The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-11-09 00:00:00

LATEST FOREIGN AND COLONIAL.

VEST INDIES.
The Royal Mail Steam-packet Medway, arrived at
Southampton on Sunday, with 38 cabin passengers, and
185,577 dollars, and 144,355 dollars worth of gold dust
and coin.

By this arrival we have our usual file of West India
papers, but, with the exception of accounts of numerous
and unanimous meetings, condemning in the most severe
terms the legislation on the subject of the sugar duties,
they are very barren of interest. Jamaica is described as
being in a sad condition, and as being deserted by num-
bers of merchants, in the anticipation of increased decay
of trade. The meeting of the House of Assembly was
looked forward to with much interest. There had pro-
bably never been so many meetings and so much unani-
mity as is described to exist in Jamaica and the British
West Indies generally. The oppressively hot weather in
Jamaica for a few days since the accounts by the last
packet had been succeeded by profuse rain and a favour-
able change. The islands generally are described as being
in a fair state as regards the weather and the present
crops.

'the arrival of the Medway has brought us but little ad-
ditional news from Mexico, but the account already-pub-
lished is abundantly confirmed. The American force is
stated to be in daily receipt of reinforcements, and Santa
Anna in a helpless condition. It was rumoured at Vera
Cruz that he was before Puebla on the 30th, with 2,000
or 3,000 men, altogether dispirited ; and another rumour
was current at Bermuda, from news said to be received by
an Halifax vessel, that one-half of the city of Mexico was
still in the hands of the Mexicans, who would fight to the
last. All accounts concur in describing the commerce of
Mexico to be suffering most severely, and agree in the
belief that circumstances are now favouring the Ameri-
cans.

SWITZERLAND.—The situation of Switzerland was the
all-absorbing subject of conversation in Paris on Satur-
day. No authentic accounts of the actual commence-
ment of civil war in that country had been received, but
Paris letters lead us to expect, by to-day, painful de-
tails from the Cantons. The occupation of Neufchatel
by the Radicals is the first act of aggression on their part.
The effect of it on the Prussian government we shall soon
learn.

PROSPECT OF A SEVERE WINTER.—A St. Peterslmirgh
letter of the 7th of October states, that the streets are
already covered with snow, and sledge-parties were daily
arranged. The thermometer (the preceding day) marked
three degrees below zero (Reaumur's scale).
DARING ROBBERY.—The Paris Moniteur mentions an
act of highway robbery of a character so audacious as to
cause, on Saturday, in Paris, serious reflections on the
state of the country. The diligence from Vannes, for
L'Orient, containing 40,000 f.; the property of Govern-
ment, and escorted by two Gendarmes, was attacked on
the road by a band of 12 or 15 highwaymen, who fire.: a
volley, which killed two horses and one of the Gendarmes.
The other galloped off to seek assistance. The robbers
in the meanwhile, plundered the coach of its contents and
effected their escape.

MURDER OF A POLICE MAGISTRATE IN CEYLON.—An
inquest was held on Saturday last at Negomba on the
body of Mr. F. L. Dick, police magistrate, of that place,
who had met his death from a gunshot wound on the pre-
*vious night. It appears that the deceased had left his
house on Friday night, in company with Mr. Northmore,
C. C. S., and three Peons, to go in search of a notorious
burglar, a native, who had recently escaped from custody
at Chilaw, and who was reported to be hiding in his father's
house, situated at Palanchina, five miles from Negombo,
and northward of Kaderani. The man they were in search
of was well known to be a most desperate character, and
had often been heard to say he would shoot any one who
attempted to capture him. The head men of Negumbo
endeavoured in vain to dissuade the magistratefrom going
on such an errand. He took a brace of loaded pistols in his
belt, and, in the company we have stated, started on foot
for Palanchina. They arrived there between 9 and 10, when
the moon was well up, and objects were plainly distinguish-
able. The house which had been indicated was searched,
but the burglar was not to be found ; the father, however,
told them he thought his son was secreted in a cot-
tage not far off, belonging to one Singho Appoo, and
to this the party proceeded. Mr. Dick and one Peon
went to the front door, another went to the door at the
rear, whilst Mr. Northmore and the third Peon remained
at alittledistance. They knocked and demanded admission,
whereupon Singho Appoo called out to know who was
there ; one of the Peons replied it was the magistrate of
Negombo, and that he must open the door and let them
in. A woman was then heard to say, " Take your gun,
and shoot the thieves." One of the shutters was at the
moment half opened, close to the deceased, who, it is
supposed, peeped in, and immediately after a gun was
fired, and he fell dead on the spot. Mr. Northmore and
the Peons then forced their way into the house, and se-
cured Singho Appoo and his wife, who were the only in-
mates. The gun, which was quite hot, had been fired
with slug, and the shot had completely divided the carotid
artery, from which the blood was pouring in great quan-
tities.—Colombo Monthly Examiner, Sept. 16.

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THE SIAMESE TWINS.—A correspondent of the Raleigh
(North Carolina) Biblical Recorder, under date of August
2, 1847, gives the following account of a visit to Chang and
Eng, the celebrated Siamese twins, who, it will be re-
membered, visited this town some 15 years since :—" In
company with my friend Mr. William M'Nance, I called
to see the Siamese twins, Chang and Eng, residing about
one mile and a half from Mount Airy, on a valuable farm,
which they have lately purchased, and removed to from
the county of Wilkes. To my great disappointment they
were not at home, being absent on a visit to their planta-
tion in Wilkes. The wife of one of them was at home,
and four of their children, all of whom resemble them
much in appearance. They have each of them children
about the same age. In addition to their native names
they have assumed the name of Banker, in honour of their
banker of that name in the city of New York. The Mrs.
Banker we found at home appeared to be a good-looking
intelligent woman, with a free and open countenance, ap-
parently about 25 years of age. There appeared to be a
number of servants about the premises, of different ages
and sexes. Their house is small, but they are preparing
to build a new and commodious one. The wife of one of
them and two of their children were at Wilkes. They
live alternately at each place, and so will continue until
they build a new house or sell their plantation in Wilkes,
which they design to do. They take much pleasure in
farming, have a fine crop, and are quite plain and econo-
mical in dress and manner of living, are fond of hunting,
and, with their wives and little ones, apparently quite
happy and contented. Their wives are said to be members
of the Baptist church, of respectable parents, and the
twins occasionally go to church with them. They are
punctual in attending the elections, and vote the Whig
ticket. I learn that, in addition to their property in
North Carolina, they have an invested fund in New York.
) oe however, the
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market.
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the chase make them prefer a residence

' NEW PATENT ROTARY ENGINE.—A, new rotary
steam-engine is now at work at Mr. Tyrrells, engineer,
Deptford, showing the great economy of weight, fuel,
and friction of which steam-power is capable. This will
be at once understood, when we state that the whole of
this four-horse engine (without the boiler), would not
occupy much more than half a hat-box, the actual dimen-
sions of what may be called the piston being only nine
inches by four inches, and the weight of the whole box
being between two and three cwt. A. steam pipe from
the boiler brings the steam into this little receptacle, an
eccentric crank is turned by the rotary motion within it;
and here is all the machinery said to be necessary to propel
the largest engines, whether mining, marine, or locomo-
tive. The adaptation of the interior of the little box
may be described to consist of five segments of cir-
cles of highly polished steel, so arranged that the abut-
ments and pistons, or acting arms (also of steel highly
polished), bear on each other so as to secure steam-tight
contact without any packing. The patentees state that
their engine makes 400 revolutions in the time the re-
ciprocating engine makes 200 revolutions, with the same
rate only of expenditu e in fuel—power for power—and
further that the number of revolutions made in a given
time do not sensibly affect the power. One of the most
common defects in rotary engines has been their tendency
to leakage, whereby a continual loss of power has been
sustained. The new engine, on the contrary, is perfectly
steam tight, and works at a high velocity without any per-
ceptible friction; it has no " dead point," and works at full
power up to the size required. We learn, however, that
the patentees are about to construct a larger engine on
the same principle, with a boiler of proportionate size,
and the opportunity will then be afforded, in the most
practicable and tangible way, of measuring the con-
sumption of fuel with the power of the engine, and
the amount of work actually performed. The Admiralty
have requested an estimate of the cost of fitting the
Minx with an auxiliary engine of 50-horse power.
The Minx is a vessel of three hundred tons burden, and is,
it is said, to be furnished with a screw propeller, which
the rotary engine is supposed to be peculiarly well fitted to
drive. The actual dimensions of this new engine of 50-
horse power would be not more than 31 inches by 16
inches, the velocity being calculated at a main of 300 re-
volutions per minute. The substitution of the new rotary
engine on board the Minx for the engines at present ordi-
narily used, would, it is calculated, lighten her, in respect
to machinery alone, about 50 tons, leavingoutof calcula-
tion altogether the economy of space and fuel.--Tin2eB.
THE BOSJEiMANS.--A group of five of these " inter
esting people was exhibited on Monday evening,
Exe-
ter Hall, Strand, to a large assembly of the curious, and a
lecture deli▪
vered on their nature, properties, propensities,-
and habits, by Dr. Knox. They were lauded in Liverpool
by the brig• Fanny, Captain Wheeler, and that this is
their first appearance in Europe. Without saying that
Europe will be, or not be, profited by their arrival, it may
be affirmed that nothing, even in this age of `• strange and
unnatural" importations, is more curious than this stunted
family of African dwarfs. In appearance they are little
above the monkey tribe, and scarcely better than the mere
ihnrigittehse
tonfset
belydt:h
eTtli ireey,
rocrowilnagi,nsgr.nwokainagl-,
6cc. They are sullen, silent, and savage—mere animals in
propensity, and worse than animals in appearance. The
The admirers of "pure nature can confirm their specu-
lations on unsophisticated man, and woman also, or re-
pudiate chattering
continually
org
•them, a visit to these specimens. They are
pudiate by
exhibition is, however, one tha,t, will and ought to attract.
well calculated to remove prejudices, and make people
think aright, of the_ times when " wild in his woods the
noble savage ran." In short, a more miserable set of
human beings—for human, they are, nevertheless—was
never seen. They are about to perform, at the future
exhibitions of them, some curious feats of aetivity, and
of their modes of attack and defence, which will be worth
attention.—Totes. We give the above from a source
which will not be excepted against. Our own opinion as
to the character of the people in question confirms that
of our contemporary.