The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-09-17 00:00:00

PUBLIC WALKS IN MANCHESTER,—The following
gratifying letter has been received by the committee, in
reply to an application to Sir Robert Peel, for assistance
in carrying out this noble effort to provide public parks
and playgrounds for the comfort and amusement of the
working classes of Manchester• :
Whitehall, September 7th, 1844.
Gentlemen,.—Although I have no longer any personal con-
nection with the town of Manchester, by property or other
local tie, yet, considering Manchester to be the metropolis of a
district, to the industry of which I and my family Are under
very deep obligations; and most heartily approving of the wise
and bevevolcnt design to provide for those who are doomed to
almost incessant toil, the means of healthful recreation and
harmless enjoyment,—l willingly contribute to the furtherance
of that des'gn, and offer my cordial wishes for As success.
I request my name may be added to the subscription which
has been commenced for this purpose, for the sum of one thou-
sand pounds.--I am, gentlemen, your obedient servant,
Malcolm Ross, Esq. ROBERT PEEL.
Edward Watkin, Esq.
NORTH LANCASHIRE ELECTION.—The day of nomina-
tion, and, we suppose, of election also, for we have heard
of no candidate in opposition to Mr. Talbot Clifton, has
been fixed by the High-Sheriff, John Fowden Hindle,
Esq., for Friday next, at ten o'clock in the morning, in
the Shire-hall, Lancaster. During the past week Mr.
Clifton hits been busily employed addressing the electors
in several of the polling districts of the northern division.
At Chorley, on Tuesday last, Mr. Clifton, after having
made his speech, was closely pressed with questions by
Mr. John Hodgkinson, of Chorley, to which he gave very
satisfactory answers. The Anti-Corn Law League have
not yet found a candidate. Mr. C. Townley, of
Townley, has been sought after, but has not been found.
Mr. Hargreaves, son-in-law of Mr. Brown, who contested
the south division of Lancashire, has been requested, but
he has declined. The impression is, that there will not be
any opposition. The election is fixed for Friday, at Lan-
caster.

IMPUDENT ROBBERY.—A female respectably attired,
named Ellen Williams, was brought up at the police court,
yesterday, charged with having committed a most impu-
dent robbery in the house of Mrs. Mary Pilkington, a
widow, residing in Clayton-street. It appeared that the
daughter of the prosecutrix left the house for a few
minutes on Saturday afternoon, and durinz that time the
prisoner walked in and stole a damask table cloth and a
quantity of wearing apparel. The thief was apprehended
by a clerk in the head constable's office, who saw her
going with the property into a pawn-shop in Great Cross-
hall-street, and conceiving she had not obtained it honestly,
he detained her, and on arriving at the police-office infor-
mation of the robbery had been received. The prisoner,
who made no defence, was committed for trial at the next
sessions.

FINE PORTRAIT OF LORD SANDON.—We have seen a
beautiful full-length engraved portrait of this distinguished
nobleman at the repository of Mr. Linnacre, Ranelagh-
street, and venture to pronounce it a very excellent like-
ness, and executed, too, in the first style of the art. It is
in fact greatly superior to any we have yet seen of the
same individual ; and so well aware are his lordship and
his noble relatives of its verisimilitude, that its transfer
from the painting has been sanctioned by the Earl of Har-
rowby and himself. The head is fine and expressive, and
though yet scarcely finished in the mere drapery below,
it will evidently form a fine accession to any collection.
The attitude is easy and graceful, and the lights and
shadows strongly and effectively thrown in. The engraving
will be dedicated, by permission to the Right Hon. Lord
Francis Egerton, who is, we believe, very chary of his
patronage, saving to works of sterling merit. It is pro-
posed to publish this splendid engraving by subscription,
and as it will constitute the only plate authorised by his
lordship's relatives and friends, we feel no reluctance
from this circumstance, and the admiration which it, in-
dependently of such consideration, excited in our minds,
in inviting the lovers of the fine arts, and collectors of
likenesses of celebrated and esteemed personages, to an
inspection of the plate, even in its yet rather imperfect
state. The visitor cannot fail, at the same time, to be
pleased with the general stock of engravings and other
works which Mr. L. has now on hand ; as well as with
. .

his autographs of eminent characters, of which he has
long been an ardent collector.
ANNUAL MEETING OF THE PROPRIETORS OF TITS
BANK OF LIVERPOOL.—On Friday, the proprietors of
the Bank of Liverpool held their thirteenth annual meet-
ing, at the Clarendon-rooms, for the purpose of receiving
from the directors a report of their proceedings between
the Ist July, 1843, and the 30th June, 1841; and electing
three new directors. Reporters for the press were pre-
sent. Mr. Adam Hodgson presided in the absence of the
chairman and Deputy Chairman. The report was read
by the manager, Mr. Langton, and it commenced by con-
gratulating the proprietors upon the gratifying evidence
which it afforded of the continued prosperity of the Bank.
No additional shares had been created in the past year.
The capital of the bank amounted to £476,825, and the
net profit of the year (all charges, bad debts, and income
tax deducted,) was £60,519 17s. sd. From this sum a
dividend of 10 per cent. bad been paid to the proprietors,
which absorbed £47,682 10s., thus leaving a cash surplus
of £12,837 7s. 5d., and increasing the reserved fund to
£138,362 15s. 3d. Alluding to the late parliamentary
measures affecting banks, the report said, " The directors
have felt in common with all who are interested in sound
banking principles the deep importance of the legislative
measures which have passed into law during the last ses-
sion of parliament ; and without entering at large into
the general bearings of those enactments they would
merely express their belief that they have a direct ten-
dency to give increased stability and value to all well con-
ducted banks." The report was unanimously adopted
and ordered to be printed for distribution among the pro-
prietors. Upon the motion of Mr. Wm. Kaye, seconded
by Mr. Richard Shiel ,—Messrs. Joseph Hornby, Wm.
Oxley, and John Lewis Philips were appointed directors,
in the place of Mr. Nathan Cairns, deceased, Mr. Adam
Hodgson retiring by rotation. and Mr. C. S. Parker, re-
signed. The directors were then thanked for their atten-
tion to the interest of the Bank, and the meeting separ-
ated.

CARTE'S ROCKETS, LIFE-BUOYS, &C.—On Wednes.
day forenoon last, trials of the valuable inventions of A.
G. Carte, Esq., for the preservation of life in cases of
shipwreck, stranding, collision at sea, or the like, were
made by that ingenious gentleman himself on our river,
in the presence of a large party, including several ladies.
Commander Bevis, R.N., superintendent of the Dublin
and Liverpool mail ships, politely lent the beautiful steam
tender Redwing for the occasion, and those invited to
witness the experiments were received on board of her at
the Prince's Pier, and she immediately proceeded up the
river towards the Sloyne. On passing the works of the
new Albert Dock, Mr. Carte ignited one of his Pocket
Percussion Night Signals, which, on being simply struck
at the upper end on the quarter rail of the vessel, and held
up in the hand, continued to emit a brilliant flame for some
minutes, much more durable than a blue light, and more
readily ignited. The party were afterwards transhipped on
board one of the government mail ships, where the smaller
steamer having sheered off, Mr. Carte fired off one of his
smaller rockets (of 31b.) with a strong line attached to it,
showing his manner of establishing a communication with
a stranded vessel, which might not be accessible by boats
in a gale, or on a perilous coast, where boats are not at
hand. The Redwing was stationed at a distance of 220 to
230 yards. The rocket was placed in a square spout open
at the top, and fixed in a stand in the manner of a long
telescope, so that the operator could take precise aim di-
rectly over the vessel, or a-head or astern of her, as might
best ensure reaching her according to the force and direc-
tion of the wind. On this occasion there was but a light
air from the southward, so that little or nothingwas required
of angle to counteract the lee-way of the rocket and line.
When aim was taken, Mr. Carte pulled a small cordattached
to a little trigger, which, byslightly crossing or pressing the
end of a percussion fuse or match inserted at the after end
of the rocket, a loud report and a whirring noise immedi-
ately succeeded, and, on the smoke partially subsiding, the
rocket, with its extending line, was seen to dart across
the bows of the Redwing, throwing the cord over her fore
stay, so that it could be easily caught hold of by those on
board, and alighted in the water at a distance of apparently
about 240 yards in all. The rope, we learned, weighed
221 b., and was what is called a 6-pounder line. It was
neatly coiled up in an oblong-square box, upon a frame-
work of pins, describing the same form from end to end
and side to side ; and before the projection this frame
was taken out, and the cord left free to be drawn out of
the box, by the projectile, in regular loose bites, fore and
aft and across, alternately, so as to offer the least possible
friction or chance of kinking. This is the plan of a dis-
tinguished officer of the engineering department—we be-
lieve—Major Dance. We would advise, however, that the
box, during the operation, should be placed in a diagonal
position, that the line may feed itself out regularly,
and without friction on the edge of the box,—which last we
conceived to be probable, though from the rapidity of the
operation we are not certain but that we mey be in fault
in making the remark. The rocket bears the line in a
gentle arc, or curve, liable to make the rope rub against
the side of the chest, and consequently to retard its pro-
gress by friction ; but if we be mistaken in this particu-
lar, we shall be glad to stand corrected. It is easy to
perceive that by means of this strong line, communication
between a shipwrecked vessel and the shore—whether it
be thrown from one or the other—(and it is equally ap-
plicable to either,) such a communication can be made as
may enable the respective parties to pass other ropes from
the shore on to the ship ; to haul out a boat that could
not easily otherwise approach ; to rig a basket to it when
fixed to the mast, in which the " shipwrecked" might
effect a safe transit on shore ; or to send off in succession
a number of life buoys or safety belts, borne on which the
perilled individuals might be gradually brought on shore
and saved from a watery grave. After this successful ex-
periment of the rocket, a stout man employed by Mr.
Carte jumped overboard from the small steamer, enveloped
in one of his life-belts, which are made of oblong-square
and flat billets of cork sewed into waterproof cloth, and
fixed round the body under the arm-pits. This belt
offers very slight, if any, resistance to the action of swim-
ming, and the man, with his head and neck out of the wa-
ter, appeared to be quite at his ease, and to enjoy the
floatation—the only exertion required, in case of danger,
being to kick, or paddle towards the shore. One of Mr.
Carte's "self-acting life-buoys" was afterwards thrown
out, and by means of it he played a variety of aquatic
tricks—resting and elevating himself upon it in a variety
of attitudes, with his shoulders out of water when he
chose. These buoys are of a circular form, so that the
party can get inside of them, and rest either on his back
or in any other way with ease and safety. A strong cord
or rope is fastened or lashed round the outer edge, and
being left slack, or in a bite between the lashings, it is
readily caught bold of, and retained in any desirable posi-
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and no vessel should be without them. By means of the
latter alone upwards of 230 lives have been saved within,
the last few years.