The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-04-03 00:00:00

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

In consequence of the crowded state of our columns this
week, we are compelled to omit a portion of our railway in-
telligence.

INCREASE OF TRAFFIC ON RAILWAYS.

We find, from a calcuhttion made by an industrious and
able correspondent of the Railway Times, that according to
the published statements of traffic upon the London and Bir-
mingham Railway, the increase of gross receipts, as between
the first eleven weeks of 1839 and 1840, is £33,738, or 34 8-9
per cent. in favour of the present year. The increase upon
the Grand Junction during the present year is £11,013, or
161 per cent. ; and upon the Newcastle and Carlisle Rail-
way, £2,809, 'or 25 6-10 per cent.—a nice prospect for the
next. dividends.

CHESTER AND CREWE RAILWAY AND THE
RUABON BRANCH. •

The Bill for uniting the Chester and Crewe with the
Grand Junction Company passed the House of Commons on
the 26th inst., and we are informed that if passed by the
other House (of which no doubt is entertained) the consoli-
dation of the two companies will take place on the Ist July
next, after which period the proprietors of the Chester and
Crewe n•ill participate in the dividends paid by the Grand
Junction. The Crewe line will be opened in August.

A valuable addition to this and the Chester and Birkenhead
railways will be afforded by the proposed branch to Ruabon,
for which, we are glad to find, from the requisite notice being
published in the London Gazette, an applica'ion to parlia-
ment will be made next session.

WEEKLY RETURN OF TRAFFIC ON RAILWAYS.
(Front the Railway Magazine)

Passen- P• mile Panile Passeng.
NAME. Cash.
gers. pr.wk. p. uay. per day.
.. X .
Birmiugliatn ..
South Western — 2239 38-1 5-4
Great Western 2359 7E4 11
Grand Junction
Birrug. & Derby — 756 191 3
Greenwich
Manchester &Leeds 11155 821 61 1593
Croydon 75111 470 4411 61 1073
York &N. Midland 4785 614 421 6 6831
Midland Counties 2934 281 18. i. 2=2. 410
Glasgow & Ayr 1440 56 51- 1 2411
Eastern Counties 4192 ! 599
DEATH OP SIR RICHARD SPENCER, K.C.H.—The demise
of Sir Richard has been officially reported at the Admiralty

DEATH OP SIR RICHARD SPENCER, K.C.H.—The demise
of Sir Richard has been officially reported at the Admiralty
as having taken place at King George's Sound, Western Aus-
tralia, of which settlement he was Governor at the latter end
of November last. His commission as Post-Captain bore
date 1812.

LORD LI-NDHURST.—We are happy to state that his lord-
ship is rapidly regaining strength. During Wednesday his
lordship was well enough to take a drive in Hyde Park, ac-
companied by Lady Lyndhurst ; and, on Monday next, it is
confidently expected that the noble and learned baron will
be' able to be in his place in the House of Lords. Dr. Ne-
vinson and Dr. Locock are the physicians who attend his
lordship.

Her Majesty and Prince Albert, according to present ar-
rangements,
.will leave Buckingham Palace on Wednesday
the 15th inst., to pass the Easter recess. The Queen and
het illustrious consort are expected to remain ten days or a
fortnight at the castle.

Mr. Schomburgk has had the honour of exhibiting,
at Marlborough House, by command of the Queen Dowager,
the magnificent drawing of the Victoria Regia ; also a series
of views from the interior of British Guiana, to the intended
publication of which her majesty is a subscriber.
DEATH OF MAJOR-GENERAL SIR JAMES CAMPBELL,
OF THE ROYAL MARINES.—This gallant officer, whose de-
mise took place at his seat near Farnham, was knghted by
his late majesty, and invested with the insignia of a Knight
Commander of the Guelphic Order. His commission as
Major-General bore date 1825.
LADY SKELMERSDALE.—Accounts have been received
from Latham House giving a more favourable statement of
the health of this estimable lady. We are given to under-
stand that an improvement took place on Satnrday last, and
although not considerably better, her ladyship was not in the
same alarming condition as iu the earlier part of the week.
Lord and Lady Stanley and their family are at Lathom
House.

The Earl of Derby, according to letters received on Wed-
nesday from Knowsley, was going on well, and intended to
leave for London about the first of May. His lordship, who
keeps up the valuable racing-stud of his father. the late earl,
intends to send his horse De Clifford to run for the Dee
stakes at Chester races, which Lord Stanley will attend.
NOVEL ENCLOSURE in PosT.—A respectable tradesman
in Hull received a few days ago, by post, a package contain-
ing 2,500 needles. The charge for postage amounted only
to Is. 4d.

During the past twelve months, no less a number than five
thousand three hundred travelling vagrants have received re-
bel, in the shape of a night's food and lodging from the town
of 'Warrington..

A correspondent suggests that O'Connell must favour the
Beggary Suppressiow Bill of Lord Morpeth on the principle
that two of -a trade can never agree. No doubt there is a
secret understanding between him and the noble lord that
vested rights shall be respected, and that the bill will not
affect the heads of the profession.—Courier.
TRIBUTE OF RESPECT TO A CLERGYMAN.--We have
pleasure in recording the grateful expression of feeling on the
part of a few friends,of the Rey.,. R. Browne, M.A., late
curate of Mottrinii, and now chaplain of Knutsford House of
Correction. A handsome gown, together with a small purse
of gold, has been recently forwarded to him by the people of
his late charge, as a humble yet expressive tribute of their
esteem, and of the affectionate fidelity and sincerity with
which, during five years, he discharged the pastoral duties of
his office amongst them.—Manchester Courier.

A gentleman residing in London, which purchased 405
acres of land in South Australia, including three town acres
at 12s per acre (243,) has recently let the 402 country acres,
on a lease for fourteen years for £2OO per annum, and one of
the town acres on a lease for 21 years at £9O per annum. The
rural land is distant about five miles from Adelaide, and the
town acre is situated in Currie-street. This remarkable in-
stance of a purchaser obtaining in less than four years a
yearly rental greatly exceeding his whole purchase money, is
within our own knowledge.—Colonial Gazelle.

THE SLEEPING PHENOMENON.—The following commu-
nication has been addressed to the York Courant:—" Sir,
My attention having been drawn to a paragraph in your pa-
per of the 12th inst., headed A Phenomenon or a great de-
ception,' I think it incumbent upon me to state, that in the
latter part of October, 1834, I was called on to visit Thomas
Bradley, the person therein named, and that shortly after
that visit he became in a comatose state, in which he conti-
nued I believe for nine months. Ile then gradually reco-
vered, so as to be able to follow his usual avocation until the
last week in August, 1839, when, as I am informed by his
parents, he relapsed into the state above-mentioned. I again
saw him in December last, and also on Friday, the 20th inst.,
and found him labouring under the same symptoms, though
not so emaciated as in 1834. Assuring you that there can
be no deception either on the part of the patient or his pa-
rents, I remain, your's obediently, BENJ. LocKwoon, Sur-
geon. Kirkheaton, March 24th, 1840."—[We have not had
an opportunity of visiting the sleeping man, though we have
heard various opinions expressed by those who have visited
him. One thing is certain, if he sleeps his relatives are wide
awake : they are reaping a golden harvest, and the longer
and the sounder lie sleeps the better it will be for them.—
Halifax Guardian.]

THE SHIP JOHN GARROW.—This splendid vessel, the hull
of which is built of iron, arrived in our harbour on. Friday
last, and has attracted a great deal of attention amongst those
concerned in the shipping. The ship was built by the well
known ship builders, John Ronalds and Co., of Aberdeen,
and has been named the John Garrow, in honour of Mr. Gar-
row, of Liverpool, the ship-broker and merchant, and be-
longs to the firm of Anderson and Garrow, of that place.
The iron varies in thickness from one inch to one half inch,
tapering gradually from the keel. The bottom plates are
seven-eighths, and the side plates are five-eighths of an inch
thick. The ribs are from two feet to two feet six inches,
asunder, according to the size of the plates, they are made of
three-inch angle bar by half an inch. The beams consist of
double iron plates, each of which are three and a quarter
inches broad, and half an inch thick. There are a number
of uprights from the kelson to the deck; they are made of
one and three-quarter inches round iron bar, and enclosed
within two angle bars, fastened with clasps and screw bolts.
The extreme length is 145 feet, with a thirty feet one inch
beam aid a clear hold of twenty-one feet in depth. The ton-
nage is about 800, but it is supposed that the vessel will carry
about 1400 tons at fourteen feetloater. The deck is flush
with a round house fore and aft. The standing rigging con-
sists of patent metallic cordage, with Manilla cordage for the
running rigging, and upon the whole, the vessel is very com-
plete and in the highest order. We understand the John
Garrow made the passage from Aberdeen in 17 hours, and
sails admirably. The vessel is commanded by Mr. Wilson,
an experienced and intelligent seaman ; and the accommo-
dation for passengers is excellent. The John Garrow leaves
this with a general cargo for Bombay, to load cotton for Li-
verpool, and it is confidently expected the passage out will be
made in eighty days.— Tyne Pilot.
OLD ENGLISH FARE.—The following is a dinner of the
reign of Charles the First :—A soup of snails, a powdered
goose, a joll of salmon, and a dish of green fish, buttered,
with eggs ; this was a first course. Then came a Lombard
pie, a cow's udder roasted, a hedge-hog pudding, a rabbit
stuffed with oysters, polonian sausages, a mallard with cab-
bage, and a pair of boiled cocks. To these succeeded as en-
trernits—a spinage tart, a carbonated hen, a pie of aloes,
eggs in moonshine, a chrystal jelly, jumballs, quiddary,
braggot, and walnut suckets. Cock-ale, surfeit-water, Ca-
nary, sack, and Gascony wines, served to moisten thishete-
rogeneous repast. The following is taken from " Wrecker's
Secrets of Nature," published in the next reign, 1660:
" A live roasted goose." The details of the process are too
barbarous to repeat •, but when the roasting is accomplished,
the writer adds—" Then take her up, set her before your
guests and she will cry as you cut off any part from her,
and will almost be eaten up before she is dead : it is mighty
pleasant to behold."—Harrison Flather.
EPISTOLATORY INTERCOURSE SEVENTY YEARS AGO.—
Seventy years ago, the communication by post with the
principal towns of England was only twice or three times a
week, and with many places not so frequently. Almost
within the recollection of old persons, the post went out
.daily to the place where the fashionables of the last century
were accustomed to resort; while to Manchester, Liverpool,
Leeds, Birmingham, and all our great cities, three times a
week was considered sufficiently frequent. Nevertheless,
in that day and generation, the arrangements of the post-
office were regarded with the utmost complacency. " Let-
ters are conveyed in so short a time, by night as well as by
day, that every twenty-four hours the post goes 120 miles ;
and in five or six days an answer to a letter may be had from
a place three hundred miles distant from London." At
present it is quite possible for a person living at Preston,
221 miles from London, to send a letter to, and receive a
letter from, London in twenty-five hours, allowing, too, a
delay of four hours in London, the distance traversed being
442 miles. In 1768, the mail, travelling at the rate of less
than six miles an hour, would have been little more than
half way to Preston in the same time. It is also quite Pos-
sible, in a case of emergency, for a merchant in Birmingham
to write to his correspondent at Liverpool in the afternoon,
and receive a communication in reply the same night—the
distance, which is above 200 miles, being traversed between
half-past two and a quarter before twelve, and an hour being
allowed at Liverpool. It is estimated that the number of
letters conveyed through the post-offices of England and
Wales in a year was about sixty millions previous to the
canconfessed.iri t e
ads Buto f whenon
y
l
recent change in the scale of postage ; and perhaps the num-
ber will very soon exceed two hundred millions, an enormous
amount of correspondencie
it
Englandmust
every man and woman h
about one-half of the adult population, even this number
will probably be small in comparison with the frequent use
bewrite,
which will then be made of the post. We hope soon to see
the correspondence by letters increased forty or fifty fold.--
Penny Magazine.