The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-07-23 00:00:00

THE COURT.

Her Majesty and Prince Albert have driven out daily in
Windsor Park, or walked in the pleasure-grounds. The
Queen and Prince Albert, with the Duchess of Kent and
the royal suite, attended divine service on Sunday week
in the private chapel. On Monday the Duke and Duchess
of Mecklenburgh Sirelitz arrived at the castle on a visit
to her Majesty ; and on Tuesday the royal pair, with their
illustrious visitors, drove to the Duchess of Kent's, at
Frogmore, and in the evening there was a dinner party at
the castle.

The additions to the Royal Aviary, in the Park at
'Windsor, which are nearly completed, consist of six or
seven rooms for her Majesty's birds, and also convenient
apartments for the exclusive use of the Queen and the
Prince during their visits to this delightful retreat. A
large pond for the rare and curious breed of ducks be-
longing to her Majesty, has also been dug at the western
end of the grounds, immediately contiguous to the Little
Park. In the centre of this miniature lake an elegant
Grecian fountain has been erected with three jets, viz., a
convolvolus, a rose, and a ball and basket jet. The water
rises to a considerable height.
On the occasion of the recent marriage of the Hon.
Harriet Lister, one of her Iklajesty's maids of honour, to
the Rev. Edward H. Grove, Vice-Principal of Brasennose
College, Oxford, the bride w. s given away by Lord John
Russell, whose first wife was her sister. Her Majesty
presented the happy fair one with a magnificent locket
containing her own hair, together with a donation of
£l,OOO, to which were added £5OO from Lord John Rus-
sell, as a mark of his esteem.

ROYAL PRESENTS.—Last year, Mr.BenjaminKirkham,
an ingenious workman of Madely, Shropshire, made a
very curious chair consisting of 3,000 knots of different
sorts of wood, put together with 4,500 nails, and a table
of 2,000 knots of wood, nailed with 3,400 nails, which the
owner took to London and presented to her Majesty, who
was so much pleased with the taste displayed, and the
ingenuity of their construction, that she ordered the owner
to be amply remunerated. This year Mr. Kirkham has
constructed a chair of 3,200 knots of wood, nailed with
4,800 nails ; and a flower-stand of 1,900 knots of wood,
nailed with 3,300 nails, which he is now gone to London
to present to his royal highness Prince Albert.
The Queen Dowager will not return to this country till
the 28th instant, as previously intimated. The exterior
of Marlborough House is now undergoing a complete
course of painting and cleaning for the reception of her
Majesty.

DOCK COMMITTEE.-THURSDAY.

Present—Messrs. Moore, (in the chair) Nicol, Hol-
mes, Smith, Shand, Kendall, Bulley, Middleton, Holt,
Boyden, Aikin, and Evans. The Subcommittee of
Works recommended the removal to a better site and the
elevation of the clock at the south end of the Clarence
Dock. A plan of the alteration suggested was produced,
and the cost estimated at aom £l6O to 180. The altera-
tion was ordered to be made.

Mr. Them. stated that in consequence of there being
a continuous roof to the transit sheds, the insurance com-
panies charged double the rates of premium that they
would do if it were divided into compartments. He re-
commended that the plan suggested by Mr. Hartley, at a
cost of £3OO, be adopted. Agreed to.
The CHAIRMAN said the Parliamentary Committee had
finished their labours in London, and they would be ready
to report upon it as it received the Royal assent. Not-
withstanding all their efforts the Birkenhead Dock Bill
bad passed. The committee was very anxious to lay the
evidence given upon it before them, but it was quite im-
possible at present, as the printers were so busy. When
they saw it he felt persuaded that they would think that
all their opposition was justified, and that if the whole
matter was to be gone over again, nothing short of what
had been done ought to be done, all the men of science
having given evidence as to the danger likely to result to
the navigation of the river from docks over the water.
Mr. EVANS : How do you account for the success of
the bill, then ?
The CHAIRMAN said, he had brought down the evidence
of the last two days, which he would leave on the table
for the perusal of those who chose to do so. When they
perused that, and knew the position of certain gentlemen,
and the means taken by them, that would account for the
success of the bill.
Mr. EVANS : This is all oracular at present.
Mr. Allow Can any one fear the slightest danger to
the navigation of the river ?
The CHAIRMAN : From the evidence I have listened to
from day to day, I am thoroughly impressed with the ap-
prehensions of danger.
Mr. AMIN Then you think we will be shut up? I
shall be much astonished indeed if the banks be not
lessened and the channel improved.
The CHAIRMAN : The bulk of the evidence is that
danger is to be apprehended.
The committee then proceeded to matters of finance.