The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-01-16 00:00:00

THE DOCK COMMITTEE.

Thh usual meeting of the Dock Committee not having
taken place on Thursday week, the body met on Monday,
at one o'clock. Mr. George Kendall was appointed a
member of the special sub-committee on dock accommo-
dation and dock plans, in place of Mr. Horgan. Mr.
Kendall was also placed on the Harbour Masters' Com-
mittee; and Mr. Sandbach, who was a member of that
committee, was transferred to the sub-committee of works,
in place of Mr. Horsfall. Mr. Nicol was appointed de-
puty-chairman of the Dock Committee, in place of Mr.
Horsfall.

The following letter from the Mayor. Thomas Sands,
Esq.. to the chairman of the Dock Committee, was read
by the secretary :
" Elmswood, Mosley-hill, 28th Dec., 1843.
" MY DEAR Sin,—My attention having been called to
observations made by certain members of the Dock Com-
mittee at your last meeting, relative to my rot having
communicated to the committee all that transpired be-
tween the chairman of the Harrington Dock Company
and myself, in respect to our negotiations, I take the ear-
liest opportunity of vindicating myself from the charge of
neglect of duty on this occasion, though I trust the com-
mittee feel assured of the deep interest I always took in all
the concerns of the great trust over which I had the ho-
nour to preside, and that in every step I took I was ac-
tuated only by a desire to promote the best interests of
the town. The allegation is, that I ought to have com-
municated to the committee that a portion of the land was
offered at 425. and 355. per yard. Now, it will be in the
recollection of the committee that the price of the land in
question was most fully discussed on the day when a mo-
tion was made authorising me, as chairman, to purchase
40,000 or 50,000 yards at 30s. per yard, if possible, and
not to exceed 31s. 6d. ; and under those instructions I told
Mr. Mozlev, at the commencement of our negotiation,
that unless he was prepared to entertain the price I was
authorised to give, it would be a waste of our time to pro-
long discussion, my instructions being peremptory, and,
as he was not authorised to come to my terms, nothing
further was done in the matter. I certainly did not men-
tion the price of 425. and 355. per yard, asked by Mr.
Mosley, thinking it quite out of the question ; but if any
gentleman had wished to secure a part at a higher price,
be had only to ask what price they (the Harrington Com-
pany) would take. But the fact is, that those now com-
plaining of that omission thought the price offered (31s 6d)
sufficient ; and I had every reason to believe they would
not, therefore, entertain the consideration further. There
the matter ended. In a month or six weeks I received a
communication, through Mr. Nicol, that the Harrington
Dock Company had had an offer for either the whole or
the southern portion of their land, on certain terms, but
that the company preferred selling the whole in one lot.
We had several interviews, and in the end Mr. Nicol in-
timated that 31s. 6d. would be taken for the whole. This
I made known to the Dock Committee at their next meet-
ing, stating, as nearly as I can recollect, that the price I
was authorised to offer for 40,000 to 50,000 yards was re-
fused, but that the price would be accepted for the whole.
I might, I admit, have also adverted to the former offers
at 425. and 355. on the part of the Harrington Dock Com-
pany, and no doubt I should, had it occurred to roe as
being at all necessary ; but, as I was restricted to 31s. 6d.,
it did not so occur to me. I had nothing to conceal, and
no object to attain, except what I considered a public
good ; and if any gentleman had asked at what price the
Harrington Company would sell part, I should have men-
tioned it; but the committee will recollect that the com-
munication received through Mr. Nicol gave the matter a
new feature. It had become a question whether the trust
would relinquish for ever the opportunity of securing the
whole property. and the whole discussion merged in that
one point. I have now, I hope, shown that I acted faith-
fully to that great trust in the whole of the negotiations ;
and I must again say that it is idle for any gentleman to
complain of not being informed of the prices that would
be taken for a portion of the Harrington estate as if they
were ignorant that the company would be willing to sell a
portion only—a thing which was known all along, and was
the sole object of all the negotiations, except the last, and
information which, if wanted and not given, each must
know would be had by asking.
" I remain, my dear Sir, yours faithfully,
" THOMAS SANDS.

" J. B. Moore, Esq.,
" Chairman of the Dock Committee."

At the usual weekly meeting held on Thursday, the fol-
lowing members were present :—Messrs. Moore, Barclay,
Holt, Holmes, Middleton, Smith, Molyneux, Bulley,
Evans, Tobin, Bold, Kendall, Ripley, Nicol, Royden, and
Aikin.—A return of the services rendered by the life-
boats during the past year was submitted to the commit-
tee. From this it appeared that the Magazines life-boat
had assisted 9 vessels; the Pent of Ayr 2 ; H oylake 7 ;
and the Formby 5. During same time 10 lives had
been saved. During the year, 1,851 gallons of oil and*
8,472 wicks had been used in the lighthouses and light-
ships belonging to the trust. In the same time 11,097
vessels had entered the port through the Victoria and
North channels, 6,492 of these had done so when the
Rock channel was closed. The number of vessels which
had passed through the same channel outwards was
12,199, 3,963 of these when the Rock channel was closed.
The total number which passed inwards and outwards
during the same period wss 23,229; in 1842 the number
was only 17,822, showing an increase during the past year
of 5,474. The number which passed the Rock channel
during:the year was 10,398 ; in 1842 the number was 13,284,
showing a decrease this year of 2,886.
A report of the fire on board the Nymph having:been
read, the Chairman said he was not aware that such a fire
had occurred until he saw a notice of it in the papers.
Neither was he aware of the fire on board the Meg of
Meldren, or he should have considered it his duty to have
been present, and on all similar occassions. Directions
were ordered to be given to the Dock and Harbour Mas-
ters to communicate with the chairman and deputy chair-
man in all cases of fire in the Docks. •
A return of the number of stages used at the various
docks was read. The receipts for the use of the stages
were stated to be, for the year, £476 155., less the repairs.
It was resolved that ss, should be still charged for the use
of each stage.
A return of the number of times the flag had been
hoisted at the various docks, for the quarter ending De-
cember 31, was then read. The fall() wing is the state-
ment:—At the Waterloo and Victoria Docks, 6 times;
Prince's, 78; George's, 91 ; Canning, 2 6 ; Salthouse, 25 ;
King's, 62; Queen's, 83; Union and Coburgh, 31 ;
Brunswick, 59 ; and Toxteth, 13.
When the statement respecting the George's Dock was
read, it seemed to excite surprise.
Mr. BOLD said it had never been down.
- -

Mr. EVAN s said that, according to that, no ship ever
came in. The whole of the report was a fallacy ; because
they hoisted the flags when they were letting vesels into
the graving dock.
At the conclusion of the report, Mr. EVANS said he
could not help observing that they ought to put the state-
ment in a way the public could understand. A person
would naturally say, " You had the flag hoisted on the
11th; but I know you docked seven ships on that day."
From the report they would be apt to draw an inference
that the dock was not performing the duty of a dock,
whereas it was admitting large numbers of vessels.
Mr. Nicol, could only say that every tide the dock was
filled, and they could not take any more in until some
went out. The flag was hoisted to prevent other vessels
from coming in until some went out.
Mr. EVANS said they understood that; but in other
places parties would suppose that the dock was not doing
its duty.
On the application of Mr. Chapman and Captain Nye,
a shed, similar to that at the Victoria Dock, was ordered
to be erected on the north quay of Waterloo Dock.
A memorial from carters, soliciting permission, in rainy
weather, to place their vehicles under the sheds at the
docks, was submitted, and the request disallowed.