The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-03-05 00:00:00

that th,

Surveyor to send some one to take charge of the machine
till a person was appointed. The appointment of a successor,

and th

abject of th,

laries, was ref

erred to the Finance

Committ
A le

,er was read from the Pilots' Committee, recommend-
ing an additional buoy to be placed between the two now on
Taylor's Bank, the distanze between them being too great ;
and the Marine Surveyor having expressed his opinion that
it would do no harm, but might do much good, it was or-
dered.
The SECRETARY read the followinz letter from the Tele-

raph-offiee, relative

arryatt's code of signals

" Telegraph-office,2nd March, 1841.
" SIR,—In the last edition of Marryatt's Code of
Signals,' the arrangement of vessels' numbers, &c., is so
different to the preceding editions, that not one vessel in the
edition for the year 1841 has the same numbers opposite to
their names as they have in former additions, wherefore it is
almost an impossibility to report vessels correctly. For in
stance, on the 27th ult. we received, off Holyhead, out-
ward bound, by part 2nd, Marryatt's Code, No. 7483,' Can-
ton packet, 8.8., at 9 30, A. M. ; and it was reported to the
several newsrooms as above, but on inquiry it turned out,
that no such vessel as Canton packet' had sailed at all
from Liverpool, wherefore I relerred to Marryatt's new
edition, and there in part 3rd, opposite to No. 7483, was
` Lydia,' which vessel is supposed to be the right one, as a
brig of that name sailed hence on the 25th ult. Although
we may sometimes guess the right name when outward
bound, we can very seldom when inward ; so we are at a loss
how to proceed, whether when we receive a vessel's number
off Holyhead, or any other station, they are to be reported
by the new or the old edition, or by both; or to report the
number only without any name attached, which to the public
generally would. be worse than useless. I am sorry to say
that_ latterly the signals are forwarded i❑ a very slow and
—1 remain, sir, your most obedient servant,
" G. JOHNSON."

cat eless manner

" Lieut. Lord, R.N., Marine Surveyor. ---
The MARINE SURVEYOR, the CHAIRMAN, Mr. RIPLEY,
Mr. MELLOR, Mr. EVANS, Mr. TOBIN, and Mr. CuArmAN,
pointed out the inconveniences which would arise from the
changes made in the arrangement of vessels' numbers, &c. ; and
eventually the matter was referred to the Marine 6ub-coni-
hey would attend to it imme-

mittee, with a r

aest that

Ir. CHAPMAN then brought forward the following mo-
n of the committee to the reduc-
;6, stated to be about 38i per

tion of the doc

affording great relief on goods,
in its operation on tonnage,
to the new mode of

ny beiiefic

supposed. in a great measu

measuring haNring'subscquintly come into active operation,
and to move that the subject be referred to the Finance Com-
mittee, to report upon the best mode of so apportioning the

reduction as to place t

rates of tonnage and goods on the
ame relative footing, with respect to each other, as shown
prior to 1838 ; such reduction, however, not to take place
until the passing of the new Dock Bill." In support of this
motion Mr. Chapman entered into a variety of details.
Mr. Arias opposed the proposition being relet rei on the
ground of the great number of public works in contemptatica
by the committee. He should himself u-ithdraw the rider to
the resolution of which he had given notice, to the effect that
a small charge be made upon coasting vessels using the docks,
because he telt he could not carry it. He contended that if
the rates were reduced, there would be more difficulty in bor-
rowing money for the completion of the intended works ; and
that when the contemplated improvements were finished, they
would be equivalent to a reduction in the rates.
Mr. HoLmEs expressed a similar opinion.
Mr. CHAPMAN explained that he meant the suggested re-
duction to be prospective, and he should be satisfied to allow
it to stand over till the new dock bill had become law. He
merely wished to establish the principle. The reduction would
amount, at ten per cent., to only about £6OOO per annum,
and as there was a surplus revenue of about £70,000, there
was no fear of its affecting the borrowing of money. He
wished to induce the India trade to come to Liverpool instead
of going to London, by relieving the ship owners.
Mr. RIPLEY and Mr. EVANS thought the present Was not
the time to enter upon this subject.
Mr. MELLOW, submitted that Mr. Chapman had made out
a very strong case, inasmuch as he had shown that in conse-
quence of the new system of measurement, ships had nothad
the benefit which they ought to have had of the reduction •in
1836. The only difficulty was whether the funds were in a
condition to admit of the reduction. If they were, the jus-
tice of the case was completely established. But in whatever
way the committee might report, Mr. Chapman did not pur-
pose that the reduction should take place until after the new
dock bill had been carried. '

The CHAIRMAN and Mr. G. Bola said it was very well
to have drawn attention to the subject, but they apprehended
that the present was not the time to enter upon it.
Mr. CHAPMAN said that, seeing the feeling of the com-
mittee was against him, he, should withdraw the motion, con-
tenting himself with having excited attention to the subject.
The committee then separated.

AN EXPENSIVE " LARK."-CONDUCT OF THE
HON. EDWARD. SYDNEY PLUNKETT AT THE
• STORK HOTEL.

No less a personage than the Hon. E. Plunkett, a captain,
we believe, in the army—and whose trial at our assizes about
twelve months ago, for his participation in a military enzeute
at Wigan, must still be fresh in the recollection of our
readers—was given in charge to the police for a " row" and
smashing match" at the Stork Hotel, Queen's-square,
yesterday morning, where, after the fatigues of the steeple
chase, he appeared resolved to perform a feat that would
immortalize him- in the eyes of all those sprigs of nobility
who delight in breaking lamps, upsetting watchmen, and
other "gentlemanly" freaks, and to whom the establishment
of the new police force is " a heavy blow and great discourage-

Plunkett was, in due course of Bridewell delivery,
brought up into the dock yesterday, before Mr. Rushton and
Mr. Heywood, and though doubtless a smart young man,
appeared to be considerably jaded, and much abashed by the
situation in which he stood.i He wore a blue " down-the-
•oad," and was otherwise n plain attire. The examinations
for some time suspended in consequence of the absence
The prisoner had employed Mr.

of one of the witnesse
Davenport for his defei

A porter at the hotel stated that about a quarter-past two
o'clock in the morning of yesterday, the prisoner came to
the house to see a gentleman named Heyes, who was stopping
there. He was told that the gentleman was gone to bed.
He then asked for a bottle of Champagne, which he was in-
formed he could not have, as the family had also retired.
He had then some words with a gentleman there, a traveller,
and who being (as he believed) struck by him, took up the
poker in his own defence, and attempted to strike him.
A young man, a waiter at the house, corroborated the last
witness so far. The name of the gentleman who was up in
the house was Hogarth, and the prisoner struck him. He
heard him call the gentleman a scoundrel. He then broke
the decanters, glass, and also the furniture and the door.
Mr. Davenport cross-examined the witnesses, with a view
to show that the breakage was done during the affray with
the traveller; but this they both denied, stating that it was
done after the gentleman had left the room and gone to bed.
Mr. Thomas Hogarth said he was a commercial traveller,
and had been in the hotel from six o'clock on Wednesday
evening till ten next day. Very early in the morning the
prisoner and two other gentlemen came to the hotel, and the
prisoner, without provocation, used language towards him so
shoekinplv gross, that he could not repeat it. Witness said
had heard his name was Plunkett, and that he
,ly respectable family, and as he could not but think
d been-drinking he would forgive him. There-
upon prisoner took up the cruet stand and threw it violently
at him, and after defending himself for some time, he left the
room and went to bed.

to him that I.

was of hi:
that he

e was offered for the prisoner, and Mr. Rushton
enquired what was thearnount of damage done by breakage.
The brother of the proprietor of the hotel said that the
amount in furniture, plated goods, glass, tv.c., was about £3O.
The whole room was wrecked up. It would require some
pounds to make good the side-board : decanters and glasses
were all broken, and even the carpet much cut.
Davenport.-1 have heard it said in court, before the
that the damages was only about £l5. The
• --3 e were much alarmed
Thep '

case came
families in t

nount is of no consequence
jurisdiction extends to an amount of £5 only in
-hat «•ill become the subject of a civil action.
'••ty to take case that persons in the garb and

ler the

-, snail not conduct them-
_uner with impunity. The pri-
£s for the breach of the peaee he
imprisoned two months ; and he must
nod behaviour, himself in £lOO, and
24 hours' notice of his bail.

imitted, or
find b''

two sureties i:
The prison,

was put down

iavenport inquired whether if bail was found it might

not be received this evening?
s .

—On what ground can it be asked? Here
a case of gross outrage, in which much property was de-
stroyed and damaged, and the females in the house thrown
into a state of alarm. They wpuld have other races, and if
such matters were not strongly dealt with, the town would be
inundated by persons calling themselves gentlemen, who
conduct themselves in a similarly outrageous manner. He
could make no distinction of persons; and if he had the
power to do so, ,he should in this case exercise it the other
• way.

r. Rushton