The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-10-15 00:00:00

MEETING OF THE DOCK COMMITTEE

The weekly meeting of the Dock Committee was held yes-
terday. The following members were present :—Messrs.
Benn (chairman), T. Holt, Smith, Aiken, Holmes, Evans,
G. Holt, Tobin, Moon and Hornby. At twelve o'clock, the
usual hour of meeting, there were but four members in
attendance ; and it was twenty minutes past before a suffi-
cient number arrived to constitute a committee.
The Sub-Committee of Works reported that an agreement
had been made with Messrs. Foster and Stewart, to execute
the carpenters' work at the new shed at Victoria and Water-
loo Docks, upon the terms of the existing contract for erect-
ing the other sheds. Also, that they had agreed with Mr.
Cottrell for slating the new shed upon the terms agreed for
slating the other sheds. Both works to be completed within
three months.—Received and confirmed.
The Sub-Committee for the department of the Marine
Surveyor reported that the stock of oil was reduced to 920
gallons, and they recommended that circulars be issued,
requesting tenders for a fresh supply for the next half-year.
Reports from the Marine Surveyor, and the keepers of the
Point of Ayr and Hoylake life-boats, were read, detailing the
circumstances of the loss of the Urania, on the 7th instant,
as described in the Standard. Great praise was given to
the conduct of the crews. The total number of persons
saved was 277. The reports were ordered to be entered on
the books.
The sub-committee for the Marine Surveyor's department
recommended that the use of Watson's code of signals be
discontinued from the Ist of January next. Ordered.
A new life-boat, for the use of the Formby station, was
ordered to be built on a plan similar to that recently built
for the Hoylake station. Another boat was ordered to be
built for the purpose of conveying stores to the Rock Light-
house, the one at present being unfit for the duty.
Fifty copies of Rear-Admiral Carden's chart of the Welsh
Coast were ordered to be supplied in consideration of its ac-
curacy, and of the gallant officer being a loser by the publi-
cation of it.
The Harbour-Masters' Sub-committee reported the death
of Thos. Jones, keeper of the gates at the Queen's north
graving dock, and they recommended that John Proben, who
had had charge of the fishing boats at the south end of
George's Dock, he appointed to succeed him. The salary is
18s. a-week. Referred to the committee.
An application for some assistance to Benjamin Bamber,
employed at the Queen's Graving Docks, whose furniture
had been totally destroyed by the late fire in Watkinson-
street, and whose family saved their lives only after much
difficulty, was referred to the committee for the harbour-
masters department. The application was made by a lady
named Preston. residing at No. 1, Chesterfield-street, and
her letter stated that the unfortunate sufferer had been fifty
years in the service of the trust, and that his family were in
the greatest affliction by this calamity. Mr. Tonpr asked
whether the committee had any power to render assistance?
The CHAIRMAN replied that they had under the provisions
of the new act.
The usual quarterly report of the use of the stages, in the
south division of the docks, was read and received.
Three plans sent by the Finance Committee of the town
council respecting the removal of the testing cable machine
to another site, and the appropriation of some land belong-
ing to the corporation, were referred to the sub-committee
of works.
The committee then adjourned.

MEETING OF TRADESMEN'S ASSISTANTS

A numerous meeting of the members and friends of the
Assistant Tradesmen's Association was held on the evening
of Tuesday, in the Clarendon-rooms, South John-street, for
the purpose of considering the propriety of memorialising
their employers to abridge the present hours of business, by
closing their shops at seven o'clock in the evening.—Mr.
Flower was called to the chair.
The CHAIRMAN, after having opened the proceedings,
said he was very glad to meet the members of the associa-
tion once again. The occasion which had brought them to-
gether was one of great interest, and be believed, it would
issue in gaining their objects. He would not tell them why
the step that they were now about to take had been so long
delayed, because he could not do so without exciting feelings
of irritation, which he hoped would be avoided on all bands.
For his own part he had none but the kindest feelings towards
the employers, and. as far as his influence went, he would en-
deavour to cultivate the same in every heart. There were
among the employers many benevolent and kind-hearted
men ; many of them were much inclined to be friends to the
assistants ; but they had been prevented doing what they
wished by men less enlightened, and therefore less charitable,
than themselves. He thought, however, by approaching
them in a spirit of gentleness—he would say humility, by the
use of which term he did not mean any thing degrading—by
approaching them in a respectful, moderate, yet firm tone of
calm reasoning and persuasion, the assistants would yet ac-
complish their long-cherished object. (Hear, hear.) The
address which had been prepared, would be found written in
the very mildest tone. He would not himself enlarge upon
it, as that duty would devolve upon the gentleman who had
undertaken to propose it, but he could not help taking this
opportunity of saying, a word about the association. A great
deal had been said, even by the assistants themselves, against
it ; they had enquired what it had done ; and many of them
had cried out in reply " Nothing." He could not avoid ex-
pressing some surprise that such a conclusion should have
been arrived at. One thing at least which it had done was
that it had roused many of their own body from a state of in-
difference and apathy, as to their cause, and made them
some of its most indefatigable and active members. If it
had done no more than that, he contended, it would be enti-
tled to praise ; but the fact was, it had done more, for it had
wrought upon the public mind, from the peer to the peasant,
in a manner that the warmest supporters of the cause could
not have previously calculated upon. (Hear, hear.) The
list of the donations, which would be read before the close
of the proceedings, would prove that they had friends, and
strong friends. They had besides had the strongest support
of the press of all parties. (Hear, hear.) They had had the
clergy on their side ; their cause had been pleaded from many
pulpits : and only last Sunday one of our most popular
preachers. unasked, introduced the subject to his congrega-
tion in' a most forcible manner. (Hear.) Surely this was
doing something. (Hear, hear.) Further, they had wrought
a change in the sentiments of a great number of the employ-
ers, who before were rather unfavourable to them ; for they
had perceived that the object was pursued not rashly, as
might have been expected, but with calm and temperate rea-
soning ; that no offensive epithets had been used ; and thus
he (the chairman) believed they had gained many friends
—even among the employers. The facts, he considered,
proved these statements ; for although they were not able to
announce a general closing of the shops earlier, he would
invite any one accustomed to walk the streets in an evening,
to look at the empty state of those shops, which kept open
after seven o'clock. (Hear, hear.) The chairman, after a
few further remarks, concluded by calling upon the mover
of the first resolution.
Mr. SCHOLEFIELD then came forward and moved that the
address (which will be found in our advertising columns)
be adopted. In support of this he delivered a very long
written speech, in which he entered upon the discussion of
the general question. He asserted that the motives of the
assistants had been maligned, their position and treatment
misrepresented, and a charge brought against them of holding
the language of intimidation, in the letters signed " A. Shop-
keeper," which appeared recently after the meeting in the
Sessions House. To each of these points the speaker replied,
in a manner that called forth considerable applause, and he
concluded by declaring that the cause of the assistants was
the cause of truth, of justice, and of humanity, and therefore
it would finally prevail.
Mr. CAMIDGE seconded the resolution in an able speech,
expressive of his opinion that, under existing circumstances,
the address was the very best mode that could be adopted by
the assistants to obtain their end.
The resolution was unanimously carried.
Mr. W. B. JONES, in moving the appointment of a com-
mittee to communicate with any of the principals, mentioned
that the tradesmen's assistants in Australia and New York
had recently succeeded in their efforts to obtain an abridge-
ment of their hours of labour. This was gratifying encou-
ragement for those of Liverpool to persevere.
Mr. CHARLES WILLMER seconded the resolution in an
animated address, in the course of which be quoted an article
from the Edinburgh Review, the writer of which, indirectly
indeed, but still with great force, urged a variety of grounds
for the curtailment of the hours of labour.
T}lc resolution was carried after a few remarks from Mr.
BRAHAM.

A resolution that the meeting do adjourn till the 20th
Inst., in order to receive the report of the committee, having
been carried, on the motion of Mr. H. B. JACKSON, seconded
by Mr. E. P. Joxus, the meeting separated.

BEHISLEM..--TRIBUTE OF RESPECT TO THE REV. B.
Ears.—The congregation of St. Paul's Church, Burslem,
on Tuesday last, presented their respected minister,
Brabazon Ellis, with a purse containing eighty sovereigns, as
a testimony of esteem for his zealous and indefatigable ewers
Rev.
tions.
THE THAMES TUNNEL.—This stupendous work is
rapidly advancing to completion. The sub-marine cutting
has been finished some months, but in order to secure easy
facility of entrance, it has been found necessary to bore fur •
ther beyond the high-water mark than was originally in-
tended.