The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-05-02 00:00:00

hoisting machine but their new ones worked by
hydraulic power. One steamer, the Danube, has,
we are informed, been upwards of eight days un-
loading. She belongs to Messrs. Bibby and Sons,
who are endeavouring to effect arrangements with
the Southampton Dock Company, to transfer their
business from Liverpool.
The Health Committee continue their crusade
against the smoke nuisance. Yesterday four firms,
viz , Messrs. Heap and Sons, Thomas Lightfoot
and Sons, James Muspratt and Sons, and Mr. W.
Hall, were proceeded against for not consuming
their own smoke, and the offences having been
proved, the magistrates decided to inflict a penalty
of 40s and costs in each case.

The China question continues to attract much
attention in political circles. The Nord pretends
that the intentions of France are now known The
French authorities will formally demand a per-
minant Embassy at Pekin, and in case of a refusal
will endeavour in concert with the English forces,
to penetrate to the capital by water, and there
dictate terms to the Chinese Government. The
Patric says :--affecting to give the news in the
form of an on dit—" that the French Government
is about to s;:nd several more vessels to China, and
among them the steam frigate Audacieuse." This
vessel will be the largest French steamer that has
yet been seen on the India or China seas. Each of
the vessels will carry out a thousand infantry.
The Patrie threatens an expedition against the
Buff Corsairs, and thereby penetrate into the heart
of their country, and exterminate their race, ob-
serving that the Riff Rocks are not more in-
accessible than the Casbah of Algiers.
A remarkable article on the alliance between
England and France has just appeared in the
Paris Presse. Its appearance was known before-
hand that it would be, if not written, at least
inspired, by a personage of exalted rank, whose
dislike of all that is Russian is very strong, The
paper began to be sold at the very moment the
Grand Duke Constantine was paseing. The article
glorifies the political privileges of the Englishpeople.
"While we have lost the press, and had the tribune
humbled in almost every thing else, the liberties of
both remain there undiminished. England is an
asylum for ideas as well as for men, who are pro-
sciibed by political vicissitudes. Democratic
France is the ally of Free England, and we hail
this alliance as the pledge and security of
the future " Such is the tenor of the article,
which, taking it altogether, is remarkable.
considering the present state of the press in
France. The reception of the Grand Duke
Constantine has not been so enthusiastic as was
anticipated would be the case. A Paris correspon-
dent says that the Grand Duke's manner so far
has been most haughty, imperious and comman-
ding. He seems constantly to think that he is in
his own country, surrounded by people who fear
his nod. The affair of the Docks Napoleon
still drags its slow length along. It is however,
approaching conclusion. The advocates of all the
prisoners have been heard. The judgment of the
tribunal will, it is expected be given in a few days.
It is currently reported that the Spanish govern
ment accepts the principle of an arrangement with
Mexico.

A telegraphic despatch from Turin states, that
Count Cavour had delivered a very interesting
speech on the propriety of making SpizA the great
naval depot of Sardinia. The Premier took this
occasion of referring to foreign affairs, and dis-
tinctly stated that Piedmont would faithfully
respect existing treaties, anti at the same time use
every effort to promote the prosperity and progress
of Italy generally. This declaration was received
with great applause.
Letters from Constantinople explain the cause
of the adjournment of the elections in the Princi-
palities. The commissioners assembled at Bucha-
rest experienced great difficulties in the application
of the firman for the convocation of the Divan, and
referred to the Porte for explanations. A Council
of Ministers assembled on the 19th April, and it
was decided that the representatives at Conwanti-
nople of the Powers who signed the treaty of Paris
should revise the articles.

The West India Mail arrived at Southampton
yesterday.

The Ifank of England returns of last night show
a decrease in bullion of £50,514 ; an increase of
£53,910 in the circulation ; an increase of £460 241
in public deposits, and a decrease of .1;1,21.2,916 in
other deposits.

Mn. AI AN WARING, one of the Poor Law
Inspectors, has been engaged for two whole days
investigating a very useless and unprofitable
subject, namely, the tendency and object of an
article which appeared in the columns of this
paper, written by Doctor NEVINS, one of the
medical officers of the West Derby Workhouse.
Doctor NEVINS swears the object of his remarks
was for the purpose of calling the attention of
the public to what he considered maladminis-
tration on the part of the Guardians. Having
every reliance upon the statements made by
Dr, NEVINS, we published the article, which was
headed with that memorable quotation, "Rattle
his bones," &c., sympathised with the author in
the peculiar difficulties by which he was sur-
rounded, and felt dissatisfied with the conduct of
the Guardians, as regarded the treatment and
attention paid to the sick patients belonging to
the Workhouse. There are some officials, who,
clothed with a little brief authority, are exceed-
ingly touchy. Their elevation to place and
favour, sits restively upon them ; such characters
are at all times prone to " strain at gnats and
swallow a camel." The late proceedings at the
West Derby Workhouse have convinced us that
more than one of the Guardians of that union
are justly !entitled to be placed in the above
category. Whenever any one attempts to ques-
tion their proceedings, or comment upon the
" scenes" which so often render their meetings
more akin to the babbling of pot house orators,
than the quiet and well regulated deliberations
of a meeting of gentlemen, appointed to watch
over the poor of their district, and to provide for
all their wants, physical, moral, and religious.
—they raise a kind of hue and cry, attribute
atrocious motives, parade their zeal on behalf
of the poor, and finding the power with which
they are invested, circumscribed in its limits,
they hie off to the Poor Law Commissioners, and
demand an investigation, with the ultimate
object of inflicting heavy pains and penalties
upon every one who may be the object of their
hatred. We are not going to debate upon the
inexpediency of such persons being in a posi-
tion to sway, and, oftentimes, interrupt the pro-
gress of the business of which the Board
assembles to transact, nor to point out the very
undesirable results which are seen to follow
conduct like that which is not of un frequent
occurrence in the Board Room of the West
Derby Workhouse.

This would require more time, as well as space,
than we can afford just now. We shall, there-
fore, lay before our readers the cause of the in-
vestigation, look at the pros and cons of the
quarrel, and offer a few suggestions to all the
parties concerned.

Dr. NEVINS holds the office of medical attend-
to the West Derby Workhouse. His appoint-
ment dates as far back as /845. The increasing

number of patients placed under his care, became
at length too great for one man to attend to.
He appeals to the Guardians for assistance, and
makes certain recommendations to them which
he deemed indispensable to the welfare of the
sick and afflicted. These the Board refuse;
whereupon the Doctor, bent upon doing all that
he could to prove himself a true physician, brings
the matter before the county magistrates, as ex-
officio Guardians, but they, too, declined to inter-
fere. As a last resource, Dr. NEVINS seeks the
aid of the press, and, through the columns of the
NORTHERN TIMES, he calls public attention to
the mismanagement of the West Derby Union
Workhouse. The style in which Dr. NEVIS
wrote on these matters was the satirical. lie
adopted that style with deliberation, from a con-
viction that it was the best suited to effect the
purpose which he had in view, viz., inducing the
Guardians to adopt his recommendations, and
grant him the medical assistance which he
required, upon his own terms. The Board of
Guardians felt annoyed that it should go forth
that " the workhouse was one great hospital—
that some patients had died without getting into
a sick ward, and that others had to wait for death
to occur before they could have a bed—that
repeated application for assistance had been
refused—that attempts had been made to get rid
of the present medical officer, in order to replace
him by one with less experience ; and that the
deaths were at a very high mark, so as even to
admit of seven dead lying in the house at one
time."

Such formed the subject matter of Dr. NeviNs'
charges against the Guardians, and although
the testimony of Mr. GOUGH, the Master of the
Workhouse, other officials, and some of the
Guardians, explained away the sting of
Dr. NEvINs statements, we are free to confess
that very clear grounds existed for the Doctor
making the charges which he did. The
attempts made to damage him in the estimation
of the Poor-law Inspector failed, for we have the
sworn evidence of the Governor and the Nurse
of the lying-in Ward that they never heard any
complaint made against Dr. NEVINS by either
the patients or their friends , that he has always
been attentive; and that the patients regard him
with respect and gratitude. Furthermore, he
was not chary in his attendance. Whenever
called upon, he would repair to his post of duty,
and never grudged his attendance, even two or
three times a-day, when it was required. We
regret this " tempest in a tea-pot ;" for it cannot
be that the Poor-law Commissioners can or will
take any action thereon. Tbey may think and
express themselves to that effect, that Dr.
NEVINS was too trusty as well as severe in the
remarks which he sent for publication in this
paper. At the same time he has not been
proved guilty of dereliction of duty. His sole
aim has been to benefit the sick, and to compel a
better attention to their pressing necessities and
wants. He declares he had no object beyond
this in view, and repudiates any thing like
personal offence. His entire conduct authenti-
cates tl assertion. We cannot help thinking
that the time of the Guardians and Mr.
MANWARING, too, would have been better
occupied than investigating the matter in
question.

Now that the enquiry is over, and that each
party has had its say, let us indulge the hope that
there will be nothing of the kind again. The
public must be annoyed at the whole affair, but
good will result out of the quarrel. The
Guardians are now well aware of the defects of
the past manag'ment of the Workhouse. They
can, therefore, set about the requisite improve-
ments, and as Dr. NEVINS has so honourably
expressed his regret for the annoyance caused by
his remarks, all parties should forget and forgive.
The interests of the poor require that they
should carry out the provisions of the Poor-law
in amity and peace, and that each should vie
with the other how they could best promote the
benevolent intentions of the Legislature, as embo-
died in the several Acts of Parliament relating to
the pauper population of the country.

WE yesterday published, in extenso, the
Report of the Water Engineer on the memorial
of the inhabitants, or at least some 3,000 of
them, who prayed that they might have the
spring water supply continued for domestic use
until such time as the Water Committee of the
Council could make arrangements fur supplying
both the well water and the Rivington water, if
such supply should be deemed necessary by the
inhabitants; and in order to conciliate the bitter
prejudices of the Pike faction, the memorialists
declared their willingness to submit to the addi-
tional expenditure of a second set of mains for
the separate supply of the Pike water. Mark
the construction put upon the plainly expressed
wishes of th Ratepayers by this eminent civil
engineer. Mr. DUNCAN, in his Report, says :
" That the prayer of the memorial appears to
divide itself into the following heads :-Ist. The
supply from the local wells shall be supplied as
heretofore." True ! " 2nd. That the inhabi-
tants shall have the option of having supplied to
them either the water from Rivington or the
water from the local springs." True ! " 3rd.
That immediate steps be taken to carry the
prayer of the memorial into effect at any rea-
sonable cost." True ! "From the above (says
the engineer) it will be evident that the only
I conclusion to be drawn is that a separate and
distinct water supply is desired, not only for the
Borough, but for all the districts lying beyond it,
where the water is now supplied from the Works
of the Corporation.' False ! !
We repeat it. The inference sought to be
deduced by the water Engineer from the wording
of the Ratepayers memorial, is not warranted by
the facts, of which he was perfectly cognisant.
The Ratepayers never petitioned for a separate
and distinct supply of water, They have in
every possible way protested against any such
supply being forced upon them, and it was only
when they found that the despots, who, for the