The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-03-29 00:00:00

IMPROVEMENT OF BRITISH INDIA.

A meeting of the bankers, merchants, and manufae.-
turers of Manchester was held in the Town-hall, ore
Tuesday, to consider what suggestions that community
ought to make to Government or to Parliament for the
better development of the resources of British India, and
the consequent amelioration in the condition of the people.
A petition was adopted, embracing certain suggestions
which the Government were urged to adopt in any enact-
ment for the future Government of India, which they
might introduce. The principal of these suggestionS
were :

1. That it be regarded as the imperative duty of the
Government of India to, promote the cultivation of the.
soil, and to remove all obstacles which impede the progrea
of industry.
2. That beyond making useful experiments, the Go-
vernment should not be permitted to become cultivators,
manufacturers, or traders.

3. That in conducting their financial operations, the
Government should be forbidden to become purchasers of
any kind of produce on their own account, or to receive by'
hypothecation produce purchased by any other party.
4. That the Government be compelled to expend it
portion of the revenues collected in India in the develop-
ment of the resources of the country, as well as to afford
every facility for its profitable occupation ; that, with
this view, such public works• should be promoted as are
calculated to facilitate intercourse with or improve the
physical condition of the population, to increase the pro-
duction of cotton and other valuable raw materials, a 3
also to encourage a system obgeneral industry.
5. That ten per cent. of the revenues of India be ap-
plied to the public works above alluded to.
6. That the application of the portion of revenue
allotted to useful public works•be under the control of
" Board of Works," established and conducted in India,
the members of which should, have full, extensive, but
defined powers, and be nominated jointly by the im-
perial Government and the Indian executive.
7. That the Government should give every facility for
the permanent occupation of land, by removing the ob-
lections so often urged to a fluctuating land-tax, by en-
couraging the purchase, for cultivation, of the waste and
other lands of India, and by, giving such certainty of
tenure as will ensure he safe application of capital to the
universal cultivation of the soil._

8. That prompt attention be paid to the removal of
°vita no.r cxiating in India, I.o2loCtflicnt, upvu 4110 uncel'
tainty of the due administration of justice, and the pre-
7ailing ignorance of the people.
9. That an annual detailed= report on all East India
affairs should, as was formerly done, be laid before
Fiarliament by a Minister of the Crown.

The meeting was addressed. by Mr. T. Bazlev,
Presi-
dent of the Chamber of Commerce, Mr. J. A. Turner,
President of the Commercial, Association, J. Bright.
M.P., H. Ashworth, and other gentlemen. It waS
agreed to transmit copies of the petition to the various
commercial and manufacturing bodies of the United
Kingdom, in order that a joint deputation might be
formed to the President of the Board of Control.

UNION OF THE LIVERPOOL AND
BIRKENHEAD DOCKS.

At the meeting of the Dock Committee on Thursday.
Mr. C. TURNER, M.P., presided. In reg rd to all
invitation from the Town. Council to consider the subject
of establishing a superannuation fund, a long an&
interesting discussion took. place. A resolution to the
effect that no superannuation fund was called for, wag
carried by a majority of 10 to 64

The CitAIRM-AN said thatwe-a all the general business:
but he had a subject to. mention, a matter of importances
before the reporters retired. During his stay in London,
he had had several conversations with Sir Joseph Bailey in
reference to the dock estate, and, during those conver-
sations, a strong opinion was elicited that the dock estates
on both sides of the water should be under one manage-
ment. It went to this extent, that Sir Joseph Bailey
expressed his opinion that it was very desirable a small
sub-committee of that committee should be appointed,
t Turner's)disguise, ohpei nt (
him his opinion was, that,, if terms could be arranged
r 1
to confer with those interested on the other side of the
water, with the view of seeing if any terms could
opinion
dhnisotPlingr . o
satisfactorily, the committee and parties in the town
thought it would be desirable that all dock affairs on the
individually
; H
and,,
dh,ad as ahsek eht
Mersey should be under one managemeet. And he thoughts
if the committee agreed with him, that Sir Joseph
Bailey's recommendation should be adopted, and that a
small sub-committee should be appointed. Of course the committee would not be bound by them, but they
could draw up some arrangement which could be submitted.
Mr. BARBER asked the chairman if it was a casual con-
versation, or if Sir Joseph Bailey had communicated with
him in an official capacity ?
The CRAIRMAN said he had met Sir Joseph Bailey
many times, and at one of those meetings, in 'the lobby
of the House of Commons, he had asked him his opinion
upon, the question of the dock estates of the Mersey.
He had seen him several times, and this had alwayS
formed the subject of conversation.
MT. BARBER.—You think that Sir Joseph Bailey suf-
ficiently represents the dock interests at Birkenhead to
open the door to negotiation ?

. ..
The CHAIRASA.N.—He stated that he could commit
nobody, but his candid opinion was that, if a committee
were appointed, terms might be come to. •
Mr. GLADSTONE.—What is the state of the Birken-
head dock affairs. Is this application informs pauperisr
contractthey
sawra c t
their
The CHAIRMAN did not think that. They had a con-
oßrrasstsaeteydtothfienyisdhidcerstoa,ina worksfter th%and
was finished, of raising further money to proceed with
um wort. ‘ but
twith
way, M r
they thought it desirable, also, that the
whole of those wink. cd....ia bo under ono buniag.cnt,
.
and not in rivalry.
Mr. EvANs.—What does " one management mean ?"
Let usunvdAeNrsst.a_nTdhite.nlswihtetthaits we
hareusteo
of purchasegoing them'
The CHAlRMAN.—Certainly.
Mr. E
about it ?
The CHAIRMAN.--I am not.
Mr. EVANS.—I am not observing it on your part, but
theirs.

The CHAIRMAN thought he might mention this. 110
had said to Sir Joseph Bailey that it was of no use ap-
pointing a committee to make any offer ; and, if any offer
were made, it should be laid before the general committee.
In answer to Mr. Brocklebank,
The CHAIRMAN stated that Sir Joseph Bailey was
chairman of the Birkenhead Dock Warehouse Company
He was a most active man, and most deeply interested.
He had an enormous stake.
Mr. BARBER asked (as was understood) if Baron Gold•
smidt was not the principal party to be consulted ?
The CHAIRMAN said yes, he had a large stake ; but
the only point to be considered was the appointment of a
committee to talk the matter over.

Mr. SHAND would name Mr. Gladstone as one of the
committee. . .

Vv
The CHAIRMAN stated that Sir Joseph Bailey had said he
would namo a committee of three, to meet three to be aP"
pointed by the committee, to talk the matter over freelp
He (Mr. Turner) should propose himself one, Mr. Gla.e"
stone another, and Mr. Bold, as chairman of the parka'
mentary sub-committee, the third.
Mr. STEELE thought their interviews would be of little
avail unless they had Baron Goldsmidt with them as wel,ll
Otherwise a negotiation with Sir Joseph Bailey wood
have little effect, because they were diametrically oppeseu‘
The CHAIRMAN said—No, they were not now. TIleY
had become reconciled. _

Mr. EVANS.—Are they prepared to take 4s. in the
pound (laughter)?

,
THE CHAIRMAN.-4 cannot say anything about it.
Mr. LANGSDALE.—It is quite irrelevant to the subjeaT'e
Mr. EVANS—WeII, you have as much a bargain to- ra
as them.

After some further conversation, the three gentlemen
named by the chairman was appointed • but it was agreed
that no official record of the proceeding should be made'
—Mr. Rankin protesting against it on the ground tha:
after the mpnne(r in which the last negotiations bad been
broken, it was for the Birkenhead proprietors to make 1111
offer. This closed the public business.