The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-02-07 00:00:00

SECOND EDITION.

Stantlard Qffice, Three o'clock.

RUMOURED CHANGES J.N THE CAM:NTT.

(Frani the Standard of yesterday.)

There seems an absolute certainty of a change in the
construction of the -Cabinet. One report is, and it is
from high quarters, that LOrd Brougham is to come in
as Lord PriVy Seal, in lieu of Lord Lansdowne, and
to lead in the Lords for ministers. Another is that
Lord Howick and'CharleS Wood are to return to office
on the retirement of Lord Melbourne; but at any rate
it seems t 6 be avowed that Material changes are to take
place and are now in progress, with a view to the re-
tirement of the Juke Milieu party, and the infusion of
fresh forces from the Extreme Gauche.

By the packet-ship Columia., Capt. Cropper, which
arrived here this morning, we have received New York
papers to the 20th ultimo, inclusive. The Columbus
has had a remarkably quick passage, considering the
tempestuous weather which has latterly prevailed. She
has brought home no specie. She had ten passengers
on board.

The last. advices received from England at New York
were up to the 14th of December, by the packet-ship
Garrick. The intelligence taken out by the Garrick
operated favourably upon the markets at New York.
At Philadelphia business was dull, caused partly by
the cold weather, which had so completely closed the
navigation, that it would be some time before a chan-
nel could be made by the ice-boats, for towing vessels
into the port. .
On the 18th of January there was a large business
done in the Stock Market at New York, but very little
change was observed in the general aspect of the money
market. In foreign exchanges the business done for
the packet was but light. The supply of bills, how-.
ever, was fair, and generally of a good description. The
quotations in London were from 61 to 7i. Opera-
tions in foreign exchanges were materially suspended
in consequence of the expected arrival of the British
Queen, the detention of which vessel in England had.
not yet been ascertained at New York. Domestic ex-
changes were improving. Philadelphia bank notes
were bought at 5i to 6.
. We have no news of any importance from Canada.
The same remark applies to the South American States.
The Maine boundary question had been brought
before the Senate, when resolutions were passed for an
inquiry into the negociations which had taken place,
during the last two years, between General Scott and
Sir John Harvey.
We find in the New York Morning Courier and En-
quirer the melancholy details of two additional explo-
sions of steam-vessels, one of which, as will be seen
from the subjoined extracts, was accompanied by a
frightful sacrifice of human life. The number that
perished on board the Lexington had not been cor-
rectly ascertained, but it was estimated at about ON u
HUNDRED AND FORTY. Among the lists of the pas-
sengers we do not recognise a single Englishman.
They all. appear to have been Americans. We give
the particulars at as great length as practicable.
[Since writing the above we have ascertained that
" Samuel Henry, of the firm of S. & A. Henry, Man-
chester, England," was among the passengers on
board the Lexington.]

DREADFUL EXPLOSION OF A STEAM VESSEL.
(From the Morning Courier and Enquirer of Jan. 1.6.1
The city was throws► into a state of extreme consternation,
by intelligence of a most fatal accident having befallen the
steamboat Lexington, which left here on Monday afternoon,
under the command of Captain George Child, on her usual
trip to Stonington. We have gathered from Captain Hil-
lard, almost the only survivor—at least as present appear-
ances lead us to dread from this awful scene of death, from
Captain Brooks of the New Haven steamboat, who received
Captain Hillard on board—from the sloop Merchant, Captain
Meeker, who rescued him, and from Captain Jennings, of
the sloop Ganges, who left Southport, to which place the
sloop Merchant belonged. and whither she had returned, the
following particulars of this distressing event :
The Lexington prosecuted her voyage until half-past seven
o'clock in the evening, when being between Eaton's Neck
and Crane's Neck, a fire was discovered to have broken out
near the smoke pipe, among some bales of cotton which were
stowed near it, or to which at least the llaMes speedily spread.
An attempt was then made to get out the- suction pipe, and
by means of water thrown from it on the flames, extinguish
them ; but these spread with such rapidity, that soon all
access to the engine was impossible, and it continued to work
for a time with fearful rapidity. Captain• Childs, it would
appear, then determined to steer the boat for the nearest part
of the Long Island shore, and he was last seen in the wheel
house at the helm. In fifteen minutes, however, the engine
became immoveable, and the course of the boat arrested
about two miles from the land. .'Here she continued to burn
until about 3 o'clock in the morning, when what remained of
her sank.

It were needless to Attempt to describe the scene of ago-
nized confusion which ensued among the passengers, and in-
deed all on board, as soon as the fire was discovered. No
order was preserved, or, any attempt made to preserve it.
'I he life-boat which was on board was thrown over, forward
of the wheel, was struck by the paddles, and broken to pieces.
The Lexington had three boats besides, which were launch-
ed by the passengers while she was under full way, and im-
mediately swamped. Some twenty of them who had life..
preservers about them, jumped overboard, and the rest were
eetilriolzywe
riois
f.t oteghsecetahies
Mississippi,
i 1)11,1
ei ,
ino.
of g
rtebsi
ss
last seen as the flames drove them from the higher parts of
the steamboat, clinging in clusters to the guard-braces, where
they hung
of the
al
rtadhl
e,l
twentpbarsm
the passengers oplo'Crttha—ePtiirteeiwas such as to leave no hope,
com-
menced throwing the deck freight overboard, probably in
the expectation that some parts of it would remain floating,
osfutcl
ewe
ebdoeadt
and might be the means of saving some of them. Capt. H.
assisted in throwing, about tetnhebalsaeims oefbeaol;t:anndovtehrebsoeatrwdo, a, ibnly
on to the sea until 'about f
in leaping on one of them. w
hOi
en
he
tohfetyhpeicfikreedmeunp
our
Until
comparatively
the bale capsized,but
righted
o'clock in the morning, When .
i n also
k meansekeeping.
oisucceeded
a.
the
pieceinbaleof getting
h board
dro_
du
kept the upper part of their
And now the fireman
were now completely wet to the skin..
again with both of them
in Oak-street
H. that his name was Cox, and that he resided
him up, and at
New York. Ca H. endeavoured to cheer him
pt.
begun to despond, talked of his wife and children, told Capt.
on
nboicities
wax rescued
morning he expired. At 11 o'clock Capt. H.
last- lashed him to the bale, but at about 8 o'clock in the