The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-11-23 00:00:00

THE WORKING OF ONE-SIDED FREE TRADE.

The official accounts of the Board of Trade, for the
nine months ended Oct. JO, 1847, compared with the cor-
responding periods in the two preceding years, have just
been published, and exhibit, says the Dublin Mail, in a
remarkable manner the disastrous failure of the Peel and
Cobden system of one-sided free trade. The accounts of
imports and exports, like those for the eight months ended
Sep. 10, continue to show a rapidly increasing importa-
tion and consumption of articles which contribute to the
daily sustenance of the people, and a marked falling off
of those which form the basis of manufacturing industry,
and consequently of future trade. Thus the numbers of
live animals (cattle, sheep, and hogs,) imported between
January 5, and Oct. 10, in each year, were as follow :

1845..
1846
1847
The increase in 1847 over 1845 being no less than 900 per
cent.

In the total imports of the various articles of provisions
including bacon, beef, and pork, the increase of 1847 over
1845 is little short of 400 per cent. The figures stand
thus :

1845,
1846.
1847.

Cwt.
109,550
•
403,877

Even foreign butter and cheese show an increased con-
sumption, in the former article, from 188,801 cwts. in
1845, to 253,842 cwts. in 1847 ; and in the latter, in the
same years, from 191,440 to 266,601 cwts.
The increase in the importation of grain is very remark-
able. In the single official month, Sep. 5, to Oct. 10,
there was imported :

Grain of all kinds.. . . 242,945 qrs. .. 1,169,807 qrs.
Flour and Meal .... 356,004 cwt. .. .. 1,639,255 cwt
During the entire of the nine months ended Oct. 10,
the comparison shows the following results :-
1846. 1847
Grain of all kinds.. .. 2,635,218 qr 5..... 7,905,419 qrs
Flour and Meal .... 2,631,341 cwt..... 7,900,880 cwt
If we convert the flour and meal into their equivalents
in grain, the imports during the last nine months will be
found to amount to the enormous quantity of 10,162,813
quarters, or to the food for one year of more than ten
millions of people. The increase in the imports of bread_
stuffs, in 1847, over 1846, amounts to upwards of 300 per
cent.
In articles of luxury, the comparative accounts of the•
respective periods of nine months show similar results :
the consumption of foreign spirits has increased upwards
of a million of gallons since 1845. The figures stand
thus :
Spirits duty paid, January 5, to October 10 :-
1845. 1846. 1847.
Gals. Gals. Gals.
Rum .. 1,786,048 1,815,538 2,428,512
Brandy.... 788,968 1,095,068 1,152,765
Geneva.... 12,072 30,713 23,091

T0ta1.... 2,587,088 2,941,319 3,604,368
It would thus appear that we have been good customers
to the world during the last few months, buying freely
and living well. Let us now turn to the provision we have
been making of means to keep up this great expenditure :
unfortunately we have not been so active in that direction.
There are only two sources from which an individual or a
nation can derive the means of purchasing foreign com-
modities, viz., 1. Accumulated capital ; and 2, the cur-
rent produce of industry. The accounts before us shew,.
in a very convincing manner, that we have not drawn the
means of increasing our outlay, from the latter source.
There has been an enormous decrease in the import of
raw materials for the use of our principal branches of
manufacture and trade. The following figures show to
what an extent this has taken place in some of the chief
articles.

Imported January 5 to October 10 :
Flax, cwt
Hemp 624,866 588,034 465,220-
Wool, Cotton
Sheep,'s lbs
Indigo, cwts
Madder Root. . .
Guano, tons
This evidence, showing that we have been paying for
our foreign corn, beef, and rum, in gold drawn from our
stores of accumulated capital, and not by a barter of the
current produce of our industry, is surely sufficient to ac-
count for existing monetary difficulties, without the ne-
cessity for a recurrence to any of the theories of the cur-
rency doctors. If a tailor or shoemaker in Dame-street,
or Grafton-street, were notoriously to spend his money
in buying Westphalia hams and Cogniac brandy, instead
of cloth or leather, we should find no difficulty in account-
ing for this shop being closed some fine morning, and his
body committed to the safe keeping of the Sheriff. The
entire nation, during the last two or three years, has been
but a collection of a number of individuals similarly im-
provident. _

We have not yet done with these accounts, which,
while they thus prove the absurdity of one-sided recipro-
city, inflict a heavy blow upon another branch of Peel
policy. There are facts which render it manifest that this
over outlay and under production—this spending half-a-
crown out of sixpence a-day, was the effect directly of the
stimulus given to the railway mania by the ex-Premier.
As long as the navvies were kept at work, and as money.
could be drawn from the regular branches of trade for
their use, the work of consumption went on briskly ;
coffee, sugar, tea and spirits were at a premium. In most •
of these articles the consumption of the entire nine Tiiaths
shows a considerable increase—but in almost all, that of
the last month (since the Railway works have been
brought to a stand still), a considerable reduction has
taken place. It is also obvious that the large imports of
the year have not been caused by any increased expendi-
ture among the upper classes—while the consumption of
spirits rose a million of gallons, that of wine fell from
5,298,042 gallons in 1845, to 4,694,791 gallons in 1847.
It will be readily admitted that these are curious facts ;
but whatever else he can do, Sir Robert Peel is, at all
events, a master-hand at the jumbling of figures, and, no
doubt, he will make all appear straight, if the matter
should happen to excite the attention of the House of
Commons. The public, nevertheless, will think of the
matter—when their capital, current and accumulated,
shall have finally floated off.

SCHOOL PRIZES EMULATION.

It will be objected by certairipurists in education, that
prizes are injudicious—that they stir up envy, strife, emu-
lation, and discontent—that higher and nobler principles

should be inculcated as motives to exertion—that children

should be taught to learn, because it is their duty and fu-
ture interest to do so, and not at all for the sake of grati-
fying their love of approbation. This has often been said,
and in a country too where the education of the noble and
wealthy is conducted, in a great measure, on this very re-
pudiated principle : where human life is nothing less than
a parpetual struggle for the athla keitneua eu meso—the
prizes so profusely spread before the eyes of the poorest
and the most humble. Such a relegation of the principle
of emulation might be judicious, if it were an object of
public policy to train the people in the apathy of the an-
cient Peruvians • but assuredly not so in a country such
as ours. May ienot, too, be calculated to cast a shade of
untruthfulness over all our teaching, when a class of mo-
tives are not merely subordinated to others, but wholly
repudiated ; while, at the same time, the characteristic r
acuteness of childhood must perceive, that of all around
it, some are entirely, while others are in a great measure,
ruled by these abnegated principles and much-decried
motives. Even were it possible to extinguish the feeling
of emulation, such a course would be objectionable. The
constituent elements of our moral nature were implanted
in us for wise purposes. The perfection of moral action
consists not in their eradication, but in their due subordi-
nation and control. The attempt to eradicate those se-
condary principles, with a view to afford more freedom for
the growth of primary motives, apparently more unexcep-
tionable, is no less unphilosophical than it would be inju-
dicious, 'if successful : unphilosophical, as subversibe of
the due equilibrium of our moral principles, and injudi-
cious, because wherever the attempt has even partially
succeeded, the result has been the excessive predominance
of other secondary principles much more objectionable.
He that would deny the propriety of the influence of such
motives on our actions, should also assert that we ought
not to eat because we are hungry, or drink because we are
thirsty, but on the higher grounds of preserving our
health, and for the sustentation of our bodies. How much
more then of true wisdom is there shown in educing the.
feeling of emulation in childhood ; in training, guiding,
and keeping it within due bounds, than when we endea-
vour to retard its growth by the harsh and nipping frosts
of stern discipline, till at last it shoots forth in all the
rank and late luxuriance of an undisciplined manhood,
unchecked and uncontrolled ; for " life," as it has well
been observed, " is but a competition, or a number of
competitions." Nor is this view less sanctioned by expe-
rience. Are the higher classes, who pass through this or-
deal, more prone to envy, or more jealous of one another
than the poor ? Is it not true that those passions are vi-
rulent in proportion to the lack of education ? It is a
misapprehension of the truth to infer, that if one class of
motives act upon the mind, even with considerable force,
all the others become either evanescent or wholly inope-
rative; that if‘for example, the love of praise be appealed
to, the principles of duty and obedience can no longer be
heard. This is not so ; for it may be laid down as a me-
taphysically universal proposition, that no one human ac-
tion results from a single motive. Actions are the " mo-
ral resultants," so to speak, of numerous motives, some
great, others of little force—of some that conspire toge-
ther, of others that are in direct antagonism. It is this
phenomenon which gives to conscience her supremacy ;
for, if every action were the result of a single motive, one
does not well see where would be the opportunity for con-
science to interfere. The very structure of language
proves this ; for what is it to deliberate, but to weigh mo-
tives, to give to each its due moral force. It follows, then,
that an appeal to one class of motives by no means infers
the suspended action of others. Why. then, may not the
feelings of emulation, of love of praise, be as fairly ap-
pealed to as the more directly selfish feelings of our na-
ture ? Are we at liberty, in our desperate conflict with
ignorance, recklessness, apathy, and vice, to cast from our
hands the ready aid of any instrument not essentially evil ?
If such views are founded in truth, it will necessarily fol-
low that we should leave no mode untried to supply in-
centives to exertion. Amongst such, the distribution of
prizes, and other honorary rewards, holds the high dis-
tinction which the experience of ages has conferred upon
it, that when judiciously and discreetly managed, it is one
of the most powerful, as well as one of the most exten-
sively useful of those means of inciting to action, which
the nature of man itself has placed in our hands.—Exa-
mination the Province qf the State, by Dr. James
1 Booth, F.R,S.

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Nov. 23, 1847.

total 49.035.

Richard Leyland, Esq., has presented £2OO to the Dis-
pensaries, through G. G: Hornby, Esq., the treasurer.
The Britannia steam ship sailed on Friday without any
specie.
The Reformers of Everton gave a dinner on Wednesday
'to Mr. Walthew, to celebrate that gentleman's return to
the Council.
On Thursday; a man named Dawson Carmont, whilst
intoxicated, was run over by a lorry, in Chapel-street, and
died soon after.
On Thursday a child named Helen Hartley was found
in flames in the cabin of her father's flat, and died in
about four hours. She had been striking some lucifer
matches
Great numbers of steerage passengers are returning
Trom America. From fifty to a hundred are common
numbers, and there were about eighty lost in the Stephen
Whitney.
The Rev. Hugh Stowell Brown, son of the late vicar of
Kirk Braddon, Isle of Man, has been elected minister of
Myrtle-street Baptist Chapel. The stipend is fixed at
£250. The Rev. J. Lister has resigned.
EXTENSIVE ROBBERY.—On Tuesday night, the shop
of Mr. Dodd, tailor and draper, Lord-street, was broken
open at the back of the premises, and wearing apparel to
the amount of £BO stolen.
A high treat may be expected from Mr. Goodall's ap-
proaching ball. That gentleman is a first-rate violinist,
and the performances of his band will, if we mistake not,
surprise the public.
A handsome ship, to be commanded by, Capt. Marden,
will be launched from Messrs. Chaloner s building-yard
to-day, at eleven o'clock. She is intended for the Per-
nambuco trade' and has been built for Messrs. Cotesworth,
Wynne, and Lyne.
FATAL ACCIDENT.—On Thursday, whilst Mr. John
'Turner, cart-owner, Lionel-street, was assisting to get a
horse up which had fallen in Strand-street, with a cart
loaded with casks of hardware, one of the casks rolled off
upon the unfortunate man and killed him on the spot.
LIVERPOOL GAS-LIGHT COMPANY.—On Wednesday,
500 new shares of £25 each in this comp any were sold at
the Clarendon-rooms, by Messrs. Thos. Winstanley and
Sons, in lots of four shares each. The average price for
the four shares, of £lOO in the aggregate, was £157, and
this was considered their fair value.
NORTH AND SOUTH WALES BANK.—Meetings of the
depositors and others interested in this bank have been
held during the week at Newtown and Carnarvon, and
resolutions were passed expressive of confidence in the
bank, and of acquiescence in the terms proposed by the
N--"T were unanimously passed.
SINGULAR ANNOUNCEMENT !—ILL the Chester Courant
of Tuesday last, is an advertisement of an estate to be
sold by auction, to which is appended a notice that a
purchaser may pay for the same in North and South
Wales Bank notes ; or a check from a depositor in that
bank will be taken in payment. This must give confi-
dence to the holders of property in this bank.
A HUGE MANGEL.—There was pulled last week, in a
field at Zigzag Farm, Liscard, belonging to William Mann,
Esq., of this town, and farmed by that gentleman, a man-
gel wurzel of the scarlet kind, the length of which, from
the top of the bulb to its extremity was two feet ten
inches. Including the green top, or leaves, the whole
plant was about four feet long, and being well formed, the
weight was extraordinary.
DEATH FROM SCALDING.—About a fortnight ago. a
married female named M'Quade, residing in Porter's
Court, Vauxhall-road, left her little boy, aged 4 years, in
the house (she having occasion to go out,) with a girl of
6 years of age. A pan of hot water was at the time at
the bottom of the stairs. On the mother's return she
found the boy in the water, and took him out. He was
so much scalded that he died on Friday.
The congregation at Newington (Independent) chapel,
Renshaw-street, have invited the Rev. R. A. Vaughan, the
highly-talented son of Dr. Vaughan, the celebrated author
of the " Age of Great Cities," to supply their pulpit for
the next two Sabbaths, vacant by their late minister the
Rev. William Bevan, having accepted the office of secretary
to the Evangelical Alliance, in London ; and we understand
he has consented to preach for them.
SHIPWRECK IN THE BRISTOL CHANNEL.—On Monday
night last, the barque Henry, of Liverpool, Potts, master,
was totally wrecked on the rocks called the Shear
Weathers, near Portcawl. The vessel was about 1200
tons burthen, was in ballast, and bound from Liverpool
to Cardiff. She soon became a complete wreck. The
crew, with the exception of an apprentice, were all saved
-and taken to Swansea. It is feared not a vestige of the
vessel will be secured.
STREET ACCIDENT.—On the 19th ult., William Prit-
chard, aged 21, was driving his cart along Strand-street,
where he was met by another cart. He was knocked
down by one of the shafts of one or other of the carts,
and a wheel of one of them passed over the lower part of
his body. - He was taken to the Northern Hospital, and
it was found had sustained a compound fracture of the
right thigh, a fracture of the leg, and other injuries, of
which he died on Friday night. No blame was attribut-
able to the driver of the other cart.
ACCIDENT AT THE NEW NORTH DOCKS.-011 the 2nd
ivnapalfanoilt ,e ad laatbtohuerer named Walter Byrne, and others, were
North Docks in getting out what is called
• • of earth v,
ralning it firs an operation which is done by under-
forced down It), and if it do not fall through this, it is
mining some bermseYa;tvid While employed in thus
previous indication, , ss came down without giving
leg and right thighwaenrd fell upon the deceased. His left
e broken, and he was taken to the
Northern Hospital, where he died from the injuries on
Friday.
OUTRAGEOUS STREET ROBBERIES. —OR Saturday
Might, a seaman named Hamilton, lodging in Denison-
street, was knocked down by some thieves in Vauxhall-
road, and robbed of £l3 in g . e night, Mr. Id —Sam ight„ E.
Shaw, of
Great —street,-tatreet,owas stopped by three men
in Basnett-street, who demanded his money ; two of them
seized him and attempted to rifle his pockets, but assist-
ance coming to his cries, the thieves ran off and escaped.
—On Monday night, James Burgess, who resides in Bur-
lington-street, was stopped in Leeds-street by three men;
one of them drew a knife and demanded his money. On
his crying for assistance, the villains ran off and escaped.
THE NEW RAILWAY TUNNEL.—It is said that the new
tunnel of the London and North-western Railway, from
Edge-hill to the new north docks, is likely to prove more
expensive than was at first anticipated. The cuttings
have been so difficult, that some of the dwellings over-
head have been rent, and to live in them as they now are
would be dangerous. It is believed that the houses in
the whole distance from Fontenoy-street to Crompton-
street, comprising Bispham-street, Henry Edward-street,
Marybone, Midghall-street, Banastre-street,Freemason's-
- row, Vauxhall-road, Gascoyne-street, and Eaton-street,
-will have to be pulled down.
HALIFAX AND BOSTON STEAMERS.—It has been deter-
mined that there shall be a steamer every fortnight, in-
stead of every month, during the present winter. The days
fixed for the sailing of the next three steamers are the 4th
and 18th of December, and the Ist of January, 1848. A
steamer will be despatched for America every fortnight up
to the 25th of March, after which date the departures be-
come weekly from England to America, and from America
to England. For the execution of this gigantic contract,
the Royal North American Mail Company have nearly
completed four new ships, of greater tonnage and steam
power than their present steamers, which will make a
• fleet of nine vessels, viz. the Britannia, Acadia, Caledonia,
Hibernia, Cambria, America, Canada, Niagara, and Eu-
ropa, the fastest and finest steam-ships in the world.
THE WEATHER.—We do not remember having wit-
nessed a finer back-end than the present for field opera-
tion.- We had some frost on Wednesday night, but the
day that n,nowed was glorious and sunny. On Thursday
night the frost relaxed, with a westerly wind, and Friday
was as mild as a spring day. The farmers in these dis-
tricts have nearly concluded getting in their turnips and
mange's, and have already sown the greater part of their
wheat, the land being in prime order for seeding. When
this is completed their attention will be chiefly directed
in open weather to manuring, and preparing the ground
for spring grain, &c. It is now ascertained that in this
county, and more especially inCheshire, the potatoe crops
have been scanty. Field turnips are selling at from 16s.
to 20s. according to quality.
NEWSPAPER CIRCULATION.—The inundating our
streets and highways with gaudy placards, announcing
that the Liverpool Mercury of Tuesday or Friday will
contain a full report of the case of A v. B, (no matter
what is the subject, or who are the parties, provided, like
Finder's razors, the thing will sell,) is a mere ruse, and a
very disgraceful one too in any journal pretending to re-
spectability. The deplorable fact is, and our sensitive
contemporary knows it right well, that the Mercury is
but rarely visible above the Manx horizon, and even then
—to the credit of our citizens be it spoken—is treated as
a planet of very so so reputation. The Liverpool Con-
servative papers have an extensive circulation in this
island, and even the Whig and Radical journals there pub-
lished—the Mercury alone excepted—have a fair share of
the insular public patronage. Hine illce lachryinw.—
Manx Sun.
PUBLIC BATHS.—It is pleasant to refer once more to
the baths and wash-houses in Paul-street. The first
annual account will shortly be laid before the Council.
We believe it will show the following gratifying results :
The cold baths at one penny were used by 3,082 males
and 1,316 females, and the influence of price is particu-
larly discernable ; at threepence no more than 318 persons
bathed ; and at sixpence, only 69. In the warm baths at
threepence, no fewer than 30,293 males and 1,188 females
bathed ; at sixpence, 5,508 males and 456 females, and at
a shilling, 1,348 males and 154 females. The total num-
ber using the baths was 44,404, for which they paid
£644 3s. 4d. The number of children permitted to
bathe gratis was 59,064. The result in the washing de-
partment is not less gratifying. The number of tubs paid
for is 34,450, and the clothes washed and dried are 64,900
-dozen, and of infected clothes, 2,125 dozen. The sum
paid for washing is £135 4s. 2d.,—the whole income
more than meeting the outlay.
We observe by advertisement, that Mr. Thompson, of
Clayton-square, continues to give his excellent lessons in
that most useful of all arts, the art of writing. As no
person should write an indifferent hand, we would advise
.all who do so to take a course of lessons from Mr. Thomp-
son.
THE TOlLET.—Although experience has taught us to
deprecate the use of cosmetics obnoxious to the delicate
organisation of the hair—which, in place of promoting its
growth, generally tend to denude the person of one of its
finest ornaments—we can recommend with, we believe,
perfect safety, the restorative balsam prepared by Mr.
Coupland, chemist, Parker-street. It is certainly an
elegant addition to the toilet.—See advt.
THE BOSJESMANS.—These extraordinary specimens of
the intermediate link between the human and the brute
creations, have attracted numerous attendances at the
Portico, Newington. During the past week the place has
been visited by many of the first families of the neigh-
bourhood, as well as the pupils of several of the most re-
spectable schools. Our friends cannot do better than em-
brace an opportunity which may, perhaps, never again be
afforded to them of seeing these interesting people.

BRUTAL ASSAULT.—A MAN KILLED.—An inquest was
held on Friday before the Deputy Coroner, on the body
of a young man named Thomas Taylor, who lived with
his parents, working people, in Lower Harrington-street,
Toxteth-park. His mother deposed to leaving him sitting
before the fire when she went to bed on Saturday night.
A little after twelve o'clock on the same night, another
witness saw him in Bell-street, near his own house; five
or six men were following him ; one of them struck him
on the side of the face, and he fell, when the others kicked
him about the body. Subsequently he was taken into a
neighbour's house, bleeding from a wound under the ear.
During Sunday he complained of a pain in his left ear,
and on the following morning he became delirious, and
on the same morning he was taken to the- Southern Hos-
pital. The evidence of Mr. Morris, who made a post
mortem examination, went to show that on removing the
scalp a thickning of the pericranium from effusion of
lymph was apparent. On opening the head effusion of
matter on the surface of several parts of the brain was -
observed. This was considered to be the cause of death.
The appearances observed in the pericranium, were the
results of external violence. A verdict of "wilful mur-
der" against some person or persons unknown, was re-
turned.

THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.—The late elections, on
Wednesday last, occasioned by the elevation to the alder-
manship of John Holmes, Esq., John Cooper, Esq., J.
N. Wood, Esq., and James rocter, Esq., passed off
with perfect quitness. Two radicals were returned, with
two liberals, leaving matters, in a political sense, in statu
quo. In Castle-street there was no contest, and G. Holt
(Reformer) was returned.—ln Abercrombie Ward, Mr.
Mr. Robertson Gladstone opposed Mr. Gardner, and the
latter was the winner by only a majority of 6, the num-
bers being 189 to 183. In Rodney-street Ward, Mr. G.
Bookei (whom we noticed as a highly fit and proper Con-
scrvative representative) was opposed most ungraciously
by Mr. Lewin, who, however, notwithstanding all his
friend's exertions, suffered a mortifying defeat, the votes
at the close being, at the close, for Booker 267, and for
Lewin only 140—majority for the former 127 !—Great
George-street Ward was warmly contested, Mr. Dover
being proposed by the Conservatives in opposition to Mr.
Rogers. From the early part of the day neither candi-
date exceeded the other in votes above ten, until about
three o'clock, when Mr. Rogers was 16 a-head. By the
hour of closing he had gained 5 additional votes, giving
him a majority of 21. The successful candidate briefly
addressed the electors after the numbers were declared.
The Council now consists of seventeen liberals and forty-
seven conservatives.

THE DUKEDOM OF DEVONSHIRE.—We learn from good
authority that Mr. George Hudson, now of this town, who
has for some years been claimant to the Dukedom of
Devonshire, will, in a few days, be in a position to for-
ward a petition to her Majesty the Queen, setting forth
the grounds upon which he considers himself entitled to
an investigation of his case before the House of Lords.
We have perused several of the documents and evidences
which he purposes to bring forward, outlines of which
have already been published by some of the London and
provincial journals. The facts therein developed touching
the descent of the claimant in a distinct line from the
Howards and Cavendishes, and the extraordinary manner
in which, it is asserted, his title has so long been held in
abeyance, and the property alienated, are curious in them-
selves, and derive additional interest from the very large
amount of landed and other property involved—situate in
various counties in England. It would be improper for us
to offer a decided opinion upon the matter in the present
stage of the proceedings, and in the absence of replication
on the part of the present possessors ; but from the appa-
rently authentic and corroborative statements and docu-
ments of the claimant, we have no reason to doubt but
that he will succeed in obtaining the fair and full inquiry
which he desires. The case is of importance in a national
point of view, inasmuch as it involves the vindication of
the inalienable integrity and rightful possession of herit-
able property, and its titles and immunities. The inves-
tigation will, we presume, devolve upop a committee of
privileges.
IRISH IMMIGRATION.—From Tuesday last the accounts
of the arrivals from Ireland have been kept in an improved
form, and present the following results up to Friday :
Men. Women. Children. Total.
103 .. 42 .. 16 .. 161

Cabin passengers

Emignlnts to the United
States or the Canadas 413 .. 281 .. 169 .. 863
Mendicant paupers .... 99 .. 69 .. 47 .. 215

Jobbers
159 .. —.. 159
For the temporary accommodation of the class represented
by the above 863 emigrants, who are compelled to come
to this port for a passage to America, it would be worthy
of the philantrophy of Liverpool to provide suitable lodg-
ings and board at a cheap rate, either by public subscrip-
tion, or at the expense of the borough or government, or
all three conjointly. Such an institution might be made
wholly or in part self-supporting, and by the superior
comfort, economy, facility, and security it might afford to
emigrants, would materially mitigate the evils of the
present no-system upon which emigration is conducted,
and render it really an advantage to the port and the in-
habitants. As respects the mendicant class, of whom in
four days 215 have been added to the thousands who
already infest and afflict the country, it is surely con-
sistent with the highest humanity, that some competent
authority should prevent their embarkation, as a waste of
national resources : or, if that is impracticable, the law
should authorise their removal, on landing, either to work-
houses or industrial schools, where they might at least
support themselves, and be prevented from spreading
disease and crime over the country.
THE ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH IN LIVERPOOL.—The
wires have now been carried under the streets from the
railway station, Lime-street, to the new office of the
Commercial Electric Telegraph Company, Exchange-
buildings, nearly opposite the Exchange Newsroom.
There are nine copper wires, all inclosed in one small
iron tube, about the thickness of a finger, and yet the
whole had been so carefully preserved from contact with
each other throughout the whole distance, about a mile,
that when tested there was not the slightest deflection of
the needles, which would have been the case had any two
of the wires touched each other at any point along the
whole line. At the corner of Water-street, a diverging
group of nine wires, inclosed in an iron pipe, is carried
along that street towards the docks and the river, to
the present marine telegraph office, and it is not unlikely
that this is to form the commencement of a line of elec.
tro-telegraphic communication, terminating at Holyhead.
For some months of every winter, and very frequently in
the other parts of the year, the present line of telegraphs
are rendered useless for a time, by dense fogs obstructing
the vision of the officers at the different stations, who
have to keep a look-out. This has been a great drawback
to the utility of the present range of telegraphs ; and it
would be a great boon to the mercantile community, if
communication with Holyhead could be rendered inde-
pendent of fog or darkness, and be made at any hour of
the day and night,—especially with the immense addi-
tional advantage of possessing the means of asking ques-
tions and receiving answers, as to the vessels in sight, &c.
Amongst other uses, important news brought by a mail
steamship from the United States might be telegraphed
direct to Liverpool, Manchester, and London, twelve
hours before the steamer could reach Liverpool to land
her passengers and mail bags. Another advantage would
be, that the owners of an outward-bound vessel might
transmit a message to the captain, twelve hours or more
after his vessel had left the port. We hope, in the course
of next year, to see this line of telegraph in active opera-
tion.