The Sun. — London, England, 1848-07-19 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT ROUSE OF LORDS, July 18. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Wool sack at Five o'clock. EDUCATION. Lord BROUGHAM presented a petition from Pres ton praying for the extension of education. FRIENDLY SOCIETIES. Lord BEAUMONT presented petitions from various lodges praying for the legalization of their societies. THE ECCLESIASTICAL COURTS. Lord CAMPBELL presented a petition from a per son named Dugdale complaining of the abuses in these courts. BIRTHS, DEATHS, AND MARRIAGES REGIS TRATION BILL (SCOTLAND). Lord CAMPBELL moved the Committal of this Bill. The Bill consequently passed through Committee. DISEASED SHEEP. The Duke of RICHMOND, in moving, according to the notice which he had given on Monday, for a re turn of the number of sheep, and the quantity of wool imported into the United Kingdom in the year 1847, and asking what precautionary measures had been taken by her Majesty's Government with respect to the conta gious disease in sheep, supposed to be of the nature of small-pox, said that the excuse for the last tariff which had been passed was, that the people of England should have their mutton cheap. Well, it was true they had brought in foreign sheep, but with them they had brought in a disease that would destroy more English sheep than the whole number of foreign they were importing. It was the duty of the Government to send over some medical man to Germany, to study the disease, and make himself acquainted with the remedies employed to cure it. Custom-house officers knew nothing of sheep ; they could not tell a diseased sheep from a sound one, and the disease was dormant sometimes for a fortnight after the sheep were landed. He there fore thought the Government should either prohibit the importation of sheep for a time, or should take mea sures to enable the veterinary surgeons of this country to make themselves acquainted with the curative mea sures to be adopted for the cure of this disease. The Noble Duke concluded by moving for a return of the number of sheep and cattle imported since the alteration in the tariff. Tho Marquis of LA.NSDOWNE was not called upon to argue the merits of Sir Robert Peel's tariff, for which he had voted, and of which he approved. He felt obliged to his Noble Friend for having drawn the atten tion of the House to the existence of this disease in sheep, because it was of importance that farmers should be put upon their guard against it, affecting, as it did, one of the great staples of the country. It was only during the present year that it had given any just cause of alarm. Instructions had been given to examine the sheep that were landed, and in only one instance had it been discovered that disease existed ; but he was sorry to say that it had broken out in sheep after they had landed, and had infected sheep in this country. In structions had been issued to the officers of Customs to keep the whole cargo of sheep in quarantine, in every casel in which there was reason to suppose that disease existed in any one sheep of that cargo, and those officers were to be assisted by veterinary surgeons in forming their judgment. After a few words from Lord BROUGHAM, the subject then dropped. BOARD OF TRADE RETURNS. Earl GRANVILLE gave an explanation of the cir circumstances respecting the distribution to the news papers of the Board of Trade Returns. Lord BROUGHAM stated that it was his opinion that the explanation of the Noble Lord was perfectly satisfactory. ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE BILL. Lord CAMPBELL moved that their Lordships should go into Committee on this Bill, and stated that it was his intention to propose in Committee that certain amend ments should be printed with the report. Their Lordships then went into Committee, and the clauses, with the amendments, having been agreed to, their Lordships resumed, and the Chairman reported progress. THE LAW OF BANKRUPTCY. Lord WHARNCLIFFE said he rose to present a petition, of which he had given notice, relative to the laws of bankruptcy and insolvency, and in doing so he felt called upon to trespass on the attention of the House for a short time, while ho made some observations on the contents of the petition. He regretted that the matter had not fallen into better hands, and more especially into those of his lamented Friend Lord Ash burton, whose long connexion with the commercial world, and whose great sagacity on all matters connected with commerce, entitled his opinion to peculiar attention. As, however, the petition had fallen into his hands, he would shortly endeavour to describe the contents of it. This petition was entitled to peculiar weight, signed as it was by upwards of 300 of the most eminent merchants, bankers, and traders in the metropolis, and they came to that House to ask for an amendment of the law in a mat ter which peculiarly affected them. After stating that it was the peculiar duty of the State to maintain credit in its integrity, and effectually to discourage and punish its fraudulent and wilful abuse, they add—" That cam mercial credit, so far from being sustained by the laws is, on the contrary, almost wholly unsupported by them ; and that dependence oa the mercantile honour of the country, which has contributed so much to its greatness, is, from a defective system of legislation, almost extinct." On this matter the petitioners were more likely to be acquainted than any other class, and after their exten sive and long experience of the law they had no hesita tation in saying, that they affect the mercantile honour of the country. If that was the case under the present system of the law, and if the effects of its operation were such as in any degree to justify such observations as these, surely it was a matter which required the atten tion of the House. The petition originated in the earnest desire of the mercantile classes to attract the attention of the Legislature to the subject, and its allegations were founded on resolutions agreed to at various public meetings held during the present and previous years. The petitioners state— " That at a public meeting of merchants, bankers, and traders of the metropolis, held in the month of February in the year 1847, it was unanimously resolved, that the existing bankruptcy and insolvency laws were a disgrace to this commercial age and country ; that under their shelter, deceit, reckless trading, extravagance, disho nesty, and every species of fraud might be practised with impunity ; the debtor was demoralized, and the creditor unprotected; that this impunity was steadily and surely undermining the commercial morality of the country; that it was unjust in reference to society in general, and to the industrious classes in particular ; that under this protection, a profligate dealer, atter destroying the fair trade of a district, and ruining all in his neighbourhood, might, in effect, recommence business and repeat his course in another or even in the same district, with scarcely a possibility of . his reckless career being stopped by the arm of Justice, or of any punishment being inflicted upon him for the ruin he had entailed upon others. That the opinion then expressed has been unhappily strengthened by the numerous and disastrous failures which have since occurred, and which are m a i n ly a t tr ib u t a bl e , as your petitioners confidently assert, t o t h e a b sence o f a d equate and certain punishment for reckl e s s and fraud u l en t traders." He had in his possession certain returns as to the extent of bankruptcy, and also as to the amount of dividends; he, however, would not go into them at length, but would merely refer to one or two matters connected with them. He had before him a li st o f f orty - e i g h t consecutive cases of . bankruptcy, whi c h h a d b een g i ven by one of the Commissioners of Bankruptcy, in a pam phlet which he had published as to the cost of bank ruptcy. In these forty-eight cases, the amount of the debts due to the bankrupt was 154,5571., and of these the total amount collected was 41,826/ . B efore this su m could be divided amongst the creditors, man deductions had t o be made, such for instance as prefer): ence debts, the expenses of going before the Court, the solicitor's bill, the fees to the official assignees, and other charges. When these deductions were made from the 41,8.261., not more tha n 23,1381. was left to be di v id e d among t h e creditors; that was giving them about 31g. in t the pound. lie had been assured that cases. the He these cases might bewould be taken . as a f , tir spe cimen of n take the year 1844, which he was informed was favour able year, when he fou nd the total amount of dividends paid in the Bankruptcy Court . was 1,213,0001. &e -posing this to represent -J. n in the pound, it w ou ld give 8,083,000/. as the amount of debt, and 6,870,0001. luso vency as the amount of the loss. Under tiliTeehehaaddof seenl the loss was much greater. calculations as to the gross amount of bad debts e yearly contracted in this great mercantile country,_ one of which stated that the amount wa s not less than 65,000,0002, while another said that the loss was not less than 49,000,000/. On this point the petitioners state—. " That the annual loss sustained by the country . ft. bad debts has been under-estimated at fifty. mill.io= n sterling. That this vast amount is exclusive of the s serious injury to the industrious classes by the reduc tion of wages, resulting from the system of selling at a loss, practised by dishonest dealers, who trust to the protection and exemption from punishment now afforded them. That the present laws appear to have been enacted for the purpose of dealing with insol vency after it has taken place, and not with the view to prevent that course of trading which leads 113 it--11 principle of legislation which your petitioners consider of vital importance to the safety of commerce." After this he was sure that their Lordships must admit . that this was a matter which required the serious con sideration of the Legislature. Some years ago there was a strong feeling in favour of an alteration of the law of debtor and creditor, and P ar li amen t app li e d it se lf t o the subject, and applied, as it was thought at the time, some appropriate remedies. He thought, after the ex perience of the last few years, he m i g h t ex p ress a d ou bt as to whether Parliament had taken the proper course. He did not think that the change which gave an advan tage to the debtor was at all mor e a d vantageous t h an the old law, which gave the advant age t o t h e cre di tor.— (Hear.) The petitioners said—" That your petitio n e rs h a ve long entertained the opinion that wher e inso l vency has arisen from wilful misconduct or extrava gance, or where debts have been contracted in fraud, dishonesty, or without the reasonable expectation of ability to pay them, the debtor should be subjected to punishment for the injury he has inflicted upon society, ny imprisonment in the common gaol; they ther e f ore hailed with satisfaction the recognition of this principle in the County Courts Act, and are most desirous of its extension to debts of larger amount. That, notwith standing certain acts of fraud committed by bankrupts are by law punishable as felonies or misdemeanours, yet the difficulties and obstacles in the way of conviction are such as almost entirely to deter creditors from their prosecution. That your petitioners are of ()pawn that upon nonpayment of his demand, the creditor ought to have every possible facility of obtaining an im mediate distribution of his debtor's property, without the risk of further loss by its being made away with. That the evils which the trading community have THE SUN, LONDON, suffered by the abolition, in the year 1838, of arrest for debt on mesne process, have convinced them that process against the person in the first instance is a remedy which ought to be again accorded, but accom panied with precautions against misuse, and with in ducements to the debtor to surrender himself to the Court of Bankruptcy. That it is the opinion of your petitioners that all creditors whose debts shall have been proved, and also the assignees, for the whole amount of the bankrupt's debts, should have the rights of judgment creditors against his person. That the Court should have discretionary power to refuse, suspend, or withdraw its protection, now granted as of course to the bankrupt upon his surrender to the fiat ;land that such protection should be absolutely refused or withdrawn whenever the debtor shall fail to show that his bankruptcy has arisen otherwise than from fraud, gambling, wilful misconduct or extravagance, or in case of concealment of, or making away with, his property or books, contracting debts with out reasonable expectation of ability to pay them, or of his commission of any offences now punishable as felo nies or misdemeanours. That in!the event of the bank rupt being taken in execution after having been thus declared unworthy of protection, he should not be entitled to his release for three years (the maximum pe riod of remand possessed by the Insolvent Debtors' Court), except by order of the Commissioner by whom his protection should have been withdrawn. That trad ing by uncertificated bankrupts should be punished by severe penalties. That the fees now paid to the Court of Bankruptcy, and which press most heavily upon small estates, should be reduced. That the fiat, which your petitioners deem an unnecessary source of delay, trouble, and expense (and which was declared to be so in the report of the Parliamentary Commissioners made in the year 1840), should be abolished. That the remu neration to the official assignees throughout the country should be upon one scale, to be declared by Parlia ment; and, as a great preventive of fraud, that they should prepare the bankrupt's balance-sheet. That upon the deaths of traders, and in default of appoint-. ment of executors or administrators, the Court of Bank ruptcy should be empowered, after proper notice, to distribute the effects of the deceased. That where com positions and other arrangements between debtors and their creditors cannot be otherwise carried through, the concurrence of three-fourths in number and value of the creditors (above 11.) should be binding upon the re mainder, provided the arrangement be effected with the sanction of the Court of Bankruptcy ; and that an efficient registration of all such deeds, as well as of bills of sale and mortgages to creditors, should be kept. That full annual returns should be made to Parliament under every bankruptcy, of the amount of the debts and liabilities, the available assets and dividends, and other particulars. That a consolidation of the numerous statutes relating to bankruptcy is most desirable." The petitioners then stateed:—" That your petitioners under stand that the propriety of the union of the laws of bankruptcy and insolvency is now under consideration : they beg to submit their opinion as favourable to such a measure, and to the removal of the distinctions which now prevail between the trader and the non trader, and between the protections respectively granted by these Courts—provided due and certain punishment be insured to the fraudulent, dishonest, and extravagant: at the same time, from the experience which your petitioners have had of the serious inconve niences resulting from the administration of cases of in solvency, where the debts are of small amount, in the Court of Bankruptcy, they deem it most desirable that this class of cases should be kept altogether separate from those of greater importance. That your peti tioners, in asking for those improvements, declare it to be their opinion that the operation of the law of bank ruptcy ought to be such as to provide the greatest facili ties for the early distribution of the bankrupt's pro perty: that while it offers, on the one hand, a boon to the honest and unfortunate debtor in releasing him from the obligations he has volun tarily incurred, it should, on the other hand, make it incumbent upon him to prove, as a pre liminary condition for obtaining that discharge at the expense of his unfortunate creditors, that his previous conduct and course of dealing had been such as to en title him to it ; failing which, he should be subjected to punishment suitable to the wrong he has committed. Your petitioners consider the above amendments in the law of debtor and creditor to be absolutely necessary in order to secure this country against the recurrence of mercantile panics, which they believe mainly to arise from the impunity attendant upon reckless trading and the consequent loss of confidence amongst the trading classes ; and that this impunity will render abortive all endeavours by the Legislature to give stability to the currency, to protect trade from violent fluctuations, similar to those which occurred in the years 1825, 1836, 1841, and 1847 ; and will ultimately effect the destruction of the middle and industrious classes." He believed that he had now stated the contents of the petition he was about to lay on the table. He believed himself, and he trusted the House concurred with him in opinion, that this was a subject most deserving the atten tion of the Legislature, and that nothing could be more desirable in a great commercial country like this, than that the law of debtor and creditor should be placed on a sound and effective footing, and that this should be done not only for the protection of commerce, but with regard to the moral character and conduct of the corn munity. Lord BROUGHAM thought that this petition should be received with the greatest respect, and that it should be taken into speedy and serious consideration, both as to alleged matters of fact, and as to the opinions ex pressed on points of law, although it contained some recommendations to which he was not prepared to ac cede. In consequence of the changes recently effected in the law of bankruptcy, no less a sum than 2,400,0001. had been distributed, which had been lost sizht of under the evils of the previous system, and in many cases 20s. in the pound had been paid, and commissions had been superseded. There had, in fact, been introduced almost a new code of bankruptcy and in solvency. The mercantile law with regard to debtor and creditor had undergone so great a change within the last sixty years, that if Lord Mansfield were now to rise from the grave, he would hardly know that he was in the same country. The new law was, however, like all human legislation, to a certain extent experimental, and different opinions prevailed as to the success with which the experiment had been attended. Some persons thought the new law perfect, which was not in the nature of human legislation. He (Lord Brougham) held that it was more perfect than the old one; that it had done a great deal of good; and that it came as near perfection as any reasonable man could expect. He agreed with his Noble Friend, that it was desirable that the petition should be referred to a Committee. Aftera few words from the LORD CHANCELLOR, which were totally inaudible in the gallery, it was ordered that the petition should be laid on the table, and referred to a Committee. Their Lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS, July is. HIGHWAYS BILL. (Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.) Mr. BROTHERTON thought this Bill a great im provement upon the present system. The measure was simple, and not expensive, and he trusted the House would allow it to proceed, as he had no doubt it would be acceptable to the country generally. Mr. BUCK supported the amendment, considering the Bill highly objectionable. This measure, like all that were introduced into that House, added to the burdens of the agricultural interest. He trusted that his Hon. Friend the Member for Oxford would persevere in his amendment. After a few words from Mr. Davies, Mr. C. Lewis, Sir J. Duckworth, Mr. Slaney, Mr. R. Spooner, and Mr. Ormsby Gore, Strangers were ordered to withdraw, and the House divided, when there appeared — For going into Committee BB Against it 34 Majority for goinc , into Committee —54 The House then resolved itself into Committe on the Bill. The preamble and clause were postponed. Clause 2 (the interpretation clause) was then pro posed and agreed to, with a slight amendment. On clause 3 being proposed, Capt. PECHELL proposed after the words " Knights of the shire," to insert the words " the Members for the several boroughs." Sir J. TROLLOPE opposed the amendment on the ground that the majority of Members for the different boroughs had very little connexion with the localities which they represented. After a short discussion, the Honourable and Gallant Member consented to postpone his amendment. Mr. GREENE proposed that the words in the clause appointing the Lord-Lieutenant, and Deputy-Lieutenant, and the Members for the county ex-officio members of the county board, should be struck out. After a. long desultory discussion, the amendment was agreed to. The CHAIRMAN then reported progress, and ob tained leave to sit again. MESSAGE FROM THE LORDS. The House was informed that the Lords have agreed to the following Bills: —County Cess (Ireland)—Newry Navigation (Amendment of Acts), without amendment— Plymouth Great Western D oc k Act Amendment, with an amendment—Middle Level Drainage Acts Amend ment—Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Railway (Humber Ferries Improvement at Hull and New Hol land, &c.) —Chester and Holyhead Railway (Power to P urchase, &c.), withamendments. The House then adjourned to Five o'clock. j The House resumed at Five o'clock, when an Hon. Member observed that he did not think there were f orty Members present. Strangers were then ordered to withdraw, and there being only thirty-one Members, the Speaker adjourned the House till Twelve o'clock to-morrow (this day). ------ THE " COUNT OUT" LAST NIGHT. The following Members were present when the House was counted out on Lord G. Bentinck's motion: — Lord G. Bentinck Mr. Frewen Mr. Robinson Mr. Clive Dr. Bowring Mr. Sturt Mr. J. Haywood Mr. Pilkington Mr. F. Maule Mr. Wodchouse Mr. Wakley Mr. Godson Mr. J. A. Smith Mr. Pattison Mr. Kershaw ' Mr. Rice Mr. Jackson Sir R. Ferguson Mr. G. Thompson Mr. Hamilton Lord Lincoln Mr. H. Russell Mr. W. E. Gladstone Mr. Wrightson Mr. P. Wood Mr. Moffatt Lord R. Grosvenor Mr. Boyle Mr. Brotherton Mr. Packo 1 Mr. Thornely The pitmen at Monkwearmouth colliery are now on a strike in consequence of the owners having re solred to make a reduction in their wages. PARLIAMENTARY DIVISIONS. (From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commons.) TUESDAY, JUSTY IS. HIGHWAYS BILL. Order for Committee read ; Motion made, and Question proposed, " That Mr. Speaker do now leave the Chair." Amendment proposed, to leave out from the word " That" to the end of the Question, in order to add the words " this House will, upon this day six months, resolve itself into the said Committee," instead thereof :—Question put, " That the words proposed to be left out stand part of the Question." The House divided : MAJORITY-AYES, 88. Abdy, T. N. Fertescue, Chichester Parker, John Adair, R. Shafto Freestun, Colonel Perfect, R. Alcock, Thomas Greene, Thomas Pinney, W. Armstrong, R. B. Grenfel , Charles W. Pusey, P. Barrington, Viscount llaggitt, F. R. Ricardo, Osman Bernal, Ralph Hardcastle, J. A. Rice, E. R. Bowring, Dr. Haste, Alexander Rich, Henry Boyle, Colonel Hawes, Benjamin Russell, F. C. Brotherton, J. hay, Lord J. Seyiner, 11. K. Brown, W. Hay - ter, W. G. Sheil, R. L. Browne, R. D. Heathcote, Sir W. Shelburne, Earl of Buxton, sir E. Hobhouse, Sir John Sheridan, R. it. Campbell, W. F. Hobhouse, T. B. Simeon, John Cavendish, G. H. Hood, Sir A. Slaney, R. A. Childers, J. W. Howard, P. H. Thicknesse, R. A. Christopher, It. Ingestre, Viscount Thompson, Colonel Clifford, Henry M. Jolliffe, Sir W. H. Townley, R. (I. Compton, 11. C. Kershaw, James Trollope, Sir J. Davie, Sir Henry Langston, J. H. Tynte, Colonel Deedes, W. Lascelles, E. Verney Sir H. Drumlanrig, Vis. Lascelles, W. S. Villiers, Viscount Drummond, Henry Lewis, G. C. Villiers, F. W. Duckworth, Sir J. M`Cullagh, W. T. Wawn, J T. Duncan, George Ma:heson, Colonel Wilson, Matthew Duncuft, John Milner, W. M. Wood, Sir Charles Dundas, Sir D. 3lotratt, George Wyvill, Marmaduke Elliot, John E. Moody, C. A. Emlyn, Viscount Morison, Sir W. E wart, William Morris, David Foley, J. 11. Nugent, sir Percy Forster, Matthew Paget, Lord Clarence TELLERS. Tufnell, Henry Hill, Lord Marcus MINORITY—NOES, 34. Arkwright, G. Farnham, E. B. Newdegate, N. liatesoi;, T. Floyer, John Palmer, Robert Bentinck, Lord G. Frewen, C. H. Pechell, Captain Bentinck, Lord H. Fuller, A. E. Pigott, Francis Beresford, William Galway, Viscount Pugh, David lioldero, Henry Gore, W. R. 0. Staffsrd, Augustus Bremridge, Richard Gwyn, Bowel Waddington, H. S. Buck, L. W. Heald, James Willoughby, Sir B. Carew4W. P. Heathcote, G. J. Coles, Henry B. Hodges, T. L. TELLERS. Cubittt, William Hudson, G. Henley, J. W. - Davies, D. A. Keogh, William Spooner, Richard ligerton, W. T. Manners, Lord C. ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE. WESTERN ClRCUlT.—Winchester, July 17. (Before Mr. Justice COLERIDGE.) Edwin Turner and Henry Turner were indicted for unlawfully and maliciously setting fire to a stable be longing to one Henry Holloway, with intent thereby to injure the said Henry Holloway. Mr. Missing prosecuted, and Mr. C. Saunders defended the prisoner. The principal witness for the prosecution was a girl named Mary Ann Amos, the daughter of a dairyman in the service of Lord Palmerston, and who resides within his Lordship's grounds at Oatlands, near Romsey, in the county of Southampton. The witness swore that she resided with her father, and that her duty was to milk the cows and attend to the dairy. On the night of Sunday, the sth of March, or rather at one o'clock on the following morning, she was out by herself in the streets of Romsey, when a policeman named Hammond came and spoke to her, and told her to go home. She thereupon moved towards her home, and when she got to a bridge which she had to pass on the way, she loitered about there for a considerable time ; at length the policeman came up to the bridge, where he reproved her for not having gone home, and advised her to go at once. At some little distance from the bridge, and nearly opposite the lodge gate leading into Lord Palmerston's grounds, is an inn called the Fox, kept by Holloway, and to which is attached the stable in question. When being spoken to by the policeman on the bridge, the girl said that she had seen some one lighting some lucifer matches and placing them under the thatch of the stable. The policeman told her that he did not believe her, and desired her to go home. She then went to the lodge gate, let herself in with a key which she had, and went home; but whilst she was at the gate she again saw two men, whom she swore to be the prisoners at the bar, setting fire to the stable with lucifer matches. She knew the prisoners at the bar; trey were both dressed in smock frocks. Cross-examined by Mr. SAUNDERS —I was not out at this time of night on my father's business. I decline to say whether I was out with his consent. He knew I was out. I was not dressed in this fine dress then. I was never out so late before. I decline to say for what purpose I was out. I let myself into the grounds with a key which I had. I decline to say how I got the key. I have said all which I mean to say. Hammond, the policeman, to considerable extent con firmed the evidence of Mary Ann Amos, but it appeared from his evidence that although he told her that he did not believe her when she told him that she had seen some one placing matches under the thatch of the stable, he forthwith went to the Fox and examined the premises, without discovering anything suspicious at that time. It farther appeared from toe evidence for the prosecu tion that the fire broke out about half-past two o'clock. Mr. SAUNDERS in his address to the jury contended that the young woman was entirely unworthy of credit; and that she could not have spoken the truth, as the po liceman must have been examining the premises about the time when, according to her evidence, the second act of incendiarism was committed. He also called evidence to show that Edwin Turner was in bed before one o'clock, and that he had not a smock-frock on that night. It further appeared, from witnesses who had known them many years, that the prisoners had borne good charac ters as amiable and kind-hearted men. They were the sons of a man who had been one of Lord Palmerston's gamekeepers for nearly twenty-nine years, and Edwin had for some years been an assistant gamekeeper under his father. The jury immediately acquitted the prisoners. Nothing of the slightest interest has occurred in the other court, where they have been occupied ell day in trying a case against the Southampton and Dorchester Railway Company for having diverted water from the premises of a Mrs. Pilgrim at Southampton and other wise injured her property there. NORFOLK ClRCUlT.—Bedford, July 18. CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Justice MAULE.) Robert Fenn was indicted for having, on the Ist of April last, set fire to two stacks of straw, the property of George Thompson, at Sundon. Mr. Prendergast conducted the case for the prosecu tion; the prisoner was undefended. From the evidence it appeared that about two o'clock in the morning of the let of April, two ricks in the pro secutor's strawy and were discovered to be on fire. The prisoner, who was in the prosecutor's service, was found at the spot without his hat by some of the persons who went to the fire, and after wards went away. A witness whom he met as he went home, observed that he looked very dejected; and to another person with whom he had some conversation respecting the fire, he made some observations which were construed to signify that he was glad that some sheep had been destroyed by the flames. The words used by the prisoner, however, would more naturally bear the construction that he wished those who had caused the fire had been burnt instead of the sheep. A police constable further stated that the prisoner admitted having caused the fire. The jury found the prisoner guilty. It was then shown that the prisoner had been con victed two years ago of stealing wheat, the property of the prosecutor, in whose service he then was, and by whom he had since been taken back. The Learned JUDGE then sentenced the prisoner to be transported for ten years. The business of the assizes was brought to a close in the course of the day. NORTHERN CUI T.—York, July 17. The cause lists are not yet published. The list for the North and East Ridings, however, is said to be com pleted, and to contain about twenty causes, which is considered small as compared with the generality of for mer lists. It is probable, therefore, that there will be u small total of causes for trial, as there has been at the last two preceding assizes for the county of York. The crown calender is, on the contrary, heavy, and, including ell cases of offence, perhaps there has never before been a calendar exhibiting so large an amount of crime. There are 170 persons named, 160 of these being in custody, two charged with manslaughter, six rape, twenty-three burglary, two sacrilege, eight felo niously cutting or wounding, one arson, three horse stealing, two shooting with intent to murder or maim, one robbery, one cattle stealing, two forgery, seven coin ing, twenty-six stealing from the person, three embezzle ments, two sheep stealing, one perjury, four stealing in a dwelling house, four bigamy, three concealments of the birth of children, one sedition, and fifty-five riot, or riot accompanied by military training. CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Justice ERLE.) William Wrigglesworth, aged 36, was indicted for the offence of wilful and corrupt perjury, in having, upon his oath, falsely informed against John Foster and John Hawkins, and accused them, in his examination before justices, of the crime of larceny. Mr. Hall and Mr. Pickering appeared for the prose cution. The prisoner, a man of very decent appearance, was undefended. It appeared that Mr. Holmes, the prosecutor, who is a farmer near Sherbourne, having, on the 25th of Octo ber last, lost two balks, or chains, and two plough scathes, which had been left in one of his fields, he took the precaution to advertise those articles, and some handbills were printed and posted up, offering a reward of 51. to the person who might discover the offender. The prisoner was present when one of these bills was posted in a public-house, and he was heard to say that he knew who had committed the theft. On being told that he would receive 5/. for the information, and that he ought to tell if he knew, he said he would, and pro ceeded to st a t e , t h at i t was th e t wo men b e f ore na med, and who, on t h e 27t h , were accor di ng l y b roug h t b e f o re would Foster; edletdohim." dropth thate expression, bn eoi now had l h asked t sd h k a ae t Idl" thel e op portunity, ground for his malice against the man, he said it was about a load of teazles that he (prisoner) had bought of Foster. The statement made before the justices by the pri soner, and put into writing, was read. It contained a circumstantial account of having seen Foster and Haw kins in a field in possession of the lost property, and of Hawkins having asked him not to mention what he had thus observed. Several witnesses were called to prove the utter false hood of the prisoner's statement. The accused them selves (Foster and Hawkins) denied that they had been near the field at the time in question. They said, on the contrary, that they were at that moment about five miles oft; attending a Methodist meeting; and they were corroborated by a Mrs. Bunting, the housekeeper of Foster, by Mr. Matthew Banks, Methodist minister, and several other persons. The prisoner had said that ho had met his own brother just after seeing the alleged thieves, and spoken to him respecting a sum of money which he asserted the brother owed him. But the bro ther, on being now called for the prosecution, denied the fact of the meeting, and said that nothing of the kind had ever occurred. Verdict—Guilty. His LORDSHIP addressed to the prisoner some words of comment on the seriousness of the offence and the atrocious motive by which he had professed to have been prompted in this perjury—a crime the nature and ten dency of which called on him (Mr. Justice Erle) to make the punishment such as would be a strong example. Sentence—To be transported for seven years. MIDLAND CIRCUIT, Northampton, July 17. CIVIL SIDE. (Beforo Mr. Justice PATTESON and a Common Jury.) EDWARDS AND OTHERS (ASSIGNEES OF PETER MARTIN) V. JOHN HIGGINS. This was an action to recover the sum of 4081. on the ground of the fraudulent preference of the defendant by the bankrupt. Mr. Iluaffrey, Q.C., and Mr. Mellor, were counsel for the plaintiffs ; Mr. Whitehurst, QC., and Mr. Macau lay, conducted the defendant's case. The bankrupt, Martin, had been a corn-dealer, miller, and baker, in Bridge-street, iu this town. Some years ago he had borrowed the sum of 2001. of a Mr. Whit worth, hiving as a security a promissory note, in which his two brothers-in law, Messrs. John and Thomas Hig gins, joined. More recently the amount of the debt increased to 40N., and a fresh note, in lieu of the former, in which also the brothers-in-law joined, was given for that amount. Mr. Whitworth, to whom the bankrupt owed 1601., beyond the amount of the note and interest, became pressing for the pay ment of the note and interest, which he insisted upon having by the 25th of March. The bankrupt promised that he would see that paid, and in the months of Fe bruary and March made extensive purchases of different species of corn, from Saturday to Saturday, from nume rous farmers, saying in each case that he was short of money just then, but would pay on the following Satur day. The great bulk of the corn so acquired was imme diately sent off to Coventry and converted into money, in order, beyond doubt, to discharge the claim of Mr. Whitworth upon the note, and the bankrupt presented to the present. defendant the 4081., with a request that he would go and take it up. To this the present defendant replied, " that whatever transactions he had with him he wished him to have it through Mr. Arrowsmith, his soli citor." The money was then accordingly, by the bank rupt, given to Mr. Arrowsmith, who therewith took up the note. The duped farmers then, to the number of nearly a dozen, called upon Martin, whom they found with his friends, drinking and smoking their pipes. Martin invited them all in to have pipes also, and they went. One of them said to Martin, " Why didn't you send me back my sacks ?" To which he made answer, "I'm afraid it's not the sacks you want; I'm afraid you want the money." The farmer replied, " Yes, I do ;" and then they were all informed, " It's of no use to put off the ball ; the trap's down, and I'm done. I've got nothing." He told them also that he was obliged to pay the note, as his brothers-in-law were in for that, and that as soon as he had paid that note it was all up with him. Martin was then made a bankrupt, surrendered, and ran off to America or elsewhere. His LORDSHIP left it to the jury to say whether Mar tin paid the money by way of fraudulent preference, or honestly under the pressure of Whitworth, and to find their verdict accordingly. The jury found a verdict for the plaintiffs for the full amount sought, that is, in effect that it was a fraudulent preference. _ _ - The Counsel for the defendant had leave to move the Court above to enter a verdict for him on the ground of his non-liability under these circumstances, he never having been a creditor or received the money. July 18. CROWN COURT.—(Before Lord Chief Justice WEDNESDAY EVENING, JULY 19, 1848 The LORD MAYOR—Such is the meaning of one of the bye-laws, but many difficulties have occurred in the legal construction and application thereof; and in that dilemma we are placed with regard to the overcrowding of the vessels. The Court of Aldermen has not been in attentive to the important subject which you have so properly brought forward; and within the last few days the question - has been again introduced to the special notice of a committee. Mr. John ilotson, who stated himself to be one of the proprietors of the Fire liin steamer, here presented himself, and said it was quite impossible to keep the public out of the steam-vessels this fine weather. It appeared as if they oared nothing at all about the danger, which certainly was great, and if the authorities (lid not adopt forcible measures it would be quite out of the question to think of checking multitudes from risking their lives. That very morning presented several exhibitions in steamers which might seem calculated to deter people from crowding on board, for females lost their shawls and bonnets, and part of their dresses were torn from their backs, all occasioned by the rush to get on board. Some opinion might be formed of the public appetite for steam from the fact that one of the vessels landed 1,140 passengers. The proprietors and the persons employed in the steamers had made the most active efforts to keep the vessels within the limits of the registration, but were completely overwhelmed by the multitude. The LORD MAYOR said he had received a letter that morning from Greenwich, stating that the Fire King steamer had 1,000 persons on board on Sunday, when the machinery broke down, that the persons employed in the engine-room were drunk, and the general con sternation was dreadful in the extreme. Mr. Mason said there was no foundation for the report. He had himself seen the accurate return of passengers on board the Fire King, and the number did not exceed 753. It was true the stoker had been made drunk by some of the passengers, and it was to be regretted that the fellow had not been given into custody at Greenwich, but the statement was a gross misrepresentation. The LORD MAYOR said he believed the statement to be correct, and he referred to the following letter, to which he had just made allusion, as confirmatory of some of the material allegations:— " Surveyor of Steam-ships office, Greenwich, 17th July, 1848. " My Lord,—The crowded state of the steam-vessels on the Thames yesterday imperatively calls for some immediate regulations. " The steam-vessel, Fire King, under a new name (a very old vessel, and properly named the Prince George, according to register), to which vessel I directed your Lordship's attention a few days since, had double the number of passengers on board a vessel of her class should be allowed to carry, crowding the tops of her paddle-boxes and bridge. I counted ten persons crowded on a short bowsprit projecting beyond the stern of the vessel, and every other projecting part equally crowded. " In the confusion such a state of things occasioned in the vessel, the machinery broke down, caused, it is said, by the drunken state of those in the engine•rcom; and the cries of females and children might be heard from one side of the Thames to the other. The vessel was so deep that in this dilemma sbe could not be got alongside the pier at Greenwich, which she had reached in this distressed and dangerous state, after four hours and a half passage from Gravesend. The consequence was, that small boats were called into requisition to land the passengers, whose proper destination was Hunger ford-pier, and boats licensed to carry only eight passen gers, took in sixteen and eighteen persons, thus consti tuting another danger by the over-crowding of those boats, to the risk of life. And the only wonder is, my Lord, that if, as reported, owing to the drunken state of those in charge of the machinery, a proper supply of water was not maintained in the boiler, a much more fearful sacrifice of human life did not occur than took place when the Cricket blew up, as there were between ten and eleven hundred persons on board.—l have the honour to be, my Lord, your Lordship's most obedient humble servant, " El). SMITH, Surveyor of Steam-boats." The LORD MAYOR said he was convinced there was no foundation for the statement of the proprietors of the Fire King, that it was impossible to prevent the public from overcrowding. He believed prevention to be quite practicable, and the conduct described by Mr. Hawkins appeared to him to be a sample of the general practice of the steam-vessel commanders. It should be his study to adopt the best means of protecting the public ; but he could not forbear from expressing his apprehension that an effectual remedy was not likely to be administered until imperatively called for by the voice of some awful calamity. DiNNAN.) .7ohn, Hadley, labourer, aged 26, was indicted for a rape, in the month of June, 1846, in the parish of East Haddon, upon Lucy Hasler, a girl of 15, daughter of his wife by a former marriage. 'qr. Macaulay conducted the prosecution, and Mr. Miller appeared as counsel for the prisoner. The prosecutrix deposed that she was now nearly 18 years of age. She was delivered of a child about two months ago. Her father was dead, and about seven years ago her mother married John Hadley, the pri soner. She lived at home with them. On a day in the month of June, 1846, the prisoner asked her to go down to the garden, not saying for what, beyond working on the ground. fie then took hold of her and threw her down, and committed the offence charged, threatening to kill her if she did not submit. He said that if she told any body he would flog her. She called out, but nobody came ; and she said no more about it. lie used force and violence to her, and hurt her very much. She went home and left him i❑ the garden. Did not tell her mother, because she dared not, for fear he would beat her. The connection had taken place several times since without resistance on her part, and the child was his. She had never had connection with any other man. Had always been in fear he would beat her if she told. _ _ _ The question was, whether on the first occasion in the garden, which was at some little distance from the house, but adjoined the public road from Itaventhorpe to East Haddon, force and violence, and threats had been used ? The prosecutrix now deposed to the em ployment of all three. She had, however, gone a year ago to visit her grandmother for a week, and made no complaint to her, or to any one until recently, and ad mitted the consent on all the subsequent occasions. The prisoner, when taken before the magistrates, stated, " Indeed, I don't know anything about it, no further than what she said herself. She has said, before her own mother, that I was not the father of the chill." The second statement of the girl was, however, now admitted to be true, with the exception of that part of it relating to the coercion in the first instance. The prosecution arose after so great a lapse of time in consequence of the birth of the child, and the clergy man's then going to see and question the girl, and being by her told the whole story as she stated it to-day. The jury returned a verdict of Acquittal. The Learned JUDGE then stated that he felt it to be his duty to ask them whether they were of opinion that the prisoner, in any the slightest degree, laid his hands upon or touched the girl against her will, as by threats or otherwise. If they should be of such opinion, they would find him guilty of a common assault. Such verdict was immediately returned, and he was sentenced to imprisonment for two years. MIDDLESEX SESSIONS. (Before Mr. Sergeant ADAMS and a full Bench of Magistrates.) John Jones and John Smith were convicted of picking pockets at Drury-lane Theatre, on the occasion of her Majesty's state visit on the 11th inst. Jones was sentenced to six, and Smith to eight Months' hard labour. _ _ . Henry Johnson, aged 30, a discarded coachman, was indicted for stealing a shawl, value 101., the proptrty of Miss Caroline Matilda Sarel. Edward Pinnock stated that he was a coachman, and on the night of the Spitalfields Ball at Drury-lane, Le drove the Rev. H. R. Sarel, of Balcomb, Sussex, Mrs. Sarel, and their daughters, to the theatre. While wait ing to take them up near the theatre at three o'clock in the morning, the prisoner opened the carriage dour, and stole the shawl from the seat. The prisoner's defence was that it was all done out cf a lark, to see if the coachman was " wide awake." The prisoner was convicted, and sentenced to three months' hard labour. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. MANSION -HOUSE. Mr. Thomas Hawkins, of No. 5, Charlotte-street, Portland-place, applied to the Lord Mayor upon public grounds, under the circumstances stated in the following narrative: —I consider it to be my duty to wait upon your Lordship, knowing your anxiety for the protection of the public, to complain of the conduct of the captain of the Syron steam-boat, which plies between London and Woolwich. I went on board at Greenwich yester day with some others, for the purpose of coming to town. We were amongst the first who went on board, and we found that the captain was shipping such multi tudes, that if he continued to do so any longer imminent danger must be incurred. We requested that he would discontinue the crowding, and he did so, and we pro ceeded on the passage. The boat was at this time so crammed that we were all standing up, and a female was seized with violent hysterics. When we reached another pier, notwithstanding our condition, the cap tain took on board more passengers. I again repre• sented the hazard of human life, and I solemnly de clared that if the vessel did not immediately go on with out increasing its numbers, I should represent the case to the Lord Mayor. The threat had the desired effect at that pier, but when we arrived at the Commercial Dock Pier, at Rotherhithe, the captain, in spite of all I could say, began to take in more persons. I wanted to leave the boat, but was thrust back by one of the men, and I then leaped from the vessel to the pier, followed by others. The man who had thrust me back then asked me for my ticket, but I refused to give it up, as I considered it might be necessary to produce it as evi dence. He then said I should not leave the pier with out delivering my ticket to him, and he pushed me and struck me ; but, as I could not patiently stand the blow, I returned him, at any rate, as good as he gave ; but there were four or five men with him, and I considered it necessary to send a friend who accompanied me for a policeman. The moment the policeman appeared the man who assaulted me, and acted in other respects so outrageously, said I might go, but I was determined not to let the matter end in that way ; so, after some consi deration, I took the number of the policeman, who said he should produce my assailant when called upon, and I made up my mind to complain of the whole transaction to your Lordship. The LORD MAYOR—You considered the danger great from the over-crowding before the vessel arrived at the pier at which you were assaulted ? Mr. Hawkins—Certainly. My great object in ap plying to your Lordship, as I have been advised by my solicitor, is to prevent the dreadful catastrophe which those who now daily witness the overcrowding of the steamers are constantly predicting. The LORD MAYOR—There is a clear case of assault against the man who thrust you away when you wanted to go ashore, and afterwards struck you, and I advise you to complain of that outrage to the magistrates of the district in which it occurred. As to that most se rious part of your complaint, which refers to the over crowding of the vessel, I am afraid that question will only be settled by the intelligence, one of these days, that 400 or 500 of our fellow-creatures have been hur ried into eternity. Mr. Hawkins—l have been given to understand, my Lord, that the bye-laws passed by the Court of Alder men inflicted a penalty for the admission of every indivi dual above a certain number for which each vessel is registered. GUILDHALL. Yesterday a young man, named George Lynd, grainer by trade, was charmed before Alderman Gibbs with having assaulted his wife and brutally ill-treated her. Jane Lynd, the wife, said that the previous night she went by the consent of her husband to a raffle for a tea caddy, which was to be held at the Biwl and Pin public-house, in Bath-street, Bartholomew-square, and that after it was over she was proceeding homewards, when her husband came up and struck her a violent blow over the eye, and afterwards kicked her. She was so knocked about by him, that the police conveyed her to the hospital. Alderman GIBBS asked the prisoner what he had to say to the charge. Ile replied that he had been married for about ten years to the complainant, but, unfortu nately, she was much given to drink. lle certainly gave her leave to go to the raffle, and about half-past twelve o'clnck, finding she did not come home, he went to the pub lic-house in question, and watched until a quarter to three o'clock in the morning. She was' quite tipsy, and laugh ing and talking with several men, which su aggravated him that he certainly did strike her. The wife said she only wished that her husband should be bound to keep the peace. Alderman GIBBS accordingly bound him over in the sum of 201. to keep the peace, and also to answer any charge that might be preferred against him at the ses sions. THAMES. George Greene, a ballast heaver, 40 years of age, re siding at 23, Black wall-harbour, Poplar, was charged with causing the death of John Doherty, a lad about 19 years of age, and also a ballast heaver in the employ of the Trinity corporation. Michael Scully, also iu the employ of the Trinity House, stated, that on the previous afternoon he and the deceased, with several others, went in a boat to Black wall to see a boat-race, and made fast to a Trinity bal last barge, No. 18. The deceased man's father, mother, sister, and brother were of the party. The prisoner, who was in the barge at the time, was taking the wash boards out of the hold to make seats for a party who were with him. Doherty told him he had no right to touch the wash -boards, and was about to put them back. Some words ensued, and then the prisoner challenged the deceased to go "down and fight in the hold. Just then witness stepped into the barge, and saw the prisoner strike Doherty on the side of the head and the latter fell into the Thames. Wit ness at once jumped into his boat and casting off rowed after the body, which floated motionless for a little way, and having come up with it, Doherty's father, who, together with his mother, had remained in the boat, grasped at the lad's :hair, saying " I have him," but the hair being too short to have any hold, the old man lifted up his empty hand and said " He's gone." In spite of every exertion the body could not be regained nor has it since been found. The prisoner in his defence said he was sorry such a melancholy accident should have occurred, but it was not of his doing. Pearson, who was acting sergeant at the Poplar sta tion-house when the prisoner was brought there, stated that another man who represented himself as the priso ner's brother, attended at the same time, and said that he was the party. The prisoner was remanded until Friday. LAMBETH. Mr. Thomas Jones. residing at 101, Regent-street, Lambeth, applied to Mr. Elliott, and entreated the ex ercise of his power as a magistrate to remove a nuisance stance, coupled which was a source of terror to the inhabitants of a crowded neighbourhood. He stated that at seven that to the Dartford Powder Mills, and removed to the morningpre conta ndhgeusnapwo gunpowder, taken barrels,aicen from m which a he waggon had belonging n i doubt ng . 61, sec. 11, that dealers in y t vu f u i el r t d e e s w n an , 0 00 f r t o r k e u l found by with a fact which came to his knowledge, that a very short time ago seven barrels of gunpowder had been re cievedtiirrint n y ggi Darby, Tttdtoehedaitslheteeroi sr teshhcut statutes, on the same premises, had created a considerable alarm not only in his mind, but in the minds of his fm.a pre mises e o r f . A9lBr: RWeiglehrafst ilrepbre(r: g o t n h e an of 5 t O h l e h s s . u m ie n ni n g directedofficers the rs f i o n r for e m xe a c t u io t n io o n f . t n t, ihu u meAn ru eip ;; ;o2. r totvEhhudLaseoLtrnf persons G) i eTw g reT h seo.o b r. neooslunlrnnlsroo.. referring fee a p 2001b3. weight of gunpowder in their possession at a Mr. Jones to be taken, and granted a warrant as directed by the statute, which was placed in the hands of Adam h s a a v u e nd m e orsr,e DINNER TO TLIE HER OF SINDE.— A compli mentary dinner was given last week, at the United Service Club, in Pall-mall, to Lieutenant-General Sir Charles Napier, on his return from the conquest and pacification of Sinde, in India, The company sat down to a magnificent entertainment at eight o'clock—General Lord Strafford in the chair. The usual loyal toasts having been disposed of, the health of the Gallant General was drunk with heartfelt enthusiasm, and re sponded to in his own sincere and manly style, expres sive of the gratitude he felt for the honour then con ferred on him, and his affection for the noble service of which the company —upwards of fifty in number—were members in common. Amongst the company present were—Sir Charles's brother, Sir William Napier, Lord Hardinge, Lord Ellenborough, Lieut.-General Sir John Macdonald, Lieut.-General Sir Hercules Pakenham, Lieut.-General L'Estrange, Major-General Wemyss, Major-General Macneil, Major-General Sir William Herries, Major M‘Murdo, aide-do-camp to Sir Charles Napier, &c. MONEY- MARKET.—The premium on gold at Paris is 12 per mille, which, at the English Mint price of 3/. 17s. 10id. per ounce for standard gold, gives an ex change of 25.45; and the exchange . at Paris on Lonton at short being 25.42 k, it follows that gold is 0.10 per cent. dearer in Paris than in London. By advices from Ham burgh the price of gold is 436 per mark, which, at the English Mint price of 3/. 17s. 10zd. per ounce for standard gold, gives an exchange of 13.10 ; and the exchange at Hamburgh on London at short being 13.9 k, it follows that gold is 0.46 per cent. dearer in Hamburgh than in London. SMALL-PDX HOSPITAL COMPETITION. — Fifty four sets of designs for the new Small-pox and Vaccination Hospital have been received, and are now under the consideration of two architects appointed by the com mittee, in pursuance of the printed regulations, to select five designs for the committee's choice. We understand that many of the design* are very good.—• Builder. FROM THE LONDON GAZETTE OF TUESDAY. DOWNING-STREET, JULY 17, 1848. The Qaeen has been pleased to appoint Robert Clax ton, Eng., to be Chief Justice; James George Pignenit, Esq., to be Puisne Justice; and Henry J. Woodcock, Esq., to be her Majesty's Attorney-General for the island of St. Christopher. Her Majesty has also been pleased to appoint William Fergusson, Esq., to be Colonial Secretary for Sierra Leone. TALL, JULY 17. The Queen has been pleased to present the Rev. John Robertson to the united churches and parishes of Mains and Strathmartin, in the presbytery of Dundee and county of Forfar, vacant by the resignation of the Rev. David Cannan, D.D., late minister thereof. \VAR-OFFICE, JULY 18. Ist Dragoon Guards—Charles Edwin Wyatt, Gent., to be Cornet, by purchase, vice Errington, who retires, July 18. 9th Light Dragoons—Alexander James Hardy Elliot, Gent., to be Cornet, without purchase, vice Hoghton, who retires, July 18. 12ith Light Dragoons—Troop Sergeant-Major Michael Blake to he Quartermaster, vice Charles Armstrong, who retires upon half-pay, July 18. Ist or Grenadier Regiment of Foot Guards—Lieu tenant and Captain Edward Goulburn to be Captain and Lieutenant-Colonel, by purchase, vice Hudson, who re tires; Ensign and Lieutenant Henry Frederick Ponsonby to be Lieutenant and Captain, by purchase, vice Goul burn; Charles Pierrepoint Lane Fox, Gent., to be Ensign and Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Ponsouby, July 18._ 24th Regiment of Foot—Ensign John Acton Wood gate to he Lieutenant, without purchase, vice Stainforth, deceased, April 7 ; Gentleman Cadet Alexander Penny euiek, from the Royal Military College, to he Ensign, vice Woodgate; Assistant-Surgeon James Grant, M.D., from the 28th Foot, to be Assistant-Surgeon, vice Donald, promoted on the Staff, July 18. 51st Foot—Lieutenant Blackman Chichester Graham Crookshank to be Captain, without purchase, vice Richard Thompson, who retires upon full pay; Ensign Samuel Gerge Carter to be Lieutenant, vice Crookshank; Ensign Richard Pilmer, from the 57th Foot, to be En sign, vice Carter, July 18. 57th Foot—Gentleman Cadet Charles William St. Clair, from the Royal Military College, to be Ensign, without purchase, vice Pilmer, appointed to the 51st Foot, July 18. 70th Foot—Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Wil liam Ogilvy M'Niven, from half-pay Unattached, to Le Major, vice John Doyle O'Brien, who exchanges; Cap tain Thomas Charles Timins to be Major, 'by purchase, vice M'Niven, who retires; Lieutenant George Alfred Schreiber to be Captain, by purchase, vice Timins; En sign John Creagh O'Brien to be Lieutenant, by pur chase, vice Schreiber; Richard Townsend Gray, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice O'Brien, July 18. 98th Foot—Gentleman Cadet Charles Henry Dagg, from the Royal Military College, to be Ensign, without purchase, vice Maddock, deceased, July 18. HOSPITAL STAFF.—Assistant-Surgeon John Donald, from the 24th Foot, to be Staff-Surgeon of the Second Class, vice James Millar, M.D., who retires upon half pay, July 18. UNATTACHED.—Captain Hector Harvest, from the 97th Foot, to be Major, without purchase, July 18. GARRlSONS.—Paymaster Francis Edward Leech, from the 9th Light Dragoons, to be Paymaster of the Invalid Depot at Chatham, vice Charles Grimes, who retires upon a military allowance, July 18. BREVET.—Captain Christopher Vaughan Foss, Staff Officer of Pensioners at Hudson's Bay, to have the local and temporary rank of Captain in the Hudson's Bay Company's territories, while so employed, July 18. Commission by the Lord-Lieutenant of Surrey. James William Freshfield, Esq., to be Deputy-Lieu tenant. Commission by the Lord-Lieutenant of Herefordshire. The Right Hon. Robert Dennett Lord Rodney to be Deputy-Lieutenant. Commissions by the Lord-Lieutenant of Mid-Lothian. John Trotter, Esq.,:to be Deputy- Lieutenant, July Royal Mid-Lothian or Edinburgh Yeomanry Cavalry. —Lieutenant Stewart Bayley Hare to be Captain, vice Sir David Dundas, Bart. resigned ; Cornet William Baillie to be Lieutentent, vice Bayley Hare, promoted, July 6; Alexander Cochrane, Gent. to be Cornet, vice Wauchope, promoted, July 5; Andrew Gillon, Gent., to be Cornet, vice Baillie, promoted, July 6. BANKRUPTCIES SUPERSEDED. Edward Norris, cominission agent, Manchester. John Cates, jun., apothecary, Marylebone. BANKRUPTS. John Gloge, tailor, Portsmouth, to surrender Aug, 1 and 25, at half-past eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Cannan, official assignee, Birchin-lane ; Wood and Fraser, Dean-street, Soho. Henry Ellis, baker, Ebury-square, Pimlico, July '25, at half-past one, and August 25, at twelve, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Carman, official assignee, Birchin-lane; Ford, Blooms bury -s quare. Richard Brown Addison, engineer, Sumner-street, Southwark, July 28, at half-past twelve, and August 25, at eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Canaan, official assignee, Birchin-lane; .Holmer, Cheapside. Henry John Ker, innkeeper, Foot scray, Kent, July 26, at eleven, and August 30, at tw•o, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Stansfield, official ausignee ; Martin, Grscechurch-street. William Beck Hills, shipping grocer, Maidstone, July 27, at half-past ten, and Aug. 30, at half-past two, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Pennell, official assignee; Stevens and Satchell, Queen-street, Cheapside. George Henry Haworth and Robert Archbutt, iron founders, Manor-street, King's-road, Chelsea, Aug. 2, at eleven, and Aug. 26, at twelve, at the Court of Bank ruptcy. Follett, official assignee, Sambrook -court, Ba singhall-street ; Lawrence and Plows, Old Jewrpclaam hers. Thomas Woodfield, plumber, Little Ebury-street, Pimlico, July 25, at one, and Sept. 9,, at eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Follett, ofinc;,al assignee, Sam brooke-court, Basinghall-street; Imes, Billiter-street, London. Mark Guier Rose, innholder and victualler, Moreton in Marsh, Aug. 1, at twelve, and May 31, at eleven, at the Bristol District Court. Miller., official assignee, Bristol; Dupleix, Lincoln's Inn-fields. John Michell, merchant, Feock, Cornwall, Aug. 2, at eleven, and Aug. 31, at one, ut the Exeter District Court. Ilernaman, :official assignee, Exeter ; Stogdon, Exeter ; Keddell, Baker, and Grant, Lime-street, London. _ . Joseph Yewdall, currier, Snape, Yorkshire, July 31, at half-past twelve, and Sept. 1, at ten, at the Leeds District Court. Young, official assignee, 14:eds; Lever, King's road, Bedford-row, London; Barker, Huddersfield. James Sothern Tonge, coal proprietor, Liverpool, Aug. 4 and 25, at eleven, at the Liverpool District Court. Bird, official assignee, Liverpool; Low, Chan cery-lane, London; Cross, Liverpool. Henry . Alexander Stewart, ship. broker, Liverpool, August 1 and 25, at eleven, at the Liverpool District Court. Turner, official assignee, Liyerpool; Smith and Co., Bedford-row; Greatley, Liverpool. William Harris and Henry Harris, paper manufac turers, Wrexham, Denbighshire, August 3, and 25, at eleven, at the Liverpool District C ourt. Cazenove, of ficial assignee, Liverpool ; Milne and Co., T em pl e, London ; Robinson and Bateson, Lilverpool. Joseph llirst, flour and provision-dealer, July 31, and Aug. 24, at eleven, at the Manchester District Court. Hobson, official assignee, Manchester ; Bower a nd Son, Chancery-lane; Janion, '24.am:heater. DIVIDENDS. In the Country. J. Gainer, Bridgend, Gloucesteilihire, dyer, Aug. 1, at eleven, at the Court, Bristol—.C; -. llawkins, Bristol, victualler, Aug. 15, at the Court, 13ristol—R. D. Evans, Wrexham, Denbighshire, draper, Aug. 11, at twelve, at the Court, Liverpool—J, Mackay, Liverpool, tailor and draper, Aug. 11, at eleven, at the Court, Liverpool—C. L. Roberts, Manchester, and New York, merchant, Aug. 10, at eleven, at the Court, Manchiester—A. M'Donald, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, confectioner,. Aug. 9, at halt• past ten, at the Court, Newcastle-upon-Tyne—T. Storry, Scarborough, printer, Aug, 11, at ten, at the Court, Leeds —J. Greenwood, Haworth, Yorkshire, worsted spinner, Aug. 11, at ten, at the Court, Leeds—M. Ca wood, Leeds, ironfounder, Aug. 11, at ten, at the Court, Leeds. PAYMENT OF DIVIDENDS. J. Dove, Darlington and Sun° erland. tanner and leatherseller, Is. 6d., on Saturday, July 22, or any sub sequent Saturday, between the hours of ten and three, at the office of Mr. Baker, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. J Hudson, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, dealer in marine stores, 25., on Saturday, July 22, or on any subsequent Saturday. between the hours of ten and three, at the office of Mr. Baker, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. G. Duglas, Brunswick-place, Old Kent-road, linen draper, 75., on Thursday, July 20, and three following Thursdays, between the hours of twelve and three, at the office of Mr. Stansfeld, King's Arms-yard, Moor gate-street. S. Parker, Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly, lamp-manufac turer, Bd., on Thursday, July 20, and three following Thursdays, between the hours of twelve and three, at the office of Mr. Stansfeld, King's Arms-yard, Moor gate-street. W. North, Kingston-upon-Hull, merchant, a first and second dividend of Is. 4d. and sfd. on Tuesday, July 18, or any subsequent Tuesday, between the hours of eleven and two, at the office of Mr. Hope, Leeds. C. Faint, Blackpool, Lancashire, hotel keeper, 4s. 4d., on Monday, July 17, or any subsequent Monday, be tween the hours of eleven and two, at the office of Mr. Bird, Liverpool. J. Banks, Liverpool, tallow chandler, Z-d., on Monday, July 17, or any subsequent Monday, between the hours of eleven and two, at the office of Mr. Bird, Liverpool. J. Napier, jun., Sheffield, oil, salt, and tillage mer chant, 6s. Bd., on Saturday, Aug. 5, or any subsequent Saturday, between the hours of eleven and two, at the office of Mr. Freeman, Sheffield. G. Garton, Sheffield, stock and share brokers, 65., en Saturday, Aug. 5 , or any subsequent Saturday, between the hours of eleven and two, at the office of Mr. Free man,T S B h . e ffi S oA e h f l u u d eg t . i t .e l v e s w e, no o r ra t na n dn , yt S ws h ou e ,b ffi saet e ci l dtu the en s t h o o ffis p ac k teu e reodpfae Mr.bl e s tF . w , ree o ee n n. the Saturday,hou hours of man Sheffield. A. Faulds, Stainsborough, Yorkshire, coal agent, ls. Bid., on Friday, Aug. 4, or any subsequent Friday, between the hours of eleven and two, at the office of Mr. Freeman, Leeds. T. Holmes, Pendleton, Lancashire, bleacher, ls. 31d., on Tuesday, July 18, or any subsequent Tuesday, be tween the hours of eleven and one, at the office of Mr. Pott, Manchester. J. Wright, Pendleton, Lancashire, dyer, 35., on Tues day, July 18, or any subsf'quent Tuesday, between the hours of eleven and one, at the office of Mr. Pott, Man chester. G. and 11. Schonswars, Hull, Mauritius, merchants, on Friday, Aug. 4, or any subsequent Friday, bo tween the hours of eleven and two, at the office of Mr. Freeman, Leeds. A. Langdon, Knottingley, Yorkshire, schoolmistress, 10s. 7d., on Friday, Aug. 4, or any subsequent Friday, between the hours of eleven and two, at the office of Mr. Freeman, Leeds. W. Hurst, jun., Baker-street, Bagnigge- wells-road, licensed victualler, 2s. 71d., any Wednesday, between the hours of eleven and three, at the office of Mr. Whit more, Basinghall-street. H. Watson, Wilson-street, Finsbury, stove-grate maker, 6d., on Saturday, July 15, and two subsequent Saturdays, between the hours of eleven and two, at the office of Mr. Groom, Abchurch-lane. H. Goodwin, Eton, ironmonger, 4d., on Saturday, July 15, and two subsequent Saturdays, between the hours of eleven and two, at the office of Mr. Groom, Abchurch lane. C. Blacknore, Cork-street, tailor, 5d., on Saturday, July 15, and three subsequent Saturdays, between the hours of eleven and two, at the office of Mr. Groom, Abchurch lane. J. Stanford, Cranborne, grocer and farmer, Is. 3d., on Saturday, July 15, and three subsequent Saturdays, be tween the hours of eleven and two, at the office of ➢ir. Groom, Ahchurch-lane. _ IV. B. Parry, Croydon, draper, 2s. 2d., on Saturday, July 15, and three subsequent Saturdays, between the hours of eleven and two, at the office of Mr. Groom, Abeh urch-lane. J. E. P 3 e, Berkeley• square, milliner, Is., on Monday, July 24. and two subsequent Mom•lays, between the hours of eleven and three, at the oilice of Mr. Carman, Bir chin-lane. E. C. Blackwell, Newbiggen, Northumberland, brewer, ss. 6d., on Saturday, July 22, or any following Saturday, between the hours of ten and three, at the office of Mr. Wakley, Newcastle-upon- Tyne. J. N. Dunsford, Newbiggen, Northumberland, brewer, 205., on Saturday, July 22, or any following Saturday, between the hours of ten and three, at the office of Mr. Wakley, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. T. Biglands, Monkwearwouth, Durham, grocer, 6a. 6d,. on Saturday, July 22, or any following Saturday, between the hours of ten and three, at the office of Mr. Wakley, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. J. Donaldson, Wigton, brewer, 4d., on Saturday, July 22, or any following Saturday, between the hours of ten and three, at the office of Mr. Wakley, Newcastle upon-Tyne. R. Peck, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, grocer, 3s. 6d., on new proofs, in part of first dividend of Bs. 6d., on Saturday, July 22, or any following Saturday, between the hours of ten and three, at the office of Mr. Wukley, Newcastle upon-Tyne. - NOTICES OF CERTIFICATES. At the Court, Basinghall-street. L. Samuel, Bury-street, St. Mary-axe, silversmith, Aug. 10, at one—C. L. Jones and R. Cole, Oxford street, cheesemongers, Aug. 10, at twelve—J. H. Parker, Castle and Falcon-yard, Aldersgate-street, carrier, Aug. 10, at eleven—J. Parker, Oxford, brewer, Aug. 16, at twelve. In the Country. J. Mayer, Cheltenham, printer, Aug. 14, at twelve, at the Court, Bristol—J. Wood and H. Wood, Hudders field, woollen manufacturers, Aug. 9, at eleven, at the Court, Manchester—H. Bentley, Salford, roller-maker, Aug. 10, at eleven, at the Court, Manchester—E. Phillips, Shrewsbury, baker, Aug. 10, at half-past ten, at the Court, Birmingham—J. Lowe, Lenton, Notting hamshire, lace-maker, Aug. 11, at eleven, at the Court, Nottingham—J. Harrison Nottingham, stove. grate manufacturer, Aug. 11. at eleven, at the Court, Notting ham—T, Rooney, Liverpool, tailor, Aug. 8, at eleven, at the Court, Liverpool. At the Court of Review, Aug. 8. 7. Sargeant, Llangynider, Breconshire, innkeeper—J. Keymer, Lawrence-lane, Cheapside, warehouseman—W. Ridgway, Hanley and Shelton, Staffordshire, manufac turers of earthenware—E. Evans, Dorking, Surrey, stonemason—J. and J. Baker, Fore -street, City, ma chinists—ll, Reay and J. Reay, jun., Mark-lane, City, wine-merchants—B. Bowen, Bristol, coal-merchant—J. Clarke, Hinckley, Leicestershire, hosier—E. Rogers, Liverpool, licensed victualler—G. Evans, Tally llin, Merionethshire, cattle-dealer—H. S. Searle, Queen's place, Kennington, dealer in surgical instruments—W. A. Barton, Coventry, surgeon. PARTNERSHIPS DISSOLVED. B. Ramsden and S. Hemingway, Dewsbury, rag and bone dealers—J. Pink and Fitz Wickham, Bris tol, tea dealers and coffee roasters—E. Brown and W• Brown, Rosemary-lane, Miuories, potters and glass and china warehousemen—H. Balfour and J. Balfour, Great Winchester-street—J. Harding and W. Harding, Wel lington, and Dulverton, Somersetshire, farmers—F. T. W. Ford and J. C. Jones, South-row, St. Pancras, sur geons, chemists, and druggists—H. Patchett, B. Patchett, and J. Coates, Clayton, Yorkshire, stone merchants — M. Sawyer and W. Sawyer, Great Cheverell, Wiltshire, millwrights and smiths—S. W. Saunders and J. C. Corneby, Castle-street, Southwark, engineers and pat ten makers—J. Longmire and R. Longmire, Troutbeck bridge, Westmoreland, butchers and farmers—W. Grime and W. Lever, Bolton-le Moors, Lancashire, flour dealers—S. Mallory, Warwick, and W. Mann, Leamington, wholesale and retail grocers —T. Tubbett, Manchester, and J. Rawes, Oporto, merchants and commission agents—J. Jeffs and V. L. Monnerat, New Bond-street, hair dressers and perfumers—T. Taylor and J. Taylor, Ovendon, York shire, worsted spinners and manufacturers—M. N. Baynes and W. Crowe, Birkenhead, Cheshire, timber merchants—T. Garner and W. Garner, Appleton, Che shire, tanners and farmers—E. Salt and J. Smith, Brad ford and Manningham, Yorkshire, spinners and wool staplers—C. T. Coathupe, 0. Coathupe, J. R. Rodbard, H. L. Bean, and J. H. Homer, Nailsea and Bristol, So mersetshire, sheet and crown window glass manufactu rers (so far as regards J. E. Homer)—H. S. Gilling and P. Clerc, Upper Charles-street, Northampton-square, watch case and dial manufacturers—S. Thompson, see., and S. Thompson, jun., Westorounder-Lizard, Stafford shire, builders and cabinet makers—J. Mooney and W. Mooney, Liverpool, corn brokers—L. Engstrom, F. Luck, and A. Sim, Bishopsgate-street, merchants. INSOLVENT PETITIONERS. Ralph Bolton Edmundson, St. Helen's, Lancashire, working glass stainer. Thomas Job, jun., Kingston-upon-Hull, house painter. John Wheat, Kingston-upon-Hull, eating housekeeper. Hannah Bottomley, Soyland, Yorkshire, flour dealer. Thomas Pullen, Kingston-upon-Hull, journeyman joiner. Thomas Carroll, Kirkdale, Lancashire, grocer. Richard Robinson, Manchester, provision dealer. William Gibbins, Manchester, green grocer. John Fox Carter. Oakhill, Somersetshire, surgeon. James Hyland, Headcorn, Kent, tailor. Richard Pack, Maidstone, boot and shoemaker. Joseph Cornhill, Whitstable, Kent, baker. • Mary Elizabeth Homersham, Canterbury, perfumer. Robert Whinham, Kingston upon-dull, hat and cap maker. Abraham Abbott, Kingsthorpe, Northamptonshire, beer seller. Marshall Dunn, Kingston -upon-Hull, fishmonger Robert Wright, Kingston-upon-Hull, Cosehmaker. William Gent, Chorley, Lancashire, tailor. SCOTCH SEQUESTRATIONS. J. Taylor, Arbroath, brewer, to meet within the White Hart Hotel, Arbroath, July 24, and Aug. 14, at twelve. W. Abbott, Mary-hill, near Glasgow, coach proprie tor, to meet within the Globe Hotel, Glasgow, July 25, and A ug. 15, at twelve. A. Black, Shott's Ironworks, Lanarkshire, storekeeper to meet within the Black Bull Hotel, Glasgow, July 24, and Aug. 11, at one. „ H. Johnston, Glasgow, baker, to meet within the Star Hotel, Glasgow, July, 25, and Aug. 15, at two. Public curiosity will be doomed to disappointment as regards the will of the late Princess Sophia. Her Royal Highness left no document sufficiently complete. as could legally be considered a will and testament, but at the same time it is known that the Princess made the most liberal provision for Captain Garth during her Life. The residue, therefore, of her property would give a most erroneous notion as to the extent of her accuniulations. Latterly, the extent of the Princess's expenditure could not have been more than 3,0001. a year, while hi -r income was probably not less than 16,000/.—llie Cheltenham Looker• on, THE POTATO CROP.—Tire early potato ci op is so abundant in the Isle of Wight that the very b eat sorts are selling at Cowes and in other parts of the i sland at 3d. the gallon and ls. 9d. the bushel ; aad they are per fectly free from disease. BIRTifS. On the 12th inst., at Gwynne's-place, Cambridg e-heath, Mrs. W. R. Blakesley, of a son. On the 12th inst., at Cheadle Rectory, Cheshire, the wife of the Rev. C. J. Cummings, of a son. On the 13th inst., at Wanstead, Essex, the wife of Richard Horn, Esq., ut a daughter. On the 13th inst., at Blackdown-house, Sussex, the wife of J. Henry, Esq., of a daughter. On the 11th inst., at Edmonton, the lady of the Ji ev. C. Jestrreso.., of a son. On the 14th inst., at Walthamstow, the wife of N. :eowell, Esq., of a son. On the 11th inst., at Tottenham, the wife of the 11:ev. G. B. Twining, of a son. On the 15th inst., at Carshalton, the wife of V. B. 'Corn e, Esq., of a son. MARRIED. On the 11th inst., at West Cowes, Isle of Wight'{ Edwards, Esq., of Wootton-house, Bedfordshire, to i Mary, eldest daughter of Mr. J. Edwards, Glanranell, South Vi On the 12th inst., at St. Giles-in-the Fields, Mt . W. Banks, of Bethnal-green, to Mary, the youngest cattel. ter of the late 'l'. Card, of Store. street, Bedford-square. On the 13th inst., at St. Pancras Church, Stews] t, the youngest son of the late Major James Gibson, formerly cf t h e . Irish Staff, to Eliza, dau g ht er o f J. B arnes, E sq., of Te-Yr stock-place. aunt. On the 14th inst., at the Rectory, Depden, Suffolk, Mar y Ann, the ife of the Rev. Martin J. Lloyd, A.M., reel af Depden, near Bury St. Edmund's. On the 15th inst., at Montagu-square, A. W. K. S. L N" rence, the only son of Lieutenant-Colonel Lawrence, et )1 v' mantling 6th Madras Cavalry, aged 19. On the 15th inst., at Devonshire-place, William Arm? 1' Esq., aged 60. On the 13th inst., at Kennington, Frances, relict of I V. Leacock, Esq., formerly of the island - of Madeira. On the 14th inst., at Greenwich, Captain Christoph et Kymer, H.C.S., aged 81. On the 14th inst., Caroline, the beloved wi r. e of the I 3,e i r • W. H. Stevens, curate of Stoke - next-Guildford, aged 32 . At Brighton, on the 16th inst., aged 29, John, eldest .2 4/1 of J. J. Harcourt, Esq. . . On the 15th inst., at East Bergh°lt-lodge, Suffolk, S Perring, relict of the Rev. Sir Richard Hughes, Bart. On the 15th inst., at Cheeseburn.grange, Northumber land' Margaret Riddell, of Monta gue - square, L ondon, wide W T. Riddell, Esq., of Swinbourne Castle. i s London : Printed and Published by MIIRDO YOIJNC at No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, No. 4 Strand, in the Precinct of th e S avoy , i n the count C Middle. ez, Wednesday, July 19, 1848.