The Liverpool Standard, and General Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-07-18 00:00:00

LOCAL INIELLR

'THE PACIFIC, Uni
E. Nye, sailed from the
about one o'clock, for New York,
101 passengers, and a full cargo of m -
TWO CASES OF CHOLERA, which iv(
WO TWO
hospital in the early part
terminated fatally. One of the patients ,
street, and the other from Paul-street
Wednesday evening.
WILLIAK BLUNDELL, Esc 1., of Crosby-hall, near thi:
towel, died at Taunton, on Tuesday last. Mr. Blundel
married the sister of the late Sir Thomas Stanley, of
Rooton-hall by whom he has left issue.
ACCIDENT TO A RIVER STEAMER.—As the Britannia
CBirkenhead steamer) was crossing to Tranmere on Tues-
day afternoon, the paddle shaft broke with a noise which
treated great terror amongst the passengers. The engine
o
Ply sto ed and the steamer towed in safety t
her destination. pp
ELECTION OF TOXTETII-PARK COMMISSIONERS.I
Alteeing iS to be held in the Public-office, Toxteth-par
Friday, for the election of five commissioners for the
Th districts of the township, in the place of Messrs.
Avison, Andrew Browne, Thos. Tippin, Wm. Ibis°n ,
and Wm. Peacop, the latter of whom is dead, and the four
others of whom retire by rotation.
SOUTHPORT.—On Wednesday, a public inquiry into the
sanitary condition of Southport was held in the Town-hall
there, before Robert Rawlinson, Esq., C. E., superintend
1g f the general board of health. The intro
duction of theoPublic Health Act being opposed by tl
commissioners and a great number of the inhabitants. t
!meeting was a very stormy one. At the clos
Thlull'Y Mr. Rawlinson proceeded to make
Inspection, of the town.
TROOPS FOR THE WAR.—A company of tl
ment arrived here from Belfast on Wednesda,, utitter to
command of Major Wynne and Captain Shuttleworth.
They remained in Liverpool on Wednesday night, and
proceeded on Thursday to London, en route to Portsmouth,
where they will embark in the steam-ship Orinoco for the
East. Twenty naval volunteers were despatched to London
on Wednesday, by Capt. Bevis, R.N.
REVISION OF THE LIST OF DOCK RATEPA.YERS.-
-On Thursday, a revision of the list of . dock ratepayers
entitled to vote for members of the dock committee was
held at the dock office, before Mr. Charles Turner, chair-
man, and Messrs. Bigham and Barber. During the time
specified for their sitting not a single individual called at
the dock office, either to claim to be placed upon the list,
~9r to object to the name of any person which had already
ber Placed on the register.
Pre:Z;',lst,4lcD POULTRY SHOW AT PRESCOT.—At
the patron "" rtorticaltural Society has been founded under
pi, „age of the Earl of Sefton, Lord Stanley, Sir T.
8. Evans, 'art, Gilbert Greenall, Esq. M.P., Rev. T. IL
Pilkington, Esq., T. Edwards Moss, Esq.,
son, e president of the society is the Rev. L. W. Samp-
of forty A , vicar of Prescot, who is assisted by a committee
u,LY of the elite of the vicinity. A show will be held
coanteitheinlOpth. of August, when nearly £OO will be adjudi-
about e'orizes. she subscription list fills well, and
.onll
- more ato indemnify the comma'
for the expenses James Galloway, I
treasurer.

was from Wright-
. They died on

scot, is the

chairmanISIRIDALE Srssroxs commenced on Tuesday.
(the Ven. Archdeacon Brooks,) said he
served by the Police statistics, that ISt) were '
with blasphemy, which seemed to be a
itetn in Lancashire. Drunkenness was oh
Re thought that, takin
sent com numbt.
those summoned andthe for trialp,arative there was an
crease creditable to their officers. Mr. Tinne move%
for
police a return to be made in future especially distinguishing
the
statistics of the township of Kirkdale, which
was agreed to. He also called prominent attention to the
loose way in which bills for the expenses of the county
constabulliry 'were generally signed, and proposed that
ly_on magistrates should be aPpointed of the District
motion Committee especially to discharge the duty. Th(
io was agreed to. This closed the county business
and the court adjourned till next morning. Th-
forty-four prisoners for trial in the calendar-
GRAND ORANGE DE3IONSTRATION
being the 12th of July, the Oranges,
assembled outside the boundary' of the
Wavertree by the permission of Mr. Bro
Magistrate. There were about 1600 of the b..
present, an of whom conducted themselves in the _
orderly and peaceable manner. On arriving in the village,
a deputation, consisting of Mr. Little, North District-
Master, Mr. W. Clarke, Grand Secretary, and Mr. Clark,
Duke of York District-master, waited on Mrs. BrownP,
in the absence of her husband
is
to assure her of their
Peaceable and orderly intentions, and were received
the most courteous manner. The brethren were addressed
by Mr. William Clarke, Grand Secretary, who impressed
on them the necessity of observing the strictest propriety
Of conduct throughout the remaining part of the day,
and they fully carried out his advice. The brethren, pre-
ceded by their bands, walked round by Woolton and
Gateacre, into Aigburth-road, and separated at a place
calledr
1- Dempsey's Hollow, where the office 4",,i—
-, 01,. ..1",...-.._.3 _, . .

ere we

Jn Wednesda
n of Liveroo

boroug

inner the .
hers then repaired.... to theirinsignia several of
lodges f ordei
or purpt
ot dining together, and the meetings pass the
ed off mo-
st
satisfactorily.
LIvERPOOL PILOTS ANNIVERSARY DINNER. The
;annul dinner of the pilots of this port was held ou Mon
uaay,_lsat week, at the Stanley Arms Hotel, Roby, WI,
eilgpq.e pilots who were ashore, to the number Pr
piitiatYihwere present. Mr. Parry, master of '-
chair. e chair, and Mr. Lancaster, of No. 9, the vice-
The cloth having been drawn, the chairman pro-
iirPted, in suitable terms, the health of Her Majesty, which
The
Warinly received,
_-e o. , as' was also that of the royal family.
„„ vxv toast was the "Army and Navy ;" followed by
Ine Tolvn and Trade of Liverpool." After a short in-
ter Val th. 2 -.... chairman proposed " The Pilots' Benevolent
letY.,” and in doing so spoke briefly on the advantages
ox urstitution. The vice-chairman proposed the health
of the
r Louis Napoleon Emperor of the French," which was
aPturcuslY encored.' The vice-chairman next proposed
the health of Mr. Hampson, who, lie said, was getting
Thgr,say la their service, and hoped that he might live mans
Hare Years to enjoy himself at their annual dinners. Mr
Which his name had been received, and said he sl-
always consider it his duty to be present at tt
ings. The healths of the chairman and the ger
the pilots committee were toasted with great cht.
Other toasts followed, and the meeting broke up.
'MUTINY AND SERIOUS ASSAULT. broke
Tuesday, Capt.
Joseph Breck and Thomas Devine, first mat f thship
Harkaway (an outline of whose case was published in last
week's Standard), were brought before the magistrates,
charged with having shot and dangerously wounded
Lorenzo Corson, a Portuguese seaman ; the latter with
striking John Belly with an iron belaying-pin, and
seriously injuring him. Corson being unable to attend
and give evidence, from the severity of the wound he had
received, the hearing of the case was again adjourned.
On Wednesday, the parties accused were brought again
before the magistrate; Mr. Bolton and Mr. Mansfield, and
the investigation was proceeded with. Both the wounded
Men were in court, and though not considered to be in
immediate danger, they appeared weak and suffering much
from the effects of the injuries they had received. The
captain, a little and rather good-looking man, with beard
and moustache, was defended by Mr. Snowball. From the
evidence It appeared that, as the ship Harkaway was being
hauled out of the Canning Dock on Monday morning, a
disturbance was created in consequence of some irregu-
larity on the part of the steward, who was drunk at the
time, and who was pushed by Devine with sufficient force
to make him fall upon tll deck. On this taking place,
Kelly, a friend of the steward's, interfered, when Devine,
the mate, seized an iron belaying-pin and struck both
Kelly and the steward with it ; he also, it appeared, struck
%tire of the crew, who, closing round, pushed him down
and fell upon him. At this time considerable noise and
confusion were created, partly by the crew on board, and
midst of the confusion consequent upon the disturbance,
his ica,„9tain came from the cabin with a revolver pistol in
did, a'ailatl, from which he fired two shots, neither of which
CorsoZolasialrY; heathen fired a third shot, which wounded
effect
suchtn, cheek. The medical testimony was to the
and ill oe wound in the case of Corson, though severe,
danger, a situation as to have involved considerable
v_result, unieCiot such as to cause apprehension of any fatal
LtellY'S ease celtiaw or erysipelas should supervene ; in
utaiiBfiem e the 'danger was even less imminent. Mr.
river, or . relnarked that if the vessel had been in the assieta In such a situation as to render the chance of
have ace difficult, if not impossible, the captain might
them en coMpelled to show fire-arms, or even to use
'but,
, for the purpose of reducing the crew to obedience ;
-for"' as it was, his conduct was altogether unjustifiable.
"l'e must be committed for trial at the assizes. As re-
-ogarded the mate, Devine, he had committed a brutal and
Provoked assault on Kelly, for which he must pay a fine
£5, or be imprisoned for two months. The fine was
Paid, and the captain was subsequently admitted to bail,
himself in £lOO, and two sureties of £5O each.
, IMPROVEMENTS IN SCREW PROPIILSION.—Her Majes-
IT 8 Yacht Fairy, Master-Commander Welch, went out of
the 'rtsinouth harbour to Stokes Bay, on Tuesday, under
-%.et(loir.ection of Captain Crispin, the junior captain-of the
steanar.' and. Albert, to test some improvements in screw
a., to lag with Griffiths's propeller, and to draw inferences
Patent:llr had the advantage —that, or the screw
tried i„ „ Y Mr. John Fisher, of Liverpool, which was Jua ' "to sares waters in the ;rune vessel on the 30th of
e'
butwhich trial 'publicly Mr. pi,
from Its patent is named the " Venetian Screw,"
Pen el,aeernilarity in blade to a Venetian blind, having
Passes thus3 left in the blades through which the water
trial ' crelt'
ToaePortoa ~,nig less " slip of the screw." The best
h 1,-"aY, realize (":, Griffiths's screw antecedent to that of
0 ever, li,u, we believe, NI knots; on Tuesday,
and tried at '7,t;:l important advantage of a new boiler,
re ~3, , ~enes of Oft., Bft. 9in., and Bft. 3in., it
realizedlio ,• '.l iEnots 1.
" ing is a ropy out the vibration was very great. The
as worked
oft
of the report of the " Venetian Screw"
" Draught the Measured mile on the 30th ult.
ter of a,. Wr forP 4ft 10in • aft 7ft. lin. • diame-
wew ~... ~ _, . • , , . P .
~,,,flereVr, 6 Cto.: cT ; Pitch of screw, 7ft. Win. ; weight of
'4°2's; —' 4 Vs- 161 b. ; revolution of screw per minute,
Ito rate of Hour, 2.9,, ; screw per hour, 15'946; slip ;rev screw per
15f engine:4l.Bl?.P of screw per cent., 18'261 ; olutions&
Per hoar, 13,03rlicated horse-power, 429; speed ofu vessel
believe, was This speed (13'032 knots per ho r) . bat
0 ~, greater than the yacht ever achieved before ,
Ito, 11 knesda
Y the screw of Griffiths's (which we may
agreeegoPerlY term the Admiralty Screw, they having
we are to eor having given ZlO,OOO for the pat.ent, feattkrA‘,l"Prined), tried under the several adventitious and ,',' 01 altered pitch, eclipsed its former performances
was "Al competitors by going 13i- knots. vibration
. about
latter, _ as much as that of the Venetian screw; but the
and f,_we are informed, is 1 cwt. lighter than the former,
a fah, Patentee does not consider that, up to the 30th ult
altho cl"Portunity of testing its qualities has been fti•-
eat,Jigh the results are considered so far
tpee4Luates, however, by ep--'
ilti. , reduce the vii
l4c. 'l. fuel. .^-3

No. 6, occu-

err meet-
lemen of

satisfactor

thin alterations :To
3n, and decrease the enn.,,,e,

,urtner trial will shortly take plac
, ,- v enetiinscrew has been cast to work at one pit(
7n-LY (ift. 114 in.), which does not appear (it is considere
screw cleveloPe its capacity to the utmost, whereas Griffith:
crew an be altered to any pitch to suit speed. T
patent c
of Mr. Fisher is a very ingenious one, and no 0
Is entertained
achieved by it by the Workers oi*

but that

—On Friday a party of f

arpool,

or COMUERCE.—The committee
-,moting the establishment of tribunals of commerce
in England contemplate holding another public meeting
at the London Tavern before the adjournment of parlia-
-4- and also during the autumn to hold provincial
a means to refer the subject to the legislature.
,e provincial supporters of this movement are
all the bankers of Bristol. and the chambers of
commerce of Liverpool, Worcester, Plymouth, Bristol,
Leeds, Hull, Gloucester, Newcastle, Blackburn, Bradford
And others.

formed

BRITISH ASSOCIATION..--It is said-that the council and
members of the Historic Society intend to invite the
members of the British Association to a soiree, to afford
an opportunity to both strangers and townsmen of seeing
the Fawcet collection of Anglo-Saxon antiquities, and of
hearing Mr.. Thomas Wright's paper descriptive of them.
The original intention was to have the objects exhibited
and the paper read at a day meeting of the Historic Soci-
‘ty ; but as the subject is increasing in importance daily,
was thought better to defer the meeting till September,
id gratify the curiosity of as large a number as possible.
THE FArSSETT COLLECTION OF ANTIQUITIES.—III the
'y part of the year, Mr. Mayer became the purchaser
e Faussett collection of Anglo-Saxon and British
'ities• He offered to exhibit the whole to the
of the Historic Society, and Thomas Wright,
London, promised to come down to Liverpool
dial paper on the subject. The project, how-
.a postponed till a soiree which the. Historic
resolved to give to the British Association on

d a spe

their meeting in September. The collection consists of 6
vols. of MSS., and a great variety of Roman and Saxon
remains from several hundred tumula in Kent, replete
with illustrations of an obscure period of English history.
Paara Exhismox or 1855.—The meeting held in
Manchester, on Thursday, in connexion with the Paris
Exhibition, was very numerously attended. A letter was
read from Mr. Edmund Potter, suggesting a City of
'pester French Exhibition Committee, embracing
-4m of all trades and opinions, who would draw out
of operations tending to give a complete and
ition of the producing power of the district.
As expressing heFty sympathy with Ful disposi-

a scheme

worthy exoost
Rea°lu

tion to co-operate in st .0 most complete success
of the Paris Exhibition were unanimously passed, and a
subscription to guarantee expenses was then opened, and
meeting closed the subscriptions had reached
The appointment of a committee closed
the proceedings.

ecuring ti

before th
about £1.600

called the 1.45
Co.'s line of 1

a LYNX.—A handsome new steamer,
has been added to ➢lessrs. C. Mclver and
.ets plying between between this port and

Her length is

'eet over all, andburthen

315 tons. She was built by Messrs. Denny, Brothers, of
Dumbarton. Her engines, constructed by Messrs. Thom-

son, of Glasgow, are of 200-horse power, and fitted with all
the modern improvements. The Lynx has all the require-
ments for the passenger trade, her cabins and berths being
exceedingly spacious and commodious. She has accom-
modation for 100 cabin and 443 steerage passengers.
Her sailing capabilities are of a very superior cha-
racter, in proof of which it may be stated that on
her last trip from Glasgow she ran the distance from

Greenock to the Rock Light in fifteen hours—a passage
said to be one of the quickest on record. She is corn-
Capt. James Hardie, who has been nearly 20

manded

THE SAILORS' HOME.—JULLIEN'S CONCERT AT SEA.—
gst the passengers who arrived in this port on Sui-
t the British and North American royal mail
irabia, was Mons. Jullien and the members of
K 1 instrumental band, returning from their
ssful tour in the United States. During the
omeward passage a concert was given on board the
rah results which will be explained by the fol-
ter :—" To Capt. Harrison. Dear Sir,—Having
ested by the passengers on board this vessel to
cert for the benefit of that excellent institution
s' Home, Liverpool, I beg to hand you here-
gross proceeds of the same, £42 18s., and shall
' by your handing this amount to the treasurer.
dear sir, your most obedient servant, JULLIEN.
ler Arabia, July 8, 1854." The amount thus realised,
£42 18s., has been duly handed over by Capt. Harrison to
the treasurer of the Sailors' Home.
OPEN AIR PREACHING IN MANCIIESTER.—The dis-
graceful riot which took place in Marsland-street, Man-
chester, on Sunday fortnight, on the occasion of the open
air preaching by a number of the city missionaries, was re-
newed on Sunday week, notwithstanding the fact of another
and a quieter neighbourhood being chosen for the scene of
missionary labours. The preachers, who were nine in
number, commenced the series in the afternoon in Chester-
street, surrounded by a motley crowd of men, women, and
children, (principally Irish,) who began rioting by assault-
ing some of the lay friends of the preachers. A policeman
endeavoured to interfere, but was compelled to retreat for
reinforcements. In his absence, the preachers were

steam-s:

y stones and other missiles. The ringleader of
..ssault was taken into custody by the police who soon
.cer came up ; but after he had been marched off, the
mob made a rush at the missionaries, several of whom had
to take shelter in neighbouring houses and escape by the
back doors, while others were subjected to very severe
The fact of Head Constable Beswick holding
he proceedings was regarded as very signifi-
mob, who considered it a very favouring

.eatmen

-is.—At the meeting, on Thursday,
were present : Messrs. Langsdale (chairman),
Godfrey, Nicholson, Fleming, Johnson, Beckwith, Moss,
Halhead, Bigham, Gladstone, and Hodson. The
medical officer reported that the reduced rate of mortality,
recorded in the previous week, had continued during the
week ending Saturday, the registered deaths having
been 207, the same as the preceding week, and 24 less
than the average of the corresponding weeks of the pre-
In the parish the deaths were 143, and

COIIINITTE

bons six years.

out-townships 64. Seventy-four deaths had been
caused by zymotic diseases, and, of these 22 were from
nailer number than in any of the previous
Eighteen children and one adult died
,rom diarrhcea, being ten more than in the previous week,
Hooping .'cough caused nine deaths; cholera, 5 ; typhus,
4; scarlatina, 2; and small-pox (unvaccinated) 1. The
mortalitr from diseases of the lungs amounted to only 7,
,i.og less than in any week of the eight months pre-
'sly. Of the total deaths, 145 were children, 62 adults.
-mnerature was below the average throughout the
'The total amount of rain which fell during the
was one inch and three quarters. After some con-
.rsation on the desirability of increasing the accommo-
,ation for the clerks, at the public offices, Cornwallis-
street, it was resolved, that the chairman and deputy-
chairman, attended by the borough engineer and Mr.
Ashlin,-should wait upon the Finance Committee to ascer-
tain their views upon the matter. Mr. Bigham asked the
borough engineer to explain the inefficient working of the
drains and stench traps principally used in houses in
Liverpool. Mr. Newlands denied that the traps referred
to were inefficient, stating that, in almost every cage
where they worked unsatisfactorily, the fault would be
found to lie in the inmates of the house not taking the
ordinary precautions. Mr. M`Nicol corroborated the
assertion of Mr. Newlands, observing that in the lower
parts of the town it was not an uncommon thing for the
people to take up the grating altogether, and stuff rubbish
down the sough. He had known one instance in which a
bed was so disposed of. Mr. M'Nicol's motion, that Tues-
day's meeting of the committee be discontinued was nega-
tived by a majority of eight to four. He then gave notice
that, at the next meeting, he should move that the Tues.
days committee shall have no authority to initiate business.
The meeting then adjourned.
LAUNCH 3 AT BINKENITBAD AND LIVERPOOL-011
Wednesday last, a splendid new screw steam-ship, built by
Mr. Laird, for the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Naviga-
tion Company, was launched from the building yard at the
Birkenhead Float. The vessel was named the Pera, and
has been built after the same model as the Nubia, recently
built by Mr. Laird for the same company. The dimensions
of these vessels are :—Length between perpendiculars, 285
feet, over all 318 feet ; beam, 39 feet ; depth, 31 feet,
tonnage, 2,200 ; horse-power, 450. They are built of re-
markable strength, the plates being of an inch thick at
the gardbord strake, and the rest of the vessel plated and
fastened in proportion. They have flush decks, with a
wheelhouse and officers' rooms aft, two cabin entrances
amidships, and a topgallant forecastle for the crew. The
most approved modern appliances for working the ship are
provided in the shape of patent capstans, and other im-
provements. The Nubia and Pera are three-deckers. On
the main deck the passengers are accommodated in first
and second class saloons which run the entire length of the
ship, and are admirably lighted and ventilated, and are 8
feet in height. The after-saloon is 91 feet long by 15
wide, and has state-rooms on each for sixty-three passengers
9 feet by 6 feet 2 inches, with accommodation for fifty-two
first-class passengers. The second-class saloon is 20 feet
by 7, and will accommodate twenty-six passengers. All
the cabins are ventilated by Robinson's patent panels, and
additional perforated work. The decorations are to be
white and gold, and between the panels marble Corinthian
columns will be placed, and they will be further enriched
by the introduction of foliated gilt earring. There are 64
square ports round the sides of the ship, glazed and fitted
with dead lights. The Pera is to be rigged as a barque,
and her hull is painted black, with a white stripe. Her
bow bears a well-carved half-length female figure-head, and
her stern is adorned with armorial bearings. These vessels
are of very fine model, and from their power are expected
to attain great speed. The engines have 78-inch cylinders,
and five feet stroke. The screw shaft is driven with in-
termediate gearing, giving two-and-a-half revolutions of
the screw to one revolution of the engines. For
the generation of steam there are four large boilers,
on Lamb and Sumner's patent flue principle. She
was named by Miss Harriet Laird, second daughter of
the builder, in the presence of a vast assemblage, including
some of the principal families in the district. The launch
was most satisfactory. As the Pera escaped from her con-
finement, her beautiful proportions were seen to great
advantage.—On Thursday a handsome clipper. barque,
named the Bristow, belonging to T. B. Hughes, Esq., of
this town, was launched from the yard of Messrs. Getty,
Jones, and Co Sefton-street, in the presence of a large
number of ladies and gentlemen. This vessel is intended
for the Australian wool trade. She is built with iron
frames and wood planking. Her length, over all, is 140
feet ; breadth, 25 feet ; and depth of hold, 16 feet. Her
tonnage is 373 tons, and she will carry 476 tons dead
weight. The largest vessel ever built on this side of the
Mersey was, on Thursday, launched from the iron-ship-
building yard of Mr. John Laird, South Shore. Shortly
after one o'clock, all being in readiness, the vessel glided
beautifully down her launchways, amid the hearty cheers
of the multitude. She was named by Miss Whitehead,
the Imperador. Her lines fore and aft are very fine, and
she is considered the best modelled vessel ever built at this
port. The Imperador is to form one of a line of screw
steamers plying between this port and Brazil, and there is
no doubt, from her build, she will prove a fast sailer. She
is 280 feet long, over all, or 263 feet between -I%o'
lars, having

ffeive weeks,

viou
The tt

pelt, ,411C11-
66 feet beam, and 24 feet depth of h01d.4 Her
is upwards of 1,800 tons. She has a full poop
feet long, and a spacious topgallant forecastle.
erake is beautifully ornamented with a well-executed
Lead (by Robertson) of the Emperor of Brazil, and
am is enriched with carvings by the same artist.
ngines and other machinery of the Imperador are
factured by Messrs. Fawcett. Preston, and` Co,_

ou Wed

WEST DERBY GUARDIANS.—At the meeting
nesday, the Rev. W. Badnall presided, and there were
also present Messrs. Ledger, Whitby, M`Ghee,. Morris,
Lunt, Abrahams, Alpass, Daly, Heyes, Appleby, Batten,
Shaw, Wensley, GI-Harrison, James Harrison, Mountfield,

and James Birch. The balance in the treasurer's hands
was reported to be E 531 9s. 10d. A letter was read from

law Board, sanctioning the appointmentoitifr:
Bulman, the newly-elected master in the hospital in West
Derby-road, at a salary of £6O per annum with rations.
A notice of motion was given by Mr. Whitby, that the
resolution preventing additional members being added to
the committees should be rescinded. Mr. J. Wood Gree-
tham tendered his resignation as collector of poor rates
and assistant overseer for Little Crosby and Ince Blundell,
which was accepted. Mr. Hughes gave notice that at the
next meeting he should move that the salary of Mr.
Greetham be then fixed for fulfilling the same duties in
Great Crosby and Litherland, and an appointment made
to fill up the vacancy caused by his retirement from the
other townships. The meeting was then adjourned to
the clerk's office, on Saturday, to procure the signatures
of guardians to applications to the Poor-law Board, for
loans to complete the various buildings in progress.

he Poo

Monz INCENDIARISM AT MANCIIESTER.—On Sunday,
last week, damage to the extent of £5O was caused by fire,
in the cellar of Messrs. M`Nair and Co., Newton-street ;
on the same day smoke was seen issuing from the cellar
of Messrs. A. Collie and Co., Steveson-square, but on an
entrance .being effected, the waste was found to have
burnt out. On Monday morning, Messrs. CI

wick, of

Miller-street, found in the centre of the floor a quantity
of cotton waste, which had been warped round with a
stone and stuck full with matches, which had not ignited;
and on Tuesday morning, Messrs. Wright and Son, of
Dickenson-street, found a quantity of cotton waste, in a
half-consumed state, on the floor, just under a window in
which was the only broken pane to be found in the ware-
house. It is suspected that these fires are created by
street thieves for the purpose of plunder.

LIMITED LIABILITY.-Messrs. Briefless and• Dunup
(says Punch) are in favour of a bill for the above com-
mercial purpose. They state that they should like the
liability to be as limited as possible; in fact, if the liability
could, in all cases, be limited to nothing, they should like
it all the better. Some such measure, they are of opinion,
is urgently necessary, as it would have the effect not only
of removing many of the fetters that at present shackle
commercial enterprise, but also of bringing the purchaser
and the vendor in a closer and a more friendly relationship

together. Moreover, they modestly represent that it
would relieve them of a deal of trouble and painful
annoyance, as nothing can be more distressing to their
feelings, or at times more embarrassing, than to have to
send away claims which, however just the liability of them
may be, they find they have it not in their power, from a
total inadequacy of means, satisfactorily to discharge.
They conclude by declaring that they are decidedly in
favour of a thorough new system of debt, without any
liability at all.

THE GREAT MANCIIESTER WILL CASE. Judgment
was given on Tuesday, by Vice-Chancellor Sir William
Page Wood, for a new trial in the case of Bennet v. the
Duke of Manchester. The Vice-Chancellor reiterated
the conviction which he had expressed at the hearing, that
there was not the slightest foundation for the imputations
against the Duke, that he had obtained the will from the
Duchess when she was delirious for his own personal
advantage, and that he had preveuted the Duchess's
mother from seeing her daughter, and sent away his three
sons in order that he might more securely carry out the
fraud. At the same time he thought it was a pity he did
not communicate the contents of the will at an earlier
period to Lady Olivia, but that delay no doubt arose from
the unhappy misunderstanding which had sprung up
amongst various members of the family. His Honour
went on to explain the grounds on which he had come to
the conclusion that the issue should be tried anew.
He said :—" The law of the case was a question of much
nicety, the fact a question of still greater nicety. The
question of fact he apprehended to be, not _whether
according to the very exaggerated statement in the bill,
the lady was in a state of acute mania or unconscious, but
whether or not, it being confessedly clear that the lady
was neither in a state of mania or unconsciousness ; she
was in that state of capacity of mind that he could be
satisfied on these facts, and under all the circumstances,
that the will was so definitely established at law,:that that
court could decree that it was duly executed. He was
sorry to say that he could not come to the conclusion that
he was so satisfied. He said he was sorry, because he
could not conceive any degree of benefit that could come
to the parties from the further litigation of this painful
matter. The case must, however, go back to be tried on
the question of capacity, and he trusted that the parties
would now be able to disembarrass the case of all irrele-
vant matter."

FIRE AT TILE DOCK COMMITTEE'S YARD.—On Thurs-
day night, shortly before 11 o'clock, a fire broke out in the
upper storey of the joiners' shop in the dockyard belong-
ing to the Dock Committee, and situated on the west side
of the Coburg Dock and south side of the Brunswick
Dock. Immediately on the alarm being given, the
different local authorities repaired to the spot, and the
usual means for extinguishing fire were speedily at hand,
with the exception of the important element water, a
supply of which could not be obtained for some time. The
fire, as already stated, broke out in the upper storey of the
joiners' room, a brick building, supported by beams,
fastened with iron bolts and chains. This upper storey
was quickly in a mass of flames from the combustible
nature of the contents. The fire raged fiercely for some
time before water could be brought partially to bear upon
it, and even when it could be got, the attention of the fire-
men was directed rather to prevent the spread of the
flames to the adjoining buildings and sheds than to attempt
at checking it where it originated. The roof soon gave
way, and the flooring of the upper storey quickly
fell a prey to the flames. Burning embers of immense
size then descended to the ground floor, in which was a
number of gates, intended for the entrances to the various
docks, tramways, stages, &c., in almost every state of pro-
gress, from the mere framework to entire completion.
These being constructed of seasoned timber, quickly
ignited, and were speedily destroyed. Luckily, a dead
calm prevailed, otherwise the most serious results must
have ensued to the adjoining buildings and the ships in
the adjacent docks. By vigorous exertions the firemen
succeeded in preventing, the fire from spreading beyond
the building where it originated. The fire, after raging
fiercely till near 2 o'clock, a.m., gradually declined, and by
the exertions of the firemen it was confined to the build-
ing in which it originated. At present it is impossible to
estimate the damage, but it must be £4,000 to £5,000.
The tool boxes of the men working in the yard were placed
on one side of the building, and the whole were destroyed.
Shortly after the breaking out of the fire, one of the first
men'who got upon the roof of the moulding room, and
brought a hose to play upon the flames, lost his footing
and fell to the ground, a distance of about 20 feet. The
poor fellow on being taken up stated he had volunteered
to join the Baltic fleet, and was to leave for London next
morning. He was conveyed to the Southern Hospital.
The name of this 'unfortunate man is Peter Stewart, aged
28, a seaman. He saw the fire from the door of his
lodgings in Bedford-street,. Toxteth-park, and, being eager
to render assistance in extinguishing it, ran down to the
burning shed and got upon the roof, which gave way
under him, and he fell a distance of 20 feet amongst the
rubbish. Besides several contusions about the face, espe-
cially on his nose and chin, he has fractured his knee cap,
dislocated his left elbow joint backwards, and sustained
some internal injuries. He now lies in the Southern
Hospital. It is believed that amputation will not be
necessary. He was at one time in the British navy, and
intended to join again had not this accident befallen him.

DOCK COMMITTEE.—At the meeting, on Thursday,
there were present—Messrs. Turner (chairman), Shand,
Barber, Brocklebank, Chaloner, Gladstone, Langsdale,
Palmer, Rankin, Robinson, Rounthwaite, Smith, Tobin,
Bigham, Lockett, and Royden. The surveyor submitted
his annual report, showing the state and progress of the
dock works, and the expenditure for the year ending June
24th, 1854. The items of expenditure included the com-
pletion of the new works of the open and closed sheds on
the west quay of the Huskisson Dock, together with the
buildings required by the British and North American
Steam-packet Company, as engine-shops, &c. ; and the
steam-packet company were in possession of that portion
allotted to them. The warehouses at the north quay of
the Stanley Dock, contracted for by Messrs. Tomkinson
and Co., had not been completed, but were expected to be
completed by the end of July, and the new hydraulic
cranes to work them were in the course of erection. The
warehouses on the south quay were also in progress, but
there had been a delay in the execution of the contract for
the over-work. A further portion of the land north of
the canal locks, consisting of about 1,000 yards, had been
enclosed by a brick wall ; and of the railway along the
docks, the two branches, north and south, had been con-
nected, making, with that occupied from the Wapping
estate, southward, by the London and North-western
Railway Company, a length of 3 miles 1,622 yards. The
works at the Albert Dock warehouses, in completion of
the existing wings, had been finished. The Wapping
works were being proceeded with satisfactorily, and the
masonry rapidly. The double entrance to the Queen's
Basin had been made, and the masonry connected with it.
750 lineal yards of the Wapping Dock wall had been com-
pleted, leaving 413 yards still to be done. The passage to
connect that with the King's Dock was not yet com-
menced. The warehouses on the Wapping estate were
also in progress. The laying out of the Harrington-
ground, for the purposes of the timber trade, had been
partly carried out ; and the land occupied by Alessrs.
Todd, Naylor, and Co., enclosed. The following is a
recapitulation of the expenditure :—Total on new works,
£170,523 12s. 7d. ; on repairs, £38,288 178.11 d. ; increase
on the stock, £8,476 15s. 7d.: making a total expenditure
for the year of £217,289 es. id. In the course of a con-
versation, it was stated that the new hydraulic cranes
would be finished in about six weeks, and that until then
it would be imprudent to open the Stanley Dock ware-
houses, although the buildings were completed, and the
lower stories might be used were it not for interfering
with the arrangements for putting up the machinery.
Mr. Langsdale wished to know how it was that• a letter,
which had been addressed by an ex-clerk to the chairman
and members of the committee, had been withheld from
them. The chairman replied that the letter contained
such vague and general charges against clerks in the em-
ploy of the Dock Committee—charges which he conceived
it would have been almost impossible to prove—that he
had considered it his duty to exercise a discretion, which
he imagined he possessed, and he had therefore not laid
the letter before the committee. After some discussion,
Mr. Langsdale moved that the letter should be read, but
not finding a seconder, the matter dropped. The annual
grant of £5O towards the maintenance of the Southport
life-boat was voted. A letter from Messrs. Maclver, re-
questing the temporary use of a shed at the Huskisson
Dock as a transit-shed for their Havre steamers, was read,
and the application granted. A letter from Messrs.
Thompson, Finlay, and Co., requesting permission to store
957 bags of salt in the vaults of the Stanley Warehouses,
was referred to the Warehouse Committee. Letters from
Messrs. Carver and Co., carriers, and from the agents of
the Duke of Bridgewater's trustees, asking for additional
quay room, were referred to the same committee. A letter
was read from Mr. Gowan, the law-clerk of the Health
Committee, stating that upon condition that the Dock
Committee would bear the expense of placing the new
roadway at Wapping Dock in repair, they (the Health
Committee) would adopt the road. On t:.ig understanding
that the expense would not exceed 370, this was agreed
to. There was no other important business befoKe tie
orcunittee.