The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-02-28 00:00:00

CHESHIRE AND WALES.

CILESTEE AND HOLYHEAD RAILWAY.—The traffic for
the week ending 19th February, 1854, was as follows :
Passengers, parcels, &c., per railway, £1970 9s. Bd. ;
steam-boats, £268 16s. 6d. ; total, £2239 Os. 2d.: goods,
£1409 2s. 10d. : total, including Carnarvon traffic, per
rail, £3379 12s. 6d. ; steam-boat, £268 16s. 6d. Cor-
responding week last year, per rail, £2971 15s. 3d. ; steam-
boat, £192 2s. ld. Increase, £484 lls. Bd.

REPRESENTATION Or BIRKENHEAD IN PARLIAMENT.
—Birkenhead having been included in the new reform
bill introduced by Lord John Russell as one of the places
which will in future send a member to Parliament, the in-
habitants of that township are already on the qui vice for
a " fit and proper person to represent them." Mr. Brassey,
the eminent contractor, has been named.
PROTESTANT INSTITUTION TEA PARTY. —A aoiee'e in
connexion with the Birkenhead Protestant Institution
took place on Thursday, in the Craven-rooms, Chester-
street. There was a very numerous attendance. An
ample supply of tea, with the usual substantial accompani-
ments, was provided. The Rev. D. Blakeney, incumbent
of Christ Church, Claughton, presided, and there were on
the platform the Rev. J. Blakeney, the Rev. H. Cooke,
and several other gentlemen interested in the society.
After tea the meeting was addressed by the chairman, Mr.
C. P. M`Carthy, the Rev. H. Cooke, and other gentlemen.
The leading topics of the speakers were the errors of
Romanism, and the doings of Cardinal Wiseman and Dr.
Cahill were also severely criticised. The proceedings ter-
minated with a vote of thanks to the chairman.
AN IxcosTEß.—At the Birkenhead police court, on
Thursday, a stout, able-bodied Irishman' named Edmund
Herbert, was charged with attempting to obtain parish
relief under false pretences. The prisoner had first come
to Birkenhead as an emigrant, but had been rejected at
the emigration depot in consequence of having practised
some deception, and on the 2nd instant he was removed
to Ireland. On the 18th he returned to the township,
and made application for relief to Mr. M`Nierney, stating
that he had no food nor money. The relieving officer in-
sisted upon searching the applicant, when the fellow
demurred to this process of discovering his cash. Mr.
Macierney, however, persevered, and found concealed in
the man's clothes a sum of 275. He was then taken into
custody. The magistrate ordered him 21 days' bard
labour, and the money found in his possession to be ap--
propriated to defraying the expense incurred in his first
removal to Ireland.
BIRKENHEAD PrmosornicaLSocurry.—The monthly
meeting was held on Wednesday, in the Concert-room,
Hamilton-street; Dr. Macdougal in the chair. The chair-
man said that the society originated about 51 years ago
amongst six or seven individuals, who went privately to
each other's houses, and discussed short papers and essays,
and circulated books. During that short space of time
the society had attained its present dimensions, when they
could hold public meetings, at which lectures were deli-
vered by gentlemen of acknowledged talent, and which
were attended by some of the most influential inhabitants
of Birkenhead. The society owed its prosperity to various
circumstances, and was indebted to several members, par-
ticularly to their late excellent president, Mr. Wills, who
had filled the duties of his office with great zeal and abi-
lity, and had devoted himself, both publicly and privately,
to its interests. At their private meetings they had ex-
pressed their sense of the obligation under which they
rested to Mr. Wills. He rejoiced that he had been made
the medium of tresenting to their late president a testi-
monial of respect and esteem. The chairman then pre-
sented to Mr. Wills, in the name of the society, a beauti-
fully-executed French clock, which bore the following
inscription :—" Presented to John Wills, Esq., by the
members of the Birkenhead Philosophical Society, in ad-
miration of his talents as president of the society, 1852-3."
—Mr. Wills returned thanks in appropriate terms.—Mr.
Henry Case, Mr. 'Thomas Case, Mr. Gilbertson, and Mr.
Broadbent, were voted members of the society.—The: Rev.
Dr. Baylee then delivered an able lecture on the " Origin
and Progress of Human Knowledge," which was listened
to with great attention.—Thanks having been voted to
him, the proceedings terminated.
BIRKENHEAD, LANCASHIRE, AND CHESHIRE JnxC-
TION RAILWAT.—The half-yearly meeting of this' com-
pany was held on Saturday, at Birkenhead Mr. Alderman
Bancroft presided. The report stated that the necessary
steps have been taken to obtain the sanction of parliament
to the agreement for the lease of the line to the London
and North-western Company ; and they avail themselves
of this opportunity to state that nothing has occurred to
alter the relations or disturb the good understanding be-
tween the two companies. The bills introduced by the
Shrewsbury and Chester and Great Western Companies,
the Dock Trustees, and others, so far as they are likely to
affect the interests of this company, will be carefully
watched. The net amount available for dividend is
£24,969 2s. 2d., and will give to the £3l share, 75.; £27
10s. share, fis. 101 d. ; £22 share, ss. Old. ; being at the
rate of A per cent. per annum, payable on the 6th March
next.—The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the
report, drew particular attention to the conduct of the
Shrewsbury and Chester Company, which he described as
harsh and arbitrary towards the Birkenhead Company.—
Mr. Cattrall seconded the proposition.—Mr. Mill com-
plained that the statement of accounts was unsatisfactory,
and recommended that the capital account should be kept
separate from the general cash account.—The Chairman
explained, that the form in which the accounts were made
out was the same which had been usual for some time,
and which had been introduced by Mr. Cottam, of Man-
chester.—The report was adopted, and a dividend of 2
per cent. declared.
TRIAL TRIP OP THE OTTAWA.—The Canadian Steam
Navigation Company's new steamer Ottawa, built by Mr.
John Laird, of Birkenhead, went out on a trial trip on
Saturday. She remained outside all day, and returned in
the evening. The wind was strong from the N.W., and a
considerable sea running, so that there was an excellent
opportunity of testing her seafaring qualities and sailing
powers. The engines, which are by Fawcett, Preston,
and Co., worked in a most satisfactory manner, made
twenty-six revolutions per minute, and were never slowed
or stopped to cool bearings during the whole trial. The
Ottawa was abreast the Rock Light at 10 26, a.m., and
reached the Bell Buoy at 11 22, a.m., being at the rate of
eleven knots an hour against a strong breeze right ahead,
thus proving that the expectations formed of her speed
were not over estimated. The Ottawa is now loading in
Birkenhead Dock, and will take her departure for Port-
land, the Canadian winter port, on Thurtida.y.