The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1852-02-24 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD, TUESDAY, FEBRITARY 24, 1852.

CHURCH 6F ENGLAND INSTITUTE,

THE second in the series of Conversational tr:eetings was
held at the Rooms, 33, Bold-street, on Thursday evening
44, when the Rev. Dr. Hume addressed the members in
reply to the question, " What books ought a man to
read ?" There was a numerous attendance of the younger
members, and the rooms appeared greatly improved by
the recent alterations.

The SPEAKER said that men read books with very dif-
ferent objects in view, and of course the results were dif-
ferent. Some had motives of a professional kind, and
therefore limited themselves to a narrow line, though the
application of the principle was broad Some read merely
to relieve the tedium of idleness, and at an American
watering-place an almanac had been read through several
Many read for display, and instances are known
in which Boswell's Johnsen had been carefully perused.
in order to use up the conversations of the great scholar
in ordinary intercourse; and perhaps the majority enter-
tain the idea and wish for self-culture, less or more. An
instance was quoted, in which a teacher read for the sake
of his pupils, the prominent idea being the communica-
tion rather than the acquirement of useful knowledge. On
this subject the direction of Bacon was quoted : " Read,
not to contradtct and refute, not to believe or take for
granted, nor to find talk and distourse, but to weigh and
consider !"
The varirras modes of reading 'wore all noticed. There
are those who make no distinction in books, but read
all attainable kinds with equtil avidity. There are others
who do not distinguish between the applicable and inap-
plicable'parts of any volume ; the notes, episodes, and ap-
pendices being treated with the same care as the direct
chapters. Some, in their haste, glean only the outlines
of a story or argument'; aid others think they know an
author's meaning when they have glanced over title-pages
ant] tables of contents. There is the piecemeal reader,
who is constantly losing the connexion by reading only a
few pages at a time; and the reader of great faith, who
believes all that hecfinds in print. Thus " some books are
to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be
chewed and digested ;" hut the difficulty is to know when
and how to apply'Bacon's aphorism.
Books for guidance are those which are either by de-
sign, or in fact, of a practical character. Such are the
Sacred Scriptures, in reference to the external deport-
ment, language. and inward thoughts of man. Lectures
to particular classes are usually of this kind ; there are
those which are designed for different sexes, ages, and
professions. Advice to emigrants, guide-hooks for tra-
vellers, and directions to unlearned persons in the arts,
are specially of this kind. All writings of this class come
to us on the sanction of some authority ; and without
this authority being well founded, the instructions are
less valuable, or not at all so.

Books for information depend on the taste, acquire-
ments, habits. &c. of the reader. As a learned man
" knows one subject well, and several others respecta-
bly," so those whose inquiries are of a professional kind,
should know the allied suhj'cts which are connected with
their own in a secondary way. Example, were given to
show the direct subject and its numerous collateral affini-
nities, as botany, ornithology, anatomy, mineralogy, &c.
with Geology ; mathematics, drawing, carpentry, natural
philosophy, &c. with Architecture ; philology, antiquities,
history, geography, chronology, manners, customs, &c.
with Theology.

Those who read for general information are guided, in
numerous instances, by their previous acquirements ; as
it is both easier and pleasanter to increase partial know-
ledge than to break ground on a new subject. Thus some
men acquaint themselves with wars, others with ships,
horses, painters, heroes, foreign lands, The distinc-
tion was shown between theory and practice to be iden-
tical, or nearly so, with that between science and art; as
the former contemplates the abstract idea, the latter its
application. It was shown that almost every science has
its corresponding art, as astronomy and navigation, geo-
logy and mining, music and singing or playing, trigono-
metry and land-surveying.

There are persons of limited knowledge but of great
mental activity, who amuse themselves with abstruse
speculations and metaphysical discussions of a peculiar
kind. In some religious sects, and in certain countries,
these are very numerous. There is also an age in young
men, which is preeminently that of discussion ; and the
questions which have agitated the men of a hundred gene-
rations are examined anew, to he left precisely in the same
condition as before. In such cases, it is well to propose
some subject requiring knowledge, not mere acuteness or
speculation; that the mind may be turned towards the
acquirement of materials.
Books for mere amusement were spoken of with great
caution, for that which is suitable in some circumstances
is quite unsuitable in others. In general, the young rea-
son very erroneously on matters affecting their own in-
terests or inclinations, for that which is spoken with a
marked modification is quoted as if it had been uttered
absolutely and with reference to all. Human life may he ta-
ken away in certain circumstances ; even poison is used me-
dicinally ; and men when dangerous may be deprived of
liberty. But it would destroy all security, if these acts were

performed indiscriminately. Just so, novelsand other works
may he read ; but not of all kinds, at all times, or by all
persons. An infant or a schoolboy may eat sweetmeats,
but if the quantity and kind be left to his own selection,
he will be certain to injure himself.

After a few remarks respecting books of reference, an
interesting conversation ensued, in which these and other
topics were discussed in detail.

DR. M`NEILE'S LECTURE ON ANGELS.

---.4...--

The first lecture of the series, intended to be given
during the current year at the Collegiate Institution, was
delivered in the lecture-hall of that establishment, on
ening last, by the Rev. Dr. M`Neile. The sub-
ject was " Angels, good and evil," a theme which attracted
a large auditory.

The reverend and learned lecturer commenced by stating
that men could know nothing of angels except by revela-

mysteries of the subject. Neither telescope nor micros-
cope could procure for us a sight of the persons of angels ;
neither observation nor calculation could enlighten us as

to the mode of their operation. The Deity, however,
could work independently of ordinary means ; though it

enerally His pleasure to emp

y subordinate agents,

upon for action to-morrow. That was what we called the
laws of nature, to which gravitation and other forces
belonged, and which were realised to our apprehension by
their effects. It was by such means that the Great Creator
kept the stars and the planets in their spheres, and clothed
the earth with verdure. It was, in his opinion, in that
e good angels were employed ; but whether
) ornot, man dare not decide, because they

letting loose the winds of heaver

nere imagery, such as was to be found in other
of prophecies contained in the Bible. In the

history of mankind, nevertheless, the instrumentality of
angels was seen to be real, though not so visible as the
agency of men themselves in the affairs of the world. He
then cited a numbor of instances in which angels had
made revelations to men—as to Cyrus, King of Persia, to
the patriarch Abraham, to Moses, and to others. Those
were revealed truths as to the agency of angels. How far
the agency of lying spirits, whom we knew to have been
also employed, were allowed to influence the affairs of the
world, was a matter on which we dare not speculate. The
ministry of holy angels again, as we learned in the New
Testament, was employed among men to make them heirs
of salvation, or, in other words, real Christians—sons of
God by adoption. That angels take a lively interest in
the affairs of men, is proved by the fact that there is joy
among the angels when sinful men are converted. That
passage showed that at least some of the angels were cog-
' -^t of the proceedings, and rejoiced in the repentance
in man. There was, then, a general watchfulness
among them over the interests of men, their happiness
and their sufferings upon earth. And it was a consolatory

of falle

ht to reflect that not only is our condition, our
wants and endurance, known to God, but to the angels
whom He has appointed to minister to our necessities.
They were the witnesses of our Christian conduct, and we
ought to be influenced by that consideration in all that we
do or undertake. The lecturer next asserted that the
angels were inferior to men, and that it had been ordained
by God that they should be in subjection to him. That
was believed to have been the cause of the fall of some of
the angels, who were called unclean spirits, while their
chief was called Diabolus, from which we derived the
word Devil. It was certain that their fall had been occa-

sioned by pride ' • and it was supposed that when the
creation of man had been proclaimed by the Deity, and
the angels were commanded to render Him obedience, they
refused, and thus awakened the anger of God, who cizst
them out into the bottomless pit, or Tartarus. He spared
none of those who revolted against Him ; and it did not
appear that, as in the case of fallen man, there

was any redemption for failen—ang;i:-in the Divine
purpose. It was no part of the Divine plan that
the Son of God should take upon Him the nature
of angels, or their character and sins; and hence, we
were taught that He punished, and spared them not. The
word Tartarus, as applied to the place to which the bad
angels were doomed, was not often used in the Holy
Scriptures, though it frequently occurred in heathen
writers. It meant a place separated from and opposed to
Elysium, and seemed to include a permission for those
unhappy spirits to go about the world tempting men to
sin, in order that they also might share in the condemna-
tion of the disobedient. It was said that the evil angels
were bound in chains of darkness ; but as darkness was
generally used for wickedness and sin, he conceived those
chains to be the fetters of vile passions—envy, hate, malig-
nity, and all that was the reverse of enlightenment ; and,
as it was thought that a future judgment was reserved for
dose spirits, it might be conceived that their doom here-
after would be to entertain the same foul passions and
bitter feelings, without the power to indulge or vent them;
and 0
let they should remain thus for ever. The bad angels
knew di:
t s period of future judgment awaited them, for
when those
who had entered into the swine recognised
our Saviour, 6,7;_v demanded, " What have we to do with
importance that the existence of
Thee ? Art Thou come to torment us before the time ?"
noticed in the book which slutcwhassviolfb
et
ihneg
shsi thoeyd
con-
tained the hilitory, iiid TOTC4IIO th? mew of man's sal-
.

vation, in order that we should be put on our pied.
against their snares, and keep aloof from all idolatry,
The demons—for it was remarkable that Ole Word whteb
we translate devil was never applied in the plural nutnber,, '
there being but one chief- were the gods whom evil men
worshipped. We had the authority of St. 1:aul for saying
that the things which the Gentiles Pf.erifived were offered
to demons. The pagan divinities were of that kind. They
not only did not aspire to worship the one true God, but
they never believed that any of the gods they did worship
had created the earth. They were,in fact, what we should
now term atheists ; men in whom the knowledge and
belief of God was not. He then described the characters
of some of the gods and goddesses of classic Greece and
Rome—Jove, Pluto, Mars, Bacchus, Pan, Venus, Diana,
and others; and showed that their actions were of the
vilest kind, and such as to originate the terms by which
we continued at the present day to designate vice—as
jovial, bacchanalian, martial, and panic. Again, mine of
the ancients had ever considered their gods eternal. They
were immortal, hut in all cases there were traditions
extant of their birth. Most of them had been remarkable
men, who became eventually deified ; many had been
conspicuous for nothing better than atrocious tyranny,
profligacy, and debauchery, and were worshipped rather
from fear than love. He conceived that these hein s were
actuated by some of the fallen angels—the demons of
Scripture; a fact which had been suggestea by the
inspired writers of Holy Scripture. He then described
the fairy system of the middle ages, and intimated that
such beings might really nave had existence, and been the
bad spirits who continued in chains of darkness. At the
present-day. although some of the most ignorant might
still believe in such, it was in other shapes that the fallen
angels assailed the learned and civilised portions of society.
They made themselves the ministers of scientific disco-
very. tied deluded people with a show of advancement in
knowledge. He instanced mesmerism as one of these
" inventions of the enemy," and thought that snares
might be laid for the souls of men in the so-called tri-
umphs of electricity and other branches of science. In
conclusion, the lec!urer exhorted his hearers to live at all
times in such a way as that the ministering angels ap-
pointed to watch them might be able to sympathise with,
and approve their conduct ; and that the bad spirits,
whom Gad permitted to roam the earth, should be unable
to prevail against them.

CHESHIRE AND WALES.

MAYNOOTH.—The petition adopted at the meeting in
Chester, against the grant to the Romish College of
Maynooth, on the 9th instant, has received about 3000
signatures.
CANDIDATE FOR BIRKENREAD,—Mr. John Deane
Case is among the candidates named for the future bo-
rough of Birkenhead. The township of Tranmere, if
included in the bill, would furnish 1400 voters upon a £5
franchise.

RICK-BURNING AT HOYLARE.-011 Tuesday last, four
stacks, belonging to Mr. John Bull, of the Green Lodge
Hotel, Hoylake, were destroyed by fire. When first dis-
covered, it was manifest. that the stacks had been set fire
to in no less than four different places.
BIRKENHEAD DOCKS.—A deputation from the Birken-
head Dock Trustees, consisting of Baron Goldsmid, Mr.
Goldamid, Mr. Ellice, Mr. Penny, Mr. Laird, Mr. Had-
field (secretary), and Mr. Abernethy (engineer), had an
interview, yesterday week, with the Hon. C. Gore, at the
office of Woods and Lind Revenue.

NEW CH ESTER AND BIRKENHEAD RAILWAY.—It
is understood that the London and North-Western
Railway Company have made arrangements with govern-
ment for the purchase of the North Reserve at Birken-
head, as a terminus for the proposed new Chester and
Birkenhead Railway. Tho purchase money is said to
amount to £2oo,ooo.—Chester Chronicle.
THE LATE LORD DINORDEN.—The funeral of this
venerable and esteemed nobleman took place on Wednes-
day last, at St. George's, a village about a mile from
Kinmel-house. The weather was exceedingly stormy,
and prevented a great number of his lordship's admirers
and friends from attending ; but it cleared up at one
o'clock.
BIRKENHEAD DOCKS AND RAILWAY.—In the House
of Commons on Tuesday eve ning, the Birkenhead Dock
Bill ; the Birkenhead Dock Trustees and Birkenhead
Dock Company's Bill ; and the Great Western, Shrews-
bury and Birmingham, Shrewsbury and Chester, Shrews-
bury and Hereford, Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire
Junction Railway Companies Bill, were read a second
time, and referred to select committees.
CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RA I LWAY.—Traffie for the
week ended 15th February, 1852 :—Chester and Holy-
head Main Line : Passengers. £lOO4 199.3 d. ; parcels, H.
C. & D., £6O 49. 4d. ; goods, cattle, &c., £567 149. ld. ;
mails, £575.—M01d : Passengers, £44 Bs. 4d. ; parcels,
£1 9s. 11d. ; goods, cattle, &e., £43 Is. 11d.—Steam-
boats : Passengers, £lBB Bs. 11d. ; parcels, £29 ss. 6d.—
Total, £2,514 12s. 3d.
ROMAN CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL IN CHESTER.—We
are informed that the Right Hon. the Earl of Shrewsbury
has intimated his readiness to bestow the sum of £lO.OOO
for the purpose of building and endowing a cathedral in
this city, for the purposes of worship according to the
forms and ritual of the Roman Catholic Church. It is
added that his lordship intends to appropriate a similar
sum for the same objeet in Shrewsbury.—Chester
Chronicle.

It is stated that the Romanists have recently com-
menced organised operations for the extension of Popery
in North Wales. They have built a College at Tremeir
chion, near St. Asaph, capable of accommodating 300
students. The funds are said to be chiefly derived from
France. Italy is reported to have supplied an eminent
ecclesiastic to act as superintendent. The students are
instructed in the Welsh language. Ten of them have
been ordained, and sent forth two and two through the
country on a missionary errand. A school has been
opened near the college, and other means are adopted.
We trust that the knowledge of this attempt to pervert
the simple Protestants of North Wales will lead to effec-
tive counteractive efforts.—Record.

TRANMERE FERRY ESTATE.—This property was
offered for sale on Thursday. at the Wellington Hotel,
Dale-street, by Messrs. Churton, auctioneers. Chester.
There were about sixty or seventy persons present; and
amongst them was a gentleman who, on behalf of the
Commissioners of Woods and Forests, took objection to
the right of the proprietors of the ferry property to the
foreshore of the Mersey. After the conditions of sale had
been read, the property was put up in one lot, but there
was only one bid of £30,000. The property was then
divided into two lots. No bid was made for either lot,
and the property was withdrawn.
STABBING.—On Tuesday five Greek sailors, belonging
to the barque La Onelia, now lying in the Birkenhead
Docks, were brought before 'William Jackson, Esq., M.P.,
charged with stabbing another Greek sailor, named
Nicholas Petrie. The names of the accused are George
Nicholos, George Jarvis, Manuel Larkin, Francis Partley,
and Nicholas Partley. The wounded man, who is in the
hospital, being unable to attend, the prisoners were re-
manded. It appeared that on Sunday some quarrel arose
between the parties, which ended in a fight, and, accord-
ing to the custom of their country, knives were intro-
duced, when the complainant was severely wounded, but
not so as to he in danger of his life.

oman who resides •
and at Llansaintffraid Llan, Conway, left
hursday last for Denbigh, where she had
to pay some money, and previous to leaving Rhyl, where
she had arrived by train, she agreed with the coachman
of the Ruthin and Denbigh coach to be carried to Den-
bigh, but unfortunately she did not arrive at the place of '
starting in time for the coach. Finding this the case she
determined to walk the journey, and whilst proceeding
between the Pengwern lodge and St. Asaph (on the shaded
part of the road) she was accosted by a man who told her
to deliver all her money, to which she replied that she
had none, and put her hand into her pocket, when he
immediately thrust his hand in also, and very dexterously
slipped her ring off her finger, which he drew out, ac-
companied by a purse containing about £3 10s. The
purse he emptied and returned with the ring to the woman,
at the same time cautioning her very coolly not to cry out,
or he would murder her.
WELSH COCRAGE, AND MILITARY SOLUTION OF A
DIFFICULTY.—The following authentic story has been
communicated by a late officer of the 85th Light Infan-
try :—There is now residing in or near the town of Mold
a military pensioner named Robert Jones, a native of
Denbigh, who was discharged in 1834 from the 85th
Light Infantry with a good character. Jones presented
himself with two of his friends, for enlistment into the
regiment at Chester, in 1817. where the head-quarters
were then stationed. He ana vuc or his friends were
ineligible on account of some slight surgical defect; that
of Jones being a contraction of the fore-finger of the left
hand, the result of an accident, which would have pro-
vented him holding a musket properly. Col. Thornton,
who commanded, expressed his regret that he could not
receive so fine a young man as a recruit, in consequence
of the contraction of the finger. " Will you take us all
three," remarked Jones, " if I have it cut off, for we will
not be separated ; we must all be taken, or not one of us
will enlist ?" "Itis a bargain," replied the gallant
Colonel ; " such a fine fellow must not be lost to the
service." Jones's finger was forthwith amputated by Dr.
Roleston, who was then staff-surgeon at Chester, without
his uttering a single groan, and all the three friends en-
listed in the regiment.—Y Llais o'r Bryn.
WALLASEY IMPROVEMENT BILL.—The special com-
mittee Appointed at a meeting of the ratepayers of the
parish of Wullasey, for the purpose of considering a bill
proposed to be applied for in the present session of Par-
liament for paying, lighting, sewering, and improving the
parish, and for authorising the construction of gas and
ell
water-works, have recommended that the bill be proceeded
with. This is founci:
partly on the fact that a large por-
tion of the expense oi obtaining the bill has already been
incurred ; partly on the consideration that the introduc-
tion of the Public Health Act would deprive the pa-
rishioners of the management of their own affairs ; and
partly that the prodigious leillux of strangers into the pa-
rish on Sundays renders it necessary that powers should
be obtained for preventing uproar, indecency, and the
horrible cruelty to animals which is committed on the
New Brighton sands every Sunday in the year. A
contemporary says, " Having ourselves lived in
the parish for three years, and having repeatedly,
especially on the Sunday, witnessed acts of cruelty
and turbulence which would disgrace the lowest
racecourse on a week-day, we are sincerely glad that
the committee have come to this resolution. More-
over. the drainage of the parish is shamefully defective ;
many of the roads are almost impassable ; and nothing
deserving the name of lighting exists beyond Egremont
Ferry." The gentlemen to whom the ratepayers referred
the consideration of this subject were—Mr. Pooley, Mr.
Lewin, Mr. Winch. Mr. Roinrts, Mri Glikzel?Fookt Mr.
Mawdeley, and Mr. Holland,

with her bu

home on

bECOND EMIGRANT VESSEL FROM BIRKENifiIAb
IieCTIRIEWT IN COMING OCT OF DOCK.—The second Vessel
':.rtered by the Government. Emigration Commissioners
for the conveyance of emigrants to Australia, the Runney-
mede. Captain Brown, was towed out of the Birkenhead
Dock on Friday last, having on board a comPit;nent of
passengers hound to Portland, Australia, nuo":oering, with
her crew, 260 persons. In her passavb out of dock she
got foul of a brig, and carried away her jibboom, which
she is now refitting in the river, opposite the Monks'
Ferry slip. Although this accident may not delay her
long, it is unfortunate, as a fine breeze from the E.N.E.
was blowing during the day, which would have given her
a tolerable help down channel.
CANINE SAGACITY.—A curious and very interesting
instance of the sagacity of " man's faithful friend," the
dog, occurred on Monday week, at Sterling-park, the
residence of Samuel Tardrew, Esq. There were a large
bulldog and a Newfoundland dog kept about the premises,
for their protection. and on Monday, as a little boy was
carelessly wending his way along the path leading from
the turnpike-road to the house, the bulldog broke the
chain with which he was fastened, and sprang fiercely on
him, and commenced savagely tearing him. The poor
little fellow, being dreadfully frightened with the sudden-
ness and severity of the attack, cried out for assistance
most piteously. At, this lime the Newfoundland dog was
in another part of the premises, but, as soon as he heard
the cries for help, he darted away with tremendous velo-
city, and quickly reached the spot, and seizing the hull-
dog with his powerful jaws, instantly flung him off his
prey, and held him firm, until the boy got up from the
ground, and was completely out of harm's way.—Car-
marthen Journal.

NATIONAL SCHOOLS AT OXTON.-011 Friday evening
last, a public meeting of the inhabitants of Oxton and
its neighbourhood was held in St. Saviour's Church, to
receive the report of the committee appointed to manage
the erection of new national schools in that locality. and
to consider the propriety of opening temporary schools
pending the building of the national schools. The Rev.
Mr. Cockroft occupied the chair. A letter was read
from Mr. Ca: es Ashlin, tendering his resignation as
treasurer of the school fund, in consequence of his re-
moval from Oxton. Mr. Brown, the corresponding
secretary, read the report of the committee, which ex-
plained the cause of the delay attending the commence-
ment of the schools. The first meeting was held on the
17th April, 1850. after which, on being applied to, the
Earl of Shrewsbury granted a piece of land as a site.
Plans of the building were then prepared, and sent to
the council of education in London, but were returned
with an intimation that they were unsuitable. After a
great deal of delay, all the arrangements were nearly
completed. The plans would be inspect-id by the archi-
tect who furnished them, and in a few weeks the con-
tracts would be signed. and the building commenced.
The estimated cost of the undertaking was £1,250. The
building would consist of a boys' and girls' school to
contain 180, an infant school for 120, and residences for
the master and mistress. Towards the expense of these

schools. £274 had been alre idy collected and was in the
bank, £5OO more were promised, and government would
grant either £3OO or £5OO, besides giving £l5O towards
the two houses, and furnishing all the books, and part of
the desks and benches. The committee was still deficient
a sum of about £2OO. As nine or twelve months would
probably elapse before the completion of the new schools,
it was thought desirable to open temporary schools ; and
Mr. Newborn, of Rose-mount, had offered part of his
premises, which would contain 100 children. Resolu-
tions, expressive of thanks to the ladies and gentlemen
who had assisted in the cause, and authorising the provi-
sional committee to make arrangements for the opening
of the temporary schools, were passed. Thanks were
voted to the chairman, after which the meeting separated.

GENERAL NEWS.

ALBANSI DISFRANCHISEDIENT. - ;1' he bill broxig..!
forward by Sir G. Grey to disfranchise the borough of
St. Albans was printed on Wednesday last. It is very
short, and the enacting part states, "That the borough
of St. Albans, in the county of Hertford, shall from and
after the passing of this act cease to return any members or
member to serve in Parliament.
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.—A fire of a very destructive
character broke out on Friday morning, on the premises
belonging to Mr. T. W. Chandler, in Billiter.street,
London, occupied by a great number of merchants, and
used for the storing away of pictures, furniture, and
other articles of value. Notwithstanding all the efforts
of the firemer, the fire was not extinguished till 7 o'clock
in the evening, and not before 420.000 worth of property
had been destroyed.
THE PUBLIC FUNDS.—A sudden fall of Corisela took
place on Tuesday morning last, occasioned, according to
the Times, by the extraordinarf announcement from tide
Treasury that the eight and a half millions of Exchequer
bills, which become due next month, will be renewed at
their existing rate of interest. A more inco;nprehensihle
proceeding, or one that has excited such 'universal censure
among men of business, has rarely been recorded. By
this step a direct loss of .E 32,00;) has been inflicted upon
the public.
DEPLORABLE ACCIDENT.—There is reason to fear that
a felucca captured by H.M.S. Sampson off the coast of
Africa in October last has been lost, with a prize crew on
board, consisting of Lieutenant Gilbert Elliot, Mr. Wood,
midshipman, and 12 seamen. She was last seen off the
Isle of St. Thomas, on the 31st of October, and departed
on that day for Badajoz, a distance of five or six days'
sail. But although anxiously expected, and notwithstand-
ing that several ships of war have since passed over her
track, she has never been heard of since. Some severe
tornadoes are said to have occurred about the time when
she was missed.
PROTECTION FROM DANGEROUS ANIMALS.—A bill in
the House of Commons has been printed to extend the
power of magistrates in England and Wales regarding
dangerous animals. Justices may order any dog proved
to be in a rabid state to be shot, and may order all dogs
within ten miles of the spot to he kept muzzled for ten
days. The parties disobeying the orders are liable to
penalties. There is a provision to prevent dogs from
being used for drawing carts, &c., beyond the metropolitan
district. Bulls are not to be allowed in fields near high-
ways, unless fastened with a tether. Prosecutors, beyond
their expenses, may be allowed a part of the penalties.
ACCIDENT TO MR. BARON MARTIN=This learned
judge, we regret to say. met with a serious accident on his
way to the court on Friday last. It appears that his
lordship's horse fell while crossing Cheapside, where the
pavement was exceedingly slippery. At first no mischief
was supposed to have happened, and his lordship took his
seat, but he had not proceeded very far with the first
cause when he became so faint and ill as to be obliged to
retire

A medical man was immediately sent for, who
pronounced that his lordship's left shoulder was dislo-
cated, and the proper stew; having been successfully taken
to restore the limb to its socket without loss of time, his
lordship was removed to his residence, and the chief baron
took his seat after the delay of about an hour.

NAVIGATION LAWS.—FRENCH RECIPE OCITV.—The
French government have issued the following decree in
reference to shipping :—" Importations to Senegal in
French ships are chargeable with two francs per cent.
duty, on foreign ships four francs per ton, and exports
must be sent in French ships and for French ports.
Trade among the colonies is only to he carried on in
French ships." Now this is neither more nor less than
protection to the French colonial trade—a trade which
the British government have handed over to foreigners.
Surely this ought to open the eyes of our navigation laws
repeal men, and to cause the president of the board of
trade to pause before proceeding with his measure " to
enable her Majesty to abolish, otherwise than by treaty,
on condition of reciprocity, differential duties on foreign
ships."—Bell's Messenger.
Two MORE MEN FROM THE AMAZON.—On Thurs-
day night intelligence was received at Southampton, from
Dorchester, that two men, named Thomas Sergeant and
Allen. belonging to the Amazon, landed on Wednesday at
Weymouth. They assert that they were picked up by a
Dutch vessel, after floating about, with two others (who
perished from cold), for two days upon a life-buoy.
Sergeant states that they were not far from the Amazon
when she blew up, and that a piece of the wreck struck
Allen on the shoulder, and that he thought he was killed.
No such names. however, appear in the list of the miss-
ing, and the Royal Mail Steam-packet Company had
received no such intelligence. On Friday night it was
ascertained that no further information on the subject had
reached Southampton. It is therefore believed that the
men were impostors, and made up this story for the pur-
pose of obtaining pecuniary assistance from the inhabitants
of Weymouth.

SINGULAR CASE.—A girl twelve years of age, named
Isabella Waterson, residing in Waterloo village, has been
complaining for upwards of 13 months. Several medical
men had seen her, and prescribed medicines; but without
in the slightest alleviating the sufferings of the poor girl.
A few days ago, Dr. Strachan, of Ban kfoot, near Perth,
was called in—the girl being apparently dying. Conceiv-
ing from the symptoms that there was some inexplicable
obstruction of the bowels, he exhibited an electuary with
the view of overcoming the obstacle ; and in about eleven
hours afterwards, the patient disgorged a quantity of
coarse thread, &c., interwoven with human hair, which
measured 15 inches long and three and a-half inches in
circumference, and weighed five and a-half ounces. The
girl, we understand, was long in the practice-of eating the
hairs of her own head, pieces of yarn, worsted, and such.
like raw materials,—which accounts for such a strange
and dangerous accumulation.—Perth Constitutional.
FIRE AT THE NEW HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT.—On
Saturday week much excitement prevailed in the vicinity
of the new houses of parliament, in consequence of the
sudden outbreak of a fire in No. 8 committee room. The
buildings are heated by means of hot air pipes, and in the
room referred to the gas pipe is placed on the top of the
one through which the steam is conveyed. On the usher
entering the room earlier than usual with a lighted candle
to apply to the gas-burners, an immediate explosion took
place, and the apartment was instantaneously in a blaze.
An alarm being raised, prompt assistance was rendered by
the numerous officials, who, by means of buckets suc-
ceeded in extinguishing the flames without any serious
mischief or damage having been sustained. On a subse-
quent inspection it was ascertained that the gas had
escaped from a fissure in the pipe, which had been no
doubt caused by the hot air pipe, with which it was in
such close proximity.—Daily News.
FIRE AT TRINITY HALL, CAMBRIDGE..--A destruc-
tive fire broke out at Trinity Hall on Friday morning,
about 6 o'clock, and which at one time appeared to have
obtained such a mastery as to threaten the whole building
with destruction. It was first discovered about 6 by a
" gyD" named Custance, who, on entering the rooms of
Mr. Nunn, who " keeps" in a set of rooms over the en-
trance gateway of the principal court, almost facing
Senate House-passage, and it spread with such rapidity
that the whole of the pile of buildings forming that side
of the court was soon in flames. The fire-bell was rung,
plenty of aid and plenty of engines were soon at hand,
and willing hands and an abundance of water succeeded
in confining the fire to the one range of building-, which
were gutted by 9 o'clock, but all danger of its extension
was then over. The cause is not yet known, but is be-
lieved to have been either a spark from a candle left as a
light on the staircase, or a beam running into a flue. The
college is insured.
THE lIOLMFIRTII CATASTROPHE.—Further particulars
are given of the disastrous Holmfirth flood. It has been
calculated that one hundred and fifty millions of gallons
were in the reservoir at the time of its bursting. It is
believed that upwards of 100 lives have perished, and 71
dead bodies have already been found. That is a fearful
destruction to overwhelm the few thousand inhabitants
of one :mall valley in a single night. But the loss does
I not stop here. There have been 4 mills, 10 dye-houses,
10 drying-stoves, 27 cottages, 7 tradesmen's houses, 7
shops, 6 bridges, 1 county bridge, 10 warehouses, 18 barns
and stables, totally destroyed •, while 5 dye-houses and
stock, 17 mills, 3 stoves, 139 cottages, 7 tradesmen's
houses, 44 large shops, 11 public-houses, 5 bridges, 1
county bridge, 200 acres of land, 14 warehouses, 13 barns,
3 places of worship, and 2 iron foundries, are partially
destroyed. Such is the return made to a committee ap-
pointed to institute inquiries on the subject. The number
of adults thrown out of employ is stated at 4986, the
number of children 2142; altogether, 7128, whose earn-
ings when at work amounted to £3748 per week.
INEW ra,r,urnac MAN (ilNE.—messrs. t,otter ana canciee,
of Ploughkeepsie, America, have constructed an engine to
run by electricity. It is the invention of Mr. Gusten, of
New Jersey. The Ploughkeepsie Eagle says, " During
the building of the machine we have watched its progress,
and its different parts have been explained to us. When
Mr, Gusten came to Ploughkeepsie he brought a small
battery with him, which he thought was not sufficiently
powerful to move the engine when finished • but, on its
completion, the battery was applied, and tile engine in-
stantly moved, running with great regularity and some
, power. This so much more than exceeded the expecta-
tion of the inventor, that all doubts in his mind were dis-
pelled. This machine is the model for a powerful engine.
It can be run with a far less expense than a steam-engine,
its power will be more uniform, less room will be required,
no boilers will burst, and it will not affect insurance.
We have confidence the lone-sought-for power has now
been practically applied, and that great benefits will re-
-1 sult from it. In a few days a large battery will be pro-
cured, and the engine applied to machinery to test its
power, after which we will say more about it.
SINGULAR AND FRIGHTFUL ACCIDENT IN LONDON.--
' On Tuesday afternoon John Canfield, of Windmill-street,
Hoxton, a waiter out of employment, was having his din-
ner in the parlour of the Fountain and Star public-house,
Castle-court, Lawrence-lane, when a man came in having
a small roll of paper, of the contents of which lie stated
himself to be entirely ignorant, having but just picked it
up ; and he proposed to Canfield the examination of the
interior. Both parties proceeded to examine the packet,
by breaking it at one end ; but, not succeeding in expos-
ing the contents, Canfield picked it with a knife, when an
instantaneous explosion took place. When the smoke
bad cleared away, poor Canfield was found upon the floor
in a dreadful state of agony, his left hand having literally
been torn away, and also two fingers from the right hand.
The man who drew poor Canfield's attention to the par-
cel declared that he had found it that morning in the

cellar of it-houseberonghig-iO Mr. Croft, No. 4, King-
street, Cheapside, where he had been at work. The
injured man having been taken to St. Bartholomew's
Hospital, it was found necessary to have both his terns
amputated, and he at present lies dangerously exhausted
from the operation. The police are actively engaged in
An endeavour to elucidate the ciremptonce,