The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-02-27 00:00:00

COSTLY SERVICE OF PLATE.

On Saturday we were favoured with a.view of one of
the• most costly services of silver plate perhaps ever
executed by any manufacturer in this country, which has
just been completed by the Messrs. Elking,ton, of London
and Liverpool, for the Bishop of Mauricastro, in Malta.
It consists of a dinner, dessert, and tea service, for
thirty persons., the total value of which is £12,000, and
contains 1.8,000 ounces ,of silver. Down the centre of
the dinner table there are three large centre pieces, or
candelabra, richly gilt, the design of .them is the date
palm tree, with the plantain clustering round them. •
• The centre piece has a beautiful group at foot, repre-
senting "The halt in the desert"—a young girl draw-
ing water for the camel, who is standing patiently by
waiting for the welcome draught to quench his thirst
after a weary march across the desert, while the traveller
is sitting at the foot of the tree smoking his chibouk.
The other two pieces have the following animals at foot,
viz., the giraffe, antelope, lion, buffalo, gazelle, and
elephant.. At the top and bottom of the table are two
large venison dishes, and down the sides are twelve
dishes and covers to match ; also, eight centre dishes
and covers, eight warmers for ditto, two large, soup
tureens, two three partition vegetable dishes; eight mus-
tard pots, sixteen salt cellars, four sauce tureens, four
sauce boats, two .souttlet -dishes, two cruet frames, two
oil and vinegar ditto, two pickle frames, two gilt water
jugs, one hundred and twenty dinner plates, thirty soup
ditto, two large cabinets, Containing spoons and forks to
match, one gilt rose-water dish, thirty vase goblets, two
knife trays, two spoon ditto, one large fish dish, one small
ditto. The above are all manufactured in rich arabesque,
engraved to .suit, and the arms and motto (Spec Christus
meg) engraved:upon each piece. • The dessert service is
all richly gilt, and consists of two epergnes, four salad
stands, four large fruit stands, four smaller fruit
stands, two etruscan claret jugs,. two ice cream vases,
four bottle waggons, thirty vme plates, two wine
coolers, six sugar baskets, two large vase goblets,
four palmerstons or wine bottle stands.' The epergnes
in the dessert service represent the "halt in the
desert," but different in design to the former ones,
different figures being introduced. The salad and fruit-
stands are ornamented at the foot with various animals
and birds, such
,as the horse, ibex, fallow deer, kookoo,
and eagle, vulture, heron, crane, peacock, Muscovy
duck, pheasant, and wattlia talegalla, parrot, woodcock,
lapwing. quail, &c., &c. The „tea service consists of
coffee, tea, sugar, and cream, kettle and stand richly
embossed, two cake or bread-baskets, two better coolers,
two toast racks, two egg frames, one foUr-glass decanter
stand, one large tea-tray, one smaller ditto, two 18 inch
salvers; two 16 inch ditto, two 12 inch ditto, and four 10 inch
ditto. All the pieces are engraved with the Bishop's
crest. The service is contained in sixteen large French-
pashed oak canteens, lined with green baize.
• As it is to remain on view for a few days, we have no
doubt it will be eagerly. inspected by our townspeople,
whom it cannot fail- to impress with a very high idea of
the vast capabilities of the firm as manufacturers of
silver plate.

uvEßrooL POLICE COURT.-SATURDAY

SAVAGE ASSAULT. —James Johnston, a bailiff 'in the
County Coprt, was placed in the dock charged with
having ae‘aulted his wife. It was stated that on Wed-
nesday last the prisoner came home about ten o'clock,
n.m., and immediately commenced to beat his wife. He
then stripped her naked, and turned her out into the
yard. The prisoner next took a lighted candle, which
he held to several parts of her person, and committed
otherbrucalities too horrible to mention.—Mr. Cobb,
who appeared for the prisoner, urged that the prosecu-
trix was a woman of very drunken habits. That she
.had stolen the • prisoner's property, and got drunk with
the money she obtained by its sale, and that her con-
duct had been extremely aggravating. lie also con-
tended that •as no one had witnessed the assault it was
probably not so barbarous as had been stated. This
however was denied by Mrs. Johnston, who said a
neighbour saw her in the yard. The case was
adjourned till Tuesday.
CAUTION TO STONE-THROWERS.ard Barchall,
a carter in the employment of Mr. Jackson, of Oldhall-
street, appeared in answer to a summons, upon a charge
of assaulting a child four years of age, named James
Ellison. The defendant was driving his cart in Thomas-
street, when some boys commenced to throw stones at
him. 11e, being annoyed, took up a piece of coal, which
lie threw at the boys, and which struck the child Ellison
in the eye, inflicting a severe injury. The surgeon of
the Northern Hospital, who attended the child, said that
when the child was brought to the Hospital the sight of
one eye was entirely gone; the other one was also
affected. .Mr. Bluck, who appeared for the defendant,
said it was no doubt a very painful case for both parties;
but he could assure the Bench that the prisoner had no
evil intention -in throwing the stone.
a sp
rocphearrtgye (1
of with
itr
Mr. Rallies re-
commended the prisoners o give some compensation to
the mother of the child ; d was ultimately tendered
and accepted.
Ax I.INrouNDED CllARGE.—Benjamin Sayles, a
1111 Z
Copeland, in whose service the prisoner had formerly
srteesapleicritgablae
dog
gokiaintri yaouenhgickieliiia,
been. Mr. Cobb, for the defence, showed that the pri-
soner had been arrested upon the information of a young
woman with whom he had been on intimate terms. He
also showed that the dog had been in her charge for the
last few weeks, and she might therefore have taken it
herself. The bench did not consider the charge preyed,
Ond dismisssd the prisoner.

LAUNCH OF A MAIL

STEAMER,.

THE DAIL/ TIMES, MONDAY; FEBRUARY 27; 180;

One of the finest, vessels which has ever been in the
litefsey Was hitindhed on Saturday from Air. Laird's
yard at }iirkenliead. The event Yids bit Intetesting
only, but impOrtabt; for; if "The Ulster" accomplishes
all that is expected.from her—and there is little doubt
entertained of her doing so—she will create a revolution
in steam-ship building."

The Ulster is one of four vessels now in course of
erection, for the Conveyance of Passengers and mails
between Holyhead and gingsto*n. Two of the remain-
ing; thTee are to be built by Mr. Laird, and to lie
launched respeetively in March and April, and the third
by Messrs. Samuda and Co.,
of London. The Ulster,
like the other vessels;, is 350 feet long, 35 feet wide, her
hold is 20 feet deep, her draught of water will be 12 to
13 feet, and her burthen 2,000 tons. Her engines,
which are being constructed by Messrs. James Watt
and Co., ate oscillating, their nominal horse power
being 700, their indicated horse power 2,500. Mr.
Laird has adopted his well:known wa-Ve principle to the
hull of his vessels,. which beats a striking resemblance
td those fast-going steamers constructed by him some
years ago, namely, the Countess of Ellesmere and Ellen
Vannin. Like these steamers, the new Holyhead
steamships have a considerable spring in the keel
forward, and a rise aft, making the entire keel a strong
segment of an inverted arch. The vessels will be
very little ornamented externally, but they will appear
very much like steam yachts when on the water. they
will each have two funnels, and two comparatively
slender masts for fore and aft sails to steady them in a
heavy sea, their great speed rendering them otherwise
independent of the 'wind. The speed at which these'
vessels are to travel through the water, and the
chance there may be of collision with passing ships,
rendered it a matter of paramount interest that they
should be unusually strong. The vessels are constrncteil
Of the best Staffordshire and Mersey iron Works iron ;
and the latest improvements have been applied in the
distribution of the material and its relative fastenings.
As a further precaution, and as combining great strength
and safety, the vessel is secured by numerous water-tight
bulkheads, of which there are no less than nine, extend-
ing to the upper deck, and thus dividing the ship into
ten water-tight compartments. Quite a new feature is
introducedin this respect, viz., the separation of the engine-
room from the boiler-rooms by central .bulkheads, which
divide the engine-room and boiler-rooms into separate
.compartments. thus guarding against fire and water, and
rendering it almost impossible to impair the efficiency of
the machinery, even in case of collision amidships, which,
with the ordinary arrangement of bulkheads, would prove
fatal. The great object sought to he obtained in the con-
struction of these vessels is the attainment of a high rate of
speed. It is supposed that the Ulster's average rate of
speed will be twenty miles an hour, and that at times
she will be able to go . at the rate of even twenty-two

miles.
At twelve o'clock, the time appointed for the launch,
lb) yard was filled with spectators, among thorn being a
large number of the leading merchants of Liverpool, and
the principal inhabitants of Birkenhead. A stage had
been erected near the how of the Ulster, and upon this
were the Marquis anti Marchioness of Chandos, Mr.
Laird, and a large number of ladies and gentlemen, who
had been invited to witness the launch. At twelve
o'clock precisely, Lady Chandos, with a small hatchet,
divided the silk cord which apparently held the vessel in
her place, and in a few minutes the Ulster was floating
in her native element, having descended with almost
incredible smoothness, amid the cheers of the assemblage.
THE DEJEUNER
took place in the ball-rJom at the Monk's Ferry Hotel.
The company comprised the representatives of the va-
rious companies interested in the new undertaking, a
number of gentlemen from Dublin, several members of
the Liverpool Corporation, of the Mersey Docks and.
Harbour Board, and a few of the Birkenhead Commis-
sioners, besides a number of ladies. Mr. Laird, who
presided, was supported on the right by the Marchioness
of Chandos, and on the left by the Marquis of Chandos. -
There Were also present, Sir John Kingston James,
Captain Mends, of H.M.S. Majestic ; J. A- Tinge,
Charles Turner, J. A. Tobin, J. Smith, J. K. Rounth-
waite, C. Bushell, B. Darbyshire, G. Grant, G. H. Law-
rence,. H. Littledale, Watson, &c.
The - 11 wing disposed of the toasts of
"The QuCen," who, he sail, was as much interested as -II
any one in the undertaking that day inaugurated, and
of " Prince Albert and the rest of the Royal Family,"
gave " The Army and Navy."
Captain MENDS, R.N., in responding, said they bad
that day seen one of the most beautiful forms which he
had ever beheld launched upon the waters—the element
to which England owed her commercial prosperity. He
had seen almost the first plate-laying of the Ulster, and
he thanked Mr. Laird for giving him the opportunity of
seeing the perfection to which she had been brought.
The CuxenalAN said the next toast was what might
be called the toast of the day. " The health of Lady
Chandos; and success to the vessel which-she had that
day christened." (Applause.) lie had built and
launched a great many vessels, but he must say that he
had never a lady perform the ceremony will more ease
and more dignity than Lady ChandoS did. (Applause.)
She held th vessel suspended as it were by a single
silk thread, applied the hatchet and the vessel moved
on. And he was sure Lady Chandos would forgive him
for mixing up the name of a gentleman with the toast,
and he could not help expressing his regret that Captain
Williams was not present to receive what he has sure
would be paid to him : the respect of all parties in that
company. (Applause.) He thought it due to Mr.
Williams, now that iron ship -building was considered a
national affair, and it was also due to the City of Dublin
Company, to say that the first order he ever received
was front Captain Williams. He gave bins an order in
1839, for a small vessel 60 feet by 13, which was then
considered a great undertaking. (Laughter.) He hail
al ways recollected the year with great delight.
(Applause.) That vessel he was told was yet in exis-
tence and doing good service. Three years afterwards
Captain Williams gave another order for a vessel 130
feet by 18. That was considered a very rash step, but
he was happy to say that the gentleman who launched
that vessel on one of the lakes in Ireland, and who was
then present, had told him that she was working as
well as the (14 that she was launched. (Applause.)
There was great difficulty in continuing iron ship-
building, but lie was quite convinced that iron was supe-
rior to wood. lie must have turned out 90,000 tons of
ships numbering about 250 to 260, and he attributed
the start he had to the patronage he received from Cap-
tain Williams. (Applause.) He concluded by calling
upon the company to drink a bumper to Lady Chandos,
and success to the Ulster.
The Marquis of CIrANDOS, in responding, expressed
his admiration at the perfection of the arrangements for
the launch, and said that though he had seen many a
launch, from a three-decker downwards, he had never
seen one more successfully carried out than the one
to-day, under the auspices of Mr. Laird and his sons.
(Applause.) It was not without great feeling that one
could witness at any time the transference of a vessel
of that size into the element she was to grace, and
it was with more than ordinary feelings that they
witnessed such an event where, as on that occasion,
every glance of the eye revealed the monuments
'of British industry and British perseverance. They
could look around them and see that forest of
masts which adorned and graced Liverpool, a magni-
ficent array of docks planned not by national skill, but
planned under the guidance of British merchants and
the commercial men of Liverpool, and carried out and
extended tilt they formed a system unequalled, in Eng,
land, or even in Europe. (Applause.) And looking on
that side of the Mersey, no one who had seen that place
a few years ago could help thinking what the skill
and industry of Mr. Laird had accomplished. (Loud
applause.) Within a few years they had seen every plan
adopted which science could call forth for the construction
of those magnificent vessels, and now Mr. Laird had intro-
duced a new fabric for the manufacture of these vessels,
having brought steel into subjection for the purpose of
framing vessels for the Indian service. Within a year
ten or twelve of the vessels which they had seen that day
had been launched from that yard and were probably in
India. (Applause.). There was, he thought, not a person
who could have seen the launch that da.y without reflecting
what the skill and perseverance of Englishmen had done
in this district, and what had been accomplished in that
very yard from which the launch had been made.
(Applause.) He could look back and reflect that
some thirteen or fourteen years ago the question
was not whether the boats which were building
for the service with which he was connected were
too small, but whether they were not too large,
and he could not but recollect, when he looked at the
magnificent vessel which was that day launched, that
she was condemned by many as far beyond the require-
ments of the service. The vessels built in that yard
were never too large for the service, and the Cambria
and others had done their work well, and had done their
duty to their owners ; and, he trusted, confident that
he would be joined by everyone in that room, that the
vessel which had been that day launched would open the
way to a far more successful era in steam navigation.
Looking back at the ridicule which was thrown upon
the originators of die Liverpool and Manchester Rail-
way, and reflecting upon the wonderful progiess which
science had made, and the great advances in both rail-
ways and steamluats, they could not help remem-
bering that these had been • accomplished by private
individuals and by private capital. (Hear, hear.) And,
remembering this fact,. it must be a great pride
to Mr. Williams to know that the City of Dublin Com-
pany, which was one of the first companies formed for
steam navigation, and of which, he believed, Mr. Williams
was the founder—it must be a matter of great pride to
him that that company, beginning with the small boats
of which Mr. Laird had spoken, was now interested,
not only in the vessel which had been launched that
day, but in three other like her—(applause)—and these
were leading the way to the attainment of a speed
across the ocean which a few years ago was thought
impossible on land. He must ask theM to join in drink-
ing a bumper toast to the success and prosperity of the
City of Dublin Company. (Applause.)
The toast having been drank,
Mr. WATsos, in responding, said it was no wonder
that Mr. Williams was absent, for he was past eighty
years of age, yet the vigour of his mind, and the interest
he took in the prosperity of the company was unabated.
His absence on that occasion, and the reluctance of
their chairman, Sir John Kingston James rendered
it incumbent on him to thank them for the
high honour conferred upon the City of Dublin Com-
pany. It was a proud position to occupy, and he
thanked them most cordially for giving him an oppor-
tunity of doing so. Eight years Ago be brought forward
a proposal for improving the communication between
the two countries. The proposition was that steamers
should he built to run twenty miles an hour, and that
in connection with them there should be special trains.
The proposition was rather novel at the time, and was
met with so many difficulties, that at the time it was
pronounced to be impracticable, and attended with great
danger to human life. Ultimately they, with the
assistance of the London and North Western Railway
Company, called the notice of the Government to the
matter, and induced them to entertain the question as a
very great social and political undertaking between
the two countries. He trusted that when these boats
were on the station, the Government and the public
would be satisfied, and be hoped the boats won:
accomplish what was expected from them. (Hear,
hear.) He believed those vessels would be superior to
anything in the world. He had asked if there was
anything in the United States that could approach
them, and lie was told there was not, but the citizens
of the United States could come and look at them, and
take a lesson from this country, as they had done before.
Laying again expressed his thanks, he said that, with the