The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-04-19 00:00:00

4

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TUESDAY MORNING, APRIL 19, 1353.

THE WEEK.

THE past week has not been very fruitful of ex-
citing events—the interest chiefly attaching to the
proceedings in Parliament, which have exhibited a
rather ominous catalogue of Ministerial defeats.
Mrs. BEECHER STOWE has received her ovation
at the Dingle, and taken her departure to undergo
the same ceremony at Glasgow, preparatory to her
reception at the May meetings in the Metropolis.
The damage to the screw-steamer Osmanli—to
repair which her commander very prudently re-
turned to Liverpool—was found, as was anticipated,
to be of the most trifling description, in no way
impairing her efficiency as a good sea-boat; and on
Saturday she again started, with additional mails,
for Australia.

The report presented by the medical officer, at
the weekly meeting of the Health Committee,
showed a considerable diminution in the mortality
of the town, not only from the preceding week,
but also from the average of the five preceding
years. This was attributed to the increase of the
temperature.

The arrival of the iron screw steamer Faith, from
Africa, within a few hours of the time at which she
was due, affords a gratifying proof of the superiority
of Birkenhead ship-building, notwithstanding the
more vaunted claims of the Clyde. The several
failures Of the Australian steam-boats had thrown
I somewhat of a cloud over the iron screw steamers
for long voyages ; but Mr. LAIRD'S ship, the Faith,
shows what may be done on the Mersey, even if
the Clyde builders are at fault. In our notice last
week of the trial trip of the Hope, the sister ship of
the Faith, and both belonging to the African Steam
Navigation Company, we omitted to state that all
her appointments are of first-rate description. Her
anchors and cables are Woon's patent, which obtained
the first prize at the Admiralty trial ; her sails are
by LAPTHORN, of Gosport, said to be the best maker
of fore and aft sails; and her compasses are byGRAY
and KEEN, of this town, whose reputation is world
wide. The Hope left the river on Wednesday, for
London, in order to commence her regular voyages
to Africa. On Saturday next the Charity, a third
vessel on this line, will be launched : from Mr.
LAIRD'S yard; so that Birkenhead may fairly
challenge rivalry with the world for sending out an
iron screw steamer.

Several interesting subjects were brought before
the adjourned meeting of the Town Council on
Wednesday. Some complaints were made of
architectural defects in St. George's Hall, arising
chiefly from the inequalities of the site, and the
Council were, for the time, a Committee of Taste ;
but the subject was subsequently referred to the
St. George's Hall Committee. A gratifying report
was made of the increased attendance at the Free
Library, and the subject gave rise to a discussion
on the Museum-rate, which,- it was stated, would
not exceed a halfpenny in the pound. The MAYOR
referred, in graceful terms of congratulation, to the
recent addition to the Royal Family, and the
business concluded with some expressions of in-
dignation at the insult offered to the Council in the
recent appointment of Magistrates.
At the meeting of the Dock Committee on
Thursday, the resignation of a clerk, because he
had not received an increase of salary, led to some
personal observations from Mr. LANGSDALE, wh o
accused his colleagues of favouritism. Such a
charge would have come with more grace had it
been made when the alleged applications for an
advance of salary were refuted ; but at the present
time it was offensive, and by no means justified by
the circumstances.

There was some exciting scandal during the week
owing to a rumour that two of our local legislators
had resorted to a kind of speculation not recognised
on 'Change by which a victim was mulct to the
extent of £7,000. The fact has not been denied,
but the enormity has been in some degree mitigated
by the winners in this great game having consented
to accept the reduced sum of £3,000 ; at least such
is the report.

THE STATE AND EDUCATION.—The Educa-
tional Estimates for the current year have been
opportunely published in illustration of the recent
debates and the still pending legislation. When we
say that £598,493 forms the total sum assigned to
these national purposes from the public purse,
we shall suggest, we dare say, some invidious com-
parisons, and induce foreign countries to wonder
how Englishmen are educated at all. As Lord
JOHN RUSSELL, on behalf of the Government,
repudiated the "voluntary system," and maintained
the positive obligation in this respect of the State
towards its citizens, and as the contributions of the
State amount, nevertheless, to but half a million
of money, strangers may well be perplexed to dis-
cover the funds for instructing a population of
26,000,000.—Times.

THE SUCCESSOR OF DANIEL O'CONNELL.—
The Times of Tuesday last had a clever article on
the lamentable exhibition of perpetual folly pre-
sented by that poor fanatic, the editor of the Tablet.
"Mr. LUCAS," says the Thunderer, "is literally a
day after the fair. The people are all on the move,
and while he is performing his antics, his platform
stands alone in the field, and the spectators, wearied
with his tricks and his ribaldry, are scattered to a
thousand homes. No ! The sceptre of O'CONNELL
is buried with him, and no puny whipster can re-
sume it. His throne is broken. His realm itself
is no more. The millions that sprung up at his
bidding have other thoughts in their heads. They
are sickened of sedition, and are off to other lands,
where they will be happier than in Ireland, if only
because they are no longer at the mercy of selfish
agitators."