The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-05-18 00:00:00

I to any one d

to put in
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on which
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or any other simila

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itled to have

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)e exempted from

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the most important
the legislature has

taxation; and why ?
cotton fabrics to the

to enable the manufac

i competitor upon equal
thus wisely deal with the

e staple article of

ommittee of Liv

from the shipping bringing

propoit

ion of their revenue,
imitate theexa.mple. On national con-
siderations it is desirable that cotton should be laid
down here at as low an expense as possible. For
the benefit of the manufacturing interest it is de-
sirable ; and it is shown that this would be a benefit
to those classes, by the fact that, by the remission
of dock dues on the article, England would possess
equal, or even greater facilities for the manufacture
o heavy fabrics, in which alone America rivals 113

in cheapness in foreign markets, than America her-
self. Another consideration ought not to he oVEY:-
looked. Cotton is the only article which pays any
great amount of outward.duty; and certainly any
reduction of the cost of laying down here is calcu-
lated to bring about the defirable result of 'render-
ing Liverpool the great depot of cotton for the
onsumption of Europe.

Upon. one point in particular, which was brought
prominently forward during the discussion, we feel
inclined to remark. It was urged that people out
of doors regarded the favour shown to cotton as a
blow ainfed at the dock on the opposite side of the
Mersey. We certainly must -express our disbelief
that any such splenetic or circumscribed notion
could enter into the head of the Chairman of the
Liverpool Dock Committee. But suppose it had
been so. Let us ask these gentlemen out of doors,
what is it that has ever been urged as the main ad-
vantage of encouraging the enterprise of the Bir-
kenhead Dock Commissioners ? Why that com-
pe.tition, arising from those docks, would compel
the Liverpool Dock Trustees to reduce their dues.
Such competition has not arisen as yet. Not a
cotton ship that we know of has yet entered the
Birkenhead docks. But why complain of us for
being beforehand with the compulsion threatened ?
Why complain of men for doing, with a good
grace, what they were told they must ultimately do in
their despite ? Besides, in abolishing the dues upon
cotton, the Liverpool Dock Trustees will only be
doing what the Birkenhead Dock Committee
boast loudly of doing upon every other commodity.
Surely we may be allowed to imitate so excellent
an example in so doing, especially when we have
at present a clear surplus of upwards of £lOO.OOO,
after paying the interest of our debt to enable its
to do so with safety.

We are not, of Course, arguing that other com-
modities than cotton should be refused a participa-
tion in the advantages afforded by a reduction of
dues. But we must say that we perfectly agree
with the Dock Chairman that little reductions, like
little way, lead to nothing but the frittering away
of revenue, with no public advantage, Dissipate
the present surplus over the whole Tariff of im-
ported and exported articles ; and it will be a boon
sensibly felt by nobody. Divide it among some
few of the principal imports of Liverpool; and it
will both benefit the consumer and draw a vast in-
crease of shipping to the port, thus enhancing the
value of property in the town, and giving increased
employment to its industrious population.

INCREASED LIVERPOOL CUSTOMS RECEIPTS
LAST WEEK.

We learn that the receipts at our Custom-house last
week exceeded those of the corresponding week last year
by upwards of £4OOO. This increase is in part attribut-
able to the settlement of the rates of duties to be levied
upon spirits, which were received at the Custom-house
on Thursday last. The following are the altered rates:—
Spirits or strong waters not sweetened.

If Imported into England, the Gallon.. 8s
91 Scotland, „ . 4s
Ireland, „ 3s
_99

Rum, the Produce of any British Possession within
the limits of the East India Company's Charter.
If imported into England, the Gallon.. Bs. 7d.
11 Scotland, „ , 4s. sd.
Ireland, „ 3s. sd.
Rum Shrub, the same rates.

THE IRISH STEAM-PACKET AGENTS AND THE

VESTRY

A statement is going the round of the Press, to the
effect that, three cases of incipent fever have been last
week found on board of one steamer from Ireland, and
the patients placed in the Lazarettoes. The St. Patrick,
from Dundalk, was inspected on her arrival on Friday,
and three patients, as represented, were taken out of her.
Another, under similir circumstances, was taken out of
the Free Trader belonging to the same company. The
agents sent a medical man of their own to examine the
patient

and that gentleman gave his opinion that they
were not then affected with fever, they were discharged
on the day af-er their being put on board the lazarettoes.
The Steam-boat Companies complain heavily of the
detention caused in finding medical men on the steamers
nd of the supply being insufficient,

arriving in the rii
from Nrhich