The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-03-05 00:00:00

LOCAL NEWS.

ACCIDENT : CAUTION.—A la& while playing at the
George's-pier, on Wednesday last, had his thigh danger-
ously pierced by one of the iron spikes placed fur the pro-
tection of the stone-work.

BIRKENHEAD FAIR.--lAt this fair, which took place
on Tuesday last, there was only a moderate supply of
cattlP, horses, &c. Draft horses sold from £l5 to £25
each; calving cows from £8 to £10; and cheese from
45s to 60s per cwt.

MEETING OF THE CONSUMERS OF GAS —Oa Tues-
day evening a meeting of the Liverpool Guartii,n Society,
and of the consumers of gas generally, was held at the
Portico, Newington, for the purpose of adopting measures
to oppose the Queen's-square Gas Company's bill, now
before parliament. The meeting was very numerously
and respectably attended.

NEW PATENTS.—Amongst the new patents obtained
last month was one by James Overend, of Liverpool,
gentleman, for improvements in printing fabrics with
metallic matters, and in finishing silks and other fabrics,
being a communication ; and one by Andrew Kurtz, of
Liverpool, manufacturing chemist, for certain improve-
ments in apparatus to be employed for drying, evapora-
ting, distilling, torrefying, and calcining • and one to
Robert Hodgson, of Princes-street, elapharn-road,
Surrey. engineer, for improvements in propelling vessels,
and in the machinery for working the same.
THE LIVERPOOL CRICKET Cum.—The first of the in-
tended annual dinners of this old-established club was
held on Saturday week at the Adelphi Hotel, where an
excellent entertainment was provided for them by Mr.
Radley. The company consisted of twenty-five. The
chair was very efficiently filled by Mr. Charles Cameron,
who was ably supported by the treasurer, Mr. A. Potter.
After the cloth was withdrawn, the chairman proposed
the toasts of the " Queen," " Prince Albert," the " Prince
of Wales," and the rest of the Royal Family, which were
severally enthusiastically responded to.
CHIEF CONSTABLE.—A meeting of the Watch Com-
mittee was held on Tuesday last, for the purpose of
selecting a proper person to recommend to the Council
as successor to Mr. Whitty. Mr. Miller, Capt. Whitty,
and Mr. Shepperd were selected by the sub-committee
as persons suitable for the office, and one of whom they
rec3m mended the general committee to appoint. After
a short discussion as to the merits of the respective
candidates, a division took place, when it was resolved, by
a majority of nineteen to three, to recommend Mr.
Miller for the appointment, and we congratulate the gen-
tleman on his success.
WELSH CHARITY BALL.—On Tuesday night a ball
WAS held at the Town-hall, in aid of the funds of the
Welsh Charity Schools ; and we are happy to state that
as the Welsh balls have hitherto been renowned for being
the first in the town, this was not by any means behind

those which had preceded it. The lady patroness, Mrs.
J. Pemberton Heywood, arrived about nine o'clock, and
from that hour to about half-past ten the company began
rapidly to assemble. There were between 700 to 800 ladies
and gentlemen present. and amongst them some of the
most fashtonable parties, including the Hon. Mr. and
Mrs. Kenyon, of whom Liverpool and its vicinity can
boast.

DISMISSAL OF A POLICEMAN.—OnTriday, at the Po-
lice-court, Mr. Rushton publicly ordered police-officer
No. 384 (Forest) to be dismissed the force, for having
told a falsehood, and for not having lent that prompt and
efficient assistance to a brother officer (157), Humphreys,
which it was his duty to do, and which was necessary for
the protection of his comrade from violence. It appeared,
from the evidence in the case, that 257 was taking a
drunken, disorderly rope-maker to bridewell—that the
fellow repeatedly assaulted him on the way, and that 384,
who was present, not only stood, comparatively speaking,
aloof from the affray, but misrepresented some of the
circumstances in the presence of the court.
SERIOUS CAUTION TO PAWNBROKERS.—A society re-
cently formed in this town for the protection of the poor
against the alleged exactions of pawnbrokers brought two
pawnbrokers—Mr. F. D. Woodward and Mr. Wood—
before Mr. Rushton on Thursday last. The complaint
against Mr. Woodward was, that a person took three
chairs to pledge, and that, instead of one ticket, he gave
three, thereby increasing his profits illegally. Mr. Wood,
it appeared, charged fourpence where he ought only to
have charged twopence. The cases having been fully
proved, and the practice, it seems, being too general,
Mr. Rushton inflicted the penalty of £lO on Mr. Wood-
ward, and £5 on Mr. Wood.
Tar: PACKET-SHlPS.—Since 1844 came into existence
our fine packet-ships have bc2n skimming the sea at a
rate seldom equalled. Look at the following passages
recently made to this port .
Virginian, Allen Jan. 2 .... Feb. 4 .... 32
Montezuma, Lowber
Roscius, Collins
Hottinguer, Bursley .
St. George, Ferris „l4 .... „10 .... 26
Europe, Furber „ 16 „ 11 .... 25
Cohota, Hepburn
—(New York Herald.) We may also add to the above
the passages of the packet-ships George Washington,
United States, and England, from New York to this
port, the first in nineteen, the second in sixteen and a
Half, and the last in sixteen.

THE DEBATE ON IRELAND.—Of the whole twenty-six
members returued for Lancashire, twenty-two were pre-
sent, eleven of whom voted for and eleven attainst the
motion ; and of the four absent, two would certainly have
supported the government, and two would in all probability
have been found in the minority. The members present
who opposed the motion were, Lord Stanley, Mr. Wilson
Patten, Mr. Wilbraham, Lord Sandon, Sir H. Douglas,
Mr. Hornby, Mr. Black burne, Mr. Greenall, Mr. Card-
well, Mr. Greene, and Mr. Marton. Those present who
divided in favour of the motion were, Sir H. Fleetwood,
Sir G. Strickland, Dr. Bowling, Mr. Walker, Mr. Hind-
ley, Mr. Fielden, Mr. Gibson, Mr. Phillips, Mr. S.
Crawford, Mr. Brotherton, and Mr. Standish. The go-
vernment supporters absent were, Lord Francis Egerton
and Mr. Fielden; those of Lord John Russell, General
Jackson and Mr. Ainsworth.

THE NORTHERN HOSPITAL.—On Saturday a special
meeting of the trustees of the Northen Hospital was held,
at the Clarendon-roans. South John-street, for the pur-
pose of selecting a plan for building the new hospital, the
site for which, in Great Howard-street, has been kindly
granted by the Town Council. After a variety of plans
had been submitted, and the merits of each duly canvas-
sed, a series of resolutions was submitted and adopted, to
the effect, that Mr. Welch's plan be approved of and sent
to the Finance Committee for their consideration ; that
Mr. Edward's plan be also sent to the Finance Commit-
tee for their consideration ; that, whichever plan be ap-
proved of by the Finance Committee, the building com-
mittee of the hospital shall at once proceed to carry into
execution. We understand that Mr. Welch's plan can
he carried into completion for the sum of £6,500, and
that, in all probability, the new building will be furnished
in the summer of 1845.

UNINVITED GUESTS.—Sever 11 gentlemen's houses in
the neighbourhoods of Edgebill, Lowhill, and Everton
have recently been visited by a gang of thieves, whose
mode of proceeding is the same in every instance. They
effect an entrance either by the coal vault or the kitchen
window, and in every instance they use a centre bit for
the purpose of making a hole in the doors or shutters
large enough to admit a hand, and near enough to the
lock or bolt to enable them to open them. When in, they
have uniformly made themselves comfortable with the
contents of the pantry and the wine cellar, leaving behind
them evidence of having been in no hurry to depart. The
most remarkable part of the proceeding is, that they pre-
fer visiting houses at which some of the inmates have sat
up late. Last Wednesday night they made an entrance
into Mr. Kellet's house, Netherfield-road, although a
person in the house had not retired until after four
o'clock. This uniformity of plan shows that they are one
gang, and it is hoped that this notice will soon bring us
better acquainted with them.
CHANGE IN THE IRISH MAlLS.—There is now a like-
lihood of some alterations in the despatch and arrival of
the English as well as the inland mails. The Holyhead
mail packet, which leaves Kingstown at nine, a.m., is to
be discontinued. Indeed it had become almost wholly
useless, as the London correspondence was sent via Liver-
pool. There are still to be two mails daily from Kings-
town to Liverpool—one at six o'clock, a.m., the other at
half-past six, p.m. The night mail, at half-past nine, is
to be discontinued. The early mail from Kingstown, at
six o'clock, is to take the Irish provincial mails for Eng-
land, which are to arrive in the Dublin Postoffice at four,
a.m., to afford time for the sorting and despatch. The
inland mails are to leave the Postoffice at eight, p.m., an
hour earlier than at present. The evening mail from
Kingstown to Liverpool is to convey the Irish provincial
correspondence to all parts of England, and such letters
and papers as may be posted after the departure of the
evening mail. The bulk of the Dublin correspondence,
however, will go by the latter mail, which, leaving Kings-
town at half-past six, p.m., could take the mails brought
by the Cork mid-day mail, which is now due at the Post-
office at half-past three, p.m., and probably the Belfast
day mail. These alterations, if finally approved of, are to
come into operation on the sth of April next.—Marcan-
tile Advertiser.

TOWN COUNCIL—In addition to the notices of motion
given by Mr. North and to be argued tomorrow at the
usual monthly meeting of the Town Council, are the fol-
lowing "By Mr. Councillor Isaac Holmes :—That the
committee on by-laws for the regulation of the slips and
stairs, and landing places be instructed to take into con-
sideration the passing of a by-law for extending to forty
minutes the period of twenty minutes allowed to steam
and other boats usually employed in carrying goods or
.
passengers beyond the port to remain at the stairs
or other landing-places, for landing or receiving passen-
gers, luggage, or goods each voyage, provided that such
extension shall be limited to one landing or receiving in
the twenty-four hours. By Mr. Alderman Bramley-
Moore :—That the Council do accept the offer made on
behalf of the Dock committee to the Finance committee
of the sum of £226,000 for the purchase of the land and
strand of the Corporation. to the north of the Dock
Estate, together with the interest of the Corporation,
.
subject to all charges and expenses the strand contracted
for with Lord Derby and the Duchy ; and that it be re-
ferred to the Finance committee to adjust with the Dock
committee all terms and conditions relating to such pur-
chase at the price so offered, such adjustment being sub-
ject to the approval of the Council. By Mr. Councillor
Blackburn :—That the system now adopted in the man-
agement of the Corporation Schools practically excludes
from them the children of Roman Catholics ; that such
exclusion is not only unjust but at variance with the de-
sign of the act for the reform of Municipal Corporations;
that it is, therefore, the duty of the Council either to
devise some plan which will render the Schools available
to all classes, or to discontinue them altogether, and
apply that portrop of the surplus revenue, which is now
expended in their support, to some purpose of general
utility advantageous to the whole community."

TESTIMONIAL TO THE REV. MR.. WELSH.— 011
Wednesday ntlit the ladies of the Scorch Church, Old-
ham-street, presented the Rev. J. R. Welsh, their pastor
with a splendid gold watch and appendages, and an elegant
silver cup, with appropriate inscriptions, in test ithnny of
the high regard and esteem in which he is held by the
whets entigregAion ; and of their sense of his extensive
and unweAried usefulness in promoting the cause of divine
truth among them.
OPENING DINNER AT HARRIS'S EXCHANGE 11 OTEL
AND RESTAURANT.—By an advertisement in our co-
lumns this (I,ly, our readers will see that this " house-
war ming"— to use an old-fasMotted phrase—is fixed for
Wednesday, the 13th instant, having been postponed, on
account of the steeple-chases, &c. which occurred last
week, when it was originally announced to have tauen
place. We have no doubt a good company will reward
the well known attention of our worthy host to his guests,
and his excellent cuisine.

BEGGING.—NO fewer than thirty-five persons of both
sexes were brought before Mr. Rushton, at the Police-
court yesterd,y, charged with begging in the streets.
Many of then -ere wretched females, with one, two, or
more children, ri;3erably clothed or nearly naked, and
nearly all pale and hageard from want. Some were sent
to the parish office to be relieved ; others were ordered to
be clad and removed to their parishes. Several who had
settlements in Ireland, but refused to return on the ground
that they had been long in England and bad no home or
friends at their place of birth, were sent to prison for short
periods. Those known as systematic beggars were sent
for a month each to jail. Amongst the cases brought for-
ward (and they did not comprise a tenth of what might be
brought forward,) there were several of extreme destitu-
tion and suffering-, including widows and deserted wives
with families, without bedding or a morsel of food; old
and decrepit men and women. One of the women had
herself and five children to keep out of a parish allowance
of but 3s. a week, and her husband is in the infirmary
awaiting amputation of a limb. She and a few others
were sent to the workhouse. Mr. Rushton gave each
case the most humane attention, but stated that begging
in the streets was not tolerated by law, and that he was
determined to put it down. One old and decent looking
man had been seen receiving broken food at different
doors. A gentleman stated that he had known him for
many years ; that he came into his neighbourhood, but
did not apply at a door or even a gate; and that the
neighbours were in the habit of tapping at the window as
be passed, aid giving him what they could spare; that
he supported two grandchildren, and had once lived in a
house for many years at a rent of £l6 a year, which gave
him a settlement for Liverpool. Other gentlemen were
ready to corroborate this statement, Mr. Rushton said
that it was not necessary for a per um It, ask for anything
to constitute the legal offence,—so inaL it would appear
that the acceptance of a free gilt by a necesstous per-
son renders him punishable by law ! His case was
ordered to be inquired into, and if found correct to be
sent to the workhouse. Truly it may be said that " one
half tne world knows not how the o..ber lives."

FREE SECESSION ScHoor.s.—On Tun day evening a
meeting was held in the Scotch Secession Church, Mount-
pleasant, for the purpose of enabling the Rev. Mr. Mac-
donald, of Blairgowrie, to explain the scheme for estab-
lishing five hundred schools in connection with the Free
Seceding Church of Scotland. G. J. Duncan, Esq., was
called to the chair. Mr. Macdonald proceeded to state
his plan. With nearly 700 churches to erect, he said, and
500 or 600 ministers to support, it might have been thought
that they could have delayed the proposal for schools till a
future period. But they had been placed in peculiar cir-
cumstances : for having always had schoolmasters in con-
nection with the church, the disruption affected the
schoolmasters as well as the clergy. Many of the best,
most devoted, most gifted schoolmasters had left their
schools and school-houses, and all their temporal advan-
tages, for conscience sake; and. he thought they should
just show as cordial and substantial sympathy for the one
class as for the other. His scheme was this : If he could
get 500 persons to give ls. to each of their schools, that
would yield £12,500. Then, if they could get 1,000 per-
sons to give 6d. to each of the schools, that would yield
another £12,500. Then, if 2,000 persons would give 3d.
each, that would be another £12,500. And lastly, if
6,000 could be induced to give just Id. each, that would
yield another £12,500. Thus, 0,500 persons sutscribing
in these proportions, would give them the whole required
sum of £50,000. Of this, he was happy to tell them, he
had already succeeded in getting £30,000. The plan had
three conditions :—First, no pirt of the subscription was
to be taken up unless the whole £50,000 were subscribed.
Thus every subscriber had the delightful security, before
he was called upon to give up any part cf his money, that
the whole 500 schools would be built. He would here
mention that they did not expect to be able to build 500
schools out (,1 £50,000. They proposed to advance £lOO
for each. In highland and country parishes, where friendly
farmers would give carriage for nothing, this would sufficF.
In other places they calculated upon local contributions in
aid of their advances. The second condition was, that
their subscriptions were to be received in five annual in-
stalments. Papers were then handed round to receive the
names of contributors, with the amount each person was
willing to subscribe. On these being returned to the
platform, the sum total was found to amount to £l,OOO
17s. 6d. ; the announcement of which was received with
loud cheers. A committee was appointed to carry the
plan into effect.

MEETING OF GUARDIANS, WARRINGTON.-011 Wed-
nesday last the usual weekly meeting of the board was
held at the Board room of the Warrington Workhouse.
There was an average number of guardians in attendance.
W. Gill, Esq., the chairman of the board, presided. At
the commencement of the proceedings of the board, the
Clerk read the minutes of the last meeting, which were
confirmed. He then stated that he had received a letter
from the Poor Law Commissioners, together with a copy
of a letter which had been sent by them to Mr. J. Booth,
the auditor of the union accounts. On the same being
read, the Chairman stated that he would not sanction any
relief to be given to the able-hodied out-door cases pro-
hibited by the Out-door Labour Test Order of the commis-
sioners. The other guardians concurred. Mr. Kerfoot,
addressing the Chairman, said, that as it now appears that
the guardians are not to be permitted to afford relief to
out-door able-bodied paupers, he saw no other chance
left except for them to apply to the magistrates, who could
order relief in urgent and needful cases. The Clerk re-
plied that the magistrates had no jurisdiction in these
cases, inasmuch as they could not be considered "cases
of urgent necessity." lie then particularly referred to
several clauses in the Out-door Labour Test Order of the
commissioners for the guidance of the board. The
guardians then proceeded with the ordinary business of
hearing and deciding upon the several applications for
relief, when a few distressed cases of able-bodied men with
families, coming particularly under the order, were re-
luctantly refused, and referred to the magistrates. Mr.
Clayton and Mr. Sankey took occasion to explain to them
the cause of such refusal. Mr. Kerfoot said, the relieving
officers must appear before the magistrates without sum-
monses, when requested to do so; after which, and at the
time appointed for special business, the Clerk read the
letters referred to, when a conversation took place as to
the expediency of publishing them throughout the union.
Several guardians expressed an opinion that it ought to
be generally made known that the guardians bad no longer
power to give out-door relief in these cases; when it was
moved by Mr. Kerfoot, and seconded by Mr. Sankey,
" That it is the opinion of the guardians that the letter of
the Poor Law Commissioners addressed to the Clerk, as
well as the copy of the one sent to the Auditor, should be
forthwith printed, and published throughout the union."
On the motion being put by the Chairman, it was carried
unanimously.

AFrucnx GUANO.—As considerable interest is now felt
in the importation of guano from Africa, which, it is
said, will probably exceed 30,000 tons this year, by vessels
that have sailed from this port, the Clyde, Hull London,
and various other ports, we furnish fome few particulars
of the spot whence the article is brought, the position of
which is not generally known. The African guano is
found at Angra Pequina, on the western coast of the
African continent, a ;considerable distance on this (the
northern side) of the Cape of Good Hope. That part
of the coast has hitherto been little, if at all, known by
our navigators, except in occasionally seeing it en passant
when on the way to or from the Cape. There is here "a
break" of the land, or bay, forming several small har-
bours, and trending to the south, protected, at that end,
from the west by a neck of land stretched northward. It
is seventeen leagues to the southward (S. by E.) of
" Spencer's Bay." The outer point of the neck, on the
S. W., is called " Pedestal Point," and is distinguished
by a pedestal of a marble cross, erected by Bartholomew
Diaz, in 1486, which is still conspicuous from the offing.
This point is in latitude 26 deg. 38 min. 24 sec. S. ; long.,
15 deg. 2 min. 20 sec. E. At a league to the eastward is
Angra Point, off which there is a cluster of rocks. The
coast between forms a cove, open to the N. and N. W.,
and in the middle of which there is anchorage in six or
seven fathoms, with a fine sandy bottom, and sheltered
from the S. E., S., and S. W. winds. Spring tides rise
from seven to eight feet. The N. E. point of
Angra Point is 6t miles E. N. E. (north-east) from
Pedestal Point. To the southward of the north-east
point, are three islets, placed from northward to south-
ward, nearly in a line, and, judging from the charts, we
should say resembling in position and respective size the
masts of a ship. That on the north is called " Seal Is-
land ;" the middle and largest is " Penguin island," and
the southern or smallest is " Shark Island." Each, with
the point itself, is bounded with rocks, but there are pas-
sages between with a depth of from three to five fathoms.
The northern part is half a league broad, and the best
channel is between Seal and Penguin, the two northern
islets. Within Angra Point on the east, and south of
these islands, there is another islet, extending five miles
to the southward. The entrance to this, between the
point and Shark Island, is half a league broad. The desert
island at which the guano is found is " Penguin," (An-
glice) the larger of the three named. At the time of the
sailing of the Leavenside on the 22d December, and since
arrived at our port, as elsewhere noticed, with a cargo of
guano, there were in the cove fifteen British merchantmen,
all loading, " and, (says the Dumfries Courier,) the
sight of their union jacks floating on shores, hitherto al-
most unvisited but by a stray sealer, whilst a busy colony
of sailers plied their labours untrammelled by custom-
house or other regulations, must have recalled the thoughts
of Columbus and his band of adventurers seeking the
riches of the new found isles of America." On the same
day on which the arrival of the Leavenside was reported
here, the Star of the West, from the same place, with
guano, arrived at Plymouth. With respect to the com-
parative qualities of the African and the Peruvian guano,
it has been stated to us by dealers thut the latter is supe-
rior, from its containing (though of the same general na-
ture,) more of the ammonia in which consists its principal
vegetative powers. This is accounted for not so much
fi ow any difference in the original deposit, as from the
nature of the respective climates. It is said that in that
part of P,.ru in which it is found, no rain ever falls; thatat Anglo Pequina there are heavy periodical rains, *wince
tend to rob it of its virtues.

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