The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-10-29 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

in that corner of the county—in that corner where no
docks, but tail chimneys are the order of the day—let me
tell you that we feel no slight interest in the progress and
success of this undertaking. We have been told, on high
authority, that " we are all for ourselves in this world" (a
cry of " Alderman Brooks," and shouts of "hear") but,
gentlemen, the individuals who projected this great na-
tional work look upon it as one of the greatest advantages
to the rapidly increasing commerce of this country, and
on motives of self-interest alone we look with anxiety to
the success and rapid execution of these measures. Be-
lieve me, gentlemen, it is a matter of no slight interest to
our master manufacturers, and to the great masses we see
in our corner of Cheshire—many of whose representatives
I am happy to see around me to-day—it is to them a mat-
ter of no slight importance to see the delay of their vessels
in the Mersey for a period of from Ito 14 days. We are
told, that punctuality is the soul of business, and our ma-
nufacturers know that it will not answer for them, when
they receive orders—ny, and when they have executed
them—not to be able to forward them to their correspond-
ents. I say, then, that upon national grounds, and upon
every other ground, we look with great interest on the un-
dertaking. As one more particularly connected with this
district, I bid you God speed. I sincerely trust that the
work which we have to-day commenced so auspiciously
will be auspiciously finished. I see scarcely any limit,
looking into futurity, to the growing greatness and pros-
perity of this town. You have seen what your neighbours
have done on the other side of the water. I can only say,
as one who has had long dealings with the authorities of
Liverpool, that I sincerely trust—that I wish—they would
hold out to you the right hand of fellowship—that all dis-
cords will be forgotten—that you will try to rival them,
and only in that, in your punctuality, in the extent of your
commerce, and the accommodation of your docks ; and I
can assure you, as one of the reprerentatives of this
county, as one who has tried to be the representative of
the country, and not of the county, it shall always be my
endeavour to co-operate in any measure that will promote
the prosperity of this town. (Long and protracted cheer-
ing.)
The CHAIRMAN then rose to propose another toast. He
Proposed the " Health of the Earl of Essex, Lord Lilford,
Lord Bateman, and of the other distinguished guests who
had that day honoured Birkenhead with their presence."
The Earl of EESEX.—I have been most deeply gratified
by the interesting ceremony which we have witnessed. It
has given me a most exalted idea—but that, indeed, 1 did
not want—of the energy and the power of those connected
with the commerce of this country ; and when I consider
the talent and foresight that were necessary to conceive
this great enterprise, the wealth and energy necessary to
carry it into execution, and the extraordinary results to
follow from its success, I cannot but think that the men
of Birkenhead are richly deserving of that noble title
which was borne by the first merchants of the world—
those of Tyre—which then descended to the equally cele-
brated merchant of Venice, and now so worthily devolves
on your shoulders,—" the merchant princes" of Great
Britain. (Much cheering.) lam sure I most heartily
hope and pray that success may attend your noble under-
taking—that it may conduce in every respect to the hap-
piness and welfare of yourselves and your fellow-towns-
men—that it may spread still further and wider your al-
ready great name and the great commerce of this country,
and that, though last, not least, she may, with this assist-
ance and God's blessing, carry into the very remotest
part of the world the blessings of civilization and of Chris-
tianity. (Loud and long-continued applause.)
Toe Hon. E. J. STANLEY said, they had laid the foun-
dation of the great civilization of the town by preparing a
system of draining—by preparing that system which, he
believed, would do more to banish vice and misery from
the walls of a town than almost anything they could have
undertaken. (Hear, hear.) He would speak also of that
which redounded to their honour—Le meant the noble at-
tempt they bad made in setting apart. a great space for the
recreation of their poorer and humbler brethren (hear,
hear), and that, not in some obscure corner of their vi-
cinity, but in the very heart and centre of that great town
—land worth in value, by the inch and yard, they had
given by the acre for the recreation of all the poorer in-
habitants. (Loud cheers.) And while he mentioned this
as a great means, he believed, for the civilization and im-
provement of the community, he mentioned it also as one
which would materially tend to lighten the labours of the
magistracy. (Hear, hear.) While he praised them for
this, he would add, that in this, as in other cases, the
best, the most honest, and the most merciful and humane
policy was also to be witnessed; and he believed that the
inhabitants of the township would experience an advan-
tage from what had been effected, not only in the superior
moral character of the people, but in the real additional
value they would find conferred on all the property in the
neighbourhood. (" Hear, hear," and loud cheers.)
Mr. PorrEft said, the Liverpool merchants could not
be the opponents of the Birkenhead dock measure, for
they had felt too severely all the risks attending the former
state of affairs, and the losses attending the delay to which
their trade was subjected, partly from physical circum-
stances, and partly from the trade of the country having
increased to a degree beyond what any ordinary foresight
could be expected to provide for. Therefore, while asso-
ciated in the Birkenhead measure, he was not only doing
that which would advance the trade of Liverpool and the
trade of the world, but he was also doing that which would
meet with the encouragement arid approbation of some of
the most eminent merchants in Liverpool—so many, that
to name them would be quite invidious. (Hear, hear.)
They had felt that the measure was due to the trade and
commerce which was rapidly exceeding all the provisions
made for its convenience, and that it was also dt.e to that
great hive of manufacturing industry on the other side,
knowing that the extension of commerce was the trite
basis 42f the,prosperits of\ the estuary of the Mersey.
(Hear, hear.) He begged to propOse, " The town and
trade of Liverpool." (The toast was very warmly
received.)

Mr. DuNeAx Ginn responded to it.
The Hon. Sir E. Cyst in proposing the health of the
Commissioners of Birkenhead said,—l sha I very shortly
indeed repeat those two or three circumstances which have
been mentioned already—those, for instance, named by
the Hon. Mr. Stanley,—and which certainly display a
most remarkable example of the wisdom, sagacty, and
frres:glit of those who took the Pad in this town, in lay-
ing out the suburbs of the town for the benefit of the
poorer population. I believe that this is an instance of
feeling towards the poorer population wholly unexampled
in any tosn in this or the other hemisphere; for enor-
mous streets have been projected and duly sewered, pre-
pared for water, and all the luxuries that modern refine-
ment could conceive, being all prepared before a single
house had been erected on the land. This is an instance
of sagacity very unusual indeed in any public undertaking,
and it is also an instance of activity which is very rare in
any public functionaries—qualities which must, to a re-
markable extent, exalt the character of the commissioners
of Birkenhead. The noble market now in course of erec-
tion, the various and numberless works every day pro-
jected, and, last, though not least, that mighty work
which we have seen to-day commenced, are all works in
themselves so unusually great. that they would very justly
entitle any set of men to a high place in public estimation
for their individual acts; but, when united, they really
form a very considerable claim on the public gratitude.
The toast was received with rapturous acclamations,
and Mr. J. D. CASE responded to it.
Mr. W. POTTER said, they ought not to forget him from
whom the plan of the docks proceeded. (Hear, hear.)
They were indebted to the genius of that gentleman, as
well for his readiness to answer all objections, to undergo
the rigorous cross-examination of numerous counsel, and
to corroborate all his assertions, as to the capabilities of
the pool for all commercial purposes. He would not be
considered to have trespassed unfairly when he beeged to
Propose the" Healili of Mr. Rendel, the engineer." (The

toast was rapturously received.)
Mr. RENDEL was perfectly satisfied of this, that the
decks of which they had been lay ng the foundation-stone
that day were not designed, neither would they be, in a
spirit of rivalry to those very magnificent works which
they saw so gloriously across the liver on the very fine
day with which they were blessed for their ceremony.
lie was quite certain that they were altogether of a dif-
ferent description from a rival establishment. (Hear,
hear.) They we intended to propose additional accom-
modation in the port of the Mersey, which, favoured as
Liverpool was, it did not afford facilities for the construe-

tion of. (Hear, hear.) If the late Mr. Laird had lived
till 1814, and seen the numerous steamers which traversed

the Atlantic with the regularity almost of a locomotive,
be would have said " Let me have a low-water basin for
those vessels ;" and this was really the only difference
between Mr. Laird's conception and the shadowing of
that conception which he (Mr. Rendel) had been fortu-
nate enough to be called upon to carry out. (Hear, bear.)
Mr. J. HARDEN 'hen proposed "The Press."
Mr. J. SMITH returned thanks.
The last toast on the list was "The Cheshire Witches,"
which was enthusiastically drunk.

THE BALL.
The appearance of the ball-room, which was opened at
ten o'clock, was unprecedentedly magnificent, whether as
regarded the decorations or the display of beauty and
fashion that adorned it. Amongst the ladies present
were—Lady Grey Egerton, Lady Charlotte Vgerton,
Lady Cust, Mrs. Lloyd Kenyon, Mrs. Charles Stanley,
Mrs. E. J. Stanley, Mrs. W. Patten, Ails. Col. Glegg,
Mrs. Price, Mrs. Shaw, Mrs. J. G. Jackson. Mrs. W.
Laird, Mrs. Malleby, Mrs. Winch, Mrs. J. B. Hughes,
Lady Bateman and her two daughters. &c.,&c. Mr. W.
Laird led off with Lady Grey Egerton, and Mr. J. S.
Jackson with Mrs. Charles Stanley. The whole of the
arrangements, which were admirable, exclusively devolved
on Mr. J. S. Jackson and Mr. W. Laird. At half-past
twelve, the supper•room (which had been the dining-
room) was thrown open. A beautiful embroidered ban.

ner emblematic of the occasion was here presented by
Mr. J. S. Jackson and Mr. Cole to Lady Egerton, who
graciously accepted it, remarking on the beauty of the
needlework. Dancing was then recommenced, and was
kept up with spirit until about four o'clock.

OTIIEL FESTIVITIES AND AMU SE...7ENTS.

In accordance with the liberality of the whole proceedings, a
supper, with jellies, wines, fruit, &c , was given by William
Jackson, Esq .. in the large room of the Town-halL to about 300
persons, chiefly holding situations connected with the town or
its public works, and respectable master tradesmen and tthers.
A band w,:s provided, and the greatest enjoyment prevailed.
Mr. John Laird also nresented a handsome large medal struck
for the occasion to each of his men, to commemorate the day,
and a new dress to each of their wives. Even the poor in the
urkhouse were not forgotten, all receiving a sum,! through
the guardians, to enable them to share in the festivities. The
poor of the town were al o supplied with food by ticket, in ac-
cordance with previous arrangements.
About sixty gentlemen, of Liverpool and Birkenhead, sat
down to an excellent dinner at Mr. Gleave's, Adelphi lintel.
The viands and wines were of the choicest kinds, and the whole
arrangements highly credit .ble to the worthy host. Several
excellent speeches referring to the prosperity of the township
were delivered, and the evening was spent in the most agreea-
ble manner.

A large party cf gentlemen sat down at Mr. La French's, Wa-
terloo Hotel to an excellent and wa-serred dinner given by
Mr. Robert Hughe,, who ably presided. The usual toasts were
give', by the Chairman, Mr. Knapper, Mr. Mort, and other gen-
tlemen. The health of the Members for the Southern Division
of the County eiielted mach cheering. In proposing it, dr.

Mortimer remarked, that opportunities had been afforded him
of closely watching the conduct of those gentlemen in connex-
ion with the interests of the town and trade of Birkenhead,
and he was glad to bear testimony to he indefatigable exertions
which they brought to bear on every thing that could promote
their welfare. During the unparalleled contest that had taken
place on the Dock Bill, their time, talent, and influence had
ever been extended to obtain that happy termination which Bir-
kenhead this day witnessed, but if any thing coo d add to the
pleasure of proposing the healths of the Members of the County,
it was the fact of being enabled to do so in the house of the man
that, upwards of a quarter of a century since, had endeavoured
to establish that system of communication by which that day
one hundred thousand persons had been able to cross the Mer-
sey without any accident. (Loud cheering.)
Mr. KNAPPE it. of the Cottage Owners' Association, begged to
confirm all that had been stated in commendation of t.ir Philip
Egerton, and John Tollemache, Esq On a recent occasion he
had applied to them on the proposed iniquitous assessment of
cottage-owners, in place of the occupiers of cottage property
and they both, unsolicited came down to enquire into the pro.
ceedings, and, by their influence, the obnoxious measure was
withdrawn. (Loud cheers.) The proceedings throughout were
highly gratifying, and in proposing the health of Mr. La French,
the worthy landlord, wh ch was received with loud cheers, the
company was reminded, that that gentleman was the first who
practically introduced, many years ago, steam navigation on
the watery of the Mersey.