The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-10-18 00:00:00

AMERICANISMS.

BRIEFLESS BARRisTE2.—Our last batch of American
newspapers are more deficient than usual in backwood jokes.
The only good novelty we observe is one which argues that a
briefless barrister ought never to be blamed, because it is
most decidedly wrong to abuse a man without a cause! The
follbwing are not so smart, but characteristic of the sort of
fun amongst our transatlantic brethren :

INIURTHER.-" Gentlemen of the jury," said a Western
lawyer, " would you set a rat-trap to catch a bar." Would
you make d—n fools of yourself by endeavouring to spear a
buffalo with a knitting-needle? Or would you attempt to
empty out the Mississippi with a gourd? No, gentlemen,
I know you would not. Then how can you be guilty of the
absurdity of finding my client guilty of manslaughter for
taking the life of a woman 7"

COLLOQUY.—" How do you do, Mr. Smith ?" "Do
what ?" " How do you find yourself?" " I never lost my-
self." " How do you feel." " Pretty smooth, I guess—feel
of me and see." " Good morning, Mr. Smith." " Good!
No; it's rather a bad one—it's wet and nasty.
A SOLEMN REFLECTION.—When the storm-tossed ocean
rises to lash the sky ; when the wild tornado is abroad ;
when the bosom of the solid earth is shaken by internal
throes, or beneath the glory and beauty of night ; when the
eyes of love are drinking the light up from your soul—at
such a moment, oh ! let a sensitive mind reflect "How, in
thunder, am I going to pay that note to-morrow."
SHORTS.—" Bob, I understand you are
on a
reona7Cvhruailsiengafter
Dick to cowhide him." " Yes, lam off
ex-
pedition." "A play upon words, as the fireman said,
when he thrust his hose into the bookseller's store to put
out the flames."
WHITE MAN VERY UNSARTIN.-4 Boy, who do you
belong to ?" asked a gentleman, the other day, as he stepped
on board of a steam-boat, and saw a '6 darky" listlessly
leaning on the guards. " I did belong to Massa William,
sir, when I come aboard ; but he's been in the cabin playin'
poker wid de captain 'above a hour : I don't know how I
111ong to now.

RAIL Tl' Al' INTELLIGENCE.

NORTH MIDLAND RAILWAY.

THE COMMITTEE OF INVESTIGATION.
The annual amount of salaries and wages paid by the com-
pany, according to the number of servants employed on the
10th of August, is something more than £40,610. Out of
this sum, the committee which lately sat to examine into the
position of the company, recommend reductions amounting
to X 17,788. We understand, however, that the directors had
already made or given notice of reductions amounting to be-
tween £5,000 and .1-;6,000. In the locomotive department
the committee propose reductions to the amount of about
X 9,600 a year out of about £-;19,000 ; in the coaching and
stations department they propose reductions to the amount
of £4,600 ; in the secret:..ry's, superintendeut'si engineer's,
and audit offices, they propose consolidations and reductions
to a great extent. The directuis ask for detailed statements
of the establishment which the committee recommend, and
these details will, no doubt, be furnished by the committee ;
alter which the directors will consider them, and will pro-
bably submit them with their own remarks to the share-
holders; and, having done this, they will call a Special gene-
ral meeting of the shareholders to determine on the whole
matter.

LONDON AND BRIGHTON RAILWAY.—Great is the change
already effected by the railway in the appearance and condi-
tion of Brighton. With the exception of the coaches run-
ning to the provincial towns, and two or three which are
still kept on the road to London, for the purpose of accom-
modating those places, such as Horsham and East Grinstead,
which lie wide of the railway, coaching is all up ; the only
vehicles to be met with in the streets are, as in London,
cabs, flies, and omnibuses ; and a thriving trade they seem
to carry on. It is stated' that the demand for property in
the town was never greater than at present; and it is ex-
pected to be still more next year, when the Paris and
Rouen line will be opened.
AMALGAMATION OF RAILWAYS.—A few weeks ago we
suggested the propriety of amalgamating into one strong
company the Midland Counties, North Midland, and Bir-
mingi.arn and Derby Railways, and we are happy to find that
the hint has attracted considerable attention. Since that
time it has been put to us, whether it would not be much
better for the proprietors of these lines, and much more
conducive to the convenience of the public, that the Midland
Counties and Birmingham and Derby lines should be leased
to the London and Birmingham Company, and the North
Midland to the York and North Midland. We know not
how.such a proposition would be received by the directors
and shareholders of the companies thus proposed as lessees,
but assuredly the scheme would benefit every other party.
The success of the London and Birmingham and York and
North Midland managements is universally acknowledged.
That something must be done to rescue these three-under-
takings from their present position is daily becoming more
apparent.; and if the question be only met in good faith, and
with earnestness of purpose, we make no doubt that the best
scheme will speedily be devised. For the sake of the long-
suffering shareholders, we sincerely trust it may.—Railway
Times.

STATE OF TRADE.

MANCIIESTER.—A perfect retrogression from a state of
activity to a panic, (temporary, we feel sure,) may with truth
be reported ; for in every branch of the Manchester trade
here, for the last two weeks, but more particularly this, a
complete cessation is visible to all; and, consequently, prices,
for any quantity of goods, may be said to be nominal. We
perhaps ought to except 40-inch ahirtings, and other low i
goods suited for the India market, for they, we learn, are n
good demand. The yarn market is not quite so bad, for the
Germans are buying where they can meet with a lot a shade
below the current rates. In London we are pleased to hear
that the country houses have been extremely busy; but so
alarmed are they at the stoppage of the Bank of Manchester,
that they dare not order Manchester goods. We feel certain
that, when the real character of the Bank of Manchester is
correctly estimated, and people begin to reflect, it will be
viewed in the light of a public good rather than a calamity.
There is another point on which we wish to warn Manchester
houses, and beg of them to be careful where they send theil,
goods in London ; for we know an instance of a house last
week offering goods from Manchester, just after they had
arrived, at 15 per cent. off the invoice price. Power-loom
printers may be quoted as follows :-66's 27-inch, 4s. 3d. to
to 4s. 71d. ; and 72's, 4s. 10A. to ss. sd.—Manchester Ad-
vertiser of Saturday.
TRADE OF LEEDS.—There was a more extensive demand
for balk goods in our market on Saturday than has been no-
ticed for some time past ; the finer qualities of cloth being
more in request than, of late, and the transactions in beavers,
tweeds, and fancy cloakings more active. On Tuesday, as
usual, the dealings were more limited. The wool market
continues much in the same state, the principal dealing being
in the inferior qualities of wool.—Leeds latelligencer of Sa-
turday.

BRADFORD MARKET.—We had a good attendance of mer-
chants and other buyers at this market on Thursday, and
rather more business was done than last week, particularly
in figured goods, but former rates chiefly ruled. The yarn
market presented no features worthy of remark. If any
thing there was more doing, prices as before. The wool
market was not quite so firm as of late with regard to the
superior qualities, but the middle and inferior sorts sold more
readily.—Leeds hitelliyencer of Saturday.

ALARMING AND DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.

MANCHESTER, SATURDAY.

Last night, about eleven o'clock, an alarming fire broke
ont in the premises known as the " Irwell Foundry," situate
in Stanley-street, Salford, and occupied by Messrs. Ellis and
Norton, millwrights and engineers. The foundry comprised
a pile of buildings on the Salford side of the river Irwell,
which were formerly used as a lying-in hospital for poor wo-
men, and also as a school for the deaf and dumb. The pre-
mises are rather extensive, reaching about 50 yards along
Stanley-street, immediately opposite to the New Bailey pri-
son, and were full of valuable machinery. At the time above-
mentioned a light was discovered in a room called the " pat-
tern room," in the topmost story of the building, which was
four stories high. It was soon ascertained that the contents
of the room were in flames, and information was sent as
quickly as possible to the superintendents of the Salford and
Manchester fire police departments. Three engines from
Manchester, under the direction of Mr. Rose, and also the
Salford engines, arrived in less than half an hour after the
fire had been discovered ; but by this time the conflagration
had made extensive progress, the whole of the upper story
being in a complete blaze. Mr. Rose soon ascertained that
the plugs near the building were not adequate to supply the
enginea with a sufficiency of water; but fortunately he had
with him a quantity of patent hose, by means of which water
was obtained from plugs at full 200 yards distance from the
scene of action. Notwithstanding, however, that the great-
est exertions were made by the firemen, it was found to be
utterly impossible to save the building. The whole of the
wooden flooring of the upper story was burnt through with
fearful rapidity : the burning wood-work, together with the
heavy machinery contained in that story, f;,11, of course, upon
the floor beneath, breaking the floor, and setting fire to it
and the contents of the rooms at one and the same time ;
and in this way the flames were communicated:to each story
in succession, until the whole building was enveloped in one
vivid blaze. The crushing noise of falling machinery, during
the progress of the fire, was most awful. For full two hours
the flames raged with uncontrollable fury, and there being
no prospect of saving the foundry, Mr. Bose took every pre-
caution to prevent the conflagration extending further, and
his efforts were happily successful. Between one and two
o'clock, aided by a shower of small rain, the water from the
engines began to have a visible effect in reducing the flames,
' which were totally extinguished by five o'clock. The build-
ing is literally gutted, there being nothing but the bare walls
standing, and the whole of the machinery it contained is a
complete wreck. How the fire originatedis a mystery, nor
is it probable that the fact can be ascertained.
The total loss to the stock and builditig is estimated at
£lO.OOO. The building (which was merely rented by Messrs.
Ellis and Co.) is insured for about £2700. The .stock was
also insured, but it is understood that the loss will exceed
the amount of insurance by about £2OOO.

THE FLOATING ISLAND.—ThiS curious formation has
nearly all sunk below the surface of Derwentwater, although
the lake is unusually low at this time.—Carlisle Patriot.
AFFECTING ANECDOTE OF THE RETREAT FROM GIME-
NEE.—The death of Lieutenant Lumsden and his young wife
is confirmed, and the details of their fate as now narrated are
of a most melancholy and painful character. It is stated,
that when he fell desperately wounded, his young wife threw
herself upon his body, and implored him not to leave her to
fall into the hands of the enemy ; when he, with a last effort,
drew his pistol from his belt and put an end first to her suf-
ferings and then to his own.—Calcutta Star.
THE ROOT CROP.—The farmers are busily employed in
all parts of the country in harvesting their crops of winter
potatoes, and the weather is peculiarly favourable in York-
shire and in Lancashire for these important operations, as
well as for cleansing the land and leading off the wiseals. The
turnips are nearly at their full growth, and ready for getting,
though the Swedes will keep in the ground till February or
March without injury. This crop is not so heavy as was ex-
pected, the summer having been too dry for the bulbs to at-
tain at their usual growth.—Leeds Mercury

AMSTERDAM, OCT. 13.—The Austrian frigate Bellona, o_
66 guns, commanded by the Archduke of Austria, bound
from Portsmouthfor Holland, is stated in a letter from the
Texel of the 12th of this month to have stranded on the
previous evening, in a thick fog, on the Erisland ; the masts
were immediately afterwards cut away and the guns thrown
overboard, but soon afterwards the back was broken, and the
frigate partly went to pieces during the night. One hundred
and forty-nine of the crew, including eleven officers, were
brought on shore by the safety boat, but the remainder of the
crew were drowned.—October 14.—We yesterday copied
from the Zeepost a report of the loss of the Bellona, but as
we have received no information of this event this morning,
either from the Texel or the Helder, we have made all possible
inquiries at houses who have correspondents at the Texel and
the Helder. None of them, nor the Austrian Consul, nor
the governors of these provinces, who• have letters from the
Helder dated yesterday, have received any intimation of such
a disaster. Now, as the shipping lists of yesterday, the 13th,
received this morning from the Helder, do not mention it,
the report given in the Zeepost, if not a mere fiction, certainly
requires confirmation, At all events, the Archduke is in
England, and cannot have been on board the ship.--7
Handelsblad.
IMPORTANT INVENTION. POWERFUL CHECK TO
HORSES.—We are happy to learn, that Mr. Miller, of
Lothian-street, an ingenious saddler in this city, has devised
a mode capable of preventing even the strongest and wildest
horse from escaping the control of his rider or driver.
On
Wednesday last Mr. Miller made a public trial of liiisirvemr.n-
-tion in Queen-street, in presence of Professor Dc
eludin Wordsworth, seve-
and a number of individuals,
ral of the country gentlemen, and all of app
,d knowledge.
For this purpose, a strong, active, hardpntliri„,angdg7otori-
i when
ous runaway horse was procured, and yoked in a
q
Mr. Miller boldly took his seat,
company to irritate the animal, with which
some of the
u they desire re-
luctantly complied. Off set the horse, but he bad scarcely
made Miller a few springs when Mr. at once subdued him,
bringing
him to a literal stand still. This was repeated seve-
ral times, every means being employed to provoke still
further the restive animal ; but he was as often brought up
by Mr. Miller, and apparently with a ready facility. All
present expressed themselves delighted and surprised, not
more by the efficiency than the neatness and simplicity of
the invention.—Edinburgh Standard.
NEW FOOD FOR Hoasns.—A proposition has been made
to the French Minister of War by a M. Longchamp to try
a new method of feeding horses, which, he asserts, will pro-
duce a vast saving in the amount of forage necessary for the
army. This gentleman proposes to make a sort of bread,
three-fourths potatoes and the rest oatmeal, with which the
horses are to be fed in place of oats. The average quantity
of oats for a horse per day M. Longcamp estimates to be 1016
costing about thirteen sous. He proposes to replace this
food by 101 b. of the bread made with oats and potatoes, the
price of which will be only five sous, leaving a saving of eight
sous a day. As there are 80,000 horses in the army, a saving
would arise on the whole of the cavalry of 11,680,' francs
a year. M. Longchamp considers this food to be more nua-
tritious than the food generally given to horses,fortheinatigaret
.
, portion of the oats taken by a horse is imPeric
cated, and therefore the nutritive qualities are canowect to
remain latent. Heat and moisture, he declares, are neces-
sary to bring forth fully the qualities of the fecula of oats,
and this can be procured most effectually by subjecting it to
the heat of an oven, after having bean moistened an, well
mixed up.