The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-05-09 00:00:00

FlRE.—About half-past two o'clock on Sunday after-
noon a fire was discovered on the premises of Mr. Demp-
ster, ship bread baker, at the corner of North John-street.
It originated in the bakehouse, but from what cause is
unknown. The West of England Brigade with two
branches were soon in play, also four other branches be-
longing to the Fire Police. The fire was soon extinguished.
The stock is insured in the Scottish Union. The damage
will be trifling.
TIrE ROYAL MERSEY YACHT CLUB held a meeting at
the Marine Station of the Club, on Tuesday, and after-
wards dined together. In the course of the evening it
was arranged that the opening cruise for the yachts to
sail in company under the flag of the commodore should
take place on Wednesday, the 24th instant, (her Majesty's
birthday), the yachts to assemble off the Marine Station
at ten a.m. It is proposed for the large yachts to proceed
on to Kingstown, weather permitting. The challenge cup
is proposed to be re-sailed for on Saturday, the Bth July.
EMBEZZLEMENT.-At the Manchester Police-court, on
Thursday, James Pownall, a salesman and collector in the
employment of Mr. William Dossa Whitehead, fent dealer,
Spring-gardens, Manchester, was charged with embez-
zling various sums of money, amounting to about £2,000,
There were a good many cases against the prisoner, but
witnesses were only called in five of them. These wit-
nesses proved that money had been paid to the prisoner
on account of his employer, and the son of the latter stated
that Pownall had not accounted for them. He was com-
mitted for trial.

WAR MOVEMENTS IN LIVERPOOL.—Her Majesty's
steamer Prometheus, five guns, 200 horse-power, Capt. E.
R. Rice, arrived at this port on Tuesday from the coast of
Scotland, where she has been picking up'naval volunteers.
Her object here is also to obtain volunteers. Shortly before
seven o'clock on Wednesday morning, the Cunard steamer
Niagara, Capt. Leitch, arrived here from Constantinople,
which city she left on the 20th ult. The Niagara brought
home 90 invalids. On the same morning 386 men, 15
officers, 65 women, and 45 children, belonging to the 46th
regiment, arrived in the Mersey from Cork in the steamer
Nimrod. They were immediately despatched to Woolwich,
via" the London and Northwestern railway. Within the
last few days five transports, the Asia, Glendalough, War
Cloud, Panola, and Tyrone, forming the " Dublin division,"
have sailed hence for Kingstown, where they will embark
the 11th hussars, Lord Cardigan's regiment. The Tyrone
sailed on -Wednesday. The new screw-steamer Bahiaua,
1;700 tons, 300-horse power, belonging to the South
American and General Steam Navigation Company has,
we understand, been surveyed by the government officers
to ascertain her fitness as a steam transport.

THE STEAM-SHIP GREAT BRITAIN.—The mails which
were taken on board the Great Britain previous to her
leaving the port, were lauded again on Tuesday evening,
and transmitted to London to be despatched by the over-
land mail. The cargo is being discharged, in order that
the ship may be docked for repairs, and it is expected that
she will be ready again for sea by the 10th of June. The
following notice to the passengers has been issued by
Messrs. Gibbs, Bright, and Co., the owners : —" In addition
to the communication which we have already made to the
passengers by the • Great Britain, coming under the act
of parliament, that we will give them 30s. per head, or, if
they prefer, that berths shall be found them in our ship
Bloomer, sailing this month. We now beg to state that
those to whom neither of the above proposals are satisfac-
tory, one-half of the passage-money will be returned at
once, and should they wish hereafter to go by the Great
Britain, they will be provided with berths, if there be any
to let at the time of their application, on their repaying the
half now returned to them." They also offer to pay the
railway fares home and back to Liverpool, for such of the
passengers as wish to spend the intervening time with
their friends. The passengers, almost without exception,
prefer waiting for the Great Britain. Messrs. Gibbs,
Bright, and Co., have also offered to shippers to deliver
them the cargo they have shipped, on condition of its being
replacedby a sinailar quantity when the v essel is ready for sea.
THE AZTECS.—These curious little strangers are indeed
a source of wonder to the beholder. Perfect manikins in
point of stature, they are not dwarfs, but on the contrary
are well formed. They are lively—almost careless in their
demeanour sportive and docile in a remarkable and
pleasing degree ; and they are animated by a certain
amount of intelligence. The presumed ages of these little
people are—the boy 17 years, and the girl 11 years. The
boy is 34 inches and six lines high, and the girl 30 inches
and nine lines ; the former weighing 23 lbs., and the latter
211 lbs. The children have deep olive complexions, long
black curly hair, and black—and in the girl particularly—
soft eyes. They have caught a little English, of which
they can speak a few imperfect words ; and they appear to
understand what is said to them. They have enjoyed
good health since they came into the care of the parties
who now have charge of them (1853), and have changed
but little in their stature, the boy having grown about
half-an-inch taller, and the girl an inch. The complexion
of the girl is considerably more Ethiopian than that of
the boy, and from the slightly woolly texture of her hair,
one would almost be led to suspect a slight dash of the
negro blood to circulate in her tiny veins. There is a
strong Jewish cast in tlaAr countenances ; but at the same
time the features strik ly resemble the ancient sculp-
tures found plentifully in central America. We must not
omit to state, as evidence of the kindness and liberality of
Mr. Morris, that on Friday the school children in con-
nexion with Dr. M'isTeile's church were admitted gratis to
see these little creatures : and that Mr. Morris very hand-
somely offers the same privilege to any other school, of
whatever denomination, on the committee making written
application to him.
HEALTH COMMITTEE.—At the weekly meeting on
Thursday, tenders from the following parties for horseing
the water carts were accepted :—For West Derby, Kirk-
dale and Everton, Nathan Ellison ; Liverpool (north and
smith divisions,) Richard Pickering.—Mr. Bigham wished
to mention a matter which came before the Dock Com-
mittee. Mr. Hartley complained that the Health Com-
mittee had charged the Dock Committee £620 for what he
could do for £l5O. The statement was so startling, that he
was determined to inquire into it. He had consulted the
borough engineer, who supplied him with a statement
showing that the work done cost £620 13s 5d., and that it
was for square-setting in Mersey-street. It appeared that
Mr. Hartley had formed his estimate of £l5O upon boulder
Pavement. The square sets cost 4s 6d a yard, while the
boulder pavement could be done for is 8d to is 10d. The
engineer said there was a statement by Mr. Hartley him-
self, showing that the estimate by Mr. Abraham, the con-
tractor, for doing the work with boulder, would cost up-
wards of £3oo.—At the request of the chairman Mr. Big-
ham undertook to explain the matter at the Dock Com-
mittee.—Mr. Bigham directed attention to another matter.
It was of the greatest importance to merchants, shippers,
and others, that cartowners, and those who employed them,
should have facilities for measuring the cart lengths. By
the present maps these facilities were given to a certain I
distance north, but since the erection of the new docks
those maps were insufficient for the purpose. It had been
suggested to have a map which he understood by a new
process could be got up so as to be sold at sixpence each,
and the sale would be sufficient to cover the expenses. He
had been spoken to by the Old Quay Company and other
bodies on the subject. It was understood that the sugges-
tion would be brought under consideration.
WEST DERBY GUARDIANS.—The weekly meeting was
held at the workhouse, Mill-lane, Everton, on Wednesday.
The Rev. W. Badnall presided. The balance in the trea-
surer's hands was stated to be £857 3s. On the motion of
Mr. Abrahams, Mr. Capes, bookkeeper at the hospital, was
requested to resign his situation, being incompetent to
fulfil the duties required. Mr. Allen, relieving-officer, ten-
dered the British Guarantee Society as his security, in the
room of a surety recently deceased, which was accepted by
the board. The number of inmates in the workhouse was
reported to be 601, against 700 in the corresponding week
of last year, and in the hospital 52 against 30 for the same
period.—Mr. Kirkus, in drawing attention to the tempo-
rary absence of the porter from his duties on the 13th of
April, said it was reported that one of the members for
Everton was so drunk that day that the porter had to
take him home. (Laughter and uproar.)—Mr. M`Gree
(indignantly) : That man, gentlemen (looking at Mr.
Kirkus), is one of the greatest liars that ever walked.
(Uproar.)—After a noisy discussion the porter (Bamber)
was called, and, in answer to the chairman, he stated that
on the day named he did walk home with Mr. McGee.
" I believe," he said, " he was tipsy ; but he was capable
of going home."—The Chairman : Then there was no
necessity for going home with him ? Bamber : I cannot
speak as to the necessity. (Roars of laughter.)—The
Chairman : If a gentleman is tipsy and able to go home
himself, why go with him ?—Mr. Alpass : He (Bamber)
understands the distinction, and he has put it very well.—
Mr. Kirkus • The answer is very satisfactory to my mind.
Mr. Lunt : Where was the drink obtained from ? (Laugh-
ter and confusion.) Was it obtained in the Workhouse.
or did he (Mr. McGee) come in that state ? (Renewed
laughter.) Mr. McGee : I was a little touched when I
went in. (Here the greater number of the guardians were
almost convulsed with laughter.)—The Chairman : I like
honesty. The confusion was here at its height, in the
midst of which Mr. M`Gree was understood to exclaim—
" And I tell you another thing; I think I may say I have
seen you (the chairman) in the same state."—Mr. Cleaver
drew attention to a notice of motion, proposed by Mr.
Ledger, to the effect that the clerk be directed to furnish
a statement of the names of the guardians who represented,
or attempted to represent, a plurality of townships in any
of the years from 1849 to 1854 inclusive, whether for a
few days, weeks, or months only, or the whole of the
parochial year, with the names of the townships.—Mr.
Edwards said Mr. Ledger was ill, and moved that the
motion be deferred for a week. Mr. McGee : I second
that; they have no right to take advantage of a man
lying on a sick bed.—Mr. Shaw said he would press the
motion to a vote. Having broken no law and violated no
principle, whilst be admitted the right of other parties to
judge his public conduct, he claimed the same right to
judge their conduct. Mr. Ledger, when in office, had not
acted on principle, and when he went out of office as
'honorary overseer the auditor had to make an order upon
him to restore what he had taken away. (Order, order !)
_Mr. Shaw (pointing to Mr. Edwards) : There is his worthy
colleague sitting at the table. Some disorder ensued,
and, amidst cries of " Vote, vote," the motion was put,
and lost by a large majority.--It was resolved that the
petition for the closing of public-house and beerhouses on
the Sabbath should be sent to Mr. W. Brown for presen-
tation to the House of Commons, after which the board
adjourned.
WIGAN VIBITATION.—On Wednesday the Ven. Arch-
deacon Brooks visited the Wigan parish church, to admit
to office the churchwardens of the various churches in the
parish who were elected on Easter Tuesday. The charge
which the Archdeacon read on the occasion, contained
much reference to the present state of the law on the sub-
ject of church-rates, and an account of the progress of the
well-known Braintree case. Immediately after the pro-
ceedings terminated, the Archdeacon, accompanied by his
secretary, left for Warrington, to make his visitation
there. The churchwardens and sidesmen partook of a
cold colation at the Victoria Hotel. The Hon. Colin Lind-
say, senior churchwarden presided, and Mr. Churchwarden
Dean occupied the vice-chair.—ln responding to the
health of the churchwardens, the Chairman spoke at some
length on the church-rate question, which is now agitating
the parish. He stated that on that day he and his col-
league had presented to the Archdeacon, as the Bishop's
representative, no fewer than 600 persons as church rate
defaulters ; and they had done this in order that they
might have power to sue for the arrears in the Ecclesiasti-
cal Courts, if such a course were rendered necessary by the
validity of the rate being disputed. The last church-rate
in this parish was laid about ten days before the House of
Lords decided the Braintree case, and therefore the church-
wardens were safe for twelve months ; but another would
soon after be laid.,