The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-05-12 00:00:00

STATE OF TRADE.

LEEDS.—The improvement which we noticed last week still
continues. The purchases in the Cloth Halls, on Saturday
and Tuesday, were more extensive than for some time previ-
ously, and a better tone pervades all classes of tradesmen in
general. Many of the cloth dressers are very busy, but there
are yet a good many hands out of employ, both spinners,
weavers, and cloth-dressers.

BRADFORD MARKET.—A larger amount of business was
transacted at our market on Thursday, than has been done
on any market day for a long time past. There was not, how-
ever, any improvement on late prices. The Yarn market
did not exhibit any peculiar animation, but an average busi-
ness was done. The stocks in the hands of the spinners are
very low, the accounts from the wool-growing districts lead-
ing to the belief that the plentiful clip will have a tendency
to prevent any present increase in the prices of long wools,
even if current prices can he maintained. The same feeling
governed the purchases in the Wool market, which were of
a limited character, and former prices were scarcely main-
tained. _

WAKEFIELD WOOL MARKET.—We have no particular al-
teration to note in the aspect of our market at present, as
compared with last week. The favourable accounts of the
new clip cause long wools to be held not quite so firmly.
HECKMONDWIKE.—Very little alteration has taken place
in the Blanket trade since last week, the demand for goods
continuing limited, and the mercLants not buying at present
on speculation, but merely for orders on hand, and to assort
their stocks.—Leeds Intelligencer.
WIGAN.—From the large quantities of cotton which have
for the two last weeks been forwarded from Liverpool to
Wigan and the neighbourhood, the people seem inclined to
hope that the cotton trade is about to take a change for the
better. Work for the hand-loom weaver is still scarce, and
the coal proprietors are either stinting their workmen or
stopping altogether.—Preston Chronicle.
LANCASHIRE.—At Bolton there has been a considerable
demand for cotton yarns and goods during the last week, and,
in many instances, at rather better prices. The hand-loom
weavers of fine fancy goods and other fabrics are more fully
employed than they have been for some time past. The
hands employed in the iron foundries continue to be short of
work. The great distress which has prevailed here for such
a length of tune appears to be gradually wearing away. The
batting trade at Oldham is moderately brisk, and the ma-
chinery in most of the cotton mills is now in full operation :
the operatives connected with other branches appear to have
more work than they had three weeks ago. The cotton spin-
ning and power-loom weaving at Ashton-under-Lyne is rather
better, and hands generally are niore fully employed. There
has been a great deal of distress at Stockport, and a very
great number of factory operatives have for a long time past
been out of work, or only partially employed, but things ap-
pear to be improving, though there are still sad complaints
both amongst masters and operatives. The silk trade is brisk,
and weavers in Manchester, Middleton, Failsworth, and Leigh
are fully employed ; and although the wages are low, the
silk trade hands are in considerably better circumstances than
those employed in cotton factories : there certainly appears
to be cheering prospects of a brisk trade in the manufactory
of silk goods in this county. The woollen and flannel
weavers of Rochdale are in miserable circumstances, both as
it respects the quantity of work and the low prices of wages ;
manufacturers scarcely know how to act. The various trades
in other towns appear to be rather improving, and we should
be very glad to have to state the same with respect to the
woollen cloth trade at Seddleworth and Rochdale, but things
in those places at present are very gloomy. —lbid.
In the Market for Metals no change in any of the quota-
tions has been reported, and the business has been generally
in a languid state. The price of brimstone also remains un-
altered ; for though there is no certain intelligence of the re-
opening of the trade with Sicily, yet the stocks are generally
reduced, and the holders firm in their demands for the pre-
sent rates.

POLYANTRUS.—There is now in bloom in Mr. Saul's
garden at Skerton, a new kind of polyanthus, raised by him
from seed. The colour is orange, with lacing of gold. The
stem is remarkably strong, producing a score of flowers, and
all drooping somewhat after the fashion of the cowslip.—
Lancaster Gazette.

Soms.mmitiusxr.—On Saturday morning last, about a
quarter past two o'clock, a serious accident occurred to a
young man, a stonemason, named Plows, residing in Regent-
street, without Walmgate Bar, in the suburbs of the city of
the city of York, from the extraordinary effects of somnabu-
lism. It appears that while he was sound asleep he suddenly
leaped out of bed and went head foremost through the win-
dow into the yard, breaking six squares of glass, and carry-
ing away the frame work of the window. He no sooner
alighted on the ground than, surprising to relate, being still
partly asleep, he ran across the yard, and in attempting to
scale a wall he was seized by his mother, who by this time
had become aware of his situation, and he was taken into the
house. It was found that his head was dreadfully cut, and
that he had broken or dislocated his shoulder bone, and sur-
gical assistance was obtained. He had a rather indistinct
recollection of some one running after him in the yard, but
he was not fully awake till he was taken into the house.—
Leeds Inielligeneer.

THE LIVERPOOL AND HALIFAX STEAMERS.

From the Glasgow Mail.

Our readers are aware that for some time the Britannia,
one of the new Steamers destined for the goods and pas-
senger trade between Liverpool and Halifax, British America,
has been taking in her machinery opposite the at crane
at the Broomielaw. With the exception of the British
Queen (which was not built in this river) she is the largest
steamer which has been supplied with machinery in the Clyde.
As this has now been completed, her place at the crane has
been taken by the Acadia, (another of these North American
Liners), and the Britannia is now undergoing the finishing
touch of the painters, cabinet-makers, &c., previously to
her being placed permanently on the station between Liver-
pool and Halifax. These packets which, in the mean time
are intended to be four in number, will carry the Mail, and al-
together they will form a new and most important era in the
history of our connection and intercourse with our North
American colonial possessions. We are not aware how far
the usual sailing passage between Liverpool and Halifax may
be shortened by steam power, but we believe that in ordinary
weather it is not expected that the trip will extend to' more
than ten or eleven days. It certainly says a good deal
for the ship-building and engineering capabilities of the
Clyde that they have been selected to perfect these steamers ;
and we have little doubt that they will behave as they
should do, in this important work of combatting wind
and ocean. It has been frequently thought that the steam
power of the British Queen is inadequate to her tonnage ;
but this error, if it be one, does not consist in the construc-
tion of these new steam liners, as will be seen from the fol-
lowing description -of the build, power, and plan of the Bri-
tannia, with which we have been kindly furnished. It may
be stated that the four new steamers are intended to be alike
in every respect of size and steam power, and a description
of one will serve for all
The Britannia now lying in the river is 230 feet in length,
32 feet between the paddle-boxes, and these are 11 feet 6
in. width. She is 24 feet from the kelson to the deck, and

the breadth on deck at the stern-post is 24 feet 6 in. On the
deck of the vessel besides the various hatchways to the in-
terior of it, is the forecastle deck,:4 feet above the main deck,
and extending 18 feet from the stern-post. Abutting to this,
and fixed on the main deck, is a patent lever windlass, by
which 12 men can have a strain equal to what a four inch
hawser could sustain ; 33 feet aft of this is the foremast.
The paddle-boxes extend 29 feet along the deck, 14 feet 6 in.
on each side of the paddle-shaft. Adjoining the paddle-
boxes on each side of the vessel are the deck-houses, extend-
ing 19 feet before and 20 aft the paddle-box. These are
divided into rooms for the officers of the ship, and some of
the steward's pantries.
Between this and the saloon is the funnel, 40 feet high and
5 feet 6 inches in diameter. The principal deck-house con-
sists of the saloon and the steward's bar ; it is 71 feet long by
14 feet 7 inches broad ; one end is partitioned off at the head
of the stairs leading to the second deck ; between this and
the saloon is a passage, 4 feet wide, across the whole width
of the deck-house, which terminates at a door on each side,
forming the principal entrance to the saloon. The saloon is
36 feet long by 14 wide, and 7 feet high.
Behind the saloon is a platform about 2 feet from the deck
for the helmsman, from which he has a view of the whole
deck of the vessel over the saloon. The bulwarks, on which
is a slight railing, is 5 feet above the deck, so that the pas-
sengers are completely sheltered from the weather when
pacing the deck ' • it also prevents the possibility of any one
falling overboard, which has sometimes unfortunately hap-
pened to those afflicted with sickness. The Britannia has
three masts, fore, main, and mizzen—and is ship-rigged.
There is a bulkhead which extends the whole width of the
ship from the main deck to the second deck, 80 feet from the
stern. In this space are the state-rooms and berths. Next
to the bulkhead, and nearest the middle of the vessel, are the
ladies' apartments, consisting of eight state-rooms, contain-
ing 22 berths ; and two open berths at the end of the ladies'
cabin, which is in the centre of the above-mentioned state-
rooms. There is a passage by which communication can be
kept up between the ladies' and gentlemen's cabins, without
going on deck. Between the passages are the main body of
the gentlemen's state-rooms, extending from the gentlemen's
cabin to the stern, and comprising 20, state-rooms of two
berths each. Between these passages and the ship's side are
10 state-rooms, eight of them of two berths, and two of them
at the extreme stern of the vessel having one berth in each.
Before this is the gentlemen's cabin, with three state-rooms
on one side, and two on the other, of two berths in each state-
room, opening into the gentlemen's cabin. Between this
and the bottom of the staircase are conveniences for the
steward, and a secret hatch for his entrance to the provision
deck below loathe hold of the vessel.

On this deck, adjoining and 'before the engine-room, is a
space for the accommodation of the first engineer, his corps
of engineers', and the firemen. Next to this are 12 state-
rooms. containing 22 berths, all opening into the gentlemen's
cabin before the engine ; these are limited to those under the
saloon. They are also intended for cabin passengers, there
being no provision made for steerage voyagers. There: is,
therefore, accommodation for 124 cabin passengers, viz., 24
berths in the ladies cabin, and 100 berths for gentlemen.
There are four public rooms, the ladies' cabin, the gentle-
men's two cabins—the one before and the other aft—and the
grand saloon.
Between the last described state-rooms and the prow of the
vessel, which It set apart for the seamen, is a space allotted
for the servants of the cabin passengers on one side, and the
officers of the ship on the other. Between them is a mess-
room for the servants. There is a state-room of six berths
opening for the officers' mess-room on one side. On the other
side are two state-rooms of six berths each, one for the male
and the other for the female servants of the passengers—their
mess-room being between the officers' state-rooms and their
own, as above described.

The engines, boilers, and coal-bunkers occupy a space of
70 feet, the whole width of the vessel. There are four boilers
having three furnaces each. These are placed two in the
breadth of the vessel, two of them being tired from the engine-
room, and two further aft., The steam of all these lead into
one chest, from which it passes through a pipe to the engine,
and the smoke flues all terminate at the base of the funnel.
There is a very great advantage in this arrangement of the
boilers. Should any of them get deranged, all communication
between it and the others can be cut off, and the vessel thus
enabled to proceed with the others till it is repaired.
Over the boilers is a thick partition of iron, which forms
the bottom of the main coal-banker. There is also a par-
tition on each side of the engines, forming two others. There
is a communication between all these, and the coals are
shifted to the respective OutletS near the boiler furnaces by the
coal trimmers.
The propelling, power consists of two engines of 222 horse
power each. The cylinders are 721 inches in diameter, hav-
ing a 6 feet 10 stroke. The pistons are connected with pon-
derous sway-beams, 19 feet long and 3', feet deep, turning on
a centre of 10 inches diameter. The other end of the sway-
beams are connected with a massive crank fixed at the end of
the paddle-wheel shaft. The paddle-wheel is 28 feet diame-
ter and 9 feet wide.
The engines are condensing engines on the old principle,
discovered by our memorable countryman, James Watt, and
brought to the height of. perfection in the Vulcan Foundry,
belonging to Mr. Napier, whose eminent success in the con-
struction of the marine steam-engine is so well known and
appreciated:
The four steam-ships are the Britannia, built by Mr.
Duncan of Greenock ; the Acadia, built by Mr. Wood, of
Port-Glasgow; the Caledonia, building by Mr. Charles Wood
at Dumbarton ; and the Columbia, building in Mr. Steel's
yard at Greenock. The vessels are all to be the same size,
and the engines the same power.
The Britannia being only 12 or 13.00 tons' burthen, and
having a power of 444 horses, it will be easily seen that she
contrasts favourably with the British Queen. The British
Queen is between 18 and 1900 tons' burthen, having a power
of 500 horses. Thus the Britannia will have 100 horse power
more than the British Queen, in proportion to the size of the
boats and the power of the engines.
We observe that there is very little difference between
these British American steamers and the Liverpool steam-
ship. The Liverpool is 240 feet in length, 30 feet in beam,
56 over the paddle-boxes, 464 horse power, and 1159 tonnage.

THE CHARTISTS AND MR. O'CONNELL.

TO THE HONOURABLE THE MOUSE OF COMMONS, IN PAR

LIAMENT ASSEMBLED.

The humble petition of the undersigned inhabitants of Car-
lisle and its vicinity.
SIIEWETII,—That your petitioners are of opinion that in
order to make the law respected it is necessary that it should
be impartially enforced, which they regret to say is not the
case at present. That there are at the present moment con-
fined, in different prisons in England, some hundreds of
persons who have been prosecuted for political offences by
the government—a number twice as large, your petitioners
belieVe, as were confined during half a century, for the like
offences, under preceding governments. That your petition-
ers intend to offer no opinion on this occasion as to the na-
ture of the evidence upon which many of the persons now
undergoing punishment have been convicted ; but assuming,
for the present, that they have all been properly convicted,
they humbly submit to your honourable house, that one man,
who has been a thousand times as guilty as any of them,
ought not to be allowed to escape with impunity. Thdt for a
long course of years Mr. Daniel O'Connell, an Irish barrister,
and a member of your honourable house, has been engaged in
organising resistance to the law, uttering the most seditious
language calculated to inflame the passions of the persons to
whom it was addressed, and to excite in them hatred against
the English dame and nation, and holding out a threat of civil
war whenever his wishes happen to be opposed to the acts of
the legislature, or the exercise of the Sovereign's prerogative.
That the fatal results of the said Mr. O'Connell's attempts
to produce a feeling of contempt for and disregard of the law
are apparent in the disorganised state of Irish society • in
proof of which we venture to refer to the report of the Irish
Prison Inspectors, published under the authority of your
honourable house. It appears from that report that in the
last year the number of persons committed in Ireland for
offences against human life was as follows :—murder, 286 ;
shooting at, stabbing, administering poison with intent to
murder, 85, assault with intent to murder, 132; solicitation
to commit murder, 7 ; conspiracy to murder, 25 ; man-
slaughter, 263; arson, 80;—making a total of 278. That
looking to the difficulty of procuring evidence against offend-
ers in Ireland, in consequence of the intimidation exercised
by secret societies which have grown up out of the agitation
fomented by the said Mr. O'Connell, it is reasonable to as-
sume that the foregoing number returned by the Inspectors
of Prisons, frightfully large as it is, represents not one-half
of the persons who have been guilty of the offences described.
That, notwithstanding the wicked course pursued by the said
Mr. O'Connell, and the dreadful results which have flowed
from it, the only notice which the government has taken of
the subject-has been to offer to promote the said Mr. O'Con-
nell to a seat on the judicial bench, as has been publicly de-
clared by that person himself, and to lavish the patron-
age at their disposal on his relatives and friends. That your
petitioners are of opinion that the people of England will
not be disposed to pay that respect and deference to the
law which have hitherto been habitual to them when they
see some hundreds of their fellow-countrymen torn from
their families and thrown into dungeons, whilst a man who
is guilty of such grave offences is not only left at liberty to
pursue his dangerous career, but is caressed and honoured
by the ministers of our young and unsuspecting Queen,
whose dominions he seeks to dismember. That your peti-
tioners find in the lists.of divisions, which are published and
sold under the authority of your honourable house, an ex-
planation of conduct on the part of ministers which would
otherwise appear inexplicable ; but your petitioners are sure
that although her Majesty's advisers may feel it convenient
to betray their duty in order to obtain support, which is ne-
cessary to enable them to keep themselves in office, your
lion. house will act as becomes the honest representatives of
the people of the United Kingdom, and see that justice is
done even although its execution should cost her Majesty's
ministers their places. We therefore humbly beg that your
honourable house will address her Majesty, praying that she
will be graciously pleased either to direct her Attorney-Ge-
neral to prosecute Mr. O'Connell for High Treason or Se-
dition, or, which under the circumstances would seem to
your petitioners to be just, to grant a pardon to all persons
now undergoing punishment for political offences.
And your petitioners will ever pray, &c.

All the members of parliament without pairs in Paris
quitted that capital for Lord Stanley's Registration Bill.
The ministerial whip was very urgent.

It appears by the revenue accounts of 1839, just published,
that the amount of duty received for. corn imported into
England and Scotland was £1,101,000, while in 1838, as ap-
pears by a reference to the same accounts for that year, the
amount received was only £187,000, and hence it appears
that all the advantage apparent in the return of the revenue
for the year 1839 is owing entirely to the importations of
grain, and owes 'nothing to the improvement in the general
trade of the country.—Times.