The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-05-17 00:00:00

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TUESDAY MORNING, MAY 17, 1853.

THE WEEK.

THE week just past has not been very prolific of
striking events, as if the public mind partook of
the stagnation caused by the prolonged chilly wea-
ther, or the lengthened debate on the CHANCEL-
LOR OF THE EXCHEQUER'S financial policy had
postponed the consideration of all other important
questions. Perhaps the most interesting occur-
rence was the formal opening of the Great Exhi-
bition in Dublin by the LORD LIEUTENANT of
Ireland—a ceremony which attracted an immense
concourse of spectators, and passed off with an
eckit which exceeded the most sanguine anticipa-
tions. Liverpool was so largely interested in the
affair, from the great share which she has in the
collection, that we despatched " our own Reporter,"
in order to give the fullest and most authentic
information ; and the result of his labours will be
found in our sixth page.
At the meeting of the Town Council, on Wed-
nesday, by adjournment from the previous week,
the charge against our representative, Mr. W.
FORBES MACKENZIE, of neglecting the interests
of the Corporation in the recommendation to the
Crown for the appointment of new Magistrates,
was set at rest by a letter from that gentleman to
Mr. J. B. LLOYD, in which he states that, so far
from having been the means of the neglect of the
late Government, he had made repeated applica-
tions on the subject, and had failed to secure the
attention of Mr. Secretary WALPOLE. Mr. Ro-
BERTSON GLADSTONE said the question should
not rest where it was, and expressed his determi-
nation to substantiate his former statemet. Whe-
ther he can do so, remains to be proved ; but it
must not be forgotten that, so far from the Govern-
ment being obliged to take the recommendation of
a Town Council in the appointment of Borough
Magistrates, the clause conferring that right was
struck out of the bill by the House of Commons,
against the wishes of Lord JoHN RUSSELL, the
then Minister.

The arrival of the steam-ship Arabia from New
York, on Saturday afternoon, after the shortest
passage yet performed by any of the CUNARD line
of steamers, has confirmed the favourable opinion
which was entertained of the superior sailing qualities
of this magnificent vessel, and the improvements
constantly being made by this enterprising com-
pany, as each new vessel has proved superior to its

predecessors.
The Health Committee have approved of the
proposal of the Lancashire and Yorkshire and the
East Lancashire Railway Companies to cross the
public thoroughfares at the north-end on the level,
and the approval has been confirmed by the Town
Council. This will do away with one of the reasons
for requiring the proposed High-level Railway, and
open a direct means of communication between the
Docks and the Railways to the interior.
The Mersey has presented an interesting scene
during the last few days, owing to several large
ships freighted with emigrants being anchored in
the stream previous to their departure for distant
settlements. The accounts received a short time
since from Australia, of miseries and disappoint-
ments, had considerably damped the ardour for
expatriation in search of gold, but later reports are
far more favourable, as it appears that steady
application to develope the resources of the country
is more likely to prove successful than the enthu-
siasm which, expecting too much, was more easily
disappointed. On Saturday, the Chinese Junk
Keying was towed up the river by the steamer
Shannon, and forms an object of great attraction at
Rock Ferry.
The proposal to abolish the restriction on the
number of Foreign Seamen in British ships was
brought before the House of Lords, on Thursday,
by the Earl of ELLENBOROVGH, in presenting a
petition from the Seamen of Sunderland against
the measure. He showed from official returns that
the number of British Seamen employed in the
coasting trade had diminished, and insisted on the
importance of maintaining this essential arm of our
national defence.

The inquiry into the alleged corrupt practices of
the late Board of Admiralty has been continued
from day to day, without discovering anything more
important than that Mr. STAFFORD did not choose
to promote the nominees of Whig-appointed offi-
cials. The story about the pressure by the Earl
of DERBY and Mr. DISRAELI has turned out
mere moonshine; but a Whig colouring is given
to every petty transaction, and, considering the
constitution of the Committee under such an
unscrupulous partisan as Lord SEYMOUR, it is
difficult to anticipate what decision they may
come to.

Yesterday, being Whit Monday, was generally
observed as a holiday. The several steam-boats on
the river were gaily decorated with flags, and
crowds of pleasure-seekers visited the various
objects of interest on the Cheshire shore from
Eastham to Egremont and New Brighton. The
trains also brought numbers into Liverpool from
Manchester and the other neighbouring towns,
while the omnibuses to the Zoological Gardens and
other suburban attractions were largely in request.
Much genuine sympathy is expressed for Mr.
GLA.DSTONE, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, by
men of all shades of politics, for being the subject
of an infamous attempt at extortion, which he very
properly denounced, as, although he is above all
suspicion by those to whom he is known, a censo-
rious world is too apt to apply the proverb, that
where there is smoke there must be some fire. He
has, however, by his manly conduct, set all such
detraction at defiance.