The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-07-22 00:00:00

effort of scenic art. It reminded us of some of Ruysdael
charming landscapes, presenting to view a highly pleasinf,
and, we may say, beautiful picture, with lights and shadows
cleverly, distributed. " The exterior of Dame Bertha's cot-
tage," with a town and river in the distance, is another very
pretty scene, enlivened by a dance of vintagers. The next
remarkable tableau is the view of the Wills lake, by moon-
light. The lights in the front of the house being subdued,
this scene has a supernatural and unearthly effect. When
the Wi/is are dancing it presents a still more extraordinary
appearance. The concluding scene, of " the Palace of the
Fountains," is a bold and very successful attempt to convey
the idea of a water queen's abode. The whole of the stage,
to the very walls, is thrown open, and a vast amphitheatre of
fountains and waterfalls is presented to view, illuminated by
the most vivid coloured fires, and peopled by the phantoms
who sport on the waters. This scene has a grand effect, and
cannot fail to astonish and delight the spectator. Many of
the stage effects in this drama are novel and striking. We
may instance, the disappearance of Caspar, the appearance
of Giselle to Hilarion, and the sudden gatherings of the
Wili, or phantom night dancers. " Giselle" is a curious
drama, and well worth seeing. On Tuesday we had the
misery of seeing Mr. Travers play Tom Tug. In " Farewell
my trim-built wherry," one of the most pathetic and touch-
ing ballads ever written, he broke down, and was obliged, in
vulgar parlance, "to try back." He introduced " The
death of Nelson," and a regular bash he made of it. The
second verse was a perfect paroxysm of shouting and bawl-
ing, out of tune and time, with an occasional departure from
the text. Mr. Travers looked as awkward, as the "Jack in
the water" on one leg who plies at Whitehall Stairs. Miss
Gardner played Wilhelmina with much archnessand vivacity.
Mr. Baker's Robin caused, as usual, loud laughter. ; Mr.
Vivash was very good as Old Bundle ; and Madame Simon
luxuriated in the vulgar Mrs. Bundle. "Falls of Clyde,"
" The Serjeant's Wife," and other stock pieces, have been
produced, in which .Mrs. Hpuner,haaacquitted herself With
great ability. Mr. Slaiter'S indis-position gave Mr, Macgre-
gor, an actor very little known here, an opportunity of
shining in " The Falls of Clyde." i From what we saw of
bim, as Donald, the piper, we shall be glad to fee him again.
He acted the funny little piper Inicaitablv, and came out
with such a genuine gush of broad S6otch that it was quite
delightful to hear him. Mr. Macgregor excited very hearty
laughter, and came in for a good share of applause. Mr.
Bellingham, as Kenmure, impersonated it in his accustomed
affected manner: His lobsterlike sprawling on the stage,
when shot by Edward En:field, (Mr. Nantz,) elicited a
titter and a birdlike sound, from some parts of the house,
rather unsuitable to so pathetic an occasion. Such an attempt
at a " dying fall" would have set Heraclitus himself on the
broad grin.—Mr. George Vandenhoff is engaged for three
nights, previous to his departure for America, whither he is
about proceeding to fulfil several engagements. Brother
Jonathan will like Mr. Vandenhoff; he will become a favour-
ite there, as most of his family have been.—Miss Grant,
it will be seen elsewhere, takes her benefit on Wedneiday.
Her metropolitan engagement has improved her vastly.

BERLIN, JULY 7.—On the sth of July, about six in the
afternoon, a storm from the north and north-west entirely
laid waste the environs of sixteen villages in the principa-
lity of Halberstadt, and the country of Mansfeld, and of
several villages in the Duchies of Anhalt, Dessu, and An-
holt Bamburg. The hailstones were as large as pigeons'
eggs, and some twice that size, and weighed two ounces.
Small birds, pigeons, poultry of all kinds, and a great quan-
tity of game were killed; persons who were in the fields
were wounded, and one man was found dead. On many
fields not a sheaf of corn remains standing, and it cannot
be distinguished where potatoes, turnips, &c., were growing.
The fruit, cherries, plums, &c., which presented a most
abundant crop, are beaten down with the branches. The
town of Ermsleben alone has lost 400 acres of flax, cost-
ing 30 dollars per acre, which makes 12,000 dollars. The
damage done to the fruit, to the roofs and windows is
immense.

CHURCH RATES.—A corresdondent of the London Times
has addressed the following letter to that journal. We will
venture to assert that the rector alluded to is no fosterer of
tractarian doctrines, or he would not have contributed
so materially to advance the interests of the church. The
writer dates Bramley by Bow, July 20, and writes thus :
" Our pretty little church having fallen into decay, a dis-
cussion arose in the parish—but of the most amicable cha-
racter—whether it should be enlarged ; or only subjected to
the necessary repairs, and a new oliuch built in the vicinity.
The funds, however, being insufficient for the latter purpose,
an enlargement of the old structure was determined upon ;
and after the assembling of one or two vestries for prelimi-
nary arrangement, a final vestry was called for the 19th inst.
At this meeting of the parish there appeared probably as
many dissenters as members of the church present; and it
was decided by the whole vestry without one dissentient
voice, but, on the contrary, with every expression of respect
for the church and the most kindly affection towards the
rector, that so heavy a rate as 3s. in the pound should be
imposed ; with only this condition, suggested by the worthy
rector himself—that though the rate was imposed at once, it
should only be collected in such portions as might be called
for by the architect, Mr. Railton. The vestry then separated
in the most cordial manner. It has been highly gratifying
to the whole parish to notice the very gentlemanly and libe-
ral conduct of our dissenting friends and neighbours on this
interesting occasion ; and I request your publication of this
letter, as an example to the country in general ; being of
opinion that wherever the clergy appear to have only the
glory of God, and the improvement of their fellow-creatures.
in view, they will always meet with a helping hand from en-
lightened dissenters, whatever difference of opinion may
exist upon minor theological points.

THE BLOWING-UP OF THE VESTA WRECK.—During
the past week much interest has been manifested in the ope-
rations being pursued under the superintendence of Captain
Fisher, chief harbour-master of the port of London, in
order to entirely destroy and remove the wreck of the barque
Vesta, of 400 tons, which has for the last two years so ma-
terially impeded the navigation of the Thames off Gravesend,
and which was finally completed on Tuesday last. From
the statement of Captain Fisher, which is most interesting,
it appears that the owners, crew, and those engaged in
endeavouring to raise the Vesta, having entirely abandoned
her, he received instructions from the corporation of Lon-
don to use some means for clearing away the wreck. Be-
lieving the only effectual means of doing so was to blow her
up with gunpowder, he caused two lighters to be moored
near the place, and having obtained the valuable assistance
of Mr. W. Downes, the celebrated diver, he succeeded in
ascertaining the exact position of the wreck, which was found
to lie with her head towards the shore, fixed on a very hard
bed of chalk, on to which she had run. His first attempt
was with a tin canister containing 40 lbs. of gunpowder,
with a fusee attached, and which was placed by Downes im-
mediately underneath the main hatchway. On being fired,
its effect was such that it not only blew the deck completely
out, but also removed the vessel bodily from the spot where
it had previously lain. He repeated this experiment with
eight other canisters, containing the same weight of powder,
in all 360 lbs., butdischarged them by means of galvanic
batteries, which he found more efficacious than the fusee.
The effects of the discharges were not so great as might
have been expected from the havoc committed by the first ;
and he (Captain Fisher) was fearful of increasing them, lest
injury should result to the houses on shore. The firing took
place from the lighters, which were moored 250 feet from
the spot where the wreck lily, in seven fathoms water at low
water mark. Finding the small charges were insufficient
to blow the hull to pieces, Captain Fisher directed two canis-
ters, containing each 116 lbs. of gunpowder, and another
containing 165 lbs., to be placed inside the vessel. It was
found that the two former were effective in loosening the
timbers, and the cylinder having been placed in the body of
the wreck, it was fired. In an instant a loud rumbling noise
was heard, accompanied by a violent commotion of the water,
and immediately after the air became blackened by immense
masses of the wreck shooting above its surface, surrounded
by a dense volume of smoke, to the extent of 20 feet. The
larger portions were secured and dragged ashore, but a great
mass was floated away down the river. On examination the
whole of the Vesta's larboard quarter was found to be
completely carried away from her keel to her bulwarks, as
were also her bows. The starboard quarter and stern were
much shattered. On Downes again descending, he found
that all which remained of the vessel was the bottom, which
was shivered to pieces, and may be easily got up. In con-
sequence of the success of the experiment, it is expected
that the corporation will direct the steamer Apollo, run
down off Northfleet some years since, also to be blown up.