The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-10-18 00:00:00

WALLASEY COMMISSIONERS.

An adjourned meeting of the Wallasey Commissioners
was held last evening at the Public-offices, Wallasey.
The chair was occupied by Mr. Hughes. The other
members present were Messrs. Caine, Hill, Hossack,
Kerford, Maude, Fishwit.k, Harrison, Holmes, Boyd,
Marshall, and Littledale.
THE MODELS OF THE BOATS FOR THE FERRIES.
At the last meeting Mr. Caine, Mr. Harrison, and
Mr. Hughes were appointed a committee to enquire
into the respective merits of the thirty-four models of
ferry boats sent in for competition for the £lOO and £5O
prizes offerred by the board. These gentlemen accord-,
ingly submitted their report on the subject It appeared
that Mr. George Harrison had been consulted on the
matter ; but the models he selected as the most appro-:
priate were rejected by the committee, on grounds of
economy. Thirty-two were set aside in consequence
of various defects in their construction; and two
were recommended to the board for adoption. The first
model was by Mr. Vernon. Its dimensions were as
follow :—Length, 120 feet; beam, 18 feet , depth, 9
feet 3 inches ; draft of water estimated by the builder,
four feet when loaded standing room on deck for use
of passengers, 143 yar;ls ; sitting room on deck, 122
lineal feet ; floor area of after-cabin, 40 yards ; sitting
room at sides, 78 lineal feet ; clear height of cabin, 7
feet ; fore-cabin floor room, 30 yards ; sitting room, 54
lineal feet ; height, 7 feet ; number of steps in entrances,
10 ; glass area for light, 73 feet; engine power, 60-horse;
speed, 10 to 104 miles an hour ; landing conveniences,
superior; model of hull on most approved plan;
cost, £5,000: the model numbered 18. The second
model. (No. 19) was by Mr. Coulborne. Dimen-
,sions :—Length, 130 feet ; beam, 20 feet ; depth, 8
feet ; draft of water, 3 feet 6 inches, without
passengers; standing room on deck, 156 yards; sitting
room on deck, 176 lineal feet ; floor area of after cabin,
47 yards ; side sitting-room, 66 lineal feet ; clear height,
8 feet ; fore floor room, 46 yards ; side sitting-room, 66
lineal feet ; height, 8 feet ; number of steps leading to
cabin, 5 ; glass area for lighting purposes, 149 square
feet ; engine power, 75 horse ; consumption of fuel,
31b. per horse power per hour ; speed, 14 miles an hour;
ordinary landing conveniences. On putting the question
to the vote, Mr. Coulbourne's model was adjudged the
superior one, and the £lOO will, therefore, be awarded
to him ; the second prize of £5O was of course carried
by •Mr. Vernon. The models will be at the office for
inspection until the 31st of October.
The builders of Coulbourne's model, are Messrs.
Henderson and Son, of Glasgow. Mr. Vernon con-
structed his own model.

ACCIDNTAL DEATH.--Samuel Forsyth, the master of
a flat called the Gipsey, fell into the canal on Tuesday
evening and was drowned.
WEST DERBY GUARDIANS.—Mr. Pilling presided at
the weekly meeting of this board yesterday, and the
other members present were--Messrs. Roberts, Medealf,
Ledger, Abrahams, Wareham, B. Edwards, Shaw,
Wright, Clarke, Whitby, Smith, Mawdsley, and Rich-
mond. The following cheques wero granted :—Potts,
Roberton, £36 ; Lythgoe, £22. Mr. Smith indulged
in his usual display of rhetorical skill,. but unfortunately
we have no room. to7day to record his eloquence. The
clerk reported that he had examined the master's day-
book and inspected the other books kept by the master
and found them complete.

THE FREE LIBRARY.

GREAT MEETING

LAST ITIGHT,

IN Tilt

AMPHITHEATRE.

. . . .
Last night a large gathering of the Working classes
grid others was held at the Royal• Amphitlitdtre, this
being the first event in connection with the inauguration
of the Free Library. The object of the meeting was
tai giVe the Working classes an opportunity of hearing
addresses ffoth Some of the distinguished strangers who
have visited Liverpool W Wee. part in the interesting
proceedings of to-day. Admissio're Was by ticket, for
which a charge was made sufficient to pay eterrs'esr, and
the house was crowded in every part. The house pre-
sented a most brilliant appearance. T. D. Anderson,
Esq., the Mayor, occupied the chair; and amongst the
occupants of the platform were the Right Hon. Lord
Brougham, William Brown, Esq., J. A. Brown, Esq.,
non. Egetton; M.P., T. B. Horsfall, Eqe
Rev. Dr. Hume, Re+, ;I: B:IloVIS..pn, Rev. Dr. Burton, Rev.
J. Robberds, the Recorder, trie Stipendiary, Messrs.
NY, natiwone, J. ii,fullineux, J. Cropper";tlirrlea P.
Melly, Eyre Evans, P. H. Rathbone, Bramley-Moble,
George Melly, J. A. Tinne, R. A. Macfie, W. Earle,
Kitchen, Picton, J. B. Aspinall, H. A: Bright, John
Lockett, Clarke Aspinall.
Lord Brougham and Mr. .Wm. Brown entered
together, and both were received with enthusiastic
cheering,
The Mafedit, in opening the meeting said he knew
he Was indebted for the honour of presiding over that
large and important meeting entirely to his official posi-
' tion ; yet he could assure therm that it gave him very
great pleasure to he there' that evening, es one that took
a deep interest in all that concerns the social and moral
progress and improvenien't of the people-. It would,
indeed, be presumption in ltirn it lib' were to' occupy the
time of the meeting for one mordent, when so many
distinguished noblemen and gentlemen had so' kindly
consented to address them. His duty was a siniple as it
was a pleasing one. It was to offer to those illustrious
individuals, on behalf of the meeting of the inhabitants
of this great town and himself, a cordial welcome.
(Loud cheers.) A similar meeting to that had been
held in that place about two years since, at which some
of the noblemen and gentlemen who honoured them with
their presence that evening took part.' That meeting
was pronounced by all to have been one of the most
interesting and delightful that ever took place in this
town, and he had no doubt the present meeting would
prove equally gratifying. According to the original
prograninse it would have been his duty to have intro-
duced Lord Brougham first; but the noble lord had
just come oft a tong journey, without taking refresh-
Merit, and se the order of the proceedings had been
slightly altered. The' Mayor then introduced Mr. T. B.
Horefell, as the mover of the first resolution.
T. B'. Illinsiati.; At.p: for the hataugh, when
doming forward to Move the first tesohition. wag received
with the most enthusiastic che'efirig.- He said that
the Mayor would de hini the' and remember
that When he was first invited to address the' work-
ing deists Of lAveepeol, he said he (Mr. Iforsfall)
thought that it \fag undesfrable that he should
'do so, as it was with the feeling- that there would
be present so many distinguished
~quests that he should
not conduce to the success of the meeting, &el he,
therefore wished to be silent ; but at the sank time
he told the committee that, if they wished that he
should address them, he should, as he always was, be
most happy to do so, and he consented to address a few
words to the working classes.. (Applause.) The pre-
sent was a most interesting occasion—interesting to the
whole town, but more especially interesting to the
working classes of Liverpool. (Applause.) If, while
the Wealthier classes had their own private libraries,
in Which they could enjoy their leisure, no private
library was such a treasure ass the public free library
which was aboiii ifesonfed to them by their
esteemed and valued frierid. (.Chers.:)' lt was twelve
or thirteen years since he (Mr. Hofsfatl) Was
,requested
to act as chairman of a committee for fife eollectin of
a fund in this town for a free library, end it leo' so
successfully responded, to, that on that occasion frdM• ,
£1,200 to £1,500 was contributed, and that fund was
the foundation of the Free Library in Duke-street.
(Applause,) At a subsequent period, the late noble
Earl of Derby presented to the town his valuable
collection of natural history. That was the foundation
of the museum but it remained for their valued and
esteemed friend to bring about the climax by presenting,
free of cost, that noble edifice, Which Would he one of
the finest libraries in the world. (Great applause.) It
was not for him to tell the Working classes the vaine of
that institution : if they were &sirens to virtue a course
of study in literature and science, there the+ would
find every treatise on the subject ; if they Were desirous
to follow the pursuit of trade or commerce, they would
find in that building the history of every trade in the
world. But there were some who liked a mechanical
pursuit, and there they would find every treatise on
mechanics that could be fouqd. But there were some,
and he was one of them, who thought there was a higher
pursuit than any he had named,—the ascertaining of
religious truth,—and there they would have full oppor-
tunities of doing so; for he found, by a resolution which
had been placed in his hand just before the meeting,
which was to the effect that, at the meeting of the
British and Foreign Bible Society, Dr. Raffles moved,
and Mr. Jones seconded, a motion that a copy of the
Bible in every language in which it had been printed
should be presented to the Free Public Library unon
its opening. That Bible had been printed in from 140
to 150. different foreign languages, and that valuable
gift would be presented to the Free Library on the
following day. It was most remarkable to watch the
progress of science for the last thirty or thirty-five years.
What great changes had been made in the mode Of our
travelling. He then alluded to the history of George
Stephenson, who was a working man, and when he was
only 17 years of age lie had 14s. per week, and then he
considered himself a rich man. What was the first thing
he did ? He paid for his own schooling. But in that gene,-
ration the working classes had more difficulties to contend
against than those-of the present generation, and those
difficulties were getting less and less every day.
(Cheers.) It was not until 1825 that George Stephen-
son was appointed the engineer of the first railway in
the kingdom—the Stockton and Darlington—at a
salary of £3OO per annum; and it was from that time
that his fame and fortune was established. (Cheers.)
After that he was the engineer of the Liverpool and
Manchester Railway, which was the second railway in
the kingdom. He (Mr. Horsfall) had read, that when
George Stephenson was examined before a committee of
the House of Commons, he was asked by a member
what he thought if a cow got on the railway, and he
replied in his hard Northumberland dialect. " I think
it will be very awkward to the cow." (Laughter.)
Mr. Horsfall then read an extract from-a speech delivered
by George Stephenson at the opening of the Stockton
and Darlington Railway, when he prophesied that,
although he feared he should not' live to see it—that
the time would come when the mail would leave the
road -and the King would travel by rail. All those
predictions had been more than fully realised. It
might be asked, how was it that he had succeeded so
well. The answer was, that he was not intemperate ;
'he Was not extravagant; and he was a most persevering
man. (Cheers.) He would not for a moment suppose
that any of those who were then present were intempe-
rate, as they would not be there if such was the case.
But there were some, although receiving, large Wages,
had not commenced saving; but when George Stephen-
son had only 14s. per week he educated himself, sup-
ported his parents, and saved money.. He was a
persevering man, and not afraid to look difficulties in
the face, and that was the way he accomplished go mach.
(Cheers.) And now for the most pleasing part of the
duty he had to perform, and that was the moving the
adoption of the resolution which had been placed in his
hand. Mr. Horsfall then alluded to the numerous
addresses which bad been presented to Mr. William
Brown in 1857, when the foundation of the Free
Library was laid, from the various learned societies in
the town : there was not one that gave Mr. Brown more
gratification than that from the working classes, and
they were about to present him with a valuable dona-
tion on that occasion. The resolution thanked Mr.
Brown for his valuable gift, and hoped that he would
have health and long life and happiness. He called
upon the meeting to pass the reNution with three
times three cheers, which was heartily responded to, the
whole meeting rising en masse.
The MAYOR having expressed his regret at the
absence of Mr. William Ewart, the M.P. for Dum-
fries, celled upon Mr. William Rathbone to second the
resolution.
Mr. WILLIAM RATIIBONE then rose to second the
resolution. He was received with the most enthusiastic
applause, which having subsided, he said—Nothing
could be more gratifying to an old man than to see that
he stood well in the eyes of his fellow townsmen, and
when he came before them, to receive the cordial re-
ception they had just given to him. He had great
pleasure in seconding the resolution which had just been
read. He considered that .nothing could exceed the
importance of a free library to the town of Liverpool,
and especially to the burgesses of, the town. An
,
eminent nobleman once said, that if the milk
was *good, the 'cream would be good also." They had
now, received a great gift in the Free Library of
William Brown. Let us show then how we value
that library by the use we make of it. For it might be
depended upon that the more we used the library the
more knowing would we become. Thus we would be
able to send up better representatives; we would also in
time get so knowing as not to like long speeches.
(Laughter.) A great deal was said in the House of
Commons, which was not intended for that place, but
for the hustine.s, and was mere clap-trap. We would
learn, also, to distinguish the true gold from the mere
tinsel. He believed that brevity was the soul of wit,
and though he was never unprepared to respond on
behalf of his fellow-townsmen, he must say that he
intended to speak on another subject. He was happy
to second this resolution, more especially because it was
given to one who had given us the noblest of all bless-
ings, and had not merey done good, but had done it in
the right way. He concluded by hoping that they would
repent the cordial response they gave to the proposition
of his excellent friend (Mr. Horsfall), by again giving
three hearty cheers for Mr. Brown. (Applause.) •
The Chairinan then read the resolution, and it was
carried amid the deafening theers of the-audience.
His Wonsuip said they now came to the most interest-
ing part of the proceedings, that was the presentation of
the address by the 'working men of Liverpool to Mr.
William Brown.
Mr, THOMAS KAY next came forward, and, uncover-
ing the working men's testimonial, which consists of a
handsome clock and a silver shield, read the following
address :

WILLIAM BROWN, ESQ.
Sia,-470n behalf of the working men of Liverpool we respect-
fully present for your acceptance.--
First---A Silver Shield, bearing upon it a view of that temple
of civilisation which you so generously purpose handing over
to your townsmen to-morrow.
second---We hand you
a Clock, which, while it chronicles
the progress of time, will, we feel assured, never indicate that
hour is which the name of William Brown
held in rever ntial estimation. will cease to be
These emblems will not, we trust, be estimated with refer-
ence to their intrinsic worth, but as awindication of the grati-
tude to which we feel you are so justly entitled. We hope
that the institution will confer upon the tom all those intel-
lectual and inestimable advantages which 'it has been your
object to secure, and desire that you may be spared amongst
us for many years to witness the fruits resulting from your
ow,, good works.
Names of Executive Committee.

17th October, IS6O.
Inscription : " This testimonial, the result of a small sub-
scription collected by the working men of Liverpool, was pre-
sented to William Brown, Esq., on the occasion of the opening
of the Free Library, as an earnest desire of their grateful and