The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-03-03 00:00:00

DIOCESAN CHURCF BUILDING SOCIETY.

On Friday last, the fifth anual meeting of the Chester
Diocesan Society for promotag the building of churches in
the manufacturing districts d Lancashire and Cheshire was
held in the Blue Coat School Many of the local clergy, and
a great number of ladies, wee present. In the unavoidable
absence of the Rev. Jonatharßrooks, senior rector of Liver-
pool, the Rev. Robert Raike, Chancellor of the Diocese, was
called to the chair.

The Rev. C. W. LA.WREME, one of the secretaries to the
society, having offered up pryer,
The Rev. CHAIRMAN addassed the meeting. After having
dwelt upon the general efficarof prayer, he said that on the
present occasion there were eculiar circumstances, personal
as well as public, to make th audience feel the advantage of
having recourse to God in gayer. lie then referred to the
disturbed and unsettled stated the minds of the people in
various parts of the country, sod feelingly alluded to the ab-
sence from that meeting of b)th the rectors of Liverpool, one
of whom (the Rev. Rector Gmpbell) had been compelled to
seek, in retirement at a ditance, that health which had
doubtless been in a great degee sacrificed by his unremitting
spiritual labours, and the oter, (Rev. Rector Brooks,) who
should that day have presled, was necessarily absent in
attendance in the chamber o death. If, again, they looked
at the affairs of that society,they had abundant cause to re-
joice at the resource offere, them in prayer. They were
engaged in a work, the greatess, the overpowering greatness
and difficulties of which became more apparent the further
they progressed. Every stp that they took only served
to develope more and more tie wants of their fellow creatures,
and to exhibit more strikingly the overwhelming picture of
the spiritual destitution thatiurrounded them. if they had
merely to rely on their own esources for the encountering of
those difficulties, how lamenable would be their situation ;
for there was unquestionabl3presented to them, at the first
glance, such an amount of difficulties as might sink the
stoutest heart in dismay, and paralyse the efforts that they
might be disposed to make. There had been printed a state-
ment on the subject of the spiitual destitution of this diocese,
which he would take the libety of reading. It was as fol-
lows :—" Unless some charge, such as it is impossible to
foresee and painful to anticilate, shall turn the tide of ma-
nufacturing industry toward other countries, it is not easy
to assign the amount to whichthe population of these districts
may be carried by tho.naturaland regular process of increase.
In 1801, the population of the county of Lancaster was
G 72,731. In 1831, it had reamed 1,335,800. In otherwords,
the population had, as nearly as possible, doubled itself in
the course of the thirty yeas, and 663,069 souls had been
added to the amount of the inhabitants. If we suppose that
1000 is the average number ce inhabitants in one of our pa-
rochial districts, and that the population requires a church
and a resident minister, the herease in numbers would have
required an addition of (;53 new churches, and of the same
IC we filippocl. tisco• et—
number that may be comprehended in a flock, without merg-
ing the character of spiritual superintendence, the number of
churches needed, would still be 331 ; on either supposition,
a comparison of the number of churches needed with the
number that has been supp Led, will leave a very melancholy
conclusion as to the inadecptaey of the religious provision
that has been made for the chninunity. But how melancholy
soever may be the view in 'coking backwards, it is still more
painful to look forwards. if the population continue to in-
crease in the same ratio, and it must increase, and will
increase in the same ratio if the manufacturing system is
maintained, the county of Lancaster, in the year 1861, will
contain 2,667,600. The church accommodation must he
enlarged, so as to meet an increase of 1,330,000 in the num-
ber of inhabitants ; and thepresent number of churches must
be doubled in the course of thirty years, if even the present
inadequate measure of accommodation is to be offered."
Such was the extent of the work that was before them—the
difficulties in accomplishim it must necessarily be many, and
thereon it was that he grounled the consolation, and the privi-
lege of having, in such case, recourse to prayer, and casting
all their wants and burdensupon God, who alone could send
that help which would maksthem triumph over every obstacle
and every difficulty.
The Rev. C. W. LAWSENCE read the fifth annual report
of the committee. This dicument, which was of consider-
able length, stated that sem churches had been consecrated
in the past and fourteen in he present year ; that grants to
the amount of £3OOO had been made to several parishes and
districts. The report also Mated that the income of the so-
ciety had experienced a remotion in consequence of Liver-
pool and Manchester havisg to support similar societies of
theirown.

CHARLES GROVES, Esq. Liverpool treasurer, read a state-
ment of the accounts from which it appeared that the out-
standing grants amounted b £l6BO, and the balance remain-
ing in hand £2220.
The Rev. JUHN RUSHI3N, incumbent of New Church,
in Pendle, moved that the report should be adopted, and
printed and c'rculated undr the direction of the committee.
Ho said it was natural o inquire what had been already
done by the society which he public were called upon to sup-
port, and he would brieflyillucle to the beneficial result of
its operations on the distict from which he himself came.
In that district nine chuches had been erected, and five
others were in the course f erection, and he, therefore, had
an opportunity of making blown somewhat of the society's
results. First, then, as repected the clergy. In that dis-
trict, where the populationaf the parishes varied from 700 to
17,000, the labour had beet subdivided, and, consequently,
places which had been peviously unaccustomed either to
the presence or
.the name c a clergyman, were now attended
to. Again, the oeneficial usults were apparent in another
point of view. The erectici of new churches had not tended
to lessen the attendance in the older ones, nor to decrease
the number of the commuficants or of the scholars in the
Sunday schools; but, on the contrary, in nearly every in-
stance there had been a vey peat increase in the congrega-
tions, the communicants, aid the Sunday school scholars,
and in the schools themse)es. To illustrate the advantages
attendant on the location f a clergyman in the district, he
would mention one out of number of facts which he could
bring forward. During the balding of one of the new churches,
school, and parsonage, the lergyman who was to officiate was
located at a considerable ditance from the church. After
the lapse of about twelve maths, the church and parsonage
being ready, the clergymanirepared to depart, when the pop-
ulation of the place where ie had resided, assembled round
him, and, with tears in thei eyes, expressed their regret at
his departure. " My gooepeople," said he, " I am indeed
going, but it is to no very Feat distance ; it is to a place that
is within your sight." 'be people replied that so much had
they felt the blessing of hispresence, that they were sorry he
was going, even though the listance was so short ; they had
felt the advantage of hisprcsence in the peacefulness of the
district. That was one nut if many instances in which it had
been made apparent that a clergyman was more efficient in
preserving order, comfot, aid peace, in a district than ten po-
lice-officers could possilly 13).
The Rev. GEORGE Larenieen, vicar of Prescot, seconded
the resolution, and said thatit rejoiced him to do anything to
promote the interest al so valuable a society, the beneficial
effects of whose operatbns lad been felt in his own parish.
When he first went inh that immense parish, twenty-five
years ago, there were fait only five churches and five clergy-
men. Now, he was harpy :o say, there were nine churches
and fourteen clergymei. and he hoped that it would not be
long before there were me or two more.
The resolution was pssed unanimously.
Tee Rev. R. P. Bunitcom moved the second resolution.
He said that professingthemselves simply to be Christians—
to believe that they hatimmortal souls, which had been re-
deemed by the preciou:blood of Jesus Christ—that all their
hopes of mercy were i Him, in His glorious person and
finished work, it was irpossible to imagine that there should
be, not an uplifted hand of dissent to such a motion as he
had then read, but evu a passing thought of opposition.
There could be no quesion as to the extent of spiritual des-
titution in various partaif the kingdom, and most especially
in this diocese, after wht had been laid before them in the
lamentable account of ne geometrical advance of the popu-
lation—for so it might h termed—whilst there had been no-
thing like an arithmetal provision of churches. In the
course of a comparativey short period, this diocese had been
changed from a pastorali:lto a manufacturing district, and its
surface,instead of bein thinly populated, had been covered
by many and densely ihabited streets, running along it for
miles. This had not arien altogether from the increase of
the home population; fr the i.nmigration into Lancashire
had been, in eighteen maths, to the amount of nearly nine-
ty-seven thousand persos. The science of statistics was of
comparatively recent gowth in this country. France and
Germany had done mon for it than England had done : so
also had Scotland ; but we were becoming awake to the ne-
cessity of operating in a sinilar way. We had statistics of
the manufacturing and griciltural population, and medical
statistics, and statisticsof time ; and latterly the necessity
for the statistics of spirtuallestitution—the great parent of
crime—had become strkinily evident. They had recently
been called together to similate the government of the coun-
try to extend church aecomnodation generally ; for it was
felt, he believed, through a Beat part of the land, that indi-
vidual efforts could by no mans meet the necessities of the
case. The efforts of thevolotary system had failed entirely,
as fail they must, to supply to spiritual wants of the people.
Those efforts had, in conjuration with other circumstances
not necessary to be mentioud, caused the church to make
efforts in the same way ; buthey (churchmen) had the great
advantage of being able to fl back on the principle of a na-
tional establishment, so thathey had a resting place for in-
dividual and social exertion as well as for that which he
hoped ere long. to see fora, by the cries of the country,
either from a willing or an uwilling government. Unques-
tionably the want of spirituainstruction was, as that motion
full well declared, to leave to people to moral, social, and
everlasting evils. And to wht moral evils did that want leave
the population exposed ? Thee was, in the length and breadth
of the land, a voice of immorlity, of crime, of disregard to
the fundamental principles ofall law and justice—a voice of
defiance against all authority and it would be well if that
voice did not sound still Ore loudly and violently than
it had hitherto done. He tlieved that the only mode of
silencing that voice would bc to remove the difficulties that
impeded the progress of reliious instruction. And what of
the social evil of which they were all well informed
That miserable and cold-hearted assault on all that is good,
and great, and amiable, andtonest, and decent, and honour-
able in the land—how wouldt have sprung up if the land had
been provided with a sufficncy of churches—if there had
been faithful ministers of Go who had recommended Chris-
tian morality on Christian kinciples, and called on men to
adorn the doctrines of God i all things ? If children had
been brought up in the knovedge and fear of God—if from
their earliest infancy they Id been imbued with the first
principles of the oracles of Crist,. it was impossible that such
a state of things could have aged ; it was impossible that
either socialism, which aumeat the throne of God in heaven,
.
or chartism, which aimed I overturn all the institutions
under which England had scong been a happy and a peace-
ful country, could have attaed its present giant proportions,
and stalked boldly through tn land. As respected their ex-
ternal welfare, the people, lithe commercial and manufac-
turing, to say nothing of thugricultural districts, had been
grossly neglected ; they hadust been regarded in the same
light as the machinery at with they were employed. Nay,
not so much ; for it was qui striking to go into a manufac-
tory, and observe, not mere] the exquisite adaptation of the
machinery to its ends, but i high state of polish, the orna-
ment and the beauty with wch it had been expensively pro-
vided. What, however, hakieen done for the immortal and
accountable beings who atteled those machines ? They had
been classed by the side of ie steam power that moved the
machinery, and when the le was out in the one case, and
the life in the other, both we equally disregarded. Their
efforts to counteract this ate of things were not of long
standing ; they_had, howevt broken ground, and that was a
great thing. He w say, too, that they were not far
6
from the depositaries of soalism and chartism ; they had
come very nigh to .
the fortre, and should now use steadfast
endeavours to bring dow. It had been said that there
were many difficulties and d3onragements to be encountered
in the carrying out of theiibjects. This was quite true ;
but those difficulties were reessary ; for if their course was
down a clear and untrouble stream, without a cloud above
or a wave below, it would 1 an extremely easy task to be
em ployed in works of love al mercy, of charity and benevo-
lence. But the difficultiesi?t gathered round the persons
employed in such works, thtindrances and discouragements
that thronged thickly on alright hand and on the left, and
which, in their result, madeach one engaged like holy Job
—all these were in order thithey might, on a dark day, put
their hands into the hand abr. Heavenly Father, and be
led along the path of faith, Lured that he would, in his own
time, make darkness light, id the difficult easy. It might
have been thought that the tempt to compass, by their fee-
ble efforts, such a mighty WQ as that in which they were en-
gaged, was something like ticonduct of the man in the nal a-
ble, who began to build a ouse and could not finish it,
not having counted the cos But it appeared to him that
they were not in this predicaent ; their excellent bishop had
counted the cost of the worlre he committed himself to it.
After having read an extractrom the lord bishop's account
of the churches consecrated,lr. Buddicom proceeded to say
that that and other societiesid struck the spark which had

fired the train, and the flame which had been kindled would
go on extending its brightness through the land, and purify-
ing the moral atmosphere. He concluded by a reference to
the immense and praiseworthy exertions of the diocesan, to
his entire devotedness to the great cause in hand—exertions
and devotedness such as ought to engage the sympathy and
support of even ordinary beholders ; but when it was recol-
lected that they were fellow Christians with him, embarked
in the same cause, having the same duties, feeling the same
love of God, and alike beholders of the same sad spectacle of
thousands perishing for lack of the bread of life, how much
more intensely ought they to he delighted at the successful
result of his lordship's efforts, how much more earnestly and
heartily support him in continuing the good work, and enable
him to go on till the moral desert bloomed and blossomed

like a garden !
The Rev. J. H. GUNNING, rector of Wigan, seconded the
resolution. He said that the population of Wigan amounted
to 35,000 souls, and there was church accommodation for
only 3300. He was enabled, from that fact, to bear testimony
to the statement embodied in the resolution, and he could also
speak to the lamentable consequences that had arisen, and
were likely to arise, from the want of church room in that
town.

The Rev. JAMES FURNIVAL, vicar of St. Helen's, moved
the next resolution. He alluded to the erection of a small
church at Parr, in the district of St. Helen's. at a total cost
of nearly £lOOO (:.£350 of which was a grant from the so-
ciety,) and said that unless for the stimulus given to the re-
sident gentry by that grant, the church would never have
been built. He could bear testimony to the correctness of
what had been said by his rev. brother who had first spoken,
as to the beneficial effects which had resulted from local

ministers, and was certain that each clergyman was as ef-
fectual in restraining vice as, not ten merely, but twenty or
more police-officers. _ _

The Rev. W. M`lvEn., incumbent of West Derby, se-
conded the motion, in doing which he said he might be per-
mitted to make one or two observations upon the indirect
benefits that had arisen from the operations of this society.
Our revered and beloved Diocesan had had the high honour
of being the founder of such institutions as this. AVhen the
idea was first mooted many persons supposed the society
would soon break down for want of funds ; but its proceed-
ings had been carried on in faith, and we had the happiness
of seeing the example set in this diocese followed in every
other diocese in the kingdom. Every original contributor
to the funds of the society had therefore the satisfaction of
thinking that he done something towards a movement which
had done more to restore the Church of Engiand to her pre-
sent position than had been done by any other means since
the reformation. Previously to the institution of this society,
and only a few years ago, when application was made to the
government for a grant of public money in aid of church
building, the answer was—" The Church of England is rich
enough to build churches herself." " She," said they, "has

fix...ay, the nobility, th lando.cl mrietoorwor, and a
majority of mercantile wealth in her pale, and therefore she
is rich enough to build churches herself." That assertion
had an air of plausibility and truth ; but the experiment had
since been fairly tried, and with what result? In this diocese
we had the support of the highest ecclesiastical authority, of
many of the leading nobillty, and the mercantile towns, and
of some portions of the middle classes; but what had been
done had been totally inadequate to supply the want. We
had therefore an answer to the government, that the volun-
tary principle had been tried under the fairest circumstances
and had failed ; and to say to them—" give us that relief
which nothing but the public funds can supply." He be-
lieved he was right in saying that if the population of Lon-
don went on at the present rate of increase, it would be in a
worse condition when the proposed 40 churches were built
than now. This fact showed the necessity that lay upon the
government, willing or unwilling, to foster the Church of
England as the guardian of the moral and social happiness of
the people, and to supply her with funds to erect churches in
proportion to the spiritual destitution of the population.
(Applause.) He seconded the motion.

,
The resolution was carried.
Thanks were then moved to the reverend chairman, and
the meeting separated.

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE BRITISH COLONIES.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD,

SIR, I have long been a reader of your valuable paper ;
for the quality of its promiscuous reading, the well-digested
contents of its leading articles, and the interest it evinces for
the welfare of England and her colonies, conspire to endow
it with a character, as a provincial paper, which few others
can boast of. I need not tell 'you, therefore, that lam an
admirer of your journal.
I have had frequent opportunities of ascertaining what
your feeling is towards the British colonies : I believe you
feel an interest in putting those colonies into such a position,
that they shall be happy and prosperous in themselves, and
be at the same time highly contributory to the commercial
interests of their common mother country. I write now to
offer a suggestion which may not be unworthy of the notice
of your readers, nor unfit for the practical adoption of go-
vernment. That an immense number of operatives of every
description, in every part of the country, are at present un-
employed, and have no means of subsistence, save what they
may be able to obtain on credit, or from others' generosity,
is a fact which I suppose is known both 'to you and to the
state secretaries for the home department and for the colo-
nies ;—that in New South Wales, Australia, New Zealand,
Guiana, and other British colonies, there are vast tracts of
land inviting cultivation, and inexhaustible sources of pro-
fitable labour, is also a fact not open to question. The ad-
vantages of emigration must be apparent to all ; for if labour
were transferred from this country, where there is a super-
abundance of it, to those places in the colonies where it is
most wanted, and where the soil, if cultivated, would pro-
duce the richest fruits, the results would be—first, that the
emigrant labourers themselves would, by leaving a place
where their labour is neither wanted nor remunerated, and
settling in a place where their labour is both wanted and
well remunerated, be benefitted;—secondly, that the colonies
into !which labour was inttoduced would be infinitely im-
proved in value ;—and, thirdly, that the mother country
would be relieved from burdens which now weigh her down
to the ground—her present evil of over-production of manu-
factured goods would be removed, and her superabundance
of labour would be a thing not known; but her labouring
population would be prosperous, and her commerce healthy.
My suggestion therefore is, that the government should take
immediate steps to make emigration facile and inexpensive
to the emigrants, and to remove the present existing restric-
tions as to qualifications. The proceeds of the sale of colo-
nial lands render the expense of mere freight a trifle ; then
why should people starve here ?—why should the operatives
carry on existence in a state of inactivity, unusefulness, and
disgrace ?—why should adult labourers, having families de-
pending on their resources, be compelled to sacrifice their
best feelings of independence, or rather principles of self-
dependence, and either turn out on the highway as desperate
robbers, or skulk from door to door with piteous face, igno-
bly begging the boon of charity ? I ask, in indignation, and
with my heart almost bleeding with sympathy for these poor
beings, why should this be the case, when government have
it in their power to change starvation for plenty, anxiety for
content, in the homes and minds of a labouring people, who,
I scruple not to aver, are treated with as much callousness
of feeling by men in power and of wealth, as are the beasts
of the earth ?

There is, therefore, every motive to encourage emigration
on the part of government : now for the practicableness of
the process. I would say, let all go out free of expense who
wish, of whatever description of qualification they may be,
if they be of sober character; and this point might be easily
ascertained by any person disposed to emigrate presenting a
note of recommendation from his present or late employer.
There is scarcely anybody who would not be able to assist in
felling trees, ploughing, fencing, tending cattle, &c. ; and,
therefore, let no one say that the labouring population gene-
rally are not qualified to make useful colonists. But, sup-
.posing some idle, immoral, and worthless characters avail
themselves of the proffered free passage, the evil consequences
would fall on their own heads, as, if they would not work,
they would of course suffer—an evil which would necessarily
be most felt by themselves. Now is the time for emigration:
the colonies are waiting with extended arms, to receive an
ingress of settlers : then let the utmost encouragement be
held out to emigrants • convey them free of expense to which
colony they desire, and let free passage be promised to all
who may desire to avail themselves of it. The present re-
strictions are too restrictive. I believe hundreds and thou-
sands would emigrate now, but for the ceremony, bother,
and uncertainty of obtaining a passage. The bare removal
of a portion of the home population would be a great relief
to this country, and therefore I cannot conceive auy objec-
tion to a perfectly free mode of emigration. I for one have
experienced the difficulty I have mentioned, and the conse-
quence is I am still a resident here.
I am, sir, your humble servant,
A READER.
Horton, near Bradford, Feb. 27th, 1840.

THE CORN LAWS.

TO COLONEL WILLIAM'S.

SlR,—The following report of your speech, in reply to an
observation made by Mr. Lloyd, at the Liverpool Corn-law
Meeting, is copied verbatim from the Albion of Jan. 13.
Mr. Lloyd stated that the inevitable result of the free intro-
duction of foreign corn would be to throw hundreds of thou-
sands of acres out of cultivation, and to deprive the manu-
facturers themselves of their best customers.
" Colonel Williams then rose, and was received with much
applause. He said he was what the last speaker called a
practical man : he was a practical farmer, and he stood before
them in the character of a landowner also. This gentleman,
in the plenitude of his sympathy for the farmers, said they
would all be ruined if the corn-laws were abolished. Now
he (Colonel Williams) did not fear being ruined ; but he
wanted to say a word or two more to the mover of the amend-
ment. That gentleman said, that, by the abolition of the
corn-laws, a vast number of acres would be thrown out of
cultivation. He would leave gentlemen connected with com-
merce to answer other fallacies, but, with respect to the acres
thrown out of cultivation by the abolition of the corn-laws,
he looked upon that to be the grossest fallacy that ever dwelt
in the brain of any pseudo political economist. He should
like to know, looking to his own fields, 'whether, when he
ceased to grow corn in one of his fields, it would not grow
something else? (Hear, hear.) It was the greatest fallacy
to say, that the country ought to be enforced to grow wheat,
excepting so far as it was wanted, and could be supplied on
advantageous terms to all parties, for if they did not grow
wheat, they could grow cattle, and he did not see if the gen-
tleman was so fond of a loaf why he should not like to have a
round of beef with it. (Much cheering.) Such stuff as this
was unworthy of notice, and he would not say a word more
upon the subject."

'The only inference that can be drawn from the above is,
that Mr. Lloyd's fears are groundless, and that the country
would sustain no injury, as the additional number of cattle
that would be reared would amply compensate for any dimi-
nution in the produce of corn. As your opinion was given
with the authority of a practical farmer, it was received by
the meeting as a fact that could not be disputed, and has gone
through the manufacturing districts as a triumphant answer
to one of the strongest arguments in favour of the corn-laws.
But, positive as your assertions are, they will deceive no
one that has the least acquaintance with farming. My at-
tention has for the last forty years been directed to mercan-
tile pursuits ; I cannot, therefore, have much knowledge of
agriculture ; yet, limited as it is, I knew that what you so
confidently stated could not be borne out by facts ; but, as
it would have been presumptuous in me to have put my
opinion in opposition to a practical farmer, I determined
to apply to another practical farmer, who has for many
years cultivated land such as Mr. Lloyd alluded to. I re-
quested he would state what 200 acres of this land now pro-
duced, and what it did produce in its original state. This
answer, which I give below, will convince even you that the
change from arable to pasture of one-third of the cultivated
land in the country would be a heavy blow to the prosperity
of the country, and deprive, as Mr. Lloyd justly observes,
the manufacturers of their best customers. The practical
farmer to whom I applied for practical information, S2t
I shall reply to your first question by stating, that
i) the
s
the
only profitable mode of cultivating poor light lands
rotation system, and that 50 acres will produce 150 quarters
' marketable wheat, say at 605., and 7 guar
at 40s. ; 50 acres will produce 225 quarters
at nrasr
os. ; 50 acres
)
quarters
ntadbeireehnadrs:
ley, at 305., and 11 quarters hinder: es, will support 100
hinder-ends,
seeds, 46 acres turnips, and 4 acre
sheep, bred and in succession fattened
zan d3osobldeaostffs,ea:ihntyeeraerd,
at 445, each ; the produce of wool, w .
on straw and half-a-ton i eed_cake each, their improved
value, £l5O ;—al—ak
totalilis of £1,262 10s. From this sum
we must deduct —cash a
paid for 15 tons linseed-cake, at £lO
slg
per ton ; bushelain 'hiones, at 2s. 6d. ; sundries, £l2 10s. ;
together, 8102621. 0s This sum, taken from the above, will
leave £l,OOO,
which this farm under tillage adds annually to
the wealth of the nation. The pigs and poultry fed upon an

arable farm will be equal to the keep of the extra horses re-
quired. In the above estimate a due allowance has been
made for seed. I will now show you what the same land
would produce as a grazing farm. It would support 50
beasts throughout the year, the improved value of say 60s.
each ; 39 lambs, bred and sold off at Michaelmas, at 20s.
Gach ; 30 bull ewes, sold at Michaelmas at 255. each ; 20 tod
of wool, one-third hog and inferior, at 265. per tod ;—toge-
ther, £243 10s., say £250. This sum, deducted from the
above, shews a loss to the country of £750 per annum on
200 acres thrown out of cultivation. The arable land in the
United Kingdom is reported by different authorities to be
from 20 to 22 millions of acres. I will take it at 21 millions.
If, by a free importation of foreign corn, wheat should be
reduced to 40s. per quarter, and other grain in proportion,
one-third of this land would cease to be cultivated, and one-
halt of this would soon be again covered with heath or
broom, and almost worthless. The other half I will suppose
of the description above mentioned ; the annual value of its
produce would be 245. 4d. per acre. This, with the heath at
2s. 6d. per acre, would amount to £4,681,250, or, in round
numbers, say 5 millions sterling. The present value of its
annual produce is £5 per acre, or, in the whole, 35 millions.
Toe loss in national wealth would, therefore, be 30 millions
per year."

When wheat is at 60s. per quarter, I estimate the surplus
income of the farmer (after he has paid for seed, rent, taxes
of all kinds, and food) at 100 millions. This immense sum
is annually circulated amongst the manufacturers in exchange
for the necessaries or luxuries the farmer may require. Now
it is evident, from the statement published in this paper on
the 21st instant, that the whole of this surplus income will
be lost if the corn-laws are repealed, and a diminution to
this amount in the demand for our manufactures. From
what quarter are we to expect orders to compensate us for
this loss, as the most sanguine repealer will not promise
that, if all his expectations are realised, our exports will be

increased 20 millicins ? If, then, we have suffered so much
from the partial loss of the American trade for the last year,
which could not exceed 8 or 10 millions, what will be the
effect if we are deprived of customers to the amount of 80
or 100 millions per annum ! But it appears that your friends

the wise men of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce
question the great importance of the home trade, and doubt
if it is improved by the price of agricultural produce being
kept up; for if that had been the case, they say, " the past
vear would have been distinguished for its prosperous home
trade ; but what is the fact ? In 1838 the home trade took
84 millions of pounds weight of cotton goods, ant last year
only 60 millions." Has it never entered the heads of these

&dims that the manufacturing population consume cotton
goods as well as the agriculturist, and that more than one-
third of the population are dependent upon commerce ? If
they had been seeking for truth, they would have found that
the distress in the manufacturing districts would at once
have accounted for the reduced consumption of last year;
and if they had made inquiry of the houses in the country
trade, they would have found that the chartist riots had been
an additional cause why the demand was less in 1839 than in
1838. The alarm was at one time so great, that the shop-
keepers limited their orders to what were absolutely neces-
sary to enable them to keep open their shops. With all due
deference, therefore, to you and the Manchester Chamber
of Commerce, I think it would be a suicidal act to ruin our
home customer, who expends 100 millions with us, for the
chance of gaining foreign orders to the amount of 20 mil-
lions, even supposing we do get flour Gd. or even Is. per
stone cheaper.—l am, sir, your obedient servant,
A MERCHANT AND MANUFACTURER,

EXCLUSIVELY IN THE FOREIGN TRADE.
Shield, Feb. 28th, 1840.

BROUGHAM INSTITUTE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD

SlR,—When you inserted the malevolent attack upon the
Brougham Institute in your columns on Friday last, you
surely were not aware that you were giving vent to the men-
dacious effusions of a boy, who was lately expelled from the
Institution for disorderly conduct. However contemptible
a writer may be in himself, what he advances assumes a cer-
tain degree of importance when communicated to the public
through the medium of a newspaper. The truth of this is
fully exemplified by the letter in question.
It must have surprised any one of the numerous audience
who attended this debate, not acquainted with the writer,
that such a tissue of falsehoods could have been joined toge-
ther. So far from the audience favouring their system, not-
withstanding tie muster of Owenites that was there, it was
easily seen that's great majority was decidedly against it. As
to this Instituticin being a " low place," I can assure you,
sir, it is not nearly so low since this boy and some of his so-
cialist friends were expelled.
From the nature of the question to be discussed, it was
likely the socialist would come forward with his pretended
remedy for all the ills of life. But consideiing, as 1 do, that
the community scheme, even though it were based upon
Christian principles, is so visionary and impracticable, that
it never can come into extensive operation, 1 have no bjec-

tion to hear it discussed, that its fallacies may be laid op-en.
And connected as it is, by many of its advocates, with
atheism, or perhaps what they would call pantheism, it be-
comes the duty of every well-wisher to religion and morality
to endeavour to put it down, not by bonds and imprisonment,
nor any other kind of persecution, but by argument. Chris-
tianity has already withstood the attacks of many powerful
opponents, and certainly has nothing to feat from the nib-
bling of the Owenites ; and atheism is so utterly and palpably
absurd, that the common sense of mankind revolts at the
mention of the name.

But socialism has of late been brought into so much no-
tice, and been laid before the public in such a variety of
ways, and in so many places throughout the kingdom, from
the pulpit, the lecture-room, the press, and the senate, that
it is forced upon the observation of every one who either
hears or reads ; and surely nothing can have a greater ten-
dency to stop its progress than to have it exposed in all its
deformity, as it has been lately by its able and eloquent op-
ponents at the Brougham Institute : so that, instead of this
Institution having even a tendency to encourage socialism, I
consider it as one of the barriers that must be erected if we
wish to stop its progress. The committee is composed of
men differing, no doubt, in their political and religious opi-
nions, as they must do in all societies where no political or
religious test is required upon the admission of a member;
and as this society is neither a religious society, nor yet con-
nected with any party in politics, such a test is utterly use-
less. Nothing is required of its members but good behaviour
in the rooms; and " Aufra Crisis" knows, by experience,
that without this he cannot enjoy its privileges.

I am not aware of any thing being done improperly at the
ball on the evening of her Majesty's marriage, as I was not
there; but from the eulogium passed upon it in your own
paper, from your own personal observation, and the testi-
mony of all whom I have seen who did attend, I am led to
believe it was well conducted; and if a socialist did bear a
conspicuous part in the affair, it only shows to me that he
would make a better dancing-master than a teacher of morals.
I believe 1 have said enough to show the motives which
influenced the writer of this wanton attack upon one of the
most useful and prosperous institutions in the town, and that
no favour is shown to the principles advocated by Robert
Owen and his followers ; for if there were, I should be no
longer

A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE.
Liverpool, 29th February, 1840.

THE Irasu MUNICIPAL BILL.—A public meeting, ac-
cording to the Whig papers, is about to be held in Liverpool,
to petition the House of Lords in favour of the Irish Munici-
pal Bill. The Whigs are terribly frightened at the menaced
opposition of the Duke of Newcastle.
THE BRITISH QUEEN. —The British Queen, steamer,
left Portsmouth yesterday afternoon, for New York. She
did not, we hear, carry out many passengers. She may be
expected to reach New York on or before the 20th instant.

The argyle, one of the small class of sea-going steamers,
sailed yesterday for New Orleans. She is intended, we hear,
to ply as a small boat between New Orleans and Vera Cruz.
SIGoIt GIULIO REGONDI'S CONCERT.—This concert took
place last evening and was attended by a highly respectable
and select auditory. The performances gave the greatest
satisfaction, but we have not space for a further notice of
them.

RAPE.—Yesterday, a tide-waiter, named George M`Kin-
non, was examined before Mr. Rushton and Mr. Harvey, on
a charge of having violated the person of a girl 13 years of
age, named Mary Boon. The girl on Friday last entered the
service of the prisoner, at is 6d week wages, to take care of
his three children, which lodged with him in a house in Price's-
court, Great Howard-street, kept by James Emmett and his
wife. On Saturday night, the girl being asleep in bed, and
Emmett and his wife out of the house, the prisoner took the
opportunity to perpetrate the offence charged against him.
The girl instantly left the house and acquainted her mother,
who resides in Vauxhall-road. Mr. Gray, house-surgeon of
the North Dispensary, was called in to her, and from his
evidence it appeared no doubt could be entertained of the
legal completion of the crime. When asked what he had to
say, the prisoner replied—" 1 do not know what to say ; but
I hope you will be kind enough to take care of my three
children, as there is no one to take care of them. He was
committed to take his trial at the ensuing assizes.

ASSAULT ON A SEAMAN AT THE COAST OF AFRICA.—
Captain Lyons, of the ship Charlotte, of this port, appeared
before Messrs. Rushton arid Maxwell, on Saturday, having
been summoned by Thomas James Hall, to answer a charge
of assault. It appeared, that the Charlotte left Liverpool for
Bonny in January, 1839. Captain Lyons went with her as
trading captain, and a Captain Parke as sailing captain. The
complainant, Hall, went out in her as a seaman. In the
month of April, Captain Parke had a dispute with the de-
fendant, and was compelled in consequence to quit the vessel
and take refuge on board the Martha, a ship belonging to the
same owners as the Charlotte. The statement of the com-
plainant was to the following effect :—On the 10th of May,
the defendant was absent from the ship, visiting with some
other captains, on board the Majestic. The first mate of the
Charlotte, .Peter Crompton, directed Hall to clean some
muskets, which were part of the trading stock of the vessel.
He cleaned three of them, and then said he could not manage
to clean any other, as he was no soldier. The mate considered
this as a refusal of his duty, and he immediately took a boat
and went to Captain Lyons to inform him thereof. The de-
fendant returned with four other masters, with whom he
went into the cabin. Ile sent orders forward that Hall was
to be brought to him. At the door of the cabin We com-
plainant met th 3 captain and mate. He was ordered to ad-
vance into the cabin, but he hesitated. The mate pulled him
forward and told hint not to be afraid, and Captain Lyons the
next instant seized him by the collar with one hand and with
the other struck him on the left eye a blow which cut it open.
The complainant was then dragged on deck, and a set of
handcuffs were brought up. These were found to he too
small, but they were, nevertheless, screwed on, and the com-
plainant was put in a boat in charge of four Kroomen. He
was rowed ashore, and taken to a house, or hut, on the beach,
belonging to a trader. Here he was left seven nights and
days without being relieved from his handcuffs, the pressure
of which caused him to suffer great torment. li
perfectly helpless, and was compelled to call for the wasassistsaonoene
pressing
of the natives to enable him to supply his most
At length, a surgeon, who, it appeared,
w was ilenb Y the
employedw ashore,
happened to see him. His
re
were greatlyopring wants.
n swollen
pressure of the manacles, so that the surge ,alarmed by the
symptoms, went on board the Charlotte and remonstrated
him that unless the handcuffs
with the defendant, informing
were taken off the man would be in a state of considerable
danger. The defendant, on this, sent to Hall and had the
manacles removed from his wrists, but in their stead irons
were placed on his legs,and in this state he was left during
three days more. At length, through the intercession of the
surgeon' above alluded to, lie was unchained and taken on
board the Charlotte. The defendant asked him if he would
return to his duty, threatening him if he did not he would
send him over to Mr. Peter's side, where he would, perhaps,
never again be heard of, and where he would be stopped from
telling any tales. The complainant further stated, that after
he was retaken on board, he was confined to bed three days,
and that he subsequently had the brain-fever. Mr. Daven-
port, who appeared for the complainant, called Captain Parke,
the sailing captain, who gave Hall an excellent character.
Mr. Lowe, who attended on behalf of the defendant, called
Peter Crompton, the mate, who admitted that the captain
struck Hall at the entrance of the cabin. Mr. Davenport
did not cross-examine this witness as to the subsequent treat-
ment which Hall said lie had experienced, but produced a
written document, which Crompton admitted was in his
handwriting. It was a recommendation of Hall, given since
their arrival in port, and stating the character of the com-
plainant to be excellent. Mr. Rushton animadverted in
strong terms on the cruel conduct of the defendant. The
case, he said, was one of the worst he had ever heard of, and
was calculated to fill every bosom with indignation. The
magistrates had not power to inflict any punishment com-
mensurate with the offence, but they would not be doing
heir duty if they did not go to the extent of their power.
The defendant was ordered to pay £5, or in default of pay-
ment to be imprisoned two months.

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THE NEW TRANSATLANTIC STEAM-SHIP

" UNITED STATES."

This vessel, the largest steamer yet built at this port, and
intended for the New York line, will be launched, we learn, on
Saturday next, which, if the weather be tine, will doubtless be a
gala day at the yard of Messrs. Thomas Wilson and Co., the
builders, near the Battery, North Shore. Now that the
vessel is closed in, and awaits only the next high tide to be
placed upon her destined element, she is daily visited by
numbers of individuals, including many of the fair sex ; and
the interest excited to view her, induces us to assume that the
following particulars of her dimensions and construction
(which are for the most part additional to what has already
been published) will be acceptable to those of cur readers who
take an interest in the maritime improvement of the town :
Feet In.
Length from stem to stern over all
Length of keel
Breadth, including the paddle-boxes....
Breadth of the deck between the paddle-boxes. 38 0
Depth of hold from the upper deck..
Height between the decks respectively 7 6
Length of the principal Saloon, about 7O 0
Breadth of Saloon, including the adjoining bed-
rooms

Second, or fore Saloon, nearly of equal size,
Capacity for stowage beyond her coals, about.
Total adtneasurement

42 0

800 tons.
1400 tons.

The " United States" is admitted by all who have in-
spected her to be a beautifully modelled vessel, and in
materials and fastenings she is equalled by few, if any, of her
Majesty's ships, and certainly surpassed by none, whether
of the government or mercantile marine, of this first of
maritime countries. Her frame throughout is of the choicest
British "heart of oak." Her timbers from her keison to
her bilges are laid close together and interiously caulked so
that her bottom, to that extent, would be water-tight, even if
het planks were removed. Her pirboard stroke (of S-inch
plank) is bolted together through and throughout her kelson.
Her flooring timbers are all cogged, or done t gether,
and further secured by strong rods of iron driven through
them, fore and aft. Her bottom planks are of American
elm ; and such is the joint thickness of these and the tim-
bers that they form a solid mass of the best timber, of
eighteen inches in thickness. Her sides are proportionately
strong; and so bound together, that it would seem impos-
sible that she could be at all shaken by any casualty at sea.

Her bends are of African oak ; her upper planks of English
oak and fine red pine, which last is, between wind and water,
equal in durability to any other timber.

Interiorly the United States is fastened diagonally, in a
very superior manner. From the centre, at the sides, to
each extremity of the vessel, bands or straps of iron, of five
inches in breadth, and three-quarters of an inch thick, are
countersunk, diagonally, into the timbers, and bolted through
them, those forward inclining towards the stern, and those
aft towards the, bow.

Over these are diagonal wooden fastenings or riders, of
English oak, each nine inches by six in thickness, in a trans-
verse diagonal position, and also bolted through, so that both
form counteracting stays or binders, giving the vessel extra-
ordinary strength all over, and peculiarly fortifying her where
her engines will work. Her ceiling is also placed diagonally.
Her knees, chiefly of massy iron, arc fixed in the most ap-
proved manner. Her clamps, of African oak, are all screw-
bolted through the sides ; and between decks are hanging
knees, of iron, with strong stays, forming supporting brackets.
The fore and aft beams of the boiler hatch are of iron,—wood
being liable to become charred by the heat. In her upper-
works, interiorly, she is fairly studded with the ends of the
screw-bolts from her sides.

She has three decks, including the upper or spar-deck,
which last, while it will afford a fine level range for walking—
upwards of 230 feet in length—will, in tempestuous weather,
shelter the main deck, on which the passenger will find in
the space between the two cabins, " ample range and room
enough" to enjoy air and exercise.
The hold, now that she is clear fore and aft, presents a very
gratifying, we may add, magnificent specimen of the magni-
tude and perfection to which naval architecture has attained.
The frame-work, or bedding, laid down for the engines, is
an exceedingly massy piece of carpentry. It is composed of
immense balks of African oak, fixed on the vessel's bottom
longitudinally, and secured in their position by transverse
logs of pitch pine. The thickness of these balks or beams,
from the flooring of the ship, is no less than three feet ; yet
this great bulk and strength of material are, it appears,
required, to support and steady the engines.
The cabins are not fitted up. They will, we learn, be
finished in the first style, both as regards comfort and deco-
ration. The sleeping apartments under the main saloon will
he lighted by ten plate-glass windows on each side. Those
on each side the saloon will also be lighted and ventillated
from the sides, which have yet to be pierced for that purpose.
The front saloon will furnish almost equal accommodations.
The " United States" will be rigged, like " The Pretident,"
as a three-masted schooner, with fore-topmast and top-gal-
lant mast. She has a figure head of old Father Neptune
bearing his trident, and attended by sea nymphs,—all hand-
somely and classically carved. The stern and quarter gal-
leries are also enriched by various devices. Under the taff-
rail there are carved the Arms of England on one side, and
those of America on the other.

The engines will be of 420 horse power,—built by Me:ars.
Fawcett, Preston, and Co.

From our having supplied a somewhat " (lengthy" account
of the " President' in our last publication, we have in justice
to our townsmen, Messrs. Wilson, been induced to extend
this notice. We feel assured, however, that those who in-
spect " The United States," will readily admit, that in ex-
cellence of materials and fidelity of workmanship, she is
worthy of all the praise we have bestowed ; and that, when
fully equipped, she will be an honour to the town, and to the
enterprising company to whom she belongs.

..4
444

Vottrp.

TO PRINCE ALBERT.

(From the Cambridge Chronicle.)
The cliffs of England!—Know'st thou where
Their crested heights the sea-birds sweep ?
Know'st thou the cliffs which point 'mid air,
Like holy spires which Sabbath keep?
It is thine own adopted land !
The birthright of thy royal bride ;
The kingdom that awaits thy hand;—_ _

And for her sake, who crowns th'y sidet
True love for those white cliffs evipe
And British hearts will hail their Prince!!
It is a land whose fame hath rang
Where'er her " Christian gag" hath flown!
When Justice, Mercy, Freedom sprung
To grace her sword, and guard her throne?
A land that God designed to be
An ark on Persecution's tide
A home for sacred Liberty !
A haven midst the nations wide.
Oh, for that land thy love evince,
And British hearts shall bless their Prince!
A true descendant of that line
Which stood 'tween Luther and the brand,
Will fence, as with a shield divine,
The Christian altars of our land!
Guard England's honour, 'tis thine own !
And to a royal race impart
The noblest treasure of the throne
Is centred in a people's heart!!
Yes, love for Britain s weal evince,
And British hearts shall, bless their Prince!
And to thy queenly bride—yet more
May every day's affection prove
That brightest crowns fade dim before
A husband's living crown of love!
May Plenty breathe her joyous song,
In peasant cot, on village green,
And Love, than thousand armies strong !
Still shield our Albert and our Queen !
The cliffs of England !—Know'st thou where
Their crested heights the sea-birds sweep?
Know'st the cliffs that point 'mid air,
Like holy spires which Sabbath keep ?
Oh, love for those white cliffs evince,
And British hearts shall bless their Prince!

THE THIRD DEFEAT OF MINISTERS,

(From the Morning Herald of Friday.)

The Queen's respectable adviser; have been again
left in a minority—a minority of 28. The subject
was the notorious Newport and Monteagle job.
If these men were not the meanest and Most despi-
cable place-holders to whom the destinies of a great
nation ever were entrusted, the resignation would fol-
low, as a matter of course, from this signal and most
humiliating defeat. But Lord John Russell and his
worthy accomplices, rather than abandon office, will
brave defeat and discomfiture every night in the ses-
sion. The flaming " patriots" and " reformers" of
1831 have in 1840 subsided into the most obsequious
of palace toadies—the most reckless and profligate of
jobbers. They have contrived to render the name of
whip synomymous with all that is infamous and gro-
velling.
The job which was under discussion last night, is,
perhaps, the most atrocious of their innumerable of-
fences against public decency. The circumstances of
the case may he briefly stated.

Mr. Spring Rice proved, perhaps, the worst Chan-
Cellor of the Exchequer that ever was inflicted on this
country. He mismanaged everything entrusted to his
care. It became necessary, in fact, to his colleagues,
that he should he got rid of. They tried to secure his
return as Speaker of the House of Commons; hut,
as Mr. Leader stated last night, they met with little
encouragement in their project even from their habitual
supporters. They then bethought themselves of the
Comptrollership of the Exchequer; and that office they
finally contrived to secure for him.
Sir John Newport's appointment to the Comptrol-
lership of the Exchequer was a gross job. His retire-
ment was brought about by a job even more gross. By
a special act of Parliament the Comptroller of the Ex-
chequer is specially precluded from the enjoyment of a
pension, or of a retiring allowance—it being deemed
all -important that the individual filling that important
office should have nothing to hope from Government.
In defiance of this express statute, Sir John Newport
was bribed by a pension of £l,OOO a-year to resign the
CoMptrollership of the Exchequer in favour of Mr.
Spring Rice.
And from what source was this pension supplied ?
There is a fund of £1,200 a-year placed at the disposal
of the Sovereign, for the relief of men eminent in
science, in literature, and in art, to whom fortune may
not have been propitious. Of this sum of £l,2oo—a
sum sacred to genius and to misfortune—the present
occupants of office were not ashamed to appropriate
£l,OOO a-year to the purpose of bribing Sir John New-
port to resign his oflice in favour of Mr. Spring Rice.
Can any portion of the public hesitate to pronounce
men capable of jobbing so profligate to be utterly unfit
to administer public affairs ?

The defeat of last night constitutes the third defeat
which the Queen's high-minded Ministers have al-
ready sustained in the present session. "We have
shown fight," exclaimed Lord Morpeth. " Yes," re-
joined Sir James Graham, " and you have shown
yourselves gluttons of punishment."