The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-02-17 00:00:00

FATAL ACCIDENTS.--On Saturday night week a child,
five years old,• was burned to death through its clothes
catching fire.—A poor old man, named Trodden, was
killed on
_Saturday eveninz, in Athol-street, by the upset-
ting ora cart of stones on hiin while he was in the act of
loading.
GUARDIAN SOCIETY DINNER.—On Thursday evening
the annual dinner of this society took place at the Royal
Hotel, Dale-street. Upwards of 100 members were pre-
sent. The Mayor had been invited to attend, but was
prevented by an engagement in London. The cbair was
filled by the retiring chairman, Mr. Thomas Bage, and
the vice-chair by the president elect, Mr. James Denton.
The speeches were of the usual staple, and on the ordi-
nary subjects. One of the speakers urged the necessity
of providing the secretary, Mr. Reay, with a substantial
proof of their approbation.
Loss OF THE BAYFlELD.—lntelligence was on Monday
received that this vessel, which was the property of Mr.
Tobin, and engaged !n the African trade, has been struck
by lightning off the coast of Africa. The storm was one
of the most dreadful ever experienced, even on that fiery
coast, and soon after the Hayfield was struck she was
found to be in flames. In a short time the captain and
crew were compelled to take to the boat, and leave the
ship to her fate. They remained in the boat for eight
days, suffering the greatest hardships, but were at length
so fortunate as to reach Sierra Leone.

LADIES' CHARITY.—The general annual meeting was
held on Wednesday. The total income for 1845, was
£947 Bs. 2d., while the expenses were £lll3 Is. 2d., the
deficiency having been supplied from the balance produced
from a former year, and which was now reduced to £135
10s. The number of persons relieved was 1999, being a
decrease of 281 on the year preceding. The report went
on to state that the number of patients had increased with
the increasing population of the town. During the last
five years they had amounted annually, on an average, to
2164, while the subscriptions were not so large as they
were 30 years ago, when the number of patients did not
reach half its present number.
COMMITTAL OF POLICE-OFFICERS. —On Tuesday,
two officers belonging to the Liverpool constabulary,
Nos. 255 and 593, were dismissed the force, and ordered
to be committed for trial, for having assaulted a man
named Hugh Higgins, in Great Howard-street, apparently
without having received any provocation. One of the
officers was intoxicated, and the other denied having
struck the complainant.—On Thursday, Police constable
Wm. Williamson, No. 305, was dismissed for striking
and assaulting Fanny Clark, near the King's Dock, at
about two o'clock on the morning of Tuesday, to which
place she had gone at that early hour to meet her hus-
band, a mate of a vessel telegraphed off Holyhead the
preceding afternoon. _ _ .

CHURCH OF ENGLAND YOUNG MEN'S SOCIETY FOR
AIDING MISSIONS AT HOME AND ABROAD.—We per-
ceive that an auxiliary to this society is about to be formed
in Liverpool, and that it is to receive the advocacy of the
Rev. F. Close, of Cheltenham, as well as some of our
local clergy, under the presidency of Adam Hodgson,Esq.
Our young friends and fellow-townsmen will, doubtless,
attend the meeting, at the Commercial Hall, this (Tues-
day) evening—especially the very numerous and respecta-
ble class of young gentlemen who are engaged in the offices
of merchants, and in other professional avocations. They
will, most probably, feel thankful that such an opportunity
should be afforded to them to engage in works of benevo-
lence and charity, and many of whom, we dare say, will
speedily enrol themselves as members of this society.
Loss OF THE SHIP HEYWOOD.—On Saturday week
the ship Heywood, Captain Blacklock, of this port, bound
hither from the coast of Africa, with a valuable cargo of
elephants' tusks, palm oil, &c., in a strong gale from N.W.
being in a leaky state and unable to weather Holyhead,
put about and made for Llandwyn, off which she came to
anchor. The violence of the gale, however, drove her a
considerable distance, and at length she struck on the spit
of the North Bank. The Llandwyn and Carnarvon life-
boats put out, and landed the whole of the crew. On Wed-
nesday an ineffectual attempt was made to tow the ship
into Carnarvon. On Thursday, the masts having been
cut away, the attempt was renewed by the Cambria and
Erin.go-bragh steamers, and the vessel having been got
afloat, she was safely towed to anchorage off the new pier.
The whole cargo will be secured uninjured, and it is stated
that the ship will be sent round to Liverpool and sold.

ATTEMPT TO INJURE THE REV. MR. CORDEAUX.—
We regret to learn, that during the time the Rev. Mr.
Cordeaux, the respected incumbent of St. Silas' Church,
Pembroke-place, was preaching on the evening of Wed-
nesday week, a ruffian threw a stone through one of the
gallery windows, evidently with the intention of striking
the reverend gentleman. The pane of glass was broken
to pieces, and the congregation were greatly alarmed.
Fortunately the stone fella short distance from the pulpit,
and into one of the pews. Mr. Cordeaux, after a pause,
continued his discourse. Several gentlemen rushed out
of the church fer the purpose of finding the miscreant,
but we regret to say their search was useless. No cause
can be assigned for the daring outrage, as perhaps there
is not a clergyman in Liverpool possessed of kinder feel-
ings, or more genuine Christian philanthropy, than the
incumbent of the church in question.
A DODGE.—On Monday, at Manchester, several young
men attended the borough court for the parpose of com-
plaining against some persons who had recently opened
an agency office, at 47, King-street, in that town, and
whose advertisements have caused a great number of per-
sons to apply to them for situations. It was shown in
evidence that several persons had paid money with the
view of procuring situations; but, upon calling at the
office, they could not receive any satisfaction, neither
would their money be returned. On information being
given to the police, officers went to the office, where they
found two men, who stated their names and addresses to
be " John Boyle, 8, Cresswell-street, Ardwick," and
" John Morgan, 10, Cresswell-street, Ardwick," and
said that they were clerks, and that their principals were
Messrs. Atkinson and Smedley, 117, Dale-street, Liver-
pool. Two letters were read before the magistrates, dated
" 117, Dale-street, Liverpool," which left no doubt that
all the proceedings of these alleged " agency societies"
are fraudulent. Mr. Walker, the magistrate, thought the
case at present did not come within the jurisdiction of the
court; but the case in a few days will be renewed.

LIVERPOOL FIRE AND LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY.
—The annual meeting of the proprietors was held on
Thursday. The report stated, that during the year a fur-
ther issue of shares had been made, by which the position
of the company had been materially improved. The pre-
mium realized on those shares amounted to £17,805, and
it was deemed most accordantwi'h the permanent inter-
ests of the company to carry it to the credit of the re-
served surplus fund. The amount of business in the fire
department had exceeded considerably that of any previous
year, and modifications had been made in the rate of
charges ; they were also prepared to make further reduc-
tions, as soon as it could be done prudently. The life de-
partment was such as to give promise of an adequately re-
munerative return. The directors recommended a dividend
to be declared of la per cent., and that there be taken
from the premiums a bonus of ss. per share, which the
extraordinary success of the year would fully warrant;
deducting from those two sums the amount of interest, at
5 per cent., on the unpaid portion of the capital, and the
remainder from the balance at the credit of profit and
loss, there would be left the sum of £31,504 Ils. 6d., as a
guarantee fund against current risk beyond the amount of
£117,805 at the credit of the reserved surplus fund. With
reference to the amount due upon shares, in respect of
which the first instalment of £2 20s. has not been paid,
it had not been deemed requisite to make any call during
the past year ; but as intimation had been given that some
of the proprietors would prefer paying up the sum which
was due from them, the directors were ready to receive it.
The report was adopted. It was also decided that the di-
vidend proposed should be paid.

NENV MODE OF PROPELLING AND NAVIGATING STEAM
VESSELS.—A model of a steam-boat, constructed on a
new method of propulsion, and patented by Messrs. J and
M. W. Ruthven, of Scotland, engineers, has for some
days past been exhibited at the office of Mr. P. R. M`Quie,
Water-street, and has also been tried on our river. From
the printed description it appears that " under the engine
is a round iron case, having communication on the under
side, at the centre, with a large flat pipe, going from thence
towards the how of the vessel, near which it has a free
communication with the water, by apertures through the
bottom of the vessel. The water thus enters the round
iron case in which there is a wheel, having a shaft through
a stuffing-box on the upper side of the round iron case.
On this shaft cranks are formed, and to these the piston
of the engine is attached. The power of the steam-engine
is solely applied to revolving the wheel in the iron case.
The wheel is made something like a fan-wheel, so that on
revolving it carries round the water with it. The water,
being revolved, presses towards the outer rim of the case
with a force proportionate to the speed, and according to
centrifugal force. At each side of the rim of the iron
case there is an aperture and pipe, conveying the water
from the case to each side of the vessel, where a nozzle,
or bent pipe, discharges it outside of the vessel. This
nozzle, or bent pipe, which is above the water line, is so
arranged that it can be turned by the seamen on deck, so
as to discharge the water either to the bow or stern. When
made to discharge the water towards the stern, the vessel
goes a-head ; when towards the bow, the vessel goes
a-stern ; when pointed downwards, the vessel remains
stationary. During these operations, the engine does not
require either to be altered or stopped. It may be
mentioned that one nozzle may be altered without the
other, so that having one pointed towards the stern, and
the other towards the bow, the vessel goes round." Such
is the description given by the inventors, who add, that it
possesses many advantages over the paddle-wheel or
screw, which they enumerate in detail; and which it
would certainly have, provided the power of an ordinary
engine proportioned to the vessel were sufficient to expel
the water by the nozzles with sufficient force to propel
the vessel at an adequate speed—if which, however, we
entertain great doubts ;—for as that force "consists (by
their account) in the expulsion of water, expelled ac-
cording to the law of centrifugal force," may the same
force not greatly neutralize the effort of the water to enter
the round iron case? Amongst the advantages stated are
greater speed than by paddle-wheels, and, in their absence,
the vessel retaining her full sailing properties—easy back-
ing, turning, and stopping,—a uniform and smooth mo-
tion, &e. If we mistake no', the principle assimilates
itself to that. of the fire-engine, which, while the water
flows into it at one part, ejects it forcibly by the pipe (or
nozzle ;) but how a strong propelling power can be ob-
tained by the mere injection of water into water, through
a pipe, is to us a mystery, though we shall rejoice to find
it realized. Supposing, too, that one of the nozzles is
submerged by the heeling over of the vessel, and the other
is lifted several feet from the surface by the same operation,
what becomes of the strong propelling power of either ?
We are bound to state, however, that at the trial of the
model, of 12 feet long, at Rock Ferry, on Tuesdly last, a
contemporary states that great satisfaction was given, and
that the average speed attained was very considerable,
though it was not precisely ascertained. Precisely the
same principle, but rather differently applied, was tried
here many years ago, but was abandoned, three or four
knots an hour being all that could be obtained by the
application of steam.