The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-06-27 00:00:00

FRATERNITY FEAST.

ON Thursday, Sir JOSEPH PAXTON and Mr. MOON ,
alderman and printseller of London, visited this town,
and had an interview with some of the authorities. We
understand that their object is to obtain the co-operation
of the Corporation to a projected fraternisation feast with
the French, to be held in the Crystal Palace. It may
doubtless serve to get up a pleasant day with a few hours'
excitement ; but it would be difficult to say in what way
Liverpool can have any interest in such a meeting, unless
her chief magistrate should choose to take his place
among the guests. Any idea of permanent peace be-
tween two nations from such demonstrations, is mere
moonshine, and therefore appropriately represented by
Alderman MOON.

THE AUSTRALIAN TRADE.--The Oliver Lang, belong-
ing to the Black Ball line of Australian packets, went into
the Mersey on Saturday, with 465 emigrants for Sidney
on board. She will be succeeded on Saturday next by the
celebrated clipper Star of the East, Captain Robertson, for
Melbourne, which also sails under the Black Ball flag, with
450 passengers, The Star of the East will be followed by
the famed Black Ball liner Marco Polo, which has already
the greater proportion of her berths engaged.
PITAEMACEITTICAL.—In the Court of Queen's Bench on
Thursday, the Lord Chief Justice, at the request of Sir F.
Thesiger and the Attorney-General, decided that this word
should be pronounced with the c soft. Were it otherwise,
it would be the only word in the language in which ce
would have been sounded hard.

—:—
CIIESS.—The annual meeting of the Northern and Mid-
land Chess Association was held last week, in this town.
On Friday there was a numerous gathering at the Exhibi-
tion-rooms, where several games of chess were played. On
Saturday the attendance was still more numerous, owing
to the dinner, which took place at the Adelphi Hotel,
Mr. Schwabe in the chair, and Mr. Newham vice-chairman.
It was stated that the meeting would be held next year
at Leamington.
NATIONAL SCHOOLS.—At the anniversary of the Liver-
pool National Schools, on Tuesday, in lieu of the customary
procession, which had been forbidden by the authorities,
the children of the Blue-coat Hospital and some others
were taken to St. Peter's Church, where prayers were
read by the Ven Archdeacon, and a sermon was preached
by the Rev. J. S. Howson, M.A., Principal of the Collegiate
Institution, from Psalm lxii. 1, 2. The collection
amounted to £23 15s.

ORMSKIRK.—A public meeting was held on Friday in
the Town-hall, to consider the best means of establishing
the cotton manufacture in that town. It was stated that
two responsible manufacturers would commence business
in the town as soon as a spinning mill and Weaving shed
should be erected. After some discussion, it was deter-
mined to raise £13,000 in shares of £lO each, £lO,OOO for
a spinning mill and £3,000 for a weaving shed, and above
£3OOO was subscribed for in the room.

THE ANNIE JANE.—The report of Captain Beechey,
who was instructed to investigate the circumstances which
led to the appalling wreck of the emigrant ship Annie
Jane, in September last, has just been made public. In
his opinion the primary cause of the accident was the
cargo of iron and its .bad stowage. He also blames the
captain for not returning when the ship was in a crippled
state.

THE GITANA. YACHT.—On Wednesday se'nnight this
beautiful little craft left 'West Hartlepool, for a long
summer's cruise. Her first destination is understood to
be Copenhagen. She has at present on board Ralph Ward
Jackson, Esq., Greatham Hall, and W. C. Ward Jackson,
Esq., proprietor and honorary commander of the Gitana ;
and at Copenhagen they are to be joined by F. H. Ward
Jackson, Esq., of Liverpool, Hon. Geo. C. Brodie, and Mr.
Cloete, with whom the cruise will be extended to Stock-
holm, and afterwards probably to a flying visit to the
Anglo-French fleet engaged in the blockade of the ports
of the Baltic.—Durham Advertiser.

LAUNCH OP THE EWAN VANNIN.-011 Saturday the
paddle-steamer Ellan Vannin, to ply between this port
and Castletown, Isle of Man, was launched from Mr.
Laird's yard, at the Birkenhead Float. The launch was
effected on the naval dockyard plan, by cutting a cord,
and the ceremony of naming was performed by Mrs. J.
Houldsworth, of Manchester. The Ellan Vannin is a
finely-modelled boat, and no doubt will do everything to
maintain the high reputation Mr. Laird has attained for
turning out fast and handsome vessels. Her dimensions :

—Length, 180 feet ; beam, 21 feet; tonnage, about 350.
She has two masts, and will be fitted with oscillating
engines of 100 horse power, by Messrs. Fawcett, Preston
and Co. She drew, when launched, only 3 feet 9 inches,
and had a most graceful appearance on the water. From
her sharp model and light draught it is expected that she
will outrival in speed any boat Mr. Laird has hitherto
constructed. She is to ply between this port and Castle-
town three times a-week.

TRINITY CHURCH, ST. ANNE-STRERT.—This edifice,
after having been thoroughly renovated both in the inte-
rior and exterior, will be re-opened for Divine service on
Sunday next. The building, which had been reduced to a
sad state of dilapidation, has been almost entirely recon-
structed. The old roof and parapets of both the church
and chancel have been removed, and a new one formed,
upon a different principle, with a new gable. The stone-
work throughout the exterior of the building has all been
pointed and repaired. The ceiling is also quite new, and
three ornamental mouldings have been introduced down
the centre. All the windows are also new, and of a more
modern character than those which have been removed.
Ground glass has been selected for the windows, which
gives to the interior of the building a subdued but some-
what sombre appearance. The whole of the pews have
been re-upholstered in green baize, and the outside of the
pews, as well as the church throughout, has been painted
in oak. The chancel has also been re-painted and deco-
rated, and the tablets inside the communion rails have
been re-gilt and lettered. The organ has undergone con-
siderable improvement and repair, several new stops hav-
ing been introduced. The case has been repainted, and
the pipes re-gilt. Stained glass has been placed around
the margin of the east window, the effect of which is to
give to the chancel and the altar a very imposing appear-
ance. The whole of the repairs have been made by the
Corporation, at an expense of upwards of £2,000. The
contractors are Messrs. Thomas Haigh and Co., of Fraser-
street ; and the works have been superintended by Mr.
Isaac Dixon, who has acted in the capacity of clerk of
works to the Corporation.

A PORTSMOUTH LADY having said that she would
make but a very poor sailor, a nautical bystander replied,
" You would make an excellent mate though !"
THE ASIATIC MourtrAiNs.—The Asiatic continent is
remarkable as being the site of vast mountain ranges, the
extraordinary extent of whose area and the almost incon-
ceivable grandeur of whose elevation, outstrips all other
mountain systems in the world. Among the most pro-
minent of these gigantic masses are the Altai chain,
extending from the sources of the river Irtish, in Central
Asia, to the Sea of Okotsk, on the eastern confines of
Tartary ; the Hindoo Coosh, which takes its name from
a peak of great altitude, situated to the north of the
town of Cabul—from the plains to the south, this chain
seems to consist of four distinct ranges, rising one above
the other ; the terminating one, abutting on the table-
land, is of such elevation that its snow-clad peaks are
visible at the immense distance of 150 miles—but the
highest of all is the stupendous chain of the Himalaya
Mountains, which encircles the beautiful valley of Cash-
mere. The name of this range signifies " the dwelling of
snow." It is a vast chain, which occupies an area of
fully 600,000 square miles, some of the mountains of
which reach the height of 28,178 feet, or considerably
more than five miles and a quarter of perpendicular
altitude above the level of the sea. The principal and
most elevated of these chains are cut by narrow frowning
ravines and gloomy chasms, through which torrents of
melted snow rush in tumultuary streams to swell the
rivers of Hindoostan. From these towering mountains,
towards the fruitful valleys of Bhotan and Nepaul, the
descent to the plains is extremely rapid, especially in the
former territory, where the dip from the plateau exceeds
10,000 feet within ten miles. In this region the valleys
consist of deep and narrow chasms ; and the mountains
hang over them in cliffs, so lofty and superincumbent,
that their profound and cavern-like crevices are wrapped
in perpetual gloom, except where the sun's rays, shot
vertically from the zenith, afford a partial illumination to
their sullen depths. From the steepness of their descent,
the rivers sweep down their rocky beds with the speed
of arrows, filling their caverned recesses with foam, and
shrouding their dreary and precipitous sides in mist. At
the very base of this rugged and wild region lies the
peaceful and verdant, though ' elevated, valley of Bhotan
covered with luxuriant pasture and shaded by magnificent
forests. From this smiling valley the passage of another
rapid descent, of fully 1,000 feet, leads to the upper part
of the valley of the Ganges. Few of the passes over
the Himalayas are lower than the summit of Mount Blanc,
most of them are higher, and near the Sutledge they are
from 18,000 to 19,000 feet high; while the highest that
has been effected—that of Khoonawur—is 20,000 feet
above the level of the sea. All these passes are frightful,
and the fatigue and suffering—caused by the rarity of the
air—experienced in traversing the highest 500 feet of the
pass last alluded to are indescribable. In all of them animals
are as much distressed as men, and many die; birds
perish in vast numbers from the violence of the wind;
stunning thunderstorms add to the horrors of the journey,
and drifting snow is often fatal to the adventurous traveller
who seeks to cross the lofty barrier. Among those
gigantic monuments of creative power, the loftiest peaks,
at all times uncovered by snow, give much variety of
colour and great beauty to the scenery, which is over-
whelmingly magnificent. While daylight lasts, the in-
terminable number and vast magnitude of the mountains,
the variety and sharpness of their bold outlines, the delicate
sweetness of their distant forms, minglingwith the pale blue
sky, contrasted with the deepening azure—almost black—
overhead, compose a picture of wonderful and overpower-
in.. beauty. At closing day, the rising moon is not
heralded by warning radiance, and nothing announces her
approach till the upper edge of her disc touches the
horizon. At midnight, when myriads of stars sparkle in
jet black sky, shining with the lustrous brilliancy of suns,
aiding, but eclipsing, the pale cold light of the earth and
snow, contrasted with the deep blue of the mountain
breasts, the effect is that of oppressive sublimity and
grandeur. But language is too weak, indeed it is impos-
sible to describe the glowing glories of this wonderful
region, when the sun, rising above the rugged horizon,
darts his streaming beams in flickering radiance between
the lofty peaks, tossing with careless force their giant
shadows over the mountain masses below. Yet even in
this region of mingled beauty and storm, the all-wise and
benevolent Ruler of the universe has mercifully mitigated
the rigourous cold which might have been expected in
such elevated regions ; and at altitudes, which in other
countries, even under the equator, would be con-
signed to the dreary prison of perpetual snow, the climate
is mild, the valleys are inhabited and clothed with var-
dure, and cheered by the ripening of corn and frult4.--,
Willex, in Lizare illuierated AMR,

WORKING MEN'S PROTESTANT REFORMATION

SOCIETY.

LAST night, a meeting was held in the Lecture-room of
St. Paul's Church, Toxteth-park, for the purpose of esta-
blishing a branch of the Working Men's Protestant
Reformation Society in that district. The Lecture-room
was filled by a respectable number of working men, their
wives, and their daughters. The chair was occupied by
the Rev. P. Gell.

The Rev. CHAIRMAN, in opening the business of the
meeting, remarked that he felt peculiar pleasure in meet-
ing so many of them, among whom it was his pleasure to
minister, assembled for so laudable a purpose as that
which had called them together,—to aid in establishing a
branch of the Working Men's Protestant Reformation So-
ciety. The subject, it would be found, was possessed of deep
interest, not only to those whose opportunities enable them
to study deeply, but was fraught with matter of the highest
importance to all. To some it might appear singu-
lar that at the present time it was considered necessary
to form defensive associations against Popery in a
Protestant land. He would, however, take the liberty
of reminding the meeting that, by little and little,
by misrepresentations and deceit, the objects of Popery
had been achieved in this country, in our own times.
Most of those present, he believed, might recollect the
excitement occasioned by the representations of what was
done under the old rotten borough system (cheers) ; but
what rottonness of such a system, he might ask, was in
any degree equal to the system by which the Popish
priests of Ireland contrived to return their members ?
Those men had more power than any other class, be-
cause, by a uniform and combined course of action,
they could dictate to ministers, and in all instances com-
mand their own terms. He next went on to show that
the Roman Catholic Relief Act was obtained by false
representations, to the effect that the body was under
existing circumstances powerful and turbulent, but that
under the relief which they would experience from eman-
cipation they would become placid and contented members
of the community. Under this belief the relief act bad
been conceded, and what did they now required A full
concession of the demands of Rome ! In the first instance,
the concession had been set round by all the plausibilities
which the Church of Rome knows so well how to avail
herself of. Securities were given by her votaries in abun-
dance. These were gradually infringed on, until now we
have the evils of the carelessness thus introduced made
palpable. The dangers of that kind might he seen by
Lord Palmerston's specialities of argument while attempt-
ing to endow Popish priests to our prisons. The argument
for that was, that every man should have religious conso-
lation from the priests of that religion which he professed.
Such an argument was, no doubt, plausible at first sight;
but it admitted the propriety of paying the ministers
of any creed, of atheists, or any other. He next adverted
to the baneful influences of Popery, as these were found to
affect the religious and domestic happiness of the people,
and referred to the benighted condition of Belgium and
other countries, besides Italy, as examples. He referred
further to the benefits likely to accrue to the cause of
Protestantism from such societies as the present, and ex-
pressed his gratification at learning that our intelligent
and truly Protestant member, Mr.Horsfall, had felt his
hands strengthened by the efforts of this society.
Mr. UNwrif moved the first resolution, which in gene-
ral terms approved of the objects of the society. In a
lengthened address he enforced the arguments adduced in
the resolution.

Mr. WARE seconded the motion, which was unani-
mously carried.
Mr. PARSONAGE moved, and Mr. MCCARTHY seconded
the second resolution, which in effect was an amplification
of the first resolution. It was also carried unanimously,
and after a vote of thanks to the chairman, the meeting
separated.