The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-07-30 00:00:00

RIVER MERSEY.

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one leg, and it was dangerous to go down in the dark. I
heard a second and a third alarm, and trird to get down,
but could not, and did not see the deceased till I saw her
out of the window lying on the parapet, by the help of a
light held by some one of the neighbours who had col-
lected round her. The prisoner and decea'sed had words
at times, but, whilst I was with them, no quarrel amounting
to violence.

Michael Hambleton, a hawker, said : I lodge in a house
opposite the prisoner's. I was in conversation with the
last witness in prisoner's house. The prisoner and the
deceased were there, and had some altercation about
the turning out of a lodger. Livingston and his
wife went to bed, and I went out of the house.
In about a quarter of an hour I heard the cry
of murder. 1 was then in the house in which I
lodge. I went over to the prisoner's house. There was
no one then at the door. I shoved the door in. I could
not get more than my head and my arm in. I saw the
prisoner and his wife lying on the floor behind the door.
The door wa3 then banged in my face. I shoved it wide
open again, and saw the prisoner over his wife, and she
on the floor. I saw the prisoner make a strike at her
with his hand, but could not tell what it was. I
said, " You villain, what are you doing to your
wife," but he made no answer that I could hear.
I then saw the nose of the deceased was cut
off, and hanging to the lip. I went into the street
for a police-off►cer, and saw one, and went him
him to the house, and then went for further assist-
ance. On returning, I saw deceased lying on the flags. I
saw her taken away, but did not hear her speak.
Margaret Peacock (who keeps a mangle) said : I know
prisoner and deceased. Our house is on the opposite side
of the street. Early on Sunday morning I heard the cry
of murder, and went across and saw the door burst open.
I then saw deceased lying on the floor. I heard her say
three times over " Keep him in." I dAI not see the pri-
soner at first. She then said " Policeman" twice. She
also said " Put something to me or I shall die, for he has
cut my throat." I took off my aprofi, and put it to her
throat. (The apron was produced, and was bloody.) I
observed that the nose of the deceased was cut off. Pri-
soner came to the door at the moment, and I called him
" a bloody murderer ;" and he replied he would do the
same to me.

Mr. Samuel Potter, surgeon, said : I was called on Sun-
day morning about two o'clock. I found deceased in bed
up stairs in a house in Peter-street, moaning and strug-
gling. Shs had several extensive wounds on several parts
of the body ; but was not bleeding so much as might be
expected. I dressed and bandaged the principal wounds,
and sent her to the Hospital. I did not minutely examine
the wounds, but bandaged them, as no time was to be lost
in sending her to the Hospital.
Mr. Edward Parker, house-surgeon of the Northern
Hospital.—Deceased was broughtto the Hospitalearly yes-
terday morning, and was then dead. I have to-day made a
post mortentexamination. There was a slight scratch of the
skin on the left cheek ; an incision which almost completey
severed the end of the nose; an incision extending from
the upper lip, across the left cheek, to the ear, about five
inches in length and three-quarters of an inch in depth in
the middle, and which divided one of the arteries of the
face ; two slight scratches on the left side of the neck ; on
the right side of the neck a transverse wound about four
inches long and one inch deep, completely dividing the
external jugular vein. and partly dividing several muscles
of the neck ; a wound across the front of the neck, about
four inches long and four deep. extending down to, but
not opening, the wind-pipe, and dividing several of the
muscles of the neck • a wound two inches long and one
deep, extending obliquely upwards the elbow, exposing
and partially dividing the muscles in that situation. The
left thigh presented a wound two inches above the knee,
occupying the front and outside of the thigh, about six
inches long, and extending obliquely up the thigh nearly
seven inches, and dividing extensively the muscles of the
thigh. The right leg had a perpendicular wound in the
inner side of the calf, about eight inches long, and rather
more thqn one in depth. An oblique wound on the pos-
terior surface of the right knee, about six inches long and
nearly three-and-a-half inches in depth, extending quite
down to the bone, and crossing the upper part of the last-
mentioned wound, dividing a large vein on the inside of
the knee, and an artery of some considerable size. All
the wounds appeared to have been inflicted with a Eharp
instrument. I think death was caused, not from any
wound in particular, but by bleeding from the whole of
them.

The CORONER then asked the prisoner with the usual
caution whether he had anything to say.
The prisoner said, " I will say nothing at the present.
The CORONER then briefly referred to the law of the
case, and then recapitulated the main points of the evi-
dence.

The jury without retiring from the box in a few mo-
ments returned a verdict of " WILFUL MURDER AGAINST
OWEN LEONARD,' and the prisoner was committed, on
the coroner's warrant, to take his trial at the assizes.
The jury intimated through their foreman that their fees
should be given to the Northern Hospital.
The prisoner did not seem to be much moved by the
verdict. Two decently dressed and rather good-looking
young women (who we heard were his daughters) spoke
to him over the partition before he was removed, and he
then seemed to be considerably affected, and to shed a
few tears. He was conveyed to Kirkdale gaol in a ma-
chine, a great crowd outside witnessing his departure.

AMELIORATION OF AFRICA.—The meeting of the mer-
cantile community on this subject, which was held on
Wednesday, was unanimous in favour of supporting the
views of Mr. Jamieson, for the amelioration of Western
Africa, the general nature of which was briefly explained
in our last. A considerable sum of money was subscribed,
and the explanations which were given elicited much ap-
probation. A considerable body of merchants in London
have added their support to the undertaking; and, from
the liberal and intelligent spirit with which the whole ar-
rangements will be carried out, there can be little doubt
that much good will be done in these hitherto sealed
countries before the expiration of the three years of ex-
periment. The steamer Ethiope has cleared, and pro-
ceeded to sea.

PROMENADES OF DAMASCUS.—The promenades out-
side the walls afford the traveller agreeable and varied en-
tertainment. Very tolerable horses, with gay saddles and
crimson housings, are to be procured for hire, and the
rides in the lovely evenings, about the different parts of the
environs, present beautiful points of view, and most inte-
resting snatches of Oriental life. As the sun is declining
in the west, you see little caravans of dromedaries, or a
few mules, slowly emerging from the gloomy gateways of
the town, to gain a few hours' march to some neighbour-
ing village, in order to commence their journey in earnest
at an early hour on the morrow. From your horse you
see over the mud-walls, that impede the view of the foot-
passenger, into the gardens, where donkeys with paniers
are receiving their loads of enormous radishes, gourds,
water-melons, grapes, pomegranates, and other produce.
By the side of the donkeys stands a grim figure, with one
eye, and with a long white stick in his hand, pointed with
iron, at the first movement of which the donkeys start off
headlong with their load of vegetables, clearing away right
and left, and upsetting all who are heedless enough to
await their onset.—Library of Travel.
PROFLIGACY OF ENGLISH GENTLEMEN.—I met five
Englishmen at the public table at our inn at Milan, who
gave me great matter for cogitation. One was a clergy-
man, and just returned from Egypt; the rest were young
men, i. e. between twenty-five and thirty, and apparently
of no profession. I may safely say, that since I was an
under-graduate I never heard any conversation so profli-
gate as that which they all indulged in, the clergyman par-
ticularly ; indeed, it was not merely gross, but avowed
principles of wickedness such as I do not remember ever
to have heard in Oxford. But what struck me most was,
that with this sensuality there was united some intellectual
activity—they were not ignorant, but seemed bent on
gaining a great variety of solid information from their
travels. Now this union of vice and intellectual power
and knowledge seems to me rather a sign of the age ; and
if it goes on, it threatens to produce one of the most fear-
ful forms of Antichrist which has yet appeared. lam
sure that the great prevalence of travelling fosters this
spirit : not that men learn mischief from the French or
Italians, but because they ark removed from the check of
public opinion, and are, in fact, self-constituted outlaws,
neither belonging to the society which they have left, nor
taking a place in that of the countries where they are tra-
velling.—Dr. Arnold.

THE WALLASEY DOCKS. AS SANCTIONED
BY ACT OF PARLIAMENT.

Notwithstanding all the interest which has been at-
tracted to this undertaking, we suspect that not only a
a great majority of the public, but many even amongst
those by whom it is most loudly advocated, are at the
present 'moment unaware of the shape in which it has
received the sanction of the legislature. We propose to
supply this information, obtained from authentic sources ;
and this day present our readers with a plan of the in-
tended new works, and a few explanatory remarks which
are necessary to render such plan intelligible. In per-
forming the latter duty we shall avoid as much as possible
giving anything like an opinion of our own, which may be
liable to bias for or against the scheme ; but endeavour
to confine ourselves to a bare statement of facts, leaving
it for the public themselves to form their own judge-
ment thereupon.
Our readers who are acquainted with the localities of
the river Mersey will perceive even from this imperfect
plan, the present shores of the estuary called Wallasey
Pool, upon which these works are proposed to be formed.
When first the scheme was projected it was proposed to
run the proposed sea wall direct from a point south of
Seacornbe Ferry Pier, nearly at low water in spring tides,
to a point about a hundred and fifty feet north from Wood-
side Pier, and a little below low water mark at spring
tides, leaving a central entrance from the river, 300 feet
wide, to a low water basin 500 feet wide, and containing
an area of 37 acres. In the present plan, however, it
will be seen that the form of this entrance has been mate-
rially altered, by a large slice of wall and a corner on the
north (100 feet of projection) being taken away, and the
entire sea wall from the southern corner of the entrance
being thrown back—with a similar removal of 100 feet of
projection—the entrance itself being thus rendered of
equal width with the basin, and the wall being made to
converge inward. This alteration was made at the sug-
gestion of the Admiralty.
In the " great low water basin," with the exception of
the widening of the entrance, no material alteration has
been made from the first plan. It is intended to be kept
with 12 feet of water at low water spring tides, by means
of sluicing, (the manner of which we shall describe below) ;
or, should that plan be found inoperative, by dredging.
Communicating with the south end of this basin by a lock
30 feet wide is a three acre dock, (the only enclosed dock
surrounded with quay room which the scheme affords);
and by a pair of gates 70 feet wide, and another lock 50
feet wide, the basin communicates with the float or
reservoir above, which is intended to have an area of 150
acres, at the level at which the water will be retained per-
manently, the bottom part of which (from the dotted line
in the plan, will be excavated to within two feet of the
outer basin, for the working of the sluices. These are
marked on the plan, and consist of tunnels constructed in
the masonry of the large dam dividing the southern head
of the basin from the float, and are expected, when let off
every half ebb, to create a sufficient subaqueous scour to
keep the basin to its proper depth of 12 feet at low spring
tides. The margin on both sides of the upper float is left
by the bill to be dealt with by private enterprise. With
the quantity of water which is to be permanently re-
tained, (the remainder being let off every half ebb) it will
have an average depth across of four feet, the margin
being of course dry, and the middle proportionably deep
to form that average.
Thus, then, we have, from the scheme, of enclosed
dock space three acres only, unless it can be said that the
twelve acre half tide basin at the bottom of the float 18
such dock space. There is, to be sure, the semi-enclosed
"great low water basin," with its 37 acres of area, and
nearly 4,000, feet of wharfage, which wharfage, however,
is materially diminished in value by the fact of the basin
itself having upwards of 30 feet surface rise and fall every
tide, and its advantages being thus restricted to the fact
of its affording a harbour of refuge. It is only fair, too,
to mention that vessels lying here at low water, or after
half ebb, will have to encounter the action of the sub-
aqueous river formed by the sluices from the upper dock.
Clearly, for loading or unloading merchant vessels, this
basin will be most inconvenient; and we find accordingly
that its uses are mainly insisted upon as applicable to the
wants of our steamers, which can get in at all weathers,
and land their mail bags and passengers with greater fa-
cility than is now afforded them.
It will be seen from the plan that both south and north
of the " great low water basin," a large plot of Lind,
amounting in all to about 120 acres, will be recovered
from the sea. A most important boon the possession of
this new land would have been to the projectors; and in
the first notice which we gave of this scheme in the co-
lumns of the STANDARD, we gave their estimate of its
value to them at upwards of a million sterling, which
would have gone far to guarantee the prosperity of the
entire works. But, unfortunately, it has resulted, from
the attention called to the project, that the Commissioners
of Woods and Forests (whose property the strand of this
estuary happens to be) have claimed the rich prize offered
to them, on the behalf of the crown, from whom it must
be purchased before any profitable use can be made of it
by the Commissioners of Birkenhead. It was upon the
southern portion of this land that, on the original plan,
graving docks, building yards and warehouses were laid
out; sites for all which must now be looked for else-
where. We have been particular in referring to this
feature of the project, inasmuch as, up to this mo-
ment,
more
to be purchased by them for
furnish,
old
as well as the
especially as the plan we now
lead to the ready ori-
ginalsuppo-
sition pirliamentary plan, would
Imanednt,isa
trghreeatprnoupnalrbtyer
of
ff
tiiLersocnosmnh,
jessltieinovgner.sth,atortils
gitcarns
bet bgoarveaciloanblteraarsy qtuoayfaocrt
than this ; for we find, in
the bill, the precise rights of
the commissioners distinctly laid down, by clauses dic-
tated to them by the Woods and Forests, as follows.
Along the whole of the great sea wall, 200 feet in breadth
is allowed, as a parade, and along the " wharfs" of the
,sftwiohnatfth,a,trotohme
tidal basin, decks, Stc., 100 feet in breadth ; and so
.whisToloerhoifn
strictly are even these boundaries marked, and their pro-
fitable enjoyment restricted, that it is, by the same
clauses, expressly enjoined, that "no warehouses or
buildings, other than sheds or huts, shall be erected upon
any of the said quays." Anything like dock warehouses,
therefore, must be constructed higher up the Pool, unless
this land can be purchased advantageously from the Woods
and Forests. At present no powers are taken for the
construction of such warehouses, even around the only
water space which appears suited for them, viz., the
three-acre dock.

The upper float containing, as upon the plan, 150 acres
at the level at which the water will be permanently re-
tained, is left as we have already explained, to be dealt
with by the private enterprise of the various owners of
its strand, who will construct such sea walls, quays, &c.,
as they may think fit. It is intimated, indeed, that the
rights of these various owners will ultimately be pur-
chased by a company, by whom it will be laid out upon
a comprehensive plan, for the general accommodation of
the trade of the river, the erection of warehouses, &c.
At present it merely serves to hold suspended the water
required for sluicing purposes, and to allow vessels of
inconsiderable burthen to lie up ; and until greatlydeepened
can obviously serve for few other purposes, except at par-
ticular periods of the tide, when there is sufficient water
in the pool to allow the wharfs, &c., which may be erected
along its margin to be approached.
We have now said as much as we think will be neces-
sail, to enable the reader to form a proper judgement
with respect to the principal features of the plan ; and we
trust we have been guided in our remarks by a spirit of
fairness. We have no wish, now that the sanction of the
Legislature has been received for it, to war against this
favorite project of our Cheshire neighbours ; but, on the
contrary, would right gladly see it successfully carried
out, with advantage to themselves, to the trade of our
river, (the common fostering parent of all the prosperity
which they and we enjoy), and without the realization of
those fears for existing interests, which, sincerely enter-
taining, we have felt it our duty, from time to time, as
verypublics
hJoor Journalists, rn
time,ali s tws fearlessly,e understand, andwcandidly h
et o
works express.
fairly
A
in course of formation, and we need scarcely say that
we shall watch their progress with interest and great
anxiety.

REFERENCES TO MAP.—A. Gough's Hotel. B. B. Sluices•
C. 3-acre enclosed Dock. D. D. Gate 70 feet wide.