The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-09-14 00:00:00

THE BIRKENHEAD DOCKS.

The CHAIRMAN said an important resolution had been
sent to him by the Birkenhead Dock Commissioners, a
copy of which, together with a copy of the letter enclosing
it, he had sent to every member of the committee. The
resolution was to the effect that it would promote the
public advantage. if vessels discharging at Birkenhead
would be admitted into Liverpool upon the principle of
the nearest English port, and vessels discharging at Liver-
pool would be admitted into Birkenhead upon the same
principle, and the dock trustees, if they had not this power
already, were requested to obtain it by act of parliament.
The letter from Mr. Mallaby requested the favour of an
answer at the convenience of the Dock Committee. In
reply to Mr. Henderson, he stated that they were on the
footing of the nearest English port already, and explained
what the Birkenhead Commissioners wanted namely,
"That you will admit vessels that enter the Birkenhead
Docks first; that such vessels shall be free to come into
the Liverpool Docks; that a ylssel shall unload at Birken-
head, and come here to 100 afterwards without paying
any rates: and they wish to reciprocate that practice—that
vessels unloading here shall load there without payment,"
He asked whether, supposing the Committee had the
power, they were disposed to accede to such an arrange-
mens as that proposed; and if they had not the power,
whether they would entertain the question of having a
clause put into their next act of parliament ?
Mr. SHAND said no advantages were set forth by the
resolution to induce them to alter the present plan.
Mr. HENDERSON said there would be a positive disad-
advantage to the estate were they to comply with the pro-
position. The Commissioners at Birkenhead were going
to take vessels at 6d. per ton ; and if a vessel discharged
there and afterwards came here without paying anything,
she would save 9d. per ton, which would be that amount
of a bonus to Birkenhead. " They were," he said,
" making a desperate wild effort to allure trade to the
other side, because, after having expended money on a
three acre dock, they find no vessels will go there; and,
as a last effort, they are offering to take them in for
nothing. Our docks have been built at a great expense,
and we must protect our bondholders. It is quite absurd,
therefore, to enter into the proposition." Besides, the
Birkenhead scheme was a dangerous one for the port of
Liverpool, and as such they had resisted it from the first.
The proposition was altogether one-sided.
A conversation here arose as to what the Birkenhead
Commissioners really wanted—whether the gratuitous
admission to the Liverpool Docks in ballast, or with cargo
on board.
Mr. HENDERSON.—They are on the footing now of
the nearest English port. They ought to explain what
they mean, for, at present, they are mystifying the mat-
ter.
The CHAIRMAN.—If they put in these three additional
words "it would promote the public advantage, and the
Birkenhead Dock Company particularly, if so and so
were done it would express their meaning better." You
will have to send an answer to this resolution, and
1 would suggest that you tell them this—that, in the
first place, as trustees, and the executive committee of
the estate, who have not any personal interest, we
could not, without a breach of trust, make any change
which would be subservient to the private interests of any
parties. The next point would be that you have no power
to make it. He would certainly give a decided negative
to an application to parliament for such a clause as that
proposed—for no parliament would make a public trust
subservient to private interests, (Hear.)
Upon the motion of Mr. MOLYNEUX, seconded by Mr.
Woon, the following resolutionwas unanimously adopted:
—"That this committee decline entertaining the propo-
sitions contained in the resolution of the Birkenhead
Dock Company."
Mr. HORSFALL said it was satisfactory to know that,
notwithstanding the reduction recently made in the dock
rates, the income of the estate continued to iocrease.
The board then disposed of their financial business, and
shortly after dispersed.