The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-01-30 00:00:00

SECRETS OF THE PRISON HOUSE.

When we referred, last week, to the circumstance
that, by an arbitrary interpretation of the rules of the
Poor Law Commissioners, the unfortunate paupers in
our workhouse are deprived of the opportunity of learn-
ing anything of that world from which poverty has driven
them, we were little aware of the kind of authority to
which they were subjected. We were not aware that in
this conservative town, under a conservative select vestry,
whose chairman is the senior rector of our parish, the
poor inmates of our workhouse are governed with a
despotism so harsh 'and unfeeling as it appears they are.
We were not aware that, under the present governor, it
is a crime in a pauper to have in his possession a con-
servative newspaper, even although it may have been
-upplied by the kindness of a friend, for a purpose bene-
ficial to the pauper himself.

. .
It appears, however, that such is the case. Last
week, we are informed, a pauper in the workhouse was
discovered indulging in the atrocious gratification afforded
by a perusal of the Liverpool Standard. An old man he
was—one who had probably paid rates to the town in his
better days—one who had friends beyond the walls of
his workhouse prison, and thus an interest in the world
without, which it is only Christian charity to gratify.
But such gratification is not within the contemplation of
the representatives in our workhouse of the new poor law
philosophy. By them, poverty is regarded as A cnimE.
Paupers have no right to consider themselves citizens of
the world in which we live. They have no right to know
that a friend or a relation is dead, or that there is a
chance opened for their own re-establishment in the
world. Acting upon this harsh interpretation of the
laws, the paper in this poor man's hands was immedi-
ately taken from him—an inquiry instituted as to the
means by which it was brought within the walls—and
one of the paupers who refused to afford this information,
and perhaps could not afford it, ordered to be put upon
disorderly diet for twenty-four hours.
Now, this, we submit, is not the kind of treatment to
which the ratepayers of the parish of Liverpool wish
their poor to he subjected. Already they have been
deprived of the privilege, formerly enjoyed by them, of
going out of the workhouse once a-week ; and it is a little
too bad that they should he deprived of the poor alterna-
tive which was left them of hearing of the world's pro-
ceedings through the columns of a respectable newspaper.
A workhouse was surely intended as an asylum for age
and poverty. This rigour is fast converting it into a
gloomy prison-house.
It will, no doubt, be said that the exclusion of news-
papers is in accordance with the orders of the commis-
sioners, which direct the exclusion of all publications
having "an improper tendency, or likely to produce in-
subordination." The world, however, is pretty well
aware that this is a mere pretence. The object of this
rigorous and overstrained interpretation of the order in
question is to render existence within a workhouse more
intolerable ; and the same parties who evince this spirit
would not hesitate, had they the power, to forbid the
sun to shine upon, or the pure air of heaven to visit, the
faded cheeks of their immured and heartworn fellow-be-
ings. It is a wretched and unfeeling philosophy which
thus manifests itself ; and we trust that its further de-
velopement will be checked by the select vestry.

LIVERPOOL CHARITABLE SOCIETY.—On Tuesday
evening an eloquent sermon was preached in St. Mark's
Church, by the Rev. Hugh M'Neile, and a collection of
£47 10s. was made in aid of the funds of the above so-
ciety, which was established in 1822, for visiting and re-
lieving the sick and distressed poor of all religious deno-
mination, at their own dwellings. During the past twelve
months this admirable society relieved 2,900 cases, con-
taining upwards of 11,000 individuals.
THEATRE ROYAL, C H URCH -ST REET. —M RS. RAY-
MONDS BENEFIT.—The performances at this theatre
during the past week have presented nothing upon which
we have not already commented ; but last night, for the
benefit of Mrs. Raymond, we were presented with a treat,
in the revival of the "The Merry Wives of Windsor,"
cast with all the strength of the company. In thee rowded
state of our columns to-day, it is impossible that we can
give any detailed notice of the piece. It will be repeated,
however, this evening, with other attractive performances,
for the benefit of the same lady ; and, whilst we recom-
mend all lovers of the l'gitimate drama to see and judge
for themselves. we must reserve our comments till next
week. The house, last night, we need not say, was cram-
med, and visitors to night, should therefore go early.

MISS WELLER'S SECOND CONCERT, AT THE ROYAL
ASSEMBLY-ROOMS.—The great success of Miss Weller's
first conceit, and the inability of many parties to obtain
tickets on that occasion, made it imperative upon the fair
benefiiciare to announce a second Soiree Musicale, which
accordingly took place on Thursday evening last, and was
well attended, the room being completely filled. The
programme differed materially from that of the former
soiree, the only compositions retained being the Fantasia
by Miss Weller, the grand Norma duett, and the ballad
of the " Old and New Year," sung by Miss Whitnall.
The audience appeared to relish Miss Weller's brilliant
Fantasia as highly as before, as also the Norma duett,
loudly applauding both. Miss Whitnall was in admirable
voice, sang the ballad with great taste, and was en-
cored. Mrs. Chatfield, who appeared to have recovered
from her temporary indisposition, sang with Miss Whit-
nall Merea_cUnte'a duett " 0 vrce suave," very well :
theii voices Tharmontsece on v , nou
charming and most pleasing effect. Mrs. Chatfield sang
" On the banks of Allan Water" with much feeling and
good taste, accompanying herself on the piano-forte, and
was encored. Mr. Ryalls was entrusted with one of Mr.
Lewis's songs, " Swiftly o'er the water glides," and was
encored. The concert went off extremely well, and ap-
peared to give satisfaction and pleasure to all present.

DEATH FROM THE FALLING OF A BALE OF COTTON.
—On Satuday, and by adjournment, yesterday, an inquest
was held before the Borough coroner, touching the death
of Isaac Croasdell. The deceased was a hoop merchant,
of Low-wood, near Ulverston. Samuel Carr, a porter,
said, that on Saturday morning about ten o'clock he was
engaged in sampling some bales of cotton in Mr. Wain_
wright's warehouse, in Wapping. which was going to
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M`Marms call out that the bale had slipped out of the
rope. Witness went to the door of the room (No. 3,)
where they were, and saw a bale and deceased lying under
it, on the footpath. He went down and deceased was
picked up. He was not dead, but bleeding from his mouth.
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The deceased, it appeared, was passing with his son be-
tween the cart and the warehouse when the bale fell upon
him. His right leg was broken. Mr. 'Wainwright said
be had let the room to Messrs. Twiname and Co., and
furnished the ropes for taking in and delivering gods.
The rope was nearly new. The parties occupying rooms
furnished their own slings. The rope was afterwards
found to be sound and entire. M‘Manus was in Mr.
Shaw's employ. A witness, Roberts, said that the hales
were not, he thought, slung in a proper manner at the
warehouse; door ; they were raised on end and slung,
and ought to have been slung while lying flat. He saw
the cot ton lowered, and he considered it in so dangerous a
manner that he told a police officer if they were not
stopped people passing would he killed. Another witness
saw the bale hanging out, saw it slipping from the noose,
and called out to M'Manus to hold on. He thought the
sling had slipped down the bale to the wrong end, and
that M'Mannus was not to blame. The deceased's son
was walking by his side when the bale fell, and, conse-
quently had a narrow escape. No surgeon was examined
to give evidence, the deceased being killed so suddenly.—
The jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death, with a
deodaud of £5 on the bale."
CALDWALL'S SELF-FLEETING WINDLASS AND PUR-
CHASE.—We were not a little surprised and gratified by
witnessing on Saturday, on hoard the new ship Joshua
Waddington, (in the Prince's Dock) the operation of this
admirable invention, which, whether as regards extraor-
dinary power in raising an anchor, or ease and safety in
fleeting it out, appears to us to be greatly superior to any
of the patent windlasses—and they are not a few—which
we had before seen. There are two purchases outside the
bit-heads, and also two near the centre of the barrel, be-
tween the two cables, though these are not necessary in
all vessels. The purchase in each consists of a powerful
leverage, formed by a strong km,- or crank- interwurth-
long iron handles are shipped. To the upper part of the
knee is attached a click passing in a curve over a wheel
greater in diameter than the barrel of the windlass, and
with rounded teeth inclining forwards, so that when the
lever is lifted the click passes over several teeth, and
dropping, catches firm hold of any one of them. The
lever being then pushed down the wheel, and with it the
whole windlass is sent round with great force. In the
purchase, or upright part of the crank, there are four
holes, and by shifting the click end the power may be in-
creased, or diminished. When in the lower hole one
man may.lift as much weight as four men could do if it
were in the' upper hole, but the latter would of course have
the advantage in speed. One man may lift with this pur-
chase a weight at the bows of the ship of twenty-one cwt.
This process is of course slower. Four men, when the
full length of the arm or crutch is put on, will turn the
windlass right round once, with the same weight, in four
heaves of the lever. Of course when two or four levers
are employed, where men are to be had, the power is in-
creased to double or quadruple ratio. Another great ad-
vantage, however, of this windlass—aud perhaps the
greatest—is the fleeting apparatus attached to it, which on
being brought into operation will let down an anchor at
almost any speed ; and it may • be* slowed or checked, in
its descent, at any depth, by one man, without the least
jerking. The rims of the breaks clip round the outside of
the cog-wheels, in a very simple and efficient manner,
and with the slightest care any desired speed, (over-
hauling the chain out of the locker) may be attained, or
any required slowness. In addition to these advantages,
Mr. Caldwell has introduced an excellent patent deck
stopper and deck pipe. The nautical gentlemen who
have witnessed the trials on board the Joshua Wadding-
ton, have expressed their high approval of these inven-
tions, which have already been introduced in some of our
vessels of war. The inventor brings numerous testi-
monials from practical men ; but-we are constrained, from
want of room at present, entering more into detail. The
patent windlass apparatus may be fitted to vessels having
the usual wooden windlasses.