The Liverpool Standard, and General Advertiser. — 1854-10-24 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

LALTNCHES. •  THE paddle-steamer the Pamper:), for the South American Steam Navigation Company, intended for the branch service between Rio and the River Plate, at present performed by the La Plata, was to have beenilaunched from Mr. Laird's yard, at Birkenhead, on Saturday. Every preparation was made ; she was named by Madame Coulette, wife of M. Goulette, of Paris, (of the Compagnie des Messageries Imperiale,) and started on her "passage," but just before reaching the water, she gradually stopped, through the ground having given way at a place under her landing blocks. But she sat as firmly in her cradle as if the daggers had not been struck down, and did not sustain the slightest injury. We understand that the launch will be made in two or three days. The Pampero is 200 feet long, 25 feet beam, and 16 feet depth of hold, and will accommodate sixty first-class passengers in an elegant saloon aft, besides a large number of second-class passengers in a commodious cabin forward. Her engines have been made by Messrs. Humphreys, Tennant, and Dyke, of Woolwich, and besides being a very handsome, she will be a very fast boat. This company have sold their two smaller vessels, the Braziliera and Lusitania, to the Compagnie des Messageries Imperiale of France, for whom Mr. Laird is also building another fine vessel of 1,300 tons and 250-horse-power, to be called the Jordan. The Braziliera is now in port, and the Lusitania will be handed over to her purchases on arrival here in a few days. Yesterday (Monday) a finely-modelled boat called the Tapajoz, the property of the River Amazon Steam Navigation Company, was launched from the building-yard of Mr. John Laird at the Dingle. The Tapajoz is 210 feet long, 27 feet beam, and 780 tons measurement. She is to have engines of 200-horse-power, by Messrs. Fawcett, Preston, and Co.; her wheels are to be fitted with feathering floats ; and as she will, when loaded, have a draft of only seven feet, she is expected to steam very fast. She will have accommodation for a large number of passengers in cabins on the American plan of deck-houses, efficient ventilation being secured by side windows. The Tapajoz will be one of the pioneers of steam navigation on the Amazon, and she will, no doubt, bear A conspicuous part in extending our intercourse with those scarcely-known regions of wealth on the banks of that magnificent river, and in furthering the progress of civilisation into those parts of the world.  SIIICIDH AT HIGICHIC TBAlMBRlL—Yesterday morning, the inhabitants of Higher Tranmere were alarmed by a report that a murder had been committed in the neighbourhood. On inquiry it appeared that Mr. Hughes, carrying on business in Liverpool as watchmaker, had been found in his bed-room, Mersey-view, with his throat cut, and a razor lying by his side. The position of the body, however, and the nature of the woundk leave no doubt that the unfortunate man bad committed selfdestruction. Information was at once conveyed to Mr. Churton, the coroner, and an inquest will be held, on the body to-day.  ]NriocK Aucxioic. On Tuesday, James Hill, a lint manufacturer, of Cazneau-street entered a notorious mink auction-room in Paradise-street, kept by Bernard MacMahon, and was soon " done" out of a silver watch and 10s. for which he received a " gold " watch not worth a sovereign. On finding that he had been duped, he gaveMacMahon into custody on Friday night, but as the case was not sufficient to warrant his detention, Mr. Clough discharged him. Shortly afterwards, Hill and three detectives were walking in Paradise-street, when MacMahon came up to them and lifted up his fist to strike Hill, but was prevented by the officers. He was charged at the Police-court, on Saturday, with the assault, and fined £5, or two months' imprisonment. Too