The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1850-06-04 00:00:00

1842, AND 1843.

Total Plain and
Printed Yds.

1841—Plain Calicoes
„ Printed „
1842—Plain „
Printed ~
1843—Plain „ .. ..
Printed „ .. ... ,

1,926,481,735
Thus we had in the three years extending from
1347 to 1849—three free trade years—an increase
in our exports of cotton manufactures of 33,121,325
yards only; whereas, in the three years from 1844
in 1846, we exceeded the exports of the preceding

three years by, in round numbers, six hundre
nd sixty millions of yards—or twenty -fold !
That the effect of our recent legislation has been
to advantage the foreigner at the expense of the
British working man it would be very easy to
demonstrate. We shall, however, content ourselves
here with sheaving the extent to which, during the
past year; the United States have benefitted by
their trade with this country. The following table
gives the exports, in money value, of a few leading
manufactures to America, for the years 1848 and
1849 :

Increase

TIE LIVIRPO

years; yet the consumpt:On has been rapidly in-
creasing, In 1839 we worked up 15,644 bales of
American cotton per wed(; in 1849 we worked
24,648 bales, being an increase of 9,044 bales, or
nearly 58 tier cent. With two excellent crops in
succession—one the largest on record—we are at
the American planter's mercy. During the greater
part of this period we have seen our supplies from
other sources gradually diminishing, whilst Ameri-
ca herself has doubled her consumption of raw
material. In 1838-9 her consumption was esti-
mated at 300,000 hales ' • for 1848-9 it was esti-
mated at 520,000, and is rapidly increasing.
America can shut us up at any moment. One turn
of the fiscal screw, or a misunderstanding" with
our precious foreign secretary, will do the business.
The concluding remarks of the Guardian are a
little ridiculous. He says :
ry "The exports of grain and flour from the United
States, and especially from the valley of the Mississippi,
have greatly declined ; and the state of the present stocks
in the cotton growing districts will be tolerably well un-
derstood from a statement of current prices in New Or-
leans. 'We have now lying before us a New Orleans
Price Current, of the 4th of May, from which we learn
that choice marks of flour were selling at 6 dols. 25c. to
6 dole. 50c., or from 265. to 275. Id. sterling per barrel ;
that is, from 23. to 2s. 6d. higher than the highest quota-
tions in Liverpool. This state of facts certainly does not
indicate any increase in the cultivation of grain ; and we
feel satisfied that the editor of the Liverpool Standard
must refer the decrease in the production of cotton to
some other cause if he means to convince the public of
the accuracy of his views."

Pray, what has the price of flour at New Orleans
on the 4th of May to do with the question ? About
as much as the price of cabbages or turnips. The
breadth of land devoted to the growth of Indian
corn would be more germane to the matter.
To conclude—may we ask of our contemporary,
is he sincerely in earnest in his willingness to resort
to legislation for the purpose of procuring an
increased supply of cotton ? It can be accomplished
if required. We have only to grant to our own
West Indian colonies permission to provide them-
selves with a supply of free labour, sufficient to
enable them to till their fertile soil—to withdraw
those absurd and harassing restrictions and inter-
ferences between the master and the labourer, which
a hypocritical philanthropy has dictated—and the
spinners in Lancashire will in five years from this
time be provided with a supply of cotton of the
most valuable description, sufficient to enable them
to laugh at all the vapouring of brother Jonathan,
as well as at blights. inundations, and the other
calamities which the American cotton plant is heir
to. Let our contemporary set himself to advocate
such a course. It will confer infinitely more bene-
fit upon his Manchester friends than volumes of
objurgation directed against the proceedings of
planters and speculators in America, Liverpool, or
elsewhere. The
,Guardian may depend upon it that
these parties know well their power ; and will exer-
cise it regardless of every consideration except their
own advantage.

WE were startled yesterday to observe in the
placard of a paper, rather notorious as connected
with Irish rebel politics, the line, in large letters,
"THE MURDER OF SMITH O'BRIEN." Involun-
tarily, we Were induced to refer to the paper itself,
(the Dublin Nation,) in search of news so extraor-
dinary ; and we were not disappointed. The fact
is broadly announced by our contemporary,—not,
however, that actual violence has been perpetrated,
or that blood has been shed, but that " they are
killing Smith O'Brien by slow murder in Maria
Island" ; and the excitable people of Ireland are,
it seems too evident, to be worked up to frenzy,
and plunged into outrage for his rescue.
The representations made with respect to
O'Brien's treatment are, indeed, such as, if true,
disgrace us as a nation. Such treatment as that to
which he is said to be subjected could not be tole-
rated for an hour by any Christian community;
and hence we are driven to the conclusion that the
whole story is only an extravagant romance. It is
said that O'Brien " is caged in the closest solitary
confinement. His food is scanty and loathsome.
He has no comforts, no attendance. He never sees
the face, or hears the voice, of a friend. He is
denied the common requisites of decency : for
months he has not been allowed a change of rai-
ment, or permitted to cleanse his dress ;" and more,
to the same purport, follows. His condition is
compared to that of "a chained reptile ;" and the
author of all these atrocities is said to be the
Governor of Maria Island,—an official whose bru.
tality has earned for him the title of the black
serpent' ! Our contemporary intersperses his some-
what ejaculatory narrative of the various forms of
oppression, which he alleges to be systematically
directed against Mr. O'Brien, with earnest appeals
to his influential friends to interfere in his behalf,
and to Irishmen, of all classes, to do something—
to agitate, or rebel, or perform some other feat—to
procure an amelioration of his condition.
We are utterly at a loss to make out what
amount of truth there is in this story—whether it
is a fabrication altogether, or Mr. O'Brien has been
committing some act of insubordination and is, in
reality, under restraint ; and we do really think
that some explanation from government should be
given upon the subject. It is melancholy to think
of the consequences of another ebullition of dissa-
tisfied spirit in Ireland, at a moment when it is so
imperatively necessary that all classes should pull
together for their common salvation ; and, to avert
such an evil, the incendiary spirits who are ever
ready for turmoil and disorder, should be unmasked
at once, if what they convert into food for agita-
tion is a slander upon the Colonial Government.
The concluding paragraph of the effusion of our
contemporary is sufficient to explain what we
mean :

•‘ We hear, indeed, that the Queen of England comes
to Ireland again this summer—comes for the ovation
which monarchs love from petted slaves. But we warn
her and her ministers that surely as she sets foot on Irish
soil, while O'Brien is thus tortured and degraded, so
surely, wherever she turns, shall his name be thundered
in her ears as a malediction. So surely shall his blood
be flouted in her face. 60 This promise we will see
fulfilled."

Such atrocious language must be put a stop to
either by the strong arm of authority, or by such
an exposure of the untruth of his charges as will
draw down contempt upon their utterer.

The Atlantic's departure from this port on Wednesday
took place with great eclat. Vast crowds lined the piers
which stretch along the river ; salutes were fired from the
Canada and returned with all honour by the Atlantic.
A very elegant musical invention has been introduced
into Liverpool by Mr. Smith, music dealer, of Lord-
street, from the manufactory of Messrs. Collard and
Collard. As an ornament and as an instrument nothing
could be more suitable to the cottage orne6 or country
residence.

THE WEATHER.—The past week has been most pro-
pitious for vegetation ; fine showers over some days, fol-
lowed latterly by clear, warm, sunny weather, at times
approaching to sultry, especially on Sunday and yester-
day. The thermometer has occasionally stood as high as
74 in the shade. The country looks beautiful, but - after
the heat.a little more rain would be beneficial.

CRICKET MATCH.—On Saturday, a game was played
between the Edge-hill Cricket Club and the Second
Eleven of the Olympus Club, on the picturesque ground
of the latter, in the Prince's Park. This is the first
match that the Edge-hill Club has played, and the result
augurs most favourably for its future career , On both
sides the playing was considered remarkably good. The
Edge-hill Club was victorious, with four wickets to go
down. In the two innings the Olympus scored 130, and
the Edge-hill 131.
INTERESTING RACE.—During the past week there have
been two outward departures from this port, and one from
the west coast of Ireland, to the United States • namely.
the United States mail steamer Atlantic, which sailed
hence, on Wednesday, with some seventy passengers, for
New York ; the British and North American royal mail
steam-ship Canada, Captain Harrison, which left the
river on Saturday for Halifax and Boston ; and the
steam-ship Viceroy, which left Galway for New York; on
Saturday. Much excitement exists with regard to the
passages of these steam-ships; and bets are current tint
the Canada's accounts will reach New York in anticipa-
tion of those carried out by the Atlantic and Viceroy. It
is anticipated that the Atlantic will reach New York on
the 11th instant; that the Canada will touch at Halifax
on the 10th, whence her news will be transmitted to New
York by telegraph ; and that the Viceroy may possibly
arrive at that port on or about the 12th or 13th instant.
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.—The monthly meeting of
the Council was held yesterday, T. B. Horafall, Esq.,
president, in the chair, when a letter was read from Mr.
F. Boult, on the " encouragement for smuggling and
dishonesty offered by our present revenue system : ' the
subject was referred to a standing committee on customs'
regulations and restrictions. Communications were also
read, from the East India and China Association, on
Indian navigation ; from J. M. Myers on porterage rates ;
from G. Beaumont, on locomotive machinery ; and from
Mr. G. Withers, with a present of books, for which a
vote of thanks was passed. The President stated the
proceedings of the committee on the mercantile marine
bill ; and it was arranged, in accordance with a sugges-
tion from the Board of Trade, that he and Mr. Rankin
should proceed to London as a deputation on the subject.
The day for the general meeting of the Chamber was
postponed, to give time for the Council to lay before the
members the result of the interview at the Board of
Trade. Mr. Heath's motion—" that the Chamber should
subscribe for two copies of Mr. Levi's work on Com-
mercial Law"—was adopted.

•L STANDAID.

PROTECTION TO BRITISH INDUSTRY

AND CAPITAL.

GREAT MEETING, IN LIVERPOOL, OF THE
SHIPPING, COLONIAL, AGRICULTURAL, AND
TRADING INTERESTS.

The arrangements for the great Demonstration
which is to take place in Liverpool, on Thursday
next, in favour of Protection to British Industry
and Capital, are progressing most satisfactorily;
and we may already venture to predict that it will
far surpass in importance and interest any assembly
ever held in this town. From the first mooting of
the intention of holding such a meeting, the Com-
mittee of Management have been absolutely over-
whelmed with the abundance of the support which
has been tendered to them; and, if any circumstance
can occur to mar the pleasure of the day's proceed-
ings, it will arise from the difficulty- which they
will have in selecting from amongst the array of
talent and rank which will be present on the occa-
sion the speakers who are to address them, and the
fact that no building can be found in the town
large enough to accommodate a tithe of the num-
ber of persons who would otherwise have attended.
The list of noblemen and gentlemen who have
consented to have their names placed upon the
General Committee, and thus sanctioned the pur-
pose of the meeting, has day by day received large
additions; and the number who have expressed
their intention to attend are very great—indeed,
too great to enable us to give anything like a list.
Amongst these, however, a few of the most
prominent names, may be selected at random :
The Right Hon. the Earl o:
Wilton, (chairman)
The Right Hon. the Earl o

Lonsliale
The Right Hon. the Earl
Glengall
Viscount Mandeville

His Grace the Duke of Mon•
trose
The Right Hon. Lord Redes•
dale
The Right Hon. Lord Skel•
mersdale
The Right Hon. the Earl o:
Stanhope
Sir R. Pigot, Bart., 111. P
Hon. C. H. Stanley, M P