The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-02-15 00:00:00

FRANCE

The pledge given by Louis Philippe's son, is, it seems,
to be redeemed. Abd-el-Kader is to be transported, if
he wishes it, to Alexandria, and handed over to the old
1 despot of, Egypt. If he wishes it—the words ring hollow,
as though some sinister meaning lurked within.
In the Chamber of Deputies, M. Guizot put his rival,
Thiers, completely in a " fix," by quoting the written
documents of the latter when in office,-showing that he
then pursued the very course towards Scotland and other
countries which he now condemned in the present minis-
try ! The only reply which M. Thiers had to offer was,
that circumstances were now different !
EXTRAORDINARY SCENE IN THE FRENCH CHAMBERS.
—The debate in the Chamber of Deputies on the para-
graph relating to the Reform Banquets came to an abrupt
and stormy termination on Wednesday. In spite of the
determination of the Opposition deputies, and in spite
also of a split in the Conservative ranks, M. Guizot per-
sisted in putting down these banquets. This mutual
obstinacy led to-a scene on Tuesday, upon M. Duchatel
announcing that Ministers would not yield. M. Cremieux
cried out in passion, " Such was the language of Charles
X..., there is blood in such language," and M. Lesseps
warned Ministers that they were " throwing out a chal-
lenge." But on :Wednesday, when the Minister of the
Interior declared the resolution of Ministers that no more
Reform Dinners should be held, M. Odillon Barrot ex-
claimed, " You are worse than Polignac and Perronet,"
and a tremendous •uproar ensued. The ministerialists
would hear no more speeches. The opposition therefore
quitted their seats, .and thus ended the debate, which is
now (it seems) to be transferred to the streets of Paris.
Instead of at once resigning their functions as Deputies,
the Opposition members have resolved on going to the
adjourned Reform Dinner in costume and in procession.
IS then refused admittance to the Banquetting Hall, they
will resign ; but amongst the excitable populace of Paris
a public procession of Deputies, openly at issue with the
Government, cannot be anticipated without alarm. As
the •first result of this issue the French Three per Cents.,
winch closed on Tuesday at 74f. 55c. fell on Wednesday
night to 74f.

No fewer than 60 coasting vessels are now owned by
aboriginal inhabitants of New Zealand.
Official documents state that there are at least 2,300
women attached to the American army.
Many ladies at Naples, when attending balls or private
parties, now wear tricolor cockades instead of flowers in
their hair.

An English newspaper, entitled the Neighbour, the
first ever published in Chili, has been established at Val-
paraiso.

When Espartero paid his first visit to the theatre after
his return to Madrid, some of the audience, to honour and
welcome him, let loose in the house several doves, gaily
bedecked R ith ribbons of various colours.
In Australia, where tea is abundant and cheap, the
average annual consumption is 81b. per head; in this
country it is only 11b. 10oz. per head ; although in fami-
lies where expense is no consideration it has been known
to rise as high as 131 b. per head, and although the allow-
ance in the navy is Mb. 40z., and in workhouses 341 b. per
head.

A LADY SMOKER.—In their transit through Egypt to
India, Lord and Lady Dalhousie paid a visit to Cairo to
Mehemet Ali, by whom they were most hospitably enter-
tained. Lady Dalhousie, after the presentation, smoked
a pipe with the Viceroy, though his Highness, noticing
that her ladyship did not relish it, did not press her to
smoke if she were not accustomed to it.

As a proof that few changes occur in Rome, the Roman
correspondent of the Daily News mentions that not only
the house and the baker's shop, but even the identical
marble counter and the scales are now to be seen in full
operation, and just in the same state as they were when,
over 300 years ago, Raphael's Fornarina sold penny rolls
across that counter. The almost invisible inscription over
the plinth of the door was carved by Raphael's own hand,
" Trahit sua quonque voluplas."

RAILWAY AFFAIRS.

BLACKBURN AND BOLTON RAILWAY.—This line is ex-
pected to he nprned throughout in May next.
The Monthly Railway Record for the present mouth
contains a portrait of Mark Huish, Esq.

On Wednesday, three men were killed whilst worKing
at the Wicker viaduct, Sheffield, through the falling in
of a portion of the viaduct. _

At the half-yearly meeting of the shareholders of the
Great North of England the simple and pleasant an-
nouncement of a dividend at the rate of 10 per cent. was
the only business transacted.
The reception of the report and accounts at the half-
yearly meeting of the Liverpool, Manchester and New-
castle Junction was postponed to the 30th of March, A
committee to investigate the accounts was appointed in
the resolution authorizing the adjournment of the meeting.
The report and accounts of the Manchester, Buxton,
Matlock and Midlands, adopted at the half-yearly meet-
ing, satisfactorily exhibit the activity of the directors.
The works had been continued during the time of the
monetary pressure. Mr. G. Stephenson declared the line
would be made and worked cheaper than any other in the
country.

PROTECTION FROM THE 'WEATHER.—We understand
that two of the guards upon the Eastern Counties Railway
were nearly frozen to death one night last week. A cor-
respondent of the Times suggests that if a tin pot of hot
water were provided for the guards to place their feet
upon, such disastrbs catastrophes might be avoided for
the future.

HULL AND LINCOLNSHIRE.-It is stated in the Rail-
way Chronicle, in anticipation of the opening of the
lines to Great Grimsby and New Holland early in March,
and for the improvement of the Humber Ferries, the
Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire have purchased
two Thames steamers, which, during summer plied to
Greenwich.

THE GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY COMPANY V. THE
BIRMINGHAM AND OXFORD RAILWAY COMPANY.—The
Lord Chancellor gave judgment in this case on Wednes-
day, overruling the demurrer, with costs. At the same
time he did not give any opinion, as he was not called
upon to do so, with reference to the validity or invalidity
of the agreement made between the Birmingham and
Oxford and Great Western Railway Companies.
RAILWAYS.—We have various symptoms of approach-
ing activity in the prosecution of various suspended rail-
way works in Manchester. The South Junction branch
is again giving signs of renewed vigour. The Manchester
and Altrincham, a part of the Birkenhead, Cheshire, and
Manchester, is also giving the note of preparation ; so
that there is every appearance of a vast number of work-
men, who have been all but literally starving through the
late winter, having full and constant employment.
From official returns it appears that the amount of
traffic for the last week, on upwards of 3,436 miles of rail-
way, was £147,352, thus accounted for :--£68,068 for the
conveyance of passengers only, £41,838 for the carriage
of goods, and a remainder of £37,446 for passengers and
goods 'together, not respectively apportioned; being an
increase of £12,527 over the corresponding week of the
former year, when the mileage was 2,680. The average
earnings per mile for last week were £43, whilst in 1847
they were £5O. _

LANCASTER AND CARLISLE RAILWAY.—On Wednes-
day, the half-yearly meeting was held at the Clarendon-
rooms. E. W. Hasell, Esq. presided. Resolutions were
passed to the effect that a dividend of £1 per whole sham,
and 4s. per third share, be now made and declared, out of
the nett profits of the undertaking up to the 31st of De-
cember last, and that the directors be empowered to raise,
on loan, such further ovine, fiom time to time, as they
shall find requisite for the purposes of the undertaking,
not exceeding what the act of parliament authorises. A
dividend at the rate of £4 per cent. per annum was
created. The resolutions were unanimously adopted, and
the remarks of the chairman were considered highly satis-
factory, as respected the prospects of the line.
RAPID TRAVELLING.—The directors of the South-
Eastern Railway, in unison with the South-Eastern and
Continental Steam-ship Company, have determined to
meet the long hoped for opening of the Boulogne and
Amiens Railway with their usual energy. An express
steamer, in union with a train from London-bridge, will
leave Folkestone to convey passengers to the train to start
from Bologne at 3 o'clock in the afternoon ; this arrange-
ment will enable the public to breakfast in London, and
be in Paris the same day at twenty minutes past eight in
the evening. So, also, between Paris and London there
will be a special steamer in union with the trains leaving
Paris at eight in the morning ; this steamer will start
from Boulogne to Foulkestone on the arrival of the train,
by which means passengers of that morning from Paris
will arrive in London at half-past six o'clock the same
afternoon.

NORTHERN COUNTIES UNION RAILWAY.-At a meet-
ing held at Leeds on Thursday last, about 40 shareholders
were present from various towns, including Liverpool;
and Mr. Atkinson, of Roundhay, was called to the chair.
Mr. Baker, of Thirsk, advocated the relinquishment of a
large portion of the scheme—that from Tebay to Bishop
Auckland, which would reduce the capital of the company
by two millions ; and this portion would, he believed, be
readily taken up by other parties, who could work it to
better advantage. The line from Wath to Bedale was,
he thought, most valuable and promising. He moved a
resolution restraining the directors from making further
calls and incurring further liabilities. They had now
sufficient capital to complete the valuable part of the line
—that stated. His suggestion would reduce the shares
from £5O to £5. The resolution was carried unanimously.
It was also agreed to negotiate the sale of the line from
Bishop Auckland to Tebay. A resolution was also passed
giving the directors three months to negotiate in the sale
stated. A deputation was appointed to attend the gene-
ral meeting. Amongst these was Mr. D. Smith, of this
town. They were empowered to impress upon the direc-
tors and shareholders the importance of the resolutions
agreed to.