The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-05-23 00:00:00

CONSERVANCY OF THE MERSEY

A meeting of the Pilot Commissioners for the port of
Liverpool, was held at twelve o'clock, yesterday, in the
Town Hall, to take into consideration the report of the

Board of Trade to the House of Commons, dated April

last, on private bills for harbours, docks, and navigation,

and to adopt a petition to Parliament against the design
therein suggested, of supeVseding the present pilot
establishment of the port of Liverpool, and of vesting all

the duties connected with the conservancy, lights, and

pilotage of the harbour, in a body of conservators, to be
hereafter constituted. The meeting was very numerously
attended. The Mayor, John Stewart, Esq , presided.

The notice convening the meeting having been read by

Mr. Rowlands, the secretary,
Mr. F. Shand said that their object in coming together
that day, was to adopt such measures as would obtain

for their; a locus standi to oppose, at a prJper time, the

project of the Bo trd of 'Trade; by which it was contem-
plated to transfer the powers of the commissioners to a
body of trustees or conservators, " for the general

management,"

as it was set forth iii the report, " of the

trade of the river Mersey." To him, the Board of Trade
appeared like some great bird of prey, hovering over the
town, and looking for what they might lay their talons
on ; for, after having determined on their attack on the
dock estate arid corporate property in the -
they then discovered that such a body as the Piht Com-
missioners existed in Liverpool, and at once included it
in the category of their contemplated spols. To arrive
at their own conclusion, that there was no body in
Liverpool truly representing the trade of the Mersey,
they had set forth their own false premises, and having
thus built up their case, the Board of Trade then recom-
mended that the Liverpool corporation and dock trustees
should, next session, introduce a bill arwangst other
things, to enable parliament to vest all duties coimeeted
with the conservancy, lights, and pilotage of the bar-

boor, in a body of conservators, to be thereby consti-
tuted. No charge of inefficiency or neglect in the
discharge of their duties, had been made against the
commissioners, nor were they themselves aware of any
neglect or defect in the manner in which their duties
at present carried out. (Hear, hear.) Indeed,
-ere vain enough to believe, that there was no part
world, where the system-of pilotage was in better

they v
in the

than in Liverpool. or where its duties were better
_ .
performed ; but they were at the same time quite sensi-
ble, that they had incurred the displeasure of the Board of
Trade, inasmuch as they had refused to license the
masters and mates of vessels, unless they showed them-
selves equally qualified to fulfil the duties as ordinary
pilots. He was aware that the Board of Trade was
upheld in this feeling by the steamship interest, but the
committee felt that they were only doing their duty to
the public in persisting to refuse to license masters and
mates of vessels unless they showed themselves as well
qualified as ordinary pilots for the duties which they
sought to pedant. Only three applications had come
before them as commissioners. One was a gentleman, a
master of a steam vessel, whose qualifications Were con-
sidered greater than either of the other candidates, and
there was a very strong disposition on the part of the
examining committee to pass him, but after the fullest
examination, it was found that he had not the requisite
kunwledge, and the committee had, therefore, been
obliged to refuse to license him as a pilot. He, therefore,
appealed to the Board of Trade, and the board, instead
of taking the responsibility on themselves and granting
him a licence, as they had the power to do, wanted to
have him re-examined in the presence of one of their
officers. To that the committee objected, stating that
they had no objection to the presence of an officer from
the Board of Trade at any future examination, but that
having disposed of the application in question, they
could not again entertain it under such circumstances.
That was the only difference they had ever with the
Board of Trade, and the course which they had taken
the committee were quite prepared to justify, _(Heat.,
hear,) In conclusion, Mr. Shand proposed for adoption
the following PETITION.
To the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, in Parliament assembled.

The humble petition of the Commissioners of Pilots of the
post of Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster.

Sheweth,—That your petitioners have been informed that a
report has been lat,ly presented to your honourable house
from the Board of Trade upon the private bills for harbours,
docks, Pavigations, &e., in which report the board reviews the
hill now before your honourable house intituled "A Bill for
carrying into effect certain provisions of the Birkenhead Docks
act, 1855, for providing for the construction, completion and
management of the Bit konhead docks, and for other purposes ;"
and the Board of Trade in their said report suggest that a die
tinct provision be inserted in the bill, to the effect that the
Liverpool corporation and the Liverpool dock trustees shall
next session introduce a bill to effect the following objects :-
1. The re-organisation of the Liverpool Dock Trust.
2. The transfer of the Birkenhead docks and all the estates
and property purchased by the Live:pool corporation, under the
acts of last session, to a new body of trustees.
3. The notices of the proposed bill of next session to be so
framed as to enable parliament to consider the propriety of
vesting all duties connected with the conservancy, lights, and
pilotage of the harbour in the body of conservators to be
thereby constituted.

That your petitioners submit that a pilot establishment to
be effective must necessarily be under the direction
and management of persons conversant with ships and
shipping, and resident near such pilot establishment ;
and as the present Liverpool pilot establishment not
only reflects the trading interests of the port,
but is as effective as any establishment of the kind
in England, your petitioners deprecate any interference with
them, and consequently the insertion of any provision in the
said Birkenhead Dock Bill requiring the Liverpool corporation
and dock trustees to give any notices whatever with the view
to any change in the constitution of the Liverpool pilot esta-
blishment.

Your petitioners, therefore, most humbly pray that the said
suggestion of the Board of Trade may not be carried into
effect, and that no provisio❑ may be inserted in the said Birk-
enhead Bill having for its object any change in the constitution
of the Liverpool pilot establishment.
And your petitioners pray that they may be heard by them-
selves, their counsel, agents, and witnesses, before the com-
mittee to whom the said Birkenhead bill is referred, against
the insertion of any such special provision, and against such
other clauses of the said bill as may affect their interest.
And your petitioners will ever pray, &c.
Mr. Mondel asked if this was the proper time to
petition ?
Mr. Lowndes (solicitor to the commissioners) replied
in the affirmative.
The Chairman said that, the system of placing the
Board of Trade over local management had already been
productive of mischief enough ; and he. t herefore, hoped
that the present attempt towards that end would be
unsuccessful. The pilots did not require to have the
jurisdiction in any way changed, but if any improvement
could be suggested in the local administration, it would
' be at once adopted.
Mr. Mondel observed that the report charged them
with partiality, but he considered their position as ship•
owners, placed them above the imputation of being
partizans of the pilots. (Elear, hear.)
Mr. Clint seconded the motion, and the petition was
unanimously adopted.
The meeting then separated: