The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-03-22 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD, TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 1853.

glass on the roof, full on ROGERS ; it produced an un-
earthly effect. " Who is that remarkable-looking white
man ?" exclaimed one. " That man," said THOMAS
CAMPBELL, "is SAM ROGERS." Anon the parties became
a little more intimate, I trow. Mentioning ROGERS, re-
minds me of his portrait in the Portland Gallery, as well
as that of THACKERAY, both wonderful heads; the former
lofty and quite Shaksperian, the latter broad and massive.
You remember THACKERAY published one of his works
some time ago, setting forth that it was by MICHAEL
ANGELO TITMARSH• With that droll nose of his, and
the " storehouse of thought " above it, THACKERAY
presents the most striking resemblance to the best busts
of the great, the magnificently-minded MICHAEL ANGELO,
BuoNArtorri, I have ever seen. ROGERS, though old, is
yet most cheerful, and cracks joke and pun—if not with
as much frequency as heretofore, certainly with equal
pungency. How in the name of wonder does he sustain
that deadly pallor ? He is very fond of living on white
food, but that cannot have anything to do with it surely.
Another and another is gone to " that bourne," &c.
ORFILA, great toxicologist—the French poison-monger,
died the other day, and was awarded all but a public
funeral. ORFILA was well nigh the last of a great class
of scientific men who dignified the literary circles of Paris.
CUVIER, DUPUTREYEN, MAGENDI, these, and others
about this season of the scientific solstice,used to be visiters
ut our societies. The Royal, the Antiquarian, Astronomi-
cal, Geologi:al, Geographical, the little, quiet, unostenta-
tious, but useful and more pleasant than useful, Linnean,
held in Sir JOSEPH BANKS'S old house, Soho-square.
There these foreign saeans most did congregate every night
in the week. Splendid fellows for cigars after the meeting ;
out with the box was the order of the night, and in a
moment a huge regalia, price ninepence at the West End,
might be seen blazing away, even in the mouth of royalty.
The Duke of SUSSEX, when president of the Royal Society,
the instant he got out of the chair of NEWTON, doffed
his velvet court suit, and had himself shoved into a pair
of wide gray trousers, and jerkin, and smoked like
fury. Nobody said the smell was vulgar; to be sure,
though there were old women present, there were no
ladies. The game is all up now : go to any of these so-
cieties—it is all stiff and square toe. But to return to
ORFILA; be was a great creature, and his compatriots—
they used to write papers which were read at the weekly
meetings. I remember one very curious, by LUCIEN
BONAPARTE, on the migration of swallows, full of in-
teresting natural history points. Then we had for a
change LOUIS NAPOLEON, Emperor of the French—he
had a taste that way when he was here. I recollect him
just before he left his lodgings in King-street, St. James's,
not expecting the "blushing honours" that awaited him,
making one of a party, the first to witness lithotomy
under chloroform. It was at one of our public cutting-up
shops—hospitals. The operator, young but careful and
of a good stock; the patient, a country lad, who never
had got drunk ; glorious subject for the stupifying effects
of chloroform. Your " boozer" may as well inhale the
fumes of cold spring water—if it any have—as try chloro-
form. However, the young countryman of whom I
write, had been sorely pained with stone for nineteen
out of three and twenty of his years, that being his age.
We sat down to a capital luncheon during the time the
patient was being got ready. The piece de resistance
was a huge pie, with venison in it, and a lot of
small birds—larks especially. The dainty dish fit for a
king (Louts is now an emperor) was made by the young
surgeon, the operator ; I trembled for the fate of the
poor suffering " hawbuck" as I saw the surgeon ea and
eat on, and never stop drinking till he reached his sixth
glass of Xeres ! " That's my way, my boy," he said,—
"it was my father's. I must have my belly full of witlals
before I commence an operation. Liston, you know, pre-
ferred a long ride on horseback." I remembered this,
and said my prayers on behalf of the afflicted man, led in
by this time blindfolded. In two minutes it was all over.
The Emperor had the extracted stone, as large, corru-
gated, and hard as a peach's, put into his hand. I stood
next to him. "It is hot," said Louis." " I should
imagine so," said I, as he handed it to me, " it has been
nearly twenty years warming." He grunted Bon !
They are all at sixes and sevens in the victualling
department of the Parliament houses. The Roman
Catholic members want a Fish Committee ; then, again,
comes the confectioner, in the corridor; he don't stick at
cherry-brandy with his cates, but comes out like a man,
with Old 7'om, hollands, whiskey, rum, and other strong
waters. So much so, that more than one witness has
staggered into the Committee-room, and stuttered in his
evidence—groggy, in short. The matter has been brought
under the LORD CHAMBERLAIN'S notice, as well as that
of Mr. SPEAKER. They think that they have a right
to permit spirits to be " drunk on the premises''—so do
not the publicans in the neighbourhood, whose main
harvest is reaped during the sitting of Parliament. Let
the house-steward or kitchenman sell spirits to those
members and their friends who dine in the rooms set
apart for the latter purpose, but keep the retail of spirits
out of the passages,—is about what the public-house-
keepers say. The fact is, any varlet off the street, if he
know the way, can walk in, have his " go" or two, look
about, and retire as big as a lord. The right of sale is
worth something—as much as £1,500 is spoken of. The
matter is under inquiry.
The metropolitan theatres are closed this week for dra-
matic representations,—it being Passion Week, the great
division of the theatrical season, making a gulf between
Christmas and Easter—pantomime and spectacle. The
Brothers BROUGH, clever lads, known, if I recollect
aright,in Liverpool, have concocted a burlesque for Drury-
lane Theatre, of which great things are expected. I went
the other night to D.L. to have a close inspection of the
modes operandi of SANDS walking head downwards on
the ceiling. I was right under him : it is very droll, but
one can only guess at the principle ;—some say it is
magnetic, and that Mr. SANDS breaks the current at one
foot before he lifts the other ; some again fancy that he
adopts the exhausted air-pump fashion. lie has great
apparent difficulty in "patting his heat foot forrnost,''but
he does it with firmness and no fear. He is very jealous
of the stucco-looking platters he puts over the soles of
his sandals; the moment his feat is performed—not to be
encored, you may be sure—he wraps his platters in a
handkerchief and double locks them in a trunk. I under-
stand the maker of the aforesaid platters is under bond,
not to make another pair for two years. SANDS is a fiue-
looking fellow, as wiry as a Bedouin. A French piece by
SCRIBE has been got hold of by some of our smart dra-
matic prigs here—l beg their pardon—adaptors, and is to
be produced, under the title of " Marco Spade)," at the
Princess's and Olympic, as the Easter offering. Mr.
WEBSTER, you will have observed, has made his last
speech at the Haymarket ;—manly and to the purpose,
though pardonably egotistical. If Mr. WEBSTER takes
care at the Adelphi—always a gaining concern—he will
make money. Will he keep it ? There's the rub. Scores
of literary and dramatic clever fellows make hundreds of
pounds, which they are not up to the art of keeping, like
your " dull fools." BUCKSTONE has put his feeler out
at the Haymarket—a good company, but a world too
numerous ; and herein was a great cause of Mr. WEBSTER
laying by so little, or perhaps laying out so much.
CHARLES KEAN contrived up to the last night doing well
at the Princess's, slipping quietly in now and then to
Courr's Bank with his book under his belt ; be is some-
what more careful that way than was his great father-
actor. CHARLES KEAN must now be worth £50,000, if a
penny. Mr. GYE, the director of the Royal Italian
Opera, has been very unwell for some time past, but
comes to town immediately, having got better, to direct
the affairs of his establishment prior to opening in eight
or ten days. Mr. CHARLES NUGENT, long the trust-
worthy and experienced attache of her MAJESTY'S
Theatre, Mr. ROBERTSON, the treasurer, and Signor
Puzzi, a well-known and respected musician, are to make
an effort to keep this lyrical temple open. Everybody
wishes them success. They are going to try to get JENNY
LIND to put forth her angelic powers to aid the attempt.
If JENNY does this, all will be right. lam afraid, how-
ever, that beyond scene singing, non-dramatic JENNY
will do no more. Acting lyrical characters on the stage
had a dangerous effect on the health of this gifted creature.
The excitement was too much, producing results in the
circulation to be dreaded. She may have got over this
during her absence.

sion that it will prove excessive, more particularly
when the increasing demand for actual consumption
is taken into account. At the same time, it must
be admitted that in estimating the prospects for the
future, much will depend on the receipts at the
American ports during the present month, and con-
sequently the advices by each mail will be looked
for with a considerable degree of anxiety. At Not-
tiugham, the hosiery trade is in full activity ; and the
markets for most descriptions of produce display
great firmness.

There is much agitation now going forward for
the repeal or reduction of duties on articles of gene-
ral consumption, with a view of influencing the
CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER in the prepara-
tion of his Financial Statement, which is promised
on an early day after the Easter recess. The ques-
tion of the abolition of the Soap-duty has been
taken up by influential parties; numerous petitions
on the subject have been presented to the House
of Commons, and on Friday a deputation, consist-
ing of Mr. JAMES ASPINALL TOBIN and Mr.
GEORGE HORSFALL, of this town, accompanied by
Mr. CHARLES TURNER, M.P., waited upon the
CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, in order to
press the subject upon his attention, with reference
to the trade in Palm-oil from Africa. The reduc-
tion of the duty on Tea, which was promised by
Mr. DISRAELI, has also been stoutly advocated,
and a London merchant has issued a rather volu-
minous circular, which he entitles—" A few words
on the Tea duties." He advocates a large and im-
mediate reduction, and confidently predicts that it
will cause no loss to the Revenue, by the impetus
which it will give to increased consumption. He
combats the objection which has been raised as to
the difficulty of obtaining increased supplies from
China, by stating that the whole amount now im-
ported does not exceed a fortieth part of the quantity
consumed in the Celestial Emoire, and that any
probable amount of increase could he supplied with
the greatest facility, owing to the vast resources of
that country.
The attempt of some Liverpool shareholders to
repudiate the Preference Shares of the North British
Railway, on the alleged illegality of the resolutions
by which the Preference Stock was created, has
naturally excited much indignation, as being an act
fully as dishonourable as the notorious repudiation
of Pennsylvanian Bonds. It has, however, been
twice defeated ; for, on the application to the Court
of Session in Scotland, the Lord Ordinary gave
judgment against the repudiators, and condemned
them in costs; and at the half-yearly meeting held
in Edinburgh, on Friday, the motion to refuse the
payment of dividends on the Preference Shares was
lost by a large majority, only three hands being
held up for it. A poll was demanded, and the
result was a majority of 9,896 to 5,958 votes against
the repudiation. This decision does honour to the
company, for it would strike at the root of all con-
fidence in share dealings, if such engagements were
allowed to be set aside on a mere charge of infor-
mality. Another good sign at the meeting was, a
vote of want of confidence in the deputy-chairman
for his collusion with the Liverpool repudiators.
The return from the Bank of England, for the
week ending the 12th of March, gives the following
results. when compared with the previous week :
Public deposits .. £7,607,914; Increase £295,163
Other deposits .. 13,051,136 ; Increase 428,835
Rest .. 3,622,448 ; Increase 4,746

On the otber side of the account—
Government securities £13,464,538 ; the same as before.
Other securities .. 15,396,827 ; Decrease £4,393
Notes unemployed .. 10,665,430; Increase 579,400
The amount of notes in circulation is £21,713,170,
being a decrease of £562,700 ; and the stock of
bullion in both departmentr is £18,978,310, show-
ing an increase of £93,998, when compared with
the preceding return.

ISSUE DE
Notes issued .. £32,378,600

£32,378,600

BANKING ll]
Prop.'s capita1.£14,553,000
Rest....
Public deposits. 7,607,914
Other deposits . 13,051,136
7-clay, &e. bills. 1,292.007 I

£40,126,505

prospect for Importers may be considered very en-
couraging, as prices have still an upward tendency.
Skin Wools continue very scarce; and what finds
way to the market meets a ready sale at extreme
prices. In Scotch, little or none offering. The
demand for English and Irish combing Fleece
Wool has been very brisk, and some extensive sales
have been made at an advance of id. to id. on
former rates.

METALS.—The market for Scotch Pig-iron has
been more animated, and prices have reached 535.
to 545. per ton ; but at these figures there are few
buyers to be met with. Manufactured Iron is in
good demand, and prices are well sustained. Tin-
plates are rather easier. In other metals no parti-
cular alteration.

JUBILEE OF THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN

BIBLE SOCIETY.

A special public meeting of the subscribers and friends
of the Liverpool Auxiliary Bible Society was held in the
Philharmonic-hall last evening—the Lord Bishop of Ches-
ter presiding. The hall was filled by a most respectable and
attentive audience. Amongst the gentlemen on the plat-
form were—the Revds. John Jones, W. Rawson, F.
Parry, W. F. Taylor, H. Carpenter, T. Cowan, S. Min-
ton, H. Marlen, W. Pollock, T. Robinson, J. Bardsley,
J. Butler, S. B. Sutton, Herbert Jones, J. H. Wright,
W. Maynard, W. B. S. Matthias, R. Carter, J. Law-
rence, Chas. Lawrence, G. W. Warr, J. Lester, S. Brown,
J. Duck, J. Kelley, V. White, J. Edwards, Newsted,
F. A. West; T. B. Horsfall, Esq., A. Hodgson, Esq.,
T. D, Anderson, Esq., Capt. Anderton, E. Cropper, Esq.,
J. K. Rounthwaite, Esq., &c.
The RIGHT REVEREND CHAIRMAN opened the pro-
ceedings by reading the 19th Psalm. His Lordship then
addressed some preliminary remarks, expressing the pecu.
liar satisfaction he had in being present on that auspicious
occasion, when the society' was entering upon its 3 ear of
jubilee. He traced the career of the society from the
year of its formation ; showed how its operations were
being extended, not only at home, but among the
heathen, and professed the utmost confidence and
hope in the efficiency of the work to the accom-
plishment of which the society addressed itself. But
still, though they had good reason to believe that
the blessing of God had accompanied their work, and that
they had accomplished much ; still he thought they
not done all that lay in their power to do, if they only had
the heart to do it. If they had cause for thankfulness, he
feared they had also cause for much self-reproach and
humility; but he hoped that this year of jubilee would
call forth a large increased measure of Christian liberality
in behalf of the society. so as to supply the hitherto ex-
isting deficiencies. (Hear, hear.) j He alluded to the
quickly increasing amount of influence and power, of which
the lower classes of the people were becoming possessed
in this country, and said they had only to supply those
classes with the Bible to cause their increasing power
to be directed aright, and to be a blessing to themselves
and others. He next alluded to the objects of the Peace
Society ; and, while professing a most cordial sympathy
with the motives of the men of whom it was composed,
he saw in the distribution of the word of God the power
which could make the whole world one grand Peace So-
ciety. (Hear, hear.) The third point to which his Lord-
ship drew attention, was that of slavery, and in doing so
he paid a graceful tribute to the moving fiction of Mrs.
Stowe, and confessed his belief that the most efficient way
of effecting the extinction of slavery would be by distribu-
ting the Bible—that Bible, which, if it did not condemn
slavery, in any express terms, -still taught us to do un-
to others, as we would they should do to us, and further-
more enjoined upon us to love our neighbour as ourselves.
(Cheers.) In conclusion, his lordship apologised for the
absence of Dr. Raffles, upon whom he pronounced a very
high eulogium, as their excellent and tried friend and se-
cretary, who was unable to attend, in consequence of the
domestic afflictions of a friend.

The Rev. F. PARRY, the honorary secretary, after apo-
logising for the absence of the Rev. Mr. Falloon, and the
Rev. Dr. M'Neile, proceeded to give an interesting ac-
count of the proceedings of the jubilee of the Parent So-
ciety. He revie•eed the various speeches delivered on
that occasion, and also the sermon preached in St. Paul's
Cathedral by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The Rev. VERNER WHITE said that, by the resolution
which he had to submit, the meeting was called upon to
" welcome the jubilee of the society as a fitting occasion
for commemorating the Divine goodness, shown in the
success so abundantly vouchsafed to the society in its
origin, rise, and subsequent progress." It had been the
means of distributing 43 million copies of the Book of
God, which were printed in 148 languages. In 1804 the
income of the society amounted to £5,000 ; last year the
sum was £lOB,OOO.
The motion was carried unanimously. .

The Rev. JOHN JONES' moved the next resolution :
" This meeting embraces this opportunity of bearing
renewed public testimony to the divine character and
claims of the Bible, and to the right of every individual
of the human family to possess and read the same ; and
pledges itself to promote, by renewed and vigorous efforts,
the widest possible circulation of the Scriptures, both at
home and abroad."
Mr. T, B. HORSFALL seconded the resolution. He
sketched briefly the origin of the Liverpool auxiliary. It
originated with 71 inhabitants of this town, 26 of whom
were ministers of the Church of England, 9 ministers of
other denominations, and 36laymen. Of those 71 indi-
viduals, three were now alive. Of those three, the Ven.
Archdeacon Brooks was one,. their excellent friend, Dr.
Bunting, was another, and the third was Mr. Bold.
Without meaning any disrespect to the committee or the
Right Rev. Chairman. ha thougtht it would have tif.en
delightful and appropriate to have seen one of those vene-
rable men either occupying the chair on this auspicious
occasion, or at all events moving the first resolu-
tion. (Hear, hear, and cheers). During the first year
of its existence the Liverpool auxiliary contributed
£650 per annum, the donations amounting to £1,400. The
year 1811 was, in Liverpool, a season of great social dis-
tress. The years 1852' or 1853 were, on the other hand,
periods of great social prosperity. In 1811. the population
amounted to 94,000 k now it had increased to 400,000.
But they found that, while the population of
94,000 sent a yearly sum of £650, the 400,000 sent only
£Boo,—a sum of course which fell far short of the increase
they had a right to expect, considering that wealth had
increased proportionately with the population.
The Rev. J. KELLY next addressed the meeting.
The resolution, on being put by the right rev. chairman,
was carried unanimously.
A collection was then made, during which the organ
played. The jubilee hymn was afterwards sung.
Mr. Boumis, who attended as the deputation from the
Parent Society, was next called upon by the chairman,
and proposed the third and last resolution, which was to
the effect, that the meeting approved of the measures of
the committee for the institution of a jubilee fund
for extending the operations of the society in Great
Britain and Ireland, the colonies, and abroad.
The Rev. Mr. WEST, Wesleyan minister, seconded the
motion, which was carried unanimously.
A vote of thanks having been passed to the Chairman,
he proceedings terminated about eleven o'clock.

ON Wednesday night last, three out of sixty nightmen
introduced from Manchester by Mr. Rose were attacked
by the Liverpool " turn-outs,' and fears have been enter-
tained since of further violence.

DEATH OF A CAPTAIN OF A SHIP.—On Sunday
morning, Captain Vincent Antonia, of the Brazilian ship
Providence, was found dead on board a vessel now lying
in the Queen's Dock. A charcoal fire had been burning
in the state room, and during the time the fire was burn-
ing, the deceased fell asleep, and it is supposed that the
fumes from the charcoal caused suffocation. An inquest
will be held upon the body to-day.
AT the meeting of the West Derby Board of Guardians,
on Wednesday, the Rev. W. Badnall in the chair, Mr.
H. B. Farnall, Poor-law Inspector, was present, having
been sent down by the board to investigate certain charges
made against Mr. B. J. M'Govern, baker, a contractor
to the union for the supply of bread. Mr. M'Govern
had contracted to supply bread for the out-door paupers,
at Id. per lb. ; but he had been accustomed to give the
applicants at his shop, when they appeared with the order
from the relieving-officer, bread at lid. and lid., when
asked by them to do so. The hearing of evidence oc-
cupied the board on Wednesday and on Thursday. At
its conclusion, Mr. Farnall intimated his intention of
laying the whole of the proceedings before the com-
missioners.

GAROTTE ROBBERY IN LlVERPOOL.—Yesterday, at the
police-court, two men, named Bernard Sloane and James
Hughes, were brought before the magistrates, charged
with robbing Thomas Falton, accompanied by personal
violence. It appeared from the evidence of the prosecutor,
who is a cart-driver, that about seven o'clock cn Sunday
morning last he was walking along Henderson-street,
when the two prisoners, together with another man at
present unknown, went up to him and asked him for some
money ; he replied that he had none to spare ; but,
judging from their demeanour that the prisoners were
desperate characters, lie gave them a shilling in order to
get rid of them. After he had given them the money they
dragged him into a passage off the street. The prisoner
Hughes then seized him by the throat and nearly
strangled him, his face being almost black, whilst Sloane
rifled his pockets. A labourer, who happened to be
passing at the time, heating a scuffle in the entry, stopped
to ascertain what was going on, and he saw the prisoner
Sloane take the money out of the prosecutor's pockets
whilst Hughes held him. He gave information to a
policeman, and soon afterwards the prisoners were appre-
hended. This witness, as well as the prosecutor, identified
both the men, who were committed to take their trial at
the ensuing assizes,
COAINIITTAL OF A MARINE-STORE DEALER.—At the
police court yesterday, John Madden, who keeps a ma-
rine-store in St. Martin's-street, and: a youth named
William Jenkins, were placed before the magistrates,
charged by Mr. Miles Newby, with stealing a quantity of
brass bushes from his premises, in Woodstock-street.
On Wednesday last, on the return of the engineer to the
prosecutor from his breakfast, he missed a number of new
brass bushes, which he had just made for some machinery
his master was fitting up. Seeing the prisoner Jenkins,
' (whom he had frequently seen banging about the
premises,) he charged him with having stolen
the articles, when the prisoner denied it •, but a
1 boy who resides in the neighbourhood stated to the
prosecutor that, shortly after the articles were stolen, the
prisoner went to him, and asked him if he would go with
him to sell them. The boy consented, and the prisoner then
took him to Madden's store. Madden purchased them from
him for 3s.—On Saturd;iy the prisoner Jenkins went to the
store with another quantity of bushes, and sold them to a
servant in Madden's store, for three shillings and fourpence.
The boy above alluded to again went with the prisoner
Jenkin. Subsequently, the engineer to the prosecutor, with
the boy and a police-officer, went to Madden's, and stated
that his servant had been purchasing stolen bushes. Mad-
den called her, and asked her if she bad bought any, and
she replied that she had ; and on Madden asking her
where they were, the girl took the police-officer to the
house opposite to Madden's, where the bushes were
found. She then said that her master told her to take
the bushes to this house almost as soon as she had pur-
chased them. At the hearing yesterday, evidence as
above was given, the prisoner Madden's servant deposing
to the circumstances, and Madden and Jenkins were both
committed for trial.

BURNING OF WINDSOR CASTLE.

A fire, occasioning great alarm to the Sovereign, and
involving a lamentable destruction of property, broke out
in the private apartments of Windsor Castle, at a quarter
before ten o'clock, on Saturday night. The outbreak was
discovered within a very few minutes of its occurrence,
but the fire had obtained such ascendancy that its progress
was not altogether subdued until six o'clock on Sunday
morning. The damage to the rooms in the Prince of
Wales's Tower, and adjoining apartments is very serious ;
all the apartments in this tower, including the beautiful
Gothic dining-room, are destroyed ; indeed the tower may
be said to be completely gutted, as the fire extended to
the roof, which is also destroyed.
The precise extent of the damage cannot, at this
moment be ascertained, but it is expected to fall little
short of £lOO,OOO. _ _

The following are the particulars. Her Majesty and his
Royal Highness Prince Albert having arrived at the
Castle from Buckingham Palace in the afternoon, dined
in private, as is their usual custom on the day of their ar-
rival; the dinner being served up in the Gothic dining-
room. Her Majesty and the Prince had not left this
room scarcely an hour before Mr. Barker, the head cellar-
man, whose duty it was to be in attendance in the dining-
room, observed smoke issuing from the south angle of the
apartment; he immediately communicated the occurrence
to Mr. Norton, the Deputy Comptroller of the Household,
who lost no time in summoning the firemen and commu-
nicating with the gentlemen of the Royal suite.
The tower in which the misfortune commenced, was a
splendid piece of architecture, and nearly faced Eaton
College, whilst the beautiful terrace and promenade stands
immediately in front, and under the battlements is the
tastefully laid-out flower gardens and slopes, where her
Majesty and Royal children frequently enjoy walking ex-
ercise. On the ground floor waa an apartment of great
extent and most beautifully appointed, which was used by
the Queen as the dining-room. The roof, or more cor-
rectly speaking, the ceiling, was inlaid with carved oak,
delicately heightened with gold. Over this magnificent
apartment were a number of rooms principally devoted for
sleeping apartments for the Royal children and attendants ;
various other rooms adjoined those just mentioned, and
the whole touched, or nearly so, the apartments in the
Brunswick Tower.

With as little delay as possible the news was communi-
cated to Colonel Phipps, who, in turn, gave the necessary
intelligence to the officers in command of the Castle.
General Drummond immediately summoned the Castle
Guard, and at the same time Private Turner, the sentinel
on duty on the North Terrace, observing smoke issuing
from one of the Tower windows, reported the circumstance
to Corporal Guerin, who was going round with the relief,
and he immediately conveyed the information to Lieut.
Mostyn, of the Castle Guard. The intelligence was then
despatched to Colonel Dixon, the officer in command of
the Fusilier Guards at Sheet-street Barracks, and in less
than seven minutes from that time the whole of the bat-
talion, 700 men and officers, had " doubled" to the Castle.
A barricade was formed by the Castle Guard at the vari-
ous entrances to the Castle, and shortly afterwards the
whole of the regiment of the 2nd Life Guards, under the
command of Colonel Williams, arrived with three barrack
engines. The soldiers behaved manfully : some mounted
the roof of the Tower ; some removed the valuable furni-
ture, with the utmost care, from the royal apartments
contiguous to the conflagration, whilst others were using
their utmost exertions at the engine. The frost, how-
ever, was so intense that on several occasions the water
in the hose became congealed, which greatly retarded the
exertions of the military, and those in charge of the
engines.
Meanwhile the flames extended from the ground-floor
up the stair-case, and having entered numerous apart-
ments in the Prince of Wales' 'rower. the whole became
ignited. The parties in command of the engines did all
they could to confine the fire within that part of the
structure, but without the least success ; and in a space
of time comparatively brief the destructive element
forced its way into the centre of the Brunswick Tower,
when the sight that presented itself was such as to ter-
rify all who beheld the spectacle—for the flames, in huge
bodies, were rushing out of the various windows in each
tower, threatening to take a complete circuit round the
Castle. The military and others- laboured in a most
praiseworthy manner, hoping to subdue the conflagration.
The water, which fell in tons weight per minute, ran down
the front of the towers, and in spite of the heat became
frozen, and immense icicles could be seen hanging from
the window-sills, and as the flames- continued to shoot
through the casements, the sight presented was one of
fearful grandeur, and the reflection of the fire could be
seen for miles distant. At Reading, nineteen miles away,
it was stated that the inhabitants could see the fire issuing
from the battlements of the tower, and many looked upon
the work of destruction in the distance with fear and
astonishment.

During this trying scene her Majesty and his Royal
Highness Prince Albert betrayed not the least signs of
fear, but appeared rejoiced at the willingness displayed by
her loyal subjects in mounting the ladders, scattering the
water over the fire, and doing all that was possible to
subdue the conflagration.
At about eleven o'clock the fire was-at its height, when
several engines were playing on the tower from various
directions. An express was also dispatched from the castle
to the London fire-brigade, which arrived with two power-
fui engines, under the superintendence of' Mr. Braidwood,
at two o'clock in the morning. About this time the fire
was partially got under, but it was not totally extinguished
before six o'clock.

It appears that the fire must have originated from a
furnace flue, situated at the basement of the Prince of
Wales's Tower, for the purpose of heating the air which
warms the Gothic dining-room, and many other apartments
in this tower, The fire was chiefly confined to the tower,
and the rooms destroyed rare the Gothic d' ' g 'town and
upwards of a dozen bed-rooms, with nearly all the splendid
furniture. The Prince of Wales's Tow3r may be said to
be completely gutted, and even a great portion of the roof
is destroyed.
The whole of the valuable furniture of the Red draw.
ing-room, which adjoins the Gothic dining-room, was
carefully removed by the soldiers and the Lord Chamber-
lain's men,. and little damage is done to• it, with the ex-
ception of the breaking of some of the glass of the mag-
nificent chandeliers.

'The plate-rooms, which contain gold plate valued at
between two and three millions of money, are situated
immediately under the Gothic dining-room, where the
fire was raging ; but it was not considered necessary to
remove any portion of it, as the rooms were made fire-
proof, although it did not appear that they were water-
proof, from the streams of water which poured into those
rooms from the ceilings. _

Fortunately, there was a plentiful supply of water from
the Cranbourne tank, which had only been laid on to this
part of the castle in the autumn of last year, or in all
probability the whole of the castle would have been a heap
of ruins. As no portion of the property is insured, the
loss will fall chiefly on the Lord Chamberlain's depart-
ment. Prince Albert was present until the fire was got
under,. as were also the llon. Colonel Grey, the llon.
Colonel Biddulph, and the lion.. Colonel Phipps. The
Queen and the Royal family, who had retired to their
private apartments at the southeast part of the castle,
remained there the whole of the night, and intelli-
gence respecting the progress of the fire was continually
conveyed to her by the Prince.

THE BLACKBURN ELECTION. takes place to-morrow
(Wednesday).
CONTROVERSIAL LECTURE.—The sixth lecture of the
anti-Papal series will be delivered this evening, in
St. John's Church, by the Rev. W. F. Taylor, M.A.
Subject, " Satanic Influence."

Mu. Jottx PARRY'S " Portfolio for Children of All
Ages," given at the Assembly-rooms, Great George-
street, on the evenings of Monday and Tuesday, was
attended by large and fashionable audiences.
MR. GEORGE BARKER, the London composer, delivered,
the third and concluding lecture on ballad music at the
Collegiate Institution, on Friday evening. He took,
as the subject of the first portion of his enter-
tainment the history of Mary, Queen of Scots;:the second part consisting of a selection of the
songs of modern English, composers, including Bishop,
Barnett, Balte. Lee, Horn, and Lover. Owing to this
being Passion Week, there will be no lecture on Friday ;
but an important course will follow, on " The Philosophy
of Sensation," by our townsman, Dr. Inman.
SUDDEN DEATHS.—On Saturday last, a man named
John Dignum, who had been three weeks a prisoner in
the borough gaol, charged with an assault, died very sud-
denly, under the following circumstance :—The deceased
was liberated from the gaol on Saturday afternoon, and
went direct to his home in Stewart-street. On arriving
there, he was taken suddenly ill, and died the same night.
An inquest on the body has been deemed necessary. which
will be held to-day.—Yesterday morning, a girl named
Anne Mosely, aged fourteen years, residing with her
parents in Salisbury-street, was found dead in bed.
AUSTRALIAN STEAMERS.—The Royal Nail screw-
steamer Sydney, which arrived at Plymouth on the 16th
instant, occupied in her homeward voyage 102 days 3i
hours, of which 77 days 221 hours only were steaming
time, and .24 days 5 hours stoppages. Under these cir-
cumstances, it is hardly fair to compare the steamer's
passages with those of sailing vessels, which go right on
without any stoppages. When the coaling arrangements
complete, these monstrous stoppages will be obviated.
The Sydney's steaming time to Adelaide, the first port in
Australia, was only 58 days.
COUNTY COURT, YESTERDAY.—Among other cases
which came before the presiding judge, was the subjoined :
Selling a "Measled" Pig.—The plaintiff in this case,
which first came before the court last week, was Edward
Bingham, butcher, of Park-road, Toxteth-park, and the
defendant was William Madden, butcher of Oldhall-street.
The action was brought to racover the sum of £l. 15.5.
paid by the plaintiff for the carcase of a pig which was
hanging in the defendant's shop, and which was ultimately
found to be measled. Mr. Hime, for the defendant,
contended that it was the plaintiff's business to examine
the pig before he bought it, and if he did not do so, he
must take the consequences. After looking over the
authorities as to the points of law raised, his Honour,
yesterday, gave judgment for the plaintiff.
THE EL DORADO.—This fine vessel, 841 tons register,
the property of Messrs. James Baines and Co., from
Liverpool, under the command of Capt. William Gilbert
Jackson, arrived in llobson's Bay on the 9th January,
after a fine voyage of only 88 days, from land to land, with
a clean bill of health, and 362 passengers, the same
number that embarked-at Liverpool. The only casualties
during the voyage were one seaman actually drowned,
one passenger died, and one birth. It reflects the greatest
credit on the officers, seamen, and passengers per the
El Dorado, that the latter have, without exception, sub-
scribed for and purchased a handsome silver cup, to be
presented to Captain Jackson, as a testimonial of their
gratitude to him for his kindness during the voyage.
They have also signed an address to him, expressive of
the high sense they entertain of his merits as a seaman
and able commander, who, without giving his officers or
crew a single opportunity of grumbling, had all his orders
carried into effect. It may also be stated that an address
to Mr. Thomas Talbot, the surgeon in charge during the
voyage, has also been signed by the passengers of the
El Dorado, expressive of their sense of his merits as one
every way qualified to have the superintendence of the
sanitary condition of the passengers and crew of such a
vessel as the El Dorado, from any European port to the
colony of Victoria.—Australian Paper.