The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-03-07 00:00:00

LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

qi.
v 11" CITY f•
e' . OF ,TLASGOW steam-ship,Captain.
'-'"a, sailed for Philadelphia on Wednesday, with a full
I cargo and three hundred passengers.
0 eeedgiß JOAN GERARD, who died without heirs, is Bue-
ll: aer:e4,da in his title and estates by his brother, Major
titr:-Itt
. -A-113n, of this town, has designed and manufac-
„all elegant service of plate, which was presented, on
' th„."ruay week, at Crewe, to Mr. Allen, late locomotive
I irag,.. er of the Crewe works of the London and North-
It (kern. Railway.
stittr the meeting of the dock committee on Thursday,
ClO 04,,' money, amounting in the aggregate 4
to about
ephe"o, were offered and accepted, at the rate of per arl_. interest : old bonds were also renewed to the extent allattt £4,0,00.
Tat
ter 344Y0n, on Thursday, entertained a party to din-
of :t the Town-hall. The company included a number
,g, ttlemen connected with the railway interest at Liver-
s and other places, and amongst the guests were the
an' col. Lowther and the Hon. C. Howard.
f )1 STE,
ir, `-Ou -411€1. THREE COPIES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.
0 NlTict,'",Y3 Thomas Douglas. and John Jacobs were
et th`4 of staling three copies of the new Testament,
Park.' Previous day, from the shop of M Hughes, in
ler fe„r°,a(l. They were each sentenced to Mrs,
imprisoned
THE •44een days.
.
)0 iastad ,I3TEIX-SRIP GOLDEN AGE.-According to the
the A Vie" from the Cape of Good Hope, it appears that
,after,alerican steamer Golden Age reached that place
V aett 2-Atla_, Precedented passage, her running time avi r,
'Jetty
a,l",t,uaYS. She would be detained at the Cape some
'Jetty -" was expected not to occupy more than 22 days
uteet2 the cape and Melbourne, in which case her pas-
Nts7,...A.Ustralia will have been effected, as regards
It? tune, in a little over forty-eight days.
llt II
11raiilv. H. H. HIGGINS delivered the first of his
*se ez,es " The Sacred Localities of the East,,, at.
140, -a,4,1 te I on
nstitution, on Tuesday, to a large aud 1-
41ae b),
..-ue lectures are illustrated by dissolving views.
leatokt els are to be devoted,to the benefit of St. Cltn•ure
y-
a
ollneedan 13ebools, Mill-road, Everton. The second lec
for this evening.
troza, ILBOTATION TO 1 CLERGYMAN.-A silver pocket
be DrZtion service, inkstand, and gold pen are about 0
ltcegarted to the Rev. Arthur H. Hughes, by thebc n-
-18114441 si3f St. Mark's District Church. The plate ears
which le
48 the rev.
Insription, expressive of the high estimation in
gentleman is held,. especially for his kind-
he 4Warfls the poor in the district. ,
°ther ESL ' local" preacher, when discoursing.the
astot-,,• rY ill a circuit not remarkable for hospitality,
4 11.4.;"ei,d the congregation by producing fro.mn is p
'l'e to
WertShea " bread and meat, which he disc discussed with
weresllato, informing "the brethren" that local preachers
angels, as appeared to be the impression in that
uitallts'.ll.4l°°d, but men of flesh and blood like the inha-
tot tnemselves.
Ire e.u,l4l'oG CHILDREN,—In the Standard of last
.week,.
kl,n-eis some particulars of the case against Ann Willun-
At Targed with stealing a shawl from a little girl named
st opjane Richardson and stated that she was
into reman
Nes-ster that an investigation might be made other
AO I,4°f 4 Similar nature with which she was charged,
`0 li -'443', three other cases were brought clearly home
Ter' It a
b t te PPears that her victims were children from
Ittak eleven years of age, who had been sent with
them of clothes to the mangle, and that when she mestt
kit ehe gave them a halfpenny to spend, having fir k ell th
4,,ett •,,,, e bundle from them, and then, as soon as they
'Lie 1t,61-,,,,`° a shop to purchase sweets, she walked of with
Sr rtrrtY and pawned it. She was committed for trial.
laii.'"2lla.s CHURCH, PARK-LANE.-On Sunday even-
ae;„- "eelv, as the Rev. C. P. Hobbs, the curat, ws
,'le r''"g in this church upon the prospect of affairs in
'orty ast, from Judges v., 31, "And the land had rest
8„,°41-e leara, ' a woman in one of the galleries, who for
i'alked'ale had been conversing rather loudly, got up and
hacked
~‘llearer to the pulpit, and said she " should like to
}l"'' \O I,Wercl with him," and that she " knew more about.
he 'tab.' Plano hieradid,".arbeexwpasressed a wish to show him
lafter 07:and's quickly removed, and,
,11gr „.,"`eir was restored, and the excitement 9nougst the
"ith be°"l. t.'ion subdued, the curate concluded his discourse
), 1,/ct; lltrther interruption. Mail
7%11 ...}1,114-1' TREAT TO WORKMEN.-On Tuesday niter-
s_nelta.,' ~,""e Workmen in the employ of Messrs. WilliaT
1,,41tt -,11 and James Ronald, rope-manufacturers of this
tih"illel'4,llell together at the house of Mr. Munday, Edge-
ee,;••,-, celebrate the completion of a new shed, which has
04 erected for the further convenience and accommoda..-
IN°c
Oftthe spinners employed at their works. The chair
Li's-(11, Pied by Mr. Henry Weatherall, one of the opertah-
Of th'lvOO, after the usual loyal toasts, proposed the lip
teeht:„lr,,etruPloyers, congratulating the men on the kindly
Ive' lat existed between their employers and them-
by Ai • The toast was responded to in a very able manner
ItoL.4vard Hurst, the superintendent.
,With 7,1,13.4.n.r 33rr A SERVANT.-Sarah Anne Peirce, charge_d.
"144 -lag her master Mr. Pennington, Cleveland
aih,e e, of 29 sovereigns, 'a
one pound note, and 13s. in
t''e r.
It aPneared from the prosecutor's evidence, thaton
SltilatiO4er was in his employ as servant,
.and tha
• h the ,
k,,,,,,ay last she took the keof the drawer,
a‘lpire kept, out of his coat pocket In theillevwehnlieng she
to the Roman Catholic 1
(11117 h °seeutor's permission to
eatisecti , and as she did not comegoia during the night it
reilli:oine suspicion, and on
eprosecutor going to look
He instantly gave
.._6llnts;
toen'tony, he found it gon :t. s
clee°ll the proper authorpe , and the police sue-
Newt,tc ni arresting the prisoner in a house in Burlington-
al:d found on her person two passage tickets for
Piqt.,°:", at £4 10s. each, and some of the money. The
°O3-3,4": eZlifessed to having paid £2 for provisions for the
5k„,,1,110x.-b'Tie....Was sent for trial to the next sessions. laaros..-'...0. -o•-• 4 To OBTAIN GOODS ON FASEfe PRE-
beesN.e'l the
If ridgy two respectably attired
ROO% 'lie poii:4Pray and Jane Murray,
attempting
charged
PriBo,, 411(ler 4.0 magistrate with to obtain
oilb...,ers (th_,),le following. false pretences :-One of the
last ea 13rotye other remaining outside) went to Messrs.
IT. ' alld requestle tea dealers, in Lime-street, on. Thursday
4 °4llt ed to be supplied with groceries, to the
Adeh,b, °f 128.
14- 4,W d desired them to be sent to the
the '-' --Lotl " an .
filt- articles _
n, Pon which Mr. Gilbert refused to send
Of %then leftu I ss the bill was discharged at the time.
k 1.. t. , and Mr. G. watched her going to the shop
it) a4..,4• John Edmonds, Renshaw-street, and there, it
itr e1.,--r+ she ordered goods to amount of 125., and told
I:4lgroonds to send them to the Adelphi, and she would
left and pay for them on the day following. After she
IV 0. Gilbert came into the shop and told his opinion.
tietsgWkls Were, however, sent as directed; with instru-
one,ll°t to deliver them up unless paid for. The pri-
aetol'i? called a the Adelphi for the goods,. but were
!terel, 11,a at hearing that they must be paid for. As they
here
~.4.,, ',lle act of decamping, a police-officer.took t em
"" t.,.--81)d7• The court discharged the prisoners,on
gave -01,11 ads *of their not having received the goods, but
the
he, 41 a severe caution.
cge 4.l...n.v4eAsTlfON OF ST. DAVID'S DAY IN LIVERFOOL.---
L4t 4t' o the Principality, who reside in this town,
etneWeek celebrated, in their usual hearty and genial
Ncloit i 0
anniversary of St. David. The annual
ball in
* 1 m." local Welsh Charity Schools was held, as
.stated
'awatt-` week's Standard, on Monday evening, in the
•I' -. liall, under the patronage of his worship the Mayor,
l'irAln Lloyd
, Esq. The lady patroness was Lady _
rii!rnal" 0114 the president Hugh R. Hughes, Esq., of
t-garitv'--Park• The annual examination of the Welsh
-ereht ga,4Sehools took place on Tuesday. A peculiar in-
-01)far,tiooh-o'ae4.,l,lelt to the proceedings, from the fact that they
worse''' so,-- Lue character of a jubilee, the foundation-stone
•,bin -4°,° Is having been laid just fifty years ago. His
ilularii„,`". 114,o• r'-',„ ided. After a few appropriate
ter ex,,.7..r°111 th- -es
the children sang a hymn, and
ter fr -.,intatt,, e Mayor,
by 411,°14 the iCa commencned b the girls reading a chap-
tame t, and their being questioned
l'al)11 8.
tin Tteescitations and examinations in geo-
itaPt Sc. --cucted• The boys came next. They read. a
*l4l e-
4°41 the 's
\V °lle °f th Scriptures, and were questioned upon it ;
he h. A e pupils afterwards recited a chapter in
ITelnas /I'..snbsequent recitation, " To Wales !" given by
t "e boys-nscoe, drew forth hearty and deserved applause
hstlea twere then questioned on geographical. and his-
?th l?Rieetis. Satisfactory progress was evinced by
I„calen-•' 8 and girlS; and the Mayor, as well as other gen-
4),"`ade Present, Pronounced high encomiums upon the
volliiif tuition adopted. After the recitation by James
'%al Ile of the pupils, of an address to the School
Of tl tlllttee vrrit
.1) le hrr.-3 ten by Mr. Edwards, one of the masters
4,ltlef atiO school, the Rev. Wilh-am, Hughes delivered a
try, ea"-ess to the children, characterised by much sim-
t
te ch;,,,, rnestness, and' religious feeling. On Wednesday.
th fi..,_(mkren of the Welsh School walked in procession,
lf-Kaa., and banners, to St. David's Church. The Rev.
Pi'iecr les, .D., read the service in the Welsh language,
lielleso3' the Rev. D. E. Jones, I.A. Mr. William
.4k lrFaa the lessons • and the Rev. Thomas Thomas,
litti'l... lear
kiii "4ble a d
of Carnarvon' preached in the same language
1) • 3.very impressive sermon, from Prover s
Thing Q:4 the evening the annual dinner of the Cam___-
I) elliZT.,ietY was held in the. Royal. Hotel, Mr. H.
t.' It Jong president of the society, in the chair. Mr.
'vans
and Mr. John Jones were the vice-presidents.
'"el'ea 21Peeches, appropriate to the occasion, were de-
Ttt464 the course of the evening.
bans, 41,811.130 X ROBBERY IN STRAND-STREF.-David
aitfourh ," has been remanded from time to time for the
. 'k g ' eeKs, on a charge of stealing a cash-box, con-
l'l4, t - Ileariv £3OO M• h and bills, belonging to Mr.
VC,IO 1101 . t on the 26th of
ii., be esale stationer, Strand stree ,
ur,dr last, was agai brought up for examination on
411,1414-; Arr. Pitt detailed the circumstance of the loss
Iti,eet, "PertY, and Mr. Cooper, of No. 6, Lower Milk-
kt,A4 aswith Whom the prisoner was employed, gave evi-
-4),°tl- to the prisoner and his wife, accompanied by
-R w
ti 404, °man, going to his premises, and giving t
in
)7 eaZta
of for safety, which he returnedto him
*rOkeTse f the following week. He found the
4,Plitsi, °Pen in a room occupied by the prisoner as a
Vr.k;•°P; it was covered with shavings. There were two
rt• Plagainst him the first of which was for stealing
4.141) ."'6,a..'S cash-boa,' ' d the second for stealing a black
.eaNt•cir 7' bel° gi;a ante Mrs. Julia Meldrun, in James-
lir 4 al a— Mnldrugn, the wife of Robert Meldrun, pub-
%.,•ere',. aples-st eet said that the prisoner and two women
e, -1 4eir house ' on the day the cash-box was stolen,
412alean eaBa„,_ (1, ress_ was stolen. The prisoner and two
vpi7tialnd a pZ,.llato her house and asked for two glasses of
Clot s 1147..4 or rum, which one of the females paid for
4.,;e, ,110.2. g, and asked to be alloNyed to go to a water-
in `'"• was on the first landing ups . Abo.ut
ho,;tll4lllfotulidtestis,a,ftFr they left the house she went upstairs,
n.a.Kjotaseer tress which w a valuable one, had
tliZs stole
P Harding, keeperas of a china and
tllLintrellollse, in Penrith, said the prisoner was his
,„entitt, - , and, in company with his wife, visited linn.ylne
4,-rce ~,, about Martin s last. When the dete9tl
:-Lolcl4l. Tie and searched his house, witness gave him a
as ~,.ealla dries eDo-' '"enrih. ' which hisdaughter had left when she
ter to the prisoner,
chanced to hie
cot
oirt.c4inbn Lloyd, vng
her t him
,Iboaelcn:ell4e,udfas ntohte.g D. etecetrivane-offis er Carlislesaid, when
e prisoner he stated that two women
;•'!4• for -4"111 aild
`lon.- '43 trOUbi asked him to openbox, giving him
dared for safer e, and a note, which thehe handed to Mr.
••* ed that . ety.
aa ,a it ov• Mr. Hodgson, the magistrate, consi-
-1 ry st '' as case of great suspicion , there
d‘litossessior°llg circumstantial evidence that he had been
3' 1 Of th
Ititl- t° send I, e Property, and he should deem it his
nn 4 flealj; him for trial. The prisoner was then charged
Wineity g the satin dress belonging to Mrs. Meldrun,
to ivn. ~._
.'" NW committed for trial. ,

CAPTAIN T. LYALL, of the Minerva, was presented with
a silver tea and coffee service, at a dinner held at Belfast,
on Tuesday.
A NUMBER OF LABOURERS are employed laying down
the mains for the conveyance of the gas through Castle-
town, Isle of Man, under the superintendence of a person
from the south of England.
FIRE IN CLAYTON-STREET.—A fire broke out early on
Wednesday, in the workshops belonging to Mr. Smith,
turner, in Clayton-street. The fire brigade were promptly
in attendance, and the flames were soon extinguished.
The loss is about £2O.
THEFT OF COPPER SHBATING.—John Canny, a watch-
man was on Friday, sentenced to three months' imprison-
ment for stealing a quantity of copper sheating from the
Banshee. He had, it appeared, been charged before the
court on a previous occasion.
POSTAL COMMUNICATION WITH AUSTRALIA..—The
importance of regular and speedy communication with
Great Britain and Australia cannot be exaggerated. The
merchants of this town are, therefore, about to petition
parliament on the subject, praying that a fortnightly
despatch of mails may take place by the swiftest vessels.
The petition lies for signature in the Exchange newsroom.
DARING ROBBERY.—On Monday, last week, two men
entered the house of Mr. Delany, York-street, Hulme,
Manchester, about eleven o'clock in the forenoon, and
finding Mrs. Delany alone they tied her hands behind her,
tied her legs together, coiled a rope rather tightly round
her neck to stop her cries, and left her lying on her face
whilst they robbed the house. They obtained upwards of
£l3 in money, and got safely away. Mrs. Delany was
found soon afterwards by some neighbours frothing at the
mouth, and nearly strangled.
MURDER OF A WIFE.—At the Manchester police-court,
on Wednesday, William White, a butcher, was charged
with having murdered his wife on the previous night,
about 12 o'clock. The fellow lived in Aspinall-court,
Spitalfields, Old-road. A police-officer saw them go into
the house, and subsequently he heard blows and kicks,
and the woman cried out, "Oh ! Billy, don't ill-use me."
He heard more kicks or blows, and then, all being quiet,
he went away. About half an hour after White accosted
him, and said he wanted him to witness the death of a
woman, and, on his going to his house, the officer found
the unfortunate woman lying in a pool of blood. The
prisoner, it appeared, had called in some neighbours after
he had given the fatal kicks, and he also went for a sur-
geon, but she was dead when medical aid arrived. The
man was remanded.
THREATENED STRIKE OF BRICKLAYERS.—At the
meeting of the Dock Committee, on Thursday, the chair-
man stated that a communication had been received from
the contractors for the new warehouses now being erected
at the Stanley dock. It was to the effect that the con-
tractors prayed for a fortnight's delay of the works, in
consequence of being threatened with a strike on the part
of the bricklayers. The men now receive 4s. Bd. per day,
and have demanded an advance to ss. It was stated that
the work was already twelve months in arrear. After
considerable discussion, it was decided that no delay could
be allowed, but that the contractors must be left to their
own resources. Mr. Hartley, the surveyor, was directed
to communicate the decision of the committee to the
contractors.
SERIOUS FlRE.—About six o'clock, on Wednesday
evening, a fire broke out in the model room of the foundry
occupied by a Mr. Edward Gee, of Widnes, near to the
Runcorn Gasworks, and adjoining the offices of the
Bridgewater Canal. The flames raged with great fury,
until the building, which was two stories in height, had
nothing but the bare walls standing. The building was
the property of Messrs. John and Thomas Johnson, of
Runcorn. The inhabitants of the locality were in a state
of great alarm, ah the burning premises were only sepa-
rated from the gaswork§ by a narrow passage, about a
yard in width, but the wind drifted the burning embers
from the gasworks, otherwise the fire would have been a
most disastrous one. A watchman, Peter Harrison, be-
longing to the duke's employ, had one of his feet crushed
by the engine whilst working in the yard.

MILITIA FUNERAL.—The funeral of the orderly-room
sergeant of the Royal Lancashire Artillery Militia took
place on Thursday, at the Necropolis, Low-hill. As there
is no military detachment in Liverpool, the staff sergeants
of the Liverpool regiment of militia, anxious to pay respect
to their deceased brother of the Royal Militia Artillery,
formed the firing party. -The arrangements were made
by Captain Campbell, of the Artillery Militia. The bands
of the two regiments were in front, and alternately played
the Dead March ; then came the firing party, composed of
the sergeants of the 2nd Royal Lancashire Militia ; then,
on a gun carriage, drawn by two black horses, the coffin,
covered with the " union jack ;" and on the coffin lid the
cap, sword, and other trappings of the deceased. The
horses were on each side led by an artillery sergeant. Then
followed as mourners, two and two, the staff-sergeants of
the Militia Artillery, and the staff-officers, Capt. Campbell
and Dr. Ferguson, and Mr. Behrend, the assistant sur-
geon; also, Captain Weir and Mr. Hugh Neill, of the 2nd
Royal Lancashire Militia. The funeral service was read
by the chaplain of the cemetery, and when the body was
lowered into the grave three volleys were fired, and all the
military honours were duly paid.
LIVERPOOL, CROSBY, AND SOUTHPORT RAILWAY.—
The half-yearly meeting was held on Tuesday, in the
Clarendon-rooms, Mr. William Earle in the chair. The
statement of accounts for the half-year showed a gross
increase of receipts from passengers and goods of £B5B
9s. 22d. as compared with the corresponding period of
1852. The sum applicable for dividend was £4,751 ls.
which would yield a dividend of two per cent. for the
half-year, subject to income-tax, and leave £271 ls. 92d.
to carry forward ; but, in the peculiar circumstances of
the company, the directors left it to the shareholders to
determine whether it would not be prudent to retain a
larger surplus to meet probable contingencies. The
chairman moved the adoption of the report. A long and
irregular discussion took place as to the position of the
company. At length a motion of Mr. Roundell's was car-
ried, that the dividend be at the rate of 31 per cent. per
annum clear of income-tax. The election of directors in
the place of those retiring being the next business, Mr.
Samuel R. Healey was chosen in the room of Mr. T. B.
Barclay, and Messrs. William Earle and Jacques Myers
were re-elected. Mr. Gray was elected auditor in the
place of Mr. Duckworth resigned. The meeting was then
made special for the consideration of the policy of pro-
ceeding to parliament for a new bill to obtain relief from
the large payments to the Lancashire and Yorkshire and
East Lancashire Companies, by deducting the amount .of
working expenses before making an apportionment of the
receipts for toll. An animated discussion took place, but
at length the proprietors consented to sanction an appli-
cation to parliament ; it being arranged that, in the
meantime, the chairman, deputy-chairman, and Mr. Garnett
should obtain an interview with the board of the Lan-
cashire and Yorkshire, in order to make, if possible, some
amicable arrenßement.
THE WARb,INGTON AND STOCKPORT RAILWAY.—The
half-yearly meeting of this company was held on Tuesday,
at the joint station in Warrington, Gilbert Greenall, Esq.,
M.P., in the chair. From the report it appeared that
there was raised on capital account up to the 31st of
December, 1853, including Stockport shares and loans oh
debenture, £158,709, and expended in the same period
£176,579, leaving a balance of £17,869. The traffic up to
December, 1853, was £5Ol 4s. Bd. The engineer stated
that it was the Bank Quay Company who were to blame
for the delay which had occurred in building the iron
bridges over the Mersey at Warrington and the Duke's
canal at Altrincham, by which the opening of the line
throughout had bee 4 retarded, and the consequent-con-
nection with the St. Helen's and Garston Railway at the
Warrington end, and with the Manchester South Junc-
tion and Altrincham Railway at the Altrincham end, had
been delayed. The 'real cause of the delay was, that the
price of iron rose considerably immediately after the con-
tract was entered into. In reply to a question, the chair-
man stated that the gross amount of share capital and
loans was about £233,000. The report was adopted, and
the auditors and other officers elected for the ensuing year.

LANCASTER AND CARLISLE RAILWAY.—The half-
yearly meeting of the shareholders in this company was
held on Friday, at the Lime-street station of the London
and North-western Railway, E. W. Hasell, Esq., chairman,
presiding. The meeting was numerously attended. The
report recommended a dividend of 8k per cent. per annum.
It also stated that the net balance remaining to this com-
pany on account of the Scottish central traffic has not been
ascertained, and it expressed regret that some dispute
between the Caledonian Company and this had not yet
been settled. Reference was likewise made to the fact
that no payment has been made to the company for per-
forming the Post-office service between Lancaster and
Carlisle for about twelve months. The revenue account
showed that the receipts for the past half-year (including
balance brought forward) amounted to £166,661 12s.
and the disbursements to £67,808 7s. 61d., leaving a
balance of £98,853 ss. sd. applicable to the payment of
interest and dividends, and additions to the renewal fund.
The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the report,
recapitulated its main features, and after a brief discussion
the motion was agreed to; after whioh the Chairman
formally moved a resolution that a dividend at the rate of
81- per cent. on the different classes of shares be declared.
The resolution was seconded and carried unanimously,
and after a vote of thanks to the chairman the proceedings
terminated.

FREEVOCAL Scuoot.—Vocal music has, hitherto, been
comparatively neglected in England, yet there is sufficient
evidence that the natural genius of the people would re-
ward a careful cultivation. Wherever the people are
taught to prefer the pleasures of intellect, and even of
taste, to the gratification of the senses, a great and favour-
able change takes place in their character. They are no
longer driven, by mere vacuity of mind, to improper in-
dulgences : and sentiments are awakened which make
them love their families and their homes. One principal
argument in favour of the general cultivation of vocal
music is the improvement of congregational singing.
Surely, so long as music forms a part of sacred worship, it
ought to be of the best possible kind ; and that we have
the highest authority for its use cannot be for a moment
doubted. In the reign of David, we find no fewer than
three thousand Levites devoted exclusively to the choral
service of the temple ; and almost in every part of the
Revelations we find that music is the delightful employ-
ment of the church triumphant. According to the testi-
mony of Bishop Jewell, there ;were often, during the short
reign of Edward the Sixth, not less than three thousand
people singing psalms by the pulpit of St. Paul's Cross.
Who can think of the sublime effect produced by that
chorus of voices, and compare it with the meagre, dis-
cordant singing of the present day, without feelings of
'the deepest regret ? There are some who regard music
as a pastime, fit only for the occasional employment of
idle hours : can that, however, be unimportant which con-
tributes to the harmless gratification of thousands F can
that be unimportant which is inseparably connected with
religion "Of all the fine arts," says Madame de Stael,
"music only can be considered purely religious, since it is
incapable of expressing a vice." On the continent we
generally find the executive government aiding its culti-
vation ; and where such is not the case, we frequently
find large schools, supported by voluntary contributions,
where the working classes are gratuitously instructed in
the science. At Berlin there is a school of this descrip-
tion, where upwards of three hundred singers are enabled
to perform the most difficult and finest works of the great
masters. The vocal school established by the Sacred Har-
monic Society of Liverpool is calculated to produce the
most beneficial results. Already upwards of 460 young
persons of both sexes have availed themselves of the gra-
tuitous instruction afforded. The classes. are, we
under-
stand, attended with the greatest pupctualtty, a significant
proof of the interest felt by the mils.

SHOCKING ACCIDENT.—On Tuesday, an accident of a
very extraordinary nature took place on the London and
North-Western Railway, at Sutton, to Joseph Yates,
farmer, Ecdeston. He was going from St. Helen's to
Liverpool, by the 2 15 train, and when he arrived at the
St. Helen's Junction, where the passengers change, in-
stead of crossing the line to pass over to the Liverpool
train, he jumped on to the buffer of the last carriage of the
Manchester train which was about departing. It started,
and he remained on the buffer, and on being observed,
several persons shouted to him, advising him to remain
still until the engineer could stop the train ; he, hoviever,
disregarded them, and in jumping off was dashed to the
ground, receiving very serious injuries on his head and
body. He is considered to have been in a state of intoxi-
cation. He was immediately conveyed to Mr. Blundell's,
surgeon, and it is probable it may not terminate fatally.

A NEW LIFE - PRESERVER. A trial was made
last week, on the river, in the neighbourhood of
the Landing-stage, of Johnson's life-preserver, or safety
pillow, designed principally to aid in the preservation of
life in cases of shipwreck. The patentee, who exhibited
the apparatus, engaged one of the watermen's boats about
two o'clock, and, after divesting himself of all clothing
except a pair of white duck trousers, and a Guernsey
shirt, he went into the water with the preserver attached
to his person, and performed a number of evolutions, such
as lying on his back and side, and moving about in other
positions, for a period of nearly twenty minutes, when he
came out and redressed himself, the extreme coldness of
the water not rendering it prudent to remain longer im-
mersed. The " safety pillow" consists of two small pil-
lows constructed of cork shavings, lined with horse hair,
—one fitting on the back and the other on the chest of
the person using it, and attached by straps fitting round
the thighs and shoulders. It was put on or taken off
with the greatest ease and rapidity, the time occupied
being only a few moments. The experiment seemed quite
successful, for the exhibitor, besides assuming any posi-
tion at pleasure, was enabled to make progress through
the water at will in any direction. The patentee is Mr.
Joseph Johnson, of Manchester.
AN ANxious HUSBAND.—On Saturday, when the
steamer Commodore was lying at the quay, previous to
her departure for Liverpool, the wife of a passenger went
ashore to make some purchases, leaving her husband with
two children, a little boy and an infant, on board. As she
had not returned when the boat was on the eve of start-
ing, the husband left the infant in the care of a brother
passenger and went ashore with his son to search for his
missing spouse, and thus lost both wife, infant, and
steamer, for the former could not be found, and when he
returned from his search, the latter had started, carrying
away the child. To add to his grief, his wife had posses-
sion of the cash-box, and he was thus, like Lord Ullin,
left upon the shore, wifeless, childless, and moneyless. A
gentleman belonging to town, with a generosity which
does him honour, seeing his distress, gave him 20s. to take
him per train to Liverpool, trusting to the man's sense of
honour for repayment. Mr. M'Culloch, agent of the com-
pany, also kindly returned him his passage-money, 10s.,
and, with 30s. in his pocket, the man set off to Liverpool,
where it is to be hoped he will recover wife, infant, and
purse.— Greenock Advertiser.
Does COMMITTEE.—At the weekly meeting on Thurs-
day, Mr. Charles Turner presided. The sub-committee of
works recommended that the offer of the Haigh Foundry
Company, for the supply of cast iron cylinders for the
Wapping works, should be accepted. Mr. Hartley, the
surveyor, in reply to a question, said the cylinders were
for the south side of the Queen's basin, to bring the water
from the graving docks. The recommendation was agreed
to. The harbour masters' sub-committee having taken
into consideration the application of the dock gatemen for
an increase of wages, recommended that one shilling per
week be added to their wages, and to the wages of the
landing-stage men, during the continuance of the present
high prices of provisions. The recommendation was con-
firmed. The sub-committee recommended that a person
be appointed, at a salary of £BO per annum, to take charge
of the storing of timber on the east side of the Huskisson
dock. Agreed to. The sub-committee produced a report
from the harbour masters of the number of stages for
loading and discharging ships at the several docks, with
rates recommended to be charged for the use of the same.
It appeared, from the report, that there are 570 working
berths • that there are 149 stages on the dock quays at
present; and that 352 stages are required in addition, for
the whole of the docks. The charges recommended to be
made for them were the following :—Foreign-going ves-
sels under 300 tons, 10s. • 300 to 600 tons, 12s. 6d. ; 600
to 900 tons, 155.; above 900 tons, 20s. All coasting ves-
sels, 2s. 6d. each. The chairman said the cost of the 352
new stages would be £5,000. Of course there were the 149
besides. The total cost might be taken at £7,000. After
some conversation, the recommendations contained in the
report were agreed to. A letter from Messrs. Whitehead'
and Meyer was read, setting forth, that in consequence of
of the quay on the west side of the Brunswick dock being
taken up by timber merchants on rental, the writers had
had to pay demurrages amounting to £7 25., for three
timber-laden vessels which had been detained and they
asked that the rents of the ground might be distributed
amongst the parties who had suffered by its being occupied
with timber. The committee declined to entertain the ap-
plication.
ENGLISH AND IRISH MAGNETIC TELEGRAPH COM-
PANY.—Mr. J. C. Ewart took the chair at the annual
meeting, in the Clarendon-rooms, on Tuesday. The ac-
counts presented by Mr. Bright, secretary, showed that,
up to December 31st, the total expenditure was £180,524
12s. 2d., of which £4,603 2s. sd. had been incurred on ac-
count of preliminary working of lines, travelling expenses,
and salaries during the past two years ; rents and taxes,
£1,148 9s. 2d. ; stationery and printing, £323 ss. sd. ; in
the construction of lines, stores, instruments, and patents,
£173,790 3s. 51 • the law expenses being £659 12s. The
nett profit on traffic to the end of the year (the London
line having been opened only in November) was £1,264
ls. sd. The engineer, Mr. Charles Bright, reported the
completion of the following works :—" The underground
trunk line of ten wires from London to Manchester and
Liverpool was finished at the end of October, and has since
continued in efficient operation. The underground line
of six wires from Liverpool to Carlisle, and thence to Port-
patrick, -was opened lately, and is working satisfactorily.
The submarine cable of six wires between Great Britain
and Ireland was successfully laid from Portpatrick, in
Wigtonshire, to, Donaghadee, in May, and maintains the
same perfect condition as I then reported to you. The
underground line from Donaghadee to Belfast has been
finished a few days since, and Belfast is now connected
in direct circuit with Liverpool. The underground line
from Cork to Queenstown has been in operation since the
commencement of the present year. The line of pole tele-
graph from Belfast to Dublin, with branches to Armagh,
Kells, Nowtonards, and Holywood, along the county
Down, Ulster, Belfast Junction, and Dublin and Drogheda
Railways, has been open for commercial business in con-
nexion with the cable since the beginning of January.
The same system from London to Cork) with branches to
Killarney and Carlow, on the Great Southern and Western
and Killarney Junction Railways, was completed and
opened for public use at the same time. Tenders have
been accepted from responsible and experienced con-
tractors for the erection of a line of telegraph upon the
Waterford and Limerick Railway, and for six additional
wires between Dublin and Belfast. Agreements have also
been entered into with the Londonderry and Enniskillen
and Coleraine Railways, for the supply of telegraphs to
those lines. One hundred and three new instruments,
and various machinery necessary to the proper working of
the additional stations and increased business, have been
provided during the year, and the apparatus of the com-
pany is in goo and efficient condition." The chairman
congratulated the proprietors upon the excellent prospects
of the undertaking, and paid a high compliment to the
zeal and efficiency of the company's officers. The report
was adopted; and, a resolution having been passed for an
allowance to the directors for their services, the retiring
directors, Mr. James Holme, Mr. Christopher H. Jones,
and Mr. Henry Harrison, were re-elected. The auditors,
Messrs. Bewley, were also re-appointed.
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE .IN MANCHESTER.—A fire took
place on Wednesday night in the large warehouse of
Messrs. Ryland and Sons, New Market-street, Manchester,
which destroyed that establishment, and caused great
damage and loss of property at several other warehouses.
Messrs. Ryland and Sons are dealers in Manchester goods
generally, and their warehouse occupied the whole of the
pile of buildings between New High-street and Bread-
street, and extending from High-street to Tib-street, being
300 feet long, 42 feet wide, and partly three and partly
four stories in height, exclusive of collars under the whole
range. There was a stock of goods in the warehouse
worth rather more than £lOO,OOO, the greater portion of
which was destroyed.' About £20,000 worth of goods
were out in the hands of finishers, and escaped. The
flames reached the warehouse of Messrs. Hammond and
Turner; then that of Messrs. Richard Guest and Co.
caught fire. The warehouse of Mr. A. Eichholz also took
fire, and the flames took the direction of a court partly
under the warehouse of Messrs. Hammond and Turner,
and partly under that of Mr. Eichholz, into Bridgewater-
place, setting on fire several warehouses in that street.
The immense warehouse of Messrs. Kershaw, Leese, and
Sidebottom, on the north side of Bridgewater-place, also
caught fire several times, from the sparks thrown up, but
was fortunately saved, with some slight damage to the
roof. The capacious premises of Messrs. Ryland and Sons
were entirely destroyed. A crowd of people, estimated at
upwards of 20,000, gathered near the spot soon after mid-
night, and the police would have found it impossible to
keep a sufficient space clear for the firemen but for the aid
of Colonel Yorke, with his regiment of Ist Royal Dra-
goon Guards. Messrs. Ryland and Sons are insured to
the extent of £73,000. Of the warehouses on the north
side of Bread-street, those which have suffered most are
that of Messrs. Hammond and Turner, and that of Messrs.
Guest and Co. Messrs. Hammond and Turner, 17, Bread-
street, are button and silk manufacturers, and the whole
of their warehouse was gutted, inflicting a loss of £B,OOO
in stock, and, probably, of £2,000 to £3,000 in the blod-
ing, which is insured. Messrs. Richard Guest and Co.,
19, Bread-street, and 18 A, Bridgewater-place, spinners
and manufacturers, had a large stock of goods in the
warehouse, which were nearly all destroyed. Their loss
will be about £12,000, covered partly by insurances. The
loss on the building will also be several thousand pounds.
Mr. Joseph Gill, of 21, Bread-street, fustian manufacturer,
had about £9OO of damage done, covered by an insurance
of £1,250. Mr. Eichholz, exporter of Manchester goods,
10 A, Bridgewater-place, had suffered about £5OO in
damage to his stock, but is insured for £BOO, which will
cover the loss. Messrs. Piddock, Waters, and Co., N 0.12,
suffered a loss of several hundreds, covered by insurance.
Messrs-. T. Pearson and Son, No. 16, manufacturers of
Marseilles quilts and counterpanes, had property destroyed
to the extent of £6,000, covered by insurance. Messrs.
Barlow and Frith, No. 18, had stock burnt, and other
damage done, to the extent of £750, covered by insurance.
The extensive warehouses of Messrs. Bradbury and Don-
caster, merchants, and Messrs. Richardson, Tee, and Rye-
croft, cotton and linen manufacturers, in Tib-street, were
on fire several times, and great difficulty was experienced
in saving them. The latter suffered to the amount of
about £l,OOO, but are covered by insurance. These esti-
mates of damage do not include the buildings in Bridge.
water-place, which will amount to several thousand pounds.
The total damage caused by this fire will therefore exceed
£160,000. The origin of the fire is supposed to have been
a want of care on the part of the packers at work in the
lower part of the warehouse, but no certain information
on this point has yet been obtained. Great expense
also, it appears, been incurred in fitting Messrs. Rylands'
and should occur; but, effective
trained to use it. apparatus
unfortunately, n
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