The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1852-04-13 00:00:00

Pa )POSED NEW PENAL SETTLEMENT IN SCOTLAND.—•
Fir J Imes Matheson, M.P., the spirited proprietor of the
Lewis property, has offered the island of North Rona as a I AT THE CHESTER ASSIZES there were no less than
gift to the government, for a new penal settlement. Sir i seven true bills found for perjury, and four for suborns-
James has had the island surveyed by Captain Burnaby, I tion of perjury.
of the Royal Engineers. The island, which is about 38 I
M G. RE N E
miles north-east of the Butt of Lewis, with which and Ihas succeeded in discovering
4 the foundationn. NOf ;1 ' old C.E.,
gate I • at Chester, and este-
Cape Wrath it forms nearly an equilateral triangle, con-
thereby thel.3 old tdala nice
blis.hin7,guage of. the
h river Dee,
tains upwards of 270 acres, about three-fourths of which
are arable land. which is now found to be one foot three inc es lower than
EXTRAORDINARY CASE OF DECEPTION.—At Brighton the standard last set up.
PLAC
Police-court, on Saturday week, a long investigation took
AGES. ES LICENSED FOR THE SOLEMNIZATION OF MAR_
place regarding the refusal of one of the parish surgeons RI —The Brunswick Wesleyan Chapel, Birkenhead;
Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, Rushton, Cheshire •
to attend a pauper woman, alleged by her husband to have the .
Capel y Bwlch, Llangelynin, Merionethshire,. have
away the abortive produce of her delivery, which took
been in labour, and, on afterwards attending, his carrying and
been duly licensed for the solemnization of marriages.
place during his absence. It turned out, however, that ACCIDENT AT THE CHESTER RAILWAY STATION.—
the woman was not in the family way at all, and that the On Friday morning a boy was employed about the hook
alleged " abor.ion" was nothing else than a puppy which of a railway truck, when it is supposed that the truck
had been skinned and prepared to resemble the human moved without the boy being aware of it. It passed over
subject, and not without considerable success, as the his leg, and cut his foot quite off. He had only been
medical gentleman deposed. engaged at the station about a week.
THE NEW FLORIN.—An order in Council proclaims BIRKENHEAD COMMISSIONERS.—At the meeting /of
the new florin, "or tenth of a pound," to be received as commissioners, on Tuesday evening, the following state-
current and lawful money of the realm. The new coin is ment of ferry receipts, &c., was read :—March, 1851,
described as having for obverse " the Queen's effigy £1,307 Ils. 11:1. ; March, 1852. £1,351 3a. sd. From
crowned, with the inscription ' Victoria D.G. : Brit : April 28, to March 31, £19,662 158. ; ditto in 1852,
Reg. F.D. :' and the date of the year; and for the ; £19.435 10s. 7‘l. Total expenditure from April 28 to
reverse, the ensigns armorial of the United Kingdom. March 31, 1852, including working expenses and rent,
contained in four shields, crosswise, eachshield surniounted £15,157 15s. sd.
I
by the royal crown, with the rose in the centre, and in the FREEMASONRY.—At a chapter held at the Park Hotel,
compartments between the shields the national emblems Birkenhead, yesterday week, Brother J. Mosen, of Liver-
of the rose, thistle, and shamrock, surrounded by the I pool, and BrotherTwiss, of Hartford, W.P.G 0., V.W.M.
words ' One-tenth of a Pound, and with a milled grain- 620, were exalted companions to the Royal Arch. We
ing round the edge.
understand that Sir W. W. Wynn, Bart., R.W.P.G.M.
DEATH OF A FEMALE BY FIRE.—On Thursday morn- of S.V.N.W. , and Brother G. C. Antrobus, V,W.P.G.S.W.
ing, at one o'clock, a policeman on duty at, Kensington- will be exalted to the Royal Arch, at tha chapter which
park; London, observed an uninhabited cabin in an ad- will beld early in June.
joining brick-field on fire, and on proceading to the spot
CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAlLWAY.—Traffic for the
found three men dragging from it a female enveloped in week ended the 4th April, 1852 :—Chester and Holy-
fire. He lent his assistance, and the unfortunate woman head Main Line : Passengers, £9Bl 10s. Bd. ; parcels, H.
being got out was conveyed to the hospital, but died soon C. & D., £74115. 10d. ; goods, cattle, &c., £461 128. sd. ;
after her admission. Before her death she absolved the mails, £6oo.—Mold : Passengers, £4l 17s. 4d. ; parcels,
men, who made off, from all blame. It appeared that the £1 12s. Id. ; goods, cattle, &e., £lO3 lls. 2d.—Steam_
name of the decased, who was 22 years of age, was Abbot, boats : Passengers, £142 6s. Bd. ; parcels, £2s.—Total,
and that she disappeared from her home at Deptford a £2432 23. 2d.
week ago. The coroner has issued his warrant for an in-
URGLARY AT RANAIEE.—On Tuesda, some
quest, which will, it is hoped, unravel the mystery in
thieß T ves effected an entrance R
into the residency eni ogf htMessrs.
which deceased's death is enveloped.
E. and S. Willoughby, of the Tranmere ferry. After
A PROMPT ANSWER.—At a meeting held at Carlisle breaking into drawers, cupboards, ransacking papers, and
to resuscitate the League, Mr. Ross, one of the oracles, making a thormeeh search for booty in the lower part of
boldly asserted that nothing which had a tendency to the home, the thieves decamped by the parlour window,
reduce the price of food could in any way tend to the having previously locked the door, taking with them about
reduction of wages; and he put it fearlessly to working £3O worth of plate and a silver watch. A tea-caddy and
men in the room, whether they had, in consequence of a writing-desk were found in the garden.
the removal of the duty on corn, sustained any injury ?
A weaver replied that he and his fellows had sustained a BURGLARY AT EGREMONT.—EarIy on Sunday morning
loss of 4s. 2d, in their weekly wages. In 184 week, tho house of Mr. Nathaniel Caine, iron merchant,
7 they had
12s. ld. per week, but now they had only 73. lid. of this town, and who resides in Church.street, Egremont,
(Hear, hear.) Whether that was the result of the repeal was entered by burglars. Mr. Caine, from some cause,
w
of the cern laws, he did not pretend to say. The answer was disturbed about two o'clock, when he got up, opened
was received with cheers, and completely nonplussed the the bed-room window, but saw no person. He then dig.,
orator. covered that an entrance had been effected into his dress-
DREADFUL , ing-room, and that the burglars had first of all assorted
afternoon MATRICIDE IN LAMBETIL—On Saturday the contents of his trousers pocket on the dressing-room
Thomas Cupper Wheeler, aged 27, murdered table, after which they decamped with about thirteen
his mother, who was a widow, residing in Durham-place,
Kensington-road, Lambeth,_ in a most brutal manner.
ge ltrinnirrA 1.--
and cut off her head sovereigns, a knife, a gold watch and appendages.
ACCIDENT TO THE MASTER OF THE CHESHIRE FOY
.1.- • .-
He attempted to make '
Houezns.—We are extremely sorry to learn that, on
-ed and secured. A Alonday last, a severe accident occurred to Capt. White,
at the kennels. The gallant master was in the act of
' mounting a spirited horse, in order to accompany the pack
on an airing excursion, when the animal jumped aside,
and the captain fell to the ground, the horse, afterwards,
in his caperings, treading on the master's legs. He was
immediately conveyed home and put to bed. The injury,
though serious, we are happy to say, is not dangerous.—
Stockport Advertiser.

CHESHIRE AND WALES.

ORMSKIRK.

PETTY SESSIONS.—Hugh Forshavv, blacksmith, Skel-
mersdale, was this week fined £5 and costs for using a
false license certificate, by which he obtained a license to
sell beer. His license was also forfeitedt Several fines
were levied for breaches of the Highway Act and assaults.
On Thursday last, Mary Smith and Elizabeth King were
committed for trial to Kirkdale Gaol, on a charge of
stealing a pair of boots.

NARROW ESCAPE.—On Sunday week, a party, consist-
ing of Mr. Pye, brewer, Ormskirk, Mr. Williams, of
Burscough, and some female friends, were setting out on
an excursion in a gig, when the horse became restive.
Mr. Pye was thrown out, with a trifling injury. The
females were rescued by the horse being stopped.

by means of an axe and a knre.

his escape, but was, however,
neighbour, who had heard the unfortunate woman scream,
went into the house, and in an upper room he found her
trunk on the floor, and the head, with the muscles all in
motion, on the table. The murderer had not been long
liberated from a lunatic asylum, and states that he com-
mitted the dreadful crime because his mother annoyed
him by following him about.

- -
TOTAL WRECK OF THE BIRKENHEAD,
STEAM TROOP SHIP.

FOUR HUNDRED AND FIFTY-FOUR. PERSONS
DROWNED.

PROCLAMATION FOR _ASSEMBLING PARLIAMENT.—TiIe
bill brow ht from the Lordi to shorten the time required
for assembling parliament after a dissolution thereof was,
on Wednesday, printed by order of the I-Truiqe nf rnm ynnn

Another terrible disaster has happened at sea. At two
o'clock in the morning of the 26th of February, her
Majesty's steamer Birkenhead was wrecked between two
and three miles from the shore of Southern Africa. The
exact spot at which the calamity happened was Point
Danger. Off this point she struck upon a reef of sunken
rocks. The ship was steaming eight and a half knots at
the time. The water was smooth and the sky serene,
but the speed at which the vessel was passing through
the water proved her destruction. The rock penetrated
through her bottom just aft the foremast, and in twenty
minutes' time there were a few floating spars and a few
miserable creatures clinging to them, and this was all that
remained of the Birkenhead. Of 638 persons who had
left Simon's Bay in the gallant ship, but a few hours
before, only 184 remain to tell the tale. No loss than
454 Englishmen have come to so lamentable an end.
Captain Salmond, the officer in command, anxious tc
shorten the run to Algoa Bay as much as was possible, ani
more than was prudent, hugged the shore too closely,
Four hundred and fifty-four persons have lost their
in consequence of his temerity. As soon as the vessel
struck upon the rocks, the rush of water was so great that
the men on the lower troop deck were drowned in their
hammocks. Theirs was the happier fate ; at least they
were spared the terrible agony of the next twenty minutes
—at least the manner of death was less painful than with
others, who were first crushed beneath the falling spars
and funnel, and then swept away to be devoured by the
sharks who were prowling round the wreck. From the
moment the ship struck, all appears to have been done
that human courage or coolness could effect. The
soldiers were mustered on the afterdeck. The instinct of
discipline was stronger even than the instinct of life.
The men fell into place as coolly as on the parade ground.
They were told off into reliefs, and sent—some to the
chainpiamps, some to the tackles of the paddle-box
boats. Captain Wright, of the 91st Regiment, who sur-
vives to relate the dreadful scene, tells us--" Every one
did as he was directed, and there was not a murmur or a
cry among them until the vessel made her final plunge.
I could not name any individual officer who did more than
another. All received their orders, and had them car-
ried out, as if the men were embarking, instead of going
to the bottom : there was only this difference, that I
never saw any embarkation conducted with so little noise
or confusion."
It is gratifying to find that all the women and children
were saved. They were collected under the poop awning,
and were quietly got over the ship's side, and passed into
the cutter. The boat stood off about a hundred and fifty
yards from the ill-starred Birkenhead, and all were saved.
There is not the name of a single woman or child upon
the list of persons who perished. The other boats, as is
usual in such cases, were not forthcoming in the hour of
need. One gig and two cutters were all that could be
rendered available. In one account we find that when
the men were ordered to get the paddle-box boats out,
the pin of the davits was rusted in, and could not be got
out. Captain Wright, on the other hand, tells us that
when the funnel went over the side it carried away the
starboard paddle-box and boat, and that the other paddle-
boat eapsized as it was being lowered. Of the 184 per-
sons who were saved, 116 made their escape in the three
boats which succeeded in getting clear of the wreck.
Never was destruction more sudden or more complete.
Within fifteen minutes after the vessel struck, the bow
broke short off. Five minutes more elapsed, and the hull
of the vessel went in two, crossways, just abaft the
engine-room. The stern part of the vessel immediately
surged, filled, and went down. The only hope of the
survivors lay in the maintopmast and maintopsail-yard,
which still showed above water. There were some frag-
ments of the forecastle-deck still floating about ; there
were a few spars, and driftwood. About forty people
clung to the yard, and, after remaining there until two
o'clock the following afternoon, were picked off by the
Lioness, a schooner which was providentially at hand.
Captain Wright asserts that of the 200 persons, more or
less, who were clinging to the driftwood when he got
away, nearly every man might have been saved had one
of the ship's boats done her duty. Into this boat the
assistant-surgeon had got, with eight men. They imme-
diately pulled away, and landed fifteen miles from the
vessel. The fact appears to have been, that the poor
creatures who were clinging to the driftwood had been
carried by the swell in the direction of Point Danger.
There they got entangled among the seaweed, which, at
this point of the coast, is thick, and of immense length.
Captain Wright's opinion is, that, had not the assistant-
surgeon carried off the boat, or even had the boat pulled
back to the scene of the disaster, after landing the medi-
cal gentleman in safety, the majority of these persons
might have been picked off the seaweed. It only re-
mains for us to mention here that Captain Salmond, who
appears to have done his duty after the vessel struck, and
might have saved himself easily, has not survived the
calamity. When last seen alive, he was swimming from
the stern-post of the ship, which had just gone down, to
a portion of the forecastle-deck, which was floating about
twenty yards from the main body of the wreck : some-
thing struck him on the back of the head, and he never
rose again

ESCAPE OF A PRISONER FROM THE CITY GAOL.--SOITIO
time during the night of the 7th inst., a prisoner, named
Kynaston, who was tried at the last assizes for arson, and
ordered to be detained during her Majesty's pleasure as a
dangerous monomaniac, managed to escape from Chester
city gaol, by boring a hole through the wall of his cell,
and by means of a ladder which he found, he descended
into the Linen-hall and got away. He was found on
Friday morning, and apprehended at Oswestry, whence he
will he conveyed back again, and securely esconced in his
old quarters. He wishes to go the county gaol, because
he says the food there is better—Chester Chronicle.
ABBOT'S GRANGE.—We are informed that the pro-
prietors of Abbot's Grange are determined to persevere in
applying to the Recorder, Mayor, and magistrates in
quarter sessions assembled, for a license to convert these
premises into a lunatic asylum. They have again given
notice to repeat the same application at the next sessions,
(June 24th,) upon which occasion, we understand, they
purpose to subposna the Bishop, Chancellor, the Principal
of the Training College, and all their immediate Neigh-
bours. Nearly forty of the tradespeople and inhabitants
of the city petitioned in favour of the license being
granted.—Chester Chronicle.
THE BRIDGE ACROSS TRANMERE POOL.—Au excellent
test of the security of this structure was afforded on Good
Friday, when crowds of people were continually passing
over it. About half-past six in the evening, a procession
of teetotallers, accompanied by a band and hundreds of
people, crossed from Tranmere to Birkenhead Fcrry by
it, when there could not have boon less than a thousand
persons marching on it at one time. The bridge is found
to be of great convenience; and the further accommodation
to the public which Messrs. Willoughby aro enabled to
offer by the more frequent departure of their boats has
already been repaid by an increased number of passengers.
The steamers for Birkenhead and Tranmere now leave
the landing-stage every quarter of an hour.
LOYAL OAK SOCIETY.—On Tuesday evening a meeting
of the Cheshire branch of this society was held at Mr.
Begg's, Birkenhead. Mr. Richard Balding gave an
interesting history of the society, which was instituted in
1841. In the first week of its existence its funds amounted
to 411., whilst at the present they had a sum of over
£B,OOO in the bank. They had now over 50,000 members,
and it was perhaps the richest and best managed society
in England, although from June to December last they
had paid nearly £4030 in compensation to relatives of
deceased members. Since the commencement of the
society, with 41d., they had paid the enormous sum of
£45,806 15s. to individuals, and they had paid for the
interment of 14,713 persons. He could say that perhaps
the society was not only the largest but the richest in
Europe. The meeting was addressed by Messrs. Jolliff,
Woolley, Farran, and other gentlemen, and votes of con-
fidence and thanks having been unanimously passed to
the officers and collectors, the meeting terminated.
BIRKENHEAD, LANCASHIRE, AND CHESHIRE JUNC-
TION RAILWAY COMPANY.—An extraordinary general
meeting of the shareholders in this company was held on
Thursday, at the Monk's Ferry Hotel, for the purpose of
receiving a report from the directors in regard to the
proceedings connected with the bill now before Parlia-
ment to enable the company to lease and to amalgamate
with the Great Western, and the Shrewsbury and Bir-
mingham, and the Shrewsbury and Cheshire Railway
Companies. The chair was taken by Mr. Alderman Ban-
croft, of Manchester, and the meeting was attended by
about seventy proprietors. Mr. Gibson, the secretary,
read the report of the directors, detailing at considerable
length the result of the interviews between the deputa-
tion from this company and the Board of Directors of the
lines referred to in the notice convening the meeting. The
report concluded with the unanimous recommendation by
the board to the shareholders not to proceed further with
the Leasing Bill. After a long discussion the motion was
put from the chair, and carried unanimously.
CHILD MURDER AT BIRKENHEAD.—At the Chester
assizes, Mary Leek, 28, was indicted for the murder of
her infant child, at Birkenhead. The body of the child,
it will be remembered, was found drowned in a pool of
water, at Birkenhead. Mr. Towerson, superintendent of
the Liverpool police, took the prisoner into custody on the
sth January, when she said. " I did not kill the child."
She afterwards said, "I will tell you the truth ; the
woman where I stopped knew it would not live, and I
took it across to Birkenhead ; I had no place to take it to,
and I durst not go home."—Mr. Jaunett, surgeon, of
Birkenhead, gave his opinion that the child had been put
into the water while it was alive.—The prisoner had been
servant with a Mr. Holmes, in this town, and she had
been sent to the house of a midwife to be confined, her
mistress stating that she would take her hack afterwards.
She left the house of the midwife to go to Wales to seek
the child's father; and on her return, stated that the
child had died and been buried in Wales. In the mean-
time, the body had been discovered in the pit at Birken-
kenhead.—The judge told the jury that, in his opinion,
it would not be safe to convict on the evidence they had
heard. The only evidence against the prisoner were her
own statements, and she had distinctly stated that she
did not kill the child. She might have gone over to Bir-
kenhead in a half demented state, and dropped it into the
pool, or it might have got there in a thousand ways which
they could conjecture.—The jury returned a verdict of
" not guilty."

It is proposed to enact " that so often as her Majesty shall
by her royal proclamation appoint a time for the first
meeting of the parliament of the United Kingdom of
Gi eat Britain and Ireland after a dissolution thereof, the
time so to be appointed may be any time not less than 35
days after the date of such proclamation, the act of the sth
year of Queen Anne, chap. 8, or the act of 7th and Bth
William M., chap. 25, or any other law or usage to the
contrary notwithstanding."

MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE.-0a Friday, informa-
tion was forwarded to the different metropolitan police
stations that a young gentleman, allied to a noble family
resident in the vicinity of Whitehall, had disappeared
under circumstances that lead to a strong suspicion that
he has met with some unfair treatment. He was last seen
about four o'clock in the afternoon of Thursday, the Ist
instant, near the Elephant and Castle, Newington, when
he said he was going home to dinner, and, notwithstand-
ing every exertion, and the offer of a reward of £lOO, no
clue can be obtained to him. Every hospital or other
place where, from the possibility of accident or sudden
illness, he might have been taken, has been searched in
vain. He is described as about 16, fair, wearing a shep-
herd's plaid black Oxonion coat and grey trousers, his
linen being marked E. A.
THE WAY THE LEAGUE SUBSCRIPTIONS ARE RAISED.
—The Manchester Courier contains the following illustra-
tion of the manner in which the operative classes are
wheedled out of subscriptions in aid of the League fund :
—A working man called upon us on Saturday last to com-
plain of the system adopted to extort money from the
operative classes in support of the Anti-Corn-Law League.
In a large concern in Manchester, last Saturday, the fore-
man collected for the Le!ague, and when any reluctance
was exhibited, no positive threat of discharge was held
out—that would have been too straightforward—but the
words, " Oh you want a dear loaf," were generally suffi-
ciently significant of what might afterwards be expected,
to extract a shilling, half-a-crown, or even more than that,
from the workpeople.
REMARKABLE APPEAL TO THE QUEEN.—At the last
assizes, at Bury St Edmunds, a farmer named Baldry
was left for execution, having been found guilty, on the
most conclusive evidence, of administering arsenic to his
wife, with intent to murder her. Since his condemnation
his wife has forwarded a petition, containing a strong ap-
peal to the Queen in his behalf, in which sh says, " that
your petitioner was not aware that the prisoner's convic-
tion would involve the forfeiture of his life, or your peti-
tioner would, at any risk to herself, have declined to be
a party to the prosecution. That your petitioner would
learn with more composure that the prisoner was doomed
to a long term of transportation or imprisonment, even for
period of his life, that she might be saved, therefore, the
misery of knowing that she had destroyed her husband,
and that he may be spared for repentance and amendment." •
On Friday an order was received from the Home Office,
respiting the execution of Baldry until the Bth of May.
It is understood that his sentence will be commuted to
transportation for life.

SINGULAR ...ATMOSPHERIC PHENOMENA.—On Good
Friday morning, shortly before one o'clock, the various
persons passing over the metropolitan bridges, as well as
many thousands on the south side of the river, were con-
siderably alarmed at beholding a most singular appearance
in the heavens, which at once led them to conclude that a
most terrible conflagration had broken out in the neigh-
bourhood of the Old Kent-road, near New.cross, or Dept-
ford. The alarm spreading, various fire-engines were
soon on the move. Upon starting, the scene that pre-
sented itself was one of fearful brilliancy. The heavens
presented at the south-eastern quarter an appearance of
sheets of flames of various hues ; first the light lemon tint,
then changing to deep orange, after which they changed
to a deep vermillion. The engines were driven with all
possible speed in the direction of the supposed fire, but
after proceeding some miles the moon shone out with the
greatest splendour, and the previous signs of a fire disap-
peared. The engines were, therefore, ordered back to
their several stations.

ALLEGED POISONING.—At Taunton assizes, on Mon-
day, Elizabeth Lewis, a lady-like young woman, and
Thomas Crosby, solicitor (on bail), were indicted for the
wilful murder of Eliila'oeth Slater, the infant child of the
said Elizabeth Lewis, at Bath, on the 11th of October
last. This case, from the high respectability and position
of the parties charged, created the most intense interest,
and the court was crowded to suffocation. The female
prisoner took lodgings at Bath, where she was delivered
of an illegitimate child, and was visited by the male pri-
soner, whom she represented as her husband. After
leaving Bath, the child remained in the care of the woman
with whom she had lodged, the wife of a chemist and
druggist. The prisoners, especially the female, fre-
quently visited the house afterwards, nursing the child ;
and it was remarked that, each time after these visits, the
little thing became sick, and exhibited the usual symptoms
of poisoning. It died, and, on a post mortem examina-
tion, was proved to have perished from the effects of
arsenic. The defence was, that some of the arsenic kept
in the shop attached to the house must inadvertently have
got mixed with the child's food or medicine; and the
jury acquitted the prisoners.
LOVE IN LINCOLN.—A love-stricken swain, who is
an ostler at one of the city public houses, and who, it
appears, could not bear the "pangs of despised love,"
precipitated himself into the Foss-dyke, near Pywipe Inn,
last Sunday. The enamoured currycomber of horses saw
the lady of his affections triumphantly led off by a rival
groom. Instead of taking Ovid's advice, to appear cold
as ice though Etna should boil within his bosom, he gave
loose to jealousy, until it raged with volcanic fury. The
old physicians say that labour, diet, exercise, and corn-
batings with it, will gradually eradicate the passions;
but the vanity of the ostler was too irreparably wounded
to permit him to submit to the slow process of cure and
retaliatory contempt : he determined, like Mr. Mantalini,
to make "a body" of himself, and end his woes by a
plunge in the cold unclassical Fossdyke. In he leaped as
nimbly as Leander plunged in t;.e Hellespont. Lydia,
Macedon, Spain, and Crete had each its Lethe, or river
of forgetfulness, but no one- ever dreamt that the waters
of the Fossdyke were gifted with the love-curative power,
and could impart forgetfulness : this lover's leap has,
however, demonstrated the fact, for no sooner had the
ostler got in than be scrambled out again perfectly
restored.—Lincolnshire paper.
HORRIBLE MURDER OF Two,.CHILDRE'S", AND SUICIDE

Details of Lost.-2d Queen's Regiment : Ensign
Boyland, the bandmaster, corporal, and 34 men; 12th
Regiment : 55 men ; 12th Lancers : Cornet Roll-, one
serjeant, 3 men; 43.1 Light Infantry : 3 men; 60 Rifles :
one corporal, 29 men ; 73d Regiment : Lieutenant
Robinson, Lieutenant Booth, 53 men ; 6th Regiment :
Ensign Medford, 49 men; 74th Highlanders: Major
Seaton, Ensign Russell, 2 corporals, 46 men ; 91st Regi-
ment : one serjeant, one corporal, 42 men ; the passenger,
Andrew White, a servant.—Of the crew, 54 officers and
men were saved, and 6 marines.

WRECK OF THE STEAMER PORTO, AND

GREAT LOSS OF LIFE.

OPORTO, MARCH 30.—A most lamentable occurrence
in the loss of the steamer Porto (Portuguese) has thrown
this city into the greatest consternation, all her passengers
(36 in number) having perished, and only seven of her crew
saved. That unfortunate vessel sailed from this on Sun-
day morning for Lisbon, and from some cause or another
bore up again after being as far south as Figueira, and on
taking the bar last evening about six o'clock she struck on
some rocks called the " Forcados," inside the bar. when
the anchor was let go, but somehow or other she drifted,
and, not answering her helm, she got embedded in a reef
of rocks, where no aid could be sent to her; and, night
coming on. sho went to pieces in a few hours. Among
the sufferers are Mr. Joseph Allen, of this place, and two
daughters ; Mr. Anderson, from London, shipowner, who
was here on account of the Harriet, bound to Australia •
Mons. Desir6es, French Consul at this port ; Mr. Ander:
ion's nephew ; Senhor Jose Augusto da Silveira Pinto,
lephew of the well-known Senhor Albano, of Lisbon •
' --1- - ntonio Jos6 Piacido Braga ; Senhor Francisco
;
• - ""viers, of the Commercial Bank.
have been picked up.

The cape Monitor of March 3 says :—" It appears
that, out of six hundred and thirty-eight on board at the
time of the wreck, a hundred and eighty-four in all have
been saved, and that four hundred and fifty-four have
been suddenly launched into eternity."
There is a melancholy interest felt in Liverpool with re-
gard to the fate of this unfortunate steamer, from the fact
that the Birkenhead was built by Mr. John Laird, of Birk-
enhead. She was launched on the 30th of December,
1845, under most auspicious circumstances. She was
1,400 tons burthen, and her engines were of 564 horse
power. She carried two 981 b. pivot guns, and four 681 b.
broadside. She was also divided into eleven water-tight
compartments, and so complete in every respect as to have
always been considered the best steam-frigate in the navy.
It is a somewhat remarkable circumstance that the
Amazon and the equally ill-fated Birkenhead commenced
their voyages on the same day—the Amazon having left
Southampton and the Birkenhead Portsmouth on Friday,
the 2d of January. Friday is regarded by sailors as an
unlucky day on which to begin a voyage.

painful exci

urrounding neighbourhood on Friday, in
of two boys, locked in each
bodies a man about 40

ce of the discover

As yet no I

.rms, and cl

[The " Porto" steamer was built at Liverpool, and

11 o'cloc

ldest 11 years of

EFFECTS OF INTEIiPERANCE.—Margaret Mortey, 41
years of age. who [resided with her husband, linnyhrey
Alortey, a. tailor,_in No. 6 court, Knight-street. enm-

mitted suicide on Tuesday morning. She was found life-
less, by her husband, resting on her left side on the bed,
and a rope round her neck, which was tied across the bed
from the head-post and the foot-post, at the top. The
right hand was holding a loop of the rope under her chin.
Both husband and wife were in the habit of getting
drunk. Mrs. Mortey told her niece, on one occasion,
that she had taken laudanum to destroy herself, in con-
iequence of the unkindness of her husband. The coroner,

the jury, made some sev
TT-

legally

e of mu

gailti; and

temper

been dri

to corn

e, and the ju

nit suicide by the prisoner
agreed with him.—Verdict

porary insanity.

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD, TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 1852.

FATAL ACCIDENT.—On Saturday last, an inquest was
held at Scarisbrick, on the body of Richard Houghton,
a labourer, who met his death by a cart load of manure
being overturned upon him by the falling of the shaft
horse. Ho lingered in great agony from about half-past
two o'clock on Thursday afternoon until six in the even-
ing, when he expired, leaving a wife and eight children
unprovided for.

-4.-_

1 - -• •
DISTRICT NEWS, 1 PUBLIC MEETINGS. MUSIC AND THE DRAMA :_
WARRINGTON. THE WEST DERBY GUARDIANS.—The usual weekly PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY.—The third concert of this
CAUTION TO BREAD BAKERS.—On Monday, at the
meeting was held on Wednesday, Mr. Roskell in the chair. I society, for the resent season, takes place on the 30th
Petty Sessions, a bread baker, named Towers, living in The proceedings were merely of a routine character. inst. The artistsp engaged are Madame Clara Novello,
Buttermarket-street, was fined £5 and costs, for selling Cheques for the following sums were given to the Madame Eveline Garcia, and Herr Joughmans, a German.
adulterated bread, and having articles used for adulteration
relieving-officers :—Allen, £80; Stain, £35 ; Potts, £110; basso, who has been favourably noticed by the metropo-
on his premises. He was known to have mixed six pounds and Shearson, £32.litan critics. Mr. E. W. Thomas will perform a solo on
of alum with six packs of flour. WESLEYAN MISSIONARY SOCIETY. —On Tuesday the violin.
ASSAULT.—On Monday, Henry Limb was charged with evening the first of the public meetings was held at THE LIVERPOOL FESTIVAL CHORAL SOCIETY.—The
Brunswick Chapel, Moss-street, which was filled with a members of this society gave their fifty-fourth public assaulting Hannah Hannah Wilkinson, a widow, residing at Hul-
highly respectable assembly. At the close of the proceed- formance on Tuesday evening last, at the Music-hall, Bold-
ton, on the previous Saturday night. It was shown that the
prosecutrix had met with the prisoner at the White Bear hies a collection was made, amounting to £240, being an
street, to a very numerous audience. The music selected
public-house, in Warrington, and had left to go home access over last year. On Wednesday evening a similar for the occasion was Haydn's oratorio of tile " Creation."
between eleven and twelve o'clock. She was overtaken meeting was held in Pitt-street Chapel. The principal vocalists were Mrs. G. Holden Miss. Bad-
by the prisoner, who attempted to violate her person, and THE HEALTH COMMITTEE.—On Thursday, at the deley, Mr. Ryalls, and Mr. Armstrong. Mr. George
in doing so, broke her front teeth in endeavouring to stop weekly meeting of this body, Mr. Langsdale presided. An Holden conducted, and Mr. Richardson presided at the
her cries. The prisoner was committed for trial to the application from the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway organ.
next Chester assizes, but subsequently admitted to bail. Company, for permission to construct two draw-bridges IROYAL AMPHITHEATRE.—This theatre reopened last
on the level of their warehouses in Great Howard-street, evening after being redecorated. The principal attraction.
BOARD OF GUARDIANS.—The annual meeting took
place on Tuesday last. The returns for the previous was not complied with.—The medical officer reported a for the Easter holidays is the dramatic spectacle of " The
week were as follows :—ln No. 1 district, 1,070 persons continued high mortality, the number of deaths registered Corsican Brothers," the representation of which, both at
had been relieved, at a cost of £4B 15s. 9d. of which
last week, 253, having only been twice exceeded since the the Parisian and London theatres
has created quite a
£24 17s. Id. was in kind, and £23 18s. Bd. in money ; in prevalence of the cholera in 1840. The mortality exceeded . sensation among the playgoing public. The piece abounds
No. 2 district, ats persons had been relieved, at a cost of that of the previous week by 22, and was 45 more than with striking tableaux and incidents of tile moat thrilling
£l2 25., of which £4 19s. was in kind, and £7 3s. in the average of the same week of the four preceding years- nature, so that those who delight in having their feelings
Of the entire deaths 175 occurred in the parish, and 78 worked up by excitement, will have an opportunity of
money; in No. 3 district (the rural) district, 408 persons 9
in the out-townships. indulging their propensity. Mr. Copeland has been at
had been relieved, at a cost or £22 15s. 91,—a1l in money.
Total number relieved, 1,726 ; total cost of relief, ROYAL MERSEY YACHT CLUB.—The members of this considerable expense to produce it in the most effective
society met at the club-house, considerable
on Tuesday
£l3 13s. 6d. The number of inmates in the workhouse
manner.
was. 123, and the number of vagrants lodged and relieved evening, the commodore, Thomas Littledale, Eq., in the AMATEUR PERFORMANCE.—
was 137. The balance in the treasurerOn Monday next, the
's hands was chair. Mr. John Paley, of Preston, was elected a mem_ ' Literary and Dramatic Society give their b for the
£5l 12s. id. ber, and two other gentlemen were proposed for ballot. Free Public Library, under the distinguishedenefit patronage
The reappointment of the sailing committee, the prize : of the Mayor and the Library and Museum Committee.
are the names of the candidates for the office of guardians
ELECTION OF POOR-LAW GUARDIANS.—The following
committee, and the stewards took place, with some few ' We have seen the box plan, now open, and judging from
for the township of Warrington, contained in the voting changes, caused by absent members. A communication, the places taken we may safely say that there has not been papers distributed :—The Hon. and Rev. Horace Powys ; addressed to the honorary secretary, Mr. Melling, was in Liverpool, on any similar occasion, such a brilliant
read by the chairman, from tile Imperial Yacht Club of audience as is promised for Monday evening, tile 19th
Messrs. John Banner, Wm. Beaumont, Joseph Chrimes, ' St. Petersburgh. Mr. J. H. Richardson exhibited a very instant. The entertainments commence with an appro-
Peter Eves, Edward Garven, Charles Holmes, James ' beautiful model of his tubular life-boat. It was arranged priate prologue, written for the occasion, after which the
Kerfoot, Richard Peers, William Pieepoint, Thomas that the members of tile club should dine with the corn- excellent comedy of " A Cure for the Heartache ;" and
modore and officers during the summer months at the there is every reason to anticipate that the leading charac-
Warburton, John Webster, and John Seddo Since the
papers were sent out, Mr. Eyes, Mr. Garven, and Mr. , Birkei 1 ead Hotel and to commence at the next meeting ters will be well filled. Before the fall of the curtain, an. epilogue, the production of tile presid,. nt of the society,
Kerfoot have declined to serve, leaving ten in the field, of on the 4th of bray.,
whom eight are to be elected.
DOCK COMMITTEE.—The usual weekly meeting was will be delivered by the persons of the play. " Bombastes
held on Thursday. Mr. Charles Turner presided. Purioso" will follow, in which the authors of " Bloomer--
A number of tenders were accepted -in accordance inn" amen The burlesque will be materially heightene
with the recommendation of the Sub-committee of Works. by the assumption of the part of " the lovely Distaffina"d Mr. Bigham said he had had two complaints from re- by a member of the society. A new original one act farce
spectable tradesmen whose names had been sent to the will conclude the programme, the authors sustaining the
committee. Mr. James Holme expressed his opinion f chief characters. Those who remember the Dennis Brill-
that they were carrying tile system of contracts to an ex- gruddery of the Hungarian amateur performance, will be
tent that was paltry. To get a few springs supplied by glad to learn that "a jewel of an Irishman" is a prominent
contract, instead of encouraging tradesmen, was disgusting. feature in the piece. Between the comedy and the bur-
Such a system prevented respectable tradesmen from lesque, a member of the society, young in the professional
tendering. It was a system which he never adopted indi- world, will play a flute solo, on airs from Norma. Inde-
viduany. The number of police firemen were increased pendent of the cause, the energetic endeavours of the
from 21 to 50, to provide for emergencies arising from society are worthy of every support, and we
fires being allowed on board ships. A conversation took their labours crowned with
an overflowing house trust to see
place respecting the detention in dock of the Barque -----
Wardchinnaan, by order of Mr. Bold, the Chairman vin-
dicating the proceeding, as it was suspected that some
parties who had bought the vessel were about to take her
te!sea without paying for her. A letter was read from
Messrs. Gibbs, Bright and Co., applying fur permission
to put the machinery of the steam-ship Great Britain in
motion in tile Nelson Dock. Several letters were read,
including one proposing an improvement of the navi-
gation through the Sherries, and another applying for a
piece of land at the north of the docks, for the erection of
apparatus to supply salt water to the baths. This con.
eluded the general business

TOWN COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS

TH LANCASHIRE ASSIZES

NISI PRIUS COURT.
TUESDAY.—ABBOTT AND ANOTHER
AND ANOTHER.--The action in this
done to certain woods and plar
plaintiffs, by the tnuriatic acid r
of the clef( -
evidence tr
inflict

IITTJSPRATT

The monthly meeting of the Town Council was held on
Wednesday, his worship the Mayor in the chair.
The salary of Mr. 'William Coleman, clerk in the Town-
clerk's office, was increased from 30s. to £2 2s. per week.
THE WAVERTREE-HALL ESTATE.
In reply to a question from Mr. Beckwith, Mr. HORN BY
explained that a very advantageous arrangement had been
made with the railway company, which was necessary be-
fore any steps could be taken towards a settlement with
Mr. John Shaw Leigh. By this arrangement the com-
pany had agreed to pay £B7O to the Corporation, the latter
making a road, of the width of the present Wavertree-
road, in front of the estate. This would put the Corpora-
tion in a better position to negotiate with Mr. Leigh.
THE SALARY OF THE ASSESSOR.
The report of the special committee appointed to inves-
tigate relative to the salary :of the new assessor sent in
their report. In this it was represented that the fees of
the court scarcely covered the expenses, and that the
busiess was still declining, owing to the operations of the
County Court ; the committee, therefore, remmended
that the salary should be fixed at 2100, instead of 500.
Mr. J. B. LLOYD, the chairman of the committee, in
moving the confirmation of the proceedings, observed that
the committee, in recommending a reduction in the salary,
did not, in the remotest degree, wish to reflect upon the
professional character of Mr. James.—After a conversa-
tion the proceedings were confirmed.

WATCH COMMITTEE.
The proceedings of this committee embraced a recom-
mendation that the salary of Captain John James Greig,
as head-constable and superintendent of the fire police of
this borough, be the sum of £5OO per annum, with the
allowance of a house free of rent and taxes, and £5O per
annum for a horse.—The proceedings having been con-
, firmed, Mr. BIGHAM alluded to the fact of no mention
being made either of the case of Mr. Dowling or that of
the Joughin inquiry. He thought that Mr. Dowling had
been the victim of unfortunate circumstances rather than
of any misconduct on his own part. He had rendered
valuable service to the town, had been highly compli-
mented by grand juries and others, and had never,
but on one occasion, done anything to reflect upon
his character ; and yet he was now thrown, in his old
age, destitute upon the town. At the meeting of
the magistrates it had been said that they could not
avoid voting for the dismissal of Mr. Dowling ; and
a subscription was recommended, but only the sum of
£250 had been put down. Surely some situation of £l5O
a year, under the corporation, might be found for Mr.
Dowling.—Mr. BIGHAM then, in a long speech and in
strong language, charged Messrs. Aked, Avison, Glad-
stone, and Jeffries with denying that they had promised
to support him as head-constable.—Each gentleman im-
peached as imperatively and positively denied the charges
as those by whom they had been preferred had asserted
them, and much recrimination ensuel, in the course of
which Mr. H. Hominir expressed his opinion that Mr.
Bigham, having been elected to advance the interests of
Scotland Ward, ought to have resigned his seat in the
Council before consulting his own interests.

DOCK COMMITTEE.
In the proceedings of the Dock Committee the plan for
the contemplated high level railway at the Sandon Dock,
and the erection of warehouses upon the Stanley Dock
quay, was fully explained.—Mr. TURNER, in moving the
adoption of the proceedings, gave an outline of these two
schemes, dwelling upon the importance of facilitating the
operations of the coal trade, particularly when, at Gar-
ston, a large expenditure was being incurred for that
purpose. The total cost of the railway would be £45,550.
Mr. Turner then described the plan for warehouses round
the Stanley Dock, observing that, with the exception of
the vaults, it was estimated that they would pay from 91
to 15 per cent., according to the amount of produce which
they contained. The vaults, however, would not pay
more than 5 per cent. These per centages, the chairman
explained to Mr. Picton, were only based upon the cost
of building, exclusive of the land, which was at present
quite unproductive.—Mr. BIGIIAM objected, not to the
erection of warehouses, but to the principle upon which
they were to be erected. He wanted the chairman of the
Dock Committee to admit this principle, that the ware-
houses, when erected, should be let off. If this principle
were not acted upon, the dock estate would become in-
volved in debt, and the port would be rendered merely a
port of transit.—Mr. TURNER said individually he was
an advocate for the warehouses being let off. Mr. Ro-
binson and Mr. Molyneux opposed the principle ; and
Mr. Picton and Mr. J. Holme, and several other gentle-
men' supported it.—Mr. TURNER, in replying, observed
that Liverpool existed by her commerce, and it was only
by going on, and taking the advantages of all the im-
provements available, that the port of Liverpool could
maintain the proud pre-eminence which she now enjoyed.
It should ever he his object not to aggrandise the dock
estate, but to bring trade and prosperity to the town and
port. (Applause.) The proceedings were then eonfirmed.
COURTS OF LAW AND ST. GEORGE'S MALL.
The minutes embraced the opinion of Mr. Cockerel],
that the present site for the organ, at the north end, was
the least objectionable. Some general discussion arose
upon the subject of the position of the instrument, which
was objected to.

MARKETS' COMMITTEE : APPOINTMENT OF A CLERK.
The proceedings of the Markets' Committee comprised
the appointment of Mr. John Evans clerk at the weighing-
machine, St. James's Market, at the salary of £9O per
annum.

was for damn

Tile case v

EDUCATION : INCREASE OF SALARY TO A MISTRESS.
The salary of Miss S. H. Lee, assistant mistress of the
South Infant School, was increased from £lB 4s. to £25
per annum. HEALTH COMMITTEE.
Tho proceedings of the Health Committee, comprising
a recommendation to accept the Earl of Derby's offer of
land for the purpose of widening and improving Bootle-
lane and Walton-road, on condition of the land so given
being paved at the expense of the Council ; and a recom-
mendation to accept Mr. MlGregor's offer of land for the
purpose of widening and improving St. Domingo-lane, on
condition of the land being paved, and a stone boundary
wall re-built at the expense of the Council, were adopted.

WEDNESDAY
court, a privat
sel and

onging to the

wing from the works
ed on Monday, and

s of
to the

aunt of injury

of tea r