The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-01-28 00:00:00

It may be useful, as quieting the expectations of persons
who are looking for letters in answer to those which the
India November mail carried to that country, to state, that,
by some bungle at the Bombay Postoffice, a box of letters,
intended for that presidency and the north-western provinces
of India, had been mis-sent to Ceylon.—Observer.
SPREAD OF BIGAMY IN CALCUTTA.—Cases Of bigamy
are stated to be coming frequent at Calcutta, perhaps from
an inclination to slide into oriental customs. A gentleman
is under prosecution for marrying three wives; and a lady is
in a like predicament for taking unto herself two husbands.
They seem to think that, being in the East, they should do
as the East does.

THE PRINCE OF WALES.-It is not generally known that
Court etiquette requires upon the birth of a Prince of Wales
a state chair to be placed for his Royal Highness immediately
on the right of the throne, and orders have therefore been
given to provide chairs for this purpose, both at St. James's
and the House of Lords, upon which the crest of the plume
of feather, with the motto. •' Ich dien," will be duly em.
blazoned.—Court Journal.

ENCKE'S COMET.—We learn, from a letter addressed by
Professor Encke to Mr. Airy,—a copy of which we have
seen,—that the comet of short period, better known as
Encke's comet, will come to perihelion on the 12th of April
next ; and the learned professor, who has calculated an ephe-
meris for the occasion, proposes that it should be sent to the
Cape of Good Hope, where, he says, the comet can be most
favourably observed.

CONSUMPTION OF SMOKE.-It appears that a saving of
several thousand pounds a year—as much, we hear, as £5,000
or £6,ooo—will accrue to the North Midland Railway Com-
pany, if the experiment now making to use coal instead of
coke, in their steam-engine furnaces, by the application of
Hall's smoke-consuming apparatus, should succeed. Of
this there is the most confident expectation, from the experi-
ments that have already been made at Leeds within the last
ten days.—Leeds Mercury.

NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT.—The Rev. Waldo Sibthorp
preached his first Romau Catholic sermon on Sunday last,
at the catholic chapel, Pyle-street, Newport, to a very
crowded assemblage ; most of whom were drawn together out
of curiosity, and in the hope of hearing him, from his new
station, give some answer to the many inquiries as to why he
had become a catholic. In this expectation, however, they
were disappointed ; the rev. gentleman's discourse being
confined to a dissertation on the miracles of our Saviour.

A shepherd boy, only 15 years old, of St. Jean de Mar-
vejois, in the Gard, was a few days ago tending his sheep,
when a wolf sprung suddenly into the middle of the flock,
seized one and dispersed the rest. The youth threw a stone
at the beast, and striking it on the head, stunned it for a
moment. His dog seized the animal, and a conflict ensued,
which probably would have ended in favour of the wolf, had
not the courageous lad bestrode its back, and laid it lifeless
under him by plunging a knife into its throat.
We understand that the Admiralty have ordered the War-
spite, a 50-gun frigate, commanded by the Right lion. Lord
John Hay, to be fitted out for the purpose of conveying
Lord Ashburton and his suite to the United States of Amer-
ica. The period fixed for his lordship's departure is not yet
definitely settled, but he is expected to sail on his special
mission in the course of a few days. The Warspite is com-
manded to be in readiness to sail at a few hours' notice.
Lord Ashburton will embark at Portsmouth.

TAPPING A SHEEP FORTHE DROPSY.—This singular, and
we believe original operation, was performed a fortnight ago
at Laxton, by Mr. Esam, butcher, of that village. A ewe
sheep was almost dying from the effects of dropsy, when Mr.
Esam suggested that he should like to ti y the effects of tap-
ping. His suggestion being approved of, he made au in-
cision in the side of the animal, into which he introduced a
piece or elder as a tube, and drew from the sheep on lens than
eight gallons of water. It soon began to revive, and it is
now apparently in perfect health.— Noilingharn Mercury.

BEFORE I'D BE BURIED, I'D DIE FIRST.—" What do
you say ?" said a woman one day to her neighbour, speaking
of an old acquaintance, who from affluent circumstances was
reduced to a state of abject poverty, so that she sought, with
great earnestness, a refuge or asylum in what is generally
called a workhouse ; here she found the comforts to which
she had long been a total stranger; however, from the se-
verity of the winter, together with an aged and shattered
constitution, she at last sunk, and death seized her mortal
frame. No friend, no relative, attended her mortal remains
to their last home ; she was indebted to the parish for her
grave. " What do you say—she was buried by the parish ?
oh, the mean contemptible wretch !" said her old acquaint-
ance •, " before I'd be buried by the parish, I'd die first ;
that I would."

DANIEL'S EXCHEQUER.—At thirteen minutes past ten
this morning—we like to be precise as well as particular in
matters of importance—at thirteen minutes past ten this
morning, and not until after the high sheriff had given an in-
telligible hint as to the absolute necessity of tie expenses of
hustings, &c., being paid, previously to a second candidate
being put in nomination, Mr. Smith, the agent of Mr.
O'Connell at the last, and for Lord Morpeth, his nominee,
at the present election, scraped together a sum of three hun-
dred pounds, which be paid down—giving a written under-
taking to pay up the balance. Mr. Gregory's committee
handed the sheriff five hundred pounds on Friday, being the
full sum claimed. So much for the contrast of the respec-
tive treasuries.—Dublin Evening Mail.
DESPERATE DEED.—On Wednesday last, a girl of thirteen
years of age, belonging to Merryston, Coatbridge, named
Martha Hodgkis, was sent by her mother on some particular
errand to Drumpeller store, but, falling in with some of her
companions, she accompanied them to Dundyvan, and passed
the greater part of the day there. In the evening she was
returning homewards with the same girls who had com-
panioned with her during the day, but, struck with her mis-
conduct in neglecting her mother's errand and injunctions,
she formed the desperate resolution of drowning herself.
For this purpose she seated herself on the edge of the canal
at a short distance from the Comet Inn, when her compan-
ions did everything in their power to divert her from her
purpose, but to no effect, for so soon as they moved off to
apprise her mother of her desperate resolution, little Martha
clasped her hands above her head, and, with the exclamation
of—" My mither 'ill ne'er see me again," she plunged into
the canal, and ere assistance could be got the little desperado
was a lifeless corpse, her body having been a considerable
time in the water.

PROTESTANTS AT POPISH CHAPELS.-At a meeting of
the Protestants of Dublin, preparatory to the election now
going on there, the Rev. Mr. Gregg, alluding to the fact of
Lord Morpeth having gone to mass, said, that in a conversa-
tion that he had had with the Lord Mayor, at the recent
meeting at the Mansion-house, when Lord Morpeth was de-
cided on as a candidate for the city, the Lord Mayor acknow-
ledged to him that if a Roman Catholic attended to collect
at a Protestant church, he (the Lord Mayor) would regard
him as a Protestant in his heart. The position in which the
inference to be drawn from that declaration placed Lord
Morpeth, was one, to say the least of it, not very enviable,
or calculated to raise him in the estimation of the Protestants
of Dublin.

SANDON.—The royal christening was celebrated here on
Tuesday with every joyous feelings. The morning was
ushered in by the ringing of the church bells; a large flag
being hoisted on the church tower. Lord and Lady Sandon
and family, with the Rev. Edward Harland, visited the
schools, when the rev, gentleman kindly presented each
scholar with a book. After singing " God Save the Queen,"
(in which the family joined,) and a loud and long cheer for
the Prince of Wales, they were dismissed to join their
parents, who were each presented on this occasion with a
handsome piece of beef and a quantity of ale by their ever
kind and venerable landlord, the Earl of Harrowby, whose
valuable life may it please God long to preserve. The num-
ber who partook of his lordship's liberality was upwards
of three hundred.

DANGEROUS EFFECTS OF CHARCOAL.—The meeting of
the board of guardians of the Bodminster Union was inter-
rupted by an occurrence which, if not providentially dis-
covered in time, might have had a more melancholy, and,
indeed, fatal issue. Business had been proceeded in for about
two hours, when several of the gentlemen were affected with
unusual sensations. One felt taint, and on expressing this
to his neighbour, he replied that he himself had nearly fallen
from his chair once or twice, and on the vice-chairman
handing a paper to the chairman to sign, he pushed it back
to him, saying that he must sign it, for something had af-
fected his vision so that he really could not see to do it. Se-
veral others then finding themselves affected with various
symptoms the windows and doors were directed to be thrown
open, when Mr. Nicholas Cottle, of Clevedon, became at-
tacked in a most strange and distressing manner ; he sprang
from his seat, beat the air for breath, and uttered hideous
and terrifying screams, evidently in a state of suffocation.
when he was forced out of the room by those who were more
fortunate and less affected than himself. The cause of all
this was ascertained to be the burning of charcoal in a stove
in the room. People cannot be too cautious in the use of
charcoal.—Bristol Mirror.

TRADE OF SOUTHAMPTON.—We understand that the busi-
ness of this port in the past year trebled that of any prece-
ding. The exports have increased in the same time five fold,
and the number of passengers landed from foreign amounted
to nearly 50 per day during the 365 days. There were 553
vessels inwards from foreign, and with cargoes outwards near-
ly 300. This year commences under auspices still more
favourable ; for now we shall have a, dicect communication
with all the West India Islands, New York, Halifax the,
coast of South America,'the Isthmus of Panama, &c. once a
fortnight ; besides twice a month to Alexandria Suez, Cal-
cutta, Madras, and Ceylon. We are also gratified to find,
that there is a corresponding augmentation of the coasting
trade : hence Southampton ranks as a port of importance in
the commercial world, and the first in England for passenger
traffic.—Hants Independent.

COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH, MONDAY.—(sillings in
Banco.)—THE QUEEN v. BERNARD CAVANAGH (THE
FASTING MAN.—This defendant was brought up under the
writ of habeas corpus, directed to the keeper of the gaol of
Reading ; and the return of that officer, setting forth the
commitment by the mayor, was read. The commitment
stated a conviction under the vagrant act, and a sentence of
three months' imprisonment. Lord Denman.—Has not the
case been argued, and the commitment declared to he bad ?
Mr. James (who appeared for Cavanagh) answered in the
affirmative. Lord Denman.—Then let him be discharged.
The Solicitor-general rose and was beginning to argue the
question ; but Lord Denman interposing, said, that this
court was not a court of appeal from the decisions of the
learned judge by whom this case had been decided ; and the
case, therefore, could not be reheard. His lordship added.
that the judges now in this court bad, in fact, been consulted
before the decision on the commitment was pronounced. The
defendant was then discharged ; and bowing very low to the
judges, and thanking them very audibly, he withdrew from
the court. There had been a great crowd oollected in court
to see him, the curious much preferring this economical exhibi-
tion of the man to that at which money was to be paid for the
sight. As soon as the order for Cavanagh's discharge had
been pronounced, the crowd hastily and noisily began to dis-
perse ; and while the next case was going on, the ordinary
occupants of the court were alone to be seen in it.

DELAHUNT'S CONFESSION OF GulLT.—This unfortunate
culprit on Saturday morning made a confession of his guilt
to Mr. Allison the governor of Kilmainham prison. Mr.
Allison had a conversation with Delahunt on Saturday mor-
ning, and having been cautioned not to make a disclosure
he wished to do so voluntarily, he said he was desirous to tell
the truth, and he did not wish to deny anything. With re-
gard to the crime of:which he had been convicted, he ackow-
ledged he had committed it. The only way in which he
could account for it was, that he had been for a month or
more previous to the commission of it, instigated to murder
some person or other, but he had no particular individual in
view, nor was it to satisfy the least personal hostility that he
was instigated to do so. 'He stated that the temptation came
over his mind every night in bed for at least a month
before be murdered the boy Niaguire, but up to that time be
endeavoured to overcome it. On the morning of Monday,
the day upon which the fatal deed was perpetrated, he felt an
invincible determination to Yield to the evil spirit which had
governed him : but although he did not then contemplate the
destruction of any particular person, be said be thought a
child would be his best victim, because it would give him the
least resistence ; accordingly he took the knife from his
brother's house on the IVlonday morning, for the purpose of
of effectuating his object. He wandered about the streets
during the entire of that day, until he met with the boy Ma-
guire, playing with other little children, in the neighbourhood
of Plunket-street ; he had never seen nor known anything of
him before, and his attention was attracted to him by obser-
ving him endeavouring to jump up on the end of a coal cart
the boy was not able to get up on the cart, and he then called
him away, under pretence that he wanted him to go of a mes-
sage for him, promising to give him something for it ; the boy
ininediately went with him, and they roamed from thence
together from street to street, as had been stated on the trial.
He then took deceased to the stable-lane, and having held
him by the forehead with his left hand, the boy's back being
next to his (Delahunt's) person, he held him tight, without
letting him see the knife, or know what lie was about to do,
and while in that position he perpetrated the dreadful deed.
As soon as he made the gash in the boys throat he flung him
at once away, so that the blood flowed entirely upon himself.
In, that way Delahunt contrived to escape being marked with
blood; but he positively denies having used the stone found
in the boy's cap. The deceased did not see the knife, and
could not have known what was about to be done to him, the
deed was done so quickly. He did not seteam' or make the
slightest resistance, and immediately after Delahunt went

away.
FORGERY IN EDINBURGH.—ATI affair of rather a serious
nature, implicating the character of a young man of respec
table connections„ has just occurred in this city. The
alleged facts of the case are these :—ln April last, a clerk in
the employment of a writer to the Signet in the New Town,
received, in the absence of his employer, two money orders
addressed to the latter from an agent in Newcastle. On
presenting these at the Post-office for payment, be was in-
formed that the money could not be obtained on application
but by the principal. He next wrote to the Post-office autho-
rities in the name of his master, requesting that the orders
might be made payable to that gentleman at Kirkaldy, where,
he said, he was then residing. This having been complied
with, the youth immediately set off for that town, and, forging
the name of his master, received the money, which, how-
ever, only amounted to £6 6s. Shortly afterwards he left
his situation ; but 'it was not until a correspondence with
the Newcastle agent had thrown some light on the matter,
that the cause of his disappearance was suspected. Infor-
mation having been lodged with the police, WlCay, one of
the criminal officers, was instructed to be on the lookout;
and having, from some private information, had reason to
suspect that the delinquent was concealed in the house of his
parents in the New Town, he proceeded thither yesterday
with a warrant for his apprehension. On inquiring for him
at the door he was told that he was not in town. M'Kay,
however, insisted upon searching the house, whereupon the
mother set up a loud scream, in order, it is supposed, to ap-
prise her son of his danger. The officer was then suffered
to proceed to the discharge of his duty ; but, after a long
search, no trace of him could be discovered. A thought at
length occurred to M`Kay to take a peep into the water
cistern, and there, to be sure, was the unhappy individual
found, shivering with mingled cold and terror, immersed up
to the chin. He was subsequently taken to the police-office,
and the case will in all liklihood be remitted for trial to the
High Court—Scotsman.

A NARROW ESCAPE.—On Friday, the 14th instant, Mr.
Booth, surgeon, of Chapel-en-le-Frith, was called out on
professional business as far as Eclat; a distance of six or se-
ven miles from his home. The road to Edale is almost des-
titute of habitations, and otherwisevery dreary, passing over
a high ridge or mountain, known by the name of " Colborne
Hills," which run between the two first-named places. Early
in the morning a great quantity of snow had fallen, and the
appearance of the elements foretold the approach of a storm.
Mr. Booth, observing this, thought it prudent to take his
man-servant with him for company, and forthwith set out on
horseback for Edale, where he and his attendant arrived in
safety. Between four and five o'clock in the evening they
left Edale for the purpose of returning home. The snow fell
fast, and night soon closing in upon the travellers, they missed
their way on the mountain just alluded to, and, with all their
exertions, were unable to find the road. Under these disas-
trous circumstances, Mr. Booth concluded that it would be
safer to stand still, and bear patiently the " pitiless pelting
of the storm," than attempt to fly from their present situa-
tion, to encounter the risk, by proceeding further, of being
entombed in the snow. On one side lay a long and dreary
tract of moor land, interrupted by peat-pits, bogs, swamps,
and morasses ; on the other, the fearful mountain near
Castletou, raising its hoary head, over the precipice of
which, by one false step, they might have fallen, and been
dashed to pieces. Mr. Booth, therefore, firmly abided by
his resolution to remain where he was until the morn-
ing, trusting to Divine Providence for support during
the long and dreary hours of the night. They took up
their position near a wall fence, through which they made a
passage for the horse ; and behind this fence Mr. Booth and
•
his servant paced like soldiers on parade, and at times they
batted each other, and sometimes stood back to back to keep
themselves warm. At length the servant became fatigued,
..dtd come 1... .c... ns Ile engines and would have slept, but Mr. Booth, knowing the eonse-
to be stopped, which was done instantly. On examining the quence of yielding to the temptation,.
took care to prevent it.
paddle wheel we found we could not move the engines, as the In this comfortless condition they remained till eight o'clock
whole of the frae of the paddle box was broken in, and
jammed the wheel so that we were unable to follow the ship on Saturday morning ; the poor horse, their dumb compa-
to render any assistance, but immediately lowered a boat,
nion in distress, patiently awaiting his master's deliverance.
The snow was still falling, accompanied by a dense fog,
and the first officer went after her to ascertain what damage which as effectually cut off their retreat as the untoward
she had sustained, as she fired a gun and showed blue lights. cumstances of the previous night had done. Whilst cir-
Afterrurnina-
being away an hour lie retut ned, and reported that he ting on their perilous situation, the ears of the two travellers
could not reach the ship, as she went fast away from him. were greeted with the welcome sounds of a dog's bark, when
We endeavoured, then, to unconnect the engines, and, after they naturally concluded that some human being was not far
trying for upwards of two hours, found it impossible to get distant ; they therefore shouted as loud as possible, " Lost,
the crank pin out, and were then obliged to cut the paddle lost," and immediately their cry was responded to by a shep-
Afterfloats to allow the wheel to work clear of the broken frame. herd, who bad come from Edal to look after his sheep. On
examining the nature of the damage, I considered it hearing the cry of distress, he forthwith proceeded in the di-
necessary to return to this bay to repair the projection beam. rection whence they arose. In a few minutes this shepherd
I regret very much not being able to go to the assistance of had the unspeakable pleasure of rescuing, probably from the
the ship, but six hours elapsed from the time of the accident jaws of death, two of his fellow-creatures, who had already
before we could move the engines, and I could not say what suffered much from exposure to the fury of the storm on a
course she would take. I do cousider that they must have bleak and dreary mountain, without shed or shelter, for the
seen our mast-head and bow lights ; and if they had shown a
'
light we would have been able to go clear of her, but we did space of fifteen hours. They had braved the storm ; the
struggle was over ; and the travellers returned to their home
not observe her in time to enable us to get out of her way,
as we give way to sailing vessels under all circumstances.—I and their kindred, thankful to the Almighty Ruler of the
universe for their happy deliverance, tkrough the instrurnen-
am, dear sir, your obedient servant, John Soy, Commander." tar of
ity a shepherd's dog.—Derbyshire Chronicle.

THE ORIENTAL STEAMER.—The following is Captain
Soy's account of the collision which we have already noticed
as having taken place between the Oriental steamer and a
French man-of-war. The Oriental's repairs were made good
at Gibraltar, and she left for Malta and Alexandria on the
9th instant., the letter is addressed to the agent at Gibraltar:
—" Oriental steam-ship, Gibraltar Bay, Bth January, 1842.
Dear Sir,-1 have to inform you that, after our leaving Gib-
raltar last night, when about eight or nine miles to the east-
ward of Europe Point, we came in contact with a large ship
standing to the westward ; when first seen she was nearly
two points on the larboard bow, and very close to us, not
showing any light. I immediately ordered the helm to be
put to port to go clear of her ; but she was going fast through
the water, and struck us on the larboard paddle beam with
her larboard bow, and ranged alongside, carrying away our
projection beam, all the frame of the paddle-box, two boats,
the maintopmast, and quarter gallery. Finding that we
wni," - 'nto collision I gave dire' ;0, for tl