The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-05-05 00:00:00

mpiciFLLANAOIN

FATAL EXPLOSION.—An alarming explosion took place
on Monday, on the premises occupied by Mr. Ralph Fen_
wick, firework manufacturer and pyrotechnical artist to the
Queen, in Regent-street, Lambeth ; by which two poor men
sustained such frightful injuries as to cause their deaths soon
after, and two others, the one a son of Mr. Fenwick, anti the
other a workman in his employ, were dreadfully burnt in
various parts of their bodies. The injuries to the building
are very extensive.

SALMON FlSHlNGs.—Considerable improvement has been
experienced in the capture of salmon in the river Conon
during the week. On the 26th inst. the first grilse, for this
season, was caught by Captain Munro's fishermen, which
weighed 341b5., a pretty fair weight considering the early pe-
riod of the season. The first grilse taken on the Conon last
year weighed only 21b., and was not caught till the 14th of
Nlay. The salmon fry have been observed to pass down the
Conon for the past 10 days.—Rossahire Adverti,er.
DRURY-LANE THEATRE.—This theatre was suddenly and
unexpectedly closed on Friday evening for want of funds to
carry it on. Mr. Bunn has been in "the management"
since Mr. Charles Kemble's abdication ; but notwithstanding
the exertions which have been made to render the perform-
ances attractive, the receipts have never equalled the expen-
diture, and latterly the manager has been unable to pay the
salaries of the principal performers. Six hundred persons,
it is said, are thrown out of bread by this misfortune.
MUNICIPAL RULERS OF LoNnoN.--The governors in
chief of the city of London have had, from time to time
differing appellations. Under the Britains, they we called
kings; the Romans styled them, prefects; the Saxons,
portreves ; the Norman kings, at their first coming, bayliffs,
and sometimes, provosts. Then came the office to be estab-
lished in the title of mayor, which hath continued till now,
though it was interrupted sometimes with a custos ; which
some of the kings, as Henry the Third, and Edward the
First, upon a displeasure against the city, were pleased to
appoint.—Howel's Londinopolis.
THE EDUCATIONAL CLAUSES OF THE FACTORY BILL.—
The Watchman, the principal newspaper organ of the Wes-
leyan Methodists, while it acknowledges the courtesy with
which Sir J. Graham spoke of that body on Monday night,
and the compliment paid to it in selecting the Wesleyan re-
solutions, as containing the summary of dissenting objections
to those clauses in their original form, expresses regret " to
be obliged at once to state that, in our judgment, these al-
terations, although in some respects decided improvements
on the previous enactments, are far from amounting to such
a change as would satisfy the reasonable requirements of
Wesleyans and Dissenters."

REBECCA AND HER DAUGHTERS.—On Friday, at the
Neath Petty Sessions, Morgan Rees, Thomas Roberts, and
some
gates at Neath
in this case was
David Williams, three workmen in the employ of the Neath
Abbey Iron Company, were brought forward to answer to a
charge Abbey oo
nf breaking
he 10 th oa carryingdf
Apri
l.Thea evidenceway
clear and conclusive, as police-sergeant Jones, 10 R.P.,
itnhjeury did not ap-
gates; but as
the caughtpar parties
s whose
pear to prosecute, the magistrates, on account of previous
in the
property
r actty ofha
d destroying
sustained
good character, deemed it expedient to dismiss the case.—
Welshman.

THE SINGLE SEATED OMNIBUs.---We understand that
an omnibus affording increased accommodation is to be offered
to the public this day by the London Conveyance Company.
The inventor, Mr. George Hazeldine, has endeavoured to
obviate the numerous objections that are justly made to that
description of public conveyance by having a separate seat
for each person ranged on each side of the carriage, and
looking towards the horses. A clear Passage is thus secured
up the centre, and the roof is so constructed as to afford
perfect ventilation without opening the windows. A hell
within the reach of the passengers, is to be used as the means
for directing the conductor, and it is said that the carriage is
lighter than many of those now in use.
FINDING OF SOVEREIGNS.—We stated a weeks ago that
some labourers who were grubbing up the roots of trees in
Tufnell-park, Holloway, the
_property .of Mr. H. Tufnell,
-M.P., round 360 sovereigns, Which it was subsequently ascer-
tained had been buried there by Mr. Frost, an ironmonger in
St. John-street, Clerkenwell, whilst labouring under tempo-
rary insanity. Mr. Frost has since entirely recovered the
use of his reason, and had a faint recollection that he buried
another and a larger sum somewhere about the same spot.
Yesterday morning Mr. Frost and his brother visited the
place, and after they had been about two hours employed in
digging up the ground with trowels they found a pewter ves-
sel containing 400 sovereigns a few perches distant from the
place in which the 300 sovereigns had been found. They took
the treasure in the first instance to the station-house, and
then to their own residence.—London paper.

JAMES WYLIE, THE DRAUGHTS PLAYER. -This extra.
ordinary youth, who may be said to be the Napoleon of the
Draughts board, in the course of his peregrinations alighted
in this place last week, and was not long in drawing around
him all the aspirants to skill at this game in the burgh.
Despite however, all efforts, none could gain a march upon
him ; he was found to be alone and unapproachable. Wylie
unites the capacity of pedlar with his celebrity as a draughts
player, and is thereby enabled, while going across the coun-
try, to exercise his wonderful gift. He is a diffident, un-
pretending lad, and would be the last person in the world to
be taken for what he is. His striking simplicity of character
affords the most striking contrast to his shrewdness at the
board. We believe he is engaged to play in a short time
a great match at Glasgow, for £2OO a side, with Mr.
Anderson, of Carluke, who is his only rival in Scotland.—
Kelso Chronicle.

A MIDNIGHT FLIGHT.—About midnight on Saturday last
a most violent and alarming noise of an unnatural kind of
screaming was heard over the whole town of Perth, awaken-
ing such as were asleep and frightening those who were awake.
The visitation continued for upwards of a quarter of an
hour, in which time it was dissovered to proceed from an un-
commonly numerous flight of wild geese, winging
their way
to the sea side. It is known that when these birds are night
travellers, and to prevent straggling, the leader keeps up a
constant cry, which is taken up at intervals and repeated by
the whole or greater part of the flock. Whether in passing
over the town the glare of the gas lamps had alarmed them,
or their leaders thought increased caution was required so
anything
so near the habitations of men, cap only be conjectured ; hut
similar ever heard, and some females were so much fright-
ened as to have suffered in health in consequence.—Caledo-
nian Mercury.
the fact is unquestionable that the noise exceeded

were ©lad with snow,
Tits WitATiinft.,-Last week, the mountains, and even the
The 98th Foot, 700 strong, a fine body of young men, are
around Kendal,
about to embark at Portsmouth. for service at Hong Kong. '
lower range of hills
The Duke of Sussex, when appointed Colonel of the Royal
Artillery Company, measured 6 feet 31 inches in his shoes :
the body measured 6 feet 6 inches.
The largest mau in the British service is Lieutenant Suth-
erland, of the 26th regiment, at Cork. He weighs 25 stone,
his height is six feet four inches, and he is 23 years of age.
Mr. George Preece, or Bridgnorth, in a fit of passion at
his nephew, began to spit blood, and his rage so increased
that he ruptured a blood vessel, and died almost immediately.
Dr. Willis Moseley has Just presented to the British Mu-
seum a copy of the Lord's. Prayer in the Corean language.
We understand itis unique in Europe.
One of the principal dyers in Norwich has not had business
so brisk for the last twenty years as it has been for the last
few weeks.

THAMES TUNNEL.—Last week the number of persons
who visited the tunnel was 64,682, and the receipts were
£269 10s. 2d. Since the opening, 476,656 persons have
passed through.

The surgeon of the 3d Dragoon Guards was thrown from
his horse at Stafford, on Tuesday Reek; and, though he had
his collar bone dislocated and two ribs fractured, he is
ex-
pected to recover.
The Morning Drury Lane general commit-
Post says the
tee have signified to Mr. Macready their disapprobation of
the theatre being used by the league, or for any meetings in-
volving political discussion.
Friday's Gazette contains a notice, that the master of the
mint is prepared to change old sovereign and half-sovereign
weights for new, without charge, to persons effecting the ex-
change.

The new square that is being laid out and planted on the
Marquis of Westminster's Pimlico estate, called St. George's
Square, is 1100 yards long, and 80 wide. Each house in the
square will command a fine view of the river.
We regret to state that two boats, on their way from Con-
nemara to our port, by some unknown accident sunk on
Thursday last, one of them at Furbough, and the other near
Spiddle, when, melancholy to say, all hands on board of them
were drowned.—Galway Advertiser.
A Mr. Tongue has invented an additional rein for horses,
connected with a spring trap, which, by a single action of the
hand, is drawn so close over the nostrils and mouth as to
stop breathing, and thereby bring the most restive animal to
his senses.
Lora Brougham has directed his solicitors, Messrs. Bleay-
muse and Son, to bring an action of trespass against Thomas
Bird (the claimant of his estates), and the other parties who
were concerned in making the distress for rent upon one of
his lordship's tenants at Wetericks.
FRESH STRAWBERRIES.—Some fine, large, and ripe
strawberries, of the Kean's seedling variety, grown by Mr.
Moffatt, at Fordeladean, were exposed in Messrs. Maclean's
fruit shop on Friday, being the first fruit of this exhibited
this season.—Edinburgh Courant.
EARLY MUSHROOMS.—We were favoured, on Saturday
morning last, with a dish of mushrooms, gathered by Miss
Morris, of Criggion, on the preceding evening. Last week
we announced that a dish of them had been picked up in the
neighbourhood of Welshpool. These must be considered as
proofs of the mildness of the season.—Edinburgh paper.
DREADFUL EXPLOSION AT SOUTH HETTON PIT.—On
Friday last an explosion took place in this colliery, situated
in the coal district between Durham and Sunderland, by
which three lives have been sacrificed, and 13 persons seriously
injured. The accident is stated to have arisen from one of
the trap doors having been carelessly left open.
On Wednesday evening a young girl named Smith fell into
a sound sleep in Bishopwearmouth Chapel of Ease, and re-
mained in that state until the edifice was locked up. When
she awoke, she alarmed the town by an " extempore" peal
from the bell—which brought some hundreds of knights to
the fair lady's deliverance.
To ELECTORS.—As there are many removals in the month
of May, electors who quit their old and enter upon fresh
premises should inform the overseers of their removal, and
require to be rated for their new tenancy, to prevent being
left out of the list when the next rate is made; otherwise an
objection may be substantiated against their vote at the ap-
proaching registration.

THE LATE FATAL ACCIDENT.—The subscription which
has been set on foot in Southampton and its surrounding
neighbourhood, for the benefit of the widow and six orphan
children of Cherry, the coachman, who was killed by the up-
setting of the Exeter mail on the night of the 21st ult., at
Stoney-cross, on its way to Southampton, already amounts
to above £7OO.

KNUTSFORD GAOL.—The magistrates of Cheshire, assem-
bled in Quarter Sessions, have replied at length to the letter
of the Secretary of State respecting the dismissal of the
gaoler, exculpating him from the charges made by the In-
spector of Prisons, and declaring also that no sufficient
ground had been alleged for the withdrawal of their confi-
dence in him.
A DEPRAVED FAMlLY.—Margaret M`Callurn or Robert-
son, who was tried along with Christian Robertson, her
daughter, William Robertson, her son, and Mary Murray,
for theft, at the Circuit Court in Glasgow last Thursday, has
had three sons transported at a former assizes, and has now
a son and daughter under sentence of transportation. She
has been sentenced herself to two years' imprisonment.
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT STOCKPORT.—On Monday last,
a fire, which resulted in the destruction of a considerable
amount of property, originated at the cotton-mill of Mr. T.
Fearnley, of the Weir-mills, Chestergate, Stockport. The
damage is estimated at upwards of £lO,OOO, but the property
is insured to near that amount. Several serious accidents
occurred during the night, and it is feared that there are some
persons buried beneath the ruins.
A COSTLY VOLUME.—On Saturday, during a sale of the
late Lord Berwick's library, one volume sold for the large
sum of £67. 4s. This was the account and illustrations of
the coronation of King George the Fourth, upon vellum,
with descriptions in letters of gold. It was published in
1821. This copy was got up by Mr. Whittaker, in a very
superior style, for an illustrious personage, and cost its late
noble owner a very large sum. It is a splendid monument
of art.