The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-08-10 00:00:00

ELOPEMENTS IN is reported at Paris, that since
the commencement of this winter seven young ladies of
noble families have eloped : one of them is stated to have

gone off with her corn-cutter!
.THE IRON TRADE.—The iron trade in this neighbourhood
(says the Wolverhampton Chronicle) continues in a cheerful
and prosperous state; and we learn that the principal iron-
masters have on hand as many orders as they desire, and
there are large contracts yet to be made for railway iron.
A large poplar tree was blown down last winter on the
demesue at Newcastle, in this county, and on its being lately
cut-up, itwas discovered that upwards of one hundred large
nails were concealed in it, probably for the purpose of training
shrubs against it, and over which the timber had grown nearly
two inches all round.—Limerick Standaru.
A TREMENDOUS HORSE.—On Saturday last was exhibited
in the King's Head stables, Derby, a gigantic bay horse,
"Phenomenon," wbo stands upwards of twenty hands high,
weighs 16 cwt. is seven years old, and his perfectly and pro-
portionately formed. Sixpence a head was charged for a sight
of this extraordinary animal, and the Visitors were. numerous.
The horie is nearly thorough bred.
The Duke of Devonshire, as English ambassador extra-
ordinary, intends to surprise the Milanese nobility by the
splendour of his equipages, at the coronation at Milan, next
month. The noble duke has already assisted in the capacity
of minister plenipotentiary at the coronation of the Emperor
Nicholas, at Moscow, when he was accompanied by Lord
Morpeth, Mr. Crow, Lord Robert Grosvenor, and Mr. Caven-
dish, now Lord Burlington.
CHATSWORTIL—The Duke of Devonshire is now at Chats-
worth, settling with Sir ieoffery Wyattville for further im-
provements about that noble mansion. It is understood that
his grace will leave for the continent in 'about a fortnight.
The Sardinian Ambassador Extraordinary (the Marquis of
Brignole,) the Earl and Countess of Harewood, Count Paul
Esterhazy, and Mr. and Mrs. Rothchilds of Naples, have
visited his grace during the week.

IMPROVEMENT OF THE RIVER LUNE.—Mr. Stevenson,
the civil engineer employed to improve the navigation of the
Clyde, and subsequently of the Ribble, has been in Lancaster
with his assistants recently, for the purpose of surveying the
Lune, with a view to report On the capacities of the river,
and the probable expense of deepening it, so as to render it
navigable as far as the old bridge for vessels of large burden.

LONDON AND BIRMINGHAM RAILWAY.—Workmen are
employed in clearing the whole of the wooden pallisades and
temporary workshops which liad enclosed the space fronting
the grand entrance of the London and Birmingham Railway-
at Euston-square. A number of workmen have commenced
digging the foundations for two immense hotels, fronting the
entrance. These hotels will form a crescent, and each hotel
will comprise 150 beds.
EDINBURGH OPERATIVES' CONSERVATIVE ASSOCIATION.
—On Monday evening, a meeting of the operatives of Edin-
burgh was held in the Benevolent and Strangers' Friend
Society Hall, High-street, when they formed themselvesinto
an association to be called "the Edinburgh Operatives' Con-
servative Association." We understand that a large number
have already joined the association, and that it is contemplated
to set on foot a reading-room in connection with it, under the
management of the office-bearers and committee.—Edinttryli
Evening Post.
STATE OF TRADE.—The activity and the increased firm-
ness observable in the Liverpool cotton market have produced
some effect here. There was an extensive demand for most
descriptions of yarn yesterday, and an advance of a per pound
was pretty generally realized ; but the spinners complain, that
this advance does nut compensate them for *the increased
price which they must pay for cotton. The demand for goods
was also tolerably brisk, especially for printing cloths, which
were rather scarce, and commanded an advance of Pi to 3d.
per piece on the rates of last week.—Manchester Guardian,
Wednesday.
CAUTION TO BANKERS, TRADESMEN, &c.—A person of
gentlemanly appearance, about 2.3 years of age, short in sta-
ture, fair complexion, light hair, and fashionably dressed,
was a few days ago in the neighbourhood of Halton, York-
shire, endeavouring to circulate notes of various banks in the
south of England, payable in London, and which notes
formed part of a considerable parcel that was forwarded not
long ago by one of the Bath banks to Loudon, and stolen
during its transit. Payment of the notes has been stopped,
so that bankers, tradesmen, &c. should be on their guard.
NORTH UNION RAILWAY.—The most strenuous and ac-
tive efforts are in progress for the completion of this line.
The contractors are making every possible exertion to effect
an opening in the town of Preston as early as possible in the
next month. The works of the Ribble bridge have of late
proceeded very satisfactorily, and with extraordinary expedi-
tion. The arches already finished have a very beautiful ap-
pearance; and the bridge, when completed, will undoubt-
edly be one of the most elegant structures of the kind in the
north of England. The tunnel, south of and immediately
contiguous to Fishergate, is in a forward state, and the exca- '
vations for carrying the line under that street will commence
immediately. .
FRAUDS IN TRANSMITTING NEWSPAPERS BY POST.—
CAUTION.—II is not, we believe, generally known, that an
act was passed in the last session of parliament (namely, the
Ist Victoria, cap. 3b, sec. 5,) by which parties enclosing let-
ters or other writings in newspapers forwarded by post, or
writing iu the inside thereof with common, sympathetic,
or other secret ink, shall forfeit treble the amount of postage
as if the paper were a letter so.chargeable by weight or dis-
tance, or may be prosecuted for a misdemeanor, at the option
of the postmaster-general.
The Gazette des 211bunau.v states, that on the night of the
231(1 ult. about fifty evil disposed persons- assembled on the
lands lately purchased by Mr. Matthews, au English gentle-
man, at Fanton, in the Cotes- du Nord, and set about a ge-
neral destruction of all that stood on them. Five thousand
yards of ditching were levelled, and all the crops completely
destroyed, Not satisfied with this, they collected in a barn
the Implements of husbandry which Mr. Matthews had
brought over from England, and set fire to them, with a
view, no doubt, of completely ruining the establishment.
The authorities are taking active measures for the discovery
and punishment of the perpetrators of these acts of igno-
rance and savageness.
STEAM-BOAT FROM LONDON TO OXFORD.—The novel ex-
periment of driving a steam barge from London to Oxford,
capable of carrying two hundred tons, was on Saturday last
successfully accomplished. This boat, called the Shell, draws
only twb feet of water, and is impelled by two 20-horse high
pressure engines. Her paddle wheel is in the stern, to en-
able her to pass the locks without difficulty. She is 120 feet
long, and 15 feet in width; has two rudders (one at each
quarter), Worked by one wheel, arid her chimney lets down
on the deck, for the convenience of passing the bridges. To
give a fair idea of her rate of travelling, it will be sufficient
'to state, that she was only two hours and a half in coming
from Old Windsor to Maidenhead, a part of the river rendered
most particularly difficult by the rapidity of the current, and
. the numerous very sudden turns in its course. The vessel
also laboured under many other disadvantages, from this
being her first voyage, all of which can easily be remedied
in future. She returned to towu early on Tuesday morning
last.-41vford Chronicle.
ENTRY OF ADMIRAL TATHAM To HORNBY CASTLE.—

Friday last being the day appointed for the triumphal entry
of Admiral Tatham into the estates and domains, the posses-
sion of which he has so long and gallantly contested, was a
day never to be forgotten atHornbv. At an early hour in
the morning, the roads leading to the village were thronged
with pedestrians and vehicles of all descriptions: so great a
concourse of persons has not, indeed, been seen in that vil-
lage for many years. Admiral Tatham left Swarthdale
Efouse, the-seat of his gallant brother officer, Sir Robert
Barrie, about twelve o'clock, and proceeded to Melling,
having agreed to meet his relatives and friends from York-
shire at the house of the Rev. J. Tatham, vicar of Melling.
After waiting a short time here, the procession formed; and,
about one o'clock, the cavalcade set out for Hornby, distant
about two miles, preceded by three hands of music, and con-
sisting of an almost interminable line of vehicles. The
people of the neighbourhood insisted on drawing him into
Hornby. A great concourse of persons was here assembled,
by whom the admiral was welcomed to his patrimonial estate
with warm enthusiasm. On.alighting from his carriage, the
admiral briefly addressed the crowd, telling them, that from
that day forward the right of fishing in the noble river at
their feet was free to every inhabitant of the two parishes,
and he should be happy to see the poor man help himself to
a dish of ssh at any time. At about half-past three, about
one hundred ladies and gentlemen of the admiral's friends
sat down to a sumptuous repast. The dinner was succeeded
by dancing, and in the evening a splendid display of fire-
works took place.
GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.—We understand the works
of this railway are in a much better state than they were ; and
that the line is not like the same. That the chief fault lies,
as we observed, in the carriages, is manifest. A friend of ours,
who went down for the purpose of examining the running, as-
sures us, that even between carriages of the first class there
is no comparison; one jolting like a cart, while the other he
went down by was pleasant and easy. No alteration is con-
templated in the line, except completing.the packing, which
is doing as fast as possible. The carriages, however, that are
faulty, are being altered. As to the gage, about which there
has been so much ignorant clamour, we simply mention the
following facts, and leave them without another word to the
good sense of our readers :—The editor of this journal, when
the question of an increase of gage was first mooted, without
knowing what Mr. Brunel intended, on a scientific investiga-
tion of the subject fixed on six feet as the minimum, and six
feet and a half as the maximum, or standard. Since that the
subject has been deeply considered by men of science, scien-
tific engineers, &c., and if there had been any error these
men would quickly have discovered it. But the simply fact
is, Von Gertsner has constructed his Zarsko Selo line of 18
miles, on six feet the minimum gage, which has now been in
work for nearly two years, and works, as we are informed,
admirably. Lastly, the Irish commissioners' report, just out,
in which are associated Professor Barlow, Lieut. Drummond,
Mr. Vignoles, C.E., and Mr. Macneill, one of the most scien-
tific practical engineers of the day,, fixes upon the same mini-
mum gage of six feet; two inches more are added for the con-
venience of placing the wheels outside the carriages; On the
bank, by the side of the railway, the directors are now laying
down iron tubes containing wires for communicating with the
various 9 stations by means of Wheatstone's electric telegraph.
The advantages, if it succeed, will be immense; the expense
we have heard shout £l3O Per mile. The contractor will coin-
mence repairing his fault on the Maidenhead-bridge this
week.—Railway
A ROMANCE OF REAL LIFE.—ROBERT TAYLOR.,—AC-
cording to his account, he is the son of t he late Lord Kennedy,
who married his mothertwclve months after his birth. His
mother dying when he was young, his father ordered him to
be put to nurse ; and a woman named Rubinson, in the City
Road, London, received £lOO a-year and £1 a-week, to tak.e
care of him. When about seven years of age, he was stolen
by some gipsies, who deserted him at Bilston, where a collier
Picked him up, and he was employed in the pits. It hap-
pened in the mean time, that Lord Kennedy died ; and having
no lawful issue, he bequeathed the greater portion of his
property to the subject of this narrative. Inquiries were
Instituted in all directions to find him out ; and advertise-
ments fully describing his person, and some particular marks
'upon his arms, were inserted in the leading journals. Just
at this time he was taken ill at Bilston, and was in the habit
of attending a surgeon daily for his prescriptions. The sur-
geon, having seen the advertisement, thought he recognised
the person wanted in his patient; and on asking him questions,
and examining him closely, he .became convinced that he
was a "diamond in the rough ;" and he accordingly wrote to
the advertising parties in London. He was recognised by
Mts. Robinson, and was placed in a situation of affluence;
but, unhappy there, he took a large sum of money with him,
and went to Bilston, where, in dissipation, he soon spent it,
and was brought near to death. In this situation, an angel
of the temperance society crossed his path—he became a
" tee-totaller;" and, after raising the wind to a considerable
extent from those who had well assured themselves of his
future hopes, he started again for London in good style, and
once more placed himself under the care of Mts. Robinson.
Having remained there for the last three years, he became
uncomfortable, and resolved upon leaving. It appears that,
according to one of the eccentricities of the will under which
he has obtained a portion, and is to have the whole, of his
property, he was bound to live with Mrs. Robinson until
he got married, or attained the age of twenty-one. He ad-
vertised for a wife, and receiving an answer from Birmingham,
went there last week, and seeing the fair one, fixed Saturday
for the marriage. She wished to wait till Monday. Upon
which he inquired fur another girl, was introduced to Mary
Ann Skidmore, who was fetched out of Mr. Barnes's factory,
in Newhall-street, to see him on Friday, and on Saturday
morning they were married by license at St. Phillip's church,
both looking' forward, no doubt, with the pleasing anticipation
of being in two years in the enjoyment of property, it is said,
to the enormous amount of £60,00t) per annum. He is now
only nineteen years of age, and his wife not so old. She is
a good-looking girl, and the daughter of a pour but honest
parents in Edmund-street. She bore a good character from
her employer. They remained in. Birmingham until Tuesday
raoreino-, when they started- for Derby,—..Abridged frow tho
BirtnirNMl, flOUrl4Ol.