The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-04-19 00:00:00

STATISTICS OF VAUXHALL WARD'.

Our liberal contemporaries are in extasies of delight kith
a pamphlet just published, under thfs title, by the

monopoly Society of Liverpool, professing to show, iu vari-
ous statistical tables, the actual condition of more than five
thousand families within the ward. The enquiries by
which the necessary data have been ascertained arc said to
have been made by a number of tradesmen who have
visited personally the dwellings of every family ; and the
whole has been compiled by Mr. John Finch, jun., of Social-
ist celebrity. and is ushered into the world along with a dedi-
catory address, from that eminent individual, to Thomas
Thornley, Esq., M.P. for Wolverhampton.
We have no wish to impeach the correctness of the tables
themselves, which constitute the only valuable portion of this
publication; but we must guard our readers and the public
who are unacquainted with the localities of our town against
the supposition that VAUXHALL WARD, which the society
have chosen upon which to exercise their statistical labours,
affords a fair average of the condition of the people of Liver-
pool, or even of the condition of the labouring classes of the
town. Mr. Finch informs us, that "from the large number
of superior mechanics living in the ward, it is probable the
average condition shown there is superior to what a general
average might be found to be for the whole borough." But he
forgets to inform us, that whilst it does comprise amongst
its inhabitants a number of respectable mechanics, it con-
tains, as well, the most dissolute, depraved, and wretched
portion of our population. Vauxhall Ward may be deemed,
in fact, the St. Giles's of Liverpool ; and comprises within
itself, any day in the year, more vice, misery, and destitution
than all the other wards of the borough could furnish if put
together.

So far as they relate, however, to the classes of our popu-
lation, whose habits and condition they describe, these tables,
if prepared accurately—(and we have no reason to doubt the
fact, although, if they had been unaccompanied with the party
views with which the anti-monopoly people have interlarded
them, they would have been infinitely less liable to suspi-
cion)—are documents which might be turned to valuable and
important uses. It is painful to contemplate the mass of
moral and physical evil which they develope, as existing in
the midst of a community such as this ; it is certain that, al-
though perhaps a little exaggerated, something nearly ap-
proaching to the state of things here exhibited does exist; and
it is, indeed, time that it should receive the serious considera-
tion of our local and national legislatures, and, if possible,
that remedial measures should be devised for its removal.

The bulk of the population of the ward, which is shewn to
be thus plunged in degradation and penury, consists of
strangers from various portions of the United Kingdom. Of
4,977 families visited, 3,651 are of this class. 2,243, or nearly
half, are Irish ! Amongst this portion may be found almost
the whole of the suffering noticed, and of the vice by which
it is accompanied ; and it might well become an object of se-
rious consideration by what means the condition of this class,
which exists in every large town throughout the empire,—a
nucleus for crime—a fertile source of want and wretchedness,
and from amongst which our prisons, our workhouses, and
our infirmaries are filled to overflowing,—can be alleviated.
It is idle to take such spectacles as here present themselves
as arguments in favour of this or that political theory. It is
folly to lay to the operation of the corn and provision laws
their present existence. The great bulk of the individuals
who constitute them are mere squatters upon the skirts of
civilization and comfort; and we are perfectly satisfied that,
unaided by other measures, the direct effect of the adoption
of the free trade measures contended for by Mr. Finch and
his fellow-anti-monopolists, would be to increase the numbers,
and the consequent wretchedness of the class in question.
On some future occasion we shall probably make use of a
portion of the details here furnished, to aid us in an inquiry
into the real source of the evil, and the course to be pursued
for its mitigation,—which we much fear, however, is too
deeply seated to be reached by any mere legislative effort.
For this purpose, however, the inquiry of Mr. Finch has not
gone so far as it might, with great usefulness, have been
carried, and as it would have been, had the truth and the whole
truth, irrespective of the strength to be imparted by it to a
party outcry, been the object before him. We knew that this
mass of wretchedness existed amongst us although we have
not before been furnished with its details ; but how came it
there: How has it grown there ? These are questions upon
which we are left perfectly in the dark by our statistical in-
quirers. What are the habits—the degree of education—the
religion of those whose condition presents so lamentable a
contrast to that which ought to exist in the midst of an
industrious, moral, and intelligent community ? Such
questions ought surely to have entered into the consideration
of persons instituting an enquiry, like this, whose result is
now before us ; yet they are precisely those upon which we
can expect no satisfaction from Mr. John Finch.

So far, however, as they go we must give the society and
Mr. Finch credit for the pains which appears to have been
taken, and the lucid arrangement which has been pursued in
getting up these tables ; but we cannot give them equal credit
for the ability of the documentary and argumentative matter of
a political nature with which they are aceompanied. More
inconsequential trash than the remarks of John Finch him-
self we never met with, unless it be contained in the preface
of Mr. Charles Edward Rawlins, jun., or in the letters ap-

pended to the pamphlet from the various gentlemen who
have assisted in the enquiry. It would be a waste of time to
attempt dissecting such rubbish; and we, therefore, heartily
make a present of it to our Radical and Whig contemporaries.

LIVERPOOL EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY,

The report of the Eye and Ear Infirmary for the past year
has been before us for the last fortnight, and we beg to call
the attention of our readers and the public to its beneficent
operations. It is a charity conducted with much liberality,
not confining its benefits to this town or the immediate dis-
trict, but extending them in every direction. Indeed, the
only qualification for the benefits of the institution is afflic-
tion of the eye and ear—a truly Samaritan principle, as every
one must admit. . .

—We are sorry to perceive by the report, that the committee
by which this valuable institution is conducted have com-
menced the present year with a debt of £l6, together with
bills yet to be rendered amounting to £3O or £4O additional.
This amount, although not great, must, we fear, suggest to
the committee the propriety, if not the necessity, of not re-
ceiving as in-patients every case requiring an operation.
When the fact becomes known, we are not without a hope
that the debt will be swept away, and the committee sup-
plied with means to extend the usefulness of the charity.
Being aware that Saturday last was what is called an
" operating day," we visited the institution, and there saw
more than enough to justify us in appealing to the pub-
lic in behalf of its funds. Mr. Neill, the able sur-
geon to the institution, assisted by Dr. Edwards, ope-
rated in six cases, in every one of which we are happy
to say he succeeded in restoring to the afflicted the
invaluable blessing of sight. One was on an old man,
named Robert Tyrer, aged 65, residing at Bickerstaff : be
had artificial pupil, the sight of both eyes having been lost
by an unsuccessful operation by a country surgeon. The first
operation was performed by Mr. Neill a week ago : by the
present, sight was immediately so restored that he could dis-
tinguish objects across the street. Joseph Catterell, aged
67, of Neston, and Ellen Wood, aged 23, from Walton, eaeh
afflicted with cataract in both eyes, were next operated upon
and their sight restored. Two infants, one aged six months
and the other two and a half months, were the next subjects ;
they were afflicted with purulent opthalmia, and sight ap-
peared to be immediately restored. The last subject we shall
'mention was John Fevey, aged 22, from some place in the
county Down. He had entirely lost one eye by the bursting
of a pistol, and from sympathy the other became blind, cata-
ract having formed which destroyed the sight. In two or
three seconds the cataract was removed and sight restored.
These cases, which came under our own observation, illus-
trate the utility of the charity far more powerfully than any
lengthened eulogium. All the patients were poor and desti-
tute, and their poverty and destitution constituted their sole
claim upon the institution.
In closing this brief notice of this excellent charity we
must not omit to mention how much it is indebted for its
success and efficiency to the zeal and ability of its medical
officers, Dr. Edwards and Mr. Neill. They are unwearied in
their efforts ; they act together with the greatest cordiality :
and when circumstances call upon them to perform operations
they discharge their most responsible duty with a skill and
consideration for the patient that has most materially contri-
buted to the extensive reputation of the charity.
We have only to add that the treasurer of the Eye and Ear
Infirmary is Mr. John Crossfield, who will be happy to en-
large the list of subscribers.

CORRESPONDENCE.

FOUR AND SIX-WHEELED ENGINES

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD,

Spi,—ln your account of a late meeting of the Polytechnic
Society, at which one of its members read a paper " On the
comparative merits of four and six-wheeled carriages," ano-
ther member, whose leaning was in favour of carriages with
six wheels, on account of the unsteadiness of those having
four only, is reported to have said, that " the defect of un-
steadiness more than counteracted all the advantages to be
derived from the saving in friction of the two wheels." I
beg leave to ask, whether friction is really increased by two
additional wheels,—whether it be not a fact, that weight
(surface, velocity, and everything else being alike) deter-
mines the amount of friction,—and whether, when the
weight of a carriage and its contents is thrown upon six
wheels instead of four, matters are 'not balanced, by the
weight on each wheel being proportionably lessened ? There
appears to be a veil, common misapprehension on this point.
With similar views many practical mechanics reduce axles
to a minimum, believing that, by a decrease
of their diame-
ters, they also diminish friction ; and mischief is sometimes
the consequence of this error. It should be remembered
that a brick is as easily moved on its side as on its edge.
Resistance may no doubt be increased by enlarging an axle—
by diminishing leverage in some cases, and the effect of mo-
mentum in others ; but this is an obstruction requiring se-
parate consideration. If my view be erroneous, I shall be
glad to be set right, and kiss the rod ; if correct, I shall flat-
ter myself that I have deserved well of my country.—l am,
sir, yours obediently, M. A.
Liverpool, April 15, 1842.

MESMERISM

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD,

SIR,—In reply to the comments on my communication I
beg leave to observe-Ist, That I attempted the " tickling
in question," with the stockings on, however. Mr. Brett, I
think, inserted the pins.
2nd. " On a powerful shock being given she screamed out.
as before," does not imply that no other shocks were admi-
nistered. " A suppressed scream" would suppose a resist-
ing effort.
3rd. " The chair on which she sat would not support the
arms." It need only be stated that the length of the top
sail of the chair in question has since been measured, and is
twenty inches and a half. M. Lafontaine certainly did state
that the arms and legs, when mesmerised, would continue
extended ,until demesmerised.

For Ronzion read Rowarn
April 18, 1842.

J. S. CURRIE

There are at present 448 Polish refugees on the government
list for the parliamentary grant. In 1838 there were 627.