The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-04-13 00:00:00

Nita April 13, 1847. Eon! ptius. The steam-ship Hibernia, which would leave Boston 'on the Ist may be expected here to-morrow. On Sunday, the body of a full-grown female child was found in the water near to Salthouse Dock. The office fixtures of the defunct Anti-Monopoly Asso ciation in this town will be sold by auction to-morrow. The Rev. Thomas Nolan preached in Trinity Church, Dublin, on Sunday, in aid of the Swift's Alley Free Church, in that city. On Monday, a respectable female was delivered of a child on board the Prince steamer, while crossing from Woodside to Liverpool. On Sunday last, an aged woman named Sarah Roberts, formerly living in Albert-street, died whilst sleeping be fore the fire. The Oregon, the first ship which entered the Birkenhead Dock, did not pay town-dues on her cargo. The matter stands over for future decision. A man unknown, was, on. Saturday last, seen leaning against a wall in Great Crosshall-street; he fell down, and it was found that he was dead. John Peters, a seaman. on board a vessel in Waterloo Dock, died suddenly on Friday afternoon, at his lodgings in Peter-street. On Sunday morning, Ellen Kinsley, a female aged 76 years, formerly residing in Camden-street, arose from her bed, and upon walking across the floor suddenly expired. The Rev. Hugh M`Neile is announced to preach the annual sermon in London for the Church Pastoral-Aid Society, on Monday the 10th of May. Lord Ashley will preside at the annual meeting on the following day. On Tuesday a fine bloodhound, belonging to Alexander Shand, Esq., had a large tumour abstracted from her throat by Mr. Robert Lucas, whilst in an insensible state from inhaling ether. In the case of alleged murder in a house of ill-fame, mentioned in our last, the jury returned a verdict of " Died by the visitation of God," the surgeon's opinion being that she died of congestion of the brain. It is said that a small parcel delivery will be established between Birkenhead and Liverpool three times a day, with a trifling charge for ferry and delivery on each side of the Mersey. This is much wanted. From the Ist of February to the 6th of April there arrived in Liverpool from Ireland 88,812 persons. There are now on the parish books 11,000 Irish getting relief. The number of emigrants since January is 29,000. CAUTION TO NIGHTMEN.—On Wednesday, several persons, who are not employed by Mr. Richard Pickering, contractor to the Corporation, were summoned, and fined 40s. and costs, for illegally removing soil from ash-pits. The splendid steam-ship Sarah Sands sailed for New York on Tuesday, with 150 passengers, a full cargo, and £200,000 in specie. She ran from the Rock to the Light ship in an hour. The body of a male child apparently between 12 and 14 months old was found on Monday morning, whilst some men were digging clay in a field between Hopwood-street and Vauxhall-road. At Liverpool alone, within the month just closed, and chiefly towards its close, besides 186,184 bushels of peas and beans, upwards of 127,000,000 lbs. of bread stuffs were imported from foreign countries. On Saturday the dead body of a supposed inhabitant of Liverpool was found in a ditch near Manchester. He was dressed in a blue cloth body coat, with bright buttons, and the body is at the Swan public-house, Pendleton. On Monday, an inquest was held upon the body of a man named Patrick Quinn, who had died in consequence of injuries received in blasting for an excavation at the new north docks. On Tuesday evening, George Neill committed suicide FY cutting his throat with a knife. He had been confined in gaol, and his punishment had such an effect on him as to turn his brain. The morning train from London to Liverpool will shortly be so arranged as to its time of starting, and so a ccelerated in speed, as to ensure the delivery of the ,London morning papers in Liverpool about noon on the day on which they are published. Madame Vestris has presented Mr. M. H. Simpson, lessee of the Theatres-royal Liverpool and Birmingham, with a fine portrait of herself. In the inscription at tached to the portrait, which is in the donor's handwriting, it purports to be presented " with thanks for his uniform kindness for many years." On Thursday, a woman named Margaret Doyle died in the Borough Gaol. It appeared she was under sentence of imprisonment for four months, for felony, and had been in the hospital, under medical treatment, for a lin gering disease, which disease was the cause of death. Verdict accordingly. MORTALITY IN LIVERPOOL.—The person employed by the parish authorities to provide coffins for the poor creatures who are dying daily from starvation or fever, asserted in the Police-court, on Friday, that he supplies More than two hundred of these fragile tenements every w,,eek. H e f ur th er st a t e d that he received an order for la irt. L .,Y-six dozen on Thursday last. PUBLIC SALE OF PRODUCE AT BIRKENHEAD. un Saturday, the cargo of the Oregon, from Patagonia, t h e first vessel which entered the Birkenhead Dock, was offered at public auction, at two o'clock, in Gough's Hotel coffee-room, contiguous. to the dock and ferry. There was a spirited competition for the first lot, which a'as sold at £6 15s. per ton, includin d bags. About sixty t uns were sold altogether, down to £5 12s. 6d. The re mainder._ was then withdrawn. , 1 - l EA.vn FROM SCALDING.—On Tuesday evening, Mary Ikendrick, nineteen months old, the illegitimate child of Elizabeth Kendrick, who resides in Ford-street, attempted to stand on a chair, which was near the fire, but over balanced herself, and fell down : in her fall she seized a Pan which stood on the hob, and which was full of hot water. The water, of course, was spilled over the unfor tunate infant, who in consequence was severely scalded.. Site expired on Thursday. MORTALITY IN LIVERPOOL IN 1846.—The parish ac counts have just been .published. It appears by this return that the baptisms in 1846 were 11,648, the burials 6,970, and the marriages 3,901. The increase in baptisms has been 472, in burials 1,917, and in marriages 316. The greatest mortality seems to have been amongst children under two years of age, of whom 1,911. died during the „,tivelve months. In what is called the vicinity, such as u cxteth-park, Everton, &c., the additional baptisms have been 1,548, burials 4,114, and marriages 428. THK IRISH POOR IN LIVERPOOL.—A communication has been addressed to Mr. Austin, the Assistant Poor law Commissioner, from the Select Vestry in this town, re, lzesting his immediate attendance, in con sequence o f the immense influx of persons from Ireland in a state of de stitution. It appears by the statement in the commu nication that there have been landed in Liverpool within ICS last nine days, the following astounding number of ; 44 n ish emigrants ;—Men, 7410 ; women, 4,287 ; children, - '" lB —Total, 14,615. Mr. Austin arrived in Liverpool un Saturday. On Wednesday evening a tea party was held on behalf (. tae Schools of St. Barnabas, at the school- rooms , i n Gr eenland-street. James Lawrence, Esq., presided. The v. Mr. Nolan, Rev. Edward Marks, D.D., Rev. J. R. ran Omor, Rev. W. C ar p en t er , R ev . R o b er t D av i es , R ev. Crump, Rev. Thomas Irvine, and the Rev. Edward Aeberts severally addressed the meeting. Miss Blundell Presided at the piano -forte ; Miss Levan, Miss Fairhurst, and M essrs . Roberts, Stott, and Evans, delighted the au dience with their vocal abilities, and were rapturously applauded. TH E LORD WARDEN.—On Saturday, there was a most s atisfactory trial of the speed of this noble steamer, the first th at entered the Birkenhead docks on Monday. She steamed out of the harbour and round the Northwest Lightship, and from point to point she ran twenty-two miles in one hour and twenty-two minutes, being at the unusually rapid rate of sixteen miles an hour. What makes this rapidity the more remarkable is, that she ran the first eleven of those miles against the wind, and the remaining eleven against the tide, thus exceeding in speed the Princess Clementine and the Princess Helenor, both of i which as well as the Lord Warden, were built by Mr. ' Ol ll Laird. The engines of these three fine steamers w ere made by Forrestr and Co. r , INQUESTS ON SATURDAY, BEFORE THE B OROUGH CO RONER. —On view of the body of John Kennedy, a married man living in Stockdale-street. Deceased was a a bout 33 y ears o f age . . Fi ve or s i x mon ths ago, while in 4 a licate health, he having been subject to spitting of blood, e went out. In coming home he had a quarrel with a named Timmaney, and said to his wife that the t t a tter had struck him, and that he returned the blow; bat Timrnaney met him afterwards at the top of Oxford street, and knocked him down, and kicked him on the tsf• The spitting of blood became greater on Tuesday t7 ft 'i n and he died next day. On a post mortem examina -1-4 Ppea that death was caused by disease of the trigs, but a fractured rib on the right side had accelerated 14!,death. Verdict accordingly.—On the body of Thos. ; .. Lei four months old, residing with his parents in Cher -1: Thee mother stated that coming down stairs ‘ l3, the child in her arms, it dropped its head on her dcuilder, became black in the face, and died in about a e art er-of-an-hour. Verdict died from convulsions. On l i lA w ut . Ann Corner, aged 85, who resided in Myrtle-street. v v4.4 ' went to bed on Thursday night in good health, and a w there found dead in the morning. Verdict (after ex- W'llation) died from disease of the lungs.—On Emma e ir, lid, aged two years and a-half. On Wednesday, sl ie ' r eher mother was h an di ng h er t o a littl e g i r l to h o ld , th o ktne child) accidentally fell into a p a n o f h o t water ei ii "w,as on the floor, and her left leg was mu c h sca ld e d. a tid the following day she was seized with convulsions, , s uori afterwards died. Verdict : death from the con x%.„'uns, brought on by the scalding. HOSPITAL.—II will be seen that on Sunday two sermons will be prea c hed in aid of th e f un d s o f Vl.excellent charity, one at Edge-hill by the Rev. H. 'eGratli, incumbent of St. Anne's, Ma nc h es t er , th e h eb ( s ! at St. John's, by the Rev. Wm. Falloon. These tiOutis will come in most timely, as we u n d ers t an d t h at apo'unds of the hospit a l are d e plorably lo w , an d t h e calls so f ui pe charity on the increase ; in fact we believe that is the hospital at present that the patients are P? the floors anywhere that they can be conveniently IR ai S". Instead of now and then a sermon being preaAied at ;" of Ibis institution, there ought to be a contribution the Place of worship' in the town for the admission of k ost 'atients to the hospital, irrespective of sect. We do Avealti urg:entiv call upon our Christian brethre . n, onr the e triends, and all whose sympathies are enlisted in aio st a Pc of philanthropy, to step forward and assist this ,Uales;', e ,!erving . institution. We have . been assured . that moi le t he Public will support it more liberally than it has tir es must be conducted in a different way than at 4 01 , 1 Any narrowing of its utilities we apprehend thisdis cause will be a step which will reflect so much li o Xa_c c e , upon us as a Christian community, that we do tqctionnsv.errin to hear a whisper of the committee's in :4said Rev. Hugh . M`Neile has said most truly ri i e d r th .. at a public meeting ought to be held, and the most on tgetic methods taken to enable the committee to carry aobt e e c haritYp not in a private dwelling house, but in a eo u ._ Public building. The effort now mking to sue- S our Irish brethren is most meritorious abut Elie same time not forget our local charities w e must. THE WEATHER.—On Wednesday, Thursday, and Fri day last this neighbourhood was visited by a strong gale of wind from the westward. By Friday night, however, the storm had spent its strength, and Saturday was a fine April day. Throughout Sunday there was a cold drizzling rain, which continued to fall until early yesterday morn ing. Yesterday was dull and cloudy. EDUCATION FOR . THE MIDDLE CLASSES.—A petition signed by the two rectors of Liverpool, 22 masters in the collegiate schools, and 21 masters in the schools of the Mechanics' Institution, has been presented to the House of Commons, praying that out of the £lOO,OOO annually voted for educational purposes, a certain portioru hould be set apart for the establishment of fellowships in the largest towns of England, and to be restricted exclusively to the middle classes. The petitioners suggest that each fellowship should be of the value of £4O, and be tenable for three years. They predicate the best results from the adoption of their proposal. THE LIVERPOOL LION.—On Saturday, we were fa voured with the first number of a new publication under this title, illustrated after the manner of Punch, and we are assured the work solely of Liverpool art. It is very creditably got up as a first effort, and displays considerable as well as artistical talent. The leading illustration of Lord Morpeth at Birkenhead is rather too severe. The poetical description, however, which accompanies it is done in a very good spirit. The writer is an Ingoldsby. As a specimen, we select the following very characteristic parody upon a well known poem by Tennyson : A PLAGIARISM UPON TENNYSON. With little flags the Woodside boats Were thickly covered one and all ; The people wore their Sunday coats, And faces thceeys looked walk' a d the stlrl as lead,eetsw a sluggish crawl. Their Uplifted.was each staring eye, In hopes some sort of, fun to spy Throughout the streets of Birkenhead. They only said—" It's precious dreary, " Where is the fun 7" they said. Each said, "I am a-weary, a-weary, I wish I was in bed. ' They shouted when the Warden steamer Into the Docks the first time plied, Much food for mirth they didn't deem her, Though to enjoy themselves they tried. They shouted out and toss'd their liats, And fain would think it famous fun, Though real enjoyment there was none. They look'd a set of gloomy flats, • And only said—" It's precious dreary, " Where is the fun "—they said, Each said—" I am a-weary, a weary, I wish I was in bed." Up to a latish hour of night, In hopes of sport they stroll'd about, Then tire-works they tried to light— The rain came down and put them out. Still on they stroll'd, no sign of change, All still was dull and most forlorn, As it had been since gray-eyed morn. To call this fun was really strange: And still they said—" It's precious dreary, "There is no fun,"—they said. They said—" We are a-weary, a-weary, We'd better go to bed." Some purchased nuts at many a stall, And crack'd them dolefully ; some crept To see the people for the ball, As from the carriages they stept ; But still they gaped and yawned away, No indication could they mark, Of aught approaching to a lark ; Still vaguely sadly did they stray, And only said—" It's precious dreary, There is nolun," they said : So some of them got beery, beery, And thus they went to bed. AN INTELLECTUAL TREAT.—It has often been our pleasing task to speak, in terms of the highest commen dation, of the distinguished principal of Great George street Academy, in this town. Mr. Fisher is not only a gentleman of high literary attainments, but of great energy and perseverance in various religious and benevo lent objects. On Tuesday evening he delivered a splen did lecture in the Royal Assembly-rooms, at the special request of the Rev. F. Parry, the proceeds of which are to be applied to the liquidation of a debt connected with St. Clement's Church, Windsor. Throughout the lec ture, Mr. Fisher was frequently and warmly cheered. His explanations were clear, accurate, and deeply inte resting, and admirably calculated to enlighten and elevate the mind. The introductory and concluding remarks, on the starry firmament, were not only appropriate but truly sublime. His numerous diagrams for the illustration of astronomy are truly splendid, and are allowed by scientific judges to surpass anything of the kind that have ever been painted. He gave an interesting description of the sun, its vast magnitude, physical constitution, and boundless influence. The various views of this central orb, some of them in motion, were magnificent. The celestial sce nery of all the planets which compose the solar system, was not only striking but remarkably beautiful, particu larly the phases of Venus as a morning and evening star, and the planet Saturn with its rings and moons. The zodiac was particularly brilliant. In the centre was the sun, with beautiful rays issuing in all directions, around which moved our own globe in its annual path, its north pole being constantly directed to the pole star, thus pro ducing spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The revo lution of the northern hemisphere, with all its constella tions and brightest stars, was very imposing. The, prin cipal cometary bodies which visit our system, with their luminous trains, were justly admired. It was clearly shewn, and beautifully illustrated, that Lord Rosse's gigantic telescope had triumphantly unfolded the secret which Herschel, in many cases, imagined to be caused by a lucid fluid, that these brilliant spots of light are real stars of various magnitudes—all stupendous suns, glowing in the intensity of each other's glory. At the close of the lecture, the dissolving views and chromatropes formed a rich treat, being admirably managed. The Rev. F. Parry, at the close of the lecture, returned his warmest thanks to Mr. Fisher for the rational and delightful entertain ment he had given, and said he would ever feel grateful for his kindness on the present occasion. He concluded by stating, that that gentleman had never lectured pub licly, or exhibited his beautiful views, but in behalf of some benevolent or religious interest. These remarks were immediately followed by renewed cheering from the whole audience, among whom were several of the clergy and families of the highest respectability, both in the town and neighbourhood. We have just heard that Mr. Fisher has commenced a subscription among the young gentlemen of his establishment, in behalf of the Southern Hospital, which will average from £lO to £l5 per annum. This is an example welt worthy of imitation. May he go on and prosper in his professional career, and receive the thanks of a grateful public. LIVERPOOL POLICE INTELLIGENCE. Two beersellers were lined 40s. each, on Friday, for re fusing to receive two recruits belonging to the East India Company. A female, 71 years of age, was brought before Mr. Rushton, on Friday, charged with being drunk on the previous night. SUSPENSION OF A POLICE-OFFICER.—On Tuesday, police-officer 494 appeared to substantiate a charge against Mr. Stevenson, an overlooker in St. John's market, and his brother, for having caused a disturbance in the Adel phi Theatre. It appeared tat Mr. Stevenson received from another,officer a severe blow on the head, and he and his brother was dragged out with violence. The officer was suspended for the harshness of his conduct. ASSAULT ON BOARD A FERRY STEAMER.-011 Tues day, Marry Finnigan and Wm. Finnigan were charged with assaulting several of the passenger on board the Woodside ferry-boat. As the boat was leaving Woodside for Liverpool, about ten o'clock on Monday, a quarrel arose in the cabin. Some of the male passengers inter feredtphriesi prisoners, nr e o e i l : sc b ,h e m. h i a t l h f T o oh f teh a ; m wr se a , rnecwofimhnoemdwe commenced beinges.d andabused,assaultingcos ts ao v lh within fort night'sr a itß i E u ß m y ri imprisonment n ,,3l. t nr i ei t E i o d f eGtfhaAeuslgta.s fitters te WORKS.—On Thursday, plo m ye er d .. b l i u.s t h he - Edward Hamilton, Dale-street Gas Company, was broughrtsbeeT ton, charged with stealing a quantity of sacre e r, &c., the property of his employers. Mr. Superin o t i enrn e i Anders stated that on the previous evening he observed the prisoner going up Marybone, holding something be neath his coat. On stopping him he found that it was a considerable weight of solder. He afterwards searched the prisoner's house, and found, under a bed, a large quantity of gas fittings, &c. He was committed for trial. ASSAULT BY ROPEMAKERS.—On Thursday, three young lads, Wm. Carr; John Dobson, and John Tunstall, who had been remanded from the previous week, were brought up, charged with assaulting three women, em ployed at Messrs. Hutcheson and Jarvie's rope-walk, Lodge-lane. A dispute has, it appears, arisen between the workmen and masters, respecting the employment of women in some branches of the spinning. On Tuesday, the 30th ult., the prisoners, with a large body of lads, at tacked the prosecutors as they were leaving work in the evening, and kicked and beat them severally. They were committed for trial. ALLEGED FRAUDS UPON A LOAN SOCIETY.—On Sa turday a man, of the name of George Belock, and a female, of the name of Margaret Roberts, were brought before Mr. Rushton, on a charge of having obtained money from the Morning Star Loan Society by means of false pre tences. Mr. Henry Billington, the secretary and trea surer of the society, stated that the male prisoner called on the Bth of February, made his mark at the bottom of a promissory note for the payment of the loan he obtained, and gave the fictitious name of John Blecklock, of Addi son-street, stone-mason. It subsequently turned out that his real name was George Belock, and that he was a painter. The female prisoner also obtained money from the society in the name of Margaret James, whereas her real name was Margaret Roberts. Mr. Rushton said there was no doubt that a parcel of lies had been told, and that, if the officers of the society made the same inquiries be fore they lent the money-that they seemed to have done afterwards, these false statements would not have had any injurious effect. The Secretary : "We made all the in quiries we could." Mr. Rushton : " Nay, that you did not." The prisoners were ordered to be discharged. Elistrirt W. The first stone of the new church at Runcorn was laid on Monday. Mr. R. E. Harvey has been started as a candidate for Kendal. Charles Townley, Esq., of Townley, near Burnley, has given' £l,OOO towards the erection of the Romish chapel at Burnley. At the Chester Assizes on Friday, John Wright was found guilty of wounding Francis *Gill, at Pickmere, near Knutsford, and stealing money, &c. from his person. Sentence of death was recorded against him. NEW COUNTY MAG ISTRATES. — On Wednesday at the quarter sessions held at Preston, Edward Parker, Esq. of Alkingcoats, near Colne, and It. Smethurst, Esq., of Chorley ;. and on Thursday, Henry Master Feilden, Esq., Witton-house, Blackburn, took the oaths and qualified as magistrates of this county. THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. A brig now loading at Preston, for New York, is the first vessel cleared from that port for America. On Friday evening the mayor of Manchester entertained a select party of friends at a dinner party at his house, " The Priory " Pendleton. Among the guests were G. H. Lawrence, Esq., mayor of Liverpool, Edward %sh ton, Esq., and the town-clerk of Liverpool. A man was found sticking fast in the chimney in Mr. Callender's house, in Manchester. He descended the chimney on Saturday night, for no good purpose, and was not found till Sunday morning. Abricklayer had to de molish the chimney in order to release him. At the Chester assizes on Friday, an action was brought by Captain Sharp, of Clifton Park, against W. W. Perry, Esq., of Rock Ferry, to recover the sum of £72, alleged to have been paid by the plaintiff, • for the benefit of the defendant, so long ago as 1841. It appeared that the money paid was for a deed of confirmation in some land transactions ; but although seeral amounts had been de livered by the plaintiff, nothing was mentioned of the amount in question, until shortly before the action. The jury returned a verdict for the defendant. MEETING OF COUNTY MAGISTRATES.—On Wednes day, at Preston, a court of annual sessions was held, T. B. Addison, Esq., in the chair. The committee appoint ed to procure a site for the new county lunatic asylum in the hundred of Salford presented their report, from which it appeared that they had agreed to purchase 40 acres of land from Mr. Milne, at the rate of £2OO per ac r e. M r. Fletcher moved the adoption of the report. Mr. Ashton seconded the motion. The Chairman stated that the esti mated cost of building the two new asylums was from £llO,OOO to £120,000. In carrying out their arrange ments he trusted the committee would not lose sight of economy. The report was then passed. Mr. Marshall thought that as much expense was now being incurred in the alterations at ICirkdale and Preston gaols, it was de sirable to borrow money rather than levy a rate for the cost of the new asylums. The Chairman thought that for a rich county like theirs to borrow money would be stoop ing too much, when they could raise the required sum by a rate of 6d. in the pound on the county assessment. Ultimately, the subject was adjourned to the next sessions, in July. THE JESUITS.—At a late meeting of the Blackburn Association in aid of the London Hibernian Scociety, the Rev. R. Macklin, incumbent of Christ Church, Derby, is reported to have made the following observations :—" He showed how in all ages the object of Popery and of Satan had been the same—to oppose, and, if possible, destroy, the Word of God. If the Word of God could once be got rid of by the Jesuit, he would have immediately accom plished his own purpose. Give the Jesuit the rising ge neration, and he will accomplish all in the next generation he desires. The Jesuit is a subtle universal enemy, to be found everywhere and in every station, from the prince to the lowest wretch that walked the streets at night. Priests and laymen were alike Jesuits, and this was a fact that should be remembered. The Jesuits would be found in your tradesman, your servant, your mechanic—every where did he insinuate himself ; and such an intimate acquaintance with every description of characters did the Jesuits obtain, that at the college of Rome were kept re gistries of all the enemies of Popery, to be ready at any time to further the views of the agents. As a proof of the various disguises assumed by Jesuitism for its evil pur poses, the rev. gentleman related a circumstance which had occurred to the Rev. Mr. Close, of Cheltenham, within the last month. Mr. Close was riding out one day, when a stone got into his horse's foot. He dismounted to take out the stone, and was going about it rather clum sily, when a man who had been breaking stones on the road offered to take the stone from the horse's foot. He did so speedily ; and when the man got up, Mr. Close looked in his face, and said ' I have seen you before.' The man denied it, and asked where ?' Mr. Close, who knew he was right, persisted in his assertion that he had seen the man before : it was during last summer, at Rome, in a priest's garment, an d h e h a d s p o k en w ith him • and Mr. Close wound up by sa yi ng y ou are F a th er S o - a nd-so. The man was so astonished at the recognition, that, though it was a prime point in the Jesuit's education that he was ever to face his enemy unmoved, he changed coun tenance, and said, I beg of you not to make this public, as I am here on a particular mission.' " CORRESPONDENCE. THE MERCURY AND THE NATIONAL CON- LOCAL MEETINGS. FESSION. TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. SIR,-,The writer who insults the Christian feelings of this town by his ribald and infidel attacks on the appointment by her Majesty of a day of humiliation before Almighty God for our national sins, is again, in his Mercury of yesterday, pur suing the same insulting course; and vet this man takes fre quent occasions to inform his readers that he is a Churchman I Probably the best way in the ultimate result would be to let him go on, and give him rope enough, though one's feelings revolt from perusing his dull and pointless lucubrations. The only process that can correct determined dullheadedness in his case, is in actual and rapid progress—i.e., reducing the amount of grist. I have been credibly informed that " our circulation", which until lately he used to boast so much of, has fallen of to the very insignificant t une o f th ree t h ousand copies weekly, say 3,000 !! I could not credit my informant scarcely when he told me so, but I dared not gainsay him, as he bad better means of knowing than myself, he being con nected with one of the Liverpool papers. Be iat fact exagge rated or otherwise, I have ocular proof, capable of being ascer tained by any party inclined to turn to the-files and count over the advertisements, that the Mercury in this, his best source of revenue, is being forestalled by the Journal and Standard. For instance, the Mercury numbered, on the 27th November last, 419 advertisements ; but in yesterday's number it had fallen to 353—here is a falling off of 66 ! ! The Standard, on the other band, taking the nearest corresponding dates, had on the Ist December 132, but on Tuesday last 203!—here, on the contrary, is a gain of 711! In other words, the Mercury has fallen off 16 per cent., and the Standard has risen 54 per cent. ! ! _ _ Let the people of Liverpool continue to prove to this scoffe . r, by this means, that they disown any fraternity with his stolid ribaldry, and they will very soon bring him to a sense of at least public decency. I sin, Sir, yours respectfully, A DISGUSTED READER OF THE MERCURY. April 3d, 1847. [We received our correspondent's letter too late for in sertion in the STANDARD last week. Though the cal culations are gratifying to us, yet " A Reader of th e Mercury" has by no me a n s hosen the periods which would have exhibited most decisively our progressive success. It is perhaps unnecessary to allude to the subject further than to say, that had some of our re cent publications—last week's, for instance—been se lected and contrasted with those published a year ago, the remark elsewhere, that our advertisements have increased within the last twelve months nearly a hun dred per cent., would have been proved correct to the letter, whatever interested parties may say to the con trary.—En. L. S.] IS POPERY CHANGED ? TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. SIR, I was this day in conversation with an Italian. I asked him if he had a Bible ; he replied, " No, Mr. G. gave me one last voyage. I took it home, showed it to the Priest, he told me it was a Protestant book, a very bad book, it said Priests might have a wife,' so we took it and put it into the fire, and burned it." Is Popery changed? April 10th, 1847. C. P. [Our correspondent gives us his name.] THE IRISH CLERGY. TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. SlR,—While great has been the sympathy evinced, and im mense the sums contributed and forwarded, on every side, to the sufferers from the dire calamity in Ireland, I much fear that one class has been entirely overlooked—l mean the hard worked, ill-paid, yet patient and most zealous men, who, dur ing this season of woe and desolation, have not shrunk from the danger and fatigue, mental and bodily, of providing and distributing, to the utmost of their power, what means they could obtain to relieve the poor and sick, naked and hungry— I mean the Irish clergy, who, if dependent on their rent-charge or produce of glebes for the necessaries of life, must ere long, if not at present, be in almost as bad a state as the poor they have been relieving. The greater part of their income, i. e. of the rent-charge, able be deducted as poor rate. This is a subject which I hope persons will take up. Few words are necessary to prove that this state of things exists. Facts are more convincing than reaso n i ngs , an d as secretary to the St. Jude's Irish Relief Committee, the dis tressed circumstances of many have been communicated to me by friends unknown to the suffering, vet uncomplaining, labourers in their Alaster's's vineyard. Would you bring this before a Christian public, and advocate their cause ; should any feel anxious to assist in alleviating real distress, I shall be most happy to he the means either of the transmission of funds, or of imparting such information as may be desired relative to particular cases, where it may be more convenient to communicate directly with the persons to be assisted.—Your obedient servant,RISTOPHER BELL. Hall-lane, Liverpool, April 8, 1847. THE DESTITUTION IN THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS. From every account which reaches us we are assured that the condition of the poor cottiers of the highlands and islands of Scotland is becoming worse day by dad•. The population in many parts are hopelessly dependent upon the supplies of food dispensed to them by the hand of charity ; and when these fail them, even for a day, the consequence is distressing in the extreme. Yet in the midst of all this suffering it is gratifying to witness the patience displayed; and that very patience, and the con sciousness which it imparts to us that thousands may be sinking into untimely graves, giving no sign, uttering no wail, ought to stimulate the exercise for their aid of indi vidual and national charity. The following connnunica tion, which appeared in the London Times of Saturday, displays a lamentable picture : " EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM THE ISLE OF SKYE, DATED MARCH 31. " You never saw or heard anything more distressing to the feelings than the state the poor people are in in this part of the country for want of food; and some for want of clothing. I have actually been told, for I did not like to witness it, that a number of the poor were on Sa turday last weeping like children when they saw that the meal store was done, and no more to be given till the next supply should come, which, perhaps, would not be for a week, or perhaps more; and what makes it doubly sad is, that they don't see nprospect of g e tti ng seed to sow the ground, nor potatoes to plant. The latter is the principal food of the very poorest. It is delightful to see . with what resignation the poor people bear with their wretched state, when we contrast them with the wild cla morous Irish,—when so many contributions are made for them, and so much meal sent to their relief. There has been a government frigate lying in the bay of Portree for several months back with meal for the people, and other steamers are coming with supplies to them, but they never give less than a ton, or•half a ton, and the poor can not buy so much should they die for want. It may - be said with truth, that • the 'proprietors do all they can for them in giving the ableliodied'men work, to enable them to support their . families, hut• such as cannot work are miserably off.!,' TOWN COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS. I The monthly meeting of the Council was held on Wed nesday, the Mayor in the chair. The Finance Committee's proceedings alluded to laying a rate, under the act for encouraging museums in large towns. The Town-clerk said the intention was to lay a rate of one halfpenny in the pound, under the museum act, for the maintenance of the Botanic Gardens. The sum of £3,699 17s. ld. had been borrowed for the pay ment of the gardens, with the approbation of the Com missioners of the Treasury ; and that sum was secured on the bonds payable out of the rate. The machinery of the rate was precisely the same as that of the watch rate. It was not proposed now to lay the rate, but simply to order returns to be made preparatory to the rate being laid. Mr. EARLE said he found from the proceedings that they were about to lease a house in Berry-street for £545, and he objected to it on account of the necesssity there was to widen that street.—Sir T. BRANCKER said that the house about to be leased was on the east side of the street, and that was not the side to be widened.—Mr. EARLE then said that he saw nothing in the proceedings relative to the carrying of dead bodies in coaches. The Town-clerk replied that the bye-law on that subject could not be passed until the meeting of Council in May.—Mr. EARLE then complained that the 'Committee (whose minds he thought must be in a nut shell) had refused to purchase a portion of land, near the New Park, for im provement purposes, for the paltry sum of £2oo.—Mr. H. HORNBY and Sir T. BRANCKER said that if they pur • chased the piece of land alluded to, they must buy others, and that they had no, funds for the purpose.—Mr. EARLE however, succeeded in getting this part of the proceed ings referred back to the Committee by a majority of 24 to 16. The proceedings of the Dock Committee having been read, Mr. BRAMLEY-MOORE moved their confirmation. He said there was only one subject in the proceedings to which he felt it necessary to advert, and that was the ap pointment of Mr. Worthington to the permanent office of Dock Solicitor, at a salary of £1,400 per annum ; and the object of making him a permanent officer of the estate was to economise the funds, and to secure the un divided services of the solicitor. In fact, his time was so much occupied with dock matters that he was unable to attend to private practice—so much so that his private business had deserted him in consequence. During the last six years, the 'average nett receipts, estimated to be the profits of the 'Dock Solicitor, amounted to 4 . 2,600 per annum. That was independent of the expenses of par ' liamentary agents and every other item ; and last year his profits were a great deal more, for the total of his bill, exclusively of parliamentary agents andcounsel, exceeded £5OOO. Now, in recommending that the Dock Solicitor should have a salary of £1,400 er annum, the committee expressly stated, and wished it o be understood, that this was to form no precedent for the salary of his successor. The salary of his successor would have to be fixed here after ; and it must be recollected that a gentleman like , Mr. Worthington ought to be treated in a different man , ner to any new officer, who would not have his experi ence, and who would not be expected to jump into his knowledge of dock matters all at once. The duties of the solicitor had increased year by year, and they would continue to increase. The erection of the Albert Dock Warehouses had thrown a great deal more business on his hands than ever he had before ; and far more credit perhaps might be claimed for him in preventing actions then in defending them. His whole ti me wou ld i n f u t ure be devoted exclusively to the service of the Dock Com mittee, and if the present recommendation were sanctioned by the Council, it was intended that he should take his seat every Thursday at the general meetings of the board, to advise in case of any difficulty arising. —Mr. Nicol. seconded the motion.—Mr. EARLE moved as an amend ment, that it was inexpedient to appoint a stipendiary solicitor to the Dock Estate, as an annual expenditure to the extent of £1,400 per annum in law charges ought not to be incurred without proper foresight and management, and that therefore so much of the proceedings of the Dock Committee as relate to the permanent appointment of the Dock Solicitor be annulled.—Mr. H. HORNBY se conded the amendment.—Mr. EVANS, who walked with the assistance of a stick, and who had evidently been much debilitated by his late protracted confinement to home, occasioned by an unfortunate accident he had met with, was permitted to retain his seat while he addressed the Council. He commenced by observing that the op position he offered to the recommendation of the com mittee was not because of any unfriendly feeling what ever to Mr. Worthington. He believed he was one of those who had been instrumental in that gentleman's ap pointment, and he never had the slightest intention to do him any personal injury ever since. He observed by the accounts, that for 1846 the parliamentary expenses were £5,600, and the law expenses £404. He apprehended that these law expenses were the ordinary expenses that would have arisen if they had had no other expenses; that was to say, that they were independent of the par liamentary expenses. Therefore, it was quite evident that the income of the solicitor was derived, not from the or dinary legal business of the Dock Estate, but nearly altogether from the expenses in going to Parliament. They had heard it stated just now that his income last year was £s,ooo.—Mr. MOORE, who spoke in a low tone of voice across the table, was understood to say that this £5,000 was not his nett income.—Mr. EVANS com plained of a want of explanations. The Council had not been told what was nett, and what was not nett. Those who came forward to state that the dock income of the solicitor was £5OOO last year, were bound to say how much of that went for London agents, how much for barristers, how much for travelling expenses, and how much for cab hire. But there was nothing of the sort. Had it not been intended to impress the Council with the idea that £5OOO was the real income of the solicitor ? Would any body contend that the impression ought to remain that, by giving him £1,400 a year, they would save the wh o l e of this £5,000 ? He apprehended there were professional gentlemen present who would consider that, even out of the £5,000, the nett income of the solicitor at £1,400 would be a most enormous proportion. He considered that in anything reasonable or just, the Dock Committee, if prepared to go to parliament, would not be opposed ; therefore their future parliamentary expenses would be as nothing compared with what they had been.—Mr. BRAM LEY-MOORE replied. He said that the average of Mr. Worthington's salary for the last six years had been £2520, and that the proposed salary, together with the salary of his clerks, would only amount to £1650. He then referred to statistical returns to prove the growing features of the port, and concluded by observing that officers sent over by the American government had lately reported that Liverpool, in the management of her lights and all other matters connected . with the harbour, stood pre-eminent above every port in the kingdom.—The MAYOR said it was with much reluctance he had declined to attend the Birkenhead festivities. Under ordinary circumstances, it would have been a pleasure to him to witness the resources of Wallasey Pool developed ; but, at present there were so many matters of finance pending between the Council and the gentlemen of Birkenhead, that he thought it better to follow the example of the Mayor of Liverpool who, three years ago, declined to be present at the laying of the foundation stone of the docks on the other side. (Hear.) But he had no ill-will or jealousy towards the people of Birkenhead. He had re ceived their invitation in the kindest spirit, and he hoped the day would come when all the jealousies between the two towns would pass away, and when they might see the authorities on both sides the Mersey uniting together to promote the general benefit of the places to which they respectively belonged—(hear, hear, and applause.)—The Council divided, when there appeared for the amendment, 20, against it, 26. The amendment was consequently lost, and the proceedings of the committee, including the giving of the salary to Mr. Worthington, were confirmed. The following members voted in the division :—For the amendment—Messrs. W. Preston, W. Rathbone, Eyre Evans, James Stitt, John Holme s , H. H orn b y , J. Aikin, G. G. Hornby, J. Cooper, ' C. Robertson, J. Procter, T. Kaye, V. Higgins, Henry Danson, W. Earle, J. Plump ton, Thomas Lloyd, IL Benn, John S. Leigh, and the Mayor. Against it—Messrs. F. Shand, W. Atherton, Jas Holme, J. G. Morris, C. S. Middleton, T. Littledale, jun., J. A. Tinne, T. Robinson, T. Toulmin, T. Royd n J. N. Wood, J. Pa r k er , W. B ennett, J. Booker, e R. L. Jones, A. Lace, W. Mann, R. Houghton, W. Nicol, Sir T. Brancker, Thos. Sands, J. Bramley-Moore, E. Moly neux, and T. Chilton. Upon the motion of Mr. Higgins, the Council ad , journed at three o'clock, to next day. i The adjourned meeting was held on Thursday. The Health Committee reported that the water com panies had agreed to supply additional quantities of water, to be supplied to the districts of the town in which fever was prevalent. It was recommended that means should be taken for placing the Saracen's Head premises at the disposal of the officers for carrying out sanatory improve- ' ment. The. proceedings were confirmed.—Mr. RATH BONE observed that he had received a letter from Boston, announcing that Con gr e ss h a d sen t a f r i gate w i t h 8000 barrels of provisions for Ireland, and the vessel was ex pected to arrive in Cork about the 16th instant.—From a report of the surveyor ordered by the Church Expendi ture Committee, it appeared that seventy free sittings and two pews had been taken away from the poor, in conse quence of certain alterations which had been made in St. Martin's Church. Some conversation ensued on this point, during which it was stated that the Corporation had paid for these alterations some months ago. Several gentlemen complained that the seats had been taken away from the poor, and something was said about " very curious goings on" lately in that church; but as it ap peared a sub-committee had the matter under considera tion, the discussion dropped.—The report of the special committee appointed to take into consideration a general and comprehensive plan for the improvement of the mu nicipal borough was read. It referred to a previous report upon the same subject, which stated that no compre hensive plan of improvement could be carried out unless the inhabitants consented to a rate for the purpose. The committee added that they were prepared to recommend many very important improvements ; but knowing, from experience, that the promulgation of their views would • have the effect of inducing the owners and occupiers to demand excessive and exorbitant prices for the property required, they were decidedly of opinion that the public would suffer materially if their views were now declared. They recommended, as a preliminary step, that the Mayor should call a public meeting of the inhabitants to ascer tain how far they were willing to assist the Corporation in carrying out the improvement of the borough, eon s _ I mensurate with the want of such improvement. The committee added that they would be prepared to state to such meeting the amount of rate which would probably be required, and they were willing to hope, that, after the lapse of another year or two, they would be in a position to get a considerable amount annually from the corporate funds in aid of these improvements.—Mr. EARLE, in moving the confirmation of the proceedings, hoped the inhabitants would not object to a tax for improvement purposes in imitation of Manchester.—Mr. RATHBO NE I said that if tlierate were extended over a number of years, it would.. fall .lightly, and Mr. Roamsozr. said that a threepenny rate would produce £16,500 per annum. — The MAYOR said he would be glad to call the meeting, and it being the general impression that no effectual im provements could be made out of the corporate funds, the proceedings were confirmed.—On the recommendation of the Town-clerk, it was referred to the Finance Committee to consider the propriety of appointing Mr. Driffield his principal clerk, with an assistant, to take charge of the sanatory matters, and of electing another officer to sup ply his place.—The TOWN-CLERK reported in the highest terms of the efficiency of Messrs. Driffield, Topping, and Jamieson, and recommended an increase in their salaries. Several members of the Council spoke in the most lauda tory terms of the g reat talent and industry of the Town clerk, and said that any recommendation from him ought to be' attended to.—Mr. HIGGINs brought forward his motion, that the Newsham-house estate f:hould be laid out as a park for the people, but having received an as surance from the Fin ance C om mittee that the subject would be taken into their consideration, he withdrew the motion.—Mr. PARKER then proposed the motion, of which he had given notice, that in consequence of the re port of the Government Commissioners, the Council should not persevere with the Rivington Pike scheme. — Mr. DANSON seconded the motion.—Mr. LACE con tended there was sufficient evidence to show that an ade quate supply of water could not be got from the red sand stone of Liverpool. He entered at great length into the question, showing the necessity for proceeding with the bill. He concluded by calling on the Town-clerk to read a letter from Mr. - Milne, surveyor to the New River Company, who had lately made a survey of the district from which it was intended to bring the water. Mr. Milne in his letter said he had no doubt the district would yield the quantity calculated by Mr. Hawksley, and of a quality admirably adapted for the supply of Liverpool. The let ter was decidedly in favour of the scheme ; and concluded by stating that no great increase could be expected from the red sand stone foundation.—Mr. EARLE said the re port of the surveying officers was the most infamous one that was ever made public.—Mr. DAWSON wished to withdraw his seconding of the motion, as he was convinced from the discussion that the Council ought to place con fidence in the committee.—Mr PARKER, however, re fused to withdraw the motion, and on a division there were, for the motion, 4, against, 26. Messrs. Robinson, Higgins, Parker, and Lloyd voted in favour of it. DOCK COMMITTEE. On Thursday last, the Chairman, (Mr. Bramley- Moore) drew attention to the ne ce s s ity of taking mea sures for having the water supplied round the Albert Dock, on the plan which had been proposed some time ago. It was agreed that the subject should be brought before the Committee of 'Works—A report from the Marine Surveyor was read, which stated that an examina tion had been made of the various floating light-ships, &c., belonging to the trust, and they were, with the ex ception of one or two trifling repairs, reported in excel lent condition ; the Victoria Channel had also been tried, and it was found that the least depth of water„ during one of the lowest tides in March, was ten feet six inches. Thereport also stated, that 2642 vessels had passed through the Victoria Channel during the last month. A copy of the report was directed to be sent to the Pilots' Commit tee, and also one to the Finance Committee of the Town Council.-4 letter was read from the Dock Solicitor as to the bonds required from master porters at the Albert Dock, and it appeared that some of them were acting without such documents, and others had had them made out, but they were not signed. A conversation ensued upon the subject, during which it was stated that those who were acting without having executed the bonds ought to be suspended, and that the expenses incurred by such documents ought not to be borne by the Dock Trust, but by the parties requiring them.—A letter was read from Mr. R. Rothwell, of Southport, stating that he was going to employ steam power for the conveyance of passengers, &c., to Southport along the sands, that such power might be made useful in cases of vessels in distress by convey ing the life-boats or in removing wrecks ; and under those circumstances he solicited the support of the Dock Trust. No decision was come to respecting the application, but it seemed to be the general opinion that it could not be entertained.—The Chairman said he had a matter of some importance to bring before them, and one which he did with great reluctance ; it was a letter from Mr. Hartley, the surveyor, tendering his resignation. The letter, which was read to the meeting, stated that indisposition was the reason which induced Mr. Hartley to adopt that course, and he wished his duties to terminate on the 24th of June next. Several members of the Board expressed their regret at losing his services, and the letter was re ferred to the Committee of Works. THE GOVERNMENT PLAN OF EDUCATION. On Friday, a meeting of the clergy of this parish, con vened by circular, was held at the Blue Coat School, for the purpose of considering what steps it was advisable that the clergy as a body should take with reference to the plan of national education recently propounded by ministers. The Rev. Rector Brooks took the chair, and amongst others the following clergymen were present, viz. :—The Revs. John Connor, Hugh M`Neile, Dr. Booth, W. Ban nister, J. B. Phillips, E. Roberts, J. Dover, F. Parry, W. Pollock, J. Dwyer, R. Davies, John Jones, Cecil Wray, C. Morrall, T. Nolan, J. B. Monk, J. North, James C. Prince, T. G. Leigh, &c. As the meeting was purely of a private nature, although in support of a great public ob ject, reporters were not admitted, and the discussion which took place was merely of a conversational character. Of course the subject of the government scheme of educa tion was fully brought before the meeting. Several of the clergy deplored the apathetic conduct of the people of Li verpool in not sending petitions to parliament, and they called on the lay members of the Church of England to come forward in support of the plan of education now proposed by her Majesty's government. There appeared to be a unanimous opinion that the government measure was the best which, under existing circumstances, could be expected to be passed into a law ; and a sincere hope was expressed that the lamentable indifference of the peo ple with regard to this measure would not in any way have the effect of inducing the government to relax in their endeavour to pass the bill. Ultimately a petition embo dying the views of the clergy, and si m il ar t o t h at wh i ch is now in course of signature was adopted. OPERATIVIt BAKERS. On Friday evening, an important and numerous meet ing of the journeymen bakers in this town and Birkenhead was held in the Music-hall; Alexander Dunlop, Esq., in the chair. Letters were read from the Revs. W. M. Falloon, T. Nolan, J. Cordeaux, and H. Hampton, each expressing their regret that they could not attend that evening, but giving their best wishes and approval of the objects in view. Mr. Hulme of Salford, Mr. Turner of Manchester, and Mr. Howarth of Bolton, attended as delegates from their respective localities, and a number of e :cellent speeches were delivered. The first resolution was to the effect that the hours of labour of the journey mer should be defined—twelve hours—namely, from five in the morning to five in the afternoon, meal times in cluded, as a maximum ; and that all Sunday work, except what was absolutely necessary, should be abolished. The second resolution pledged the meeting to carry this object by all legitimate means. After a vote of thanks to the Chairman, the meeting separated. BIRKENHEAD DOMAI/SSIONERS. The monthly meeting was held on Tuesday evening; present--Messrs. J. Laird, Bryans, W. Laird, Little, C. A. Watson, Pike, Barbour, Gilbertson, Thompson, Pion, and Appleton. The Watch Committee proceedings recommended form ing the police into three classes, the first to be paid 20s. a week, the second 18s., and the third 165., and that the 'officers in the second and third classes be promoted ac cording to merit. Officers in the first and second classes to be disrated for misconduct.—Confirmed. The Ferry Committee, by their minutes, recommended the appointment of Mr. William Rudd as manager of the ferry, at a salary of £2OO a year, in the room of Captain Hookey, appointed Harbour Master. The total receipts of the ferry from April 23, 1846, to March 31, 1837, were £20,702 ; for the correspondi ng p er i o d o f the preceding year, £22,337. Total expenditure, £15,477. The report on original plans for the erection of the ferry gates was referred back to the committee, with instructions to confer with Mr. W. Jackson, so as to secure a handsome erection. The Gas and Water Committee recommended that both bills should 'G proceeded with, notwithstanding the report of the surveying officers.—Mr. Thompson said the reports contained some very singular errors and mis-statements. —Mr. W. Laird said that the Commissioners had every prospect of succeeding with their gas and water bills, from their similarity to the government measure.—The motion that they be proceeded with was adopted. Mr. W. LAIRD stated that a letter had been received from the Admiralty, referring to a letter received from Mr. Lloyd, explaining the mode of entering into the docks through the Woodside Basin. It stated that those explanations were perfectly satisfactory to the Admiralty. Under these circumstances, and after what had passed the previous day, he thought those bills quite safe. ANNUAL EASTER VESTRY MEETING. On Tuesday the annual vestry was held in St. Nicho las's Church, the Rev. Rector Brooks in the chair. It appeared from the statement of accounts, read by Mr. Hart, that the sum of £3,933 had been received on ac count of the church-rate for 1846, at VA. in the pound ; that the expenditure had been £3,679, and that there was a balance to the credit of the parish of £l,2oG.—The ac counts were unanimously passed.—Mr. John Ferguson and Mr. Thomas Littledale were appointed churchwardens for the ensuing year.—Mr. Charles Cotesworth and Mr. William Bennett were elected sidesmcn for the ensuing year.—Messrs. Johnson, Houghton, Lewin, and Poole, were elected overseers.—Mr. Scholfield said that the select vestrymen whose time of office had expired were Messrs. Molyneux, Mayer, Hand, Groom, Bennett, Stems, Haigh, Johnson, Stitt, Taylor, and Townsend. He moved the appointment of Mr. Earle, in place of Mr. Molyneux, and Mr. Riding in place of Mr. Mayer, also the reappoint ment of Mr. Hand, and that Mr. Harbord be appointed in place of Mr. Groom. Several gentlemen were then nominated by others : Mr. Smith nominating Mr. Caffe rata instead of Mr. Harbord, and on a show of hands the majority were for the former. A poll was demanded by Mr. Riding.—ln the room of Mr. Stitt, Mr. E. T. M`Knight and Mr. Sharpe were severally proposed. The question being put, Mr. Sh ar p e h a d t h e ma j or i ty, and Mr. Riding again demanded a poll.—Mr. Henry Fox and Mr. Timothy Parkinson were next proposed. The ques tion was put, and th e c h a i rman fi nally decided that the majority was in favour of Mr. Cafferata, Mr. Rogers, Mr. Sharpe, and Mr. Fox. A poll was then demanded on behalf of Mr. Harbord, Mr. M`Gregor, Mr. AP Knight, and Mr. Parkinson.—The next subject was the laying of a church-rate, and Mr. Scholfield, seconded by Mr. Riding, moved that it be a penny. Mr. Bigham moved that it be a halfpenny, but, finding it would not be enough, with drew his motion. The penny rate was carried.—Mr. John Tatham and Mr. Sangster were appointed churchwardens of St. Paul's, and £5O allowed the parish clerks in lieu of Easter dues, and £5O for the Welsh evening service at 3 1 St. Paul's in the usual proportions,—£3s to the clergy man, £lO to the clerk, and £5 to the sexton ; also, £3O to the clergyman of St. Matthias's.—Alr. Bigham moved as an amendment a direct negative to this, on the ground that the church was the richest in the world, and that if her funds were properly distributed, the working bees would be provided for.—The amendment was not seconded, and the motion was carried.—From the statements of Mr. Hart and others, it appeared that the payments to widows in the almshouses had amounted last year to £52; and that there was a large balance to the credit of the parish in the hands of the corporation, who paid interest for it.—Mr. Bigham and Mr. Smith suggested a rate of a farthing in the pound might be put in the bills for the purpose of reimbursing Mr. Blanchard, and that it might be left optional with the parishioners to pay it or not as - they pleased.—The Chairman said he should lay the sug gestion before the Select Vestry, and recommend it. There was, he said, anothe r equally strong claim upon their sympathy—the wives and families of those officers who had met their deaths by attending on the parish du ties. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Smith suggested the same plan in this case, and Mr. Bigham said no one would oJject to the payment of a halfpenny rate. It was stated that this would produce only £1,500, and that more was re quired.-7A vote of thanks was passed to the Church wardens and Select Vestry for their services.—The Chair man stated that the attention of the Select Vestry had been directed to the state of St. Mary's Cemetery, and that, in all probability, another place of interment would shortly be obtained.—Mr. Scholfield made an ineffectual attempt to induce Mr. Bryden to withdraw Mr. Parkin son.—A vote of thanks was passed by acclamation to Rector Brooks, for his efficient conduct in the chair.-- The names of the Select Vestrymen appointed for the ensuing year were Messrs. Henry Townsend, John Hard, William Bennett, Arthur Steins, Thomas Haigh, Howard Horsley, William Earle, Joseph Riding, Joseph Cafierata, William M`Gregor ' and Richard Sharp.—Mr. Fox h av i ng stated, that if elected, it would be out of his power to devote the necessary attention to parochial affairs, Mr. Parkinson was elected. At a meeting of the House Carpenters and Joiners' Association, on Thursday evening, resolutions were passed expressive of their determination to do all in their power to stipport the union, as the best means of pre venting any oppression, and protecting their interests generally. At meetings of the Birkenhead Dock Company and the Herculaneum Dock Company, on Wednesday, the draft of a bill for amalgamating the two companies was agreed. to. The chairman, Joseph Bailey, jun., Esq., M.P., announced that Baron Goldsmid, Alderman Thompson, M.P., and Francis Mills, Esq., of London, had been added to the direction. WALTON.—At the annual vestry meeting of the rate payers of Walton-on-the-Hill, on Tuesday, a rate of one penny in the pound was agreed to. It was resolved that proceedings should be taken against all parties in arrear with their rates. Mr. T. F. Roskell was re-elected churchwarden, and Mr. E. Rogerson sidesman. ,•, . e."" LOSS OF THE " TWEED." The royal mail steam-packet Avon, R.S. Norton, com mander, arrived on Wednesday, and the mails were im mediately despatched to Southampton. By this arrival the total loss of the Tweed is confirmed, with the awful loss of seventy-two lives. Seventy-nine persons, however, were saved. On the 9th of February last, the Tweed left Havannah, at six, p.m., for Vera Cruz and Tampico. She had on board 1,115 bottles of quicksilver, valued at £lB,OOO, 60 passengers, and some 69 or 70 tons of coals to be lent to her Majesty's steamer llermes in the Gulf. On the 10th February they had no observation, nor on the 11th. At 30 minutes past three o'clock on Friday, February 2, steering W.S.W., the engines making I 0 revolutions per minute, speed seven and a-half knots per hour, blowing a norther, with a very heavy sea, she went on the N.E., of the Alacranes, having been carried thirty miles by a strong current to the northward out of her course. The engines were stopped and reversed before she struck ; but she went on with considerable force, so much so, that the concussion broke the machinery, which at once stopped and, in thirty minutes after striking, she was a perfect and entire wreck. The commander, Mr. G. Parsons, and Lieutenant Davis, royal navy, admiralty agent, were amongst those saved. The mail-boat, having only her stern torn out, bottom and stem stove in, was patched up with sails, &c, and sent 100 miles to Sisal, with Lieut. Davis, the chief officer, and eight men. They boarded a Spanish brig, with which they returned to the wreck, and saved the sufferers. After they had been five days and five nights on the reef, which was entirely covered with water, the brig took them all to Sisal, whence they sailed, in the same vessel, on the 25th of February, for the Ha vannah ; but Mr. Davies was obliged to go to the hospital on his arrival at the Havannah, having received so much injury on the wreck. No mails, nor a single thing were saved from the Tweed. LIST OF PASSENGERS AND CREW SAVED. — Cabin. passengers :—W. Ellice, Esq., English ; L. R. Price, do. B. G. Farias, Mexican ; C. 0. Ledward, English ; J. Jones, do. ; P. Probst, German ; F. M`Dimond, Ameri can ; F. Castro, Spanish ; A. Pierron, French ; T. F. Knox, English ; J. E. Espino, Mexican ; J. Hernandez, Canary Isles ; Juan Lobo, Spanish ; Antonio Miranda, do. ; Jose Bolet, do. ; A. Palacio, do. ; Mrs. Bruncel. Deck Passengers :—A. Gutierrez, Spanish ; T. T. Piria, T. Luengas, T. Blanco, V. G. Renddeles, F. L. Peria, T. M. Ortez, T. Barco, M. M. Echavarri, M. Beraza, D. Dyarzabal, F. Mendia. Crew :—Captain G. Parsons, Lieutenant Davies, R.N., Admiralty agent, and 48 officers and men. PASSENGERS AND CREW LOST.—PASSENGERS.—Mr. Yerchuste, Mr. Fouticha, Gen. Chaulier, Mr. Escudeno, Mrs. Escudeno, child, and servant ; Messrs. Barreinena, Robinson, Mernende, Secde n b erg , B oom , G artman, La vanda, Re monte, Maspule, Se r b rau , Guxraga, Viginga, Fox, Fortino, Santo, Cavill, Gonalez, Ladiza, Cofer, Matthews, Fuentes, Topete ; Mrs. Jones and Son. Crew : —Mr. W. Croke, fourth officer ; Mr. P. Spence, midship man; Mr. R. Vambel, midshipman; and 38 others. Total-31 passengers and 41 of the crew lost. The great loss of life appears to have taken place as the ship was breaking up, when the unfortunates were endea vouring to get from the wreck in the coral reef, where, once safe, not a soul was lost. Here their sufferings were. most severe, for a long time deprived of water, but tveis& scantily supplied with wine and brandy. After a day or two the engineers contrived to make an apparatus to pro duce fresh water. The poor creatures were immersed in water the whole time, and but slightly covered with clothes ; on the rising of the tide for the first time after the wreck, they were unaware of the height it would cover, and momentarily expected death. After a time they collected parts of the wreck and constructed astage, on which they resided (if the term may be used) until their deliverance, occasionally sleeping whilst others went out in search of food, finding lobsters and other fish, in small numbers, and at suitable times joining in prayer to Almighty God for his continued mercy. The captain was on deck at the time the Tweed struck, and had been for an hour previously. On striking a se cond time she swung over her port side, and another sea tore everything to pieces. The boats were all damaged, and some of the passengers unable to get on deck, from the ladders being carried away. The three female pas gengers and Stewardess perished. Nine men hung on the wreck till the next day, and hazarded an attempt to gain the reef : in similat attempts nearly all had perished ; these took the precaution to lash spars together, and seven, of the last survivors on the Tweed were saved. The humane conduct of the captain and mate of the Emilio is most gratefully spoken of, and also of the Yucatan on the main land. On the third day (Sunday), the poor creatures found a box of lucifer matches floating, and, after drying them, were able to get a light, and lighted fires, and speedily began to cook and make biscuits. This added much to their comfort, though immersed day and night in water, and not knowing up to this time if the frail boat sent for rescue would ever reach ship or land. It is worthy of re mark, that had the Tweed struck at high water, not a soul would have been saved ; that part of the reef being almost entirely covered. This accident may be attributed first to the captain not being able to get sights, for some days, accurately to define his position, a powerful current set ting the ship bodily to the north, and the general bad weather. Every one on board speaks highly of Captain Parsons. All the crew arrived by the Avon but two. The correspondent of the Morning Herald says :—" At 3 30 a.m. on the 12th, when the captain judged the ship. was 30 miles to the south of the Alacranes. the look-out on the forecastle cried out, " breakers a-head." Captain Parsons, who was on deck, hearing them at the same moment, immediately ordered the engines to be stopped and reversed, and the helm to be put hard a starboard, which order was instantly obeyed, but the foresail, fore trysail, and fore-topsail being set, and a heavy sea run ning, she forged a-head and struck. The engines made one or two revolutions, and for a few seconds only the ship was off the reef ; she then struck with such a fearful crash, that the cylinder of one engine was forced up wards a considerable distance, and they were consequently both disabled, and the engineers compelled to abandon the engine -room. This was, indeed, as my informant gra phically describes it, an awful, terrible moment for all. The cry of " All hands on deck " was in a few brief but painful seconds raised. As may be readily imagined, the alarming summons was instantly obeyed. The ship then struck a second time with inconceivable violence ; and, at the same moment, were to be observed scores of half naked, half-frantic passengers and crew, holding on by whatever came within reach. The poor Tweed continued to strike rapidly and heavily, and rolled with great vio lence. In this fearful state she continued for one half hour, numbers of passengers and crew being occasionally swept off into the yawning waves beneath. The masts were ordered to be cut away, and the men also succeeded in cutting away the shrouds. She then gave a heavy roll, the funnel went over the side, and in a few moments many were hurried into eternity. At this juncture, however, most of the survivors succeeded in reaching the port side of the vessel, and the two port cutters were fearfully crammed with passengers. They were lowered, but almost instantly both were swamped • a few managed to regain the ship by scrambling up the side. The sea at this moment struck the bell, and, as my very intelligent informant says, " Never shall I forget that sound, amidst all these horrors, it tolled the knell of their tindepart inglv souls. A distressing fearful shriek was lieard, ess cE!,, a while these distressing sounds were partially s n u i p a _Pf y sa c ed The ship then separated into two parts, and P t i l e ie ce s s ur of the themselves fating in w r t e h e e k best B,,e way jn they could several o p f , carried into smooth water inside o pro t vivors, by the interposition o f . a merciful Pro vide o nce , were • got and remained. Never . 1 ously await the coming dawn v _ si . 41, a.. nothing but the wide ocean was e _ Elizabeth Burton, a woman ift qrsofgr• ylo• `c- 1 znerly living in Porter-street, di egly.-.11 4 7 night. Y. • I . k 3 dt'cl SPAM, miEb