • Illate, was killed by the falling of a wall
linen
the conflagration. No attack was made by
cent.',,,,itlose, who appear to have been quite
' *ith burning the houses, by which act
they themselves will be the eventual losees.
abl:tn" the houses were vacant, but much valu
‘‘--)11r 'r°PertY has nevertheless been destroyed.
to rnarines
and blen-jackets exerted theselves
ritethe utmost in saving property, but then pread
hey fames so rapid that little could be
the.u.,,Olt away. Shot and shell were thrown fr,;in
Dutch
Folly during the fire, in order to pre-
t}7,„• tit large bodies of the Chinese assembling, near
?cone. Two companies of her Mejesly s 59th
'glinent were present, and they are now strongly
1,1 trenched in the garden. The clubhouse and
„ttirch, being detached from the factories, remain
6:et. and are excellent quarters 'for the troops
Meet holds the river as before, and Admiral
has hoisted his flag on board her Males-
er,.4o[... atiler Niger, at anchor off the gardens. Our
1%,„00
s therefore stronger than before the fire.
active measures of reprisal have yet been
1114 e
uuertahen the admiral being apparently deter-
to eto wait until troops arrive and enable him
°,nl tnence operations with vigour. One of the
ao dad Postal steamers was attacked between Canton
th" Bogue on the night of the 22nd inst. by a
es.,„ge fleet of mandarin junks, and had a narrow
b,,i;aPe from'eapture. The pilot and one of the
101.,.,/7.,„ were killed, and two others wounded. A
oel'a which she was towing had to be cast
,i,„"ci was captured, proving a rich prize, as
free-as laden with goods and valuables, removed
fret
the Canton warehouses at much risk and
011• 1)1!4se• Before being east off her crew were takenrd
tbeeoa
e the steamer. The junks then retired up
eocttidallow creeks with which the country is inter-
for °tit and where the draught of water is too small
then of Gunboats are very much re-
f war.
tts the ▪ Mr. Cowper, son , a British subject, father
itiqoa °wrier of the Whampoa Docks, has been
,ehtfeel)Yeed) and no trace of him has yet been
lejl„--``-'• Some attempts have been made to
boat,` our ships-of-tar by sending down on them
Yet b -led with gunpowder, but no harm has as
talte 'en done. Some rebel bands have lately
will 4, Possession of a large village near Whampoa,
canon was their head quarters in 1854. Although
bandit themselves rebels, they .are mere
and their object is plunder. They
„,."e en warned against interfering.- At
ttlid-I,"--tong there have been DO disturbances,
tees,'easures have been taken for the public
enerY• The police force has been augmented,
5' htl Pieket of the 59th Regiment is stationed
sec Y near the Chinese quarter. All- Chinese
betwtequired to carry a lanthern after dark, and
'lac:1;e" 10 p.m and dfrylight none are allowed to
1)31,;°• about without a pass. To the respectable
klii,"4l°ll this is no hardship, and they are quite
„-„ in the benefit they derive from protective
eeetires,

Bo COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.
,gas Jan. 16.—The tightness in the money market
'll4-,ereasecl during the past fortnight, and the banks
Ana gain raised their rates of discount 1 rer cent all
arnd these rule now from S to 10 per cent. The '
Ot4l, °1 Bombay have declared a dividend at the rate of
Pe!' annum for the past half year. Securities
tavc,,u,
i_oscriptions are flit and dull of s.ale. A. very
Illeara;)le change to a considerable extent is perceptible
4tocits :roPort market, both in grey goods and yarns ;
norc6:e°to to be reduced, and dealers seem to be making
"
~:es at advanced prices. Afte theearture ofthe
1 40 cottol declined in price,r buts p ince the arrival
°v n wooerland mail of the 11th of January it has again
;911010.. to our last quotations. We quote Broach at 120 r,
riph„4 at 117 r, and Oomrawuttee at 114 r. The rates of
4Wl,illa've declined to .e 2 lOs to £2 12s 6d for London
,"14Lte01, at which the quotations cont!nue stea ys.
Lo the arrival of the English mail first la s
,041801r1 for 2s ad subsequently 2s 21d was submitted
la,teile,loeal bill and documents sold at 2s 2id to 2s lid.
lmas tat`TA,B.—We regret to report a less favour-
°f affairs as regards our import marke.t, wlich
linued ver inactive since the despatch ot the last
h`tacs ',11; British cotton piece goods and mule twist,
ilireh4es"B have been limited, as the season for large
4ci-oclt:i°B has already passed, and the accumulation of
,e4kr tthe upper and north-western provinces prevents
nisn,i-"lt° operating. Gray shirtings have been selling
' 'erate extent at unaltered prices. Little doin in
• Ow" figured shirtings have been in less demand and.
4ii3' v°i„•er• .Grey Madapollams command fair attention
v,;'%,--48 prices. In Turkey red goods a slight improve-
s taken place Prints and chintzes not much
w-ltl sale The market for mule twist remains deressed,
'sa
very inconsiderable. Metals have continued
-n:nation, and in some instances lower figures
tk shun en accepted. The symptoms of money becomingl4e we,,,dant are gradually gaining ground, though during
the under review our market has not become tighter.
interest capitalists are looking out for higher rates

BIRKENHEAD COMMISSIONERS.

THE PARLIAMENTARY BILLS.

A special meeting of the above Board of Commissioner
was held last evening at the public offices, Hamilton
square, Birkenhead Mr. J. Laird, the chairman of the
board presided. The other commissioners present were
Messrs. Goplbourne, Willoughby, Baylis, Bell, M'Donald,
Mekin, M' Whirter,Cooke, Rae, Harrison, Bailiff, Aspinal,
Gough, Park, Bradley, and Keight'ey.
The Chairman called upon the Law Clerk, Mr. Wain,
to read the motion concerning the meeting.
The Clerk then read the notice, by which the board
were called together for the purpose of taking into con -
sideration the proceedings of the Parliamentary. Com -
mittee, and agree to petitions on the several bills referred
to their consideration.

The procoedings of this dommiteee were also read.
titE IttAS AND WATER BILL.

The Town Clerk's report on this bill was next read,
and was as follows: