The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-09-21 00:00:00

HE_ 14TH OF THE TOWN.

We are gratified to be able to state, that the returns of
fever cases show the malady to be decidedly on the decline,
and that the town is fast returning to its ordinary state of
health. Since the first week in August the number has
been gradually decreasing, and during the week ending on
Saturday last, the mortality from all causes was lower by
51 than during the week' preceding. The aggregate num-
ber of deaths for the latter period was 405, and the former
354. Of these, there were from
This week. Last week.
Fever 128- 144
Diarrhoea, Ste 75 80
Smallpox . 8 7
Measles 4 5
Of the deaths from fever, 54•t00k place in the public
hospitals, and 74 at the patients' dwellings. The last in-
cludes the cases of a medical practitioner, of a gentleman
and his wife resident in St. Anne-street, and of several
others in good circumstances. Twenty-three out of the 74
occurred in Vauxhall Ward, 18 in Scotland Ward, 10 in
Exchange Ward, 8 in Exchange Ward, Bin Great George
Ward, and 15 in the remaining eight wards of the parish.
In the extra-parochial wards the mortality appears to have
been somewhat higher than during the former week ; but
in the worst district of Toxteth-park the new cases of fever
have been fever than before. The deaths in the four wards
have been
This week. Last week.
From all causes
„ fever
~ diarrhoea Sac 34 25
An interesting table, or chart, has been prepared by
Dr. Duncan, exhibiting in a very clear and compendious
manner the progressive rate of mortality, both from fever
raid from ordinary causes, since the commencement of the
year. From this it appears, that starting from first week
in January, when the number of cases was under half a
dozen, the epidemic made but little progress till the end
of March, when the weekly deaths were from 25 to 30.
During the next two months the mortality rapidly in-
creased, the deaths during the last week in May amounting
to nearly 150. The following week showed a slight de-
crease, the numoer being somewhat under 140: but from
that period to the third week in June the disease seems to
have raged with its greatest violence, the weekly number
of deaths having risen from 140 to 215. This was the
climax of the disorder. In the first week of July there was
a considerable abatement, the number of deaths being
190. Subsequent returns were various, but on the whole
favourable, until the first week in August, when the num-
ber of deaths was 200. Since that time there has been a
rapid and progressive decrease, the number of deaths
during the last week, as already stated, having been 128.
The general mortality has, on the whole, kept much
the same course as that from fever. Contrary to the pre-
vailing notion, which makes the winter months the most
fatal period of the year, it reached its highest point in
August, when the weekly number of deaths, exclusive of
those from fever, amounted to 320, whereas, during the
first week in January, it did not exceed 140. In the
month of June, when the mortality from fever was at its
maximum, the general mortality was less by eighty than
during the second week in August.

THE LATE DR. ANDREW COMBE ON THE
MORTALITY IN EMIGRANT VESSELS, ITS
CAUSES, AND MODE OF PREVENTION.

The excessive mortality which has assailed our emigrant
pauper population in their efforts to escape destitution
and fever at home, for the abundance and salubrity which
they have been taught to believe was to be found in trans-
atlantic climes, has excited the sympathy of the British
people ; and has called forth the efforts of the legislature
to provide a remedy. Grants have been ordered to be
made to the poor people on their landing in the British
colonies ; fever sheds have been provided for the sick, and
arrangements liberally made for forwarding into the in-
terior, in search of employment, all those capable of tra-
velling. Lord Grey and Mr. Hawes have further pro-
mised to prepare a bill for the next session of parliament,
to consolidate and amend the present emigration regula-
lations ; to provide (if practicable) that every emigrant
ship should be provided with a surgeon on board, and to
insure in future that additional means should be taken to
relieve the sufferings of emigrants arriving in a state of
sickness.
As far as they go, these efforts are valuable in their
character ; but they do not reach the evil ; and they do
not affect at all the case of emigrants to the United States,
amongst whom, although the regulations insisted upon by
the American government, with respect to emigrants ar-
riving in American ships, are infinitely better than our
own, disease has nevertheless prevailed to a distressing
extent during the past season. An interesting letter—in-
teresting not only from the information and sound views
of our shortcomings of this matter which it contains, but
as well, and especially from its being the last production
of an eminent man, Dr. Combe, of Edinburgh, lately de-
ceased, prepared in his last hours and committed to the
charge of his nephew, Mr. Robert Cox, for revision and
publication in the columns of the London Times, has
just appeared. Dr. Combe has brought to the elucidation
of the subject, his experience derived from a recent voy-
age to New York in a Liverpool packet ship, in which
were, in addition to cabin passengers, 360 emigrants,
chiefly Irish, as well as the fruits of extensive inquiries
made during a short stay in New York.
The cause of the mortality which has been so rife
amongst the emigrant passengers on board ship—called
ship fever—is first treated of by the doctor. This disease,
he says, is a variety of typhus • and like that fever springs
from the combined influence of imperfect nutrition, viti-
ated air, filth, and moral depression. To meet the effect
of these causes, instead of adopting means only for miti-
gating the sufferings of emigrants on their arrival in
Canada, should be the chief objects of government. The
most influential causes of ship fever are the low physical
condition of the emigrants when going on board, and their
inadequate sustenance during the voyage. Of the low
physical condition of the Irish Dr. Combe speaks from
personal observation of the passengers mustered on deck
before his ship left the Mersey ; the inadequate sustenance
he proceeds to explain :
"By the usual agreement for a steerage passage in an emi-
grant ship, the passenger undertakes, er at least is expected, to
furnish his own provisions for the voyage, the ship supplying
only fuel for cooking and three quarts of water daily. In
ordinary seasons, when food is plentiful and cheap, the emi-
grants embark in good plight, and bring along with them a
considerable supply of potatoes or oatmeal ; though, as the
captain has no means of compelling them to lay in a sufficient
store for even a voyage of average length, the supply is generally
below what is necessary. In order to guard, therefore, against
their actual starvation, either from their own improvidence or
from a very protracted voyage, the ship is bound to turnish
daily to each steerage passenger (besides at least three quarts
of water) llb of bread, flour, rice, or oatmeal—it being pro-
vided that at least one-half of the quantity, of these provisions
shall consist of bread or biscuit, and that potatoes may be
given to the extent of one-half the supply, gibs. of potatoes
being computed as equal to ilb of the other articles. Every
ship is compelled by law to lay in provisions for 10 weeks, (the
average passage to New York or the St. Lawrence being about
six or seven); and, I believe, it is not till the emigrant's own
store is exhausted, that he is entitled to demand a supply from
the captain. Hence, in ordinary years, the average mortality
on the passage, according to Mr. Hawes, is only one half per
cent. This season, however, when food has been scarce, and
the price of both meal and potatoes so high as to put them vir-
tually beyond reach, most of the emigrants have embarked
without supplies of any description, and consequently have
from the first been thrown on the stinted allowance which the
Government kindly intend to be merely a resource in an emer-
gency against actual starvation. That this destitution was the
case with almost all the poor Irish on board the ship in which
I crossed the Atlantic, I was positively assured, and I have
every reason to believe ; and no one who considers that the
miserable allowance above mentioned is the sole support of
men reduced by previous want to a state but ill calculated to
resist the additional unwholesome influences which they en-
counter at sea, can be much suprised at the excessive mortality
which is now occurring."
As a remedy for this state of things he maintains that the
ship should be compelled to furnish larger and better
andtin only be preserved
that supplies of food ; and that the passengers should not be
under
shouldat the ship
the most
be
allowed to be sent to sea on an allowance, under which
health
favourable circumstances. We are disposed, however, to
contend h a t lifet is ca
notsufficient
compelled to find a supply of food to be made available
when the private supplies of the passengers fail. The
latter ought to be compelled to be larger in quantity and
should be more strictly examined; for we know that, in
many instances, such passengers are rather disposed to
enconomize their means to the starvation point rather
than pay the ship for an allowance sufficient to sustain
health.

ebt been saysr
Ps first
ir!
The second cause of disease which Dr. Combe notices
is the noxious atmosphere which the emigrants are com-
pelled to breathe between decks, caused by the effluvia
created by human beings when in a confined state, and
neglectful of cleanliness. This is especially a strong in-
ducing cause of disease, where passengers are dirty in their
habits, and are compelled to keep much below by bad
weather. In addition to physical inducements of disease,
in such cases a moral apathy is created, which renders
the sufferers indifferent, both to their own comfort and
pf
laitemheei,
tas
oisrttimillar
ntyloebsr
ees
pt or
,o,t,mhToehti ownererde
ianre emigrants twoa safety. Dr. y
qauantity of impurities be
:ste—ynt oos
air
re
maynum bbeercoofnspuanisseedngaTdaallsomwaletro
given out. The proportion of passengers to tonnage allowed
by the existing law (namely, 60 for every 100 tons, deducting
the crew), may not be too great for most voyages, or for per-
sons in sound health ; but when the system is enfeebled, atmo-
spheric purity becomes more and more indispensable for the
preservation of health; and hence, when, as is now the case.
most of the emigrants are impaired in constitution and prone
to disease, a larger space ought to be assigned to each than
would be sufficient in better circumstances. But as some ships
are much better constructed and more easily ventilated than
ashDTprw.s.Chi°cThmh
others a discretionary power on this point might safely be en-
trusted to a well constituted board of health, provided certain
limits were laid down, which must in no instance be trans-
gressed. Even under favourable circumstances, however, the
number of passengers now allowed by law might with great
advantage be reduced."
It may be remarked that, as we diminish the number of
passengers in proportion to tonnage which a vessel is
allowed to carry, we add to the cost of the passage, and
thus impose a bar against emigration. How far the state,
in interposing to prevent overcrowding, and thus increas-
ing the cost of emigration, may be justified in taxing the
country for such extra cost, we shall not venture an
opinion.
Compulsory ventilation of emigration is the doctors'
third specific. This he considers :would not be difficult.
We admit that an approach to thorough ventilation might
be achieved ; but in rough weather no material improve-
ment is possible. When the hatches are kept down,
through stress of weather, any other kind of ventilation
would he difficult, inasmuch as air is a fluid not less pene-
trating than water. Undoubtedly, however, in ordinary
weather, ventilation is quite practicable. The steerage
might be kept thoroughly ventilated for passengers who,

' from sickness or apathy, cannot come on-deck ;: and here
a vast good would be realized.
A third cause-of disease on board ship.Dr..Combe finds
to be the gross personal uncleanliness; of -the Irish, poor
especially. This is increased by the apathy arising from
want of physicaretrength and of proper food. Tile latter
inducement is undoubtedly remediable,-if we could insist
that every emigrant should be well fed fdr. a month, be-
fore sailing. The uncleanliness compliined of is, how-
ever, constitutional. Irish servants even, in our own
country seem to have an instinctive abhorrence of personal
ablution and of change of clothing. Irish paupers—lrish
reapers, who are semi-paupers—some everr of that people
who visit our shores, not fairly entitled to the term neces-
sitous, seem to cling with a feeling of Ttne to their old and
filthy clothing. Witness the patched attire. of thoiwands
whom we see in onr streets—the coats which seem to have
descended from sire to son—the nether garments fastened
on by all manner of skewers, pegs and other fastenings, as
if never meant to he-relingnished until they-drop off from
the effects of age. It would indeed require " a firm hand,
directed by much benevolence and sound sense to enable
the master of an emigrant ship to keep the nuisance within
bounds." But in addition to these aidswhich Dr. Combe
thinks would be sufficient, we are confident that some-
thing more would be required. A little schooling of the
Irish peasant in habits of cleanliness at home would not
be amiss. Dr. Combe says :
"A fourth and far from inactive cause, also in' a great mea-
sure removable, is the moral depression and want of e'asticity
of intellect and feeling almost inseparable from long continued
physical deterioration, and which renders it difficult to with-
stand the inroads of disease. The Irishman may net become
gloomy or despondent, but he loses his boundiiq hilarity: the
spring of life is weakened, and he falls a victim to disease,
where in happier circumstances he would have escaped unin-
jured. To restore him he must be fed ; and to allow him to go
to sea with food only sufficient to keep soul and body together
under favourable circumstances, is to leave him exposed to the
inroads of disease, whenever bad weather, crowding, or neglect
may chance to add its adverse influence to the many other
evils under which he is already suffering. Iu the navy all this
is well understood, and it only requires the vigorous applica-
tion of the same pi inciples to the protection of emigrants, to
ensure for them the same safety which is enjoyed in her
Majesty's ships."
The subject is well worthy of the attention of govern-
ment ; and, although we are afraid that it will be found
impossible to effect all that the benevolent doctor has
propounded as desirable, we feel convinced that something
very beneficial to our poor emigrant fellow-countrymen
may be achieved, and at all events oug3itto be attempted.

TO A WRITER IN THE LIVERPOOL MERCURY,
SIGNING " A CATHOLIC."

LETTER 11.
SlR,—Your remark about the many divisions in the
Church of England is a stale one, and to boast of your
own Church in such a comparison, unequalled effrontery.
You know, sir, were I to number up the divisions, the
turmoils, the factions, that have distracted the Church of
Rome—popes against priests, and priests against popes—
aye, and even popes against popes, when three fought for
the precedency, and three heads ruled, or tried to rule, over
the Church of Rome ; the heresies encouraged and set on foot
by popes themselves, and the uncertainty to which they have
been consigned ever since they deserted the anchor of the
faith—the Bible—and went in spite of the laws and
judgments and creeds of Catholic antiquity ; you know I
should number up such a black catalogue as should for
ever frighten a reasonable being into silence about Romish
unity, and the peace resulting from Romish infallibility;
I am glad to be able to disbelieve your assertion that the
Church of England totters to her fall, for I believe that
never stood she on a prouder pedestal—never did she
evince more signs of life and health and 'vigour, whilst
she is strengthening her cords, striking her roots, spread-
ing her arms, and marching forth, with true catholic and
apostolic spirit and determination, over the whole civilised
and uncivilised globe.

Your remark concerning celibacy and marriage is of a
piece with your other perverse attempts at reasoning and
argument. Dr. M'Neile affirms his belief that it is un-
lawful, unscriptural, and highly injurious, to require celi-
bacy from bishops, priests, and deacons. You accuse
him of contradicting our Saviour, when, say you, he
commends those who have made themselves eunuchs for
the kingdom of heaven's sake ; and also St. Paul, who,
" whilst advising those who cannot contain themselves to
marry, nevertheless expresses a wish that all were like
himself—that is, unmarried." I ask, where is the con-
nection here—where the point of application ? How
does Dr. M'Neile contradict the Saviour and his Apostle?
Does the Saviour, does the Apostle sanction the imposing
of celibacy upon the Christian ministry ? On the con-
trary, the former sanctions marriage, and the latter
boasted of his power to lead about a wife, whilst many
of the Apostolic college availed themselves of the privi-
lege. No, sir; the Saviour commends, and St. Paul
commends him who, for the sake of the kingdom of
heaven, forewent a privilege which he undoubtedly had;
and Dr. M`Neile and the Church of England do not dare
to rob any one of this commendation. Nor, sir, does the
Church of England dare to rob bishops, priests, and dea-
cons of that undoubted right which God conferred upon
them, and God has never taken away. To assume such
a power would indeed be in the highest degree tyrannical
and unjust, and, let me say most solemnly, blasphe-
mously defying the authority of the God that instituted
marriage. She commends the consideration of such a
momentous point to every candidate for her orders, in the
sight of God ; and, following St. Paul's precept, leaves it
open to them as they, imploring the guidance of the Holy
Spirit, shall judge best for their own spiritual welfare and
the welfare of God's Church, " over which the Holy
Ghost has made them overseers." "If they cannot con-
tain themselves, let them marry." It may be for the
welfare of the Church and the individual, in many cases,
that he should marry; and the Church of England does
not presume to enter a man's heart, or to ascertain his
hidden nature. If it be necessary, perhaps I may bring
history to attest to the crime and the infamy with which
this unjust Romish regulation has deluged the world
and the R.omish Church.

And now, sir, I think I have followed you pretty closely
through the sinuosities of your wiry course. Some idle
remarks upon the 39 Articles and Oaths contain no argu-
ment, and therefore need no refutation ; no charge
bearing the appearance of respectability, and therefore
are unworthy notice. You again harp on the old theme
of the novelty of the Church of England ; but this T have
already refuted, and you might as well tell us of the no-
velty of Christianity itself. I grant that the " blasphe-
mous fables and dangerous deceits " of Popery were im-
posed upon the faithful, and confided in by the deluded,
before Luther was born, as Luther was God's instrument
in beginning the work of sweeping the holy place of those
unscriptural, uncatholic, and therefore heretical abomina-
tions ; but the Church of England—l glory in the bold
confession I am about to make—flourished in this the
country of my fathers, in apostolic purity, ages before
Rome corrupted and defiled the faith once delivered to
the saints. Founded by an Apostle of Christ, blest with
the guidance of heaven-directed ministers, and endowed
with the graces communicated to " all churches of the
saints," for many ages she stood an unflinching wit-
ness for the truth, and a " shining light to lighten the
Gentiles" ; her brightness undimmed, her splendour un-
sullied, her purity untarnished, her fidelity incorrupt, she
nobly won for herself the commendations of a good and
faithful servant, and claimed the title bestowed by inspi-
ration—" The house of God, which is the church of the
living God, the pillar and ground of the truth." But it
was your Church, the Church of Rome, the infallible, the
indefectible, that, after heaping upon the faith heresies,
fables, and deceits, touched with her contagious hand the
Church of this country, and made it almost like herself—
a sink of Pagan abominations and heathen corruption.
But—" I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the
knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth
which hath not kissed him"—it pleased the Head of the
Church that within this once faithful Church a revivifying
power should burst forth, and that she should again, by
casting down the idols set up in her temples, and
rooting out the corruptions grown within her, emerge in
splendour and purity, and throw from off her the shackles
of foreign bondage, and the tyranny of her adulterous
sister, and would-be mistress, of Rome. And now she
exists in all the essential features which characterised her
in the primitive ages I have alluded to : she has indeed
gone through the fire and the contagion, and surely it is
" the Lord's work and marvellous in our eyes," that she
should have come out so little impaired and so little in-
fected.

With haste, sir, I must conclude. I know not whether
Dr. 111`Neile has to be thankful to you for your forbear-
ance, or whether he and I, and all good Protestants,
should have wished you to have employed at least a co-
lumn more in evincing your inability to overthrow his
positions, and the impotence of casuistry and sophistry
when opposed to reason and truth ; that you had still pro-
ceeded after the manner of those victims of the writing
furor, who, we are told,

" Plunged for their sense, but found no bottom there;
Then wrote and floundered on in mere despair."
Believe me, sir, one sentence of argument would have
more weight than many tirades of abuse, and an attempt
to prove your charges than multiplied insinuations and
uncharitable inference. How can you hope that your
precepts should have a beneficial effect upon Dr. M`Neile,
after the example you have set him ? or that he should
be induced to mend in charity, by your bitterness and
virulence. Yours, &c.,
September 10th, 1847. NIGEL.

THE LATEs TEMPESTUOUS WEATHER.

During the last seven days the weather in this district
and its neighbourhood has been unusually severeand stormy
for the season of the year, giving us, in truth, a premature
atitepast of the approaching winter, Tuesday and Wed-
nesday were rather rough ; and, on the evening of the
latter day, a very strong breeze blew from the north-west,
accompanied by heavy occasional rains, continuing par-
tially throughout the night. Thursday forenoon set in
with a still more boisterous and unsettled state of the at-
mosphere, squall following squall in rapid succession, the
wind amounting at times to a strong gale, or almost a
hurricane, with heavy downfalls of rain. Similar wea-
ther continued, with little abatement, next day, and
during Friday night we had the addition of hail, flashes of
forked lightning, and peals of thunder. The quantity of
water that has llen must be great, for the fields and
roads not on acclivites, or imperfectly drained, were in
some parts flooded. The wind varied from N.W.to about
W.N.W. and sometimes W. Saturday was precarious,
with gloomy clouds and flying heavy showers, interspersed
with occasional gleams of cheerful and warmish sunshine ;
but the autumnal heat we before experienced has been
considerably reduced. Sunday was also showery and in-
clined to cold—wind to the southward of west and mo-
derate. The effect of the storm has been to give a some-
what prematurely wintry appearance to the general face
of the country,—trees, shrubs, and flowers, of tender
texture, or in exposed situations, being nearly stripped
of their leaves, or nipped and blackened by the continuous
wind and rain, or the action (near the coast) of the saline
spray borne inland—a " sore decayer" of verdure.
The grain crops here having, happily, been nearly all
secured, but little damage has, we trust, been occasioned

in an agricuitural point off view, the green crops in• the
ground not being obnoxious to considerable moisture.
Field and other outdoor operations have, of course, been
almost suspended during the week.
The Mersey has been unusually rough throughout, and
landing and embarking rendered difficult, and sometimes
dangerous. Seldom have we seen its waters more crowded
with vessels, including many of large size, the whole pre-
senting the appearance of a. numerous fleet at anchor,
from the Rock Point to the Sloyne, tossing.and tumbling
about in a very animated manner. This has arisen from
the circumstance of many vessels being obliged to put
back, being unable to weather-the-gale and the heavy sea-
way in the outward-channels, and from many others,
ready for sea, deeming it prudent not to weigh anchor.
To this may be added the difficulty of docking.
The casualties- to, shipping near the port have not,
happily, been great, thank to the efficient light-
ing and buoying of- the channels, otherwise wrecks
would undoubtedly. have been rife. The barque
Henry Ewbank, Cooper master, parted one of her
cables abreast of'th Roek on Thursday, and dragging
the other anchor, went ashore in Bootle Bay. She is laden
with cotton and oil-cake, which will be partially damaged
by leakage. Two small sloops and a large schooner got
:-.shore same day, a little to the wastward of Leasowe Castle,
on the northern extremity of the Wirral peninsula. The
schooner was bound to Mostym, in Wales, and was quite
empty. Shortly before one o'clock, p.m., she dropped
anchor, but, being in danger of capsizing by heavy rolling,
slipped her cable and took to the shore, where she grounded
on the stone embankment, still rolling heavily. She was
lefthigh and dry when the water fell, and but little damaged.
Luckily for these vessels the tide was a low one that day,
(17 ft. 7 in.,) so that all of them, if the weather become
any way moderate, will be got off by Friday (if not before),
when we shall have a twenty feet tide. A barque got ashore
at Southport ; and (as is elsewhere noticed) another large
vessel on the Horse Bank, with a subsequent loss-of six of
the crew. The Maguire, which sailed from New Orleans
with the Mamaluke• (the latter lost some time agp), was
towed into port on Thursday with loss of topgallant-masts
and other spars. She has been on her beam ends,,and six
feet of water in ben hold. Another ship was- brought in
totally dismasted. having been on Great Burbp Bank ;
and another, which, had left a few days before, returned,
after having been. on shore at Dundalk, with, the loss of
great part of her•canvas.

The Ben-ma-Chree, Isle of Man steamer, was detained
in Douglas Bay, on Thursday morning, an hour and
a-half beyond her time of sailing, but arrived safely at
the Prince's pier at six o'clock in the evening. The pas-
sengers, on leading, complimented her worthy captain
Mr. Kermode, by giving him three cheers for the able
seamanship he had displayed during the tempestuous
voyage. Several of the Dublin mail ships were detained
in port by the gale same day, as also the King Orry, Isle
of Man steamer•. The Merlin, Royal Dublin mail ship,
which left Dublin on Thursday morning, did not arrive
till noon next day, it being deemed advisable to put into
Maelfra Roads, where she lay all night. The mail steamer
Princess, Captain Christie, gallantly faced the gale, Dad
reached her port in safety, after a dreadfully rough pas-
sage.

Yesterday morning, after a comparative lull throughout
Sunday, strong breezes again set in from the N.W.,
which continued throughout the day, with occasional
showers ; a,nd the probability is that the weather will not
be settled until full moon—on Friday next.

Distritt Rapti%
On Sunday week, George Evans, the post-boy who
carries the letter-bag between the Sutton station and the
Eastham post-office, was found lying dead in the road,
not far from his own house. He died of apoplexy, but
was quite well when he left home.

SHORT TIME IN MANCHESTER.—The mill returns for
the present week show that work has decreased, there
being 200 hands less on full time than last week, while
both those on short time and those stopped altogether are
also increased:—Full time, 28,261; short time, 4682;
stopped 7959.

RAILWAY BRIDGES IN MANCHESTER.—We believe
that the general purposes committee of the town council
are determined not to sanction any flat-beam girder
bridge for railways, within the borough of Manchester,
and to submit to the council a plan for arched bridges of
which they recommend the council to approve.
The millowners association has decided on not resort-
ng to a temporary cessation of work by closing the mills
entirely. The step was considered by the meeting not
only impracticable, but in the highest degree undesirable,
and likely only to lead to very severe privations among
the factory population.
The coroners' jury on the late suicide at Chester, have
brought in a verdict to the effect that there was not suffi-
cient evidence to show the state of mind of Mr. Jones at
the moment he committed the fatal act. At the adjourned
inquest several of the deceased's friends deposed to their
being of opinion that many months ago he was subject to
fits of insanity.
AWFUL ACCIDENT.—On Thursday, a fatal accident oc-
curred during the storm at Christleton, near Chester. A
female named Margaret Ellis, aged 78, and a girl named
Ellen Pleven, aged 12 years, were engaged gathering
sticks under a large tree, when the violence of the storm
broke off nearly the whole top of the tree ; three large
boughs of which fell, and struck the females on the head,
fracturing their skulls, and killing them on the spot.
They were found shortly after with their heads in pools of
blood.

REDUCTION OF WAGES.—Messrs. T. Ainsworth and
Co., spinners at Preston, have given notice of a reduction
on their spinners wages of five per cent., and the Preston
Chronicle says, that other firms are likely to adopt the
same course. The notice which the master manufacturers
of Mossley gave their hands of a reduction of ten per cent.
expired on Friday. The masters are determined to per-
severe, and have so informed the men, who at a meeting
on Thursday resolved to turn out ; but as some of the
mills were unrepresented, the meeting was adjourned, but
it is expected the resolution to turn out will be confirmed.
THE LANCASHIRE ANNUAL GENERAL SESSION—TO
our notice of this session at Preston in our last, we may
add, that with reference to the motion for the erection of
a residence for the chaplain of the county asylturnt Lan-
caster, it was met by an amendment postponing the con-
sideration of the subject to that day twelve months.
After some discussion, the amendment was carried by 14
to 13. Mr. Greene, M.P. moved that " the finance
committee's report be adopted and carried out, respect-
ing the improvement in the manner of keeping the ac-
count." This being agreed to, the court adjourned at five
o'clock, after a sitting ofseven hours !
CHILD DROWNED IN A MUG OF WATER.—A little girl
of about a year and a quarter old, daughter of William
Bibby, labourer, Croston, near Ormskirk, having been left
by its mother for a few minutes, on Saturday, fell into a
mug that had been placed upon the house floor, and which
only contained about a quart of water, and before it was
discovered the accident had caused the loss of life. Acting
upon the advice of some neighbours who came in, recourse
was had to making trial of an old remedy, (which properly
belonged to the dark ages) that of making a hole in some
earth soil, and putting the child's face into it, which, as a
matter of course, produced the only effect which persons
of common sense would have anticipated—none at all.
SINGULAR AND UNTOWARD ACCIDENT.-011 Wednes-
day, a singular accident occurred in the farm yard of Mr.
Thornton, the steward of the Earl of Stamford and War-
rington, for the Dunham estate. He resides at Dunham,
and being about to kill a bullock, it was attempted to drive
it from the farm yard into the slaughter-house. The
beast being wild, it was found impossible to do this, and
a loaded rifle was then brought, with which the bullock
was shot; the ball, however, striking on the skull or the
root of the horns glanced off, and, entering the open door
or window of a stable beyond, passed through the body
of a valuable chesnut mare, a hunter, and killed this
animal instantly. The mare was valued at 160 guineas,
and was a very fine and favourite hunter.

SELLING THE " LEAGUE."—Last week the portraits
of distinguised members of the Anti-Corn Law League,
painted in water colours by Mr. Duval (being the originals
from which the well-known engravings are taken), were
cold by auction at the sale of Mr. Agnew's stock, in
Manchester. The following were some of the prices re-
alised :—Richard Cobden, Esq., M.P., 26 guineas ; George
Wilson, Esq., 8 ; William Rawson, Esq., 61 ; Milner
Gibson Esq., M.P., 6; John Bright, Esq., M.P., 6;
i Josh. isrotherton, Esq., M.P., 51; Henry Ashworth,
Esq., 51; John Bright, Esq., (second portrait), 5 ; John
Brooks, Esq., 41; Colonel Thompson, M.P., 4/ ; C. P.
Villiers, Esq., 4 ; the Earl of Ducie, 31; Dr. Bowring,
M.P., 31; William Brown, Esq., M.P., 3; and the Rev.
Dr. Massie, 2 guineas.
THE WEATHER AND CROPS IN CHESHIRE.—Sept. 16.
—We have had abundance of rain during the last three
days, which we fear may prove somewhat injurious to the
late potato, crop. Being now blackened in the haulm, all
increase is completely at an end. Complaint still exists
of decay in the root ; we trust, however, that it may not
proceed much further. People around here are now stu-
diously avoiding fermentation by every means in their
power ; this is indeed a step in the right direction. Swedes
are looking tolerably well in this (the southern) district ;
we have, however, heard complaints from Broxton and the
neighbourhood, both as to green crops and pasturage.
Some farmers from the latter neighbourhood affirm that
cheese making has been below the usual average. Swedes
have indeed had a disease of some kind in some parts. A.
letter from a friend in the neighbourhood of Colne, (an
excellent judge) states that the turnips there have been
affected in a similar way to the potatoes. The disease
amongst the cattle is on the wane here, and we hear few
complaints now. Some straggling corn is still out in
places ; the amount, however, is of small importance. In
the northern division of the county the farmers are very
busy getting up their potatoes, and the reports respecting
the disease are rather more favourable. Green crops and
pasturage are looking better.—Manchester Courier.
THE LATE GALES.—LOSS OF LlFE.—Preston and its
neighbourhood were, on Thursday, visited by a violent
storm of wind and rain. On Wednesday evening a gale
set in from the north-west, and was severely felt in that
town, and in Lytham, Blackpool, and Fleetwood. At
Preston several chimnies were blown down, and slates
were dislodged and blown about " like feathers." At Fleet-
wood the storm approached to a hurricane. The Isle of
Man and Bardsea steamers could not venture out, and the
' Ardrossan packet did not leave the port until Friday morn-
ing. The commanders of the Orion and Prince Consort,
from Douglas, and Ardrossan, declared they had never
been out on such a night as that of Thursday. The gabel
end of the new chapel now being built at Fleetwood was
blown down, and other damage done to the structure, es-
timated at from £l5O to £2OO. At Blackpool the sea was
terrifically wild and mountainous, dashing with fearful vio-
lence against the cliffs. Amongst the fatalities yet known
the Preston Chronicle records that the barque Hillsbo-
rough, Capt. Lamb, was stranded on the horse bank near
the mouth of the Ribble, and adds—" On her striking all
hands took to the boats, which grounded. The captain,
pilot, and six men then set off to walk to Lytham, and
got safe over the sands. Five of the men stuck to the
boat, and they were consequently saved.,l