The Sun. — London, England, 1844-02-12 00:00:00

year 1839, when it was thought unfair that the whole burden of proof should be thrown upon the female ; and the public feeling entirely coincided with that provision introduced in the Act of 1839. He proposed essentially to modify the provisions of 1834, and of restoring to magistrates assembled in special sessions the power of making an order. He would now allow to magistrates assembled in petty session and in quarter session the power of making orders in cases of bastardy, where corroborative evidence could be given; this was a very great change. It was introduced in analogy to the law of Scotland, and he was sure it would relieve the law from a great deal of odium which now attached to it. This was one of the most important alterations in the law, for there was a very urgent cry for the necessity of some change in this respect- From information which he had received, he knew that the pressure of the law as it stood at present was severely felt in South Wales. He pro posed to place the mother of a bastard in the position of a destitute female. He proposed that, as be tween the mother and the putative father there should be a short summary process before two magistrates, by which upon application made within a certain time after the birth of the child, they could make an order for some maintenance as against the father. He proposed that application should be made within forty days of the birth, and he pro posed that thirteen should be the age up to which they should be supported, as 'that was the line drawn in the Factory Bill between children and young persons, and he proposed that the order against the father of the bastard child should be not only against the goods of the father, but against his person —(Hear, hear)—as was the case before the Act of 1834. Mr. HAWES asked how was the bastardy to be proved? Sir J. GRAHAM said by the oath of the mother, corroborative evidence being given. This, as he said he - fore, was the most important provision of the Bill, and he hoped it would be satisfietory to the public feeling He now came to another important part of the sub ject. He was sorry to say that in large towns a great hardship was experienced in consequence of there being no place of refuge for destitute per sons. Thy were at present obliged to shelter themselves under walls and porticos, where they were exposed to the extremes of want and hard ship, which was hardly consistent with the safety of their lives.—(Hear, hear.) It would be necessary, therefore, to introduce some provision to remedy this.—(Hear, hear.) The House would remember that, on a former occasion, he had proposed that children brought up in workhouses should have a distinct school in the metropolitan dis tricts, and in large towns. In the present Bill he proposed that there should be distinct asylums, wh;ch should be open one night in every week for the reception of destitute persons. These asylums were to be maintained at the common cost of the districts. The destitute per sons were to receive food night and morning, th only condition being that they should work fo four hours. He was sorry that he had no momoranda about him, or he would have en tered more fully into the provisions of the Bill. This, however, was a brief outline of the mea sure, which would be discussed out of doors, which would enable the House, at a future period of the session, to mature the measure. At present he con fined himself to moving for leave to bring in a Bill to amend the Poor-law. Captain PECHELL said that in common with the Right Hon. Baronet he was deprived of the use of any documents on the subject in consequence of the unexpected proceeding with the question this even ing. The Right Hon. Baronet's notice of not inter fering with the incorporations under Gilbert's Act, drew from him the expression of thanks to the Right Hon. Baronet. The Eight. Hon. Gentleman did not mean, he supposed, to abolish the Gilbert unions, if the Select Committee should not make any suggestion to that effect. He only regretted that the Right Hon. Gentleman had not, two sessions back, agreed to the appointment of such a Com mittee. 'With respect to the clause in the former Bill, relative to plurality of voting, he hoped the Right Hon. Baronet would abolish that system altogether. He hoped they had now turned over a new leaf, and as the Right Honourable Baronet had announced many concessions, he trusted when the time had arrived for showing how relief had been admi nistered under the Gilbert's Unions Act, he would find the guardians had done their duty, notwith standing the great prejudices and difficulties they had had to encounter. Mr. T. DUNCOMBE said that, having twice moved the House to inquire into the operation of the Gilbert Unions Act previous to any amendments being made in the Poor-law Act, it was with great satisfaction he heard the Right Hon. Baronet say it was his intention to propose the appointment of such a Committee as he (Mr. T. Duncombe) had moved for two or three years ago ; all they asked was to be allowed to- prove that their system was more satisfactory to the rate-payers, and more humane to the poor than the system pursued under the new poor-law. If upon such an inquiry they could be satisfied that the new poor-law system was superior to theirs, they were ready, as they had for merly stated, to abandon their own system and adopt the other ; but if, on the other hand, they should prove that their system was more satisfactory to the ratepayers, and more humane to the poor, he hoped they would not then, for an instant, think of interfering, with their present state, or with the prevent law. He was quite certain that nothing would render the part of the country governed under Gilbert's Act satisfied with the new poor-law, so much as the sort of relaxation proposed by the Right Hon. Baronet. He thought the alteration in the bastardy clauses were very valuable. But he was sorry to hear the Right lion. Baronet say that insurrection had been necessary to draw the attention of the Government to this subject.—(Signs of dissent from Sir J. Graham.) He had understood the Right Hon. Baronet to say, that the recent occurrences in Wales had induced him to reconsider the subject.—(Hear, hear.) He thought the alterations proposed with regard to the relief of the destitute poor would be of great advantage, and would be well received.—(Cheers.) He hoped, however, that the four hours' labour would not be rigidly exacted from those destitute persons, as many of them were aged, infirm, decrepid, and sick. He would not, however, now discuss the question. The modifications, as far as they had been stated, would prove acceptable to the public; but he wished to see an end put to the system of plurality of votes, and to that of voting by proxy.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. EVELYN DENISON thanked the Right Hon. Gentlemen for the alterations he proposed to introduce into the present system, which he thought would meet the approval of his constituents, and make the law work much better. He wished to be informed more particularly , as to the provisions of the clause providing for the education of the children in union workhouses. Sir WALTER JAMES thanked the Right Hon. Gentleman for the alteration he had made. He (Sir W. James) objected, however, to the principle of the pcor•law, as tending to undermine the foundation of human society, by depriving the poor man of his home. He wished to know if it was intended to inter fere with the local acts. Mr. FERRAND regretted that he was absent from the House during the time the Right Hon. Baronet was making his statement. He was glad to hear his Hon. Friend say that the people of the West Riding would he satisfied with the alteration pro posed; but he feared that they would not go far enough. He would postpone putting the question to the Right Hon. Baronet, of which he had given notice, until Monday. Mr. S. DAVIS said a few words, which were in audible in the galleryt Mr. C. BERKELEY wished to know, with re spect to the bastardy clause, whether, if a mother re fused to affiliate a bastard child, the parish had any authority to compel her to do so? Mr. S. CRAWFORD hoped that some alteration would be proposed with regard to settlements in Irish unions. Cases had occurred in which persons had been removed to Ireland from parts of the country in which they had resided for many years. This was very oppressive. Sir -JAMES GRAHAM would answer the ques tions which had been put to him as succinctly as he could. With regard to local acts, he was sorry to say that he did not in tend to propose any alteration in the existing law—(Hear, hear)—inasmu c h as the present law had been confirmed by the decision of competent judicial tribunals. The lion. and Gallant Gentleman seemed to imagine that when the Report of the Committee should be made, the Government would be precluded from opposing the adoption of any of its recommenda tions. He wished that the Committee should befairly forrned,and that the inquiry should be fully entered into . He felt a confident anticipation as to what would be the recommendations of the Committee ; but he would not pledge the Government to adopt, on its own responsibilitany recommendation of the Co rn .. t mittee. I e was sorry the Honourable Member for Finsbury had so misunderstood him as to imagine that a violation of the law and a breach of the peace had been necessary to draw his attention to this subject. The attention of the brovernment . had not been directed to the subject until a f t er the majesty of justice had been fully vindicated in South Wales. What he had stated was, that he was aware that not only in South Wales and the north of Eng • land, but throughout the country generally, public opinion was very strong on the subject of the stardy clauses, and that in deference to that opi nion, he had thought it his duty to re-consider the subject. He had not proposed to revert to the ancient law, but to separate the subject of bastardy alto gether from the subject of the poor law—an altera tion in. which h , thought the House would acquiesce. tie had two questions to answer, one from the Hon. Gentleman opposite (Mr. Berkeley), and the other from his Hon. Friend behind him. The former question was, whether parish officers would be justi fied in refusing relief on the ground that no orc'er had been applied for ? Mr. BERKELEY—No. It was, would they re quire women who had bastard children to affiliate those children ? Sir J. GRAHAM said the claims for relief in such case would be decided in exactly the same manner as the claims of widows with children born in wedlock. lie thought the answer would be sufficient for his lion. Friend the Member for Kilmarnock (as we un• derstood), namely, whether in the case of illegitimate children a different provision would be made to those children born in wedlock. In answer to his Hon. Friend the Member for the West Riding of York shire, he had to state that the schools would extend over a district of fifteen miles to each school. The Hon. Member for Rochdale had inquired whether, in the present Bill, there would be any alteration in the law of settlement, and he (Sir James Graham) had to state that, since the recent decisions in the Court of Queen's Bench, it had been determined to re-model the law of settlement, and to introduce a separate and distinct measure on the subject. Mr. J. S. WORTLEY begged to express his gra tification at the nature of the measure introduced by the Right Hon. Baronet, which would be a consider able relaxation in the present law—without believing that would entirely satisfy the Hon. Member for Knaresborough (Mr. Ferrand), and others who were strongly opposed to the present law. He thought it would be hailed with great satisfaction, and he hoped a still further relaxation would be in troduced of that severe provision of the acts which en forced the separation of aged men from their wives. The question was then put from the Chair, and the Bill was introduced and read a first time. - OFFENCES ON THE HIGH SEAS. Sir J. GRAHAM said, as the House had been kind enough to allow him to introduce the Bill, he would still further trespass on their kindness, by asking them for leave to introduce another, which stood next on the paper. It was a Bill for securing the more speedy trial of criminals charged with of fences on the high seas. All these offences were now tried at the Central Criminal Court ; the consequence of this was, that on the arrival of vessels at the out-ports, the depositions were taken there and then sent up to London ; witnesses were also obliged to be brought up to the Central Criminal Court at a great expense and inconvenience. By this Bill he proposed, in the commissions of oyer and ter. miner, to give to her Majesty's Judges of assize the power of trying these offences. Captain PECHELL thought the only objection to the Bill was likely to be made by the country gentle- men on the groun i of expense. Sir J. GRAHAM said he intended that the pro secutions should be conducted as heretofore, at the public expense. Leave was then given to bring_in_the Bill. Wor, ••••• ••••• • ... • THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY l2, 18i4. LACY INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH, Feb 10. (Sitting in Banco after Term.) HHEYILLB V. CHAPMAN. It will be recollected that this action was tried some time back, when the jury found a verdict for the plaintiff, with 3001. damages. It was an action for a libel which appeared in the Sunday Times newspaper, of which the defendant is the registered publisher, and the libellous matter complained of was to the effect that the plaintiff had entered a horse to run a certain race at Epsom, which horse he had subse quently withdrawn, in order, as asserted in the defendant's paper, to obtain a mean and unfair advantage over other persons, be (the plaintiff) having laid heavy bets with divers persons on the event of the race, and by ,thus withdrawing his horse, secured to himself large winnings on these bets. At the time of trial a justi. ficatlon was put on the pleas by the defendant, but this was negatived by the jury. Subsequently a rule for a new trial was granted upon two grounds:_the first being that the 'plaintiff, by bis own evidence, presented himself to the Court under legal disability to claim redress for any in. jury done to his character, horse racing transactions having no claim to protection, which the Court now held to be wholly un tenable; and, on the second ground, that an improper question was allowed by the Court to be put to Lord George Fitzroy, a wit. ness of great importance, and who, as a member of the Jockey Club, described the way in which they proceeded to settle disputes whenever they unfortunately occurred. The question then was,whe thee theopinion of this witness should or should not be taken, as to the morality of the rules enunciated by the Jockey Club, thus trans. ferring to a witness the privileges which attached solely and pecu liarly to a jury. But looking at the whole of the proceedings as regarded this witness, the Court held that such was not the case. The libel asserted that the plaintiff, having entered a horse know. ingly and unfairly, did so, and knowingly and unfairly withdrew it, for the purpose of improperly gaining money. The plaintiff was proved, by the evidence, to be a member of the Jockey Club, and one of' the rules of that Club was, that any . was endowed with the privilege of withdrawing his horse at any time he likes, before the actual start for the race. The witness said that the Jockey Club, in deciding any differences that might from time to time unhappily arise, were always go. verned in their decisions by the rules of equity and justice; and when asked, on cross-examination, whether the rules of the Club did not yield to a subscriber the sole right of withdrawing his horse, and that too without assigning any reason whatever for so doing, his answer was distinctly in the affirms. tive. When the Learned Judge asked him whether, in his opinion, that would be according to justice and equity, with the view of ascertaining whether the Jockey Club would sanction a proceed.. ing wherein a subscriber acted in this way from a fraudulent mo tive, the witness had most properly answered that any person, sub. scriber or non-subscriber to the Jockey Club, acting in this way would be doing that which was most dishonourable and improper, and would undoubtedly incur merited reprobation and disgrace in the eyes of every honest and high_minded man. Thus guarded and qualified, the Court held that the question was wholly free from objection, and in fact necessary, in order properly to under stand the tenor of the evidence. The judgment of the Court, as delivered by Lord Denman, therefore, was, that upon both grounds the rule must be dtscharged. PRISON DISCIPLINE. Mr. T. DUNCOMBE asked the Right Hon. Baronet, the Secretary for the Home Department, whether he intended to bring in any Bill this session for the better regulation of the discipline of prisons? Sir J. GRAHAM said that he could not give a positive answer to the Hon. Gentleman; at the same time he should he sorry to say that no measure on that subject would be introduced during the pre sent session. 'POOR-LAWS. Sir J. GRAHAM then brought in the Bill for the amendment of the Poor-law Act, which was read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time on Monday se nnight. The RIGHT HON. BARONET also brought in the Offences at Sea Trial Bill, which was read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time on Mon day next. TITHES. Captain PECHELL asked if any Bill would be brought in this session for preventing suits for tithes being carried into the Ecclesiastical Courts ? Sir J. GRAHAM had to state, in answer to the question, that the Lord Chancellor on Monday would introduce a Bill on the subject of the Ecclesiastical Courts in the other House. STATE OF IRELAND. Mr. ESCOTT begged to ask the Noble Lord, the Member for London, whether he intended to bring on, on Tuesday, the motion of which he had given notice, relating to Ireland ?—the trials not hav ing yet concluded, or at least no intelligence of their being concluded having yet been received. Lord J. RUSSELL, quite concurring in the pro priety of not having any debates in that House which might influence the verdict of the jury, still did not think it necessary that they should know the result of the trials before they discussed the affairs of Ireland. Sir JAMES GRAHAM said it was very important that the Attorney-General of Ireland should be present during the debate, and it was impossible that the Hon. and Learned Gentle man could be in his place on Tuesday. He did not wish this to influence what the Noble Lord might think his public duty, but he trusted he would not think it unreasaonble if he asked the Noble Lord to state what would be the pre cise terms and words of his motion. Lord JOHN RUSSELL said he should certainly lament the absence of the At torney-General, but he did not think that cir cumstance ought to induce him to defer for forty eight hours the motion for which he now had pre cedence. With regard to the actual form of the motion, it would contain nothing more than what he had already stated, that the House should resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House on the affairs of Ireland. If the Government thought proper to agree to this motion—(A laugh) —or, if it should be agreed to by the House, he should move a series of resolutions, some of which would strongly inculpate the conduct of the present Government. Sir JAMES GRAHAM said if the House should determine to go into a Committee of the whole House, it would certainly not be his duty, as a Mi nister of the Crown—(A. laugh)—to oppose the reso lutions of the Noble Lord. The House then Adjourned. SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS, FROM THE EVENING PAPERS OF SATURDAY. GLOBE.—We know not whether Lord Devon's imperturbable negative on all remarks hazarded in the Lords on the Irish Land Inquiry is to be taken as equally pregnant with wise meaning as Lord Burleigh's shake of the head ; but that the Noble and Learned Lord is wise in saying nothing of his task at present is evident enough. For our own part, though the language of doubt is injurious to the prestige of newspaper infallibility, we had rather say frankly that we do not quite know yet what to think about this Commission, than come out so strong as our formidable Contemporary the Times did the other day—only to draw our horns in again. The first and second articles of the Times have been in curious and amusing contrast. The following was the "thunder" of the Times in the first of these articles :—" Here is the case Lord Devon has to deal with :--The peasant population of Ireland are in pressing want of land to raise food for their families. The immediate possession of every given five acres out of lease is essential to, perhaps, each one of some twenty individuals, having wives and children. They bid against each other, without exactly calculating the produce of the land ; they have a right to do so— a legal right. The landlord accepts the highest offer, which also, without professedly calculating the acreable value, he has an undoubted right to do. We say nothing of the moral right of either party—of the tenant to offer more than the land will pay, or of the landlord to accept it. But: if we must give an opinion on the subject, beyond all question it is as dishonest in the tenant to offer, as it is in the landlord to let the farm for, a higher rent than can be fairly made of it. But the differ ence is this :—The tenant is compelled by the iron hand of hanger—an excuse assuredly for deeper crimes than an untenable promise under pinching want ; whereas the landlord is not forced by famine, and is not to be excused by purblind cupidity, for demanding a rent which the most indus trious occupier could not pay—for which no solvent tenant, and none but a perishing despe rado, would have the face to pledge himself. What then happens ? The rents are not paid—eject ments are executed—the defaulting tenants are ousted, the incomers murdered in their beds. Is not this a true picture ? Is anything exaggerated ? And must the reality last for ever ? This is what Lord Devon has to deal with. Property is already out raged ; living men are sacrificed to the name of pro perty ; yet there comes in a vociferating lawyer— ' Oh! take care you don't touch the right of pro perty ; hold sacred every blood-stained clod; let peasants by hundreds gasp in their own gore; let them, Lord Devon, manure the wasted soil with their bodies, but, above all things, protect the_ full p urse — prey upon t h e emp t y stomach.'" By yesterday the Times seems to have got aware that it ath ladeasgrt in grasped abovedhatasubject summaryt too style . Accord ingly hot to handle, it " aggravate!, As f itsvoice, and le roars you like any nighting a l e :" hmto termed ' or i .ordCla . nricarde's pro be found surmis e , th a t if not an i nciuirtyto land lord and tenant' question, it ought acquit Lord e Devon one of into fixity of tenure,' being such a mountebank as to undertake a grave examination into the me r it o f a thing which, like fixity of tenure,' if it have any significa tion at all, must mean unblushing confiscation of every landlord's property, and nothing else in th e world. Fixity of tenure must be perpetuity of tenure —that is to say, if a tenant have his occupancy at will, or for a short lease, this new talisman called fixity,' is to transform a short term into a long one, and the tenant into the owner of his farm." The Times has evidently , become wary of pursuing its slashing style of Tuesday, about " the right to live, original and inalienable, against the right to possess, the creation of conventional society." Every relation between men, excepting cutting each others' throats, is the creation of society. What does the original and inalienable right to live amount to in the case, for instance, of the savage, who has laid in no store of provisions for the winter ? We remember a description, in one of the recent voyages of Polar discovery, of groups of starving beings gathering round the travellers, who had made a cache of provisions for their winter use. These savages tacitly recognised "the right to possess, the creation," as the civilised Times calls it " of conventional society,"—even when it was exercised, as in this case, with inevitable inat tention to " the right to live, original and inalien able," in their own persons. Their supplications were mute ; they flitted famishing, but not raging, round the food which they might not taste. In a sound system, there is no opposition between the right to possess, and the right to live. Indeed the former arises from the latter. There would be no living if there was no possession. Life would be reduced to its most precarious and lowest terms. Society has, doubtless, an indefinite right to modify the tenure of possession ; but, in doing so, it must have constant reference to the stability essential to undisturbed pro duction, and to that unbroken confidence in law under which only the means of production will freely distribute themselves. We see what results even from the partial impairing of that confidence in Ireland. We see that the most attractive natural powers of manufacturing production, and great cheapness and command of labour—fail, however, to attract manufac tures to her shores. This is not now the fault of England. All our home and colonial markets—all such channels of commerce as Belgium lost, when she separated from Holland, lie open to the sister country, through the whole extent of the British empire and dependencies. What prevents her profit ing by them ? What prevents her profiting by out lets enviable to half Europe ? What prevents her obtaining capital lavished (lately): on Illinois, or Louisiana, or Mississippi ? Nothing but her state of internal restlessness restlessness, a misfortune, it may be, rather than a crime —but restlessness which, whatever may be the misfortune of its origin, has produced habits which, most assuredly, the true friend of Ireland, while he would remedy all evils which law can remedy, would denounce fearlessly—not less fear lessly than Dr. Doyle denounced them—than Mr. O'Connell has denounced them in former times. Re peal of the union, if attained, or attainable, could remedy the effect of these habits, which, of course, is felt most strongly in Ireland, but has tinctured our operative masses in England too (we refer, amongst others, to the habit of violence in Trades Unions, which actually drives old manufactures out; and, unless curbed, must necessarily discourage the rise of new ones, and which Mr. O'Connell himself has repeatedly stigmatised with the strongest emphasis)—repeal of the union, we say, could remedy the effect of law - less habits in no other way than by bringing them (the restraints of English power removed) fairly to a head—curing agrarian and operative disaffec tion to law by letting loose its last extremes— exhibiting, in short, in Ireland, one more popular purgation of blood and fire—one more utter demo cratic revolution—to be followed—by the sort of regimen that does follow, when those volcanoes burn out. It is certainly not beyond possibility, that, some time or other, English power may be unable to prevent this Irish internal combustion. And Providence may doubtless, in the end, educe good out of evil. But a wise and far-sighted Government would seek strenu ously to obviate these extremities—not by one inquiry or one measure—but by every measure within its power. We shall revert to some of the suggestions concerning the material condition of Ireland put forth by the Edinburgh Review—by M. Wiggins, the land-agent, in a volume just published, and by the author of a pamphlet, entitled Remarks by a Junior to his Senior." STANDARD.—From the commencement of the state trials in Ireland, it has been our most anxious wish to avoid allusion to them; but this wish we have not been permitted to indulge. Scarcely a day of the last two months has passed in which we have not been compelled to protect the interests of truth and justice by exposing some direct falsehood or correct ing some misrepresentation - put forward by those who embrace the party of the traverters. It is a signi ficant circumstance, but one which ought not to reflect injuriously upon the case of the gentlemen upon their trial—that throughout their professed friends have been the aggressors in this matter. From the party opposed to them in politics, no uncandid censures of their line of defence has been offered ; no captious objections to their evi dence or arguments have proceeded, though, if we had been disposed to take that course, we surely could not want occasion. The ut most length to which the Conservative press has gone has been to answer falsehood and the perver sion of indifferent facts ; and even to this length we have proceeded with reluctance and pain. Had our adversaries permitted, the process would have gone on in the decent silence out of Court due to the administration of justice. We do not pretend that we have not formed an opinion upon the case. No man, who has paid the least at tention to what has been passing in Ireland for the last year, can honestly say that he has not formed an opinion. The Opposition journals themselves, by the manner in which they magnified the importance of the repeal agitation, by their incessant taunts to the Government for so long permitting its continuance, without some attempt to suppress or appease it, have forbidden that any one should be without a formed opinion upon the subject. They were suffi cient prompters of the prosecution if other prompters had been wanting; and it is disgusting to see them now crossing every step of the proceeding which, four months ago, they urged, whether directly o r i n . directly, with such factious violence. Let them say what they may, they are as much responsible for the prosecution as the Ministers by whom it was instituted in their official capacity. The Oppo sition journals, it is true, may have urged the prose cutions in the hope that they might be defeated by dis honest means, and their conduct for the last two months has been perfectly consistent with that but they will scarc e ly treacherous rous and disgraceful, d a vow a s cheme so to the best interests of the country. The Morning Chronicle of this day has another long article upon the subject of the ten Roman Catholics set aside upon the formation of the jury. It will be remarked that the number of these Roman Catholic gentlemen is now reduced from eleven, the number originally stated, to ten—a circumstance not un worthy of consideration in a question where the perfect knowledge of the religious profession and political opinions of every person upon the panel, assumed to be possessed by the Crown solicitor, is the gravamen of the accusation. Hitherto, it has been alleged that eleven Roman Catholics were set aside, the number is now reduced to ten.. There has, therefore, been evidently a mistake as to the religious profession of one gentleman, on the part of those who have had their attention earnestly directed to the sub ject for weeks; but the subject of complaint is now reduced to the mistake of the Crown solicitor as to the political connections of two gentlemen, upon 24 hours of inquiry, with little motive to inquire with extraordinary diligence ; but it will, we sup pose, be admitted, that a gentleman's temporary poli tical connexion is a matter less easy to be ascertained than the faith which he_has professed through life. After many weeks of close investigation, the com plainants have mistaken one Protestant Repealer for a Roman Catholic, doubtless because he is a Repealer. The Crown Solicitor, having twenty-four hours to study the list, mistook two Roman Catholics, who are not Repealers, for members of the Association Here is the whole of the case. CUATSWORTH.—It is a singular fact, that in this era of "fashionable" novels and romances, advantage has never yet been taken of the interest and curiosity that must attach to laying the scene of a work of this description at one or other of the actual localities where " Fashion" chiefly holds her Court ; for instance, Chatsworth—the very Parthenon anion the temples of modern Fashion. That the lint novel claiming this happy distinction, under the attractive title of " Chatsworth ; or, the Romance of a Week," should be ushered into the world under the auspices of so popular a name as that of Mr. Plumer Ward, the accomplished author of " Tremaine," " De Vere," &c., must command for it unu sual attention, exclusive of the guarantee that • Mr. Ward's social and literary position affords, as to the pretensions of any work bearing the sanction of his distippished name. LETTERS TO INDIA AND HONG-KONG.—The fol lowing important notice was issued on Friday at the General Post-office, St. Martin's-le-Grand :—" General Post-office, Feb. 1844.—0 n and from the 15th inst., the postage on let ters posted in the United Kingdom ad addressed to India, marked to be forwarded vid Southampton, may be paid in advance or not at the option of the sender. This regulation applies only to letters from places within the territories of the Hon. East India Company conveyed by packet, aid South ampton, the postage on all other letters addressed to India, aid France, as well as on all letters addressed to countries beyond India (the colony of Hong-Kong excepted), by whatever route they may be forwarded, must be paid in ad vance as at present, or the letters cannot be forwarded.—By command, W. L. MABERLY, Secretary." FIRE IN THE STRAND.—Between nine and ten o'clock on Saturday evening a fire broke out at the office of the Morning Chronicle newspaper, directly opposite Somerset House. It appears that in the early part of the evening some soot in one of the chimneys became ignited, but it was quickly, to all appearance, extinguished. About an hour and a half after the office was closed the porter went out to the rear of the premises in New Church-court to see if any ap pearance of sparks still existed, when he was astonished at seeing a bright light through the window of a small store room at the top of the building, which is four stories high, and, on hastening up stairs and breaking open the door, found the contents of the room in flames. The brigade en gines from the Chandos-street and Crown-street stations, fol lowed by that of the County Fire Office, were promptly in attendance, but their services were not required, the fire be ing by that time nearly extinguished by the neighbours. The room was filled with cases of type, the whole of which is much damaged. The chimney in the room had been stopped up for years, and some of the burning soot falling down had eet fire to a beam which communicated to the room. LORD OKORGE RENTINCK V. CONNOP. In this case there had been a demurrer to several pleas, and Lord Demist.; proceeded to give the judgment of the Court. The action was one of assumpsit, and there had been several points dig. cussed, on various occasions, as to the validity of one of the pleas, which the Court would not waste time in referring to now, because it held the opinion that the declaration was altogether insufficient. The declaration set forth an agreement made between the parties to the effect that in the running for the Grand Duke Michael Stakes the sum of fifty pounds for each colt or filly, should be subscribed by the owners, or namers, of such colts or fillies; that both the plaintiff and the defendant, with divers other persons, had become subscribers to these stakes ; that the plaintiff named four colts and one filly ; that the defendant named two colts and one filly; that thereupon the plaintiff, at the request of the defendant, and in consideration of the premises named, promised and agreed with defendant to perform all things alike and upon the same terms ; that the race was duly run ; and that the horse of the plaintiff won it, whereby the defendant became liable to pay three sums of fifty pounds each. It had been slightly con. tended, on the part of the defendant, that the race being for more than fifty pounds, was note legal one; but it was strongly and distinctly urged that no action could properly be maintained against the defendant, as, by the 16th of Charles the Second, it was enacted that no action could be maintained to recover a stake of a greater amount than one hundred pounds, yet that, if paid down, the tran saction would be a legal one,—the object of the statute being to pre. vent persons venturing-for more than a hundred pounds, except for money paid down, and in the present case, the stake was for one hundred and fifty. The plaintiff, in support of his averment that his action might be maintained, had referred to two cases, neither of which, however, in his (Lord Denman's) opinion, applied to the present case; because, In each of them the sum did not exceed one hundred pounds; but it was argued that as there was no contract for credit, the statute did net apply; but the Court was clearly of the opinion that the words of the statute could not be limited to a case of express con tract for credit, but applied to all cases of more than one hundred pounds, and not paid down immediately ; and, where it was neces sary to enforce the claim, the case was within the words, as well as the spirit of the act, the objet of which was well undersood to be that of restraining the practice of gambling. Therefore, the Court was clearly of opinion that judgment must be entered up for the defendant. BAIL COURT, Feb. 9. (Sittings at Nislicius, before Mr. Justice WILLIAMS and a Common Jury.) LEAVER V. WILLS.-BREACH OF PROMISE OF MARRIAGE, The plaintiff in this case is the daughter of a lieu tenant in the navy, who is the superior officer of the telegraph established at Esher, near Hampton Court. The defendant is also a lieutenant in the navy, now retired from active service upon half-pay, and residing at Thames Ditton, within a mile and a half of the plain tiff's residence ; and the action was brought to recover compensation in damages for the injury which the plain tiff had suffered in her feelings and prospects by reason of the defendant having refused to perform his promise to marry her. Mr. Humfrey, with whom was Mr. Hance, appeared upon the part of the plaintiff, whose case was stated by the Learned Counsel in a very judicious and temperate address. The whole facts of the case appear upon the following evidence : Mr. William Leaver, examined by Mr. Hance, said, —I have been in the naval service for between forty and fifty years, and am now a lieutenant. I have eight children, of whom the plaintiff is one. She is twenty-six years old. For about a twelvemonth back I have been appointed to the telegraph at Esher. I became acquainted with the defendant on Easter Sunday, last year. His son and daughter came to see the telegraph and were shown it, and the defendant, who is also a lieutenant in the navy, called on me a week after. When he came he seemed at first rather atten tive to my daughter, and an intimacy sprang up between our families. In April of the last year he dined with me, and after dinner, upon our walking into the garden, he asked me to allow him to pay his addresses to my eldest daughter. I said I had no objection, provided he could show how he was to support a wife. He said he had his half-pay and a house, and ample means to sup port a wife, exclusive of that in funded property. He said that he wished the marriage to take place the first or seeond week in August. He was from that time considered by me as the suitor of my daughter. He came to the house two or three times a week for about seven months ; took his meals, and occasionally slept there.—The defendant has two children—a daughter, 23, and a son about 19 or 20 years old. They knew that the bn defendant in Warwickshireeeducated w as my daughter. She has governess, o and acted as such for two yea e r f t o o r r e f I came to the telegraph. eedut a s a t Cross-examined by Mr. THESIGER—I am the superior officer of the telegraph. There is no other officer but myself, and I amofficer over one man . I d on ' t k now t h e defendant's age. He is not so old as myself. Mr. THESIGER — Has s b u he not sixty close under his lee? Witness—You must take a reef in. Mr. THESIGER—But there is danger of a lee shore at sixty ? Witness—Then you must let a reef out. Mr. THESIGER—But we must come to that at last. Witness—But then we carry sail as long as we can. The pay of a lieutenant is ss. a-day-911. a-year. I don't keep a servant. 3ly children did not assist in the work of the house, but I hired a woman for the purpose. The defendant is not phlegmatic He a very steady, sober, honest man—rather lively. lie asked me to allow him to pay his addresses to my daughter on the first oc casion when he called on me. I did not say that I could not give my consent until I had ascertained the inclina tion of my daughter. Nor did I say that he could not know whether he really had any affection for her or not, as he had scarcely seen her. It did not occur to me to consider that he was old enough to be her father, or that he had children as old as she was. When he told me he had a house, I did not ask him where it was, nor fur how much it was let, or whether it was let at all. I did not ask the amount of the property which he said he had in the funds. He went from the garden into the house not into the hot-house. He then "popped the ques tion." Mr. THESIGE R-I suppose he went in and said— " Make it eight bolls ?" Witness—You seem to know what eight bells are. Mr. MESMER —I do a little. Mr. Justice WILLIAMS (to the jury)—As we are not nautical people, this dialect is spocryhal to us. Witness—The defendant used to sleep at my house, although it was only a mile and a half from his own house ; but there was a wood in the way, and a bull in it ; and he was afraid of the wood and the bull. M 7 daughter slept at the house of the defendant. I don t know exactly when, as I don't now keep a log. I don't recollect that at the time when he put an end to the in timacy with my daughter he told her that his house was shut up, and that he had no tenant for it. He lives at Thames Ditton, in a double-fronted house. The rent of it is 251. a year. Mrs. Leaver, the wife of the preceding witness, was then called and examined by Mr. HUMFREY—She stated that when the defendant proposed for her daughter, he represented his house as being worth 80/. a year, and said that he was entitled for life to the interest upon 3001. The children of the defendant were aware that he was to be married to the plaintiff, and behaved with great kindness to the father and mother of the plaintiff The defendant said he did not care how soon the mar riage took place, but for decorous motives wished to put it off until after Midsummer. It was then arranged that the parties should take a walk together, and converse upon their prospects. He continued on the same footing down to the very moment of breaking of. The plaintiff prepared ber wedding-dress with the knowledge of the defendant, who said he wished to be married in Thames Ditton church. The plaintiff was working at part of her wedding-dress on the morning of the sth of November, when the letter breaking off the marriage was received. The plaintiff and her mother, the witness, went to see the defendant's house in Alsop-terrace, and a great deal of conversation took place about fitting up and furnish ing the house, and especially the bed-chamber. Cross-examined by Mr. THESIGER—The daughter and son of the defendant sometimes came to my house to fetch their father away. I did not at all abuse her. On the very last day, the 4th of November, the daughter came to fetch her father away. She came through the wet fields for the Purpose, and was very much out of temper for some reason or o th e r. Miss Emma Leaver, a sister of the plaintift ow a ccs n he d aieesn a hio v nhs e h r eo y erf , (laughterts seterm nice-looking werea gplaintiff)e person, taonbd t aht stated wet ob trrhki bridesmaids e h us a dpm t eo fasneihndetdshaaoennntdd thertheh sa e sd defendant's e ifveansdatontwberaerakaitngthe off ee th re e m m on a y te . h T pr he letter of oduceda very y h in jde u.. rious effect upon the health of the plaintiff, who has been unwell ever since. Cross-examined—No particular time was fixed for the wedding after August had passed by. The mother of the plaintiff was again called, and stated, that she was not aware that any time had been fixed for the ceremony after the time originally agreed upon had gone by. The family, however, expected that the defendant would fix a time. Several letters from the defendant to the plaintiff were then put in and read. They were all of a very affec tionate character and, to use a phrase which was free quently repeated by the Learned Counsel on both sides, " breathed a spirit of ardent attachment." The letter breaking off the match was dated on the sth of Novem ber, 1843, and was in the following words:— " Dear Sarah,—After leaving your house on Monday with my daughter, who was so much offended by the rude remarks at her fetching me, I seriously reflected there can be no happiness at present for either of U 9. Circumstances have now occurred in my own affairs which will prevent me from bringing home a wife for some years, and I have now determined not to do so until my children have left home, as they are both very much opposed to it. I cannot express how much I felt aggrieved at your brother's remark, that Leton (a sister of the plaintiff) should be tied up to me, and such remarks are very unbecoming in a youth of his age, and very hurtful to my feelings. I cannot allow another circumstance to pass unnoticed which came to my knowledge. On Sunday I found some letters from your brother William to my daughter, and upon inquiring into particulars I was informe 1 that you had been the bearer of those letters to and from, at the same tithe knowing that your brother Awls engaged to another ; and how could he win the affections of an unsuspected [intended probably for unsuspecting] girl with the intention of deceiving her ? I returned from town on Thursday, when I received your note. I sin cerely hope you will see with me the propriety of this proceeding, as I cannot marry for some years. I hasten to communicate it to you, trusting you will have forti tude enough to hear what cannot be avoided. Allow me. with every good wish for your future happiness, to sub scribe myself yours affectionately, " JOHN WILLS." Some passages in this letter which seem to require ex planation were not explained. This was the plaintiff's case. Mr. THESIQER (with whom was Mr. Petersdorff) ad dressed the jury for the defence in reduction of damages. He dwelt upon the indiscreet precipitancy with which the original offer was made and accepted, upon the in terPsted conduct of the plaintiff and her parents, and upon the very great disparity of age between the parties, which rendered it unlikely that the plaintiff could have been very happy with a person who was so very much older than herself. The Learned Judge having left the case to the jur, they found a verdict for the plaintiff.—Datnages,lsol. FEBRUARY 10. (Before Mr. Justice WILLIAMS and a Common Jury.) WYSTILILMAN V. MADDOX. This was an action brought by the plaintiff, who had been en gaged as a flute-player in the Princess's Theatre, against the lessee, for an assault, alleged to have been committed on the 9th of No vember last. Mr. Erle, Queen's Counsel, and Mr. Pearson appeared for the plaintiff; and Mr. Platt, Queen's Counsel, for the defendant. J. Loder, examined by Mr. Pearson, stated the circumstances of the case. He said in substance that he was the manager of the orchestral department of the theatre. The plaintiff' having been dismissed he came to the defendant on the 9th of November to claim money which he said was due to him for a broken flute and extra servicesl; Mr. Maddox, in the presence of the witness, refused to pay the amount ; words ensued, Mr. Maddox took a stick from the defendant, and on his refusing to leave the room proceeded to turn him out. Cross-examined by Mr. Purr —The defendant had been guilty of impertinence during his engagement. During the defendant's absence at Paris, an order was obtained by the plaintiff from the Court of Requests, which was reversed on Mr. Maddox's return. Mr. Maddox only used that degree of violence which was neces. sary to put the plaintiff out of the room. After the plaintiff was ordered to leave the room, he kept on talking. Charles Henry Fountain examined by Mr. Peaasott—Was under.treasurer of the Princess's Theatre. Was present at the interview between the plaintiff and the defendant on the 9th of November, in Mr. Maddox's private room. His attentim was first called to what was passing by observing the defendant take a stick from the plaintiff. The defendant afterwards took hold of him by the collar to turn him out of the room, having previously ordered him to leave It, which the plaintiff refused to do. Mr. Maddox did not shake the plaintiff. Did not hear Mr. Loder remonstrate with Mr. Maddox,on his conduct. The latter put the plaintiff's stick in the fire, and part of it was burnt. Cross.examined by Mr. PLAIT—When Mr. Maddox rose to take the stick the plaintiff had raised it on the other side of the table, and was near enough to strike him. The plaintiff, on being re. peatedly ordered to leave the room, said he would have his stick. Mr. Maddox had first placed it in a corner of the room. Mr. PLATT addressed the jury on behalf of the defendant, con tending that the action had been brought merely for the purpose of getting damages, and that one farthing was what the plaintiff was k e entitled to receive under the circumstances of the case. He re. m e especially plaintiffup o upon t the 1a s circumstanceshow i ng the that objectth e stick' o f t h e a d action.bee valued n a rd by In the whole matter, the defendant had shown no desire whatever to commit an assault. The Learned JUDGE, in summing up said, the plaintiff was un doubtedly entitled to the verdict, as the laying on of hands consti. tuted an assault. The simple queist ion was what should be the amount. and that must of course be left to the jury. The Learned Counsel, in opening the case, had mentioned amongst other things, that blows were given, but there was no proof of violence of any kind. If a person came to the private room ofanother, and was impertinent,or remained there longer than was desired, and after being requested to leave would not do so, the party so requesting him might use that degree of violence which aas necessary to put him out. Although it did not cover the roasting of the tail end of his stick, it was a justifica. tion for turning him out of the room ; and if therefore the jury thought the plaintiff was impertinent, or intruded himself upon the defendant in his private room, after being desired to leave it, that should be taken into account in considering the amount of damages. The jury retired to deliberate, and after being shut up several hours they were discharged by the Judge, there not being the least prospect of coating to an agreement. ADMIRALTY COURT, Feb. 9. THE FAVOURITE.-SALVAGE. This was a suit to recover remuneration for alleged salvage services, under peculiar circumstances. The vessel sued was wrecked on the coast of Cornwall in the latter part of last year, and a gentleman named Davy, at St. Burien (as we understood), undertook to watch the wreck, and he continued this service from the 28th of October to the 10th of November, at the ex piration of which time he had succeeded in saving 250 tons of fine iron, part of the cargo. He incurred various charges in the course of this service, and he commenced proceedings in this Court to recover these and a com pensation for his own services in the form of a salvage suit. Dr. HAGGARD and Dr. Twiss were heard in support of his claim, and Dr. ELPHINSTONE for the owners, admitted that Mr. Davy had rendered a valuable service, but contended that it was not one which entitled him to maintain a suit for salvage. Dr. LUSIIINGTON considered that the services rendered by Mr. Davy had been very . meritorious, and, although the Court could not recognise him as a salvor, it could regard him as an agent ; in which capacity he awarded him 2501., to include all the expenses he had incurred, except costs of suit. CENTRAL CRI VIINAL COURT. OLD COURT. (Before Mr. Justice CRESWELL and Mr. Justice COLERIDGE.) SEINTENCY 01 , 11 CAPT. Panic.--At the sitting of the Court this morning Peter Petrie, R.N., aged 54, the captain of the barque Lydia, a merchant vessel, was brought up for judgment, he haying been, found guilty of cutting and wounding Josiah Lawton, a sea man, with intent to disable him. Mr. Justice COLERIDGE, In passing sentence, said, that after a full and careful investigation of the charge against the prisoner, he had been found guilty. The jury, however, had accompanied their verdict with a strong recommendation to mercy, which recommen dation the Court, in passing sentence, would of course take into its consideration. The Court, however, could not forget the circum. stances under which the assault of which the prisoner had been found guilty was committed. When the Court took into its con sideration the facts of the case—considering that the prisoner was the captain of a vessel, and that the crew had not the power of re sisting any cruelty, It was necessary to hold this case up as an ex. ample. The sentence of the Court therefore was, that he be impri. coned in the House of Correction for 18 calendar months, and that during that time he be kept to hard labour. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. (SATURDAY.) __ MANSION-HOD SE. Win. Henry Albert, a German merchant of some re spectability in the City, who resided at No. 40, Wat ling-street, was placed at the bar before the Lord Mayor, charged with having uttered a forged bill of exchange for 1601., well knowing it to be so, and obtaining a large amount of property under fraudulent pretences. Mr. Wilkinson, solicitor, of Cheapside, conducted the prosecution. _ _ _ Mr. John M'Crae, Manchester warehouseman, of Ave•- Maria-lane, stated that on the 22d of last October, he sold upwards of 601. worth of goods to the prisoner, and in payment was tendered a bill for 1601., which the pri soner said was a genuine Germain one, and was made payable at one of the first hOuses in Paris, viz., Bolte and Co., and that it could be easily cashed at any Ger man house in London. Witness accepted it as payment, and gave him a cheque on Messrs. Grote and Prescott for the balance due to him, after deducting certain in terest. The bill was drawn for three months, and was endorsed by the signature of Messrs. Bolte and Co., Paris, as also the prisoner's. It has been since ascer taMed that the former signature is a forgery, as no such house is situated in Paris. Mr. Julius Galghani, German merchant, of City Chambers, deposed that he discounted the above bill, and sent it to Hamburgh, from which place he had re ceived information that it was a forgery, as the name of such a firm as Bolte and Co. is not known in Paris, but at Bremen. He also stated that a short time ago a number of acceptances, endorsed by that house, were sent to England, and by some means or other, the whole were lost. Several of them had since been forged and put into circulation, and the one in question was one of them. Mr. Wilkinson was next examined, and said that, when he called upon the prisoner at his office respecting the bill, he remarked that he knew nothing about it, and referred him to his solicitor, Mr. Johnson, in Cecil street, Strand. _ . _ _ The 'prisoner, who spoke English very imperfectly, observed that he had received the bill, with several others, from a person named Frederick, who stated himself to be a clerk in the house of Bolte and Co., for the purpose of getting them discounted. The LORD MAYOR replier], that it was a very serious case of fraud, and was of much importance to the mer cantile world at large, and for that reason he should re mand him till next Wednesday, so that the proper evi dence might be brought against him.—The prisoner was then removed in custody. Warrants having been placed in the hands of Forres ter, the officer, by the Lord Mayor, for the apprehension of other parties connected with the late forgeries of wills for the transfer of Bank stock, in the course of the week, large placards were extensively circulated throughout the metropolis, offering a reward of 200/. for the apprehension of William Sanders, of Broad street, Bristol, fishmonger, and Lydia Senders, his wife (otherwise Emma Slack). The bill, after stating that they stand charged with felony, and that war rants have been granted by the Lord Mayor for their apprehensioa, offers a reward of 200!. for the apprehension of both, or 1001. for either. The following is a description of the parties : William Sanders is a person from 40 to 50 years of age, five feet ten inches in height, rather fresh coloured and large boned. Lydia Sanders, about 40, dark hair and eyes, but has been known to wear light yinglets, fresh com plexi.n (believed to be from rouge), and subject to gout in the feet and hands. The information forwarded to tho police states that the male person formerly resided in Poland -street, and after wards in Berwick-street, Oxford -street, attending Billingsgate-market, as a fish salesman, in the year 1834, and subsequently. He also ocupied a stall at the Pantheon, in Oxford-street, selling articles of fancy glass and wax figures, at which Lydia Sanders attended. The same stall was subsequently occupied by Georgiana. Richards (Mrs. Dorey). The last time both persons were seen was on the '29th of December last, up to which time he carried on the busi ness of a fishmonger, in Broad•street, Bristol. From the indefatigable exertions of the officers conducting this case, it is expected that both parties will be in custody at the next examination of the parties already detained on the charge of forgery. GUILDHALL. Mr. Swithin, the Secretary of the United Friends' Benefit Society, held at the Blue Posts, Salisbury-square, Fleet-street, was summoned to this court, at the instiga tion of James 'Rouse, to show cause why he refused him a certain weekly amount out of its funds. Mr. Hunt, the solicitor, attended on the part of the society. The defendant stated that, in the month of November, 1839, he entered the above society, and, after being in it about three years, he became very ill, and was seized with a paralytic stroke, and then was allowed Its. a week. After the lapse of several weeks, he was visited by a medical man of the society, who certified that he was in a fit state to resume his work, which he did ac cordingly, and also paid up his subscriptions. About a month ago he was again afflicted, and on applying for the usual sum allowed to sick members, he was refused it. Mr. Hunt here inquired of the complainant his age, who replied, fifty-two. He then observed that he ap prehended the case must fall to the ground, as the com plainant had deceived the society to a very great extent as to his real age. One of its rules clearly provides that no person shalllbecome a member if his age exceed forty two; now the complainant had imposed upon the society by representing himself to be under that period of life, whereas he was actually forty-seven. Under such cir cumstances he had forfeited all claim on the society. Alderman CHALLIS, after consulting with the clerk, was of the same opinion as Mr. Hunt, and was therefore bound to dismiss the summons. It was a very hard case indeed; still the rule must be enforced, and he trusted that the present proceedings would act as a caution to the public. UNION-HALL. /Inn Smith, a woman advanced in years, was charged before Mr. Corry:Guam with 'stealing a purse containing 21 sovereigns, and three half.crowns, the property of Mr. Kilburne. A Sergeant of the P division, stated that the prisoner was given into custody last night, by Mr. Kilburne, who charged her wtih robbing him of a purse containing the aboue sum. His account was, that while he was conversing with the prisoner she contrived to take the purse and money out of his pocket. The Sergeant ad ded, that the complainant expressed his determination to attend this morning and follow up the charge against the prisoner, but he was not present now. Mr. Corrrxaxau made some strong remarks on the frequent circumstance of prosecutors not attending to substantiate their charges, after giving persons into custody. The present was an instance of this sort, and, as the complainant failed in his atten dance, he should, therefore, discharge the prisoner. Sarah Yatton and Caroline Malbone were also put to the bar, charged with robbing a gentleman named Pearce of several shares in public companies. ' '' • ' " The prisoners were given Into custody this morning at eight o'clock, in the Circus, by Mr. Pearce, but whets the case was called on he was absent. Mr. COTTINGRAM said, that as the robbery was committed so re oently, he should keep the prisoners in custody a short time, but i the complainant did not attend he should discharge them. ESCAPE OF CONVICTS FROM THE PENITENTIARY. On Saturday morning, between one and two o'clock, seven convicts made their escape, in a skilful manner, from the Penitentiary, Millbank, viz., Peter Shields, a native of Scotland, 18 years of age ; Edward Carden, a Scotchman, 18 years of age, ; George M'Niel, Scotch man, of the same age ; Patrick Little, a native of Ire land, 18 years of age ; John Sullivan, also an Irishman, of the same age ; Roger Peers, a native of Liverpool, 17 years of age ; and William Edwards, an Englishman, 18 years of age. The escape is stated to have been ef fected by the convicts gaining the roof of the Perftagon, or corner tower, in which they were confined. and by means of the clothes of their beds knotted together, letting themselves down into the moat which sur rounds the Penitentiary, unseen and unheard by any of the officers. The first intimation they received of the escape was conveyed to them by a policeman of the B division, who was on duty close to the spot, and seeing several men crawling out of the moat, hastened to the entrance of the Penitentiary to give an alarm. Prompt measures were immediately adopted by the go wrnor to ascertain which of the prisoners were missing. and on their identity being made certain, a description of their names and persons was forwarded to the police stations, and from thence distributed throughout each division, while several of the wardens were instantly dis patched in pursuit of the runaway convicts. About three o'clock four of the wardens ascertained, through the police, that four men of suspicious appearance had been seen proceeding across the fields between Fulham and Hammersmith, in direction of the Great Western road. The wardens, having a fly with them, in stantly hastened in that direction, and on arriving near the 41 milestone on that road, seeing police-con stable Jones 31 T on duty, they inquired of him if he had seen any persons passing, answering the description of the convicts, when he immediately told them he had only a few minutes before seen four persons, whom he took to be sweeps, go along the road, to whom he wished " Good morning," and was answered by one of them. The wardens, feeling confident that these were some of the runaway convicts, with the assistance of Jones and another policeman, continued the pursuit, and came up with them at a lane leading into the village of Chiswick, where, surrounding them, they succeeded in re capturing Little, Sullivan, Peers, and Edwards. The convicts were immediately handcuffed and chained together, placed in the fly, and re-conveyed back to their old quarters. Every endeavour was made during the day to trace the other three, and experienced officers were sent to all the Scotch wharfs to search the different vessels, but up to Saturday evening we were unable to learn if they had been recaptured. Shields is described as being about five feet four inches high, and of dark complexion ; M'Neil five feet five inches high, fair and fresh-coloured ; and Carden fiv e f ee t f our i nc h es high, dark hair and sallow complexion. All the convicts were dressed in grey cloth jackets and trowsers, marked in red with the letters" M. P." and wore blue striped shirts, blue stockings, with blue woollen caps. On their clothes were pewter buttons, with a stamped crown, and the words " Millbank Prison." STATE OF TRADE. FOREIGN WOOL TRADt, LEEDS, FEB. 9.—There has' been a considerable amount of business done in foreign wools this week, and prices generally may be quoted a shade higher. This may perhaps be attn. buted in part to the advance realised at the London wool sales just terminated. ENGLISH WOOL MARKET, LEEDS, FEB. 9.—The sales of combing wools have continued brisk this week ; and prices continue to have an upward ten dency. Clothing wools sell more freely than of late, at a further advance on last week's prices ; but neither of them are equal to the quotations asked by the growers in the country. WAKEFIELD WOOL MARKET, FEB. 9.—Although this week's transactions in combing wools have scarcely been so extensive as the last —yet they have exceeded the arrivals, and prices may be quoted a shade higher. Low clothing wools are in brisk demand at advanced rates. LEEDS.—The principal articles in demand at our cloth halls still continue to be for tweeds and cloths of low qualities, which have been bought pretty freely this week, and in middle qualities there has also been a little more done than for some time past. On the whole there is more business doing than for some years past at the same period of the year, and prices, particularly in low goods, are looking up. The ship ping houses still continue busy, and there has been many buyers for the home market in the town during the week; in consequence a fair amount of goods have been sold in the warehouses. BRADFORD MARKET, FEB. B.—There is nothing new in the piece market since our last. A consider able business is doing, and on all hands higher prices are sought. Yarns continue to meet ready sale, and the spinners are unwilling to take further orders. There is no falling off in the demand for wool, and as the consumption is now considerable, it is not pro bable that any reduction can take place for a long time to - come, as the large accumulation in the growers' hands has been brought to the market, and the holders here evince a disposition to seek still higher rates than last week's quotations. MANCHESTER, THURSDAY EVENING.—We are all out of joint here, arising out of the advance in cotton in Liverpool ; the prices asking are so various that it would be absurd, or rather impossible, to quote the selling price of any kind of cloth except printing cloths, which are in very great demand, and at prices quite satisfactory to the manufacturers, notwithstand ing the advance in the staple. The usually large buyers are literally doing little or nothing, and as stocks are now increasing, it will soon be seen whe ther 'the spinners and manufacturers, or the buyers, will first give way.—Leeds Mercury. CHARD.—TIGHT LACING.—On Saturday se'nnight, a find blooming girl, aged fourteen, daughter of Mr. Palmer, of thd Crown Inn, after running a short distance, complained of a pain in her side, fell down, and died shortly afterwards. A post mortem examination was made by N. W. Spicer, Esq., and it was found that death was caused immediately by the rupture of .1 blood vessel on the lungs, induced by the exer tion of running, and the pressure of tightly-laced stays.— Somerset County Gazette. CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY.—THE BARNES SCHOLAR smp.,-The new scholarship, instituted by J. Barnes, Esq., of the Middle Temple, iu memory of his late brother, Thomas Barnes, M.A., late of Pembroke College, and late editor of the Times, is now before the University for acceptance. The sum invested is 2,000/. in the Three per Cents., which is con vertible to the purposes of the scholarsh i p on the decease of Miss Ann Barnes, his sister, who enjoys the proceeds of the be interest during her life-time. The scholarship is to ,tena ble four years : the candidates are to be from Christ elect 's Hos pital, St.-Paul's School, and Merch ant Tailors I t he will be the Vice-Chancellor and two Professors -of t he Iltayenity. MARKET NEWS.-SATURDAY. COVENT—GARDEN. The weather having become milder, the supply of vegeta bles, was good, whil e th e d eman d for them was inactive at rather depressed rates. In fruit, the supply. of which 'wa! an average one, very little was doing. Potatoes, from 2s 6d to 4s 6d per cwt; Spring Onions, 2s 6d to 4s 3d; Coleworts or Greens, 2s 6cl to 4s ; Turnips, ls 9d to 3s ; 'Carrots, 3s to 5s 3d; and Leeks, 9d to is per dozen bunches"; Onions, is to 2s ; Spinach, Is 9d to 2s 3d ; Apples, Is 3d to 4s ; Pears, 5a to 12s; and Brocoli sprouts, is 6d to 2s 6d per half sieve. Walnuts, 12s to 16s per bushel ; Asparagus, 4s to 9s ; Oranges , 4s to 14s ; and Lemons, 5s to 12s per 100. Spanish nuts I.ll3Bengal do., 15s ; and Barcelona, 20s to 24s per bushel. NEWGATE AND LEADENRALL. Rhilo The supplies of both Game and Poultry were large ; the general demand was inactive, on the folloWing terms Fowls, is 9d to 4s 3d ; Chickens, is 6d to 2s 3d ; Ducks, .9 to 2s 3d ; Geese, 4s to Cs ; Pigeons, 4d to 10d ; Turkeys, 4 6 t° lOs ; Rabbits, 6d to Is 4d; Hares, is 6d to 2s 6d; Partridges, is 6d to 2s ; Pheasants, 2s 6d to 4s ; Wild Ducks. is 9d to 2s; Teal, is to is 6d; Widgeons, 6d to is each; Snipes, 6d to ls ; Woodcocks, 2s to 3s .6d ; Plovers, ad to 64. and Larks, Is per dozen. With the exception of the primest Mutton selling briskly, at very full rates, the demand 1 heavy, and the currencies had a downward tendency` A Beef, from 2s 2d to 3s 4d ; Mutton, 2s 6d to 3s 8d ; Veal,3s to 4s Sd ; and Pork, 2s 8d to 4s per 81bs, by the carcase. NEWPORT. We had a very inactive demand for each kind of Ile a , and prices were not supported. Beef from 2s 4d to 3 8 4 14 j Mutton, 2s 6d to 3s 8d ; Veal, 3s 8d to Is 8d ; and Pork, 2 5 v" to 4s per Sibs. BILLINGSGATE. There was about an average time of year supply of Fi sh ' while the demand was heavy, at barely late rates. Turbots, 8s to 16s; Cod-fish, is to 6s; Brill, 6d to 2s 3d; HaddoC 2d to 9d ; Lobsters, 8d to 3s ; Whitings, Id to 3d ; Scan is to 3s ; Garnets, 6d to ls ; Plaice, 3d to 6d each ; Soles, ° to 3s per pair; Eels, 4d to 8d per lb; Flounders, is to Is 6a per dozen ; Oysters, 8s to 54s per bushel ; Red Herrings, 23° to 40s per barrel ; Mackarel, 3d to 6d each. WHITECHAPEL. Prime Beef and Mutton were in demand, but otherwise 2g 6d trade ruled heavy. Beef, from 2s 2d to 3S 4d; Mutton, 2 9 _ _l° 4 ` to 3s 10d ; Veal, 3s 8d to 4s 8d ; and Pork, 2s 6d to 4 s Pe 81bs. HUNGERPORD. A_ et For prime Meat and Fish we had a steady deman d , fully last week's quotations ; but, otherwise, the trade " 7 inactive, and previous rates were with difficulty supported' BREAD. fro. The prices of Wheaten Bread i n th e metropolis are --:- 81(1 to 9d; of Household 60 to 8d per 4lba loaf,. HIDE DIANKET Raw Hides, at per stone of 141bs—Best steers and heifer* 5s 6d to 5s 10 ' d; middling hides, 4s Gd to 5s 4d; inferior do; 4s 2d to 4s 4d. Sheep and Calf Skins, at per skin--M k: calf, 6s to 8s; long woolled sheep, 4s 9d to 6s 9d; * l ' do, 4s to 5s 6d; shearlings, Gd to Bd. each. SAT MARKETS. 55; SMITHFIELD.—Coarse ' Meadow Hay, 21 15s to - t• useful ditto, 31 6s to 31 lO s; tine Upland ditto, 31 12s 31 18s ; Clover Hay, 315 s to 51; Oat Straw, 1/ 6s to 11 , 5 7 Wheat Straw, 11 8 s t o 11 ll s per l oa d . S u pply toler 7ll6l good, and trade dull, at the above quotations. CUMBERLAND.—Coarse Meadow Hay,. 3/ to 31 lOs ; ditto, 3/ lOs to Si 15s; fine Upland ditto, Si 16s to 412 5 ; Clover Hay, 3/ to 4/ 16s ; Oat St raw , 11 7 s t o 1/ 9s; W h a s • Straw, 1/ 9s to 1/ 12s per load. A s h or t s upply, au" slugOsh demand. Prices barely stationary. 90.; HITECIIAPEL.—Coarse Meadow Hay, 2/ 15s to 3. .• useful ditto, 31 lOs to 31 15s ; fine Upland ditto, 3/ 15 9 8 ; ; 31 18s ; Clover Hay, 31 to 51 5s ; Oat Straw, 1/ 63 Il a nd Wheat Straw, 1/ es:to 1/ Ils per load. Both Hat Straw met a dull sale, at about late rates. WAKEFIELD CORN MARKET. —FRIDAY. t thin A good extent of business has been done in Wheat at The day's market, at an advance of Is. to 2s. p er qu arter. oe ,„ best samples of Barley support last week a prices, hu t , b. Gonda ry sorts are dull, at a small decline. Oats wa s ',', , A S noted id. per stone dearer. Shelling is in better dernann, e i r an improvement of Is. per load. Beans fully support r v . value. Malt is in good request, at an advance of 15. to per load. Per R q ed r..0 . f ... 60 .. 11 6 t ott,tss.he bushe l oligo t Wisest, Suffolk, Essex, and Kent Ditto ditto White... 60 1 , 0 Norfolk Red es ,,, 5 1 ii s 6 Ditto ditto White... .. n 47 ... Lincolnshire and Cambridge Red = Da s i w'.. Ditto ditto White ....- 65 i 7 r i . Yorkshire. Rod 58., ' 5 O ,r . Ditto ditto White... .", ..... - Foreign fled 5l 56 .... --; Ditto ditto White... 55 68 ;l e," Per quarter . 3 , Barley, Norfolk and Suffolk Yorkshire and Lincolnshire — se si Grinding Foreign — 35 5 .„, Beans, Small enn ll9 .he Ticks Per qr. ..f r 35 b. 34 t0 thei.-- 91 Foreign -.1.4. Oats, Potato and Pole.. d lueallug lod. to 116., Fcrtign -- I' d to —6. -1 Pel . S iTsid. "" Shelling 21s. to 21t•Pc r '----. d Malt —......... ........ 40, fine 435. pe r ha . / 43 . t. Rapeseed... RAILWAY RETURNS. We extract from the Railway Magazine the suras. ; re ; ueived on the principal Railways of Great Brr, ec i for the week ending on the day of the month prer or to each. The return includes the money received ~.r , passengers, parcels, carriages, horses, mails, and ' chatudze : Week Total. i Name of Railway. E . s• ". ended I Feb. 3 Birmingham and Derby Junction.... 1,24 6 , 1 2 Birmingham and Gloucester l o 3 Brandling Junction 2 Chester and Birkenhead 312 14 4 i 4 Dundee and Arbroath 231 18 1111 3 Edinburgh and Glasgow 4 Eastern Counties 3 Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and Ayr....... 1,134 2 n u 3 Glasgow, Paisley, and Greenock...... 648 4 . -6 3 Grand Junction, and Chester & Crewe 6,Bds 10 6 3 Great North of England 4 Great Western ...... 11,801 2 2 Liverpool and Manchester 3,965 7 2 London and Birmingham .. 14,585 13 - 8 London and Blackwall . 536 1 9 ' 3 London and Brighton 6 London and Croydon 8 London and Greenwich 4 London and South Western 1 Manchester, Bolton, and Bury 7OO l i $ i ' S Manchester and Birmingham 3 Manchester & Leeds & Hull& Selby 5,4 05 iv . i . 5 Midland Counties... 3 Newcastle and Carlisle 4 Newcastle and North Shields .... Northern and Eastern 3 North Midland . 4,0 75 1 $ North Union..:. .. - 6 Jan. 30 Paris and O r l ea n s 3 ,125 0 Feb. 5 Paris and Rou en ... 2,566 0 0 3 Preston and Wyre • 207 6 5 3 Sheffield and Manchester 477 13 6 8 South Eastern 550 4 Taff Vale.. 4Bl 119 , ; 8 Ulster 3 York and North Midland 1,371 0 •••••••••••••••••••••=••••••...6. PAGET v. HOLT.—This is an indictment f°l. :- libel (published in the Age newspaper, of which the cLefentito dant was the proprietor) upon the prosecutor, in rely tist the action recently brought by Lord William Page sa t the Earl of Cardigan. An application was made on by Mr. Doane for a day to be fixed for the trial; vitro's' now appointed for Tuesday next, at the Central CrS• of Court. Lord William Paget will be examined on bell.— the prosecution. t Negotiations for the purchase of the Che a Li - Birkenhead Railway are In progress by the London and ieQ ham Railway Company and other parties, with a vie" , o f ""t r osO it a branch of the great line which it is proposed to for °l , o o London to the Irish Sea, and which. if these negotiations oto result favourably, will have a terminus at Birkenhead, in 'l'l46° its chief terminus at Holyhead. THE BR E LATE ‘vER FATAL y. lr. Carter, OCCURRENCECoroner foArTaßeAcltrfnLicALl3banel_rtllyP': CO. and a jury, of the inhabitants, met at the Anchor Inn , dir side, Southwark, on Friday afternoon, to investigate the a 39, cumstances attending the death of Henry_ Roberts, ag e r r iu and John Steadman, aged 22. Thomas Harris, a lidr,,„ 4- u e ed , No. 16 store, deposed that, on Wednesday last, th e " — stela" Mr. Roberts, wbo was foreman, gave instructions to . order' man and witness to get a ladder into the vat No. 7 1, la bnt to descend and clear away the hops and sediment at tht usual wo tom. While the ladder was being procured, Mr. lict e l s ual supposed to have tried the safety of the vat by the w ith test—namely, by lowering a candle, as witness saw tith e de a candle attached to a line. Mr. Roberts directed ended ceased (Steadman) to go down. The poor fellow de'c.,,,ithia about three ards, when he returned. On reaching "reach three feet of the top of the ladder, witness tried before him, supposin he was affected by the gas, but could get hold of him Steadman fell over bacl`r, Witness was about to descend to the rescue of ou o us low-workman, when Mr. Roberts placed him, ac cord' side, saying, " Let me go myself, Tom." li -e . t h hi 4 ingly went down and raised Steadman r ,be right arm, and with his left hand appeared he sad' loosening the handkerchief round his neck, vinet aeac hnan denly fell backwards with hi s a rm s extended, and P . I well fell upon his legs. 'Witness ra i se d a n alarm, and se:vir: came, rope' roun d and his b o o n d e y , ,. named o Before however,terlii cks, h w e ahsedowered " u t feet, he showed signs of ex h aus ti on , a nd wasbeen make taken le n t t o - u 7l o g r a h i e l :t : As it was not thought p ru d en t f or an y one to b o dy , P attempt to descend, drags were procured, and th e a wn Steadman was got up in a quarter of an hour after ti,t e los t was given. He app eare d t o b e qu ite dead. After dead. of another quarter of an hour, Roberts was g ot out, wMe wasr. e C us a tut l ff l e aiv pa a tr y ee - Callaway, t h by e surgeon, uttheine alr,ab onl N l. v i was acid dritg gas Witness f s o r th , illa a dt n dni:es doubtseacubieratuathrtiebeidva in the vat. William George Mountain, anotherd a. the a° stated that he was the person who generally the preparatory to cleaning them The vat N 0. 7 1, hi c i ju the two lives were lost, was opened about ten o'clock ana morning of the day on which the accident °Ware, _ 0110 4)0 only been open about three hours. The vat luta u ntil East ha d ln b d e i e a n a o l p e, e a n n e d om i t e w t e w s unsafe to g d o uy i n e t , o b ' u st t ic i l i l i a a' vn V el . wh i nt b i e ed er , vat a man would take no harm directly it w u s;s d n iburn After the accident a candle was tried, and it wo _ within six feet of the bottom. The jury returned a of "Accidental death." •••"°,- __ BIRTHS. On the Ist inst., at Quimperle, F ranc e, the lady of CALIMA Hughes, late of the Bengal Artillery, of a son. On the 7th inst., Mrs. Henry Kingscote of a E so t ikish .n. 0 On the Bth inst., in Salisbury-al:mare, 'Mrs. daughter. ~ art, On the Bth inst., at Upper Charlotte-street, Fitzroy-scl-- Mrs. W. Bradle f a daughter. Den t On the sth inst., in Newcastle-street, Mrs. William +-All of a daughter ..--;-------- MARRIED. At'. B. On the 20th ult., at the Government el, g~n — ',. O f Arbouin Hunter, Esq., to Fanny Maria, Chita daug te ' - Sumuel t Christian, Esq., of Malta. l a w On the Bth inst., at St. George's, Southwark, bUU'" titer of Douglas, of Walworth, surgeon, to Louisa, eldest daub m.- - • Mr. James Careless, of Cornhill. DIED Rki• On the 26th ult., in Edinburgh, Captain T. L e as On the 26th of November, 1843, at Mussoorie, 'm Indies, Captain George Ellis, of the Bengal Artillery. f th On the 6th inst., at Working, Surrey, Sophia, wif e 4) Rev. Charles Bradshaw Bowles, Vicar of Woking•,..d On the 6th inst., Charles Mitchell, Esq., M. wwillis , On the Bth inst., in Manchester-street Captain Webster, R.N., aged 63 • London: Printed and Published by MUR D° YOLTSUrsu No. 112, Strand, at The Sun Office, Re. 112, Strand, in County of Middlesex, Monday, February 12, 1844' Vol riaa Ott Pe t wgen IN , IPP, \\*