The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-12-14 00:00:00

MEETING FOR SECURING THE RATING OF
THE DOCK WAREHOUSES.

Last evening, a meeting was held at the Clarendon-
rooms, convened by circular, " for the purpose of consi-
dering what measures should be adopted to secure the
insertion of a clause in the Act of Parliament to be applied
for by the Liverpool Dock Committee, which shall subject
the future warehouses of that Trust to their fair share of
the local taxes." The summonses had only been sent to
the Conservative and Liberal chairmen of the different
wards of the town, consequently the meeting was not a
very numerous one. The chair was taken by Mr J. R.
Jeffrey, who briefly explained the reasons why they had
been called together. Some members of the Select Vestry
had intimated to him, as one of the tradesmen of the
town, that the former body were not in a position to op-
pose the bill, and suggested the propriety of a movement
on the part of the tradesmen to use their influence upon
the Council to procure the insertion of the clause required,
having been disappointed in not finding in the bill such
clause. The Albert Warehouses, he reminded them,
were taxed to the local rates to the amount of £3OOO a
year; and, as there was a technical difficulty in the Dock
Committee and the Council rating themselves on account
of a property in which they had no interest, the only
course was for the ratepayers to make a movement them-
selves to coerce both bodies. The Dock Committee were
about to expend £300,000 upon Dock Warehouses, which
would produce .E 45,000 a year to the parish funds, a great
object to the ratepayers, especially as to form these ware-
houses they would have to pull down property paying at
present £30,000 a year to the parish funds. It was here
proposed that Mr. Payne, solicitor, should be invited to
act as secretary to the meeting, who produced the bill
proposed. Previous to. its being read, the Chairman
stated that the present rateable property of the port
amounted to one million sterling ' • and the £300,000 to be
spent on the warehouses would, therefore, produce
nearly one-third of the required income. He also read a
statement of the amounts for which the Dock Committee
were rated, in order to show that they had littlerinterest
in the matter as compared with the tradesmen present.
Mr. Alderman Cooper attended there to give every aid to
the parties seeking for the insertion of the clause. He
was the first person who mooted in the Council the inser-
tion of the rating clause in the Albert Dock Bill, which
met with such a warm reception in the Council that the
Dock Committee were induced to consent to the clause,
which was subsequently pressed in Parliament by the
Highway Board.
Mr. SMETHURST announced that the Guardian Society
had memorialized the churchwardens to call a meeting of
the Vestry on the subject to-morrow, for which meeting
circulars were issued.

A short discussion took place as to the power of a ma-
jority of the Council to insert the clause, or to refer the
subject back to the Dock Committee, in which it was
stated to be the opinion of the Town Clerk that the
parish authorities were too late to give the necessary
notices for the insertion of the clause.

Mr. THoRNELY, on the part of the Select Vestry, stated
that they could not give such notice, not having seen the
bill in time to learn that the clause was omitted.

A gentleman stated, on the authority of a party who
was prevented being present by indisposition, that the
clause required was in the rough draft of the bill, which
circumstance lulled the parochial authorities into a false
security. . . . .

Doctor BRADEEY proposed a voluetary rate being raised
to oppose the bill in committee, as, on a former occasion,
there being no power in the Select Vestry to allow any of
the funds raised for the relief the poor to paying the cost
of a parliamentary opposition, as such expenditure would
not be passed by the Poor Law Commissioners.
Mr. M`MILLAN proposed that the chairman of the
various wards should wait upon their representatives. He
and his friends had waited to-day upon the three members
for Pitt-street Ward, and that all would support a ruling
clause.

Another speaker said he had seen several members to-
day, who told him that all that was required was to get up
a pressure from without. .

A discussion took place as to the best course to be pur-
sued, the time being so short previously to the meeting
of the Council.

It was proposed by Mr. APPLEBEE that the Chaiman
of the wards should call at once upon their members.
Mr. WATSON proposed that they should strengthen
the hands of their members by the adoption of a memorial
to be adopted by this meeting, and that a copy should be
sent to each ward for signature.
Mr. BRADLEY seconaed the motion, which was carried
unanimously.
Messrs. Watson, Urquhart, the Chairman, and the
Secretary, were then appointed a committee to. draw up
the memorial, and retired for the purpose.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.
(BY EXPRESS.)

LONDON CORN MARKET.-YESTERDAY,

The attendance of both London and country buyers being
good, the demand for all descriptions of Wheat of home produce
was somewhat active, at an advance in the quotations obtained
on this day se'nnight of from Is. to 2s. per quarter, and at which
a good clearance was readily effected. With Foreign Wheat we
were not to say extensively supplied, and a considerable portion
of it was of very inferior quality.
Fine dry samples were in good request, at Is. per quarter
more money. In all other kinds a moderate amount of busi-
ness was transacted at full prices.
The show of barley was small. Fine malting parcels were in
good request, at a rise in value of Is. per quarter, and the cur-
renaies of grinding and distilling sorts had an upward
tendency. Foreign Barley was certainly dearer.
The quantity of Malt being scarcely adequate to meet the
wants of the brewers, that article was firm, at fully the prices
paid on Monday last.
There were scarcely any Oats in the market. Fine dry par-
cels moved off steadily, at a trifle more money, while the mid-
dling and inferior kinds were quite as high as last advised.
Owing to the large imports, the sale for Beans was heavy, at
a further reduction in the -quotations of Is. per quarter. In
Peas, the supply of which was small, exceedingly little was
doing at late rates.

Indian Corn was dull, but Indian Meal, as well as Rye Flour,
supported previous quotations. For Flour we had an im-
proved demand, but we can notice no actual improvement in
value.

SMITHFIELD CATTLE MARKET.-YESTERDAY.

The supply of beasts being what may be termed a moderate
one, and the attendance of both town and country buyers large,
the Beef trade was somewhat active, and, in some instances,
the quotations ruled very high.
The primest Scots, Devons, and Herefords sold readily, at
from ss. 6d. to ss. Bd. per 81bs., indeed ss. 10d. per Sibs. was
realised in some cases. and the value of all other breeds had an
upward tendency.
From the north, we received about 1,600 short horns ; from
the eastern, western, and midland counties, 1,800; Herefords,
runts, Devons, &c. ; from other parts of England, 700 of various.
breeds; and, from Scotland, 250 horned and polled Scots.
With Sheep we were scantily supplied for the time of year,
awing to which the Mutton trade was firm, at an improvement
in currencies obtained on this day se'nnight of 2d. per Sibs. ;
the primest old Downs selling readily at ss. 4d. per 81bs.
The supply of Calves was tolerably extensive, yet the Veal
trade was steady at last week's prices. In Pigs comparatively
little business, but late rates were well supported.

LIVERPOOL FOREIGNERS MISSION.—We perceive that
the Rev. Joseph Baylee will preach a sermon in Kirkdale
Church on Sunday next, in aid of the funds for the
con-
tinuance of the mission now happily established in this
town through his disinterested and perseveringinstru-
mentality, for affording the means of grace to the num-
bers cf Germans from time to time located in this town.
The pecuniary responsibility of Mr. Baylee in this matter
is, we are informed, of a large amount, and we hope that
the Christian public will avail themselves of the present
opportunity of aiding his benevolent exertions.
A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.—We have already
stated that the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge have
petitioned against the admission of Jews into the House of
Commons. We perceive from the provincial papers that
many clerical meetings have been held in various archdea-
conries for the same purpose, and we are glad to hear that
Dr. M'Neile has prepared for the signatures of his con-
gregation a petition of a similar kind—a step which, to
adopt the words of the clergy of the archdeaconry of Bed-
ford, " does not seem inconsistent with the quiet, unob-
trusive character of our sacred calling, but rather simply
incumbent upon us in our ministerial capacity."
A CONVERT.—The Albion, which has always been a
thorough free-trader, seems now to be in doubt as to the
policy of his pet measure. In announcing, yesterday,
the re-imposition, in March next, of the duties on corn,
he adds, The once much-abused ' fixed duty' is now a
popular measure, and it is an axiom everywhere but in
Manchester that a moderate duty on all kinds of grain and
flour would not advance the price of bread one iota,
while it would save us from an empty exchequer." If, a
couple of years ago, we had made such a statement, the
Albion would have laughed at it as the climax of absur-
dity. Our contemporary is not, however, the first who
has acknowledged a similar error.

RATING OF DOCK WAREHOUSES.—The churchwardens
received last night a requisition numerously signed by the
parishioners requesting them to call a meeting of the rate-
payers, to consider the Dock Warehouse Bill, with special
reference to the non-insention of a clause rendering the
warehouses liable to parish rates. As it is desirable the
meeting should take place prior to the special meeting of
the Council to-morrow, the churchwardens have called a
special vestry meeting of the inhabitants to-day (Tuesday),
at twelve o'clock. Of course it is desirable that the vestry
which will be held in St. Nicholas's church, should be as
numerously attended as possible, and as every parishioner
is deeply interested in the question, no doubt the church
will be crowded.

PETITION OF RIGHT.—On Saturday, this form of pro-
ceeding was heard before commissioners. It has its origin
in a grant from Magna Charta, which prescribes that pro-
ceedings against a King must be by petition of right. The
case was a highly important one—the petitioners being
Catherine Robson and Isabella Ainsly—who traced their
descent back to Sir Robert Troutbeck, who was perpetual
curate of Newton, Cumberland, in the days of Shakspeare.
The property claimed by the petitioners amounts, with
interest, to the immense sum of £135,759, and the jury
found that the petitioners were entitled to it as the next
of kin of Samuel Troutbeck. the testator. The property
was seized by King George the Third.
EAST INDIAN RAILWAYS.—In the House of Commons,
on Friday, in answer to a question from Lord Jocelyn,
Mr. C. Lewis stated, that the Calcutta Presidency had
consented to the constretion of a line, called the Indian
Railway Company, from Calcutta into the interior, the
terms being that the sections should be executed so that
the line should cost no more than £3,000,000. The.
Government.were to find the land, and were to ua tee
interest at the rate of 5 per cent., and to have guarantee
interest option.o
of purchasing the line in 25 or 50
years.. A similar offer
had been to the Great Indian Peninsular from Bombay,
inwards thirty-five miles in length. NA arrangement had
been made with the Madras