The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1849-10-30 00:00:00

Eistrirt pelvs.

The formation of penny banks is in contemplation in
Manchester. _

The Church of Nerquis, near Mold, has been broken
into, and several of the parish books, about 335. in silver,
and an old silver cup and lid, with the letters " E. H."
on each side of the cup, were stolen from the, chest.
The Morning Chronicle has despatched a " commis-
sioner" to the manufacturing districts, who has com-
menced his labours at Manchester, and written an account
of his visits to various mills.
TRUE TO THEIR BIBLE—THE LEDGER.—The directors
of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce have unani-
mously agreed upuu a wewurial W Iltu Luids of Liae
sury, in support of the changes proposed to be introduced
into the post-office regulations !
FREEMASONRY.—The Rev. Gilmour Robinson, Pro-
vincial Grand Chaplain, has been nominated Right Wor-
shipful Deputy Provincial Grand Master for the western
division of the county of Lancaster, vice John Drinkwater,
Esq., resigned through ill health.
Wednesday was a day of fasting in Manchester, and was
very becomingly observed. The cathedral and churches
were literally crammed. At Chester, Neston, &c., a day
has been similarly set apart and observed with equal pro-
priety.
Whilst Mr. Trafford, stipendiary magistrate at the
Salford borough court, was hearing a disputed case of
wages on Thursday, he received a letter stating that if he
gave judgment against the defendant he would be shot.
He however did not shrink from deciding upon the case.
About a year ago a cotton-mill in Angel-meadow, Man-
chester, was burnt down ; the bare walls remained. Early
on Sunday morning a high wind blew down the end of one.
of the walls, and it fell upon an adjacent house in a
wretched court, crushing the tenement. About twenty
persons were in bed at the time; but, though covered
with the ruins, not one was killed, five were cut and
bruised, and that was all.
The inhabitants of Wigan have presented John Lord,
Esq., seven times mayor of that borough, with a magnifi-
cent silver epergne, valued at fifty guineas, as a mark of
esteem and as a testimonial of his public services. The
epergne was designed and made by Mr. Mayer, of this
town, and is of most elegant and elaborate workmanship,
having a richly moulded pedestal, from which spring six
ornamental branches, the receptacles for fruit and flowers
being composed of richly cut glass.
FATAL ACCIDENT.—On Monday, the 22d instant, when
the hounds of Sir W. W. Wynn, Bart., were hunting,
the fox took to the river, and the whipper-in (Mr. James
Shaw) who with his horse plunged into the river Dee,
near Nant-y-bellan Tower, at New Bridge, for the pur-
pose of crossing, the hounds being then in full cry, was
drowned. The horse jumped upon a large stone, and fell
over into a very deep part of the river, throwing the rider.
The body was soon after recovered.
A SALT SPRING IN A COAL MINE.—The miners em-
ployed in sinking down to the Arley Mine, at what is
commonly called the Patricroft Colliery, Ince, have cut
through a white stone rock of fifteen yards thick, in the
centre of which, at 410 yards from the surface, they found
a spring of salt water, which, according to their account,
yields about 20 gallons per hour. The water is clear and
bright, and on a temporary analyzation is found to con-
tain about 14 grains troy of the different kinds of salts to
one ounce of water. It now remains a question as to how
. far this excellent alkaline spring might be rendered avail-
able for baths, &c. Below this rock the miners cut
through various metals for about 15 yards, when they
came to the mine, which is four feet six inches thick,
exclusive of what is called the " buzzard" coal on the
top. The miners bare frequently found salt water in the
mines at Ince; but we believe that this is the first dis-
covery of the source from whence it emanated.
TIIE BOLTON CLAIRVOYANT AND SIR JOHN FRANK-
LIN.—The Manchester Guardian of Wednesday, publishes
a revelation which the Bolton clairvoyant professes to have
had, on the 16th ult. She states that, while lying in the
mesmeric state at Bolton, on that day, she had another
interview with Sir John Franklin and Sir James Ross in
the polar regions. It was after tea with the clairvoyant.
On recovering from the mesmeric condition she related
what she had seen and heard. She said she had had some
refreshment with Sir John Franklin, who had his provi-
sions in thick tin boxes. He had also some hard meat in
a big tub. Sir John, she said, would be out of the ice in
less than nine months ; that it was ten minutes past eleven
by Sir John's time; and a quarter past ten—a good while
[less than an hour] after Sir James Ross's time ; that she
went a good way further than Sir James Rosa, where it
was very dark, and the stars went round and did not twin-
kle, but she was sure it was quite ridiculous to attempt to
find a road for ships over there; that she found Sir John
in a house, made of large blocks of ice, about nine yards
from the ship ; that Sir John had been a great way over
the country, but had returned to his ships ; that Sir John
Franklin had seen the natives, but' not Sir James Ross ;
and that there were two ships on their way home which
would bring good news.
BEERSHOPS AND CRIME.—In the annual report of the
Chaplain of Chester Castle, we find the following state-
ment, which, corroborated as it can be by the experience
of every magistrate in the country, ought to command
immediate
reform attention of government, and lead to an
reform :—" In my former reports I have stated that I
consider the chief and immediate cause of crime to be
drunkenness—not the want of employment. Very few, I
feel convinced, are driven to crime by destitution. I have
long felt it my bounden duty, as a Christian minister,
solemnly to protest against the profanation of the Sabbath
Day, and my experiences in the Castle strengthen those
impressions. By admitting of public-hours being opened,
even after morning and afternoon services of. the day,
great temptations are held out to the labouring classes,
and more crime is committed and concocted than on any
other day in the week. If all other shops are compelled
by law to be closed on this day, why not compel the pub-
lican to keep his house closed as well ? For it is in the
beer-shop where most of the crimes are planned. Ido
earnestly hope that a bold and solemn protest will be
entered into against this awful crime, and with the help of
God, we shall soon find an act in full operation to cause
all ale-houses and jerry-shops to be closed entirely on the
Lord's Day; for not until then can we expect any dimi-
nution of crime in this our highly favoured country."

THE
gigrfruiturat anb 30ortiruitural

C 0 I. U M N:

The hyacinth is deservedly popular amongst those lovers
of flowers who, living in town, are limited to window gar-
dening ; and doubtless it furnishes a large amount of
pleasure, from the first moment its white rootlets begin
to shew themselves in the water, until the richly-scented
blossoms display their brilliant colours. But although
the practice of placing the bulbs in glasses is most gene-
ral, it is not the best if fine blooms are required. The
better mode of bringing them to perfection is to plant
them in long cylindrical earthenware pots,. which are
made for the purpose, and are obtainable at the nurseries
and seed-sheps. In these pots the bulbs are planted in
soil, and upon the nature of the soil much of the success
depends. This too is best obtained at the nurseries,
where sixpence or a shilling will purchase an abundant
stock for the window-gardener, who has very rarely the
opportunities for forming the necessary compost. In
planting them in the pots the bulb should not be entirely
covered, and water should be very sparingly given until
the leaves have made some progress. They are much
the better for being plunged (with the pots), immediately
they are planted, in rotted bark or any other plunging
material; but tan, and such like things, are not to be had
in a town house ; however, an admirable substitute will
be found in the half-decayed sawdust of the wine-cellar,
in which place they might be kept plunged until the shoot
is an inch-and-a-half or two inches in length ; they should
then be removed from the sawdust, and gradually brought
into daylight. This little extra trouble will well repay
the grower, provid'd he has been careful to select good
bulbs. This is of more importance than is generally
imagined, because an enormous number of indifferent
bulbs are annually imported from the Continent, and
ticketed with fine names. The only way to guard against
imposition is to trust a respectable seedsman, and not try
to obtain good bulbs at half their value. In buying bulbs
pay most particular attention to their soundness, as the
slightest tendency to softness or decay will often insure
the destruction of the root. When fairly started on their
growth, a small quantity of weak liquid manure, such as
guano and water, at the rate of two ounces to the gallon,
may be given from time to time. We never recollect
seeing a finer assortment of hyacinths than those im-
ported this year.
_ _

Several other bulbs may be cultivated in the same way,
such as jonquils, narcissuses, and early or Van Thol tulips.
Thus the town florist may adorn his window with gay and
lovely flowers at an early season of the year.