The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1851-09-16 00:00:00

and the ebony casket, the property of the Emperor, in
order to have them sent over to St. Petersburg by the
next steamer, which will start on the 17th instant. It
has been reported for some time past that the large mala-
chite doors in the Russian collection were sold. There is
no foundation whatever for this report, the only large ar-
ticle of malachite which has been yet sold being one of
the largest vases, which has become the property of Prince
Esterhaay, at the price of £3,500.
TOKENS OF AFFECTION.—We hear That a certain
good " uncle," of this city, received on Monday last from
his numerous relatives as PLEDGES of their affection, in
the shape of keepsakes till such times as their means
would enable them to REDEEM them, no less than 100
wedding rings and 10 beds, the loan received on each
present being intended to defray the expenses of a trip on
the following morning to see the sights of the great and
mighty city.—Gloucester Chronicle.
The following curious fact is illustrative of the anxiety
still felt in the provincial towns to inspect the wonders of
the Exhibition. On Saturday night, before the depar-
ture of the excursion train to London, one pawnbroker
in Leeds had received on deposit no less than a bushel and
and a half of watches; and this sudden and extraordinary
accession of business he attributes entirely to the desire
which those who are little able to afford the treat have to
.visit the Crystal Palace.

CRYSTAL PALACE ON THE TYNE.—The Messrs. Smith,
of St. Peter's-quay, on the Tyne, have contracted for the
entire enclosure, with glass, of their extensive shipbuild-
ing yard of St. Peter's, where vessels of the highest class
and character, and of the largest registered tonnage, are
constructed. The glass for the roof is to be patent rough
plate, of which a very large quantity will be required.
A VALID REASON FOR NOT ATTENDING TIIE WORCES-
TER FESTIVAL.—The Rev. L. Arthur, curate of Odding-
ley, wrote as follows to the Mayor of Worcester, in reply
to an invitation to attend the Musical Festival :—" Unless
your lordship, who I perceive is president, can shew me
that such an assemblage of opera and theatre performers
within the walls of the cathedral, is not making God's
house of prayer into a den of thieves, I must, as T have
hitherto done, avoid such a mixture of sacred and profane
persons and things, for I know it to be contrary to God's
most holy Word, to the teaching of the primitive Church,
and of the united Church of England and Ireland. I
write to thank the Mayor for his courtesy, believing that,
with many excellent persons, he errs in ignorance, but
declining his invitation, and it is my intention to pub-
lish this letter early to-morrow morning."
STEAMERS TO THE WEST COAST OF AFRICA. —The
Admiralty have advertised for tenders for a monthly mail
line of screw-steamers to and from England and the west
coast of Africa. The ports to be touched at are Goree,
Bathurst, Sierra Leone, Monrovia (Liberia), Cape Coast
Castle, Accra, Whydah Badagry, Lagos, Bonny, Old
Calabar, Cameroons, and Fernando Po. The whole range
of the slave coast will thus be included, and it is under-
stood that the object of the line, which, in the first
instance, of course will carry scarcely any passengers or
letters, is to promote the extinction of that traffic, not
only by cultivating commerce with the natives, but by the
rapid and regular information it will convey from point to
point. The vessels are to have an average speed of 8
knots and the contract is to be for 5 years. At present
the Cape of Good Hope steamers call at Sierra Leone, but
the proposed line will obviate that necessity which has
been found a serious hindrance, and the route of those
vessels will therefore be altered, so that instead of visiting
Sierra Leone, they will call at St. Ascension on their out-
ward, and at St. Helena on their homeward passage.
EXPERIMENT ON HYDROPHOBIA.—M. Rochet d'lleri-
court, the distinguished traveller, has brought from Abys-
sinia the root of the Cucumis Abyssinica, said to be
possessed of the valuable property of curing hydrophobia
in dogs. In presenting it to the Academy of Sciences,
M. d'llericourt stated that he had himself seen, in Abys-
sinia, several dogs in different stages of madness com-
pletely cured by having the powder of the root mixed with
food. The communication was received with the liveliest
interest, and experiments were ordered to be made. I
the last sitting of the Academy a report was presented by
the director of the Veterinary School at Alfort, stating
that he had tried the remedy on four mad dogs, but with-
out the slightest success. He added, that fearing the
roots might have lost their virtue, he procured one of a
living plant from the Jardin des Piantes, but that it, too,
was inefficacious. Further experiments are, however, to
be made, and more roots are to be got from Abyssinia.
There seems no reason why what is a remedy for a dread-
ful malady in Africa should not be a remedy for the same
malady in Europe also.—Literary Gazette.
PORTLAND HARBOUR.—The following statement, from
the Inspecting Commander, will be read with interest :
I consider very great benefit has already been derived by
the coasters and vessels loading stone, 40,000 or 50,000
tons of which are annually exported ; the breakwater pro.
tects them from S. (the inner end) to S.S.E. Already,
in from four to five fathoms good holding ground, and
with S.W. gales, much less roll is experienced. It is not
sufficiently advanced to afford shelter for large ships at
S.S.E., generally speaking, though, from knowing the
holding-ground, I should not hesitate, if in command of a
line-of-battle ship, receiving the same shelter, viz., from '
a S.S.E. gale, by anchoring close up to the breakwater.
A larger class of shipping sought shelter the last winter
than during the preceding. In January, 1851, 24 sail put
in for shelter ; on the 14th, the wind moderating (S.S.E.),
five
_sailed. Many of the others shifted their berths,
evincing their sense of the benefit of the breakwater ; the
same night and following day it increased to a gale ; the
five that sailed were either lost or damaged. One of them,
a schooner, was lost at Lvme, all hands saved ; another,
supposed to have foundered in the West Bay, with all
hands ; but, having made no note at the time I heard
these reports, I only mention the two preceding cases as
those which are authentic, 130 sail having been lying at
one time during last winter, and half that number deriving
benefit from the breakwater.

INSURANCE SOCIETY FOR PROTECTION
AGAINST PURGATORY.

So trite, so common, and so vulgar are the supernatu-
ral gifts of the Roman Catholic Church become in this
matter-of-fact age, that the machinery of co-operation
which covers our land with railways and our sea with
steamers, and affords a mighty agency by which national
improvements are effected, has been applied to the pur-
pose of purchasing those unseen ministerial services
whereby the Church of Rome professes to deliver the
soul of the believer from its durance in the purifying
flames of purgatory. Of all the applications of the joint-
stock principle which this age and country have witnessed,
there is none probably so remarkable as the All Souls
Purgatorian at the mission of St. Ann, Spicer-street,
Spitalfields, London, the leading feature of which is the
payment of 2d. per week, and the consideration a certain
exemption, in return for this very moderate sacrifice in
this life, from the flames of purgatory. Whether this
society is conducted on the plan of mutual assurance, so
that those payments which are in excess are carried to
the credit of those which are in deficit, or whether a sepa-
rate account is kept between the keepers of purgatory and
each contributor, we do not know—nor are we apprised
of the manner in which the funds of the society are to be
expended, whether according to the old and orthodox
precedent of St. Peter's in building the Roman Catholic
church which we are promised for the ornament of our
metropolis, in assisting the Roman Catholic college in
Ireland, or in restoring some degree of substance to the
dilapidated Papal exchequer. It may deserve the consi-
deration of Dr. Newman and other advocates of develop-
ment, whether the joint-stock principle which is thus
applied to the purchase of indulgences might not answer
equally well for supplying new miracles as fast as required.
We can imagine no vocation in which combination and
co-operation would he more necessary than in the work-
ing of modern miracles, and we only feel an apprehension
that, considering on the one hand the limited supply of
the article produced, and on the other hand the boundless
demand of minds ready to swallow the portents of the
whole Oriental mythology at a single gulp, even this
method of production may not be found sufficiently pro-
lific to readjust the balance and gratify those who deem
nothing believed while ought remains incredible.—Times.

GENERAL
-4.-

NEWS.

LITERARY NOVELTY.—The French papers announce
the publication of a volume, containing an exact repro-
duction and critical history of all the ultra-republican
placards displayed upon the walls of Paris since February,
1848, under the title " Les Affiches Rouges."
ACCIDENT ON THE GREATNORTHERNLINE.—On reach-
ing Hornsey on Monday evening, about 6 o'clock, a Hull
train found the line blocked by a luggage train, and had to
wait half-an-hour ; in consequence a Lincoln train ran
_ _

into it
and some shatt
one lady's leg v
concussion of

e lifted entirely from the rails,
;es. No lives were lost ; but
and another s'

p posed to

a brain. Several pas

gers received

slizht injur
THE BITER BIZ
from London to Bath I

ARRIVAL OF AN AMBASSADOR FROM PERSIA.—Among
the passengers by the Euxine, which arrived at South-
ampton from Constantinople, &c., last week, was his
Excellency Skefiah Khan, an ambassador from Persia to
the court of St. James. He is a fine handsome man,
about 40 years of age. He was dressed in the costly and
picturesque costume worn by the highest ranks in Persia.
The sleeves and collar of his cloak were ornamented with
gold embroidery ; the clasp of his girdle was studded with
diamonds, and a brilliant star was suspended on his
breast. He wore the high conical cap of the Persian
country. Ho was accompanied by a dragoman and a
servant. An extensive suite accompanied him from Per-
sia to Turkey, nearly the whole of which he took leave of
at Constantinople. The ambassador reached Constan-
tinople by way of Trebisond and the Black Sea. During
his voyage in the Euxine he sat at table in the saloon
with the other passengers, and was not more particular
in his diet than liberal Mussulosen usually are. He drank
his tea out of a glass tumbler, making it sweet and hot,
without milk or cream. He rigorously abstained from
wines and spirituous liquors. He smoked much. His
manners on board during the voyage were extremely
gentlemanly, and he is evidently a man of education and
refinement. He cannot speak English. His secretary,
and who acted as dragoman, is a true born Persian, and
was educated in India.

oe parties in an excursion train
st week proceeded openly to sell

their tickets upon the platform ; some of the corn
officials havin'/ noted the purchasers, went up by tl,

as far as Swindon, where they charged the parties with
the fact, when they were politely informed that they
might chose one of three alternatives, either to pay their
whole fare from Bristol to London, or pay their fare back
from Swindon to Bristol, or be taken into custody, and
be charged before a magistrate. The parties took the
paying nart. _

CUTTING A CORPORATION.-lt seems that the Great
Northern Riilway directors have given great offence to
the authorities at Huntingdon by hastening the royal
train so rapidly past that town on her Majesty's trip to
Scotland. It appears that the corporation had prepared a
congratulatory address to present to the Queen, and that
the townspeople had made extensive preparations to testify
their loyalty to the crown. The Earl of Sandwich, the
lord lieutenant of the county, has been appealed to on the
subject, and by his lordship's reply to the mayor, it would
seem that he was authorised to state that her Majesty
regretted that so much loyal feeling should have been
rewarded by disappointment.

PROSPECTS FOR THE BRITISH FARMERS AND MlL-
LERS.—Extract of a letter from a gentleman in the United
States, dated August 18 :—" The crop on this continent,
which has only Great Britain to look to for a market, is
extensive, beyond even the most enlarged estimate ; and
it was only yesterday I was informed by an intelligent
English gentleman, who has just returned from visiting
the west, that he was assured that flour would reach
England beforo Christmas, standing in less than three
dollars per barrel. Persons conversant in the grain trade
do not estimate wheat at higher than 40 cents per bushel,
(15s. the imperial qr.) which would make the quantity of
a barrel, say five bushels, not over two dollars; the other
dollar, he says, will cover the charges of export, manu-
facturing, &c."

THE SEARCH FOR SIR JOHN FRANKLIN.--A let-
ter from Captain Parker, of the Truelove ship, giving
an account of Capt. Austen's expedition up to the 13th of
September, 1850, has been brought by Capt. Ord, of the
Tyne, of Berwick-upon-Tweed, which ship arrived at
that port on the 6th instant from Davis' Straits. From
this letter it would appear that the searching expeditions
were about to enter into winter quarters on the southern
shore of Cornwall Island, in Barrow's Straits ; and Capt.
Parker, of the Truelove, brings a letter from Mr. Hibner,
of the United States' station, (which will be read with deep
interest by all,) concerning the traces of Sir J. Franklin's
expedition, which had been already reported by Capt. For-
syth as having been discovered by Captain Ommany and
Lieut. Verticato ; had been further followed up by Capt.
Ommany. Captain Penny, and Captain de Haven, of the
United States expedition, placing beyond a doubt the
safety of Sir John Franklin's ships up to this point,
which was their first winter quarters, and during their
sojourn ; and there is not the slightest ground for supposing
that any disaster of any description had occurred beyond
the ordinary casualties of life among such a number, three
men having died of the two ships' companies up to April,
1846, about which period they would be approaching to
push forward on the main object of the expedition. Every
officer and man of the American vessel had marked scor-
butic disease, but no deaths had occurred, and the crews
were again refreshed, after suffering much exposure and
trial, being frozen in during the last winter up to the 10th
of Jane this year.

LIFTING THE TOP STORY OF A HOUSE IN ABERDEEN.
—A feat of rather a novel kind—new to this quarter of
the world at all events—is at present being performed on
a house in the Gallowgate, Aberdeen. The proprietor
wishing to add to the height of the second floor of the
house, which is a pretty large one, the floors being 28 feet
by 24 feet, Mr. Reid, Thornton-place, has suceeeded in
lifting the whole of the top of the house entire—roof,
garrets, partitions, and all—a height of 31 inches. When
the masons have finished raising the walls to the required
height, the whole will be gently lowered down again and
thus much expense and labour will be saved. The lifting
was accomplished by means of machines technically known
as " dumb crafts"--a sort of screw power.—Aberdeen
Herald.

A CROWDED EXCURSION TRAIN.—A cheap excursion
train from Southampton to London, ran on Monday.
The train was to start at half-past six in the morning and
return at night. At six o'clock upwards of 3,000 persons
were assembled before the Southampton Railway Station.
The carriages for the train had not arrived, however, from
London at the time for starting, and the crowd was, con-
sequently, kept outside the station until the carriages did
arrive, which was not until seven o'clock. When the
station doors were opened the crowd was so great, and so
eager to get in, that the windows of the station were
broken, several persons were injured, and a great number
of hats, shawls, bonnets, caps, and shoes were lost.
Numbers of women fainted or were taken ill, and children
were nearly crushed to death. Owing to the immense
pressure of the mob many persons had their clothes torn
to pieces.

POSITION OF THE FEMALE SEX IN THE UNITED
STATES.—More unrestricted freedom of action, general
influence, and visible power, is conceded to the female sex
of the United States. This the European perceives soon
after he lands in the United States, but it becomes more
perceptible as he proceeds towards the west. The female
conventions are occasionally held, for the purpose of up.
holding the rights of women, and of demanding an equality
in all matters with the male sex. At first sight it appears
difficult to account for this great forwardness of the sex
we are accustomed to defer to as the weaker and gentler
and more aimable, as well as more loving and beautiful;
and yet it is not an unnatural state of things in a new
country like this. For two hundred years a tide of emi-
gration, more or less powerful, chiefly of the male sex,
has been flowing from Europe to America. As soon as
they are settled, these men look out for wives ; and, as
the females are scarce, they are highly prized, much
sought after, courted, indulged, and it may be ultimately
spoiled. Even at this day, when the facilities for crossing
the sea are so much greater, and emigration by families
so much more frequent than formerly, the disproportion
between males and females is very great. Thus the emi-
gration into the United States, during the last three
years, consisted of males and females respectively:—

REMARKABLE PHENOMENON.—SHIPSTON-ON-STOLIR.
-It is not a little remarkable that a second crop of wheat,
which is now in flower, has sprung up in those fields that
were either much injured, or entirely destroyed, by the
late terrible hail-storm. And even in those fields which
were mown after the storm a second crop has sprung up,
and appears likely for the sickle in the latter end of this
month. In those cases where the first crop was left
standing it is considerable, and the farmers aro much puz-
zled in deciding whether the first crop should be sacrificed
to secure the second, or the second to secure the first, as
both cannot be secured. It unfortunately happens in
several cases, after the wheat was mown, either the ground
was ploughed, or cattle were turned upon it to eat the
springing blade. This was done, of course, in ignorance
of the extraordinary compensating power of nature in the
vegetable world, in the case of injury, or apparent destruc-
tion.— Oxford Chronicle.

1847. 1848. 1849. Total.
Miles 138,939 136,128 169,253 454,320
Females .. 99,357 92,892 119,915 312,164

Difference 39,682 43,236

49,338 142,156

Thus, in three years, an excess of no less than 142,000
males entered in the states from Europe, bringing in as
many extra competitors for the hands of the native born
American females, who are intended only to supply wives
to the native born American men.

BALLOON DESCENT AT A LUNATIC ASYLUN. —The
veteran Green, having made his 485th ascent from Vaux-
hall-gardens in the Nassau balloon on Monday evening,
accompanied by a party of gentlemen, effected a safe des-
cent on the lawn in front of the Surrey County Lunatic
Asylum. Many of the patients, who were enjoying their
evening amusements, immediately assisted him in securing
the balloon, and rendering him the required assistance.
It being the intention of the company, which consisted of
a party of distinguished military officers, again to embark
at dawn of day on an aerial voyage, the di
accomplished with scare
this, being a practical Mu!
which has been effected

TnAFFIC RETURNS.—The traffic returns for the week
ending the 7th instant, on the undermentioned English
lines of railway, are as follows :

£60,053 .. 40,675
24,279 .. 23,668
18,320 .. 16,609
16,857 .. 13,125
14,847 .. 13,778
23,303 .. 18,893
20,697 .. 17,196
10,392 .. 9,464

eatment
ltitv of aft]

in this country. Here a 1
immediately rendered the required assi
though the extensive grounds soon becar

7,530 .. 6,517
5,470 .. 5,110
16,625 .. 15,113
1,839 .. 1,822
606 .. 726
14,642 .. 13.692

neighbours from all directions, with who
they cheerfully returned to the wards of t
without any mischevous excitement from the (
RETIREMENT OF BALFE FROM HER
THEATRE.—A friend writes from Cologne tha—
said that Herr Ferdinand Hiller has been just ez
Mr. Lumley as the musical director of her
Theatre in London, and of the Italian Opera in 10110, all..
that he will, in consequence, resign his appointments in
the city of the three Kings. This, of course, implies the
retirement of Mr. Balfe ; and the gain also to London of
a sound musician and amiable man, which universal report
declares Herr Hiller to be. What his capacities as musical
conductor of a theatre so differently construct(
those of the Continent, as ours may prove, no on
divine ; but of his standing among Eurom
there can be no question. His appoints
the Colognese echoes tell true, must
word of welcome. It is
Germany there is some
away from his court all(

12,057
4,424
5,174
1,325
1,347
2,226

,-
lines being £263452
ing week of last year ;
,549. The number of
and in 1850, 3,9714 ;
1. The average return
was, in 1851, £62 16s. 11d., and in 1850,
ng £5 14s. lid. per mile per week in favour
The receipts of the past week reflect
e of the year, when large numbers
s for the shooting season • and on the
the royal progress has attracted a good
deal of cost to the Exchequer. The increase on the re-
ceipts of the larger companies is still very high..

e present year
raffle of this

A M. I

the head of the Conservatoire in Co.
Hiller.—Athenceum.

of Herr

T LIVERPOOL STANDARD, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1851

NEW YORK, S
26th August. in L

Leghori

cane that swept over the islam
felt the same day at St. Croix.
Rico. All the vessels in the lat

Admiral (s), hence at Havre.
Osmanli (s), Lock, sailed from Leghorn for Marseilles and
this port 30th August, and Concordia, 31st August, for this port.
Livorno fa). from

ac
OrphKisseus, Nei,
ovich from Canton, at Halifax.
Ida , Pllau, from Callao ; America, llanschild,
tL from Valparaiso, and Boadicea, Dupre, from Rio Grande. all
at

A severe hurricane v
ag. 67, by the Asia, as
.same_ day, in lat. 36.

encountered
ed here from

The
hurri-
august, was
Poato

ad also at Mayaga
port dragged their