The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1850-10-29 00:00:00

evening

WEie DERBY WARD.—Last night a meeting of the
electors of this ward was held at the Tunnel Hotel, Edge-
hill, to promote the to urn of Mr. J. M. Wood. The
Proceedings were very unanimous, and there appeared to
be every prospect of Mr. Wood's return by a large majo-
rity. Mr. Evans will no doubt retire before Friday, as he
must by this time be aware of the state of feeling in the
ward, and it will he well for him to avoid a signal defeat.
SUDDEN DEATII.—On Friday evening a Mrs. Rawcliffe,
67 years of age, who resided at Ormskirk, expired sud-
denly while crossing a field at Bootle, with a female friend,
for the purpose of catching the train frnm

•• taa Vl Nuva I
Southport, having previously left the former place where
she h.d been on a short visit. The deceased, who was
partially deaf and dumb, was only able to artienhaa

word "poorly" af7er being seized with the death-stroke.
COUNCIL MEETING.—The last meeting of the Council
for the present municipal year will be held this morning.
In addition to the usual committees' proceedings, the elec-
tion of an alderman and Dock Committeeman, in the room
of Mr.. Nicol, will take place. The proceedings of the
Finance Committee contain a recommendation as to Mr.
Wilson's lease at Birk(=nh-ad. Mr. Parker will move
that the resolution of the Council relative to the erection
of a building on the Wall-hill estate for the reformation
of juvenile offender.. be rescinded, and Mr. Henderson
will move for a return of the expenses of the IRivington
scheme.
THE CHARGE OF THE RECORDER OF BIRMINGHAM.--
The suggestion put forward by Mr. Hill as to the pro-
priety of conferring powers on the police to arrest known
thieves, though not detected in any special act of felony.

leads us to consider what has been the practice in this
respect of the police authorities in Liverpool. It has long
been a rule among the detective officers to arrest indivi-
, duals of the swell mob whenever observed in the public
streets, as their business is perfectly well understood by
the police. In fact a well known member of the detective
department has frequently been placed on guard in the
vicinity of the banks on Saturdays, with a special view to
scaring off, or perhaps introducing to the interior of the
bridewell, gentlemen of the fraternity alluded to. When-
ever captures have been made and evidence has been
adduced of the mode of life of the prisoner being that of a
thief, a committal has been the result.
CAUTICN TO PARENTS.—On Saturday evening, a
child six years old, named Joseph Balfe, whose parents
resided in No. 9 court, St. Andrew-street, met with his
death under the following shocking circumstances :—The
child's mother, who was engaged in removing her furni-
Ore to another dwelling, had locked the door, but did
not take the precaution of fastening the window. In a
short time from her having left the house, her child and
another opened the window and got into ie house. Very
soon afterwards little Balfe was seen enveloped in flames.
A man named Burns forced his way into the house and
brought the unfortunate child our, and subsequently took
him to the infirmary, where death put a period to his
sufferings the same night. Before he expired, the little
fellow stated that his companion pushed him into the tire:
but as such a statement could not be taken in evidence
from so young a child, a verdict of accidental death was
returned.—On the same day a little girl about the same
age. whose father, a shoemaker, named Enwright, resides
in No. 45 Court, Upper Frederick-street, also was burned
to death. In the absence of her mother the child's pina-
fore ignited from her having approached the fire too
closely, and the poor child was so shockingly injured as
to defy all the curative measures adopted by the surgeons
who were called in.
MR. WALLIS'S COLLECTION OF MODERN ART, AT
BURLAND'S GALLERY, CHURCH-STREET.—We think
ourselves perfectly justified in directing public attention
to works of art, silierever exhibited, and whosesoever
they may be, if they are such as even the critics of our
contemporary press can scarcely cavil at; such as can
best guide public taste into a right channel, and be the
means of introducing into local collections works of art of
a good class, at moderate prices. We have a further
satisfaction, in noticing this enticing lot of pictures, in
being able to announce that the guarantee given by Mr.
Wallis places the buyer on the same tooting of security as
he feels when purchasing from the annual exhibitions. It
can be productive of no detriment to artists thus to notice
these works, for Mr. W. buys largely and spiritedly of
them, and therefore, in serving him, we promote also
their interests and the cause of art. Here is a case in
point, that speaks volumes for his discernment and enter-
prize: Alexander Johnston's picture of "the Burial of
Charles I." appeared in the Royal Academy of 1847, in
the Liverpool Academy of the same year, in the Manches-
ter Institution in 1848, and was not sold. In face of all
this, Mr. W. has dared to show his appreciation of the
truly great work of art by buying it; and we hope to be ,
able to say, before many days, that he has found some
one with as much spirit and as much judgment as himself
to whom it may be sold. We observe some important
additions to the collection, and among them a cattle piece
of Sydney Cooper, in which all is accomplished which can
render such a subject fascinating, and it is of the highest
quality of such art. The great works in this collection
would require more space than we can devote to them ;
we must therefore rest satisfied with saying, that if to see
the finest fruit and flower piece ever produced—a work of
Groenland,—the extraordinary representative abilities of
Herring, sen., displayed in the depiction of animals ;
the impressive historical, richly illustrated by Johnston ;
the humorous and exciting scene of a militia ballotting, in
faithful colours, by Phillips; and the fascinating poesy of
Spenser, gracefully realised on canvas by Pickersgill, will
not repay a visit, and extract from the pockets of the
wealthy amateurs of this town and neighbourhood golden
proofs of their estimation of good pictures, then is our
opinion of their taste erroneous.
ARREST OF A. BRITISH CONSUL.—On Saturday the
deck of the British and North American Mail steam-ship
Africa, when about leaving the Mersey for New York, was
the scene of a very strange and rare occurrence, the arrest
of Mr. Muir, her Majesty's Consul at New Orleans, who
has been on a visit to his native country for the last few
months. The circumstances under which Mr. Muir was
arrested when on the point of sailing for the scene of his
duties were, as far as we could ascertain, as follow :—lt
would appear, about eighteen months ago, that a ship
belonging to the firm of Delany and Co., of Sligo, was
seized at New Orleans for an alleged violation of the Ame-
rican Navigation Laws, and it was necessary, before she
would be allowed to proceed to sea, that a sum of £460
should be paid into the hands of the customs authorities
at New Orleans. Mr. Muir, as an act of friendship, and
believing that she was illegally detained, paid the money,
taking a lien on the ship, pending the issue of a law suit
then going forward in the matter. The result of the suit
was favourable to Delany and Co., and damages to the
amount of £770 were recovered and paid to Mr. Muir,
who, instead of forwarding the balance to the owners of
the ship, placed it to the credit of a larger account, which
he had against them, and advised the parties of his having I
done so. Thus the matter rested up to about two months
ago, when Mr. Muir came to England on business, and on
his arrival he wrote to Delany and Co., respecting the
settlement of his accouut, and he received a letter in reply.
stating that Mr. Delany eissuld call upon him, and hand
over the balance on his arrival in Liverpool. According
when Mr. Muir wes about leaving London, be wrote to
the correspondent of Delany and Co., stating here,
in
he intended to sail by the Africa, and that he would
of
Liverpool on the 24th or 25th instant. On the receiptt
London,thi s
c ht
si
itn
ewdo
au
judge'sl d appear
warrant,
thata rre e
tD, ealea
was his debtor, for his arrest. He got back
was about to
he waited until the very moment the veqs
d when he,
sail, after the mails were placed on
b
succeeded in getting
accompanied by two sheriff's officers, Mr.
Muir. Several
on board the Africa and capturinF
Liverpool came
respectability
merchants of the highest
day night, but, instead of at once executing
he thew arrant,
with a view that he might be offered to pay down
destination. Indeed, one gentleman__oo;
but even this would
Delany
rrsAetiaorrneFd Muirto
to Muir,hs
Maciver exerted himself to the
not be received. Mr. i
satisfying
forward ra dn
d and
give. offered ffhei rs e
bond
anndy.
for
tr amount
einot allowedo f
utmost with a view of
_.the s security
r requirements eto pf
mor orecni‘e itesrd. of De-
lany without stay
thegen tmleymrmanidponaisdodfotwhne
staying Mr. Muir, but in vain. He detained
the sum of ,
i then and not till then, released Mr. Muir, and
law, w ,
the Africa proceeded on her voyage. The £l,OOO was
l protest anothert
o
paid over to Mr. Campbell, of the firm of
subsequently
Fielden and Co., who will retain the money until the
decision of a court of law is obtained in the matter. It is
the vessel,
xholwoeooveru,eudnerti
said there was a political motive for his arrest, and that
Llelany was only the instrument of other parties.