The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-12-27 00:00:00

ing still hig

of goods, and in many cases better prices have been obtained.
Moulders and mechanics have more work, but block-print-
ing is almost extinct. The calico block printing at Accring-
ton, Churchparish, Oswaldwistle, &c., has a better appear-
ance, yet hands have not half-employment.—Manchester
Advertiser of Saturday.

MIDDLETON.—The silk weavers of this town and neigh-
bourhood are in most wretched and miserable circumstances,
more so than they have been for the last 30 years past; there
are .cores of whole families entirely without work. It is
calculated that not one-third of the weavers are employed,
and the others have not half work. The Rev. Mr. Lawler,
minister of Tonge Church, has very properly been going
round to the weavers in his township, and he is intending to
lay the distressed state of the operatives before the committee
of the Londo❑ Relief Fund. It is a dreadful fact that whole
families are starving for want of food. It is high time some-
thing be done for the hand-loom silk weavers of this town
and neighbourhood.—Manchester Advertiser of Saturday.

LEEDS.—It is satisfactory to be able to report, at this
usually dull season of the year, that there is a continued
improvement in the tone of our merchants and traders, and
a tolerably steady demand for goods suitable to the Eastern
markets. In other descriptions of cloths suitable for the
spring trade in the domestic markets, extensive purchases
have been made, considering the season, but the clothiers
still complain that the prices realized are not sufficiently
remunerative.—Leeds Intelligencer of Saturday.
HALIFAX MARKET.—The demand for manufactured goods
at this market on Saturday was chiefly confined to plain
pieces, and the transactions were by no means extensive,
though perhaps fully as large as might have been expected
for the season. The wool market was rather brisk, particu-
larly for half bred hog fleeces, which have been for some time
dull of sale, but for which the demand on Saturday led to the
realization of better prices.—Leeds Intelligencer of Saturday.
HUDDERSFIELD-MARKET.—There was an improved de-
mand for fancy goods and plain cloths at this market on Wed-
nesday last ; and more business might have been transacted,
if the manufacturers could have taken the prices offered by
the merchants, of whom there was a large number present.
This circumstance leads many of the clothiers to expect a
brisk demand for goods immediately after the close of the
year.—Leeds Intelligence). of Saturday.

BRADFORD MARKET.—As is generally the case at the
closing markets of the year, there was less than an average
attendance of merchants at this market on Thursday last.
Their purchases were proportionately small, being chiefly for
assortment in plain cloths. The yarn-market was dull, and
the transactions present no feature for remark, prices re-
maining as last week. The wool-market was also inactive,
the demand which sprang up during the London wool sales
having again subsided, the staplers being unable to obtain
improved rates.—Leeds Intelligencer of Saturday.

RAILWAY TRAFFIC.—The following calculation of the
last weekly returns of 42 railways, 1,487 miles in length, will
he of interest :—Number of passengers on 28 railways,
218,546, consequently the total for the week must he about
500,000. The receipts for passengers on 41 railways,
54,181/. 6s; ditto for goods on 36 railways, 21,1571155. 10d;

total, 76,039/. Is. 11d. This is an average of 51/. per mile
per week. The traffic, therefore, is certainly at the rate of
about four millions a year, carrying fifteen millions of

passengers

THE COLLIERS' STRIKE.—The trial of the individuals
implicated in the affray in which Dawson lost his life, is to
take place before the High Court of Justiciary on Friday, the
30th current. Their names are William Gibson, oncast or
putter ; Robert Wood, collier ; James Graham, oncast or
labourer. The officers despatched to Iseland in search of
three of the principal ringleaders in the riot—one of whom
is strongly suspected to have fired the pistol at Dawson—
have returned without the smallest clue to their whereabouts ;
although they traversed nearly a dozen counties. It is not
improbable, therefore, that they may be still in Scotland ; as
the different police establishments throughout the country
have been furnished with a very accurate description of
their persons, it will be strange if they elude detection.—Ayr
Observer.

Mr. Dickenson, an extensive paper-maker, living near
Watford, and having paper-mills on the river Collie, resorts
to the following expedient to ascertain with what quantity of
paper he may contract to supply his customers. On the
hills in the neighbourhood of his mills he has fixed a guage,
buried in the ground a little depth below the surface. By
consulting this gunge, he is enabled to compute the amount
of rain which finds its way into the earth during the winter
season, and which must be again emitted before it can be
decreased by evaporation. Experience has proved to him,
that, with this index, he can precisely ascertain the influx of
tributary water which the river Colne, whereby his mills are
worked, will receive. This statement was made at the In-
stitution of Civil Engineers by Mr. Clutterbuck, and sub-
stantiated by Mr. Dickenson himself.

THE DUKE OF RUTLAND ON THE CORN LAW.—The
Duke of Rutland has addressed a letter to the Leicester
Journal, in explanation of the observations his grace made
at the late anniversary of the Leicestershire Agricultural
Association ; " upon which, " to use the duke's words,
" whole pages of fictitious arguments and inferences have been
based." The following are the material passages of the
Duke of Rutland's letter:—" In alluding to the new corn
duties, lam reported to have said that I had several letters
in my possession written by intelligent farmers, and showing
that even the present modified scale might be reduced by
some shillings a quarter.' Now what 1 did say, or, at least,
what I intended to say, and what I firmly believe I was un-
derstood to say by the very numerous company on that day

assembled, was 1 that while the measures now in operation
were in progress through parliament I had received several
letters from intelligent farmers, containing scales of duties of
their own, each of which was several shillings a quarter under
the former duties ; which gave me the impression that the
growers themselves were prepared for some alteration.' This
is widely different from several shillings per quarter lower
than the present modified scale.' * * * * *
With regard to any intention on the part of the executive to
reduce still further the duties which protect agricultural pro-
duce, of which intention my misrepresented expressions are
said to have been ominous,' I can only assert, that lam as
ignorant as lam utterly incredulous of it. My object at the
Leicester Agricultural meeting was to give all the information
which I have been able to collect, for the purpose of prevent-
ing and of allaying any unfounded alarms. I stated my in-

ability to give an opinio❑ as to the results of the new tariff
in these early days of its operation, and I expressed an ear-
nest hope that the occupiers of land would continue to give
employment, and to afford protection and kindness to their
labourers, rather than make any change in the condition of
the latter class, under circumstances of depression, which
hsve every reason to hope would prove temporary and fleet-
ing. To these sentiments I most conscientiously adhere;
and I am convinced that those, at least, who know me, will
give me credit for an anxious disposition to share in all the
difficulties which may be brought unexpectedly upon my
tenantry, if I should be deceived as to the fleeting nature of
that depression."

RAILWAYS.—We take the following statement regarding
the length of railways in this country, and the capital ex-
pended
in their formation, from a pamphlet recently published
by Pelham Richardson, entitled, Railways, their Uses and
Managements :—The number of miles of railroad amount to
1,860, at a cost of .E 55,149,159, being, on an average, about
£31,246 per mile. With 12 acres of land to a mile, there
will be 22,332 acres of land formed into new roads, which, at
£4OO an acre, would have paid £8,932,500. If we suppose
100,000 cubic yards of earthwork per mile, this would give
156,100 cubic yards of earth moved in their construction, and
if we allow the cost per mile to he Is., £9,305,000 will have
been expended in manual labour ; hut the probability is, that
the earthwork averages nearer 150,000 cubic yards a mile,
and at ls. per cubic yard for moving it, would give 273,150,000
cubic yards, and £13,957,500. Suppose the weight of the
rails to average 261bs. per yard, some being lighter and some
heavier, reaching to 751b5., and, taking off sets and stations,
to make all the lines as having a double set of rails, and al-
low the average cost to be £lolos. per ton, 13,105,440 yards
of railway would give 327,536 tons of rails, costing £3,439,218,
besides sleepers, blocks, chairs and pins, turnplates, &c.
There are also the viaducts, bridges, stations, and works of
all descriptions, warehouses, inclined planes, &c. All these
materials and labour are, with the exception of some of the
timber, home produce. The number of locomotive engines
may equal in number. perhaps, 970, which, with their tenders,
must have cost at least £145,500 ; and when we look at this
beautiful piece of machinery, and see that power, equal to 70
and SO horses, is embowelled in so small a compass, fitted
with a delicacy and neatness more resembling a watch than
could have been expected from a draft of such power, we
must admit that some capital may fairly have been sulk in
the invention, construction, and perfection of such a piece of
mechanism. Again, there are the carriages of all classes,
giving employment to an immense variety of persons, and
which must have cost not less than £2,000,000, besides trucks,
horse carriages, sheep and cattle pens, &c. These machines
carry yearly upwards of 15,000,000 persons, besides goods,
coals, stock, horses, carriages, letters, and parcels; and
through these means, whatever railway exists, distance is re-
duced at least one-half, the cost of travelling much reduced,
and the comfort increased a thousand fold."

BLASPHEMOUS PUBLICATIONS.—The case of the man

Patterson came on before Mr. Twyford, the police magis-
trate at Bow-street, on Saturday, when a considerable show
of prosecution was apparent. Mr. Chambers the barrister
was there, and to aid him in his severe task he had the assis-
tance of the clerk to the solicitor to the Treasury, for the
principal, Mr. Maule, was of course too busy to attend to
the conservation of public morals, being, doubtlessly, en-
gaged to spend his Christmas in the country. However,
" the lawyers were ranged, a terrible show," and a heap of
summonses were read, on both sides of the court (as it is
understood in Ireiand, the inside and the out), but no de-
fendant appeared to respond to the invitation. Mr. Cham-
bers therefore rose, and, without the slightest reference to
his brief, proceeded to reply seriatim to the observations
which we felt it our duty tc make in the course of last week.
He answered these as in duty bound—that is to say, he pro-
fessed a great deal of anxiety on the part of government to
repress the nuisance of which we have so loudly complained;
he said " he was very anxious the law should be put in
force," and that " it was not the intention of government
to extend any leniency towards the parties," as government
was " determined to suppress anything which might be in-
jurious to the feelings of society." The public, as well as
ourselves, will be gratified to learn that
.these are the senti-
ments of the Home-office, however late in the day may be
their expression. But, setting aside intentions (whose merit
is proverbially recorded), we are better pleased to recognise
the admission of certain facts—viz., that the offences alleged
against the man Patterson arc punishable by two separate
acts, and we are only sorry, first, that the law authorities
should have been so long in finding them out ; and, second-
ly, that they should be so ineffective in their application ;
for it seems that a 40s. penalty is the only responsibility in-
curred by the commission of the offence with which the man
Patterson stands charged, repeated so many times over as
the objectionable placards happen to vary in terms. But
Mr. Chambers's speech shed a ray of light upon the future.
He said :—" It might become the consideration of those who
made laws on a future occasion, to extend the limits of the
power of magistrates." We trust that this hypothetical ob-
servation of the government prosecutor is tantamount to an
assurance that a law is in preparation for the more effectual
suppression of offences of this nature than has hitherto been
the case. Of one thing we can assure him, that whatever
steps are taken towards this end must be taken in earnest.—
Morn ing Herald.