The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-07-07 00:00:00

AGRAUKHBAR,

The following extract from a letter from Cabul, dated 14th
April, contains the latest intelligence from that quarter :
" I have no items of interesting news to offer you. The
king and minister return here at the end of the present month,
and a cantonment is being laid out for three regiments of in-
fantry, one of cavalry, and a battery. Whether the regulars
will occupy them or not is a matter of conjecture. Dost
Mohamed has, no doubt, been handsomely treated at Bokhara,
and the Russian envoy has arrived there, and will as certainly
effect a treaty with the King in their favour. Their army is
powerful, and as they advance every good position is un-
touched. What they acquire they secure, unlike ourselves
who have done nothing to enable us to resist contingencies
which may, but Ido not say will, happen. The best thing
that could happe►► to our cause would be the death of the
present king and the elevation of his son Timour. The
former is thoroughly hated and despised ; the latter is, I have
reason to think, liked, and is certainly a gentleman in address
and behaviour.

" The position of affairs at Herat is decidedly bad, and
they have been mismanaged. Thousands have been thrown
away, and no equivalent received. Indeed we pay first, and
ask afterwards. If this system were revised, it might be
conducive of good. Yet Mohamed, the minister, indeed
king there, the man whose vigour defended the place against
Persia, has no idea of tasting of ' British moderation and
forbearance.'' We have had enable season, and a full harvest
must ensue ; but at present grain is dear, and much misery
has been induced, which, of course, the people must have
contrasted in his favour with the time of Dost Maliomed.
That man was certainly a just, good ruler, and highly popular.
A disgraceful event has taken place at Bamsean, in my idea.
A villager refused to sell grass, and after some altercation
fired upon a political party. In consequence a detachment
was ordered out, who stormed the place, put every man to
death, thirteen in number, who killed and wounded eighteen
of the assailants. Contrasted with the cool way in which
Lieutenant Inverarity's murderers were treated this looks
more like butchery at political shrines than fair play. They
were his Majesty's subjects, and thus we render him popular
indeed."—Englishman, May 7.
MAY 9.—The following contains the latest intelligence
from Cahoul, and may be relied on -as the most authentic in-
formation there current :—_ _

The latest intelligence from Abbot reaches up to the sth
of March, being less than two months, which may be con-
sidered quick, as owing to the hostility of the King of Bok-
hara, his letters come round by Herat. The Russians, in
consequence of the great depth of snow upon the ground,
were still in their entrenched camp, and were not expected
to resume their march before April, so that we shall not
hear of their arrival at Khiva till June. Some 30,000
Usbecks, who attempted to carry off camels and even attack
the camp, were so severely handled, that Abbot thinks
they will not attempt to offer further opposition to the
Russian advance. The Russiam force, to be able to halt so
long, must have a very large commissariat with them,
as from Orenburgh to Khiva is a good two months' march,
the distance being about 700 miles, and from Orenburgh to
Bokhara is nearly the same distance as it is from Loodinah
to Candahar. The British made a much longer march than
that—cannot the Russians do the same ? And a Russian
army of 12,000 men does not march with six times that num-
ber of camp followers. Sir A. Burnes positively asserts,
that the Russian army amounts to nearly 30,000 fighting
men, and 72 guns, and that they will be at Bokhara before
the summer is over. Shortly after our arrival at Caboul, this
talented officer declared that a Russian army would be some-
where in Central.Asia' either at Herat or Bokhara, before a
year was over. Lord A.'s account also tallies with Burnes;
that besides Cossacks, there are 12,000 of the elite of their
infantry."

FASHIONS FOR JULY

(From the London and Paris Ladies' Magazine of Fashion)

Pompadours watered, or satin, mousseline and batiste de
barege with foulards, are favourite materials for summer
wear : organdys broches, prairie, and marbre muslin are most
suitable for bals champetre, dejeunees, &c.
There is but little variation in the make of dresses ; the
corsages cut en V, continue in favour, with the sleeves mode.
rately full, though tight sleeves are not without their advo-
cates in Paris, and a kind of double sleeve has been intro-
duced; flounces for demi-toilettes, evening, or negligees, but
biais are often preferred to flounces or bouillons. Redingotes
are made with crossing bodies and muslins, are often full—
ii Vierge--trimmed with a broad lace, and ceinture of wide
ribbon or taffetas scarf, with long fringed ends, encircling the
waist, with noeud in front, and ends reaching to the feet.
Many new pelerines and cannezous have appeared this
season in Paris, some buttoning up close to the throat ; the
Beguines collerettes also button to the throat, terminating
with a very small collar of square or rounded corners, which
turns over a cravat or velvet ribbon ; the collar is a little
open in front, and trimmed with lace, which descends ; the
habit shirt, as a frill, being delicately embroidered aboire the
lace. One of the new fichus is full behind, and with 'three
folds in front, and is trimmed with a small double ruche—
ruches are much in favour.

For bonnets, the materials are always crape, organdy,
straw, paille de riz, Leghorn, poult de sole, tulle, or lace ;
the colours are green, lilac, paille, blue, and the trimmings
of gauze, checked ribbons, lace voilettes, forming lappets on
each side, shaded marabouts, flowers in bunches, wreaths,
demi-guirlandes, and large feuillage and flowers of mixed
colours. Many Leghorns are of close forms, with low crowns,
the front sometimes a little turned up, trimmed with paille
ribbons, or demi-guirlande of Parma violets or wreath of
hawthorn, falling low at the ears. Capotes of tulle, particu-
larly if spotted, are pretty with pink or blue ribbon passing
through the runners.
Plaid scarfs are worn again, and shawls and scarfs of em-
broidered silk, with fringe to match the colours. The muslin
bournous, lined with gauze in pale shades of pink or blue,
trimmed all round with lace, and having hoods to place on
at pleasure, form elegant out-door toilettes. Some organdy
shawls are embroidered in coloured worsted, with fringes to
match. Silk fringes are sometimes substituted for lace on
the muslin bournous, in pink and white, blue and white, ac-
cording to the lining.

Velvet spencers acid bodies, also watered silk ones, are worn
with white skirts. Very pretty little caps are made for neg-
ligee composed of half-handkerchiefs of tulle, trimmed with
lace, supported on either side by small pompons of gauze,
and mends of ribbon.

RAILWAY ACCIDENT.—EarIy yesterday morning, when
the luggage trains were on their way from Liverpool to Man-
chester, a very serious accident, occasioning the loss of pro-
perty to the amount of nearly one thousand pounds, occurred.
We understand that the Train belonging to Mr. Hargreaves
was following at a distance the train belonging to the Liver-
pool and Manchester Company, (which included some tim-
ber carriages,) and when proceeding up the incline, a con-
necting rod broke belonging to the carriages in the first train,
which being thus loosened ran back down the incline at a
tremendous speed, and, as a matter of course, came i❑ col-
lision with Mr. Hargreaves' train, smashing everything be-
fore them. Three casks of wine and a hogshead of spirits
were stove in and soon emptied of their contents ; and we
hear that one of the engineers could not resist the temptation
of having some liquor free of expense, and took so much,
that a little time afterwards when► attempting to step from the
engine to the tender, (the train having started,) he fell upon
the rail, the wheels of the carriage passing over him and
killing him.—Preston Pilot.
G AM E.—Keepers inform us that there is every prospect of
plenty of game of all kinds, the season hitherto having been
remarkably favourable. It appears that the promise of hares.
pheasants, moor game, and partridges is considerably above
the averrge for some years past, and that, from the forward
state of vegetation, and the genial weather experienced, all
will be able to shy away cleverly from the deadly tube long
before the periods when the law permits it to be levelled at
them.—Steordshire Gazette.

SECOND EDITION.

Standard Office, Ten o'clock

EXECUTION OF COURVOISIER

(From the Sun of Last Night.)
This morning at eight o'clock, Francois Benjamin Cour-
voisier, the murderer of his venerable master, Lord William
Russell, expiated his crime, as far as such crime as his can
be expiated in this world. Long before midnight last even-
ing groups of persons began to assemble in front of New-
gate, anxious to secure good places to witness the appalling
drama which was about to be enacted. These groups, as the

corning approached, became more and more numerous,
Intil at length they coalesced, and at 4 o'clock formed a dense
nass of human beings, extending from St. Sepulchre's church

D the gates of the Old Bailey

Shortly aftei: two o'clock the

workmen employed in the erection of the gallows commenced
operations, and at half-past 4 had completed their horrid task.
Persons now began to flock in great numbers. At five
o'clock the street was crowded, and the windows of the
houses of the prison were all occupied. In one was seen
the fashionable exquisite with the opera-glass at his eye em-
ployed in attentively scrutinizing the preparations going on

or depriving fellow-creature of his existence ; while at
another a man of a lower_ grade, with tastes more vulgar,

perhaps, but most dssuredly not one whit less coarse and
brutal, was whiling away the weary hours by having recourse
to the solace of a pipe and a pot. The roofs of the houses
were crowded with persons anxious to get a glance at the
last moments of the murderer, and even the chimneys were
made to afford an unsafe but eagerly converted resting-place
to the more adventurous of these cravens after excitement.
As the morning advanced the crowd, which had been

during the night tolerably quiet, began to wax noisy—prac-
tical jokes were played off, coarse and ribald jests were ut-
tered, and roars of laughter were elicited in consequence, not

merely from the low -vulgar who crowded the streets, but
from the high vulgar at the windows and on the house-tops.
It was the farce before the•trazedy. Among the crowd were

many well•dressed females

At the windows were lads, some

appa-rently not more than twelve years of age; but all were
gay—all were merry in anticipation of human suffering—
merry at the thought of witnessing the agony of death. if
another fact were wanting to prove the brutalising and de-
moralising tendency of public executions, we have it here.

Would that those who conscientiously believe in their_effi-

eacy as a prevention of crime had been present, to have
beheld the disgusting spectacle which for four long hours we
were unwillingly compelled to witness. The Rev. Mr. Car-
ver, the ordinary of the prison, arrived at six o'clock, and
immediately proceeded to the prisoner's cell, to:administer to
him that spiritual consolation, of which in his awful situation
he must have stood in so much need. Shortly after we were

admitted within the. walls of the prison. On inquiry we
found that Courvoisier, whose firmness, which had never de-
serted him, astonished even those the most used to such
scenes, had retired to rest last night at eleven o'clock, had
slept soundly for an hour, when he awoke and inquired of
Locke and Sargeant, the turnkeys in attendance on him, the
hour of the night. On being informed:that it was only mid-
night„he.desired to be called at four o'clock, and was soon
again sleeping soundly. At four o'clock, - agreeably to his
request, he was awoke by the turnkeys, and on his rising
commenced writing. He was thus occupied, we understand,
on the arrival of the Rev. Ordinary. At half-past six Mr.
Newman, the principal turnkey, passed through the ward of
the prison in which we were, bearing the chalice towards the
cell in which the prisoner was confined. After the sacra-
ment bad been administered to him by the Rev. Ordinary,
breakfast was taken in, of which, we understand, 'he par-
took but sparingly. At a quarter before eight o'clock we
were conducted to the yard adjoining the condemned cell.

The yard was crowded with well-dressed visitors, some of
whom evidently belonged to the upper classes of society. We
are sorry to say that in some instances their anxiety to wit-
ness the preparations for the execution of the last sentence of
the law on the criminal, led them to press and crowd noisily
into .the cell, utterly regardless of that decorum which all
ought to observe in the chamber of death. The unhappy
Criminal, however, did not appear disturbed by this unseemly
interruption, but seemed totally absorbed in attending to the
exhortations of the reverend ordinary, repeating the prayers
atter him in a low tone. Shortly before he was pinioned, Mr.
Sheriff Evans' requested him, as we understood, to write some-
thing on a paper. Courvoisier immediately complied, and with
firm and steady hand wrote what he was requested to write.
This writing betrays nothing like agitation or nervousness in
the writer, and cannot be distinguished from his ordinary hand.
At eight o'clock the knell of the prison bell was heard, and
the funeral procession of they living dead commenced. Cour-
voisier looked pale buf Cahn, and quite firm. He followed the
Rev. Ordinary with steady and unfaltering step. The limbs
trembled not—the eye wandered not—the lip quivered not—
beyond excessive paleness there was no outward appearance
to betoken the agony within. Neither were there any visible
.signs of strong mental effort to suppress the outward work-
ings of inward anguish. The eye was not fixed, neither was
the lip compressed. The countenance was calm as that of a
child. As he entered the yard he seized the hand of the
turnkey between his, and shaking it with great warmth, ex-
pressed by his looks the gratitude he felt for the kindness he
had experienced. The procession then proceeded through
the dark and gloomy passages of the prison to the place of
execution. The appearance of Courvoisier on the scaffold
was the signal for a terrific burst of execration from the as-
sembled thousands below ; he however appeared totally un-
moved by it, and stood firmly underneath the fatal beam
while the executioner proceeded with his dreadful prepara-
tions. These were soon completed—the fatal bolt was with-
drawn, the drop fell, and after a few convulsive struggles the
spirit of the murderer had left this world to meet the spirit of
his victim before the judgment-seat of God.
The crowd outside the prison was greater than was ever
known on any former occasion, and there were present a vast
number of livery servants of noblemen, &c. As early as six
o'clock there were as many persons present as generally as-
semble on ordinary occasions, and before seven the spacious
area was completely filled, so that it was impossible to pass
one way or the other. Every window, as far as the eye
could reach, had its numerous occupants, and the roofs of
some of the houses were crowded. Soon after the platform
fell, the assembled multitude sought egress by the two prin-
cipal entrances, but they were met by a rushing counter
crowd, which caused a good deal of struggling and the loss
of divers hats, shoes, &c.
One of the principal barriers gave way, but nothing serious
occurred in consequence ; nor did we hear of any accident,
excepting that of a well-dressed women falling from a first
floor window upon the shoulders of the persons below, but,
as we understand, without-any great damage or bodily:harm
being done to any party.
During the, hour the culprit was suspended there was a
continual influx of new comers, so that the crowd lost but
little of its density. Some of the spectators who had hired
apartments, had occupied them from eleven o'clock on the
previous evening, and they appeared •to have been well sup-
plied with cigars and potations. There were several persons
in a state of great exhaustion from having stood for five hours
pressed against the barriers, but retreat was impossible.
The police were on the alert, and it is due to them to state
that they performed their duty in a ',very efficient manner.
When the clock 'struck nine, the body. was cut down and
taken to the dead room, where some artists were in attend-
ance to take a cast preparatory to its interment, which will
take place in the evening, in the usual burial-ground, within
the walls of the prison.