The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-12-07 00:00:00

THE POWER OF RUSSIA OVER GREAT

BRITAIN.

The Russian system of banking is remarkable. That
country, which has lately become one of the greatest gold
producers of the world, employs for its own internal use a
paper circulation, but the basis upon which that circulation
rests, is commonly reported to be a sum of from thirty to
forty thousand millions in gold, lodged in the hands and
at the disposal of the Emperor. This large amount. of
bullion had hitherto remained unemployed, but Nicholas,
observing that the French funds had, like our own, very
much declined, and that bullion was the great desideratum
in both countries, determined, with much apparent gene-
rosity, to step in to their rescue. No one save the Czar
had any control over the keys which could open this hid-
den hoard,. and with a discernment which does credit to
his abilities, he set at liberty "the imprisoned angels,"
and in return for his unprofitable gold, purchased at most
advantageous rates, a deep interest i" the national securi-
ties of England and of France. The immediate result of
that measure is a large accretion of revenue to the Empe-
ror, who is now one of our chief creditors. for whom the
manufacturer is bound to toil: the ultimate tendency is
yet in the womb of time, but no thinking man will con-
template without alarm the power. which so gigantic and
ambitious a state as Russia has thereby gained within the
very fortress of our strength. If we continue in a blind
and obstinate adherence to the system of the bullionist
party, we shall
give the Russian government such oppor-
tunities of enriching itself at our expense as no foreign po-
tentate has ever pos',essed before. It is quite well known
that large purchases of national stock have already been
made with the gold of the Muscovite ; and therein theau-
toerat has acted wisely for himself—far more wisely than
.our enlightened rulers have thowl.ht proper to act for us—
for he has put out the money to usury, and the basis ofthe
Russian circulation, instead of being profitless gold, is now
composed of British and French securities, bought in
when the market was a
tits lowest ebb, and yielding a
large return. If our monetary laws shoal still remain
unaltered, and trade should notwithstanding revive, it will
be the interest of the Russian, so sloe as the funds have
reached their culmmatme point, •to sell out largely, and
by forcing the gold from the Bank of England, create an
artificial scarcity of the precious metal, which, followed as
it must be by an immediate contraction of our paper cur-
rency. mould cause a second panic. and a second prostra-
tion of the funds. By buying cheap and selling high—the
favourite maxim of the free-traders—lie would thus realise,
an exorbitant pront, and be enabled, should he choose it,
to replace the billion basis of the Russian circulation.
But this, as a matter of course, he would not do. The
low state of the funds would again offer an irresistible
temptation. Fresh 'purchases of stock, this dine made
with our own money, would revive public confidence in
Britain, and so things would go on, alternately rising and
lallint! without any obvious external cause, but in reality
according to the will of a huge foreign landholder, who,
'with each successive movement, must be the gainer, whilst
we deny ourselves the means of securing the equilibrium
of our own monetary transactions at home. Under our
present system, the sale or purchase of national Securities
to the extent of a few millions, has a wonderful effect upon
the market. Add the further elements of gold exportation
and paper contraction, or the reverse, and the effect be-
comes prodigious. The purchases already made on the
Emperor's account, are reported to have been most heavy,
and the process at the moment when we write, is being
again repeated. This -is, in reality, a subject of the gra-
vest nature, and it shouid not be
, plissed over by the legis-
lature without remark. The IN togs,in all probability,
hail such successive importation of Russian bullion, as so
many pledges of returning prosperity, not seeing nor un-
derstanding the frightful price which we may hereafter be
called ,upon to pay, nor. the perils of that artificial fluctua-
tion to Which we may be exposed. We have put our-
selves, as the exper ence of the last few months has
shown, at the mercy of gold, and consequently at the
mercy of any foreign power who can supply us with that
coveted commodity ; and so we must remain, if the plain
sense of-the nation does not rouse itself to sweep away the
formula of our currency nraetitioner..— Blackwood.

BRISTOL SUGAR MARKET, DEC. 4.—The brokers'
officers have been but indifferently supplied with samples
this week suitable for either grocery or refining purposes ;
and though we cannot quote any positive decline, the
market closes heavily. The demand for rum has been
active, .and about 300 puncheons, principally Jamaica.
have been sold at fully former rates. The imports for
'the week have been 112 hogsheads, 3 tierces, and 100
bags of sugar.
A QUEER ARTICLE CF MERCHANDISE..—WiII any
gentleman, acquainted with the West Indian markets,
inform us of the meaning of the following paragraph,
which we find amongst the " Market Intelligence" in the
last Jamaica Despatch ?—" ALEWIVES—Are scarce, and
in good demand. The last parcel was disposed of at 255.
per barrel." We imagined at first that, taking the word
in its ordinary acceptation, the emancipated Huggers of
Jamaica had left off rum drinking and taken to beer in
these hard times ; and that consequently " Alewives,"
of which we have a superabundance in this country, were
in demand, and might be exported with advantage. The
last sentence however put us all abroad ; for although
" Alewives" have a very natural connexion with barrels,
we never heard of their being " disposed of" at " per
barrel," notwithstanding their liability, in common with
other fallible human beings, to be disposed of by -the
strength of their contents.
THE INFLUENZA IN SCOTLAND.—In the north of
Scotland an epidemic of a most unprecedented and re-
markable character has, we are sorry to say, prevailed
during the last two or three weeks. It began in Dundee,
and then swept over the whole of the east coast until it
reached the extreme point of Kinnaird's head, when it
took a westerly direction, and is now extending along the
shores of the Murray Frith, and inland through the lower
districts in the direction of Huntley, Keith, Elgin, to
Inverness. It affects the system first by pain in the
throat; then follow headache, sickness. with expectora-
tion of a dark bilious-looking substance, and general
debility all over the body. In the city of Aberdeen to
such an extent did this epidemic prevail last week, that
for one or two days University and King's College—now
in session—was closed; at Mariscbal College and Univer-
sity half the students were ill; at the Grammar School
the same proportion were afflicted. At Gordon's Hospi-
•tal, out of 150 boys, 55 were confined to their beds. The
West.end Academy had to be shut up for F. few days ;
and amongst those who are able to attend the schools
there was nothing to be heard but the incessant cough, as
if the pupils were breathing a pestilential atmosphere.
On Sunday the churches and chapels were half empty,
and so general had the epidemic become among the clergy,
that supplies for several of the pulpits had to be gOt from
Edinburgh and other places in the south. At Montrose
the epidemic has been equally alarming. One school was
short 65 scholars; another 60 ; a third 50 ; and so on ; the
total deficiency in all the schools being 810 scholars.
Some of the public works have been stopped for want of
bands, and it may be said that in every family in these
districts some one is ill. The weather, which had been
damp and rainy,•was considered to be the principal cause
of tha disease. We are glad to hear that very few deaths
have occurred.

' According :to Punch, many enthusiasts, who, in the
year forty-five, were prepared to throw a viaduct across
the world, are now scarcely able to construct a bridge to
carry them safely over their last week's washing-hill.
RED AND PALE ANGER.—The first is of a violent and
explosive nature: it generally affects the sanguineous.
The circulation of the blood is accelerated, tho breathing
is difficult and panting, the features flushed, the swain
veins are visibly enlarged under the integuments, the eyes
flash fire and become injected with blood, the lips, con-
tracted, expose the teeth, the voice becomes hoarse, the
hearing difficult, foam will occasionally issue from the
mouth ; in short, the features assume the character of
mania, arising evidently from a congestion of blood on the
brain ; and under the violence of the paroxysm the angry
man will know no restraint, and is indeed, for the time
being, a maniac, indiscriminate in his fury, and perfectly
- aF nr
ac
en
et owl
ob l
be
e. n
gSvuieohle:iwijalys
itnhe cencsaedse
aogfaiCn rtlhees
DVuI
k. ,e oo ff
Tarueitda gnn
tahned burning
reat wit a
drink,
h nor
o spirit
rslt of
,ep fortna
nayn ddraevv,
se revenge,
nights, anti at length beeline furiously mad ; as he was
riding on horseback, drawing his sword and striking pro'-
miscuously every one who approached him. In pale anger
the liver, the digestive organs, are more engaged, and
jaundice, inflammation of the liver, bilious affections are
ushered in. In this anger the circulation is languid, the
pulse small and irregular, the breathing short and op-
pressed, a cold perspiration oozes from every pore, the
ieeth are locked or chattering, the eyes fixed and glassy,
the features pale and contracted, a general tremor shakes
the whole frame, and the individual sufferer, for such he
is, appears overwhelmed by the exaltation of his passion :
he can scarcely articulate a word, stammers his execra-
tions, and seems to seek for language sufficiently energetic
anti bitter to express his wrath: His countenance is so
altered by the violence of his emotions that ho is scarcely.
recognizable.. _

WHAT EDUCATION Is.—NO school, however perfect its
discipline, or admirable its machinery, as an engine Of in-
tellectualdevelopment, can be an adequate substitute for
a virtuous and well-ordered home. Now a little ceasi-
deration will show that this must be the case. When a
teacher wishes to impress on the mind of his pupil a pOr-
tion of knowledge—a rule in arithmetic we shall say—he
cm multiply examples, and in every variety of form ; he
can add proof to precept, and heap illustration upon
tration, until, at last. the mind of the learner yields :to
their force, and becomes thoroughly penetrated by the
principles in question. Let him now take a rule in
morality—the duty of beneVolence suppose—he may rea-
son, he may advise, be may exhort; he may show that
this virtue is inculcated by parable or by precept, in al-
most every page of the inspired writings of the apostles ;
he may prove-that it is peculiarly evangelical virtue ; his
hearers May cheerfully accord their intellectual assent to
everything he asserts. But here his power ends. It is
but seldom he can practically enforce his precepts, very
seldom he can say, "go thou and do likewise." Schools
ark in general more successful in their treatment of the
are' but
little a
iimn.paorptlaanye-eg,rotuhno h butdfact, by the
way, though little head than of the heart. The ethics of a. school,
doefvetlitieregdreeaktceesrt,t;
at-
tended to; and which proves how essentially necessary it
is, not only that such an appendage should be attached to
every school, but that the training and education Which
hgooeusrs, thereonshoulde
tve even
carefully nlore
superintended.viginlsitytlan d
rim:‘o t
iti,g school
oncrude:.
then: if we admit the great principle for which I contend,.
that the one true object of education is to implant, and
to cultivate enduring habits in our moral and our intellee-
tual nature; and if still further we concede, that bovececr
emulation may strengthen the growth of the former,it is
powerless for good as regards the latter; • it will .tollow,.as
a necessary conclusion froth thee. prem es, that to attempt
to led the force of religious habits by public examination,
or to secure a knowledge• of sacred subjects ty open
competition, is utither condueire to religious tra„infi,
tsor consistent with the true scope of Christian instruc-
tion.---4.eatnination the• Prarince of the State, by Dr-
James Booth; ER.S.,