The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-05-22 00:00:00

MEETING OF THE DOCK COMMITTEE.

The first meeting of the Dock Committee at which
reporters for the public press were present, was held in the
Dock Office, Custom-house, yesterday, at twelve o'clock.
The following members of the trust were present :—Mr.
Booth, Mr. Thos. Tobin, Mr. T. B. Barclay, Mr. William
Smith, Mr. Bulley, Mr. Seager, Mr. J. B. Yates, Mr. H.
Holmes, Mr. T. Holt, Mr. Gladstone, Mr. Dixon, Mr.
Martin, and Mr. Ripley. Mr. BOOTH took the chair in
the absence of Mr. Leathom, the official chairman, who,
with a deputation, is in London on the. subject of the new
dock bill.
The proceedings of the last meeting were confirmed, and
the payment of a number of accounts ordered, without ex-
citing any discussion.
The CHAIRMAN read a resolution of the Pilots Committee,
passed on the 18th instant, stating that a letter, signed by
the master pilot, was read, expressing his regret that the
Marine Surveyor should alter the position of any buoys with-
out giving public notice, and it was requested that the com-
mittee should require the Marine Surveyor to give the re-
quisite notice in all future cases.
The CHAIRMAN said he understood the buoy in question,
which was stationed iu the North Patch, had been removed
only a very short., distance ; but the marine surveyor might
be called in. •
Mr. YATES, Whilst the committee were waiting, would
take the opportunity of asking the chairman whether any
communication was intended to be made at this meeting
with reference to the dock bill now before parliament ?
The CHAIRMAN replied that lie had no official communi-
cation to make.
The MARINE SURVEYOR (Mr. Lord) was then called in,
and he stated that the buoy in question had been moved only
a hundred fathoms, in order to get it clear of the bank, and
that he had not thought it necessary to give public notice of
'a a trivial alteration.
. Twin: said it would be advisable when any buoy was
.nor altered or removed to notify the change immediately to
the Pilots Committee.
The MARINE SURVEYOR replied that the Pilots' Com-
mittee were acquainted with the alteration, as he had
addressed a letter to them, and also to the agent of her Ma-
jestv's ships.
Mr. TOBIN asked when this was done?
The MARIN E SURVEYOR replied, the day after the change.
The CHAIRMAN.—We request you to give as much notice
as you can of any alterations on any future occasion.
The MARINE SURVEYOR.—Yes, sir.
The CHAIRMAN asked the Marine Surveyor if he could
explain the cause of some damage done to a sixty-fathom
chain at the Beacon buoy (as we understood).
The MARINE SURVEYOR said be thought it must have.
been cut on purpose. . • •
Mr. Touts suggested that if it htid been done from mis-
chief, it would be well to offer a reward for the discovery of
the offender.
The CHAIRMAN said there were already rewards offered
for the discovery of any party who damaged or stole the pro-
perty of the trust.
Mr. TOBIN was aware of that, but in the present case the
public had no knowledge of its occurrence
The CHAIRMAN said, if it was the wish of the Committee
they might advertise a reward for the discovery of the chain.
The subject then dropped, with the understanding (as we
inferred, but from the manner of taking the decision of the
committee we cannot speak with certainty) that a reward of
£lO should be offered. _ _

money

A very long investigation then commenced into the con-
duct of the North Harbour master and the Prince's Dock
master, under the following circumstances. There was an
American ship, called the Victoria, in the dock, the owner-
ship of which was disputed by a Mr. Sharp. Capt. Lennox,
the commander, was preparing to take the vessel out of the
dock and go to sea, at high water on Monday. Mr. Sharp,
being aware of this, served a notice on the dock master, to
the effect that he was part owner of the ship, and that if the
dock master allowed her to leave the dock lie would be held
responsible for any loss that might arise to Mr. Sharp. The
dock master consulted the solicitor to the trust, who advised
him that he had nothing to do with the question. In the mean
time forty or fifty men, in the interest of Mr. Sharp, had
collected on board the Dido and the Victoria, with the view
of preventing the latter from going to sea. The police, hav-
ing information that a disturbance was threatened, were on
the spot ; some commotion took place, and eventually the
pilot refused to take charge of the vessel, on the ground that
from the state of her sails, and it being then 10 minutes past
high water, it would be unsafe. Superintendent Macdonald,
who had the command of the police on the occasion, now
charged the harbour-master and the dock-master with wilfully
neglecting their duty, because they refused to interfere when
he requested them, and the dock-master, he alleged, was not
on the spot, as he ought to have been, when the Victoria was
-prevented leaving the dock by the men in the Dido. The
superintendent, the harbour-master, the dock-master, the
master pilot, the pilot who was to have taken charge of the
vessel, and another pilot, were severally examined. In the
course of their examination, there appeared a material dis-
crepancy as to the time of the dock-master's presence at the
transaction, between the statements of Macdonald and those
of the others; and eventually the committee unanimously
came to the conclusion, that no blame whasever attached to
the officers of the dock, and that Superintendent Macdonald
was mistaken.
Mr. Rief.EY said the discrepancies as to time between the
statements of the witnesses in the complaint just heard, con-
vinced him that a clock was indispensably necessary at the
north end of Prince's Dock. Mistakes were perpetually
arising from the want of this public convenience.
The CHAIRMAN said the suggestion should receive atten-
tion. The next business, he continued, referred to the com-
pensation claimed by the owners of the ship Tweed, during
the discussion of which the reporters must retire.
Mr. YATES, before that business came on, had a motion
to propose. He had already asked the chairman whether he
was prepared to report to the committte the state of the dock
bill now pending before parliament, and had been told that
he (the chairman) knew nothing about it.
The CHAIRMAN.—Nothing officially, I said.
Mr. YATES.—Yes, nothing officially. All the informa-
tion, then, which he (Mr. Yates) was able to glean was from
the newspapers ; and he observed from them that an inquiry
was going on on three most important topics, one especially
with regard to the warehouse question, another to a clause
or clauses affecting the constitution of this committee, and a
third upon the subject of the rates payable by ships not
using the docks. These were matters of such vital impor-
tance, that it struck him the committee ought to be made
better informed than they were as to the wishes of the rate-
payers, who were mainly interested in them, affecting, as they
did, most vitally, the interests and the trade of the port. It
appeared to him that there ought to be a meeting of the rate-
payers called immediately, for the purpose of discussing these
questions. With regard to the payment of dock rates by
strangers, he had frequently, both in the committee and else-
where, expressed a strong opinion that it was unjust and im-
proper that ships not using the docks should be compelled
to pay any rates except those for lights, dredging, and so on.
His impression was that this claim ought at once to be thrown
overboard by the committee. As to the question of ware-
houses on the dock quays, he believed if the sense of the rate-
payers was taken, two-thirds or three-fourths of teem would
be found opposed to them upon the present plan.
The CHAIRMAN begged to say that the question of the
sense of the ratepayers could not be discussed in the com-
mittee. Did Mr. Yates mean to propose that the committee
should call a meeting of the ratepayers ?
Mr. YATES did most expressly and especially mean to pro-
ose that the committee should call the
,leypayers together,
aid he would add, that it was their express and bounden duty
to convene that meeting.
The CHAIRMAN thought the committee had no such
power given them in the act of Parliament.
Mr. YATES replied that on the occasion of the last bill the
committee then called a meeting of the ley-payers, whether
they had power or not.
The SECRETARY.—You have no such power.
YATES.--Yon must know very well that the Dock
Committee did summon a meeting of the rate-payers about
three. years ago.
The SECRETARY repeated that that meeting was not called
by the Dock Committee.
Mr. BARCLAY (we understood) said the meeting alluded
to was called at the request of the several public associations,
and that the Dock Committee acquiesced and joined in the
request.
Mr. TOBIN said that, however desirable he might consider
a public meeting of rate-payers, he could not for a moment
bring himself to suppose that it was the duty of the Dock
Committee to call one. The power lay in another body.
Mr. YATES was sorry to differ from Mr. Tobin. He con-
ceived this to be the proper body, more especially on ac-
count of the relation in which it stood to the public; there-
fore he was determined to bring the resolution forward whe-
ther any one voted with him or not. It was most inconsis-
tent for the Dock Committee to go to an enormous expense
in Parliament, upon points vitally affecting the interests of
the port, without calling for the opinion of the rate-payers
whom they represented. He should, therefore, move, " That
this committee call forthwith a general meeting of rate-
payers, for the purpose of laying before them the heads of
the Dock Bill now before Parliament, and taking into con-
deration the important clauses now under discussion." He
was induced to bring this motion forward, because, up to
this day, the-committee had not had a copy of the bill laid
before them, nor even of the heads of the bill ; because the
Several vital clauses of the bill had not been submitted at any
time ; and because, up to this hour, the committee had never
been informed, in that room, within what period the pro-
posed warehouses. should-be erected, or what expense it
was proposed should be incurred—a matter affecting the
property of all the ratepayers. They had, indeed, heard out
of doors how the blanks left in the clauses had been filled up.
They had heard, according to common rumour, that some of
the warehouses were to be built in two years, and all of them
in five years, but they had heard nothing officially. It was
high time that the members of the committee should know
what they were about, and whether they were indulging in
these very serious expensas contrary to the wishes of the
ratepayers, or with their assent.
Mr. TOBIN should be very glad if the ratepayers them-
selves would hold a-meeting, but he could not approve of this
committee convening one.
Mr. GLADSTONE must certainly confess his surprise that
the bill, involving as it did, most momentous interests,
should have advanced so far, without the committee having
received up to this period either explanation or report of its pro-
gress from the deputation in London, who were prosecuting
it.
He-would not say what he thought of this mode of pro-
ceeding; but he would say that it was, at least, highly irre-
gular.
Mr. TOBIN thought that of the members of this committee
more ought to be appointed by the ratepayers than there
were.
Mr. YATES repeated, that all the information he was in
possession of, respecting the present state of the bill, had
been collected from the public papers. He would ask any
man of common sense, whether it was right for the members
of the committee to be compelled to obtain their knowledge
from such a source upon a bill of such magnitude and im-
portance ? The motion not having been seconded he should
withdraw it, but he still retained his opinions.
Mr. RIPLEY said Mr. Yates was under a mistake when he
said the bill had not been read before the committee. The heads
of it at least were read before the committee. Mr. Yates had
expressed an opinion that if the sentiments of the rate-payers
were taken, three-fourths of them would be found opposed
to the building of warehouses on the quays. Now so far from
- believing that estimate. correct, he (Mr. Ripley) believed that
' three-fourths of the rate-payers would be in favour of the
building of warehouses on the quays.
Mr. YATES.--That was matter of opinion, the accuracy of
which might be readily ascertained ; but to proceed with the
bill without having ascertained that opinion, was like enact-
ing Hamlet with the part of Hamlet omitted. The blanks
were not filled up in this committee, but the whole matter
was left to the deputation. If the erection of the warehouses
were spread over a period of fifteen years, it might do no
harm to the owners of existing property of that description,
but the haste to build them in five years was calculated to do
great injury.
The SECRETARY having referred to the minutes of the pro-
ceedings of the committee said, that on the 23d January the
bill was submitted to the committee and read. Every clause
was read. Mr. Yates was present. The clauses which it was
thought required alterations were read a second time.
Mr. YATES admitted the clauses were read in brief.
The SECRETARY.—The most important were read in full.
Mr. YATES repeated that he withdrew his motion.
The reporters then retired, and the committee proceeded
the consideration of the question already stated.

Commissions signed by the Lord Lieutenant of the County
Palatine of Lancaster.-2nd Regiment of the Duke of Lan-
caster's Own Militia—Thomas Blades Molyneux, Gent. to
be ,Lieutenant; Oct. 21. Robert Johnson, the younger,
Gent. to be ditto; Feb, 25.

LIVERPOOL EASTER SESSIONS.—(YEsTimpAy.)

THE QUEEN AGAINST HUGH EDWARDS.

In this case the defendant, who was out on bail and sur-
rendered, was indicted on a charge of having stolen, on the
7th of March, a purse containing tifty-one sovereigns, the pro-
perty of John Shannon. The case excited very considerable
interest, from the peculiarity of the circumstances, and we
therefore devote to it more space than on ordinary occasions.
Mr. HENDERSON stated that the prisoner was a person of
some property in this town. The prosecutor went into the
public-house kept by the prisoner, and had with him a can-
vas bag containing 51 sovereigns. The prosecutor treated
two women who had come in, and afterwards felLasleep, and
on awaking found that his money was gone. The subsequent
circumstances were detailed by the learned counsel, but the
whole may be derived from the evidence.
_ .

John Shannon being sworn, said I am a lumper, and rent a
house of the prisoner, who keeps a house in Flint-street.
called Greenfield House. On the 21st of March, after 12
at night, I knocked at the door. The bar is amid-ships. I
called for some whiskey, in a room on one side of the bar. I
fell asleep. No one was in the room when I went in but
myself and he. He was on his way with the whiskey when
two girls entered. One of them that I knew stood at the
bar door, and the other was going inside the bar. - - Neither of
them came within three yards of me while I was there. The
prisoner pushed them out and barred the door. I had 51 sove-
reigns in gold; £4O in Bank of England notes and some silver.
The notes and silver were not touched. They were in my
inside waistcoat pocket. I took out a shilling to pay, and in
doing so had to take out the bag of sovereigns which were in
a charnoileather purse. I put back the bag and the notes.

,e landlord cane into the.bar after turning the women out.
11 asleep on a settle. I was wakened by the prisoner, but
not know at what time of the night. 1 felt for my
. The pocket-book and silver we. there, but the bag
of sovereigns was gone. Nobody was there but the prisoner.
I h'ad heavy words with the prisoner about it. I insisted on
his searching me. When I awoke I found my waistcoat
opened all but one button. lie did search me. He wakened
me by shaking me by the waistcoat. He came to the mouth
of the entry with me, and we' had heavy words about the
purse. I went home and told my wife. Between nine and
ten o'clock next morning I went to the prisoner's house. The
two girls were there, and others. When I first went in I was

in a great rage, and I struck one of the girls and bled her
nose. The prisoner was there, and he then went into the

bar. He came back with his hands in his trowsers pockets ;
he walked within a yard or two of my sister-in-law, and he
stooped down. There are two cellars or rooms on each side
the bar. One is called the House of Lords and the other the

House of Commons. (A. laugh.) I lost my money in the
Commons ; the room Edwards now came into was the Lords.

He stooped down, and picking the -bag up, said—" Don't he
'so angry, is this yours ?' " Yes, said I' • but there is not the
weight in it that it had when.you took it from me this morn-
ing." I emptied the bag' into the hands of a man named
Griffiths, and he- counted it back into the bag, and it only
contained twelve sovereigns. Griffiths swore with an oath
that he would prosecute the prisoner. He (Griffiths) did not
say this at the 'Change. I sent for the police.
Cross-examined by Mr. WILKINS.— I struck one of the
girls in the morning, and would have struck my own wife if
I had met her, I was so aggravated. I had been drinking at
my brother's, who keeps a public-house in Norfolk-street.
I had live glasses of ale that day, and a glass of spirits at my
brother's that morning, at six o'clock, which 1 have every
morning. (The witness, a robust, coarse-looking man, in a
blue dress, prevaricated on the question being put whether
he had spoken to the girls in question, or had called any other
girls across the street.) To my knowledge I did not see the
policeman. I paid eightpence out of a shilling. I don't
know who it was for, or whether it was for whiskey for him.
I emptied the bag of sovereigns or the table. I did not drop
one of them, nor did one of the girls pick it up, and would
not give it back. I counted my money (the sovereigns) at
my brother's house before I went to Edwards's. A man
named Beattie and another were present. When I found I
had lost my money I sent my wife for the police, and went
quietly to bed. I struck the girl and knocked her down. I
said I would have knocked my own wile down I was so pro-
voked, but I did not knock her down that night. I treated
one of the girls, named Connolly, on account of respect for
her father, who had worked for me. I struck her in the
morning. That was not out of respect for her father. Grif-
fiths works at timber.
Re-examined.—The fifty-one sovereigns was a large sum
for me to lose. I had worked for twenty-two years at the
docks. end the sum was' nearly all I had. I pulled out my
bag of sovereigns at Edwards's to get at my silver, and Ed-
wards said; " Are these sovereigns, Jack ?" and I then threw
out my sovereigns. When I struck the woman I would have
struck any body, because Mr. Edwards said it was them that
took my money.
Hugh Beattie sworn.—l knew the last witness. His bro-
ther James keeps a public-house. It is about • 200 yards
from his own house. 1 saw Shannon count out 51 sove-
reigns. He was 1:ot tipsy, but had had a drop of drink.
Cross-examined.—l am a labourer, but (he added, without
a question,) I never worked for Shannon. I don't know
why he, counted his money. He did not assign any reason
for doing so, Griffiiths is not here. .
John Moore.—Admitted that he had been in court during
part of the case, although the witnesses were all ordered to
retire. The counsel for the prosecution said Ile would not
examine him. Mr. Wilkins said he should object to his
examination for reasons which he should explain to the

jury.
Beattie recalled by the Recorder.—There was no one pre-
sent when the prosecutor counted his money at his brother's
but myself and another.
Ann M'lntire said she was with the girl, Mary Conolly.
I went in, and Shannon, who was sitting in the window,
treated us to two-pennyworth a-piece. We afterwards had
two pennyworth, which we paid for. The prisoner asked
me when I went, to conic back and stop all night. Edwards
let us out, and I and Connolly went home to bed. The
policeman and Mrs. Shannon knocked us up, and we went
with them to Edwards's. We met another officer, an in-
spector, and he went with us. He knocked ; Edwards put
his head out at the window. Mrs. Shannon said he had got
her husband's money. He said that these were the girls that
were with Shannon, and he knew nothing about it. The
inspector told us to go home and be ready to come in the
morning at six o, clock.. We both went to Norfolk-street,
to the prisoner's brother's at that hour ; and we were told
to go and come at ten o'clock to Edwards's. We went at
that time. Shannon struck Mary Connolly, and she stag-
gered a little and fell on a seat. The prisoner went to the
bar, and stopped about ten minutes. He came back, drop-
ped a purse, stooped down and picked it up again, saying,
" What is this ?' Shannon said, " It's my purse, but it's
not the weight." The prisoner handed it to Shannon. If
the bag had been on the floor before, we should hare seen it.
A girl had been washing and stoning the flagged floor, and
had finished that part when the purse was found.
Cross-examined.---I am an unfortunate girl. I have known
Mary Connelly abcut five years. I have known her as a girl
upon the town for two years. 1 did not speak to Shannon
that day, nor did Mary Connelly. He did not beckon to
them in the street. I did not hear or see a policeman at

Edward's that night. I think it was a shilling-Shannon put
down. He treated Edwards too. In the morning Shannon
struck Connelly, who wanted to speak to him; but he did
not give her time. We were put into Bridewell on this
charge. I was not examined before the magistrates at all.
I have been before the magistrates I can't tell how often for
being tipsy. I have been before them for money—Xl 7s. Gd.
I got out, for the man did not come. The prisoner has a
son, a niece, and another girl in the house. I was more than
once before the magistrates for money. I don't know how
often. I got off every time. The men did not come. I did
not see him drop the purse. I only saw him pick it up. Mr.
Rushton asked us nothing, and discharged us.
Mary Connelly went with the last witness to prisoner's
house. Shannon was there sitting on one side the cellar.
He treated them and paid a shilling. They stood at the bar.
He was three yards from them. - We went out, and the door
was bolted. Shannon was awake then. Witness g we, in
effect, evidence similar to the last, with the addititn that the
inspector informed Edwards, on knocking him up, that there
was a robbery. He said he knew nothing about us (the
girls), and did not open the door. There was a cry of tire,
and the inspector went away. She heard the purse fall when
it was dropped. (The witness did not know the difference
between a second and a minute, but said she thought that in
two or three minutes she could walk a foot !)
John Griffiths.—l was in the prisoner's house, when Shan-
non came in and struck Connelly. He was in a passion. The
prisoner came in after she was struck, and gave John Shan-
non the purse. She gave it to Shannon, and asked if it was
his. He said yes ; but it is a deal lighter than it was this
morning between one and two o'clock. Shannon emptied it
into my hand, and it contained 12 sovereigns. When Shan-
non struck Connelly he said, " You d—d w— ! where is
my purse ? there are only you three for it." I did not know
where Edwards was when Shannon came in. I don't know
where he got the purse.-
Cross-examined.—After Shannon got the purse, lie said
one of the women had dropped it. Connelly might be 4or 5
feet off Edwards when the purse was given to Shannon.
Elizabeth Shannon, wife of Edward Shannon.—Was in the
house when the prosecutor struck Connelly. Edwards saw
the blow struck, and went into his bar, and was not five
minutes before he came out again with his hands in his
pockets. He pulled his right hand out of his right pocket.
I saw him drop the purse and beard it fall. He lifted it up.
I told my husband he was the man who had taken the money.
Griffiths said, with an oath, he could clear the girls of having
taken the money. I did not hear Shannon, when he swore
at Connelly, say that there were but those three for it.
John Curry, a police-officer, was present whenthe prisoner
was accused of taking the purse. He said he had only picked
it up, and that he supposed it must have fallen from the girl
Connelly's breast when she was knocked down. He searched
the prisoner's house, and found in a cloths-chest a purse con-
taining twelve sovereigns, and another containing £3los. 6d.
in silver.
Inspector Hamer was a short time at the door of the pri-
soner's house, early on the morning of the 7th of March, but
was called away, an alarm of fire having been given. He
saw no girls there while he remained.
This was the case for the prosecution.
Mr. WILKINs spoke at great length and with much elo-
quence in behalf of the prisoner, contending that some of
the evidence (which he commented on throughout) was sus-
picious, and the greater part of it contradictory and false.
He contrasted the character of the prisoner, which had
hitherto been unblemished, with that of the abandoned
women who were the principal witnesses against him.
Mr. James Dempsey, merchant, had known the prisoner
for 17 years, and said he had borne a very excellent character.
Mr. Laurence Frost, had known the prisoner for 15 or 16
years, and also said he had been a good character.
Mr. Frost, who had known him for twelve years, also
spoke of him in high terms.
Mr. Hughes also said he had borne an excellent character
during the ten years he had known him.
Mr. Davies, a smith, had known him for thirty years, and
during all that time he had known him to bear •the best of
characters.
Two others spoke equally favourable.
Mr. Laurence, brewer, said he had known him for ten
years, had never heard any thing against him, and so far as
he himself knew, he had found him to be a very respectable
man in his station in life.
The RECORDER then summed up the evidence. The jury
retired at half-past five o'clock, and in about au hour found
a verdict of Not Guilty. The prisoner was discharged.
Foul` cases of felony and six of misdemeanour remain to
be tried.

THE TWELFTH REGIMENT OF FOOT.—OH Wednesday
forenoon last the " depot" of this regiment (which is now
stationed in the Mauritius) embarked on board the Actaeon
steamer for Glasgow, where they will relieve a portion of
another regiment, ordered elsewhere. They arrived here on
the previous day, from Brecon, in South Wales, whence they
marched in seven days, by journeys of from sixteen to twenty
miles a day. The poor fellows appeared to be a good deal
fatigued on their arrival here. They were upwards of two
hundred strong, and were under the command of Major
M`Neill. About high water the vessel went out of dock, and
steered for her port of destination. The Twelfth Regiment
belongs to the county of Suffolk.
MONS. DOHLER'S GRAND CONCERT.—MODS. DOhler,
whose fame as a pianist has spread throughout England, has
announced his intention of giving a grand concert at the
Royal Amphitheatre, on the evening of Tuesday next. He
will be supported in his exertions by Miss Birch and MNs
Dolby, two ladies who have established their reputation as
vocalists, by Signor Zuchelli, from the Italian Opera, Lon-
don, and the Teatro Valle, Rome, and by Herr Molique, a
foreign violin player, of surpassing merit. Mons. Diihler's
taste and execution are of the very highest order, and, with
the popularity of the instrument on which he is such a pro-
ficient, there can be little doubt that few vq:o are themselves
players will lose the opportunity of hearing so splendid •ft
performer.