The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1850-01-22 00:00:00

TIE LIVERPOOt STANDARD.

THE DOCK POLICE OF LIVERPOOL AND THE

REVENUE

It is a well-known fact that, of late, a large increase
has taken place in the number of the police force stationed
in our docks ; but it is not quite so well known what is
the precise nature of their avocations. These do not ap-
pear to us to be strictly in the nature of the duties, for
which such a force is ordinarily required : viz., to repress
pilfering and outrage, but rather to act as aids to the re-
pression of smuggling, and the infliction of fines upon
merchants, captains, and others connected with the ship-
ping trade of the port. From the corporation accounts of
the past year we find that £14,732 16s. Id. was paid for
the salaries of the dock police, and £4,242 10s. ld. for
clothing, printing, stationery, and other expences, in all
a gross amount of £18,732 16s. Ild., being a large in-
crease upon the amount paid in previous years. And
where are these additional men located ? In our closed
docks principally, where a single officer at each gate ought
to be sufficient to prevent any very extensive peculation.
Let our readers go into any of these docks, and what will
they see ? Gangs of ragged boys parading the quays,
satchel in hand, ready to pick up any inconsiderable trifle
lying about, to buy old ropes and rags from ship-keepers,
mates, and others; and naturally the suggestion will pre-
sent itself, how it is that such parties are peimitted to
enter the gates. What is the meaning of a walled dock,
if it is not to keep them out, and to protect the preperty
of the shipowner and merchant from such peculation ?
But the real occupation of our police, we repeat, is to
aid the customs' officers in detecting smuggling, and to
lay informations against poor ship-keepers, for seeking
shelter in inclement weather. Surely the customs ought
to provide a staff of their own, if they desire the revenue
to be protected • and the police might put an end easily
to peculation, iithey would prevent parties, not having
legitimate business there, from entering the docks at all.
One half the force would be all that would be required,
if their services were used only in their legitimate occu-
pation.

It is a fact, that one of the heaviest inflictions levied
upon the shipping frequenting this port is that caused by
the officious interference of the police with ship-keepers.
These parties are required by our dock regulations, in all
weathers, and whether the crew of a vessel are on board
or not, to walk the decks from me hour before to two
hours after high water. Obviously the only object of
such a regulation is to prevent robbery both of the cus-
toms and the ship ; yet what robbery could take place in
a dock, walled round, and with every gate well guarded.
Another of their vocations—laying informations against
timber merchants and others for allowing goods to lie a
few hours too long on the quays—is carried to a ridicu-
lously absurd and extravagant length.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD,

Mr. EDITOR.—I perceive there is an advertisement in
our local papers, emanating from the Committee of the
District Provident Society, intimating that they are in
want of funds. It is to be hoped that this appeal from
the committee of one of the most admirable of all our
admirable institutions will not be made in vain ; for
although, at this inclement season of the year, distress
is pretty general, yet a degree of caution is necessary, to
prevent imposition, and it is well•kvn that the District
Provident Society visits every applicant ; indeed, the
motto of the society will best speak for it.—" Let the
attention bestowed on another be the genuine emanation
of good will, and there is only one thing more to make it
irresistible. The readiest way of finding access to a
man's heart is to go into his house and there perform the
deed of kindness." Now, whilst we have such an insti-
tution as this, for conveying the bounties of the rich to
the wants of the poor, and as we know that vast numbers
of our fellow creatures are at present not only bordering
upon, but actually enduring the worst effects of starva-
tion, surely this itp,peal will not be made in vain. It ever
has been sufficient,,to state the fact to stimulate the
wealthy of our town, to whom Providence has been lavish
in its bounties, to a prompt signal and resolved exertion
on behalf of their suffering fellow creatures. Let our
merchant princes and leviathan tradesmen avail them-
selves of the holy unction, and in such a crisis have
illustrated and exercised the choicest attribute of Heaven,
the favourite cherub Mercy, that spiritual quality which
"Is not strained,
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven.
Upon the place beneath, it is twice blessed ;
It blesseth him that gave, and him that takes.
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest, it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown."
I am, Mr. Editor, yours respectfully,
Liverpool, 20th January, 1850

POSTULATA,

THE BIRKENHEAD Docks.—A letter has just been
published, addressed to the Earl of Carlisle, on the line
of conduct pursued by the Board of Woods, in relation
to the Birkenhead Docks. The writer calls attention to
a statement his lordship made at the festival held on the
opening of the docks in 1847, " That he had ever felt the
greatest interest in the rising fortunes of Birkenhead, and
it was obvious the proportions in which the undertaking
could become profitable to the Crown, must he according
to the degree in which they were made available for the
accommodation of commerce and the public good." After
a review of the history of the Birkenhead Docks, and
the negotiations between the projectors and the Board of
Woods, the present fallen condition of Birkenhead is
traced to the policy pursued by that Board, of which his
lordship is the chief. The last negotiations resulted in a
sum of £50,000 being raised to pen up the waters of the
Pool, so as to adapt it for the timber trade ; and when
these works are completed, the position of the docks will,
in the opinion of the writer, be as follows ,—On the 22d
of July next, all vessels above the burthen of 200 tons
will be excluded from the Morpeth Dock; ane on the
19th of July, 1855, the whole of the works will revert to
the Crown absolutely ; the object which the Board of
Woods seem to have had in view for several years past.
The attention of his lordship is directed to a review of the
past proceedings of the Board of Woods, an examination
of the present condition of the works, and a considera-
tion of their future prospects, the result of which, says
the writer, will be a conviction in his lordship's mind,
that the only way of restoring the suspended vitality of
the docks, and the public confidence necessary to secure
their progression, is by endeavouring to carry out, as
nearly as circumstances will now permit, the original
scheme propounded by its projectors.
SOUTHERN AND TOXTETH HOSPITAL. The annual
meeting of the committee and officers of this institution
was held yesterday morning in the board room of the
hospital. Among the gentlemen present were J. B.
Yates, Esq. (the president), the Revds. J. Hampton, G.
Dover, and Robberds ; Councillors Watson, and Fisher ;
Messrs. H.Banner,andJ. Aikin. Mr. Challinor,thehono-
rary secretary, read the financial statement, from which
it appeared that the institution is still in debt about £BOO,
but the greater part of this has been incurred on account
of the new building. The accounts having been passed,
Mr. Yates, the chairman, observed that the next business
was to read the report which he had drawn up. The
first important feature in this report was the statement,
that during the past year 2722 patients had been relieved,
2133 of which were out, and 589 in-patients ; of the
entire number 370 were severe surgical cases, 1510 acci-
dents, and simple fractures; the remainder embraced
medical and surgical cases of various character. There
were in the hospital in December, 1848, 55 patients, ad-
mitted from Ist January, 1849, to Ist Jan. 1850, 589; of
which 436 were discharged cured. At the commence-
ment of the past year the house contained the same
number of inmates as at the same period in the previous
year. The addition of one storey to the premises has
greatly increased the accommodation, permitting of the
addition of 70 beds to those formerly available ; besides
two separate wards; several other commodious apart-
ments have been added ; the ventilation has been planned
on an improved system, and altogether the new portion
of the premises reflects much credit on the architect, Mr.
Arthur Holme. The institution now is capable of afford-
ing room for 120 beds. The proportion of the fund
arising from the proceeds of the Fancy Fair allotted to
to the Southern and Toxteth Hospital is £3197, being
one-third of the entire sum. Two thousand pounds
of this sum have been permanently secured as in-
come to the charity, and are invested in dock bonds,
drawn in favour of J. B. Moore. -- Yates, and
Cropper, Esqrs. A legacy of £5OO has also accrued to
the hospital. This bequest was left by the late Mr.
Matthew Heyes, and was received through the preL.int
Mayor. Notwithstanding these large donations, the
debt amounts to £BOO, principally on account of the new
building.—Mr. W. Fisher (town councillor) moved the
adoption of the report. He considered that the institu-
tion, notwithstanding the heavy debt, would go on in-
creasing in usefulness ; and congratulated the committee
upon the fact of there being £2OOO secured to the finances.
The Rev. Mr. Hampton seconded the resolution ; and in
alluding to the fact of there having been no church col-
lection during the year in aid of the hospital, referred to
the events of the past year. The visitation of the cholera
had drained the sources that would otherwise have been
available for that purpose. The rev. gentleman then
moved another resolution,—a vote of thanks:to the presi-
dent, who, he said, had taken a prominent part in estab-
lishing the institution nearly nine years ago ; and who
not only gave his valuable time and talents to the carry-
ing out of the charity, but also contributed by his
liberality to its support. He went on to state the circum-
stances under which they (the committee) bad pressed
Mr. Yates to retain his position another year, contrary to
his expressed desire.—Mr. Fisher seconded this resolu-
tton.—Mr. Yates expressed his regret that no member of
the committee would allow himself to be nominated to
the seat he had so long occupied ; and went on to state
that preparations had been made to instal Mr. Cropper,
the vice-president abut that owing to the illness of Lady
Denman, the mother of Mrs. Cropper, that arrangement
had fallen through; indeed Mr. Cropper had been com-
pelled to resign the post he had hitherto filled. The
president expressed his conviction that if the usefulness
of the institution were to be maintained, the most
teoneinrgeerteaicsomtehaesufruensdws o; uiltdwhasaveessteontbiealretisloarttetdhetodoinnaotriodnesr
should be increased, and the annual subscriptions would
have to be swelled some £3OO or £4OO more, in order to
insure this. He believed there were many hundreds of
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Dover moved a vote of thanks to Mr. Cropper, who was
not present. During the course of the proceedings the
rev. gentleman's name being spoken of as the successor
to the Rev. T. Nolan, as honorary chaplain to the
hospital, he expressed his determination to administer to
the necessities of the sufferers in the manner peculiar to
his calling to the utmost of his capabilities.—Mr. Coun-
cillor Watson seconded the motion of a vote of thanks to
Mr. Cropper.--The subsequent proceedings consisted in
the proposing and seconding resolutions complimentary
to the various gentlemen connected with the institution
not before named.—Kr. Nolan's services were spoken of
as having immensely contributed to the usefulness and
efficiency of the charity. The resolutions in extensi will
be found in our advertising columns.