The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1852-02-03 00:00:00

ANNUAL MEETING OF THE CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE.

The second annual meeting of the Chamber of Corn.
merce took place, yesterday, in the Board-room, in Ex-
' change Buildings ; Mr. Hugh Hornhy, Vice-Chairman of
the Association, in the absence of Mr. T. B. Horsfall, the
President, occupied the chair. ,The attendance at the
early part of the proceedings was numerous, but at the
close very few gentlemen were present.
Mr. HORNBY, on taking the chair, expressed his regret
that their valued and esteemed president, Mr. Horsfall,
was precluded, through the effects resulting from his late
accident, from being present on this occasion, and occu-
pying that position which his qualifications so well entitled
him to. The Chamber of Commerce had lost much
through the late unfortunate casuality to Mr. Horsfall,
particularly by Mr. Horsfall not forming one in the late
deputation to London ; however, he (Mr. Hornby) was
glad to say that their mission had been successful, and
Government would not oppose the re-appointment of the
Parliamentary Customs Committee. Mr. Hnrnby then
called upon the Secretary to read the Report of the Coun-
cil of the Chamber to the general members.
Mr. MONSON accordingly complied. The Report was
an exceedingly lengthy document-, chiefly forming a resume'
of the contents of the previous quarterly ones. The
Council recorded their sense of gratification at the lete
visit of her Majesty, but more especially for the interest
manifested by her for the commercial prosperity of the
port, in her grievous reception of the address of the
Chamber. The subjects named in this report may be
classed, for the sake of perspicuity, under two heads :-
Ist, matters of general interest to the commercial com-
munity; 2nd, matters of a local character. Under the
first division the Council would refer,—
L To the Improvement of the Custom-house System and
Regulations.—About the close of MO a movement, entered
into by the other mercantile associations of the town, resulted
in placing the whole subject of Custom-house Reform in the
hands of this Chamber, and such a weight of influence was
brought to bear on Government, by means of petitions from
London, Liverpool, and other large seaport towns, that, on the
motion of Mr. Mitchell, a Parliamentary Committee was con-
ceded to inquire fully into the subject. The Council having
matured their consideration of the local grievances and incon-
veniences inflicted by the present system on the trade of
Liverpool, were now prepared to support their case generally
by evidence in the Parliamentary Committee at the ear lest
opportunity. The leading change. in respect of Liverpool,
which these recommendations contain, is the formation of a
Local Board, comprised of the head officers of the Customs
here, with enlarged powers for disposing of cases of infractions
of Customs Regulations, or of disputed duties up to a certain
amount ; and with increased discretion for expediting and
facilitating the business of the port. The report then alluded
to the Towns Meeting on the subject of Customs Reform, anti
set forth the result of the deputation appointed to wait upon
Lord John Russell.

2. c.minerciai Law and Tribunal of Commerce.—This im-
portant subject continued under attention. A conference
had been held with a deputation from the Law Society of
the town, at which complete unanimity was expressed in
respect of the evils of the present system of the administration
of the law. Touching the best remedy, however, (tit ersity of
opinion existed. A sanguine belief prevailed among professional
men, that the chief grounds of complaint will disappear as soon
as the sweeping reforms in the practice of our present Law
Courts, recommended in the late report of the Common Law
Commission, are car. ied into effect by means of legal enact-
ment ; hut it is greatly to be feared that mere internal reforms
within our Law Courts, as at present constituted, would prove
but palliatives, and will not thoroughly get rid of the expense,
delay, uncertainty, and danger of defeat of justice which cha-
racterise the present system. The Council would merely
reiterate their conviction, that the organisation of local tri-
bunals with compulsory powers, within certain districts, for the
adjudication of mercantile disputes. -.resided over by expe-
rienced men of business, would confer a most important and '
lasting benefit on the trading classes,and would not necessarily
detract from the dignity or the occupation of the higher tribu-
nals of the land.

3. Patent Law Amendment.—The directors hal no further
progress to report on this subject beyond what was noticed
in the last half.y ,arly report. They had only to mention, in
addition, that, while considering the late bills, they requested
Sir Thomas Bir h to press upon Government the desirableness
of providing against manufacturers being charged with fees
which may be so high as to becume prohibitory, or otherwise
adverse to British interests.

4. Abscondii,g Debtors Arrest Bill.—The Council were happy
to say that the bill promoted by the Guardian Society of this
tow❑ had become law, and that great benefit has resulted from

5. Ocean Penny Postage.—A memorial, founded on the
recommendation of the Postal Commi tee, had been forwarded
to Government praying for a qualified trial of the scheme.
6. International Postal Money Order:.—ln answer to a
memorial on this subject, a reply has been received from Mr.
Labouchere, stating that the Board of Trade will communicate
with the Treasury on the subject.
7. Abolition of the Thosia Company; and 8, Reduction of
the Sound Dwes.—These subjects are again to be brought
forward on the re-assembling or Parliament.

9. Railway through Egypt —The matters in dispute between
the Sultan and the Pacha of Fgypt, which threatened top event
the construction of the railway from Alexandria to Suez, had
been amicably settled.

10. Smuggling at Shangbai.—On this matter Government
had taken the requisite steps in the matter.
11. Abolition of the duty, on Soap.—A. memorial in favour of
this was forwarded to the Treasury,

12. The Council have alsnmemOrialized Parliament in favour
of the protection of British interests in Venezuela, more parti-
cularly with reference to the false imprisonment of an English
resident which lately took place there.

Under the second head, comprising subjects of a more
local character, are.
1. Postal Matters.—The committee on Postal communica-
tions reported that the subj ct of obtaining an earlier despatch
from London, by the mail train, had been brought before the
attention of the Postmaster General ; a later despatch of the
afternoon mai., hence to the north of Scotland, was receiving
the favourable attention of the Postmaster General ; that the
Postmaster General had been solicited to provide against the
delays which frequently occur in the transmission of corre-
spondence, arriving by way of Southampton, but as yet the
Council had been unable to induce his lordship to make any
alteration in the existing arrangements; however, every exer-
tion would be made to prevent such delays in future. 4. No
notification has, as yet been made public respecting the plan
suggested by the Postmaster for giving greater security in the
delivery of letters at the Postoffice, in favour of which a reso-
lution was passed at the last quarterly meeting. However,
the subject is under consideration by the authorities.
2. Central Baggage Depot. —Plans for a baggage depot, at
the south end of the l'rince's Dock, to be prepared by Mr.
Hartley, had been seen and approved of by the directors, and,
no doubt, would soon lie carried into execution, and give ample
accommodation for this purpose.
3. TI e Export Trade.—The Special Committee to whom this
subject had been delegated have received from several members
of the Chamber much valuable information. and they hope, in
a short .ime, to put such suggestions before the Council as
would tend to place this port on an equality, as regards dock
facilities, with any other in the kingdom.
4. Merchant Seamen's Act. —With respect to the disputed
jurisdiction of the stipendiary magistrate, in the case of
desertion of a vessel nearer to the Cheshire shore than on the
Lancashire side, the Council regretted that the legal opinion left
the matter unsettled and unsatisfactory; and the necessity of
an alteration in the law had became urgent. The directors
trust, therefore, on the first occasion when the provisions of
the Seamen's Act come under Parliamentary revision, the
rectification of the point will not be omitted.
5. Quarantine Ilulks.—A report from the Conservators of
the river, stating that there is no other site in the river avail-
able for the lazarettes, the Government declined to comply
with the prayer of the memorial. _

6. Emil ration Depot.—Early in the past year the Council
petitioned the Fmigration Commissioners for the appointment
of this port as a Government Emigration Depot ' • and they have
to inform the Chamber that the necessary works for that pur-
pose are now in progress at Birkenhead.
7. Anticipated Removal of the North American Mail Service
from Liverpool —The co-operation of the Chambers of Com-
merce at Manchester, Glasgow, and other places, has been
solicited in favour of retaining the North American Mail Ser-
vice in Liverpool.
8. 7'he want of increasd Dock Accommodation for the Tim-
ber Trade; 9. 't he bills for alteration in the management of the
Dock Estate; 10. 'I he Bylaws relative to the use of Fires on
Shipboard, are matters which received the attention of the
Council, but which do not call for particular notice.

Befo;13 closhig their report, thedirectorsbegged to record
their thanks to the members of Parliament for the borough
and the southern division of the county for the important
services which they have at all times rendered to the
chamber. They likewise desired to repeat their thanks to
J. Graham Gilbert, Esq., for his valuable present of a
portrait of Canning, now in the board-room.
Mr. STITT, the treasurer, then read the statement of
the accounts of the association.

Mr. CH ARLES HOLLAND, in moving the adoption of the
report and accounts, observed that he was sure he need
not express his concurrence, as well as the concurrence of
the meeting, at all that had been said in regard to their
esteemed president. In the infancy of an institution like
the present, a great deal depended upon the qualifications
of the gentleman selected to preside over it during its
commenrement and progress ; and he felt sure that they
must all admit their selection in this respect had been
highly fortunate, for in Mr. Horsfall they bad found a
man of great commercial experience, of high standing in
the commercial world, and who brought with him a ripe
experience of judgment to bear upon all questions brought
betore the notice of the chamber. He felt sure that
they should all tender to Mr. Horsfall, and to his
family, commiseration for his late misfortune, and
express a fervent hope for his complete con-
valescence. He (Mr. Holland) had now to congra-
tulate them not only on maintaining their position,
but upon having established a further advance in public
opinion. They had now the satisfaction of knowing
that the Chamber of Commerce in Liverpool embodied
in itself the feelings and sentiments not only of all
the various commercial associations which had traded
specially under their superintendence, but likewise it
embodied the public feeling of the commercial world
in its favour ; and whenever that chamber approached
governmnnt, or any public body, it did so with a
moral strength, backed by public opinion, which ren-
dered its operations exceedingly influential. It might
truly he said that the chamber had been eminently suc-
cessful. He would not dwell upon any particular sub-
ject in the report, but there was one matter of such
paramount importance to the commercial community—
he meant the question of custom-house reform—that he
felt induced to make one or two observations respecting
it. He was happy to think that that chamber had stood
so prominently forward in taking up the gauntlet which
had been thrown down by the custom-house officials, and
he trusted that the chamber, representing the commercial
eeling of Liverpool, would never relax in their efforts in
obtaining a reform in the custom-house system until they
had obtained a practical realization of sound and thorough
reform, which should admit the principle that it is not
necessary, even for the sake of her Majesty's exchequer,
that merchants should, prima facie, be dealt with as
dishonest until they were proved to be the reverse ; but
that the interests of the exchequer and their interests, if
encouraged, would be found to be identical. He was glad
to see, at the late public meeting, the principle of res•
ponsibility taken up in the manner it was, by the argu-
ments in favour of the establishment of a local board , where
they could affix a responsibility so highly desirable, and
so essential to the interests of the port. There was
another important subject which continued to claim the
attention of the chamber. He alluded to the establish-
ment of tribunals of commerce, where commercial ques-
tionsin dispute could be teltisfaetorily settled. As at present
constituted, our tribunals did not afford the relief needed
—great difficulties surrounded the question, and they were