The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-08-30 00:00:00

MODIFICATION OF THE STAMP DUTIES,

The Budget of the Chancellor of provided
for the above subjects, which your Council have advocated,
and which Dave been referred to in previous reports.

DECIMAL CURRENCY.
The Council have to report that the plan suggested by them
for carrying out this system has been adopted by the special
committee of the House of Commons.

SHIPS' MORTGAGES.
The late decision of the Attorney-General, ordering that
Mortgages on Ships should be carried forward on to the new
registers, was referred to at the last general meeting of the
Chamber, and a special committee appointed thereon. No
steps have been taken as yet, in the hope that bills are about
to be introduced by Government which will provide for this
question. EAST INDIA AFFAIRS.
A special committee was appointed on this subject, and a
member of the Council accompanied a deputation to the Pre-
sident of the Board of Control, relative to certain points in
reference to the new Charter of the East India Company; but
your Council regret to say, that but few of the points urged
upon Sir Charles Wood have found places in the Government
of India Bill.
PILOTAGE BILL; AND MERCHANT SHIPPING BILL.

These were referred to a special committee ; but, owing to
the shortness of time. only a general opinion could be expressed
upon them. RUSSIA COMPANY AND SOUND DUBS.
The Council have repeated their efforts by representations
to the Board of Trade and the Foreign-office, to procure the
abolition of these taxes on commerce, and they are assured
that they will receive the best attention of the Government.
AND THE EASTERN ARCHIPELAGO.

—.„
A inernorial has been forwarded to the Earl of Clarendon,
asking the countenance of the Government for the extension
and improvement of our commercial relations with Siam and
the countries of the Eastern •Archipelago.

PERUVIAN GUANO.
The short supplY of Peruvian guano has been a subject of
consideration by a special committee, who are still engaged
upon it. POSTAL ARRANGEMENTS.
The postal Committee still continue to direct their atten-
tion to matters within their functions. They have made re-
presentations to Government on the subject of the irregular
manner in which the West India mail service was conducted;
also as to the importance of a regular and speedy postal com-
munication with Australia, recommending the route via Suez
and Ceylon or Singapore : this is under consideration by the
Admiralty. And they have to report that the mornine mail
from London is now received here at half. past three p.m.,
which admits of the delivery of letters before the close of
business. SHIPS, SURVEY CERTIFICATES.
A reference to this subject was made at the last annual
meeting ; and your Council have now to report that, after
conferring with the Underwriters' Association, new order
have
ebeen givenbt that body, requiring the surveyors to
record, in suitable books, all particulars regarding the state
of the ship, her dunnage and stowage, which must constitute
the basis of their certificate of stowage ; and that such certi-
ficate shall express the surveyor's opinion as to the party
liable for any damage.
COMRINAT/ON OF OPERATIVE PORTERS.

The late strike among the dock and cotton porters was a
subject which received the anxious attention of your Council;
and although they had many difficulties tocontend with, they
are happy to say that the inconveniences occasioned by the
strike were only of a temporary character, and that the
porters were induced to return to their work upon the former
terms. It is believed, however, that the association which
originated the strike, is still in existence.
A bill was introduced into and passed the House of Com-
mons, having for its object the legalizing of such combina-
tions among workmen; and which, if carried, would have had
a serious effect upon employers. But your Council com-
municated with Lord Harrowby on the subject, and they are
glad to say that the measure was thrown out in the House of
Lords.

ASsOCIATION OF THE MEMBERS OF THE CORN TRAT3E

Your Council are happy to perceive the formation of this
body, which is a point referred to in a previous report, and is
in conformity with the recommendation of a special commit.
tee of the chamber, appointed to consider the subject.
Your directors have now only to repeat that they continue
to receive most valuable assistance from the Earl of Harrowby
and the members of parliament for the southern division of
the county and the b&ough in all matters connected with the
chamber; and they cannot close their report without placing
on record their high sense of the very important services ren-
dered by those gentlemen.
Mr. BROWN, M.P., after stating that he had always
taken a deep interest in the commercial affairs of Liver-
pool, proceeded to say, that the exertions of the Chamber
of Commerce, lead on by the judgment pf Mr. Bouch,
whose services could riot be over-estimated, had been
greatly instrumental in forwarding commercial improve-
ments. The London merchants, he said, although desi-
rous of effecting various improvements, yet not being
fully aware of the peculiarity of position occupied by the
merchants of Liverpool, were hardly prepared to co-operate
fully in their views. The Chamber, however, had been
able to satisfy them, and conjointly they had effected se-
veral improvements, all of which were alluded to in the
report. In reference to a decimal coinage, he stated, that
he, along with others, members of the Chamber, had,
as a deputation, waited on the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, who expressed himself in general terms
favourable to .the proposal, and a select committee
had been appointed to consider of the subject ; Mr. Glad-
stone had, however, objected that it would be pushing for
too much at once if they urged the desimal notation as to
weights and measures, and the deputation considered it
right not to press the point. From an article which he
had seen in the Economist, he was inclined to think
that government was inclined to give way on the subject,
and as those was good reasons to believe, they might be
operated on by a pressure from without ; he might take
the liberty of suggesting and of expressing his hope that
the public Press would take up the subject, and urge it
seriously and strongly on the consideration of the govern-
meat. Lord Canning, with whom he had had an inter-
view on the subject of a reduced uniform rate of Colonial
postage, had signified his general approbation of such
a measure ; some progress had eherefore, it might be as-
sumed, been made, but still he feared the penny rate was
a remote contingency, although he believed Government
was disposed to try a uniform sixpenny rate, so soon as
the difficulties by which its adoption is beset should have
been removed. The value of opinions expressed by this
Chamber were now, he said, beginning to be widely felt,
and it was difficult to suppose that the mercantile influence
of such a body
i coulb be exerted in vain. Through the ex-
ercise of that influence so much good had been effected
during the last session as to call for a vigilant exercise of
it still further. Much, no doubt, had been done, and the
way had been cleared to a great extent, still much remained
to be done. In conclusion, he moved that the report be
adopted.
Mr. HORSFALL, M.P., said he felt much pleasure in
seconding the motion of his honourable friend, Mr. Brown ;
and, in doing so, he congratulated the chamber on the
advancement of the principles advocated by its members.
There were three subjects on which, he said, the improve-
ments had been peculiarly gratifying. The first was the
customs' reform ; second, the abatement of the duty on
on tea; and, third, the abolition of the soap duties. These
important questions had all been considered or settled in
a satisfactory manner. When he called to memory the
customs' reform, he could not avoid thinking of the way
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