The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-01-24 00:00:00

THE DIVIDENDS on the Louisiana State Bonds and the
Camden and Amboy Railway Bonds have been advertised
for payment.
CURRENTS—OF THE OCEAN NEAR THE SANDWICH
ISLANDS.—On the 27th of Oct., a small cask drifted ashore
at Hauula, island of Oahu, which was opened by a native,
and found to contain a tin case of about 14 inches long.
He brought the case to Honolulu, and on opening it it was
found to contain a memorandum, written in several
languages, the purport of which was, that the cask was
thrown overboard from H.B.M.S. Rattlesnake, on the 20th
of July, 1853, latitude 21 deg. 7 min. N., longitude 151
deg. 31 min. W. It was requested that any one finding
the case should forward it to the Admiralty in England,
in order that the current might be determined which had
floated the cask until picked up. It appears from the
dates, position, &c., that the cask was,just 100 days afloat,
and that it made one-half a degree of latitude north, 6
deg. 21 min. longitude west. Hauula is in latitude 21
deg. 44 min. north, and is situated on the windward side
of Oahu, in the district of Koolauloa, some 30 miles from
Honolulu. The distance from the point when the cask
was thrown overboard to the place where it was picked
up was nearly 360 miles, showing a nearly westerly current
of 3 1-2 miles in 24 hours, including, however, the action
of the wind upon that portion of the cask exposed above
the surface of the water.—Polynesian, Nov. 5.
LAUNCHES.—The launch of the Bacchante, screw-
steamer, 550 tons, from Mr. Laird's yard, at the Dingle,
will take place on the 28th instant. She is intended for
the Oporto and London trade. The Bahiana, 1,710 tons,
for the South American and General Steam Navigation
Company, will be launched on the Ist of February ; and
the Pomona, which is the same size as the Bacchante, will
be launched in the month of February.

Tun GREAT REPunuo.—The charred and desolate-
looking hulk of this once noble vessel still lies at her
dock, near Peck-slip. Workmen are busily engaged in
removing the cargo, which thus far comes forth in a state
of utter wreck. The upper and second decks are nearly
destroyed, and so are the sides of the ship, as far down as
the latter, excepting forty or fifty feet forward. The ship
is well down in the water, and appears to lie aground. A
huge canvas has been drawn under her bottom, and a
steam pump is at work to relieve her of water. Another
will be in operation to-day. The cargo is being removed
in lighters. It is rumoured that the underwriters have
it in contemplation to repair her, but, considering her low
valuation in the policies, ($175,000,) we do not see how it
is possible to do it, so as to throw the ship upon the hands
of the assessors. We presume that nothing will be defi-
nitely determined on in respect to rebuilding her until
she is discharged, and the precise amount of damage
ascertained. At present she is the picture of desolation.
—New York Tribune.

Loss OP THE JOHN WGIIINT.—The splendid ship John
O'Gaunt, belonging to Liverpool, and well-known in the
China trade, was totally lost on Tuesday morning, on the
coast of Anglesea. The John O'Gaunt was the property
of Messrs. Gladstone and Co., of this town. It appears
that at three, a.m.. on Tuesday, she went ashore at the
back of Holyhead Mountain (Port Griffiths). Five of the
crew, with Mrs. Macdonold, widow of the commander, who
had died on the homeward voyage, left the wreck in a
boat, and were landed in safety. The remainder of the
crew scrambled from the wreck to a rock, where they re-
mained until the afternoon, when they were taken off by
means of a boat and life buoys. The ship struck on a
rock, and afterwards went down in deep water. A great
portion of the cargo floated out of her seaward, and the
only articles cast ashore were some broken chests. The
loss of property will, therefore, be very great. At the
time of 'the accident the weather was very bad ; a snow-
storm prevailed, accompanied by a dense fog, the crew be-
ing 'scarcely able to discern each other standing on the
deck ; 'l2O blame, therefore, attaches to the commander and
'crew, the disaster being purely accidental. Land had never
been seen since the vessel left St. Helena, neither had the
men been able to discern a light. The frst intimation of
the,position of the vessel was a cry from the wash of "Rocks
ahead." The crew behaved in the most praiseworthy
manner. When the boat 44,2's lowered, the captain's widow
was put into it : and instead of a number ef the men pres-
-sing into the boat, as is frequently the case on similar occa-
sions, only five proceeded in her, these being the number
required for four oars and a steersman. The rest remained
by the ship, and saved themselves -by getting upon the
vock. The John O'Gatint sailed from London on the 25th
September, 1852, for Bombay, under the command of Cap-
tain M`Donald, who was accompanied by his wife. Frem
India she proceeded -to China, and sailed from Whampoa
for this port on the S.Oth August. On the 25th October
Captain M`Donald, who was suffering from dropsy, died,
and the ship was taken charge of by the chief mate. She
had on board a valuable cargo of -elks and teas, which was
partially insured. The principal.consig,nees were Messrs.
Thomson, Finlay, and Co., of 'this town. The John
O'Gaunt was built by Mr. Thomas Wilson, in 1837 ; her
burthen was 449 tons, and-she was a thirteen years' ship.
Her extraordinary performances under the command of
Captain Robertson, subsequently of the Stornowayoind
now of the Cairngorm, first :attracted attention to the
Chinese "clippers," and ultimately led to the .extensive
construction .of vessels of that class, especially the Aber-
deen clippers.

AT THE BREAKING ur of the court reception at Brus-
sels, recently, there was much confusion in the snow-
covered streets ; while the wind was blowing furiously and
the snow •drifting, ladies could not get their carriages, and
were strugling through the snow in their court dresses ;
and some of those who thought they were fortunate in ob-
taining their carriages were upset in the deep,dri*
CLTTII CUSTOMS. —Tk Glasgow customs revenue for the
year ending sth January, 1854, was £688,602, flawing an
increase on last year of £35,319. The customs receipts at
Greenock exhibit a decrease, in 1853, of Z 3,077. During
the lest year 43 ships entered the Clyde more than in 1852,
yielcring an increase over that year of 7,349 tons.
MORE PROSPERITY.—There was a "bread:riot"-at Taun-
ton, m Saturday week. The movement originated among
some vagabonds who issued from a beerhouse, and expressed
their determination of doing " like the Devonshire lads."
They were joined by :a number of women, and proceeded
to attack the bakers'.-shops and the tradesmen in the mar-
ket. The magistrates succeeded in quelling 'the riot by
means of the police, aided by a number of "specials."
LIABILITY • OF RIVILWAY SHAREIDMDERS.—OR Tues-
day, Vice-Chancellor,Sir J. Stewart delivered judgment in
re the Dover, Hastings, and Brighton Junction Railway
Company ex party Carew and others. The question prin-
cipally argued had' been the liability of Mr. Carew and the
other persons who executed the subscribers' agreement
and parliamentary contract, and who paid the deposits in
respect of the shares allotted to them. The judgment of
the master had decided that those persons who exe-
• anted the subscriberG' agreement were bound to pay the
demands of a Mr. Coy. The company, it appears, never
'went further than -the provisional committee stage, and
-the vice-chancellor .directed an order for a call to be .dis-
diarged.
THE POPULARITY •OF PRINCE ALS3ERT.—A curious
instance of the state ,of feeling in London as to the alleged
interference in the foreign policy of this country by a cer-
tain party in high. qearters, was exemplified at a late din-
ner of one of the large City Companies. When the second
and usual loyal toast was given from the chair, the white
company refused 'to acknowledge it, 'by turning their
.glasses upside down. Under these Circumstances, silk;
the chairman, I give you " The British. Constitution,"
'Which was drunk with immense cheering. A straw is
sufficient to show hew the wind blows, • and this tells its
own tale.
CONFESSION OF MURDER BY :SOLDIER.—PLY
MOCITII, Jan. 17.—A out three weeks since a private
-soldier of the 50th reOment, named Benj. M`Donald, who
,had been apprehended for desertion, stated that he had
murdered a woman named Thomas, who had followed the
regiment from Preston, on Roborough Down, between
this town and Tavistook. Since then the military autho-
rities have flogged the man for desertion, and, he has been
too Rl to be removed to point out the pond into which he
says he threw the dead hady, On Thursday last the pri-
soner made another statement to the chaplain of the
;forces, the Rev. G. W. Langmaid, in which'ke said that
be had also murdered a step-brother. The prisoner made
the following confession After the death of,sny father,
my mother married a man named Lambert Heaton, a
smfffi farmer, residing in tke parish of Heaton,sdfout two
Miles from Bolton, Lancashire. Mr. Heaton at gig time
was a widower, and had an only 'boy, named John Heaton,
who was about 14 years of age. About seven weeks after
my mother married Lambert Heaton, a great disturbance
took plaoe between my step-father and mother about me.
He took a dislike to me. I was at that time about 15
years of age. Shortly after this my mother gave my
step-brother butter on his bread, and would not give me
any. She .continued to do this, and it gave quietness to
Lambert Heaton. About this time, John Heaton was
taken ill with a cold. In consequenee of my step-brother
being allowed butter on his bread and I none, I formed a
dislike to him. Whilst he was ill I was working at .a
rope-walk on Bolton-moor, in the employ of a Mr. Riley.
I oneday told my mother that I was pOorly, and could
not go to work, and. I remained at home. On the same
day my mother went down the street to buy some vegeta-
bles. She at that time told me I might warm some milk
on the fire for Johnny. During the time of her absence,
I took the milk down to the cellar. The milk was in a
little tin can. There was some poison in the cellar kept
for poisoning rats, some of which I took and mixed with
the milk. I then took the milk up stairs, and warmed it.
Afterwards I put it in a jug and gave it to my step-
brother, who drank it. About two hours afterwards, my
brother, John Heaton, complained of sickness. He got
worse, and about two or three days afterwards he died."
This confession was signed by the prisoner, in the pre-
sence of the chief of police and the thief warder.
A FALLEN Sr.en.--At the Lambeth Police-office, on
Tuesday, Mrs. Mary Ann Prinna, whose eyes were fright-
fully blackened, her right cheek shockingly swollen, her
truly scanty and threadbare black garment covered with
mud, and presenting altogether the most lamentable
spectacle of misery and dissipation, was charged with
being drunk and incapable of taking care of herself. The
wretched prisoner, when Miss Healey, was one of the
most admired actresses and vocalists on the British stage.
Miss Healey was married to Mr. Prinna, an accomplished
musician, and one of the best organists of his time. Soon
after her marriage Mrs. Prinna gave way to habits of
intoxication, and indulged her passion to such an extent
that her husband was obliged to part from her, but made
her an allowance sufficient to keep her in comforts. Her
extravagance in gin, however, became so excessive, that
she soon began to neglect her person, and got from bad
to worse. At the death of her husband she became the
recipient, as his widow, of a pension from the funds of the
society of musicians, and becoming thus free from control,
she gave herself up altogether to gin-drinking. She has
been brought to this court at least fifty times on charges
similar to the present. On the last occasion, when found
lying in the kennel, a wine bottle, half full of gin, was
found under her head. At that time she begged hard to
be discharged, as she did on all occasions, promising that
she would at once start for Dover, where she had an old
friend, under whose care she should place herself; and
never more taste gin. Her resolve was soon forgotten,
_Mrs. I
should havheavdie
ebdursint
tahebelotaotesnese
lsaeslt,
the promise broken, and the wonder is that she is at pr-
go to prison, sir, and I wish you would
sent alive.
night.and Magistrate : 'When a person feels grateful
send me there.—
tlhowuigslhittol
, will send you th for
for being sent to prison it bespeaks the last stage of
misery, and,
as it is your
twenty-one days .—Mrs. wish
; I you, Thank o ere
sir ; am
very Much Qkiiged ttO you.