The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-07-11 00:00:00

SATURDAY

The delegates held their adjourned meeting in the Ex-
change-buildings, at eleven o'clock on Saturday. The
chair was occupied by William Brown, Esq.
The CHAIRMAN read a communication from Mr. Cas-
son, of the firm of Gladstone and Casson, turpentine dis-
tillers, upon the subject of their particular line of busi-
ness, which was ordered to be transmitted to the Fire
Committee.

Mr. STEUART said that, upon the previous day, and
before the delegates assembled, the Sub-committee had
met and adopted a resolution, to the effect that it be re-
commended to the deputation to present a memorial to
the Dock Committee to apply to Parliament, in the next
session, for an act to amend the Dock Act, whereby the
restrictions on the building of warehouses on the dock
quays might be removed. They had discussed, at the
same time, the propriety of petitioning Parliament, but,
in consequence of the Town-clerk having declared that it
was impossible to have the standing orders of the house
suspended in case of opposition, they had come to the
determination of memorializing the Dock Committee.
He concluded by moving that the Dock Committee be
memorialized on the subject, and left to carry out the
measure as best they could.

Mr. RATHBONE had no objection to second the motion,
provided the associations were not thereby prevented
from taking ulterior steps. He considered the Fire Pre.
vention Bill to be a monstrous interference with the pro-
perty as well as the liberty of individuals, and that, if it
were passed, it would bind the mercantile community
hand and foot.

Mr. Tonn said the associations had already expressed
their opinion, on many occasions, that it was expedient
for the Dock Act to be amended ; and that the question
for immediate discussion was, how that object could be
brought about. At the meeting of the Sub-com-
mittee, he had proposed that they should petition the
Legislature to allow a clause to be engrafted on the Fire
Prevention Bill, which would enable the warehouses round
the Albert Dock to be completed ; but he had been over-
ruled, as it was considered more advisable to memorialize
the Dock Committee, a proceeding which would neither
pledge themselves, nor tie up their hands from taking any
further steps. It had been said, that it was useless to
memorialize the Dock Trustees, as their hands were tied
up by the compromise. He thought that this was not the
case, as they only asked the Dock Committee to second
their efiorts, provided those efforts were practicable.
The motion was here put and carried Nith one dissen-
tient, (Mr. Sandbach, the delegate from the West India
Association).
Mr. GILL tl,- 'ded t- tl - bill in very

proceeded to condemn tue
strong terms. He said that it was as bad as Egyptian
bondage ; that it was decided to incarcerate some of the
most eminent of the commercial community in a prison by
reason of its stringent provisions ; and that before it should
have been twelve months in operation its repeal would be
loudly and unanimously demanded.

. ,
Mr. RATHBONE, after expressing his assurance that the
public would be startled at seeing how completely it tied
up their hands, moved that a petition against it be for-
warded to the House of Commons that evening.

The motion, not having been seconded, fell to the
ground.
Mr. DUNCAN having here read the whole of the regula-
tions contained in the schedules A and B, and which were
embodied in no fewer than thirty-seven clauses,
Mr. RATHBONE suggested that the delegates should
offer no opinion upon those clauses, as they were not com-
petent to do so.

The suggestion met with the unanimous concurrence of

Geo. Holt, John Marriott, James Miller, and Robinson
Duckworth.

The CHAIRMAN (Mr. W. Brown), before entering upon
the business of the meeting, stated that a strong impres-
sion had arisen amongst the porters and others of the
working classes, that what they (the association) were
endeavouring was adverse to their interests, in which
they laboured under a very erroneous view, inasmuch as
every step they had taken had a tendency quite the reverse.
What they had done was with a desire to improve the
trade of the toy% n, in which the porters (were as much in-
terested as any other class of the community. They had
also opposed, not sanctioned, the proposed payment by
these men of ss. for the license, and were in no point inimi-
cal to them.

Mr. TODD expressed himself in terms to the same effect.
All they had done was in favour of the working classes,
who would be subjected to a diminution i❑ their earnings
by a decrease of the trade of the port. He believed that
unless the improvements which had been suggested in the
bill by the associations were carried out, numbers of the
operatives would be thrown out of employment; By a
contrary result, they would be benefited as well as others.
The business of the meeting then commenced.

Mr. RATHBONE proposed, as a means of attaining their
object, that a deputation should be sent to the common
council, then sitting in discussion on the clauses of the
bill, to request them, if possible, to procure the postpone-
ment of the consideration of the measure in committee in
parliament, fixed for Tuesday (this day), until Thursday,
so that the associations might have time to consider the
several clauses as proposed to be altered or amended by
the council. They could not at present tell in what state
the bill would be returned by the council, and he consi-
dered it was due to the mercantile associations that they
should first see it, and then direct their exertions to pro-
cure the suppression or amendment of such clauses as
they considered still remained strongly objectionable.
The CHAIRMAN questioned whether the council had
the power to obtain a postponement of its consideration
in the parliamentary committee?
Mr. RATHBONE said be was under the impression that
those who had the conduct of the bill might, on a re-
presentation of the circumstances, do so. He also thought
that it would be but right and candid in them to apprize
the Council that they purposed strenuously to oppose it
if it went back in its present shape, or was not sufficiently
altered to meet their views.

The CHAIRMAN said that in order that the Council
should not be in ignorance of their proceedings, he had
sent copies of all their resolutions respecting it enclosed
in a note to the Mayor.

Mr. RATHBONE thought the sending of the deputation
would be a fair and open manner of dealing with the ques-
tion, and if the Council did not apply for the postpone-
ment, they could then petition Parliament itself, who, he
had no doubt, would see that justice was done to them.
He did not, however, wish to come into any state of un-
friendly contact with the Council, but rather to proceed
in a conciliatory and respectful manner.

A conversation, somewhat desultory, took place on this
and other points, in which Mr. Mellor, Mr. Steuart (the
delegate from the West India Association), anti others,
took part. The question of raising funds to defray the
necessary expense of a deputation to London to consult
with the members of committee (should that hereafter be
deemed necessary) was also brought upon the carpet ; z,nd
it was stated that the American Chamber of Commerce
had agreed to subscribe to the extent of £5OO, the brokers
£lOO, and the grocers (a comparatively small body) £:io.
Several of the delegates of other associations had not been
instructed on this point. This subscription applied to the
Fire Bill only, without reference to the Warehouse Bill.
Mr. TODD said that some of the additional clauses in
the proposed amended bill sent down, under the bye-laws,
were monstrous.

Mr. MELLOR strongly objected to the clauses requiring
the private warehouses, appropriated to the use of the
proprietors and their connections only, to be subjected to
the same management and regulations as the large hired
warehouses, in which goods were promiscuously stored
from Jack, Tom, or Harry. He thought the bonded
warehouses, which were more than half of the whole,
might be satisfactorily regulated in three weeks, by an
application to the Lords of the Treasury.
Finally, a resolution was agreed to, that a deputation
should be sent to the Mayor, then presiding in council,
with a letter to the effect that that body should apply for
the postponement of the consideration of the bill in com-
mittee, for the purposes before stated ; and while the
secretary was about preparing the letter, Mr. Tood, by
request, read the following memorial to the dock trustees,
submitted for approval by the sub-committe of the
associations:—

" Shotveth ,

"THE MEMORIAL, &C.,

" That the frequent occurrence and destructive magni-
tude of fires during the last five months having induced
your memorialists to enquire into the causes of their fre-
quency and extent, it appears to them to be in a great
measure attributable to the defective construction and
management of warehouses.
" It is with the deepest sorrow that your memorialists
admit that there is but too good reason to suspect that
part of the fires have been the work of incendiaries, while
some abortive attempts at arson have also been discovered.
" That the fire insurance offices have been forced, for
their own protection, to advance the premiums to such a
rate, that 355. per cent. is now paid for a risk which in
London only costs 2s. 6d. per cent.

" That such intecutity of property and heavy addition
to the charges of trade are calculated to divert the com-
merce NOW enjoyed by Liverpool into another cbari:..l:
and that it is well known that already produce has been
ordered to London which had been destined for Liverpool,
while considerable quantities have been ordered into the
interior, after having been deposited and intended for bide
here.
" That the low rate of fire-insurance in London as come
pared with Liverpool arises from the greater security in
the landing, storing, and custody of merchandise which
enters there.

"That your memorialists were deeply disappointed that
the Bill introduced into Parliament, by the Dock Com-
mittee under the sanction of the trustees, met with such
a degree of opposition from a particular interest, as ma-
terially to adridge and postpone its usefulness that since
the time of its becoming law, the circumstances of the
port have most materially changed ; and that had the
same state of things existed during its passage through
Parliament as now, there is every probability that it would
have passed in its original form.

" That the Transit sheds, on the West side of Prince's
Dock, having been built a sufficient length of time to test
their utility, are found not to answer the expectations
which may have been formed respecting them ; and in the
great deficiency of secure warehouse-room, which is so
severely felt, it is highly desirable that those sheds be
forthwith replaeed with fire-proof warehouses.

" That the defective construction and management of
warehouses having been one of the chief causes of the late
heavy losses by fire, the rapid completion of the ware-
houses on the quays of the Albert Dock has become a
matter of great importance to the public interests, as it is
understood that all that science can do will be put in re-
quisition to render them fireproof, and the experience to
be derived from the systems followed in London and else-
where be profited by towards making the mar._
perfect as possible.
" That, under such a vigilant and uniform system of
management as is expected to be introduced into the
warehouses belonging to the dock estate, no attempts at
incendiarism need be apprehended, because of the cer
tainty of detection and punishment.
" Your memorialists venture to express
the Dock Committee will take this st
early consideration, with a view to seekirg
of the act, whereby they may be enable
complete the building of warehouses on t►

,ement as

übject luta

luays of
Is with

Albert Dock, and to-replace the train.

proof warehouses on the west side of Prince's Doc

After a shert discussion, the memorial was adopted
The SECRETARY then read the following letter, whi
he had prepared, from the chairman, to the mayor :

TO THE WORSHIPFUL THE MAYOR

SIR,-At the request of the delegates from the associated
bodies of the town now assembled, I have to request that,
as the council is still in deliberation on the Fire Preven-
tion Bill, and have not been enabled to return an answer
to the resolution of the delegates of the Sth instant, that
the council will be pleased to return an answer to the re-
solution of the delegates of the Sth inst.,—that the council
will be pleased to apply for a postponement of the com-
miitee on the bill, at present fixed for to-morrow, so as to
afford the delegates an opportunity.of considering the bill
as it may be revised by the Council,—in order that they
may, if possible, withdraw any opposition
I .

will be enabled to return an answer very soon. A depu-
tation from the delegates is in attendance, and will be glad
to have a conference with you if it would suit your con-