Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-11-27 00:00:00

N.8.-TURTLE AND VENISON.

MORRISH'S MERC:FIANTS' DINING ROOMS,
Lan caster-bnildinr.s. Liverpool.

ANDERSON'S (LATE) SAINSBURY'S SODA
WATER MANUFACTORY
AND REFRESHMENT ROOM,
22, EXCHANGE-STREET EAST.
SUMMER BEVERAGES:
IMPROVED SKIDLITS POWDERS AND SUPERIOR SCENTED
hAVENDER WATER.
MACKENZIE AND MIDDLEMASS'S CELEBRATED
EDINBURGH BISCUITS.
THE NOTED ROWLEY BISCUITS.
BARCLAY'S STOUT. AND ALLSOPP'S ALES.

THE CHEAPEST HOUSE IN LIVERPOOL.
FOR REALLY GOOD
WATCEIRS AND CLOCKS, GOLD CHAINS,

WEDD NO RINGS, &c., &c.

EUSTANCE,

lE D W A R D
PATENT LEVER WATCH AND CLOCK MANUFACTURER
AND JEWICLLEN,
No. 4, Corner of MANCHESTER-sTEET, DALE-STREET=
LIVERPOOL.

REPAIRS EXZCVTED with skillr.4 ompst.h, Chilies misrate.

EMIGRANT RUNNERS AND BROKERS.

TO CAPTAIN SCOMBERG, R N., GOVERNMENT

EMIGRATION OFFICER.

Sin,—You have had an interview with the Dock Com-
mittee relative to the inefficient working of the Passenger
Act of 1855. You told them it had not answered all your
expectations, and that the only remedy for its atuses was
to abolish the badge and license altogether—that to appor-
tion a dock for tee purpose of landing and embarking
emigrants, and to establish a " Home " for their
temporary residence, was the imperative duty of the
dock trustees.
You have been to a certain extent forced to this step
by the series of articles that have from week to week
been published in the Liverpool Chronicle, and copied thence
into many of the provincial journals, commenting in
unmeasured terms on the working of the Passenger Act,
en the supiness of its administrators at this port, and the
unmitigated rascality of all engaged or connected with
the emigration business.
Everything that could tend to excite the already
prejudiced mind of the public against the brokers and
runners was pictured in the most glaring colours, whilst
even the private biekerings of disappointed and rival
“loafers" were imported into print to furnish a theme for
a column of Billingsgate. All the offensivness of years
has been rakei together, and every atom magnified under
the microscopic eye of the censor of the Chronicle.
Has it ever struck you to examine into this new-born
philantrophy which is sow retailed so cheaply, and to
inquire where it has arisen, and whether it is the off.
spring of charity, or the abortion of self-interest under
the,guise of mercy ? I will endeavour, before I have done,
to point out to you its claims to respect, or rather dis-
espect, and to drag from its back every vestige of the
false garb it is dressed io, and show it to you in all its
naked grossness and deformity.
You are aware that there is in New York a business
which of late years has sprung up, caused by the influx
of emigrants on their way to the west, called the Inland
Forwarding Trade. The railway companies contract with
agents for the transmission of passengers to the interior
at certain rates, much below the current price of the day.
The agents pay all the expenses of soliciting and booking
the passengers, and the railway officials merely collect the
tickets to check with the agent. In the course of time
agencies have been established for that purpose even in
Earopean cities, from which the tide of emigration flows
'westward, ana amongst the number in Liverpool. The
trade has. now become one of such importance, that the
'directors of those railways diverging from New York,
wish to retain it entirely in their own hands, and for that
porpese have adopted every insane that were calculated
to take the business out of the hands of the agents.
The motive for this is obvious. I have before me at
present, a priced list of fares issue 1 by one of those rail-
way companies at New York, and in parallel columns are
given the fares which the agent is to pay the company,
and the prices that he is himself to charge. In order that
you may have an idea of those matters, I will instance a
few of them for your, and the public information.
Agent pays Charges
Railroad. P. ssengers.
New York to Utica
Do. to Buffalo
Do. to Toronto.... 3.75 .
Do. to Port Hope.. 4. 0
Do. to Hamilton.. 4. 0
Do. to Oswega..... 2.61 .......... 4.50
The difference hers is so material to a good dividend,
that we do not wonder the directors and shareholders of
the Railways have a desire to receive the larger instead
of the smaller sum. For the better accomplishing their
object, they hive, under the pretence of protecting the
*migrant, obtained the sanction ?f the local government
of New York (where change of political parties is so fre-
quent, that those in power Make it a point to play into
the hands of their supporters) to the establishment of the
premises, known as Castle Gardens, for the purpose of,
disembarking emigrants, ostensibly for their protection,
bet really for the more effectually getting them into their
own hands, because only certain Companies have access
to the place, and all communication with the public
outside is denied the unfortunates, whom necessity com-
pels to take shelter within its walls.. until such time as
they are In ieadlnetis to be sent off by the emigrant cars,
which generally leave in the evening, and travel all night.
in order more effectually to reach their object, paid
emissaries are to be sent to Europe to endeavour, under
the semblance of philanthropy, to establish institutions,
working in concert with Castle Garden. Some antiquated
apinster of the Press is to be retained to propagate their
writings, and here in this town the emigration officers

are, if possible, to be made the cat's paw, to enable the
railway directors of America, to pull their Castle Garden
chestnut from the fire where it is roasting. The Chronicle
being one of the old lumbering species of vehicle, has
lven almost run off the road by younger and more vigo-
r:ions rivals, and having in connection with it a paper
published weekly, called the European Times, which

circulates largely in America, and is patronised by the
New York directors, and Castle Garden supporters, it is
Therefore ;pressed into the service, having at the same
time a double object in vie w—namely, the serving its
supporters in New York, and obtaining a sort of temv-
ran,' resuscitation in the morbid notoriety its articles on
emigration are obtaining for it. Herein lies the secret of
the Chronicle's philanthropic efforts which must be
received for only what they are worth, and regarded
with suspicion and mistrust.
The writer in the Chronicle sets out by attacking the

runners as a boly, then he attacks the government officers
for licensing them ; next, the small brokers come under
Isis lash ; and lastly, the cloven hoof of the Castle
Garden is permitted to peep out, and the " Home" is
broadly advocated. To each of these subjects I might
devote a letter, but I will content myself by glancing at
them, and give you my opinions on them without pr,•ju-
dice or bias.

The emigrant runners must be divided into two classes.
first, those who, as lodging-house keepers, have for a
Lumber of years been endeavouring, by the careful and
attentive treatment given to emigrants, to build up a con-
Erection of friends in this country and in Ireland upon
which their future living entirely depends ; and second,
Mose who, after years spent in the passenger traffic, have
zso connections in the country, neither do they desire it,

but float upon the surface of the community—the vultures
and cormorants, who prey upon the fair fame of others—

-who pounce upon everything which may affard them a
meal, and abandon it only when it presents nothing further
to destroy.

To at once put a stop to complaints, I will suggest a
remedy, which ycu may adopt or ❑ot as you may think
-well, but, from a matured experience, I think it is the

best yet proposed in the present emergency. Instead of

runners, who are more than the trade requires, issue

licenses to 140, who will be amply sufficient to supply all
the requirements of the business. Let the brokers recom-
mend the men as before, instructing them, however to
Zeturn none but men whom they consider honest, and who
have made connections in the country, because the brokers

know well the character and position of every man in the
trade. Strike off the list the fellows who " loaf" about

the railways and pier-heads, who sneak about the doors of
broker's offices, and prowl around the ship when she is
receiving her passengers. These are the men who bring
disgrace upon the business, who hunt in gaugs an'
recommend each other to the unwary stranger, and
afterwards divide the plunder obtained from him• Seve-
ral of this class received licenses this year after the
greater number were distributed, but I am confident you

did not know the character and unfitness of these men—

o..ie Sayers's and the Derry Chortles of the business—or

you never would have sanctioned them• Let two inspec-

tors be appointed, one for the docks, and the other for
the railways men like Mr. Swaine or Mr. Smith,

'ho superintend the badge-porters, will act honestly and

independently in their situation, will preserve order and
regularity at those places, and prevent improper persons
bolding licenses. Give six men to every large broker,
and three men to each small broker, and the number will
be found sufficient for all useful purpose. You will be
be showing to the runners that the fair and honest treat-
ment of their passengers is the only security for the
renewal of their licences, and these men will become what

it was intended they should be—a protection to the

emigrant.
The case of the small broker is worthy of a moment's
consideration.: You understand it well, but the public

have not that advantage. I will therefore say a word on
this subject, first premising that two thousand pounds
are the amount of the securities for, either a large or a
small broker. The transactions of the small broker
seldom reach three hundred pounds for any single ship,
which must be paid in almost every case before his
pas;engers go on board. He must have contracted with
the large broker before he wrote a single ticket ; and if he
fail to meet his engagements, an instance of which has
not occurred for several years, his securities in the above
-amount are called in to make good his deficiencies.
On the other hand, the large broker may have agents in
America, or in Australia, where large sums are rec3ived
on account of passages; may issue drafts for large
amounts, payable in those countries or in England ; and
when reverses in trade occur, as at the present moment,
tens of thousands of pounds may be involved without a
word being uttered in condemnation of their acts, but
rather commisseration and regret. lam sorry to ray we
have seen some instances of this description, and may see
more yet. The sympathetic souls who would weep over
a seven and sixpenny commission, have not a tear to
bestow on a matter which concerns the wants and feelings
of thousands of unfortunate persons.
Many of the large brokers in this town are also ship
owners, and in the event of the commission now paid being
abolished, they would no doubt benefit to a corresponding
amount. The ship owner here and in America will alone
derive the benefit from it, for I assert that the fare will
not be reduced one penny, but rather advanced, as in
1850, from the absence of that competition between rival
runners, which at present prevails, and tends to keep the
price within reasonable boundi. The scribe of the
Chronicle knows this all well, and he therefore wishes to
propitiate the large brokers by the sacrifice of the small
ones. All this time he has been venting his feigned indig-,
nation against the runners and small brokers, he has
cunningly and conveniently closed his eyes to the fact, that
the large brokers he so much admires have, throughout
these kingdoms, " ageznts" for the purpose of booking pas-
sengers, men who have no license whatever, for whose in-
tegrity collectively the broker is alone responsible, and
who receive the same commission—and sometimes more—
which the runner and lodging-house keeper get here. The
extent of of those agents employed by each broker may be
estimated when I affirm that they vary in number from 50
to 150. If the small broker is an eyesore and an injury to
the trade, why retain these men ? I will tell you—because
they are the instruments in the hands of the largo brokers
and shipowners, and it is the interests of the shipowner
and the railroad director that the well-paid philanthropist
of Castle Garden has come so far to advocate. , But, act
independently, sir, as yon have hith9rto done, where the
small broker is a man of goodcharacter, and can produce
his securities for £2,000, he has as good a right to a
license as any shipowner who ever signed a deed of
Bottomry—provided always that such broker be not
himself a clerk in a passage broker's office, a storekeeper,
or outfitter, as Irregularities frequently occur from, this
pause.

The great panacea of all the evils of the trade, we are
told, is to be found in the " Home," and if tho Dock

Trustees will not consent to erect such a place. the
Murrays and Sallivens of Castle Garden, will go to
Parliament for powers to compel them. Well, we will
suppose an act, sanctioning such an institution to have been
procured, and the " Home " ready to receive its inmates.
What, then ? Simply this—that the Irish emigrant,
sickened as he is with the thousand modes adopted by
ancient dames of both sexes, and hypocritical saints, to
undermine his faith, will look on it as a monster proselytis.
lag affair—will shun its portals with abhorrence, and seek
the humble residence of the man with whom his friends
sojourned before, and by whom they were fairly treated.
The. English emigrant will not enter its doors, because the
very idea of stopping in the same building with the poor
Irish is so repugnant to John Bull's prejudices that very
little support, indeed, may be looked for from that quarter.
In order to be useful, such an establishment must be self-
supporting, blit if, from these causes, it becomes a burthen
on the dock estate, or on the property of the burgesses
and ratepayeis, it must inevitably collapse like a wind-
ball, having served no useful purpose nor furthered any
real object, except that of the cheap philantropists of
Castle Garden.

You now behold what the advocacy of the Chronicle and
its letter is worth. Be not deceived by the smooth and
silky coat and mild accents of the Murrays and (3#Sulli-
vans, for underneath their kind and plausible appearance
lurks a rough and rugged nature, which only puts on the
character of the lamb to suit the purpose of the hour, and
for the more ready attainment of their object. Act as you
have always done, independently and honourably. You
and the gentlemen who act with you are deserving of the
highest praise for the manner in which you have per-
formed your duties. Your conduct has at all times been
characterised by feeling and gentleness, and whilst
earning the gratitude of the emigrant, you have at the
same time succeeded in winning the respect of the captain
and the broker.—l remain, Sir, your obedient Servant,
• Liverpool, Nov. 24, 1857. HIBERNICUS.

MR. W. CONINGHAM, M.P., ON THE INDIAN
CRISIS.

On Monday evening, according to previous arrangement,
Mr. Coningham addressed a large meeting of his consti-
tuents in the Town-hall, Brighton. Mr. William Alger
presided. Mr. Coningham, at great length, entered into
an explanation of his conduct during the past session,
defending the votes he had given on different occasions,
and referring to a few of the most important measures
upon which the House divided. He next adverted to
India, and asked who appointed General Anson head of
the Indian army ? He would say that if there had been
efficient soldiers like Napier, Campbell, Havelock, Neill, and
Nicholson, people with no handles to their names—if they
had been commanders-in-chief when the Meerut mutiny
broke out —he believed it would not have broken—but
even if it had it would have been crushed immediately,
as Sir Charles Napier crushed the mutiny in Scinde
after the war, for which Lord Dalhousie, another of the
aristocracy, sent him back to England for having taken
upon himself to do so, and dared to interfere with his sacred
privileges. And now they have another Governor-General,
another aristocrat, nominated, as all such men have been,
because they were lords, as if that was the only qualification
necessary. In old constitutional countries like England,
any respectable blockhead will do for a monarch (laughter),
but for those who are invested with the control of such a
territory as India, and 200,000 soldiers, it requires a very
different qualification to that of aristocracy. It must be an
aristocracy of brains. Was it not palpable how England
drifted into a war with Russia through incapacity, and has
she net now drifted into a mutiny by the same cause, and
her females massacred, slaughtered, violated, and abused by
a set of ruffians ? That ought not to be allowed to escape
investigation, and the cause of the disasters should be found
out, for they could have been prev,nted. The cause may
partly be attributed to having stripped the country of
European troop-, annexed Oude, and tampered and inter-
fered with the religion of the natives—interfered with that
with which they have no business. On the one hand,
countenance has been given to the superstition of the
natives, and on the other, proselytism has been allowed ;
and the result is that fearful mutiny anti disaffection in
the Sepoy army. That army will have to be re-organised,
but in a different manner to what it has been. Mr. Coning.
ham then reviewed the manner in whioh India had been
governed ; and said he knew it must be ruled with
a rod of iron, but it was also necessary to adminster
justice ; and if the sword was carried in the right hand, the
even balance of justice should be carried in the left. Mr.
Coningham then alluded to the Princess Royal's dowry, and
explained that what he did was in p-otest ; he then referred
to the Dachy of Lancaster ; and concluded by an allusion
to the question of Reform, in the course of his observa-
tions on which he referred to the unequ.l registration of
the country, and gave several items as instances ; among
them were 22 boroughs with a population of 3 780,000,
which returned 42 members, and 22 other boroughs, with
a population of only 100,000, returned a like number;
while the property qualification of Sussex, of £1 169,000
value, returned 18 members ; and that of Middlesex,
velued at £7,293,000, returned but 14 members. Lieut.-
Colonel Fawcett, in a brief speech, moved the following
resolution That this meeting approve of the conduct
of William Conningham, Esq , as one of the members for
this borough, and that they consider him to be worthy of
their confidence ; " which being seconded by Mr. J. G.
Bass, was after some discursory conversation, put and
carried unanimously. A vote of thanks was given to the
chairman, and the meeting separated.

The Emperor of Russia has presented a girl, named
Maria Moltechanoff, aged 10 years, with 400 roubles, as a.
reward for her courage in saving her two young brothera
from destruction during a most destructive fire that
occurred there on the sth inst.

MEETING OF THE DENNISTOUN CREDITORS.

Yesterday afternoon a meeting of Dennistoun and Co.'s
creditors was held at the London Tavern for the purpose
of receiving a balance-sheet, prepared by Mr. Coleman
the well-known accountant, and generally 'to take into

consideration the whole affAirs of the firm. The attendance
was very numerous. Mr. Charles Binney Skinner, of the
firm of Jardine, Skinner, and Co., was called to the chair:
Mr. Coleman read the balance sheet,* included the whole
of the transacti9ns of Messrs. J. and A. Dennistoun, of Glas-
gow, Dennistoun and Co., of Liverpool, DenniStoun,
Wood and Co., New York, and A. and J. Dannistonn, and
Co. of New Orleans. The general statement was as , fol-
lows : on the debtor side were the following items :—To
creditors on open accounts, 91,917/. 10s. Bd. ; ,ditto,
holding security,2l7,276/. Is. 9,i. ; ditto, on.bills payable,
1,833, 4781.3 s 11—liabilities, 2,142,7011 15s 6d; amount
of capital standing to the credit of the several partners,
560,8971 2s 9d; ditto Liverpool Borough Bank shares
cost 208,8731 2s lld ;-769,7701 5s 81; balance of

profit and loss acc)unt, 23,5201 73 5d ; making a
total of 2,935,9921 8s 7d. On the credit side—By
cash in hand, 9,0381 lOs 91 ; couating-houses, fur-
❑iture. &c., 2,5001; produce on hand, 26,3601 ;
bills receivabli on hand, 111,7861 93 3d; debtors in
Great Britain, &e., 213,0131 7s lid; ditto in America,
£1,58,1,215 143 9d; securities with creditors, £187,080

12s 10d; amount to debit of Dennistoun Brothers, and
Co., Australia, £354,345 133 6d—.C2;488,340 93.
Further separate estates of the partners available,
£190,379 16s 81 ; debts doe to the separate partners in
'America, £48,399 ; Liverpool B Tough Bank shares
contra, £208,873 2s 11d; milting £2,935,992 83 7d. The
Claims and assets exhibited the following items on the
debit s'de :—To creditors on open accounts, £91,947
lOs 3d ; to ditto on bills payable, £1,833,478 3s ld ; less
balances to the debit of parties for whose account the
bills are accepted, the principal part of which are
considered good, £1,214,414 53 3d—£619,063 17s 10d ;
creditors partially secured, £177,142 14s lld ; security
held, £142,531 158—£34,610 19s 11d ; creditors fully
secured—security held, .E 44,548 17s 10d; claims,
£40,133 6s 10d—£4,415 lls ; liabilities on bills die-
c)unted, £514,769 lOs 4d, of which it is estimated there
may rank on this estate £50,000 ; making £795,622 8s sd;
on the credit side there appeared, by cash in hand, &c.,
£9,038 lOs 9d ; by counting-houses, furniture, &c.,
£2,500 ; by produce on hand, £26,360; by bills receivable
on-band, £111,786 93 3rl; by debtors, £682,814 17s 51;
by surplus from securities contra, £4,415 lls ; by amount
to debit of Dennistoun Brothers & Co. (Australia),
£354,345 13s 6d—£1,091,261 is Ild; by further separate
estates of the partners available, £190,379 16s 8d ; by
debts due to the separate partners in America, £48,399 ;
making £1
,330,039 183 7d.

Mr. Murray, who appeared for the firms, submitted to
the meeting the proposition of the partners. The parent
firm was upwards of seventy years the house is New
York ; it had existed for fifty years, and that in New
Orleans for 40 years. What the partners proposed in
respect of the English and United States houses was
this, that creditors should receive 3a. in the pound in cash
on the 30th Jan., 1858; 2s. on the 31st July, 1858 ; 35.
on the 31st December, 1858; 4s. on the 30th June, 1859;
4s. on the 31st December, 1859 ; and the remaining 4s.
on the 30th June, 1860; with interest on each instalment
at the rate of 5 per cent. per annum. For the liqui-
dation of the Australian liabilities, the proposal was
this : =6s 81 in the pound in cash on the 30th ,Tan., 1858
3s 41 on the 30th Jane, 1858 ; 5s on the 31st Jan., 1859,
and 5s on the 31st July, 1859, with interest at the rate of
5 per cent. per annum. If these proposals were accepted,
it would be for the meeting to grant letters of license to the
firms to carry out the arrangement. The usual promissory
notes would be giving for the instalments, the ereditors
in return giving up or cancelling their existing notes or
liabilities. The two estates, narnely, the Australian and
the American, would bs kept separate ; all the proceeds
from the Australian house would be kept distihctl3 to meet
Australian liabilities.

Mr. Coleman announced that if these proposals were
accepted, and it should afterwards be in their power to do
so, the firms would anticipate the payments of the pro
missory notes.

On the motion of Mr. Tennant, seconded by Mr. Van
Wart, the proposals were unanimously adopted.
Other resolutions of a financial character were afterwards
passed and the proceedings terminated.

STOPPAGE OF THE NORTHUMBERLAND AND
DISTRICT BANK.
(From the Times City Article.)

An application for assistance to the Bank of England
was declined on Tuesday. The draughts of the District
Bank were returned yesterday morning. The liabilities
are thought to be very great, probably not much less than
£3,000,000, and the general opinion of the character of
their assets is far from favourable. They are understood
to have made enormous advances on collieries and iron
works, and at the time of the failure of Messrs. Carr Bros.,
at Newcastle, in August last, for £720,000, they appeared
as large creditors on that estate--the claim being secured
by a mortgage of extensive coal mines. The last stated
number of shareholders was 408. Terrible distress is
likely to be felt throughout the entire district, and among
all classes. The average weekly amount paid for wages
alone, through this bank, is stated to have been about
£85,000, and it is feared that, by the catastrophe, several
thousand persons will b 3 thrown out of work, The Bank
of England have a branch at Newcastle, and every effort
will be made by them, and also by other institutions, to
mitigate the evil in this respect as far as possible.
A despatch in the Times, dated Wolverhampton, Wed-
nesday night, says —lt was expected that the business
of the suspended bank would be resumed with the New
Year. The district is described as wearing a very gloomy
aspect.

THE EAST INDIA. COMPANY PENSIONS FOR
MILITARY SERVICES.

The Daily News says it is the intention of the Directors
to propose an annuity of £l,OOO to General Sir Archdale
Wilson of Delhi, and also grant two several pensions of
.E3OO to the nearest surviving relatives of the late Generals
Nicholson and Mell. In the case of General Nicholson,
the Daily News believes the pension will accrue to his
mother, and in the case of General Niell to his widow, and
it trusts that Government are prepared to propose a pen-
sion of £l,OOO a-year to General Sir Henry Havelock of
Lucknow, who is a Queen's officer. General Wilson, as
also Generals Nicholson and Niell, were the East India
Company's officers.
The Daily News says, that the intelligence by the
present mail is by far the most cheering that has been
received since the outbreak of the mutiny.
The Times says, that the news will be received by the
country wi h deep satisfaction and relief.

BERLIN, Wednesday.—The Journal de Mayence an-
nounces that the Military Federal Commissioner has
received a proposal to purchase the entire quarter of the
city wherein the explosion has made most ravages, with
all the buildings as they stand, on the basis of their value
before the accident.

THE EARL OF DURHAM'S COLLIERIES.—This noblesaans
who is one of the greatest coal proprietors in England, is
at present making extensive preparations to work several
of his mines with increased vigour. Many of the tensn's
upon his estates in Durham have received noticas to quit,
in order that mining agents and viewers may occupy their
dwelling-houses.

MONUMENT TO THE 23RD WELEIR FIISILEERS.—A,monu-
ment is to be erected to the memory of the officers and
soldiers of the 23rd Royal Welsh Fcsileers, who fell in the
Crimea during the late Russian war. It is to be erected
at tie expense of Colonel Lysons, 25th Foot, late colonel
of the 23rd, and the officers of that gallant regiment, and
is to be placed in the Guildhall-square, at Carmarthen.
The whole will be thirty feet in height,' and formed of
Portland stone, the base being twelve feet square. A hand-
some cast iron railing, in imitation of muskets and fixed
bayonets, is to surround the monument, on the shaft and
pedestal of which will be inscribed the names of every
officer, non-commissioned officer, and the rank and file who
fell during the war, whether on the field or by disease.
This appropriate tribute to a brave and gallant regiment is
to be ready for erection early next year,