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

TO THE EDITOR OT THE NORTHERN TIMES

&r,—When will our governing men here elevate them-
selves t) the position Liverpool is fast assuming i❑ Britain,
or expand their views beyond the jealous and narrow-minded
spirit in which they at present manage its affairs ?
➢ir. Laird's propsitiln of allowing Birkenhead Gonmis-
sioners to sit on the Dock Committee is so just, and so
self-eviient a necessity, that the suggestions should have
proceeded from this side of the river instead of the other ;
and might not the same principle be still further extended
with vast benefit to this port ? For Liverpool, instead of
showing jealousy and a spirit of opposition to the growing
interests around her, should assist their development and
assimilate to herself what, undoubtedly, at no distant time,
she is destined to abzorb.
Manchester, even, and other towns which are so inveterate
against Liverpool, on the question of her Town Dues, should
be conciliated. I will suggest how, for it is to be
deplored that any unfriendliness, which often assumes the
character of hostility, should exist between two so important
and contiguous communities.

Twin sisters of commerce ; they should pursue their
career band in hand, reciprocating mutual benefits. Why
should Miss Manchester scold and scratch the face of Miss
Liverpool, because when old Dame Commerce sends Miss
L. out marketing she appropriates a trifle out of her bargains
for wear and tear, as she says, but which Miss M., who is
the blue stocking, declares is only spent in frivolities.
Manchester should he proud to see her buxom and saucy
sister making herself look so beautiful and becoming. But
why, again, should Miss L. he so stiff about giving M. an
explanation of what Mrs. Commerce allows her as per-
quisites ? If she would be a little more bending, M. might
be a little more complacent and forgiving. So much for
allegory. Now for facts. Why should not Manchester
and other towns, who are interested in the Dues on Ship-
ping, unite their interests more closely with Liverpool, and
assist it in developing its commerce, instead of lending their
capital and sympathies to rival ports ?
Those Dues which Liverpool has now to defend against
nearly;The United Kingdom, and may one day have to
sacrifice to such opposition, might, by a dill• rent policy, be
made a bond that would unite the whole north in her
favour, and lead to an amazing developement other resources.
Let Liverpool invite Manchester, and all other towns
entitled to the privilege, to unite in forming an electoral
chamber, which would have the power of appointing,
annually, three or more members to sit. in the Dock Com-
mittee to watch the appropriation of the Town Dues,
and to see that they are solely employed In developing the
facilities of the port. And if a room were apportioned
to the use of the electoral body in St. George's Hall, we
should hear no more of those heart-burnings which that
superb edifice has hitherto provoked. Thus, Liverpool
would become the representative town of the whole north.
One of the representative members would, necessarily,
have to reside in Liverpool, and might be an inhabitant of
it, having power to enforce due notice being given to his
coadjutors of any important motion by the committee.
Such a measure would, of course, require the cumber-
some aid of Parliament. And the Imperial legislature
might regard with a jealous eye this imperium in imperio.
London would fight against it, and the Times might growl
out its thunder, but could they withstand the determined
and united north ?

I know that the proposition of allowing other towns to
interfere in the appropriation of funds which we have
always considered our own peculiar right, will be regarded
with extreme jealousy; but if it be made subservient to
our aggrandisement and prosperity, let it be adopted, and
so Manchester, or any other town, could not grumble at
the disposal of funds in which they hada voice. They would
begin to regard Liverpool as an outlying port of their
own, or rather as their metropolis, and would assiit and
delight in its development. And, situated as it is, in the
very heart and centre of Britain, equally accessible to
England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales, who can prognos-
ticate where its importance will end ? for the topographi-
cal situation of London entitles it to he the metropolis of
England merely, not of Britain. Its situation was chosen
as England's capital, some 2,000 years ago, when England
and all its dominions was included within its own sea-girt
coast south of the Tweed. Macaulay's New Zealander
standing over the ruins of departed London
is all very fine in its way, but may be realised,
and yet indicate no diminution of English power or
English wealth, but as having merged only into British
power and British wealth, which have found a new and
more central radiating point for their throne, and that
point must be Liverpool.
This is taking an ambitious and large view of the sub-
ject—but it is only by large views and large aims that
great ends are secured. If carefully guarded, the destiny
of Liverpool is but in its infancy. I hate to hear the sense-
less jargon of calling Liverpool " the good old town." Date
its rise from a fishing village, and scores of English,
Scotch, or Irish towns will beat it in age. It is yet a
young town and a rising one—comparatively young in its
traditions, and still younger in its aspirations and its
growth. Make it, therefore, the representative town of
northern enterprise, and you will make it the centralising
point of its wealth and its power, which, added to its
situation, will command an influence which must radiate
to and from the whole empire.
With all modesty I float this idea for abler heads to
take up, well knowing that contrane lucrum nil valere
canclidum, pauperis ingeniurn.—Yours, &c., J. L. S.

TIIE nnerc S'ff EDS

The statement from the Chamber of Commerce on
the subject of Dock Sheds, laid before the committee,
embraced the report from the export committee, which
we give at foot, as it will be seen that the Chamber, repre-
senting more particularly the commercial classes, are
most anxious that the sheds should be rendered of the most
perfect description, and we fancy that few who have perish-
able property at any time exposed on our quays will not
confirm the statement, " that no dock should be con-
sidered as completed, until the part of the quays intended
to be used for goods liable to be injured by exposure to
the weather, be covered by warehouses, or suitable
sheds."

REPORT,

Your committee have to state to the council that since
the report of the export committee of the chamber was
presented, in 1852, a number of new sheds have been
erected on the dock quays, others have been extended,
and several have been enclosed and otherwise improved.
Your committee would point attention to the partial
enclosure of the shed at the east side of the Prince's
Dock, as a considerable improvement, and yet more
especially to the new shed on the east side of the Salt-
house Dock, which is spacious, well lighted from the roof,
enclosed, and with the hydrants covered, so that it seems
welt adapted for any description of perishable goods, and
particularly for vessels loading export goods. There is
still a large portion of the dock sheds entirely unenclosed
at the sides, and, therefore, affording only very partial
security to the property placed under them ; and, as your
committee find, that it is the intention of the dock trustees
to erect some new sheds, and to remove others, with a
view to their reconstruction, they would suggest that a
communication should be made by the council to
that body, expressive of the hope that in all
new sheds, as well as in the alteration of old
ones, spacial attention should be directed to make
them enclosed, and improve the lighting of the
roof, which, in the case of most of the older sheds, is still
defective. As scarcely of secondary importance, your
committee think that the fl mrs of the dock sheds should
be carefully constructed, as to preserve the goods placed
in them from dirt.
Your committee is informed that one
of the new sheds is intended to be erected of two stories ;
but, not having seen the plans, they hesitate to pronounce
a full opinion, but they would express the hope that the
experiment may be successful, especially if mechanical
appliances can be used to facilitate their working. In
conclusion, your committee would submit to the council,
that no dock should be considered as completed, until
such parts of the quays as are intended to be used
for goods liable to be injured by exposure to the weather,
are covered either by warehouses or suitable sheds.
Y our committee present a plan of the docks, carefully
prepared by your secretary, showing the nature of the
dock sheds, and the alterations intended to be made.

(S►tined) T. B FORWOOD,
Chairrnan of the Export Committee,

Liverpool, November 3, 1856.

AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.
[LETTER Ll.]

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NORTHERN TIMES.
Sir,—ln my last letter I endeavoured to show that we
possessed documentary evidence, as ample as that of any
other nation, by which the agricultural produce of this
kingdom might be computed. I also suggested how that
might be more demonstratively obtained. The entire
establishment still in being, for procuring and publishing
the average prices, collected from two hundred and ninety
towns and cities, to govern duty which does not exist ; and
in conformity to a law which the abrogation of the corn
laws, to all intents and purposes, abolished. This machi-
nery of the corn department of the Board of Trade, I sug-
gested, might be employed (in preference to poor law
guardians, or any other ofticiality) to procure returns of
all the grain sold by the producers, and also of
returns from the buyers, of all they buy of the
producers—each party giving the respective names
of those to whom they sell, and of those of whom they
buy—and by which proved evidence the produce of the
kingdom would be given.

That it will not inform the Government of a deficiency
in the crops, on the eve, or on the immediate event of the
harvest ; that the farmers will have to forego the
intimation promised them of such a fact—and
that the community will be left to a fate common
in such cases, i.e., paying a consequently higher
price, or having the deficiency supplied by the
magnetic intelligence of individual interest, I admit as
a truth. But not as an argument against this mode of
knowledge, nor for such statistics as the Agricutural
Statistic Bill would acquire.
I apprehend the agricultural reports of each month,
written as they are with so much judgment and truth,
will not cease. The practical and speculative opinions
formed of the appearance and growth of the crops will
still be formed, and propitious and adverse seasons will
continue to exercise the observations and thoughts of all.
These, end the means of computation already possessed,
assisted by the proposed returns of the farmers' sales, will
give an unerring estimate of the matter at issue. It may
also be remarked that the importations of grain have
been a tolerably close approximation to the deficiency of
crops. And then as to the bill as it affects the returns of
cattle—a stock in the hands of._ the farmer so shifting,
and so various, as to defy the alsllfty of either Poor Law
Guardians or Government clerks to collate or arrange in
apprehensible limits—one may ho assumed to imagine
the Bucolie Departrnent•of the Board of Trade, with
an array of dismayed London officials in the face of
columns, not of serrated hosts—but of long horns, short
horns, and antlered bulls, cows, oxen, knout beasts—fat
in their degrees of fat—half fat—put up to feed—
three year olds, steers, heifers, stirks, stots, and calves,
with a nomenclature varying in every country ; and then
as to sheep, bracke-ewes, Leicesters, South Downs,
Cheviots, Teviots, Ettricks, half-breds, and whole breds,
black faced, and black sheep. But here I pause, as the
analogy is contaminating; and leaving " Eumteus " and
" Gruth ''.with their modern herds, proceed to show the
more excellent way extant in the numbered head of
cattle from Smithfield to every other cattle market. In
the fairs, or trysts, from Falkirk to Balinasloe, and
across to Barnet, to which may be added the importation
of cattle; and if these known and published collection of
facts is not a statistical record of a supply, created by the
demand, of a community sufficient for all the purposes of
knowledge, or of statists, then, but not till then, let the
Agricultural Statistic Bill pass into a law.—Yours, &c.,
Liverpool, Nov. 3, 1856. JOHN BERKLEY,