The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1851-02-04 00:00:00

RAILWAY
_4__

FFA IR S

On Saturday, a platelayer, named Ramsden, was pro-
pelling himself on a lorry, along the Liverpool and Man-
chester Railway, at the St. Helen's Junction, when an
engine and tender coming up, the unfortunate man sud
denly stepped in its way, and was cut to pieces.
LONDON AND NORTH-WESTERN RAILWAY
general meeting of the proprietors of this company is
fixed to be held on the 21st instant, at the usual hour,
and the dividend to be declared will probably be after the
rate of 51 per cent., without deduction from the reserve
fund of £l44,ooo.—Times.
NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE RAILWAY.—The half-yearly
meeting was held at Stoke on Friday, J. L. Ricardo, Esq.,
M.P., in the chair.—The report of the directors, recom-
mending a dividend of 3s. 6d. per share, was adopted.—
After some discussion the shareholders sanctioned a bill
for the purpose of enforcing the agreement with the Lon-
don and North-Western Railway Company.
One or two of the principal railway companies have
lately entered into an arrangement with Mr. Shepard,
who has patented an invention for the decomposition of
water ; and negotiations are pending with some steam.
boat and gas companies for the application of this patent
to propel steam-boats, locomotives, and other engines, by
which the cost of working machinery and generating gas
is likely to be greatly reduced.

—The

ST. HELEN'S CANAL AND RAILWAY.—Tife half-yearly
statement of accounts has just been issued to the propri-
etors. From this it appears that the receipts have been,
by canal traffic, £8,2-19 17s. 2d. ; railway coal, &c.,
£8,377 Os. Gd.; passengers and parcels, £1,870 14s. Bd. ;
making a total of £18,947 12s. 4d. After deducting the
expenses there remains a balance of £4,346. The half-
yearly meeting was held at St. Helens on Saturday, and
the report, which was deemed very satisfactory, was car-
ried, as was a dividend of £1 135. per old share, and one
in similar proportion on the other shares.
SHREWSBURY AND BIRMINGHAM LINE.-011 Satur-
day a very influential private meeting of shareholders in
the Shrewsbury and Birmingham Railway was held in this
town, Mr. Elias Arnaud in the chair, at which a general
feeling of dissatisfaction was expressed at the existing
position of the affairs of the company. Resolutions were
passed, having for their object to obtain proxies from the
numerous shareholders in Liverpool and the neighbour-
hood, in the names of Messrs. Elias Arnaud and Edward
Moon ; and those gentlemen agreed to attend the ensuing
general meeting, to represent the Liverpool shareholders,
and prevent their interests from being precipitately
sacrificed.

LANCASHIRE AND YORKSHIRE RAILWAY.—We un-
derstand that the Lancashire and Yorkshire accounts will
bear a 2 per cent. dividend, with a fair surplus. It is
expected that a 24 per cent. dividend will be paid, although
some of the directors are in favour of a 21 per cent.
dividend • based, not so much on the experience of the
past half-year, as on the hopes of the future. Against
this view it is urged that the whole of the ei.pital is not
yet brought into dividend, and we therefore think that
either 2or 2 per cent. will he paid, and not 21. It is
stated that a 2 per cent, dividend would leave sufficient
margin for the amount ordered to be reserved for the
Fifths holders, pending the decision on the case.
EAST LANCASHIRE RAILWAY.—At the half-yearly
meeting held on Friday at Bury, the report was unani-
mously adopted. A dividend of ss. per £25 share on the
ordinary capital, and of Is. 3d. on each £6 ss. share, was
declared. It was decided to authorise the directors to
complete the line between Newchurch and Bacup. The
meeting was then made special, for the purpose of taking
into consideration the proposed lease of the Leeds and
Liverpool Canal to the East Lancashire, London and
North-Western, Lancashire and Yorkshire, and Midland
Railway Companies. The lease was for 21 years, ter-
minable at 14 years, at the option of the railway compa-
nies. The rent to be paid to the canal company was
£40,000. The agreement for the lease was unanimously
confirmed. The meeting then broke up.

RAILWAY ARRANGEMENTS.—To those who watch the
proceedings of railway companies, it has for some time
been no secret that extensive negociations have beer.
pending for an amicable division of traffic between a
number of our largest and most influential companies,
and we are happy to be able to announce that they have
at length been satisfactorily concluded. The parties to
the arrangement are understood to be as follow :—The
North British Company; the York, Newcastle, and
Berwick Company ; the York and North Mid!and Com-
pany ; the Midland Company ; the Great Northern Cons=
pany ; the London and North-Western Company ; the
Lancaster and Carlisle Con.pany ; the Caledon'an Com=
pany. The settlement is said to embrace all the traffic
bounded by the line of the Edinburgh and Glasgow
Railway on the north, and as far south as York. We
are not yet in possession of the details; but as, after due
consideration, every one of the companies has accepted
the settlement, we may fairly conclude that it is based on
sound principles, and with due regard to the peculiar
claims and position of each.

'litchei

ion of p
'to the

committ(
Customs

,atitution of the Board of

a splendid

dinner at Lincoln, on Wednesday.
chair, and the gallant colonel's 1-

The mayor was in the
Hearty tory sentiments

were warmly el

Ird Ebiington is about to retire from the secretary

snip or the roor-law hoard, and will be succeeded by Mr.
R. W. Gray, as Parliamentary Secretary. Mr. Nicholls
also retires on account of ill health, and will be succeeded
as permanent secretary by Lord Courtenay, who has
already acted as poor-law inspector for several years.
A deputation. consisting of Mr. Ewart, M.P., Sir J.
Duke, M.P. Hon. C. P. Villiers, M.P., Mr. Grant
(Morning Advertiser), Mr. Young (Sun), Mr. Hunt
(Daily News), Mr. Francis (_lthenceum), Mr. W. R.
Spicer (Patriot). Mr. Ingram (Illustrated News), and
Mi. Pratt (British Banner), had an interview with the
Chancellor of the Exchequer on Friday, at his official resi-
dence in Downing-street, in reference to a repeal of the
advertisement tax.

HAPPY WORKING OF THE PRESENT NAVIGATION
LAWS.—A vessel from Norway, laden with deals, went,
let them suppose to Havre. It would have to return in
ballast if it did not obtain the opportunity of importing
corn or flour into London ; and anything it might get as
freight beyond the deviation in its voyage home was so
much profit to it. Such a ship carrying deals to Lime-
rick could not carry corn from Limerick to London,
because that would be an invasion of the coasting trader.
The Irish agriculturist would be obliged to employ the
dearest ship,. the freight being often 2s. 9d., whilst the
foreign agriculturist could export his corn into England
by the cheapest, vessels in the world.—Mr. G. F. Young.
MR, MACGREGOR'S SCHEME OF FINANCE.—Mr. J.
Macgregor, M.P. for Glaszow, has addressed to his con-
stituents his annual letter on finence. After reviewing
the history of the circumstances under which the national
debt was incurred, he gives a list of the financial changes
which he desires to sec effected : the repeal of the window
tax, and all the other assessed taxes ; of the duties on rail-
ways, paper, soap, newspapers, advertisements, and in-.
surances; an equitable revision of the stamps; large re-
ductions of the duties upon all imposts ; 25 per cent off
the malt-tax ; extensive retrenchments in the civil lists,
the miscellaneous charges, courts of law, and pensions ;
the woods and forests to be enclosed and sold ; a large re-
duction of our army in the colonies and in Ireland ; the
abolition of Deptford, Chatham, and Pembroke dockyards,
and various other considerable reductions in the Expenses
of the admiralty and ordinance. To supply the deficit he
proposes a graduated income tax, starting with one per
cent upon the smallest class of incomes, and increasing
to five per cant upon incomes of £3,000 a-year and
upwards. The lion. gentleman states that: he does
not expect these changes to be effected by the present
parliament, but he believes the public opinion to be favour-
able to such financial reform.

CHANGES IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.—The House
of Commons, usually, perhaps, the most changeful body
in this empire, is now the scene of more than common
vicissitudes. Without a parliamentary reform, or a general
election, or a change of ministry, near a moiety of the
house will begin the new session without a leader, a party,
or a cause. Sir Robert Peel, who, with various fortunes,
had so long been a recognised chief, and who might again
have resumed his old sway, no longer lives to lead or to
control. Lord Lincoln, a man of no ordinary powers,
who has occupied no ordinary position in the Commons,
and who has been thought capable of leading, if not form-
ing, a majority, is called to the upper horse. Meanwhile
the casualty which has put Lord Lincoln under political
disabilities, reminds us of others who may soon follow.
Lord Ashley's father is in his eighty-second year, and
that philanthropic zeal which has so ofren commanded the
respect of the lower house, and extorted a victory even
from the strongest government, must in the course of
nature soon be banished to the drowsy benches of the
Lords. The noble father of the secretary-at-war is of
nearly equal age, and it is too probable that the important
discussion of the army estimates in the approaching ses-
sion may he suddenly interrupted.—Times.
THE PAPER DUTY.—On Thursday morning, a depu-
tation from the paper manufacturers of the United
Kingdom met at the King's Arms Hotel, in Palace Yard,
in order to make arrangements for the interview with the
Chancellor of the Exchequer; fixed for that forenoon ;
Mr. I'. B. Crompton in the chair. The proceedings
which took place at the meeting were unimportant.
Shortly before twelve o'clock the deputation left the
King's Arms Hotel, and proceeded to the official residence
of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Amongst the
members of the deputation we observed Messes. Charles
Dickens, Charles Knight, Robert Chambers, and other
gentlemen connected with the literary world. Mr.
Crompton, who was received very cordially by the Chan -
cellor of the Exchequer, said that he had the honour of
introducing to him a deputation from England and Scot-
land, specially sent, to explain to him the necessity of
repealing the paper duties. Ile i egretted that be was not
able to include Ireland ; but he had no doubt that in a
short time Ireland would be with them, although at
present the paper manufacturers of that country did not
act in unison with those of England and Scotland.
Nothing could be snore unjustifiable or oppressive to the
paper manufacturers of the country than the tax upon
that article, and the tax was made still more odious in
consequence of the mode in which it was levied. Some
time ago it was considered by the paper manufacturers a
moral fault to defraud the revenue, but it was not so felt
now. The revenue collected from the duty on paper was
about £800,000; but, from the expense of collection and
other deductions, the exchequer did not receive more than
about X'700,000. Mr. Chambers, of Edinburgh, read the
resolutions agreed to at the meeting of Wednesday, held
at the King's Arms. Mr. Chambers, at considerable
length, detailed the difficulty which was experienced by
the trade in consequence of the paper duty. After a few.
observations from Mr. Charles Knight and Mr. Charles
Dickens, the Chancellor of the Exchequer said the depu-
tation would not, of course, expect him to give them any
information as to what was to he done by the government,
He had before him the prospect of a deputation froth
every class of persons who paid taxes, all desiring to have
the tares repealed. The interview lasted upwards of an
hour.

.res into

sowed discord and bad feeling amo._,__
tions of life." Earl Talbot, Viscount I
Alderman Sidney, M.P., took part in the pro(

e dearest rela-

The only English newspapers admitted into Rome are
the Times and Morning Chronicle, which are permitted
only to the English Club.

Report says that, at dinner, no one is ever permitted to
it at the same side of the table with Cardinal Wiseman,
sishes are presented to him on bended knee.

and that the d
—John Bull.

A CONTRAST.—WhiIe Queen Victoria traverses her
three kingdou.s, accompanied only by her ladies of ho-
nour, the Italian newspapers tell us that Pius IX. never
leaves the Vatican without an escort of French cavalry.—
La Presse.

Cardinal Wiseman, who has just returned from a brief
visit to the Irish metopolis, officiated on Thursday at the
confirmation of between 600 and 700 Roman Catholic
children, resident in the north division of the diocese of
London.

The Horning Herald says that a bill is now in prepa-
ration by several influential members of the country
party, not only for restraining the interference of foreign
powers within the realm, but also for preventing the ad-
mission of British subjects into confraternities, orders in
brotherhood, or even entering into any oath or bond of
allegiance to any foreign sovereign. _

The Bishop of Durham states, in a letter to the Times,
that he is not the mouthpiece of the Government in sug-
gesting how the Papal.aggressism is to be repelled. His
lordship's disclaimer is, of course, accepted as a declara-
tion that the suggestions he has made to the clergy under
his spperintendence are his own, and not indications of
the intentions of,the Cabinet.

The statement published a'few days since, that certain
queries had been addressed to Dr. Wiseman by a legal
gentleman, is, we understand, substantially correct. The
letter in question was written by Mr. Charles Pearson,
late M.P. for Lambeth, at the suggestion of certain mem-
bers of the bar, whose object was to found a prosecution
for a misdemeanour, upon the admissions which it was
expected the doctor would make.

The Romish Bishop of Elphin has instituted pro-
ceedings against the proprietor of the Sligo Chronicle,
for a letter published in that journal reflecting on his
lordship's character: The libel imputes to the bishop
interested and unworthy motives in the selection and
promotion of his clergy, and also that he received large
sums of money from Mr. Towneley, which he applied to
" selfish purposes."

POPE PIUS AND CARDINAL WISEMAN

EPIGaAM.
Ecce Pinspisit Sapientem frangere leges I
Impius at Sapiens ; insapiensque Pius.
Translation.
Pope Pius sent his Wiseman to defy us.
Au impious Wiseman and an unwise Pius.
Another.
Behold! by Pius sent, a Wiseman tries
To break our laws;
How impious the Wiseman—the Pius, unwise,
In such a cause!

Mr. COBDEN asks, what right he has as a politician to
say one word as to the faith and polity of the Roman
Catholic Church, when they do not ask him to give
validity to their titles nor ask him to pay their stipends
out of the public purse. We answer, precisely bet use
they do not ask for validity from Parliament—the power
which alone could confer it—but assume that the Pope
has the power of imparting it without such consent, and
of annulling by his breath all that is inconsistent with his
acts. If a man lays claim to an estate, is that act less
hostile and aggressive because he does not ask the owner
to recJgnize the validity of his claim ?—Times.
VISCOUNT CASTLEREAGH AND THE PAPAL IGGRES-
SION.—Lord Castlereagh refuses to subscribe the county
of Down protest against the Papal aggression, and has
published his letter declining to do so. His first reason
is histnon-concurrence in the second paragraph, to the
effect that " some p`enal measures are necessary in refe-
rence to the proceedings of the Pope"---ar,o,:ition Prim
which his lordship dissents upon the following whimsical
grounds :—" The mischief to be apprehended (he says)
to our own Church from legislative interference in mat-
ters of religious doctrine and discipline is,
.in my mind,
so great, that I should be a most unwilling party to any
similar interference affecting my fellow-subjects of a dif-
ferent persuasion." His second reason for withholding
his signature is, that he " should feel an equal difficulty
in adopting the assertion with which that protest con-
cludes, namely, that the Pope claims an equal supre-
macy in secular and ecclesiastical affairs.' "
ORNANIENTS IN CHURCHES.—The Mancliestry
Guardiqn, in noticing some misrepresentations made by
a writer in London respecting Broughton Church, says—
" This writer artfully glosses over the fact of the crowned
figure of the Virgin in the stained glass window. We
may add on this point, that the Roman Catholic artist,
Mr. Hardman, of Birmingham, who was employed to put
up the window, on being applied to lately to remove the
crown from the head of the Virgin Mary, declined to be
employed, on the ground of his religious scruples. The
altar-tomb, with the hollow in it for the crucifix, from
Good Friday to Easter, is expressly described by Pugin
in his " Ecclesiastical Architecture ;" and with his
directions for building Roman Catholic churches, the
whole of the chancel of Broughton Church exactly cor-
responds. That hollow in the altar-tomb was used till
very lately as the credence table, for holding the elements
prior to consecration. With respect to the decorated
tiles, the " M"
complained of is almost exactly copied
from one in Pugin's " Glossary." We may add, that
when the bishop visited the church to officiate, a chair
was always provided for his lordship, and from the posi-
tion in which he sat, one portion of the objectionable tiles
was out of sight, and a portion was covered by matting.
We are authoriSed. to state that the piscine and shelf have
already been removed, other alterations undertaken, and
. that designs for new tiles have been submitted to the
bishop for approval. We may add that, since the visits
referred to, the bishop has discovered that the communion
table in Broughton Church is of stone, concealed by a
crimson covering, and with wooden feet, so as to give the
impression of the whole being of wood, and that that
stone was put up the very year after the judgment of Sir
Herbert Jenner bust was given, in the case " Faulkner
v. Lichfield," in which stone altars were expressly con.
damned."

it is in v

••-•• .gasaw,o u. VfVUa
)r in the Church of Env?,

now interpreted in the diocese of London."—f-I ''''
not, however, recommend immediate secession :—" We
must, as in St. Paul's case, ' abide in the ship,' although
it be a very wreck. I cannot say for ever, for we know
not how severe and terrible the danger may be anon ; so
that absolute safety would compel us to throw ourselves
into the wide waters, and go we know not where; but I
say, as yet. How long, let Almighty God decide. Some
men cling to wreckslonger than others. Some men have
more bodily endurance, greater strength, more vigour and
determination ; but they arc washed off one by one as
the waves ride over them. and the fierce winds rend the
wreck asunder. This is God's providential way. But as
yet His voice is very clear, and bids us wait—bids us cling
even to the little we have, lest worse things befal us in
any act of impetuosity, or haste, or self-will."

IS POPERY ALWAYS THE RESULT OF IGNORANCE ?
It is our policy and our duty to understand the strong
parts of Popery. Ignorance ! Is that host of men which
has passed over within the last few years to Popery com-
posed of ignorant men ? They were amongst the most
learned men that the Church of England—not deficient
in literature—had in her possession. Ignorant ! Is Dr.
Wiseman an ignorant man ? Read his book on the
" Relation of Science to Revealed Religion." (Hear.)
Read his book on the " Doctrine of the Eucharist " ;
read the book on the " Doctrines and Practices" of his
church. Go—don't go in reality, but go in imagination
—to St. George's Cathedral, in London, and look at him
as he stands upon the steps of the altar in his pontifical
robes, with his crozier in his left band, and his mitre on
his head ; mark his commanding gestures, his intellectual
look, and observe the lightning of his eloquence over the
masses of the people ; and tell me, as you come out,
whether you have been listening to an illiterate man. I
confess to have.stood there; and though I thought I saw
the juggle, I felt that he would be no trifling antagonist
to meet. (applause.) There are numbers of men
amongst us who say, and we have all been accustomed to
say it, to some extent, that in a day of such science, such
literature, and such popular intelligence, we have nothing
to fear from Popery. Luther did not think so : he knew
better than that. He knew as much of science as most
men of his day ; but it was not with science that he went
into the field. He was a man of as much learning as
most men of his day. The Pope, before he knew what
Luther was to be, issued from the Vatican a list of the
most eminent scholars in Europe. Luther's name was
among them ! (Applause !) But it was not with learn-
ing that he sought to assail the Papacy. He did more
than any man of his day to elevate the popular mind.
When men of his class persisted in speaking in the
learned tongues, he addressed the million in their rough
and nervous German ; and there was not a peasant in
Germany whose heart did not reap with ecstacy within
him as he heard or read his eloquence. But it was not
in popular intellectual elevation that he put his trust. He
knew that no missile could pierce that hell-forged armour
of ignorance and superstition but the smooth stone that
he had got direet from heaven; and he has read and stu-
died the life of Luther very indifferently who does not
perceive that he trusted everything to that : the article of
a standing or falling church ; the ,immutable truth that
salvation is complete in Christ alone, and that lie, though
without merit, who believes in Him, is saved,—this, this
is the weapon upon which we have to rely in this contest.
--Leeture by the Rev. C. M. Birrell.

STATE of ROME.—Roan, Jan. 18.—You may remem-
ber that, in May. 1849, while yet the siege of Rome was
undecided' and the restoration of the Papacy uncertain, I
more than once hinted at the possibility of Pius IX. re-
tiring from public life, and abandoning for ever the cares
of state, for which he was in every respect unsuited. I had
'my information then from a personage who knew the
most secret thoughts of the Pope, and who, more than
once, had received his confidence on the subject. It is
true that the resignation did not take place, but if I am
not now again grossly deceived, the prospect is nearer its
accomplishment than any of us have imagined. I am told,
in a high quarter, that Pio Nono, more than once, during
his residence at Portici, stated, to the Cardinals most in
his confidence, that be had serious thoughts of abdicating,
and if such a step could be reconciled with the interests
of the church, he was prepared to take it; but the Cardi-
nals, though the vista of the Popedotn was opened to each,
were unanimous in condemning the measure as untimely,
and entreated him to relinquish the idea. " Wait," they
said, " at least till your restoration to the Quirinal, and
do not give Mazzinii and the republic the triumph of
boasting that, in your person, they have destroyed the
papacy, and that your abandonment of place and power
was caused alone by them." The Pope allowed himself
to be persuaded by this reasoning, but I am informed'
that, since his return to Rome, his longing for -the quiet
of a convent recurs with double force, and that the Car-
dinals, seeing how 'strongly his mind is bent that way, are
less indisposed to accede to his desire than they were at
Naples. Nay, lam assured that the question is, at this
moment, the subject of their secret councils, and that
matters have proceeded so far as that the convent where
Pius IX. means to end his days has already been named.
I am credibly informed that Cardinal Antonelli is at this
moment occupied in drawing up an eapose des motives to
justify the late measures taken for the establishment of a
hierarchy in England, and that this document will see the
light upon the opening of our parliament. lam further
informed that Antonelli is far from approving the precipi-
tation with which the measure, so cautiously prepared,
•had been ushered into life, and he deplores that the mat-
ter was not done in another shape, or that the same steps
were not taken simultaneously in the United States of
America. where they would have been passed by without
notice. Though rather late in the day, he proposes to!
create three Cardinals in the United States, and to de..s
velope a series of measures equally calculated to arouse!
the fears of the protestant public there as those which:
jiave been so unadvisedly proclaimed with us. Such
mode of extricating himself from a diffidulty is worthy of,
an Italian minister's invention.—limes Correspondent.

A Protestant Association was formed in Preston on
Wednesday.

Any one conversant with the modern military hi4ory of
SPain, or with good society in that country, must be
struck with the large proportion of their eminent officers
-Who were either born or descended from those Who were
.: born in inland.

bably reach- 80 iii;

year."
The price in September, was £69 ; in December, £iB
Increase of traffic in the second half year, £23,000.
Probable value Ist May, 1851, £lOO.
South-Western stock is one of those which will derive
the greatest benefit from the influx of foreigners to visit
the Exhibition, and will yield this year 5 per cent. at par,