The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-04-05 00:00:00

REBUILDING OF ST. PETER'S CHURCH

To the EDITOR of the LIVERPOOL STANDARD.
SIRS I have long looked with unkindly feelings on the un-
couth form and ugly exterior of our Parish Church; certainly
the inhabitants of our good old town, 150 years ago, had not
much architectural taste as far as churches are concerned.
I cannot but think all Churchmen will be glad to see an

edifice erected, which, for ages to come, shall remain a lasting
monument of their religious zeal and munificence. The in-
habitants of Doncaster have subscribed nearly .€20,000 towards
the fund for rebuilding their Parish Church, in the space of
two or three weeks, and surely Liverpool can as easily raise
£lOO,OOO for the erection of a Parochial Church which will be
a credit to the town.

I trust all Churchmen will attend the Meeting at the
Sessions,' gouse, this day at noon, and give their hearty

approval to the proposal of the churchwarden, (Mr. Banner.)
From what I have already heard there will be no fear of ample
funds being raised to carry out the proposition in a liberal
manner. By Friday's Gazette I see Manchester is now made
a City; it had previously its Cathedral and Bishop. Why not
Liverpool ? Surely our town is equal in wealth and importance.
I am, Sirorours very obediently,
A CHURCHMAN.

MR. CARDWELL'S PILOT BILL.

To the EDITOR of the LIVERPOOL STANDARD,

Si was much gratified at seeing Alpha's letter in yester-
day's Albion; and in order to place the coasting steam interest
(with which I am connected) right with the public, I send you
a short statement of an interview which took place, some two
years back, between the Pilot Committee and ourselves.

We were requested by a circular to attend at their board-
room, and the chairman commenced proceedings by expressing
the committee's wish to know what we would suggest as a
substitute for the compulsory payment of pilots; at the same
time plainly expressing his opinion that our conduct in urging
an alteration was both ungrateful and ill-mannered. Our
suggestion was the licensing of a competent person for each
vessel, and a payment (annual) of each license; we also
covenanting to pay full rate of foreign pilotage, should we re-
quire their services. Our proposal was scouted, and in a man-
ner anything hut gracious. Since then I have required the
services of a pilot outwards three times, and only once could I
get one, the hours being either too late or too early for their
convenience; and in saying this, I do so with no ill-feeling
towards them, but simply to shew how little use they can by
possibility be to coasting steamers, as they generally sail on
the afternoon and evening tide ; and a pilot is considered
justified in refusing to go out after dark.

The system of compelling a man to pay for what he neither
uses nor requires, belongs, not to the present, but to a bygone
age; and I sincerely hope Mr. Cardwell's bill may have that

success it so well deserves

Your obedient servant,

BETA.

RECEIVER OF TOWN DUES.

To the EDITOR of the LIVERPOOL STANDARD,

SlR,—The Finance Committee have recommended three
persons, out of whom a successor to the office of Receiver of
the Towu Dues should be appointed to occupy the situation
held by the late Sir Thomas Brancker,—an office hitherto held
by one who had some station in society, in such a community
as ours is, as well as fitness for the office.

Fitness for the situation, and some station in society, have
been the recommendation of those who have held the office for
many years past. It is stated there were sixteen candidates ;
and, without knowing the names of all of them, or the preten-
sions of any, I cannot but think there must have been others
than the fortunate three recommended that either had a claim
or pretension to aspire to the situation, and yet all are passed
over. It is painful to question the merits of the fortunate
three. I doubt much whether any one of the three has the
smallest claim over Mr. Brade, who has served next under the
Receiver for some years, and the office itself during the
illnesses of Mr. Corrie and Sir Thomas Brancker, and during
the time the vacancies arising from their death was the respon-
sible officer of the Trust. Mr. Brade is, lam told, a Dickey
Sam, and has, unfortunately, been an unsuccessful merchant
in the town. I pass over the names and claims of any other of
the candidates ; my object in these few remarks being to show
that our Finance Committee, supposed to be the elite of the
Corporation, are not altogether free from secret influence.
Liverpool, Ist April, 1853. 7

LONG SERMONS, AND VENTILATION IN
CHURCHES.

To the EDITOR of the LIVERPOOL STANDARD,

Six,—lf the Churchman who subscribes himself "Earnest"
be correct in his theory, he has made a discovery which
deserves to be seriously attended to in a sanitary point of view,
viz., that long sermons and ill-ventilated churches are the
procuring causes of the illness that generally prevails at the
spring season of the year. If this be really so, then the
clergy and architects and the public attending churches have
much to answer for; and it is for the fature in their power to
alter the character of this season altogether; the one by
shortening their sermons, the other by taking care that
churches have a proper supply of fresh air. It would be
interesting to inquire, in order to sustain the theory,
whether those who are in the habit of attending churches
where sermons are short, and fresh air is plenty, generally
escape the diseases that afflict others at the season of spring.
I wonder what the doctors will say to this theory of our
earnest Churchman ?

After all, Sir, is it long sermons, or dull. heavy, uninterest-
ing sermons, that are the real nuisance? If the attendance be
a true solution, the public have long since decided for the long
sermons, and against the dull ones; the warm Gospel has long
had the advantage over cold morals or unscriptural philosophy.
Is it want of air in the buildings, or want of life and energy
and power and spirituality in the pulpit ? Our people say the
latter, evidently, by leaving the cold heartless churches empty,
or nearly so, and overcrowding the warm ones. Most certainly
let us have better ventilation, but above all let us have earnest-
minded men in our desks and pulpits.

AUDI A LTERAM

THE NEW PILOTAGE BILL AND COASTING

STEAMERS.

To the EDITOR of the LIVERPOOL STANDARD,

SIR,— Having stated the case of the coasting steamers,
trading to and from the port of Liverpool, in the Albion
of yesterday, to which I beg to refer your readers, I may
here state, before coming to the bill itself, that where there
is a fleet of channel steamers, owned by a company, they
are either partially or wholly their own insurers, and, as such,
have too much floating property at stake to be indifferent to
the character and experience of the captains and officers in
their employ ; and, as to the loss of life, I apprehend that
Lord Campbell's Act is a much better protection to the public
than any jurisdiction on the part of Pilot authorities.
In speaking of the 10th clause of the Pilot Bill, empowering
the Board of Trade to examine and grant certificates to mas-
ters and mates, on the pilotage authorities refusing to do so,
under the 12th and 13th Vic., cap. 88, I wish to be clearly un-
derstood as confining my observations to the masters and
mates of coasting steamers only, and to no others, at least as
regards the port of Liverpool. Now, while I most cordially
approve of the power sought by the Board of Trade, to do that
which interested authorities might and would refuse to do, in
the absence of such power, I must at the same time dissent
from the details of this clause, not only as regards the unde-
fined nature of the examination by pilot authorities, but also
as regards the undefined amount of fees to be charged for the
annual certificates. It may be said that if there be anything
unfair in the mode of examination, or in the amount of fees,
or other conditions, there is an appeal to the Board of Trade.
Granted. But why should there be grounds for appeal, if
legislation can safely go further to prevent it ?

Clause s.—An evident inducement is here held out to
pilotage authorities to examine and to certify (if qualified
upon their own terms, subject to " the consent of her
Majesty in council ;" " and all masters and mates to or
for whom any such certificates are granted or renewed by the
Board of Trade, shall pay to such Board, as it may direct, such
fees upon their certificates, and upon the renewals thereof, as
may be fixed by such Board; so nevertheless that in the case of
certificates granted or renewed by the said Board, such fees
shall in no case be less than the fees payable by the pilots in
the same district, upon their licenses and the renewal thereof."
Had the words been, instead of the above—" Shall in no case
be less nor more than the fees, &c.;" then the amount of fees
would have been defined as regards all ports to which the bill
refers, as it is already defined in the case of the Liverpool
pilots, by Act of Parliament, to be ,e 6 6s. for the first license,
and 3 3s. for each subsequent annual renewal. If the above
clause remains as it is, certain pilotage authorities may ex-
amine and certify on certain conditions, and that, too, in the
name of a boon; but, like the old Trojan, I must exclaim
Timeo Domani* 1

Clause 12. This clause confers the power on the Board Of
Trade, or on any pilotage authority, to withdraw certificates
from masters and mates guilty of misconduct or incompetency
This is at it should be, provided an investigation takes place
before the pilotage authority, at which owners or their retire-'
sentatives shall be present, with power to appeal to the Board
of Trade. 111

Clauses 13 to 17 inclusive, are admirable, as opening up all
close pilot bodies, and shewing to the Board of Trade, Parlia-
ment, and the public, full particulars of earnings and expendi-
ture. I look upon these clauses of the bill as second only in
importance to what clauses 10 to 12 might be made to be. If
the returns sought for by the Board of Trade shall prove to Par
liament and the public of Liverpool that as regards the Liverpool
pilots, the relinquishment of all pilotage heretofore received
as perquisites, from coasting steamers, shall so impair
the efficiency of this useful body, then I apprehend that
there is not a respectable shipowner in Liverpool who would
not most willingly agree to pay a higher rate of pilotage on their
foreign-going vessels, and to aid the pilots in going before
parliament for an amendment of the act of 1824, to increase
the maximum rates to such a standard as would sustain, to the
fullest extent, the efficiency of a staff, which to the owners of
foreign•going vessels is so important, as to be indispensable.
I hope that the Liverpool pilots are not afraid of the day-
light which clauses 13 and 17 would shed upon their earnings,
and that this fear has nothing to do with their opposition to the
bill now before parliament.
Having now finished my comments on the Pilotage Bill, I
wish once more ho observe that my remarks as regards exami-
nations, certificates, and exemptions, are strictly confined to
coasting steamers ; and as these are not subject to the same
law of motion as sailing vessels, there 'is consequently no
tacking—no running for lee ports, within the wide range
of particular pilot waters. Their course is right on, blow
high or low, fair or foul, in the light of day, or the darkness
of night, these steamers enter the port of Liverpool under the
guidance of their own practical pilots—the masters and mates.
The mode of examination, therefore, as to soundings at
Beaumaris, Chester, Pile of Foundre, and the Isle of Onan,
with course of distance, &c., from any place within the
im
while it might be essential in the case of a
foreign-going -goin
g 'or other sailing vessel, would, I apprehend, be
frivolous and vexatious in the case of a channel steamer
trading regularly between the ports of Dublin and Liverpool.
I would therefore define the nature of the examination in the
10th clause thus :—That it shall
lboedglaew,
ofurloofoorseantoy
bmealsotdereodr
mate of any coasting steamer to g.
with
no n pilotageial s a
sa uttol ohriisti esso
borri e
toyt,h
goode rs,forco
conduct
dn yuc pt
,oarnt
do
ar edliasitmr ci to
writing ,
titiimmietsdfuorirnwgbiwobhibche
beas tradedto beexamined
as master
mate
shall so claim to be examined, waleintnidigitipihrtohovefided he shall have
hmade
g (withoutte ken
aany
licensedassistance
pi
Ipilot
fromoob
board),
rl licensed pilot,
before
the orpo
swithoutsiog o f
this act,. one hundred voyages to the port or ports separately
for vouch be shall so claim to be examined, shall be deemed fit
ana qualified without further examination, to pilot any steamer.
of which he may be master or mate.
Having encroached so far on your valuable space,'l am forced
to close this letter more abruptly than I intended, btu shall
return to the subject anon, —I am, Siraour obedient semint,

ALPHA.

LANCASHIRE SPRING ASSIZES.

CROWN COURT.
(Before Mr. Justice CRESSWELL.]
TUESDAY, MARCH 29.
BURGLARY AT LIVERPOOL.—Jarnes Jackson (aged 23),
James Connor (aged 21), John Dunleavy (aged 26), and
James Taylor (aged 20), were convicted of a burglary at
the house of James Rea, at Liverpool. Jackson and
Connor, who were old offenders, were sentenced to be
transported for 14 years ; Taylor, who had pleaded guilty,
for 20 years ; Connor, against whom no charge existed,
to be imprisoned for 12 months, with hard labour.
ASSAULT AT LIVERPOOL.—Lawrence Kenna was
convicted of wounding and assaulting Jeremiah Murphy,
Copperas-hill, on Sunday night, the 12th December last.
WIPE-KILLING AT MANCHESTER.—Jonathan Barber
(aged 47) was indicted for having, on the Ist January last,
feloniously killed his wife, Ann Barber. The prisoner is
a mechanic, and lived with his wife and family in
Maskell-street, Chorlton-upon-Medlock, Manchester.
On the evening of New Year's-day both the prisoner and
the deceased were intoxicated. Angry words took place
as to going out ; and the prisoner got up and said, " You
say you'll go ; d— you, I'll make you," giving her a
slight kick upon the feet or legs. The deceased began to
cry, and afterwards went towards a door leading from the
kitchen to the upper rooms; but before she got to the
steps the prisoner gave her a kick behind. A boy named
Roscoe stated that he went to the prisoner's house on the
evening of New Year's-day, with the prisoner's son, John.
They found Mrs. Barber lying on the floor upon her back,
and with her head towards the door. The boys tried to
lift Mrs. Barber, bat failed ; she did not speak or cry.
After they had been in the kitchen about a quarter of an
hour, the prisoner said, " If you don't get up, I'll come
and kick you again." Mr. J. C. Williamson, surgeon,
of Bloomsbury, said that after using strong stimulants,
the deceased was slightly conscious for a very short time.
She only ejaculated, " Oh, Jack, Jack !" The statement
of the prisoner was, that while intoxicated he and the de-
ceased fell together ; and that the deceased had long been
suffering from disease.—The jury, after consulting a
quarter of an hour, returned with a verdict of guilty, re-
commending the prisoner to mercy, on the ground that he
was intoxicated.—His Lordship : A very poor ground,
gentlemen.—Sentence deferred.
THE GRAND JURY.—The grand jury returned true bills
of wilful murder against William Tyrrell and Charles
Williams, and no bill against Samuel Royle, for sacri-
lege. At half-past three the grand jury were discharged,
having completed their duties.