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

'Co CORRESPONDENTS.

We are obliged to postpone our Plan of the Liverpool Docks for
about a fortnight.
In a paragraph in our last paper noticing the great success of
the " Rat ler." which !s proiellea by Mr. F. P. Smith's patent
screw, we. by mistake, at ,led her i,urthc•ii to he 664 tans, in-
stead of 888 tons. The dfference in- the dimensions of the
ship gives a silt more f,vourable result in relation to her
steam-powr.r.:ire foil eNtent of which we c rrectly furniShed.
We have been r ,(*:]c ted to state on authority that the meeting
convened last week " for the purpose of resetting All Saints'
Church from the grasp of Popery," was not sai.ctioned, or in
any way anthorisezt by the officiating minister. %\hen we
saw the placard, we never for a moment suiroosed such was
the case; but as many persons are impressed with the idea
that it w,:s. it is as welt ti set them iight.
Although we have condensed as witch as possible the important
meetings held here -during the past week, we ore com;,-elled to
forego for the present the publication or much interesting
matter.

triit

TUESDAY 11.10RMNG, OCT; 29, 1814

In another part of our paper we have presented
to our readers an abstract of the corporation ac-
counts for the year, and added to it, for the conve-
nient reference of those who wish to compare the
income and expenditure- of. the present with those
of the past vear, a similar ahstract for 1843. We
here take the liberty of directing attention to,
and explaining a few of the items of these ; and at
the carne time of congratulating our fellow-towns-
men upon the results which they spew.
It must be an object of great satisfaction to the
community to observe the increase
.which has this
year taken place in the ordinary income of our cor-
poration. In 1843 the total amount at the credit
side of its accounts was 1,122,230 Os. 6d., whilst
this year it is £132,072 Os. 21J., chewing an excess
in favour of the present year of nearly £lO,OOO.
And this, a very cursory glance at. the comparative
statement which we have given will chew to have
arisen precisely in that branch of our local revenue
which indicates the progress of the commerce of
our port, viz. in that of " town due,," the amount
of whch was last year £63.364 15s. 7d., and which
has risen this year to £73,132 15s. 4da making an in-
el ease of, in round numbers, £lO,OOO on the year.
A gratifying increase is also to he noted in the
"fines on leases." and, particularly, in the particular
item of " fines in lieu of ground rent on leases,"
which exhibits the progress of the demand for the •
unoccupied land of the corporation for building pur-
poses, and shows this year a surplus, over the
amount of the same item last year, .of £l,OOO.
The other items on this side of the account, it will
be seen, pretty nearly balance those of last year.
With these gratifying facts presented to them, it
may naturally create surprise in the minds of the
public to find on the debtor side of the account a
decreased surplus carried forward,as compared with
that of last year; and the conalusion will perhaps
be formed that the ordinary exp?mliture is increas-
ing in an ilotal ratio with 11w receipts. We are
enabled, ho‘tever, to assure them that this is not the
case, and to chew that such increase of the former
is more apparent and casual than real and perma-
nent. Thus, under the head of " law and parlia-
mentary expenses," we find. an amount of £BO5O
set down for the present year, against. £4861 for
1843. It must he borne in mind, however, that the
Council have had this year a more than ordinary
amount of business before Parliament ; and there is
certainly little chance of this item being an average
of years to come. Again, the expense of the police
force this year is put down at £17.668, against
£13,347 last year. Hut there was a diminutior last
year, 1101-D £16,989 in the previous year, which
shows that this is a fluctuating item. In fact, the
amino arm:alit into the accounts under this head '
represents rite gross cost of the entire force, less the
various amounts contributed towards it by the Dock
Trustees, the Parish, and the Out-townships; and is
thus influenced by the satisfactory, or unsatisfactory
state of the rate-collectors' books, and their pay-
mews to the ]borough fund. It must be explained,
however, in addition, that the numbers of the police
force this year have been augmented, in order to
provide for the more efficient watching of the ware-
house property of the port. The " Lighting.
Cleansing, anti Fire-police," -has increased about
£ISA this year, in part fur the reasons given for -
the increase of the last item.- and, no doubt, in part
frotn.she_ increase of new streets in the nut-town-
ships, which cannot as yet have- been made to con-
tribute for the cost of their lighting and 'security.
The kelt, winch has told most, howeVer, upon
the diminished amount of the surplus, is the in-
creased payment made this year on account of
"county expenses,"—viz., £ll,OOO, instead of 4000
paid last year; or an excess of £7OOO, a large por-
tion of Which might hate been carried to "extra-
ordinary account" or to Borough copile. We may
remark, in explanaiian, that the exact amount of
the County's claim upon the estate of the Corpora-
ti6ri has not as yet been settled, and is at present
under .arbitration. It may' probably amount to
befwen fiveand six thousand pounds wr annum ; and
the Finance Committee, under the circumstances of
their flourishing condition, and for other wise rea-
sons, no doubt, have preferred a temporary over-
payment to the County to an under-payment which
would increase, only apparently however, the sur-
plus at their disposal. Upon the whole then, the
-financial results of the present year must be con-
sidered highly satisfactory; and viewed in conjunc-
tion with the circumstances at which we have
glanced above, promises to be even more so in
years to come.
But another,- and the most important feature in
these accounts, is presented in the " General State-
ment cf the Financial Affairs of the Corporation," '
to Which we direct the especial attention of our
reade.:'s. This noble estate owes a bonded debt of
£1,137,106. Oh Bd., after paying the interest of
which, it prides and supports the public build-
ings of the town, contributes largely to the
ruaintenanc,4l its police, its watching, cleansing,
haliting ; its churches, cemeteries, public walks
and gardens; its courts of law, and gaols;
its schools and charities; and is able to boast
of a yearly surplus over and above its ordinary
expenditure. But the statement to which .7e refer
holds out to us assured prospects, of abilities and
usefulness to come, infinitely greater than any
which have already been experienced. The interest
of the bonded debt of the estate, at present 4 per-
cent; is now in gradual course of reduction to 3
per cent, per annum, by which operation, when
conipleied, a large accession of nett laconic will he
derived. A portion of the unproductive property
of the -estate—Wallasey Pool—has this year been
sole, of the purchase-money of which the sum of
£3lL'9lB Sc. Id. is now at interest at 5 per cent.—
property of the corporation at the north shore
La' !wen disposed of to the Dock Trustees of Liver-
pool, the purchase-money of which, £254,830 ss. Bd,
is at interast, at 31- per cent. From these sources,
we may calculate, in the year to come, upon an in-,
crease in the "ordinary income" of the corporate
estate, of no less than TWENTY-FOUE THOUSANDS
PER ANNUM, applicable to purposes of public ima
provernent, or to the gradual liquidation of its
bonded debt I Or looking further still, to the pay-
ment of these and other. sales and oldigations due,
the debt of the estate will, after no long course of
years. bse reduced by the amount of the present
balance of £665,573 195..10d., and the proceeds of
the sale of the land referred to in the note. appended
to die statement, now valued at £42,500. Ira other
word,this estate, held for the benefit of the borough
of Liverpool, with a rerenue vastly increased in pro-
ductiveness, will only have to provide fOr the interest
Or A DEBT .DIMINISHED. BY, UPWARDS OF SEVEN
HUNDRED THOUSAND POUNDS.
Is it possible to estimate sufficiently the import-
ance of such a consummation ? Or can such a
state of things, as we hadte here humbly endeavoured.
to bring clearly before our readers and the public of
Liverpool, be paralleled else Where in the United
Kingdom t We submit that it can not; and, a!-
though much of the credit of our present position •
ty be fairly attributed to the wise foresight of " the
rotten Corporation"—save the mark !—of former days,
which providently accummulated, ,despite of the
WOUld-be-wise, Property which has since been found
Fo valuably available for the increase of the revenue
of the estate, a just meed of admiration and gratitude
is fairly due to the sagacity and prudent care of the
present Finance Committee. Bodies of men may
perhaps be found, who deal in larger anti more ma;{
nificent measures;
morefictshy chancellors may pre-
side over the exchequer, and regulate the finances
of other towns or empires; hut we are satisfied—fully
satisfied—with those who have, through this state-
Meat of the result of their honesty and prudence,
enabled us to challenge surrounding localities to
produceia result equally satisfactory. In the name
of the present generation of our fellow-tou:nsmetaa
in the name of future generations who will be pri-
vileged to enjoy the full amount of the benefits now
in prospect, we thank the members of the present
Finance Committee.

It would be ungenerous in us were we conclude
our gratifying task without expre'ssing our sense of
the ability with which these accounts have been_
prepared by Mr. Wybergh, the treasurer, and his
efficient clerk, Mr. Neilson. Their lucid arrange-
ment has rendered our own labour lighter ; and
must be infinitely satisfactory to the Committee, the
result of whose labours they record, as well as to
the public.

We have only room for a single sentence, which
is applicable to the constituencies of every ward, at
the municipal elections on Friday. We ask them
to look at the present position of the affairs of the
borough, which we have elsewhere referred to,• and
to say if it is not 'sufficiently satisfactory to warrant
their confidence in the present constitution of the
Council. Let them•cornpare, too, the calm business-
like tone of its p,esent proceedings with the strife of
past years ; and say, whether the former ought to
be interrupted by such pettifogging attempts. to in-
troduce disorder as those which are now being made.

RESIGNATION OF THE HEAD CONSTABLE.

From what appeared in the columns of our local journals
last week, a, well as from rumours abroad, our readers
must have been prepared to learn on an early occasion,
either that Mr. Miller had resigned, or that he had so far
accommodated his opinions to the practice hitherto pur•
sued by the Watch Committee, that some mutual al range-
ment would be come to, so as to avert the necessity and
inconvenience of a change. Of the latter alternative he
did not avail himself, and being thrown upon the former,
Mr. Miller, on &Viand y last, tendered his resignation.
which was accepted, with a lib-ral allowance, in the sha. e
of salary to a given day, in consideration of the domestic
expenses which he incurred in removing with his family
from Glasgow. Of the peculiar circumstances that have
led to his retirement from the ,erviee of the hormgh, we
ate in pos,ession of some particulars ; but d-tsils, as the
matter now stands are untteeess,ry,espeeia!ly as the busi-
ness will be gone into at tile Council meeting to-morrow.
The following is a copy of Mu. Miller's letter of re-
s'griation

Liverpool, 26M Oct. 1841

GENTLEMEN.—I begleare to resign into your hands tiositna•
!ion to which you did me tbe honour ,o appOint me last March.
On accepting that appoi tment I resigned an office which I had
held, not only with the generai approhrtion of the public an-bo-
ra:es. but of the citizens of Glasgow. for nearly eight years;
and its coming to Liverpool I subjected myself to great domes-
tic expense and inconvenience; but finding* that I cannot any
longer satisfy either you or myself, I deem it due to the public
and my own sense of rigit, to challenge the worst conse-
quences. rather than continue in an office the duties of which t
can r.o longer fulfil with salislaclon to mysc f. In retiring I
hope to leave behind no unkind feeling : I entertain none.
I am, Gentlemen, yours very respectfully,
(•,igned) H. MILLER.
On receipt of this communication, the foliow,ng ter.olo-
tion w:is agreed to by the Committee ; and a copy of it
transmit ell to Mr. Miller by the Secretary :
Resolved —That. this resignation be accepted. and that, in con-
siberation of the heavy expenditure to which Mr. Miller has
been subjected, in removing and etablis lug his family in Li-
ve pool, it be recommendeii to the Council to alow him his sa-
lary up to the •::7th February next, on which day in the-present
year his app •i tment took place.
To blr. Henry Miller.