The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-01-18 00:00:00

CHINA.

A letter from Hongkong, dated 29th November, says :
—" Within the last few days it is reported that the Im-
perial troops had gained a decisive victory.
" The rebellion is exciting attention in the north, but
as yet there has been no interruption to trade.
" The transit through the disturbed districts appears to
be less obstructed.

" We have to notice an attack on two officers of the
Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer Singapore on
the Cawloon shore, opposite Hongkong, from which they
narrowly. escaped with their lives. The prompt interfer-
ence of Captain Massie, the senior naval officer, led to
the capture of the delinquents, and the recovery of the
stolen property.
" A.dvices from Singapore mention the Panama and
Ge, trade, with Coolies from Amoy, having put in there,
in consequence of disaffection and revolt among the
Coolies. On board the Gertrude the captain and officers
were severely wounded, and several of the Coolies were
shot. The Panama had proceeded on her voyage.
"Emigration of Coolies to the West Indies is being
carried on to a great extent at Amoy, and lately at Na-
moa, from the difficulty of procuring a sufficient number
at the former place.
"In Canton the demand for imports has not been ex-
tensive. Tn exports a fair business has been done."

EGYPT,

A letter from Alexandria, under date of the Gth Jan.,
:—The Pasha's new iron steam-fi igate, Faid Gehad,
arrived here last week in 68 hours from Malta, the shortest
passage hitherto made from that island being in 80 hours.
This steamer has been much admired by all who have
seen her, but Abbas Pasha's curiosity has not been ex-
cit&l, and, in lieu of coming down to Alexandria to in-
spect her, he has started on a tour of inspection to the
upper country. The Faid Gehad brought out from Eng-
land a number of railway platelayers, and others have
arrived from France, for the purpose of at once laying
down the rails on the line between Alexandria and Kaffer
Lais, on the Nile, so that it is expected this portion will
be completed before the present year closes. This will
be of very great advantage, as all the annoyances and
delays arising from the navigation of the Mahrroodeeyeh
Canal will thus be avoided.

The anniversary of the birth of the Prophet Mahomed
has just been celebrated at Cairo with the usual festivi-
ties, and the extraordinary ceremony of the Doseh was
performed on the 21.1 of December. On this occasion a
number of dervishes and other Musselman devotees place
themselves on the ground side by side, as closely as pos-
sible to each other, with their backs upwards, and the
Sheikh, or chief of their religion, passes over them on
horseback. None of the men thus trodden upon showed
signs of being hurt.

TKO GRAND MASONIC BALL.—We have now the
satisfaction of stating that the arrangements for this
grand ball, which is to take place on the Ist of February,
are progressing most satisfactorily, and promises to be,
as it was last year, the ball of the season. The brethren
will, of course, appear in their full masonic clothing ; but
the ,uninitiated will be admitted, there being no mystery
or "secret'! involved in the social relations of the fra-
ternity. The object of the ball is charity, which is the
first principle of tha order—for the benefit of the West
Lancashire Institution for the education and advancement
in life of the children of distressed brethren. We should
state that the honorary secretaries attend daily, from
four till five o'clock, at the George Hotel, for the purpose
of issuin; tickets.

THE FRIEND OF THE CLERGY.—A sermon in aid o
the funds of this institution will be preached on Sunday
evening next, in St. James's Church, Toxteth-park, by the
Rev. J. E. Cox, of Bishopsgate Church, London. This
institution was established with the object of making some
permanent provision for the widows and orphan unmarried
daughters of clergymen of the Church of England, and also
to extend relief to clergymen under circumstances of tem-
biu blush
itshnatotsaboveuc h a
x
statement is made, is it not at the maple time the strongest
porary. difficulty. The number of clergy in 'England and
Wales amounts to more than 16,000. It is believed that the
aver
()(; g
per
e r incomeannu m.
of 1) r
Whilstfo r the i t
iis
with
greater number
a,
appeal in behalf of a society which seeks, in some small
degree, to remedy
the consequences of such a state of
things ? If they have sown unto us spiritual things, is it
a-great matter if they shall reap our worldly things ?

the second of the fleet of the African Mail
ceeded on the Ad _ - -
THE SCREW STEAMER FAITH.—TRIAL TRIP.-ThiS
miralty trial-tri p onSa-
turday afternoon last. There were on hoard Captain
-:ii.ch, marine overlooker for the company ; Mr. Water-
,aann, under-surveyor and draughtsman, and Mr. Hughes,
engineer, both from Somerset-house ; Mr. John Laird,
the builder ; Mr. Preston of the firm of Fawcett, Pres-
ton, and Co., the engineers ; Mr. Douglas Hebson, and
others. The Faith left Birkenhead Dock a little before
two o'clock, and proceeded to New Ferry, returning
along the Liverpool side. In going down the river, she
bad a run of a mile with the Britannia
Cneowmpscalnwyr
pe
rr
0,
she speedily overhauled both of them. The Faith was
closely followed by the barque steamer Ocean, and she
had an exciting run with the Drogheda steamer Brian
Boirhime, both powerful paddle-boats. The screw kept
and the Sylph
the lead until she approached the north-west lightship,
when the Brian passed her, the distance run being about
eleven miles. The Faith is 208 feet in length, by 30 feet
beam ; her measurement is about 940 tons ; on her trial-
trip she carried 550 tons dead weight, as cargo. Her
machinery is two 42 inch cylinders, with an aggregate
hand.e 28t
h inst.
computed force of 110 horse-power. She did the distance
from the Rock Light, about 11i miles, in one hour and
fifteen minutee. The vibration, observable in screw-
boats, was not observed at all by those on board. A
handsome entertainment was given to those on board in
the grand saloon—Mr. John Laird in the chair. The
Hope, the third boat being built for the African Mail
MCompanyLaird
byha
sIN,I
ar .t
present, Laird,
wilellebyeelnsteamers on
th