Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-10-21 00:00:00

TO THE ELECTORS OF ABERCROMBY WARD.

GENTLEMEN,
THE Period for which I was elected a Councillor, for
your Ward will shortly expire, and I should not have
presumed to offer myself again to your notice, had I not been
solicited to do so by a deputation from a. highly-respectable
body of Electors. I may be excused being flattered by this
compliment having been paid to me, and I accede to their
wishes with pleasure. The kindness of my brother townsmen
has been the cause of bringing me so frequently before the
public, that my opinions are sufficiently well known, without
its being necessary for me to enter into any explanation respect-
ing them on the present occasion. -
I have always been a strenuous advocate for a Comprehensive
Improvement of the Borough, so that its thoroughfares may
be rendered more convenient for the business transactions of
the public, and its dwellings more comfortable and healthy for
the Labouring Classes, whose occupations compel them to
reside within'its boundary. Above all other improvements, I
should like to see such approaches made to our Piers and
Landing-stages as would render them safe and commodious to
the public, and an ornament to our existing dock works. At
present they are in a state dangerous to all pedestrians, and a
disgrace to our noble port. It is high time that the Mersey
Docks and Harbour Board and the Town Council should take
this matter into their serious consideration, with the view of
effecting this loudly-called-for improvement. - The Mersey
Docks and Harbour Board have proposed a plan for facilitating
the transit of merchandise and cattle across the river, and a
most judicious step it is ; but why has not some thought been
bestowed on the convenience and safety of millions of human
beings who cross the Mersey in the course of the year? The
facility given to the transit of merchandise and cattle will, of
course, increase the danger and difficulties of which the public
so justly. complain. I defy the art of man to devise any plan
for forming a really good and unobjectionable approach to the
river, without the sacrifice of George's Dock Basin. The
scheme is chiefly opposed, I believe, by the shipowners, under
the erroneous impression that it would be injurious to the
docking of their vessels. I use the term " erroneous " because
I have high authority for stating that the dreaded injury is
imaginary, rather than real. Let those eminent engineers, the
Messrs. Hartley, who have shown such wonderful talent and
ingenuity in the construction of our dock works, be directed to
design a plan upon the principle I have suggested, and I will
answer for it that every difficulty will vanish, excepting that,
perhaps, of providing the funds to meet the expenditure; but
I should be sorry to think that, with our boasted commercial
spirit and enterprise, even this difficulty may not be overcome.
If the Electors do me the honour of sending me again into
the Council Chamber as their Representative, I shall support,
to the utmost of my power, as I have ever done, those measures
which may appear to me best calculated to promote the welfare
and happiness of the vast and busy emnmunity in which we
live.—l am, with much respect, Gentlemen, your faithful
humble Servant,
WILLIAM EARLE.
Abercromby-square, Eth October, 1859.