The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-08-27 00:00:00

lIIJRDEKIN, PUBLIC OyFICER, V. KNIGHT

This was an undefended action, in which the plaintiff, a
public officer belonging to the Manchester Bank, sought to
recover the sum of £546 from the defendant.
Mr. Cresswell and Mr. Hoggins appeared for the plaintiff.
Verdict for the plaintiff, for the amount claimed.
WHITTAKER V. COCKCROF:I',.THE ELDER, AND ANOTHER.

This was an action brought by the plaintiff, James Whitta-
ker, against the defendants, George and Abraham Cockcroft,
for the amount of two bills of excange for £lB2.

Counsel for the plaintiff, Mr. Bratidt ; for the defendant,
Mr. Pashley.

Verdict fin- the plaintiff, for the full amount

RILEY I'. BROWN AND ANOTHER

This was an action brought by the plaintiff, William Riley,
a drysalter at Manchester, against the defendants, John
Brown and William Burden, paper stainers at Stockport, for
the recovery of the amdunt of a bill of exchange for £4B 17s.
6d., being the value of a parcel of cochineal.
Mr. Martin appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. Watson
for the defendant.

Verdict for the plaintiff for the sum claimed.
DOE DEM BROCKLEDANK AND OTHERS' V. HOLT

This was an action of ejectment brought by the Rev. Mr.
Brocklebank and others, trustees, against the defendant,
John Holt, for the recovery of a certain farm called Ban-
nisters.

Mr. Cowling appeared for the plaintiffs, and Mr. Tomlin-
son for the defendant.

Verdict for the lessor of the plaintiff, subject to a rule to
show cause for a nonsuit.

The court adjourned, at ten minutes to six o'clock, to nine
this morning.

At the rising of the court last evening there were only
three causes in the West Derby Hundred list, and 29 in the
Salford Hundred list undisposed of.

AWFUL THUNDER-STORM

(Prom the Second Edition of the Standard of Tuesday)
At two o'clock this morning this town was visited by a
a thunder-storm of more than usual violence, but providen-
tially of short duration. The preceding day had been fine
throughout, with a freshness in the atmosphere by no means
portending anything.like the electric termination which fol-
lowed. Soon after ten o'clock the sky became visibly over-
cast. and large thunder drops announced a decided change in
the state of the weather. Several showers of this kind—
accompanied with a tremendous fall of hail—fell before
twelve, though neither severe nor lasting in their dura-
tion, with an occasional appearance of lightning and very
distant thunder. Towards two o'clock, however, it threat-
ened more immediate collision with the town, and within
a few minutes of that precise time, a most terrific clap
of thunder announced a more decided attack on our re-
sidences ; the lightning of a pale blue cast first descended on
the church of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, striking the spire
within a few feet of the top, dislodging a very considerable
portion of the masonry, compared with the attenuated form
of that portion of the building, so that thorough repair will be
required at the summit. It gradually pursued its course
downwards, dislodging stones and fragments of stones in its
path, and sweeping with it in one instance a considerable
portion of exterior ornament, finding its way out eventually
at the roof. Although severely struck, however, the build-
ing itself, does not appear to have suffered material injury.
The direction of the storm may be accurately marked by
the damage it inflicted apparently at both extremities of its

During the storm, the spire of St. Michael's Church,
Pitt. street, was struck by the lightning, and the spiral part
of the steeple was so much shattered that it will probably
have to be pulled down and rebuilt, to the base of the cone,
or at least to the lower loop-holes. The great probability is,
(though some difference of opinion exists on the subject,)
that the building was struck by the second great shock, or
explosion of the electric fluid, at about twenty minutes past
two o'clock. The clock hands on the south side of the
steeple stopped at that hour, some stones having fallen
amongst the works. The clock hands on the east side, how-
ever, are said to have indicated half-past one o'clock, when
first seen this morning; but of this some doubt exists; and
it is reasonable to suppose that the clock, at least, was not
affected till the latter shock, otherwise the hands on the
south side would not have gone on.

The appearance of the spiral part of the steeple, particu-
larly on tiro west and north-west sides, alarming, a large
rent or aperture in the masonry, with abrazion of the outer
stone-work being apparent, in a winding or spiral direction
down the cone, commencing about two-thirds its height from
the base, and going more than half round the steeple. A
large quantity of stone was dislodged from its position, and
fell in large fragments, strewing the ground immediately
round the steeple, and even the opposite street. The round
mouldings, or outward groining of the corners of the oc-
tagonal spire are broken off to a great extent on the north
and west, but those on the east and south-east appear to
have sustained no injury. In one part of the rent, an entire
stone or nearly so is forced out, leaving a large aperture
which admits the light.

The great height and shattered condition of the spire ren-
ders it necessary, for the public safety, to station policemen
to prevent persons from passing that part of Pitt-street be-
tween Kent-street and Cornwallis-street. Our reporter,
however, obtained admission to the interior of the church,
and finally, accompanied by the clerk, ascended the steeple,
walked on the roof of the church, and got into the bell-loft—
the highest floor—to ascertain the damage. On the roof of
the colonnade, on the north side, projecting continuously
with the roof of the church from the base of the steeple, large
fragments of stones are strewed about, and five large holes
are made by others through the slates and woodwork, as
if produced by cannon balls. A portion of the capital of one
of the Corinthian columns in the upper story of the steeple,
has imbedded itself in the lath-work under the roof.

Several holes are also formed in the roof of the church on
the same side by the stones that have fallen, and the rain has
consequently come through the roof of the aisle, in several

places

The electric fluid appears to have escaped from the steeple
by the stone work immediately under the east clock, and
close to the ridge of the church roof. Several stones are
there much broken, and outwardly abrupted, as if caused by
an explosion from within. In the interior of the steeple
pieces of the broken stone from the spire above are thickly
strewed in the bell loft. One of them, apparently of nearly
a hundred weight, has, in its fall, struck the axle tree of the
bell, and the strong frame in which it hangs. The bell,
which is about one yard and a half in diameter at the mouth,
was driven from its pendant position on one side of the frame-
work, and now rests, on that side, on the floor, surrounded
by broken stones and rubbish. From this point the steeple
was visible interiorly to its top. One of the huge stones in
the western arched window of the bell-loft is loosened from
its position, and considerably broken. There are also slight
appearances of the electric fluid having here and there touched
the stones in the interior of the tower but nothing of con-
sequence. The building generally, indeed, with the excep-
tion of the spiral part, may be considered uninjured. Scaf-
folding may, we think, be erected from the lower loop holes
to take down and rebuild the top.
It is somewhat remarkable that St. Michael's Church was
closed for about six weeks prior to last Sunday, for the pur-
pose of being cleaned and re-painted. It is now necessary
to announce, that owing to ,the dangerous state of the top of
the spire in the event of a gale of wind, Divine Service will
not be performed within it until further notice.
The storm, as experienced by those on board ship in the
river, was at once sublime ane terrific. Lieutenant Willson,
commander 11. M. S. Etna, lying in the Sloyne,. describes
the storm in a most interesting manner, but we have not
room in our second edition to particularize. He states that
the first terrific flash of lightning appeared to strike the Mer-
sey opposite the town, and the Etna vibrated from the mast-
head to the keel, so that all on board conceived for a moment
that she was . shaken to pieces. The parties on deck
(including Captain Willson, who kept his own watch)
lost their sight for several seconds, but on recovering
found that no damage was done to the ship. The second
flash appeared to evolve from the southern extremity of a
dark cloud, and flashed from one end of the town to the
other. This was probably the flash that struck both St.
Michael's, in the south, and St. Martin's, in the north. The
hail, intermingled with rain, came down with a weight and
noise that threatened personal injury to those exposed to it ;
and must, we fear, have thrashed down the crops in the
fields, now opproximating, and that has attained maturity.
The wind during the storm ranged round the circuit of the
compass, 'and the elemental commotion combined the grand
and fearful. This afternoon the weather is again fine, with a
breeze from the north-west.
There does not appear to have been any minor damage in-
flicted on our dwellings in its passage ; it is certain, however,
that the two chief calamities, by which two of our finest
churches will probably be put to some troublesome, although
not expensive repair, formed the boundariep of the storm,
the short space of twenty minutes including the whole of its
greatest fury. Such torrents of rain as accompanied it in its
progress we are seldom called to witness. In the morn-
ing the rain was for a short time renewed with all
its violence, with a mixture of hail. It is to be hoped,
from the defined character of the storm over the town
itself, that no more general effects were experienced from it
in other parts of the kingdom, or otherwise, with the heavy
blade which the present crops present, we fear it will be pro-
ductive of unusual damage to the agriculturist. We trust,
however, and have reason to believe, that such was not the
case, and that the crops will be spared a few weeks longer,
when they will be safely secured, and deposited in the
garnet.

Standard Office, Eleven o' Clock

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-LAST NIGHT
THE CASE OF MILEOD.

Mr. ROEBUCK said that seeing the noble lord the Foreign
Secretary in his place, he wished to ask a question relating
to the detention of Mr. M`Leod by the American govern-
ment. It was known that the reason of Mr. M‘Leod's
detention was in consequence of the part he had taken in the
affair of the Caroline steamer. He begged the house to re-
collect that after M`Leod had been arrested n communica-
tion was opened between Mr. Fox and Mr. Forsyth. He
wished, therefore, to know if, as there had been an alteration
in the American government, any change had taken place in
the situation and state of affairs relating to Mr. M`Leod's
case? In short, he wished to know what communication
had taken place between her majesty's government and that
of the United States on the subject. He wished to hear
what resasons the noble lord could offer to justify the reten-
tion of Mr. M'Leod. . .

Lord. PALMERSTON considered it was very irregular to
preface questions hon. members might put to the government
with arguments likely to lead to a debate. He had no ob-
jection to state that her Majesty's government had done
everything in their power to preserve the honour of this
country, and protect the safety of a subject--(hear)—and he
had the satisfaction of being able to inform the house, that
the government of the United States had given instructions to
the Attorney General to proceed in a manner perfectly in ac-
cordance with the law of nations. The noble lord then read
the correspondence which had taken place between Mr. Fox,
the British Minister, Mr. Webster, and Mr. Forsyth. Her
Majesty's government entirely approved of the conduct of
Mr. Fox, and they were decidedly of opinion that the attack
on the Caroline was in consequence of the order of the
government, carried into effect by military officers of the
government, and in all respects must be treated a public and
not a private act. (Hear.) The attack on the Caroline was
a national act, and raised a question between nations whether
an individual could be brought before the ordinary tribunals
of the country under such circumstances. The noble lord
then referred to several authorities regarding international
rights and privileges. The lion. member said on the outset
of the affair a special ambassador ought to have been sent to
the United States ; he did not think so; it was better to
leave the question to the good sense and justice of that coun-
try ; and it would now be better not to enter into any spe-
culation as to what the future conduct of America might be.
(Hear.)
In answer to a question by Sir C. NAPIER,
Lord PALMERSTON said he had received a letter from
Lord Ponsonby, informing him that the government of the
Sublime Porte had agreed to make good all the losses in-
curred by the siege of Acre.
THE ADDILESS.—ADJOURNED DEBATE.
Lord SANDON then rose and addressed the house in favour
of the amendment, and was left speaking.

From the date of my last Tuesday's report up to Saturday the
weather was uninterruptedly fine, and everything that could be
desired for rapidly maturing the coming harvest; since then the
weather has been broken with partial showers, but nothing of con-
sequence to prevent cutting, which will, during the present week,
be very general round this neighbourhood, and the general report
of the farmers is more promising than might have been anticipated
from the previous long-continued bad weather. The corn trade
has been very languid, and but a very limited business passing
during the past week, especially for that under bond, which may be
noted fully 4s per qr. lower than on the few sales made.