The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-03-26 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

SlR,—The Dissenters here and elsewhere are in full cry
of triumphant admiration of Dr. Wardlaw's volume of letters
lately published, and addressed to the Rev. Hugh M`Neile.
This is not to be wondered at, for the volume is.very cleverly
written ; and if their cause be capable of defence by any man
in the kingdom, doubtless Dr. Wardlaw is the man. They
have no man like him. It is not to enter into the question
at issue that I write, but to call attention through your paper
to the position occupied by Mr. Wlsleile.
The point and power of his assaults on Popery have caused
the Irish demagogues in the House of Commons to single
him out by name for their brutal attacks, in what he calls
" personal scurrility without argument," and the point and
power of his defence of the established church have caused
" the most distinguished of modern Dissenters," or rather the
Committee of the Evangelical Voluntary Church Association,
at whose instance the Doctor writes, to put forth the pith of
their right arm, to resist if possible the cogency and efficiency
of his reasonings.

To be set up as a target, receiving on the one side the
sharp arrows of Dr. Wardlaw's logic, and on the other side
the mire and filth of Daniel O'Connell's abuse, is a position
of " double honour," which may well make us prize the
labours, hank God for the gifts, and pray fervently for the
preservation and prosperity both in mind and body of our
reverend champion.—l am, Sir, your constant reader,

A GRATEFUL CHURCHMAN
Toxteth, 24th March, 1811.

A YOUNG LANDSMAN BECOME A SEAMAN.—My mess-
mate S-- and myself petitioned the captain for leave to
shift our berths from the steerage, where we had previously
lived, into the forecastle. This, to our delight, was granted,
and we turned in to kunk and mess with the crow forward.
We now began to feel like sailors, which we never fully did
when we were in the steerage. While there, however useful
and active you may be, you are but a mongrel,—a sort of
afterguard and ship's "cousin." You are immediately under
the eye of the officers, cannot dance, sing, play, smoke, make
a noise, or growl (i. e. complain), or take any other sailor's
pleasure ; and you live with the steward, who is usually a
go-between ; and the crew never feel as though you were one
of them, But, if you live in the forecastle, you are as " in-
dependent as a•wood-sawyer's clerk" (nautice), and

sailor. You hear sailors' talk, learn their ways, their pecu-
liarities of feeling as well as speaking and acting ; and, more-
over, pick up a great deal of curious and useful information
in seamanship, ships' customs, foreign countries, &c. from
their long yarns and equally long disputes. No man can be
a sailor, or know what' sailors are, unless he has lived in the
forecastle with them—turned in and out with them—eaten.of
their dish—and drank of their cup. After I had been a week
there, nothing would have tempted me to go back to my old
berth ; and never afterward§, even in the worst of weather,
when in a close and leaking' forecastle off Cape Horn, did I,
for a moment, wish myself in the steerage. Another thing
which you learn better in the forecastle than you can any-
where else, is to make and mend clothes ; and this is indis-
pensable to sailors. A large part of their watches below they
spend at this work • and here I learned that art which stood
me in 5o good etendafterwards.--Two Tears Wore the Mast.

MEETING OF THE IXidk:COM:MITTEE

The Dock Cor4rnittee held their weekly meeting yester-
day. There were`present Messrs. Benn, Barclay, T. Holt,
Middleton, Quayle, Booth, Mellor, G. Holt, Martin,
Holmes, Chapman, Moon, Aiken, Smith, Horsfall, Tobin,
and Evans. Mr. BENN presided.
The sub-committee of works recommended that the pier
which projects into the entrance of the Clarence graving-
docks be taken away, so that two or perhaps three ships
could lie upon graving blocks, with the advantage of being
dry at all times. This improvement the chairman stated
would be quite equal to a new, graving dock for two vessels
at least.

Mr. CHAPMAN said this was one of the most valuable
suggestions ever brought before the committee.
Mr. MELLOR asked what was the expense?
Mr. G. H OLT replied that the sub-committee had not ap-
plied themselves to this question.
Mr. HORSFALL said the expense' would be moderate.
Some further conversation took place, at the end of which
the report Was confirmed. The surveyor is to commence the
work after Easter, and to present an estimate of the expense
to the next meeting.

The sub-corunuttee of works, in a report which they pre-
sented, suggested that a site for the erection of a residence
for the astronomer, to be appointed to the observatory, might
be had at the south side of Waterloo Dock, between the
Customs DepOt, and the site intended for the dock-master's

Mr. AIKEN asked whether the entrance of the astrono-
mer's house would be inside of the dock ?
The CHAIRMAN replied in tho negative.
Mr. HonsFALL thought there should be an application
from the corporation to build the house upon the same con-
ditions as the land for the observatory, had been granted.
Mr. AIKEN that that had been already arranged.
The sub-committee for the department of the Marine Sur-
veyor, reported that they had investigated the complaints of
Lieut. Bevis, R.N., and the agent of the City of Dublin
Steam Packet Company, of the signals from the light ship
not having been heard during the late fogs, and found' that
the men were attentive to their duties, that their instructions
were sufficient for the purpose, and that the firing of a
greater number of signal guns did not appear desirable, as
they might be mistaken and thus cause accidents.
Mr. TOBIN'S complaint at the last meeting of the Rock
lighthouse bell not being large enough to be heard in fogs,
was next considered. The surveyor gave it as his opinion
that the position of the present bell might be improved so
as to increase the sound ; and eventually he and the Marine
Surveyor were directed to report upon the subject.
A letter was read from the South Harbour-master, relative
to the discussions which took place in the committee last
week, upon the question where the duties of .pilots bringing
ships into dock ceased, and those of the pier-master com-
menced. This letter described the state of Queen's Dock
one tide this week, some damage having been done by the
pilots of one or two vessels having run in.
Mr. ,HORSFALL remarked that penalties were attached to
offences of this description, and the committee ought to en-
force them.

Yr. EVANS suggested a conference with the Pilots' Com-

mittee

The CIIAIILMAN, Mr. CHAPMAN, and Mr. HORSFALL
spoke to the same effect, and at the termination of the dis-
cussion it was resolved that the Secretary should write to the
Pilots' Committee, requesting them to have a conference
upon the subject with the sub-committee for the department
of the harbour and dock-musters.

A return of the Runcorn Dock dues, from the 25th Fe-
bruary to the 24th March, was read. It appeared that 159
vessels had entered, of 8432 tons, and that the dues amounted
to £lOB 14s. 2d.

The SECRETARY next read the following letter from Capt.
Theaker, of the ship Gilmore :
To the Secretary of the Liverpool Dock Committee.
" SIR,—In forwarding to you a statement of what took
place on board the Gilmore on Sunday, the 14th instant, and
which I consider a grievous nuisance, I do it with a view to
benefit others, and not myself, as well as to render the en-
tering the Liverpool docks more secure. On the aboie-
named date we arrived in the river, and before we got near
the docks were very much pestered and annoyed, by boats
full of men coming alongside, and wishing to come on board
to speak to the sailors. This, with considerable difficulty,
was prevented. However they watched their opportunity of
getting on board at the time when the ship was entering the
dock-gates, and, in defiance of all orders and remonstrances
by the chief mate, the decks were filled in a few minutes, so
much so that it became a matter of great difficulty -o walk
about the ship ; and to make the annoyance still greater, the
sailors were found to be, in a short time, in a state of stupi-
dity, arising from intoxication, liquor having been brought
on board by some means or other. When the chief mate
found himself placed in this situation, and no person of au-
thority belonging to the dock sent on board, he was fearful
of not being able to get the ship moored, and otherwise com-
plying with the regulations of the dock. He therefore en-
deavoured to get the strangers out of the ship ; but to no
purpose. They dared him to attempt to put them out by
force, and even shewed fight ; for their number was so great
that the whole ship's company would have availed nothing
against so many. I consequently have to complain, from
these circumstances, that we narrowly escaped being fined
for not complying with the regulations of the docks, although
my men were desirous of doing their utmost to the very last;
but from being taken off their duty by the crimps, they were
absolutely prevented doing as they wished. In consequence
of this annoyance the ship was not made fast till very late,
and the anchors obliged to be left hanging at the cat-heads
till the next day, when I was obliged to pay more money
than was proper for the sake of getting them up in time,
which loss would have. been saved had not these strangers
been allowed to come on board, and obstructed the work of
the ship in the way they did, as my sailors would have done
everything I wished, and in good time too, had they not been
made half drunk. Being a stranger in Liverpool, and never
having met with such obstruction before, I trust the com-
mittee will take such steps for the future, by affording pro-
tection through the police, as to render the working of a ship
in the Liverpool docks as secure and economical as in Lon-
don and elsewhere.—l remain, sir, your obedient servant,
(Signed) EDWD. THEAKER.
" Liverpool, 22d March, 1841."
Mr. HORSFALL said the boarding of ships by crimps and
others was certainly a great nuisance.