The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-05-09 00:00:00

GENERAL INTELLIGENCE.

FROM a recently printed return, it seems that the
funded property belonging to military savings banks
amounts to £219,045 3s.

THE IMPORTS or COFFEE into the port of London this
year have been more than double what they were up to
this date in 1853.

FOUR HUNDRED PENSIONERS have volunteered for
service in Turkey. -They assert that, "in the event of
their being found unfit to endure the fatigues of the field,
they will be found as able as better men to attend to the
sick in the hospitals."

A LETTER from St. Petersburg, in a Frankfort journal,
states that the Prussian Ambassador, as well as the
Austrian, refused to attend the Te Dunn sung in pre-
sence of the imperial family on the occasion of the pas-
sage of the Danube by the Russians.
ADVICES FROM QUEBEC describe great activity in
shipbuilding at that port. During the month of March
thirty-six vessels, of an average capacity of 107 G tons
each, and an estimated aggregate value or £465,000, were
in course of construction.

ME. PEIRSON, a young English composer, whose oratorio
" Jerusalem" was given at the Norwich festival of 1852,
has just produced at Hamburg an opera founded upon
the 2nd part of Qoethe's " Faust," and met with great
success.

MODEL OF A LIFE-BOAT.--A model of a life-boat is to
be seen in the Queen's-dock, Leith. It is of a peculiar
description, being in fact two boats conjoined, Siamese
fashion, the one being apart from the other six feet, a
sort of deck placed across connecting them, upon which
are erected two masts for sails. It has been devised by
the clergyman of Dysart.
Tan ASSIGNEES under the bankruptcy of the, well-
known bookseller, Mir. Pickering, have realised such
assets that (so it was stated at the last examination meet-
ing on Monday se'unight) there will be a clear surplus of
£4,293 4s. Bd. after payment of the debts. The books,
which were of a pecular kind, realised enormous prices at
the sale.

NEW PALACE AT BAimorie.L.—The riew buildings in
course of erection at Balmoral are rapidly progressing.
The portion including apartments for the princesses,
ministers of State, visitors, &c., has been roofed in, and
the first storey of the principal state-rooms has been
built. The building will be fire-proof, patent malleable
iron beams being used. A portion will be finished in
course of next autumn, but it is not intended that any
part shall be inhabited during the present year.
A LIVING PARCEL, carriage paid, in the shape of a
boy eight years old, was turned loose at the Bath Station,
from the first London train, the, other day, with the
following direction round his neck :—" William Telling,
Mrs. Humphreys, Freshford, near Bath. Mrs. H. will be
at the Bath Station to meet him." Owing to some mis-
take in the letter of advice, Mrs; H. did not turn up till
next day ; but in the meantime the parcel fell into kind
hands, and was taken care of for the owners.
Tux AUSTRALIAN COAL COMPANY.—There was a
special general meeting of the Australian Coal Company
on Tuesday. The chairman moved that this company be
dissolved, which was passed unanimously. The chairman
said the directors were willing to undertake the responsi-
bilities of winding up for £2OO, leaving 19s. per share to
be returned to the shareholders.

SYSTEMATIC ROBBERY.—TiIe detectives employed in the
matter of Moses Moses have discovered that there exists in

the metropolis an organised gang of cabmen provided with
all the apparatits of sliding number-plates, false badges, &c.,
ready at any time to assist in the successful plundering of
a London warehouse. The eminent " receiver " and
some £20,000 at his banker's, and several vessels, freighted
by him with stolen goods, are at present on the high seas
" exporter," who is now in prison, is understood to have
for Australia. His wife keeps a stall and deals in old
clothes in Petticoat-lane. .

A CURIOUS CIRCUMSTANCE is related by the local
papers to have occurred at the afternoon service at St.
Nicholas Church, Bristol, on the day of humiliation.
The Rev. Canon Barrow did not intend to have a sermon
in the afternoon, but, nevertheless, when the prayers were
ended, the congregation showed no disposition to move,
and it soon became disagreeably plain to the rev. canon
that they expected a sermon, which he had not to give
them. In the emergency, he took a text from one of the
verses in the special service, and in the end, it is said, made
a discovery hitherto unknown to himself —that he could
preach extempore.
A Curious PICKPOCKET CASE, showing great presenec
of mind on one part, and impudence on the other, came be-
fore the magistrate at Marlborough-st., London, on Mon-
day. A lady named Garratt, living in Porchester-terrace,
was walking up Regent-street, and two well-dressed
females before her, when the latter turned round, one of
them put her hand into her pocket, took her purse, and
then the two walked or. The lady, confounded at the
impudence of the action, and mare than half inclined to
distrust her own eyes, followed the women, who leisurely
continued their walk, and, touching one of them by the
elbow, " begged her pardon, but she had picked her pocket,"
While the thief of course indignantly denied the charge,
Mrs. Garratt saw her pass the purse -to the other woman,
and the first one then immediately offered to be searched.
Mrs. Garratt said that would be of no use, as her com-
panion had got the purse. Eventually the culprit gave
up the purse, asking to be forgiven, but Mrs. Garratt
having got the purse called a cab, secured the principal
offender, and had her taken to the police-station, whence
she was fully committed for trial on Monday. Her name
is Mary Brown.
MANNING THE NAVY.—We understand that a plan has
been lately submitted to Sir James Graham by, we believe,
one of the elder brethren of the Trinity-house, for man-
ning the royal navy, which is very likely to be acted on,
or at least to form part of the bill which the first lord of
the admiralty has given notice to introduce into the House
of Commons. The plan, amounts in some respects, to com-
pulsory service. It is poposel to divide the seaports of
the kingdom into districts, and to apportion to each
district, and the several seaports in it, the number of men
that each would have to furnish for the service of the navy;
enrolling all those who have served two years at sea. The
number of seamen required at any particular, time would
then be drawn by ballot, and those upon whom the lot fell
would have to serve for three years, when they would be
entitled to their discharge, finless they chose to re-enter ;
as an inducement to which a small bounty would, if
necessary, be offered. By this enrolment it is calculated
that 7,000 good seamen would at once be available, which
is the number said to..be required to complete the crews of
the ships in the Baltic, in the Black Sea, and on other
foreign stations. The number of districts it is thought
might amount to twelve. For instance, it is proposed to
include London, Dublin, Greenock, Liverpool, and one
or two other first-rate ports in one district; the
smaller ports would, of course, embrace a great number,
so that the enrolment might fall equally upon each district.
London, it is calculated, would. enrol 5,000 seamen; so
that if the several ports in the United Kingdom were only
required to furnish 7,000 seamen in the present emergency,
it could not fall very severely upon any one port. This we
believe to be the general outline of the plan proposed.—
Shipping and Mercantile Gazette.
ADVERTISING FOR A WIFE, AND SOME OF ITS CONSE-
QUENCES.—An advertisement appeared in a recent publi-
cation of aLeeds contemporary, setting forth the matrimonial
viewsand intentionsof "a gentleman aged 27." Theproffered
engagement was taken up by some parties in Leeds, and
a correspondence, which covered a period of several weeks,
ensued, his ideal fair one writing under the assumed name
of Hey. More than twenty letters (one containing his
photograph) passed through the post-office upon the all-
absorbing theme, in the course of which the gentleman

from Loiidon, whom we shallCall73fr.i.naple, made some
most interesting efforts at the sentimental, one of his

latter letters closing with a rhapsody irresistible in its
effects upon the risible faculties of his hoaxers. The cor-
respondence showed, as might be expected, that Mr.
Simple's motives in advertising were mercenary. The
attraction in this instance was £llO per annum, and this
Mr. Simple deemed "quite satisfactory," and induced him
to " pledge his word" to be faithful. A few days after
this explanation of his views Mr. Simple entered upon a
correspondence with a Miss Emily B—, of Halifax, but
he was little aware that this young lady and Miss Hey of
Leeds were one and the same person. The bait in this
instance was £2OO a year, and Mr. Simple accordingly
declined in his pretensions to the latter lady. Miss B.
was now all his aim, but his hopes were speedily quashed
in that quarter. Mrs. Hey's star was again in the
ascendant. As "the course of true love never did run
smooth," so it happened in this instance. Mr. Simple's
hopes and fears were now alternately Allayed till near the
climax of the affair, when delicate hints at an elopement
responded
npdreodp otsee.d is
This wasno wth
e" DpreealrudLe outoi sa
the a nmd d
ee
tiunlgy,
which came off with all due eclat at Kirkstall Abbey, this
week, notwithstanding some " sleepless nights" passed by
Mr. Simple. The meeting was not effected, however,
without giving the address of his fair correspondent,
which Mr. Simple's foresight dictated to him to require
in case of accident. " The Oaks, near Kirkstall," was
accordingly sent him. By the side of the river they were
engaged to meet, and long before the appointed hour
(5 p.m.) the would-be lover was seen perambulating its
banks with pocket handkerchief in hand, this having been
agreed upon as the signal of recognition. His " dear
Louisa" soon made her appearance, accompanied by her
father and brother. The introduction now took place,
and Mr. Simple was duly apprised that " the storm was
over." The so-called Mr. Hey now assumed his position
as father, and an interesting conversation ensued, Mr.
Simple descanting largely upon his views, prospects, and
intentions. Opportunity was now given for the two
to walk alone. This Mr. S. eagerly embraced, and
now the words of fondness and endearment, so natural
under such circumstances, began to pour forth. What
would he not do that he could ? Nothing should be with-
held that she desired ! He was now fast hastening to
that most thrilling of all questions ; it soon came, and
now—" when shall our nuptials be celebrated ?" Mr.
Simple earnestly wished it to be within a week ; but, no,
it could not be ; ladies require time for preparation ! An
hour and a half was thus spent, when adjournment for
refreshment was proposed and carried. Mr. Simple would
take anything—it did not matter what ;he had got all he
desired ; if he had searched the country over he could not
find one to surpass his " Dear Louisa." A large company
of Heys had assembled in the room below, as Mr. S. had
already been informed, and were waiting to receive him.
He was accordingly introduced amidst profound silence.
A flash of suspicion seemed to cross him as he entered,
but he took his seat. His health was then drunk with all
honours. Toasts and sentiments were showered upon
him. His feeling of suspicion seemed now every moment
to be increasing, when one of the company rose and asked
Mr. Simple if he had been "up to the oaks." He had
not. " Then allow me," said the interrogator, "to inform
you, sir, you are at the Oaks now." " I see lam hoaxed,
sir," said poor Simple. A scene of laughter and confu-
sion here followed, during which Mr. Simple made several
attempts to get away. Order was, however, soon restored,
and he was then addressed by several parties upon his
duplicity and meanness as exhibited in several portions of
the correspondence, after which the young lady who had
personated the " fair unknown' with such admirable tact
was introduced by her husband. Mr. Simple was " flab-
bergasted," but was further treated to some excellent
advice tendered by the young lady, to which he responded,
and, on his exit, remarked—" Gentlemen, this will be a
lesson to me as long as I liVe." A train was now, for-
tunately for Mr. Simple, due for Leeds, and twenty
minutes after its arrival saw him on his way home to
London, where it is to be hoped he arrived a wiser aucl
better Moak—Leeds Ateiligencer.