The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-03-14 00:00:00

OPINION.

1. I am of opinion that a Minister would commit an
ecclesiastical offence, if he were to omit the psalm and the
lesson occurring in the burial service. lam also of opi-
nion, that the direction in the Rubric, " after they are
come into the church," &c., would not be complied with
if the psalms and lessons were read at the grave ; and
consequently, that no clergyman is authorised to do so.
In this I am fortified by the wording of the Rubric,
next but one following, viz., " when they come to the
grave," &c.
2. Even if my opinion were doubtful as to the former
points, I should be clear that no clergyman can possibly
be compelled to act contrary to the directions of the Rubric.
3. I am of opinion that the parishioner, A. B. (sup-
posing the facts capable of proof,) has laid himself open to
be proceeded against for brawling. A. F. BATFORD.
Doctors' Commons, 22d February, 1854.

COMPARATIVE COST OF WOODEN AND IRON-BUILT
SHIES.—In a recently-issued circular by Mr. Jas. Hodgson,
consulting engineer, of Liverpool, we find the following
comparative annual cost of the working of a wooden and
iron ship of 1,000 tons each : Suppose a wooden ship of
1,000 tons to cost £16,500, or £l6 10s. per ton ; then
suppose an iron ship to cost £13,500, or £l3 10s. per ton,
both fitted for the East, we have the following result :
Wood : £16,500, at 3 per cent. for insurance, £495 ; ditto at
5 per cent., for depreciation, £825 ; ditto at 5 per cent. for
interest, £825—£2,146 ; deduct £1,350 £795. Iron :
£13,500 at 3 per cent. for insurance, £405 ; ditto at 2 per
cent. for depreciation, £270 ; ditto at 6 cent. for interest,
£675—£1,350 ; difference in favour of iron, £795.. A
wooden ship of 1,000 tons, trading to the East, will not
carry more than 1,500 tons, which, at £5 per ton for the
voyage out and home, will give £7,500, while an iron ship
of 1,000 tons, built from the same external lines, will carry
1,800 tons, which, at £5 per ton, will give £9,000; deduct
£7,600, and the difference will be £1,500, making a total
in favour of an iron ship of 1,000 tons of £2,295. In the
above statement it will be seen that I have taken the
lowest estimated cost for a wooden ship, and also the
lowest depreciation of the same ; and as regards the iron
ship, I have now under my superintendence three large
ships for one gentleman, of nearly 1,500 tons each (exclu-
sive of others), one of which is 2,700 tons, 0.m., which
will cost less than £l3 per ton, so that the above case
is under rather than over-rated in favour of iron ships.

A NOTE FROM MmaiounNE.—The following is an
extract from a letter dated Melbourne, Dec. Ist, 1853 :
" Wages are enormously high still, as emigration has
fallen off rapidly Masons, good hands, 425. per day (not
per week) ; and rubble ditto, 355. ; carpenters, 355. to 40s. ;
plasterers, 40s. per day. Timber is a little down just now ;
bricks ditto, but after Christmas they will be up again.
They are at present £l4 per 1,000; Countess slates, £5O per
1,000. They were, about six weeks ago, down to £35, but
arevery scarce again. Very large three and four storied
stone stores are being erected in all parts of the city and
suburbs,and many fine stone mansions. Many a ten-roomed
house have I seen let at £1,200 per annum;. nothing but a
plain hammer-dressed stone .front,—nothing partFular
about it. Building in stone is frightful, still there is no-
thing thought of it here; thousands are spent very freely.
We have a very fine arcade—something like the Lowther
—cost a little over £30,000, and another erecting, which
for elegance of design far outstrips the other : it is esti-
mated to cost £150,000. Tattersall's Grand Horse Bazaar
outdoes anything I have yet seen for horses : Tattersall's
at home is a mere shed to it. I will send you a plate of
it when I can send overland. We have also eight churches
and chapels erecting at this time of stone and brick; one
college, one Free Church of Scotland, high school, one opera-
house, two bridges, and two railways making,—the posts
also being fixed for the telegraph to Williamstown, Port
Philip Heads. J. Knight and Kemp have just got £5OO
for the best design for new Government offices, to cost
£150,000, and expect the contract to carry it out. We
have also a new mansion for the governor, to cost £50,000;
baths and Nirshhouses, £30,000; a new custom-house, and
many large jobs; but I have enumerated enough to show
you what we are doing, and expect to do, in the building
way, in
i this golden city.. R---, late of Jay's has many
things n hand. Amongst others, the railway bridge over
the Yarra Yarra. He is also building a steam-boat for
the Gondola Company, which is to run to Cremorne
Gardens, very beautifully laid out at Richmond, on the
Yarra Yarra. I also expect he will be the contractor for
the grand reservoir, to supply this golden city with water ;
it will be fifteen miles up the Renty River, from Melbourne,
—15,000 acres of land to compose the large and two
smaller reservoirs,—and will cost over £150,000 and take
two years to complete : so you see we intend improving a
little."