The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-09-04 00:00:00

LOCAL NEWS.

The Royal William has resumed her station on the Liver-
pool and Dublin line, until she leaves for her second vovage
to New York, on the 20th instant. Twenty berths for New
York are already engaged.
It is calculated that the Great Western steam-ship netted,
by her last voyage, which occupied 39 days, the sum, after
deducting the expense of their keep, of £6,000 for passengers
alone.

STEAM 'to HAVRE.—It will be seer:, by an advertisement
in another column, that the next steamer for France will
sail on Tuesday, the 18th instant. Passengers may be now
booked through from Liverpool to Paris. The terms are
exceedingly reasonable.

SUICIDE.—At eleven o'clock, on Sunday forenoon, Mr.
John Bedlington, captain of the ship Albion, aho was lodg-
ing at the house of Mr. Nichol, Stanhope-street, terminated
his existence, by hanging himself to the bedstead. The
deceased is supposed to have been in a state of insanity;
he had previously been heard to threaten that be would
hang himself.
STEAM TO AhIERICA.—It has been hinted to us that a
junction of interests is about to be formed between " The
Original Liverpool and New York Steam Packet Company,"
and an influential establishment now-in the course of forma-
tion in New York, and that arrangements have been so
nearly completed as to have just reason to expect that opera-
tions will be be commenced immediately.
COMMITTED TO KIRKDAI.E.—On Saturday last, Thomas
Cronan, a married man, 22 years of age, was brought before
Messrs. Holland and Chadwick, at Rochdale, charged with
committing a rape on a girl, eleven years of age, named
Smith. He was committed for trial to the assizes.

A VALUABLE BARGAIN.—On Wednesday last, a foreign
order, or badge, was sold at Mr. Hodgson's sale-rooms,
Church-street, for the sum of ten guineas. It was purchased
by Mr. Hart, jeweller, of Whitechapel, who, on taking it
to pieces, found it to be composed of diamonds, rubies, and
emeralds, worth three hundred guineas !
ACCIDENT.—A lad, named Rudyard, son of an inmate in
Warrington almshouse, in the employ of Mr. Warburton, a
farmer, of Dallam, was killed at Bold, on Friday week, by
the wheel of a cart, which he was driving to Liverpool, laden
with hay, passing over his body.—Verdict of the coroner's
inquest, "Accidental death."

HEALTH OF LIVERPOOL.-It will, doubtless, be gratifying
to the public to be informed that our workhouse and fever
hospital have not for the last fifteen years exhibited so high a
standard -of health as at the present time, the number of
cases in the hospital being comparatively trifling at this
season of the year, and the sick list in the infirmary being
equally light. We make this communication on the autho-
rity of the house surgeon.--Courier.

A MONSTER MUSHROONI.—There has been, it appears, a
great scarcity of mushrooms this season. but, from the variety
of mighty specimens noticed in the provincial papers, it would
almost seem that the genus has determined to make up in
the size of individual specimens what is wanting in number.
On Tuesday last one was brought to our office of the follow-
ing dimensions and weight :—Circumference, 3 feet 9 inches;
diameter, 14 inches; girth round the stem, 10 inches; and
weight 31bs It seemed perfectly sound, and was gathered
in a field belonging to Mr. Jones, of the Viaduct Foundry.
near Newton.— Mercury.
FlRE.—Yesterday morning, about three o'clock, an alarm
of fire was given from a dwelling house in Spring-street,
Toxteth-park. In a very few minutes Mr. Hewitt, superin-
tendent of the fire police, with a couple of engines and water-
carts were on the spot; but fortunately their services were
not required. It is said to have been occasioned by a person
falling to sleep, leaving a candle burning, which set fire to
the bed curtains.

ENORMOUS PIECE OF COAL.—There is now to be seen, in
the area behind the baths on St. George's Pier, a piece of
coal from the Earl of Balcarres's mines, Haigh, near Wigan,
measuring four feet six inches in height, and fourteen feet in
cirerfrnferen, and weighing two tons three cwt. This
splendid black diamond- was brought .up from a mine 160
yards deep, and was placed in its present situation by Mr. J.
F. Cannel!, agent to the Earl of Balcarres.

CHESTER AND BIRKENHEAD RAILWAY.—We are glad to
perceive that this undertaking, which excites great interest
on both sides of the Mersey, is progressing rapidly. The
contracts for the whole of the line have been taken on terms
considerably under prime cost, and upwards of 700 men are
now at work. Near the turnpike road, between Brombro' and
Rock Ferry, the progress of the road is already visible; and
the completion of the whole line may be expected long be-
fore the period originally fixed.

THE NEWCASTLE STEAMER.—Owing to the low state of
the tide, the Newcastle steamer bound from Ahnan Water
Foot to Liverpool, got aground at Newby Flats, about half-
past seven o'clock on Wednesday evening. With the ex-
ception of the inconvenience resulting from their detention,
the passengers, orwhom there was a large number on board,
sustained no injury, as the vessel was towed back to Annan
Water Foot in the next tide. We understand that the ma-
chinery of the Newcastle has sustained some slight damage,
but she will be ready to perform her usual voyage in a day
or two.—Carlisle Patriot.

NEW STEAM Dom—Preparations are begun for convert-
ing the Brunswick Basin, at the south end of the port, into a
wet dock, by placing gates at its entrance. When the atera-
tion is completed, the large ocean steam-ships will be accom-
modated in this dock, none of the entrances to the existing
docks being wide enough to receive them when their paddles
are fixed. Meanwhile, to make room for the increased and
increasing number of steamers of the ordinary size, the Dock
Trustees have conferred on the Trafalgar the same privi--
leges, as to the getting up of steam, &c., which the Clarence
Dock has so long and so advantageously enjoyed.
MR. CLARKE'S BENEFIT.--AS was to be expected, the
very able and respected manager of the Theatre Royal, Mr.
Clarke, who took his benefit last evening, had an overflowing
house. We were, much to our disappointment, prevented
by other engagements from attending, but we have been told
that Harley's comicalities, and Keeley's dry humour, added
to the able acting of Mrs. Clarke, Mrs. Keeley, Mr. Vining-
Mr and Miss Vandenhoff, and Mr. Baker, kept the audience
throughout in most excellent temper. The clever farce of
" High Life Below Stairs" was admirably played, and was
"rich" beyond measure. Numbers, we understand, could
not gain admittance, and we are authorised to state, that the
receipts were considerably above £.3UO. Such a testimony
of respect and approval by the public, must be highly grati-
fying to Mr. Clarke.
THE ROYAL FORESTERS —Yesterday being the anniver-
sary of the meeting of the clubs of the society'of Royal
Foresters, the members of the different branches of the
society paraded the the town, headed bytbands of music and
carrying banners,Jhe members being dressed, some of them
very splen and uniquely, in ancient costume of forest
cly
green, an !Tying numerous insignia of their order. The
procession
' as also accompanied by various little Adams
and Eves, in miniature gardens, on carts; some seated be-
tween lambs, and some of the Masters Adams and Misses
Eves had grown so fashionably modernized, as to be riding
astride of ponies, harnessed with the unantediluvian luxury
of saddles. The members finished the day together in
social harmony, with the good old fashion 0. f eating and
drinking, and we doubt not enjoyed themselves as much in
the different public-houses patronized by them as our rustic
ancestors under the merry greenwood tree.

DEATHS FROM DROWNING. —An inquest was held On
Tuesday, before P. F. Curry, Esq., on the body of a boy
named Emerson, aged 22 years, who was drowned the pre-
ceding day in the new dock, near the Herculaneum Potteries.
A person named Roberts, who works at the potteries, when
he heard of the accident, plunged into the dock, and succeeded
in bringing up the dead body of the boy. The usual means
to restore animation were tried without effect. The jury ex-
pressed a flattering opinion of the spirited and humane con-
duct of Mr. Roberts.- Verdict, accidental death.—Another
case of drowning occurred in the King's Dock on Saturday
last. The deceased, whose name was Lloyd, was chief mate
of the Barque Hector. When taken out of the water, the
customary appliances of warmth and !friction succeeded in
restoring animation; but the deceased died in a few hours
after the accident.
RESCUE FROM DROWNING. —On Wednesday evening,
about seven o'clock, the boatmen belonging to the Floating
Bath observed a man standing in a peculiar and suspicious
attitude on the taffrail of one of the steam-boats which was
moored at the Prince's Pier. Suspecting the man's inten-
tions, the boatmen instantly put off towards him, but as they
approached he suddenly plunged into the river, apparently
bent upon self-destruction. However, they succeeded in drag-
ging him into the boat, and delivered him to one of the police.
The man appeared to be somewhat intoxicated, but the boat-
men said he was very dogged and sulky, not (banking them
for their interference. If there were, as there ought to be in
Liverpool, any fund for rewarding men for saving the lives of
their fellow-creatures, the two boatmen of the Floating Bath
would, no doubt, be deemed proper objects of its bounty, as
the man would certainly have been drowned, but for their
vigilance and prompt interference.
ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS.—BIRTH EXTRA ORDINA RY.—A
few days ago the female hyena at the Zoological Gardens.pre-
sented her lord with four fine cubs, this being, we believe, the
first instance on record in which these animals have bred iu
this country. Several additions have also been made to the
menagerie in other ways, both by gift and purchase. Amongst
the purchases may be mentioned a fine male lion, (about
two-thirds grown.) from Captain !Lbw, of the brig N. Dey
Dania, from Senegal, and also a beautiful gazelle. The
lion, we understand, was so tame, as to follow his master,
like a dog, through the streets of Senegal. It wi►l be seen,
from the advertisement, that another grand gala will take
place at the Zoological Gardens, this evening, weather per-
mitting. os e who have not yet seen the grand spectacle
of Vesuvidr will do well not to miss this opportunity, as both
mountain, city, and lake, will shortly disappear. Those who
have seen it will need no pressing to repeat their visit. There
will also be an illumination, and a grand exhibition of fire-
works, both of which will now be seen to much greater ad-
vantage than duriog the long days and light evenings of
summer.

A THIEF TAKEN.—On Saturday three men went into a
public-house, in Blake-street. They asked for two glasses
of ale, saving, that one of them was going away imme-
diately. When the girl had drawn the ale and returned to
the parlour with it, she found only two of the men. She sus-
pected something, and ran up stairs, where she found one of
them in an upper room, endeavouring to open a trunk. She
gave an alarm, and the fellow ran down stairs, the two hav-
ing already taken the hint and escaped. On hearing the
calls of the girl, Crow, a policeman, gave chace to the third,
and pursued him all the way to the top of Marybone, where
he succeeded in capturing him. He turned out to be a no-
torious character, named Leyland. The officer was on the
way with him to Duncan-street Bridewell, where he supposed
one of the other two had been taken, when he was set upon
by a multitude of thieves and pickpockets, who endeavoured
to rescue the prisoner. Crow managed to push the latter
into the house or Mr. Andrews, Seotlati&pla.ce, when, other
officers coming up, the crowd was driven off. While in Mr.
Andrews's house, the prisoner was placed upon a chair in the
parlour, under which, when he was removed, two skeleton
keys were found.
STEA Id versus WIND.—The Royal William, steamer, it
will be recollected, sailed from Liverpool for New York on
the evening of the sth July, and reached the city on the 24th,
after a passage of nearly nineteen days. We showed, by a
table which we inserted after her: return to Liverpool, that
she bad beat a number of vessels that had sailed come time
before her, and that several crack ships had had very long
passages, a proof of the boisterous and unfavourable weather
that prevailed during the Royal William's passage to the
westward. We have since received accounts from New York,
which place the performance of this steamer in a striking
point of view. Thus, for example, the packet-ship Europe,
which sailed hence two days before the Royal William, viz.
on the 2d of July, did not reach New York before the 12th
of August, having been forty (lays on the days
! The
packet•ship Sheffield, which sailed seven days after the
steamer, had a passage of thirty-four days; whilst some tran-
sient vessels were between six and seven weeks on the pas-
sage. The following table will, however, show the exact
length of the passages of the vessels named:—
Length of
Sailed. Arrived. passage.
June 24.... H an nib al, Liverpool .August 6....43 days.
June 21 .... Kona hasset, do.
June 27.•.. Mississippi, do. . , 7, ...41
June 15.•..:11renton,

July 2.... Montreal, London .. 8 37 ..
July 2....ocmulgee, Liverpool
June 25.... Utica Havre
June 16 Nlancliester, du..
July 1.•.. H. Thompson, Liverpool
June 27. „Robert Morris, do l2 .46 ..
July 2.• .. Europe, do
July 3.... Charlemagne, Havre
July 2.... Sarah Glover, Liverpool .. ---....41 ..
July 6.... Louisville. do. H....38 ..
July 3.... William C. Nye, do
June 20„..Areatus, do
July 9.... Sheffield, do 11....36 ..
July 10.... Gladiator, London .

MEETING OF THE RATEPAYERS OF WEST

DERBY

A public meeting of the ratepayers of West Derby was
held yesterday morning, at the Lowhill Workhouse, to take
into consideration, and determine upon, the salaries of cer-
tain assistant constables, (appointed at the last annual ves-
try meeting,) out of the highway rates of the township,
there being no other fund legally available for that purpose.
Mr. Overseer MOULD in the chair.
It was moved by Mr. JOHN WEBB, and seconded by Mr.
THOMAS SMITH, that the amonnt claimed by the four assis-
tant constables be paid out of the highway rate.
As an amendment, it was moved by Mr. WM. HARDY,
that the Surveyor of the highways be not authorized to pay
the constables' salaries out of the highway fund.
Mr. Overseer SMITH spoke at some length of the equity
of paying the assistant constables, who had been appointed
by the annual vestry, out of the highway rate, and as the
poor's late could not now be applied to that purpose, he was
sure that the magistrates, who, in a great measure, possessed
a discretionary power in such matters, would, on being re-
quested to pass the highway accounts, sanction the item as
just and reasonable. He (Mr. S. ) anticipated Mr. Hardy's
opposition to the motion, in consequence of the zeal displayed
by him in opposing the accounts of the surveyors for the past
year, in, which he (Mr. S.) had assisted, from a conviction
that the investigation proceded from, right, disinterested
and honorable motives. (!) On that occasion, after a long
and tedious scrutiny, the investigation had resulted in the
accounts being found accurate ; and in the objectionable
items, such as assessor's salaries, rent for tool-house, &c.,
which Mr. Hardy could not think of allowing, being unhesi-
tatingly approved by the justices at their special sessions.
Taking this precedent into consideration it might be fairly
presumed, when the magistrates were acquainted with the
grounds upon which the constables' claims were liquidated,
that no objection whatever would be made to the payment.
A few of the " group select," of radical dinner party no-
toriety, were in attendance, watching with intenseness, the
signal of their erudite fugleman.
After a little crossfiring, the original motion was with-
drawn, it being generally understood, that the claims in
question could not legally be paid by the Surveyor of high-
ways; and thanks having been voted to the Chairman, the
meeting separated.

OPENING OF THE LONDON AND BIRMING-
HAM RAILWAY.

Wa are glad to learn, that, i❑ consequence of the unex-
pectedly rapid pyogress recently made with the works of the
London and Birmingham Railway, as announced by the
engineer to the directors on Thursday, the opening of the line
will in all probability take place a week earlier than had
been previously arranged. The 17th of September, instead
of the 24th, is the day now fixed upon; and, from what we
have heard on the subject, we have nn doubt the line will, on
that day, be opened for passengers from end to end. ' We
understand that the following are likely to be the times of
departure from London, and of arrival in Birmingham, Man-
chester, and Liverpool:

Eight in the morning:—First-class train; to arrive at Bir-
mingham at two; start from Birmingham at half-past two,
and arrive in Liverpool and Manchester at keven.
Nine in the Morning :—Second-class train ; to arrive at
Birmingham at four ' • to start from Birmingham at half-past
four, and arrive in Manchester and Liverpool at ten.
Eleven in the Morning :—Day mail train; to arrive at Bir-
mingham at five; at Manchester and Liverpool about a guar-
teryast ten.

Half-past Eight in the Evening :—Principal mail train; to
arrive at Manchester and Liverpool at seven in the morning.
In addition to the above trains, which will bring passengers
for Manchester and Liverpool, there will probably be two
trains from London to Birmingham, which will not meet any
corresponding trains in the latter town, namely, a second-
class train at two, and a first-class train at four in the after-
noon.