The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-03-03 00:00:00

THE PRINCE WALDEMAR OF PRUSSIA

As the official despatches respecting the late great
events on the Sutlrj mention the name of Count Ravens-
burg, and allude to a fact personal to him, it may be in-
teresting to the public to know that Count Ravensburg is
the incognito name of his Royal Highness Prince Walde-
mar of Prussia, the son of Prince William (the late King's
brother), and therefore first cousin to Frederick William
IV. This distinguished personage, now in his 29111 year,
and Colonel in the Dragoons of the Prussian Guards, de-
sirous of seeing foreign military institutions, and possibly
falling in with some military enterprise during these times
of peace in Europe, dematn!ed and obtained, in 1844, the
King's permission to proceed to the East, and to visit,
for his instruction, the British empire in India. The king
ordered his Royal Highness to be accomparied by two
distinguished officers, both mentioned in the late de-
spatches. The one of them Count Grorben, is Lieutenant
in the Guards, the Prince's personal friend, and son of
one of the most illustrious and popular Generals in the
Prussian army ; the other, Count Oriola, is a Major on
the Staff of the same. Dr. II uffmeister, mentioned i❑ the
report, followed the Prince as medical attendant. The
Prince has since travelled through the greatest part of
the Indian empire, and the Universal Prussian Gazette
(Algerneine Preussiche Zeitung) and other German pa-
pers have given extracts from his letters, proving the
Prince's power of observation, and the high estimate he
had formed of the military state and of the civil adurinis-
tration of that vast empire. As soon as a war with La-
hore seemed inevitable, the Prince proceeded towards the
Indus, and in his progress, and lastly at Umballah, re-
viewed the English troops he fell in with. His last let-
ters, dated the lith of December, from the neighbour-
hood of Moodkee, were written on the very eve of the
battle at that place. They are, as may be expected, full
of enthusiasm at the thoughts of his first combat. lie
fought in those ever memorable days by the side of the
Governor-General, and on the 21st saw his medical at-
tendant killed at his side by grape-shot. The following
private letter has been received by the Chevalier Bunsen
from the Governor-General, relative to the Prince's
share in the late actions, and will be read with interest.
" Camp, Ferozepore, Jun. 1, 1846.

"My dear Chevalier,—l wish your Excellency a very
happy new year, and many congratulations on the perso-
nal safety of Prince Waldemar, who, with the character-
istic gallantry of his illustrious race, and the national love
of enterprise of his countrymen, was present with me in
the recent action of Moodkee, on the 18th of December,
and at Ferozeshah, on the 21at and 22d of December.

" His lioyal Highness intended to proceed to Bombay
by Schinde, and left Ferozepore on the 23d of December
last, quite well.
" It was impossible for any soldier to show more cool-
ness, intrepidity, and energy than did his Royal Highness
acd the noblemen of his suite on these occasions.
" The Prince's surgeon was struck off his horse by a
grape-shot, when I saw his Royal Highness instantly
alight to his assistance. The humanity of this act was of
no avail. The unfortunate gentleman had already ceased
to exist.

" In the morning of the 22,1 I felt it to be my duty to
request his Royal Highness to retire. The action threat-
ened to be very severe, and I could not reconcile it with
the respect I bear towards the Prussian royal family, that
one of its Princes, having already witnessed an Asiatic
battle, and greatly distinguished himself, should run a
risk to which there was no necessity that his Royal High-
ness should be exposed.

" With great reluctance his Royal Highness consented
to proceed to Ferozvpore.

" I beg further to observe, that his Royal Highness has,
by the amiability of his demeanour, won the respect and
admiration of all the officers, civil and military, of
the East India Company's service, and that our most re-
spectful good wishes attend his Royal Highness where-
ever he may direct his steps.
"These sentiments towards his Royal Highness, so
universally entertained, are grateful to me ; for, from old
recollections and attachment, I take a deep interest in all
that concerns the military officers of your nation.
" I have the honour to remain, yours very sincerely,
"H. II A RDI NG E, Governor-General.
" His Excellency the Chevalier Bunsen."

The rumour which has lately been circulated that Ma-
dame Castellan bad died recently at St. Petersburgb,
turns out to be a fabrication. -

Sir H. Hardinge, in anticipation of the worst, arranged
all his worldly affairs previous to the battle of Moodkee,
and to ensure the safety of the sword given him by the
Duke of Wellington, be sent it into Ferozepore.
A report appears in some of the Calcutta papers of the
death of Tharawaddy, King of Burmah. He is reported
to have run a-muck, and in his mad career to have killed
three persons, but was himself arrested by a blow from a
billet of wood, which soon deprived him of life.
STEAM.BOAT EXPLOSION. The steamer Osceola,
from Cheraw to Charleston, with 600 bags of cotton,
burst her boiler on the 26th January, while working
slowly forward, having been aground. No lives were
lost, but three firemen were badly injured. The explo-
sion is supposed to have been occasioned by the quantity
of sand which bad gut into the machinery.
FATAL DUEL IN AMERICA.—The recent American
papers contain an account of a fatal duel which took place
in the neighbourhood of Washington. The parties were
a gentleman named Jones, a lawyer, and Dr. Johnson, a
medical practitioner, both natives of North Carolina.
Both of them had been suitors for the hand of the same
lady, who prtferred the lawyer; but, in the opinion of her
husband, a criminal intercourse had taken place after the
marriage, between her and the doctor. Johnson was shot
in the head, and instantly expired, the parties fighting at
ten paces. _ _

TILE BRAZILIAN MAlL—Paraguay had at length
openly declared war again,t Buenos Ayres, and had made
common cause wiih the province of Corrientes. The mer-
chants resident in the country have for some time expected
this union, but they at the same time consider that Gene-
ral Paz will require to proceed with very great caution in
advancing on Buenos Ayres, in consequence of the supe-
rior discipline of the troops of Rosas. Letters from
Monte Video, to the 19th December, are silent respect-
ing the more recent operations up the Parana. There is a
great scarcity of mercantile shipping at the Brazilian ports,
and freights have materially advanced in consequence.
HORRORS OF WAR.—The fatigue and privations of the
Ferozepore Division were extreme, and the want of water
excessive. On the second day of the battle at Feroseshah,
a well was discovered. The water was putrid, and par-
tially filled by the Sikhs with their dead ; but, notwith-
standing, it was eagerly drank by all ranks. An officer
in this division, after giving some particulars of the con-
test on Sunday, the 21st, says—" The action raged till
night-fall, and the cannonade lasted all night. The
troops bivouacked ; and, 0, what a night it was ! Dying
and dead all around us ! balls whistling in every direction !
no food, and, above all, no water ! arid the cold intense !
May I never spend such a night again."
ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF LUTHER.—Advi-
ces from Berlin state that on the night of the 17th Fe-
bruary, the King and Princes Charles and Albert arrived
at Wittenberg, and were present at the anniversary of Lu-
ther's death, (next day,) which was celebrated with great
solemnity. Divine service was performed at all the
Evangelical churches at six in the evening, and the thea-
tres were closed. A solemn chorus was afterwards
chanted over the tomb in which repose the ashes of the
great reformer. A sermon was also preached in the open
air near Luther's statue. The solemnities concluded by
the singing of Luther's celebrated hymn, of which both
the words and the music were his own composition.
THE CANTON OF VAUD.—We lately noticed, at con-
siderable length, the proceedings of M. Druey, the Pre-
sident of the Council of State of the Canton of Vaud, in
the affair of the charge tie missionaire of that part of
Switzerland. It is now stated, under date Geneva, Feb.
20, that the official documents relating thereto were sent
by Druey to the several governments of Europe, who, it
appears, generally disapprove of his proceedings. Accor-
dingly the Prussian minister has addressed remonstrances
to Druiv, and the King has sent the clergy a donation of
about .C5OO. The English minister has hitherto sent Ito
money, but has forwarded a note from Lord Aderdeen, in
which he says that the transmission of the nocuments in
question to the English government, leave them no alter-
native but that of expressing their disapprobation and re-
gret at t he measures which had been taken by the Council
of State of Vaud, and which may be of a nature to ett•
danger the liberty of Switzerland.

FRENCH JEALOUSY.—Tbe Paris journals, referring to
the great battle on the banks of the Sutlej, and to the se-
vere losses sustained by the British, do not fail to remind
their readers that the Sitars owe their military skill to
French officers, such as Atabile, Ventura, &c. This is
son-se consolation for the gloomy picture presented by
Algeria.

THE INDIAN CONFLICTS.—On Thursday evening, Sir
Robert Peel presented to the House of Commons a
despatch from Sir H. Hardinge, dated, Camp Ferozepore,
Dec. 31,1845, which throws light on Sir Henry's conduct
in reference to the recent disastrous Indian conflicts. It
is manifest from this document that extreme anxiety on
the part of the Governor-General to avoid collision with
the Sikhs, and to give them no ground of offence, governed
his actions up to the very moment of their invasion.

THE POLISH CONSPIRACY.—Accounts from Posen
state that an assemblage of Polish nobility was held at
Posen on the 13th February, to the number of 600. They
had already organised four regiments, and M. de Moro-
lawski had been named major-general. The project was
to poison the Prussian garrison. Poisoned bread has
been found in the barracks and hospitals. It had been
resolved to plunder the houses of the Germans and the
Jews. The 17th instant was the day fixed upon for ac-
tion. M. de Mcrozlawski was arrested, as were also
Count Micielski and M. Maujewski, also known by an
attempt at insurrection. Several other noblemen of
wealth and influence were afterwards arrested at Wersetz
on the 16th.
CHRISTIAN UN lON AT RAWITCH, &c.—The able
Ronge has addressed a letter to the president of the Chris-
tian Catholic Commune, gladly intimating that Czerski
has joined the other Christian Communes in the manner
he pursued at Leipsc. Post, preacher at Posen, had
done the same. They had agreed to labour with the other
communes for the well-being and salvation of humanity.
It was agreed that Czerski and Post should address a let-
ter to all the communes to announce their adhesion, and
explaining the motives and tendencies of the reform.
The letter states that the real Christian spirit, which
knows no condemnation, is extending more and more the
Christian idea, and especially these words :—" They shall
acknowledge you to be my desciples when they shall see
that you love one another."

RAILWAY INTALLiGEACE.

The Standing Orders Committee have rejected the
West Riding Union Railway.

The Blackburn, Darwen:and Bolton Railway is ex-
pected to be opened as tar as Over Daewen, next autumn

On Monday, the first stone of the Mo:ley Tunnel,
3,420 yards in length, and which is the greatest work on
the Leeds and Dewsbury line, was laid with great rejoic-
ing.

On Thursday the Parliamentary Committee on the
Runcorn and Preston Brook Railway decided that the
standing orders had not been complied with, in conse-
quence of the Parliamentary notices having only been
twice published in the Gazelle instead of three times.
At the half-yearly meeting of the Edinburgh and Glas-
gow Railway Company, on Wednesday, the directors
declared a dividend at the rate of 6 per cent, to be payable
on the 14th of March. Sir Andrew Agnew brought tor-
ward his annual motion respecting Sunday travelling,
which was negatived.

CONIMITTER NMEN'S LIABILITY.—In the Court of
Queen's Bench, on Thursday, Mr. Williams, an engraver,
living in Bucklersbury, London, obtained a verdict for
£296 Is. 6d., being the full amount of the plaintiff's claim
against a Mr. Bradley, one of the provisional committee
of the Direct Western Railway Company. The action
was for maps supplied to the order of the projector and
promoter, who subsequently left the concern before it was
executed ! The date of the order was the Bth of July,
and the maps were delivered in August and September.
The defendant gave his consent to become a member of
the provisional committee early in July, and attended a
meeting on the ltt of September. This last date, he
contended, was the commencement of his liability, which
could, therefore, extend only to the maps delivered in that
month. But the jury thought otherwise, and found for
the plaintiff the full amount, acting wisely under the
opinion of the Chief Baron, who told them that where
orders were given under such circumstances, and executed
partly before and partly after a change in the managing
body, the new body would be liable for the goods delivered,
unless they repudiated the c3ntract as sou as it came to
their knowledge."

NORTH UNION UNION RAILWAY.—The annual meeting of
this company was held on Thursday, at the Clarendon.
rooms. The report stated that the nett proceeds of the
last half-year were diminished to some extent, by an
amount of supplementary charges, brought in of neces-
sity, on this occasion, as attaching to the period of work-
ing previous to the lit of January, 1846 when the con-
cern was surrendered and delivered up by the proprietors
in consideration of the fixed rental. The receipts for the
half-year ending December 31, 1845, were £54,703 Bs.
Bd., and the expenses, including ordinary and fix?d
charges, £27,547 Bs. 7d. ; leaving a balance of £27,156
Ba. 7d. ; from this amount must be deducted supple.
mentary charges, £3,375 17s. 2d., leaving at the disposal
of the directors the sum of .£23,780 2s. 11d. A dividend
of £3 per cent. on stock A, and of £2 per cent. on stock
B, would require a sum of £19,557 ss. 11d., leaving the
surplus of £4,222 17s. to be carried to the account of
profit and loss. The dividend will be payable on the 7th
of March next, free of income-tax. The report was
adopted unanimously. The four retiring directors,
Messrs. Ratbbone, Rothwell, Earle, and Winstanley,
were re-elected, and Messrs. Bairstow and Tuson were
appointed auditors for the Ribble Branch Railway.
THE LIVERPOOL AND BURY RAILWAY.—On Satur-
day, the half-yearly meeting of the shareholders was held
in the Clarendon-rooms, James Braneker, chairman of
the board of directors, presiding. Mr. J. S. Heron, the
secretary, read the report. The directors expressed in
that document their satisfaction that considerable pro=
gress had been made for the construction of the line.
They had contracted for nearly the whole works on the
main line, on terms below the Parliamentary estimate,
and they had already got possession of most of the land.
The works were in fact so forward that they would pro-
bably be completed by August, 1847. Four of the di-
rectors, Messrs. Stewart, Grenville, Woodcock, and
Derbyshire, now retired. but were re-eligible. A special
meeting would shortly be convened, at which the bills
now being prosecuted would be submitted. The receipts
had been £216,179, and the expenditure £25.106, leaving
a balance in favour of the company of £191,073. On its
being moved that the report and statement of accounts be
printed, Mr. George Hadfield, of Manchester. moved as
an amendment that that part of the report which stated
that the proprietors had sanctioned the amalgamation
with the Leeds and Manchester Company, be shuck out.
They had, he said, lost many thousands of pounds by the
amalgamation,—Xsoo,ooo he believed at least. So blind
a bargain he had never heard of. It was made between
one chairman and another; and as the proceedings would
have to go before Parliament, the irregularity would be
fatal to the bill. Mr. Leech seconded the amendment.
Mr. Heron contended that the shareholders had at a
former meeting authorized the directors to make the ne-
cessary applications to Parliament. The amendment
was carried by a majority of 15 to 13. A poll was then
demanded and taken, when the supporters of the amend-
ment, it appeared, held 228, and the dissentients 223
shares. The amendment was accordingly carried, and
the objectionable words being truck out, the report was
carried as amended. The retiring directors were re-
elected, and Mr. T. C. Molyneux was appointed auditor.

HIGH CHARGES FOR RAILWAY PARCELS.—An able
letter has been addressed by an anonymous writer (E.F.),
through the respective local newspapers, to the directors
of the Grand Junction Railway, complaining of the high
charges for p-..rcels conveyed on their line, and submitting
a scheme which he believes would advance their own in-
terests and those of the public. The writer properly con-
siders the intrinsic value of railways not to consist in the
profit or pleasure they may bring to this place or that,
but in the sum of national amelioration to which they
tend by removing the ancient obstructions to time and
space, and placing the distant corners of the land on the
same footing as commercial pieces—a hich cannot be done
so long as the present high rate of charges for parcels
continues to be exacted. The very small reduction de-
manded at the beginning of the present vear was little to
be thankful fur, and did not add an extra parcel to the
van. Tradesmen and others were still compelled to have
their several parcels forwarded in an enclosure, to be de-
livered at one house, and those were sent by the mail
train for two shillings. If sent singly they would proba-
bly amount to three or four parcels a day. To obviate
the delays thus arising, and give facilities to trade, the
writer suggests to the directors the policy of competing
with the host-office in the conveyance of small parcels.
Were their charges reduced for small and light parcels,
they would have hundreds no bigger than a snuff box,
and weighing only a few ounces. Now all parcels not
exceeding l2lbs. weight, being the same price bulk and
weight, were needlessly increased, on ihe ground that they
were more likely to be lost. In paper parcels, too, the
company usually conveyed some pounds of hay or sha-
vings with as many entices of merchandise. Reduced
fares of passengers had profitably increased the number
of travellers, and if the same principle were adopted it
would not fail. The writer concludes by submitting the
followinr, plan : "In imitation of the Post-office—
thanks for the thought to Mr. Rowland would
have all parcels on your line charged at the same rate, ir-
respective of distance, so that a parcel from Liverpool to
London should be the same as one to Birmingham or any
of the intermediate stations on that or the other side of
that town. All parcels weighing 12Ibs. or upwards
should be charged at the present price of conveyance
from Liverpool to Birmingham.
Parcels weighing less than J. lb. should be 4.d.

~ 10d

TOLERATION AS IT IS UNDERSTOOD BY
ROMANISM.

(From the Church and State Gazette )
The Tablet, the English Churchman, and other Popish,
Semi-Popish, and low wet kly papers, are constantly in-
sisting on the mild, merciful, and tolerant character of
Romanism. If we wete, against all historical experience,
to believe either of the journals above named, such a
thing as religious persecution is unknown, and always
has been unknown, in Popish countries. It would ap-
pear, however, that it is not so uncommon in despotic
and priest-ridden Austria. The Swabian Mercury of the
29th iat., says :
" We are assured that severe measures will be adopted against
Germ an Dissenters. Every Roman Cotholic who desires to
change his religion will pc interrogated, and it his reply be on.
satistactcry, he will ne obliged to quit the CO?. try. It is said
that the order of Jesu.ts will soca he re established."

Such is the to!erationa(ivocat;dTy Papists and Semi-
Papists, abroad and at home. Opposition to their belief
is a crime that makes the former willing to take a man's
life, and impels the latter to destroy a man's reputation.