The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-06-08 00:00:00

FRIDAY MORNING, JUNE 8, 1838.

n- The Publication or the STAN DA R D commenced this morn-
ing at 5 o'clock.

NEW SOUTH WALES.—We have been favoured with a
file of Sydney papers to the 18th of February. Their
contents are very interesting ; but we regret that we
havt not room for any extended extracts. The following
remarks 'on the comparative dietary of the English
workhouses and that of the converted felons in New
South Wales will be perused Nyith considerable interest :

(Frnne the Sydney Herald, Feb. 1.)

With the merits or demerits of the Poor Law Amendment
act, we do not profess to be, very familiar, although the subject
is one which bas, for some time past, engaged no little share
of attention in Great Britain. Looking over a late number of
the London Times, however,. we read a letter from Mr. Walter,the late member of Parliament for Berkshire, in reference to
that law, called forth by some remarks by Lord John Russell,
in a speech to the electors of Shout'. In the course of that
letter, Mr. Walter writes,—" I will not trouble you with the
endless details which 1 could exhibit of the cruel workings of
the bill. 1 will simply subjoin in a note the diet table of an
union in your own neighbourhood (Stroud) • and then ask von
whether, in the words of Lord John Russell, this is to be con-
sidered a ' reforming measure' ? and whether you can believe
that my opposition to such cruelties was likely to engender dis-
like in any enlightened and humane constituency in the British
empire ?" Now for the table of " dietary for able-bodied"
men :—On Sundays, 140 z. of bread, 1 pint of gruel, soz. of
• bacon, Ilb. of potatoes, loz. of cheese. Mondays, 14oz of bread,
1 pint gruel, Ilb. of potatoes, loz. of cheese. Tuesdays, 14oz.
of bread, 1 pint of gruel, Ith of potatoes, loz. cheese. Wed-
nesdays, 14oz. of bread, 1 pint of gruel, lib. of potatoes,.loz.
of cheese. Thursdays, 14oz. of bread, 1 pint of gruel, 2 pints
of soup, loz. of cheese. Fridays, 14oz. of bread, 1 pint of
gruel, Ilb. of potatoes, loz. of cheese. Saturdays, 14oz. of
bread. 1 pint of gruel, Ilb of potatoes, loz. of cheese. Thus,
then, leaving out the slop which, in poor-house palaver would
be designated " gruel," and a single quart of that other fatten-
ing beverage called poor-house " soup," the diet of an able-
bodied labourer in England, whose only offence is that he cannot
find work, consists of 6lbs. of potatoes, 7oz. of cheese, and
soz. of flesh meat weekly! For this, also, it should not be for-
gotten, the able-bodied pauper is obliged to submit to be re-
strained of personal liberty by being shut up in the work-house.
Now, after reading such a statement as that, and so authenti-
cated, it was but natural that we should look about us, and
mentally contrast the relative conditions of an honest English-
man, whose only offence is that poverty which he could not
avert, and of a convicted felon in New South Wales. We have
seen the amount of the rations of the former—now let us see
what is that of the latter. We will take the case of an ordinary
assigned convict, who behaves well—meaning thereby, one who
dues about half as much work as the imprisoned English pau-
per would do, and who contrives to keep himself out of.
"trouble." Instead office ounces of bacon weekly, the law
allows him seven pounds of good beef, which his master, in most
instances, makes up to ten or twelve; instead of the six pounds
and two ounces of poor-house bread, he is furnished with from
seven to ten pounds of wheaten flour, or, in certain circum-
stances, a portion. of maize meal in lieu of part of that allow-
ance; instead of the " gruel," and the " soup" (the latter he
can easily ,a,oi, weal,) lie gets tea,
sugar, and tobacco; he obtains bedding and clothing; he gets
soap, salt, frequently a glass of grog, and often a money gra-
tuity! We speak now chiefly of assigned in towns, as house
servants, Sze., mostly live as their masters do ; are allowed
clothing, and, generally, some wages; and are much more free
front personal restraint than household servants in England,
who would not dare to take the liberties which convict servants
do here—and that, too, with impunity ! When, therefore, such
a contrast as that which we have presented, forces itself upon
the mind, is it surprising that we should desire that England
should afford us an opportunity, by promoting and encouraging
an extensive and well-designed system of emigration, to assist
our honest, though pauper, fellow subjects ? To behold starving
honesty on the one side, and felonial plenty on the other, is
enough to make the blood boil with indignation. We have
already addressed the English landlords—the rate-payers oene-
rally—and we ask them, whether they will not bestir themselves
to secure for their labouring poor some portion of the advantages
which they may derive from the New South Wales Land
Fund ? After perusing the " dietary table" for the poor of
the Cirencester Union, in the counties of Gloucester and Wilts,
our readers (some of them, at least) will be reminded of that
sublime composition by a juvenile thief in England, which we
we recorded some time ago. We know it " off-book."
" Who wort/dn't be a prig,
Merrily to run the rig.
And over the sea, away;
Without a single may to pay?"

The following intelligence respecting the success of
the southern whale-fisheries is furnished in the Sydney
Herald of Feb. 15 :

NEW ZEAI.AND.—From our correspondent at the Bay of
iSlands we have received the following list of arrivals at that
place:—December 16, Nancy (French whaler,) 14 months out,
2200 barrels, sailed the 57th ; Ganges (French,) clean, 4 months
out, sailed December 20; Vanguard, from Sydney, sailed Jan.
2; December 28, Harriett, How, of Sydney, 700 barrels, sailed
Jan. 16; December 29, Norwhal (of. London,) 22(X) barrels, 25
months out; Jan. 4, 1838, Victory, (American,) 1200 barrels,
24 months out, sailed Jan. 22; James Munroe(American,)l7oo
barrels, 37 months out; Mary (American,) 1500 barrels, 29
months out, sailed the 13th; Le Mancha (French,) 4(0 barrels,
6 months out; Rambler (American,) 1700 barrels, 28th months
out, sailed Jan. 28; Jan. 5, Panther I American,) 1900 barrels,
29 months out; Nantucket (American;) June 9, Martha, from
Sydney in 10 days; Jan. 10, Dublin Packet, front the coast;
Angelina (French) 200 barrels, 6 months out, sailed the 28th ;
Origambo (American,) 2600 barrels, 16 months; Jan. 11, Dart-
mouth (American,) 600 .barrels, 16 months but ; Bunkers
(American,) 1500 barrels, 28 months out; Jan. 15, Ganges
(American,) 1700 barrels. 26 months out; Jan. 21, Hope, a new
schooner from Tahiti, with sugar, for Sydney ; Jan. 24, Bowditch
(American,) 1860 barrels, 26 months out.

By the Sit-David Ogleby, from the South Sea Islands, yes-
terday, we have received the following shipping intelligence:—
Ships at Tahiti—Nov. 20, Charles Fenwick, twenty-two months
out, '2400 barrels bound to New Bedford; Nov. 27, Palestine, of
Salem, twenty-four months out, 1200 barrels; Nov. 30, Charles
and henry, of Nantucket, 14 month out, 500 barrels; Dec. 6,
Catherine, of London, 38 months out, 1400 barrels, brought to
Tahiti the master and officers of the ship Briton, of London,
which had been wrecked at Christmas Island. The unfortunate
men had been on the-island for six months, when they were taken
ofr by Capt. Browne, of the Charles Frederick, and conveyed to
the Sandwich Islands. At Fluahine—Dec. 12, ship Milo (Ame-
rican whaler,) wiih 2500 barrels, 33 months out. The follow-
ing vessels weie spoken by the Sir David Ogleby:—Cyrus, of
Nantucket,l3 months out, in longitude 60° 30' west, and latitude
ID° 10' smith ; February 3, Chieftein, of London, thirty-six
months out, 1500 barrels.

The Martha, from the Bay of Islands, brings news of the
arrival of the Micmac, whaler, at that place, with 600 barrels of
oil—having put in to ship a new main-mast. The Elizabeth,
schooner. had just arrived from Sydney, and the Lady Welling-
ton, whaler, with 80 barrels of oil, was entering the Bay when
the Martha sailed. Two brigs were seen by Captain Hay; about
mid-way between here and New Zealand, which appeared to be
the Lady Leith and Genii—as they gave the Martha a wide berth,
and the►r try-works looking-clean, it is conjectured they had been
unsuccessful. The Martha has made a very expeditious trip.
We may also add the following on the same subject :—.

SOI7III SEAS.—The ships in the South Sea whale trade at
present are very numerous; a gentleman who has had good
opportunities of knowing, estimates the American fleet alone
at upwards of 41)11 vessels, and it is nothing uncommon to see
from for to fitly of them at one time in the Bay of Islands.
The French have lately turned their attention to this trade, and
a numerous fleet or French vessels is now in the South Seas.
The Caroline lately spoke a ship only three months and a half
from France, which had caught several fish. The French
ships are described to be splendid new vessels, of about 400
tons, fitted up quite equal to the most beautiful passage ships
that visit this colony. The French ship Ganges may be ex-
pected in Sydney shortly.

Tile price of agricultural and other produce may be
learned from the following :
TUESDAY, FEB. 13.—Flour, first quality, 195., second ditto,
165., ration do., 14s. per I.oolbb. Wheat, 7s. per bushel. Maize,
'ls. to -Is. 6d. per bushel.
HAY.--Oaten Flay, Bs. to 10s. per cwt. Lucerne Hay, per
dit:o,Bs. Wheat Straw, 28s. to 30s. per load.
Mt.:AT.—Beef, per carcase per lb., 31d., ditto per joint per
4ici. Mutton, per carcase per lb., 3d., ditto per joint, per
Veal and Pork, 9d. per lb.
VI, ETAUT,ES.—Potatoes, 16s. to IS.. per cwt. Cabbages,
211. to 3d. each. Caulitlowets, 3d. to Sd. each. Turnips and
Carrots, 3d. to -1,1. per bunch. Leeks, 2(1. per bunch. Celery,
4d- to 6d. per stick.

THE DISCUSSION At DUBLIN.---We are sorry that it
has been placed entirely out of our 'power to give any
report whatever of the very interesting discussion which
has taken place at Dublin, within the last fortnight, be-
tween the lev. Mr. Gregg and Fathei Maguire. To