The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-12-28 00:00:00

District Rtius,

On Sunday week, charcoal was used to warm Garstang
church, as the stove pipes had not yet been fixed, the
fumes produced such an effect on the congregation, flat
several persons fainted, and the others retired when the
minister proceeded to the vestry to take off his surplice.
TARVIN HALL SCHOOL.—The examination of the pu-
pils educated at this establishment closed on Thursday
week, with a most satisfactory result; and the juvenile
concert and speeches in the evening afforded the greatest
delight to a very numerous and most respectable party of
visitors from Chester and the neighbouring district.
A SIGN OF THE TIMES.—The late porter at the Royal
Manchester Institution having recently died, an adver-
tisement was issued for an individual to act as porter
there ; salary 16s. a-week. Upwards of four hundred
written applications have been received in consequence,
many of them from small tradesmen and others of re-
spectability.
On Thursday morning, at an early hour, a fire broke
out in a clothes shop occupied by Mr. Charles Healey, in
Shudehill, Manchester. Unfortunately, a servant maid
and a little girl of Mr. Healey's, aged 6, were burnt to
death before assistance could be rendered. The shop is
not much injured, but the whole of the furniture is de-
stroyed, and the premises, which belong to Mrs. Nevitt,
of this town, are damaged to the extent of about £2OO.
EXTRAORDINARY SUPERSTITION.—On Friday, Satur-
day, and Sunday week, two men, one of them named
Baxter, confined themselves in a room at Rochdale, ob-
stinately refusing to take anything but water, saying that
they should be translated to another world on Monday.
When the day arrived, however, they found themselves
yet remaining in this lower world, where they still are.
One of them, it is said, gave up a good situation at a
foundry, a few weeks ago, to prepare himself for the
journey. The deluded men founded their convictions on
the 12th chapter of St. Luke's Gospel.
EMPLOYMENT IN LANCASHIRE.—We are glad to
announce that there is still a considerable increase in
the number of persons employed, both in Manchester
and the neighbouring districts. Within the borough of
Manchester the total number of hands employed full
time last week was 26,496 ; in the present week, 26,902 ;
the number working short time last week was 8,481 ; in
the present week, 8,164. The number wholly out of
employment last week, 9,228 ; in the present week,
9,141. Several of the mills in Oldham and other places
are resuming work ; and there is the prospect, on the
opening of the new year. of most of the factories throwing
open their doors again. The feeling among all classes is
much better than it was only a week ago.
TnE "COTTON FAMINE."—Mr. Fielden has addressed
a letter to the factory operatives exhorting them not to
yield to their masters' entreaties for a modification of the
ten hours' bill, With reference to a scarcity of cotton he
says, " In the year 1847, the mills on the average have
not worked eight hours per day, and the consumption of
cotton has been only about 20,000 bales per week, against
upwards of 30,000 bales per week in each of the years 1845
and 1846, when twelve hours were worked; and the stock
in Liverpool, as reported on Saturday last, was only 365,660
bales against 420,310 bales in the corresponding week in
1846; that is, 54,640 bales less on Saturday last; and it
cannot be disproved, that the increase of mills and ma-
chinery, since 1844, has been so great, that were they all
brought into full action, more cotton would be consumed
in 1845, or in 1846, when twelve hours were worked. Let
these wiseacres, then, show, if they can, that the cotton
famine would not be experienced next year, if they suc-
ceed in obtaining a repeal of the ten hours' bill, and that
they, as well as you, would not be great sufferers by work-
ing either eleven or twelve hours per day."
FORETHOUGHT AND SAGACITY OF RATS.—III cutting
through an embankment in a field adjoining the river
Lune the other day, for the formation of one of the cul-
verts rendered necessary by the passing of the North-
Western Railway in that direction, the labourers met with
between Islb. and 201 b. of eels, some quite fresh, and
others in the last stage of putrefaction. They varied
from a quarter to half a pound in weight, and consisted
of the common silver-bellied, or river eel, and lilliputian
specimens of the conger, or sea eel. The latter, of course,
had come up with the tide. As teeth marks were visible
on the heads of most of them, it was conjectured they
had been destroyed in that way, and stored for winter
provision, by some animal whose retreat was not far
distant. This proved to be the case. On digging a little
further out bounced a matronly rat, with seven half-grown
young ones at her heels. The workmen gave chase, and
ultimately succeeded in killing both mother and progeny,
with a solitary exception, the trunk of a neighbouring
tree affording an asylum to one of the family. The
embankment is about 100 yards from the water's edge,
so that it must have required considerable time and la-
bour on the part of the old rat to have dragged the eels
thither.—Lancaster Guardian.
A RICH BEGGAR.—Many of our readers residing in
Chester, or who frequently visit the ancient city, will no
doubt recollect an old woman, apparently paralytic, who
was generally to be seen begging in the streets. She was
dressed in a ragged blue coat, and wore a man's hat, that
had, doubtless, weathered many a storm. Her name is
Anne Price : she is of Welsh descent. Her age was
about three score years and ten. She had pursued her
calling in Chester for nearly twenty years past. On Mon-
day she was found in the street, having fallen in a fit of
apoplexy. She was immediately removed to the Work-
house. The officials proceeded to the house where she
had lived, or rather existed. Upon an entrance being ef-
fected, a scene presented itself almost beyond description.
The lower room was completely filled with rags, bones,
broken furniture, crockery, and filth. In some pillow
cases, on which it is conjectured she laid her head at nights,
were discovered sums of money, the greater portion in
sovereigns of the present reign, which do not appear to
have been at all used to the amount of about £220, in
addition to which it has been discovered that she has had
for several years £lOO to her credit in the bank of Messrs.
Lloyd, at Wrexham, the interest of which she had re-
ceived regularly every three years. She is still in the
workhouse, on a comfortable bed, fed on the fat of the
land, little dreaming that it is at her own expense !
MURDER.—We have to record a shocking murder, at
Captain Fold, near Oldham. On Saturday evening week,
James Duckworth, an out-door labourer, residing at
Heywood, was at the Dog and Partridge public-house.
Captain Fold, when, being tipsy, he quarrelled with two
men respecting some occurrences at a new house in the
neighbourhood belonging to Richard Kay, Esq.; and
Duckworth, who was the private watchman, was charged
by some of the parties with having been the means of get-
ting them discharged sumo weeks .6.. Two of theta left.
the house about the same time as Duckworth. Between
eight and nine o'clock the same night, Duckworth was
found groaning in the coach road leading to Mr. Kay's
house, about 100 yards from the Dog and Partridge pub-
lic-house, and about 35 yards from the gates on the high-
way; he was lying on his face, bleeding from several
wounds at the back of his head, and unable to speak. He
was moved to the Dog and Partridge, where medical as-
sistance was procured, but he never spoke, and died at
eight o'clock on Sunday morning. He was about 54 years
of age, and has left a widow and several children, most of
them grown up. Near where he was found in the, coach
road was a leg, taken from a cart belonging to the land-
lord of the Dog and Partridge, which was saturated with
blood, particularly the staple at one end of it. It is sup-
posed the wounds on the back of deceased's head had been
inflicted with the cart leg. The deceased, when found,
had both his hands in his breeches pockets. From foot-
marks near the spot, it was evident that more than one
person was present at the time he was murdered. Informa-
tion was given of the circumstances at the county police
station, Heywood, and Sergeant Priddon and another
officer, assisted by other persons, went in search of the
party with whom deceased had quarrelled at the public-
house, and who, it is said, left about the same time as
Duckworth. About ten minutes past twelve o'clock the
same night, the police went to the Farewell Inn, Castleton
Moor, near the Blue Pits railway station, where they took
into custody the two men with whom the deceased had
quarrelled at the public-house.
A CASE FOR LORD DENMAN.—In a small hamlet, not
many miles from Bolton, lives a poor but honest man, a
member of a sect of dissenters who have erected a small
place of worship there. Old Tummy is laudably zealous
in obtaining converts, and with an assiduity that would
do credit to any clergyman, he is inviting his neighbours
to attend divine service with him. Amongst the rest,
Tummy set himself the task of persuading a notoriously
profane character, who had so fa* set at defiance the laws
of consanguinity and Lord Denu.an as to marry his own
aunt. Tummy's perseverance at last prevailed, and toge-
ther they went. But judge of the man's surprise when
the preacher took his text out of Proverbs—" Go to the
ant, thou sluggard, consider her ways, and be wise."
Things passed on very peaceably until the preacher re-
peated the words of the text, when an awfully threatening
look was cast upon'Tummy. Presently, when describing
various kinds of spiritual sluggards, the preacher began
to address the words of the text to each character ; bang

goes the man's elbow into Tummy's ribs. " Ugh !" re.
plied he. A second and third re-application, with an in-
crease of force, made Tummy welcome, with unusual
delight the close of the sermon. But things had not
ended here; for no sooner had the two got out of the
chapel and into the lane, than Tummy's highly offended
friend attacked, and down with him. "Nea, devil ! aw'/
warm thy kettle ! wot has tha bin tellin yon chap aw
abeawt me for ? does t'think aw'm gooin for t'come here
to be made such a foo on by thee ?" In vain Tummy
protested his innocence. " Tha's bin tellin him aw
abeawt mi, aw tell thee, or else has cud th'chap loan
as Iw'd wed my ant ? didn't he keep tellin mi for t'goo
too hurl an' theear aw keard, bike a foo, as a wur, un
aw th' foke gawpin un starin at mi ; but aw wish hoo'd
bin thear hursel, hoo'd ha' warin'd booath parson mi thee
too." The bystanders knowing the party, easily disco-
vered the nature of the mistake, and endeavoured to con-
vince the man of it. Whether they succeeded or not can-
not be said ; but he went off vowing and swearing he
would " ne'er stick his yed into a Methody meetin' again.",
—Bolton Chronicle.

POTATOES.—We have no particular nostrum to offer as
a cure for the potato disease, hut would merely direct at-
tention to the importance of some extra care in the pre-
servation of the seed. The potato has undoubtedly been
blessed with a most singular hardihood of constitution, or
it had by this time been extinct, or nearly so ; for what
plant, or rather tuber, has endured so much abuse for so
long a period as this root ? By abuse we mean premature
sprouting, and the necessary exhaustion consequent upon
this ; and in addition the accumulative evils arising front
annual fermentation in pits; the latter process is, at least,
unknown to the plant in its native regions. Lancashire,
it is well known, is famed for the production of excellent
potatoes •, and a neighbouring district called Wallasey in
Wirrall has long been noted for very early potatoes,
which find their vay into the Liverpool and Manchester
markets at a period so early as would astonish folks at the
southern part of this island, who have a much superior
climate to deal with. The following is the system by
which these early potatoes are produced ; there is no
mystery about the affair, their plans are few, simple, and
successful. With regard to the seed, they take as much
care over it as the Arabians are said to do with their
horses. Harold Littledale' Esq., so celebrated for agri-
cultural improvements at Liscard, is the proprietor of a
considerable tract of this potato ground, which is let out
in small portions to industrious cottages. These, for the
most part, keep their seed potatoes in their upper rooms,
frequently spread beneath their beds, about three or four
inches in thickness; fermentation being studiously avoided.
The potatoes in this situation begin to sprout in Decem_
her; and in January many of them are planted, great care
being taken not to rub out or injure the sprouts. When.
the potatoes are breaking ground they are covered. as the
market gardeners cover their early radishes, with a, soft,
light kind of grass, which grows in the neighbourhood,
and which is cut and dried for the purpose. They are un-
covered in fine days, and covered up in due time, whilst
the soil is warm. The locality of these gardens is cer-
tainly most favourable for the purpose ; the soil is a dark
kind of alluvium, dry and mellow, and slopes from a
backing of very high ground, which wards off the northern
blast, down to the river; the inclination being as great as
that given to the roof of a cucumber frame. After their
early potatoes are taken up the ground is cropped with
broccoli, or the various greens, turnips, &c.—Gardeners'
Chronicle.

CORRESPONDENCE.

EDUCATION.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

SIR,—In your Standard of last Tuesday are contained
speeches on education by three most distinguished indivi-
duals—Mr. Baron Alderson, the Lord Bishop of Chester,
and our worthy chief magistrate, Thos. B. Horsfall, Esq.;
and when we consider that these three may not impro-
perly be called the representatives of important portions
of our great community, engaged in the church, at the
bar, and in commerce, we might naturally expect great
good to arise if their opinions were acted upon by those
who have the management of schools. The opinions as
expressed in those speeches evidently proceed from.
deep thought, mature reflection, and a holy zeal to benefit
our fellow-men, and expressed in such affectionate lan-
guage, that few, if any, could be found who could take
upon themselves to deny, or even doubt their truth. Yet,
strange as it may appear, there is very little effort made,
compared with what there ought to be, to make things
better in our town. It almost seems as though our local
authorities had every other interest at heart but that
which alone is capable of making the rising generation
better members of society than the present are. It is no,
longer doubted, that where ignorance is, there is wicked-
ness, and nothing but wickedness can be expected from it;
and not to educate, is to foster ignorance. It is true,
there are schools in town, and these schools are generally
well attended. The Scriptures are taught in them, and
much good is done by them. But still, thousands (I
know it) in Liverpool, who ought to be at school, and who
never were there, are at this moment ramblinc,r, in the
streets. Now, I think, if the vast sums spent every year
by the Corporation, in various ways, comparatively to
little purpose, were applied to educational purposes, a
great deal of good would be done, without which it would.
be very unreasonable to expect less crime.
Let me respectfully call the attention of our worthy
chief magistrate to this subject, and assure him that if be
would use his influence for the promotion of so desirable
an object, his name would be thankfully remembered by
future generations.—l am, Sir, your very obedient servant,
E. S.
Liverpool, 24th December, 1847.