The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-01-04 00:00:00

TUESDAY MORNING, JAN. 4, 1853.

THE WEEK

and doings of a week in which occurs
ion from one year to another, may almost
be anticipated, because of their necessarily routine
character. Merchants are balancing their books—
brokers are issuing their circulars, descriptive of the
past and suggestive of the future—tradesmen are
taking stock and estimating their profits—the circles
of fashion, youth, and beauty are enjoying the
round of balls and evening parties, which, at this
season, are of every day occurrence—while the
general pleasure-seekers, particularly the young,
view with much interest the announcements of the
several Christmas pantomimes, which, in huge
placards of divers colours, invite attention to their
rival attractions. There is hardly a wall or point
of vantage on which the eye of the passenger through
the streets may rest, but the distinctive claims of
the " Koh-i-Noor," the " Three Legs of Man," or
" The Seige of Leverpole," outshine the bills of
emigrant ships, which heretofore held the pre-
eminence in this particular department of modern
literature. Under such circumstances, when every
class has almost a preconceived subject for thought
and attention, even a ministerial crisis, on which
may depend the fate of the British empire, has
scarcely done more than formed a topic for conver-
sation during the time when the immediate results
were somewhat doubtful.

transit:

The recent storm has been far more extended,
and the destruction greater, than was at first antici-
pated. The losses suffered by individuals have
been very numerous, while the many wrecks of va-
luable shipping property must have seriously affected
the profits of marine insurance last year. Much
sympathy is felt for Capt. KING, who commanded
the Denison, wrecked on Christmas-day. He was
much respected amongst his numerous friends, and
has been a severe sufferer, both in purse and person.
The weather during the week was almost unintelli-
gible, being a regular alternation between mild
sunny days and threatening and stormy ones; a
medley of hopes and fears which have not yet re-
ceived a solution. In many of the churches, on
Sunday, the prayer in the Litany for fair weather
was read, and responded to with a hearty " Amen."
It is gratifying to learn that the recent high winds
have tended considerably to counteract the effects of
the previous floods, and should the present favour-
able appearances continue, we may anticipate that
much of the postponed wheat sowing may be per-
formed under better circumstances than were be-
lieved a short time since to be barely possible.
The Mersey has, during the week, been more
than ordinarily full of shipping, and the activity in
this department is no way abated. The arrival of
the Marco Polo from Australia, after a passage
which may challenge rivalry with our best sea-going
steamers, has necessarily formed a topic of interest,
and great credit is due to Captain FORBES for his
energy and promptitude as a commander, and his
skill as a navigator, while the builders of the vessel
are also entitled to a share of praise.

At the fortnightly meeting of the Liverpool
Select Vestry, on Tuesday last, a letter was read
from Mr. REES, the district auditor, on the state of
the law with reference to the payment of poor-rates,
by tenants removing from one house to another.
He states that the liability commences on the rate

being made for the whole amount on the then oc-
cupier, but that on a removal there is an equitable
division between the outgoing and incoming tenant.
In cases, however, where the house is not occupied
in succession, the outgoing tenant is liable for the
whole amount of the rate on the house which he
leaves, and for a share also of the rate on the house
to which he removes. This is an anomaly in the
law, and a manifest injustice, which demands an
immediate and an efficient remedy. If every occu-
pier is liable for the rate as soon as made, he ought
to be absolved from all liability on the house to
which he may remove, until another rate is made ;
the other hand, if with the new house he
';ability of the rate which may have been

Or, or,
takes

or the portion of time during which
he may occupy it, he ought in common justice to
be absolved from his liability with respect to the
-lid' he has quitted. This is a question of
considerable importance to the inhabitants of a
town like Liverpool, where removals are of frequent
occurrence, and demands such an alteration of the
law as would meet the difficulty to which the
District Auditor has directed the attention of the
Select Vestry

house v

Some excitement was created on Saturday, by the
departure of the steam-ship Arabia, the new vessel
belonging to the Cunard line, trading between this
port and the United States. Her unprecedentedly
rapid passage f,

;►m the Clyde had given her more

, ___est • and as the American build-
ers are striving hard for the superiority in the
competition in sea-going steamers, a confident hope
is entertained that she will put the Yankees to their
mettle to overtake her. She left with a good cargo
and full complement of passengers, and several bets
are depending upon her Atlantic performances
justifying her Channel reputation.
The Liverpool Liberals having had a slight reco-
very from their previous despondency, owing to Mr.
CARDwELL's appointment to a place in the Har-
lequin Administration, have made up their minds to
invite him to a public dinner. They have at length
discovered the propriety of cheering their candidate
under his defeat, now that he has no longer any
need of their sympathy ; but it is not difficult to
trace the prospect of the quid pro quo which seems
to have suggested this movement. Truly the Ra-
dicals are wise in their generation.

than c

TO OUR READERS.

THE commencement of another year affords us an
opportunity, which ought not to be neglected, of
addressing our Readers, on the position which we
mutually occupy, the progress we have made, and
the prospect which opens to our view. It is well
for mankind that there should be resting-places in
our journey through life, that we may occasionally
pause in our onward career, and, reflecting on the
experiences of the past, be better prepared for the
journey that is still before us. We should other-
wise derive but little advantage from the history
even of our own times, hut proceed in a ceaseless
round of never-ending toil, the progress of which
would be as unprofitable as it would be impercepti-
ble; but, availing ourselves of the transition from
1552 to 1853, we may learn to amend what has
been amiss, and, bracing ourselves with good reso-
lutions, apply to the task before us with renewed
energy and undiminished hope.

It has been so much the custom to speak of the
year just closed as most eventful, that the observa-
tion is become more trite than ordinarily true.
Still it will not be denied that 1852 witnessed some
molt important changes in public affairs, both at
home and abroad, the results of which have still to
be realised. The change from a Liberal to a Con-
servative Government, the successful career of the
latter, and its final defeat before the close of the
year, was an occurrence of no trifling import; nor
can the immense emigration to the Antipodes,
excited by the thirst for gold, be without important
consequences. The year was also marked by the
loss of England's mightiest defender, and by pre.
parations against a possible war after the land had
had rest for nearly forty years. There was also the
restoration of a BUONAPARTE Emperor in France,
after a similar interval; and the election of a Pre-
sident in America, showing an unexampled ascen-
dancy of the democratic principle. All these events,
with an evident apprehension of a coming struggle
for the maintenance of the Reformed Faith against
foes within and without, mark the year just closed
as one suggestive of great changes in embryo,
which cannot fail to excite the reflection of intern.
gent minds. In order, however, that the memory
may be refreshed with the various circumstances
which were familiar at the time of their occurrence,
we subjoin, in a form as succinct as possible, a