The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1850-02-05 00:00:00

THE LIVER.POOL STANDAR&

bility of finding means to eke out -their own failing stores
too absolute, the risk of not meeting an expedition which
probably might be sent to their relief, toa awful for Sir
John Franklin to take upon himself the responsibility
of such a step. It is possible that our colintrymen may
have been imprisoned in the ice in the endeavour to pass
westerly from Bathurst and Melville Island, and may still
be there; it is possible that they may have struck some
still more northerly land not known to previous Arctic
navigators. Either of these suppositions would tally with
what we know of their position when last heard of, and
with the reports we have received of the great accumula-
tions of ice in those high latitudes during the last three
years. It is possible that Sir John Franklin may have
been hopelessly involved in the ice in one or other of
these directions, and that he may be still lying where his
course was stopped. But when we take into account the
enterprising character and the Arctic experience of that
officer, we cannot think that if life be yet spared to him
and to his companions he would be contented to wait
inactive until relief should reach him. The natural di-
rection he would take would be either for the whaling
ships by Barrow's Straits or for the northern coast of
America, in order to rcach one of the settlements of the
Hudson's Bay Company.
As we understand the matter, the reason why the
Enterprise and Investigator are now despatched by way
of Behring's instead of Barrow's Straits does not depend
upon any expectation of picking up the lost party near
the point where Captain Collinson is directed to enter
upon his operations, but is contained in the first para-
graph of the Admiralty instructions :—" Whereas the
efforts that have been made for the last two years to re-
lieve the Erebus and Terror have failed, and all access to
the Parry Islands has been prevented by the accumula-
tion of ice in the upper part of Barrow's Straits ; and
whereas it is possible that the same severity of weather
may not prevail at the same time iirfioth the eastern and
western entrances to the Arctic Sea. we have deter-
mined," &c. Common sense wonld have dictated the
propriety of following on Sir John Franklin's track, as
Sir James Ross recently endeavoured to do, had it been
within the bounds of possibility to accomplish the task.
It is only through despair of carrying such a purpose into
effect that Captain Collinson has been despatched to
reach, by a more circuitous route, the spot where Sir
John Franklin must be if he be in the Arctic Seas at all,
and yet alive.

We yield to none in our strong and earnest symyathy
for Sir John Franklin and his companions, yet we can-
not but feel that the effort to be now made by Captain
Collinson is a LAST effort. By Barrow's Straits it is im-
possible to get through the ice.

Tus HULL SAVINGS EANIC.—The Hull papers state
that the assets of this bank are sufficient to pay all its
depositors in full, and leave above £2OOO in hand, and
that notwithstanding this favourable state of affairs,
there have been defalcations by a late secretary of the bank
of nearly £3600 from the funds of the bank.
DEATH IN A PUGILISTIC ENCOUNTER.—A fight took
place last week at Sevenhampton, near Cheltenham, when
a man named Cook was killed by a blow from a com-
panion named Franklin, the father of the latter urging his
son to the fray. Both the Franklins, and a third man,
named Fletcher, leave been committed under a verdict of
manslaughter.
POACHING AFFRAY.—On the night of the 29th ult.,
a desperate struggle took place between poachers and
game-watchers, in Blenheim-park. The Duke of Marl-
borough's gamekeepers ultimately secured two of the
poachers, and on the 30th Samuel and Joseph Still, the
poachers, were committed to Oxford gaol for trial at the
ensuing assizes.
The unfortunate lady Mrs. (C. 8.) Leigh, of Wickham-
place, died on Tuesday, from the injuries which she
received from a cow on the 18th ult. There bad been no
hope of her from the first, and but for her great physical
energy she could not have survived so lung. The decea-
sed lady was, as we stated on Tuesday, a sister qf Sir
John Tyssen Tyrell, of Boreham-house, M.P, for North
Essex.

AWFULLY SUDDEN DEATH.—At the late audit of the
Right Hon. Lord Newborough, at Clynog, Mr. John
Thomas, of Brynaura, aged 82, having gone there to pay
his rent, as he was sitting at dinner, and immediately
upon his commencing to eat, was attacked with a severe
fit of coughing, whereby a blood vessel was ruptured, and
ho became a corpse in about ten minutes. He was re-
markably hale and robust of his age.
PUBLIC NOTICE.—An experimental message balloon,
as suggested by Mr. Geo. Shepherd, C.E., for communi-
cating information with Sir John Franklin in the Arctic
Regions, will be dispatched from London in the course of
a few days. Tho messages will be printed on coloured
paper, many thousands of which will be circulated, stating
that the persons finding them are requested to forward
them to the Admiralty, stating when and where found.
On Tuesday week, the son of a farmer at St. Just, in
Penwith, Cornwall, went into the bullock shed, and stuck
his candle against the wall while he went to fetch some
straw from an adjaining barn. The candle fell down and
ignited the litter, which immediately burst into flames ;
and so rapidly did the fire spread, that both the outbuild-
ings and the farm-house itself were consumed, and six
bullocks were burned to death.
On Tuesday week, a boy named Wilkinson, who was
employed in a mill at Bradford, was amusing himself by
climbing up the side of a pan or boiler containing hot
water for warming the dinners of the workpeople. His
companions warned him of his danger, but he took no
heed of the warning, and almost immediately afterwards
he fell into the water, which scalded him so dreadfully
that he died in the Bradford Infirmary on the following.
day.

On Tuesday a meeting was held in Birmingham, under
the auspices of Lord Lyttelton, Mr. Adderley, M.P., and
other gentlemen who have taken part in the promotion of
the " Canterbury Settlement" in New Zealand ; the
object was to afford information as to the principles and
details of the plan on which the colonisation of this set-
tlement is proposed to be conducted. Mr. Felix Wake-
field attended to answer inquiries, and the Hon. Fred.
Gough presided. Lord Lyttelton gave a general sketch
of the project.
On Thursday sen'night, his Grace the Duke of Cleve-
land was walking in the park adjoining the Castle, and
had with him a little dog, which put up a rabbit and im-
mediately started in pursuit. The keepers were exercis-
ing the fox-hounds at the same time, and they having
come in contact w;th the dog and rabbit, also joined in
the chase, and afterwards continued in pursuit of the deer
in the park. The hounds could not be called off until
three or four of the deer had been killed, and several
wounded. The hounds have not been hunting for the
last few weeks.
At the Mansion-house, en Monday, Alderman Hum-
phery decided, in the case of a Camberwell omnibus, that
the conductor was bound to admit into his vehicle any
person demanding to go his road, supposing there was
room. It appeared that the conductor wished to reserve
seats, it being a wet day, for regular customers returning
home the whole distance, for which they would have to
pay 6d. The complainant in this instance was only desi-
rous of travelling as far as Walworth, a 3d. ride. The
right being laid down, a nominal fine only was inflicted.
CHESHIRE CHEESE.—We are informed upon undoubted
authority, that so much does her Majesty prefer Cheshire
Cheese to all other, that it is daily and almost exclusively

used at the royal table : two large cheeses being supplied
weekly for the consumption of the Household. It has
also become fashionable at the luncheons of the aristo-
cracy. This is very encouraging to our farmers, who are
also relieved from further apprehension of American com-
petition, by learning that the close packing of cheeses
for the voyage across the Atlantic, not only deteriorates
their flavour, but renders them decidedly unwholesome.

On Saturday the cutter of H.M.S. Stromboli, Capt.
Lord A. Beauclerk, was proceeding from the vessel in
Plymouth Sound to the harbour, and when, at about ten
minutes past two o'clock, she was coming in under a
press of -canvass, between St. Nicholas Island and the
main, the weather being rather boisterous, with a strong
north-easterly wind, a large quantity of water was ship-
ped at the lee bow, and the cutter immediately sank.
The crew, consisting of thirteen persons, were all immer-
sed, and a midshipman and three sailors drowned before
assistance could be obtained.

AN ACCIDENTAL SURGICAL OPERATION.—AS Charles
Moseley, Esq., vice-chairman of the Ely Union, was
driving through Littleport on Wednesday last, his horse
fell, which threw him out of his gig and put his shoulder
out ; for some time he remained in great agony. Dr.
Murief was sent for, but, fortunately, his skill was not
required, as in taking off Mr. Moseley's coat the joint
was accidentally put right by the arm bone being turned
into the socket of the shoulder bone, Mr. Moseley provi-
dentially escaping any serious injury.— Cambridge Chroni-
cle.

SHIPPING DISASTERS.—The Archimedes, Havre to
Pernambuco, is supposed to have been wrecked and all
hands lost, in Conception Bay, on the Bth January. The
Devonshire, London to New York, was wrecked off the
North Foreland, on Thursday night, and is discharging;
the passengers are landed. The barque Tasmanian, for
New South Wales, was seen 100 miles off land, with loss
of main and mizen mast. The Mahomed Shah, London
to Fort Phillip, was spoken on the 6th September, with
loss of fore, main, and mizen topmasts. Eight seamen
had been washed overboard, and several severely injured.
ESCAPE OF PRISONERS.—Four convicts, under sentence
in the gaol at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, on Tuesday availed
themselves of a ladder and ropes which had been intro-
duced by some workmen into the prison-yard to effect
certain repairs, and thereby succeeded in sealing the lofty
wall by which the prison is surrounded and got clear off.
Information was given to the police, and in the course of
the day three of them were apprehended and brought
back to gaol, but the fourth has hitherto eluded detection.
One of the captured prisoners; of the name of Dunn, was
tried on a charge of murdering a child, and acquitted on
the ground of insanity.

A BELL-RINGING MOUSE.-A rather singular performer
has for some time past made his appearance in the Bay
Horse Inn (Mr. Taylors's), in Stranraer, in the shape of
a mouse. 'For the last three months it has, night after
night, diverted itself by ringing one of the bells in the
house. At first the inmates were much alarmed by the
troublesome and unknown intruder, but on setting a
watch, it was discovered to be a mouse, who regularly
comes out of a hole, over which the wire of one of the
bells passes, and by means of its teeth or feet, or both,
rings the bell as lustily as any of the usual visitors.—Free
Press.

At a late meeting of the Royal Institution, in London,
Mr. Grove showed a cage containing two small birds
placed under a large bell glass, containing an atmosphere
of hydrogen and oxygen, mixed in the proportions that
constitute water. The carbonic acid formed by the res-
piration of the birds was absorbed by lime-water, and
fresh supplies of oxygen and hydrogen were given by the
decomposition of water by a voltaic battery. No incon-
venience appeared to be experienced by the birds in
consequence of the novel atmosphere in which they were
placed, and in which they continued during the period of
the discourse. .

A MIDNIGHT VISITANT.—An old maiden lady, who
had spent her nights in peace and days in quietness for
many years, was awakened one night this week by an un-
usual noise in her bedchamber. On asking, " Who's
there ?" she was astounded by receiving for answer, " Gi'e
me back my bantam cock !" The old lady retained her
coolness, and asked the intruder's meaning. An expla-
nation ensued, when it appeared her visitant had lost a
bantam, and that he had dreamed it was in her house.
After some trouble she prevailed on him to leave the
tenement quietly by the same way that he entered, namely,
by the window.—Montrose Review.
At Bow-street, on Saturday, a boy, named William
Harris was committed for stealing half a sovereign from
a public-house by the following contrivance :—The pri-
soner possessed himself of two sticks, resembling a
fishing-rod when jointed, and, watching his opportunity,
he united the rods, and, placing a piece of tin covered
with tar in a slit at the point of a stick, proceeded to fish
up some money which had been placed upon the mantel
piece by the landlord. He had succeeded in netting half
a sovereign, but while conveying half-a-crown to his
pouch the coin fell upon the floor behind the counter.
aroused the barman, and led to the prisoner's detection.
NOVEL MARRIAGE.—On Sunday week an unusual
occurrence took place in the parish church of Rothes,
which created considerable excitement among the con-
gregation. An old pensioner, of the name of John
M'Kimmie, having wooed and won the heart of a fair
damsel, applied to the minister to join them in the bonds
of matrimony ; but the request not having been so readily
complied with as,tticigateit the old veteran, determined
not to brook any ay, atteThed, along with his would-be
better half, at the parish church on Sunday last, and at
the conclusion of the services, and just as the minister
was about to pronounce the benediction. they both stood
up in their seats, and audibly declared themselves man
and wife before the congregation. A scene of this de-
scription is of rare occurrence in Scotland.—North of
Scotland Gazette.

JENNY LIND'S RECEIPTS.—From a statement made
in the Newcastle District Court of Bankruptcy, on Thurs-
day, in re Mr. Charles States, a bankrupt, formerly of the
Royal Hotel, that Mr. Knowles and Mr. Lumley netted
£906 13s. 4d. by the visit of Jenny Lind to that town.
The agreement entered into with Mr. States was that
these parties should receive the first £6OO from the re-
ceipts, and two-thirds of the residue, Mr. States under-
taking, out of his one-third, to pay a part of the band,
and all the printing, advertising, rent of theatre, &c. The
receipts for tickets were £1,060, and £49 was raised in
addition by Mr. States from the sale, at a premium, of
tickets he had taken at his own risk. Mr. States's share
thus amounted to £251 6s. Bd., and it is needless to tiav
the printers' bills and other expenses are being discharged
in the Court of Bankruptcy.

EXTENSIVE graTZm OF FORGERY.—Au extensive eye-
tem of forgery has bee]: committed on the bank of Messrs.
W. H. Lambten, and Co., Newcastle. The delinquent is
only 20 years of age, respectably connected, and was a
clerk in the firm of Messrs. Griffith and Crichton, solici-
tors. It appears from what has transpired that for
months he has careered in a course of proflgacy and folly
truly astonishing, and that during that period he has
squandered between .£4OO and £5OO which he had drawn
at the bank by means of forged cheques, besides embezzl-
ing upwards of £5O, the monies of his masters. Such a
case of reckless conduct, especially in one so young, has
seldom been known. He has been committed for the
assizes.—Newcastle Courant.
The Berkshire Chronicle gives an account of a young
man, at a town within an hour's ride of Reading, playing
Romeo so far to the life that, on the death of a young
lady, whose parents had declined his addresses, he ap-
pears to have doubted her decease, and at midnight to
have proceeded to the church, and, having forced open
the door, after two hours of unceasing, labour, forced
open the entrance of the vault, and entered. By means
of a light he discovered the coffin that contained the re-
mains his departed, which be opened, and then he was
satisfied that he had laboured under a delusion. He then
returned home. Thenext morning the persons connected
with the church were horrified by finding the sacred edi-
fice had been desecrated and the abode of the dead viola-
ted. The affair is said to be under judicial investigation.
EXTRAORDINARY TAMENESS OF A ROBIN.—On the
14th ultimo, whilst Mr. Isaac Hodgson, sexton at Crosth-
waite Church, Keswick, was digging a grave, a robin red-
breast perched itself close to the scene of his labours,
and every spadeful of soil thrown out was carefully scruti-
nised by the bird, which greedily devoured all the worms
with which it chanced to meet, nor seemed in the least
alarmed as each succeeding spadeful was thrown to the
surface. What is still more remarkable, the little warbler
was again in attendance at the funeral in the evening, and
whilst the operation of filling up the grave was going on,
it watched with evident anxiety for food, the removal of
each succeeding portion of the soil; and on three diffe-
rent occasions came so near the sexton that he too& the,
bird up, and, perching it on one of his fingers, sought t
worms for it, which it ate from his hand with an appa-
rent consciousness of its safety.—Kendal Mercury.
SINGULAR DEATH OF A HORSE.—The following singu-
lar circumstance is said to have taken place in Largs last
week. The horse which came by so strange an end was
rough-shod for the frost on the evening of the event, and
afterwards taken to the stable, and suppered and foddered
for the night. The owner had not long gone to bed,
when hearing a loud noise in the stable, he immediately
rose to ascertain the cause. Upon opening the stable
door, his horse made at him ; but happily he escaped by
making a speedy retreat. The animal then hurried along
Main-street; and on coming to the saddler's shop, he
leaped through the window. The terrified saddler struck
the horse with a weapon, and thus drove him back. The
animal then ran furiously along Bath-street towards the
shore, whither he was traced by his footsteps and a track
of blood. It was u_lknown what had become of him until
Saturday, when his dead carcass was washed ashore by
the tide.—Kilmarnock Journal.
THE SALE AT COULSTONE FARM.—Few stock sales
that have occurred of late years, in this county, have at-
tracted more general attention than the sale of Mr. Tone-

than Grant's-short-horned cattle, which took place on
Friday last. As many as 600 persons were present,
among whom were many of the first breeders of stock in

the West of England ; but, notwithstanding this immense
concourse, the sale generally bore evident marks of the
depressed state of the times—the prices realized in many
instances (the noted character of the animals considered)
being little more than two-thirds of those which they
would have fetched two or three years ago. As a proof
of this, we may mention that the highest price obtained
for Mr. Grant's beautiful heifers was £36 a head, his
handsome pure-bred bulls (with pedigrees as long as a
nobleman's) realizing even a lower figure than this ! In-
deed, there can be no doubt that Mr. Grant, by being
compelled to cispose of his stock at the present time,
will, upon his cattle alone, sacrifice at least £soo.—De-
vizes Gazette.

A POLITICAL RELIC.—We have seen a curious copper
medal which was recently found in the railway cutting, at
Tackley. It is rather larger than a half-crown, but thin-
ner, and a considerable portion of the edge is corroded
and decayed, so that the whole of the legend is not visible.
On one side is a gentleman in the dress of the time of
George I. or 11., and with him a certain " old gentle-
man," whose immediate domain is not mentionable to
" ears polite" ; the latter, pitchfork in hand, is leading
the former by a halter, which is round his neck ; and the
inscription is, "I am come for Sir Robert." The carica-
ture, no doubt, refers to Sir Robert Walpole, who was
prime minister in the reign of George 11., and who, about
1743, introduced the first really effective excise laws. On
the reverse of the medal are the figures of Sir Robert
Walpole and Admiral Vernon, pOlitical opponents, with
a ship in the distance, and a suspended crown above.
This probably has reference to the taking of Porto Bello.
The legend on this side is not to be deciphered, excepting
the word " Vernon."—Banbury
_Guardian.
LAUNCH OF THE ASIA.—The Asia, a magnificent
steamer, was launched on Thursday afternoon from the
building-yard here of Messrs. Robert Steele & Co. She
was named by Miss Hill, daughter of Dr. Hill, of this
town, and slid majestically into her native element amid
the booming of cannon and the hearty cheers of the as-
sembled multitude; the adjoining slips, quays, &c., were
crowded with spectators. The Asia is 265 feet in length,
37 in breadth, depth of hold 27 feet, and measures 2,226
tons x.m., being 400 tons larger than those last built for
the owners ; she is 17 feet longer and 4 wider. In her
construction every application of skill and science has
been combined that should contribute to her strength
and speed. She is the property of the British and North
American Steam Navigation Company, and is to be com-
manded by Captain Judkins, so well-known and popular
in the trade. She is to proceed to Glasgow in a few days
to receive her engines at Mr. Napier's establishment, and
we have no doubt that when furnished she will sustain
and increase the illustrious and world-wide character
already so well earned by her eminent builders and en-
gineers, and support against all comers the fame of the
enterprising company by whom she is owned. Greenock
Advertiser.

HIGH TIDES.—We have noticed in another paragraph
the damage done to property by the high tide which rose
in the Thames on Tuesday. The rise has been extraor-
dinary also along the eastern coast—at Ipswich two feet
one inch higher than the prognosticated high spring tides
of last month, at Boston higher than for the last sixteen
years • the Humber dock gates showed a depth of twenty-
nine feet seven inches, and other places in similar pro-
portion,without, however,doingany damage in comparison
of what has resulted at London. At Sunderland, the
morning tide was two feet higher than any of the high
tides in December last—a rise attributable here, as along
the coast, to its being full moon, and a north westerly
breeze. The water broke into the new docks erecting at
Sunderland, and will cause a delay in opening the docks
of about a month, and it will cost about £l2OO to pump
the water out. The tide rose in the Medway to an extra-
ordinary height, and for more than an hour previous to
the time of high water the river in many parts overflowed
its banks, and by the weight of water broke down the
land-walls by which it is usually kept within its limits.
The various wharfs in the neighbourhood were flooded,
and in the High-street of Stroud a boat plied for the
conveyance of passengers, many houses being inundated
to the depth of several feet.
WRECK AND Loss OF LIFE.—SUNDERLAND.—On
Tuesday last, about noon, the sea, which had previously
been smooth, and the wind continuing calm, became sud-
denly agitated by a succession of heavy waves. A schooner
towing to sea had just cleared the pier heads when she
was struck by a breaker; the towline broke and she was
driven on the south sands. The crew took to the rigging
and were safely hauled on shore with ropes. Two ballast
barges, which had gone to sea early in the morning, were
then seen making for the harbour. One barge coming
within the line of breakers was dashed on to the glacis
which forms the breakwater of the south pier—part of
the crew leaped on to the masonry of the glacis and were
dragged on to the pier • one man being left on board
ropes were thrown but failed to reach him ; a sailor rush-
ing down to heave a rope was washed over amongst the
loose stones of the breakwater. Two men instantly
sprang on to the glacis to render assistance, when a sea
swept them over. Mr. Coulson Douglass, master of the
brig Thomas Baker, and another man, hastened to the
glacis with ropes; scarcely had they reached it when they
also were knocked over. Ropes and life buoys were
thrown, and one man was got out. For a short period
Mr. Douglass and two others held on by the ropes, but at
this critical moment an immense billow rolled in, and
carried them into the surf: they were lost. The fifth
man was washed up on the sands, and has recovered.
The barge also, the cause of this melancholy accident,
drove on the sands, and the man, to save whom three
brave men lost their lives, was saved.

HIGH TIDE IN THE THAMES.—On Tuesday the tide
rose so extraordinarily high as to overflow the walls of
the river and inundate the various thoroughfares along
either shore. So unexpected was the high tide, that no
one had made any preparation to preserve their property,
and the consequence was that damage to a great amount
was done. The tide on the previous day was lower than
it has been known to be for some considerable time past,
whilst that of Tuesday rose two feet one inch higher than
it did in October, 1844, when so much property was de-
stroyed. In Lambeth, and the two adjoining parishes,
property worth many thousand pounds was destroyed.
In the neighbourhood of the Commercial, Belvidere, and
York roads, a vast deal of damage was done. The whole
of College-street was under water about four feet, and
the residents were obliged to be taken to and from their
residences by means of horses and carts. So deep did the
water rise in the Commercial-road that boats were em-
ployed during the day in conveying people along. Along
Vauxhall, the Lammas lands at Fulham and Battersea,
the open country presented broad sheets of water, in
many places being several feet deep. At Bankside, Ber-
mondsey, and Rotherithe a vast amount of damage has
been done. The tide completely overflowed the Temple
Gardens, and the various piers both up and down the river
have sustained considerable damage. Had the tide
risen so high in the night time a fearful destruction
of life must have followed. It was, however, at the
water side, amongst the miserable dwellings of the
fishermen, and in Lower North-street, that the most
pitiable scenes presented themselves, the water, in some
hastances, literally reaching to the ceiling ; and man and
wife, children and pigs, seeking refuge in the upper part
of the houses. The fires at the gas-house were extin-
guished, and the town of Wandsworth was in total dark-
ness all Tuesday night. The poor people whose houses
were invaded by the tide were supplied by the parochial
authorities of Wandsworth with coals and other neces-
saries. At Putney, the tide covered the terrace, and the
opposite side of the river, the grounds of the Bishop of
London were all under water, as were those of Willow-
bank, the late residence of Mr. Delafield. On the Essex
side of the Thames, the fishing villages and marsh land
were swamped, as well as a large portion of the inland
country, where the effect of a high tide was least expected.