The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1850-10-29 00:00:00

IS S S I Ilnif3/' 2 ., 1850. {ea ti ne - ' la ltic7 stri?e,;i: :50 fl ow. ao reaii ri gn • iaeu s a re " •an - l eo serf at all; )s 5 ro" SP"if :age' 1. I t is a r e e )111 0 , rt i f or O: ilab` e 'll ' ros ° a ' el egy . k 811 ' 1 5beg 513° t8 05 (151' „tte-t cl'e .o- .- 7, 3 ad t9 in d itiowe ' ThoorPri-db fed to Seeoo 'n 00 00. 0' 11 , ros e Cbins Cr s° ' t at t , is ers o°` l o, l ll ' 'Pa ll- .. tr e ba ce deof LiD to blO to 508 y o oee 0 , 0 f tot et °f t i ts and bar gr r t e o 0 ear .... , 1 ;11et i4( ; 11 0 a s b:4o to t I ' ollll° {l SC e lifg to t ,nd 0 9 e v Ce' ,e Of' t o hic k a ;co' ;a loo f I , of ! t r i e d 0 0 110 0 '110 ro :„ ries so oig b OP a the ▪ t ic& 1 mod' , ingl• v,. ISO' f U ' ,kel ° 0 16 lot ill tO lir 13 °IP' 0 1 . 4 dr J is ou co 2, S' 1 In ig btfe. 4 l, the re re to 0, ;tuher°lls C ORRESPONDENCE. 11T 1%! -40- LIVERPOOL MAY BE IMPROVED, AND tIIE L ED BoN D DEBT AT THE SAME TIME LIQUIDATED. t 0 7 ,„ "I? EDITOR OP THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. co t t a i .fully concur in the justice of the strictures,. tosst ie n t l I° your last publication, upon the injudicious ro tho __,n which for some years past, the income . of our leap . e tate has been diverted from legitimate and a dea c ,i,„", etel purposes to he expended upon works of Posh i ren and costliness only justifiable upon the sup beee „" that every pressing want of the communit had tardi n oesly att en d e d to. I agree with you also in re peat t z , tue i mprovement of our streets, the widening of ks it olizhfares the opening out of ventilating shafts, eetis e i wer e , fro m t h e river and the outskirts through the Of wY-ec.rowded p or ti ons of the town, t h e construction eSsnci ttr , 'I-arranged system of sewerage, and other works (1 00 °f ive t o the salubrity of the locality, as the descrie s he useful and needful undertakings, which . ought, in ' t tic al ril lnst anee, to have engaged the attention of our f e - " tB ' A.B matters have been regulated, however, the c,°' Improvements which have been undertaken by ithiisaoration have been botched for want of means cr ; t hem 4" losta, the opportunity of mak_-, (acooeltbeen for ever. So long ago as 1843 Mr. Nti ef li tdine, in a paper read by him at the Polytechnic the s Y, 'Peaking of the widening of the approach, from ,silth, st. George's Hall, remarked— tlteti Will b e approached from Ranelagh-place by a street of l'kiaYet•-•us br oad. U Uniformity of elevation will be the o a of the new n edifices to be . erected on the west • th e Is to be thrown back ; but with a slight alteration li" l horir at side, to ease the obtuse angle at the bottom of ‘44 l , tit -str eet I re gret to add that, although the Act of Par -1:„11 l,"tk v es Power to alter the elevations on that side, we are ...74thie,ie Finance Committee that the funds are wanting ; Ztiltp,rovernent will be, so far as complete, n on e e r szle j:oree '-'40114 6 handsome appearance, the other re d N the contrast." tijcteirttale self-compelled parsimony on the part of the o' ft :es no doubt interfered to prevent other streets 1-, M PIe, Dale-street and Tithebarn-street. 7idene ad s-'°,Poration at a great expense—havingh '"tlc,'°il the site of the old property removed, buildings o t4 ° I the tow ( ~;`Mdi', ° it', there 'l l another circumstance, which now tt.,N".a u. fearful barrier s between the Council and the e r n t of any measure of material advantage to the sn Et 4hl at all events, of any measure involving cori. i t l e 'llz e ol7fPenditure. Our rulers have gone on, thus ar, N:mulct at every step of their progressan intelirkeesta .debt, the annual charge of which bangs t, wtlr ha:; l2 ht upon our backs ; and has placed any hope of i p t'llii i n g a surplus, large enough to enable us to enter hav e e i e xecution of such improvements as those which •l e tt „'anced at, beyond our grasp, probably for years t „`'Dti t ,;'• Prudent men are becoming startled at the ef this debt — not, however, from any fear of the t,""titi of the securityat present, for that is perfectly but with a prospective glance at the he Pu ture blic are beginning to regard with a jealous f 4 l, e 'eas "Y neW project of the Council, which threatens to i . li een e the dead weight, in the shape of interest, upon t ^ . 1 410 -411 e of the Corporate Estate, and thus further to h "stedla the period when a larger surplus may be ex ;,`,°„_he improving, relieving the burthens of the , `llep rrs, or cut of its own resources, the t kas: condition of the town. The same cause—an in eently ?efdth,e interest -bearing debt of the estate—has re l'tes the nuhlie to protest against the carrying out, t o ' e t. of the proposed new orkshas even L''lat serious mootin of the q uestionq—" Is the Dock 0, 1 (.1% ) ;', 1 "ent ?" In the case of neither bodies ought any 1,:0 ° ,7‘ ,to exist • and in fact, that it does not exist to D o „ . L en al extent' is apparent from the fact that both . ~"°0) Com mittee and the Corporation have at this t7a grit More mone tendered them on loan than they uP, or r q y ire . Still, when the interest upon i7 ) 4 , 4 4b rr° wed for u ani work is an ascertained and per ".a"ge whilst the return for the investment is t to ext t4s e ent speculative, a strict and very proper aTit a ch a - - de t .„ ° _,er the proceedings of our public bodies is t `" which, equally with the want•of actual available t Oit l e r 9 t he Puroe, arising out of existing power . s an h l lst r „', may leads to omissions and shortcomings in the 'l4 3 1 iGn of important and necessary wcrks, which in it is may live to regret t o mpri e oc',,euestion of the burthen . of interest upon the k •' we corporate estate, with which I propose now bNs.., We are in urgent want of very many improve tail s4 uatory and otherwise. Is there any safe them , which these can be carried out, and own il)ie,eas regards its salubrity, the excellence and solidity l f h„-`4stifile buildings. and the number of its educations , ;",titi e „ e, and other establishments, to the elevated bA 'te 4 ;' which we should all wish to see it attain, with- IkNah sa ' l lng upon the local revenue an immediate and "Lent burthen, in the shape of interest upon the ", h tei , pended in the carrying out of these objects ? 07'1)ci r 't sir, that there is such a mode by which t . he f lin c it tl 9n of Liverpool may be placed in the possession k , 11 , 1 ' th e ' 'or true carrying out of any useful improvements, \,lt4ailtr, con tion of any remunerative works, without ?e s '' Presently or ultimately, a shilling of cost to the s es 9l,r or ratepayers of the town. 1 0 N, PPosal, si r , amoun ts, in reality, to this and little a change in the mode of borrowing money TlrCrN ° rPoration. At present that body obtains the est 4 kiy"lred for the construction of any works i beyond r edePPenditure by issuing its bonds, bearing inter )o able or if wished, renewable in five years. I V ll cl that /4;1 it ;hall issue, instead of bonds, notes of one It r,ituvards, at twelve months date' and I not e b e e f at after in e p ay ,, S ueh notes to be received at any tV , and to Tent of rates, renrs, &c., to the Corpora ty, re et „_.?e re-issuable by them up to the period of th h eir 0 ; 11 tY, in payment cf wages and other liabilities se ct !aeri e ." servants and tradesmen. Such notes would 11 1 ,'`lity : 41 the unctions of a local currency ; and their m money would be undeniable, not only from fo . t s° ,l 4 to ' o t l h g e tb fa e c e t - n t t' a re t Corporate eia Estate at their back, but issued strictly in payment 4/lvt its e, M aterials, Bc , c., eve g ry separate note would repre lah'eur,.wn amount of value added to that estate. tti,.4l'seifleaders will by this time have perceived, as you iehuaye doubtless done from the commencement of b, op ,ter. that the course which T recommend is the ola ° l , d ''); the Corporation of the time currency system,. I t bee n e c in your columns by Mr. W. Bancks, and whiclit th cm several occasions ably advocated by yours t el t . u tte o , at the leading principles and advantages of ha W t e l i ve been already sufficiently made . public; and I tN u nderstood, by all who feel an interest in the tit oil 4 1 t8 to require no further explanation at my hands. port to erefore content myself with giving a few illus. to Es What what would have been the position of the Cord -1114 w t a% ta te had the system been adopted years ago, an tne advantages which it promises if adopted Nt h j.f7 e Zdenz • ng of Dale street was effected say twenty V I% "I assume that as the date an for convenience, is l',etttea not c er t a i n as to its precise accuracy—at ort o lcoat of £lOO,OOO. The money we may assume d N' t ,, t ked " a d at 4 per cent. We have, therefore, had tit tt's interest upon that sum since it was first bor 441:titete:tiarge amount of £BO,OOO, or, allowing for loss I ealt 9n payments. muc W . Wlth in two ways, vi more, which we might z. : Le th; L 'night, with the £4,000 paid yearly in interest ih" oo ndholder, have cancelled £4,000 in notes, l'ettVreference, might have capitalised the amount, W ay ; and as the reduction of the debt in the latter !:ttehwould have been achieved upon the principle of .441;4111.1d interest, £BO,OOO of the debt would have `,,hd t P4 'd off in the first sixteen or seventeen years,. t °l ll•R t r emaining £20,000 would have been in rapid tueth-:"of bing liquidated. We should thus have uti e s "e , n e t few years' time, to add £4,000 a-year IPrPlus income. Or, 4 's a irate h ex ended this money, thrown v in g ave P • ents thus kvioz rest, upon further improvem _ Ott t ° the estate the charge for money bprrowed a stt ee t PorPose; or we might have devoted it to the It°nllll4'4 of useful and remunerative works. For ex e, it would have more than sufficed for the erec -001 b aths and washhouses in every ward of the ~4 v e Which, being paying establishments, would Verpot(mstituted a clear and large accession to the 1 1 '4 1 ; (, t ,,, a te estate. 11, 4 110 vv - fe ' s Hall and the New Law Courts have t ' , lout ten years in course of execution •, and t il l tN S ti t a l , s , P to this time, I believe, about £120,000. As t At er be ' h owever, has been extended over ten years, t 4 e,l'res'lmed nearly equably, the amount paying t ST,o6i ll . l itil„.,lY .. for that period may be fairly put down h -I'.his gives £2,400 per annum , . which we I,Ne et ed ' a Yttig for ten years for a building not yet ns f 4 never expected to yield a revenue ; or it 1`1,. 4 s otn of £24,000 to be added to its cost, as th ° ntwhich might have been saved by the 1() ° of the time-currency system, would more hive c ompleted the southern approach to the b e en Mr. Samuel Holme represents truly as ti l ve beee_co botched for want of funds. Or, it might t„e w e ," devoted to the cancelling of the notes, in Afte all) " described; and thus, at the end of AHdlllin h n al years more, we shol . ild havp had our tr,-„..Y complete, without its having cost a reti, n ow the burgesses. 1 ? k ray frwlialt!! respect to the advantages to resultilprvoesa thk:l4„terest.iLhe.adoption of this system. 1 11 el4t lr ße of7, a ,rnig debt at present contracted, e the n an a - .. "slat i„ w ntch pulls heavily upon the resources t Ott', `et “ c °rne. The increasing productiveness of it t i- o k t ollrZ e ver, enables us to meet it ; and notwith -11,!3 t Q oav e f,'allY subsidy to St. George's Hall, we c.0n 04. 1 ,, be j a ` small surplus fund. This annual subsidy, k io " ett il) ° o e j e : s Ped, Will cease to be required in a year or e , lv e rat e r the monster, which has swallowed up b t esy i ci a ‘,.enue so remorselessly, will be closed; it,tasl,44),it forward to an annual surplus of, say, in hey Wi ts,3o ,ooo. With such a surplus, , it may wo. C , t e it, esert to ally new borrowing at all . Why t : I S it arises, to such improvements, or i).:4„.rept,"enecessities of the community call for ? bo c , ` 4 e he is an honest and prudent man 14 P.44 ) , C1 V . of his prosperity, sets himself to . the k4 ),,,tll ll ,titi . t e t tlif s s, debtB and the Corporation of LP, er- Oht "tic needful a nd, at the same time, carry out every ti tt , th e s a re , Work within the borough. Say that e eo `ter ~v tU rnto s `fletermined upon to the extent only of )11 tI tI ttli ,i ' ll ont ? a d will cover, and we cannot go much lias is tt °l . n g to Parliament : the course which . I k, t Pre iss ue notes of the Corporation for the ti t aY, e gress es te t n ee (pl a t t , the total amount for the first year 'sil:ticeivel.bh,ovi:vetrhe£3o,ooo surplus . income. There the Corporation for such restriction. These notes tk 4 tir k il th e f , whe., toeration for . rents, rates, &c., are P I N i ull ar maturity, replaced by . notes t eti at the end o 4 4 - 4 4 .tnonths to run, thus keeping . the 44 10 : t u t , . w iLa e ti f the year. Thirty Pro a f r " of work has thus beend one, or l' e ttY acquired or created ; and the thirty thousand pounds surplus is left intact. With this I would pay off thirty thousand pounds' worth of interest bearing bonds. But it will be asked, perhaps, by some one who is not in the habit of pausing to think—" You have only cancelled one debt to contract another by your operation." Well, this alone, I reply, is of itself a gain ; for I have replaced an interest-bearing debt with one which bears no interest, and the security for, or symbolic representation of which, circulated amongst the commu nity, answers the purpose of money for most of the ordi nary purposes of society. But, I add, I have done more than this. Without increasing the obligations of the Cor poration one shilling, I have added thirty thousand pounds' worth of value to the public estate! Still more than this I have effected by the operation ; I have distri buted thirty thousand pounds of actual value amongst the industrious and trading classes of the town. Pursuing the system, in ten years the following would be the result : There would have been expunged of interest bearing bonds Add interest on such bonds, saved, or devoted to further cancelling .. Making a total of about • .. 360,000 of debt reduced, the annual interest of which, at 4 per cent., £14,000, would stand at the credit of the estate, and increase the available surplus to £44,400. Pursue the working of the system further, and it will be seen that the liquidating process will become still more rapid. But, it may be asked, have you during these ten years been issuing your twelve-months' notes to the extent of repayment of interest-bearing bonds ? I answer, " Yes — if works of a useful or necessary character have been re quired ; No—if they were not so required." Take the first supposition. Say that £300,000 pounds' worth of time notes are in circulation at the end of ten years. So far as the question of debt goes we shall have accom plished by the £300,000 issue the liquidation of £360,000. We have also substituted a debt bearing no interest, for one the interest of which would now have been £14,400; we have expended in labour, and thrown into the channels of trade, £300,000, and added that amount to the value of the public estate. But more than this : the works which have thus been constructed are many of them remunera tive. Say that they return only 24 per cent upon the outlay, we are thereby placed in the receipt of an addi tional income of £15,000 per annum, which may be de voted either to the more rapid liquidation of the bonded debt, or to the cancelling of the notes themselves. By the time that ten years rave expired, however, we are greatly inclined to think that the public will be disposed to prefer infinitely the former course. I pause here, sir, staggered, I must confess, at the splendid results which must follow the adoption of this system, even to the paltry extent of an issue of £30,000 per annum, extended over a period of ten years. These results would be, at the end of ten years, the bonded debt reduced by £360,000; improvements and useful works created to the extent of £300,000 • and a surplus revenue of, in round numbers , nearly £60,000 per annum. What could prevent Liverpool becoming, under the operation of such a system, what you yourself, sir, predicted her be becoming—" a city of palaces ?" I am perfectly prepared for some carping objections to the system. lam prepared to be called myself a dreamer of wild dreams, or any other name with which the world may favour me. In the language of the dramatist, how ever, I say, " Strike, but hear !" To our local rulers es pecially I say, weigh the system ; examine its working ; test it by the rules of arithmetic; test it by the rules of political economy, or of monetary science ! It will stand all your tests, and come out of the fire unscathed. A few little difficulties of detail there may exist; a few preju dices may require to be soothed down. But these are mere anthills thrown up in the path of the locomotive ; mere straws thrown against the wind, if men of resolution and intellect will only devote themselves to the task of overcoming them ; and thus realise for this great com munity, and for other communities, the vast advantages with which the system itself is so palpably fraught. Apologising v for the length at which I have trespassed upon your columns, I am, sir, your obedient servant. ALPHA. Liverpool, 26th Oct. 1850. THE CONTROVERSY BETWEEN ARCHDEACON WILBERFORCE AND DR. M`NEILE. TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. SIR,—I read in The Times of this day Archdeacon Wilberforce's reply to Dr. M'Neile's last letter on the Royal supremacy in Church matters. It was with regret I saw that the London Standard had refused to insert it. The plan adopted by yourself is much the fairer one, inasmuch as both sides of the question are given, so that the public may read and judge for themselves. The Archdeacon is evidently ill at ease, for instead of defending himself he has recourse to the old system of abuse, and revives the old cry of the " woman Jezebel " against Dr. M`Neile, as though he believed that the Rev. Doctor intended to apply the term to our beloved Queen. Does the Ven. Archdeacon really believe such to be the case ? or is there a man professing Protestantism, and with any knowledge of the Romish controversy, that for one moment could imagine he ever intended the expres sion for her Majesty ? Surely not. It was made a con venient handle by the late Mr. O'Connell, who tortured the expression into a meaning to suit his purpose, which was to crush an inconvenient religious and political oppo nent ; but the thing is rather exploded now, and cannot be well revived, nor ever would have been revived but that the Archdeacon's cause is so rotten that he makes use of this lame prop to support it. The Archdeacon (whether willingly or not I won't say) misinterprets Dr. M'Neile's pririciples. For instance, he tries to prove the Doctor's inconsistency in this matter by his conduct in opposing Roman Catholic emancipation and the Maynooth grant. But surely in this he exercised his undoubted right. Before opposing these measures, he never subscribed to any declaration approving of them ; but Archdeacon Wilberforce does subscribe to a law in Church matters, then condemns that law, says it is against the law of Christ, and has such a convenient conscience that. in opposition to his own convictions, he remains in the Establishment, and, I suppose, receives the emolu ments. If, before becoming a clergyman of the Church of England, it was necessary for Dr.M`Neile to subscribe to and approve of a grant to Maynooth, it would ill be . come him to afterwards disapprove of and oppose such a measure, and remain a minister of the Establishment. But has he done so ? Clearly not. _ The last paragraph of the Archdeacon's letter I don't understand. Whare has Dr. M`Neile said the Queen was the final expositor of God's revealed law ? But Iso far agree with the Doctor that I thin& it would" be an abuse of language to call" all the visible members of the Church of England a spiritual body. How many members of it are tearful sinners !—alas, how many ! .......„,...._ . Allow me to express my high approval of your good Protestant paper, and remain, sir, your constant reader, R. D. Manchester, 24th October, 1850 ?Loral p.rius. Mr. Alderman Molyneux has not resigned his municipal dign.ty. _ _ _ _ The . Spanish steam-frigate Caledonia sailed from Cadiz, on the 12th instant, for the Havana. Memorials are in course of signature praying the Coun cil of the National Reform Association to hold one of the great meetings in Liverpool. Sfi George Stephens has recently settled in this neigh bourhood, and intends to exercise his acknowledged talents as a member of the local bar. The county magistrates have decided upon establishing at once a mounted police force for the protection of the inhabitants of the outskirts during the winter months. EVERTON WARD. —Another meeting of Mr. Walthew's friends took place on Friday evening, when it was deter mined to use every effort to secure his return. GREAT GEORGE WARD.—Mr. W. Ashley Clayton has come forward in opposition to Mr. Harbord, who we hoped would have been returned unopposed. On Tuesday a little girl, named Johnson, living in Norfolk-street, died from injuries received from having spilled a quantity of scalding tea on her bosom. The cotton porter, named Frazer, in the employ of Glen and Anderson, who broke his thigh as stated in our last, died on Tuesday. _ _ _ A girl, named Gee, is in custody for concealment of the birth of an infant, which was found crying in the cesspool of her lodgings, 10, Cable-street, but subsequently died. It is proposed that an Eisteddfod in aid of the Welsh Charity School shall be held in Liverpool next spring. The chief poetical prize will be for the best poem on " Navigation." About sixty packages of gunpowder, containing not less than 2,000 lbs., and about half-a-dozen casks of rum, have been seized on board a coal-hulk, moored off the Magazines. A meeting of the Roscoe Club was held on Thursday, but nothing definite was resolved on. It was, however, resolved to appeal to some of the wealthy honorary mem bers with the view of reducing tho debt. _ _ - _ Mr. Tuton has provided 'accommodation for the late occupiers of the Pedlar's Market, by opening a com munication between Deane-street and Great Charlotte street. It is to be called the Royal Free Arcade. . The pupils of Miss Banbury's' school, Bedford-street, have presented Mr. W. Clark, professor of history and geography, with a richly bound copy of Milton's Poetical Works, together with a chaste papier macho portfolio. THE MARQUIS OF HASTINGS.—An address, nume rously signed by the clergy, gentry, and tradespeople of Castle Donington, has been forwarded to his lordship, congratulating him on his narrow escape from drowning at Liverpool on the 27th ultimo. On Friday. at the Sessions'-house, the following gen tlemen, nominated by the Shipowners' Association, were elected, by the registered shipowners, as members of the Liverpool Marine Board : namely, Charles Cotesworth, 315 votes ; John Palmer Younghushand, 299; James Bold, 229 ; William lmrie, 265 ; Joshua Prowse, 324 ; Francis Anderson Clint, 240. Fourteen other gentlemen were voted for in the course of the day. The Irish Priest and his flock, 1,200 in number, from Wicklow and Wexford, sailed for America last week. They carry out with them about £16,000, and the pas sage was obtained at only £2 16s. 6d. per head. They will settle at Arkansas, in th' valley of the Mississippi, where a site for a church and school will be chosen, and such as are possessed of means will purchase land around, and the rest will settle in the neighbourhood in hopes of being able to make similar purchases. A series of balloons, to which were attached the address cards of the host of the White Lion Hotel, Rhyl, were started from that establishment on Friday. One of those which were let off at two o'clock in the afternoon was picked up near Congleton at half-past three the same afternoon, having travelled a distance of seventy miles in one hour and twenty minutes ; and another, which took the direction of Hoylake, was found the stone evening about a mile beyond Aintree Racecourse.. TILVERPOWL, STANDARD. The American-builtisteam-ships havenotavailed them selves of the large Huskisson Lock to the south of San don Basin ; but it is expected they will; do; so on future occasions. The Atlantic would have gone into the lock on Thursday but for the lateness of her arrival: Memorials to the Council;.emanating from; the Cham ber of Commerce, in favor of the erection of an Emi grants' Home, and of lights and fires on board vessels in the docks, were placed yesterday for signature' in the Exchange News-room. They will no doubt be numer ously signed. The Royal Mail Steam-ship Africa left this port on Saturday at noon, on her first voyage across the Atlantic, under the command of Captain Lang. Large numbers of people were on the pierheads to witness this splendid vessel glide down the river. The Spanish steam-frigate Hibernia, late one of the Halifax squadron, left the Mersey, on Wednesday, for Cadiz, en route to join her sister ship the Caledonia in the mail service between Cadiz and Havana. The Hiber nia was rigged in the man-of-war style. CASTLE-STREET WARD.—Mr. John Smith met his friends on Wednesday evening, when he told them he was not a candidate, but left himself in their bands. The meeting resolved to return him, however, and the contest will be very close, as Mr. Holt's friends are using every effort to obtain a majority. The trustees have appointed the Rev. Drummond Anderson, late curate of St. Jude's Church, and at present Chaplain of the Workhouse, to the incumbency of St. Stephen's Chnrch, Crown• street, being the new church now erecting by the Edge-hill Church-building Associa tion. _ _ On Wednesday a shipsmith, named Singleton, in the employ of Messrs. Ashton and Ginn, Waterloo-road, hung himself during the night, whilst in a desponding state of mind, occasioned by fearing that he would be thrown out of employment in consequence of his employ ers relinquishing business. The United States mail steam-ship Atlantic, Captain West, sails hence, on her return to New York, to-morrow, with the usual mails. Her saloons are now entirely manned by, coloured servants ; the !descendants of Africa being more docile, agreeable, and useful to the passengers than white attendants. The Music-hall, Bold-street, was sold by auction on Tuesday, to Mr. James Robinson, for the sum of £6,900, at which price it is considered cheap. The Music-hall was first opened in 1786, when Handel's Messiah was performed. It has since been converted into shops, the upper portion being used for public meetings. COTTON CULTURE IN ANTIGUA.—A private letter, re ceived by a mercantile house in this town, dated Antigua, September 30th, states that some parties are there trying the experiment of growing cotton from New Orleans seed. Already two acres of land have been prepared for the purpose. A member of the congregation of St. Peter's Church, Rock Ferry, has presented to the Rev. T. F. Redhead, the respected incumbent of that Church, a beautifully carved lettern, which is on view at the manufactory of Messrs. Roberts, of Berry-street, to whose artistic skill it does great credit. GRAND MOVING MIRROR.—We learn that this beau tiful Exhibition will positively close this evening. Of the correct representation of the Falls of Niagara and the Mammoth Cave of Kentucky, there can be no doubt, as many residents of Liverpool have visited both, and have presented the proprietors of the Mirror with testi monials of their approbation. Early on the morning of the sth instant, two men were surprised whilst attempting to bore a hole in the door of the residence of John Okell, Esq., Lee Hall, Wootton. A scuffle ensued, and one of them was captured and lodged in bridewell. During the night, however, he managed to escape by breaking the iron bars, and has not since been heard of. We reported last week a case of extraordinary cruelty to Lascar seamen, brought home in the barque New Liverpool, arrived in Southampton. An inquest was held upon the bodies of the deceased on Tuesday, when the jury returned a verdict of man-laughter against Captain Rowles. The captain had been in court the whole evening until the coroner commenced summing up, when he dis appeared, and was non est when the verdict was returned. Two steamers—one of the Cork Steam Ship Company, and the other of the City of Dublin—left Cork on Satur day for Liverpool. Both vessels were literal'v crowded with emigrants, there being no fewer than 1,000, male and female, taking their departure. So dreadful was the rush to get on board that the officials of both companies had to employ a number of men, with heavy sticks in hand, to beat off the crowds that attempted to rush on board, appearing evidently as if they were flying from a plague. FORGERY : THE ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.—A man named Murdock Frazer was apprehended in this town, on Wednesday, charged with forging the name of Mr. Read man, of the Glasgow River Trust, to two bills, for £lOO each, which he attempted to negotiate at the Union Bank in that city on Tuesday last. The suspicion of the cashier at the bank were excited, and the bills were retained ; Readman being told to call again in about an hour. In the meantime the forgery was ascertained, and, as Read man did not return on Wednesday, information was co_ll veyed to the police which led them to suppose the fugitive was in Liverpool. A telegraphic message having been forwarded, in less than half-an-hour afterwards he was captured. On Thursday he was taken back to Glasgow, and on Friday remanded for examination. POACHING.—On the 10th of November, 1843, an affray with poachers took place at Knowsley, which resulted in the death of Ricnard Kenyon, one of the keepers. Five men were tried and condemned for the murder. John Roberts, who fired the fatal shot, was hung, but the other four had their sentence transmuted to transportation for life. Amongst the men implicated, but not arre-ted, was one named Thomas Tudor. Mr. Storey, superintendent of the St. Helen's police, has had a warrant in his posses sion ever since for the apprehenseon of this man, but he was only enabled to execute it the other day in this town. Tudor, however, is now lying dangerously ill, and is left under the charge of one of the Liverpool officers. He will of course be removed as soon as he is sufficiently recovered. DEATHS FROM EXCESSIVE DRINKING..—For the last week or two, somewhere about 250 men have been em ployed by the Corporation in restoring the Wallasey em bankment. On Wednesday, some of the cartmen dis covered a large cask or puncheon of rum, supposed to have been a portion of the cargo of the ship Providence, re cently wrecked on the Burbo Bank. At dusk the great body of the labourers left their work, and then a scene commenced which baffles description. Some of the men managed to take quantities away from the ground ; others drank until they were in a state of helpless and hopeless intoxication. About nine o'clock John Morriss was taken out of a ditch, dead. During the evening the dead body of James Farrell, foreman to Mr. William Rimmer, the con tractor for the Corporation, was also discovered in a field in the neighbourhood of Wallasey. ROYAL INSTITUTION SCHOOL.-011 We bleSday last the examination for the fluff Scholarship at this school terminated in the election of Mr. W. Rees, as first both in classics and mathematics. In the first branch, how ever, he was only fourteen marks above Mr. R. Duck worth, with whose papers, as well as with Mr. Byrth's, Mr. J. Price, M.A., of St. John's College, Cambridge, the classical examiner, expressed himself much pleased. Mr. Duckworth's name was bracketted with Mr. Byrth's, on the general result ; but as neither the first of these young gentlemen nor Mr. Rees are proceeding yet to college, the scholarship will be filled by Mr. Byrth, who is already resident at Brasenose College, Oxford. The mathematical examiner was Mr. H. Weir, M.N., late scholat:of Caius College, Cambridge. Mr. W. Glen and Mr. Preston were honourably mentioned for mathematics, and Mr. M`Cheane for classics TRAGEDY AT WAVERTREE —On Saturday week an inquest was held on the bodies of Catherine Carnall, housemaid to Francis Hollins, Esq., of Cow-lane, and of an infant child to which she had given birth, and which she had buried in the privy, thereafter committing suicide by taking a quantity of vitriol. It appeared that she had confessed to Mr. Hollins the birth and the disposal as above-mentioned, of the child, and that the disclosure so excited her that she rushed out of the house, ran to the edge of a pond, and was about making a plunge in the water, when her master, who had pursued her, prevented her from doing so, brought her back, and confined her in his own parlour. She was afterwards allowed to enter a closet to fetch an apple, when she took a bottle of vitriol, from the shelf, and swallowed a portion of the contents, which caused her death. The jury returned a verdict, with reference to the child, to the effect that there was not sufficient evidence to tell whether the child bad been born dead or alive ; and with reference to the mother, a verdict of " temporary insanity" was returned. ALL SAINTS' CHURCH, GREAT NELSON-STREET NORTH.—On 'unday last, two sermons were preached in this church, in aW of the funds for the defrayment of the churchwardens expenses. The sermon in the morning was preached by the Rev. Henry Hampton, MA., incum bent of St. James's, and the collection amounted to £ll 13s. ljd. ; that in in the evening by the Rev. John Cor deaux, M.A., incumbent of St. Silas's, after which the additional sum of £8 10s. 14d. was raised, making a total of £2O 3s, 3d. Hitherto the burden of the expenses con nected with this church, has pressed very heavily on the minister ; and we are glad to find the congregation and parishioners of All Saints coming forward so liberally to respond to the appeal made to them to uphold the inte rest of their parish church. We understand that the Rev. Wm. Pollock, M.A., incumbent of St. Mark's, has kindly consented to preach in this church, for the same object, on Thursday evening:next, when it is hoped many of the wealthy residents in that neighbourhood, who can but feel a sympathy with their poorer brethren, will attend, and aid their cause by their liberal contributions. THE LONDON PORTER BREWERIES.—Twice the quan tity of porter already brewed in London in a year would be something like equivalent to the estuary of the Mersey opposite the Pierhead at spring tide. When one of Meux's vats burst, it swept away a whole street—houses, inhabi tants, and all—like an overflow of the Scheldt; and that was in 1814, when vats were mere pipkins to what they are now. At Whitbread's, which ranks but third in the trade, there is one of such prodigious dimensions that its twenty-five hoops weigh from one to three tons each, and its contents are 20,000 barrels, being some twenty times the capacity of the Tun of Heidelberg, in whose praises the small-beer metsphysico-versifiers of Germany have been bemusing their brains these two hundred years back, though for half that time it has been empty, and when full had only liver-pinching rhenish in it, a hogshead of which couldn't communicate the thought of a solitary quart of Barclay and Perkins'. By the way, Barclay's brewery in itself is already half the size of Paxton's Plate glass Palace,. and covers upwards of ten acres; , so if, the produce of porter be regulated by superficial extent. of premises, and that there is to be double produce next year, the building ought to fully equal the. Aladdin-like structure in Hyde-park. The firm brew, about half-a million of barrels a-year at present, being at.the rate of some ten gallons per head, or per mopth, for every man, woman, and child, in London, s a ying nothing of what the ,;six.other, great houses turn out.-r.A?bisni. Sr. A/DAN'S COLLEGE: BIRICENHEAD..--MOSt Of OUT readers are aware that it has long been in contemplation to erect a theological college at Birkenheatl, to supply more effectually the purpose of the existing Institution. The plan and objects of St. Aidan's College have so often been referred to that any particulars are now unnecessary;: it may, however, be repeated that the proposed college is intended to effect much more than the economical training of candidates for the ministry. It i= proposed by its means to provide additional clergymen for the ex igencies of the town and port of Liverpool. The present staff is confessedly remarkably deficient in force .ever to. hope to bring scriptural teaching to the hearth , of the thousands of our humbler population, and the scarcely less numerous bands of seamen who resort to our shores,. bringing in their trains the wealth which adds to the pros perity of our community. it is computed that there are no less than 250,000 souls of our permanent population whose religious wants are totally uncared for ; to those add, at least 15,000 foreign seamen annually drawn hither who were also totally neglected in this respect. The heart and energies of the Rev. J. Baylee are strenuous in the noble purpose of effecting a means by which this deplorable state of things may he remedied, but his re sources, unfortunately, were not so expansive as his heart; individual aid is also too restricted for so vast a project, and it is now proposed to carry out the godlike design by an appeal to the community of Liverpool. It is thought that a subscription of one penny per week from- each labourer's family, double that insignificant sum from each tradesman's, &c., would be sufficient to do all that is required. With a view to the embodiment of this happy idea a meeting will be held next Monday evening, at the Collegiate Institution, at which, amongst a vast body of the local clergy and influential laymen, the following distinguished friends of religion will be present, and ad dress the meeting, the Marquis of Blandford. Lord Ash ley, Lord Robert Grosvenor, Rector Camrbell, &c. We trust the meeting will, by its numbers and hearty sympa thy with the projectors, forward the speedy foundation of an institution which, if carried out in all the extent of its design, will assuredly be the most effectual engine for the evangelisation of the masses ever in existence in this country. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.—This Chamber. which is rapidly progressing in usefulness and influence, holds its quarterly meeting to-day. The principal matters to be submitted by the Council are, a report on the stamp duties and a memorial on the subject of the Brazilian and Cape of Good Hope Mails. We trust that the latter question will not be lost sight of by the Council. It is not im probable that the question as to the use of fires and lights on board ships in the docks, and the establishment of an Emigrant? Home in Liverpool, will also be introduced at the meeting. FIRES ON SHIPBOARD.—In consequence of the Cham ber of Commerce having used the correspondence of Messrs. Brown, Shipley and Co. with the Birkenhead dock trustees published in the last Standard, as the ground of a memorial to the Dock Committee, on the importance of having fires and lights on shiphnard, the Birkenhead Dock Trustees have written to the Chamber, expressing their astonishment at such a use being made of the corres pondenc,e "by a mercantile bod Who are supposed to consult the general welfare of the trade and commerce of the Mersey, irrespective of local prejudices." In reply to this complaint, the secretary of the Chamber was instructed to write the following pithy note :—" In reply to your letter received this morning, addressed to the President of the Chamber, I am instructed to remind you that this is the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce." PRESENTMENT.—On Tuesday the grand jury made a presentment to the Recorder at. the Quarter Sessions fa vourable to the establishment of a penitentiary for the re formation of juvenile offenders, and expressive of an opi nion that the police-force of Liverpool has been too much reduced. The third part of the presentment is as follows: —" That the general instru.:tions to the police, founded on the common law of the land, (existing previous to the establishment of hourly railway transit by land, and daily departure by steam-ships,) require amendment, inasmuch as Liverpool and London have become the asylums of the cosmopolitan vagrants and thieves of the kingdom ; that assaults are committed in the streets, and, unless a po liceman witnesses the assault, the offender cannot be de tained, no matter how many or respectable the witnesses may be : the consequence is the criminal is not detained, and, if a summons is had recourse to, is most likely to be miles away, and not to be found. The grand jury are aware that the law was framed to protect the liberty of the subject; but, under the altered circumstances of the times, the peaceable subject is not now protected against the licentiousnss of organised bands of pickpockets and housebreakers. To amend the law will require time ; to increase the police force to an extent that would admit of sentries being placed within one hundred yards, to carry out the law, would lead to a ruinous expense to the pa rishioners ; but the grand jury submit that the evil might be met, and the law vindicated, by the magistrates swear ing in resident .£lO householders as special constables, whose evidence the law would recognise, and thus a de tective police would be established without cost, and va gabonds deterred from committing outrages in the streets and suburbs of Liverpool!' The document was signed by the foreman, Henry Cleaver Chapman. LOCAL MEETINGS. WEST DERBY GUARDIANS.—At the weekly meeting of this board, on Wednesday, Mr. Roskell occupied the chair. The salary of Mr. Deane, medical officer of Tox teth-park, was reduced from £BO to £4O per annum, and that of Mr. J. Bramham, relieving officer, increased from £52 to £BO. The motion for which notice was given at the last meeting by Mr. Shaw, for the appointment of Mr. Reid, architect, to value the amount of the deficien cies in the new chapel and schools, was lost by the casting vote of the chairman. SPECIAL VESTRY MEETING: —A special general meet ing of the Select Vestry was held on Tuesday, the Rev. Rector Campbell in the chair, to take into consideration a report of the surveyors, Messrs. Picton and Culshaw, in reference to the assessment of warehouse and other property. The object of this report was to rebut certain charges made at the last Select Vestry meeting as to the Finance Committee tampering with the assessments. The result of the meeting on Tuesday was the adoption, unanimously, of the report, and a vote of confidence in the Finance Committee.—lt appears that the reductions in such assessments are made by the magistrates. WALTON-ON-THE-HILL. -on Thur - sday, a public meeting of the ratepayers was held at the Black Horse Inn, to take into consideration "the disgusting uses now made of the waste lands within the township, especially that portion called " Mere Green ;" and also for the purpose of considering what steps should be taken to preserve the ancient footpaths of the township, which it is now attempted either to divert or altogether stop up, much to the inconvenience of the inhabitants generally, and especially of those going to public worship in the parish church." The meeting was well attended, and a committee was formed to carry out the above objects. Subscriptions were raised. TRANSFER OF TRH ROYAL INSTITIITION.—A special meeting of the proprietors of the Royal Institution was held on Wednesday for the purpose of considering a pro posal of the committee to transfer to the Corporation, for gratuitous public use, that part of the property of the institution consisting of the Museum and Gallery, and a stack of warehouses. Theodore W. Rathbone, Esq., presided. Archdeacon Brooks moved a resolution, con firmatory of the proposition, which was carried. J. B. Yates, Esq., moved, that be school and school land, together with the money and securities for money and shares, shall remain at the disposal of the proprietors. This resolution was also carried, and, thanks having been voted to the chairman, the proceedings terminated. HEALTH COMMITTEE.—At the weekly meeting, on Thursday, a re port was read from the sub-committee as to the outstanding accounts due from owners of property for work done under the powers of the sanatory act. Among those were the names of Mr. W. P. Freme, and Mr. Chamberlain, of Cheshire. The medical officer re ported the deaths in the borough for the week to be 155, nine more then in the previous week. The disease most prevalent was scarlatina, from which many deaths had re sulted, - .pore particularly in Toxteth-park. The deaths in the parish were 96, and 59 in the extra wards. Of these, 99 were children, and 56 adults. The temperature had been 51/ degrees, being 2 degrees higher than in the previous week. The barometer was 30.05. A long con versation ensued respecting a nuisance complained of by Messrs. Legg Brothers, of Wolstenholme-square, arising from water flowing from the pickle manufactory, of Mr. Pearson, in Parr-street. The property belonged to Mr. Fernihnugh, a member of the board, and it had. been in sinuated that through his influence the previous com plaints had been disregarded. The inspector fully ex culpated Mr. Fernihough, the nuisance having been com plained of before he was a member of the council, and being besides too insignificant to warrant the laying of an information. The report of the inspector was adopted. This being the last meeting of the board for the year, thanks were voted to the chairman, Mr. Parker, for his services, and also to Mr. Bennet, vice-chairman. JOURNEYMEN TAILORS.—On Tuesday night a public meeting was held in the Concert-hall, to call still further attention to the evils of the slop and " sweating" systems. About six hundred operative tailors were present. Mr. Lawrence Heyworth, M.P., occupied the chair. Mr. Henry Smith, the secretary, announced that various apo logies for non-attendance had been received. Mr. Bdward Farren, an operative, moved the first resolution, as fol lows :—" That this meeting, having heard with regret the statements of Dr. Mackay, the commissioner of the Morning Chronicle, on the condition of the tailoring trade in Liverpool, deeply deplore the misery and degra dation to which so large a portion of the workmen are now reduced by the practice adopted in the trade of the mid dleman and sweating system ; also, the danger attending the making of garments in the fetid courts and filthy apartments of the workpeople, (as described by the com missioner,) conveying disease from the home of the worker to the abode of the wearer ; and that this meeting calls upon the gentry and other inhabitants of Liverpool to give their valuable aid in the destruction of a system which has produced such an amount of misery, demo ralisation, and pauperism, unparelleled and hitherto un known." Mr. H. Smith seconded the motion. He pro duced a variety of vile cloth, such as the slop-shops use in making garments. These specimens were handed round the platform, and the successive rents which they received at the hands of gentlemen curious to test the quality, proved their inferiority. Notwithstanding this, Mr. Smith shewed these establishments make by the trade a profit of fifty, and sometimes even seventy, per cent. Mr. Thor borne, barrister, delivered a lengthy address in support of the resolution, Mr. Fergie briefly moved the next reso lution :—" That it is the duty of the clergy to uphold the moral and spiritual rights of the community, more especially of the working classes ; and that this meeting earnestly entreats that influential body to exercise its ad., mitted powers to assist in ameliorating the condition, of the operative tailors, by discouraging, as far as possibl e , the home-working system, as destructive of theitsocial and physical comforts, and prejudicial to them in euppsort ing their families by their labour ; and this meeting hopes that the clergy will urge the necessity of eYety_insulays ing the right of observing the Sabbath as a dap of rest, which, under the present system of home-working, it is utterly impossible for them to do." Mr. Williams, of Basnett-street, seconded the resolution. The third reso lution was moved by Mr. Allen, and seconded by Mr. King—" That this meeting entirely approves of the esta blishment of the LiverpoolTailors' Institute,' (apart from the pernicious influence o' the public-house,) having for its object the advancement of the moral, intellectual, and social improvement of the journeymen tailors of Li verpool." Mr. Atkinson and' others subsequently ad dressed the meeting. THE EARLY CLOSING ASSOCIATION, Agreeably to public notice, a meeting of the friends and supporters of this society was held in the Music-hall, Bold-street, on Friday, for considering the best mode of carrying into effect a certain resolution adopted at a meet ing of assistants held on the 4th instant. The attendance was numerous and highly respectable. A number of tradesmen occupied seats on the platform. Among those present we noticed Thomas Thornely, Esq., M.P., Rev. Dr. WisTeile, Rev. H. Hampton, Rev. H. S. Brown, Rev. John Reid. Rev. F. Bishop, Rev. Mr. Graham, Rev. R. Kirkus, Messrs. John Smith, Thomas Sands, J. A. Pic ton, Frisby, Dyke. Flower, J. Legg, Pugh, W. Gibson, Heyworth, &c. Mr. Thornelv was called to the chair. The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings. apologised for the absence of his Worship the Mayor, who was to have presided. He was at that time sharing, with the other mayors of the kingdom, the hospitalities of the L Ord Mayor of York, at which entertainment his Royal Highness Prince Albert was a guest. Under these cir cumstances he came forward and offered them his ser vices, as they had already his cordial sympathy. In en forcing the duty and necessity of the public on this mat ter, he alluded to the short space of time which the Corn Exchange was open on two days of the week, and yet no evils resulted from the system, whilst on the other hand a very large amount of business was transacted. Already much had been done to shorten the hours of labour in the retail houses of the town. Much remained to be done. In conclusion, he urged upon all persons employing as sistants to pay the wages connected with their establish ments on Friday instead of Saturday. That was a system which he had adopted when he was a merchant in that town, and so greatly was that trifling boon regarded, that the wives of his labourers considered the advantage equal to a shilling per week. The Secretary of the association here read letters of apology from Rev. Fielding Ould, the Rev W. Pollock, Rev. Dr. Fiume, Douglas Jerrold, Esq., &c., regretting their inability to attend the meeting, but strongly appro ving of its objects. The Rev. HENRY HAMPTON moved, and Mr. Roux SMITH seconded the first resolution. ln the course of their speeches both gentlemen referred to the baneful effects arising from the present long hours of business which now existed. The Rev. Dr. I.I`NEnE proposed the second resolu tion, which was as follows: " That this meeting. reviewir the favourable change t ace in t the Early-closing Association, pledges itself to use every legi timate means towards the support of a dose so beneficial to a interests of employers and those employed It was gratifying to learn that a favourable change had taken place in the diminution of the hours of labour, and it was encouraging with reference to the future. He thought, with one slight exception, the hours proposed might be universally adopted. There were three parties to this discussion. The retail traders, the assistants, and the public. Several of the shopkeepers were willing to close, if their neighbours would do the same ; to those gentlemen he wished to speak kindly, with a view to in duce them to alter their views, and set an example to the other tradesmen of the town. There would be no loss from this. The same quantity of food and raiment would be consumed, and there would be no diminution. If the public were aware of the hours they would not be incon venienced. The exception he had referred to was the la bouring poor, who could not choose their hour for shop ping, and he thought it would be worthy of consideration whether they would not except one evening, say the Fri day evening, to meet the necessity of the poorer customer, and whether they would not be likely to gain their point for five evenings, if they conceded this. The reasons why they wished to see shorter hours were, that shopmen were not machines which should be worked, but they were reasonable immortal beings, and they were to cultivate their intellects ; they owed a duty to their souls, and em plovers should recollect that they owed a duty to the souls of their employees, as they owed a duty to their own. He had been informed that on days when business was not brisk, assistants were not allowed to read in the intervals of leisure. If this were so. what n fallow ground would be the mind of man ! How degrading to man, the image of God, was it to be without the power of thought, put ting forth all his little energy with a yard in his band, or an ounce, or a half-pound, or raising a scale all day long, without the power of detaching himself so as to think where he came from, or where he is going to ! Time for thought should be given to every man ; help for thought should be given to every man. They had, happily in that country, books which were the means of thoughts, and opportunities for all who had a little leisure. Associa tions were formed where young men might assemble in the evening. They had a Young Man's Institution connected with the Church of England. (Hear.) He wished to persuade the public on this point, and he would ask the trade, even if a loss were involved by the change sought, would it not be a suitable sacrifice for Christian men to make. (Hear, hear.) He would ask the public to give a preference to those traders who had commenced to close early. (Great applause.) Any young man abusing the liberty which early closing gave him, going to public houses or any other scene of dissipation, any such assist ant who did not make good use of his evenings, was a traitor to the cause. (Applause.) He was doing more to injure this cause than anything else could do; he was supplying the strongest practical objections to their oppo nents. (Hear, hear.) The Rev. HUGH STOWELL Bnowx seconded the reso lution. The Rev. Fa.k NCIS BISHOP moved the third resolution, and in a neat address alluded to the serious and injurious effects of the present system. He detailed to the meeting some of his own experience when a youth, and alluded to the narrow shifts he had to take in order to feed his mind with knowledge when he was being educated for the pro fession of a chemist. Mr. Bishop assured the meeting of his ardent desire for the success of the principles advoca ted by the association. Mr. J. A. PICTON seconded the resolution. A vote o 1 thanks was then proposed and seconded, and carried unanimously, as were all the resolutions. Mr. THORNELY, in acknowledging the compliment, presented the association with a handsome donation as a practical proof of his hearty approval of the cause, DOCK COMMITTEE.-THURSDAY Present—Messrs. Littledale (chairman), Sandbach, Steele, Fisher, Robinson, Hall, Jones, Lockett, Rankin, Horsfall, Tobin, Kendall, Bold, and Holt. The sub-committee reported on the conduct of the life-boat crew, in reterence to the wreck of the ship Providence. The inquiry had occupied their attention for five hours, and nume rous witnesses were examined ; amongst these were the master of •the steam-tug, the crew of the life-boat, Parry, the pilot, Mr. Cook, superintendent of pilots, and the master and mate of the Providence. The concl u sio ns t o w hi c h th e sub-com mittee arrived were-1. As regards the crew, they did not give up the attempt to reach the ship until they felt themselves in great danger of being washed out of the boat, but not from a feeling of cowardice. 2. The tow-rope was let go on board the steamer, and not cut. 3. As regards the boats, the evidence goes to show that they are the most efficient for the service.— Mr. Lockett thought the men bad done their best under the circumstances, seeing that their lives were placed in the great est jeopardy.—lt was stated that since the year 1843 the life boat had gone out to 93 vessels, ;and saved 245 lives.--Mr. Ro binson acquitted the life-boat crew of any improper conduct, but thought the steam-tug might have approached nearer the vessel.—Mr. Fisher said it ought to be borne in mind that the men were in the greatest danger, and twelve lives might have been lost without any of those on the wreck being saved.—Mr. Jones, who was referred to for his opinion as to the life-boats, said they were efficient for the required purposes ; and as to the proposition that they ought to be on the self-baling princi ple, its adoption would be most mischievous and foolish.—Mr. 'robin had a strong opinion that the crew of the life-boat ought to have persevered to a greater extent than they did, though he would not go so far as to say that those on the wreck would have been saved. As to the life-boats they were not equalled in the world.—The report was adopted. The master of the Crosby light-ship reported that the crew of a small vessel, which grounded on the Burbo Bank yesterday morning, left their vessel and came on board the Meteor light-ship.—A letter from Cram and Co., requesting special berths for their vessels employed in the London trade, was referred.—A letter was read from Mr. Phillips, calling attention to some experiments which he intended to make with his " fire annihilator." The following letter was read from the chairman of the Chamber of Commerce : " Chamber of Commerce, Liverpool, Oct. 24th, 1850 " Sir,—The subject of the establishment of a Home tor Emi grants at this port, as also the use of fires and lights on ship board in the docks, having been under discussion at a meeting of the Council of this Chamber, I am requested by them to bring the matter again under the notice of the Dock Commit tee, as being in the opinion of the Chamber one of the highest importance, not only to the dock estate, but to the town at large, and respectfully to request their re-consideration of these subjects, with the view of procuring such power as may be necessary for the attainment of an object of such deep in terest to Liverpool, and the retention on this side of the Mer sey of a most valuable branch of trade. " I am, sir, your obedient servant, " (Signed) THOMAS B. HORSFALL, President. "Thos. Littledale, Esq., chairman Dock Committee." After some conversation, during which the feeling of the committee appeared to be that, under present circumstances the subject could not be re-considered, a motion was submitted to the effect, that the secretary reply to the letter, stating, that as the matter referred to had been so recently under consider ation, it would be inexpedient to bring it again before them.— Mr. Bold thought an explanation of the reasons against recon. sideration ought to be embodied in the reply. He proposed the following amendment, which was seconded by Mr. Holt : "That this committee; iea establish itsateob Chamberthesh though u : she o g omf r o e effi a fc or t o l er y s regretting meanmnlideg rrcaen lights .asemigrants, t aw h inn e edl r ltvh e ie s nos o us l tegh i tion of the trustees, at their meeting . on the Bth instant, pur porting to annul the determination ,of this committee on the 2nd instant, to apply to Parliament for powers to relax the i p cno r present restrictions oi r nc e kg s t ss r , t i ai c li t l i d o w n ti ot s 1 propriety and necessity of those measures, as in the peril of withholding them, are nevertheless restrained from again at tempting to carry them out, pending the said adverse decision of the trustees, by the following considerations :- Ist. Because this committee are most unwilling, under any, circumstances, however embarassing and irksome, to become accessary by any proceeding of theirs to the public calamity of a collision between the two great estates of the town, and 2nd. Because the committee are advised that to renew now the said resolution of the 2nd instant, would, in point of. fact, be inoperative and useless, inasmuch as at the present period of ,the. municipal year they could not be legally acted upon until it would have become too late to give the Parliamentary notice.. . . Resolved also, .that, the above resolutions be coromunicatad to.the Chamber of Commerce, with. an expression of the regret of this committee that they were thus precluded from giving effect to their said letter. On a, division:the Amendment wait, lost by a majoritrof one. The solicitor submitted a fAong written opinion upon the mode of; conducting the business of, the committee, , , and some suggestions and alterations ar , to tea present practice of record ing the proceedings.. The 0 octuaixt was referredfor consider atwa. The Chairman stated that he had communicated with Mr. Hayter, of the Treasury, in accordance with the decision of the previous meeting, as to the buildings required for the Post office. Since that time the Government had expressed a wish that the Dock Committee should take a less amount of rent, and Mr. Stewart. the surveyor, had been called upon to give an opinion. Mr. Stewart thought .t l 2) per annum would be a fair arrangement. The Special Post-office Committee had, however, come to the conclusion that a nominal rent should be charged, say one shilling per yard, in order that an arrange ment might be come to in accordance with the wishes of Abe town.. The question was whether, if they asked the full amount, the arrangement could be carried out. The recommendation was agreed to, the Government to be at the expense of making the alterations. Mr. Steele inquired, on behalf of several persons at the south end of the town, why so little progress was making with the railway along the docks, which was to form a junction with the London and North Western at Wapping . . He also remarked that the building at the bottom of Crosbie street was, in its present state, a great nuisance. The Secretry - said the committee were not in a position to pull down the building, as they had not got possession: In a short time, however, the arrangements would be completed, and the work would be proceeded witb. GRAND MASONIC DEMONSTRATION. On Wednesday the annual meeting of the Provincial Grand. Lodge of free and accepted masons was held at Birkenhead. The brethren assembled at the Craven-rooms, Chester-street, at ten o'clock in the morning. The Craft Lodge was opened by the worshipful masters of the different lodges, who received the grand officers. The Provincial Grand Lodge was then opened in ample form. The business of the province having been transacted, the brethren formed into procession, to the number of 250, and proceeded to St. John's Church. Amongst others present .ere Lord Viscount Combermere, R.W.P.G.M. for Cheshire; R.W.D.P.G.M. Brother Finchett Maddock, of Chester; and W.P.G.S.W. Captain Antrohus ; V.W.P.G.J.W. the Hon. Wellington Cotton; V.W.P.G.R. Brother Smith; V.W.P.G.S. Griffiths; V.W.P.G.T. Rayner; W.P.G.S.D. Cruttenden ; W.P.G.J.D. Bland ; Brother Lewis Hornblower, who acted as grand director of ceremonies ; Brother Brown, of the Cestrian Lodge, who acted as deputy provincial grand director of ceremonies; W.P.G. Pursuivant Hyde, besides several provincial officers. The greater portion of those who composed the procession were adorned with the Jewels and various marks of distinction peculiar to the order; a great deal of curiosity was excited amongst the inhabitants of the Cheshire side, and hundreds followed the masonic body to the church, where a number of ladies and gentlemen had assem bled, and were present during the service. Prayers were read by the Rev. George G. Dowty, provincial chaplain for West Lancashire ; the lessons by the Rev. C. Hamilton, incumbent of St. John's; and the Rev. Brother G. Cockroft, incumbent of Oxton-hill Church, preached the sermon. Brother J. Twiss, W.P.G., organist, presided at the organ; and the choir con sisted of Miss Stott, and Miss E. Stott, of the Liverpool Phil harmonic Concerts, and Brothers Dixon, Edmonson, and Hull, of Stockport. The selection of Keat's anthem, from xxv. chap. of Matthew, 31st to 40th verses, was admirably adapted to the occasion. The Rev. G. Cockcroft preached a masonic sermon, selecting as his text the 16th verse of the 14th chapter of St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans, " Let not your good he evil spoken of." He pointed to the peculiar principles of masonry, to the uni• versality of the art, and to the mistaken notions which exist respecting it, and urged the masonic brethren present, to let their actions be such as to accord with the order to which they belonged. In conclusion, he made an eloquent appeal in be half of the Provincial Fund of Benevolence. bout Jim procession returned to the Craven-rooms, and, after transacting some business, proceeded to the Monk's Ferry Hotel for refreshment. The ban uet took place in the even ing at the hotel. about 100 of the brethren being present. Lord Viscount Combermere, P.G.M. of the province, presided. He was supported on theriaht D.P.G : M. Brother Finchett The seats' at the president's table, and at the upper end of the room, were occupied by the principal officers; and a few favoured ladies were accommodated with seats in a recess. The following brethren acted as stewards on the occasion . Bi..thers C. Sherlock, J. Hay, E. Samuelson, J. Gill, J. Pickup, and W. M. Maxfield. Brother Twiss, W.P.G.0., presided at the piano -forte, assisted by Brothers Edmondson, Dixon and. Hull, from the different lodges •f the province of Cheshire... Before the withdrawal of the cloth the P. Grand Master drank the health of the whole of the brethren, who lose simultane ously in response. This was succeeded by the usual loyal and other toasts. The health of the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master, Lord Viscount Combermere, proposed by D.P.G.M. Brother Finchett Maddock, was drunk with much enthusiasm, and responded by his lordship, who assured his brethren that he never was more happy than when he found himself in their company. It was some time wince he had the honour of meet ing them ; and he trusted the common enemy had been as lenient with them all as it had been with him. (Applause.) The band of the 52nd Regiment attended the banquet. WARD MEETINGS. ST. PETER'S WARD.—On Tuesday evening a large and respectable meeting of the electors favourable to the elec tion of Mr. James Holme to the Town Council as a re presentative of this ward, was held at the Clarendon rooms. The chair was taken by Mr. Branch, who, in a few words, expressed the object in view, and read the pla card calling tie meeting. Mr. Troutbeck then moved, Mr. Clint seconded, and Mr. Arthur Lit, lejohn support ed, a resolution, which was carried unanimously, to the effect that, from his local knowledge and practical ability, Mr. Holme was a proper person to represent the ward in the Town Council. The second resolution. pledging the meeting to support Mr. Holme in the contest, was pro posed by Mr.Willmer, and seconded by Mr. J. B. Slater. Mr. Holme was then introduced to the meeting, and re ceived with loud cheers. He did not know what he could say to them on the two great questions of the Dock and Corporate Estates. He did not agree with many things the Dock Trustees proposed, which were, however, ques tions almost worn out. He had no doubt the trustees would have the ability to reduce the dock rates if they applied a sound principle. More warehouses might be built round the docks,but he did not like public bodies to be put in competition with private persons. He was never opposed to building warehouses on the dock quays, and provided they wore not built with the public funds, the Dock Trustees would have reduced the rates to any amount they thought fit. He did not agree with the Dock Trustees becoming master tradesmen. When he was a member of the Dock Committee, they had accounts of weekly wages to the extent of £2,000 0r.t3,000 sent in. It was utterly impossible for any public body to compete with a private individual. The water question had created a deal of ill-feeling in the town, and he could only wish that every gentleman who doubted the policy he had pur sued would visit the place himself, and see the details placed before the committee, that he might form his opi nion on the subject. He would tell them that, if the peo ple who had the command of the Waterworks would tell them the truth, they would hear some day they would be without water. He was not going to contract for an enormous outlay. He would not be one to • spend £1,000,000 when the estimate before them was £480,000. No man could say within £20.000 what the works would cost. The coal trade, he did think, when he visited such places as Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and saw vessels loaded in two hours, was not duly attended to. In this respect Liverpool was a hundred years behind. He hoped this question would be settled by men of practical knowledge. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Danson, at some length, congratu lated Mr. Holme on the position in which he stood, and the sentiments to which he 1-ad given utterance : and, af ter a vote of thanks to the chairman, what had been an enthusiastic meeting broke up with three cheers for Mr. Holme.—On the same evening a meeting of the friends of Mr. William Henderson was held at the Brunswick ter, at which that gentleman announced the principles on which he would conduct the representation, should he be returned to the Council. Mr. Fernihough proposed Mr. Henderson as a candidate, and the meeting pledged itself to support him on the Ist of Neventber.. _ - - . WEST DERBY WARD.—A meeting of the friends and supporters of Mr. Eyre Evans, was held on Tuesday evening, at the house of Mr. Coombes, Grinfield.street. Mr. George Holt presided. Mr. Evans, on coming for ward, said he could not better commence than by justify ing the address which had appeared bearing his name. (Hear, hear.) He had accused the majority of the Coun cil of not studying, or of not understanding, the true interests of Liverpool. He considered this assertion would be borne out by any one who either reads, or had read the discussions in the Council. (Hear, hear.) He did conceive that warehouse owners, the cottage owners, and various others, appeared to him as if they made a barter of their several interests in the name of the public good You support me,—l w,ll support your and we will all support each other." (Hear.) This might be considered a hard assertion to make on his part ; but if it was so, he was happy to say that he was amply supported by the great leaders on the opposite side, by Mr. Samuel 'flolme himself. With respect to the rating of the docks, this he (Mr. Evans) was decidedly opposed to. (Loud and prolonged cheering.) His grounds for this were, that the docks were merely a portion of the machinery of the business of the port. They might as well place a tax upon the plough, as tax the docks. (Hear, hear.) What were the docks ? They were nothing more than an amendment to the river; they were a part of the estuary. (Hear.) If they had a river that they could run their vessels along its banks, would they have thought of rating those banks ? ( Cheers.) Inasmuch, . therefore, as the river had not all the necessary conve niences, the legislature came in, and gave them leave, at the cost of the commerce of the country, to improve the river, to improve the estuary, by forming those docks. (Cheers.) Was it not an absurdity, when rivalling other ports, for men to talk thus ? They should look at the port as at a race-horse contending in a trial of speed, they should take off all weights possible, and endeavour not to impose others. (Cheers.) They were all tradesmen to gether, and all knew what weights and scales were. They knew how small a thing would turn a scale, and in their contest with rival ports there was no knowing how small a port charge might operate to turn away or attract business. (Cheers.) We should do all we could to make Liverpool a free port. It was to their interest, if they could get the owners of property to unite and pay off all the encumbrances of the docks, and make Liverpool a free port. To talk of rating the docks and all public property—the thing was ludicrous. In the late discus sion in the Town Council they had negatived the propo sition for an Emigrants' Home. He had the authority of the chairman (Mr. Holt) for saying that 435,000 a year were added to the dock rates by means of the emigra tion passing through the port. And let them look also at the amount of money which was dispersed amongst the stall shopkeepers and other tradesmen of the town. (Cheers.) It was absurd to say that emigration was not of public interest ; it was a living merchandize, which protection as a passing allusion to other local subjects,, and promising as their m v. E s u v g a a n r s , no t li n e n i d n e d d i g b o y , if elected to give his best consideration to all questions required tt ir c e o dp o r n. o c m h e u r h s . ) brought before the Council for consideration.—On F r id ay night a meeting of Mr. Wood's friends took place, and a resolution to support that gentleman was passed amid great enthusiasm. Mr. Wood said he was opposed to the Rivington Pike scheme. The estimates, he considered, were not to be relied upon ; but he would not pledge himself to any positive line of policy on this question, until the matter was brought properly before the Council. He was in favour of rating the docks, use he could not see why they should b e exemp t a lifiAP9ther , property in the town. H e strongly contemned waviest outlay upon the do c ks a t th e nor th en d; that not now be altered • but he should consider it his duty to closely watch the future expenditure. He concluded by deprecating the conduct of the CeAncil in referehce to the ahip-building trade.