The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1851-01-28 00:00:00

TO CORRESPONDENTS

The steering apparatus that has teen so much admired on
board the Daniel Webster is an American patent, but it is
not new. It has been in use some years on the river Thames.
"A. D.—Mr. Paxton has written a letter in favour of opening
the exhibition to the public free. [Would it not be prudent
to make it free to depositors only ?]

"ENQUIRER."-Out of the whole cost of an English patent
the Government receives £37 .Os. for stamps—the remain-
ing amount is demanded as fees, and but a small portion of
__it goes to the public revenue.
_

The description- of Messrs. Brown's pump shall appear in our
next.

A number of American captains trading to Liverpool
have determined to present Charles Mackay, Esq., LL.D.
with a pair of silver candlesticks and tray, as a small token
of their appreciation of his exertions to procure the use of
lights and fires on board ships in dock at Liverpool. The
articles are very beautiful, and were manufactured by Mr.
Mayer, of Lord-street,

doLiisioN.—A highly flattering testimonial, copied
into our advertising columns, has been received by
Messrs. A. and R. Brown, in reference to the collision
between the Kalmazoo and the Charles Chaloner, off
Holyhead. It is couched in terms that must he taken as
a tribute to their merit. For years they have made the
improvement of ship pumps their study, and from time to
time progressive inventionshave appeared. The last has
only been patented a few weeks, and they have already
the satisfaction of knowing that it has been the means of
saving a large amount of property, if not of life.

FIRE IN RANOVER-STREET.—on Wednesday morning
a fire broke :out, about a quarter to eleven o'clock, on
some premises in Hanover-street, which are now occupied
by Messrs. Morris, Napier, and Co., ship-chandlers, Mr.
Gaskell, a cotton-dealer, and a block-maker. The flames
were subdued at twelve o'clock. The damage done in
this brief space of time was considerable, but will be
covered by the insurances. Morris, Napier, and Co.
are insured in the Phoenix for £3OO ; Mr. Gaskell in the
Imperial for £2OO, and the North British for £150; and
the block-maker in the Leeds and Yorkshire for £3OO.

LAUNCH OF A LIVERPOOL SHIP AT ARDROSSANI—
Tuesday a splendid new ship of 850 tons, named the
Dorothea, and built for Messrs. Barber and Rotheram,
of Liverpool, was launched from the building•yard of
Messrs. Barr and Shearer, Ardrossan. She is designed
for the Liverpool and Charleston trade, and will be com-
manded by Captain M`Kenzie. Amongst the company
present at a subsequent banquet were the Earl of Eglin-
ton, W. Miller, of Glenlee, Bart., &c. Mr. Mason, from
Liverpool, acknowledged the compliment on the part of
the owners. That this was the largest sailing vessel ever
built in Scotland was a fact which, he thought, reflected
great honour on the builders.
ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE.—The performances of Monsr.
Franconi's equestrian company at this theatre continue to
attract excellent audiences, and their pleasing diversities
of character, the talent and taste of the various artistes,
with the splendid appointments provided by their leader,
give unqualified satisfaction. A morning performance is
given on two days each week, for the accommodation of
the inhabitants on the Cheshire side of the river, and
families living at a distance from town, to whom a visit
to an evening one would be inconvenient. On these oc-
casions the attendance is very select, and the juveniles
must thank the management for giving them opportuni-
ties which, without such an arrangement, they would
perhaps not enjoy. During the past week the perform-
ances
have been unusually varied and attractive. The
little equestrian prodigy, Le Petite Frederic, is a smart
and promising rider, and his feats appear to afford especial
delight to the junior portion of the audiences. Mad'selle
Louise, as the Numidian Maid, upon a bare backed steed,
astonishes us at the daring displayed, and, at the same
time, the confidence which she possesses in her own
powers. As specimens of what training can accomplish,
the pony " Cheri," and the steed " Waverley," intro-
duced by Mr. Bastien Franconi, are wonders. The latter
and his rider appear to the spectator to be connected like
the fabled Centaur of old. The Shawl Exercise of Ma-
dame Angeline Franconi is a very graceful act of equita-
tion, and the Three Nations, a changing act by Mr.
Powell, is clever and picturesque. Monsr. Russell con-
tinues his feats as a Bottle Equilibrist, balancing himself
upon decanters, placed one upon another in every form of
pyramid and other device. with a precision and daring
which would have led people, in another age, to imagine
that either the performer was a shadow, without weight,
of that some charm had been used to deprive his bottles
or the tendency of ordinary bottles to break. Part Second
presents us with a graceful Pas de Deux by Madame
Henri Franconi and Mr. Powell. The Penny Trumpet
performance of the Clown, Mr. Tomkinson, is very rich
and clever, and the Stilt Exercises of M. Baguet, and
Slackwire Performances of Herr Maus are really wonder-
ful. The former gentleman is in verity an accomplished
little fellow, and funny withal. Madame Julia, as the
Beggar of Tottenham Cross, and Signor Perini's Eagle
Horseman are vary pleasing. The concluding piece—
" The Lesson of .Equitation, or the French Amateurs in
the Riding School, is highly laughable, The Clowns are
throughout very efficient, And full of wit sad drollery.