The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-04-29 00:00:00

PARIS FASHIONS

(From the Court Gazette.)
Promenade costumes still present a melange of spring and
autumn ; for while our chapeaux are those of the former, our
robes are, in most instances, those of the latter; but as these
robes are of a form that will probanly continue to be adopted
during the season in summer silks I shall describe them.
The corsage is always made a three-quarter height. Some
are made without any trimming, others with a pelerine lappel
edged with three or four pipings put close together. Several
have the edge of the lappel cut in square tabs, with spaces
between, and edged with a narrow &Ile of the colour of the
dress. In at least nine instances out of ten the sleeves are
tight, but if the lappel is cut at the edge, there is a mancheron
of moderate width and depth cut bordered to correspond.
Trimmings round the borders of promenade dresses are, for
the present at least, entirely laid aside. The centre of the
skirt is sometimes left plain. These robes appeared towards
the close of last autumn in the rich silks that were then worn,
but they were adopted only a short time ; they are now re-
vived, and, as I have already seen several made in summer
silks, I think they will have a run this summer.
If the day is cold a cashmere, either long or square, is
adopted, but a mantelet or scarf is substituted for itwhen the
weather permits. Some of the first have recently appeared
in pea-green, light blue, and lilac you de sole; they are all
of the same form—a short round cloak cut bias, and, conse-
quently, as they are made high, they sit close round the neck
and shoulders ; there is a deep square falling collar and arm
holes. The garnitures vary. Some are bordered with fancy
trimming of a corresponding colour ; I must observe that the
vogue of this kind of trimming, in every way in which it can
be employed, is expected to continue during the summer.
Others are trimmed with a coquillage of riband, also of the
colour of the mantelet, and a good many are edged with lace.
The various scarfs that I have already described are adopted
when the weather permits, and I think their vogue may be
considered as decidedly fixed for the season • but they will
not reign alone, for scarfs, both of muslin and lace, will as-
suredly be fashionable in the course of a few weeks more. I
have already seen several of both lined with rose or blue
gauze or Florence ; those of lace have nothing remarkable,
but some of the muslin ones are as novel as they are pretty.
They are entirely composed of entre deux. of embroidered
muslin and Valenciennes lace alternately, and edged with
Valenciennes of great breadth and beauty laid on flat.
Lace, that is, white lace, is expected to be in very great
request for every part of the toilet in which it can be em-
ployed. Several of the new chapeaux and capotes are orna-
ments with it; it is usually disposed upon the latter in a full
demi voile, attached to the edge of the brim. It is arranged
on the former in various ways ; one of the most tasteful is a
lace lappet, either point (1' Angleterre or point d' Alencon
of a very light pattern ; it is placed in the interior of the brim,
issuing in folds on one side from under the crown ; the folds
are looped over the right temple by a small tuft of the most
delicate flowers; the lappet flows loosely from thence under
the side of the brim, and descends low on the neck. A se-
cond lappet of a similar pattern is disposed in drapery on the
crown, in such a manner that the end forms a kind of rosette,
in which a full bouquet of very rare and beautiful exotics is
placed on one side. This stile of trimming is adopted only
for chapeaux with rather open brims, principally for crape
ones, but I have seen it sometimes used for moire or you le
soie.

Some changes are talked of in the forms of chapeaux, but
as yet they are only talked of. A few, indeed, have been
made with the corners higher than usual, but the generality
retain their horizontal form, so arranged, however, as to per-
mit the brim to come more over the face. In one respect a
decided change has taken place--the brim no longer meets
under the chin, though it is still very long. Flowers are be-
ginning to be more generally adopted for the exterior trim-
mings of chapeaux, though feathers are still in the ascend-
ant. I may cite among the most fashionable of the former,
Spanish jasmin, hyacinths, eglantines, cornelias, sprigs of
lilac, acacias, white thorn blossoms, fruit blossoms of differ-
ent kinds, with those of the double-blossomed peach, always
mingled with foliage. Wreaths of flowers without foliage,
particularly roses, of which we have so many and such beau-
tiful kinds, are also adopted.
The spring ribands are of a very rich kind ; changeable
ones are much in request, so also are those shaded in various
colours; they present a variety of brilliant hues, gradually
failing almost to a white tint.
The decided novelty of the season is the revival of gauze
ribands; they have now, during several seasons, been quite
obsolete, but some have recently appeared, and are already
very fashionable; they are very broad; a rich grenadine
gauze ground, with satin stripes beautifully shaded ; in the
spaces between the stripes small flowers are scattered irregu-
larly, or else disposed in a morning pattern ; they are in
brilliant colours, and being very highly raised, have the effect
of embroidery.

A USEFUL GHOST !—The village of Odell, in Bedfordshire,
has for some time past been frightened by the pranks of a
ghost; it has lately shifted its quarters to a grocer's, where
its nocturnal amusement is grinding coffee ! At a farm-
house, when the people of the house mixed a glass of grog it
inhaled all the spirit, leaving them the warm water and sugar
only for themselves. Even now-a-days all these absurdities
find ready and credulous fools to believe them.
EXTRAORDINARY CASE.—EXHUMATION OF A BODY IN-
TERRED THREE MONTHS !--Great excitement prevailed in
the neigbourhood of Harold's Cross, Dublin, on Saturday,
in consequence of the disinterment of a body which had been
in Mount Jerome Cemetery for three months, that of the late
William O'Brien, Esq,, a gentleman formerly connected
with Trinity College. The disinterment took place by desire
of his nephew, W.
O'Brien,Esq., who communicated with
John Paisley, Esq.,
senior coroner of the county of Dublin,
who, on the facts being made known to him, proceeded to
Harold's Cross, and impannelled a jury to inquire into the
case. When the jury were sworn, Mr. O'Brien made an
affidavit to the effect that he was under the impression, from
certain reasons, that his uncle came by his death by foul
means ; and he was further strengthened in that belief by a
conversation he had bad with Gordon Jackson, Esq., M. D.
and also from a conversation with his solicitor. On the co-
roner and jury proceeding to the cemetery, the care-taker at
first objected, but subsequently permitted the body to be
taken up. The stomach and other portions were then taken
out, and delivered to Doctors Shanahan and Monks, in order
that they might be analysed; after which, the inquest ad-
journed to Wednesday. The late Mr. O'Brien was in a
declining state of health for some time previous to his de-
cease. To an only child, by a second marriage, he left the
reversion of his property. The child, however, did not long
survive him.

STATE or TIPPERARY AND ITS BORDERS

(From the Dublin Mail.)

On Saturday last a meeting of the neighbouring magistrates
was held at Moneygall, to investigate the state of that dis-
trict, and to consider of measures necessary for the restora-
tion of peace and personal safety. The result was, a strenuous
statement to the government of the disorders which prevailed ;
and it is to be hoped that this representation will be attended
to with more energy than has hitherto characterised the
movements of the executive in this quarter. We know not
where the blame lies ; but, if the members of the administra-
tion here could see the multitude of letters which crowd our
table, and the remonstrances of their very best and most ar-
dent friends against their supineness, they would be con-
vinced that there is something wrong in their treatment of
the case, and that, if they would continue to possess the
support of the loyal, they must entitle themselves to the con-
fidence by greater activity.
It were vain, and would be useless, to recapitulate the
number and nature of the crimes which, from this distrust,
call for punishment and redress. But surely, when we con,
sider that within a few days the following heinous offences—
in all of which the possession of fire-arms by a lawless and
barbarous peasantry has to be deplored—it will be confessed
that remedial measures con neither be too speedily adopted,
nor too vigorously enforced, viz.:—

1. The murder of Mr. Roberts.
2. Mrs. Carey severely, if not mortally, wounded
3. Mrs. Cormack, ditto.

4. Mr. Scully severely wounded

To which may be added no less than twenty outrages of a
minor character reported in the Nenaph Guardian of the
20th instant, in every one of which the assailants were armed
with guns. _ _

To account for this state of things--the residuary legacy
of the whigs—is not difficult :-
1. Innumerable instances prove that, even yet, juries will
not convict in murder cases. Until the panel can be cleared
of agitators and boot-eaters, there can be no hope of justice
and no chance of tranquillity.
2. The fierce waves of agitation raised during the late elec-
tion continue to rage and swell. The storm of assassination
then diverted against the freeholders, in all directions, is now
only directed against the rights of property ; and those who
were armed to kill their neighbours, for party purposes, now
use their weapons to effect objects of their own.
It is a melancholy truth we believe, and is not without its
useful lesson, that large parties were moved from the neigh-
bourhood of Mr. Scully, at Kilfeacle, to attack the voters
on their way to the election at Holyford. _ _ .

They who sow the wind must expect to reap the whirlwind.
It is imperative on the government to suppress crime and
insuhordination, however engendered, and wherever to be
found—whether in the north or in the south, in Armagh or
Tipperary. • In the latter case, they have sent a reinforce-
ment of five policemen ! where fifty would be too little. They
have offered a reward of a hundred pounds for a new dis-
covery, where thousands of pounds remain unclaimed for the
discoveries of years. This will not do. Something effective
is required. An overwhelming force must be sent to the
spot : an immediate search for fire-arms must deprive the
lawless of the immediate means of destruction—a more ef-
fective bill for regulating the possession of fire-arms must be
enacted, to keep those deadly weapons out of dangerous
hands. A commission to bring the guilty to immediate jus-
tice ought to be issued ; and, if those means fail, there re-
mains the severe but salutary course of proclaiming the dis-
turbed district.

Short of this the government ought not to stop, until per-
fect security of life and property had been established in the
spot where now neither property nor life is worth half an
hour's purchase.
But one really cannot be surprised at the " State of the
Country," when we find a journal greatly read and widely
circulated—published almost within the precincts of the very
district in which these crimes are committed—read no doubt
by many engaged in agragarian outrages, which may be con-
sidered as the prelude to more deadly offences—thus palli-
ates, if not justifies, the course the lower orders are adopting.

EXPERIMENTS IN THE MARSHES AT WOOLWICH

Amongst the numerous inventions submitted to the Lords
Commissioners of the Admiralty, and referred by their lord-
ships to the committee of master shipwrights recently sitting
at Woolwich Dockyard, was a composition to be used in
place of the substance with which vessels are at present
caulked to render them water-tight. The experiments or-
dered to be made by the master ship-wrights to ascertain its
value when applied to the purpose for which it is intended,
and the result, are interesting and satisfactory. Two pieces
of African teak, a species of wood difficult to be joined to-
gether by glue, on account of its oily nature, had a coating of
the composition applied to them in a boiling state, and in a
short time afterwards bolts and screws were attached to each
end, the joined wood placed in the testing-frame, and the
power of Bramah's hydraulic engine applied to the extent of
nineteen tons, when the chain broke without the slightest
strain being susceptible where the joining took place. A
larger chain of one inch and a half in diameter was then ap-
plied, which broke with a strain of 21 tons, the joint in the
wood remaining apparently as firm as at first. The utmost
strain that the cement can bear in this form, therefore
remains to be proved when experiments are made with
larger chains. Four pieces of very hard wood were then
joined together, weighing in one piece forty-four cwt.,
and carried to the top of the shears in the dockyard, a height
of 76 feet, from which it was precipitated on the hard granite
wharf wall below, without any of the joints yielding in the
smallest degree. The results of these severe tests induced
the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to co,-n-i,gicate
with Lieutenant-General Sir George Murray, G. and
G.C.H., for the purpose of making experiments with it in
the marshes, by bringing the full force of cannon balls against
it. Accordingly, a number of planks of oak 8 inches thick,
and fir 16 inches square, were joined together with the
cement, to represent 8 feet in height and 8 feet in length of
the side of a first-rate ship of war, without any thing else in
the shape of bolt or security to assist the composition ; and
it was, on Tuesday, set up as a target at the butt in the
marches. At one o'clock in the afternoon, Lieut.-General
Lord Bloomfield, G.C.B. and G.C.H., Colonel Cleveland,
Colonel R. Jones, Lieut.-Colonel Jackson, Lieut.-Colonel
Chalmers, Major Sandilands, ilajorVaughan, Brigade-Major
Cuppage, and a number of officers of the Royal Artillery,
and a large detachment of the Ist battalion, were present
to assist at and witness the experiment. Lord Adolphus
Fitzclarence and a number of civilians were also present,
anxious to know the result; but, after remaining from one
to three o'clock, it was found impossible to fire a single
shot, two brigs having anchored within the range, notwith-
standing repeated warnings not to do so. At the request of
Lord Bloomfield, the tiring was deterred till yesterday, the
men being ordered to be in the marshes about nine o'clock
a.m. At that hour, a large detachment of the 9th battalion,
under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel the Honourable
W. Arbuthnott and Major Hope, arrived, and shortly after-
wards Lieutenant-Colonel J. F. Love, C.B. and K.H., of
the 73d Regiment, and Brigade-Major Cuppage ; but after
remaining till eleven o'clock, could only obtain three shots,
owing to the length of time occupied by the brigs in getting
out of the range, and the number of vessels passing at high
water. It was originally intended to fire from the five gun
battery ; but three new 32-pounder guns having been placed
at 400 yards distance on point blank range, it was considered
desirable to use them, as they will be wanted immediately for
first class steam-vessels, and consequently the shots did not
take effect. At one o'clock in the afternoon, however,
the levels were taken and three shots fired, every one
entering the target, the third in a direct line with the
bull's eye, within three inches of its outer circle. The
effects of these shots were wonderful, tearing the wood
to pieces, and in only one instance, where the joint had
not been good. showing that they had any effect upon the
cement, so as to separate the joined parts from each other.
A hole six inches and a quarter in diameter was then bored
in the centre of the target, and a 32-pounder shell inserted
and exploded by a match, which tore the wood to small
splinters without, in many places, in the least separating the
composition. This new invention' is said to possess the
power of expanding like India rubber in warm climates, and
will not become brittle under the coldest temperature. It
appears to be a great favourite with naval officers, as it is so
clean, having only the appearance of French polish. The
name of.the inventor is Mr. Jeffrey.