The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-02-16 00:00:00

CHRIST Cffuneur Solo°Ls.--Trvo most admirable ser-
mons were preached in Christ Church on Sunday last—in the
morning by the Rev. F. Ould, and in the evening by the Rev.
H. M'Neile—in aid of the funds for maintaining the very
valuable and efficient schools in the district of that church.
The amount of the united collections was .E 96 16s.
THE RocK HARMONICON.—In consequence of the very
numerous attendance at the Music Hall on Thursday last to
hear this instrument, another performance will take place on
Thursday. The performance was frequently honoured with
applause. Mr. Davis's execution is really astonishing ;he
has quite given a new feature to the instrument.

STEAM Snip COLUMBIA.-It will be remembered that
some little time since this steamer was reported as having
sustained some slight damage in her machinery, but the in-
telligence was very vague and unsatisfactory. We are now,
however, glad to allay all fears with respect to her, as it will
be seen from our American intelligence that the Columbia
has arrived at her destination; and, we are happy to add,
with her machinery, and every thing else, all " right and
tight." How the report originated it is difficult to conjec-
ture, unless upon the grounds suggested at the time, but we
can state confidently that there never was the slightest
foundation for such a rumour.

TRADE OF SUNDERLAND.—The gross custom revenue for
this port, for the year 1840, is nearly £120,000, being £BOOO
over that of 1839. In the latter year the number of vessels
belonging to Sunderland was 836, with a measurement of
170,057 tons ; at the close of 1840 the number was 927 ves-
sels measuring 190,129 tons. It may be interesting to some
of our readers to know, that the tonnage of Sunderland is
now exceeded by only three ports, namely, London, New-
castle, and this town. By a parliamentary document pub-
lished in 1828, it appears that the shipping then belonging to
Newcastle included 928 vessels, or 194,712 tons ; and that
Liverpool possessed 749 vessels, or 149,070 tons. It seems
from this, that Sunderland is only abut 12 years " astern"
of Newcastle in shipping, and considerably " ahead" of the
Liverpool of 1828.
MR. WEBBE'S CONCERT.—On Thursday evening last a
concert was given, in Lassell's room, Great Richmond-street,
as a tribute of respect to Mr. S. Webbe, upon which occa-
sion Miss Whitnall, Miss Leach, Miss Stott, Miss Ham-
mond, Miss Aldridge, Miss E. Hamilton, Mrs. St. Albin,
Messrs. Dodd, Davies, Stott, &c, and many others, too nu-
merous to mention, contributed their services. Mr. Aldridge
was leader, Mr. Herrmann having been called from Liver-
pool unexpectedly. The music selected was entirely En-
glish, chosen with good taste, and all parties, both vocal and
instrumental, acquitted themselves well. Mrs. St. Albin's
piano-forte performances were executed as usual, in the best
style. The room was quite filled with a fashionable audience,
who were highly pleased, if we may judge from the repeated
encores--with which each piece was received.
ALLEGED ROBBEEY OF A £lO NOTE.—At the police
court yesterday, a female, named Catharine Holmes, was
placed at the bar, charged with having sttenvted to pay a
£lO note, suspected, to. be one of the antes receAfsiolen
'from- the person of a com-mercial gentleman' in Gill-street.
Mr. Joseph Shakesiraft, grocer, of Whitechapel and Para-
dise-street, stated that on Saturday afternoon, between three
and four o'clock, the prisoner called at his shop and was
served with groceries, to the amount of 2s. 3d. She pre-
sented a £lO note in payment, and at his request she put her
name at the back of it, stating further, that she livecrwith
her husband John Holmes, in Hanover-street. She was
desired to wait a few moments, and in the mean time he went
out to make some inquiries respecting the stolen notes. On
his return he found the prisoner was gone, and had taken the
note with her. In answer to Mr. Rushton the prisoner said
that she picked up the note in Church-street, the previous
night. She was remanded till this day (Tuesday), in order
to produce the attendance of the gentleman on whom the
robbery was committed.

CLOSING OF THE AMPHITHEATRE UNDER MR. EGER-
TON'S MANAGEMENT.—The Amphitheatre closed on Friday
night, under the management of Mr. Egerton, after a brief,
but, we believe, highly successful season. Since Ducrow
seceded from the management of this establishment, it has
fallen into disfavour with the public, owing principally to the
worthless or incompetent persons by whom it has been con-
ducted. Mr. Egerton, has, however, re-established its
respectability by his spirited and judicious management. The
performances on Friday night were for the benefit of Mr. W.
J. Hammond, at the close of which that gentleman delivered
the following farewell address :—" Ladies and Gentlemen :
Having very unexpectedly received notice to quit, with heavy
hearts and sorrowful faces we pack up our baggage and sound
a retreat. The law bids us depart, like the Ghost in Ham-
let,' to a more removed ground.' The law is sometimes
called the perfection of reason '—the offspring of justice!
It must, however, be confessed, that for such a beautiful
parent the law has sometimes very ugly features. Now the
law, that has warned us from your presence, has a particu-
larly ugly look ; for it drives us from a scene of pleasurable
profit, and prevents the exercise of our powers for your
amusement, and our own support. It is, however, useless
to complain of the acts of individuals : we must endeavour
to amend the law that gives an unjust and useless monopoly
to one theatre. We must petition parliament—not for ano-
ther patent—oh, no—that is a small kind of liberality, ad-
mitting only another party to a share in injustice, to a part
and portion of the spoils. We must have a free tade in the
drama: and in the determination to labour unceasingly until
such justice shall be done for us, we bid you for the present
a melancholy, although a grateful, farewell."--Mr. Cooke,
it will be seen by the advertisement, keeps the Amphitheatre
open with his capital equestrian company.

DISTRESS IN THE TOWN

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

SIR,—As every legitimate means should be used in endea-
vouring to raise funds towards the relief of the distressed
poor at this time, would it not be well (in addition to other
means) to get respectable tradesmen, in as many streets as
possible in the town, to receive subscriptions, having a large
placard on the outside of their shops, thus—" Subscriptions,
however small, received here towards relieving the urgent
wants of the distressed and perishing poor" ? I would say
" however small," as I fear, were that not stated, many
would be deterred walking in to put down their sixpence or
shilling, while there are thousands, I hope, who would gladly
avail themselves of such an opportunity of lending a helping
hand. All our large collections are made up of small sums,
and every facility should be given to parties willing to give,
but who might not think of it if not brought prominently
before them.—l beg to remain, sir, your obedient servant,
JOSEPH CRISP.
38, Church-street, 11M February, 1841...

ELECTRO MAGNETIC TELEGRAPH.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

SIR,—I beg leave to correct two mistakes in your report of
the Electro Magnetic Telegraph, exhibited at the Royal Insti-
tution, on Tuesday, the 9th instant. It states that the wire
used in it was more than half a mile in length, and that Mr.
Danson (should be Dancer) was the maker. It may perhaps
be interesting to those that were present on that evening to
know that the quantity of wire used in the construction of
the model exceeded one mile and a quarter in length, all of
which is covered with cotton, to prevent metallic contact, and
that the voltaic electricity performed a circuit of half a mile
each time a single letter was pointed at by the magnetic
needles.—Yours, respectfully,
J. B. DANCER, Optician.
21, Pleasant-street, Liverpool.

BRITISH MACHINERY

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

Stn,—lt is the indispensible duty of some intelligent mem-
ber of parliament to " move for a return of all articles of
British machinery exported during the last seven years, also
for a return of the annual amount of cotton and woollen
goods exported during the same period." Such returns are
called for in order that the legislature may arrive at a sound
and correct conclusion as to the propriety and national policy
of giving to other nations the immense advantage of our un-
rivalled inventions in machinery. Unto the almost incalcu-
lable aid afforded to manufactures by the superiority of our
mechanism, we have hitherto been enabled to compete with
foreigners, notwithstanding the vast advantages they possess
in cheaper food, lower wages, and fewer taxes. It is that
has maintained our commercial pre-eminence and the ship-
ping interest, so essential to the nursery for seamen, on whom
mainly depends the protection of the honour and safety of
the empire, and it is that alone that has supported our vast
and increasing population. Unto the exportation of British
machinery may be undeniably attributed the rapid ex tension
of manufactories for cotton and woollen goods, iron woorks,
&c., in the United States, France, Germany, Belgium, Swit-
zerland, and other countries ; and that is doubtless one great
cause of the decrease of orders from the United States dur-
ing the last year.
Many writers are loud and violent in their demand for free
trade in corn. Let us inquire if Great Britain will derive
the advantages so loudly asserted. Will Poland take our
goods for their corn ? No ; they will continue to accept only
our gold : the cheaper productions of Germany suffice their
wants. Or will the Americans agree to receive the produce
of our manufactories in exchange for their grain ? On the
contrary, they are encouraging and supporting their own ris
in& manufactures.

Yet let us encourage the hope that the day is far distant
when the foreign demand for our goods falls off, and when
the rich manufacturer withdraws his capital from business
no longer successful. Then will deep commiseration arise
for the working classes, who will then, and only then, have
real and substantial grievances to complain of in the want of
employment,--Your's, &c., L.
Newcastle-on-Tyne, 9th February, 1841.