The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-06-28 00:00:00

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O'CONNELL tO CO

to the effect that he, Sir JAMES, would feel a great hap-
piness in promoting his views at the Admiralty. This
was not bad from the First Lord. Let us hope that Sir
JAMES GRAHAM will keep his word ; I have known him•
to be twitted sometimes for an apparent want of recollec-

Lion in similar

and H

ugn, gent

, at the association,—they are boti

guished names; the unsurpassed worker in gold, silver,
and ivory, CELLINI, Out of whose matchless cups I have
quaffed Falernian, was a fit subject for the graceful plume
of HECTOR BERLIOZ, whose opera, in three acts, named
after the great artist, was produced at the Royal Italian
Opera, on Saturday night, before an audience, probably
the like of which was never seen within the walls of a
theatre. The house contained everybody of mark and
likelihood in the town, from the SOVEREIGN down to your
correspondent. Rank and title,—the star and the garter—
and oh, glorious equality ! needy ram of genius—scho-
lars and musicians—all as happy, and apparently indepen-

. .
dent, as the best of them. HECTOR 13ERI.I0Z is unques-
tionably one of the most accomplished and voluble critics
of the day ; he is the musical man of the Debats; and
herein is his proper office. As is usual, the baton was
conceded to him by COSTA, and on entering the orchestra
to conduct his work, he was received with a very hearty
welcome : seldom bestowed to such an extent in this aris-
tocratic assembly. BERLIOZ looked well, and though
red-hot from Paris, was quietly dressed. He has a re-
markable head,—rather good ; his lips, if anything, are
rather too thin, but classically compressed ; his nose,—a
beak ; age, 45. The opera is divided into three acts : the
first and second having an overture, so to speak. With the
exception of GRIST and MAato, all the members of the
distinguished corps were put in requisition to vindicate
the claims of BERLIOZ as a composer. All sang
well, and the orchestra was unison. As the opera pro-
ceeded, it made little way to the affections. Musical
skill,—contrapuntal,—tact, judgment, were apparent in
every bar,—genius was not. A gleam came now and
then, evanescent,—worse, reminding the ear of past im-
pressions. Where he pleased, BERLIOZ did not appear
to be original. In trying sometimes to avoid noise—
sound and fury—he became vapid, cold, and drowsy. The
instrumentation deserves praise, and the nice application
and free use of the wind instruments redeemed much of
baser matter. The opera was kindly received, more for
the sake of the author than the excellencies of his work.
Is musical genius, like the dramatic, defunct ? Each
succeeding new production sadly seems to affirm.
Since ROSSINI wrote we have had nothing worth repeat-
ing; MEYERBEER'S operas are not Italian. Never were
greater executants on the Italian boards; would that they
had better works to interpret. The season is now fast
drawing to a close ; the crowding in of subscription nights
on Mondays and Fridays, is a sure indication that five or
six nights more will see London dull enough. I believe
that the court will anticipate the close of the season a
fortnight earlier this year.

THE AMERICAN COTTON TRADE.-

EAST INDIA REFORM

THE cotton planters of the Southern States of America,
not content with the large profits which a succession of
good crops have yielded them, have been holding a con-
vention at Memphis, with the view of devising means to
monopolise the whole gain of the trade in their staple
product. The questions discussed comprised several
minor schemes of improving internal communications
with the seaports, and establishing lines of steamers be-
tween the latter and Europe, each of which may be laudable
in itself, and in some degree practicable; but it is said
that the ulterior object is to remove the whole of the
cotton trade from the respective ports of New York and
Liverpool, and, by transferring it to a direct transit on
shippers' account from the Southern ports to a general
cotton deptit at Havre, compel the Manchester manufac-
turers to seek their supplies at the latter place. This
movement has been induced, as far as New York is con-
cerned, by the antagonism between the Northern and
Southern States on the question of the abolition of slavery,
which has been enhanced by the popularity of " Uncle
Tom's Cabin;" and still further augmented, as far as Liver-
pool is concerned, by the movement which has taken place
in England in the same direction,—as shown by the meet-
ings at Stafford-house and the ovations to Mrs. Stowe.
There is no doubt but that the American cotton planters
view with envy the important position which Liverpool
occupies in this great trade, although they have been the
largest gainers by it ; and some apprehensions might be
entertained for the consequences of this agitation ; could
we believe that the object was at all feasible; but this is
utterly out of the question, for, however sincere may have
been the intentions of the planters who assembled at
Memphis, the realisation of their hopes is purely chimerical.
Of the recent crop, estimated at 3,250,000 bales, about
one-half is exported to Great Britain ; and for the greater
part of this large proportion, which may be valued in
round numbers at twelve millions sterling, they have to
depend upon British capital, it being shipped on British
account or paid for by bills drawn against consign-
ments. The planters have no means of establishing a
substitute for this money supply, nor could all the com-
mercial credit of Havre help them out of the difficulty.
They tried a similar game once before in the establishment
of the United States Bank; and, though to a much smaller
extent, the catastrophe, which was speedy and inevitable,
almost extinguished the commercial credit of the States,
and several houses never recovered from the shock. If
American supplies be necessary for the cotton manufac-
tures of Manchester, Liverpool capital is equally necessary
for the sustentation of the American planters ; and though
the Northern and the Southern States may have opposing
interests on the slave question and commercial tariffs, the
welfare of the latter is directly identified with the pros-
' perity of the Liverpool market. The mere mooting of the

question should operate as a stimulus to exertions in other

directions, so as to render this important branch of our
native industry more and more independent of foreign aid,
which, under the most favourable circumstances, is
tinctured with national rivalry. Our decaying colonies
in the West Indies might be made in some degree avail-
able, while our vast possessions in the East offer a field
for enterprise almost exhaustless, and which has not been
developed simply through that paralysing system of double
government which our present rulers seem so anxious to
preserve. It should stimulate the independent members
of the House of Commons to increased determination to
open the resources of India to British capital and enter-
prise ; for it may be depended upon that, so long as it is
retained under a system which merely provides for the
nominees of Directors' patronage, it can never become
other than it is—an unprofitable appanage of the British
Crown.

CROMWELL AND MILTON.—A picture is now being ex-
hibited at the Gallery of Arts, in Church-street, which,
for historical interest, felicity of design, and skill in exe-
cution, deserves more than a passing notice. It represents
Oliver Cromwell dictating to John Milton a letter to the
Duke of Savoy, demanding religious liberty for the Pro-
testants of Piedmont, one of the few redeeming acts in
the career of the " Protector." The picture, which is of
life size, was painted by F. .Newenham, and has been very
effectively engraved. It is well deserving a visit, and
cannot fail to be greatly admired.

AN OLD P B
OLlCEMANl.Apeehrssotenn
named
et w
Robert Thom-
son,f• residing at No. as charged
27
Blackstone-street,
on
at the Police-court, yesterday, with interfering with
police-officer 105, in the execution of his duty
Satur-
day night. The police-officer alleged that while he was
conducting a prisoner to bridewell for exposing his
Thomson came up and told him to let the prisoner away;
he had been an officer himself once, and he had freqauenati
let prisoners off who were guilty of far worse things tha'n
having " a sup of drink." As 105 did not think proper to
accede tothis request, it was alleged that Thomson knocked
him down, and kicked him severely.—ln his defence,
Thomson alleged that he never interfered with the police-
man in the way described, but merely advised him not to
be so severe, as he was dragging the prisoner to bridewell
cruelly.—This was supported by two respectable wit-
nesses, and the prisoner was accordingly discharged.
Thomson said it was about two years since he was in the
force, and he had left it of his own accord, thinking that
he
.could establish a better-paying business as a tailor,
which he had done, haring now twenty-four men in his
employment.