The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-12-28 00:00:00

SPLENDID CARPETS.

AXMINSTER, Touruay, Turkey, Velvet Pile,
Tapestry, Brussels, and all other descriptions of Car-
peting and Rugs, preserved in their original state of comfort,
and beauty of colouring, at DOBSON'S Practical Cleansing
and Restorative Works, Breck-road, Everton—Established
1843.

N.B.—Carpets are received by rail, &c., from all parts of
the kingdom.—Address (if by post),
DOBSON'S Carpet Cleansing Works, Everton.

GUSTAVUS HAMILTON, Solicitor and Irish
Law Agent (Firm G. Hamilton & Sons,) 30, South
Frederick-street, Dublin, and 47, Chancerlane, London,
Master Extraordinary of her Majesty's High Court of
Chancery in England, for taking Answers, Affidavits, Proofs
in Bankruptcy, and depositiOns of Witnesses in Ireland, and
Commissioner for taking Affidavits in Ireland out of Her
Majesty's Court of Queen's Bench, Common Pleas, and Ex-
chequer in England, also MaUer Extraordinary of the County
Palatine and Duchy Courts of Lancaster ; Agent to the
Monarch Fire and Life Assurance Company of London. and
Local Solicitor to the United Guarantee and Life Assurance
Company of London.

IMPORTANT TO PARTIES FURNISHING.
GLASS, CHINA, AND EARTHENWARE.
JrWARD, CUT GLASS MANUFACTURER, 40, Bold
. Street, Liverpool, is selling goods of such quality as
cannot be surpassed, at the following prices :
GLASS OF EVERY DESCRIPTION.
Cut half-pint Tumblers, from Os 41d to Is 6d each.
Pressed ditto Os 3d to Os 6d „
Cut Wines, of fifty patterns Os 3d to is 6d „
Cut Decanters, ditto
Cut and pressed Salts . . .0s 1 d to 3s Od' „
Cut and pressed Sugars and Creams, Os 6d to 10s Od „
Cut and moulded Water Bottles and
Glasses .OB 9d to 7s 6d „
Cut and Moulded Water Jugs .....2s. 6d to 25s Od „
An immense variety of CHINA, in Breakfast, Tea,
and Dessert Services.
Tea Cups and Saucers, blue figure, is 3d per half-dozen.
Tea Sets, of burnished gold, from lOs 6d to £6 per set.
Dessert Services £1 lOs Od to £lO „
EARTHENWARE, in endless variety.
Dinner Services, to dine twelve persons, a
variety of patterns and colours, from Os Od per set.
Toilet Services, nine piece 5........ 05s 6d „
N.B.—This Stock is of immense extent, the quality is as
good as is manufactured, and the prices are from 10 to 20
per cent, cheaper than are usually charged.
OBSERVE—J. WARD, 40, BOLD STREET, LIVERPOOL.

MILNERS' HOLDFAST AND FIRE-RE-
SISTING SAFES, CL 0 SET S, DOORS,
CHESTS, BOXES, GUNPOWDER MAGAZINES, &c.
AT MILNERS' PHCENIX (212°) SAFE WORKS,
WINDSOR, LIVERPOOL,
(Show Rooms, 54, Lord-street.)
LONDON DEPOT, 47A, MOORGATE-STREET, CITY.
GREAT FIRE AT THE GUTTA PERCHA COM-
PANY'S WORKS, AND DEFEATED BURGLARIES.
" Gutta Percha Company's Works, City Road,
London, Bth June, 1853.
"Sets,—We consider it only our duty to inform you of
the entire preservation of all the Books and Papers,* con-
tained in the large Safe you recently supplied us with,
although exposed during Sunday last to a fire which de-
stroyed the larger part of our Works--this is the more re-
markable, as the intense heat has in many parts melted the
outside of the Safe.

"We are of opinion, that so successful a vindication of
the merits of your invention cannot, on public grounds, be
too generally known ; and we therefore leave you at liberty
to use this letter in any way you may wish.
"We are, Sirs, your obedient Servants,
THE GIITTA PERCHA COMPANY,
•‘ HENRY FORD BARCLAY.
"Messrs. Thomas Milner and Son, 47A,
Moorgate-Street, City, London.
Including £5,000 of cash and bills.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Whatever is intended for insertion must be authenticated

. _
by the name and address of the writer; not necessarily for
_publication, but as a guarantee of his good faith.
We cannot undertake to return rejected communications.
All communications, Books for Review, etc., to be for-
warded to the Editor must be addressed to the Publisher,
CHARLES WILLMER, and those from London may be sent
to the care of Messrs. Simpkin, Marshall, and Co.

,Rartytrit ,BlTlt4 tintto.

THEATRE ROYAL.
Williamson-square.
THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS.

- _
Tuts Evanxmo (Wednesday), 28th instant, the Performance will
tommsnce with TIME TRIES ALL. To be followed by the
Grand Comic CHRISTMAS PANTOMIME! entitled
THE BUTTERFLY'S BALL, and THE GRASSHOPPER'S
FEAST; or, HARLEQUIN AND THE GENIUS OF SPRING I
Founded on the Popular Poem by Mr. Roscoe, of Liverpool.—
Harlequin...... Signor Lauri. Pantaloon.. Signor C. Laur .
Columbine, I Madame Masotti.
_Clown ....Signor F. Lauri.

Admission—Dress Boxes, 45.; Upper Boxes, Pit. 25.;
Gallery, U. The Box-office is open from Ten to Three o'clock
daily, for securing Seats and taking Private Boxes, under the
direction of Mr. T. Shuttleworth. Children in arms will not be
admitted. Doors open at half-past Six, the performance to com-
mence at Seven o'clock precisely.

ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE.
HOLIDAY NOTICE.

This Evaxitto (Wednesday), 28th inst., and following Evenings,
the Entertainments will commence with. for the Second Time in
England, It OE ROY! produced by Mr. Pablo Fanque as an
EQUESTRIAN SPECTACLE! with new Scenes and Inci :ents
introduced from the Novel. In order to proauce the Celebrated
Drama in its new form in the most creditable manner possible, Mr,
Pablo Fanque has engaged, at a considerable expense, the valuable
services of MR. GOURLAY, the Acknowledged Successor of
MR. MACKAY, for the representation of Scotch Character, and wuo
will make his third appearance in Liverpool, This Evening, in
the arduous character of BAILIE NICOL JARVlE.—Several of the
ost popular members of the Metropolitan Theatres are engaged,
among whom will be found Mr. Rayner, Mr. T. Kirk, Mr. Birken-
hoff, Mr. Cooper, Mrs. Raymond, Miss Hodson, the popular vocal's',
and various others. Rob Roy has been pronounced by the Press of
Edinburgh and Glasgow never to have been correctly produced
until brought forth by Mr. Pablo Fanque with horses. There will be
Two Grand DAY PERFORMANCES, viz., THIS DAY (Wednesday),
28th instant, and Friday, the 30th instant. Doors open at One, to
commence at Two. In consequence of the extreme length of the
Evening Performances the Doors will Open at a quarter past Six,
and commence at Seven o'clock. Admission Dress Circle, 3s. ;
Side. Boxes, 2s, 6d.; Pit, Is. 6d.; Gallery, 6d. Second Price—
Dressi Circle, 25.',; Side Boxes, Is.; Pit, Is. ; no second price to
Gallery. Second Price to Boxes and Pit at nine o'clock.

ROYAL ADELPHI THEATRE,
Christian Street, Islington.

Tate EVeNING (Wednesday), the 28th instant, A VARIETY OF
FAVOURITE ENTERTAINMENTS. To conclude with the
gorgeous new Comic Pantomime of THE VALE OF GEMS; or,
HARLEQUIN AND SINBAD THE SAILOR, AND TUB FAIRY
op CORAL GROT (written expressly for this Establishment, by Mr.
John Courtney, author of " Time Tries All," " Tricks and Trials,"
&c., &c.,) which has been in preparation for the last three months,
with new and magnificent scenery, costumes, and appointments.
Sinbad the Sailor, Miss Carre, from the Theatre Royal. Haymarket.
Nautlia, Miss M. A. Egan. Harlequin, Mr. C. Brown. Pantaloon, Mr.
Jackson. Columbine, Miss E. Gibbs. Clown, Herr Teesale. Sprite,
Signor Sylvani.—Dress Boxes, 25.; Side Boxes, is. 6d.; Stalls, Is.
Pit 6d.; Gallery, 3d.

ROYAL PARK THEATRE.
Parliament-Street, near St. James's Market.
*.* EXTRAORDINARY CHRISTMAS ATTRACTION.
Taxa EVLIIING (Wednesday), 28th instant, the Performances will
commence with A POPULAR DRAMA, in which Mr. Melbourne,
Miss Marriott, and the whole strength of the company will appear.
To conclude with (third time) the New Magniloquently Grand,
Comical, Local, Operatical, Cabalistical, and Anachronismatical
CHRISTMAS PANTOMIME, entitled, ORMSHEADTHE
GREAT; or, HARLEQUIN & JENNY JONES, AND THE
FLOWER OF SNOWDON. Written expressly for this theatre
by the author of " Ye Siege of Leverpole," &c., with new and beauti-
ful scenery, by Mr. John Wright, from her Majesty's Theatre, Mr.
Liver, and assistants; properties by Mr. Names; Music, composed
by Mr. Hope ; Machinery, by Mr. Jackson ; dresses by Mr.
West and assistants ; and the whole produced under the immediate
superintendence of the Lessee, Mr. R. Edgar. Snowdrop, the Fair
Flower of Snowdon, with a few "airs " which the author has thrust
upon her, Miss Marriott; Lushiane, a doubtful specimen of a Fairy,
afterwards Clown. Mr. J. Appleby ; Davydd Jones, an ancient Briton,
r. Wilmore, afterwards Pantaloon, Mr. P. Anderson, from the
Theatre Royal, Drury-lane; Edward Morgan, with a " terrific com-
bat." Mr. S. Lennox, afterwards Harlequin, Signor Guarrino, from
her Majesty's Theatre; Jenny Jones, the Flower of North Wales,
Sirs. J. Appleby, afterwards Columbine, Mad'lle Rose, from the
Theatre Royal, Edinburgh; Sprite, Signor Vilderiul, the wonderful
contortionist from the Theatre Royal, Drury-lane. The remainder
of the eharacters by the entire Dramatic and Pantomimic artistes
attached to the establishment, forming the most complete and
pswerful cast ever submitted to a Liverpool public. The
Pantomime will be preceded by a grave Episode, in which the
shades of Joe Miller and the Author will have very lively representa-
tives. Doors open at half past six, to commence at seven o'clock pre-
cisely. Prices of admission.—Dress Boxes, 35.; Front Boxes, 2s.
Pit, Is.; Gallery, Gd. Half-price to the Boxes at Nine o'clock.
Books of the Pantomime may be obtained at the Theatre.

GAME PIES! GAME PIES !—The Celebrated
Yorkshire Game Pies !—The greatest Treat of the
season for Christmas Parties. Suitable for Ladies, as well as
.Epicures, and everybody else. Made only by W. LA.WTON,
Ban HOTEL, Queen-square—who contracts for Public Balls,
Suppers, and other large Entertainments—where will bo
found Good Beds, Good Viands, Good Wines, &c .

THE NEW YEAR!
A BARON OF BEEF WILL BE ROASTED
AT THE MANSION-HOUSE HOTEL,
11, DRURY-LANE,
ON THE 2ND OF JANUARY.

HIGH WATER IN THE MERSEY.
THIS DAY—Morning, 9h. 14m.... Afternoon, 9h. 39m.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1853,

THE Christmas of 1853 suggests many consi-
derations calculated to occupy the thoughtful
mind. Our moral, social, and political horizon is
overcast ; and even the very elements themielves
seem to sympathise with the universal gloom.
Crime, of an aggravated character, abounds to a
frightful extent. The mania for wife and woman
beating still continues, and each day but adds
more horrifying details to the dreadful catalogue—
already, Heaven knows ! hideous and heart-rending

enough. No later than Saturday evening last,
while so many were regaling themselves and usher-
ing,. in the festive season of Christmas, an awful
tragedy takes 'place in Soho street, London, and a
wretched being, after stabbing his wife; who had
but just past her aecouchement, almost severs his
head from his body. Our criminal calendar too
attests the- existence of atrocities unknown to
savage life; and the Liverpool Grand Jury has
been forced to acknowledge the increase of the
barbarous and revolting crime of child murder,
perpetrated, not by • unfortunate women to hide
their shame, but by the very authors of their
existence, having no other inducement to the dia-
bolical deed besides the gain of a few pounds to be
derived from a burial club ! Good GOD ! How is
it possible that humanity can become so lost, not
alone to every moral feeling, but to every natural
instinct? How can parents become degraded be-
low the level of the most ferocious brute ? Fancy
a mother who has nourished her babe with her very
life-blood, and brought it into existence with throes
of anguish—fancy her after, aye and before its
birth, coolly compassing and maturely devising
plans for its destruction; entering its name on the
club-book, and then starving and torturing it to
death ! Can the annals of crime furnish a counter-
part to such dark and diabolical deeds ? And this
in our boasted nineteenth century ; and amid all
our national progress, enlightenment, and Chris-
tian legislation !
But this is not all. Juvenile delinquency, female
prostitUtion, and drunkenness abound to an
alarming extent. In our own town nearly 200
persons were brought before the magistrates on
Monday, charged with being drunk and disorderly
on the previous day. The fact is our labouring
classes do not know how to enjoy themselves.
They rush at once into inebriety, and then fight
and quarrel. Hence the disgraceful scenes which
meet our sight on the evening of any festive day.
It is not so in France, Germany, and other con-
tinental countries. Consequently foreigners, when
they, come to England, become anything but
favorably impressed with our national habits, and
social manners and customs. These are facts
which we cannot, must not, dare not conceal
from ourselves. The best policy is to face those
evils valiantly and manfully. They must be fear-
lessly grappled with and victoriously conquered.
But there exist also other and fecund causes for
serious thought and sober sadness. The food of
the people is at famine prices. Our commercial
prosperity, combined with 'a deficient harvest and
unjust taxes, have rendered provisions unusually
high, and coals dear; whilst labour in some of our
manufacturing towns is almost at a stand still.
The contest between labour and capital in Preston
and other towns, continues as violent and as
obstinate as ever. Employers will not yield—
workmen will not yield—so the consequences
assume a threatening aspect. If the sensible and
practical letter addressed by Lord PALMERSTON
to the representative of the working men of
Preston, and the excellent suggestions therein
thrown out to manufacturers, act not as oil upon
the troubled waters of this long-pending struggle,
we know not what ll be the issue. We arc
certain, however, that it must be, and indeed
already is, detrimental both to the one and the
other.

Besides, poverty and destitution, disease and
epidemic are rife in our midst. Our social contrasts
are alarming. In fact they are unparalleled in any
other country under Heaven ! " England, viewed
"socially," says a writer in the Westminster Review,
"is a Mezentian_ coupling of life with death, great
" wealth with great poverty, fastidious comfort with
" hideous squalor, brilliant knowledge with revolt-
" ing ignorance, delicate refinement with repulsive
"manners." Something must be wrong where such
evils can take root, and be suffered to accumulate.
No amount of commercial prosperity can guarantee
the safety, stability, or renown of any country
where such baneful influences diffuse their rank.
ness and poison the sources of a nation's life. The
strongest man can easily and instantaneously be
destroyed by a minute portion of poisonous liquid.
So the existence of the mightiest empire that ever flou-
rished may also be prostrated by causes simple and
unsuspected. Nothing is more certain than that those
opposing phases of human society cannot go on
much longer together. We cannot consistently con
tinue building and endowing churches and colleges,
schools and penitentiaries, and sending missiona-
ries to the most distant part of the earth, whilst
such astounding misery, destitution, and crime
exist within the hearts of our greatest cities and
most influential towns. However, although there
are causes enough for despondency, we are not al_
together without hope. Amid the darkness we can
distinguish a gleam of sunshine, which bids fair for
a day of unclouded splendour. Society has become
convinced of its responsibilities and duties, and
right earnestly betakes itself to reform those abuses
and ameliorate those miseries which its previous
indifference and ignorance have called into being.
From the benevolent efforts every day put forth in
one quarter or another, we are inspired with
confidence that the evils of which we complain
will not only be courageously battled with but
eventually overcome. Still all the labour must not
devolve upon a few philanthropists. Every patriot
and good citizen must put his shoulder to the
wheel, and give a long pull, and a strong pull, and
a pull altogether, in order to accomplish so essen-
tial an end. Every man must consider himself
obligated, to exert all his energies to bring about a
better state of things. Every member of the com-
munity has more or less share in the national
disgrace, and has more or less contributed to the
national calamity. Hence, each individual is
morally bound to do what in him lies, to obliterate
the one and exterminate the other. " Fais ton
Fait"—" Do thy little stroke of work." This is the
call of Nature to each man.

The United States Mail Steam-ship Baltic, Captain
Comstock, sails from the Mersey for New York, this day,
with the usual mails and passengers.
MATILDA. WATTENBACH.—This splendid vessel, which left
Liverpool about three weeks since, for Melbourne, with a
number of passengers and a large mail, is reported to have
put into Lisbon, with loss of topmasts, lower mast-heads,
jibbooms, &c. Passengers and crew all .well.
VIOLENT ASSAULT.—Yesterday, at the Salford town-hall,
a young man about 19 years of age, was charged with hav-
ing committed a violent assault upon a person of the name of
John Makin. It appeared that about ten minutes before one
o'clock on Sunday morning, a person named John Makin
was going along Upper Booth-street, when he saw a number
of men round a person of the name of Yates, who was under
the influence of liquor. On going up to see what was the
matter, he was struck twice, and seeing the danger he was
exposed to, from the daring character of the crowd, was
abwit to make his escape, when the prisoner struck him a
blow on the head with a poker. The injured man called
" police ;" a constable was immediately on the spot, and the
prisoner given into custody. The case was remanded.
ROBBERY OF TIMBER FROM A WHARF AT MANCHES-
TER.—Oa Monday last at the Manchester city police
court, two men named John Woodier, Row-street, Gay-
thorne, and Joseph Goodman, of Albert-street, were brought
up before the magistrates on a charge of having stolen a
quantity of timber from a wharf in Castlefield, on Saturday
night. The fact of the loss of -the property was proved, and
also that certain timber had been sold to Mr. Parry, City-
road. The case was remanded for further evidence.

Monday last was observed as a holiday in Manchester
and Salford. The mills and shops were mostly closed, and
there was a general suspension of business.
A gang of swindlers dating from Fleet-street, London,
are victimising farmers and others throughout the country,
by advertising for consignments of poultry, butter, eggs,
cte. They use the name of a well known salesman. They
send advertisements to the provincial papers, which, of
course, are never paid for any more than the consignments.
Some parties in Dumfriesshire have been plundered by them.

COTY COURT. -V_ ESTEILDAY.

TILE STEAM-SHIP BALTIC.

(BEFORE JOSEPH POLLOCK, ESQ., JUDGE.)

The court sat at ten yesterday.

THE LIVERPOOL DOCK ESTATE v. BROWN.—This was an
action brought against the owners of the United States mail
steamer Baltic, upon the part of the trustees of the Liver-
pool Dock Estate, to recover damages for injuries done to
the Bell buoy, against which the steamer struck. The case
was tried in this court by consent.
The dock estate was represented by Messrs. BLAIR and
SmION, barristers ; and Mr. JOHN NORTH, solicitor.
Messrs. ASPINALL and RAFFLES, instructed by Messrs.
Duncan, Sqnirrey, and Duncan, appeared on behalf of the
owners of the Baltic.

Mr. BLAIR stated the case upon behalf of the plaintiffs,
from which it appeared that the occurrence took place on
Thursday morning, the 14th of April, when the Baltic was
arriving in Liverpool. She had on board a pilot named
John James Ellison, and owing to a misapprehension upon
his part that the buoy had been passed, the vessel kept on
full steam, and altered her course in such a manner that she
struck against the Bell buoy, which was torn from its place,
its hull completely broken, and injured so much that a dup-
licate buoy had to be put down on the following day. Mr.
Blair handed in a statement drawn up by the pilot and
given to the owners of the vessel, in which he stated that
he thought he heard the bell sounding upon the port quarter
and he therefore concluded that he had passed it. He
therefore ordered the helm to be put to starboard in order
to close the light, and finding that they closed he ordered
the helm to be put a little to port. As soon as he had got
the ship's head to the light one of the look oat men called
out that the buoy was on the starboard bow. The captain
called out to starboard the helm, and the pilot repeated the
order, which was instantly obeyed. The night was dark
and cloudy over head and on the water, although the lights
could clearly be seen. There was not time to avoid the buoy,
and the vessel struck against it. Onstriking, the engines were
reversed, and coming on again the ship passed the buoy.
The pilot stated that if he had not supposed they had
passed the buoy, he would not have altered the
helm, which caused the collision. All the orders given were
obeyed by the crew. The steamer was going about twelve
knots an hour at the time, which the pilot did not consider
too fast a rate of speed, otherwise he would have ordered it
to be slackened. The collision took place about two o'clock
in the morning. Having read the document drawn up by
the pilot, and stated the facts of the case, Mr. Blair pro-
ceeded to argue the question in a legal point of view, in
' order to show that the owners of the vessel were liable, and
that the captain was partly culpable, in the transaction. He
could not conceive, if recklessness of that kind did not make
the captain liable, what could do so ; nor et-Add he conceive
a grosser case of recklessness, than running at such a rate
of speed, at the very entrance of so crowded a part of the
river, in the Victoria Channel. He referred to a variety of
cases of a similar kind, in which the decision of the admi-
ralty courts had borne out the views which he argued; and
contended, that the mere fact of the Baltic having taken a
pilot on board, did not exonerate the owners from responsi-
bility in a matter which was clearly within the province of
the captain and crew. He contended, that in this case, no
sufficient look-out had been kept, and in the second place,
that the speed at which the vessel was going was of such a
character, as must have been known to be dangerous to
vessels in the way. It was quite clear that it was not with
the object of steering the vessel in a particular direction the
steam was got up, but for the purpose of getting sooner to
their journey's end. If he satisfied the court that the speed
at which the vessel was going was manifestly not necessary
in order to enable her to shape her course, and that the
captain must have been perfectly aware that such a speed
was dangerous, and reckless, he thought then he should have
established a joint default on the part of tue pilot and of
the captain. He also contended that the look-out was part
of the duty of the captain, and that the captain was required
to see that such a look-out was kept as to avoid all
damage. If the result of the enormous speed at which
the vessel was going was such as to render such a
look-out totally useless and unavailing, then he ap-
prehended that the liability was the same as if no
look-out had been kept at all. If the captain was aware
that the vessel was going at such a speed that a look-out was
useless, because if anything came in the way, the vessel
should go over it before the speed could be slackened, or her
course altered ; and if the captain allowed that speed to be
kept up without any expostulation, then he contended that
was the same as if the captain wilfully navigated the vessel
without having a sufficient look-out kept, inasmuch as lie
navigated the ship at such a speed as to render any look-out
useless.

His HONOR : I understand the doctrine ; but I want to
draw your attention to the fact that a case you have cited
does not go to the full extent which you say I should go to.
The circumstances were these—that although the vessel was
under the direction of a pilot, such a look-out had not been
kept as would enable the pilot to do his ol,sn duty, and the
want of that look-out was clear negligence upon the part of
the crew of the vessel, which the pilot could not supply by
any amount of judgment on his part. Now, you ask me to
go a little further. Ido not say that I may be oblige:. to
go to that extent or not, but you ask me to say this, that the
pilot is not responsible, but that the master is, for the speed
which, according to your statement, both knew to be im-
proper, the speed being a thing which, by common practice,
we know to be directed by the pilot.
Mr. BLAIR contended that it was sufficient if he could
prove that there was joint negligence, and said he would
show that joint negligence did exist in this instance.
His HONOR : I have no hesitation in saying that it is my
opinion that the speed may be as much in the duty of the
pilot, and to prevent the speed from being too great, as any-
thing else; because circumstances may arise in which it may
be all-important to go at full speed—there may be such a
state of the bar, of the wind, of the tide, the probability of
meeting other vessels, or such circumstances, which may ren •
der it absolutely the duty of the pilot to conduct the speed
of the vessel.

Mr. BLA.IR : It is for them to show that ; but I think
I will show you that the facts of the case can establish
no such necessity, but merely that the speed was put
on for the purpose of making the voyage in a shorter
time. Mr. Blair further contended that if there was negli-
gence in running down a sloop, there must have been still
greaternegligence in running down a buoy, the situation of
which should have been known. He referred to the dock
act, in which it was laid down that for such negligence £2O
should be forfeited, in adlition to making good the amount
of damage done.
His HONOR: But you are not proceeding under that act.
Mr. BLAIR : I only point it out as tending to show the
general Rrinciple of the legiSlature. Mr. Blair having con-
cluded his address,

The document written by the pilot was read as evidence
by Mr. Statham.
The first witness called was Mr. William Lord, who was
examined by Mr. Simon. Mr. Lord stated that he had been
17 years marine surveyor to the dock estate. Produced a
chart of the channel. The bell-buoy was of iron, her ton-
nage 22 tons, and the bell 4 cwt. 3 qrs. She was moored
at 23 feet low water on the 4th. April last. She was moored
with a wrought iron welded stud chain, and an anchor of
12 cwt. A very slight motion of the water was sufficient to
sound the bell, which was self-acting, so much so that when
the gates of the Toxteth dock were opened it was heard to
ring. On the 14th of April, about two o'clock in the morn-
ing, the depth of water upon the bar was 34 feet. Saw the
beacon after the accident, when it was brought into Liver-
pool. The bow of the Baltic appeared to have crossed the
bulkheads diagonally, and torn out a large hole in the bot-
tom.

His HONOR: How do you suppose ,from the injury, that
the Baltic came upon the beacon ?
Mr. LORD said the Baltic appeared to have struck the
beacon with her bow. The upper part of the mast head
was broken, and he believed a cat-head was torn from the
Baltic's bow, and the anchor fell upon the beacon, and
getting fastened in it a great quantity of chain was
dragged out, so much, he thought, as 50 or 60 fathoms of
chain.

Mr. SimoN : Of the Baltic's chain ?
Mr. LORD : Yes. The masthead and the bell of the
beacon were gone altogether, the mast was also sprung
in the lower part, and the beacon's moorings were
sprung. The beacon had been'repaired since At a cost of
£3lO 18s. Should think the Baltic was about 17 feet draft,
Does not think a vessel of the kind could have come up at
such a speed as twelve knots an hour. The diminished
speed should have commenced probably ten minutes or so
before she met the Bell beacon. She should have reduced
half speed probably. It is the duty of the master of
the vessel to have ordered the lead to be kept going
until after the vessel had passed over the bar. The
bar is three quarters of a mile inside the buoy. The sound
of the bell would probably have been heard a couple of
miles upon such a night. It must have wanted about half
an hour of high water at the time the accident occurred.
The velocity at which the vessel was going and the noise of
her own paddles might have prevented the sound of the bell
being heard. Having heard the statement of the pilot he
(Mr. Lord) attributed the accident, in the first place, to the
pilot having mistaken his position, and principally to the
great velocity with which the vessel was navigated. When
the look-out man saw the beacon, before the course could
.be altered the vessel was on her. Thinks sounding would
most undoubtedly have enabled them to ascertain whether
they had passed the beacon or not; but soundings could not
have been made at the rate the vessel was going. It also
appeared to him from the speed at which she was going that
a look-out was of no advantage at all. At the stated time
it must have been just about the time when the steamers
would be leaving the docks, and it would be likely that many
vessels would be about to cross the bar at the time.
_

To Mr. ASPINALL : There might be some doubt about the

THE NORTHERN DAILY TIMES.