The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-03-31 00:00:00

THE ROYAL ARTILLERY.—Orders have been received to
suspend the enlistment of recruits and volunteers to this corps,
the complement being made up.
Printers continue in request at Sydney. The Monitor
offers constant employment for able compositors, at £2 10s.
per week, and over-hours.
The Great Western Railway will be opened as far as Read-
ing on the 30th inst., and to Steventon, near Abingdon, in the
course of next month.
THE PENNY POSTAGE.—A somewhat curious packet was
received last week by Mr. G. Palmer, of Kingswood-hill,
near Bristol, through the post : it was sent to him by Mr.
Joseph Lang, of Ilminster, and contained "fifteen goose-
berry trees,' the postage of which was 4d.
POOR RATE RETURNS.—Previously to any parliamentary
inquiry into the amount of poor rate assessment and expen-
diture, it seems to have been estimated far beyond the truth
by the numerous essayists who from time to time called the
attention of the public to their various plans of improved
management of poor relief. From the year 1675 to the end
of that century the poor rate was assumed in various esti-
mates to extend to £600,000, and even to £BOO,OOO a year,
and in the reign of Queen Anne to £1,000,000; from which
time to the middle of the last century such vague speculations
seem to have been discontinued.
13TH Limn' DRAGOONS.—«'e regret deeply to learn that
cholera has not yet left the camp of the 13th Dragoons,
thoueli it is some consolation to know that its fatal charac-
ter is disappearing. The total number of troopers lost
through this dire disease is thirty-five. Amongst the officers,
we hear that a change has been effected between Messrs.
Hake and Wathen, of the 15th Hussars ; and that it is pro-
bable Sir Walter Scott will exchange with Lieut-Colonel
Maclean.—Madras Spectator, Jan. 8.
We deeply regret to have to record the death, by his own
hand, of a distinguished military officer, for many years
resident in this city, Gen. Sir William Wilkinson, at the
advanced age of 85 years. The deceased was a gentleman
of retired and eccentric habits. On Wednesday an inquest
was held, when the jury, sifter hearing evidence as to the
state of mind of the deceased, returned a verdict that he
had destroyed himself while under the influence of tempo-
rary derangement.—Durham Advertiser.
NEW VEGETABLE.—Amongst the numerous newly-intro-
troduced vegetables, none has been found so highly and ge-
nerally useful for almost every culinary purpose where fruit
is required, as the Toboisk rhubarb. The cultivation and
general management is the most simple ; the most inex-
perienced may obtain a supply of early stalks without pos-
sessing au inch of land ; every family, from the nobleman
to the cottager, would do well to possess it, the quality and
flavour being superior to all other varieties.
INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT.--The booksellers of Paris
have united to recommend to the ministry to adopt a measure
acknowledging the copyright of foreign as well as native
authors, and forbidding foreign or clandestine editions.
Were this principle established, ttle French would overcome
that great cause of loss to their publishing establishments—
the system of contrifacon in Belgium, where almost all
French works are republished at the lowest price. We fear
the French will not get the United States of America to
recognise such a principle.
THE NEW HOUSES or PARLIAMENT.—The workmen, of
whom there are 200, are now employed in completing the
foundations for the projected mansion for the speaker, the
house for the usher of the black rod, the select committee
rooms, libraries of the two houses, and other offices. It is
understood that the foundation stone for both the new houses
will be laid by her majesty in person, with great pomp, in
the course of the approaching summer, if thestate of the
works, which advance but slowly, will admit of the ceremony
taking place so early.
We have just heard, but the rumour would seem incredible,
that her Majesty's ship Barham, one of the crack frigates of
the service, and the triumphant competitor in sailing of the
best of Sir Wm. Symonde' ships is to be broken up ! We
can pledge ourselves, for the fact, that the Barham is per-
fectly sound, and needs only a slight repair (something like
the expenditure upon her of a quarter the sum that has been
squandered upon the Vernon), to render her serviceable for
many years to come.—United Service Gazette.
LINGERING DELAY.—Prom a resolution offered in the
Upper Canada House of Assembly, it appears that certain
gold and silver medals, sent out by the British government
for distribution among the officers and privates of the militia
who distinguished themselves in the war of 1812, have re-
mained ever since in the province undistributed, and are now
deposited in the Bank-of Upper Canada; and in the mean
time it is more than probable most of the parties who ought
to have received them have gone to a world where there are
neither enemies to tight nor military achievements to be re-
warded.—Nero York paper.
The Right Hon. Gen. Sir George Hewett, Bart., G.C.8.,
died this afternoon (Saturday) at half-past three o'clock, at
his residence, Fremantle Park, near Southampton, in the
91st year of his age. Sir George was the fourth on the list
of generals, having attained that rank in 1813, and was colonel
of the brave 61st regiment, which landed at Southampton
last week; from Ceylon ; and it was somewhat singular that,
although enjoying tolerable health a long time preceding, and
Anxiously wishing to see his old comrades once more, he took
to his bed on that day.—Hampshire Telegraph.
INVERNESS REPRESENTATION.—MT.MaiIIie, who arrived
here on Wednesday last from London, as a candidate on the
conservative interest for the representation of the county of
Inverness, will be returned without opposition. For some
days back it was understood that the election would have
been contested, either by Mr. Grant of Glenmoriston, or by
some other of the liberal party. But on Thursday, Mr.
Baillie had an interview with Mr. Grant of Glenmoriston,
and was assured, that neither he nor any other of the party
politically opposed to him had any intention of contesting
the representation of the county on the present occasion.—
Inverness Herald.—[Tuesday, the 31st current, is appointed
by the sheriff for the day of nomination.]
Loss TO LITERATURE.—We regret to learn from Rome
that the fire in the library of the Roman College has been far
more destructive than was at first apprehended. Upwards of
370 manuscripts have been destroyed, including 27 Arabic,
43 Persian, 9 Armenian, besides a collection of the Hindoo
and Chinese dramas, all of which are unpublished, and sup-
posed to have had no duplicates in Europe. The number of
printed books consumed has not yet been ascertained ; but
1500 volumes, belonging to the earliest (lays of printing, are
unhappily included in this portion of the loss, as well as the
valuable collection of Greek and Latin classics bequeathed to
the Roman College by the celebrated French philologist Mu-
retus, enriched by the autograph marginal notes of that il-
lustrious scholar.
A MYSTERY.—The sudden appearance of a certain foreign
lady in London has caused a great sensation in a quarter
where " wreathed smile," should alone prevail. The lady
advances, we understand, claims to the most " untoward"
character, which, we fear, will not induce the object of them
to exclaim with Macheath—" How happy could 1 be with
either !" It is, of course, clear that every possible effort of
Po/ouius:like diplomacy will be put in action, to silence the
painful rumour—we mean, to silence; it, according to a me-
thod well understood in the continental practice. We would
give no opinion upon this very distressing case, as it stands
at present; but it may be as well to ask our readers not to
believe all that is said, upon a subject deeply affecting every
one, whatever may be his condition of life. If the report be
false, it will die away, and be forgotten—if it prove true, it
will speak in thunder through the empire.—Age.
WEST WORCESTERSHIRE.—We have been informed by a
highly respectable correspondent, that Lord Viscount East-
nor will, at the next election, become the member for West
Worcestershire, in appropriate conjunction with its present
honoured and constitutional representative, the Hon. Gen.
Lygon. To have informed our readers that his lordship was
to be a candidate, in the ordinary form of such an announce-
ment, would have been an unnecessary form in this case.
Every one who hears that Lord Eastnor stands, will know
that he will be returned; as against the claims which his
lordship holds, anything like opposition is beyond question.
With General Lygon and Lord Eastnor in the house as its
representatives, West Worcestershire would stand in a posi-
tion second to no county representation in the empire.—
Worcester Guardian.
DRURY-LANE THEATRE.—The sub-committee, accord-
ing to appointment, met the general committee of this thea-
tre on Saturday last, to take into consideration Mr. Beale's
offer for the ensuing season, which, after a long debate, was
rejected. It appears that Mr. Beale's proposition was not,
as was stated in yesterday's Herald, £4,000 for the season,
but only £3,700. Upon a calculation lately made, it seems
that 5,000 a year will only yield to the shareholders (after
paying the ground rent, taxes, and other unavoidable ex-
penses) the poor dividend of about five pence per night.—
They are, by an arrangement made some years since, entitled
to ls. 3d per night, each night the theatre remains open.
This even is a reduction from their original dividend ; for in
the " high and palmy days" of the drama, when Ellistou
paid his £lO,OOO a year, and for years after the erection of
the present theatre, they invariably received 2s. 6d. per
night. It is, therefore, requisite for the shareholders to take
a little breathing time before they can be expected to swallow
so bitter a pill as the one which is offered to them—Morning
Herald.

' COWES.—On Saturday evening last East Cowes was all
excitement, on account of the waste land on the shore near
the said place being recently enclosed, which th_treby pre-
'. vented the inhabitants from taking their favourite walk (prin-
. cipally on Sundays,) and part of it being the cricket-ground,
where the juveniles have enjoyed themselves for centuries
past. About seven o'clock it was announced by the bellman
that hostilities were about commencing, and that all well-
wishers were to rendezvous on the Medina Hotel Quay, and
very soon a large assemblage of both rich and poor made their
appearance, and marched in martial array to the scene of
action, when the shipwrights (who acted as pioneers) soon
laid the fence low, and the others being ready with their pick-
axes ani spades, a breach was soon made, and the fence was
set to. Parties have continued to attend there during the
week, and the embankments are nearly levelled. The tide
formerly flowed over this land, and a castle was built in
Henry VIII's time on or near it.—Hampshire Telegraph. ,
MR. H-kNCOCK'S STEAM CARRIAGE.—OR Monday last,
a trial of this machine was made on the North-road, from
Finsbury-square to Barnet, for the purpose of ascertaining,
by actual experiment, the rate of speed, the degree of safety,
and other properties of this new mode of travelling on turn-
pike roads. The steam apparatus is placed at the back of
the carriage, which in this instance was a long open vehicle,
with seats placed across its length capable of holding twenty-
two persons, including the conductor and his assistant. The
conductor, or steersman, sits in front, and steers the car-
riage by a wheel, being similar to those used on board ships.
and the carriage (in sea language) answers the helm with
great accuracy. The conductor has also the power of turn-
ing off, or increasing the steam, so as to lessen or increase
the speed, by means of a long rod at his command. At his
left is another handle, by which he can give a signal to his
attendant, when he wishes the break to be put on, which is
done without stopping the vehicle. On the present occasion
the trip from Finsbury-square to Barnet (12 miles) was made
in little more than an hour, including ten minutes' stoppage
at the Bald-faced Stag (Finchley). The return to town was
completed in five minutes' less time, with similar stoppages
on the road. The usual rate of going up hill was from eight
to nine miles per hour ; on the dead level, fourteen to fifteen
miles ; and down hill, as much more as the conductor con-
sidered safe ; the mean or average being 14 miles per hour
on the whole route. This machine is only intended for those
passengers, and their luggage, who prefer travelling on the
turnpike roads. There appears to be little or no danger
from any accident happening to the boiler, and the motion
is quite free from jolting, and there is no annoyance from
smoke or ashes. It, however, alarms horses not accustomed
to its noise, and it is requisite to be vigilant on its approach, '
to keep them well in hand until it has passed. There were
many scientific gentlemen present on the occasion.—Mon,_
ing Herald.

HINT TO THE WORKING CLASSES.—The reason why
"our exporting manufacturers" demand a repeal of the
corn law is, that a repeal of them would equalise the
price of English with the price of continental labour. " Our
exporting manufacturers clear now, on the average, only
thirty per cent. on all the capital which they employ. They
long to clear a hundred or two hundred per cent. Now for
the price of " continental labour." Mr. Gregg, the Man-
chester repealer, states it to be in
France..........
Switzerland 4s. sd. per week of 82 hours.
Austria
Tyrol ........ .
Saxony
13onn, on the Rhine 2s. 6d. per week of 84 hours.
Being an average of 3s. 114 d. per week of 79 hours. The
same Mr. Gregg states the existing wages of. Englishmen to
range from 15s, to 30s. a-
classes ! " week. Look at this, ye "working