The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-05-26 00:00:00

THE NORTHERN TIMES.---LIVERPOOL, TUESDAY , MAY 26? 1857.

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week, or 2,000,000 gallons per day. This is
admitting that the wells are now made to produce
to the full extent of their capacity, which
we do not believe. The only question, then,
for the Council to determine is, how this
two million gallons of water is to be supplied.
The Water Engineer proposes to expend no less
a sum than 165,000/. to accomplish it. If the
expenditure of this sum of money is intended as
a job to enrich engineers, builders, and others,
we can readily understand it, but if the object is
simply to distribute a supply of two million
gallons of water per day, for manufacturing and
steam purposes, then we must confess to an
ignorance in comprehending why so large an
expenditure should be proposed to accomplish
so trifling a result. Is it not enough that we
have expended one million and a quarter of
money to bring to Liverpool a daily supply
of 2,000 000 gallons of water, that we must now
expend nearly another quarter of a million of
money to distribute it ? Verily corporate
jobbery has no limit.
No, the people will not have it. The Council
must restore the well-water, as it existed
previous to the 2nd of January last. That is
the first step. Then they must lay a second
line of pipes sufficient to supply the 2,000,000
gallons per day of Pike water. This may be
done for a very small sum, and the cost defrayed
out of the boasted surplus water rate, and in
this way. Let a grand trunk main be laid
from the top to the centre, or rather to the
lower part of the town, and another main from
the north to the south end, joining the other
about the middle, and then let branch mains
and service pipes be carried from these as
occasion may require, confining the present
expenditure to the necessity of supply iug
2,000,000 gallons of Pike water per day for
manufacturing purposes, and then the people
of Liverpool can enjoy immediately an ample
supply of pure well-water for all purposes, and
be spared the enormous expence attendant
upon the carrying out of the gigantic scheme
of the Water Engineer, which is altogether
unnecessary for the next twenty years.

WE will add a word or two to our remarks
on the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes
Bill, of the Lord Chancellor. On re-perusing
some details of the bill, we frankly
grant that it looks in the right direction ; it is
a considerable advance towards justice, but it
is susceptible, also, of considerable improvement.
Its great recommendation is, that it would
simplify and cheapen matrimonial suits,
whenever they are unfortunately necessary.
The chief objection to it is, that it still presses
hard on the injured wife; it does not permit
her to claim a separation on the same grounds
that it permits the injured husband. We
apprehend this is a mistake. Conjugal unfaith-
fulness on either side should be admitted as a
just ground of demanding separation. We are
aware that the unfaithfulness of the woman
has one peculiar aggravation and inconvenience
to which the infidelity of the other party is not
exposed—the introduction of a spurious offspring,
the possible unjust alienation of property. Let
this have its weight. But we take our stand on
the moral law, and contend that masculine
infidelity ought to give the wife the power of
demanding a dissolution of the marriage. This
is not to be allowed by the present bill. We
believe that owing to her greater dependence
on the man, the demand would often be waived
by the woman ; but she ought to have the power
if she chooses to enforce it. Instead of this
while female infidelity is to dissolve the
marriage, the man must add to his infidelities
either cruelty or two years wilful and malicious
desertion. This is hard on the wife. A man
may be an open profligate ; he may insult wife
and family by bringing his paramour under the
same roof with them ; but, unless he is so silly
as to add heartless cruelty, or twenty-four
months of malicious desertion, the woman has
no redress, she must• submit to the outrage.
This is neither just nor generous to the woman.
Woman surely needs more protection against
the strength and superior knowledge of man;
it is a defect of this bill that divorce is of far
more difficult attainment by the woman.
Our Court of Appeal is, of course, a great
improvement on the existing tedious and
expensive round of these. But the proposed
alteration may still leave the expense
considerable. And perhaps the House of Lords
may be of opinion that people should pay for
their luxuries. The principle is, no doubt,
correct ; but the power of paying is not equal in
all portions of the community. Deliverance
from a bad wife or a bad husband is as
important to the poor as to the rich. This
ought, therefore, to be brought within reach of
the poor as a matter of justice, of relief, not of
luxury. How many crimes in low life might
have been prevented if our marriage laws had
been more reasonable ;—wife-beatings, poison-
ings, murders. We trust that Parliament will
enhance the value of its legislation by providing
?Inexpensive methods of appeal.
In the present state of society we could but
expect that the question should be opened under
what circumstances, if any, the re-marriage of
divorced parties, with other mates, should be al-
lowed. BUt there is a less perplexed question that
might be considered. Is matrimonial infidelity the
only justifiable reason for divorce? It certainly
defeats the very purpose of the union, and on
that ground it should dissolve the marriage.
E But so does wilful abandonment of the espoused

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for two, three, or more years. Should not this,'
be a reason for dissolution ?

It may be allowed that mere incomp
rAtibility
of temper is not a sufficient reason. The parties
may separate, it is true, if they Bind themselves
utterly uncongenial ; and facility might safely
be given for this, which fp:ils short of dissolution
of the marriage. But still is it not worth con-
sidering whether tide one commonly recognised
ground of divorce should be the only one ?
Death dissolves the marriage of course; hut if
either party has committed a dishonourable crime
for which they may be sent to a foreign country
for seven or fourteen years, what is this but a
living death for the other, and worse than
death ? Some have thought that one or two
other sufficient reasons may be found for safe
dissolution of the marriage tie besides the one
which is already admitted by our laws. But
we are hardly yet in a condition to discuss
these matters with entire safety. Divorce and
dissolution are painful remedies against worse
evils. Marriage was meant to be permanent—
the voluntary union of parties who feel they
are congenial. Nothing should be done or
countenanced that would lessen the purity of
home or the sanctity of marriage. But the
giving opportunities to those that are paired
(not matched) for dissolving an ill-assorted
alliance can have no such tendency. Rather
it contributes to that very sanctity and purity
by respecting the freedom of those affections
which can never be forced, and, lest worse may
collie of it, permitting the quiet, complete, and
legal separation of those who, if they had
known their own minds and wants, would
never have been united.

PUBLIC attention has been called to a singular
but most important document, viz., the petition
of Mr. FRANCIS BERTOLACCI, late Auditor of the
Duchy of Lancaster. What renders the
document of increased interest at the present
moment is the fact that the revenues of the
Duchy belong to the QUEEN, and form part of
that annual State allowance given to her by the
people of England, but which Her MAJESTY
finds so inadequate as to provide for the
marriage of her eldest daughter without asking
the pecuniary assistance of her " faithful
Commons."

Mr. BERTOLACCI'S first allegation is that the
Chancellor of the Duchy, without precedent,
and unconstitutionally, excluded the Auditor
from the Court or Council of the Duchy. What
could have been the motive for this exclusion ?
Very many conjectures and rumours are afloat
respecting the answer to this enquiry. The
more general one is that the Auditor " was first
obstructed in the performance of his duty, then
finally dismissed.' for not submitting to the
British Bank principle of affixing a dishonest
signature to a doubtful balance-sheet, jobbed by
a Receiver-General and a staff of permanent
officials." The petition sets forth that on the
18th of April, 1855, Mr. BERTOLACCI called the
attention of the Earl of HARROWBY, the
Chancellor of the Duchy, to the fact that the
Receiver-General's account had not been
received, and that an attempt was made to
displace the Auditor on the 4th of May—which
event, however, did not take place until the
following August, when the gentleman selected
to supercede Mr. BERTOLACCI in auditing the
accounts of the Receiver-General was the
nephew of the Receiver-General's wife ! The
reasons assigned for the Auditor's dismissal were
that .Ihe had prevented the Receiver-General
from rendering the accounts for the year 1854 by
retaining—for reasons of check—the prior
account of 1853. Mr. BERTOLACCI'S complaints
do not end with his dismissal. If the allega-
tions contained in his petition be true, there has
been a deep-laid conspiracy not only to deprive
him of his office, but compel him to act in a
manner similar to the auditors of the Royal
British Bank—take everything presented to him
for granted, and sign them as being quite correct.
This of itself would be bad enough ; but the
details of the petition allege corruptions of a
still more heinous character, particularly as it
connects certain high and influential personages
with practices alike dishonourable and unbe-
coming.

The charges contained in this remarkable
petition may be classified under the following
heads:-Ist, arbitrary and illegal conduct on
the part of the Chancellor of the Duchy; 2nd,
a conspiracy to deprive the 'auditor of his office,
by means of false pretences; and, 3rd, a mal-
administration of the revenues of the Duchy.
Now, Mr. BERTOLACCI asks the House of
Commons to grant a select Committee to enquire
into the allegations of his petition, and says he
is prepared to substantiate the foregoing charges,
which, if true, would subject the principal
actors to articles of impeachment. BURKE pnce
made a vigorous effort to obtain a peep behind
the scenes of the Council Chamber of the Duchy,
as he regarded it as one of the main elements of
the corrupt influence wielded by the Crown in
his day. Then, as now, any attempt at
investigation into the secret affairs of the Duchy
was met by the stern and threatening attitude
assumed by the officials. Enquiry will not suit
their purpose. Public plunder cannot go on, if
we know the time and place of the peculation,
and the name of the peculator. The Act of
Parliament, Vic. 1 and 2, cap. 101, renders it
necessary that a public account of the revenues
of the Duchy of Lancaster should be laid before
Perliament. But this, we fear, from Mr.
BERTOLACCI'S statement, has never been done.
These royal domains, which include some of the

richest coal mines in the kingdom, have been
made more a field for the Minister of the day to
reward the support of unprincipled statesmen,
who would sell their country and their
constituents for the smallest price of place,
power, and emolument. Considering the
locality in which the Royal estates are
situated, it is not too much to assume
that their annual yield is nearly 50.0001.
Yet we are told that hardly 20,0001.
of that sum reach the Queen's privy purse.
Where does the balance go ? The Chancellor
enjoys a snug sinecure, for which he does no
work, but gets pay amounting to 2,0001. a year,
a seat in the Cabinet, and, in return, becomes
the puppet of the existing Premier. A noble
lord, with a beautiful name, WATERPARK, gets
2001. a year, as " axe bearer and master of the
game at Norwood forest." His worship has
never yet seen his axe of office, performed no
duty, and, therefore, pockets the amount every
year without giving any service as an equivalent.
Other items of expense, such as fees to the
Clerk of the Crown, and three learned cpunsel
of the Palatine, are put down; but these
figures are so absurdly low that the simplest
man or woman in the whole kingdom would
know that they are arithmetical shams to delude
the public, Where, we ask, does the immense
revenue of the Duchy go, and how and in what
manner is it expended ? Surely the manage•-
ment of these vast estates are not to resemble
the " secret service" money of the country to
go unquestioned, and to be employed in any
manner that pampered officials and wily
statesmen may dictate.

The estates of the duchy of Lancaster are
public property, given to the Sovereign for the
time being, as part of the means by which the
Civil List expences are to be defrayed. BY
judicious management, such as any nobleman
takes care to administer in his private affairs,
we have authority for stating that they would
yield a revenue of 100,0001. ; and if so, the
balance, 80,0001., which is not now emjoyed
by the Queen would, as a matter of right,
belong to the public. This, in the course of
a reign like that of her present Majesty, would
form no unimportant item, if employed in
the liquidation of taxes. No wonder that the
people of this country are bound down by the
enormous national expenditure which is carried
on, and that they should sulkily protest against
royal dowries and state pensions; no wonder
that every well-informed man considers that
the means placed at the disposal of the
Sovereign, if rightiy managed, would enable
her to provide bountifully for all her numerous
children. The petition which has called forth
these remarks must be disposed of by a searching
enquiry. Neither Lord nor Commoner can be
allowed to act as Mr. BERTOLACCI sets forth
with impunity. If he is true, let the guilty
parties be made known, so that the indignation
of a cheated public may hunt the official delin-
quents from their dens of dishonesty. It is
due to the parties implicated that the investiga-
tion should take place without delay. Private
character is at stake, and the sooner the matter
and the thousand-and-one scandals connected
therewith are probed to the bottom, the better
will it be for all the parties concerned. As the
thing now stands, it bears upon its impress an
ugly and repulsive stamp.

COUNTY COURT.—Mr. Conway presided in the Conn 4),
Court yesterday, and a large number of adjourned cases
was disposed of.
CONFIRMATION.-The sacrament of confirmation was
in
administered yesterday Sc. Paul's Church, by his Lord-
ship the Bishop of Chester, who preached a sermon on
the occasion.

DEATH raom DRlNK.—Yesterday morning, about one
o'clock, a man named Clarke, a labourer, 28 years of age,
whilst in a state of drunkenness, fell down stairs in a
house in New Bird-street, and was killed on the spot.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS OP NEW YORK—EUROPEAN
A GENCY. —Amongst the passengers by the Ericsson was
Mr. R. Stuart, an attache of the New York Associated
Press. Mr. J. Hunter, who for several years has had
charge at Liverpool, of the European agency of the press,
and who has fulfilled the duties, is now retiring, and Mr.
Stuart is to succed him. Mr. Stuart has had an exten-
sive experience in connection with newspaper affairs.

PRESENTATION TO THE Rai'. F. I. HAWKE AM.—The
young ladies forming the confirmation class at Edge-hill,
have resolved on presenting their esteemed pastor with a
very beautiful gilt timepiece, under shade, &c. It is now
on view in the window of Mr. John G. Jacob, watch-
maker, Church-street, where it will remain for a short
time. It bears the following inscription :—" Presented to
the Rev. F. M. Harkeam by the young ladies of the Con-
firmation Class, Edge-hill, as a token of their gratitude
and esteem. Liverpool, May 26, 1857."
SHIP Lent/cm—Yesterday was launched from the
building yard of James Brisbane, jun., and Co., at Birken-
head, a beautiful, and, we understand, in every degree
superior clipper schooner, about 144 tons register, and
from her elevated position on the stocks, accompanied with
a peculiarity of launching, a very great concourse of
people were assembled to witness the launch. At ten
minutes past twelve she was let off the ways in splendid
style to her native element. An exceedingly well cut
figure of a lady (by, we believe, Messrs. Robertson, of
Liverpool). adorned her prow. She is named the Lady
Brisbane, in compliment, we believe, to the lady of General
Sir Thomas, that profound astronomer, and distinguished
general in the Peninsula and other campaigns in the days
of the Duke of Wellington, and, we believe, one of the
oldest generals in the British army. We understand she
she is intended for the Mediterranean or Spanish Main
trade.

A COUPLE OF LUNATICS.—The following rather ludi-
crous affair happened on Saturday last, in a square called
after some one named Clayton, and caused a considerable
amount of laughter—that is at the denoument. The
county magistrates are in the habit of holding a court in
"said" square on the Jewish sabbath—namely Saturday,
and on the 23rd of the present month, an " official," who
holds his court on the opposite side of the square, sent a
smart boy—an office boy he was—to the court, with
directions to ascertain if there were two magistrates yet
arrived—as it appears, that two heads are better than one
any day out of the 365 girations made by our -present
planet round the sun. The boy being peculiarly sharp—
all office boys are considered to be so—went across, and
after due ceremony, enquired if two lunatics had yet
arrived? This sharp youth thinking magistrates and
ght had not made their
synonymous terms. He
was present. The latter
lunatics convertable, or probably
was informed the individuals he sou
appearance, but that Mr.
being a gentleman connected with an establishment of a
benevolent description, situate, lying, and being at an
cut township called West Derby. The boy returned to his
master, and informed him that the madmen had not made
their appearance, but were expected soon, but Mr,
was there, if he would answer as well. The official,
alarmed at what he heard,. rushed across, and enquired
what his boy had been asking for ? When he was almost
lightning struck" on being informed that he was asking
for a couplc Of lanatiesll. Scene closes ; exit official !

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(By British and Irish Magnetic Telegraph,)

LOSS OF THE JOSEPH LOINS.

The following has been received at Lloyd's .

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE, MARCH 21.
The Joseph Lomes, of and from London to
Melbourne, was burnt at sea, off the Island of
Tristau de Cuba, on the 25th of February. Crew
and passengers taken off that island and landed
here by the Nimrod, arrived here from London,
b ound to Kurrachee.