The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-07-16 00:00:00

SELECTIONS.

CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE.—I have beard some
very extraordinary cases of murder tried. I remember.
in one where I was counsel, for a long time the evidence
did not appear to touch the prisoner at all, and be looked
about with the most perfect unconcern, seemine to think
himself quite safe. At last the surgeon was called, who
stated deceased had been kilted by a shot, a gun-shot, in
the head, and he produced the matted hair and stuff cut
from and taken out of Vie wound. It was all hardened
with blood. A basin o' warm water was brought into
court, and, as the blood was gradually softened, a piece
of printed paper appeared—the wadding of the gun,
which proved to be half of a ballad. The other half ind
been found in ►he man's pocket when he was taken. He
was hang,ll.—Lord E don's Note Book.

ANTIQUITIES OF DAMASCUS.—Damascus possesses
fewer authentic antiquities than might be expected in one
of the earliest cities nientioned in the Bible : the most an-
cient remains are some of the lower portions of the walls,
built with square stones, and in 'ome instances of blocks,
of which the in ight exceeds the breadth. Some of the
blocks measure from six to eight or ten feet, by fun., six,
or eight. They are united without cement; and many
have Arabic and Saracenic inscriptions on them. This
style of building is one belonging to a very ancient period.
The castle, like every place of strength in this country,
bas been destroyed, rebuilt, and altered at various pe-
riods. The oldest part, near the foundation is formed of
stones of
a very great size; and the broad ditch which
surrounds it is built in the rustic masonry of the Romans.
Its extent is considerable. Erected before the invention
of gunpowder, it could offer but little resistance to artil-
lery ; but, being consti ucted with large diamond-cut
stones, and including eleven bastions within its circuit,
some of them mounted with cannon, and all supplied with
a guard, it is still capable of overawing the factious inha-
bitants of the town.—Library of Travel.
Lour) ELDON AS A BOY.—Lord Eldon, late in life, told
his niece, Mrs. Foster, that " no boy was ever so much
thrashed as he was," and to Lady Eldon's nephew he once
said :—" Mr. Surtees, when your father and I were boys,
and that is now a long time ago, I remember our stealing
down the Side, and along the Sand-Hill, and creeping
into"e"
shop, where we blew out the candles. We
crept
along the counter, then popped our heads up, out
went the candles. and away ay went we.
We escaped detec-
tion " another
m occasione Lord Eldon said to Mrs.
Forster :—" I rem myather coming to my bedside 1
me of f
having
to accuse Harry and robbedv an orchard ;
some one had come to complain.
full Now, my coat was
lying by my bed with its pocketsbed-clouth ofapples, and I had
bid some more under the whenmo I heard. my
father on the stars, and I was at thats'
from those I had eaten ;myeenttlsLertinhg
intolerable torture
audacity to deny the. fact. We were twice flogged for it.e
I remember
do not know how it was, but we always considered rob
bing an orchard as en honourable exploit.
once being carried before a magistrate for robbing an
the fox,' as we called t. There were
orchard—`boxing I
three of us, flowet Johnson, another boy, and myself.
The magistrate acted upon what I think was rather
curious law ; for he fined our fathers each 305.. for our
offence. We did not care for that, but they did.; so my
father flogged me, then sent a message to Moises, and
Moises flu'eged me amine We were very good bcrs, very
good indeed ; we never did anything worse than a robbery.
—Life of Lord Eldon.

MORAL COURAGE Os' THE: EMPEROR ON RussiA.—
The moral and physical courage of the emperor has be<ll
frequently displayed. At the period of the cho!era, whei,
the ignorant and infatuated people were mason ring tie
medical men because they could not stop the ravages o!
that fearful disease, the emperor in person appeared
amongst there, showed his nodding ratlines, end eon,-
mended them to kneel with him on the earth and ask the
pardon of heaven for such enormities. lie was obeyed :
he offered up an extemporaneous and eloquent raver,
and the carnage ceased. His moral courage on all t7yiag
occasions has not been less marvellous, and although tried
by great events and fearful complicat ons he has ever held
high his head, preserved a cairn and dignified mind, and
kept in abeyance all passions opposed to the triumph of
reason. Nicholas writes decidedly the best hand of all
the Russian emperors. It is call'graphically irreproach-
able, and as he begins with an arc •itig stroke of the pen
his name st olds as beneath a roof. The emperor passes
the greater part of his days in the oven ail, at reviews or
in rapid journeys. Hence his late vis.t to Eneland was
by no means rapid in his eyes, nor wearis:one to hi. frame.
During summer the shade of his military hat thaws across
his forehead an oblique line, which marks the action of the
sun upon the skin. The figure of the empress, when less
oppressed by suffering, was very elegant. There was an
indefinable grace about her whole person. Her mein, far
from being haughty, was expressive of habitual resigna-
tion. One of her daughters, the Grand Duchess of Olga,
is the most beautiful woman in the whole emoire—verhaps
in the world. The imperial fancily is one of the happiest
upon earth, for their views, tastes, occupations, desireS,
are all similar, and none are not in harmony with virtue
and religion.— Fraser.
DAMASCENE BARBERS.—Among the shopkeepers we
must not forget the barbers, those dear old friends with
whom the Arabian Nights hare put us on so cordial a
footing of intimacy. With that ease and suavity for
which their fraternity is renowned all the world over, they
invite the passers by to enter and submit their heads and
faces to their beautifying fingers. Their shops are always
full of customers. They are long nate ow rooms, with
benches on cavil s'de, on which a dozen Turks may some-
times be seen squatting in a line, with th• it bare head.,
already shaved, poked out in the most patient manner. I
to be kneaded between the hands of the barber, who rolls
them about as if they were balls, quite unconnected with
the shoulders they belong to. The bathers of Damascus
are celebrated for taste and skill it, all the myst, ries of
the toilette, including the art of imparting to the beard
and mustachios that dark glossy hue so anxiously and
universally coveted. The important affair of arranging
the turban is their daily business, and the becoming
variety displayed in the disposition of the tcrbans worn
by the gallants of the city, does infinite honour to these (
meritorious artists. It is pleasant to know that such men
continue to enjoy a due share of consideration in the
• East, and that their talents often raise them to affluence.
When Mr. Carne's party wished to hire a seperate resi-
dence in Damascus, they were recommended to a barber
who had become a sort of capitalist, and was possessed of
some houses. The old gentleman, extremely well dre-sed,
with a goodly length of beard, was always found seated
at his ease, smoking or chatting with some of his friends.
He wished the Englishman to take a luxurious apartment
of his, situated on a terraced roof : it was profusely
gilded ; the cushions of the deewan were as white as snow ;
and it commanded a superb view of the mountains. But
the barber's wife was by far the more zealous part of
hi-nself, and protested with loud clamour, that infidels
should never sully ti e purity and beauty of her deefflan,
and after a warm dispute the good man was forced reluc-
tantly to give way.—The Library of Tavel.
AN ENTHUSIASTIC NATURALIST.—One of my first
movements in Nashville was a walk to the College to see
Professor Troot, who is a great enthusiast in geology. It
is to be mentioned, to the honour of the State of Tennes-
see, that it has been one of the first American States to
patronise science, by allowing him 500 dollars a•year as
geologist to the state, in addition to his at pOintment at
the College as Professor of Chemistry and Natural His-
tory, to which a salary of 1,000 do:tars a-year is attached;
so that the worthy professor is thus enabled to enjoy all
the comforts of life and to make himself perfectly happy
as the distributor of these sums; for, like all philosophic
enthusiasts, he places no value on money, and willingly
gives any of the country people 20 dollars to bring him a
live rattle-snake, or anything new or curious in natural
history. Everything of the serpent kind he has a peculiar
fancy for, and has always a number of them that he has
tamed in his pockets or under his waistcoat. To 101 l back
in his rocking-chair, to talk about geology, and pat the
head of a large snake, when twining itself about his neck,
is to him supreme felicity. Every year in the vacation he
makes an excursion to the hills •, and I was told that upon
one of these occasions, being taken up by the stage-coach.
which had several members of Congress in it going to
Washington, the learned doctor took his seat on the top,
with a large basket, the lid of which was not over and
above well secured. Near to this basket sat a baptist
preacher, on his way to a great public immersion. His
reverence, awakening from a reverie he had fallen into,
beheld, to his unutterable horror, two rattle-snakes raise
their fearful heads, and immediately precipitated himself
upon the driver, who, almost knocked off his seat, no
sooner became apprized of the character of his ophidian
outside passengers, than he jumped upon the ground with
the reins in his hands, and was followed instanter by the
preacher. The insides, as soon as they learned what was
I going on, immediately became outsides, and nobody was
left but he doctor and his rattle-snakes on the top. But
the doctor, not entering into the general alarm, quietly
placed his great coat over the basket and tied it down with
his handkerchief, which when he had done, he said,
" Gentlemen, only don't let dese poor dings pite you, and
dey won't hoort you."—Feat herstoahaug h's Excursions
through the Slave Slates.
SINGULAR NAVAL OPERATION.—The line of piles
which had been driven in across the river was not less than
20 feet wide, or rather it was a double line, tilled up be-
tween the two with large sunken junks laden with stones.
Great labour and perseverance were required to get up
sufficient of these piles to clear a passage broad enough
air the steamer to pass. This was only accomplished after
tour hours' hard work, in which, oddly enough, the Chi-

nese peasantry bore an active part, voluntarily coring
forward to assist, and even venturing to come on hoard
the steamer itself. This was undoubtedly one of the good
results of not having inflicted any injury upon the country
people or inhabitants of the villages through which the
little expedition had passed. Inquiry has often been made
wt at method was adopted in order to open a passage
through obstacles such as I have described. It may,
therefore be here remarked, that several moles were at
different times resorted to, according to circumstances.
Where the stakes were not driven in very firmly, it was
easy, by f 'stetting a hawser round the top of then), and
making it fast to the steamer, to back her out, and pull
them one by one away; but, as this was a tedious process,
a hawser wos sometimes fastened r mild ten or a dozen of
them in a Inv across the river, and carried from one to
the other. but fastened to each of them in such a way as
to leave about a few fathoms of slack rope between each
pair. The end of the hawser was made fast to the steamer
with a tolerable length of line out, and she was then
packed at full speed. The momentum thus acquired was
s, on sufficient to drag the first pile away with a jerk ; and
111;s one being already fastened to the next, as before de-
scrib-d, with a fathom or two of slack line between them,
the force of the steamer, which still continued to back
rastern,wasr.,ceedig sufficient
oteoejerk
backwards
thatone
h,,
awayt steameralso an d
pulledtt i
us
them all away one after another, still remaining fastened
together by the hawser; but the power of the jerk was
only applied to one at a time. In cases where the wakes
were driven in to some depth, or where the bed of the
river was tenacious, it was necessary to pull them fairly I
nut perpenclicolatly, by lull tackle led up to the mast
head. The piles were gradually loosened a little, by being
pulled to and fro; for which purpose chain slings were
passed round the head of the pile, and a hawser bcing then
matte fast, were laid aft along the deck ; thus, by being
pulled in various directions, sometimes one way and some-
titnts another; the pile was at length drawn fa!rly out,
something like drawing a tooth. T.' e bows of the steamer
were run nea; ly (lase up to the piles during this operation,
and she was steadied by a hawser run out from the quarter
t a the b inks of the river.— Voyageof the Nemesis.
WASHING DAY AT TH6 PALACE.—We are indrb'ed to
a lady for the following original anecdote of King William
IV. :—A great deal has lately been said of the retentive
n emory of the Emperor of Russia, but his late majesty
William the Fourth was not far behind him in this re-
spect. When he was a young man, serving on board
H.M.S. Pegasus, he was for some tme on the North
American station ; and at one time while lying in the har-
bour of St. John's, Newfoundland, he gave a ball on
board, to the stile of the town, which gave general satis-
faction to those who were fortunate enough to receive in-
vitations. One gentleman, wbo had been particularly de-
lighted at the novelty of the scene, on leaving the ship
thanked the prince for the honour paid to hint and his fa-
mily, and said he would be happy to see him at his house,-
at any time that he found himself disengaged on shore.
Accordingly, Prince William Henry, as he was then
called, determined to avail himself of the invitation, and a
few days afterwards presented himself at the door of his
worthy friend, by whom he was most graciously received,
and hospitably entertained. The lady of the house not
making her appearance, the prince most politely inquired
for her health, and hoped he was to have the pleasure of
seeing her. Mr. H-- replied she was quite well ; but
he must ask his royal highness to excuse her, as it was
washing day at Apple-tree Lane. The prince, hearing
that a business which appeared to be of such importance
was going on, rose to take leave, and, while doing so, told
Mr. ll if he should at any time visit Loudon, he
hoped he would find him out and call on him, telling him
he had only to send in hire card, and he would be most
happy to see him. It was not for many years after that
Mr. 11— visited England; but when he did, he re-
membered the invitation of the prince(at this time William
the Fourth) ; so one fine morning he hired a cab, and
drove off to the palace, but was very much disappointed to
find that " cabs" were not admitted within the palace
gates—he was obliged to get out and go in on foot ; but
what was his indignation when he found he could gain no
admittance to his majesty ! He remained expostulating
for some time with the servants, telling them that he was
specially invited by the king to call upon iiim, and that he
was a personal friend of his majesty. The servants at
length consented to take in his card, which, on its being
presented to his majesty, be immediately remembered the
name and address. and desired the attendants to show him
in, and received him with that frank and easy manner for
which he was at all times distinguished, which the simple-
hearted man taking advantage of, he ventured to express
a hope that her majesty was well, and that he should have
the honour of paying his respects to her. His majesty, in-
stantly recollecting the circumstances attending his call
at Apple-tree Lane, replied with much acuteness, that he
was happy to inform Mr. H— that her majesty was
quite well, but he must ask Mr. H---- to excuse her
making her appearance that morn' " a las washing
dwaays taaktetn by heptalltaecuens'ophisticantee
It is mg,S "
needless roans
o tof
Terraa d
Nova,
totvhae (tint
very soon backed himself out from the presence of' who
veryroy-
alty.—Greenock Advertiser.

SECOND EDITION.

Standard-office, Ten o'clock.

HOUSE LORDS.--Last Night.

BIRKENIIEAD DOCK BILL.

LORD STRADBROKE moved the third reading of the
Bi'kenhead D ,ck Bill, when the Marquis of SALISBURY
moved that the suopressed clause, agreed upon with the
Shipowners' Association, be inserted. He commented
warmly upon the conduct of the party who signed the
agreement, as detailed in our first edition, on behalf of
the promoters of the bill.

Lord BROUGHAM and MONTEAGLE defended the party.

Lord Wtex Low. snpuoited the Marquis of Salisbury.
Ultimately the amendment \v.-is wi hdrawn and the bill
passed, there being a manifest disposition in the House to
support the Committee in their report.

REPEAL ASSOCIATION.—At the meeting yesterday
the chair was filed by the newly elected repeal member
for Limerick, Mr. James Kelly. The rent was expected
not to be much under £2,000.
BIRTH OF A FRENCH PRINCE.—OR Friday the
Duche,s de Nemours Ras safely delivered of a son, to
whom the King of the French has given the name of
Duke d'Alencon.

THE BIBLE IN CHINESE —China has been opened
by recent events, not only to commercial speculations but
to missionary enterprise, and tbere appears to be quite
as much ardour in the religious world to send the mes-
sage of ditine truth among its millions, as there is in the
manufacturing and commercial world to supply them with
c,lcoes and woollens. In our native land, the London
and Church Missionary Societies have made new and
successful effor.s to raise funds for this specific object.
and it is rumoured that the weekly collections made in
London by order of the bishop are intended for :the
planting of English episc ,pacy in that soil. America has
long taken a very prominent share in missionary labours
on the outskirts of that hitherto sealed country. The
Baptist and Congregational denominations have for some
time past had missions in China, and we learn that the
facilities now afforded fur the residence of missionaries on
the eastern coast, have served to kindle the zeal of the
Presbyterian churches, an 1 that they are about to establish
an extensive mission in that country.—Captain Pidding's
Chinese Olio.

IGHTLV SERVED.—Reay and I (Lord Eldon) went up
from Oxford to London together, we dined at March's
Maidenhead-bridge, and upon the window Reay observed
that a person of Chipping Norton, %hose name I now for-
get, had written that he dined there on a leg of mutton,
upon a day and year mentioned in what was written.
When we got to the Somerset coffee-house Reay sent him
a letter, stating, that as he had thought it impottatit to
inform the public that he had dined at Maidenhead-bridge,
and upon a leg of mutton, he must expect that some of
the public would inquire how the mutton had agreed with
him ; and he therefore took the liberty of sending such an
inquiry, from Ws friend Tom Comical. Next day he sent
him a double: letter, hoping that, as probably he had po-
tatoes with his mutton, they had not disagreed with him.
Two days afterwards he sent a treble letter, representing,
that as his friend Tom Comical had received no answer to
his inquiry how the mutton and potatoes had agreed with
him, he had probably made a mistake, and should have
inquired how the mutton and French beans, or some other
vegetab'es, had agreed with him, and assured him that he
should repeat his kind and anxious inquiries every day till
his answer acme. We were soon afterwards obliged to
return to college, and, stopping at March's, we found that
the pane had been taken out of the window and anew one
put in its place. Whilst we were looking at the window,
old March came in, and, observiog us, he said, 'Ay, ay,
one of you must be the gentleman that sent the person
that has been here from Chipping Norton so many letters.
Poor man ! he came all the way from Chipping Norton,
20 odd miles the other side of Oxford, and insisted upon
steing the pane of glass, the leg of mutton, and all the
re-t, taken out of the window, and a new pane of glass
put in, before he would eat a morsel.'—Life of Lord
Eldon.

Tl-R LIVERPOOL STANDARD.