The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-12-31 00:00:00

THE INTENDED RAILWAYS.

(From yesterday's Times.)
There is a perfect fever of excitement among all parties
connected with the formation of new lines of railway as to
what view may be taken of their respective pretensions in
the reports concerning them to Parliament, now so nearly
about to recommence its sittings. Whatever the result
may be, as it is impossible that the whole of them should
go up with a favourable view of the case, and as many of
them must be rejected altogether, fluctuations in the
nominal price of these schemes must inevitably ensue at
about that period. Hence it is particularly incumbent
on those gentlemen who exercise this preliminary trust,
that they do not suffer the slightest intimation to escape
of any decision at which they may have arrived. since ad-
vantage could hardly fail to be taken of it by the parties
who obtain such knowledge, and it would be equivalent
to giving them the benefit of playing with loaded dice.
This hint is thrown out without any idea that such a
trust is likely to be knowingly betrayed, but to put the
board more upon their guard, since a mere look, or the
refusal to answer an impertinent question, might perhaps
produce the same result as a plain communication.

Among the many contrivances that rivalsbip has en-
gendered in the late competition for new lines of railway,
one or. two are mentioned by a correspondent, which
savour more of the tricks of election agents than of the
honest conduct of men of business and persons deserving
the confidence of the public. In one instance it is stated
that the type of a printer was purchased by an active
member of one company, with the intention, and with
the result, of preventing the publication, in compliance
with the standing orders of the House of Commons, of an
important document of a rival company. In another in-
stance the directors of a branch line of railway were timely
apprized of the intended perfidy of one of their officers,
and they succeeded at the last hour in preventing him
from earning his bribe. Indeed, other cases are cited,
but as they lead into libellous matter, it of course would
be imprudent specially to refer to them. However,
it may be as well to give a seasonable hint
to the Board of Trade, not wholly to depend
upon and make selection from the plans of those
companies which may have complied with the standing
orders in all particulars, but to make inquiries, and as-
certain whether other routes are not in some districts
chalked out, which if the social and progressing condition
of the public had been properly considered, would have
been matured, and found worthy of sanction, had it net
been for the underhand and dishonest trickery of parties
who, on assumed respectability, were intrusted with their
developement. The Board of Trade, as the newly con-
stituted Government tribunal, is now looked upon in the
light of a court of appeal in these matters; and though it
can hardly be expected that the decision of the commis-
sioners appointed to investigate the claims of the nume-
rous plans presented will give general satisfaction, still
the exhibition of a desire to make themselves acquainted
with the real merits of the late rail, ay movement, as con-
nected not only with extensions, but also with recently
projected lines, c annot ;fail at least to give them a better
position, both as regards future operations and the opinion
of impartial observers.

[ADVERTISEMENT.]
THE GIPSIES' RETURN TO LIVERPOOL! !
Joyful Intelligence—Twelfth Night—Cupid's Alliance—
Combination of Prophecies—Prognostications of the
Twelve Gipsies—Unequalled Chances for the Old and
Young, Grave and Gay, Romantic and Melancholy ! !
—Extraordinary attraction !! !—P li. OD I GIO U S
TWELFTH-NIGHT CAKE, weighing the
enormous weight of ONE TON, or 2,240 POUNDS
WEIGHT ! Y !—Twelve solid Gold Rings—Forewarn-
ing of the Gipsies ! !—Love's Decreer!
`• Love rules the court, the camp, the grove,
And men below, and saints above,
Fos love is Heaven, and Heaven is love."

MONDAY, January 6th, 1845, being the Twelfth and
last night for the celebration of the Christmas festivities,
FEENY BROTHERS have the honour of announcing a
similar magnificent treat as that which they last season
gave to the lovers of "old customs", the practice of which
had not been followed in Liverpool for eleven hundred
years, since• the Gipsies first made their appearance in
this country, entitled
FORTUNE'S FROLIC;
The Bill containing the 12 prognostications.
N.B.—A copy of the Gipsies' Bill will be given to any
person calling/ or sending for it to the Dublin Confec-
tionary Establishments, 20, Berry-street, or 126, St.
James's-street.

FEENY BROTHERS, Proprietors.
The gigantic Cake will be built at the central branch of
the Dublin Confectionery Establishment, 20, Berry-
street, where the Public can view it TO-MORROW,
(Wednesday,) the Ist of January. Orders for portions
of the Cake will be also received at FEENY BROTHERS',
126, St. James's-street, where a grand supply of small
Twelfth Night Cakes will be ready.
ear It is respectfully requested that Carriages will
draw up in Berry-street, with the horses' beads towards
St. Luke's Church, and pass on by Bold-street, through
Colquitt-street, by Seel-street, again into Berry-street, to
take up, where the police will attend to ensure regularity.

PLAN OF THE LIVERPOOL DOCKS.—The LIVERPOOL
STANDARD has furnished its subscribers with another of
those ingenious and admirable specimens of typographi-
cal skill, in a Map of the Liverpool Docks, which cannot
fail to be admired by all classes of readers, but can only
be fully appreciated by those who are practically conver-
sant with the almost insurmountable difficulties which
have heretofore beset the compositor in his attemi is to
form such like specimens of typographical ingenuity.—
Blackburn Standard.

CHRIST CHURCH.—On Thursday evening last, a con-
gregational tea-party was held in the school-room. Chris-
tian-street, with a view to promote that social feeling and
general good-will so peculiarly suited to the festive season
of Christmas. The incumbent and assistant ministers of
Christ Church were present, and several other clergymen
kindly took part in the arrangements of the evening. So
numerous was the attendance that every seat was occupied,
and many of the congregation, who had delayed applying
for tickets, were disappointed in obtaining admittance.
Grace was sung by the choir before and after tea, when
the tables were cleared away, and the business of the
evening began. The Rev. Fielding Ould commenced by
observing, that it was the first time he had ever attended
a meeting of the kind ; that the object of such meetings
was twofold, first, to promote sociality among the mem-
bers of a congregation ; and secondly, to afford a good op-
portunity for alluding to matters of detail not exactly
suited to the dignity of the pulpit. He then mentioned
one or two points relating to Christ Church, referring
just
hearers for a fuller account to a pamphlet be had
printed, as an '' Address to the congregation for 1845."
After announcing what the arrangements were for the
evening, he concluded by calling on the Rev. A. Hume,
who, shortly, but forcibly, pressed upon the meeting the
advantages of connecting Christ Church National Schools
with the Collegiate Institution, by means of a yearly ex-
hibition. Short reports were then made by one of the
curates on the state of the various charitable institutions
supported by the congregation, on each of which addresses
were delivered by the Revs. W. Butler, B. Marshall, and
E. Wolfenden. Between these addresses intervals were
allowed for conversation, during which the whole party
crowded round a few tables at the upper end of the room
laid out with fancy-work, kindly contributed by ladies for
the benefit of the schools and local charities. At half-
past nine, after a closing address by the Rev. F. Ould, the
greater part of those present retired, highly gratified with
all they had seen and heard. We cannot but notice the
manner in which the fine school-room was decorated for
the occasion. Although truly the commonest materials
were made use of, the ladies' committee transformed them
by the magic wand of taste into every form and variety of
graceful ornament. Flags and banners waved from the
windows, and pannelled the bare walls with their glittering
colours ; garlands of rich evergreens hung in festoons
from the ceiling, and were wreathed lightly along the
sides of the room ; and the fancy-work was laid out in
stalls tastefully curtained in, and adorned with twining
garlands of Christmas holly and laurestinus. We under-
stand that the tea-tables were supplied by Mr. Harris,
confectioner, Clarence-street.