The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1850-01-22 00:00:00

INTERESTING DISCOVERY.—About three weeks since,
three quarrymen, while at their labour at Lanyon quarry,
discovered a couple of gold coins almost as perfect as
when they were issued from the mint. They are aurei of
Theodosius the Great, and of his son Arcadius, or rather
solidi, as the aureus in later times was called solidus, and
by Bezantian writers numisma, or the coin : chrysinos
because of gold; and hyperpyros from its being of bright
gold, flaming like fire. It was also called bezant in
Europe because it came from Byzantium.—Cornwall
Gazette.
ELOPEMENT IN HIGH LIFE.--A few days ago, one
of the oldest and most respectable families in the north
of Scotland, the descendants of the celebrated Lord
President Forbes, and the present possessors of the exten-
sive estates of Culloden, was thrown into a state of con-
fusion and anxiety in consequence of the elopement of
the young brother of the laird with his brother's scullery
maid. The young gentleman is only about twenty years
of age, and the fair damsel who won the heart and secured
the hand of the gallant youth is a young highland lass of
the same age, who possesses considerable personal charms.
Upon the discovery of the flight of the fugitives, the hue
and cry was immediately raised, and messengers were
despatched in every direction to overtake them. The
youthful and loving couple were traced along the High-
land road to Perth, and from thence to Glasgow. On
their arrival at Glasgow, the youthful pair were imme-
diately married. The pursuers were two hours too late ;
and, to their great disappointment and chagrin, they
found, on their arrival, the happy pa ip asleep. The
friends of the young gentleman soon reused them, but
the bridegroom said he had made his choice, and resolved
to live and die in the society of his blooming bride.
FOOT-RACE BETWEEN A LORD AND A WEAVER.—On
the 26:h of December, much excitement was caused at
Castledawson, near Carlisle. by a whisper of a foot-race
between a nobleman (Lord Lurgan) and a weaver, named
Keenan. Multitudes were present ; and the two pedes-
trians came out in full uniform. His lordship is about
five feet ten inches in height, slender limbed, lightly made,
and about nineteen years of age. His countenance is very
frank, and, upon the whole, a very likely-looking person
to take such a thing in hand. James Keenan is about
five feet five inches in height, proportionately built, about
forty years of age, and has a wife and six children. The
length of the race was eight miles, and the stakes £5
each side. His lordship backed himself, and the Dawsons
backed Keenan. His lordship had on a pair of well-
made pantaloons, wash-leather pumps, and a yellow
jacket. Keenan ran in a pair of white drawers, bare-
footed, and blue jacket. Keenan ran with his arms
hanging down and quite loose, but he was well acquainted
with the art of getting over the ground. When he had
run two miles (which-he did in In minutes) he was about
a quarter of a mile before his noble competitor ; so he
(Lord Lurgan), thinking it of no use continuing the con-
test longer, rave up when he had run about two miles, and
a quarter. Keenan, however, ran on, making the second
two miles in thirteen minutes and a half; the third he
ran in fourteen minutes ; and the last two in thirteen mi-
nutes and a half; running the eight miles in fifty-three
minutes and a half, amidst the vociferous cheering of his
friends and acquaintances.—Carlisle Patriot.
DISTRESSING CASE.—After the disposal of the usual
business at Guildhall on Saturday, a shabbily-attired
woman stepped forward, and addressing Alderman Carden,
said that she was unfortunately in great distress and with-
out shelter. She was authoress of Ada the Betrayed,
Jane Briohtwell, Brentwood, and other works, but was
now in the greatest distress. She was a widow, and had
a daughter 18 years of age, who was married, and living
in India with her husband. Her mother was a sister of
the Earl de Clifford, and she bad a brother living in
India. She had a work, of which she had done seven
quires, and if she could get shelter in a workhouse, or
anywhere, she could complete the work. She could get
60 guineas for it. Her brother, at the present time, was
Sheriff of Calcutta, and she had several friends in London,
but she had not communicated with them for many years,
and could not apply to them now. The applicant, who
addressed the court in a deep voice, with a strong theatri-
cal emphasis, stated that her name was Sarah Jones, and
that she had written under the name of Anna Maria Jones.
She admitted, however, that herself and mother had been
disposed to insanity. She said the chief cause of her pre-
sent distress was a distraint for rent, and having been
turned out from her abode at this inclement season. She
felt herself much degraded at appearing in the streets in
such attire, but had no objection to go to the workhouse
for the sake of shelter. Alderman Carden asked her if
she would go to the City Union if be gave her a recom-
mendation'? Having willingly assented, she was sent
thither in charge of an officer.
DARING ROBBERY AT HAWKSWORTH,—On Monday
morning, about one o'clock, some daring burglars en-
tered the house of an old man, named Thomas Heaton, a
person worth considerable property, and of rather penu-
rious habits. He had been receiving some rents recently,
and it was generally understood that he kept a good deal
of money in the -house, but which appears not to have
been the case. The rogues gained admittance by forcing
open with a crowbar both the inner and outer doors, and
then proceeded to a lower room, where the housekeeper
slept, and demanded her money, which she gave up,
amounting to £3 17s. 6d. After, various threats if she
made any disturbance, they proceeded upstairs to the old
man, who is remarkably deaf. On seeing a light in his
room, he sat up in bed, but was immediately attacked by
the robbers, who beat him dreadfully about the head and
face, which were soon covered with blood, bruises, and
wounds. They then commenced a search for the ex-
pected booty, but only found between £2 and £3 in sil-
ver, and a gold watch, casting on one side a £5O note of
a bank which stopped payment more than twenty years
ago. They then went down to the housekeeper's room
again, followed by the old man, who is above eighty years
of age, and it appeared that his movements were unheard,
for he had succeeded in getting down the gun, which was
charged, and was in the act of presenting it, when one of
the men sprang upon him, and prevented what, in all pro-
bability, would have been instant death to one of them.
While the villains were decamping, the poor old man,
though nearly blind, had found a large hedge knife, and
seeing something move, he struck at the object with all his
strength, which, unfortunately, turned out to be the poor
housekeeper, who, thinking the robbers had fled, was
coming from her room. Had the blow been dealt with
more precision, it might have been attended with serious
consequences, but, fortunately, a slight cut from which
the blood flowed copiously was the only injury.—Notts
Guardian

SHIPWRECK.—A most exciting scene occurre dat
Whitby, on Monday. The brig Vine, of Bristol, laden
with oats, sprung a leak when off Whitby, and, either
through ignorance of the time of high water, or a want
of knowledge of the port, the vessel struck upon the bar.
The crew, except the master, were soon landed in a pilot-
boat. The master, Captain John Honey, who, we under-
stand, is part owner, refused to leave the vessel. As the
tide rose, the wind, which was blowing strong from the
south-east, increased to a complete gale, and the sea ran
very heavy, which soon stove in one side of the vessel,
and dismasted her. The master still stuck to the vessel,
and the storm increased, the waves breaking over her
most furiously. The life-boat had been manned and
sent to the vessel three times, and endeavours made to
persuade the captain, if he valued his life, to leave the
wreck, but in vain ; he expressed his determination to
" stick to her." Ultimately, however, he was brought to
land. On reaching the shore another unexpected peril
awaited him. The crowd was so anxious to get a sight of
a man who appeared to value life so little, that it was with
the greatest difficulty he could be got to a house of refuge
without injury, several persons having been thrown down
in the crowd and trampled on. Whilst this scene was
enacting, another of a more amusing character was being
performed up the harbour. The sea having washed out
the greater part of the cargo (oats), it drifted up the har-
bour with the tide, and the surface was literally covered,
and hundreds of boats were to be seen well manned and
the crews actively engaged skimming the water with bas-
kets and other articles that would hold the grain and let
off the water, and many a treat is in store for the swine
of the poor fishermen. The scene on Tuesday morning,
at low water, was changed to one not unlike that of the
" California gold diggins." The best oats having sunk
to the botton, crowds of men, women, and children were
industriously employed up to the waist in water, dragging
the river for the grain.
GRAND BONSPIEL OF THE CALEDONIAN CURLING
CLUB.—At Lochwinnock, on Friday, the greatest gather-
ing of the lovers of this manly and truly national game
that ever was held in Scotland took place. East, west,
north, and south, they came in laughing bands, accompa-
nied in some instances with flags and music. There were
loopy lawyers from Edinburgh—long-headed merchants
from our own good city—farmers fro.n the Carse of Gou-
rie—ploughmen from the Mearns—with ministers and
dominies from many a landward parish. The bonspiel
was held on a splendid sheet of water, about a mile or so
length, by rather more than a quarter in breadth, situ-
ated a little to the south-west of the village of Loch-
winnoch. Upwards of twelve hundred persons were
engaged in this magnificent game, and the spectators
must have amounted to nearly as many thousands.
About half-past twelve, the players having been arranged
into about a hundred rinks, a signal gun was fired, and
immediately thereafter the roaring play commenced. But
such a flourishing of brooms, waving of caps, sweeping of
the ice, eager watching of moving stones, accompanied
with shouts of laughter, directions for playing, cries of
disappointment, or commendations of success, created
altogether such a joyous scene of confusion, that the pen-
cils of a hundred Harveys, or the pens of a hundred
Dickens', would have been totally ineffective in conveying
the faintest idea of what was going on. Suffice it to say
that mirth and good humour were observable on every
hand ; and although a wee drap of the dew was occasion-
ally observed circling round the tee, nothing approaching
to indecorum or ill-nature ever crossed the hog-score.
Three hours after the commencement of the play,—and,
indeed, while the enthusiasm was still gathering.—another
boom was heard from the signal gun, and immediately the
contest ceased ; the leaders proceeded to give in their
reports, and the crowd began rapidly to disperse,—some
to take their " beef and greens," the curler's favourite
food from time immemorial, at the club dinner party in
Lochwinnoch ; others to fight their battles o'er again,
and have a friendly dram for " auld acquaintance sake,"
in the tents that fringed the loch ; while not a few wended
their various ways homewards, joking and laughing over
the events of the day. The following is the total result of
the playing :—North of the Clyde, 2,420; south of the
Clyde, 2,276: majority, 144.—Glasgow Citizen.
How THE WORLD IS PAPERED.—The press sends forth
a printed surface which amounts in the year to 349,308,000
superficial feet ; and if we add to these all the papers that
are printed, weekly and fortnightly, in the metropolis and
the provinces, the whole amounts to 1,466,150,000 square
feet, upon which the press has left in legible characters
the proof of its labours. Of the newspapers, therefore,
that have been published in the United Kingdom during
the year 1849, we may say that they would cover a surface
of 33,658 acres, or would extend, if joined one to another,
to 138,843 miles—that is, they would nearly six times
encircle the earth at the equator.—Bentley's Magazine.