The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-08-13 00:00:00

SELECTIONS.

EFFECTS OF FREE TRADE.—Foreign competition
creates a contest between the masters on the one hand,
and the labourers on the other, as to who shall suffer least
from the effects of the forced reduction in prices. In a
small branch of trade, the masters would not reduce their
profits below the average rate, for they could divert their
capital and industry into other channels. The same may
be said of the labourers. If both parties thus held out,
the trade in question must be given up. In a large branch
of trade, such as agriculture, one or other must give in.
If there exists a strong competition amongst the masters,
they may be made to bear the loss, or at least part of it.
But if, on the other hand, there exists much competition
among the labourers, the masters may, in their turn, be
able to force the loss upon the labourers. If competition
exists in both classes, they will probably both bear a por-
tion of the loss.—Science of Trade.
FEMALES OF DAMASCUS.—The women of Damascus
are esteemed the handsomest in the East ; and, though
the fame of their charms has no doubt been much en-
hanced by the difficulty of seeing them, they sometimes,
from behind their tantalizing clouds, pour forth a light
that might dazzle the most discreet beholder. There is a
very graceful style of coquetry in the manner in which an
Eastern belle displays her arms, which are the roundest
and most perfect imaginable. The fingers. covered with
rings, and dyed pink under the nails, play about the folds
of the drapery, as if anxious to restore it to its place, in
which, somehow or another, they can never succeed, when
there is a sly opportunity of disclosing the beauty it is
meant to conceal. Large blue eyes are common among
the Christian women, some of whom are exceedingly fair ;
and there is a grace in the turban beyond all the arts of a
civilized toilette.—Library of Travel.
FEROCITY OF AN ELEPHANT.—It is impossible to
imagine the ferocity of the elephant when he is excited to
revenge. The melancholy end of Major Haddock, of the
97th regiment, was horribly illustrative of this ; he had
fired his last barrel when an elephant gave chase, and
Haddock made the best of his way to a small patch of
jungle close by, hoping to dodge the elephant round it
until it got tired of the fun, and sheered off; but before
five minutes had elapsed he unfortunately ran round the
very corner behind which the animal kept itself concealed,
and in a moment he was laid hold of. He had no one
with him but natives, who, at a pitch, are about the great-
est fools ever born ; the consequence was, that the ele-
phant having crushed poor Haddock to death by kneeling
on him, began to dissect him ; and so cleanly was it done
that scarcely two joints were left together in the body of
the victim. How an animal could have thus accomplished
such a task by means of that unwieldy-looking instrument
it possesses in the shape of a trunk, is utterly inexplicable.
—New Sporting Magazine.
CANTON.—The streets are very numerous, being more
than 600. Their names sound oddly to us, and have
rather an ambitious air, " Dragon-street, " " Golden-
street, " " Flying Dragon-street " " Martial Dragon-
street, " " Flower-street, " " Golden Flower-street,"
&c., are high-sounding enough ; but some of them,
it is said, have names which would hardly bear to
betranslated for " ears polite." The Rev. Mr. Bridg-
man states that they vary in width from two to sixteen
feet, and gives it as his opinion that the general average
is from six to eight feet. Mr. Dunn thinks this an over-
estimate by one or two feet. They are all paved with
large flag-stones chiefly granite. Wheel carriages are
seldom used. Those who can afford to ride are borne in
sedan chairs on the shoulders of coolies, and all heavy
burdens are carried by porters. The streets are generally
crowded, and present a busy, bustling, animated appear-
ance. They all have gates at each end, which are closed
at night, and guarded by a sentinel. The houses are but
one story high. A few of them are of wood or stone :
mbTuia,tne ya
dwellings,
sbi
engai
apartment
tomf
ettnhhtoe
s;
e butpoorer
in
tebaes easy
largest classes,eir
uo m
circumstances
portion of
soa
fnedborniwet
kai tishn.
various well-furnished apartments, the walls of which are
generally ornamented with carving, pictures, and various
scrolls, inscribed with moral maxims from Confucius and
other sages. The houses of the wealthy are often fur-
nished in a style of great magnificence ; and the occupants
indul;e in the most luxurious habits.—Chinese Olio.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF AN AUSTRALIAN TOWN.—
The first sight of the town and people does not impress
a European with the idea of being in a country so distant
from his home : the language. the manners, and dress of
the inhabitants being for the most part similar to his own.
But there are many peculiarities that gradually display
themselves, chiefly attributable to the climate. There is
a sallowness of countenance in the male, and a delicacy of
feature and skin in the female, that I have not seen else-
where ; while you are every now and then instinctively
placing your hand upon your pockets, as some suspicious-
looking fellow passes you. Nor is this to be wondered
at, when it is remembered that every seventh man you
meet in the street has " left his country for his country's
good ;" or is the offspring of those who have done so.
There are at the same time very fine specimens of the kind
to be seen ; above the average height, and with well-pro-
portioned frame ; though it is remarked, that tall, well-
made men, who have been born in Australia, do not pos-
sess that muscular power which is found in Britain gene-
rally to accompany such proportions. The features are,
I think, better than those of the English : the eye is ge-
nerally black in both sexes, the nose rather Roman than
Grecian, and finely formed, and the whole expression
sharp and good. On hot days, the white dress, very gene-
rally worn by all classes, gives a lightness and gaiety to the
streets, that is very striking. Few ladies are to be seen
walking in the public streets—it is not the custom ; and
this, I confess, is a great drawback to the general appear-
ance of the place. But the truth is, prudence, as well as
that first of female attributes, delicacy, have rendered it
necessary in Sydney.—Hood's Australia.
CONGUGAL INFIDELITY AMONG THE DRUSES.—If
any woman makes a faux pas the whole family is so dis-
graced that no other will intermarry with them, and they
become utterly contemptible ; but the brother, the uncle,
or, if no nearer relation exist, the cousin, by putting her
to death, wipes out the disgrace, and the family is res-
tored to its former position. In a case like this the civil
authority rarely or never interferes to punish the mur-
derer. The best illustration I can give of this subject,
is an anecdote related to me by the deputy of a local
governor :—" I was asleep, in bed, when, in the middle
of the night, I heard a rap "at the door of my room
Who's there,' said I ; a voice answered, Hasreddin.'
1 opened the door, and in came a Druse, bearing a sack
on his shoulders. ' What brings you here at this un-
timely hour ?' said I. My sister has had an intrigue,
and I have killed her : there is her horn and other orna-
ments in the sack ; and, as I am afraid the police will do
something to me, I want your intercession.' Why,
here are two horns in the sack,' said I. I killed her
mother too, for she knew of the intrigue.' There is no
power but in God Almighty ! If your sister were im-
pure, was that a reason fur killing your mother? But lie
down and sleep.' In the morning I said to him, 1 sup-
pose you were too uneasy to sleep." By Allah, Oh ! my
uncle, (a usual phrase,) so unhappy has dishonour made
me, that for a year I have not slept soundly until last
night." I then went with him to the governor, and said
" Will you give Hasreddin the handkerchief of amnesty ?"
The Governor said to Hasreddin, " Speak without fear."
Hasreddin recounted his story, and the Governor said,
"La Bas," (no harm.) On which he ki-,ed the Go-
vernor's hand and went away.—Modern Syrians.