The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-11-23 00:00:00

BULLION IMPORTS AND _EXPORTS.

TO THE EDITOR OP THE NORTHERN DAILY TIMES.
SIR,—I hope you will excuse my taking the
liberty to point out a serious mistake into which I
notice you, as well as other gentlemen of the Press,
are apt to fall, in respect to the imports and exports
of the precious metals, and the deductions to be
drawn therefrom.
In your paper of to-day, you give an account of
the imports and exports of gold, for the last three
weeks, and you bring yourself to the conclusion
that the balance of X 446,621 "is left in the hands
of the public," simply because it is not in the Bank.
Now, the fallacy you are labouring under is this—
You assume that the various amounts of bullion,
as they leave the country, are made known to the
public. But the fact is, that large sums of the pre-
cious metals are constantly going out, of which
there is no entry at the Custom-house, or any other
public record kept. If you keep this fact steadily
in view, you will not be so much at a loss to
account for the balance of imports over exports.
You are aware that when various like individuals
trade together, and there arises a balance between
them, it is usually settled by an interchange of
money. The balance of trade between England
and the continent of Europe has been very de-
cidedly against the former for several months back,
as incontestibly proved by the course of exchange
being continually adverse. So long as this state of
things continues, a constant current outwards of
gold and silver will continue, although a consider-
able portion of the same will disappear quite un-
known and unobserved to the public.
In addition to the commercial indebtedness of
England to the nations with whom she is trading,
requiring bullion to liquidate the balance, there
must always be a considerable amount of coin going
out in the pockets of emigrants; and there is cer-
tainly a not insignificant portion of the precious
metals bought as they arrive for consumption in
the arts and sciences. The demand for this last
named purpose is daily increasing in this country,
but more especially so in France.
1 would respectfully submit, Sir, that if you will
take the above suggestions into your grave consi-
deration you will cease to express your " astonish-
ment" at what you are pleased to designate " the
utter shallowness of the reasons assigned as an ex-
cuse for demanding the present high rates of dis-
count.
If you desire to know the reason why the course
of trade seems to be so much against England on
the balance, I advise you to turn to the import side
of the Board of Trade returns. It is a very ready
conclusion that you and other editors gene-
rally arrive at, to say that our national trade is in a
very flourishing condition because our exports show
a large increase upon every monthly return
Having brought yourselves to the conclusion that
our external trade is flourishing, you are at a loss
to conceive what becomes of the bullion. But if
you would turn to the other side of the account,
and try to form an estimate of the value of our im-
ports, you would at once find a solution to your
difficulties. I have attempted to estimate the value
of our imports as furnished by the Board of Trade,
for the last nine months ; the result of my estimate
is, that our imports amount to about thirty millions
sterling over and above the same for a corresponding
period last year. Now, our exports of manufactures,
as you are aware, are said to have amounted to
twelve millions over and above the exports of last
year ; but if our imports are thirty more, it is quite
clear that there is a balance of eighteen millions to
be provided for in some way, before the account
can be squared. This one great fact will at once
explain how it is that the balance of trade should
be so much against England, and that the course
of exchange should be so adverse.
I hope you will receive this communication as
intended, that is, simply as a respectful correction
of the errors into which I conceive that you and
other editors are continually falling.—Yours, &c.
H. C. LANGTON.
Monday, November 21, 1853.

THE CASE OF THE GUIDING STAR.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NORTHERN DAILY TIMES.

Stn,—Will you allow me through the medium of
your columns to place before the public a few re-
marks in connection with the case of the Guiding
Star, for which I was summoned before the police
court, at the instance of Captain Schomberg, the emi-
gration officer of this port. It is because I believe
that I have been harshly and arbitrarily dealt with
by that gentleman, that I ask you to insert this
letter, in addition to the reports of the case which
have appeared in to-day's papers. I was summoned
on four separate charges, namely—for not serving
the passengers (steerage) with " cooked" provisions
daily ; for taking down an open bulkhead between
decks ; for removing four water-closets from the
upper deck ; and for taking down an additional
hospital placed between decks. These will cer
tainly appear to any one, at first sight, to be very
serious charges, but under what circumstances
were they incurred ?—at a time when the ship was
in a disabled state, and when a fearful disease was
raging among the passengers.
The Guiding Star left the Mersey on Thursday,
the 27th ult., with 518 passengers. On the third
day of being out, we encountered a heavy gale,
which did the vessel so much damage, that I was
compelled to bear up for Liverpool again. Up to
this time there had not been the slightest com-
plaint from any of the passengers, nor did I receive
any intimation of dissatisfaction being felt by them,
till I heard that I was to be summoned by Captain
Schomberg, after the ship had been back here a
full week.
Now let me endeavour to answer the charges as
they were made. First, as to the daily supply
of cooked provisions. I was convicted for serving
provisions weekly instead of daily. If this is violat-
ing the law, why do Captain Schomberg and his
officials set us the example, by insisting that we
shall serve out a week's provisions to the passengers
before they will clear out the vessel ? Such was
done in my case, and is well known to be their
rule in all others. With regard to the not ". cook-
ing" the provisions, I will merely observe that
there was a man on board whose sole duty was to
cook the provisions when brought to him by the
passengers, and if any neglect occurred, it was en-
tirely owing to the confusion occasioned by the
passengers themselves after the ship met with the
disaster. Now as to the matter of removing the
bulkhead, the additional hospital, and the four
water (closets, the only answer I need give to
this is to refer to the evidence (as given in to-day's
papers) of Mr. Alexander Stewart, the surgeon
belonging to the ship, and accredited by the emi-
gration officials themselves. Mr. Stewart told the
magistrates that it was at his suggestion—nay, in-
deed that he had even insisted on my taking such a
step—that I had done so ; and I will ask, was I
not justified in acting thus, when importuned to
do so by the doctor of the ship, who is the right-
ful representative of the emigration authorities
when at sea? For jdoing so, however, I was
fined £lO, besides the £5 for serving out provi-
sions weekly instead of day by day, and I have a
right, therefore, to consider myself harshly dealt
with.
If the charges had been made by Captain Schom-
berg from a sense of duty alone, I should not have
felt the matter so keenly, but I cannot help think-
ing that he has been actuated by some personal
feeling against myself in this affair. Perhaps he
can understand what I allude to in making such a
remark To show what an appreciation Mr. Mans-
field, the presiding magistrate, had of the real
merits of the case, I may add that in summing up,
before adjudicating, he said, " it was gratifying to
hear the evidence given for the defence, as it proved
that the captain (myself) and his officers had be-
haved generally to the passengers with kindness (!)
The act of parliament, however, left him no discre-
tion, but he would inflict the lowest penalty in
each case." So much for what the magistrate
thought of my alleged " offences." I consider the
foregoing explanation due to my own character as
a man of feeling, and am, Sir,—Yours respectfully,
R. D. ROBERTSON.

November 22, 1853.

P. S.—ln reference to the statement made by
one of Captain Schomberg's witnesses —Robert
Allan—that he had been served with half a week's
provisions only at Belfast, I would just remark
that I was in Liverpool at the time, having come
over for a steam tug, to tow the vessel here, and
that I had left no orders to servo out less than the
usual quantity. R. D. R.

The Earl and Countess Constance Grosvenor are at pre-
sent staying at Calverley House, near Tarporley, Cheshire.
Tan LATB PRINCESS ESTERHAZY.—The mortal remains of
the late ranch-regretted Princess Nicholas Esterhazy will be
removed from this country for interment in the family
mausoleum of the Prince Esterhazy, at Vienna.

SELECT VESTRY.

The usual fortnightly meeting of this body was held yes-
terday, the Rev. Rector CAMPBELL in the chair. The other

members present were Messrs. Hand, Moss, Crawford, Luff,
Denton, Hughes, Wilmer, Johnson, J. Jones, W. Jones,
Shaw, Whitty, Gardner, Bradley, Sumners, Hutchinson,
Came, and Clarke.

CHARGES AGAINST MR. BRADLEY.
The minutes of the special meeting of the vestry having
been read,

Mr. GARDNER said that he had seen by the correspondence
that had taken place it the papers, that Mr. Hodson had re-
fused to state any charge against Mr. Bradley.
Mr. DENTON : He has not refused to do so—he has only
done so, pending the inquiry before the committee of the
council.

The CHAIRMAN : Oh ! let us take no notice of it.
The subject then dropped.
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
The proceedings of this committee contained no features
of interest.
__

Mr. CARNE moved the confirmation of the proceedings.
Mr. LITIT directed attention to the death of Mr. Parr,
and reminded the vestry that unless his place was filled up
before Sunday next, the vestry would lose the privilege of
making the appointment.
Mr. BRADLEY said the necessary steps had been taken for
the appointment ; a special vestry was to be called.
Mr. Dill' thought it would be necessary to give a direct
power to the finance committee to make the appointment.
Mr. BRADLEY said a special vestry was to be called to
make the appointment.
The CHAIRMAN did not so understand it.

Mr. HART remarked that the finance committee were only
specially directed to receive applications.
Mr. DENTON objected to the appointment being left to
the finance committee, not that he had any personal sus-
picion of that committee.
The CHAxRrL remarked that this board, if it pleased,
might call a special meeting for Friday.
Mr. CARNE then proposed a motion to that effect, which
was carried, and the proceedings were confirmed.

WORKHOUSE COMMITTEE.
From the proceedings of this committee, it appeared that
five boys had been admitted to the workhouse, m an almost
naked state, who had absconded from the Industrial Schools.

, .
Those boys had been induced to sell their clothes by a per-
son named Molloy, who had harboured them. Molloy, and
the party to whom they were sold, were in prison. The pro-
ceedings also contained the following letter from Messrs.
Baring, Brothers, and Co.:—
.

"Liverpool, 16th Nov., 1853.
" To the Chairman of the Select Vestry.
" Sir, —On behalf of the owners of the American packet-
ship, Isaac Wright, which vessel was compelled to return to
this port in consequence of damages received on her voyage
to New York, we beg to express to you our thanks for the
very great attention and compassionate treatment displayed
by your board, and by all the officers connected with the
workhouse, towards the unfortunate, passengers relieved from
said vessel. The arrangements throughout have met our
entire approval, and in a season like the present, requiring
every precaution to prevent the spread of disease, have, we
think, been well calculated for that object.—We are, &c.,
" BARING BROTHERS."
Mr. J. R. COOPER attended in pursuance of a resolution
passed at the committee's last meeting, and having explained
that the error in his tender had arisen from inadvertency,
and also expressed his readiness to furnish the articles in
question, namely, 72 doz. knives and forks, at £ll 125., the
lesser of the sums entered in his tender, and it appearing
from the governor that the articles named were at present
very much wanted in the house,—Resolved, that the cheque
ordered be signed, for the whole of the articles named in
accordance with the tender, namely, 72 doz. at £ll 12s.
There were 567 cases in the hospital, of which 50 were
fever cases, and 46 itch cases.

A payment of £l,OOO on account of contract was recom-
mended to be paid to Messrs. A. and G. Holme.
The CHAIRMAN directed the attention of the vestry to the
fact that Mr. Hart was neglecting his duty by allowing
newspapers to be read at the board,. (Hear, hear, and
laughter.)
Mr. Moss in moving the confirmation of the proceedings,
referred to the non-attendance of members on the workhouse
committee. A great many things came before the attention
of the committee, and it was not pleasant when they had
only three members, as many as formed a quorum, to decide
upon those matters. He, therefore, begged to give notice
that on Thursday next a matter of very important consider-
ation would be brought before the workhouse committee. It
was no less a consideration than whether they were to pro-
ceed with the building of the mills or otherwise. He re-
quested gentlemen to attend in sufficient numbers, in order
that they might come before the board with some weight,
whatever their decision might be.
_ _

➢ir. DENTON said it was lamentable to see the members of
the workhouse committee who did attend waiting for the
arrival of others to form a quorum. Some of the most im-
portant matters which the board at to deal with came before
the committee.

Mr. Moss considered that the workhouse committee had

too much to do, and it would be much better to allow so
much of their business as related to the building of the es-
tablishment, to come under the consideration of the finance
committee. He hoped the vestry clerk would acknowlege
the very handsome conduct of that eminent firm the Messrs.
Baring, which was worthy of example, not only as regarded
the way that firm had treated their emigrants, but also for
the liberal donation they had given to the servants of the
establishment.
_ _

The proceedings were confirmed.
INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS COMMITTEE.

On the proceedings of this committee being read,
Mr. SUMNERS said, before they proceeded to confirm those
minutes, he begged to bring before the notice of the ward,
a circumstance which had transpired in Chester since they
had last met, relative to the conduct of parties connected
with the vestry, or rather with reference to the manner in
which children were sent out of the industrial schools to be
apprenticed. The circumstance was brought• forward, as an
imputation against the parties, stating the careless and in-•
different manner in which those [children were sent out into
the world in comparison with certain other institutions.
This transpired at a public assembly in Chester, at which he
(Mr. Sumners) happened to be present, in connection with
the laying of the foundation stone of a ragged school on
Thursday week. The Marquis of Westminster laid the stone ;
and his son, the Earl of Grosvenor, the bishop, a great
number of theclergy, and respectable inhabitants were
present at a dejeuner after the ceremony was over. In
course of the speeches which were delivered, there was
one gentleman from Liverpool, named Heath, a most respect-
able man, connected with the Liverpool ragged schools. In
the course of his speech, which occupied more than an hour
(hear hear, and a laugh) he stated by a way of colouring
the picture he was drawing, that boys from the workhouse
and industrial schools, preferred going out into the world
from the ragged schools than from the parish schools of
Liverpool. He Mr. Sumners let him go on and finish his
speech, and he (Mr. Sumners) assured them it was an one-
rous task to reply to him in the presence of the lord bishop
aid others. (Laughter.)
Mr. Moss—He is only a man.
Mr. SUMNERS continued to remark that, with the permis-
sion of the chairman,• he asked Mr. Heath his authority for
his statement, and he stated that from his experience with
the parish affairs of Liverpool for many years, he always
understood and observed the humane, fatherly, and sympa-
thetic conduct of the new archdeacon and of the chairman

in all cases where children were apprenticed, and that, there-
fore, Mr. Heath must be misinformed, or the children must
have come from some of the extra parochial places around
Liverpool, for it never could be the case they were sent out
from the industrial schools in such a cruel manner as " here
Dick, Jack or Bob, take your clothes and be off." These
were Mr. Heath's expressipns. He said that in the ragged
schools they were very sympathetic, and toik care to know
what was their position, and that was put in contrast with
the treatment of children leaving the industrial schools. He
thought it right to tell them he had endeavoured to place the
vestry in a proper position.
Mr. CARNE remarked that Mr. Heath was a particular
friend of his, and he had often conversed with him on this
subject. He always understood from Mr. Heath that the
ragged schools had facilities for getting rid of boys, as they
were oreferred by many persons to boys coming out of the
workhouse ; but he never understood Mr. Heath to say there
was anything like carelessness ; but, he stated the fact, they
had greater facilities for getting their boys into situations,
and that many boys were known to come out of the work-
house and go into those schools because they found there
were greater facilities for getting situations.
Mr. SUMNERS observed that the bishop had stated that
he visited the industrial schools at Kirkdale, and if there
was an institution in the diocese which he should be glad to
place as a model before them, the industrial school at Kirk-
dale was that one. (Hear, hear).
Mr. Jour/sort said that no children went out of the work.
house schools without every inquiry. being made, in the first
instance, into the character of the parties to whom theywere
about to be apprenticed; and Mr. Heath would have seen that
if he attended any of their ordinary meetings and would have
observed by their minutes how, day after day, that subject
was brought before them. No doubt the workhouse schools
might not be so popular as the other schools, and it was an
undoubted fact, there was a kind of distaste to take children
from the parish authorities. That prejudice did not apply
to the ragged schools, which were under the surveillance of
committees composed of very influential gentlemen, and the
pupils of them, consequently, had a much greater facility
for getting out into the world than the parish boys. But
at the same time, that preference for the one and prejudice
for the other, could not be taken as a proof of any inefficiency
or ill-management in the parish schools.
The report of the medical relief committee was then read,
but it contained no matter of importance.
Mr. BRADLEY observed that within the last week, they
had no case of cholera whatever in the town. The only
cases now in the workhouse were five, and these were the
remnant of the emigrants who had beenpreviously attacked ;
so that the public might be satisfied that the town was never
in a more healthy condition than it was at present. (Hear,
hear.)
Mr. CAini•TE confirmed Mr. Bradley's statement, and said
that he had him present at the last meeting of the oint

committee at the Town-hall, and the opinion of the com-
mittee on the health of the town was such that they ad-
journed sine die. (Hear; -hear.)
Mr. JOHN PEMBERTON sent in his resignation as a member
of the vestry; and in doing so, returned his thanks to the
chairman and the other members of the board, for the cour-
tesy which he had always experienced at their hands.
The resignation was accepted ; and Mr. Gardner and Mr.
Cairne gave notice that they would move at the next board,
that the vacancy be filled up.
A communication was read from Dr. Sutherland, stating
that, in conformity with the instructions which he had re-
ceived from Lord Palmerston, he would attend in Liverpool
to hold an inquiry as to its burial grounds, and expressing
his readiness to receive any information on the subject from
the vestry.
Mr. DENTON suggested that a select committee should be
appointed to attend the inquiry.
Mr. BRADLEY thought that should depend on the nature
of the inquiry. If it were purely a sanatory matter, it should
be referred to the Medical Relief Committee.
Mr. Moss would like to know the nature of the inquiry.
Some of the churchyards of Liverpool were no doubt in a
disgraceful state ; but they might depend upon it, that any
alteration by an increase in their rates, they had the
choice of two evils—either to be taxed, or have disease
amongst them.
Eventually it was resolved that the chairman, Mr. Bradley,
the church-wardens and overseers, should attend the inquiry
on the part of the parish.
A letter was read from Mr. Parry and Mr. Luff, regis-
trars, praying that the vestry might be pleased to equalise
their districts.
Mr. DENTON said he would object to any change, as giving
the people greater trouble.
Mr. WILLMER inquired under what circumstances were
the present districts formed ?
The CLERK replied that, in the first instance, there were
six districts, and that they were subsequently changed into
seven districts. •
Mr. WILLMER asked if it were not in the power of the
select vestry to re-alter them, and also what notice was
necessary before the change could be made ?
The CLERK said that the select vestry could not do it, and
that application should be made to the registrar-general for
the purpose.
The subject then dropped.
Mr. Moss thought that the special vestry clerk had
omitted one very important matter, and it was this. He
(Mr. Moss) remembered that at a meeting of the finance
committee, :the clerk was directed to write to Mr. Weight-
man, calling upon him to furnish them with the various ac-
counts of work done in the house from its commencement,
and likewise the corresponding amounts of money for which
he had given orders. He (Mr. Moss) wished to know if
that had been done, and if any answer had been received
from Mr. Weightman ?
The CLARK said that he had written and received no
reply.
Mr. Moss said he hadheen told about 80,0001. or 100,000/,
had been spent in the erection of the place, and they had
no document before them to show that it had been spent.
They should know the amount of work which had been done
for the specific sums that had been ordered. He would
mention the subject at the meeting, as, perhaps, by that day
they might have a communication from Mr. Weightman.
The special vestry then adjourned.