The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-01-10 00:00:00

COURT AND FASHION.

LORD HARRIS, the Governor of Trinidad, has, it is
rumoured, been offered the appointment of Governor of
Madras.—United Service Gazette.

THE QUEEN and the Royal Family remain at Windsor,
in the enjoyment of excellent health, and have several
times taken exercise ort the ice. The visiters at the Castle
during the week have been few in number.
THE ROYAL TwELFTrr CAKE.—Her Majesty's twelfth
cake measured four feet and a half in circumference, was
a foot in height, and weighed upwards of 30 lbs. The
ornaments at the top represented the Arabs and the
dying lion, where the affrighted horses, the palm tree,
and a crystal fountain are artistically introduced;
THE DUKE OP BUCCLEUCH, the Marquis of London-
derry, or the Marquis of Westminster, are spoken of
in the circles of the Court as likely to fill the compli-
mentary mission of ambassador extraordinary on the
occasion of his Imperial Majesty's nuptials, the Emperor
of Austria, with the youthful Princess of Bavaria.
THE COURT.—Her Majesty, we understand, intends
to give a series of brilliant entertainments at Windsor
Castle, after the 17th inst., during the theatrical perfor-
mances, to the nobility and gentry residing in the imme-
diate vicinity of the Castle. The sojourn of the Sovereign
at Buckingham Palace, when her Majesty comes to town
to open the session of parliament, on Tuesday, the 31st
inst., is not expected to exceed two days, the Palace being
still under extensive repairs and embellishments.
DEATH OF LORD PLUNRET.—The last of the distin-
guished Irishmen who figured in the native parliament,
and subsequently in that of the United Kingdom, has
passed to his long account. Lord Plunket died on Wed-
nesday, at his residence, Old Connaught, Bray, near Dub-
lin, at the advanced age of ninety years. Of this
lengthened period for fully sixty years was Lord Plunket
a remarkable public man. He was known in Ireland as
such from the rebellion of 1798 to the period of his forced
resignation of the office of Lord Chancellor of Ireland, to
make way for Lord Campbell.
COMMOTION AT THE HORSEGUABDS.—A report ap-
peared in two of the leading morning papers of Thursday
to the effect that Lord Hardinge had resigned the com-
mand of the British army, to be succeeded by Lord Rag-
lan ; and that Sir George Brown was to resume his post
as Adjutant-General. One of the reports was dated from
Portsmouth. It is unnecessary to say that4dsehood was
at the bottom of the rumour. Lord Hardinge has neither
resigned nor hinted any intention of resigning, and cer-
tainly Sir George Brown is not to be recalled to the office
of Adjutant-General.—United Service Gazette.

THE LADIES' CHARITY BALL took place on Thursday,
at the Town-hall rooms.

WELSH CHARITY SCHOOLS.—We understand that a
ball will take place in behalf of this excellent charity, at
the Town-hall, on Monday, the 27th February next.
EAST LANCASHIRE RAILWAY.—In order to meet the
wishes of the passengers who reside between this town
and Ormskirk, the company have put on extra trains—
one leaving Ormskirk at nine, a.m., and the other leaving
Liverpool at 10.15, p.m. Another oon to the travelling
public has been conferred by granting quarterly contracts.
These are steps in the right direction.
DR. VAUGHAN'S LECTURE TO-NIGHT.—It will be per-
ceived by advertisement, that Dr. Vaughan, President of
the College, at Manchester, replies to-night to the lecture
delivered a short time back, by Cardinal Wiseman at Leeds.
" How Romanism has used the arts of design," cannot fail
to prove eminently attractive in such hands, and we antici-
pate a most interesting lecture.
LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY.—A meeting
of this Society was held last night at the Royal Institu-
tion, in C,olquitt-street ; J. B. Yates, Esq., in the chair.
A yery ably written paper on English ialects, by Dr.
Hume, was read by a member in the absence of the
essayist. An interesting discussion followed, in the course
of which several speakers contended for the uselessness of
dictionaries and grammars, as tending to confine the pro-
gress of language within unnecessary limits ; while others
were of opinion that they were useful in defining the
state of language at the time of their compilation, leaving
it to subsequent writers to effect improvements, and also
that they were valuable in imparting information to
learners who had no other means of acquiring it.
GLOSSOP.—A very melancholy occurrence has taken
place in this neighbourhood. Two boys, named Robert
and James, and their father, William Bullen, travelling
tumbler, a native of Biackburn, were making their way
from Sheffield to Glossop. When on the moors, on Sun-
day it was so intensely cold as to kill the two boy (one six
and the other eight years of age,) and to so starve the
father as to prevent him moving. Between eleven and
twelve o'clock at night. Mr. Charles Taylor, governor of
the union, in company with a policeman, went in a car to
the assistance of the man, and found him standing against
a wall, with his legs frozen stiff, and his children by the
side of him dead.—Derbyshire Times.
THOMAS'S SHILLING CONCERTS continue to attract
crowded audiences, and, by their merits, to deserve the
attendance of still larger crowds, which only the incle-
mency of the weather has prevented from attending. Last
night Miss Ransford made her debut, and created quite a
sensation. She will be a most valuable acquisition. Among
the several instrumental performers, each of whom is a
host in himself, we may mention Mr. Harper on the
trumpet, Mr. Lazarus on the clarionet, Mr. Percival on
the flute, Mr. Weather on the harp, Mr. Blagrove on the
violin, Mr. Lidel on the violoncello, Mr. Hawkes on the
trombone, Mr. Jennings on the oboe, and Mr. Chisholm
on the bassoon. The experiment of cheap concerts has
proved successful, because of the sterling excellence of the
performances.
THE STRIKES.—The adjourned meeting of the Masters'
Association at Wigan was held on Friday, and in the after-
noon Messrs. Jas. Eckersley and Sons withdrew from it,
and made an arrangement with their operatives for an
advance of 6d. to is. a-week. The number at work
during the week has been about 3,000, or half the whole
number. At Preston the operatives have continued to
hold meetings, and determined to abide by their claim for
ten per cent. The week's returns show that the number
of unemployed hands relieved from the Trades' Union
fund was 16,721 ; last week, 16,720. The amount distri-
buted was £3,705 16s. 3d. ; last week, £2,944 Bs. 3d. ;
increase, £761 Bs. 3d. The extraordinary increase in the
receipts of the Weavers' Committee enabled them to
advance their payments from 4s. to ss. 6d. per head, and
to reserve a balance of £424, after again giving 6d. each
to 2,070 children. Several of the other committees have
also received and expended larger sums.

FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE RAILWAY. - An inquest
will be held to-day on the body of John Dooley, labourer,
who was killed on Saturday, at Broad-green, near this
town, on the London and North-western Railway. The
deceased was engaged, with other men, in removing the
snow from the line. They put it into vans, which, when
filled, were carried by a locomotive to the neighbourhood
of Broad-green, and the snow was there deposited. They
had taken several waggons there in the course of the
day, and having arrived at the place of deposit on a fur-
ther trip, the engine stopped, and the men got upon one
of the waggons for the purpose of shovelling the snow
out. They had scarcely commenced when the engine-
driver suddenly started the engine, and three of the men
fell off. The deceased was one of these. He fell unfor-
tunately somewhat across the line, when one of the wheels
of the waggon next to the engine ran over and along his
leg, crushing it dreadfully. One of his ears was also cut
off. The unfortunate man was removed without delay to
the Royal Infirmary, where he died soon after admission.

The returns •of shipping for the month ended sth
December again show a large preponderance in the
increase of Foreign shipping over British, both in-
wards anct outwards, as will be seen by the follow-
ing statement of totals :

ENTERED INWARDS.
1852. 1853. Increase.
Tons. Tons. Tons.
British
Foreign 213,852 ... 272,124 ... 58,572
CLEARED OUTWARDS.
292,159 ... 324,293 ... 32,134
196,047 ... 281,730 ... 84,683

British
Foreign

With regard to the coasting trade, it appears
that the tonnage entered inward for the month was
1,087,527 in 1852, and 1,037,539 in 1853. The
clearances outward were 1,036,092 in 1852, and
1,135,508 in 1853.

Dulness, depression, and retrogression of prices
have been the characteristics of the SHARE
MARKET during the past week. The decline has
been continuous, almost without reaction all week,
and has proceeded to the extent of two or three
per cent. throughout the whole list of railways.
Other stocks—those local and provincial—have
not participated in the decline, but are remarkably
steady at former rates—we mean banks, insurance
companies, canals, &c.—these will suffer com-
paratively little in case of war, and are con-
sequently in demand as at other times ; there are
many, in fact, who think that bank and insurance
shares will be benefited by a war, from the high
rate of interest which they will be able to get for
their capital. The fall in railways has arisen much
more from speculation than real sales—the latter
have been very few and light. We annex prices :
Caledonians, 251 1 1 K 111 1 1•' Eastern Counties,
121 9-16 1 ; Lancashire and Yorkshire, 621 1 1 1
321 3 Ici 3 ; London Stock, 101 ; Ditto Fifths,
Id ; Sheffield Stock, 20; Midland Stock, 591 60
5911 I 4s 60 591 60 1 60 ; North British, 61
15-16 7 ; Dover Stock, 17 9-16 1 9-16 - 11-16 ;
York and North Midland, 221; North Union A,
250.

The return from the Bank of England for the
week ending the 31st of Dec:, gives the following
results, when compared with the previous week :
Public deposits ... £11,409,933; Increase £262,209
Other deposits ... 11,041,049; Increase 433,127
Rest ... 3,218,826; Increase 20,371
On the other side of the account—
Government securities £16,044,330; Increase £6OO
Other securities ... 17,678,123; Increase 932,472

Notes unemployed ... 8,102,220; Decrease 218;060
The amount of notes in circulation is £21,077,860,
being a increase of £267,705 ; and the stock of
bullion in both departments is £15,852,899, showing
an increase of £33,858, when compared with the
preceding return.

ISSUE DEPARTMENT.
Notes issued ... 229,180,0801Governmt. Debt £11,015,100
Other Securities 2,984,900
Gold coin & bu11'n.16,180,080
!Silver bullion ...

£29,180,080'
BANKING DIIPARTMENT,

£29,180,080

Prop. Capital ... £14,553,000:G0v. Securities £15,044,330
Rest ... 3,218,82610ther Securities 17,676,123

Public Deposits 11,40033 Notes ...
8,102,220
Other. Deposits 11,041,049 Gold & Silver Coin 672,819
7-day & other bills 1,172,6 .
£41,395,492 £41,395,492

PRODUCE.—There has been a very briskd emand
for Sugar, and a considerable amount of business has
been done at 6d. to ls. per cwt. advance. Rice
has been in more request, owing to the advance on
Wheat and Flour. Palm Oil and Tallow have also
commanded higher prices. In other articles little
alteration. To-day sugar has continued in good
request, at prices in favour of the seller ; the busi-
ness, including Saturday's sales, comprising 60
hhds. grainy Demerara at 38s. to 395. 6d. ; 120
hhds. Barbadoes at 335. 6d. to 38s. ; 600 bags Ma-
dras at 31s. to 355. ; 800 bags fine white Benares
at 395. 6d. to 40s. ; 320 bags brown Bengal at
335. 6d. ; 4800 mats Mauritius at 355. ; 850 boxes
fine yellow Havana at 255. to 265., and 270 tons un-
c!ayed Manilla,
to arrive, at 19s. 6d. per cwt. de-
livered. About 100 puns. Demerara Rum have
been sold at an advance of 2d. per gallon on pre-
vious prices. There are no sales to notice in Coffee,

WooL.—There is no change to note in this ar-
ticle ; the business of the week is very meagre, and
price almost nominal, buyers holding off for the
public sales, which are advertised for next week.
A considerable degree of interest will be manifest
in these sales, the unprecedented large quantity
advertised (11,000 bales) will no doubt draw a large
attendance of the trade. Imports for the week
1322 bales, chiefly from the west coast of America
and the Mediterranean. Irish is in good request
at advancing rates.
We quote the following general remarks on the
the year 1853 from the Annual Circular of Messrs.
T. and H. LITTLEDILE & CO. :
" The year just ended, though exhibiting some striking
features not before witnessed, has been a disappointing one
to many, and has far from borne out the flattering pros-
pects entertained of it at the opening ; but as stated in
our 4th Feb. Circular, ' We think this disappointment must
be attributed in a great measure to the too sanguine views
formed of our position. At the beginning of no former
year do we recollect such glowing anticipations circulated
as with one voice by the annual trade circulars and the
public press, as was the case this year—the prospective
effect of the Gold discoveries on the price of all articles,
and especially as being a guarantee for the continued
abundance of MOney, formed the subject of universal re-
mark, whilst the effects already taking place—the advance
in Produce, and the still greater one in Shares and Public
Securities—the stimulus given to operations and new
schemes of various kinds, and the consequent great in-
crease in the demand for money—seem quite to be over-
looked.' Such were our views at the beginning of the
year, of the error committed by the bulk of parties engaged
in business,—the losing sight of the great advance in
prices which took place in 62 in nearly every article,
thereby rendering a further advance to any extent in '53
exceedingly doubtful, and the increased demand for Money
which must of necessity arise from the great expansion of
trade in every direction. And such, we think, have been
borne out by the course of business through the year—our
Produce markets have on the whole been unusually quiet,
and with some few exceptional cases (Rice, Tea, &c.) prices
have shown but small variations, whilst last year the ad-
vance was almost universal—at the same time, the active
demand for consumption has been such as to keep prices
steady in the face of the great drawbacks, dear money and
food strikes in the manufacuring districts, and threatened
war. This latter fact is one of the most remarkable fea-
tures of the year, and shows the sound position of the im-
port trade—but yet 1853 has not been the generally pros-
perous year to those engaged in commerce, which the pub-
lic give credit for, and as far from "the most satisfactory
one in history" in the item of profits : no doubt large
profits have been made, but subject to heavy drawbacks.
The export trade has been the largest on record, but per-
haps so far as textile fabrics of Cotton and Wool are con-
cerned, with the least profitable results to all the leading
markets except America Imports, the principal one
Cotton, has left a loss, and Sugar has not done much
better ;—Tea and Silk have given good results, but the
disastrous position of the bulk of exports to China will
prove a severe set off. The Calcutta and Bombay trades,
taking imports and exports together, have been anything
but lucrative, and the same may be said of the West
Indies and Brazils ; indeed it is questionable whether these
foUr leading trades, on the whole, have done any good, ex-
cept to commission houses. The trades of the year are no
doubt Timber and Corn, on both of which splendid profits
have been realised by importers, dealers, speculators and
carriers. Shipowners are considered to have had a golden
harvest throughout the year ; but here again the impres-
sion far exceeds the reality—true, many instances may be
quoted of enormous freights being obtained, and some par-
ties have no doubt realised large sums—particular ships in
the Australian trade, and more generally, small class ves-
sels in Grain and Coal freights for short voyages : but the
sets off—the great advance in provisions, stores, seamen's
wages, cost of repairs, carpenters' wages, &c., the almost
unparalleled number of casualties and the detentions that
have occurred, and in the case of steamers the enhanced
cost of coals—will very greatly reduce the aggregate re-
sults, and the difficulty of again getting down these
charges renders the position of the shipowner more pre-
carious :—of course the advance in the value of shipping is
very great. Manufacturers of almost every class have had
an active and excellent trade—lron perhaps the most so—
but here again the advance in wages and difficulties with
the workmen in every branch have been great drawbacks
—like the deficient yield of grain to the agriculturalist—
to the apparent large profits. On the debit side of the
picture must not be omitted the changed position of
shares and other public securities—the number of abortive
mining schemes, and the heavy losses sustained by some
operators on the Stock Exchange. On six of our leading
Railways alone the difference in value between the Ist
January 1853 and 1854 amounts to eleven millions ster-
ling, and on 20 Gold-mining schemes to £3,soo,ooo—the
average depreciation is about 174 per cent. on a share
capital of above 200 millions."
IRON.—There has been very little doing in Pig
Iron since the commencement of the present
month, and the exports from the Clyde having
been light, the price receeded to 775., but during
the last two days a firmer feeling has been evinced,
—two furnaces having been put out of blast from
scarcity of coal and ironstone—and we close this
evening at 78s. All descriptions of Manufactured
Iron are in good request, excepting Rails, in which
there is nothing doing at present. Tin Plittes are
dull, and rather easier.