The Express.
London, England, 1863-07-03 00:00:00

CHILDRENS EMPLOYMENT COMMISSION.

This morning a blue book of 340 pages was issued,
containing the first report of the royal commissioners
appointed to inquire into the employment of children and
young persons in trades and manufactures not already
regulated by law. 'The book contains also reports and
evidence from three assistant commissioners, on such sub.
jests as the pottery manufacture, limiter match manufacture,
percussion cap manufacture, paper-stoning, "finishers,"
fustian cutters, the lace and hosiery manufactures,
climbing boys, &c., together with various other docu.
manta having a bearing on the rabjecte inquired
into. The report of the commissioners themselves
occupies 94 pages. In the ciao of the pottery manufacture
the recommendations of the commissioners include im-
proved ventilation and other sanitary arrangements ; the
appointment for two years of a medical inspector, the mai.
tary supervision of the potteries to be afterwards placed
under the inspectors of factories; the discootionanoe of
overtime ; the gradual application of the half-time system,
which the commissioners consider most important to
the physical and moral condition of the children ;
further security for education by requiring a
certificate of a certain amount of it on a child's attaining
the age of 13, &c. In the account of the inquiry as to the
loader match manufacture, a singular statement is mad* of
the development of a peculiar disease called "the jaw
diesels" since the beginning of this manufacture. The
powers of the Public Health Act are not considered sum.
cient, and various practical recommendations IWO given by
the commissioners as to the workrooms and the manage-
ment of them. The appointment of a special medical inspec-
tor for 18 mouths is recommended also in this ease, and the
application of the provisions of the Factory Act in regard to
el ucation. These regulations the commission also recommend
for the percussion cap manufacture, including the govern-
ment factory at Woolwich Arsenal. In paper stoning, the
machine sod block printers, they urge, should be placed
under the Factory Act, and the children employed ought,
they think, to receive the protection of the act. Edu-
cation is much needed amongst the children_ The commis-
sion also think that the Factory Act should be extended to
fustian cutters, and that no child Mould be permitted to
work in this trade before the age of eleven.
It appears that the ant of parliament respecting climbing
boys is shamefully evaded, and that great and unnecessary
suffering is still inflicted on a large number of children in
various parts of England and Scotland. The commission
make several recommendations respecting this evil, the
principal one being that no chimney sweeper shall be per-
mitted M employ in his business, in any capacity whatever,
any perem under the age of 16.

The branches of manufacture to which the recommenda-
tions of the above report apply employ the following num-
ber of children :—The potteries, 11.000 ; the Inciter match
manufacture, 1,613 ; the percussion cap ratnufacture, 150 ;
the paper staining manufacture, 1,150; finishing and
booking, 2,300 ; fustian cutting, 1.563. Thus, if parlia-
ment adopts the recommendations of the commissioners,
nearly 18,000 • more children and young persons will be
placed under the protection of the Factory Act.
The roy►l commissioners were Mr. H. S. Trenaenheere,
Mr. It. D. Grainger, and Mr. E. C. Tanen. The assistant
commissioners were Mr. Longs, 8.A., Mr. J. E. White,
M.A., and Mr. H. W. Lord, M.A.

Mr. Montague Smith has given notice that on
the 10th he will call attention to the insufficient accommo-
dation in the courts of law at Westminster and in the city
of London ; and ask the First Commissioner of Works
whether it is the intention of the government to introduce
any measure for providing oourts suited to the increased
wants of the country. _ _ _

On the 14th Mr. Hibbert is to ask the Secretary
of State for the Home Department whether, in the enacting
session, he will ask for such a change of the law as will
permit capital punishments to be carnet out, under certain
restrictions, within the interior of prisons.

INDUSTRIAL AND PROVIDENT SOCIETIES. —Many
of our readers will be interested to know that a return bat
been issued this morning of the general statements of the
funds and effects of every industrial and provident society
in England registered under the act 25 and 26 Victoria,
a. 87, for the year ending Dec. 31 last, transmitted to the
Registrar of Friendly Societies.

STATUTE LAW REVISION.-Thiß morning a copy
of the bill iotroduced by the Lord Chant*Um for promoting
the revision of the statute law wee presented to parliament.
It consists, with the schedule, of 198 pages. The schedule
comprises enactments which have ceased to be in form
otherwise than by exprees and specific repeal, or have, by
lapse of time or change of circumstances, become unnecessary.
Some of these enactments are exceedingly carious.

"Sardines," says the Union Bretonne, "have
made their appearance is Coooarnean Hay, and is good
ambers, as is one day the boats took about 10,000 PICK."

LAW
(THIS DAY.)

COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH.

After Term Sittings at Nial eriUS 1111Guildhall.—(BdoN
Lord Chief Justice Cockburn and • Special Jury.)
Till Queen r. OREHHAM. —LIBIL.
. .

This 'ram • pram Mama for libel agahaft.th• high bailiff

Mr. Coleridge, Q.C.. and Mr. Giliard were commie for the
prosecution ; Mr. Serjeant Shea and Mr. J. Browne were
counsel for the defendant.

After the opening of the pleadings,
Mr. &desist Shoe said he was lostrocted by the defendant
to caress his regret for what be had dons, and that he was
ready and willing to submit to a verdict of guilty. Umw
circurostaoces of irritation the defendant wrote to the
prosecutor what he now felt he could not justify, and he
offered this public apology to him.
Mr. Coleridge said the course now proposed could only ta
aocepted with the consent of his lordship. He was ready to
accept the apology and to allow the verdict of guilty to ta,
entered if his lordship considered it would meet his ?km
of what was necessary.
The Lord Chief Justice said it was to be regretted that
one professional man should have wntten to another in the
terms that were stated in the record. If the persecutor
was satisfied with the ezpressioo of regret, and a promise
was given that it should not be repeated, the course Proposed
might be adopted.
The parties assented, and a verdict of guilty wan re-
turned

The nature of the libel did not publicly transpire.
The wooed special jury case wee ordered to stead over,
with a view to its widen:teat, and his lordship then pro.
°ceded with the trial of common jury cases in the days Ist
for disposal in the Second Court.

INGI.LND 0. CHURCH.
This was an action on a bill of sale. The defendant
pleaded never indebted.
Mr. Serieaot Petersdorff was counsel for the plaintiff;
Mr. Prentice for the defendant.

It ►ppeared that the plaiatiff advanced lOW. on • hill of
sale for 1201. on the fixtures. &c., of • person named Sup
son, carrying on business u • chemist, he., 4
Stepney. He afterwards left, taking with bim tln
bulk of the articles enumerated in the schedule, leavings
portion of them, together with the goodwill of the 'unravel,
in the hands of a person named Brandon. The latter sold
the buboes. fixtures sod the portion of goods referred to to
the defendant for 601. The goods left bad been valued at
between 101. and 201.

—Thejniir-eintoeda verdict for the plaintiff, damage/1104
The court rose before half•peat 12 o clock, the remaining
special jury cane is the list baring roe off in conseqoasca
of the non-attoodance of jurymen, neither party praying a
taloa.

This court will not nit before 12 o'clock to-morrow
(Saturday). in oonserineoce of the Lord Chief Justice haring
to &liver some judgments at Westminster.

THE POLICE COURTS.
mils DAY.)

BOUTHWLRIL

NUMEROUS BURGLARIES AND ROBBERIES AT mkticzaan.
CAPTURE or THE CAPTAIN OP THE GANG.

Edward Sweeny, a tall, powerful-looking man, of military
appearance. was placed in the dock, Wore Mr. Combs,
charged with being concerned, with others not in custody,
in committing a number of burglaries sad robberies of an
extensive nature at Manchenter.

Mr. Pater, the banister, attended on behalf of the
prisoner.
Serpent Lao(ley, of the Bootland.yard detective police,
said, reformation had lately been reosived at the head
office of a large number of burglaries and robberies having
been committed at Manchester, and from the manner in
which they bad been effected, so doubt was felt that ticket.
of-leave London thieves wee* the offenders. He received
information that the prisowir was the captain, and having
ascertained that he was in the vicinity of this court, he pro.
oesded with other officers on the previous night, and took
him into custody.
Mr. Combs What have you brought him before me for?
Sergeant Langley—For committing robberies at Man.
cheater.

Yr. Combs—That is out of my jurisdiction. I cannot
entertain the charge here.
Mr. Pater—No' ow, you cannot, and there is no evidence
to detain him in custody for an latent. I therefore call
on you to discharge him.
t Langley—l hold in my hand information
official received from Manchester, sad I have talc
dam
graphed to that place for certain witnesses.
Mr. Pater—ls there anybody in court who can give say
evidence to implicate the prisoner io any robbery?
Sergeant Langley—Only documentary evidence, but that
ia sufficient to detain the prisoner.
. _ _

...
Mr. Combo—l cannot interfere in the matter. So far as
lem *moaned lie is at liberty. You can use your ore dis-
cretion after that.

The prisoner was then discharged from the dock, but
Sergeant Langley and the assistant of immediately took
him in custody, with the intention of taking him to Man-
chester. The prisoner, who is a powerful man, handled
the alms rather roughly in detaining him.

WORSH IP-STREET.
91E008 CHARGE.

Elizabeth Brennan:li y- ears of age. wee charged before
Mr. Cooke upon rum:scion of having caused the death of
Isabella Brennan, her own infant, one year and nine months
old.

From the evidence it appeared that yesterday
(Thursday) Police.conatable Motherside, 407 A, reserve
was called into a common lodging•home in Kett*:
street, Spitalfields, by • woman named Ryan, who
acts as deputy of the place. In • room there be saw
the body of • female child, quite naked, and Mr. Black.
well, a surgeon, who was sent for immediately, gave it as
his opinion that the infant bad ceased to breathe about six
hours previously. Not any marks of violence were apparent,
and it was man:fest that death had resulted from the power
of some drug. The prisoner, who rented the apart-
ment where the body was found, and who was absent at
that time, returned shortly afterwards and asserted that
she left her infant safe about two hours before, that .he was
in the practice of administering laudanum to it, and two
nights previously had given her sixteen drops. She offered
no defence, and appeared as she stood in the dock very
t.
_r. Cooke ordered a remand.

(Prisoner's husband is absent from London with • travel-
ling fancy wax-work exhibition, and • very strong feeling
apparently entertained against her in the neighbourhood bf
the lodging-house, fur it was with the greatest difficulty the
constable managed to convey her in safety from the fury of
the mob first to the stationbouse and thence to this court.)

A Badajoz letter says :—" The first locomotive
from Lisbon, which left the Portuguese capital at five on
the morning of the 28th ult., arrived here at eleven. It was
welcomed by an immense crowd, delighted to see that city
united to Spain by a railway."

HARROW-SCHOOL SPEECH-DAY.—Yesteniay was
"the Speech-day" at Harrow-school, and, as usual at that
anniversary meeting, a large number of those interested
in the prosperity of the school were present. The speeches
were of the average quality, fully maintaining the high
reputation of HarrowachooL The usual manifestations
were made by the boys as several of the more distiagniahed
public personages took their departure. Count Zamoyski,
the Bishop of Melbourne, Mr. Thackemy, the Dean of
Westminster, and the Revr. Caron Wordsworth came in for
their full share of cheering. The head master and the majority
of the company afterwards proceeded to visit the "Vaughan
Library," a memorial of respect to the late head wes-
ter, the Rev. Dr. Vaughan, or as a lasting monument
raised by the voluntary contributions of Harrovian "to
commemorate the signal services rendered to the school"
during the happy period that distinguished scholar and
divine presided over the destinies of Harrow School. The
head master and Mrs. Butler gave a sumptuous dijedner at
their residence to a very large circle, comprisieg the aim
and majority of the leading visitors. In the Vaughan
Library, a portrait of the late Marquis of Dalhotime was
exhibited, presented to Harrow School by his daughters.
Lady Susan Hammy and Lady Edith Fergumon, Sir James
Fetgusson, and Major-General W. Mauls Ramsay.
It is proposed to adorn the library with portraits and busts
of eminent Harroviaos. and other sourenirs, illustrating the
historical life of the school.

ROYAL COLLEGE OF SUFIGEONS. —Me annual
election of fellows into the council of this institution took
place yesterday, and at no time since the charter was
granted to the college empowering the fellows to elect from
amongst their own cleat representatives for seats in the
council has there been so much interest excited as was
shown on this occasion. For some weeks past the medical
journals have been suggesting to the constituents the pro-
priety of infusing a little new blood into the council. and to
beak through the usual practice of reelecting the retiring
candidates. Hence the appearance in such huge numbers of
metropolitan and proviocial members as were assembled in
the library of the college to elect three councillors to fill
the vacancies occasioned by the retiretneet in the prescribed
order of Mr. Caesar Henry Hawkins (sergeant surgeon to
the Queen), Mr. Thomas Tatum (surgeon to St. George's
Hospital). and the resignation of Mr. William Colson, and to
occupy the chair of the last-named gentlemen. In oppo-
sition to the reeelectiou of the former, the following
gentlemen were put in nomination, viz.. Meswee. Samuel
Armstrong Lane, surgeon to St. Mary's Hospital ; George
Busk, an ex-professor of the college, and surgeon to the
Dreadnought hospital ship; Thomas Blizard Curling,
surgeon to the London Hospital ; and Henry Hancock,
surgeon to theCharing.crolut Hospital. At the conclusion of
the voting, which was by ballot, the chairman announced
that Messrs. Lane, Buds and Hancoct, had been duly
elected in the chairs heretofore occupied by Messrs. Haw-
kins, Tatum. sod Coulson. In the evening the fellows, to
about 150, dined together at the Albino Trearn, under the
presidency of Mr. Turner, of Manchester, supported by
Mews. Southall', Wilson, and Hutchinson, of that place
Carden, of Salisbury ; Wiblin' of Southampton ; Harrison,
of Chester Crabli, of Poole ; Cardeo, of Worcester ;
Jackson, of Sheffield. Amongst the metropolitan fellows
were Sir Rutherford Alcock, her Majesty s minister at
Japan; Sir John Fisher, Messrs. Luke. Hodgson, Aroott,
Laminas, J. and W. Aanis, Hancock, Hied, Haute, &c.

IMPERIAL• PARLIAMENT.

1:10CSE OF COM IIONS.—(rEns DAY.)
the Speaker took the dillr shortly after 12 o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS. _

The following 1:111;;;;;;;;Iatriird time and passed :-
loglerei Central Railway, Dulas Valley Mineral Euta-
w, iiirhampten and Lolford Junction Railway, King-
, Christchurch, and Bournemouth Railway, and Wet,
Rot and Rickmansworth Railway.
FISHERIES (IRELAND) BILL.
The Li it ic went into committee on this bill.
Os rlsnan IS,
Sir H. RRUCE moved to add to the clause certain words
the der. of which would be to provide that after a ve.cancy
the sew commissioner should be of the same profession as
:he comniissinner in whore room he was appointed.
The A'f TORN EY -G ES ERA L for IRELAND proposed
eeethrr amendment with the same object, which wan

greed-- to.
in reply te In appeal from Sir W. SO VERVIL LIE and Mr.
13,10, Ei.L.
Sir R. PEEL said that the goveroment would be actuated
be no other motive in the appoiatmeut of the commissioners
than that of deelnog to nominate mon of high character and
arid uopirtiality to till the (Hear, hear.)
Tb„„ cUuoe, as amended, was agreed to, all were also
claims to 27.
The el.iuses up to clause 33 had been agreed to when our
report left.
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