The Express.
London, England, 1847-11-10 00:00:00

PROVINCIAL.

TnE STRIKE STITI7CONTINCES AT ASHTON-
UNDEBeLYNE (op the Liverpool Standard), and on Fri-
day fears were entertained for the preservation of the pence,
Nothing, however, occurred. The operatives parade from
mill to mill, and it is feared that an attempt will be made to
tura out the hands from the mills at work.

CHARTER OF INCORPORATION FOR BIRKENHEAD.—
On Monday, a public meeting was held in the Craven
Rooms, to take into consideration the propriety of applying
for a charter of incorporation for the town:hip. The meet-
ing was called by the overseers, on a requisition presented to
them by the inhabitants of Birkenhead and Claughton. The
meeting was very numerously attended. On the motion
of one of the overseers, \V. Jackson, Esq., M.P., was
called to the chair, and opened the proceedings of the meet-
ing by taking a graphic survey of the past and present posi-
tion of Birkenhead. He alluded to the position in 1844,
then the admiration of the kingdom—then not a house un-
inhabited—now there were hundreds—th•n they had good
credit, now that credit was destroyed. After speaking at
great length upon the causes of their position, and stating
that he did not wish to blame any individual in particular
I for bad management, he stated that thousands and thousands
of pounds had been lent to them in good faith, and now,
when the interest was most valuable, it was not forthcoming.
By this they had lost caste. At one time the whole kingdom
was ready to trust them, but no one would do so now, and
the reason was obvious; they had drawn from strangers
money to embellish the town, and had not taxed the
owners of property in the town for it. Mr. Jackson then
went on at very great length, complaining of the present
mode of managing the township affairs, observing that it was
so easy to put into office, under the present system, sweeps or
rogues as honest men. It had been said that their difficulties
had bee's brought about by their being too sanguine, but
their greatest crime was in having got hold of 400,0001. of
strangers' money for their improvements, parks, and other
matters, and not now being able to meet the interest of it.
No one could say that his property had not been doubled by
the accommodation they had received, and it was only right
that a tax should be laid upon the property of the township
to pay that honest debt. After speaking some time longer
upon the subject, Mr. Jackson said it was wrong that per-
sona who came into the town at nine o'clock, and paid their
rates at eleven, should have an immediate privilege of
voting for the commissioners to govern the township. He
then proposed a resolution to the effect that steps be taken to-
wards obtaining a charter of incorporation for the township,
fur levying a tax upon the property towards paying off the
bonded debts, and for having an interview with the commis-
sioners for that purpose.—Mr. Robert Hughes seconded
the resolution.— r. Craven denounced the proposition.
He denied that they had any right for inducing the
commissioners to call a public meeting of the inhabitant for
that purpose, and to suppose themselves in the position to
which Mr. Jackson had alluded ; and as they had not been
asked fur a tax by the commissioners, he did not see that
they should tax themselves. It was not proved that they
were in debt. Mr. 'leathern said every one knew they were
in debt, and no one better than Mr. Craven himself.
—Mr. Collins thought an act of parliament to tax property
should be properly defined. Ile confessed as a landlord, that
if 15 or 20 per cent. was to be superadded to his present
taxation, be could not remain in Birkenhead.—The Chair-
man said they were only now met to affirm the principle.
—Mr. Matthews, amidst the laughter of the company, made
some singular observations. It was useless, ho said,
without basing manufactories. A multitude of money had
been spent to make a " garden of Eden," and it was, after
all, a " Paradise lost." Mr. Matthews continued to go on in
a somewhat incoherent manner, being met by expres-
sions of disapprobation from several persons present. The
resolution was ultimately carried by a large majority, and
Messrs. W. Jackson, M.P., Craven, Bailiff, Appleton,
Hughes, Collins, Mortimer, Eastwood, and k. 0.

Willoughby, were appointed a committee with full powers
to confer with and assist the commissioners in carrying the
foregoing resolution into effect.
NORTHUMBERLAND.
A DESTRUCTIVE FIRE OCCURREN AT NEWCASTLE
on Friday evening, in the extensive marine store warehouse
of Meters. Hudson. The warehouse was a large detached'
building, four stories high, was formerly occupied as a
brewery by the late Mr. Coulthard, and was filled in every
department with piles of old rags, ropes, and other combos-
' tible material,. A short time before the fire was discovered
not the slightest indication was observable, and it suddenly
burst forth from the second story. The usefulness of the
engines wee greatly crippled owing to the want of an ade-
quate supply of water. Notwithstanding this, two of them
were worked until two o'clock in the morning, when the
water-pipes for the first time were found to be adequately
replenished, and then the flames were got under. The
premises, with their contents, were destroyed, and nothing
now remains but the walls. The value of the property
amounts to several hundreds of pounds ; but it is understmd
that both the stock and premises are partially insured. The
origin of the firs still remains unknown.