The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-02-06 00:00:00

SELECTIONS.

ORIGIN OF TIM TERM PINCHBECK.—We hear for
certain, that Mr. Pinchbeck, of London, will be in town
this week, with a variety of toys in his curious metal ; as,
likewise a curious parcel of jeweller's work, as diamond
rings, both brilliant and roses, stone buckles of all sorts.
He also has lately invented an artificial stone, called the
Pinchbeck diamond, which he sets in gold rings, and so
nearly resembles the rose in all its properties that it has
often deceived the best judges, and is so hard that it will
stand the file, which is allowed to be a perfection that no
one artificial stone ever had before.—N.B. He allows
half-a-crown an ounce for his metal as usual.—Whit-
worth's Manchester Magazine, Oct. 7, 1746.
MALINGERING.—Dr. Gavin mentions, that a man of
the name of Henry Moor Smith, a most accomplished
villain, while in the prison of Kingston, began to spit
blood, had a violent cough and fever, and gradually
wasted away, so that those who visited him supposed that
his death was rapidly approaching. This continued for a
fortnight, and his weakness was so great that he had to
be lifted up to take medicine or nutriment. A turnkey,
unfortunately, however, left the door of the prison open
for a few moments, in order to warm a brick for his cold
extremities; on his return, Smith had disappeared. On
being again put into prison he feigned cachexia, hemop-
tysis, and epilepsy, but without success. He confessed
that he pretended to raise blood by pounding a brick into
powder, pwing it in a small rag, and chewing it in his
mouth. He contrived to vary his pulse by striking his
elbows, and said he had taken the flesh off his body in lin
days by sucking a copper cent in his mouth all night, and
swallowing the saliva.--Medical Times.
MILS. HEMANS, R. SOUTIAEY, AND OTHER. POETS.--
I am quite of your opinion as to the too uniform splen-
dour of Felicia Hemans. She keeps us hovering con-
stantly on the wing, like birds of Paradise, for want of a
perch to repose upon. This cannot be said of the honest
lake poets; you may there find obscure and languid
places, where you may not only perch, but nod, till some
of those beautiful passages which redeem the poppy-
covered waste occur to wake you. Did ever I tell you of
one of said poets we have in town here, indeed one of
our intimates—the most provoking creature imaginable?
He is young, handsome, wealthy, witty ; bas great learn-
ing, exhuberant spirits, a wife and children that he doats
on (circumstances one would think consolidating), and
no vice that I know, but, on the contrary, virtuous prin-
ciples and feelings. Yet his wonderful eccentricity would
put anybody but his wife wild. She, I am convinced,
was actually made on purpose for her husband, and has
that kind of indescribable controlling influence over that
wonderful savage the Czar Peter. Pray, look at the last
Edinburgh Review, and read the favourable article on
John Wilson's City of the Plague. He is the person in
question ; and had any one less in favour with them built
such a city in the region of fancy, and peopled it in the
same manner, they would have plagued him most effec-
tually.—What do you think of Lord Byron's latter
poems? The Third Canto of Childe Harold, you find,
has met its full share of admiration here. I, too, admire
it exceedingly, though I think our indulgent critics pass
lightly over much of false sublime. Sure you must have
read the criticisms in the Edinburgh and Quarterly Re-
view on his poems,—l mean the last productions of that
wayward and wonderful mind. I need not tell you that
the first is Jeffrey's, nor that he has outdone himself in
that exquisite essay, which I am never tired of admiring.
You would also trace Walter Scott in the inferior, though
pleasing and kindhearted criticism in the Quarterly.
After all, though Scott expends a good deal of good sense
in reasoning down, and a great deal of good nature in
soothing down, the angry moods of the illustrious misan-
thrope, he could scarcely expect that he will succeed in
persuading the man to quit what he actually puts on as an
ornament. He is striving to deprive Parolles of his
drum, or a fine lady of her ouge, and seems to forget that
his lordship, like lago, is nothing if not critical—or
rather, he is nothing if not querulous. When a child
runs away merely to be pursued, and cries merely to be
pitied, it is in vain that you bribe it to came back and be
quiet. Scott would fain infuse as much of his own honey
into Lord B.'s vinegar as would at least make oxymel of
it ; but it will not do. His " Love's Labour lost" re-
minds one of the good-natured David Hume provoking
Rousseau by trying to manufacture a little tranquility for
him.—Memoirs, of Mrs. Grant, of Lagpan,

SECOND EDITION.

Standard-office, Half-past Eleven o'clo•k.

THE STATE TRIALS.

Yesterday, at the opening of the court, Mr. O'Connell
(who appeared without his wig and gown which he had
worn every day since the trial commenced) proceeded to
address the jury. He commenced by saying, that he did not
stand as his own client, but that his clients were the Irish
people, whose rights he stood forward to protect. He
was not going to deny or palliate anything he had done,
but the substance of all he had said he was there to vindi-
cate. When the political order of things was restored
every where, Ireland alone wa left without its full
day of retribution. The jury differed from him (Mr.
O'Connell) in religious belief, and that difference was,
perhaps, agagravated by the fact, that he, a Catholic,
had done most to pull down Protestant ascendency.
The prosecution was the strangest one that bad ever been
entered upon : the jury had not one or ten facts to try,
but they had to wade through the history of nine months,
and the evidence of the acts as laid before them was raked
up from newspapers ; and it was a monstrous thing to term
that a conspiracy which everybody knew of. and three-
fifths of the people were engaged in. There was not suf-
ficient evidence to support an action for the recovery of
.ZIO. No conspiracy was proved ; and the Attorney-Ge-
neral had made a long speech, but he had at the close
merely told the jury to go back to the beginning and find
out the conspiracy for themselves, The hon. traverser
then related two or three anecdotes, which he conceived
to be in point, as showing that because the Attorney-
General had taken so long a time in stating the case, there
was really no charge against the traversers. The trial was
a ministerial one, to see whether the present ministry were
to retain office, or whether we were to have the whigs again
promising much and doing nothing. (Laughter.) They
could not believe that he, who was to receive that awful
judgment which could not now be much longer postponed,
could enter into a conspiracy. The verdict might impri-
son him, but it could not take from him the conscious
innocence he possessed. If the Attorney-General's doc-
trine of conspiracy were right, the slave-trade would
never have been abolished, and Wilberforce and Clarkson
were as much conspirators as he (Mr. O'Connell). The
hon. gent. then referred to what he termed the " machi-
nery" of the evidence, dividing it into two classes—mon-
ster meetings and newspaper publications. The meetings
were legal : no disturbance took place at them—no life
was lost there—and there was no evidence brought
forward to show that they led to intimidation. They were
peaceable by design, and were discontinued the moment
a proclamation was issued discountenancing them. He
left the meetings to the jury, as men that must answer
for their verdict before their maker. As to the newspa-
pers he had nothing to do with them—there was no proof
of any connection between him and the newspapers; and
he had frequently disavowed at the association that any
newspaper was the organ of their body. They had circu-
lated newspapers, but the evidence on that point merely
went to show that those who subscribed a certain sum
allocated a part of that money to the choice of a news-
paper, and there was no proof at all that even these re-
ports in the papers had led to any breach of the peace.
The hon. gentleman then went an at great length to show
that his whole rife went to disprove that he could be guilty
of such conduct as was attempted to be brought to his
charge. He then read a number of extracts to show as
he conceived how much Ireland prospered under her own
independent Parliament, and brought forward an immense
number of figures and assertions to make it appear that
his country suffered severely from the Parliament sitting
in England, and concluded as follows :—'l leave the case
with you—l utterly d'eny that I have said or done any-
thing to warrant the imputation that I am a con-
spirator. I reject the accusation with contempt. I
acted in open day, in the presence of the government,
of the magistrates, and said nothing that I would not
expose to the universal world. I have struggled for the
restoration of the parliament of my native country.
Some have succeeded in the attempt—others have failed.
If T succeed or If I fail, it is a glorious struggle to make
—the first land upon the earth possess that bounty and
benefit—what God and nature intended it should possess
—(partial appiause.)
The Chief lustice.—Are you, going into evidence Mr.
Moore?

Mr. Moore.—We intend so, my lord ; but at this late
hour there'might be a difficulty in getting the witnesses
into court in its present crowded•state.
The Chief Justice.—l do not wish to put yolz to any
inconvenience.•

Mr. Moore.—Then, my lord, I think that as the case
has closed so far as the speeches are concerned, that we
might abridge the evibence much by a conference before
any of the witness are produced.
The Chief Justice.—Then we will be ready to hear them
to-morrow morning.
The Court was accordingly adjourned until to-morrow
morning at ten o'clock.
Mr. O'Connell was loudly cheered while passing through
the hall, and in the vicinity of the Courts, upon his way
home.

THIRD EDITION.

Standard-office, Three o'clock.

COTTON MARKET—TnxEm. O'CLOCK.

The Yorkshire, New York packet of the 17th ultimo,
was telegraphed off Point Lynas this forenoon, and spe-
culators seemed to be all alive again, operating in antici-
pation of favourable, or as some would say, unfavourable
accounts. This has caused a large business to be done,
and the sales may be guessed at 5 or 6000 bales, at yes-
terday's prices, with a lrm market.

LIVERPOOL CORN EXCHANGE, Titis DAY.

(From Messrs. R. Makin & Sons' Circular.)

With boisterous• winds in the course of last week, the
arrivals up to Friday's market were extremely small, and
with every variety of weather since, those of any kind of
grain are very scantily increased for to-day, the supplies
consisting chiefly of a moderate quantity of Irish Flour
and Oatmeal, including 3559 barrels off the former from
tb

le American States.
Several of the leading provincial markets recently cx-

hibiting some indications of amendment, and the explicit
declaration of the Premier to maintain the existing corn-
laws, imparting additional confidence to the present hol-
ders of free grain here ; the advance in London yesterday
serving also to confirm that impression, the:trade for most
descriptions of wheat at this day's market assumed a de-
cidedly firmer tone than of late. We have, in cons e-
quence, to report an advance upon the rates of Tuesday
last, of 2d. to 3d. in the value of EnJish and Irish
wheat, and in that of free Foreign id. to 2d. per 701 b. ;
at which a moderate, but not an extensive business was
transacted.

English and Irish Flour, being in good request, realised
Is. per sack over last week's currency ; but in States and
Canadian there was no improvement.

Barley and M alt, upon a fair demand, remained steady
in value. Beans were more saleable at an improvement
of Is. per qr.; and Pease supported our previous quota-
tions.

Superior qualities of Oats, being scarce, obtained a
slight advance; but in other kinds we have no change to
note. Oatmeal continued to meet a fair inquiry, and se-
veral parcels were sold at a further amendment of 3d. per
240 lbs.

Monthly Account of Imports, Duties Paid, and Bonded
Stocks in Liverpool, viz. :—lm ported into Liverpool from
the Ist to the 31st January, 1844. Foreign.--Wheat, 1926
qrs. ; Beans, 850 qrs. ; Pease, 160 qrs. ; Flour, 2855 brls.
British and Colonial.—Wheat, 30,362 qrs. ; Barley, 5370
qrs. ; Oats, 23,234 qrs. ; Beans, 876 qrs. ;, Pease, 1047
qrs. ; Oatmeal, 60,920 scks ; Flour, 26,451 scks 6892 brls.
Duties paid from the 301 h Dec., 1843, to the 31st Jan.,
1844. Foreign.—Wheat, 1439 qrs. ; Oats, 5 qrs. ; Beans,
1511 qrs.; Pease, 330 qrs. ; Flour, 9 brls. Colonial.—
Wheat, 2370 qrs. ; Pease, 684 qrs. ; Oatmeal, 14 sacks ;
Flour, 10,891 brls. Stocks of Grain, Flour, and Oatmeal,
in Liverpool, 31st Jan. In Bond.—Wheat, 13,403 qrs. ;
Barley, 2158 qrs.; Oats, 888 qrs.;, Beaus, 21,601 qrs. ;
Pease, 5521 qrs. ; Flour, 38,465 brls.

ARRIVALS OF CORN,
From the 30th Jan. to the sth Feb., 1834, inclusive.

IRE- COAST- I CANADA FO-
LAND. WISE. REIGN. TOTAL
------ ---..---
.--.-----
Wheat .. ... Ors. I 1624 130 I 1754
Barley Qrs. 428 428
Malt Qrs. 21 3 24
Oats Qrs. 359 598 957
Bye Qrs. 2 2
Beans Qrs. 32 32
Pease Qrs.
ShelledßarleyQrs.
Indian Corn. Qrs.
Rapeseed Qrs.
Oatmeal .. Loads 5495 16 5511
Flour. ....Sacks 3105 22 3127
3559 3559
Ditto Brls.

Into Runcorn, Ireland and Coastwise, Wheat, 140 qrs. ;
Malt, qrs. ; Oats, qrs.; Beans, qrs. ; Oatmeal, 1891
loads ; Flour, 233 sacks.

EXPORTS.—Foreign. Malt, qrs. ; Oats, 319 qrs. ; Pease,
200 qrs.; Indian Corn, 0 qrs.; Oatmeal, 0 loads; Flour, 210
brls.--Ireland Wheat, 40; qrs. ; Beans, qrs ; Indian
Corn, 80 qrs. ; Oatmeal, loads ; Flour, sacks, 31 brls.;
—Coastwise. Wheat, 7 qrs. ; Barley, qrs. ; Malt, qrs.
Oats, qrs. ; Beans, qrs. ; Pease, s 3 qrs. ; Indian Corn,
qrs. ; Flour, 162 sacks .2 4 brls.

Average prices of Grain, for the week ending Jan. 27, 14-14
Wheat 525. 3d. I Barley 335. Bd. I Oats od. f Rye 325. 4cl.
. _

Beans. :2gs. 6d. I Pease.. 303. 10d.

Aggregate average of the six weeks.
Wheat 58s gct I Barley 32s lud I Oats 18s Bd, j Rye 31s 6d
Beans.. 295. Od. j Pease.. 300. 10d.
Duty on Foreign Grain, &c.this week.
Wheat2Os Od
Barley 6s Od Oats .. . Od j Rye.. 10s 6cl
I
Beans is 6a Pease.. 10s 6d Ind. Corn Os 0(1 Flour 12s oid

Ditto from British Colonies out of Europe.
Wheat.. Is. Od. I Parley.. Os. ticl. I Oats ..2s. Od. I Rye.. T s od
Beans 2s. 6d I Pease 2s. Od. I Ind. Corn Os. Od. I Flour.. Os 74d
- -

Liverpool Averages, week ending January 31, 1844.
Wheat, 11.34 qrs., price 495. Sd. Oats, 50 qrs., price 37S Od,
Oats, 38 qrs, price 18s. id,

EXPLOSIVE Powell.—The Globe newspaper gives an
aCcount, on the testimony of a party in whom it places
confidence, of a newly discovered explosive powd,r of
dreadful efficacy. It is described to be a chemical combi.
nation, perfectly safe for carriage, and capable of being
aimed at its object, front the size of musketbullets to that
of cannon balls or bomb-shells. It is further added that
works of immense strength are now erecting at Woolwich,
by which it is to be tested, under the inspection of expe-
rienced officers.

FATAL ACCIDENT.-ft is with deep concern we have to
state, that the Right Hon. the Earl of Kintore has met
with anw.her painful bereavement in he death of one of
his daughters—a most interesting child, about ten years
of age, who, while amusing herself near the top of the
staircase at Keith-hall, fell over the ballustrade, and
alighted on the basement floor, a very great height. She
was taken up in a state of insensibility, and died in little
more than an hour. This distressing accident, occurring
so soon after the sudden and lamented death of Lord In-
verary, renders the affliction doubly severe.—Aberdeen
Journal.

DISASTERS AT WHITBY.-On Monday night last,
about twelve o'clock, the brig Malton, of Whitby, struck
on the Whitby bar, in taking the harbour, and was driven
beyond the east pier by a heavy sea and strong northerly
wind, and has since become a wreck : crew saved. On
Wednesday last the brig Earl Bathurst, of Scarbro',
broke from her anchor, in the Whitby roads, and came
on shore near to Upgang : crew saved. About eight
o'clock the same night the Siren, of Shields, also broke
from her anchor, and was driven on shore near to the
other brig : crew also saved.

ATaocrovs MURDER.—A murder of a most diabolical
nature has been committed in the neighbourhood of
Conwil, in the early part of this month. The parties
concerned in this affair are, Hesther Howell, aged 18,
of Heol Bill, and Rachel, her mother, together with David
Howell, as accessory after the act—he standing in affinity
the husband of the one, the father of Hester, and sup-
posed to be the father of the murdered infant. The
parties had sold off, at Conwil, and decamped just as the
affair got wind; but Rachel, the grandmother of the
infant, has been apprehended by the rural police in the
neighbourhood of Llanwinio, under a warrant from Capt.
Davies, of Green-Hall, and strong hopes are entertained
that the other delinquents will not long escape the punish-
ment due to their unnatural deed.—Carmarthen Journal.
MELANCHOLY ACCIDENT.—A fatal accident occurred,
on Saturday last, under the following circumstances, to
Mr. John Bell, of Gill-house, Baldersdale. He had been
at his son-in-law's, Mr. Ralph Dent, steward to John
Bowes, Esq., of Streatlam Castle, on that day, and set off
home about six o'clock p.m. Nothing more was heard of
him:until next morning, when he was found by Mr. Adam-
son, Streatlam, in a field near Mr. Dent's house quite
dead. It seems that the horse he was riding had fallen
and thrown his rider, who must have been killed• instan-
taneously, as his forehead was laid open. The knees of
the horse were broken from the fall. The deceased was a
gentleman highly respected amongst his neighbours, and
was perfectly sober on the day in question. An inquest
was held on the body on Monday, when a verdict of "Ac-
cidental death" was returned.—Durham Advertiser.
SHEFFIELD OLD- BANK.—In the Leeds District Court
of Bankruptcy, on Monday last, Mr. Commissioner
West gave judgment as to the granting of certificates of
conformity to the bankrupts under a fiat of bankruptcy
issued on the 16th of January, 1842, against Mr. Hugh
Parker, Mr. Offley Shore, Mr. John Brewin, and Mr.
John Rogers, of Sheffield, bankers. The Learned Com-
missioner went through the principal transactions proved
under the fiat, in the course of which. he noticed the
different circumstances which had beera urged on a pre-
vious day against granting certificates to the bankrupts.
He concluded by saying—" Under these circumstances, I
think their certificate should be delayed until the 16th of
April, and in delaying it until that time, I take into con-
sideration the period which has elapsed since the issuing
of the fiat."

THE BELGIAN DOG MARKETS.—The following ex-
tract from a letter of Dr. Forster, foreign hon. secretary
to the Animals' Friend Society, to L. Gompertz, Esq.,
hon. secretary, will, we hope, be found serviceable to
persons who value their dogs :—" The police of Belgium
have long been devising plans to obviate the following
mode of theft. There is a dog market held every Sunday,
in all the great towns, at which all the English sports-
men, and others who fancy dogs, attend ; and it has been
discovered that most of the valuable dogs sold here and
in Holland are brought from England, in the different
vessels and' packets, and are disguised, shorn, &c., and
sold here at high prices, particularly the small breed of
spaniels. On a fine Sunday, after church, at Brussels,
you may see thirty or more English gentlemen and ladies
purchasing these curs.. Now, it may be as well for the
police in London to know this, that they may watch what
goes on board the vessels; since there is an almost gene-
ral
complaint of losing valuable dogs in London at pre-
sent."

TRANSFERS OF STOOK.—At the Bank of England,
owing to the late will forgeries, it has been found necessary
to renew former precautions ; and, as a few of the Brokers
of third-standing, in their anxiety for business, have not
been sufficiently particular in ascertaining that-the parties
for whom they were making transfers were the individuals
they actually represented themselves to be, the Notice
issued many years since, has again been circulated by the
Directors, and will now, evidently, be more strictly acted
upon. The following, is a copy :—" Bank of England,
21st July. 1808. The Governors and Directors of the
Bank of England give this public notice,--That as it has
been determined by a Court of law, that every broker or
other person is responsible, for the identity of the party
he vouches-for,—the Governor and Directors will, upon
every occasion where the identity is falsely attested, en-
force such responsibility in due course of law." In con-
nection with this subject, probably, the Corporation of
Londor, has given notice that certain city brokers, whose
bonds bad become void by the parties to them having
become insolvent, and taken the benefit of the Insolvent
Act, had been removed from that office, to which they
can only be re-admitted on renewal of their bonds.

CAPTUREreven
urevenue
eui OF2e r Ab
ei
nn, o
ff SMUGGLERthe AND
Wight l X
onYl the
n—i
night
eo Sf ttahge,
22d, sent her boats along shore on the look out. One of
them being off St. Catherine's, and close under the cliffs,
just after midnight, saw a sail standing in from the S.E. ;
the smugglers did not perceive the boat till they were
close in upon her, when they immediately cut away their
crop of tubs, which were lashed round their vessel, out-
side the bulwarks, when they fell into the water. The
cutter's boat was within fifteen yards of them ; the cutter's,
men threw over their mark-buoy, and flashed for the cut-
ter ; the flash was seen, and returned ; or it might have
been awkward, as the smuggler had more hands than the
boat. After securing the vessel, they went to their buoy
and creeped for the tubs, which they soon succeeded in
capturing •, but the stones attached to them were so heavy,
they could not get them till they got the assistance of
another boat from the cutter. They then got the crop,
consisting of se7enty-nine ca,ks- of spirit of brandy,
which, with the men and vessel, they took round to Cows.

. .
The Men, six in number, were taken before the, magis-
trates at Newport, and committed for trial. Captain
Clark is but newly appointed to the Stag, and has thus
made for himself and crew a fcrtunate commencement.
THE HORRID AFFRAY AT HARROW.—In the Court
of Queen's Bench, on Monday last, Patrick Leith Stra-
chan, found guilty of an assault upon a Harrow boy, with
intent to commit a horrible crime, was brought up for
judgment. An affidavit by Lieutentaut-Colonel Camp-
bell, formerly governor of Sierra Leone, was put in,
stating that Strachan, when in that place, had caught a
malignant fever, that his arms and hands were shattered
by a paralytic injury, that he was incapable of labour, and
that a lengthened imprisonment would endanger his life,,
and that he was sometimes of unsound mind. Counsel
on both sides having been heard, Mr. Justice Pattison
saying,—"-Patrick Leith Strachan, you
guilty of an assault with the intent to
chpoaamsyseemdbiteseaenhn
ofeoucrrind bele offence, for which, if completed, your
life would have been forfeited to the laws of your country.
It appears, from the evidence, that you went down to
Harrow for the purpose of attempting something of this
kind with one or two of the boys you,rnight meet there.
You can never bo sufficiently thankful that you were de-
tected before you, had committed the detested offence, and
that your life has been spared for repentance. The sen-
tence is that you be imprisoned and kept to hard labour
in Clerkenwell prison for eighteen months.

MURDER CT A GAMEKEEPER AT WDlTRY.—Between
one and two o'clock on Tuesday morning, John Moffit,
head gamekeeper to the Marquis of Normanby, along
with an under keeper and several watchers, were on the
look out for poachers on his lordship's estate, in the pa-
rish of Lyth, when in a short time they observed two men
on the brow of a hill, armed with guns, and in pursuit of
game. Moffit left his party for a short distance, and
walked towards the poachers, inquiring what they wanted.
The men, it seems, at that moment returned no reply ;
and as they and the gamekeeper advanced towards each
other, one of the poachers called out " Stand back ! "
Alloffit, however, either not hearing what the man said,
or paying no attention to it, still kept advancing, and one
of the poachers, whose name afterwards turned out to be
George Lowther, deliberately levelled his gun and fired.
Moffit immediately cried out, " Oh, I am shot !"—stag-
.

gered a few paces—and fell to the ground. The under
keeper then attempted to seize the ruffian, but was pre-
vented owing to his receiving a severe blow on the tem-
ple, which was severely wounded, from the butt end of
Lowther's gun. The watchers, however, closed upon
him, and instantly secured him, the other man making
his escape. Poor Moffit expired the same evening. The
companion of Lowther, whose name is Matthew Pearson,
has since been apprehended, and he and Lowther have
been committed to York Castle for trial.
A FOOLISH YOUNG WOMAN.—A young lady on a visit
to Glasgow, was accosted, a few days since, in the street
by a genteelly dressed young man, who pretended an ac-
quaintanceship from having formerly seen her in the
" fair city." He politely offered her his services in es-
corting her to view the lions of this locality--services
which were inconsiderately accepted ; and the young man
having succeedeed so well at the outset, proceeded to make
love to the lady, and then to her gold watch. The latter
he got into his possession, and desired that he might have
the delight of wearing it for even the shortest possible
period ; but as the result proved, it was not intended that
th4owner was to get it again. When the pair were about
to part after their stroll, the lady naturally wished her
watch to be returned, but the other explaining that it
would look exceedingly awkward to take the chain from
his neck in the middle of the street, he was allowed to
retain it, on the understanding that it would be returned
the same evening at seven oclock at the house where the
lady lived. The wooer, however, did not keep his word ;
and the police being informed arrested him, but he had
parted with his prize, and when it was discovered it was !
parted into many fragments. The man remains in cus-
tody on the charge of theft ; but really one feels less sur-
prised at the audacity of the prisoner than at the simpli-
city of the Maid of Perth—laspow paper.

Feb. fi,

„. relit
DEATH OF PRINCE ALBERT'S FATHER.—We - t
to state, that letters have this morning been received
Buckingham Palace, from Germany, announcing rbede.;
mise of his Serene Highness the Grand Duke Of c,,
Coburg and Gotha, the father of his Royal Higbee!'
Prince Albert. In consequence of the receipt of flei
melancholy intelligence the Council, which was to have
been held to-day by the Queen, has been postponed, 3°d
her Majesty has been unable to receive the addresses ill'
tended to have been presented. We believe that thl
departure of the Court for Windsor has, for the On!
reason, been indefinitely postponed. The intelligence lew
proved a great shock to the Queen and her illustrioP
Consort, inasmuch as no previous intimation bad been re'
ceived in London of the illness of his serene highness!
Saturday's Globe. —The Grand Duke was in his filet
year, and has left two sons, the younger of whom is the
illustrious consort of her Majesty. His Royal Highnese
is the eldest brother of the Duchess of Kent, and tb°,
King of the Belgians. His Serene Highness expited„, 11::
five o'clock, a.m., on Monday, the 29th instant.
Serene Highness, who retired to rest on the preceding night
in his usual health, was seized with spasms in the intestines
shortly before four o'clock, and although medical aid wig
immediately at hand, such was the violence and severity
of the attack that his serene highness was a corpse withill
an hour.

A BUG CASE.—It seems that the fact of s being
plentiful in a tenement, voids the lease or taking : buag verdict
to that effect was given on Friday in the Exchequer.. 116
following was counsel's statement on this head:—",.
upper apartments especially, these visitants swarmed, el
the morning after the defendant and his wife had slept'
;
no, he could not say slept, for they had passed a most
horribly sleepless night—the sheets of their bed weir!
covered all over with the Carcases and blood of bugs.
."`
the other rooms, though not to so great an extent, Per"
haps, those insects had been found to revel in multitudeel
and one of the witnesses would state that she had killeti
them by the thousand at a time. If ever the jury ban
known what it was to have spent the night in the comp/n/
of bugs, they would at once feel a sympathy with the de'
fendant and his family. On the first night it would seen
that as many as 1000 or 1500 bad been. slain."
EirORT OF COALS.—The following are the statistic/
of the export trade in coals from Sunderland during the
year ending January sth, 1844 :
Tons. Vessels. Duty.
Qr. ending April 5, 1843.. 61.527.. 257.. £3,891 0
„ July 5, 1843.. 87,292.. 454.. £6,501 4 I
„ Oct. 5, 1843.. 107,093.. 534.. £8.267 15
„ Jan. 5, 1844.. 49,899.. 247.. £3,880 13 7

Total for the year.. 305,811 1494—X22,540- 10 9
The relative quantities ex poi ted to foreign countries (es-
elusive of those shipped to colonies) by British and foreign
vessels respectively,. during the last quarter, areafunder"
By British vessels 37,081 tons
By Foreign vessels

Excess by the former .... 27,704 !
And this notwithstanding the boon recently granted' br
Sir Robert Peel to foreign shipowners, to convey coals
to their own and other countries on payment of the !maid
duty as is paid by the British. shipowner.
A meeting of the friends of Mr. Richard Oastler watt
held at Birmingham on Wednesday night, for the purpose
of adopting measures for promoting the liberation of
that gentleman, and of providing an annuity for his future
support, and that of his family. Mr. Edmund Heeler
was called to the chair : when resolutions were passed,
recognising the services which Mr .Oastler had rendered
in defence of the factory classes, and on behalf of the
poor, and appointing a committee to take measures for
promoting the fund for his liberation. The Rev. G. S.
Bull read a letter from Mr. Ferrand, M.P., stating that,
several noblemen and gentlemen had come forward and
guaranteed the full amount of the debt for which Mr.
Oastler had been imprisoned, and that he would, then .
forerbe liberated.. The announcement was received with
loud cheering by the meeting. The sum already sub,cri-
bed amounts to about £2,000, and it is understood that
upwards of £1,500 remains to be subscribed. A meeting
of the central committee was held yesterday (Monday),
at Brighouse, when it was expected measures would be
adopted. for Mr. Oastlei 's liberation.
AN HONEST YEOMAN.—It rarely falls• to our lot to
record a more noble example of honesty than that exem-
plified in the conduct of an individual in this county, who,
though devoid of wealth, possesses, it would appear, s
greater share of that right principle titan is usually found
under similar circumstances :--Mr. George Payne, kited
Frieze Hill farm, in the parish of South Weald, having
lost about £3,000 by farming and bad lucki was so re-
duced in his funds that last year he was sold out of his
farm, and sinee that time he has been nearly penniless,
living on his-friends, and doing what he could at farming
work for a living. A few days since, some friends who
have known him in better days, sent him some naocer.
Instead of keeping this for his own maintenance, he• in-
vited his creditors to dine at the White Hart Inn, Brent-
wood, on Tuesday last, and then most generously gave np
the whole of the money which would pay them about 55.
in the pound, leaving himself entirely bare. Such con-
duct needs no comment, and we cannot for a omeat
imagine that he will be permitted by his neigbours to wrt,
the surrender being madewithout the slightest solicitation,
and entirely of his own free wilt.—Chelmsford Chronicle.
LORD MORPETR ON TriE CORN LAWS.—At a dinner
of the Leaguers of the West Riding of Yorkshire Lord
Morpeth was present; indeed, the great object of the de-
monstration was to elicit from his lordship a full avowal
of his concurrence in their views in regard to the total
abolition of the corn laws. In this, however, they were
disappointed, his lordship• declaring that he was not yet 5
total and immediate repealer--a declaration which mate-
rially damped the ardour of the meeting. The expression!
made use of by Lord Morpeth-on this particular surdee`
were these : " I do not scruple to avow that, as now ad-
vised, I am not prepared. to debar myself, at any dine
hereafter, either if I should think it necessary or believe
that the interests of the public revenue absolutely required
it, or if I should see no other way of effecting a better
settlement of the question than that which now prevails;
or if I thought it was making a great advance in the right
direction ; in these, or in such like cases, I do not debar
myself from the power acquiescing in a fixed duty of
low amount." His lordship subsequently qualified this
unpalatable announcement by declaring that he would
" infinitely prefer a repeal, a total and immediate repeal,
to one short year's continuance of the law as it now. sub-
sists."

STRANGE Exnirierioar.—On Monday the funeral of
Dr. G. Swiney, an eccentric gentleman, residing in Cam-
den Town, took place. An immense concourse of people
attended, every person being anxious to view such a strange
sight as a funeral the whole of the paraphernalia of which
was to be yellow. About a quarter before two o'clock the
funeral cortege made its appearance, and, agreeably to the
will of the deceased, the coffin was covered with yellow
cloth, studded with white nails. On getting into the
street, a yellow velvet pall, edged :with white silk,. was
thrown over it. Immedidately, after the coffin, came
three young girls, the eldest about 14 years, and the other
two about 12 years of age. They were habited in white,
(according to the will), with violet-coloured cloaks. Their
head-dress consisted of straw bonnets, trimmed with
white satin. The dresses had a most singular apoearancer
the wearers appearing more like a party proceeding to a
wedding than mourners to a funeral. After these came
mutes, and then the real mourners, habited not in yellow
cloaks, as previously announced, but in theusual mourn-
ing habit. In this order the cavalcade proceeded to the
burial ground, the crowd being so dense that it was with
the greatest difficulty it could proceed, police officers
going first to clear the way.
EFFECTS OF DRUNKENNESS-On Thursday an in-
quiry was held at the Feathers Tavern, Waterloo-road,
before Mr. Carter, touching the death of Mrs. E. Donally,
aged 35, who on Tuesday committed suicide by jumping
off Waterloo-bridge into the Thames. The deceased was-
the wife of a respectable mercantile clerk, with a salary,
of £250, who had separated from her at Christmas last,
and not having been seen or heard of since, there was lit'
tle doubt entertained but that he also has made away with
himself. Deceased's sister, said that deceased had beep
married ten years, and since Christmas had been living
with witness. She was an inveterate drunkard, and it was
through her dissolute way of life that her husband separ-
ated trom her, although he was extremely fond of her-
They had also parted three times before, in consequence
of her love for ardent spirits. He left her on the 4th Of
December lasts and on going out of the door he kissed her
and said, " Betsy, you don't act right towards me. You
will certainly make me make away with myself." De-
ceased
never saw him since, nor has he been seen by his
employers or friends. She had disposed of everything
she was passe, sed of, including articles of dress, even
to her very stays, in order to supply herself with liquor.
The last time witness saw her was on Tuesday morning,
when she left to go into the Strand Union-house. Stie
was then in liquor, and was heard to say that she would
destroy herself if she had the courage. When in liqn°`_
~
she appeared to lose her senses, and would wander aboll‘
the metropolis for miles and miles.
PROJECTED IMPROVEMENTS IN TIDE POST-OFFICE.--
The Lords of the Treasury have decided to increase the
public accomodation by an extensive change in the admi-
nistration
intimated
Post-o. ffice department of the public ser-
vice, and theirintention of devoting the whole
of the surplus revenue in carrying out the remaining de-
tails of the ld postage measure. Accordingly Lord Vis-
count Lowther has caused to be established a permanent
board, consisting of the heads of the Executive Depart-
ments, for the purpose of arranging the plan. The fol-
lowing are among the. principal propositions :—Pre-pay-
ment in all cases of
.inland correspondence by the medium of stamps; the institution of the more frequent despatch
and delivery of London district post letters, and the
abridgment of the letter-carriers' walks, so as to facilitate
both ; and an increase in the number of officers tanta-
mount to the projected extension of the duties of the
office. These preliminary measures, we hear, are to corns
into operation early in the spring, Other and more im-
portant alterations have been suggested, the chief of
the foreign correspondence, so as to secure simplicity ill
,
which are the following :._The separation of the inland frota
pondence,
all the working arrangements, by obtaining a uniform and
the tpwroOvpiennenes y
b; y
rapid delivery of all inland letters inland ; the eventual
consolidation of the two corps of letter carriers, general
houses in the metropolis; the increase of arrivals fromthe establishment of additional receiving-
ment of post-offices throughout the United Kingdom in
the morning mails ; and the establish-
proportion to the density of the letter-writing population,
As it is manifest that the extensive alterations are
calculated materially to affect the income of all officers;
connected with the department whose salaries depend in
a great measure upon their realization of fees, and gra-
tuities from the public for what is called the "early deli-
very," we are informed that it is in contemplation to sub*,
stitute fixed salaries in lieu of the present sliding scale of
wages, proportioned to the length of service and amount
of duty performed by each officer. It is estimated bf
Colonel Maberly that the carrrying out of this proposi-
tion alone will involve an additional outlay of £1,500 Per
annum, and that the adoption of the whole of the pro-
jected alterations will absorb all the present net revenue