The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-09-11 00:00:00

First Lord of the Admiralty, the opinion is pretty prevalent that
both parties are considerably to blame. By this time, all the
Trcrld knows that that official connexion which was inaugu-
rated at the Reform Club, and moistened and cemented by
copious streams, drawn from the inspiring fountains which
play in Bacchanalian groves, has ended in a rupture, and that
the valiant Admiral, whose discretion was doubted ere he
started, but proved in the Baltic campaign, has printed and
published a mass of correspondence with his quondam friend
and boon companion, in which neither cuts a very creditable
figure; while, from its publication, the-country may suffer some
detriment. Among the odds and ends of this singular corres-
pondence, is one circumstance which has occasioned much
remark. Sir CHARLES NAPIER alleges that by the same mail
which brought him despatches from the Admiralty, he
received a communication from the Jupiter Tonans of
Printing-house-square, containing admonitions of a similar
character to those contaimd in the Admiralty despatches. A
leader in the Morning Advertiser, in which journal the cor-
respondence, or such portions of it as have been published,
appear, states that the Editor of that paper had the letter in
his possession. The deduction sought by the testy Admiral
and his newly-found friend, from this letter, is, that the Ad-
miralty rules the fleet, and that the Times directs the Admi-
ralty ; a nice state of affairs, truly, on which the Times, with
cautious prudence, remains discreetly silent.
While these foolish exposures tend greatly to discredit the
public service, matters of more serious moment relative to our
Admiralty arrangements force themselves on attention from
different quarters. It now appears certain that the mortar-
boats, furnished as an important supplementary force to the
Baltic fleet, have been so faulty in construction, that they are
already useless, and that the fleet of these lame ducks is on its
way home from the inhospitable north. In Parisian naval,
military, and political circles the rumour is current, and cur-
rently credited, that " the English mortar-boats soon became
useless at the bombardment of Sweaborg, and that their con-
struction and fitness are altogether decidedly inferior to those
of the French boats of the same construction, rendering their
fire less precise and effective." The same rumour adds that,
consequent on the defective construction of these English
mortar-boats, Admiral DUNDAS was forced to oppose a further
prosecution of the bombardment, when pressed to continue it
by Admiral PENA.UD, and further that he was ultimately driven
to avow that the deplorable state of his materiel would pre-
vent his renewing the combat. If these obnoxious rumours
prove correct, the vaunted naval supremacy of England is
apparently far advanced on its way towards annihilation.
Such sinister reports as these demand immediate refutation,
if untrue ; if true, instant attention with a view to remedy.
The news and the rumours which each passing day brings
with it from the Crimea, if not sources of immediate apprehen-
sion, are nevertheless so interwoven with portentous urgency
and gloom, as to cause serious uneasiness in quarters not
liable to the charge of fear. The official despatches which for
some time past have reached this country breathe such an air
of uncertainty and hesitation as to give countenance to un-
comfortable rumours of divided counsels among the allied
commanders. At all events, the movements, disposition, and
indicated feeling of the French and English generals give no
token of an expected speedy termination to the siege of Sebas-
topol. General SIMPSON writes as if he were labouring under
some undefined and oppressive sense of the actual power of the
enemy, whose resources, we are also requested to believe, are
exhausted in the Crimea. From various sources the people of
this country are taught to believe that provisions of all sorts
are scarce among all the divisions of the Russian army ; but
still we learn from General Snapsolv, that "The enemy have
been concentrating troops, and are supposed to have received
considerable reinforcements, which probably consist of two
divisions of grenadiers, which have been conveyed in carts
from Bakshi Serai and Simpheropol. From various sources
we learn that the Russians on the right bank of the Tchernaya
are held in perfect readiness for an attack." This does not
savour much of exhaustion. An enemy which could convey
two Russian divisions of an army from a considerable distance,
in carts, cannot be destitute. That army which is held in
readiness for an attack upon another numbering- 200,000 men
cannot be fairly looked on as exhausted. The truth is, and every
one here feels it to be so, we do not know, and never have known,
the actual condition and position of the Russian army in and
within march of the Crimea. Our armies landed on its shores
without an idea of what was to be encountered, and they con-
tinue in the same unsatisfactory state of ignorance to all
appearance up to the present moment. As in the most im-
portant periods of last year's campaign, we are once more
driven to Russian channels for intelligence. Prince Gourscrak-
KOFF himself now admits that "the fortifications of Sebastopol
have been greatly damaged, and that the garrison have
suffered heavy losses." In corroboration of these facts it is
stated, in well-informed quarters, that the fire of the -Malakhoff
has been almost silenced, and an extensive breach has been
made in the works of the Redan. The latest published
despatches up to Saturday night intimate a vigorous resump-
tion of the bombardment on Wednesday last at daybreak, and
its steady continuance on that and the_following day, with
some show of result, a gratifying incident of which was the
burning of a Russian ship in the harbour, showing clearly
that the guns of the Allies have at last obtained command of
such important points as to reach the shipping.
Last night a great sensation was created all over the metro-
polis, by an announcement from the war department, inti-
mating that on Saturday at noon a combined attack had been
made by the English and French troops on the defences of
Sebastopol. The French were successful in carrying and re-
taining the Malakoff, but the same amount of good fortune
does not appear to have followed the British attack upon the
Redan, which General SniPsoN simply mentions as having
been unsuccessful. The military problem now to be solved is,
whether the possession of the Malakoff and the Redan (for
the fall of the latter is considered to be ensured by that of the
former), the Allies will be able so to command the chief de-
fences of the north side of Sebastopol as to render the town
tenable. Considerable diversity of opinion prevails on this
point, some of the military authorities maintaining that the
Malakoff is so situated as to command the harbour, and also
to bring the principal northern forts within range of its guns.
Others conjecture that most of those forts are beyond the
probability of its range.

Among the domestic topics of political importance which at
present occupy attention, is a rumour circulated, "on good
authority," that ere long there will be further changes in the
organisation of the Ministry ; that a coalition is in the course--
of formation against the rule of Lord PAL:am:mom, by Lord;:'
JOHN RUSSELL, Sir JAMES CinAnlar, Mr. Gnannowz, alzd
other members of the Peelite party, along with COBDEN and
BRIGHT, and the tribe of ultra-peace-Eberals. It is under-
stood
that the policy of this new coalitior‘when formed, which
there is reason for believing will •be shortly, is to be, the
peaceful prosecution of agriculture, manufactures, and com-
merce. Indeed, the battle-cry of the party was to some-
extent raised the other day by Sir j:kiins GRAHAM,, while
engaged in "the turf-cutting trade" at the commencement of
a new railway near Carlisle. After haying turned the first sod,-
the consistent baronet made an oration, in which he said it
was highly gratifying to his feelings to have been sa occupied
that day, "amidst the din of war and the prodigal, and fruit-
less expenditure of the public - money." In a subsequent
speech, made in responding to ,"the members for Carlisle,"•
drunk by the assembled multitude as a toast, Sir JAMES- set
himself forward as an exponent of the policy pursued by the
late Sir ROBERT PEEL, and insinuated that, if that right-
honourable baronet had been-alive, he would have pursued the,
same policy as he (Sir JAy.xs , GRAHAM) was now following..
This was too much for even a Cumberland gathering to
receive from Sir JAMES. GRAHAM.; and a lie. Jk.vEs, while
disclaiming any knowledge of how Sir RORSILT PEEL, would
have acted inthe present emergency, reminded the antagonist
of Sir CHARLES NA:pisn, that his model statesman had
changed his opinion upon the Corn-laws and some other
subjects, and plainly demonstrated, amidst the cheers and
laughter of the assemblage, that the peace-at-any-price slogan
of the new coalition would meet only with a derisive answer
from the public..

For a time. extending so far back, that it would be unsafe
to pretend a. recollection of its commencement, it has been
the habit,, among the profane vulgar of the outer world, at
least, to regard the preparations requisite for discharging the
highest legal functions to consist chiefly in the payment of
certain, fees to a limited number of respectable elderly gent
tlomen, and the eating of mutton at stated periods of the day
in Lincoln's Inn for a prescribed number of years. This,
like other proscriptively enjoyed prejudices, is doomed to be
swept away before the rising sun of intelligence. The mem-
bers of the Council of Legal Education have issued from
their Chamber at Lincoln's Inn a document which prescribes
the various text-books and subjects upon which students shall
be examined, and a comprehensive knowledge of which shall
be indispensable to their acquiring a status in the legal pro-
fession. The prescribed course of study is liberal in the
legitimate sense of that much-abused adjective embracing all
the departments of statutory law and equity. In the selected
•list of works on which examinations shall be taken, the
treatises of those who have shown peculiar aptitude and
diligence in the literature of the profession, as well as in other
walks of literary art, find special favour. This will be at once
understood, when it is mentioned that the works of SUGDEN,
of STEPHENS, and WARREN form portions of the necessary
curriculum. These new regulations, if properly acted up to,
must have the effect of greatly improving the elementary
legal education of our young lawyers ; the practical portions
they must of course derive in a great measure from profes-
sional contests with their elder brethern, and with each other
One is occasionally amused, as well as sometimes puzzled'
at the odd bits of gossippy intelligence which come in sugar;
drops in referme to the domestic doings of our transatlantic

brethren and sisters. Lively and unceasing xüental excite-
ment keeps their energies continually on the stretch. Now a
baby-show engages their attention—speedily an anti-liquor
law seizes on the wits of the spirited disputants, who proceed
with fists and bludgeons, bowie-knives and revolvers, to settle
the question of individual partialities. Women's Rights Con-
ventions present a sort of safety-valve for blowing off the
social steam of both sexes, and these, to their credit be it said,
generally end in nothing more destructive than a volley of
very peppery verbal missiles. At Baltimore a new esprit de
publique has been evoked, a desperate recont re having, as we
are informed, taken place between the rival Fire Insurance
Companies of that peaceful city, in the course of which not
fewer than fifty pistol shots were fired, happily without the
sacrifice of human life. Such active rivalry as this denotes is,
fortunately, unknown among our less ardent candidates for
popular favour.

RIGGING THE BAROMETER.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

" IVhen Greek meets Greek, then comes the tug of war."

SlR,—The above prefix would bear a substitute for the last
word, not very creditable to the honor of the once classic land

of Greece.

A more audacious piece of daring could not well be attempted
on our commercial community than those of the liberties
recently taken with our Exchange weather-instrument.—
Whether the culprit be Jew, Gentile, or, as currently reported
and generally credited, Greek, I hope our Exchange Com-
mittee will exert themselves to bring home conviction to the
rogue in grain, and proceed at once to his ignominious expul-
sion from the mart of commerce. Assuming the correctness
of what is so confidently stated, namely, that the delinquent
is a native of Greece, the offence becomes doubly offensive'
from the recollection of the open and unblushing mani-
festations of pleasure exhibited by those natives at any
supposed advantage gained by our Russian foe, and by
their chuckling delight and personal congratulations
at any supposed reverse of the allied arms ;—an
offence too long tolerated, and that may meet with a humi-
liating set-down, if persisted in. With the ancient courage,
the ancient honour also of that classic soil has fled ; and what
was once the seat of art, science, manly courage, and virtue, is
now but a howling wilderness or nest of pirates, brigands,
and shuffling poltroons. A little self-examination, and a few
moments devoted to the consideration of their country and
countrymen and of the humiliating and degraded position it
and they now occupy, morally and politically, amongthe &mi."
lies of nations, ought to teach them reserve, and instil a defe-
rential respect and gratitude for liberties afforded and courte-
sies shown to them in this country. The guilty individual,
whoever he may be, or of whatever country a native, ought to
be ferretted out and visited with the degradation of an open
expulsion from the Exchange he has disgraced, and the mer-
cantile community he has compromised. It is manifest he
would live by &and; if it yielded a larger return than honesty
and fair dealing, and the sooner at expurgation of the offen-
sive member is effected the better. The matter ought not to
rest. If discovery be possible, no pains ought to be spared to
realise it, and, once obtained, retributive visitation ought to'
follow, if our Exchange is to be preserved from a fall to the
level of degraded Greece, or its members protected from the
suspicion of Greek turpitude and practices: ARGUS.

SUGGESTED AMALGAMATION OF
BIRKENHEAD WITH LIVERPOOL.

TRH' monthly meeting of the Birkenhead Commissioners
was held on Tuesday last. The business under consideration
was chiefly of a routine character,• and at the conclusion of
the ordinary proceedings the meeting was made special for
the purpose of considering the propriety of openingee com-
munication with the Mayor and Town- Council of Liverpool,
as to the incorporation of the townships- of Birkenhead and
Claughton with the borough of Liverpool,
The- Chairman (Mr. John Laird) in- introducing the- sub-
ject remarked that a great deal had been said in the 'town-
ship on the subject, and, of course, the • principal point at
once arising in any discussion of it was the amount of, retie
to which the inhabitants of Birkenhead would be liable, sup--
posing an amalgamation with Liverpeol:to be carried• out;
and the desirability of the lighting. watching, and sewerage
rates of the- township' not exceeding what' they were- at
present, namely, 3s. in• the pound. Comparing their local
rates with those of Liverpool and otherneighbouring plades;
he found that the rates-of the parish of Liverpool (including:
the poor-rate) were 4s. 41e1. in the pound ; for the township
of West Derby, 3s. 6d. ; Kirkdale, 4s. 3d. ' - Everton, 35.1111.4
Toxteth-park, 3s. 1I i ; Oxton, is. 9.d..; Poultoreceene•l
Seacombe, 3s. ;: Tranmere, is. 9id.; Birkenhead, -4s. 4d e; .1
Claughton, 2s. 14d. So that at the present time the rates of
Liverpool and Birkenhead were within a halfpenny of each
other. Supposhee arrangement to be cameo our, cue.el 111
ought to be a stipulation tom, ineresee -was made in thee
rates of Birkenhead to pay any debts of Liverpool. Another I
point was, that the Corporation of Liverpool ought 'to adept-
the bond debt, and any other liabilities of the township, and
pay a rate of interest upon the debt to be agreed on with the
bondholders. The bonded debt amounted in round number*,
to £390,000; the ferry, debt to £103,000e• the township debt
to £251000; and arrears of interest dreut the present time
to £67,000: making a total debt of £Bll,OOO. If the corpora-
tion took .the debt, they would, of course,. take- with it the pro•
-
perty of the commissioners in the ferry, the pezk, the market;
and their lands unsold, along with their right to levy rates-to-
the extent of three shillings in the pound.. If such an arrange
ment were made, he thought that the corporation would
eventually be no losers-by the purchase. Another point would.
be clearly the insisting upon the maintenance of the present
rates of ferryage,- as charged by the commissioners, ins teadof
the maximum rates allowed by the present act of parliament.
Those rates, as fixed by the set, were—fen every single person-
not at =tractor, 2d.; contracts for oneperson for a year,6oB.;
half-year, 40s. ; :three- ,months, 305.; and: for every additional.
member of the same family dwelling together ( except loaners
and female servants); for a year, 20s.e half-year, 15e.; three
months, 10s. The tolls now charged by the commissioners
were—for every single person, ld. ' • centraots .for one person
for a year, 255.; half.yenr, 17s. 6c1.; three months, 12e. Ott. ;
and for every additional member of the family for- the
same time time respectively, 10e, .7e. ed., ,and is. _ He
thought that those:-rates should be axed as the neininnont,
in any.condition of• arnalgamation. The next point raised
was the question of: representation,. Of course Birkeenhecal
must possess proper, representation in the Liverpool. Codas-.
and the Dock Committee, which would be' a sub,.
jest of arrangement with the Corporation. The advantagento
Birkenhead of such an arrangement were, first, the giving, to
Liverpool, including the docks, such, a heavy stake in„Birhen-
head as to secure a fair expenditere of the revenues, tire.
The second advantage would be the immediate payment of
interest upon the bond debt, and the beneficial effect of timer-
pool credit acting at once •on Birkenhmd property,,insteeel of
such results being deferred, perhape, for years, and. then an
arrangement of no better charattkr having to be come tn.. • So
long as-the interest upon the bendecl debt remained unpaid, it
was a great drawback to partiesedeArous to invest money in
the place. The third advantage would be that• of reducing
the maximum rates of the ferry, and giving Liyerpod such a
stake -in Birkenhead as to melee it her interest-, to reduce the
rates still lower—say even to a halfpenny. The-fourth advan-
tage • would/ be - the Y removal, of the present , restrictions on
the price of the park and other lands, thus enabling the Cor-
poration to• sell it at a moderate price, which must tend to
increase building operations in the township. On the other
hand, the advantages to Liverpool were very manifest. From.
Birkenhead they had always had the greatest opposition fee,
severaLyears, causing them to expend ge•eat.suece of money—
in fact,,Birkenhead had always been a thorn in their side. By
the possession of Birkenhead, they wouldget rid of the point
from which all, or most of the attacks upon 7iverpool andite
revenues had originated, and give them. the Parliamentary
support of the Cheshire side of the water, and of all districts
for-which Birkenhead is the port. The corporation would
thus do away with all the bad feelingeand disputes which, for
the last ten years, has. injured. Liverpool and kept-, back
Birkenhead, allowing other ports.to "go ahead" and musing
an unprofitable expenditure on. docks on both sides of the
river to the extent of millions, and in law and parliamentary
expenses of perhaps. £2Q0,000.;:. audit would make all parties,
on the Liverpool and Cheshire shores of the Mersey, have but
one common interest—nuukely, the promotion of the trade of
that estuary.. The advantage to the trading public generally
would be the saving of =necessary outlay, from both sides
of the river being• placed. under one management. To show,
the unnecessary outlay that had occurred, he might mention
that, in 1844, the Liverpool Dock debt was £1,600,000 ; it wag
now £5,500,000, showing an increase, since 1844, of £3,900,900.
On the Birkenhead Docks the company had, spent £1,000;000,
and the trustees £600,000 ; together £1,600,000. The interest
lost upon this, was £400,000, making an expenditaro of
£2,000,000 together ; which, added to- the amount or the
increase upon the Liverpool Dock debt--X3,9oo,ooo—showed
a dock expenditure on the Mersey, daring the last ten years,
of not less than £5,900,000. He believed that, by a judicious
expenditure. on the Birkenhead works, one-half of that amount
would have• accommodated the increased trade of the port. In
addition to this, there were numerous mune expended in
railway extensions, which were not productive, owing to the
non-completion of the docks. The trading and manufacturing
public, generally, lost by a useless expenditure in public
works, and would therefore be benefited by any system that
would ensure good accommodation at less cost. There- were
various other reasons why an arrangement of this kind would
be desirable. The dock extension question, he thought, would
then be pretty well settled. If they could amalgamate the
two towns—make Liverpool and Birkenhead one—then, he
thought, it would be more to the interest of Liverpool to expend
money in Birkenhead, instead of going to the extreme north
and south with their docks. It would also, in that case, benefit
the freehold property of the Corporation in Liverpool, which
principally lay between St. Paul's Church-yard and the Queen's
Dock. If they came to such an arrangement, be thought they
were not likely to hear any more of either north 'or 'south
extension. He (the Chairman) had waited on the Mayor of
Liverpool that morning on the subject of the amalgamation,
and had asked him, if the Commissioners should appoint a
committee to meet the Council, what steps the latter would
take. The Mayor replied that he would bring any resolution
he might enclose to him before the Town Council, as one of
the Mayor's communications; and the Mayor added that, from
the feeling expressed at the last meeting of the Council, and
in the town generally, he had no doubt the advance of the
Commissioners would be warmly responded to. He, (the
Chairman,) as one who had a great interest in Birkenhead,
would never agree to any arrangement likely to damage the
interest of either the landowners or the householders of the
township. He thought the Commissioners might leave the
matter in the hands of a committee.
After a brief discussion, the following motion was proposed
by the Chairman, and seconded by Mr. Gough :—" That the
subject be referred to the Finance Committee, with power to
negotiate with the Town Council of Liverpool thereon, to learn
the sentiments of the Council, and to report to this board
before proceeding further." It was carried, with only three
dissentients, Messrs, Cook, Curry, and Whittingham,