The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-02-21 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL FINANCIAL REFORM-
ASSOCIATION.

The weekly meeting of the council was held on Tuesday,
_
he day having been changed in consequence of the President
having to attend some half dozen committees on Thursday.

THE CRIMEAN COMMISSIONERS AND THE GOVERNMENT.
—The attention of the council was called to the extraordinary
declaration made by Lord Palmerston, in the House of Com-
mons, on the 10th instant, that, though Sir John M'Neill and
Colonel Tulloch bad performed their duties in the Crimea
with much credit to themselves, to the perfect satisfaction of
the Government, and to the great advantage of the army, their
services were not of such a nature as to require any " extraor-
dinary recognition" on the part of the Government ; and also
to his lordship's evasive reply to the question put by Mr.
Layard, after Mr. J. C. Ewart had elicited this singular
announcement of the non-intention of Government to do what
is right and just. His lordship was asked whether it was true
that several of Colonel TulloA's juniors had been pro-
moted over his head? To this query he gave no answer, but
avoided doing so by saying that, as there were several officers
between Colonel Tulloch and the top of the list, it would not
be fair to promote him over their heads—the fact being, that
several of Colonel Tulloch's juniors, who have performed no
distinguished services of any kind in the Crimea, have been
promoted over him. The injurious results to the public service
if this official neglect and disfavour, to men like Sir John
M'Neill and Colonel Tulluch, were sanctioned by Parliament,
and the country, were pointed out by several members. One
of these results will inevitably be that, henceforth, all persons
to whom similar functions may he deputed will see that, unless
they are prepared to give offence in high quarters, and thus
sacrifice all hopes of advancement in their profession, they must
not perform their duty zealously and faithfully, as other
gentlemen did, but must palliate or conceal the most grievous
scandalous offences, confine their efforts to " making things
pleasant" to all the parties implicated, whether directly or
indirectly, and make such reports only as may be pleasing to
their superiors. It was observed that amongst the Romans
the civic crown was more highly prized than the mural one,
because it was held more honourable to save the life of a
citizen than to slay an enemy ; but, amongst us, it is declared
by the highest authority under the sovereign, that the men
who laid bare the causes of the frightful destruction of human
and animal life in the first disastrous winter campaign before
Sebastopol, and, by their prompt, judicious, and energetic
measures, preserved a British army from utter ruin, thus saving
thousands of gallant citizens, have not performed any service
requiring "extraordinary recognition." But even this, it was
remarked, was not the worst part of the case as regards the
government ; for, whilst such gross ingratitude has been
exhibited towards Sir John M'Neill and Col. Tulloch, honours,
promotions, and distinctions have been showered most lavishly
on the very persons whose faults and follies they had exposed,
and whose neglect or incapacity had caused the disasters
to which they applied a remedy, so far as regarded the future.
Amongst these persons was mentioned most particularly the
Earl of Cardigan, who has been charged with cowardice and
disobedience of orders, who skulked on board his yacht whilst
his men and horses were perishing from exposure and neglect,
respecting whose share in the gallant but calamitous charge at
Bslaklava, the only thing certain seems to be that he was the
first. back. It was stated that two troopers of his regiment
resident in this neighbourhood, both declare that they never
pie his lordship that day, and one of them, that lie knew none
of his eourrades who did. It was supposed, therefore, that
the part taken by the commander in the charge, could not have
a very notable one, as otherwise the men could not have been
dubious as to his presence. It was discussed whether the
movement for some public testimonial to Sir John M‘lkieill and
Colonel Tulloch should originate in Liverpool or London, and
suggested that the Administrative Reform Association should
take up the matter. The decision was, that as the question is
• national one, the best course for the present would be to
appeal to the House of Commons ; and it was agreed that a
petition from the Council should be prepared, and entrusted to
Ewart for presentation.

GOVERNAMNT IMPROVIDENCE.—The President said that
a parliamentary return of all the stores brought from the
Crimea, or not sent, which had been sold by auction or
otherwise, stating the original coat, and the prices which they
brought when sold, would be a most instructive document.
He had heard of some most extraordinary specimens of
official perverseness. For instance, waggons which had cost
the government £45 each, and which had never been used,
were sold the other day for £5. It was stated also that
excellent new blankets were sold in this town for next to
nothing. The fact is that there are people who get rich by
contracting with government, attending government sales of
stores, and furnishing government with the very articles they
purchased from it ,for next to nothing, at regulation prices.
For example, in consequence of some capricious alteration in
the pattern, a large stock of now jackets were condemned.
A contractor purchased them, changed the buttons, &c., at
a cost of some sixpence per jacket, and sold them back to
/government for 10s. each.
PUBLIC EZPENDITURE —A pamphlet just issued by Mr.
g. Willoughby, M.P. for Evesham, of whic'a a copy
tad been forwarded by T. E. Horsfall, Esq., M.P., was
cited as a symptom that the endeavours of the Associa-
tion to draw attention to the shameful negligence
of public men, " the national stewards," have not
been without their f&uits. The pamphlet is addressed to the
House of Commons, and is entitled; " A few
words on the question, whether there is, by law
any effective control over the public expenditure.' Mr. Wil-
loughby shows, most conclusively, that, in practice, there is no
such control, either as regards the House of Commons or the
nominal comptroller of the Exchequer; that the Paymaster
General, who is the officer appointed by statute, under
stringent regulations to pay everybody, pays nobody, whilst
the Deputy Paymaster, who does pay, is not named in the
statutes at all, but is appointed by, and completely under the
control of, the Lords of the Treasury; and that the audit of
'the public accounts, as now conducted, is worth nothing, since
'the auditors, whatever misappropriations, entries of payments
twice' over, or payments never made, or receipts not entered,
'they may'discover, are not allowed to make any remarks as to
'What they may see or suspect to be wrong ; all that they are
Permitted to do being to state that the accounts are are correct,
‘ according to what Is stated in the books and vouchers of the
flepartments. It was observed that something very similar to
this precious system of audit used to prevail with regard to the
Liverpool dock accounts. A gentlemen being appointed auditor,
asked for the bills of parcels. He was told that he could not
see them, and received the same answer as to hills,
orders, and other information for which he applied. " What,
then," he asked, "am I appointed to do?" He was told he
could see that the additions were correct. " Oh, if that's all,"
Said be, "I'll send one of my clerks. He will do that much
better than I. Good morning to you."
Tina BUDGET.—The financial propositions of the Govern-
plent were discussed and condemned as involving a manifettory
retrogression from free trade principles, determined, upon at
the last moment, in submission to unreasoning popular
clamour, and under the dread of a factious parliamentary
opposition. With regard to the Income Tax it was contended
•hst the proper course was to retain, adjust, equal!ze and
• 4,80 as to pave the way for the removal of the Customs
exten, '..ties; and that to relieve property of a portion
and Exciseo.. a.ouate burden by throwing it upon the
of its already
• height of combined impolicy and
industrial classes; was the
terations in Tea and Sugar
injustice; that the proposed IZII
-ion' involve the deli-
duties, in addition to many other objecty
berate violation of parliamentary engagements; that the defence
of the paper duty is founded on pleas absurdly anui rzotoriously
erroneous ; and that the most utter want of statesmanship was
exhibited in the Chancellor of the Exchequer's observations
with regard to the duty on Fire Insurances. lustead of falling
"exclusively on realiz'd property," as he alleged, that duty
falls on the merchant's stores, the shopkeeper's stock in trrith.
—on furniture and clothing, and on the prudent workman's
tools. For all risks and expenses the Insurance Offices charge
ls. ed. per cent., and the government demands 24. more for
nothing, and to its own injury, since if a man's premises,
uninsured on account of the exorbitant duty, be burnt down,
his tax paying ability is gone ; whilst, if insured, his loss
would be made good, the premises rebuilt, and he still able to
pay taxes. If it were a property tax it should app'y to all
property ; and the fact tbat it only applied to one-third of it
prom] its monstrous injustice. A petition to the House of
Commons for the rejection of the budget, an equitable adjust-
ment of taxation, strict economy in the public expenditure,
and perfect freedom to commerce, industry, and manufactures,
was agreed upon.
Nsw MEMBERS.—J. C. Corbally, E4q., was appointed
member of the Council. Mr. Duncan M`Dougall, of
London ; and Mr. George Carey, of this town, were enrolled
members of the Association.

SINGULAR DISEASE OF THE EYE.—A singular case
occurred lately at the Glasgow Eye infirmary. A girl of
sixteen years of age having applied 0:1 account of loss of
sight of her left eye, the cause was ascertained to be the
presence of a living worm or hydatid in the eye, close
before the pupil, which it completely obstructed. This
species of animal consists of a round bag about the size
of a small pea, from which on one side springs its body,
which is a filament, consisting of numerous rings, and
capable of being elongated and retracted at the creature's
will. The body ends in a neck and head, and the latter
is supplied with four lateral suckers. All this was plain
to the naked eye in this instance, but appeared still more
so when the animal was viewed through a microscope. As
the existence of such a creature in the interior of the eye
not only prevents vision, but ul; imately destroys the whole
texture of the organ, it was resolved to remove it by
operation. This was successfully effected. The patient
behaved with perfect steadiness, and found her vision
immediately restored. The hydatid continued to live for
more than half an hour after being extracted. As only
four similar bases are on record, the worm excited much
curiosity, and was examined by numerous visitors, both
lay and medical.