The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-07-31 00:00:00

INCENDIARISM AT BLACKBURN

ATTEMPT TO BURN DOWN MESSRS. W. AND T. TURNER'S
MILL -THE FIRE AT MESSRS. LIVESEY AND RODGETT'S

I t is with very great pain we make an announcement which
cannot fail to fill with alarm the public generally, and espe-
cially that important part of the public whose property is
invested in the staple manufacture of this county. Within
the last six-and-thirty hours circumstances have transpired,
which leave no reasonable ground for doubt that the fiendish
spirit of incendiarism is at work amongst the boys employed
in the cotton mills in this town. Two or three cases of at-
tempts to set fire to factories (one of them too successful)
will probably be brought home to parties now in custody ;
but in the present state of matters, just the first flush of
the discovery, the affair has not been so far unravelled that
we can present our readers with the minute detail which we
should desire to lay before them. So far as can be at present
ascertained, the main facts appear to be as follow :
On Wednesday last, about one o'clock in the afternoon,
a fire was discovered in the mixing room at Messrs. Turners'
mill, at Bank Top, in this town. An alarm was given, and
three fire engines (which, by the by, are said to have been in
a rather inefficient condition,) together with a detachment of
the police, were speedily on the spot. After considerable
exertion the fire was. extinguished, before it had done any
very considerable damage, one hundred pounds being pro-
bably the value of the property destroyed. There were cir-
cumstances attending the' breaking out of the fire which raised
a slight suspicion that its origin was not accidental, but for
some days nothing transpired which could give that suspicion
any particular direction. Yesterday afternoon, however, a
spinner employed in the same mill again smelled tire, and on
going into the roving room he discovered that a quantity of
bobbins were in a blaze. These he fortunately succeeded in
extinguishing, and no further damage was done. But the
occurrence of course confirmed the suspicion to which we
have alluded, and during the confusion attendant upon the
alarm of yesterday's fire, a lad employed in the mill was ob-
served to conduct himself so strangely, and to manifest so
much tremor, that it was immediately supposed he was in
some way or other connected with the fire. He was seized
by one of the men, and after much threatening confessed he
was concerned, with several others, in setting fire to the mill
both on Wednesday and yesterday.

The lad's name is Thomas Clayton ; on his person were
found two lots of lucifer matches. Upon his information
three others, named William Kenyon, William Counsell,
and William Stirzaker, were at once arrested ; as well as
James Stirzaker, brother to the last-named of the above.
The ages of the four first-named lads do not appear to be
more than about fourteen. James Stirzaker is three or four
years older. _ _

From the voluntary statements already made by some
of the lads, there is reason to believe that ,James Stirzaker
was the author of the disastrous fire that burned Messrs.
Livesey and Rodgett's mill to the ground. His younger bro
ther says that he admitted the fact to him, and that he also
instigated him (William Stirzaker) to set fire to the Messrs.
Turner's mill, for which purpose he supplied him with a box
of lucifers, part of which he gave to Clayton. The lad also
admitted that the remainder of the matches in the box, after
those given to Clayton were taken out, were hidden upon the
premises, and upon his pointing out the place his statement
was found to be correct. •

Besides the'two decided attempts which have been made
to burn down ?Messrs. Turners' mill, both of which have been
happily frustrated, these young villians have confessed
to an arrangement which they had planned, whereby the se-
cond attempt was to have been made last Saturday night, in-
stead of yesterday, but they were prevented from putting
their arrangement into practice by several accidental circum-
stances which we need not detail.

It is impossible at present to trace these diabolical crimes
to any sufficient motive. The lads talk of spite against cer-
tain overlookers and spinners, but perhaps in a few days other
matters may give a different aspect to this most lamentable
affair. In the mean time the five lads are placed in safe cus-
tody, and will be brought up before the magistrates this day
for a first examination, and we do most sincerely hope that
the inquiries which are already set on foot may lead to suth
a result that all concerned may meet the punishment they so
richly deserve.—Blackburn Standard.

RELEASE OF MESSRS. LOVETT AND COLLINS.-
PUBLIC ENTRANCE OF COLLINS INTO BIR-
MINGHAM.

(From use Times of Tuesday.)
Birmingham, Monday, July 27, 4.p.m

"
The first chartist demonstration "Of the season com-
menced this morning, and so far has passed off well.. For the
last few weeks great exertions have been made by the rem-
nant of the chartist party usually assembling in Lawrence-
street chapel to render the liberation of Lovett and Collins
an occasion of a great political display : and certainly, as an
exhibition of numbers goes, the affair of to-day may be fairly
said to have rivalled many of Mr. Attwood's far-famed great
political " demonstrations."
About 6 o'clock on Saturday morning Lovett and Collins
were discharged from Warwick goal. Their friends, it ap-
pears, expected that their liberation would take place about 7,
but two or three of them, fancying that they would be the
first to greet them on their coming forth from the prison,
very knowingly arranged to be in waiting from a few minutes
after 6, opposite to the gaol, and there standing ready to give
the huzza on the instant of the doors opening. On crossing
the market-place, however, and turning over the iron bridge
at the entrance of the Bridewell-lane, which leads upon the
gaol-gates, who should they meet but the two patriots them-
selves walking quietly along, as unnoticed, and as coolly look-
ing about them as if they were persons of no more consequence
than a pair of vagrants who had just served their time and
were thinking at what lodging-house they would be most
likely to meet with their " old pals." There. was not the
slightest " demonstration," no doubt to the great mortifica-
tion of those who had promised themselves a capital show-off.
Lovett showed his good sense by disappointing those worthies,
and immediately left Warwick for London. In the evening
Collins, who is much fonder of display than his fellow-
sufferer, supped with about 150 chartists at the Saracen's
Head, and as was to be expected, there was abundance of
talking, eating, drinking, smoking, toasting, and singing.
Of the quality of the speeches I am unable to give an opini-
on, but they will no doubt be duly reported in the chartist
journals.
This morning the bustle in the streets of Birmingham re-
minded one of the days of Newhall Hill and Holloway Head ;
but fortunately, owing to the establishment of thepolice, ana
the known preparations made by the head of that efficient
body, not the slightest alarm appeared to be felt by the in-
habitants.

Soon after nine o'clock this morning crowds were seen
proceeding towards the place of meeting, and by ten o'clock
the streets in that vicinity were crammed with a dense mul-
titude of men, Women, and children ; it is difficult to say
which of the three classes were the most numerous. By this
time, however, the committee had issued a hand-bill stating
that in consequence of ill health the latter gentleman had
been forbidden by his medical advisers attending any public
meeting for the present. It is worthy of remark that Lovett's
intention to proceed to London and not visit Birmingham
was known to the committee for some days past, but they
thought it would militate against the " demonstration" if
they made any premature announcement to that effect, and
therefore kept the secret until the last moment.

The outgoing proceedings of the day were exceedingly flat,
all the enthusiasm and excitement usual upon such occasions
being reserved until the triumphant return of Collins into
the town. On the arrival of the procession at Sparkbrook,
it must have consisted of from' 15,000 to, 20,000 persons.
Collins arrived at the Angel by the Queen coach about the
same time, and was loudly greeted by the assembled multi-
tude. He appeared emaciated, and excused himself from
speaking on the ground of weakness, stating that he felt con-
vinced that his incarceration had laid the germ of a con-
sumption. The procession then returned to. Birmingham in
great state. The scene in High-street, Dentend, was im-
posing, but that in the Bull-ring has not been exceeded
since the return of Mr. Attwood from London after the
passing of the reform bill. The cavalcade then moved on-
wards to Gosta-green, the scene of Mr. Feargus O'Connor's
previous displays. On arriving at the spot the mob almost
completely filled the green. The carriage of the " victim"
was drawn up aside, and on order being somewhat restored
he treated his auditors to a long tirade upon the sufferings
he had endured during his imprisonment, the villany of the
government, the conduct of Lord J. Russell, and his own
unabated attachment to the principles of Chartism. He was
loudly cheered in the course of his address, and the multi-
tude having dispersed, preparations were made for a dinner,
which afterwards took place in a vacant space at the end of
Shadwell-street.
A Mr. Catler took the chair, and from the number of
tickets issued it is computed that about 1,800 persons sat
down. Collins went into a more detailed statement of the
horrors of prison discipline and miseries of gaol allowance,
and after a number of speeches in the true chartist style, the
party broke up.
Too much praise cannot be awarded to the very able ar-
rangements made by Mr. Commissioner Burgess for the
prevention of any disturbance, and it is to the excellent con-
duct of the police under his command that the tranquillity
of the town is probably in great measure owing.

Our readers will no doubt recollect the reported launch of
the Trafalgar, which was to have taken place in May last,
and then a postponement of It until June, when her Majesty
was to have been present. We are now informed, that if
every shipwright in the yard at Woolwich were to be con-
stantly employed, the vessel could not possibly be finished by
May next ; in addition to which it will also require three
months' constant work of the whole of the blacksmiths of
that yard to effect its completion. Such is the rapidity of
the works carried on under the guidance of our Mint° Ad-
miralty.-. Courier.

Wheat

drs. I 6!B_

10 I 572
253

Malt
Oats
Rye Qrs.
Beans Qrs.
Pease Qrs.
Shelled Barley
Indian Corn . .
Rapeseed Qrs.
Oatmeal . . . . Loads
Flour. Sacks!
Ditto . Brls

164 2516 3668
2238 2896
582

14 14
.235 235

EXPORTS.—Foreign. Barley, 3 qrs. ; Oats, 22 qrs. ; Rye,
qrs, ; Pease, 3 qrs. ; Indian Corn, qr. ; Flour, 346 brls.—
Ireland. Wheat, 1063 qrs.; Barley, qrs. ; Rye, 125 qrs. ; Indian
Corn, qrs. ; Oatmeal, 140 loads ; Flour, sacks.—Coast-
wise. Wheat, 357 qrs.; Barley, 345 qrs. ; Malt, 25 qrs. ; Oats,
qrs. ; Rye, qrs. ; Beans, qrs. ; Pease, 54 qrs. ; Oat-
meal, 38.5 loads ; Flour, 518 sacks, 775 brls.

Average prices of Grain, for the week ending July 24 1840.
Wheat 71s. 4d. I Barley.. 325. Bd. I Oats.. 28s. 10d. Rye.. 365. Sd
Beans.. 465. Ild. Pease, 455. 6d.

Wheat.. 68s

Aggregate average of the six weeks

Bcl.l Barley.. 345. Bd. Oats.. 265. 3d. Rye.. 365. Id
Beans .. 455. 6d. I Pease .. 445. 10d.

Duty on Foreign Grain, Rm. this week

Wheatl6s. Bd. I
Brley 10s.10C1. Oats Rye .. 15s. 6d
I Beans, 2s. ud. Pease3s. 6d. Indian Crnlos. 10d. I Flourios. °id

Liverpool Averages, week ending 28st July, 1840.
Wheat. Barley. Oats. Beans. I Pease
••• I 2 I I 097 1544 I 28 I 0

Prices.. I 72-s. 7 itd. I Os. Od.

Bd. I 49a. ad. I oos:od

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE

FRIDAY, JULY 31

—Wind N.N.W,

ARRlVED.—Sgoumenta", Scotius, from Rouen—Eugene, Perrie ;
and Auguste, Kirkhove, from Ostend—Ayrshire, ; Devereux,
—; Prince of Waterloo, Needham; and Tamerlane, —, from
Quebec—Lavinia, Sutherland, from Sydney, C. B.—Ward, Masters,
from St. John, N. 8., very leaky, having struck on the Skerries—
lonia, Badcock, from Zante—Amy, Goddard, from Konnigsberg—

Phoenix, Frederica,
zie, from Stettin.

frOm Antwerp; and Brutus,WKin-

Ellen, Koster, sailed from Messina for this port Bth July
Josh. IVilhelmina, Stuit, hence at the Texel

St. Henrietta, Klie; Aurora, Mippleden ; Wrestler, Norman.;
Coburg, Green; Diana, Vau Aleroyn ; and Gloria, Bristow, hence
at Helvoet

Constant, Van Schie ; and Mary, Grass, hence at Antwerp
Gregory Sogosloff, Tuliff, from St. Petersburgh for this port, in
the Pentland Firth.

Vigilant,

-, from Ostend for this port, off Swansea

Evelina, Koswcirthy, from Bahia, at this port ; sailed 4th June.
The Broad Oak was to sail in about a week for this port. On the
19th July, in lat 46, lon 33, spoke the Duncan, hence to Quebec ;
on 25th July, in lat 48, lon 11, spoke the Matthew Plummer; on
27th July, off Cape Clear, spoke the Walter, hence to Philadelphia.
Eagle, Greg; from Licata, at this port. On tne Bth July, in lat
39, lon 17 W., spoke the Englishman, from Bristol to Africa; on
15th July, in lat 42, lon 17, spozc the Alexander, from Cadiz to
Hull ; on 18th July, in lat 43, lon 19, spoke the Belvidere, from
Antwerp to Charleston.