The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-02-23 00:00:00

NO(IM, l'eb. 23, 1547. Lotal latb3s. R. Pim, Esq., of Oakfield, Birkenhead, has presented 5 ,000 bricks towards the fund for the relief of the poor. On Monday, Joseph M'Donald fell into the Harrington Dock, by what means did not appear on the inquest, and was drowned before assistance could be rendered. Mr. Simpson, of the Liverpool Theatre Royal, has en gaged Mrs. Butler, late Miss Fanny Kemble, to appear here for two nights. BIRKENHEAD DISPENSARY.—On Friday, Mr. Ling ward, of Price-street, was elected one of the honorary surgeons of the above institution. The votes were— Lingward, 82 ; Walker, 56. IRISH AND SCOTCH RELIEF FUND.—Mr. Copeland, of the Royal Amphitheatre, has paid over the sum of £25, the proceeds of Thursday evening's performance, after deducting necessary expenses. At the annual meeting of the Liverpool Gas-light Com- Pally, on Tuesday, a dividend of £5 per share for the nalf-year was declared. The intended application to par liament to raise further capital was confirmed. Wm. Jackson, -Esq., has ordered bread and soup to be given (at his own expense) to about 400 destitute persons, Chiefly Irish, until the weather becomes sufficiently fa vourable to give them a chance of obtaining employment in this country. DRAMATIC READlNGS.—Arrangpments have been made by Mr. Lynne, of the .Adelphi Theatre, for the delivery of a series of dramatic readings, with vocal illustrations, from the plays of Shakespere, particulars of which will be shortly announced. On Sunday week, the Rev. John Park, of Glencairn, preached a sermon in the Scotch Church, Rodney-street, when, after a most eloquent appeal, the handsome sum of £lOB was realised. This was further augmented by the evening donations. On Tuesday Mr. Wombwell, with his usual liberality, gave permission to the children of the Ragged Schools to visit his menagerie gratis. The number of boys and girls that attended was about 230. They behaved in a very orderly manner, and seemed highly gratified. • The House-owners' Guardian Society are about to take up the subject of the conveyance of property, to obtain a diminution of the present excessive cost of transfer deeds, &c., and a more equitable arrangement of the stamp duties upon the smaller amounts of consideration. EXTRAORDINARY DESPATCH.—At the Albert Dock, On Friday, the cargo of the Corinthian, consisting of tea and silk, was discharged in the incredibly short space of three hours. She had on board 985 bales silk, .1090-packages tea, and 210 bales hemp. THE QUEEN A MERCHANT.—The Hibernia, Boston Steamer, brought a box addressed to her Majesty. It is entered in the bill of entry " one box, contents unknown, for her M a j e sty, th e Q u een." We believe it contains a quantity of illustrated and other American publications, from one of the most eminent publishers in the New World. It may be said of England—" Her merchants are princes." Fiues.--On - Wednesday, a fire broke out in the rope walk of Messrs. Hulme and Co., Lodge-lane, and property to the value of £l5O was destroyed. On Friday, a fire broke out in the workshop of Mr. Killinge, wood-turner, Lawton-street. The fire broke out between six and seven o'clock, and the premises were entirely gutted in about an hour. Mr. Killinge was not insured ; his loss will amount to about £3OO. Sir George Grey has refused to sanction the appoint ment of Dr. Duncan to the office of medical officer under the Sanatory Bill—not in reference to Dr. Duncan's fit aos, but because the Home-office is decidedly of opinion that the medical officer should devote his whole time to the duties of the situation, and refrain altogether from private practice. Of course his salary ought to car res.pond to these circumstances. LIVERPOOL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.—This society ' a now fairly established. Mr. T. C. Archer has been appointed the secretary. The Gardens Committee have I t leA,ed favourably the application for the use of the Bo umilt4e,Gardens for horticultural exhibitions, and intend to A . 'te matter before the next meeting of the Council. ch i lr eti "—g was held last week—R. M. Beckwith in the th e which three shows were agreed upon during ~e , snonner. Numerous promises of specimens have al '`auy been received. The show will be open to all Eng land. TEE HORSE TRICK AGAIN.—On Tuesday, Mr. Sa muel Greenwood, of Royton. came to Liverpool, and as he was walking up Dale-street, he was accosted by a stranger, who said he had come for the purpose of buying a horse, but an old man, who had one to sell that would suit him,,wanted thirty guineas for it, and because he had offered him only £3O he would not let hint have it at any price. He added, that he was very anxious to, get the horse, and he would give any man two sovereigns to buy it for him. Mr. G. received the deposit of a sovereign, and discovering the trick attempted to be played, after making the bargain, induced the stranger to advance the money, and then walked away. DARING OUTRAGE.—On Friday night last, as Mr. John Robinson, one of the clerks in the house of Messrs. John 13 ..Br anc k er an d S on, o f t hi s town, was return i ng t o hi s c c ' d gings, a little before eleven o'clock, in turning the corner of Leveson-street into Cornwallis-street, he was suddenly knocked down, and his money demanded of him, by a ma n a b ou t fi ve f eet an d a half high, and dressed in a dark brown cart. He, however, was getting the better of the thief, when the latter called' out "Jack," and imme diately up came another man, dressed in barragon trousers and a small round jacket, and along with him two women. Mr. Robinson, finding that. he was now likely to be over powered, made the best of his way to his lodgings, which were not more than fifty yards distant. THE WATER INQUIRY.—Mr. James M'Donald, the engineer for the Liverpool and Harrington Water-works, m e w sts do us y t o o u s e t , alculate t ahe n n u sw pa tr er to . l%P o a n g s e's query charge per minute ?" his reply was as follows, and not as has been reported in some of the papers :—" I adopt a very simple mode of doing so, by squaring the diameter of the pump or pipe in inches, and by cutting off the right hand figure of the square number by a decimal point, I obtain the contents of such pump or pipe in ale gallons and tenths of gallons, with sufficient accuracy for any practical purpose." He further adds, "I am also made to say, that Windsor s u ppli es 9,220,000 gallons, it should have been 922,000 gallons." COLLEGIATE INSTMUTION.—On Friday evening Sir H. R. Bishop gave his fifth lecture at this institution. It was as numerously attended as the preceding ones. The music of France was his theme, and the composers r eviewed were Boieldieu, Auber, and Herold. The per formances on the organ, by Mr. Rogers, were Herold's overture to Zampa and Auber's overture to,Masaniello. T hey were both well received, the latter obtaining an unanimous encore. The vocalists also acquitted them selves admirably. This evening Sir Henry delivers his Zset c luding lecture, or we should rather say concert, as it c onsist almost exclusively of musical performances ere e ted from his own works ; and as a considerable in be rig of vocal talent, including Mrs. George Holden, has doubtless engaged for the occasion, the entertainment will übtless be altogether of a very superior description. DEATH FROM DESTITUTION.—On Monday, a child 'allied Elizabeth Banistre, died from destitution. It ap peared that on Sunday night the mother of the deceased ;was found, by a police-officer, in Summer-street, Vaux hall -road, when she said that she had no place to go to, Paving been turned out of her lodgings. She had with her two children, one of whom, the deceased, was lying Aupon some shavings. The officer took them to a house in thol-street, and the deceased, who appeared to be dying, had some refreshment given to her, but she was scarcely able to take it, owing to weakness. The deceased became gradually worse, until Monday evening, when she died. The mother stated that she got relief at the Parish-office' aboue a month ago, and subsequently applied and. again, but was told that she would be passed refused, alleging as a reason that she had no place Thist shego to when she got there. It appeared that on the day of the child's death some relief was administered by one of the relieving officers. ADMIRALTY INQUIRY, BIRKENHEAD.—On Wednes day, Mr. Abernethy held an inquiry at Birkenhead into the two bills for which the Birkenhead Dock Commis sioners have applications at present before Parliament. Lloyd appeared to support the measures. The Town ,, Mr. Nelson, and Mr. Hassell appeared to watch hasproceedings, and, if necessary, to oppose. The inquiry toed the enti r e d a y. It a pp ear ed from the proceedings th at the commissioners have had three bills before Parlia kz. The first authorised them to raise a sum of 4470000; the second £600,000 ;- and the present bill cat '9OO. - They admitted that they experienced a diffi co Sin money, and that they required powers to etZel the owners of land fronting Wallasey Pool to e nab le them to erect the wall upon the margin. It was ih j 'ended upon the other side that they ought to make c us e' t immense dock before they proceeded to erect a se e i t i?ln-house or graving docks, for which they are now le l ag powers, and that the landowners would be much th e advantageously circumstanced under the former bills and under the present. After replies from Mr. Lloyd "Planations from Mr. Rendell, the inquiry terminated., /Me. of , 7 4 SONMENTAND TRANSPORTATION.—From a mass 01.08,.;L at isties, supplied by the governor of the borough gaol, thelng the inefficiency of the present system of imprison nt and transportation in the reformation of offenders, Ju st PaYor ' the stipendiary magistrate, and nineteen other su teg e eS, have petitioned the house of lords to adopt mea elltruT W ith a view to their amendment. The petit ion was sted to L or d B roug h am, w h o e li c i te d a de b ate, on be rs _flay, in which it was admitted th a t good service had th en d one in this cause by the statement of facts which netagetpool magistrates had put forth. The most re akimple feature of the debate was an announcement by i ntro,lreY, to the effect that very shortly a bill would be ittip to , l , l eed into the lower house, modifying the system of bloc e4 lent so as better to secure reformation, and that Liv e ration would be superseded. It is creditable to Of tlii s ° ° l to have been the means of eliciting a statement di st ; n ature. During the debate, by a curious accident, - 1 40i i i 1 ,g 1 liShed prisoner—the late prisoner of Ham, Prince letiet - "apoleon—was the sole occupier of one of the gal !owe,. In the gallery appropriated to members of tho nav e uouse, there were a number of public men, who tribilaid attention to the subject of p r i son discipline —a. p ool e to th e i mportance o f t h e petition from the Liver magistrates. At are LIFE Buoys.—The efficacy of these buoys bot,t b ecoming more apparent. After the loss of th e aav 2, of the ill-fated Sirius, from Dublin to Cork, those 14vet'ontiottribute their preservation to this invaluable n ott EGS AND WOUNDS OF ALL KINDS CURED BY be 11Q,.,°4wAY'S OINTMENT.— if these valuable medicines th e „.," , „ together according to the directions given with et ar 7 ( l,_there is no case, however obstinate, bad, or long efe o ,„Tg, but may be shortly cured by their surprising jar,,,7l•_s Thousands of persons who had been patients of gea, s 7 f ltFtls, and under the care of the greatest sur last re , e day without deriving the least benefit, as a alwa mute use Holloway's Ointment and Pills, which ~n ger wcure them, and frequently in as little time as -S ee wvtwould require when treated in the usual way.— GALLANT CONDUCT.—On Thursday morning last, a 1 youth, named George Shepherd, son of Mr. William Shepherd, of Mill-road, Everton, while stepping from on board the Prince, Dublin steamer, where he had been at work repairing the machinery, on to the Mersey, Birken head ferry-boat, which was lying alongside of the Prince, missed his footing and fell into the river between the two vessels. It was blowing fresh at the time, and a strong flood tide running ; buoys and ropes were immediately thrown overboard from both vessels, but without avail, for such was the strength of the current that the poor youth was being carried far beyond their reach, where he must inevitably have perished, had it not been for the praiseworthy daring of a seaman, belonging to the Bir kenhead boat, named William Kane, who leaped into the river, taking with him a small line ; he succeeded in reaching the youth just as he was about sinking, probably never to rise again, and with great difficulty managed to have the rope tied round the boy's middle, by means of which the people in the steamer haled him on board. He was immediately conveyed to Willoughby's Hotel, at Birkenhead, where every atention and kindness was shown him, and he shortly recovered. We are given to under stand that this is the tenth individual Kane has succeeded in rescuing from a watery grave. Let us hope that his conduct will not be overlooked by the Humane Society. The Registrars of Births and Deaths in Liverpool have presented to their superintendent, Mr. Eckersley, a hand some gold pencil-case and pen, as a testimony of their esteem for his personal character, and their admiration of the manner in which he has for several years discharged the duties of his office. SHIPWRECK.—DREADFUL SUFFERINGS OF A CREW. — The brig Marwood, Charles Balberine, master, sailed from Bonny on the 9th of September last, with a cargo of palm oil, for Liverpool. The provisions fell short. On the 29th December a sea struck her, stove in the cabin dead lights, filled the cabin full of water, and destroyed the charts, books, papers, and nautical instruments. All hands were then employed at the pumps, as the ship was making much water. They had no provisions, except a gill of rice or farina per day. On the 13th of January the rudder was carried away, and the ship became ungo vernable. Land was seen, on the 20th, and the crew left in the boat, but could not reach it, and they were obliged to return to the ship. They cast anchor and cut away the masts. The poor fellows were by this time starving. They eat leather, palm oil, dried monkey skins, buttons, pouches, or anything they could get. So me o f th em drank salt water, some their urine, and when a heavy dew or light rain fell, they licked about the rails and deck of the ship until the blood oozed from their lips and tongue. On the 22nd another man died from hunger. The crew were unable to bury his corpse, they were so weak. It lay about amongst them, and at last,,by feeding upon it, they obtained strength enough to save themselves. On the morning of the 24th they, got into the boat, ran her into a narrow inlet, and found themselves close to a fishing village. One or two of the crew who were able to walk made towards the village, and found the inhabitants at church. They immediately, however, came to the res cue of the poor fellows, treated them in the most humane manner, and gave them what nourishment was necessary in their weak state. The crew had landed on Videroe, one of the Ferroe Islands belonging to Denmark, and the inlet at which they ran their boat ashore was the only place of landing on the island. The governor of the island took the crew to the town of Throsound, and gave them clothes and every necessary. A small Norwegian ship was at Throsound, and the captain agreed to take them to Shetland. They sailed again on the 4th instant, but having encountered another gale of wind, they landed at Wick on the 10th. The Marwood sunk at her moor ings, and the crew saved nothing but what was on their backs. THE BIRKENHEAD BALL—This ball, on Tuesday even ing, was very fully and fashionably attended at the Monks' Ferry Hotel. A large temporary saloon was constructed and annexed to the large room of the building, three of the windows of the latter being removed. In the centre window a sort of double orchestra was placed, so as to serve both rooms. This was occupied by Mr. Gribbins, and his excellent band. The walls of the saloon were decorated with coloured draperies and evergreens, and from the centre of the roof was suspended an enormous chandelier, sustaining a circle of globular lamps, and a blazing horizontal star of many rays. On the other side of the corridor, and still on the same level, were the card room and drawing room, in the latter of which Mrs. Fielden and Mrs. Shaw received the company as they arrived and were presented. Up to eleven o'clock the rooms became gradually more and more crowded, till we should think not less than five hundred ladies and gentle men were present—the latter predominating in number, so that no gentleman was without a partner. We never witnessed a ball in which enjoyment, and the highest degree of ! politesse, were more harmoniously united. About eleven o'clock refreshments were announced, and from that time parties repaired to the supper-room at their convenience, where choice viands, and the usual ac companiments, were supplied with a profusion and good order scarcely to surpassed, and which did the highest credit to Mr. and Mrs. Hilliar, whose reputation in such matters is established. The tables were laid in the up stairs corridor, which, owing to its length, formed a noble room for the purpose. After one o'clock the company began to depart. Amongst the company present we noticed — Lieutenant Taylor, Rev. R. France, Rev. Brown, Rev. Harcourt Vaughan, Rev. Dr. Hamilton, Rev. R. M. Fielden and party, J. R. Shaw, Esq., and party, W. Jackson, Esq., Wm. Potter, Esq., Wm. Laird, Esq., and party, Mr. and Mrs. Cole, J. W. Harden, Esq., and party, H. Wood, Esq., and party, Mr. and Mi ss Malaby, Mr. Dixon," surgeon, and party, John Lowe, Esq., and lady, Dr. Vau g h an , r. Steel, surgeon, Mr. Norton, sur geon, and lady, Mr. Foulkes, surgeon, Mr. Brine, Mr. J. S. Porter, Mr. L. Hornblower, Mr. J. Kemp, Mr. N. M." Raynes, Mr. Jackson, of Noctorum, and party, Mr. J, Macauley, Mr. Robins, Mr. T. A. Bushby, and party, &c. 3itstrfrt tattus. The Manchester and Salford fund for the relief of the Irish and Scotch, has reached £lO,OOO. - It is the building kno wn as the Conservative Hall, Newton, and not the Legh Arms, that is being fitted up as ayrinting-office._ _ _ Mr. Thomas Bazley has been appointed president of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce, Mr. L. Williams, vice-president, and Mr. W. R. Callender, treasurer. A few days since, an auctioneer, of Chester, found a hidden treasure of sixty sovereigns and thirty-eight shil lings in silver, in some household furniture which had been intrusted to him for sale. A public meeting of merc h an t s, manu f acturers, an d otherinhabitants, convened by the Mayor, i n c o m pli a n ce with a numerously-signed requisition, was held on Tues day, in Manchester, at which resolutions were adopted in favour of a reduction of the duty on tea. The collections, on Sunday week, at St. Ann's Church, Manchester, after a sermon by the Rev. H. M'Grath, for the Irish and Scotch amounted to £212, and at Christ Church, Salford, after a sermon by the Rev. H. Stowell, for the same objects to £2lO. Two CHILDREN DROWNED.—On Sunday a little girl, named Margaret Buckley, about eight years old, who was carrying her infant brother across the bridge over Moston Brook, missed her footing, and both fell into the water, and were drowned.—Manchester Guardian. " SHOP SNEAKS. "—On Friday evening last, the police man on duty in David-street observed a little boy named Lowndes creep on his hands and knees, three times, into the shop of Mr. Burley, f urn it ure broker. Twice he re turned empty handed ; but the third time he brought out a fiddle. He, together with another boy named Nolan, who was with him at the time, have been committed to gaol.—Manchester Guardian. HOOTON.—Owing to the heavy fall of snow and severe frost, the ploughing matches of John Stanley, Esq., at Lowfields, Hooton, have been postponed t untl this day. Twenty-three teams are entered £3 o compete for the sum Sir William Massey Stanley, an of £l4, in prizes from lOs. ,engeenouerroagueslmyegnitveton theby ploughmen employed h baronet's estate and the immedi a t e ne i ghbourhood. A NOVEL MOUSE TRAP. ---At Ulverston a mous e got into a basket of cockles b e l ong i ng to a woman whohawf.ed them for sale. During the gre a t er part of the night, Mousey played all sorts of tricks amongst the cockles. At last one of the cockles caught between its shell the mouse's tail. The latter instantly made off for its hole, but failed in effecting its escape in consequence of the cockle's size. The screams of the captive awoke the old inches a blow in the offender ff w e h n o cier fin w din hic g h out cut whe offi n t c s e th tnil e , y se le a a r v o ing , the cockle's grasp. threee e Ma. BARON ALDERSON.—In delivering the charge to the grand jury at Lancaster, last week, Mr. Baron Alder son said, " Six and thirty years ago be began the northern circuit, and there he was again. He owed much to the county, and would never forget it. When he first came, it was no uncommon thing for as many persons to be called on to suffer death at these assizes as the present ca lendar now contained. He expressed his approval of the separate system, and said some objected to it as calculated to make the prisoner mad ; but he asked, was not crime itself a species of madness." BIGAMY.—At the Lancaster assizes last week, Mary Robinson was charged with having married James Claugh ton on the 12th October last, Thomas Parkinson, a former husband, being still alive. The first husband; it was proved, died three weeks after the prisoner was committed on his charge. His lordship said the prisoner must bc found guilty, and remarried to her present husband. Pri soner's counsel intimated the readiness of Claughton to take her back, on which his lordship s a id, " Then he shall have her !" ordered her to be fined a shilling, and discharged ; accompanying this reward with a recom mendation to the prisoner to get married again, as the present marriage with Claughton was illegal. THE QUEEN S THEATRE, MANCHESTER.—SALE OF MR. SLOANE'S LICENSE.—On Thursday, the sale by auction of Mr. Sloan's license to enact stage plays at this theatre, and some properties in the theatre, were put up by auction, by order of the assignees, Mr. S. being a bankrupt. The attendance of parties interested in theatres was large. The license, and property (in the cellars only) were 'ffnally knocked down to Mr. John Knowles ? pro prietor of the Theatre-Royal, for £lOO. The position of things, the result of the license being purchased by Mr. Knowles, is this :—The assignees are at the present time in possession the proprietors, therefore, cannot put in a tenant, until the bankrupt, by his assignees, gives up possession, and if Mr. Sloan (who, we understand, has got an engagement as an actor in London, and is leaving Manchester immediately) does not voluntarily give up possession, there remains only the slow process of a writ of ejectment. On the other hand, no tenant, nor even the proprietors (if they get possession and tare the theatre into their own hands), can enact stage-plays therein, during a period of more than eight months ; for, until the Ist November next, Mr. Knowles holds the license. The proprietors of the theatre and the assignee of Sloane are at issue, as to the property of the scenery, &e.; and it depends upon the former whether the theatre is to remain closed for the eight months, or be re-opened under the license. THE LLVERP INCREASE OF THE TIMBER TRADE OF LIVERPOOL, AND NECESSITY OF FURTHER ACCOMMODATION. We lately furnished some statements respecting the increased timber trade of this port, and having•now before us two annual circulars, from highly-respectable firms, (which, we doubt not, from their accordance, express the general opinions, as well as calculations, of their brethren in the trade,) we revert to the subject, which is become one of great importance. We are further induced to do so, from having possessed ourselves of some other in teresting particulars relative to the docks appropriated to the reception of timber,—showing that, even with the improved management, "the cry is still for room." The circulars alluded to contain general observations on the state of the timber trade, from the Ist February, 1846, to Ist February, 1847, with valuable statistics, into which last we can but slightly enter. The first we shall notice is by Messrs. Chaloner and Fleming, who do no business on their own account. They state, "We have to record the largest amount of tonnage ever employed in one year, - the total quantity arrived from British America and the North of Europe amounting to 598 vessels, 279,561 tons, exceeding last year by 32 vessels, 5915 tons, and on an average of the five years previous (including last year) by 215 vessels, 91,908 tons. A large portion of the tonnage was occupied in carrying railroad sleepers, comparatively a new feature, and one likely, for at least several years, to demand a large amount of tonnage for itself.* Still the supply of square fire timber is fully more than an average.' After relating some circumstances respecting the trade, (not here relevant), the writers state, at considerable length, that the year's operations again forcibly call at tention to the want of accommodation for the trade;which must ultimately, if not remedied, " end in an emigration from its present locality, or a serious diminution of its extent." They add that the expenses are now great, and that future prospects depend upon increased accommoda tion • and that if, "as in London and th e Clyd e , water space for floating square timber be provided, a large increase may be looked for, with diminished expenses, and in creased satisfaction." They urge additional facilities for transit, and cheaper local expenses,—the rents having " largely increased, so that timber is now held at much greater cost than formerly." The remedy for the grievances stated,—and which are not to be attributed to the Dock Committee, who have done their best within the space they could appropriate to this trade, but to the want of room in the present lo cality,—will, we believe, be ultimately found in its re moval to the north end of the town, leaving the present timber docks for the increasing dry-good vessels frequent ing the port, and this is in contemplation north of the docks now under construction, and with a floating space to extend into Bootle Bay up to, or towards, the Land Marks. This, or some other plan, ought to be set about without delay. It appears, from the authority quoted, which gives the imports of timber from British America and the Baltic for the last twelve years, that the increase from those quarters within the last three years, and especially the last two, has been very great. We need but quote the last four years, in illustration _ _ British American. Baltic. tonnage. tonnage. 1844 1845 1846 239,854 1847 The other circular referred to is that of Messrs. Dun can and Ewing, and they nearly agree.with the foregoing. They state that the consumption of timber over that of the previous year was 428,000 feet, and that exclusive of 10,000 tons of railway sleepers ; the tonnage employed of the past year amounts to 244,900 tons. Great improvements, we believe, have recently taken place in the working of the present timber docks, and great additional accommodation has been the consequence;' but all is not yet enough, though the want will not be felt for several months, February being considered the close of the season of general importation. The gross tonnage of the whole trade for the past year, in the three docks ap propriated to it—the Queen's, the Brunswick, and the Toxteth—was 278,720 tons. Of this no less than 184,304 tons of shipping were discharged on the east side of the Brunswick Dock, or above three-fourths of the whole ; the ships were in number 330, and in average burthen 560 tons. If, as it may be assumed, the average number of the vessels carried one-fourth more than their registered tonnage, there were landed from them on the east quay only of that dock, 230,380 tons of timber. The new re gulations for this quay, suggested, we believe, and most ably carried out by the superintendent, appea;to be very effective. The timer being well arranged in parallel lilies, and the ipaces, or areas, (running eastward,) for its temporary reception, for respective vessels, being distinctly marked out—every ten yards,—and any infringements of the rules are visited by penalties. The trade are favour able to these arrangements, and find advantage in them. We are not provided with statistics, as yet, of the opera tions on the west side of the dock, but believe that the business accomplished is proportionate, considering its great disadvantage (being to the shore side) in regard to cartage. The average tonnage of the largest vessels now in the trade is about 800 tons each. The whole of the ships employed are of about, two-thirds the tonnage, of all the ships belonging to the port, or, in other words, " hailing' from Liverpool,—that is exclusive of Ameri can, and all other foreign vessels. With these facts before us, we concur with the writers of the first circular referred to, that in consequence of the space for the deposit of timber becoming more contracted every year in the locality now allotted for it, the subject " now demands the serious and prompt attention of the authorities, whose duty it is to supply accommodation for a trade of such magnitude." We cannot doubt but that the Dock Committee will take the earliest possible means to furnish the required accommodation, (which would be a benefit to the public, as well as to the trade,) but some years will be required to complete sufficient dock room, with a large floating space inland, for the vast quantity of timber imported into Liverpool, and which besides sup plying our own county finds its way, by canal, &c., even to Birmingham and to Yorkshire. • * These sleepers are of pine, and of much gre a t er thi c k ness then those generally obtained in this country. A large quan tity of them are now on the Brunswick Dock Quay. THE WATER INQUIRY. We found it impossible last week to report the close of the proceedings on this important investigation, the Com missioners having sat to an hour on Monday evening too closely approaching to our time of publication to enable us to do so. We now, therefore, briefly sum up the sequel. Mr. RAWLINSON put in a statement of particulars of his proposed aqueduct (for the supply of the town) from the River Dee ; a map of the district from which the water was proposed to be derived : and an estimate of the cost. The area to be drained by the Dee (or added to it), ac cording to this plan, was about 289 square miles, or 184,960 acres, above the commencement of the proposed aqueduct. Another district was also to be drained into the river, which would thus secure its minimum flow. There were no engineering difficulties of moment. The length of aqueduct was 64 miles. The total cost, accord ing to the estimate, was £594,870. The plan would supply sixty millions of gallons per day, continuously,— the river being kept up by compensating reservoirs. A long conversation ensued relative to alterations in Mr. Rawlinson's plan, and the difficulty and cost of crossing two valleys. Mr. HAWKESLEY estimated the total cost at £BOO,OOO. Mr. PAGE asked the Town-clerk for Mr. Gossage's plan and sections. - Mr. SuurrLENvonni said they had all been returned to that gentleman at his own request. The TOWN-CLERK then briefly addressed the court, and the inquiry terminated. LOCAL MEETINGS. CHURCH _ li, gauo atnbdi s MISSIO NARY waasssoeiat association respectably w a S s o lti c ie : lo E du T go y hn . - Fn Aor Frihalf-day ye riiytnehaer Conc meet ert f BEaanti;dekbneatdikede: Adam Hodgson, Esq., was b Tl ie led ite to v the chair, • Birkenhead), m n co e . , e A t o i . n,ngatnhwdea addresse dtsbeprogressit ev. ojfo stelehmßiasiiyloenes, Rev. North_ .A.(o west America and Ceylon. WEST DERBY GUARDIANS.—At the weekly meeting on Wednesday, the governor of the workhouse stated that there were upwards of 472 persons now in the house. Mr. J. B. Nevins was appointed surgeon to the work house, in the room of Mr. Fell, who died front fever caught in the discharge of his duty at the fever ward; and the sum of £5O was voted to his widow, subject to the approval of the Poor Law Commissioners. The Law clerk was requested to advertise for a proper person to fill the office of surgeon for the district of Litherland. Mr. Greatrex sent in his resignation as surgeon to the muni cipal district of West Derby. A meeting was held at Woolton, on Thursday, for the purpose of establishing a Mechanics' Institution there. Richard Alison, Esq , was called to the chair. A design of the proposed building, to be erected on a plot of ground, belonging to Mr. Roskell, near the smithy on the Aller ton-road, was produced. The plan as at present agreed upon is, to make the lower story consist of two dwellings, the rent from which will assist the infant establishment. A properly trained schoolmaster will be appointed at a salary of £7O per annuin, and a schoolmistress at £5O. The capital to be raised for the purchase of the ground, &c., is £5OO, allotted into shares of £1 each. The insti tution will be supported by annual subscribers of Bs. per annum, shareholders paying only Gs. Docx CommirrEE, THURSDAY.-Mr. Henderson al luded to a case which had been brought before the sti pendiary magistrate, where a captain was charged w ith entering one of the docks in the nighttime when the fl ag was up ; the magistrate, however,dismissed the compl a i n t on the ground that it was impossibte to see the flags during the night. It was ordered that the attention of the Harbour-master should be called to the subject. The chairman said that the Parliamentary Committee had thought proper, in the first instance, to oppo se th e Bir kenhead Dock Amalgamation Bill on two grounds : the first was, that the title of the Company being " The Bir kenhead And Liverpool Dock Company," was likely to lead to great confusion in many instances ; and the other was, that proprietors of docks over the water should not be qualified to sit on that committee. He submitted a letter from Mr. Potter, in which it was stated that the name would be changed to the Birkenhead and Hercula neum Company, and that the proprietors should be dis qualified from sitting at that board. The objections being thus removed, the Parliamentary Committee would not oppose the bill any longer. Mr. Mann thought there should be an extension of the principle, and that the pro prietors of the docks alluded to should not be members of the Council. The chairman said they had no power, and if anything were done it must be by a proposition of the Council. OL B , T AND IR Dr RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE TEA TRADE. The growth of the commerce between this country and the Chinese empire in the article of tea, as described in the able publication of Mr. W. Nothomery Martin, af fords a singularly interesting illustration of the beneficial results derived from the enterprise of modtrn commerce. Within less than two hundred`years, a trade in an innu tritious herb has progressed from the most paltry begin ning, when the article was regarded as a must expensive luxury, until it employs British capital to the extent of £10,000,000 sterling, furnishes employment to 60,000 tons of British shipping, contributes nearly £5•,000,000 ster ling to the revenue, and has become a necessary article of consumption amongst all ranks of the British people. The use of the tea plant in China is first referred to about the end of the Bth century. In 1600, dried l eaves (of tea) were noticed as in general use amongst the Chi nese, and in 1633 amongst the Persians. The Hollanders appear to have first introduced it into. consumption in Europe. The first notice we have of its use in England is in 1660, when a duty of eightpence per gallon was laid upon all tea made and sold in coffee houses. 'At this time, it was sold at three guineas per- lb. Up to 1688, • our limited supplies were drawn from the continent ; but in that year, the East India Company ordered 100 lbs. to be shipped from their factory in Java, and in 1669 the first invoice was received, consisting of two canisters of 1431 lbs. weight. • In 1680 the company opened a direct trade with China ; and in 1689, the mode of collecting the duty upon the quantity used in the coffee-houses being found uncertain in its results, a customs' duty of five shillings a pound was imposed. In the years 1697-98, and 99 the importa tion was 20,0001b5. annually. In 1700 it had risen to 60,0001b5. a year, and the average price was sixteen shil lings a pound. In 1721 the importation for the first time exceeded 1,000,0001b5. The trade gradually progressed up to the commence ment of the present century, when it closely approached to 30,000,000 lbs. per annum. From that period it has increased to 56,503,000 lbs. which was the import in 1846, whilst the consumption has been decreasing in Europe and America, where the duty has been nominal. Since the commencement of this century the enormous quantity of 1,385,949,566 lbs. of tea have been sold in England, which has produced to the revenue about £167,643,702 sterling. Mr. Martin gives the present average consumption of China tea in different countries as follows, in round numbers : lbs. " Great Britain and Ireland 45,000,000 British North America & West Indies 2,500,000 Australasia, Cape of Good Hope, &c. 2,500,000 British India and Eastern Islands 2,000,000 Total in British empire 52,000,000 United States of America. Russia France and colonies 500,000 Hanse Towns, &c. 500,000 Holland and its colonies Belgium 200,000 Denmark, Sweden, and Norway The German States.. Spain and Portugal.. Italian States 50,000 South American States Total consumption in foreign countries 20,250,000 Thus the English consumed more than twice the quan tity of tea that is consumed by all the other countries ex cept China and Japan. It will be seen on referring gene rally to the Canton price currents, that the cost price of tea has increased in Canton since the abolition of the East India Company, and not until February and March did prices fall. "An increased demand in . China has always caused an enhanced price." From the tone of the Above remarks it will be readily inferred that Mr. Martin is averse to any tampering with the present tea duties. EXTRAORDINARY STEAM HAMMER FOR FORGING IRON. There has recently been erected in the yard of Messrs. Peter Cato and Co., south end of the Brunswick Dock, a huge hammer, worked by steam, on the plan and con struction patented a short time ago by Mr. James Nas mith, of Patricroft, near Manchester, an invention which will prove a valuable addition to the apparatus hitherto employed. The whole machine, and the furnace for bringing the iron to be wrought, to a malleable white heat, are fixed under a large shed, open on three sides, and smoothly paved with fire tiles. The frame of this hammering engine ( for so it may be called) consists of a massive flattish iron casting, forming a kind of arch, with strong abutments in the same'piece, thg whole well secured below, the bedding being on piles, as the ground in this quarter is forced. In the interior or opening of this arch, there are at its top part, which is partly filled up, perpendicular lateral grooves in the iron, to guide, in its descent and elevation, the heavy hammer, which maintains its vertical position, and is worked by a piston and rod, moving up and down with any required rapidity within a vertical cylinder fixed on the top of the arch, and supplied with steam from a pipe overhead, con nected with the boiler that supplies steam for the general machinery of the yard. The cylinder is 13 inches in dia meter, and the extreme length of stroke of the hammer— a long square block of iron, weighing 22 cwt.—is, from its top elevation to the anvil, three feet. The extreme force of the blow that may be given is equal to about five tons; but this may be instantly reduced to the most gentle tap or any immediate force between the two. The face of the hammer is flat, as is that of the anvil, which weighs 6l cwt. One grand advantage is, that the face' of the hammer being still a horizontal plane, whatever the thickness or shape of the iron to be beaten may be—a de cided improvement over the ordinary tilt hammer—which, • from its being fixed at the extremity of a bar, hits, on its descent, at continually varying angles of its face, the iron to be forged, according to the various thickness of the iron operated upon, the face, in fact, being horizontal at only one point. The principle of the steam hammer is that of the piling machine, as the blow derives little or no force from the steam, but is imparted by the rapid descent of the falling mass suddenly let loose by cutting off the steam. There is an ingenious combination of long screws standing per pendicularly, and valve and other handles, worked by one .man standing on a small elevated railed platform on one side the framework ; and it is surprising with what rapidi ty and precision the length (downwards) as well as the power of the blow can be regulated by an adept, so as to strike the hot iron, whatever its thickness, with the re quired force and nothing more. A walnut may be cracked without bruising the kernel. Not only is the hammer a powerful means of fashioning iron knees, knee moulds, anchors, moulds, &c., and other heavy work ; but it is applicable to the forging into moulds all kinds of scrap iron, from rivet-holes or clipnings, old nails, broken bolts, &c. &c. We wit nessed this redeeming process with surprise and gratifica tion. The scrap iron is made up as best may he into squares or piles. One of these is put into the fur nace, and in a very short time, attaining a white heat, is welded or united together in one glowing mass. A long bar of iron is then introduced into the fur nace, and the end of it being put upon the top of the mass, becomes almost instantly combined or united with it. The mass is then drawn out by the bariand conveyed rapidly on an iron waggon, commonly called a trawley, from the furnace mouth to the anvil; the top of the waggon being precisely of the same height as both. A single man holds the bar, and by it turns the iron as required while the ponderous hammer is let down upon it, in blows that shake the adjacent ground for some distance around, and deals with the glowing iron as if it were as soft as putty, crushing out of it all the bad, and leaving the good. Comparatively few blows are re quired to form it into a square bloom, ready as new iron to be beaten out or attenuated at minor forges into any re quired form or article. The scrap iron, which is worth only al,put £5 per ton, is by the operation rendered of the value of £lO to £l2. The chimney of the furnace is of curious construction. It is cased round with common brick to the top, supported below on four cast iron pillars, and secured with tension rods outwardly secure d a t the four angles. There are also openings in the casement. By this means the fire bricks of the chimney, which frequently require renewal from being burnt away, may be taken out at any part and replaced by new ones. SHIP LAUNCH. On Tuesday a. ship of. about 570 tons, new measure ment, was launched from the shipbuilding yard of Messrs. Cato and Co., Brunswick Dock. The owners are Messrs. Stringer and Maim, and the vessel is built to replace the Duke of Lancaster, for the China trade. The vessel, as far as we .could judge, appeared to be built more for use than beauty ; and in planking we observed plenty of Guinea oak, and such woods as are favourites for ship building. All things being in readiness, at half-past eleven the word was given, and the vessel received her name, "The Diana," from Miss Mann, and moved rapidly into the water amidst the cheers of the spectators. She will be commanded by Captain Bulley, late of the Duke of Lancaster. Her length is one hundred and twenty four feet six inches from stem to stern ; beam, twenty nine feet eight inches ; and depth of hold, twenty feet. There was a liiimerous and respectable attendance at the where an elegant and ple n tif u l repas t was launch ; after which, the invited guests adjourned to the mould-room, served up. Grace was said by the Rev. Mr. Hampt on . After dinner, the . was taken by Mr. Cato, the builder of the ship, and the vice-chair by Mr. Mann, one of the owners of the vessel._ _ After the national toasts had been proposed by the chairman, and loyally responded to by th e company , M r. NORTH rose, and begged permission to prop ose th e fi rst toast. He said that he was reminded that it was but a few years ago that they met to launch the Duke of Lan caster. They looked forward to the future performances of that vessel ; but when he remembered the fate of that vessel, he said, that man proposes but God disposes. it might serve to teach us how God works by sec re t means . We are made sensible that he rides in the whirlwind and directs the storm, and that, as in the case of the Duke of Lancaster, he works more secretly still. They might, however, be encouraged to hope that the noble ves se l th e y had that day launched would bring credit to her builders, and enrich her owners. The name of the vessel, though it seemed taken from the heathen mythology, was not so in fact. It was not chosen out of respect to Diana of the Ephesians, but in memory of a valued relative of the vice-chairman, of the same name. Mr. North, after pass ing a warm eulogium upon Mr. Mann, proceeded to say, there was once a time when a maiden's sacrifice was thought propitious. That day they had called upon one only to give a name, and therefore he proposed success to the good ship Diana and Miss Elizabeth Mann. Mr. MANN in acknowledging the toast said there were points in Mr. North's speech, namely, those concerning the loss -of the late ship and the naming of the present one, on which he could not trust his feelings to speak. Every man had his hobby, and ships were his hobby. The inclinationn• of his house was to possess ships of the first class. k-lover of ships, he could not tell how any one could see a ship leaving our4ort without feeling an inter est. This led him to speak of a tradesman whom he had known but'for a short time, whose business qualifications and liberality he highly eulogised. He concluded by pro posing the health of Mr. Cato, and every success in his "business. _ _ Mr. CATO said he was extremely obliged to his friend Mr. Mann. He was glad of his good opinion, and be hoped the vessel would deserve his future good opinion till completed, and in her sailing. Mr. Cato then proposed the health of the Dock Committee; which was responded to by Mr. MANN, who observed that the accommodation for shipping in the port of Liverpool was much too limited ; but he believed that when the new works at the north end and centre of the town were brought into operation, there would, in his opinion, be sufficient ac commodation for many years to come. He thought the Dock Committee had not given due attention to ship building. He thought it a great point that every accom niodation should be given to the trade, especially for the purpose of building large steamers-, which at one time were constructed here. Doctor BYRTH, in acknowledging's compliment paid to him, said he hoped they would all have occasion to re member the proceedings of that day. He would feel grateful to his kind friends who hack invited him to that day's festivities, wishing, as they all did, prosperity to the noble vessel that day launched. 1-re wished he was able to do justice to his friend who had called him to his feast. He hed known him for years, and it, would be a blessing of his life to know him for years to come. He would advert to one part of a speech that had just been made. Mr. Mann passed over that, but in a more masterly way did he show his fatherly feelings.. This applied to the naming of the vessel. It was not for him to sit there and observe unmoved the way in which Mr. North referred to the practice of offering a maiden's life when the fleet sailed. In the times of Greece a maiden's life was to be sacrificed. Here they had the name given, and the maiden's life preserved. In the classical painting of the sacrifice of Agamemnon's daughter they had the crowd of people, the altar prepared for sacrifice, and the maiden herself, unmoved by her fate. But the painter, feeling himself unable to depict the feelings of the father, repre sented Agamemnon's face as hidden in his robes. The rev. doctor concluded by proposing the health of Mr. Mann. Several other toasts were given, and the company sepa rated much delighted. A band of music enlivened the entertainments. CORRESPONDENCE. WOODSIDE FERRY. TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD, SIR,—As your valuable journal is freely circulated among the inhabitants of Cheshire, I have ventured to address you in order that those who daily cross the river from the Woodside Ferry should take warning from the circumstance I am about to relate. On Thursday last, whilst walking with a gentleman along the platform erected by the Ferry Committee for the accommodation of the pub lic, until their improvements are completed, a man pushed past us, bearing a small anchor across his shoulders ; and owing o the narrow space allowed for the passing to and fro of the pay and contracting passengers, the man in rushing past struck the eye of my friend with the barbed end of the anchor, and had it been the sixteenth of an inch higher, the eye would certainly have been torn out. It is only a matter of wonder that more fatal accidents of the kind do not occur, and I think, as the Commis sioners -have been at the expense of establishing police on board their boats, and at the end of the platform above named, they should have taken the precautionary step of prohibiting men taking such dangerous implements as anchors, carpenters' tools, &c., throngh the crowd. It is almost impossible to avoid coming in contact with them, and on more occasions than one I have received severe blows from similar causes. It is very improper, and should be prevented before somethin g more ser i ous hap pens.—l am, sir, &c. A CONTRACTOR. DISTRESS IN THE SOUTH OF IRELAND. Hall Lane, Feb. 22nd, 1847. TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. SlR,—Could you oblige me by finding room for the ac companying letter, received this day from one of the des titute parishes in the south of Ireland. Any 'donations which may be sent in answer to the appeal, I shall be happy to take charge of, and forward, if they are sent in to the office of H. J. Webster, Esq., Rumford-street, treasurer to the St. Jude's Irish Relief Committee.—Your obedient servant, CHRISTOPHER BALL. Aghadda Rectory, Cloyne, co. Cork, Feb. 1847. beg to solicit, through you, from the noble minded and generous and Christian-hearted Britons, do nations of clothes and bedclothes for our miserable peo ple. You cannot know their wretchedness, nor can any one who does not see them. No cursory visit will do ; but to know the full, they should be seen at all hours. They are without fuel, and have only the most miserable rags of clothes, patched and pieced, hanging together by worsted threads ; nearly without shoes as to the men, unable to pay for their being mended ; the women almost all barefooted. As a decided proof, the shoemakers and tailors have been obliged to work on the roads to support life. Bedclothes ! they have none ! not one,in a thousand has a blanket or a quilt ! The most worn garments, the oldest shoes, even a threadbare blanket ; any of these would call down blessings such as from their hearts they give to those who relieve them ; such as in their tongue, " Benach, mille benach, benach Dhea"—Blessings on you, thousands of blessings, God's blessing on you and yours—such I hear every day from grateful hearts. Sir, will you be pleased to call on those who are willing to do good, ready to distribute. Many, many a poor woman without a shift to her back, many a poor man without a shirt ; many with only half a one, multitudes with only one. I wish they could see them, and then I need not ask them to do anything ; they would want no advocate. I merely give you this .hint, and I know sat verbum Christian. —Your very humble servant, WILLIAM R. TOWNSEND, Rector of Aghadda. LIVERPOOL POLICE INTELLIGENCE. PETTY CHARGE.—'OII Thursday, a lad named Patrick Dooley, was brought before Mr. Rushton, charged with stealing from Mr. Corkhill, of Leeds-street, a halfpenny worth of coals ! The offence not being proved, the little prisoner was discharged. A NEW DODGE.—On Friday, a fellow was charged at the Police-court with having robbed the till of a shop in Great Howard-street of 4s. 6d. The prisoner, observ ing the shop in charge of a boy, informed him that there was a man on the outside cutting a pane of glass from the window; the boy immediately ran out to detect the sup posed thief, and, during his absence, the money was ex tracted from the till. Mary Ann Howarth and Mary Ann Jones, two young women charged on Friday week at our police-office, on suspicion of having been concerned in an extensive rob bery at Manchester, and from whom upwards of £GO in £5 bank notes, gold, and silver, have been delivered up to the Manchester police. The prisoners are suspected of having been connected with a gang who had lately com mitted several daring and extensive warehouse robberies in Manchester. COLLISIONS.—Two cases of collision were, on Thurs. day, brought before Mr. Rushton. The first was the case of the schooner Lady Saltoun, which came in con tact with the Queen of Beauty ferry-boat. As the colli sion had, in some measure, been caused by the Lady Saltoun letting go her stern rope, the case was dismissed. —The second case was that of the schooner Success, run foul of, on Monday morning, in the Salthouse Basin, by the ship Camillus. It appeared that a fresh breeze was blowing at the time, when the Hesperus broke loose, tak ing the Camillus and two other vessels along with it. This case also was dismissed. ' A BRUTE.—Johh Jones, apparently a sailor or ship carpenter was charged on Tuesday with the horrible of fence of biting off a man's lower lip. The previous night, the prisoner, with complainant, a man named Hugh Jones, and several others, were playing at cards at a public-house in Key-street, when a slight quarrel arose, and after they had got out into the street a scuffle ensued between the prisoner and the complainant, in the course of which they fell down together into the channel ; when, before they could be separated, the prisoner Mid hold of the - under lip of the complainant with his teeth, bit it right off, and spit it into the street; it was afterwards picked up, and the wounded man was taken to a surgeon, who sewed on the severed part, but told him that he would be disfigured for life. The prisoner, in his defence, very coolly s a id th a t the complainant endeavoured to bite him first, and in re turn he laid hold of his lip and bit it off. Mr. Rushton committed him for trial. CHARGE OF ARSON.—OR Friday, a youth, named Ball Patricks, was brought up before Mr. Rushton on a charge of having attempted to set air fire a joiners' shop, in the neighbourhood of Abercromby-square. Two men in the employ of Mr. Bridson stated that on Thursday evening they were passing Cambridge-street, when they observed the prisoner go into the joiners' shop belonging to Mr. Arnold. He had a box of lucifer matches in his hand, and having lighted one, he proceeded very deliberately to set fire to some paper and wood, and no doubt the build ing would have been burnt down, had it not been for the act having been noticed by the witnesses. Mr. Arnold stated that his premises had been burnt down some twelve months ago, and he never had been able to discover the cause. The prisoner, in his defence, stated that he had lighted the matches and paper, but that he intended no harm. Mr. Rushton observed that the case was of too serious a nature for him to deal with, and committed the prisoner for trial at the assizes. A LIVERPOOL SAINT GiLES.—One of the juvenile gra duates for Van Dieman's Land, of the genus " Saint Giles," was, on Friday, brought up before Mr. Rushton and charged by a man named Wright, a butcher, with pil fering 21b of beef from his stall, or shop. With Mr. Wright there appeared no fewer than five witnesses, including the police constable, all willing and ready to prosecute the luckless, ragged, hungry perhaps—and wretched-looking boy, whose head, when he stood on tiptoe, could scarcely be seen above the edge of the dock. The case was fully proved. And yet neither the kind caution, the humane advice to abstain from evil and learn to do well, nor the touching precept of moral rectitude—of the latter lie ap peared totally ignorant —were administered to him ; no, no, the dignity of the law had to be maintained. The child was put through the usual ordeal to lads of his class and age, of being interrogated thus :—" Well, boy, what have you to say to this charge ?" " Oh, sir, I was hun gry," responded the young offender. "He is one of a lot who continually annoy my shop," interposed the butcher. " Seven days I" sonorously . responded Mr. Rushton. PAINLESS SURGICAL OPERATIONS, AND OPE RATION ON AN INFANT BORN BLIND. Saturday being operating day at the Liverpool Eye and Ear Infirmary, an excellent opportunity was afforded of witnessing some most extraordinary and interesting ope rations upon patients placed under the influence of the ether vapour. In this hospital this has ceased.to be an experiment—it is a fact, a confirmed and most useful fact —confirmed from repetition. A few weeks ago we re corded the results of the first trials of this curious agent ; we now again confirm the statement we then made of the pain-subduing influence of the ether vapour. Painless, indeed, in every sense of the word, were the operations performed ; and the effective manner in which the ether vapour was administered, and the rapid and workmanlike style in which the operations were performed, seemed to afford to the numerous professional gentlemen present (some of them from Manchester and from other distant places) the greatest gratification. Amongst the .visitors were - Doctors Edwards, Hull) , (Manchester), Thrnbull, Macnaught, Manifold, Kay, Borrows, &e., and a.number of non-professionals. Several improvements upon the original ether apparatus were exhibited ; one of very neat but complicated form was shown by Me. Yaniewiez, almost the first dentist who used the vapour in Liverpool.. Mr. Neill, the skilful operating surgeon, used a large and simple glass globe, with two openings —the upper opening for the introduction of atmospheric air, with its tube carrying that air into the bottom of the globe; the other opening nearly in the centre of the globe, having an elastic tube and breathing apparatus, or month-piece, attached. The operations commenced with a mos t decided case of squint. The young and really nice-looking female was servant to Mr. Kay, the surgeon of Pembroke-place, who was present to encourage and assist the patient. The etherisation was very speedily accomplished, and the ope ration was over in less than a minute ; we did not see the young woman once shrink, or make the least quiver or movement to betoken pain. Then almost immediately she stood before. us and her deformity was gone. The second case was also a female, a little girl of ten or eleven years old. Her squint was horrid, and from its inclina tion it rendered her eye useless. The ether at first pro duced a straightening and rigidity of the limbs, which we found would not interfere with the operation, and a few whiffs more of the ether, and she was as passive as possi ble. Her eye was quite straight in a minute, and whilst we were looking on with some trepidation she was indulg ing (she tells us) in a delightful dream, made up of " a game with playfellows, swallowing rum punch which made her feel funny, until somebody threw dust in her eye, and then she was afraid that she would be too late to get to the hospital ;" such was her story to us. The next was a male ease for operation for cataract— the man said he heard and knew all that was going on, but did not feel the slightest pain. Next an old woman,_ also for cat arac t— s h e sa id she felt not so much pain as if she had pricked her finger, and accounted for her excla mation of " Oh, God !" by saying that she knew an oper ation was going on, and she was imploring for its success. The last was a crowning case. It was a poor little in fant which had been born blind—it was now only eighteen months old. The kindly - care of surgeon and matron to prevent the little one being injured, by tenderly holding and restraining it in its efforts during the momentary operation, was manifested by swaddling and pinning it up, mummy fashion. Both its eyes were operated on, and we think we heard more than one doctor exclaim, "very , expertly done !"—" dextrously performed .' LAUNCH OF THE " COUNTESS OF SEFTON." On Thursday, a fine new ship, called the Countess of Sefton, was launched from the building yard of Mr. Thos. Royden, Baffin-street. She was built by Mr. Royden, expressly for himself, but he has •since been induced to part with her to Messrs. John Worrall and Co., who in tend her for the South American trade, for which, from her size and build, she is peculiarly well adapted. She is 445 tons burthen, 114 feet long, 26 feet eight inches in breadth, and 18 feet 6 inches in depth, and is built, from an excellent model, of the best English and African oak, and East Indian teak. The bow of the vessel is orna mented by a splendid full length female figure. There was a numerous company present. The ceremony of naming the vessel was performed by Miss Preston, and the vessel glided into the waters amid tremendous cheer ing. After the launch, the invited guests repaired to the mould-room, where a splendid champagne banqUet, sup plied by Mr. Fisk, of Castle-street, was provided for them by the owners. Mr. Worrall presided at the principal table, and Mr. Tyrer and Mr. Royden sat at the head of the other tables. After the usual loyal toasts, the Chair man proposed " The health of the Countess of Sefton." Mr. Betteley proposed, " Success to the ship." The CHAIRMAN, as the principal owner and ships hus band, acknowledged the toast. 'Nothing, he said, could be more flattering to him than the manner in which he had been received. He was sure, that so far as the vessel was concerned, she could not be surpassed, and so far as her name went, that could not be surpassed. He received permission- from the Countess of Sefton to call the vessel after her, and he was sorry that absence from home pre vented her being present. He now begged to propose ths , health of Mr. Thomas Royden, the builder of the ship. His character as a builder was too well known to need any comment. They would find his vessels standing as no others stood, and after twenty or thirty years they were the same as when they were launched. He was proud he had been able to get this one from him, for he could assure them that it was not without great difficulty that he induced him to part with it. Mr. Royden was now building a government frigate, and when he would be able to lay on another for him he could not tell, but the sooner the better. The health of Mr. Hoyden was then drunk with three times three, and that gentleman returned thanks. Several other toasts having been drunk, Mr. Roydea proposed the healths of " John Worrall and Co." The CHAIRMAN responded, and proposed "the town. and trade of Liverpool." In the course of his observa tions, he said he did not call that man a Liverpool mer chant, who for the mere sake of economy, went out of the town to get his ships built. He called that man a Liverpool merchant who supported the town from which he obtained his living, and from which he hoped, perhaps, to derive a fortune. He himself had been only three years a merchant, and during that time he hadlost several vessels, but he had replaced them with Liverpool-built ships, this being the fourth that he had purchased, and so long as they could build such ships al the Countess of Sefton in Liverpool he would never go elsewhere. It might be considered an expensive vessel, but only look at it twelve years hence, and then they would see whether it was expensive or not. (Loud cheers.) The toast was drunk with loud cheers, and the company shortly after wards separated. 'MESSRS. GAMBLE AND NOTT'S ELECTRO MAGNETIC TELEGRA (Extracted from the Mitung Journal.) SIII,—I had yesterday the high gratification and plea sure of witnessmg Messrs. Gamble and Nott's electro magnetic telegraph at work - at the Northampton Station. Between this terminus And the Blisworth Station, the telegraph communication in question is established. Its beautiful simplicity and its unerring precision excited my admirStion. It seems to my apprehension the ne plus ultra of the electric telegraph —a solitary wire, instead of several, conveys the intelligence. When the key is pressed, the hand moves onwards ; and by means of the dead-beat escapement, its march -is firm. I confess that I infinitely prefer this principle to the trembling magne tic needles which vibrate on the clock face of the one in ordinary use. In Messrs. Gamble and Nott's electro magnetic telegraph there is no symbolic notation, as in the other ; while the shorter terminus of the index points to numerals, the longer end has a reference to a circle of alphabets. Its simplicity therefore is such, that a child who knows his letters and can spell his words, might work the elegantly-simple and beautiful contrivance of Messrs. Gamble and Nott. Mistake and derangement seem to me to be contingencies scarcely possible ; its very simplicity is a guaratee against error. On the other hand, mistake, error, and derangement, appear to be in separable from complication of mechanism ; ease and pre cision of manipulation, and unerring accuracy of intelli gence, seem to he fully warranted by this invention, which is everything that can be desired or wished for. Add to this, the expense of establishing this electro-magnetic telegraph is scarcely a moitie of the other; and I must candidly confess it as my honest opinion, that, had the injunction applied for by the Electric Telegraph Com pany, against Messrs. Gamble and Nott, been sustained, the community would have suffered a serious misfortune, and it requires no seer to predict that this electromagne tic telegraph ringlet eventually supplant all others. Portland-place, Hull, Feb. 9. M, , 184URRAY Ph. D. 7. FALL OF Two HousEs.---On Thursday morning, short lv after four o'clock, an accident of a most alarming nature occurred in Kent-street, Southwark, by which seven per sons nearly lost their lives. For some time it was feared that all the parties had perished, but the joists and floor ing boards having settled upon the top of a bedstead, they formed a kind of arch, which protected the inmates, and they thereby escaped a dreadful death. EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES !—A Brussels journal announces that an hotelkeeper and his wife having been prosecuted for assassinating a traveller, and converting his dead body into sausages, were found guilty with the ad dition of extenuating circumstances. The French journal the Reforme copies the above statement, and observes, dud no doubt the "extenuating circumstances" were, that the convicted parties were induced to commit a murder in order to feed their fellow -creatures in this period of universal distress. COLCHESTER, SATURDAY, FEB. 20.—The week's report of the markets in this district of the kingdom is rather more favourable. It is true that, at Ipswich, there was a further advance of from 3s. to ss. on wheat, which was sustained at the other markets held in these counties in the early part of the Week ; but it was thought that, as milder weather had set in, and it was found that the young wheats are not seriously injured, the upward tendency would be checked. This has been realised. At Chelms ford, yesterday, higher prices were demanded on the opening of the market; but a second edition of the Chelmsford Chronicle says,—" Towards the close a telegraphic communicatio n f rom th e L on don mar k et caused the factors and millers to h o ld off, and trade. to be very dull." The state of M ar k-l ane produced a similar effect upon our market here to-day. INGENIOUS VERSION. —The question was (proposed) whether it was possible to give an adequate version of this Thi P p le is t c7s arehiepiseo seemingyAttittirtuarnlnla,tecloe po non ponetur quiapotus non Inihi*tur.tt And the solution was this : • " There was sent me a dish z ; of fish - From the archbis hop is not here • For he sent me no beer." r ;=-:' Univerrity Magazine. ' *. d • -(;' •(:" •• •__ i 7 -- • • -A.;. ~:_~ ) t Li; is f