The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-02-10 00:00:00

GENERAL MISCELLANY.

Sir Robert Peel completed the 58th year of his age on
Thursday.
Mr. R. Cooke, a surgeon, was on Friday, in London,
sentenced to seven years' transportation' for bigamy.
A Society is just formed in London; called " The So.
ciety for Promoting Church Music."
A ship has just left the Clyde, for the West Indies,
with a cargo of metal coffins.
By a recent Treasury order British spirits may be bottled
in bond for export under certain regulations.
On Sunday morning week, a fresh-grown mushroom was
gathered by the way-side, near Preston.
A fine butterfly was seen near Bath the last week in
January.—Another was caught near Liverpool.
The personal estate of the late Isaac Cohen, Esq., in
England, is sworn under £300,000.
On Sunday, through the upsetting of a boat at Yar-
mouth, three persons were drowned.
In the horrible case, at Greenwich, the chemists have
found large quantities of arsenic in the body of the child.
On Tuesday a fine lively infant was found in a basket
in the Hyde Park, London.
The number of converts to Romanism from the upper
ranks of society, during the last few months, now exceeds
one hundred. Nearly forty are clergymen.
On Friday week a poor man at Kirkcudbright com-
mitted suicide by hanging himself, in consequence of hav-
ing had a quarrel with his daughter, a worthless character.
The Post-office authorities have discovered that spuri-
ous postage stamps, to a considerable amount, have been
issued in London.
During the performances at the yof London Theatre
on Tuesday night, a man named Briton was killed by the
fall of a cannon, and another seriously injured.
On Thursday, Augustus Hopeton, of Holloway, aged
14, was accidentally shot by his younger brother, while
firing at sparrows in their father's garden.
Within the last week the Trent has ,gain overflowed
its banks, and laid a vast extent of land under water, the
marshes having been covered for miles.
The associated mill-owners of Manchester propose, on
Sir Robert Peel's measure becoming law, to reduce the
hours of factory labour from twelve to eleven.—Daily
News.

A spot is now traversing the sun's disc, which is esti-
mated to be 26,000 miles broad, and to cover an area
of 1,062,282.000 sqlvire miles, more than five times the
number of square miles on the surface of our globe.
A sad accident occurred at Messrs. Black well's Fur-
naces, near Dudley, on Sunday evening week, by the
falling in of the 'roof of the casting-house, whereby one
man was killed in endeavouring to rescue his son.
EXPLOSION.—On Friday week, an explosion of gas
took place at the offices of Mr. Naylor, solicitor, Leeds.
A workman was dangerously injured, the window was for-
ced into the street, and the house shook to its foundations.
When the Duke of Buckingham was shooting on his
Wotton estate recently, he had a narrow escape. He
held his gun with the stock on the ground, and was talk-
ing to a gentleman, when it exploded in his hand, and the
contents rose close to his face.
The other day, a man and two women, of Duster, ate
the top of a wedding cake, and were immediafely after ta-
ken ill. A surgeon was sent for. and on his arrival he
found that they had taken poison. Happily, however,
they all recovered.
The royal steam navy of Great Britain consists now of
156 steamers, with 38.788 hone-power. This is of course
exclusive of an immense number of steamers at this and
other ports, which may at any time be conyerted into war
steamers, with little delay or expense.
IRON TRADE.—So great and general is business in the
iron trade at the present moment, that there is difficulty
in executing the most trifling orders for casting. A cor-
respond tut informs us that for weeks he has been unable
to get an order, even for three grates, executed in the me-
tropolis.—Railway Chronicle.
AN EXPENSIVE PAUPER.—The parish of Longhopc, in
the Westbury-on-Severn Union, has had a pauper of the
name of Elizabeth Outfield, in the Gloucester Lunatic
Asylum for more than 20 years. She has cost her parish
nearly £500; and what is most remarkable, she died o❑
the 24th inst., aged 102.
In order to gratify his constituents, Mr. Hudson caused
a special train to convey copies of the new morning paper
containing a report of Sir Robert Peel's commercial speech.
The paper was on the Mayor of Sunderland's breakfast
table, 268 miles from the metropolis, at the same time as
in the London clubs.
A QUEER CUSTOM ER.—On Thursday. a racoon of an
unusually large size, was discovered in the hen-roost cf
Mr. Clark. farmer, at Watnall, near Nottingham. On
examination, it was found that the intruder had made a
meal of two game ocks, five fowls, and one duck. Where
the anims.l had come from, or how it got there, nobody
knows.

At Greenwich police-court, on Wednesday, a workman
employed in Deptfoi d Dockyard was charged with steal-
ing an old iron staple, the property of Her Majesty, the
value of which was estimated at five-sixteenths of a far-
thing. As the man had been dismissed from his employ-
ment in constquence, the magistrate considered that suf-
ficient punishment for the offence without inflicting any

penal'y.
A FICKLE SPOUSE.—A couple were married, a few days
ago, at Warmington, Northamptonshire; and, not many
hours after the nuptial knot had been tied, an old sweet-
heart made his appearance. The wife, on sexing
immediately pulled off her ring, and threw it at her hus-
band, told him she had had quite enough of him, did not
intend to have anything more to do with hint, and imme-
dia'ely left the house with her old beau.

On Wednesday, afire broke out in the extensive engine
building manufactory of Messrs. Hawthorn, near New-
cast le-on-Tyfie. It broke out in what is celled the pat-
rein and fittini;-up shops, and it is said, nearly all the va-
luable t atterns have been consumed ; and tour or five
locomo ive engines, in a very forward state, which were
in the fitting-up shops, have been rendered nearly useless.
The loss is estin.ated at from £10,0(0 to £15,000. The
premises were inured. but not the engines.
TILE LATE DUKE OF YORK'S CREDIT —On Thursday,
at the A uction• rnart, Mr. C. Rubins offered for public
competit on, a bo::d given by the late Duke of York to
Mr. William Gilpin, to secure the payment of £1,955125.,
of Which £665 12s. balance of principal now remains due,
with interest thereon from the 15th September, 1826.
The bond was secured on property in Nova Scotia. Mr.
tiobins asked £9OO for the lot, remarking that the balance,
with time inierest, was above £1,200. After considerable
delay in getting an offer, a gentleman bid 20 guineas.
This was eventually increased to 180 guineas, at which
sam it was purchased.
Pizol'oss.n AND PRESENT CORN Lnws.— The fol-
lowing table will best show the operations of Sir Robert
Peel's new Sliding scale
Average
Pric
48s
1 49s
50s
51s
52s
53s

Present
Duty.
. 20s. .
. 205..
. 20s. .
. 19s. .
. 18s. .
. 18s. .

Proposed
Duty.

tangled in the wreck. They were buried in one grave. 548. ISs.
The Saxon of 367 tons, from Boston to London, was oh- When it reaches 45., accordint, to the proposed scale the
served on' the 24th ultimo, on a reef of rocks, and was a duty remains fixed ; while in the present scale it falls ls.
complete wreck. Her crew consisted of twenty hands, for every Is the price rises, till it is reduced to Is.
all of whom perished. The brig Laurel left Quebec on NOBLE DARING.—The ship Alhambra, from Dublin to
the morning of the 29th of December, with a cargo of Cadiz, being driven by one of the late gales within the
400 barrels of flour, and twenty-eight of butter. On ar- north-west horn of Carnarvon Bay, her peril became most
riving off Cacona, on the banks of Newfoundland, she imminent to every soul on board. A lad, named Owen
was met by a large field of ice, and every effort to steer Jones, i.f Cerrig-yr-Ader, in Rhoicolin, immediately ran
clear of it proved abortive. The ship becoming fixed in out to a projecting point for the purpose of making the best
it, she was shortly driven ashore on Green Island, where signals he could for her to come into a small creek where
she immediately became a wreck. The crew suffered se- she could lie in safety. A small island, detached from the
verely for three days. The barque Universe, of Boston, shore by a sound of about 100 yards, offered him an ad-
was lost under similar circumstances ; fortunately the vantageous position for getting nearer to her, but how to
crew were saved. The ship Cambridge, from Liverpool, get there was the difficulty, as there was a tremendous sea
on the 23d of December, saw a'vessel in distress, which tumbling in, such as no boat could live in had one been at
proved
to be the Lord Lynedoch, of London, in a sink- hond; he theiefore boldly plunged in, and by great ex-
ing state. They took off the crew, thiety_two in num- e tions, succeeded in gaining the island, Here his presence
her, who were in a dreadful state. The vessel foundered of mind was as remark ible as his intrepidity. When his
shortly afterwards. The East India Company have re- companions entreated him to take off his jacket before he
ceived information of the total loss of one of the corn- made the mad attempt, he replied while plunging in, " 1
pany's war sloops, named Coote. The brig Merlin, of cannot spare it; it's the only signal I have to hold out."
Newcastle, was fully destroyed, by fire, on the I'd in. He did providentially succeed, and gaining a high pinnacle,
stant. She was laden with wine and fruit, and within there be stood with ljis jacket fluttering in the gale ! he
twelve hours after leaving Oporto Bar she caught fire. peop'e on board having acknowledged that they saw him,
The captain and crew were soon forced to take to the he instantly dropped both arms in a manner that was in-
boat and abandon the vessel. They were afterwards telligtble to them, when the ship instantly rounded to and
picked up. On the books are also reported the total loss dropped her anchor, and was in'comparative safety; the life-
of the ship City of Shiras, in the Mindora Sea, with boat then went on board, and at a proper time of tide, they
forty persons drowned ; and also the wreck of the Gus- slipped her anchor, and beached her in a spot "as quiet as
tave Edward, a French Indianian, 650 tons burthen ; and, a duck pond," from whence she was, on the return of
another vessel, name not exactly known, both attended moderate weather, taken into Holyhead.—North Wales
with melancholy results. Chronicle.

FALL OF Two Houses.—On Wednesday, at noon,
two houses, three stories high, situate at the top of Upper
Marshall-street, near St. Thomas's Church, Birming-
ham, fell to the ground with a fearful crash. The houses
belonged to Mr. Frith, a cooper, and the roofing had
just been completed. The accident is supposed to have
been caused by imprudently digging out a foundation ad-
jacent, which, from the late heavy rains, had not glt pro-
perly set. Fortunately, no lives were lost, but the pecu-
niary damage is considerable.

SUNDAY RA D 1 NG understand that the mayor
and magistrates have issued a caution to those shopkeep-
ers who are in the habit of violating the law by Sunday
trading, warning them against the penalties to which they
expose themselves, &c. We trust that this well-timed
caution will have the good effect it is intended to produce
and that the practice complained of will be voluntarily
discontinued. It is a well known fact that the majority
of those who open their shops on the Sunday are averse
to this illegal custom, but are tempted to adopt it by the
conduct of their less conscientious neighbours. The ex-
ecution of the law, therefore, after due notice, becomes a
protection to the shopkeeper who wishes to attend to his
religious duties, and to have the quiet enjoyment of his
family circle one day in the week. The cust m adopted
by many masters in this city of paying their workmen on
Friday night, or in good tune on Saturday, has been pro-
ductive of much benefit to the labouring classes.—Wor-
ceder Journal.

NARROW ESCAPE.—The juni.r members of the family
of Mr. Scott, of Colnev, narrowly escaped destruction on
Tuesday se'nnight, in crossing the railway at the Hether-
sett station. The carriage was on its return from Ketter-
ingham-hall, with the governess and four of the family,
and on reaching the station the gate-keeper came out to
open the gate. The carriage was passing through the first
gate when it was partially closed by the wind, and striking
the body of the carriage, caught the hindmost wheel, and
stopped its progress. The footman jumped down to extri-
cate the gate from the carriage, and at the moment saw
an engine coming along the line close to them. The gate
keeper had also, in crossing the line, seen the train coming.
The footman and gatekeeper instantly rushed to the
horses' heads, and succeeded in pressing them back, and
at the very instant they bad cleared the rail an engine
passed them In-dimmed. We are afraid this was one of
the special trains that proceeded to London after the con-
clusion of the free trade meeting, of which it would seem
thegatekeeper had received no notice.—Norwich Mercury.
SERIOUS CH ARC z.—On Tuesday, great consternation
was occasioned i❑ Leeds by the apprehension of Mr. H.
J. Marcus, of the firm of Marcus, Naylor, and Co., on a
charge of forgery. The facts of the case are understood
to be that the name of Ellrnton Lupton, Esq., late Mayor
of Leeds, had been attached to a transfer of some London
and Croydon Railway shares without his knowledge, the
atte:.tation to the signature being by Mr. Marcus. On
apprehending Mr. Marcus, he made a desperate attempt
at self-destruction, and it was only by the activity of Mr.
Read, of the police force, who dashed the bottle of lauda-
num in pieces, which the unhappy man had just raised to
his lips, that the attempt was frustrated. Mr. Read's
hand and Mr. Marcus's face were both cut in the struggle.
Another unfortunate feature is, that a pocket-book be-
longing to another firm in the town, which had been mis-
sing for some time, was found upon his person. Mr.
Marcus was not a member of the Stock Exchdnee, but
held the office of chairman of' the Sharebrokers' Ass( cia-
tion. He is also one of the honorary secretaries of the
Leeds Mechanics' Institution, and had hitherto been well
respected.

DISGRACEFUL SCENE.—One of those demoralising ex-
hibitions, denorninrted a prize-fight, took place on Tues-
day, the combatants being Harry Broome, of London,
and a Birmingham man named Benjamin Terry, both well
known in chat is called the "prize ring." The contest
rook place in Berkshire, seven miles from Swinton staton.
After fighting upwards of an hour, Broome app-ared to
have so much the best of the battle, that the partisans of
Terry were in despair for their man, or rather for their
money, and eagerly seized an opportunity of declaring
that Broome had s•ruck a foul blow ; but zhe referee de-
clining to declare it one, a party, properly denominated
rouehs, broke into the ring, armed with bludgeons, and it
was with the greatest difficulty the unfortunate referee
was preserved from being brutally slaughtered on the spot.
The language and threats made use of were described as
surpassing, for horrible and savage ferocity. anything ever
witnessed on any similar occasion, bad as they generally
are

The ring being broken up, the most open robneries
were committed with impunity, no one daring to inter-
fere. Surely something will be done to put a stop to
the e scenes,—scenes disgraceful to human nature, or to
any country calling itself civilised.
THEATRICAL PROPERTY.—On Thursday, Mr. George
Robins attended at the Auction-mart, for the purpose of
disposing by auction of 'two £5OO renter's shares in
Covent-garden and Drury-lane Theatres, and of 22 £3OO
subscription shares connected with the litter establish-
ment, on which occasion a great number of gentlemen
who had large interests in the respective royal properties
were present. The first lot was a rent charge upon the
Theatre Royal Covent-garden, which originally cost £5OO,
the income of which had been reduced from £25 to £l2
10s. This was stated to have been sold by private con-
tract. Lot 2 was a £5OO renter's share in the Theatre
Royal Drury-lane. The annual income from it was £8
10. the share expiring in fifty years. This was sold at 62
guineas. The auctioneer remarked that he had sold a
similar share for 300 guineas. Lot 3, five £lOO subscrip-
tion shares in the Theatre Royal Drury-lane, paid up, and
entitled to a personal life admission. Lot 4 and 5 were
ten £lOO shares, but with no personal admission. They
were bought by Mr. Busgess for 5 guineas and a half.
The last lot cOns'sted of five similar shares, but of which
there was no certificate. These were knocked down to
Mr. Burgess for 3 guineas and a half.
FACTORIES IN THE NORTH OF ENGLAND.—In his
last report (just laid before parliament), Mr. Leonard
Horner thus describes the result of his inquiries in his
district
details(the
:north,, ofh a
,have
ascertained,
England), givingthe
by
inquiry,
followingtha Cu-
rious
t the
1.519 firms on my books occupy 2,068 factories, have
these
hn:sl
5p51e32l
thsyhtoeer2a:2eme
4e
e3nb7gsei:n4pne2egs4r,
foweist
togetherha oeaf cp4hao9ilwil:earsreglne
soh, f,o4r4s
e, 3s 3pBo horses,wer. T andhey
515 water-wheels, the power of which is estjmated at
14,441 are children between 8 and 13 y3e:afr.suwo2hffiaceghmea,niu6essm.sb4e6
Ib2eot between
females;
aiandes
;18,
or Raft
a b vle4l
5.44540
perof IcBenatndofabthoeveu.
whole
be-
tween 13 and 18, and 77,208 above 18 ; making in all
number employed. Since the last return to parliament,
in February 1839, there has been an increase in my dis-
trict of 529 factories, of 10,041 horses power, and of
50,522 persons employed. This increase has all taken
place since November 1812, when the revival of trade
began ; and indeed the increase of persons empleyed
shine that time must have been considerably greater than
the above amount; for between June 1838, when the
collection of particulars for the return of 1839 began,
and November 1842, many mills had entirely ceased to
work, and others had considerably reduced the number
of their hands. The total number of power-looms in
my district, ascertained by inquiry, is 142,949. The only
return of power-looms made to parliament is that of 1835,
and I find from it, that in the same parts of England
which now constitute my district—viz., Lancashire. psrt
of the West. Riding, and the whole of the North-Riding
of the county of York, and the four northern counties of
England, there were then only 63,861 ; showing an in-
crease of 79,088 in the ten years ; and there are now
26,237 more power-looms at work in my district alone
yarn there were in the whole united kingdom ten years
ago. As regards the employment of women, Mr. Horner
says that the clause in the late act which prevents women
from working more than 12 hours a.day, and secures to
them regular intervals for meals, applies to 85,515 in my
district, that is. to all those of 18 years of age and up-
wards ; and I have every reason to believe that the inter-
ference in their behalf is very generally approved of, and
especially by the women themselves "
ROMANCE OF REAL LIFE.—CH AP ER IL—We have
a sad task to perform in giving the finale to the histoi y of
" Da Costa," whose exploits in this neighbourhood were
spoken of in our columns during the autumn, as a "ro-
mance of real life." A romance indeed, they were, but
of a different character from what we were led to antici-
pate. Soon after his marriage with Miss Rimmer, after
paying a visit to Cheltenham, Da Costa took up his resi-
dence at Cirencester, and continued there to live in the
same magnificent style as here, though it would appear,
by his not paying for anything in cash in that quarter,
that the boundless wealth " which he seemed to possess
while here was already exhausted. A short time ego a
lady went to Alces!er to inquire for him, and followed him
to Cirencester. She was then introduced to his wife as a
• cousin, who bad come over to him on important business
wit') some deeds, and brought some deeds for him to t•igo•
It became necessary, he said, for him to go with her to
London, and afterwards to France. At Cirencester he
assumed the name of " Baron Da Costa," hunted with
the hounds, rode in a carriage and four. and by his ex-
pensive mode of living gained many converts to the opi-
nion that he was possessed of " enormous wealth," and
there were not wanting those who wished to see his name
in their ledgers, a desire which the " Baron" was so
complacent as to gratify. But it came to pass that a
strange woman came to visit him, and, notwithstanding
that he had obtained the object in search of which he
had travelled so far,' the fascinations of the stranger were
so great, that he has rather fulfilled the prophecies of the
good people of Aicester, among whom were many rumours
"of what the modern ' Blue Beard' would do.' Fur it
so happened that one morning he informed his newly-
married wife that business of importance would take him
from home for a day or two; but still, not unmindful of
his bride, he kindly told her that as the gold watch he bad
presented her with did not " work quite well," he would
take it with him, and have it put into "good working or-
der," and " well regulated " by an " experienced hand."
After bidding her an affectionate adieu, be departed with
the familiar spirit,' who assumed the form of a Frenck
lady, and has not since been heard of. Unfortunately,
' the Baron' had a short memory, and forgot to call upon
those. whom he had allowed to make use of his name in
their ledgers, and say that they were quite welcome so to
do, and, therefore, some little dissatisfaction has been ex-
pressed. It is generally thought that the atmosphere of
Cirencester was no longer " healthy," or " the Baron"
would have favoured us with a longer stay. His unfor-
tunate wife has returned to the house of her parents. It
is painful to add that her relatives have been victimised by
this artful scoundrel to a considerable extent.—Birming-
ham Journal.

IMPORTANT FAMILY MEDlClNlC.—Frampton's Pill of
Health effectually relieves the stomach and bowels by
gentle relaxation, without griping or prostration of
strength. They remove in ad-ache, sickness. dizziness,
pains in the chest, &c. ; are highly grateful to the sto-
mach, promote digestion, create appetite, relieve languor
and depression of spirits; while, to those of a full habit
and free livers, who are continually suffering from drow-
siness, heaviness, and singing in the head and ears, they
offer advantages that will not fail to be appreciated. Sold
by all vendors of medicines. Price Is. IV. per box.
See the name of " Thomas Prout, 229► Strand, London,"
on the government stamp.