The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-05-03 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD, TUESDAN, MAY 3, 1853.

FOREIGN MISCELLANY.

THE PRINTERS IN NEW YORK have formed a com-
bination, and dictate to their employers an immediate
advance of 25 per cent in their wages. The masters, in
many cases, refuse to comply, and girls are being en-
gaged in scores to set up types.
MISS ELIZABETH WETHEREL, the authoress of
" Queechy," and the " Wide, Wide World," now so
popular in England, is the daughter of Henry W. Warner,
Esq., a distinguished member of the New York bar. The
name of \Vetherel was always understood to be a nom de
plume.
A NEGRO VIEW OF SLAVERY.—The Examiner says
that a dashing free negro from the United States married
the daughter of a very respectable coloured citizen of
Toronto. but getting no money with her, as he anticipated,
went off south, where he said that he had rich friends,
and there sold his wife and " absquatulated." The father
is now left to find, if not to purchase, his recently married
daughter in the slave market of the South.—American
Paper.
YANKEES, CABS, TIME.—The New York Tribune
says:—" Many people grumble audibly at the overcrowd-
ing of the cars on the City railroads. A true New-Yorker
will run three blocks to catch a full car, and then hang at
the risk of his life upon the step, sooner than take a seat
in a car just going, because he would thereby lose two
minutes of time. Rather than wait that small eternity, he
will abandon comfort, risk his life, and take satisfaction in
grumbling at crowded vehicles."
ANOTHER VICTIM OF SPIRITUAL MANIFESTATION.—
We learn that Mr. Christian Snevely, a very worthy and
industrious citizen of this borough, has become insane on
this ridiculous and absurd subject. This is the first in-
stance that has occurred from this vile and sacrilegious
practice in our borough, and has caused a considerable
sensation among our people. He has been conveyed to
the Pennsylvania Lunatic Hospital, and is now a raving
manaic. We trust that this sad result may prove a salu-
tary warning to all who have made a practice of attending
spirit rapping meetings, and giving countenance to this
base and wicked system of imposition.—Harrisburg (Pa)
Union, Sat.
THE NEW YORK HERALD of the 16th April has an
indignant article on an American vessel having been fired
into, forced to heave to, and boarded by the crew of her
Britannic Majesty's steamer Devastation on the 31st of
March last. The American vessel was the Harriet, Cap.
James Otis, of Bath. " Still," says the Herald, "in
view of the apparently acknowledged right of foreigners
to board our vessels and insult our flag, we are bound to
admit that the Englishman displayed a very creditable
moderation in respecting life and property."
SHIPBUILDING IN AMERICA.—Mr. M'Kay, of East
Boston, is building a ship 320 feet long and 55 feet beam,
to measure 4000 tons, for California; to be propelled by
the screw, and to have Mr. Forbes' new rig of inter-
mediate topsails Two other ships—one of 1500 tons, and
another of 1200—for the same trade. A correspondent
says :—" The seamen are so scarce, and so bad, that we
must soon come to a steam-engine for making and taking
in sail."
ANOTHER MIRACLE.—The Official Journal of the
Two Sicilies announces a miracle said to have taken
place at Bari, where one of the thorns belonging to the
crown with which Our Saviour was tortured let fall some
drops of blood on Good Friday last, in the presence of a
numerous concourse of people. A similar miracle is
stated to have taken place at Andria on the same day with
another thorn of the crown ; and it is added that this is
not the first time such a thing has occurred, but that it
has been several times observed, the last being in 1842.
A BELGIUM EXPRESS.—A laughable story of some
carrier pigeons is told in an Antwerp newspaper. The
editor of a celebrated journal, published in that city, sent
a reporter to Brussels for the king's speech, and with him
a couple of carrier pigeons, to take back the document.
At Brussels, he gave the pigeons in charge to a waiter,
and called for breakfast. He was kept waiting for some
time, but a very delicate fricassee atoned for the delay.
After breakfast, he paid his bill, and called for his carrier
pigeons. " Pigeons !" exclaimed the waiter, " why,
you've eaten them !"
SINGULAR DUEL.—A singular duel took place a few
days since in the Bois de Boulogne. Two private coach-
men who had for some time past felt a deep-rooted
animosity towards each other, and never met without
quarrelling, happening by chance to meet a few evenings
since at a wine shop, one of them said to. the other,
" Our quarrelling has now lasted too long it is•time to
put an end to it. Let us have one fight, and let that be
the last. We neither of us understand anything, of sword
or pistol • let us fight with our whips." This proposition
having been accepted, the parties repaired to the Bois,
and accompanied by their seconds, soon commenced the
combat. A number of persons assembled to, witness the
scene, which was continued with great animation,. when
the keepers of the wood came up, and marched off the
combatants to the guard-house. One of the men :re-
ceived a very serious- wound on the face, and the other
had one of his ears almost cut off.
PASSPORTS.—Persons travelling ought to know some-
thing, before they set out, of the passport system, as it
is carried out in the various continental States. Prussia
and Sardinia are the only States that permit a passport
from the British Minister of Foreign Affairs to pass freely
into or through their territories without a vise' from their
own Ministers or Consuls respectively. Prussia has
intimated her intention to demand a vise of her own,
authorities in confirmation of any passports granted. by
the consuls of foreign powers. The safest course is for
every Englishman goinabroad. to provide himself with a
passport from his own Minister for Foreign Affairs. The
cost is now reduced to Z. 6d., no more than the charge
for the old consular document. In all other countries the
vise of the foreign authority is absolutely essential.
Bavaria used to be content with a simple passport from the
British Minister; but that privilege, granted to English-
men in 1846, and confirmed in 1851, is now revoked.

A BULL AND- BEAR FIGHT IN NEW
ORLEANS.

14he New Orleans: Crescent, of the 28th March, gives
the following narrative, which illustrates the peculiar
refinement of sporting circles in that part of the New
World :

Yesterday, pursuant to public notice, came off at
Gretna, opposite the Fourth District, the long-heralded
fight between the famous grizzly bear General Jackson
(victor in fifty battles) and the Attakapas ball Santa Anna.
The fame of the coming_ conflict had gone forth to the
four winds, and women and children, old men and boys,
from all parts of the city, and from the breezy banks of
Lake Pontchartrain and Borgne, brushed up their Sun-
day suit, and prepared to see the fun. Long before the
published hour, the quiet streets of the rural Gretna
were filled with crowds of anxious denizens, flocking to
the arena, and, before the fight commenced such a crowd
had collected as Gretna had not seen nor will be li:rely
to see again.

The arena for the sports was a cage twenty feet square,
built upon the ground and constructed of heavy timbers
and iron bars. Around it were seats, circularly placed,
and intended to accommodate many thousands. About
four or five thousand persons assembled, covering the
seats as with a cloud, and crowding down around the
cage, were within reach of the bars.
The bull selected to.sustain the honour and verify the
pluck of Attakapas on the trying occasion was a black
animal from the Opelousas, lithe and sinewy as a four
year old courser, and with eyes like burning coals. His
horns bore the appearance of having been filed at the
tips, and wanted, that keen and slashing appearance so
common with others of his kith and kin, otherwise it
would have been "all day" with Bruin at the first pass,
and no mistake.

The bear was an animal of note, and called General
Jackson, from the fact of his licking up everything that
came in his way, and taking " the responsibility" on all
occasions. He was a wicked-looking beast, very lean
and unamiable in aspect, with hair all standing the wrong
way. He had fought some fifty bulls. (so they said),
always coming out victorious, but that either one of the
fifty had been an Attakapas bull, the bills of the per-
formances did not say. Had he tackled Attakapas first it
is likely 11-s fifty battles would have remained unfought.
About half-past four o'clock the performances com-
menced.

The bull was first seen, standing in the cage alone, with
head erect, and looking a very monarch in his capacity.
At an appointed signal, a cage containing the bear was
placed alongside the arena, and an opening being made,
bruin stalked into the battle ground—not, however, with-
out sundry stirrings up with a ten foot pole, he being ex-
perienced in such matters and backward in raising a row.
Once on the battle-field,, both animals stood, like wary
champions, eyeing each other, the bear cowering low,
with heat* upturned and fangs exposed, while Attakapaa
stood wondering, with his eye dilated, lashing his sides
with his long and bushy tail, and pawing up the earth in.
very wrath. . _ _

The bear seemed little inclined to begin the attack, and
the bull, standing a moment, made steps first backward
and then forward, as if measuring his antagonist, and
meditating where to plant a blow. Bruin wouldn't come
to the scratch no way it could be fixed, till one of the
keepers, with an iron rod, tickled his ribs and made him
move. Seeing this, Attakapas took it as a hostile demon-
stration, and gathering his strength, dashed savagely at
the enemy, catching him on the points of his horns
and doubling him up like a sack of bran against the
bars. Bruin " snug out" at this and made a dash for
his opponent's nose. Missing this, the bull turned to the
" about face," and the bear caught him by the ham, in-
flicting a ghastly wound. But Attakapas with a kick
shook him off, and renewing the attack, went at him
again, head on and with a rush. This time he was not
so fortunate, for the bear caught him above the eye,
burying his fangs in the tough hide and holding him as in
a vice. It was now the bull's turn to " sing out," and
he did it, bellowing forth with a voice more hideous than
that of all the bulls of Bashan. some minutes stood
matters thus, and the cries of the bull, mingled with the
hoarse growls of the bear, made hideous music, fit only
for a dance of devils. Then came a pause (the bear hav-
ing relinquished his hold), and for a few minutes it was
doubtful whether the fun was not up. But the magic
wand of the keeper (the ten foot pole) again stirred up
bruin, and at it they went, and with a rush.
Bruin now tried to fasten on the bull's back, and drove
his tusks in him in several places, making the red blood
flow like wine from the vats of Luna. But Attakapas was
pluck to the back hone, and, catching bruin on the tips
of his horns, shuffled him up right merrily, making
the fur fly like feathers in a gale of wind. Bruin cried
" Nuff" (in bear language), but the bull followed up his
advantage, and, making one furious plunge full at the
figure head of the enemy, struck a horn into his eye.
burying it there and dashing the tender organ into dark-
ness and atoms. Blood followed the blow, and poor
bruin, blinded, bleeding, and in mortal agony, turned
with a bowl to leave, but Attakapas caught him in the
retreat, and rolled him over like a ball. Over and over
again this rolling over was enacted, and finally, after
more than an hour, bruin curled himself up on his back,
bruised, bloody, and dead beat. The thing was up
with California, and Attakapas was declared the victor
amidst the applause of the multitude that made the
heavens ring.
It was a most savage exhl)ition, and we chronicle it as
we would a murder or other lamentable fact: May we
never See such another,