The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1850-07-16 00:00:00

LIVERPOOL TOWN COUNCIL.

On Wednesday a special meeting of the Council was
held in the Council Chamber, Town-hall. John Holmes,
Esq., mayor, in the chair, to determine on the construc-
tion of the river-wall in front of the corporate land be-
tween Monks' Ferry and Birkenhead Slip, upon the
lower line recommended by the Lords Conservators of the
Mersey.
Before the usual business of the meeting commenced,
the MAYOR inquired whether any gentlemen had any-
thing to propose relative to the death of Sir Robert Peel?
Mr. TURNER said there was no precedent for such a
course.

Mr. HORNBY agreed with Mr. Turner and the subject
dropped.

ERECTION OF SEA-WALLS.

The resolution of the Finance Committee and the re-
port of Mr. Weightman, the surveyor, having been read,
Mr. HoFtsnv said before he moved any resolution on
this subject, he might be expected to enter into some ex-
planation to [the Council of the reasons which had in-
duced the Finance Committee to bring this subject in its
present form before them; in short, the reasons which
induced the Finance Committee to bring a more extended
scheme for the improvement of the corporation property
than that which had already received the sanction of the
Council. Subsequently to the confirmation of the lease
to Mr. Wilson, they were informed that the other pro-
prietors of land fronting the river, extending from Mr.
Wilson's land to Woodside Slip, were willing to construct
a river-wall in front, on the outer line recommended by
conservators, provided the Council would undertake to do
the same in front of the corporation property. Now it
was obvious that this information would naturally modify
the views of the Finance Committee with reference to the
whole question, because one principal objection to the
adoption of the outer line of wall was the very great ex-
pense of constructing the return wall at the outer line of
the corporate property, and this objection was, by this
undertaking on their part, entirely removed. But, at the
same time the committee was given to understand that
the Commissioners of Woods and Forests would, in the
event of the outer line being adopted, be content to waive
the claim of the right of the Crown to the foreshore for
a nominal or very small consideration, and thus render
unnecessary legal proceedings for the purpose of deter-
mining whether this right was really vested in the Crown,
or, as they (the Finance Committee) maintained, was
vested in the owners of the property opposite the river.
The committee thought this a very important point; be-
cause, although he was persuaded himself that a favour-
able decision would eventually be obtained for the Corpo-
ration; and although the suit being conducted in a friendly
manner, it would be the object of both parties to avoid any
unnecessary delay and expense; yet he thought they were
all of them quite sufficiently acquainted with the nature of
chancery proceedings to know that, even under the most
favourable circumstances, they were usually attended with
a considerable loss both of time and money. (Hear.) In
addition to these reasons, the Finance Committee found,
on inquiry, that there was very little prospect of adequate
accommodation being found on this side of the river for
the ship-building trade ; at all events. at anything like
a reasonable rent; and therefore it became most desirable
that they should increase, as much as possible, the means
on the other side of the water, to enable them to deve-
lope, or assist in the development of, this important
branch of the industry of the town. (Hear, bear.)
These were the circumstances which induced the Finance
Committee to again bring this subject before the Council ;
and he (Mr. Hornby) trusted that they would be consi-
dered by the Council sufficient to justify the Committee
against any charge of vacillation or inconsistency ; par-
ticularly when it was borne in mind that both in the
former instance, when the Council was called upon to
grant a lease to Mr. Wilson, and on the present occasion,
the position in which they stood, and in which Mr.
Wilson was placed, rendered it absolutely necessary they
should come to a prompt decision, one way or the other.
(Hear.) The report of the surveyor was so clear and so
minute, both on the cost and on reference to the two dif-
ferent plans ; that recommended by himself and that
supported by the conservators of the river, that he would
merely advert to the general result. If the plan previ-
ously recommended by the surveyor as determined
upon, the Council would acquire, including the property
between Alonks'-ferry and Woodside, an increase of
23,834 square yards, at a cost of £13,647, or about lls.
6d. per sqnare yard. But in this case the dispute with
the Crown would still remain undecided, and they would
adopt a line which was very much objected to by the
others owners of property in front of the river. He had
been assured by the proprietors of the Monks'-ferry, who
were the directors of the railway, that they would oppose
any such line, so far as they had the power of doing so,
because they considered it would be extremely injurious
to their property. On the other hand, if they adopted
the outer line recommended by the conservators of the
river, they would be involved in a much larger outlay,
and that line would be attended with proportionately a
less remunerative return to the Corporation. The land
acquired by this line would be 58,489 square yards, and
ata cost of £43,558, or 15s. per square yard. But in
this case they should have the cordial concurrence of all
the other frontagers ; they should terminate the dispute
with the Crown—(hear);—they should also make a com-
plete and final improvement, instead of a partial and
incomplete one; and they should provide the Council
with the means of giving the fullest development to the
shipbuilding trade, provided such should be required.
There was also another consideration which he thought
of considerable importance. The outer line was consi-
dered by the conservators as one which. would materially
improve the navigation of the river. (Hear, "hear.) For
these reasons he certainly should reeomme nd that this.
line be adopted. It would be observed that he (Mr-
Hornby) had spoken of the scheme es if it exteuted to.
Woodside, because he had ascertaineil, since that the
other frontagers would not concur I any other scheme