The Northern Daily Times. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-02-14 00:00:00

TOWN COUNCIL.---YEStEADAY An adjourned Council Ineetirrgivas held; at ele+6 &clod In the Council Chamb er , the mayor, jtm-Stewart, Esq., i *th e chair. - -s-_ _ THE TOWN DUES. ... The Mayor said : Before the business of the. council - tom' 14""St there is one important subject • which engages the Attention of the council, and the town generally, I think i light to corn_ "'—unkate to the council that the towuelerk is ac 'touch engaged upon that business in London, he - finds it ini. Ilaulible to attend the meeting of the council. to-day.• A corn !ndtntlnication was received from him yesterday to that effect ; .17'have two letters from• him this morning. I think it right e inform the council that the. print of the bill . has not yet 1.," i „.. BBll ed • but I, have had a. communication thia morning I °4l Aar. lYorsfall who has written daily —et Lette comEnunica. 1 1° n; after the town clerk's last letter, - foi he wrote two A r t nightin which he states that he has been informed ,daiat the bill will be in the hand - sof members On Thursday (this virl• Mear.):. Under these circumstances, perhaps the council Propriety real las s!') t he of forbearing any step whatever Until the inl), illitself, And not the observations of Mr:Lowe, has delivered into the hands of members, and is before its. rhatter, to convey \ ear ' Ile ar.) ' • I h thought .it right, as t hi s i s so important a tis information to the p,...„.:1 , 1 WATER 00MMITTE , .ie proceedings of this committe e r , 1 % Bolt moved their adoption. uaght to state to the council, and the . pubs. ''"Y large reservoir of Anglezark \irs now li% . he he said it was filled with water he uses. itB POPUlar sense, lie did not .mean to declare it "atetrent because somethin of importance might , Sttiood, and it required a eegrtificate from the engineer ; "'le popular sense, and for the information of the public, Night slate that 180 acres of land were now filled with wet with an inch oft he top. It had been reduced, by letting :servrun to the lower reservoirs, some three or four feet. In the ever oirs, also, was a large body of water, There were sever ,een feet of water at the last report, but probably there wet 11(01 twenty feet in depth. There could be now no question 4° ally rate, of there being a very large and abundant supply Tie • , Paitic ularly felt satisfaction in stating that every part o li `ellna works seemed to be good and well adapted. Mr. Ho. tr etude d by moving the adoption of the proceedings. ~.--Lr• Alderman Cooper seconded the resolution. 1 1,. Robertson Gladstone thought it would be satisfactory, tfaiving heard Matters of so much interest and importance, if genee,ll,iirttlan would add some information as to the progress "Y of the works and when the public were likely to be 111P4Piriedirith water. ' .:•I—' s ; •. ' ut ?it said there was no reason to deviate from the ° ll given some time ago, that water from Rivington beer be delivered in Liverpool before midsummer. (IT"r' I:C.') The progress of the works, he might say, at the tlPiten reservoirs, Was complete. The works of contracts ,tiejrat fOUr Were nearly complete, and the reduction of the ''s era wally taking place. Not half the men were employed a,; ta lt °W, Who had been employed a month ago. The lark work Was complete. Raddlesworth and Great Bank 11 - :e in a forward state. The pipe line was nearly complete. xieqie deviatien through Sir Robert Gerard's land caused some nbt,ydltia,yi.A4;dbeuetit,it now appeared to him to be extremely probable, almost certain, that the water would be delivered ,Ll"_Rummer, subject, of course, to the casualties which all %AV of the kind are more or less subject. (near. hear.) dud e Alderman Bennett felt disappointed at hearing that. He 411- e,4teod thaat the water would be delivered in April. Re 11 5 -11.4 f eel much obliged to the chairman of the committee if .0 veuld state the progress made for a further supply at '-rreenq It enc. bi,7 4 t. ' Itelt said the tverks at Green-lane were nearly coal ' 1 'The y had beer, carried out according to the resolutions lo'f the cou ncil la a. very satisfactory- manner, and within the IblOeite preseri e 1 lied as to th e cost. T hey were now putting down rt 4 l 43 gi tles+ Paid Preparing to bore. IttP, Ceedings were then confirmed. 'ere read Ira as _ ...... IiBRARY AND MUSEUM COMMITTEE. 0 ilhe proceedings of this comrnitt'e were read. They corn ' h a t :" a receramendation that the sum of £20,000 be ofd7o-'l'°wed for the. purchase of the site of the new library th Museuto at Shaw's Brow. ,The character th at : no* building was also set forth, and it was recommended petin`ll._e plans and designs which might be sent in by corn con g parties should be distinguished by mottoes, and that h satZn' t ,he letters accompanying the plans, but that of t d e th at slut design, should be opened. It was also recommended for PtiZe Of £l5O be given for the best design, and LI 0 rcli : i l B "'nd, the be not to be hound to employ, as e 0141,01 eteitty.ot: the works, if they did not thi.nki successfultfit,aitcheeknown his la otto, o t d . ! and that any party who Thealberr th ey or indirectly canvass for the support of the I ) ct i Lti ntl. B I 'l the council, should be excluded from the com . '''lr. Pict o . of the proceedings; said 0,,5, there nln moving the confirmation . ti c% ".".' were several matters of importance in connec- With caideratiothe committee which would have to be taken into thetil 11 that day. He would allude to one or . two of n, ' mit before doing so, be might state,. that during the ''' , tli th etituti eY bad received, in common with other publie in- Itovainuns.throughout the country, a present of a book from his eou.uti4,lgbuess Prince Albert, ' entitled "A History of the -.1 and Neighbourhood of Balmoral," by the late p e r. sea t he .It was got up in a very handsom f e sty] : coun cil, t'llaYor would ackowledge,its receipt on behal of th 'r6 At Mc - Mayor • / • al r I . A ~ have aJready dour, so. that ti__ 41. Tirane, at a later part of the proceedings, .stat . e , d hayin"e value of the book had been much enhanced bY its lierseffb'en embellished, in a great measure, by the Queen kr, pi .. tb e i cton then continued and said that during the month e3:buad also received a valuable donation from the Earl of 1 4 ,, ;11, !onsisting of books on natural history, some of which k't'rlt. e%aetemreosdt increased by manuscript notes f of the late 4 'eder at l of Itome, the obtaining o w . t erms the council had sanctioned, th" moderate bsa titit . t ; a rY, and Was now open for inspection. It was a had been set up in of acci t iA work of art, illustrating in a fine manner the history . With it eat R ome, and the public could not fail to be gratified t ouch ; Raving said thus much, on matters thongh not of t,t,, ,'lll,ortance yet of considerable interest, he Would - then A e4aliW Words in explanation of a recommendation to borrow f ,tll, tielvne,tue.xceeding X 20,000 for the purchase of the site or ,t ime 5 2,ildlng. It would be recollected, that a considerable Pla te a s o the council agreed to provide a site for the contehmad afte„ZreW library and museum, but various circumstances , nation di red d'' .occurred which rendered the carrying out of that ffieult A joint meeting of the finance, the . tt),Pruolverocrit, and library committees was then held, at which fel t it : ) ,'''r also attended, and, in alluding to this matter, be st ate . ,`,'ne to Mr. llornby and Mr. Alderman Heinle to cl_ti o wiat no Ihre latutt the gentlemen could have evinced a greater desire to Plan most beneficial to the town than they i gr eat er gentleman did what was generally considered a that sacrifice with all men—he gave up his hobby, Ir a ,, i ` a r the high-level bridge at Shaw's-brow, and that N' i g been done, all ;lefties were soon agreed as to . the ti, at ''''')(ls of carrying out the plan, which was briefly tf, s ir.l°4' laid before the Council. They were Of opinion that cut ieterest of the money borrowed' should he defrayed te a the library and rnu•euin rate, without bringin any to tr Wh atever on the corporation funds ; and with regard ~.t, -e .2000, which it was expected the buildings would. \roui‘jnu which sum should not be exceeded, the money l ia , l „, he raised in the following manner :. They th,,,, 'OO,OOO in hand ; £6OOO was promised to . '4, 4 , - by Mr. William Brown, M.P., and it e'',Pected that the 'sting building in Duke-street, o,:e.qpie,„ -. cx - .11 for pretty hearty .uy the library and muienin, would sell, as much as would make tip the difference. (near, i,l,') That being so the plan was not only feasible, but was th e Pie, and he trusted that it would meet with the approval of Woodruff (Hear, hear.) . Woodruff seconded the confirmation of the proceeding s , l'h,kiehr, were also Qiinnorted b . Mr. Kitchen. `1,1". Alderman Parker said he did not intend to oppose the 41 t1' L 'en, but he thou4lit they would t.' quire much more money '44 they estimated. ' l b kr. Alderman Dover complained that while the act limited e rate for library purposes to a Id. in the pound, in Toxteth- Park 1.11 . in the pound was levied. . I 'kr. Picton explained that the different townships might e r s 3' whatever they thought proper, but that nothing in excess. '', the amount of a Id. in the pound was handed over to the Na unittee. For instance if the township levied a rate of Ild. th e rplus above Id. in the pound vvonld go to the credit of th OVO of the . °Poor rates rhe proceedings were then confirmed. Ott the motion of Mr. Picton, seconded by Mr. Hodson, th - *l were voted to the Earl of Derby for e th anktcof the council w pia donation to the library. Lid The proms dings of the hackney carriages conmaittce, who f 1. on Proceedings of the hackney carriages conaujittee, who k° the.tabla draft copy of bye-laws for the regulation o ..%.1t . . 14,,, neY Carriages, were confirmed as were also those of the -"I4 COMlZlittee. Th„ W BAILIFF'S COMMITTEE. erres_,l,oProcee upon it.ding of thi s comm i ttee conta i n the following toba,t,rtedence with the board o f t ra d e, and resolut i on of the 7 Office of Committee of Privy Council for Trade, Marine Department, 8' Whitehall, 31st December, 1855. r tr...., . ~ r T raci . am directed be the lords of the committee of Privy Council nineji e am directed yo - a, for the information of the Liverpool Town "a *,- ' to my lords have had before them a correspondence that ;14.1:;.ed between Mr. H. C. Chapman, the receiver of droits of .he shi,! 3 :. , and Mr. Cox, the water bailiff at Liverpool, relative t., rknede, lately sunk near the north-west lightship, at th e ti.riief,a to the Mersey. I,"iley e,‘,7,,appear to be as follows :—The Glide was sunk in the at"' wr - 41;',,w1i0 the jurisdiction of the conservators of the river, and t}: l rai sed being dangerous to navigation, was take,' possessi . on or e co ns ai order of the water lo‘iiliff, acting under the authority of orti_ ervators. onell,-4 eli.ltn_easa.fter the wreck had been recovered and placed .t in dock, ~,hihis cli)o.-engers of the Glide called upon the receiver saved, i , i tro , Atr. c Lii s. Arc., and whether anythin-t had been , ipo k n C„ r bet on • "oliman. not having received any report of the wreck i•k• ref "Ma' to the Glide, from the water bailiff, wrote to Mr. tav e . feri a to the provisions of the Mtrcliant Shipping Act, re -1),.;re1,11.1‘,41:. Wrecks should he reported to the receiver ) and the . t"'1!. that',7.l,!ch the water bailiff gave to Mr. Chapman's inquiry dk.it ? , i ,•ii cinterfe-ence was not warranted, inasmuch as the act th,g"vith we, ,ap. 143, sec. 80, gave to the Town Council power to without corn nunicating with the receiver, and that °I th e , D 'wers Lk Iti,' Mereh ati e t re as he considored, affected by the provisions th, a p-int_ Shipping Act, 1854. ,ithprnvisio7Bat issue seem, therefore, to las—First. whether, under t to intnerfnli.e Merchant Shippins at, the receiver has any '''' In eases of is ig-wittar to that of the Glide 1 r the water bailiff is biund to report, in conformity, ) of the.fireithiint Shipping' Act,:' wrecks " taken _ d raised by o ' anaervaters of the. Alprsey. taii.a:niatter-41( law my-10ml* think that bdth _it be answeredFin - the - kaffirmatise e . The powert in by the 80th Sec, of _Merchant ghipping Act Id recei vers , nd. to ureckas foutict-in all tidal waters, without reference-to the tion whether these waters are within the jurisdittr of local Our atithorities. But looking to the practical bearing of the ease it does not appear to my lords'that there need b e any-real con. flint between the juriadiction of the receivers and that of bar. bout authorities. Their functions are entirely different in.pnrpOse. lowers of removing wrecks given to harbour antliorities are given a view to the benefit of 'navigation, and tho s e atathorit es, no ' 1- rig wrecks, confine their operations to such' wrecks as tion. The points of seizing and keeping wrecked s to thle'receiver, are given to him with a view to the, presei ration of the property for the benefit of the • to the payment of salvage and other 'expenses, and .";-- - ctive steps for raising wrecked' property In cases Where property is re,covered by person to whom the owners. have a right and it the nranertv,:vpr. from thabel of theee; to rep art all w Ltverr ong owners, whlt: t at once unless the owns erstand that the practice !rs p ly the ex 'Um! elpens, , t from the proceeds th 1-=that t They have been 4 1 works _ wrecks are expedi. n'e.:l4 , raised—and that neither the owners nor upon to pay any expenses except such as have rred by the harbour authorities. Assuming his e receiver to interpos, uuti we owners of the property. he fo lowing arrangement, which will, .he future, and will harinoniou.ly to bailiff, or other !rsey or of the Town 'Council, or of raising *reeks. to be require diver, as required by section 450 1. 2nd. To report the names and 3rd. To report also t expense nt of the eck, and if it is sold, the am saes incurred exceed the purchase nd the surplus beyond the; to him by till water-bailiff ❑thorities, the receiver is not to in .nd the owner is anded over to the receiver, to vrecit. 6th. The Town Council or other local authorities to undertake to indemnify the receiver against any claim - i. which miy be made upon him in virtue of his office as re tiver*by persons &aiming to be the owners of property which has been disposed of by the water bailiff, or other officer of the harbour awl' unities. 7th, Th , s arrangement to be subject to alteration at any time, if not found to work satisfa:torily. My lords trust that your Council of Live: pool will concur in the views above expressed, and that the proposed arrangement may be carried into effect t y the officers in a spirit of mutual co-operation• MIL nest to be favoured with any observations the Town Coun. ave to offer, and they will then give the requisite instruc- A co , y of the ins'ruction‘ given by this Board to receivers is en_ closed, containing a copy of the Merchant Shipping Act. 1854. Attention is particularly directed to sections 443, 450, 452, 468 469, and 470 of the Act, and p aragra ph s 3, 33 t o 44, 47, 53, tit. and_ 62 of the last uctions.—l am, &c., T. H. FARREN. The Town Clerk, Liverpool. Hornby moved the confirmation of the proceedings, and stated that, with regard to the wrecks which the water bailiff had been in the habit of removing, he believed there was not a•single instance since the passing of the Conservancy Bill, when the proceeds of the wreck had equalled the ex penditure, and in very few instances, indeed, had they been able to recover the deficiency from the owners. Therefore the case which was put did not apply. At the same time, the regulations which the Board of Trade recommended, appeared to be very reasonable and proper, and le hoped the Council would concur in them. Mr. Alderman S. liolme seconded the motion. Mr. 'Robertson Gladstone hoped there was nothing of the spirit' of centralisation in the recommendations of the govern ment, because he thought the council, on that particular point, shoUld keep their eyes open. Once the narrow end of the wedge .got in,-perhaps they would feel the effects of it. The Mayor reminded the council that the receiver of droits was now the collector of customs here.. The proceedings were , then confirmed. GAS COMMITTEE The report of the special committee on the gas question was 'ad, and contained the following letter from the gas com ,,,v •_._ Gas-office, Newington, 29th January, 1856. laid before the directors of the Liverpool Company your letter of the 21st i stant, and the - " - -is of the council, adopted at their meeting unittel therewith. trouble to produce it. _He had always been of. opinion that the highway board, had it been reconstituted. would hate beep the best parties to hate the supply of gas and Water; artd-he -exceedingly , regretted- that,-when in the Sessions;hoUsgi, lie moved that such should be - the 'case ; he was out-voted on the motion of the late Mr. black burne. There was competition hetwgen the two'old gas ecimpanies,llit who were the pirties who interfered 7' The douticil were the.parties".wh'o stepped in and brought about tl - e amalgamation of the two bodies, and it was the most arrant inconsistency oti'the part °Nile- council now to complain of want of 'convention, when they themselves were the parties who brought about the present condition of things. (Cries of no,, no, and,yeS, yes.) The corpora- Won had no right to be tr a d ers. (hear, hear);, they were trustees, and he held .that they had no more right to be traders with the public money,than an individual trustee hadto.enibark h ti•ade or commerce 'with' the trust inotiey Committed to his dare. (flear,'hear.) It was a great misfortune when a corpo...— body, and lii trusted that that evil would nu. duced into the Council. As to the company's shares, -- 'tad fallen inconsequence of this agitation from 230 to 180 3, arid as any reduction in the value of the shares a reduction from the capital account, it was conse quently a loss to the - cotisumer i because, the higher the shares sold in the market, the more they would have to carry to the capital account, and the greater would be the chance of a reduction in the price of the gas. They were now better off in Liverpool than in most other places ; and, While in other towns they had to raise the price of gas from the increase in coals, they had been saved from that consequence in Liverpool by the foresight of the in their contracts for cannel. taxing Dear Sir,—We have on the 9th Instant. t rectors having crnsidered your letter and he resolutions, .o reply as f .110 w, : With regard to the first reso!ution of the council, proposing "that the share property of the company should be converted into bonds of the company, bearing a fair and equitable rate of Interest, and that the undertakin4 should be managed by a board of nine directors, three of opointed by Vie council, consumers of ga', and three by the bondholders," the directors con , sider the proposal to be so extravagant and unreasonable, and so devoid of every fair and just element of security to the shareholders, as respects their property and income, that they decline to enter tain it. With regard to the proposal " a "of the second resolution, "That an immediate reduction be ma le in the price of gas ' li - reduced he dirt. 3 observe that, o❑ the Ist January, 1855, they sin the ly.roagh from 4s 6d to 41 per 1000 cubic me ruu E as not as ors consider the zreasollatne. to timP to rn .auction, at so early a period, that they may be enabled from wns in the price of gas, in conformity _ E.uvlSlolll of the company's act of Parliament.hose pro visions were for the benefit of the consumer on the one hand, and the protection of the shareholder on the other; and the dir ctors deem it their duty to observe them faithfully, as respects bot't par ties. with the pr With regard to proposal "b,' "That the Borough Engineer for the time bling shall have access to all departtnents of the company's works, vvi.ll every faciity for testing the quality of the gas, and ascertaining the pres t TEA :• 4. ft The direct9rs arr re r s'ponsible for the mannement of the under aking, and the appointment of competent officers and -servants in 11 departments of the company's works. and they consider that to weaken. that -with which all tiles o. and the interfer kid) would probably -2- • .2 2. won a, in the opinion of the directors, lead to differences and collisions between him and the officers and ' , Tants- of the company. The directors, therefore, decline to •tch access to the Borough Engineer. grant a 3f the gas, thechrt ctors would remind the paratus, on the most improved principle, was fed up by Dlr. King, in the borough engineer's rpose of enabling him to test the gas at all With regard to proposal `• c," ks.regards the lncil that an isent to the appointment of officers, re - to test, examine, and adjust the meters iready signified their willingness that a public inspector of meters shou'd be apnointed : and, it the c mncil have matured any plan, having this object in vie*, the 'directors are prepared to give it their best consideration. With regaitl to proposal "d," "That the powers of the auditor be extended so as to enable him to have access to all documents and accounts which he may think necessary to enable him to report fully on the financiai position of the company, and to •scertain that all moneys are paid out of and carried to the credit or the proper accounts." The duties of the auditor, or accountant, are defined by a general act, having r .ference to all gas corn 'anies, and the directors do not consider that they have aay power to extend such duties ; and they would observe that on no occasion has any complaint been mare by the gen , Inman appointed to examine the tired accounts of the com pany, that any information was withheld which was necessary to enable them to discharge their duties fully and satisfactory, acc ing to the act of Parliament. —We are, dear sir, yours, very truly, THOMAS CARSON, 1 Secretaries. JOHN B. LLOYD, Wm. Shuttleworth, Esq., Town Clerk. Upon this letter the committee recommended that the whole subject be referred back to them to . report again to the council. The committee also stated that the. company demanded £34 for the services of their officers, &c, engaged in th e test i ng of meters on the o ccas i on o f Mr. Taunton's inspection. Mr. Kitchen moved the confirmation of the proceedings. He said he should not have made any remarks upon the subject had he not been informed, since he came into the room, that an amendment was about to be proposed limiting the committee to the appointment of a meter inspector. With reference to that amendment, he could only say that the appointment of an inspector would be quite useless unless conditions were agreed to by the company which would make that appointment beneficial to the consumers. The committee, therefore, asked to have the whole subject referred back until they had sitfficient time to take the company's reply into consideration. That reply was received so late that there was scarcely time to record it on the books previous to the last meeting of the council. He might, however, now express his regret at the remarks which a gentleman had made at the last conncil, who hoped the committee would be careful how they meddled with the rights of prOperty of the gas company. He could himself •say the same. The committee had hitherto been exceedingly careful how they infringed upon the rights of the company, or did them the slightest injury, but he should remind that gentleman that if property of that kind had: its eights,.it also had its duties, and he put it to any gentleman whether the proprietors and managers of the company had done their duty to the gas consumers? He thought the evidence given before the eotnu3ittee fully showed that there had been a failing on their put. Had it not been so, he was quite cure they never should have iwar,l the complaints which had bica o s Jo the fully to w n s nb clerk,s t ci a o i ; f t: a st p i p re oi n appointing a e f 7 , -n t i h t. et t3therSore coi,sidered that in make the enquiries the council had done their du:y, aud, so far as he was e" whole of the proc eedings co t un o t e l il 'wl''e referred ..biacke felthe committee, with the assistance they le had had very little during the orwttihile,iey would be in a position to report to course of the in the next meeting aursued with reference to Council on the p ro p er co urse to be hat it he ref erre d back. the question. Hu accordin g ly moved Mr. Bradley seconded the motion. Mr: Alderman Parker contended that the had been manly, straightforward, and ho n honest Hennas g's -If a.shareholder, but do was for i d nt b eres i t of the h he lOntended would not bu serve 'demon who Caine there and acted ? r ho t Ipeatr • strings were pulled in other places. (Rear, th e idea of taking the management of hands of the Ras company to giv e it were to be appointed ;1, and three by the against the cons_ . tt organised cona ,rtain soprepos- wh heitt.) He riC their affairs ou' into the hands o by the consuni dy, of whom thro hree by the coin company, being, in pany' 8 three. II( pany under an ac terous, ridiculou that the whole b it of fact, six v aid like to know and absurd a proposition. He declared , übble had fairly burst, and that the labours of he gas committee should now come to an end. Mr. Alderman Bennett agreed with Mr. Parker in thinking he reply of the gas company exceedingly straightforward, and uch 'as might have been expected. ' Ho recapitulated the -lade to the company, and declared his belief that gentleman in the room must have felt at them as the reply of the cvciy impartial as much surprise • Mr. Kitchen : Precisely so. Mr.' Hodson said, if the committee did not Weal to op it up the whole question ,he wauld support their resolution, but he contended that it would be a complete waste of time upon the part of the council to go into the general question again. (Hear, hear.). Mr. Brancker did not -see why, after the answer of the chairman of the committee, dim should be any division at all. Mr. Shiel reviewed the several responsibilities which were fixed upon the gas company by the act of parliament, and asked what security th. council at present had that they were fulfilled ? What security had they for the quality . of the gas ? What security had they that the management of the .campany was carried on in the best possible way, so that gas should be produced of the quality he had described, should be distri buted in the honest way ha had described, and that the public should be secured the benefit of whatever profit the company might have after paying their dividend of ten per cent ? He contended that upon these points they had no security at all. The auditor himself stated, before the committee, that the accounts submitted to him did not sufficiently enable him to give an opinion as to whether the affairs of the company were carried ont in the most efficient and economical manner. He contended that the company was bound to give sufficient security upon these paints to satisfy any practical man of business. Mr. Bennett had indulged in a great deal of a beautiful figure of speech called "clap-trap." (Hear, hear.) He read out for them at the last council a number of names, and asked if any of those individuals could be inspected by any of the public. He (Mr. Sheil) contended that such argument as that was mere clap -trap. They all knew that gentlemen, .or persons called gentlemen, were sometimes guilty of things which they ought to he very much ashamed of. They all recollected the case recently, in which persons holding the rank of gentlemen, bankers, were convicted of felony. The head of that firm was not only a respectable man, but a religious man --- (laughter)—and not only religious as regarded taking care of his own reiigion, but also very much disposed to take care of the religion of his neighbours, and yet he stood a very fair chance of being sent to Botany Bay, and at least would have to suffer a long imprisonment for cheating his neighbours. (Hear, hear, and laughter ) Mr. Bennett had also sLade some claptrap allusion to the town dues enquiry, which he compared to the gas committee, but the nerves of the council were not so weals as to be frightened by such arguments from attending to their duties, and getting that to which they were entitled, and they asked no more. (Hear, hear.) • • Mr. M‘Guffie expressed a wish to know with whom would rest the appointment of inspector? Mr. Hall said, ho felt somewhat in a difficulty upon the same point' He saw no objection, however, to referring that and any other minor points that were still open for investiga tion, back to the committee for their consideration. He thought it was clue to the committee that they should'not be extinguished at once, without consideration, and that it should prorv•rlyrest with them to carry out the remainder. Mr. Picton expressed a desire that the chairman of the committee should tell the council hat W ere t h e powers or . instructions which the committee wished to have. The whole matter had been reopened, and the council had eery probably, been discussing matters which the committee did not intend to take up again. Mr. Robertson Gladstone said, the great object which the committee had in view was to give full consideration to the reply of the gas committee. As a member of that committee he, for one, certainly would not consent to any measure which .should tie up his hands in regard to the whole subject. The gas company were deriving a very large interest for the money they had invested, out of an estate which mainly belonged to the public. 'Any pecuniary funds they bad themselves sub scribed were a mere drop of water in the bucket. The funds had so far been supplied no doubt, the works and the staff, but the real estate out of which the dividend was derived was the „property of the public. He therefore said that he, for one, would never consent to any resolution being passed which would tie up his hands from a full consideration of the merits which attach to the whole subject. What could have been more injudicious ? What could have been more calculated to create suspicion in order that than the fact that when the subcommittee had arrived at a certain stage in their inquiry, the gas company on a mere futile pretext withdrew their officers from the committee, day that highly the . public might not be able to receive the informatioh they, who had no interest but the interest of which it was their duty to obtain? Then that very more objectionable by a circumstance which he could injudicious act had been rendered, still scarcely believe his ears when he heard it read—that the gas company had made a charge for their officers and for the expenses which they had incurred during the inquiry ? (Hear, hear.) Now, reall y i f the company wanted to run NORTHERN TIMES.-LIVERPOOL, 'THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 185 _ _--- - - „mummy. expressed. He could, pot tell whether the Vice- .their heads-against a Walls whatstep-could they take )110Z13 President of th e - fl oar d o f T r ad e had itistilltd his notions into caldula i ttd to place therriSelves iti a le* position before the the niihd Of the gas committee, or: whether it Was from reading public ? £B4 odd for the attendariee of their officers and over tlie proceedings of that body, that - Mr. Lowe had - imbibed other facilities—moderate enough as was _their char his notions. as res p ec t e d t h e Liverpool town dues, for as re- ractera-afforded-for,the testing of the meters? 'W as it j . garded the j us tic e o f t h e o n e an d th e justice of th e o th er , th ere actuall true that. he had heard that amount read by th e ' were so many point s o f s i m il a rity. between Ahem; th a t h e w as Town lerk ? Then he said i t was highly diScreditahle t o afraid t'sereanust h ave be e n s O i tie collusi on b etween the corn- the cdnipatly• Gear, hear.) Had . ,ther adopted thecoursei which, so farsas he could form a judgment, they mittee and the Vice-President of the Board o f Trade. (Loud should have marked out for themselves in reference to cheers, and laughter.) The plan proposed by the - committee . that inquiry ; had theyircome forward' and. said Would !defeat, .h e w a s going to say every pri n cipl e o f honesty, "Thepe is all • the information we possess ; all the in by appoiating a board, of whom. ix would b e gas consumers formation it 'is possible for us to supply to you Invites an interest in lessening the value of the property, and shall e' laid before yOU,"—such a course would have . 'only three who had any interest in keeping up th e esta bli s h- disarmed any unfriendly feeling towards the company Mont in a state of efficiency. The reply o f t h e di rectors Was Hear,, hear.) But w h a t did they d o ? Just the very , so unanswerable, that he 'did not need 'e 'kV anything further revers. The inferende from their conduct. was this= . theare a great thank things we do, which we ought on it. As to the proposed recitietion, in the` pr ice of g as. sup ,, .. • n, not to do ; they are Such as yeti must know nothing at all ,polo that the three members '"who ,proposed tele to the 'sown abOut4-we have got the whip hand at present, and we Council should be appointed. to the gas eoinpany's board to will knep-it. -It Is very true, the public is the milch cow carry Out the principle they had themselves propounded, there we get our dividend from it; and, although you are th could be little doubt, when there would be also three upon representatives of the public, yet we tell --- that bard from the gas consumers out of. doors, what the that wo *lll not. gire y .I • . consequence would be. The directors of the con; an Owed the . eirinstances you hay, _.„, , rio.. • that they did not know the exact position in Which they stood been . tto Very cooducCof the gas company, and he did not as regarded the present Mee a gas, since the last reduction, think, 1 therefore, that the committee ought to be He- .in their investigations in any . one respect. as yet: He should tell the council that one of the prin.. He_ believed the • public' were of opinion they had cipal , London companies was about raising the price not !gone half far enough, and that they of its gas from 45., finding that they could not had not discharged "their duty to the full extent which carry on the establishment at the present prices. As regarded by they oug the ht to have done, and h e was surprised to hear the third point recommended comfit : atm he argited any doe propose that their investigation should be limited. that the borough engineer cOuld obtain the required informs- He declared that he for one would not consent to 'any tion at present, as welt in different parts of the town, as in the resolution which would not leave him open to go i n t o th e worksthemselves, and in a manner more to the sati s fa c ti o n o f whol e ' ques ti o n if . h e thO ug h t it' necessary. He did not the public by testing the gas as it was actually sent out through mean to 'say that they had not already got sufficient the mains for the consumption of the inhabitants. The borough evidence before them, but he hoped that no resolution to engineer had already p rov id e d hi mse lf w i t h very delicate and co uncil. tie up their hands would receive th e sanction of the beautiful instruments for ascertai n i ng a ll th e committee could co consistency the require of him. As to, the appointment of a - meter inspector, Mrßradley-contended that in mmon Council could not refuse to . ref erback the reply o f th e . he conceited in its propriety, an d t h e company did the same. company, which came at so late a period of time that it He believed the company would not even object to pay the was not possible to take it into consideration. salary, but they would object to his havin g an office in their MrS Alderman Holme said, that as th e di scussion had . buildings, or to the salary being paid directly by them to him, not been confined to the question, simply, whether or not to both of which he thought the public would also object, H e the reply of the company should be referred back to the contended that the testing of Mr. Taunton was not to he relied committee, and as the whole question had been opened upon,' and that Mr. Clegg was evidently wrong in instructing up, and one-sided statements made, Which would go forth, the committee th a t th e meters reg i stered too fist, in censer and were cal cu l a t e d t o pre j u di ce the company in the quence of the qu a lity o f th e gas. U pon the latter point be minds of the public, an d as b y a salutary rule of the those who were connected with the company, and obseriedthat Mr. Clegg's eon had set the public right, by c ouncil, were, therefore, best acquainted with its manage m ent, explaining what his lathe, did mean. Finally, Mr. Bennett were precluded from voting or speaking on the subject in concluded by moving an amendment, to the effect that the that room, he thought it right, in fairness to those - council sanction the app o i n t men t o f an i nspecto r of metres, and men, that the subject should be fully discussed, an g d entle he, also that the borough engineer attend to the testing of gas; therefore, would not apologise for the observations, how and that the gas committee have power to confer with the ever lengthy, which he would feel bound to make in the directors of the gas company as to the terms upon which the matter. It was very easy to get up an outcry either appointment of inspector should take place, and the duti es t o against a company or an indi v id ua l, an d if i t were correct, it would find an echo in th e genera l voice, but, if it were 7be performed by th a t o ffi cer. Mc. Robinson briefly seconded the aniendrnent, founded, as he believed in this instance it was founded, on Mi. Horriby was qu it e at a l oss to know why the ti me o f false and incorrect presumption, then it would p ass away the council should be t a k en up by this discu ss i on , (H ear like the meteor in the air. The gas c ompany h a d unques , hear.) If he understo o d th tionably the best of th e argument through all of the dis- es e motion of th e c h a i rman of the cussion (hear, hear), and h it the gas committee correctly, it wa s exact l y to the same effect as highest credit on the directors hetho of u it g t . that notwith reflected stand the amendment of Ur. Bennett. The gas company declared, ing all the hard knocks they had received, and the unjust in the course of their reply, that they were perfectly willing to charges that had been made against them, they had still have an inspector of meters appointed, and that they were preserved their temper and equanimity, and showed that, ready to have it done as soon as the council had matured a whilst they managed their business, they could also con plan. Now, all the committee asked was that the matter duct themselves as gentlemen. (Hear, hear.) Let it not should be referred back, in order th a t suc h an arrangement be said that he was there as the a d vocate of the company; might be made. he would not undertake that duty, b u t h e was the advo , . Mr. A. C. Stewart thought the committee were hound to cate of every person wrongfully attacked, and of ever principle of equity and justice. (Hear, hear.) He was y defend themselves against the sweeping ch arge whi c h h a d been himself a very large gas consumer. He had to pay for the made against them by Mr. Bennett; and other gentlemen: - gas to the Pedlar's market and the Courts of Bankruptcy, When Mr. Bennett delivered his speech at the last council, he and he had likewise a large tenantry to be supplied with (Hr.'Stewart) was forcibly struck with the change which had gas, and, if there was a man in Liverpool, who had an come: over the spirit of that gentleman's dream,- He ' thought interest in having gas made cheap, he was that person. that Othello's occupation w as comp l ete l y gone ; and that, from But before he proceeded to consider the questi on , as it defending the people upon. the water question, he had- taken to affected the Liverpool Gas Company, h e s h ou ld re f sr t o the speeches which had been, made on th e su bj ec t, an d i n defending the monopolists against the . people. on th e gas . question favour of the reference to the committe e . I n M r . St ewar t' s ; and he (Mr. Stewart) rea s one d t h at, as hi s success speech there was nothing like argument from beginning had been so very p oor on th o fi rst quest i on, he, foun d i t . time to end, and if his legislative ability was t o b e judged by to change "sides. ' His speeCh of th a t d ay was certa i n l y a much his argumentative power% as exhibited in his address better speech than he delivered upon the former occasion, for th a t day, he was n A one of the guides which he (Mr. it wanted all the soft sawd er an d smoothi ng down of Holrne), as a member of the council, would like to see other gentleme n , an d in c l u d e d som e fac e ti ous remarks leading the public opinion. He was followed by Mr. Shell about the Vice-President of the Board of Trade. Mr. who talked of clap-trap.. The expression came well from Stewart then proceeded to contend that the gas committee him, as an Irishman; but when religion was dragged into would have had, under the proposed arrangement, as good the discussion, and that which formed the subject of their security as before, inasmuch, as they would have other works , delibera' ion, departed from, he sh ou ld lik e t o k now i f it and that if they had adopted th e proposa l s the security would have been even greater than before, by keeping away any was not Mr. Shell himself who had been guilty of clap trap ? The subject was then taken up by Mr. Robertson Gladstone, and he regretted that gentleman who was parties from getting up an opposition. Ile denied that the council stood bound in , any way to the present company, and t a b ! w i s a o y . forcible d a e n d d t tb e argumentative, reason ng e should used c s ca s s ci onces declared that if they thought fit to create or to support a new rence was made to the auditors and their inability from company it would be perfectly legal and proper for them to do the smallness of their power to examine, as they should, so. He denied that the interests of the company would have the accounts of the company. Now, he held in his hand been jeopardized by the arrangements proposed, and pointed the act of the company, and he found that, if the company to the fact that although the bondholders had no representativei refused to give up any books which the auditors might upon the dock committee, they were not afraid that their £lOO, and were demand, they would forfeit the sum o f property would be swamped by that committ ee , ar that their also subject to a penalty of £lO f or every d ay t h ey per interests would not b e a tt en d e d to. I t was only - because the sisted in the refusals. (Hear, h ear .) If had withheld any of their books If, therefore, the t council knew that the c om p any h a d pa i d up their dividends company ) the auditors, let the act be enforced—letand •had an acc umu l a ti ng . surplus, th a t th ey as k ed fora be applied for—and he felt sure that they would ordum theo e p e b n e es from a n l t a y t reduetion in the price of gas. The gas committee did not once produced. He had been a careful observer of the wish for anything but an honourable, honest, and just proceedings of the company for some time, and he should arrangement. They wished to have gas as cheap for the declare that he believed they had in the main fulfilled the people of Liverpool as it could be manufactured, but they did stipulations of their act of parliament. (Hear, hear.) not wish to have it applied at a price lower than would pay for He found that in his house he could read with three the cost of manufacture, burners as well as he could with five burners in London and four in M anc h es t er , and though unquestionably bad Mr. Fernihough sa id h e was un d er the impression that gas might have on some occasions been supplied by the Liverpool company,yet it had been the' exception not the the resolution proposed by Ms. Kitchen would give the gas (Hear, hear.) They were not to look for absolute committee power to reopen the question, and to bring ru l e . "whole the entire subject again before the council. • perfection in any body, and as grumblers. were toys found Mr. Hodson askd whether, Mr.. Kitchen proposed to open up in eyery society, many of whom irsbeing so merely sought thole queseon again, or' merely, ,as Mr. Hornhy had to save their own pockets at the expense of some one *o take into consideration the appointment of an else, that should not be taken as a proof that the com pany had not in the main fulfilled the stipulations of this n : Precisely so. - act. He held in his hands a few remarks f rom a news -id, if the committee did not Weal to open ny paper which was the only paper in Liverpool which tried •otralie wauld support thei r reso l ut i on , b ut to write down the gas comp, and though he believed the articles which he referred to were bolts which had mild be a complete waste of time upon been forged in another smithy, yet that which he was go into the general question again. about to quote was the effusion of the editor himself. The 'extract set forth that " vested rights; particularly those shy, after the answer of the whieh the:subject had purchased on the good faith of the ‘.e should be any division 'crown or legislature, cannot be demolished without flag rantly violating the constitution." In that sentiment he asibilities which were (Mr Holme) unquestionably agreed, and he hoped that it 'f parliament, and would be also applied to, and acted on, in the instance of ' that they were other public property. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Gladstone vof the gas ? spoke of the enormous revenue sthich the comp any were deriving from the public, but by th e i r act t h ey could oily company receive 101 per c en t. old be Mr. Robertson Gladstone : Only 10 per cent. .•,tri- Mr. Alderman Holme continued : They could only receive 10 per cent, but it should be remembered that many of the shareholders had paid 2001 for their shares, and that, therefore,. they were in reality only receiving 5 per cent on their investment. (Hear, hear.) He would ask Mr. Gladstone whether ho did not think that, the original subscribers 'to the London and North Western Railway did not deserve 10 per cent. when they first entered on that speculation ? The shares of the Liverpool gas company had been precisely in the same position, and to his own knowledge they had, in the first:instance, gone a-begging, because uersons looked on it as a mere speculation, and questioned whether it would pay on the investment or not. (Hear, hear.) Those who' invested their money under such circumstances, and from which investment the public derived so large a measure of benefit, deserved to succeed, and ten per cent was ; not an unreasonable return on their enterprise and speculation. He would ask the council whether they would act towards the gas company as it was 'expected the government would act towards them in the matter of the :town dues ? and how they could justify their, own conduct in the one instance, if, on the other they . con• side red that of the government unwarrantable and unjust? He thought that even if by their interference they could secure a reduction of 6d per 1,000 feet, it would not be worth the while of having the town agitated from end to end Pn the matter ; ,nor did he think it desirable that the present arrangement should be disturbed. Every con sumer could now become a shareholder in the com pany, the shares having for that purpose been reduced down to the lowest min/mina price, and could, therefore, participate in any advantage offered by the company. He did not think that the establishment of a new com pany, which would require an investment of 400,000, involving some 20,0001 for interest annually, and which would have to be borne by the consumers, would secure cheap gas. He would not dwell on the injury which would be done to the streets in having the paving con stantly pulled up, but he would ask them to look abroad and Bee the results of misdirected competition in other under takings. What had such competition done for railways ? Had it'increased its dividends ? or decreased the fares ? No, and those consequences had arisen from capital havingbeen recklessly expended which now produced no revenue at all. It was said, however, that a new com pany conid make and supply gas cheaper than the price of the. present company, but let that be shown, and that a remunerative dividend would be derived from the 'undertaking, and he was sure that there were in this country men of sufficient enterprise and capital to embark in it. (Hear, hear.) He would ask them if it was in tended, under cover of the dust which was thus sought to be created, to make the corporation the mule on whose hack the burthen was to be cast ? (Hear, hear.) If he might judge of the committee by their own report, which they had sent to the council, such was, in the background, their intention. If he did them wrong, or insinuated what was not their intention. he was sorry for it, but there was a reco mmen d a ti on i n th e i r re port, and he had merely dealt with it as h e h a d f oun d 'it in print. The corporation had too much on RS hands already. (Hear, hear.) The warning voice of parliament had already gone forth on a subject, which nearly touched the pockets of every individual in the community, although it was a measure fraught with injustice and one which ought to sink the ministry if, they attempted to bring forward so flagrant a propositiOn. (Hear, hear.) They had Birken head on their hands, they had extensive public improve ments to be carried out, they had that day sanctioned the borrowing of 20,0001 for the new library and museum, and they had also the Wallasey embankment staring them in the face, which was a much more serious matter than many of the council imagined. It might be the case, and he was not uncharitable in the supposition, that Mr. there were pa r ti es out of doors who were urging Kitchen on i n thi s ma tter, in the hope that by a continual agitation of it in the council, they might save their own pockets at the expense of the public, but they would find that the council was not so blind in the matter as they supposed. It was urged, too, that they could supply gas as cheaply as water, but there was no analogy between thoni; for while one was the gift of a bounteous natur e , the other was a' manufacture, and required sod &ad )11 to your fac )u the information which, under ve a right to.'' -4 , , that had the d recto compan Much had been said upon the subject of meters, but any , consunler would buy his meter, where and from whom soever he pleased ; and it was a curious fact that, though a short time since, a shop was opened in Liverpool for the sale of patent meter?, and though the company en couraged the sale, yet in a period of six months, only ten or twelve were sold. In conclusion, Mr. Holme again urged that if a new company would be a profitable undertaking, an act of parliament would be easily obtained fo - r it, but v Mazeppa, or of Ac by his - - own hounds, aw agitation in this matt( dMr. T the fate of consumed - Mr. Kitchen briefly replied, not being prepared for a full discussion of the matter that day. He repudiated the intentions attributed to him, and his brother com mittee-men by Mr. Holme, and while admitting that the committee had saved on their contract for cannel, (he would not say whether it was the result of chance or foresight), still contend that such a management as they recommended would alone protect the consumer. All they wanted was fair dealing, economical management, and proper mode of manufacture by the company, and until that was secured for the company, he would never cease to agitate in the matter, both in the council and out of it, (Hear, hear.) . - Mr. Alderman Bennett's amendment was then put to the vote, and carried by 25 to 13. The original motion was accordingly lost, The voting was as follows : For the amendment, Councillors Holden, McGuffie, Holt, Livingston, Fernihough, Jeffreys, Shand, Wagstaff, Lawrence, Brancker, Johnson, Picton, Hodson, Atkin, Robertson, Farnworth, Gregson, flathead, Aldermen Langsdale, Bennett, Preston, Parker, Shand, Holme, the Mayor : total, 25. For the motion, Councillors Crosthwaite, Woodruff, Stewart, Shell, Nicholson, Bradley, Haydock, Godfrey, Hornby, Gladstone, Kitchen, Clint, and BeAwith Total 13. Mr. Sheil then moved that the committee to which it be refered, be a new special committee, as the old special committee had already decided against it. Mr. Robertson Gladstone seconded the motion, and in doing so, took occasion to say that the reason why so few meters had been sold by the shop alluded to by Mr. Alderman Holme was, because of a placard posted on the walls by the gas company. Mr. Cooper, amid loud cries of order, he being a share holder in the company, and having, therefore, no right to speak, declared that the company had never posted any placard about it. After a very noisy discussion, Mr. Shell's motion was put, and lost by d show of bands. BIRKENHEAD DOCKS COMMITTEE • XI The proceedings of this committee were read Mr. Hornby moved their adoption. Mr. Aldertimn Holme seconded the motion. Mr. Hodson drew attention to the thin state of the council during the proceedings of that most important committee, while the subject last before them caused an immense amount of excitement, although not involving one tithe of the importance. That shewed how 'much passion and prejudice acted upon their minds. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Shell moved that the council do adjourn, which was seconded by Mr. Haydock, and vehemently opposed by Mr. Holme, Mr. Fernihough, and other gentlemen. Mr. Shell consented to withdraw his motion, stating that he had only brought it forward in order to have the names of members who were then present recorded. The proceedings were then confirmed. REMOVAL OF THE PUBLIC OFFICES FROM CORNWALLIS- STREET A report was read from this committee recommending the rqmoval of the offices to the site of the old eas in Dale-street Mr. Hornby moved the confirmation of the recommen dation. Mr. Earle urged that the alterations in Dale-street would be wholly imperfect unless the pestilential court next to the building were also removed. Mr. Woodruff asked what the cost of the land and buildings would be. Mr. Hornby believed the land would cost about 5,000/. or 6,0001. He did not recollect the exact cost of the buildings, but he believed it w mkt be more ronderate than was at first proposed._ Altogether the interest would probably be about 8001. or 9001. per annum. Mr. Alderman Parker opposed the recommendation strongly, and proposed a negative. Mr. Woodruff, Mr. tangsdale, and other gentlemen also opposed the recommendation on the ground that the present offices were sufficiently suitable. On the suggestion of Mr. Hornby, the question :was referred back to the committee, inasmuch as a telegraphic message had teen received from the town-clerk rendering immediate instructions necessary in reference to the town dues bill, which required the attention at once of the members of the special committee. The coroner's account, amountiug to 551, was passed A memorial was read from a number of the inhabitants of Vauxhall ward, praying for improved communication between Great Howard-street and Vauxhall-road. The memorial was referred to the finance committee. A letter was read from the Right Hon. Sidney Herbert, soliciting a subscription from the council to the Nightin gale fund. Mr. Hornby explained that the council could not legally appropriate any of their funds for that purpose, but expressed a hope that on publicity being given to it the public of Liverpool would take the matter up. The council then adjourned. Baron Brunow, one of the Russian plenipotentaries, arrived in Paris at half-past ten on Tuesday night, at the Russian Embassy. The Paris correspondent of the Times, writing on Tues day night, expresses a doubt whether everybody is so san guine as a week or two since, that the peace about to be made will be as solid and durable as is desired. A military journal of Vianna states, in a comtnunica- Von from Baktahi-Serai, that the news of a probable armistice had produced a great sensation in the Russian army, as preparations wer e b e i ng made for arming the advanced guard of General Autemarre's division. The Vatican arrived at Marseilles yesterday morning, with advices from Constantinople of the 4th, and from the Crimea of the 2nd inst. On the 2nd Feb. a fire took place in the barracks at Constantinople occupied by a detachineut of the 13th English Dragoons ; no lives were lost. The building, with the arms and accoutre ments it contained , was totally destroyed. The news from Central America is in the highest degree interesting. The question of the imrnediste invasion of Honduras had been discussed in the Nicaraguan Cabinet. it was decided that the republic needed repose, and that, for the present at least, she would -not interfere between the belligerent parties. This decision had led to the resigna tion of General Jerez, Minister of Relations, but was gene rally regarded as a very judicious proceeding. The Berlin Zeitung, which has many titles to speak on behalf of the Prussian - government, said on the 9th : It is still uncertain whether Prussia will or will not take part in the conferences which are to open at Paris, on the 21st of this month. Prussia hesitates to accept the fifth proposition, with all the obligations they entail, lest she should become bound by them in case of the failure of the negotiations. At the same time, it is certain that no peace will be finally concluded in which Prussia is not a party." The Northern Bee, which subsists by the special favour of the Russian court, puts forward an article on the expected peace. The following is an extract :—" If God grant us peace we shall take advantage of it to provide Russia with railways. What a delight it will he when our.brave troops and the munition of war can be taken from one spot to another almost like the wind. All this can and will be done, but we must make the beginning. Private individuals are already permitted to construct roads, and that is all we want. The good North Americans will cordially assist u s , supplying us with skilful engineers and machinery." - • THI LATE . FATAL COLLISON. OFF FOLKSTONE.—In the inquiry opened before the Folkestone Coroner, respe':ting the death of three of the sufferers in the vrreckof the Josephine Willis, the evidence was almost the same as that at the Deal inquiry. The jury, after more than an hour's deliberation, returned the following verdict :—" We come to the unanimous conclusion that George Summers, and others, came by their deaths in consequence of a collision between the ship Josephine Willis and the steamer Mangerton, owing to an error in judgm en t on t h e part of the chief-officer of the ship mistaking the light of the steamer for Dungeness light, and starboarding the helm. We also agree, that if a proper look-out had been kept on board of the steamer, the collision might have been avoided. We feel it our duty also to state, that there appears to have been a great want of humanity on the part of the crews of both ships, in not sending assistance , to the passengers from the ship whilst they had it in their pow er to do so, an d t we believe that if proper efforts had been made many more lives would have been saved." IMPERIAL PATILIVVIENT, HOUSE OF COMMONS.-WEDNESDAY, The SPEAKER took the chair at twelv PRIVATE BILLS. The following bills were read a second time and ordered' to be committed—Blackburn, &c Roads, Canada Company, Castle Douglas and - Dbmfries Railway, Doddifigton - Rectory Division, Kettering and Newp6rt Pagnell R)ad, Lewes, Eastbourne, and Hailsham Road, Maybole and Girvan Railway, Salisbury Market Branch Railway and Market House, Stockton and Darlington Railway, Tormohani Water, Wandsworth and Putney Gas, Yarmouth and Haddiscoe Railway PETITIONS, t number of petitions were presented, on the opens British Museum, National Gallery, and Crystal ,n Sundays, RE - CONf3TRUCTION OF PARISIIET The Marquis of BLANDFORD moved the second reading of the Formation, &c. of Parishes Bill, the object of which was to create new parishes through the instrumentality of a commission appointed thre years 'ago, and to provide for their endowment, o to make sour alterations ) patronage, removing it -in a great .e from the chore and placing it the I tributiE of person building churc hes he subject the House ,t Committee, certain sum annually to their Funds Bill was almost the sam ion, and the no as that introduced Marquis propo d to a 8 Mr. HADFIELD charged the noble Lord with inconsistency a measure containing Church Rates, while his name stood on a Bill for their abolition. He could not agree to pledge the House to the principle that Churches should be perinanently endowed, and he therefore moved as an amendment, that the Bill be read a second time that day six months. itroduc Mr. A. Pax,rArr seconded the amendment. Sir G. GREY said the principle of the bill was tO provid e for the sub-division of large and populous parishes. Nv one could deny the advantage of such a step, and he hoped that therefore the House would not refuse to .read Arr. Hadfield was one of detail, not the time for its censideration bjection of and that was The noble lord bas stated his intention of proposing, if his measure passed its present stage, that it be referred to a select commit tee. He (Sir G. Grey) was prepared to say that the Government would not oppose that course. After a brief discussion, the amendment was withdrawn, and the bill was read a second time, and ordered to be referred to a select committee. POLICE (COUNTIES AND BOROUGHS) BILL. On the order of the day for the second reading of did Police (Counties and Boroughs) Bill, Petitions were presented from Bern and Portsmouth, against the measure_ Sir G. GREY then moved that the bill be nCftv read si second time. Birmingham o Mr. HADFIELD moved an amendment that it ho post poned for a fortnight, on the ground that several Corpora— ti ins bad not yet time to consider the bill, and the Town Council of Shetteld would meet and come to a resolution on r G. CiREY said that if any good and, substantial ms were shown for the postmonement of the second rt.:suing for a rortnipt, tie had no cause for opposition, but at present he had , heard none. The hon. member for Sheffield had himself admitted that 35 Town Councils had been in time to consider the measure, and to express their determination to oppose it, and a number of petitions had been presented that day from Corporations on the subject. If the bill were now read a second time, he should not propose to take the committee before Friday fortnight. Mr. HENLEY supported the motion for postponement ; observing that he had not himself had time b give a fair consideration to the measure. Sir P. BARING hoped that the right hon. Bart. would con sent to postpone the measure after the declaration that one of the leading members on the other side of the House bad not had time to consider it. What, he asked, was the use of introducing measures early in the session, if they were to ' ressed on as fast as towards the close of the session ? PALMER also supported the motion for postpone. Sir J. WALUiLEY, hi speaking to the same effect, ob• served that the 35 corporations referred to by . the member for Sheffield had not had time to consider the question and Mr. Hadfield had received letters from the town-clerks, stating that they had not had time to call th 3 town councils together. After some remarks from Mr. PArKE, Sir G. GREY assented to Mr. HADFIELD and the motion'fbr the second reading w postponed to this day fortnight. amendment accordingly STOCK BANKS (SCOTLAND) BILL. notion for going into committee on the Joint Bank (Scotland) bill, fr. F. SCOTT asked for the postponement of this stage of the measure for a short time. - Mr.. WILSON said the bill, with the exc , ption of some mere verbal differences, was the same as the one that passed that House last Session, and he did not see any reason for postponement. The House then went into committee, and the Bill was reported without amendmen ts. The House adjourned at 3 o'clock. General Martimprey has left Paris for the Crimea, to resume his post as chief of the staff of Marshal Pelissier's Advices from Metamoras, of the 9th ultimo, state that th opposition of the clergy, through their bishops, to the late law for regulating the administration of jestice, was likely to produce very serious trouble. The Bishop of Monterey had issued a strong protest. The President was evidently puzzled as to what to do. CORN TRADE.—The agents of corn speculators in Rigs and St. Petersburg have been very busy of late in Ham l'urg with their offers of grain for delivery in the spring at very low prices ; but it is observed that - they decline to agree to the conditions stipulated for by would-be buyers, viz. :—that should the blockade of the Russian harbours be renewed before the period of delivery comes round (and consequently the delivery be prevented), the contract is to become void and null. It is evident that the hope of the delivery'being prevented by the act of the Emperor's enemies, forms an ingredient in the calculation of the low price asked. A FEMALE RECRUIT.—OR Friday a young woman, about 17 years of age, enlisted into the 97th Regiment, a recruit• ing party of which corps is stationed at Windsor. Although► she slept that evening in a room where there were several beds occupied by men, her sex was not discovered until neit morning. when being taken before the medical officer for examination, and ordered to strip, as is usual on suoh occa sions, she was obliged to confess that she was a woman.. She was then taken before the magistrates, charged with obtaining money under false pretences, and remanded. It is said that she enlisted in order to he enabled to join her sweetheart, who is in a cavalry regiment in the Crimea. 'A subscription has been commenced for her in Windsor. THE NEW HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT.-It is credibly reported that the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament has got itself into a sad serape. - Of course no one is to blame; no one ever is to blame when government affairs get into a scrape. But it seems that, by reason (it may be supposed) of its adhesion to departmental routine and its extreme aversion to any hints from unofficial quaifers, this systematic clock tower has built itself up. like George the Third's dumpling, so that there is no knowing holy the apple is to get in. It has long slits of windows, each measuring thirty-seven feet nine inches high by about fourteen and a-half inches wide ; and these, to all exter nal observation, are the only orifices through which the clock. to measure about forty-five feet or so cubic, and its bob major bells, to weigh from thirty tons or so down wards, are to beinsirmated into the interior of the tower. i ß t a i t e , shaaipdpitihya,tarachhieteectitmureatle e genius xpiuesiesnuse of th never at e a loss, requisiteand scaffolding, pulling - down, rebuilding, including ten per cent. for contingencies, has been made, and that clock and bells can be got into theiower' for the most insignificant sum of only 4 ',000!" " • DESTRUCTION OT THE PAVILION THEATRE BY FIRE. — Shortly after seven o'clock yesterday morning, a fire broke out at the Pavilion Theatre, Whitechapel-road, which resulted in the total destruction of that building. The damage already done must, at a fair calculation, exceed £20,000. A dense body of smoke was at first seen to issue from the painting-room adjoining the stage, by some men who raised an alarm. On proceed ing into the interior of the theatre, they discovered the flames extending across the stage, and whirling round the pit, boxes, and gallery,and in sh fl o a r m tly es. afterlw,he ardens,gitnhees entire body of the theatre was of the London Fire Brigade were shortly on the spot. Vast streams of water were poured on the blazing pile, but in spite of the most tremendous exertions the flames spread with great fury, and the scene was one of fearful grandeur. Mrs. Connorton, the proprietress of the building, was insured for machinery, wardrobe, and the theatre, in the Phoenix and Monarch fi re o ffi ces. Messrs. Elphinstone and Neale, the present lessees, who have lost a vast quantity of property by the disastrous event, were not insured for a single penny. As to the origin of the misfortune nothing that could be depended upon could be ascertained. The previous night, a piece called the " Red Cow" was performed, which terminated with the burning of the Robin Hood Tavern, and it is not at all unlikely that some of the burning embers have remained smouldering during the night.