The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-06-04 00:00:00

VICTORIA DOCK SILL

The Sub-committee of Works repotted that they could not
recommend any change to be made in the level of the sill at
the west gate of Victoria Dock, principally on the ground of
the enormons-expense which would thereby be incurred.
Mr. CHAPMAN could not account for the fact that after
the expenditure of large sums, on the entrance to this dock,
it should be almost useless. He understood that because
Mr. Hartley had assumed the whole responsibility of the
work the public blamed him ; but he (Mr. Chapman) be-
lieved the work was not executed according to his plan.
It was therefore only fair that.Mr.,Hartley should _be tiXO
nerated from the responsibility. It was clear, however, that
there must have been some gross defect in the engineering de-
partment ; but if Mr. Hartley was not to blame, let him
have all the benefit of the fact. Mr. Chapman then referred to
the evidence of Mr. Hodgson, the North harbour-master, and
to that of Mr. Wray, master of Victoria Dock, in which it was
stated that the sill of this dock was 31 feet higher than the sill
of Waterloo Dock, and a variety of inconveniences in the
working of the dock shewn to arise from it. Having read this
testimony, he contended it was the duty of the committee to
make the work perfect. The great regret he felt was that the
gates had been put down at an immense expense, whilst the
goods of merchants and shipowners were left upon the quay
without protection. If any recommendation of the harbour-
master had overrode the opinion of the surveyor in this mat-
' ter, that was a circumstance which, of itself, exonerated Mr.
Hartley. He (Mr. Chapman) hoped that for the future, be-
fore the opinion of the surveyor or the engineer, if the com-
mittee were to employ one, was overrode by the harbour-
master, he would be allowed to have the benefit of the opi-
nion of the engineer to hack him out.
Mr. G. HOLT said the sub-committee, when this matter
was referred to them, did not consider it any part of their
duty to look far back, but that it was merely to deal with af-
fairs as they now existed. They were not instructed to exa-
mine where the blame lay, for he could see no practical good
in such an inquiry, hut how the matter now stood. They
had been advised by very high authority, that if the sill were
lowered, mud would greatly accumulate in the dock. It was
certainly possible that some little more facility might arise in
vessels getting quicker out, but the expense of the- alteration
would b so enormous, that, at least for the present, it was
quite out of the question.
Mr. HORSFALL, on this as on all other occasions, was an-
xious for most full and particular inquiry. He agreed with
Mr. G. Holt, that the committee of works had taken the
proper course, in not inquiring whether the sill had or had
riot been properly made : nevertheless, he was anxious that
such an inquiry should be gone into. In that case, it would
be desirable to refer to the proceedings of the committee at
the time the sill was ordered, to see whether it had been made
as directed, and, if not, to ascertain the grounds of the de-
viation. He did not mean to shirk the question, either with
regard to the surveyor or the harbour-master ; and if the,
committee should be of the same opinion, he would recom-
mend the board of works to inquire whether the sill had been
constructed according to the best advice, for he was per-
suaded it would be found to have been judiciously planned.
Mr. Alderman EVANs thought it would be most unhand-
some on the part of the committee to enter upon this sort
of posthumous enquiry. Their duty was to look prospec-
tively, and to deal with things as they found them. He
would not consent to any time either of his own or that of
the committee being lost in an examination, for he was con-
vinced that no good would follow from it.
Mr. HORSFALL had given no opinion as to the utility of
the enquiry, but when a charge was attempted to be fixed
upon the committee, he thought it was the duty of the com-
mittee to investigate all the circumstances. As Mr. Chem-
' man had said, if there was a right horse to saddle with the
blame, let him be ascertained.
The CHAIRMAN suggested that it might be satisfactory to
hear from Mr. Hartley the grounds upon which the decision
of the committee regarding this sill had been founded.
Mr. MELLOR could riot see the least use in wasting time
• by referring to the past. Admitting that a former dock com-
mittee and Mr. Hartley also had been to blame, enquiry still
could do no good. . .

The CHAIRMAN said that it might, upon Mr. Hartley's
explanation appear, that there were sufficient reasons for
placing the sill where it was.
Mr. HARTLEY then referred to some plans which he had
brought with him, from which, and from his explanations,
given in a conversational tone, impossible to be heard, it ap-
peared, that this part of the work had been constructed COR.
trary to his recommendations.
Mr. CuaPmaN'.--The. blunder *as not his fault, but he
assumed the responsibility of it, and I blame him for that.

Mr. TonlN.—lf we are to go on in this way, 20 years
from this another committee may blame what we have done.
The conversation on this subject then dropped-
LIGHT SHIPS.
The MARINE SURVEYOR reported that the Crosby light-
ship had been run foul of by two vessels, one of which was
the sloop Druid, and the other a schooner, Mule unknown.
The damage in each case was very trifling. Application was
ordered to be made to the owner of the Druid, for the re-
payment of the expenses incurred by the necessary repairs.
The Marine Surveyor also reported that the Queen light-ship
was in need of repair.—Ordered.
BIUSTON LIGHTHOUSE KEEPERS.
The Sub-Committee of Finance reported that they had
considered the application from the keepers of Bidston light-
house for an increase of salary, and recommended it to be
increased from £5O to £73 10s. per annum. In reply to a

question,
Mr. T. HOLT stated that the keepers of the lighthouse
were not now permitted to receive fees from visitors. He
felt bound to say that Bidston lighthouse was kept in the
greatest cleanliness—more so, he thought, than any of the
others.
Mr. HORSFALL said he had never seen any house kept in
better order. Bidaton lighthouse. was really beautiful.
A resolution approving of the proposed increase was then

passed.
Several references as to paving and some minor repairs
were made to the respective sub-committees, and the com-
mittee then separated.

THE ATLANTIC STEAMERS.—The arrival of the Halifax
steamers has hitherto been so regular and punctual that
some little disappointment appears to be experienced if the
slightest delay take place in their appearance. The Britan-
nia, which was advertised to leave Boston on the 16th tilt.,
was, according to the usual calculation, due on Sunday last.
It is not at all improbable that she may have been detainel
a few days at the other side in order to bring some definite
information as to the result of the present steps in the ease
of Mr. M`Leod, who, it is known, has been removed from
Lockport to New York. We hope to see the Britannia in
the course of the day.—Since writing the above, we under-

not 17th.
Mr. Penny, the publisher of the Weeklythe
Chronicle news-
paper, was drowned on Monday night off Chelsea, by the
boat in which he was rowing, coming in contaet with *barge.
He was trying to extricate himself, when the boat asset, and
he lost his life. Another geutleman who was in tha boat
twhaes
findingaaved boyf ctlhinegbi no
dg
y.
to the barge. 'A reward is a" far
ir