Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-12-06 00:00:00

ExAmntrz YOUR SALTS.—Late on Saturday evening,
a young person under the impression that she was taking
a dose of epsom salts, swallowed upwards of half an
ounce of oxalic acid. On the mistake being discovered,
Mr. Vincent, district medical officer, was called to the
case, when.by the prompt use of the stomach pump, and
other means of an antidotal nature having been employed,
she was, after several hours, pronounced to be out of
danger.
LECTURE ON ART.—The third of the course of lec-
tures on art, by Mr. William Collingwood, was de-
livered last night, in the lecture-room of the Collegiate
Institute. The well-known abilities of the author, and
the high position he holds as an authority on this sub-
ject, drew together a select, if not a very numerous,
audience. The subject in all its bearings, so far as
touched upon by the lecturer, was illustrated by very
fine specimens of his own work in water colours. After
enforcing the necessity of minute observation as to how
objects in nature were affected by time, light, position,
accident, &c., he went on to discuss the choice of a subject
for a picture, what generally determined the choice, and
the method of dealing with it when chosen. He pointed
out forcibly the many fallacies and mistakes into which.
amateurs usually fell at -first ; and having dwelt upon
the necessity of beginning rightly at first, of advancing
step by step, and adhering to matter of fact, he went
on to illustrate the laws of perspective, composition, &c.,
and the easiest and most effectual mode of studying
them. The lecture was a most interesting one, and was
warmly applauded by the audience. The next will take
place on Thursday, the Bth inst.
THE PEOPLE'S LECTURES.—CONCERT-HALL.—DR.
LANRESTER ON FOOD.—Last evening, Dr. Lankester
gave the second of his series of lectures on food, at the
Concert-hall, Lord Nelson-street. The subject of the
learned doctor's discourse was " Starch and Sugar."
Mr. James Percival Campbell occupied the chair, and there
was a numerous attendance.—Mr. Bushby (who was
loudly cheered) said he had endeavoured to procure a
number of samples of sugar; which he hoped would prove
interesting to them. It was a very difficult task to follow
such an eminent scientific man as Dr. Lankester, whom
they were all pleased to see amongst them, and who had
taken that fitting occasion to tell the meeting his
valuable opinion on the Pike water—a subject which
much interested them. He should only allude to the
science of sugar, and not to the philosophy of the thing.
There were upwards of 1,800,000 tons of that article of
commerce alone produced annually ' • and of that amount
400,000 tons were produced in Europe, 400,000 in
Cuba, 400,000 in the Brazils, 100,000 in Porto Rico,
50,000 in America, 200,000 in the Mauritius,
115,000 in Java, and in Bengal and Madras
a considerable quantity. Of this amount we
ourselves consumed 460,000 tons, France 270,000
tons, United States 400,000, and North, South,
and Central Europe 400,000. We received our supply
of sugar chiefly from the West Indies, Cuba, Porto Rico,
and the East Indies. After producing several specimens
of sugar, from different parts of the world, and explain-
ing their various qualities, he concluded by lauding such
a movement as " Lectures for the People," and passed a
well-deserved eulogium on Dr. Lankester, and to their
indefatigable honorary secretary, Mr. Samuelson. (Ap-
plause.) Mr. Macfie, in laudatory terms, moved a vote of
thanks to Mr. Bushby. Mr. Reid seconded the motion,
which was carried by acclamation, and the proceedings
terminated.

KIRKDALE VOLUNTEER ARTILLERY
CORPS.

Yesterday evening a public meeting was held in the
Kirkdale School-room, Everton-valley, the object of
which was to administer the oath of allegiance to the
members of the above volunteer corps. His Worship
the Mayor was present, and also the Rev. J. M. Lester,
Captain Gibbs, the Rev. Mr. Bartle, the Rev. Mr.
Appleton, Captain Weir, the Rev. Dr. Hillcot, Mr.
Councillor Crosthwaite, together with a large number
of respectable tradesmen belonging to the district. The
corps is composed of artisans, and their appearance
gives promise that they will be equal to the duty re-
quired of them, being, as they really are, part of the
bone and sinew of the good old town, and in case of
actual invasion, the very class to be depended upon.
The oath was administered to three companies, of
about eighty men each, and were attended by
the Kirkdale band, and by the kind permission
of Captain Pagett, the band of the Wellington Rifles.
The first company was commanded by Captain Thomas
Dyke ; Ist Lieutenant C. Greenwood ; 2nd Lieutenant
C. Jones. This second company was under the com-
mand of Captain Leynolds, Lieutenant Strongfellow;
and Lieutenant Jones. The third company was com-
manded by Mr. J. Manger and Mr. P. Bewley.
The corps having been sworn in,
The MAYOR rising, said—Officers and men of the
Kirkdale Volunteer Artillery Corps, I have, during the
last fortnight, had the pleasure of addressing a number
of volunteers who have enrolled themselves in the
different corps of the town, and have sworn them
in to defend our sovereign against every attack
on her person, Crown, and dignity, and I am sure there
will be no corps more ready to do their duty, if occasion
should require it, than the Kirkdale Artillery Corps that
I now address. lam aware that the Kirkdale Corps
has been organised for some little time, and that you
have been under drill, and it is owing to my not having
had time to come to swear you in, as the committee were
anxious I should do, that you have not been sworn in
sooner. I beg to thank you for the.manner in which
. you have come forward to assist the volunteer movement.
So much has been said already, that it appears difficult
to say anything new on the subject. I observed a letter
in the Times this evening, containing some very good re-
marks, and I will give you them, though not perhaps in the
words—still, in the spirit.: The writer stated that a
conviction had been growing in the minds of the people
for the last twenty years that the advantages of our
insular position have been very much reduced; and he
says that this country must adopt one of three courses :
that we must either be eontented to lie exposed to the
risk of a blow from a prepared enemy, or we must keep
up a large standing army, or we must accustom a large
portion of our people to the use of arms. Now this
latter appears to me to be the best view of the question.
There are some who are willing to run the risk of being
unprepared, but I am glad to find that their number
is getting smaller every day. I do not think that
there will be many prudent men willing to run
the risk. (Hear, hear.) There are others that wish
to increase' our navy and have a large standing '
army. It remains to be seen whether the people will
come forward and support the movement that is going
on at present, to have a large volunteer force to protect
our country. If this be so—the growing opinion in the
country—it appears 'to me that it is necessary
for the volunteer corps to be organised, and-
thus get into a settled system, and that
I think we must do quietly. Our object now will be to
organise and to settle all that we have been doing. I
am afraid that probably, from the excitement that has
been going on, we may 'have made some mistake by going
to rather too much expense ; but if the movement is to be
organised and become a, permanent one, all these mat-
ters will be arranged. I do not think I will say anything
more, as it is very difficult to say anything new, but I
thought the remarks in that letter were so good, and put
the question in such a very practical view, that it would
be desirable to give it to you. 'I congratulate the officers
on the appearance of the corps they have_ brought here
this evening. lam sure it must have cost a great deal
of pains, and I congratulate the men also on their ap-
pearance, and the readiness with which they have collie
forward to assist their officers. (Applause.)
Mr. Councillor. CROSTHWA ITE next addressed the
meeting. He said he felt proud to be present on an occa-
sion like this. It was a most interesting, as well as a
solemn one : the volunteers had come together to swear
allegiance to their Sovereign, and to defend their Queen'
against the invasion of any foreign power. He was
glad to see that the men of Kirkdale had come forward-
in such numbers, and though his expectations with re-
gard to their patriotism were great, the enthusiasm with'
which they had embraced the movement even exceeded
his most sanguine expectations. He would not have
thought that Kirkdale could muster such a number of
fine looking young men as he then saw before him. He
thought that if every township would .only follow the
example of Kirkdale, they might defy any foreign
potentate, were he ever so powerful. They might defy
an enemy to set foot in England, much less enter
Liverpool. The present corps was an artillery one, and
he felt sure, from the appearance of the men, that they
were well qualified for the duties which would devolve
upon them. He thought that the present corps, from
the fact of the majority of its number being working
men, would be found a much more efficient one than
many of a similar character which existed in Liverpool.
Many of the young men' who had entered the various
artillery, corps of this Own were quite unfit for the
heavy duties pertaining to such a body, and he felt con-
vinced that when the Government' Inspector came to
Liverpool, he would reject three out 'of every ten,
artillery volunteers, and this rejection would be more on