The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-09-21 00:00:00

THE LATE TEMPESTUOUS WEATHER.

During the last seven days the weather in this district
and its neighbourhood has been unusually severe and stormy
for the season of the year, giving us, in truth, a premature
antepast of the approaching winter, Tuesday and Wed-
nesday were rather rough ; and, on the evening of the
latter day, a very strong breeze blew from the north-west,
accompanied by heavy occasional rains, continuing par-
tially throughout the night. Thursday forenoon set in
with a still more boisterous and unsettled state of the at-
mosphere, squall following squall in rapid succession, the
wind amounting at times to a strong gale, or almost a
hurricane, with heavy downfalls of rain. Similar wea-
ther continued, with little abatement, next day, and
during Friday night we had the addition of hail, flashes of
forked lightning, and peals of thunder. The quantity of
water that has fallen must be great, for the fields and
roads not on acclivites, or imperfectly drained, were in
some parts flooded. The wind varied from N.W. to about
W.N.W. and sometimes W. Saturday was precarious,
with gloomy clouds and flying heavy showers, interspersed
with occasional gleams of cheerful and warmish sunshine ;
but the autumnal heat we before experienced has been
considerably reduced. Sunday was also showery and in-
clined to cold—wind to the southward of west and mo-
derate. The effect of the storm has been to give a some-
what prematurely wintry appearance to the general face
of the country,—trees, shrubs, and flowers, of tender
texture, or in exposed situations, being nearly stripped
of their leaves, or nipped and blackened by the continuous
wind and rain, or the action (near the coast) of the saline
spray borne inland—a " sore decayer" of verdure.
The grain crops here having, happily, been nearly all
secured, but little damage has, we trust, been occasioned

in an agricultural point of view, the green crops in the
ground not being obnoxious to considerable moisture.
Field and other outdoor operations have, of course, been
almost suspended during the week.
The Mersey has been unusually rough throughout, and
landing and embarking rendered difficult, and sometimes
dangerous. Seldom have we seen its waters more crowded
with vessels, including many of large size, the whole pre-
senting the appearance of a numerous fleet at anchor,
from the Rock Point to the Slayne, tossing and tumbling
about in a very animated manner. This has arisen from
the circumstance of many vessels being obliged to put
back, being unable to weather the gale and the heavy sea-
way in the outward channels, and from many others,
ready for sea, deeming it prudent not to weigh anchor.
To this may be added the difficulty of docking.
The casualties to shipping near the port have not,
happily, been great, thanks to the efficient light-
ing and buoying of the channels, otherwise wrecks
would undoubtedly have been rife. The barque
Henry Ewbank, Cooper master, parted one of her
cables abreast of the Rock on Thursday, and dragging
the other anchor, went ashore in Bootle Bay. She is laden
with cotton and-oil-cake, which will be partially damaged
by leakage. Two small sloops and a large schooner got
nshore same day, a little to the westward of Leasowe Castle,
on the northern extremity of the Wirral peninsula. The
schooner was bound to Mostyn, in Wales, and was quite
empty. Shortly before one o'clock, p.m., she dropped
anchor, but, being in danger of capsizing by heavy rolling,
slipped her cable and took to the shore, where she grounded
on the stone embankment, still rolling heavily. She was
left high and dry when the water fell, and but little damaged.
Luckily for these vessels the tide was a low one that day.
(17 ft. 7 in.,) so that all of them, if the weather become
any way moderate, will be got off by Friday (if not before),
when we shall have a twenty feet tide. A barque got ashore
at Southport ; and (as is elsewhere noticed) another large
vessel on the Horse Bank, with a subsequent loss of six of
the crew. The Maguire, which sailed from New Orleans
with the Mamalake (the latter lost some time ago), was
towed into port on Thursday with loss of topgallant-masts
and other spars. She has been on her beam ends, and six
feet of water in her hold. Another ship was brought in
totally dismasted, having been on Great Burbo Bank ;
and another, which had left a few days before, returned,
after having been on shore at Dundalk, with the loss of
great part of her canvas.

- The Ben-ma-Chree, Isle of Man steamer, was detained
in Douglas Bay, on Thursday morning, an hour and
a-half beyond her time of sailing, but arrived safely at
the Prince's pier at six o'clock in the evening. The pas-
sengers, on landing, complimented her worthy captain
Mr. Kermode, by giving him three cheers for the able
seamanship he had displayed during the tempestuous
yovap,_ Spirpr.i,hi;„ a ~
in port by the gale same day, as also the King Orry, Isle
of Man steamer. The Merlin, Royal Dublin mail ship,
which left Dublin on Thursday mornirw, did not arrive
till noon next day, it being deemed advisable to put into
Maelfra Roads, where she lay all night. The mail steamer
Princess, Captain Christie, gallantly faced the gale, and
reached her port in safety, after a dreadfully rough pas-
sage.

'Yesterday morning, after a comparative lull throughout
Sunday, strong breezes again set in from the N.W.,
which continued throughout the day, with occasional
showers ; and the probability is that the weather will not
be settled until full moon—on Friday next.

District grim

--~-

On Sunday week, George Evans, the post-boy who
carries the letter-bag between the Sutton station and the
Eastham post-office, was found lying dead in the road,
not far from his own house. He died of apoplexy, but
was quite well when he left home.

SHORT TIME IN MANCHESTER.—The mill returns for
the present week show that work has decreased, there
being 200 hands less on full time than last week, while
both those on short time and those stopped altogether are
also increased:—Full time, 28,261; short time, 4682;
stopped 7959.
RAILWAY BRIDGES IN MANCHESTER.—We believe
that the general purposes committee of the town council
are determined not to sanction any flat-beam girder
bridge for railways, within the borough of Manchester,
and to submit to the council a plan for arched bridges of
which they recommend the council to approve.
The millowners association has decided on not resort-
ng to a temporary cessation of work by closing the mills
entirely. The step was considered by the meeting not
only impracticable, but in the highest degree undesirable,
and likely only to lead to very severe privations among
the factory population.
The coroners' jury on the late suicide at Chester, have
brought in a verdict to the effect that there was not suffi-
cient evidence to show the state of mind of Mr. Jones at
the moment he committed the fatal act. At the adjourned
inquest several of the deceased's friends deposed to their
being of opinion that many months ago he was subject to
fits of insanity.
AWFUL ACCIDENT.—On Thursday, a fatal accident oc-
curred during the storm at Christleton, near Chester. A
female named Margaret Ellis, aged 78, and a girl named
Ellen Pleven, aged 12 years, were engaged gathering
sticks under a large tree, when the violence of the storm
broke off nearly the whole top of the tree ; three large
boughs of which fell, and struck the females on the head,
fracturing their skulls, and killing them on the spot.
They were found shortly after with their heads in pools of
blood

REDUCTION OF WAGES.—Messrs. T. Ainsworth and.
Co., spinners at Preston, have given notice of a reduction
on their spinners wages of five per cent., and the Preston
Chronicle says, that other firms are likely to adopt the
same course. The notice which the master manufacturers
of Mossley gave their hands of a reduction of ten per cent.
expired on Friday. The masters are determined to per-
severe, and have so informed the men, who at a meeting
on Thursday resolved to turn out ; but as some of the
mills were unrepresented, the meeting was adjourned, but
it is expected the resolution to turn out will be confirmed.
THE LANCASHIRE ANNUAL GENERAL SESSION—TO
our notice of this session at Preston in our last, we may
add, that with reference to the motion for the erection of
a residence for the chaplain of the county asylumnt Lan-
caster, it was met by an amendment postponing the con-
sideration of the subject to that day twelve months.
After some discussion, the amendment was carried by 14
to 13. Mr. Greene, M.P. moved that "the finance
committee's report be adopted and carried out, respect-
ing the improvement in the manner of keeping the ac-
count." This being agreed to, the court adjourned at five
o'clock, after a sitting ofseven hours !

CHILD DROWNED IN A MUG OF WATER.—A little girl
of about a year and a quarter old, daughter of William
Bibby, labourer, Croston, near Ormskirk, having been left
by its mother for a few minutes, on Saturday, fell into a
mug that had been placed upon the house floor, and which
only contained about a quart of water, and before it was
discovered the accident had caused the loss of life. Acting
upon the advice of some neighbours who came in, recourse
was had to making trial of an old remedy, (which properly
belonged to the dark ages) that of making a hole in some
earth soil, and putting the child's face into it, which, as a
matter of course, produced the only effect which persons
of common sense would have anticipated—none at all.
SINGULAR AND UNTOWARD ACCIDENT.—On Wednes-
day, a singular accident occurred in the farm yard of Mr.
Thornton, the steward of the Earl of Stamford and War-
rington, for the Dunham estate. He resides at Dunham,
and being about to kill a bullock, it was attempted to drive
it from the farm yard into the slaughter-house. The
beast being wild, it was found impossible to do this, and
a loaded rifle was then brought, with which the bullock
was shot ; the ball, however, striking on the skull or the
root of the horns glanced off, and, entering the open door
or window of a stable beyond, passed through the body
of a valuable chesnut mare, a hunter, and killed this
animal instantly. The mare was valued at 160 guineas,
and was a very fine and favourite hunter.
SELLING THE " LEAGUE."—Last week the portraits
of distinguised members of the Anti-Corn Law League,
painted in water colours by Mr. Duval (being the originals
from which the well-known engravings are taken), were
cold by auction at the sale of Mr. Agnew's stock, in
Manchester. The following were some of the prices re-
alised :—Richard Cobden, Esq., M.P., 26 guineas ; George
Wilson, Esq., 8 ; William Rawson, Esq., 61 ; Milner
Gibson, Esq., M.P., 6 ; John Bright, sq., M.P., 6;
Josh. Brotherton, Esq., M.P., 51; Henry Ashworth,
Esq., 51 ; John Bright, Esq., (second portrait), 5 ; John
Brooks, Esq., 41; Colonel Thompson, M.P., 41 ; C. P.
Villiers, Esq., 4; the Earl of Ducie, 31-; Dr. Bowring,
M.P., 34 ; William Brown, Esq., M.P., 3; and the Rev.
Dr. Massie, 2 guineas.
THE WEATHER AND CROPS IN CHESHIRE.—Sept. 16.
—We have had abundance of rain during the last three
days, which we fear may prove somewhat injurious to the
late potato crop. Being now blackened in the haulm, all
increase is completely at an end. Complaint still exists
of decay in the root ; we trust, however, that it may not
proceed much further. People around here are now stu-
diously avoiding fermentation by every means in their
power ; this is indeed a step in the right direction. Swedes
are looking tolerably well in this (the southern) district ;
we have, however, heard complaints from Broxton and the
neighbourhood, both as to green crops and pasturage..
Some farmers from the latter neighbourhood affirm that
cheese making has been below the usual average. Swedes
have indeed had a disease of some kind in some parts. A
letter from a friend in the neighbourhood of Colne, (an
excellent judge) states that the turnips there have been
affected in a similar way to the potatoes. The disease
amongst the cattle is on the wane here, and we hear few
complaints now. Some straggling corn is still out in
places ; the amount, however, is of small importance. In
the northern division of the county the farmers are very
busy getting up their potatoes, and the reports respecting
the disease are rather more favourable. Green crops and
pasturage are looking better.—Manchester Courier.
THE LATE GALES.—LOSS OF LlFE.—Preston and its
neighbourhood were, on Thursday, visited by a violent
storm of wind and rain. On Wednesday evening a gale
set in from the north-west, and was severely felt in that
town, and in Lytham, Blackpool, and Fleetwood. At
Preston several chimnies were blown down, and t slates
were dislodged and blown about "like feathers." A
Fleet-
wood the storm approached to a hurricane. The Isle of
Man and Bardsea steamers could not venture out, and the
Ardrossan packet did not leave the port until Friday morn-
ing. The commanders of the Orion and Prince Consort,
from Douglas, and Ardrossan, declared they had never
been out on such a night as that of Thursday. The gabel
end of the new chapel now being built at Fleetwood was
blown down, and other damage done to the structure, es-
timated at from £l5O to £2OO. At Blackpool the sea was
terrifically wild and mountainous, dashing with fearful vio-
lence against the cliffs. Amongst the fatalities yet known
the Preston Chronicle records that the barque Hillsbo-
rough, Capt. Lamb, was stranded on the horse bank near
the mouth of the Ribble, and adds—" On her striking all
-hands took to the boats, which grounded. The captain, •
pilot, and six men then set off to walk to Lytham, and
got safe over the sands. Five of the men stuck to the
boat, and they were consequently sow,