The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-03-06 00:00:00

DOCK COMMITTEE.

The it;nril:vfeekly meeting of this Committee was held
at oue o'clock yesterday, Mr. Charles Turner in the chair.
The other members present were Messrs. Robinson,
L ankh', Brocklebank, Chaloner, Gladstone, James trolme,
Barber, Anderson, Hubback, Mondell, Bold, Smith,
Rathbotie, Hothead, and Evans.
The Sub Committee of Works recommended that the
tender of Mr. Nathaniel Cox be accepted for tin plates,
and that of Mr. Edward M'Cormick for cotton cleaning
waste. The Sub Committee also recommended that about
.890 square yards on the south side of Li ghtbody street be
lot to the Drogheda Steam Packet Company, Mr. Wil-
liam M'Elroy agent, instead of the landthey were vitting,
to' accommodate the Bridgewater trustees, to be liable to
removal at six months' notice at any time, to be stir-
rounded by a wall at the expense of the dock trustees.
The recommendations were coafii med.

In the marine department, the death of Mr. Thomas
Formby, one of the crew of the Formby life boat,
&owned while fishing, w3s reported. A sketch was also
.I.roduced showing an alteration iii the house at the Point
(If Ayr, by which it was to be divided into two, for the
'reception of the captain of the life boat with his family,
and the mate with his family. The estimated expense
was .0130. The recommendations were confirmed.
The Harbour iliaster's committee recommended that
the shed on the west quay of the Trafalgar dock should
be leogihr nod about fifty feat southwarls, to give better
accommodation for two lines of steamers using the berth:
The 'estimated cost was £220. The alteration was
agreed to.
The same Committee reported that the graving blocks
:ntitside the King's pier were now ready for use ;
and also produced a report of the working of the coal
rlro 's 'n the Bramley Moore dock from which it appeared
that 1776 tons had been loaded during the past month.
Mr. Barber said, they would never pay at that rate.
The Chairman said, they were only coming into use
now. They wire capable of loading a ton a minute.
Mr. Barber expressed some doubt whether so much
could be done.

Mr. Hartley said, they had put coals on board at that
rate.

Mr. Brocklebank said, he hal had an assurance from
one of the principal c)al proprietors, that the drops
would soon come into very general use, and be a great
boon to the coal trade.
The Sub-committee also recommended that 2s a week,
for ttvo years, should be given in ail of the two youngest
children of Henry Hudson, piermaster, who was drovvred
while in the employment or the committee, and who had
been twenty7one years ►n their service.
Arr. Robinson thought Is a week to each of the children
was very small.

Mr. liolme : It i 3 not parish allowance. I would
eithe'r give thetn none at all or I would give them more
thin that.

Mr. Smith mid in all recent appointments persons
were dtstinetly given to understand that no allowance
whatever would be made under any circumstances. t
was because this man was one of the old servants who
wore ..;niployed when no such arrangement existed that
tb.d exception was made.
The recommendation was finally ccrlirmed.
A letter from Messrs. J. W. Fairelough and Co.,
applying for a crane at the north side of the Canning
basin, was. referred to the Harbour Master's COM.
Miztee

letter from Mesirs. Price and Case, applying to
knowlwhere they might embark and disembark passengers
ind cargo when carrying on the summer trade with
NV'ales, wes referred to the Harbour Master's Committee.

A. letter was read from Mr. Owen Callaghan, agent for the
Wstletown, Lle of Man, Steam Navigation Company,
asking_where passengers were to be received and landed
from the time their present accommodation at the Prince's
Pierhead had to be given up for the purpose of mooring
the newlanding stage, until that work was completed.
• Mr. Hartley said the work would be commenced the end
of :his month, and would be completed in four mouths. The
teeth end 'of Prince's parade might be appropriated for the
purposes of steamers, in the meantime, it the Committee
thought fi'.
Thee. Oplication.was referred to the Harbour Master's
'CI-ErAttter was read from Messrs. Gibbs Bright & Co,,
:urging on the General Committee their claim to a remis•
Moo of portion of the charge for dock dues upon the Great
Britain, which was refused by the sub committee, The
e:rcemstances on which the claim wes founded were that
the Great BAtain want into the Gavin deck for some
retiairs, being then registered at 1,450 tons, according
to- the olUmeaserement. While in the dock, one of
the deck houses was s!ightly altered, so as to make it a
poop, this however not having been the purpose for which
she went into look, nor occupying any additional space of
the doci. When the new register wes taken, her
tonnage was increased in consequence of this alteration
273 tons. The sub-committee raised the charge for
graving dues £l9, and from this amont exemption was
chimed, the writers, nreing that in this instance the
original amount of charge only ought to have been made.
The opinion of several members appeared to be that the
claim was well founded, and the letter was accordingly
referred to-the Harbour Master's Committee to consult the
solicitor as to the law.

Mr. idondelisaid, however that particular question might
be decided, it would form a good ground for applying to
Parliament to have the system of charging the dues altered.
The number of feet and the length of a vessel in the doe!:
should be the only principle upon which to charge the dues
(Hear, hear.)
Mr. Evans : That would be rather hard in the case of a
Rat. (Hear, bear. and laughter.)
Mr. Mendell believed Mr. Evans had hit upon the only
instance where it would bear unjustly.
A lAter was read from Mr. Brougham, honorary secretary
of the Reformatory Association, asking whether the Akbar
would be required to go into the river daring the alterations
in the Birkenhead docks.

Mr. Hartley said it had always been understood that she
should go into the river, but there would be no necessity
for her going before the let June next.

The petition of JD3eph Formby, of the Formby lifeboat,
two of whose sons had been drowned at different times,
applying for an allowance from the committee, in eonse-
queue° of old age, was referred to the Marine C mmittee.
A letter was read from Messrs Hugh Mackay & Co., com-
plaining of having been summoned before the magistrates, for
using lights on board the Sea Lion while being repaired in the
Brunswick dock, which they contended were only used in
accordance with the rules.

The.Surieyor said they had neglected to apply for special
permission, and it was quite their own fault.
- No action was taken upon the letter.
This closed the general busineas.