The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1833-10-01 00:00:00

NORTHERN HOSPITAL.

Pursuant to advertisement a meeting-of the subscribers to this
institution was held yesterday at the Clarendon rooms, for the
purpose of electing honorary medical officers for the establish-
ment.

WAI. BR-OWN, Esq., on taking the chair, opened the pro-
ceedings. . . .
• Mr. S. IIoPE, in proposing Dr. Squires as one of the physi-
cians, said, he believed Dr. S. was very favourably known to
the public in his professional capacity; but the Dr. had an ad-
ditional claim to their support, in consideration of his very va-
luabte services during the• ravages of the epidemic which had,
in its first visit to this town; as elsewhere, caused such fearful
ravages. . One of the other candidates about to be proposed, he
believed, had shared with Dr. Squires the privations and risks
to which that period of extraordinary anxiety had exposed them;
and he trusted that they would both be, in some measure, re-
quited by the result of this day's proceedings.
Mr. ROBERT NORRIS briefly seconded his nomination.
-

Mr. R. F. BREED, in proposing Dr. Collins as a candidate
for the situation of Physician to their new hospital, was aware
that he was proposing a gentleman who bad rendered himself
somewhat unpopular by his interference in parochial and poli-
tical matters. He .would not stop to inquire whether Dr. Col-
lins was right or wrong. Such interference should be avoided
by medical men. Party feeling, however, should have no in-
fluence on the vote of any governor of that institution, for cha-
rity ought to exclude every other consideration but that of the
suitableness of the candidate, and he hoped that on this as on
every future occasion the governors would reserve their votes
until they had ascertained the professional qualifications of the
several candidates, and whether they had a.proper infusion of
benevolence in their compositions, or has sufficient moral
courage to enable them to face death in the midst of contagion.
The prominence of Dr. Collins at vestry meetings was the first
cause of his knowing him, even by name, and although his
impressions were then unfavourable to him, when he heard
he was a candidate for the present situation, he made inquiries
to ascertain if his professional merit equalled his genius. He
held in his hand many certificates creditable to Dr. Collins in
the progress of his medical studies in Edinburgh, London, and
Paris, from practitioners of great eminence in England and on
the continent, and he had found that gentleman's authority con-
tinually referred to in a work of much celebrity. Dr. Collins
had resided ten years in the town, he had not only benevolent
feelings but was always ready to evince them, and during the
prevalence of the late cholera he took a district under his
charge, in which he was eminently successful. In the investiga-
tions he had made, Dr. Collins had appeared to the greatest ad-
vantage both as to his rnediCal talents as well as his humanity,
and he fervently hoped that the unfavourable impressions under
which, from the causes before mentioned, he laboured might be
effaced from their memories. He (Mr. B.), had been for many
years on the committee of the central dispensary, and had per-
haps devoted as much time as any member of it to improve the
working of that noble charity, and though nolonger a member
upon it,- continued to entertain the same kindly feelings towards
it. On the occasion of his retirement, two of the honorary
medical gentlemen had personally offended him, and though the
breach had never been healed, he should vote for them on the
present occasion, because he admired their professional talents,
and knew them to be indefatigable in their exertions to extend
medical science; and surely as Dr. Collins' offences, such as
they were, could not bear a comparison with those of the gen-
tlemen he alluded to, they should be put aside. He, therefore,
proposed him as a highly suitable person to fill the situation of
Honorary Physician to this institution, who if elected would
exercise his great professional attainments in healing the sick
and administering comfort to the miserable.
Mr. JOHN SHIEL seconded him. From his great medi-
cal-experience, experience, and the knowledge which he (Mr. S.) had of
his personal character., he was sure he would prove a valuable
acquisition to the Hospital.
Mr. CHARLES WARNER, in proposing Dr. Lane, would not
detain the meeting further than by observing that every word
which had been spoken by Mr. Hope, inlavour of Dr. Squires,
and of his claims through his attendance at the Cholera Hos-
pital, and his gratuitous services during the prevalence of the
late melancholy infliction, would apply with equal force to Dr.
Lane. He personally knew him to be in every way perfectly
qualified to fill the situation now vacant, and in electing him he
was sure the subscribers•lvould be furthering the interests of the
Hospital in the highest degree.
Mr. ROBERT MUSGROVE briefly seconded him and concurred
with every word which had fallen from the preceding speaker.
Mr. ADAM HODGSON begged to propose Dr. Reynolds, who,
from the evidence of his skill which he had witnessed he was
sure would prove a valuable officer of their establishment.
Mr. LEWIN MOZLEY briefly seconded his nomination.
Mr. FriEszE proposed Dr..Sillar, from the frequent oppor-
tunities he had of witnessing his zeal and indefatigable atten-
tion in the performance of his professional duties. He had
been on the Cointnittee of the Dispensary in 1821, at which period
there was but one in Liverpool, situated in Church-street, and
the honorary medical officers of it were connected with the
Blue-coat llospital, the duties of which were various and mul-
tiplied It had always been the custom of the Committee of the
Blue-coat School to present annually the thanks of the Institu-
tion to its medical officers but so well pleased were they with
Dr. Sillar's services that they were not content that he should
receive an annual vote, but also one in the middle of the year.
This however Dr. Sillar declined, as it would place him in an
invidious situation, and he considered, by an imputation, upon his
colleagues.. This alone would form a ground, were there no
better ones for his appeal to the public; he considered that gen-
tlemanly qualifications were necessary for the fulfilment of the
various duties connected with the office, and Dr. Sillar possessed
not only thd medical but also the necessary gentlemanly quali-
fications.

Mr. G. J. WAINWRIGHT seconded him.
The Rev.-Mr. GLADWIN said, that as Mr. Udney had with-
drawn from a contest, • there were but three candidates for the
office of surgeon, and there would not be a necessity to proceed
to a poll.
The CHAIRMAN read Mr. Udney's letter of withdrawal. •
The Rev. Mr. GLADWIN said that it formed no slight pleasing
feature of their proceedings, that they had been always marked
with the greatest. unanimity ; and with regard to the gentle-
men proposed as surgeons, they would be the same, as the
junior surgeon, with honourable feelings, had withdrawn from
a contest. In proposing Mr. Gill as one of their surgeons, he
considered him to be a man whose talents, experience, zeal,
and devotion to his profession needed no comment from him.
Mr. Gill had been before the public for some time; but was
not as generally known as he could wish, in consequence of
his retiring habits. The earlier part of his life had been spent
in the sea service, and since he had returned he had opened a
school as lecturer, where he had acquired considerable repu-
tation.

• Mr. AMBROSE LACE seconded him:
• Mr. RonEaTsor4 GLADSTONE then proposed Mr. John Ban-
ner as one of the surgeons. He said he considered .Mr. Ban=
ner's best. reeommendation consisted in his having been fur
eleven years seniolr surgeon at the Dispensary.
Mr. SAMUEL HOPE seconded him.
The CHAIRMAN briefly proposed Mr. Wainweight as one of
the Sue genus, and was seconded by Mr. G. F. DicKsinv.
The three gentlemen were then unanimously elected as Sur-
geons in the order of seniority as proposed.
• The ltev: C. 'l'. GLADWIN hoped that the harmony which had
prevailed to the present time might be continued, and as there
were not the same number of places as candidates, that those
who might be disappointed should bear their disappointment
with good humour, than which he was sure there was nothing
which would contribute in a greater degree to their future
success.
Mr. WARNER having informed the meeting that the votes of
no subscriber could be received unless his subscription had been
paid, •
A ballot took place for the Physicians, when the number of
votes was as follows
Dr. Sillar 294 Votes.
Dr. Squires
Dr. Reynolds- 239
Dr. Hunter Lane
Dr. Collins
The three first gentlemen were therefore declared duly elected

HURRAII FOR JOBBING!-THE PLUNKETTS
TRIUMPHANT.

M`Causland—the brother-in-law of the Lord Chancellor, is
nominated--not elected--to the office of solicitor to the
Plunkett commission—and what adds to the insult, he is per-
mitted to do the duties by deputy—his partner, a Mr. Fetherston,
being the stalking-horse on the Occasion. My lords the bishops
ye have acted wisely and well—consistently, as regarded the
honour and dignity cf your own characters, discreetly, us respect-
ed the welfare of the church and the interests of religion. Slash
away, M•Causland! Kill, burn, and destroy. Commence your
work of destruction. Sweep all before you. Accumulate folios
Of costs, and put money in thy purse. Thou art in truth a lucky
fellow; and with glee and gusto mayest thou sing when sipping
thy claret, Ibrahim's song in praise of Blue Beard—
i
-,T
s a vet y fine thing to be brother-in-law
To this excellent Jobber—this Plunked Bashaw."
Have any of our readers seen the caricature published in Lon-
don, and sketched by the celebrated I. 8., in which Hiunilcar
(Lord Plunkett) is repreSented as swearing in the Hannibals
(nine young Plunketts), to hold faith to the Whigs, until they
had nothing more to bestow ?—lt is excellent, and every place-
hunter should have a copy.
Of course the proceedings at the commission yesterday were
had with closed doors ; but anything more monstrous never oc-
curred. Setting aside the professional pretensions—and these
ought to have teen the claims entitled to the highest considera-
tion—it is stated on the authority of the castle paper, that one
of the candidates had the support of every member of the cabi-
net, while it is notorious that another had actually the King's
letter containing his appointment—and yet the latter (Mr.
Tierney) was sent from the Board-room upon the audacious
plea that being a crown solicitor, he had too much business al-
ready to mind !
Why, sirs,
M`Causland is—Solicitor to Erasmus Smith's schools,
IWCausland is—Solicitor to the Education Board,
M`Causland is—Solicitor to the Royal Hospital,
M`Causland is—Solicitor to the Commissioners for Charitable
Bequests,
M`Causland is.--Solicitor to the Benchers of the King's Inns,
M`Causland is One of the clerks of the Common Pleas,
INl‘Causland holds an otlice in the Court of Chancery,
111`Causland is—Secretary to the Lord High Chancellor.
And now—
M`Causland is—Solicitor to the Ecclesiastical Commission ! ! !
Besides half-a-dozen other situations which we can't just at
this moment recollect.
Bravo, Mr. M'Causland ! In good sooth thou art a wonder-
ful man; and it would be well worth the• inquiry to ascertain
whether you have a sleeping partner or no in the snacks that
these snug offices must bring in. We are, however, great lovers
of justice; and we are bound to say that they are not all sine-
cures : as, for instance, there are at this moment twenty-four
equity suits pending, in which the Commissioners for Charitable
Bequests are the NPCIus
parties, and which . land has of course
to look after, if it were for nothing but the mere matter of costs;
while, to our own knowledge; this same individual hat; been for
the last forty-two days, for a brief space daily, in attendance on
i
the Wide-street Valuation Jury, in his capacity of solicitor to
the benchers, at the paltry tee of live guineas per diem.
,We congratulate the board and the church on the happy se-
lection they have made of one who can devote his whole time
and attention to the interests of both !—Dublin Evening Mail.

The General Steam Navigation Company's mail packet, the
Ramona, which arrived. on Friday morning from Hamburg,
brought a messenget with despatches for Prince Lieven. The
Harlequin, from Calais, arrived about the same time.
The following gentlemen, who are Barristers-at-Law and
Advocates, have been appointed by the Lord Chancellor to re-
vise and assimilate the laws of debtor and creditor in England,
Scotland, and Ireland :—Mr. Manic, Mr. Saunders, Mr. Grig,
Mr. Hope, Mr. Walker, and Mr. Battye.
BROTHER JONATHAN.—Our young friend over the water will
teach his granny to milk ducks by and bye.—" A man in Jef-
ferson county. (U.S.) has invented a machine for milking cows!"
—What a " capital car he must be?

The furniture which belonged to the Duchess de Berry, at
the Castle of Blaye, is now in possession of a carpet-maker at
Bordeaux, who is making his fortune by selling it at a very high
price:—Petit Courrier des Daises.

_aL -_ ~~- -.-

151

COLLIERY
‘EXPLOSION AT WORKINGTON,
111IRTEEN La-Es Last

The town -of Workington was, on. Saturday night last,
thrown into a state of the inmost consternation, by an
explosion in the Bella Pit, near that town, the property
of Henry Curwen, Esq.,-more terrible in . its nature, and
more fatal in its effects, than any. similar casualty that has.
happened there within the last fifty years.- - The details of
this dreadful occurrence are thus given :—The men were
at work in Bella Pit, about seven P.M: thatevening. In
the Low Bottom Pit, which communicates with Bella
Pit, and which has been only partially worked of late, a
quantity of foul air had collected, to expel which Mr.
Percival, one of the under-ground stewards, set on a cur-
rent of fresh air, a plan which has hitherto been used
with success, but, in this instance, an explosion resulted,
which forced the choke damp into the Bella workings,
when thirteen men ind boys, and two horses fell victims
to the untimely experiment. Had the danger been ap-
prehended, and the precaution been taken of ordering
the men off work, or of waiting until the men bad finished
their work, such a dreadfril sacritiee of life might have
been avoided. In Accidents of this kind, the carelessness
of the workmen is generally blamed, but in this instance
they appear to have been quite unconscious of the im-
pending danger.
The following are the names of the thirteen unfortu-
nate beings who have thus, in a moment, been hurried
into eternity, besides whom Many others are partially
injured, but expected to rccover :—Richard Ditchburn,
John Thompson, two young men named Creen, bro-
thers, three named Brennan, brothers;. Samuel Mulli-
gan, John Donald, James Higgins, and three boys,
Andrew Jelly, John Watson, James Ditchburn. Some
of these have left wives and families in the'greatest dis-
tress. A remarkableinstance of fortitude was shown by
the mother of the unfortunate Brennans: she entered the
pit at the most imminent hazard and brought out the bo-
dies of two of her sons herself; her husband is fortu-
nately spared to her,, though his life was in•a most criti-
cal state for some time.

Every exertion which humanity could suggest, and vi..
gilance execute was promptly made, and in the course of
two hours the pit was cleared of every human being,
when it was discovered that thirteen lives were sacrificed.
At the time of the accident occurring there were thirty-
eight work-people in the mine, of these twenty-fii,e
were rescued, several of whom have received partial in-
juries, and two, John Deacon and John Hayes, are yet
suffering severely.
The scene which occurred at the pit-mouth, after the
accident became known, was truly agonizing,—mothers
were bewailing their children, wives their husbands, and
sisters their brothers, and their cries and tears mingled
strangely with the joyful transports of recognition by
which a rescued relative was brought up safe to the earth.
When the bodies were examined, after being brought
up, it was ascertained that one youth only was burnt,
the others were destroyed by what is called the after
damp, the foul and noxious air, which suffocates if the
person breathing it be not promptly removed from its
presence. The sufferers are chiefly youths, though there
are some married men in the list. The individual at whose
lamp the foul air exploded is alive and dding well. Every
exertion was made, to restore the sick, and great pains
were taken to alleviate the sorrow of those who have to
mourn over friends and relatives thus prematurely con-
signed to the • grave.—An inquest commenced at ten
o'clock on Monday morning, before W. Bragg, Esq.,
coroner,: and a highly respectable jury.