The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1861-01-03 00:00:00

THE TOWN COUNCIL.

The usual monthly meeting of the Council was held
yesterday, at the Town-ball. S. R. Graves, Esq., pre-
sided; and there was a full average attendance.

TILE FINANCE COMMITTEE,

The proceedings, resolutions, and reports of the Finance
Committee comprised the following recommendations i
To increase the salary of Mr. E. Roberts, assistant Clerk
to the clerks to the magistrates, from A6O to £2OO per
annum, the consideration of which was postponed at the
last monthly Council, pursuant to' the standing orders.
To appoint Mr. Robert Mason as an assistant book-keeper
in the Treasurer's Office, at a salary of £l2O per annum,
and Mr. James Lewtas, Clerk, at £2O per annum, the
consideration of *hick thispdstildried 4t the lila monthly
Connell, iitifSiiaiit to the ttaiidina orders. To increase
the salaries of Mr. H. M. Hutton, chief clerk in the
Treasurer's Office, from £2OO to £250 per annum ; Mr.
B. J. Owen, second clerk, from £l3O to XlO6 per annum
and Mr. D. M. Brown, clerk and eollectot, from £l5O
to £175 per annum, the consideration of which' was
• postponed at the last monthly Council, pursuant to the
standing orders. To commute the fine on the lease to
Mr. Josias Booker of property, Church-street and Post,. 1
office-place, viz., £1,587 Bs. 4d., the consideration of 1
which subject was postponed at the last monthly Council.
Report on the probable income and expenditure of the
Corporation, for the year eonErieneing ist • Sept., OA
and ending 31st Augdst ne±t ; arid nonsidermion of the
propriety of vdting gratuities to. the public ehariiti,e,s,
which grants, as
,nassed,,4 the,,Ceiin'si lait s•ear;, were
fOlkow —.Tli .D.isVengaflei; Aid 7 10s.; tuill Itaitlierii
Is,
d 5,,,,,,,„ .iiool tlie Southern Hospital, £100; the
eyal Infirmary, £105; the Ophthalmic Institution,
£100; the Refuge for the Destitute, £25 i the.Laclies'
Charity, x:ln •,, - • •
, we
.dying-in Hospital, £3O ; the District
Provident Society, £100; the Homoeopathic Dispensary,
£5O ; the Strangers' Friend Society, £25.
Mr. Siren. said he should need the indulgence of the
Council, as ,he had been unexpectedly called upon to
move the proceedings of the Fitianee Cordinittee. lie
had attended that committee as regillarly as. he eciiild.
He should conceal nothing, but wend endeaVoiir to
explain everything clearly and Plainlir. O. that. each
member should know, as w,e1,1,,m hiiiself
He
we're the
OirtiinistanCes of eathdartiethir eaSh. He first Movedtlie,, keOninieripiatiert ' iridiease the salary of Mr.
Yteberts; assiitnnt clerk in the magistrates' clerks'
dePirtment, from £l3O to £2OO per annum. That
recommendation, he said, had come to the Finance
Committee from a meeting of the magistrates, where it
had been unanimously agreed to.
Mr. PRESTON seconded the motion. • • •
Mr. Jon said there was a qUestion involved in this
increase of •salary, and he objected to it on the ground
that the.inerease was unusually large; atid which mild
only be justified iitidef feo special circumstances. The
ratid tit increase was open to great objection. There
Was another objection : The magistrates had two clerks
already receiving stipends of £2OO. It was now 'pro-
posed to give the same amount to a junior clerk ; but it
did not appear a wise proceeding that.they should have
three officers in the same department with an equal
salary. He moved that the salary of Mr. Roberts be
increased to £lBO instead of £2OO.
Mr. KITCHEN seconded the amendment.
Alderman DOVER asked for the application to be
read.

The To-ttx-atnx read this, and also the resolution
of the magistrates in reference to it.
Alderman BENNETT hoped that after those, Mr.
Job would withdraw his amendment.
Mr. Nicisorr said however ungracims it Might
,
be to refuse to increase salaries; ne thought the
question was assmiipfr On importance that it de-
branded the I'ailoits consideration of the Council.
It WAS not, however, to the individual merits of
the officers, but the general aspect of the question,
that he wished to confine his observations. Some
three years ago, when the town lost a revenue of
£70,000, a re-organisation of the corporate staff was
promised ; but if he was correct, no retrenchment
had taken place : that loss seemed rather a starling
point for Increased expenditure. On the. Council
summons of that day, an increase of salaries was pro-
posed, the extent of £454 per annum, and when
OA. was added to the £l,OOO granted during the
year, they found that it represented a capitalised sum of
140,000 at four per cent., which was to all intents and
purposes lost to the Corporation. Now, were the
finances of the Corporation in such a position at to stand
this; for if it went on, it must lead to the imposition of
a borough rate. These continued applications for
increase of salaries implied either that their officers were
underpaid, or that the applications were unnecessary.;
and in either case the Council was to blame. He was,
for their officers being handsomely paid; .but let it be
understood that there was a limit to it. In Manchester
last November, eight gentlemen were ejected from their
seats upon this very question. Until something was
done to meet this constantly increasing exenditure, he
must oppose any future increase. Ile was quite pre-
pared to admit that the gentleman recommended by the
Watch Committee was entitled to what was asked,
because his dtities had been doubled; but with reference
to the ptesent application from Mr. Roberts) there had
betil tomplaints in a judicial court as to the taking of
the depositions, which imperatively demanded explana-
tion from the chairman or reprhentative of the Finance •
Committee.
Alderman DOVE !k stlppvirted the recommendation, as
did also Aldermati Paiker.
Mr. Sit,thrs said, with reference to the remarks of
)tfr. Niekket, in which tie had charged the Council with
hitting taken no steps to reduce salaries, he begged to
ietaiMi him that they did promote a scheme by which
Om £4,000 to £5,000 might be saved by the concentra-
tion of the public offices. (Oh, oh.)
Mr. AVISON said, Mr. Nickson having referred to the
rumour that the depositions had not been rightly taken,
be thought it only right to Mr. Roberts to state that. Mr.
Dawn Martin, at the last assizes but one, Complimented
the clerks to the magistrates. The same thing 'had
occurred within the last few weeks on the part of 31r.
Justice Keating. Now, they had had the opinion of two
judges of the land against Mr. Walters.
thought, in discussing the salaries
Paid to their officers, if they looked at a paper published
last week,, they would see that the
magistrates' clerks
had paid over-fees
£8,162, in excess of all the expendi-
ture upon the magistrates' department.
Mr. SUM, replied; andthe amendment was then put
and lost by a majority of 41 to 4, the four dissentients
being Messrs. Haydock, Jhb, Nickson, and Kitchen.
The original recommendation was then confirmed.

Mr. Weil rose to move that the following recom-
mendation be confirmed by the Council Recommen-
dation to appoint Mr. Robt. Mason as an assistant book-
keeper, in the treasurer's office, at a salary of £l2O per
annum, and Mr. James Lewtas, clerk, at £2O per annum,
the consideration of which was postponed at the last
monthly Council, pursuant to the standing orders. Re
said that there was also a report from the treasure;
which the Council might have received if they thought
proper to do so. He pointed out the necessity and
propriety of granting the proposed increase of salary,
especially as the person to whom it was to be given had
received the sanction and approval of the magistrates
for the satisfactory manner in which he discharged the
duties of his office. It might be Contended that this
was an unnecessary and uncalled-for expenditure of the,
Corporation money, but he believed that it was the
contrary, as no member of the Council had ever more
strenuously advocated economical views, and protested
against a useless waste of the finances of the Corporation
than he himself had done. (Hear, hear.) He thought,
however, that their servants and officers should be ade-
quately remunerated for the labour they had to perform,
and not:to have doled out to them miserable pittances
on which it was absolutely impossible that they could
suppoit, themselves with any semblance of common
decency. (Hear, hear.) With respect to the two per-
sons: in consideration of whose merits the present increase
of salary was asked, it appeared that they had to perform
• a considerably increased amount of duty compared with
what had been previously allotted to them. Looking
over the report of the treasurer for the last year, be
found that £2,520, from ground rents, had been collected,
which necessarily threw an immense amount of duty on
these two officials, and more than their present rate of
remuneration would compensate them for. It was on
account of this increase of duty that the treasurer founded
his application that the salaries of the two men should
be advanced from the present figure to the amount men-
tioned in the recommendation.
Mr. Alderman WOODRUFF moved` that the report of
the treasurer be read,—which was seconded by Mr.
Ridley, and carried.
. Mr. &MIL begged to observe that gentlemen should
bear in mind that there were other kinds of economy
besides that which might be called pecuniary economy.
Economy of money was not the- only economy which a
great public body like the Corporation of Liverpool
should attend to. _

of wages to the police force, and the collection of charges
,for broken lampposts. I hare. looked at:the' accounts,
. and find that-the bills paid do
.nbtexCeed ten or twelve
per week, that is, not more than tWoptr day, The par
ment of the pollee fade is Mack on one day iii the iveek;
not occupying niorb than a•feW lidurs;, the aCcotints are
all made oat by the Head-Constable's stair, and the
, • Treasurer flax nierel3, Send ,d to,, Hat c
kardeh. This 6anriot hd any relief to the Cottiwaltis-
' strett ebilib, or any increase' to the Town-hall
people ; and the .bills for broken. lamp-posts . are
not more than half-a-dOzen a week. I look in
vain for anything in the change •to justify this
increase of salaries now demanded. It is, I submit, a
gross abstirdity to Contend. rot anytitino• of the kind.
Why was tii6, change made tii(j.pediefs,
of the audit Cdniriiitt:iei" .•cilipril the alteratilin Was
tetemmeicidthiaitd 1141 .strearrily. impressed , with the
6intictioti that they never inquired. whether it would
afford any Substantial relief to one set of - clerks, or the
proposediribrease of cost for the other. If this be so,
then the Change, has Been nude simply for the sake of
change ; and the only result is, that it leads to increased
expense. It must, however, be borne in mind that the
staff of the treasurer's office at the Town-hall is already
greator than it was in the 'time of Mr. Wybergh, whose
duties mist have been heavier than those duties are now,
because in hiS time there *p.s.a I:irgebottd debt upon which
the.interegt had to Ile 04di dnd fife s ciirifiee aiid tans=
MO hid td. dtteliddl tO: 'l' he bad debt is nearly
Paid off with the nioriei reCeitcd from the. Dock
„rid all, that .work ,is Swpot,.,a.w4y, „ Then 11/Tr.
Tybier,g4l had,the pew:oats arismg..from,the Towii-plues
tinder his Chatie„ tliii niti4t Onsider:.
able hibotif—this is also swept away and, therefore,
. viewing the matter in whatever light I may, the conclu-
sion is inevitable that we should look for a decrease in
the cost of that staff, and not for an. increase. Ido not
wish to see the servants of .the Corporation underpaid;.
but I do most strongly protest against ill-considered and
meddlesome changes, which do no good, hot only • incur
increasing cost, such.as is sought to be effcted by the
present motion.
Mr: HAtilocit seconded the motion.
Mr: liddralsi proposed that the Consideration of the
tjuestien be deferred till the net monthly Meeting of
ttO
~Con rictl.; odld be afforded
them df hating a report On the subject.
Mr. Bowring seconded.
Mr. Alderman COOPER should support the amendment;
inasmuch as he had been informed that no reduction was
made in the officers at Cornwallis-street, and consequently
no increased labour could be thrown on the official's in
the Treasurer's Office.

Mr. Sxrrr supported the recommendation, but at the
same time he urged the propriety of inquiring into the
present arrangements at Cornwallis-street.
Mr. Ittntyr spoke ris to the necessity of having an
investigation made into the 'dnties performed at the
Cornwallis-street office.

. .
After a few- observations from Messrs. Tobin, Beloe,
Parker, Clint, and Sheil, the amendment was put to the
vote, when it was declared lOst by a Majority of 22, -
Mr. SIIEIL also. moved the adoption by the Council
of the following recommendations :--Recommendation
to, increase the salaries, of Mr. H 4 .M. Hatton, chief
clerk in the treasurer's office, from 20ti to £250 per
atitittitl; Mr. B. J. fj*ert, • seeoihi clerk, front £l3O to
4166 pef thifitith . M. Brown, clerk and
Colleot4,.frOm i5O to .175 Per annum, the Considera-
tion of which Was postponed at the last, Monthly Coun-
cil, pursuant to the standitig. Orders. B,ecomifieadation
to commute the fine On the lea'Se 0 Mr. JoSias. Booker
of prOpertY, Church-streetPostoffice-plabe, viz.,
41,587 As. Ad., th*lfeensideration of which subject was
postponed at the last-nionthly Council.
Mr. BELOE.MOVPd a direct, negative to the last recom-
mendation, and at the same time he prayed that Mr.
Sheil would have. some mercy on him, and spare him.
these retorts which had been so freely launched' against
Mr. Job, Mr. Stitt, and others who presumed to offer
any opposition to the proceedings of the Finance Com-
mittee. He then proceeded to say that he had consulted
.with one of the most eminent actuaries in Liverpool Int
This -subject, and the remark made by that gentleman.
was that the Finance Committee could not properly
understand what
.they were about in this matter in
estimating the sum of a commutation of a lease at tent
years' purchase. • --
Mr. Niexsorr seconded the amendment.

Mr..TEitEn.-t thought the question was such a'very
complicated oue that very few members of the Council
could properly understand it. He confirmed the state-
ment made by the actuary in reference to the course
pursued by the Finance Committee with Mr. Booker's
lease. • .

Mr. Mozely moved that the consideration of the ques-
tion be postponed, which was seconded by Mr. Avison
and carried.
THE ESTIMATED INCOME AND EXPENDITURE.
Mr. SHELL said the next business consisted of the re-
port, on the probable income and expenditure of the year,
commencing on the Ist of September last, and eliding
the 31st of August next.
The report; -which had been printed and placed in tilt
hands of every member, was as follows :

At a meeting of the finance Committee, holden on Friday,
the 18th day of December, 1860, present.' John Stewart, Esq..
Chairman, &c., &c., &c.; the following report of the Financial
Sub-Committee on the probable income and expenditure of the
current year was read, and resolved that the same be printed,
and a copy sent to each member of the Council :
' "The Financial Snb-Committee report that .they have con-
sidered the probable Income and Expenditive of the Corpora=
tion during the present financial year (commenc:ng on the let
of September, 1860, and ending on the 31st of August, 1861).
"That they have investigated the accounts of the Corpora-
tion, and considered the state of the income and expenditure.
"That'they are of opinion that the income of the
Corporate Estate, from all sources, cannot be
estimated for the Current year at more than... £14,364 0 0
"That the amount of obligatory expenditure
cannot be estimated at less, for the current
year, than

84,302 0 o

Leaving a gross surplus of
" And that the continuance of branches of dis-
cretiohary expenditure (the schools, the public
charities, &c.) for the public benefit of the
inhabitants, hitherto sanctioned annually by.
the Council, In ty be stated at ... D 1,172 0 0
" And also sundry improvements
already :sauctioncci by the Council 6,035 0 0 10,237 0 0
Leaving as available surplus £9,855 0 0

L 20,062 0: 0

CHARLES NOV rx,
Chairman of the Sub-committee.
The summary of the estimate is appended hereto.
ESTIMATED OBLIGATORY EXPENDITURE, FOR THE YEAR ENDING
318 T AUGUST, 18G0.

Actual Estimate.
1859-60. 1860-61.
. £230 ' £230
. 2000 2000
. 3733 3600
. 1389 1500
.per contra 2200
. 1267 1300
. 1699 1700
. 477 475
705 732
. 492 500
. 223 200
210 450
1311 2000
20
1888 1900
407

Annuities
The Mayor
Salaries and Stipends
General Law and Parliamentary Expenses
Town Clerk's Department
Treasurer's
Surveyor's
If
Leave Lookers' „
Building Surveyor's Department
fights and Measures „*
Gas Inspector's
Auditor's
ft
Town Hall •
Sessions House
Establishment of the Town Hall
Sessions House
Police Courts
Law Courts

19 500
• 2129 2500
• 613 550
19 100
1164 60
697 700
.. 672 675
▪ 687 '690
.. 226 250
50
398.5 4637
5375 5375

Judges' Lodgings ......
The Mayor's Stables, &c._
The Churches—St. George's
St: Luke's
St. Michael's .
• St. Martin's ..
St, Thomas'
Trinity
Rates ttnd Taxes
Rates under Sanitary Act
Public Walks and Gardens
Slaughter Houses
insurance from Fire
General Repairs
Ditto Disbursements
Municipal and Parliamentary Election Ex=
penes
Constabulary Force and Police ...
Lighting and Fire Police
Establishment of the Borotigh GaOl ~,
Prosecutions at AssiAes and SMAIOYis
Coroner's Inquests
County Expenses
County Court Prisoners' Expenses
Wash-hollses; Frederick-street
Ificidental Expenses, Baths, eke. ,
Baths, &e., Paul-street....

274 e5O
. 213 /fn

. (98
1941 1700
1:575 Itoo

3 50'0
ilB7B 2.100
2bol 3000
.. BPC 6 10000
~. 708

-proposal to take anything nut of income, it was a stereo-
typed answer that they had not got money. When they
received a report from the Finance Committee, they had
ft right td engine, that, that report was es accurate as
could If Mr. Shelild alloW hini, he should
ask him a few: questions. The., e4endittire on
th'e Town-hall last. year Was 4r,dJ.2 ; it wt.s.,
uOtt.estictiatedat :.132:809 for the inedthing year: He
should like to ask why did edit:hint- had Veen
raised. Then, the Borough Gaol had last year cost
them £8,006; now it was down for £lO,OOO. Then
they had next a line " Prosecutions at assizes and
sessions." The actual expenditure was £706. This
year it was estimated there would be no expenditure at
ull. ProW; it would. be gratifying to know that there
were 16.s.intitatel id the garnet Gaol at this moment
1,-;eel? tthli7n; ht7!d genie time the
numtier had been very ldait indeed".
.111.e.shrinitthere.:
fare. be glad to knew why thz:ye shott,
.. ad estimated
increase pef. expenditture !over last, year;
~The income.
from the Tow,n-clerk!s department last. y,ear .was £618;
but there appeared no,estimate of income -far this year,
The4,l the, had .re6eilied, for griiund rents lase Year.,
£2,562; but it was estimated ginid ielits, this
year would be £6OO. lie should be much etligCci to
Mr. Sheil to tell them how much fallS due this very
year, how much was expected from arrears, and what
the balance of the years outstanding was. Then
tenants•at.will were put down at £8,31)(4 He should
lilie to lino* If It *us the intention of the Finance
Coitimittee to bring Sin any portion of that property.
The nett Matter Was the river eraft.ilock. lie thought
riot be unwise if ,a negotitition Were opened up
,t,he,Mersey PockV9zir(l plifelrage thdt duck,
instead of its standing thlife•at e redtat: .„
Mr. CHARLES TURNER • felt sure . Ter:my Poarc,l
would be glad to treat for the property on fair and
reasonable terms.
Mr. JEFFERY said the next item he should ask about
was the -Newsham-house Estate. Here they had £1,200
income. He believed that the London and North-
Western Railway Company had applied for powers to
pass through that estate; and he thought that it would
be desirable that the Finance Committee should give the
Council some information as to hoW they were.
seeing that they were getting only one per cent. on
that Titopprty; he thotig,ht it only, right they should take
t 1 t 1311 t‘ rt
some s • eps p ro
.y in a pps io from which
they would come into possession of a Jargef re't'emie.
Mr. BELOE, before Mr. Sheil replied, Would venture
to make a remark or two upon that statement, because
he.theught it was based essentially in error. He had
looked carefully through it to see what had become of the
£6,000 arrears oflast year, but could find no indication of it.
Previous to the closing of thiS year's accounts, he should
bring before the Council the project of having this
annual statement prepared under the two heads of.
capital and income. He had been connected with the
accounts Of the Corporation for fifteen years; he had
looked carefully through those accounts, and what was
the restilt. They had received in fifteen years from fines
on renewals £445,000 in round numbers, and during
those fifteen years they had put by a surplus income of •
£574,000; so that the town had never received a penny
benefit from fines and renewals, but they had .gone into
the capital account, and had been absorbed in the real
estate. Now those figures were incontestable, and must •
be attended. to ; and it was essential that they should
divide their titemints into Capital and income, and then
they should not hear, as they had. in a printed report,-
on the 4th Of. April, that the CoUnCil had not h shilling
for the jrnproitrilent df the town; and that the only
way of iMproiing the town this tel lay h tete upon the
inhabitants. ..

• , . .
Mr. SzrrT. said that the sum of fines on renewals was
£lOB,OOO ; but Mr. Stewart recommended them only to
expend the £26,000 which had been their average.
What he wished to know from the Chairman of the
Finance Committee was what steps had been taken for
the disposal of their surplus, according to the report
presented on the opening of a surplus fund account.
Mr. MOZLEY said gentlemen had been. dealing with
the estimate before them as if it were a balance-sheet,
and asking questions about the £lOB,OOO, which was .o
matter with which they had not to deal. They were
not dealing with a balance-sheet, but were merely calling
upon the Chairman of the Finance Committee, as a
Chancellor Or the tichtqueri to know the ways and
means by which the eipenditdre teas 'to be Met. He
had given them an estimate of the expenditure they
were likely to incur, and Of those sums whiCh they had
already voted away in the Council. When the balance-
sheet came before them, they would see that the £103,000
had already been merged in the Corporate estate.
They had obtained. the money, and they had made use
of it. To a great extent it had been made use of in
payment of interest. The Council must bear in mind
that it had paid £206,000 interest on bonds, and the
receipts from the Mersey Board had been but £200,000.
The result was, that absolutely out of the balance in
hand they had made use of a part of it for the debts on
their bonds. It would be a question if they could not
afterwards recoup that anionnt. All that the Council,
in his judgment, had tiow to do was to redeibe those
estimates as the amount they were likely to receive in
the course of the current year, in payment of absolute
'disbursements made; and, frOm the balanCe shown, to
adopt the plan they had hitherto done of voting grants
to the public charities out of the surplus which they
had actually in hand.
Mr. NICKSON could scarcely understand Mr. Mozlcy
that the report should not be submitted to criticism
because it' was not 'a balance sheet. Referring to some
cottages at Wavertree, which had cost £ll.OOO, he
showed. that they were scarcely receiving £2OO per
annuni.

Alderman DOVER, in reference to one of Mr. Seffery's
remarks, objected to the sale of the river craft dock.
By getting possession of nearly all the land on the
margin of the river, the Dock Board had driven away
the shipbuilding trade; and Mr. Earle would bear him
out' that the chief opposition to the construction of im-
proved approaches to the river came from that board.
He was in terror at the vast monopoly which that board
now, included ; it was monopolising everything. It was
well, with an establishment so overgrown with patron
age and all kinds. of influence,
_ 'that there'should be a
body in town to keep it in cheek.
Mr. CIIARLES TURNER regretted the existence of such
sentiments as bad fallen from Mr. Dover, and regretted
still more the expression of them in that Council. The
Dock Estate, he believed, had upon all occasions done
their best for the interest of the town at large, and had
fulfilled faithfully eery engagement which it had entered
into. They had no interest to protect but the trade of
the port ; and upon what did the value of the property
in port and the prosperity of every tradesman depend
but the shipping and trade of the port. In pro-
tecting that shipping and trade, they were protecting,
he thought, the vital interests of the town and to sup-
pose that tradesmen have an interest adverse to the
shipping of the port was as mischievous a proposition as
could Oast.
Mr. CLINT rose to order.

Mr. TURNER replied thathe was perfeetly in order.
The MAYOR thought it was to be regretted that Mr.
Dover should have wandered so far from the subject
before the meeting; but having done so he thought it
only right to allow Mr. Turner to proceed.
Mr. DOVER said a member of their body had risen to
offer their property for sale. He had shown that by
offering it to the bock Board they might consult one
interest.

The MAYOR—Mr. Dover forgets that thcre is no such
recommendation before the Council.

Mr. TURNER—It appears that my. friend Mr. Dover
and Mr, Clint think they have a right to attack the
Dock Estate.

Mr. CLINT—'-I cannot allow such language td be used
to me.

Mr. Tirustit eeid lilt. tint having come into the
remit dtititik the progress of the debate,. could not have
been aware that the Dock Estate he'd:been attacked by a
gentleman belonging to the 'Council ; and he put it to
his sense of fair-play whether other members had not a
right to defend that estate, He did not wish to pursue
the matter further, except to defend the Dock Trust
from the severe and unjust strictures of Mr. Dover, for
which he believed there was no real foundation,

CORRE'SVaND'ENCE.,

THE WALLASEY FERRIES.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY TIMES.

think it is tolerably clear you are not a
} resident in Wallasey, or you would not, in such decided
forth's,. &four of certain contemplated changes
• there inVoliing oettiay. el money, and fresh taxes on
the Population, to an eitent th'a't dill *ttnbearahle, if
tlYesercoaeMplatLed Changes shoald be,' or eatihe,erttried
out. Mr. Bfdlik,'Wie 15oOle may her-414; T believe he
is—a man of undoubted idiek it will reqUire more
than all his talent and' ingenuity 16 tiialie k§ Walla3ey.
parishioners agree with your remark that our altha as
to fresh taxation, to accomplish objects beyond the
reasonable grasp of the commissioners, has been " en-
tirely dissipated by his elaborate report." Quite the
Contrary, sir; I can assure you, for he rests his argu-
nVetkis which aQ generally doubted or dis-
,! pitted/ It nhy,bh all defy well to draw comparisons
between' tlfe feiiYage' l'hatheg awci the' Mersey;
but the. Miaiiiipeint for ot4edenOi4tiil ils; *hat aim:Wilt
I of taxation` we are to OndUlre to biJitieahotti ihWaislian=
taxes set fort, and v;,liiiake the pieper te'P‘iay
for theM iatoW your local' taxes, hegin-
ning at, say 2s. in the f6Alnict, to' go' on'swelling out to
about 45., then (as it will with us Eo4 h'6
to 6s. 6d., and eventually to be screwed up id nearer
lOs. than 9s. in the pound ?. Tell me candidly, sir, how
you would enjoy such a luxury ? But that is the ques-
tion for the Wallasey residents ; and I am very much
mistaken if the commissioners will, at their next meet-
ing, evince that hurry you anticipate in "irrevocably
staNit the doom of the Egremont Ferry and the whole
fleet Vats" Mtt that, having an eye to -the great
outcry already faised against the etpeuse of the enor-
mous undertakings tlifedeied; fbi'ey will sitd precipitate
affairs, but rather wait patiently until thht Wish is in
a better position to consider and carry' (Al ilie'sdhentes
in question—if, indeed, they be ever carried out at all;
I trust to your impartiality to give these few observa-
tions early insertion in the Daily Times, as they have
been prompted by your remarks in your issue of to-day.
I am, sir, yours respectfully,

A WALLASEY RATEPAYER.
Poulton-cUtn;Senecrtnbe, January 2, 1861.

'SPORTING i3dag,

TO THE EDITOR OP THE DAILY TIMES.

Sin,—lt is little more than three years ago since I
first called the attention of sportsmen, through the
medium of the Field newspaper, to the neglected and
degenerated state of those valuable dogs, the pointer
and the setter, at the same time proposing a show as the
best means to improve their breed ; and it is gratifying
to see the spirit in which sportsmen have come forward
in support of my then humble endeavours; for in June,
'5B, at Newcastle, there was a show of pointers and
setters, where sixty-five were entered—all dogs; and
in November of last year I carried out, on my own
responsibility, at Birmingham, what I called "The
National Show of Sporting Dogs, used for the purposes
of the Gun," which, I am happy to say, was highly
and extensively patronised. Then came the show in
August of this year, at Darlington, where near on 200
of all classes of sporting dogs were entered, and, amongst
others, the finest show of otter hounds ever seen; and
on the 3rd and 4th of this month was held the national
show at Birmingham, where 270 dogs of all known
breeds were entered, and in the two days the lame sum
of £489 was taken at the doors, exclusiTe of tickets; so
that it plainly shows there is a spirit in Great Britain's
sportsmen, and the public generally, to support shows
of this kind, and it is my impression that if honourably
and fairly carried out, and properly managed, they bid
fair to surpass not only poultry shows, but even agri-
cultural shows.

And, sir, as Lancashire is proverbial for its wealth,
and, as a sporting county, with its moors, woodlands,
flood, and fields, there are few to surpass it, and that
the use of all kinds of sporting dogs can be fully
employed ; besides, I believe there are more game cer-
tificates taken out in Lancashire than in any other
county in Great Britain, therefore I see no reason why
Lancashire should not have its show of sporting dogs.
I have named the subject to several influential sports-
men of the county, who all agree in so praiseworthy an
object, with a request that I would make it known
publicly.

I therefore humbly submit for the consideration of
'noblemen and gentlemen sportsmen of this county that
there should be a show of this description established,
to be entitled " The Lancashire Show of Sporting
Dogs," to be held annually, alternately at Manchester
and Liverpool, during the race week in each place, and
to be held under canvas in some suitable place near to
the race ground.

A preliminary meeting of a few well-known sports-
men will shortly take place at Manchester to consider
the subject, and the means of carrying it out, after which
I have no doubt but a public meeting will be called for
the pUrpose of selecting a president, and to form a com-
mittee, &c. I shall have the honour to attend the meet-
ing, and in the meantime, should any sportsmen wish to
express an opinion on the subject, either through the
press or by letter directed to myself, the same should be
submitted to the meeting above mentioned, and be
esteemed a,favour.--I am, sir, yours most obediently,

R. BR-AILSFOR;:
Knowsley Kennels, December 18th, 1860.

TERRIBLE STORY OF A SHIPWRECK.

FURTHER PARTICULARS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY TIMES.

Sin,—Without some proof of the accuracy of the
statements made in the Daily Post of the 27th, and
liercii4 of the 25th ultimo, people will naturally ask
three questions-
1. How did it happen that Lake Erie was not frozen
over, as usual, en the 24th November ? So it was, Sir,
two months ago; but it was made navigable on that day
by a gentleman name,' Munchausen, purposely for the
advent of this "terrible story."
2. [tow could Capt. Monroe walk ashore with a man
on his back, amongst breakers ? Verily easily, Sir,
because he stands a fathom and a half high, and can
fathom any water. Besides, his grandmother's name
was lralkcr.

3. How was it that Mr. Derby opened his mouth
Without giving an articulate sound ? Why! Because
the iierby race was run, and the only word that he
faintly uttered was "lost," which was immediately
frozen, and remains there suspended in the air.

But, Sir, two important incidents have not been made
publicly known, through motives of delicacy. A lady
was carried ashore on the back of this bold mariner, and
her crinoline was broken into "immortal smash" by
"the fury of the foaming elements"—yet, on alighting
and shaking herself, the hoops became instantly frozen
stiffer than ever ! Perhaps the most affecting case
oectirred at the moment Captain Monroe arrived home,
when his wife perceived a pair of legs sticking out of
his coat-tall pockets, which the gallant veteran had
omitted throwing over his head with the body he car-
ried ashore.

AMERICA.

ARRIVAL OF. THE ASIA.

By the Age. ',We !rave advicesn from New • York
down to the Ha V.A. We take the following
from the Jew York Head of tire ahnve date:
It would appear by this oracle that thb right
man in the right place" has not yet arrived! in
the United States:—
THE CRISIS OF THE COUNTRY—THE
REMEDY IN MR. LINCOLN.

The danger which is most of all to be appre-
hended hi' plib press/ft critical condition of our
affairs; and *Melt wpm its face is the
adif dita-eniiigging siqth. respect to our future
political desiirA'e4;' thixt,' While tile estotrootts
growth and inereasie4i ribasktiei. of the d Gbh-
try afford an abundant siiplaiiittibn' of every
feature of the crisis, not one of &leaders of
our various political parties possesses the Ailify
to meet it. We are in the midst of a revolti-
tionaty epoch which has long been foreseen as
inevitable; *bleb should not have been neces-
sariit idritthing; birt hiss become so because no
measures talSea to provide for it. This
Lis becanse citizens of iii sighted' saveity—true
statesitihn'—hOO gradualls) POWS:I4 tfitnsseives
frog ptil uic nbtice within the last Wallet of a
century, and petty, plundering interests
have invested with pb`sieipblitibitins of corres-
ponding calibre, who have usii''ped' plate for the
benefit of cliques and parties instead of tl4.st general
good of the nation. The source of all oar
woes is, that while the country enjoys an
unparalleled degree of prosperity, and never
presented to the world so bright an example
of greatness; its leading men are unworthy
of its &nit and ttttfitted to control its
dettinfee: kitty years ago inklividrials did not
dare to Eigtire to' pbsitions of cOnNelieg in the
gift of the people eieepting upon some I'M or
affected basis of experieriai sagacity and worth.
Popular representatives in all station's; froth the
President down to the village constables *ere
selected with a view to their fitness to exercise
their respective functions, and to shield their
constituents from the troubles which are in-
separable from the mutations of time, the insta-
bility of resits minds, and the fallibility of
human institutions: Political storms were little
feared, because the ship of State was known to
be staunch and strong, and to be gtiidial by skilful
pilots.
Within a quarter of a century this happy state
of things has slowly but surely changed. Party
lines have peen gradually drawn away from
national to individual concerns, and the elective
franchise has been prostituted to fill public
offices with tricksters and managers, so that
place has become the invariable prey of the
most venal jobber or ctintfing and successful
intriguer. Not only in our large cities and
upon our lines of communication, but in the ints-
tional and State capitals, moneyed interests have
successively outbidden each other for power,
until the very existence of great men and pure
minds has become frayed out of political life.
The nomination and election of Mr. Lincoln to
the Presidency of the United States are last and
most striking proofs of the truth of this assertion.
Without any reference to personal merits or
demerits, no individual so obscure could, in more
halcyon days, or in a healthy state of the oon-
federation, have been brought forward for an
office so responsible as the Chief Magistracy of
thirty millions of people.
The consequence of this deteriorated state of
the country, and of such an inferior representation
of parties, in view of the great crisis which is
upon us, is easily told. In the natural course
of events, the Constitution of 1787 has become
too cribbed and narrow for the requirements of
the present geneetttion. A vast nation, extend-
ing from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada, and from
the Atlantic seaboard to the Pacific Ocean; whose
population is over ten times what it was when
the landmarks were laid which still guide us;
whose means of communication have outstripped
the most fabulous fantasies of the imagina-
tions of our forefathers, are not to be governed
now by the rules which were prudent and
wise three-quarters of a century. since. One
of those crises has been reached which charac-
terises the progress of all nations, marking the
different stages of their growth. English his-
tory, from the days of Alfred, abounds in them.
So it is and ever will be. So it has been within
the eighty years that the Union has endured, and
the convulsion which now menaces its integrity
offers but a new proof that increase of national
as well as individual stature necessitates a change
in the garments iii which it is clothed. The future
of a people is only dark and fraught with disaster,
under such circumstances, when it is weakly
governed by those who are destitute of the state-
craft which the period calls on them to exercise.
Parties, as the representatives of ideas, have
become within the last few months entirely
obliterated. In the nation at large there are
no longer, in fact, any distinctive sets of prin-
ciples which divide the country into separate
organisations. What still appear to be party
lines are but the skeletons of the past—the
rattling of bones and fossils, through an in-
terested press, or the crackling of the skin
around them, as it dries up in the heat of the
present contest. It is a time when all other
considerations are merged in the common want
of a great man—a man of the time—who shall
resolve the political problem which must speedily
be solved—how and in what manner the crisis
which has arrived is to be safely passed over, and
the institutions of the country established upon a
basis which shall give them fresh vigour and sta-
bility. A 'Washington, a Jefferson, a Madison, or
even a Monroe or Jackson, could they reappear in
the political arena, would now have an unparalleled
opportunity of renewing their laurels, and acquir-
ing the gratitude of the country. It is such an
opportunity as may give to Mr. Lincoln—if he
will cast off the slough of past recollections, and
meet boldly the question which is proposed to
him—a place in the foremost rank of those patriots
and public benefactors whose names adorn the
pages of history. If he will comprehend the mag-
nitude of the emergency, and display I.he needful
character and decision to meet it, he wilt not only
be enabled to dissipate the storm whiehis raging,
but disperse every cloud which overshadows the
future. Pigmy hands have bound the nation,
like Gulliver sleeping, with innumerable cords,
to the grounds ; but it is conscious that its pros-
trate attitude is not owing to any inherent
strength in its adversaries, but to its own sloth
and folly. It requires but small outward aid to
rescue it from its supine condition, and it is for
the head of the incoming administration to
render it.