The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-04-06 00:00:00

of 'the multitud,

I) BIRKENHEAD Err

n has since been carried out,
line, which joins the trunk

carter

w

/
cc. withstanding the fact that there are no less than eleven bridges
within the compass of a mile.
By the same conve-

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD

crown may

besupposec

tions which were at issue between the two king:darn

given to all these matters hispersonalattention—: he has investi-
gE!tec.l all these circumstances : he has considered the advantages

the prosecution ofourcom eTcralenlerprise;,and we i ghing both
these advantages together, I will fearlessly ask who co al d b e bet-

upon a subject so fraught with importance to the people of this
kingdom? Ile has on more than one occasion been called by
his sovereign into the service of the state; and at present he
fills the high place of Chief Commissioner of Woods and Forests.
We will do our utmost to honour him on his present visit to
f Birkenhead; indeed, I should rather say we. are bound to

so, for his presence here to-day stamps the works on the banks
of the Mersey, at Tranmere, and at Wallasey Pool, with that
stamp of approval which its friends always required for it—
(hear, hear)—but which the public were not so willing, without
more than speculative proof, to accede to them. I hope it will
be remembered that these works are as much for the benefit of
public at large as for a private body. No doubt it must have

originated in the private enterprise of a company; but, then,
Ihope that. they have a public character, and that they will
support the honour and dignity of that character. I hope you
will not forget, gentlemen, that after leaving this room we have
to go to open the Birkenhead Parks; and I do not know an
individual in the kingdoin better suited to perform that cere-
mony than the noble lord on my right hand. (Cheers.) I
know the interest which he has ever taken on the sanatory con-
dition of the inhabitants of the towns of this kingdom; and I
hope it will be a gratification to him to see in this town a large
piece of ground laid out in suitable parks for the people—to
see, in the midst of this quickly increasing town, a park laid
out, and guaranteed for ever and ever to the_ use f the public.
(Hear, hear.) And I hope that the noble lord will always look
back with pleasure to the operations of this day, as baing cal-
culated to produce a vast deal of good to the people of this
part of the kingdom, for on this day he will open the Bir-
kenhead Parks. (Loud cheers.) I shall take this opportunity
of saying, that on an occasion like the present, where no
political feelings can enter, where we see in the practical pur-
suits of commerce, men of all parties got together for the pur-
pose of forwarding the great and mighty schemes, which alone
have raised this country to her present pre-eminent poSition—
I trust that we shall do all honour to the Noble Lord—(Loud
cheers.) It is my misfortune to sit (as they say in the. House
of Commons) on the opposite side from his lordship;—(laughter)
but still I trust that neither I, nor any. gentleman here, no
matter what side of politics he may be inclined to support,

will be wanting in cordial regard for our noble guest; whose
public and private life has ever been devoted to the advance-
ment of the welfare of the people of this country. (Cheers.)
Gentlemen, I have now the honour of proposing the health of
"The Right Honourable Lord Viscount Morpeth. Drunk
standing, and with the utmost enthusism.
When silence was in some degree restored,

Lord MORPETII presented himself, and was received with
the most rapturous bursts of applause. He said : Mr. Chair-
man, ladies, and gentlemen, I assure you that I feel most sensi-
ble to the more than kind and cordial manner in which this
toast has been received. Ever since I have been called to the

rue with the property of the crown, I have felt the strongest
Interest in the rising fortunes of Birkenhead. (Cheers.) Nor
is it, indeed, unnatural that I should do so ; for you are proba-

are represen,

- .
the abstract idei of its subjects, it has also motives not so
purely abstract or disinterested in wishing well to the port and
town of Birkenhead. (Cheers.) I view it in this way the more
_ .

the midertakingi here set on foot can beciime-profitable to the_
crown, -must be according to the degree in which they are
made available for the accommodation of commerce, and
for the public good. (Hear, hear, and cheers.), Asa well-
wisher of the public, as a servant of the Crown, and as an ad-
mirer of courageous enterprise, and successful perseverance—
(cheers)—l find a compression of claims upon me for feeling an
interest in the welfare of the town; and for doing, in conjunc-

most willingly and zealously seconded, and in presence of the
example set me by my prodecessors in office—(cheers)—
all that in us lies to promote, by all legitimate means, the
permanent prosperity of Birkenhead. (Cheers.) With this
feeling, then, you may judge with how lively an emotion I have
partaken in all the proceedings of the' day. We have heard

sometimes of the gala days in Venice, when the Do7e went forth

r ins gor-
.nt in its

Is" never

Gentlemen, I am honoured by the command of your chairman
to propose a toast, and I arise to propose it under very mixed
feelings. It is with feelings of pride and gratification that I rise
to propose such a toast,- and not unmingled with regret that
this duty devolves upon me, in consequence of the unexpected
absence of one who would be far more fitting to advocate its
claims—l allude to the unintentional absence of the Chairman of
the Customs, my respected friend, Sir Thomas Freemantle.
The toast is, " The commerce of the Mersey" ; and allow me
to comment on the liberality shown in this instance, as in so
many others, by the parties who commenced these magnificent
undertakings, in proposing this commercial toast of the even-
ing, in terms so general in their nature, as "The commerce of
the Mersey." (Rear, hear). Lord Morpeth remarked, just
now, that there ought to be an end of jealousy between Liver-
pool and Birkenhead ; and I trust, that from this day, no feel-
ing of jealousy or rivalry will exist between them, except that
generous rivalry which endeavours to do the greatest amount
of public good to the country, and to the world. (Great cheers.).
Gentlemen, I believe that it is almost unnecessary to propose
prosperity to the commerce of the Mersey, and, therefore, that
was very wisely omitted from the toast, for all that can be re-
quired is, a continuance of the prosperity of the commerce
now enjoyed. The noble lord (Lord Morpeth) just now re-
marked, that London and Liverpool divided the greatest amount
of cammeree of the United Kingdom. My noble friend, in re-
marking that, stated the truth, but not the whole truth, for I
believe that in the list of the commercial cities of this great em-
pire the commerce of the Mersey not only equals but exceeds
that of London itself. (Cheers.) And I have no doubt that from
this date—this auspicious date—will commence an increase to
that commerce in this mighty river, which will not only con-
tinue to gain on the commerce of London, but will, after an
interval of a few years, amount to more than that of two or
three of the greatest commercial ports put together. And
when I say "this auspicious date," allow me to remark, that
while we have visible proofs now open to the public of the state
of the commerce of the Mersey, we have this day a most
auspicious commencement of this port. I have been informed
that this very day coals will come down the railway and will be
this very day shipped on board the steamer lying in these
docks. (Cheers.) I have also been informed that an American
vessel is at this moment in the dock—that she will discharge a
portion of her cargo this very day, that. cargo being guano, and
that it will be carried by the railway this afternoon, and will,
in all probability, be spread upon some farm before nightfall.
(Laughter and cheers.) Such is the energy of man, and such
is the extent to which the powers and energies of man can go ;
and I hope that those energies may be prospered, and that
while we are now suffering from the dire calamity of scarcity
its may

t, ae an auspicious omen, and that this feitilising, prO:
cess may end in an increased crop as regards this next year.
(Hear, and cheers.) I have been reminded by the chairman
that this is no opportunity for making long speeches, and I shall
not detain you longer, more especially as I have a toast that
requires no comment. lam now in a condition to say that the
ship to which I alluded before is at this moment safely moored
in the dock. I sincerely congratulate the Commissioners on
the entrance of this first vessel ; I trust that they may meet
with a most just reward for the spirited public efforts they have
made. Allow me to propose this toast, not as a local or merely
national toast, but as one in which the happiness and peace of
the world are concerned. Allow me to propose—" The Corn-
neree of the Mersey." The toast was drunk with three times
-ee and loud cheers.

Lord MoNTEAGLE, on rising to propose the next toast, was
enthusiastically received. He said—Ladies and Gentlemen, in
obedience to the command of the chairman, I rise for the pur-
pose of proposing the next toast, and I do so with great and
sincere gratification, because to me it seems to involve a great

a our recollection,

but otipt to be pre-eminently present to us on• any occasion
like this. But, before I propose it, I may be allowed to thank
you, in the first place, as a guest, for your hospitality, and, in
_ _

the memorable events and display of this day, for when freflect
that I, as a member of the legislature, had the great satisfaction
of giving my vote in favour of the Birkenhead bill—that it is
two years since the foundation stone was laid, anti when I see
all that I have seen this day, I am sure that the days of mira-
cles have not ceased, and that there are miracles even in the
times in which we live. But, not miracles in the ordinary sense
of the word : the rewards- held out by a beneficent ProvidencenrA

intellects—

—the rewards field out to his interest

conduce to the noble operations of his nature, his patriotism
his love for his fellow man, and the exhibition of what is st

pre-eminently shown in Birkenhead, that men 'striving for just
and legitimate gain, pursuing the career of a noble, enterpris-
ing vet feel that

pecuniary

gotten.—(Hear, and cheers.) We have seen towns that have
risen to great wealth, great power, the developments of indus-

that there ever was, within the length and breadth of this land,
a community before that assumed a start from the port with a
consciousness that there was something to be done higher and
better than the acquisition of wealth itself. I know of no
community within this realm that has asserted that great prin-
ciple so firmly as the community of Birkenhead. (Loud
cheering.) My noble friend on my left (Lord Morpeth) and no
one was better authorized to speak to the point than he, who is
contributing elsewhere, so far as it is possible, to repair past
blunders, and to promote the benefits of health, which you have
endeavoured to insure for your future citizens. On that head
no one has felt more strongly than my noble friend; but how
easy his task would have been had Birmingham, Manchester,
and Leeds, all which places have grown up without the know-
ledge that you have acquired, begun with the principles that
you have la►d down ' they actea those

nat. _
how easy would intellectual groWth and physical superiority of
the people have been rendered! (Hear, hear.) • I shall now,
with that reserve upon time waich is imposed upon me, explain
the toast it is my duty to give. I give the toast with pleasure,
because I think it involves a great principle;—the toast I am
authorized to give is—" Manchester and the manufacturing
districts." The principle that that toast. involves is, that
there cannot be amongst created men any severance of interest,
still less nothing distinct or adverse. There is- no clashing
amongst us. There may be momentary jealousies, but a real
severance of interest cannot exist. (Cheers.) Every pile your
engineer has laid to form your docks, every excavation he has
made, is not merely a promotion of the commerce of the
Mersey, but is an impulse to the whole iiiplustry of. the
country. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) And in the community
of which, my noble friend is the beloved representative,
there is not a step which you can take here that will not be
felt there; and not there only but at the extremest part of the
land. (Cheers.) Then, from the noble representation given

here—that your docks tend to the improvement of the agri-
cultural districts of the country as well as the manufacturing—
the conclusion to which I come is this,—that there being no
reverence of interest between one isoction of the community and
the other, neither can there be any deviation of duty where all
are members of the one community, and we discharging our
duties, and where they are advancing the interests of others,

and th'ose others are advancing our interests. (Loud applause.)
I am sure that on the banks of the Mersey we may be allowed
to hold communion of interests, and that we may be allowed
to hold that divinest of all lessons, which is embodied in that
divine word—Peace. (Loud applause.)
The MAYOR of MANCHESTER briefly responded to the toast.

Lord MORPETII said it was now high time to drink of their
Chairman. (Loud cheers.) The Chatrman had especial claims
to their attention, for he was not only the Chairman of the
Birkenhead Dock Commissioners, but the Chairman of the
Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire Junction Railway Com-
pany also. He hoped, to use a metaphor more agricultural
than commercial, that each would bring grist to the other's
mill; but whether that were so or not, they owed him a debt
of gratitude for the able and graceful manner in which he had

discharged the duties of Chairman.
The health of the Chairman was drunk with three times-
three, the whole of the company upstanding.
The CHAIRMAN briefly returned thanks.
Lord MottrEril gave" Prosperity to the Birkenhead Docks."
He expressed his belief that, instead of squabbling about the
Oregon, upon the banks of the Columbia, it would be far better
to be discharging the Oregon in the new docks of Birkenhead.
(Cheers and laughter.)
JOIIN LAIRD, Esq., briefly responded to the toast.
The CHAIRMAN next proposed "The Earl of Lincoln, and
the other guests who have honoured us from a distance
The
MAYOR
of
o LINCOLN
AiCiESTER proposed
rieturned thanks.
TheAYORfAN
EGRRYy G. ERT ON proposed—" The Railway
isre)PCHolrnLpl
PHILIP

Mr. BURT returned thanks

"The Dock (Ware-

The CHAIRMAN proposed the healths of Mr. Renc
Mr. Paxton.
The Hon. Captain HOWARD gave "The Press," I

and the

THE PARK.
•
There is no town in the kingdom; considering its com-
parative infancy, which is so well provided with what may
be called the rus in urbe, as Birkenhead. The commis-
sioners, or main proprietors, adopted a wise and liberal
plan a priori for a combination of commercial conve-
nience and rural' enjoyment. The PARK, within, it may
said. the precincts of the town, comprises about 190

Oe SUM, flat
oiarcorielsf land
railings, ; and
midlatihdeeNh
out
tiole isencl
osed
peitvlieidn
mhaandm
nnseorbye
Mr. Paxton, landscape gardener to the Duke of Devonshire.
The land, though formerly a waste, is brought into fine