Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-06-10 00:00:00

OP LAND ON THE BIRKENHEAD SID

that it be an

to notice

Mr. Boult moved, acoordir
instruction to the works committee not to proceed further

purchase of land at the
i doc'

with the

south side of th

Morpe„_ until the necessity for furtneL
the quay suoulld be practically ascertained. He conteuuea
that, under present circumstances, it was the obvious duty
of the board, in common prudence, not to increase their
stake, at Birkenhead until they had the means of completing
the engagements under whicli they already lay, and until
they could see a safe and certain return for any further outlay
they"might be induced to make. He reminded the board
that there was such a place as Liverpool, and such a set of
persons as Liverpool ratepayers ; and, considering that such
works upon this side as the approaches to the landing-stage,
and the making of improved sheds, the erection of dwellings
for dock gatemen—for which a return would be prompt,
certain, and full—considering that these, and other works
equally important, had been postponed upon financial
of these very Birkenhead engage-

widening

conscq

had an iin
-

ve clai

pet
have to

aeon t

speculation upon. the Birkenhe,ad side, to the tune be
believed of five millions of money. In Liverpool they went
upon the plan of making docks for the trade, but in Birken-
head they would have to make trade for the docks. (Hear,
' ` This had been tried in several places, and had been
" He need scarcely refer to Fleetwood,
other places, to show what the result
been

aLiempts nu, . He, ontended, therefore,
chat'the board ought not to spend at Birkenhead one
farthing more than they were legally bound to spend ; and
that if they were to enter into any other engagements, their
doing - the prospect of remuneration,
whir' ) be eminently uncer-
Ar one they at present

mu depend upon
4.poea to him at present t
tain: With respect to the pytier.
contemplate ~ there appeared to him to be many special
action,ob of a very ser -4'w The ',llorpeth Dock
a,bten opened .t
entrance was 184,

t a very
opened t

The date upon its
y the whole of that
most of the coal

near it was for
part covered with grass, and pools of water. He
lied that, forri yearsii the greater part of it never
ie sixpenceany shape. They were buying that,
any practical'
utterly a howling wilder-
ness,-and for a piece of it, tiiew
tcommittee were paying £2 5s
per yard. The coal yard wag
oethel. removed to the great
float, and he was not aware what trade there was to
be put in its place. A trade might comewca there, but until
they knew at least what that trade
he thought
they would act very unwisely to spend thTTil?re' money upon
of that
uncertain
.contingencies. (Hear, hear.)
aide of
dock was in many parts wider than that at
wtherClecsyt
the Prince's Dock, and he ".houcrht if money
for such a purpose, it was surely more important°tbs spent
o widen
the quay of the Prince's Dock in the first instance. On
these grounds he proposed his motion.-
Mr. Forwood seconded the motion, believing, while he
quite admitted that they were bound to Birkenhead, that
they would pursue a most suicidal course if they laid out
larger sums of money there than they were compelled legally
to do.
Mr. Bold believed Mr. Hartley had stated that, without
this land, he could not carry on any regular communication
with the Woodside basin. Such being the case, he did

was 'Worn
yielded on

Which f

purchased the land in i
suiting the board

committee'

but tl

.u.s to ImmedialelY
offered by auction, and it was extremely desirable that they should purchase that land if they wished to widen the quay.
Under these circumstances the committee had not time to
consult the board, and they therefore instructed their agent
to purchase the land provided it could be had at a reasonable
price. But it had not, yet been decided by the board that
the quay referred to should be widened. The works com-
mittee could not under any ordinary circumstances think of
purchasing any land, even although it bad been scheduled,
without taking the opinion of the board upon it.
The motion was then carried without a division.

f land was bought in
v anything about it.

Woad not hay

brought to the

hat the land v

THE NEW STEAM DOCK

Mr. Wirer moved,

submit a r

based their r

should be 250 feet • Huskisson
wife, instead of
Mr. M'lver, 'at great length, contended that the
xoposed width was inadequate. He reminded the board
hat it was only lately there had been any docks made to
Accommodate steamers. The construction of the Liverpool
docks had done more to keep back the proper advance of
steamers, than anything else he knew. It had cost the
public in that way, an immense amount of money. It
would have been actually far cheaper, if the public had
subscribed to build a proper dock. The construction of
such a 6ck as the present would compel vessels of large
size to go to Birkenhead.

•equested to

with th

Mr -Inman seconded the motion, and observed that the
steam trade had not been consulted as to the dimensions of
the dock. Due allowance had not been made for the
increasing size of steamers. In 1850, with the exception of
the Great Britain, which had a forty-eight feet beam, the
broadest serew-steamer in the port was the Arno, which was
six feet four inches in breadth. The owners of that
vessel were now building screw-steamers of forty feet beam.
several steamers frequenting the port were forty feet in the

twentyl

Mr. Brocklebank said, a contract for the excavation of
the dock had already been entered into and confirmed b•
the board, under which it was to be made 250 fero-
In mat'

they had to consider, not the doe]
DW

1.2; to the

)riated, not foi any

t the port. It was with that con.
the width of this dock had beer

tre contended that, for'all practical p

width of th

dock was

"uu ieulluueu Inc
board that it was six times the width of the largest screw-
steamer entering the port. In support of the recommenda-
tion of the committee, he laid before the board the following
report upon the subject from Mr. Hartley, who was prP
vented by illness from being personally prr
meeting.

nt at the

To the Mt

man of the Works Comm We

Sir,—ln flxin
Iluskisson clod

the width of the proposed branch dock from th
250 feet, I w " -

first, I considered

3 considerations-

of space wa

mainly required, six mut..., would be amply sufficien
and I believe few of them have more than that width of beam
and secondly, I was desirous of so laying down the plan that it
might form a portion of a larger design, that mignt be carried out
upon the slme land at a future time, when the extension of the
trade of the port mi *lit require it. That plan I laid before your
committee at the time I reported noon the subject (3rd Nov., 1858).
and I now forward it to you. You will perceive that the south
quay of the intended dook is shown 150 feet in width, including
the present street; and when it is borne in mind that all traffic
not only to the quay itself, but ti the north side of the Sandor
basin, the Huskisson locks, Customs depot, and the foot paesrn
zers to and from the Cunard establ;
way, I don't think it will -
the width of quay space'
Had we more spa,
what we want -
Then, makir

ishment

r increa

'wo hun

most about our docks of late years is quay space.
,g the centre dock three hundred feet wide, so as to
,in a passage thereby to such dock space as may be constructed
in the lard east of Regent-road and the northern dock, two hun-
dred and fifty feet in width, exhausts all the length of land we
have at the Husk'sson dock. If we were to contemplate making
'each of these docks three hundred feet wide, we must either be
content to contract the widths of the quays between them—which
I think would be bad policy—or we should find that the northern
quay of the northern dock would not only ex rend beyond the line
of the north end of the Huskisson dock, but would also materially
cramp and interfere with the main street and access between the
gr sat portion of the Canada dock and the west side of Huskisson
dock and the town, which must of necessity pass that way. The
cost of widening the dock we are al,out to commence noon, fifty
feet. would be shout £5,000.—1 am, sir, you'r's respectfully,
Dock-yard, June 8, 18.59. JOHN B. HARTLEY.
Mr. Mondell defended the recommendation of the works
committee, contending that the board were only bound to
provide for ordinary trade purposes, and must not he
expected to find special accommodation for vessels of the
Great Eastern class. He did not think they were likely to

see even a second Persia steamer
After a few words from Mr. Rankin and Mr. Laird,
Mr. M'lver replied at great length. In the coarse of
his remarks he represented as an unfonnded assumption
Mr. Mondell's remarks that the owners of the Persia were
not likely to build another vessel of the same size. Finally,
Mr. M'lver consented to accept Mr. Hartley's report as a
compliance with his motion, provided it were recorded on
the books.

The report was ordered to be recorded, and the motion
was then withdrawn.

This concluded the general busine.

HEALTH COMMITTEE.
This committee met yesterday, in the Council-room of
the Town Hall, Mr. Dover presiding. There were also
present —Messrs. Sheil, Beckwith, Stitt, Haydock, Bowring,
'Barton, Crosthwaite, and Gladstone.
The Borough Engineer, Building Surveyor, and Inspector
of Nuisances reported various particulars of the operations
in their several departments during the week, from which,
it appeared that 131 nuisances complained of by the inhabi-
tants have been inspected and means taken to remedy them ;
859 houses in the unhealthiest districts, containing 2,650
apartments and 543 cellars, have been put under examina-
tion, with the view of improving their sanitary condition ;
and 189 lodging-houses had also been examined and
reported upon.

The Chairman said they were to consider the subject of
troughs for dogs at St. George'4 Church.
Mr. Gladstone said he thought it was along the line of
docks.

Mr. Crosthwaite said it was everywhere that it was
necessary.

Mr. Stitt said the one put up was merely as a specimen.
The subject was referred to the committee for general
purposes.

The Medical Officer of Health reported that during the
week ending on Saturday the 21st May, 215 deaths were
registered in the borough, being 22 less than the corrected
average of the same week for the preceding ten years. In
the parish the deaths were 134, in the out townships 81.
The temperature was above the average on every day except
Saturday. The mean for the week was 55 6-10 degrees,
more than three degrees higher than than of the same week
for the thirteen preceding years.
The subject of the proposed seats to be erected was then

taken ❑p

Mr. Gladstone said, a few days ago he had met Mr.
Molly, and he seemed to think that they were opposed to
him in the movement ; but he was not opposed to it, but,
on the contrary, thought it would be desirable to have it
carried out.

Mr. Crosthwaite said Mr. Melly had spoken to him on the
subject, and he said the Council were opposed to him in
every movement, but he left him quite satisfied.
The Chairman said, so far from the Council being
opposed to him, they paid .£6OO .a year for water to the
fountains erected by him.
A man having been killed by a cab knocking him against
the large lamp
in Islington, it was agreed to recommend
that
a railincr, he put round the large lamps, as opposite the
Adelpbi Hotel.
A letter from James Molyneux, in reference to a cattle
trough being erected on part of his property, which he

not think it made much difference whether the land was
bought now or in a year hence. He believed Mr. Hartley
had informed the works' committee, and given it in evidence
before a committee of the House of Commons, that he could
not make the work efficient without the additional piece of
land.
Mr. Brocklebank did not think Mr. Hartley's evidence
went so far, nor did he see the absolute necessity for taking
immediate possession of that piece of land. He
went to a certain extent with Mr. Boult in thinking it un-
desirable to purchase land not immediately connected
with the works until they could see a little further before
them. Before any such land, however could be purchased,
it would be fully discussed by the committee, and laid
before the board. He was quite opposed himself to their
purchasing any land more than absolutely necessary. (Hear,
hear.) _

Mi. Laird quite agreed in Mr. Boult's resolution. He
thought the board would be doing wrong if they undertook
any purchase of land, or laid out a penny upon the Birken-
head side, beyond what was practically required. As one
connected with Birkenhead, he did not ask the board for
any favour, or to do anything beyond what they were legally
bound to do. If this land were not actually required, it
would be spending the money of the trust wilfully and
wastefully to buy it. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. Inman remarked, that a p
another instance before the board
The Chairman said, the

considered a nuisance, was referred to the Public Con-
venience Committee.
The memorial from the inhabitants of Duke-street,
in reference to the state of that street, between Berry-
street, and St. James's-cemetery, was referred to the Tues-
day's committee.
Mr. Crosthwaite brought before the notice of the com-
mittee, the fact of a Aluisance existing in Everton-road,
arising from the drainage flowing above the surface.
It was stated that some of the owners had called to say
that they would haveit remedied at once.
This was all the business.

-SECOND EDITION.

NORTHERN TIMES OFFICE, FRIDAY, 9 A.M,

*THE WAR IN ITALY.
The Times has received the following telegram
from its Vienna correspondent, dated

sate`
' VIENNA, Thursday Afternoon, 2 o'clock.—lt is
creditably stated that General Gyulai has been
dismissed, and Field-Marshal Hess appointed Com-
mander-in-Chief. The Austrians are retiring on the
Adda, where they will offer the allies battle."