The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-11-26 00:00:00

COURT OF QUEE s BENCH—Nov. 22 HEARNE V. STOWELL .etkior peitAt ut Man c ter, nun of th the Liverpool assi- laintiff was in the foray.) Ir Mr. Stowell read at a meeting which irpose of petitioning the legislature not College. The paper con it was represented that a me of O'Hara going upon üblic road, asked him the O'Hara, who nay a Ca penance for his sill, The po- - - l not atone for his sins in any other :lowered that he could not, and that to be Mr. Hearne, would not give t unless he had performed the penance ; penance lour days already, and when it nine days more he should go to Mr. The declaration for the sacrament >assage, alleged that the statement was rpose of bringing the plaintiff into dis sh the respect which he already enjoyed, issing, and oppressing him in his cha priest, and lowering him in the estima arge, and of his own friends, and of performance of his duty as a Catholic a priest named Wood, and 1)r. Mur- of Glasgow, deposed that no to impose such penances as a aistration of the sacrament, ch a performance was liable . The learned judge who _ e question for their decision calculated to injure Mr. Hearne id a priest, by representing him ace degraded him as a man, and oi his duty as a priest that it abject him to be deprived of his If the jury thought the imputation ed was made in the sense which had lust follow that the publication was was entitled to receive damages try which he had suffered. A lling upon the plaintiff to show lict should not be set aside and a new trial e ground of misdirection by the learned ! judgment should not in any event be ar ;round that the alleged libel, as set out in .id not, in fact, contain any direct charge or Mr. Hearne at all. Id the jury eral now appeared to show cause against -!ntlecl, that whatever technical defects rm of the declaration were cured by the hich had been found for the plaintiff, in d judge had expressly called upon the ether the publication in question was ) lower the plaintiff in the estimation of it also had produced such a conse ast have decided those ques- whethei As tt ative (for they could not otherwise have he plaintiff), the objection to the want of allegations of the declaration was cured jury having, imputed to tl :herefore, in e plaintiff a t the p iable to be sus- Alculated to do him a ssion, be (the Solicitor )urt could arrest the judg- luty, for which he was in his sacred I] Murphy followed upon the id contended that the question of libel or no Ily left to the jury in the same manner as had m the present occasion, and that the charge of edge who tried the case was, therefore, per- well submitted that the rule for the new trial nude absolute, or that in any event the judgment ed, upon the ground that the declaration 'to allegation whatever that Mr. Hearne had or ance of the penance, or that his doing so, was in any degree contrary to his duty as a With regard to all that had been said about the pre iich were made by the jury, it was to be ob ry could neither presume nor find anything ind that upon the present re- which was was no is?. at all upon the matters which they !.d to have presumed. If the propriety or impro- Induct said to have been imputed to the priest ;n issue, the plaintiff could have called wit , such penances were frequently imposed .holic church. It had been certainly of Mr. Hearne's having ordered the penance in question would be to cause ,ended. But such effect was a matter Ae the question which the jury were to mcd no ingredient in the decision, as there don upo❑ the record that the plaintiff had im defendantthe commission of an act which would to the censure of his own ecclesiastical superi )bject of Mr. Stowell was manifestly to show the Lritv and truth of the protestant over the catholic d itwould certainly be a most alarming doctrine it such a statement was a libel, and that the ill persons who might entertain the same views ice oft Stowell did upon the subject of what he consiiered stition of the catholic church were to be stopped Lture. It was alleged in the declaration that the de lad made the statement in question with a view to " the plaintiff in the execution of his duty as a niest ; but it would be an extraordinary doctrine to this was an illegal purpose. There were thou persons in this kingdom who considered it their impede" the catholic religion as much as they d some thousands of speeches had been made with in the metropolis during the last ten years. To all these speeches were slanderous would be as ❑ary as it would be alarming, and he (Mr. Cress fidently anticipated that the court would never inch a conclusion. With regard to the statement light he observed that the man O'Hara did not even dr. Hearne bad ordered him to do the penance, hut he (O'Hara) thought that sinless he performed it would not administer the sacrament to him. The for anything that appeared in the statement, might a maniac or a person labouringunder the conscious- penance upon himself, under the opinion of the priest upon )n followed on the same side. i sat till six, took time to consider their .u, however, intimated that they inclined to ,t the paper complained of contained no di inst Mr. Hearne at all. COURT OF CHANCERY—TuEsDAy BLUNDELL V. GLADSTONE. vas an appeal from the Vice-Chancellor, and also a ng of the cause. The bill was filed by Thomas, the ;on of Joseph Weld, of Lulworth Castle, in Dorset )r a declaration that he was entitled, under the will ate Charles Robert Blundell, of Ince Blundell, to devised estates in preference to Edward Joseph )tber, and the eldest son of Joseph Weld. The competency of the testator to make a will rid, on a verdict in favour of the will being ',hancellor made a decree in favour of the no doubt that the testator ,s to Thomas, although he had used , and conceiving himself justified under Eller v. Travers," 8 Bingham, in giving r entertai wetation to the intentions of the testator, was an apparent inconsistency. His honour ever, of opinion, that the words second son' Ater quite clear, and that the word " Edward" ntention of the testator being to give the second son, and the brother of 1 was very short, and dated in November, sbstance the testator left his estates in trust for on of Edward Weld, of Lulworth, for life, with o his sons in tail male, and failing them, with r to the first and every other son of each brother, I eldest brother of Edward Weld, with remainder :ond and every other son, except the eldest sort of urton, the sister of Edward Weld, and with other a slip, t 1 ) Thorn on condition that the persons entitled in posses -1 reside at Ince Hall, and take the name of Winn or died in 1837, at which time Mr. Joseph ',ulworth, having obtained a life-interest ettlement from Mr. Thomas Weld, the nent being made in 1829, when the car t. In this state of the cause a claim is -law of Mr. Blundell to take the estates, id that the will is void from uncertainty of of the person to take. itor-General, Mr. Richards, Mr. Fleming, and Lppeared in support of thieclaim, and contended rt of the description of the testator would apply Joseph Weld, the eldest son, and a part to Tho ;cond son, the court could not recognise the in , and pronounce in favour of either. It was a shed rule of the court, that evidence could not show the intention of the testator; that was to from the language of the will. The only evidence e given was to prove who was the person desig- Lo evidence of that kind could be offered in the , which would not partly apply to both the sons 'cid, for they had it established beyond question 1 Joseph Weld, the eldest son of Joseph, was c testator by the nalue of Edward, and that, al -3 tened Edward Joseph, he always passed under ' Edward, nod in all but very formal legal docn- I himself Edward. It never was attempted in a law to help the construction o r evidence than the description of .the per• is to take. In the ease of Beaumont v. Fell,' recognised as the best and highest authority or rine was expressly maintained, and the judgment in that case considera. I of the propriety of the decision it that in on which the Vice-Chancellor mainly he decided in favour of the plaintiff. The same as held in " Hishcock v. Hishcock," in Holmes 12 Vesev, where it was declared that no con .d be allowed, and in " Hampshire v. Pearse," 2 The learned counsel also cited " Doe dem of Bower, 3 Barn. and Adol., and Mr. Wigrarn's Ils, and maintained that from all these cases, it iat the court could not for Edward read Thomas, second son of Joseph Weld, read Edward. Under nstances the bequest was void, and the heir-at-law :ed. They concluded by putting in, as evidence the Vice-Chancellor, two former wills of the tes -1 in 1821 and 1824, by which they proved that the ew well the name of Joseph Weld's sons. )'clock the argument was postponed till the nest WEDNESDAY. its in this case were resumed. appeared to-day tor the plaintiff, and stated, laimed under the description of the second Weld, of LulWorth, Esq., on the ground that )alpable mistake in calling his father h. The ease was nut a very diffi if the prOperty in dispute bad been ?untiog as it did, to £lO,OOO a-year, e been troubled at the same length. --mt the plaintiff was obviou s , for of Edward Weld, of Lulworth, o whom all the strict limitations Th e question was purely one ng no Edward Weld, except ho was carefully excluded, 'te clear that t' heair It V g with :sessor of Luiwortli as a v which the Court would evidence for the purpose of %100., so-t ; 2 Yo. and Cony., 72. saving concluded his address , a long discussion ntl admission of evidence to prove that the made inquiries of Mr. Gladstone re- Lulworth, and that he had declared lie and son of Edward Weld. ted to this, inasmuch as it referred to cquenr to the date of the will. Chancellor reserved his judgment, and at his he further hearing until the sittings after .ett ob; Queen, in her capacity of guardian of the Duke of wall, has been pleased to nominate Thomas Pemberton, of the chancery bar, Attorney-General of the Duchy. THEATIAItIOY AL, LAT ii root Under the Manaverneat 0, Mr. C.L.IRK ole I,c;ise FGr the BENEFIT of Mr. and Mrs. KEELEY - , And the Last Night of their engagement, on ocelsion Mr. W. J. HAMMOND, Who is engaged for a limited period, will make his first ppearance at this Theatie these eleven y THIS present FRIDAY, Novembe the Local Burletta called NICHOLAS NICKLEI:IN 2G, will be performe for th OR, DOINGS AT Dc SmikE John Browdie Monsieur Mantilini Nicholas Nickleby Mr. H. Holl Mr. Baker I Mrs. Squeers.. Mrs. Clarkc After which, the Interlude of the INNKEEPER'S BRIDE. Mr. W. J. Hammond. Ellen To which will be added, the petit Drama, called A LADY AND GENTLEMAN IN A PECULIAMA (au orphan) 'qrs. Keeley. Mr. W. J. Hammond. Mr. Chaplin Squeers PERPLEXING PREDICAMENT. The Lady.... Mrs. Keeley. I The Gentleman.. Mr. Ke;ley As originally performed by them in London End of which, A Polish Pas de Deux, in Character, by Miss C. Webster. To conclude with the Farce, called £lOO NOTE Master and Billy 81ack.... (the Coiner of Conundrums)._ Mr. Ke , !ley, As originally performed by him at the Theatre Royall, Covent. Garden. Montmorency.. Mr. H. 101 l I Miss Arlington.. Mrs. Ike eley THEATRE-ROYAL. FOR THE BENEFIT OF MR. FIND MRS. BA R. MONDAY next, the 29th instant, will be presented Colman's Comedy of JOHN BULL. Peregrine Mr. Stuart, - Job Thornberry Tom Shuifieton Mr. Baker Mr. H. Hon, Mary Mrs. Baker. DANCING, by Master and Miss WEBSTER. The laughable Interlude, called WHERE DOES THE MONEY COME FROM? Gregory Fanchette Miss E. Honner. To conclude with the Farce of ANIMAL MAGNETISM. La Fleur.. sir. Baker. Doctor Lisettc Mrs. Clarke Tickets to he had of Mr. BAKER, 3, Cases-street ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE, GREAT CHARLOTTE-STREET, LIVERPOOL Second Night of the highly-popular Domestic Drama, enti tled SUSAN HOPLY. An entire NEW BALLET; with new SCENES IN THE ARENA. Last Three Nights of THE DEATH GRASP. THIS present-11l IDAY EVENING, the 25th, and TO MORROW, (Saturday,) the 27th, will be acted an en tirely new Drama, entitled SUSAN HOPLEY ; OR, THE VICISSITUDES OF A SERVANT GIRL. Mr. Simpson Mr. H. Beverley. Susan . Hopley Mrs. Emery. After which, a new Comic Ballet, called ELECTRICITY! OR, THE DOCTOR OUTWITTED. Doctor Bolus Mr. Lennox. Clodpole (the Sicopkin) . NEW SCENES IN THE ARENA. The whole to conclude with the D EATII GRASP! OR, A FATHER'S CURSE. Adolphe de Floriville Mr. Howard. Caleb 'Winton Mr. H. Beverley. Ebt itibtrpoot &tanbarb. FRIDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 26, IS4I When it has been objected to the advocates of a free trade in corn that the withdrawal of all protection from the agriculture of the country must inevitably throw a large portion of our corn lands out of cultivation, and vast numbers of our agricultural population out of employment, the objection has always been met, by the organs of the manufacturing interest, with the confident assurence that the increase of trade and con sequent demand for labour in the manufacturing dis tricts would at once provide employment for those whom the pursuits of agriculture could no longer support. We have ever strongly denied this conclusion. We have doubted, in the first place, whether the adop tion of the proposed measures of free trade will give any permanent increase to our existing commerce; and we have doubted still more, and we have additional reason now to doubt, whether, supposing such increase to arise, it would be to such an extent as to provide employment for more than the population at present embarked in manufacturing and trading pursuits. For the means of arriving at a solution of this question, we have looked anxiously for the publication of the population returns. The large increase which, under our existing commercial policy, has for years past been taking place in the population of the manu facturing districts has been pointed to, not only as showing the importance of adapting that policy, ex clusively or principally, to the maintenance of this mass of industry in comfort and security, but also as proving the capability of those districts to absorb the surplus labour of the remainder of the kingdom. But so long as the amount of this increase and its propor tion to the increase of the manufactured commodities produced was unascertained, no conclusive and safe argument could be founded upon it. Production had increased, and the labouring population employed in manufacturing pursuits had increased also; but the census alone could show whether this increase of pro duction and of population went hand in hand, or whether there was not another instrument—the powers of machinery—whose advance was fast outstripping, and was destined ultimately to arrest altogether, the progress of the demand for human labour. The census, however, is now before us, and we shall cadeavour briefly to apply the data, with which it fur nishes us, to the elucidation of this important question. And first let us examine the evidence which the returns afford us with respect to the comparative growth of the trade and the population of Lancashire, which may fairly be considered a purely manufacturing county, as being the seat of almost the whole of our cotton manufacture. In 1831, the population of this county was 1,336,854 ; and at the census of the present year it had grown to 1,667,064, showing an increase of 241 per cent., whilst that of the entire kingdom was only 14k. The additional increase must, of course, be attri buted to the migration which is constantly taking place from the agricultural into the manufacturing districts; and amounts to 10 per cent,—the difference between 24k, the increase in Lancashire, and 14k, the increase throughout the kingdom,—which the popula tion of this county has sustained during the past ten years by absorbing the surplus labour of other parts of the empire. Now, we humbly suggest to the admirers of our manufacturing system, that there is little in this amount to warrant the anticipations which have been so pro minently and loudly put forward with respect to the capabilities of that system to provide employment for our increasing population. Nay, there is little to assure us that it will even continue to support the population already dependent upon it. During ten years of vastly increased production —ten years of stimulation—the manufactures of Lancashire have only been enabled to extend the means of employment beyond its native population, at the rate of one per cent. per annum; and we think the wildest dreamer amongst the anti-corn-law leaguers will scarcely con template, as the result of his favourite specific, a greater increased production of manufactured goods than has taken place since 1831. When we come, however, to the comparison of figures, the fallacy of these anticipations must be still more obvious. In 1831, as we have shown in former articles, the quantity of cotton consumed throughout the kingdom, computed in bags of an average weight of 3001b5., was 16,583 weekly. In 1840 the quantity had risen to 30,089, the increased production being thus 82 per cent„ or in a ratio, upwards of three times that of the population employed in it in Lancashire ! In addition to this increase in the "otton manufacture, how ever, we must bear in mind that several branches in which the labouring population of the county is employed has sustained a similar, although not perhaps a proportion ate increase, by becoming concentrated, from other localities, to this, the heart and market of the manufac turing industry of the empire. The linen and silk manufactures are now extensively introduced into Lan cashire ; the dying and printing of mixed fabrics of woollen and cotton have also become important trades, and employ large numbers of the operative classes The manufacture of machinery of every description, for export and for use in other parts of England and Scotland, has sustained a large increase and afforded new sources of employment to a numerous body of mechanics, and when these and others are taken into consideration, and the proportion of labour which they have absorbed is deducted from the general increase of the population throughout the county, we are pretty confident that they will fully account for all the increase which it has derived from extrinsic sources, by the migration of labourers, and establish the fact that the 1 Cat MililllfiZeirife, tvlllldt sus tatting the vast ilereas 's, Ims, in 1 aford- ing the means of human employment, barely kept pace with the regular increase of its awn .native population I We hear it said, however, by the o 1 traders, give us t ans of tho free privilege of exchanging our goods for provisions in the open markets of the world, and we will do far more than we have hitherto done in providing for the employment of the labouring corn- munity ; give us the means of competing, in cheapness of production, with the lightly taxed foreign manufac turer, and. we will drive his commodities out of every tray, it foreign market." Be it so—(which, by the never will be,)—concede for a moment that it is possi ble for us to displace a portion of the manufactures of • other countries by our cheap commodities, yet to what extent can this take place ? Let us examine. From 1826-28 the consumption of cotton in Great Britain, as compared with that of the whole world besides, was as 100 to 76 ; in 1840 it still maintained the same pro portion, being as 100 to 75. That the adoption of any policy which can be devised will enable us to se- cure any great quantity of this manufacture, now car ried on in foreign countries, we do not believe. '►'lie manufacturers themselves anticipate little more than upylying the continental markets with their yarns. and :Lnd how much of the la- with machine-made good bour of our surplus population such an increase of our cotton trade will absorb, may be judged of from the comparatively unimportant extent to which an in- creased production, during the past ten years, of 82 per I cent—or more than the amount of the whole of the fo reign production—has absorbed that surplus labour. The irresistible conclusion which we draw from a consideration of these facts and data, is, that no in crease of the cotton manufacture which can reasonably be anticipated to flow from the adoption of free trade measures, simply, can enable the manufacturers of Lancashire to draw off largely, if at all, the surplus population, which the repeal of the existing protection afforded to British agriculture will create in the farm ing districts throughout the country. The improve merit and the extension of the powers of machinery have of themselves, for the past ten years, kept pace with the increased production of cotton goods, or so nearly to it, that we can scarcely draw the line of sepa ration. The Iron man has for the past ten years been able to intercept from his human competitor nearly the whole of the vast supply of labour which should have been derived from the large increase of production which we have witnessed ; and who can say, in specu lating for the future, where his illimitable power is to be arrested ? Who can set bounds to the perfection or the increased adaptation of which this untiring and sleepless workman is susceptible ? Who shall say that the powers and the application of machinery to manufacturing purposes are not capable of being in creased in a ratio sufficient to shut out human labour from a participation in the largest increase of manufac turing production which the most sanguine amongst us dares to contemplate ? Let it not he said that we are endeavouring in these remarks to direct the attention of the suffering portion of our fellow countrymen in the manufacturing dis tricts to the use of machinery as the cause of their dis tress. We have no such unworthy and wicked object in view. We should loathe ourselves if we could de scend to the level of anti-corn-law morality in arguing this or any other question. But we cannot, neverthe less, allow it to be discussed, separate from this, its most important feature. The subject of the increasing application of machinery in manufacturing pursuits must be looked in the face, steadily and earnestly ; and the statesman who should presume to enter upon any great change of our present commercial system, with out fully considering its operation upon the interests of the labouring classes of our population, would, in our humble opinion, incur a responsibility of a fearful nature. In the observations which we made in our last, in reply to a contemporary, on the subject of reform in the Corporation Schools, we treated the question as one of expediency—(for as such it is susceptible of be ing discussed)—a question of expediency, we shall say, with a religious aspect; we would continue to view it still in the same light. What a Christian parent, master, or statesman would do, with regard to those whose instruction is peculiarly committed to his csre, is not indeed a discretionary matter, but one of very clear and positive duty. The question which we are discussing is, however, not exactly that,—but how it may be proper to act in a case where parties may be concerned over whom we cannot exercise force. Here there is room for the exhibition of a discretion, and we are not bound to act uniformly in the same way : our mode of proceeding may be essentially altered by cir cumstances. In Liverpool we have to deal with a case in which the great majority of the children arc of Protestant pa rents, and a few comparatively are Roman Catholic ; and it is asked whether, under all the circumstances, it would be advisable or expedient to relax the principle of scriptural education in behalf of the latter class ? It may be conceded that their exclusion from the school would be an evil, and that it would be desirable, if pos sible, to retain them in it. This may be granted; but we may perceive a still greater evil on the other hand ; and our wisdom will consist in choosing the lesser of the two. If there be on the one side the possible de privation of some, of a certain amount of useful in formation, there is on the other the evil of a compro mise on a point of principle big with consequences which it is difficult to estimate in all their extent and weight. Schools of an eleemosynary foundation, and de signed for the benefit of the humbler classes of society, must necessarily, in their construction, be hound by rules different from others, and peculiar to themselves. They are not designed as colleges of learning; they are not instituted_ for the purpose of adding a few graces and ornaments to the mechanic mind—some perhaps useless accomplishments to persons des tined, for the most part, to earn their bread by the labour of their bodies ; they are established for imparting, during a brief period, such sound instruction as will show to the young the way in which they should go, and such as, when old, it would be desirable they should not depart from—in struction of a vital, essential character—touching the very root of the matter—the heart and judgment in man, and preparing him to become a good subject and good citizen—to fear God and honour the king. This is the distinctive purpose, or certainly ought to he such, of a national or municipal school designed espe cially for the humbler classes of society. Then it fol lows as an indisputable truth that the instruction of such a school should be religious—drawn from the purest source—and enforced by the highest sanctions. On this head the controversy is at an end. It is no longer disputed, first, that the highest motives and, most powerful sanctions to the performance of the moral and social duties ought to be let in upon the youthful mind ; and secondly, that it is the religion of the Bible, and that alone, which supplies them. Hence it follows that the school of which we speak ought to be unequivocally and decidedly scriptural. Such being the recognized character of the institu tion, we are prepared to meet the proposition for a partial exemption of the pupils from the obligations of its fundamental rule—to dispense with the authorita tive teaching of holy writ in behalf of Roman Catholics. And first, we observe that this would be a wide de parture from the original purport and intent of the in stitution, which was not, as we have already observed, to impart some trifling portion of instruction in the various branches of human learning, or the less im portant appendages of vital wisdom ; and we are bound to inquire in the strictest manner, and be satisfied in every scruple, before we yield compliance to such a demand. We have already briefly considered the specific grounds on which the Roman Catholics prefer their request, and have shown that they are such as should rather confirm us in adhering unreservedly to the rule, than induce us to relax it ; because they rest upon as sumptions which directly impugn a fundamental prin ciple of our faith as Protestants We are asked to recognise and countenance the doctrine of the Church of Rome of the insuffici enc y of Scripture as a guide and rule of faith without the tra ditions and commentary of uninspired men ;—we are asked to cast a stigma upon our authorised version of the Bible, as if it were either imperfect or essentially incorrect; and certainly, upon such grounds, it is quite impossible that we should move. if such reasons tion of our school be given wh:4‘ th should be dispensed with, we must negative the re- quest; we have made up our mind long since on these heads, and do not mean to stultify ourselves. It is rather too bad—it is, in fact, presumptuous of the Romanist, who knows our sentiments, to ask us to do anything so inconsistent. His " reasons" were better kept to himself; we have long since we ;lied them in the balanc and found them wanting ; we are quite persuaded of their futility ie cause, whatever it be, ought not to suffer from the injudiciousness of the advocate. Suppose that no reasons whatever were put forward for the indulgence solicited, but that it were suffered td rest simply on the allegation of a conscientious scru ple,—shall we not in this case, it may be asked, grant the exception in favour of conscience ? The answer is, that our institution is Scriptural, and cannot be changed in that vital respect, either for bad and insuf ficient reasons, or for none at all. But it may be said, tl If a member of Mr. Owen's Socialist community were to come forward and say, " Omit your Scriptural teaching with regard to my _children ; I have a scruple on the subject ;" his request would be, of course, refused ; nor does the Roman Catholic, who begs the same favour in the same way, stand in a better position. We adhere, then, to our rule ; and now let us ask what is the inconvenience ? It is this, that we may perhaps deprive some Roman Catholics of the advan tage which they would derive from the merely secular instruction of our school. Observe, that Roman Catholics are not proscribed as such; they are as free to enter our schools as any other class of persons, if they will only comply with their regulations; they pro scribe themselves. But what do they lose in not ob taining their own terms ? They lose only that which we esteem a very secondary and minor object,—that knowledge without the guiding power which is then just as convertible to an evil as to a good purpose. Nor is this all; there are many Roman Catholics who will break away from the tyranny of their priests and the assumptions of their church, and avail themselves of your Scriptural schools in defiance of them. This reduces the number of the excluded' and the amount of the supposed evil, already not a little diminished by the considerations to which we have adverted. If aught still remains, it is more than counterbalanced by the evils avoided on the other hand—evils whose extent we cannot foresee, nor fully estimate; because flowing from an abandonment, though partial, of an incon testible principle. It is better that a few Roman Catholics should foolishly deprive themselves of a little secular scholarship, than that their community in general should receive countenance or confirmation in errors of the most serious and important kind. There is shortly to he filled up in the University of Oxford a certain Professorship of Poetry, the election to which, we are informed, is to determine something more than who is the best poet, or who is best qualified to deliver lectures on the divine art. We never ex pected to find the name of that learned controversialist, 'Doctor Pusey, so intimately connected with the charms of verse, or the peculiar doctrines to which he has given a title, brought under discussion as a criterion to determine the merit of a candidate for the chair of poetry; but so it is. The learned doctor has espoused the cause of a Mr. Williams, and being so recom mended, there can be no manner of doubt that Mr. Williams is a Puseyite—a Puseyite not only in poetry, but in divinity, body, and soul. Now, Mr. Williams is opposed by Mr. Garhett, who is no Puseyite, and the consequence is, that in the contested election for the vacant Chair of Poetry, Oxford will be polled on the question of Tractarian High-Churchism ! The conse quence is inevitable; Dr. Pusey's patronage has settled the point.' The London Morning Post—a journal notoriously Puseyitical--deprecates the idea of the election being connected with theological controversy : " Such an object," he says,- " has the least possible con nection with either poetry or philosophy, or candour or common sense. The Oxford Masters of Arts are not, we imagine, the most promising men in the world upon whom to practise such an experiment as that of attempting to in. duce them to dismiss all that is poetical from their minds when en.oaged in the selection of a University Professor of Poetry." We would infer from this, that Puseyism is not altogether so potent in the University as some have supposed, and that the Puseyite candidate is alarmed lest the election should turn upon the extent to which that peculiar system of doctrine may prevail therein. We sincerely hope that the fact may turn out so, and that the Puseyite will be well beaten. But why does the Post say that the Masters, in viewing the contest in any degree of connection with the famous controversy, should " dismiss all that is poetical from their minds ?" Is Puseyism so very anti-poetical that Poetry cannot breathe the same atmosphere with it? or whence this anxiety to discon nect.the, two ? We differ from the Post in thinking that the Masters ought not' to make Puseyism an ingredient in the determination of their choice of can ilidates ; we think they ought, and that the party con victed of Puseyism ought by all means to he deemed disqualified, and refused. We are aware that neither Heathenism nor Popery has fettered the wing of poets ; and we.would allow that a certain order of poetic me rit might not be incompatible with all the earthward propensities of tractarian philosophy ; but a pure Christianity has not restrained the human mind from ascending to the highest heaven of invention, and where it comes in competition with a corrupt one, we should feel ourselves by all means bound to " hold to the one and despise the other," for the sake as well of religion as of poetry. A perverted faith in religion leaves us no security for the proper use of poetic power. There is a sort of poetry in the mass as well as the church-going bell—in convent glooms—hermits' cells, in hymns to the Virgin and prayers for the dead —in short, in many of the fanciful things of Popery.; but we deprecate in this - age the application of poetic fire to such purposes, and at Oxford the choice of a professor in whose mind we have cause to suspect a leaning to them. Our London contemporary assured us a short time since, that " many had grown Weary and faint under the burthen of Protestantism, which is as to mere church matters ea formulary of no belief, and therefore no support at all. They wanted a belief and a guid ance other than their own fallible judgment gathered from original documents"--and they haVe found what they wanted. in Puseyism ! Well, we do hope that the masters who will have to choose the poetical professor at Oxford, or the majority of them, will prove that they are not of the number of these " faint and weary" professors, but amongst those who, having inherited the inestimable blessing of our glorious reformation from their fathers, are determined to hand it down — so far as hes in them—unimpaired to their children. WEST INDIA MAIL QUESTION, We are impelled, by a wish to do justice to the mass of evidence before us, to postpone, until Tuesday, our proposed estimate of the advantages, of a nautical description, possessed by the port of Liverpool, as the station for the West India Mail Packets; and in the meantime we take the opportunity to offer, although perhaps it is scarcely necessary, a few words in reply to the observations of the Liverpool Times upon our article of Friday last. Our contemporary is a little indiscreet in his thick-and-thin advocacy of the con duct of his 'Whig friends in the council, or he would never have ventured, in defiance of the universal sense of the town, to have insisted upon their zeal in behalf of local interests, as displayed by their conduct upon this question. The hands of our representative—Mr. Cresswell—were not strengthened, we repeat, as they ought to have been, by the council, and as they would have been had the question before the committee been one of the same character as their pet warehousing seheme. Their effort was a late one. To have done all the good which might have been done, it should have been made much earlier. It should have been backed, as it easily might have been, and as it was in other ports which put forward their claims, by the authority of a town's meeting, in order to have influenced the constitution of the committee itself, in which it must be admitted that the interests of Liverpool, and the manufacturing and commercial interests of the North of England and of Scotland, were most inadequately represented ; and we assert this, admitting fully the ability displayed by Mr. Cresswell, in conducting the case of our port, and the great value of the evidence offered by Mr. Aiken, Mr. G. H. Lavrrenee, and Lieut. Lord, in its favour. For the fact that this is the opinion of others besides our selves and the people of Liverpool, we refer to a letter upon the subject which will be found in another column ; and on Tuesday we trust to be able to make out such a case in favour of our town as will satisfy all thinking men, (who are inclined to look at it without partisanship,) what ought to have been the conduct of the council and of the public of Liverpool last year, with regard to this question; and, as well, how energetic ought to be their efforts now to repair; if possible, the evil consequences of their past neglect. LOCAL N'Ett Davies, milli Dr St. David's Church, obtained, on Friday Ast i his diploma, as a member of the Royal College of Sur- ST. B ARTHOLONt ENS' —On Wednesday even- Naylor-street, after an zh IvrNene, the sum of collected for the purpose of lighting and war ing the church CAUTION PUBLIC aution the pu bout getting of impostors who are goibg work-people that have Messrs. Copley, Ba. Pooley and Co., in con een thrown out of the employ of row, and Co., and Messrs; William !quenee of the late lire in Jersey- sines which th how, of street, Manchester. The subscription from those houses. to a considerable amount, have been ascertained to be forgeries. THE WARRINGTON MURDER.—A chimney-Sweep named Clough was secured at St. Helens on Wednesday evening last, by police-officers Nos. 371 and 76, on account of his having publicly statad, - thaton, the night of the 13th instant he saw Gill, the man who has I.iee.n apprehended on suspicion of this murder, dragging a woman down •Holay-lane, about half-past twelve-o'clock, and afterwards twice heard cries of '` Murder ! " He afterwards saw Gill take the wo•nan into a field which adjoins the one in which the body of the de ceased woman was found the next morning, but can relate nothing which might have occurred afterwards. Mr. Su perintendent Storey, of the St. Helens division, questioned Clough upon the subject, and after making arrangements for his appearance at Warrington when required, he was dis charged. St. HELENS PETTY SESSIONS.—The monthly court of petty sessions was held on Tuesday last, before T. Edwards, S. Taylor, and C. Orrell, Esqrs. There were only two cases of any importance to come before the court, one of which was a private examination by the magistrates into a case of violent assault by a young man upon a female servant in the employ of Mr. Bateson, of the Sutton Plate Glass Company's works, which resulted in a penalty of £5 being imposed upon the defendant. The other case was an information laid by Mr. James, clerk to the directors of the St. Helens and Runcorn Gap Railway, against Mr. John Darcy, late of the - firm of Darcy and Kurtz, alkali-manufacturers, for a tres pass on its railway ; but on the application of Mr. Silvester Marsh, who appeared for the defendant, it was remanded until next session. MR. THOMAS CLOUGH.-It is our painful duty to record 'the death of our accomplished townsman, Mr. Thomas Clough, professor of music, and organist of St. Nicholas's Church. Though he had only attained 33 years of age, he earned for-himself the highest place in this part of England, as a master of t' cessful instrm theory and practice of musical science. At the early age of 8, he was a performer on that instrument, from which, in maturer years, he drew the brilliant expression of a cultivated taste and chastened ima gination. He combined with these endowments the rare talent of instructing others in such a manner as secured the perfection of his pupils, and won for himself their confidence and esteem. During the last 6 years he conducted the mu sical services at St. Nicholas's Church, with an ability and devotional spirit which will long be remembered by the clergy and congregation there. At the same time, node will regret his early departure more than his numerous acquaint ance in private life, his many pupils, and the general circle of professional friends. THEATRE ROYAL.—A most charming and natural de velopment of woman's love and kind heartedness is Mrs. Keeley's Lucille, in the drama of that name, performed here on Tuesday night. Mrs. Keeley is a mistress of her art. Her ecstasy on discovering that St. Cyr had obtained his sight—her parting from him—her reading his letter—and her final recognition of her lover, are all instances of her con summate skill. Mr. Stuart's St. Cyr we have always con sidered a very capital impersonation. He must have watched the actions of the blind very closely so truthfully to delineate a.person labouring under that sad affliction. The last scene he did not render so striking as on former occasions. Where were the cloak, cap, and shade, which so well concealed the form of the well-loved Eugene? Lucille, could not have failed to recognise at once one whose image is so deeply im printed on her memory. Miss Ellen Tree's Blind Boy, and Miss Kelly in a similar character, were exquisite impersona tions. Mr. Stuart's St. Cyr may rank with them in merit. Mr. Lynne played Andre very judiciously. Mr. Gray did the old soldier with much humour. The farce of " A Lady and Gentleman in a Peculiarly Perplexing Predicament" is a laughable farce. It has gone off with much success. The Keeley's are inimitable in it as the Lady and Gentleman. Mrs. Keeley's Gertrude, in "The Loan of a Lover," is as much superior to Madame Vestris-Mathews's as a Bude light is to a farthing rush candle, while Keeley's Peter Spyk is equally superior to Charles Mathews's. Mrs. Keeley's singing the songs in the farce are alone worth hearing. "The Yeoman's Daughter," "Dr. Dilworth," " Nell Gwynne," and the New Farce have constituted the week's amusement. To-night Mr. W. J. Hammond makes his first appearance at this theatre these eleven years. We are glad to find an old favourite once more amongst the " legitimates." On Mon day Mi. and Mrs. Baker take their benefit. To-night the Keeleys make their appeal. AMPHITHEATRE.—This week anew spectacle called "The Fall of Canton" has been successfully produced. We can not say more of this piece than that it is a gorgeous affair : the scenery and dresses arc splendid ; the combats numer ous, and that there is two or three well-managed conflagra tions. A ballet called the " Assemblage of the Nations," is intended as a complimentary piece de circonstance to con gratulate Britannia on the birth of a Prince. The scene represents a British fleetat anchor, and is beautifully painted. At the back of the stage is Britannia; at the sides, on pedestals, are ranged figures representing the four quarters of the globe. Groups enter first, of Scotch, then of Irish, then of Welch, lastly of English—each group in appropriate cos tume—go through a national dance, and conclude by laying their national emblems at the feet of Britannia; then corm a principal dancer of . ..each nation, who performs a pas seul The dancing is very good, especially that of a very lit who takes the Irish under her patronage. The being over, there is another general dance, and the Nations again receive their emblems from the bands of Britannia; the ballet concludes with a most splendid display of fire-work, in which the initials of the Queen and P. W. are conspicuous. lance has been received throughout with much applause. The scenes in the circle were excellent. The ring performances arc better than usual, and Mr. Wells and the Clown are received with shouts of applause. Master Kite's performance on the tight rope left us little to wish for in this department. The performances during the week have con cluded with " Black Forest; or, the King and the De serter," in which H. Beverley played Frederick of Prussia capitally, as also Mr. Howard, the Deserter. Mrs. Carman's melo-drama of the " Death Grasp" has been played with success at Manchester. It is having a run also here. Too long a time is spent between the pieces and the various acts, the audience get impatient, and are needlessly kept out late ; this must be amended. SUDDEN DEATHS.—Two inquests were held before the borough coroner on Wednesday, on view of the bodies of two men who had wet their deaths in an awfully sudden manner. The first was on• that of Robert Dixon, a seaman, aged 39 years. Thothas Williams deposed that he was a seaman, and that be boarded and lodged in the house of Mr. William Connor, in Argyle-street. The deceased came to lodge there on Sunday night last. About half-past ten o'clock on Tues day night witness came to bed. The deceased was in bed at the time. They slept in the same room together, but not in the same bed. Between the hours of four and five o'clock on Wednesday morning, witness was awakened by hearing a noise. He then felt in the bed which the deceased occupied, and which was next to his own, but found it empty. Imme diately after he heard some struggling for about five minutes, and then all was quiet again. He took no further notice, and fell asleep. About eight eight o'clock in the morning he awoke and found the deceased lying on his back on the floor. He spoke to him, but having received no answer, he put his hand on his breast and felt it quite cold. He then found that he was dead. A surgeon was called to him, but it was of no avail. Witness had never heard him complain of any thing being the matter with him. lie belonged to Carlisle. The jury found a verdict to the. effect that he had died by the vi sitation of God. The next inquest was held on view of the body of John Connolly, a boatman, aged 38 years. Mary Connolly deposed that she lived in a cellar under No. 11, Brick-street, and that the deceased was her husband. About nine o'clock on Tuesday night last the deceased and herself went to bed. He was then in his usual health ? but for some time past he had complained of a pain in his breast, and par ticularly so after he ,had been drinking, which, occasionally, he was in the habit of doing freely. About five o'clock the next morning (Wednesday), she was awakened by hearing the deceased snoring pi a loud maneer. She spoke to him, and called him by his name, but he made no answer. She then got out of bed, procured a light, and found that he was apparently dying. She ran down stairs to call one of the neighbours, but before she returned, the deceased was dead. The jury found a verdict similar to that in the foregoing case. CHARGE OF ASSAULT.—lnspector Forrest, of the police force, appeared before Francis Haywood, Esq., and William Dixon, Esq., at the police-court on Tuesday, to answer a charge of having assaulted Hugh Murphy, engineer, of No. 12, M`Kee-street. The complainant stated that, on Satur day evening last, he was passing along Burlington-street, when he was accosted by the defendant in a very brutal way. He gave not the slightest provocation, but was walking quietly along, when the defendant advanced up to him and knocked him down with his stick.—Mrs. Gardner was next called, and stated that she went to the door of her shop and saw the complainant on the ground, and the inspector beat ing him in a most brutal manner with his stick. She was so shocked at his violence that she went to him and remon strated with him. His blows were, however, continued with great violence, and she endeavoured to:push him away. He still persisted, and she threatened to call a policeman, for as he wore a cloak she did not know that he was a policeman. He threw open his cloak and showed his uniform, saving, "lam a policeman." She replied, " More shame for you; it is pretty work when the police behave this way." He mediately turned upon her, threatened her with his stick, and used much violent gesticulation. He, afterwards went into the shop, and behaved very ill, " quivering" his stick over her, and knocking everything down, so that it took several young *omen to pick up after him. Mrs. Gardner further averred that the defendant was in drink. These statements were corroborated by a person who is connected with the shop alluded to. The defendant said, that at half- Kist seven o'clock on Saturday night, he was going along Scotland-road, when he saw the complainant following a lady, whose name he had ascertained was Dudley. He had followed close to her, annoying her and insulting her till she was obliged to seek refuge in a shop. He (witness) went to him, seeing that he was waiting at the shop door, and requested him to move on, asking him if he were not ashamed of himself to insult a female in that way. The complainant did not move on, upon which he (defendant)" told him he would not permit a repetition of such behaviour, and that if he persisted he would take him and put him. into bridewell for disorderly conduct. The complainant immediately seized his stick, and broke it, and he (defendant) in return, struck him. A scuffle ensued between them, when the complainant exclaimed, " What right have you to interfere ? The lady who is in the shop is. my wife." He immediately went into the shop and asked the lady if that were true. A crowd had gathered about the door by this time. The lady said she was not his wife, but he had insulted her. Mrs. Gardner begged the lady not to say that he had insulted her, for if she did they would pull the shop down. He (defendant) was then attacked by several persons ; the females all sur rounded him, and thrust pins into his posteriors, and in the end he lost a new wig, which cost him three guineas ; and in that manner he was expelled. (Laughter.) The defendant called two respectable young gentlemen (Charles Hague and another) as witnesses. They both stated that they saw Murphy insulting a respectable-looking young woman, in Scotland-ro a d, an d t h at she appeare d muc h annoyed by hi s pertinacity, and at length took refuge in a shop. They saw the defendant go up to him, and remonstrate with him. They could not say who struck the first blow. The stick got broken by some means, and then the parties closed with each other. The complainant then said. the lady was his own wife, and the inspector had no right to interfere. Th e inspector took the complainant into the shop, and asked her if she was his wife, and she replied that she was not. The Young woman was not present, and the magistrates thinking it was essential to the ends of justice that she should appear, adjour ne d th e case t o yester d a y at two o'clock.—Yest er d ay the case was again called ; but as it appeared from the evi dence of several police-officers that Mrs. Dudley, though she had promised to attend, was not present, and could not immediately be found, she having left the house in which she li ve d. A c l ue h a d, however, been found to h er new abode, and the magistrate ordered a summons to be issued for her appearance on Saturday, when the case will be dis posed of. INTERESTING TO firPRENTICES.-At the pollee' ebllrt, 'esterday, before Messrs. Houghton and Bolton, an appren `, Mr. Hulse, baiter, was committed for seven days for ii iecting his work and general disobedience; but it did not transpire whether or :lot a premium had been paid with the uden Lures. THE CFIA - Friday,) thi —The Cheshire hound 11 ins cant, at Booth's °bells) 27th,, at Withington ; Moni (Saturilv Duddon Heath 11 meet this day to-morro Thursd at Mer Decem W. Massey Stanley's hounds will meet TAM O ' EIANTER.-It will be seen, by an advertisement in our paper of this day, that Mr. Anderson's figures have been safely removed to the lower end of Ranelagb-street, where they will be more in the way ; and we have no doubt but they will be well attended. Four men have been apprehended at Manchester who have for some time carried on an extensive system of fraud on grocers. They were caught just as they were about starting for Liverpool to embark for America with the produce of their plunder. THE LATE ROBBERY NEAR KENDAL.—Christopher lon, who was apprehended at Lancaster, on suspicion of having committed the above robbery, underwent an examination at the Town Hall, Kendal, on Saturday last, the 20th instant, when he was committed to take his trial at the next assizes, and was that day conveyed to Appleby Castle. THE CENSUS.—Most of our contemporaries have com mitted an - error in giving a statistical account.of the popula tion of the counties. It would be inferred that the popula tion given was that of 1811, whilst, through a mistake origi nating in the London Journals, it is that of 1831. The par ticulars of both were correctly given in the STANDARD of Tuesday. A HINT TO OUR CONSERVATIVE FRIENDS.—TD entitle a freeholder or copyholder to be next year registered as a voter for any Riding, &c., he must be in the actual posses sion of his qualifying property on the last day of January next, at the very latest. It is, therefore, highly important that all conveyances and other deeds of assurance should be completed before the 31st day of January, 1842. REMAINS OF TIIE RED DEER.—In excavating a drain about ten or twelve feet below the surface of the grounp at Birkenhead, and while cutting through what appeared to be an old peat bog, filled entirely with mouldered leaves and shells of the acorn, the skeleton of a stag, the antlers of one of the red deer, and several skulls of the same tribe, were discovered in a perfect st•ite of preservation. These remains arc in the possession of Mr. Cole, architect, Hamilton-street, Birkenhead, who will be glad to show them to any gentle man interested in antiquarian researches. ST. BRIDE'S NATIONAL SCHOOLS.--It will be seen by the advertisement in another column that our excellent Bishop is to preach at St. Bride's Church next Sunday mor ning and evening in aid of the funds of these schools, in which there are at present nearly 600 children receiving in struction. This extra collection, we understand, is required to discharge the expenses of fitting up, painting, and com pleting the school-rooms, and to settle the balance remaining due to the treasurer. The advices from Lancashire are not of a cheering cha racter. Messrs. T. and H. Crofts, of Liverpool, who are concerned in the soap trade, have failed, and their liabilities are supposed to amount to £45,000. The acceptances of Messrs. Gisborne and Wilson, calico printers, of Manches ter, a firm of some importance, have been refused. The London money-market has been in no wise influenced by these occurrences, and it is expected in some quarters that the Manchester house will satisfy all its creditors.—Times. BAD HORSMANSHIP AND COOL BRUTALITY.—On Sunday afternoon, Mr. Dowson, a foreig n gen tl eman , requ i r i ng a horse for the service of his lady, proceeded to the livery stables of Messrs. Anderson and Brown, Mount-pleasant, where he was in . the habit of hiring horses. A fine spirited and valuable horse, Which had been a favourite hunter of the late Sir Thomas Stanley, was shown to him and approved. His servant, mounted it and set off home before his master. It was observed by several individuals on the way, that the man was a bad horseman, and more than one apprehended mischief. At length, in St. Anne-street, the horse, having gradually become more impatient of the mismanagement to which he was subjected, darted against a shandry, the shaft of which broke off and entered the chest of the horse. Though the poor animal had the large splinter of the shaft sticking in his breast, the brutal fellow who rode him con tinued to urge him forward as if nothing had happened. At l eng th he was observed by police-officer 188, who seeing the condition of the horse, stopped him, and dragged the man from his back. The fellow, with thoughtless inhumanity, seized the splinter and tore it from the wound. The blood spouted forth as from a pump. Mr. Dawson at that moment came, and discharged the fellow from his service on the spot. Officer 188 led the horse by the bridle with the intention of taking him to Mr. Bunnell's veterinary surgery. He had not proceeded far, however, when he stopped, staggered, and after reeling for a short time, fell. He struggled convulsively for some minutes, and then expired. The value of the horse would not be less than £5O. It had. been hunted only the week before, and came in first of the field. FATAL ACCIDENT AT THE MOUTH OF THE RIVER.—We regret to learn that an accident, attended with very serious consequences, took place on Monday afternoon, in the Vic toria Channel. A small boat, such as those which usually cruise about for employment from inward bound vessels, was out on this errand on the day in question, when, from some cause which we have not heard fully explained, it upset, and the crew, consisting of four hands, were precipitated into the water. One of them succeeded in keeping himself afloat by means of two oars till he was picked up by another boat, which fortunately happened to be near. Of the other three, two sunk, and have not yet been recovered, and the third died immediately on being taken out. An inquest was held on Wednesday on view of the body of this man, whose name was Owen Pritchard, when George Garlic, one of his com panions, deposed—that he was a boatman, that he livediln Lumber-street, and that lie knew the deceased very well. About eleven o'clock on Monday morning last, the deceased, witness, and two other men went out in a small boat as far die Formby lightship, to look fora vessel out some time, arid at length Were proceeding towards Liver pool. It was blowing very fresh on their return, but they had a fair wind. While they were coining along, a sea struck the boat and upset her, in consequence of which they were all thrown into the water. A man of the name of Edward Newby was close to witness in the water, and in about a quarter of an hour he sunk. Witness did not observe the deceased and the other man after the boat had upset. A boat came to their assistance, and witness was taken out of the water. Jttst as he got into the - boat he, saw a Man in the act of sinking, and one of the Men ,who had picked him up seized hold of the drowning individ ua l, w h om witness then recognised to be the deceased. He was taken, into the boat, and appeared to be dead. Such means were used by the men in the boat as lay in the boat to bring him round, but they were of no avail, animation having been quite extinct. Nei ther of the other two men who perished could be found. Time deceased was brought to Liverpool, and carried home by some boatmen. He was 33 years of age. The jury returned a verdict to the effect that the deceased had died in the man ner described. The other two bodies have not yet been re covered, but the name of one of theth has been. ascertained to be Edward Newby. „, RELIEF OF THE POOR AT MANCHESTER.—The distress which was known to exist amongst the poorer classes of this populous and extensive district has excited the attention of the clergy generally, and it is now decided that sermons be preached in the different churches for the immediate relief of the suffering poor. The first sermon for the above obj ect was preachd on Sunday morning last. at Christ Church, Salford, by the Rev. Hugh Stowell, M.A., when the collec tion amounted to upwards of £2-10, and we understand that other sermons are to follow in quick succession. We most sincerely hope that so worthy an example may be generally followed. SUPPOSED MURDER AT WARRINGTON.—A. day or two ago we gave some particulars of an inquiry before the coro ner, at Warrington, respecting the death of a young woman, named Moulds, a dressmaker. It will be recollected that the deceased was found suffocated in a ditch, on Sunday the 14th instant. At the time of the inquest some suspicion attached to a man named Gill, who had been seen with the deceased on the Saturday night, but the jury did not find any verdict inculpating him. A subsequent inquiry, however, took place before the magistrates, on Saturday; the result of which was his commitment to Kirkdale, to take his trial, on the charge of wilful murder, at the next assizes for the county. We have received a report of the evidence adduced before the magistrates, but it is not necessary to publish it, as, for the most part, it was a mere repetition of that taken before the coroner. The additional facts which bore against the pri soner were that he was seen near the spot where the woman was found about the time when it is supposed the murder took place, and that the footsteps near the spot corresponded with the shoes of the prisoner. A book belonging to the woman was found at the prisoner's lodgings. It was also stated that cries were heard near the spot about the time of the murder. The prisoner is a native of Worcestershire, and served his apprenticeship to Mr. William Whitley, iron founder, of Warrington. He is in the 27th year of his age, and has been some time married to a young woman, a native of Northwich, in Cheshire. lie has one child living. THE LATE CAPTAIN TOWNLEY.—This gallant seaman, who died in this city, on the 3rd instant, after an illness of three days, commanded her Majesty's mail-packet Merlin, belonging to the Liverpool and Irish station, on which service he had commanded government Packets, under the Pbstoffice and Admiralty, for more than seventeen years. Mr. Town ley's perfect knowledge of navigating through the intricate difficulties of the River Mersey, his firm and manly conduct in all cases of emergency, more particularly when in cum ' mand of the Avon, on her voyage to Liverpool from Kings town, during the great 'storm of January, 1839 (when he re ceived several injuries on the head, with loss of blood, which considerably impaired his constitution), added to his well known gentlemanly bearing, had secured for him the character of a most efficient, trustworthy, and gallant officer, whose professional services must ever be considered a Serious public loss. His fatal illness was contracted in the late storm of tho 17th of October, during which he was lashed for 24 hours to a wet deck, and thus lost his life, as he had spent it, in the service of his country.—Dublin Paper. RADICAL BRIBERY.—We have, on indubitable testimony, the awkward fact, that the expenses on behalf of the liberal candidate, in Pitt-street ward, at the last m un i c i pa l e l ect i on, amounted to upwards of £4O, while those incurred by the conservative committee did not exceed £9. And in what way have the immaculate liberals run up all this extra ex pense ? They never bribe, not they, innocent souls : they never treat. But what says the landlord of the Vine Tavera ? What vouchers has he to show for the correctness of his bill ? Why, TICKETS FOR DRINK, varying from 2d. to Bd. in value, and issued under the hand and seal of the com mittee, BESIDES ORDERS FOR 200 BREAKFASTS. It is true, that with characteristic shabbiness, after contracting the debt, the liberals demur to the payment, and legal proceed ings have been adopted to enforce it. The tender of £25, however, with which they have come forward as a compro mise, is a sufficient confession that a very considerable sum has been laid out beyond the necessary expenses of the elec tion. We were not wrong in giving it as our opinion, from the known character of the liberal party, that if it were at all suspected that the conservatives were dealing in bribery, great care would be taken that they should not have it all to themselves.—Courier. THE FINE ARTS.—The subscription books for the receipt of names to the Postoffice Gallery fund for the encourage ment of the fine arts are now open. We sincerely hope that the public will come forward to support the undertaking this year. Last year the sum received was much under the amount of other periods. We have been told, and we have no reason to doubt our authority—that the artists do not ex ert themselves so much as they might in procuring subscri bers. We assure them that unless they are "up and do ing ", a still greater falling off will be found. Times are bad, and though men may admire pictures—they love money better. HIGHWAY ROBBERY AT ST. HELENS.-013 Tuesday night last, about midnight, a pig drover, named John WCalr, was attacked by three men, and robbed of all the money he had in his possession, which, fortunately, however, was not a very large amount. At the time of the attack, M`Cale was intoxicated, having been drinking at a public house at a place called Blackbrook, distant about a mile and a half from St. Helens, in company with a party Of colliers, some of whom are suspected of being the robbers. He was proceeding to his lodgings, and had got about two hundred yards from the public-house, when three men pounced upon him, and cut out his trousers pockets, containing about 175., with which they decamped. Information of the robbery was taken to the police offiJe, St. Helens, on Wednesday morn ing, when Police-serjeant Lloyd (No. 309), and police-con stable Green (No. 446), were speedily engaged in investiga ting the affair, and during the day th ree or four parties were takn into custody on suspicion. 111'Cale identifies a man named Tunstall, who has been apprehended, as one of the parties who made the attack on him. MEETING 03 MERCHANTS A. meeting was held on Vc the rooms of the of inspecting the leading abject t plaining tot . . has submittec At twelve c to the. Dock Comtnitte SHIPOWNERS, &c. t twelve o'clock, at lion, for the purpose Itive to the formation onomical and ad- invited to take the raving declined - to do so. Mr. Gage had ,n the me... __al his' place, with his plans, at the table. The CIIAIItMAN briefly introduced the subject to the meeting observing that the Shipmasters' Association deemed it a privilege that Mr. Gage had so readily consented to come forward and explain his views. nifable land of a number of .nd others interested in the • n invited to attend for meeting the plans which he Rowett, Esq. chair, Mr. Chapman time tai Mr. GAGE proceeded to explain his views to the assembly. As Mr. Gage's discourse was principally a commentary on the plans which he introduced to notice, it will be difficult to give a clear or comprehensive view of his meaning. The plans, which may he called the illustrations of his address, which was necessarily very desultory, are wanting to its per fect illustration. The first document introduced was an ingeniously constructed diagram' exhibiting, by means of fluxilineal curves, a view of the proportionate progressive increase of tonnage in Liverpool and London. This showed the actual amount of extraordinary increase, and the extraordinary ratio of increase at certain periods. The lines in this diagram show that London started above Liverpool in its tonnage, and that for a number of years their increase was nearly pa rallel—say from 1700 to 1780; from - 1790 to 1800 a conside rable rise is perceptible ; but from 1800 and upwards the curvature is of a different character altogother, the frequent abrupt tendencies upward being most remarkable, till within close upon the present period, when the line of Liverpool is still rising, while that of London is falling. Mr. Gage said he introduced this diagram for the purpose of showing the necessity of providing for the future. They might naturally look forward to an increase of tonnage in the same ratio as formerly, and if it did come, what was to become of their trade? It was the necessities of this, and the difficulties which presented themselves, which caused him to investigate the subject. On glancing at the docks he observed, as any person might observe, that they were extended over a very wide space ; that they were in fact scattered. This had, no doubt, arisen from their having been formed as they were wanted. The time had come, however, when there was an absolute necessity for the general design, some design whereby the space at command should be laid out to the very best advantage. Some of the gentlemen to whom he had sub,itted these designs had acknowledged that they were good, but said, " The time is gone by—the die is cast—the docks are made, and we cannot alter them." In reply to this, he (Mr. Gage) said, "If your hands are tied up as re gards the past, why dont you begin when you can ?" (Hear.) It was proper for those who had the power to adopt the plans which would give the greatest quantity of loading and dis charging room. As he did not wish to rest on mere opi nions, he had taken surveys at given periods, which he would now submit. a sheet containing plans of the Prince's, Victoria, and Waterloo Docks, with the positions, &c. of the vessels actually in them on the 28th of May, 1840. The vessels which were on that day in such positions that the business of discharging and loading could not go on, were coloured grey ; those which were idle were coloured brown. By far the larger proportion of vessels were shown to have been idle. • now op Mr. GAGE next unfolded a sheet containing representa tions of the King's, Queen's, and various other docks, with the vessels at work and those idle represented in like man ner. He observed that many gentlemen present had proba bly observed in his pamphlet an assertion that the King's Dock was the worst constructed dock in Liverpool, but that the new dock, projected according to Mr. Hartley's plan, would be worse than the King's Dock. The fault in the King's Dock was that it had too much width. Mr. Gage here referred to the representations of the King's Dock, with the position of the vessels therein on a given day, and showed not only the number unemployed, but the difficulties which those employed would, when they had completed their busi ness, have in getting out through the great crowd of ship ping, clear of the dock. With the intended dock all these mischiefs would be infinitely increased, not merely on ac count of its shape, but of sundry other errors in its construc tion. This would be a central dock, and they were assured that the central docks were all full while the others were com paratively empty. This was because of the proximity of the central docks to the warehouses. Now, if the projected dock were built in that shape, and were kept constantly full, as they were assured it would be, it would follow that two thirds of the vessels in it would be constantly idle. This it was plain would be a loss in exactly the same ratio to the community. He had brought forward these statements, however, simply to prove that the existing plan was not good for the despatch of business. Mr. GAGE next produced a sheet containing Mr. Hart _ an, with the Salthouse, Canning, and Graving Docks, and a plan of his own. Both occupied the same space, laid nut in different ways, the different results arising entirely from the different arrangements. In Mr. Hartley's dock Mr. Gage showed all the vessels which were, on the 28th May, 1840, in the Prince's, and showed the number which would be idle. He said there was an objection alone which, in the opinion of all nautical men and those connected with the dock affairs, was fatal. This was that, for the Canning, Salthouse, and the New Dock, there was to the basin but one entrance. Taking the largest of the vessels in the dock in his compasses, he showed that if such a vessel was enter ing the New Dock, she would, when brought round and hauling in, completely for the time being, block up the en trance and exit for all other vessels to and from the other two dock- Mr. Gage proceeded to point out other incon veniences, and to allude to the expense of constructing new docks for the Graving'Docks. He also submitted another plan in which the space was laid out in a different way. The principal features in Mr. Gage's plan may be briefly stated to be, first, the economising of the outward quay space, and next, the projection of piers or jetties, so as to increase con siderably the line or quay space. These jetties are very in geniously disposed. In the plan last alluded to Mr. Gage stated that he had acquired an increase of one acre and three quarters of water, 926 yards or 63 per cent. lineal quay space , and a considerable quantity of increased warehouse room. The Dock Committee, Mr. GAGE said, had these plans before them, and the objection which they. made was, that they both included the Salthouse Dock, which they were de termined to keep. He was therefore requested to draw a plan confining himself to the space intended for the new dock. Mr. JOSEPH 13noolcs YATES here asked Mr. Gage if the plans had been seen by the Dock Committee before they applied to parliament. " Mr. GAGE said, he showed his plans to Mr. Hartley; by desire of Mr. Evans, before the bill was applied for. Mr. Evans observed to him, that he would get plenty of support ers, if it were merely to oppose his (Mr. Evans) views re specting dock warehouses. Mr. Gage disavowed any hos tility to the measure for building dock warehouses. He proceeded to say that he followed the instructions of the Dock Committee, and produced a plan in which he gained 740 yards, or 88 per cent. of lineal quay room, 11 acres of water, and much additional warehouse room. Mr. Gage exhibited the plan. The entrance to the dock was in front, and independent of the basin, and the jetties ran down the centre, so as to admit of the ship being easily berthed, and of the goods being quickly carted off. The committee said this was a good dock, but not having a lock was fatal to it. He replied that they had not in other cases, when they had en trusted a great amount of valuable property, thought a lock necessary. They entrusted even their steamers without a lock, to a dock where the stream was more powerful than at the portion of the river now in question. However, he showed them that his principle would admit of a lock, and he accordingly drew two other plans with locks. Mr. Gage exhibited the first of these plans and pointed out its advan tages. He then showed the second, which he preferred. The jetties in this formed a horse-shoe basin. In this he said there was a great facility of moving vessels. Two of the Dock -masters were present, and made frequent observations. One of them appeared favourable to Mr. Gage's plans ; the other opposed. The latter now took ob jection to the etrved wall, which be said would be inconve nient, and would throw ships not having quay berths to too great a distance. Mr. GAGE said the curve would be so alight as scarcely to be perceptible. Mr. YATES said, if a vessel could land her goods as a se cond and third vessel from the quay, she could land them at a curved wall. tained for tl - i - e;; - 1;;ty - of ve Mr. Ch AvmAN observed, that the former acts were ob _.,els, as well as for the facilities of was obtained with a view to the des- They had water space—what they wanted was quay room Mr. 11 s said Mr. G age's plans gave both water space y room Mr. CH APMAN alluded to the circuitous line of the pro posed warehouses on the west side of the intended dock. The committee were _tied not to build on the opposite side for some years to come. Hence it was impossible to get an en trance to the Mersey. He showed the danger of such a con tinued unbroken line in case of tire, and the advantage of taking a portion of the buildings from the middle thereof and putting it at the north-west angle. Mr. Gans: next produced a plan which he said he deemed the most desirable of the whole. He had in this treated the whole space between the Duke's Dock and George's Dock basin as if it were blank, with the exception of the baths, which were not to be touched. Mr. Gage showed the vast quantity of space wasted, or covered with buildings, ware houses and quays, of comparatively little public use. He wished to direct attention to the result of his mode of arrang ing this space, which afforded more landing and discharging room than all the docks put together. He was not astonished at persOns being sceptical on this point. All the vessels in troduced into the plan were taken from actual survey, and he could give any person who desired it the name and position of each when the survey was taken. It is impossible by any mere description to convey a notion of this plan. The docks, however. we may observe, are packed as it were side by side, with the requisite quay space between each, their ends being placed towards the river, with the requisite openings at con venient points. They all open into each other, but of the numerous conveniences and niceties of arrangement we can give no notion. Mr. Gage observed that her Majesty's ship Trafalgar could traverse all the docks. Mr. Gage, in conclusion, said, having shown clearly that the space could be had, the question was, would it be wanted ? He thought he had shown that clearly enough by his fluxi lineal curves. Mr. Gage proceeded to show that iu his views the space would be wanted almost immediately. He thought we ought not to give way to the croaking cry that Liverpool had obtained her maximum and would go down, for some people did not hesitate to say so : but it was an idea which lie would not for a moment countenance. (Cheers.) With all the facilities which had been introduced of late years of steam and other advantages, were they to expect Li verpool to stand still? It was plain that the progress was onward, and such being the case it was their duty to provide for future exigencies. The CHAIRMAN reminded the meeting that Mr: Hartley was invited to be present at that meeting. He would not judge or condemn Mr. Hartley unheard, and perhaps he could yet give them an exposition of his views. Mr. GAGE said he should be extremely happy to meet Mr. Hartley in discussion on the subject. One of the dock masters observed that Mr. Gage's plan did not contain any graving docks. Mr. GAGE said he was drawing a plan with graving docks. Mr. YATES observed that the carpenters were so far re moved from this vicinity that the question of graving docks here required consideration. _ . _ . A memorial was read" by the Secretary of the Shipmasters' Association. It was addressed to the Dock Committee. After pointing out the views of the Association touching the several plans submitted by Mr. Gage, it goes to ask the committee to refer all those plans to the judgment of some supeKior engineer. _ - On the motion of Captain Finlay, seconded by Mr. Charles Reed, Eso., the memor►al was adopted . ;:i?.1(;:s7c; who described him se lf as a practical shipbuilder, who had been an observer of docks from his childhood, spoke in the highest terms of Mr. Gage's plans, add Condemned the existing docks a n d t h at planned by Mr. Hartley, as being , exceedingly inconvenient and straggling, and occupying space most wastefully. The great error, be said, of having their entrances crossing each other at right angles, which was visible in the King's Dock, was repea t e d in Mr. Hartley's plan. f Mr. ATzs, ' after a few wor d s i n favour of the plans of Mr. Gage, recommended that they should be made public. Mr. GAGE said he was about to have them printed. On the motion of Mr. YATES, seconded by Mr. JONES, the thanks of the meeting were voted to Mr. cage. Mr. GAGE returned his acknowledgments. On the Motion of Mr. GAIR, seconded by Mr. YATES, banks were voted to the Chairman, and the meeting broke up. tb~p Wei Sc AOrt f rom 'le, and 1, 0 ,f share tr. 34 1 1:0 E On the 'N. of th '4 Preen the l Pr esided al s entati on hold 8 oh. ers in l e i rvatio - 1 Mr• s.. 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