The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-08-18 00:00:00

EMIGRATION TO TEXAS

g letter at the request of a friend
-rsons intending to emigrate from

We insert the followir
who is anxious to prevent i
being imposed on by interested

spent some time in Texas, and
is residence there, made himself acquainted

the pen of a gentleo;an wh

who, during

with the country

DEAR SIR,—You have asked me for a description of
Texas, and the eligibility of the country for settlers, and, as
far as a short letter goes, I comply with your request. I
must premise, that I have been through the whole of Texas,
from Nacogdoches to Matagorda, and from Galveston to
within ten miles of Austen, and I consider, that, in the
western country, say up to the Brazes, beyond Fort Bend
and Richproud, to the Colorado, there could not be
a finer country for English families who are desirous of
emigrating. The quality of the land is very superior:
it is a fine, open country, and the plough can at once
,be put into operation ; the pasturage, too, is abundant;
herds of cattle are met with everywhere, and to be pur-
chased at twelve to fourteen dollars a-bead, say £2,105.
sterling. Of course, any one who goes out to a new country
must expect to rough it for some time, particularly an agri-
culturist ; still, the climate is mild, and, except a north wind
that blows sometimes during the winter months, any party
may live well under a tent till he builds his log-house. La-
bour is exceedingly expensive, so that every one who goes out
must be dependent upon his own exertions. With respect to

mechanics; I think 'that most trades would d;mwell11311
have a better opinion of farming than any other; the two,
however, combined will always answer ; and, if the besetting
sin of drunkenness can be dispensed with, I am sure any man
may do well there. Provisions are expensive, but this will
only be a drawback for six months to the settler: he can
raise more in the first year than twenty families can consume.
A Mr. Fitzgerald, a friend of mine, who has been both to
Van Diemen's Land and New South Wales, says, that one
acre of land on the borders of the Colorada, or any part of
the western country, is worth, for grazing and growing corn,
any five he ever saw in those settlements. lam of opinion,
that good wool, with judicious crossing of the common Mexi-
can sheep, which can be bought for 55., would be very pro-
dm Live IVPI thawanring, .- natfla j Ivnlll.l

uuv:~avc, as vk ell as Luereuring in UaLUe. 1 WOULLI strenuously
advise all the parties going out on no account to listen to the
tales they hear of this or that fine situation, but go there and
select, and keep their money in their pocket. Not one-half
of the claims which are sold are valid : with the money there,
they will buy what they *ant at fifty per cent. cheaper. The
climate on the sea coast is like all the Gulf Mexico ; not so
the rolling lands on the Colorado, and about Richmond,
Washington, &c. the climate there I think unexceptionable,
and in every way suited to English constitutions. Above all,
impress your friends, that their money is better in their pock-
ets than laid out among these schemers. If you will send any
paity to me who wants any particular account a the place, I
shall be happy to give it thehh—ln haste, yours, truly.

P. S.—lt is my opinion, that many parties, large landhold•
ers in Texas, would be willing to give land gratis to settlers,
particularly if they went in a body. The price of land varies
from 5 dollars to 50. 100, say from XI to 2s. 6d. per acre.
Sould any parties be induced to go out, we should be happy,
through our friend, in giving them such letters to parties
(original empresarios*) as would enable them to make pur-
chases of property that would bar anything like litigation,
and titles which could not, for a moment, be doubted.
* The empresario grants were made, originally, to Stephen
Austen and others, for the introduction of American settlers,
who received each one league and lebore of land, (about 170
acres,) in all, about 2,190 acres ; and, for every 100 families
so introduced, the empresario had five leagues of land and a
number of lebores granted him. These titles have been
recognised by the present government of Texas, and no diffi-
culty exists about the title in these purchases, or in the titles
given to soldiers or sailors who served the government
during the war of independence. Every other title must be
looked suspiciously upon, many hundreds of claims having,
during the last six months, been rejected by the officers ap-
pointed by government to detect fraudulent land claims,
1,000 acres of which have been sold, both in the United States
and England.

THE BATHS.—We beg leave to direct the attention
of our readers to Mr. Penn's advertisement, which ap-
pears in another column. On Friday we shall furnish our
readers with some interesting particulars respecting.the com-
modious baths under his spirited management.
THE LATE MR. BIDBY.—A very protracted examination
took place yesterday before John Formby, Esq., Charles
Birch, Esq., and the Rev. Miles Formby, of a number of
witnesses, relative to the mysterious death of the late Mr.
John Bibby. Our readers are aware that a man has been
in custody for a week on suspicion of being concerned in the
perpetration of the crime—for no doubt is now felt that the
unfortunate gentleman was murdered—and that he has under-
gone two lengthened examinations. This man's name is
James Cullen. Up to the period of Mr. Bibby's death he
was in his service as a clay temperer, in some brick fields near
Seaforth. The substance of the evidence against this man on
the previous examimations was, that about four o'clock on
the morning of Saturday, the 18th July, lie was seen near to
and coming in a direction from the pit where the body was
afterwards found. The testimony then produced also ex-
cited suspicions against one or two other parties, of whom as
yet nothing has been heard, although strict inquiries have
been instituted. Yesterday another witness was produced,
who also saw the prisoner the same morning coming from the
same direction, but at a later hour. A good deal of evidence
was also given as to the prisoner, and the men for whom in-
quiries are now being made, going to bed on the Friday
night and rising again the following morning. The testimony
of one witness, concerning the time that the first intelli

of Mr. Bibby's death was heard at the prisoner's lodgings,
was very important, but it is not advisable at present to print
it. Mr. Carson appeared on behalf of the prosecution, and
the prisoner was defended by Mr. Davenport. Ultimately,
further investigation was postponed till Friday next.
MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE OF A TRADESMAN.—WS
are glad to announce that Mr. Roberts, whose absence from
home we noticed in our last, has written to his brother in
this town from Manchester, and though his absence may not
have been sufficiently accounted for, it is a great satisfaction
to his friends to have ascertained that he is alive and well.

The annual sermon in behalf of the funds of the Liverpool
Church of England School Society, was preached in St.
Jude's Church, on Sunday last, and the collection on the
occasion amounted to the sum of £44 Is. id.

THE ASSIZES.—The Honourable the Judges of Assize,
Mr. Baron Rolfe and Mr. Justice Coltman, arrived in this
town, from Lancaster, yesterday afternoon. After the open-
ing of the commission, their lordships attended divine ser-
vice at St. George's Church, accompanied by the High She-
riff of the county, Thomas Fitzherbert Brockholes, Esq.
The assizes will commence this morning.

THEATRE ROYAL.—" Much ado about Nothing" was
performed, with Mrs. Sterling, Mr. W. Farren, and Mr.
Anderson in the principal characters. It was loudly ap-
plauded and announced for repetition on Thursday. This
evening " As you like It" will be represented, and an ad-
mirable opportunity afforded of contrasting the style of Mrs.
Sterling with that of Miss Ellen Tree. To-morrow " The
Hypocrite" will be produced, and on Friday Mr. Anderson
takes his leave of the Liverpool boards for the present sea-
son. Several laughable farces will be performed in the
course of the week.—See advt.

Arrivals at the Misses Perkins' Family Boarding-house,
70, Duke-street :—Mrs. Lalor and Daughter, Clenmel,
Ireland; Mrs. Cochraine, Dudley, near Birmingham; Mrs.
Bramah, Moseley, near Birmingham ; Oliver, Esq.,
Quebec ; Charles Whitehead, Esq., Mexico.
BRITISH STEAMERS ON THE NILE.-The Oriental Steam
Company have purchased the iron steamer Dahlia, which is
on the point of starting from England to ply on the Nile,
under license of the Pacha, to convey the East India mails
and passengers through Egypt.

We understand that Thomas Molyneux Seel, Esq., Mr.
Berkeley, of Spetchley, Mr. Howard, of Corby, and Philip
Howard, M.P. for Carlisle, are under subpoenas to attend at
the approaching trial respecting the will of the late Mr.
Blundell, of Ince, which is, we hear, expected to come on for
hearing at the assizes here on or about the 26th instant.

REPRESENTATION OP CLITHEROE.—This borough WAS
the scene of great festivity on Thursday last, on the occasion
of a dinner given by the conservatives to Edward Cardwell,
Esq. of this town, the candidate for the representation of
Clitheroe in parliament. A majority of the electors was pre-
sent, and the meeting was most enthusiastic in their expres-
sions of loyalty and determination to place Mr. Cardwell in
the honourable position of member for Clitheroe. Several
most admirable speeches were delivered, and the sentiments
of Mr. Cardwell elicited thunders of applause. Amongst the
gentlemen present we noticed Le Gendre Nicholas Starkie,
Esq. chairman, Clegg, Esq. vice-chairman, H. Fielden,
Esq. Blackburn, Rev. John Whalley, Rector of Sladeburn,
Rev. Whittaker, Vicar of Whalley, C. S. Parker, and H.
Sandbach, Esquires, of Liverpool, and H. Fielden, Esq., of
Blackburn.

CHURCH PASTORAL-AID SOCIETY.-1 monthly meeting
of the committee of the Church Pastoral-Aid Society was
held on the 2d of July, when grants were voted for 16 addi-
tional curates and 3 lay-assistants. The Society now aids
278 incumbents, having under their ministerial care an ag-
gregate population of 2,047,984 souls, or each on an average
the charge of 7,336 souls, while the average amount of their
incomes is only £164. 137 of these incumbents are without
parsonage-houses. Previous to the aid of the society, only
315 clergymen were engaged in the pastoral care of the above-
stated population. The grants are to provide stipends for
295 clergymen, and 44 lay-assistants, at a charge to the so-
ciety, when all the appointments shall be made by the in-
cumbents, of £26,611 per annum. 212 clergymen, and 38
lay-assistants, are now supported in their important labours
by the society, at a charge of £19,476 per annum.
SHIPWRECK AND Loss of LIFE.-011 Thursday last the
schooner Lucy, of Chester, Owen, master, put into this port
on her passage from Carnarvon to Hull, having on board
Captain Finch, of the smack Diligence, of Cardigan, and two
of his crew. It appears that on the preceding evening, the
Diligence, which had just rounded the Lizard, on a voyage
from Newhaven to Runcorn, was struck with a heavy squall,
in which she received some damage in her rudder or rudder-
irons. She consequently became unmanageable, and was
driven on the rocks near Mullion Head, and sunk. The
crew, on seeing their danger, got into the boat ; but she,
becoming entangled in the vessel's rigging, both went down
together, and John Harley, of Tenby, one of the crew, was
drowned. The captain and the other two seamen supported
themselves in the water for about 20 minutes ; when the
Lucy, on board of which the accident had been seen, hastened
to their assistance, and picked them up.—Cornwall Gazette.

THE '"
ORIENTAL" AND THE " LIVERPOOL" STEAM-
SHIPS.—The former of these vessels, (which has already
made a most successful trial trip to the Isle of Man and
back,) will leave this port in a few days for Dublin, whence
she will proceed to Southampton, to commence running with
the Peninsular and Mediterranean mails on the first proximo.
The " Liverpool" will follow her in a few weeks, to run al-
ternately on the same station. The following particulars re-
lative to the steam communication with England vid Egypt.,
under contract with her Majesty's government, by means of
these tine vessels, is derived from the Malta Times of the
25th ult., and will be found of considerable commercial inte-
rest to parties in this country, as well as in India :—" The
company's new steam-ship Oriental, of 1500 tons and 450
horse-power, will'start from Alexandria direct for England,
on or about the 21st of September next ; and thenceforward
the Oriental and Liverpool of 1300 tons and 464 horse-
power, will continue to start from England on the Ist, and
from Alexandria on the 21st of every month. The Oriental
is fitted up with spacious accommodation for one hundred
cabin passengers. A first-rate table, with wines, &c., will be
provided on board and included in the fare, which for the
present has been fixed at £45 for the first, and £3O for the
second cabin, for the whole route from Alexandria to Eng-
land, and vice versa. An improved conveyance for mails,
passengers, and merchandise, through Egypt, is about to be
formed by the establishment of swift and commodious iron
steam-vessels on the Nile, and by extending and improving
the means of transit between Suez and Cairo, which is in-
tended to be immediately effected, so as to ensure the first
passengers reaching Alexandria in time for the homeward
steamer. The vessels will carry medical officers, and the
time occupied in the homeward passage will be allowed in the
quarantine. Any quantity of cargo may be forwarded through
Egypt, under existing arrangements, in five days, and when
the improved system is effected, in three days, if packed in
cases of not more than 1501bs. weight; and goods of every
description can pass through Egypt, and on to England,
without being liable to quarantine, provided they are packed
in wood, iron, or tin only, and without any cordage, cloth, or
other susceptible substance attached to them, and provided
they are sealed at an Indian custom-house. Arrangements
are in progress for despatching a vessel shortly to Calcutta,
to commence a line of steam communication between the
easternpresidencies of India, Ceylon, and Suez."