The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-10-22 00:00:00

THE FOLLOWING 13 PROCF,SSIWZAL ROUTE:-

From the Town-hall r ion 1 Hamilton-square, down Hamilton-
treet ; along Church--treet. Abney-strt,et, Cne,tcr-s- reet, down
Ivy-street, Grange-lane, Hamilton-street, to Con way-street ;
along Conway-street, Cavendish street, down the Corporation-
road, and Canning-street, to the Road leading to the Shore, at
the Wood-side Slip.

The Procession to start at half-past eleven o'clock precisely.

The accommodations for the parties more immediately
concerned in laying the foundation stone are on as ext,n-
sive a scale as the circumstances will admit. Platforms
will be erected round the site, on the shore, a shott dis-
tance to the northward of the upper part of the Woodside
Ferry slip. Amongst the distinguished persons who have
signified their intention to he present are the following :
The Earl of Essex, Lord Bateman, Sir William Massey
Stanley, Bart., of Hooton, and party; Hon. Loyd Kenyon,
M.P., and a great number of other noblemen and 'mem-
bers of parliament.
The ceremony of laying the foundation-stone will be per.
formed by Sir Philip Egerton,' M.P. The trowel will be pre-
sented by. Vr. Rendell, the engineer of the Birkenhead Docks.
The trowel was designed and made by Mr. Joseph Mayer of
Lord Street. and does him ,much credit, alike for the beautiful
classic fe !ling about it, and the daring innovation made on the
old angular shape of the usual trowel. The form of it is that
of the Greek helm or paddle —on the blade or flat part of which
is chased in alto-rel. vo, Terra, the Goddess of Earth—and
Neptune, God of the Sea—in the act of calling into existence
Commerce and Navigation—which are strikingly ponitrayed by
a lovely undraped female, crowned with an antique Proa. with
her arms folded across her bosom she affectionately holds in her
right hand a clavurn. The God and Goddess arrayed in their
appropriate symbols the trident and dolphin, turreted coronet
and Cornucopia, with their heads a little inclined, are looking
approvingly on the beautiful being of their creation. The
handle is composed of a dolphin, which, from the curved form
it te,sumes, gives the whole an elegant and unique appearance
worthy the acknowledged taste of the designer. Above the:
figures is engraved. in classic letters, the following inscription
—" Presented to Sir Philip de Matpas Grey Egerton, Baronet,
M.P , on his laying the Foundation-stave of the Birkenhead
D,eks, XXIII day of October. M.DCCC.XLIV., in the VII year
of the reign of Her Majesty Queen Victoria." And on the back
of the trowel the names of the Birkenhead Dock Commissioners,
with those of the engineer and solicitor. The whole is sur-
rounded by that beautiful Greek border, emblematie of the
waves, so often ,een on the early Etruscan vases.
The grandest of the entertainments will be the public dinner, and
afterwards the ball, both of which will take place at the railway
station buildings, Grange Lane, the first in the large shed at the
terminus, and the latter in the carriage-room adjoining The dis-
play here will be magnificent.
The DINING Roost or Banquetting Hall, is about 140 feet in
length by 40 in width, and of ample height. The coup d' cell
un entering is extremely imposing. The walls ate covered with
crimson, yellow, and blue drapery. The recesses are decorated with
evergreens and large ornamental flowers, and the whole of the
principals and frame a.m.?, of the roof are similarly adorned so as:
to resemble a shrubbery that has taken leave of its parent earth
and mounted into mid air. From the beams are suspended hand-
some richly gilt gas chandeliers ins central lights. There are four
rows of tables, the two outer ones united at top and bottom by
being continued in the form of a semicircle.
The refreshments will be provided by Mr. Horne, of the Mersey
Hotel. The following is an outline of the bill of fare.
61 Tureens of Turtle. I 10 Dishes of Capon Oyster

40 Dishes of Fish. Sauce.
as Haunches of Venison. 12 Dishes of Fins of Turtle
26 Necks of Venison. Ragout.
20 Turkeys, boiled. so Dishes of Game.
2') '1 urkeys, roasted. 30 Dishes of Prauns and Lob.
29 Game Pies, seer Sallad.
26 Entres. 20 Cold Hares.
6 Saddles Mutton. 60 Jellies and Creams.
... .

lu St wed Rumps Reef. 30 Tarts.
12 Hams, ornamented. 3 Pud
20 Tongues, ornamented. 100 Dahes Vegetables.
Champagne, Sherry, Port, Hock, and Madeira Wines.

. .
It is repotted that about 500 gentlemen will sit down to the
feast.
The BALL-Boom, of about the same size as the Dining-room,
is, if possible, still more u Rine and beautiful. This is semi-
circularly recessed at one side, and in the centre there is a foun-
tain spouting a large jet of water to a height of 8 or 10 feet
from a circular basin, forming a beautiful rockery of curious
fossil and other stones, and seashells, thickly planted between
with evergreen plants, sea-mos,es, images of tritons. &c. —the
whole presenting a classical and cooling effect. The hall room
itself is lined with coloured drapery in a manner somewhat
similar to the other large room, but with the roof als., hung
with the same materials to a great height, so as to resemble an
immense Turkish tent. The whole is lighted by an immense
gas chandelier of four circles of lights, in the centre of the
room, and also by minor lateral chandeliers.
The Countess of Essex, Lady Amelia Capel, Lady Grey Egerton,
and many other noble ladies have intimated their intention to attend.
'1 he celebrated toast-master, Mr. Toole, of London, has been en-
gaged for the dinner, and as vocalists the equally popular Mr.
John Parry, Mr. Wilson, and Mr. Fitzgerald.
It is gratifying to state that besides the grand entertainment for
the elite just noticed, there are to be others on a smaller scale in
various parts of the town. A substantial treat to the working
classes connected with the works will be given, while at the same
time the poor are not to be forgotten.
A supper and ball are to he given at the Town-hall, by Mr. Jack-
son, to the clerks and other official gentlemen in the service of the
commissioners and their friends.

A dinner will be ,erved at Mr. (heave's, Adelphi Hotel. close
to W,:odside Ferry, and from which and the terrace gardens in
front is a fine view of ‘he river, the works tea.

Mr. Tomkinson, the contractor for the dock works, will give
a dinner to nearly 5 M of his workmen, who will be regaled
with roast and boiled beef, baked i+nd boiled plum-pudding, and
a plentiful supply of Hindley's XX ale, at 31r. Willoughby's,
or the Birkenhead Hotel. The room for their accommodation
was erected specially by Mr. Tomkinson. in the yard near the
Bowling Green opp ~ite to the entrance of the hotel; and :s
cf very large -size, and very commodious. It is splendidly
decorated with festoons. evergreens, foliage, and flags of all
nations. The whole will be splendidly illuminated by gas
chandeliers. We may here state, as an interesting feature in
the records of the proceed ngs, that the ship-carpenters of this
port. yesterday addressed a written communication to Mr.
Tomkinson, in which they stated that they did not consider
themselves merely ship carpenters of Liverpool, but of the
Mersey generally; that it is their intent on to j in the 3irken-
head procession with their flags and ensignia, and that they
wished, in respect to Mr. T., to be permitte to escort him from
his house to the place of meeting. To this request, we un-
derstand, Mr. Tomkinson cheerfully acceded.
Not the least gratifying circumstance is, that the poor of the
township are not forgotten on 'this occasion. The families of the in-
digent will have distributed amongst hem rations of beef cud bread,
the former in pieces of 4 to 8 lbs., according to their respective num-
bers and necessities.

We have authority to state that the Paragraph in the
Albion of yesterday, relating to the Head Constable
did not originate with the Watch Committee. A Sub-
committee has been appointed to inquire into the present
efficiency of the Police-force generally, and until then•
report is made, nothing whatever can be known as to the
possible result. The following is a copy of the appoint-
ment of the Sub-committee.
Rcsolced,—That a Sub-committee be appointed to enquire into
the present state of the Police•force, as to its efficiency, and whe-
ther the Printed itules and Regulations are fully carried out.
Resolved also,—That the Sub-committce be requested to report
the result of their investigation to a future meeting of this Com-
mittee.

WHAT is POPERY DOING ?—Some documents have
just come into our h inds,—having been picked up in the
streets, where they had been dropped, no doubt, by some
careless member of the faithful,—which throw a little.
light norm the dark workings of that body, and especially
upon the mode in which they possess themselves of the
edifices of the English estrolishment. These docu-
ments are a printed circular, signed by a party who
styles himself a " missionary apostolic," reciting that an
opportunity now exists of purchasing in Cornwall, " a
fine roomy church, with 'arched roof, recently built in the
Norman Gothic style, with Schooljooms, and Rectory
hou,o, the whole surrounded with an area, and well walled
in." It is stated that this property can be bought for
£lOOO, although worth diuble tae money—a lamentable
fact if true. But how, it will be said, is the money to be
raised ? An accompanying collecting cad informs us
collectors are to form a circle of subscribers amongst
their friends, and for every penny they receive they are to
put a pin-bole into one of the squares of the cross—a
truly respectful mode of treating that sacred emtlem !
When they have received a shilling they are to hand it
over to two very respectable parties, whose names appear
on the reverse side of the card, Those who fill a second
card are to receive " a handsome copy of the Catholic
Choralist," as a reward for their exertions. But, the
concluding intimation of the worthy " Missionary Apos-
tolic "is a truly melancholy specimen of what Romish
credulity remains even in the present day. His poor
dupes are told that " to draw down the blessing of God on
this mi-sion, and on all concerned in its formation, each
subscriber is earnestly requested to recite every day a de-
♦out Pater and Ave. In return the holy mass will be
celebrated for them on every Sunday and holiday during
the course of their lifeline', and—after their death I
Remark is superfluous.