The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1849-01-16 00:00:00

TOWN COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS

On Wednesday an adjourned meeting of the Council
was held at the Town-hall.
The Town-clerk announced that the amount of expenses
to be reimbursed under the Registration of Voters' Act
was £2OO, and that the number of voters on the register
was 17,649.
The Committee on Local Rates presented the following
report :—" The committee report that they had communi-
cated with the parochial authorities, in order to ascertain
whether an arrangement could be effected, which would
save the expense of an application to parliament. for the
purpose of rating the Corporate property to parochial and

other local rates and charges. Your committee have
therefore proposed the bill should not b e proceeded with, the
Council undertaking to pay, out of the surplus income,
the amount which would be due from the several parishes
and townships of the borough for watch rates, and the
parochial authorities respectively, foregoing any amount,
which, if the bill passed, would be payable within their
respective townships for parochial rates on the Corporate
property there situate. This proposition has been acceded
to, and your committee recommend that the same be
approved by the Council." _ _ _

Mr. HORNBY seconded by Mr. PARKER, moved the
adoption of this report.
A long discussion ensued, in which Mr. G. H. Law-
rence, Mr. Nicol, Mr. Holt, Mr. Poole, Mr. Parker, Mr.
Bennett, Mr. Tobin, Mr. Tinne, Mr. Hodgson, Mr.
Aikin, Mr. Harbord, Mr. Fisher, and other gentlemen
followed.

Mr. H. HORNBY replied, and upon a division the report
was adopted by a majority of 36 to 18.
Mr. FERGUSON assured the Council that there was not
the slightest intention upon the part of the Select Vestry to
put contagious cases into the fever sheds.

A memorial from the managers of steam-boats, praying
for additional accommodation at George's Pier, was re-
ferred to the Ferries' Committee.

THE RIVINGTON-PIKE SCHEME.
A memorial against the Rivington-Pike scheme having
been read,
Mr. HARBORD was about to submit a motion for the
stoppage of such scheme, when

Mr. HODGSON called upon the Town-clerk to state the
legal position of the council with reference to the Pike
scheme.

The TOWN-CLERK read his reply, which was to the
effect, that, according to the provisions of the act of' Par-
liament, the Council could not legally prevent the Pike
scheme from being carried out. He was of opinion that
any inhabitant might apply for a mandamus to compel
the scheme to be carried out, and that any member of the
Council would have to defend himself, and to undergo fine
and imprisonment, if he succeeded in stopping the scheme.
Mr. HAftBORD then moved,—
To rescind so much of the resolution of the Council of the
16th of August last as directs the Water Committee to take im-
mediate measures for proceeding with the construction of the
new works, authorised by the act called" The Liverpool Cor-
poration Water Works Act, 1847," and to move that it be an
instruction to the Water Committee to stay all proceedings
with reference to such new works until a report on the special
matters of income and expenditure, and also a report on the
charges now under investigation, shall be received by the
Council.

Mr. BENNETT seconded the motion.
Mr. Nicol. opposed the motion, and said if it were
proved before the Water Committee that all the water in
the local wells was wasted, it would have no bearing upon
the question, and that it was proved satisfactorily that
four millions of gallons were all that could be obtained
from the local wells..

Mr. PARKER said that every water discussion convinced
him more and more that a most egregious blander had
been committed in going to the Pike. He would hazard
the risk of the maxdanzus and support the motion.
Mr. J. HOLME opposed the motion, and said it was im-
possible for the Water Committee to carry on their oper-
ations if the present system of agitation were not discon-
tinued.

Mr. JOSIAS BOOKER, in'a speech of considerable length,
went into a history of the origin of the Pike scheme. He
referred to the negotiations- with the Liverpool and Har-
rington Company, and read several letters in order to
show that the Water Committee declined to consent to
the introduction of a clause in their bill prohibiting the
Corporation from supplying.water from any other source
until the purchase was completed. He stated that, from
the period when the Rivington Pike was first brought
into contemplation, the Water Committee manifested de-
cided hostility to the purchase of the companies. As to
the committee of the Lords and-Comtnons, they did not
enter into the merits of the Pike scheme further than to
adjust the claims of opposing parties, and the other in-
quiry in which both sides were heard was that of Her
Majesty's Commissioners of Woods and Forests, in Feb-
ruary.. 1847: their report was to the effect that a suffi-
cient supply of water might be obtained from the red sand-
stone, and by consolidating the works of the existing com-
panies. He quoted the opinion of Mr. Stephenson, the
eminent engineer, who had stated that plenty of water
might be obtained from the red sandstone, if a sufficient
depth were taken ; and produced a statistical statement
showing that, according to the evidence of the Water
Committee, the profit on the water rental would be only
£17,300, and, after making all necessary allowances, there
would be a deficiency of £7,700 to meet the expenditure,
even with an additional rate of 2d. in the pound. He
said,—The question may be asked,—WilL you give up the
Rivington Pike scheme, now that you have expended so
large an amount of money, and put yourselves under seri-
ous liabilities ?• To this I would answer,—Certainly, if a
doubt exists with regard to the feasibility' of the under-
taking. Is not this a matter of frequent occurrence with
railroads ? Let us take them as our monitors. Is there
a commercial man here present who has-not been con-
strained to acknowledge, in many instances, that an early
withdrawal from an undertaking with a partial, would
have probably prevented a total loss ? But this motion
does not propose to abandon the scheme without an im-
partial investigation. I asked for this before one penny
was expended, and now venture to repeat-the request, and
to pronounce this scheme, in its present form, a huge
conception of mischief requiring no small share of temerity
to carry it into execution. Mr. Booker concluded by
!Loving, as an amendment, that the Rivington works be
suspended for twelve months ; that the borough engineer
take the superintendence of the local wells, and report
upon the present supply : and that if, at the expiration of

months, it should-be deemed necessary to obtain fur-
ther information, the matter be referred to Mr. Robert
Stephenson to report his own opinion as to the future
supply of the town with water.

Atter several other members had addressed the meeting
pro and con, Mr. Booker withdrew his amendment.

Mr. PROCTER moved another amendment, embodying
the motion of Mr. llarbord, and adding that it be an in-
structionto the Water Committee to call in some engi-
neer of eminence, together with the borough engineer, to
test the local works, and to report fully to the committee.
IVIT. PARKER seconded this amendment, amid cries of
" Vote, vote."
Mr. HARBORD, replied. He hoped that if his motion
were carried, the Town-clerk would look through the act,
and see by what means the Council could creep out of
their supposed liabilities by means of loopholes ; and that
the landowners of Rivington would not be told that there
was a mulch cow standing still and ready to be milked.
The TOWN-CLERK said he would do everything in ac-
cordance with the wishes of a majority of the Council. _

Mr. HARBoup.warned the Council, if they introduced
the Pike water into Liverpool, dysentery, ague, and vari-
ous other disorders would prevail among the rich and poor
of the town every autumn. He concluded by withdrawing
his motion.

The Council divided ; when there appeared for Mr.
Procter's amendment, 21 ; against it, 13. The amend-
ment was consequently declared to be carried.
The following gentlemen voted in the division :--
For it.—Messrs. Langsdale, Walthew, Woodruff, Hod-
son, Briscoe, Henderson, Ferguson, Harbord, Rogers,
Wagstaff, Kaye, Gardner, Johnson, Bennett, Parker,
J. Booker, Beckwith„ Hindley, Fisher, Procter, and
Bent.

Against it.—Messrs. J. Holme, Morris, Tyrer, Little-
dale, Aikin, Rimmer, Tobin, G. Booker, Lloyd, G. H.
Lawrence, Nicol, Cooper, and I.le Mayor. _

Mr. Nicol, said it was not his intention, after the divi..
sion just come to, to attend the meetings of the Water.
Committee again. Mr. Morris and Mr. Cooper also re—
signed their seats.as members of the Water Committee.
11r. PROCTER observed that that was the first time he
had ever heard of individual members of a committee re-
signing because their proceedings-had not been confirmed.
The Council, having disposed of the whole of the busi-
ness before them, adjourned at ten minutes to six o'clock,

after a protracted sitting o

nearly seven hours

FAZIO " AT THE AMPHITHEATRE
CUSHMAN'S BIANCA.

MISS

We witnessed on Thursday night this beautifuL imper-
sonation of the tenderness and truthfulness of woman's
character, combined with the opposite attributes of jea-
lousy, hatred, and revenge; and we scarcely think any
other actress capable of throwing the continued intensity
of action into the performance requisite for its perfect de-
lineation. From the first scene to the last, Bianca is the
play : Bianca's love, her sorrows, her retaliation, her re-
morse and death. Fazio (Hann), her husband, as the
poor student of alchemy, shares with her a happy though
humble home, until, by chance, Bartole, (Gilheigh), an old
miser, having been attacked by assassins, rushes in and dies.
Fazio takes the keys, secures the treasure, buries the dead
body, and, as the successful alchemist, becomes the lion
of Florence. The Marchesa Aldabella. (Mrs. Wallis),
a lady whom he formerly loved, but who repulsed him
with scorn, now throws all the fascination of a beauteous
form and winning manners in the path of her former de-
votee. An interview takes place, and when he next sees
his wife he insists upon the adoption of more distant
greetings than heretofore observed between them, and
rehearses certain courtly phrases for her future guidance.
Bianca is amazed and alarmed at the sudden change;:
but, with a woman's quickness, soon resolves the mystery.
We quote the following from memory (there is no copy of
of the tragedy extant in Liverpool), as well illustrating
the character of the heroine, and being that point in the
performance where the extraordinary powers of the ac-
tress are brought into full operation:—

Bianca. Thou couldst not talk thus in thy stedfast sense.
Fazio, thou bast seen Aldabella
Fazio. Well, she is no basilisk; there is no death in her
eyes.

Bianca. Aye, Fazio, but there is; and more than death—a
death beyond the grave—a death of sin—a howling, hideous,
and eternal death. Nay, I'm imperative ; thou art mine, and
shalt not—
Fazio. Shalt not?

Bianca. Take heed. We are passionate. Our milk of love
deth turn to wormwood, and that is bitter drinking. The
fondest are most phrenetic. If ye do drive the love out of my
soul, that is its motion, being, and its life, there 'll be a con-
flict, strange and horrible, among all fearful and ill-visaged
/lends, for the blank void; and their mad revel there will make
me—oh! I know not what—hate thee? Oh, no! 1 could not
hate thee, Fazio. Nay, nay, my Fazio; 'tis not come to that.

Fazio, however, determines to see Aldabella once more ;
and on this fatal night Bianca bitterly laments the lone-
liness of her palatial residence, and wishes for the lowly
but happy lot of poverty and undivided love. The still
hours of night pass, and dawn approaches, but brings not
Fazio. The very assiduity of her domestics seems a
mockery ; and in the wildness of her desolation, she would
welcome her husband, even if he came
" Reeking from the arms of Aldabella."
But here she has suddenly jarred the music of her soul ;
the key-note snaps asunder, and the chord is broken ;
and while working herself up to the act of denouncing the
recreant but still loved one, as a means of dragging him
from the chamber of her rival, the acting of Miss Cushman
becomes painfully intense. When brought before the
ducal court, Fazio is astonished to find that his accuser is

s wife ' • and while she only expected that by giving pub-
licity to his affair with Bartolo his wealth would be taken
from him, and that love would return with the withdrawal
of temptation, she learns with dismay that he is adjudged
the murderer of the miser, as well as the appropriator of
his riches, and that he must die. Here the fatal error
dawns upon her, and she vehemently pleads that he is in-
nocent of blood. But even this will not avail her ; Fazio
does not deny the robbery, and the punishment is death.
We come now to the most exciting portion of the tra-
gedy. The feelings of hatred for her rival, and affection
for her husband, are wrought to a fearful height, and in
the rapid alternation of these two passions lies the secret
of the great success of Miss Cushman in this most diffi-
cult character. The meeting in prison succeeds, and in
the midst of the terrors of parting a beautiful scene is
enacted. He is to die on the morrow ; and she leaves his
dungeon with a determination that she will
" Raise something up in Florence"
. .

to save him. She goes in the Plenitude of woman's will,
to do she knouts not what, and even casts herself at the
feet of her rival, begging her to use her influence to save
the life, though she took the person, of her husband ; but
is met by the cool disregard of the accomplished courte-
san. All, all is vain. She returns unsuccessful,:and is left
standing in the dungeon, cold and motionless, while Fazio
is conveyed to the place of execution. Throughout
these latter scenes the wonderful energy displayed to
remedy or alleviate the misery she has caused, calls into
play an amount of physical power we had scarcely thought
inherent in the frame of our fair sisters. The feelings
are womanly, but the terrific embodiment is sublime.

The ensuing scenes are full of passion and despair.
Bianca demands moral justice, and the Lady Aldabella is
condemned to a convent ; and after a piece of exquisite
acting, Bianca, having confided her children to the charge
of the Duke, wha appears to repent the harshness of his
judgment, is overcome bythe fulness of her grief, and dies.

Miss Cushman waa vociferously called for at the con-
clusion of the performance, and, after an interval of some
time, appeared, evidently in a state of great exhaustion,
On Friday night the Amphitheatre was densely
crowded for this talented lady's benefit.