The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-01-11 00:00:00

THE WEATHER LAST YEAR.

January was throughout stormy, with heavy rains ; the
total amount in the guage 4.48 inches. Though the tem-
perature was upwards of 3 deg. above the average of the
month—viz., 39 deg. 04 min., yet there were 18 frosty
nights. The minimum of temperature occurred on the
4th, 25 deg., wind north-west ; but there was no frost by
day. The barometer was throughout depressed, except
in one sudden elevation on the 18th, when it attained to
30.0 inches.
February began with a spring-like atmosphere, a tem-
perature of 54 deg. on the Ist; but it soon declined, and
on the 18th a course of northerly and easterly winds set
in, which continued, with little intermission, till June.
March opened with great severity. The minimum of
temperature on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, sth, and 6th, was 22
deg., 23 deg., 20 deg., 29 deg., and 23 deg. ; and the
number of frosty nights during the month was 21 ; but
there was little or no snow. A sudden and extraordinary
interval of summer-like weather occurred from the 21st to
the 24th, when the thermometer attained to GO deg. But

it was quickly succeeded by the north-east winds, and on
the 24th occurred one of the most remarkable depressions
of temperature. At 1 p.m. on the 24th, the temperature
was 56 deg., and at 7 a.m. on the 25th it was 28 deg.,
thus showing a depress'on of 18 deg. in only 18 hours. _

An instance of this yet more extraordinary occurred in
April. On the 14th, at noon, the temperature was 69
deg. ; on the 16th, at the same hour, it was only 45 deg.,
and at night fell to 24 deg.
The same excessive changes from heat to cold, and vice
versa", continued through May. O❑ the 2nd and 3rd the
minimum temperature was 27 deg., being within 2 deg. of
the greatest cold of January, while on the 9th it reached
71 deg. in the shade ! After the 20th the temperature
never passed 55 deg., and from the 24th to the 29th the
sun never appeared. attended with cold north-east winds ;
on the 29th, the minimum temperature was 31 deg., which
was destructive to all kinds of fruit.

June was throughout wet and cold. There were 28
days on which rain fell, and the month had quite the cha-
racter of October. The mean temperature of the month
amounted only to 55 (leg. 79 min.
On the 3d of July a sudden change to intense heat
took place, which continued, though several times par-
tially interrupted by tremendous thunderstorms, till the
end of the month. From the 4th to the 16th the ther-
mometer stood every day at or above 80 deg., on the sth
nearly 90 deg., and on the 9th 87 deg. On the 16th
occurred one of the most terrific thunderstorms on re-
cord ; the phenomena, indeed, were not those common to
our latitudes, but partook of the character of those ob-
served in tropical countries. The lightning flashed every
second, and the fall of rain was nearly two inches in three
hours ! Hailstones also fell the size of walnuts. On the
25th another thunderstorm took place, nearly, if not
quite, as fearful as that of the 16th. The rain fell in
such torrents that 1.80 inches descended in 11 hours.
Several other storms occurred of minor import ; and the
unusually large amount of 4.82 inches of rain fell on only
six days of the month, due entirely to thunderstorms.
On the 3d of August the rain again set in, and from
that time to the present there has been hut one week of
fair weather, which occurred about the middle of October.
September began with some disastrous thunderstorms,
though very partial. The atmosphere was unusually close
to the 10th, when it suddenly became quite the reverse,
through a change of wind to north-west. On the 16th
the minimum temperature was 37 deg.
October began very stormy. On the 4th a deluge of
rain, with a gale from the south south-west ; P 25 inches
of rain fell in eight hours. On the 7th the weather be-
came fine, and remained so, with intervals of showers, till
the 21st, when heavy rain again fell, and since that time
there have been but six days on which rain, more or less,
has not fallen.
The disastrous floods of November last will be so com-
pletely within the recollection of our readers as to need
but a short comment. The enormous amount of 5.79
inches of rain fell, and 6.20 near London ; from the 11th
to the 14th inclusive the rain descended with literally only
the cessation of 10 minutes during these four days and
nights.

The month of December by no means detracted from
the remarkable character of the past year. The south-
west winds blew almost constantly, and the atmosphere
was singularly mild, to such an extent that the spring
flowers were in bloom through the month. On the 11th
the maximum temperature was 58 deg., being 6 deg.
higher than on the 11th of June last ! On the 16th and
24th there were violent thunderstorms in many parts ;
that on the 16th was general nearly throughout the
kingdom. On the nights of the 24th and 26th we were
visited with two of the most terrific storms of wind that
have been experienced for 13 years. That on the 26th,
especially, did much damage in many parts of the kingdom.

BANQUET TO THE AMERICAN MINISTER
IN LIVERPOOL.
SPEECH OF THE EARL OF DERBY.

The Hon. J. R. Ingersoll, the new American minister
to the Court of St. James's, was entertained by the Ame-
rican Chamber of Commerce, at a public banquet, during
his visit to Liverpool last week.
The banquet took place on Tuesday evening, at the
Adelphi Hotel, There were about 60 gentlemen pr

The chair was taken by Eyre Evans, Esq., President of
the Chamber, supported on his right by the Hon. Mr.
Ingersoll, the Earl of Derby, Col. de Rinzy, &c., and on
his left by the Earl of Sefton, Wm. Brown, Esq., M.P.,
&c. Amongst the other gentlemen present we noticed
J. Cheetham, Esq., M.P. ; the Mayor, S. Holme. Esq. ;
and J. S. Mansfield. Esq., Stipendiary Magistrate. The
e'en. Archdeacon Brooks, and Thos. Thorneley, Esq.,
M.P., also accepted invitations, but were unable to attend.
The usual loyal toasts having been proposed and re-
sponded to,
The uz proposed "the President of the United
States." Referring to the last message of the President,
and the present relations between England and America,
the Chairman remarked that there was some little differ-
ence, perhaps, with us upon the subject of protection
and free trade ; but England.had come boldly forward and
advanced free trade—had given it on credit, as she had
given her goods and merchandise—with confidence that it
will be returned hereafter. (Laughter and applause.)

The Hon. Mr. INGERSOLL, after acknowledging the
compliment, and speaking in eulogistic terms of both the
outgoing and the incoming President of the United States,
remarked,—l am not certain whether I ought or ought
not to say a word in answer to my excellent friend's (the
chairman's) suggestion, in regard to one portion of the
president's message which has been much noticed

papers here. (Hear.) But all I could say upon the sub-
ject would be this, that the same subject, viewed in dif-
ferent latitudes, becomes a very different thing—(laugh-
ter and applause)—and that it is possible, if my excellent
friend, the president of the American chamber of com-
merce, looked at the whole of that subject from the other
side of the Atlantic—from the city of Washington instead
of the borough of Liverpool—he might, perhaps, if not
absolutely modify, at least diminish the extent of the
warmth of his opinions. (Hear.)
The CHAIRMAN then rose to propose the toast of the
evening, " The health of the lion. Joseph R. Ingersoll,
Minister of the United States of America to the Court of
St. James's." (Loud cheers.) The mere fact of being a
representative at the court of this great empire, was quite
significant of the high standing of Mr. Ingersoll in his
own country, where he was known to be one of the most
distinguished, able, and patriotic legislators, an eminent
lawyer, a clever writer, and an accomplished scholar.
(Applause.)
The Hon. Mr. Isceasoee, in responding, said he
accepted and received the toast with gratitude, on behalf
of his country, and returned it cordially on behalf of that
country and himself. His excellency then proceeded, in
eloquent terms, to pay a warm compliment to this town.
" Liverpool," said the hon. gentleman, " might be called,
if it would not be doing injustice to the other places which
might put in claims for it, the Queen of the Ocean, enti-
tled to wear the crown, entitled to wield the trident of
Neptune, not as the sceptre of war, but as en emblem
and instrument of marine power, of peace and harmony.
(Loud applause.) The great metropolis of the country,
which for ages has stood unrivalled in her relations, might
put in her claims. Our own city of New York, which
stands with her long arms stretched out to reach towards
Liverpool, might also advance some claim to a similar
position. But Liverpool has done much towards such a
result. Here she stands upon the very edge of English
ground, with her magnificent docks pushed into the very
waters of the ocean, ready to send out her freights, with
the course of every descending sun, to the now not distant
land, and to receive appropriate returns. But Liverpool
is not merely a place from which commerce departs and
to which commerce returns. Her inhabitants are in the
habit of calling her a seaport, with great modesty, as if
the seaport were the great characteristic that belonged to
her. It is true that she is a noble seaport—that she has
done everything almost which can be conceived, and is
doing it as her population advances and her wealth in-
creases, for the purpose of making this her seaport, if not
the first, as near as may be the very first, in the world.
(Applause.) It is at present, I believe, the largest for
exporting commerce. But independent of all that, Li-
verpool does herself great injustice if she does not pride
herself upon her domestic and internal arrangements.
(Hear.) The seaport is but the gate to a magnificent
town—it is the opening to the hospitality, and wealth,
and all the elegancies of polished life. Your architecture
is as chaste as your public institutions are liberal and
charitable. (Applause.) Your docki, which I have had
the honour to visit to-day under the best of auspices, that
of the Mayor of Liverpool—(applause)—are amongst the
most magnificent works which can be conceived ; but if I
were to specify an object which struck me this morning as
especially entitled to the respect and consideration of a
stranger, it would be that public library, where young
men are drawn off from the haunts of vice, from the
tendency to dissipation, from possible evil company, by
occupying their minds with every sort of proper amuse-
ment and instruction. (Applause.) A tribute of this
kind is due for the hospitality received and the kindness
manifested ; but it is not exactly what I want to
bring to the consideration of this company—that is,
that in Liverpool there is the best opportunity for
cultivating that kind of good feeling already referred
to, which begins in the spirit mentioned by the chair-
man, and may perhaps terminate in the same Anglo-
Saxon feeling which one day, in defence of constitutional
liberty, may call us shoulder to shoulder, in the defence
of our common and equal rights—(loud applause)—it is
that the stranger coming from my native land reaches first
the port of Liverpool, derives his first impressions here—
makes his first acquaintances here. Before he passes on
to the green fields, and fine pasturages, and the rebust
population, ability, and the and the wisdom, and patriot-
ism which lie will find in the interior, be has seen all that
is wise, benevolent, and charitable in Liverpool ; it is that
at last, after paying his visit to this blissful and blessed
land, he returns to his own country through the town of
Liverpool, and carries with him those last impressions
which are likely to be the strongest to his own country,
to his own friends, to his own family, and to his own peo-
ple." (Much applause.) After dwelling upon the close
ties which existed between the two countries, and the
paramount importance of keeping up hartnony and good
will, he said :—" But it has been expected on this occasion
that some little allusion should be made, and I know I
can without impropriety, to circumstances which trans-
pired, in which a point was made of departure from that
good will which has so long subsisted, and which I trust
may subsist for ever. (Loud applause.) lam not going
to discuss any subject that is or may be at issue between
the two countries. I know of no issue that can be be-
tween these two countries that can lend to otherwise than
the most pacific and honourable result. (Loud applause.)
We have seen on both sides of the Atlantic notice taken
of some little matters of dispute which did occur a few
months since—we have seen it noticed in the House of
Peers of Great Britain—we have seen it noticed in the
House of Commons of Great Britain—we have seen it
referred to in the very message of the President—all with
feelings of that sort which cannot possibly lead to any-
thing but the most agreeable and harmonious result.
But why should it have been for a moment that there
should have been feelings either of ill-will, or even
something worse than ill-will—tendencies to hostility—
between us ? It consisted of certain colonial asser-
tions and rights, those rights at one time being in com-
mon between the two countries, and being precisely
the same as were secured by the treaty of 7783, and
continued till war broke out between the two countries.
Then a treaty took place, and it was only in after years
that these difficulties occurred which I trust will be recon-
ciled, because on all occasions when these subjects have
been alluded to other subjects have been introduced,
which will make it one of mutual benefit in the result.
What is the reason that when we are settling this matter
of a mere fishery, a much broader view cannot he taken
of the whole subject than has been in England arid Ame-
rica ? Why should not a commercial treaty be founded
upon it which should he beneficial to both countries, and
especially those colonies more immediately interested in
regard to the fisheries ? (Applause.) Besides, it is all
but impossible to suppose that these colonies will not be
tehreeaytlwyntlhpeagrtaiicrileprastemorelargely by a
commercial
than
anybodyintercourse
in
else,—notwhich
having in themselves the materials of manufacture, grain,
breadstuffs, on the one band, while they have the timber,
the coal, and the fish, if you please, on the other. But
why is it, when these fisheries are in themselves multiplied
to an extent almost to infinitude—for I think we are told
by writers many years ago, and still, there are sometimes
millions of acres of fish below the surface of the waters
ready to be taken by those near them, whether near to
the land or:distant from it ; and it is well known that a
single fish of a particular breed, the female cod, lays
between three and four millions of its offspring at the
same time. There was a period when our, writers dealt
largely upon this subject, some thirty-eight years ago,
when the fisheries were considered more important
round the island of Great Britain than the colonies.
Both, however, are important, and both, I trust, will
find a result in harmony, peace, and goodwill, such as
subsists between the two countries. I don't intend to
occupy more of your time, having spoken more than I
ought perhaps already—(no, no)—but I recollect that
Liverpool was the abode of one who has done as much for
the elevation of the public mind, by his introduction to
us of the commercial men of other countries, as any man
who ever lived—William Roscoe—who, by giving you the
lives of such men as Lorenzo di Medici, made you ac-
quainted, made us acquainted (for English literature is
just as familiar in the United States as in Great Britain)
—made us acquainted with those merchants of Florence
who did such honour to their country by their hospitality
and commercial enterprise. I think we are told that that
very Lorenzo, whose life is given to the world, had no
monument in Florence. But his monument is composed
in the English literature which Roscoe gave to the world,
which all of us have read and admired." The lion.
gentleman concluded by expressing his hope that England
and America would continue to be one undivided people
to the end of time.
The next toast was the Earl of Sefton, Lord Lieutenant
of the county, which was acknowledged by his lordship in
appropriate terms.
The CHAIRMAN then rose to propose " The health of
the Right Hon. the Earl of Derby, and the House of
Lords," a toast which was received with immense applause.
In proposing the toast, the chairman alluded to the tran-
scendent oratory of the noble lord—to the high offices lie
had held in this country—and also to the fact that Lord
Derby had visited the United States many years ago, in
order to make himself acquainted with the people and
with the government of that country.
The Earl of DERBY, after assuring the company that
he deeply felt the compliment which they had paid per-
sonally to himself, said :—" Now, gentlemen, perhaps I
may be permitted to say a few words upon the subject of
that body with which you have identified me this evening
—the body of which I have the honour of being an un-
worthy member—to say a few words upon that body,
which is, I conceive, an important and essential part of
the monarchical constitution of this country. And I say
it rather because I say it in the presence of an honourable
gentleman with whom I am proud to acknowledge the
friendly relations which subsist between ourselves and, I
hope and am sure I may say, between our countries, with
whose institutions that body would be highly incongruous,
and in whose institutions accordingly it finds no place.
And yet, gentlemen, in that great country—in that great
republic—in that rising and rapidly-increasing empire, as