The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-10-17 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

went, by which we are able to produce it at will, and
energies that seem to have no other limits than the lin

wishes. Oersted, in demonstrating the connection that
exists between electricity and terrestrial magnetism, has
given to science the means of measuring this new force by
the aid of the compass needle. Spencer, at last, by the
discovery of the wonderful plastic,ty of metals reduced
by the electric current, has opened to our •iews the means
by which this pure science has at length been able to pene-
trate into the domains of industry, and by this advance
he has been enabled to effect a complete revolution in the
whole art of metallurgy, and which will, in all probability
effect a change as complete in our mineral chemistry."
In the section of this voluminous report, whicn is en-
titled the Period of Spencer, the history and dates of his
various researches in this branch of science, are given,
and the honour of being the discoverer unhesitatingly
awarded him, while passages are translated from his
papers.

" We translate the actual text of some of Mr. Spen-
cer's memoirs—says the report—in order to show with
what minuteness and fidelity he records every part which
occurs during his experiments, whether their importance
may be apparent or otherwise."

BUDE LIGHT, GEORGE'S Docx.—A large and very
powerful bode light has been placed at the north-east
end of George's Dock, close by the gates. It has been
lighted during the two last evenings, and completely su-
persedes all the lights in that neighbourhood.

RUNCORN.—A correspondent of the Mercury states,
that on Sunday week, at Runcorn, a number of young
men, in a state of intoxication, embarked at the ferry, in
a small boat, which', soon after they pushed off, was upset
in a squall, when four of the number were drowned. Two
others were with difficulty restored.

INQUEST.—An inquest was held before the borough
coroner, on Saturday, on view of the. body of Elizabeth
Page, who died suddenly in liitson's-terrace, leading out
of Seel-street. In the opinion of Mr. James Garthside,
surgeon, who made a post modem examination, death
had been caused by hemorrhage, and a verdict to this
effect was returned.

NEW MODE OF RAISING THE WIND.—On Friday, a
lad named William Finn, was fined 304. and costs, and in
default of payment ordered to be imprisoned fourteen
days, for cutting open the linings of a gentleman's coach,
in the Saracen's Head Inn Yard, and stealing the curled
hair.

PUBLICANS FIN ED.—On Friday, two publicans and
four beer-sellers were charged, at the police-court, with
varion, infringements of the law. One of the publicans
was acquitted : the other, John Jones, Fairhurst-street,
(2d conviction,) was fined 80s. and costs. Beer-sellers
fined :—Thomas Bucks, Vauxhall-road, (2d conviction,)
80s.; Robert Wyne, Naylor-street, 40s.

INctuesT.—On Wednesday, an inquest was held before
Mr. Curry on view of the body of Harriet Southurst, re-
siding in Baptist-street. The deceased had complained
for two or three days of headache, nausea, and sickness,
and sent to a druggist's shop, in Byrom-street, for a mix-
ture, which she took, and on Saturday evening began to
rave, and was much worse. She died on Monday. Ver-
dict—" died from fever."

A MAN STABBED BY A BEGGAR.—On Tuesday a beg-
gar, named James Morrison, and who, it was apparent,
was either permanently insane or subject to temporary
fits of excitemrnt, was placed at the bar of the Police
Court, charged with having stabbed Thomas Christopher.
It appeared, that. on the preceding evening, the prisoner,
who had a child in his arms, begged alms from Christo-
oiler and other men, and was insulted and told to go to
the Night Asylum. He went away, but returned again,
and said he would give the b—s some cold steel for
their suppers, upon which Christopher struck him on the
nose, and. in return, the prisoner stabbed him. on the
thigh, and was found by the police-officer brandishing a
large open clan) knife in his hand, and threatening to
stab any one that came near him. Mr. Rushton ordered
that all the evidence should be taken cl_ wn in writing.
ROYAL LIVER THEATRE.—This popular and pretty
little theatre, ti,e opening of which we briefly noticed in
our last, continues to draw most respectable, an.l even
crowded audiei ces. Mr. Raymond has provided himself
with a very fair stock company ; and has this week, in
addition, the aid of an old favorite of the Liverpool pub-
lic, Mr. Browne, with the inimitable Mr. Mackay, whois
almost identified with one of the best of Sir Walter Scott's
characters, viz.,—Bailie Nicol Jarvey. Mr. F. Vining,
too, the stage manager, is a decided acquisition to the
Liver company ; as is Mr. Henry Bedford, a nephew of
Paul Bedford, who promises to take a high rank in the
particular line of characters which he has chosen. Mrs.
Raymond is as usual, lively, and a deserved tavorite with
the audience. The performances last night were, " The
Wonder, or Woman Keeps a Secret,"—" Is he Jealous ?"
—and " Robert Macaire," which are to be repeated this
evening. In the latter piece, Browne, as Robert Mocaire,
drew down the frequent applause of a numerous audience.
We must not omit noticing the very pretty dancing of
Miss Massall, a young lady, who, we believe, is a stranger
upon the Liverpool boards. We may add that the regu-
lations required by the Act of Parliament, under which
the house is opened, are strictly enforced, and all impro-
per characters excluded, from which, we doubt not, the
managerial exchequer may suffer for awhile, but, we trust,
not longer than is required f 4. the playghing public to be

It will be seen from the advertisement that
wne has announced his benefit for Friday, when
no doubt the house will be crowded iu every part.
SALVAGE CASE OF A LIVERPOOL VESSEL.—DISAS.
TERS AT SltA.—On Wednesday last, Sir Anthony Perrier
and Capt. White held a court in the Custom-house, Cork,
as justices of the peace, for the porPose of determining
whether the crew of the Rose pilot-boat were entitled to
salvage for services rendered to the Kathleen, of Liver-
pool, on the morning of the 27th September. Mr. John
Bennett appeared for the salvagers; Mr. Walsh, counsel,
and Mr. Wm. Deane, as agent, appearing for the owner
of the Kathleen, Mr. Gardiner, of Liverpool. The claims
of the salvagers, seven pilots of Cove. were then read,
setting forth the services performed by them to the Kath-
leen, and for which they claimed a sum of £175, or -,'25
each. The vessel was bound from Sierra Leone to Li-
verpool, with a valuable .cargo of palm oil, ivory, d3e-
woods, &c., amounting in value to £5,790. Witnesses
were called to sustain the claims. It appeared that the
vessel had suffered a series of disasters on her homeward
voyage, and was much disabled. The master and mate
died, and a Portuguese who afterwards navigated her
jumped overboard, carrying with him the only timepiece
on board—his watch. On passing the Western Isles the
Kathleen encountered a squall, which carried away her
foretopiail and foretopgallantsail. Added to these mis-
fortunes, the provisions were bad. She was in this way
for three weeks. On nearing the Irish coast, it was sta-
ted, the union-jack was hoisted " versed," as a signal of
distress. She made her way, and on the 27th ult. got off
the Old Head of Kinsale. About this time the pilot-boat
saw her, afterwards reached her, supplied her with provi-
sions, boarded her, and assisted to work her, and to bring
her into Cork harbour. It appeared, however, that the
master, Donovan, made some objection to the crew of
the Rose assisting, on the ground of claim for salvage;
but Cavanagh, of the Rose, got over that by saying that
the charge for working the vessel should be settled by any
two gentlemen in Cove. Mr. Walsh contended, on this
and other grounds, that the case ought to be dismissed.
The master of the Kathleen also gave evidence to show
that the signal of distress was made inadvertently, and
that, with the mere assistance of a pilot, he could have
brought the vessel safely into port, as his men were no
less capable of working her than they had been a month
before. Sir Anthony Perrier said there was no doubt the
men of the Rose had rendered services to the Kathleen,
but certainly not to the extraordinary amount they had
claimed. Finally it was agreed that £2l should be paid
as salvage, or £3 to each of the pilots. The court then
broke up.
THE BAZAAR IN BEHALF OF ST. SILAS'S CHURCH,
AT THE MUSIC•HALL.—The bazaar, the funds arising
from which are to be appropriated towards the liquidation
of the debt on this neat and commodious place of woe_
ship, commenced, according to announcement, on Tues-
day, and was continued during the two following days ;
and also (in consequence of some unfavourable weather)
on the afternoon of Friday, for the sale of the remaining
articles. The room was very handsomely decorated for
the occasion, and presented throughout a very pleasing
and animated appearance. At one end were suspended
three handsome banners—the Liverpool and the royal
coat-of-arms, and an emblematical flag representing little
children receiving instruction. These were appended
from the roof, and concealed the platform usually appro-
priated for speakers. The gallery at the other end was
also screened off in a similar way, so that the whole of
the space on which the fair was held was, properly, on
one level. The sides were decorated in a corresponding
manner with flags bearing devices, and the divisions of the
stalls, ranged along them, were covered with pink and
white cloth, and ornamented, over the front, with ever-
greens, flowers, small flags, &c., so that each formed an
arbour or alcove, in which the fair venders were seen to
much advantage, yet appeared, in their anxiety to pro-
mote the laudable object in view, to be quite unconscious
of their attractions. The exhibition consisted of a great
and elegant variety of ornamental and some useful articles
in embroidery and rug work, pencil and coloured draw-
ings, desks and work boxes, papier rnashe' ornaments,

audience

and all the etceteras usual on such occ.isinns. Many of
the pieces of needlework were extremely beautiful, and
the general assortment was highly creditable to the taste,
talent, and good feeling of our fair townswomen, and
others who contributed. There was also a splendid stand
for confectionary, ices, &c. at one end. On Tuesday the
company was select and fashionable, and so crowded

to again visit the scene. On the two following days the
roOni, notwithstanding the showers,was also well at tended.
The greatest satisfaction was expressed throughout,
to the vet butt revirinn- —r t at...

ht rnd obtained werebut:nlo;i:;;te, but by no I
-y low." The greatest credit, indeed, is
at the stalls
;chit

means " ruinou
doe to the ladie
was beyond all

DR. COLLYER'S LECTURES ON MESMERISM

Last Tuesday evening, at the Royal Assembly Rooms,
Great George-street, Dr. Collyer introduced the tnu,li-
agitated subject by some pet tisent and striking remarks.
to a select though not numerous audience. We cannot
give any lengthened account of the various details of the
novel science included in his general survey, but shall
content ourselves with noticing some of the more promi-
nent features of his eloquent and impressive discourse.
After a review of the general character of the so-called
Me-meric phenomena, Dr. C. proceeded to allude to that
modification of the process of manipulation introduced
by Mr. Braid, wherein by an exhaustion of the sense of
vision, nerve sleep can be produced, followed by the cata-
leptic stage, somnambulism, Sze. Dr. C. asserted that the
facts of this neurohypnological condition furnished the
strongest arguments for the proposition maintained by
Dr. C., viz., that these phenomena are the result of the
transference of the will of the operator. Dr. C. lays
great stress upon this will operation, and is opposed to
the idea that it is a physiological state merely, i e. a state
of the body superinduced by or,anic and material causes :
in other and simple words, Dr. C. believes these pheno-
mena to depend upon the operation of mind upon mind,
or upon mind and matters conjoined. Mr. B. 's idea is
that they are caused by the agency of matter upon mat-
ter. One may be said to be a metaphysical, the other a
physical doctrine. This sublimation of the subject by
Dr. C. by resolving the effects into will-agency, stands
opposed as much to the original proposition of Mesmer
and Du Potet, as to that of Braid and the disciples of his
school. The former, accounted the auent, that of an as-
sumed imponderable matter—magnetism, the latter a
conditional function of the nervous system, a natural
state of the animal body independent of will, or the super-
natural. We have tried to convey to our readers per-
ception of the difference between the three dogmas, under
which the students of this extraordinary re-discovered
science range themselves, if we rightly apprehend the
lecturer and his views. If our analysis proves mistaken,
it will be a pity that a subject so complex cannot be at
least approached under some such simplified ideas as we
have endeavoured to embody herein, as the scope of the
various explanations of the magnetic nerve-sleep, (neuro-
hypnological), and will-transferred—(piychographical)
schools.
Dr. C. alluded to the verdict of the French eomsnission
of inquiry, appointed in 1785, and to Dr. Franklin's re-
porting of the want of analogy with electricity and terres-
trial magnetism. He remarked that the class of pheno-
mena were dependant on the persons themselves.
Dr. C., in referring to the manifestations of the cere-
bral organs during the mesmeric sleep, or phreno-mes-
merism, stated that he was the first in America to turn at-
tention to the facts. First he looked upon it as amuse-
ment, then traced its important relations, and he con-
cludes that where there is no knowledge of phrenology in
the patient, there is no respondence to the manipulaions
(pericranial). The Zoist, a new magazine, em racing
these subjects, asserts Dr. C.'s priority of discovery of
p.hreno-mesmerism. He touched upon the medical
fact of revived memory in fever cases, which corre-
sponds to the extraordinary memory of the mesmerised,
which appears as photographically inscribed. Dr. C.

avers that the will of the operat,.r is the sole law of the
patient when the sleep is complete.
Dr. C. appears to entertain his convictions on this re-
vived science with an enthusiasm which carries others
away with him, and still further with an honesty which
does credit to the cause as advocated by an ingenuous
mind; corresponding with which we find (an invariable
counterpart,) that he gives credit to others who may dif-
fer from him for maintaining their various opinions with a
tone alike truth-seeking and honest. He thinks it neces-
sary to success, for the subject (patient) to be mentally,
morally. and physically calm, or there will be no conges-
tion of brain; therefore he refused to operate on any of
the audience.

In Exp. 1, be fixed tke feet of the young woman vrhern
he had only seen for two days past, viz. since his arrival
in Liverpool from America. This wasa mental condition
he said, and not a corporeal one, as the general impression
would be. _ _

Exp. 2. 11, fixed the jaw—mouth open—remarking
further upon t;•‘: will of the operator as sole law for un-
conscious subject.
Exp. 3. To prove that mental hallucination could hi'
induced by operator, be took the young woman—only
semi-mesmerised, and, placing a jug in her hands which
previously she had recognised to be a jug ; by a few
gasses of his hand, she began to stroke it us a pet cat,
, •

which she declared was such ; and, on her being de-
mesmerised, her own surprise at her mistake was pictured
by a look and expression of shame before the audience
which could not be feigned. Again her mind was taken
in tow, and she saw a large fish at her side, from which
she endeavoured to escape, with every gesture of horror,
until rectified as before.

Exp. 4. A young man and the young woman (both per-
fect strangers to Dr. C., except during one or two re-
hearsals) were placed in the cataleptic condition, or rigid
spasm of the inuselcs of the arms and limbs.
Dr. C. stated that he knew of two operations having
been performed in America during mesmeric condition,
viz., extirpation of cancer from the foot, and adjustment
of a coil:pound-fractured fore-arm. In the latter, port
Lions of bone were removed, in order to' set the limb,'—
Ids the patient was

a very pain'
insensible.

operation—an

Exp. 5. The young man so mesmerised as, on attempt-
ing to walk, to reel as if drunk,-.--a state described by an
old tutor of ours as if a man had business on both side:
the way at once. .

Exp. 6. Hand fixed on table, and immovable, though
patient made great efforts—table could be withdrawn
from baud, except when Dr. C. placed his own hand un-
derneath the table, when the table was pulled over by
patient as by forcible adhesion ; yet this was in the mind
of the patient, and not in the muscles, Dr. C. says.
Exp 7. Coin placed in the hand—dropped—because
"felt as if it were a r•ed•hot poker"—(a mental state.)
Exp. 8. Similar trial with water—rejected as " scald-
ing," because the lecturer blew into it a moment.

-Dr. C. mentioned that nostalgia—a disease called love
of home'—could be cured by exciting the patient mesme-
rically, and then stimulating the brain antipodically, end
leaving this as the last mental phase before restoring them
to ordinary consciousness.

Dr. C. does not 'appear to be one crediting the transla-
tion of senses named by the French clairvoyance. He
explains it as, where manifested, to consist in a mental
transfer from operator to patient, and not a transfer of
one sense to another.

LECTURE II

-FRIDAY

Dr. Collyer commenced this evening his analysis of
mesmerism by remarking that the conditions most im.
pressionable were found in those temperaments which are
called sanguine and nervous, and their combination the
nervo-sanguine. He described the vital powers as elec-
tricity vitalised' by assimilation in the lungs—a term we

conceive to be ambiguously expressing lifein other terms.
Dr. C. mentioned Beclard as authorizing by his fame
in medical science the notion of an imponderable fluid in
the nerves.

infancy requires to learn the habitual control of them-
selves by the will, and to economise the superfluous will.
Seveial interesting remarks on this subject were intro-
duced, which we cannot detail.
The facts of the electrical lady reported in Professor
Silliman's journal, and that of a niece of the American
Charge d'Affaires, who was magnetised by electrical ma.
chine, were interesting to a general audience.
Fakers mesmerised by means of narcotic fumes.
Shakrng Quaker's ecstacy and consequent exhaustion
tninifested by lying down collapsed and faint. An in-
stance of mesmerism produced through a giddy and exci-
ting dance, which developer a cataleptic trance sometimes
for two or three days. _

Three modes of producing mesmeric condition :-
I.—Narcotising.
2.—Muscular exertion.
3.—Transfer of will.

Fevers charmed by mesmerism. Like La Fontaine,
he holds that if the operator is fatigued, little or no effect
is produced. After excitement in battle mesmeric col-
lapse, likewise in drunkenness wounds not felt, because
nervous force is taken away by mental excitement. _

Suttee—Hindoo widow, when burnt on the funeral pile
of her husband, does not feel, because excited—explains
Sccevola's case of arm thrust into the fire under stimulus
of mind. Some explanations followed, wherein cayenne
pepper and aloes were mistaken for sweet things by pa-
tients. Allusion to excitement in a crowd being conta-
gious. One patient conscious, and not having the mes-
meric sleep developed, could no. see his foot at all, be-
cause it was cut off as it were by a few passes of Dr. C's
hand.