The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1851-03-18 00:00:00

THE LIIERPOOL STANDARD.

A SPECIMEN OF AMERICAN JOURNALISM

The New York Herald for Europe, received by the
mail steamer, yesterday, contains a statement which,
absurd as it is, and evidently written only to pander to
the tastes of the United States mobocracy, deserves a
line of refutation. The Herald says,—
" The English Government, with the express view and pur-
pose of driving the Collins line of steamships off the ocean,
has increased the rate of allowance given to the Cunard steam-
ships, for carrying the mails between England and the United
States. That government bas stepped in between Mr. Cunard
and Mr. Collins, and aided the former by its heavy purse to
injure the latter."

There is not a word of truth in the whole paragraph.
The contract with Government for the services of the
Cunard packet, up to the sth of April this year, has been
£145,000 per annum. Up to the sth of April, 1852, it is
fixed at the same amount. We feel certain that neither
the Collins Company, nor their respectable agents in this
port, will thank the Herald for such an unfounded asser-
tion.

COMMERCIAL AND MONETARY REPORT.

Monday Night.
The general tone of our Markets is that of extreme
dullness, arising in a great degree from tha uncertain
position of Lord John Russell's Government. Since
Friday our Sugar refiners have bought freely, and have
taken a cargo of new Mauritius, at 38/9 ; 5000 mats clayed
Manilla, at 37/3 ; which are lower prices. The first load
of new Barbados was sold, on Saturday, at 37/6 to 42/6
per cwt. Coffee, Molasses, and Rum are neglected.
The low prices of Saltpetre have attracted the attention
of speculators, and 1000 bags have been sold at 23/ to
23/3, for 11 to 12 per cent. refraction.—There has been
some wild work in the Share Market, and prices have sus-
tained a check, and in some cases a decline of £1 to £2
per share has taken place. The advance has been un-
warrantably great, and the fear is that it will not be sus-
tained, and that heavy losses will accrue.—On Saturday
there was a strong market for Cotton, and 6,000 hales
changed hands. The Baltic, steamer, arrived this morn-
ing from New York ; and although the receipts were again
in excess of last year, and prices had fur_her declined, so
great is the confidence in a moderate crop, that the sales
here to-day sum up 8,000 bales, at a small advance on
Saturday's prices.
From advices just received per Baltic we learn that the
accounts from England per Africa had the effect of forcing
down prices to the extent of fully one cent. The general
estimate of crop now runs from 2,100,000 to 2,200,000
bales. The receipts at the ports since September, exclu-
sive of the arrivals from Mobile, Florida, and Texas, are
667,372 bales, against 581,886 bales same time last year.
The increase of the receipts at all the ports up to the
latest dates, as compared with last year, is 112,491 bales.
The exports from the United States to foreign countries as
compared with same dates last year show an increase of
75,400 bales to Great Britain, 61,500 bales to France, and
34,800 bales to other foreign ports. Middling ordinary is
quoted at 101 c.; freight from New Orleans and Mobile,
3s. 6d. • exchange, 71 to 71. Import since Friday : Up-
land, 4,063 ; Apalachicola, 2,318 ; Surat, 2,638—t0ta1,
9,019.
The character of the4business of our Share market con-
tinues much the same as has been described in our few
last weekly reports. Speculation is still rife, and the
advance makes progress. Several of the lighter shares
have risen considerably from the failure of dealers and
the consequent exertions of buyers to replace the shares,
the bankrupts were unable to deliver. On Saturday a
great move took p'ace in French shares, which has conti-
nued to-day, and a general advance in these of from Li to
£3 per share has taken place. North British shares have
been in great demand.:The market closes good this evening,
the business of the day has been at the following prices :
Aberdeen, 194; Caledonian, 171 161 171; Do. pref.,
71; Chester and Holyhead, 261; East Lancashire, 181 1
4 212 ; Edinburgh and Glasgow, 40 404 40 ; Edinburgh
Perth and Dundee, 11 ; Glasgow, P. and Greenock, 141;
Do. Halves, 71; Great Northern, 181; Kendal and Win-
dermere, 12 ; Old Leeds, 641- 4 ; Do. Fifths, 6 5-16 d ;
Do. £2O F shares, lid ; Do. preference, 131; Leeds and
Thirsk, 211 ; L'pool Crosby and S'port, 11 1p ; London
stock, 133 21 : Do. new Quarters, 61 4-1 1p ; Do. Fifths,
6 6 1-16 6a ; Do. C quarters, 31p M'chester Shef and
L'coln,4o; Do.preference,l2l ; Do.new preference,ll-16p;
Midland, 661; Midland Halves, 124-d ' • North British,
12$1 11 •, North Staffordshire, 51d ; North Western,
91 Id ; S'bury and Birmingham B shares, 761 ; Old
Dovers, 281 ; South Staffordshire, 3d ; York, Newc. and
Berwick unpaid-up preference, Id ; York and North Mid-
land, 281 4; Belfast and Ballymena, 35 41 35 ; Gt. Sou-
thern and Western, 454 ; Boulogne and Amiens, 10 ;
Dutch Rhenish, 31 1d ; Northern of France, 4d par ;
Rouen and. Havre, 111; Sambre and Meuse, 41 ; Tours
and Nantes, 84 Id ; Commercial Bank, 1211 1 ; Steam
Tug. 718.
The following review of the iron trade for the last fort-
night is from the Birmingham Gazelle of to-day :

This trade presents no new feature since our last notice, but
appears to be taking precisely the same course as at the cor-
responding period of last year. The same absence of all specu-
lative impulse still prevails ; orders continue to be partially
distributed—some works being plentifully provided, while
others have scarcely half employment, and it is a subject of
universal complaint that in every-branch business is being
transacted without remuneration- During the fortnight buyers
have again had the advantage, though towards the close of last
week the tone of feeling rallied a little—still tnere has been
some underselling, which would doubtless be carried further
were it not impracticable with the present scale of wages. In
forge pigs a few inconsiderable purchases have been made, and
holders seem rather more anxious to sell; but for foundry iron
there is a better demand—prices remain unaltered. Scotch
pigs are reported to have met with a very dull 'sale, though the
shipments of last month have considerably revived again. The
United States and British America are consumers of full one-
half of the whole quantities exported, and the accounts by the
last mail state that the business there is very inactive, and that
for English bars the demand is- still more limited. The de-
pression of the home trade, which peculiarly bears upon the
Staffordshire markets, and the low figures by which the Welsh
makers are endeavouring to secure the lion's share of Rail and
Foreign orders, added to the introduction into our district of
so much inferior material, seem to have put aside all prospect
of obtaining any improvement in prices during the Spring or
Summer months. Some anxiety is also felt as to the effect
that the approaching Exhibition imay produce upon our busi-
ness, and it appears questionable whether commercial matters
will not generally suffer to a serious extent through the diversion
of public attention during that protracted holiday.

To-morrow (Wednesday) we shall have the highest tid

of the year

Sir William Massey Stanley, Bart., continues in an
infirm state of health at Paris.

We had during all last week fine spring-like weather.
Yesterday, however, the rain fell incessantly, and the
atmosphere was raw and cold.
The screw-steamer Corkscrew took fire on Wednesday,
in Nelson Dock. The damage, fortunately, did not exceed
XIO.

The County Court will re-open to-day. George Atkin-
son, Esq., will preside. The arrear of business is very

great.
The workmen in the employ of. Messrs. S. and J.
Holme, have presented to Mr. Ray, their late foreman, a
very handsome fifteen-day timepiece, made by Mr. Flower,
of Renshaw-street.

On Saturday evening, a fire broke out on board the
ship Ranee, in the Prince's Dock. The flames were first
discovered underneath the poop, and at first it was thought
the damage was considerable ; but on the vessel being
put on the gridiron it was found that she had sustained
little injury, and she will be docked again to-day, after
being fully repaired.
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.—A special meeting of the
council of the Chamber was held on Friday. when a mo-
tion on the subject of the adulteration of coffee was brought
forward, and a special committee appointed• on the sub-
ject. A petition to Parliament was also agreed to, pray-
ing for an inquiry into the rules, practice, and manage-
ment of the customs.
VESSEL LOST.—The John and Joseph. Richardson, W.
Murphy master, from Strangford, at this port, picked up,
on Friday last. the 14th instant, at four P.M., off the Calf
of Man, the master and crew of the lugger Cherub, of
and from Pbrt St. Mary, with a cargo of lime, which ves-
sel was on fire and went down shortly after. Captain
Murphy landed the crew at Port St. Mary.
ROCHDALE.—Mr. S. Crawford has signified his inten-
tion to resign his post as representative of the borough of
Rochdale at the next dissolution. Mr. Peto has been
mentioned as his successor, as he is.con3ected with Roch-
dale by marriage, his wife being a native of the borough,
and he has lately become owner of a neighbouring town-
ship, Middleton, which was the property of Lord Suffield.
CHURCH OF ENGLAND INSTITUTION.—The concluding
lecture of the series given by this institution will be deli-
vered in the Amphitheatre, by. the Rev. Dr. M`Neile, on
Monday evening next, as will be seen by reference to our
advertising pages. The subject of the lecture is, " The
world as it shall be, or the good time that's coming."
The spacious edifice will no doubt be crowded by an intel-
ligent audience, which will be valuable to the institution
. at the close of this its first year.

THE MUNICIPAL REFORMERS AND THE DOCK BILL.—
Mr. Rathbone ought to know that his present proceeding
has surprised alike those who love and will always love
him, and those who have even opposed him on political
principles. It was a lesson to diminish confidence in the
permanence of opinion to find Mr. Rathbone and Mr.
Maxwell allied with Mr. Nicol and Mr. Bramley-Moore
in an endeavour to despoil the new Town Council of its
authority—recognised in the municipal charter—while
the advocates of the old Town Council, Mr.. Littledale,
Mr. Holme, Mr. Tobin, Mr. Bold, Mr. Turner, and
others, were labouring for the preservation of the rights
of the reformed Corporation. Through what new stages
we may pass is a question without an answer, while no-
thing is unchangeable but change.—Journal.
PRESENTATION OF A TESTIMONIAL.—On Friday even-

ing last a select party of gentlemen, friends of Mr. John
Reid, chief steward of the favourite Liverpool and Glas-

gow steam-ship Princess Royal, dined together at Mr.
Heatley's, James's-street, preparatory to presenting him,
as a token of their regard and esteem, with a handsome
silver tankard, upon the occasion of his retirement from
the situation which he has so ably and efficiently filled for
a very long period. The tankard bore a suitable inscrip-
tion. The general urbanity of his mariners, and uniform
attention to the wants and comforts of the passengers
have gained for him an esteem which time will not efface.
Mr. R. D. Whittingtontook the chair, the vice being filled
by Mr. Robert .Mossman. The usual toasts having been
given, the chairrian called attention to the object of their
meeting, and in a terse, vigorous, and eloquent address
set forth the distinguished merits of their highly esteemed
guest, and asked the company to join with him in wishing
every success to Mr. Reid's new undertaking, he hav-
ing, in conjunction with Mr. John Orme, Mr. John Sherer,
and Mr. John Ballardir, (all of Glasgow,) become pro-
prietor of the Thames, plying between Glasgow and
Rothsay. Mr. Reid replied in a most feeling manner,
and acknowledged, with deep emotion, his gratitude to
the friends around him. Neat and appropriate addresses
were afterwards delivered by Mr. Alexander Clark, Mr,
Wm. Kerr, Mr. Robt. Nuttall, Mr. John Swift, Mr.
Joseph Lang, Mr. N. Mackleod, and others. The even-
ing was spent in a most intellectual manner.