The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-05-09 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD, AND GENERAL! COMIERCIAL ADV'ERT'ISER

THE JACOBA JOHANNA, a Dutch ship, with a cargo
of wheat from Galway, was on Wednesday reported at the
Custom-house by Messrs. Vos, Browne, and Co. This
is the first foreign vessel that has arrived at this port with
a coasting cargo under the new act.
I THE MAYOR or LIVERPOOL was presented to the
I Queen by Lord Palmerston at the levee held in St.
James's Palace on Wednesday. Among the gentlemen
who attended the levee were Thomas Thorneley, Esq.,
M.P., and Thomas B. Horsfall, Esq., M.P.
HENRY JAMESON, aged five years, died at Wigan last
week, after two or three days' suffering, in consequence
of having drunk a quantity of rnuriatic acid, which had
been obtained by the child's mother, for the purpose of
cleaning bedsteads.
PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY.—At the meeting, on Thurs-
day, it was stated that arrangements had been made for
them to rent a room in the Royal Institution, fitted up
with every convenience. After the examination of several
stereoscopes and photographs, Mr. Burgess read a paper
on the manufacture of collodion, &c. Mr. Berry made
some interesting remarks in reference to some experiments
which he had been making on paper, and which he in-
tended to exhibit at the next meeting of the society.
TEETOTALLERS.—On Wednesday a meeting, was held
in Hope-hall, Hope-street, for the purpose of advocating
the suppression of the liquor trade in this country. Re-
solutions expressive of the sentiments of the meeting on
the subject were unanimously adopted. A second meeting
was held on Thursday.
THE SEFTON TENANTRY.—On Tuesday the Earl of
Sefton gave a dinner at the Sefton Arms, Aintree, to a
number of his tenantry resident in Aintree, Netherton,
Sefton, and the adjoining townships. About sixty were
invited, some of whom were venerable-looking farmers,
whose first family connexion with the Croxteth estate
might be traced through former generations to a very
remote period. The dinner, though held at Mr. Rossell's,
the Sefton Arms, was got up chiefly under the direction
of Mr. Lynn, of the Waterloo Hotel, Liverpool, and the
chair was occupied by his lordship's steward, Mr. Reuben
Ledger.
LARGE IMPORT OF GRAIN, &c.—A change of wind to
the westward has lately brought to this port a large fleet
of vessels, chiefly from the United States ; and the import
of wheat, flour, Indian corn, die., from the 25th ult. to the
2nd instant inclusive, is as follows :
Wheat qrs. 37,468 Peas bags 27
Ditto sacks' 784 Indian corn...qrs. 77,275
Barley qrs. 1,480 Ditto .........bags 28,253
Malt qrs. 830 Ditto meal...brls. 2,661
Oats qrs. 12,162 I Oatmeal ...loads 3,763
Ditto .........bags 210 Ditto .bags 13
Beans qrs. 1,796 Flour sacks 4,120
Peas qrs. 60 Ditto brls. 108,374
ACCIDENT TO THE BREAK 0' DAY.—This fine new ship,
which sailed from the Mersey on the 7th ult., (as one of
Messrs. Train's line of packets,) for Boston, under the
command of Captain Moore, put into Queenstown, with
loss of all her topmasts, foreyard, and jibboom, in a
heavy gale on the 17th ult., in lat. 17 N. During the
violence of the gale the captain was washed overboard
and drowned.
Loss OF THE BLACK HAWK.—The Caroline, from
Poole to Quebec, at Falmouth, on Wednesday, reports
that on the 19th April, lat. 47, long. 35, she fell in with
the Black Hawk, American ship, from Liverpool for New
York, totally dismasted, and that she took off 128 passen-
gers, all safe. The other people were taken off by the
Diago, and another American ship, from Liverpool for
New York. The Black Hawk, it is supposed, foundered.
All on board saved.
TIME, AND A TIGHT CONSCIENCE.—Young reminds us
that "we take no note of time but from its loss ;" and,
probably desirous of saving any reckoning on that score,
our dissenting brethren have set up a scruple of conscience
against paying for winding up the public clocks. A volun-
tary church-rate was proposed lately to provide, among
other items, for the decent appearance and external utility
of the churches; but that, as an invasion of the rights of
conscience, was refused. As one consequence resulting
from this conscientious whim, one of our public clocks
has been standing still for several days, there being no
funds to pay for its winding up. St. Peter's came to a
stand-still on Tuesday morning, at twenty minutes
to eleven, and has since ceased to indicate the
hour. It cannot be a very wide stretch of conscience
which enables us to guess that not a few individuals,
active in refusal of the rate, have already been put to more
inconvenience 'through this cessation of time's indication
than all their pecuniary saving will repay, and public pro-
perty has been rendered useless for a considerable period
to gratify a morbid spirit of fanaticism which takes refuge
in an affected religious scruple ; all this, and yet men call
themselves reasoning animals.
CAPTAIN JOHN FOOTE, R.N., of the Conflict, who lost
his life by the swamping of his boat's gig at Memel, after
arranging to send home the prizes he had captured, is a
cousin of the Comptroller of Customs at Liverpool, and a
son of the late Commodore Foote, who was also a dis-
tinguished officer, and in receipt of a good-service pension.
The late Captain Foote has left behind him a widow and
three children, and it is stated that his widow has remained
speechless ever since she heard of his sudden death.
COMMUNION PLATE FOR ST. MARY'S, WA.VERTREE.—
We have just seen a very tasteful service of communion
plate, intended for the use of St. Mary's Church, Waver-
tree. It consists of two very elegantly formed chalices,
two handsome patens, and a wine flagon, all of them re-
markable for the simple beauty of their outline and taste-
ful proportions. They have been manufactured by Mr.
Wordley, of Lord-street, from designs by Messrs. Hay,
architects, also of Liverpool.
INCAUTIOUS USE OF FIRE-ARMS.-011 Wednesday, a
young married lady, residing at Everton, died from the
shock she received about a month previously from the
conduct of a youth, about 14, who, on the 2d of April,
fired a pistol at another youth of 17. The youths were
inmates of the lady's house. It appears thlat, on the latter
day, while the elder of the two youths was tying his shoes,
stooping for that purpose on the stairs of the lobby, the
younger one walked from the parlour to the lobby with a
loaded pistol in his hand, and probably to gratify a mad
frolic by frightening his companion and the inmates of the
house, discharged the pistol in the lobby in the direction
of the elder youth, by which the latter had the narrowest
possible escape with his life, as the ball in its passage
grazed his hair close to his forehead. The youth, it
appeared, only suffered from alarm and agitation, but the
lady, who was enceinte, became very ill, and died on Wed-
nesday last, the cause of death being, as her medical
attendants state, the shock given by the occurrence in
question to her nervous system.
DOCK COMMITTEE.—At the meeting, on Thursday,
Mr. Charles Turner presided. The sub-committee of
works produced a plan of a depOt for the officers of cus-
toms and for a baggage floor at the Huskisson Dock,
which they recommended to be erected, at an estimated
cost of about £3,000. The sub-committee also reported
that the Custom-house authorities had offered to rent the
proposed depot at £l4O per annum, and recommended the
offer to be accepted. The recommendation was confirmed.
Mr. Mason, the secretary, read a report from the ware-
house management sub-committee, comprising a return
by the surveyor of the superficial area of the vaults, quays,
&c., at the Stanley Dock Warehouses, the cost of the same,
and an estimate of the probable income in rental to be de-
rived therefrom. It appeared, from the report, that the
total area is 33,786 square yards ; that, after making the
requisite deductions for gangways, &c., there will be an
aggregate of 24,475 square yards for the storage of pro-
duce ; that, charging the same rates as are charged at the
Albert Dock Warehouses upon the produce which the
Stanley Dock Warehouses are adapted for, they will yield
a rental, if kept constantly full, of about £9,330 per an-
num, or 112 per cent. upon the cost, which, when com-
pleted, will amount to about £BO,OOO ; but, supposing only
three-fourths of the space to be occupied—a supposition
based upon the experience derived from the working of
the Albert Dock Warehouses—the rental would be about
£7,000 per annum, or 9 per cent. upon the cost. Some
desultory conversation ensued. The report was then or-
dered to lie on the table, and the whole subject is to be
discussed next week. A communication from the timber
merchants was read, representing that the traffic over the
dock line of railway in connexion with the London and
Northwestern Railway had been interrupted for two
months, and that now, when a junction had been effected
at Wapping, they were prevented from going over it.
They prayed to have the restriction removed, as the inter-
ruption to their business from not being suffered to go
over the line was very great. After some conversation,
the subject was referred to the sub-committee of works,
the chairman observing that on Saturday the surveyor
would be quite prepared to say the line could be opened
on Monday. The subject of the defences of the port next
came under consideration. The chairman said the mat-
ter was postponed last week,when a letter from the mayor
and a letter from the Shipowners' Association came before
the committee, and Mr. Mann attended to ask if the com-
mittee could take any steps. He supposed the Dock Com-
mittee would concur with the Shipowners' Association
or any other association in endeavouring to get a block-
ship to the port, or anything of that kind. The subject
was postponed on the supposition that it would be mooted
in the Town Council on Wednesday ; but nothing was
said about it in the Council. A good deal of conversation
ensued. The chairman then put the question to the vote
as to whether he should be authorised to say to the Ship-
owners' Association that the Dock Committee would sup-
port any application or representation made to the govern-
ment on the subject. There being nine on each side, the
chairman gave his casting vote in favour of the committee
supporting an application to the government.
A STEAM WINCH.—A very important improvement in
the application of steam power for the loading and dis-
charging of vessels, is at work on board the Liverpool and
Glasgow steamer, Princess Royal. The novelty is named
" Taylor's Steam Winch," and is the patent of Messrs.
James Taylor and Co., of Birkenhead., Steam winches in
themselves are no novelty, but they have generally failed
in practical utility, from the complex nature of the gearing
and the difficulty of adjusting stationary engines with fly-
wheels to the sudden strain they have to undergo in such
work, without a danger of something snapping. Taylor's
steam-winch possesses this advantage, that the cranks of
the engine act directly on the winch itself, no fly-wheels
or intermediate shafting being necessary. On the Princess
Royal, Taylor's-engine was first applied to the old winch
over the main-hatch as an experiment, the steam being
supplied from the boiler of the donkey-engine, (with which
all large steamers are supplied,) but it has answered so
successfully, that the complete patent steam-winch is also
being fitted over the forehatch. One man alone is required
to attend to the winch, and, besides saving the labour of
half a dozen men at the handles, the cargoes can now be
discharged in one-half the time formerly occupied, while
the cost does not exceed 6d. per hour for coals while at
work. Another great benefit of this steam-winch is the
ease and rapidity with which the vessel " warped" out of
dock by its means, a striking instance of which was
witnessed in the case of the Princess Royal on Tuesday
last. Indeed, the steam-winch will relieve the sailors of a
great amount of heavy work, for the principle can be
applied to windlasses and cranes used for hoisting, warping,
lifting the anchor, and all other similar purposes. One
great feature of the plan is, that the benefits are not con-
fined to steamers alone, but can be easily extended to sail-
ing vessels, by simply placing ,the boiler in the galley,
which can also be made available, when necessary, for
cooking purposes, distilling water, working the deck
pumps, &c.,—all great conveniences, especially on board
emigrant vessels. A steam-winch has one very obvious
advantage to the shipowner, captain, and crew, in a
tropical climate, where manual labour is limited by ewes-
sive heat ; and the one patented by Messrs. Taylor and Co.
is noticeable alike for compactness of arrangement and
effective power,

GENERAL INT_ELLIGENCE.

FROM a recently printed return, it seems that the
funded property belonging to military savings banks
amounts to £219,045 3s.

TUE IMPORTS OF COFFEE into the port of London this
year have been more than double what they were up to
this date in 1853.
FOUR HUNDRED PENSIONERS have volunteered for
service in Turkey. They assert that, "in the event of
their being found unfit to endure the fatigues of the field,
they will be found as able as better men to attend to the
sick in the hospitals."

.
A LETTER from St. Petersburg, in a Frankfort journal,
states that the Prussian Ambassador, as well as the
Austrian, refused to attend the Te Deum sung in pre-
sence of the Imperial family on the occasion of pas-
sage of the Danube by the Russians.
ADVICES FROM QUEBEC describe great activity in
shipbuilding at that port. During the month of March
thirty-six vessels, of an average capacity of 1076 tons
each, and an estimated aggregate value of £465,000, were
in course of construction.

Ma. PEIRSON, a young English composer, whose oratorio
" Jerusalem" was given at the Norwich festival of 1852,
has just produced at Hamburg an opera founded upon
the 2nd part of Goethe's " Faust," and met with great
success. _

MODEL OF A LIFE-BOAT.—A model of a life-boat is to
be seen in the Queen's-dock, Leith. It is of a peculiar
description, being in fact two boats conjoined, Siamese
fashion, the one being apart from the other six feet, a
sort of deck placed across connecting them, upon which
are erected two masts for sails. It has been devised by
the clergyman of Dysart.
THE ASSIGNEES under the bankruptcy of the well-
known bookseller, Mr. Pickering, have realised such
assets that (so it was stated at the last examination meet-
ing on Monday se'nnight) there will be a clear surplus of
£4,293 4s. Bd. after payment of the debts. The books,
which were of a pecular kind, realised enormous prices at
the sale.

NEW PALACE AT BALMORAL—The new buildings in
course of erection at Balmoral are rapidly progressing.
The portion including apartments for the princesses,
ministers of State, visitors, &c., has been roofed in, and
the first storey of the principal state-rooms has been
built. The building will be fire-proof, patent malleable
iron beams being used. A portion will be finished in
course of next autumn, but it is not :intended that any
part shall be inhabited during the present year.
A LIVING PARCEL, carriage paid, in the shape of a
boy eight years old, was turned loose at the Bath Station,
from the first London train, the other day, with the
following direction round his neck :—" William Telling,
Mrs. Humphreys, Freshford, near Bath. Mrs. H. will be
at the Rath Station to meet him." Owing to some mis-
take in the letter of advice, Mrs. IL did not turn up till
next day ;. but in the meantime the parcel fell into kind
hands, and was taken care of for the owners.
TILE AUSTRALIAN COAL COMPANY.—There was a
special general meeting of the Australian Coal Company
on Tuesday. The chairman moved that this company be
dissolved, which was passed unanimously. The chairman
said the directors were willing to undertake the responsi-
bilities of winding up for £2OO, leaving 19s. per share to
be returned to the shareholders.

SYSTEMATIC ROBBERY —The detectives employed in the
matter of Moses Moses have discovered that there exists in
the metropolis an organised gang of cabmen provided with
all the apparatus of sliding number-plates, false badges, &c.,
ready at any time to assist in the successful plundering of
a London warehouse. The eminent " receiver " and
some £20,000 at his banker's, and several vessels, freighted
by him with stolen goods, are at present on the high seas
" exporter," who is now in prison, is understood to have
for Australia. His wife keeps a stall and deals in old
clothes in Petticoat-lane.

A CURIOUS CIRCUMSTANCE is related by the local
papers to have occurred at the afternoon service at St.
Nicholas Church, Bristol, on the day of humiliation.
The Rev. Canon Barrow did not intend to have a sermon

in the afternoon, but, nevertheless, when the prayers were
ended, the congregation showed no disposition to move,
and it soon became disagreeably plain to the rev. canon
that they expected a sermon, which he had not to give
them. In the emergency, he took a text from one of the
verses in the special service, and in the end, it is said, made
a discovery hitherto unknown to himself—that he could
preach extempore.
A CURIOUS PICKPOCKET CASE, showing great presenec
of mind on one part, and impudence on the other, came be-
fore the magistrate at Marlborough-st., London, on Mon-
day. A lady named Garratt, living in Dorchester-terrace,
was walking up Regent-street, 'and two well-dressed
females before her, when the latter turned round, one of
them put her hand into her pocket, took her purse, and
then the two walked on. The lady, confounded at the
impudence of the action, and more than half inclined to
distrust her own eyes, followed the women, who leisurely
continued their walk, and, touching one of them by the
elbow, " begged her pardon, but she had picked her pocket,"
While the 'thief of course indignantly- denied the charge,
Mrs. Garratt saw her pass the purse to the other woman,
and the first one then immediately offered to be searched.
Mrs. Garratt said that would be of no use, as her com-
panion had got the purse. Eventually the culprit gave
up the purse, asking to be forgiven, but Mrs. Garratt
having got the purse called a cab, secured the principal
offender, and had her taken to the police-station, whence
she was fully committed for trial on Monday. Her name
is Mary Brown.
MANNING THE NAVY.—We understand that a plan has
been lately submitted to Sir James Graham by, we believe,
one of the elder brethren of the Trinity-house, for man-

fling the royal navy, which is very likely to be acted on,
or at least to form part of the bill which the first lord of
the admiralty has given notice to introduce into the House
of Commons. The plan, amounts in some respects, to com-
pulsory service. It is poposed to divide the seaports of
the kingdom into districts, and to apportion to each
district, and the several seaports in it, the number of men

that each would have to furnish for the service of the navy;
enrolling all those who have served two years at sea. The
number of seamen required at any particular time would
then be drawn by ballot, and those upon whom the lot fell
would have to serve for three years, when they would be
entitled to their discharge, unless they chose to re-enter ;
as an Inducement to which a small bounty would, if
necessffy, be offered. By this enrolment it is calculated
that 7,000 good seamen would at once be available, which
is the number said to be required to complete the crews of
the ships in the Baltic, in the Black Sea, and on other
foreign stations. The number of districts it is thought
might amount to twelve. For instance, it is proposed to
include London, Dublin, Greenock, Liverpool, and one
or two other first-rate ports in, one district; the
smaller ports would, of course, embrace a great number,
so that the enrolment might fall equally upon each district.
London, it is calculated, would enrol 5,000 seamen ; so
that if the several ports in the United Kingdom were only
required to furnish 7,000 .seamen in the present emergency,
it could not fall very severely upon any one port. This we
believe to be the general outline of the plan proposed.—
Shipping and Mercantile Gazette.

ADVERTISING FOR A WIFE, AND SOME OF ITS CONSE-
QUENCES.—An advertisement appeared in a recent publi-
cation ofaLeeds contemporary, setting forth the matrimonial
views and intentions of "a gentleman aged 27." The proffered
engagement was taken up by some parties in Leeds, and
a correspondence, which covered a period of several weeks,
ensued, his ideal fair one writing under the assumed name
of Hey. More than twenty letters (one containing his
photograph) passed through the post-office upon the all-
absorbing theme, in the course of 'which the gentleman

from London whom we shall call Mr. Simple, made some
most interesting efforts at the sentimental, one of his
latter letters closing with a rhapsody irresistible in its
effects upon the risible faculties of his hoaxers. The cor-
respondence showed, as might be expected, that Mr.
Simple's motives in advertising were mercenary. The
attraction in this instance was £llO per annum, and this
Mr. Simple deemed "quite satisfactory," and induced him
to " pledge his word" to be faithful. A few days after
this explanation of his views Mr. Simple entered upon a
correspondence with a Miss Emily B—, of Halifax, but
he was little aware that this young lady and Miss Hey of
Leeds were one and the same person. The bait in this
instance was £2OO, a year, and Mr. Simple accordingly
declined in his pretensions to the latter lady. Miss B.
was now all his aim, but his hopes were speedily quashed
in that quarter. Mrs. Hey's star was again in the
ascendant. As "the course of true love never did run
smooth," so it happened in this instance. ,„11Ir. Simple's
hopes and fears were now alternately swayed till near the
climax of the affair, when delicate hints at an elopement
were proposed by his now "Dear Louisa," and duly
responded to. This was the prelude to the meeting,
which came off with all due eclat at Kirkstall Abbey, this
week, notwithstanding some " sleepless nights" passed by
Mr. Simple. The meeting was not effected, however,
without giving the address of his fair correspondent,
which Mr. Simple's foresight dictated to him to require
in case of accident. " The Oaks, near Kirkstall," was
accordingly sent him. By the side of the river they were
engaged to meet, and long before the appointed hour
(5 p.m.) the would-be lover was seen perambulating its
banks with pocket handkerchief in hand, this having been
,
agreed upon as the signal of recognition. His dear
Louisa" soon made her appearance, accompanied by her
father and brother. The introduction now took place,
and Mr. Simple was duly apprised that " the storm was
over." The so-called Mr. Hey now assumed his position
as father, and an interesting conversation ensued, Mr.
Simple descanting largely upon his views, prospects, and
intentions. Opportunity was now given for the two
to walk alone. This Mr. S. eagerly embraced, and
now the words of fondness and endearment, so natural
under such circumstances, began to pour forth. What
would he not do that he could ? Nothing should be with-
held that she desired ! . He was now fast hastening to
that most thrilling of all questions ; it soon came, and
now—" when shall our nuptials be celebrated ?" Mr.
Simple earnestly wished it to be within a week ; but, no,
it could not be ; ladies require time for preparation ! An
hour and a half was thus spent, when adjournment for
refreshment was proposed and carried. Mr. Simple would
take anything—it did not matter what ;he had got all he
desired; if he had searched the country over he could not
find one to surpass his " Dear Louisa." A large company
of Heys had assembled in the room below, as Mr. S. had
already been informed, and were waiting to receive him.
He was accordingly introduced amidst profound silence.
A flash of suspicion seemed to cross him as he entered,
but he took his seat. His health was then drunk with all
honours. Toasts and sentiments were showered upon
him, His feeling of suspicion seemed now every moment
to be increasing, when one of the company rose and asked
Mr. Simple if he had been "up to the oaks." He had
not. " Then allow me," said the interrogator, "to inform
you, sir, you are at the Oaks now." " I see lam hoaxed,
sir," said poor Simple. A scene of laughter and confu-
sion here followed, during which Mr. Simple made several
attempts to get away. Order was, however, soon restored,
and he was then addressed by several parties upon his
. duplicity and meanness as exhibited in several portions of
the correspondence, after which the young lady who had
personated the " fair unknown' with such admirable tact
was introduced by her husband. Mr. Simple was " flab-
bergasted," but was further treated to some excellent
advice tendered by the young lady, to which he responded,
and, on his exit, remarked—" Gentlemen, this will be a
lesson to me as long as I live." A train was now, .for-
tunately for Mr. Simple, due for Leeds, and twenty
minutes after its arrival saw him on his way home to
London, where it is to be hoped he arrived a wiser and
better man.—/olds Intelligencer,

Tizz Hoiv. BARON PAR ST: has purchased the Lees Hill
estate, near Brampton, the property of John Gill, Esq., of
Cinnresv.

IT has been officially announced that an arrangement
for the transportation of the mails, between the United
States and Australia has been made; whiish embraces the
entire ocean postal reform. It fixes the rate of letters be-
tween these distant countries at two cents., or one penny.
Mme: HOBBS has failed to open one. of Mr. Cotterill's
Patent Detector Climax Locks, which was submitted to
him by a committee of Manchester gentlOmen, appointed
for the purpose of witnessing the experiment. Mr. Hobbs
has withdrawn his former depreciatory opinion of the
lock, and has declared it to be a good commercial lock
now that it has been improved.
A BILL. CA SE. —ln the Court olExchequer, on Tuesday,
a " bill case" was brought up for adjudication. The
action was brought by an attorney named Sherwood, to
recover £lOO on a bill of exchange which had been drawn
by Mr. Robert Elliott, late a wine-merchant in Liverpool,
on Mr. 3leiklam, a sporting gentleman, and negotiated
by an attorney's clerk named Newcombe. Certain " con-
siderations" had formed the basis of the transaction ; but
it was proved that the defendant, Meiklam' had never
received value for having signed his name. Baron Alder-
son, the presiding judge, severely reprehended the prac-
tices incidental to "doing bills," and expressed a hope
that parliament would pass a bill making such transactions
felonious. The jury concurred with his lordship; and,
doubtless out of respect to the court, the case was with-
drawn.

DEATH IN THE STREET.—On Thursday, opposite St.
Matthew's Church, City-road, London, a respectably-
dressed man, in the prime of life, was suddenly seized
with a violent fit of coughing and expectorating large
quantities of clotted blood. He was assisted for a short
distance along the street, but grew worse, and died on
the pavement in about a quarter of an hour. After some
delay, the body was conveyed in charge of a constable to
St. Luke's workhouse. The following address was found
written in the deceased's hat:—" William Gregory, No. 4,
Smithfield-bars."
EXTENSIVE ROBBERY OF JEWELLERY.—On Wednes-
day, a young man, as dark as Creole, who gave the name
of Thomas Koope, managed to steal an immense quantity
of jewellery from the establishment of Messrs. Stockton
and Co., of Birmingham, while pretending to select a
stock suitable for export. Before the robbery was dis-
covered, he had escaped to Manchester. A telegraphic
despatch was transmitted to that city, where the thief,
with about £OOO of jewellery in his possession, was taken
into custody. He was conveyed back to Birmingham,
and Messrs. Stockton and Co. identified £3OO worth of the
jewellery as their property. It is supposed that the pri-
soner and his associates have extensive and valuable
packages on board the Great Britain steamer, now lying
-in the Mersey, and that the police are actively engaged in
ferreting out the gang and the booty.

STEAM COMMUNICATION BETWEEN GLASGOW AND
NEW YORK.—A new company having some time since
been organised for conducting a line of steam navigation
between Glasgow and New York, their first ship, the
"Clyde," made her trial trip on Tuesday last, from Greenock
to Cumbrae-head. She is an iron-built screw steamer,
from the building-yard of Messrs. Scott and Sons, of
Greenock, and behaved admirably on the trip, making
occasionally a speed of 12 knots an hour, during which no
tremulousness nor unpleasant motion was observed by
any one on board. She will be on the berth at Glasgow
for passengers and cargo in a short time, and is expected
to be followed by another steam ship belonging to the
same company in about two months.
NovEL FORM or SYNOD.—The Placer Times gives the
following account of a novel kind of Synod held by the
Mormons :—A picnic was. given for the benefit of the
ladies of the corps dramatique of the Deseret Dramatic As-
sociation on the sth of December. All the great men of
the place were present, and Governor Young favoured the
company by singing, "Come, come, ye saints, no toil or
labour fear," which gave great pleasure. On the 31st of
January a public meeting was held on the subject of the
contemplated national railroad from the Missouri River to
the shores of the Pacific. His Excellency Governor Young
was in the chair. After prayer, by presidinc, Bishop
Edward Hunter, Mr. Hyde read a poem, prepared' for the
occasion by Miss Eliza R. Snow, after a notice of two
hours only, and sung by Mr. John Kay. The meeting
then proceeded to consider a memorial to Congress on the
subject of the best route to be selected.
STEAM-BOAT COLLISION.—A case of considerable im-
portance to the whole travelling public was tried at Cupar
last week before Sheriff Monteith. Samuel Barker, cap-
tain of the Express steamer, plying between Burnt-island
and Granton, in connection With the Edinburgh, Perth,
and Dundee Railway, and John McMillan or McLellan,
mate of the same vessel, were charged with culpable and
reckless breach of duty, inasmuch as on the evening of
the 31st December, 1853, when the Express steamer was
on her passage from Burnt-island to Granton, Captain
Barker had gone below to his cabin, without intimating
to the mate his having done so ; and the mate, during the
time Captain Barker was below, instead of being on the
gangway or paddle-boxes, was at the bow of the vessel
among the other men, and no proper look-out was kept,
in consequence of which the Express came into collision
with the Leviathan luggage boat, sailing from Granton to
Burnt-island, and thereby serious injuries were sustained
by some of the passengers, and the whole of them were
exposed to danger. The jury found them both guilty, and
after a suitable admonition by the sheriff, Barker was
sentenced to imprisonment for three calendar months, and
McMillan to imprisonment for two calendar months.
With reference to the selling of whiskey on board these
ferry steamers, a practice which it appears has always
prevailed, Sheriff Monteith stated he had requested the
clerk of the court to for Ward notes of the evidence taken
in the above trial to the manager of the Edinburgh, Perth,
and Dundee Railway, in the hope that such a practice
would henceforth be discountenaneed by the company.—
Greenock Advertiser.
TUE HOUSE OF LORDS IN DAILICNESS.—WhiIe Lord
Redesdale was speaking, on Tuesday, the gaslights sud-
denly went out, leaving the house in darkness. Never-
theless, he continued his remarks as if nothing had hap-
pened ; but of course it was impossible for the reporters
to take notes, and their inability to do so was not much
lessened when a few candles were placed on the table.
After the lapse of a few minutes the gaslights flared up
as suddenly as they had gone out, but it was only a mo-
mentary gleam, for in an instant the house was again
plunged in that state of darkness visible which was pro-
duced by the candles on the table. The noble lord,
nothing disconcerted, proceeded with his statement,
addressing his observations to the lord chancellor, whose
snowy wig was just visible in the gloom, and was remark-
ing that the effect of his resolution would be to expedite
the public business, shorten the duration of the session,
and enable their lordships to give more discussion to bills
sent up from the other house than they had hitherto done,
when the gas was again turned on, burning with a steady
blaze till the house rose.
DESTRCCTION OF TWENTY HOUSES.—One of the most
alarming fires which have been known in the neighbour-
hood since 1785, occurred a few days since at Ashburton,
in Devonshire. During the afternoon an alarm was given
that a thatched house in a back street, known as Cad-
lane, was on fire, and a large number of persons were
quickly assembled. There was some delay, however, in
getting the parish engine in readiness for use, and the
fire in the meantime spread with alarming rapidity. The
inhabitants, seeing the extent of the conflagration, became
almost terror-stricken. The firebell was out of repair, but
the church bells were rung, and messengers were des-
patched in the greatest haste for the fire-engines of the
neighbourhood. Every moment's delay added to the
destruction of property. The wind blew hard from the
north-east, and the burning flakes of reeds were scattered
about in all directions, igniting every roof on which they
alighted. The inhabitants rendered every assistance in
their power, and the scene is described as being most
heartrending. The dwellings which were destroyed were
principally those of the poorer' classes. At length the
engines from the neighbouring towns arrived, and, a
plentiful supply of water having been obtained, the flames
were subdued, but not until twenty dwellings had been
demolished.
EXTRAORDINARY ESCAPE.—The people of Lyons, and
indeed of France, have for the last 19 days been kept in
a state of constant excitement regarding two men who
had literally been buried alive by the falling in of a well
at which they had been working. One died, while the
other, with the body of his dead comrade pressing on him;
held on with extraordinary fortitude, supported by provi-
sions which were let down to him at all times through
gaps formed by the tranverse beams, which fell in such a
manner as to form a screen over his head. From the
nature of the soil, great fears were formed that all efforts
would fail. We find the following details in the Lyons
journals of the 3rd :—" A considerable fall of earth again
took place two days ago in the well of Boule, and it was
for a moment feared that the adit was completely filled
up. Thanks, however, to the indefatigable zeal of the
workmen, and the skilful management of Captain Robi-
net, the mischief was promptly repaired. It is hoped
that the prisoner will be released on Thursday. On
Saturday he received a visit from Marshal de Castellane,
who, in addition to words of encouragement, brought him
a bottle of Madeira, which he appeared to receive with as
much gratitude as satisfaction. On Sunday evening
Giraud made a substantial meal, composed of a cutlet and
some glasses of Malaga. This regimen is quite to his
taste, and contributes not a little to make him bear his
sad captivity with patience. We need not mention that
his diet is regulated by the military surgeon, who visits
him several times a day, and will not allow anything to be
given that can injure his health. Although familiarised
with the presence of the dead body, Giraud does not the
less suffer from it. The body, which lies on an inclined
plane, is sliding under him, and every day incommodes
him more and more. On Sunday the Procureur Imperial
visited Ecully, in order to obtain information from Giraud
relative to the circumstances attendant on the catastrophe,
as it is thought that such an event could not occur without
raising serious questions of responsibility. The declara-
tions of the victim necessary for the examination of the
affair were received by Captain Robinet, who, having
descended some yards into the well, transmitted the ques-
tions to Giraud, and received his replies. This kind of
interrogatory continued about a quarter of an hour. The
poor prisoner appears to have made up his mind to all the
consequences of his situation. He will scarcely allow any
one to speak to him of the hopes entertained, or to point
out the probable day of his deliverance. He says that he
is aware that every exertion is making for his release, and
on which he has such firm reliance, that so long as he
maintains his strength and courage, a day more or less is
of little consequence. The end of the adit is not, it is
considered, more than 90 centimetres from the place where
Giraud stands. His voice can be distinctly heard, and he
replies to the questions put to him. The interstice, through
which the wire of the bell passes, and through which his
food is conveyed to him, is not more than about 7 inches
in diameter. The decomposed body of Giraud's compa-
nion having begun to attract the flies, it has been found
necessary to close the opening with something which shall
prevent their entrance, without intercepting the• air and
light which reach the prisoner through that orifice?' The
Presse thus announces the final success of the efforts
made for the delivery of the hero of this extraordinary
event :—We hasten to communicate to our readers a gra-
tifying piece of news which reached us just as we were
going to press. The drama of Ecully is at an end. Giraud
was delivered from his subterranean prison at 8 o'clock
yesterday evening in a most satisfactory state." As the
well fell in on the 14th ult., Giraud had been in his dread-
ful place of confinement 19- days. So great was the inte-
rest excited in high places, that the Empress received, by
order, a televaphi!c despatch evm day.