The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-02-15 00:00:00

MUSIC AND THE DRAMA

THE GREAT TENOR, MARIO, who is at present at St.
Petersburgh, seriously sprained his ankle in leaping from
the window in the opera of the Hugenats.

A REPORT has been in circulation of the death of the
younger Strauss.

MR. G. LODER is giving lessons at Sacramento—the
price, two guineas per lesson.

A NEW THEATRE is to be built at Amsterdam, by the
municipality, at an estimated expense of £32,000.
THE EQUESTRIAN TROUPE at the Royal Amphitheatre
have advertised the current week as the last of their ap-
pearance before a Liverpool audience. Madame; Isabelle
took her benefit last night.
THE witty and accomplished ventriloquist, Mr. Duncan
Macmillan, gave one of his laughter-moving and in their
way wonderful entertainments at the Concert-hall on Sa-
turday evening. The audience was large and the enjoy-
ment general.

AT THE TIIEATRE•ROYAL, on Saturday afternoon, a
full audience assembled to witness the comic pantomime
and Douglas Jerrold's new comedy. We have little doubt,
from the success of its first performance, that the latter
will be very popular. It is well worthy of a long run.
MR. Thomas' CONCERTS.—After a short campaign at
Manchester, Mr. Thomas has returned with his monster
band, and another series of cheap concerts will commence
this evening, at the Philharmonic-hall. The enthusiasm
which was displayed on Monday last week; at the con-
clusion of the first course, must render almost unneces-
sary any eulogium on the exquisite harmony which the
the public spirited enterprise of Mr. Thomas has brought
within the reach of the humbler lover of this divine art.
The expenses of such concerts can only be repaid by
crowded audiences ; and of those there is no fear after the
experience of the past.

THE PANORAMA OF THE NILE.—As it has been defi
nitively announced that this exhibition will close on Sa-
turday next, those who have not seen this magnificent
picture of the river Nile, should avail themselves of the
intervening period to do so. It is not only interesting as
a picture of one of the most ancient countries, but it is
accompanied with an explanatory lecture, in which it is
clearly shown how modern Egypt offers the most con-
vincing evidence of the truths of Holy Writ.

AT THE MARYLEBONE POLICE COURT, LONpON, last
week, Charlotte Spain, a fine-looking woman, was com-
mitted for trial, for stealing from Alexander Young, of
Deptford, a £lOO note, which he had given into her pos-
session at Euston-square station, for the purpose of pro-
curing three railway tickets to Liverpool, baying promised
to treat her and another woman to a trip to this town.
On obtaining possession of the note she proceeded to the
bank and had it changed.
ELECTION PETITIONS.—The fight of the controverted
elections begins this week before the select committee of
the House of Commons. Committees to try the merits
of the several petitions complaining of undue returns we! e
appointed yesterday in the cases of Tacistock, Bridgenorth,
Lancaster, and Canterbury, and will be to-morrow in the
cases of Blackburn, Clitheroe, and Chatham. The com-
mittee on the four first cases will commence their labours
on Thursday, and in the three last named on Saturday
next.

THE HEROES OF THE REFORMATION.—Mr. Lord de-
livered his second lecture at the Collegiate Institution, on
Friday evening, when he treated of Henry IV., of France
and the Huguenots, showing the causes of the failure of
Protestantism in France. The attendance was exceedingly
small. We understand that as regards the forthcoming
lectures, the programme has undergone some alteration,
the Rev. B. Percival, a clergyman connected with the
church missions in Southern India, having kindly con-
sented to give lectures embracing leading subjects relating
to India, These lectures will be delivered during this
week and next.

AN EXTRAORDINARY CASE came on for trial in the
Court of Passage on Friday last. The plaintiff was
Antonio Bini ; the defendant, Paolo Pifferi. They are
both Italian refugees. Plaintiff was in the Republican
army of Italy before he came to England. Defendant
was at first a Roman Catholic priest, but afterwards
turned Protestant, and subsequently came to England.
Plaintiff had also come to Liverpool, and the action was
brought to recover £44 10s. for information which the
plaintiff says he gave defendant respecting events which
occurred during the revolution in Italy, and upon which
the defendant lectured or preached in Liverpool, and, as
plaintiff says, made a large sum of money. The jury
found on the first plea that there was no compact between
the parties. The assessor : that is a verdict for the de-
fendant, gentlemen, so we need not consider the second
question.

THE MAYOR ON BURNS AS A POET.-At the dinner
given by his worship on Thursday evening, to the sons of
Burns, Mr. Holme said : Time has tested the popularity
of the Scottish bard, not only in his own country, but ins
every part of the civilised world ; and when 1 recollect
that a Liverpool man was the biographer of Burns, that
another (Mr. Roscoe) wrote one of the most charming
poems on his death,—and that, after an interval of fifty-
four years, we were favoured with the presence of two
sons of the poet, who have survived to witness to this day
the fame of their parent,—and when T add to this that
many of his countrymen are here present, some of them
the personal friends of those sons, all will agree, that a
tribute to the memory of Robert Burns is not unbefitting
the occasion which has assembled us together. Humour,
tenderness, and sublimity, were characteristic of his mind.
Who does not feel the touching pathos of his " Man was
made to Mourn ? " Many a time, when, in the stern ex-
ercise of duty, I have been compelled to refuse employ-
ment to " some poor o'erlaboured Wight," have the words
of that poem flashed across my mind, and I felt that. I
might he causing some " weeping wife or helpless off-
spring" to mourn.
DR. FISHER'S EXHIBITION OF DISSOLVING VIEWS.—
The exhibition which was given at the Hall of the Colle-
giate Institution on Tuesday evening, in aid of Kirkdale
Church, met with the success which it deserved. Not
fewer than one thousand seven hundred people were pre-
sent, including, of course, a large portion of the congre-
gation of St. Mary's Church, Kirkdale. The Rev. D.
James announced the objects represented on the canvas
during the first stage of the proceedings, offering an ap-
propriate passing remark on each. But when the pheno-
mena of the heavens- and of the seasons came on, Dr.
Fisher explained briefly the diagrams until the close.
Nothing could exceed the beauty and the clearness of the
numerous views which the learned doctor had selected
for the occasion. Poppleton Church, in Yorkshire, co-
vered with snow, in the dead of winter, and Llamberris
and Snowdon exhibited during the same season, drew
from the spectators immense applause. All, with the
exception of those who occupied the hindmost seats in the
body and lower gallery, whence, from the ill adaptation
of the ball for an exhibition of this kind, the views were
only partly visible, expressed themselves highly delighted.

JUNCTION OF THE ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC OCEANS.
—The project of forming a junction between the Atlantic
and Pacific Oceans, by means of a gigantic canal cut
through the Isthmus of Darien, from Port Escosci4, on
the Atlantic, and San Miguel, on the Pacific, has at
length assumed a tangible shape. The promoters have
been assiduously employed in perfecting their arrange-
ments for the formation of a public company. Their
labours have been successful so far ; and a direction com-
posed of Lord Wharncliffe (chairman), John P. Heywood,
Esq. (deputy chairman), and Messrs. J. S. Brownrigg,
Thomas R. Crampton, G. D'Olier Gowan, W. J.
Hamilton, Lewis H. Hazlewood, T. H Hope. Captain
M'Kinnon, R.N., Melva Wilson, Alexander Wilson, of
London ; Messrs. Charles Brownell, Edward Cropper, J.
C. Erna: t, Hugh Hornby, of Liverpool ; Admiral C. E.
Moorson, R.N., of Birmingham; A. Montoya, Consul-
General of New Granada ; Francisco de Riveiro, Minister
Plenipotentiary from the government of Peru, in Paris;
and Ezeq'iril Rogas, Minister of New Granada, in Lon-
don. The proposed capital is £15,000,000, divided into
150,000 shares. The plan proposed by Mr. Gioborne, out
of three selected as the most feasible, is to form inter-
oceanic navigation by means of a canal without locks.
SELECT VESTRY.—On Tuesday, at the meeting of this
bbdy, the Rev. Rector Campbell presided.—There were
reported to be present about 2,120 inmates in the Work-
house.—Mr. Mellor complained that some Protestant
children in the governor's books had been taken to a
Roman Catholic Chapel every Sunday, by somebody.—
Mr. Hughes retorted by giving the names of seven boys
who were Roman Catholics, but had been forced to attend
the church in the Workhouse on Sunday last.—The Rev.
Chairman suggested that the matter should be referred for
inquiry to the Workhouse Committee. Agreed to.—The
Vestry then proceeded to the election of three district
medical officers. The following gentlemen were chosen :
Mr. E. B. Durkan, 21 votes ; Mr. D. P. Thomson, 16
votes ; and Mr. Newton, 15 votes.—The next business
was the appointment of a parish surveyor. The salary is
£3OO a-year ; and private practice is allowed, so long as
from ten to five o'clock each day be devoted to the public
service. The Finance Committee submitted the fol-
lowing four gentlemen for the selection of the Board:—
Mr. W. H. Weightman, Mr. H. D. Morgan, Mr. W. H.
Graham, and Mr. Thomas Wylie. After a. long debate,
the votes were taken, when there appeared foi Mr.
Weightman, 12 ; Mr. Morgan,. 4 ; Mr. Graham, 0 ; and
Mr. Wylie, 8 votes. Mr. Weightman not having a majo-
rity of those present, the Board again divided, with a
different result. There then appeared for Mr. Weight-
man, only 9, and for Mr. Wylie 15 votes.. Mr. Wylie
was accordingly elected. Mr. John Jones, slate merchant,
was appointed a vestryman in the place of Mr. Baxter,
resigned..
PROGRESS OF SOUTHPORT.--FrOM seventy to one hun-
dred new houses are about being erected, in addition to
the two hundred built in the last two years. There are
only two houses to be let in the whole town, and engage.
ments are made as soon as the foundations are laid, by
new tenants applying. Workmen of all classes are in
great demand. The contract has been made for the direct
line to Manchester via Wigan. A Welsh firm have con-
tracted
to make the line for £70,000, the company finding
the iron.—Preston Chronicle.

THE SOUTHPORT DONKEY-DRIVERS' PETITION.—The
following jeu d'esprit was written by one of the barristers
on hearing the discussion by counsel relative to the lately-
proposed bylaws :
"THE HUMBLE PETITION OF. MICHAELO'MITLLEGAN, DRIVER
OF A SADDLE ASS, TO, THE COURT OF QUARTER SESSIONS,
KIRKDALE :
"The humble petition of Michael O'Slullezan
Shows that his head with confusion is full again,
From the rules the commissioners lately promulgated,.
Which have puzzled him more than ever the vulgate did,
And their end, men and asses, in Southport desiderate,
If your honours will just be so kind and considerate,,
For the mixture of bridles, and drivers, and asses,
And stands for the donkeys, and stands for the lasses,
Male donkeys, she drivers, and all the localities
The commissioners fix for the sexes and qualities,
Have so bothered the brain of your bumble petitioner,
He don't know an ass from a Southport Commissioner."

PHILHARMONIC HALL.

SECOND SERIES OF CONCERTS
BY
AIR. EDWARD W. THOMAS' UNRIVALLED
BAND OF

FIFTY PERFORMERS.

FIRST NIGHT.
THIS EVENING (TUESDAY), AT HALF-PAST SEVEN.
ADMISSION, ONE SHILLING.
Reserved Seats, 2s. ; Boxes, 2s. 6d.
Tickets may be had at the Philharmonic-office, Exchange,

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

MONDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 14

ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

CHINA.

HONG-KONG, DEC. 28.—The accounts from the dis-
turbed districts seem more favourable for the Imperial
troops.
AMoY, DEC. 3.—Serious disturbances, originating in
some irregularities in conducting the emigration of
Coolies, by Chinese agents and brokers, occurred. The
English marines were obliged to fire on the mob. A few
Chinese reported killed, and several wounded. Order
was at length restored.
The new ship Spinning Jenny, from London to Shang-
hai, with a very valuable cargo, was lost on the 18th Nov.,
in the Royal Charlotte Shoal of Borneo. The captain
and crew arrived at Hong-Kong on the 21st Dec.
SHANGHAI, DEC. 17.—Prices of tea and silk unaltered.
Freights, £3. 55., and tonnage wanted. Exchange on
England for bills at six months' sight, under clean credit,
5.13.
The export of tea from China shows a decrease on last
year of about 4,000,000 lbs., but several vessels had to be
reported.
At Canton, trade was quiet in the early part of the
month, but within the last week several vessels up for
England at advanced rates of freight.
Prices of tea and imports sustained.
Value of iron improved.

LONDON.

HOUSE OF LORDS.-MONDAY.

The LORD CHANCELLOR, in pursuance of notice, rose
for the purpose of stating the intentions of Her Majesty S
government on the subject of law reform. His lordship,
at some length, traced the progress of legal reform from
an early period. He considered that, as he had only held
the great seal for a period of six or seven weeks, he ought
not to attempt to legislate for Courts of Common Law or
Chancery. The recent alterations worked well, and on,
increase of twenty per cent. in the number of writs issuer'
this year over last, showed that the public had every con-
fidence in the present system. With regard to the transfer
of land, he had adopted, with some alterations, the bid
introduced by Lord Campbell in 1851, His lordship also
proposed to reduce the statute law to a more simPle
and systematic form, by striking out all those statute
which have become obsolete. His lordship then resumed
his seat upon the woolsack, having spoken for one hour
and three quarters.
Lord CAMPBELL, at some length, expressed his entire
concurrence with the proposals made by the Lord Chan-
cellor. •

The Marquis of CLANRICARDE rose for the purpose of
learning whether it was with the sanction of Government
that certain strictures had recently been made upon the
French Government by Sir Charles Wood, at Halifax ?.
Lord ABERDEEN replied that it was the earnest dew!
of Her Majesty's Government to preserve the most inti-
mate relationship between this country and France. Ile
believed no person was more desirous of preserving th!o
feeling in all its integrity than Sir Charles Wood. 11ia
lordship explained the circumstances under which Sir
Charles Wood had made the strictures referred to, and
stated that ;Sir Charles Wood expressed his regret that be
should inadvertently have made use of any expressions
which could have been interpreted as offensive to the
French Government.

Papers were not pressed for.
Their lordships adjourned at half-past eight o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-:

`MONDAY.

Sir John Young, Chief Secretary for Ireland, took the
oaths and his seat for Cavan ; also, Lord Alfred Paget for
Lichfield.

Mr. DISRAELI, in the absence of Sir Charles Wood.
said, if it were more convenient to government, he would
postpone his question relative to words used at the late
Halifax election by the right hon. baronet, in relation to
the policy of France, until before the house went into
committee of supply, _ _

Lord J. RUSSELL said the right hon. genlleman had
better put his questions now. (Hear.)
Mr. DISRAELI then read a passage in the speech is
question, which contrasted the proceedings of the French
government with our own, particularly with relation to
the press ; and asked Lord John Russell whether the re•
port read was correct ?

Lord J. RUSSELL said. the passages in question were
used not upon any motion in relation to our foreign policYf
but in the course of some observations relating to uni'
venal suffrage; he had, however, received a letter frog
Sir Charles Wood upon the subject, in which he said he
was not aware that the fact of his being a minister pre.'
eluded him from expressing his private opinion upon the'
public events, but he had certainly no intention of using
language at all calculated to give offence to the Emperor'
of France. (Hear.)
Mr. COBDEN, referring to a letter of Lord Mount Edge-
combo, in the Times, of Saturday, stating he had pecan
liar means of knowing that the government of France had
greatly increased their naval preparations, asked the Fo-
reign Secretary whether government had themselves re'
ceived the like information.

Lord J. RUSSELL said that although it was true the
French Government had thought it right to increase and
improve their naval resources, that increase and improve•
ment,-considering that France was a great maritime coun-
try, had not been such as to lead the Government to
remonstrate, or to make any question upon, with the
Government of France. (Hear.) Mcre than that, the
relations between the two countries were of the most
friendly natcre—(hear)—and the best understand-
ing prevailed between the two Governments. With
respect to the information which Lord Mount Edge•
combe said he had received, he (Lord John Rue
sell) could only say he had received none such, but he
he did not attach any great importance to it.
In answer to a question from Mr. H. HERBERT, the
CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it was his intention,
as soon as he had time to consider the subject, to bring hi
a bill for the better regulation of the Bank of Ireland.
The General Board of Health Bill passed through cons'
mittee with amendments.

Mr. MONGRIEFF, Lord Advocate of Scotland, asked
leave to introduce a bill to facilitate the procedure
Sheriffs' Courts of Scotland. With the view of obviating
the delay and expense attendant upon the present practice
of pleading and taking proofs, one leading feature of the
proposed measure would be to authorise pleadings and
proofs to be taken aurolly, and a check to be placed upoll
vexatious appeals. _

After remarks from Mr. HUME, Mr. BRUCE, gr.
CRAWFORD, and Mr. DUNCAN, approving of the principle
of the measure, leave was given to bring in the bill.

On the motion of Sir JOHN SHELLEY, a Select Coca'
mittee was appointed to inquire into the operation of the
laws under which dues or taxes are levied on introductioa,
of coals into the metropolis, the mode of collection, ago
the expenditure of such dues or taxes.
Adjourned at a gull-ter-past seven.