The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-07-29 00:00:00

THE POWDER. MAGAZINES.

A deputation *gentlemen residing on the Cheshire side of
the Mersey wait n Friday last on the Finance Committee of
the Common Council appointed to consider the present state of
I the powder magazines, to point out to them the danger to which
they and all other persons residing on that side of the river were
exposed, from the state and position of those dangerous depots.
We understand that they were induced to take this step by the
total omission of any reference to themselves in the official re-
port, in which the present very disgraceful and dangerous con;
dition of the magazines is pointed out, and the probable effects
of an explosion on the town and population of Liverpool con-
sidered, but in which the numerous residents of the Cheshire
side of the river do not come in for a single line of observation
or reference, though they, in reality, are the persons most con-
cerned in the matter, and most endangered by an explosion.
The deputation consisted of Mr. Bartley, Mr. Mann, Mr. Lowry,
Mr. V. Higgins, Mr. Cook, and two or three other gentlemen.
We understand that they expressed their surprise and regret
that the report should have contained no allusion to the effects
which an explosion of the magazines would produce on the Che-
shire side of the river, where the inhabitants, from their prox-
iinity, were peculiarly exposed to danger, and that, even as far
as Liverpool was concerned, thE:t it should have contained no-
thing more than conjecture as to the effects of an explosion.
They stated that, even if the mischief at Liverpool should be
confined to the mere breaking of windows and shaking of the
town, it would certainly be very different in the vicinity of the
present depot, now very populous, and where buildings are
rapidly increasing, which would be exposed to the full violence
of the skock ; and they also pointed out the additional risk from
the establishment of the Royal Liscard Ferry, bringing steam-
boats within 100 or 200 yards from the dep6t. They considered,
that as the neighbourhood was already very populous, and was
every year becoming snore so, that the magazines ought to be
removed, notwithstanding any mere inconvenience that might
accrue, unless it could be shown that the removal to a less ob-
jectionable place was impossible, and they urged the sub-com-
mittee to consider whether a better position could not be obtain-
ed before they proceeded to spend money in repairing and al-
tering the present very dangerous and insufficient Magazines.
We understand that the sub-committee stated in reply that they
had every wish to provide for the security of the inhabitants of
both sides of the river, and that they had already determined to
make the buildings fire-proof, to secure a careful system of
management, and to adopt every possible precaution against
accident, but at the same time they were not prepared to
recommended a removal of the Magazines, as it would be
attended with the greatest inconvenience to the commerce of
the port. They wished to know whether the deputation could
point out any more eligible site ? Mr. Bartley (on the part of
the deputation) said that they did not think that it was for them
to find a site, but still they would suggest that a inag.azine might
be established either on Hilbre Island, or a floating magazine
in the higher part of the river, where it was from six to seven
miles wide, and where a magazine might be placed in the mid-
dle of the river without any serious danger. In reply it was
stated that a Magazine on Hilbre Island would not be accessi-
ble in rough weather, and that one up the river, besides being
much less convenient, would be liable to accident from the
number of steamers passing up and down. After some further
discussion the deputation retired,
the committee stilt promising
to do every think in their power to secure the present magazines,
and the deputation still urging them, before they do so, to see
whether it was not possible to remove them altogether.