The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-03-03 00:00:00

BROUGHAM INSTITUTE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.
Sir,—When you inserted the malevolent attack upon the
Brougham Institute in your columns on Friday last, you
surely were not aware that you were giving vent to the men-
dacious effusions of a boy, who was lately expelled from the
Institution for disorderly conduct. However contemptible
a writer may be in himself, what he advances assumes a cer-
tain degree of importance when communicated to the public
through the medium of a newspaper. The truth of this is

fully exemplified by the letter in question. -
It must have surprised any one of the numerous audience
who attended this debate, not acquainted with the writer,

that such a tissue of falsehoods could have been joined toge-
ther. So far from the audience favouring their system, not-
withstanding the muster of Cwenites that was there, it was
easily seen that great majority was decidedly against it. As
to this Institution being a " low place," I can assure you,
'sir, it is not nearly so low since this boy and some of his so-
cialist friends were expelled.

From the nature of the question to be discussed, it was
likely the socialist would come forward with his pretended
remedy for all the ills of life. But considering, as I do, that
the community scheme, even though it were based upon
Christian principles, is so visionary and impracticable, that
it never can come into extensive operation, I have no objec-
tion to hear it discussed, that its fallacies may be laid open.
And connected as it is, by many of its advocates, with
atheism, or perhaps what they would call pantheism, it be-
comes the duty of every well-wisher to religion and morality
to endeavour to put it down, not by bonds and imprisonment,
nor any other kind of persecution, but by argument. Chris-
tianity has already withstood the attacks of many powerful
opponents, and certainly has nothing to fear from the nib-
bling of the Owenites ; and atheism is so utterly and palpably
absurd, that the common sense of mankind revolts at the
mention of the name.

But socialism has of late been brought into so much no-
tice, and been laid before the public in such a variety of
ways, and in so many places throughout the kingdom, from
the pulpit, the lecture-room, the press, and the senate, that
it is forced upon the observation of every one who either
hears or reads ; and surely nothing can have a greater ten-
dency to stop its progress than to have it exposed in all its
deformity, as it has been lately by its able and eloquent op-
ponents at the Brougham Institute : so that, instead of this
Institution having even a tendency to encourage socialism, 1
consider it as one of the barriers that must be erected if we
wish to stop its progress. The committee is composed of
men differing, no doubt, in their political and religious opi-
nions, as they must do in all societies where no political or
religious test is required upon the admission of a member;
and as this society is neither a religious society, nor yet con-
nected with any party in politics, such a test is utterly use-
less. Nothing is required of its members but good behaviour
in the rooms; and " A?rfal Crisis" knows, by experience,
that without this he cannot enjoy its privileges.
I am not aware of any thing being done improperly at the
ball on the evening of her Majesty's marriage, as I was not
there ; but from the eulogium passed upon it in your own
paper, from your own personal observation, and the testi-
mony of all whom I have seen who did attend, I am led to
believe it was well conducted; and if a socialist did bear a
'conspicuous part in the affair, it wily shows to me that he
would make a better dancing-master than a teacher of morals.
I believe 1 have said enough to show the motives which
influenced the writer of this wanton attack upon one of the
most useful and prosperous institutions in the town, and that
no favour is shown to the principles advocated by Robert
Owen and his followers ; for if there were, I should be no
longer

A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE
Liverpool, 29th February, 1840.

THE IRISH MUNICIPAL BILL.—A public meeting, ac-
cording to the Whig papers, is about to be held in Liverpool,
to petition the House of Lords in favour of the Irish Munici-
pal Bill. The Whigs are terribly frightened at the menaced
opposition of the Duke of Newcastle.

THE BRITiSII QUEEN. —The British Queen, steamer,
left Portsmouth yesterday afternoon, for New York. She
did not, we gear, carry out many passengers. She may be
expected to reach New York on or before the 20th instant.
The argyle, one of the small class of sea-going steamers,
sailed yesterday for New Orleans. She is intended, we hear,
to ply as a small boat between New Orleans and Vera Cruz.
SIGOR GIULIO REGONDI'S CONCERT.—This concert took
place last evening and was attended by a highly respectable
and select auditory. The performances gave the greatest
satisfaction, but we have not space for a further notice of
them.

RAPE.—Yesterday, a tide-waiter, named George M`Kin-
non, was examined before Mr. Rushton and Mr. Harvey, on
a charge of having violated the person of a girl 13 years of
age, named Mary Boon. The girl on Friday last entered the
service of the prisoner, at is 6d week wages, to take care of
his three children, whichlodged with him in a ouse in Price's-
court, Great Howard-street, kept by James Emmett and his
wife. On Saturday night, the girl being asleep in bed, and
Emmett and his wife out of the house, the prisoner took the
opportunity to perpetrate the offence charged against him.
The girl instantly left the house and acquainted hr mother,
who resides in Vauxhall-road. Mr. Gray, house-surgeon of
the North Dispensary, was called in to her, and from his
evidence it appeared no doubt could be entertained of the
legal completion of the crime. When asked what he had to
say, the prisoner replied—" 1 do not know what to say ; but
I hope you will be kind enough to take care of my three
children, as there is no one to take care of them. He was
committed to take his trial at the ensuing assizes.
ASSAULT ON A SEAMAN AT THE COAST OF AFRICA.—
Captain Lyons, of the ship Charlotte, of this port, appeared
before Messrs. Rushton and Maxwell, on Saturday, having
been summoned by Thomas James Hall, to answer a charge
of assault. It appeared, that the Charlotte left Liverpool for
Bonny in January, 1839. Captain Lyons went with her as
trading captain, and a Captain Parke as sailing captain. The
complainant, Hall, went out in her as a seaman. In the
month of April, Captain Parke had a dispute with the de-
fendant, and was compelled in consequence to quit the vessel
and take refuge on board the Martha, a ship belonging to the
same owners as the Charlotte. The statement of the com-
plainant was to the following effect :—On the 10th of May,
the defendant was absent from the ship, visiting with some
other captains, on board the Majestic. The first mate of the
Charlotte, Peter Crompton, directed Hall to clean some
muskets, which were part of the trading stock of the vessel.
He cleaned three of them; and then said he could not manage
to clean any other, as he was no soldier. The mate considered
this as a refusal of his duty, and he immediately took a boat
and went to Captain Lyons to inform him thereof. The de-
fendant returned with four other masters, with whom he
went into the cabin. He sent orders.forward that Hall was
to be brought to him. At the door of the cabin the com-
plainant met the captain and mate. He was ordered to ad-
vance into the cabin, but he hesitated. The mate pulled him
forward and told him not to he afraid, and Captain Lyons the
next instant seized him by the collar with one hand and with
the other struck him on the left eye a blow which cut it open.
The complainant was then dragged on deck, and a set of
handcuffs were brought up. These were found to he too
small, but they were, nevertheless, screwed on, and the com-
plainant was put in a boat in charge of four Kroometn
was rowed ashore, and taken to a house, or hut, on the beach,tnd
belonging to a trader. Here he was left seven nights :
days without being relieved from his handcuffs, the pressure
of which caused him to suffer great torment. He was soon
perfectly helpless, and was compelled to call assistancefoprrtehsesi,nats.
of the nativeseo enable him to supply his most pressing
wants.
length, a surgeon, who, it appeared, was employed
ashore,
happened lo see him. His wrists were greatly swollen by the
pressure of the manacles, so that the surgeon, alarmed by the
symptoms, went on board the Charlotte and remonstrated
with the defendant, informing him that unless the handcuffs
were taken off, the man would be in a state of considerable
danger. The defendant, on this, sent to Hall and had the
manacles removed from
his wrists, but in their stead irons
were placed on his legs, and thisin state he was left during
three days more. At length, through the intercession of the
surgeon above alluded to, hewas unchained and taken on
board the Charlotte. The defendant asked him if he would
return to his duty, threatening him if he did not he would
send him over to Mr. Peter's side, where he would, perhaps,
never again be heard of, and where he would be stopped from
telling any tales. The complainant further stated, that after
he was retaken on board, he was confined to bed three days,
and that he subsequently had the brain-fever. Mr. Daven-
port, who appeared for the complainant, called Captain Parke,
the sailing captain, who gave Hall an excellent character.
Mr. Lowe, who attended on behalf of the defendant, called
Peter Crompton, the tnate, who admitted that the captain
struck Hall at the entrance of the cabin. Mr. Davenport
did not cross-examine this witness as to the subsequent treat-
ment which Hall said he had experienced, but produced a
written document, which Crompton admitted was in his
handwriting. It was a recommendation of Hall, given since
their arrival in port, and stating the character of the com-
plainant to be excellent. Mr. Rushton animadverted in
strong terms on the cruel conduct of the defendant. The
case, he said, was one of the worst he had ever heard of, and
was calculated to fill every bosom with indignation. The
magistrates had not power to inflict any punishment com-
mensurate with the offence, but they would not be doing
heir duty if they did not go to the extent of their power.
The defendant was ordered to pay .£5, or in default of pay-
ment to be imprisoned two mouths.

THE.NEW TRANSATLANTIC STEAM-SHIP

" UNITED STATES."

This vessel, the largest steamer yet built at this port, and
intended for the New York line, will be launched, we learn, on
Saturday next, which, if the weather he fine, will doubtless be a
gala day at the yard of Messrs. Thomas Wilson and Co., the
builders, near the Battery, North Shore. Now that the
vessel is closed in, .and awaits only the next high tide to he
placed upon her destined element, she is daily visited by
numbers of individuals, 'including many of the fair sex ; and
the interest excited to view her, induces us to assume that the
following particulars of her dimensions and construction
(which are for the most part additional to what has already
been published) will be acceptable to those of our readers who
take an interest in the maritime improvement of the town :
Feet In
Length from stem to stern over all
Length of keel
215 0
Breadth, including the paddle-boxes 6O 0
Breadth of the deck between the paddle. boxes . 0
Depth of hold from the upper deck
Height between the decks respectively
Length of the principal Saloon, about
Breadth of Saloon, including the adjoining bed-
rooms
Second, or fore Saloon, nearly of equal size..
Capacity for stowage beyond her coals, about.. 800 tons
Total admeasurement
The " United States" is admitted by all who have in-
spected her to be a beautifully modelled vessel, and in
materials and fastenings she is equalled by few, if any, of her
Majesty's ships, and certainly surpassed by none, whether
of the government or mercantile marine, of this first of
maritime countries. Her frame throughout is of the choicest
British "heart of oak." Her timbers from her kelson to
her bilges are laid close together and interiously caulked so
that her bottom, to that extent, would be water-tight, even if
hat planks were removed. Her garboard stroke (of S-inch
plank) is bolted together through and throughout her ke!son.
Her flooring timbers are all cogged, or douedni t-g.,11)(r,
and further secured by strong rods of iron driven through
them, fore and aft. fler bottom planks are of American
elm ; and such is the joint thickness of these and the tim-
bers that they form a solid mass of the best timber, of
eighteen inches in thickness. Her sides are proportionately
strong, and so bound together, that it would seem impos-
sible that she could be at all shaken by any casualty it sea.
Her bends are of African oak ; her upper planks of English
oak and fine red pine, which last is, between wind and water,
equal in durability to any other timber.
. Interiorly the United States is fastened diagonally, in a
very superior manner. From the centre, at the sides, to
each extremity of the vessel, bands or straps of iron, of five
inches in breadth, and three-quarters of an inch thick, are
countersunk, diagonally, into the timbers, and bolted through
them, those forward inclinins towards the stern, and those
aft towards the bow.

4 0

Over these are diagonal wooden fastenings or riders, of
English oak, each nine inches by six in thickness, in a trans-
verse diagonal position, and also bolted through, so that both
form counteracting stays or binders, giving the vessel extra-
ordinary strength all over, and peculiarly fortifying her where
her engines will work. Her ceiling is also placed diagonally.
Her knees, chiefly of massy iron, are fixed in the most ap-
proved manner. Her clamps, of African oak, are all screw-
bolted through the sides ; and between decks are hanging
knees, of iron, with strong stays, forming supporting brackets.
The fore and aft beams of the boiler hatch are of iron,—wood
being liable to become charred by the heat. In her upper-
works, interiorly. she is fairly studded with the ends of the
screw-bolts from her sides.

She has three decks, including the upper or spar-deck,
which last, while it will afford a fine level range for walking—
upwards of 230 feet in length—will, in tempestuous weather.
shelter the main deck, on- which the passenger will find in
the space between the two cabins, " ample range and room
enough " to enjoy air and exercise.
The hold, now that she is clear fore and aft, presents a very
gratifying, we may add, magnificent specimen of the magni-
tude and perfection to which naval architecture has attained.
The frame-work, or bedding, laid down for the engines, is
an exceedingly massy piece of carpentry. It is composed of
immense balks of African oak, fixed on the vessel's bottom
longitudinally, and secured in their position by transverse
logs of pitch pine. The thickness of these balks or beams,
from the flooring of the ship, is no less than three feet ; yet
this great bulk and strength of material are, it appears,
required, to support and steady the engineS.
The cabins are not fitted up. They *ill, we learn, be
finished in the first style, both as regards comfort and deco-
ration. The sleeping apartments under the main saloon will
he lighted by ten plate-glass windows on each side. Those
on each side the saloon will also be lighted and ventillated
from the sides, which have yet to be pierced for that purpose.
The front saloon will furnish almost equal accommodations.
The " United States" will be rigged, like " The President,"
as a three-masted schooner, with fore-topmast and top-gal-
lant mast. She has a figure head of old Father Neptune
bearing his trident, and attended by sea nymphs,—all hand-
somely and classically carved. The stern and quarter gal-
leries are also enriched by various devices. Under the taff-
rail there are carved the Arms of England on one side, and
those of America on the other.

The engines wilt be of 420 horse power,—built by Mears.
Fawcett, Preston, and Co.

From '
our having supplied a somewhat " (lengthy" account
of the " President" in ourlast publication, we have in justice
to our townsmen, Messrs. Wilson, been induced to extend
this notice. We feel assured, however, that those who in-
spect " The United States," will readily admit, that in ex-
cellence of materials and fidelity of workmanship, she is
worthy of all the praise we have bestowed ; and that, when
fully equipped, she will be an honour to the town, and to the
enterprising company to whom she belongs.