The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-01-06 00:00:00

FINANCE COMMITTEE.-STATE OF THE CORPORATION

Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE, before the proceedings of the
Finance Committee were brought forward, said it was morally
impossible that the business in the paper could be got through,
and therefore he suggested an adjournment, as they would
have to adjourn. (Cries of " No, no," and " Go on.") Very
well ; he had no objection to go on.
The Deputy TOWN-CLERK then read the proceedings of
the Finance Committee. It appeared that a conference had
been held with the Local Courts' Committee, upon the ex-
pediency of removing the public offices and police-court from
their present site, to the site of Islington Market; and it
had been resolved that the consideration of the question be
postponed, and in the meantime that the surveyor be in-
structed to lay before the committee a valuation of all the
buildings near the Town-hall.
In the proceedings of the committee, on the 31st ult., ap-
peared the following report of a sub-committee on the financial
affairs of the corporation.
The Chairman (Sir Thomas Brancker), and Hugh Hornby,
Esq., submit to the Finance Committee that, with the
assistance of the treasurer and clerk of committees, they
have investigated the accounts of the corporation, arid con-
sidered the state of the income and expenditure. That they
are of opinion, that the annual income of the corporate
estate from all sources cannot be estimated for the current
year, ending the Ist of Sept. next, at more than £127,270.
That the amount of the obligatory expenditure cannot be
estimated at less for the current year than £123,492. Leav-
ing a gross surplus of £3,771, and that the continuance of
branches of discretionary expenditure for the public benefit
of the inhabitants and improvement of the borough, hitherto
annually sanctioned by the council, must be estimated at
£2,262, leaving as nett surplus only £1,516. That consider-
ing the variable and fluctuating character of both income and
expenditure, and the greater probability of increasing the
latter, than of increasing the former; and when they con-
templated that a successful result of the experimental im-
provements at Seacombe slip may, in the current year, call
for the immediate commencement of improvements in the
landing accommodation at St. George's Pier, under the act
of last sessions ; they are of opinion that the surplus of £1516
ought not to be relied upon, and that the greatest circum-
spection, and the strictest economy are essential to the just
and most beneficial administration of the corporate estate, in
order to meet the charge already upon the income of the
current year, and to effect a surplus income that can be
relied upon for the discretionary application of the council
in future years.
The leases were then read.
Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE begged to move the confirmation
of the proceedings. In doing so be would proceed to draw
the attention of the council, more especially to the report
which the select committee of finance had made upon finance
itself, and then to the resolution which had emanated from
the general committee, which he should now ask the council
to consider and adopt. The council were aware that it was
the duty of the Finance Committee annually to present to
the council an estimate of the annual expenditure of the cor-
poration as well as of its annual income, with a view, chiefly,
of enabling the council to ascertain whether they had any
surplus income, so that they might apply that income to ob-
jects which were discretionary—for instance, to ascertain
whether they had any power of maintaining the schools, or
of subscribing to public charities as heretofore. The coun-
cil must bear in mind that though they had the power of tax-
ing the inhabitants to carry out obligatory expenditure, such
as the maintenance of the gaol, the prosecution of felons,
and the interest on the debt, they had none to spend money
upon indifferent subjects; and no proposition could be car-
ried out by the council for the public benefit of the inhabi-
tants, or the improvement of the town, so long as they had
no surplus income. The tendency of men's minds was, ge-
nerally, to overstate their expected income, and to understate
the demands upon it ; such at least had been the habit of
their predecessors, and former estimates had, consequently,
proved fallacious. Nor was the estimate which he submitted
_1
theaaeddws
enbenteonoteg,snt
to the council last year free from that imputation, for it cer-
uahaarl
and
allude
dfincreasedsephri
enom
rsc:ooi
shouldnrmege
aewhatever.
expenditure.pheascthsome:ca,
shrew
yr.theasserted,t
o
cer-
tainly rather understated the demands upon them, and there
t ct
whoi
the future
nsdtfchisudi
,utffin
rtobcchtyi
the corporation
tnhalcitono[rnhepeosovt:
roei
eamr,
tv,
tiaeaghtrnoee,
inpro
which he would lay before them, they still were jus-
tified in recommending the discretionary expenditure
which the council had hitherto borne. However desi-
rable it was they should possess a surplus income, be was
not one of those who would give a colouring or a gloss' to the
accounts which they had no right to have. He assured them
if he was satisfied they had not a liberal
fPiF current
income, that they
pwereeii
se
ac—o consuming u
rockmintheir
lie hoped
capital
theyiteili meetingweu td
avoid—he would
be the first to warn and tell the corporation so.H e w xoeul
d
enforce the necessity, and u:gently call upon them to contri-
bute, by a borough rate, to maintain the honour and
terest of the corporation ; but he trusted that no suchtiein
alter-
native would be his ; or that he or his successors would
find-
himself in this position, for it would be a g
thing upon the burgesses, if, while devotingrious ev
and a hard
their funds so
nobly for the erection of a county-hall at thecostof £B,OOO
liberaually,
lly,
, but which
notwh becauseichther hadthe talakwencoumpopnelledthem themselves freely and
they could not retract from under existing eeirrneu rnstances—
he did say it would be hard, if, under such circumstances,
they called upon the burgesses for a rate to defraye the obli,
•
gatory expenses of the corporation. He did not
purpose
embarrass his statement by entering into minute details
to
the result ; but, at the same time, he was fully prepared to
do ofo
do so if any member of the council should require it. It,

perhaps, would be sufficient to say, that the committee esti-
mated the

Leavi u

Annual income at

Annual obligatory expens

to devote as a

fore have a net surpl

charities, t

£127,270

123,492

exigencies of £1,516. Now on such a surplus as this, even
under the most ordinary circumstances, the corporation
would hardly place much, if any reliance ; but when he went
on to debit the liabilities and demands which beset the cor-
poration, they would agree with him that he was justified in
calling upon them to act with the greatest caution, and
hesitate ere they involved the corporation in any new ex-
pense whatever. It appeared they had now before them to

For the purchase of the site of the old fort, nearly.
For the completion of Gill-street market
For the river craft dock
For land on the North-shore
For improvements in the new tobacco warehouses
For the erection of a new gaol
For the completion of the assize court
For landing-stages at George's-pier
For balance due for the Birkenhead property

23,000

9,000
19,000
15,000
2,600
150,000
125,000
3,000
24,000

Making a total of 370,600
Several of these sums would not, of course, be called for in
the present year, but many of them were very pressing, and
would all have to be provided for—particularly the gaol,
which it was proposed at once to commence. These several
payments would never be put to the debit account of the
annual expenditure : that was not fair, he was aware, but
they must recollect, that in almost every case the interest of
the money would. Then, again, with regard to the assets to
meet these things, he was aware there was a large sum of
money to be received for the sale of Salthouse Dock—that
they had much property comparatively unproductive, of
which he should show the means of disposing at another
time—and that they had always the resource of borrowing
money—nay, that they might resort to a gaol rate for that
purpose if they should find themselves in need. He was not,
therefore, going to tell them that their assets were not so
insufficient as to cause any alarm or apprehension ; but he
said there was gound for the greatest possible circumspec-
tion—that they must be satisfied to carry out the engage-
ments into which they had now entered before they em-
barked in any new ones. He would even hope that the
expenditure of the corporation might in some degree be
reduced, but he was not very sanguine on that point, because
he knew that as the population increased their expenses
would increase too. He looked with more confidence upon
increasing their revenue: he thought means were within
their reach of doing something in that way,—for instance,
he hoped that the trade of the town would increase, and that
the town dues would increase. Of late years there had been
rather a diminution from that source ; and he calculated that
this year there would not be £2,000 less received from this
source than there was last year. He expected, too, that the
other committees of the council would materially assist the
Finance Committee in improving the revenue ; and whilst
he was on the subject, he would mention the Markets' Com-
mittee as one from which he expected to receive a larger
revenue this year than last. He had said, in his place in
the council a few months ago, that he had been disappointed
in them. This circumstance arose, he was afterwards in-
formed, from a number of expenses being necessary for
improvements ; they would not occur again, and he hoped
there would now be an increased revenue from that
source. He did not mean to say that the utmost was
not exacted now, but the Markets' Committee must bear
in mind, that the corporation had a right to exact a
fair rate from their tenants in the markets,—that they
had as much right to exact a fair rent from the mar-
kets, as Sir Oswald Mosley had from his market tenants,
as lord of the manor of Manchester, or any other in-
dividual in his private property. The Markets' Commit-
tee must not let their feelings weigh towards those parties
more immediately under their control, but do their duty ;
they must not be charitable only but act for the general
benefit of the inhabitants. Whatever increase of rents took
place would be so much added to the surplus income, and en-
able the council to give so much in addition to the general
benefit of the community. Then, he hoped that the Finance
Committee might be able, looking at its tenants, to gain
some additional income, and he hoped they might also be the
means of bringing into play much of the, unproductive pro-
perty now on hand. It was not an easy thing, nor would it
be wise to force sales ; but the, committee had under con-
sideration the propriety of bringing into the market several
of their unbuilt on, and unprofitable pieces of land. Whether
by altering the system of leasing which had been so long
adopted, and which had given so much satisfaction, there
would be any improvement was an after consideration; his
own impression was that they might act, in Cheshire for in-
stance, upon the system of ground rents with the view of
forcing and encouraging sales. It was really disheartening
to see there lying idle, property to the extent of £150,000—
from which they had no income; and would it not be better
to submit to a small and diminished price rather than the
property should not come into life and produce some return ?
He did not know that he had anything further to say. He
trusted he had not gone too much into detail, but that he
had still said sufficient to awaken the council to the im-
portant subject of the resolution he proposed.' He should
conclude with moving the resolution—That upon taking
into consideration the report on the income and expenditure
of the corporation, adopted by the Finance Committee,
and the recommendation of that committee theron,—Re-
solved—That the new operations be commenced by the
council, or any committee thereof, until further consideration
and determination of the council; such resolution not ex-
tending to obligatory works, in which are comprised the
building of a new gaol, and purchase of land for that purpose,
under the report of the Finance Committee, and the approval
thereof by the council.

Mr. TnottNum, enquired whether the increased expendi-
ture in the Town-clerk's department had been taken into ac-
count in the estimate now submitted?

Mr. EVANS.—The prospectiVe increase ?
Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE replied that some allowance had
been made for the additional salaries.
Mr. JAMES LAWRENCE said, the Markets' Committee
having been so pointedly referred to, it was necessary for him
to state that the funds•of that committee would be'more this
year than they had been last. It did not appear that their
expenses were heavy, but gentlemen must take into consider
ration the rapid expenditure of former years. The com-
mittee, however, were determined upon the greatest economy,
and upon producing the largest revenue which under all the
circumstances they could. With regard to rentals, it must be
borne in mind that in the depressed state of the times it had
been difficult to increase rents.
Sir THOMAS BRANCKER seconded the motion of Mr. G.
H. Lawrence, who, he said, had so fully gone into the sub-
ject as to leave him nothing to say. From the statement
read it must be evident that, unless the council was prepared
to go for a borough rate, the utmost economy and circum-
spection must be used in the management of the corporate
affairs. It had been too much the custom with the former
council, since the passing of the municipal reform bill, to
look upon the corporate estates and upon themselves just in
the same light as in the finances of the late corporation.
The cases, however, were different ; the late corporation, the
mayor, bailiffs, and burgesses, were the absolute owners of
the estate ; it was theirs to do with it as they pleased, and
they could not be called to account. The only limit to which
they were subject was either their want of money or their
want of credit ; and when both these sources were exhausted,
all they had to do was to stand still till the funds came
round. The present council, however, was in a difficult po-
sition ; they were merely trustees for the inhabitants at
large, and, like any other trustee, they were accountable
to the public for the due administration of their trust. They
were very much like churchwardens, for they were an annual
body, or nearly so, and they had to administer the income
only, and not the capital. Their duties were threefold as
regarded financial matters. First, they were to discharge
the obligations laid upon them by the Municipal Corpora-
tions Act out of the borough fund : if that annual fund was
sufficient, they had no occasion to resort to a borough rate.
If there was a surplus, their second duty was to administer
that surplus for the general benefit of the inhabitants : if
there was no surplus, but a deficiency, then they had power
to go for a borough rate, but only strictly for the purposes
described by the act of parliament. The third duty was the
proper care and management of the corporate estate entrust-
ed to their charge. They were in charge of it only as trus-
tees : they had no right to spend the capital, or alienate the
estate, except for the purpose of reinvestment, or under
some particular act of parliament; and their duty was to
administer the estate so as to make it productive of income.
lie feared that the town-council, in some other days, had
lost sight of this rule, and that they had been expending
capital instead of income. It was quite clear, at present,
that the surplus of the borough fund was very small; and,
therefore, it was for the council, without reference to the
past, to look to the future. They had no right to anticipate
the receipts of 1843-4; but it was their duty to administer
the funds which came into their hands for the particular year,
and no more.

Dir. AI IN went along with the chairman of the Finance
Committee and Sir Thomas Brancker in all they had said
with respect to economy. A simple declaration to that effect
would have answered every purpose, and he could have un-
derstood it then ; but here the resolution went to deny the
right of commencing any new work, however small in ex-
pense or important in its results.
Mr. EARLE coincided with Mr. Aikin ; and he called at-
tention to some leases of property in Commutation-row,
Cropper-street, and Drury-lane, which he urged the council
to refuse, as great improvements might thereby be effected.
Mr. AIKIN inquired whether this resolution would not
interfere with the proposed removal of the local courts, even
if it were proved that the removal would add.a large sum to
the borough fund ? _ _ . .

Mr. G.ll. LAWRENCE replied in the affirmative.
Mr. AIKIN repeated that a declaration simply that eco-
nomy was necessary would have answered all the purpose of
the Finance Committee. He regarded the motion as an
attempt to get rid of the proposed removal of the local
courts by a sidewind.
Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE admitted that his wish with re-
gard to the daily courts was to put an extinguisher upon
them, at least for the present. If the council choose by an
express vote to order them to be proceeded with, of course
he should bow to their decision ; but it would require some
solid interference of that sort before the Finance Committee
would consent to go any further.
The Deputy TOWN-CLERK, at the request of Mr. Aikin,
read the proceedings of the Finance Committee of the 16th
of December, as given above, to shew that the present was
the first intimation of-any intention to get rid of the proposal.
Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE said the Finance Committee tied
their own hands first and then those of every other com-
mittee. The difficulty was not in raising the money, but in
providing for the payment of the interest.
Mr. BIRKETT strongly supported the resolution of the
Finance Committee.
Mr. S. HOLME said, that when the question of the local
courts came regularly under discussion, he should prove, by
indisputable facts, that not only would the removal be effected
without a farthing of loss, but with a gain to the borough
fund.

Mr. AIKIN expressed a similar opinion.
Mr. EVANS said the whole object of the resolution was to
keep clear of a borough rate, and that object would be ac-
complished by the present discussion.
Mr. HORNBY said the Finance Committee had, in this
report, discharged a duty which they were bound to do an-
nually. They did not disapprove of any of the measures or
improvements that had been proposed, except on financial
grounds. They bad only a surplus of £l5OO to work upon,
and it was consistent in them to be rigidly ecopomical if they
wished to avoid being driven to a borough rate.
Several members called upon Mr. Lawrence to withdraw
the motion. Others called upon the council to go to the
vote.

Mr. ALEIN moved as an amendment that the following
words be added to the resolution :—" It being understood
by the council that the resolution is not to interfere with the
report required by the council on the subject of the removal
of the local courts."

Mr. lioLsfE seconded the amendment, and after a very
long discussion the council divided, when there appeared,
For the amendment 1.4
Against it

Majority ........ 11
For the Amendment—Councillors Hodgson, Isaac Holmes,
Blackburn, Aikin, Holme, Fawcett, Toulmin, Lloyd, Kil-
Plumpton ; Aldermen Earle, Crook, Molyneux, and
Evans-14.

Against Councillors Houghton, Thornhill, Preston,
Thompson, Edwards, Hornby, J. Holmes, J. Lawrence,
Cooper, Birkett, Bushell, Proctor, Parker, G. H. Lawrence,
Trotman, Platt, Smith, Harbord; Aldermen Barclay, Griffith
Brancker, Turner, Freme, Nicol ; and the Mayor-25.
The original motion was then put and carried by a majority
of 21 to 15. •

reference back to the commit
uchir the renewal of leases in

g warm

pposed Wi

The council adjourned at twenty-five tninutes' past fou
o'clock till eleven o'clock on Wednesday.

PRESERVATION OF DOCUMENTS FROM FIRI

Twelve o'clock yesterday, being the time appointed by Mr.
T. Wood, jun., (who is about to bring the subject of the pre-
servation of documents from fire before the Liverpool Poly-
technic Society at their next meeting,) for a public prelimi-
nary trial of the respective merits of several of the most
approved plans now submitted to the public, a large assem-
blage of our most respectable townsmen were present. The
site selected for the exhibition was a field in Prescot-street,
London-road, in the immediate vicinity of St. Jude's
Church. At ten o'clock a fire had been ignited, in the centre
of which were placed one of Milner's patent magazines for
powder, and a brick closet, the interior of which was a foot
square and two feet in length. The roof and bottom were sup-
ported by A-inch square iron rods. Those supporting the roof
do not, within three inches, reach the exterior of the walls,
which are nine inches in thickness, thus in no way acting as
conductors of heat to the interior of the safe. Milner's box,
or magazine, is of a circular form, and contains three cham-
bers, alternately filled with tubes containing a chemical fluid,
and a non-conducting substance resembling, in appearance,
saw-dust. What the result of this test will be noticed in our
next, as the magazine would not, we understood, be removed
from the fire until this morning. To test the comparative
merits of the safes for documents manufactured severally by
" Milner," " Chubbs," and " Mars," a circular furnace, of
about nine feet in diameter and a foot in height, was con-
structed. In the centre was a chimney of perforated sheet
iron, and radiating from this to the outer edge were angular
passages of similar material to admit air to the interior of the
fire, which had also the effect of consuming a great portion
of the smoke. At about one o'clock the boses—one of Mil-
ner's—a circular and a square one—one of Chubbs', and one
of Mars', were placed in the furnace with the locks facing
the funnel, where it was anticipated the heat would be
most intense. The boxes severally contained files of bills,
documents, sealed letters, parchments, books, and other
materials equally combustible. At twenty minutes
past ten o'clock. fire was conveyed to the furnace,
and a rapid eueflagration ensued. The boxes remained
subject to all the heat•that could by the utmost ex-
ertion be attained, and though it did not, in the centre,
gain the intense heat anticipated, it was, nevertheless, very
great. At half-past four o'clock they were withdrawn from
the fire, and shortly after five were opened in the presence of
his worship the mayor, and many of our most influential
merchants. The box manufactured by Mars, of London,
was the first opened ;—the papers were all perfectly safe, and
in no way discoloured, but slightly damped. Mr. Chubbs'
was the next opened ;—the papers it contained were in
an equally perfect state of preservation, but dryer and
warmer than those in the preceeding one. In Mr. Milner's
square box all deposited was perfectly cool and moist, and
not in the slightest degree injured. The circular box manu-
factured by Mr. Milner being what is termed a " double
chamber," that is, possessing a double portion of the fire-
resisting principle, when compared with that previously ex-
amined, it was considered needless to open it, until the whole
were submitted to a further and more severe trial. Mr.
Milner's boxes are principally manufactured of tin and sheet-
iron, and the others of wrought-iron.
At twenty minutes to six o'clock the several boxes were
again inserted, and remained in a most intense heat until
half-past seven o'clock, (being one hour and forty minutes,)
when they were again opened. In Milner's single chamber
box all was perfect ; and though the contents were slightly
damped, they were scarcely, if at all, injured or discoloured.
The documents deposited in the one manufactured•by Marr
were slightly damped and singed at the edges. The contents
of the one labelled " Chubb," &c., were also injured ; but
we cannot say whether each of the boxes was subjected to
the same degree of heat. _ .

The double chamber circular magazine, or safe—by Mil-
ner, was then opened, and all it contained was in the same
state as when first placed in it; though it was considered by
several, that the whole would be destroyed, so intense was
the heat to which this case (which was considerably smaller
than the others,) was subjected to. The mayor will be pre-
sent at the opening of the magazine this morning at half-past
nine o'clock.

THE LATE CATASTROPHE IN GALWAY.—By the report
of the medical gentleman, Dr. Browne, it appears that four
more lives have been added to the dismal catalogue of casu-
alties, making a melancholy total of 37 souls who perished
by a groundless panic.

- -
FATAL ACCIDENT AT SEA.---A few days since an accident
happened to a fishing-boat off Eastbourne. It appears that
two brothers, named Simpson, went out in their boat to fish,
and were hooking for whiting, when a sudden► squall upset
their boat. One of them succeeded in catching hold of the
mast and buoying himself up until assistance was afforded
from shore; the other poor fellow met a watery grave.

PHILOSOPHY or HEAT.—" Well, my little fellow," said
a certain principal to a sucking philosopher, whose mamma
had been teasing the learned Knight to test the astonishing
abilities of her boy,—" what are the properties of heat?'
" The chief property of heat is, that it expands bodies, while
cold contracts them." " Very good, indeed—can you give
me a familiar example?" " Yes, Sir : in summer, when it
is hot the day is long •, while in winter, when it is cold, it be-
comes very short." The learned Knight stopped his exami-
nation, and was lost in amazement that so familiar an in-
stance should have so long escaped his own observation.

WEST INDIAN MAILS.—The Royal Mail Company's ship
the Thames, with the mails from the West Indies and Gulf
of Mexico, due at Falmouth on the 3d, arrived there at 10
p.m. on Sunday, the Ist instant. Since the commencement
of tlwompany's amended plan of service introduced on the
Ist °MI ctober, the following have been the dates of the ar-
rivals of the respective packets, and the periods at which
they-wero flue : .
'• When due. Arrived.
Clyde Nov. 19
' Solway. Dec. 3
Tweed . Dec. 20
Thames Jan. 3
_ _ __

The statement of the accounts of the Bank of France made,
up to the morning of the 26th ult., shows the following re-
sults :—Actif The bank had then in hand, cash, 197,253,647 f ;
in discounts and loans, 179,542,404 f; branch banks ac-
connts, 47,788,541 f ; rentes, public securities, and reserve
capital and reserve, 81,900,000 f;
fund, 64,201,736 f ; credits and various items, 136,880 f,
different items, 6,943,732 f ;
Passif—Amount of bank notes in circulation, 223,421,000 f ;
233,364,900 f ;
notes to ordei, 833,652 ; acoounts
mcuorvreeninte,ntl7so:B2a4cc,Bo2u6nfts;
gthueardteisrcoaurnntosu,natdedvatnoc2es6,7,asn3Bd,7loooain;s, made during the last
currenC(private) 2,007,19(,200f : ditto (public),
general movement of the caisses, 2,520,834,400 f.
-

MURDER OF A FARMER IN LINCOLNSHIRE.—On the
evening of the 28th ult. as Mr. John Parker, of Ingleby, in
the county of Lincoln, was returning home along a footpath,
which traverses a field. adjoining Saxilby Church, be was
stopped (as was supposed) by a number of men, who de-
manded his money. The deceased evidently made great re-
sistance, and was, consequently, set upon by the whole party,
who beat him wit'll bludgeons until life was extinct, and then
robbed him. Mr. Parker was found the same evening lying
in an immense pool of blood, and the spoke of a wheel, be-
sprinkled with blood, and partially covered with the deceased's
hair, was lying by his side. A coroner's inquest has been
since held upon the body, and a verdict of " Wilful murder
returned against some person or persons unknown. Seventy.
five guineas reward is offered for the apprehension and con-
viction of the guilty parties.
-- • --

JENA.—Jena, a stage beyond Weimar, over an equally
bleak and bare country—what a spot is that, too, to have
made itself so wide a notoriety! As we descended the Mei
brated Schnecken-hill, where the French in 1806 gave the
Prussians so severe a drubbing, there lay Jena deep in the
valley below, a cluster of dark houses surrounded by the
most naked and desolate hills imaginable. Scarcely a tree,
except here and there on the slopes masses of black pines or
a blade of grass, seemed to grow on these hills. They had
the colour of bare earth, and the baldness of a most ancient
sterility. Than the town itself nothing can be imagined
mveorrye
uoldld-dfaarskhioinnnel. Ali
little
an old town-house, in whose old market-place, with one
the Sun
tower a band of very ancient-looking musicians appeared at
eleven o'clock in the forenoon, and flinging open the win-
dows, playing for an hour to the market-people and the
students below, the latter of whom, in very short coats and
very long hair, there assembled, walked about, drank beer,
and fenced. A few narrow, old streets, a very ancient,
heavy, and dingy university, with musty library and grass-
grown courts—such is Jena.—William Howitt's Rural and
Domestic Life of Germany.

IMPORTANCE OF EARLY TREATMENT OF INSANITY.—
In estimating the importance of an early treatment of insanity
we should bear in mind the following facts :—lt has been
noted as a general law, capable of complete demonstration,
that the danger in acute diseases diminishes every day from
the time of attack ; the converse, however, of this principle
takes place in insanity, for the probability of ultimate reco-
very lessens in a ratio to the period which is allowed to in-
tervene between the first onset of the disease and its more
advanced stages. If we refer to established authorities on
this subject, it will be clearly seen that the great portion of
cures effected in cases of mental derangement take place in
its early stage. Broussais speaks of his being able to arrest
incipent insanity with as much certainty as incipent infla-
mation. Dr. Willis, who cured George 111., asserts that
nine cases of insanity out of ten recovered if placed under
his care within three months of the attack. M. Andral states
that the cure of insanity is all but hopeless after the second
year. Out of 1,230 cases under this physician's care, 602
were cured in the first year, 502 in the second, and 86 in the
third : about 44 were restored to reason in the course of from
three to seven years. At Bethlehem and St. Luke's patients
that have been mad 12 months are considered incurable.
Insanity being invariably the result of physical disease of the
brain, it is reasonable to suppose that the longer that organic
lesion is allowed to remain undetected and unremoved, the
probability of recovery will be lessened,—Forbes Winslow's
Health of Body and Mind.
VISIT TO THE MORAVIAN SETTLEMENT OF HERRNHUT.
—lt was after ten o'clock at night when we stopped at the
neat little inn at Herrnhut—a late hour for so peaceful a
place—and all were in bed. We were curious to see by the
conceived fancies, and almost imagined that we could describe
dens,
ancient in
it beforehand. When morning broke, how different was the
morning light how far this settlement agreed with our pre..
s theiram ifideltdhse,
singing
g;pont..
scene. I had imagined rustic huts in wild and woody glens,
half buried in their orchards, and wild hills soaring around,
shaggy with woods ; a quaint and picturesquely-clad people,
a tolerably square and formal little
hymns. Such are the fantastic tricks with a young fancy
plays as it reads, building up far more with the material
given than nature has built up in reality. How different was
the scene as I looked outs n
morning. Here was, in a
their emirobsrtoptliioeursaanidr Is°terrkilnioguisiel
town of white and modern houses. People of no very par-
ticular costume were going quietly about. No forest hills
overlooked the houses; no sound of singing was heard: for
tolerably level situation,
ought that could be seen, it might just as well have been any
other neat, little, still, unpartrular place as Herrnhut. In
fact, the whole country roundlies possesses a different aspect to
what I had imagined. It high and cold, but is charac-
terised rather by great undulating plains than by hills. The
woods are for the most part extirpated by industrious hands,
and the rocks are groups
which
the plains in a singular and pyramidical manner. The land-
scape has indeed a peculiar character, but by no means
romantic. The horizon on different sides is bounded by the
tops of the Riesengebirge and the hills of the Saxon Switzer-
land. It was not till we had made a progress quite through
the place that we began to discover its great pleasantness ;
as we came to its yet remaining woods, its wood-walks, its
gardens, its charming though formal cemetery, its hutberg,
or hill of the watch, and saw all round the smiling
fields,
and the busy people in them, and the bounding glen, in
which lie, amid their crofts and orchards, the populous and
picturesque villages of Great Hennersdorf, and Bertholds-
dorf, we began to feel that it was still more in the spirit and
institutions of the place than its external aspect, that its
singular character lies.— Wi"lliam Howitt's " Rural and
Domestic Life of Germany.