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

LOCAL NEWS.

AT A. VEGETARIAN SOIREE, in the Concert-hall, on
Thursday evening, 200 people were present.
A GREAT CHESS IiEETING is to be held at Man-
Chester, on Friday and Saturday next.
YESTERDAY coals were raised in price from 6d. to ls.
Per ton. This arises from the determination of the
colliers to have a further increase of wages.

THE EXHIBITION" OF THE FLORAL AND HORTICUL-
TURAL SOCIETY will take place this year at the Botanic
Gardens, Edge-lane, in May, June, and September. The
Society is at present in a very flourishing condition.
Ain. JOHN BUCKLEY, relieving officer for Runcorn,
was incautiously crossinz the line at the Sutton incline
on Tuesday, when a train came up, and killed him on
the spot.

Tx c MAYOR entertained to dinner, at the Town-hall, on
Tuesday evening, the members of the Select Vestry and a
tumber of other gentlemen. The party numbered up-
Wards of 50.

DANIEL MATHER, Esq., Thomas Darnley Anderson,
and Francis Alexander Hamilton, Esq., took the
oaths and qualified as justices of the peace for this
borough, on Tuesday last.

THE ROLLS Corm., yesterday week, the master
granted an injunction against George Merritt, who, in
consequence of some disagreement with the corporation
of Manchester, had threatened to stop the supply of
Water to that city.
FORTY ACRES or LAND, on the north side of Brom-
brough-pool, on the Cheshire shore, have been purchased
by the company for the manufacture of Price's patent
Candles. The works, it is contemplated, will give employ-
tent to a thousand people
Mn. J. GRANTHAM, C.E.-4 announced to the Polytech-
nic Society, yesterday week, that he intended shortly to
bring his schemes for dock improvement before an impor-
tant body in London, whose opinion would have great
Weight with the kingdom at large, and probably with his
townsmen.

A HANDSOME Bible and Prayer-book have been pre-
sented by the clergy, teachers, and friends of 8... Paul's
Church Sunday Schools, Liverpool, to William Worrall,
Esq , as a small token of their affectionate esteem for his
unwearied services to the above useful institution during
a period of more than a quarter of century.
A CtuctyLArt was issued on Tuesday morning by Mr.
Coleman, the accountant, announcing a first dividend of
7s. 6(1. in the pound on the estate of Messrs. Collmann
and Stolterfoht, who failed on the 10th of January, and
whose direct liabilities amounted to £II)Z,S11. It is un-
derstood that a further early distribution may be looked
for.— rimes.

FURIOUS DRIVING is by far too prevalent a practice in
the streets of Liverpool. On Wednesday, at the police
Court, a respectable-looking man, named Richard Gil-
grass, was charged with knocking down and running over
s poor woman, named Bridget Barrett, in St. James's-
street. The woman appeared in covet, but in consequence
of her weak state, it was thought advisable to order her
removal, and to remand the case. Gilgrass was driving
at the rate of fifteen miles an hour through the town.
THE BODY OF CAPTAIN JOH/. MACDONALD, of the
Irene, capsized on Pluckinton.bank, n the 26th of
February last, was found on Tuesday, o
near Eastham-
A reward of £lO had been offered for its recovery.
Decomposition was far advanced, and it was only by the
clothesund a cold ring that thetody could be identified.
oThee sum of £6 10s. was found in one of the pockets.
rbody was placed in a shell and removed to Ireland
int ernaent.
ROBBERIES IN BIRKENHEE.—A cash-box, containing
131°"e3r to the amount of £l'o, was stolen at about -six
°f clock in the afternoon of Thursday last, from the hotel
4)-1 i‘'lr• C. I. Clarke, Chester-street. At about the same
time on Saturday an entrance-was effected into the oticcs
tcfirtir..l-1. P. Priest, accountant, Market Cress Chambers,
enhead, which as usual had been closed in the early
Putt of that dar. An iron safe, manufactured by Messrs.
and
11'
; Scott, of Tranmere, had resisted the efforts of
cafe bore until they had brobably been disturbed. 'The
re marks of a crowbar, or some such instrument.
"kr°nE T
A LON
re girlsE COTTON, arently
Sue"
a 8 Vagrant boys and stearout of bales,app
was dis-
coved
of "as
the other day by the police, in the marine store
•stole'
Were "as McLoughlin, 'Cherry-lane. Two children
also seen entering the store with cotton, evidently
„ It appeared that MeLoughlin was convicted half
',..)_e,pr before he got his license, but as no reference was
made to the police about him, the fact was not known by
s licensing parties at the town-hall. McLoughlin was
~ecnet to the house of correction for two months, and his
u nse revoked. The other prisoners were sentenced to
lesser periods of imprisonment.
„ LIVERPOOL MORVA,LITY—DECREASE.—The mortality.
Is lower than is usual at the present season ; the deaths re-
Ilstered in the week ending on Saturday last having been
IP°, against an average of 2208 in the same week of the 6
Preceding five years. In the parish the deaths were 136,
Ilt,(1 in the extra-parochial wards, 54. Diseases of
otthieo
'IMO caused only 64 deaths. The deaths
being 37. m.The
mortality from typhus was lower than in any previous
Week since the passing of the sanitaryact, the deaths
being only 3, all of which occurred in the fever p
This is the only instance on record of a week in which not
a single death from fever has been registered in a private
residence.
NEWS FROM THE ATTSTRAZIAN SHIP PRINCE AJECTIUR.
--A letter has been received t rom the captain of this
vessel, which left this port for Australia a short time
since, dated March sth, in which he states that he
reached the equator in 24 da;s—an excellent run. The
letter says The ship sail very fast-10, 11,.12:1, and
13 knots are booked, and she has done one day zr clean
between si2hts. The ship passes everything we-tall in
with. I fell in' with and passed a Swedish 32-gun ship
off the Canaries, both of; us on a taught bow line. I
--should say we went two knots to her one-and-a-half at
teast. Indeed, sailing is no trouble to her, andll an-
;aate a very quick passage. We had two births the
say after sailing, and there -are prospects of a dozen or
more, at the least calculation. I have lost one infant,
aged ten months ; it died from pure exhaustion." All the
rest of the passengers were quite well.
it. MANCHESTER MER,CIIANT DETAINED IN
T
Austrian authorities in Italy lately arrested Mr.
Ferdinand, the son of Mr. A.-S. Sichel, a German mer-
chant long resident in Manchester, now travelling in Italy
(t)n, hatiness. He was apprehended at Pavia, a frontier
ii,ll of Lombardy, and lodged in prison at Milan, where
i,,e he ay for ten days, his friends'. ene meantime not know-
thlig where he had gone, and being in the greatest alarm.
e 'val.' not permitted to write-home to his father until
e`„`e British Consul had interfereC. This letter, dated the
tuth March, reached Manchester on Monday week.
:Anther son of Mr. Sichel's at once proceeded to London.;
Vad an interview with Lord Clarendon, Lord John Ras-
. and-several members of Parliament. The same night
Sichel learned, by electric telegraph, that a courier
Fos be despatched next day to:Vienna. It appears M.
visit to Milan was made to recover a debt, and
thoug:,t that his debtor, finding it inconvenient to
134 found an alternative ready-made in the notorious
t _piciousness of the Austrian police; and denounced as a
ettii.terone who probably did not harbour apolitical thought
"er one why or anotlier.
I,IIRALTH CDMMITTEE.—At the meeting on Thursday,
"Ile
Langsdale in the chair, Mr. Rose applied to con-
under his present engagement tore month, in con-
teecalrnee of boats, machinery, &c„ not being quite
'tot Y*. tie was anxious to commence withthe new plans,
reh,wished to have everything in perfect readiness. In
v'Y to a
not . question, the clerk stated that Mr. Rose had
•ti.a Igned his contract. Mr. Johnson thought the can-
to:: cued
to be.signed, and then the committee might
oe,:' if they thought proper. It was decided that the
j„7oontract price take effect on the sth of May next.
eitirference to the watering of the streets, Mr. Bigham
th 4 Ought to be known that £7OO per annum was all
was ek'Pended for that purpose. Mr. Dover said there
perdu rate of only a id., or rather the ith of a penny,
Merl for watering the streets. Mr. Beckwith said, for.
✓efitreq, every shopkeeper paid 6d. a-week, and had the
Properly watered. Instructions were given to ad-
✓.use for contracts for watering the streets. Mr. ;Dover
pp liven on the insufficient accommodation given to the
Lublic in cases where the footwalk was temporarily
a-arded off to make alterations in buildings; he thought
kgreater width should be Allowed for persons to pass.
venal members coincided, and the borough-engineer
m'L anced ,certain alterations in Water-street, where a
rop encroachment had been made, standingnotwith-
that a remonstrance had been sent. The best
arse would be in such cases to give notice to remove
'ne boarding within the prescribed limits, and if not
attended to, pull it down.

tAINTQUET AT TIM TOWS-Hs.,LL.—The Mayor. on
Thursday evening., gave a grand banquet at the Town-
hall to the members of the Liverpool Chamber of Com-
merce, the deputies from the commercial associations of
;34V cities and towns who are. attend:Jig the conference
present --..eT
other' "ibieet of the mercantile law o.f the kingdom, and
itt,,"
Arnott n The following is a list of the gentlemen
. RsTcihee Mayor of Liverpool (in the chair) ; J. R.
Esq., Li '' ---- Addison, Esq., Bradford:; John Aikin,
enry
Alvderripc.ko,alnes;:isa.enry.orAshworth, Esq., Manchester ;
Liverpool • ester ; Thomas Bouch, Esq.,
.I.3.l;iivrebrepro,ois_q., 13oult Esq., Liverpool; William
..':' A. .11;1111am Liverpool. Ralph Brocklebaak, Esq.,
Leigh Brooke, Esq., Huddersfield ;
iool
ib:siq
v. , 0 Bradford;rwo od, t 8
ti E._,
Clint, Es Dent,ver 00l ; Thos. Dover, Esq., Liver-
; William Esqp Worcester;; John Darlington,
Edward Evans, Esq., Worcester; T.
Liverpool • Alexander Finlay, Esq.,
ItivrPool • Thos. B. Horsfall, 'Esq., Liverpool ; Edward
Poti!!", Esq., Liverpool; Edward Heath, Esq., Liver-
don . the Rev. David James ; Francis Lvne, Esq., Lon-
;J. W. Lea, Esq Worcester; W. J. Lamport,
doh., Liverpool • Henry "Hanmer Leycester, Esq., Lon-
Esq Le9ni Levi,'Esq., London ; Joseph Malcomson,
Par "verPool .' Wam Potter, Esq., ditto ; J. P.
to Qier, Esq. ditto . James Procter, Esq., ditto ; Mr.
clitttbn'issione; Perry,' ditto ; Charles Robertson, Esq.,
hittitol?elheßstoebre;rt
FRraanki Esq., ditto ; Malcolm Ross, Esq•,
'n'Shad, Esq.. Liverpool ; James
4. Thk' Esq• dittnoc•isSamuel Stitt, Esq., ditto; James
: Tobin i
NVI 'lir% , sq., ditto; John Torr, Esq., ditto ; Henry
~..kilni - ..,Esq., ditto ; John Cox, Esq., Bristol ; Robert
tioiF, tsq., ditto ; James Hassell, Esq., ditto; Charles
elittearind, Esq. Lier 001. The Rev. David James offi-
Ithi-B,_as chapla' in. Mpr. Lynn, of the Waterloo Hotel,
Aatt 'le the dinner in elegant style. Mr. Holden's
1014 ofdvocalists were present. In acknowledging. the
f
Lo ild' " The Tribunals of Commerce Committee, c!
rtie-,"o';',Tvhich was prcposed by the mayor, Mr. Francis
Zetturn • LAondon, said he was commissioned by Lord
9 th ?nt, the president of the London committee, to
Ith ~al. his lordship received the invitation to be present
t, 4.- Rreat deal of pleasure, and it was a matter of pain
illeOrlit,,that circumstances over which he had no control
ittlopPort'allthio3 of the power of coming to Liverpool on this
1,,. ta,,ee occasion—by none estimated of more im-
t:rdshi. nby his lordship.. (Hear,
.hear.) His
zlter,
.t.• felt that the commercial community bad now
Zorld "APosition of considerable importance before the
ilitd,--tit,),"l3, PO.rtance because Liverpool had come for-
Ith'‘en3,,;....
.97 her movement, had declared in the face of
h',.9 40i:,° that a system invented for the. creation of costs
-Ntlivi_
with
thueefeaedlminignsisotratinogn ot justice was not cora-
f E lishmen. (Applause.)

THERE are one hundred strict vegetarians in Liverpool
and its neighbourhood.
A NOTORIOUS DRUNKARD, named Elizabeth Clarke,
47 years old, was found dead on the step of a house in
Dalton-street, shortly after midnight on Tuesday.
A MARRIED WOMAN eloped from Rossendale the other
day, with a single man of the neighbourhood. The crea-
ture took with her the waves of the children, which they
had just received, and all the clothes which were at hand.
FIRE IN THE SALTHOT:SE DOCK.—On Friday, a fire
broke out on board of the ship Sea Nymph, lying in the
Salthouse dock, and loaded with cotton, oakum, and other
inflammable articles.

THE LONDON ART-UNION.—The prizes were awarded
on Tuesday. The Liverpool subscribers who have been
successful are—Mr. F. Parker, work of art, worth £4O;
Mr. B. B. Drinkwater, tazza in iron, modelled from a
Greek design ; and Mr. W. Ashcroft, Parian statue of
" Solitude."

LIVERPOOL PHILOMATHIC SOCIETY.—On Thursday
evening, the twenty-eighth session of this society was
brought to a close. Mr. James Spence was elected the
president of the society for the session 1853.54, and Mr.
John M'Diarmid, vice-president. The Philomathic So-
ciety was instituted in 1825.
- -

A GOLD SNUFF-Box was presented on Thursday even-
ing, by the workmen in the employ of Messrs. Ewart,
Myers and Co., to their manager, at the Brunswick
Hotel, Hanover-street, on the occasion of the marriage
of Jos. Myers, Esq., to Miss Ashton. About forty sat
down to dinner.

THOMAS KOKEL, while being brought from Manchester
to Liverpool en route for Dublin on Monday, leaped from
the train at its entering the tunnel, to escape the police-
man who had apprehended him on a charge of robbery.
He was much injured, but sought concealment in a ditch,
to which he had crawled. He was taken to the Royal
Infirmary.

Ax OLD 'MI.: named Edward Lynch, living with his
son in Stanhope-street, aroused the denizens of the house
in which he lived on Tuesday at midnight by his cries.
When his son and daughter asked him where he felt the
pain, he put his hard to his side on the spot where he
had received a sword wound on the coast of Africa. He
then expired.

DR. WTSEMAN IN MANCHESTER.—On Wednesday
afternoon, the so-called Cardinal Wiseman arrived in
Manchester. On Thursday evening ho I(ctured on the
relation between the arts of design and the arts of pro-
ductici, at the Corn Exchange. During his stay in this
neighbourhood he was the guest of Sir llumphrev de
Trafford, at Trafford Park. He was announced to preach
in the morning and evening of Sunday last, at Salford.
MsN DROWNED AT SEA.—During the passage of the
packet-ship Daniel Webster, which arrived on Tuesday
night from Boston, a seaman having fallen overboard, a
boat with four men in it was lowered, and an endeavour
made to save the unfortunate man, when, just as he
was reached, the boat upset, and three out of the 'four
composing the boat's crew were drowned. The man rho
felt overboard was also drowned.

NEGOCIATIONS have been in progress between the
tondon and North-western and the Shrewsbury lines of
railway, for the purpose of patting a stop to the-rcinous
competition which has so long existed between them for
the Liverpool traffic. They -are not yet concluded, how-
ever, the Shrewsbury company wishing, instead of the
equality of fares to which their rival would agree, to
charge a less passenger fare to Liverpool than the" Nort-
hwestern. A private gentleman has offered to lease the
Shrewsbury lines, giving four per cent. per annum.

THE ITNICN OF THE 'LITERPOOL AND BIKKENHEAD
DOCKS was again under the consideration of the conferring
deputation 'from the 'Liverpool Dock Committee, and
Baron Goldstnid, Mr. F. Goldsmid, and 'Sir Joseph
Bailey, on-Tuesday last, at Mr. Turner's residence, in
Park-place; St. James's street, London. The negocia-
tion is said to be adjourned for a week, in order to give
time for ascertaining the views of the entire body of pro.
prietors in the docks and the dock warehouses at Birken-
head, as-to the price they would be disposed to accept for
their prayerty.
THAOEDY AT BOOTLE,--On Tuesday last,'Sarah Jones,
a fine young girl of 17 years, belonging to. Chester, was
shot unintentionally by Edwin, a youth • ten or twelve
years of age, son of her-master, Mr. Abraham Wren, tea
merchant, Baliol-road. 'Bootle. The boy had found the
pistol in a drawer, and -the girl happening to enter the
room in which he was,. he playfully raised the instrument,
and remarked that he would shoot her. -Che replied that
he must not do anything of the sort, when the youth
thoughtlessly pulled the trigger, and the contents of the
pistol entered her body. The ball is supposed to have
lodged-in the hip of the unfortunate young woman. She
lingered in great agony until Thursday, when she expired.

11iX EXHIBITION OF7THE ELECTRIC LIGITT. by W. E.
Staite, Esq., took place in the theatre of the Royal
Instittition, on Friday evening. In the Absence of the
mayor, Mr. Sumner, •druggist, took the chair.—Mr.
-Staite-, before exhibiting his wonderful, yet simple, appa-
ratus, gave a brief lecture upon the principles of electri-
city, illustrating his propositions by several- beautiful and
conclusive experiments. The brilliant light is only about
the size of that given by an ordinary gas-burner, but in
the extreme, so indeed that to look upon it was like
looking at the sun ; and, by means of a glass prism, the
elementary solar or rainbow-like rays were thrown on
thewall. It will illuminate the Mersey over to Wood-
side, together with all the approaches to the Landing-
stage- The Dock Committee have resolved to avail
themselves of Mr. Staite's elaborately-matured scientific
triumph, which to-morrow night will be put in operation.
Gi-NDIDATES FOR LAIERICAN CITIZENSHIP.—The
packet ship Universe, Capt. Bird, from Liverpool, which
arrived yesterday, has favoured us with the following sta-
tistics of his passengers :—Whole number WI of which
333 are males, and 242 are females. Of the former there
are:/0 farmers, 4 tailors, 1 carpenter, 1 barber, 1 wheel.
wright, 2 railway clerks,'„ storekeepers, 1 carter, 3 wool-
len •manufacturers, 2 ourriers, 3 butchers, colliers,rl
jeweller, 3 weavers, 1 machinist, 2 engineers, 1 mason,
1 builder, 1 blacksmith, 1 painter and gilder, 1 gardener,
2 bakers, 4 miners, 3 millwrights, 1 limner, and the re-
mainder of the adult males are labourers. Of the females
32 are dressmakers, and the remainder servants. 38 are
natives of Germany, 2 of d'olland, 39 of England, 1 of
-Scotland, 22 of Wales, 4 of the Isle of Man, 4CI of Ire-
land, and 9 citizens of the United States—all in goad
health.—New York Heralti, April 16.
I 'Loss OF TWELVE Livar..—On S eturday week ,the
;Richardson, Captain Carruthers, while on her passage
from'Whitehaven tor Liverpool, where she was proceed-
ing to be loaded with an outward cargo, ran ashore at
,Duddon. Carpenters were immediately engaged and set
to •n-ark., who platformed her, and on Saturday she was
got elf the beach, and taken in• tow by a steam-tug, with
the intention of being taken round to Whitehaven. The
vessel was making so much water that the carpenters and
crew became greatly alarmed. '•The vessel appeared to be
sinking, and the men jumped into the boat before she
was lowered into the water. In-consequence of the hurry
and confusion, the ropes by which the boat was fastened
were not .properly loosed, and it fell bead foremost into
the sea, the whole of the men, 18 in number, being pre-
cipitated into the water. Six of them, including the
captain and mate, were rescued, hut the other twelve
were consigned to a watery grave. The vessel did not go
down for upwards of an hour after the men left her.

WESVDEMBY GUARDIANS.—At the meeting on Wed-
nesday, Mr. Alpass presided. It was stated that the
schoolmaster, in consequence of ill-health, would not be
able to resume his duties for several weeks. As the boys
are in disorder, the governor suggested the propriety of
appointing a temporary schoolmaster, which was agreed
to. The house was reported to be crammed, and many
old people were in. Mr. Shaw complained of the butter
recently supplied, which had been " shameful."• The ale,
too, was urrilt for use. Mr. Roskell. to avoid getting bad
ale and to economise, suggested that a brewery might be
established on the premises. The matter was referred to
the Visiting Committee. It was resolved, That a call
of 25 per cent. upon the declared averages be now made
on the several townships in the union, to be paid on or
before the lith day of May next." Mr. Shaw moved,
" That no in-door paupers he sent out of the house to
labour under the Test Committee." Carried.—The
offer of the Liverpool Corporation, with regard to the
boundary of the site of the West Derby Union Hospital,
was accepted, " providing that the work be proceded with,
and the boundary ascertained forthwith." Mr. Archer,
baker, appeared before the board; and in explanation of
a pauper having been supplied with bread deficient in
weight, stated that the affair arose entirely from the mis-
take of a fresh shop-keeper. Mr. Tattersall expressed
himself satisfied.—With regard to the Union Hospital, Mr.
111 c. Gee said the brick work all over was disgraceful. He
thought a blind man would do better work. Both the
architect and the builders were, in his opinion, to blame.
Mr. Cooper's tender for a new board-room and altera-
tions was accepted. Mr. Heyea's motion, that £6 a-year
be paid for the use of a relief office for the Crosby district,
was negatived.

UNION OF THE LIVERPOOL AND BIRKENHEAD DOCKS.
—At the Dock Committee, on Thursday, Mr. Gladstone
(who was chairman) stated that, according to an arrange-
ment cf the committee, Mr. Bold, Mr. C. Turner, and
himself proceeded to London as a deputation, and they
met Baron Goldsmid, his son, and Sir Joseph Bailey, on
Tuesday last. A good deal of conversation took place in
reference to the purchase of the Birkenhead Docks ; but
as those gentlemen were not authorised to act for other
parties, at their request all proceedings were postponed for
a week.—Mr. Bold said they might be prepared to make
their report that day week.—Mr. Bigham remarked that
all they could say up to that time was that the proprie-
tors of the Birkenhead Docks had gathered from the Dock
Committee the fact that they were ready to buy without
giving them anything in exchange for such knowledge.
The committee did not know whether the proprietors
would sell, or at what price ; but the proprietors had
gathered from the Dock Committee that they were ready
to purchase. He thought so far they had got the best of
it.—Mr. Bold said they gathered from them so far that
the gentlemen who met them, and they were largely in-
terested, were prepared to sell. It did not follow that the
trust were prepared to buy. It bad been considered ad-
visable to appoint a deputation in consequence of several
shareholders, having a large interest in the undertaking,
wishing to meet them.—Mr. Bigham understood that the
appointment of a deputation was consented to with a view
to negotiate with the company ; whereas it appeared that
those who had been seen on the subject were merely in-
dependent parties.—Mr. parties.—Mr. Bold : They are very important
Bigham : It appears they had no power to
negotiate.—Mr. Bold said they had taken a course which
would lead to negotiation.—Mr. Tobin asked where was
the disadvantage of the public knowing that the Dock
Committee were willing to buy. He apprehended that
the deputation was appointed with that intention. The
only thing was the question of price, and nothing definite
would be done without a report being brought forward.
It was not a question whether they were to buy or not ;
it was a question of price.—Mr. Bigham thought the
committee would have objected to a deputation had they
been aware that the three persons to be met were not.
authorised by their body, but acted on their own respon-
sibility.—The Chairman said that as to what the deputa-
tion had done, there was nothing at present which could
at all affect the position of the Dock Committee ; they
had not gathered anything from them as to what they
were disposed to give, and a report would be laid before
the Dock Committee on the subjpct.—The deputation
were not in a position to say anything further at present,
but there might be something next Thursday.

THE ILLEGITIMATE CHILD of Margaret Thompson, 7
Court, Pall-mall, was suffocated in bed on Tuesday night.
The mother had been to the Colosseum, and came home
at midnight, drunk.
THE SHIP MAJESTIC, belonging to Messrs. Horsfall,
of this town, is now lying in the Queen's Graving-dock,
with all her frame and top timbers exposed. The Majes-
tic was built by John Haws, Esq., of St. John, N.B. ;
and though upwards of fifteen years old, is as strong as
when first set afloat.

DREADFUL DEATH.—At noon, on Tuesday, James
y Findla, on going to his house in Russell-place, Warren-
street, could not get admission. On entering by the
window, he found his child asleep on a table, and his
wife, Wilhelmina Findlay, lying in the lobby, with her
clothes on fire. She had been dead for some hours.
JOHN GIBSON, THE SCULPTOR.—" Roma," a corre-
spondent of the Builder, relates that years ago the King
of Bavaria, after visiting Gibson's _studio, inquired if
there was anything he could do for the sculptor. The
reply was, that his Majesty could confer one favour,
namely, accompany him to the neighbouring studio of
the sculptor Wyatt, in order that a brother artist—some
would say rival—might also have the aid of royalty.
LIABILITY OF A WIFE RECEIVING STOLEN GOODS
FROM HER HUSBAND.—Elizabeth Brooks, who was con-
victed at the Liverpool sessions of receiving goods be-
longing to Mr. Eastee, knowing them to have been stolen,
has had the conviction quashed on appeal to the superior
criminal court in London. Mr. Baron Parke said it was
perfectly clear that a wife receiving stolen goods from her
husband could not,under any circumstances, be an offence.
SUICIDE OF A LETTER CARRIER IN THE ISLE OF MAN.
—On Wednesday morning, Thomas Shimmin, letter
carrier, of Douglas, was found hanging by the neck in his
bedroom, dead. Deceased had been much annoyed by a
regulation at the Post-office, by which he was to be re-
moved from a district of the town in which he had
delivered letters, &c., for about eleven years, and placed
on another district.

LAUNCHES OF MANCHESTER AND LIVERPOOL
STEAMERS IN THE CLYDE.—The Greenock Advertiser
states that on Monday there was launched from the yard
of Messrs. John Wood and Co., Port-Glasgow, a fine
wood screw schooner, named the Josefina, owned by
Messrs. Salomon, Moro, and Leon, of Manchester, and
intended for the Brazilian coasting trade. Immediately
after the above, Messrs. John Reid and Co. set afloat a
beautiful iron screw ship of 1138 tons new measurement.
She was with due ceremony named the Olinda, by Miss
Isabella Anderson. This vessel has been built for the
South American and General Steam Navigation Company,
and is to ply between Liverpool and the Brazils. Messrs.
Caird and Co. are to fit her with a pair of oscillating
engines of 200-horse power.
THE LIVERPOOL FREEMEN.—It is said that the mayor
of Liverpool, some days ago, received a communication
from Viscount Palmerston, Secretary of State for the
Home Department, requesting to be furnished with a
statement of the number of voters entitled to vote in The
election of members of Parliament for the borcrtgh of
Liverpool ; the number of persons voting as householders ;
the number voting as freemen ; and the number, if any,
voting in the double capacity of freemen and householders.
It is stated that this communication has some reference
to the new Reform Bill about to be introduced by Govern-
ment.

DOCK 'COMMITTEE.--'OO Thursday, Mr. :Gladstone
presided. Applications for an advance of wages from the
Landing-stage men and the Dock-gate men were not ac-
ceded to. It was stated that, weather permitting, the screw-
pile beacon would be erected on Littleßurbo Eat*, on Mon-
day. :In pensioning Moses Owen, an old dockgsteman, it
was stated that formerly there was a fund available for the
purpose which had accumulated from penalties for infrac-
tions of the Dock laws. The fines now went to the Bo-
rough fund. Mr. Bight= said that if the Docktoremittee
now got the fines, the fund might be increased by penalties
for Dock frauds. Mr. Robinson gave notice that next
week he would move for the appointment of Mr. Langs-
dale on the Warebetse Management Committee. He
added that it would be necessary to increase the rates on
produce, in consequence of the advanced -wages paid to
the labourers atsthe Albert warehouses.
THE AFRICAN TINE OF STEAMERS-The African
-Steam-ship Company's mail packet Hope, Commander
W. H. Bowen, built by Mr. Laird, of Birkenhead, sailed
on Sunday week, with mails for Madeira,Teneriffe, Goree,
Marra Leone, and the West Coast of Africa, in charge of
Lieutenant Pearce, the mail agent. This is•the first voyage
of the Hope, whichis a sister ship to theTaith, belonging
to the same enterprising company. Like the others,-she
is constructed of iron, and is of 900 tons burthen. 'She is
icrovided with iron -tubular masts, which admit the top-
-masts into them, and allow the shiplo be made snug
'when encountering-strong adverse winds—an arrangement
.proved to be both advantageous and economical for this
-service. Her diagonal cylinder engines (on the same plan
:as those so successfully adopted in the Cane steamers), are
-constructed by Mr.,George Forrester, of'Liverpool ; they
are of 200-horse power, and revolve her three-blade pro-
peller 52 times perrninute, with a consumption of:15 tons
•of fuel in 24 hours. The boilers of the Hope are placed
one in each wing, and either can be used separately. Her
feed engine (commonly called a donkaay engine), besides
-filling the boilers,oan be readily adapted to washing decks
or extinguishing.fire. The Hope is fitted with a telegraph,
having one dial on deck and another in the engine-room.
When any alteration of the steam-power is required a
movement above- strikes a bell below, and the dial-hand
points immediately to " Go ahead," " Beck astern;":&c.,
so that all the hoarce bawling and occasional error by the
ordinary mode is avoided. The arrangements below
enable the engineer to command at one view the entire
economy of the engines and boilers. Tho Hope has a full
and valuable cargo, including a large amount in specie
and a great quantity of gunpowder foe different parts.
The next homeward packet, the European, Capt. Groves,
is due at Plymouth on the 12th of May.

THE NEW PAS•SENGER ACT.-I:IIPOIVEANT DECISION.
—On Tuesday, Mr. Mansfield delivered judgment in a
:•case of considerable importance as affecting the rights of
emigrants and passenger agents.—On Friday last Mr.
Edward Whitley, solicitor, appeared before the bench in
!-support of a summons which had been taken out by
l•two emigrants azainet the well-known firm of Messrs.
Pilkington and Wilson, to recover a sum of £7 each,
which had been paid by them as a deposit for a passage
in the ship Lochiel. was admitted, for the purposes of
.the case, that the contract was duly trade, that the money
sought to be recovered vas paid by the plaintiff, and that
,he was in readiness to proceed upon the voyage •en the
day mentioned in the ecntract. The contract itself had
also been put in, and the day fixed for the departure of
,the vessel was the 10th April. There was an endorse-
ment on the contract, the purport of which was that the
passenger was warned not to leave home to repairto the
place of embarkation until he had received notice that it
-was time to do so. The plaintiff receiving no notice before
the fixed day of departure, presented himself at the:place
of embarkation on that day ; but now it appeared the
vessel would not sail till tbes 30th. The question, there-
fore, said Mr. Mansfield, was whether, under the circum-
estanoes, the plaintiff was entitled to have:back his money
paid, and compensation. He was inclined to think that
a delay of 20 days before the commencement of a voyage
of several months could hardly be considered, under the
circumstances, to have been intended by the statute. He
was the further confirmed in this view by the notorious
fact that few vessels were so fortunate in the punctual
arrangement of the vast and complicated machinery that
must be put in motion to fit out and man and store them
for a voyage to the antipodes as to be able to depart
upon the precise day anticipated ,by the owner and the
charterer. It must be remembered that the delay was
against the interest of the charterer and owner, that the
subsistence money alone for many passengers was a severe
penalty incurred by the charterer, and-that the legislature,
having ire view the difficulties he had <to contend with in
clearing his ship outwards, might have considered that
the intereste of the public would be better served by per-
mitting a short delay in the perforreance•ef the contract,
rather than by giving a power to one party to rescind it
altogether, which in most instances would retard the
sailing of the ship still further, or tend to raise the price
of passages ley:making the voyage ruinous to the charterer.
The summons must be disrnissed.—Mr. 'Hull said the
object of both _parties had been to lay the facts clearly
before the court, in order to obtain a decision on a question
so important to this mercantile community. Messrs.
Pilkington and Wilson had returned the two intending
emigrants their money, as they intended remaining in
their native country.
MERCANTILE CONFERENCE IN LIVERPOOL.—At this
great conference, held in the Cotton Salesroom on Friday,
" to consider the state of Mercantile Law and the Judicial
System of the United Kingdom," the Mayor presided.
Deputations were present from London, Manchester,
Potteries, Worcester, Bradford, Bristol, &c. Letters
of approval were read from Chambers of Commerce, &c..
in Belfast, Greenock, Southampton, Plymouth, Stockton, '
Dundee, and other places. The resolutions adopted wore
as. ollow :-Ist, moved by Mr. Thomas Berry Horsfalr
seconded by Mr. Leycester, of London : " That the
grievances under which the trade and commerce of this
country labour, in respect of the anomalous state of
mercantile law, and the imperfect working of the judicial
system., demand immediate consideration ; and, in order
to insure the efficiency of any remedial measures, it is
essential that they should be suggested or approved by the
classes for whose benefit they are intended, and by whose
experience they ought to be tested : that, as the most
important interests of the empire are now indissolubly
associated with its commerce, whatsoever tends to inter-
pose hindrances to the freedom and safety of its operations
is contrary to all sound principle and ought to be removed."
—2nd, moved by Mr. Henry Ashworth, of Manchester,
and seconded by Mr. Malcolm Ross, of Manchester :
—" That the efforts of the London Law Amendment
Society, in the cause of law reform, are gratefully recog-
nized by the trading classes ; and that the proceedings of
the conference held in London, in November last, so far
as relates to the assimilation and consolidation of the
commercial laws of the United Kingdom, are formally
approved and adopted by this meeting." 3d, moved Mr.
Leone Levi and seconded by Mr. Lang, of Bristol : " That,
beneficial as the measures recommended by the London
conference will prove to be when carried out, they do not
provide a remedy for the more immediate and pressing
evils of which the trading classes complain, and which
are only partially touched by the provisions of the recent
Common Law Procedure Act." 4th, moved by Mr. Charles
Holland and seconded by Mr. Lyne : " That the remedial
measures best calculated to put an end to the evils com-
plained of point to the establishment of permanent local
courts, with compulsory powers and equitable jurisdiction,
within towns and districts of certain extent, for the adju-
dication of all mercantile disputes, wherein the judges
should consist, at least partially, of mercantile men, and
the procedure be informal, after the example of foreign tri-
bunals of commerce, whose working in every country
where established has been successful and satisfactory.
—An amendment was proposed by Mr. Harry Ashworth
and seconded by Mr. Malcolm Ross, but only three hands
were held up in its favour. It was to this effect : " That
arbitration in questions of account should be made corn.
pulsory ; and that the modifications of the existing tribu-
nals, so as to adapt them to the exigencies of the general
commerce of the country, would go far to remove the
evils complained of."-sth, moved by Mr. Coxe, of Bris-
tol, and seconded by Mr. Lea, of Bristol : " That petitions
to both houses of parliament, setting forth the substance
of the foregoing resolutions, be prepared for the signature
of the chairman and deputations."—Mr. Ashworth moved
a vote of thanks to the mayor; and the proceedings ter-
minated.