Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-02-07 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NORTHERN DAILIt TIMES.

Sin.,—lt was not, until Saturday last, that I had suffi-
,
CiCntlime te, con over the excellent report of the pro.
ceedings of our Town Council, which you published in
year paper of Thursday; and if I may be permitted to
express an opinion upon those proceedings, it' must be
gratifying to the public to know that the. Town Council
is not now, in any way whatever, characterised by those
"long-spun" ebullitions of party, feeling which Prin.'
ously was the case. In fact, Messrs. Robertson Glad-
stone and J. R. Jeffery seem now to be. "at home" in
the Council; and, as honest " Billy Earle" would say,
and did say in substance, at the meeting on Wednesday
last, they corm now more for business than to ventilate
their nonsensical and frothy effusions. This must be
*wing in a great measure to the respect -and
esteem in which our present excellent Mayor is held,
'who has not, up to the present, been subjected
to any undue annoyance by Messrs. Gladstone and
Jeffery. Mr. Preston, the ex-mayor, was highly res-
pected, but during his year of office, the spirit of party
feeling- rose to such a pitch, that he found it' incumbent
ration him to tell Messrs. Gladstone and Jeffery, or nearly
tantamount to, it, that the business of the great Corpora-
ton of Liverpool could not be transacted in. long
:speeches.
• Sir, the fact of the matter is this—that so well is the
Council business gone through, I was almost beginning
to think that every member of it had become a thorough-
going CONSERVATIVE. The minutes of the various
Committees were read and confirmed withont'opposition.
And, even, Mr. Gladstone and the venerable aldermen,
'whom he desired at the meeting of the Council in
November last, 'to have flung into the Graving Dock,
pulled harmoniously together.
• Eccentric as Mr. Gladstone may be in his views; and
however he may feel inclined to serve his party, yet, I
do think, when he is "clothed and in his right mind,"
he repents his meandering,s afterwards ; and, as for Mr.
'Jeffery, I am inclined to think, that some lessons you
have read to him, equally with Mr. Gladstone, in .1 our
1
columns, have had the desired effect.

In a great free, country such as the United Kingdom
is acknowledged to be, lean see no reason why any
man should endeavour to domineer aver his fellow-man.
Rat such is not the case. "Wherever the rampant spirit
of Whiggery and Radicalism takes a hold, it is always
to be found that this same spirit is ef a most rapacious
and insatiable nature. With horse-leech greediness, its
cry is "Give, give." Still an apparent change has
latterly taken. place. The Conservatives and Whigs iu
the-Town Council appear to pull well together. Alder-
man Woodruff, who is a man of business, looks at
matters "in their proper light, and supports the worthy
Mayor and everything that has justice connected with
it, as does also Councillor Sheil..

,
Then, I say; let the Town Council of this great
emporium thus pull well together. Their interests, to
a man, are identical; and they can, have only one` great
object in view, viz , the good Of .the 'community, at Lirge
and a legal and proper distribution of the funds under
their control, at the same time having a proper regard
to undue taxation, so as to lighten this burden in the
different wards they represent: Hoping these hints may
not be lost sight of, I am, sir, your obedient servant,
VERITA s.
Liverpool, February 6th, 1860.

BIRKENHEAD POLICE-COURT, YESTERDAY.

MURDEROUS •ASSKULT UPON THE • • POLlCE.—Patrick
Rogan and Michael Kelly,',togethei with' three women,'
named Julia- Moran, Kate Welsh, aid ,Mrs. Hogan,!
were charged with committing--an aggravated assault
upon. Police-officers Randall and: Glassie, :nn • that night
of the 21st of January. Mr. Conway appeared for' the•
prosecution,-and Mr. Bretherton defended the prisOnerS.
Hogan and Kelly. It appears that on 'the eVening:of
the day. mentioned, Randalls and Glassiowere on duty.
together, and visited a public-house in Field-street.
short:4l)in after they had left the house; Hogan sprang,
On Randalls, who was a short distance behindthe other
officer, and gave him a blow on the moivh whie7l caused
him to fall down. The. officer shouted for :help, and
'Classic, tiiinitig round, saw tiro Men run- into No. 5,
Field-street. (Massie and: Randalls, accompanied by
another man; named Holland, went to -the house into
which they had seen the two, men run, and;
watched it until assistance came,
.:-They then'
entered. the. house, and went into Hogaii's room: Hogan
was in the room at- the time, and when asked by Ran-
dalls why he struck him, replied "I have more than
that, itustore 'for you." The officers endea,voured to take '
him into .custody, and would probably haves succeeded,
had not some females, among whom were the prisoners
welsh andlioran, sprang upon them, and intact drove
them from- the house. Holland was now despatched for
more officers,-and Superintendent West with •six con-
: stables were soon on the spot Randalls and Glag:tile.
then entered. the house, and a second time proceeded•to
search for Hogan, -who-had left the room he was in on'
the first occasion. They lient up .stairs to Kelly's room,
• and "there found Hogan concealed behind the door.. The
two-officers took-hold of him and dragged.him into the
!landing. Kelly now came up with two glass bottles in
his hand, one of which he • threw at Randalls
• whom it struck on ' the slip gilder.' .From the
violence of the throw the neck (of the bottle remained
in Kelly's hands, and with this weapon he rushed on
Randalls, inflicting-several stabs on the head: Daring
the scuffle, Kelly was heard to cry out, " Kill them all, ,
and don't let them' gout alive." -In the meantime the,
women were flourishing pokers and stools, and seine;
one stabbed Randalls in the back 'with a knife'whkb
had been seen in the female prisoner Welsh's hand.
Glassia was struck by ajug,onthe,temple, and received-
several Other bleWs on different parts of the headd
Whilst the- officers wtre in the house, 'a large stone,:
about the size: cif 'iix bricks., was throWn at Randalls,
hat fortunately it fell short of its mark:• Dr. Jenneth,:
who examined the officers, stated, that there were upon
Randalla fourscalp Wounds, a stab in the back, and the
fiesh help* the left eye Was considerably torn:., GlassiC
had, two. 'incised wounds, a slight, ivoimal on the face,
and a wound on the ;hand; one of the headwounds
'had produced a partial fracture of the skull. The
.prisoner Kelly was . alsd examined,.. and some se.:.
.were wounds were found upon his head. Mr. Bre-
therton, on behalf of the prisoners,' urged that'
•whatever 'violet* inierht have been committed had been'.
by,the tonduct of the officers, upon themselves.
He argued' that it was an illegal,net en the part of the
,constables to,enter. Kelly's room without askinp, whether.
Hogir*as inside or no. '; Oh. behalf, of Hogan:he was'
instructed to say that the man whom the .officers had
been going tO% arrest was not • Hogan, and that the was
:sitting in his own room all the. evening: - The magit-
tratis, after 'a protracted' deliberation, staked that they
,did not consider the case Came Withia ;their jurisdietinn, -
and they would, therefore, -commit the prisoners for trial
At the adjaurnOd- 'sessions 'on a 'chop): of aggravated
assault. On the application of Mr. Bretherton, bail was
taken for the,female. prisoners. 'The Pase,e.kcited great
ititprest in Birkenhead- and, the. Courtiiis' Crowded in
seiery part. ft . was. rumoured that: some disturbance
-Was likely to take place a strong division of the Chester
place under Captain: Smith was in' attendance, but their'
assistance
.ivaanet required as the mob quietly dispersed.

`;'.Tarn Etsretor.---The,cOmmittee which was
appointed' at the last; meeting-of, the shareholders to
inprire into the state. of. its affairs have met almost
eVery 'day. The examination of ' witnesses was con-
cluded on Friday, and' on Saturday . the members met
for the purpose of considering their report. It is stated
that more than one draft report has been submitted, and
that considerable differences of opinidn prevail among
the members as to the course to be adopted in future.
The general spirit and tenor of the report will, it is'
stated, be of a pacific character. -It is not the intention
of any ofthe directors to offer tbenaselves fqre-election.
—Observer. •
INDIA COTTON SUPPLY.—Irere are some figures for
the Cotton Supply Association which ought to satisfy
them that -they need not fear lest the supply of
friars India should-'fall short. The exports of cotton
from Bombay to Europe last year were 623,6054 bales,
being an increase over the preceding year's exports of
268,352 bales. The exports to China up to the end of
1859 were 161,916, which also shows an increase over
the exports of 1858 of .59,872 bales. Thus, our total
exports of cotton were 785,5214 bales, against 457,297
for 1858. Taking each bale at 3801 b., and supposing—
a low estimate—the price of Surat cotton at Liverpool
to be 4d. a Oland, this represents a cotton export trade
of five millions sterling.—Rombay Gazette,

CHAMBER pF,c(wmgßCE._

ANNUAL MEETING. fA ~./ra 2

The annual meeting Of the Liverpooil Chamber .of
Commerce was held yeiterday, at the Rooms of tbe
association. The chair was eceupW by Mr. C. Robert-
son; and there were also resent-:--•-Messrs. W. Brown,
Thomlinson, Danson, Shed, Rawlins, Ilampshii:e; Rol=
land, Bouch, BoWring, Finlay, Douglas, King, &baits,
Chilton, Meade' King, and llorriby.
• The Chairman- said the -report- bad; as usual, been
printed previoucto the meeting, and.it would therefore
be unnecessary to read it. It was as follows :
• •
The Council beg herewith to submit a statement of the
various subjects upon which-action has been taken during the
past six months, and of those which may be brought forward
in the approaching session' of Parliament.

,COMMERCIAL LAW.

Upon the matters undee thii head no great progress can
be reported, ow.ng to the parliamentary recess. As to the
Bankruptcy Bill, a .deputation of representatives of the
various Chambers of Comnierce recently waited, -
Lord Palme:ston and the Attorney-General, who promised to
introduce a bit dnring the coming se:sion, which will go far
to meet the requirements of the conurtercial e^mmunity as
embodied in the bill introduced last session by Lord John
Russell.. When the measure is brought forward it will receive
the best attention of your Council.

The Partnerships -Kegisi.atlon---BiP the 'United Kingdom
Writs Bill, the Amendment of the Law relating, to Foreign
Debtors, and the Law as to Collisions, at Sea,' are measures
some of which may possibly come before Parliament this year ;
and, in that case, they will be carefully watched by-the Council,
in accordance with the views previously expressed by the
Chamber.

•
TILE LAW AS TO TFIE TRANSFER. OF TEIR PROPERTY US GOODS

• troN PURCHASE.
Upon this question the report of the Commercial Late Com"-
mittec has been received, but has not yet been adopted by the
Council.

CHANCERY RF.PORM•
The Law. Society Of Liverpool having made a report upon this
question, suggesting several amendments in Chancery proceed-
ings, your Council, at the request of that boikv; had a conference
with them on the subject ;..and having received a statement of
their views, have referred We mattr to, the. Commercial Law for further consideration. ' Should the propOsed
amendments be carried out, the Council believe, as far as they
are aisle to judge, that they would materially facilitate the
settlenient of 'cases in which merchants are frequently in-
terested, by expediting the proceedings 'of the court, and
reducing their. cost. .

INTERNATIONAL MARITIME LAW.

Your Council having received_cornmunicationa from mer-
cantile 'bodies in our own and other 'countries, directing the
attention- of their respective• GoVernments to the' *Tor-
twice of,,recognising. the inviolability of ail private property
at sea,. ,in time of „war, have carefully examined, this
question, Mid have ' agreed to Memorialize her , Majesty's
Government, requesting them, either through the intervention
of a European Congress (should one be held) or by direct', com-
munization with other powers. to secure as a, principle of
international slaw, that the immunity..frsua :capture. at see
conferred by the declaVation of the Paris Congress of 1856, on
the 'property of belligerents, not contraband, conveyed in
nentraLvessels, shall be extended to the merchant vessels of
b Alige rents.

CRUELTIES TO SEAMEN.
This question which latterly has become so notorious, has
occupied the consideration of your board, andthey have offered
to co-operate with. the America's Chamber of Commerce •in
preparing a measure which might become the basis of an inter-,
national agreement, giving jurisdiction, on the request of the
representative of a foreign Power, to 'the Courts of each
country over offences committed by the subjeets of such Power
on. board vessels in their ports, or on the high seas it' bound to
their ports.
The !treasure has been submitted to the Foreign Office, and
it •is understood that steps are in progreis for the attainment of
so desirable an end.
wi,surrox OF THE HUSSLA. COMPANY; THE ELBE TOLLS,
AHD THE'EIIINE TOLLS.
On the first Of these questions your council continue
their :efforts. On the second they have agreed to
meinoli,dise Government for their abolition; and on, the
third, they have 'referred a letter recently received from the
Rotterdam Chamber to a special committee, for consideration
and' report. • .

AFFRCTING THR IMPORTATION OF SALT INTO
INDIA ; TIIE RECENT AUGMENTATION OP TUE 17NDIAN. TARIFF

Or IMPORT DtTIES, AND INDIAN ATTAIN., TN GENERAL.
Upon the two fizst of these subjects there is no progress to
repere. With respect•to the augmentation of the tariff, a com-
munication has been received from the ,Boinbay Chamber
snyFesting that no further action should be taken until such
equitable laws have been deviFed as may raise the
revenue .to a near 7equaitv with the 'present heavy
expenditure. Ac to Indian affairs in general, the Bengal
Chamber has invited the support of your council to a petition
to Pa;-iiment for a revision of the mode of conducting the
Administration. The petition has been put in charge ofilic
Manchester Chamber, Whose reports and suggestions thereon
your directors await.

KIIEI93IE:ITS IN 11.11: BRITISH TARIFF OF.I3.!PORT

' From the published report of the proceedings at thelialf-
yearlymeetlng in August last, the members will pereei.'e that
forcible remarks were made by the President -and. Mr. Ewart,
relative to this matter. Your council have further in-
vestigated the subject, and they find (from the Finance
Account: for' the year ending •March 31, 1859) that the
total revenue arising from customs ' duties was, 'in
round numbers, £23,923,000, of which only twelte articles
produced £23,172,000, the remaining £751,000 being derived
from deities on all other articles. In the belief that the repea/,
of these duties, yielding L-751,e00, would greatly 'extend com-
merce, .promote the social comfort of the -comniunity, and
thus benefit the revenue, by increasing the consumption of
duty-paving articles, they 'have memoralised, tt'e Chancel:or,
of the Exchequer for such repeal; and have requested the co-
operation of other-Chambers of Commerce. .1s the matter is
one of great importance, they will be glad to be supported by
a spec:a' resolution of this chamber. .

POST-OSFICE SITE,

Contrary to their expectation, your Council find that the
Government have. entirely given nnthe idea of adopting.the
site inDale-street for a new, Post-office,ly!t they-are informed,
that, 'acthe system of District Post-olic,s in London has
proved so successful, the Postmaster-General has come to.the
conchislon that, a similar system may probably be -extended to
Liverpool with great advantage ,to the public, and which will
obviate the necessity of erecting a new Central Office. Your
Couneil trust that this decision may he acted 'upon at once,
and that it may have as good airesult here as in London.