The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-01-15 00:00:00

THE BALANCE OF TRADV.

LIE recent publication of the amount of iraPer,ts
and exports of the United Kingdom has given rise':
some discussion as to the balance of trade. 'We °jai
by no means inclined to approve of that commere 5
system the advent of which was heralded with veil t
flourish of trumpets in 1846, because we believe 6.11
much of the subsequent apparent prosperity is olvi
to exceptional causes in no way influenced by the sYS•
tern itself. The enormous increase in our imports andexports during the last few years is almost altogether
to be attributed to the extraordinary gold discoverle''
which not only operated as a powerful stimulus to
trade, but also furnished the means by which it ares
carried on ; and, therefore, we deny that the system is
,
entitled to the eulogies which its advocates best
upon it. At the same time, we cannot coincide vri
those who, in their hostility to the systems cat
inferences from the returns of trade which are not
.
warranted by the facts. A writer in a London celi
temporary takes the returns of imports for the Yef
18,54 at £152,000,000, and then, deducting from it t'e
declared value of exports, with the addition of 20 if:
cent. for insurance, freight, &c., argues that
difference of £35,600,000 is a balance of trade ate'
Great Britain. This is by no means a fair statenollt;
however convenient the deduction may be for the AO
of the writer. lie includes the whole of the inn)°,
but confines the amount of exports to those of Bril
produce and manufactures, omitting, therefore,
reference to foreign goods re-exported, and which 0:
a material item in the question of balance of Of;
There is no doubt that, upon the whole account, tP
imports are in excess of exports, but it is absurd i 4
imagine that the excess amounts to £35,600,000 in
one year, or that such figures can be relied upon Ow
materials for an argument upon the balance of trade'

DRorTs OF AD MIRA.LTY.—In our second page will be - f °llll
an important correspondence between Messrs. J. Brainti;
Moore and Co., of this town, and the Board of Trade, 00
subject of the rights of receivers of droits of Admiralty.

LIVERPOOL ROYAL INFIRMARY
ANNUAL MEETING.

THE annual meeting of the Trustees of the Livere,
Royal Infirmary and Lunatic Asylum was held in the 1344 rd
room of the Infirmary, yesterday morning. There sere
present : E. Gibbon, R. Hutchison, C. Freer, Joseph 3latthelr'l
C. B. Robinson, H. Perkins, C. Langton, T. D. HornbY, t 3
A. North, Esqrs.
In the absence of the President, E. GIBBONS, Esq., I°s
called to the chair.
After prayers were read by the Rev. Henry John Gar'
the CHAIRMAN called on
Mr. ROBERT HUTCHISON, the Treasurer, to read the
nual report, who began by stating that, in accordance WI
the rules of the institution, the annual meeting was held
l;„
the second Monday in January, and at that meeting 4,p
account of the annual income and expenditure was require%
be produced. It was scarcely within the nature of 'd
business that a complete account of those transactions COT.O
be got ready ; but he had prepared such an account as tP.4
circumstances permitted ; such an account, indeed,
would give a fair, though not an absolutely correct vies
the affairs of the institution, and such an accoio,l
he begged to submit to the meeting. He should begg
with a statement of the working of the hospital :—On
Ist of January, 1855, there were 163 patients in the boil
and during the year 2,014 had been admitted, inalrilled
2,177 in all. Of these 938 had been discharg
cured ; 586, who had been relieved, had been discharged
their own request; 2.22 had been discharged from the heeso
though retained as out patients ; 147 had been discharged
irregular; 128 had died; and 156 remained in the house "f
the Ist of January, 1856. The average daily number en
patients throughout the year had been 166; 470 had been
admitted as out-patients, and the surgical casualties nnero
bered 665. In the Lunatic Asylum, there were 62 patients,,
the house on the Ist January, 1855, and 37 had been since 81,11
mitted, making 99 in all. Of these 24 had been disrais
cured ; 4 who had been relieved had been discharge
at their friends' request ; 4 who had not improved
.117.
been discharged at their friends' request ; 6 had
and sixty-one remained in the house on the Ist of Jano"A
last. In reference to the Lock Hospital, there retnainei
in the house 39 patients on the Ist of January, 1855 an
during the year, 472 had been admitted, making a total Of 611
Of these, 298 had been discharged cured ; 110, who had been
relieved, were discharged at their own request; 6 had been
sent to the Workhouse ; 10 had been sent to the Benevolent'
house, Penitentiary, and Magdalen Asylum ; 40 had been de;
charged as irregular; 2 had died; and 46 remained in t 5
house on the Ist of January last. He proceeded to say, Wit
regard to the funds, that last year the institution commene
its annual labours under very uncheering circumstances an,
prospects. At the Ist of January, last year, there was a balance
r.
of £1,400 against the institution, occasioned by various Cl';
cumstances, some of which had happily passed away, but 50,111,,
still remained. The heavy balance thus accumulated against
institution was occasioned by the two previous years bell
what might be termed exceptional years,'
as the income of
those years had been much smaller than the average of ti't-
preceding twelve years, during which years the average e
donations had been £1,400, while in 1853 and 1854 °lel
average had not exceeded £l,OOO, and during the same
period the legacies had also been unusually small. In a
dition to the deficiency of income, there had also been a con'
siderable rise in all the items of expenditure, and a great
advance in the prices of provisions of all kinds. This 10,
source of increased outlay still continues, and the cost
provisions last year had been about 4z per cent. more that
in the previous one. By a strong appeal to the publics'
however, during the past year a great improvement in tbet
finances of the establishment had taken place. The anioune
received in donations and legacies had, in the course of tb
year, been about £3,000, of which £2,742 had been in done'
tions, and £258 in legacies. Through this timely aid, and nel.
withstanding the high price of provisions, and by care an
attention in the management, the balance against the instibr
tion has been reduced to £4OO. (Cheers.) Notwithstandil.
this relative and seeming prosperity, however, the trustees
would still have to call loudly for public support, to enable
them to maintain the efficiency of the institution, and he felt
and trusted that the appeal would not be made in vain'
The only other matter with which it was necessary r.
trouble the meeting was an incidental notice that a wee,'
ing of the trustees had been held to petition against the
Charitable Trusts Bill of last year ; but that bill had been
so modified as not to affect the institution. One other
topic he had almost forgotten, but which it was important b,
should mention. This was the Patients' Relief Fund, or, eS
it had been called, the Stewart Fund. It was a small fun
intended to aid patients who might be much reduced in CV'
cumstances from long-continued ill health, or who had to be
conveyed to a distance. Of this fund there had been a balance
in hand of £26 12s. 6d. at the Ist of January, 1855 ; since
then there had been paid' out, in furtherance of the objects 0
ofuubllydftochroenlinue his
the fund, £9 14s. 6d., leaving £l6 18s. Od., as a balance in
hand, at the let January last.
C. B. ROBINSON Esq., moved that the accounts for the P°l
year, with the report, be printed, and presented to the truster'
and subscribers, as soon as practicable.
HUGH PERKINS, Esq., seconded the motion, which vcos
unanimously carried.
J. AIA.TTHEWS, Esq., moved : " That the thanks of this
meeting be given to John Naylor, Esq., for filling the office of
President for the past year, and for his handsome donation of
one hundred guineas."
C. LANGTON, Esq. seconded the motion, which was unani-
mously adopted.
ALFRED NORTH, Esq., in moving the third resolution, said
it afforded him much gratification to move—" That the thanks
of this meeting be presented to Robert Hutchison, Esq., for
filling the office of treasurer during the past twelve months,
and that he be requested to continue his services during the
ensuing year." Any one acquainted with the onerous natal
of the duties implied ordinarily in the office of treasurer, would
be heartily glad to concur in such an expression of feeling 0.s.
that contained in the resolution he had just read. When
was recollected, however, that in addition to discharging the
ordinary duties of the office, Mr. Hutchison had been success'
ful in reducing the debt on the institution from £1,400 to
£4OO, he felt assured that more than a merely formal vote of
thanks would be accorded to him.
C. B. Ronmsox, Esq., had much pleasure in seconding the.
motion, which, having been unanimously adopted-
tnshea agreedl
that he
grateful as tlhind
meeting-
Ase expression
iri
ter
wass o nut of feeling llf
we Ie
wish
goief
thihi expe
ressed srhad
t been
me
humble exertions in behalf of the institution, as its treasurer,
he should gladly continue to do so, and to use all his endea-
vours to see that it was worked in an efficient and satisfactorl
manner.
HL
meeting G " That the thanks of this
me
Infirmary, Lunatic Asylum, and Lock Hospital, for the able
discharge of their duties, and also to the Consulting Physicians
gi rbe PEuiciNs
presentedEtsoil Esq., moved
' physicians and surgeons of the
and Surgeons."
ALFRED NORTH, Esq., seconded the motion, which vas
unanimously adopted.
T. D. HoRNBY, Esq., moved : "That the thanks of the
meeting be given to the Rev. Henry John Garrod, A. 8., fer
the zealous discharge of Ins important duties as chaplairi
during the past year."
C. FREER, Esq., seconded the motion, which was also
carried.

The Rev. H. J. GARROD briefly acknowledged the COt°.
pliment paid to him. _ .

. . .
C. LAN GTON, Esq., moved : "That Thomas Berry ktors'
fall, Esq., M.P., be the President for the ensuing year."
„lila
doing so he said he felt assured the meeting would be Wat
to learn that Mr. Horsfall had kindly consented to acceP"

the office.
J. MATTIIEWS, Esq., seconded the motion, which W 5
adopted.
C. FREER, Esq., moved : " That the medical officers of the
Infirmary, Lunatic Asylum, and Lock Hospital, be sever:►Ul

re-appointed."
C. LANGTON, Esq., seconded the motion, which 0115
adopted.
R. HuTonsox, Esq., moved : " That Laurence Peel'
Arthur Thompson, Thos. Arthur Hope, Rev. John Stewart,
A.M., Joseph Matthews, Thomas Dyson Hornby, James F;
Campbell, and Joseph G. Livingston, Esqrs., members of ,

committee, who retire by rotation, be re-elected."
ALFRED NORTH, Esq., seconded the motion, which having
been carried, a vote of thanks to the Chairman was propose

and carried, after which the meeting separated.

lift.

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