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

THE COURT.

In consequence of illness of an infectious character
prevailing at Claremont, her Majesty's visit to that
place has been postponed.
WINDSOR, THURSDAY.—His Royal Highness Prince
Albert rode this morning to Swinlev' attended by Lord
Rivers, Mr. G. E. Anson, Colonel Arbuthnot, and the
Hon. Captain Duncombe, to enjoy the si.ort of shooting.
The royal party, after excellent sport, returned to the
castle to lunch. In the afternoon ber Majesty and Prince
Albert rode out in a pony phaeton, his royal highness
driving, followed by another pony phaeton, driven by the
Marchioness of Douro.

A grand banquet was given on Tuesday evening by the
Duchess of Kent to her Majesty, the Prince Consort,
Prince Edward of Saxe Weimer, and a distinguished
circle, in honour of the birth-day of his Serene Highness
Ernest Antoine Charles Louis, the reigning Duke of
Saxe Coburg and Gotha (the father of his Royal High-
ness Prince Albert), who was born on the 2nd of January,
1784. Covers were laid for sixteen in the large dining_
room.

The youthful family of her Majesty are taken out when-
ever the weather permits. The Princess Royal, who is a
fine healthy child, sometimes walks in the grounds of
Windsor Castle, and sometimes rides on the little pony
provided for her. The Prince of Wales and the Princess
Alice usually take their airings in a carriage with Lady
Lyttleton.

Her Majesty the Queen Dowager intends shortly to
visit the Bishop of Worcester, at Hartlebury Castle, the
episcopal residence of the right rev. prelate.
The accounts received from Newcastle on Saturday, as
to the health of Earl Grey, were of a more cheering cha-
racter, and hopes are now entertained that the life of the
venerable Peer may be spared for a while to his attached
family.
Sir Robert and Lady Peel have been entertaining at
Drayton Manor, during the Christmas vacation, the Earls
of Aberdeen and Lincoln, Viscount and Viscountess
Villiers, Sir James Graham, and John Wilson Croker,
Esq., Mr. George and Mrs. Dawson, Sir Alexander
Grant, Bart., Dr. Buckland, &c.
The Dicke and Duchess of Northumberland have been
keeping open house, at Alnivick Castle, in the style of old
English hospitality. The duchess has been indefatigable
in distributing blankets and clothing to the poor in the
surrounding hamlets, and attending to the wants of the
infantine inmates of the national schools.

During the past year, one prince of the blood, two
dukes, one marquis, six earls, two viscounts, eight lords,
twelve baronets, two kni hts, one bishop, two (Irish)
judges, five generals, five major-generals, three lieutenant-
. o

admirals, two rear-admirals, one vice-admiral, one right
honourable, five honourables, two members of parliament,
seven late members of parliament, and two private secre-
taries, have died—making the total eighty-eight indivi-
duals, who, during their lives, were what are termed public
men by their connexion with the government of the coun-
try.—Morning Post.

SUDDEN CHANGE FROM POVERTY TO WEALTH.—A
poor, honest, and worthy man. in this vicinity, is about
to emerge into comparative affluence. Thomas Williams,
known many years in this town as the " Llanderinio
Po.t," and who has conveyed the Shrewsbury Chronicle
half a century, lately received a letter from Liverpool in-
forming him that a brother had died in Jamaica,bequeath-
ing to him, as his !nearest lative, two estates there, and
£l4OOO. Honest Tom Williams suspected this letter a
hoax, thought nothing about it, and never named it to his
family. At length a letter was received by the postmaster
of this town, inquiring whether a person, such as we have
stated as the Llanderinio postman, is in existence. And
the result is, that the name of the accumulator of this
wealth in the West Indies is Charles Lewis—that he kept
an hotel in Jamaica, and was the brother of the wife of
Thomas Williams, not his own brother.—Shrewsbury
Chronicle.

The great pressure of want on the poor in London, and
;he accumulated mud of the streets, have suggested plans

for the relief of the destitute by employing a whole army
of scavengers. Such a plan was promulgated by the
Lord Mayor yesterday at the Mansion-house; reviving a
proposition made in December, 1842. The project is
this :—There are about 250,000 houses in London ; it is
assumed that voluntary contributions could be obtained at
each house, from the lowest sum up to £1 or more, and
averaging 2s. 641. ; which would produce £31,250: £29,250
would employ 5000 men for the thirteen weeks of the
worst months in the year, at Os. a week, to clean the
streets ; or £394600 perhaps might be raised, to employ
4000 men for the five mouths ending April 1. The Lord
Mayor favours the project, and expects in a tew days to
receive a deputation on the subject.—Spectator.
We have learned with much regret, that the Marquis of
Salisbury has res'gned all his masonic offices (not re-
tired from masonry," as some of the papers have ex-
pressed it, because that is what no mason can do) ; and
to this step the noble marquis has been driven, we under-
stand, by the discourteous proceedings of the pro-grand
master and the officers of the Grand Lodge of England,
at their last meeting. We believe, however, we may ven-
ture to affirm without fear of contradiction, that every
one, whatever may be his political creed, to whom the
very existence of English freemasonry is dear, is well
aware of what is going on, and preparcd to act accord-
ingly, next April. One thing is certain, as we are assured,
that the noble marquis will never enter the grand lodge
again, except as grand master. The unworthy clique who
wish to have the management of a phantom, in order that
they may continue in possession of real authority, only to
abuse it, will find, that they have aroused a spirit which
will redeem the honour of the craft.—John Bull.

THE BANK OF ENGLAND.—It has been remarked as
somewhat extraordinary, that as the charter of the Bank
of England is so nearly approximating to the period of
its expiration (renewal upon its present conditions appear-
ing to many to be out of the question), its shares should
have so much enhanced in value. There were eager pur-
chasers on Saturday at 185, just about 14 per cent. above
the lowest price paid twelve months since : and the ques-
tion is asked, does the value of Ministerial feeling point
to the establishment of one bank of issue for the Uuited
Kingdom ? As the directors have so strong a command of
the circulation of the country at the present moment, and
as the absorption of the paper currency is still progressive,
there seems, in the opinion of practical men ,a certainty that
one bank of issue will be established. The guards to be
brought forward to protect the public, and to secure to the
Exchequer a quid pro quo, are matters for deep reflection
and most careful consideration.
THE POST OFFICE AND THE MONEY ORDER OFFICE.
—A dispute has arisen between the Post Office and a firm
in Russel-street, Bermondsey, which is likely to be set-
tled only in one of the courts of law. The
to the
the circumstan-
ces are these :—A person at Sheffield wrote to the house
in question for a quantity of morocco skins,
amounted altogether to £5. As he was a stranger
n
Post Officege- which
firm he annexed to his letter an order on a
pre-
pare the skins ordered, when they
were
not till then pre-
n theysfe r
e d stated,
the that
order
to
inn
at Sheffield. The order was tnhen
the clerk into whose imnds
sented at the Post Office, when the clerk into whose hands
it was placed tore it op,.saying to the amount of £5. It required nearl
that the money had been
it was placed tore it up,.
Sajho sent it. Upon application
drawn back by the party_ nearly
sent m
toon tthit et to
ar tyconsequence of t
and withdrawn the money, but they were
another house,
the goods, or pay for them at three
willing to return hhoadustera,
This was refused, as some loss would be incur-
months.
and it is contended that the Post Office had no right
with the money ; and further, that by dest • roying
the order they have deprived the owners of the skins of
the chief, if not the only, proof of their debt.
truedp;art
being made to
htldselhaeyffigdy
The Post Office refuse to pay the amount, and the firm
at Bermondsey are determined to try the question on the
broad ground of principle, that a money order can be pre-
sented
.anti must be pail at any time, and that tl e LostOii,.... ~ad iio wo.. right to return money than it had a
letter when once in its possession.

Jan. 9, 1841

RAILWAY INTELLfIENCE.

Glass windows have been introduced in the neon&
class carriages of the Glasgow and Greenock Railway, as
is done on the Belgian lines.

BLACKBURN AND PRESTON RAILWAY.—The share
list of the proposed Blackburn and Preston Railway is
rapidly filling up, numerous applications for shares having
been received during the last week, amounting in the ag-
gregate, in round numbers, to £l2 ,000.

•
DIABOLICAL ATTEMPT TO CAUSE A RAILWAY Acce-
DENT.—On Saturday morning last, a heavy bar of iron
was placed across the rails on the North Midland Rail-
way, near t y the Castleford Station. it was fortunately
observed in that most dangerous position about seven
o'clock, aii:l in time to prevent the evil design of the
villai❑ w,,., v:aoed it there.

MANCH I,iTETI. AND LEEDS RAILWAY.—On New
Year's-dly tha extension line of the Manchester and
Leeds Railway, from Collyhurst to the New Victoria
Station, at Hunt's Bank, was opened, the first train from
the station starting at seven o'clock in the morning.
There was no public celebration ; the train taking its de-
parture in the ordinary way, amidst the cheers of those
assembled.

R AILWAY TO THE NORTH.—Ground has literally been
broken towards the commencement of the new railway to
Carlisle from Lancaster. Travellers on the north road
will find, on getting past Richmond house, near Lancaster,
that on the hill upon the right, miners are engaged boring
in anticipation of the general commencement of the work,.
which we presume will take place the moment the act is
obtained.

ATMOSPHERIC RAILWAY.—During the last fortnight
quarter-hour trains have been running daily. Sunday&
excepted, on the Atmospheric Railway, at Dublin, from
11 in the morning to 4 in the afternoon, and not the
slightest delay or accident has occurred. Passengers are-
carried free of expense, as the line is not open for gene-
ral traffic, the negociations between the company and the
Lords of the Treasury being still pending.
BRADFORD AND LEEDS RAILWAY —The Provisional
Committee met on Saturday to allot the shares in this
new undertaking. Their job was a difficult and delicate
one—more than three times as many shares being applied
for as there were to dispose of in all. The proposed ca-
pital of the Company being £320,000, furniAed 6,400
fifty-pound shares, of which it was intended to reserve a
portion ; but nearly 19,000 shares were applied for, and
the committee was compelled to allot the whole. Of
conese every applicant has to be satisfied with less than
half what he asked for, and many applicants have been
refused altogether.

THE MILITARY AND THE RAILROADS.—An order
has been issue from the War-office, intimating that ar-
rangements have been entered into try the government
with the London and Birmingham, Great Western,
Brighton, Dover, Grand Junction, North Midland, Mid.
land Counties, Birmingham and Derby, Manchester and
Birmingham, Birmingham and Gloucester, Manchester
and Leeds, York and North Midland, Lancaster and`
Preston, Newcastle and Carlisle, and Great North of
England Railways, for the conveyance of the horses of
field and staff officers, and infantry, when proceeding by
route with regiments and detachments on railways ; and
likewise for the conveyance of sick horses of cavalry re-
giments. The rates of conveyance are fixed as follow:
For any distance not exceeding 50 miles, 4d. per mile for
each horse ; for beyond 50, and not exceeding 100 miles,
3-id; and exceeding 100 miles, 3d.
IMPROVED VALUE OF RAILWAY PsoPcnTir.--Messrs.
Sohmes and Tripp, of Bristol (brokers), in their circular
of the Ist instant, give some statistics respecting railways.
which possess considerable interest for the holders of the
stocks :—" It an established fact, that each year's ex-
perience brings with it a diminished expenditure. Thus
the railway proprietor has in prospect, not only an im-
proving income, but with it likewise a proportionate ac-
cession of capital. To illustrate our meaning, we will
take a few railways for example. The increase of traffic
for the current half-year, compared with the corresnonding
period of last year, upon the Great Western Railway is,
in round numbers, £20,000; upon the London and Bir-
mingham, £15,000; upon the Manchester and Leeds,.
£13,000; upon the Brighton, £11,000; upon the South-.
Western, £7,000. The present value of the shares, com-
pared with the corresponding period of last year, shows
an improvement in the capital of the Great Western Com-
pany of 10 per cent.; London and Birmingham of 42 per
cent., which, added to the £27 premium on the new quar-
ters allotted last August, makes together 69 per cent.;
the York and North Midland 25 per cent., which, added
to the premium of £l6 upon the New Shares allotted last
month, makes 41 per cent. ; the March scer and Leeds,
26 per cent. ; the Bristol and Exeter, 14 per cent.; the
Brighton. 12 per cent. ; the South-Western, 11 per cent.
These sufficiently testify the improving character of rail-
way property •, but, if our space permitted, we could ad-
duce many other railways, whose income and capital have
improved in a corresponding ratio."