The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1850-07-02 00:00:00

LIVEZPvit 1;11-NIFIRD.

Letters from Malta, referred to in the Conatitntionnet,
announce that the English fleet was about to quit that
place and proceed to Gibraltar,
At Naples an immense edifice, which the troops occu-
pied as barracks, gave way and fell down, burying eighty
persons beneath the ruins.
Half a century ago the population of New South Wales
numbered about 5;000 souls, Its numbers now approxi-
mate to 250,000 souls.
The English engineer Fairbairn has just arrived at
Stockholm, on his way to St. Petershurgh, the Emperor
wishing him to construct a tubular bridge in Russia.
The prime minister of Hesse Cassel has been found
guilty of forgery and embezzlement, and sentenced to 14
days' imprisonment, restitution of the money, and pay-
ment of the costs of process.
PARIS.—The Assembly has passed the bill for the
augmentation of the allowance of the President of the
Republic. Numbers for the bill, 354; against it, 3084
majority, 46.
A REVOLUTIONARY TAX !—Among the petitions pre-
sented to the French assembly on Saturday, was one from
a young female, praying that a tax might be placed on all
bachelors.

THE HARVEST IN FRANCE.—Accounts from Paris
give very satisfactory reports of the crops throughout
France. The harvest is expected to be early this year,
and, as far as can be judged, most abundant.
Jenny Lind has just given six concerts at Stockholm,
in ai.l of the pension fund for the wives and orphans of
the performers at the Theatre-royal of that city. The
clear profit has amounted to upwards of 60,000 f.
TURKEY.—A Semlin letter of the 17th June states that
an insurrection against the Turkish government has bro-
ken out in the three Bulgarian districts of Widdin, Gia-
gissora, and Belgradisisza, and the small fort at the latter
place has fallen into the hands of the insurgents.
The Austrian correspondent of the Times says that, in
Pesth, a gentleman wearing a narrow black crape band
round a white hat was lately stopped by a policeman, and
ordered to remove it, as no " political badge" of any kind
is allowed to be worn, and he was displaying the Prussian
colours.

FATAL DUEL.—A. duel took place on the 15th, ten
miles from Turin, between Colonel Assanti and M. Soler.
The cause was that the latter had written against Manin,
and the former had taken his defence in no measured
terms. The duel was fought with pistols, it being under-
stood that it should continue till the result was fatal to
one of the combatants. M. Soler fired first, and missed ;
M. Assanti, on the contrary, hit his adversary in, the
head, and laid him dead.
There has been another disgraceful scene of insubordi-
nation and violence in the French Assembly. A Montag-
nard, named Valentine, behaved in such a manner that
M. Dupin (the President) was compelled to order him
literally to be turned out of the Chamber, and directed
him not to show his face there again for three days. M.
Emile de Girandin attempted to defend his friend, and
nearly shared his fate, fcr he was censured. The Cham-
ber has bee.. debating on a Bill for regulating the admis-
sion of candidates to public offices.
The capital of Yankeedom has been startled with the
announcement of the " Discovery of the age"—the turn-
ing of water into fire, or rather, the manufacture of gas
from water. The Messrs. Butler, of Paterson, New Jer-
sey, paper manufacturers, have for a considerable time
manufactured this gas on their premises, the Ivanhoe
Mills ; it is of excellent quality. But the discovery of
Mr. Paine is expected to abolish the use of coal as a means
of evaporating steam, and thus we may be said to have
attained a new motive power. I send you all the particu-
lars I have been enabled to obtain. Some people are
sceptical upon the point. If it should turn out to be
practicable, what a change your city would present.
PRECOCIOUS CRIME IN FRANCE.—The Journal de la
Haute Loire relates a horrible act of cruelty committed
by a child four years old on an infant of ten months. The
little monster, being left alone with the infant, seized a
knife, ard, while it was sleeping in its cradle, cut off its
nose and inflicted several severe wounds upon its face;
and, after thus mutilating it, covered it with a mask of
wood-ashes mixed with water, in order to stanch the flow
of blood and stifle the cries of the helpless little sufferer.
Meanwhile, the mothers of the two children, who were at
work in front of their dwellings, attracted by the screams,
ran to the spot, and beheld with horror the spectacle be-
fore them. The guilty urchin had made his escape, but
was soon afterwards found, his hands died in the blood of
his victim.
FALL OF ANOTHER SUSPENSION BRIDGE IN FRANCE.
—Another misfortune, similar to that which occurred
some time since at Angers, though to a much more
limited extent, has just occurred near a town called
Fumel (Lot-et-Garonne). A suspension bridge over the
River Lot broke down—first in the centre and then at
the chains—as four men were in the aA of repairing a
part of it. At the same moment two boats heavily laden
were passing under it, one of which was swamped and
two men in it drowned. The other boat escaped by
almost a hair's breadth, but one of the men, when in the
act of rowing, had both his arms crushed by a fragment
of cast iron. Two men were also crossing the bridge at
the same time and both were immersed in the water.
One was drowned, and the other so severely injured by
the fall as to leave no hope of his recovery. It is stated
that most of the suspension bridges in France, with the
exception of those very recently constructed, are in a
similarly dangerous condition, and if attention be not
immediately directed to them we may expect to hear of
many disasters similar to those of Angers and Fumel.

AMUSING SCENE WITH A FRENCH DEBTOR.—An
amusing scene took place a few days ago in the Rue St.
Nicholas, at Lille. An unfortunate debtor, who had long
been waited for by two bailiffs, ventured to enter into the
street. He was immediately seized. At the same moment
he threw himself on the ground in such a way that the
greater part of his person remained in the passage of the
house. " You cannot arrest me," he then cried, "I am
in the house.; you cannot take me without the presence
of the judge de paix," The bailiffs declared that he was
out of the house, as his feet extended to the pavement ;
but the debtor refused to rise, and cried again and again,
"lam in the house !" A crowd assembled, and they, as
usual, took the part of the debtor. But a police agent
having come up, he-heard the arguments of both parties,
and then decided, with all the gravity of a Solomon, that
as the debtor was out of the house when he was seized by
the bailiffs, his arrest was perfectly legal. After this de-
cision the crowd allowed the bailiffs to take the debtor to
prison.—Galignani's Messenger.
RAJAH BROOKE.—The Indian Mail has brought pri-
vate letters from Sir James Brooke. He had been very
dangerously ill at Penang, but was at the time of writing,
May 1, so far recovered that he intended to proceed on
the 3rd to Singapore—thence on special mission to the
court of Siam, and home to Sarawak and Labuan. On
reaching Borneo it was his intention to visit certain rivers
on the coast whose inhabitarits are as yet entirely un-
known to Europeans. They had invited Sir James
to come among them, and with the chivalrous courage so
characteristic of him, he had resolved to accede to their
requests. The chief of the piratic hordes—regardless of
the representations of their unscrupulous friends in Eng-
land—had confessed their enormities, and entered into a
solemn compact not to repeat them. "This is gratify.
ing," Sir James quietly adds, " for at a distance you
cannot fully appreciate all the blessings resulting from
security from the marauders." He refers with lofty
scorn to the slanderous falsehoods that have been uttered
against him, satisfied that no honourable mind will be
influenced by them for one moment. Sarawak was
prosperous and peaceful, and Labuan doing well.
ARRIVAL OF THE ATLANTIC.—The new steamship
Atlantic arrived on Wednesday morning, and effected a
most rapid passage, occupying only ten and a half days
from New York to Liverpool. This was her second run
homewards. The Atlantic left New York on the 15th
inst., and brings files and letters to that date. There is,
however, only two days later intelligence than that re-
ceived by way of telegraph to Halifax, per the Asia.
General Lopez was
.being examined before the United
States' Commissioners at New Orleans. He was held to
bail in 3,000 dollars. The news from Canada states that,
on the 6th instant. Mr. Cameron, a late member of the
Government, gave notice to introduce a bill on the clergy
reserve question. the object of the bill being to take from
the rectories the land attached to them. Sir Allan M'Nab
had moved for leave to introduce a bill to amend the
Rebellion Losses Bill of last session, which was negatived
by a majority of 40 to 19. The Governor General and
both houses of the legislature made an excursion, on the
10th instant, to the Welland Canal from Lake Ontario to
Lake Erie, which has been enlarged, and which was re.
opened on the occasion. The failure of the American
Reciprocity Bill had been received with considerable dis-
appointment, as many persons expected great benefits
to result from the measure.

COLONY OF NATAL.—Papers from Natal have been
received from Natal to the end of March. They contain
a statement of the trade of the colony in 1849, showing
the exports to have been £11,265, and the imports
£55,921, of which latter sum £28,000 was to be.attributed
to military expenditure. The various articles of export
are classified as follows :—lvory, value £5,454 16s. ;
animals, £2,356 ; butter, £2,174 16s. ; hides, £542 15s. ;
grain, £420 Is. ; cotton, £l2B ; tallow, £3O ; wool,
£l6 10s. ; other articles, £142 Bs. : total, £11,265 6s.
The exports of grain, cotton, tallow, and wool, it is said,
might be greatly increased, with immediate profit to the
settlers. The number of vessels entered inwards during
the year was forty, with a capacity of 5,905 tons, and the
number cleared outwards was ninety-three, with a capa-
city of 6,066 tons. The official reports from the district
of British Caffraria continued to show the prevalence of
security on the frontier, and the advantages which have
resulted from the establishment of the Caffre police force.
With regard to the bar at the harbour, the governor had
at length promised that the works necessary to obviate its
danger should be completed without delay. Messrs. J.
C. Byrne and Co.'s ships Ina, from Glasgow, and Sove-
reign, from London, had arrived. The Henrietta, which
sailed from Liverpool on the 10th of April, was spoken on
the 16th May, in let. 8 north.

rapidly with theextension of the sea-walls at the northern
breakwater. CUpwards of 10,000 cubic feet of stone are on
the ground for commencing the great sea-wall. Supplies
of stone are daily being obtained from a neighbouring lofty
• eminence that overhangs the harbour. The stone, when
tipped over into the breakwater, forms in layers of from
12 to 50 feet thick. There are about 1,300 men constantly
on the works. The estimated cost of the harbour is
£7OOOO, of which the Chester and Holyhead Railway
Company have undertaken to subscribe £200,000. The
whole will enclose an area of upwards of 316 acres of
'sea-room.

IRELAND.

-4.-

A correspondent of the Morning Post makes the an-
nouncement, that " the American cotton-growers are
about to establish factories in the West of Ireland."

The agriculturists of Ireland are still leaving their
country in hundreds. Vessels laden with emigrants—
chiefly respectable farmers—are leaving 'Waterford, Lime-
rick, Cork, and other ports, almost daily.
A letter from a Protestant clergyman in the county of
Cork states that, from the enormous breadth of ground
laid down this season in potatoes, if but 25 per cent. of
the whole be saved, there will still remain a sufficiency
for consumption in that quarter to preclude the chance of
any scarcity in the ensuing winter.
Lately, as a railway-train was approaching Cork, a man
was observed lying with his neck over the rails. On the
instant the driver solnded his whistle, the man awoke,
quickly drew back his head, and the train passed within a
hand's breadth of his face. A moment sufficed for the
whole transaction.

It hPs been determined to establish a Presbyterian col-
lege in Derry, in connection with the General Assembly
of Ulster, for which a lady, named Magee, has bequeathed
£20,000. The Londonderry Journal states that the
Irish Society of London are to grant ten or twelve acres
of land for the site of the college.
_ _

PIRACY.—The Mayo Telegraph contains the fol-
lowing :—" The brig Jane, bound for Westport, with a
general cargo, consigned to merchants in that town and
Castlebar, was, within the last few days, boarded by
several boats' crews from the main land, cff Eagle Point,
and plundered of an immense quantity of flour, plaster of
Paris, &c."
Captain Peel, son of Colonel Yates Peel, and nephew of
Sir Robert., has met with a distressing accident, at Ne-
nagh. in returning with three- brother officers from a
trip at night, the car was overturned by running on a
heap of rubbish in the street, and Captain Peel fell be-
neath the car in attempting to get off; the bones of his
right leg and his left thigh were broken, and his shoulder
was dislocated.
FEMALE DEXTERITY.—At the Dublin Commission
Court on Saturday, a lady, Mrs. Jemima Philips, the wife
of a solicitor, was indicted for conspiring to aid Miss
Octavia Henrietta Thompson to escape trom the Four
Courts Marshalsea Prison, where she was confined for
debt. It appears that Mrs. Philips was in the habit of
visiting Miss Thompson in prison. A party was invited
to sup with Miss Thompson on the evening of the escape.
The servants of the prison were employed in preparing
for the festivities, and Mrs. Philips went in and out
several times on various messages. About dusk Miss
Thompson attired herself in the bonnet, cloak, and dress
of Airs. Philips, and effected her escape. It appeared,
however, on the cross-examination of one of the witnes-
ses for the prosecution, that the seal had not been affixed
to the writ of execution under which Miss Thompson was
detained until after her escape, and on this point Mrs.
Philips was acquitted.

UNIVERSITY AND CLERICAL NEWS.

•--3

The Rev. Francis Edward Thurland. of Salisbury
Cathedral, has been appointed a minor canon and pre-
centor of Chester Cathedral.
A monument has been erected in Canterbury Cathe-
dral, near the throne, to the memory Gf Archbishop
Howley. It is a recumbent effigy, with the Bible clasped
to the breast.

The University of Durham has conferred the degree of
M.A., on Robert Stephenson, Esq., and Mr. Henry
Taylor, the author of Philip Van Artevelde, both na-
tives of the district.

The foundation stone of a new church was lately laid
at Bilton, near Harrogate. The sacred edifice will be
erected and endowed through the munificent liberality of
W, Sheepshanks, Esq., of Leeds and Bradford.
The University of Cambridge seems to be so dissatis-
fied with Prince Albert's proceedings relative to the
Royal Commission, that in all probability an attempt
will be made to elect another chancellor at the earliest
opportunity. The office is triennial or tenable for such a
length of time beyond two years, as the tacit consent of
the University may choose to allow.
. The English Episcopalians in Scotland, lay and clerical,
have forwarded an address to the Archbishop of Canter-
bury, approving of the judgment of the Privy Council in
the Gorham case. The archbishop expresses his satisfac-
tion in return, and also his hope that "the time may
shortly come when the attention of churchmen will be
diverted from matters of doubtful disputation to the more
practical objects of the ministry—repentance towards
God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ." •
It has oozed out that the decision of the Court of Ex-
chequer in the case of Gorham v. the Bishop of Exeter
will go against the Bishop, not upon the ground main-
tained by the other Couits, but that which was left un-
touched in the previous judgments; viz.—that the matter
does not touch the Crown, and, therefore, the jurisdiction
of the Committee of Privy Council in this case cannot be
questioned. The matter, consequently, will not go to a
Court of Error, nor by appeal to the House of Lords.
Such is the gossip in legal circles. _

EPISCOPAL FUND.—A return has been published set-
ting forth the annual proceeds of the episcopal fund, and
its application from its commencement in 1837 up to the
present year. The largest amount contributed any year
was in 1849—namely, £23,953, and the lowest £12,277,
the first year's proceeds. The payments made in aug-
mentation of the income of any see have varied in diffe-
rent years from £4,300 (in 1837) to £19,788 (in 1849.)
The payments made on this account for the present year
amount to £11,516, the sees participating in them being
Chester, Chichester, St. David's, Hereford, Lichfield,
Llandaff, Manchester, Oxford, Peterborough, Ripon and
Rochester. The total disbursements from the fund have
ranged from £7,197 (in 1837) to £26,552 (in 1849). In
the present year they have been £13,762.
THE BORNEO MISSION.—Last week we gave some in-
teresting facts relative to the mission and projected church
in the island of Borneo ; we now proceed to add a few
remarks which were then omitted. The project of build-
ing and endowing a church and schools has received the
warm support of Sir James Brook. The amount received
in aid of the design last year was £507 155., of which
£248 Is. Bd. remain in the bands of the bankers • the
Rajah, several of the English bishops, and a number of
the nobility have contributed to the funds. The Christian
Knowledge Society have given £3OO, The efforts of Mr.
M`Dougall, the clergyman established on the island, in
the cause have been most strenuous ; he expresses a con-
fident opinion as to the practicability of the undertaking.
Sir James Brooke has assigned the institution the munifi-
cent grant of 300 acres of land. The church is in rapid
progress, and it is hoped will be completed without any
further drag upon the funds of the mission, The contri-
butions have not only been received from England and in
Borneo, but Mr. M`Dougall has succeeded in gaining
assistance from British dependencies which he has visited
for the purpose. This gentleman is of opinion that mis-
sionaries might be allocated with safety and success among
the distant tribes now beyond the influence of the stinted
spiritual provision. By some of these tribes he has been
solicited to go amongst them and teach his religion. The
demands made on his time by the duties of the mission at
Sarawak prevents him from responding to such solicita-
tions, and he is led to deplore the loss of golden opportu-
nities. The importance of the mission may be imagined
from the fact that the different tribes number about
5,000,000. The number of Mahomedans in Sarawak alone
is computed at 15,000. Each of these tribes speak a
peculiar language, a circumstance which enhances the
difficulty of the missionary labour. It is probable that
the church will be consecrated in the autumn by the
Bishop of Calcutta.