The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-08-18 00:00:00

THE IRON WORKS OF COALBROOKDALE

Coalbrookdale is sitnated on the upper course of the
Severn, in the county of Shropshire, and is connected with
a range of hills, among which the peak of the Wrekin is
remarkably prominent and conspicuous. The natural sce-
beautiful rather than romantic ; the

❑ery of t.
rocks by

hid) it is en

stone, and, ai is in-

eaks or abrupt pr

ch stratification, there, are no sharp
go; the hills rise in
ject

us prominences which pr

which

glen, and presenting what we ma

inet pictures of
'le view. The

cent of a

grand par

cent, par

Talley affords much finer views than the as-
tly ter-

,nrly where the dale oper
the Severn, an

,t a winding

of the course of the river

commands an ex-

gin to dekpen, the flat

When the shades

!s of the forks in the

of the dale present a most singular effect; there
contrast between those glowing fires and

the tranquil scftness of the surrounding scenery as to ren-
der the contrast perfectly startling. At the first glance,

one is almost tempter

to exclaim with

3yron—

that where Nature loved to trace

As for the gods a dwelling Waco

There man, er

should mar it to a wilderness."

But this is one of the cases in which statistical science is
directly at variance with poetic feeling. These flaming
furnaces, instead of wasting and destroying, have been the
agents which clothed the hills with beauty, and blessed the
fields with fertility. They have wrenched treasures from
the depths of earth to spread loveliness on its surface, and
agriculture has flourished around because manufacture
was active in the centre.

Few situations could be more favourable for the esta-
blishment of iron works than Coalbrookdale. Tile iron•
stone is interstratified with the coal, and the limestone is
an admirable flux for the reduction of the metal. The
stream that winds through the dale affords an abundant
supply of cheap water-power, and the rounded irregulari-
ties which we have mentioned offer facilities for the con-
struction of reservoirs, too obvious to ercape notice even
in an unmechanical a.4e. We know not by whom these
natural advantages were first made available for the
pur-
poses of manufacture, but we find that in the reign of
Charles I. the works of Coalbrookdale belonged to the
family of Wolff, decided royalists, who lived at Madeley,
about a mile from the dale. When Charles 11. fled from
Worcester field

" A hunted wanderer on the wild,"

he obtained shelter at Madeley at the Wolffs' ; after the
Restoration he exhibited the cheap gratitude of increasing
the armorial bearings of the family, by the addition to
their hereditary crest of the wolf, a crown resting on the
wolf's paw.

It would have been a whimsical coincidence if this fa-
mily had anticipated Der Freischutz, by giving Coal-
brookdale the name of " The Wolf's Glen," for the next
occupant commenced the casting of bails. It is also cu-
rious to find that the Wolf was succeeded by a Fox. In
the reign of Queen Anne and the two first Georges, the
grenadiers actually carried in their pouches the grenades
from which they derive their name ; and the chief manu-
facture of these warlike implements, and of cannon bails,
was conducted by Mr. Fox, i❑ Coalbrookdale. Peter the
Great, who believed that grenades would be valuable aids
to his enterprises in Southern Russia, induced Mr. Fox to
emigrate. lie never returned ; and no tidings of him were
ever received by his wife and family.

In the year 1707, Mr. Darby, an enterprising manufac-
turer of Bristol, took a lease of the ironworks in Coal-
brookdale, then confined to a single furnace and foundry.
Some years previously he had visited Holland, which
then almost exclusively supplied Europe with cooking
utensils, and the metalic wares used in kitchens. He en-
gaged some Dutch brass-founders to return with him to
the brass-works he had established at Baptist Mills, near
Bristol, and with their aid he began to cast iron vessels
in moulds of sand. From some of the minute errors inci-
dent to experiments, the first efforts failed ; but fortu-
nately a young shepherd boy from Wales, who had come
to Bristol with the trifling earnings he had saved, for
the purpose of learning some trade, witnessed the failure
of the experiment, and thought that he could devise a
remedy. Mr. Darby encouraged him to trial, and it per-
fectly succeeded. The lad refused many advantageous
offers to reveal the secret • be accompanied Mr. Darby to
the dale; a patent was obtained, and the manufacture of

kitchen utensils commenced on a very large scale. But
for many years the utmost precaution was taken to keep
the process a secret, and even the keyholes were stopped
whenever a casting was to be made.
In 1717 Mr. Darby died, leaving his only son six years
of age. The boy grew up amid many difficulties and per-
plexities, which severely taxed his powers arid his perse-
verance, but which gave him a course of discipline and
mental training of the utmost value in his future life.
Having obtained possession of the ironworks, he greatly
extended and improved them—he laid down the first rail-
road for coal waggons ever known in England, and, hav-
ing proved its efficacy, he connected by rail the furnaces
at the top of the dale with the foundry in the centre, and
continued the line to the stores and wharf on the Severn,
whence the products of Coalbrookdale still continue to be
sent down the river in lighters, for export to their several
places of destination.
The same enterprising gentleman made the first experi-
ment in testing the efficacy of iron for bridge building.
The first iron needed in -England wee made
under his direction, over the Severn, below Medeley. So
well chosen was the f osi t ion , that a thriving market-town
sprung up in the neighbourhood, and now bears the name
of Ironbridge.

The products of the Coalbrookdale works unconnected
with art may be very briefly noticed. The chief, of course,
is bar iron, of every variety of gauge, of which a vast
quantity is always kept in store. High in importance we
may rank the agricultural implements, on which the pre-
sent Mr. D*rby has bestowed the most unwearied and
laudable attention.

The hollow ware which first conferred celebrity on
Coalbrookflale is still produced in very large quantities.
In addition to culinary utensils, brewing vessels, sugar-
pans, &c., there are columns, beams, and pipes of every
kind, an among them we were interested in observing
the casting of pipes for the atmospheric railway, though
we cannot avoid entertaining anxious doubts of the suc-
cess of the success of this very ingenious but rather costly
experiment. We were also glad to see some bridge cast-
ings; and it was curious to find, on comparing the latter
models with the drawings made for the first iron bridge,
that the original inventor had left little to be added by his
successors.

It is not more than twelve years since ornamental cast-
ings were first attempted in Coalbrookdale. Iron hed
been rejected from the reach of ornament on high autho-
rity, and declared incapable of appearing within the reach
of plastic art, even by Sir Francis Chantrey. After
having examined the mechanical difficulties to be over-
come in making a perfect cast, we are not surprised
at the incredulity of the eminent sculptor. The moulds
must be made of a kind of sand, having sufficient
tenacity to retain the most delicate lines, and, at the
same time, a texture sufficiently loose to admit the escape
of the gasses very freely given out by the molten metal
when poured into the mould. Now these are conditions

not very easy of fulfilment, and when the first iron cast-
ings were taken at Berlin, the operatives having used
too tenacious a sand, in nine cases out of ten produced
a pitted surface from the small air-bubbles for which
the texture of the sand afforded no escape. Should
such an accident occur with a softer metal, such as brass
or bronze, any defect in the cast may be remedied by the
chaser ; but the chaser's tools will not touch iron ; the
cast once made remains—no blemish in the casting can be
removed—no disturbance of the proportions can be altered.
An iron casting is, therefore, a more wondrous work of

mechanical art than a cast of brass or bronze ; there are
more difficulties to be overcome in the preparation, there
is more nicety in the process, and there are no earthly
means of changing the result. But under all these disad-
vantages the company at Coalbrookdale has produced cast-
ings of iron which challenge competition with the most
perfect bronzes.—Art-Union.

Theodore Hook us

3 to call that musical instrument

long pipe of Teat}

er in convulsion

A quack recentrydfrering retuedies for cutaneous dis-
ses, said they would cure even the eruptions of Mount

There is an aristocracy among the slaves of the South,
who, when they wish to be very severe on each other, say.

"Go along. half-price nigger., you would'nt fetch fifty
dollars, and I'm wuth a thousand." _ •

OPPOSITE CHARACTERS FOR POSTERITY.—A rich
Englishman, who lives near Pau, cannot be satisfied with

the pleasures natural to the beautiful region at the foot of
the Pyrenees; and he has astonished the Bordeaux people
by having his thirteen horses and thirty couple of hounds
landed at their quay from an English brig. The people
assembled in multitudes to see the sight; and they will
probably send down to posterity some tradition of the
gentleman as the most devoted lover of pleasure in their
day and neighbourhood.—Somewhat different was the
taste in pleasure of a certain humble governess whom I
have heard of, whose name was Jane Scott. She had a
heart which was pained at seeing the toil and difficulty
caused to the people of a certain district by want of access
to water : and

a had a heart wbich was pleased at the
exertion of working hard and denying herself the expendi-

SUPERSTITION ON THE DANUBE.—A superstitious
notion prevails in Upper Austria, that the Danube re-
quires a young man for a yearly victim. I myself saw a
fellow fall overboard, and drown after a long struggle,
during which neitter the crew of the vessel nor his corn-
rades made the slightest effort to save him. Willie he
was battling against the impetuous waves, the crew stood
quite composedly on deck, and cried out in chorus,
" Jack, Jack, give in—dost not see 'tis what pleases

God."—Sketches of Austria.
The following is a ludicrous and humorous picture of
a family of monkeys in a tree, and a dog menacing them

e, inha

bited by a family of monkeys—father, mother, and chil-
dren of all ages. Don, A 's dog, who with me, was
in a perfect fury to get hold of them, sitting upon his
hind legs, and whining with agony. The monkeys were

bunted his w;fe and children up the tree, cn to one of
the high branches; and when he had seen them safe
where they could only peep out and grin, he came down
again himself, and stood at the edge of a dancing bough,
chattering, grinning, and evidently trying to provoke
Don, taking excellent care, however, to keep out of harm's
way himself, and sneering, till poor Don was so wild with
was obliged to have him tied up and led

SUPPLY OF WATER TO ANCIENT ROME AND LONDON.
—A correspondent of the Mechanic's Magazine has the
following speculations on the relative supplies of that im-
portant agent of health and comfort—water, to modern
London and ancient Rome :—" The probable supply to
the 1,000,000 inhabitants of which Rome could at one
time boast, amounted to 50,600,000 cubic feet, being equal
to about 50 cubic feet for each individual. This is proba-
bly 20 times the quantity which London now receives for
each of its inhabitants—a fact which goes faro justify the
application of the disgraceful term ' bathless' to this,
the largest, the most opulent, and the most powerful city
in the world. How miserably insignificant do our water-
works appear, and how trifling the supply they furnish to
this mighty city of more than 2,000,000, when contrasted
with the immense flood of pure water poured into old
Rome by her gigantic aqueducts ! And how discreditable
the difference between the two capitals, when we reflect
oa the well known fact, that, through the happy constitu-
tion of the strata on which London stands, she has at her
command—requiring, as it were, but the smiting of the
rock to make them gush forth—boundless supplies of the
purest possible water !" .
THE PRESENT SEASON.—The season is an extraordi-
nary one. The heat—the amount of continuous sunshine
—has been far beyond the average of our summers. This
iti
heat brings on, as a natural consequence, violent ternpe '-
and explosions of thunder and lightning such as are
dom witnessed in this country. All the while, the cr
are advancing beautifully—first, by the heat which happily
succeeded the profuse rains of last year and the early
spring of this; and then, by the passing rains attending
the summer storms. Here and there, trees are shivered,
cattle killed, stacks set on fire, men struck dead ; and
some people are trembling at the unusual number of acci-
dents from this cause. But let them look at the amount
of life and plenty which is maturing by the means which
inflict this isolated death or loss. It is a conspicuous in-
stance of the ordinary course of Providence—this large
and silent growth of immeasurable good, attended by
startling tokens which may keep our minds awake and
vigilant. A multitude of human lives may be said to be
growing in the fruitful fields, while only a handful here
and there is cut off. Plenty is showering down into the
nation's lap, while only a handful here and there is des-
troyed. Such is the proportion of God's gifts and men's
privations—and who will say that the disasters themselves
have not a surpassing value as keeping men's eyes open
to the dealings of God with the life of man ?—Miss Mar-
tineau, in the People's Journal. .
PAGANINI AND MOTHER.—A singular tale appeared in
the papers, stating that Paganini was a violin-maker,
living in one of the narrow streets of Milan. He kept a
little shop, with his violins hanging in his window, and
was so good-looking that the lasses of Milan used to pass
down the street to have a look at the handsome fiddle-
maker. One day a gentleman called with a violin to be
repaired, and accidentally left a book behind him on the
transmigration of souls, a subject, of all others, that in-
terested Paganini. He read it with avidity. In a small
room, at the back of his shop, 1-iy his aged and accom-
plished mother on her deathbed. Paganini had just finished
a fine violin, and, in the full persuasion of the transmigra-
tion of souls, he placed a leathern tube over the mouth of
his mother, at the instant of her departure. and received
her last breath at the S holes of the fiddle. This was his
magical violin, with which he set out upon his travels.
When performing in the Opera-house, and imitating the
tones of the voice, in a piece which he called " The
Witches under the Walnut Trees," a French valet was
thrown into a state of frenzy. He waited upon Paganini
the next morning, and told him that when young he had
been a lover of his mother, and that, with inexpressible
delight, while listening to the performance last night, he
recognised her voice in the tones of his violin. I have
preserved this ridiculous tale, as it may tend to show the
extent of the sensation created by this extraordinary man,
on his arrival here, when public writers could think it
worth their while to invent such stories.—Gardiner's
Music and Friend's.

THE HOODED CROW.—This species is not a constant
resident with us, but arrives in the autumn, and departs
in spring: we might thus call it the winter crow. These
birds are supposed to come from Norway or Sweden to
the south of England, but abound in the northern and
western isles of Scotland throughout the year, and were
formerly so numerous in those parts that regulations were
established and money paid for their destruction. Four
or five hundred may sometimes be seen together on these
islands, and many may also be found on the Scotch Low-
lands. The term hooded is applied to this crow from the
grey plumage which covers the upper part of the body
like a mantle or hood, from which it is called body in
the Orkneys, and in some parts the grey-backed crow, or
dun crow. The old name was Royston crow, as it was
supposed to be peculiar to the district round that place.
Some have erroneously ascribed the grey coating of the
bird to age, and supposed it to be an old carrion crow;
this guess has now departed, with a host of kindred fan-
cies, which formerly flitted to and fro over the field of na-
tural history. The ignorant among the peasantry may
still persist in giving the coat of grey to the ancient car-
rion crow. But though a distinct species, the hooded
crow much resembles the carrion in its habits, feeding
upon eggs and young poultry, to which it not unfrequently
adds fish, especially muscles and limpets. These last
sometimes destroy the crow instead of being themselves
destroyed, as when the bird seizes the fish the latter drags
the crow under water ; a result not in the least surprising
when the great tugging force of some limpets is remem-
bered; which often amounts to more than a weight of
twenty pounds. Some naturalists have observed a pecu-
liar note uttered by the hooded crow in the quiet of the
early morning, a plaintive sound in an ascending minor
third, which may be called the bird's morning song.—
Sharpe's London Magazine.
MISS SUSAN CUSHMAN'S MARRIAGE.—At that period
of Miss Cushman's theatrical life, in which misfortune
seemed to have overwhelmed her, a gentleman of Boston,
in middle life, and a friend of the family, came forward
and offered to take her sister Susan, then very young, en-
tirely under his care, complete her education, and, if the
consent of her mother could be obtained, adopt her as his
daughter. Susan was delicate in health, lovely in person,
and timid in character ; this offer, therefore, of a perma-
nent and comfortable home was not to be rejected. She
was removed from the harassing carts which pressed on
her sister, and placed in the house of her half-brother,
where she lived in ease and comfort, no pains being spared
to render her education complete. The arrangement
seemed altogether a most satisfactory one, and no senti-
ment but that of gratitude was felt by all towards the man
who had so generously show❑ himself the friend of all.
When Susan, however, had just turned fourteen, he was
taken dan,2erously ill of brain fever, and lay at the point
of death. At this moment he summoned her half-brother,
and besought, as the prayer of a dying man, that in order
to give Susan Cushman a legal claim to his property,
which was believed to be very considerable, she would
consent to marry him. The idea was a startling one;
but he had been so long her real benefactor, and now
meant so sincerely to secure independence to her at his
death, when otherwise she must be unprovided for, that
the idea was not to be rejected. Her brother-in-law con-
sented ; and, after some little delay, arrangements were
made for the marriage. In the meant

iwe, however, the
mother, to whom this singular intelligence was sent, hur-
ried to Boston with the firm determination, from some

nameless presentiment of evil in her own mind, utterly to
forbid the marriage. In Susan's mind, too, the greatest
unwillingness existed, and she only needed her mother's
countenance resolutely to refuse her consent. The
mother came ; but the relatives, who saw nothing but the
utmost advantage to the young lady in an alliance which,
even supposing the husband lived, promised wealth and
station, over-ruled even the mother's unwillingness. This
ill-starred marriage took place, and'the husband recovered.
Before the young wife however was fifteen, she had occa-
sion to deplore not having listened to those presentiments
of evil Which, like the whisperings of guardian angels,
might have saved her from bitter woe. tier husband one
day informed her that he was going to New York on busi-
ness • scarcely, however, was he gone, when the whole
bubble of his wealth and prosperity burst. Hungry cre-
ditors rushed in from all sides, and it was then found to
be too true that he had left Boston to avoid the personal
annoyance which must accrue on the state of his affairs
being made public. For his wife, however, young and
inexperienced as she was, and to whom this came as the
sudden crash of an earthquake, be bad no such pity. She
was left to bear it all. Nothing could be more appalling
and distressing than her present state._ She had married

bourhoora a pump, with a she'd' over it, for shelter for the
women who came to draw. The grateful neighbours have
add..d to the pump the best and greatest ornament it
could have—the inscribed name of Jane Scott. Some
papers before me prove that among the worst consequen-
ces of seasons of distress among the work people is this;
that men who are selfish discover on how little their wives
and children can live, and thenceforward compel their
wives to make that sum do, spending all the rest on their
own indulgence. When I think of the childishness of the
idle gentleman in his gambling and hunting pleasures
abroad, and of the selfish working man over his pipe and
can, or laying bets, or lounging away his Mondays, how
sweet in comparison is the savour of the works of Jane
Scott, or of the Wiltshire good-wife, who tow stands im-
mortalised in stone, on the top of a pillar, with her basket
of eggs on her arm. This good-wife had to go to market
by a dreadfully miry way. She worked and saved, and
left money to pave this miry way, for the benefit of those
who came after her. There was some money left over ;
and it accumulated, so that the Marquis of Lansdowne,
who was a trustee, was perplexed what to do with it. He
and others who honoured the woman's deed, subscribed a
sufficient increase to erect the pillar and statue I have
mentioned. There she stands; silently inciting the way-
farer to deeds of that virtue that they can never die,—
Miso Martineau, in the People's Journal.

him in the first instance not irom Wirt:Lion, out from a
sense of gratitude and duty to a kind devoted friend, who
as a dying request asked but her hand to provide for her
through life. When he lived, however, and thus when
the responsibility and duty of a wife was suddenly thrust
upon her, she, like Jenny in the ballad of " Old Robin
Gray," had literally vowed with herself to be a good wife
to him who had been so kind, and who she sincerely he_
lieved, had meant so kindly by her. Now, however, and
this was perhaps the saddest part of this sad knowledge,

his character appeared in an entirely new aspect ; Le was
a selfish, cruel, and false man. Her heart almost broke
under this dreadful discovery. A year or two, during
which no better hope revealed itself, went on, and she
was a mother. Life was dark all around her, and full of
crushing realities, among which may be mentioned the
loss of her husband's reason. No history of a life can be
sadder than hers ; yet through all she was blameless, and
to the utmost endeavoured to fulfil her duty. * *
* During her second season in Philadelphia, Mrs.
Merriman met with some of her husband's relations, who
treated her with the utmost kindness, and who, resenting
his base conduct to ber, advised her to obtain a divorce,
for which the most abundant reasons existed. At their
own charge they commenced the necessary legal proceed-
ings. The divorce was obtained, and in less than a year
afterwards the news of his death reached them from the
far West. —Mary flitteitt, in the People's journal.

UNPUBLISHED ANECDOTE OF THE 1:1C.1%E OF WEL-
LINGTON.—One morning lately, the duke was riding with
his groom along the north bank of the Serpentine, when
an unfortunate gentleman, who had got out of his depth
in the water, hallooed lustily to his grace for assistance.
His grace stopped his horse, and turning to the river, re-
plied :—Field-Marshal the Duke of Wellington is only a
subscriber to the Royal Humane Society, neither he nor
his groom hold any office under that institution. He is
not one of th 3 park-keepers, and he has no connection
with the metropolitan police. The duke declines inter-
fering. The gentleman in the water may apply to any
one of the officers of police." The duke then touched his
bat with his forefinger and quietly rode on.--Horace
Mayhem.

GOOD EFFECTS OF THE LATE STORM.—A curious
statement is made of the enormous number of rats swept
into the Thames by the floods ! Certain it is that myri-
ads of them have perished : and many householders hava
enjoyed the diminution of the nuisance. The perfect
cleansing of the drains has also improved the healthy
condition of various quarters in which long neglect had
caused the seeds of disease to be thickly sown.—Globe.
MELTING WEATHER.—A good dame, who was convey-
ing a basket of butter, among other things, to Canterbury
market, in a donkey cart, on Saturday last, when the heat
of the sun was particularly intense, intent upon the ditties
of driving the slow-fooled animal, neglected to observe
what was going on behind her. The butter melted with
the heat of the sun, became entirely liquified, and dropped
gradually away through the crevices of the cart, until, at
the termination of the journey, out of 17 pounds, scarcely
an ounce remained.—Canterbury Journal.
A MARINE SENTENCED TO BE HUNG AT THE YARD-
ARM.—A court martial was held at Cork last week, on
board her Majesty's ship The Queen, upon James Sayer,
an Englishman, 24 years old, for striking Sergeant Can-
non, his superior officer, in the face, kicking Sergeant
Smith on the abdomen, and striking Corporal Webby.
Prisoner had been ordered into the cockpit for druken-
ness, but refused to go. He offered no defence, and be-
ing convicted of the two assaults first-named, was sen-
tenced by the Judge-Advocate to be hanged by the neck
from the yard-arm of one of her Majesty's ships, on a day
to be appointed by the Lords Commissioners of the Ad-
miralty.
DREADFUL SUICIDE.—A suicide of a more deliberate
character, and withal so painful, it has seldom fallen to
our lot to record than was perpetrated on Wednesday last,
about twelve o'clock at noon, by a person of the name of
John Moore, from Merthyr, who had been for some time
past, for change of air, near Pontardulas, in this county,
where this occurrence took place. It appears, from the
statement of the medical gentlemen in attendance, that
the deceased, who had been for some time past complain-
ing of pain in the bowels, on Wednesday last about twelve
at noon, cut up his bowels and pulled them out, and drag-
ged away by force a portion of his intestines, and separ-
ated other portions, nine or ten in number, of eight or
nine inches in length. This was done over a chamber
utensil, into which he let them fall, and finding, it is sup-
posed, that death did not ensue so speedily as he desired,
he attempted to cut his throat, which in his weakened
state he was unable to accomplish.— Welshman.
THE MURDER AT BARNARD CASTLE.—SinCe the ac-
count of last week, Raine, the third party implicated in
this horrible affair, has been apprehended by Mr. Snow-
den, police-officer, on the Caledonian Railway, and is now
remanded in Northallerton gaol until Tuesday next, when
a full investigation will take place before the magistrates
at Greta Bridge. On Tuesday afternoon last, the body
of Yates was exhumed in Stratforth churchyard, an im-
mense concourse of people being assembled to witness the
solemn procedure. The body was taken into the church,
and examined by all the medical gentlemen of Barnard
Castle. It was so much decomposed, however, that it
was found impossible to examine any other part than the
head, which was found to be quite entire, thereby materi-
ally strengthening the evidence of the girl Humphreys.
THE SUGAR MARKET AND THE SUGAR BILL.—The
effect of the new sugar duties was tested on Tuesday by
a large sale of Mauritius sugar. Brown sugar, which at
the highest was worth 495. the cwt., sold to-day at 445.,

THE DANGER OF ROUGE.—A lady who piqued herself
on the beauty, freshness, and pure white and red of her

She had

complexion, went to attend a chemical lecture
not been there long, when suddenly her face was ob-
served by all present to b(come perfectly blue. Uncon-
scious of the change, or of the attention directed to her
ghastly features, she smilingly continued talking to her
acquaintance, and, if she remarked the wondering eyes
turned towards her, doubtless attributed their gaze to the
fairness of which she was so vain. At length one of her
companions ventured to whisper in her ear the strange
and alarming alteration that had taken place, and which
on her making a precipitate retreat, was attributed by the
lecturer to its true cause: the comestic she had used being
affected by some salt, or acid, employed in his experi-
ments, had caused the marvellous transfiguration.—
Books of Costume by a Lady 'f Rank.
BARON PLATT A BUTLER.—The worthy baron tra-
velled nearly all Friday night, in order to be in Wells as
early as possible on the following morning. On reaching
one of the inns on the road, finding that Boniface had
retired to the arms of Morpheus, or of his better half,
his lordship attacked the door with such vehemence that
locks, bolts, and bars flew back, and admittance was
gained in a trice. Having fortified the inner man, his
lordship was proceeding from the room he had occupied
to his carriage, when he met " mine host." " What
have I to pay ?" he asked. " Oh, noshing, nothing,"
was the answer ; " we don't charge butlers when they
bring their masters here." The worthy justice shook his
sides with laughter at the idea of her. Majesty's represen-
tative being taken for a butler; and the sides of the gene-
rous host shook under very different emotions when he
discovered that he had made so great a mistake.
TAE BLEEDING PREMIER.—When Sir Robert Peel
lately made his memorable speech on going out of office,
he was very much agitated. He bled profusely by the
nose ; and an honourable member behind him (Colonel
Rushbrooke) observing that he had only a white silk
handkerchief—soon disfigured by the stains—handed to
'him a red handkerchief. The Premier bowed, accepted
the proffer, and proceeded with a speech, destined, per-
haps, to affect the legislation of the world. The debate
went on; great excitement prevailed, and decent Colonel
Rushbrooke, retiring about one or two o'clock in the
morning, his mind occupied with the international affairs
of the whole terraqueous globe, was suddenly brought
down from his altitude by Peel's livery servant, with his
master's compliments and thanks, presenting to him the
said red silk handkerchief—carefully washed, ironed, and
folded—just as if it had been lent by a milliner's girl to a
laundress.—London Correspondent of Inverness Courier.

including the duty, being a reduction of 55., while, on the
other hand, a parcel of brown Bahia sugar in an English
Another arrival of foreign ice, to the extent of 100 tons, ship, and which two months ago was worth I9s. to 19s.
has taken place in London, from Bergen, -Norway). sd. in bond, sold to-day for 235. 6d., which, with the
Captain Sir John Ross, the distinguished arctic voy-
new duty 21s. is equivalent to 445. 6d. duty paid. Upon
alter, is at present at Woolwich, having arrived from
this class of sugar, therefore, the effect of the change
Sweden' in a small yacht of scarcely ten tons burden.
must be said tribe a rise of 4s. on foreign sugar, and a
t
The Sussex Express announces a pr., imt of presenting fall of ss. on colonial. It must. however, be borne in
to the Duke of Richmond a testimonial, for his services mind, that sugars were six weeks ago at least ss. to 6s.
in the cause of the British agriculturist, per cwt. dearer than they were at the same time last
Three-fourths, at least, of the Parisian journals con-
year. The comparison was thus :—June 17, 1845, ge-
tained no notice of the attempt upon the king's life the neral average price of sugar, 31s. 7d.: June 20, 1846,
morning after the occurrence. ditto, 365. 10d. The reduction, therefore, which has taken
Ica FROM GRENLAND.—An importation of ice has
place, is not more than the advance which has been ex-
just taken place from Greenland, by a ship named the perienced in anticipation of a great scarcity. Then as
Edgecumbe, having on board 110 tons weight of this sin-
the Mauritius and East India crops are even larger than
last year, there is no reason to suppose that those interests
gular article of merchandise.
MURDER.—On Thursday last a man named Thomas will suffer in any way from the change.—Mercantile
Green was committed by the coroner's warrant to York Gazette.
.
Castle, for the murder of his wife at Hull, by knocking MYSTERIOUS DEATHS It sometimes happens in the
country that nearly a whole family is struck by malignant
her down stairs. A
correspondent of the Patriot describes the new Pre-
fever, and successively carried off. This happened lately
sident of the Weslyan Conference as " a Whig, an eminent at a farm-house in the south of Scotland. Not only did
preacher, a socnd theologian, a considerable wit, and a the farmer, his wife, and a female servant sink under the
disease, but a son and daughter, and several other ser-
noted votary of the weed." vents, narrowly escaped with their lives, and only by re-
As two boys were gathering mushrooms in a field near
moving from the house. It was observed in this case that
Beverley, they found one which weighed nearly three
removal produced instantaneous improvement of -health,
pounds, and measured 40 inches in circumference, 14
but return to the devoted dwelling renewed the ailment.
inches across, and nine around the stalk.—Hull Paper.
A
Some of the manufacturers at Ashton-under-Lyne have About the same time a similar tragedy happened near
given notice of their intention to reduce wages five per
Stirling. A farmer, his wife, two sons, and a female ser-
cent. The operatives refuse to accede to the proposal. vant, being the whole family, were took ill of malignant
fever and died. The explanation that has been afforded
The first battalion of the Rifle Brigade have received
At Rochdale there is a turn out for higher wages. to us in the first case perhaps supplies a key to all such
orders to embark on board the Terrible and Retribution
mysteries. It has there been found that, immediately be-
steam-frigates, and proceed to the Cape to act against the hind the house was a kind of mill-pond, into which every
kind of refuse was thrown or allowed to discharge itself,
predatory Kaffirs.
EXTENSIVE SEIZURE OF SMUGGLED TOBACCO.—An and that this collection of putrid matter had not been
o
extensive seizure of the above article was made by a tide- once cleared out for a long aeries of years, no one
ing of any harm in it. The momentous consequences from
dream-
surveyor of the port of Hull:upon the coast to the south
of Aldborough. The quantity taken is 4036 lbs, the duty a cause so trifling, and the consideration that they furnish
upon been warded off by only a little knowledge, furnish
upon which would have been £6OO.
ample matter for reflection. We are yet but in the infancy
MILITARY FLOGGING.—A penny subscription, to put- of an understanding of the subject of aerial poisons.
chase the discharge of private Mathewson, of,
the 7th
ALARMING ACCIDENT TO SLR CHARLES WETHERLL.
Hussars, the witness at the late coroner's inquest at
—We deeply lament to state that
tsl
Charlesoie on
auamsn veryo
hadnfWetherell,
eyso
teai
hnv morning.r
eegr
rir
vee
0 1
n anditain
hooves Hounslow, was set on foot on Saturday at several public-
houses in different parts of the metropolis. alarming accident happenaendideitoog
FOREIGN FRUIT AND VEDETADLES. - There have thelt
appears neighbourhood
that
the
o f
been imported during the week—nearly 3,000 baskets,
casks, bags, and hampers, of which 2,000 packages are Maidstone by train, learned
wasnSedeine
apples, pears, and plums, ; cucumbers are also arriving in Rochester, for which purpose he had engaged a one-horse
large quantities.—Hull Packet. phaeton, with a driver, and proceeded towards the latter 1
CARNARVON REGATTA.—We understand that Lord place, taking what is called the Dower-road, skirting the
Willoughby de Eresby, the lord-lieutenant of the county, River Medway, for the purpose of passing through the I
has presented to the secretary of the regatta a draft for village of Wouldham. On arriving near the seat of
£5O, thus following the noble example set by the Hon. Charles Milner, Esq., Preston Hall, some trifling circum-
Colonel Pennant, M.P. stance, said to be the horse's tail catching the reins,
PRESENTATION OF COLOURS.—His Royal Highness caused the animal slightly to mend its pace, on which Sir
Prince Albert attended Southsea Common, near Ports-
Charles, who was sitting on the box with the driver,
unhappily caught hold of the reins, and the horse, darting
mouth, on Thursday, for the purpose of presenting his
" own regiment," the 13th Light Infantry, with colours. to the side of the road, dashed the carriage against a heap
The ceremony was conducted with great splendour. of stones, which caused it to upset, throwing Sir Charles
to the ground with great violence. The learned gentle-
theßOlLEß EXPLOSION.—On Monday week, owing to
man, on being raised, was found to be most alarmingly
neglect of the safety valve, a boiler hurst at the Dard-
injured. The driver and Sir Charles's valet escaped hill Iron-works. The engineer and his daughter were
hurt. Sir Charles was immediately conveyed to Preston
un-
scalded to death, and no less than ten men were injured
Hall, and was attended by Mr. Dennis, of Avlesford, and
by the explosion, of whom three have since died.
Dr. Taylor, of Maidstone ; but so serious did these gen-
The government contract for the victualling and trans-
tlemen consider the state of their patient, that the valet
port service for the ensuing year, has been announced, and
was soon after despatched to London to procure the
the quantity required is 12,000 tierces of beef, and 18,000
attendance of an eminent physician.
tierces of pork. The contract last year was for 8,000 of
STRIKING OF THE STEAMER FALCON ON THE ROCKS
beef and 14,000 of pork.
OF THE MULL OF GALLOWAY.--NARROW ESCAPE OF
MORE EFFECTS OF FREE TRADII.—The following an-
ALL ON BOARD.—On Friday evening the steamer Falcon,
nouncement appears in the Record' of Thursday last :
which has been chartered as an auxiliary boat upon the
" Several arrivals of window glass are now taking' place
Londonderry station, sailed from that port fur Liverpool,
from Belgium, doubtless with the view of partly meeting
~ having on board a large cargo of merchandise and a great
the required supplies in consequence of ill? late storm.
SUBSCRIPTION FOR THE WIDOW OF Mn. HAYDON.—
number of passengers. On Saturday morning, about
At a general meeting, on Tuesday, of the committee ap-
eight o'clock, the weather was very thick and hazy, and
pointed for promoting the above object, it was stated that objects only discernible a few lengths ahead. About this
about £1,700 had been already subscribed. The Duke time the man on the look-out gave the word " Land
of Cambridge had sent £lO.
ahead," and before the engines could be reversed suffi-
ciently to put the vessel astern, she struck. The scene
His Excellency Mr. M`Lane, the American minister,
having obtained permission to retire from the post he now on board we shall not attempt to describe. Suffice to
s
occupies, after the adjustment of the Oregon question, is say, it was one of universal consternation, heightened by
makingourse of th his arrangements to embark for the United States the thick state of the atmosphere, preventing the crew
in the c
and passengers on board seeing either the extent of their
A READY RULE FOR FARMERS.—We have been fre-
danger or their chances of safety. The situation of the
quently asked to explain the difference between the price vessel was at length found to be one of such precarious
emergency, that it was judged necessary to get a rope and
of wheat per quarter and per barrel. The simple rule by
ladders on shore immediately, the rope being attached to
which every man can ascertain this for himself is this :
the bowsprit; and by this means the passengers were at
Multiply the price per quarter by 7, and divide by 12 ;
length landed in safety on the wall. By the activity of
the result will give the amount per barrel. Thus,- 565.
Mr. William Moore, the indefatigable agent of the com-
per quarter multiplied by 7, and divided by 12, gives 325.
pang, and the captain and cabin passengers, the inconve-
-Bd. per barrel. nience which must have resulted from the accident was
REVIVAL OF JoBIANNA SOUTHCOTISM.—For some
in: part averted. Mr. Moore, immediately upon bleiwtig
the surviving followers of Johanna Southcote, and several
little
time past the most active exertions have been made by
landed, proceeded to the neighbouring ports, and to
Ardrossan, in search of assistance, and succeeded in pro-
ofcgoutrine
off, satneadmreurns
ittoltoasAsirsdtrothaseany,eshsaelvingThsuestFaainlceodn
rooms, termed chapels, have been opened in various parts
London ; and numerous preachers, chiefly females
hold forth every Sabbath on Kennington Common and
other places, intimating the near approach of the only damage.
true Shiloh. BIRMINGHAM MUSICAL FESTIVAL,— The detailed
THE IRON TRADE OF SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE.—The programme of the approaching festival is now published,
iron trade of South Staffyrdshire is now in a more flou- and displays a collection of musical riches seldom sur-
rishing condition than it has been for some time. Orders passed. The directors, in selecting Haydn's oratorio,
" "
have been pouring in from all quarters for railway iron. as the chief subject of the first morn-
The Creation, "
A contract has just been made by several of our large iron-
ing's performance, have had in mind the old saying, a
"
masters for 8000 tons of iron, for the great Menai- straight good beginning is the father of success. A selection
from the works of Rossini, in which Madame Grisi, Miss
Bridge, in connection with the Chester and Holyhead
Railway. Bassano, Signor Mario, and Herr Staudigl. will take
parts, will conclude the performance of Tuesday morning.
A professional gentleman of Newport lately defended
Tuesday evening will be devoted to a general rehearsal,
two suspected pickpockets, and, owing to an insufficiency
the committee having determined to lose the proceeds of
of direct evidence, they were acquitted. After they were
a performance rather than to allow the chance of a single
discharged, their solicitor turned round to the sergeant of
police, and begged him, for the sake of the public, to oar-
inaccuracy in" the two great novelties of the meeting,.
of Mendelssohn, and the Grand Mass in
longed to a rascally gang which was now infesting the
"
rowly watch the discharged parties, who, he believed, be-
The Elijah
D, by Beethoven. The first of these two works will, to-
towngether with a selection of foreign music, form the subject
!—/Iferlin.
FORTIAGN CATTLE IMPORTED.—The imports since Our matter for Wednesday morning's performance ; and, hav
last report of twenty-four oxen by the Leeds, on this day „fl had the ad
week, have been by the Emerald Isle, from Rotterdam, n''''
fifty-seven cows and oxen, eight calves, and fifty-three
sheep; Hengist, fifteen oxen; Helen McGregor, sixty
oxen and two horses ; Victoria, fifty-three oxen and cows,
four calves, fifteen pies; Hanimonia, from Hamburgh,

GENERAL MISCELLANY.

eight oxen,--Hull Packet.'
IMPORTS OF GOLD FROM RIISSIA.—TiIe Rob Roy
steam-ship, Lieutenant Knocker, R.N., commander,
again arrived at this port from Petersburgh, on Friday
last

having on board iold bullion of the value of £115,000

which was immediately forwarded to London

This yes

sel is bringing on the average £lOO,OOO per month of gold
from the recently discovered Russian mines, and the
London steamers are regularly taking equal or greater
quantities. The Rob Hoy bad a pleasant passage, and
brought a fair complement of passengers. Trade was not
brisk in Petersburgh.—Hull paper.
FIRST MINISTERIAL DEFEAT.—The repugnance with
which an appeal to the people, except in some of the
strongholds of corn law repeal, has been viewed by the
free-traders, is accounted for by the rejection of one of
the members of the Whig Government. a Lord in Wait-
ing upon her Mitjesty, Lord Listowel, by the constitu-
ency of St. Albans, which at the last general election re-
turned him by a large majority. The polling took place
on Tuesday last, when the following was the result :
For Mr. Cabbell (Conservative), 264; for Lord Listowel
(Ministerialist), )49 ; Conservative majority, 115.
A swimming-school was instituted by the Eton College
authorities in 1836, in order that fatal accidents to the
boys on the Thames might be prevented ; a regulation
being trade that none who could not swim should be per-
mitted to indulge in boating. Since that time, fourteen
hundred scholars have passed the swimming test. There
are annual swimming-school games, when professorships
of swimming and diving, and medals, are bestowed on the
most expert. A few days ago these games were held, and
everything went off well. Two hundred and seventeen of
the present scholars are swimmers.

and principals, will, we trust, realise the high expecta-
tions expressed as to its complete success, and prove
the justice of Dr. Mendelssohn's own opinion "that it
'verbeen surpassed.
band
will tt
oi
fine
rmsettpi
ho excited
symphony
in
ya
amongst the cognoscenti will, we expect, draw a very full
attendance on this occasion. The entertainment of Wed-
nesday evening will consist of a Grand
vocalMiscellaneousand
A a,Concert,
newdshte
hiceah et t
will
lnr
lbnines number
fullmodpboe eunrhe
of
tad
n choiceh bde yt
wroughta Blee
ne
mtthtora Beethoven
eeunanpeu s
x,
both
instrumental, and amongst the latter a fantasia for the
piano-forte, with orchestral accompaniments," The recol-
cloehrcaettii
oratorio
so oTif,
Tul rrheseldaanAydi
e,'s'sci
morningaohm.
,p,o swTeidli
eahnepdi
de pee eev rofitoserdme
cast
sodt
Handel'
yiatnhMd
eroies,
.-8
markable strength. The veteran Brehm, who has been
engaged expressly for this performance, will open it with
the recitative, " Comfort ye," and will sing the recita-
tives, " Thy rebuke" and " He that dwelleth," and the
airs "Behold and see" and " Thou shalt break them," in
all of which he never bad, nor has he even now, a rival.
The concert for the Thursday evening is of a most attrac-
tive nature, and is remarkable for the event of a duet be-
tween Mendelssohn and Moscheles on two grand piano.
fortes, (made by Erard, and sent expressly for the pur-
pose,) as well as for the performance of Mendelssohn's
overture and vocal music to Shakspere's " Midsummer
Night's Dream." We have not space to particularise the
remainder of the good things ; they are so many, that they
whoform
aat
tpe ehrdfeedat ehme bvva rorracse
sdt
ee s rch
r festival last
yeThose,,ar,w however,
ver,
re-
joiced to find that Herr Staudigl will sing "O wie will
ich triumphiren," from Mozart's " 11 Seraglio." The
effect produced by him on that occasion will not soon be
forgotten. On the Friday morning, Beethoven's glorious
work, the Grand Mass in D, will be given, An anthem
by Moscheles, one by SOlor, en organ performance by

Dr. Gauntlett, and a miscellaneous selection, will com-
plete the bill of fare. An analysis of the entire programme
of this concluding portion of these entertainments would
be beyond our limits, suffice it to say, that it is in every
way calculated to produce a finale worthy of so great an
occasion. We should also notice that the decorations
which have been so long in progress at our Town-hall are
now completed, and are such as add another and a con-
siderable attraction to the approaching event.—Midland
Counties Herald.

THE EX-POOLAW COMMISSIONER AND

THE SECRETARY

At the Andover Union Committee on Tuesday, Sir F.
Lewis, the late commissioner, was examined in reference
to the method in which the business of the commissioners
was conducted. They had some disagreement with Mr.
Chadwick, the secretary, on the proper way of keeping
the minutes. . _

Mr. Christie said—Am I right in supposing, after all
at you thought Mr. Chadwick a very

this evidence,

dangerous man?
Sir P. Lewis.—! think if I had trusted the business of
the office to Mr. Chadwick's guidance and management,
he would have got me into innumerable difficulties.
(Laughter.)
Mr. Christie.—That is not an answer to my question.
Sir F. Lewis (with great warmth).—Well, then, since
I am pressed for an answer, I tell you honestly that he is
an able man. But I thought him the most unscrupulous,
the most dangerous, and as little trustworthy, as any offi-
cer I ever saw within the walls of any office. Now, can
I say more? (Great sensation.)
Mr. Christie.—Having expressed to us that opinion,
how can you explain your remaining poor-law commis-
sioner for four years, with power to dismiss Mr. Chad-
wick, and yet not doing so?
Sir F. Lewis.—Because I thought that by the arrange-
ment I had made, I had taken the business into my own
hands and out of his. In what I have just said on the
subject of Mr. Chadwick, I have given utterance to opi-
nions which I was careful never to mention before, and
would not have done so now unless pressed for an answer.
In a subsequent part of his examination, Sir F. Lewis
explained that he applied the word "unscrupulous" to
Mr. Chadwick in an official sense.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

BETTING AT TATTERSALL'S THURSDAY

The positions of the St. Leger horses were not effected
to any extent by the business transacted this afternoon.
The betting averaged 11 to 2 agst each of the two favou-
rites, laid to £lOO ; 9 and 10 to 1 to about £l5O, agst
Fancy Boy ; 20 to 1, in ponies, agst Sting ; and 30's to
1 and 1000 to 30, several times, agst Mount Callan (the
Venture Girl colt) and Poynton. Bourton and the Druid
were the only animals backed for the Ebor Handicap ;
both were in request. The betting was extremely flat.

EBOR HANDICAP.
9 to 2 agst Mr. John Day's Bourton, taken
15 to 2 Captain Harcourt's the Druid, taken
ST. LEGER.

11 to 2 agst Mr. Gully's Pyrrhus the First, taken
11 to 2 Mr. W. Scott's Sir Tatton Sykes, taken
Bto 1 Mr. O'Brien's Grimston
10 to 1 Mr. Meiklam's Fancy Boy, taken.
10 to 1 Col. Anson's lago
10 to 1 Mr. O'Brien's Traverser
15 to 1 General Shubrick's Brocardo
20 to 1 Lord E. Russell's Sting, taken
25 to 1 Mr. W. Scott's Erin go Bragh

33 to 1
33. to 1

Mr. Meiklam's Poyton, taken
Col. Synge's Mount Callan, taken, aft off

THE DERBY.
50 to 1 Duke of Richmond's Red Hart, taken

LATEST BETTING IN MANCHESTER,
Friday Evening.
Since our observations on the Turf Market of Tuesday
last, we have not been enabled, either on "High Change,"
on the pave, or at the Post Office Hotel, to glean any-
thing worth recording. This may in a great measure be
attributed to Wolverhampton Races. To dwell, nay to
touch upon the pencillings which have caught our atten-
for two days on events past, would now be superfluous,
therefore sans ceremonie we go to

DOINGS TO-DAY

The members met in small numbers. The business
was in a great measure confined to two candidates for
Doncaster fame. Erin-go-Brash was supported by the
worthy host in his usual non chalance style at 25 and 20
to Ito £BO or upwards. Another party (lucky to follow)
backed him for a brace of hundreds against Mount Callan
supported at 25 to 1 against, freely. Closing prices:—

THE EBOR HANDICAP.
4 to 1 agst Bourton (taken and offered)
6 —l—The Druid (taken and offered)
7-1— The Laura colt (taken and offered)
12-I—The Baron (offered)
The Conjutor, Connaught Ranger, and one or two
others were named; bat no prices transpired.

ST. LEDGER.
4 to 1 agst Pyrrhus the first (taken and offered)
5 1 Sir Tatton Sykes (taken and offered)
6 1 Grimston
9 1 Fancy Boy (take 10)
10 1 The Traverser (taken)
10 1 lago,(taken to 20 yesterday)
18 1 Sting (29 taken yesterday)
20 1 Erin-go-Bregh (offered freely)
25 1 Mount Callan (taken and offered)
33 1 Shelforth (offered)
50 1 Shel Ford (offered)

THE DERBY.
12 to 1 on the field.
There has been some hundreds invested since our last.

QUICK WORK.—For the last few years, amongst the
northern stables, there has been one gradually growing
more important, until at the present it is equal in the
calibre of its horses, and in the number of them, to the
far-famed string at Whitewall Corner, Mahon. We of
course allude to that of the Dawsons, of Middleham, the
magnitude of whose establishment has become truly im-
mense, and whose ramifications extend to nearly every
race meeting of any note in England and Scotland. An
instance of the energy which marks their proceedings oc-
curred during the past week. Mr. Meiklam's Inheritress
was engaged in the Wolverhampton Stakes on the Tues-
day, but not having arrived up to ten o'clock that morn-
ing, it was considered a settled matter that it was not
intended `• to put in an appearance" for her, and a very
large amount of business was transacted on the supposi-
tion that this was the fact. Shortly after that time, how-
ever, she arrived, having left home the previous afternoon,
and having been detained in Birmingham in consequence
of there being no horse-box for her transmission to Wol-
verhampton. From the former place she was obliged to
walk a distance of 15 miles ; had run for and won tilt
Wolverhampton Stake by four o'clock, and then in a few
hours was en route for Lancaster, which she reached the
same evening, and on the following day won the Queen's
Hundred with the greatest ease, and was back at her
stable at Middleham by Thursday.