The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-08-27 00:00:00

ENDURANCE OF A HEN.—At the farm of Pitcorthie,
near Dunfermline, a hen that bid fare to enrich its mis-
tress with a " cleckin, " was confined for that purpose
under a large iron pot, and shut up in an out-house; but
poor chuckie was speedily forgot in the daily routine of
the farm, and there was she kept prisoner absolutely for
three weeks; when luckily a boy turned up the pot, look-
ing for eggs, and found the hen hovering between life and
death. Air and food, however, speedily revived her; and
when we saw her, only yesterday, she was running about
as lively as the rest. She had lost almost all her feathers
out of her tail, either from weakness, or in her struggle to
get free.—Fife Herald.
NARROW ESCAPE OF GENERAL TOM THUMB.—The
renowned General Tom Thumb was taking a ride near
Clifton on Sunday afternoon last, in an open carriage, ac-
companied by his father, his guardian (Mr. Barnum),
and his preceptor (Mr. H. G. Sherman). The General
and Mr. Sherman, being desirous of obtaining the best
view of the country, were seated on the driver's box, and
on descending a steep hill the horse took fright, ran at
the top of his speed and dashed against a high stone wall
with such tremendous force as to instantly break his neck
and shiver the. shafts and a portion of the carriage into
atoms. Mr. Stratton (the General's father) and Mr.
Barnum who wt re inside the carriage, escaped with some
bruises, and were on the ground in an instant, anxiously
looking for Mr. Sherma❑ and the General, both of whom
they supposed were crushed beneath the horse and car-
riage. Their fears were readily dissipated, however, upon
hearing the shrill voice of the General crying at its high-
est pitch from the adjoining field, " All right—there's no
danger—don't be alarmed !" Mr. Sherman had seen the
approaching danger, and with remarkable self-possession
he held the General firmly in his arms, and the moment
the concussion occurred he gave a fearful leap, cleared the
horse and wall, the latter of which was nearly five feet i❑
height, and landed safely in an adjoining field, preserving
his little charge perfectly harmless! The General's
father and Mr. Burnum presented the little hero's cou-
rageous preserver with a hundred guineas as a token of
their gratitude.—Cheltenham Chronicle.
SINGULAR OUTRAGE.—The police have, during the
last week, been making inquiry into the circumstances
connected with the most extraordinary outrage, which oc-
curred on the Friday evening of the great cattle show.
It appears that a number of persons had got upon a wall
which separates the Green from some private property on
the north side, for the purpose of having a better view of
the show-ground, wHle a considerable number were as-
sembled in front of the wall inside for the same purpose,
when a pistol was discharged among them, which, as af-
terwards appeared, had been loaded with slugs. The pis-
tol was believed to have been discharged from a garden
inside the wall, and we understand smoke was seen rising
from among some shrubbery in it immediately afterwards,
while a person dressed like a lady and wearing a turban,
was observed hastily to enter the house situate within the
garden. The police instantly entered the premises, and
there found an elderly lady standing at a mirror, and fit-
ting a bonnet upon her head. She, however, denied all
knowledge of the transaction ; and, though a strict search
was made for the pistol, it could not be found. Under
these circumstances, and as no one directly saw the pistol
fired, the police did not deem themselves justified in tak-
ing the lady into custody. An elderly man, a servant in
the house, was strictly questioned, and he also denied all
knowledge of the matter. By this gross outrage, five or
six persons were wounded, two of them boys, one not
more than six or seven years of age. The elder boy,
about ten years old was taken to the Police-office, where
several slugs were extracted from his arm by the surgeon.
A policeman was also slightly wounded ; though, fortu-
nately none of the parties were •ery materially injured.
The occurrence took place at the verge of the police boun-
dary ; the pistol having been discharged beyond the
bounds, while it took effect within. The case has accord-
ingly been reported to the county authorities, though the
city police have been making every exertion to bring proof
to bear against the party suspected ; as yet, however,
without success.—Scottish Guardian.
REPORTS OF THE FACTORY INSPECTORS.—The half-
yearly reports of the factory inspectors give evidence
throughout of great activity in every branch of manufac-
tures except flax spinning. Mr. Homer says on the Ist
of May—
" The cotton trade is iu a state of great activity; new mills
are building, others long unoccupied have been taken by new
tenants, and in some places it is difficult to find workers. There
is also a much more prosperous state in the woollen mills. It
is otherwise in the flax-spinning mills; there we have great
complaints of bad trade ; some are working less than twelve
hours a day, and some are entirely stopped."
And again on the 12th of July he says—
" There is great activity in the factories, especially in the
cotton mills. In many places large additions have been made,
both of bui dings and machinery, to existing mills; and several
entirely new mills have been built, and are now in progress. I
not only do not hear of any persons being out of employment,
but in some places hands are scarce. One mill-occupier,
who employs a large number of hand-loom weavers, has stated
that he is paying them fully 3 per cent. more than he did twelve
months ago, and that this advance is general for most descrip-
tions of work."

Mr. Saunders says in his report of the 10th April—
" The state of trade continues much as at the period of my
last report, except that there has been more activity in the
woollen branch."

Mr. Stuart says, writing on the Ist April—
" The cotton factories in this country are, with the most tri-
fling exceptions, all at work, and for the period authorised by
law for the employment of young persons; but not one new
cotton factory either at Glasgow or in this district, so far as I
have observed or cau learn, is in course of being erected."
Mr. Howell, on the 30th June, reports—
" In the quarter just ended the greatest activity has prevailed
in the several branches of manufacture."

The activity of trade has tempted a considerable number
of mill-owners to work beyond the legal hours. Mr.
Stuart bears a very striking testimony to the healthiness
of working in woollen mills, and quotes a medical testi-
mony to the effect that it had cured a young man, a son
of the chief magistrate of Selkirk, and that " children
employed in these works are more healthy than other
children who are kept at home without following any em-
ployment." The quarterly reports of the inspectors of
factories also give a very favourable general view of the
condition of the manufacturing population.
SHIPWRECK AND PIRACY.—The Robert and Ann, of
Newcastle, William Venus, master, bound to Alexandria,
with coke and coals was steering a fair course through
the Gut of Gibraltar on the night of the Ist instant, when
the weather came on so thick that the crew could scarcely
'this Cape
tiS p
see from the head to the stern of the vessel ; and, having
got into a strong current, were driven ashore, at li
o clock, near
m e thear t
we le. a t
hTehr The crew
to
noetl
clear
rk kedge, out,
ewohuetn,
and for four hours laboured unsuccessfully to haul her
off. ff. About
the crew, to their surprise, discovered another vessel
within pistol-shot, exactly in a similar situation to their
own. She proved to be the Syren, of Plymouth, Wil-
liam Turner master, bound from Swansea to Messina, and
also laden with coals. The two masters consulted to-
gether, and it was determined that two of the crew of
each vessel should be despatched to Tangier to get as-
sistance. The men pulled off for that purpose, and just
as they rounded Cape Spartel, were observed by Her Ma-
jesty's steamer Hecla, which vessel was on her way to
Tangier with despatches. The officer in command de-
sired them to return to their vessels, and he would send
off assistance immediately on his arrival at Tangier. On
the boat's crew re-approaching the stranded ships they
found the decks covered with Moors and Arabs ; and
being fired at from the shore immediately pulled off the
land, and again made for Tangier. About two hours
afterwards the boat again fell in with the Hecla, which
having delivered her despatches was returning to assist
the vessels. The Hecla took the boat in tow, and on
nearing the Robert and Ann, the Moors made off; and
together with a body of armed companions on the beach,
amounting, as the men say, to at least 1,000 (a great
number of them mounted on camels and horses), pro-
ceeded inland. Finding that both vessels had been
stripped, and that the captains and remainder of the crews
had disappeared, the Hecla returned to Tangier; where
to the satisfaction of all, it was found that the two cap-
tains and their men had previously arrived, having pulled
there in boats. They had been compelled to leave the
vessels in consequence of one party on shore firing on
them to cover another armed party who wet e advancing
to board. The captains ani crews were forwarded to
Gibraltar in the Hecla, and were brought in the Mon-
trose mail-steamer to Southampton. The crew of the
Syren got re-shipped at that port, and the other crew
were forwarded to London by the local agent of the ship-
wrecked Mariners' Society, to receive further assistance.
—Kentish Mercury.
A meeting of the South Staffordshire Iron and Coal-
masters took place at Tipton, on Wednesday, to take
into consideration the great decrease in the sale of South
Staffordshire coal in the midland counties and in the me-
tropolis, which is alleged to be occasioned by an advance
in the tonnage dues of the Warwick and Birmingham, and
Napton, and Coventry Canals. It appeared, from what
transpired on this occasion, that there was a falling off in
the transmission of coals from that district of 82,259 tons,
comparing the year 1843 with the year 1832, while the ac-
counts of the three months of May, June, and July, in
thr present year, showed a reduction of 4,360 tons. The
cause of this was attributed to an arrangement between the
Warwick and Birmingham and Warwick and Napton Ca-
that
readiestataddressof inwwdnauuclid7
Ca-
nals, by which a charge had been imposed upon naviga-
tion which almost amounts to a prohibition. For instance,
it is stated that a boat passing with 20 tons of coals or less
would be charged with 30 tons weight ; and if a boat
passed singly through the locks, it is charged 10s. It
such a boat should return empty and pass through the
locks singly, 21s. is charged for the same boat. It is said
to be a common thing for a boat to be detained several
days waiting for another boat to accompany it, in order to
save the charge. Another ground of complaint is, that
coals sent to Rickmansworth and Uxbridge have to be
of ten or fifteen miles) and pay the Canal Company from
sent to Brentford and thence back again
Brentford Id. per ton per mile
for such coal, to entitle
(being a distance
them to the same drawback as was allowed on coal passing
through London. Parties living within 15. or 20 miles of
ter distance. The South than those living at a greater
Staf-
fordshire trade in coal with the metropolis is said to be
greatly injured by the present outrageous canal tonnages
London are thus subjected to a higher price for their coal
and their regulations. It was determined at the meeting
the Birmingham Canal Company to make
ythe f
gettingßoard orfi
dTorfatdhee onev i
lthe a
s suggested subject, and
to theb e
i oaisernptcex ,pufi
experienced.
ssensriedtidoae,
ntntaceoelutdteeth,dnoao.dubingnvelhgi wta
to
strongly
seems
rnmseohemnu
gocs
lfhytbh/roe2ef 1
nemt
aihinnleeda miles, which,
decwnoon
compa-
nies pvtc
heah
..e., ,
on the question of a reduction of
consequences. A fact was mentioned in the
of
were the
leastthe 10 Grando,ooo
toos per
Junctioner annum. an d Oxford
It was Canalalalso
iutnni
bcsthtoiyli
oaeetdeuaintmsi
ormelrl
cosoohpdeaernecaa,
at
gavoetat l
Companies
e:rnaitbushteattbeetedeosuhnaytdetdi
rur
rale a
aas
en di
,nin-
consent to charge the toll on brooch coal
so
tfa
ff shortn r
d s weights,n n ena lit
mightwouldo w
boewipngus
crease would take place if a reduction were submitted to,
were it not for the heavy canal tonnages, at 1/s.
viz.,
con-
sumption that
London,
or 18s. per ton, whereas Newcastle coal is now fetching
£1 16s. per ton.