The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-09-06 00:00:00

THE CZAR'S FINANCIAL MEANS.

I cannot (says he) omit noticing a ground of confidence
which has recently, for the hundredth time, presented
itself as a novelty ; it is, "The Emperor has no money."
The same thing was said in 1827, when he came forward
to support the Bank of England, as he had already sup-
ported the Bank of France. £6,000,000 were vested in
English and French securities, £22,000,000 of bullion
were then held in deposit. She receives nearly £5,000,000
yearly from her mines, and actually her stock is quoted
at 16 per cent. above par. She offers to remit a claim of
£80,000,000 roubles for a province being [query lying]
between the Caspian and Little Thibet, and to pay the
difference ; yet, according to diplomatic report, " The
guards, the crack corps at Zarskoi Zelo, are destitute of
clothes and everything." Well, then, they can be clothed
as well as fed in the principalities. Napoleon believed
Europe to be in danger from the poverty of Russia;_ she
preserves the appetites of poverty, while knowing how to
employ the seductions of wealth. It is her gold you have
to fear, and not her steel. She makes a little go a great
way, and she takes it from yourselves.

It has long been the habit to dispose of all warnings by
the trite phrase, "Russia is a poor country, she cannot
get money, and without money war cannot be made." All
then acquisitions (referring to a long catalogue of enu-
merated aggressions) have been effected in peace. Poor as
she is, she has so husbanded her means, and you have so
mismanaged your wealth, that she can be able to come
forward to support the tottering credit of the banks of
London and of Paris. The house of Rothschild may hold
down the head of the Emperor on the grinding-stone of
an artful contract ; but Russia commands the monetary
operations of the two first capitals of the world, and controls
their policy by the Stock Exchange.
_

Without committing ourselves to a full adoption
of all, or indeed of any, of Mr. Urquhart's views as
to the peculiar policy which this country ought to
observe in her relations with Russia, remote as well
as immediate, we can have no hesitation in recom-
mending his book to the attentive and careful study
of all who feel an interest in those questions, now
under consideration, relative to the course of events
likely to arise out of the complication of Russian
and Turkish affairs. In Mr. Urquhart's volume,
they will find an important body of information
from which they may readily elaborate their own
theories, whether these regard the abstract or the
practical bearings of the subject,—a subject of deep
interest, in a commercial sense, and one thickly
beset with difficulties. It is only fair to add, that
an edition of the book has been issued at a very
cheap rate.

VARIETIES.
0

CONSENT to common custom, but not to common folly

A FALSE RELIANCE.--An American editor, throwing
himself upon the indulgence of his readers, fell through,
and was taken up in a stupid condition:

AMERICAN ToAsT.—" the ladies ; the only endurable
aristocracy, who rule without laws —judge without jury—
decide without appeal—and are never in the wrong.'
YOUNG TURNIPS, when boiled in their skins and pared
afterwards, are said to be of better flavour, and much less
watery, than when cooked in the usual way.
To SETTLE A CROCODILE.—The sure way, according
to ancient practice, was to confront him with a mirror,
when he incontinently died of fright at his own defor-
mity.—Fraser. _

"Dior, I say, why don't you turn that buffalo robe
t'other side out?—the hair side is the warmest." " Bab,
Tom, you get out. Do you suppose the animal himself
didn't know how to wear his hide ? I follow his style."
AT CORK ASSIZES a learned gentleman, dissatisfied at
his success with a witness, complained to the court. Paddy
exclaimed, "My lord, I'm no lawyer, and he wants th
puzzle me."--Counsel: "Come, now, do you swear you're no
lawyer?"—witness : " Faith, an I do; and you may swear
the same about yourself, I'm afraid." (Roars of laughter.)
TnE SLEEP OF d. PASHA.—His Excellency not foster-
ing feelings of the most friendly nature towards Namik
pasha, the new Commander-in-chief of Arabia, who was
passing through Mosul on his way to the head-quarters of
the army at Bagdad, and unwilling to:entertain him,:was
suddenly taken ill, and retired for the benefit of his health
to Baasheikah. On the morning after his arrival he com-
plained that the asses, by their braying during the night,
had allowed him no rest ; and the asses were promptly
banished from the village. The dawn of next day was
announced, to the great discomfort of his excellency, who
had no interest in the matter, by the cocks : and the irre-
gular troops who formed his body-guard were immediately
incited to a general slaughter of the race. The third night
his sleep was disturbed by the crying of children, who,
with their mothers, were at once locked up for the rest of
the sojourn, in the cellars. On the fourth he was awoke
at daybreak by the chirping of sparrows, and every gun
in the village was ordered to be brought out to wage a
war of extermination against them. But on the fifth
morning his rest was sorely broken by the flies, and the
enraged Pasha insisted upon their instant destruction.
The Kiayah, who, as chief of the village, had the task of
carrying out the governor's orders, now threw himself at
his excellency's feet, exclaiming " Your highness has seen
that all the animals here, praise be to God, obey our lord
the sultan; the infidel flies alone are rebellious to his
authority. lam a man of low degree and small power,
and can do nothing against them; it now behoves a great
vizier like your highness to enforce the commands, our
lord and master." The pasha, who relished a joke, forgave
the flies, but left the village.—Layard's Ruins of Nineveh
and Babylon. _ . . •

A LIVE AIITHORESS.—Once I was driven by a young
Irish friend to call upon the wife of a rich farmer in the
country. We were shown by the master of the house
into a very handsomely furnished room, in which there
was no lack of substantial comfort, and even of some
elegancies, in the shape of books, pictures, and a piano;
The goodman left us to inform his wife of our arrival, and
for some minutes we remained in solemn state, until the
mistress of the house made her appearance. She had been
called from the washtub; and, like a sensible woman, was
not ashamed of her domestic occupation. She came in
wiping the suds from her hands on her apron, and gave
us a very hearty and friendly welcome. She was a short,
stout, middle-aged woman, with a very pleasing counte-
nance ; and though only in her coloured flannel working-
dress, with a nightcap on her head, and spectacled nose,
there was something in her frank good-natured face that
greatly prepossessed us in her favour. After giving us
the common compliments of the day, she drew her chair
just in front of me, and, resting her elbows on her knees,
and dropping her chin between her hands, she sat regard-
ing me with such a fixed gaze that it became very embar-
rassing. So,' says she, at last, ' you are Mrs. M
Yes.'—` The woman that writes The same.'—She
drew back her chair for a few paces, with a deep-drawn
sigh, in which disappointment and surprise seemed
strangely to mingle. ' Well, I have he'rd a great deal
about you, and I wanted to see you bad for a long time ;
but you are only a hmnly person like myself after all.
Why I do think, if I had on my best gown and cap, I
should look a great deal younger and better than you.'—
I told her I had no doubt of the fact.—' And pray,' con-
tinued she, with the same provoking scrutiny, 'how old
do you call yourself ?'—l told her my exact age.—
' Humph !' quoth she, as if she rather doubted my word,
two years younger nor me ! you look a great deal older
nor that.' After a long pause and another searching gaze,
Do you call those teeth your own ?'—' Yes,' said I, laugh-
ing ; for I could retain my gravity no longer ; in the
very truest sense of the word they are mine, as God gave
them to You are luckier than your neighbours,'
said she.—' But airn't you greatly troubled with head-
aches F—' No,' said I, rather startled at this fresh inter-
rogatory.—' My !' exclaimed she, ' I thought you must be,
your eyes are so sunk in your head. Well, well, so you
are Mrs. of Belleville, the woman that writes.
You are but a humly body after all.'—While this curious
colloquy was going on, my poor Irish friend sat on thorns,
and tried, by throwing in a little judicious blarney, to
soften the thrusts of the home truths to which he had
unwittingly exposed me. Between every pause in the
conversation, he broke in with—' I am sure Mrs. M--
is a fine-looking woman—a very young-looking woman
for her age. Any person might know at a glance that
those teeth were her own. They look too natural to be
fake--Afre.,3foodie's Life in the Clearinse.

—Quarles says: "At the first
entrance into thine estate, keep a low 'sail. Thou must
rise with honour; thou canst not fall without shame. He
that begins as his father ended, shall end as his father
began."
CONVERSION AT CAMP MEETINGS
looking out of the uPV

Neiv York jouraa

troubled with customers. -
WORTH REI[E3IBERINC

tory of a sin

cried a girl

TOcery, and

addressigg another girt who was trying to, enter at the
front door, " we've all been to camp meeting, and been
converted ; so, when you want milk on Sundays, you'll
have to come the back way."
EDINBURGH seems inclined to believe that the founda-
tion of a National Museum of Scotland is a settled thing.
The Scotsman reports that Dr. Playfair has been there,
comparing sites and preparing for the final examination
of the President of the Board of Trade. "It is almost
certain," says our northern contemporary, " that next
session Government will be prepared to propose a grant"
for this purpose.—Athenceurn.
CONSIDERABLE LATITUDE.—Sir Richard Jebb, being
called to see a patient who fancied himself very ill, told
him very ingenuously what he thought, and declined pre-
scribing for him. " Now you are here," 'said the patient,
" I shall be obliged to you, Sir Richard, if you will tell me
how I must live, what I may eat, and what I may not."
"My directions as to that point," replied Sir Richard,"
will be few and simple. You must not eat the poker;
shovel, or tongs, for they are hard of digestion ; nor the
bellows, because they are windy; but eat anything else
you. please !"
AN APPLICATION is before the Treasury for a new ex-
ploration of a portion of the Australian continent. M.
Ernest Haug, if the requisite means are forthcoming, in-
tends to start from the mouth of the river Victoria, to
trace this stream to its source or sources,—thence to con-
tinue in an easterly direction, according to the nature of
the country and the facilities for pursuing the journey.
In this cross movement it is expected that the party will
strike the upper waters of some stream falling into the
Gulf of Carpentaria ; and when so much of the geography
of the continent shall have been ascertained, the explorers
propose to make their way back again to the known world
through some of the old settlements.

PAID M.P.'s.—ln primitive days, honourable members
were paid by their constituents, and, besides the usual
presents of a horse to ride to Parliament, were entitled, by
a statute of Edward 11., to four shillings a day, if they
represented a shire, and half that sum for a borough. The
famous Andrew Marvel, member for Hull, in 1661, is said
to have been the last who received parliamentary wages.
Occasionally the electors were able to strike an economical
bargain, As an instance, we are told that "John Strange,
the member for Dunwich in 1643, agreed with the pru-
dent burgesses to take his wages in red herrings." We
are further informed, that "in the same reign the citizens
of York, being anxious that the dignity of that ancient
corporation should be properly represented, unanimously
agreed that their members should be allowed four shillings
a day if they kept a house in London during the
but only two shillings if they went to board --

session,
—Willis's

Current Notes.
A GREEK HOLIDAY NEAR JOANNINA.—It being a
holiday in the Greek calendar, we passed numerous groups
of Christians enjoying the charming weather, in gorgeous
dresses of Albanian lace and embroidery, dancing the Ro-
maica in circles on the grass ; while others, assembled
round low wooden tables, were tearing to pieces with their
fingers lambs roasted whole on the spot, drinking and
singing. I saw one striking group of Moslems. An aga,
or Mahommedan gentleman, followed by several attend-
ants on horseback, was setting out on a journey, and had
been accompanied as far as the first rising ground by his
wife and her companions. I rode by just as they were
parting ; and a bitter leave-taking it seemed, more than I
could have deemed possible where polygamy is allowed.
The waving of the white veils, as the ladies threw up their
arms in an agony of grief, was very picturesque.—Bowen's
Tourney from Constantinople and Corfu.
BUTCHERS' SHOPS IN PEE' observed a great
number of butchers' shops, whose mode of cutting up
their meat resembles our own ; nor cau the markets of
London boast a better supply of flesh than is to be found
at Pekin. But they sell it cooked as well as raw ; and on
my entering the shop I saw on a stall before it an earthen
stove, with a gridiron placed upon it, and on my employ-
ing a variety of signs to obtain the information I wanted,
the butcher instantly began to cut off small thin slices of
meat, about the size of a crown-piece, which he broiled as
fast as I could eat them. I took about a dozen of these
slices, which might altogether weigh about seven or eight
ounces ; and when I paid him, which I did by giving him
a string of small coins, he pulled off, as I suppose, the
amount of his demand. I saw numbers of people in other
butchers' shops as I passed along, regaling themselves
with beef and mutton in the same manner.— The English-
man in China.

-.
ANIMALS DRIFTING ON IcE.—Every arctic traveller
is aware of the fact that polar bears are seen on the ice at
a great distance to sea, and quite out of sight of land ;
and my own experience bears testimony to the fact that
not unfrequently they are found swimming in the sea
when neither ice nor land is in sight. The arctic fox, and
I believe also the wolf, animals not generally known to
take water, are often set adrift upon the ice, and are thus
blown out to sea, where they perish when the ice dissolves,
if they had not previously died of starvation; and cases are
known, although perhaps not recorded, in which human
beings have been blown away from land upon the ice, and
were never afterwards heard of. Two persons to my
knowledge have disappeared in this manner from the coast
of West Greenland ; one of them, however reached the
opposite side of the straits, where he spent the remainder
of his life among his less civilised brethren. And the
ships engaged in whaling on the west side of this strait
sometimes have to discharge a deed of humanity by taking
up from the drifting fleet a group of natives, whose
avocations have proved too decoying to be safe.-Ingle-
field's Summer Search for Sir John Franklin.
A "DASHING" WEDDING.—" Well, if ever we should
get married, we shall certainly adopt the sensible advice
of Punch, and make the affair a runaway match with
the consent of our friends."' This was our fervent mental
declaration some fourteen months since, when, much
against our inclination, we were staying at the house of a
young neighbour during the preparations for her marriage
with a good-looking clerk in the bank. This young
neighbour was Emily Mason, the eldest daughter of a re-
tired commercial traveller, who managed to keep up a
very respectable appearance, with a wife and five children,
on three hundred a-year. We had always given the
Masons credit for being people of good common sense, and
used to quote them as an example of prudence ; but, alas !
i theirwi th Georgementa the
ifeoillgyhthquieyteexhisabpipteedd aeturtheveunneimontioefnErrftril
superiority, and caused us to imagine that weddings, like
cards, were invented to amuse mad people. We knew
fscaorrarcetlhyetwexotehnutnodfremsd a-year,estab.
near Islington, with
athnadtthaGeotr George
!uferrltaeigbwhleoulhaapddartmente
lais‘h‘snimallent ;dowineekstniecw," that Mr. Mason had nothing to spare
for extraneous luxuries ; and of course were considerably
startled when we heard of six bridesmaids, a grand break-
fast for forty people, four dashing carriages, with grey
horses and white favours ; that Emily was to wear a
splendid lace veil instead of a bonnet, and that the whole
paraphernalia was to be in imitation of the style in which
the daughter of a duke is married. Every member of the
family seemed bewildered by the approaching event, and
the simple legal contract of marriage was evidently about
to be performed in much such a temporary galaxy of
spangles, foil, white tulle, and blue foil, as one expects
to witness in the last scene of a Lyceum Christmas. piece.
The confusion and profusion of dressmakers, Jailors,
white gloves, orange-blossoms, milliners' boxes, confec-
tioners' trays, wine-baskets, and silver-decked cards,
completely destroyed the natural state of household pro-
priety, and every room and every person seemed bitten by
a matrimonial tarantula. The staid and stout mamma
grew so " puce" In the face amid the perplexing anxieties
and duties crowding on her, that she rushed about like
an animated pickling-cabbage. No sooner had she tied
on a very tight-fitting dove-satin dress, under the scrutiny
of Miss Flouncem, which added a deeper suffusion to her
cheeks, than the cook, hired for the occasion, begged her
most earnestly to look out the jelly-glasses ; no sooner
were the jelly-glasses produced, than her presence was
demanded in the passage touching the arrival of " the
cake" from Pursell's ; then, where was the blonde lace
she had promised Julia ? in her private drawer up-stairs ;
then, where was the parcel of almonds for blanching ? in
the store-closet down-stairs ; Emily begged her to go
directly to Regent-street to match some pink silk, and
Maria requested her to be sure to call in Covent-garden
to insure the bouquets. Poor Mrs. Mason (she might
with justice have been taken for the long-sought realisa-
tion of "perpetual motion") ; but she wanted to " do the
thing handsomely," and to show her friends that she
knew " what is proper on such occasions," so she endured
bravely, like a maternal heroine as she was, and felt as
important amid her embarrassing duties as a parish beadle
at the head of a charity-school. Where George Burleigh
was during his visits on the two last evenings of prepara-
tion we could not quite make out. We fancied we caught
a fading shadow of him at the street door once or twice
as Emily gave rather an abrupt slam to the said door, but
certain it is that he was not admitted into either of the

receiving-rooms, and it is our belief that he was positively
ordered out of the house. The night before the eventful
morning, the excitement and confusion increased to an

alarming extent ; some of the most important essentials
were found defective at the last moment. Mr. Mason had
discovered that the sherry was not drinkable, and then
doubted if there were champagne enough. A journey
from Bayswater to Fenchurch-street after eight p.m. was
indispensable, and off he went, poor man, looking very
like an escaped lunatic. Frank, the youngest son, de-
clared his vest was too short for the fashion, and flung
himself into a severe hysteric of bad words about the
tailor's masculine want of attention. Tom, the eldest,
had not been able to get grey horses to all the carriages,
without extra charge. Maria was in an agony to find that
one of the bridesmaids intended to wear a far more
splendid dress than her own. Julia was loquaciously
bitter against a pair of tight shoes just come from the
maker's ; and Emily, the bride, was on the very precipice
of fainting, from the effect of general flurry. Mrs. Mason,
long after midnight, was busied among the " things for
breakfast," and was so lost to reason, that when Mr.
Mason asked where his new black trousers were, she re-
plied, " They will be brought up with the custards, my
dear." Dresses had to be altered, tradesmen had to be
sent to, servants had to be schooled, and everything had
to be looked for that should have been found a week be-
fore. We suspect that not a member of the family got
one hour's sleep, and for our part we own to having en-
tertained desperate notions that the mere "broomstick"
system of marrying was preferable to such a dreadful
disturbance in a quiet family. We can never describe the
wedding morning. We seemed in a sort of mist, and can
only distinctly recollect that Emily was dosed with neat
brandy, and that George Burleigh had to go hack for the
ring ; that the guests made long speeches while the bride
was gasping : that the bridegroom looked as happy as a
duckling in a furze-bush ; and that Mr. Mason, between
French champagne, Italiaq cream, and English sentfment,
was compelled to retire from the public breakfast table to
the private bed-room. We were never more glad than
when, after an unlimited amount of tears, and hugs, and
distresses, Emily and her husband left for the London-
bridge Station ; and so sickened were we by the foolish
wedding display of the Masons, that we resolutely made
up our minds to abjure any chance of A like infliction in
future.-0144 Coo*.