The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-01-16 00:00:00

SELECT VESTRY AFFAIRS.

We have been requested by Mr. Ford to insert the fol-
[owing correspondence :

TO THE REV. MR. CRAGG.
Rev, and Dear Sir,—Will you do me the favour to refer
to Mr. Thornely's speech, as printed in the Journal, of
Saturday last, and say if his remarks, which have reference
to a conversation I had with him in Castle-street, upon
the day the report of the Poor-law Commissioners upon
Mr. Nightingall's case was received at the Parish-office,
bears any resemblance to what I really did say to him
upon that occasion.

As you were the only person present, I am reluctantly
compelled to ask you to become the arbiter between Mr.
Thornely and myself.
The remarks of the editor of the Journal oblige me
publicly to notice the matter. Your permission, there-
fore, ta publish whatever reply you are pleased to make
will oblige your obedient,

EDWARD FORD.

Thursday morning, January 11, 1844.
My Dear Sir,-1 have seen the report in the Journal
of what is there represented as the conversation between
yourself and Mr. Thornely, in Castle-street, when I was
present, and, still remembering what was: really said,
declare it to be utterly incorrect; neither correct as to
facts nor in the version given in the newspaper.—l am,
my dear sir, yours, very truly,
To Mr. E. Ford.

S. CRAGG.

[Of course, we knew perfectly well, and recently told
our readers, how those so-called reports, which appear
from time to time in the Mercury, are concocted ; and it
is no surprise to us to see, as in the above case, that they
are spiteful, one-sided, and lying. We know, unfortu-
nately, of no remedy, which we would adopt willingly_
The admission of reporters for the local, press, would be
only to deluge the community with a further supply of
the frothy trash of these frothy spouters, and to add
another to the number of our talking public bodies. Our
conservative friends must, therefore, consent to suffer on,
satisfied that none but kindred spirits believe the
slanders of their assailants and their organ—the Mercury.
—Ed. L. S.]

THE FUNDS, SATURDAY NIGH.T.—OOII9OIS leave off a
shade firmer, though the market has not experienced any
great accession of business during the day. The last
quotation for money and the account was 964 to y. The
other English stocks were fairly steady, and for the most
part fully maintained late quotations. The Three per
Cents. Reduced closed 97a tat ; Three-and-a-Half per
Cents. Reduced, 1021 to I ; New Three-and-a- Half per
Cents., 10l to 102; Long Annuities, 121; Exchequer
Bills, 635. to 675. premium ; Bank Stock, 186 to 187;
and India Stock, 272 to 274. Spanish Stock was also
rather better. A few purchases occasioned this im-
proved feeling, and the market closed tolerably well. Tha
Three per Cents. were last quoted 301 to 1; and the five
per Cents., 221 to *. In other respects the foreign secu-
rities showed no essential aiteration. Mexican closed
321 to ; Dutch Two-and-a-Half per Cents., 54 to+ ; the
Five per Cents., 100' to -R. ; Peruvian 221 to -I; Portuguese,
44 to 3 ; Danish, 86 to 87 ; Colombian, 11 to Chilian
99 to 101 ; Brazilian, 75 to 75 ; and -;
Belgian, 1031 to
1041.

THEATRE ROYAL.—The " stars" at this theatre, during
the past week, have been Mr. Fitzwiiliam and Mr. Buck-
stone who have drawn very good and fashionable Audi-
ences, the pieces performed being principally the produc-
tion of the latter able comedian and pleasing dramatic
writer. The principal of these, which has had an uninter-
rupted run during the week, 'and drawn down rapturous
applause, is entitled " Josephine," in which Mrs. Fitz-
william appears as an orphan, or a deserted girl, adopted
by the soldiers of the 23rd regiment during the wars of
the Emperor. The plot contains little of interest, being
adapted principally to display the neculiar style of that
lady. It was beautifully put upon the stage, and the cha-
racters throughout well supported. Mr. Compton in par-
ticular, personated well a veteran sergeant, the favourite
protector of Josephine. It is invidious however, to
particularize, where all the members of the company did
full justice to the parts allotted to them. The other
pieces performed were of that slight, but laughable des-
cription in which Mrs. Fitzwilliam is inimitable ; and like
the principal piece (Josephine) drew down nightly bursts
of applause. During the present week Madame Celeste
herself re-appears, and in addition Mr. J. P.- Cook, the
only sailor upon the stage, will go through his most ce-
lebrated pieces ; and the house, as indeed it was last night
to witness his acting " Blackeyed Susan," we dare predict
will be crammed every night.

WARRINGTON. ALARMING FIRE. —On Saturday
evening, at half-past six o'clock, a fire broke out in Mr.
John Haddock's printing establishment, at the Market-
gate •, and, from the situation of the premises, serious
apprehensions were entertained that the flames would ex-
tend to the adjoining buildings. The alarm was imme-
diately given, and the fire-engines were, with as little
delay as possible, brought up to the spot. The fire
burned with unabated violence for about half an hour, or
from that to three quarters, when the engines were
brought to play upon it in some degree. It was near nine
o'clock before the fire was quite extinguished. The want
of a regularly organised body of firemen was much felt ;
for, although assistance was promptly rendered, yet, in
consequence of the great confusion, and as there was no
competent person to direct the efforts of the parties, much
time was lost. The fire showed a tendency to spread to
the adjoining buildings, occupied by Mr. Fidgen,. but
owing to the praiseworthy exertions of a few individuals
it was confined to the upper stories of Mr. Haddock's
premises. Several rumours are afloat as to the probable
cause of this disaster ; but the most authentic seems to be,
that, after the other men were leaving the printing-office,
to receive their wages, one man remained behind to light
his pipe, and, instead of extinguishing the paper, he threw
it, lighted, upon the floor in his hurry, and so set fire to
the remnants, or waste pieces, of paper which were lying
there ; for it was observed that, in less than five minutes
after the men had entered the shop to receive their wages,
the upper stories were in flames. The property, it is
said, is insured. Much injury has been done to the stock,
and the buildings have suffered considerably.