The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1833-09-17 00:00:00

PER CONTRA.

To occasional grants, at the discretion of the Directors, to the widows,
or children of those officers only, who may have been fortunate
enough to have " their proposals to subscribe to the fund rejected."
Nole.—These are " re-considered and re-voted annually ;" and are
taken exclusively from " a portion of the monies accruing to the
fund from the contribution of poundage." •
To payments, at the discretion of the Directors, to " the secretary"—
" to persons affording assistance in the management of the fund"—
and for " all expenses incidental thereto."
Note.—These are taken out of the general fund.
To bonuses, in the shape of gradual reductions and final extinction of
the payments of premiums, and eventually, of additions to capitals
and annuities of the favoured persons upon whom the vote or
power of rejection was not exercised.

Note.—These are also taken out of the general fund.
To balance, being an amount that is considered " amply sufficient to
answer and pay all the insurances and engagements of the fund."
If this be not fleecing the many for the benefit of the few, we
know not what it is. Putting out of the question, for the mo•
went, the extortions from the officers of Customs, under the
name of "contribution of poundage," we would ask by what
right these gentlemen compel 600 merchants and brokers of
Liverpool to pay five guineas per annum for that splendidly-
executed document called the " Bill of Entry ?" Is it by way
of compensation for the great talent displayed in its compila-
tion ? Is it in return for the beautiful specimen of the art of
printing which it affords ? or the superior excellence of the
paper ? or, mayliap, its extraordinary size ? We have been
examining one or two of them with a critical eye; and we can-
not discover that it particularly excels in any of these respects;
In size, for instnnce. We find it is printed upon a piece of
paper just 151 inches by inches, and that the typographical

portion covers precisely 131,-+y 9 inches on each side, being ex-
' actly 213 square inches 'of print; (we like to be particular in
matters of importance.) Nevertheless, each of these produc-
tions costs. precisely fourpenee. Now, we have ineasured the
paper and print of the production in which we are now making
this statement,—we mean the LIVERPOOL-STANDARD,—arid we
find that our typography covers precisely 24 by 171 inches on
each of four sides, making a total of 1,680 square inenes, or
seven times the quantity in the Bill of Entry; and after taking
away threepence-halfpenny for the net value of the Stamp,
there remains for our large sheet of paper, our superior typo-
graphical execution, and the variety of labour and talent neces-
sary to conduct it, j net threepence-halfpenny for each publication.
We do not wish to see the Bill of Entry reduced in price ex-
actly in the ratio of its comparative dimensions, because that
would fix it precisely at one halfpenny for each copy, or an
eighth part of its present price. But when we find that a coin-
modity is charged about 700 per cent. above its fair value, and
that for the benefit of a favoured few individuals, we think we
may fairly ask by what right such an exorbitant charge
is made ? We shall doubtless be answered—" by Patent
right." That is to say, that "most important commercial
information which exists iu the country,—which is essen-
tial to the welfare of. the mercantile body generally, and
which, moreover, is compiled at the expense of the community
at large, is to he dealt out at the will of a select body of gentle-
men, acting under the authority of a right granted by and to
persons and for considerations which we again, for the present,
decline stating—and upon terms most arbitrary and excessive ;
the proceeds of such a charge being devoted, not to the general
benefit of the class of persons for whom it is ostensibly establish-
ed, but to the advantage of those persons whose case has been
sufficiently exhibited in the course of these observations.
We say now, as we said in a late number, when speaking
on this part of the question, we think the merchants and bro-
kers would not regret the high charge, if the profits derived
from the publication went to relieve the wants of the decayed
members, or the widows and children of deceased members of
the Customs' department. But so long as £2OOO per annum,
beyond the cost of the " Bill of Entry," is transmitted to Lon-
don from this port only, to go in augmentation of a fund from
which a large proportion of the whole number of Custom-house
officers derive no benefit whatever, we think the charge might
Well be reduce 4 from five guineas to two guineas per annum.
It is right that we should not overlook the fact, that the pro-
visions of the act which we have here quoted are ndt so abso-
lutely compulsory on the officers to contribute their poundage,
but that, under certain circumstances and conditions, they may
decline to do so. Those circumstances and conditions are,
however, of such a nature, that but a small proportion of the
whole number of offiCers find it politic to_ avail themselves of
them..We cannot, of course, know the proportions of "'con-
tributors" and " decliners." But, as our curiosity is a little
whetted on the subject, we mean, early in the next session of
Parliament, to put into the hands of some one or other of our
Parliamentary friends, a motion for a return relative to this
said fund, in some such comprehensive terms as these:—

" An account of the state of a fund established under the act 56th
Geo. 111., cap. 73, entitled An act for establishing and regulating a
fund for the widows, children, and relatives of officers or persons be-
longing to the department of the customs of England ;' setting forth the
amount received in each year from the first establishment of the fund
to the latest period to which the same can be made out ; distinguish-
ing such receipts into three classes ; those derived from assurances of
lives ; from contribution of poundage out of officers' salaries ; and
from the Bill of Entry' offices ; specifying, as to the last-men-
tioned source, the amounts contributed by the Port of Liverpool—
also, stating the whole number of officers employed in the customs'
department ; the numbers who have contributed to the fund, whether
by poundage or by assurance ; the numbers and amounts of capital
sums or annuities paid to the representatives of deceased officers, by
virtue of their assurances ; and the numbers and amounts of ' Bene-
volent Grants' made to the widows, children, or relatives of deceased
officers :—and further, setting forth the numbers and amounts of the
several bonuses which have been Made to subicribers out of the accu=
mulated funds, in whatever way the same may have been granted;
and the payments severally made to the secretary, to other persons
engaged in the management of the fund, and for all other expenses
incidental thereto."

To which we may perhaps, add, when the time arrives for
making the motion.
" An account of the number of applications which have been made
for the benevolent grant ;' how many of such applications have been
rejected ; and of those admitted how many have been for officers on
the country establishments, and where."

A return to such a motion as this would present some curious
features; and the truth would then be out. There are other
points connected with this "Bill of Entry" office, which the
already too great length of the present article prevents our
going into in detail; and which is the less necessary, as we
may have
.occasion to return to the subject. But we would
just ask the functionaries of that office two questions. Under
what authority do they levy a fee upon the merchants, (now,
we believe, paid out of the dock dues,) for a certificate of the
exact quantities of goods bonded, to enable them to recover back
from the dock office the excess of their deposits for dock dues,
Which have been paid into that office, in order amply to cover
the amount of the dues, previously to the exact quantity of
goods to be bonded being ascertained? Also, by what right do
they demand a large fee from parties who are desirous of ob-
taining a little information of great advantage to the com-
mercial world, (not in Liverpool,) intimating that "they know
where such information has been hitherto obtained; but they
Will take good care that it *shall not, in future, be bad any
where but from themselves" ? We may hint here, for the
benefit of those functionaries, the servants of the public, that
an imitation of some of their superiors in manner would be in
no way prejudicial to them,—we mean a 'display of less in-
solence and more civility of manner. They will understand us.
We cannot close this article, however lengthy, without telling
our correspondent " DEcus" that he might have spared him
self the tronbld orbepraising the individuals composing the
" Direction" of this fund. We happen to know something of
several of those gentlemen; and we have not a particle of
scruple in declarini that we' believe more honourable or respect-
able men do not exist ; and that' in their individual capacities
they are incapable of doing any act unbecoming'men of honour
and high character. It is not men, but a system, to which we
have addressed ourselves. The remainder of the comma nica
ton of " Dacus" is altogether undeserving of the least notice.

THE COTTON MARKET.
(From a Correspondent.)

It will be seen by the report of the cotton market for the last
week that the sales only amounted to 4400 bags ! and of this
Auantity about 1500 hags were taken on speculation, leaving for
the trade only 2900 bags, being the smallest weekly amount of
business for many years past; and such has been the panic or
alarm amongst certain small holders, that sales have been made
at a reduction of id., and in some instances Id. per lb. below
the currency of the preceding week. The position of the market
at the present moment is so singular, when contrasted with the
previous three months, during which period the sales generally
ranged from 30,000 to 70,000 bags per week, that it may be
worth while to consider whether there are any just grounds for
so sudden a change, or whether the primary cause of the ad-
vance in prices, viz. an inadequate import, an increased con-
sumption, with a stock at the commencement of the year con-
siderably less than was usually held when the consumption was
little more than half its present amount, is not fully borne out
by facts and well-founded probabilities. Bags,
On the Ist Jan., 1832, the stock in the kingdom was 274,810
And there was imported in that year

Making a supply of.
The quantity exported was 65,100

1,110,917
The Stock in the ports, on 31st Dec., 1832, was 215,120

Leaving for consumption 865,827
But it is a ►►ell-kno►rn fact that the stocks in the in-
terior had undergone a considerable. reduction, and
that spinners and dealers had less cotton at the close
than at the commencement of the year, by at least 40,000

Which would make the quantity -actually consumed 905,827
Or, 17,420 bags weekly,
In the present year, it is admitted that a considerable in-
crease in the consumption has taken place, partly owing to
improvements in machinery, whereby increased speed is ob-
tained, and partly arising from an increased production of
coarse yarns, which increase has been variously estimated at
from 5 to 10 per cent.; and some spinners, without the aid of
additional machinery, have increased their production as much
as 20 per cent.; the actual consumption, therefore, for the
first eight months may be fairly taken at 18,500 bags per
week, which will amount to 611,400 bags; and if we make an
abatement for the remaining four months, as the high price of
cotton may be expected to partially check the consumption,
and take it at the moderate estimate of 15,000 bags per week,
or for the four months 260,000
To which add as above for the previous eight months 611,400
Will make a total consumption for the present year of 901,400
Now the stock in the ports, on Ist Jan. last, was 215,120
To which add import to 31st August 1a5t....711,000 I •
And the expected import for the remainder
of the year, say 50,(X)0 American, 50,001 )- BGI,OOO
Brazil, 45,000 East India, and 5000 other
kinds* ' 150,000 j

Making a supply of . 1,11)6,120
Deduct from this the export to 31st Augu5t...49,5000 , ,„„,
And for the remainder of the year 1'1,5005

1,012,120
Destroyed by fire

1,030,120
From this take the estimated consumption as above .. 901,400

Leaves for stock on 31st December next 128,720
Which is little more than seven weeks' consumption, whereas
the stock at the close of 1824 amounted to 235,360 bags, or
nearly twenty weeks' consumption.

The estimated import, from 31st August to 31st December,
is put down at the utmost quantity we can possibly receive, as
it must not be forgotten that the manufacturers on the con-
tinent, .and in the United States, are bare of cotton, and that
they will have to supply themselves out of the first receipts of
the new crop, and unless this is early to market, only a very
small portion can reach this country before the Ist Jan. next.

• Other estimates, from well-informed quarters, give the probable
imports for the remainder of thO-Year at 40,000 bags American, 40,010
Brazil, 25,009 East India, and 5,090 of other kinds. If this he a cor-
rect view. the stock at the end of the present year would not exceed
100.000 bags; Probably the truth inay be found between theme sums.
--(En. ST.t.spas

MAXIMS Fog DUNDERHEADS.

BATCH THE FIRST.