The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-11-18 00:00:00

THE APPROACHES TO THE RIVER

SUGGESTED IMPROVEMENTS IN THE NEW

LANDING STAGE.

The subject of improved approaches to the
river, and of a direct communication between the
Liverpool and Cheshire shores, for the purpose of
a direct transit, is daily growing in importance,
and will continue to do so, until some adequate
remedy for the inconveniences complained of has
been devised and executed by the corporation or
the dock committee, or by both conjointly. With-
out such a communication between Liverpool and
Birkenhead, it will be impossible to develope the
Birkenhead docks, and if this were the sole con-
sideration in the matter—if even no regard were to
be paid to the fact, that millions annually cross the
Mersey in search of pleasure and health, and that
the public of Liverpool have now but the one
approach to the noble river, to which not many
years since they had uninterrupted access—
still, the first consideration alone would be
sufficient to claim from the local governing bodies
an amount of anxious thought for any plan
calculated to ensure a direct transit across the
river, not less than that which they now properly
bestow in the protection of the Town Dues.
The 13irkenhead docks have not been bought
for a song. Their purchase and the cost of con-
structing the large works in connection with them
have entailed on the Corporation of Liverpool a
most serious responsibility, and, in the face of such
a fact, we apprehend that it would be a waste of
time to argue the necessity for the adoption of all
proper measures that may tend to render that vast
property reproductive.
Among the many suggestions that have from
time to time been made, to secure a direct transit
across the river, is one by Captain Samuel Reed,
manager of the Woodside Perry. He proposes so
to alter and place the new landing stage now in
course of construction, that heavily laden carts
may safely and readily descend on to it—then into
a steamer capable of taking on board eight water-
side carts heavily laden and horses attached,
besides affording accommodation for 600 or 800
passengers—a means of transit which he contends
would render the loading and discharge of
vessels in the Birkenhead docks as expe-
ditious and convenient as if they lay in
the far northern or southern docks on this side
of the river. Yesterday he exhibited a working
model of his plan, upon a large scale, in the office
of Messrs. W. and J. Ravenscroft, Hackin's Hey.
It is very simple, but before describing it we may
mention that it could only be carried out by the
George's Dock basin being filled up. With that
view Mr. Reed proposes that the basin, old slip and
gut way, should be filled up, the baths removed,
and the new landing stage placed, not opposite the
south end of the Prince's wall, as shown in Mr.
Hartley's plans, but where the old landing stage
is now moored, the latter to be altered and adopted
for the purposes of the plan on the Cheshire side.
The new stage is to be 1,002 feet long, and this
huge structure Captain Reed proposes not to moor
by means of anchors and chains, but " to construct,
as a permanent part of the stage, three guide bridges,
acting on slides, on the face of the sea wall, the slides
to be so adjusted that the plane of the bridges will
always be parallel to the plane of the stage." The
ends of the guide bridges are semicircular, and
work on friction rollers—the bridges acting on a
permanent guide rod, with stuffing boxes. At
the centre guide bridge, Captain Reed proposes to
have three interstices or cuts, running about 30
feet into the sea wall, to admit water into a circu-
lar basin ; at the back of each interstice to be a
" cosine," to rise and fall with the tide, and
through these a connecting bolt to tie on to the
stuffing box of the guide bridge, which will pre-
vent any unequal strain on the guide rod itself.
Leading from the high-level to the stage, he pro-
poses two parallel bridges, resting on abutments
on the face of the sea-wall, each 500 feet long,
with double tramways and footpaths, the gradient
on a 26-foot tide being three quarters of an inch to
the foot. On neap tides, the gradient would be
only half an inch. At each end of the stage he
proposes a lock 80 feet long, with a 50 feet
entrance, the upper part to present a concave, to
admit the deck and bow of the steamer. The
stage is at present in a very advanced state
of proparabio., bub Copiaiu ilvcd coliuntLCa thitt.
£7;000 would cover the cost of adopting it to his
plans. Mr. George Holt. Mr. Alderman Dover,
Mr. Alderman Bold, Mr. J. K. Rounthwaite, and
other gentlemen inspected the working-model
yesterday. Some of them seemed to think that the
plan would not secure that rapid transit across the
river which is so much desired, whilst Mr. Alder-
man Bold took very strong exception to the
parallel bridges, on account of the increased
distance to be traversed either going to or coming
from the Stage. It was generally admitted,
however, that the locks at either end of the Stage
was an excellent feature in the plan. The mode
will be on view for some days.

The forthcoming dividend of the Western of France
Railway Company, it is stated, will be at the rate of 45f.
per share, being .sf. less than that paid last year.
The guarantee of the East India Company, 5 per cent.
interest, has been extended to an additional capital of
£250,000, about to be raised by the Bombay Baroda, and
Central India Railway.
The Portuguese financial agent to London has issued a
fresh notice, detailing the progress of the conversion.
The total amount converted up to the 30th of June last
was £6,320,891, and since that date £2,519, 519.
It is estimated that the shipments of specie by the Penin-
sular and Oriental steamer Colombo, on the 20th inst., will
reach from £450,000 to £500,000. The whole, principally
silver, will be despatched to India, there being no China
mail on this occasion.

THE TYSON BANKRUPTCY.—Mr. Tyson feeling dissatis-
fied with the adjudication of Mr. Commissioner Perry,
regarding his final examination, has appealed to the Court
of Chancery, and obtai❑ed an order to be again examined
respecting certain matters connected with his bankruptcy.
WRECK OF A BRIG, AND SUPPOSED LOSS OF LTFE.--The
Fuchsia, Captain Brown, from Cronstadt, arrived in the
river Thames, reports having observed a laden brig, on the
10th November, at five a.m., the Sunk Light vessel bearing
S.S.E. two and a half or three miles, and shortly after-
wards heard a cry of_" Brig ahoy ! back your mainy'd,
pick us up;' the mainyard was backed immediately, but
in the meantime the brig fell over to port, and sank in 10
or 11 fathoms.

THE NEWCASTLE COMMERCIAL BANKING COMPANY.—
In Vice-Chancellor Rindersley's Court, on Saturday, a
petition to wind up the affairs of the above company in
this court came on for hearing. His Honour directed that
the application for a winding-up order should stand
over for three months, with liberty for any party to
make an application in the meantime, in case the pro-
ceedings for arranging the affairs were not:carried out
satisfactorily.
__

RAILWAY IN NEW BHUNSWICK.—A St. john's paper
states that there are now about one thousand men employed
on the railroad. We trust the government will see
the propriety of commencing operations on this
end of the line as soon as possible. With
the command of ample means, such as they possess,
prudence and policy dictate this course. The road
out of St. John to any station as far as the upper end of
the Valley will pay as soon as open; when the work
is progressing near the city, the whole people of the
Province will feel more vividly that the railway is at
length a great fact, and croakers will be most effectually
silenced. If we could have our way men would be at
work near the city before the end of November, at such
work as can be done profitably in winter.
ILTHE PANAMA ROUTE.—A further illustration, such'as

those repeatedly presented during the past four or five
years, of the superiority of the Panama route for com-
munication with Australia was afforded on Saturdey, in
the Melbourne dates received by La Plata. They reach
to the 2nd of September, or about four weeks later than
the previous advices. Neither letters nor papers have
come to hand containing any very full information, but it
appears probable that the value of the extraordinary
gold field alleged by the last accounts to have been dis-
covered in New South Wales must have been to some
extent confirmed, since it is reported that the masters of
vessels at Sydney were unable to obtain crews owing to
the departure of the men to that district, and also
that it was attracting increasing numbers from the old
gold fields in the neighbouring colony of Victoria.
TIPPERARY BANK.—Notice is given of a bill next session
to facilitate the winding-up of the Tipperary Bank affairs,
by enabling the creditors to compromise with the share-
holders or official managers. Leave was obtained on Friday
in the Common Pleas Court, Dublin, by Mr. Vincent Scully,-
one of the defendants, to put in certain new pleas, one of
which is, that, by the deed of settlement under which the
copartnership was established, certain powers of transfer
were given to each shareholder, and that under these
powers Mr. V. Scully was legally entitled to make the
transfer of his shares, which he did make in 1855, long
before the failure of the bank. Another of the new points
calls in question the legality of the Stamp-office return
of the bank under which Mr. Scully was held liable. On
Saturday Mr. Simon Armstrong, one of the original share-
holders, and also set down by Messrs. Sadleir as a director,
surrendered to a commission of bankruptcy, and underwent
a private examination.

GOVERNMENT PROTECTION (?) TO BRITISH

SUBJECTS

Every one remembers the magniloquent peroration with
whith, a few years back, Lord Palmerston overwhelmed his
enemies, on the famous Pacific Question, and the " Civis
Romanus sum" quotation with which he crowned his climax
on the omnipresent protection of the property of British
subjects. In less oratorical, but scarcely less emphatic,
style, the Prime Minister repeated to the people of Man,
chester, the week before last, his assurance of the Cromwell
like arm of protection stretching over the slightest property
or privilege of the very meanest British subject, in the most
obscure corner of the globe. "I felt," declared Lord Pal-
merston, on this latter occasion, " that any Government
which did not extend the strong arm of protection to all
those (its subjects) who were in the right, in any part of the
world, would not be the faithful organs of the people whom
they were appointed to govern." The manly determination
of both these declarations brought down vehement applause,
and struck the roots of Lord Palmerston's popularity deep
into the hearts of all his hearers, Who, being sufficiently
fortunate not to require any Government protection, fully
believed that this providential arm was for ever guarding
them, and only requiring the slightest occasion to put into
full power all its tutelar energy. An opportunity of a
remarkable character has arisen, by which Englishmen may
test the possibility of popular Ministerial declarations, even
bearing any resemblance to lovers' vows or dicers' oaths,
On the 13th of July, 1854, the town of Greytown, within
the territory of the King of Mosquito, and consequently
under the protection of Great Britain, was burnt down by
shells from the United States corvette, Cyane. In Grey-
town, at the time, was property in land, houses, and offices,
belonging to a British subject, Mr. John Carmichael, a
Liverpool merchant, which, as a matter of course, were
wholly destroyed. Mr. Carmichael opened a correspondence
with the Foreign-office, craving assistance in the advocacy
of his claims for compensation upon the government of the
United States. The correspondence has been finally closed
by a letter from Lord Shelburne, dated August 19, 1856,
which, on behalf of the Earl of Clarendon, informs Mr.
Carmichael, that " her Majesty's government have not
renewed diplomatic relations with the United States, and
they have no means, therefore, of c implying with your
request." Feeling himself quite in the Civis Romanus
position as regarded his claims on Lord Palmerston's
attention, Mr. Carmichael accordingly addressed to the
Premier a concise statement of his case, appealing to his
lordship to enter into the question with somewhat more
interest than the Earl of Clarendon seemed inclined
to do. That statement, printed in a pamphlet
form, is now before us. We shall briefly and
simply state the circumstances under which Mr. Carmichael
became the owner of property in the King of Mosquito's
dominions, the origin of the outrage complained of, and the
assurances from government which warranted Mr. Car-
michael in looking for the aid of the Foreign-office in
pressing his claims upon the attention of the United States
authorities. It will then be seen whether a more complete
case demanding government interference could be possibly
made out than that which is presented, with all the force
of the most naked and unexaggerated simplicity, in Mr.
Carmichael's narrative.
In the year 1845 Mr. Carmichael contemplated extending
his operations, as a mahogany cutter, into the dominions of
the King of Mosquito, in Central America. This he did
with the full assurance of what was then notorious to all
the world, that that kingdom was under the protection of
the British Crown. He obtained mahogany grants on the
bank of the Roman river which flows into the Caribbean
Sea, and there, and at Limas, erected expensive works. As
a matter of course he paid the dues claimed by the King of
Mosquito, thus unquestionably entitling himself to a share
in the protectorate of the English Government, if his claims
as a British subject were not sufficient. These claims were
fully admitted, for when, in the year 1846, a❑
attack was made on Mr. Carmichael's works by the Republic
of Honduras, who claimed the territory on which they were
erected, Mr. Carmichael applied to Lord Palmerston for
redress, and promptly obtained it in the shape of a vessel of
war sent to the port of Truxillo, in the territory of Hondu-
ras, to demand satisfaction. The Republic of Honduras was
accordingly compelled to pay Mr. Carmichael compensation.
In the year 1852 the same Republic again attacked the
settlement and works at Limas, and for this second outrage
Lord Clarendon, at the request of Mr. Carmichael, ag tin
demanded and no doubt will obtain compensation. The
Republic of Nicaragua also in one instance urged pretensions
to a portion of the King of Mosquito's territory, and took
possession of the town of Greytown. This was during Lord
Polmorotateo tonuro of offioo as Poroigu eeurotary. As
might have been expected then the aggression was promptly
crushed. Two British war vessels drove the Nicaraguans
out of Grevtown, with considerable loss to the intruders.
This much then is established, that Lord Palmerston will
not allow the property and rights of a British subject and the
security of the King of the Mosquito's territory to be out-
raged by such feeble aggressors as the Republics of Honduras
and Nicaragua. People cannot fairly accuse Lord Palmer-
ston, as he hinted in Manchester might occur where small
territories are concerned, of any hesitation from a fear of
being supposed to attack the weak

But we come now to the very different case, where no
such accusation can be held—where the aggressor is not
weak, but powerful and vaunting.
The town of Greytown, on the northernmost branch of
the river San Juan, becoming of very rising importance,
some claim was set up in the name of Nicaragua to it. The
interference of Lord Palmerston again protected and estab-
lished the right of the King of Mosquito. This security
having been established, Mr. Carmichael became the owner
of considerable property in that town, under grants made
out in the name of, and countersigned by, the King. The
inhabitants of Greytown subsequently, with the consent of
the King, and under the sanction of the governments of
Great Britain and the United States, formed themselves
into a municipality.
We pass over several transaclions in which cliims made
at Greytown were set aside by the protecting hand of Great
Britain, and even with the assent and advice of leading
American statesmen. Those who read the pamphlet will
be confirmed by these facts, if they need confirmation, that
Greytown was indisputably part of the dominions of the
King of Mosquito, and, as such, under the shield of British
power.

- In May, 1854, the master of an American steamer, lying
at Greytown, was charged with having murdered a pilot,
and a warrant was issued for his arrest by the mayor, a
Mr. Borland, who had been sent by the United States
on a mission to some of the Central States, and was
returning, advised the captain to resist the warrant.
This was done, Mr. Borland himself aiding, and
presenting a rifle at the officers who had to withdraw. Mr.
Borland subsequently went ashore, where he was recognised
and threatened with arrest. He stated himself that he
was insulted and hurt by a blow of a broken bottle from
some person unknown. On arriving at Washington he
complained to Mr. Marcy. A demand was made on
Greytown for apology, and compensation for this alleged
insult. Compensation was at the same time demanded for
damages alleged in 1853, to some buildings of an American
company, called the Nicaragua Accessory Transit Company,
which, in consequence of its refusal to pay harbour dues,
was ejected from the land it held under the Mosquito
authorities in Greytown. The compensation and apology
demanded were of course refused. The United State's
corvette Cyane, under the command of Captain Hollins, was
accordingly despatched to Greytown, Captain Hollins gave
notice, that unless the demand was complied with, he would
bombard the town. This threat called forth a protest,
unhappily ineffectual, from Lieutenant Jolly, commanding
her Majesty's schooner Bermuda, then at anchor at Grey-
town. This protest reminded Captain Hollins that the town
contained the property of British subjects. The mayor and
authorities of the town refused to apologise or compensate,
declaring that they had only carried out the law. Accord-
ingly Captain Hollins carried out his threat, and bombarded
the town. The greater part, of the town was destroyed by
shot and shell, and the work was completed by a party sent
ashore from the Cyane, who finished the destruction by
fire. Mr. Carmichael's property was destroyed among the
rest. The account of this transaction, as Published by
Mr. Carmichael, is from the papers of the United States
Government.
Under these circumstances, Mr. Carmichael calls upon
the British Government to aid him in pressing his claims
for compensation. It should be added, that Mr. Carmichael
was actually encouraged to extend his operations in the
Mosquito territory, under the positive assurance from Lori
Palmerston, himself, in more than one interview, that as
long as he continued to acknowledge the sovereignty of the
King of Mosquito, he should receive the protection of the
Government of Great Britain.

This is not a case which requires, or could be strengthened
by editorial comment. It can hardly be argued that British
subjects, in territories having the acknowledged protecion
of England, are to endure any amount of uncompensated
injury at the bands of United States authorities, merely
because the Government of those states has withdrawn from
diplomatic relations with this country. If this be so, the
boasted protectorate of England over the dominions of the
Kirg of Mosquito, is of little avail to that unfortunately
situated monarch; and, what is of much more personal im-
portance to Englishmen, the security which a British
subject trusts to, may be found bitterly delusive. We
cannot, however, believe that Lord Palmerston will coincide
in the views of his colleague, the Foreign Secretary, and
think the matter undeserving of government attention.
Slrould his lordship adopt such a course, he will surely deny
and make a mockery of his own frequently enunciated de-
clarations, and leave British subjects, in the emphatic words
of Mr. Carmichael, " to understand that the Queen protects
them against the weak, and leaves them defenceless against
the tyranny and violence of the strong."