The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-10-30 00:00:00

NAVAL FORCES IN THE MEDITERRANEAN

A letter from Toulon, dated the 15th, states that the French
government is about to reinforce its squadron in the Levant
by four sail of the line—the Ocean, Marengo, Trident, and
9enereux ; four frigates, and three corvettes : thus increas-
ing it to fifteen sail of the line, four frigates, six corvettes,
and two steam men of war. The French squadron of re-
serve will comprise within a month nineteen ships—namely,
the Souverain, Ville de Marseille, inflexible, Friedland, Je-
malpes, six frigates,
_six corvettes, and two war steamers.

Tfie naval forces Of the respective powers in the Mediter-
ranean will then stand thus :

France.—Twenty sail of the line, ten frigates, and ninety
smaller vessels, including steamers.
England.—Sixteen sail of the line, four frigates, and
twenty smaller vessels.

Russia.—Ten sail of the line, and eleven frigates, corvettes,

and brigs

Austria.—Two sail of the line and five smaller vessels.
Egypt —Seventeen sail of the line, and forty smaller ves-
sels.

Turkey.
vettes, &e

—Three sail of the line, and ten frigates, cor-

Sardinia.—Four frigates, corvettes, and brigs.
United States.— One sail of the line, one frigate, and one
corvette.—Correspondent of the Courier.

MEDICAL PUPILS.—The number of medical pupils in the
metropolis is less this year than for several seasons past.
They have been decreasing for some years, and this is not so
much owing to the increase of authorised medical schools in
the provinces, as to a less number of young men being
brought up to the profession, from the great competition
which at present exists.
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Decrease of population and mortality in London within the
walls has been very great since the beginning of the last cen-
tury. It was then about 140,000, as proved by deductions
from the parish registers ; and the annual mortality was one
to twenty of that population. In the year 1750 the popula-
tion had decreased to 87,000, and, fortunately for the health
of the citizens, space continues to become more and more va-
luable for counting-houses and warehouses than for human
habitations • so that the population within the city walls be-
came 78,000 in the year 1801, and is now diminished to
55,778, the rate of mortality being now less than 1 to 40.
ALARMING FIRE Al BURY.—On Monday evening, about
five o'clock, a fire broke out in one of the willow rooms of
Messrs. Samuel Greg and Co.'s works, at Hudcar, near Bury,
occasioned by the friction of one of the machines ; and the
progress of the flames was so rapid, that five men and a boy
were very severely burnt, before they could make their escape,
the room being almost instantaneously enveloped in flames.
The fire spread rapidly to the mixing room, in which there
was a quantity of loose cotton, which, as well as the cotton
in bales, took fire, and burnt with great fury. At this time
the fire wore a very alarming appearance ; but, owing to the
timely arrival of four engines, with good management, and
the active exertions of every person who could render any
assistance, the flames were arrested, without making any fur-
progress, and without material injury to the machinery. The
damage done by the burning of cotton, and the destruction
of windows, &c. will be about £3OO, which is fully covered
by insurance.
THE MURDER OF MR. G. BLACKBURN, AT BARNSLEY.—
The adjourned inquest in this case, after a lengthened and
labourious investigation, closed, finding John Mitchell, stone-
mason, and William Fox, collier, guilty of the murder of
George Blackburn ; and George Robinson and John Cherry,
both linen-bleachers, guilty of being accessories to the mur-
der, all of whom have been committed to take their trial at
the next York assizes. This event has produced a most
powerful sensation in this neighbourhood, the deceased hav-
ing been murdered at seven in the evening, within thirty
yards of his own house, during which period the servant maid
was washing barrels at the door. It is expected that two
other persons also were accomplices. It is one of the most
desperate and daring murders that has ever been committed
in this neighbourhood, being but a very short distance of the
Bank-top (Barnsley) barracks, and the screams of the servant
who witnessed the murder were within the hearing of the
sentinel on duty. The men committed are part of a des-
perate gang, whose depredations in highway robbery and hous.
breaking have often brought them before the magistrates.