The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-12-27 00:00:00

LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

,otTAE ISLE OF MAN Steam-packet
LemPlation to build a fast clipp,
'O4 to their present fleet of vessels.
ti01,!It• MORRISH, of the Merchants' Dining-rooms, is fit.
p 'IP a suite of rooms at the Lancashire and Yorkshire
I:c4's'aY station Tithebarne-street, to be opened as ma
„,L4urant and general refreshment rooms.
.t.TrE
ANNUAL BAZAAR, in connexion with the Everton
arch Missionary Society, is announced to commence
lo%"°rrow (Wednesday), and continue over the two fol-
/vAlug
ttie LGAMATION OF THE LEARNED SOCIETIES. A
floaetlng of delegates from the four learned societies was
.4"f14 c'n Wednesday, at the Royal Institution, and a very
-:estiug discussion took place upon the desirability of
sil'atgamation. No final resolutions were adopted,
!ever, the meeting being adjourned till to-morrow.
zoRGR'S BAZAAR, Queen's-square, recently de-
ii`roYed by fire, was re-opened on Wednesday. A sum
fed
sufficient to cover the actual losses of the tenants
"een raised; and the exertions of the proprietor to
ttre the bazaar re-opened will cause the Christmas of
-411370 f the tenants to be merrier than they could have
otherwise expected.
544.403.—1 n an outfitting store, kept by Rose Delama, in
6,aq-street, opposite Stanley Dock, a crowded neigh-
°od alarm of fire was given by the inmates,
441)°,.. haif-anpast eleven on Friday night. It was imme-
OelY subdued, without even the aid of the reel-hose
-,eugine, which were promptly in attendanee.
rSCtMLL COINA.GE.—A requisition was a few days ago
esented to the Mayor, J. B. Lloyd, Esq., requesting him
of eall a meeting for the purpose of hearing a statement
the evidence taken before the committee on the above
I;ll,bieet, and of the advantages pointed out in the report
"eIY to accrue from its adoption. His worship has coin-
"ed with the request, and has named Wednesday, (t0.41.°w,)
.41.°w,) at the Sessions-house, Liverpool.
Cull. WILLIAM JENNINGS REES, St. John's College,
hanibridge, (formerly a pupil and Canning Scholar of the
Royal Institution School,) who, in the first and second
4fears of his matriculation at the university, gained a
foundation scholarship and two Wood exhibitions, has
sin distinguished himself, being first man of his year,
M the mathematical and classical examination, just ended,
at the above college.
CfrAlsGa RINGING. On Wednesday, Mr. John Holt's
ten-course peal of grandsire trebles, consisting of 5,040
91a, ges, was rung on the back eight of St. Peter's bells,
111n,tame hours and eight minutes, by Messrs. J. Heron,
streble ; W. Heron, fourth ; James Heron, fifth ; R. Wil-
t'ra• s, sixth ; J. Heron, jun., seventh ; H. Roberts,
,Tghth ;G. Helsby, ninth ; Johnson, tenor. Con-
"tleted by. John Heron, jun. Weight of tenor, 25 cwt.,
111,4,the key of D.
71-RE SOUTH AMERICAN screw-steamer Braziliera,
Pta, in Cox, went into the river from the Birkenhead
4., on Wednesday, with a full cargo of fine goods on
, and sailed on Saturday for the Brazils and the
•„,ver Plate, via Lisbon and St. Vincent. Since her arri-
11' port the Braziliera's accommodation for passengers
17 been extended, and she has been fitted with Griffith's
,e'stent Screw, which will no doubt enhance her sailing
ltialities. She takes anthracite fuel this voyage.
141NUET AT THE TOWN-HALL.—On Thursday the
J Buck Lloyd, Esq., entertained the consuls at
ti,B Po'rt and a party of gentlemen. The representatives
b,Lms-ia and Turkey being among the guests, the Mayor
them next himself, lamenting that there was no
IZeraber of the peace society in the room, to seat between
1"° ; a roar and he set the table in a when proposing the
pc,‘.41115' and Navy" in the presence of two belligerent
Were;l)4 for although he was ready to cry "A plague on
it* k
your houses," he expressed a strong suspicion that,
neeessary, we could serve the masters of both alike.
vf.l-4.1. MERSEY CURLING CLUB.—The annual meeting
club was held on Friday, at Woodside, for th 4
W4Pose of passing the accounts, electing officers for thil
tr,,Bll,.ing year, and transacting other business. The presi-
f`ll', Mr. Hastings, occupied the chair, and the accounts
111 e past year were presented by Mr. Houston, the
,4„17. After they had been examined and passed, a
f.,-17 of thanks was given to the retiring officers, and the
for gentlemen were elected to conduct the society
f,.l‘ the next year:—Mr. Hastings, Liverpool, president;
Dalz.
Landican, vice-president ; Mr. Corrie, Birken-
-4s-K, treasurer ; and Mr. Galloway, Birkenhead, secre-
rY• Upon the conclusion of the business, the members
Pent a social evening together.
CONCERT Toun.—The enterprising house of Cramer,
471!, and Co., has just projected a grand musical tour-
Week e in the provinces, which will commence in the last
. of January. The artists engaged are Miss Arabella
• dard, Madame Amadei, (" the English Alboni," as
Ve is called) Mr. and Mrs. Weiss Mons. Sainton, and
ip tr. Land. The tour can hardly fail to prove interesting
the highest degree. Madame Amadei is an untried
singer, it may be said, and goes before her provincial
?however without a widely circulated reputation. We
.o,Wever consider that the projectors of the tourne'e are
• warranted in engaging the new-found contralto.
ZUame Amadei possesses a magnificent voice, and has
already Produced a great sensation at the Reunion des
, is and the Wednesday evening concerts. We cannot
doubt that she will be equally successful in the provinces.
CrZMiss Arabella Goddard it is unnecessary to say a word.
taienilaTe is as well known out of London as in it ; her
vioun•amlost as thoroughly appreciated. The renowned
• ist,l4l s
in.% Re
,k 4,41 Banton, too, requires no preparatory trumpet-
Weiss and Mirbe welcomed everywhere. Of Mr. and Mrs.
constitute serviceable' it is enough to say that they will
World. members of the company. —Musical
BREN AN V. PRESTON.—The Vice Chancellor, on Wed-
na y, delivered judgment in this case, which has been
anbefore the court, and possesses some local interest.
PLaintiff is part owner in the brig Pbcebe, the defend-
o olessrs. Preston and Watson, of this town, being the
Pendants wehre appointed ships' husb w
ul.el,serotnin.iission on all freights, and Brenan was appointed
The ship was chartered to Messrs. Burns and
elver, of this town, who paid £134 for it. It was con-
Med that by the agreement they should only have paid
030, and it appeared that this £4 which had been claimed
thethe defendants as commission, had been paid without
vili the
of the plaintiff, who thereon sought for
the at he alleged as a fraudulent agreement to terminate
t Partnership. The case has been long before the
'rts- b
e the defendants under the agreement ought to have
,74 received on account of the owners ; that the receipt
ttthat sum, without communicating the fact of such
eenient, vv, as fraudulent, and entitled the owners of
Nrreee-fourths of the shares to give notice to determine
IleY, and that it was determined by such notice. The
jJllUction restraining the defendants from acting as ship's
bands, &c., must be made perpetual ; the account of
aliens received to be taken ; the costs of the suits, and
ttsll the proceedings at law, to be paid by the defendants ;
414111Alliry as to the value of the defendants' shares in the
t 441811 they acquiesce in a sale ; and a direction for pur-
bY the plaintiffs at that valuation ; if the defendants
Liebknie to sell, then no order on that part of the case.
teNeirt4.7 to apply." The defendants, it is understood, in-
) appeal against the decision.
COMMITTEE.—The weekly meeting was held
Sze "lursday, Mr. Turner in the chair. Mr. Gladstone
to ld that the subject of funding the bonded debt had by
vq.„llleans escaped his attention ; but, whether right or
ilneg, he had considered the present moment scarcely the
to,' time for bringing under the notice of the finance
lozittee a scheme for the object contemplated. The
a/lor, however, had by no means been forgotten by him,
stat; a short time he would take the opportunity of
clii.°lB' to them what his views were on the subject. The
verVnan said he was sure the finance committee would be
lea:, glad to consider so important a question. The object
very desirable one to be attained, if it could be done.
otige sub-committee of works submitted a plan of laying
tilwa Portion of the Harrington estate for yards for storing
of
4g,!l', and recommended that they should be let at a rent
teat, 16ths of a penny per square yard per week, to per-
tent tit tenants, and at a halfpenny per square yard for
lst „P°.r,arY occupation : these rates to commence on the
lirow‘ 4Pril next. After a good deal of conversation, Mr.
for 181°°, seconded by Mr. Chaloner, moved that the rent
appe timber ground be ls. Id. per square yard per
t.4uni for permanent, and id. per yard per week for tern-
by 7,occupation. On a division the amendment was lost
thajt` to 5. Mr. Smith then proposed as an amendment
apd the rent be ls. per yard per annum for permanent,
Nett- Per yard per week for temporary occupation. The
1110,„ dutent was lost by a majority of 10 to 7.—Mr. Steele
e,se4 an amendment that the time for the commence-
t
clid.` of the new rates he extended, as the import of timber
th'at9t arrive till about July or August. Seeing, however,
4sewtltle feeling of the meeting was against him, he with-
con,,,,;ll4° Proposition. The recommendation of the sub-
other,,,,,"'e, was then confirmed.—After disposing of some
S/A.G4-744ess,the committee djd.
eic, Tiu ROBBERY BY A FEMALE.—On Monday, last
aaas _ro°°crY was committed at the house of Mr. Wil-
tlori e *ackburn the Bricklayers' Arms, corner of Claren-
qa;Bl'reet and 'Newcastle-street, Hulme, under circum-
t'ee,. es,.,of a very peculiar nature. The information was
Th~linZeu at the Chorlton Town-hall, from the girl Sarah
Laker, who had been left in charge of the house.
Nce4ll4, who is the sister of Mrs. Blackburn, and had
t4et, Y come from Liverpool, stated that on Monday
'tio';:°9ll, about half-past three o'clock, Mrs. Blackburn.
411rD.;111 ill health, went with another female to visit a
ai}e°en, and left her in charge of the house. Immediately
Sek,'lley had gone two men with large whiskers, one
he2.llcl the other red, came in and called for two glasses
;lit 1,7* She went into the cellar to draw it, and while
Zf't,ra-Z absent she believed they fastened the front door.
I,eat herds
had drunk part of the beer one of the men
b 4 `l ,Irards the stairs, and tb'''
0414 %Up Waist, told her that
„aa-e lull her and took out of ins
relk,
ORened it and placed it on a
I.!c,a rope from his pocket an
side this was going on she
011,e:1s making a noise as if bre
/.474 At this moment some q•
%It% 'up stairs then came dow
they 3itan entry leading into
the poke..acl gone, she dragged ti
it it). R.4,', and released herself 1
atil,e all alarm, and on exw
pohil ,:i'ulotft that a box and sc
':25 stolen. On
ttO the-mmed the house, an,
11 to
iltzt.tailt.eu rthat a rectnessfew of the g
tkso have taken place.
t>lr had
aad
some talk •
40.543, h upon the nu
star to
ti
tkkeeieu
Place by comittedmen, a;
Cli w tab This e
Whole made, and •
iota 2s, le,of the
tok, vv^

Company have it in
T steam-ship in addi-

other man. seized her

f she uttered

) the bee

•• iuunu
conies
i,f°N Wednesda
"e Illagiatra ,1 ha
(111,,1t,h102112 dear. Tail,l

tl. —,,ae -.., was 0
44'1.111 7 :18 aid, ti 1° ,:"1,1

uncle
she came Drel
h,e4 livq with her uncle in that town, I:0
-4°io lif°ll.l-Inate. She was remanded u
118 course of life raay be ascertained.

Willian

TESTIMONIAL—There is now in Mr. Wordley's shop,
in Lord-street, a silver fruit basket, intended for presenta-
tion to Henry Meadows, Esq; of Poulton-hall, in Cheshire.
The inscription is as follows :—" Presented by the friends
of Henry Meadows, Esq., Poulton-hall, Cheshire, for
his invaluable services and unwearied attention to all
matters connected with the parish of Wallasey for up-
wards of 42 years, in the several capacities of commis-
sioner, churchwarden, and president of the Wallasey
Club. October, 1853."
SESSIONS Ix 1854.—The following are the days for
holding the various quarter sessions of the county during

tne ensuing year :
Epiphany. Easter.
Jan. 2 ... April 3

Lancaster

Midsummer. Christmas.
... June 26 ... Oct. 16

Preston „ 4 ... 5• • • ~ 28 ... „ 18
Salford
Kirkdale „17 ••• ~ 18 •• • „ 11 „ 31
Intermediate sessions are usually held at Preston and
Salford six weeks after the quarter sessions. The annual
sessions will be held June 29 ; the first adjourned annual
sessions, (the principal meeting of the year,) September 14.

ADVANCE OF WAGES AT WARRINGTON.—On Tuesday,
Messrs. Stubs, file-workers, Warrington, without solicita-

tion, advanced the wages of the -workpeople in their
employment ten per cent. Immediately on the announce-
ment being made, a meeting of the workmen was held at
the works, when it was resolved that thanks be given to
their employers for their generous and noble conduct,
and that a dinner be given to them by the workpeople.
A deputation afterwards waited upon the heads of the
firm, and communicated the result of the meeting, but
they declined to attend any dinner, as what they had
done was merely an act of justice.
EsclPE.—On Tuesday, at half-past six o'clock, Mr. E.
Watkinson, of Sefton, and Mr. Peter Almond, of Lunt,
were returning home in a vehicle from the Liverpool
corn market. In consequence of the darkness of the
night they took the turnpike road as far as the Old Roan
public-house, at which place they turned to go through
Netherton. Here the horse ran against the cop, and
turned the vehicle over. Both gentlemen were thrown
underneath, Mr. Watkinson lying on his back, with the
conveyance upon him. They were kept in this position
for about ten minutes, when some of the residents in the
locality were attracted to the spot by 'their cries for assist-
ance, and they speedily released the party, who sustained
no injury from the accident, and the horse escaped with

a few- braises on his hind legs.
THE LATE MR. PHELPS.—We find in the American
papers numerous notices of the late Mr. Anson G. Phelps,

n•ho, though resident in the United States, has been so
long connected with the commerce of Liverpool. The fol-
lowing is one of the many :—" It is with great regret that
we have to announce the decease of. Anson G. Phelps,
which took place at his residence yesterday morning, after
a lingering decline. His age was 74. Mr. Phelps had
recently returned from a trip to England, which he had
undertaken in the hope of deriving benefit from a change
of air and scene. The journey proved of no material ser-
vic

The deceased has long been known as one of our
most prominent merchants, and one of our most public
spirited citizens. He has never failed to evince great
sagacity and enterprise in his commercial pursuits, and
long since succeeded in acquiring a princely fortune.

At the time of his death he^was President of the New
York Colonization Society, and took an active interest in
all the benevolent operations of the day. Few men have
been in the habit of contributing more liberally to every
good cause. For integrity, generosity, Christian principle,
every quality that dignified human nature, Anson G.
Phelps has left a character behind that reflects honour
upon the mercantile annals of our city, and will long be
held in admiring remembrance."—New York Courier and
Inquirer.

PRE STRIKES AND INTIMIDATION.-011 Monday, last
week, the factory owners of Wigan threw open their mills
for such of the operatives as would return at old prices,
and one thousand, or about a sixth of the whole, availed
'themselves of the opportunity. Many more would pro-
bably have returned to work, but the trades' delegates,
attended by a large crowd, were in the streets at an early
hour in the morning to intercept,persuade, and intimidate
all they could, out of going to work.. The Messrs. Eccles
obtained the greatest number of hands (about 400), and
200 went in at Rylands'. The others were pretty equally
dispersed through various mills. The magistrates and
police did all they could to protect the hands in going to
the mills, and this they also did again jut Tuesday and
Wednesday morning. On Monday and Tuesday morning
they found it necessary to apprehend several persons for
undue interference with persons going to work, and for
inciting to a breach of the peace. The system of intimi-
dation does not apply to those alone who go to work at
old prices, but in othertowns it applies to persons refusing
or neglecting to subscribe funds to the Preston and other
strikes. At Stockport, on Monday, and at Ashton, on the
same day, men were brought before the magistrates for
acts of intimidation, and there is no doubt that a wide-
spread system of tyranny prevails throughout the whole
manufacturing districts to extort money from the opera-
tives in work at the mills to support those out of employ-
ment through the strikes. The people complain of it
loudly at the shops where they buy their provisions, and
it is talked of everywhere.
WEST DERBY BOARD OF GITARDIANS.—The weekly
meeting was held in the boardroom, on Wednesday, Mr.
J. Harrison in the chair. There were also present Messrs.
Alpass, Heyes, Shaw, R. Birch, Lunt, Taylor, Abrahams,
Mountfield, Brown, Molyneux, Miller, G. Harrison,
Smith, Tattersall, Carter, Medcalf, Kirkus, Pilkington,
and the Rev. W. Badnall. The governor reported that
the number of paupers in the house amounted to 679, the
number in the corresponding week last year having been
723. There were 28 admitted during the week, and 22
discharged, and there were two births and three deaths in
the house. The sum of £350 was ordered to be paid to
Mr. Clayton, the contractor for the new boardroom, on

count of the work he had done, in addition to the sum
of £BOO previously ordered to be paid. A letter was re-
ceived from Mr. Reid, resigning his situation as school-
master. Mr. Alpass moved that the resignation be
accepted, which was agreed to. Some conversation ensued
upon the salary which should be offered, several of the
guardians expressing an opinion that the sum paid to Mr.
and Mrs. Reid (£BO and £32) was too much, and it was
ultimately agreed that the salary should be £6O for the
master and £3O for the mistress. A letter was read from
Mr. Johnson, one of the vaccinators, stating the grounds
on which he had applied for an increase of salary. Mr.
Alpass, in accordance with a notice which he had given at
the last meeting, moved that Mr. Wood, who resides near
the Aintree racecourse, be appointed one of the vacci-
nators for the union. Mr. Taylor seconded the motion,
which was carried unanimously.—Mr. Alpass, on behalf
of the hospital committee, complained of the slow progress
which was making in the work of laying out the grounds,
under Mr. Downes, who was, he thought, quite unfit for
the position in which he was placed. Mr. Shaw corrobo-
rated the statement made by Mr. Alpass, and said it was
a waste of public money to pay Ar. Downes £BO a-year
for what he was doing. Mr. Taylor justified Mr. Downes,
and said the delay in the work was owing to the ineffi-
cient labourers employed under Mr. Downes. After some
conversation the committee was ordered to investigate the
matter, and report to the next meeting of the board. Mr.
Kirkus then reported that four tenders had been received
to supply an organ for the Workhouse chapel, and moved
that Mrs. Bewsher's tender be accepted. Agreed to. The
cost of the organ will be £6O, and £8 additional was
voted for another stop. The following letter was handed
to the chairman :—" Having some suspicion that the
corpse of my late husband is not buried, I am determined
to have the grave opened to see the corpse. If I should
not receive the permission from you to see him, I shall
give it into the hands of an attorney, who shall force it
by all means. Wilhelmina Angbery." It was stated that
the woman wished to sell the body, as she said she had
been promised £lOO for it by the doctors, and it would
be very useful to her, as she was very badly off. The
board then adjourned.
HOLMES' RUM—Since our last issue, it has been
ascertained that the amount of notes in circulation of
this unfortunate concern, at the time of Mr. Holmes'
death, fell but little short of £26,000. The license being
but £lO,OOO, it results that the over issue was nearly
£16,000. Whether the insular property, said to be
mortgaged for the payment of these notes, will realise
money sufficient for their payment, remains "to be seen.
We hope it will do so, and leave a good balance for de-
positors and other creditors ; but in these stringent times
for money we are not so sanguine as some people are. But
should these notes ultimately prove to be good, their being
forced out of circulation by their uncurrency inflicts a most
serious evil on the country, and is especially oppressive on
the holders of these notes. But there is still another class
of persons—and a pretty numerous class too—suffering
still worse inconvenience, not to say positive distress,
than the holders of these notes. We have on this island a
great number of families designated as resident strangers,
who have long been accustomed to draw their means of
support from England or elsewhere through Mr. Holmes'
bank. In many of these cases deposits had been made,
as we learn, with Mr. Holmes, in anticipation of drafts
for quarterly or half-yearly instalments. The amount of
money thus coining to the island from abroad has ex-
ceeded £300,000 yearly • and it has made up no small
portion of the circulating 'medium for this island. But
this sudden stoppage of the bank—this well grounded
apprehension of insolvency—has thrown everything into
confusion as affecting those resident strangers ; and in

many cases has exposed them to absolute starvation.
We state these melancholy facts for a special object, viz.,
that tradesmen, and the creditors of those strangers, do
exercise at this time the greatest • forbearance possible,
until other arrangements can be made to realise their
foreign funds. Some of them, indeed, may suffer loss—
such, for instance, as have ordered their remittances
through Holmes' bank, and deposits had been there made
in anticipation of cheques. It is surprising that in a
shrewd community like ours suspicion had not long since
got abroad of Holmes' insolvency. Look at two facts.
First, the interest of 41- per cent. being paid by him on
deposits. If Mr. Holmes had been a great capitaliit he
would not have been a borrower of money at all, and
especially at a rate of interest beyond what any business
on the island will warrant. This of itself should have
awakened suspicions that all was not sound at bottom ;
and yet we know of but one man on the island who drew
the correct inference from that fact ; and that man for
the present shall_ be nameless. But perhaps some other

_
persons who had funds in hand may remember that a
certain man gave them hints long ago, which prevented
their depositing money in Holmes' bank. The other fact
to which we allude is a most telling one. Why should a
man of seventy-five years of age, when he had become
stone-blind, attempt to carry on the intricate, delicate,
and most hazardous business of banking, for years, without
a partner on the spot to aid him? Such a one lays a
powerful temptation before a set of clerks and dependents
to rob him right and left. The clerks could falsify the
books, and misread them to the poor old blind man, and
he be none the wiser for the deception. Far be it from us
to insinuate that Mr. Holmes' clerks did anything wrong
in the bank ; but we are speaking of the folly and hazar
dons absurdity of a blind man attempting
banking. Why, then, did Mr. Holmes do so

ge of his insolvency, and the

to carry on
Let the

at of moral cou

) expose his emptiness in lifetime, induced him to drag
long till the grave should cover him from an exposi of
• ,

is that all was not righ
hock has take

> st ould. have
kit it was not
v--.2lfona'B

fly supri*E

MR. THOMAS'S shilling concerts commence at the
Philharmonic-hall, on Monday next.
ST. MARK'S ScuooL.—The children, after their an-
nual examination, last week, presented the curate, the
Rev. W. Moeran, with a very handsome writing-case and
a pair of vases, containing wax flowers.
THE DOCK TRUST.—It is said that during the past
week the Dock Trust have received offers of money as
follows :--E12,300 at four per cent., and £3,000 and
£4,000 (old bonds) renewed at the same rate of interest.
THE LECTURE intendel to have been delivered by the

Rev. V. M. White, at Clayton-hall, on Friday evening
last, has been postponed, in consequence of the reverend
gentleman being called to attend. the sick-bed of his
mother.

INDUSTRIAL RAGGED SCHOOLS, Sono-sreE ex.—The
annual Christmas dinner to the children of this institu-
tion, was given yesterday at the large room of the Police-
station, Rose-hill, T. B. Horsfall, Esq., M.P., having
kindly offered to defray the expenses.
A NEW PILOT BOAT, called the Criterion, was launched
at Ipswich on Saturday week. She is intended to replace
No. 10 in the Liverpool pilot service, and her owners have
great confidence in her being a fast and comfortable boat.
The Criterion is the third schooner-rigged pilot boat
which has been substituted for cutters, and it is contem-
plated to build two others of the same class.
HIGHWAY ROBBERY.—On Saturday night a man, while
passing through Whitechapel, was robbed by a woman,
who threw her arms round him, of £5O, the savings of
many years, which he had put into his pocket for safety.
The same night a prostitute was taken into custody for
being drunk and disorderly, and upwards of £5O was found
upon her. She was subsequently identified as the woman
who committed the robbery.
ACCIDENTS.—On Friday night Mary Quin, aged fifty-
six, of Thomas-street, got jammed between a cart and the
wall in the same street, and received a compound fracture
of the arm and a fracture of the ribs.—On Saturday night
William Edward Wilson, second mate of the ship Empire
State, lying in the Sandon Graving Dock, was going on
board, when he slipped, and fell into the bottom of the
dock, receiving a severe compound fracture of the thigh,
and other bruises and contusions.
THE CHRISTMAS " PLYGAIN AT ST. DAVID'S
Cnunew.—The custom received from the Eastern Church
of assembling at an early hour on Christmas morning,
was duly observed at St. David's church on Sunday last.
The service, commencing at six o'clock, was read by the
Rev. D. E. Jones, M.A., and the sermon was preached by
the Rev. W. Hughes, RD., from Ezekiel xxxiv. 29. The
choir and the carol singers acquitted themselves in a very
creditable manner, and the church was well attended.
SACRED HARMONIC SoctETY.-The last rehearsal for
the present year of a selected portion of the chorus of this
society, numbering upwards of 100 members, took place in
the class rooms, 34, Church-street, on Monday evening
last. The music was selected from the works of Handel,
Mendelssohn, &c., and included a new anthem, by the con-
ductor, a copy of which was presented to each member at
the close of the performance. When it is considered that
the whole of the members of the chorus are amateurs, all of
whom have been taught singing in the vocal school during
the past year, it must be admitted that very great pro-
gress has been made. The chorus contains some re-
markably fine voices, especially the trebles ; and there is
little doubt the society will shortly have a chorus most
efficient both in respect of proficiency and numbers.
Correspondent .
SEASONABLE BOUNTY.—DEAF AND DUMB SCHOOL.—
On Friday week the pupils attending this school were
admitted to view the works of art contained in the Exhi-
bition of the Liverpool Academy, with which they appeared
to be much gratified. In the afternoon of the same day
they partook of a plentiful dinner of roast beef and plum.
pudding, provided for them, as customary at this season,
through the bounty of Richard Rathbone, Esq. The
number of these pupils is now greater than at any former
period. The school occupies a sphere of usefulness in
which it can have no substitute ; and we trust that its
merits and claims will be borne in mind by those who
have the power and the will to do good. In dispensing
their Christmas bounty, or appropriating their charitable
subscriptions for the next year, they will do well to re-
member what a good work they may aid by supporting our
local school for the deaf and dumb.
HEALTH OF THE TowN.—The medical officer-of health
reports that the continued low temperature causes a pro-
gressive increase in the mortality from diseases of the
lungs, and that the general mortality of the borough is
consequently, as in the previous weeks, comparatively
high. The total deaths were 247, being six more than the
previous week, but ten less than the average of the same
week of the preceding six years, after allowing for in-
crease of population. From diseases of the lungs the
deaths were 116, being twelve more than in the previous
week, and a greater number than in any week in the nine
months preceding. Excluding this class of diseases, last
week's return shows a decrease of six in the mortality
of the borough. From zymotic diseases there were 53
deaths, being 26 fewer than in the week previous. They
included 12 from hooping cough, 10 from cholera, 7 from
measles, 6 from typhus, 5 fyom scarlatina, and 4 from
diarrhoea. 13,wel complaints are not more than usually
prevalent, and n other the registrars' returns nor the
daily reports of the district medical officers furnish any
indication of the immediate spread of epidemic disease.
The temperature was below the average on every day of
the week. The mean 37 610ths degrees—was nearly 41
degrees below the average of the same week orthe pre-
ceding seven years. In the corresponding week of last
year, when the mean temperature was eleven degrees
higher, the mortality from diseases of the lungs was little
more than half that of the past week.
LIVERPOOL RAGGED ScrrooL SOCIETY.—The seventh
annual meeting of the Liverpool Ragged School Society
was held on Thursday, at the Mission-house, Bedford-
street, Toxteth-park, T. B. Blackburn, Esq., in the chair.
The attendance was very limited. The Rev. Francis
Bishop, the secretary of the society, presented the report,
from which it appeared that the average attendance in the
boys' school during the past three months had been 62 ;
in the girls' school during the same period, 40. When
the continued usefulness of the schools (the first of the
kind established in this town) was pointed out, and the
great need of an increase of such institutions, in conse-
quence of the large number of neglected and destitute
children still allowed to wander our streets, and become
the victims of the many temptations that surround those
that are deprived of the blessings of good home influences,
and the kindly and elevating discipline of the school, it
was hoped that the society would increase in numbers and
usefulness, when the new Mission-house. now rapidly
approaching completion, shall be ready for occupation,
arrangements having been made to accommodate both
schools in that building. The treasurer's report was pre-
sented by P. H. Holt, Esq. It stated that the amount of
subscriptions and donations during the past year was
£99 Gs. ; the expenditure £6O 2s. 9d. ; leaving a balance
in the hands of the treasurer of £39 3s. 3d. It was
resolved to print the secretary's report and treasurer's
statement of accounts, for circulation. Samuel Bright,
Esq., was appointed president of the society for the ensuing
year, and resolutions, appointing the committee, and
expressing the thanks of the society to R. V. Yates, Esq.,
the retiring president, were then passed, after which the
meeting separated.
SELECT VESTRY.—The Rev. Rector Campbell presided
at the meeting of the select vestry, on Tuesday, when the
workhouse committee stated that the total number of
admissions into the vagrant sheds during the past week
had been 662. The number of inmates in the workhouse
on the 14th instant was reported to he 2,076. The num-
ber of sick cases in the house was 606, of these 64 being of
fever, and 27 of itch. Mr. Hughes complained that a boy
had been confined in one of the sick wards for a fortnight,
for want of clothes to go out in, and that an old woman,
70 years of age, was a nurse in one of the lunatic wards,
on which it was agreed, after a discussion, that the work-
house committe should inquire into the matter. Mr.
Johnson then explained that both the newly qualified
magistrates, and some of the old ones, had agreed to visit
the workhouse to attend to parochial business, and he
therefore moved that the establishment in St. Paul's-
square should be closed. The motion was agreed to after
a brief discussion, in the course of which Mr. Hughes said
it seemed an absurd law which required two magistrates
to pass paupers one way or another. If the vestry could
remit any portion of the poor rates, they surely were quali-
fied for all the purposes for which those magistrates were
to be used. A letter was read from Mr. T. B. Browne,
government inspector of schools, respecting the power of
the vestry to dismiss apprentices, which he said they could
not do without the concurrence of the Poor Law Board.
Mr. Hart's reply was also read, the pith of it being con-
tained in the following paragraph : The select vestry do
not deem it expedient or proper that, with regard to dis-
missal for misconduct, the `pupil teachers' should be
placed On a different footing from the assistants of a higher
grade; nor do they think it fitting that a board of guar-
dians should be placed in such a position towards these
junior assistants as to be incapable of dismissing them,
however deservedly, without the concurrence of their
lordships." In answer to Mr. Kitchen, the chairman said
that there seemed no chance at present of closing the
cemetery at St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, and hence there
was no necessity of opening that at Walton. The visit of
Dr. Sutherland had brought the matter under the serious
consideration of the churchwardens, and everything should
be done that was right and proper.
HEALTH COMMITTEE.—The weekly meeting of this
committee was held on Thursday, Mr. Langsdale in the
chair. After the disposal of some routine business, Mr.
Lee, an inspector of the general board of health, was
introduced. He said that as the board was informed of
the still high rate of mortality in Liverpool, he was in-
structed to visit Liverpool, to examine the sites of the
epidemic disease, and report to the board any particular
circumstance connected with it. He commenced his
labours on Wednesday, and has visited, along with Dr.
Duncan, the engineer, and Mr. Fresh's assistant, a con-
siderable number of places whore the cholera had exhibited
itself in Liverpool, and he might say-that; with only three
exceptions, so far as his inspection had gone, he had
found that the cases had occurred in houses which were
in close contiguity to, or immediately adjoining, open
privies. It seemed, therefore, that although their drain-
age works were very excellent, and their pavement had
been wonderfully improved, (and, undoubtedly, they had
done more here in a sanitary point of view than anywhere
else,) it seemed that these privies, as they now existed,
were very serious evils. Of that they were themselves
fully convinced, as he believed they had applied to parlia-
ment for powers to enable them to remove them. The
position of these privies and their character were both
objectionable, and from the construction of the houses he
did not see how they could be remedied, except by con-
verting, them into some kind of water-closets, so that the
soil might be taken away from the premises. Many of
those he had examined were in a most disgusting state,
and the emanations from them- were of the most offensive
character ; some of them being within a few feet of the
windows of the rooms within which the persons had died
of cholera. Some desultory conversation ensued, and Mr.
Lee then proceeded to state that there were several kinds
of apparatus which could be got for water-closets, which
might be had at an expense of about £2 for each plea

He was aware that there would be some difficulty in
keeping- them in repair at first, but it was an educational
process, and after the people became accustomedt to them
they would occasion little or no trouble. After some con-

vereation Mr. Lee retired, and the subject dropper
subject of the bill for which the Lan,ishire and 1

orkshin

re now Apply

lament

at the north end of the town, was introduced by the
surveyor- A general feeling was expressed that the
Council should oppose tltchiltin Radial-neut., and the sub-

d dre.ppQd,