The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-05-17 00:00:00

It will be said, however, that this, even, is a very important saving in the charges of a vessel of 500 tons; and, for the sake of argument, we will admit it to he so. But let us bear in mind that this is only an in complete transaction. The cotton at Fleetwood has to be carried to Manchester—(for it is said that to that town, even, Fleetwood is the cheapest route) ; and we have, therefore, the inland carriage by the two routes to compare. Now, low as the fares are at present upon the Preston and \Vyre Railway, (along which merchan dise from Fleetwood, en route to Manchester, must pass,) there is, we believe, in the inland carriage, add ing porterage at Liverpool, a saving in favour of that port, as the port for the manufacturing districts, suffi cient to compensate for the difference of port charges at Fleetwood. We know, moreover, that at the pre sent rates of carriage upon the railway from that port to Preston, the proprietors are heavy losers ; (as much as £4,000 have been lost in working the line during the past year;) and we may therefore fairly conclude that in the event of any large trade being entrapped to the new port, the railway proprietors would promptly step in and claim, at least, saving if not even exorbitant remuneration. We will not so far insult the understanding of our readers as to institute any comparison between the two ports upon general grounds. We need scarcely say that few—very few—people would, unless in consider ation of an extra freight, consign cargoes of cotton, or any other cargoes, to a port from which no return car goes can be got, except coals, and in which there is no market for the commodity itself when landed. We have only alluded to the subject to suggest to the gen tlemen by whom these statements have been put forth that it would be honest at least, before adventuring upon a crusade in the United States in behalf of their pet projects, to make the correction in their compara tive calculations of charges which we have pointed out : for unless our friend George Thomson is to he their " Peter the Hermit," we know of no man who could have the face to go before an intelligent American merchant with a case so 'grossly mendacious and silly as that under our notice. The existing arrangement by which the East and West Indian, Meditteranean, Levant and peninsular mail steamers are compelled to take on board and deli ver their mails at the port of Fahnouth, has, at length, by the inefficiency of its working, drawn forth a demand from the merchants of London, for one of a more prac tical and convenient character. On Thursday last a meeting was held at the London Tavern, which was at tended by the leading members of the several interests affected, to the number of about 200, at which, although 'differing with respect to the port to be selected—(the ma jority favouring Southampton, whilst a considerable mi nority were in favour of Dartmouth)—the present port —Falmouth—was, by common consent, condemned ; and, as the result of the proceedings, a memorial to the Commissioners of the Treasury, praying that the mails might be forwarded from Southampton instead'of Fal mouth, was put and carried. We should, perhaps, not have alluded here to this meeting but for some remarks which dropped from tsl o of the speakers in the course of the proceedings. It is a tolerably well understood fact that it would be almost as difficult to persuade any given number of Londoners, of any class whatever, that the wishes and interests of LONDON were not to be considered before those of all the kingdom besides as it would be to con vince his sublimity, the brother of the sun and moon, that the entire people of Great Britain are not, at this moment, trembling before the awful threatenings of his exterminating edicts. It may, therefore, be conceived that the claims of Liverpool, Manchester, &c. to be con sidered in the settlement of a question such as that be• fore the meeting at the London Tavern, are not altoge ther insignificant, when we find them prominently urged by two of the most influential speakers, and made the object of an amendment upon the original motion pro posed. Mr. Divett, M.P., one of the gentlemen to whom we allude, in a speech containing much sound argument, confirming many of the views which we have advanced in favour of Liverpool, as the best port for the dispatch of the West India mails—maintained that the question to be considered was not one merely as to the comparative advantages of Falmouth, Dartmentl), and Southampton, but to determine " how they could best obtain an impartial review of the whole subject." They must look at it as one " in which the interests of the whole country was involved; one in which the mer chants of Manchester and Liverpool, as well as those of London, were to be considered." Now, we beg to suggest to our local authorities that when the claims of our town are thus taken up for us —before a tribunal, too, so convinced of its own self sufficiency and overwhelming importance as a meeting of London merchants—surely it is time that our own voice was raised in our own behalf ! If the local au thorities of Liverpool will not lead in a matter so vitally affecting the interests of the port and its inhabitants, surely they will follow, when even opponents of their claims urge the right of Liverpool to be heard ! A few months ago, when advocating the advantages possessed by this port as the station of one of the mails in ques tion—the West India mails—we were told that the time had passed by—that it was too late—that the arrange ments of Government were already made, and would not be disturbed. Here, however, we have the voice of the metropolis, for whose especial convenience the ar rangements in question were concluded, crying out upon their inefficiency—demanding alteration—and expressly acknowledging our right to be considered be fore making that alteration. In the name of common sense, then, let our authorities put in their claim, if not with respect to all, at least with respect to the West India mails ; and do not let us again be told,—if we find ourselves excluded from consideration and sub mitted to the endless and manifold inconveniences which must attend the permanent selection of South ampton as the port of arrival and departure of these mails—that it is too late to move ! Our contemporary the Journal, without excepting against the "good temper " with which we treated his demand for the admission of reporters to the Watch Committee, is anxious that we should give the subject greater consideration ; and, particularly, that we should " refresh our memory by perusing our own articles on the admission of 'reporters to the Dock Committee." We should really be willing to treat the proposition of the Journal with more serious consideration, if we could he convinced that it is seriously put forward ; and we would even recur to the arguments which we advanced, in favour of the admission of the press to the meetings of the Dock Committee, if we could see any parity of circumstances in the two cases. We would do this, and more—we would take up the advo cacy of the Journal's demand—if we could satisfy our selves that the public have any earnest care to know the sayings (they can learn the doings already, if they wish to learn them, from the monthly reports of the Council) of this particular body. We cannot, howe ver , thi n k th a t ou r c o ntemporary is in earnest in making his demand. We can see no. thing in the functions of the Watch Committee, or in the business committed to its management, which can at all entitle that body to be placed in the same cate gory as the Dock Committee. The control of an es tate so vast as that of the Dock property of Liverpool, the press may reasonably claim to scrutinize and re flect to the public ; but the mere details which consti tute the business of the Watch Committee—discus sions upon the orthodox length of a po li ceman ' s truncheon, the number of nails in his shoes or stripes upon his armlet —are matters with which we have po sitively no inclination to fill our columns, and the pub lic no great inclination to meddle. We can already, through the Council, know all that we require to know of the proceedings o f the Watch y. bod Committee as a We can already scru tinize their conduct as a body ; and we can dispense with a knowledge of the sayings and doings of particular members of that body. We must still, moreover, urge our fear that the pre sence of reporters in the Watch and other subordinate committees would tend to convert those, which ought to be working bodies, into debating bodies. We have not the slightest objection that the world should know who are the workers upon any committee ; but that .knowledge can be acquired by a return being made to every monthly Council of the attendances of each mem ber at the various meetings. Anything further, we are convinced, would only lead to a multiplication of prolix speeches not worth the cost of the " midnight oil" wasted in their preparation; and to the conversion of not a few gentlemen, who are at present good work ing members of committees, into perfect oratorical pumps—artesian wells of eloquence, eternally bubbling over and threatening ultimately to bewilder and over whelm the world with visions of watchmen's rattles and blank verse rhapsodies upon the proper form and metal of a policeman's button. LOCAL NEWS. COMMITMENT.—A rather good-looking young woman, who gave her name as Hannah Wallace, was yesterday committed, at the Police-court, for trial at the sessions, now sitting, on a charge of robbing a man of three half-crowns, on the same morning, at the house of Mr. Matthew Coffey, publican, Wapping. The custom of inlaying Gothic tiles for the floors of churches is about b e i ng revived, and many are now being manufactured for thi s purpose at the factors of Herbert Minton, Esq., of Stoke-upon-Trent. The finest examples known at present are at Great Malvern Church; the Chap ter-house, Westminster; Winchester and York Cathedrals ; and the Prior Chapel, Ely. THEFT BY AN OLD OFFENDER.—A man named Arthur Williams was, yesterday, charged at the police-court with stealing a leaden pump from some premises in Hatton garden. He was seen cutting it with a chisel and hammer. He said that he was employed to repair it by the year, and had merely taken it for that purpose. This the owner positively denied. He had before been convicted, and was committed for trial. The ship Memphis, Captain Knight, from New York, bringing dates to the evening of the 27th ult., arrived at Li verpool, on Friday, making her passage from city to city in exactly 16 days, and from pilot to pilot, 15 days and S hours. Parted company with the packet-ship Siddons on the 29th ult., in lat. 39 45, long. 65. THE BLANCHE STEAMER. — We beg to direct attention to the advertisement, announcing that a very fine steamer, called the Blanche, will, during the present week, make daily excursions round the north-west lightship. This is a cheap and easy mode of enjoying a pure sea breeze; and we have no doubt that the deck of the vessel will be crowded with parties anxious to avail themselves of the opportunity. STABBING.—A man of colour, named Charles Yerby, was yesterday placed at the bar of the police-court on a charge of having stabbed a man named James Card, at a boarding house. A police-officer received information on Sunday night, at nine o'clock, that a man was stabbed, and went to the house, but the prisoner was not to be seen. He had stabbed Card in the thigh, near the groin, and so severely that he was unable as let to appear in court. The prisoner was remanded until 'Wednesday. TRANSATLANTIC STEAMERS.-The British and North American royal mail steamer Britannia, which sailed from Liverpool late on the afternoon of the.sth ultimo, for Halifa.x and Boston, arrived at the latter port early on the morning of the 20th ultimo, after a voyage ( including a stoppage of several hours at the former port) of 14 days and 12 hours. She left Boston on the afternoon of the Ist, and Halifax on the night of the sth instant, and reached the Mersey late on Sunday night. On Thursday afternoon the Columbia will sail for Halifax and Boston, and the Great Western on Sa turday for New York. SMUGGLING TOBACCO. — Yesterday, a seaman, named Samuel Brown, was brought before Mr. Rushton, at the in stance of the excise officers. It appeared that one of the officers had yesterday boarded the line-ship Siddons, on her arrival from New York, at the Prince's-dock Basin. He found on board of her a box nailed up, and wished to know whose it was. The prisoner declined stating anything about it, but, on its being opened, he claimed the contents, which turned out to be 871bs. weight of foreign manufactured to bacco. The prisoner was remanded, as is usual, until the commissioners of excise in London should give instructions how he should be dealt with. He stated himself to be a Welshman. We understand that Lieut. Tracey is preparing a pamphlet for the press, showing the absolute necessity of having mari time bishops, ere aught can be done with energy and success towards improving the condition of our seamen; and enter taining a very favourable opinion of Lieut. Tracey, from his speech at the annual meeting of the Mariners' Church, we shall probably present our readers with extracts from his speech on that occasion, thus giving our readers an oppor tunity of judging for themselves whether we are in error in the opinion we have formed? We understand it is to be dedicated to William Potter, Esq., and Duncan Gibb, Esq. THE LATE ACCIDENT ON THE BIRKENHEAD AND CHES TER RAILWAY.—The Railway Times of Saturday, in some remarks on this subject, says :—" Some time ago an officer of the London and Birmingham Company met with a simi lar accident, and more recently the same sad fate befel a guard upon the Croydon line ; and if these parties, knowing well the position of the several bridges upon their respective railways, and the danger of quitting their accustomed posi tions were, nevertheless, destroyed, it behoves those who have the control of such matters, absolutely, and in every case, to prevent strangers from thus putting their lives in peril. It is with this object that we have deemed it our duty to draw attention to the case of Mr. Thistleton." THE POLYTECHNIC SOCIETY.—The last meeting of the society, for the season, was held in the Royal Institution rooms, on Monday. Mr. Steel read a paper on locomotive cranks, which he illustrated by a model and diagrams, and propounded certain novel views relative to the power of the crank at different periods of its revolutions which he main tained in a very ingenious manner. This called forth an ani mated and prolonged discussion, but too purely technical for our columns. The sitting was closed by an able and ju dicious speech from the president, Mr. Grantham, on the scope, objects, and prospects of the society, and which was warmly applauded. CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY.—The anniversary ser vices of the South Lancashire Church Missionary Society commence in this town on Sunnay next. The names of the gentlemen who are to preach the sermons at the several churches, and also of the deputation who will appear at the annual meetings, will be found in our advertising colums, from which it will be seen that this anniversary will not be surpassed in interest by any of its predecessors. We earnestly recommend this valuable society to the support of the public. It is worthy of all honour, and we sincerely trust that Liverpool will, on this occasion, administer to its funds in a manner worthy of the wealth and inflnence of the second town in the empire. THE FUNDS.—SATURDAY EVENING. The English stocks were rather flat to-day, a demand for money, an unu sual circumstance on a Saturday, having sprung up in conse quence of some stock being brought to market. In some cases as high a rate of interest as four per cent. was paid, but at the close of business it had receded to about three per cent. Consols left off for money, and the account, 921 to 4 ; Bank Stock, 1671 to 1682: India Stock, 2491 to 2501; Exchequer-bills, 395. to 41s. premium ; 3 per Cents. Re duced, 91i1 to A ; 3 1 per Cents. Reduced, 994 to 4 ; New 31 per Cents., 1001 ; Long Annuities, 121; and India Bonds, 19s. to 21s. premium. In foreign stock Spanish Actives were quoted 231 to 4 ; ditto, New, 22 to 3 ; Portuguese 5 per Cents., 371 to 38 ; ditto, 3 per Cents., 224 to 4 ; Mex ican, 3n. to 4 ; Dutch 21 per Cents., 521 to 531 ; Danish, 801 to 811 ; Brazilian, 67 to 68 ; Belgian, 102 to 103 ; and Colombian, 254 to 64. SPEEDY DETECTION AND COMMITMENT OF A THIEF. —At the police court, yesterday afternoon, a stout rough looking boy named Daniel Fagan, was placed at the bar, on a charge of stealing a watch from a dwelling-house. Mrs. Mary Ann Pratt said, she resided at Dalrymple-street, and had left the room where she had been sitting for a few mo ments, at half-past twelve, that day, when she heard her little girl cry out—" Mother, come! here's a robber !" She in stantly returned to the room, and there saw the prisoner, who had seized the watch, and immediately made off with it ; she ran out and gave the alarm, when a young man pursued the thief along Scotland-road, and across the brickfields to the westward. Finding himself hard set, he threw down the watch. The young man picked it up and continued the pur suit, the fellow taking towards Marybone. Another young man came up to assist in catching him, when a set of ruffians assaulted them with bricks and stones, wounding the last young man most severely in the face—he being rendered for a time insensible, and his nose and forehead being quite dis figured. The first youth, however, finally succeeded in cap turing the delinquent, and he was handed over to the police officers. The watch was indentified. The prisoner, who had before been seven times convicted of felony, was ordered for trial at the sessions. Mr. Rushton said that he should see the young man who had so manfully forwarded the ends of justice well rewarded. SOMEWHAT Suspicious.—At the Police-court yesterday, two young men, Michael Doyle and John Doyle, apparently journeymen bakers, were brought before Mr. Rushton under the following circumstances. A police inspector said, that on Sunday morning, when one of the Dublin mail ships arrived at the port, he observed the two prisoners on board. They were in very homely attire, and covered with flour, as if they had recently been at work in a bakehouse. They had paid a sovereign each for their passage, and this, combined with their appearance, and their having no luggage whatever with them, excited suspicion. He questioned them, and not being satisfied with their replies, in which there appeared some variance, he searched them, and found in the pocket of one of them 42 sovereigns and ls. 9d., and on the other a silver watch and a half-crown. He accordingly appre hended them until inquiry could be made. One of them said he had received the money from his uncle in Dublin (whom he named), who also paid their passages; and that they were about to leave the country for America, in conse quence of some family disagreements. They were ordered to be remanded until a reply should be received from Dub lin, to a letter sent to the uncle, soon after their apprehen sion. As it was possible this story was true, Mr. Rushton ordered them to be comfortably lodged in the Bridewell in the mean time. IMPUDENT ROBBERY IN A LIVERPOOL HOTEL.—A rather serious robbery was committed on Sunday last, in one of the hotels in this town, by a Prussian, named Gniper, alias Ul rich. It appears that this individual had been staying at the hotel for a month, where he represented himself as a wool merchant. On Sunday he contrived to take a cash-box from the bar, containing 10s. in gold, and £6O wrapped in papers of £5 each, without observation. He immediately proceeded to another hotel, where he requested to be shewn into a bedroom, under the pretence that he wanted to wash his hands. Whilst here, he broke open the box, took out the cash, and having concealed the box under the bed, he went away. He then returned to the hotel where he had committed the robbery, and coolly ordered dinner, after hav ing partaken of which, he left the house, and has not yet been heard of. In a description of his person, which has been published, he is represented as from 26 to 28 years of age, 5 feet 6 inches in height, proportionate, jet black hair and whiskers, and wears his hair long. When he left, he had on a brown cloth top-coat, with velvet collar, and skirts lined with silk, a new suit of clothes, a rather shabby hat, a pink silk waistcoat, black stock, breastpin set with coral, and a ring on his finger, with hair inside. He spoke both French and German, and English pretty well. A reward of £2O has been offered for the apprehension and conviction of the offender. LIVERPOOL PETITION AGAINST MAYNOOTH.—In the House of Commons, on Friday night, the following conver sation took place on this subject :—Sir Howard Douglas said, in reference to the remarks which had been made the other evening by Mr. Sheil on the petition which he (Sir H. Douglas) presented from the Protestants of Liverpool, that he had received a letter from a gentleman of the name of Crisp, who said that the sheets had been given out for sig nature by himself, with the strictest injunctions in all cases that no party should sign for another, unless that other was unable to write, and that all the signatures were written in compliance with these directions, except where some persons signed for several who bad given authority to do so.—Mr. Sheil had only remarked that it was strange that in a petition which contained the most serious charges against the Roman Catholic hierarchy of Ireland, whole series of names should appear manifestly written by the same hand.— Sir R. Peel said that he experienced so much delay in get ting on with the tariff, that he must take advantage of the rules of the house to hasten it on ; and would, therefore, ask the Speaker whether this debate was consistent with the rules of the house.—The Speaker sail it was within the rule of or the house for any hon. member to make a motion on the late to of order(ler of the day being read, provided it had reference to the the day ; but it had become too much the practise of wished s e h j e u d sLi justice of t deviate from the strict rule.—Mr. Sheil acquiesced in the right hon. baronet's remarks ; but he member for Liverpool thatool withw he when a h y ien, glastpetition week, charged hefo r e thetll the the signatures to which f a br ic ated, he hon.ose noble lord, the other were was asked by the ward the matter till an T , rabr for Liverpool, not to bring for was in compliance with be made ; and that it n t r s iry could , request, that he had not then made it the subject of a distinct motion. TREATRE.ROYAL.—A splendid fairy spectacle, entitled " The White Cat," was produced here last evening with decided success. It is well worth seeing. This will surely be an attraction for the half-pricers. The house was well and fashionably attended. RAILWAY TRAFFIC.—The following is a calculation of the last weekly returns of 39 railways, 1,391 miles in length : —Number of passengers on 25 railways, 259,698, conse quently the total for the week must be about 400,000. The receipts for passengers on 38 railways, £67,464 3s. ; ditto for goods on 31 railways, £19,712 3s. 3d. ; t o t a l, £87 , 176 6 s. 3d . This is an average of £621 per mile per week. The traffic, therefore, is certainly at the rate of more than 3,000,000 a year, and carrying 15,000,000 of passengers.—Railway Ma gazine. - 'WHITSUNTIDE TEMPERANCE FESTIVAL.—The Whitsun tide festival of the members of the Liverpool Total Absti nence Society, commenced yesterday. Last evening a meet ing of the members and friends of the society was held for the promotion of the cause, in the illusic Hall, Bold-street, and attended by a crowded auditory. The chair was taken by Mr. Lawrence Heyworth ; and the meeting was addressed in very animated speeches by the chairman, Mr. Naylor, Mr. Grubb, and one or two others. The proceedings termi nated about ten o'clock. To-night the annual tea party will take place; and various other meetings are announced tor the following days. MELANCHOLY SUICIDE.—An inquest was held yesterday before H. Statham, Esq., deputy coroner, on view of the body of Mr. Joseph Horn, tobacco and snuff mauufacturer, Penrith, who put a period to his existence on Saturday last, at the Royal Hotel, in this town, by taking prussic acid. It appeared that the deceased had been in the habit of fre quently visiting Liverpool for the last four or five years, and arrived here on Tuesday last. He was observed to be very much depressed in spirits, so much so that the waiter at the inn considered his mind was affected. On Thursday he pur chased at Mr. Bradford's, chemist, Oldhaymarket, four ounces of prussic acid, saying, that it was for a dyer at Pen rith, that article, as was known to the assistant in the shop, being used in the business of dyeing. This, however, did not satisfy Mr. Bradford's young man, who told the unfortunate deceased that he could not give it him unless he brought some respectable person who could testify to the truth of the state ment. This was accordingly done, and the poison was given to Mr. Horn, who took it to the hotel, and sometime in the course of Saturday, he accomplished his purpose. When discovered at eight o'clock on the evening of that day by one of the Waiters, who went up to see why he did not return from his room, he was quite dead ; and from the evidence of the surgeon (Mr. Cripps) is appeared he had expired five or six hours before. The poison was contained in four bottles, only one of which the deceased had taken, the remaining three being found in a portmanteau by his bedside. It did not transpire that tire deceased was at all embarrassed in his circumstances, but his father, who was present at the inquest, deposed that in February last, he sustained a very severe fall, which injured him very seriously, and since then his father stated that he had observed his son's manner was very diffe rent to what it had been previously, and from his vehement conversation and singular conduct at many periods lately he (the father) had no doubt his son was subject to aberration of mind. The jury returned a verdict of " temporary insanity." The deceased was only thirty-eight years of age. GRAND FETE AT THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS The spirited proprietor of our Zoological Gardens has pre pared a splendid treat for the sight-seeing people, during the present holiday time, by the production of " The Roman Festa,"—a representation of the illumination of San An gelo, and tire-works, annually exhibited during the Carnival at Rome. We had the pleasure of being present at its first public exhibition last night; and, although we have seen the same representation during last summer at the Surrey Zoolo gical Gardens, we can affirm without hesitation, that it was— (putting out of view the unevenness and want of precision natural in the first display of an exhibition of such magni tude) —superior in effect to that produced by the proprietors of the metropolitan gardens. It would be folly In us to attempt, at such a late hour as that in which we write, a description of the scenery and ef fect of this splendid effort. Certain we are, however, that ❑o view of the original itself—the City of Seven Hills—as il luminated by the most lavish of its popes, could be procured, which would shadow more completely to the mind's eye the whole of the magnificent reality than that presented by the labours of the artist and his talented assistants. As a day scene, even representing Modern Rome, with the town and bridge of San Angelo—the Tiber, with its crowd of plea sure barges at anchor upon its bosom—the magnificent structure of St. Peter's beyond, with the palace of the pope on the right, and the streets and dwellings of Rome crowded in panoramic view around, and the blue hills mingling with the distant horizon, the effect is inimitable ; and from the excellence of the perspec tive, the spectator would imagine that it extended over some hundred yards of land, in addition to the limits of the garden itself. When illuminated, however, and presenting to the spectator the dome of St. Peter's in a blaze of lamps, whilst myriads of lights shine forth from the buildings beneath, the effect is magical. The superaddtion of the fireworks which are discharged from the dome of St. Angelo, from the bridge and from the craft in the river, and the illumination of the streets by yellow, white, and red fire, is magnificent ; and called forth, last night, from one of the most numerous as semblages we ever witnessed at these gardens, the most raptu rous applause. The gardens themselves are in most beautiful order, and afforded the greatest pleasure to the visitors who had retired from the dusty world to enjoy their freshness. The excellent brass band of Mr. Stubbs performed several enlivening airs during the evening. KIRKDALE PETTY SESSIONS.-MAY 13 THE QUEEN V. LENNOX AND OTHERS The action in this case was similar to that brought a short time ago against Mr. Raymond. The complaint against the defendants was, that they had infringed upon the patent right of the Theatre-Royal by performing at the Amphithe a t re , on the 25th of April. .• rtain play calld the "Yew Tree Ruins, or the Wreck, Li.e 2.ilser, and the Murderer." The bench consisted of the Rev. Miles Formby, (chairman,) John Fletcher, and Joseph Brookes Yates. Information was laid in the name of Robert Sandford Robinson, clerk to Mr. Lloyd, solicitor, who conducted the case. The defendents were Samuel Lennox, John Gates, George Weston, John Nunn, George Walton, and James Starke. The first case called was that of Samuel Lennox, but that person not being in court, the next on the list, that of Mr. Nunn, was proceeded with. Mr. Nunn, as well as the other defendants, had no counsel. Mr. Lloyd stated the case at length. He said, it became his duty, appearing as he did for those who had instituted the present informations, to state that the, prosecution had not been commenced with any vindictive spirit towards those against whom the informations were laid ; but that the lessees of the Theatre-Royal having very recently taken steps against the Liver Theatre, in Liverpool, when the information in that case had been fully gone into by counsel before the bench, and the defendant was convicted, it became a matter of com plaint, upon the part of Mr. Raymond, that the Liver Theatre should have been singled out for informations to be preferred against, and that other places of amusement in the town should be allowed to continue their performances without licence or patent ; and it had also been commenced in fur therance of an assurance given to 'Mr. Raymond, in presence of the court, that his establishment would not be singled out, but that if the Amphitheatre should appear as he ap peared, the same steps should be taken against the one as had been taken against the other. Mr. Lloyd then stated that the action was similar to that brought against Mr. Raymond, and he would prove that the defendants had acted for gain and reward directly, that they were participators in the whole of the money received at the doors, that the reward was not to come through any third hand, and that they arranged, after having paid certain expenses, to divide the balance among themselves. He regretted extremely that the defend ants had allowed themselves to be placed in such a violation of the law. He believed the true party who ought to stand forward in the court and pay the penalty, was the one who had induced them, if lie might so term it, to form themselves into a company and get up a play, in order that he might himself be receiving a certain rent for the building, get the best portion of the money received in the house, and leave the poor p e ople afterwards to suffer. He alluded to Mr. Egerton, who ought to be one to bear the brunt. He would now prove to the court, that bills of the performance had been issued—that parties had got into the house—that a per son had seen the performance represented as a play—that the Amphitheatre was withal the parish ; and, having narrowed the case as much as possible, and proved those several facts, he would submit that the defendants had performed for gain and reward. The first witness called was Philip Frederick Garnet, who deposed that, in consequence of seeing a bill of the perform ance at the Amphitheatre, on the evening of the 25th April, he had left a notice at that establishment for all the defend ants. William Clarke deposed to all the defendants taking parts in the performance of the " Yew Tree Ruins" on that night. Mr. Carman was the next witness. lie had been box keeper to the Amphitheatre. Mrs. Carman was advertised to play in the "Yew Tree Ruins," but in consequence of the notice she did not perform on the night of the 25th of April. Witness could not say whether Mr. Nunn performed or not in the piece. Mr. George Egerton, the lessee of the Amphitheatre, was called, but objected to by Mr. Nunn, as he was a rate-payer. The objection was deemed valid by the court, and Mr. Egerton retired. Mr. Samuel Lennox was next called, but he objected to give evidence, on the ground of being one of the defendants. The objection was overruled, and Mr. Lennox deposed to Mr. Nunn playing Cain Kyron, in the " Yew Tree Ruins," on the 25th of April. This closed the case for the prosecution. Mr. Nunn defended his own case, and contended , that the prosecutors had failed, as they had not proved that be had played for gain or reward o 1 the ; night in q u es tion. Hie gain, he said, was nothing, and his reward consisted in being brought into that court. The magistrates retired, and after an absence of about twenty minutes, returned with a verdict of not guilty, on the ground that the evidence did not bear out the indictment. The case of John Gates was next brought forward, and a similar verdict, on similar grounds, was returned. The cases against the other four defendants were abandoned, and the court broke up maag MI,eUUMWMi.,•• LIVERPOOL MAY SESSIONS The May Sessions for the borough of Liverpool commenced yesterday in the Sessions-house before James Clarke, Esq., Recorder. The calendar contains the names of ninety-nine prisoners, of whom eighty-eight are charged with felony and eleven with misdemeanours and assaults. Of these five can read and write well, seventeen can read imperfectly, thirty eight can read and write imperfectly, whilst the very large proportion of thirty-nine have never been taught either. The court having been opened with the usual formalities, the following gentlemen were sworn the grand jury : s ß c el u l s , a S c o k u , t ß h r C un as s t w le ic - k st - r s e t e r t e , et n:e c r o c r h n ant. R OBER T GILL, Esq., Chapel- s t ree t, i ron merc h an t, f o reman. merchant. D Ch an ar i l e e l Robert Cochrane Crosbie, Dale-street, merchant. John Campbell, India-buildings, merchant. W. E. T. Duncan, Exchange-street, merchant. William Rathbone Duncan, Catherine-street, merchant. Samuel Dutton, Water-street, merchant. Charles Fairclough, Exchange-alley North, merchant. Edward Finch, Sir Thomas's-buildings, iron merchant. John Greenshields, Tower Garden, iron merchant. John •Hird, North John-street, iron merchant. Robert Leece Miller, Everton, agent. Charles Wm. Newman, jun. Tithebarn-street, merchant. Thomas Priestley, George's Dock, merchant. Richard W. Preston, Lancelot's -hey, merchant. Charles Edward Rawlins, Blackburn-place, merchant. Robert Roskell, jun. ' St. James's-road, merchant. John Aspinal Syers, Chapel-street-merchant. James Tyrer, Old Churchyard, merchant. Robert Nielson, Dale-street , merchant • John Owens Johnson, Cook-street, merchant. William Danson, Exchange-street East, wool broker. The RECORDER, in addressing the Grand Jury, said, he had carefully read over all the depositions in the several cases which would be brought before them, and he was happy to say, they were not of a condition for him to say anything which would not be suggested by their own good sense. All the cases were very easy and simple; if, however, contrary to his expectations, any point of law should occur on which they might desire his opinion, if they would have the good ness to communicate with the court, the court would do all in its power to assist them. With these observations he would dismiss them to their duties, which, on this occasion, he was happy to say would be very easy indeed. The Grand Jury then retired. OUR PORTRAIT GALLERY.—No. IX. ALDERMAN EVANS, ESQ Reader, do not, we pray you, imagine that we are about to transfer, bodily, to our canvas this giant of "liberalism"— this beau ideal of senatorial and aldermanic perfection— " This man—who doth bestride the narrow world Like a Colossus ; whilst we petty men Creep under his huge legs !" We are not about to make the attempt ; for if our ability were even equal to the task, our gallery has not the space to accommodate a work of such vast magnitude. In the Coun cil room—the scene of his glories—where his genius has achieved its proudest triumphs—where mayor, town-clerk, aldermen, councillors and reporters have gazed with awe upon his lofty brow and his dilating form, as the stream of eloquence has alternately flowed, bubbled, gurgled, and been jerked from between his teeth and lips—in that room there is a vacant frame of ample size, elaborately gilded ; and that frame, alone, must hold the portrait of which we, in our hu mility, shall only endeavour to throw out a few instructions to the future painter. And first, with respect to the attitude in which we would have him sketched. If we could place the figure of a Satyr or of the god Pan in the position of an ancient Athlete, a reasonably accurate study would be gained of the alderman, in one of those proud moments at which we would paint him. The dexter leg must be advanced and rest upon its toes, whilst the other must be thrown back upon the heel, in the position of the hind quarter of " a Tup rampant" or a hen dancing a cotillion upon a hot griddle. The body must in cline back, slightly swaying to one side or the other. One hand must hold a pair of glasses, as if just removed from the nose of the owner ; the other must hold a sheet of paper, on which are the orator's notes. The head, a little thrown back, must be made pendulous, like that of a Chinese man darin we have seen in some tea shop window (if the painter's art can accomplish such a feat). The eyes must flash with ering defiance and proud contempt upon somebody, or self congratulation upon the sublime person to whose " organi zation" they belong; and the features convey the expression which we have seen in those of an unhappy wight, engaged in the vain attempt to swallow, entire, a hard dumpling, or which we can imagine in an orator who has swallowed the copy of his speech, and is spitting-out the words piecemeal. Such is the attitude and such the expression with which we would paint the great oracle of the council chamber; and yet, strange. to say, such is not the man, whom an ima ginative world, which knows not his organization; pictures " in its mind's eye" as the redoubtable Alderman Evans! Some people, we dare say, fancy this " observed of all ob servers" endowed with the graces of an Antinous—a winged Mercury, or an Apollo. The graces of a Welsh goat would be " more germane to the matter !" People who merely read the orations, which those ingenious gentlemen—the reporters—put into his mouth (or rather drag out of it), would fancy him _Demosthenes at least, or Cicero, or the ad mirable Crighton; and that they flowed from him— " like the sweet south Breathing upon a bank of violets," or like `• the whisky with exquisite smell," streaming from the worm of a potheen, still. In good truth, they come from his lips, or from his stomach, or some halfway house between, more like the gobbling cry which issues from the throat of that farm-yard champion which ornithologists de signate "a= male turkey," and Scotch philosophers, more appropriately, a " bubbly-jock :" or like the sputtering stream, which is jerked, by hard pumping, from an old water engine, the hose of which is leaky and the pipe choked with a stone. Again, some people would run away with the notion, taken from his large words and occasionally terrible looks, toge ther with some very significant hints of his valour, which he is wont at times to bestow upon safe antagonists, that the worthy alderman is a perfect fire -eater —a fellow who would " chew up" a regiment in about three mouthfuls ! A more erroneous idea cannot be entertained. Alderman Evans, like another distinguished character, can " look daggers," or " speak daggers," but will " use none." He will look a brace of pistols in your face ; but he has a sensitive dislike to the pulling of a trigger or the clicking of a lock. He has not, like Dublin's Lord Mayor, " an oath in Heaven," yet fame says that he possesses a knack of getting his combative designs made known to the police, which is equally efficacious in the prevention of bloodshed,—especially when, in the case of an invitation to go abroad and save the consequences of forfeited recognizances, a writ of " ne exeat regno" is duly prepared to intercept the fire-eater on his way to the coast. Despite, then, of his occasional Bobadilisms, the world may depend upon it that the alderman is a matt who loves to " eat his leek," and his words, if need be, in peace. It has been said of a distinguished statesman, Lord John Russell, who is known to think no small beer of himself, that he would at any moment consent to take the command of the Channel fleet, or the chair of 'divinity at any of our universities. The gentleman before us has a similar excel lent opinion of his own capabilities. In addition, however, to taking such a command, he would proceed to take the fleet itself in pieces, and put it together on a new iwiactple I He would remodel all the seamen's jackets, and alter the swing of their very hammocks. He would think nothing of dam- ing up the Mersey for six months, and erecting ,ck ware- houses in its centre, to enable our shipping to discharge under cover! Find him with the money, and he would build us a new town of Liverpool, any day, and upon any pattern, with all the latest improvements; and would himself perform for it, gratis, any office, or every office, from that of mayor to parish beadle ! Notwithstanding many imperfections however—notwith standing his total obliquity in political matters—it is im possible to deny that Mr. Alderman Evans (how soon he Lay be compelled to lay down that august prcenornen!) is a istinguished member of his party. He cannot, it is true, . _ _ . . like Mr. Alderman Earle, be styled " the glass of fashion and the mould of form ;" it cannot be said of him, as of Mr. Thomas Bolton, that his ancestors were hodmen before the food; he has not the distingith air, language, and tastes of a Thornhill ; he has not the conventicle whine of a Yates ; he has not, in fact, the presence of anything more majestic than an antiquated quadruped, met with most commonly on Welsh mountains ; and yet it would be injustice to his character if we classed him amongst ordinary every-day men. He pos sesses much acumen, much strong good sense, and some judgment ; but au atom of feeling, of fancy, or of passion, does not enter into his composition. He is a hard, dry, matter of:fact utilitarian, who would break up the Medicean Venus, if his kitchenmaid wanted rubbing-stones, or sell the Apollo Belvidere, for five pounds, to the first shipbuilder who wanted a figure-head! Such is the man—such, at least, are some of the phases in ,he character of the man—whose portrait is destined to fill :he vacant frame in the council-room—(few men have filled *lore of the time of its occupants)—unless some record of him, more enduring than that of canvas and oils, should be bought desirable by his admiring fellow-citizens. Some ieople, by the way, fancy that we shall have abundant nemorials of his talents upon the dock quays, besides not a few, in the shape of dock liabilities, increased in the carrying out of his fertile schemes. JVe ourselves express no opinion upon the matter. We can always have as much of him as we wish to contemplate, in the pen and ink sketch which, in future, will be hung up, No. 9, in our Portrait Gallery. FIRE AT BOOTLE AND LOSS OF LIFE On Saturday morning last, the premises in the occupation of Mr. John Percival, Derby Arms Hotel, Bootle-marsh, were destroyed by fire, and we are sorry to add, that a tine little boy, the son of the landlord, lost his life, having, it is supposed, been suffocated by the smoke when attempting to effect his escape. The fire is believed to have broken out shortly after midnight. It commenced in the lower apart ments, but all inquiries as to its origin have proved fruitless. The family retired to rest, we understand, between eleven and twelve. Mrs. Percival was awakened about one o'clock by the breaking of glass in one of the rooms beneath her bed-chamber, supposed to have been occasioned by heat. She arose in great consternation, and found her apartment full of smoke, and, on opening the door, saw that the house was on lire. She aroused her husband, and immediately threw open the window and screamed for asaistance. One of the county police. No. 59 , baPpened to be close at band. He ran to the spot, and Mrs. Percival jumped from the win dow, two stories in height, into his arms, and sustained no injury. Mr. Percival, seeing that the flames were bursting up the staircase, and that escape by the usual avenues was impracticable, called loudly to his family and servants, all of whom, save two little boys, assembled in his roo m , an d effected their descent safely from the window. The boys alluded to slept together, and, when the alarm was given, one of them ran to the barmaid, but unfortunately left her, saying he would go to his mother, under the im pression, doubtless, that with her he would be safe. Un happily, he was never afterwards seen, and it is conjectured that he had lost his way in the dense smoke of the stair case and had been suffocated, in the first instance, and afterwards consumed by the fire. The other little boy had made his way to the roof of the building where he was seen by the spectators below. He called loudly to them to bring a ladder, which he knew was at hand. This was dare and he was taken from his perilous position. Meanwhile, the alarm spread, and, on the arrival of one of the County Con stabulary, a messenger was despatched to Liverpool for the Fire-police. Mr. Hewitt received the intelligence about half past two o'clock. The engines were got out immediately and they set off, with such firemen as could be collected, with the utmost speed to Bootle, where they arrived and were in full play in about twenty minutes from the moment of receiving the information. We are informed, that the arrangemen t s adopted on the spur of the moment b y M r, Hewitt were admirable. He found the interior of the house one mass of flame, and it was evident that its destruction was inevitable. He was informed, how ever, that the cellars were full of porter, wine , and st danger, a n d that this wouldrnrits. S ee i ng that the con tigious buildings were , be enchanced should the s p irits ex plode he at once directed his efforts to the subjugation of the fire in that direction, while he endeavoured to confine its ravages to the materials on which it had already fastened, He was informed that there was no water nearer than the canal, which was several hundred yards distant. He however, q u i c kl y disposed three engines in the proper position to convey a plentiful supply of water to the immediate scene of the disaster. Meanwhile Mr. Whitty arrived, an d took the s uper i ntendence of the operations. So speedily had everything been arranged that the engines were got into play almost 'immediately, and the impression which they made on the fire was quickly visible. The prog ress o f the flames was arrested, and in l ess t h an an an hour and a half, they were completely subdued without further mischief. Not the slig he st damage was sus t a i ne d b y the adjoi n i ng b u ildi n gs. The entire s t oc k of the Hotel was consumed. _ . • The whole o f the men belonging to our Fire-Police behaved admir a bl y ; an d t h e o fficers of the county Constabulary ex erted them se l ves w ith praiseworthy perseverance. We are informed, that Mr. Percival's stock and furniture were insured with the Norwich Union for £l,OOO. The premises were the property of the Earl of D er b y. We have not heard whether they were insured or not. COLONISATION OF AUSTRALIA TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. SlR,—Will you permit me, through the medium of your columns; to offer a few remarks• on an article I met with the other day in the Liverpool Mercury of April 29, headed " Colonisation without Cost," treating upon Australia and New Zealand ? I have spent eleven years at the settlement of Swan River, Western Australia—have witnessed its progress nearly from its commencement—have had a personal acquaintance with most of the early settlers—and shall, therefore, write from my own knowledge of its state and the condition of its in habitants. The settlement was commenced about the mid dle of the year 1829. 1 arrived there in the early part of February 1830. _ Before entering on particulars, I beg to offer two or three general remarks on the article in question. - I would observe that the idea of sending out labourers by means of a fund raised from the sale of land in the colonies, is not new; it has been acted upon for some time. Num bers of free emigrants have been sent to New South Wales and Van Dieman's Land on that very principle. Will the editor of the Liverpool Mercury inform his read ers at what time in the history of colonisation any number of free emigrants were sent to Australia at the expense of the British public ? I can answer for it that none were ever sent to Western Australia on that principle. May I be allowed to ask, by the way, why the labouring man should not have a portion of land given to him in the wilderness, where there are tens of millions of acres that have no occupier ? Labour is the capital of the working man, and I cannot see why government should not allow him a boon for embarking with that capital, especially as the surplus land is of no value to the government till the increase of population requires it. The figure employed by the editor of the Liverpool Mer cury, representing one man with " t w o s p a de s , " and the other digging his land with a " stake," may serve to amuse children who wish to play at colonisation ; but I can assure your readers that the capitalists at Swan River have too much regard for their own interest, and the general welfare of the colony, to allow their spades to " rot ' for want of use ; and the labouring classes possess too much common sense to dig their land with stakes, or to refuse to work for the capitalist when they have not the means of supporting themselves and their families on their own freehold property. Part of the labourers have worked for hire till they have saved a sufficient capital to enable them to commence for themselves, and they are now in a condition to employ others. Part are continuing to work for hire. Some of the indus trious classes with small means, who have been settled on their sections of land adjoining the capitalist who possessed more ample means, have been enabled to borrow the capi talist's " spade," or—what answered their purpose on a more extensive scale—his plough and horses, for which the borrower repaid the capitalist with his own manual labour. Several of the capitalists have placed their most trustworthy servants as tenants upon portions of their land, and have entrusted them with the care of their breeding cattle and sheep, from which the tenant receives part of the increase for his care and attention. As a system, " squatting" has never prevailed at Swan River; and from what I heard from persons who have vi sited the other colonies, I sincerely believe it is less followed at Swan River than in any other Australian colony. The most extravagant part of the article in the Liverpool Mercury is the following:— " The last colony deliberately formed on the principle of giving land away was the Swan River colony. One man took 800,000 acres, another 500,000; some were more mo derate in their desires, and took only 100,000 acres. The emigrants who were conveyed out refused to labour for hire, although they had bound themselves to the capitalists. They found a country without bounds open to them, and they re fused to comply with a contract in which they believed they had been cheated; so they squatted on the land; and the goods, and the seeds, and the tools, which the capitalists took out, perished on the beach, for there was no man to carry them to a place of shelter. At length these indepen • dent occupiers of the soil were almost starved (some did starve); they returned to their masters, whom they had deserted and ruined, and said, Let us stand to our bar gain' ; but the masters were unable to do so, as the capital, which can alone set labour in operation, had utterly perished. This is by no means an overcharged picture." Let us now see how far these most grave and deliberate charges are correct. (If your readers cannot rely upon my statements, I would beg to refer them to a work written on Western Australia by Nathaniel Ogle, F.G.S., &c. In that work they will find a number of tables, furnishing a statis tical account of the condition of the colonists, of imports and exports, of the increase of stock, &c., and also of all lands assigned by the government from the commencement of the colony to the 30th June, 1837.) The four individu a l s w h o h ave had the privilege of having the largest quantity of land assigned them, were allowed to take up the following - quantities, viz., 250,216-113,100- 100,000—and 84,413 acres (not quite so much as quoted above). A considerable portion of the quantities here quoted have been forfeited, the conditions never having been ful filled. Three of the four individuals have not been much benefited by their high favours. Two of the cases especially may be considered as complete failures. The reason was, because the parties who held the land, and engaged to employ and support the men, were not in possession of the " spades" —or, in other words, could not raise the wind to carry on their intended operations, and to supply their dependants with the necessaries of life. Numbers of these men, after languishing for some time without any prospect of continued support, were at length, by legal authority, freed from their obligations to their master, and allowed to shift for them selves; and several of them, after they had acquired a little property, were afterwards prosecuted for repayment of their passage money. _ . _ Really, if two or three individuals will make wildgoose speculations, they ought to bear the consequences of their own folly, and not let a thriving community be stigmatised for their blunders. The liberated servants of whom I have last spoken, (and who are said to have " squatted on the land,") were placed by the local government on what is denominated the con centration system, and had three acres of land each allotted them ; but in a few years their empty cottages and partly cultivated plots of land were proofs of the failure of the sys tem, whilst the men were more profitably employed—some as labourers, others as bailiffs, to the capitalists. A comparison is made in one part of the article which forms the subject of these remarks, placing South Australia and New Zealand in contradistinction with the other Aus- tralian colonies. On this subject I must confess that I can not divest myself of the idea that the agents employed by the two companies, particularly interested in the first-named colonies, with their paid lecturers and bookmakers, materi ally assist them in selling their land—in the same manner as a puff advertisement assists a tradesman in selling his wares. But, as I prefer, dwelling principally on practical effects, let us naw see what is doing on the other side of the water. Of New Zealand I know but little : it has not yet arrived at the turning point which naturally succeeds the sifting time to which all new colonies are subject. On referring to Lord Stanley's speech, delivered in the House of Commons on Tuesday, April 19, it will be found that in South Australia (of which so much has been said and written) there were 1200 persons living as paupers, being maintained out of the public funds, for want of employment. So much for " completeness " of principle. Also on this subject see Quarterly Review for April 1842. The Swan River settlement has steadily progressed from its commencement. The first four or five years were seasons of difficulties, but those have been overcome principally by individual enterprise, assisted and encouraged by the activity of Sir James Stirling, who was the first governor. In a little more than two years from its commencement, a road was opened across the range of hills into the interior, and a farm commenced at a distance of sixty miles from the seat of government. Others followed the same track, and the principal sheep-farmers are now in that district. It is to the interior that the settlers look as the source of their future wealth, where their sheep can have an unbounded pasture. Wool being the staple produce, they look to it for an article of export. _ When I left the colony last year, it was in a healthy and prosperous state. All classes were profitably employed. The chief drawback was want of labourers. The flocks and herds were rapidly increasing. Very passable roads had been opened through the different districts, and inns established. The towns were advancing in improvement. Two printing presses were in operation. A discounting bank had been established, which returned a good profit to the shareholders, and was a great convenience to the public. Whaling esta blishments had been commenced. An agricultural society had been in operation for ten years. A. reading society and benefit club had been established. Five churches and two Wesleyan chapels had been erected, or were in course of erection. A subscription had been made, amounting to upwards of £BOO, towards the eredion of the Wesleyan chapel in the town of Perth, which contained between 600 and 700 inhabitants. Sabbath and day schools had been established, and likewise a school for the native children, which promised fair for success. Instead of the colony being a failure, the first difficulties of colonisation may be said to be overcome, and business to have assumed a settled form. Mr. Ogle, in his work on Western Australia, after fur nishing a table shewing the average amount of property pos sessed by each adult male in the colony in 1837, (and like wise shewing the per centage of mortality,) makes the fol lowing observations : " On an inspection of the preceding table, it will be seen that each colonist, on an average, possesses a considerable amount of property in land, buildings, and cultivation; that after providing for his own subsistence, he exports in wool and oil to the amount of £8 19s. 2.0., and contributes to the local revenue the sum of £6 2s. 3d. per annum ; that the comparative mortality is very small, while the births and marriages are unusually numerous. In recapitulating these facts, it is not out of place to advert to certain rumours which have been assiduously propagated as to the failure of colonisation in this quarter. So far is this from the truth, that it may be fairly asked, with reference to the table above, in what other, colony are the colonists, on an average, in a more prosperous condition than this, or in the possession of larger means for future welfare." The above quotation shews the state of the colony in the year 1837, when it had only been in existence eight years ; since that period it has made very considerable advancement. In conclusion, I have only to add, (and I think your read ers will agree with me,) that the portion of the article I have quoted from the Liverpool Mercury—backed by " This is by no means an overcharged picture "—is as unfounded as it is unjust ; and it shews that the source from which the writer has obtained his information, is by no means respec table.—l am, sir, your obedient servant, Manchester, May n, 1842 VEPdTAS THE. HAMBURGH SUBSCRIPTION TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD, Stu,—l see by placards on the walls of this town, that the mayor has called a meeting for next Wednesday, to sympa thise with, and grant pecuniary relief to, the citizens of Hamburgh. Now lam quite inclined to sympathise with them, and deplore as much as any one the awful calamity that has so recently visited that city ; but, considering the many and urgent calls that are made, or ought to be made, on the community for claimants nearer home, I think that charity should begin at home. We have thousands—aye, I fear even millions—in this country who are in a far more destitute condition than the citizens of Hamburgh at this time. A return recently made to parliament shews that upwards of two millions of persons—our own countrymen and women—have received parish relief, exclusive of many thousands who are relieved under local acts, which do not come under the commissioners' notice, and exclusive of dis trict relief funds, which have administered greatly to the wants of the suffering poor, and many are eking out a mise rable existence rather than apply to their parish. Such being the state of things at home, I think it not right to ask our people to relieve those of other nations, when all their philanthropy might be so justly exercised at home. Besides, there are other reasons why we should not be called upon. I never yet heard of the Hamburghers, or any other foreign nation, ever affording us any relief; and I am sure the treat ment the English received in Hamburgh during and subse quent to the conflagration, was not such as to enlist our sympathies. lam a poor, hard-working man myself, but I trust I have always, as far as has lain in my power, been willing to assist my fellow-man in distress ; and if our coun try was in a prosperous state, I would be the last man in it to object to pecuniary relief to the citizens of Hamburgh ; y. it is not desirable but the country being in such a . deplorable state, 1 hope some gentleman of influence in this town will come forward any pecuniary grant on Wednesday, and move an amendment, to the effect .t that,o recommendipresentnthe t hee g s i t s a l a t e t u o r f e, the to _E c m o a u a nt e r remarks, ma r MECHANIC.ks to the citizens of Harnburgh. Private individuals can, of SUFF pace for these Trustingcourse, do a y s o they willey lgeiayseeAs. Liverpool, May 16, 1842. THE SURVEYOR'S OFFICE TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. SIR,—As I perceive, from two letters recently inserted in a contemporary, that there is an inquiry instituted to inquire into the practices of the corporation surveyors, would you allow me, through the medium of your journal, to make, or rather to cause similar inquiries to be made, why a preference should be given by the said surveyors to one builder more than another ? Surely, if the architects in Liverpool are entitled to an inquiry into the improper practices of the cor poration's servants, so also are the builders. lam one of those blunt fellows who will not purchase favours by means of cant and treats, and hence I am one of the excluded par ties. There are some persons who are employed and pa tronised by those gentlemen, who, I am informed, frequently give something substantial for past, and in anticipation of future favours, and whose sole dependance rests on their apparent generosity, which eventually is indirectly paid by the corporation in the payment of the favoured builders' accounts, which have been " examined and signed," &c., by the partakers of the favoured builders' bounteous gene rosity. I hope this obnoxious system will be fully inquired into, and the malpractices of the guilty individuals shewn up before the ratepayers, as I am heartily sick of reform (being myself of that class) under such circumstances. 1 was one of the applauders and supporters of the radical reformers (save the mark !) previous to the municipal act being ob tained, because I was led to believe that those immaculate gentlemen would do away with all patronage and favouritism, but the contrary is the fact, and from that cause alone I am now A TORY BUILDER. Liverpool, May 16, 1842. THE EASTERN COUNTIES AND THAMES HAVEN RAILWAYS TO THE EDITOR OF TH . RAILWAY MA G,4 ZINZ MR. EDITOR, — In your journal of the 7th instant there is a letter, signed " E. C. 5.," on the subject of the proposed arrangement by which theVhames Haven Railway Company were to have brought their traffic to London by the Eastern Counties line, but which arrangement, it appears, is broken off in consequence of the two Companies not being able to agree upon terms. Your correspondent appears to be a Shareholder in the Eastern Counties Railway, and is, no doubt, extremely anxious to obtain the largest possible amount of traffic upon this line • and, as I doubt not, there fore, that any i n for ma ti on w ill be acceptable to him, I am in duced to communicate what I know of the subject, as I also, as well as himself, have heard some " whisperings" relative to this matter. As the whispers which I have heard differ a good deal from those of your other correspondent, I propose to show, not only that his deductions may possibly be wrong, but that from the very nature of things, they must neces sarily be so ; and I may therefore, perchance, be able to calm his apprehension of loss to the Eastern Counties line, in which, no doubt, he is very deeply interested. " Lucri bonus odor, ex re quabet"—the smell of gain is good, from whatever source it proceeds—was the answer of the Roman Emperor Vespasian, when be was upbraided for layinG , a tax upon wine. And no doubt your correspondent, " E. C. 5.," thinks the same thing, and with reluctance sees the prospect of an income of traffic to the Eastern Counties Company, which he considers will produce £21,000 per annum, fade for the present from their grasp. Being myself a Shareholder in this Company, I confess I should very much like to see this additional traffic secured ; but I cannot dis guise from myself the fact, that gold itself may be purchased too dear, and that as the Directors of the Company must ne cessarily be in possession of more of the facts than any or dinary Shareholder, and knowing, too, that many of them possess very large stakes in the concern, I cannot think that they are actuated by the paltry avaricious motives which "E. C. S." attributes to them. The views taken by Direc tors are also very frequently, and necessarily, different from those of particular Shareholders ; for the latter may possibly be mere temporary holders of stock, and whatever, there fore, improves the present value of their shares, it is their aim to uphold, while a Director, acting for the permanent prosperity of the concern, looks far beyond the present moment, and will often sacrifice an apparent present gain, to secure a more lasting benefit. To descend, however from general propositions to parti cular instances. "E. C. S'" states, that it was the unjust demand of the Eastern Counties Directors, to be allowed to run their trains on the Thames Haven Railway at the same rate of toll as they were to receive from the latter Company, which caused the negociation to be broken off. It may be owing to some natural dullness of comprehension, but I must confess I am not able to see the injustice of this demand. The distance run upon the two lines is, 1 believe, pretty near ly equal, but the cost of construction (arising from the res pective situations,) must be more than three times as much for the Eastern Counties Railway as for the Thames Haven, mile for mile. If, therefore the Thames Haven Company grant the privilege for the Eastern Counties Company t o run trains over their line at the same rate that will satisfy the lat ter tor their tollage, it is quite clear that the Thames Haven Company will have much the best of the bargain. But then " E. C. S." says that in this case the Thames Haven Com pany would lose their monopoly of the traffic. I can very easily suppose that this is just the subject which may have caused the difference between the two Companies. Experi ence has shown in more than one case, that if this privilege of inter-traffic between main lines and their branches existed, the public convenience would be promoted, and the quarrels of public Companies prevented. Take for instance the case of the Greenwich and the Croydon Companies. The Croydon Company most absurdly endeavour to charge their first-class passengers, one shilling and three pence from New Cross to London Bridge, a distance of about 21 miles. The conse quence, of course, is that the passengers will not come on the Greenwich line. But if the Greenwich Company had the privilege of running their trains on the Croydon line at the same rate of toll which the latter now pay the former; they could afford to take the Croydon passengers from Newcross to Tooley-street, for about sixpence each, paying the Croydon Company the same rate of toll per mile, which the latter now pay the Greenwich Company. , Now, as regards the Thames Haven Company, the same kind of case may arise. They propose to bring an enormous amount of traffic on their line at a most unusually low rate. If, therefore, they make their bargain with the Eastern Counties Company on this basis, and afterwards discover that a far smaller amount of traffic at higher rates will be more remunerative, it is evident the Eastern Counties . Company would 1 thqr tbs ,e just in t ,e option of continuing the traffic cn the ola terms if tb-,- , and not be made the cat's paw of, or the purpose of calling into existence the Thames Haven Company, for them to reap all the profit. But 1 have also beard another reason assigned for the Eastern Counties Company demanding a reciprocity of tollage wag the Thames Haven Company. It is said there are other projects contemplated for branches to the Eastern Counties line, which propose to use part of the Thames Ha ven line ; it is, therefore, very natural for the Eastern Counties Company to endeavour to secure similar advantages for these branches, which they propose to grant to the Thames Haven Company. For it is notorious, that without the as sistance of the Eastern Counties Company, the Thames Haven line can never be made ; and, therefore, the apprehen sion of " E. C. S," that they will obtain a distinct line into London, is perfectly groundless, as it is scarcely likely that a Company, that has been trying for five or six years to raise a capital of two or three hundred thousand pounds, and has failed in their endeavours, should succeed better when they try to raise a million or a million and a half ! I differ in opinion from " E. C. S." therefore, and think that the Directors of the Eastern Counties Company, instead of " impaling them selves" on the horns of a dilemma, have acted very wisely for the interests of their Shareholders in demanding reciprocity of tollage, as the basis of their agreement with the Thames Haven Company, and that without such reiprocity they would betray the interests of their Company in granting terms lower than the usual Parliamentary rates. For, in ad dition to all the previous reasons, it must be borne in mind, that if the traffic prove so extensive as the Thames Haven Company expect, they may ultimately obtain another line into London independent of the Eastern Counties, and then, after puttin g them to a vast expence, may terminate the agreement ; but I apprehend by the other arrangement this could not arise (and in justice it ought not) for the East ern Counties Company would then be able to continue the traffic to themselves, if their allies proved faithless to the spirit of their agreement. Whether these are all, or even any of the reasons which have led to the present interruption of the negociatiou alluded to, I can of course, on the authority of the " whispers" before mentioned, only state conjecturally, but I think they show that common prudential motives alone, completely sanction' the course which the Eastern Counties Company have taken, and exonerate the Directors from the charge made against them by " E. C. S." I have replied to your correspondent as though he were really entitled to the character he assumes of an Eastern Counties Shareholder ; and possibly he may be entitled to it. lam disposed, however, to think that the same gentle man sometimes acts in other characters ; and in the lan guage of Goldsmith (when George, in the Vicar of Wakefield, met the man who sold him the gross of green spectacles, and recognised him by his introducing the second time the only scrap of learning which he possessed) I would say to him, " I think, Sir, I have met you before." The days of chivalry I thought had long since passed, otherwise I should have imagined the writer of the letter in question was a true Knight-errant in search of adventures, for the extirpation of oppression and avarice in whatever secret corners they may lurk. Like Don Quixote, he appears to discover giants in windmills, and distressed damsels as plentiful as th e pebbles on thel sea-shore. " Virtue," it is said, " once dwelt upon this earth !" and if our Knight can discover her secret dwelling, and liberate her from the spell which now binds her in some dungeon fastness, none will more rejoice at his success than 10th May, 1812, Your obedient servant, SIMON PURE THE EX-KING OF HOLLAND.—THE HAGUE, May 11th —ln conse q uence of the favourable accounts which continue to be received of the health of his Majesty King William Frederick, Count of Nassau, his Majesty has given orders that the public prayers. for the entire recovery of the aged Prince shall be accompanied with thanksgiving to Almighty God for having preserved his life. THE 'REJECTED OF NORTHUMBERLAND.—The General Committee on Election Petitions have reported to the House of Commons that a Select Committee will be appointed on Monday, June Gth, to investigate the petition presented against the return of Lord Howick for the Borough of Sun derland. If the inquiry is only conducted in a searching and skilful manner, corruption, in all its shades of character, will be brought to light equal even to the Whig performances at Sudbury and elsewhere, and there can be no doubt but the " Rejected of Northumberland" will be sent to keep emu pany with that " sombre" gentleman Mr. Dyce Sombre, who has been ignominiously kicked out of the House of Commons.— Newcastle Journal. THE FIRE AT HAMBURGH.—Some of the merchants ac quainted with the customs of Hamburgh observe, that this will offer a favourable moment for the improvement of the city, as the particular method which is adopted of insuring the houses in Hamburgh will place great power in the hands of the government. Nearly every house is, it seems, occu pied by a freeholder or a tenant-at-will, or for a short term ; and there is nothing similar to the long leases which are so common in England. These freehold houses are insured by means of a system of taxation—that is to say, the holders pay a certain rate to the government, who undertake, on their part, to repair the damage done by fire. This rate of insurance, it seems, the government may vary to meet the exigencies of the occasion, and as the present will be so great as to exceed the possibility of paying any adequate rate that may be levied on the inhabitants, the freeholds being already mortgaged to their full amount, it is thought that the govern ment may fairly expropriate the lands, and resell them in lots. This certainly seems a violent proceeding, and one the justice of which it is difficult to make intelli gible in this country ;' but whether it be consistent with Hamburgh institutions, those who are familiar with the laws of that city can alone decide. More intelligible is the proposition of seizing this opportunity of throwing down the rampart that surrounds the town, and thus preventing Ham burgh from being selected as a suitable spot for a garrison in the case of a European war. Private letters contain several melancholy facts connected with the ill-usage of the English residing in Hamburgh, on account of the prevailing suspicion that some of our countrymen had a hand in the fire. Two Englishmen had tongs tied round their necks, and we a r! , thrown into the canal; another was thrown into the canal, and stoned till he sank ; a third bad his head split ip th atws°worly: an axe; and a fourth was run through the body When it is ascertained how contrary is the feelipwgiiii found t L .s ondon, to anything like malice towards flamburgh— vewthe distressed how promptly and liberally the call to relilsh_ the recollec in that city has been answered by th e Brit n the deepest re• tion of these outrages will, doubtless, a waken among the inhabitants.—London Time . SECOND EDITMIV; Standard-office rhree o'clock LIVERPOOL. CORN EXCHANGE,—Tats DAY (From Messrs. R. MAKIN & SONS' Circular.) In addition to the scant have very fey only imports deserving no comprised in 10,668 qrs. of Wheat f ports of Europe, about 1,700 qrs. of qrs.; Malt, - - qrs. ; Oat Wheat, 1366 Oatmeal, 164 lds. ; qrs. ; Oatmeal named on Friday, we Continental m Egypt, and 700 barrels of Flour from the American States. Our market to-day being well attended by town and coun try millers, the trade for all descriptions of fine Wheats was firm at an advance upon the quotations of this day week of 2d. per 701bs, and with some further demand for Ireland, including several speculative transactions, a good fair busi ness was effected. In the value of English or Irish Flour no change was ap parent ; but States and Canadian, duty paid, was 6d. to Is. per barrel dearer ; whilst parcels of such, under lock, were in request at a similar amendment. Including (the operations alluded to in the foregoing state ment, further sales of Wheat in bond and to arrive have taken place daily ; forming, on the whole, transactions to a considerable amount since this day we in granary under lock and comprehend- Baltic, Italian, and common Odessa Wheats, upon which to-day we note an improvement of 2d. per bushel ; several Baltic and Mediterranean cargoes afloat have also been taken at late quotations. Barley, Beans, and Pease, were little noticed, and scarcely maintained former prices. Malt remained steady. Oats, upon a moderate demand, supported the improved rates of Friday ; and Oatmeal, attended with a more general inquiry, realised ls. per 2401b5. over the terms of this day se'nnight. ARRIVALS OF CORN From the 10th to the 16th May, 1841 DESCRIPTION Wheat Qrs. 681 Barley Qrs. Malt Oats Rye Qrs. Beans Pease . Qrs. Shelled Barley . Qrs. Indian Corn .. . Qrs. Rapeseed Qrs. Oatmeal .. Loads, 820 Flour . Sacks! 514 Ditto . Bris.l CANADAI RO• Into Runcorn, Ireland and Coastwise id qrs.; Oatmeal,— lds; Flour, sack EXPO RTS.—Foreign. Wheat, qrs. ; Barley, qrs. ; Oats, 269 qrs.; Pease, 40 qrs. ; Indian Corn, meal, loads ; Flour, sacks, 539 brls.—lreland. q,o. , Indian Corn, 130 qr Flour, 473 brls.--Coastwise. Wheat qrs. ; Malt, 300 qrs. ; Oats, 24 qrs. ; P qrs.; Pease, ig qrs.; Indian Corn, Flour, 297 sacks 1045 barrels. Barley, 12 qr Average prices of Grain, for the week ending May 6 IA neat 60s. Bd. I Barley 275. 4d. I Oats.. Igs. gd. I Rye.. Beans.. 31s. Bd. I Pease.. 30s. 7d. Aggregate average of the six weeks. Wheat.. Ggs. Sd. I Barley 265.11 d. I Oats.. 19s. Od. Ry Beans.. 30s. gd. Pease.. 30s. 7d. Duty on Foreign Grain, &c. this wee Wheat 135.0 d. I Barley 10s. Od. Oats . 7s. od. I Rye.. ios. 6d Beans los. 6d. I Pease.. 10s. 6d. Ind. Corn Os. Od. I Flour7s. gad Ditto from British Colonies out of Europe. Wheat.... Is. Od. I Barley.. 2s. 6d. I Oats .. 2s. Od. I Rye.... 1 Beans.. 2s. 6d I Pease.. 2s. 6d. I Indian Corn.. Os. I Flour.. Os Liverpool Averages, week ending May 10, 1842. Wheat. I , Barley. I Oats. Beans. Pease. • 899 630 — — 465. gd. ts . Od. 1 19s. Ild. 1 Os. Od. Os. Od RAILWAY INTELLIGENCI THE HUNT'S BANK JUNCTION.—We understand that the Liverpool and Manchester Railway Company have, during the present week, given notices to the owners of property on the junction line through Salford to .Hunt's Bank, for the purchase of the land before their present act expires. The Leeds company have purchased the whole of their land, with the exception of one property, for which so exhorbitant a price has been demanded that the case will go before a jury in the ensuing week. The present is a favourable time for purchasing, as house property of every description is much deteriorated, owing to the general distress and want of trade, and many houses are wholly untenanted. We may now ex pect that both portions of the junction line will be proceeded with simultaneously, in which case the whole may be com pleted in the course of next year. SHEFFIELD AND MANCHESTER RAILWAY.—The bill to amend and enlarge the powers of this company received the royal assent on Friday, the 13th instant. The directors are by the present bill empowered to pay interest, at the rate of 5 per cent., to all shareholders who have paid up the calls made upon their shares. The amount at present called for is £B2 10s. per share, upon which, therefore, the holder is entitled to £4 2s. 6d. per annum. The shares upon which this interest is payable may be purchased, we believe, at less than £4O per share, and would thus return 10 per cent. upon the investment. The report that Bungaree, the Australian pugilist, died, owing to his severe punishment, is unfounded. Several letters were received at the General Postoffice by the last overland mail, viR Marseilles, bearing the extra ordinary postmark of Hong-Kong, in China. SACRILEGE —A. most daring act of sacrilege took place in 1.011 nr Tuts,Dfc.car Sunday evening the church was locked up as usual, and Wednesday morning the sexton found the doors open, and on examination he found the entire service of valuable com munion plate disappeared.—Western Luminary. No postmaster is allowed under any consideration to de tain letters passing through his office and addressed to another post town, nor can he be permitted to even redirect them, but they must in future reach the office of their destination, where alone they are to be re-directed. Mr. T. Boyfield, under steward to the Marquis of Exeter, fell down dead in B urg hl ey P ar k , without any known previous illness, on Thursday week. Mr. George Faithful, jun., of Brighton, was fined £3, on Wednesday, for an assault on Lord William Hervey, brother of the present representative of the town. Sir Charles Napier appeared at the Bal Masque in the character of Ali Pacha, and performed the part admirably. Captain Elliot wore a Chinese costume, supposed to have belonged to his friend Commissioner Lin. Three men have been committed for trial, charged with wilfully setting fire to the Victoria Inn, in St. Thomas's, Exeter. A pint of early potatoes, grown in the open air, was sold in Edinburgh Market on Monday, for 3s. Be assured, that whoever indiscriminately defames men or women, has only seen the worst part of them. The installation of the Duke of Northumberland, as Chan cellor of the University of Cambridge, is fixed for Monday the 4th July. The Duke of Wellington has accepted an invi tation to be present. FALL OF A RAILWAY BRIDGE.—On Thursday a fearful accident occurred on the works of the Eastern Counties' Railway, at Kelvedon, in the fall of a stupendous bridge, which was very near completion, occasioning the loss of one life, and injuring six other persons. The damage is estimated at £2OOO. BRIGHTON ELECTION.—A petition has been sent to Lon don against the return of Lord Alfred Hervey. It is signed by Lieutenant-colonel Roberts, Colonel Trickey, Mr. Jolly, and the principal supporters of the liberals, and alleges bri bery and treating to have taken place to secure the return of Lord Hervey. GUNS FOR THE PRINCE OF WALES.—A townsman of ours, named Griffiths, has manufactured and sent to the Prince of Wales a brace of guns, which, though complete in a ll parts, weigh only one ounce and a half and a fourpenny piece. The individual, although only a young man, manu factured all the parts, we are told, with his own hands.— Birmingham Advertiser. MADEIRA.—The Queen of Portugal has issued two de crees regarding the island of Madeira, by the first of which American eagles and dollars are to be legally current in that island, at the rate of 1,000 reis per dollar, and English sove reigns and silver coin, which were already current there at the rate of 4,600 reis per sovereign, are now to be raised to , that of 4,800 reis per sovereign. By the second decree rice accompanied the produce of Asia is rendered admissible there, under what ever flag and from whatever place imported. Since our last, the weather has been exceedingly propitious for the growing crops of grass and corn, and. indeed, for nOW in ; ve getation in general. Gentle and not too copious showers o f rain having fallen at intervals during the week, and followed by soft warm breezes e w, f yi r l o li m ana th b e e a y nd st S ea .W mer, and the fields, the gardens, and the hedgerows seem almost uuL f f , u .— l full T he summer dep bloom. r ; S r: which was appointed for yesterday, has bee this morning ; a number of owners n delayed until and having, we are informed, arrived here by a gents for goods the manufacturing districts. Some of di railway from the proceed to Hamburg; while it is likel oth em will probably retain goods already shipped for h Y ers have orders to down.—Hull Herald, May 12. °uses which are burnt RAILWAY ACCIDENT.—On Wednesday acci dent occurred to the five o'clock goodsay morning all Edin burgh to Glasgow, by which one of very seriously injured, and several the railway servan t s was of the carriages were bra ken to pieces. REPRESENTATION OF DERRY. —Sir Robert Bateson 1135 resigned his seat as representative for the county . of London derry, on account of ill health, and his son, who inherits the virtues, talents, and principles of his father, has come forward as candidate for the representation. DI SFRANCHISEMENT OF THE BOROUGH OF SUDE t r i r ri `: , —The bill for disfranchishing this borough parliament on Wednesday night. After reciwtiansgb.trh:llutags bri bery and corruption which prevailed in the town 1 at'L'the county tion, it enacts that " the borough of Sadborli l th i s net, cease of Suffolk, shall, from and after the Pa - Imicurto serve in the to elect and return any burgess or barges high court of parliament." 1 ,,d to learn that none of FIRE AT HAMBURGH.—We are g,,, har public or private, the warehouses or other buildings,w"L. E n glish Fire-o ffi ces. in the city of Hamburgh, are insured uire% that every building A. law of the city of Hamburg! , r e n q d a public tax is annually shall be insured by the State ; a awe past the manufacturing levied for that purpose. well known, been much de "to learn that several houses there in pressed, but we are gla d traNdeAvofYDCuAnNclyeAe CANVASS.—For has, S . for a large share of the navy canvass , contracts line have come in entered into by them with the • st been go contracts havingia ~7 ono bolts for the use of the navy. Al great number verntnent to supt t z d ' w prices will not reabze large profits For i :o t m oo e though it seems t t . till it will do much number °p° the 'por t i o n of whom have t to a of the I town, y labouring —An Oxford paper, of April 30, population, e a t° a l ur or five past months.„_____ _ been . very poorly ualednnian Mercury. atoffotrhdeinegonettorapeitiooa,rur g s o; een EFFECTS ---• • "We hear that following . has the fChrist Church. has foll owed Murray, Esq., off during ' ,-,v PusEYISM. B• A " °- conformed to the example of Mr. Douglas , and , Rome." M r Ai was returned to parliament • j ' urray, we be lieve,,in tine last by the " emi nently Protestant" county of , Bucks. We ' cherished a hope that his alleged perversion . Big h t ' mour ; but a week has now prove an unfounded ru tradiction from any Passed over, and we find no con his secession spoken of b quarter; on the contrary, we perceive known fact. And yet, y the Buckinghamshire papers as a Pusey's teachin strange to say, while the effects of Dr. g are thus daily becoming more and more manifest among the . Young men of his own college, the heads of houses are act ii ua..y at this very moment, proposing him as a member of the ' ion new theological board now in ormat . Record. LAND. I