The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-08-04 00:00:00

" Union is stren„
Mounted Dragoon

,th," &c

Stonemasons.
Flags—" Knowledge is power."
4' We'll brithers be for a' that."
Brass band.

Shipwrights

Flag—Representation of the preservation of King
Charles.

Numerous ensig

Boatbuilders:
with several beautiful flags and ensigns, one surmounted
by a boat, gaily rigged with ribbon.

Banner—" Success to the Shipwrights
Queen."

" God save the

everal union juice, &c
Joliffe's band.

splendid royal standard, inscribed. " God, our Queen,

and our Country."
Magnificent model of a steam-veesel

Flag, with representation of Prince Albert, in military
uniform. The Queen on the obverse
Large model of a vessel fully rigged
Splendid banner, crest of Liverpool Arms

Neptune, ~.S4c.

Banner—" Britain's Bulwark."
Splendid banner, portrait of the Duke, " May there
always be a Wellington to guard our native land."
Two orderlies of the Light Dragoons, with drawn swords.
Splendid banner, " Success to the Pilot that weathered

the storm."
The Pilots.

Dock gatemen, with union jacks, ensign
_ The Sailors.

Flag—'

" The wooden Walls of Old England."
Large ens;gns, &c.
Flag, with anchor, " The Sailors' Home."
Sailors belonging to H. M. steam-packets.
I%ll.lva' officers.
Beautiful flag.
The committee of the Sailors' Home.
Clergymen of the church of England.

Freemasons

The Mayor's private carriage, in which were
Mr. Bramley-Moore, and Mr. Wright, Clerk of the Peace

Outwriders, and escort of the
Fourth Light Dragoons.
Splendid state carriage, drawn by four horses,
. .

containing his Royal Highness. The Earl of Abercorn
occupied his left.
and Lord Morpeth and the Mayor,

sat opposite.
Fourth Light Dragoons

Second state carriage, containing the suite of his Royal

Highness.
Fourth Light Dragoons.
As
the
it Mounted
would pbo lei c
impossible
op n o
ssi foot,b l
ebroughtto eup the
the
det rear.ail
s 0 f
whole procession, we shall endeavour to depict the most
striking portion, amongst which we shall st-lect that
period when the coopers and block makers were passing
the turn at the centre of Russell-street, the whole of
Icent flags and banners being

their nume

us and mng

at the one moment visible to the spectators, while at the
same time the ship carpenters tad arrived opposite the
Prince's residence, on the balcony erected over the vesti-
bule of which his Royal Highness had stationed himself
at the commencement of the procession, where he re-
mained until he took his seat in his carriage, graciously
acknowledging the hearty cheering which greeted him as
each separate body passed him ; at this period what may
be termed the advance guard of the ship carpenters occu-
pied a.length of not lees than 150 yards of the north end
of St. Anne-street, with their most splendid banners and
flags, one of the foremost of which consisted of a most
heGlearralsioaiuntseslciKriibaleendsitsthyhe,erdiveoiatihln.dthTeexilvqeouibrdsainst,ne,e,lrTikwheaenscleisnuscelo He
Queen,
e,dGotor Most
God bless
his Royal Highness, so that he might have a full view of
the same. Three hearty cheers being also given by the
members of the trade, in which the spectators heartily joined
'I he excellent band of the ship carpenters at the same time
commenced playing "Rule Britannia." This mark of
respect to her Majesty appeared most deeply to affect his,
Royal Highness. The scene at this moment cannot possible
be described; the beautiful weather, the multitude, the
various bands, and splendid appearance of the banners,&c.
are totally beyond description. To single out a few of the
more remarkable objects, we may state that the ship car-
peoters had models of the various descriptions of vessels,
from the skeleton to the full-rigged one. The boiler-
makers had various specimens emblematic of their trade,
both in the locomotive and naval departments thereof,
amongst the most distinguished of which was a complete
model of the skeleton of the magnificent steamer Ajax
(recently launched), together with two models (complete)
of steamers, the one fitted upon the screw principle, and
the other to be propelled by paddle wheels, in the ordinary
manner. The most interesting affair, however, was that

connected with the coopers, who, in addition to the or-
dinary appendages attached to their flags, staffs, &c., had
a barrel, with several automaton figures attached thereto,
which by an ingenious contrivance were made to represent
the operative cooper in the various parts of his trade.
Many of these detatched automata were displayed, but
the senior apprentices bore a large platform, which sup-
perted detached groups of these automata, tepresenting
every position of the mechanical appliances and manual
labour in the course of their business. This group was
most unique and beautiful, and elicited great applause.
The procession proceeded in the route described above,
without any material circumstance occurring.

LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE OF THE

SAILORS' HOME

The seats erected along each side of the intended build-
ing, and to which admission was obtained by ticket,
afforded accommodation to many thousands, including a
vast number of, elegantly attired ladies. An immense
Loardcd platform occupied the middle of the site, forming
an oblong square from east to west. In every visible part
or point of the surrounding buildings, (which rurround a
very large area,) as well as in every house or warehouse
commanding even a standing view of the central scene of
action,—on balconies, roofs, at windows, and even 01'
chimney-tops, hundreds, if not thousands were aISO
clustered, some of them in apparently perilous positions.
The scaffolding; or steps, round the site were crowded
by a highly respectable assemblage, including many ladies
in elegant attire. The galleries roond the four sides of
the site of the building presented a most beautiful and
picturesque appearance. The outward semblance was
still more striking. Numerous parties were on the east
top of the Custom House, which was decorated with all
kinds of flags; and the large range of windows over the
Post- office, were filled with fashionably-dressed ladies,
seated on tiers which lifted them one above another. The
houses and warehouses on the south and east side were'
fitted up with scoffolds in the lower stories; the window'
frames being taken out from top to bottom ; and the whole
facade of each building, as well as the apparently danger-
ous and lofty roofs crowded to excess. The parties who
had first, by ticket, obtained access to the site of the
Sailors' Home, became considerably exhausted by stand-
ing or sitting in expectation of the coming of the proces-
sion, which arrived certainly much beyond the expected
time. Some of the ladies (and also the gentlemen,) on
whom the sun was beating intensely, became oppressed,
and a few bottles of ginger-beer and other small drink
were smuggled in by " gallants" for their relief. Most of
the compa❑y had reached the site two hours before the
head of the procession came up, and hence the general
fatigue experienced.

Awaiting the procession, excellent order was kept all
around by the body of pensioners under Capt. Greig,
body of Manchoster police, all picked men, under Super-
intendent Cochraine, a body of the county constabulary,
under Capt. Stewart, and a still larger pody of the town
police, under Chief Superintendent Quick. A companY
of the 36th, under Capt. Ridge, and the band of the 681,11
regiment, were placed opposite the entrance.
An incident occurred whilst the procession was filing
round which eminently showed how easily order is kept
by those who themselves have been trained up to observe
discipline, and who employ good humour instead of force
to quell tumult. It had been arranged that the Odd Fel-
lows were to take their stations round the outside of thrt

railing of the lower platform fronting Hanover-street and
Paradise-street. A portion of them, however, seeing a
few vacant places at the end of the opposite platform,
commenced scaling the barriers to occupy them, and very
shortly we-should have had the whole locality in confu-
sion but for the interference of Captain Evans, acting
conservator of the Mersey, who ran to the aid of the po-
lice, who were ejecting the intruders, vi et armis, and ad-
dressing them in a humourous speeh, or rather a series of
speeches, got the vast mass who were crushing in, to keep
their places, an 4 to substitute good humoured cheers for
unruly disturbance. The gallant captain stuck to his
post and preserved perfect order until the conclusion of
the proceedings.
Amongst those who gathered earliest round the stone
were Thomas Sands, Esq., ex-Mayor, the Rev. Dr.
Raffles, John Tomkinson, Esq., Thomas Chalmers, sur-
geon, the Rev. Mr. James, and others. Finally there
were within the area, previous to the arrival of the proces-
sion, Earl Talbot, Lord Ingestrie and Lady Ingestrie,
whose magnificent beauty attracted every eye ; James
Aikin, -Esq., the Chairman of the Sailors' Home Com-
mittee, John Nelson Wood, Esq., Captain Evans, Robert
Duckworth, Esq., John Tomkinson, Esq., Samuel
liolme, Esq., John Holmes, Esq., Rev. Mr. Davis, John
Cropper, Esq., of Everton, I. P. Younghusband, Esq.,
George Kendal, Esq., William Birkett, Esq., Jos. Frank-
lin, Esq.. surveyor, &c. Amongst the clergy was the
Rev. Hugh M'Neile, whose presence on the occasion, and
his kindly and unassuming manner to all around him,
rendered him most welcome amongst the friends of the
Sailors' Home, of which he was one of the original friends
and promoters. The immensely long procession, after
passing through about four miles of street, and encounter-
ing delays from the crowded state of the streets, arrived
at the site about five minutes before three o'clock. When
his Royal Highness arrived at the site of the foundation,
he was loudly and repeatedly cheered, the military bands
in the distance playing national airs of welcome, in which
'the assembled multitude joined, the national anthem, &c.,
being parti.lly sung by thousands.
We now propose to give a brief account of the principal
architectural features, and the dimensions of the proposed

building. The site selected for the Sailors nome, is
bounded on the south by Hanover-street, on the east by
Paradise-street, and the north by a passage leading from
Canning-place to Paradise-street. The main front will
face the Post-office. The extreme length of the building
is 170 feet; the front to the Post-office 95 feet, while that
to Paradise-street, the land being irregular in shape, is
53 feet. The style of architecture is purely English, be-
ing that adopted in the reigns of James and Elizabeth,
and from its exceedingly light appearance, its numerous
windows, and ornamented pinnacles, it will form a pleas-
ing contrast with the heavy buildings of the vicinity. At
each angle of the building there is a square tower, with
an extremely neat ogee-shaped: roof, which is surmounted
by a gilt ball and pinnacle, the effect of which is admirable.
The elevation of the towers is considerably greater, than
the rest of the building, being 104 feet in height. The
west front has three curvilinear gables, which are beau-
tifully shaped, the side ones having pinnacles from the
rise and at the top,,while the centre one is surmounted by
a vessel rigged with a spar, with cross-trees, stays, &c.,
which forms, in an admirable characteristic man-

ner, the fla.T; pole of the institution. The gables
on each front project nine inches, and are at
the top ornamented, supporting brackets, caryatids,
scollop shells, &c., are most tastefully and usefully intro-
duced. In this ront is the main entrance, which in
point of elegance of design, boldness, and adaptation of
characteristic detail is unequalled by anything our town
can boast of. At each side is a three-quarter Doric
column, cut in the Elizabethan style, heaned by boldly
projecting mouldings, reaching to the second story. The
door-way is arched, and in the upper part is a well adap-
ted ovel fanlight; surmounting the mouldings of the
door-way is a Liver in the centre of a circle formed of a

coil of rope, which, with numerous purchase blocks, flogs,
and other emblamatic ornaments, completes this beautiful
design.
At the Hanover-street front there are five breaks or
projections, the tops of which are ornamented with shields,
bearing severally " The Liver," " The rampant Lion of
Scotland," " St. George and the Dragon," " the Harp of
Ireland, and Anchor, and Trident." Along the whole of
the top will be an open ballustrade, and the top wilt be so
arrangel as to form a promenade. At the Paradise-street
end there will be three shops, over which will be the
superintendent's apartments, the entrance to which will
be from the passage leading to the Post-office.
The internal as well as the external portions of the
building are purely Elizabethan. In the centre of the
building, communicating with the entrance, is a grand
hall, lighted from the roof, and surrounded by galleries
connected with the various floors. The general hall
will be heated by two enormous stoves. On the basement
story, there are stewards' rooms, kitchens, pantries,
bakehouse, milkhouse, been-cellar, and eight sailors'
chest rooms; there is also a storing room. Throughout
the whole building there will be hoists by which chests,
dinners, &c., may be sent momentarily to every apart-
ment. On the next floor (the first) there will be a savings'
bank, shipping office, registering room, paying rooms,
school room, cemmittec rooms, singing rooms, &c. There
is an apartment appropriated as a dining room. At the
extreme end of the hall, which is of a triangular form, is
the staircase leading from the basement to the upper sto-
ries, the dormitories, &c. The pillasters.of the hall will be
of light open iron work, bearing a resemblance of ropes.
The pallisading that runs round the galleries is equally cha-
racteristic, and reflects no little credit on the adaptive
taste of the able architect. The principal dining room will
be directly over the entrance hall;, it will be eighty-nine
feet long and thirty feet wide. Above this are the lecture
and reading rooms, which are upwards of sixteen feet in
height ; but as the darmitories are not required that
height, that story is divided,' without giving any unseemly
appearance to the building—the windows erossin2; the
floor by pannelling. There are separate apartments and
accommodation for 340 persons, fitted with wash-stands,
&c., the water for which is supplied from tanks on the
tops of the towers. The waste water will be carried to a
reservoir beneath the basement story, which will be
cleared out every twelve hours bj the admission of the
tide. The cost of the construction is estimated, we be-
lieve, under £25,000.
"The immediate objects of the institution shall be to
provide for the seamen frequenting the port of Liverpool,
board, lodging, and medical attendance, at a moderate
charge : to protect them from imposition and extortion,
and encourage them to husband their hard-earned wages ;
to promote their moral, intellectual, and professional im-
provement ; and to afford them the opportunity of re-
ceiving religious instruction. A reading-room, library,
and savings' bank shall be attached to the.institution, and
with the view of securing to the able and well-conducted
seaman a rate of wages proportionate to his merits, a
registry of character shall be kept. Among the ulterior
objects in contemplation are schools for sea apprentices,
and the sons of seamen, with special regard to the case of
children who have lost one of both their parents."
The Prince was conducted to the site by Mr. Aikin.
'Considerable d lay here took place, the trowel not having
been as vet brought up. In succession, however, came
Aikin's son with the trowel, the freemasons, com-
mittee, &c., who.had been beyond their time.

All preliminaries having been arranged, L. N. Starkie,
Esq., the Grand Master of the Freemasons, performed
the ceremonies usual on such ocoasions. Mr. Cunning.
ham, the architect, then presented the Prince with a
series of the plan of the erection. Mr. Tyrer„ the trea-
surer, presented the vase with the coins, Mr. Tomlinson,
hon. secretary, the vase with the newspapers, and Mr.
Cotesworth the plate covering the orifice in the stone.

Mr. AIKIN, the Chairman of the Committee, then said :
"--MAY IT PLEASE YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESS—As Chair-
man of the Committee of the Liverpool Sailors' Home,
it is my duty to express to your Royal Highness, our
grateful acknowledgments and thanks for your kind-
ness and condescension in consenting to lay the first
stone of the building to be erected on this site.
Your Royal Highness is already aware that the great ob-
ject of the establishmen is to benefit the seamen frequent-
ing our port, to improve their condition and theircharacter,
and to rescue them from perils of the shore, often more
dangerous than those to which they are exposed at sea.
That this object will be effected by the means proposed, is
no longer a question of doubt, The business of the Sailors'
Home has already commenced, and is now in active opera-
tion. During the last fifteen months, in premises hired
for the purpose. The characters of 6000 seamen have
been registered, and 5000 have been shipped on voyages,
and in vessels of their own selection. _ The wa,ges of a still

greater number have there being paid, and a safe deposit
for their money Las been provided. The savings' bank,
in addition to the bank of deposit, for us .an important
part of our plan, and the success of this arrangement al-
ready presents a fare prospect of inducing those improved
habits which arise out of a feeling of prudence and inde-
pendence. In no place is such an Establishment more
needed than in this great port, and although we regret
that it has been so long delayed, we find satisfaction in
the knowledge that are have now received the most zeal.

ous support froth all classes of the community. Our be-
loved Sovereign has been graciously pleased to become
the patroness of this institution, and for the management
of its affairs, we on the committee combined with the
principal shipowners of the port, the valuable practical aid
-of several who have themselves experienced the various
and arduous duties of a sailor's life. Under such sus-

pices, we are confident that when this building shale
completed, l b
we shall realise our most sanguine pxpectat-
ions, and that the Liverpool Sailors' Home will prove not
unworthy the patronage of her Majesty, & of the support
and countenance of your Royal Highness. Allow me
most respectfully and most sincerely to congratulate your
Royal Highness, for having endeared yourself to the
people of this nation, by associating your illustrious name
with institutions formed for religious, scientific, and phil-
anthropic purposes ; by these means securing the triumphs
of peace and the blessings of christianity : and for having
this day added to your well deserved popularity. It now
only remains for me to perform the pleasing duty of pre-
senting to your Royal Highness thts trowel, for the pur-
pose of enabling your Royal Highness to lay the first stone
of our Liverpool Sailors' Home.
Mr. Aticriv then presented the trowel to the Prince.
His ROYAL HIGHNESS replied aS follows:—"I return
you my best thanks for this loyal address. which gives a
most gratifying account of the state of this institution and
its future prospects. I join with you in fervent prayer
that the relisation of its praiseworthy object. towards
which this town has shown such liberality, may be further
ensured by the solemn act we are about to perform, and
in which it has given me the greatest pleasure that you
should have invited me to take a part."

His Royal Highness then deposited the several articles
in their places, andl the stone was lowered amidst the
loudest acclamations of the aesembled multitude.
" Rule Britannia" was sung by the party of gleesingers,
the band and whole of the company joining in the chorus.
The Rev. Jonathan Brooks, senior rector, then deli-
vered the following prayer :
" 0 Almighty and everliving God, of whose only gift it
cometh that thy faithful people do unto thee any true and
laudable service, we humbly beseech thee to accept the
,prayers which we offer to thy Divine Majesty for the suc-

cessful progress of the undertaking which has now been
so auspiciously commenced. We acknowledge that
without thy blessing all human efforts are vain, and that
we can do no good thing without thce. Prosper, then, 0
Lord, this work to a happy termination, and grant that
what has now been begun in thy name, may be continued
and ended in thee. Thou bast commanded us to love one
another ; we render unto thee our grateful thanks that
thou bast put it into the hearts of thy servants to esta-
blish an institution intended as a means of increasing the
comforts, supplying the wants, and helping the infirmi-
ties of those of our fellow-men who go down to the sea in
ships, and occupy their business in the great waters, and

who 'under thee, are humble instruments of that pros-
perity with which this great commercial town has been so
signally favoured. May they who have been most ac-
tively engaged in promoting this work of mercy be spared
to witness its completion, and when, in thy good time,
ehey shall be gathered their fathers, raise up, we pray
thee, a continued succession of benefactors that, so the
spirit of benevolence which has given birth to this insti-

tution may never be wanting to encourage and support it.
And as to those who are to be the future inmates of this
house, grant to them, 0 Lord, that it may prove to them
a sure refuge in the day of trial, that when the storms and
perils of the ocean are passed they may find it a haven of
peace. Grant that it may shield them from those temptati-
ons to which, upon their periodical return to their native
shores, theyare more particularly exposed; and grant, above
all, that the religious instruction and consolations which
will be here provided for them, may be the means of bring-
ing many of them to Thee, of preserving them from sin here,
and from the effects of sin hereafter. May they be
rooted and built up in Jesus Christ, established in faith,
zealous in every good word and work, and abounding
ever more and more in thanksgiving to thee, and in gra-
titude to their earthly benefactors. May thy fatherly
hand ever be over them, may thy holy spirit ever be with
them, and solead them to the knowledge and obedience of
thy word, that they may be accounted amongst the num-
ber of thy faithful servants. ,Lastly, we pray that both
they who give and they who receive may be united together
in one holy bond of union, and when earthly things have
passed away, when their respective duties have been dis-
charged in this world, and their mortal race is for ever
closed, may they at last meet together in thy heavenly
kingdom. These our prayers we offer unto thee in the
name and through the mediation of thy blessed Son
Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, in whose perfect
form of words we conclude our petitions.
Our Father, &c.

His Royal Highness joined in the responses. Three
cheers were then given for the Queen, and his Royal
Highness drove direct to the railway station. He arrived
at twenty-five minutes to four o'clock, and the train
started at ten minutes to four o'clock. While it was
getting ready his Royal Highness walked leisurely
through the yard. None but his suite and the officials
were present.

Hii Royal Highness Prince Albert returned to Buck-
ingham Palace at a quarter past ten on Friday night.

THE SEAMEN'S DINNER

In accordance with the announcements previously made,
the dinner given to the seamen of Liverpool took place at
the Albert Warehouses, after the laying of the first stone
of the Sailors' Home by his Royal Highness Prince
Albert. Three o'clock was the time appointed for the
dinner to be placed upon the table, but owing to misma-
nagement in some quarter, or perhaps to the fact of the
ceremony at the site of the projected institution being
unavoidably delayed, the " good things of this life" did
not make their appearance until a considerable lapse had
transpired. At half-past three the guests were not ad-
mitted, although they swarmed round the entrance, and
testified their impatience in unscrupulous terms; indeed
the waiters had not, at this time, finished their prepara-
tions about the tables. The room presented the same
appearance that it did on the previous day, when the
dejeuner was given to the Prince. Lord Adolphus Fitz-
clarence and the captain of the Albert were in the room
before the company was admitted ; they walked about in
deep conversation, apparently admiring the style of the
the tables, and afterwards joined two other naval officers,
who, with James Aspinall, Esq., stood at one end of the
room. Shortly afterwards the Rev. R. Davies, minister
of St. Paul's, entered theroom, followed by James Aiken,
Esq., chairman of the committee of the Sailors' Home,
Major-General Warre, and Colonel Wemyss. The com-
pany entered the room at half-past four, and soon appro-
priated the vacant seats. We should judge that, with the
sailors, there were more than eight hundred present.
About five o'clock the Mayor entered, arm in arm with
the Rev. H. M'Neile, and followed by Sir Howard
Douglas, the rev. Jonathan Brooks, the senior rector ;
Dr. Tattersall ; W. Brown, Esq., M.P. ; Mr. Sands,
Mr. Tyrer, and other gentlemen.
James Aikin, Esq., occupied the chair, supported on
his right by the Mayor, and on his left by Viscount
Ingestrie. The chair at his Worship's right hand was
reserved for Lord Sandon, who did not arrive until the
dinner was almost concluded. On the left of Lord
Ingestrie was Lord James O'Brien. Lord Adolphus
Fitzclarence, Sir Howard Douglas, the Rev. Jonathan
Brooks, and W. Brown, Esq , satin succession to the
right of the Mayor; Major-General Warre, the Rev. H.
M'Neile, and Colonel Wemyss, sat to the left of Lord
James O'Brien. The Rectal-, in the solemn manner
which is peculiar to him, asked a blessing. Mr. Cun-
ningham, the architect of the Sailors' Home, was present,
as was also Mr. John Bramley-Moore, Chairman of the
Dock Committee.
We noticed r

amongst the assembly the following clergy-
men :—Revs. Dr. Tattersall, Canon M`Neile, Thomas
Nolan, Connor, Maynard, Parry, Cordeaux, Barker, Dr.
Raffles, J. H. Stewart, Edward Jones, J. H. Jones, Chas.
Jones, H. H. Hampton, James Buck (Floating Chapel),
Cuthbert, E. J. Nixon, E. Roberts, B. A. Marshall, D.
Anderson, Robt. Davies, Davies, and J. Todd Brown.
After the other portion of the company had entered and
taken their seats, the doors were again thrown open, and
about 300 jolly sons of Neptune, consisting of the crews of
the royal yatchts, and a number of the seamen connected
with the temporary Sailors' Home at present established
in Bath. At first they took their seats just where they
could get them, preferring evidently the first port where
they could anchor. By the directon, however, of Captain
Chrispin, of the Victoria and Albert yacht, they were at
length arranged exclusively at the two tables on the east
side of the room, a boatswain being placed near the head
table to signal them by piping his whistle, and another at
the other end to reply. The jolly fellows appeared hear-
tily to enjoy the scene, and, from time to time during the
evening, astounded the ears of the landsmen with a ge-
nuine British cheer.

JAMES AIKIN, Esq., the Chairman of the Committee
of the Sailors' Home and also chairman of the dinner,
rose amidst the most enthusiastic cheers, and commanded
the assemblage to charge their glasses for a toast he felt
confident they would drink with unusual cordiality ; he
would rot have occasion to use many words in prefacing
any toast he should propose, and he was confident when
the one he should suzgest was given without the slightest
comment, it would be drunk with enthusiasm. It was
the Queen, in a new and acceptable shape—" Her Majesty
the Queen, our Patroness."

The glee singers then gave in solo and chorus,
save the Queen."

" God

The main portion of the company having become some-
what enthusiastic, the Chairman called their attention to
the Boatswain's Whistle, and stated that as the evening
was fast advancing, he would not, he feared, be able to go
through the whole of the toasts; there were, however, a
few that could not be omitted, and the one he would then
propose was one of the most benevolent ladies England
could boast of—a lady who had given freely on this and
other occasions, and whose generous disposition was so
fully known as to require no long description from him.
He gave "The Queen Dowager," which was received
with three times three.

prefacing the toast with an address illustrating the pro-
gress of British arms, and calling on the senior member
of each service present to reply. (Continued cheers.)
Sir HOWARD DOUGLAS, M.P., rose amidst great
applause, and said that it fell to him as the senior general
of the army present to reply, and the best response he
could give, and he trusted the most gratifying to the
assembly, was to assure them that the British army
retained that full efficiency to which that great man,
Wellington, had raised it; and to him was due the credit
of the peace that now prevailed, for he had led them from
victory to victory, until he accomplished on the plains of
Waterloo the deliverance of England from an iron yoke.
The gallant gentleman then stated the gratification he felt
in the proceedings of the day, and expressed his attach-
ment to the institution, the laying of the first stone of
which they had met to celebrate.

Lord JAMES O'BRIEN (on behalf of the navy) said he
experienced great regret that it had not fallen into better
hands to reply; he would not, however, spin a long yarn,
for to sailors they were ever tedious, but would rather, if
it would be permitted, address himself to the Chairman

and those who surrounded them, for they had now a
golden opportunity—an opportunity they should not omit
—to educate their sailors; and from his own experience,
he would say they would be found more grateful to their
Queen and their country, and more useful in their general
capacity ; and when necessity required, to none of them
would there be occasion to say, " England expects every
man to do his duty." The veteran commander concluded
by urgently pressing on merchants the advantages they
would derive from throwing their fullest support into
such an institution as the Sailor's Home, and proposing
" The Mayor and Corporation of Liverpool," which was
rapturously drunk.

The MAYOR, on rising, said, amidst considerable
confusion, that he felt himself physically unable to
make himself4theard. He returned his sincere thanks
on behalf of himself and the Council, for the hearty
manner in which the toast had been given.

The CHAIRMAN said in submitting the next toast he
would wish it to be distinctly understood that no political
feeling was connected with it. They had met for one
object, and their desire was to steer clear of all political
purposes. He gave " The Members for the County."

WILLIAM BROWN, Esq., M.P., replied, but so great
was the c3nfusion that it was impossible to obtain his
address. He, however, noticed the royal visit, and the
benefits that would be derived from the establishment of
a Sailors' Home. At the close he proposed the health of
a lady who was second to none in Liverpool, and who was
ever foremost in forwarding by her bounty the establish-
ment of institutions beneficial to the town—" Mrs. Aikin,
the lady of the Chairman."
Mr. AIKIN called one of his sons to reply.

Mr. AMIN, jun., then rose and stated the gratification
he felt at the honour they had done his parent. That day
had been the most joyous he had ever spent, and that
hour was, he believed, the happiest of his life. He could
not but admire the course his father had pursued, and his
conduct showed to him a duty he should never desert.
He returned his sincere thanks for the honour they had
done his father.

Mr. ATKIN, sen.—Your mother.
Mr. AnuN, jun., amidst loud laughter and applause,
stated that he had expressed his feelings, and whether for
father or mother they were alike fervent.

The CHAIRMAN then proposed " The Members for the
Borough," which was drunk with three times three.
Lord SANDON then rose amidst the most enthusiastic
applause, and stated the unmilpd gratification he felt at
being present on such an occasion,—a gratification that
was increased by his having been one of the first to
forward the establishment of a Sailors' Home in London ;
and though Liverpool was in the wake of London in its
establishment, he felt convinced, from the interest evinced,
it would not languish here, but would, ere long, surpass
all others, for their preparations were on a more extended
scale. The seamen of England were the wealth of the
nation ; and by educating them they would advance their
interests, and with their interests the interests of the
country, and their determination to effect the object was
shown by the walls and waters beaming with life and
loyalty. He felt satisfied that if there was any object
common with all, it must be the Sailors' Home. (Cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN next proposed " The health of Edward
Rushton, Esq.," who bad always proved himself a true
friend and protector to the sailor.

In returning thanks for his health being drunk, the
worthy magistrate (Mr. Rushton) was most enthusiasti-
cally received. He begged to return his most sincere
thanks for the generous terms in which the chairman had
been pleased to propose his health to the reception of his
fellow-townsmen; and he returned his most fervent thanks
for the mode in which it had been received; for he hesi-
tated not to say that there was nothing which could re-
ward a public servant more gratefully than the expression
from public serve is that he had not been unmindful of
the trust confided to his charge. He believed that there
was no class on board a ship—indeed be was sure that
there was no greater curse in his course than the sea at-
torney—he meant the litigious sailor (hear, hear). But
he believed that the sailor would be less litigious, and that
the masters of mercantile ships would give less cause for
litigation when they were well informed of those wise pro-
visions which he was glad to say the English laws had
made for the sailor ; the assertion of all his rights, and
the performance of all his duties. Amidst the vast
mass of sailors which frequented this great commer-
cial emporium he had to decide multifarious dis-
putes ; but it gave him great pleasure to say, that
the great majority of those disputes arose out of a misap-
prehension of the relative duties of the sailor and master,

and not out of any litigious or nefarious spirits. (Hear,
hear.) He who knew, therefore, from seven long years'
experience, what the routine of discipline in mercantile
ships was, had witnessed with great pride the bearfelt
sympathy and exertion of their friend, the chairman, to
procure the establishment of the great institution• the
foundation of which they were that day met to celebrate.
(Loud and continued cheers ) Because he bad always
thought that from the establishment of that institution,
not only would follow the protection of the sailor from
many perils worse than those at sea, but because there
would follow from it a perfect confidence on the part of
the sailor, that the laws of England were consecrated for
his protection, and that if his duties were fairly, honestly,
and steadfastly discharged, the sailor had no greater friend
than the English laws. - (Loud cheering.) He (Mr.
Rushton) had long contemplated the giving of a donation
to the Sailors' Home, and that donation, if rightly un-
derstood, would be as good as gold to some—he meant to
prepare, for immediate publication, divested of all law-
yers s language—which, valuable as it might be to some,
was yet unreadable to others—an abstract of the Mer-
chant Seamen's Act divided into two heads, the first, the
most important, the sailors' duty ; and next, the remedy
which English laws generously, wisely, humanely, af-
forded him for any infraction of his rights. (Hear, hear,
and applause.) He meant not to spin a long yarn, but he
hoped to have the work ready for the Sailor's Home in the
course of .a very few days; and after its publication it
would be the fault of sailor and master if the compara-
tively few complaints that came into his court were not
greatly reduced by these means. (Hear, hear.) Ile
hoped the public would see in this disposition that he
was mindful of the great obligations which all English-
men owed to the maritime service of the country. lie
sincerely hoped they would see, in what had taken plat
that day, that the genera