The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-01-03 00:00:00

SECOND EDITION.

Standard Office, Three o'Cloek.

We are still without any intelligence respecting the
Liverpoool, which has been expected at this port for
the last four or five days. The Independence, the
"th,- has not yet arrived. The Cam-
eft New York on the sth, arrived this
.---Trnorning; but the news which she has brought has
seen anticipated by the arrival of the Baltimore at
H avre.

packet of the

bridge, w'nirh 1

LIVERPOOL MARKETS.—Tnis DAN..

CORN. EXCHANGE

Since our return of the Ist instant, the arrivals of Wheat
into this port consist of 7,52 G qrs. coastwise, partly duty-
paid foreign, and 990 qrs. from Ireland, but none direct from
abroad. Of Irish Oats and Oatmeal, in addition to the large
influx noted on Tuesday, we have to note a further good
supply ; while of other articles the arrivals fresh in are only
moderate.

The operations in the corn trade here, from the close of
Tuesday's market until to. day, were chiefly confined to some
parcels of foreign Wheat for shipment to Ireland, with a few
sales to consumers, and of States' Flour in bond at our last
quotations; but in other respects the business done was un-
important, and prices were unvaried.
Duties on foreizn Wheat are raised to 20s. Bd. per quarter,
on Flour to its. sd. per barrel, on Beans to 3s. 6d. per quar-
ter, on British Colonial Wheat to ss. per quarter, and on
Flour to 3s. per barrel, those upon other produce remaining
unaltered. _ _ _

Previously, during the week, the quantity of Wheat and
Flour released from bond is not yet officially announced ; the
amount, however, paid for duties yesterday is stated to be
about £lO,OOO upon all kinds of Grain and Flour; mean-
while we may remark that the importers of Wheat in general

prefer to wait the result of future averages.
Having, an em=dingly limited attendance of buyers at this
day's market, the demand for all descriptions of Wheat was
extremely inanimate, and in the few sales effected, a small
decline from the current rates of Tuesday was partially con-
ceded.—English, Irish, and Foreign free Flour also appeared
y !into notice, arid hardly maintained former

to exciti

prices

To Barley, Malt, Beans, and Pcase similar remarks are
applicable, each being nearly without inquiry.
The supply of Oats, of which real good qualities bear a
comparatively small proportion to the whole is, in the absence
of demand, mostly going into granary, andalthorigh the best

kinds arc held at late prices; all other sorts Were rather
cheaper, and very difficult to sell.

• ARRIVALS OF CORN.
From the 31st Pecember, to the 2d January, inclusive.

DBSCRIPTION

IRE- I COAST- FO-
LAND. WISE. : REIGN

u\lTSn' TOTAL

STA'rE

Wheat

00 7526
815 580
ors

Barley

8516
1395
426
5261

Malt

Flour

Sacks
.Is.

D5O I

Ditto

302
6711 I 4 1

15:15
1747 I 2049
1 6715

EXPORTS.—Foreign—Oats. 32 qrs. Ireland Wheat. 522 qrs.
Coastwise—Wheat, 295 qrs. ; Barley, 75 qrs. ; Oats, 50 qrs. ; Beans,
12 qrs, ; Pease, 27 qrs.; Oatmeal 50 Ids ; Flour, 335 sacks, 84 los.

Average prices of Grain, for the week ending Dec. 27, 1839.
Wheat.. 665. Zd. I Barley.. 405. sd. I Oats.. 235. lid. I Rye.. 389. 6d.
Beaus.. 425. 6d. I Pease, 425. 7cl.
Agregate average of the six weeks.
Wheat.. 665. 10d. I Barley.. 40s. I Id. Oats.. 255. 2d. I Rye3B9. 6d.
Beans .. 425. 6d. I Pease.. 429. 7d.
Duty on Foreign Grain, &c. this week.
Wheat 20s. Bd. I Barley Is. 10d. I Oats ... 9s. 3d. Rye .. 12s. 6d
Beans.3s. 6d. I Pease. r,s*.titl. I Indian Corn, Is. Od. I Flour, 12s. 5d
Liverpoql Averages, week ending 31st December, 1839.
Wheat. I Barley. Oats. Beans, Pease.
Qr 5..... 380 I 279
Prices.. I 603. 6d. 00s. Od. 279. Od. 008. Od. I Os. Od.

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 3.—Wind W.N.W. Fair.
AnatvEn.—Alert, Scott, from Berblce—Warree, from Africa and
Gibraltar—North Star, Benenict, from Philadelphia—Constantine,
Vansor, from New Orleans, sailed from the Bar Ist Dec.—Herald,
Smith, from Lisbon—Norval, Torgerson, fru Odessa and Falmouth
—Eleanora, De Velioukh, from Trieste— Rob Roy, Baron, from
Cork—Rambler, from Wieklow—Matilda, Euston, and John and
Henry, frem Ipswich

Cambridge, Bursley, from New York at this port, sailed Dec. s, at
noon ; at 3 p.m., off Sandy Hook, spoke the Liverpool, {steamer,]

from this pOrt
Maypo, Seymour, from Lima at this port, sailed 10th October.
500,000 dollars on freight
George IV., Brownlas, from Monte Video at this port, sailed 31st
October, in company with the Enchantress, for this port. The
Reindeer was to sail on the Ist November, for thir port
Urania, Berg, from Rio Janeiro, at Antwerp
Barlow, Burns, hence, at St John, N.B.
Vesta, Bowness, and Nile, Hepburn, hence and Lisbon, at Monte
Video

Mor, -, from London to China, was spoken 25th Nov in lat.
20 S. long. 28 :is W. out •J 3 days
Blucher, , frotnTroon to St. Thomas, was spoken 14th Dec
in lat. 22 N: long. 7.2 W.
New York Packet,
Dec. in lat. 24, lone'

hence to Havana, was spoken 15th

Irom the Clyde to Calcutta, was spoken 31st Dee.

7 -
off Cork
Jane Prows:e, Willicomb, sailed from Lima for San Blas on the
29th Sept. Mary Worrall, Gardner, sailed for Arica Ist Oct. and
Thomas Worthington, --, sailed for Cerra Azul 2nd Oct. The
Abbot's Reading' was to sail for this port on the 20th Oct. and the
Georgina lath Oct. for South Peru to load for tins port

TOWN COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS)L3

The usual monthly meeting of the council was held, for
the despatch of business, in the Town-hall, on Wednesday.
Josnun WALMSLEY, Esq., the mayor, presided.
The DEPUTY TORN-CLERK read .the proceedings of the
last council, and they were confirmed. He.next read the
minutes of the Finance Committee's proceedings. at their
meeting on the Gth December. from which appeared that
the memorial of Mr. Okill, the clerk Of committees, was
considered, and he was requested to report in detail the
grounds
,upon which he applied for an increase of salary.—
The deputy town-clerk further read the minutes of a special
meeting of the committee, held Dec. 19th, at which an.offer
from Messrs. Hetherington, Crindrod, and Addison, to sell
the Birkenhead Hotel property, wa.s considered. It appeared
from the minute that this estate contained about 43,000
square yards of land, and that the stun asked was J.:65,000.
The committee resolved
,unanimously, to; recommend the
offer to the consideration. of the conned, and appointed a
sub-committee to obtain further information. At the meet-
ing on the 27th, Mr. Okill's memorial was further consi-
dered, and the committee unanimously agreed to present the
following report to the council:-7-

REPORT ON MR. OKILL'S INJEMORIAL.

"After mature deliberation, the committee have arrived
at the unanimous opinion that the statements in the memo-
rial are fully sustained—that Mr. Okill's services have been
of no common kind, and that it would be difficult to estimate
_ _

too highly their great importance to the corporate estate
To him the council may be truly said to be indebted for the
knowledge at present possessed of the great concerns under
their management. Previous to the period when Mr. Okill,
in 1815, was employed to audit the treasurer's accounts
(which had never undergone any examination from the time
of that officer's appointment in 1789), there was an entire
absence of system or method, and there was an almost total
want of reference or guide to the corporation freehold and
leasehold property, and an ignorance not only of the vast
extent, situation, and capabilities of the estate, but of the
number of the lessees or the terms of their respective leases.
In support of this last observation, and as a proof of this
want of knowledge, a premium was offered to the officers in
the service of the council upon proof of the lapse of any lease.
On the 13th June, 1814, the following entry stands recorded
in the Select FinanCe Committee's proceedings of that date:—
'Resolved—That it be recommended to the council to
allow the town-clerk, the treasurer's clerk, and the survey-
or's clerk, the sum of one guinea for each and every lease
which any of them may prove hereafter to have lapsed to the
corporation.'
" The results of this investigation, and the suggestions
arising from it, are fully given in the reports made by Mr.
Okill from time to time. During the progress of his ex-
amination, an opportunity was afforded, of which he availed
,•
himself, when permitted, for acquiring an 'accurate and ex=
tensive knowledge of the corporate estate, and for reducing
this knowledge into a permanent form, in Which it might be
made of the greatest use. At this time; the only authentic
map of the Estate was that,of Mr. Eves, made in 1765.
Taking this map as the groundwork, Mr. Okill proceeded
to construct the present enlarged map, now inconstant use,
which must be well known to the council. On its prepara-
tion he laboured for several year's; having a most difficult
task to execute, from the want of references and other in-
formation. It was at last completed, and presented to
the corporation in 1822. On it were laid down the diffe-
rent freeholds anti leases, whether for lives or. years, the
reversions sold, and the land or . property given up-. for
public improvements,-each distinguished in ,the various
streets ; and subsequently, upon. the important change in
the mode of leasing from lives and years to sixty years,
and afterwards to the present time of seventy-five years,
these two classes of leases were also. added. Each leasehold
property refers by number to street indexes and registers of
leases ; and, as the system introduced and adopted by Mr.
Okill has been carefully kept up, the leases, surrenders, .&c.,
being periodically marked on the book, and registered in the
respective books, there is now no information that may be
'required, as to any of the corporate property, that cannot
readily be obtained. The committee also found that a re-
gister is kept of the property still held for lives and years in
each street, distinguishing such as annually comes upon the
years. This list extends at present to the year 1860, being
twenty-one years from 1839, so that it is known prospectively
what premises in each year fall into the hands of the corpo-
ration, thus regulating their arrangement for the renewed
leases for seventy-five years. The committee have reason to
believe, that since the introduction of the present system
there has been only one instance of an error, in a property
comprising 4900 leases and grants. This was brought under
the notice of the council last year, and the rectification of
the mistake was honourably entertained by the party errone-
ously in possession.
" It may be only due to Mr. Okill to partiellarise some
instances of the advantages resulting from his investigations.
In the early stages of his labours, but before they were
brought to a close, the corporation had received, as appears
by the books, the sum of £39,552 for ground rents and the
sale of property out of lease, and he reported a further sum
of nearly £19,000 which remained for collection at the close.
In addition, he also reported. as actually lapsed, a list of 110
houses, besides upwards of 1100 houses on the years, of which
the council were in perfect ignorance. The whole system of
ground rents appears to have been equally neglected ; and
from this source £7OO per annum were added to the corpo-
rate income, through Mr. Okill's investigations. The re-
gisters then in existence contained indeed this information,
as is evident by the results, but no person appeared to have
examined, arranged, and brought to light their contents, be-
fore the time of Mr. Okill.
"To come to a later period. In the year 1828 a claim to
the whole shore of the lordship of Liverpool was preferred
by the Duchy of Lancaster ; but, through Mr. Okill's pre-
vious researches, and on the-production of copies and ex-
tracts from the records of the corporation made by him, this
claim was at once abandoned by government, and the corpo-
rate title acknowledged; and it is on the title so admitted
that the approaching conveyance of the site of the New Fort
to the Board of Ordnance rests—a title declared by the town-
clerk to be clear and unexceptionable.
" Upon the great question of the town dues, the committee
beg to record their opinion that Mr..okill was not ade-
quately remunerated for-his services on that occasion, consi-
dering, as he himself states in his memorial, the immense
importance of the property at issue, the success attendant on
the line pointed out by him, and the sacrifice of his health.'
The committee have very recently been put in possession of
additional testimony to his valuable services upon this great
trial, under the hand of the late town-clerk, and in the de-
claration, before the result was known, of Mr. Foster's im-
mediate predecessOr, ll r.,Statham..
" coming, as,the committee do, to the unanimous eor-
elusion to recommend a compliance with Mr. Okill's memo-
rial, they consider that they are. only performing an act of
justice, and that his general services to the corporate estate
—his peculiar and eitenSive knowledge of its character—his
attachment to hill that relates to its welfare and prosperity—
his devotion to and most intimate knowledge of the subject—
the great increase of business in his office—and his length of
service, all establish his strong claim to an advance of salary ;
and the committee accordingly recommend, for the sanction
of the council, that an addition of 2.0.0 per annum be made
to his present salary of £7OO, eovamencing with the present
quarter. •
" It will be seen, however, and the committee hope it will be
clearly understocid, by the • council, that this salary-is not
viewed by the former as one to be attached to the office of
clerk of the committee ; but- that it is recommended only
with reference to the present individual holding the office, on
the distinct ground of 'his great services to the estate already
enumerated. They consider that it would indeed be difficult,
if not impossible, to find a successor uniting so many and
such peculiar qualifications for his office. It is, therefore,
with great satisfaction that they direct the attention of the
council to the concluding passage of Mr. Okill's additional
statement. In this he says, that he _should.feel happy if he
could transfer his acquaintance with the estate to his succes-
sor, but that experience and a similar devoted attachment
only can attain that desirable end.' Availing themselves
gladly of the feeling, and being assured of Mr. Okill's wil-
lingness to make the attempt, the committee strongly recom-
mend that the introduction of sonic person to the office of
the clerk of the committees should be borne in mind when a
fitting opportunity occurs, who may gradnally be initiated by
Mr. Okill into a knowledge of the estate and of the present
system pursued in its management, and who may also be pre-
pared to replace the services of Mr. Okill, when, from age or
from death, he shall cease to fill his present important situa-
tion."

BIRKENHEAD • HOTEL ESTATE.
The TOWN-CLERK then read the 'following report of the
Sub-committe of Finance on the Birkenhead Hotel estate,
which was presented to the committee yesterday
" The-property consists of the hotel and ferry, which are
let, at present, at the nett sum of .000 per annum ; but the
present tenant's term expiring, in eighteen months, a negoti-
ation is pending for
.the increased .rent—such negotiation
being subject to the 'present offer for sale. A dwelling-house
let at .-.£150 nett yer annum. Varions• Plots
.of building land,
suitable for marine villas. The undisputed right to the ferry,
and all the estate of the sellers under Francis R. Price,
Esq., the lord of the manor, in the shore down •to low
water-mark of the river, and to within twenty yards of low
water-mark of Birkenhead Creek, or the outlet from 'Fran-
mere Pool.
" The shore would admit of dock room to the extent of
300 yards by 100 ; and the position of the property is such
as to command most extensive increase of dock accommoda-
tion, by purchases under parliamentary powers, whenever
such accommodation may be deemed necessary. Valuable
stone for dock walls can be got from both the land and the

shore.
" The increasing neighbourhood, and the completion of the
railway, must add to the value of this property. Improve-
ment in the corporation estate at Wallasey would also add to
it. The railway
.company are subject to an undertaking
made in parliament, and inserted as a condition in their act,
that, before any extension of their line to Woodside, from
its present terminus at Grange-lane, there shall be branch
railways to Tranmere and Birkenhead Ferries.
•" The whole of the laud, exclusive ashore, contains.about
43,000 square yards. The surveyor of the corporation
values the land, exclusive of shore or any consideration of
docks, and simply as if purchased by any individual having
no peculiar interest, at one pound per square yard, or
£43,000. To this amount be adds the buildings, piers, and
basin; and right of ferry, at £17,000, making together
4:60,000. The purchase money required is £65,000, and
the proprietors are under a contract binding on them to sell
at that sum ; but with a provision, oti behalf of the corpora-.
tion, fox making the sale void, if lot adopted by the council
es recommendedeeili:condition
contract hat
on or before the 6th of February next.
the
eiotlteiltde determination
i naadt
jieourironfe thed
fo questiona.bo.
ut
a fortnight, to give time for
consideration, and the obtaining
further information.
u;)nltthi
.
" In the meanwhile the Finance Committee will be ready
to confer with any committees or me hers of the council,
and to explain their views on the subject of the purchase.
" Towit-boll, 31st _December, 1839."
Alr. Cuaitris said the first subject for the consideration of
the Council was the proposed increase of Mr. Okill's salary ;
and when he stated ,that the report had been adopted '
imam-
mously—ll out of the 13 members of the committee having
voted for it and the absent member being favourable—he.
thought the Council would agree with him, that the com-
mittee had done right
in recommending an advance to that
meritorious officer's salary. The grounds for this recommen-
dation were so fully set forth iu the report that he would not
take up the time of the council in again going over them, but
content himself with i • the, cOntirination of the Finance
Committee's procced'uoving .- . that the salary of Mr. Okill should
• henceforth bel:9oo' instead"'
v, of £7OO. • .
Mr. JOUN Mum°
Mr. Alderman EVA' Ns_esTded the inot1911•
the council could
be more deeply •i,,,pres,sed
.I,d,ttil,lat oo man in
mi..
Okill than
he (Mr. Evans) was, and he had
(pe merits of
to that gentle-
man receiving the most ample no objection . . . , lay
no stress on the fact of the ()1( remuneration. fic would,
council was called t which
irre-
sponsible, having given what they thought Mr. a proper compen,
coun-
cil from establishing a precedent rotat,ht,o p; otect the
income iu any one department than wa'sgivi''g of a larger
On a fair view of the merits and services of Mr.
correct.
thought that the better plan would be to awarPtl. Okill, he
the salary of Mr. Okill untouched.. if
t•l:'eronus, and •
any department were raised above the measure of
asarlary in.
d for the services performed, the effect would he to re-
war 0 v,_
ken the attention and to impair the efficiency of the man hold-
ing the office, as well. as to bring into. play the ambition of
men in a higher class or
. society, less fitted for the perform-
ance of the' duties, and who,. when once in office, would in
some measure he protected front removal by the extent of
their Meanie. He had sufficient experience, even in that
council, to know, that if, by any accident, an income was ever
raised to a certain sum, a successor, whenever he came to be
appointed, would think himself treated with a kind of slur or
insult if the same amount were not given to him. If £9OO
were made the salary of the clerk of the committees, that