The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-01-02 00:00:00

GLASGOW, PAISLEY, 04c. RAILWAY.

The first general meeting of the sharelaildetii in the
wow, Paisley, kiltnarricckoind Ayr Railway Company was held
On Wednesday, the Kith Decemherlast at the Black Bull Inn,
in Glasgow, when the report of,the Directors was read.
The Directors, after commenting on the difficuities vri'h
which theY lied 4wcontend in getting the act passed for the in-
corporation of the ceMpany, called the attention of the share-
holders to three points. The first of Chase was thearrangements
entered into withlhe Glasgow, Paisley, -and Greenock coin-,
pithy. by which one-half of the expense (estimated at 1:140,000.1
of forming the line between Glasgow and Paisley Was to be paid
by each company, and the revenue for traffic between those two
towns to be equally. divided, while each company:is to be al.;
lowed to carry passengers and goods along the joint.,line, on
paying, in proportion to the amount, the expense ot maintaining
the line. The second point was, that an act of parliament had
been obtained by the sharehelders of the Ti,oon and Kilmar-
nock Railway Company,. for increasing their capital, and re-,
laying .and straightening theit line, so as to render it fit foe
locomotive engines, as, in the absence of any knowledge as to
the course of the line to England, it was.deemed inexpedient to
resolve in.trkectiting the Branch to Kilmuirnock, originally sug-
gested. The Directors had learned, that, when the line was
completed, improvements ssere to be made on the part of Ar-
drossan. The third point was, that an obligation was imposed
by the act to expend equal sums at each end of the line. The
line from Ayr to Irvine, it was stated, might be finished within
fifteen months, at an estimated expense of £84,000. The line
between Glasgow and Paisley would take about two years ter
its completion, at an estimated expense of £140,000.
The estimate of the cost of the whole railway, proved before
parliament, was .£625,000. exclusive of engines, carriages, &c.
The revenue showed a return of 1,2 per c.eut. on this estimate.
The report stated the expenditure of the company to have
been £21,166. 3s. sd. and the funds remaining in band,
;£1,627. Bs. lid. The utmost confidence was expressed as to
the beneficial results which would flow from the execution of
the railway,

All officers on leave of absence from regiments at present
serving in Canada have had their leave cancelled, and are.,
ordered to proceed forthwith, via New York, to join their re-.
spective corps. ,
- - -

THE Attstr.—The 93d Highla9ders have received orders to
embark immediately to Nova BCotia, for the purpose of there
replacing one of the regiments sent on to Canada. It is gen-
erallsi supposed, that the 23d Fusileers and the 71st Light.
Infantry, will proceed to the same destination early in spring, or
sooner if requ►site. The 93d are to be conveyed out by a ship
of war.

Part of the oath of a rzrand jurymn is, that "his fellows'
counsel and his own he will keep secret," upon the principle
that ex parte statements might not to be divulged; yet the
chairman of the Middlesex sessions, in a ease on Saturday, is
represented to have said, "It Wit, a pity the conrt had not a
person in the graudjury rooms to take down every word that was
said bv•prosecutors and witnesses." ,

The Bishop of Peterborough bad a serious attack last week,
and his lite was considered in danger; he still remains very
weak. His temporal dignity end earthly glory seem to be de—
parting "as a summer cloud," and as a tale that is told."—
Stamford Mercyry.
It is said that on the day of the arrival of the news of the
Canadian rebellion, and the defeat of the Queen's troops, the
noble premier dispia‘ed at the royal table a more than usual
fi ivr of spirits. The -Romani Emperor Nero is represented by.
historians as exhibiting something of the saute kind while
Koine was burning.

On Sunday week, Mr. R. Childs, of Bungay, in a suppose&
fit of tentuorary excitement, at about eleven o'clock in the tore.,
noon, threW himself from an upstair window, about thirty feet,
high, and is so sevelely injured, that there are no hopes of hitt
recovery.—Arofilk Chronicle.
. . . •
MORE AMENCE OP MtNn.—The last " modern instance,"
recorded in the Yankee papers, is that,of a Vermont waggoner.
going to market, who lifted his bore into the waggon, and
tackled himself up in the traces. The
until
chronicler-
adds that he did not discover his error until he UndertoOk to
neigh !

A man popping his head through a tailor's shop window, ex-
claimed—' What o'clock is it by your lapboard r —upon which,
the tailor lifted up his laphoard anti struck him a blow on the
head, answerinz, • it has just struck one.'

A SCENE IN NASHVILLE TENNESSEE.—EIbow room has
been quite scarce during the past week. Such scrouging, goug-
ing, twisting, turning in and turning nut, has seldom before
been witnessed. Instance the following :—Traveller dismounts
at a tavern. Ililloa, landlord—can I get lodgings here to-night ?"
Landlord.—" No, Sir; every room in the house is engaged.",,
Traveller.—"Catet you even give me a blanket, and a bunch
of shavings for a pillow, in your bar-room?" Landlord.—" No.
sir; there's not a square foot of space unoccupied any where hi.
the house." Traveller.—Then I'll thank you, sir, to shove 84
pole, well secured, out of your second story Window, and I'll
roost on that." . .

SINGULAR 13AGiCITY OF A Wisr.—A wasp bad,caught 34
fly almost as big as herself. with %%inch she attempted in vain
to rise in the air. Concluding that the weight of her prey was
the impediment, she alighted and sawed ofF the head and tail;
before she again took to fight. The weight was now no obsta-
cle to her progress, but she had not calculated olio% the wind
catching the wings of her victim, and thus retarding her;
which, however, she no sooner observed to be the case, than,
she again alighted, and, having deliberately removed first one.
wing and then the other, carried it off triumphantly to her
nest !--Baslinan's Philosophy of Instinct and Reason.
DISCOVERY OF CANADA.—Canada was discoveredin 1496 by,
John Cabot, a citizen of Bristol, and colonized by the French
in 1608, during the reign of Henry IV., of France, and James
1., of England. The French held possession of the country
till 1626, when it was conquered by the English, but restored
about 6 years afterwards. Quebec, the capital, was taken by'
the English in 1759, after a battle memorable for the deaths of
Wolfe and Montcaim, the Generals of the respective armies ;
and the entire COMO ry was ceded to the English, and confirmed.
to them by the peace of 1763. In 1791, during the Commotions
caused by the k rench reyolution, it received a constitution, and
was divided into two provinces, which contained, sonic years,
ago, a population of 829,000. The population now probably
amounts to a million.

DREADFUL CONFLAGRATMX.—On Thursday morning last,;
about half-past seven, one of the most destructive conflagrations
that has occurred in London fur a number of Years, broke out,
in the extensive wharfs of Messrs. Davis and Curling, in Pot-
ter's-fields,..ilorilevdown. The are exactly opposite the Tower,
and the wharf and store warehouses, occupying six or seven
acres of ground, were in one mass of flames. 'They contained'
contained upwards of 6000 barrels of turpentine, 4(X) tuns of
oil; and 500 tons of bark, besides an immense quantity of pitch,
tar, and other combustibles. Four vessels lying along, side the
wharf were burnt, and the fire had extended to the adjoining,
premises. ik„tthree o'clock it was got under. The loss of pro-
perty is immense..

Ptitscy.—The Thomas Crisp, schooner, J. Crisp, master,i
arrived at Bristol on Sunday last, after a most disastrous voy-
age. Sue lett Cardiff, laden with iron, on the 20th of May last,
bound to Constantinople, and on the 29th June, brought up in
the Dardanelles. about two miles from the village of Yene-chea,'
set the watch, and went to bed without the least apprehension of
danger; about 10 30 p.m. the watch was alarmed by seeing a
boat under the bow filled with armed men, who immediately.
jumped on deck, and pursued the man aft; the skylight was off,.
for the purpose of giving air, and the Man jumped down into
the cabin ; but while in the act of doing 90,, one of the ruffians
struck him a blow with a cutlass, which nearly severed his arm
from his body. The captain was awoke ;by the cries of a.
wounded man, who rushed into the state room, crying Pirates!
pirates, captain ! get your gun—they are aboard, sir—l am,
have nearly cut my arm off." The captain in-,
stantly seized the 'gun, and made towardS the door, which was
burst open by the pirates, who seized the captain by the throat,•
and demanded his money, shouting " Danarie! danarte!"
There was no alternative—defence was impossible; he made
them understand that he would comply, and proceeded to get
down a box, containing a number of dollars, which they imme-
diately seized, and demanded more; his watch was next deli-
vered to them The captain's wife, who had. gone out for the
benefit of her health, was all this time standing t remhling, and.
nearly up to her ancles in the blood of the unfortunate man
they had so barbarously wounded : they then tusk her cabinet,
containing a considerable quantity of money and jewels; hut
they were not satisfied--,loud and vociferous were their demands
wit'', pointed blades, for more money. While this horrible
scene was being enacted in the cabin, others of the piratical
party had seized the fire-arms, and had pinioned the mate and
all others of the crew who came in their was ; they then.
brought the cabin-boy into the cabin, and after passing a. knife'
round his throat, ie order to make him confess if there was any
inure money, but to no purpose, they decamped. The man who,
had been so severely wounded was left in the country; and.
about a week before the vessel made the land, on her passage
home, one of the crew fell from the yard-arm on the deck, and
was killed on the spot.

THE AUTHOR OF DR. SYNTAX'S TOUR TN SEARCH OF THE'
PICTURESQUE.—WiIIiam Cornhe was horn of parents in good.
circumstances, which placed him at Eton School, and in due
time afterwards sent hint to Oxford. His uncle, a Mr. Alex-
ander, an alderman, lett him sixteen thousand pounds, on which
he determined. to study the law. With this view he left the
Unireisity, entered himself at the Temple, and was called to
the bar. His handsome person and mental accomplishments,
however, soon led him into circles of society and a course of ex-
penditure far beyond his in-cans, and ultimately involved him in
the very depths of distress. In his (lays of prosperity, the splen-
dour of his dress, and irtenaga in general, together with his
highly aristocratic deportment, had gained him the appellation
of DUke Comhe. His emergencies at length drove him to en-
list as a soldier, and at Wolverhampton he was recognised by
hn old acquaintance, crawling through the streets after a long
march, dusty and lame, in quest of his quarters. His friend
exclaimed, " Is it possible, that I behold you. Combo, and bear-
knapsack." Pone i" said the fallen hero, a`• philoso-
niter ought to bear anything." At the public house at which he
was billeted, his literary acquirements excited such astonish-
ment, that the house was nightly filled, with customers. who
came to wonder at the soldier, who knew Greek. Roger Kern-
Ede was theta at the same town with his sit oiling company, and
gave him a benefit, which furnished the means of obtaining his
discharge. On this occasion he spoke an . address, in which it
was intimated he would solve the mystery of his ,extraordinary
situation.. After noticing the various intuouisresPecting
he couclioled. it thus Now, ladies and gentlemen,, I am.
going to tell you what I sin. •I
am, ladies and gentlemen, your
most hUmble and .gratetul servant." So saving, he disap-
peared. Soon after this, an o'd college acquaintance found him
officiating as under waiter at a tavern at.,..v Welsh watering
place. He subsequently entered the Freskla army; and at
• another period, his exigencies imparted such charms to the soup
pots of a French monastery, that he was about to assume the
cowl.. While the monks were effecting his conversion, and du-
ring the requisite probation, however, he grew in good case, and
other prospects opening to him, he came to London again.
Here he obtained employment amongst booksellers, and at-.
'ached himself to literary pursuits allogether.—New Editor of
Dr. Syntax.

THE Evi LS ov PovEnTy.----The poverty of the poor man is,
the least part of his misery. In all the storms of fortune he is
the first that must stand tit.) shock of extremity. Poor men, are
perpetual sentinels, watching in the depths of night against the
incessant assaults of want ; while the.rich lte staved in secure.
repose and compassed with a large abundance. If the land be,
visited with a bloodless famine, are .not the poor the first that
sacrifice their lives to hunger If war thunders in the tremb-
ling country's lap, are not the poor those that are exposed to
the enemy's sword andkltut rage ? If the piogue, like a loaded.,
sponge, flies sprinkling poison through a wh4ke kingdom, the.
punt are the fruit that are.shaken from the burdeded tree; while'
the rich, fusnisheil with the aids of fortune, have means to wind'
not themselves, and ton those sad enimiances on the poor that:
cannot.ayoid them. , Like salt marshes that lie low, they are,
sore, whenever the s'ea of this world loves, to tie first uncle-, and,
embaliened with a .frettiug care. Who, like the poor, are;
harro,ed, with: prpression, ever snliect to the imperious taxes,
and the. gripes tit magistrates ? Continual rate checks the;
spirit, continej labour checks the body, and continual insuli
tation both. The peor.man is like one rolled in a vessel full,.
of spikes, which way soccer he turns, he something finds ttiii
prig Vs Olien Felth; th: