The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1850-09-03 00:00:00

ent sub'

tricts in the ne

stence of the monarchy itself

pend in the execution of improvements, which
will, of course, tend further to benefit the position
of the labourer." Ergo, a deficient harvest, pro-
ducing higher prices of grain, is a boon to the
farmer; and extended improvements, which in-
crease production and should lower prices, tend to
benefit the labourer. Happy farmer and happy
labourer ! Short crop or abundant crop, cheap
bread or dear bread, ye are benefited either way !

We are happy to observe that a movement is at
length in progress to agitate the carrying out prac-
tically the plans proposed by Mr. William Laird,
for increasing the coal trade of this port. Cer-
tainly we should have desired to see the first step
in this movement made by the Dock Committee of
Liverpool, who is as much interested in the subject
as any other body can be. It is perfectly clear, as
we sheaved in noticing recently Mr. William Laird's
pamphlet, that a large incrrase of revenue would
accrue to the dock estate, as well as to the shipping
of the port. by proper facilities being afforded to
this trade. Public bodies, however, are proverbially
slow to adopt suggestions not emanating from
themselves; and the prompt attention given by the
coal-owners of this district to Mr. Laird's sugges-
tions, argues strongly in favour of their confidence
in their own ability to compete with the owners of
the northern and Welsh coal beds, provided proper
facilities for shipping the article in a marketable
condition are afforded.

It will be seen, from the advertisement in another
column, that a meeting of the coal proprietors of
the district was held at Wigan on Friday last,
attended by a number of the most influential mem-
bers of the trade, at which it was resolved to form
an association for the purpose of furthering the
provision of the accommodation recommended by
Mr. Laird. Amongst the parties named as mem-
bers of the committee are some influential hclders
of stock in the railways, likely in future to afford
the route for coal coming to our docks. The lines,
whose interests we may presume them to represent,
and to be desirous of promoting, may therefore be
considered as willing to do their part in advancing
works so beneficial. We cannot conceive that the
Dock Committee can hesitate to meet their views.
Indeed, to suspect them of such hesitation, would,
we think, be an insult to their understandings.
Whatever policy is calculated to bring an increase
of traffic to the port must tend to increase the re-
venue of the Dock Committee : and enable them,
at the same time, to relieve the merchant and the
shipowner of the charges to which they are at
cted.

The great causes of the growth of Liverpool, thus
far, have been the fact that, whilst this port has had
'ts back to the great consuming and exporting dis-
,ighbourhood of our northern manu-
facturing towns, we have been provided, at the same
time, with the means of giving our outward-bound
shipping ample and easy procurable heavy freight,
from our proximity to the Cheshire salt mines and
iron; slate, and other mineral productions of Wales.
The pottery district has also afforded a valuable
aid. In coal freights, however, we have been de-
ficient, owing to the breakage and delay arising
from our incomplete and badly devised regulations
for the shipment of that description of cargo. It is
clear that we have the means within our reach of
removing the most serious impediment to the growth
of the trade, by the adoption of the system now in
full practice on the Tyne and Wear, and in Wales.
The Railways and Canal, now brought in communi-
cation with our docks, are all capable of affording
a high level mode of shipping coal, without break-
age, on board vessels in our principal docks; and
notb;ng but 61-- ' -