The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-09-10 00:00:00

MISCE LLANEOUS.

ALL FOR LOVE AND A LITTLE FOR COMPASSION.—
Yesterday se'nnight an alarm spread through the town
that a man had been killed in an Irish row at the -end of
the Notthgate ; and the alarm was confirmed by a man
being taken to the lock-up who had inflicted the blow.
It ;turned out, however, that the man was only " kilt ;"
but as he met with very considerable compassion he
" shammed Abraham" for a considerable time. Police-
man Rawson at last, however, brought him to life again
by the threat to give him a taste of his shillelagh, on
which the dying man got up and walked home. He had
however, got a shocking cut on the head, sufficient no
doubt to kill anybody but an Irishman. He refused to
appear against the man who had inflicted it, very saga-
ciously and no doubt veraciously observing that " if he
had got licked be must have done something to deserve
it."—llalifax Guardian.
"

PA'S-SENGE-RS 'ON RAILWAYS.—An article appearsin the
last number of the Westminster Review on railway admi-
nistration, advocating the principle that passengers may
be carried at infinitely less sums than they now pay, and
that very low fares will prove in the end the best source
of profit to the proprietors. From the evidence given by
Mr. Hudson before the Railway Committee the writer
draws the statement, that on the North and York Mid-
land Railways coals are carried at the rate of three far-
things per ton per mile, and that that price is a remunera-
tive one. Estimating that 13 passengers would go to a
ton, he finds that a regulation load of passengers'on the
London and Birmingham Railway, that is, three tons and
a half, or 46 passengers, who standing up would only oc-
cupy a waggon of the common size, might be conveyed at
Mr. Hudson's remunerative price for .t 1 12s. Bd., or Sid.
per passenger. Why, then, he asks, should passengers,
who can load and unload themselves, and, moreover, are
not liable to be lost or stolen, be charged higher than
goods? This is, of course, going to a violent extreme ;
but it is a useful line of argument as showing that the
fares are capable of being very considerably reduced,
leaving a profit which would very much increase from the
additional numbers conveyed.
CHINESE IDEAS of FUTURE PUNISHMENTS.—In
recess, probably fifteen feet square, were placed the figures
representing the judge or king, the assistant demons, the
witnesses and prisoners, each as large as life, and clothed
in the garb they are supposed to wear. Each seems eager
to surpass the other in ferocity, and the perfect hideous-
ness of their countenances one would suppose alone suf-
ficient to prevent crime altocether. Behind a large table,
carrying a most magisterial and ferocious air, is seen
seated the king of the particular hell over which it is his
duty to preside, his brow contracted, his eyes rolling and
starting from their sockets, his lips conveying the idea of
unbending firmness, and his whole demeanour just such
as one would suppose a gentleman of his character to as-
sume. Immediately in front of the table. pinioned and
on his knees, is a most wo-begone personage, the unfor-
tunate culprit, who is waiting to receive his doom, while
on either side stand several hideous-looking figures, their
eyes glaring fiercely on their victim, and while some sus-
tain a heavy chain which is attached to his body, others
are busily employed in preparing, or making use of, vari-
ous instruments of torture. In advance of the entire con-
clave, placed over a hissing and turbulent tire, is seen the
final receptacle for the, unfortunate sinner, a large pot
filled with boiling oil, having its edges " garnished" -with
demons of frightful forms and looks, who are amusing
themselves with spears in preventing the escape from the
pot of sundry other victims, who are receiving their al-
lowance of the punishment that the hard-hearted King of
Terrors has already meted out to them. At length the
sentence is pronounced, and as the prisoner is raised upon
the ends of various sharp-pointed instruments, and cast
into the boiling liquid, the roar of the demons, mingled
with the crackling of the flames, drown at once all cries
for mercy, and afford the spectator a good idea of the
puni'hments in store in the Hell of the Boiling Cauldron.
—Chinese Olio.

THE LAW OF COURTSHIP.—An American paper gives
the following account of a trial for breach of promise of
marriage, in which the judge laid down a new doctrine,
which we should not be sorry to see adopted 7—" A case
was recently tried in Rutland, Vermont, North America,
in which a Miss Munson recovered 1425 dollars of a Mr.
Hastings, for a breach of a marriage contract. The cu-
riosity of the thing is this—the Vermont judge charged the
jury that no explicit promise was necessary to bind the
parties to a marriage contract, but that long-continued at-
tentions or intimacy with a female was as good evidence of
intended matrimony as a special contract. The principle of
the case undoubtedly is, that if Hastings did not promise
he ought to have done so—the law holds Lim responsible
for the nonperformance of his duty. A most excellent
decision—a most righteens judge, compared wiih whom
Daniel would appear but a common :quire ! We have no
idea of young fellows (landing about after girls for a year
or two, and then going off leaving their sweethearts half
courted ; we hate this everlasting nibble and never a bite,
this beating the bush and never starting the game_
it is one of the crying sins of the age. There is not
one girl in twenty can tell whether she is courted or
not. No wonder that when Betty Simper's cousin
asked if Billy Doubtful courted her, she replied, 'I don't
know exactly—he's a sorter courtin' and a sorter net
courtin'.' We have no doubt that this Hastings is one of
these sorter not courtin' ' fellows, and most heartily do
we rejoice that the judge has brought bun to book with a
1425 dollars verdict. judge says that long continued
attentions cr intimacy is just as good as a regular promise.
Now, we do not know what would pass for intimacyaccord-
ing to the laws of Vermont, but supposing attentions to
consist of visiting a girl twice a viick, and estimating the
time wasted by Miss Munson at each visit to be worth a
dollar (which is too cheap), Mr. Hast'ngs has been max,_

ing a fool of himself 14 years and some odd weeks.
This decision makes a new era in the law of love, and,
we make no doubt, will tend to ;the promotion of ma-
trimony and morality."
DREADFUL INUNDATION, STOCKPORT.—A heavy
storm set in in this neighbourhood on Friday, accompa-
nied with an immense quantity of rain. The principal
damage occurred at Hazel-grove, about three miles from
the town, where was a large reservoir of water, at one
end of which, ten feet from it, was a wall, about as many
feet high and nearly forty yards long. A stream com-
municating with the reservoir became prodigiously
swollen, and there being not sufficient outlet for the
water, it overflowed and pressed against the wall, flowing
in large quantities round its ends. Some men passing by
observed that the water was flowing over the top, and
a man who stood near apprehending danger called out to
a number of young women that they had better remain
a short time, and then attempt to pass it. A
number of them, however, persevered, and crept under the
wall for shelter, when at the moment the force of the
water swept the wall from its foundation for the lenglh
of about thirty yards, carrying a great number of the
unfortunate people away with the current, many of
whom were buried under the ruins of the wall. Thir-
teen were very severely injured, and six of them are dead.
At Worth Clough the Macclesfield corral overflowed its
banks filling some of the coal pits, putting out the engine
fires, and setting several carts and horses afloat. At
Hope-green, on the Macclesfield-road, a wall, running
parallel with a brook which skirts the road, was at one
point forced down by the water. The " Express" Pot-
tery coach was passing at the moment, and was near being
upset by the rush of water. All the coaches on that line
of road were delayed many hours beyond their usual time
in consequence of the flood. At Danbroak a bridge was
washed down as -a horse and cart were going over it, and
the horse drowned. [Our Manchester correspondent's
subsequent letter gives the following additional circum-
stances:—`' At the end of the village runs a small rivulet
or brook, which, in ordinary times, appears a very insig-
nificant stream : it rose, however, with rapidity, and over-
flowedits banks in alldirections,flooding the adjoiningflelde,
inundating many of the cottages contiguous to it. About
half a mile down the brook stands a very fine cotton fac-
tory, belonging to Mr. Cooper, known as " Wellington
Mills." The flood rose so rapidly that, almost without
previous notice, the yard of the mill presented the appear-
ance of a large reservoir ; the fires were extinguished, and
the machinery stopped. Some labourers, who were at
work in the yard, became surrounded with water, and
were only saved from drowning by the other hands, who
had gained an elevated position, throwing ropes to them,
' which they tied round their bodies, and were then drawn
through the water, which at that period was seven or
eight feet deep in the mill-yard."]

PICTURE OF THE FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE
FREE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND.--WE have seen, at Mr.
Grundy's repository in Church-street, an extensive col-
lection of miniature portraits of Scottish clergymen,
from which is to be taken the great picture of the First
General Assembly of the Free Protestine. Church of
Scotland, to be painted by D. 0. Hill,' Esq., R.S.A.
These are all admitted to be admirable, we may add,
add un.
erring likenesses of the fathers, ministers, and elders en-
gaged in the revolution in the Scottish Church, and a
tine engraving from the picture (in which they will all be
grouped) is proposed to be published by subscription, ex-
ecuted in the first style of the art. The manner in
which these !miniatures was taken, is in itself novel as
well as highly interesting—being, by means of a new art,
which will in all probability, ere long, entirely subverse
the usual " taetics" of the limner, by affordieg him in
the first instance, and in a moment, not only a minutely
correct outline of his subject, but a breadth, strength and
accuracy of shadow, which he might not attain by the labour
and ingenious touches of many site ings. As stated in the
prosp, ectus they were first taken by the Daguerrctype in
the ordinary way, and with the usual effect ; but latterly,
by means of the Catotype, a sister art introduced into the
Scottish metropolis, for the first time, within the last few
weeks by the discoverer, a Mr. Adamson, of St. An-
drews. The sketches thus taken are of a rich brown
colour, resembling dark tints of sepia ; and every linea-
ment of the countenance, together with the attitude and
drapery, even to the minutest point, is given with a
fidelity truly astonishing. If the person sitting remain
but steady for a few seconds, his portrait is impinged
upon the prepared metallic paper as correctly as his face
is reflected in a mirror, and that, too, with no faint and
evanescent t &et, but in the full and permanent vigour of
a first rate mezzotint. Having these fine semblarices for
his guide, the grouping and colouring to nature, become
to the artist (who independently visits the parties and
studies their countenances and attire,) a work of com-
parative ease ; and we may look to the completion cf this
great work of art as destined to mark the date of a new
era in painting. Many of the likenesses are acknowledged
by judges who know the parties, to be full of life, cha-
racter, and vraisemblance ; and what they will be when
transferred to the glowing canvas, with all the facilities
which are at the command of the artist may be readily
foretold. We advise an early visit to Mr. G.'s, of those
who feel interested in the subject.
THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS.—The spirited proprietor
of this popular place of recreation, continues, in grateful
consideration of the encouragement he has received
throughout the season, to provide new and astounding
novelties. Last evening the concourse of gratified visitors
was very great, to witness the celebrated and dauntless
Madame Rossini make her terrific ascent across the lake,
to the summit of the Temple of Elora, on a rope 300 feet
long, and at an elevation of 60 feet over the water, en-
veloped in coloured fires. We have also the three won-
derful German dwarfs, who have been patronised by most
of the royal families of Europe. The centrifugal railway,
and a fine camera obscura are, too, in full requisition.
All these attractions, and many more, which we have not
(pace to enumerate, will be continued during the week, as
well as the levees of the dwarfs morning and evening.