The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-12-14 00:00:00

CORRESPONDENCE,

THOUGHTS ON THE STATE OF THE COUNTRY,
WITH HINTS FOR ITS IMPROVEMENT.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.
SIR,—In the present state of this country, when almost
every department of industry is paralysed,—when the home
trade is depressed almost beyond example, and our com-
merce with foreign nations threatened with gradual extinc-
tion,—it becomes important to ascertain what remedies may
be applied for its improvement.
No nation ought to be poor that is in the possession of
the means of feeding, clothing, and lodging its population.
Wherever the elements necessary by the application of judi-
cious labour for these results are not found in a country,
that country becomes, to the degree in which these are defi-
cient, dependent upon foreign nations; and it is requisite
that arrangements should be made to exchange the surplus
productions of one country for that which is wanted from
another. . _

To develope the resources possessed at home to their full-
est capability, seems at once the interest and the duty of
each individual state ; and so long as hostilities exist between
nations, to be independent for primary necessaries of exist-
ence of countries that are or may become hostile, seems not
only the dictate of reason and prudence, but the duty of each
particular state. This, however, should not be cherished on
any selfish ground, but only as a necessary caution where
confidence cannot be placed.
It cannot be doubted by those who take a large view of
the variety of production scattered over the earth, and the
instinctive desire planted in the minds of men to participate
in the possession of this variety, that we ought to consider
mankind as a great family—parts of one whole, whose loca-
tions, habits, productions, and pursuits are capable of har-
monious amalgamation, concurring alike to general and in-
dividual advantage ; and hence the necessity of arrangements
for the production and distribution of the resources of each
country on the largest possible scale.
This can only be effected by the voluntary concurrence of
each state to co-operate with surrounding nations; and so
long as ignorance, error, or prejudice prevail, an harmoni-
ous interchange cannot be expected.
The prejudices of nations, however, frequently fall before
a conviction of their interests ; and hence countries not al-
together friendly continue to exchange their productions.
It not being in our power to regulate the laws of other
countries, or to insure from them that reciprocation which
enlightened policy might dictate, renders it the more neces-
sary that the internal resources of our own should be deve-
loped as fully as possible, and that we should cease to de-
pend from abroad for that which can be found abundantly at
home. _ _ .

The capability of our production of food admits of consi-
derable extension, and there can be no doubt that the growth
of our own soil is as nutritious as that of other countries.

Whenever the supply fails in quantity or quality, our at-
tention must be directed to obtain the deficiency from other

nations.
Those who have witnessed the amount of production ob-
tained by judicious labour from a few acres of land near
London, will have no grounds of apprehension that our own
soil is at present insufficient to supply the wants of our in-
habitants in food.
That the same results are attainable at home for the sup-
ply of clothing, is evidenced by our warehouses groaning
with abundance, which we have not yet found the means of
distributing. The raw material, indeed, is mostly the pro-
duction of other countries ; but no difficulty is likely to arise
to prevent our obtaining of that what is requisite.
To erect for our population good and suitable habitations,
needs no argument to prove it to be in our power,or to supply
their requisite furnishing when erected.
How is it, then, that a country possessing ample means of
supplying itself with food, groaning under the load of its
clothing, and capable of housing its whole population to an
extent almost without limits, should be in that state of de-
pression and difficulty which is at present experienced in
Britain ?
The possession of all these articles of wealth, when undis-
tributed, contributes no more to the national comforts than
the mere sight of a feast appeases the appetites of the hun-
gry ; and from hence we are poor amidst plenty—famished
at a feast.
Probably the means of distribution is co-extensive with
our love and charity, and will not be improved until these
mental elements are further developed. It may be allowa-
ble, notwithstanding, to suggest what seems likely to prove

useful.
Gold and silver have for ages been amongst mankind the
most approved means of distributing the produce of society ;
and were gold and silver plentiful enough for the purpose,
and capable of regulation, there is no doubt that the preju-
dice in its favour stands upon a just basis : but, in the ab-
sence of sufficient quantity, or sufficient power of regulation,
some substitute must be found. Civilised nations have
adopted a recognised paper money as this substitute, but
never with that arrangement necessary for its efficiency and
permanence. To obtain this efficiency, it seems requisite
that a power should be somewhere vested to supply what
experience has sliewn to be necessary for the wants of one
country and no more, and a credit given to this supply which
should render its value unquestionable and permanent.
This country has already been educated in a paper system
issued by the Bank of England, and during our wars it was
made permanent and unconvertible • but after the wars,
when gold began again to visit our shores, it was thought
desirable to retreat from the exclusive use of paper.
Attempts have again and again been made to bring the
transactions of a very extended paper system within the very
contracted limits of a gold and silver one, but always unsuc-
cessfully ; nor does it seem likely that they can ever be suc-
cessfully combined, as attempted by our present Bank of
England.
So long as our gold is liable to be withdrawn from the
country by the wants of foreigners, it seems impossible to
found a paper issue upon it that shall be capable of giving
us a steady home trade. Fluctuation in price and in demand
must necessarily be produced by fluctuations in the amount
of our circulating medium. When the country possesses an
ample currency, good employment, good wages, and general
success result from it. When an excess is issued, specula-
tion and feverishness arise ; and when a deficiency occurs,
depression necessarily follows.
Experience has shewn these effects to be the uniform re-
sults of the past management of our monetary system, and
it seems to point out an easy and ample remedy.
If one bank of issue alone were founded under the super-
intendence of government, nothing can be easier than CON-
TROLLING THE AMOUNT, and its circulation in the country
rnayi be effected without prejudice to any of the existing
banking interests. We should thus possess a national hope
capable of being extended or diminished, as circumstances
required, and being accepted by the government for taxes
would be a legal tender to all other parties. This national
hope would furnish us with the immediate and permanent
means of domestic trade—would set into activity the industry
of the country, and rapidly circulate amongst society the na-
tional productions, and thus create plenty at home.
However extensive the productions of labour become, ex-
cess in supply would only have the effect of cheapening in
price, or, in other words, of giving each person a larger
quantity in return for his labour. It would not be possible
for distress to exist at home so long as the industry, skill,
and enterprise of our population was kept in activity, and the
Divine Providence afforded us his accustomed blessing.
Gold being removed as our circulating medium all fluctua-
tions arising from its abundance or scarcity, as far as our
home trade is concerned, would be at an end, and it would
take its place as a mercantile commodity, to be bought and
sold with our paper money as an article of merchandise.
The effect of this domestic monetary arrangement could
not be injurious to our foreign commerce, as that would
always depend upon our capability of exchanging goods upon
equally advantageous terms, with rival manufacturing
nations. If the whole energy of Britain became but moder-
ately exercised, so illimitable would be its production that,
after an abundant supply of the home market, we should
have an excess that would nearly supply the world. That
other nations not so favourably situated as ourselves for ob-
aining manufactures, and more favourably situated for ob-
aining other productions equally necessary to us, would be
of an equitable exchange does not admit of dispute, and
n the balance of exchanges had to be paid in gold, it
Id pass from us as a mercantile commodity without in the
slightest degree deranging our monetary system.
This arrangement would also have another evident advan-
tage in almost enforcing foreigners to take our goods in ex-
change for those which they seat to this country.
The flourishing state of our population would enable them
to obtain and consume a vast increase of the production of
other countries, and Britain would become the best market
the world. E. W.
Ivy-street, Birkenhead.

TRINITY CHURCH ORGAN

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD

- - -
SIR,--Will you, through the medium of your journal,
oblige the congregation of Trinity Church by calling the at-
tention of those in authority to the disgraceful way in which
the musical part of the service is conducted ? The fault rests
principally with the individual who plays, or, I should say,
attempts to play the organ ; for he knows as much about an
organ, or the management of one, as an infant. It is impos-
sible for the choir to keep in with him, and as for the congre-
gation joining, it is totally out of the question. The sounds
he produces occasionally are most ludicrous, and the organ
is really a most excellent one, as we have had proof, by a good
player officiating sometimes. By inserting this letter you
will oblige a number of people, and perhaps gain the desired
end, as nothing can be done by private appeal.—Yours, &c.,
A SUFFERER.

THE REVENUE INQUIRY

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD

SIR,--4 wish, briefly, to remind the Commissioners of
Enquiry, sent hither to investigate into the management of
:he customs, as regards both retrenchment to the state and
facility to the merchant, that all their labour will be in vain
if they bring with them any of the London prejudices and
jealousy that have hitherto operated so powerfully against the
interest of the merchant on the one hand and the officer on

the other.
Let the commissioners bear in mind that the revenue of
Liverpool amounts to nearly one million more than all Scot.
land and Ireland, and nearly one million snore than all the
outports of England, excluding London ; whilst her exports
are greater than those of London, and more than one-third
the experts of the UnitedKlngdoin.
With these facts the Liverpool merchants have a right to
ask for every possible facility to business which cannot be
expected so long as the officers are overworked and under-
paid.
The great trade at this port, her swelling and increasing
revenue, now nearly equal to half that of London, demand
that her fair and legitimate claims be attended to immediately.
Contrast the staff in London with quit in Liverpool, and no
man of intelligence connected with ?he customs can say that
the supply of officers at this port is at all equal to the amount
of business. Hence the detention of ships, the obstruction
of business, the delays in loading and discharging vessels,
and the shameful and unjustifiable obstacles which are thrown
in the way of a speedy discharge, which is of such vast
importance to the shipowner.
If the government cannot afford to increase the establish-
ment, they ought, at once, to do away with a great part of
the quay duty, such as the weighing of each bale of cotton,
&c., and the searchers' examination of excise goods. Either
the excise seals are of use, or they are not of use—if not of
use, do away at once with the expense and trouble of excise
packing examinations; and if of use, why subject the mer-
chant to the trouble, breakage, and loss consequent upon
the searchers' examination ? It appears to me that these twq,
classes of officers have nothing to do but to keep each other
honest, whilst the merchant is the sufferer for the vigilance
thus displayed.
The landing-waiters must be paid by fees, if work is to be
done—no other plan will do—they have opportunities for
idleness such as no other officers have, and when they have
no strong motive to work—no strong incentive, either in pay
or promotion—it is fully to expect much zeal from them ;
searchers should not be appointed to that important office
until they are fully qualified ; the system of making landing-
waiters into searchers, and especially the present system of
perpetual change is fraught with the worst consequences to
the merchant and the crown.
Holt's frauds took place when the old and well-educated
searchers were removed from the Prince's Dock, and landing-
waiting searchers took their place. No landing-waiter
should ever be made a searcher. His education and habits
disqualify him, generally speaking, and it should be only in
special cases, and under proper preparation, that a landing-
waiter should ever be admitted to the duties of a searcher.
And to prevent the trouble, expense, and delay that
result in so many petty cases of detention of goods, and ap-
plications of daily occurrence that have to be made to the
board of London, why not delegate, to the chiefs of the cus-