The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1845-02-25 00:00:00

25, 1845

bremost

onstituencies of England in th
ple to the cause of loyalty and Protes-

With wi

lat alacrity and -disgust t

th
Bi
whL,

which the F

ed for a time around their necks ! With

at earnestnsss, too, did they set themselves to the
inure difficult task of ejecting the scum and froth of
Radicalism, which the municipal Reform Bill had
introduced, and was designed to perpetuate, in their
Council chamber ! How nobly, a few years ago,
they struggled to repel each infidel blow, which a
revolutionary government and a factious local clique
levelled from day to day against the Protestant esta-
blishments of their country and of " the good old
town !" The voice of Liverpool was then heard and
felt throughout the land—a stirring voice to the
faithful and the loyal, and a voice dreaded by the

plotters in Downing-street, and by traitors to the
constitution in other places. Where is the spirit
gone which animated those struggles and prompted
that voice ? We pause for a reply.
__

It has fled, and there is none to tell us where or
why. And yet never—we say it earnestly and from
a deep conviction of its truth—never was a crisis in
the history of this land which more imperiously than
the present demanded the energies and the watchful-
ness of the loyal and Protestant people, not only of
Liverpool, but of the empire ! We have in office, sup-
ported by a powerful majority, and calling itself con-
servative, a government whose almost every measure
is directly or indirectly subversive of those institu-
tions and principles, for the maintenance of which we
have striven—whose policy is to discourage the loyal
and the peaceable, whilst it traffics with, and re-
wards, the turbulent and disaffected. Throughout
too, a fatal poison is spreading, and has al-
ready made fearful progress. We have ceased to
look at principles as the basis of individual action
or of national measures, and submit to instalments
of evil as placidly as if we knew not that further
payments and the final consummation, to which
they tend, were to follow. We are, as a nation,
travelling down a steep, without a lock upon the
wheels, or a hand raised to restrain the moving
power, and yet with no more thought of the issue
should have if it were possible to go down-
s ever without arriving at the crash, which

than v

awaits us at the end of our career !
No man can blind himself to these facts. They

We ask of our readers, who are acquainted with
the extent, in detail, of the advantages which the
port of Liverpool has derived from its local resour-
ces, and for which other towns are compelled to
pay in inordinate taxation, to contemplate this pic-
ture; and having done so—having looked at the
grasp of mind and the energy of action which cha-
racterized the magnates of Liverpool in the olden
time—to place by its side, as a companion picture,
a sketch of the rulers of Liverpool in the present
day. Enter the Finance Committee ; and you will
see that important body—the elite of the Council
Chamber—busily and anxiously, as if the fate of
worlds hung upon the issue, discussing the relative
merits of samples of pins and wafers, testing bottles
of gum water, or proving the qualities of rival black-
lead pencils ? The venerable antiques in the one
picture are Nettling the purchase of property, from
which a succeeding generation are to reap a large
harvest of commercial and local advantage. The
moderns, with the money in their pockets produced
by the sagacious forethought of their predecessors,
are cutting down the Town-hall expenditure in
corkscrews and crockery—scraping up candle-ends
and waste paper—whilst a property, which the po-
licy of the olden time would have added to the
Dock Estate of Liverpool, is being permitted to
pass into the hands of speculators, to be wielded
against the interests and the estate of the town.
The one is looking forward into the future, and, at
the cost of temporary inconvenience and sacrifice,
providing for its wants; the other is poking its mi-
croscopic vision into the present, with about the
same degree of adaptation of means to the end as
would be displayed in an attempt to build a church,
or a bridge, of the pilfered materials of a mac-
adamised turnpike.

LIVERPOOL SHARE MARKET FOR THE

WEEK

The share market during the past week has maintained
a firm tone, both in old stocks and in the projected lines,
although the transactions have not been so extensive as
we have noticed. Grand Junctions appear to be recover-
ing from the shock recently dealt against them, and may
be quoted fully £4 per share better than last week, which
may in part be attributed to a report which is confidently
put forth that there is still a probability of an arrange-
ment being effected between the two giant companies, for
which object • negociations are pending. Amongst the
new stocks the transactions generally have shewn a down-
ward tendency. Trent Valley Shares, however, with a
few other favorite stocks have improved.
The transactions yesterday were very limited, owing
to its being the last day before the commencement of the
next account. Prices, however, were maintained with
tolerable firmness.

We have been impelled to make this contrast by
circumstances which have transpired during the
past week, the contemplation of which is really
humiliating. A few years ago, it will be remem-
bered, a company of projectors possessed them-
selves of a valuable property at the south end of
the Liverpool Dock Estate, and procured an act of
parliament, authorising the construction of the
Herculaneum Docks and Warehouses, and con-
taining the necessary powers to levy dues, &c.
The property in question was subsequently and
recently in the market. It was offered to the
Corporation ; and though acknowledged to be ca-
pable of being worked to the serious disadvantage
of the Liverpool Dock Estate, the offer to sell was
rejected. It has just been purchased by the pro-
moters of the Birkenhead Dock Warehouses ; and
is to be made an adjunct, and a powerful one too,
of one of the mo't strenuous efforts ever made to
depreciate the property and the privileges of the
Dock Trustees and the Corporation of this town.
Is there any man hold enough to assert that the
Finance Committee of the old Corporation of this
town could have committed so weak and fatal an
error as this may prove ? Would they, with the
growing commerce of the port before their eyes—
with the certainty too before them that a railway
communication with the south and east must ulti-
mately he driven to this end of the Dock Estate—
have permitted such a property as:h; Herculaneum
Estate to pass into any hands but their own? Cer•
tainly not. What plea then can the Corporation
offer in defence of their remissness in this matter ?
Want of money it cannot be ; for they have at their
disposal the large fund realised by the sale of the
Wallasey Estate, and could readily barrow in addi-
tion at a very low rate of interest. Was the Dock
Committee opposed to the purchase ? Not at all.
On the contrary, the chairman and the majority of
that body were decidedly in favour of such pur-
chase; and only regretted that their own powers,
independently of the Finance Committee, would
not permit them to make it themselves. The whole
affair, on the part of the Council is perfectly inde-
fensible.

ST. BARNABAS' CHURCH SCHOOLS

The incumbent and churchwardens of St. Barnabas'
Church have issued an appeal in behalf of the schools at-
tached to the church, preparatory to the sermons to be
preached on Sunday next. We take the following extract
from this document, which, we confidently trust, will be
liberally responded to :
" These schools, capable of accommodating 713 chil-
dren, have been built at an expense, including the cost of
the site, of nearly £3,000; of this, about £3OO is still de-
ficient, the remainder having been raised in the following
manner. It is now just two years since sermons were
preached in St, Barnabas' Church, by the same preachers
who have kindly consented to repeat their advocacy now
also, and collections made in furtherance of this object.
Donations and subscriptions have been collected from the
congregation, and from the public generally of this great
town ; and grants also have been voted by the Lords'
Committee of Privy Council on Education and the Na-
tional Society. The result of all these has brought us
within £3OO of the sum required ; but, according to the
rules of both the before-mentioned societies, the grants
voted by them cannot be paid until we are able to certify
that all the difference is in hand between the sums voted
by them and the entire estimate. It becomes thus a
matter of paramount arid imperative importance to us to
raise this deficient sum, to which an enhanced value now
belongs, as the schools are now completed, and it only
remains that we pay the contractors in order at once to
open wide our doors and say, " Come, ye children,
hearken unto me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord."
" Under such circumstances, of, we think, no ordinary
interes,, whether we regard the destitution of the district
belonging to St. Barnabas' Church, or the inability of
those concerned to remedy it of themselves, we make an
appeal once again to the same Christian benevolence that
has so nobly befriended us already, whose reward will be
found not in any grateful acknowledgements of ours, but
in the blessing that, we trust, will attend the work to
which they have contributed, and in the humble inward
consciousness of having endeavoured to fulfil His wit,
who hath promised Inasiauch as ye have done it to one
of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto
me.' "

THE FUNDS, SATURDAY NIGHT.—The funds have
exhibited a steady and good appearance, and business has
increased. The Chancery broker was a large purchaser
of Exchequer-bills, and altogether there was more stability
in the market. Consols advanced about one quarter per
cent., the quotation for money being 100 to 4, and for the
account 1004 to 4. Exchequer-bills rose nearly 10s.
premium, closing at 675. to 695. premium for the adver-
tised issues, and 68s. to 70s. premium for the non-
advertised. Bank Stock closed at 2121 to 2131 ; India
Stock, 282 to 284; Three per Cents Reduced, 1004 to 4;
Three-and-a-Quarter per Cents., 1044 to 4 ; Long Annui-
ties, 113; and India Bonds, 755. to 765. premium. The
foreign securities have undergone very little alteration.
There was a fair amount of business transacted, but it was
not of a character to influence the market. At the close
of the day quotations were—Spanish Five per Cents., 28
to 4; the Three per Cents., 404 to 4; Russian, 119 to
120; Peruvian, 30 to 31 ; Portuguese, 59 to 60 ; Mexican,
354 to 4; the Deferred, 154 to 164; Dutch Two-and-a-
Half per Cents., 63 to 634; the Five per Cents., 994 to
; Danish, 891 to 904; Colombian, 134 to 144; Chilian,
100 to 102 ; Buenos Ayres, 43 to 44 ; Brazilian, 891 to
to 901 ; and Belgian, 101 to 102. The Railway share-
market has been quiet, with a rather decreased amount of
business. The reports of the Board of Trade have
ceased to excite the attention they formerly possessed,
and prices, as will be seen by the usual lists, have fluc-
tuated in a very trifling degree.
FRANCE.—The French ministry, on Friday, had a ma-
jority of twenty-four on the Secret Service Bill, and, after-
wards, upon the original proposition for a million francs,
the majority for ministers was 176, the opposition having
retired after the vote on the amendment.

One circumstance may indeed be urged in extenu-
ation. The Finance Committee had before them
the very important matter of cheapening the Town-
hall stationery, upon the success of which laudable
effort we beg to tender them our congratulations.
They have succeeded in getting respectable trades-
men to undertake the supply of paper, pens, ink
and other commodities, without a fair profit ; and
although the undertaking has involved the necessity
of throwing the business of the Conservative Coun-
cil of a Conservative town into the hands of Radi-
cals, that circumstance only shews in greater promi-
nence their own astonishing liberality. What body
save the Town Council of Liverpool ever dreamt of
so brilliant a feat, as this of administering a slap in
the face to their own supporters, whilst they pamper
and fondle the most virulent of their oponents,
under the plea of economy ? The "old" and "rot-
ten body," by whom the vast property which sur-
rounds us was amassed, never arrived at the achieve-
ment of getting their business done for nothing.
Let it not be supposed that personally w 9 care
one jot about this matter. The supply of the Town-
ball with stationery and printing has, since the
coming into power of Conservatism in the Council,
been tolerably evenly divided amongst respectable
tradesmen of every hue of politics. Conservatives
have had no exclusive possession of the Corporation
favours, nor have we ever wished that they should
have. We do not speak, either, as disappointed can-
didates for their patronage ; for we never even ten-
dered, although invited to do so, for their business.
On the contrary, we intimated to the Finance Com-
mittee our resolution, based on principle, to decline
such a course,which we conceived would be untrades-
manlike in us to accede to, and derogatory to the
Council to propose. For she execution of an ex-
tensive public work,
just or the supply of any article
whose quality can readily be tested, the system of con-
tracting may be enough ; but where the matter
affects so small a portion of theexpenditure a wealthy
body as the amount of the printing and stationery of
the corporation—where the articles to he supplied
are so various, and the question of quality is, one
which requires such intimate acquaintance with
the trade to determine—we consider that it would
have been infinitely more wise, more dignified, and !

NEW YORK.—The packet ship Cambridge arrived yes-
terday from New York, bringing advices from that port
to the Ist inst., being one day later than the news brought
by the steam-ship Cambria. There is no intelligence of
importance. The stock market was improved.
SWITZERLAND.—Advices from Lausanne of the 17th
inst. state, that the provisional government had convoked,
for the 24th inst., the electoral assemblies charged with
choosing the members of the new Grand Council, which
was to meet at Lausanne on the 3d of March. The
Grand Council of Geneva voted on the 15th the instruc-
tions to its deputies in the Diet, as drawn up by the
Council of State, by a majority of 111 against 35. Those
instructions not being agreeable to the radical party, since
they laid no injunction on the deputies to vote for the
expulsion of the Jesuits, considerable agitation prevailed
throughout the town on that day. 500 or 600 citizens
collected at the Town-house to maintain order, and re-
mained the entire night under arms. A battalion of the
contingent was called out on the 10th, the men of which
were hooted by the populace as they proceeded to the
place of rendezvaus. A scuffle even occurred between
two officers and a party of radicals, blows were exchanged,
but no serious consequences ensued. The report of this
collision, magnified by the apprehension of danger, spread
terror throughout the lower quarter of the town, where
most of the shops were closed.

aiu. The depth of water along the river frontage intellectual impriiVement. He had recently attended an
is as great as at any of the Liverpool docks; and, from examination of them, and was deeply impressed with their
A contemporary, in speaking of the Herculaneum its stillness, an hour longer is afforded every tide for ves- proficiency, in replies to Scriptural questions, as well as
purchase, noticed elsewhere, stated on Saturday sets to dock. The distance from the railway station in in other branches, and in useful acquirements. Since the
that " The Dock Trustees looked wistfully, but the Wapping is not greater than that from the Prince's Dock, last annual meeting, it would be found several of them had
echo of a former noise still lingering about the and it is in immediate connexion with the Bridgewater been sent out to service, and had conducted themselves in
andto whom
ru
the Ellesmere Canal Copanys' Carrying concerns, a praiseworthy manner; and he trusted the whole of them
Harrington, scared t' em from a wise purpose ; and the company sold land for two docks. An ap- would be impressed by this example, and the kindness
it was talked about that in due time the Council plication was accordingly made to Parliament for the with which they were treated, so to comport themselves
would step in, save appearance, and then transfer to necessary powers ; and, in the session of 18,0, an act was as to do honour to the institution and credit to themselves.
the Hydraulic Estate, the trustees of which sate at passed, authorising the construction of the intended docks jln complimenting the treasurer (Mr. H. Banner), he said
the Custom-house, under the presidency of Mr. and warehouses, and relieving vessels entering teem from the language of the ancient writer might well be applied to
the payment of all ra' es to the Liverpool Dock Estate, him—" Nil tetigit quid non ornavit, " for the words might
b h -
Bramley-Moore. They delayed, and lost an oppor- except those levied for maintaining buoys, landmarks, et us translated—" Whatever he touched became gold."
tunity which can never occur again." telegraphs, light-houses, and other matters necessary for (Hear.) But, however satisfactory was the pecuniary
We have already said sufficient upon the subject ensuring the safe navigation of the river. condition of the institution, they must not consider that
of this purchase to show that our contemporary was The plans determined upon consisted of two docks, it was too rich, and, therefore, relax. They had certainly
,littile a wetii basin between, of the following dimensions:— done much, but much more yet remained to be done, and
misinformed when making this statement. The
u t
in
woicdkt
hwas r intended to be 669 feet in length, by
290 feete so God had given them the power. At present there were
Dock Committee cannot be blamed at all for losing
containing a water space of about upwards of seventy children, but the building would ac-
thi s " opportunity which can never occur again," 44 acres. The north dock was to be 669 feet long, by comrnodate 150, and he, therefore, trusted the good work
inasmuch as they never had the power of taking ad- 310 wide, or 44 acres of water space. The wet basin be- would go on. He concluded by requesting Mr. H. Ban-
vantage of such opportunity. The Dock Committee, tween the two was to be 325 feet long, and 189 feet wide, nor, the secretary, to read the report, which he did.
however anxious to purchase the Harrington Es-
i.vihteh flrondt gatesl to the river. and side gates to each dock. The report, on this the sth annual general meeting,
fate—and a majority of them with their Chairman,
tc) the EllesmereEanalompany for_ a stated that a lengthened statement was happily unneces-
dock adjoins the
the north dock, and t
,
Bridgewater Dock sary, as a brief record and the statement of the account
we have already said were anxious to become its is between that and the Harrington Estate, Just purchased would assure the subscribers that the benevolent interest
possessors—could not, independently of the Corpo- by the Dock Committee. On the east side of each dock, which the institution bad excited continued unabated,
ration, make such purchase; and the refusal of the abutting upon Sefton-street, powers were given for the and that it might be expected that it would keep pace
Finance Committee of that body to negotiate for the erection of 16 warehouses, between which and the dock j with its growing requirements, even to the filling of the
walls were to be rows of close sheds. On the west side house, which might be anticipated at an early period.
of the
estate in question put them entirely out of the dock, lines of open sheds were to be constructed on Seventy-eight children had been admitted since the corn-
field. the quays and close sheds next the river wall; and on the mencement of the institution in 1840, and there were
The statement, however, of the "noise about the south of the property graving docks, &c., were to be con- now 73 in the house. The new building was opened with
Harrington" scaring the Dock Committee is not a strutted. A marine parade was to be formed facing the 48 children. Several of those admitted within the year
the river ; and railways were to be laid down round the were from the neighbouring townships,including Cheshire,
little laughable. Our contemporary himself, we
sdhoeclls.forTtadcionsgt aonfdtl,ienlonaodtitthig into the tahnedwhaarseinouwsietsitiare —showing that the institution was becoming known and
believe, made a little of that "noise." He would
pp eciated throughout the district to which it extended
have had the Dock Trust to lose that " opportunity warehouses, sheds, engine-house, &c., was estimated at appreciated
within a distance of seven miles from the town:
which could never occur again." It was a job. j £262,477 ; and that at the south at £257,655—in all in- Some of the elder girls were considered ready to enter
The price was an extortionate price ; and pure volving an outlay of £520,112, which it was proposed to into service. The first, had expressed a wish
hands, which never dipped in the public purse— raise in shares. to remain in the institution, and was accordingly ap-
in
abeyance, Since the passing of the act, the scheme has lain partly prenticed to the matron. Three others had been placed
never rewarded political or personal friends— but some small portions of the
land origi- with respectable families. (The report here entered into
were upraised in pious horror. Yet what was nally purchased, and not necessary for the docks and the terms on which the girls were apprenticed till twenty
that price, and what is the price of the bargain warehouses, have been sold to shipbuilders and others. years of age—those employing them being required to
which the Dock Committee are reproached for The purchase, however, by the Corporation, of the liars supply them with all requisites, and to pay £1 a year
4 during each of the last three years, which was to be de-
having lost ? The Harrington Estate was bought rington Estate adjnioing, naturally attraleddattentili t
for 31s. 6d. per square yard. It is nearer to tendert hs pr oopfe ri-tt yt
o; d
thata
were advise to _ ea
It was actually offered to the posited in the savings' bank, and to this sum £2 is to be
added if they procure certificates of good conduct—
the centre of the town and more eligible in Finance Committee ; and the policy of their purchasing making
a sum of £5 for their use when they leave their first
every respect for dock and other purposes than it was, we believe, strongly
urged, or, at all events, would service.) As the girls were brought up with a full share of
the Herculaneum Estate. It had upon it, more- have met with the ready concurrence of the chairman and , the house duties of the establishment, and were kept apart
over, a dock and river wall partly constructed, the many of the influential members of the Dockeommittl, from the society of the vicious. and religiously instructed,
cost of which, of course, was saved to the pur- f a whor
consideredeo;tie
port
that
aotf
a a infinitethn ehaa importance
ot o h
possible f thet riverfuture r ow.: t - it was to be hoped they would prove to be good and fai.th-
chasers. What then can be so conclusive that thetaken
esnertzttsti;,e
ybut
should a good
1; deal
wouldrom dtremeadoticoems rpeabniolling-
age shouldbe secured for further dock accommodation
" noise" of our contemporary and others was purely when wanted. The offer was, however—for what reasons ship and contamination of keptother servants. There had
factious as the fact that the Herculaneum Estate we know not—declined by that committee. It was ten- been but one death during the year, and the business had
has been bought for within a shilling or two of the dered also to the Grand Junction Railway Company, and proceeded with the greatest regularity under the same
price per square yard which was paid for the Har-
by them declined,—a circumstance which they may, at
no distant date, have reason to eplore; teacher and matron. It was gratifying to state that the
d
institution had received a legacy of £lOO from the execu-
rington Estate ? The Herculaneum property, it is Another set of gentlemen, however, possessed of more tors of the late James Heyworth, Esq. ; and a similar
given forth to the world was purchased at 255. per enterprising spirit and larger views, have not been so j legacy from the executors of the late Richard Leyland,
square yard, and we are informed that the price was i blind as the Finance Committee or the Grand Junction Esq. The report concludes with a strong expression of
chased Comp by
Theh project. in question has just been pur- gratitude to the clergy for their valuable services in their
even more. If it is such a cheap bargain, surely
parties interested
bein carried out
Dock respective churches in behalf of the institution, during the
the more preferable Harrington Estate cannot be Waiehousetscehe out with the year.
so very dear, and its purchase by the Dock Corn- vigor and enterprise which the same gentlemen have dis- Mr. BANNER then read a statement of the account,
mittee so rank a "job." On the contrary we have played in the conduct of their other projects. We are commenting upon several of the items as he proceeded.
a right to treat it henceforth as a very excellent informed, too, that they are in treaty with the Earl of We have but room to state generally that it was most
investment. Sefton for the purchase of about 47,000 yards adjacent gratifying, the principal feature being that, not only was
and in addition to the present property, which will ma- the whole building already paid for, but upwards of
terially increase the capabilities of the estate. It is in- £l2OO had that day been vested in Dock Bonds.
tended, we understand, that a little variation will be The Rev. Thos. Bold moved that the report and the
made in the plans—probably to enable the property to be treasurer's accounts be passed, printed, and distributed,
worked as an adjunct to the Wallasey scheme. One large which was duly seconded and agreed to.
dock is to be substituted for two, as originally proposed; I Mr. BANNER then introduced the proposition before
and we see no reason to believe that the change will be alluded to, to the effect that in two parts of the rules the
for the worse. It has all along been urged as a strong ob- words "not exceeding 15 years" should be omitted. He
jection to the plan of constructing docks in Wallasey ' said it had been agreed upon by the two committees that
Pool, that they would be chiefly resorted to as lumber 1 this would be desirable, and the effect would be to allow
docks, on account of the improbability of a vessel being ' a greater discretion to the ladies.—This was agreed to.
able to get from that side of the river a general cargo. By Mr. JACKSON' moved a vote of thanks to the clergy,
placing these docks, with their warebouses, and proximity and took occasion to notice in grateful terms the great
to the carrying concerns and depBts of the commerce of
kindness of the ladies. This. was seconded by Mr. H. T.
Liverpool, in the hands of the Birkenhead Company, this
Brown, and also unanimously carried.
objection is in a great measure got rid of; and whilst the ,
i The Rev. J. H. STEWAr.T moved a vote of thanks to
,a allasey estate may afford them an import dock, every Mrs. Banner, president of the ladies' committee, and to
purpose of an export dock can be answered by the Joshua Edwards, Esq., rresident. He dwelt on the
construction of the Herculaneum Dock. The import- Christian duty of supporting such an institution.—The
ant feature of the purchase, however, consists in imotion was carried.
another adaptation which the present purchasers are Mr. FAIRCLOUGH moved, and Mr. E. BROWNE se-
about to make of this property. It is well known that conded, a vote of thanks to the medical officers. Carried.
the Grand Junction Company, during the present Mr. BANNER moved that the two committees for the
session, brought before the public an abortive scheme ensuing year be formed according to lists read by him, but
for shortening the route by their line from Bir-wing- he invited other nominations. The lists proposed were
ham direct to Liverpool—of cutting off the angle seconded by Mr. R. L. CARR., and agreed to without ad-
formed by the present route by Warrington. They have dition.
since announced a project of crossing the estuary of the Mr. HARWOOD moved that the thanks of the meeting
Mersey, at Runcorn, by a bridge, of a span capacious be given to Mr. Banner, and that he he requested to con-
enough to get rid of the objections of the Admiralty to tinue his efficient services as secretary and treasurer for
their former scheme; and to this crossing it is under- the next year. It was seconded by Mr. R. GIBSON.
stood that the purchasers of the property in question have The PRESIDENT remarked, that Mr. Banner's exer-
projected a line of railway, by which the Herculaneum tions for the institution were beyond all praise, and he did
Dock and works will be made the terminus of the railway not know of any one who would, after him, accept of the
communication from London to this port. Amongst the office of treasurer especiaFy.—Motion carried.
parties forming the company, who are purchasers, will be Mr. BANNER said his services were at their disposal,
noticed the name of Sir Richard Carr Glynn, Bart., the for the interest he had all along entertained in behalf of
chairman of the London and Birmingham Railway Coro- the institution had in no degree abated, nor was likely to
pany ' • and looking at the railway communications pro- abate, when objects so interesting were before them.
posed to the south, by the Trent Valley Line, and the Thanks were then voted to the Chairman, and after a
Churnet Valley Line, under the immediate auspices of hymn from the children, the meeting separated.
the London and Birmingham Company, and to the ma-
nufacturing districts by the Birkenhead and Manchester
Junction, the leading supporters of which are amongst
the purchasers of the estate, it is not too much to pre-
sume, if even we had no further information to go upon,
that the Herculaneum Docks and Warehouses are des-
tined to become, in the hands of the present part es, im-
portant feeders of the Birmingham and London Line and
its tributaries, as well as of the Altrincham Line to Man-
chester. That, by such a railway communication it must
command a large portion of the trade to and from the
Potteries is evident, as also it is that it must seriously
affect the traffic of the Liverpool and Manchester Rail-
way, which the parties first getting hold of it at this end,
and having also the command of the same lines from the
Cheshire side of the water, can of course direct to what-
ever line of railway they may think most conducive to
their own interests.
We have elsewhere expressed our regret that such a
property should have been permitted to pass from the
hands of the Corporation and Dock Trustees of our town.
We are satisfied that the effect of such an omission on
their part cannot be for the good of Liverpool. We leave
the question, however, to be decided by the public, with
this plain statement of facts to guide them.

QUEtIY TO THE ROMISH CLERGY. TO WHICH
AN ANSWER IS EXPECTED.

Why have we no miracle-working images and reliques
in this country, like the Continent? And why not start
some—just for a trial—to see how the air and climate will
agree with them?

* * * *

ON THE INCREASE OF THE WINDOWS

IN A CHURCH

What use, the windows to augment,
When all her priests, with one assent,
The influx of the light prevent !

THE CHASE.

The CHESHIRE HOUNDS will meet on
Wednesday, Feb. 26, at Saltersford Bridge
Thursday. 27, at
Saturday, March 1, at ..... . Warmingham Mill
At Holf-past Ten o'clock.
Sir W. W. WYNN'S HOUNDS will meet on
Wednesday, Feb. 26, at
Friday. 28, at
Saturday, March 1, at
At Half-past Ten o'clock

* * *

The subject of this evening's lecture at St. Andrew's
Church is " The Christian in his work of Faith and
labour of Love."

THE WEATHER.—The gre•iter part of the past week,
since our last publication, has been a prolongation of the
previous severities of winter, with generally frost in the
night and frequently in the day, together with a peculiarly
chilling atmosphere for so advanced a season, taking the
average of recent years. Saturday was exceedingly cold;
and wet underfoot. On the night of that day a violent
fall of rain mingled occasionally with hail took place, and
on Sunday morning the ground was again covered with
snow to a depth of probably 2i inches. As the day ad-
vanced a thaw prevailed, but not so rapid as to melt all
the snow even in the town. Yesterday was on the whole
a fine day, with at one time (about two o'clock) a brilliant
sun,indicating the near proximity of spring. Though
the winter has been comparatively long, and trying for
some constitutions, it has no doubt been favourable for
the land, and if we be blessed with a fine summer, we
may anticipate an abundant product. We learn that more
than the usual breadth of wheat was sown in the:autumn,
and that the plant so far looks well and healthy.
THE MERCURY AND THE IRISH SCHOOL QUESTION.
—Our contemporary seems never to tire of the utterance
of misstatements, when the object is to be obtained of
advancing the influence and spread of popery, or of da.
maging the clergy of the Established Church. In his last
publication, in commenting upon a speech of the Rev.
Fielding Ould, delivered at the recent annual meeting of
the Sunday School Society, for Ireland, in which the
rev. gentleman treated the sum, now paid for the main-
tenance of the national education system in Ireland, as so
much virtually paid to enable the Romish priesthood "to
teach those doctrines which our senators have sworn to be
damnable and idolatrous," states that Mr. Ould, " must
know" that the system of the National Board " does not
exist for the benefit of any particular sect, and that all
parties partake of its advantages." He states, moreover,
that " the Scriptures are rot excluded from the schools of
the National Board," that Mr. Ould " must know" this
and, consequently, is a deliberate utterer of untruths.
It is scarcely worth while to contradict the Mercury
or to prove facts which everybody besides himself
has long ago admitted. The schools under the
board in question are so conducted that Protestant chil-
dren are excluded from the benefits which they might be
made to afford ; and are as effectually popish or infidel
seminaries, as if they were endowed for the express' pur-
pose of: propagating error instead of Protestant truth.
Our contemporary would never have revived this worn
out controversy, except that it afforded him an opportu-
nity of venting his spleen and bitterness against a clergy-
man of the Church of England.

COTTON.—The following extract from the circular of
Messrs. Holt and Co., illustrates the effect of abandon-
ing the duty on cotton :—" The subject of gre..t interest
during this week has been the abandonment of the cotton
duty. This wise and salutary measure would have been
more felt and appreciated had the cotton manufacture of
Great Britain been in a less flourishing condition. No
doubt it will materially tend to retain in this country tbat
ascendancy in the production of cotton fabrics of all
qualities which our ingenious arid industrious artisans so
well deserve, and will be duly valued accordingly as of
national importance. So far, however, as regards the
operations of our market in this place, and the immediate
transactions of the week, we have suffered much embar-
rassment from the want of the specific details of the mea-
sure. Both buyers and sellers inquire, with equal interest,
when the duty will be remitted, and whether it will apply
to the cotton in bond, or only to that which may arrive
after such a day ? No doubt a very short time will put
us in possession of these facts, giving both native and
foreign buyers an unfettered dealing in this most important
ready-money staple, and have a tendency to make this
port more completely the great cotton market of Europe.
This week's business has not been large, from the causes
above alluded to.
DEATH OF THE EARL OF MORNINGTON.—This cele-
brated nobleman died, on Saturday night, at Grosvenor-
square, London. Lord Mornington was, in his day,
known by several names or titles : first, he was the Hon.
William Wesley ; then the old orthography of the name
was revived, and he became Mr. Wellesley ; then Mr.
Wellesley Pcle ; next he obtained the prefix of Right
Honourable ; this was followed by the title of Lord
Maryborough ; and finally, in the month of September,
1842, he became Earl of Mornington. The noble earl
was born in the county of Meath, on the 20th of May,
1763, and married the eldest daughter of Arthur, first
Viscount Dungannon; and of this marriage the late earl
was the second son, the eldest being the late Marquis
Wellesley, the third the Duke of Wellington, the fourth
the Hon. and Rev. Dr. D. G. V. Wellesley, and the
fifth Lord Cowley, now British Ambassador at Paris.
His lordship, in 1809, succeeded the Duke of Wellington
(then Sir Arthur 'Wellesley) as Chief Secretary of Ire-
land. In 1821 his lordship was created Baron Mary-
borough, and was appointed Master of the King's Buck-
bounds. During the few months of Sir R. Peel's admi-
nistration in 1834-5, be held the office of Postmaster-
General. On the death of his elder brother, in 1812, the
marquisate of Wellesley became extnct, but the Irish
earldom of Mornington devolved upon the subject of this
memoir, and has now descended to his only son, who was
since
byiseaursoeklen,oswdneaatsb,Mbre.s
borne Long
the Wellesley;and
Viscount Wellesley. This noble lord is now fourth Earl
courtesy-title wh
oof
of Mornington. His lordship is in the 57th year of his
age; he married, first, in 1812, Miss Tylney Long;
secondly, in 1828, the third daughter of Colonel Patter-
son, and relict of Mr. Edward Bligh. The present Lord
Mornington is author of some pamphlets on Ireland, and
of a work on the Court of Chancery.
GeAss.—The announcement of Sir R. Peel as to the
reduction of the duty on glass has caused a great reduc-
tion in the price, and many stocks are to be sold off—
amongst the most extensive is that of Mr. Atherton, in
Hanover-street, advertised in our paper to-day.