The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-01-11 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD, TUESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1853.

OURRENDER OF A MIIRDERER.—At Staleybridge, near
Manchester, a man named Robert Thorneley, a muffin
and crumpet dealer, has delivered himself up to the police
as having been implicated in the alleged murder, in 1847,
of James Brooks, of Godley, near Hyde, by putting arse-
nic in his food.

MRS. HARRIET BEECHER STOWE.—The Boston (U.S.)
Traveller learns, from good authority. that Mrs. Harriet
Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom's Cabin, is about to
visit Great Britain, with her husband. She has lately re-
ceived a letter from Dr. Wardlaw, tendering her, in behalf
of a number of ladies and gentlemen of Glasgow, an invi-
tation to visit England at their expense. This invitation
she has accepted, and she will soon leave for Liverpool.
THE STEAM-TUG INDEPENDENCE rendered herself con-
spicuous during the recent gales, both as to the alertness
with which she put to sea, and the good services she ren-
dered to vessels is distress. She was mainly instrumental
in saving no less than seven vessels ' • amongst them the
Margaret and Elizabeth, which, but for the assistance of
the steamer, would have gone to pieces, with the loss of a
cargo worth £40,000.

GAROTTE ROBBERY IN SPITALFIELDS.—On Saturday
a man named Andrew Hill, and a woman named Jane Russell,
were committed for three months fora garrotterobbery on a
seaman named Clarke. On quitting a public house in the
neighbourhood Clarke was attacked by the prisoners. Hill
held Clarke tightly by the neck, and the woman rifled
his pockets. Upwards of £2 altogether was taken from
12shim., and when the thieves were subsequentl appehended,
nd. was found upon the man, and Bsy r . 2d. upon the
woman.

SUNDAY TRADING BY CONFECTIONERS.—OG Friday
last, a person named John Murray, who keeps a confec-
tioner's shop in St. James's-street, was summoned to
answer a complaint of Sunday-trading. After the hear-
ing of the case, in the course of which the defendant said
that, although it was the rule of the trade for confectioners
to open their shops on Sundays, he disliked the practice,
and had applied to the late Mr. Rushton to do away with
it. Mr. Mansfield dismissed the charge, remarking :
" I am not aware that the law would justify confectioners
more than any other tradesmen keeping open their shops
on Sunday. However, I shall not begin the practice of
fining in such cases."

NEW DEPUTY-LIEUTENANTS AND MAGISTRATES.—
The following gentlemen were sworn in to serve as deputy
lieutenants of the county of Lancaster, at the Lancaster
sessions on Monday last :—R. Bryant Smith, Esq.,
Lydiate, Maghull ; John Butler Bowden, Esq., Pleasing-
ton-hall, Blackburn ; J. T. W. Aspinall, Esq., Standen..
hall, Clitheroo ; and T. Hordern Whittaker, Esq. The
following gentlemen also took the oaths as magistrates :
Joseph Fenton, Esq., Bamford-hill, Rochdale ; J. Ains-
worth Cooke, Esq., Townhead-house, Rochdale ; Albert
Hudson Royds, Esq., Brown-hall, Rochdale ; and John
Job Rawliason, Esq., Duddon-hall, Broughton-in-Fur-
ness.

PERJURY AT THE COUNTY COURT.—On Thursday
last, when giving the verdict in a case tried in the County
Court, in which James Morris, flag merchant, was the
Plaintiff, and David Parry, stone mason, the defendant,
his Honour expressed himself in severe terms upon the
evidence of the defendant, remarking—" I believe you to
have committed the grossest perjury ever committed in
this court. I greatly regret not being able to prove it by
two witnesses. If I could do so, I would have sent you
for trial at the assizes. Unfortunately, you escape in the
present instance. Leave the court. If Iga ve way to my
feeling of the infamy of the proceeding, I would order
you to be committed for contempt of court ; but I will
not seek a punishment for perjury in a committal for
another offence."

THE NEW STEAM FLEET FROM LIVERPOOL TO THE
BRAZILS, now building by the Liverpool South American
and General Steam Navigation Company, will, for the
present, consist of three screw vessels, together with a
smaller but very fast paddle steamer, for the intermediate
traffic between Monte Video and Buenos Ayres. Thefirat
vessel will take her departure in May next.

WEST DERBY BOARD.—The usual weekly meeting of
the guardians was held on Wednesday, the Rev. W.
Badnall in the chair. A committee of five members was
appointed to investigate a complaint against Mr. Slain,
the relieving officer of Kirby, for refusing to supply the
medical officer. The salary of the assistant matron was
increased to £25 a-year. Mr. Woods was appointed de-
puty-master of the Workhouse, at 255. a week,

NONCONFORMITY.—The first of the winter course of
lectures in connexion with the Sunday-School Institute
was delivered on Tuesday evening, in the Concert-hall,
Lord Nelson-street, by the Rev. Geo. Smith, of London.
Subject : " Rise of Nonconformity." During the lecture,
Mr. Smith hazarded the assertion that " the proximity
of the Church of England to that of Rome was the reason
of the separation of a number of good men from the
Church " ! !

THE SUFFERERS BY THE EXPLOSION OF THE LILY.—
We are glad to find that an energetic effort is being made
in Liverpool to render some assistance to the sufferers by
this awful calamity. A committee has been formed, and
contributions amounting to nearly £3OO have already been
made. On New Year's Day the Rev. Dr. Carpenter,
late of St. Barnabas Church, Douglas, and of St. Jude's,
in this town, made an appeal to his congregation, at Man-
chester, in behalf of the sufferers, and received £6l ss.

ROYAL MERSEY YACEIT CLUB.—The first meeting of
the new year was held on Tuesday evening last, at the
Club-house, Duke-street. In the absence of the commo-
dore, Thomas Littledale, Esq., the chair was taken by the
treasurer. H. F.Rigge,Esq.,ofNewby-bridge,Milnthorpe,
was elected a member, on the proposition of F. D. P.
Astley. Esq., of the same place. After business matters had
terminated, a discussion on the merits and defects of the
' :h were tested lately by the Admiralty

various anchors whic

at Sheernes

ELECTION OF COUNTY CORONER.—The election for a
coroner to act in the Preston district, in the room of the
late coroner, deceased, took place last week. The candi-
dates were Mr. James Hayes, deputy to the late coroner,
and Mr. Miles Myers, solicitor, of Preston. The nomi-
nation took place on Tuesday, at the Court-house. The
polling commenced at noon that day, and continued until
two o'clock on Thursday, when Mr. Hayes retired.—
State of the poll at the close :—Myers, 2,030; Hayes,
1,439 ; majority for Mr. Myers, 591. Great excitement
prevailed in Preston during the three days.

DANGEROUS AND FOOLISH FROLIC WITH AN ELE-
PHANT.—On 'Wednesday a female visitor to Wombvvell's
menagerie, now exhibiting in the Old Haymarket, whilst
offering one of the elephants some cakes she held in one
hand, struck him sharply with the other. The animal
became infuriated, and plunged forward against the bar-
rier between him and his tormentor, but the massive
solidity of the den saved the woman from the revenge no
doubt contemplated. His efforts to release himself from
confinement were prodigious, though unavailing. The
woman was immediately expelled ; but, although the ob-
ject of his wrath was gone, it was many hours before his
keepers (who acted with great firmness) could subdue the
anger into which he had lashed himself.

BELFAST AND WEST OF IRELAND RAILWAY.—A.
company has been established under very influential pa-
tronage, for the extension of railway communication to
the west of Ireland, by making a line from the city of
Armagh to the town of Clones, county Monaghan. By
this means Belfast will be bronght into communication
with most of the towns in the west of Ireland. Particulars
will be found in our advertising columns.
TESTIMONIAL TO DR. GUSTAVUS M. BURTON.—The
annual congregational tea party was held in the All Saints'
School-room, Manchester, on Monday evening, when
upwards of 300 persons were assembled. Among the
clergymen present were the Revs. Dr. Burton, Dr. Car-
penter, Doyle, Pocklington, Baldwin, Ripley, C. H.
Burton, of Liverpool, and Marchington, of Bury. There
were also present Messrs. Crampton, Armistead. Sparks,
Gatenby, and Helsham, the latter being the medical gen-
tleman who succeeds Dr. G. M. Burton in his practice
here. The Rev. Dr. Burton having opened the meeting,
Mr. James Atkinson, the senior conductor, rose to ex-
press the regret which the friends of Dr. G. M. Burton
experienced in losing one with whom they had been so
long intimately associated. After expressing the most
kind sentiments and best wishes for his success in the
ministry of Christ's church, he concluded by reading the
address, which expressed their bestwishesfor Dr. Burton's
happiness, on his exchanging the medical for the clerical
profession, and Mr. Atkinson then presented 12 volumes
of valuable works, in the name of the subscribers. Dr.
G. M. Burton responded in a most earnest and affectionate
manner to the address of his friends; and after appro-
priate addresses from the Rev. Dr. Carpenter, Rev. C. H.
Burton, Mr. Kirk, and the Rev. W. Doyle, the meeting
terminated, amid the general satisfaction and congratula-
tions of the assemblage.—Manchester Guardian.—[Dr.
Burton is brother of the Rev. C. H. Burton, of St. Phi-
lip's,
in this fown, and son of the Rev. Dr. Burton, of
Manchester.]

HYDROPHOBIA.—The Plymouth Herald
Admiral Tremlett has in his possession a powder, a cer.
tain cure for hydrophobia, and quotes a letter from an
Irish clergyman, one of who parishioners has just been
cured by it ; and is authorised by Admiral Tremlett to
state that he has still a supply of the powder, and that
he:will send it to any one who may require it.
HORRIBLE DEATH.—Mrs. Ann May,"aged 30, residing
at 84, Union-street, Kennington-road, London, who was
far advanced in pregnancy, was on Tuesday last alone in
a room of her house, when the neighbours were alarmed
by hearing loud shrieks proceeding from where she was.
On hastening to the spot she was found to be enveloped
in flames. She was removed to St. Thomas's Hospital,
where she gradually sank, and expired in the most excru-
ciating agony the same evening. It is supposed that de-
ceased was passing the fire, when her clothes became
ignited, but there was no witness of the fact.
DR. CUMMING.—The London correspondent of the
Oxford Herald says—" It is rumoured that Dr. Cum-
ming, of the Scotch Kirk, is likely to receive some signal
mark of favour from the new government. Lord Aber-
deen being a Scotch Presbyterian, and Lord John Russell
an ardent admirer of the doctor, such an occurrence could
not certainly excite much surprise. The idea of giving
him an English bishopric, absurd though it may at first
thought appear, is not deemed very improbable, coalition
being the order of the day ; and more especially as it is
known that Dr. Cumming has shown an inclination ever
and anon to coalesce with the English Church, provided
it could be arranged in a spirit of conciliation and mutual
forbearance. He would of course have first to be ad-
mitted to Holy Orders in the Church—for Presbyterian
ordination unfortunately goes for nothing in the Catholic
Church. The idea is said to be favourably entertained in
the highest quarter ; and there are dignitaries in the estab-
lishment, it is thought, who would be but too glad to give
their aid in carrying it into effect."

rtes a

WHIG PORTRAIT OF THE EARL OF ABERDEEN.—
Among his colleagues, the Earl of Aberdeen stands dis-
tinguished (bold as the assertion may seem to appear)
for that union of feebleness with presumption—of in.

capacity in every other man's eyes, with all-sufficiency in
his own—which constitutes the ridiculous in his character.
It is from such originals that the pencil of Cervantes drew
the Baratarian government of Sancho Panza, that of
Sheridan his Lord Burleigh, and of Swift his Gulliver
drawing upon the King of Brobignag. Mankind have
yet to learn one single ground upon which this lord should
affect to bold any other given lord cheap ; and yet he
never opens his mouth but to try some clumsy sneer. He
is supposed to have studied under Mr. Pitt, who had sonic
right to indulge in such supercilious demeanour. The
Hindoos have an apologue of a dwarf who used to keep
company with a giant, and seeing him always look down
upon the crowd, got the habit of looking down when he
saw men whose middles he could just reach standing upon
tiptoe.—Edinburgh Review.

I THE DOCK COMMIT

1%1_1) THE CONTRACT

SYSTEM

A special meeting of the committee was held on Satur-
day, to take into consideration the veto passed by the
Council, on the previous Wednesday, upon the resolution
of the Dock Committee, with respect to Messrs. Baker
and Son's (of London) contract for the Wapping Docks;
which, it will be remembered, was declined, and the ex-
ecution of the work entrusted to the Messrs. Hartley.
.

ssion was opened by

N x cox., who contended that no statements or argu-
,ents had been adduced at the meeting of the Council
o justify the strong measures which had been adopted,
`he committee must be aware that, from the c;
+l,e works had been executed by the eng.
Within the last few years, however, the
amen sent from the Council had recommended the p.
ting the works up to public competition, for the purpos,
of affording other tradesmen an opportunity of competing
with the surveyor. lie had acceded to this wish ; but,
so far as his own opinion was concerned, it was not a
question merely between other contractors and their own
surveyor, but it was a case in which they were bound to
do what was best for the Dock Trust and the accommo-
dation of the trade of the port. There was a ner•-
for having absolute security for the dock

the Trust

from the experience they had had Ofthe-Joanne
Mr. Hartley had always executed his work, tl

mmence-
r of

ks
In which

ly supposed it

suppose it could be done better ; they o►
might be done cheaper. Mr. Nicol denied that Mr.
Hartley had handed in his statement after the committee
of works had gone over the other tenders ; it
the table simultaneously with the others,
veyor had no means of ascertaining what prices
offered other than his own. The offensive express.,
which had been used in the Council Mr. Nicol thought
beneath notice. He concluded by moving :—" That the
committee do not see any reason for altering, and, there-
fore, hereby re-affirm their resolution of the 16th of De-
cember last, being of opinion not only that it was fully
warranted by the circumstances of the case, but that,
under the circumstances, no other resolution would have
consisted with their obvious duty to provide that all dock
works should be executed in the most efficient manner,
and at the least cost."

and the

had been

Mr. EYRE EVANS seconded the resolution
Mr. ROBINSON and Mr. SFIAND .de'
mittee, the latter stating, in reply to a question, that the
difference between Mr. Hartley's estimate of £223,000
and £212,000, was the contractor's ten per cent. profit.
Mr. BIGFIAM, with some warmth, rebutted, what he
considered to be imputations cast by Mr. Nicol upon
certain members of the council, who were quite equal, in
business aptitude, to any gentleman sitting at that board.
He (Mr. Bighorn) maintained that the prosperity of the
docks was even more a subject of interest to the trades-
men of the town than to the shipowners. The

fended the com

two strong motives for the course which they had pur-
sued,—first, because an injustice had been done to the
Messrs. Baker; and, in the next place, because they were
convinced that it was better for the works to be done by
contract. He had no doubt that the committee had made
use of the brains of the contractors who had sent in their
tenders; and the Messrs. Baker must consider that the
committee had acted disgracefully and dishonestly as a
public body. He would suggest, therefore, that an
acknowledgment be made, on the part of the committee,
of their having inadvertently led the Messrs. Baker to
believe that the lowest tender would be accepted, and in-
advertently led them to suppose that they intended to do
the work by public contract, when they meant to do it by
their own surveyor.

Mr. STEELE referred to a resolution of the committee
previous to the 16th December, to the effect that all the
works should be let by contract, the tendercrs being in-
vited either by circular or by advertisement, as the com-
mittee thought fit ; and it was on this account that he had
thought proper to oppose the work being given to Mr.
Hartley.