The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-12-23 00:00:00

MEETING OF THE DOCK COMMITTEE

The Dock Committee held their weekly meeting yesterday.
The following members were present,—Messrs. Sands (chair-
man), Horsfall, Holmes, Smith, Molyneux, Nicol, Evans,
Boyden, Tobin, Bold, Shand, Bulley, Holt, Middleton,
Chilton, and Moon.
The Sub-Committee of works recommended that the ten-
der of Mr. James Bray, of Hunslet, near Leeds, for exca-
vating Albert Dock and Canning half-tide basin, being the
lowest out of fifteen which had been sent in, be accepted.
The recommendation of the Sub-Committee was confirmed.
The Sub-Committee for the department of the Marine
Surveyor reported that an alteration had taken place in the
west end of the North Spit Bank, which would require
Spence's buoy to be removed about a cable's length. The
requisite alteration was directed to be made, and proper no-
tices to be given.
The sum of £lOOO was ordered to be paid to Mr. John
Laird on account of the new iron lightship, until the balance
remaining due can be ascertained.
The Sub-committee for the department of the Harbour
Masters recommended that the spare berth in Waterloo-
dock, opposite the master's house, be appropriated to the
American liners, as well as the berths now occupied, upon
the condition that the parties make arrangements to accom-
modate the sixth line of packets under the direction of the
North Harbour Master._ _ _

A report from the Head Constable was read, upon a fire
on board the ship Oaklands, lying on the north side of
Victoria-dock, on the night of the 18th instant. It appeared
that Inspector Massey had found a bale of cotton in the hold,
altogether on fire, which was with some difficulty removed
on the quay and the flames prevented from extending. No
explanation could be given of how the fire originated, until
it appeared that two sailors, who had been placed in custody
for stealing tobacco from on board the ship, had been
smoking in the hold. Had the fire not been discovered in
time, the ship must have been destroyed. This report was
received, and some conversation ensued upon the subject,
from which it appeared that further inquiry would be made
into the occurrence.

Mr. BOLD called the attention of the committee to the
dirty state of the dock quays. On the east side of Prince's
Dock the quay was in a disgraceful state. Goods were often
injured by being placed upon it, owing to the water and
filth which had been accumulated.—The Surveyor said the
misfortune was that the quays had been paved with round
stones instead of square sets : they had sets enough at the
quarry to make the pavement, but the present was not the
time of the year.—lt was eventually resolved that the Sur-
veyor and the Harbour-masters should endeavour, as far as
possible, to abate the cause for complaint.
On the suggestion pf Mr. BOLD, who stated that the pre-
sent office of the North Harbour-master was exceedingly in-
convenient, it was resolved that for the present one of the
spare offices attached to the transit sheds should be appro-
priated for that purpose.
The SECRETARY stated that the printers and stationers to
the committee for the ensuing year would have to be ap-
pointed at the present meeting; there were three candidates
only, Mr. Richardson, Mr. Marples, and Mr. Pitt.
On the motion of Mr. HoLmEs, it was resolved that Mr.
otatiOllC_ r, • and on the motion of
Mr. BULLEY, it was resolved that Mr. Aidrpics be appointed
printer to the committee for the next twelve months,
In reply to a question from Mr. EvAxs. the SECETARY
'stated that the prima for printing ann st R
attohery or a:Herein
parties were as nearly uniform as possible.
The SECRETARY read a letter from Mr. Worthington,
solicitor to the dock trust, on the subject of the appeal of the
committee against the rate on the transit sheds laid by the
Paving Board. The appeal had been appointed to be heard
on Friday last, at the sessions, before the Recorder ; but it
was arranged that the rate should be expunged, and a special
case stated for the opinion of the Court of Queen's Bench,
whether the warehouses were liable to be assessed, and if so,
upon what principle—whether as warehouses or sheds.
The CHAIRMAN said the next business was the appoint-
ing two representatives on the Conservancy Committee. The
Corporation had appointed three members of the Finance
Committee. The members would not be called upon very
often.

On the motion of Mr. NICOL, seconded by Mr. MOLY.
NEUX, the chairman and the deputy-chairman were appointed
to represent the Dock Committee on the Conservancy Com-
mittee.

Mr. HORSFALL said there was a great deal of uncertainty
with regard to the duties of the pier-head master and the
pilot, when a ship was being introduced into the basins.
This uncertainty had given rise to some serious questions,
and would give rise to more unless it was settled distinctly.
Ile inquired what were the duties of the pier-masters in order
that the question might be set at rest?
The SECRETARY said, the duties of the pier-masters were
clear; and they had been distinctly laid down in their in-
structions. The instructions to them were as follow :
"They must give directions and assistance as to laying on,
slackening, or casting off the ropes of vessels hauling into or
out of the basins, and see that no damage be done to the
piers, mooring-posts, chains, or mushrooms."
After some desultory conversation on this subject, the
committee separated.

DARING ATTEMPT AT ROBBERY.—CAUTION TO PUB-
LICANS.—A case of a most daring attempt at robbery was
heard at the Police-court yesterday, in which Mrs. Weare,
the landlady of a public-house in Marybone, appeared against
five men, named Thomas Connor, Andrew Brown, John
Brown, John Foulkes, and John Young. Mrs. Weare
stated, that on the evening of yesterday week, the 15th inst.,
between seven o clock and half-past, she went up stairs into
her own bedroom in the dark. On going towards the win-
dow, she thought she saw the movement of a shadow under
the window, and on stooping to see what it was, she put her
hand upon the person of a man who lay underneath. Greatly
alarmed, she demanded of him who he was, and what he
wanted there. He replied, "Itis me ; and if you stir, or
speak, or move, I will shoot you." The man then ran to-
wards the door to effect his escape, and Mrs. Weare in the
meantime called loudly for assistance through the bedroom
window. She could see the figure of the man, but had not
an opportunity of seeing his face. She was in the bedroom
at four o'clock, and at that time everything was in proper
order.—Robert Sutton stated that be was sitting in. the bar,
when he heard Mrs. Weare scream " Murder !" very loudly.
He immediately got up, and at the foot of the stairs he met
the prisoner Connor coming down in his stockings, with his
shoes in one hand and his hat in the other. The prisoner
said to him, " Run to the back ! " He accordingly went
there, and when he returned the prisoner was gone. The
prisoner Andrew Brown was in the house at the time.—
Another witness, named William Price, said he was in the
house, and he saw the prisoners Andrew Brown and John
Brown in the skittle-alley, playing with some others at skit-
tles.—A boy from the public-house, named Thos. Hornby,
described several of the prisoners as being in the skittle-
yard, and added that one of the party was away for more
than an hour, but the others still kept playing on. The
prisoner Connor had drank ale out of the same quart with
the other men who were playing in the skittle-alley.—Police-
officer Ainsworth, jun., stated that, on Wednesday last, he
proceeded to a house in Gascoigne-street, where he appre-
hended the prisoner Connor, whom he placed in bridewell.
He afterwards went again, in company with police-officer
Greaves, in order to search the house. The two Browns
were down stairs ; and in the front garrett were found the
prisoners Foulkes and Young in bed together. Greaves, who
was stationed in the yard, on these prisoners hearing the
alarm, observed that a bunch of skeleton and other keys was
dropped into the yard from the window of the garrett. All
these four were placed in custody. Mr. William Robinson,
a clerk from the firm of Messrs. Roskell, Ogden, and Co.,
said he had tried four of these keys, and they were keys be-
longing to that firm. The premises were robbed some weeks
ago : witness lost only 10s., one of the clerks £5, and the
firm £1 2s. 6d.;—altogether, £8 2s. 6d. were taken.—Mrs.
Weare stated that the bundle which she found on the bed,
ready to be carried away, contained two coats, four pair of
trousers, three waistcoats, a silk shawl, a silk dress,—some
of which had been taken from the drawers, and others from
a chest. A silver cream-jug was also wrapped up in the
counterpane. The property altogether was worth nearly £2O.
IThe bedroom door was not locked. All the prisoners denied
any knowledge of the charge imputed to them. Eventually,
the prisoner Connor was committed for trial at the next
sessions, and the other prisoners were remanded for further
enquiry, particularly into the robbery at Messrs. Roskell,
Ogden, and Co's.

CORRESPONDENCE

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD,

Sta,—Having this day observed in the columns of your
paper of the 20th a detailed statement of the proceedings in
the Liverpool Police-court, on Monday last, in the case of
District Serjeant-Major Whitebread ; and the whole state-
ment made by the prisoner effecting my character, as also
the evidence tendered by Serjeant Christian, the paymaster,
Captain Woodyate's clerk, being altogether false, 1 have to
request you will be so kind as to insert this in your next
publication ; and further, that the public may suspend their
decision on the matter until the whole statements may have
been investigated and proved to be without the shadow of a
foundation.
Lancaster, 21st December, 1842

JAS. HOPE

AN OCTOGENARIAN SUICIDE.—On Saturday morning a
most determined act of suicide was committed by an old
man, 80 years of age, named Robert Campbell, residing at
No. 9, Church-road, Stepney.