The Express.
London, England, 1853-11-19 00:00:00

THE MEDIA STEAM SLOOP.

POITIMOCTM, Nov. 18.
As stated in my despatch of yesterday, Commander '
J. C. Battey, the first and second lieutenants this amisftat-
surgeon. and the chief engineer of the Modes, 11, album
sloop, have been superseded by the Admi awl Com-
mander Phillimore has succeeded Commander . The
het-named officer took his Man of the ship's sompaay (with
whom, it is only justice to my, be has always Mem es good
tams) yesterday aftsrusen, when, Moist; assembled *sea
on the quarter deck, lor addressed them es Salem :—" I
have been informed that I hese hese ingsesedsd Mesa the
command of the Medea. This Is owing le desnmstasses
with which you me all acquainted, arida/ Ilema a systesatie
and untaagible opposltioa to all my effects le set matters
reit. Notwidmaadiag them diMealties, I had anssesded
UMW late a roper train when the ship enfold
at ; het there, from an unezposled muse natant
which I could sot esedeud, they were renewei. My wail
Was at OM undeee, sad myself ably throws so
my back. I am coalldnat that were the heads
of our prodessies aware of the twentieth part of
what every mu here knows of the true state of
affairs, matters 'would have terminated is a very difi'erent
manner. It boa been stated that the dimensions on board
the Medea had made her ' the scandal of the navy.' I '
suspect the author of that assertion was also one of the
principal authors and secret promoters of that sandal ; bat
of this lam sorared, that none of it is to be attributed to
her ship"s massy, or, m conscience tells me, to her com-
mander. We have beheld extraordinary scenes, subver
sir* of discipline, enacted upon our decks, which, from
their very extravagance, are incredible to pawns who have
not wanemed them. These I invariably suppressed, for I
believed that if I did my duty and upheld the service, the
sen.ev would is tura uphold me, and the more especially
as my position was one of unusual difacalty. I regret
that msubordination has triumphed,and that the originates
of all our discomforts should, by falsehood and insidious
argue'., have endeavoured to affix the stigma of oppression
icl per,,Tution to my name—characteristics that I feel are
copl,tely foreign to my disposition ; and I really regret
frr'..t.• with a crew who have never allowed themselves to
• 0r...e4 by the bad example set before them, for I
river met a ship's company so well cei.ductod,
or who
_give so little trouble, as that of the
Medea. It is gratifying to reflect that it has
astir been my duty to inflict a corporal punish-
ment in the ship, and that it has only been twice necessary
to ,lisrate men. I now bid you farewell, hoping you will
persevere in the same good conduct, and that you may get
so worthy a commander as you deserve, and officers who
will do their duties properly and attend to your comforu."
The men murmured "Thank you, sir," and the potty
cfiLers in a body, aft on the quarter deck, applied to Corn
mutter Bailey to memorialise the Admiralty to have the
ship paid off on his leaving.

ANuIIIER ARCTIC SSARCIL—IL ham been unani-
mous 4 agreed by the members of the Geographical
Society that the chairman, Sir Roderick Murchison, should
solicit the Admiralty to send out another expedition to the
Arctic regions in the summer of 184. It is proposed that
the new Antic expedition shall proceed in quite a contrary
direction to any of those previously sent out from this coun-
try in search of Sir John Franklin and the offic.rs and
crews of the Erebus and Terror diirovery ships, now
upward' of eight years absent from England.
RATHER COMMERCIAL.—The best bit of" trading"
that came to our knowledge was this; and as it may scree
to 6.i a gap in Mee. Stowe's nest work, we give her the
benefit of it. A man married a dark girl, and find.ng out,
shortly afterwards, that she pleaded guilty to maternity,
and had in reality Wring evidence thereof, he went to his
lawyer to consult him as to what was best to be done.
" Done " said the lawyer, " why nothin' on 'arth easier;
give me the proof, and I'll get you a divorce in no time."
'• lt:vorce be d—d !" replied the client ; " all I want to
know is, if I can sell the little Digger ! "—A. Bunn.

C!TY CORPORATION COMMISSION.

Yesterday the Commissioners met in the Privy
Clamber. Mr. Ltbsuchere was not preseat.
Mr. W. Co"ton, late g iv-rnor of the Bank of England.
examined— I am a bank d'rec"ar, sod have been connected
with the shipping interest for 45 years. lam acquainted
with the constitution of the corporation. There is a disad-
vantage in having the aldermen magistrates, because their
duties as magistrates make great inroads on the time of
men of Maine's. At the same time, there is an advantage
in having in independent, unpaid magistracy. I would
have the aldermen magist , but I woul I have efficient
paid curators emaciated with them. At present the respon-
sibility rests on the aldermen, and the legal knowledge in
the assessor. At present the system in existence was very
much one of a stipendiary magistracy without its responsi-
bility. I should be sorry, indeed, to see London deprived
of its eorporation, but I think its constitution requires to
be greatly changed to suit it to modern times. Many cir-
cumstances have combined to prevent the great merchants
from taking part in the corporation. In the first place,
there are very few of them cow residents of the City.
Their former hostess are uow converted into counting-
houses and warehouses. Therefore the interest of the
merchan's in the corporation has greatly diminished. I
believe that none of the present aldermen reside in the City.
In former times I think the great merchants took part in
the corporation. I regret that that has ceased to be the case.
Mr. Williams, a merchant, of Birchin-lane, was the first to
throw up his aldermanic guwu, and since then a slur seems
to have remained on the office. I think the alder-
men at present rather represent the retail trade than the
great commerce of the City. Even with regard to the re-
tail trade the circumstances of London have been much
altered since my early days. People who used to come for-
merly into the City new go to purchase in the West-end, in
Regent-street, and Bond-street. The change which I speak
lftes from a period very much within my own recollec-
tion. lam not particularly acquainted with the Court of
Common Council. Is former times the class of persons
who elected the COMM& Council were different from what
they are now. I think there is also a change in the class of
rsons elected as 00•111011 councilmen. I think the change
persons
is tor the worse. The Common Council is too large a body
for an efficient executive body. They are more suited for
legislative functions. I know nothing about the navigation
committee. I think the Court of Common Hall is objec-
tionable. I think the mode of election under the Municipal
Act is preferable to that which holds in the City of London,
If you elect a Commas Council iu which you have confidence,
I think they should elect the executive officers of the corpo-
ration. The functions of the companies have no reference
to the name they bear except the Goldsmiths' and Apothe-
caries' Companies. The wholesale traders are not com-
pelled to take out their freedom's, and I think it is very
hard that the retail traders should be compelled to do that
which the wholesale traders are not compelled to do. I
think the corporation have acted with perfect honesty in
the disposal of their funds, but I think they have nut laid
them out in the best way. I think they might have done
more than they have for the social benefit of the
people. 01 late year. they have devoted their attention
to the improvement of the thoroughfares, but, on the
whole, they have not promoted the g 1 welfare and
convenience to the extent they ought. The corporation
paid more attention to the improvement of the City than
the metropolis. The metropolis has outgrown the City.
Bequests left to the City are not apilicable to metropolitan
improvements. I think the cost of improvement for the
metropolis generally should be barn, by the whole metro-
polis ; end I believe that ur.der goad municipal institutions
funds for such purposes might be provided. I always re-
gretted that thus was not the Cale. I don't think that
chambers of commerce would be desirable in London. In
London there are a great many special associations which
obviate the necessity of a chamber of commerce, With re-
spect to the general constitution of the corporation, I think
the Aldermen and Common Councilmen have acted with
perfect honesty, and any evils that have existed are owing
rather to the bad constitution of the corporation than the
faults of individuals. _

Mr. Pulling, who was examined at great length on a
former day, W4l called on to continue his evidence. His
evidence on this oceavion Wig directed to the numerous

and conflicting jurisdictions within the City of London.
The citizens of London obtained under several charters the
power of electing their own magistrates, and very peculiar
modes of trial existed within the City which were not
calculated to ensure the liberties of the subject. The wit-
ness then referred at great length to the charter of Henry
1., and several other charters which conferred these excep-
tional powers of jurisdiction, criminal and civil, on the citi-
zens of London. There were created by these various
charters wardmote courts, the Central Criminal Court, the
Sessions Court, the Aldermen's Polies Courts, the Lord
Mayor's Conservancy Court, the Coroner's Court, the Court
of Hustings, the Mayor's Court, the Sheriffs Court, the
Appeal Court from the Court of Hustings to the Mayor's
Court (called the Court of St. Martin's-le-Grand), the Court
of Orphans, two Courts of Policies of Insurance, two Courts
of Pie- Pondre. The Lord Mayor being Admiral of the
port of London, it was a question whether he had not also
an admiralty jurisdiction. The witness detailed at great
length the peculiar form of process weed in these courts, and
showed that their jurisdiction frequently clashed with one
another, and the general law of the country.
Sir J. Pattecou—l believe there is no County Court in
London ? .

Waiters—No. The court equivalent to the County Court
is the Small Dabts Court, which was recently engrafted on
the Misfire Court. With respect to the conflict of juris-
diction between these different courts, I have already
alluded to it in the former part of my evidence.
Mr. Lewis—Whatever advantage may arise from these
peculiar customs is not confined to the corporation. They
have no exclusive benefit from them ?
Wituess—Certainly not Whatever advantage or dised-
vantev they may give rise to is participated in by the ge-
neral body of citizens. What I would recommend is, that
all these petty courts should be amalgamated into one gene-
rally useful court, with an appeal to the judges in West-
minster. I think the Mayor's Court offers the basis for

of attachment is

inch a mart as I propose. The process._ Pe-
enlist to the City of London. I think Mat phew of the
City of London ought to be abolished in Leaden or •x-
-tended to the whole country. TM ppm of attachment is
often of considerable advantage, and there Is • question
whether it would not be well to extend the power to the
whole kingdom. I would put en end to all the customs
of the court which conflict with the general law of the
land.
Mr. Lewis—Do you think that a peculiar custom of Lon-
dos is destroyed by • general act of parliament ?
Mr. Pulling—l am not in a position to answer the ques-
tion, for I have argued on both aides.
Kr. Lewis—lt is stated in your book on the " Law and
Ounlethe et Luisa" that a custom of the City cannot be
SegMololl/siepsied act of parliament.
ni* 4 beam that is generally so. But the
wan I opines essielsabt. It is the duty of the Hem-
ingway to wig* Wm wilds might affect the privileges of
the City of Saab" sod he gets a clause inserted saving
dem 'gleams& In tar way Mr. tholes Bourne's act
nakals so veswies—a ewe useful act—did not extend to
4,
.., et Lambs or se Illgathwark, which were expressly
ken Ns opeendos, So with regard to many acts
the eastragedi—.they did not extend to the City.
I w , *swim, /neon that all conflicting laws sad
eamleme is th• chlg is ibalisiod. Is Gringosl eases a great
=oljadsMlNa Oka plass. TM Central Criminal
sad noises Maas warts may be, sad are, fre-
I rsh*. at the maw time. This gives rise to
ineoneemience. I, therefore, think the Con-
Criminal Court should be the only criminal
.e within the City, and that the jurisdiction of the
ihwisas Court should be altogether abolished. I would
' pull, for the increased business of that court by the ap-
Miltnt of two assistant judges, who were to sit for the
irfensinor ammo, when the judges of the land were
sot sitting. This would not increase the labour of the
rzwho tow sit is the criminal court. I think that
ni.. of each central criminal sessionto a fortnight's
OM WSW of • week would be sufficient to clear away all
the busiest*. The aldermen are now bound to be present
Si the Central Criminal Court ; I would relieve them of
that duty. I think the business of the court would be
much better performed ander the system I propose than
under that which exists now. The existence of the grand
jugs in the Central Criminal Court is *great inconvenience,
and leads to much lam of time. If an efficient stipendiary
' magistracy were appointed for the City, I don't think
there would be the least necesseity fee a grand jury. I
would also appoint • public prosecutor for the City of Lon-
don. The costs of prosecutions now come out of the gene-
ral City fund. The City, however, being a county, has the
right of making a rate. I don't think the expense of the
court I propose would be greater than that which now
exists, seeing that there see 1 jurisdictions
at present each with a separate staff of officers. I would
have paid magistrates appointed for the City of London
as in the rest of the metropolis, because I don't think that
gentlemen who have their own business to attend to in
addition to civic affairs, can make as efficient magistrates
as thus* who devote their whole time to their magisterial
1 duties. Under the Municipal Act, the town council fix
the salary of the magistrates, sad apply to the Crown to
appoint. I c sonot speculate on what may be the feeling of
the Common Council of London under such a provision.
The right of the aldermen to sit as magistrates is not very
ancient. Those only who had passed the chair could preside
before the reign of George the Second. Besides the in-
convenience that arise+ from the conflict of different juris-
dictions +Alija the City, great additional inconvenience
must also arise from the conflict of local boards. This
must necessarily be the case when there are 700 different
local acts applicable to the City. I believe there are 3.50 of
these acts in force within the City. I believe there are no
less than 200 charters applicable to the City. There are 52
in print relating to the City itself. I should say that there
are at least twenty more, not in print, in actual force in
the City. The practice of the corporation has lately'
been to conceal the nature and character of these charters.
Mr. Serjeant Merryweather has the custody of the charters
now. There is a law of the Common Council, that no one
is to have inspection of any one of these charters without an
authorisation from them. I can see a strong reason on the
part of the corporation for withholding these e afters, and
it is this that it would be found they had forfeited many of
their rights. For instance, the City claims the right ad
holding land in mortmain under charter from Edward IV.
This property consists of quit rents which they herein
trust, and I believe that these trusts have not been per-
formed. They have for instance allowed encroachments on
the bed of the river, which as conservators they should not
allow. I am not in the secret of the corporation, but I be-
lieve a large portion of the revenue is derived from houses