The Sun.
London, England, 1851-04-05 00:00:00

Dated the 3d day of April, 1851.

BANKING DEPAZTKILIf To

Proprietors'capital.. 14,553,000
Rest ... -.. • ....... 3,622,726
Public deposits (in-
cluding Exchequer,
Commissioners of
National Debt; Say-
ings-banks, and D-
ividend accounts).. 8,999,861
ther deposits ...... 9,266,234
Seven day and other
8i115........ •• •• • . 1,031,416

iGovernment secnri-

ties (Including Dead
Weight Annuity) .. 14,145,260
Other securities • . 14,063,963
Notes ••••- • • • •. 8,694,275
Gold and silver coin.. 689,769

£37,493,257

£37,493,267
:. MARSHALL, Chief Cashier.

Dated the 3d day of April, 1851

THE DOCKS OF BIRKENHEAD.
(From the Liverpool Albion.)
We announced in our last number that a negotiation
had been entered upon between the Liverpool Dock
Committee and certain parties interested in the
docks, warehouses, and other property at Birkenhead
for a purchase of the latter, and we advocated the
propriety of such an arrangement on fair and
equitable terms. We now learn that the offer made
on behalf of the Liverpool Trust was not regarded
by the Birkenhead authorities as of a nature to be en-
tertained, and that for the present, consequently, the
negotiation has fallen through. Much comment has
occurred during the progress of the attempt ;
but, although in some degree we coincide with some
of their remarks, we cannot agree in the conclu-
sions of some of our contemporaries, that the bargain
was likely to be a disadvantageous one to Liverpool,
especially if there exists among the party who are now
advocating a change of the Liverpool Dock manage-
ment a sincere desire to provide for the growing wants
of the trade of the Mersey.
We believe we can also confirm the statement made by
a contemporary that the offer of the Liverpool Dock
Committee was equivalent to about ID. to 12s. in the
pound; the capital represented being about 2,000,0001.—
when the outer works and all are completed at Birkenhead
—to be paid for in Liverpool bonds, without interest for
the first three years, and subject to a graduated scale of
interest afterwards. It must, therefore, be evident that
the Liverpool Dock estate would at once come into pos-
session of a valuable property, subject only to an imme-
diate expenditure for completing-the outer works, already
included in the aforesaid estimate of 2,000,0001., with:a
large portion of the docks and land immediately
available for the purposes of revenue, whilst the pur-
chase-money would not be paid in money, but in Liver-
pool-dock bonds, thereby cementing Birkenhead inte-
rests with the genera welfare and progress of the town
and port, instead of converting them into dangerous
rivals. It therefore resolves itself into a question
whether it is desirable to, purchase the Birkenhead
estate at a moderate rate of interest, or to expend a
further sum-be'l,ooo,ooo/. in providing accommodation
on this aide to compete with Birkenhead.
In order to show what the Birkenhead estate, so called,
will realty consist of, we have collected the following
particulars, which may not be familiar to many of our
readers:—
Dock Space—About 200 acres, suitable for the largest
class of ships frequenting the port, with some four miles
of quay space when the port is entirely walled in.
Land-700,000 to 800,000 square yards, including the
South Reserve, secured by the Act of last session,
200,000 yards—Herculean Dock, with facilities for dis-
charging on both sides of the river at ene rate.
Warehouses—Some eighteen or twenty excellent
warehouses, ready to receive goods and merchanadi
joint-
stock all kinds.
The whole of the above is actual property—the water
space a freehold belonging to the bondholders, under
trust, and the land to the dock company, as
concern ; and every provision is now making
by both concerns to meet the requirements of trade, by
the erection of sheds, cranes, and other conveniences,
on the most approved modern principles; besides which
there is on the dock company's land one of the finest
mahogany sheds in the kingdom, in frill operation; and
the wharf walls on their land are built, or build-
ing, as far as Wallasea-bridge, one entire side of the
com-
munication.
portwhilst direct railway communication exists over
the entire quays, a
; and the Chester and Birkenhead Rail-
wayy are completing their private station on
ethcieuauemCa:rignin Company
the docks, which will probably not be
for maritime a combination of aritime and internal
To suppose that such a magnificent property could
remain unproductive, or that it
ridiculous.w It appearsould not yield a fair
return on the investment, is
to us that so far from it being a drawback on the
Liverpool revenue,
it would
character
of ueh
the more l
partieskef nl y to
e
o-
assist it. The well-known chcte
gotiating for shrewdness and ability, as well as o
they would enter into no bargain likely to be detrimental
n
esty ofr pose , ought to be sufficient guarantee thath
to the interests of Liverpool.
Looking to the rapid advancement of the port, there can
mscoadrcaetiloynboer
tandisomubatgitihitaut.iwater space and storage accom-
'e:ZB e t
o e xfe b
fluence for the future, and, spite of opposition, Birkenhead
must in time derive a fairu snee
.o n
It
ei
sr,a
tbhl ee
ri
en
therefore, simply a question whether the Birkenhead
estate would be more valuable to the commerce of the
country in its present position or as an adjunct to Liver-
pool. Opinions may differ in this respect, but not as to
Dirkenhod having the power for miliebiet, with her

arge amount of water-space at so small a comparative
cost with Liverpool.
As regards the merits of the Bill now before Parlia-
ment for alteration of the Liverpool Dock Trust, much
may be said. It is admitted that there has been a large
expenditure of money for dock purposes, with compara-
tively small results in the way of accommodation, and
we cannot see that this defect in management would be
likely to be improved by thetrust reverting to the parties
under whose charge the evil originated, and whose dis-
appointed ambition has probably instigated the present
movement. We contend that the prosperity of the
town and of the docks are one, and that this end is more
likely to be promoted by the management remaining in
the hands of the burgesses and other permanent inha-
bitants of Liverpool than in that of an ephemeral mer-
cantile class, who, in many instances, are only accidental
ratep►►yers. Cheap dock accommodation is very desir-
able, but it is not the only thing that has contributed to
the successful development of what is now the first port
in tho empire. Any false move in the dock estate ma
nagement that would be likely to reduce the receipts
below the liabilities, injure the credit of its bonds, and
stop a future supply of money, would be more fatal than
taking the Birkenhead estate on reasonable terms and
making it subservient to the increasing wants of com-
merce, shipping, and various trades now suffering for
want of suitable localities.