The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-12-19 00:00:00

Dee. 19, 1843

LOltp
ASHLEY ON THE CONDITION OF
1-RE AGRICULTURAL LABOURER.
made by
speed' breathing philanthropy in every word wa.s
Idn-e
i e it: bo
3:
Lord Ashley, at Sturminster Newton, on Thurs.
day week, at the annual dinner of the Agricultural So-
-that place, on the moral and physical condition
of the a •
1,..
re_ gricultural labourer. He premised the subject.
.`,,i)„,. ferring to the statements which have been made by
u,1., • Austin, Alr. Sheridan, and others, as to the low rate
el wages which prevailed in Dorsetshire, and the conse-
tr'lnept misery and degradation ofke labourer, and then
12eeeded to observe, " Do we admit the assertion that
_ wages of the labourer in these parts are scandalously
;L"_wkpainfully inadequate to the maintenance of the hus-
„.adman and his family, and in no proportion to the
"t 8 of the soil P If we are able to deny this state-
wdsvtth:r7roe,llsihngall also be able to disprove it—let us do so
, we,
delay ; but if the reverse, not an hour is to be
away the reproach. Ido not pretend to liriin.iltitce as to the precise mode of doing these thingse,
sufficiently practical, or conversant with tha
large and payment of labour ; but this I.know, that if
„e” self-denial, an abatement of luxuries, a curtailing,
end, what are called comforts, be necessary to tbi-
ela4,,e.t us begin at once with the higher and wealthier
tiok"-sit must be dune ; there is neither honour, nor.
to dwell ?r joy (setting aside all higher considerations)
~,
on 8,1 , a house, however fair the outside, which rests
that
zi. rotten and crumbling foundations. Do we deny
tith e dwellings' of the poor are oftentimes ruinous,
ate?, contracted, ill-drained, ill-ventilated, and so situd-
irno,:B,!° be Productive of many forms of disease
.and
rekterautY P If we do, let us take the same course, and
the
88t.;:utirona,ccaunsdeirs ; but if not, let us hasten to wipe out
delibe'.'°.; the remedy is within our reach ; it nee
I must say, allows of no delay,.—shall
dp ulTer these hot-beds of n:ise and sin to afflict and
Qreur their victims Even whererY the life of the
.la-
tor4s iiB i 8
pared his health is broke % j.ow?,
la-
for of toil to support either himself
and heor nheis-
Edilea'ti rhere is a mighty stir now made. inbeh.eatlfmoef
ask ~A °° .band I heartily thank God for it.; but 1
t,..••4-1 what
, purpose is it to take a little child—.a
aa
dO3 fern,le, for instance—and teach her six hours
her ta-Jiiies of decency and every virtue, and then sendn-
learn ie,', to such abodes of filth and profligacy, toaur—
to witnY the Practice of an hour the lessons ofa
bor 48, and oftentimes to share, though at first againstyreded
p
qentletril the abominations that have been r
%I'ted p"'lifYou desire to have a moral and weceoll-.ceoenp-
troell'unde,?P'ei You must do your best to place and k
-.ea. a ,r
LI ~.., Blich circumstances, that they may
lessons
they ha and °PPortunity to bring into action the
?e°Pl 'e
been taught, the principles they have acquired.
Nal: to their boards of guardians, and hear the, longan
Profga.e o, f bastardy cases ; they cry out '
these
per-
walk i'j'avtes, assuming, that when in early life
walk w. e., been treated as swine, they are afterwards to
rneo 'to the dignity of Christians. And now, gentic-
814e notwithstandin the openness with which I have
t4kivrient: Y°ll, I hope, nay, yeaslbeliee I shall obtain yorr
eonrse 88' It would have been yto take a,ssaue-
Press; t hold a more flattering language, and, by • p_
holi,,eg the reality, indulge the imagination ; but 1
respee7tot then have done either my duty to you, or had
You
ought t o the consistency of my own principles.
ant to E' know and reflect on these things ; and ought
allci linedlYnx-eyed to the misconduct of manufacturers,
,t 4 aleatil to the faults of landowners. We have the
thick, a vast superiority in virtue and comfort over
1 th,,,i-Y crowded districts ; let us do our best to profitr
Nat` advantage, and attain the desirable issue that ou
41)clpill dottlY rival should lie in a competition o
moral
to tni jl benefits to all our people. Set
~ Itsyourselves greatest ,
m av
op,,o`._igte the severity of the poor law.
te it'a.r.ters ...i
if admit that it is severe • but that severity. ~
tion.-4ga_ted or increased by the mode o. f its administra-
N t7,R111 a more frequent and friendly. intercourse
;tool t,: labouring man—we have lost much in departing
PaBiB f, 7 Primitive si licity of our forefathers ; respect, .
tsy-eungs • T - him in solid money ,
it , respect his rights ; pay.
il' hirh .again emphatically, pay him in solid money ;
tron,i-iti due time ; and, above all, avoid that mon-
°Lit h.,,auotnination which disgraces some other counties,
446'4 Which, I believe,' gwe are altogether free,
the
lllea,g Your fields in the time of harvest ; give to
)opt 'r his
, ancient his Scriptural right ; throw opehn
lathe ra'es-'-tirow 'them wide open to the poor, teae
to 3,44 r es!, and the widow. Gentlemen,. these men a 1
tilt), a with every claim of justice, service, and affection;aye
tepiell!id their fathers have tilled your fields ; they have
b and still replenish, your armies, to extend
u.'"rd th 111°n and defend your shores. Often have I
Zi,, e great Duke of Wellington declare that all his_e
-41)4,,ar1d courage would have effected nothing had h
sh.; called to command so noble a material as theee
e . abourer. Such service the y have rendered once
nil! kaY be summoned to do so again ; and surely
l'eask,te, shall find our account in a vigorous and loyal
tc4trl7' 'Rut let draw our resolutions from a highe
ate , , recollect th:all wealth, talent, rank, andpower
..f. 'Pu 1,
p,or.th. ,_-Y clod for his own service, not for our luxury
tiltgieet:pit'etur,enretfiedt der
others not for the pride of ourselves.
'beau °et render an account unt of privileges misused,u. gof
away• -of opportunities thrown
of
property,
sii itch,' and they sanctify the possession
'till hi Olse, and grace its enjoyment ; accomplishing
iZertilietilteajid better ends by leading the poor, wh.o ex_-
qto hear,,r value, to thoughts of piety and peace ~and,
to '-tilat 2 and. prayer of the Apostl4e,wtoebalelissmAnsltmsitgrhivtye
)o%tortetuell like these, and such ?..
Ito Pertv snare invested with station and leisure, and
'Nil "„, p " (The eloquent and npi
se )
-4 the noble lord was followed by great opp au. .
.Ity ...•••••••..----
kk.1,..

ChtritAll,`'P AN INFANT, AND DEATH OF THE UN-
tl:6lNrl-',wl°TRER!—The neighbourhood of Newport,
4p-refit:ft.'" en Friday last much excited by the report
p of
'er Of an infant, by a widow of the name of roc-
°,,,sehhusband has been dead between three and four
111' rcPort proved to be too true. In the ey_e_nr-
-4404(11, Hitehins held an inquest at the Ivy Tavern. M
ti,! :jtIY ilt aurgeon, stated that the child was full-grown
; round its neck was a ligature of list, so
ttild'awn that he could not pass his finger between :
ba4trat.siof the infant were clasped so tightly (the effects
111e‘tile:s,_tieti), that it was difficult to open them. Had
motherta- ',at the child was born alive. Had no doubt
teem. pied from loss of blood, produced by the he-
by '„°10. •le the urse of half an hour the jury returnel
cenilillF verdict: The infant was wilfully murdered
rrocter. The deceased (Sarah Procter) died
?tit causes.—Lincoln Herald.
tlett:VNlth°ll TRADE IN SOUFH WALES.—IVIERTHYR
410—,,ee• 14 —There are four sets of iron-works
q *th-l6ing to different firms of ironmasters—con-
s4litilt,,l4l each of which are mines from which or
41. 4,,k11-1,",, and collieries which supply the coal forsmelt-Net'rk;rev,';e heads of these' firms are—Sir John Guest,
del44'. 4naY, Mr. Hill, and Alderman Thompson. At
era-est'a works there are eighteen blast-furnaces ; at
ith,,rs' eleven; at Mr. Hill's, six; and at Al-
tile' fur --mPs°a's, six. It requires to work each of
111444,',"Pec, in coal.mining, obtaining the ore, and
De.4l44.`uring the iron, about 300 men. At Sir J. Guest's,
ft,pl)la t;* eXtenSive of e works, upwards of 5,000 work-
-s:l4•eett'.e emPloyed in these
and at the eighteen blast-
tothlo tv;,eall of these furnaces consumes sixty tons of
cf Tght and day, or, amongst them, about 1,100
•IVl'oecjat Per day—yesterday 1,028 tons of coal were
ii• -,„t°ol,',stld on Saturday 1,462 tons were consumed.
4106 ,wcric•:ks in getting 6d. to 3s.
. 10d. the ton. At
'cna ', Which are the largest in the world, about
roa,--N,)°,' iron are manufactured each week. The firm
op..Lhe "„4113' about 60,000 tons of manufactured noon_
tilttlahls aiNcart of Cardiff. The present value of a ton f
VIP t The wages paid by this firm at present
:JtiZerly t° £4•
£3,500 pere'
week, or £14,000 per month ,
Wa' the fi"en v.-ags wre higher, and the trade more
'4g les, -',"11 has paid as much as £25,000 per month
ttt,„tate%. he Wages the men get are now at the follow-
,tathm'ea, ,Zeolliers about 15s. a week ; miners, 145.;
tfthillt_tFts72,°h_
.th'e average •, day labourers, 2s. a day ;
' th bets,
bd. ; smiths, 25...10d.; fitters, 3s. 4rl.
IqtllN 4thae will give some idea of the vast extent
he Ptr,,i(s. The firm has just completed ma contract
0 tons of
,"°1 barussian Government to sly lin between
`PlItLe°V? for the railway line now. ma
.g
Bea,' avat,,th' St. Petersburgh.
i4IY 4,41 is unkno i—thougAht thisthls being
iesx extensive s ifvreo
from
firm the
4ttl/4Atto- -ge "se here.
tid Ilk; 0,,
k•ONNOß.—Articles of Impeachment
.eit'udea" !ID, against this celebrated char
have latan b one of
have
th-; totlowers who seems at
.any rate to pro.e-.
:t4tGohi,,'tieal "'ear-bought experience obtained in the trad
th agitation. The accuser, Mr. Watkins, after
thi ;le ear ‘ he has carefully watched 0 Connor,luring his
he is dotno-
' but-ert and come to the conclusion that
Of Chu Postor " and that he is now murdering the
l't4ll4e,l''.••••l.Tttitsamt hebiringost aagainst
him
gmonopoly of the ' People's
the
,follow_inigs
b,l4td,loe7trarY to theasspgirit of Chartism, whilmisoip.-
•4the,litii.tn?nepolies.-2. That he has -Thatus
having o
miZhutlce" many true patriots.-3.
their
Btlel(lTl,e.believe he would lead them against
Iv4,tlVessio."±u the men of Wales risen upon the faith of
thlti,lttlie_ua. he deserted them Olen too_lateovteorrnement:
,4 in, to the fury of an kncensFed g
st
ilket,llta.anaed those genuine Chartists— ro
erit't , proved a " heavy blow and
. great disco
(11 ha~aOvii,„`c Chartism.-4. That he treacherously caused
of O'Brien,'hile pretending to serve him
N;istal*---5. That he 'used his influence to.
°plead guilty, though thereby
tiNt,itl3 101. heat when in' prison_his conduct
stigrowataiszendnde-
hthee-
N,nl rer for the cause. 7. That though
.he
"th,. score " New Movers," be made te_rmswith the
mixedlf th up
ctlrel of the lot.-8. That he h
"ti%
• Ch rter 'PL with the a , greatly' to,
Nit b —9. That he helped t
11 41. y • • • he Tories to power.
detrime_nt
• t
la Joining all parties by turns, he has shown
'4kc,:4llt4.t,l3it}4lh,g butiva.vain andthe mdeelricnetinnaernyetieims
oef-setrhyeerla.—t.e
• tve, e the 11.1 MT of
Proved himself a double dealer ; and seen-
!heilti'le to expediency.-12. That he truckled to
t the when on his trial for conspiracy,h and compro-
Ar;l4ta i'luse of Chartism.— dg the
ht, Fet .1' exposing them to
.Ith3e. Tschlarn of the Irish in
Repeal question..-1 . That at the late
bated Itl9twett, ne thrust the Charter into the background to
eq tr rd his land-jobbing scheme and that he vio-
Ctlt7titi,slist as delegate, and sacrificed Chartist principle
t°,4tia' t,)"g or concurring in the apooint.nen t.o.sf agneneexrea-1
441.,:t earry out his purposes.—ls. That h'
141101;14,71as h'een totally unbecoming a Gentleman,oa.
fra Christian, and calls for the severest repr
14 all well-wishers to the cause.

A DISINTERESTED ANTI-CORN-LAW
LEAGUER.

A somewhat rich scene, highly illustrative of the pecu-
liar disinterestedness of a certain " honest John Brooks,"
a distinguished member of the Anti-Corn-law League,
occurred at the meeting of the friends of Mr. Oastler, held
in Manchester on Thursday last. In the course of his
address, Mr. Ferrand related to his audience the following
anecdote—most characteristic it will be acknowledged to
be, by those who know the man—of an interview which
took place between them in the lobby of the House of
Commons.
" During the period that the tariff was under discussion
in the House of Commons," remarked Mr. Ferrand, " it
happened that the subject of the diminution of the duty
on coffee was to be brought forward on a particular night.
I went down, Mr. Chairman, to the House of Commons,
for the purpose of being present during the debate. As
I passed through the lobby of the house, Mr. Croucher,
the parliamentary agent, whom I have no doubt you
know, tapped me on the shoulder, and said, ' Mr. Ferrand,
I am extremely anxious to introduce to you a deputation
from Manchester.' I turned round and said I should be
most happy to meet any gentleman from Manchester on
any question. He said they wished to speak to me _bout
the one now before the house ' • ' Allow me (he said) to in-
troduce to you Mr. Alderman Brooks.'—(Great laughter.)
I made a low bow to Mr. Alderman Brooks; and he did
the same to me.—(Laughter.) Oh, (he says) Mr.
9F en I am glad to shake hands with you; you gven
us some hard raps.'—(Loud cheers and laughter.) I re-
plied—' I hope nothing but what is true, Mr. Brooks.'
Why, (he said) I must say, some of them are, some of
them ar'nt.' He then said—' Mr. Ferrand, I and the
gentlemen you see around me, (and there were five or six
along with him) wish you to vote against the diminution
of the duty on coffee.'—(Great laughter, and There's
free trade.') I raised my hands in astonishment. He
says, I'll tell you how it is. You see there's myself and
theme g nllemen have been speculating very largely in
cqffee"—(Great laughter.) And my reply was--' And I
hope, Mr. Brooks, you have been taken in.'—(Laughter.)
' As, (he says) you see, if Sir Robert Peel reduces the
duty on coffee to the extent which be proposes to do, we
shall lose a very great sum of money." What ! (I said)
this from Mr. Alderman Brooks, the great champion of
the Anti-Corn Law League,—(applause)—the great
ostle of free trade,—(applause)—who is for doing away
apostle of free trade,_(apPl3use)_o is for doing away
with every protective duty in the country! Impossible!'
I said. Oh, God love you, (he said) we're all for our-
selves in this world.'—( Roars of laughter, the mirth being
not a little heightened by the close imitation which the
hon. member gave of the worthy alderman's voice and
maner) And my reply to himsurely see before
men the. worst sample of the Anti-Corn-Law League.'—
(Applause.)
Mr. Ferrand, we may remark, en passant, was mistaken
in supposing that in " honest John " he saw " the worst
sample " of the Anti-Corn-Law League. He saw, cer-
tainly not a very wise sample, but an honest one, and,
when in gruel, a very liberal member of that body.
John's " God love you! we're all for ourselves in this
world," contains more of truth and openness of disposi-
tion than is contained in all the speeches of all the
Leaguers, peripatetic and otherwise. They should wear
it as their motto; and, when they address an audience,
should proclaim aloud as the motives of their agitation—
" You see we've been speculating largely in mills and
machinery, twist and calico."
But " honest " as he is, and liberal of his money,—
when in gruel,—John was not disposed to have his good-
natured admissions made public, without an attempt to
neutralise the effect, which he feared they might have,
when blurted out in his own particular sphere of free-
trade profession and self-glorification. John was, at the
moment at which this sad, sad exposure of League dis-
interestedness was made public, " crowing like any chan-
ticleer" amongst congenial spirits at the Free Trade Hall
—parading his great honesty, his great care for the work-
ing classes, and his utter disregard of his own money-
bags. He had given, gruel inspired, five hundred pounds
to the great League Fund. But some good-natured friend
whispered in his eAr that he had just received —in another
place, as they say in parliament—one of Mr. Ferrand's
" hard raps" ; and forthwith, in a fever of agitation, he
hurried from the scene. of his glory to the Corn Exchange,
there to undergo another " rap " just as hard as the first.
Having been promoted to a place on the platform, Mr.
Brooks. in a highly excited state, attempted to explain
the coffee matter. His object, he explained, in going to
London, was not to prevent the reduction of the duty on
coffee generally, but to obtain from Government a reduc-
tion upon Brazil coffee in the same ratio as the reduction
upon British plantation. " And I will tell you," he re-
marked, with infinite innocence. " why I went. The. first
thing was my own interest; (!) for I lost £3,000. and a
friend of mine lost a similar sum. * * * If it had
not been for this, I should have been able to sell my fo-
reign coffee 2d. a pound cheaper"—(rather say. most wor-
thy Leaguer, to put twopence a pound in thy pocket.)
" It was a dead robbery on the men who held foreign
coffee."
In reply to this intended disclaimer, Mr. Ferrand again
repeated, to the worthy Leaguer's face, the circumstances
of the conversation. Mr. Brooks, he contended, and the
world will acknowledge, justly. had admitted the truth of
the statement made by Mr. Ferrand—that self-interest
was his leading inducement to interfere in this matter of
the coffee duties—that " honest John" had declared
"we are all for ourselves in this world." " Let Mr.
Brooks deny that." continued Mr. F., "and I will pro-
duce witnesses who heard it, at the door of the House of
Commons, in the presence of the door keepers, in the
presence of Mr. Croucher, in the presence of other gen-
tlemen, as well as of the deputation who surrounded
him!"
After this, we should imagine that his brethren of the
Anti-Corn-Law League will hesitate before they send
from home, on any important affair, so very indiscreet
and voluble a gentleman.

A Novwry.—A few days ago an application was made
to the Isle of Man Court of Chancery to have a cockatoo,
two cats, and a dog sold, being part of the effects arrested
under a petitioner's action. It was alleged that these
animals were so expensive to keep, that before the decree
could be had, their maintenance would amount to more
than they would probably sell for. The Court ordered
the sale as prayed for. The application caused great
amusement in court.
FIRES IN LONDON.—On Thursday night last, at half-
past eleven o'clock, a destructive fire was discovered
raging' on the premises of Mr. Delahunt, hair-dregser,
&c., No. 3, Bedford-place, Commercial-road East. The
building was two stories in height, and the flames were
first perceived in the lower part. In about five miDnuela-
tes
afterwards the entire building was ignited. Mrs.
hunt and a lodger with difficulty escaped d
a invast safety. Theo
fire engines were soon brought up, an volume f
water was poured on the fire, but
se the names ma
made great
Mr.
havoc, and the adjoining premis, oby
Ridell, Venetian blind maker, caught fire. A portion of
the front of the first-narned premises soon afterwards fell
with an awful crash, and the firemen narrowly escaped
personal injury. At this time it was feared the extensive
premises of Mr. West, butcher, would also be ignited,
and some person's let loose the whole of the live stock,
which ran amongst the crowd, d a bullock knocked
down a man and severely injure and
him. Towards one
o'clock the firemen mastered the fire, but not till Mr.
Delahunt's place was burnt down, and Mr, Ridell's and
another much damaged. The premises were insured.
The origin of the fire is unknown.—Same morning
, at
of
one o'clock, a fire also toil( place on the prem
Messrs. Heywood and Co., floorcloth manufacturers,
Albany-road, Camberwell. It burst out in the boiling-
room. Mounted policemen were despatched to the Lon-
don fire-station, and severy
guishel engid , e
but ns camebeforeu the
flames were eventually extin
entire stock and apparatus of the boiling-room were con-
sumed. Property, (insured,) to the amount of £5OO was
destroyed. Nothing satisfactory is known, as to the
origin of the fire.
The City article of the Times has a table exhibiting the
proportionate decrease of value in gold according to
twelve various degrees of deficient weight, and the price
that will be given for each sovereign at the Bank before
and after the Ist of January next : £3 17s. 10d. is the
price given now; £3 17s. did. is assumed as the worth of
the material of the coin after the Ist of January. We
take the two ends of the scale, the highest and the lowest.
Price before Weight of Price a
1.
fter
Jan. 1. Sovereign. Jan.
s. d. dwts. grs. s. d.
19 10.99 .... 5 2/ •• .. 19 9.91
19 74.28 .... 5 1 .• .. 19 64.25
" Taking an average of the whole twelve degrees in the
table, it is found that the weight of the light sovereign is
5 dwts. 1.11-16 grs. The average price for the first
period is 19s. 8?1.63d., and for the second 19s. 74.58 d.,
giving respectivi losses of about 3-id. and 'lid. How-
ever, as sovereigns are seldom found in the condition
represented by the last four degrees, an average of more
practical utility may be struck on the first eight. This
gives 5 dwts. 11.75 grs. for the weight of the sovereign •,
19s. 9+.58d. as the price for ths first period and
19s. 8i.56d. as that for the second, the respective losses
being about ad, and 3d. The holder, therefore, ought
scarcely ever to suffer beyond the extent of 4d., even after
the Ist of Jenuary. These calculations are worthy of the
greatest attention ; since, properly applied, they will
render extortion on the part of the buyers of light gold
absolutely impossible."
THE TOWER OF LONDON.—Extensive alterations and
improvements are to be made at the Tower, which was
recently visited by the Duke of Wellington in his capacity
of its Chief Officer, or Constable, preparatory to their
commencement. His Grace made a minute survey of the
buildings and localities, attended by Captain Elrington.
The two archways contiguous to the Salt Tower. at the
eastern extremity, near the St. Katherine's Docks, and
the houses extending in a northerly direction, opposite to
what are called the Irish barracks, are to be pulled down,
in order to widen the thoroughfare for foot passengers and
carriages. The tenements to the westward, now occupied
by some of the warders and resident Clerks of the Ord-
nance Department, and which are situate in the rear of
the Small Armoury, are likewise to be razed. On their
site are to be erected barracks of sufficient magnitude to
accommodate one thousand men ; the Map Tower is to
be converted into officers' barracks. The Beauchamp
Tower, or State Prison, which is at present the mess-room
of the Officers of the Battalion of Guards on Tower duty,
is to constitute the new Small Armoury, to be placed in
charge of the warders, and to be opened to the public.
The men's barracks will form the northern side of a new
square, and face the White Tower; the eastern aide will
consist of the officer's barracks in
to be rear of the Irishan baes-
r-
racks. The intervening sp made into
planade for the recreation of the troops. The moat, hav-
ing been drained and levelled to low water mark, is to be
planted with trees and evergreens (which latter are to be
trained up the walls of the fortress to conceal them from
the eye) and used for pleasure grounds and the occasional
exercise of the men.

SHIRTS AT A FARTHING EACH.

Much has recently been said and written on the small-
ness of the sum paid to women for the making of men's
shirts, but all the facts on the subject have not yet, it
seems, become public, for no quotation has been made of
the price received and paid at the workhouses of London
for the manufacture of those garments. The following
statements were accidentally elicited at an inquest held
on Wednesday, before the deputy coroner for Middlesex,
on the body of a woman, named Ann Humphreys, who
had died in St. Pancras Workhouse on the previous day.
The first witness called to prove the death of the
deceased was a woman named Ann Benson, a respectable
looking elderly person, whom a juryman chanced to ask,
" How are you used in the workhouse?"
The witness replied, " Very well ;" adding after a pause,
" but I work very hard for a farthing !"
" What," asked the coroner, "do you mean by that ?"
W.—l make a shirt for it.
C.—What sort of a shirt?
W.—Generally striped shirts, but we put good enough
work in them for any gentleman to wear. They are
obliged to be done with goodness and exactness, or we
should not be allowed to earn the farthing.
C.—Where does the material come from?
W.—lt is workhouse work, sir. They come to the work-
house by hundreds to be made.
Ann Voyce, another witness, being at the time in the
room, said, " It was a farthing a piece if we make only
one, or two farthings if we make two ; but if we make
three of the same batch, then we get a penny."
C.—How many can you make in a day?
W.—Perhaps one by working all day.
C.—And what do you do with all the money?

W.—Buy tea and sugar with it.
C.—But perhaps you have additional comforts in the
workhouse instead of more money?
W.—We have a quarter of a pound of sugar, a week,
whether we make shirts or not; but no tea, nor any milk,
unless we buy it, or friends bring it.
C.—And do you get breakfast and tea out of six far-
things ?
W.—We are obliged to make it do, for if we don't earn
it, however, we go without, and have water-gruel, which
is very good.
C.—Did the woman who is dead have tea?
\V.—Yes, because a friend brought it to her. We
manage to make the money do by only giving one another
tea-leaves some days. I had the woman's tea-leaves when
she had done with them till she died; and as she could
not wait on herself, I attended on her for it.
C.—How long was she in the workhouse?
W.—Three weeks. _ _

C.—Why could she not attend to herself ?
W.—Because she was very bad in her breath, and had
palpitations.
C.—Did she see the doctor on that account ?
W.—No; but the assistant came to see her when she
was dying. She did not wish to see the doctor before.
All she wished for when she came to me was for a quiet
place to be in.
C.—Did she have it?

not, because the infirm-ward was so
full. _

C.—Did she have a raom to herself?
W.—No, we lie four in a bed.
The first witness.—No, only three, because the fourth
lies on the floor. _ _

C.—ls that because the house is so full?
W.—l suppose so.
C.—Are the beds of a good size?
W.—Yes, there is every comfort for a poor woman,
and every care is taken of invalids.
C.—Are you tasked in doing the shirts?
W.—No ; but I could not have tea if I did not make
them. - - _

C.—Would you miss that ?
W.—l am pretty hearty, and it would not signify to
my health; but some are only fit for tea, arid would be
glad to earn it.
A Juryman wished to know whether the farthing was
paid by the dealers who sent in the cloth, or a higher
sum, and if so, what sum ; because, if it was lower at the
workhouses than out of them, it was a wonder that so
many poor women out of them were paid even 11d. a
shirt.
One of the witnesses said she thought that 2d. out of
every shilling received by the parish was paid to the wo-
men in the workhouse for the work of the kind that was
done there.
A Juryman wished that the great comfort of life to the
old people, tea, could be obtained by them on easier
terms.
A verdict of " Died from natural disease" was returned.

THE GREAT WESTERN STEAM-SHIP COMPANY.—At
a special general meeting of the shareholders, held in
Bristol, on Monday, it was announced that the Great
Britain would be ready for an experimental trip in Fe-
bruary next; upon which a resolution was unanimously
passed, that a meeting of the proprietors be summoned
on the 2d of January, to decide upon her following the
Great Western on the New York line early in May, which
the directors stated, after mature deliberation, was their
intention, provided it met with the sanction of the share-
holders. The directors were subsequently empowered to
borrow £lO,OOO to complete the ship for sea. The Great
Western's net profits for the past season were stated to
amount to £6,900, out of which it is proposed to give the
shareholders a dividend of 50s. per share.
HARRIET MARTINEAL.-0111' readers (says the West-
minster Review) will be gratified with the following par-
fielders relative to the testimonial of respect subscribed
for that lady after she had declined a pension from go-
vernment, offered by Lord Melbourne. The managers of
the testimonial to Miss Martineau, having been r: quested
by that lady to forward the accompanying letter to the
subscribers. avail themselves of the opportunity to inclose
the following statement:— X. s. d.
Amount subscribed .
Stationery, postage, and advertising 23 0 0

£1,358 8 10
" To the Contributors of a Testimonial to H. Martineau.
" My dear Friends,—To reach you individually from
my retirement is not easy ; and to convey to you the feel-
ings with which I accept your kindness is impossible; yet
I cannot but attempt to present to each of you my ac-
knowledgments, and the assurance of the comfort I feel,
from day to day, in the honour and independence which
you have conferred upon me. By your generous testi-
mony to my past services you have set me free from all
personal considerations in case of my becoming capable of
future exertion. The assurance which I possess of your
esteem and sympathy will be a stimulus to labour, if I
find I have still work to do : and if I remain in my present
useless condition, it will be a solace to me under suffer-
ing, and a cordial under the depressions of illness and con-
finement. I am, with affectionate gratitude, your friend
and servant, " HARRIET MARTINEAU.
" Tynemouth, October 22, 1843."

GOVERNMENT PATRONAGE OF POPISH PRIESTS .
The priests of the Church of Rome derive an immense
sum from their flocks, so great that it is very clear that
no sum which any government could think of proposing
would go near to supply them as an equivalent. Under-
taking this measure would only be a certain sacrifice of
doing in religion and politics what would be scouted as
most profligate in any other of the several relations of
life, and, after all, effecting nothing—bringing a curse
upon the country, by an unprincipled adoption of Popery,
and leaving the object for which the profligate measure
was proposed as far as ever from being attained. It is
much to be wished that our rulers should be brought to
see that their real interest lies in doing that which is right,
and that they never can bring about any real advantage
to the country by substituting short-sighted expediency
for principle. They have tried it, and the history of the
country will prove that it has been without effect. We
could wish to see inscribed as their motto, " Fiat justitia,
ruat ccelum ; " and a blessing would follow their honest
upholding of right. This we are sure of, that to pay per-
sons to teach that which those who, proposing to do it,
admit to be superstitious and idolatrous, is not right, is
not honest, and, therefore, will never draw down a bless-
ing. We hope the subject may be maturely considered
by our rulers : we hope that it may be seriously consi-
dered
by the Christian public. If ever it should be seri-
ously proposed, we trust that those who love the truth
will crowd the house with petitions against it ; and that
those in our land who make the political affairs of the
country a subject of prayer, may not forget this most im-
portant subject at a throne of grace.—London paper.
M URDER.—A most atrocious murder has been perpe-
trated in the neighbourhood of Taunton. About three
miles from that town is situate a village called Picknay.
In one of its few houses resided an old woman named
Betty Sealy, who was in the receipt of parochial relief,
and above 79 years of age. She was an industrious old
creature, and had received presents from "the gentle-
men" for knitting and other work. Of these, as well as
of other monies and several little articles which she pos-
sessed, she had at different times been robbed. The party
or portico, whvcrcr they wcie, knew the time wnen fine
took her parish pay, and by some means or other obtained
possession of it, and also of small sums of money which
Betty had laid by, as she used to say, " to bury her with."
It was a great mystery who could take the money, as no
one had ever been seen to enter the house by the front
door, nor had the premises ever been burglariously bro-
ken into ; Betty therefore determined to keep on the watch
herself, and, in the obstinacy of her age, refused the
company of those to whom she communicated her inten-
tion. On Friday, about noon, in accordance with her
andpr ec onc e
fastenedr t ed plan
the to
doorde,t detect, the
she thieves,wa s
i
thsehehalehfitttehfe housedeieg
when she went to take her pay; she took a short walk in
the road, it is presumed, and then returned, for she was
seen near her house at one o'clock. She must then have
gone in, locked the door after her, and hid herself in a
sort of coal-house underneath the stairs, for on Saturday
evening she was discovered in this place seated on a chair,
quite dead, and, from the marks on her throat, there is
no question that some inhuman wretch had strangled her.
She had her cloak and bonnet on, the latter much hewed,
no doubt by the poor creature's struggles ;; and it was
found that a bottle of gin, which had been given her by a
relative, bad been taken, and there was neither money
nor any eatables left in the house. This appeared as
strange as the previous occurrences, for the door was
locked, and evidently no one had entered through the
window. A strict search was therefore instituted, and
the attention of the policeman was directed to a door
which led into a sort of apartment, which was only sepa-
rated by a kind of partition from the next house, which
bad formerly been part of the same premises, and in
which Mary Sealy, the niece of the deceased, resided.
On examining more minutely, it was discovered that a
portion of the boarding had been removed, or, at least,
unfastened and replaced in its former position. A search
was then made in this house, and the identical bottle of
gin (to which two parties state that they are prepared to
swear) was found locked away. Her niece, who had lived
there for some time, was then apprehended ; and a young
man, named White, whose visits she used to encourage,
has also been taken into custody.