The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1845-03-11 00:00:00

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THE GRANT TO MAYNOOTH

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.
Sta,—l have been looking at your paper with some
anxiety for the last few weeks, to learn if it was the inter-
lion of our leading Protestant gentlemen to protest against
the intended increase of the grant to the popish College

of Maynooth. I can assure you, sir, that the Protestant
operatives are ready, and have been waiting to see if the
clergy and gentlemen would take the lead; and the an-
nouncement in your last paper that such is their intention
has given great satisfaction to many " good men and
true." I trust that Liverpool, which has nobly done its
duty in time past, and which stands so pre-eminent as a
Protestant town, will not be backward at the present im-
portant crisis, but will make such a firm stand, and enter
such an uncompromising protest, as shall awaken the
lethargy of the nation, and make our rulers feel, that,
however thankful we are for the improved condition of
our country since they came into office, yet, still we have
religion enough left to enter our earnest protest against
the inconsistency of a professed Protestant nation endow-
ing a college for the education of a set of men, who, un-
less they be hypocrites, must ever be the enemies of our
Queen, our religion, and our laws.
I hope the intended meeting will be one worthy of the
town, that there will be no hanging back, no disunion,
no compromise, and that dissenters, who have such an
objection to parliamentary grants, even to the Protestant
religion, will shew their consistency, and join with church-
men in petitioning against any further grant to a system
which they, in common with churchmen, believe to be
anti-christian, anti-social, idolatrous, and soul-destroy-
ing. I trust Liverpool will set an example to the nation,
which will be followed by every town and parish in the
kingdom ; and that our rulers will be forced to feel that
the religious feelings of the nation are not to be trifled
with ; and that the candle which was lighted in England
by our martyred forefathers at the Reformation, though
burning but dimly, is not quite extinguished, that, though
some have apostatised from the religion of their fathers.
and others become cold and lukewarm, that the great
mass of the people are still sound at heart, and are de-
termined, let others do as they may, to have " No peace
with Rome !"

I am, yours. &c.,
AN OPERATIVE PROTESTANT

MONEY AND RAILWAY SPECULATION,

The annexed remarks on the state of the Money Mar-
ket appear in the circular of one of the leading colonial
brokers, in which it will be observed that a less gloomy
view is taken of the consequences of the speculations in
railways than is generally the case in the city :
".The demand for money during the last month has
been considerable. The requisite deposits for new rail-
roads which it was neces,ary to complete in compliance
with the Parliamentary regulations, amount fully to two
millions ; of these about half a million has been invested
in Exchequer Bills (which will account for the advance in
the price of those securities), and to that extent, there.:
fore, the circulation has not been diminished ; but the
remainder being paid into the bank, remains temporarily
dormant. The last payment, however, for these pur-
poses will soon be made, and so far the demand will ter-
minate for the present. Under ordinary circumstances,
such a drain upon the market would have raised the rate
of interest materially, but discounts for all commercial
purposes have continued readily attainable at 24 to 3 per
cent.; although on the Stock Exchange,for the merely spe-
culative operations in shares, &c., money has fetched from
7to 15 per cent. for short periods. The influence of the new
Bank Bill is here again apparent, and certainly greatly to the
public advantage, however it may affect individual interests.
'l' lie Bank of England, in its enlarged banking department,
having fairly entered into competition with the dealers
in Intl ey, has been lending largely at 24 per cent. ; and
at the country branches increased facilities are about to
be arranged. This new and formidable competition has
caused lower rates to be taken in other quarters, and the
Joint-Stock Banks have been lending at 2* for short pe-
riods. Thus, notwithstanding rather a straitened supply
in Lombard-street, money from other sources has been so
abundant, and so readily dispensed, that the price of it
has been kept very moderate; and for this the trading
community have certainly to thank Sir Robert Peel's
new bill. After the passing of the bills now before parlia-
ment, the completion of the intended railways will cause a
gradual absorption of money to the extent of £30,000,000
or £40,000.000, but will be extended over several
years; and as the money will remain in the country, it
will have an adverse effect upon the exchanges, while the
projects themselves will be productive of great advantage
to the various interests immediately brought into activity
by them. The country, moreover, is now fairly sectioned
and parcelled out (and profestional people satisfied),
there can, therefore, be no further English schemes of
great importance; and as the stimulus passes away, spe-
culation, it is to be hoped, will disappear with it, and the
general prosperity be ultimately advanced by these colos-
sal undertakings. Still it is to be borne in mind that
there has been speculation in these securities beyond all
legitimate enterprise. In French railroads, too, the
operations in shares of competing companies (only one of
which can obtain legal existence) are carried on to a
great extent ; new schemes are daily announced with the
most captivating pretensions, and fears naturally arise
that the ultimate consequences of these baseless opera-
tions may give a serious check to confidence.

DREADFUL SHIPWRECKS

Accounts were received at Lloyd's, on Saturday, of the
total loss of the Mellish, from China to London, which
caused considerable uneasiness amongst the relatives of
the survivors, and as some apprehension exists that the
crew may be harshly treated by the Cochin Chinese, it
will be some satisfaction to such persons to be informed,
that in the case of the loss of the John Bannerman, from
China to Bombay, about nine years since, totally lost
on the N.W. prong of the Paracels, her crew, which
arrived at a fishing village called Quin Hong, received at
the hands of the Cochin Chinese considerable kindness,
being clothed, fed, and furnished with a passage in a
Cochin Chinese man-of-war to Singapore • and, more-
over, that the Emperor is particularly partial to the Eng-
lish, and that should he be informed of the arrival of the
shipwrecked crew of the Mellish, which there is no reason
to doubt, that every attention which the limited means of
a poor and nearly uncivilised nation can afford will be
rendered. It will also tend to allay the fears of those
personally interested for the safety of friends or relatives
to be further informed that in the case of the John Ban-
nerman, her crew were detained six weeks at Quin Hong,
but unavoidably so, although in appearance at first un-
necessarily, but fully accounted for afterwards. His
Majesty the Emperor of Cochin China also sent a French
interpreter to communicate with the officers of the John
Bannerman, and through him expressed his sympathy
for the misfortunes of the officers and crew of that vessel.
The following letter, from one of the officers on board
the Mellish, gives some melancholy particulars of the
sufferings of the crew. It is dated Padaran Bay, Nov.
16, ]B44:
" Since writing you on the 13th instant, I have learnt
with horror that the Cochin-Chinese authorities do not
intend sending us to Singapore till the latter end of
north-east monsoon, to enable their vessels to get easily
back. There are some Chinamen about to sail from a
place near to us, whom I have offered to reimburse if
they will facilitate my getting away ; this they will not
do, for fear of the Cochin government, and I cannot get
permission from them. I fear sickness, or bad rice diet,
and little or no clothing, if we are detained here so long,
will leave very few to tell the tale ; under these circum-
stances, pray do what you can to get a vessel sent for us
from our government. We are eleven in all, wrecked on
sth ult. on Paracels; landed here on the 27th, having
lost half ship's company at the time and passage, not
having tasted fresh water, except twice or thrice, for 22
days. We are now all but two in good health, and would
walk, had we shoes, if the authorities would allow us ;
but we are confined to one village by their orders, which
is a filthy place. I manage, with one of my officers, to
get among the Chinese for a better meal (their place is
about two miles up the river) in the evening, “nd a cleaner
mat to sleep on ; and I am fortunate in having saved a
b'anket, which I smuggle away. The Chinese are ex-
ceedingly kind and hospitable. The Cochin-Chinese are
the reverse, and filthy in the extreme •, there is no depen—
dence to be placed in their faith. When we first arrived
they promised to send us on to Singapore in 15 days."
The following letter, dated Runnymede, off the Anda-
man Islands, Nov. 25, 1844, from Captain Doutty, of the
Runnymede, referring to the loss of his own ship and
also of the Briton, previously reported, has been received
by the Secretary to Lloyd's :
" I beg to state for your information, that on the 10th
11th, and 12th of this month, one of the most terrific
hurricanes raged in this vicinity, perhaps ever experienced
by man ; it was totally beyond description, which, after
dismasting and rendering the ship an unmanageable
wreck, with only one boat saved, threw us ashore on the
above island, at one o'clock in the morning of the 12th,
and, through the Providence of Almighty God, without
the loss of life. At daybreak, we saw in shore, a large
bark among the trees, which proved to be the Briton, of
the Clyde, from Sydney to' Calcutta, with 311 soldiers, 34
women, and 51 children, with a crew of 36 men, boats all
gone. The carpenters of both ships set to work on our
boat, which has been raised two streaks, false keeled, and
decked, and leaves this day for assistance. We are here
in all 630 people,' short of provisionsland those more or
less damaged. The water flows in at every tide, and
everything is destroyed ; in fact, one-half of us have no,
shoes, without a change of linen. No lives have been
lost in either case except one man, who attempted to swim
ashore."

A letter has reached Manilla, from the commander of
the Premier, which left Hong-Kong for Bally Badong on
the 22d June last, for rice, with a considerable quantity
of copper cash on board, mentioning that the Premier had
been wrecked on the 25th July, on Pulo Panjang (east
coast of Borneo), and that the commander and the whole
of the crew were captive. The Sultan of Barn took the
comMander, six 'Europeans, and six lascars ; and the
Rajah of Baloongan as his share had 16 lascars. The
commander attempted to escape with the six Europeans,
but was retaken and placed under the care of the brother
of the Sultan, at a small distance from the six lascars of
his party. He writes (11th September) that the Rajah
had promised to favour his escape that night, furnishing
him with arms and ammunition to fight his wry to Coti
River. The Sultan was disposed to murder him unless
be ransomed the crew.
The six lascars were purchased from the Sultan by a
Soloo trader, and taken to that island, where they were
ransomed by Com, Wyndham, of the Velocipede, for 100
dollars each, and they reached Manilla by that vessel on
the 30th ult. They state that the commander set fire to
the vessel to prevent her falling into the hands of the
pirates. Sir Edward Belcher meant to leave Manilla on
the 10th instant to proceed to the relief of the remainder
of the shipwrecked persons. If not successful, he will
move on to Coti river, and eventually to Macassar, to
arrange matters with the Dutch authorities for the ulti-
mate ransom of these people, and in all probability take

Singapore on his route back to Manilla. Ile requests
the co-operation of the government here at Coti, and her
Majesty's steamer Driver accordingly sailed on Monday
last for that quarter.
Sir Edward further mentions that a schooner with a
cargo worth MOW dollars was cut off near Manilla kfrom
Batangas) just before his arrival, and that accounts from

Sooloo stated a brig to have been cut off ; an officer and
four men of the French corvette Sabine had been killed
at or near Samboangan by the pirates, and that these
seas were much infested by the pirates generally.

SHIP LAUNCHES

THE " LA HORI3

On Saturday a fine ship of this name was launched from
the building-yard of Mr. Peter Cato, near the south-west
corner of the Brunswick Dock. The day being fine, the
attendance was numerous and respectable, including a
considerable number of ladies. The vessel, which is the
property of Mr. Cato, and partly of her commander,
Captain Burt, is of the following dimensions :—Length of
keel for measurement, 119 ft. 7 in. ; breadth, 29 ft. 7 in. ;
depth of hold, 19 ft. 4 in. ; burthen, old measurement,
474 tons—new ditto. 535 tons. She is of a fine model
for a merchant vessel, and though adapted to carry a large
cargo, has every appearance of turning out a fast sailer,
as well as an excellent sea-boat. She has a full forecastle
and poop, with a handsome figure-head of a chief of La-
hore, in the martial costume of that territory ; also quar-
ter galleries. Her timbers are of English oak ; she is
planked with East India teak ; her lower and upper deck
fastenings are altogether of copper, and her knees all of
iron,—so that she will rank A 1 at Lloyd's fcr twelve
years. The vessel, as well as the yard, was gaily deco-
rated with flags. Shortly after eleven o'clock, all being
in readiness, and the tide having reached its height, the
usual words were given, and the instant the daggers were
down, she moved onwards on the ways, received her name
in spirited style from Miss Cato, the daughter f the owner,
and, gathering speed as she proceeded, glided beautifully
and majestically into her destined element, amidst the
enthusiastic cheers of the assembled spectators, which
were heartily responded to by hundreds on her decks.
She sat like a duck in the water, and a on comparatively
light draught for her bulk and weight of materiAs, and,
we doubt not, will, under her well-known and experienced
commander, fully realise all the anticipations entertained
of her. She was afterwards tugged into the Brunswick
Dock, where she was much admired for her symmetry
and general workmanlike finish. Before leaving the yard
we observed several substantial new buildings and addi-
tions, including a shed for a ten-horse steam-engine,—
Mr. Cato having determined to add iron-shipbuilding to
his former business, the demand for vessels of that now
approved material being on the increase.
After the launch, the greater portion of the company
retired to a large room in one of the new buildings, and
sat down to a splendid cold collation, and wines, laid out
on two long tables, and admirably served. Mr. Cato oc-
cupied the chair; Mr. Houghton was the vice-chair, and
both were graced by the presence of many ladies.
After the viands had been done ample justice to, the
Chairman proposed " Success to the Lahore,' just
launched," and he trusted that she would be as successful
as the ship which Capt. Burt had formerly commanded,
in which case she would become a valuable property.
This, we need scarcely say, was drank with veil great ap-
plause. _

The Rev. Mr. HAMPTON, who had said grace, said he
felt called upon to justify himself, as a clergyman, for
being present at the feast. Christ and his disciples had
attended a feast on a proper occasion, and a clergyman,
he thought, might well attend a meeting at which mem-
bers of his congregation attended, that he might ask a
blessing on the proceedings. They bad just witnessed the
launch of a noble vessel, which was destined to bring va-
luable commodities from distant countries ; but no success
would attend the enterprise unless the blessing of the Lord
were vouchsafed upon it. He begged to propose the health
of Mr. Cato, which required but few words to announce
it. He had known for several years that gentleman, in
private life, as an exemplary man, and also as an attend-
ant at his church, and he therefore proposed health and
success to him and the Lahore, and to all who were con-
nected with him. The toast was drunk with three times
three. _

1.• ,•,• .
The CHAIRMAN said he felt exceedingly obliged for the
compliment conveyed, though he could not say he de-
served all that had been said by his rev. friend. He had
tried, and would still try, to do all that was right between
man and man. With regard to shipbuilding he conceived
that it ought to be encouraged, as it gave employment to
a number of trades, and tended to increase the national
wealth ; but he regretted to say the Corporation did not
encourage it as they ought. He concluded by expressing
his heartfelt wishes for the health and prosperity of all
around him.—A gentleman at the head of the second
table (whose name we did not ascertain) proposed "the
health and success of Captain Burt"—then necessarily
absent. This was drunk with great applause. Mr.
Lockett returned thanks on behalf of Captain Burt,
whom he had long known as a gentleman of the greatest
correctness, integrity, and perseverance, and proposed
the health of Mrs. Burt, which was received with equal
applause. The health of Captain Cook, manager of the
Pilots' Committee followed, and was warmly received.—
Captain Cook ably replied to the compliment paid through
him to the committee. The Chairman then gave the
health of Mr. Bland, a venerable gentleman present, who
had been his kind friend and adviser in early life. and to
whom he should ever entertain a debt of gratitude.—Mr.
Blaiid in returning thanks, said he had been a ship-
builder in the town for 45 years, and from long habit was
still fond of seeing a launch, and he believed should be so
to the end of his days. He hoped they would live to wit-
ness many other launches from the same yard.—The
healths of Miss Cato and that of the ladies were separately
drunk. Mr. Locket ably replied to the first, and the
Rev. Mr. Hampton in an able and facetious address to
the second. The rev. gentleman's health being then
drunk, he again addressed the assemblage in eloquent
and suitable terms—expressing a hope that no festivity at
a ship-launch would hereafter take place in Liverpool,
without being graced by the presence of the ladies.

The CHAIRMAN then, in complimentary terms, gave

the health of a gentleman present who had done much for
iron ship-building, and who had been the means of put-
ting into his hands the building of an iron ship—Mr.
John Grantham. (Great applause.)
Mr. GRANTHAM. in returning thanks, said be felt great
pleasure at being allowed an opportunity of introducing
to the attention of the large party there assembled a sub-
ject with which his name had been identified for several
years, viz., the subject of iron ship-building. There
might be some present who might feel that this question
clashed with their interests. He hoped it was not so, as
it was quite clear from the case before them that the bene-
fit might be extended to timber ship-builders. The build-
ing in which they were now met had just been cons'racted
by Mr. Cato, in consequence of his having given his atten-
tion to iron ship-building, and he had already received an
order from an extensive Company in this town for an
iron steamer, to be built under his (Mr. Grantham's) di-
rections, and be hoped it would be their good fortune to
meet again at the launch of this vessel and he should
have it in his power to say that the work had been satis-
factorily completed,—this he had no doubt of if matters
proceeded as well as they had up to that period. Mr.
Grantham then proceeded to make some remarks on the
importance of this question in a national point of view—
the steady demand it would occasion for iron, and for the
employment of our people ; that in this material there
could be no competition from foreign countries
present ships were principally built. He alluded to
fact that government had given orders for some very lard,
iron steamers, and also observed on the remarkable case
of the Vanguard, lately run on shore near Cork. He had
been employed by the underwriters to survey her, and be
described her as being the most remarkable and conclu-
sive instance yet known of the great strength of iron
vessels. _ _

The ladies about this time retired, as did a number of
the gentlemen, but many remained and kept up the fes-
tive enjoyments of the day with great glee and enthusi-
asm for some hours afterwards. Amongst the toasts
drunk were " the Wooden Walls of Old Engl;rnd," and
afterwards a new toast, and one-which, it was remarked
by a gentleman present, would probably become a natio-
nal one, " The Iron Walls of New England," " The
Liverpool Press," which was respond, d to by tiler( po ter
of the STANDARD, &c., &c. The health of individuals
present was also drunk, and elicited able addresses in
reply. Captein Burt, who had returned from the ship;
expressed his gratitude for the manner in which his health
had been drunk in his absence, in brief but most appro:

priate and manly terms. Amongst the speakers Called
forth by the compliments paid to them, were Mr. Ogden,
Mr. Clay, Mr. Parry, and others; and the afternoon was
spent in a most agreeable manner, all present being highly
delighted with the attention and urbanity of their worthy
entertainer.

"THE BELLAIRS

On Saturday last we had the pleasure of witnessing the
launch of the fine ship Bellairs, from the building-yard
of Messrs. Robert Clarke and Sons, in Etna-street. The
morning was a beautiful one ' • and eleven o'clock having
been fixed for her making her first appearance upon her
future element, a large concourse of ladies and gentlemen.
friends of the owners and builders and of the firm, after
one of whose partners she was named, were assembled
upon a platform erected at the vessel's bows to witness
the ceremony. A number of gentlemen were also on
board the vessel herself, prepared to accompany her in
her descent from the stocks, and the neighbouring yards,
quays, &c., were crowded with anxious spectators.
The signal having been given a little after eleven o'clock,
the sister of one of the firm of Peel, Bellairs and Co. of
she was christened in the usual form by Miss Bellairs,
Manchester, a bottle of wine being broken against her
bows ; and, the last stay having been knocked away, she
glided beautifully into the water amidst the cheers of the
spectators, . replied to again and again by the party on
board. When in the river she was taken in tow by two
steamers, by whom she was conveyed to the graving dock,
where she:will be fitted up for the East, in which seas she
is intended to trade.
The length of the " Bellairs" aloft is 119 feet 6-10ths ;
her beam 30 feet 3 inches ; her depth 20 feet, and her
tonnage 609 tons 5-100ths. She contains 55,327 cubic
feet of space; and was admitted by very competent
judges present to be a splendid model, and capable of car-
rying a very large cargo. After the launch a very excel-
lent dejeuner was given to the party present, by the build-
ers and owners of the vessel, Messrs. Robert Clarke and
Sons, in a large room over the building yard, and com-
municating with the temporary stage erected for spectators,
the walls of which were covered with canvass and tastefully
decorated for the occasion. The viands and wines were
furnished by Mr. Horne, of the Mersey Hotel, and, we
need not say, were first-rate in quality, and abundant in
quantity. About 200 ladies and gentlemen,! we should
say, were partakers. The chair was occupied by William
Peel, Esq., of Liverpool and Manchester, from whose
Calcutta partner, Mr. Bellairs, the vessel was named,
and to whose house in the East she is to trade, under the
able command of Captain Webb, late of the Winifred.
The vice-chair was filled by Robert Clarke, Esq., the
senior partner in the house of Messrs. Clarke and Sons,
the builders and owners of the ship. A mueber of toasts
appropriate to the occasion were given and responded to,
and the hilarity of the day was kept up until the depar-
ture of the ladies, about two o'clock, when the greater
part of the company separated, delighted with the pro-
ceedings.

THE PROPOSED SUGAR DUTIES,