The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1851-12-30 00:00:00

LOCAL NEWS.

EVERTON CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY REPOSI-
TORY.—The sales have realised the sum of £llO, of
which the sum of £74 was received the first day.
ORPHAN BoYs' ASYLUM.—The Earl of Derby has
liberally subscribed £5O as a donation to the building
fund of this admirable institution.
APPOINTMENT.—The Queen has been pleased to an-
prove of Mr. William Watson as Consul at Liverpool for
the Republic of Venezuela.
THE REV. W. W. EWBANK, of Everton, is to deliver
the fourth of a series of Protestant controversial lectures,
at Stamford, on the 27th January next.
ACCIDENT.—On Christmas-day a man named John
Collins slipped down in Vauxhall-road, in consequence of
placing his foot upon a piece of orange peel, and fractured
one of his legs.
FATAL ACCIDENT.—On Tuesday, Daniel Nagan, a sea-
man, was found lying dead on a cargo of railvay iron, at
the botton of the hold of the ship Connecticut. The
deceased is supposed to have fallen through the hatchway.
SUDDEN DEATH.—A soldier who arrived in this town,
on Thursday, by the London and North-Western Rail-
way, in a very delicate state, expired a few hours after
his arrival. _ _ .

ROBBERY BY A SERVANT.—On Friday morning, a
female, in the service of Mrs. Margaret Curry, of Mary-
bone. decamped, taking with her sixty-two sovereigns
belonging to her mistress.
WATERLOO BALL.—The annual ball on Tuesday even-
ing last, at the Bath Hotel, Crosby, was attended by
upwards of 10ff ladies. and gentlemen of Waterloo and
the neighbouring district.
LOST CHILDREN.—It was stated in a public lecture by
an eminent medical man at Manchester, Tarot week, that in
Manchester alone the large number of 3,600 children are
taken home to their mothers by the police every year.
SALE OF CURIOSITIES.---On Monday a sale of Chinese
curiosities took place at Busby, Foster, and Co.'s office,
Dale-street. The articles included China vases, bowls,
spoons, jars, worktables, &c. and realised good prices.
NATURAL MAGIC.—At the Concert-hall, on Saturday
evening, Mr. James gave an interesting and instructive
exposition of natural magic, in the course of which he ex-
plained, to a crowded oratory, the mystery of the inex-
haustible bottle.
DEATH OF THE GOVERNOR OF THE WORKHOUSE.—
Mr. J. W. Evans, the governor of the Workhouse, died
on Monday. The deceased had for some time past
laboured under indisposition, and had given three months'
notice of his intention to retire from his office.

SALFORD COURT OF RECORD.—Mr. James Kennedy
Blair, the new judge of the Court of Record for the hun-
dred of Salford, (who succeeds Mr. Joseph Pollock,) takes
his seat, for the first time, on Monday, the 19th of Janu-
ary next. .

SCREW versus PADDLE WHEEL.—The Phoebe, screw-
steamer, has made the quickest passage from Liverpool
to Constantinople ever performed, as, deducting the time
she was detained at Malta and Syra, it was barely twelve
days.

ROYAL INSTITUTION SCHOOL.—The name of Mr. W.
J. Rees, late of the above school, where he obtained the
Canning scholarship, is brarketted with that of Mr.
Courtenav, as first man of his year in the freshman's
examination, just concluded at St. John's College, Cam-
bridge. _ _ _ _ _

THE FOG.—During the fog on Tuesday some accidents
occurred in the channel, though not of a serious character.
The Albert, from Dublin, was towed from mid-channel,
with main-shaft broken, by the Princess steamer. The
Echo, for Africa, returned into dock with loss of mizen-
mast, stanchions, &c., having been in contact with an
outward-bound ship in the river.
ALARMING FIRE IN MANCHESTER.—A destructive
fire occurred on Wednesday in the extensive premises of
Clarke and Whitelegg, hat manufacturers, Market-street,
Manchester, by which a considerable portion of their pro-
perty has been destroyed. Fortunately, however, for the
owners of the range of buildings in which the shop of the
firm is situated, the fire was confined to the premises
where it originated.

SEASONABLE BENEVOLENCE.—On Monday last, the
usual distribution of bread was made by the ministers
and churchwardens of St. Thomas's Church, Park-lane,
to sixty poor families, chiefly members of the congrega-
tion and residents in the neighbourhood. The Rev. T.
L. Pain delivered a brief address, in which he entreated
them to welcome the Scripture readers in their visits
through the district. _

THE LATE JOSHUA EDWARDS, ESQ.—This gentleman,
who was for some years a member of the Town Council,
and represented St. Paul's Ward, died, on Monday last,
at his residence, in the Prince's Park. He had not been
well for some time ; but on the morning of his death he
rose as usual, and, while in the act of dressing, was
seized with an attack of apoplexy, and only survived a
few minutes. Mr. Edwards was well known as a mem-
ber of an old mercantile firm, and was highly respected.
MASONIC CHARITY BALL.—The committee for con=
ducting this ball are now energetically at work, and we
hope their labours may be attended with success. It is
to be open to the public, and the brethren are to appear
in the full-dress clothing of their rank and office. Several
very distinguished and influential gentlemen have already
riven it their patronage, and are exerting themselves in
its favour. The committee only wait the sanction of the
Town-ball Committee to hold it at the Town-hall about
the middle of January.

RAILWAY ACCIDENT.—On Monday evening last, as
the north train, which leaves Lime-street station at ten
o'clock, was passing along by Collin's-green, at a rapid
rate, the carriages were run into by a luggage train which
was following on the same line. The night was very
foggy. There were not many passengers in the car-
riages ; but some of them were pitched from their seats,
and Mr. Calderwood, of this town, had his left leg
bruised. The train did not arrive at Preston till an hour
after the usual time.
HOUSE ROBBERIES.—SeveraI serious house robberies
were committed on the evening of Christmas Day. Be-
tween the hours of four and nine, the house of Mr.
M'Lerran, Lonsdale-street, Windsor, was entered by
thieves, who carried off wearing apparel to the value of
£2O. Later on the same night, the house of a Mrs. Bell,
in No. 4 Court, Blenheim-street, was forcibly entered,
and property of the same description stolen. The thieves
gained access to their plunder by breaking a pane of glass
in the back windows in both instances.
STABBING A BOY.—On Monday morning, a young
woman named Ellen Dwyer was charged before the magis-
trates at the Town-hall with stabbing a boy named Clark,
eleven years of age, on the previous evening. It appeared
that Clark and several other boys were playing before the
prisoner's door, in Simpson-street, about nine o'clock,
when she came out and threw a canful of water upon them.
They continued their sports, however, for some time, and
she ran out with a knife in her hand, and struck Clark
with it on the forehead, inflicting a wound of about an
inch and a half in length. She was committed for trial at
the sessions.—Preston Pilot.
QUICK RUN FROM BOSTON.—The Staffordshire, Capt.
Albert H. Brown, one of Train and Co.'s Boston packets,
arrived hereon Christmas Day, after performing a remark-
ably quick passage—her time from leaving Boston until
her arrival here being fourteen days. At the expiration
of twelve days she was off Tuskar ; and would, conse-
quently, have made one of the quickest passages ever
accomplished between the States and this port, but she
unfortunately encountered an east wind at the latter part
of the voyage. By reference to her log, it appears that
she accomplished 290 miles each on two days, out of the
full time of the voyage.
_

GAS EXPLOSION.—On Friday morning, an explosion
of gas took place at the house of Mr. Mattinson,
Railway Tavern, Gloucester-street, by which the life
of Mr. Mattinson was placed in imminent danger. He
had gone into the cellar with a lighted candle, when
a violent explosion, which shook the whole building, took
place. Fortunately, beyond the hair and face being con-
siderably singed, Mr. Mattinson did not receive any in-
jury. The accident was caused by the gas-pipe in the
street having broken, allowing a free admission of gas
into the cellar, through the crevices in the foundation
wall. It was nearly three o'clock in the afternoon before
the flames in the cellar had exhausted themselves.

- THE WELSH "PLEGAIN."-011 Christma;js4, in St.
David's Church, Brownlow-hill, a religious service,
known to the Welsh people as the " Plygain," was
held. The chief characteristic of this service is, that it is
held " before daylight ;" and these two words are expressed
in the Welsh term " plygain." The plygain is very com-
mon in Wales, and is associated with the ancient religious
rites of the Welsh nation : it usually commences with a
carol relating to the nativity of our Saviour; this is fol-
lowed by the reading of the Scriptures, prayer, and sing-
ing, and a popular carol closes the service. Other services,
in Welsh, were performed at St. David's Church during
the day.

CAUTION TO PUBLICANS AND OTHERS.—Extensive
frauds are now being perpetrated by these means :
Each evening, after daylight, a respectably-dressed fellow,
attired in black, and who is rather tall, is in the habit of
sending children to fetch for him from a public-house or
spirit-vaults, near to which he "plants" himself, some
small quantity of liquor, giving the child a bottle to carry
it in and a base half-crown, or a five shilling piece, to offer
payment with. If the trick succeeds a penny is the re-
ward for the juvenile. If there be any undue detention
the rascal makes himself scarce. liany publicans have
thus been fleeced within the last few days. One night last
week no fewer than eight were thus duped'.
THE SINGULAR PHENOMENON ON CHAT MOSS.—
The stream of carburetted hydrogen gas, which was
noticed in our last, as issuing from the bore hole made in
Barton Moss, was still burning on Monday, from the end
of the iron pipe inserted into the cavity, after being for a
short time extinguished by the heavy rains of Sunday
evening. It is now ascertained that a similar flame of gas
burned for nine weeks, about sixteen years ago. It was
obtained in a similar manner, in a part of the moss nearer
Worsley ; and it was ultimately extinguished by connect-
ing the shaft with the workings of a neighbouring coal
mine, the current of fresh air dispersing the gas.—Man-
chester Guardian.

LANCASHIRE AND YORKSHIRE RAILWAY.—The di-
rectors of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway have
adopted the important resolution with respect to the sta-
tion in New Bailey-street, Salford, of closing it, and
making the Victoria station at Hunt's Bank the Man-
chester terminus for all passenger trains which have

hitherto been despatched from Salford station, namely,
those for the north and for Liverpool. That station is
the terminus for the East Lancashire Railway also, and
the chief booking-offices of that company will, at the
same time, be removed to Victoria station. This con-
centration of the passenger business of three important
companies at the Victoria station, is said to be connected
with another step—the running of alternate trains by the
Lancashire and Yorkshire and Northwestern Companies
to Liverpool.

TESTIMONIALS OF ESTEEM.—On Wednesday last, Mr.
Wm. Henry Williams, head master of St. Bride's boys'
school, was presented by Mr. Jones (the second master)
and the pupil teachers, with a very handsome church ser-
vice, as a mark of the respect and esteem in which he is
held.—Mr. Woods, master of the Jordan-street schools,
has been presented by the pupils with a handsome silver
watch and appendages.
SERIOUS ACCIDENT BY FALLING INTO A SEWER.—
On Wednesday evening last, Mr. R. Edwards, of Dale-
street, met with an accident, which nearly resnited in his
death, by falling into an unprotected sewer nowconstruct-
ing in St. Vincent-street East. The excavation, which is
14 feet deep. had been left without sufficient protection.
The man in charge soon afterwards came up with a lan-
tern, and several persons kindly assisted in extricating
Mr. Edwards. He was immediately taken to a druggist's
shop in the neighbourhood, and afterwards conveyed in a
car to his residence in Dale-street, where medical aid was
procured. He remained insensible for two hours, and it
was thought by his Mends that he would not long survive
the accident, but he afterwards rallied a little, and hopes
are now entertained of his recovery.
CHRISTMAS FESTIVITIES.—On Christmas-eve Mr.
Joseph Sewill, chronometer and watchmaker, of South
Castle-street, gave a supper to about twenty of his work-
men, at the Brunswick Hotel, Hanover-street.—On
Christmas Day, Captain Quayle, of the King Orry, Isle of
Man steamer, gave a dinner on board his vessel, in the
Clarence Dock, and the evening was spent in a social and
agreeable manner.—On Christmas evening the congrega-
tion of the Welsh Baptist Chapel, Stanhope-street, held
a tea party in the Concert-hall, Lord Nelson-street.
There were about 1200 persons present.—On Christmas
Day the children in the West Derby Union Workhouse
Schools were regaled by the guardians with the customary
old English fare of roast beef and plum-cake. After din-
ner, their teachers, who had generously provided an ample
supply of oranges for the occasion, distributed them
amongst their juvenile charge, whose sparkling eyes and
laughing faces bespoke their inward pleasure. The schools
were elegantly decorated by the teachers with branches
and leaves of evergreens, &c.

KNocK-DowN ROBBERIES.- On Christmas eve, Mr.
Hall, the manager of the Liver-club, in Lord-street, was
passing down Basnett-street, about 11 p.m.. when he was
suddenly attacked by three men. One held him forcibly
by the throat, another pinioned his arm, while a third
rifled his pockets, from which they took a penknife, a key
of one of Chubb's locks, and a few shillings and pence.
After robbing him, the ruffians struck Mr. Hall severely
in the face, leaving him lying insensible in the street
covered with blood and mud. Fortunately Mr. Hall had
left his watch and the bulk of his money at home. The
men were all young and wore round jackets and caps.
The same evening an office-boy, in the employ of Mr.
Moor-street, was ill-treated in a similar manner
and robbed of all articles of value in his possession. On
Monday evening an old woman was stopped on the Aig-
burth road by a rough looking fellow, who desired her to
" stand snd deliver," which she was proceeding to do,
when the sound of an approaching omnibus induced her
assailant to beat a speedy retreat.
SINGULAR OCCURRENCE.—On Wednesday, a genteel-
ly-dressed man entered the refreshment-rooms of the
Lime-street station, and asked permission to burn some
papers. This request was refused by the waiter, on the
ground that it might set the chimney on fire ; at that
time he had no suspicion of any thing wrong, but being
soon afterwards offered £5 to burn the papers, he sus
petted all was not right, and communicated with the
police. In a short time two of the detective officers
arrived, and took the person into custody, when an inves-
tigation took place. The name of the person turned out
to be Henry Corbeck, and it is said he is a traveller to a
person in Great Charles-street, Birmingham. He first
stated his name to be Solomon. He came to Liverpool
on Wednesday with another man, who sailed for America
in the Atlantic. Corbeck had upon his person £9O in
notes and £l2 in gold, besides a quantity of papers and
other documents. He was detained in custody until
Thursday, and then conveyed to Birmingham, where an
inquiry will probably take place into the circumstances of
the case.

SERIOUS COLLISION BETWEEN Two STEAMERS.—
About the time of high water—half-past 12 o'clock—on
Thursday, a serious collision took place, at the entrance
of the Clarence Dock, between the city of Dublin steamer
Trafalgar, and the Belfast Company's steamer Blen-
heim. The Trafalgar was engaged in warping into the
Clarence Dock Basin, being properly secured by the usual
cable, guide-robe, &c., when, as she was half round the
north corner of the gate, the Blenheim was observed ap-
proaching the Clarence Dock along the dock walls of the
Stanley and Collingwood. From some cause she was not
able to slacken her speed in time, or to steer wide of the
Trafalgar, and she struck that vessel violently in the quar-
ter with her paddle-box, staving in her stem-lights,
knocking down her wheel. and seriously injuring other
of her upper works. So violent was the shock, that the
cable, a nine-inch one, upon which the Trafalgar was
twisting in, was broken, and the vessel impelled against
the south wall of the dock entrance, seriously damaging
her head and cutwater. The injury done to the Trafalgar
will, we learn, cost at least a couple of hundred pounds,
with a fortnight or three weeks' detention in port to re-
pair. The Blenheim is also much injured, having her
paddle-wheel destroyed, and her steering-gear displaced.