The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1850-01-29 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.

Sir,—What does Mr. Cobden mean by calling the
small loaf of 1801 exhibited at Sheffield, a " protected
loaf ?" Mr. Cobden surely knew that the years 1800 and
1801 were years of famine ; that the harvest of 1800 was
one of the very worst that has ever been experienced in
England ; that the average price of wheat on the Ist of
January, 1800, was 925. 7d. a quarter ; on the Ist of
January, 1801, when Mr. Cobden's " protected loaf"
was made, 1395. a quarter; and that the price afterwards
advanced to 180 s. a quarter. All this information, as
well as that the quartern loaf was selling at Is. 104 d.,
might have been found in Tooke's Thoughts and Details
on High and Low Prices. Mr. Cobden surely must have
known that, at the time when his " protected loaf" was '
baked, the importation of corn into England was encou-
raged by a high bounty. Above all, Mr. Cobden surely
must have known that in 1800 and 1801 there was was no
duty whatever on imported corn, and that for a quarter of
a century previously wheat had been regularly imported
into England at a duty of 6d. a quarter. Why, then, Sir,
allow me again to ask, if he knew all this, did Mr. Cobden
call the loaf baked in January, 1801, a " protected loaf ?"
If he was not aware of these matters, of course it is quite
another thing.

RICHARD MORSOOII,
Southoe Rectory, Buckden, Hants, Jan, 25.

POLICE COURT YESTERDAY.

CLAIM FOR DAMAGE BY A COLLISION.—The agents
for the steamer " Nimrod" 'preferred a case against the
owners of the schooner " Naomi," for damage alleged
to be caused by the carelessness of those on board of the
latter vessel. Mr. Davenport appeared for the defendants.
The collision took place so far back as the 18th Novem-
ber last, and a good deal of evidence was tendered by the
claimants, but the result renders it unnecessary that we
should enter into details. It appeared from the statements
of the mate and others of the steamer, that on the night
of the 18th of November, which was dark and sleety, but
not foggy, the steamer put off from the small stage at the
Princes Pier, on her destination for Cork. The wind
was at W.S.W., and after getting a little way out into
the river, the vessel's head was put about W.N.W. The
schooner was soon seen at a distance of about 100 yards.
The.echooner's people shouted " stop her!" The steamer
was, it was stated, stopped and backed at full speed to
avoid the other vessel. The collision, however, took place,
and the steamer's bowsprit was carried away. The mate
of the steamer said that the schooner had no mast-light,
at any rate, and no other light that he perceived, though
he could not swear to the latter point. The amount of
damage sustained did not transpire. The evidence on the
other side went to show, that the schooner had a lantern-
light at the time, held over the larboard bow, and the
collison could not, under the circumstances, be avoided
by that vessel, which was proceeding to the Queen's Dock.
It was blowing fresh at the time, and everything was done
to warn the steamer back. It was further shown, that
the steamer in running into the schooner, carried away
the mainsail of the latter, and also thrust her main boom
over her quarter, in such a way that, had those on board
not taken great care, they might have been killed. The
main proof in behalf of the schooner, however was, that
the agent for the steamer sent next day for the schooner's
mainsail, and repaired and returned it. The agent for the
steamer said that when he sent for the sail, and had it re-
paired, he did not know that the damage to the steamer
was so great, but was led to believe it was trifling. Mr.
Rushton said it was strange to repair the sail, and then
seek damages for the collision, and he dismissed the case.
ROBBERY OF £47.—Margaret Wilson, a girl of the
town, was charged by Richard Dobson, a seaman, with
robbing him of 47 sovereigns, in a house in Bannister-
street, on Friday last. None of the money was found ;
and the case presented the usual features—the man show-
ing his arrant folly in going to such places.—Trial at the
Sessions.

STEALING BY RETAIL.—A female was charged with
stealing some black puddings in St. John's Market,
having been previously ejected for attempting to steal
eggs. When she was apprehended there were found upon
her a black pudding, an orange, a fowl, a sheep's foot, an
onion, and other etcetera. She was sent to durance vile
for twenty-one days.

Last week, by a singular coincidence, three vessels,
called the Queen, Prince Albert, and the Prince, put into
Ferriby Sluice for five days, owing to the severity of the
weather.

The Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland has signified that
£1,400 are to be expended on the erection of farm
buildings annexed to the professorship of agriculture es-
tablished by her Majesty at Cork.