The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-05-29 00:00:00

THURSDAY, MAY 29, 1856

THE professional opposition raised to the
Birkenhead Dock Bill is somewhat unusually
strong. Two railway companies arc in the field
in addition to the host of ordinary harpies who
follow nearly all " private" bills as ravens do

sick horses, and as sharks follow in the wake of
the fever ship. The Magnates of the two
railways are not satisfied with having each of
them a strong and totally distinct string of
objections to offer to the merits of the proposed
plan, but they must oppose the preamble of the
Bill ! Now, if this introductory paragraph
resembles those usually employed in such cases,
and states that, whereas it is expedient to
extend the accommodation of shipping in the
Mersey, in pursuance of the express terms
contained in the Acts of Parliament previously
passed for that purpose ; and that, as it is
necessary to make certain alterations and
additions to the plans formerly sanctioned by
Parliament, it is, therefore, enacted with the
advice and consent, &c., we really cannot see
what the opponents to such a plain statement of
fact mean. Are the Great Western and the
Birkenhead and Cheshire Railway Companies
prepared to show that the preamble cannot be
proved, or are they only availing themselves of the
Standing Orders of the House of Commons, to get
from the Dock Trustees terms which they think
most advantageous to themselves?

If this be their object, we are rejoiced to find
the chairman of the Parliamentary Committee, Sir
WILLIAM CLAY, has nipped these tactics in the
bud, and appears resolved to confine all parties to
the merits of the cases brought before the tribunal
over which he presides. Had a similar course been
pursued with regard to the 4,000,0001. scheme of last
year, we can easily imagine what its fate would
have been. In the present instance, however, the
allegations embodied in the preamble, are, simply,
so many palpable facts. We do want more dock
accommodation on the Cheshire side of the Mersey.
Birkenhead is an integral portion of Liverpool,
and, consequently, we can give expression to the
truth, without giving encouragement to non-
sensical rivalry between the two sister
localities. We want more docks in central
and where the greatest natural
advantages exist. Birkenhead and the south
end of Liverpool possesses these cardinal
recommendations, and it is useless to think of
excluding them from the traffic of the Mersey in
favour of the Corporation's penchant for the north
end of the Borough. It is tha manifest interest
of Liverpool that Birkenhead should be populated
and encouraged before the wilds of Bootle are
colonised, and another rival raised to power, to
sweep away our ships, and shipping trade, beyon d
the limits of our port.
The extension and completion of the Birkenhead
Docks might also be advocated on the score of
economy. We shall thereby obtain a much larger
floatage surface than we could any where else, within
the same distance from Liverpool Proper, and for
half the money ; and it is high time we looked
strictly to economy in our dock affairs. We have
received from dock dues, since they were firs
levied, up to the present time, about 7,400,0001.
all of which has disappeared in the payment
of interest on Dock Bonds and working
us still with a Dock
debt of 5,400,000/

situations,

expenses, leaving

There is something
here for those who are really interested in the
welfare of the trade of Liverpool to ponder over,
and something to weigh on the mind of Parlia-
matary committees, when called on to deal with
what immediately affects the largest shipping port
in the realm. The time has arrived when, if we
look closely into the whole of our Dock manage-
ment and requirements, we shall find that a very
different system must be pursued henceforth to
that which is now in vogue. Every Dock scheme
must be dealt with on its merits, and the strictest
economy enforced by the Legislature in its execu-
tion and general management, when brought into

practical operation

Now the public will be more than usually
curious to learn what the two railway companies
we have named, will hare to say on these vitally
important branches of a subject in which they
exhibit so deep an interest. That they care little
about Mr. RENDELL or Mr. VARTLEY'S plans,
is proved by the fact that, they objected
to the preamble of the Bill, to defeat the

measure altogether

Failing to accomplish

this they have " two distinct and special cases "
to submit to the committee. Oue company will
probably support Mr. RENDELL'S plan, the other
Mr. HARTLEY'S. Then will come the tug of war !
the professional farce to conclude with a " compro-
mise," and the acceptance of a bill they opposed,
first, on its expediency and then on its merits !
If this should turn out to be the sequel of their
opposition, we can only say, and WO do so with all
respect for the pockets of Shareholders, that we
hope most sincerely the two companies in question,
will be called upon to pay the costs of their
opposition, even if it should be successful to the
extent we have anticipated. More frivolous and
vexatious proceedings can scarcely be conceived,
and it would be well for the committees of both
Houses of Parliament to mark their sense of such
objectionable proceedings by the exercise of the
salutary discretion with which they have been
wisely armed. We want the Birkenhead

Docks, but we cannot afford to pay more for
them than they are worth, and Parliament should
consider, that the expenses of what are called
" Private Bills," when opposed, form a very serious
item iu the cost of what we cannot help designating
"Namal Works."

WE feel much concerned for the high digni-
taries of the Established Church. They have
experienced a signal defeat. They suppressed
Sunday music playing, rind have given us popular
discord and tumult on the Sabbath, in place of
what the public—the great living masses—think a
harmless recreation. What has been won and lost
on either side remains to be told. The Bishops
have never interfered with the playing of military
bands, within their several dioceses, on the
Sabbath. Cathedral towns are famous for the
display of the powers of brass bands and kettle
drums, on the day the heads of the Church most
The selection of the music, on such
occasions, is left to some jolly three-bottle Colonel,
or the more extensive knowledge of a band-master,
who studies to please both officers and Men He
never dreams of consulting the taste of the
Bishop, or the inhabitants of that Ecclesiastic's
town. "Merrily pass the bowl;" " Whistle and
I'll be with You my lad ;" " Nannie, wilt thou

revere.

li me

- or " Here's to you, Tom Brown,"
as likely to be the airs pelected on
the road to and from a cathedral, parish church,
pr chapel, as that of the Hundredth Psalm.