Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-07-31 00:00:00

harmonised for six voices attired in their national costume!"
We always thought that sound was " vox et praterea
nihil," but here we find it, taking consistency and body.
We know not what costume airs can assume—except,
perhaps, zephyr-coats. Well may we exclaim, with the
Latin poet—slightly altering his text—" Omne gui tulit
punctum, miscuit utzle dulci"—that he who removes every
point confounds what is useful with what is amusing !
Belfast News Letter.

SLAVERY IN THE DUTCH WEST INDIA COLONIES.—The
Echo of the Hague, of the 24th instant, says :—" We
have now before us three bills for the abolition of slavery
in the West Indies, just presented by the Minister of the
Colonies to the Second Chamber. From a rapid examina-
tion of them, we can affirm that they only nominally
abolish slavery—a fact which will surprise no one when it
is known that they are based on the ideas of the govern-
mental commission which was nominated some time ago to
adjourn the solution of the question. According to these
projects, the government will disburse a sum exceeding
12,000,000 florins to purchase the slaves, who are after-
wards to be allowed to c ,ntinue to work for their masters
as previously, or to labour under the direction of public
functionaries in phalanseeres specially established for
them ; but they are not to regain their real liberty until
they shall have reimbursed the expenses of their pretended
emancipation, and shall besides have obtained the consent
of the authorities. The object seems to be to establish in
the Wcst Indies a sycles of black communism."

THE COURT, &c.

OSBORNE, JULY 28.—Her Majesty, accompanied by
Prince Alfred, Princess Royal, and Princess Alice,
honoured Colonel and Lady Katherine Hareonrt with a
visit at St. Clare, near Ryde, yesterday. The royal
dinner party included the Princess Royal, Princess Alice,
Colonel the Hon. C. B. Phipps, and Captain Crispin,
R.N.

RETURN OF THE PRINCE CONSORT.—His Royal High-
ness the Prince Consort arrived off Dover in her Majesty's
steam-yacht Osborne, from Antwerp, at 3.20 p.m., oa
Taesday, and immediately after landed in Dover harbour,
in one of the boats belonging to the Osborne. The
landing at Dover of his Royal Highness was totally
unexpected by the authorities there. It was, how-
ever, caused by the threatening aspect of the weather,
there being almost a gala of wind from the south-west
with a heavy head sea when the Osborn) arrived off
the port. The Prince was received at the landiug-place
by her Majesty's naval superintendent of the port,
Captain M'llwaine, and by the commandant of the
garrison, Colonel Lysons, both of whom accompanied him
to the railway station, where, short as had been the notice,
a special train, lender the energcCe directions of Mr.
Johnstone, the station master, had been prepared. It
left Dover for Portsmouth via the Redhill station of the
South Eastern Railway and the London and Brighton Rail-
way, at 3-40 p.m., Mr. Johnstone riding on the engine.
A. royal salute was fired from the Drop Rettaubt, on the
heights, the moment his Royal Highness stepped on shore.
The Prince Consort arrived at Portsmouth at twenty
minutes past seven o'clock. Her Majesty's yacht Fairy
came over from Osborne with her Majesty and family
on board to meet him. His Royal Highness embarked in
the state barge from the new landing place of the dock-
yard, and left in the Fairy about half-past seven. The
usual salutes were fired.

THE VISIT OF THE EMPEROR AND E➢iPRESS' OF THE
FRENCH TO OsBoRNE.—On Tu sdav evening her Majesty's
ship St. Vincen', 101 guns, Captain Elliott, Caesar, 91
(in ordinary), screw two-decker, ILA Blenheim, 61, sorew
twc-decker, Captain the Hon. F. T. Pelham, C.B , were
ordered to be got ready immediately to go to Spithead, to
await further orders, pending the visit to Osborne of their
Imperial Majesties the Emperor and Empress of the
French. Other ships, it is supposed, will be sent to the
same rendezvous from other ports.