The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-01-09 00:00:00

BANK OF ENGLAND.

The usual average return of the liabilities and assets
of the Rank of England, embracing the period from the
7th of October to the 30th of December, both inclusive
which appeared in Friday night's Gazette, gives the fol.,
lowing results, viz.:—

That the average of the thirteen weeks, ending the
30th of Decembe as compared with the average of the
thirteen weeks ending the 7th of October, shows—

decrease.in the circulation of .. 46i70c0-
An increase in the deposits of .. 285,000
And an increase in the stock of bullion .. 777,000
Whereforeitaonears _that the decrease in the liabili-
ties is £178,000, and this represents the decrease in the
total quantity of money in the thirteen weeks ending the
30th of December, as compared with the th,rteen weeks
ending the 7th of October, in so far as regards the ad-
ministration of the currency by the Bank of England.
The yearly comparison is as follows .—The average
of the thirteen weeks ending the 30th of December, 1843,
as compared with the average of the thirteen weeks
ending the 31st of December, 1842, shows—

132,000
. .. 2.688.000
. .. .. 2,525,C00

A decrease in the circulation of .. .. .. .. ..
An increase in the deposits of ..
An increase in the stock pf Bullion of

Wherefore it appears that the increase in the liabili-
ties is £2,556,000, and this represents the increase in the
total quantity of money in the thirteen weeks ending the
30th of December, 1843, as compared with the thirteen
weeks ending the 31st of December, 1842, in so far as
regards the administration of the currency by the Bank
of England.

PROVIDENTIAL ESCAPE OF FIFTY-THREE FISHER-
MEN.—On the morning of the Ist instant, at five o'clock,
nine fishing boats, and fifty-three men left Aberdeen for
the fishing ground, with light winds from the south-west.
Suon after sunrise, the wind suddenly increased to a heavy
gale, right off the land, and by ten o'clock blew a hurri-
cane, rendering their position almost hopeless. Every
exertion was made to pull in for the land, but their efforts
were in vain, and they became quite exhausted. By a
merciful interposition of Providence, her Majesty's re-
venue cruizer Greyhound, Lieutenant Dooley, R.N.,
commander, was running to the southward at the time,
and fell in with the scattered boats, eight miles off the
land, with their crews so exhausted that to reach the
shore was impossible. This humane officer and his gal-
lant crew lost not a moment in affording them every re-
lief, and before noon had succeeded in getting every man
on board, some of whom were upwards of seventy years
of age, so weak from exertion that •they required to be
" parbuncled" up the side of the cruizer. The boats
were all taken in tow, and every effort made to preserve
them and the property ; but the gale continuing, and the
sea increasing, some of them already sinking or sunk, the
last two were cut away about three in the afternoon.—
Edinburgh Courant.

ESCAPE OF Six CONVICTS FROM NOTTINGHAM GAOL.
—On Sunday afternoon six convicts made their escape
from the county gaol at Nottingham. Between four and
five o'clock, on the second turnkey going down into the
felons' yard, an attack was made upon him, the key taken
out of his hand, and he was locked in the yard. Six con-
victs rushed up the steps and proceeded to the outer
door, where, meeting with the head turnkey, they fell
upon him, knocked him down with great violence, and
forcing the key from his hand, which he resolutely held
for some time, they unlocked the door, and ran out. An
alarm was given, but the men all escaped. The names of
the men are—J. Smith, aged 21 years ;J. Bowers, aged
30; J. Binns, aged 24: these three men were convicted
of burglary at Sutton Bonnington, at the house of the
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36, under sentence of transportation for 15 years, for steal-
ing ten lamb hogs at Farnsfield, in the county of Notting-
ham ; William 'Thompson, aged 22, convicted at the late
special assize of burglary, and sentenced to be transported
for 10 years ; Thomas Green, aged 24, convicted of bur-
glary at Fiskerton, and sentenced at the late special as-
size to transportation for life. The convicts all had the
prison dress on, and were without hats. A large reward
is offered for their apprehension. Burton was taken, in
taonwhno,unreaanr Col
wick
Waftoeord.wards, within two miles of the

DISASTROUS ACCIDENT.—A melancholy catastrophe
that
aboutinasCollsioeryo,f ntheear
mCeanrdeimff,ploonye Md
in
Monday.
mine had partially set to work, when a terrible explosion
took place. The effect of this was fortunately confined
to what is technically termed a " heading," where the
deceased were employed. The custom, it appears, in
order to guard against fire-damp in the pit, was for a man
to descend, for the purpose of securing the doors to the
various headings, and exclude the damp air that might
have been generated in the interval between the leaving
off and the resumption of work by the men. On Satur-
dayappears night the person to.whom this duty was entrusted
entered the pit for that purpose, and, it is supposed, neg-
lected to secure the door to the heading where the explo-
sion took place. A quantity of foul air was in consequence
generated in this particular part. On its contact with the
candle used by the party there it immediately exploded.
The rest of the men employed in the other headings im-
mediately took the alarm, and escaped to the mouth of
the pit, whence they were drawn up. The only effect of
the explosion on the machinery at the mouth of the pit
was the displacing a few of the stakes on the shore which
protects the machinery. Two lads were seriously hurt—
one had both his legs broken, the other sustained a dig-.
location of the arm. In the course of the day every effort
was made to rescue the sufferers, but twelve individuals,
consisting of eight men and four boys, were found missing
on c lling over the list of uames. These, unfortunately.
from the nature of the operations, cannot be token out
withent a new boring, an operation of considerable time
and labour.

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Jan 9, 1844

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On Sunday last a hive of bees swarmed in the parish of
Easton, near Wickham Market.
On Friday week the shock of an earthquake was felt in
the island of Guernsey.
The cuckoo was frequently heard in Balderstone during
Christmas week.—Blackburn Standard.
NEW M AGISTR A TE.—On Thursday lest, /It the quarter
sessions, the Hon. Colin Lindsay, son of the Earl of Bal-

carres, took the oaths, and qualified as a magistrate.
Madame Vestris and Mr. C. Matthews re-appeared at
the Haymarket on Saturday evening week after an absence
of several weeks.

On Tuesday evenlig a female committed suicide by
throwing herself off the suspension bridge at Hammer-
. .

The Plymouth Journal states, that there are two hun-
dred apples as large as walnuts on a tree in a garden at
Stonehouse.

The United States Customs have decided not to allow
the drawback on coals in future to the steamer Great
Western ; this will make a serious difference to the com-

The London New Price Current of Tuesday published
an annual statement of the deliveries of goods : in almost
every instance there is an increase as compared with the

INCOME TAX.—We understand that persons claiming
allowance for empty property. for the year ending sth of
April last, are required to .nake their claims on or before
the Ist of February next, or they will not be allowed.
CHALLENGE TO MR. COBDEN.—Mr. Feargns O'Con-
nor has addressed a letter to the Manchester Courier en-
gaging to discuss with him the propriety of a repeal of
the Corn Laws on Mr. Cobden's own terms.

DEATH or GIBSYDE FAIRY.—This celebrated brood
mare, the Grandam of Mundig and Cotherstone, both
Derby winners, the property of John Bowes, Esq., M.P.
died at Streatlam Paddocks, on Saturday last, in the 33rd
year of his age, completely worn out with old age.
DEATH FROM SLEEPING ON A. DAMP BED.—The
Shrewsbury Journal mentions the demise of Mr. John
Morris hop-merchant, of Mardol, in that town, whose
death was caused by having slept in a damp bed at an inn,

in Nantwieh, a fortnight before.
It is a curious fact that the new year's receipts at the
Edinburgh Zoological Gardens have exactly doubled
every year since its opening. In 1841, the receipts were
£3O ; in 1842, £6O ; in 1843, £l2O ; and ti.is year they
amounted to £240.

EXTRAORDINARY MUNIFICENCE.--The following
most munificent bequests have been made by the late Dr.
Beckwith. of York :—X2OOO for the bells of York Min-
ster. £3OOO to restore the Chapter-house, £lO,OOO to the
Museum, £5OOO to the Blind School, and £5OOO for the
Penitentiary.
EXPLOSION OF A BOILER AT MIDDLIESBRO'.—OD St!.
turduy last an explosion, from the blowing up of a boiler,
occurred at the iron works of Messrs. Bolckow and
Vaughan, Middlesbro'-on-Tees. We regret to add thnt
one man lost his life and two others were dangerously
wounded.
THE TOBACCO TRADE.—From the result of the inter-
views had by deputations of the tobacco trade with the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, it is inferred that no re-
duction of duty is contemplated, but that there will be
an alteration in the excise law affecting the article. This

will be news for many of the trade.—Globe, Tuesday.
A new description of augur for boring wood has been
invented by an American gentleman ; it is constructed in
a spiral form, exactly similar in appearance to a cork-
screw, which empties itself of the fragments of wood
without having occasion to withdraw it from the bore, as
is the case with augurs on the common principle.
An official address from the general treasurers and se-

cretaries of the Wesleyan Missionary Society has just
been published, from which it appears, that, on an inves-
tigation of the probable state of the finances for 1843,
there is some reason to apprehend that the income of the
year will fall short of the expenditure by not less than
from ten to twelve thousand pounds.
According to a report made by Mr. Braidwood, the
number of fires and alarms in London, which have hap-
pened from Jan. 1 to December 31, 1843, at which the
engines of the establishment have been called into requi-
sition, amount to 901. It further trentions that the fires,
by which premises were totally destroyed, number 298,
buildings considerably damaged 231.

NAPTH A. OR LIQUID GAS LAMPS.—These lamps
having come into extensive use, and several cases of fire
having arisen from them, the attention of the principal
fire insurance companies has been directed to the danger
arising from them ; and we are told that several of the
offices have resolved not to issue any policies on premises
where they are used.
THE POTTERIES.—WE have great pleasure in stating
that the trade in Staffordshire is very good. The potte-
ries are in full employ, and the iron business improving,
with an increasing demand, and steady advancing prices.
Many blast furnaces that had ceased smelting are now re-
charged and in full operation—a beneficial effect to the
numerous colliers in that district.—Derby Mercury.
One day last week a sailor-looking man was found dead
in a sitting position, near a public-house at Chelsea. He
had only one leg : in his pocket was found the duplicate
of a leather leg which had been pawned that day for seven
shillings. It was ascertained that his death had arisen
from natural causes—ossification of the 'valves of the
heart.

It is now positively stated that a Chinese ambassador:

" a real live China mandarin"—deputed by his Celestial
Majesty, the imperial brother to the sun and cousin-
german to the moon—is about forthwith to exhibit his
pigtail and five-clawed dragon, his peacock's feather and
red button, among the blue ribands, black rods, white
sticks, and garters, of the Court of Her Majesty Queen
Victoria.

PRESENT TO HER MAJESTY.—Eight most beautiful
and pure-bred bantams (consisting of a cock and three
bens of gold, and the like number and description of sil-
ver, bantams) arrived at Windsor Castle on Monday
week, as a present to the Queen, from Mr. W. H. Hol-
combe, of Campden, in Gloucestershire, a gentleman who
Las long been celebrated for his peculiar breed of this
rare and curious species of domestic birds.
A HOUSE DIVIDED, &c.—The League are in high
delight at a letter, whichwas sent to them, a few days
ago, from the Marquis of NV estminster, containing a sub-
scription of £5OO. How this subscription was wrung
from the noble marquis, perhaps Lord R. Grosvenor can
tell. Certain it is, that the house of Grosvenor is divided
against itself, as the well-known principles of the two
elder sons of the marquis, in contrast with those of the
member for Chester and the father, can testify.
ANTI-LEA CUE SOCIETIES.—We are glad to observe
that the agricultural interest is becoming alive to the ne-
cessity of energy and union in resisting the machinations
of the Anti Corn-law League. Associations are about to
be formed in Sussex, Kent, Warwickshire, Lincoln, Hun-
tingdon, and other counties ; and one has been already
organised in Essex, for the above important purpose. The
association already formed is the " Essex Agricultural
Protection Society."
THE WIDOW OF Mr. A SPINALI.'S LATE GA ME -
EPLR--A subscription has been set on foot for the
relict and family of poor Scholfield, late gamekeeper of
John Aspinall. Esq., of Standen-hall, Mitton, who was
shot in an affray with poachers in Mitton Wood, a few
weeks since. The subscription already amounts to a sum
adequate to secure an allowance of five shillings a week
to the widow and family of the deceased for four years.
LOVE AND MURDER.—On Wednesday night, a young:
man, named Sumner, who was paving his addresses to a
girl named Shelton, both of Arnold, was talking with his
'AY-love in the town street, when her father came to
them, and told his daughter to go home. She refused,
'when he went and fetched a bill-hook or hand-bill. and
inflicted such a severe wound upon Simmer as to fracture
his skull. The brutal fellow has absconded, and his vic-
tim now lies in a most dangerous state.—Nollingham
Journal.

PRESTON, FLEETWOOD, AND LYTHAM.—A general
order has been received from the Customs announcing
that the Lords of the Treasury have constituted Preston
an independent port of the 6th class ; and directed that
Fleetwood, the present head port of the district, be a
creek within the port cif Preston :—and, further, "
ap-
Pointing Lytham within the port of Preston to be the
proper station for all vessels coming to, or departing
from, the said port to bring to, for the boarding or land-
ing of officers of the Customs."
SURRENDER OF AN INCENDIARY.—On' Thursday
afternoon, a young man named Thomas Katterns, by
trade a weaver, residing at Kettering, in Northampton-
shire, surrendered himself into the custody of constable
Dudenev, of the Northamptonshire police, uknowledging
that he had set fire to a stack of wheat on the premises
of Mr. John Gotch, a farmer and butcher, of Kettering,
on the night of the 23d of Fehruary, 1539. On the fol-
lowing day, the prisoner underwent a lengthened exami-
nation before the Rev. J. Hogg, a magistrate of Ketter-
ing, when he was fully committed for trial at the next
assizes.

r RICHARD DAnn.--The order for the transmission of
this unhappy young man to England is in the hands of
the authorities here; but it is held back from a kind and
merciful consideration, and will not be put in force until
a few days before the commencement of the assizes ; his
imprisonment in the common gaol of the county
consequently, be very brief. Vcry brief, also, will be his
trial ; evidence of his insanity for some time previous to
Its melancholy consummation-will be given by one or two
of his intimate friends, artists, sufficiently to satisfy the
jury, although forming but a small part of the proofs that
might he adduced, if necessary, and the poor fellow will
be at once removed to some lunatic asylum for the re-
mainder of his sad life. Latest accounts describe him as
in a bad state of health, but receiving unremitting atten-
tion from the persons under whose care he is placed at
Fontainbleau.—Art-Union.
THE HIGH LEIGH BURGLARS.—Thomas Riley, Richd.
Holbrook, and Joseph Holbrook, weavers, were placed at
the bar at the Chester assizes, on Wednesday, charged
with having, on the 14th of October last, burglariously
entered the dwelling.bouse of one Lettice Widders, at
11,g1? Leigh, and stolen therefrom fifty sovereigns, her
monies. This h irglary was of the most atrocious descrip-
tion, perpetrated in the middle of the night by armed
men, with blackened face,, under circumstances of almost
unparalleled atrocity. The evidence has appeared so
recently that it will not be requisite to insert it here. The
• learned judge summed the case up very elaborately, re-
capitulating most minutely the evidence that had been
loffered, when the jury returned a verdict of guilty. The
earned judge, after commenting upon the heinousness of
he offence, sentenced them to be severally transported
for eighteen years.

FATAL ACCIDENT.—On Friday week, John Cnbbon,
master of a small vessel called the Laxey Mines, belong-
ing to Douglas, Isle of Man, met his death in a very un-
accountable manner. The vessel having discharged her
cargo at Runcorn, was on the morning of Thursday week
about t• proceed to Liverpool, when the master missed
his punt, or boat, and, supposing that it had drifted away,
he sent two men in search of it. They returned without
being able to find it, or to learn anything respecting it,
and the captain fancying that his men had not performed
their errand with sufficient attention, went off hastily in
search of the missing boat, and was never more beard of
alive. Many speculations were raised as to what had
become of him, the most probable of which seemed to be
that he had fallen into one of the docks.

RELIGIOUS ENTHUSIASM.—Daring the whole of last
week, speci,l services were appointed to be observed daily
at the Wesleyan chapel, at Holmfirth ; and as early as
six o'clock in the morning numbers of devotee; might be
observed wending their way towards the meeting-house.
It was on one of these occasions that a most melancholy
incident occurred, by which considerable alarm was com-
municated to the assembled members. Amongst the
congregation was the wife of a respectable general shop-
keeper in the neighbourhood, named Joshua Mosely, a
woman noted for her activity in the Methodist cause, and
for her regular attendance at the chapel. On this parti-
cular occasion, however, she prayed with more than ordi-
nary zeal, and ultimately worked herself up to such a
pitch of imaginary and extravagant inspiration or delirium,
as to produce a decided state of insanity, in which state,
lamentable to relate, the unfortunate woman still remains.
—Leeds Intelligencer.
- • -

Mr. Ferrand is rendering high service to the industrial
interests of England, evoking, as he is everywhere doing,
the expression of a spirit of deep hostility, on the part of
the manufacturing operatives, to the doctrines of the Anti-
Corn-Law League. If our landowners were wise, they
would turn to account those manifestations of popular
feeling which are now taking place in the north of England.
Mr. Ferrand has been busied for some weeks in rousing
the labourers of the north to rescue Mr. Oastler from
prison. When we consider the poverty of these labourers,
and the drains to which their very limited means have
been so often subjected by noisy and greedy demagogues
—when we consider, on the other hand, Mr. Oastler's
high and old-fashioned toryism, as well as the non-politi-
cal cause of his incarceration—we can regard the present
movement in his behalf as nothing more nor less than a
national movement in favour of the policy of naorEcTioN.
W. uld that our agricultural capitalists—landowners and
farmers—possessed the same clearness of view, and the
same energy of character, which distinguish the oppressed
operatives of Lancashire and lirJrkshire.—Morning Post.

THE CHESHIRE MURDERS.—At the Chester assizes,
on Thursday, before Mr. Justice Wightman, George Fox
was indicted for the wilful murder of his wife, at Stock-
port. On the day named in the indictment, it appears
that the prisoner came home in a state of intoxication,
and soon afterwards his wife came in, when they had a
quarrel, and the wife left the house. Mr. Temple con-
tended that the death of the deceased was occasioned by
accidentally falling down stairs. The jury found ,he pri-
soner guilty of manslaughter, and he was sentenced to be
imprisoned in Chester Castle for two years.—On the
same day, Samuel Maddocks •was charged with the wilful
murder of Matthias Bailey, gamekeeper to George Wil-
braham, Esq., of Delamere House, on the 28th of July,
at Crowton ; and on the arraignment pleaded not guilty.
The chief witness was Joseph Clarke, a labourer, who
swore that he had seen Maddocks shoot the gamekeeper,
but whose evidence was rendered rather questionable by
the fact that he himself had been accused of the murder.
The jury, having retired, and remained absent about half
an hour, gave a verdict of " Not guilty."
SHOCKING MURDER.—On Sabbath last, tho dead body
of an old man, named John Geddes, a labourer, residing
in a cottage by himself, on the farm of Longford, about
three miles from the village of West Calder, was found
in a shockingly mangled state on the floor of his own
dwelling. He had been missing for several days, but as
he was in the frequ nt habit of working at a distance
from home, no alarm was excited among the neighbours
till Saturday night. On Sabbath, therefore, it was re-
solved to break open the house to see whether he might
not be lying ill, when the neighbours were horrified to
find his murdered body stretched on the floor in a state
almost indescribable. On removing an old shirt which
was thrown over the body, they found a deep fracture in

the skull, the left eye knocked 'into the head, the bone of
the eye-brow broken, the nose all but torn off, the jaw-

bone and collar-bone and collar-bone and all his ribs but

two broken ! A more horrible sight has seldom been
seen. A pair of tongs covered with blood were found at
the fireside, with which the wounds had evidently been
inflicted. The deceased, though a labourer, had the re-
putation of some wealth, and probably the possession of
that might have been the object of the murderer.—
Glasgow paper.
LONDON DOCKS.—On Tuesday the half-yearly general
meeting of the proprietors of this company was held.
Mr. J. D. Powles read the report, and the statement of
accounts for the half year ending the 30th of November
last. The number of loaded ships which entered the
docks from foreign parts, during that period, was 570, of
136,026 tons, and in the same time of 1842, 676, of
149,452 tons. There was an increase in the income, or
earnings, of £14.513 lls. 4d., viz., to £197,168 15s. 7d.,
although a decrease bad occurred in the tonnage, the
corn-laden ships which entered having fallen off, in the
six months to November 30th last, to 8,436 tons, or a de-
crease of 25,446 tons, as compared with the same period
of 1841. The general business was better. The directors
recommended .the construction of new warehouses, in
order to meet the increased wants expected to arise from
the extension of the China trade, and recommended that
a dividend of 2 per cent. should be declared for the half-
year ending the 31st of December last. After a discus-
sion of some length, the report and dividend were agreed
to, thanks were voted to the chairman and directors, and
the meeting adjourned.

ARE THE PEOPLE THE SOURCE OF POWER ?—A con-
temporary
writer says, " a claim to dominion, wherever
it is lodged, must be ultimately referred back to the ex-
plicit or implied consent of the people." This, of course,
is but a fair inference from the favourite maxim that the
people is the only source of legitimate power. But op-
posed as we are to oppression, under whatever pretence it
may exist, we are unable to subscribe to the truth of this
maxim. Power, we helieve, has a much higher source
than what is here ascr►bed to it. We would say, in the
language of the Divine founder of Christianity, " Shew
us a penny." " Whose image is this, and what is that
superscription ? "—" Victoria Regina Dei Gratia."
Does Dei Gratia signify, by permission of the people?
No : it refers to a higher power ; that power " by whom
kings reign and princes decree justice." We are no advo-
cates for the divine right of kings to govern wrong. That
is a totally different affair. The principles of Mauna
Charta provide against any such abuse of the royal prero-
gative ; but at the same time we would caution the advo-
cates of popular rights against the use of arguments
which can have no force whatever with those who are
attached to the ancient and well-tried principles of the
British constitution. Newcastle Advertiser, (Whig
Paper.)
ILLEGITIMATE CHILDREN.-011 the motion of Mr.
Stuart Wortley a return was ordered by the House of
Commons in March last "of all illegitmate children whose
baptisms were registered by the clergymen in the several
parishes of Lancashire, the West Riding of Yorkshire,
Norfolk, Surrey, and Herefordshire, during the years
1831, 1132, and 1833, and during the years 1839, 1840,
and 1841." The return shows a great number of
mate children who have been baptised in the years men
tioned, and by analogy there are numerous persons in the
same counties who are likewise illegitimate; but the erec-
tion of churches and the recent act for providing for the
spiritual destitution in populous parishes, will, it is hoped,
be used to call forth the life they have received in the
baptismal covenant, and be the means of unfolding into
active exercise the gift bestowed upon them. It appears
that in the county of Lancaster the number registered in
1831 was 1,739 ; in 1832, 1,833 ; and in 1833, 1818 ;
making a total of 5,390. In the other three years there
were registered by clergymen in baptism-1,988 in 1839,
2,045 in 1840, and 2,129 in 1841, making a total i❑ the
period of 6,172, being nearly 1,000 over the former period.
The West Riding of Yorkshire shows 3,332 in the three
first years and 3,082 in the second three years. In the
county of Norfolk the numbers in the first-mentioned
years were 2.028, arid in the second 2,422. In Surrey,
959 were baptised in the first period, and 1,066 in the
second. In Hereford there were 720 in 1831, 1832, and.
1833, and in the second three years 681. The return fur-
ther states the numbers in the various parishes, and the
information afforded incontestibly shows the necessity for
the exertions of those intrusted with spiritual instruction,
whilst their temporal affairs should not be neglected by
others.

GUANO irnom CATTUNESS.—We believe that Guano is
scarcely known in Caithness further than what our farm-
ers have read of it in the newspapers and agricultural ma-
gazines, if we except a trial made by some half-dozen of
our proprietors and large farmers, who had a small im-
portation of it from South America, via Liverpool, last I
season. We confess we have not turned our attention to
the subject, and are, therefore, not prepared to write on
it; but, the matter having been pointed out to us by a
correspondent, we readily seize upon the contents of his
note, with the hope that by so doing we may set some of
our enterprising landlords or tenants on experimenting
with this new and valuable manure. Our friend says, " I
wonder you have not taken up the subject of guano, and
explained to your readers, more especially to your landed
proprietors, that there is a great abundance of it to be
found in Caithness, Sutherland, Orkney, and Zetland,
amongst the islands, stacks, and cliffs of the rocks. There
must be immense deposits of birds' dung on these coasts,
which could be collected at a trifling evpense. I last year
made trial of it from an island near Inchcolm, took a boat
in the morning, a ,d, with some small spades, mason's
trowels, and some bags, clambered to the top, about 80
feet high, to the resort of the sea-fowl, from which, in an
hour's time, three of us nearly filled the boat with excel-
lent stuff resembling dirty lime. The season was past to
try it on vegetables, and not being a farmer, I used it in
top-dressing a flower garden, where it had an astonishing
effect. The feeding fibres of the plants came to the sur-
face, and laid hold of the small pieces as greedily as a
hawk would his prey ; it was interesting to observe the
feeders of the dahlias coming to the surface, a hundred at
a time, as small as threads, attached to a small piece, not
larger than a walnut. I had a delightful show of them,
hut will not have the pith of the guano until next summer.
I am certain Sir George Dunbar could take a vast quan-
tity of it from the rocks on his estate of Hempriggs, Noss,
&c." We shall be glad to hear the result of any experi-
ment made with guano in this or neighbouring counties,
and shall be happy to record the same in our journal for
the benefit of others. Why go to Africa for what may be
procured at home ? We believe that heavy rain r .rinf'es
the strength of this manure, which may be one objection
againq what is found in this country.—John 0' Groats
Journal.