The Liverpool Standard, and General Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-08-08 00:00:00

436 2s. Ild

3IRICENHEAD DOCK WORKS.

which occurred to the masonry work of the river wall at
Birkenhead has been repaired, and on Tuesday last t_ .110
water for the first time was excluded from the great tidal
basin. The embankment was, however, only raised suffi-
ciently high to exclude neap tides, but by this the spring
tides have been excluded. The attainment of this objee
is a very important matter connected with these works, a 5
upon the exclusion of the water the progression of the
interior operations mainly depends. This embankment,
which is composed of clay mixed with stone, is 60 yards
wide at the base, sloping upwards at an inclination of two
feet to one.

DEFAMATORY LIBEL—At Cardiff assizes, last week,
James Benyon a respectable-looking young man, was in-
dicted for maliciously publishing a false and defamatory
libel concerning one Ann Howell, of Maesteg, on the 17th
of April last, and directed to Mr. Hughes, a Baptist
teacher ; also, in a second count, for a false and defamatory
libel concerning the said Ann Howell, directed to the
editor of the Cambrian newspaper at Swansea. It ap-
pears that the parties, both members of a Baptist congre-
gation, had been sweethearts, but had quarrelled, when the
young woman had received the addresses of Mr. Hughes,
who was their minister. On this the defendant, stung by
jealousy, had written a letter to Mr. Hughes, impeaching
her virtue, and had also sent an anonymous communica-
tion to the Cambrian. The defence was a plea of justifi.
cation, alleging that the imputed facts were true. Tils,
jury returned a verdict of guilty. The prisoner expressed
his sorrow for what he had done, and a hope that all yom
men would profit by his example, and not give way to
jealous and vindictive feelings, interlarding his remarks
with religious ejaculations. The judge commented 1¢
strong terms on the enormity of the offence, saying that
it was aggravated by the prisoner's cant and hypocrisy
He sentenced him to two years' imprisonment, which is the
severest punishment the law allows.
BIRKENHEAD DOCKS.—The trustess of the Bixkenheact,
docks have just laid before the bondholders their annllll'.
report, from which we find that they have declared a di"'
dead on the preference-bonds of six months interest, idler
the rate of £5 per cent. per annum. The trustees add that
they have every reason to hope that they will be able re-
gularly to continue the payment of this rate of interest, 11
not harassed, as they have been, by costly legal proceed"
Tugs. The latter has been caused, they say, by the pro:
ceedings of the Dock Warehouse Company, and claims OD
by Mr. James Abernethy, who had been engineer to the
former trustees. With respect to the Dock Compan4
the trustees have obtained a decision of the Court of
in their favour, but " that uninfluenced by the
success which has attended their applications to the courts
of equity, the trustees are ready to discuss, in an amicable
spirit, any points which the company may think press
hardly upon them, in reference to the matters why''
formed the subject indispnte." With respect to the pr9Ci
ings of Mr, Abernethy, the t----`---„ ••

he must fail." As to the lat
at the entrance to Wallase3

ustees say " they areadOt;
accident to the outer volfrat
Pool, the report states. t¢ f

at once undertook the whole responsi

it at the cost of the contractors, ...
to allow the accident unduly to affect the cox:11120°
the contracts. The report states that the increac-
nage for the six months ending the 30th Jun'
the corresponding period of the

4,-000
-

.y t
tons, whilst the increased receipts amounted
11d. The increase in favour of 1854 era

goes on to anticipate considers
,e amalgamation of the Great West
',lid Chest Ar—

for api
Ind_l+'"

ge9 froll
e Shrews:

and arming. „

ay Companies, anu
n the Shrewsbury Company.
MILPORD HAVEN AS A. COMERCIAL PORT.—qI
Monday last week a number of influential counnercil
gentlemen from London Manchester, Liverpool, Bristo4
and other 1."-- 's well as the directors of severe
-Tt companies, visited Mid °f
,sting the capabilitieg,,e,
of the western tra.o
ri
Austral°f
0

railway and Jean).
Haven, for the purpose (M.
that port for becoming thA
Milford Haven has ahead
Direct Steam .Na
departure for the

. rlo
ers to Australia,
Havel
side of
~o are to be con teed
tbery
Pacific side, and
:omplishing

rn llilfc

to Aspinw__.
Istlunus, when

rnbark-es.l for

distant

Haven to S_vdE

the rAssage

ae of forinastsioef.,l3;
ut two how"'
k on the./

again en:
rlPlbmi VIII

With resßec,

railway al
will be wit
Manchester. and

ed its shores. The