The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-05-27 00:00:00

THE NORTHERN TIMES.---LIVERPOOL, TUESDAY.

qie Jcitirtion firm

MONETARY AND COMMERCIAL.

LIVERPOOL, MONDAY EVENING,

The Liverpool Cotton Market continues quiet,
but prices are without change. The sales to-day
are 6,000 bales, of which 1,000 have been taken on
speculation.
The Share Market opened steadily to-day and
closed firm as under :—Aberdeen, 13* 13i. Chester
and Birkenhead, 15 16. Caledonian, 301- 30*.
Chester and Holyhead. 15a 155. Eastern Counties,
10 1-16 101. East Lancashire, 191 19-t. Great North-
ern, 23/ 241. Ditto A, 95 101. Great. Western, 601 61.
Lancashire and Yorkshire Stock, 91 991 x. Liverpool,
Crosby and Southport, 174172. London and North
Western Stock, 1021 1021. Manchester Sheffield,
and Lincoln, 295 292, Ditto Pref., 11 111. Ditto
New 6 per cent. Pref , 3 op. Midland Stock,
78 781. North British, sa 81. North Staffordshire,
6 50. South Eastern and Dover, 21 7-16 211.
York, Newcastle, and Berwick, 20/ 205. York
and North Midland, 291 291. Leeds Capital Stock,
161 17. 'Buffalo and Lake Huron, 11 lip. Dutch
Rhenish, lff 1 11-16 p. Great Western of Canada,
261 2f4. Ditto New Shares, 3i 3ap. Ditto 2nd
issue, 31 35p. Great Luxembourg, 81 75d.
A telegraphic message from Berlin announces
that the United States government have intimated
to the Danish Cabinet that they consent pro-
visionally to let alone the question of the Sound
Dues, whilst negociations are proceeding on the
subject amongst the European States, at the same
time they do not recognise the principle which the
question embodies.
The Roxburgh Castle, from Port Phillip, is
telegraphed off Plymouth, with dates from Mel-
bourne to the 6th March (being nine days later than
previous advices), and gold to the value of about
240.000/. on freight.
The tendency of the various Stock Markets con-
tinues favourab!e. The Funds are especially strong.
Consols have to-day touched 95, and though a
slight reaction was observable towards the close,
the final quotations were still 1 per cent. above
those of Saturday. We may quote the final rates
at 941 to 945, Purchasers for the Scotch Banks,
the approaching deduction of the dividend, the
steady influx of specie, the improved appearance
of the Money Market, and the hope that lower rates
of discount will gradually be established, combine
to stimulate the upward tendency of the Consol
Market. There was a good demand for money in
commercial channels to day, but the current rates
' continue below those of the Bank. On the Stock

Exchange the supply is very abundant, and short
loans upon Government Securities could be
obtained to day at the unusually low rate of 21 per
cent. At Paris, to day, the Three per Cent Rentes
closed about R per cent lower than on Saturday.
The Railway Share Market, to day, was generally
better, although the upward tendency was re-
strained by the approach of the settlement.
At the close, the prices of Railway Shares were
quoted as follows :—Caledonian, 611 61a. Eastern
Counties 101. East Lancashire, 77i 781. Great
Northern, 954 96. Do. A, 791 80i. Great Western,
60%. Lancashire and Yorkshire, 91% 91%.
London and North Western, 101% 102-k. Manches.
ter, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire, 29% 29%. Midland
Stock. 78 781. South Eastern and Dover, 714-
72. York, Newcastle, and Berwick, 81 82. York
and North Midland, 58% 59.

FRANCE.

(PROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PARIS, SUNDAY EVENING

A report to the Minister of the Interior from
the Mayor and other gentlemen of Paris who got
up the subscription not exceeding five sous a head
for presenting a " homage " to the Empress on the
occasion of the birth of the Imperial Prince, makes
known that the number of subscribers was 600,000,
and the amount received upwards of 80,000 f
(3,2001.) The Minister, in thankfully acknow-
ledging the donation, announces that the Emperor
and Empress have resolved not to accept it, but
to employ the revenue of it in the name of the
Imperial Prince in placing the orphan chil-
dren of workmen in respectable workmen's
families, so as to provide them with a new home;
and, in order that at least one hundred orphans
may be provided for, the Emperor has undertaken
to add 1,2001. annually from his privy purse to that
revenue until his son shall be old enough to make
the donation himself.

The Journal des Debats, on several occasions
lately, and again to-day, rebukes the London
papers for addressing excitations to Italy, and
warns the Italians not to run away with the notion
that the English government will do anything
more for them now than it did in 1848. Notwith-
standing the warning of the Debats, the telegraph
informs us that agitation is spreading and becoming
really serious in all parts of Italy ; also, that a line-
of-battle ship, the Royal Albert. is about to be
despatched from Malta to cruise off Naples.
We have accounts from Constantinople to the
15th. The Sultan had conferred the Order of the
Medjidie on the Emperor of Austria. The
evacuation of the Turkish territory by the Allies
was, according to the convention concluded, to be
terminated by the 30th of September; 7,000 Sar-
dinians, 55,000 French, 9,000 English, and 16.000
Turks, have already left. Not fewer than 17,000
Tartars had left the Crimea. Marshal Pelissier
was to leave in time to be in Paris for the
baptism of the Imperial Prince. The quarantine
on foreign vessels at Odessa had been raised
for four months. The Divan had refused to
recognise the independence of the Circassians, and
the deputation had consequently left.

PARIS, SATURDAY EVENING
The expense to which the fetes, for the baptism
of the Imperial Prince, will subject the munici-
pality of Paris will, I am assured, on excellent
authority, be enormous. A very modest sum will,
nevertheless, be announced ostensibly, in order
not to frighten the public. What the probable
amount expended will be, I am afraid to mention—
indeed, it is not exactly known yet, even by
officials; but you may form some opinion of the
scale on which it is proposed to do things, from
the fact, that an entirely new service of
plate, for the Emperor's table at the
banquet to be given to his Majesty and the
Empress, at the Hotel de Ville, has been ordered,
and that its cost has been upwards of 10,0001.
sterling!
For a long time past,judicious people have been
of opinion that the municipality of Paris, what with
demolitions and improvements, and new streets
carried right through blocks of houses, and fetes on
public occasions, and extravagant hospitality at
the Hotel de Ville, causing bread to be sold
for months and months for less than the
nest price—Was marching headlong to some.
thing very like bankruptcy. And this
belief will not be lessened by the announcement in
the papers of to-day, that a bill has been brought
into the Legislative Body, with the sanction of the
government, for authorising the municipality to
borrow no less a sum than 50,000,000 fr. (2,000,000/.
sterling)-10,000,000 fr. of this to be employed in
paying off outstanding claims, and the remainder
to what is called the Caisse de la Boulangerie—
that is, the office from which the bakers of Paris
obtain the difference between what bread costs
them, and that at which they are obliged to sell it.
As I told you months ago would be the case,
the government has presented a bill to the Legis•
lative Body, for authorising a loan of £4,000,000
sterling to farmers for draining operations.
Augustin Thierry, the historian, was buried
to-day, and a vast number of literary and political
notabilities attended his funeral.
According to the Journal des Debats, the Pope
intends to summon a sort of Congress, of Italian
Princes, at Rome, to deliberate on the state
of Italy. A Frankfort paper says that
France and Austria have come to an
understanding on the terms of a cir-
cular to be addressed through their diplomatic
agents to the reactionary potentates of Italy,
recommending them to adopt, without delay, such
reforms as may prevent a popular explosion.
The German papers repeat, what I said several
days back, as to thelprobability of the Emperor of
Austria paying a visit to some town on the Rhine,
and of the Emperor of the French going to see him
there.

THE LITERARY AND DRAMATIC SOCIETY.—The perfor-
mance, annually given by this society in aid of the funds of
the public charities of the town, took place last night at the
Theatre Royal. The House was crowded in every part by
a brilliant audience. Of the performances, the pressure on
our pages to-day precludes the possibility of a notice,

THE TOWN

DUES.

LOCAL CHARGES ON SHIPPING

(FROM OUR OWN REPORTER.)

HOUSE OF COMMONS, MONDAY

The select committee, appointed to enquire into the local
charges on shipping, met this morning in Committee-room,
No. 11. Mr. Lowe in the chair. The other members present
were Mr. Horsfall, Mr. Hardy, Lord Hotharn, Mr. Vance,
Mr. Beamish, Mr. Watson, Mr. Milner Gibson, Mr. Fenwick,
Mr. Duncan, and Mr. Moffatt.

On the assembling of the committee, Mr. Alderman Ban.
croft was recalled, and made some explanations in reference to

some portions of his evidence, as to the alteration in the consti-
tution of the dock trust, and the refusal of the then chairman
of the dock committee (Mr. Henderson) to affix his seal to a
proceeding of the dock committee in opposition to a course
taken by the town council. His explanations were with a
view of showing that the town council wished to
have the management of the docks, but Mr. Hors-
fall explained to the committee that since the period
alluded to (1849) there had been an alteration in the
dock trust, which lessened the power of the town council over
the management of the docks.
Mr. Thomas Livesey, one of the commissioners for
iimproving the town of Rochdale, for eighteen years,
examined by Mr. Lowe : Was directed to attend the
enquiry on behalf of the commissioners. He attended
the enquiry at Liverpool on the question, and then stated
that the town dues at Liverpool acted injuriously on
their interests. He now repeated it. They wero paying an
enormous amount into the pockets of the people of Liverpool,
for which we have no consideration. -The population of Roch
dale is about 30,000. The trade carried on there is the
cotton, woollen, iron, and other trades, in which about 15,000
hands were engaged. Their trade was merely export, particu-
larly in cottons and woollens. Not being a wearing district,
they rhielly exported their yarns. On imports alone they paid
£2,500 in town dues to Liverpool, exclusive of what they paid
in exports on cotton, woollen, and other goods. This was
within the borough. In exports they paid a great deal, but
there was a difficulty in gaining the exact amount, because
they sold the chief of their goods to the Manchester manufac-
turers, who again sold them, and exported them at Liverpool.
He was, however, of opinion, that the Liverpool town dues
paid on exports would amount to two thirds of the dues paid
on imports, being altogether about £4,100 paid into the
pockets of the Liverpool people.
Mr. Horsfall : Of course what you have just now stated
you have been told? Witness : Oh, no, it must be so, because
when I was at Liverpool they pleaded guilty to our paying
these dues. The Town Clerk was present and he said nothing.
(La ugh ter.)
By Mr. Lowe : I do not object to these dues on the ground
of the parties who impose them. If they were properly
expended for the benefit of the port, we should, perhaps not
object to them, but it is not so. They go into the pockets of
the people of Liverpool. Last week I was in Liverpool. and
I saw a lot of soil being thrown into the river, which I am
sure would injure it. lam a non-nautical man, but it is
somebody's duty to see that the river is not filled up, if we are
to pay these dues for the benefit of the port. (Laughter.)
Mr. Horsfall : How much of the cotton on which these
dues are paid, is on Rochdale account ? Witness : I can-

not say.
Mr. Horsfall : Speaking of the articles that you manufacture
on which these dues are paid, I presume that you get it back
from the consumers? Witness : Yes, because we charge so
much more on them, but then it affects the interests of the
consumer, and therefore it is the duty of parliament and the
county to take this weight off our backs.

Mr. Horsfall : Although you say this weight was on your
backs, you also say you did not feel it before the commission
on this question was ifsued. Witness : We did not know of
it. (Laughter.) But that did not make it more unjust
when we did discover it. (Laughter.) The Liverpool people
had all the benefit from the town dues: They bad even built
seven churches, and kept seven parsons out of them. (Re-
newed laughter.)
Mr. Horsfall lay it is the consumer in the country,
and not you, as manufacturers, who pay these dues ? Witness :
Why, we pay them at first.

Mr. Horsfall : I presume, from what you have stated, that
you would make these town dues a national question, and
allow the whole of the country to be represented in their
expenditure? Witness : Why, 1 have already said that these
dues are paid chiefly by traders and others, who live from
forty to fifty miles around: Rochdale ; and therefore, as far as
that distance goes, I would like to see us represented by on
independent board, having power over the expenditure of all
dues, paid on exports and imports from the Mersey, whether
you call thorn town dues, or by any other name. The
management of these kind of dues, beyond the distance I
have named, I would leave in the bands of government.
Mr. Horefall : What department of government. Witness :
The Board of Trade.
Mr. Horefall : Why, do yon not think that commercial
gentlemen, residing in places like Liverpool, rather than the
Board of Trade, presided over by a peer, are best able to
manage the appropriation of these dues ? Witness : I would
leave parliament to settle that, and send down whom they
liked. I see, from the papers, the other day, that some local
board, at Liverpool, was kicking against the Board of Trade,
and had come to what they called a dead lock.
`Mr. Lowe : Do you not think that your interests would be
in better hands in the Board of Trade, than in the bands of
the corporation of Liverpool ? Witness : Oh, yes, I would
rather have them in the hands of the Board of Trade.
(Laughter.)
Mr. Horsfall: I believe that when you made your com-
plaints before the commissioners at Liverpool, the corporation
told you, that according to the property they had in these town_
dues, you had no right to interfere ? Witness : They did, but
we thought we had.
Mr. Horsrall : But if the corporation could prove to you
that they have a legal right to them, would you the❑ think
that you had a right to interfere ? Witness : I cannot suppose
they have any such right.
Mr. Hersfall : But lam supposing a case: Suppose they
have a legal right? Witness : Oh, it would be a national
injustice, and I can't think they have any such rights.
(Laughter )
Mr. Horsfall : Well, sir, if the government thought proper
to take away a quantity of your property to which you be
lieved you were legally entitled, would you not consider that
that you ought to have compensation ? Witness : If I had
earned it, of course I should. The corporation ought to do
something for it, and then it would be fair to compensate them
if it was taken away. (Laughter.)
Mr. Horsfall : But suppose that the case which you think
impossible is possible—that the corporation have a legal right
to this property, do you not think that compensation should be

given ?
*Witness : I cannot but think that the corporation of Liver-
pool never had a right to this property without performing
some duty for it. All properties has its duties as well as its
rights. (Loud laughter.)
The honourable member not being able to obtain a direct
answer from the witnozs, declined to int errogate him any
further.

In answer to further questions from other members of the
committee respecting the legal claim of the Liverpool corpora-
tion to the town dues, the witness steadily refused to acknow-
ledge any right of the corporation to the town dues.
Mr. Hardy : Suppose the corporation of Liverpool had
purchased these dues yesterday, would you take them away
from the corporation without compensation.
Witness : It seems to me to he monstrous that sueh dues should
exist at all. I don't think that in the present day any govern-
ment would attempt to sanction or propose the levying of such
dues. If the town dues were expended in the improvement of
the port in any way, then we shouid not he here. (Laughter.)
Mr. Lowe : If compensation were to be paid for the
abolition of these town dues, by whom do you think it ought
to be paid? Witness : I think the people of Liverpool
themselves ought to pay it. They ought to disgorge what they
have got, and what has enabled them to build their fine places.
(Laughter.) We, at Rochdale, build our public places with
our own money. We tax ourselves for it, and if we were
going to build a Georges' Hall (we have not the money yet),
we should have to pay for it ourselves. (Renewed laughter.)
After some further questions put to the witness, he retired.
Mr Crossley, M.P. for Halifax, examined by Mr. Lowe :
Said he was a carpet manufacturer there, and employed 2,000
hands. He complained of tile injurious effects of the Liver-
pool town dues with regard to the articles used in his trade ;
in wool, cotton, and oil, and other articles used in the dyeing

proceires.
Mr. Lloyd was recalled, for the purpose of making an
explanation of his evidence respecting the town dues and dock
dues ho paid, respectively, hut it was not material.
Thomas Weld Blundell, Esq., of Ince Blundell, called and
examined by Mr. Lowe : He entered into an explanation of
the right which the corporation of Liverpool claimed to levy
toll dues on vessels passing between the Ribble and the Mersey
opposite land belonging to him, and in right of which he was
lord of the manor. The witness entered into a history of his
rights, commencing with the reign of Charles 11.
Mr. Vicars, an iron manufacturer at Sheffield, complained
of the amount his firm paid in town dues, on both imports
and exports coming through Liverpool, which amounted to
£1,500.
Mr. James Watson, of Birmingham, provision merchant,
complained of the heavy rates he paid on butter, bacon, and
other produce coming to him through Liverpool.
Mr. John Charley, of Belfast, steam agent, complained of
the hardships imposed upon the fir with which he was con-
nected, as carriers, by the operation of the Liverpool town
dues. They interfered with their profits. when compared with
the traffic between Belfast and Fleetwood.
Mr. Gaddy, secretary of the Harbour Commission at Belfast,
was next called : He said ho was summoned to attend before
the committee, as a public officer. In answer to questions, he
said that the harbour of Belfast paid £1,759 a year in aid of
the Liverpool town dues.
Mr. William Gibb, director of the Commercial Association
of Manchester, was the next witness called. He was under
examination when the committee adjourned at four o'clock.

THE BIRKENHEAD
DOCKS' BILL.

(FROM OUR OWN REPORTER)
LONDON, MONDAY NIGHT,

The select committee appointed to enquire into the
bill promoted by the corporation of Liverpool, in refer-
ence to the Birkenhead Docks, met to day at twelve
o'clock, Sir William Clay in the chair. The other
members of the committee present were Sir Joseph
Paxton, Sir E. Dering, and Mr. Bouverie.
The first witness called was Mr. Hawkesley, C.E.,
who was examined at considerable length on behalf of
the promoters by Mr. Sergeant Wrangham. His
evidence was generally directed to flushing, and the
sediment and silting up after low water. On this part
of the question be warmly pronounced himself in favour
of the plan proposed by Mr. Hartley.
Amongst the witnesses who followed were several
merchants and shipowners of Liverpool, all of
whom expressed themselves in favour of Mr.
Hartley's plans, which they thought would be a
great convenience to shipowners as regarded the
docking and loading of large vessels. These witnesses
included Mr. Charles Maclver, Mr. Hamilton, of the
firm of Brown, Shipley and Co., and Captain Judkins.
Mr. James Aiken was the next examined : He gave
zenPral evidence in favour of the plans proposed by Mr.
Hartley. _ _

He was cross-examined at some length by Mr. Calvert,
and at the close of his examination, the committee
adjourned until to-morrow, when it is expected the ease
for the promoters will close.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF LORD =3.—MONDAY.
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at five o'clock.

THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT

A discussion arose upon a motion made by the Earl of
ALBEMARLE for the production of certain letters relating to
India, but with no result—the Earl of Albemarle withdraw-
ing his motion for the present.
The Whichwood Forest Bill was read a second time.
The Marriage Law Amendment Bill, and the Procedure
before Justices (Scotland) Bill, were read a third time and
passed.
The Peace Preservation (Ireland) Bill was read a second
time, after a few words from the Earl of DONOUGHMORE,
who complained of the manner in which the measure, the
olject of which was to render perpetual some of the pro-
visions of the expiring Crime and Outrages Act, had been
introduced, and suggesting that the Crime and Outrages Act
should have been repealed, and a bill re-enacting certain of
its provisions introduced.
The LORD CHANCELLOR brought in a bill founded upon
the recommendations of the commissioners, upon the subject
of the Appellate Jurisdiction of the House of Lords.
The bill was read a first time.

Their lordships rose at a quarter to seven o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—MONDAY
The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.
THE MILITIA.

In reply to Mr. GROGAN,

Mr. PAL said that where a militia regiment was dis-
embodied, no portion oontinued in receipt of pay, except
those of the permanent staff of the Adjutant-General and
Quartermaster-General.
Replying to Mr. PALK,
Sir C. WOOD stated that the gallant conduct of certain of
the coast guards of Fowey, and others, in rescuing the
sole survivor of a wreck close to Fowey, had been brought
under the notice of the Admiral,/y, and measures had been
taken to reward them.

JOINT STOCK COMPANIES BILL

On the motion for going into committee on the Joint
Stock Companies Bill, _ _ .

Mr. SPOONER wished to learn what alterations had been
made in the measure. He objected to the principle of the
bill, which, he considered, was opposed to the commercial
interests of the country, and would ()Den a way to fraud.
He complained, also, that the measure had passed a second
reading without adequate consideration, and for these
reasons moved that the House should go into committee on
that day six months.
Mr. LOVE explained that the bill was materially different
from the Limited Liability Act, but that the alterations
from the former bill were purely of detail. The House had,
after listening to a full explanation of this measure, affirmed
its principle without a division, and he hoped, therefore,
that there would now be no objection to allowing it to go
into committee.

The amendment was then negatived, and the House went
into committee.

The various clauses, amounting in all to 110, were agreed
to after considerable discussion without any material
alterations.

Clauses were added on the motion of Sir F. KaLLY, to
enable the court after tho winding up to cull persons sup-
posed to be possessed of documents or of information.
Another clause was added, authorising the punishment
of directors for falsifying accounts by two years' imprison-
ment. The schedules were then agreed to, and the bill
pasted through committee.

PARTNERSHIP AMENDMENT BILL,

On the motion for the second reading of the Partnership
Amendment Bill,

Mr. A. HASTIE opposed the measure, on the ground that
no want of capital in this country had been shown to
justify its intro3uction. He moved, as an amendment, that
the bill be read a second time that day six months.

Mr. GREGSON seconded the amendment.
Mr. CARDWELL and Mr. BAXTER supported the
original motion, which was opposed by Mr T. BARING and
Mr. MASTERMAN.

Mr. CowAN then moved the adjournment of the debate
This motion was negatived, on which there appeared—
For the adjournment
Against it

Majority
Mr. LOWE defended the measure, and Mr. ATIIERTON and
Mr,IIORSFALL opposed it.

. _
Upon a division on the amendment to postpone the
second reading, the numbers were—
For the amendment . ,
For the second reading

66
97

31

Majority
The bill was read a second time
Sir William Fenwicke William's Annuity Bill was read
a second time.
The House adjourned at two o'clock.