The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-01-18 00:00:00

SOUTHERN AND TOXTETH HOSPITAL,

A general meeting of the trustees and subscribers to this
excellent charity was held yesterday, at the Hospital, Green-
land-street, which was then for the first time opened for the
reception of patients. The following are extracts from the
report which was read to the meeting :

It appears that so far back as the month of February,
1838, was held the first meeting of parties favourable to such
an establishment, the necessity of which they advocated on
the ground of the great extension of the docks, and general
increase of population, at the south end of the town, since
the erection of the Infirmary, and more especially of the
proved utility and marked support which had been given to
the Northern Hospital.
" At this meeting a provisional committee was appointed
to carry out the benevolent design ; and, that they might
proceed safely, and test public opinion in its favour, it was
in the first instance resolved, that a sum of one thousand
pounds should be subscribed before the committee should
be authorised to take further proceedings. Nearly fifteen
hundred pounds were subscribed in the ensuing three weeks;
and on the Ist of March the committee assembled and agreed
that the sum should be raised to £2,500 before they should
proceed to erect or engage any building for the purposes of
the charity. At the end of the same month the provisional
committee called a general meeting of the subscribers, to
whom they communicated the result of their labours, ' in
the full confidence that the town would speedily possess an-
other useful medical charity, its establishment having been
advanced to a point beyond the fear of the sordid, or the
doubt of the generous.'
" The present committee of management was then ap-
pointed, and, in the course of a few months, it succeeded in
obtaining from the council of the borough a munificent grant
of 1400 square yards of land, of the estimated value of £3500,
whereon to erect their building. Afterwards they proceeded
to obtain plans from Messrs. Cunningham and Holme, (who
had most liberally offered their gratuitous services as archi-
tects,) and pursued their labours with varied success until
December 1840, when, finding themselves yet short of a sum
sufficient for the carrying out and completion of the hospital
upon a scale developed in the admirable plans of their archi-
tects, the committee agreed personally to guarantee the rais-
ing of a sum likely to cover the deficiency : tenders for build-
ing were advertised; that of Mr. Bateman was accepted;
and on the 2nd of March, 1841, the foundation-stone of the
hospital was laid by the mayor of Liverpool, in the presence
of the committee and numerous friends and supporters."
We refer to the advertisement for the officers, &c.

The Duke of Cleveland continues in a state which pre-
cludes all hope of recovery. On Monday his grace was much
worse, and his physicians, Sir Henry Halford and Dr.
Chambers, made several visits to their noble patient.
It has been necessary, in consequence of the establishment
of the new Courts of Equity, to call some gentlemen within
the bar of the Court of Chancery. We have reason to believe
that the following is the correct list of the new appointments :
—Messrs. Teed, Purvis, Koe, Kenyon, Parker, Wilbraham,
Walker, Lowndes, Mathews, Loftus, Wigram, James Rus-
sell, Anderdon, and Roupel.
BUENOS AYRES, Nov. 2.—Accounts have been received
from the interior, stating Lavalle had either been taken and
killed, or killed himself There is nothing official yet, but
from the rejoicings which have taken place we are led to
believe that it must be correct. Exchange quoted nd to 2
15-16 d. ; Doubloons, 290 dollars; and Monte Video, 18 dol-
are 2 cents.

THE TIGER GELD.—The local government of India allows
the sum of 100 rupees to be paid to any Shirkarru, or native
sportsman, who brings a tiger's, a panther's, or a leopard's
head to the collector of the zillah in which it is killed.
DEATH OF A CLERGYMAN IN CHußcH.—The Rev. Ed-
ward Press, of St. Peters, Mancroft, Norwich, died on the
28th ult., whilst performing divine service at Hethal Church.
The rev. gentleman fell down while in the altar service, and
immediately expired.
THE JEWS IN PRUSSIA.—The Ausburg Gazette of the
7th inst. states that a modification of the present laws res-
pecting the Israelites .in
Prussia is much spoken of. It is
said that not only will they be permitted to enjoy the worship
of their religion to the fullest extent, but that they will be
restored to the possession of several civil rights of which they
were heretofore deprived.

MEETING FOR THE RELIEF OF THE POOR OF
ST. ANNE'S WARD.

On Friday evening a meeting, convened by the alderman
and councillors of St Anne's Ward, was held in Christ
Church school-room, Chritian-street, for the purpose of con-
sidering the best means for providing a fund for the relief of
the poor resident in that district. Mr. Alderman Molyneux
presided on the occasion.

The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings, said he had
great pleasure in taking the chair at the present meeting,
convened, as it had been, for charitable and benevolent pur-
poses, although he regretted exceedingly that there should
exist a cause for such a meeting to be held in the ward.
There was, however, great distress prevailing among a num-
ber of the lower classes, and they were assembled together
with the view of raising funds for the alleviation of that dis-
tress. If the present severe weather should happen to con-
tinue, as was highly probable, for some time, there could be
no doubt but the poor would suffer severely, more particu-
larly those of them who wereernployed at out door work. He
was glad to see two of the councillors for the ward present—
Mr. Parker and'Mr. Jones—because they were much better
acquainted with its local wants than he could possibly pre-
tend to he, and also because they were interested in it in va-
rious ways, and felt particular anxiety for the welfare of its
poorer inhabitants. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. Councillor PARKER proposed the first resolution, to
the effect that, in consequence of the great distress prevailing
among the poor, the probability of a continuance of the pre-
sent severe weather, and the inadequacy of the means al-
ready provided for affording effectual relief, subscriptions be
entered into carry into effect the benevolent intentions of the
meeting. He said he would not attempt to harrow up the
feelings of the meeting by mentioning many grievous cases of
distress in the ward which might be brought forward. He
had invariably taken the information he was able to obtain
from the pawn-brokers as a criterion, or sort of index, by
which to judge of the state of the poor ; and after having
gone through the ward that day, he had ascertained, by the
information conveyed through this source, that there was as
great, if not greater, distress this year than there was at the
same season last year, when the inhabitants had been also
applied to for the relief of their poorer brethren. The lower
parts of the ward appeared to be in greater distress than any
other. Those parts were inhabited chiefly by the poor Irish
—a class of the community which he hoped he should be as
willing to relieve!as any other, because they had strong claims
on the sympathies of the public, inasmuch as many of them
were not recipients of parochial relief. He hoped sincerely
that the present appeal would be successful. He was proud
that on similar occasions, when the ward had been appealed
to, it responded to the call in a manner almost beyond that of
any other ward in the town. Three years before, the inha-
bitants had subscribed £247, and last year the sum of £1.49
12s. had been raised. The manner in which the relief had
been distributed on these occasions seemed to have given ge-
neral satisfaction. It had worked well, and had one peculiar
advantage over the other wards in tho town ; because the
ward was divided into fifteen or sixteen districts, and in .18
hours after the money had been subscribed relief was imparted
to almost every abode of distress. The same promptness
would be adopted on the present occasion. (Hear.)
Dr. I.Ewtsr seconded the first resolution. He had been
acquainted with the ward for the last forty years, and with
the exception of the years 1801 and 1825 he had never known
greater distress among the poor than there was at present.
They were in want of food, coals, and blankets, and they
had received whatever relief was given them hitherto with
generous and thankful feelings. He hoped care would be
taken that the committee were not imposed on by profligate
and improper objects, and that the interests of humanity
would prevail on that occasion above those of politics or
party. (Hear, hear.)
The formation of a committee was then moved by Coun-
cillor Jones, and seconded by Mr. Swainson. A subscrip-
tion list was then opened, to which Mr. Alderman Moly-
neux put down his name for £lO, and Councillors Jones and
Parker their names for £5 each. The subscriptions at the
time amounted to £4O; and Mr. Councillor Parker was ap-
pointed treasurer.

DESTITUTION OF THE POOR IN SCOTLAND

WARD,

Last evening a general meeting of the inhabitants of Scot-
land Ward was held at the house of Mrs. Barton, in Bur-
lington-street, for the purpose of taking into consideration
the means of raising a fund to relieve the destitute poor of
the ward during the present inclement season. On the mo-
tion of Mr. Isaac Holmes, RICHARD HOUGHTON, Esq.,
the alderman of the ward, was called to the chair. There was
rather a numerous attendance.

The CHAIRMAN said the meeting had been called for the
purpose of relieving the distresses of their fellow-creatures
in Scotland Ward who were in a state of destitution. A case
of this nature did not require many observations from him ;
let each one put his hands to the work, and do what he could
to obtain funds to relieve the destitute. That was the prin-
cipal object of the meeting, and he hoped there would be
unanimity in doing what they could, every one according to
his means. (Hear, hear, hear.)
Mr. ISAAC HOLMES, in moving the first resolution, said
that distress prevailed to a very great extent in the ward, and
every one who had it in his power should assist in relieving
it. Ile congratulated the ward on having a wealthy alder-
man to preside over it, like the chairman, and said that he
intended to come forward liberally. Mr. Holmes, after a
few other observations, concluded by moving the first reso-
lution, which was to the effect that in consequence of the
destitution to which many Of the poor in the ward had been
reduced at the present inclement season, the meeting was of
opinion that a fund should be raised for their relief, to be
distributed in food and fuel.

Mr. HODGSON seconded the resolution, and observed that
the poor being a part of the common family of man, had a
claim upon our sympathy. He only regretted that this good
work had not been begun sooner. At the same time pru-
dence would be necessary in distributing the funds, because
whenever charity was made public, there were many appli-
cants for it who had no just claim ; it would be necessary,
therefore, for every case to be investigated, in order that re-
lief might be administered as far as the funds would allow.
The CHAIRMAN then put the resolution, and it was unani-
mously adopted.

Mr: RAYMOND HOUGHTON, in the absence of his brother,
Mr. Councillor Houghton, moved the appointment of a com-
mittee to carry the first resolution into effect.

Mr. DAVID COOK seconded the resolution, and it was
carried.

Mr. HODGSON was appointed treasurer of tLe funds to be
subscribed.

A subscription was then entered into. The chairman put
his name down for £lO, Mr. Councillor Houghton £lO, Mr.
Councillor Thornhill £3, Mr. Isaac Holmes £3, Mr. Ray-
mond Houghton £3, and others for different sums. Alto-
gether a sum of upwards of £4O was collected.
On the motion of Mr. RAYMOND HOUGHTON, the thanks
of the meeting were voted to the chairman, who having re-
turned thanks, the proceedings terminated.

THE MECHANICS' INSTITUTION AND ITS

PROFESSORS

An enthusiastic Irishman, who lectured a short time ago
at the Mechanics' Institution, concluded his course by pro-
nouncing an extravagant eulogium on the said institution,
in that class of native eloquence vulgarly called " blarney."
He lauded it most lustily, from its founders to its humblest
member. Even the little boys in the " preparatory depart-
ment" were prodigies—Watts and Davys in embryo—inci-
pient Lockes and Newtons. One gentleman in particular—.
a late secretary—was the object of his warmest commenda-
tion. " The name of his much-esteemed, long-loved friend"
—which name, by the way, he had forgotten—" would he
trumpetted by Fame, as the world's benefactor, ' to the last
syllable of recorded time.' " .

Now to all this we 11---a;e no sort of objection. It was, in
all probability, a part of the lecturer's stipulated duty ; and
for the ex-secretary's share of the panegyric, countryman-
ship may account. Had he stopped here, we should not
have made mention of the matter. But he thought proper
to exalt his subject by coupling it with another of very dif-
ferent stamp. He placed the Mechanics' Institution by the
side of that noble institution now in course of erection in
Shaw-street, as its " parent" and rival! and very conde-
scendingly hoped they might be " worthy competitors for
the rneed of public approbation "! ! What may be the feel-
ings of the benevolent, patriotic, and truly Christian found-
ers of the Liverpool Collegiate Institution, on learning the
liberal courtesy of our lecturing friend, we know not ; but
we venture, whilst thanking him for his good wishes, to dis-
claim, on their behalf, all intentions of engaging in such
" rivalry." We are sure they cannot have the most remote
wish to succeed in gaining such " approbation " as he looks
for, and will altogether decline the projected companionship.
Our attention has also been called to this bepraised " in-
stitution " in another way. Some of our " liberal " con-
temporaries have been exceedingly lavish of their praise of
the books published by one of its " professors." We had
the good fortune to meet with one of these books a few days
ago. Recollecting the high character our " liberal " con-
temporaries had given this gentleman's works, for " singular
clearness" and " condensed comprehensiveness," curiosity
prompted us to glance it over. We soon found reason for
classing the reviewer's eloquence with that of the lecturing
Irishman before mentioned. Probably it had a similar ori-
gin. We will enable our readers to judge of the " scientific
instruction" which is imparted to the " embryo Watts and
Davys, and the incipient Lockes and Newtons," at the Me-
chanics' Institution. Opening the book, which bears the
modest title of "Natural Philosophy; adapted for self-in-
struction" (he means written for self-instruction) " and use
in schools, book first—Pneumatics," &c. &c. &c., ad in-
finitum. at page 1, we find it written, speaking of fluids,
There is so little cohesion between their particles, that they
are perfectly loose and moveable on each other, and are
separated by a very slight force." Why, if there be any
cohesion they will not be "perfectly loose. Again, page 1.
They " do not assume nor retain any figure except that of
the vessel by whose sides they may be confined." Of course,
if they " do not assume," they cannot well " retain any
figure." But they do both " assume " and " retain " a
figure different from this. Of the confining " vessel," he
says, on page 2, that fluids are " sometimes distinguished
as inelastic and elastic fluids—a distinction not absolutely
correct." We shall soon see how "absolutely correct" this
very " absolute " professor is. He states, a few lines further
on, " Acriform fluids, or acroids, are those fluids in which the
particles are so remote from each other, that a small weight
of the body is spread out through a large space ; it is ex-
tremely light, insensible to the touch, and usually colourless
and invisible." This passage certainly is "singularly clear."
What ! "it is extremely light ?"—" a small weight ? "—or,
" acriform fluids" of unlimited volume? Syntax says the
former. How profound the discovery that a " small weight"
" is extremely light !" " It is insensible to the touch." All
inorganic matter is insensible. Sensibility is a subjective
quality, and peculiar to organic beings. " Usually colour-
less and invisible !" All " colourless" bodies are "invisible."
At page 6, our " professor " defines inertia in bodies to
be " their inability to change of themselves from rest to
motion or from motion to rest." It is no such thing. All
animals have inertia, and yet are able to " change of them-
selves from motion to rest," &c. Let us help him to a
definition. Inertia in matter is a tendency to resist a change
of state from motion to rest, or from rest to motion. A
child may see the distinctioni'between these definitions.
Again, on page 6, speaking of a closed umbrella; "no effort
seems necessary to carry it along in rapid motion." We
, fancy we could make our professor" evince more symptoms
of fatigue by carrying it along in " rapid motion" than he
will be disposed to do in his scientific " efforts." Opening
the book again at random, we find it stated, p.p. 18, 19, " If
a tube of one square inch, transverse section, from which
the air had been extracted, were plunged into mercury, and
opened under the mercury, the atmospheric pressure would
force 14.7 lbs. of mercury into it; but if the tube were full
of air, not a particle of mercury would enter," &c. Here,
again, is a "singularly clear" sentence. So far as it is in-
telligible it is " singularly" foolish. In the first place, no
length of tube is mentioned; and it must be at least 2/ feet
long to fulfil the statement. How admirably adapted is this
for "self-instruction!" And, in the second place, if the
said tube, " full of air," were plunged to a depth of 15
inches, nearly four pounds of mercury would " enter ;" if
entirely immersed, in a verticle position, 71 pounds would
" enter." On the same page it is written of " acroids,"
that " each penetrates through the particles of the other,"
&c. In our school-boy days we were taught to believe mat-
ter to be impenetrable, and that impenetrability is an essential
property of all matter. But such " old-fashioned " notions
are exploded at the Mechanics Institution.
Turning on to page 27, we alight on the following novel
fact : After descanting on the decreasing density and dimi-
nishing elasticity of the atmosphere in the higher regions,
our " professor" gravely affirms,—" From these circum •
stances, therefore, the barometer Will sink more for a certain
elevation in the upper, than in the lower, regions." Surely,
we need do no more than mention, to expose, this absurdity.

Our readers will, we fancy, by this time cry " Hold,
enough ! " and heartily sick are we of such science. How-
ever, by a strange fascination, we are constrained to another
venture, and find such nonsense as the following on page 50 :
—" If the mercury falls an inch in the tube, the actual fall
will be less than an inch " ! "If the mercury rise an inch
in the tube, its actual rise will be more than an inch !!
This is our " professor's " " singularly clear " way of saying
that the column of mercury, sustained by atmospheric prey•
sure, will not, in the former case, be a full inch shorter,
seeing that the mercury will rise in the cistern, and give a
higher level to measure the column from ; and that, in the
latter case, the column will be lengthened snore than one
inch, because the surface in the cistern falls, and gives a
lower level to measure from.

We think we have now done enough to show that our dis-
claimer of " rivalry" with an institution where such stuff as
the present is taught, on the part of our noble " Collegiate
Institution," is not injudicious. If any of our readers should
be of a " contrary opinion," we refer to the book under no-
tice, where, we doubt not, they will soon have full satisfac-
tion; for we have not had the heart to look half through it.
The same " professor " has also written sundry other works
of a similar class, viz., a " Catechism on Heat," another
on " Astronomy," a third on " Botany," and a fourth on
" Chemistry"; and, we can well believe, with equal success.
We have seen it somewhere shrewdly stated, that the best
way to become acquair ted with a subject is to write a book
about it. If this rule be a sound one, we can_account for
the appearance of our professor's lucubrations. Judging,
however, by their fruits, we feel disposed to doubt the wis-
dom of the counsel.

The style, too, of our author is ambitious and tumid, and
wholly unsuited to the instruction of the young. The last-
named work has the following modest title :—" The Che-
mistry of Science and Art." We confess our inability to
understand what is meant by the " chemistry of science."
The " science of chemistry" would be intelligible. As little
do we know what is meant by the " chemistry of art." The
title in question is a pompous, puffing misnomer.
But we have done with the trash, and must crave our
readers pardon for introducing such to their notice. Indeed
we should not have done so, had the patrons and parasites
of the institution not sought to give it a meretricious attrac-
tion, by placing it in connexion with one which is of a totally
different character, and has wholly different objects in view.