Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-05-13 00:00:00

The Band of the 2nd Life Guards played during dinner

LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

CHEMISTS' ASSOCIATION.—The usual fortnightly meeting
of this association was held in the Royal Institution last
night, Mr. H. H. Evans presided. A lengthened conver-
sation took place upon the question of the possibility of
adopting some uniform scheme of measures in chemical
compounds, conforming to the proposed general adoption
of a system in all mercantile commodities. Several schemes
were suggested and discussed, but no resolution was
adopted. The paper for the evening was a very interesting
and instructive one, by Mr. Mathew Mercer, upon the
chemistry of wheat and flour.
LIVERPOOL DISPENSARIES.—Yesterday, a meeting of the
committee of the Liverpool Dispensaries was held in the
offices, Moorfields.- The principal business of the meeting
was to elect a medical officer for the South Dispensary.
The following, gentlemen were candidates for the office :
Drs. Henry, Collingwood, Ayerton, and Henry Lowndes.
A ballot was taken, and the result was in favour of. Dr.
Lowndes, who was accordingly &dared to be elected. We
highly approve of the step the committee has taken in
reference to the appointment of medical officers, in confining
to themselves that power, as it will prevent much trouble
to the candidate as well as to subscribers and others. ."
EXTRAORDINARY QUICK PASSAGE.—The tug-boats of the
Mersey have for _ some time past been justly admired for
their extraordinary towing capabilities, and more especially
so since the introduction of the " New Steam Tug Limited
Company's" splendid and powerful line of steam-tugs, which
have called forth the highest encomiums of the press and the
pubic, not only for their strength 'and fine proportions, but
for their extraordinary rapid to wages between this port and
London. As an illustration we have only to state that the
American ship Ashburton, Captain Bradish, was towed
round from London to the Mersey by the steam-tug
Reliance in the short space of 79 hours, the quickest, we
believe, on record, having left the DoWns at 9 a.m. on the
9th inst., and arrived here at 4 p.m. yesterday (the, 12th.)
HISTORIC SOClETY.—Yesterday evening, the literary
section of this Society held a meeting, in the Grand Jury
Room, St. Georke's Hall. P. B. M'Quie,.. Esq., was called
to the chair. The secretary acknowledged the following
donations : Letters on coating with manure the seed of
wheat, and other cereals, before sowing, by John Ronald,
merchant, Glasgow, author; "Proceedings of the Royal
Society," vol. 9, No. 34 • From the Archaeological Institute':
" The Archaeological journal," No. 61, 1859 ; Through
the secretary of the socieiy : " Journal of the Manchester
and Liverpool Agricultural Society, for 1859." One 'or two
articles of interest were exhibited, but not of sufficient
consequence to mention. A paper was read by Mr. Buxton,
"On the Crusades, as effecting Civilisation." This was the
only businest before the meeting..
CONCERT, LAST NIGHT.—MR. ARCHIBALD MANN.—A
vocal and instrumental concert was given last night, in the
Odd Fellow's Hall, St. Anne-street. There was a very
numerous and apparently respectable attendance. The
concert possessed one feature which entitled it to peculiar
and not pleasant notice—it was the first occasion on which
Mr. Archibald Mann made his appearance before the public
since his discharge from the dock at the recent. assizes. Mr.
Mann was then declared " not guilty" of the revolting and
indescribable crimes laid to his charge; and his friends, if
they believe him innocent, have a perfect right to sympa-
thise with him, the more so, as a belief in his innocence
involves the necessity of believing him the victim
of one of the most hideous, and, it must be
added, inexplicable and apparently causeless con-
spiracies ever concocted. But we think they would have
acted in better taste if they had not obtruded Mr. Mann
thus early upon public notice again. There are cases in
which decent feeling will urge even victims to retire for a
while from public gaze. Mr. Mann has, indeed, his bread
to earn ; but there are other places beside Liverpool, and
not being long a resident of this town he is not bound to
the spot even by the ties of habitude. One might have
thought that any man of ordinarily sensitive feelings, who
had so recently been charged, even innocently, with the per-
petration of crimes which cannot be named in print,
would not have willingly courted the public gaze for
some time at least ; and that, even if his conscious innocence
had assumed so very bold a front, his friends would have
discouraged his exhibiting it too soon. We must say, how-
ever, that no such feelings appeared to have pervaded any
of the audience last night. Mr. Mann, on making his
appearance, was greeted with enthusiastic and vociferous
applause, which was several times renewed. Many among
the female part of the audience were particularly demonstra-
tive. It was not pleasant to think of the details these
young women must have had to read, or to hear, before they
could ever hare arrived at the conclusion, that the person
they thus warmly applauded was an innocent and a perse-
cuted man. We must commend the fact of the reception
thus given to any " singers and public speakers," who may
sometimes be over-vain of a burst of popular applause. It
may serve as a wholesome lesson to rebuke vanity ; and, if
so, will probably be the only wholesome effect such a sight
could produce. As to the other performers who sang with
Mr. Mann, we shall probably do them the best service in
our power by forbearing to mention their names.
TOXTETH PARK BOARD OP GUARDIANS.—The usual
weekly meeting of this board was held yesterday, at the
Public-offices, Park-road ; Mr. H. S. Alpass, chairman,
presided. There were also present the following guardians,
Messrs. Joseph Harrison, I. B. Hughes, M. A. lohnF.

Samuel Siddeley, J. Brundritt, W. Leyland, A. Grindrodft
John Wilson, and W. Ogden. Mr. Mainwaring, Poor-lay
.e
Inspector, was also present. Mr. Gough, governor of the
West Derby Workhouse, reported that there were in the
house, belonging to Toxteth Park, last week,
382 ; this week, 395 ; correspondine. week last _Y25,.2
382. In the hospital last week, 396; this week,
Cheques were granted to the relieving officers for out-door
relief to the amount of £lO6. The chairman asked if it
were the feeling of the board that they should get the_
hospital built as soon as possible, as in his opinion it Was
as necessary as the workhouse. Several cases had been
brouht before the board which showed that there wo nta
not %e sufficient accommodation in the new workhouse
without an hospital. The various members were in favour
of an hospital, and it was agreed that the necessary steps
should be taken to have it built. The chairman said he
had received a communication from Mr. Frith Woodhead,
-in reference to a house on the land sold to the Society 01
Friends. Mr. Woodhead complained that the house was
being pulled to pieces by the workmen, and he hoped the
guardians would put some person in the house, or allow hi?:
to do so. It was agreed that the house should be.
let at a nominal rent of is a-week to Mr. Woodhead.
An affidavit made by Mr. Richard Holden, attorney,
before Clarke Aspinall, was laid before the .board, in which
Mr. Holden declared that, a short time prior to the election
of guardians of the poor for the township of Toxteth-park,
in 1857, he instructed Richard James, then of South John-
street, printer, to print fifty nomination papers for him:
which was done ; and he further declared that Richard
James,. nor no other person, ever printed any voting
papers' for him at any time, or any paper relating
to the said election other elan nomination Papers'
a copy of which was attached to the affidavit.
The Chairman said, strictly speaking, they had nothing to
do with the matter, and he had no desire that the question
should be opened up again He mentioned the substance
of the affidavit to the board. This was all the business.
THE PROPOSED BIRKENHEAD VOL- . 7.ER RIFLE COEF's*
—lt was decided yesterday (Thursday}, to hold a public
meeting at Birkenhead, to consider the propriety of forming
a volunteer Rifle Corps for that township. It is expected
that the chair will be taken Pithor by Sir Edward' Cust, or
Mr. John Laird, the chairman 'of the commissioners.
Already upwards of 100 gentlemen have signified their
intention of enrolling themselves in the corps.
CORONER'S INQUESTS.—W. H. Statham, Esq., the Deputy-
coroner, held the following inquests yesterday :—On the body
of Cecilia Williams, 19 years of age, the wife of a sailor.
She lived at 6 Court, Thomas-street. On Thursday the
deceased was in Price's-street, Canning-place, when a sack
of. corn, that was being lowered from a warehouse, fell on
her, and fractured her leg so badly, that she died in the
Sourthern Hospital on Wednesday. It would appear that
the sack slipped out of the sling. Surgeon Bateson said
the in juries' caused death. The deceased was enciente.
The jury found a verdict of " Accidental death."—O°
the body of Lewis Lewis, a boy on board the
schooner Resolute, of Aberystwith: He was 15 years of age.
On Wednesday, the lad was clearing the topmast rigging',
that was foul of the main yard, when he fell upwards 0'
40 feet, and ;was killed on the spot. Verdict, " Accidental
death." - On the body of Mary Shaw, the wife of a cooper,
living-in Meadow's-buildings, Bevington-bush. From the
evidence of a child of deceased, named Catherine Shaw, it
appeared that the deceased was an incorrigible drunkard,
and was 40 years of age. Last week she was drunk'
and on Tuesday evening, whilst in that state herself and
husband' (who is a sober man) had some words about
her pledging a shirt, to get more drink, when he caught hex
round the meek, but it did not seem that he did any injury
to her, although she died that night after a dreadful fall,
Mr. W. G. Jones, surgeon, of St. Anne's dispensary, Rose-
hill, said he was called to see 'deceased. She was deed;
The right, side of her face was swelled and bruised, and
bruises on the throat. There was a contusion on the lower
jaw. There were contused and lacerated wounds on the
head. He described the interior appearances, and said
there was congestion of both lungs. His opinion was that
congestion of the brain was the cause of death,
possibly set up by excessive drinking, or might arise from
asphyxia, and thinks the injuries on the throat had something
to do with the deate —by having caused strangulation.
He did not think the death was natural; nor from excessive
drinking alone, though it might be 'a moving cause. The
husband was then cautioned in the usual way, when he said
the deceased was an awful drunkard, and pledged everything
she could lay hands on to get drink. He went through a
long history of the case, the amount of which was about
her awful drunken habits. After an inquiry of nearly four
hours, the jury, after some deliberation, found a verdict of
",Died from congestion of the brain, but how caused there
was no evidence to show."
WORKHOUSE COMMITTEE.—The usual weekly meeting of
this committee was held yesterday morning, Mr. Church-
warden Cropper in the chair. The other members present
were - Messrs. Owen, Smith, Critchley, Syred, Peck,
Mel)",
Scott,- Denton, Gair, and Williams. The medical officer
reported that the number of deaths occurring in the estab-
lishment last week was 20. The number of patients in the
hospital last week was 603 ; new cases admitted since, 137 ;
cured and discharged, 146 ; remaining under treatment, 574,
of whOm 60 are fever, 15 itch, and 4 small-pox cases'
The master of the vagrant sheds reported that during the
week ending t 7th instant there were 239 destitue
persons accommodated in this department of the establish-
ment ; of these, 154 were males, 64 females, and 21
children. These numbers showed a nett increase over last
week of 20, and a decrease of .37 when compared with the
corresponding week of last year. The governor's return
showed that the number of inmates in the workhouse last
week was 2,018, number this week 1,914, being a decrease
of 104 on the week. Number in the corresponding Week
of last year 2 261 ; showing a decrease, when compared
with that period, of 243. At the suggestion of the
chairman, a vote of thanks was unanimously passed to Mr.
Allsop, proprietor of the Royal Wax Works, Lime-street,
for permitting the children of the workhouse to visit his
exhibition, of which the children expressed themselves
highly delighted. The accounts between the parish and
Messrs. Smith and Travis were again brought before the
committee, and, after some discussion it was agreed, 00
the motion of Mr. Peck, that they be paid at once. The
following report was read from Mr. Culshaw in reference to
the sinking of the foundations of some portions of the build-
ing., caused by a flow of water from one of the water pipes
being laid for the purpose of extinguishing fire, in case of
that event. The accident occurred on the night of Good
Friday. A 14-inch hydrant pipe in a yard had been
plugged ; the plug had been forced out; the water had
penetrated to and weakened the foundations • and, about
one o'clock in the morning, the report occasioned by a crack
in the building caused the greatest alarm, and, indeed, led
to the evacaution of the ward. The committee consequently
directed a survey To H. Hagger, Esq. Liverpool,
11th May, 1859. Sir,—According to your request, I have
made a survey of the buildings at the workhouse which
have sunken owing to the influx of water from the vented
water pipe. From the explanation given by the governor,-
it appears that a considerable portion of the buildings--
forming the medical and hospital wards were erected upon
an artificial foundation, which is consequently more trea-
cherous and subject to subsidence than if it had been built
on the growing strata. In regard to the first ,question is
your note, I am of opinion that, although there is 11°
danger, the building may continue to sink, and further
danger accrue ; therefore, for a time the estimate of the
repairs should be deferred. The amount of the money
damage will be considerable, the buildings being fracture
in several places, and rent from the base upwards, evidently'
caused by the influx of water. Ido not think you can be
compensated in money for a fractured building, for although
it may be quite sufficient for the purpose t°r
which it is used when repaired, nevertheless it is
as susceptible of the same influence, that whenever the
foundation is disturbed, as in the present case, the sinking
may go on increasing until it is necessary to take the
buildings down. I would suggest that an official note
should be addressed to Mr. Duncan, to give him an oppor-
tunity of having a survey made on behalf of the water
committee, asking if they can suggest any mode whereby
the workhouse committee can be indemnified, without
having recourse to extreme measures. I may state that if
one portion of the main building had not been on the solid
rock, the probability is that the whole of this end of the'
building would have fallen. The bakehouse building being'
so much lighter, is not likely to sink further, and the cost
of the repairs can be easily ascertained ; but defer doing
that before it is finally seen whether the main building will
further subside.—l am, sir, yours respectfully, WILLI4I4
CULSRAW, Surveyor." The recommendation contained in
this report was agreed to. The committee then disposed of
some unimportant matters and adjourned.
MONKEYS FOND OF FINERY.—" Their attention is soon
excited by any object that is more than ordinary glittering;
jewellery of all kinds being as magnets, to which their eyes
and fingers are instinctively drawn. My own fingers have
more than once been endangered by the exceeding zeal
manifested by the animal in its attempts to secure a ring to
which it had taken a suddeng. The monkey held out
its paw as if it wanted to shake hands, seized by finge
of
rswith both its hands, and did its best to remove the object
its curiosity; fortunately, the ring fitted rather tightly, or it
would probably have been lost or swallowed. As it wo,
few scratches on my hand, and an outburst of disappointed_
anger on the part of the monkey, were the only results of
the sudden attack."—Routledge's Illustrated Natural
History, by Wood.