The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-01-03 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OP THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

SlB,—The "leading journal of Europe" has its faults
and its failings, like lesser oracles. It can no more pre-
tend to infallibility than the meanest of its contemporaries ;
nay, on many minor subjects of interest it is as far behind
them in information as it is a-head of them in dogmatism
and assumption. Nor can it be said, at all times, that it
seeks the most authentic information on the matters on
which it presumes to enlighten the public mind ; nor makes
the best or the most honest use of the information it does
obtain. Were it otherwise, there would not have appeared
in the impression of Tuesday last the article on which I
am now about to make some comments : an article, which,
had it been found in some low German or Irish paper,

would at once have been attributed to interested motives,
or malice prepense. The characteristics of that article
are, obvious misstatements, a palpable unfairness towards
ships in the American trade, and a rooted hostility to
Liverpool. To dispose, first, of the latter charge. The
writer in the Times commences by directing attention to
the passage from Liverpool to New York ; then goes on to
describe, in most exaggerated terms, the miseries, nay
" horrors" of that passage, and the heartless cruelties
supposed to be perpetrated by the officers and owners of
the ship; and finally, (without the slightest allusion to
any other port of embarkation,) quotes a list of twenty-
eight ships arriving in New York, in November, all of
which had cholera on board, and several of which lost one-
ninth of their passengers. Now, as thirteen of these un-
fortunate ships—described by the over-graphic Editor of
the Times as floating 'charnel-houses—sailed from other
ports, and were visited by a rate of mortality precisely
equal to that of the fifteen which sailed from Liverpool,
it is most unjust towards this port, to attempt to cast on
it all the odium which may be supposed to attach to cir-
cumstances so deplorable,—but which, I have no hesita-
tion in saying, I believe to have been entirely beyond
man's control, unless the passengers had been refused a
passage altogether. With regard to the character of the
ships engaged in the emigration trade, I can confidently
assert, that there are no finer or better ships in the world,
than the American packets trading to this port from New
York. Every improvement that skill can suggest, for the
proper lighting and ventilation, is introduced, and adapted
to the peculiar character of the trade,—of which the carry-
ing of steerage passengers forms so important a feature.
Yet the Times most recklessly describes these ships as
" unsound in the hull, and rotten in the rigging," and
hence occupying sixty days in the passage, instead of the
thirty which it says was promised to the emigrant. Now,
I do not believe it to be true that the emigrant is ever
promised a thirty days' passage, since no one with com-
mon sense would listen to such a promise; nor is it true
that the passage hence to New York- usually, or often,
occupies sixty, or fifty, or even forty days. Of the list of
ships referred to by the Times, (arriving: at New York in
all November,) and which had encountered a- succession
of gales from the west, of almost unexampled severity,
only three were over forty days on the voyage.
The nnies admits that " the passage hence- to New
York has come to be regarded by the nations of over-
taxed, overgoverned, overdragooned, and overpaid Europe,"
(these are the very words of the chief organ orher Majes-
ty's Ministers) as "connected with high hopes and expec-
tations, with- pleasing retrospects, and glowing: anticipa-
tions ;" and this passage of three thousand miles can be
obtained from Liverpool for £2 10s. or £3 ; but, a few
lines lower, it says, " There is a disgusting and. repulsive
uniformity in the process by which sordid and" heartless
avarice extracts- its booty from helpless poverty and ig-
norance." Booty, indeed! at sixty shillings for a " sixty,"
or even thirty, days' passage, out of which,—aftar provi-
ding " helpless poverty" with 70 or 80 days' provision
and water, medicines, medical attendance, fuel for cook-
ing, and cooks,—the extortions of two governments have
to be satisfied, surveyor's fee, medical inspector's fee, and
line of steam-boats and cabs for these officials, on the
embarkation on this side, and head-money of two dollars,
with commutations and bonds, for the infirm, for paupers,
on the landing on the other. Booty ! I fancy the
shipowners would- be glad to have it pointed out-! The
Times sees, and, when it suits its purpose, can pretend to
mourn over the " helpless poverty and ignorancer--nay,
the squalid misery and vice the utter destitution
and degradation. of thousands in our own England ;
and hundreds of thousands in unhappy Ireland ; but
when enterprising Men build, at immense cost,_ noble
ships expressly adapted to the carrying, with as much
comfort as may be, these miserable creatures to a_land of
" glorious anticipations," the querulous Times watches
their departure with impotent rage and jealousy, and vents
its anger by imputing " callousness, brutality, and ava-
rice" to the officers and owners of the passenger ships-
I could name one of these brutal captains who writes
thus to his owners :—" I had nine poor little orphans
sitting around my cabin door all the day long, and whom
I fed from my own table ; two of them being too young to
help themselves, I fed with my own hand the whole re_
mainder of the passage, and this saved their lives."
Chance threw a sight of this letter in my way; therefore,
I have no reason to believe this an exceptional case to
the conduct of other captains. But the Times.patronizes
Australia, and writes. up Australian ships—their superi-
ority for speed, safety, and comfort, and freedom, from dis-
ease, entirely ignoring a long array of facts which prove
the contrary ; and forgetting to remark that the whole
shipping interest is in anxious suspense as to the
fate of the passengers to Australia, who, sailed in
the cholera season, and from whom no tidings have
yet reached us. It forgets also to notice that the
emigrants to Australia are of a completely different
class from those to the United States and,Canada. The
one is impelled by avarice to leave a comfortable home in
quest of wealth—the other is driven by, poverty from a
houseless location to seek a refuge from.starvation. The
one carries with him, in his own hand, the means of
comfort and health on shipboard—the other is accompanied
by the accumulated evils of hunger, nakedness, and dis-
ease that have, marked his last resting-place. Even the
Government, in selecting emigrants for Australia, takes
care to refuse its charity to the miserably poor and
wretched. The candidates must be within a certain age,
in full health and strength, honest and industrious, sober
and cleanly, with a good character, from the clergy and
magistracy, and bringing with them.a, suitable outfit —and
if married, must have no more than two children under
years of age. It is impossible that the Australian voyager
can know anything of such utter poverty as will induce,
the father of a large family of little ones to go on board a,
ship so destitute as to have no. other receptacle for the
stores served out than his hat, and in that article to re-
ceive, altogether, the allowance of flour, rice, oatmeal,
biscuit, tea, sugar, and salt. Is the owner of the ship to
be blamed for such wretchedness as this, and to beheld.
up to the scorn and contempt of the world by the "first
journal in Europe ?" The man is fleeing like Bunyan's
Pilgrim (as the Times remarks) for his lite, and is willing
—nay, eager, to pass, if need be, even through the Valley
of the Shadow of Death, to reach a better land; the
Times, Apollyon-like, stands up and bars his progress,
and slanders and belies all who would assist him on the
way.
I shall not enter further into this matter at present,
but, with your permission, shall recur to it if need be:
meantime, hoping your London contemporary will see fit
, to modify its opinions, and-to make a more, correct esti-
mate of the character and deserts of the large and splendid
fleet of ships, British and American, carrying passengers
I hence to the United States, and of their owners and
officers, I am, Sir, A LIVERPOOL SHIPOWNER.

UNITED LEGAL FRIENDLY [BURIAL SOCIETY,

TO THE EDITOR OP THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

SIR,—In answer to a letter in Saturday's Journal,
signed " Moses Cullen," denying any division between.
Protestants and Roman Catholics, and representing every-
thing as in harmony in the United Legal Friendly Burial
Society, I feel myself called upon to give it a most unqua-
lified contradiction. So far from harmony, there is a
complete rupture, which, I venture to assert, will never be
healed except by a separation of the parties into two so-
cieties. Perhaps the public will understand the matter in
its proper light, when I inform them that, of the officers,
there are four Roman Catholics to one Protestant. Of the
committee two-thirds are Roman Catholic. There are
fifteen collectors, and of these nine are Protestant. So it
will be seen that, while the staff of the society are mostly
Protestant,- the government is almost entirely Roman
Catholic.

Again, as to the immediate cause of the dispute. A
vacancy having occurred in the office of secretary, the
president, in order that he may provide a book for his son,
takes upon himself, without consulting officers, collectors,
or committee, to appoint one of the collectors to the office
pro tern. On the other hand, Mr. James Currie, son of the
founder of the society, offers himself as a candidate. Nine
of the collectors support him, believing him to have a prior
claim ; but, in order to destroy his chance of election, a
conspiracy has been entered into, between the partizans of
the president and his nominee, to blast the character, if
possible, of the sub-treasurer, because he is the father of
the candidate, James Currie. This is a true statement of
the motives which have actuated certain writers in several
of the Liverpool papers.
With regard to the letter of Wm. Brown, Esq., treasurer
of the society, I regret that he has been imposed on by the
ex parte statements of interested parties. I feel certain
that, if he knew the real facts of the case, he would not
lend the weight of his name to crush' an honourable man,
in order that a faction might achieve a triumph over the
just claims of his son.—l am, yours, &e.,
A COMMITTEE-MAN OP THE 'UNITED L4G41.14
FRIENDLY Di:TRIAL SOCIATI.
Liverpool, Jan. 2,1504,

ECCLESIASTICAL INTELLIG_ENCE.

PREFERMENTS AND APPOINTMENTS

Rev. W. Allen, 8.A., to the Stipendiary Curacy of Muckle-
stone, Staffordshire. _ _

Rev. W. BehO, 8.A., to the Curacy of 3taunton•upon-
Arrow, near Leminster.
Rev. G. W. Bence. 8.A., to the Curacy of Lydaington,Wilts.
ltev. H. Rolland, ILA., to the Curacy of Mary MaAalene,
Bridgnorth.

Ret;. W. H. Cave Browne. 8.A., to the Curacy of St.
Alary'a, Prince's-road, Lambeth.
Rev. S. J. Butler, M.A., Vicar of Penryth, Cumberland, to
be a Surrogate.
Rev. C. A. A. Craven, 8.A., to an Assistant Curacy at St.
Peter's, Liverpool.
Rev. W. Dawson, to the Incumbency of St. John the
Evangelist, Moor Allerton.
Rev. W. H. Freer, 8.A., to the Curacy of Colwich, Staf-
fordshire.

Rev. J. 0. Millar, M A., Christ's College, Cambridge, to
be one of the Curates at Cirencester.

Rev. M. W. F. St. John, to the Vicarage of Frampton-on-
Severn, in the Diocese of Gloucester and Bristol.
Rev. T. A. 'Fagg, to the Curacy of Christ Church, Black-
friars, London.
Rev. F. T. Scott, M.A., to the Vicarage of Sibertawold-
with•Coldred, Kent.
Rev. T. Sharp, M.A., to the Senior Curacy of St. Martin's,
Birmingham.
Rev. A. Smith. 8.A., to be Principal of the Collegiate
School, Huddersfield.
Rev. J. T. Walters, M A., to the Rectory of Stradishall,
Suffolk.

ALDFORD RECTORY is vacant from the death of the
Rev. F. Brandt. It is in the county and diocese of Chester.
The patron is the Marquis of Westminster. The value of
the living_ is £330, with residence.
THE Ray. EDWARD HARTOPP CRAIIOCK, M.A., canon
of Worcester, and rector of Tedstone de la Mere, in the
county of Hereford, was unanimously elected principal of
Brasenose, in the place of the late'Dr. Harington.
THE EPISCOPAL CntrEcll steadily increases in the
United States. In 1832, there were 21 dioceses, 592
clergy, 678 parishes, and 32,268 communicants ; in 1852,
there were 29 dioceses, 1,660 clergy, 1,650 parishes, and
100,000 communicants.
ILLNESS OF THE LORD BISHOP OF KILMORE.—The
Right Rev. Dr. Leslie, who has reached an advanced age, has
been suffering very severe illness, at Kilmore-house, Cavan,
but latterly there have been symptoms of improvement.
Dr. Leslie had been consecrated Bishop of Dromore in
1812 ; his lordship was translated to Elphin in 1819, and
to Kilmore in 1841.
A DIOCESAN ARCHITECTURAL SOCIETY has been esta-
blished in Worcester, Lord Lyttelton being president. Its
objects are to promote the study of ecclesiastical architec-
ture, antiquities, and design, by the collection of books,
casts, drawings, &c., and the restoration of mutilated
architectural remains within the diocese, and to furnish
suggestions, so far as may be within its province, for im-
proving the character of the ecclesiastical edifices here-
after to be erected or restored.—Birmingkenn Gazette.
PRESENTATIONS VACANT.—The Rectory of Weston-by-
Welland, with Sutton Bassett Vicarage, Northampton-
shire; value £3OO a-year ; patron Lord Sondes. The
Rectory of Stathan, Glamorganshire ; value £4OO a-year.
The Rectory of Brasted, Kent ; value £7OO a-year ; patron,
the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Vicarage of Eastry-
with-Worth, Kent, value £6OO a-year ; patron, the Arch-
bishop of Canterbury.
CONVOCATION.—The convocation of the prelates and
clergy of the province of Canterbury, which stands ad-
journed until. to-morrow, will• on that day be farther pro-
rogued, according to the tenor of a Royal writ under a
special commission from- his grace to that effect, until
Wednesday,. February 1, the day after the meeting of par-
liament. On the day named, the members of both houses
will assemble in the Jerusalem, Chamber at ten, a.m., and
will then, afterprayers, proceed to the discussion of such
topics as may be brought under their consideration.
DIOCESE Or MA.NCHESTER.—Preferments : The Wor-
shipful Dr. Haggard, chancellor of the diocese, on the
nomination of the Bishop of Manchester, has appointed
the Rev. Alfred: Hewlett, incumbent of Astley, to be one .
his surrogates.—On.Tuesday, at the Diocesan Registry,
St. James's-square, the Bishop of Manchester licensed
the Rev. Edward, Peche Stock, 8.A., to the stipendiary
curacy of the Parish Church of Radcliffe, near Manches-
ter, and the Rev. Henry Lloyd Bickersteth to the stipen-
curacy of St. Andrew's, Manchester.
PRESENTATION TO'ACLERGYM.A.N..—OII Saturday, on the
occasion of the annualcongregationalten-: party,in connexion
with Tintwistle Church, near Manches terit he Rev. E. Bot e ler
Chalmer, jun., the' senior curate, was presented with a
very gratifying testimonial of regard by the teachers and
scholars of the Tintwistle school, and the members of the
Protestant Association. The token of " affection and
esteem" was an elegant timepiece, with the following
inscription on a silver plate :—" Rev. E. B. Chalmer, M.A.,
from the Tintwistle Sunday School, and. Protestant Asso-
ciation, in token of affection and esteem. Dec. 25, 1863."
The presentation was made by the Rev:J. A. Page, the
incumbent, who spoke in high terms of the valuable
ministrations of his curate ; and the demonstrations of
regard on the part of the hundreds who were assembled
must have been most gratifying to the • rev. gentleman,
who is resigning his curacy for the association secretary-
ship of the Colonial Church and School Society, and who
carries with him the expression of affectionate esteem
above alluded to, and which was the offering of " the
poor of the flock" alone.

PRESENTATION OF CLERGYMEN
TO THE BISHOP OF LONDON
FOR VIOLATION OF THE CHURCH'S RULES.

(FROM. TEE MORNING POST.)

Ma. Charles Westerton, one of the churchivardens of the
parish of St. Paul, Knightsbridge, has made a formal
complaint against the Hon. and Rev. R. Liddell, M.A., the
incumbent, and the. Rev. George Nugee, M.A., the curate,
in a letter addressed to the bishop of the diocese. Mr.
Westerton states that it would be within. his lordship's
remembrance that, when the practices of the Rev. Mr.
Bennett, at the same church, excited so much indignation,
and so much annoyance to the majority of the parishioners
as to lead to episcopal interference, and his consequent
resignation, that his lordship, in order to restore simplicity
to the service of the church, and tranquillity to the parish,
appointed a new minister, in the person of the Hon. and
Rev. Robert Liddell, the parishioners had reasonable hope
and expectation that this gentleman would.have profited
by the example of his predecessor, and that he would have
adopted a line of conduct, in the performance of his duties,
the reverse of that which had proved so fatal to Mr. Ben-
nett, and so offensive to his parishioners.. But he (the
churchwarden) regrets to inform his lordship that they
have been most grievously disappointed. It is very true, he
proceeds to say. that for a short time. after Mr. Liddell's
accession to theincumbency, they perceived a decided im-
provement in the performance of Divinesarvice ; but it soon
became evident that the Rev. Mr. Nugee, the former curate
under Mr. Bennett, who was retained :in. his office, and
who had ever 'been conspicuous in his tendency towards
the idolatrous ceremonies of the Roman Catholic Church,
had obtained,a dangerous influence over the.mind of Mr.
Liddell, and.that he had succeeded,. by slow and almost
imperceptible degrees, in persuading him toadopt all the
former obnoxious practices, until they have at length at-
tained the same unhappy completeness as a system which
became so.intolerable to them under the ministry of Mr.
Bennett.. The churchwarden gives the bishop a lengthened
description of the manner in which the morning service
at St. Paul's Church is performed. From this it appears
that, while the clergy bell is ringing, the choristers, boys
and men, about 20 in number,, issue from the clerk's ves-
try in procession, followed by one of the curates, cap in
hand. -When they have taken their places, Mr. Liddell
and two curates, with occasionally volunteer clergymen,
walk, in procession from the vestry, each bearing one
or more of the vessels to be used at the communion. As
they approach the altar, on which stands a large cross,
Mr. Liddell bows to it reverently, and. places on the
credence table by its side the vessel he has brought. Mr.
Nugee, also bowing reverently, now approaches, and,
giving up what he has brought to be placed there, takes
his place on the south side of it, followed- by the
others, who, having followed his example, with the ex-
ception of bowing, take their places behind him. While this
i$ going on, the choristers and congregation have all risen.
During the " Gloria Patri " which occurs frequently dur-
ing the service, Mr. Liddell, folding his hands across his
breast,bows his head towards the altar, continuing bent till
it is ended. Mr. Nugee does the same. At the conclu-
sion of the Litany, the clergy retire in procession to the
vestry. A voluntary from the organ peals forth, and Mr..
Liddell and the curates return in procession, he and Mr..
Nugee bowing again to the altar as they approach it. The
congregation and,claoristers have risen, the latter singing
a " Gloria." Mr. Liddell having by this time taken his
place on the north and his curates on the south side of the
altar, they kneel down with their faces towards it, and
their hands clasped, as in devotional adoration. No com-
munion table is provided, but instead of it an elaborately
carved oaken altar, precisely like those used in Roman.
Catholic cathedrals and chapels, and like them, covered
with rich velvet " antependia" of colours varying with the
seasons, embroidered with monograms, fleurs-de-lis, and
other devices in silver and gold. This altar has been
placed on. a dais, or platform,, covered with carpet, and on
it has been erected a " super altar," to give a greater
elevation to the cross, and huge candlesticks, with equally
huge candles, which stand upon it. This cross the
bishop ordered to be removed, but it has been replaced.
On the altar stands vessels of gold for the communion,
with large brass crosses on their velvet sides, so placed as
to be seen from every part of the church where the altar
is visible. At certain seasons veils of rich embroidered
lace and bouquets of flowers, the choicest that can be pro-
cured, are crowded in confusion on and about it : every
niche of the reredoes on each side and above is occupied
with plants of camella japonica, and. " fleures immortelles,"
and evergreens deck the main body of the church itself.
Until very lately these expensive floral displays have been
paid for out of the offertory money. The churchwarden
takes the whole of the rubrical directions of the Prayer-
book seriatim, and assures the bishop that Mr. Liddell
and his curates habitually violate nearly the whole of them.
He adds that at the communion he has seen ladies pros-
trating themselves almost to the ground in front of the
cross, raising themselves no more than was absolutely
necessary to enable them to receive the bread and wine,
from the minister who tendered them. Under these cir-
cumstances, the bishop's interference is called for. The
matter has been productive of much agitation in the dis-
trict, and his lordship's determination upon the matter is
looked for with great anxiety.

ANOTHER MEGITHERIUM.—A discovery of great in-
terest to the science of paleontology has lately been made
at the gates of Constantina (Algeria), while making a
cutting for the improvement of the approaches to that
city, where a great part of the skeleton of some gigantic
animal was found. The thigh and leg bones, the vertebra',
the ribs, the upper part of the head, and several teeth
were in a very good state of preservation. The head is
not less than 85 centimetres from the teeth to the nape,
and 48 across the bone of the forehead. The front part of
the upper jaw has long teeth, and also tusks, similar to
those of a wild boar. The legs of the animal are about
the size of those of a horse, and, from the bend of the
ribs, it is supposed that its size must have been about
four times that of an ordinary ox. Its head is somewhat
similar to that of the hippopotamus, and its mouth Must
have been of extraordinary power. No name can be
assigned to this animal, but it is considered probable that
it may belong to the numerous family of antediluvian
pachydermes.
.The ground wherein it was found is com-
posed of a soft calcareous rock of tertiary formation. It
is expected that the government will order some further,
excavations to be made on the same spot, which may lead
to other discoveries interesting to science,--Globe,