Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-12-21 00:00:00

and feelings of the English in India, he makes
off for Hong Kong, and having consulted Sir JonN
Bownrsclhe, it appears, has made up his naiad
to sieze and hold Canton until reparation has
been made for the excesses of YER and his
subordinate officials. Such seizure is nothing
but an act of aggression, invasion, and robbery.
If Lord ELGIN was sent out to negotiate terms of
peace, this act of war is unpardonable, notwith-
standing all the flimsy and fallacious reasoning
of certain Metropolitan journals, who make the
advocacy of war upon weak and defenceless
powers their guiding star to public approbation.

For once the Times is forced to admit that the
course to be pursued by the British in China is
not such as will command the general approval
of the people of this country. We ask, in the
name of justice, what leigtiwate reason can be
advanced why diplomacy should be delayed until
the sword has done its work ? Is it not carrying
a diplomatic point by means of intimidation,
antagonistic to the Law of Nations ? Would
Lord ELGIN dare to execute such a mission to
St. Petersburg, Paris, or Washington, in a
similar manner ? Certainly not. The course
then recommended is the more reprehensible,
because it is sacrificing life and property
belonging to a weak and barbarous power.
Civilised Europe and America must regard the
attempt to Beige and hold Canton with disgust
and reprobation. To put to death thousands
of helpless beings, and batter down their dwell-
ings, for the purpose of succeeding in diplomacy ,
may be deemed very clever by Lard PALME RSTON
and his colleagues, but the good and enlightened
of every country and every clime must feel shocked
at a policy, not only uncalled for, but murderous
in its results. The argument, by which this
course is defended, seems to us without point,
inasmuch as no justification of such an opressive
step is pat forth, and to extend commerce by
means of robbery—for after all that is the
legitimate term for warlike capture—is immoral,
and to effect the capture murder must ensue,
which is irreligious. What right would the
Chinese have to make their way in junks and
seize Calcutta ? But, it is only the old argument,
0 Might constitutes right," that the advocates of
the capture of Canton, can put forth, and they who
reason from moral principles on the subject of
agression, must treat the above quotation with
contempt.

Tits Porac !.—On Saturday the head constable received
an official letter from Sir George Grey, stating that the
Annual Report was satisfactory, and that the state of the
force in the Borough was warmly approved of by the
authorities.
Tun WEATHER.—On Saturday night there was a strong
breeze, which increased in the forenoon yesterday to a
regular storm, accompanied with occasional thick and
heavy rain showers. Towards five o'clock, the gale died
off, and the remainder of the evening was calm.
THE C ,LLEGIATE INtTITUTION Patrzes.—We had an
opportunity on Saturday of seeing the hooks selected as
prizes for distribution to the pupils of tba Collegiatelnsti-
tution, on Wednesday next. They have, as usual, bee❑
selected from the stock of Mes'rs. Webb and Hunt, of
Castle-street, vrh ) have bound and finished them in that
style of solid, tastefnl -elegance, for which they have so
long enjoyed a peculiar speciality.
HEATH-STREET SCHOOLS,—The annual public exami-
nation of there schools took place on Friday evening
The large se:lool_room, tastefully dee )rated with wreaths,
banners, &c., was crowded on the occasion. The answer-
ing and demeanour of the children throughout evinc►d
the zealous care of Miss Lloyd and her assistants. In
these primary schools vocal music seems very happily
introduced, some of the airs being rendered particularly
fine. At the close of the proceedings the children partook
of refreshments, &e., provided for them in the school-room.
CLOSE OF ALLSOP'S ROYAL WAX-WORK EXHIBITON,
LIME-STREET, Livattroon.—Mr. Allsop returns his sincere
thanks for the liberal support he has received in Liverpool,
and hereby informs the public that the final close of his
Crystal Palace Exhibition will take place after the
Christmas Holidays. Mr. A. respectfully announces to
his friends and the public generally, that he is going to travel
with his wax-work figures; therefore, after the close of
his exhibitior, which will take place in the middle of
January, 18:58, the whole of the splendid Statuary in the
Sculpture Galleries, 'all the Plate Looking-Glasses, Glass
Chandeliers ; also, timber in galleries, &c., &c., with all
sach things that Mr. A. cannot travel with, wilt be offered
for Sale.
PROPOSED AMALGAMATION OP THE LANCASHIRE AND
YORKSHIRE AND Ease, LANCASHIRE RAILWAY COMPA
wiss.—On Thursday, at a special meeting of the Prestos
Town Connell, Mr. Alderman Catterall moved—" That a
special
.committee of seven members of the council be
appointed to watch the Lancashire and Yorkshire Amalga-
taation Bill, and to take such steps as they may deem
advisable for protecting the interests of the borough, and
limiting the amount to be charged by the amalgamation
companies for tolls sad carriage; three to be competent to
act." The motion was agreed to, and the following gen-
tlemen were appointed the e mmittee :—The mayor, Ald.
Catterall and Parker, and councillors J. Geodair, Naylor'
Swainsue, and Livesey.
ACCIDENTAL DEATHS.—Yesterday morning the body of
a man, name at present unknown, was found in the river,
near the Traffird Dock. He appeared to be about 4i
years of age, and was dressed in a black frock coat, velvet
collar, baragon trowsers and vest, and blue shirt.—At
eleven o'clock the same morning, the body of another man
was found in the Pottery-hole, Egerton Dock. He
appeared about 40 years of age, was dressed in a blue
coat, baragon vest, and laced baots. There was no marks
of violence on the ab)ve bodies. They lie at present at
the dead house.—On Friday a man, named James
M'Kenna, who lived in Temple lane, was at work on board
the ship City of Washington, when a sack of flour fell
out of the slings, and, falling on his back in the hold, hurt
him fatally. He died in the Northern Hospital yesterday
morning

IMPOiTA T IMPROVENIZNTS IN TUE COMPASS.-Mr.
Gray, of this town, having recently exhibited to the Me--
cantite Marine Association, a drawing of a magnetic
apparatus for the purpose of enabling commanders of iron
ships to adjust their compasses at sea, however great may
be the amount of deviation, he was requested to attend at
noon, on Friday last, at the rooms of the association, in
order 4.0 illustrate his views in relation to this most impor-
tant bran'li of naval science. In the course of the lecture,
Mr. Gray observed that the desiderata for the perfect
adjustment of the compass on board iron ships, were :
First, to have a facility, in a ready application of adjustable
and accreehble magnets, for the keeping of a register in
various parts of the earth, of the deviations arising from
magnetic disturbance in the various parallels of latitude
in both northern and southern hemispheres. Secondly, an
easy mole, by rack and pinion, of elevating and depressing
a vertical magnet, to counteract the oscillation of the com-
pass card from the rolling of tLe ship. This action, often
attributed to the malconstruction of the instrument, arose
(Mr. Gray explained,) from the alteration in the horiz
tality of the ship, and in some vessels the amount of devia-
tion, from this cause, was a matter for serious consiieration,
particularly when steering north or south. Independently
of the deflector of the needle from its true posirlon, a
momentum was frequently given to it, greater and more
irregular than that created by the l'ss of equilibrium in
the ship. Teirtily, the great imperative necessity for the
application of soft iron for the adjustment of the quadran-
tal pi jots. In the drawing which the lecturer exhibited,
large eannon balls were applied for this purpose, a plan
which had received the approbation of the Astronomer
Royal, and which had been adoptei by the Admiralty
in Her Majesty's iron steam-frigate Trident; and subse.
quently also in the- Russian Imperial navy. It bad also
nceiverl the patronage of the Cunard cempany,--a company t
always ready to adopt improvements in navigation, and of
many other establiattmenli interested in naval operations.
Mr. Gray concluded by describing his Floating Compass,
whereby the evils associated with vibration were effectually
corrected.