Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-01-07 00:00:00

OIL-SEEDS AND OILS.

In his circular, Mr. James Samuelson's says :
Although higher prices have been obtained this week
,than during the last week in December for Linseed, yet
the market has closed rather quieter, and as regards Rape,
it may be ment4oned that whilst a better feeling sprang
up for Guzerat early in the week, the prices of Bengal
Seed is somewhat lower, owing to the large quantities
offered for auction. Seed Oils are, if anything, lower,
and Cakes remain unchanged. Fine Bombay Linseed,
of which little is offering, may be quoted at 545.; in
double bags,; Bengal (Patna grain) has realised 525.
6d., in double bags. Guzerat Rapeseed of fine quality
is worth 545.; brown Bombay, no sales ; Bengal, 455.
to 465. Linseed Oil, £2B 10s. to £29. Rape Oil:
Brown, £37 to £37 ss. Linseed Cake : English, £9

THE DAY'S NEWS.

It is a very significant fact, that while England
has been obliged, now for the third time, to organ-
ise and send forth a powerful expedition to China
to enforce something like civility and fair play at
the hands of John Chinaman,—a boon which he
has hitherto denied in rather a barbarous manner
alike to us and to France and America,— the
Russians seem to have no reason to complain of
any kind of ill-usage. On the contrary, it is
somewhat provokingly boasted of, in the Journal
de St. Petersbourg, that the commerce of Russian
subjects in China meets with 'no impediment ;
while the cruel and inhuman treatment which
has, from' time to time, been inflicted upon the
religious teachers of western Europe, is not ex-
tended to those of Russia; for we are assured, by
the same authority, that the members of the lay
and ecclesiastical' Russian missions enjoy every
desirable protection and liberty, both at Pekin
and in the neighbourhood. No doubt there is a
reason for the preference, which England and'
France ought not to Overlook in the approaching
spring.
Thouvenel takes Walewski's place, as French
Foreign Minister. Various theories have been
advanced to explain the cause of the change, and
to help in arriving at an estimate of its probable
consequences. But, after all, the enigma seems
still unsolved. The past career of the displaced
Minister is of itself a riddle not easily read. He
first appeared on the% stage of public life in
England, as a leading agent of the Polish Associa-
tion, and as a fierce Republican ; but, as time
wore on, we find him with greatly moderated
_views as the Ambassador of France at our Court ;
and subsequently he becomes known to us as the
Minister of Napoleon 111., and the advocate of
highly Imperial-Conservative opinions, the detestor
of nationalities, the discourager of all constitution-
alism •, and, latterly, as the enemy of the. Italians
and the friend of Pius IX. .and Francis Joseph,
or, at least, he has got credit for being so. The.
general surmise is, that the dismissal of 'Counf
Walewski may be considered equivalent to a
declaration by Louis Napoleon that he has re-
solved on changing his policy to some extent, and
that he intends henceforth to follow a less equivocal
course with reference to the Italian cause, and to
maintain it " against all the powers of despotism,
and all the 'hostility of the Church." It is
thought that the French Emperor will now
look with greater confidence for help from
England in protecting the Italians ; but there
seems little reason to fear that any English
Ministry -would have the temerity to form
an offensive alliance with France against
the rest of Europe. One of our London contem-
poraries", we observe, thinks that the meal of M.
Thouvenel from Constantinople, and his instal-
ment in the Foreign Office at Paris, is an indica-
tion of the Emperor's being, of opinion that
Europe will be more Occupied with the Oriental
than with the Italian question during , the year
just commenced. We observe that M. Thouvenel
leaves Constantinople to-day or to-morrow.
The questions discussed in the mysterious pam-
phlet continue to occupy the French mind with
scarcely diminished interest. The Bishop of
Troyes has just published a pastoral letter, which
is said to be no less remarkable for its opposition
to the views' of the Unicers and the Ultramon-
tanists, than for its moderation and tolerant spirit
generally. The obnoxious article recently published
in the Giornale di Roma, which was reported to
be characterised by violence of language, is now
described as simply a positive homage rendered to
the revolution, and its arnments merely a repro-
duction of errors which have often been refuted,
accompanied by a declaration that the Pope, as
b3ing more particularly supported by the protec-
tion of the King of Kings, has nothing to fear
from the snares of men,—among which, we pre-
sume, the proposals contained in the pamphlet
are to be included. The Constitutionnel, how-
ever, still expresses regret that such an injurious
article against the Emperor should have appeared,
and adds that France is grieved, but not offended,
and does not hold " the common Father of the
Faithful" responsible for it—which, being inter-
preted, we suppose, means that Cardinal Antonelli
is alone to he visited with the sin of this attack
on Imperial wisdom.
While France and Austria are endeavouring to
satisfy the world" of their desire for peace, by the
reduction of their armaments, the non-Austrian
Germans seem determined 1 o make important pre-
parations, atleast, for the defence oftheir territories.
Measures are being taken for speedily completing
the fortification of the whole seaboard of Ger-
many ; and we learn by a recent account that the
army in Prussia is to be increased by thirty-five
thousand men of the line—making a total of one
hundred and twenty-five thousand. In Italy, also,
the martial spirit is still unabated. Even .the
Pope, it is said, is making an effort to raise an
army of twenty-five thousand men—but surely
this were a vain attempt, for it may be asked,
what could he accomplish with such a force, even
if he had it under his command ? On the other
hand, the Italians expect to be able by the spring
to have an army of their own, amounting to two
hundred and fifty thousan d men, which, we should
think, would, of itself, be sufficiently powerful
to hold its own against anything* that is ikow