The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-12-05 00:00:00

LOCAL MEETINGS,

THE SEA SERPENT.—At the Polytechnic Society's
meeting last week, Mr. Cunningham made some remarks
upon the sea serpent, and stated that a friend of his bad
a stuffed snake in his possession about 15 feet long, which
had been captured by some seamen belonging to the ship
Bencoolen, about three miles from the coast of Java.
The animal had raised its head two feet from the water as
if to attack the persons in the boat, and was secured by
means of a boat-hook. It was kept alive for three days,
and subsequently stuffed. Its diameter was about six
inches at the neck and ten at the thielft..A part of the
body. Dr. Inman stated that he had been told, on very
good authority, that snakes had been known to attain the
length of twenty feet in the fresh water tanks of India.
POISONOUS NUTS.—At the meeting last week of the
Polytechnic Society, Mr. Archer exhibited some nuts,
many of which had been eaten by various individuals,
producing in all symptoms of cholera. The seeds had
been imported from Lisbon, and were supposed to be
those of the castor oil plant ; some difference could be
detected, though of an unimportant nature. Mr. Hodg-
son stated, that on one day last week there had been no
less than forty cases of poisoning reported at the South
Dispensary. The symptoms in each were violent vomit-
ing, purging, and extreme debility, so as to give rise to
the belief that cholera of a formiJable nature had made
its appearance. On examination, it appeared that every
person affected had been eating some nuts (so called)
which had been procured from a bag that had burst in its
transit from the ship to the warehouse. From the de-
scription given of the seeds, they were similar to those
exhibited by Mr. Archer. Fortunately none of the pa-
tients had died. Many members bore testimony to the
acrid qualities of the castor oil seed,one gentleman stating
that he had suffered most severely for two days from eat-
ing one only. It appeared that. the comparatively mild
castor oil was procured from the Cotyledons only, and
that the substance which acted so uowrrfuliy upon the
system resided in the alhremen of the seed.
THE HEALTH COMMITTEE.—At the meeting on TIIIIrS-

mited plans, and the inspector of nuisances the number
of cesspools that. had been emptied during the week.
The police, it was stated, were co-operating with the
health officers in the suppression of nuisances. Dr.
Duncan, in reply to Mr. Parker, said that the repair of
the middens, the court flagging, and the cl

one more than anything else to improve the sanatory
mdition of the town. A case of cholera was alluded to
r Mr. Walthew. Dr. Duncan said it was only an ag-
ravated case of English cholera. Deceased was an artil-
ryman from Scotland, who had not drunk un

td was attacked and died on Sunday. This had been the
ily case in the town for three weeks. The attendance at
ie bath-houses had amounted to 9553 persons, and the
,ceipts to £llB 18s. At the wash-houses, 21,400 dozens
clothes had been washed during the week, and the re-
ipts had been £45 17s. In addition to the above, 206
Tsons had bathed gratuitously. It was agreed that the
lb-committee should be open to all the members of the
ealth Committee who chose to attend. the

eet at Cornwallis-street every Tuesday at. 12 o'clock.
Sub-committee appointed were—the Chairman and

ennett, Walthew, and Hodson.
SIR HUGH OF LINCOLN.—At the third meeting of the
term", and Philosophical Society, a paper was read by

Hume on the curious tradition and the popular poe-
connected with this person. It appears that for se-
a centuries there has been a tradition among the peo-
of Christian nations to the effect that the Jews sacri-
i a Christian child once a year, to use his blood in

anexion with some of their mysterious rites
itigations have taken place, criminals have

M.any in-

years old, at Lin-
nfirmina it.

LAND FOR THE NORTH DOCKS.
The CHAIRMAN observed, chat by a resolution of the
Council, the agreement between Lord Derby and the
Dock Trustees, relative to the land at the north end of
the town, had been sent back, in order that it might come
before them again in a regular form. They were now
obliged to find a place for the deposits arising from the
construction of the new docks, and it was desirable the
question of agreement should be settled. He submitted
the heads of an agreement which had been drawn up
between the Earl of Derby, Lord Stanley, and the Dock
Trustees, which agreement was to be presented to the
Council at the next meeting.
The agreement, which could only be rendered properly
intelligible by a map accompanying it, was to the effect
that his Lordship would sell to the Dock Trust the strand
of the Mersey, lying in the townships of Kirkdale,
Bootle, and Linacre. That the trustees are to lay out
the land, and make certain streets, which they are to pave
and sewer in a proper and efficient manner. The land to
be divided into four blocks. The first block to be com-
pleted in six years, the second in fourteen years, the
third in sixteen years, and the last in eighteen years.
The streets to be devoted to the public in perpetuity ; in
case of dispute, the matter to be settled by arbitration.
By the agreement, the Dock Committee will pay all
expenses, and will get to themselves about a million
square yards of land, while Lord Derby would receive
240,000 square yards.
_ _

Mr. Aticrx said he understood that when the matter
was before them in Council, it was referred back in order
that the portion of the strand might be purchased on the
terms previously proposed. He was not aware that any
report had been prepared, any negotiations entered into,
or any strenuous exertions made to carry out the wishes
of the Council.

The CHAIRMAN said the present Mayor had exerted
himself to induce Lord Derby to accept a payment in
money, but his Lordship refused to do so,—he was satis-
fied to become a proprietor in the speculation. He would
not accept of money.

Mr. AIKIN expressed his regret that they were only
told now that land could not be got on other terms than
those proposed in the agreement. If that had been
known some months ago, they might have found an
alternative. They were getting a million square yards,
and giving his Lordship 250,000 ; but then, when the
docks were made, (if they should be made), the question
was, what would the 250,000 yards be worth? He
thought the scheme not a very wise one.
In answer to a question, the Chairman said, that should
any dispute arise, as to the expense for laying out the
plots of land, it would be settled by arbitration. The ex-

pense of sewering and preparing the first plot would be
only £1000; the second lot—to be finished in 14 years—
£223o, and for sewers £700; the last lot, in all, £2050.
The total cost of the river wall, at £4B a yard, would be
£95,000, and for that the trust would receive a million
square yards.

Mr. AIKIN complained that when they could have
bought the ground they wanted for a small sum per lienal
yard they had not done so.

The CHAIRMAN said that to finish the North Docks,
and rz.ake the new graving docks, they would have 406,000

cubic yards of soil to deposit, which would do more 'hail
fill up the portion of the first block, to be prepared in six

Mr. MANN said the Committee were in reality getting
two hundred acres of land without paying a fraction for it.
The Surveyor said, that in addition to five new docks
recently opened in the north, others, comprising an aggre-
gal y a ea of 33 acres, were near completion, exclusive of
graving docks.

It wiis agreed that the terms of agreement, as read,
should he entered on the books, and thus come under the
.• .2 .