The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-11-06 00:00:00

PATENT WIRE ROPE iron, STANDING RlGGlNG.—Yes-
terday, a series of trials of Smith's patent wire-rope was
made at the corporation testing machine, in Trentham-street,
in presence of a number of nautical gentlemen and others
interested in improvements in navigation, and the result was
highly satisfactory, proving, indeed, that the high recom-
mendations hitherto given of this description of standing
cordage, by those who have used it, have by no means been
unfounded. The patent consists of improved methods of
forming a rope from any number of wires, that shall be
flexible, and can also be spliced or knotted. The rope is
screwed in the usual way, so as to exclude the water ; and
a chemical preparation is employed to prevent oxidation.
The rigging with wire-rope is smaller and lighter than that
of hempen rope, and as it offers much less resistance to the
wind, is of great advantage in beating to windward. The
cost, too, is much less, and the durability greater. In the
trials of yesterday the following results were ascertained :-
1-inch rope broke at 2 tons 1 cwt.
„n 5 „ 0 „
2/ „ 8 „14 „
Other sizes were also tried with proportionate success •, and
it should be remarked that a three-inch hempen rope of the
best quality broke at 2 tons 1 cwt. The weight or traction
borne by each piece of different-sized rope far exceeded that
fixed in the scale of the patentee, thus showing great supe-
riority in the workmanship of the manufacturers, Messrs.
Fox and Co. of London. According to the scale alluded to,
the weight to be sustained by 14-inch wire-rope is 3 tons 10
cwt. and so in proportion. Another good quality of the
wire-rope is its elasticity, which though not, of course, equal
to that of hemp-rope, is quite sufficient to counteract the
effects of a sudden jerk while a vessel is rolling heavily at sea.
One comparatively short length of rope that was tried
stretched 181 inches before it broke. A very short length of
li-inch stretched 6 inches. The machine on which the tests
were made is very ingenious, and of tremendous multiplying
power. It is that on which iron cables for the largest ships
are put to their utmost tension of many tons. The gentle-
men present took a deep interest in the operations, and were
at once gratified and astonished to witness the immense
weight or traction sustained by lengths of wire-rope so com-
paratively small and light. It should be added, that this
patent rigging has been tested at sea upwards of five years,
and that amongst the ships fitted with it in our own port are
those crack steamers the Oriental and the Liverpool. The
new light-ship, the Albert, destined for the Victoria Channel,
is also rigged with it, and it has hitherto been highly ap-
proved by practical men. The agents here are Messrs.
Robertson and Co., of Goree-piazzas.
WOODHOUSE'S ETHEREAL ESSENCE OF JAMAICA GIN-
GER.—It may seem outré for us to notice the qualities of
any specific unconnected with our literary avocations. We
ask the reader's indulgence for this allusion, while we dis-
claim any intention of puffing any article of merchandize
with a view of benefiting the manufacturer. But we are
especially anxious in our philanthropy for all men, and our
most affectionate regard towards those who have supported
our efforts, induces us to break through all ordinary tram-
mels of restraint when we can render a service to the com-
munity. If we can relieve human nature, through any re-
commendation of ours, we shall feel it our duty to express
our opinions in reference to any article of consumption which
we have tried and found- beneficial. Woodhouse's Essence
of Jamaica Ginger we have found highly beneficial to our-
selves : we therefore recommend it to such of our readers as
may be affected with spasms, or troubled with indigestion.
It is said to be also useful in the removal of cramps, flatu-
lence, hysterics, heartburn, hiccup, and a number of other
cases, but of this we can say nothing in the way of recom-
mendation, not having been troubled with such complaints.
The long list of first-rate medical practitioners which will
be perused in the advertisement, will satisfy all scruples on
that point.—Northcrqfes Parliamentary Chronicle.

We are glad to learn that the leak which was discovered.
in her Majesty's ship Howe at Portsmouth was only occa-
sioned by the drawing of the bolts of a sheet passing from the
head to below the water line by the veering of the chain cable,
and that it has been already stopped. There is, we also
learn, no neglect chargeable to any one, but, on the contrary,
great credit due to the efficient officers of this very fine ship,
who discovered the nature of the leak, having brought the
ship down by the stern by running the guns aft for that pur-
pose. The Howe sails immediately for her destination. The
Britannia sailed on Monday morning, to communicate with
Plymouth, but not to anchor there, for the purpose of receiv-
ing her last orders. She is then to proceed direct to Malta.
On Monday se'nnight a young man presented himself at
the Baptist Chapel, Cardiff, in company with a female,
whom he wished to take unto himself for " better for worse."
They were soon made happy by the deputy-registrar, and
trudged away with light hearts and lighter purses. In the
course of the day some inquiries were made as to where the par-
ties came from and who they were, when it turned out that
the bride and bridegroom, stood, before their marriage, in the
relative position of stepmother and stepson. What makes
the case more 'remarkable is the fact that the bride is the
mother of two children by the bridegroom's father, who was
drowned some time ago in the river Ely. One of the children
was heard to say to a neighbour on the following morning that
he had got a " father again," when, upon being asked who it
was, he answered, "Tom, my brother."—South Wales
Advert.s.ser.

ACCIDENT PREVENTED ON THE GREAT WESTERN RAIL-
WAY —On Saturday evening the train which left Maiden-
head at six o'clock, and which ought to have arrived at Pad-
dington at 50 minutes past six, did not reach there (from
some cause which the passengers could not ascertain) till
half-past seven o'clock, 40 minutes behind its usual time.
The fast train which left Faringdon at five o'clock, to arrive
at Paddington at five minutes past seven, came up with the
Maidenhead slow train (which stops at all the intermediate
stations) near Hanwell, to the great terror and alarm of the
passengers, who beheld its approach. Signals were fortu-
nately hoisted and givenin time to prevent a collision taking
place. Both trains arrived at the Paddington terminus within
a minute or two of each other. Amongst the passengers by
the first train was Sir Watkin Williams Wynn.
Lord Lyndhurst has now the support of the following
heads of houses :—The Master of Catherine Hall, the Master
of Sidney, the Provost of King's, the Master of Clare Hall,
the Master of Jesus, the Master of Emmanuel, the Master
of St. Peter's, the Master of St. John's, the Master of Caius,
the Master of Trinity Hall, and the President of Queen's.

THE CHARTISTS.—A curious method of disseminating
chartist opinions has been adopted in Gloucester, Stroud,
&c., by means of small slips of paper, on which sentiments
professed by that party are written, and dropped about the
streets. It is said that the following was picked up in this
city :—" The charter is the pepoels rights and we will not be
sattisfide without the whole Charter vincent 0 Conner awl
frost for ever.—Gloucester Chronicle.
THE MAMMOTH IRON STEAMER AT BRISTOL.—A gentle-
man who has recently seen the immense iron steamer build-
ing by the Great Western Steam-ship Company at Bristol,
informs us that she will register about 3,000, but that her
actual tonnage will exceed 3,600 tons, or about 600 tons
more than any ship ever built. An immense saving in stow-
age will be gained in consequence of the adoption of iron for
her hull, whilst her draught of water will be comparatively
small, owing to the great buoyancy possessed by iron vessels.
She will consequently be able to carry coals sufficient both
for her outward and homeward passages—a most important
point when the inferior quality of coals obtainable in Ame-
rica, and the consequent diminution in speed, is considered.
Her engines, we hear, are to be of 1,000 horse power, and it
is confidently expected tha the average voyage across the At-
lantic will be reduced to ten days. She will carry a vast
spread of canvas, so that in all probability the engines will
frequently be at rest. In consequence of the adoption of
Smith's screw propeller, this stupendous ship, the greatest
experiment in steam navigation ever made, will, we believe,
be able to pass the present locks at Cumberland Basin, and
discharge her cargo in Bristol harbour.