The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-06-02 00:00:00

SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

PROGRESS OF DiscOVEßY.—The veil under which our
Island-continent has so long been hidden is being gradually
raised. In a few years 'these immense regions will be ex-
plored in all directions, and divested of the mystery which
still surrounds them. Mr. Eyre's recent expedition west-
ward from Port Lincoln, has added much to our geographi-
cal knowledge of the interior, and the interesting fact an-
nounced in our last, of his having determined the existence
of ,trn extensive lake far to the north-west of Mount Arden,
gives fresh countenance to the opinion entertained by Mr.
Windsor Earl and many other scientific gentlemen—that an
inland sea, perchance a 'water communication with the Gulf
of Carpentaria—may eventually be discovered: An expedi-
tion to reach the lake seen by Mr. Eyre, left Adelaide, we
are informed on Sunday last.
PROGRESS OF THE COLONY.—The last number of the
Gazette contains an official account of the total amount of
land sales in the colony from its establishment to the 30th of
June last. To this we have added the amount of sales from
that time to the present month, when the statement stands
as follows : s.
_ _ _

Amount of sales prior to the 17th October, 1838. 11,806 4
Amount of sales in 1838 up to the 13th Dec..... 1,760 0
Amount of sales in 1839, from Ist January to

30th June
Amount of Special Surveys from Ist January to
30th June
Amount of Special Surveys and sales from 30th
June to Ist Oct.

2,897 0

89,942 0

28,544 0

£134,949 4

The total amount, therefore, paid into the colonial treasury
for land from the establishment of the colony up to the pre-
sent time, is one hundred and thirty-four thousand nine
hundred and forty-nine pounds, four shillings, of which one
hundred and twenty-one thousand for hundred add eighty-
pounds have been paid during. the first nine months of the
present year, being within a trifle of nine times the amount
previously lodged during the whole existence of the colony.
These sales are independent of the land sold by the commis-

sioners in England.
PRICE OF MEAT AND BREAD.—We are much gratified
to observe that the butchers have, during the present week,
made a very considerable reduction in the price of meat.
Beef and mutton, which before were selling at one shilling a
pound, may now be had at from eightpence-halfpenny to ten-
pence.
PORT LINCOLN.—By the Abeona we have letters to a re-
cent date from Port Lincoln. The settlement was progress-
ing satisfactorily, and every one was delighted with the place
and country around. The Mississipi, a fine French whaler,
had been lying in the harbour for some days, and had been
very successful in fishing. It is reported that a large forest
of fine timber, within twenty-five miles of the port, has been
discovered.
FEw BARLEY.—Last week a small parcel- of barley, fully
ripe, was cut in a garden in South Adelaide, the produce of
which was estimated at fully one thousand fold ! The barley
was a fine specimen, though the quantity was small. The
seed was put in the ground in May last.
NEW Cli acn.—The foundation stone of the new church
will be laid by his excellency to-day, at three o'clock, on
some ground presented for the purpose by Osmond Gilles,
Esq., near his residence in East Terrace. We have no doubt
that a large assemblage of the colonists will take place to view
this interesting ceremony. The sacred edifice will be called
St. John's church, and will be calculated to hold 600
persons.

THE SEASON.—As the fattening of cattle fed with grass
chiefly depends upon the weather, certainly there was never
experienced a more genial or providential spring. This sea-
son is acknowledged by all to be four or five weeks earlier
this year than the last. Vegetation has advanced rapidly of
late, and the pastures haVe assumed a rich and luxuriant ap-
pearance, and there is every prospect of abundant crops.
Sheep shearing has already commenced in this quarter, and
the accounts everywhere are very favourable. '"ethers that
have been wintered on the low grounds, are with few ex-
ceptions, of an excellent condition, which will afford great
encouragement to the buyer as well as the feeder.—Lancaster
Gazelle.

FLORAL CURIOSITY.— We gave an account in our last of
a tulip, grown by Mr. Birch, surgeon, of Stalmine, which
had two heads proceeding from the same stem, and spoke of
it, as it seemed deserving, as a great curiosity in floriculture.
It would appear, however, that it is not so deserving of being
regarded as a thing of extraordinary occurrence, for we learn
from an old tulip-grower, that not only are tulips with two
heads growing from one stem a production frequently met
with, but likewise, that in his own experience he has often
seen them with three, four, live, and even more flowers pro-
ceeding from the same stem ; and in order to prove that he
was not Jonathanizing, he produced a tulip stern from which
four beads were growing ; and we further learned from him
that it was gathered in the garden of Mrs. Moss, of Single-
ton, and is of the description called " French Breeden"—
Preston Pilot.

Passen- Cash. P.mile P.mile Passeng.
NAME. gers. pr.wk. p. day. per day.
.
Birmingham - 14704 1301 184 -
Grand J unction - e 421 8& 124 I -
Liverp. and Manch. - 4766 154 122 -
Great Western - 3976 111416 -
South Western - 4668 61 84 -
Newcast. & Carlisle - 1715 281 4 -
Greenwich 28799 1016 267 38 4114
Birmg. & Derby - 1139 2(4- 44 -
& Manchester Lees 11202 828 611; 84 1600
Croydon. • 13967 813 771 11 1995
York &N. Midland 1866 433 22/ 34 267
Midland Counties 5156 620 164 24 737
Eastern Counties 5161 278 261 4 737
Ulster 6421 180 221 34 , 916

NORTH MIDLAND RAILWAY.—Length of line opened, 40
miles. Return of traffic from the 11th to the 23d instant :
From the 11th to the 16th, £705 ss. Ild. From the 16th to
the 23d, £BlO 17s. 10d.

ATTEMPT OF THE PRISONER GOULD AND THE
CONDEMNED CONVICT BAILEY, TO ESCAPE

FROM NEWGATE.

(From the Morning Herald of Saturday)
However extraordinary and incredible it may appear, it is
nevertheless certain that the prisoner Gould, who, it will be
remembered, was recently tried for the murder of Mr. Tem-
pleman, in Pocock's-fields, Islington, and who, but a few
days since, was again committed from Bow-street police-
office upon the charge of having burglariously entered the
house of that deceased gentleman ; together with the man
Bailey, who is ordered for execution on Monday neat, for
attempted murder on the high seas have made a most des-
perate attempt (in which they Heady succeeded) to escape
from the condemned cells of Newgate.
This occurrence took place on the night of Sunday last,
but so profound a secret has it been kept by the authorities
of the prison, that it was by mere accident our informant
happened in the first place to elicit the fact, and with great
difficulty succeeded in obtaining the following circumstances
connected with it.
On Gould's recommittal to Newgate, and his arrival at the
prison, Mr. Cope, the governor, determined on placing him
in the most secure portion of the gaol—namely, in one of the
condemned cells. Before proceeding further, it is here ne-
cessary to state that since the new mode of prison discipline
has been introduced, the condemned cells have been removed
from their old position, near the debtor's door, to the fur-
ther extremity of the prison, adjacent to Newgate-street.
The inmates of these cells have, in the day time, the privilege
of access to a spacious ward on the same floor—the basement,
the windows of which, as well as the cells, look into a yard.
Prior to Gould's recommittal, the convict Bailey, who had
received sentence at the previous sessions, occupied one of
these cells, and Gould was placed in the other. It is usual
in cases where convicts condemned to death are ordered for
execution, that one of the gaolers should keep a constant
watch on them to prevent the commission of suicide ; but in
the case of Bailey, who, by the sentence, stands for execution
on Monday next, no special order having been received by
the governor, that regulation had not been adopted. In the
day-time, and at their meals, Gould and Bailey had oppor-
tunities f conversing kogether, and no doubt exists but the
theme of their discourse was the means by which their es-
cape could be effected, their attempt having evidently been
preconcerted. On Sunday they attended divine service in
the chapel of the prison, and at the usual hour, seven o'clock,
that evening, they were locked up in their separate cells by
the turnkey who had charge of them, who saw nothing
whatever in their appearance to excite suspicion. The mo-
ment, however, he quitted the place the operations for the
escape must have been commenced on the part of Gould,
who, it will he seen, was the originator and principal actor
in the affair.

During the night of Sunday, which, from the torrents of
rain that fell, was peculiarly advantageous for such a project,
nothing particular was heard by the turnkeys of the prison.
About a uarter before six o'clock on the following morning
(Monday , the turnkey in charge of the prisoners, as was usual,
1
went to t eir respective cells, for the purpose of unlocking
them, and on entering the yard, to his utter astonishment,
discovered the iron gratings of the windows of their cells re-
moved from their position, and lying on the pavement, and
the, windows wide open. An alarm was instantly given
thrJughout the gaol, police were called in, and the roof of
the various portions of the building strictly searched ; but no
trace of the prisoners being there found, it was generally
supposed they had effected their escape. Subsequently, on
the doors of the cells being opened, both Gould and Bailey
were found in one of them, in a completely exhausted condi-
tion ; and on their recovery, and being questioned upon the
subject, they both treated it with' the greatest levity and in-
difference. They were immediately secured with double
irons, and removed to separate cells, when a minute exami-
nation of the place and the means by which the escape had
been attempted was instituted, in the presence of the sheriffs,
who were with the utmost alacrity made acquainted with the
fact. They first commenced in the cell occupied by the con-
vict Bailey, but saw nothing to lead them to a conclusion as
to whether he effected his escape without assistance, except
by the cell windows, which had been secured by bars which
would defy the power of any person on the inside to remove,
and which could only have been so by an extraordinary power
from without. On entering Gould's cell a very different
scene presented itself. The entire of the iron grating en-
closing the cell window was forced out into the yard. By
the side of the cell door, which leads to a winding staircase
ascending to the roof, a quantity of brick work, to the extent
of nine inches in depth, had been removed, apparently by a
piece of iron, which was subsequently found in the cell, about
five inches in length ; but it was evident that Gould had re-
linquished this attempt, finding the wall of such uncommon
thickness as to resist his further efforts. He then succeeded
in removing the gratings of his window, and on getting into
the yard, assisted Bailey to do the same. On re-entering
the yard a rope was found, which had been constructed out
of the rugs and blankets of the prisoners' beds. At one end
of this a piece of iron grating was found attached, which, no
doubt, had been used with a view to throw one end of the
rope on the roof ; but the heavy rain having completely satu-
rated the blankets, it was presumed they had become so heavy
as to render the project utterly impracticable. There can be
no doubt but Gould's plan had been well matured, as, if he
had succeeded in getting through the wall on the winding
staircase, escape would have been most easy, inasmuch as
he would have been able to have secured his rope to a win-
dow at the top. and have lowered the end into the yard be-
low. On the roof is placed an officer during the night, and
had Gould and his companion succeeded in gaining it, there
is not much doubt but his life would have been sacrificed in
the hands of two such determined characters.
Since this extraordinary event, the gaol has been visited
by nearly the whole of the civic authorities, and a private
committee is appointed to investigate the matter at Guildhall
this day.

TfiE HIGII TOlt, DERBYSHIRE.—This immense mass of
rock, which, like the rest of the range, is beautifully inter-
spersed, and in some places densely covered with little trees,
presents a perpendicular side of 350 feet above the bed of the
river. On looking down from the extreme point, objects
seem wonderfully reduced in size. A phaeton (then passing)
appeared like a child's carriage; the pedestrian, a mere doll;
while the few scattered houses skirting the opposite base,
tastefully ornamented with various spars and flower-entwined
verandahs, or more neatly-contrived parterres, resembled
those of sand-dashed pasteboard, so much sought for by la-
dies of a " certain age" in the bazaars at Southport, and other
places of similar resort. This was my first impression on
looking down. Objects certainly do appear larger on remain-
ing up a length of time, which is easily accounted for. The
ascent is pleasant and easy, winding up at the back by a path
which brings one suddenly to the verge of the abyss, and then
the effect is more than doubly astonishing. The top of one
of the highest points of the rock, which in fact overhangs the
awful precipice, is so flat, that, by
.lying down, and carefully
thrusting our heads partly over the immediate brink, we were
better enabled to appreciate the double effect of its vast alti-
tude, and our own critical situation.--Sketches in Derby-
shire.

Harkaway is in training at Flintoff, Hedgeford, and is as
well as ever he was in his life ; it is not improbable that he
will carry off another Goodwin Cup.—Bell's Life.
A suit relating to property between the noble families of
Nettancourt and Larochefoucauld is still pending, which was
commenced 86 years ago !
On Saturday last, fine new potatoes were taken up in Mr.
John Robinson's garden, at Harrington, many of which
measured 41-inches in girth, and were considered to be the

largest in the neighbourhood.—Carlisle Patriot.
INFINITESIM ALISM.— It is an extraordinary, but tolerably
well authenticated fact, that down-east they have a way of
curing the most obstinate lameness, by administering crutches
in small, doses offrom one to fifty.
The Duke of Buckingham and Chandos, with a praise-
worthy liberality of mind, at his recentaudit returned to the
poor cottage tenants of Stowe and Wotton six months' rent.
SIMPLE REMEDIES.—For the gout, toast and water ; for
bile, exercise ; for corns, easy shoes ; for rheumatism, new
flannel and patience ; for tooth-ache, pluck it out.
There is now living at Treffort, in the Ain, a widow named
B6rnard, who was born in 1735, and is now in her 105th-Year.
She is in the enjoyment of 'all her faculties.
It is understood that the first recommendation of the com-
mission of inquiry into the bankrupt and insolvent laws, will
be the immediate and total abolition of imprisonment for
debt.

A third dividend of 2s. iu the pound is now in course of
payment to the creditors of Messrs. Foster, the bankers at
Carlisle, who stopped payment three or four years ago.
The Chundreeka, a native newspaper, speaks of Lord
Auckland's munificence in the mattet of the Bindrabun tem-
ples, as having " immersed the llindoos of Bindrabun and
Calcutta in an ocean. of happiness."
A MISTAKE CORTIECTED.—An orator holding forth in

Favour of " woman, dear divine woman," concluded thus:—

" Oh, my hearers, depend upon it, nothing beats a good
wife." " I beg pardon," replied one of his auditors, " a
bad husband does." .

The necessary instructions for commencing the new survey
for the assessment of the •window tax have been forwarded
by the government to the commissioners of taxes in various
parts of the country. The survey will commence immediately.
A famous physician practising in Pennsylvani, having pre-
scribed a strong dose of nitre to a patient labouring under a
severe cold, it caused so profuse a perspiration during the
night that he was found drowned the next morning.
In the year 1693 there was a standing order of the House
of Commons, directing that no member of the house do pre-
sume to smoke tobacco in the gallery, or at the tables of the
house sitting in committee.
An honest farmer living near Norwich, was asked why he
did not subscribe for a newspaper ? " Because," said he,
" my father, when he died, left me a good many papers, and
I hav'ht read them through yet."
A letter from Rome on the 13th states, that the Pope
seriously contemplated the conversion of Great Britain, and
that he had with that view divided the country into eight
apostolical vicarages,for each of which a bishop or apostolical

_
vicar had been provided.
The works of the Great North of England Railway between
York and Darlington, are in so forward a state, that the
directors of the company have employed Mr. Green, of
Darlington, architect, to furnish designs for depots upon
the line.

FORWARD FRUIT.—We had. yesterday evening, brought
to our office, some ripe cherries, grown by Mr. Richard
Smith, of the Marsh End. The cherries had been grown in
the open air, and had uo protection from the weather.—
Preston Chronicle. •

CAUTION TO TRESPASSERS.—A gentleman in Kentucky
has obtained a patent for a pocket teescope, that will bring
the furthest object so near as to enable him to give any fellow
a sound licking who may be seen trespassing in a field of
buck wheat twenty leagues off.
We have learnt that, the Queen, on hearing of the death
of Captain Otway,' immediately wrote in her own hand a
most kind and feeling note to Sir Robert and Lady Otway,
expressing her. own and Prince Albert's deep and sincere
sympathy in their affliction.
We understand that a new singer, of the name of Harri-
son, a native of Birmingham, and a member of the Lichfield
choir, will shortly make his appearance in London. His
voice is said to be a tenor of good compass and richness, and
possessing also a fine falsetto,.
A PRECIOUS GENIUS." Where is the east?" inquired
the mistress of a school of one of her young pupils, whom
she was queStioning on the situations of the points—north,
south, east, and west. "In the jug !" answered the little
geographer."
Southwick House, near Portsmouth, a very splendid man-
sion, the seat of Thomas Thistlethwayte, Esq., was destroyed
by tire on Saturday morning week. The damage is estimated
at .C 20,000, of which £13,000 is insured.
RE-OPENING OF EATON HALL AND THE GROUNDS.—
We are happy to learn that our noble neighbour, the Mar-
quis of Westminster, with his known liberality allows visi-
tors to Chester the privilege of seeing his grounds, and the
interior of his 'splendid mansion at Eaton during the summer,
excepting Saturdays and Sundays.—Chester Gazette.
A gentleman dining once with a member of the society of
friends, who was also a scion of ElweS' school, after having
eaton enough for four moderate visitors, re-helped himself,
exclaiming, " You see it's cut and come again with me !" to
which the sectarian gravely replied, " Friend, cut again thou
may'st, but come again thou never shalt."
The earliest voyage to India by the Red Sea (says the
Polytechnic Journal, quoting the Saxon Chronicle) was
performed in the time of Alfred the Great, by Sighelm,
Bishop of Sherborne, who took presents from the King to the
shrine of St. Thomas, and brought back spices and gums
from the East.

BEAN FLOUR.—There is none of the many pulses which
so nearly approaches wheat in quality and wholesomeness as
the small horse bean ; and it is quite notorious that millers,
aware of this, when wheat is dear or scarce, mix bean flour
largely with that of wheat. Nor would there be any great
harm in this, if the consumer were allowed to partake of the
profit ; but when it is seen that beans are from 10 to 15 per
cent. cheaper than wheat, and that the price of bread is regu-
lated solely by that of the latter, the whole of this 10 or 15
per cent. must be looked upon as an unfair • and illegitimate
profit.—Hull Times.
A PuzzLE.—lf any person or persons will send us an ex-
planation of the following sentence which appeared-in the
last Manchester Times, he or they shall be well rewarded.
We copy verbatim at literatim :—" Men, who have been
tories during the whole period of their political life—not tory
rats, mere turn-coat Politicians ; not men who have worn the
• white and green,' and declared on their return from London
after a parliamentary inquiry into electioneering bribery, that
they could not have believed that their tory friends would
have acted so basely, and exhibited such a want of all prin-
ciple as to induce such a wholesale demeoralisation of the
people.—lbid.
WIGAN LAW AGAIN.—We are most heartily sick of re-
marking on the conduct of the Wigan bench of magistrates,
and the fantastic tricks played by them in the exercise of their
judicial functions, but there are cases which, if not demand-
ingf remarks, at least are worth recording. Not long ago, the
governor of the workhouse was brought before tne magistrates
charged with an assault on a pauper, and bound over to keep
the peace. A few minutes afterwards a pauper was placed
before the magistrates and proved guilty of an assault on a
relieving officer, but was discharged on promising to refrain
in future. The former was a respectable man ; the latter is
an incorrigible idle fellow, who had been frequently before
the bench on former occasions. Need we say more ! ! !
Wigan Gazette.
Pori raoN.—Since our last report of the crops and weather,
we have had a specimen of our fickle climate, the thermo-
meter last week being within a few degrees of freezing point,
viz., 34 degrees. The latter end of last month it stood up-
wards of 70 degrees, making a difference of nearly 40 degrees.
We are now enjoying a genial season, and corn (except some
wheat) is looking remarkably well, also grass and all the pro-
ductions of tl:e earth look beautiful.—Preston Pilot.
The two missing .sylphides of her Majesty's Theatre,
Mdlles. Albertini 'and Fifine, are said to have winged their
flight to Florence, they having been under a written engage-
ment not to return to Paris for two years. The reason for
this clause is, that the young Prince de J
admirer of Mdlle. A. The sum of 80,000 francs is to be
paid the fair sisters if they comply with the articles which
were drawn up in the diplomatic form before they quitted
the French capital.
CANNIBALISM,--At the Rotherham Petty Sessions on
Monday last, five brutes habited as men, were fined £5
each, or in the alternative two months' imprisonment, for a
ferocious assault upon Thomas Hague, of Greasbro.' The
parties had gone to Scholes feast on Sunday week, and about
ten o'clock at night met in a beer-house, where Hague had
gone to look for company home. Hague gave the following
account of the transaction :—John Butterworth came in,
and struck me while I was looking the opposite way. While
I was down, he got hold of my cheek with his teeth, lifted
me up by the hold, and bit part of my nose off. He then
jumped upon my chest, and immediately ran out. While he
was gone, some one in the room took my coat off, because I
was bleeding, and was taking me into another house. As
soon as I got out, 'Wm. Butterworth came and knocked me
down again. The other defendants came up, and beat me
all the way from one house to the other. Barker called out
" kill him." I was covered with blood and sludge. In re-
examination, it appeared that John Butterworth had bit the
complainant twice before, but that he had forgiven him,
although advised not to do so.—Leeds Intelligeneer.
TARING TILE RESPONSIBILITY.—The Louisville (Ky.)
Journal says :—" The Wolverine girls appear to be danger-
ous customers. The Adrian (Mich.) Watchtower says that
a preacher, at a late religious meeting in that town, pub-
lished the names of several young ladies, who had on a
previous occasion disturbed his proceedings by whispering
and laughing. On the following evening the aggrieved ladies
provided themselves with raw hides, went to the clergyman's
house, and belaboured him until he had the rawest hide in
the company." These young ladies may well be called
" Wolverine girls."
QUEBEC AND MONTREAL.—The signs of progression and
and of stationary habits are nowhere more strikingly con-
spicuous than at Quebec and Montreal ; and nowhere,
perhaps, the domestic contrasts of almost every kind exhi-
bited in more varied shapes. Side by side are seen the mo-
dern commercial store and the ancient secluded convent.
Here appears the harbour enlivened by an array of British
shipping ; there, the lingering remnants of primitive inactive
life. Jostling each other on the narrow causeway, or grouped
in the wider square or market-place, are the red-coated sol-
dier of England, and the cowled priest of France ; the anti-
quated habitant of the country in his homespun suit of gray,
and the spruce denizen of the town attired in the latest Eu-
ropean fashion ; the swarthy aborigine of the soil enveloped
in his blanket, with his squaw carrying her papoose at her
back (the little creature not always exhibiting m lineament
a purity of race), and the British artisan or labourer in his
peculiar garb ; while, to crown the whole. the alternate sound
of two conflicting languages breaking ou your ear at every
step you take, leaves you momentarily undecided as to whe-
ther you be not in some provincial town of France or Eng-
land ; the first impression, moreover, being strengthened by
the general appearance of the streets and houses, and the
last by the British designation of many of thoroughfares, and
the preponderance of British names along their line of front-
age.—Preston's Three Years in Canada,