The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-02-05 00:00:00

SUMMARY PROCEDURE ON DISHONOURED BILLS 07

EXCHANGE.
Two bills were introduced into Parliament to effect this
object, on the merits of which the council sent a petition 0
the House of Commons. On being referred to a select COrfi;
mitttee, parts of both bills were retained, and an act has paseeu,s,
the Legislature which, while girding the ostensible accePw'
of a bill of exchange from the effects of fraud, is well calcu"
lated to give summary redress to the bond fide holder.

LAW OF PARTNERSHIP.
Owing to the different view taken in 1854 by the Chamber
at large from that of the Council on the principle of limited
liability, your directors have considered themselves preclude'',
from using the influence of the Chamber on the bills brought
into Parliament last session, for certain changes in the 1110,1
Partnership ; one of which only has passed, namely, "A b:
for limiting the liability of members of certain Joint-Sti,
Companies." Legislation, doubtless, will not stop here; Ptleld
further changes, more or less involving the principle of Hull .t
liabilty, will be brought under discussion this session, and
would be desirable if your council could be placed in a pail,'
tion to express an opinion on any further practical masa"'
which may be brought forward on a subject so vitally import'
ant to the commercial classes.
IMPROVED COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ENGLAND AND

IRELAND BILL.
This measure, having for its object to enable railway CO
panies to become steam-ship proprietors, and several other
bills of like purport, were brought before your council by the
Steam-ship Association. After full consideration, a petiteoll
was presented to Parliament against the bills, as seeking
obtain powers calculated to interfere with the freedom
competition. Some of the bills were withdrawn, and the otherg
so altered as to confine their operations to postal and passel/.
ger communication only.

DOCK EXTENSION.
It will be in the recollection of the Chamber that this illy
portant subject had been, at various times, under the notice of
the council; but considerable difficulty being experien
(owing to the absence of full information,) in coming to a S'
and unanimous opinion on the advantages of any partial
scheme, your council limited their communication to the &teed
committee, in the interview which that body readily grail
to their deputation, to suggestions that the highest engineer
ing talent in the country should be consulted before any de-
cided steps were taken for dock extension on a great Scale:
Since this occurred, the long-looked-for purchase of the Birk,
head Docks by the Liverpool corporation has been effected'
and as one of the immediate consequences of this arranc,ernelle i
25 Ar
will be, doubtless, to put an end to all rivalry between TAI,I
sister communities of Liverpool and Birkenhead, your cone'"
entertains a strong hope and belief that, without the necesSiti
of any intervention on the part of the chamber, the measure,
most conducive to the trade of the Mersey generally will
considered on their merits alone, and that the constitntsu
authorities will study to avail themselves of the immense cat'
bilities for accommodation now in their hands, and thereby
render unnecessary any further extension of docks for yell.'
to come.

PARIS EXHIBITION OP 1855.
At the suggestion of the Board of Trade, your President
and Mr. J. B. Cooke were deputed to attend the Exhibition
for the purpose of reporting on the samples of various pro.
ducts there shown, more especially those of the English cob)"
vies. The report is, of course, too long to be introduced here'
and your council would merely advert to the article of cotton/
a special notice on which was made by Mr. Cook, as represely
tative of the Cotton Brokers' Association,from whichit appeal
that a new field for the cultivation of cotton has been open
in the French colony of Algeria, of the growth of which veil
fair samples were exhibited.
Your council may also state that they have received
sample of cotton grown in the district of Moreton Bay, Nell
South Wales, which locality, as far as can be judged by the,
sample, bids fair to afford a supply of valuable and excellel"
cotton.
In connexion with the Paris Exhibition, the council have to
report that Mr. Levi was again appointed to represent the
Chamber at the International Statistical Congress, held tin!
year in Paris, and that an interesting detailed statement 0'
the proceedings was furnished by that gentleman, which real
be consulted by any member desiring to do so.
The objects of the International Statistical Congresses sr!
to increase correct statistical information, to introduce rail'
formity into the statistical documents of different countries,
and to suggest and promote remedies for those defects whieh
the pursuit of this science may bring to light in the laws and
regulations of civilised nations.
The first congress was held in Brussels, in 1853; the second
last year, in Paris. It was attended by numerous official de'
puties, and other statists, many of public note, from all parts
of Europe, the United States, &c., conducting its business hi
sections. The subjects brought before the congress and re'
ported on were very various, a part of which only need be,
mentioned as interesting to the Chamber—namely, the hes'
mode for collecting the statistics of the acreage of land under
tillage, and of crops ; the statistics of commercial justice, part"
nership, bankruptcy, and bills of exchange ; the decimal systera
of money, and the assimilation of weights and measures.
Also, the subject of uniformity, as far as practicable, in the
commercial law and usages of civilised nations appears to have
received marked attention, and no difference of opinion pre"
vailed of its desirableness.
The collection and more frequent publication of statistical '
information connected with the domestic and foreign trade 0'
countries is strongly advocated by the Congress.
This brief summary, made from Mr. Levi's able report, is
given in order to enable the Chamber to judge of the benefits'
which this community may derive from keeping up a con'
nexion with the Congress.
Its next sitting will probably take place in London, in 1857.,
when opportunities will be afforded to the commercial agsoo,l'
ations of this country to bring before its members such s'IF,
jects connected with commercial statistics and commercial
progress as may be thought desirable.

ABOLITION OF THE SOUND DUES.
Your directors have again memorialized the Government,
praying that steps may be taken for the abolition of these
dues ; and they have the satisfaction of reporting that the
subject is occupying the earnest attention of the Foreign
office.