The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-06-07 00:00:00

TOWN IMPROVEMENTS.—The requisition to the Mayor
to convene a meeting of the ratepayers, to consider the
propriety of adopting measures for facilitating the busi-
ness and conveniences of the town, was presented to his
Worship on Thursday. The meeting will be held on
Wednesday next week.
CERTIFICATE OF MERIT.—Miss Elizabeth Holmes,
mistress of St. Mark's school, in this town, has again
obtained a certificate of merit from the Committee of
Council on Education, consequent on her recent exami-
nation at Easter. The certificate she has now received is
first division, second class ; there were only five others
of the same granted in all England, and there are not
more than forty at the present time in Scotland and Eng-
land, of which there are now three in Liverpool. This
certificate is considered the highest attainment necessary
fora first-class teacher, and reflects great credit on the
recipient.

CIVIC HOSPITALITY.-011 Wednesday, the Mayor,
Samuel Holme, Esq., entertained Colonel Sir Thomas
Hesketh, and the other officers of the Second Lancashire
Militia, to dinner, at the Town-hall. The company was
very numerous. The vice-presidents were Hugh Neill,
Esq., the surgeon of the regiment, and Matthew Gregson,
Esq., both members of the Town Council. Amongst the
gentlemen present were J. I. Blackburn, Esq., of Hale,
Sir John Bent, Bart., J. Tinne, Esq., Walter M'Gregor,
Esq., W. Bowman, Esq., S. Beckwith, Esq., R. C.
Lowndes, Esq., &c.
THE AMERICAN MAILS.—The United States' Mail
steamer Pacific, Capt. Nye, took her departure hence for
New York, at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, with the usual
mails, a full cargo, and 133 passengers, among whom was
Mr. Wentworth Dilke, one of her Majesty's Commis-
sioners for the Great Exhibition of 1851. The British
and North American mail steam-ship Asia, Captain Lott,
sailed hence for New York, on Saturday, having, besides
the usual mails, a large cargo, and ninety passengers,
among whom was Mr. C. P. Roney, secretary to the
Dublin Exhibition, who proceeds to America in order to
assume his duties as managing director of the Canadian
Grand Trunk Railway.
VENTILATION OF THE COUNCIL CHAMBER.—The sur-
veyor has been examining the capabilities of the Council-
room, with a view to its better ventilation. He is opposed
to the enlargement of the chamber by the addition of the
anteroom, and thinks that a system of artificial ventila-
tion might be obtained by introducing cold air between
the arched ceiling of the basement and the floor of the
Council-room, which might find its way into the room
Itself through perforations beneath the windows, and
through the base of the mayor's dais. The vitiated. air
might, in the first instance, find its way through the per-
forations in the ceiling, and thence by shafts to be con-
veyed outside.

DOCK COMMITTEE.—Mr. Shand presided at the meet-
ing on Thursday. The Harbour-masters' Sub-committee
recommended the dismissal of five dock-gatemen, one of
them for stealing a chair, and the others for having re-
ceived beef from the mates and captains of vessels. After
some discussion as to whether the offence could not be
Punished with a fine instead of dismissal, it was decided
to refer the subject back to the Harbour-masters' Sub-
committee, for re-consideration.-11r. Mason, the se-
cretary, read a letter from Messrs. Ginnacopulo and
Cochilani, in reply to the charges brought against them
by Mr. Bigharn. Some conversation followed, Mr. Bar-
ber and others remarking that it appeared that Messrs.
Giannacopulo and Cochilani had clearly exonerated them-
selves in the case which was brought against them.
THE CITY OF DUBLIN STEAM-PACKET COMPANY have
adopted a system by which the life-boats attached to their
large fleet of steamers can be lowered without confusion,
and made immediately available in case of emergency.
The crews of the steamers are practised weekly, under the
direction of the captains, each man being allotted his re-
spective position in lowering the boat and rendering her
fit for service. On Wednesday last the crew of the Wind-
sor, Captain William Williams, while lying in Kingston
Harbour, were put through this course of exercise. They
received sudden orders from the captain, as though in a
case of emergency, to lower the boats, which were got out
safely and made ready for use in the short space of
twenty-nine seconds.
STEAM-TUG COMPANY.—The seventeenth annual meet-
ing of the Liverpool Steam-Tug Company was held on
Wednesday, in the Clarendon-rooms, Mr. Charles Cotes-
worth presiding. The report announced a gratifying in-
crease in the receipts of the company, while the repairs
were considerably less. The figures stood thus :—Repairs
in 1851-2, £6,000; 1852.3, £4,000. Receipts, 1851.2,
£20,827 13s. ; 1852-3, £22,840 3s. Increase, £2,012 10s.
The directors have purchased a small iron steamer, built
by Cato, Miller and Co., called the Tiger, for performing
the light kind of work, and that a new one was being
built by contract in the company's yard, by Messrs. Jones
and Hill, but it was not yet paid for. he any's fleet at present consists of two lumps, two T
diving-comcuptters,
two flats, one life-boat, and to tugs. The report and
accounts were adopted, and Messrs. Heath,
Williamson elected directors
after a ballot, the original
Batson and
motion, recommending the re-election of the retiring direc-
tors, Messrs. Cotesworth, Heath, and Bury, being lost.
THE U. S. STEAM YACHT NORTH STAR.—We are
favoured with the following particulars of the passage
from New York of the splendid steam yacht North Star,
of more than 2,000 tons, belonging to Cornelius Vander-
bilt, Esq., of New York, the arrival of which at South-
ampton we have reported in another column :—The North
Star has made a wonderful trip, taking it from the start
on the morning of the 19th ult., when she grounded on
the rock, went over to the Navy Yard, was there docked
high and dry, her trifling damage repaired the next day,
t
and the voyage resumed at 7.30 p.m. of the 2h u
The New York pilot left us on the evening of the 20th, a
Mo
,at
9.30, just clear of Sandy Hook. since when we
have
roost favourable and delightful passage. urg hadreatest
speed has been 307, 344, and 327 miles each in 24 hours
Mean time. That of 344 is the greatest ever made by an
Atlantic steamer, by 15 miles in 24 hours ; the greatest,.
before being that of the Baltic, viz., 329 miles. The
engines were stopped but once on the voyage, the fourth
day out, for 50 minutes, "to key up." The ship has
performed most admirably, and could not be more com-
fortable in any respect, and has made the passage from
New York to Southampton in 10 days 8 hours and 41
Minutes, that is from pilot to pilot, the quickest ever per-
formed to Southampton. There is no doubt she is the
fastest ocean steamer afloat, it being but the trial trip in
fact- She was driven at moderate speed, engines going
'from 13 revolutions at the start up to 17 revolutions, the
highest number on the day of arrival ; average steam 17
to 201 b., with the throttle valve one-third open. Coal
consumed 521 tons, or about 50 tons per day. The ship
made several times 15 knots by the log.
manile
T SARAH SANDS screw-steamer, under the com-
d of Captain Thompson, arrived here on Thursday,
February,
from Plymouth.
and reacShhede
Plymouth
Sarahthe San2Bth ds waultis built at
on mo. It
Liverpool, and was one of the first of the ocean steamers
in which the screw auxiliary principle was introduced. She
brought home 275 passengers, 250 of whom were landed
at Plymouth, and the remainder at Liverpool. Three
children were born on the voyage, and not a single death
occurred. Her cargo included 80,000 ounces of gold
dust from Sydney and Melbourne, and £20,000 in silver
fon the Cape of Good Hope. A nugget of gold weighing
slbs. 9 ounces, was landed at Plymouth, with 51 boxes
gold and 38 boxes of slyer, and forwarded to London
n charge of Capt. Thompson and John Hoppin, boatman
to her Majesty's Customs. The voyage of the Sarah
Sands was a very favourable one, when it is considered
that she has steam-power to the extent of only 150 horses,
and her burthen is 1,300 tons. Off the Cape she encoun-
tered severe westerly gales, and was iu consequence
detained ten days. On the 18th ultimo, in passing through
the Western Isles, she put into Faye!, when the captain
took advantage of the opportunity thus afforded to provide
the passengers with some fresh provisions, which are
always consideredaluxTrye in
worked admirably, and
long voyage. During the
Whole of the voyage the engines
no stoppage of the machinery occurred. It may be men-
tioned as a remarkable feature in Australian voyages at
the present time, that the Sarah Sands brought home the
forassages in the vessel
whole of her crew. The demandP
great
been obtained.
refused after the full complement
when iYing off Melbourne was so that about 150 were
splendid new ship,
called the from
ved in the Mersey
Star of Empire, arrived A MONSTER MERCHANT SHIP.—A
Boston, I.T.S a
sixteen da •, on
built for Messrs. Train an
Co, a ys. She has been
Monday, after an excellent passage. ofd
who is the
ahl st_one of their Liverpool and Boston line of packet-
•Pse °Y M Donald \I Kay, of East Boston,
Need'eniallder of the celebrated 'Sovereign of the Seas, and Flying
so notorious for their extraordinary runs between
wYO lc California.
need 2 and The Star of Empire combines
dirnenirth• immense carrying powers, on the following
beata7Zs
71 feet •
register bae°fn decks
,---Length of keel, 208 feet ; on deck, 220 feet ;
'eat; depth, 271 feet •, height betwee
some ideregister, 2,050 tons. This last item will give
bolted her vast size, for no sailing ship of 2,000 tons
built of "3 Ptevionsly been seen here. She is very strongly
eenk, hack matac, and hard pine, and is double
as bite oak,
Her spars are rather stout "sticks,"
may be •
mast, 37 i
t the two
Magined. Her foremast.is 3.6 inches, main-
for "hes and mizen 29 inches in diame er,
, and
Yards ar
feet tretch" of 80
tner the latter a single spar. He,r, fore and main
c 22 inches in diameter, with a
.s
cenr she can sread an almost Incredible amount of
ns• he
externally, she carries a clipper appear-
ohcewith her, having a loir, and sharp bow, and elliptical
of halfround stern. She carries a full length figure-head
• the Goddess of Fame, robed in vestments of white,
fringed with gold, with the addition of out-spread wings.
ur interior accommodationsare very good. She has full
"312ellant forecastle for the crew, and abaft the foremast
-"qe 341 feet long by 161 wide, and nearly seven feet
This house contains state-rooms for the ship's
hos - -1 cooking-galleys, and an ice-house,
acting ^•?, that leads to the deck below.
house
long, 'wales white, and panelled in
s two saloons, the forward one
arches
'_it-work. The after one is 19
rosewood' .s beautifully wainscotted in mahoany,
g
rosevvood, e satinwood, enriched with gilt mouldings

',ulcers, I
also prot
A nr,.. 1

aft conta
painted 1

s, edged with

and CDrn

Rich carpets, handsome cornices, lounging
)ther choice articles of upholstery, impart an
nee and comfort to this apartment. State-
; each saloon, and stewards' pan-
?noes are attached. Under these
e-rooms for second-class passen-

1 along

tween-

Emerson

lave great height, and are well
s patent ventilators, and patent
cargo ports. She has two im-

'nense it

a capacity of about 5,000 gals.
ier outfits of a perfect ship. Through-
" • is finished in the most costly and
e design and build of this noble
nas clearly demonstrated that beauty
:ombined with great stowage capacity.
Brown, the commodore of the line, is
her, so that it is certain she will become

ry thing
In t

Captain 1 ib'c'

PUt in command of
a favourite ship.