The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-11-19 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD

THE MERCURY'S " GIGANTIC ! SCHEMES OP.
IMPROVEMENT ON THE MERSEY AND THE
DEE."

How great is the mutability of human affairs! A brief
month ago, " the foremost men on all the earth" were
the Commissioners of Birkenhead ; the most magnificent
scheme ever projected, their magnificent New Dock, with
its sluices, its floats, and its stupendous warehouses.
But now, all this is past. A new planet has risen above
our horizon ; and the lesser stars of the firmament—the
Jacksons, Potters, Lairds, Stansfields, and the rest—must
"pale their ineffectual fires" before the more splendid
light of the Editor of the Liverpool Mercury, who has
just developed to the world schemes whcse vastness must
strike all mankind with admiration and wonder. We
propose here to detail and, briefly and reverently, to con-
sider them.
" Gigantic scheme," No. 1, is presented to us as one
which has for some time been " placed under the con-
sideration of the Commissioners of Birkenhead. by
Mr. Davies, solicitor, of this town, a considerable
landowner in the adjoining parish of Wallasey."
How remarkable, by the bye, it is to observe how
invariably modern projectors of great schemes of im-
provement commence by becoming " considerable land-
owners " in the locality to be improved ! Mr. Dories
proposes " the formation of a ship canal, or navigable
river, to open into the deep water at Dawpool or Hoy-
lake, thereby obviating the danger and risk of the
sand banks which, at present, vessels sailing round the
Rock Lighthouse must and do encounter." This scheme,
it seems, was, some years ago, brought before the con-
sideration of Mr. Rennie and other eminent engineers,
whose opinions as to its feasibility were not so flattering
as to warrant its projectors in proceeding with it. " Cir-
cumstances, however," the Mercury informs us, "are
now altered,"—by which, we presume, he intends to
intimate some chgtige in the laws of gravitation, or in the
tidal ebb and flow. At al: events, some organic or other
change has occurred recently to " put it into the power
of the Birkenhead Commissioners "—how omnipotent
must be these gentlemen in Mercurial estimation!—" to
extend their present plats to this object." The next
generation is, perhaps, destined to behold a custom-house
at Leasowe Castle or Mockbeggar, and He ylake, from a
fishing village, rising into the magnitude of a modern
Tyre!
" Gigantic Scheme," No. 2, is Mr. Thomas Lunt's
specific for restoring the ancient prosperity of the " port
of Chester," by the formation of a ship canal, only twelve
miles in length, from that city to a station between Park-
gate and Dawpool. Feasible enough, we dare sty, to
bring the water to Chester; but, with all humility, may
we ask, whether it would not be almost as easy to tran-
sport the ancient city to tte water ? The old walls, which
are of no use where they stand, would furnish excellent
materials for the construction of the " Parkgate and
Dawpool Docks."
" Gigantic Scheme," No. 3, is the revival of the Her-
culaneum Dock and Warehouse scheme, and is but a
pigmy amongst the batch.
But " Gigantic Project!' No. 4, amply makes up for
its littleness. It is suggested by "A voice from Birken-
head;" and, coming from that superior locality, What
wonder if it be, as the Mercury describes it, " one of
Striking originality." The ancient Romans, it appears,
who took strange libertieswith things sometimes, " altered
the course of the Dee from the valley near Gressford, for
the purposes of fortification and security to Chester."
But what was Caesar to the Mercury, or the people of
Rome to the people of Birkenhead ? The " Voice' from
this latter locality suggests the " further diversion of the
waters of the Dee from Chester, in the direction, and very
'near the centre, of the present Ellesmere Canal, so as to
fall into the Mersey near Stanlow Pool." By this means
Chester would get a ship canal from the Mersey, which
would do quite sufficiently for their commerce • whilst the
estuary of the Dee, no longer required, might be converted
into arable lands, with a canal, or a railway, constructed
over them, for the accommodation of the people of Flint-
shire, who would, otherwise, and naturally, be very indig-
nant at the loss of their water. The additional quantity
of this useful element thus brought into the Mersey would
increase the scouring power, and, of course, clear away
the banks outside in no time.
A grand conception this, worthy of the Mercury and
the " Voice from Birkenhead !" We would, however,
suggest that the principal portion of the benefits sought
by it could be acquired by a much more simple and less
expensive plan. Our contemporary knows, of course, the
operation of a syphon. If not, it may be seen in almost
any extensive spirit-dealer's premises, emptying or filling
puncheons with marvellous expedition. What, then,
would be easier than to stick one end of a " gigantic "
syphon into the Dee at Chester, and to drop the other
into the Mersey at Stanlow Pool, thus effectually suck-
ing dry the former useless river, and giving our own the
benefit of its waters ? The splendid arch of the syphon
bestriding " like a Colossus" the whole Hundred of
Wirral would form another wonder of the world, and
immortalize its builder and ourselves, its projector! We
recommend the consideration of this plan to the Mercury
and his Birkenhead friend.

"Gigantic scheme" No. 5 is Mr. Lunt's again, who,
Mercury tells us, " loses no opportunity of testifying his
conviction, that it is better to increase our profitable
lands at home than drive our people to seek profitable
lands in foreign countries," for which we are very much
obliged to him. Mr. Lunt proposes to " embank the
broad upper part of the River Mersey so as to save about
14 square miles of land," and to narrow the river all the
way down to its neck at Seacombe, thus producing, as
the Mercury happily, styles it, " a deep business-like
stream." (I ) We cannot, however, stay to examine this
project, but must at once come to the most astounding
thing of all, viz.:—

"Gigantic Scheme" No. 6, which is communicated to
our admirable contemporary by "a reader of the .211er -
cury"—a sufficient guarantee that his talents are of a very
high order. It would be injustice to its projector to at-
tempt to describe it in any other words but Mercury's
own, which we take the liberty, therefore, of quoting.
His suggestion is simply this: to build a causeway, or dam, or
pier, from George's Pierhead to the Cheshire coast, with flood-
gates, drawbridges, &c., such as those now constructed in Li-
verpool, for the admission of the largest vessels. The writer
conceives there is no difficuty whatever in the way. That it
would be a good speculation, in a commercial point of view, (an
important consideration with John Bull,) can be very easily de-
monstrated. The tolls would produce at least £30,000 a-year,
and there would, by means of the causeway, be no difficulty in
reclaiming some 30 acres of SLOB! which would turn out the
richest land in England. He does not deem it necessary t ex-
patiate on the advantages that would result from having the en-
tire of the estuary, south of Liverpool, ailoating dock, for such it
would in reality be. He throws out these suggestions, hoping
that some other Jackson or Laird will take up the subject. He
could cite precedents for the erection of a great breakwater, such
as that proposed, but thinks he need not go farther than the Ply-
mouth breakwater, the Kingstown Harbour, &c. &c., and he
concludes by adding that £250,000 would complete the under-
taking, there being no ground to be purchased at an enormous
price ; nothing, in fact, required, but labour and blocks of good
stone." By the adoption of this plan, it follows that the estuary
would terminate at Liverpool and Birkenhead—the river itself
would merely be like another Thames up to Weston P. int and
Runcorn ; and, according to one of the preceding plans, it
would bi anch off to Chester. But the writer does not state how
he would compensate the loss of time to all vessels passing to
the present southern docks if floodgates were erected. Should,
however, such an embankment ever be made with flood-gates,
high water could always be retained above it, and the traffic be-
tween Liverpool and Runcorn might be carried on at all hours.
Sublime imagination ! A floating dock from Liverpool to
Runcorn, surrounded of course with warehouses ! Why
even Mr. Eyre Evans never contemplated any thing half
so magnificent. Whilst he was about it, however, and
the " gigantic" vein was upon him, our contemporary
might have guarded against the possibility of some other
Munchausen casting his magnificent project into the
shade, by a proposal to build " a causeway, or dam, or
pier," from Bootle landmark to the Giant's Causeway,
and another from the Land's End to Cape Clear, " with
floodgates, drawbridges, &e." by which the whole of the
Irish sea would be at once converted into such a " float-
ingdock" as the world never beheld !

We must, however, leave the contemplation of these
" gigantic" projects. Their very vastness is overpower-
ing, and when we reflect, with the Mercury, " how busy
mind appears to be at present, meditating new conquests
over matter," the awful thought steals upon us.—what if
this sage, now seated in his editorial chair, diverting rivers,
damming up estuaries, converting water into land, and
"slob" into green fields, were some day to discover and
wickedly to promulgate the means of throwing the earth
itself off its axle, or of diverting the attention of the sun
and the moon from this poor island and shining himself
in their stead ! The bare imagination is dreadful.
Since writing the above it has been suggested to us—
can some wag have been bamming the Mercury, or some
unhappy lunatic have got admittance to the editorial room
and managed adroitly to substitute his own ravings for an
equal quantity of our poor Mercury's ordinary prosiness?
But, no—it cannot be, Mercury is never bammed. " Ali-
quando dormitat bonus Homerus ;" but the philosopher
of Lord-street never even winks.

At the Ripon corn market, on Thursday, wheat fell 2s.
per quarter.
NEW IRON SCREW PROPELLER STEAM-VESSELS.----
On Monday last, tenders, including plans and specifica-
tions, for constructing for her Majesty's navy, two second
class iron steam-frigates, and two first class iron steam-
sloops, to be propelled by the screw, were delivered to the
Admiralty. There are above a dozen competitors for the
building of these vessels, each furnishing his own plans, &c.
The frigates, we understand, are to be of 500-horse power,
and the sloops of 400-horse-power, and as it is intended
they shall be constructed of a material that requires no
seasoning, they are, as soon as ordered, to be finished in
a very short space of time.—A new iron-steam vessel, to
be propelled by a screw, has been ordered to be built for
the especial service of the Queen, as a tender to the royal
yacht, Victoria and Albert ; she will be about 135 feet
feet long, by 20 feet in breadth, and her draught of water
will not exceed seven feet. She is to have a pair of Penn's
oscillating-engines.—Mining journal.
CARTMEL (NEAR LANCASTER) GRAMMAR SCHOOL.—
An examination of candidates for the vacant office of head
master of this school took place, as advertised, on Tues-
day, the 12th November, when eleven gentlemen pre-
sented themselves as candidates. After a searching ex-
amination in the higher classics, (the candidates in general
showing a very creditable proficiency,) Mr. Richard
Snowden, b.A., of Queen's College, Oxford, second
class man in Literis Humanitoribus, 1834, was reported
by the learned examiner, the Rev. R. W. Evans, A.M.,
Vicar of Heversham, and late Fellow of Trinity College,
Cambridge, as the greatest proficient in classical learning.
At a meeting of the trustees on the following day, Mr.
Snowden was unanimously elected head master ; and there
is now every prospect of the ancient Grammar School at
Cartmel regaining in a little time that eminence which it
formerly enjoyed. It is worthy of notice, that the trustees
had, in this instance, convincing proof of the greatvaltp
of an examination on these occasions, the testimonials in
favour of several candidates being so nearly balanced, as
to render any satisfactory election on those grounds only
quite impracticable. Mr. Snowden will enter upon his
duties at the school after the Christmas vacation.

PROSPECTS OF THE COTTON CROP, AND ITS
PROBABLE EFFECT UPON THE MARKET.

We have been favoured by a correspondent with the
following cit 2ular from a well-known and highly-respec-
table house in Savannah, and commend it as worthy the
careful perusal and consideration of our readers who are
interested in this staple article, which has ruined its
thousands, and is so far become a speculative business,
that it baffles all statistical calculations, and laughs to
mockery the cautious prudence of many a clever, far-
seeing firm :

" SAVANNAH, OCTOBER 24. 1844.—Since our respects of the 9th
September, the weather has been extremely dry, and so warm, that
even as late as within the past few days, the mercury has stood at
84' in the shade. The effect of such a temperature upon the grow-
ing cotton may be imagined: it has ripened fast, and the bolls have
opened rapidly, but there appears none of the tendency to continued
growth and ' top crop' which a moist ground in these months in-
duces; nor is this needed ; there is quite as much cotton now open
as can be well handled, and if the weather continues settled, a better
picking will be had from this than we could expect from the fruit
which usually matures after this t: me. Upon the important ques-
tion of the e.-:tent of the crop, it may be observed, for the first time
in many years, that frost can make little or no difference in the
result. That it will be ample, even to the largest wants of an en-
larged consumption, there can be little doubt; but before assenting
to the unwieldy estimates put forth during the summer, it may be
well to inquire-Ist. Can a crop of over two millions and a half of
bales be produced, without a continued growth of the plant until an
advanced period of the winter? 2nd. If it could be produced, does
the amount of labour necessary to secure it exist? 3rd. If the force
do exist, is it likely to be controlled and directed (to the inconveni-
ence of other departments of labour) to the degree of close picking
necessary to eke out a large crop, when the returns of value are
likely to he so much lower than ever known ? 4th. Granting that
a much larger crop than ordinary is made and secured, is it likely
to appear under the encouragement of the prices we may expect to
prevail during this season ?—We have seen that in the crop of last
year (two millions) the growth of the plant continued until the
storms of December, after which, under the stimulus of high pi ices,
a large quantity of barely merchantable cotton was still picked
from the ground. It is never pretended that so large a quantity
as two millions and at quarter of bales has ever been produced in
one season; the crop of 1842.3 (twenty three hundred thousand
bales) having, by common consent, been well indebted for its aggre-
gate to the stocks held over on the plantations from the previous
year, and even then it required all the motive of prices opening at
6to 81 and ending with 5t07, to bring out such a crop. We are
now at 4 to 61 cents per lb. for the Atlantic States cottons, and just
as we advance or retire from these figures, so will the numerical
result of the -.rop be regulated at the ports. As a class, our planters
are not rich, and by far the larger portion of them will be compelled
to sell, be the prices as they may; but admitting, as we must, that
one-third or a fourth of their body are in easy circumstances, it is
not unreasonable to suppose that, with them, every additional de-
cline in price will be an additional argument for holding back at
least a portion of their crop. That with even a small decline upon
our already low prices, we should probably see a supply of cotton !
ample enough for all wants, we have already admitted: further
than that we think it unnecessary to go. It is certainly not proba•
ble that at a much lower scale of prices than those now prevailing,
the Southern exports to Great Britain will exceed those of 1842-3.
Although our navigation has been inieded by low rivers, we have
derived, chiefly from our railroad (which runs 196 miles into the
heart of our best lands), over 15,000 bales of cotton since our last,
These have been middling fair to fair in quality, and having been
offered freely in the continued absence of the winter buyers, prices
have declined to 61 c. for fair in round bales and 6g in square,—
equal, at the current rate of freight and exchange, to 4,31 d and 4,37 d
laid down on the quay in Liverpool, including 11 charges and al—
lowances for loss in weight. When the rivers are fairly opened, we
may expect to lay down strict Liverpool fair with facility at 4,14
per lb.—Sea Islands will prove a very fair crop, not less it is
supposed than 23,000 bales for the two States, the increase being
chiefly in the maines and more common cottons. Planters have
been so well occupied in 4:licking, that they have not yet had time
to send any portion of their crops to market. —Rice is declining in
price under the increased receipts. All the arrivals of rough have
either gone to Charleston or been sent to the mills, no purchasers
for it having yet appeared. The samples exhibited shew a large
full grain, of good weight.—Freights are quiet at 7-16 d for square
bales, and id for round, to Liverpool. We may look for more acti-
vity in this department when the rivers open. There are three
ships loading for Liverpool.—Krehange. The highest offers for
sterling made by the banks are 81 to 8 per cent. premium, which
sellers are generally indisposed to submit to. The amount required
in New York and elsewhere for remittances, will absorb the nego-
tiations against the early exports of cotton to a large amount, with-
out sensibly affecting the rate of premium."