Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-08-10 00:00:00

who have had no experience of a battle-field, nor
ever smelled powder. And Mr. SYDNEY HERBERT
has shown a statesmanlike mastery of all the
details of military reform, These are good
auguries for the future, only we must not remit
our efforts, but keep the Government up to the
working point.
Already, under the pressure of public opinion,
led on by General EVANS, Ministers have con-
ceded that all staff appointments shall be pre-
ceded and earned by competitive examinations.
Other appointments also, are open to competition.
And before the young officers who aspire to the
higher posts in the army are admitted to the
Military College, they must have continued some
years with their regiments, in order to test their
powers : they must have proved themselves to
possess those physical and mental qualities which
are necessary to command. If any considerable
part of this be accomplished, it will produce the
most beneficial results to the nation. To the
genius of Humanity it may seem deplorable that
a great nation should, at this hour of the world's
civilisatiAL be intent on improving its machinery
of destruction. We bewail this sad necessity as
sincerely as any member of the Peace Society ,
but while the impulses of the savage hold such
sway in the breasts of the so-called civilised,
those establishments of destruction which we
call armies will continue to be necessary ; and
so long as they are necessary, we must try to
render then efficient for their designed purpose.
On the score of economy as well as of mercy, an
army should be made as effective as possible.
Its effectiveness is vastly increased when it is
something more than a mass of animal courage
pcecipitating itself on the foe—when that living
mass is directed by mind trained and disciplined
to duty—when each soldier has learned to
respect himself as a man—and the officers and
commanders are as much raised above the men
in training and accomplishment as they are in
military rank. This is our ideal, and toward
this we must work, till that golden age of the
future shall come when armies of devastation
shall be exchanged for armies of industry, and
the Napoleons of Peace shall be more glorified of
the nations than the Napoleons of War.

I'll, Mersey Conservancy Bill is in a fair way
of being arranged. The proceedings of Friday,
before the Lords' Committee, n►ay be thus sum-
marised. And here we would premise that,
considering the delicate and difficult character
of the affair, too much credit cannot be given to
the deputation sent up by the Council to watch
over the interests of the town and trade of
Liverpool. They met a hostile majority in the
House of Commons ; nevertheless, they were
animated by the remarkable motto of Cardinal
RICIIELIEU—"Never say fail." They fought
with manly vigour against the bill, and so
managed that, without calling a single witness,
their Lordships' committee refused to recommend
the wholesale principle of spoliation contained
in the measure. This, as a water of course,
induced. the.promotets of the bill to listen to
reason, and compelled them to come to terms.
Accordingly, on Friday, Mr. CALVERT, for the
promoters, made a statement to the effect that
the parties for whom he was engaged had
accepted the terms offered by the Corporation as
regards the Town Dues. For this surrender of
the Anchorage and Town Dues the new trust
are to guarantee the Corporation the sum of
1,500,0001. This, computed at 4 per cent. per
annum, is equal to 60,0001. a-year. For this
the Corporation are to complete the new landing-
stage in front of the Prince's Dock, but when
finished the charge of maintenance, as well as
that of the Observatory, is to be defrayed by the
new dock trust. It is also to pay all costs and
charges connected with the conservancy of the
port of Liverpool, as well as that relating to the
Wallasey or Leasowe embankments. The new
trust are to complete, or guarantee the payment
of the cost of completing, the Birkenhead dock
extension. For the North Reserve the sum of
125,0001. is to be allowed. The Great 'Western
Railway Company are to be secured a plot of
land, measuring 40,000 square yards, between
the Egerton and Morpeth docks and the quay of
the low-water basin. It is also proposed that
any further railway accommodation required
now or for the next ten years at Birkenhead,
shall be, in case of dispute, made the subject of
arbitration. The Parliamentary Committee wisely
add to their proposition that they will not be
bound by any other bill which does not recognise
these principles and guarantees.
Such are the leading features in the terms
proposed by the Corporation. The Dock
Trustees assent to the abolition of the Town
Dues for 1,500,0001., and concedes to the Great
Western Railway Company all rights, if any,
upon the South Reserve. They propose that
existing creditors shall have priority over the
dock funds, by virtue of the 46th clause of the
bill. They also go for an abolition of govern-
ment nominees on the dock trust, and disallow
vote by proxy. The proposition of Mr. CALVERT,
Q.O , on behalf of the promoters of the bill, does
not contain anything diametrically opposed to
the terms offered by the Committee of the Liver-
pool Corporation. They insist upon the imme-
diate completion of the works at Birkenhead,
and that any difference as to plans, &c., which
may be agreed upon between Mr. HARTLEY and
Mr. BRUNEL, and sanctioned by the Board of
Trade before the Ist of OJtober next, shall be
adopted and carried out. The South Reserve is
to be appropriated generally to railway purposes.
Permission is given for the law, courts to decide