Open [36.0 MB]

LIFE OF CHARLES HALIDAY.
his knowledge, not merely of the concerns of the Bank, but
of currency and trade. I may here mention that he told
rue on one occasion that the object of Sir Robert Peel's
Bank Act (in his opinion) making gold the common currency,
was that the Government, in case of a foreign war, might
find it in the country, and keep it for Government use
by an Act rendering paper notes a good tender, instead
of having to buy it. abroad at heavy cost.
But, whilst Mr. Haliday paid such close attention to his Ballast Board
o\vn affairs and to all those public institutions he was con-
nected with, there was one which interested him beyond
all others and that was the Ballast Board, afterwards named
the Corporation for Preserving and Improving the Port of
Dublin. The history of this Corporation will be found set
forth in detail in Charles Haliday 's Essay, entitled, Obser-
servations Explanatory of Sir Bernard de Gomme's Map,
showing the state of the Harbour and River at Dublin in
the year 1 673.
Mr. Haliday became a member of this Board in the year
1833, and ior thirty years and upwards, that is to say till
the time of his death in 1866, he constantly attended the
meetings
of the Board and interested himself in all that
concerned it.
He made himself familiar with the many Acts of Parlia- attacked by
ment regulating its proceedings, and as he was certainly one
ofthe best instructed members utV.i e Board, his advice was much
sought for and regarded. In the year 1848, with the consent of
the Board, he undertook the defence of their jurisdiction over
the lighthousesof Ireland, against the report made by Captain
Washington, R.N., one of the Tidal Harbour Commissioners,
which recommended that the management of the Irish
lighthouses and their funds should be transferred to a central
board to be established in London. Captain Washington
in his report to the Harbour Department of the Admiialty,
dated 10th of November, 184-7, charged the Ballast Board
with two omissions ; one, that they had failed to improve