The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1822-04-05 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGEACE.

DOVER, APRIL 3.
Sailed t►e Dffence passage ve.itel, will' t►e Doke of Ha•
mailton. for Valais.

Arrived off here the Reward, from Jamaica, in eight
weeks; also thaw Boatel., of Itiodon, trims lirbon, in titres
weeks ; both took pilots and aviled fur Loudon. Also ar.
rived off here the Rapid, of North yarnioni h. from Metrina,
bound to St. Petessborgh ; took • pilot nod proceeded to
bee destination.

Pcnennotrw, •TRt'L 3.
Sailed the Liffey for the Emu Lubec; Itirbard,
'en, fur Demerara, the lest put hick; cud Thistle, Gibsuo,
fur Alireut.

Passed up the Channel the ship Herefordshire from China.
rLymourn, ♦PRIL 2.
Arrived the York Merchant. Hipmnbutharti, from Sated'
for Rockford, with Load anchor and cable.

Suited the Columbus, Boort, fur Mirsancht, supplied wills
anchor and cable; the Nile, fur St. Suttee's, and Betsey
Casale, fur Quebec.

DVAL, MIL 3.
Came down from the River the Baltic Merchant, Harvey,
for Quebec; Eagle, COUIIIOII, fur ditto; Atlas, Watson, fur
Buenos Ayres; Jack Tar, Ludt', for Quebec; Bengal
Merchant, Brown, for Madras and Calcutta ; and 'meal
others, particulars unknown; ■nd remain in the Howns with
the Severn frigate, and Good Czar, Smith, for tinders.

We understand that Sir RONALD CRAWFURD
Fence:ion, K.C.B. has resigned his commi.sion
as Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Fife....
(Cwpar Herald.)
At Leicester Assign. last week, five prisoners
received sentence of death. At Aisi Prins only
five causes were entered. four of which were le-
fended. A inoliK the prisoners capitally convicted
were IVilliant Barnett, 28, for poisoning his
wife at Ullesthorpe; and Irillitras Curren, aged
25, and Juhn Curren. aged 22 {brothers), for in-
Hiding a mortal wound upon the person of Thomas
Raven, of Burrow-upon-Soar, of which he die'',
They were executed in front of the county Bride-
well at Leicester, on Moud•y morning.
Mr. Justice Beer, in his charge to the Grand
Jury at the Assizes for Nottingham, adverted to the
subject of the employment of prisoners, and
strongly recommended that hard labour should be
introduced into the excellent House of Correction
for that county. Every prisoner M the gaol, lienh-
served. whether tried or ton, if he applies for relief
from the county, should he obliged to work. The
19 and 20 of Geo. 11. and the 31st of Geo. 111.
fully bore this out. Any prisoner who smuts sup-
port. may be refused desistance if he will not work :
none are to be supported in a prison in a sta►e of
idlene►e, but those who, from infirmity or sickness,
were incapable of labour. Ile was awe that the
Magistrates would feel, that if finding the means
of labour would be some expense, yet it should be
done. for where there was no labour, instead of
gaols being useful fur the correction of morels,
they only tended to engender crime.

Mil

FORFEITED RECOGNIZANCES.

REPORT
■llO3l
THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON RECOGNIZANCES.

[Ordered, by lite House of Commons, to be printed,
4914% Marek, 1812 j

The Select Committee appointed to inquire into the coarse
pursued in the levying all Forfeitures of Reroecittaisem
entered into hefare Justices of the Peace sod Coroners,
end to report their Qbser►atimn thereupon to the House,
have, pursuant is the orders of theiloune, considered ibe
matters to theta referred, sod hare agreed to the following
Report :
It appears to soar Committee, by the Art of the 22d and
231 Car. 11, r. 22, that no forfeited rerogn.reaces,
bumps, or amereisments, sum and soma of money, or other
forfeiture whatsoever, taking place after the Monday follow.
isg the Morrow of All souls, can be returued into the Exche-
quer until the same day in the subsequent teary whereby as
average delay of Rix months Is oceasioued, supposing a strict
compliance with the letter of the law.

•
Your Committee think it necessary aten to state, that they
have examined many persona, abuse different employment.
and occupations have afforded theta the means of judging of
the efficiency of the process, as it is at present executed.
Mr. Grirowood, the deputy to the Lord Tr►asurer's Re-
membrancer in the Court of Exchequer, stales, that a very
great delay takes place iu passing the forfeitures transmitted
by the clerks of the prone from their respective Quarter
Sessions. through the different offices in the Exchequer, CI.
trading to a permit in 11.1 cue ten thin two year's; and that
from the date of the forfeiture to the deg when the Sheriff
is prepared to execute the process, a peelers' of between
three and four yawn usually intervenes —Mr. F , the
deputy clerk of the ',treats, agrees with the preceding wit-
ors in opinion as to the delay; and be further Antes, Met
the number of 'streets in England (exclusive of the emus-
tire palatine), is the year ending March, 1829, emanated to
1,707 in number, and in value to 41,2651.; of which a very
small portion was recovered by the Crowe.
The value of the estreats returned for the year ending
Michaelmas, 1616, amounted to the sum of 34,165/. and
the amount recovered to 1391. only; inis was exclusive of
forfeitures claimed by different liberties.

Mr. Mullet, Clerk of the Niehils, and al.o a clerk in the
P;pe.uffice, ngrees with the preceding witneanes Sato the de-
lay in passing the entreated recognizance* throttle, the Court
of Exchequer ; sod further states, that if the comae of these
recognisance,' were turned into a different channel, the Ex-
cheyierauuld be relieved from much trouble.

Mr. Harper, the Receiver of the Poet Flee and lames
of the Green Wax in the Exchequer, as far as the same re.
late to the Duchy of Lancaster, states, that in the year IWO
the processes Sent out to the Sheriffs to levy in other coun-
ties (exclusive of the county of Lancaster) were foe the sum
of 4,357/. is. which sum included the arrears of farmer
years; that the amount le•ied by the Sheriffs was 32/. 6.1.
and that the return of mussy levied in the county of Lan-
caster was equally disproportionate.
It appear. to your Committee, as well by the evidence of
the officers of the Court of Exchequer, as by list of several
Police Magistrates, hastier*, and Clerks of the Peace, who
have bass examined, that the preeent mode of proceeding
with respect to forfeited recogiliminces, occasions by it. dila.
tery forms a gresi impediment ill the administration aims-
' tice, a, well as a considerable loss to the r evolve.
Mr. Wait* the inspector of the 6nc• sad forfeitures be-
lough,' to tie Crown, and receiver of the-crown rests for
Wales, states, That the forfeiture, is that past of the king-
dom, 68111 at the Assuan sad Quarter &Salim, are levied in
a much more summary and effi ctn.l manner than in Eng-
land. The Clerk of the Ps ace fur a Welsh comity issues,
immediately after every gorier &•mime, the roll of the
saatreats with his writ to the Sheriff, requiring him to
Ivy the forfeitures instanter, and to pay over the fines re.
curved to the Receiver of the crows rests at the emitting
audit, where the Sheriff's accounts are annually parsed.
The writ issued in like manner after such Assizes by the
Chamberlain or PPolbunotary of the circuity is equally ex-
peditious and more efficacious', inasmuch as is the ease of
se goods being found the Sheriff I. required to take the de-
lioquent into custody, and to bring Lim before the auditor at
the sect andit.
Your Committee dank it proper, in proof of the slope.
riorily of this process, to contrast it with the comparative
amount of forfeitures incurred and !feted is Li/eland, re-
ferred to in the evidence of Mr. Farrar and Mr Harper. Mr.
Wilkins having delivered in the following iiialeownll so OW
as regards Wales for the two last years, cushiug in February
1820 sad February 1831._

AMouut of Forfei- Amount ?cried by
two' incuired. ice h !with.
1820 ...£llBB 5 1 2162 5 1
1821 .. 494 4 2 ......... 166 19 9
being a rate exceeding 291. in every 1001 of she gross sentient
tif the forfeitures incurred; whereas in England (iiut on.
eluding the Duchy of Lanmestrr), the gross ■mount levied
does not exceed 10s. in the 1001. on forfeitures e.tr.aird.
and is the Duchy of Lancaster the amount levied is little
more than 16s. in the 1001.

It appears to your Committee, by the 'videos*. above re-
cited, tbat be prrient mode of proceeding fur the recovery
of furfeiteres in England, is the cans, of ;peat annual lu•s
to the revenue; of the greatest uppeemiou and injustice in
most instances to the individuals ou whom they are imposed;
the parties being frequently igisurant of hiving incurred pe-
nalty till the demauel made by the Slictiti souse years after
the laical.

Your Committee think it y to ob that a re-
eognisaace is frequently forfeited, from negligence or Igno-
rance. or other causes, not Gettig on the party the stain of
any moral guilt. Even in the ease* of culpable the
delay of three or four yes,. which generally iiiteevenea be-
tween the Imposition and levy of the Gee, (-mood be consi-
dered bell as an act of cruel oppression; the Ivry of the Slw-
r•ff 611E114 the par's, frequeutly in altered circumstances,
with new connexinu• equally involved in the calamity that
unexpectedly falls upon the deliaquewt.
Your Committee beg further to observe, that this is not
the only objection arising from the dill, in the executive of
the law as it at present stands, fur the prortiee ut I..ying
persons under the ohligstiem of a recognisance, is a
indispensable scat of the law, and aid to magianates in the
administration of jostice, as well as a gnat rrisint upon
some individuals, whose lawless and viulest habits it is ne-
cessary to coerce by penal obligations.
Your Committee have it in evidence, that Maglotrates in
some part* of the kingdom assume to themselves the 'miser
of moiling and finally seller ing persons from their reeng.
sauces; and they have reason to believe, that • very lax
practice geuerally prevaila to r,spert to the mitre:mm*4l of
all recognizance.; sad your Committee eutertaiu 110 dosibl
but that;if a reform of the present practice was in take pker,
a considerable improvement in the revenue won't fuliuw, in-
asmuch as all thn was recoverable by a more summary pin-
cers would be levied, and relief given at the muse time. at
a trifling expense, to Mae whose ignorance and poverty
were the only OfT4OOOll of their failure.
Your Committer cannot avoid taking notice of the mode
of rebid which the law at present to all such as
through poverty and tgoorauce may have hemmed its penal-
ties. By the 4th Geo. 111. c. 10. the Barons of the Each,.
quer have power to discharge poor and ignorant persons,
upon the pestilent of nue guinea only; but it is very easy
to Imagine that no pour or igninant prison will he able to
avail himself of this indulgence witheint the employment of
a solicitor or item's, for the purpose of drawing up the pr.
titino, the affidavit, mid other expel's's of astrodomee aw 4
jimmies, which generally amount to neatly as much as the
obligation of an ordinary reciignizince; and in all other
cases where the parties are out entitled so the b. nefit of this
Act the expense of the Court of E•cheiiii•r
amount, to 7.1 nr St exclusive of other chaegss and expenses
tortured in payment of solicitors' bilis.

Yen, Coaineiitee also have reason to believe it'll poor end
ignorant persons have, in several i0.1111.(TO, antlered many
years imprisonment, from the want a knowledge of the
means of relief, as cell as how want of the menus of pro.
curing ii.

In proposing a remedy fur the present defective state of
the law, your Committee CllllllOl avoid thawing thr attention
of the House to the pract•a•e which obtains in Wales; whet*