The Sun.
London, England, 1865-01-23 00:00:00

Liverpool Cotton Brolcailf,
Spiniteic

p:s

The Lancashire Cotton Sp'
just issued to the trade some col•res en with
the Liverpool Brokers' Association, together with
some statements which are exciting a good deal of
attention at the present moment.
of
It a
passed a series of resolutions proposing
Octoberppers last
that former bodyat
that in mat-
ters of dispute between spinners and brokers, in-
stead of referring them for arbitration to two
brokers, as at present, the spinners should choose
one arbitrator, and the broker the other ; that the
practice of stripping the thin canvass off bales and
recovering them with thick and much heavier can-
vass, was a fraud and should be abolished ; that
the price allowed for returned cotton should be the
price paid for it, and not the price of the day when
returned, and that cotton now restricted to return
to three months (though formerly .12) should be
returnableand damages claimable within six months.
These resolutions were sent by Mr. M: Fitzgertdd,
the secretary to the Liverpool Cotton Brokers' As-
sociation, with the expression of a hope that they
would see the reasonableness and fairness of the
propoSitions. On Nov. 11 Mr. Studley Martin,
secretary to the brokers, replies, intimating that all
further communications had better not come direct,
obfruortketpehrrslaocwuingaghs the Manchester Chamber of Commerce.
Three resolutions were enclosed, in answer to those
brokers
the spinners, affirming that the arbitration of tv 0
thethe
thin
most
canvas satisfactory
on
bales; t hoaft
cottonthe w
practiceh
•
thick was one not countenanced by the Brokers'
Association, and was an evil which would cure itself ;
ancl the. d - utiou •\:`" talii gno the -
itnh ata
arbitrationcotto nb rforyko ism
itt
his
Pr labekfutiocifwulasses to
eldifigedeotofbe a reply) says
Fitzgerald
n ersgrtheive ea
g reforwardedcustomttdine
mlBthAe ;f-r.
cisi
tahneathrearder.esolOuntioNn Nov.
t the
ne
g
reply of the brokers had been so unsatisfactory, and
wishing to know whether they intended adhering to
their intimation not in future to recognise the Cot-
ton Spinners' Association. Up to Dec. 5 this com- •
munication was not even acknowledged, and then
Mr. Fitzgerald wrote again. On the 16th Mr.
Martin writes that the brokers had not thought it
desirable to hold a meeting specially in reference to
the subject, and saying, " You will please, there-
fore, accept the former reply." Having been thus
handsomely snubbed, the cotton spinners, on whose
committee are some of the leading firms of Lanca-
shire, including Messrs. James Marshall and Edward
Howard, Stockport ; G. Lord, Tolmorden ; J. J.
Jackson, Blackburn ; T. Thomasson, Bolton ; N.
Eckersley, Wigan ; F. Rayner and H. Mason, .
Ashton ; Woods, Wigan ; and D. Clarke and B.
Armitage, Manchester, have issued circulars con-
taining some facts and suggestions. Among the sug-
gestions is one as to whether it will not be better in
future to employ buying brokers unconnected with
the association, and men who would pledge them-
selves to act strictly for the buyers' interest. They
say there can be no doubt that many of the ASso-
ciated brokers act both for sellers as well as pur-
chasers of cotton, thus fostering high prices and the
operations which for the last two years have kept
cotton at a price totally inconsistent with that which
would have ruled had the market been governed
simply by supply and demand. They calculate the
brokerage paid in the last year by spinners on
1,631,850 bales of cotton at £285,758, while the
profits on spinning have been absolutely nil ; and to
prevent brokers from becoming so deeply interested
in high prices (against the interest of the spinners
who employ them) suggest payment by weight in-
stead of the commission on price. They express an
opinion that, at all events, this large payment ought
to have secured to spinners the best services of the
Liverpool cottonbrokers. Among other grievances
they mention that cotton being so much dearer than
formerly, spinners are paying now, when they can
least afford it, five times as much per bale for the
same services as they did formerly ; that a broker
acting in the double capacity of buyer and seller dis-
sociates the interest of the spinner and the broker
who represent hint,, and re,siLthat. brokers.. ought _
to be diifinetly either litiYing or selling broker •
speculator being allowed to act as -broker, and that '-
such broker issue his own circular advising his cus-
tomers, instead of the Association circulars. They
point out that the Spinners' Association succeeded in
obliging the brokers to abandon the rule refusing
any allowance for false packing, and direct atten-
tion to the particulars of a trial at Birkenhead on
Dec. 8, in which Messrs. Partington and Allan, the
spinners' attorneys, recovered from Mr. Taylor, of
Oldham, £5 10s. from Mr. F. N. Good, a Liver-
pool broker, for false tare. On seven bales of cotton
the defendant had allowed 2 qrs. 251 b. for tare, but
the stuff in which the cotton was packed weighing
401 b. more he claimed a deduction of 2s. 4d. per
lb. the price of the cotton, and the Court gave a
verdict for the full amount.

MR. LEITCH RITCHIE. —ln OUT Thursday's obi-
tuary was recorded the death at East Greenwich,
on Monday last, of this well known author and amiable

and estimable man. In Edinburgh, where Mr. Ritchie re-
sided for several years while acting as literary conductor
of Chambers's Journal, the announcement will cause a pang
of sympithy and regret to every one who knew him. Of
quiet, retiring disposition, and occupied entirely in literary
pursuits, Mr. Ritchie had no large circle of friends ; but by
that select, if small, number, he was respected and loved as a
genial and cheerful companion,accomplished and well read,
of kindliest and most gentlemanly manners and feelings.
As an author, Leitch Ritchie enjoyed an extensive reputa-

tion, originally acquired by some fortunate hits early in
life, and which his industry and perseverance, combined
with his true natural talent and excellent taste, enabled
him steadily to sustain throughout some 40 years of hard
literary labour. In the " Men of the Time" it is stated that
he was barn in Greenock "about the beginning of the cen-
tury," but if this be correct he looked a much older man
than he was—an effect, probably, so far, produced by the
wear and tear of his constant application to letters, and
heightened by the infirmity of deafness, by which he was
for many years afflicted. His tale of " Wearyfoot Com-
mon," originally published in Chanthers's Journal, is that by
which readers of the later generation will best remember
him.—Scotsman.!

A LONG CAPTIVITY.—The Abeille of Fontaine-
bleau gives the following account of the return of a
French officer after 32 years' captivity. This officer, Cap-
tain Brunel, of the 20th Regiment of the Line, was taken
prisoner in 1831 by the Arabs in Algeria,, and, nothing fur-
ther having been heard of him, he was supposed to be dead.
It appears that he was at one moment very near being be-
headed, but was ultimately taken 300 leagues into the in-
terior, whore he was for long years employed as a herdsman,
and never found any means of communicating with his farni.r
or country. But during the late Arab insurrection, when !
men capable.of bearing arms had left the tribe, hemo mounted
many days;
embarked orr
a camel and effected his escape. After riding
he reached the west coast of Africa, and there embarked
Carthagent
a Maltese vessel, which landed him
(Spain). Thence Captain Brunel
where be received
joined his regiment in garrison at Dijon, .
to proceed to
the necessary documents to enable
Paris and regularise his position;
EE
PRISONERS
FROI
DARING ESCAPE OF proacteeded to France,
three prisoners made
1 l aar
ypt Liverpool,
andin g a
Their
and Banks. M‘khane was
their escape from the main
it
Thursday
yaiof
night,TllE LlVERPOOLorearlyecharged
g yesterdaycßd Rwi morning,Efbowr
bridewell
dE i ibeLwure.
ig-
aggravated case;
under remand,
for •
Banks was under remand
. and Murray WaS imprisoned a serious assault
31"i:tr.:stabbing an
pnlaamtee,s are WShano,
upon the police. It is stated that Murray had pre-
viously escaped from the Lunatic Asylum at Rain-,
hill. tTheso three men were confined in se-
s managed
ot h e
rr be who
been
n : —previouslyo
broken,
paratecells, upon the same corridor, in the higher
part of the building, and, as far as can be ascertained,
thus
thev
r i
eneTchu epie
d wickettherof :
This man must have contrived 7e e 1
the cells, was
N boy
No.
19, had
oot their eewi rof h
was
s tess
hdto secrete some instrument
by which he was enabled to open or pick the lock of the
cell door. These locks
are generally considered very
secure, and it is quite a mystery what means can have
been adopted for opening the one in question. Having
got into the corridor, the man must have, with the same
instrument, opened the locks of the two adjoining cell;
in which the other two prisoners were confined. Under
ordinary circumstances it would have been impos-
sible for them to have got further than the corridor in
which they now found themselves, but, unfortunately,
there was at the time in course of construction, and incom-
plete, a lift or hoist intended to convey food from the higher
to the lower part of the building. Tho men, by this means,
were able to make their way to the ground floor, outside '
the bridewell building, but within the walls of the yard.
They then contrived to scale a lofty wall which separates
this yard from the police fire station, and thence made their
way
into the street. The wicket of the fire station was
found open soon after the escape was discovered. The
bridewell keepers were on duty as usual when the prisoner::
got away. Murray has been captured. He states that
b.
RIM
M'Shane picked the locks with a wire, and that WS
and Banks have gone to Manchester.