The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-06-06 00:00:00

Tut LAIT riltE A its DUICS'S WAltillOUSg.—Aftei
a full investigation into the circumstances of the origin of
the late fire at the Duke's Warehouse, the magistrates are of
opinion that the premises were wilfully set on fire, and the
council have in consequence offered a reward of three hun-
dred pounds, and the insurance offfeeS a further one of two
hundred pounds, for the discovery of the perpetrator of the
outrage. Her Majesty's free pardon is also offered to any
accomplice, not being the person who actually set fire to the
premises, who will give such information as will lead to the
conviction of the offender.
THE CHEAP TRH' TO LONDON.—We rejoice to say that
this speculation, by Messrs. Crisp and Healey, the contractors
with the railway company, has turned out, notwithstanding
the late generally unfavourable state of the weather, most
favourably for them, and most satisfactory to the parties who
availed themselves of the occasion. The two first trains
started on Saturday morning at the appointed time, with
about 500 passengers, all on the gal vice to witness the won
. .

ders of the metropolis and its vicinity. The scene before
star ting from Edge-hill was highly animated and interesting,
with, from the excellent arrangements, an absence of all con-

fusion. Parties of "kindred spirit" were accommodated in
respective carriages, all closed, and most respectable in every
point. Yesterday morning the last trains appointed set off
with equal punctuality, and with equally good order. They
conveyed upwards of 600 persons, so that above 1,100 have
taken advantage of the " cheap trip." The management
of the whole affair has certainly been excellent, and reflects
great credit on the contractors, who have spared no exertion
to render their " guests"—for so they may be called—com-
fortable and happy. We have already learned that all the
parties got safe to London, and are much gratified by the
excursion. It is somewhat remarkable that though much
continuous rain has lately fallen, the weather, both.on Sa-
turday and yesterday, was exceedingly propitious for the two
trips.

ILLIEGAL APPROPILIATION.—On Saturday Wm. Coward,
shopman in the service of Mr. Roach, Whitechapel, was
placed at the bar of the Police-court. It appeared that, on
Thursday last, Mr. Horsfall, soon after leaving the Railway
Station, in Lime-street, missed his pocket-book, containing
two 45 notes. The pocket-book was picked up in Lime-
street, by a boy, named Farrar. This boy requested a com-
panion, named Jones, to take one of the notes and see if it
were a good one. Jones, who was in the service of Mr.
Roach, showed it to the prisoner, who told him it was a bad
one. Farrar, boy-like, exchanged the note with Jones for a
steel purse. The circumstances of this barter transaction
were afterwards mentioned by Jones to the prisoner, who
took the note into his own possession, and ordered Jones to
go to Farrar and get the other note from him, or demand
his purse back. Jones obtained possession of the other note,
and gave it to the prisoner. Farrar, on his arrival at home,
told his father what had occurred, and the latter ordered him
to go and get the notes back. He was referred by Jones to
the prisoner. who told him that the notes were burnt. The
prisoner had, subsequently, changed one of the notes at a
shop in Whitechapel. In his defence, the prisoner said he
did not know whether the notes were good or bad. He was
committed for trial.

AN IMPUDENT ROGIJE.—"On Saturday last, Wm. Medealf
was placed at the bar of the Police-court, charged with hav-
ing defrauded Mr. Baugh, cigar-manufacturer, of 30, Ward-
street, of six boxes of cigars. It appeared that, about one
o'clock on Thursday last, the prisoner went to Mr. Baugh's
warehouse, and stated that he knew a gentleman who wanted
three boxes of cigars, and asked if some one might accom-
pany him to South John-street, to see whether the gentle-
man approved of them. On being told that one of the men
should go with him, he asked for three more boxes of a
better quality, saying the gentleman might probably take
them. Having obtained the cigars, he left the warehouse,
accompanied by William Eggers, one of the men, who was
told nut to part with the goods without obtaining the money.
When they got outside, the prisoner took the boxes, saying
he would carry them, and that he (Eggers) might carry the
umbrella, as it was raining. They proceeded to the Claren-
don-rooms, South John-street, which they entered at the
south side. On the first landing, the prisoner, pointing to
one of the offices, said, "This is the office." He then took
the cigars and went into the office, saying it would look fool-
ish for them both to go in, so that Eggers had better remain
outside. In about a minute he returned for the invoice or
certificate, with which he went away. Eggers waited about
half an hour, and the prisoner not making his appearance,
he began to suspect he was duped, and then found that there
were two different ways out. The prisoner, who had offered
the cigars for sale to a publican, was apprehended by police-
officer Mather (390), with one of the boxes in his possession.
The others he lett with a publican in Scotland-read. The
cigars having been identified, the prisoner was committed to
take his trial at the assizes.

TELEGRAPHIC CLOCK.—We have read with interest a
small pamphlet by Mr. H. Hughes, portrait painter of this
town, entitled, "Telegraphic Clock: a mode of showing
Time by attaching Lights or Reflectors to the Pinion and
the Hands of the Clock," in which he details, what we con-
ceive to be. a very admirable and simple invention of his
own, and for which he has taken out a patent. He com-
mences by noticing the importance of town clocks generally
to the public, as both useful and ornamental, and the imper-
fection of the plan hitherto adopted to illuminate them so as
to be distinctly seen at any considerable distance—arising
from the too complicated nature of the dial, and the mode of
lighting the whole circle. He states that on the best of the
present illuminated clocks the time cannot be told beyond
the distance of 200 yards ; but by the plan suggested it can
be distinguished 2000 yards : or, in fact, as far as lights can
be distinguished, whatever their distance may be. The
principle (he proceeds) is this :—" The only visible sign's
necessary consist of three points to the exclusion of dial,
hands, figures, and Marks of every description. At night
these points are lamp—gas burners. These will bear the same
relation to each other as the extremities of the hands hold
to each other, and to the centre, on the old system. The
point marked in the centre will be stationary, and those
pointing out the hour and minute, respectively, will revolve
'round the former ; and the situation of these is to be dis-
covered by the assistance of the perpendicular and the hori-
zontal lines, supposed to be distinctly marked in the mind of
every observer above the age of infancy. After noticing the
present somewhat confused system, by which the situation
of a given hour ou the circle is not discoverable by the figure
(in Roman numerals—some of therh upside down, and sone
sloping) but the figure by the situation—so that the band
does not show the hour, but the hour the hand,—he remarks
that the new place requires no guide besides the centre. The
plan it will have been anticipated, consists of the application
of three lamps or light, one stationary in the centre, and the
other two so placed that they will revolve, describing respec-
tively the circles made in the ordinary mode by the points
of the hour and minute handle. The lamps, or gas lights,
may be either all white, or for the sake of greater distinctness,
the centre one may be white; that at the extremity of the
hour handle, red; and, that- at the extremity of the minute
hand yellow ; or any other colours may be adopted that fancy
may suggest, provided they be sufficiently bright and distin-
guishable. Our author does not describe his idea minutely,
but it is clearly conveyed by diagrams. As the outer lights
revolve round the central stationary one (as planets round
the sun) and as the hour light is a little nearer to the centre,
than the minute light, it appears evident that any one accus-
tomed to see a clock or watch can ret dily tell the hour
by the relative positions of -the three. Thus if they form
the points of a right angle, the base of which is horizontal
from left to right, the centre light at the point of the rect-
angle, and the other over (forming the perpendicular) it can-
not be mistaken, though no figures whatever are used, that
it is precisely three o'clock. If the base be from right to
left, it is of course nine o'clock ; if all three lights be per.;
pendicular, and nearly equidistant, it is six ; if perperidicular
with the two outer ones, close together, it is twelve ; and the
intermediate hours all round may be observed between each
quadrant with equal accuracy. The plan is applicable to the
present clocks, it being an improvement in addition rather
than an alteration, The ligl)t of St. George's illuminated
clock may be seen from many distant points, as for instance
from the top of. Lime-street ; but it only shows es an illu-
minated globe, 'or theatrical moon. The hands or figures
cannot be distinguished till we are half-way up Lord-street.
But by our author's plan it is quite clear to us that the hour
could be told from Lime-street, or a more distant point, par-
ticularly if the circle, or dial, were a little larger. The ex-
pense of fitting up a public clock in this way will, it is stated,
be comparatively very small. We have seen a model of the
simple apparatus for conveying the gas to the points of the
indicators and the central spindle, and it may be readily ap-
plied. "Neither fire, nor even a gas pipe, need be conveyed
through the edifice at all; and the quantity of gas consumed
will not be a tithe of what is required on the old (or present)
plan." The same principle is applicable to clocks or time-
pieces not illuminated by the use of small convex mirrors,
one in the centre of the dial, and one at the extremity of each
hand, which would reflect the sun or sky, and would be seen
from a distance much greater than that at which the hands
become distinctly visible. But we must refer for further de-
tails to the pamphlet itself, the price of which is trifling—
heartily recommending that a trial of Mr. Hughes's plan may
be made on sonic one of our public clocks.

THE FUNDS.

THURSDAY EVENING.—There was a better market for
Consols to-day, and prices recovered nearly one cent., al-
though a trifling reaction occurred towards the close of busi-
ness. For the account the quotation, after being as low as
93, rallied to 941; but left off at 934 buyers. The money
price is quoted at 931, though in strictness there should be
none, the shutting, including the New 31 per Cents., taking
place to-day and to-morrow, previous to the payment of the
July dividends. The cause of this briskness in business at
higher prices in the Enelish market li.s been the belief that
the prevention of the large assemblies which are now dis-
cussing the merits of the repeal question in Ireland may be
easily effected. Bank Stock closed 178 to 180; India Stock,
264 to 266 ; 3 per Cents. Reduced, 921 to 93 ; 31 per Cents.
Reduced, 1001 to 4-; New 31 per Cents., 100/ to 1011 ; and
Long Annuities, 121 to If.
FRIDAY EVENING.—The funds hare advanced about t‘
per cent. to-day, though there was not much disposition to
transact business. Confidence increases in the measures of
government to tranquilize the state of affairs in Ireland.
Consols for the account left oir 921 ex. dividend; Bank
Stock, 1784 to Exchequer-bills, lid. issue, 455. to
50s. pm. ; the advertised, 355. to 40s. pm. ; Three per Cents.
Reduced, 934 to i; Three-and-a-Half per Cents. Reduced,
1004 to 1; New Three-and-a-Half per Cents., 1014 to 1;
Long Annuities, 121 ; India Bonds, 475. pm. ; and India
Stock, 265 to 267.

In the foreign market there was also little movement in
prices. The latest quotations were Spanish Actives, 19k to
1 ; the New, 28# to 1; Portuguese Converted, 40 to 41:1;
Mexican, 281 to 29 ; the Deferred, 8 to 1 ; Dutch Two-and,
a-Half per Cents., 54 to 1 ; the Five per Cents., 991 to 100;
Danish, 84 to 86; Colombian, 231 to 24; Brazilian, 70 to
73; and Belgian, 102 to 103.
SATURD4Y EvENlNG.—Business concluded at the Stock:
Exchange at two o'clock according to the arrangement here-
tofore noticed. There was, however, not much
Consols for the opening were 921 to 1, which are about the
same as yesterday. Bank Stock 1781 to 0/. Exchequer
Bills at Ild. per day 48s. to 525. premium.
A slight advance may be noticed in Spanish Stocks to-day,
the Threes closing at 281 to 9,' the Active Fives, 191 to 20.
Portuguese Converted were 40c to 1-i. Dutch Two-and-a-
Half per Cents 54 toi, the Five per Cents 921 to 100. Bel-
gian 102 to 3. Brazilian 70 to 2. Mexican 281 to 9.
Colombian 231 to. 4.

CORRESPONDENCE,

TO TILE EDITOR OF THE 14IVERPOOL, STANDARD,

Stet,—ln the Trish agitator's speech at Cork last week, I
observe, for the amusement of his novitiate associates, he
likens Sir Robert Peel to a famous Dublin prck-pocket, who,
when he kid no other pocket to pick, picked his own. There
appears to toe considerable presumption in the simile, as,
undoubtedly, the expert rogue alluded to is Dan, picking
Dan's pocket with Dan's am, Sir, your's, &c
Liverpool, 51h June.

FLNKi!IR.

BUBBLE COMPANIES.—We noticed, last week, that Mr,
Gladstone had intimated his intention to revive the select
committee of 1811, to inquire into the constitution and one,
ration of joint-stock companies, especially with regard to in-
surance companies. This most laudable intention, we regret
to state, was frustrated, in consequence of there being " no
house" on Thursday last, on which evening the right hon.
gentleman was about to-propose the fullowing members as
the committee:—Mr. Win. Gladstone, Lord G. Somerset,
Mr.'Labouchere, Sir G. Grey, Mr. G. W. Wood, Sir W.
James, Col. T. Wood, Mr. Milnes, Mr. Hawes, Sir Win.
Clay, Mr. Oswald, Mr. G. Craig, Mr. Browarigg, Mr. God-
son; and Mr. B. Baring.