very low and dangerous. Several accidents ng occurred, the then coroner for the Stockport sion threatened to indict the custodians of the ge for allowing it to remain in such a delapidated ition. The consequence was, in 1847, it was ned about four feet, and faced with stones, and into a good thoroughfare. Good stone parapets ect the wayfarer on his road. The span of the is something like seventy-two feet, and the at twenty-one feet six inches from the water, a roadway twenty-eight feet six inches, includ ootpaths on each side. The old circular culverts ch side of the bridge have been preserved. They intended as a protection from injury by a sudden g of the Mersey. This desirable improvement was much required, and has proved a great boon to the bourhood. The shop at the corner has been occuby members of the family of Mr Brooks for a derable period, almost without interruption, as ar and provision dealer's shop. On the opposite of the road, at the corner, stands a branch of the port Sunday School, which, from its appearance, y be fairly inferred it was one of the early hes of that establishment. On the road leading O Holly Wood stands the Brinksway Temperance erected in 1850. It is a goed substantial brick ing, capable of accommodating a large audience, 3 very useful to the neighbourhood. Just above lace, at the edge of the wood, a brutal murder perpetrated on the 12th of August, 1825. rett Trevor was found at the bottom of Holly in a state of insensibility, and she died from the es she received. An inquest was held by the er, Mr J. Hollins, when a most shocking revela. Fas made, and this foul deed may be classed gst the annals of barbarism. She was a little n, of peaceable and harmless manners, fifty years 2, and was greatly esteemed by her employers. witnesses appeared against the man, who afterconfessed he had done the deed, but he was ted, and died in Ireland. A little further on is old mill, which was occupied in my early days oth, Middleton, and Co., in conjunction with To these preope Hill Mill, in Heaton Norris. water power is attached in addition to the engine, but the use of water power has been disued for a considerable time. This mill was after occupied by Mr Thomas Hunt, until his re. to Spring Mount Mill. Opposite, on the high of rock, there formerly stood two very old res, the heavy thatched roof and black and white front, with small diamond-paned lead windows, looked very picturesque. These have passed away years ago. One of them was occupied a few years by Mr Luke Watters until he went to superintend the school on Cheadle Heath, erected by Captain Newton. Passing the entrance which leads up to the residence of W. L. Eskrigge, Esq., situated on the top of the high ridge of rock, through which is the highway to Cheadle, we find cut in the rock 1821, which gives us the date when this road was levelled, widened, and improved. In the broad light of day scenes of picturesque beauty are visible, but on a dark night before lamps were placed there the scene was weird indeed, when the air was filled with the dense, unhealthy fogs arising from the river, which make the night ghostly, enhanced by the dismal roar of the water as it falls over the weir below. On the right hand side is a small cottage, and near it a gateway in the rock which leads to a cottage which stands on the banks of the river, which looks exceedingly picturesque from the road on the opposite bank of the river. Standing on the road just named, a wide and extended prospect presents itself. On the extreme right is Travis Brook Mill and Christ Church, a beautiful landscape, consisting of arable and pastures, with wood and water diversifying the scene, and on the left the spire of St. John's Church, Heaton Mersey. My attention is arrested by a hollow, or cavern, cut out of the solid rock, some eight yards long by four yards wide, light being admitted by two large apertures, forming a window and doorway. Attached to the house beforenamed is another cavern about seven yards long and of irregular width, which is used as a kitchen, the back premises being on a ledge of rock high up from the sluggish river blow; on one side is a high wall of rock, near which the highway passes. Emerging again into the highway is Spring Mill. The original building was used as a print works and bleaching establishment. I propose to add a few remarks respecting these premises in a future communication. E. H. DISLEY KIRK. (os 16,761. Feb. 11, March 24 ) [774.] On turning to my note-book, I find "W. N.” is right. "Norcliffe" should in both instances read "Quarry Bank," a mistake owing to my writing from memory. I visited the cave (on one occasion) in July, 1871, with an old resident, who gave me some particulars respecting old Morrell and his family; and who mentioned that the other cave had also been tenanted. There is, however, no evidence that Disley Kirk was ever occupied by anyone named Disley, excepting tradition; but the name Kirk points to some ecclesiastical use or building in the neighbourhood. "W. N." has, I presume, noticed Finney's account, given in No. 198. ALFRED BURTON. PNEUMATIC CLOCKS.--A paper on the "Distribution of Time by a System of Pneumatic Clocks" was read before the Society of Arts by Mr. J. A. Berly. The system advocated-the Popp Resch system-is in use in Paris, where twenty miles of main pneumatic tubes, and 137 of branches, are laid in the sewers and communicate with 720 houses for the regulation of the clocks by means of compressed air forced through the tubes by steam power. The Compagnie Générale des Horologes Pneumatiques supply suitable clocks with all the apparatus and communication necessary for maintaining automatically uniform and correct time in all the clocks in large establis. ments, the public clocks of towns, churches, and so forth. The municipality of Paris kave entered into a contract with the company for fifty years to distribute time through the public clocks of that city. The cost in private houses is from a farthing to a halfpenny per clock per day. Twenty clocks were fixed on the walls of the lecture hall, fitted with pneumatic tubing served by a forcing-pump, and during the two hours of the meeting the pointers of the whole twenty maintained absolute uniformity. The hall was well lighted with electric lamps, and a photograph of the assembly was taken in that light. Lord Alfred S Churchill, the chairman of the evening, spoke highly of the system propounded in the paper. He hoped to see it adopted in London, though this city was placed at a disadvantage as compared with Paris, with her vast sewers and her better form of municipal government. Mr. Jones, of the City, admitted that the pneumatic system might have some advantages over the vagaries of time regulation by electricity. NEWFOUNDLAND.-As Engianu's vices colony. Newfoundland is worthy of notice. Discovered the reign of Henry VII., and incorporated with the realm during the time of Elizabeth, its history is replete with curious facts and abounds in instances which illustrate the difficulties which are to be contended against in the colonization of a new district. According to the accounts left by those who were among the first to visit the new acquisition, the land was fruitful, the fishing wonderfully fine, and the presence of mineral ores which were discovered in the soil promised much for the subsequent prosperity and wealth of the country island. A railway in the interior, a system of general education, and other modernizing modifications have been successfully introduced. As regards its mineral wealth Newfoundland now occupies the sixth place in the list of copper-producing regions, and other minerals, such as gold, silver, nickel, lead and iron ore are found in moderate quantities. The fisheries are, however, the important piec SATURDAY, APRIL 15TH, 1882. Notes. STOCKPORT POETS. [775] The Chester Chronicle for 1816, 1817, and 1818 contains numerous specimens of local poetry from the pens of William Clegg, Joseph Peel, John Leech, "T.C.," "Clio," &c. The following are by William Clegg, and appeared in the Chronicle on the 13th December, 1816; 6th June, 1817; 8th August, 1817; and 15th May, 1818. ALFRED BURTON. ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS, To tune ul souls who claim the right. What time through Scorpio passed the sun And dar'd the bo d emprize; By typographic art; Still may the effort- o his press From taction still exempt, By moral truta controll'd: 3 bis th ught shall animate my frame In memory he libations pour'd Stockport, November 6, 1816. THE FLOWERET. In May's sweet morn, when o'er the fields bright sol Bath thrown his beans; oft have I mark'd the floweret Blooming, amidst its gay e mpanions wild; Ero noon its liveliness hath droop'd and fall'n; Those glowing tints, which late so brigh y shone, To such vicissitude-reverse thus sudden- In some! the morn of life the towering hopes, THE PLACKBIRD'S DEATH. Poor bird! I mourn thy fate precipitate, Of yon' towering oak, thy wild song fill'd the wood; WITTEN ON THE BANKS OF THE MERSEY. flow'rets bright tints, and the varied no es, chirm as, Which now on its banks greet the eye and the ea.. thus o'er the scere my raptured sight ranges, And early endearments fond mem'ry recalls; mo-vin 10 picture, the pride of the Ganges, The Nile, Rhine, or Danube, th ir surces or fall; Mersey's lov'd borders, my joys have all center'd; ts banks, too, have witness'd a pert of my woes; as nere, on the business of life, I first enter'd, Then wearied, my mind hath oft here found repo e! at numbers in youth's carly morn have delighted, o gather the rimrose, or daffodil gay; the chill cares of manhood their adour had blighted, r hope's fairy v.sions hot faded away; at numbers seen laun h'd on life's oc on to perish, Forne through the dread gale ou adversity's wing, the heart well direc ed this maxim may cherish, Though EARTH WERE ALL WINTER, HAVEN WILL BE ALL SPRING! ilst oft as the sun o'er yon eastern hil! beaming, o ages far distat this seison lenews; the verse loving mortai gay nature esteeming, f moral improvements, O still may he tel! THE STORM AT MACCLESFIELD IN 1839. [6.] A pamphlet was published in 1839, by ander Strachan, giving an account of the burstof a reservoir at Macclesfield, on the 7th of ary in that year, from which the following exs have been selected:-"On Monday, January 7, - a hurricane of unusual violence and duration ed over the length and breadth of the United dom, and produced an extended scene of terror, misery, and death. This tremendous visitation commenced in the dead of the night, and was not marked by those atmospheric appearances which generally indicate an approaching storm. The wind rose suddenly and blew in furious gusts of a few minutes continuance, with short intervals of comparative calm, that made the gusts appear more terrific; trees, which had maintained their position in defiance of the elements for two centuries, were torn up by the roots; and solid masses of stone-work which had resisted the storms of January 1st, 1802, and December 5, 1822, were swept from their foundations. As the morning advanced the effects of the tempest became more and more apparent, the population of those cities and towns upon which it had exerted its greatest force were filled with consternation and dismay. The City of Dublin looked like a sacked city." Upwards of 400 persons were killed in Ireland; in a few hours in England 240 lives were lost on land by the falling of buildings and other causes; and 154 drowned in ports and rivers, thus making an aggregate of 799 persons, and to these may be added those who perished at Macclesfield. No doubt other deaths occurred, bringing up the total to 1,000 persons. "It may be necessary to inform the reader," says the writer," that at the south end of the town, and elevated considerably above it, there is an extensive reservoir, used chiefly to supply the works of Messrs Wood and Sutton. About five o'clock on Monday morning, January 7th, the pressure upon the embankment of this reservoir became irresistable, and a large portion of it fell, when the water rushed down in the direction of the houses below, with inconceivable power and velocity. A stone wall, which was eight feet high, and stood between the reservoir and Manifold's buildings, was instantly thrown down, and the mighty cascade descended upon these buildings, which entered by the doors and windows, and carried off from the lower apartments all that was moveable -furniture, fuel, clothes, and provisions, and, in short, almost everything which the poor people possessed. The great body of the water crossed Dukestreet into Cross-street and Mill-lane, and reached the River Bollin, which washes the east side of the town at different points. Ruth Oakes and Thomas Armitt were drowned in their houses, and a fine boy, ten years of age, was borne away by the stream a distance of four miles, where his body remained undiscovered for thirteen days. Many were severely bruised, others had been immersed to the neck in water, and all had been subjected for hours to great distress of mind, arising from the fear of instant death to themselves and families. There is reason to believe that in not a few cases a foundation has been laid for lingering or permanent disease, which medicine and benevolence together may fail to remove. The striking incidents and hair-brealth escapes which occurred were numerous and truly wonderful." This was fully borne out by the revelations made at the coroner's inquests. "The scene after the water had subsided can hardly be described," says the writer, "and graphic and thrilling incidents are related concerning the search for friends and relatives, supposed to be drowned or carried away. A deeper or more extensive wretchedness has never been witnessed or experienced in Macclesfield, and it will be many weeks before anything like comfort can re-appear in many of the desolated cottages." E. H. A SKETCH OF THE SCENERY IN THE VICINTY OF MACCLESFIELD. [777.] An old history of this town has been presented to me, which is imperfect, but the date of publication will be about 1810. From it I extract the following:-"The first we shall notice is a prospective view of the town from near Crompton-street, Park Lane, which shows it to infinite advantage. Advancing about two miles, as far as Gawsworth, you will be highly delighted with Mr Hammond's tea gardens. These gardens, though small, do great credit to the owner in his skilful taste of miniaturing different places in foreign climes. They are much resorted to in the summer season by the gay and fashionable from the adjacent towns. On your right hand, as you leave Gawsworth for Macclesfield, the park and hall belonging to John Ryle, Esq., are somepleasing, the building good, and the walks in the park well laid out. The hill overlooking Daisy Bank commands many prospects, such as the stranger would be entertained with. Higher and Lower Beach Halls are pleasantly situated. Opposite the former, the fieldway for Bollington is grand. The majesty and swelling eminences in front convey to the mind a pleasing sensation of the wonderful works of God. The scene is transparent, noble and fine; the valley rich and well clothed with verdure. Still advancing, ere long, you will be near the top of the ridge which parts Bollington and Rainow. At the summit you will find, erected by the late Mr Gaskell, a round building clothed in white, called Northern Nancy. This hill, informants say, takes its name Key-ridge, as it opens at once a rich rural retreat. Standing here on a fine day, and the sky clear, you may discover the towns of Stockport and Manchester very dis tinctly with the naked eye, and a number of ge men's seats in the lower part of Cheshire. At ti the river Mersey at Runcorn has been observi though at a distance of not less than 25 miles fro hence." E E CURIOUS EPITAPHS. [778.] In the following will be found some curious epitaphs and monumental inscriptions, wi may further interest churchyard gleaners:On an Ugly Old Maid. This maid no elegance of form possess'd, On a Cobbler. Death at a cobbler's door oft made a stand. Adorn'd with ti les, but from virtue greit, On Cowper, the Poet. On Edward Hirblan, a Cornish Attorney. It is worth remarking that the poet was starving while his Prince, Charles II., always carried a Hudibras in his pocket. On a Footman. Ts nimble footman ran away from death, St. Peter's, Canterbury. In memory of the Snellings, nan and wife. In this co'd bed, here consummated, are Whom envions death once parted, but in vain, That they that were oue flesh should be one dust. Dear soul! she suddenly was snatch'd away, She was a loving mother and a virtuous wife, We h re on earth do fade as do the flowers; She was alive and well and dead within three hours. Beddington, Surrey. On Francis Applebee. J. G. Wilmslow. In memory of Edward Ward, Here lies one who strove to equal ime, Time stopped his motion, o'erthrew his b lance wheel, [780.] Brinksway Bleachworks has been handed Own to posterity as a matter of historic and scienfic interest. In 1842 these premises were occupied Mr Lemuel W. Wright and Isaac N. Hopkins, Esq., Birmingham. Here a patent apparatus for bleachg was invented and put into operation, and having lly tested its merits they drew the attention of all terested in bleaching either linen or cotton goods, any description of fibrous substances; possessing, it did, great advantages over the methods then ployed, lessening the expense, and at the same time reducing work equal, if not superior, to the very est in the market. It appears this patent consisted of 66 an improved method of boiling, abridging very materially both time, labour, and materials consumed and is applicable to every kind of linen and cotton manufactures; whether yarn or piece goods, light or heavy, of the most delicate texture, or the strongest fabric, paper maker's materials, coloured rags, &c. In order that parties may judge of its capabilities, and with a view to excite further inquiry, it may be stated that a saving of from 55 to 65 per cent. on linens, and 25 on cottons, is affected by the use of the patent apparatus. Cottons require but one boiling, linens in no case more than two, and as it can be shown that seven days is as much time as is needed for bleaching and finishing any description of the latter goods, the great saving necessarily effected (by no means overstated) must be self-evident to every person at all conversant with the subject. Added to which, the strength of the goods is retained, as much unimpaired as possible by the most careful method of grass bleaching. For linens, for printings, it is peculiarly advantageous, as they are so prepared as to print as as easily as cotton goods. Having these facts before them the proprietors feel justified in inviting inquiry, and are very desirous of affording any information." The circular of the patentees concludes, "the apparatus is now at full work at the Brinksway Bleachworks," and is dated January, 1842. The premises have been considerably altered since 1835, when I remember, through a friend, I, with some of my brothers and sisters and a friend, were permitted, as a great favour, to go through the works. At that time bleaching with chlorine and the chloride of lime was just coming in vogue in lieu of the tiresome process of grass bleaching, which took weeks to accomplish. The back part of the premises remain, I understand, much as they were, but the front has been taken down and rebuilt. It was two or three stories high, and in the centre was a large gateway, the gates having iron spikes on the top, through which admission was gained to the building. Being then very young, I have a very indistinct recollection of what I saw. In 1846 I find the premises had been occupied by Messrs Rowbotham and Kenworthy, as calico printers, but they became bankrupt, and their effects were sold by auction by Mr J. W. Shaw, on the 5th of February, 1846. They also carried on the business of bleachers and dyers. The premises must have been extensive, as about 14 rooms are mentioned in the catalogue. In addition to this there would be stables, &c., and an extensive yard known as Reservoir Banks. In March, 1846, the steam boiler, bowking kiers, dash wheels, drying machine, and other articles were sol |