The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-06-09 00:00:00

June 9,184 g.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

(BY EXPRESS.)

DEATH OF THE POPE

We are indebted to a Telegraphic Despatch, contained
in a second edition of the Times, for the following an•

nouncement, dated

" PARIS, June 7.—His Holiness the Pope died, std.
denly on the Ist instant, between 9 and 10 o'clock a.m."

RAILWAY COM M ITTEES.-YESTERDAY.

HOUSE OF LORDS.-IMPORTANT DECISION

London and York.—A decision Laving been expected
on this important bill, a vast crowd assembled ia
the coridor of the New Howe of Parliament before
eleve❑ o'clock, the hour at which the committee was to
meet. The doors were, however, kept closed until near
one o'clock, when Messrs. Brunel and Locke, engineers,
(not connected with the line,) were called in to be pri-
vately questioned by the Committee, with respect to (as
we were informed) the expense of construction, and the
engineering merits of the line.

Shortly after ten o'clock strangers were admitted, and
The Chairman announced that the preamble of the bill
bad been proved.

This announcement was received with immense cheering
by at least 700 or 800 persons present.

LONDON CORN EXCHANGE.-YESTERDAY.

The supply of English Wheat by land carriage samples being
again barely equal to the demand, holders realised the prices of
last week, and the whole was nearly cleared at the close of the
market. Free foreign is still neglected, but the inquiry for low
qualities of red bonded for Belgium continues, and several
thousand quarters bane been disposed of for export to the
country ; Polish Odessa at cs per qr.

The arrivals of spring Corn are very moderate ; Barley,
Beans, and Peas sell at our former quotations. The show of
Oats is small, and where an abatement was last week sub-
mitted to, it has been recovered to-day.

SMITHFIELD CATTLE MARKET.—YESTRRDAY.
We had a large number of Beasts on sale to.aay, owing to
which, and the continued warm weather, the Beef trade was in
a very depressed state, at a decline in the quotations of 2cl per
lbs, and a clearance was not effected. The-general quality of
the stock was remarkably good.

For the time of year, we had a full average number of Sheep
on offer. Prime old Downs were in fair request, at full prices ;
but all other breeds moved off slowly, at late rates.
From the Isle of Wight, 281 Lambs came fresh to hand; while
the receipts from other quarters were good. The Lamb trade
was brisk, at an advance in prices of 2d per 81bs.
Calves—the supply of which was moderately good—moved
off steadily, at full prices.
In Pigs, very little was doing, at low rates.

LATEST FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

WEST INDIES,

The royal mail steam-packet Tweed, George Parsons,
R. N., commander, arrived at Southampton on Sunday at
noon, bringing the unusual number of 138 passengers.
The Tweed has been much retarded since leaving Ber-
muda by fogs, and experienced also eight days' rain.
The accounts from Jamaica are very unsatisfactory.
The drought still continued, and in Saint Ann and Saint
Mary, in particular, it was very disastrous. Every blade
of fodder was scorched up, and as for water, there was
none to be had. The consequence was, that the cattle
were literally dying of thirst and exhaustion. Nearly all
the wells were empty, and what little remained in some of
them was retailed out for domestic purposes at enormous
prices—as much as 45., for instance, for a single pail full.
The process of sugar making had entirely ceased in most
parts. If the inhabitants have not ere this been blessed
with rain, the results will have been distressing in the ex-
treme. Another importation of 200 coolies, by the
barque Tropic, had taken place, and they were eagerly
sought after; 500 more could easily find employment.
Another importation from Sierra Leone was shortly ex-
pected. Those already located in the island were pro-
gressing exceedingly well ; were not only industrious, but
thrifty, and many of them have accumulated their savings
to some little amount.

From the Port of Spain we have nearly similar accounts ;
so severe and prolonged a dry season has not been known,
and the usual planting operations have been altogether
suspended.

The Barbadoes Standard gives a most unsatisfactory
account of the weather in that island. Serious drought
prevails in many parts. On some estates all progress
with the crops is stopped for want of water. Fires may be
descried in all quarters; the hills on the Maravals and St.
Juan's side are completely illuminated at night. Great
distress from the want of water is also anticipated by the
cocoa planters.

At Grenada much rain had fallen.
MEXICO:—THE WAR

The news from the seat of war by the West India
steamer is not of a decisive character. The American
squadron, under the command of Commodore Cowner,
was lying off Vera Cruz. It consisted of the Cumberland,
of 5G guns ; Potomac, 56 ; Princeton, 56 ; Pa:mouth, 22 ;
John Adams, 22 ; and two brigs. The first-class steamer,
Mississippi, was daily expected, together with two more
frigates. Not a shot had been fired on either side, but it
was fully expected when the Tweed left that the Missis-
sippi would bring directions as to the future proceedings
of the fleet.

Mexicans are
of s
workingtjuwainth
d,tliuenuoatm. utmost
uennseorgfythine
fortifying the casnigexth
largest calibre are placed in every advantageous position,
and additional ones from the interior of the country were
continually arriving. It is also thickly lined with sand-
bags, and every available means have been taken to render
it invulnerable. Competent authority asserts that it is in
a better state of defence than ever, and will defy the
efforts of the Americans to make it surrender. No en-
gagement bad taken place, the Mexicans remaining pas-
sive, and busily occupied in every preparation of defence.
The American Commodore bad received orders, in the
event of the least overt act on the part of the Mexicans,
to attack the Castle, not otherwise. It is, therefore,
generally supposed that as the Mexicans will act on the
defensive only, no blood will be shed, unless the Ame-
ricans choose to fire the first shot.

There is no particular news from the land forces, in
fact, nothing since the date of the last advices. All that
is known is, that the American army, under General
Taylor, was close to the Rio Grande. It is only 3,C00
strong, while the Mexican strength is 7,000, in addition to
which a reinforcement, under the command of General
Bustamente, had set nut to join them. The first shot
fired by either party will be the signal to commence hos-
tilities.

ARRIVAL OF THE YORKSHIRE.
ANOTHER SKIRMISH AT THE SEAT OF WAR,

A passenger by the New York packet-ship Yorkshire,
who left her outside the harbour of Cork, and has reached
Liverpool by a steamer, has brought a few AmericAn .0"
pers to the 18th ult.
We learn from the New York Morning
Express from
f
17th, that the News from the seat of war received
New Orleans by telegraphic despatch, was sgain disas-
trous, "It shows," says the Express, " a further loss
of life, but it is consolatory to know that Point Island is
yet safe." Seventy men were killed and taken prisoners.
The Majority of them were cut to pieces by a large Mexi-
can force, estimated to amount to about 3.000. The
killed consisted of seventy rangers under Captain Walker ;
and the attack upon them was made about seventy miles
from Point Isabel. Capt. Walker was proceeding at the
time towards General Taylor's Camp; and, while on his
way, an overwhelming force of the Mexicans, as we have
said, appeared very suddenly, and cut to pieces nearly the
whole of those under his command. or the

At Rio, on the 9th April, rumours had been received
from the River Plate of a battle having taken place be-
tween the Buenos Ayrean and Monte Videan forces, is
which the latter were worsted.

AFFAIRS OF THE LA PLATA.
The Mornino Chronicle of yesterday announces the
departure of Mr. Hood to re-open negotiations with
Itosas, for tne settlement of the affairs of the River Plate•
He departed in the Devastation steam_frigate.

Lecomte, who recently fired at the King of the French,
has been comdemned to the punishment applied to parri-
cides. The sentence of the Court is, that the prisoner,
shall be taken to the place of execution in his shirt, and
barefooted ; and there, his head covered with a black veil,
he shall remain exposed on the scaffold while a huissier
reads to the people the sentence of the Court, and he shell
immediately afterwards he beheaded.

List of the passengers per Yorkshire, from New Yorke
arrived last night :—J. E. Yateman, and lady ;
P. Thompson ; Dr. C. A. Pape, and lady; E. v'
Haughwort, and lady ; Baron De Ciperly, lady, daughter'
and servant; M. L. Keinet, lady, and child ; S. F. DO'
lap ; Ph. Marrett and daughter; F. Russell ; G. L. HT
ser ; H. Roving ; Wm. Lyons; F. Marcuse; Miss
Bustard ; Miss Ann Lynch ; James Mc Dowell; Wni.
Robinson ; John T. Shaw.
Yesterday afternoon vv., had in this town a heap
which, though it did not last long /I

thunder shower,

prove refreshing to the country.
The Tweed steam-ship, which arrived at SouthanWPll
on Sunday from the "West Indies, has brought 9000 Pill"-

apples.
PROTECTIONISM.—A numerous meeting of FOtecr;
tionist Peers took place on Saturday. Several rnembest
of the Lower House were also present, and the utrafaf
unanimity prevailed. It was declared that the cone"-
protection is still by no means desperate ; and it Wa
e e to
termined that an attempt should be made in cornM"tale.
perpetuate the operation of the diminished sliding :they
Confident hopes, too, were expressed that even iihift
should be defeated in this attempt, they would be e'nn.
the forthcoming general election to obtain such a pretera
derance in the House of Commons as would ensure th:. of
a continuance, if not an augmentation, of this amount-
protection.