The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-05-31 00:00:00

CORRESPONDENCE.

Letters addressed to the Editor should be accompanied by the
real name and address of the writer, not for publication, but
as a guarantee of good faith ; this is indispensably requisite

in any statement of facts

The Editor wishes it to be understood that he does not hold
himself responsible for the opinions or statements of his

correspondents

LIVERPOOL ELECTION PETITION.

To the EDITOR of the LIVERPOOL STAYDARD,

SlR,—Allow me, through the medium of your journal, to
correct a misstatement made in the list of persons alleged to
have received bribes at the late Liverpool Election, where my
name is included. I beg to state most emphatically that I did

not, either directly or indirectly, receive any bribe or compen-
sation for my vote. I am, Sir,

Rocic Ferry, May 30, 1853

Your obedient servant,
JOHN LOCKHART,

LOCAL RATES.

To the EDITOR of the LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

SIR,—Is the following just? A few weeks back I took a
small house in the hundred of West Derby, in a bye-street from
the main road, and owing to the imperfection or misinterpre-
tation of a verbal understanding, I am under the necessity of
quitting; meanwhile I am presented with the following bill:—

Lighting Os. 3d.
Paving Os. 10d.
Sewer
Water Os. Id.
General

Is. 10th per pound on the
rent. Can I resist part or whole for six weeks' occupancy, as
no doubt I shall be favoured with a similar account at the next
house? And, further, as to the items. It appears to me to be
a kind of legal imposition, inasmuch as regards the first item—
viz., lighting,—why, there is not such a thing in the street.
do not know what they intend to do, but my neighbours were
in still darkness throughout the past winter ; and as to the
second charge, that of paving, there is not even the shadow of
a stone, unless such as lie about to the danger of passengers
both by day and night, thrown here and there by rude boys.
And then, again, the sewer rate. I am sure there is no such
thing done or about being done; in fact, Monday week, during
the snow storm, I had to make my way by the hind entrance,
unless I had endangered my health by getting wet feet, as the
gutters were overflowed, owing to the want of a drain to carry
off the superfluous water occasioned by the melting of the
snow. And, oh ! what will it be in a thunder-storm ? Lastly,
as to the water, for I shall say nothing about that rate styled
"GENERAL." During this warm weather, when there is the
least wind up, I dare not open my windows, else I should be in
a Saharian state of bewilderment. I have not said as much on
the subject as I should wish, or expressed myself satisfactorily,
fearing I am already trespassing on your valuable columns.—l
am, Mr. Editor, yours, &c., A CONSTANT READER.

NATIONAL WEALTH.

(From the North British Rericle, Feb., 1551.)

"The riches of a community depend on the amount of the
mass of commodities which they possess, to which the metallic
wealth will always bear but a small proportion. The 'ncrease
of the latter will only be beneficial in so far as it stimulates
industry to an increased production of material wealth ; the
rise of prices, while in progress, being favourable to produc-
tion, by adding the increased price to the ordinary rate of profit.
When the advance is complete, and prices again become sta-
tionary, this effect ceases. There can be a general rise ofprices,
from abundance of the precious metals, and some commodities
may, from various causes, rise in value with respect to the rest ;
but a general rise of values is impossible, and the increased
quantity of gold or silver received for one commodity, must be
paid in the increased price of another. Those who produce
more than they consume, will find their wealth, measured by
the precious metals, increase; and those who consume more
than they produce, will find theirs gradually diminish. The
majority, who are both consumers and producers, will only
gain by the excess of their production over their consumption.
Debtors will gain by giving a smaller quantity of produce to
obtain the money necessary to discharge a debt contracted
before the rise of prices. Creditors will receive the same quan-
tity of gold which they lent, but it will command a smaller
quantity of commodities. The amount of the National Debt
will bear a smaller proportion to the money value of the mate-
rial wealth of the country ; and, as the interest of it forms the
largest portion of the public expenditure, the weight of taxation
will be so far lightened, but the Government, in its capacity of
a consumer, will pay more for commodities, and on that portion
of the public expenditure the burthen of taxation will be in-
creased. The receivers of dividends will find their command
of luxuries and necessaries less as prices rise ; and since a large
majority of fundholders are those whose dividends are less than
one hundred pounds per annum, the change will press heavily
on a numerous class. Tenant farmers who hold on lease at
money rents, will find themselves under easier rents, requiring
for their discharge a smaller share of the produce than they
contemplated when they hired their farms ; and landlords whose
estates are let on lease will suffer, unless the rents shall have
been reserved in grain. Tenants at will, when their leases
expire, will find that they derive no benefit from the advanced
prices, because rents will have advanced in equal proportion."

TO Tii RniToß OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.
SIR,—If the above be t rue, what becomes of the statement of
the Free-Traders, that the "adoption of their policy has en-
hanced prices ?" California had only begun to pour her univer-
sal wealth into the lap of commerce at the above date. Since
then, Australian gold has found a market. Either the wealth of
a country is in its own internal resources, or it is not. If
capable of improving argumentation, would you permit occa-
sional comments, from yours respectfully, ONE.
Tranmere, Hay 26, 1853.

COMMERCIAL EDUCATION AND TRADE

MUSEUMS.

To the EDITOR of the LIVERPOOL STANDARD,

SI R,—l have read with much pleasure two letters addressed
to our worthy and enlightened Mayor, which appeared last
week in two or three of the Liverpool newspapers, the first by
the Rev. J. S. Howson, M.A., Principal of the Collegiate
Institution, and the second by Mr. Wm. Nichol, Secretary of
the Mechanics' Institution. Both of these letters are especially
interesting, because they manifest the progressive spirit of the
two great educational establishments of this town.

The subject taken up by these gentlemen is one of vast
importance to the future welfare of this country. depending as
it does so completely upon its commercial enterprise. Hitherto
we have had such vast advantages over our continental neigh-
bours from various causes, that it can scarcely be considered
arrogant to assume that we have enjoyed the especial favour of
Providence. Fortunately our energy, contrary to the usual
rule, has not decreased with oar success, and every depart-
ment of British commerce indicates as large a share of activity,
enterprise, honour and stability, as ever it possessed.
_ _

One result has, however, been produced by our example—
other nations have been aroused, and wish not only to share in
the blessings arising from our increasing prosperity, but they
desire also to equal us and keep pace, if not surpass us, in the
friendly race for commercical superiority. This altogether
changes the character of the contest; industry, perseverance
and honesty, hitherto the chief elements of success, will now
be compelled to ally themselves with intellectual power; mind
has now entered the arena, and on whichsoever side it pre-
ponderates, victory is certain.

The project for giving a real commercial education is entirely
new ;—it is true that we see "Commercial School " painted in
very legible characters on sundry sign-boards, and in con-
spicuous type in numberless advertisements, but the education
there given consists of the ordinary tuition in writing and
arithmetic, Pinnock's Geography, Mayor's Spelling Book, and
perhaps, if the muster is acquainted with it, Blair's Preceptor.
Drilling boys to repeat certain portions of these antiquated
works has hitherto been the ordinary routine of commercial
education of the small private schools of this country ; the
larger establishments hava done better, but they have not yet
learned the vast importance of a cultivated mind joined to
ordinary commercial qualifications; the consequence is, that,
however, ready commercial men may have been to avail them-
selves of scientific discoveries, they have only rarely made or
improved them, and the most useful and valuable have often
been the result of chance or the laborious workings of some
enthusiast. This has led to a series of desultory impulses
being given to commerce, which have lost fully half their
value from want of connexion and perfect development.
Liverpool has counted up the tonnage of her shipping, and
has exultingly proclaimed the fact, that her foreign commerce
is greater than that of any other port either in this or any other
kingdom ; either of this or any other time. In this, Liverpool
proclaims her duty also. She must not be satisfied with stand-
ing foremost in the van, but she must lead onward. Commerce
is her department of civilization, and she is bound to carry it
forward. Has she yet made the effort? She has erected noble
buildings,—the finest workhouse in the kingdom, for her
paupers, and the noblest assize hall in the world, for trying
her criminals ; but what has she done to increase the intelli-
gence of the world, or her own community? She has, in her
free library, collected a store of miscellaneous literature, and
has invited the uninstructed to come and feast upon its con-
tents, but has provided no guides to direct untrained minds in
the choice of their mental repast. She has furnished a museum
of birds for a commercial community, and expects it to work
wonders. But where are her schools of commerce and naviga-
tion? her museums of commercial pritducts, and marine archi-
tecture and engineering? If the last generation has been satis-
fied with knowing the market price only of the articles in which
they have dealt, that amount of knowledge will not suffice for
the future—men must be intelligent to be successful, for their
neighbours in foreign countries have learned the value of
knowledge.

But to return to the letters of 3iessrs. Howson and Nichol.
In reading the communication of the latter gentleman, I per_.
ceived, or thought I perceived, a tone which somewhat lessened
the pleasure I otherwise felt in perusing it. It appeared to
others, as well as myself, to reproach Mr. Howson for having
come forward upon a subject which the managers of the Me-
chanics' Institution had also considered; and almost implied
y did not belong to the Principal of
o such thoughts entered the head

that the merit of o

the Collegiate

Possibly

of Mr. Nichol when he was writing, and I am sure if they did,
they were not dictated by any unkindly `feelings; but as the

letters are before the public, and may produce impressions
they were not designed to do, I be; through this letter to
assure Mr. Nichol that, so long back 'as 1850 the Rev. J. S
Howson has been in co
_ _

nunication with me upon the

)f forming a Museum of Commercial P.

ith a vi

xtending the mea4-of.c

!atixn in the