The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-03-21 00:00:00

Till LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

black, and next week that it was white. Is Sir
Thomas amongst the "SHAMS and SHARBIES ? "
Why not then say so at once ?

But our very independent Mercury—the man of
" Fair Play "—of course he has done the bold thitig
and denounced the " Sham and Shabby " baronet
Not at all. Mercury, on the contrary, keeps up the
cry against the unfortunate Mr. Cardwell, and has
absolutely the impudence to venture upon the
following : _ .

It certainly is to be regretted that several merchants
thought their letter of thanks to Sir Thos. Birch would
have sufficient effect on Mr. Cardwell."

What a pity the said letter had no effect upon Sir
Thomas Birch himself ! But, of course, our Lord-
street contemporary is as yet in a happy state of
ignorance as to the composition of the majority in
favor of a three years unmodified Income Tax.
Ile cannot be aware that a Whig, although he has once
tasted the sweets of office, would thus offend.

We have, thus far, remarked only upon the conduct of our
contemporaries with respect to this question. We have now
howevei to ask, seriously, what is the National Confedera
tion doing ? Thathody has a useful object in view; and may,
if its energies are properly directed, achieve that object.
We trust that the confederation are not going to hush up
Sir T. Birch's offence. They have already a memorial in
their hands of, unfortunately, somewhat doubtful authen-
ticity as to the signatures, which, we are told, are in course
of examination, previously to its being presented. Per-
haps the fair way now would be to make it a joint memo-
rial. Mr. Cardwell and his colleague are now both
offenders ; and, if one, both should be invited to retire.
We trust our brother of the Mercury will unite with us in
asking for such a measure of " fair play " on this occa-
sion.

The North American Passengers' Bill, to some of the
most injurious provisions of which we recently directed
the attention of our readers, was read a third time, and
passed in the House of Lords, on the 17th instant ; but
in a form so altered, that the bantling may truly be said
to have been changed at nurse. Of the entire twenty-one
clauses, including interpretation and other clauses, of
which the bill consists, no less than thirteen have been
supplied by the committee ; and the leading feature con-
tained in the original—the creation of a new source of
Government patronage, by imposing upon the owners or
charterers of emigrant vessels the necessity of carrying
out a superintendent appointed by the Privy Council—is
omitted altogether. Coming into operation, as the act
does, at the commencement of the season for emigration,
when already many intending to leave the country have
made their arrangements, and shipowners and others have
also entered into contracts, it is important that its pro-
visions should be extensively made known ; and we, there-
fore, furnish a brief summary of the essential alterations
which are effected by it.

By the old law, vessels chartered to convey emigrants
to the British American settlements, were permitted to
carry three passengers (counting the crew as such) to every
five tons register, provided the space between decks allowed
ten superficial feet space for each adult. Two children
under fourteen years of age were computed as one passen-
ger ; and children under one year were not computed at
all. The law, as amended, allows only one adult passenger
to every two tons (exclusive of crew) ; but requires that
the space allowed for each should be twelve superficial
feet. Provided a surgeon sails in the ship, two children
under fourteen years are still to be considered as one adult ;
but in the absence of a surgeon, when the ship has more
than one hundred passengers, each passenger must have
fourteen feet of space, and every child over one year old
be considered an adult.

This alteration in the space required, viz., extending it
from ten to twelve feet, will decrease, in roost cases, the
number of passengers which a ship can take to the extent
of one-sixth. Thus a ship having 2,000 feet between
decks, could under the old law carry 200 passengers, her
tonnage being in proportion to her deck space. Under
the new she can carry only 1663, the difference being 33}
passengers, or one-sixth less. Where this decrease of
number takes plaee a corresponding amount of extra pas-
sage-money will either be charged, or so much lost to the

shipowner.
The effect of the provision by which every ship carrying
over 100 passengers to our colonies is required to take a
surgeon, will, in all probability, be that in general a sur-
geon will be taken ; but to the United States they willnot
carry surgeons if any great expense. is thereby incurred,
because the American law requiring each passenger over
one year of age to have 14 feet of space, renders unavailing
the privilege accorded by our law to ships carrying sur-
geons, viz., to take one passenger to every 12 feet of space.

The shipowners may, as they have hitherto frequently
done, give a free cabin passage to a professional man in
consideration of his attending to the health of the passen-
gers during the voyage.
The most important additional provisions of the new

law are-
-Ist. That ships carrying 100 or more passengers, must
carry a cook to cook their food ; but as the law only
requires the ship to provide the passengers with food at
the rate of Ilb. of biscuit, flour, oatmeal, or rice, per
passenger per diem, and the whole of which may be bis-
cuit (one-half of it must Le), this seems a very absurd
provision.

The government adopt the suggestion of the shipowners
to require a cook to be provided, but REJECT what alone
would render a cook necessary or desirable, viz. the
recommendation of the shipowners to compel the ship to
supply the passengers with tea, coffee, -sugar, &c. &c.
2nd. That no ship be allowed to clear out until the
passengers and the medicine chest have been inspected
by a medical man. Sick passengers being required to be
put ashore.

On the whole the new bill is an improvement ; by afford-
ing more space, the health of the passengers will be better
preserved, and it will not tend to increase the cost of
passage very greatly.

It is to be regretted that the suggestion of the ship-
owners, as to the dieting scale, was not adopted ; it would
have more effectually promoted the health and comfort of
the passengers than all the doctors (without such aid) in
Christendom could do. By throwing the passengerS thus
almost wholly on the ship for support, the master would
have been enabled far more effectually than at present to
enforce habits of order and cleanliness ; a saving would
also have been effected for the passengers, because (as we
formerly pointed out), now they buy duty-paid articles,
whilst, if found by the ship, the shipowner would have
bought them in bond. Was the loss to the revenue, by
this saving of duty, the reason why the Wing government
rejected it ?
Emigration to the North American Colonies will be
checked, not so much by the bill above adverted to as at
present altered, as by the acts of the different colonial
legislators, acting on the advice of Earl Grey, the
Colonial Secretary. The effect of these will be to deter
all sensible shipowners from carrying passengers. and we
venture to predict, that the emigration to Canada this
year will not be one-third what it was last year ; and
mainly from this cause, last year and previously, the ship-
owner had to pay ss. currency (about 4s. 2d. sterling) per
passenger, for every passenger taken to a Canadian port ;
the new acts referred to raise this to 10s. per head (children
the same as adults) under all circumstances, and if the
ship, through having sickness on board, has to go into
quarantine, or does not arrive before September the
charge is increased to Iss. per head. If the ships lay a
certain number of days, or do not arrive out before Oc-
tober, the charge is increased to 203. per head. Now
under ordinary circumstances the shipowner does not re-
ceive for the use of his ship more than 15s. to 20s. per
passenger, so that he must either obtain a considerably
greater sum to compensate for the increased risk, or he
will not carry passengers ; under either circumstance, it
will be obvious that the price of passengers will be mate-
rially advanced, and thus thousands of those, whom we
should most gladly see leave the country the very
poorest, and those whose prospects are most hopeless at
home—will be unable to go.
The increased charge is, if one were to judge from ana-
logy, unnecessarily high. Last spring the New York
State Legislature passed a law, to the effect that instead

of the importers (as we term them) of immigrants being
privileged as previously, to pay a certain amount per head,
(varying from one to ten dollars per head) or give bond
that they will support any immigrants who may within two
years become unable to support themselves, the importers
shall pay to the state a fixed tax of one dollar per head,
and give bonds for the support of any lame, blind, or in-
sane immigrants, that they might land on the state.
They made this charge because they found that the par-
ties in New York, who were in the habit of contracting
with the pasties who forwarded passengers from Liverpool
and other places,—to undertake all responsibility as to sup-
port of immigrants in consideration of a payment of one
dollar Per head,—made a handsome profit out of the busi.
nese, vrhich profit they thought might go to the state
. _ ,

Now if one dollar pays an.the ueraga in New York,

surely two dollars ',ten shillings currency) would suffice in
Quebec; the additional dollar would allow ample margin
for the additional cost arising from the emigrants to
Quebec being of a poorer class than those who go to New
York, which is undoubtedly the case.
Make the tax a certain unvarying one, then the ship-
owner will know what to do. Leave it in uncertainty,
and especially give it so wide a range as from 10s. to 20s.
(bearing in mind the small amount he obtains for the car-
rying of them), and he will send his ships without them,
if he is prudent. Why should the shipowners, after tak-
ing all the precautions which the government think ne-
cessary—after providing a surgeon as well—be mulcted
in a double tax for a visitation of Providence ?
It is to be regretted that the remonstrance of Lord
Stanley and the Earl of Hardwicke, in the House of
Lords, when the Bill was in Committee, against this
excessive impost, did not induce Earl Grey to promise an
amendment of it. Perhaps, however, its operation during
the present year will suggest the necessity of such a step
to themselves.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.
(By EXPRESS.)

THE QUEEN. - Hcr majesty and the infant princess
were going on quite well yesterday. _

LATEST FROM PARIS: - The elections for national
guard have been postponed until the sth of April. The
issue of 100 f. notes at the bank is also postponed for
some days. The Orleans Railway Company have given
notice that they are under the necessity of demanding the
renewal of their bonds for six months. The interest of
five per cent. will be paid in advance. Up to Sunday
night all was quiet.
INSURRECTION IN VIENNA.—FLIGHT OF
PRINCE METTERNICH.

The following, :which has arrived by telegraphic dis-
patch, appears to confirm what is below given from the
Mirsen-Halle.

VIENNA, MARCH 14.—The population has risen en
masse. In the conflicts which have taken place with the
troops, the people have been successful. Prince Metter-
nich has fled in disguise; his palace has been pillaged.
The minister of police has also fled. The emperor has
decreed the liberty of the press and the formation of a
national guard. The troops were withdrawn from the
capital, which has been left in possession of the populace.
The archdukes retire into private life. The city illumi-
nated. Public business suspended.

Letters received from Vienna, via Ostend, dated on the
evening of the 14th, state that the Arch-Duke Albert
ordered the troops to fire on a procession of students who
were about to present a petition, on the 13th instant, de-
manding the same reforms as those conceded in other
parts of Germany. Many were killed and wounded, and
amongst them many spectators. The people, irritated at
this massacre, then rose and compelled Prince Metternich
and the Arch-Duke Albert to resign. The troops were
also forced to evacuate the arsenal, which was garrisoned
by the Burgher Guard.

At the hour that the post left, Vienna was in the hands
of the citizens, on whom the task of maintaining order
had devolved.

Reports were circulated in Vienna of serious riots in
the neighbouring country. Several factories had been
burnt, and it was even said that the palace of Schcenbrunn
was in flames.

MONEY MARKET—YESTERDAY.
Our funds, notwithstanding all the unfavourable reports
from the Continent, are still steady, the extent of the decline
having been only # per cent. in Consols, which have now again
recovered to their former quotations of 80/ to 1 for money and
account. Exchequer Bills are 255. to 298. premium.

LONDON CORN MARKET.—YESTERDAY.
The supply of English Wheat, by land carriage samplesfrom
the near counties, was very short this morning really fine,
dry samples sold readily, at an advance of Is. per quarter; but
no improvement could be established upon secondary and in-
ferior qualities. Foreign Wheat sold at about the same rates
as last week. Barley must be quoted is. dearer, with a better
sale. The supply of Oats, particularly from the near foreign
ports, was large, and to make any progress in sales, a reduc-
tion of 6d. to is. per qr. had to be submitted to. Beans and
Peas very dull, with a downward tendency.

SMITHFIELD CATTLE MARKET.—YESTERDAY.
We have a good supply of Beasts to-day ; and, although trade
is rather slow, prices are pretty well supported. There are a
few more Sheep than of late, still the number is small; the dead
markets being slow, considerably affects our trade,.and every-
thing meets with a dull sale. The best qualities suffer a reduc-
tion from Monday last of 2d. per Sibs., and inferior fully 4d.
The best shorn Sheep snake from 4s. 6d. to ss. From Holland
We have about 600 Sheep and 84 Calves. The Calf trade is very
dull, and but few reach ss. 2d. Pigs are a heavy trade, at
rather lower rates.

THE LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL

SOCIETY

The fortnightly meeting of this society took place last night,
at the Royal Institution, and was well attended, J. B. YATES,
Esq., presiding.
Mr. HIGGINSON exhibited and explained a neat funnel and
pipe, peculiarly adapted for surgical purposes,—the transfusion
of blood,, &c.,—and by means of which the life of a female pa-
tient had been saved within the last few days.
The CHAIRMAN made allusion to the political revolutions
going on in the Continent, and for the gratification of the com-
pony produced one of the assignats issued by Napoleon, through
which, he remarked, that so much as 1,000 francs had been
paid for a breakfast in Paris !. He also showed a genuine copy
of a letter addressed in French, by Napoleon, to "Monsieur
De John," minister at the time, and to the effect, laconically,
"You have ordered the introduction of Spanish troops into
France, and I wish to know by what authority you have done
so, and pray God he may keep you safe from the consequences."
The Chairman then handed round a curious pack of French
cards, finely and curiously engraved, and stamped on the top of
the engraving as hearts, spades, &c., intended for some poli-
tical or other object.
The SECRETARY read a very interesting paper written by
Mr. Mc. Andrew, (who is at present abroad,) on various expe-
riments and discoveries he had made over a series of years in
many latitudes and localities, including New Zesland, the is-
lands of Scotland, Ireland, North Wales, &c., in dredging and
discovering remains of Molusca, or living individuals of the
same genus. These, of which he exhibited interesting speci-
mens, were found in various latitudes, and various depths in
the ocean, from five to ninety fathoms • and the argument was,
that shell-fish could inhabit depths and climates-not analogous
to birds with regard to altitude on land. The lecturer gave
some interesting facts on the manner of preserving these fish
by a judicious and gradual use of bay salt.
The society passed a high compliment to Mr. Mc. Andrew,
for his valuable paper.
Another paper was also read, but the lateness of the evening,
on the eve of our publication, precludes us from attempting
any details.

CONSERVATION OF THE PEACE IN LIVERPOOL.
It cannot be denied but that we live in perilous times,
not only in a national, but, as regards large congregated
communities, in a local point of view. Rumours of wars
and disturbances have been rife throughout Europe ; and
the excitement consequent upon such commotions, has,
like a flash of electricity, vibrated down to the humblest,
and perhaps the most suffering portion of the community
in all our large towns. The sufferings from privation
amongst the poor, and the almost equal suffering amongst
the middle, and even higher classes—all of whom feel
nearly proportionately the pressure of the screw of bad
times and heavy taxation—have created a discontent,
wfirs
eothstmuiceecl
et
i,
anminfesduopi
nimee re,
amfndoi3its,sttreemudr
disruption
too
bnbfyeob foment,
iheeinn ee,
whichdvi. would-n dioi,shopenoi inevitably
couldtmat bph
example
eylead to
some
es ioewn
might
shown,
o:
at such a juncture, by large towns, if it be good and
judicious, regulates the conduct of smaller communities ;
and, taking all the trying circumstances into account, we
individually feel a difficulty in adequately expressing our
admiration of the coolness, tact, and management, of our
excellent Mayor and his brother magistrates, in their en-
deavours, under harassing and threatening circumstances,
to conserve the public peace. The measures taken have
been, in our humble thinking, most judicious ; and, at
the same time, firm towards those from whom outrage was
apprehended, and conciliatory and counselling to those
who may have any ground of complaint, locally or na-
tionally. Violent and destructive riots were expected in
the town, and more especially on Friday last ; but by a
judicious series of placards, appealing to the good
sense, loyalty, and feelings of the people at large, and
by other precautions noticed elsewhere, all commotion
has been staved off, and we are as quiescent as a remote
hamlet, the genuine loyalty of the people having been
elicited, and the grumblers compelled, upon reflection, to
admit that rapine and spoliation would only reduce the
amount of general property, and place it out of the power
of those who possessed it to give employment to their in-
dustrious neighbours. The bills issued by Mr. Horsfall
are brief, but truly forcible and manly ; and they partake
of no party spirit. Their effect has been such as to unite
all parties in the cause of peace and order, and the result
is, that an address to his worship was prepared yesterday,
and lies on the tables of the news-rooms, and at the
Standard office. It has already been most numerously
signed, and will be presented this day. The following is
a copy :
"To THE WORSHIPFUL THE MAYOR OF LIVERPOOL?

THOMAS. B. HORSFALL, ESQ.
" We, the undersigned, the clergy, bankers, merchants,
brokers, and other inhabitants of Liverpool, desire most
cordially to express our satisfaction at the steps taken by
you for the preservation of the peace of the town during
the last few days, as well as at the promptness and dis-
cretion with which every measure, adopted for that pur-
pose, has been carried out.
" Whilst we refer with just pride to the feelings of de-
voted loyalty to the Sovereign, and to the love of good
order which have ever distinguishedl Liverpool, we can but
allow that in every large town there exists at least a few
evil disposed persons, whose inclination to. disturb the
peace of the community, in times of public disquietude,
is best kept in check by the energetic course you have so
haplypursued.
" e disclaim any desire of making this address a vehicle
for enunciating or upholding
any one of the different
political opinions which prevail among us. Our sole object
is to convey to you the assurance of the high respect and
esteem which your conduct, as Mayor of Liverpool, has
gained for you on this occasion. We are fully assured
that the legislators and magistrates of this country need
only to be distincruished by the same conscientious princi-
ples and sound fudgment, in the administration of their
respective functions, to secure, by divine aid, the continued
peace of this great empire, and to procure for all classes of
her Majesty's subjects the preservation of every right they
now enjoy, and the patient investigation and ultimate
removal of every wrong they endure.
" Liverpool, 21st March, 1848."

A TRUTH volt LOUIS PHILIPPE.—" I hold France in
my hand; I know how to manage them," said Louis
Philippe, according to rov Morhing Post, on the day
pre:douslo his overtbro,w, lie certainly, did. bold _France
in his hand—i-tor he let tier slip through his fingers.—
Punch. 1