The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-04-17 00:00:00

COUNTY COURT—Yesterday.

BEFORE JOSEPH POLLOCK, EEQ., JUDGE.
CRAGGS V. HUGTIAN.—This was an action to recover
£9 18s for towing a brig, named the Euphemia Fullerton,
from the Bell Buoy to the Harrington dock. The defendant
was captain of the brig in question. Mr. Wright appeared for
the plaintiff and Mr. Hime for the defendant. The defendant
had paid £8 8s into court. The evidence went to show that
on a certain Monday evening, in February, the brig was coming
up the river, when she was hailed by the captain of the steam
tug Voltigeur, off the Bell Buoy, who asked if the captain of
the brig wanted to ho towed up to Liverpool. The !atter
enquired what the cost of towing his vessel up to the Harrington
dock would be. The former demanded, in the first instance.
12 guineas, which the captain of the brig refused. 10 guineas
were then demanded, which he also refused to pay. The
defendant then ()tiered to give £8 8s to be docked in the
Harrington dock, and the steamer came alongside. Her captain
got on board the brig and had ehe letwier made fast. The brig
was then towed up, but when she reached the Harrington
dock, the harbour master refused to admit her, as the dock
was then full. The pilot ordered the vessel to be t ken to
the Sloyne, where she wa-s anchored, and the steamer then left
her. On leaving, the captain of the steamer stated that if he
had to come back the following-morning it would involve an
relational expense of 42. Oe the Wednesday following a
tug was obtained from the plaintiff, and the vessel was towed
into the dock; and the sum of £1 18s was demanded for this
service. Qu the part of the defenca it was contended that the
agreement, as made originally, was to tow the Euphemia
Fullerton into the Ha eington' dock, and that there was
no stipulation as to time. The evidence on both sides having
been heard, which occupied considerable time, his Honour gave
a verdict for the defendant will costs.
FAULKNER v. THE LIVERPOOL Dom TRUSTRES.—In this
case the plaintiff was Charles Travis Faulkner, an iron
founder, Manchester, and the action was brought to recover
from the Liverpool Dock Trustees the sum of £2 Os 3d, an
alleged overcharge of dock dues upon a quantity of cast
iron railway chairs, shipped by him at Liverpool
for Barcelona. Mr. Yates appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr.
Aspinall, instructed by Mr. North, solicitor to the Dock
Trustees, for the defendants. The evidence for the plaintiff
went to show that plaintiff having had it in contemplation to
enter into a contract for the supply of i quantity of cast iron
railway chairs, to be shipped to Barcelona, consulted, before
entering into the contract, a published schedule of the rates of
dock dues, issued by the- Dock .Trusteetr, and also made
enquiries at rho Dock Trustees' office, receiving in both cases
the information that the charge he would have to pay upon,
cast or pig iron would be 3.1 d, per ton for dock duos. 89 tons
of railway chairs were accordingly chipped in one vessel and
104 in another, by the plaintiff, but instead of 30.,
the charge made was fid. _ per ton ; the charge was
paid by the plaintiff; and the present action was accordingly
brought to recover the difference of 21d. per ton upon the
articles, which he alleged to ho an overcharge. It was
contended on his behalf that the railway chairs were of
a class of maunfecturo so simple as to be
merely cast iron, and could not be held to tome,
under the head of wrought iron at all. It appear,
that the
charge mentioned in the schedule was 2i3 on ,rc
iron." and 6d on manufactured iron. 'dna the plaintiff contended
ast or pig
that railway chairs should corn
the part of the defence under the former head. On
s.'t was maintained that railway chairs
are to be considr'ed as subject to the higher class of duty, and
it was Sh°rd in evidence that while cast or *pig iron is only
"rt 7. about £3 to £4 per ton, the articles here in question are
worth about £7 per ton. Evidence, which occupied several
hours, having been heard upon both sides, his Honour stated
that he should reserve his judgment until that day fortnight,
his present impression, however, being that the article in
question was cast iron.

ALARMIN6: FIRE AT BIRKENHEAD,
The township of Birkenhead was on Wednesday morning
thrown into considerable excitement by the breaking out of
fire in Front Chester Street. The following are the particu-
lars : About a quarter to four o'clock, Mr, Scholefleld,
chemist:, residing nearly opposite No, 100, Chester Street,
the scene of the fire, was awoke by the barking of his
watch dog, and on looking out • of his window observed
flames issuing from the premises of Mrs. Jones's millinery
establishment. At this time, so rapid had the flames,
spread, that the inside stairs leading to the house were
enveloped in one blaze; and with a view of escaping from
destruction, Mrs. Jones, a lady visitor, Mr. Leicester,,
manager of the establishmenr, and the inmates were
making the best of their way along the upper parapet of
the building to the skylight window of the adjoining
house, through which they effected their escape. The
fire brigade were early on the spot, but from circumstan-
ces, which will no doubt be minutely examined into, no
less than two hours elapsed before a drop of water
could be got. Tne property belongs to John
S. Jackson, Esq., proprietor of the Water Works,
Ashfield House. The stock of Mrs. Jones, which had
been the other day replenished with new goods, is, we un-
derstand, only partially insured. the premises and stock
of Mr. Williams, hatter, on the one side, have been great.
ly damaged, while the jewellery establishment of Mr.
Rostock has also suff-red somewhat. Policies are effected
with the Alliance Insurance Co. The whole building has
been destroyed.

AGRARIAN OUTII•GE.--A. farmer named Colciongh,
residing near Clonfanlough, in the King's County, 01%
Sunday evening last, when returning from attending mass
at Ballinhound Chapel, he was waylaid by several persons
armed with bludgeons and stones, who cut and wounded
him so severely with their murderous weapons, that his
life is despaired of. Colclough's assailants are known, and
it is hoped will be speedily- made amenable to justice.
Colclough has given offence to the "agrarian legislators"
in consequence of recently baying taken some land, and
0* is the cause assigned for this savage attack.