The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-05-26 00:00:00

THE LIBRARY AND HERBARIUM.

In a spacious room, at the lower part of the entrance lodge,
at the north-west corner—a handsome stone building—there
is a botanical library, comprising several very ra.•e and valua-
ble works, for the use of the suuscribers. Here, too, duty
ranged and classed, is a fine collection of preserved plants,
consisting of about eleven thousand specimens. Many of
them were collected by Captain Reynold Forster, when he
accompanied the celebrated circumnavigator. Captain Cooke,
round the world. There are also plants from the late Sir
Joseph Banks, also from the collection of Linnaeus himself;
from Dr. Solander, Sir J. E. Smith, and other individuals
distinguished in the walks of science.

PUBLIC PARK ROUND THE GARDENS SUGGESTED.

It has long been a subject of regret that, though even the
crowded metropolis can boast of its public parks, which have
been emphatically called " the lungs 'of London," Liverpool
is yet destitute of that desideratum, so conducive to the
health and blameless recreation of our population. Some
twenty years ago, the late Mr. Roscoe-and Mr. Falkner (fa-

ther of Mr. Filkner, of Fairfield) suggested to the old cor-
poration that it would be desirable to appropriate as a park
the extensive space not then built upon, extending from
Everton Crescent on the north, along the back of Soho-
street to Islington on the south, and eastward from near the
old Everton toffee-house to Mr. Gregson's well, near the pre-
sent Necropolis. This would certainly have formed a fine
park, and it is worthy of remark that the only objection urged
by the Corporation against it was that " it was not within the
boundaries or liberties of the borough." Such an objection
has long ceased, in the promotion of public works, to bear
much weight with the present authorities ; and now that the
land alluded to is broken in upon, and no longer available, it

behoves the present corporate body to secure, if possible.
such other site as can now be obtained, if the desirable object
is not to be for ever abandoned, which we should deeply re-
gret. The only public walk having any affinity to a park is
St. James's Walk, which, we need scarcely say, is altogether
inadequate in size to the wants of the population, and is,
moreover, accessible only by pedestrians. We have much
pleasure in submitting the suggestion of an. intelligent gen-
tleman on this point, of which many, to whom he has men-
tioned it, highly approVe, as being practicable and highly
desirable. He proposes that the corporation should purchase
the Botanic Garden and the land round it—that on the east
and west belonging to Mr. J. S. Leigh,that on the south (com-
prising Plumb's-hall) to Mr.7llawkeS. This land would be
within what is called a ring fence. It is finely undulated and
wooded, so that is might readily be converted into a spacious
public park, with a drive or ride all round for carriages,
horses, and pedestrians—the Botanic Garden being in the
middle. The ground is in every respect admirably suited for
the purpose, and it is, we believe, the only ground, within a
convenient distance of the town, that is available for the
purpose. The cost would be nut small compared with the
great advantages which such a park would present as regards
the public health, and, we may venture to add, the public
morals—for every means of 'innocent recreation that can be
provided for the people tends to alienate them from gross,
sensual, and debasing enjoyments. We trust some spirited
member of the common council, who has the slams populi in
its genuine sense at heart, will direct his attention to this
important topic, and endeavour to rouse a corresponding feel-
ing amongst his brother councillors. He who takes it up,
and prosecutes it to a successful issue, will achieve an envi-
able name as a benefactor to the town, and he may assure
himself of the support from without of the community at
large, without regard to political opinion. The • park and
garden, if properly managed, would become an honour to the
town.

Meantime, however, we repeat our hope that the present
Botanic Garden, which has been enclosed, laid out, and ad-
mirably stocked, at a cost of £14,000, will not be permitted
to fall into decay, and be finally abandoned, for the want of
a comparatively small additional fund for its support. The
Corporation recently made an offer of £2OO a year towards
its support, on condition that it should be opened to the pub-
lic on two days in the week, including Sunday. The Com-
mittee of the Garden did not concur in the propriety of open-
Mg it on that holy day, and the grant is consequently with-
held; but it is to be hoped that the matter will yet be ac-
commodated without violence to the conscie.ntious feelings of
individuals. The Committee, we may add, now present a
new claim to the support of the Council, inasmuch as they
have it in contemplation to open the Garden to the public on
two days of the week independently of the proposed grant.
It has often been said, and with some truth, that the Eng-
lish people, of the humber classes, are the most mischievous
and destructive of any in Europe, if admitted amongst plants,
flowers, statuary, or the like. We rejoice to say, however,
that a better feeling has of late years become manifest; and
when we add, on the authority of the Curator of the Botanic
Garden, that on the Queen's marriage day, when between
twenty and thirty thousand persons promiscuously visited
the grounds and conservatory, which were thrown open,
no wilful damage was done to the plants and flowers.—we
need add nothing in proof that no danger need he appre-
hended from the admission of the public, even as freely, were
it required, as are all classes to the Jardin de Plants in
Paris.

The mortality in the Royal Artillery and Engineers, at
Woolwich, is beyond precedent for a long series of years, and
in consequence the few officers of the Ordnance Medical
Department have been much harassed from the constant
duty of attending the hospital. Assistant-surgeon and apo-
thecary William Harris, who had been forty-one years in
active service, has fallen a victim to a wound received by a
scalpel whilst engaged in his professional duty at a post
mortem examination.

The market for metals has exhibited some change during
the week, spelter having been in very active demand, and the
value higher by 15s. per ton. East India tin has been very
dull, and a fall of about 3s. per cwt. has taken place in Banca,
of which 1,200 slabs have been offered at auction, and all
bought in 765. There have been considerable arrivals of
Swedish iron, and the prices of all descriptions of this inetal
are tending to decline, under the inflect:cc of /wenn:mating
stocks.

FOSSIL REMAINS.—AS the excavators were lowering the
road called Harbro' Hills, Barnsley, they, at a depth of from
two to three feet below the surface, discovered a quantity of
huge animal bones, which no doubt had lain there undisturbed
from the time of the deluge. amongst these antidelnvian
relics was also found a large tooth, about two inches long,
one and a half in circumference, and deeply curved on the
•aides, and which, no doubt, once adorned the powerful jaw
of the Rhinoceroz—Leerls Intelligencer.

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