The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1850-05-07 00:00:00

FOREIGN.

WEST INDIES.

The West India Mail has arrived. The islands con-
tinued healthy. A trifling riot had taken place at Grey
Town, but it was soon put down, and the ringleaders
punished by a smart flogging.
The Jamaica papers report an important meeting at the
town of Buff-bay, for the purpose of co-operating with
the National Association for the Protection of British and
Colonial Industry and Capital. Upon the motion of the
Rev. C. T. May, Rector, the Hon. J. R. Grosset was
called to the chair, who observed that the proceeding
marked a new era, being the first time that a public meet-
ing had taken place in Jamaica by invitation of an Asso-
ciation in the mother country. A resolution was moved
by Mr. Hossack, and seconded by Mr. Sollas, accepting
the invitation to co-operate with the Central Association.
Mr. Mason, in proposing a resolution, reiterating their
claims to protection, gave a remarkable statement of his
own sufferings under the free-trade policy.
The West India letters mention that the weather was,
on the average, satisfactory. In Demerara and Barbados
progress was being made with the manufactuie of sugar.
It was at last felt that if the planting and mercantile inte-
rest were ever to retrieve their position, it must be gained
by a system of strict economy, and hence measures with
that view were daily brought into operation.

Terrible earthquakes have taken place in Dalmatia
Ragusa h is suffered greatly, and Stagno is in ruins.
Some of the Paris papers give accounts of a plot
is said to have been discovered, wherewith the Soc

are to recommence the revolution, and even point out the
places in which the barricades are to be placed.
The most profound tranquillity prevailed in Paris the
whole of Saturday, and the fete in commemoration of the
Republic passed off without the slightest accident. The
illuminations of the Place de la Concorde were magnifi-
cent beyond description.
CANADA.—WC learn from Toronto that incessant rains,
with a rapid thaw of the snow for two days, had produced
a great freshet in all the rivers in that part of the country,
carrying away bridges, mill-dams, quantities of timber,
and other property in the vicinity.
NOVA SCOTIA.—The legislature of Prince Edward's
Island have voted a want of confidence, and refused to
erant supplies, until a responsible government is given
them. A line of telegraph, incorporated by the ,
ment, has been established between Halifax and Picton.
The Roman people are much discontented at finding
that there is no appearance of any change in the policy
of the government, but that the old unpopular system is
to be pursued. The only good resulting from his holi-
ness's return being the reappearance of some portion of
the precious metals.
SUPERSTITIOUS PROCESSIONS.—In the programme of
a " procession of the Holy Blood," at Bruges, in Bel-
gium, it is ordered that fifteen young girls, habited in
garments of purple, blue, and white respectively, shall
march in the procession as representatives of " the five
glorious mysteries." The Magi, the Apostles, and other
scriptural character are likewise personated in the proces-
sion.

Mr. Rothschild has repented his bargain, and refuses
to ❑egociate the second part of the Roman loan. The
Pope is greatly embarrassed.

On Wednesday week a boat was run down in Cork har-
bour, by the steamer Ocean, and a woman and a man
were drowned.
THE POTATOES.—AII accounts from Ireland concur in
stating, that this esculent never appeared more promising
than at present. The breadth of land set this year far
exceeds that of any other.

Edwin Landseer, R.A., has been commissioned to exe-
cute three paintings on subjecss connected with the chase,
for the refreshment-room iu the new House of Peers,
for £1,050.
A farmer named Kinealy, living at Moonrue, Kilkenny,
was killed on Thursday week, by the former occupier of
the farm. His daughter was also so injured that her re-
covery was hopeless.

Mr. H. Godden, son of Henry Godden, Esq., of Maid-
stone, was killed on Saturday week by being thrown from
the carriage, in consequence of the horses plunging and
becoming unmanageable. The vehicle was dashed to
pieces. _ _ _

SALE OF A WIFE.—On Wednesday, a middle-aged
woman was led, with a halter round her neck. by her
husband, into Knott Mill, Manchester, and offered for
sale. A large number of persons speedily assembled to
witness the disgraceful scene. The first bid was that of a
man in the crowd, who offered ss. The bidding having
been kept up for a considerable time, the lady was at
length knocked down for 19s. 6d.

On Sunday week an apparently respectable you ig man
was accommodated in the pew of the incumbent of one of
the churches at Wakefield. He behaved with propriety
until the service was concluded, when, as the ladies were
retiring from the pew, he suddenly embraced one of the
daughters, and, telling her that he had an assurance from
heaven that she was to be his wife in a fortnight, at-
tempted to give her a kiss. On investigation it was found
that the man was insane.
THE POLITICAL CONVICTS OF 1848.—A temperate
letter from the pen of that unfortunate young enthusiast,
Thomas Francis Meagher, appears in the Nation of Sa-
turday. The writer frankly reports that he was most
kindly treated on board the Swift, and the account that
he gives of his release from confinement—for to all in-
tents and purposes he is as free as any settler in Van Die-
men's Land who does not desire to leave it—is calcu-
lated to assuage the bitter feelings excited here by the
late accounts of the sufferings of Mr. O'Brien. This
gentleman eould have walked on shore contaratively a
free man if he only consented to pledge his word of
honour he would not take advantage of his liberty to leave
the wide district allotted to him for his residence.

A letter from the Bishop of London to Mr. Beresford
Hope, M.P., has been published with his lordship's con-
currence. The bishop says that he can readily under-
stand the uneasiness that is felt at the position in which
the church appears to be placed by the recent judgment,
but he reminds Mr. Hope of what he had said to him be-
fore—" That I thought it to be your plain and unmis-
takeable duty not to desert the church at such a moment,
when she was in most need of your support and assist-
ance, but to remain firm in your allegiance to her, and to
use your best endeavours to remove existing anomalies
and defects. This appears to me very clearly to be the
line of conduct which you ought to pursue. If a vessel
in which you were embarked should spring a leak, you
would surely do your best to stop the leak before you
thought of abandoning the ship and leaving it to the
mercy of the wind and waves."
A REAL "JAIL BIRD" ESCAPED.—Some time on
Wednesday afternoon a partridge (what is rather a rara
aria in the vicinity of our noisy town) by some means
found its way into one of the passages in the felons' de-
partment of Kirkdale Gaol. It might, possibly, have
taken refuge from the murderous pursuit of a hawk ; and
in that case it was rather inverting the judicial order of
things, that the innocent bird should flee into prison for
protection, and the murderer, in purpose, should main-
tain his freedom—defying all constabulary power of earth
or air. Be this as it may, the partridge found a shelter
for the night; and on Thursday morning, when the turn-
key opened the gate of the passage, it found an exit to
the open air, and winged its way to regions more conge-
nial to its nature. No attempt was made to detain it,
the man considering that it was only " booked for
safety." _

EXTRAORDINARY SCENE.-At Devizes on Thursday
week, during the exhibition of the Bosjesmen, one of the
oldest of them, whose attention seemed for some time
previously to have been attracted towards a person at an
opposite end of the room, suddenly snatched an arrow
from his quiver, and shot at him with all the force he
could put into his bow. Then, apparently in a frenzy of
passion, he sprang like an ourang-outang from the plat-
form among the company ; and the rest of his companions
were preparing to follow him, when Mr. Tyler (who had
witnessed a similar evidence of their irascibility) immedi-
ately rushed forward and knocked the foremost down.
Other keepers soon came to his help, and with some diffi-
culty the most furious of the tribe was carried by main
force out of the room. In the meantime, the confusion
among the company baffled all description. The African's
anger had been excited by a person in the room who he
fancied bad been mocking him ; but upon being assured
that this was not the case he became more tranquil, and
in about a quarter of an hour was again brought upon the
platform, when by signs acd gestures he endeavoured to
convey his regret for what had passed. Fortunately no
mischief was done by the arrow.

SINGULAR TRANCE.—At the village of Farringdon,
situate about nine miles from Bristol. on the road to
Wells, a young woman, named Ann Cromer, the daughter
of a master mason, now lies in a complete state of cata-
lepsy, in which extraordinary trancelike condition, should
she survive till next November, she will have been for no
less than thirteen years. During the whole of this ex-
tended period she has not partaken of any solid food, and
the vital principle has only been sustained by the mecha-
nical administration of fluids. Although, of course, re-
duced to almost a perfect skeleton, her countenance bears
a very placid expression. Her respiration is perceptible,
her bands warm, and she has some indication of existent
consciousness. Upon one occasion, when asked if suffer-
ing from pain to squeese the hand of her mother, placed
in hers for that purpose, a slight pressure, the mother
avers, was plainly djstinguishable ; and frequently, when
suffering from cramp, she has been heard to make slight
moans. About sixteen weeks after the commencement of
her trance she was seized with lock-jaw, which occasions
great difficulty in affording her nourishment. The unfor-
tunate young woman is 25 years of age, and has been
visited by a great number of medical gentlemen, who, how-
ever, hold out no hopes of her ultimate recovery.
CHINESE DELICACIES.—It has often been asserted
that earthworms are to be found at the tables of the
luxurious. This statement we believe to be incorrect ;
but we saw on this, occasion what might easily be mistaken
for creeping things—namely, the grubs which are found at
the foot of the sugar-cane, and which are considered a deli-
cious morsel by the Chinese epicure. After each dish a
small quantity of warm sam-shoo was taken, and occa-
sionally the wine was imbibed. The n.ixt course was
served up on coloured porcelain, and consisted of variously-
dressed poultry of every description, cut into small pieces,
in the form of animals and birds; with this course ap-
peared the celebrated birds'-nest soup, which is made
from the gelatinous lining of the swallows' nest, and
tastes like unflavoured calves' feet jelly, until the various
sauces which are used are added, when the soup becomes
exceedingly piquant and palatable. This course con-
sists principally of waterfowl, among which was the man-
darin duck, fattened to an enormous extent, salted, dried,
and smoked ; it is then cut into small pieces, stewed in a
rich gravy, and esteemed a great delicacy by the Chinese.
To our taste, although most luscious, the dish is pleasant,
the flavour resembling a tine highly. smoked Westphalia
ham. The rice bird was also on table, which is one deli-
cate delicious ;pored of fat, of a Ramey flavour.—China
and the Chinni',