The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-06-16 00:00:00

RUNCORN.

The origin of the name is involved in some obscurity, and
I shall not pause to unravel it. It was founded by Elfreda,
a daughter of King Alfred, a princess of remarkably masculine
mind, who founded or rebuilt many other towns. The
general increase of commerce, and particularly the formation
of the several canals that terminate at it, and the still more
recent construction of docks, has tended to its rapid advance-
ment, and it now probably contains from 7000 to 8000 in-
habitants. In a very neat work, entitled " The Visiter's
Guide to Runcorn and its Vicinity, by the Rev. G. Fowler,"
and which contains much valuable information, it is stated—
" Within the last ten years (he writes in 1834) it has risen
more rapidly than at any former period. During that time
a great number of houses have been built, so that on the spot
where formerly cattle were accustomed to graze, may now
be seen a row of neat-looking cottages, or a line of more ele-
vated and extended buildings. Several handsome erections
ace alsho been raised, which serve as ornaments to the town,
and as such would not disgrace any of our principal cities."
After noticing the general improvements in accommodation,
he adds, that every article of necessity and comfort ►nay be
procured in the town. The climate is mild for the latitude,
and Dr. Perceval considered it so salubrious that he called it
" the Montpelier of England." There are two immense soap
manufactories, the chimneys of which are so high that they
form conspicuous objects in the landscape for many miles.
These are circular, gently tapering, and built of a bright co-
loured brick. One of them is 102 and the other 92 yards in
height.

The river is narrowed, opposite the west end of the town,
by a point on the Lancashire side, and a projecting rock on the
opposite shore. This strait is called Runcorn Gap, and the
rock, still called " The Castle Rock," is that on which the
dauntless Elfreda built the Castle of Runcorn, to command
the entrance to the river. There are walks along the shore,
shipbuilding yards, &c., and the opposite strand is picturesque.
The parish church is very ancient. It stand on a high bank
near the river, and though the trees that once surrounded it
have been nearly all removed, and the houses are creeping
out towards it, it is still a venerable object. There are a
number of fine mural tablets and monuments with inscrip-
tions in the interior, and in the church yard the inscriptions
on the grave stones, chiefly in verse, are so numerous, that
they occupy the whole of a printed pamphlet, which is sold
for a small sum. There are also several chapels.
The two docks, at the termination of the Duke of Bridge-
water's canal, and which were opened in 1828, have proved
highly beneficial to the port. In one of them I counted ten
sloops, fifteen schooners, and two brigs, besides a number of
vessels in the river ready to enter with the first tide. On the
quays are piled thousands of tons of bars of cast iron, yards
full of slates, Welsh limestone, hills of clay in large square
pieces from Devonshire, also immense heaps of flint of a
very large size, china-stone from Chalsdon, sparkling like
granite. The clay, &c., is for the supply of the Stattbrd-
shire potteries, and immense quantities of the crude material
are taken up the canal, and brought back in earthenware for
home use or exportation. Here there are vessels of up-
wards of 200 tons. I saw one which had brought a cargo of
260 tons. Close by these is an immense warehouse of nine
stories in height. The office of the Old Quay Company is a
large mansion of brick and stone.

The locks are exceedingly interesting, and there is a walk
along either side of them. There are ten falls (or lifts) of 10
feet each, and consequently 10 pairs of gates. These locks
are filled and emptied by side culverts in the stone-work, not
by slides in the gates, so that the water is admitted and ex-
cluded in a shorter time, and with greater safety, than by the
old plan. This is what is called the losing end of the canal.
In other words, there is a small loss of water by every vessel
that goes up. The canal, however, is fed at the various parts
of its entrance from the Staffordshire canal, the Rochdale,
and the Wigan, each vessel bringing with her, as it were, a
sufficiency of water to make up for any loss that might arise.
Adjoining the locks are basins, or einbaynients, where ves-
sels may lie without interrupting the navigation. This canal
runs upon one level for about thirty miles. There is a fine
stone bridge across it just aboVe the locks, where for the ac-
commodation of the vessels it widens out considerably.
There are some handsome public and private buildings in
Runcorn. The town-hall is a neat stone structure, with a
portico of lonic fluted columns, surmounted by a pediment
with a clock in the centre, on which stands an ornamental
little circular temple or belfry.
After having partaken of some refreshment, I took my way
towards Halton Tower, by a pleasant road, running some
distance along the canal. The tower-hill and ruins are
amongst the most interesting objects in this part of the king-
dom, and afford delightful and most extensive views ; but I
must embody some account of them in another, and, I trust,
a more interesting sketch.

PENNY POSTAGE.—A lady of Yeovil last week received a
letter from a friend in London, containing twenty-seven
gooseberry bushes, (the whole of which she has had planted,)
and all for one penny.
" I am exceedingly anxious, my dear," said a very prim
lady to her husband, that you should never be out after ten
o'clock." "Yes, my love," replied mon expose, "because
that is the time at which you generally commence your cur-
tain lecture."— Globe.

A SOLDIER IN THE PULPIT.—On Sunday afternoon last,
private Mills, belonging to the Barton troop of Yeomanry
Cavalry, preached a sermon in his military uniform from the
pulpit of the Wesleyan Methodist chapel at Lincoln.—
Boston Herald.

The editor of the New Othans Times says, the corsets
worn by the ladies of that city will bear a monstrous strain,
judging from a lady he saw in the street, who was so nearly
cut in two, that a man would be considered amenable for
bigamy should he marry her.
- - - -

Too BAD !—ln a village church, a few Sundays back, the
clergyman having published the banns of marriage, was very
aptly followed by the clerk reading the hymn, commencing,
" Mistaken souls, who dream of heaven.

A funeral has not taken place in this town (Barnstaple),
from the 25th of April to the 26th of May ; this, in a popula-
tion of 8,000, is an extraordinary circumstance, and speaks
volumes of the salubrity of the season.

CAUTION.—By the new Prison Discipline Act, 2 and 3
Victoria, cap. 56, persons endeavouring to introduce any for-
bidden articles into a prison, are liable to a penalty not
exceeding five pounds, nor less than forty shillings, or in de-
fault of payment one month's imprisonment.
The river Thames has become the most important highway
in this kingdom, and perhaps in Europe. Capital to the
amount of five millions sterling is employed in steam naviga-
tion, and 150 steam vessels of all descriptions are constantly
employed ou the river.

Aqattitts.

. LIVERPOOL CORN MARKET, Je NE 13.
The arrivals of British Grain, Flour, and Oatmeal, since this day
se'nnight, have been light, and those of Foreigla produce have
been on a much less liberal scale than for many 1 a-evious weeks.
Duties have been paid upon 9,21 S quarters of Wheal, 4,000 qrs. of
Barley, 450 qrs. of Peas, and 5,970 barrels of Flour. A fall of is 6d
per quarter has reduced the rates of duty on 0. tts, Beans and
Peas to 6s 3d, as 6d, and Os 6d per quarter respect vely. The im-
post on Barley is 4d, an:advancc of is 6d per gu. tarter, and that
of Wheat is unaltered. At Tuesday's market a ta] a• business was
done in free Foreign Wheat, at a decline of 2d to. 3d per bushel
from the prices of last week. The subsequent transactions have
been to a larger amount, principally effected yesterday. when, with
a little speculative inquiry, we experienced a good, steady demand
for this grain, for consumption, at the full rates oi"ruesday : the
lower qualities, in fact, which had been previously sold relatively
low, brought rather higher prices. American duty- paid Flour has
met a free vend, and superior brands are now held for a little ad.
vance. Several thousand barrels have changed h. ands, in bond;
during the week, at 24s ad to 24s 6d per brl. ; and, latterly, there
have been few sellers at the highest of these quotatic ais. Oats have
been little inquired for, but are held at late rates. No change in
the value of Oatmeal. Barley has sold on fully as good terms.
Beans and Peas have met little inquiry, and must be noted rather
cheaper.

LIVERPOOL COLONIAL MARKET,, RINE 12.
There has been a good demand for all descriptions of Sugar, and
1100 hhds BP. have been disposed of at full prices. 3600 bags
Mauritius have also been sold, chiefly at 72s to 75s for good grocery
qualities. No transactions to report in Bengal.—Foreign Sugar.
A public sale took place, on Thursday, of a cargo of Pernambuco
Sugar, chiefly damp and sea-damaged, at which 140 cases, 33 boxes
and 800 brls were sold at 20s to 22s lid for uhites, and 55s lid to
Igs 3d for browns; but, being sold with all faults, these prices can-
not be deemed any criterion of the market; by private, 150 cases
and 750 brls and bags were taken by the IteEners at '2ls to 215 6d
front the quay.—Bonded Refined. Several sales of Crushed and
Loaves have been made at the quotations.—The sales of Molasses
this week consist of 100 casks Antigua at 40s, and 50 Trinidad at
37s per cwt. from the quay.—Coffee. There has been a good de-
mand for Plantation, and the sales are extensive, consisting of 320
casks of Jamaica, chiefly at auction; the ordinary qualities sold
rather heavily, at about former rates, whilst the finer sorts, being
in most request, brought an advance of 2s to 3s per cwt.; good
middling realized silos to 122 s tid, fine middling 130 s 6d to 138 s, fine
of favourite marks, 14110 to 143 s per cwt.! Of Foreign, ilo bagawere
sold ; Brazil at 465, Laguayra at 52s per cwt.—Nothing done in
Cocoa, Ginger or Pimento.—A small lot of good black Pepper sold
at 4d per lb.—Rice. The sales reach 35u0 bags Bengal, at 13s 3d for
middling, to 14s for good white.—Rum. The business is confined
to 80 casks Demerara, without change in prices.
About 20 chests East India Indigo have been sold at steady prices.
—Nothing reported in Shell Lac or Lac Dye.—A few chests East
India Gum Arabic sold at 50s, and fine Stick Lac at 3.5 per cwt.—
The sales of Saltpetre are confined to a small lot or two, without
change, with about 400 bags Nitrate of Soda, at 16s to 16s 6d per cwt.
There has been a considerable business done in Dyewoods, the
sales reported being 620 tons Campeachy Logwood at 49 12s lid to
..tv 19s, 15 tons Honduras at .47 12s lid, 50 tons Jamaica 47 2s 6d
to -47 5s ; 15 tons Cuba Fustic at 49 to 410, 200 tons Savanilla
44 17s 6d to .45'55, 40 tons Maracaibo at 44 ss, and a few tons
Nicaragua Wood at £l2.—The sales of Turpentine amount to 1750
brls. at 138 ld to 13s 2d for good quality, and at Ils Id for inferior.
—Nothing repotted iu Tar.—Although there is but little demand for
Pot Ashes, prices rather advance; 24s 6d has been given, and for
some few small parcels 25s has been obtained. Pearl Ashes go off
slowly, at 32s per cwt.—Hides. Salted Monte Video continue in
demand, at fair prices, and 9540 have been sold at Sid to ad per lb ;
920 dry salted Ceara are also reported at lid to 64d per lb.—About
130 tons Dividivi brought, at auction, -416 17s 6d to 417 15s per
ton.—Tobacco. The sales of the week have been 180 hints. of which
75 were for Ireland, 40 for exportation, and the remainder to Mann-
facturers.

The business done in Brimstone has again been limited, only a
few small parcels having found buyers, at the quotstions.—Sicily
Sumac continues to go off slowly at 13s 6d for the best quality;
other sorts are neglected.—With the exception of a small lot of in-
ferior Spanish Argots, and some red Florence in cases, the business
in this article has been of a trifling description.—Sales of brown
Tartar and Cream of Tartar have been difficult to effect.—No sales
worthy of notice have been made in Galls, Berries or Annatto.—Of
Valonia, 60 tons good Smyrna were sold at a moderate price, the
article being much neglected and dull of sale.—There are no transac-
tions reported in Madders.-25 bales Turkey. Madder Roots are re-
ported at 4gs, and 50 casks Baltimore Quercitron Bark at lls al to
12s per cwt.—The demand for Olive Oil noticed last week has partly
subsided, and the business done in the present has been more
limited, not exceeding, perhaps, 50 tuns, at previous prices.—Some
business has again been done in new pale Seal Oil, to arrive, at
.£25 les ; and at this price there still appears inquiry for export,
but the Dealers are less disposed to purchase, as a large stock of old
Oil yet remains on hand ; in other sorts of Fish Oils there is nothing
to report.—Pale Rape Oil is very dull of sale; but an advance has
now been realized upon Linseed Oil, 25s lid having been paid, at
which there remain buyers.—For Oil of Turpentine rather higher
rates continue to be requited, but the demand is by no means brisk.
—More inquiry had appeared for Palm Oil, and some of the holders
having relaxed in price, an extensive business has been done; the
sales amount to 1200 tons, on the spot, rather under the quotations;
since which an increased firmness has been manifested, and a few
sales made at X 35 les ; for small lots ~t'3o is now required; several
sales have also been made to arrive, the price of which has not trait-
spired.—Small parcels of Baltic Hemp, and about 50 tons Russian
Flax, have found buyers at the annexed quotations, and 950 bales
Jute at :el 1 lOs per ton.—The advance in London, and the reduced
stocks here, has enabled holders of Tallow to realize an improve-
ment of Is per cwt. on yellow Candle, small sales having been made
at ries 6d to 51s; on Monday 127 casks Monte Video Tallow sold by
auction at very high rates, good quality having brought 48s 6d to
4gs fitl per cwt.; to-day, however, about 200 casks were offered,
which met with less success, as, although the quality was not so
good, the few lots went at a decline of Is lidfrom the sale on Monday.

LONDON GAZETTE.—Fra DAY, JUNE 12.

PARTNERSHIPS DISSOLVED.
J. Foster and M. Rook, Liverpool, brass-fouuders.
INSOLVENT.
June 1 I.—Harwood Thomas, Shrewsbury, scrivener.
BANKRUPIS.

Thomas Alletson and Thomas Fra rikland, Liverpool, oil•mer-
chants, to surrender June 26, July 24, at one, at the Clarendon►
Rooms, Liverpool. Solicitors, Messrs. Taylor, Sharpe, Field. and
Jackson, Bedford-row, London ; and Messrs. Lowndes and Robin-
son, Liverpool. . . _ .

William' Burrows, Leicester-street, Leicester-square, London,
plumber.
Robert Harding Evans, Pall-mall, London, bookseller.
Thomas Steele, Congleton, banker
Samuel Monks and James Monks, Bolton-le-Moors, iron-
founders.
William Brown, Manchester, stuff-manufacturer.
Henry Francis Pankhurst, Stoke-upon-Trent, Staffordshire,
grocer.
Thomas Warcup Eirkbride, Nantwich, brewer.
George Wegg, Ipswich, draper.
Samuel Mayer, Joseph Mawdesley, Ralph Lees, and Jesse Bridg-
wood, Burslem and Tuustall, Staffordshire, earthenware-manufac-
turer.