The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-10-29 00:00:00

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

We are obliged t~ postpone our Plan of the Liverpool Docks for
about a fortnight.
in a paragraph in our last paper noticing the great success of
the " Rat ler." which is propelled by Mr. F. P. Smith's patent
screw, we. by mistake, stated her burthen to be 668 tons, in-
stead of 888 tons. The difference in the dimensions of the
ship gives a still more favourable result in relation to her
steam-power, the full extent of which we c rrectly furnished.
We have been requested to state on authority that the meeting
convened last week " for the purpose of rescuing All Saints'
Church from the grasp cf Popery," was not sanctioned, or in
any way authorised by the officiating minister. When we
saw the placard, we never for a moment supposed such was
the case; but as many persons are impressed with the idea
that it was, it is as well to set them right.
Although we have condensed as much as possible the important
meetings held here during the past week, we ;.re compelled to
forego for the present the publication of much interesting
n atter.

Ely Ktbrrpoot kvtanbarb.

TUESDAY 2110RAING, OCT. 29, 1814.

In another part of our paper we have presented
to our readers an abstract of the corporation ac-
counts for the year, and added to it, for the conve-
nient reference of those who wish to compare the
income and expenditure of the present with those
of the past year, a similar abstract for 1843. We
here take the liberty of directing attention to,
and explaining a few of the items of these ; and at
the same time of congratulating our fellow-towns-
men upon the results which they chew.
It must be an object of great satisfaction to the
community to observe the increase which has this
year taken place in the ordinary income of our cor-
poration. In IFi43 the total amount at the credit
side of its accounts was £122,230 Bs. 6d., whilst
this year it is £132,072 Os. 21d., skewing an excess
in favour of the present year of nearly £lO,OOO.
And this, a very cursory glance at the comparative
statement which we have given will skew to have
arisen precisely in that branch of our local revenue
which indicates the progress of the commerce of
our port, viz. in that of " town dues," the amount
of which was last year £63,364 15s. 7d., and which
has risen this year to £73,132 15s. 4d., making an in-
crease of, in round numbers, £lO,OOO on the year.
A gratifying increase is also to be noted in the
"floes on leases," and, particularly, in the particular
item of " fines in lieu of ground rent on leases,"
%•hick exhibits the progress of the demand for the
unoccupied land of the corporation for building pur-
poses, and shows this year a surplus, over the '
amount of the same item last year, of £l,OOO.
The other items on this side of the account, it will
be seen, pretty nearly balance those of last year.
With these gratifying facts presented to them, it
may naturally create surprise in the minds of the
public to find on the debtor side of the account a
decreased surplus carried forward,as compared with
that of last year; and the conclusion will perhaps
be formed that the ordinary expenditure is increas-
ing in an equal ratio with the receipts. We are
enabled, however, to assure them that this is not the
case, and to shew that such increase of the former
is more apparent and casual than real and perma-
nent. Thus, under the head of " law and parlia-
mentary expenses," we find an amount of £BO5O
set down for the present year, against £4861 for
1843. It must be borne in mind, however, that the
Council have had this year a more than ordinary
amount of business before Parliament ; and there is
certainly little chance of this item being an average
of Sears to come. Again, the expense of the police
force this year is put down at £17,668, against
£13,347 last year. But there was a diminution last
year, from £16.989 in the previous year, which
chews that this is a fluctuating item. In fact, the
amount brought into the accounts under this head
represents the gross cost of the entire force, less the
Various amounts coiitri6uted towards it by the Dock
Trustees, the Parish, and the Out-townships; and is
thus influenced by the satisfactory, or unsatisfactory
state of the rate-collectors' books, and their pay-
ments to the borough fund. It must be explained,
however, in addition, that the numbers of the police
force this year have been augmented, in order to
provide for the more efficient watching of the ware-
house property of the port. The " Lighting,
Cleansing, and Fire-police," has increased about
£l5OO this year, in part for the reasons given for
the increase of the last item, and, no doubt, in part
from the increase of new streets in the out-town-
ships, which cannot as yet have been made to con-
tribute for the cost of their lighting and security.
The item, which has told most, however, upon
the diminished amount of the surplus, is the in-
creased payment made this year on account of
"county expenses,"—viz., £ll,OOO, instead of 4000
paid last year ; or an excess of £7OOO, a large por-
tion of which might have been carried to "extra-
ordinary account" or to Borough capital. We may
remark, in explanation, that the exact amount of
the County's claim upon the estate of the Corpora-
tion has not as yet been settled, and is at present
under arbitration. It may probably amount to
between fiveand six thousand poundsperannum ; and
the Finance Committee, under the circumstances of
their flourishing condition, and for other wise rea-
sons, no doubt, have preferred a temporary over-
payment to the County to an under-payment which
would increase, only apparently however, the sur-
plus at their disposal. Upon the whole then, the
financial results of the present year must be con-
sidered highly satisfactory; and viewed in conjunc-
lion with the circumstances at which we have
glanced above, promises to be even more so in
years to come.

But another, and the most important feature in
these accounts, is presented in the "General State-
ment of the Financial Affairs of the Corporation,"
to which we direct the especial attention of our
readers. This noble estate owes a bonded debt of
£1,137,106 19s. Bd., after paying the interest of
which, it provides and supports the public build-
ings of the town, contributes largely to the
maintenance of its police, its watching, cleansing,
lighting ; its churches, cemeteries, public walks
and gardens ; its courts of law, and gaols ;
its schools and charities; and is able to boast
of a yearly surplus over and above its ordinary
expenditure. But the statement to which we refer
holds out to us assured prospects, of abilities and
usefulness to come, infinitely greater than any
which have already been experienced. The interest
of the bonded debt of the estate, at present 4 per
cent, is now in gradual course of reduction to 31
per cent, per annum, by which operation, when
completed, a large accession of nett income will be
derived. A portion of the unproductive property
of the estate—Wallasey Pool—has this year been
sold, of the purchase-money of which the sum of
£315948 Bs. id. is now at interest at 5 per cent.—
The property of the corporation at the north shore
bas been disposed of to the Dock Trustees of Liver-
pool, the purchase-money of which, £254,830 ss. sd,
is at interest, at 3,7,- per cent. From these sources,
we may calculate, in the year to come, upon an in-
crease in the "ordinary income" of the corporate
estate, of no less than TWENTY-FOUlt THOUSANDS
PER ANNUM, applicable to purposes of public im-
provement, or to the gradual liquidation of its
bonded debt ! Or looking further still, to the pay-
ment of these and other sales and obligations due,
the debt of the estate will, after no long course of
years. be reduced by the amount of the present
balance of £665,573 19s. 10d., and the proceeds of
the sale of the land referred to in the note appended
to the statement, now valued at £42,500. In other
words, this estate, held for the benefit of the borough
of Liverpool, with a rerenue vastly increased in pro-
ductiveness, will only have to provide for the interest
of A DEBT DIMINISHED BY UPWARDS OF SEVEN
HUNDRED THOUSAND POUNDS.

Is it possible to estimate sufficiently the import-
ance of such a consummation ? Or can such a
state of things, as we have here humbly endeavoured
to bring clearly before our readers and the public of
Liverpool, be paralleled elsewhere in the United.
Kingdom ? We submit that it can not ; and, al-
though much of the credit of our present position
y be fairly attributed to the wise foresight of "the
rotten Corporation"—save the mark !—of former days,
which providently accummulated, despite of the
would-be-wise, property which has since been found
so valuably available for the increase of the revenue
of the estate, a just rneed of admiration and gratitude
is fairly due to the sagacity and prudent care of the
present Finance Committee. Bodies of men may
perhaps be found, who deal in larger and more mag-
nificent measures; more flashy chancellors may pre-
side over the exchequer, and regulate the finances
of other towns or empires ; but we are satisfied—fully
satisfied—with those who have, through this state-
ment of the result of their honesty and prudence,
enabled us to challenge surrounding localities to
produce a result equally satisfactory. In the name
of the present generation of our fellow-townsmen—
in the name of future generations who will be pri-
vileged to enjoy the full amount of the benefits now
in prospect, we thank the members of the present
Finance Committee.

It would be ungenerous in us were we conclude
our gratifying task without expressing our sense of
the ability with which these accounts have been
prepared by Mr. Wybergh, the treasurer, and his
efficient clerk, Mr. Neilson. Their lucid arrange-
ment has rendered our own labour lighter ; and
must be infinitely satisfactory to the Committee, the
result of whose labours they record, as well as to
the public.

We have only room for a single sentence, which
is applicable to the constituencies of every ward, at
the municipal elections on Friday. We ask them
to look at the present position of the affairs of the
borough, which we have elsewhere referred to, and
to say if it is not sufficiently satisfactory to warrant
their confidence in the present constitution of the
Council. Let them compare, too, the calm business-
like tone of its pi esent proceedings with the strife of
past years ; and say, whether the former ought to
be interrupted by such pettifogging attempts to in-
troduce disorder as those which are now being made.

RESIGNATION OF THE HEAD CONSTABLE

From what appeared in the columns of our local journals
last week, as well as from rumours abroad, our readers
must have been prepared to learn on an early occasion,
either that Mr. Miller had resigned, or that he had so far
accommodated his opinions to the practice hitherto pin..
sued by the Watch Committee, that some mutual arrange-
ment would be come to, so as to avert the necessity and
inconvenience of a change. Of the latter alternative he
did not avail himself, and being thrown upon the former,
Mr. Miller, on Saturd y last, tendered his resignation,
which was accepted, with a liberal allowance, in the shape
of salary to a given day, in consideration of the domestic
expenses which he incurred in removing with his family
from Glasgow. Of the peculiar circumstances that have
led to his retirement from the service of the borough, we
are in possession of some particulars ; but details, as the
matter now stands are unnecessary, especially as the busi-
ness will be gone into at the Council meeting to-morrow.
The following is a copy of Mr. Miller's letter of re-
signation:—

Liverpool, 26th Oct. 1844
GENTLEMEN hegleave to resign into your hands the situa-
noel to which you did me the honour to appoint me last March.
On accepting that appol: tment I resigned an office which I had
held, not only with the general approbation of the public autho-
rities, but of the citizens of Glasgow, for nearly eight years;
and in coming to Liverpool I subjected myself to great domes-
tic expense and inconvenience; but finding that I cannot any
longer satisfy either you or myself, I deem it due to the public
and my own sense of right, to challenge the worst conse-
quences, rather than continue in an office the duties of which I
can no longer fulfil with satisfaction to myself. In retiring I
hope to leave behind no unkind feeling : 1 entertain none.
I am, Gentlemen, yours very respectfully,

(s,idned)

H. MILLER

On receipt of this communication, the following resolu-
tion was agreed to by the Committee; and a copy of it
transmitted to Mr. Miller by the Secretary :

Resolved —That this resignation be accepted, and that, in con.
Weration of the heavy expenditure to which Mr. Miller has
been subjected, in removing and establisl•ing his family in Li-
verpool, it he recommended to the Council to allow him his sa-
lary up to the 27th February next, on which day in the present
year his appointment took place.
To Mr. Henry Miller.