The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-06-17 00:00:00

HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN DOWAGER.

We can now positively contradict the rumour which for
some months past has been current. asserting that it was the
Queen Dowager's intention•to pass the forthcoming winter
in Italy.

It is the intention of that illustrious lady to remain in this
country this year, and arrangements have within the last few
days been made, which are as follows :
Her Majesty, accompanied by her august relatives, their
Serene Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Saxe Meinin-
gen, will leave Marlborough House this morning for South-
ampton by the railroad, a special train having been engaged
for the accommodation of the illustrious party. Earl L 3 owe,
the Earl of Denbigh, and several other members of the royal
household will attend in the royal suite.
On her Majesty's arrival at Southampton a Government
steamer will be in readiness to convey the Dowager Queen
and party to Ryde, at which place the august visitors make
a brief sojourn.
The object of the royal visit to the Isle of Wight is for the
selection of a suitable resWence for her Majesty and the
limited circle of her household ; and as several plans of
houses both at Ryde and Cowes have been submitted for the
royal favour, it is at present uncertain which of those marine
resorts will be selected by her Majesty,
Her Majesty returns to Marlborough House on Friday or
Saturday, the latter day we hear, and will then go to Bushy
fora fortnight or three weeks.

It is said her Majesty does not intend to reside beyond
three months at the Isle of Wight, and it is fully believed
will pasithe winter in the metropolis.—Wednesday's paper.

TRAGICAL STORY.—On the morning of the 29th of April,
the city of Mexico was thrown into the highest excitement
by a report that Mr. Egerton, a landscape painter of great
talents, had been inhumanly murdered at Tacuhaya, together
with a woman with whom he lived as his wife, of rare per-
sonal attractions, and who also possessed high endowments as
a landsdape painter. Tacubaya is a small village some three
miles from the city of Mexico, and is a place where many
families of distinction reside, especially in summer. The
palace of the Archbishop is also in Tacuhava, as well as the
summer palace of Santa Anna. It seems that on the even-
ing of the murder, Egerton and the unfortunate woman were
walking in a large garden attached to their residence, as was
their custom. While walking they were attacked by some
person or persons unknown, and both of them murdered.
The body of Egerton was found some distance from that of
the woman, run through apparently with a sword. Near
him was found his walking-stick much hacked, from which it
is evident he made a stout resistance. That of the woman
was found, also stabbed and otherwise horribly mangled, and
this induces to the belief that she also resisted to the last.
She was enciente at the time, and within a short period of
her delivery, and the perpetrator abused her in the most
shameful manner before taking her life. Her face was
scratched and otherwise much disfigured, and a large piece
was bitten from her breast ; and the perpetrator, probably
fearing that she might not be recognised, wrote '
her name
upon a piece of paper, and pinned it to a fragment of her
dress, the most of it having been torn off in the struggle
which ended in her death. The formation of the letters of
her name were plainly English, and this circumstance ren-
ders it certain that the murder was neither planned nor ma-
tured by Mexicans. Mr..Pakenliam, the British Minister,
had exerted himself to the utmost to arrest the perpetrators
of these horrible murders, and he had also been assisted
by General Valencia and the Mexican authorities ; but
up to the latest dates no clue to the authors had
been discovered. As no robbery was committed, as
the watch and money in the pockets of Egerton, to-
gether with the jewellery of the unfortunate woman
were left untouched, it is almost certain that the act, by
whomsoever committed, was one of revenge. Egerton had a
wife and family in England, and some two years since eloped
with the murdered woman. He has since lived with her as
his wife. Rumour also has it that this female was engaged
to a young man in England at the time of the elopement.
Whenever Egerton left his residence at Tacubaya, he locked
her up, and never permitted her to go out except in his com-
pany. This circumstance was undoubtedly well known to
the perpetrator of the murder. The whole affair is shrouded
in mystery, and thousands of speculations are afloat in Mexico
in relation to it. The one that receives most credence is,
that the murder was planned in England, and carried out by
some acquaintance of the woman as a matter of revenge.
Another story is, that Egerton had been involved in an armour
with some fair Mexican ; but this receives but little credit.
Time only will solve the mystery.—New Orleans Picayune.
THE OLD STAGE COACH,—At a late dinner given by the
Shrewsbury coachmen and guards to the Hon. Thomas Ken-
yon, that gentleman, in proposing the health of Mr. R.
Taylor, coach proprietor, made some interesting statements
on the subject of stage coach travelling Among other things
he said—" As a coach proprietor, Mr. Taylor was one of the
most spirited in the Kingdom. He had at one time two of
the very best coaches that ever ran in England, the Hirondelle
and Wonder. No coach in England established for itself a
higher reputation than the former. On one first of May,
(the precise year he could not recollect) it accomplished its
journey of 123 miles in eight hours and twenty minutes—
a speed few coaches could ever boast of. He (Mr. Kenyon)
was in Shrewsbury that day, and saw a team of four greys
belonging to Mr. Taylor enter the town, which had done
their nine miles in thirty five minutes. He recollected
that there were two ladies inside the coach, who were infor-
formed that, as that day was appointed for a trial of strength
they might, if they were frightened at the speed, choose any
other conveyance they pleased, and should be forwarded on
their journey immediately; but their answer showed good
blood—they said they were not aware that they had come at
the great speed they had, and that they preferred going fast.
With regard to the Wonder, he himself left the Lion Yard,
Shrewsbury, one morning at six o'clock, and was at Islington
at seven the same evening—being only thirteen hours on the
road. On that occasion, he was driven by four of the best
coachmen he ever saw. Another instance of the reputation
the Wonder had acquired was given him by his friend Sir
Henry Peyton, who had informed him that he had frequently
seen persons at St. Alban's regulating their watches by the
Wonder coach as it came into town. This was the only
instance he had ever heard of a coach regulating the time.
It was clear that the coach could not have gained such a
name for regularity without good cattle and good coachmen ;
and it was to the proprietors that they were indebted for
them."

THE PUBLIC PRESS.—To a close observer of the occur-
rences of the last fifty years, the almost imperceptible, yet
certain advance of the press of Great Britain cannot fail to
awaken astonishment and conjecture. Gradually increasing
in height and strength, nourished by adversity, strengthened
and fostered by tempests and storms, it has indeed become a
mighty and a giant tree, " whose height reaches unto heaven,
and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth." Recog-
nising no law but its own will—now yielding to the blast—
now guiding the lightning of wrath to the proud, the tyranni-
cal, and the vile—claiming to protect beneath its broad sha-
dow the rights and liberties of the people, the dominion of
the laws, and the integrity of the state—making its strength
to he known in the very inmost conclaves of councillors and
kings—never was there in any age or clime aught that might
be made productive of so much good or evil as that mighty,
wide-reaching, penetrating energy concentrated in the exist-
ing public press of the civilised world. And iu no country
is this more true than in Great Britain. The immense in-
tellect continually augmenting its resources—rendering avail-
able the wealth and information of the merchant, the subtlety
of the philosopher, the stores of science, and the loveliness
of art—with the increasing demand for knowledge and the
numberless opportunities for mental championship to exhibit
its strength, have combined to render the press as a body,
the most influential and respected for its talent and integrity
of any that have ever divided the public attention, or de-
manded the public applause. From the mere chronicler and
gazetteer of court balls and of battles, it has become the
monitor of kings and the counsellor of senates. It would be
hard to point out any advance in popular knowledge or
liberality to which it has not most materially contributed—
any cause involving the interests of liberty or truth in the
van of which it has not fought. Small and distant is the
first cloud on the political horizon : a humble individual
has been punished for a resistance insignificant, though
meritorious, if it involved some great principle ; tidings of
persecution and suffering roll hurrying onward, until the
overcharged heavens, lowering with indignation, burst in
vengeance upon the oppressor; and in times of public inert-
ness or agitation--now lashing the ocean into wrath, now
calming the waters into peace and serenity—its efforts have
been as beneficial as its power is unprecedented and im-
mense.—Australian and New Zealand Magazine.
THE SIBERIAN EXILES.—The following interesting de-
tails respecting the treatment of offenders against the criminal
laws of Russia, who are sent to Siberia, are given by the
Gazette des Tribunaux, on the authority of a correspondent
at St. Petersburg :—" Although the government banishes to
Siberia criminals condemned by the tribunals, it provides for
them in that part of the empire the means of employment,
which are often preferable to what they could obtain in their
native places. Each excile receives, on setting out, two
shirts, a long surtout, called a zipoun, and a pair of boots.
These articles are for his use during, six summer months.
For those of winter, he is provided in addition with two
other shirts, a long cloth great-coat made of sheep-skin, a
cap of the same material, woollen gloves and stockings, a
pair of common boots, and another pair lined with fur. All
these articles are new, solid, and of good quality. When-
ever a caravan with convicts passes through a principal town,
these articles are examined in presence of the governor and
anyrepa of them are in bad con-
dition,iredt
_c) r exchanged for
his superior officers
are
; immediately and, i f
others entirely new. A physician, specially appointed,
retche daily the
the hospitals
hospitals of
ex-
amines into the health of each person in the caravan. If any
of the prisoners are found to be too enfeebled to proceed on
tfohoetiotwhney. apreuprilnagcetdheinjoucranresy,
goeracri eiman in
exile
necessary forot Siberia journey
. his food. Such exiles as
are small
destined o ft
omtohneey
colonization
and rest during the day. They march by stations,- by night,
certain distances. The station-houses are solid buildings,
surrounded by strong palisades, and are
at the extremity of a village. Their generally erected
distance from each
other is about twenty-five verstres
leagues); but that this journey may(about five French
not be too great,
.parti-
cularly in winter, resting places have been established half-
way. way. The station-house is a clean and
commodious lf
build-
ing, almost comfortable, composed of four
large rooms, and
a fifth for women who may have followed
their husbands,
brothers, or near relations. These women are permitted to
travel in the cars which accompany the caravan. Attached
to each station-house are kitcl and at
ieus and storehouses,
every 100 or 125 vestres, that is, 4th or sth station, is
an establishment of steam-baths. When the exiles have -
arrived in Siberia, each receives an order to proceed to the
colony for which he is intended. Near the high roads,
the government of Tobolsk, Yenisseysk, and lronsk, somegaob
fine colonies of this nature may be seen, distant
fTumresque
other about five or six vestres, which present a ryes on the
appearance. They are usually established invallee midst of
banks of rivers where fish is abundant, and in t '
In elegance
forests, which colonists find of great service
otfhe n.,
and cleanli-
and solidity of construction, regularity p l•fi `-!
nest villages of
ness, these colonies may be comparecilat
heabited by four exiles,
Western Europe. Each house is • person, on account of
, m
or families of exiles, of who someeh master of the house,
his good conduct, is looked on as nions. The houses are
and has under his orders his eo,_,Fmne facade, well enclosed,
of wood, ornamented with a baneaso
spacious court, two stables,
each containing four chambers,
the Amongst
ofeach village is
lin
and two store-houses. ~, buildings on all sides. Amongst
placed a large square, with public offices, and the habitations
them are the church, the d employes. Storehouses are
overseers an
belonging to the .
h h are placed agricultural instruments
also erected, in w-': corn, as well as an apparatus for • '
extm-
stores of seeds andg
ia, °whole colony is surrounded b
guishing fires- ~,,,,de, having but one outlet t y an. 9-
, I!. which is
tremely high 0"..1;ax. Each ex .receives,
• the sentry ,
„.. . ~ en his
plued
axe. i
a p , u b , awlcuiturat instruments,arrival in
the colony, an articles' necessary for his use, and
household
tc for t a cow, a horse, and
ne also gardene wo Years, seed for
I a sheeP•
hi for his g ; and it is • sowing and
vegetables .
.not until the third
that be begins
to pay a small return to the public year
treasury.
•Instructions given to
The the heads of districts
and govern-
ts enjoin them to encouran
men continually, in every possi-
ble sy.y, the colonists, and give them
they can to brill"' to se
them back
good feeling. nanishment, ntiments of propriety and
ceases to be considered in the place where it is under-
done,ered a disgrace ; and he who is not
deeply depraved, can only
The ties of see in it a step to social happiness
respected. The wife relationship,, or even friendship, are religional
4 not separated from her husband, tb
children from the father
F lather nor the female from her betrothe'
Every thing is, intact, encouraged, which can inculcate s
cial serail:oe
remarkable' 43
i.O the mind of the exile. Bat though V
44 improvement on the penitentiary system is st
pursued by the Russian government as regards criroin
49 diminution of i severity ha etbeen permitted towards
enders. The rigour which has a litical off Ys Y hitherto fir Olgust its still continued."