The Liverpool Standard, and General Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-11-14 00:00:00

THE MAYOR'S COMMUNICATIONS.

A letter from the secretary of the Shipowners' Associa-
tion, enclosing a communication received by that body
from Professor Phillips respecting magnetism in iron
ships, and the resolutions passed by the association, was
referred to the Museum Committee.
Mr. J. B. LLOYD said he had sent a copy of the resol#
tions passed by the Shipowners' Association to Professor
Phillips.
A letter from Mr. Henry Melling secretary to the
Royal Mersey Yacht Club, making application for the use
of the Town-hall rooms on the evening of the 4th December,
for the purpose of holding a public ball in aid of the
Patriotic Fund of the United Services, was referred to the
Town-hall Establishment Committee.
A memorial from the journeymen tailors of Liverpool,
requesting that the contracts for police clothing might be
given to tradesmen in the borough, upon condition that
the work should be done on their own premises, was
referred to the Watch Committee.
The council then adjourned.

THE BIRKENHEAD DOCK WORKS,

AT the meeting of the Birkenhead Commissioners, on
Tuesday evening, Mr. Hind called the attention of the
board to the present state of the Birkenhead Dock works,
which he said was a matter of vital importance to the
township, and of great interest to the public. He had no
doubt that some gentleman present connected with the
dock trustees could give the board an account of the pro-
gress of the works, and how things were going on.
Mr. COREY said that the works at present were
merely going on—only one hundred and fifty men being
employed at the docks and at Flaybrick-hill toge-
ther. He would take a retrospective view, in order to put
the whole matter clearly before the board. In October,
1852, Messrs. Brassey and M'Cormick contracted with the
trustees for the construction, within three years, of the
outer works, viz., the river walls, the north wall of the
south reserve, the south reserve itself, and the excavation
of the tidal bason. The walls of the north reserve, and the
construction of the river wall being a liability on the part of
the Crown. In part payment of this contract, the south
reserve was taken at a given sum by the contractors, with
the right of redemption to the trustees at any time within
two years from the completion of the contracts. In the
session of Parliament of 1853, the trustees brought in a
bill to enable the railway companies having an interest in
Birkenhead to subscribe, on certain conditions, for the
completion of the entire works. During Parliament (in
the month of June), Mr. Brassey made a tender to the
trustees to execute the remainder of the works in three years
—that is to say, the permanent dam across the pool,. an
entrance of 100 feet wide; and a lock of similar width and
500 feet long, together with the excavation of a certain
portion of the great float, in payment of which he offered
to take the bonds of the trust, a piece of land to.be re-
claimed at Bridge-end, and the surrender of the.rights of
the trustees to reclaim the south reserve, as agreed by the
first contract, the trustees to have the right to reclaim the
land at Bridge-end within a year after the completion of
the contract. This tender was made upon the condition
that the trustees should obtain the sanctkin- of Parliament
to Capitalise interest in. arrear and re-arranging the pri-
ority of other bonds, so that all, including those to be
issued in payment of the contract, should be issued upon
an equality, except the £50,000 preference created in 1848,
By unheard-of efforts, a bill to the effect was introduced
and passed, and the consent of the bondholders obtained,
upon the condition that the contract was executed before
the expiration of the year. A contract for the completion
of these works upon the terms of the tender within three
years, was executed in December, 18,53, by Messrs. Brassey
and M'Cormick, and by Messrs. Peto and Betts as their
guarantees. The first work to be done included the con-
struction of the dam across, the mouth of the bason to
exclude the-.water. This was to be paid for in cash by the
Crown in, return for the river wall of the north reserve.
built by the trustees, and involved the sum of £22,000
which, we believe, has been received by Mr. Brassey. As:
is well known, this dam, on the pant of completion, fell
down in the early part of the.r,ar —March. Mr. Brassey
undertook to restore it at bas own cost by the August
following. It is, not comply ted yet. No preparations hav(
been made for the work?, inside the dam; and as Mr
Brassey plainly stated. in August that he could not go or
without money being found—(notwithstanding his con
tract was to take tbea bonds instead, and to issue whicl

the trustees went. to
—there is, judgw, the e ens fa A Parliament;
ed haso ; more especially
by
appearance,xpeo n ct of _a
hef intends to no reason to expect th I
as the trustees an
inbeenormi 0 , ‘ b'45 gone to Italy for the winter. Notice ha:
-v-334 T,o the contractors and their sureties, that thl
penalties' 'will be enforced if the contracts are not per
,'„,„ ,_ Within the last few days an application has bee]
, made v , the trustees by Mr. Brassey's solicitor, to consen
i‘ 4?) enlargement of the time for the completion o
e, first contract, which the trustees refuse to give
ur.eause the contractors have done no work but that fo
. 1 which they have been paid by the Crown and the owner
~ of the north reserve. He then called upon the trustee
• 1 under the terms of the second contract, to apply to Pelagic
i
ment for a bill to appoint an arbitration who hall decid
-1 whether or not the contractors are entitled.% ask for a
a-
extension of the time of the §ecoud contract, whicli the

,re agreed to. In the meantime, virtually the works are
stopped; a few men are still ,employed on the dam,
and the trustees have contracts for the completion of the
docks; but which, iu effect, the contractors refuse to
proceed with. That, continued Mr. Curry, was their
position. He could hardly trust himself to enlarge on
the question, for, from the unbounded confidence that the
trustees, in common with the world, had had in the con-
tractors, they did not for a moment suppose that there
would have been any let or hindrance, in carrying on, in
the most prompt and vigorous manner, the contract which
these gentlemen had entered into ; but that a decided dis-
position to stand still exhibited itself now, and had
exhibited itself for many weeks past, was patent to them
all. They were, perhaps, aware of the immense magnitude
of the contract, and of the time in which those contracts
were to have been completed, and nothing had been done
up to the present time at these docks but what had been
paid for, and perhaps more than paid for, by the money
that was advanced at once. He was sorry to be obliged to
give the board so unsatisfactory an account, but at the
same time he was not sorry that they had called on one
of the trustees to make such a report, as he believed the
public mind had been under the impression that they had
no contract, and that such undeniable security as Messrs.
Feto and Betts was simply fabulous. But that such con-
tracts did exist, and could not under any circumstances
be broken through, he could assure them, and, as he had
already said, the trustees had given notice to all the
parties concerned, that they meant to enforce them.
Mr. COOK, as a dock trustee, said that, after the clear
statement made by Mr. Curry, there was scarcely anything-
left for him to say. It was' stated out of doors that the
contracts were not good ones ; but the contracts stipulated
distinctly that the dock works should be completed int
three years. He had attended all the meetings of the dock
trust, and he could speak of the great anxiety which all the
trustees had manifested to have those works executed, and
no greater disappointment could be expressed by any body
of men when they found that the works werenot progress-
ing. As an individual interested in the welfare of the
township, he must say that, when those contracts were
signed and sealed, he placed every reliance on the con-
tractors that they would fulfil their engagements. No-
thing, however, was left them but their blank paper, and
he-was afraid that to enforce the contracts they would have
to go to law. They eould do nothing in the matter until
the three years were expired, although the law-clerk
thought differently. The contractors, they might rest
assured, should-not be spared. It was a painful position
in which they were placed, and he felt it in, pocket in com-
mon with all the tradesmen of Birkenhead.
Mr. HENDERSON.—The most tender place to feel it.

Mr. COOK said that it was some consolation to know that
the contracts were binding: and there was no doubt but
that they would be enforced.
Mr. CURRY remarked that what was wanted here was a
wholesome rivalry, as in London, and that was what the
shipowners and others interested in Liverpool were looking
for. Nothing worse could take place to the shipowners of
Liverpool than to have the Liverpool docks and the Bir-
kenhead Docks under one trust.

Mr. ASPINALL.—I wishsome of the shipowners of Liver-
pool would come over and lend us money to finish the
docks.

Mr. CURRY said that the contractors, if they were not
pleased with the terms, ought to have made the objection
before the signing. of the contracts, and not now, when a
year and a half of the time had expired.
Mr. GOUGH remarked that if they sold the docks to the
contractors, they would be soon finished.
Mr. CURRY said that the contracts should be enforced.
The discussion then terminated.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.
♦

BETTING AT MANCHESTER

.-FEIDAT

Steeple-chasing now being nearly a dead letter in the
sporting world, more than usual attention at this time of
the year is paid to the Chester Cup betting; and perhaps
upon that event there never was a greater number of small
books open, the amounts of which are generally £2OO,
layers of odds being thoroughly convinced, from past ex-
perience, that large books are unmanageable at 100 to 1,
which is the current offer against any horse not previously
laid against. The difficulty which generally attends the
making of large books upon the Chester Cup at 100 to 1,
is being unable to lay the full amount against a sufficient
number of horses, thereby compelling the bookmaker to
stand to lose upon those horses that have figured most
conspicuously in the market. A great number of horses,
likely and unlikely, have already been laid against at 100-
to 1; but as the majority have been backed for what is
termed in racing phraseology " a frisk," a list of the
whole of their names would be altogether superfluous, and
no guide to our sporting readers in. their speculations upon
that event. Very littly doing on the Derby, Oulston and
Frederick being the only horses backed, An even " pony"
was laid on Bonnie Morn, Dirk Hatteraick, Lord of the
Isles, and St. Hubert, for the Two Thousand Guineas
Stakes, the backer of the four offering to give money to
have the bet repealed. 6to 1 was offered on the field for
the Shrewsbury Handicap, and there were offers to bet S
to 1 bar Pantomime. Latest prices :

CHESTER- CUT:
100 to 1 agst Mr. T. Parr's Rabgill—taken.
100 to 1 „ Mr. Wray's D. o.—taken.
100 to 1 „ Mr. J. Osborne's Lord Alfred—taken.
100 to 1 „ Mr. J. Osborne's Lady Tatton—taken.
100 to 1 „ Mr. G. Payne's Syvagee—taken.
100 to 1 „ Mr. H. Hill's Doctor O'Toole—taken.
100 to 1 „ Mr. H. Hill's Kingstown—taken.
100 to 1 „ Mr. F. Knowles's Talfourd—taken.
100 to 1 „ Mr. Copperthwaite's Early Bird—taken.
100 to 1 „ Mr. Harrison's Heapy—taken.

TILE DERBY

17 to 1 agst Mr. Howard's Oulston—(taken.)
40 to 1 „ Mr. Gulliver's Frederick—(taken.)

LIVERPOOL AUTUMN MEETING,

This meeting, which took place on Tuesday and
Wednesday last, proved a decided failure as to attendance,
although the races were contested by numerous fields, and,
from the meagre attendance on the stands, would hare
been a decided loss to the lessee, but for the large sum which
was realised by the sale of the winners of the selling races.
The advanced season of the year, with the present de-
pressed state of sporting matters, from so many supporters
of the turf being absent at the seat of war, renders it pro-
bable that this meeting will have to be discontinued.

IVEDNEgDAY, NOVEMBER 7.

The TYRO HANDICAP, of 5 sous. each, with 40 added..
Mr. Parr's Benhams, by Van Tromp.. Marlow 1
Mr. Dobson's- fby Pyrrhus the First. Charlton 2

Four others ran. Won by a head.
The SEFTON AtTTIMN HANDICAP, of 5 sous. each, with

200 added. One mile and three quarters.
Mr. Barton's Gem, 3 yrs, 6st 21b...Withington 1
Mr. Milner's Grapeshot, 4 yrs, Bst 11b.Ashmall 2
Alonzo, Boddicot, Maid of Team Valley, Merry Bird,
Braxey, Ethelwolf, Domino, Bracken, Ulster, Kidnapper,
Maid of the Tees, General Breezo, The Medal, Timotheus,
and Morning Star also ran. Won by a length.
A HANDICAP PLATE, of 60 sovs., for all ages. T.Y.C.
Mr. E.. Gill's Bourgeois, Bst 71b Charlton 1
Count Batthyany's Speed the Plough Aldcroft 2
Nine others ran. Won by a length.
The Cnoxrx WELTER CUP, of 50 sovs. 1} mile_
Mr. Moseley's Alonzo, list 81b Tasker 1
Mr. Saxon's Hazelnut, lOst 91b ......Clements 2
Seven others started. Won by a length.
A SELLING STE EPLE-CITASE, of 5 sovs. each, with 30 added.
Mr. Fowler's Augean, 10st 111 b J. Fields 1
Mr: Fennelly's Captain Grant, lOst 71b ...Dea 2
Mr; Benson's Jemmy the Black Dickson 3
Won easily by twenty lengths.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8.

SELLING STAKES, of 5 sovs. each, with 20 added.
Mr. Baker's Miss Allen, 3 yrs Chillman 1
Mr.. Fenning's Tonic, 6 yrs Charlton 2.
Four others ran. Won by a head.
The• AIXTREE PLATE, of 60 sovs., for all ages. T.Y.C.
Mr. Spence's Catherine Parr, Est 101b.Ashmall 1
Mr- Bancroft's Sister of Mercy, Est 41b... Percy 2
Five• others started. Won easily by a length.
The•LIvERPUOL AUTUMN HANDICAP STEEPLE.CILLSE, of
100,sovs., added to a sweepstakes of 5 sovs. each. 3 miles..
Mr. W. K. Walker's Rosa, Bst 121 b. W. White 1
Mr. B. Land's Needwood, list 41b Geeen 2
Lincoln, Tom of Tuam, and Speculation also ran. Rosa
took thelead at the last flight of hurdles, and won by
forty lengths.
OPTIONAL SELLING STAKES, of 5 .sovs. each, 30 added.
Mr. J. Scott's fby lago—Confusionee .Hayhoe 1
Mr. Sworder's Merry Peal Palmer
Five others ran. Won easily by a length and a half.
The SCURRY HANDICAP, of 6 sovs. each, with 20 added.
Mr. E. Gill's Bourgeois, 4 yrs, 9st ...Charlton 1
Mr. Fenning's Tonic, 6 yrs, 8s: 41b ...Alderoft 2
Four others started. Won easily, by a length.,

Mr. Ewbank has purchased Mr. John. Scott's two year
old filly by lago out of Confusicnee, for 215. guineas.
Seherz, Thor, and Georgey have arrived at W. Smith's.
stables, Newmarket, to be trained for their engagements..
The retirement of Lord Exeter from the turf is only
temporary, as his lordship does not intend to part with.
Stockwell, pr any of the breed mares ; ill the meantime,
the stables have been let to Harlock, who intends to con-
tinue in business as a public trainer,

THE CHASE

The CIIESZIPIE HOUNDS will meet
This Day, 14th
Thursday, 16th
Friday, 17th

Wrenbnry
Cholmondeley
Ravensmoor Windmill
Each day at half-past ten o'clock.

Sir
To-morrowaVtli
Friday, l'ith:
Saturday, 18th W. WYNN'S HOUNDS will meet
Each day at half-past ten o'clock.Aele Boretton
Acton ReyorltoalHall
The NORTH STAPPORDSHIRE HOUNDS will meet
This. Day, 14th
Saturday, 18th „, ..... . .............. Doddington
Each day at half-past ten•O'Cioci.
The SHROPSHIRE HOVNIM (Mr. E. Corbet's) will meet
This Day, 14th .. ..... .... Bicton Heath, at half-p asleve t ten
Friday, 17th At ham B ridge, at e

The LUDLOW 0017NDS (Mr. Sitwell's) will meet
This Day, 14th Combe Wood
Friday, 17th Staunton Lacey
Each day at half-past ten o'clock.

j PoET LAUREATE is said to ix

spied in the

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,e on the battle of the Alma

1 com—position of an (

a. ILE-FIELD is celebrated in
but little is said of the courage exhibitecl
scientific investigation, though often display-
lig more real bravery than ever was called into action in
-ar. It is said that when Arago and Dulong were em-
red by the French Government to make experiments
the subject of tll::e.co7ltxtru. ctThioneabnudis.satifnetgyooff
boilerssteam
`l,O task executed by the two philosophers was one

COURA.GB IN

history apel son

,cu they were exposed in a limited locality
•dous than that of shells upon a battle-field
av officers who assisted them—men of tri

pavans proceeded c

,s, and to

1e lobserve the temperate
, at the oplocling point