The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1849-12-18 00:00:00

THE ARCHES OF THE TITHEBARN-STREET STATION.
On Wednesday a discovery was made that some of the
arches of the new railway station, running parallel with
Key-street, bad sprung, in consequence, it is supposed, of
the pressure of the heavy wall by which they are sur-
mounted. There were several fractures in the wall, and
fears were entertained as to its safety. A great number of
men were employed in placing large pieces of balk timber,
cut to a proper length, as centres under the several arches,
and as buttresses to the wall where fractures bad become
visible, and whero it was likely to be affected by the spring-
ing of the arches. Its present safety is thus secured ;
but it remains to be seen whether the slight cracks that
have appeared may not necessitate the demolition and re-
erection of the wall.

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PROSECUTIONS AGAINST CLERGYMEN.—We are in-
formed that the government solicitor, Mr. Reynolds,
instructed his agents-at Liverpool to present an indict-
ment, at the present assizes, against the Rev. Moorhouse
James, incumbent of Bedford, near Leigh, for refusing to
marry Henry Fisher and another. The superintendent-
registrar of the district was examined before the grand
jury at Liverpool on Wednesday, and a true bill has been
returned into court. The trial will take place at the
March assizes. A commission has also been issued
against the Rev. Mr. Irwine, Vicar of Leigh, by the
Bishop of Manchester, for delaying to christen the child
of James and Jane Turner, when presented to him on the
22nd ult., due warning having been previously given.
The venerable the Archdeacon of Manchester, Dr. Rush-
ton, will most probably be at the head of the commission,
which will comprise four other beneficed clergymen. The
commission will hold its sittings at Leigh in the course of
two or. three weeks ; the court will be open unless the
defendant asks that it shall be closed, a power given by
the Church Discipline Act, 3d and 4 Vic. c 86, under
which the proceedings are taken.
THE GREAT UNKNOWN.—At the concert given by the
Welsh Choral Society, the Rev. D. James apologised for
the absence of the Mayor on account of the death of the
Queen Dowager. Two Welshmen were seated in the
body of the hall, and when the speaker had done, one
asked the other " Who was the Queen Dowager ?" The
reply was, " Queen Adelaide." " Where did she live ?"
was next asked. "In London," was the reply. The
questioner again asked " Was she ever queen of this
country ?" An affirmative answer was again given, and
also to his last question "Was she dead ?" This ignorance
of persons of rank reminds us of an incident in the life of
Sir Robert Walpole. When this Whig minister was in
the zenith of his power his wife bought some glass bugles
(beads) from a second-hand dealer in London, and when
she had completed her purchase she directed the man to
send them to Sir Robert Walpole's. " Aud who is Sir
Robert Walpole ?" inquired the London citizen. In a
world where a man had a world-wide fame, and in a city
where his lustre was brightest, was to be found an indivi-
dual who knew him not, even by report.
CURIOUS CASE.—On Saturday an inquest was held on
the body of Samuel Hewitt. A female, who resides in
Rose Vale, Everten, heard the groans of a person as she
was passing up the street, on Friday night at 7 o'clock ;
the sound proceeded from some vacant ground opposite to
her house. She went up, and found deceased lying upon
his side. He said, " For God's sake, lift me up !" Wit-
ness lifted him up, but he could not stand. Another
woman came up at the time. He sat down, and told
where he lived in the neighbourhood. A boy was sent to
his house, but did not find the place, and a police-officer
was brought, who found the deceased on his back in a
field, near the road, and apparently dead. The officer
called Mr. Arnold, surgeon, and deceased was taken to his
residence, Tarlton Terrace. He was dead before he was
got home. Mr. Arnold said that a few evenings before,
deceased called upon him, and said lie had received an
injury in removing an ale barrel, which he said had brought
on rupture. He was tipsy at the time, and could not give
a clear account. On examination of the body he found
inflammation of the lower part of the abdomen, and pre-
scribed accordingly. At half-past six on Friday night
(shortly before his death) he called on witness, who pre-
scribed medicine, and ordered leeches. He did not see
him again until he saw him dead. Deceased's wife said
he was 42 years of age. The inquest was postponed for
a postmortem examination, until to-day (Tuesday).

EXCHANGE WARD.-PRESENTATION OF PLATE TO MR.
ROBERT G. JACKSON.-On Wednesday evening last, the
representatives of this ward, and the committee of the
Conservative Association, met at the house of Mr. Castle,
the George Hotel, for the purpose of presenting to Mr.
Jackson the handsome silver salver and breakfast service
which have lately been shown to the public by Messrs.
Jones and Son. Mr. James Tyrer, the senior member for
the ward, occupied the chair, and Mr. Thomas Littledale,
also councillor for this ward, acted as vice-president.
These gentlemen were supported by Mr. G. H. Horsfall,
councillor, Exchange Ward ; Mr. W. H. Horsfall, repre.
sentative, South Toxteth ; Messrs. R. Horsfall, Huson,
Jones, Campbell, and Edwards. The company consisted
exclusively of subscribers to the testimonial. The dinner
was served up in Mr. Castle's usual style of excellence,
and the plate having been formally presented to Mr. Jack-
son, and duly acknowledged, a most agreeable and friendly
evening was spent by the gentlemen assembled. The
salver bore the following inscription :-" Presented to
Robt. Gibbs Jackson, Esq., by the Conservative electors
of Exchange Ward, as a slight acknowledgment of his
unwearied exertions during a period of ten years, as
honorary secretary of the Ward, in maintaining the prin-
ciples of the British constitution. Liverpool, November,
1849." It afforded us great gratification to observe the
marked unanimity of feeling and action which distinguishes
the committee of this ward, and which places them in a
position to return triumphantly their candidates on any
occasion, notwithstanding that in some few instances they
may meet with lukewarmness or opposition in quarters
where they expected to receive a hearty support.
CHINESE CURIOS ITIES.-On Friday, Messrs. T. and
H. Littledale sold by auction a large and miscellaneous
collection of Chinese ornaments, toys, &c., before a
numerous assemblage. The chinaware vases brought from
£3 3s. to £5 10s. ; a few were sold for 225., 235., and 245.
each. The flower-jars went at from 30s. to 425.-the
smaller ones bringing 145., 155., and 16s. each. The
china plates, large size, from £2 ss. to £3 ss. per dozen ;
the smaller size not exceeding £2 4s. a dozen. A dessert
set of fiv e pieces £2 17s. 6d. China toilet-pots 4s. per
set; the more beautiful ones from 12s. 6d. to 13s. 6d. A
set of fine dessert dishes at £2 ss. to £2 13,. Punch-
bowls from £1 85. to £2. The chimney ornaments real-
ised from 30s. to 60s. a set. The earthenware boats varied
from 15s. to 325. ; and the earthenware pagodas brought
from 12s. to 245; while the marble ones went in some
cases as high as 405., but generally did not exceed 245.
The painted fans went as high as £1 lls. each. The
most curious articles in the room were models of Chinese
ladies' feet, and they were sold for 4s. per pair. The
carved. needle cases brought from 3s. each ; and the carved
bone fans realised from 3s. to 4s. each. The ivory chess-
men, the finest we ever saw, varied per set from £2 12s.
to £4 45., the inferior ones bringing only 15s. The ivory
card-cases 30s. each, and some of the tortoise-shell ones
went as high as 475. The ivory balls sold from 85. to 12s.
the set; the silver filagree cases from £2 ss. to £2 10s.
each ; the sandal wood fans went for 2s. each ; silk hand-
kerchiefs 275. per piece of 10 ; books of rice paper draw-
ing 21s. each ; cases of insects 28s. each. The bedstead,
paper hangings, and mats were sold on Friday. Mr.
Millard bought the beautiful carved lady's work-box for
£3O 55., and the extraordinary ivory ball, thirteen balls
within one, for £ll ss. The gongs sold from £2 to £4
each.

CORNWALLIS STREET SCHOOL—EXAMINATION OF IN-
FANTS.—Ours is confessedly the age of improvement,
and in no particular is this more visibly verified than in
the education of the children of the present generation,
both as to the character of the instruction, and the mode
of imparting it. An opportunity of observing the force
of this remark was afforded on Friday evening last, at the
Cornwallis-street School-room. The occasion was the
half-yearly examination of the children attached to the
Infants' School ; and certainly it was an occasion of sa-
tisfaction to all who were present, nor could any person
having the religious and moral culture of the rising
generation of this populous town at heart, fail to express
unfeigned pleasure at witnessing such a sight, though that
feeling might be qualified by another—surprise—astonish-
ment that such a degree of intelligence could be developed
in minds so young. The room was nearly filled with the
friends of the children, and the patrons of the school—
among the latter was the Rev. 11. Carpenter. The child-
ren were marshalled to the upper end of the room, and
seated in rows, one above another, an arrangement which
enables the instructor to get a clear view of each child
before him. There were upwards of one hundred child-
ren assembled, but Mr. Clarke, the very clever gentleman
who has charge of the schools, stated that not more than
one-third the number on the books had attended, owing
to the unfavourable state of the weather, and other causes.
Their ages appeared to range from two to perhaps ten or
eleven years. As they marched towards their seats, these
pigmy scholars sang a hymn, in the mode of singing
which they asserted their right to be considered vocalists
of no contemptible standing. Some twenty or thirty
little creatures, being apparently the first division,
many not three years old, and few more than four, were
first, as Mr. Clarke termed it, put through their facings.
It was an exhibition as amusing as instructing ; the sub-
ject was the early History of Jesus Christ, and the correct
knowledge these infants displayed must have amazed,
perhaps shamed the adults in the room, but partly from
the singularity of the mode of their replies, (being as if
suggested in part by the gesture of the instructor,) and
sometimes from the simplicity of those replies themselves,
the little things were occasionally excessively droll. To
i
give some idea of the method of instructing these nfo-
eats. Having correctly answered several questions con-
nected with the early life of our Saviour, and after telling
him that God was to be loved first, and then their fathers
and mothers, Mr. Clarke desired to be informed to whom
the little people were next to extend their love, there u:as
i
a slight hesitation, not from ignorance, but frominability
on the part of the infants to express themselves. Their
observant instructor adopted this method of eliciting the
dormant knowledge. He enquired whether they would
not love Tom Smith or John Jones, or any other little
boy of their acquaintance; there was an immediate affir-
mation, accompanied by the addition of " everybody,"
the reply required at first, but which needed the adroit
prompting referred to. This phalanx of infants was
ultimately, after a lengthened examination, marched to an
upper room, singing a nursery rhyme, where refreshments
had been prepared for them. The elder infants then
came in for their share of the drilling. The subjects were
the Travels of St. Paul ; the Christian Church established
at Jerusalem : the first thirty years of the Christian
Church, &c. They evinced a close acquaintance with the
New Testament and sacred chronology, being familiar
with all the incidents and acts of the lives of the Apostles.
They were equally well informed with the operations of
the same inspired writers geographically and showed that
they understood the language employed in the sacred nar-
ratives. In the course of the examination they sang seve-
ral anthems. They were succeeded by their young sister
students, if the intelligent little girls who sat next them
may be so designated. These were equally perfect with
their little schoolfellows.