The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1852-03-02 00:00:00

The Rev. J. H. Pollen, Fellow of Merton College, and
one of the proctors for the present year. in a letter to the
Times, denies that he has joined the Roman Schism. The
report had appeared in the Globe and other papers.
PERVERSION.—A paragraph having gone the round of
the pap, rs, stating that the Rev. J. Polle-, Fellow of
Merton. had been received last week into the Church of
Rome, Mr. Pollen has written to the Times to contradict
the report.
The Rev. Charles Fisher, who some time since filled the
post of chaplain to the Pope. but has since been officiat-
ing, conjointly with the Rev. W. S. Agar, at the Roman
Catholic Chapel, Lyme Regis, announced his intention,
on the 18,h ult., to abjure Romanism, and on the en-
suing Sabbath to attend the parish church.

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On Sunday morning week, the Rev. J. Ratcliffe, M.A.,
Chaplain► of Merton College, Vicar of Bramham, York-
shire, and Incumbent of Radley, Berks, who resides in
H►►lywell-street, Oxford, after breakfast sent his servant
on an errand ; on her return, she was horror-stricken at
finding her master dead on the floor. It is supposed the
reverend gentleman died of apoplexy. He was upwards
of sixty years of age, and had been indisposed some few
days previously.
The Leeds Intelligencer states that divine service will
be performed in the parish church, during Lent, daily, at
half-past seven in the morning, at eleven in the forenoon,
at four in the afternoon (choral), and at half-past seven
o'clock in the evening. The Vicar proposes to deli rer a
lecture every evening during Lent, Saturdays excepted,
on the Gospel according to Sr. John ; the first lecture will
be delivered on Ash Wednesday. There will also be a
lecture each Wednesday forenoon, after service, at eleven.
CIIIIRCII PASTORAL AID SOCIETY.—On Sunday week,
three sermons were preached on behalf of the above so-
ciety at St. John's Church, Blackburn—those in the
morning and evening by the Rev. H. Marten, Incumbent
of All Saints' Church, Liverpool, and that in the after-
noon by the Rev. H. J. Marlen, Incumbent of St. John's,
Blackburn. Collections were made after each sermon,
which amounted to upwards of £43. On the following
evening a public meeting was held at. St. John's School,
for the purpose of organising an auxiliary association in
Blackburn. Joseph Feilden. Eso.. of Witton At,

cupied the chair, and the following clergymen were upon
the platform :—The Rev. Randal Feilden, Rector of St.
Lawrence, Isle of Wight ; the Rev. R. N. Whitaker,
Vicar of Whalley ; the Rev. H. Marlen, Incumbent, of
All Saints', Liverpool; the Rev. J. Bardsley, Incumbent
of St. Philip's, Manchester ; the Rev. P. Law. Incumbent
of Sainleshu,y ; the Rev. J. K. Glazebrook, Incumbent
of Lower Darwen ; the Rev. Christopher Robinson, In-
cumbent of Holy Trinity Church ; the Rev. G. H. Ashe,
Incumbent of Witton; the Rev. H. J. Marlen, Incum-
bent of Sr. John's ; the Rev. T. Opmshaw, Curate of St.
John's ; the Rev. S. Weldon, Curate of Witton. The
proceedings commenced with prayer by the Rev. 11. J.
Marten. It was unanimously resolved—" That an asso-
ciation be formed, and entitled the ' Blackburn Church
Pastoral Aid Association,' and that Joseph Feilden, Esq.,
be President, and the Rev. H. J. Marlen Secretary and
Treasurer.—Blackburn Standard.

A FRENCH BRIG SEIZED Br COOLIES.—By a letter
from Aden dated the 24th of January it appears that a few
days previously a French brig, laden with sugar, left that
port, having on hoard 150 Coolies, to be conveyed to
Bourbon (Reunion). The vessel had not got far on her
voyage when the Coolies murdered the captain and officers,
ran the ship ashore, and escaped. The Zenobia, the last
new steamer launched by the East India Company, which
had just come into Aden, was preparing to go in pursuit
of the murderers, and to secure the brig.
DISGRACEFUL SCENE IN A CHURCH.—At Frodingham
Church, Yorkshire, two clerks, one chosen by the vicar,
and the other by the parochial meeting, have for some
time been performing duty ; they not only officiate at
church, but both attend the marriages and funerals. One
of the congregation, writing to a friend, says—" On Sun-
day last we had game alive: on the vicar's nominee taking
his place at the reading desk, the other clerk attempted
to push him out; the scene altogether was disgraceful."
—Blackburn Standard.

REVIVAL OF THE ANTI-CORN LAW LEAGUE.—A meet-
ing of the Anti-Corn Law League took place on Tuesday
evening at Manchester, when one hundred and eight
gentlemen were present, who declared themselves ready
to sacrifice their time and money as before, if necessary ;
but it was thought sufficient for the present to empower
the Executive Council of the last League to watch the
proceedings of the Administration, awaiting their formal
declaration of policy, and to adjourn to Monday (yester-
day). Meanwhile, Lord Derby was warned that if this
question was re-opened, thy people would not be content
with a settlement on the present basis, but would couple
political rights with it, and that he and his order must
look to themselves.

SWANSEA NEW DOCKS.—The sea-ports in the Bristol
Channel are fast adding to their facilities for trade, and
tle g-eat coal trade of that district is to be still further
encourged by new docks at Swansea, constructed under
arrangements between the Duke of Beaufort, the Corpo-
ration of Swansea, and a Dock Company formed on the
spot. After considerable negociation terms were settled,
and the first sod, on the site of the new docks, was turned
on the 26th ult., by the Marquis of Worcester, amidst a
large assemblage of spectators ; a dinner followed ; and
the town was quite a scene of festivity. The engineer of
the intended new dock is Mr. James Abernethy, who has
lately finished and opened the Swansea Float, and who is
pretty well known in this locality by his connection with
the Birkenhead Docks. Mr. Pickering, who had also
constructed some works at Birkenhead, is the contractor
for the new Swansea Dock.

PROPOSED UNIFORM SYSTEM OF LIGHTING ALL VES-
SELS AFLOAT.—Aeornmission of inquiry, comprising Hon.
Captain R. S. Hondas, R.N., C. 8., Capt. Sherringliam,
R.N., Captain H. Nelson, one of the elder brethren of
the trinity ; and Captain Beechey, R.N., of the marine
department of the board of trade, has been opened at the
admiralty, for the purpose of receiving evidence, and
recommending to parliament the most efficient and uni-
form system of lighting all vessels afloat, whether at
anchor or otherwise. Steam-vessels will be included in
the subject of investigation. The marine authorities and
some of the most experienced pilots of the ports of Lon-
don, Liverpool, Bristol, Hull, Greenock, &c., have been
summoned to give the committee the advantage of their
information. The large steam navigation companies will
also be heard. Captain Nairns for the Peninsular and
Oriental, Captain Fitzroy for the Screw (Cape) Navigation,
and others from the large companies running from Liver-
pool, &c._

TIIE HOLAIPIRTH CATASTROPHE.—The coroner's jury
in this case have pronounced the following verdict, to
which fifteen of the sixteen jurors had agreed, Mr. Martin
being the only dissentient :—" We find that Marsden
came to her death by drowning, caused by the bursting of
the Bilberry Reservoir. We also find that the Bilberry
Reservoir was defective in its original construction, and
that the commissioners, engineer, and overlookers were
greatly culpable in not seeing to the proper regulation of
the works; and we also find that the commissioners, in
permitting the Bilberry Reservoir to remain for several
years in a dangerous state, with a full knowledge thereof,
and not lowering the wastepit, have been guilty of wilful
and culpable negligence ; and we regret, that the reser-
voir being under the management of the corporation pre-
vents us bringing a verdict of manslaughter, as, we are
convinced, that the gross and culpable negligence of the
commissioners would have subjected them to such a ver-
dict, had they been in the position of a private individual
or a firm. We also hope that the legislature will take
into its most serious consideration the propriety of mak-
ing provision for the protection of the lives and properties
of her Majesty's subjects exposed to danger from reser-
voirs placed by corporations in situations similar to those
under the charge of the fi.olens Reservoir Commissioners,"