The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-11-02 00:00:00

tag yowl, whothi

panish, Portuguato, or English
lotours, Upon n proper representation of the facts, It is not
to be doubted that England will give us any reparation and
remuneration which we can justly demand. If she declines,
we can persuade her at the mouth of the cannon.
Lastly, there is the north-western boundary, and the ques-
tion of jurisdiction at and about the mouth of the Columbia
river. Why procrastinate any of these matters ? Nothing
is to be gained by delay. On the contrary, speedy action is
far more likely to be effectual. Most of these questions have
sprung up within a recent period, and they have exercised a
most injurious influence on mercantile affairs. They create a
mutability in business transactions, causing vexations and
embarrassments which none but merchants can appreciate.
Let our government make a bold and decided movement now,
and all the difficulties can be settled in two months time.
Never was there a more propitious period. Every indication
is favourable to an amicable and satisfactory adjustment. A.
whig ministry in England is always trimming and truckling
to every paltry interest in the country, and has neither the
courage nor magnanimity to act generously or justly. They
court the support of that class whose buSiness interests are
hostile to those of the United States. A tory ministry, on
the contrary, is stronger, and has less motive to cultivate a
feeling adverse to the country. At the present time, a liberal
high-minded course towards the United States would be al-
most generally popular, and a demand on England for repar-
ation for the Grogan and Caroline outrages, with a proposition
for the prompt arrangement of the other questions, if made
in a spirit of becoming firmness, would, no doubt, be well
received, and lead to the happiest results.

There is a consideration in this connexion which must bear
great weight with the English ministry when properly pre-
sented to their notice. The power of Great Britain over her
American possessions is held by an attenuated and extremely
feeble thread. Canada is in the most critical condition. The
upper province is now in the incipient stage of revolution.
Nothing but the presence of a strong military force can over-
awe the turbulence of feeling existing there, and repress an
outbreak. Hunters' lodges, a species of confederation, have
been organised all over the province, and, in the event of a
continuance of amicable relations between the British govern-
ment and our own, Great Britain will have great difficulty in
maintaining her ascendancy in Canada. But, in case of a
rupture between the two governments, the internal dissen-
sions prevailing there would inevitably throw the whole
British possessions in North America into the hands of the
,United States.

In this state of the case, and upon a careful survey of the
whole ground, we are clearly of opinion that it is the dictate
of wisdom and of sound policy to send a special minister
forthwith to the court of St. James, and demand prompt re-
dress of the wrongs inflicted upon us by the authority of the
British government, and at the same time propose a speedy
settlement of all the questions now open between the two
nations. President Tyler, by this course, supposing the re-
sult to be such as the circumstances give us a right to anti-
cipate, would win immortal honour. The whole country
would support him in a bold national movement of this kind.
Let Mr. Webster be selected for the mission, and supported
by our active preparations for anYmmergency that may arise,
anti the whole thing might be accomplished in two months.
The stock market at New York was still falling.
Money continued sufficiently abundant for business
purposes. Cotton was arriving in the southern ports
in considerable quantities. A general decline in flour
of from 25 to 50 cents per barrel had taken place all
through the states. It was likely that the price of cot-
ton would rule low during the whole season, as the
crop would at least be as large as the last, and, if the
planters had a good picking season, would considerably
exceed it. The fall trade had ceased earlier than usual,
but a fair amount of business was done—a large pro-
portion for cash. The receipts of tolls on the canals
had been larger than at any previous season, and there
had been a universal complaint at the west of the want
of
-tonnage to carry the produce to market.

NEW YORK COTTON MARKET, OCT. 15.—Since the de-
parture of the last steamer the sales of cotton have reached
about 9,000 bales, at a decline of id. Our present stock is a
little over 12,000 bales, of which we quote New Orleans at
74 to 11, Mobile 74 to 104, Upland and Florida 7 to 10. The
sales'yesterday reached 700 bales. The Flour market is still
unsettled, though with somewhat more animation than at our
last accounts. Genesee may be quoted at sdlrs. 621 c. to
sdlrs. 75c. ; Ohio, ditto ; Michigan, sdlrs. 624 c.

SAVANNAH, OCT. 9.—COTTON.—The receipts both by
river and railroad have been 1,259 bales Upland and 8 Sea
Island. The sales are as follow :-6 at 8, 47 at 81, 165 at 81,
87 at Bi, 235 at 9, 13 at 9 1-6, and 55 at 91, making a total
of 608 bales. The weather, with a few hours exception, has
continued fine, as reported in our last, and every such week
adds certainty to the promise of good crops. 100 casks rice
have been sold at 31 to 31 per cwt. About 4,000 bushels
new have been received this week, and we hear of a sale of
20 casks of the new crop at 3i, quality only middling. Ex-
change—Sterling is nominal—on New York, sight drafts 1
per cent. prem. ; 60 days 1. dis. Freights—One ship is up for
Liverpool, and part of her cargo has been engaged at 1d ;
coastwise remain without change, 75c. per bale for cotton to
New York, and 50c. for rice.

NEW ORLEANS, OCT. s.—The prevailing impression here
is, that, under any circumstances, the cotton crop cannot
prove larger than that of last year. Moreover, our receipts
of first pickings are inferior in quality, which does not favour
the idea of a large crop. Before the receipt of the Caledo-
nia's news, sales were making very freely, chiefly from France,
at fli to 8} for fair to middling; but since that time business
has been in a great measure suspended, and the sales have
been few and at declining prices.

DREADFUL FIRE IN THE TOWER OF
LONDON.

TOTAL DESTRUCTION OF THE GRAND ARMOURY

(From the Morning Herald of Yesterday.)

An event which will belong remembered in the annals of
English history, and which may be regarded in every respect
as a truly national calamity, occurred on Saturday night last,
in the entire destruction, together with its contents, of that
magnificent building forming so prominent a feature in the
far-famed Tower of London, denominated " The Grand
Store-house and Small Armoury," containing, in addition
to an almost innumerable quantity of trophies and other
evidences of British glory, no less a number than 300,000
stand of arms, &c.

In order that an adequate idea may be formed of the ex-
tent of this serious loss to the country, it may be as well to
give an accurate description of the building destroyed, taken
from authentic records, before entering into any of the facts
connected with it. " The grand storehouse is north of the
'White Tower, a fine building•of brick and hewn stones. It
extends in length 345 feet, and is 60 broad ; it was com-
menced by James 11. and finished by William 111. On the
first floor of this edifice is that mrgnificent room called the
Small Armoury, in which William 111., with Queen Mary
his consort, dined in great state, having all the warrant work-
workmen and labourers to attend them, dressed in white
gloves and aprons. On the south side of this structure is a
stately door-case, adorned with four columns, an entabla-
ture, and a triangular pediment of the Doric order. Under
the pediments are the King's arms, with enrichments of
trophy-work by the celebrated artist Gibbons. At the west
end of this building is situated the church founded by Ed-
ward 111., and dedicated to St. Peter in Chains, in which
are deposited the remains of many noble and some royal
personages executed either in the Tower or on the hill, and
buried here in obscurity. On the east side of this building
is situate the newly-erected Jewel-tower, in which the regalia
and all the crown jewels are kept."

The first discovery of the fire was made about half-past
ten o'clock by the sentry on duty at the Jewel-office, who
perceived a bright light issuing from the windows of this
tower, which is situated at the northern extremity of the
building and immediately attached to the Grand Storehouse
or Armoury, a lofty brick edifice occupying the whole length
of the inner square or court, and directly facing the White
Tower. He immediately ran to the station of the main
guard in the centre quadrangle, and gave the alarm, when the
bugles were sounded, and in a very short space of time the
whole of the garrison were aroused, and called out to render
assistance. The engines stationed in the Tower (of which
there are several) were immediately on the spot, and were
quickly followed by those of the neighbouring parishes,
and almost immediately after by those of the brigade estab-
lishment, under the superintendence of Mr. Braidwood ; the
County and West of England were admitted within the
walls. The flames had by this time gained a fearful ascen-
dancy, and the fire had made its way from the Round Table
Tower to the centre of the Grand Armoury, and burst forth
from several windows with extraordinary fury, rapidly ex-
tending both east and west. The outer gates of the Tower
were very properly closed, by order of the governor, against
the admission of the public, the number of soldiers in the
barracks affording an abundant supply of hands to work the
various engines. The greatest possible difficulty, however,
was experienced in obtaining a supply of water, and it was
not until the hose had been conveyed to the water's edge that
any thing like a sufficient quantity was obtained, and even
then the distance was so great to the burning pile, that the
labours of the firemen were frequently retarded for long
intervals.

In the Grand Armoury, which is stated to have been the
largest room in Eur?pe, being upwards of 350 feet long and
GO wide, were deposited 280,000 stand of arms, besides a vast
quantity of military carriages, bombs, and other spoils of war
captured by our troops in various parts of the world. The
flames having once penetrated this hall, no hope existed that
any portion of it would be saved, and the exertions of the
firemen were confined to the preservation of the surround-
ing buildings, upon which they played with all the water they
could obtain. At this crisis the greatest apprehensions were
entertained for the safety of the crown jewels deposited in the
regalia office, which closely adjoins the eastern extremity of
the Grand Armoury, and the yeomen of the guard, under the
direction of their captain, were deputed to undertake he re -
moval. This service was safely performed without ac-
cident, and the whole of the valuables, including the
-beautiful model of the White Tower, were consigned
to the care of the governor and placed in the vaults
beneath his residence. The heat from the burning pile
had now become so excessive that the firemen could no
longer act in the centre square, and it was quite impossible
to attempt to save any portion of the arms, fic,c., contained in
the grand storehouse. Notwithstanding the lateness of the
hour, the alarm soon spread through the metropolis, and
Tower-hill and its immediate neighbourhood were densely
thronged. At this period of the conflagration the atmosphere
was illuminated in an extraordinary degree, and the fire
mignt have been seen at many miles distance, while the re-
flection on the surrounding houses and on the shipping in the
river, produced a most striking effect. About one o'clock
the appearance of the burning mass was surpassingly grand.
The flames having at that time extended to nearly the whole
length of the armoury, shortly after the roof, being com-
pletely burned through, fell in with a tremendous crash, the
flames rising with a lurid glare far above the towers of the
' citadel. A company of fusilier guards had been some time
employed in forcing a breach between the line of houses
adjoining the western end of the armoury with the hope
of staying the further progress of the flames, but the roof
of the latter building having now given way they were
forced to desist. At this time it was 'feared that the whole
of the southern side weuld fall a prey to the flames, but by
the judieious exertions of the brigade establishment they
were prevented from extending across the narrow avenue be-
lween the outer wall and the Round Tower, above alluded
to, and hopes were entertained that no other portion of the
building would be sacrificed. This expectation happily
proved correct. The fire was not subdued, however, until
near five o'clock, and the mass of ruins was burning fiercely
throughout the whole of yesterday. No further mischief
was, however, apprehended, and the walls being in an ex-
ceedingly bad state, little was done by the firemen. It was
hoped that this calamity had been unattended with loss of
life, but we regret to record the death of a fireman named
Richard Wivell, of the brigade establishment, a line young
man, aged 24, who was killed by the fall of a mass of stone
from the top of a wall, under which he was holding the
branch. He was struck on the side of the head with so much
force that his helmet was driven in, and his skull dreadfully
fractured. lie was conveyed to the guard-room, and
attended by two of the garrison surgeons,
but all attempts
to bleed him were unavailing, and he expired in a few mi-
nutes. George Wright, of the county establishment, was
also very severely injured, but hopes are entertained of his
recovery. The indisputable fact of the scarcity of water is
most lamentable, as it appears that the whole of the inner
squate is one subterranean tank for the express purpose of
containing water against a contingency of this nature ; but,
strange as it may appear, on the plugs being taken up the
tanks were found dry, and all hope of obtaining the desired
supply was at an end. It is stated that the duty of attend-
ing to these wells belongs to the engineer of the Tower, and
there can be no doubt that the circumstance of the neglect
will be rigidly inquired into. Many rumours are in eircu-

EI) Ztherpool 'taiiltarb.

TUESDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 2, 1841

Well and nobly have the Conservatives of Liverpool done
their duty in the struggle which has just concluded ; and from
our heart of hearts we thank them ! Throughout the length
and breadth of the land the splendid achievement of yester-
day has by this time spoken " trumpet-tongued," proclaim-
ing the determination of a united people to adhere to the " old
ways" of the constitution—to stand fast upon the rock of
their established Protestant religion—to be steadfast in their
loyalty, and to rally to the support of the throne and the
altar against every attempt at innovation or injury ! For this
we thank our Conservative fellow-townsmen, one and all—
high arid low—the merchant and the honest operative as
well ; and their country will thank them too.—their children
and their children's children ! They have done their duty.
The result of yesterday's struggle, we repeat it, is not to
be viewed, merely in relation to the consequences of a local
nature which will spring from it. The struggle itself was a
great battle for a principle—the battle of Conservatism
against the evil spirit of modern liberalism. By its result the
people of Liverpool have affirmed again, and even more
loudly than ever, their determination to be governed upon
Conservative principles, to have the administration of their
local affairs, as well as the government of the country, con-
ducted upon the principles of " our glorious constitution in
Church and State." The country will receive the victory,
and has a right to receive it too, as a confirmation, by the
people of Liverpool, of that effort of the national will which
placed Sir Robert Peel at the helm of state. The inducing
causes of that victory—the influences by the exertion of which
it has been achieved—have been the same ; and the same too,
is the language in which it speaks—detestation of the princi-
ples of modern " liberalism," of its truckling to popery, its
fondling with infidelity, its servility to the strong, and its
hard-hearted and insolent contempt of the weak.
In this light we are satisfied that the victory of yesterday
ought to be viewed; for what an anomaly would it have pre-
sented to the world if this loyal community, returning two
Conservative members to the House of Commons, had con-
tinued to declare their confidence in a local government such
as that which we have now happily got rid of ! How loudly
the anti-national faction and its organs would have proclaim-
ed any other result as a declaration of the people of Liver-
pool in favour of themselves and their nostrums ! We have
committed no such folly however. We have not been thus
contradictory in our conduct. We have now a local govern-
ment allied, in feeling, with the government of the country;
and we have members of parliament for our borough, form-
ing a connecting chain of communication between both.

Our fellow-townsmen will not, we are confident, whilst
congratulating themselves upon their victory, neglect to pay
a just tribute of regard and thankfulness to the instruments,
by the aid of which it has been accomplished. To the un-
tiring exertions and unceasing warnings of those champions
of our Protestant faith,—the clergy of Liverpool—how
much of the spirit iu which this good fight has been fought
is to be attributed ! How much to our district Protestant
societies ! How much—we say it without hesitation—to
the Conservative press, amongst whose exertions we claim
consideration for our own, as having been at least hearty and
sincere, if they have not been always so effective as we could
have wished. But we will not dwell upon this portion of
our subject ; our object, indeed, is accomplished when
we have repeated our deepest thankfulness to our Con-
servative fellow-townsmen, for a victory, which has once
more placed our good old town in that proud position amongst
the cities of the empire, which she has ever previously held,
and which we trust she will ever continue to maintain.

Alas for the philosophers ! The pride of the race
is cut down ; its choice specimens rejected ; and its
Magnus Apollo, the mighty William himself, obscured
for ever. Alas for the philosophers, educational and
anti-corn-law, free-trading and warehouse-building ;
but—more than all beside—alas for William Rath-
bone!

" Last morn we saw him by the accustomed spot,
Beneath the Green Bank's shade ; * *
The evening came, and then we saw him not."
He had evaporated—gone off in a cloud of drab-
coloured flame, doubtless to enlighten the darkness of
some unknown land, where there is neither a " Pitt-
street," a " North Toxteth," or " Great George's "
(which from henceforth shall be great indeed)—to
harrow up his meek soul with their appalling memo-
ries; no churches to vex his Socinian spirit with their
obtruding steeples; no Bible-teaching- schools, and no
Bible-teaching parsons, to rack him into perpetually
recurring agonies. 'William is gone ; and others be-
sides William, although none so great as he ! Let us
bestow a passing glance upon them, reader, before
they are consigned to oblivion for ever !
And first we have lost Mr. Michael Ashcroft, by
whose return to the Council what a. world of enlighten-
ment in the mysteries of cropping and sowing, gra-
zing and milking, was to have been shoWered upon
us ! He has gone back to his farm-yard—a second
Cincinnatus. Next in the list come a host of lesser
names—the tomtits of the faction—Mr. Geo. Quayle,
Mr. Christopher Rawdon, Mr. John Holmes, and
Mr. J. Woollright. After these, however, comes a
bird of loftier plumage. Mr. Hugh Hornby, once
Mayor of the Reformed Council, and perhaps the
" noblest Roman of them all," has yielded before the
might of a nobler still, in the person of James Aspinall,
Esq. The eminent speaker, and erudite philosopher,
Mr. Charles Holland, is not doomed by fate to exer-
cise his talents or to. display his eloquence within the
walls of the Council-chamber. The surgical philoso-
pher, Air. John Cooper, is returned to his gallipots ;
the electors of Abercromby Ward -having pronounced
unmistakeably their determination—
" Throw physic to the dogs ! 'We'll none of it ! "
Of the remainder, why need we particularise ? They
never have set the Mersey, or any other river, on fire
as yet; and they never will.
From henceforth—thanks to the noble exertions of
the constituencies !—the Corporation of Liverpool is a
Conservative body—a body composed of Englishmen,
not only in name but in heart as well--supporters of
their Church and Queen—the true and tried friends
of the monarch and of the people ! We may have
fewer shining lights, perhaps, in that body--less glit-
ter and tinsel, and infinitely fewer pretensions and
professions ; but we shall have, what is far more valu-
able in a municipal body, a greater portion of sound
honesty of purpose, and disposition to advance the
real and intelligible interests of the community. We
shall have fewer theorists—fewer builders of castles in
the air, or upon the dock-quays—fewer projectors of
whimsies and spinning-tops; but more men of busi-
ness and more measures of sterling usefulness, as the
result. The Corporation of Liverpool will once more
take its station, in the estimation of the people of
England, as the legitimate representative of the mer-