The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1851-04-29 00:00:00

THE BRITISH CLIPPER-SHIP BRAGANZA.

Our shipping interest is just now undergoing a severe
trial,—that of competing with the untaxed foreigner;
and those engaged in it are nobly exerting themselves to
sustain that trial. If they fail, it will not be that British
energy has been wanting. Amongst the means recom-
mended to enable us to compete with the world has been
the building of a superior class of vessels, modelled for
fast sailing ; and it is gratifying to see that our builders
are maintaining the character of their country, a specimen
of which is at present in our port.
" How beautifully sharp, and how clean aft" is an or-
dinary ejaculation of the crowds who look upon clipper-
ships ; and although we approve of the necessity of
shaping our craft so as to offer as little resistance and
displacement as possible, the principle should not be
encouraged to the detriment of the more important quali-
fications of carrying canvass and cargo. There is a
happy medium to• be attained ; and we shall be " taken

aback" if it is not approximated in the production of the
Braganza, a vessel recently launched by Messrs. Lun-,bley.
Kennedy, and Co., of Whitehaven, which presents the
beau ideal of symmetry in mould. The Braganza is a
full r;geed ship, of 400 tons measurement. Her length
from the " hawse timbers" to the perpendicular of
her stern-post is 127 feet, so that over all she will mea-
sure something over 140 feet. Her extreme beam is 26 feet
3 inches, and she has a depth of hold of 16 feet 6 incheS.
Iler bow is of steamboat fashion, but the lines are so
beautifully fine, and yet so neatly " rounded," (for there
is neither a straight nor a hollow foot of planking visible)
that, when viewed from a position straight a-head, she
looks so "lean," that her beam, which is almost imper-
ceptibly gained, would be doubted. Her side is " like an
apple,"and she has a run as clean and as fine as it is possible

to connect with her ample bearings and breadth of flooring.
She is one of those phantom-like craft that ideality car
alone picture. She may dash a snortive wave aside, but
there will be no roar at her bow, no ripple in her wake,
and she will slip through the water at a rate (to use an
Hibernian bull) that will " leave no time to make knots
on the log line." The Braganza is heightened in ap-
pearance by a beautifully carved figure-head, surmount-
ing a graceful stem. On her trailboards, which die into,
and are moulded like to, her sides, are furled ensigns
bearing her name. Her counter stern is slightly elliptic
and richly ornamented. The good old fashioned. (parte]

galleries give her a man-of-war cut.
built ships have ever been favourites for strength at.
wcrkmanship ; and though the builders have in this moth
stepped from the ordinary path, they have not neglecter
strength or finish. Without fear of contradiction we ma 3
class the Braganza as one of the best specimens of ship-
building we ever examined. Inside and ont she re-
sembles a piece of cabinet-work. There is not a seam
visible in her side, and they are scarcely traceable in her
decks. Her frame-work is all square; her knees, hang-
ing and lodging, are of iron, fitted with extraordinary
nrec' ''.sl no

V hitehave

n. Save her spars and deck planking sh
soft timber about her, the pr;ncipal material heirs
oak and mahogany. She is classed at Lloyd's
13 years. The Braganza has beneath her qua
two excellent cabins, one fitted throughout with real
the other with oak. Her spars are lengthy and
some. The Braganza is furnished with approved
tion in pumps, fire-engine, windlass, &c. Her (
are Messrs. Nicholson and M'Gill, and she will be co
mended by Captain Robert Cumming, late of the I
She is intended for the Brazil and Cape Horn t
We wish her e

EXECUTION AT KIRKDALE

On Saturday, at noon, Patrick Lyons underwent tiu
last dread sentence Of the la,, for the murder of the fe•
male pedlar at Warrington. He had maintained, for the
last few days, his usual cool and collected demeanour
About ten thousand persons were present, a third o
whom were children. When, Calcraft entered the room
on Saturday morning,,the doomed criminal seemed to re•
cognise his office ; and having saluted him with a familial

nod, accompanied by a pecnliar smile, he submitted to the
operation of pinioning with the same amount of fortitude
which had characterized his previous conduct. We should
state that, in consequence of a suggestion by Mr. Gibbs,
the governor of the gaol, this process was not performed
in the press-room, as usual, and thus a painful pause or,
the way to the scaffold was avoided. Whilst being pin-
ioned, the criminal was reminded by his spiritual at.
tendants that cur Saviour was so bound ; and, when his
neck-cloth was taken off, that Christ's vestments were
stripped from him and cast lots for. The nee!.

attached by the ends to his braces; and, as a further proof
of the cool collectedness of Lyons, it is stated that be ex-
plained to Calcraft the manner in which it was fastened.
During the progress to the scaffold, the English version of
the Miserere psalm was read. On his way he nodded to se-
veral turnkeys, cheerfully bade them a final adieu ,and "God
blessed them." He larried in hishands a small book, which
was given to him at his own request. and a crucifix. At
the foot of the gallows he kneeled down and repeated
after the priests, " Father into thy hands I commend my
spirit; Lord Jesus receive my soul." Immediately on
mountinc, the scaffold he turned quickly round and looked
up at the beam from which a small chain, to which the
noose is attached,, was suspended. He eyed it for a few
seconds, and again facing the concourse of people bowed
twice or thrice in different directions as if to persons
whom l►e seemed to recognize in the crowd below. As
he did so a distinct smile played upon his features, and he
was erect and unshaken. Calcraft was to his right, and
from his black dress might have been mistaken for one of
the priests. The' cord, however, which he proceeded to
adjust, betrayed the relation in which he stood. In the
hack ground were the two priests, Mr. Wilson (the
Under-sheriff), Mr. Charles Duke (governor of the Bo-
rough Gaol), and three of the warders. There was
a pause, anti Calcraft was about to draw the cap over
the eyes of the criminal, when he intimated that he
wished to address the people. A slight motion was per-
ceptible in the crowd below, and there was a general
hush. The prisoner. or some one near him on the gal-
lows, exclaimed, " Silence, boys!" All eyes were now
intently directedtowards the doomed man, who commenced
speaking. 'He spoke distinctly, occasionally pausing, as
it was thought, to recollect what be had intended to say ;
whilst another impression existed that he did so in order
to delay his last moment. His address ran as follows:
" My dear brothers, I am sorry for what I have done ;
and I confess to Almighty God, and all of you here to-day.
I firmly agree I am guilty of this murder; and I firmly
believe my poor wife is innocent—as innocent as a child.
Lord have mercy on her. Here is the hands that has
done the murder. Here is the body that has committed
the sin. (At this period there was a pause, during which
there were strong expressions of sympathy from the
crowd.) Think not that lam unwilling to suffer, for my
suffering is nothing. lam willing to nail my body to the
tree ; and I am willing to drag me between four horses.
I am willing to put me in the.fire, to burn me to ashes,
for the sake of my soul. (The Rev. Mr. Egan, es if re-
minding the criminal : "Neglecting your prayers.") All
because I knew I was doing wrong. I knew I committed
a sin. And, my dear brethren, what must be the cause
of this ?—I neglected my mass ; I neglected God. I
neglected my prayers morning and evening ; and only
for that I should not he here to-day for such a guilty
crime as this. (Another pause.) My dear Christians,
that this may be a warning to you, learn to be wise in this
world. I hope in my Saviour Jesus Christ for salvation ;
and the beloved Virgin pray for me, and all good Chris-
tians.--(A further pause, and expressions of pity from the
spectators, many of the women. crying out, " The Lord
'help him," &c.) I expect that you will pray for me to-
(lay ; and T trust to God that he will listen to me, and
may the Holy Virgin Mary and all Heaven pray for me
to-day. My dear Christians, learn to be wise-in this
world. We are here to-day and gone to-morrow.—(A
lengthened pause, the criminal for a moment seeming to
feel the force of the truth he had uttered.) The gentle.
men of this place have been very kind to me, and espe-
cially the governor. Tam very much obliged to him, and
thank him for his kindness. My poor wife is in here, and
grieves very much about this. Lord deliver her from
gaol."
The 'unfortunate man retained his firmness fo the last,
and there was not one in the multitude before him who
was not more moved than he. The simplicity of his ut-
terance, and the resignation with which he submitted to
his fate, seemed to win all hearts, and there were no ex-
pressions of execration, such as were manifested when
Gleeson Wilson appeared on the scaffold. As the hang-
man proceeded finally to prepare for the completion of
his revolting and repulsive duty, there was perfect silence,
out of which were heard the exhortations of the priest,
consisting of the Litany and the Condemnatory Prayers
for the dying. The culprit still retained the book in his
hands, and as he looked down upon it, his lips seemed to
move in prayer. The priests and other attendants in-
voluntarily stepped hack. The movement was instanta-
neous. Calcraft stood alone by the side of his victim on
the scaffold. Immediately the bolt was drawn, and then
the voices of the priests were heard pronouncing the De
Profundis for the seal of the departed. The body of the
murderer swayed to And fro in the wind ; but there is
reason to believe that death was instantaneous.
We understand that during the morning the unhappy
wife of the sufferer remained on her knees in the cell in
prayer, and when visited by the Rev. Mr. Marshall, after
the execution, was much affected.
Calcraft remained at the
believe that during the periou or ins office tie has never
had so many executions ; but he performs his duties with
the same characteristic indifference as heretofore, and

aol till the evening. We

by the prisoner from

ton, April

3,1&51.
with you

is world we are to
it God's right hand