The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-08-07 00:00:00

MILITARY ANECDOTES

SIR SYDNEY SMITH.—At the battle of Alexandria, an
aid-de-camp of General Craddock, in carrying his orders,
had his horse killed under him, and begged permission of
Sir Sydney to mount a horse belonging to his orderly dra-
goon. As Sir Sydney was turning round to give the order
to dismount, a cannon shot took off the poor fellow's head.
" This," said the Admiral, " settles the question ; Major,
the horse is at your service."
SIR RALPH ABERCROMBIE AND SIR SYDNEY SMITII.—
Sir Ralph found himself alone and surrounded by French
Dragoons ; one of them charged and overthrew the veteran
commander. In an attempt to cut him down, the old man,
nerved with a momentary strength, seized upon the uplifted
sword and wrested it from his assailant, while a Highland
soldier transfixed the dragoon with his bayonet. The first
officer who came up was Sir Sydney Smith, who, having
broken the blade of his own sabre, received from Sir Ralph
the weapon of which he had despoiled the French Hussar.
In this skirmish Sir Ralph his mortal wound. What has
become of this sword, now Sir Sydney is dead ? It ought to
be inquired after and deposited as a relic.
FEMALE HEROISM.—At the siege of Malajorda the fire of
forty-eight guns and mortars was concentrated on this little
fort. The troops fell fast. During this tremendous fire, a
drum boy was ordered to fetch water from the well. The
child hesitated ; a serjeant's wife, called Ritson, instantly
caught up the bucket, crossed the line of fire, and, though
the cord which held the vessel was cut by a shot, she filled
and brought it safely back to the wounded men who were
lying in the casemate.
A Boy HERO.—At the seige of Acre, Sir Sydney Smith
was attended by a young middy of the name of Bourne, a
boy about eleven or twelve years old. The enemy were
throwing stones of a very large size from cannon of an enor-
mous calibre, with which they did great execution among
the assailants. One of these stones fell so close to young
Bourne, that Sir Sydney turned round in full expectation of
seeing him a corpse. The boy, however, stood unhurt and
undaunted close to where the stone had fallen and broken
into a thousand pieces with its force and weight. " A nar-
row escape, Bourne," said Sir Sydney. "Yes, Admiral,"
said the youngster, "but a miss is good as a mile." Sir
Sydney was so struck by the coolness of the boy, that he de-
sired him to take up a piece of the stone, and when he wanted
anything to come to him with it. Some few years afterwards,
when Sir Sydney was again employed, young Bourne, now
some 16 years of age, took the stone to Sir Sydney, at the
Admiralty, who immediately took him on board his own ship
—and within a few months he was almost shot to pieces in
cutting a vessel out of an enemy's harbour.

THE PRAYER Boox.—ln a campaign it is usual to dispose
of the effects of anv other officer who is killed, by auction.
After the battle of Salamanca, among other articles, a prayer
book was put up, on which the auctioneer said—" He who
buys this lot must be a brave man, for it is the fourth time
I have put it up to sale within the last month."

THE WHALE FISHERY.—The Greenland whale fishery,
we regret to say, has turned out almost a total failure this
season. The Dundee Chronicle of yesterday week says—
" We have been favoured with the perusal of a letter, dated
from Aberdeen, on Tuesday, of which the following is an
extract:—' Just on leaving Peterhead this morning, the Jo-
seph Green, from Greenland, arrived with three or four fish.
He landed the master of the Perseverance, of Peterhead, and
with whom I had a moment's conversation, as the mail was
Just about starting. He lost his ship (crew saved) on the
3d May, and reports the fishing a total failure. Sihps mostly
all clean. Friendship, of your port, in the number.' " The
Dundee Courier of Tuesday week further states—" On
Tuesday last the following vessels arrived at Peterhead :
Joseph '
Green, 4 fish and 2770 seals ; Ranger, 1500 seals •
Resolution, 2 fish and 6 seals ; Uuion, 2100 seals ; Eclipse,
1 fish, 1990 seals. The Superior arrived on Wednesday,
with 1140 seals. Only 11 fish had been killed at the Green-
land fishery this season.

Martha, Wood, hence at Fernando Po.
Amanda, -, hence at River St. Lavcrence.
Christiana, Lawson, hence at Newfoundland.
Rising Sun, --, hence at ditto.
Sofia, Lagana, hence at Palermo.
Rapid, Norman, from Algiers at ditto.
Devon, Morrish, and Moslem, Vale, from Messina at ditto.
Agnes, Cobb, from Pernambuco at Trieste.
Celt, Clarke, from Rio de Janeiro at ditto.
Feronia, Wallace, from St. Domingo and Falmouth at ditto.
Promotheus (steamer), from Malta at Marseilles Ist Aug. with
the overland mail on board that left Bombay, 22d June, and is due
in Liverpool Bth Aug.
Perseverance, Franco, hence at Oporto, 27th July.
Feliz Destins, Luz, hence at ditto the 27th.
Janet Gibson, Gibson, hence at Copenhagen.
Nautilus, Graff, and Maria, Sievert, hence at Hamburgh.
Hemline, Pottlich, hence at Swinnemunde.
Argestes, Hannah; Johanna and Heinrich, Hartwig; Concordia,
Strackholder, and Johannes, Hagen, hence at St. Petersburgh.
Lydia Jane, Richardson, hence at St. Petersburgh at Elsineur.
John Lee, Jackson, from Catania, ht Belfast.
Jim, Atkins, from Quebec at Cork.
Sir Allan M'Nabb, Press, from St. John, N.B. at Londonderry.

Victory, Jarvis, from Messina at Warren Point
Ripley, Steward, sailed from Hamburgh for Calcutta 30th July
Rachel, Scott, sailed from Douglas for Calcutta 3d Aug.

Lord William Bentinck from London, and the Lord Castlereagh
from Karrack, both with troops, were wrecked off Bombay harbour
17th June; 28 of the crew of the former, 7 passengers, and 65
soldiers were lost, and only 70 out of 200 persons on board the
Lord Castlereagh were saved.
Shakspeare, hence for New York, was spoken 28th July off the
Saltees.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 6.—Wind S.S.E.

SAlLEW—Aberdeen, Andrews, for Quebec—Enfield, Hubbard,
for Dordt—Azores Packet, Peters, for Gibraltar—Dispatch, Cal-
lingten, for Harlingen—Statira, Williams, for Leghorn—Glasgow,
Thompson, for Quebec and Montreal—Superb, Mowatt, for Riga—
Queen, Huggins, for St. John, N.B.—Swallow, Wilson, for Dordt—
Spencer, Losh, for Rio Janeiro—John Francis, Cotter, for Deme-
rara—St. Petersburg, Frask, for Boston—Jamaica , Birt, for Bahia
—Ontario, Jameson, for New Orleans—Wm. Carey, Glenday, for
Monte Video—Vixen, Turley, for the Cape of Good Hope—Samuel
Robertson, Swift, for New Bedford—Ambassador, Tate, for
Charlotte Town—Tantivy, Wilson, for Dordt— and Martha Wash-
ington, Tyler, for New York.

Great Western, (steamer) from Bristol to New York, was spoken
29th July, in long. 22
England, -, hence oft Bic

VESSELS ENTERED FOR LOADING
(SINCE OUR LAST PUBLICATION.)

EAST INDIES, CAPE OF GOOD HOPE, 4v.
Canopus, J Titherington, 365 Batavia and Sincapore,
Brodie & Cotesworth
J Aikin & Son

Cassiopea, .7 Pressley,

324 Calcutta,

Otarittts.

LIVERPOOL COTTON MARKET, AUGUST 6

There has been a good demand for Cotton today; the sales are
7000 bags, including 1500 on speculation, and 500 for export : the
market firm.

LIVERPOOL PROVISION MARKET, AUGUST 6

There is an extraordinary degree of apathy existing in thd dry
Butter trade, and prices may be considered entirely nominal.
The finest descriptions we cannot note higher than gas to flis.
Pickled Butter being but in limited supply , and much anxiety
evinced on the part of purchasers to ship in certain fast sailing
vessels on the eve of departure for the Brazils,—the rates are en,
hanced fully 28 per cwt. ; respectable brands commanding 91s to
925. Beef continues to rule extravagantly high. Pork is moderate
in comparison, and by many, is expected to advance. Bacon goes
off with much freedom at 52s to 53s for the finest quality.

LIVERPOOL CORN MARKET, AUGUST 4
(From the Circular of Messrs. James Scott and Son.)

Since Tuesday last the imports of Grain, Flour, and Oatmeal
from Ireland, Coatsways, and from Foreign ports have again been
only to a very trivial extent ; and, during the past week, the
weather has been more genial and favourable fqr securing the crops
of Hay, and for the progress of those Grain towards maturity ; we
have, in consequence, experienced a continuance of languor in the
demand, and although the recent importers and holders have not
been very eager sellers, purchases have been made to a small extent
of almost every article in the Corn trade, excepting Barley for
grinding, at a decline equal to about Is per garter, and of about
6d to is per sack and per barrel on Flour and Oatmeal, and this
remark is applicable to the market at Manchester, and to all those
around of the past week.
The duty on Barley, Indian Corn, and Buck Wheat was increased
on Friday Is 6d per quarter, and there is no alteration in that of
any other Grain ; but it is now quite certain that on Friday next
the duty on Wheat will be reduced to 13s 8d per quarter, and on
Flour to 8s 2id per barrel; and it is confidently anticipated that
on Friday the 14th inst. the duty will be further reduced to Ins 8d
per quarter, and 6s 5d per barrel; there has in consequence been a
fair demand for both articles in bond, and several parcels, here
and on the passage, have recently changed hands at fully our last
quotations.
At this day's market, there was but a very thin attendance of
millers and dealers, who bought very sparingly and timidly only
for immediate wants, and though a decline fully equal to that above
stated was submitted to on every article in the Corn trade, the
transactions were of a very small extent; the weather continues as
fine as possible for the crops. . _ _