The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-02-26 00:00:00

ON Saturday week, a deputation of ladies-of the congrega-
gation of St. Matthew's, Hill-street, Toxteth-park, waited upon
the Rev. T. W. Moeran, at his residence, Percy-street, to
present him with new robes for his untiring zeal and attention
to the district and schools, and the high respect which they
have for him. The order was beautifully executed by Mr.
Mogford, of Castle-street.
SITE OF THE OLD BououGn GAOL.—An adjourned meeting
of the inhabitants of the north end was held, on Tuesday, at
Banbury's Vaults, Oldhall-street, to consider the propriety of
memorialising, the town council to build a market on the site
of the old borough gaol, in Great Howard-street. Mr. Eddis-
bury took the chair. The meeting was very numerously
attended. Letters were read from Councillors M`Guffie and
Halhead, stating that they could not 'attend, from illness.—
Mr. John Bunbury moved the following resolution :—" That
in the opinion of this meeting, an excellent opportunity now
presented itself for building a commodious market on the site
of the old borough gaol, which is already the property of the
burgesses, such a market being an accommodation much re-
quired by the inhabitants of the north end."—Mr. John Jones
seconded the resolution.—Mr. Councillor Woodruff quite
agreed that the north end required a market, but he was
doubtful whether the site proposed by Mr. Bunbury would
answer the anticipations of the gentlemen present, as it was
too near the one at present existing at the north end of the
town, and he was doubtful whether any markets in Liver-
pool could support themselves. He knew that Gill-street
market did not pay above one per cent. upon the cost. But if it
was at all requisite for the welfare of the community that a
market should be established at this part of the town, he
should propose that it be built farther north. The resolution
proposed by Mr. Banbury was put and carried by a small
majority. Mr. Amer proposed the adoption of a memorial to
the Town Council (a copy of which was read). The motion
was seconded and carried unanimously. A committee of

management was appointed.
A HARD VERDICT.—Some attention has been excited
among commercial persons by an extremely hard verdict in a
recent action, brought by a person who had taken a passage
for himself and his wife in a ship from Jamaica, the captain
of which entirely broke his contract. The vessel was adver-
tised to sail " in all August"—the captain, expected it would
be about the 10th, and promised to give the complainant three
days' notice. The complainant, who had paid his £37, sold
his goods and went into lodgings to wait for the expected
summons. The captain never gave him any, and after long
delay, the complainant heard that he had sailed to England,
on the 3rd -October' without him. The complainant then
came to England by the Atrato, and on his arrival sued the
owner of the vessel for his expenses, amounting to £lOO. The
owner, however, repudiated the contract, throwing it upon
the captain, who merely offered to return the £37. An action
was accordingly brought against the owner, and the result
was that the plaintiff.was nonsuited. Although it was proved
that the owner received 20 per cent. of the passage-money, the
Chief Baron expressed a strong opinion that there was no evi-
dence against him. Such, at least, are the particulars gathered
from the published report. If this be law, the wrongs to
which passengers are likely to be subjected will be innumer-
able. In a vast majority of cases the master of a ship would
be found to possess ao property to render it safe to bring an
action against him, and if his owner be not _responsible,
there is no redress whatever.

DOCK COMMITTEE.—The weekly meeting of this committee
was held on Thursday; Mr. Charles Turner in the chair. The
other members present were Messrs. Shand, Palmer, Robin-
son, Brocklebank, Gladstone, Barker, Rounthwaite, Holme,
Langsdale, Anderson, Rankin, Smith, Mondel, Lockett. On
the recommendation of the sub-committee of works, hydrants,
to be available in cases of fire, were ordered to be placed in the
dockyard, and new warehouses in Wapping, 'at a cost of £350.
A communication was read from Mr. Melly, requesting per-
mission to place two fountains at the north and south ends of
Salthonse Dock, and others at convenient distances further
south. The Chairman said there could be no difficulty in ac-
cepting Mr. Melly's offer. Mr. Holme did not think that Mr.
Melly ought to be called upon out of his private pocket to
erect those fountains. He had proved their value, and the
fountains ought to be erected at the expense of the committee.
A brief conversation ensued, which resulted in the chairman
being deputed to see Mr. Melly, and ascertain his pleasure on

the subject.—On the recommendation of the sub-committee
for the marine department, the tender of Messrs. Wainwright
Brothers to repair the Bell•beacon was accepted.—The harbour
masters' sub-committee recommended, on the report of the
surveyor, that the practice of allowing steamers to try their
engines in the docks be discontinued. The report stated that
the -entrance to the SandonDock was choked by the mud
'thrown up, and if the practice were continued the entrances
to the Sandon Graving Docks -would be choked up and ren-
-dered useless. Mr. Holme said it was a.serious matter to
take a new steamer into the river without trying her engines.

at was another step towards forcing the trade from the port.
The Chairman did not think it was ; it was a choice of evils.
Mr. Brocklebank said it was a matter of cost taking vessels
into the river. The recommendation was confirmed.—Richard

...Tones was appointed a keeper of weighing materials, on the
recommendation of the master porters' sub-committee.—,On
the recommendation of the 'Finance Committee, the salary of
Mr. Ewart, for paying wages, was raised from £5B to £"7O per
annum.—After the general'ausiness had concluded, the sub-
ject of purchasing Hilbre Island was, brought 'under consi-
deration. Some discussion took place, and it was ultimately
agreed to purchase the island for a sum of £1,500. The island
belonged to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, who 'offered it
in the first instance for £l3BOO, but ultimately agreed to ac-
cept the amount above named. The Dock Committee paid a
rental of £2O per annum for the telegraph station, subject to
a penalty of £5OO in case'of default. Several thousand pounds
I have also been spent 'upon it for the accommodation of the
Trinity Board. The purabase of the island by the Dock Com-
mittee was considered *desirable thing as affecting the port'
of Liverpool, and the bargain must be considered a highly
advantageous one.
CHAMBERS V. Oxr.orr.—ln the County Court, on Thursday,
Alexander Chambers claimed £l9 7s. 5d., wages due to 'him
as an able seaman on board the ship War Cloud, of which the
defendant, J. B. Oxleyowas the owner. The War Cloud, it
appeared, had been in the transport servick and the plaintiff
stated that on Saturdayothe 29th of December last, while the
vessel was in the Bosphorus, he obtained leave to go on shore
for twenty-four hours, stating that he was going to buy some
clothes which he should require for the voyage, but really
having an intention to join her Majesty's naval service.
Captain Fox, of the War Cloud, told him not to return to the
vessel drunk, to whichihe replied that whet he came aboard
again " he expected he should appear in a different aspect to
that in which he stood +-then," meaning thereby to throw .a
hint of his intention tojoin the royal navy. H.M.S. London
was then lying at the same place, and with a view of joining
that ship, he stopped ashore till Monday. Having on that day
joined the London, the captain's clerk applied to Captain Fox
for the wages due to the plaintiff, but Captain Fox refused to
pay the amount; upon 'which he was ordered to attend at
Admiral Boxer's office, at ConstantinoPle, at ten o'clock on
the following morning, ‘which he promised to do. On the
following morning, however, he put to sea, and left the Bos-
phorus without calling at Admiral Boxer's office. Mr. For-
t Shaw, for the defendants said the question involved a very im-
portant principle affecting the merchant service. The War
Cloud was at the time in her Majesty's service as a transport,
and was at the time under sailing orders, and this was known
on board, The plaintiff applied for leave, and the captain
.gave him a limited leave, telling him he should sail the mo-
sment the wind changed. !He applied only for a small sum of
money for the purpose of providing himself with such clothes
as he considered necessary for the homeward voyage. It was
. exceedingly improper for the captain of the London to take
the man under the circumstances. As the plaintiff had not
,returned to the vessel at the.expiration of his:notice, Mr. For-
shaw contended that he had. pse facto deserted, and therfore
forfeited the wages then due to him. His Honour said the ques-
tion was one of too much importance for him to decide upon his
present impression, which wac, that there must'be no act of de-
sertion committed before the seaman joined her Majesty's ser-
Nice, if he was to be free from-the forfeiture of his wages. His
impression was, too, that it wao quite clear, upon the evidence
before him, that there was a leaving of the vessel in the mer-
chant's service before the seaman entered her Majesty's ser-
vice. No doubt the words in .the act were no's that " the
seaman shall leave and forthwithenter the naval service," but
." a .seaman leaving for the ptcrpase of forthwith entering the
•naval service shall not be taken to have deserted." His Ho-
nour's impression was, too—and he only gave it as his im-
pression upon a matter of very considerable importance, and
some difficulty—that the meaning of the act of Parliament
must have been, not that men should go and commit the act
of desertion, and then get out of it by going on board a vessel
in her Majesty's service, but the eareying out of the intention,
and before.committing the act of desertion relinquishing one
service and entering another. That seemed to his Honour the
meaning.of the act of Parliament, butiit was a matter of great
importance ,to the merchant service, .certainly. He would
give 'the point his best considerationoand on that day week
they could talk the matter over.
EAST LANCASHIRE RAILWAY.—The half-yearly meeting of
this company was held on Wednesday, at Bury ; Mr. Thomas
Dugdale in the chair. The report stated that the receipts for
the half-year shelved an increase of £5,31;5 over the corres-
ponding period of 1854, the mileage having increased feom
814 to 93 miles, by the addition of the Clifton and Manchester
and Southport railways. .The gross receipts during the half-
year ending 31st of December amounted to £158,111; the
working expenses to £75,925; the interest on loans and pre-
ference shares to £40,216 ; leaving a balance of £41,969 avail-
able for dividend. The directors recommend .a dividend at
the rate of 34 per cent. per annum, leaving £33096 to be car-
ried to the reserve fund, which now amounted to £61,357.—
The total expenditure of capital during the half-year amounted
to £20,202. The capital account showed that £3,853,392 had
been received, and £3,811,421 expended, leaving a balance of
£41,970. The chairman said, although the conduct, charac-
ter, and morality of railway directors, as a body, had been
openly impugned at public meetings, it was a source of plea-
sure to him to meet the proprietors of this railway, because
he could confidently appeal to them for their approval of the
policy of their board. He could not say that be had no dis-
appointment in not being able to present them with a larger
dividend. The depresed state of trade in the East Lancashire
district, and the dearness of food, had deprived them of a large
revenue both in passengers and goods. The working expenses
had increased during the last half-year by £7,504, as compared
with the corresponding half of 1854. Locomotive charges had
increased by £2,945, principally through running 64,759 miles
more than in 1864. Substantial repairs to locomotive engines
had cost 21,187, and the price of coke, oil, and tallow had
been raised, though the amount per train per mile wais about
the same. Coaching charges had been increased by £1,148.
The accident at Summerseat had increased the claims for
compensation ; but, notwithstanding the large goods traffic,
the company had paid considerably less for compensation in
this department than in the last half of 1854. Merchandise
charges had increased by £1,035, because the goods traffic had.
increased by 12,659 tons, or £1,831, and the cost of materials
and labour had augmented. The increase of £270 in the
general charges was chiefly occasioned by advertising the
Southport competition, and the increase in rates and taxes of
£740 arose from the augmented' poor-rates in the townships
through which this line passed. In fixed charges there was a
net increase of £1,337, the principal addition being the in-
terest on the new 41 per cent. stock ; but since December,
1854, the fifths had been reduced from 6to 5 per cent. The
loans on mortgage renewed during the last half-year amounted
to R 63,000, rather more than half being at 44 per cent. and
under, and in no case had more than 41- been paid, the average
rate now paid by this company being £4 ss. ld., or 71d. per
cent. increase since June last. This company was now at
peace, and had a friendly interchange of traffic with all neigh-
bouring railways. Mr. Rosson expressed himself perfectly
convinced that no railway had better prospects before it than
this company. The resolution was then carried unanimously,
the retiring directors and auditor were re-elected, dividends
after the guaranteed rates were declared on the preferential
stock, and after the rate of 31 per cent. per annum on the ordi-
nary stock, payable on the 4th of March, and £2OO was voted
from the revenue of the current year, in aid of the company's
benevolent fund_ The proceedings concluded with a vote of
thanks to the chairman and the directors.