The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-10-21 00:00:00

will throw in the weight of her balance against the

former power. It is said that the late proceed-
ings adopted by the head of the Austrian Cabinet,

conduces to this opinion

If Austria takes such

a decided step, Prussia will also be induced to

move. The question is, to which Power will she

give her support? This is a matter of immense

concern

Although Monday next will be the last day

allowed by the PORTE for Russia's evacuation of

the Danubian Principalities, it is thought, how-

ever, that a longer time may elapse before

hostilities will commence

The preyailing

opinion in some quarters is, that negotiation has

been exhausted

and henc

3 that a positive con-

flict is sure to ensue. For ourselves, we should

be but too glad to view the matter in a different
light; but upon examination of all the cireum-

stances of the case, we are, however unwillingly,
forced to adopt a like conclusion.

THE Commissioners appointed to inquire into
the local charges on shipping, and also the charges
on goods carried in ships in the port of Liverpool,
met at St. George's Hall, on Wednesday, and ac-
complished the duty assigned to them in one day,
the Commissioners having previously received the
most ample information in the returns Made by
the Committee of the Dock Estate, and other per-
sons immediately connected with our port. The
object of the Commissioners sitting in Liverpool
was, therefore, to give an opportunity to the public
of bringing forward such facts as would enable
them to make an unbiassed report. Under
these circumstances, we hail the appearance
of this Commission, as one of those salutary
measures so much needed to utilise the powers of
the legislature.

But to form a correct estimate on the subject of
local charges on shipping it is necessary to bear in
mind the nature:and extent of the accommodation
afforded. The use of wet docks with wharfs at
which ships can load and unload in any state of
the tide, and in any weather ; the convenience of
sheds, cranes, and a variety of smaller accommoda-
tions which clocks afford, are matters for careful
investigation. When taken in the aggregate they
form a serious item under the head of " dock
charges," but if shipowners were left to find for
themselves all these appliances, so necessary for
the despatch of business, and the safety of ships
and cargo ; the expense would be immeasurably
greater, and the object in many cases unattainable.
Still the powers conferred on chartered or incorpo-
rated companies are so great, that a careful scrutiny,
and a perfect right of supervision by government has
become almost indispensibly necessary.

'The revenue of the chartered companies of
England has been estimated at upwards of
£63,000,000 annually. In a great many instances
the expenditure of public companies exceeds their
income, while others (particularly the gas and
water Companies) are netting enormous profits,
and still continue their excessive local charges.
Commissions of Inquiry then, such as the pre-
sent, will confer great benefits on the public by
bringing before Parliament the operations and
charges of those public bodies established by acts
of incorporation. But it is a matter much to be
lamented that the Commissioners sent to Liver-
pool were precluded by their Commission from
inquiring into the pilotage and lighthouse charges,
Sze., which all operate so prejudicially against this
port. To show the limited powers given to the
Commissioners we here subjoin the Commission
at length :
" Whereas we have deemed it expedient that the commis-
sion should forthwith issue for inqniring into local charges
upon shipping in the ports of the united kingdom and islands
of Jersey, Guernsey, Sark, and Man : Now know ye, that we,
reposing great confidence in your zeal and ability, have
authorized and appointed, and do by these presents autho-
rize and appoint, you the said John Henry Thomas Manners
Sutton, Charles Ramsay Drinkwater Bethune, and Colin
Blackburn to be our Commissioners for the purposes afore-
said : and our will and pleasure is, that you, or any one or
more of you, shall especially inquire into all charges (other
than duties of customs payable to us, our heirs or successors,
pilotage charges, fees, or other sums payable to the Board of
Trade, tolls, or payments payable to the corporation of the
Trinity House of Deptford Strand, the Commissioners of the
Northern lighthouses, or the Corporation for preserving and
improving the port of Dublin in respect of lighthouses,
lights, floating lights; beacons, buoys, or other marks or
signs for the sea, and rates or payments payable to the said
Trinity house in respect of lastage, or ballastage, in or near
the River Thames, which are levied or leviable in any part
of the ports or harbours of the United Kingdom, or of the
island, of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, by
any person or persons, body corporate, or local authority,
❑pon ships, or upon goods carried in ships, whether in the
nature of passing tolls or otherwise, and to report upon the
nature and amount of such charges, the title or authority in
law under which the same are levied, the application of the
same, and whether and how far they are applied to any pur-
pose from which the person paying the same derives any
benefit; also upon the exemptions, if any, of any particular
persons or classes of persons from any of such charges."

Now, the exclusion of all inquiry into those
charges, which are felt so seriously by every ship
bound either in or out of this port, was doing little
more than supervising the affairs of the Dock
Estates. This was stopping unmeasurably short of
what the public was led to expect and really
requires. The charges made by the Dock Com-
panies are matters which can be adjusted by a
little extortion .on the part of a few shareholders,
and where extortion is attempted, the shipowners
have power enough collectively, if not individually,
to bring the Dock Company to a sense of any in-
justice that may be done or attempted ; but it is
very different with that Leviathan of Tower Hill—
the Trinity House. This chartered body is not
only beyond the reach of the combined influence
of the shipowners of England, but is deaf to
every appeal against all acts of injustice and
tyranny.

Taking the position of the port of Liverpool,
situate as it is nearly at the headof the channel,
is it not manifestly unjust, and most injurious to
our port to exact light dues from the sea-going
ships from this for every light on both sides of the
channel, from Cape Clear to the pier head ? The
lights on both coasts from Liverpool to the point
of departure on the Irish coast, amount to more
than forty. One-half of which have been established
for local purposes, and are of little more than local
use, and, therefore, they ought to be supported by
" local charges." But the Trinity Board, with more
craft than justice, have arranged it otherwise, and,
consequently the local charges on shipping, and
goods carrying in ships, in the port of Liverpool
are much higher than they need be. Had the
Commissioners come down here with power to
enter these old preserves of the Trinity Brethren,
we could have filled their bags with information of
considerable value, and so enabled them to have re-
ported fully on the local charge of this port
generally. As it is, we fear the Commissioners have
left us under the impression, that the charges upon
Liverpool shipping are more just and moderate
than in any other port in the United Kingdom.
With regard to the charges made by the Liver-
pool Dock Committee against ships coming from the
Birkenhead Docks into those of Liverpool, there
can be but one feeling in the public mind. The
idea, in fact, is too unjust and impolitic to
escape the severest censure. The following case,
which was very properly brought by Mr. Bramah

before the Commissioners, is so

glaring, that we

cannot refrain from directing attention to it :
" If a ship left the Birkenhead docks for the purpose of
coming over to the Liverpool docks, she paid the whole of
the dues from the foreign port she might have left before
coming to Birkenhead. That was one point he wished par-
ticularly to put before the committee. Supposing a ship
came from India, and the cargo was consigned to Birkenhead,
she went into the Birkenhead docks, and she paid the Bir-
kenhead dock trustees the dues they were authorised to levy
by their Act of Parliament, and she then had occasion for
any purpose it might be for repairs, to enter the Liverpool
docks, the Liverpool dock trustees charged her with the en-
tire rates from Calcutta, whatever other foreign port she came
from, ignoring the existence of Birkenhead as a dock or as
a port. They did not deem it to be one of the docks of Li-
verpool, although all goods landed and embarked at Birken-
head were charged or chargeable with town dues. A case had
occurred within the last few weeks, which, as example was
better than theory, he would detail. A large ship with
timber entered the river; in consequence of her great depth
of water she could not enter the Brunswick dock. The con-
signees of the vessel came to the Birkenhead trustees to see
if they would take her in. For the purpose of getting rid
of some depth, she discharged one lighter of timber in the
river, then she went into the Birkenhead docks, and the re-
sult of the operation was that she had to pay the whole of
the dock dues of Liverpool as well as those of Birkenhead.
This was the operation of the Act of Parliament of the Li-
verpool Dock Trustees."

tion of 189 d
und,

Now, seeing the obvious hardships to which the
shipowners and consignees were exposed in this
case, we are at a loss to conceive what good our
Dock authorities hope to achieve by carrying on
that childish spirit of rivalry, which has branded
their acts with redicule and contempt. Where a
commercial advantage is to be gained, there is
always a proper course to follow, by which it can
alone be attained; but that course has certainly
not been pursued by the Liverpool Dock Committee
in their conduct towards the Birkenhead Dock
Company. An unfair and ungenerous act loses
none of its foulest attributes, because it is sanc-
tioned by an act of Parliament; and if no other
good accrues to our port from the inquiry of the
recent Commission, beyond taking away the power
under which such injustice is committed, it will
confer a lasting benefit on the best interests of
both towns. The day is not far distant, when
Liverpool will have reason to be proud of having
Birkenhead as an auxiliary port.

Iris unplen sant at any time to have to remark upon
a feud between parties, each of whom we believe
to have at heart the best interests of the community.
Such is, however, our duty at present. A majority
of the working pilots of our port are in a position
of antagonism with their masters ; and have ap-
pealed to the Pilots' Committee, for what they con-
sider as grievances, without success. Disappointed
men are apt to resort to violent remedies, injurious
in the end to their own interests ; and to prevent
this we take the liberty of offering a few suggestions,
in the hope that we may serve as mediators in the
dispute.
The working pilots ask, in substance, for two
boons. In the first instance, they say that one
master is sufficient to go to sea with each boat, and
that a master ashore is superfluous. Such master
attends each tide, or should do so, to see that men
are duly put on board of the vessels which belong
to them ; but there is always in port a companion
boat, whose master can attend to this duty. In
fact, the business of a master ashore, whilst his
boat is at sea, is merely nominal; and, when it
is considered that the men whom they have to
direct are as deeply interested as themselves in
their duty being properly fulfilled, it is perfectly
unnecessary. There is this circumstance also to
be borne-in mind. If one of the three masters, at
present commanding a pilot boat, was put in active
service to bring in or take out vessels, we should
have twelve effective pilots added to the service of
the port.
Another of the complaints of the men is that
the masters have the power of determining arbitra
rily which pilot is to bring in a ship, or in reality
who is to make a long cruize, and who is to make
a short one ; who is to bring into port a ship
which can dock at once ; and who is to bring up
one which may lie for a week or ten days in the
river waiting for water to dock. The men urge
that in every other pilotage establishment, the
precedence is determined by lot ; and that where
such lot; brings to a working pilot a disagreable
vessel it is submitted to with cheerfulness. On
the contrary, where the selection depends upon
the master, the suspicion of favoritism is naturally
created ; the master himself is looked upon as a
potentate to whose fiat the men must bow, whether
just or unjust; and disaffection on the part of the
crew is the result, instead of that cordial agreement
which ought to exist amongst parties so situated.
For, be it borne in mind, that beyond having the
charge of the pilot boat itself, and having an allow-
ance of about £25 per year, from the owners for
acting in that capacity, the masters are in no
respect superior in their rate of remuneration to
the first class journeymen. They have, however,
immunities which the latter do not enjoy. They
never, as we have stated, bring in or take
out a vessel ; and are thus relieved from all the
risks to which the working pilots are subject.
It is a grevious pity that this dispitte cannot be
amicably arranged ; and we think that the Com-
mittee, to which it has been recently referred,
might have consistently and conscientiously done
something towards bringing about such an arrange-
ment. It is acknowledged that the Pilot Service
of Liverpool is the best in the kingdom, if not in
the world. It has been thus far managed by a
local authority ; and it will be a source of never-
ending regret, if through a mistake on the part of
that local authority, we should see the service
handed over to centralization management, and
thus proclaim that, even in a matter so peculiarly
nautical, the shipowners and merchants of Liver-
pool cannot conduct their own affairs.

SOUTHERN AND TOXTETH HOSPITAL--Weekly re-
port, October 19.-lu-patients : Discharged cured, 2 ; re-
lieved, 0 ; at own request, 2 ; irregular 1 ; dead, 3 ; en-
tered, 14 ; under treatment, 60. Out-patients : —cured, 60;
entered, 47; under treatment, 52.
ACCIDENTS.—John Kearns, residing in 3, Court,
Grenville-street, Scotland-road, labourer, was hurt in Re-
gent-road, yesterday, by a cask of palm oil rolling on him,
thereby fracturing his leg.—Anthony Cunningham, a lad of
about 16 years of age, was hawking chips in Sea-brow,
James's-street, yesterday, about 4 o'clock in the afternoon.
He was trying to sell his ware in a public-house, when a
dog ran out, barking at him, which frightened him so much
that he fell back in the street, and a large wagon passed
over his chest, thereby fracturing severely one of his ribs, and
he in the fall, received a concussion of the brain. He was
brought to the Northern Hospital.—John Carr, fireman
on board the steamer Europa, had his foot fractured yester-
day, by a plank falling on it.

Mr. BROWNE'S BENEFIT.—The performances for
the benefit of this veteran and favourite performer, took place
at the Park Theatre last night. Several amateurs lent their
services for the occasion, and the audience testified, alike by
their numbers and their applauses, the respect they enter-
tained for Mr. Browne, and their admiration of the acting
which distinguished his benefit.
SENTENCES' PASSED AT THE MANCHESTER QUAR-
TER SESSIONS.—The following are the results of the inves-
tigations into the charges against the prisoners committed
for trial at the quarter sessions, which have just been
brought to a close :—Sentenced to penal servitude for six
years, two ; do. four years, nine ; to be imprisoned for eigh-
teen months, one; for twelve months, seven • for nine
months, two ; for seven months, one ; for six months,. thirty-
one ; for four months, nineteen ; for three months, nine; for
two months, six; for one month, four; acquitted, twenty-
four; bills ignored, five ; no bills, six; referred, the prose-
cutor being absent, one.

DISEASE AMONG CATTLE.—In the act of the late
session to extend and continue the Act 11th and 12th Vic.,
c. 107, to prevent the spreading of contagion or infectious
disorders among sheep, cattle, and other animals, there is a
new provision, imposing a penalty not exceeding £2O on any
person bringing glandered horses, &c., into markets or fairs,
or turning them out on unenclosed rand.

Duririg its transportation from Glasgow to Man-
chester, the statue of Sir Robert Peel had the misfortune to
have an arm broken off.

THE NORTHERN DAILY TIMES

HEALTH CO3I.iIIITTEE

The committee met yesterday, Mr. Alderman LANGSDALE
in the chair.
The other members present were—Messrs. Beckwith,
Hodson, Moss, Henderson, Johnson, Fleming, Nicholson,
Bigham, and alhead.
Mr.

ton, the building surveyor, reported the in,
lilapidated privies and ashpits, 140 of which were
going alterations and repairs, and 48 of which required
Mr. Newlands, the borough engineer, reported nu-
merous particulars of the work done and in hand in his de-
partment ; and Mr. Fresh, the inspector of nuisances, re-
ported the emptying of 1016 cesspools, the inspection 148
nuisances complained of by the inhabitants, and the reference
of 68 others to the borough engineer, for remedy by drainage
&c., with a detail of the other operations of his staff includ-
ing particulars of a sanitary examination of 1006 court-
houses, and 1447 collars, formerly cleared of inmates, in the
lower part of the town. It also appeared that the sanitary
officers had made special examinations during the week of
2357 different apartments in street houses, and 2742 rooms
in court-houses, in these districts, for the purpose of remov-
ing aught that could generate disease.

-The-Medical Officei" of Health again reported favourably
of the health of the town, which has seldom been in a more
satisfactory state than at the present time. The mortality
of the Borough in the week ending on Saturday last was 186,
including 21 deaths of emigrants. The ordinary mortality
was thus 165, while the average of the same week of the
preceding five years was 190. Twenty-five deaths from
Cholera (of which 21 were reported to the committee at
their last meeting) were registered during the week : the
number in the previous week having been 41. Of the 25
deaths last week, 21 were in the case of emigrants, 2 inmates
of the workhouse, and 2 residents of the town in destitute
circumstances. The mortality from diarrha continues below
the average ; the deaths having been 13 against 15 in the
week previous, the average being 16 in the same week of
former years. From typus thou) were 10 deaths last week;
from hooping cough, 8 ; from scarlatina, 7 ; croup, 5
measels, 1; syphilis, 1; from small-pox, none. Two deaths
were reported from delirium tremens. During the present
week there have been eight new cases of cholera and
two deaths. Two of the new cases were those of Irish
emigrants ; the remaining six were foreigners—one the
keeper of a German lodging-house. No case of cholera
amongst the residents of the town has been reported to the
officer of health since the last meeting of the committee.
The medical officer of nealth in conclusion recommended
the immediate paving of Chapel-plaoo, from Dkunswiok-road
to Erskine-street. Notice was some time ago served on
the owner, and has expired.
The recommendation was ordered to be carried out, as
were also several others of a like character from the sub-com-

mittees.
Mr. Moss conceived that the time had arrived when they
should have a permanent floating hospital. It was much
better that such an hospital should be permanent, and he
thought that Liverpool required one as much, if not more,
than London.
The CHAIRMAN observed that their sick were decreasing
every day.
Mr. 13Ecurrit thought it would be useless to keep up
such a staff, when the hospital would be required only in
case of an epidemic like the cholera.
Mr. M'GowAN said that the authorities would always
bring the sick on shore, as the best means of insuring their
recovery, and would transfer to the floating hulk or hospital
onlp the healthy portion of emigrants.
Mr. BIGHAM brought under the notice of the committee
the great inconvenience which arose from the want of unity
of action between them and the gas and water committees.
On the 21st of June, or thereabouts, the committee decided
to alter the level in Crown-street, and in consequence of that
determination Mr. Newlands wrote to the committee in
reference to the matter. On the 26th September he wrote
again stating that the water pipes were laid bare in Crown-
street, between M7rtle-street and Oxfordstreet ; but in fact
no sooner had the 'bottom been put into the street, and the
ground co mmenced to be solidified, than the water commit-
tee, without any intimation to the health committee, sent
down their men, and again tore up the street, to the serious
loss and inconvenience of the inhabitants of the district. All
this was done from the want of proper unity between the
committees, and he should therefore move that the chairman
and the borough eagineer be requested to wait as a deputa-
tion on the water committee, to represent the matter to
them.
Mr. BEcKWITH observed that there was no use now in
finding fault with the gas committee for breaking up the
streets. He remembered that the greatest anxiety was
expressed some time ago in the health committee to purchase
up the gas committee, and to vest its powers in the corpor-
ation, as the best means of preventing the streets from being
repeatedly broke up. But what was the consequence ?
Why that now the water committee went in direct opposition
to the health committee, and though they had been notified
time after time as regarded the breaking up of the streets,
yet they still persevered in doing so.
The CHAIRMAN thought that before any observations were
made on the matter, the deputation should wait on the water
committee and send in their report.
The matter then dropped.
Mr. Moss called attention, on behalf of the inhabitants of
the district, to a nuisance in the neighbourhood of Fairfield.
The Borough Engineer said that the committee had done
all in their power to remove the nuisance referred to, and
that they could not do more than they had done.
VOTE OF THANKS TO THE CHAIRMAN AND DEPUTY CHAIRMAN.
Mr. BIOHAM begged, as their existence as a committee
would soon terminate, to bring before them a resolution,
which he had no doubt would meet with general concur-
rence. It was usual, since he had been in the council, that
some expression of opinion should pass between the mem-
bers of a committee and their chairman on such occasions,
and he knew no occasion when, from the merits of their
chairman, they should be more united in the expression of
that opinion than the present occasion. (Hear, hear.) It
would not become him (Mr. Bigham) to allude to anything
of an unpleasant nature, which might have occurred to
wound the feelings of their chairman during their existence
as a committee ; nor was there any occasion to do so, in
order to elicit from the committee the expression of kindly
feelings towards their chairman. They were fully aware of the
arduous duties and responsibilities which especially attached
to the chairman of their committee, and that knowledge
alone, irrespective of any other consideration, was sufficient
to insure to their chairman the thanks to which he was most
justly entitled at their hands. (Hear). He would allude to a
few of the duties which specially attached to that committee.
In the first place a most important duty devolved npon them
in the assessment of the various taxes which the inhabitants
had to pay, and which amounted to upwards of £lOO,OOO a
year ; and they had not only to asses these taxes, but their
control and expenditure were also mainly in their hands.
They were then, and particularly at this moment, a board of
much greater importance than any other. They had con-
siderable influence over the health of the town, for the
cleansing of the streets, the emptying of ashpits, the removal
of nuisances, and all else that affected the sanitary condition
of thesborough, had to be controlled by their officers. The
duties of their medical officer, of Mr. Fresh, the inspector
of nuisances, and of their borough engineer, than
.whom
better officers could not be had, were in the highest degree
important, and he was therefore correct in saying that their
committee, if not superior, was at least second to none in
the council. (Hear, hear.) And how had they performed
their duties ? Let the present healthy position of the town
—let its cleanliness, compared with other towns, and its
thorough sewerage, compared to what it was twenty years
ago,—speak of the efficiency with which the duties of the
Health Committee had been performed. But while the com-
mittee hadbeen zealous and attentive to their duties, and ready
to aid in carrying out every useful suggestion, yet he believed
that had not their chairman been so thoroughly acquainted
with the details of their duties, they should rot have been
able to lay before the council a report of the town being in so
healthy a situation as it was at present. (Hear, hear.) He
did not mean to defend all that had gone wrong within
some years past ; for in so large a town certain things would
of necessity arise which would meet with the disapproba-
tion of the inhabitants ; but generally he would say that
the duties of the committe had been efficiently performed.
And though they possibily might have had a chairman of as
great experience as their present chairman, yet they could
not have one who would discharge his duties as such with
the same zeal and assiduity that he had done. Morning and
night saw him at his post ; the performance of his duties
was to him a pleasure than otherwise, and therefore it was
that the committee felt so deeply indebted to him. (Hear,
hear.) In conclusion, he (th. Bigham) begged to move
the following resolution :
" Resolved,—That this committee, being deeply impressed
with the value of the services of their chairman, Mr. Alderman
La.ngsdale, qannot permit the municipal year to terminate
without placing on record the expression, though feeble, of the
sense they entertain of his devotion to the interests and business
of this committee ; and they desire further, in an especial
manner, to bear testimony to the temperate, courteous, and
considerate manner in which, on all occasions, he has conducted
himself in the discharge of his duty towards every member of
this committee. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. Moss seconded the resolution, and in doing so ob-
served that he fully concurred in every word that had fallen
from the proposer of it. • When he considered the indefatig-
able manner in which the chairman had performed his duties
during the past twelve months- the devotion of his time to
the public service, and the accessible mode in which he had
conducted the business, (and in a public man's character,
whether he was accessible or not, was a matter of very great
importance)--when he considered all these things, he (Mr.
Moss) should say that their chairman was eminently deser-
ving of that expression of thanks, and that the acceseible
manner in which he had performed the duties of his office,
not only redounded in the highest degree to his own credit,
but also threw into the shade the exertions of every other
member of the committee. (Hear, hear.) He (Mr. Moss)
could only say that personally he felt deeply indebted
to their el airman, for had it not been for his kindness in
initiating him into the duties of the committee, he felt that
he would have been far more inefficient than perhaps he had
been. And he hoped that if it should be the intention of
the council, as no doubt it was, to reappoint the committee,
they would meet again, and act in the same harmonious
spirit they has hitherto done. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. HODSON begged to be allowed, before the resolution
was put, to bear his testimony to the manner in which the
Charman had performed the duties of his office. He (Mr.