Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-10-16 00:00:00

that which took place in 1847. Then we were
at peace, now we are at war, and must
contribute its sinews—hard cash. Whether the
Bank of England has taken the most unobjec-
tionable course in preparing for the emergency
we will not now discuss; nevertheless, it appears
dealing rather hardly upon the commercial
community to have two advances in three days
and a third immediately in prospect.

HOISTING, &C., )IY STEAM.—I3IPORTANT INVENTION.—
Several successful trials have been made this week, at
Birkenhead, of a portable hoisting apparatus, constructed
and patented by Messrs. James Taylor & Co., of the
Britannia Iron Works, Birkenhead. The apparatus
mainly consists in the application of Taylor's patent double
cylinder to the working of two barrels, which are made to
revolve either separately or together, as the case may be ;
the management being so simplified that they are brought
under the controul of one man. The whole of this appa-
ratus is bolted down upon a truck mounted on six low
tram wheels, with sheer legs erected in front, provided in
the usual way. Its capabilities are various. We may
mention, however, that it is adapted to the warehousing of
go ods, d ischarg in g or loading of cargoes, shipbuilding, stack
ing timber, pile driving, and numerous other important pur-
poses. It is already in operation in some of the principal
ports of the kingdom. The apparatus tested this week is
to be used in the formation of a large jetty or pier at Piece
for the Peruvian Government, and we may mention that it
has been supplied by Messr'. James Taylor and Co ,
through the eminent civil engineer, Edward Woods, Esq.,
of London, who, with several gentlemen and practical
engineers, was present daring the trial. The pier will
rest upon Mitchell's patent screw piles, and extend
for 2,230 feet into the sea. The steam hoist apparatus
will do the principal part of the heavy work and will avoid
the necessity of sending out from this country the
number of labourers at great expense. One man will do
all that is required at the machine itself, and the working
cost for fuel will not exceed the consumption of more than
4 or five cwt. of coal per day, while the arrangement is so
simple, that it can be at once regalatei by the hand for
working light lifts with a quick motion, or heavy weights
slowly, up to 25 tons This course will necessitate the use
of the double block chains. The steam hoists have been
introduced, we understand, by the Admiralty into H. M
Dockyards, and other places, and th authorities are much
pleased with shah. utility. . -

THE BALLOT IN ENGLAND —The following is from the
ille.beurne Argus, of 16th July, 1857 :—" When, some two
or three years ago, the legislature and the people of this
colony were discussing the question of the ballot, and
ultimately resolved to adopt that mode of selecting mem-
bers of their new parliament, there was very little thought
about the effect their decision would have beyond this
bounds of the colony. The whole energies and
desires of the advocates of this great r, form were
concentrated upon our local sphere, and it was only after
the victory had been gained that men began to speculate
upon the effect which the successful operation of the
ballot here might have upon the political controversy in
other countries. The ballot, as our readers are generally
aware, is in operation in two countries—France and the
United States. In the former country its operation
has undoubtedly been apparently unfortunate, as by its
means a sovereign has been placed on the throne who is
in principle and in action despotic, and who has overturued
the free representative institutions of his country. In the
United States, in too many instances, the ballot has been
tampered with, and has been used as an instrument for
placing in p .vrer men of the most infamous character, and
who have perpetrated attrocities equal to. if not worse,
than those of the worst tyrants that have digraced a throne.
With such results in view, it was little wonder that very
many well-meaning men in England, even among the most
devoted friends of liberty, were afraid of the ballot. But
they had not had an example of its' operation in a British
population, and the ballot itself had not as yet had fair
play. In France the ballot bAces were entirely in the
hands of the Government officials, and were too often, it is
believed, made to give the decision that was most acceptable
to the authorities. In America still more serious evils
exist. In the first place it appears that there are no elec-
toral rolls, that any man who swears he is a citizen and
above age, is entitled to vote. There are no proper means
of checking personation and double voting ; and it appears
' that stuffing' with fictitious votes, and other means Of
tampering with the ballot box are n uncommon. During
the progress of the ballot clauses through our legislature,
objections founded on these facts were brought forward;
and Mr. W. Nicholson, the father of the ballot in this
colony, had the great merit of bringing forward such a
ballot system as convinced the House that the evils com-
plained of in other countries would here be prevented.
In the first place, the returning officer who has charge of
of the ballot box and of the election, is not a government
official, but an indepeadeni colonist, in whom the executive
and the people have coefilence. Secondly, each candidate
appoints a scrutineer, who sits with the returning officer,
watches the proceedings, and at the close of the pall is
present at the counting of the votes. It is to be remembered
that the returning officer is.appointed by the Government,
that the scrutineers are appointed by the candidates, and
that in many, or rather probably in most cases, they meat
for the first time in the voting booth. It is, therefore, in
the highest degree improbable that they 'should enter into
a conspiracy for the nonce to tamper in any way with the
ballot papers, or to make a false return. Without such a
conspiracy it is impossible that there can be any foul play,
or that tho vote of any elector can be divulged, and it is the
universal belief now in this colony that our system of
ballot is almost perfect. It is true that the' elector's nutn -
ber on the roll is endured on the back of the ballot paper,
and that his vote can be discovered, but his name is not on
the ballot paper, and in order to find it out, the returning
officer would require to refer to the electoral roll. During
the rapid enumeration, in preset', e of the scrutineers, that
ensues upon the close of the poll, any such reference is
impracticable. Immediately afterwards the whole of the
ballot papers are sealed up by the returning officers and
scrutineers, ant transmitted to the Clerk of Parliament,
in whose custody they remain for two years,
and are afterwards destroyed. Tae sole reason
why they are kept is to prevent the possibi-
lity of fraud, and they can only be examined
in case of a disputed election by a committee of Parliament
It should also be remarked that all officers who have access
to, the papers are sworn to secrecy. Having perfected
their ballot system, and having witnessed its successful
operations, it was natural that the colonists should look
with some interest to the judgment of their countrymen.,
in England. As a test of this judgment we can now point
to the reception of Mr. Niehelson, the father of the Ballot,
who, immediately after the -triumph of his favourite
principle had been achieved; left the colony on a visit to
his native land. We are prowl to say that the reception
of Mr. Nicholson in England has been in the highest
degree creditable to the mother country, and glorious to
Victoria. From the English newspapers recently received,
we learn the following facts :—On the 28th of January
last, tie Society for promoting the adoption of the Ballot
received Mr. Nicholson set dinner, at the Albion Tavern,
London; the Honourable F, Henry Fe Berkeley, M.P.,
occupied the chair, and the meeting was attended by
many members of the Liberal party. Mr. Nicholson
addressed the meeting, and was enthusiastically
received. On the 25th of rebrua-y Mr. Nicholson ad-
dressed a most influential meeting at Manchester, at which
4,000 persons were present; on the 10th of March he
addressed a meeting at the Broadmead.rooms, Bristol,
which was attended by a very large number of the electors
toad principal inhabitalte. At all of those meotiogs Me