The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-04-25 00:00:00

G.EN_ERAL INT_ELLIG.ENCE.

THE LORD MAYOR of London has sent invitations to
the whole of the Yorkshire Mayors to a grand banquet to
be given next month to the Mayor and Corporation of
Leeds.
GOVERNMENT, respecting the cry of justice to 4otland,
has determined to purchase, at a cost of £7,000, a site for
an Industrial Museum at Edinburgh.
THE BEARDED MOVEMENT.— NOTICE EXTRA.ORDI-
NARY.—The Patriot states,, the following was seen on
the doors of one of the churches in the City-road yester-
day :—" It is particularly requested that moustaches be
not worn in this church during Divine service."
A GREAT FIV.—At a meeting of the City of London
Ragged Schools, held in the Institute, Mr. Alderman
Wire said he could tell, from his experience of the city
prisons, that since the establishment of the ragged schools,
juvenile crime had diminished 50 per cent.
CHEAP. BREAD.—Mr. Pepper, of the Polytechnic, has
beaten the Frenchmen in the new bread-making process,
and produced 71b. 4oz. more bread from a sack of flour
than they can. The secret, he says, is simply to use a
proportion of rice with the usual materials. The bread
thus made will keep moist and sweet 'for a longer period
than the ordinary kind, but its nourishing qualities are
fifty per cent. less, weight for weight.
A. NOTABLE HISTORICAi FACT.—Wheat was first sown
in the North American colonies in 1602, on the Elizabeth
Islands, in Massachusetts, by Gosnold, at the time he ex-
plored that coast. That has been just 252 years ago, and
since that time so great has been the increase of this
cereal,, that in the year 1819, according to the census of
1850, the product amounted to 100,503,899 bushels.
TICKETS OP LEAVE.—The Glasgow Commonwealth
complains that some thirty ticket-of-leave men have been
allowed to return to Glasgow without any notification to
the police ; and intimates that these men are engaged in
their old practices, which they are enabled to pursue with
great safety because the policemen are not aware of their
presence in Glasgow.

- AN ABSENT ''RECORDER.-011 the opening of the
Northampton borough sessions last week, the Recorder
was missing ; judge, attorneys, officialS, and juries—grand
and petty, waited for three hours, and a telegraphic mes-
sage was sent to the absent gentleman's town residence;
but no Recorder came, Und at length the court was
adjourned. At half-past six the Recorder arrived, and
stated that the sessions had wholly escaped his memory.
Tau DIVERS MEASURES NUISANCE.—In Hertfordshire
attention has recently been called to the prevalence of
three different corn measures, under the one name of
"load," consisting severally of three quarters, four quar-
ters, and five quarters. This anomaly of local measures
exists all over the kingdom. It renders the returns of
prices from markets often deceptive, and worse than
useless. Here, again, agricultural statistics would bring
the folly into high relief. The remedy lies in a universal
grain by weight—a change to a decimal system of weights
and measures, and the compulsory teaching of the decimal
system in every parish school in the kingdom.— The Field.

INCONVENIENCE OF EXCESSIVE BIILIC..—MF.
a gentleman of enormous size, standing upwards of six
feet, and weighing, it is said, 22 stones, was summoned
to Lambeth Police-court, on Tuesday, for the sum of 6d.,
being the balance of a fare due to a cab driver named Geo.
Perrin. The question turned upon a counter-statement
as to time lost in waiting, and the weight of evidence was
adjudged to be in favour f the complainant. Accordingly,
Mr. Colwell had to.pay the 6d., and costs to the amount
of ss. 6d. in addition. He stated he was much annoyed
by cabmen refusing to take him in their vehicles on
account of his size; and that, in revenge against the
whole fraternity, he was in the habit of keeping them
waiting for nearly fifteen minutes, as the law allowed him
to do. On this occasion it seemed he overdid the thing,
and kept the cabman sixteen minutes.
MIGRATION OF MORMONS.—The Iliton Rouge Advo-
cate (United States) says :—The John Simonds, a three-
decker steamer, running to St. Louis, passed our landing
yesterday, with about 800 emigrants on board, all bound
for the Mormon settlement at Utah. They are composed,
we were told, nearly exclusively of English and Welsh
converts to the Mormon religion and morality (or immo-
rality), under the guidance of one of the Latterday Saints,
who has been on a missionary tour to Great Britain.
About half, or more than half, the number were women,
mostly young and buzom-lookint, lasses. What were their
views of spiritual matrimony we did not ascertain.
SALARIES IN PUBLIC OFFICES.—The annual account
made up under this title has been presented to parliament.
It shows the effect of changes made during the year 1853.
The chief item of increase is set down to the Post-office,
in which department 1,220 more persons have been en-
gaged, at salaries amounting to £29,358 ; the convict
establishment also has 109 more servants than in the
previous year; the Customs, 67; Stamps and Taxes, 59.
On the other hand, the Excise has 207 less, and the bon-
sequent saving in that department is £24,734 ; but there
is an increase in the same department, under the head of
"expenses," to the extent of £15,748. The general result
is an increase of 1,478 in the number of persons employed
in some of the public offices, and a diminution of 236 in
the number employed in others ; in money, an increase of
expense in the one set of offices to the extent of £105,672,
and a decrease in the other to the extent of £48,013.
MILITARY AFFRAY.—A serious fight took place in
Winchester, on Sunday week, between about 150
soldiers belonging to the 88th Regiment and the Hants
militia. It appears that the. regulars had been sneering
at the awkwgrdness and unsoldierlike qualities of the
militia men, the consequence was a desperate fight with
fists, sticks, stones, and soldiers' belts, a terrible weapon,
with its large metal buckle. Several soldiers were taken
to the hospital dreadfully, and, it is feared, fatally
wounded. The militia men were victorious, as they
numbered two to one over the regulars. The policemen
were too few to interfere to stop, or even to mitigate, the
disgraceful affray.
A SPREE.—At the Central Police-court, Glasgow, great
merriment was created by the introduction of a red-
whiskered man, named John Blyth, and his wife Eliza,
"a douce-looking, middle-aged couple, dressed in each
other's clothing." John came first, in petticoats and
short gown, and bare feet. Next came Eliza, breeched
and booted, with the coat over all ; but she deeply felt
her position, and as she seated herself alongside the other
figure, and completed the strange picture, she cried
aloud, while the whole court were convulsed with
laughter. The foolish couple, it appeared, resided in
High-street; that morning they had been indulging in "a
glass," and were so exceedingly merry that, when about
to retire, they donned each other's clothing. Their land-
lady said if they would go out to the street in that state
she would stand a gill, and they had gone' out in search
of the gill, when they were surrounded and taken to the
office. The husband was fined 7s. 6d., while Eliza was
dismissed with an advice.

DEATH IN A TUN.—Mr. Charles Dick, brewer, has three
large stock tuns placed in his yard at the back of the count-
ing-house, one of which had been emptied about a fortnight
ago, and required cleaning previous to being used again.
Mr. Dick had issued strict orders that, before going into
them, the men should lower a lighted candle through the
hatch to ascertain whether or not the air was strong, and
requiring to be purified by pouring in water. A man
named Bird, after having descended into the tun for the
purpose of cleaning it, fell to the bottom in a state of in-
sensibility. His companion, Boyle, went down almost
immediately after having given the alarm, and was also
suffocated. Three men went down one by one, but they
were rescued in a greatly exhausted state by another-of
the brewers, who took the precaution to go down with
ropes for the purpose of having them pulled up, at the
risk of his own safety. Bird and Boyle were both dead
before they could be brought up.—Edinburgh News.
FAMILIES or THE .NOBILITY.—Mr. Doubleday, in his
work, "The Law of Population," states that luxury and
high living destroy population, while solid and moderate
living, or even under-feeding, increase them. The same
doctrine is very ingeniously advocated by Mr. Hugh Miller,
in his "Schools and Schoolmasters." Mr. Doubleday
considers that aristocracies and royal families degenerate
and cannot sustain themselves. The Leader, weekly
journal, to refute this doctrine, takes up the peerage-book
and counts the number of the various families. We
subjoin a few :—The Marquis of Tweeddale has had 14
children ; the Marquis of Westminster 13 ; Viscount
Arbuthnot 13; Marquis of Camden 12 ; Lord Camoys 12 ;
Lord Clonbrock 12; Lord Ruthven 12 ; Marquis of Aber-
corn 12 ' • Lord Valentin 11; Marquis of Salisbury 11 ;
Duke of Sutherland, 11; Lord Wilton 11; Lord Roston
11; Lord Clinton 11; Duke of Rutland 10 ; Lord Talbot
10. It is needless to continue. If luxurious living were
the cause of the depopulation, as Mr. Doubleday's theory
requires, these instances of large families occurring in
luxurious circumstances would be inexplicable.
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES.—"We have nothing
to rebel for. We have as much political freedom as we
can desire. If such an invasion as the one proposed were
attempted, we would be under the painful necessity of
once more teaching the invaders a salutary lesson that
would induce them in future to attend to their own affairs.
The people of Canada would rise up against them to a
man, thus giving them an opportunity of seeing our
unanimity. We are quite satisfied with our present con-
dition, nor have a desire, at present, to change for any
other. If in time to come a change should be deemed
necessary, it will not be annexation. We are as closely
connected, politically, with the United States as we ever
shall be. We are nearly as closely connected with them,
in a commercial point of view, as the State of New York
is with Ohio ; and, except a commercial connexion, we
will have no other. We will make no connexion with
them that will empower the slave-driver to make Canada
a hunting ground. Human flesh and blood shall never be
bartered in Canada like the beasts of the field. The bay-
ing of bloodhounds shall never echo through our woods.
If Mitchel wants ' a plantation of fat niggers to flog,' he
will have to seek it in some other place than Canada. If
Canada ever became a State of the Union, it will not be
until its soil became soaked with blood. It is as well that
our would-be invaders should know this explicitly, once
for all. When we wish to change our present form of
government, we will set up on our own account. At all
times we shall be glad to live on terms of friendship with
the Government and people of the United States, if possi-
ble, and if not, we will do the best we can to take care of
ourselves, which we have no doubt of being well able to
do."—Toronto Colonist.

A LADY IN " THE HOUSE."—In the sitting of the 23d
ult. a member of the Ohio Senate moved for a suspension
of the rules, in order that Mrs. Severance might present
a memorial in favour of allowing women the elective
franchise and equal property rights, and follow it by such
remarks as she might wish to offer. The motion was lost,
but was immediately renewed by a statement that Mrs.
Severance only wished to present a written memorial not
accompanied by remarks. Mr, Lee observed, that there
was a certain Eastern King whose rules were so rigid as to
insure the death of him who should appear before him
uncalled ! but.a woman came with a petition, and not only
was his severity disarmed, but her request was granted,
even to the half of the kingdom. So would it be with the
Senate, he hoped. The motion to listen to Mrs. Severance
was now agreed to, and the Ohio Senate gave the strictest
attention to her reading, which occupied three-quarters of
an hour. Her quiet manner, as well as the force of the
arguments and the happy manner of their presentation,
evidently made a pleasant impression in behalf of the ex-
tension of woman's activities, After its reading, Senator
Foot (of the same city with Mrs. Severance) moved that
the memorial be laid on the table 'and printed. The
Senate agreed to it. Dr. Harriet K. Hunt is to speak to-
morrow evening in. the. Second Presbyterian Church, the
Rev. 1.. H. Hitchcock, pastor, on the subject of " womanas a PhTsiaa4.7—.Nevi York Tribune%