The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1850-02-12 00:00:00

EXAMiNATION OP MASTERS AND MATES.—At a meet.
ing of the-board of eximiners; held on Friday, Captain
Adam John Bray, late master of the Palnierston, of
Gloucester, and Captain William Roberts, late master of
the John Bright, of Liverpool, were found qualified for
second-class masters' certificates; and on Saturday, Cap-
tain William Wylie, late master of the Swan, of Liver-
pool, Mr. William Williams, late mate of the Arab
steamer of Glasgow, and Captain John Woodcock, late
master of the Supply of Bristol, were found qualified for
second-class masters certificates.
THE WEATHER.—Since the storm of Tuesday and
Wednesday the weather has, for the most part, been-
boisterous, unsettled, and frequently squally and rainy,
with the wind chiefly from the westward. It blew heavily
at tithes before daylight yesterday, and much rain, aceom.
panied by very heavy gusts of wind, continued until late
in the afternoon, when it brightened up a little, though
still blowing.. After all the severity of the season we
have lately experienced, (beginning with severe frost and
changing to heavy gales,)
out, and it is by no means iniprob.
have an even and kindly tern,—

vourable to sowing

growilig crop

and fh

n upon the decline

getation is already peeping
ble but that we shall

are in the sprin
,s of the al

al piogre

evening the barome

;ter was

MESSRS. HARWOOD'S PRIVATE ASSEMBLIES.--The
third assembly of the season took -place on Wednesday
evening, when there was, as usual, a very numerous at-
tendance, and dancing was continued with great spirit
and vigour even beyond the customary hour. All the
most fashionable dances were gone through in a, style which
and the utmost gratification was af-
Refreshments were served about

cannot be sur

forded to all present
eleven, and the entire accommodation was greatly eu
logised, the strangers who were invited being especial',
warm in their commendations, they not being at all pre-
pared for the treat which awaited them, and which th(
abilities of the Messrs. Harwood and the ext
premises never fail to secure to all who 1
their countenance.
THE GUY MANNERING.—I
will be remembered touch(

of their

onour them with

This fine vessel, which it

on the

entrance of the Prince's Dock, is now in the North Grav-
ing Dock, and we are glad to announce that our opinion,
as to the damage she had sustained being slight, has been
fully borne out. - After being placed on the blocks, and
her trennels loosened, she was found to be as straight as
a die; and when stripped for examination, not a single
timber was found to have been broken. A series of strong
diagonal pieces of white oak, at angles of about 45 de-
grees, running reversely from amidships, aft and forward
are being fitted to her; by an alteration in one of the thick
streaks of the ceiling, a bearing of nine inches is obtained,
and the trusses are prevented moving a by kind of stringe
fitted between each. As these diagonals cross the timber
theywill be bolted through and through, and bearingdirectl
under the hanging knees, they will contribute gi
increase her already tested enormous strength

'eatly to
. ,Her

water ways will also be considerably increased in measure-
ment and strength. Her renovation has been entrusted
to Mr. Wilson Green, who has followed the plan he
adopted with the steamer Hindostan, which met the high
approval of government. There can be little doubt (for
it is the opinion of all nautical men who have seen her)
that she will not only be stronger than ever,
as wood and iron can make her.

strong

TOWN COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS
The usual monthly meeting of the Con
Wednesday, the Mayor presiding.
Mr. Alderman Horsfall brought before the Council a
breach of privilege, arising out of charges brought against
him at the last Council. The statement of which he
complained was that made by Mr. A. F. Jones, " that he
could not give his support to a gentleman, who, by his
signature for contracts, had involved the town to an
immense amount. That alone would deprive him of his
vote for the office of dock chairman." He (Mr. Hors-
fall) had involved the town in no expence. He affixed
his signature to the documents, to which he was directed
to affix them by the unanimous vote of the Council, and
he should like to see that member of the Council, be he
Mr. Jones, or any other man, who would dare to show
such marked disrespect to the unanimous vote of the
Council, as to refuse to affix his signature to it. He
thought he was justified in saying the remark was un-
founded, most unjust, and not warranted by the fact—
(hear, hear.)
After an explanation by Mr. Jones, that gentleman
withdrew the statement ; and Mr. Horsfall said he was
satisfied if the Council were.

ii was held on

The Finance Committee submitted again their report
presented on the 7th August last, relative to master por-
terage, and stated, after several interviews with the ope-
ratives, they saw no reason to alter or add to it. They
also recommended that the Birkenhead ferry be let after
the Ist of April next. An animated discussion followed
the reading of the report, Mr. Hornby, who moved its
confirmation, stating, that it would be unwise to revert
to the old system of porterage, which was productive of
the most wasteful delays in discharging cargoes. Mr.
Parker moved that that part of the report affecting the
porters should be referred back. He said there were
14,000 porters in the town, and that the present system
led to pauperism. Mr. Thomson seconded the amend-
ment, which was afterwards withdrawn, and the proceed-
ings were confirmed.

The Watch Committee procedings comprised a recom-
mendation that the annual sum paid to Mr. William
Parkincnri onrucnayort etn n 4 rvionimewa bo
from £330 to £275, to commence from the Ist June next,
—the proceedings were confirmed.
With the Dock Committee proceedings a return was
submitted of land given and sold by the Corporation, at
various periods for dock purposes. it appeared that the
total quantity of land given for the construction of docks,
&c., was 39 acres 274 yards ; that sold, was 367 acres
2213 yards, at a cost of £909,187, or 10s. 2d. a square
yard. In addition to which, the amount to be paid for
the purchase of works now in progress would probably
amount to £200,000. The return was accompanied by a
report from Mr. John Stewart, which showed, among
other matters, that the Corporation had made for them
by the construction of the docks, 49 acres of land near
the docks, which could not otherwise have been reclaimed.
The report further stated, that the free grants of land to
the Dock Estate were of benefit to the Corporation.
These minutes included a recommendation to raise the
salaries of various deserving officers in the Albert Dock to
the amount of £2lO per annum.
The TOWN-CLERK stated that he had not had an op-
portunity of looking at the return before, but formerly it
was the practice for the corporation to buy land in order
to sell to the docks, and it struck him that many of these
items were included and charged in the return.
Mr. Alderman Moons said there were only three. Per-
haps he would name them.
The TOWN-CLERK said there was one entry he saw of
150 acres transferred in that manner.
Mr. THOMAS LITTLEDALE moved the confirmation of
the proceedings, and, after glancing at the facts stated in
the return, alluded to the timber trade. Previous to a
deputation from the timber trade waiting on the dock
committee the matter had been under consideration.
Subsequently a special committee had been appointed by
the dock committee. That committee had met on Satur-
day last, and would meet again on next Saturday, when
the timber trade alone would not be considered, but also
the ship-building trade of the town. (Applause.) Un-
der these circumstances he would not farther refer to the
subject, but merely to assure the public mind that it was
receiving the most anxious consideration from the dock
committee.
After some remarks from Mr. Porker and Mr. Thomson

Mr. HORNBY said with reference to the increase of sala-
ries he had no objection to them, because they were small
in amount; but he certainly did think that the new Dock
Committee would have turned its attention to a reduction
of the salaries paid. It appeared to him (Mr. Hornby)
that some of the dock officers were most enormously
overpaid—(hear); and he did hope that the new chairman
of the Dock Committee, who appeared to have enterad
with great vigour on the discharge of his new (Auk,,e,
would have turned his attention to the point. There were
some of the salaries of the dock officers vvbich, in his
(Mr. Hornby's) opinion, called most loudly for a reduc-
tion. (Hear, hear.) There was another point with
reference to the Dock Committee he wished to mention—
it was the extraordinary rctnrn which they had heard
read. The object of that was, he thought, to show that
the dock estate had derived little or no benefit from its
connection with the Corporation. He thought, before
they admitted snob a statement, it ought to be examined
into by one of their own committees. (Hear, hear.) He
should suggest that the return be referred to the Finance
Committee, to investigate and report upon it. (Hear,
hear.) There was one portion of Mr. btewert's letter
which certainly struck him as extraordinary. It was re-
ferred to Mr. Stewart, bee tuse his authority would give
some eclat to the report. He stated that the Corporation
making the original grant of land did nothing more than
what was evidently for their own interest and benefit, and
that it was still usual, in undertakings of this kind, when
parties were greatly benefited by a grant of land of little
value, to do so without cost. (Hear.) He (Mr. Hornby)
would ask, in the recent transactions they had had with
the Earl of Derby, whether they had obtained grants of
land free of cost? (Hear, hear.) He recollected as a
member of the Finance Committee, making a purchase
from the Earl of Derby, which cost £17,000 or £lB,OOO,
for a mere piece of shore, from which it was beyond the
bounds of possibility that he would ever derive a farthing
of benefit, if it were not for the use of the dock estate.
He recollected, recently, when they concluded a bargain
against his wish, by which, he had no doubt, they had
added £1,000,000 to the Earl of Derby's property. At the
same time that it would benefit, to an enormous extent,
his adjacent property; and yet they were to be told that
the ground given by the Corporation was of no value
whatever. (Hear.) He (Mr, H.) confessed his surprise
that the chairman of the Dock Committee, who had
been so recently elected by that Council to represent its
interests at the Dock Committee, should not rather
have stood up for the Council. and these benefits which
the Council had so frequently, in his (Mr. Hornby's)
opinion, conferred on the Dock Estate. There was
another point in the report. It was stated that the
Corporation of Liverpool had made grants of land to
the extent of 39 acres, and in return that the Dock
Committee had made purchases to the amount of
£600,000. It was not stated whether in making the
purchases they did not get them very considerably
under their real value. (Hear, hear.) He (Mr. Hornby)
was aware of one purchase, where, to a considerable
extent they sold the property, in bia opinion, greatly
below its value, and where they agreed at the same
time to lend the purchase money to the Dock Estate at
the rate of 31 per cent., at a time when they were
borrowing money at 41 per cent., and thereby confer-
ring a benefit on the Dock Estate. He did not mean to
say that the Corporation acted unwisely is the part they
had invariably adopted towards the Dock property. He
thought they had acted very wisely; 1)14 still igs