The Sun.
London, England, 1855-02-23 00:00:00

COMMISSIONS SIGNED BY LORD LIEUTENANTS.

County of Ross—Alexander George 3fackeazie, Esq., to
be Deputy Lieutenant, Feb. 19.
Shropshire Regiment of Militia— Thomas Cholmondely,
Esq., to be Captain, vice Burd, resigned ; William Bean-
clerc Powell, Geat., to be Ensign, Feb. 20.
Warwickshire .Militia—let Regiment—Ensign Riland
Wolseley Oldham to be Lieutenant ; Ensign John Peter
Wilson to be Lieutenant ; Henry Horace Eden, Gent. to
be Ensign, Feb. 9.

The kesex Rifles—Robert Wallace, Esq. (late Captain
in the Madras Army), to be Captain, vice Smith, resigned,
Feb. 16.

lst Somerset Regiment of Militia—Lieutenant Gamed
Jebb to be Captain, vice Speke, resigned, Feb. 16 ; En-
sign Richard Winsloe to be Lieutenant, vice Jebb, pro-
moted, Feb. 17*
2d or North Durham Regiment of Militia—Frederick
Wallis, Gent., to be Lieutenant, vice De Pledge, resigned,
Feb. 17.

Durham Militia Artillery—Adjutant Robert William
Scott to serve with the rank of Captain, Feb. 19.
Royal Bucks King's Own Militia—Henry Grattan
Bushe, Esq., late 48th Regiment, to be Captain, vice Cap-
tain Charles Palmer, resigned ; Dunlop Cloag, Gent., to
be Ensign. •
Dumfries, Roxburgh, and Selkirkskire Militia—Joseph
Augustus Barretto, Esq., to be Lieutenant, Feb. 10.
East Kent Regiment of Militia—Lieutenant Charles
Alfred Mount to be Captain, vice Munn, promoted,
Feb. 16.
Northamptonshire Militia--William Talbot Molloy,
tesq., M.D., to be Surgeon, vice Heary Terry, resigned,
Sur. . 1 ; Hampden Henley Maclean, Gent., to be Assistant-
Worcestersk
geon, vice William Talbot Molloy, Esq
`meted, Feb. 19. M.D., pro-
ro Regiment of Militie,Toehn4 Oldham,

ROYAL GENRRAL THEATRICAL FUND ASSOCIATION.—
Yesterday the annual meeting of the members of this
iSSOclatMas which has been incorporated by Royal char-
ter, for granting permanent relief to aged or afflicted
actors, actresses, or others practising in these realms the
art of actors, dancing,
or singing, as a means of subsist-
ence, was held in the saloon of the Lyceum Theatre ;
Mr. T. H. Lacy in the chair. Mr. Cullenford, the se-
cretary, read the report, which stated that daring the
past year 17 new members joined the association ; two
died, two were placid on the annuity fund, and that
three had ceased to be subscribers. The total receipts
for the year, including 2371. 4s. Bd., the profits on the
annual dinner, amounted to 1,0771. 65.; and the expen.-
diture, including 4821. 105. Bd. carried to the annuitants
fund, to 5461. 95., leaving in hand a balance of 5301.
175., which was carried to the capital account, and with
the sum of 1421., balance of a reserved fund, swelled the
assets to 8,1171. 2s. On the motion of Mr. Worrell the
report was adopted, as being most satisfactory to the
corporation, but it was regretted that notwithstanding,
the association was open alike to metropolitan and pro-
vincial members of tke profusion, it had only 137 of
theta on the list of subscribers. The routine business
having been disposed of, the proceedings terminated in
the usual manner.
[ADTBETISMIENT.]— THE WAIL HT THE EAST. POWERFUL
PATENT RECONNOITRINI GLASSES.— Messrs. S. aid B. Solo-
mons, opticians 39, Albemarle-street, Piccadilly. Observe
opposite the York Hotel. By her Majesty's Roya.
Letters Patent for valuable and extraordinary improvements
in the most powerful and brilliant Telescopes, Camp, Race-
course, Opera, and PerspectivoGlasses, to know the distances
of objects viewed through them—of great importance to the
army, Navy, and others. These telescopes possess such extra-
ordinary powers that some 3i inches, with an extra eye-
piece, will show distinctly Jupiter's moons, Saturn's ring,
and the double stalls ; with the same telescope can be
seen a person's countenance three miles and a half distant,
and an object from 16 to 29 miles. They are of larger and all
sizes, with increasing powers accordingly ; while their vary-
ing from 4 to 6 inches enable us to discover more than the
above, and the Georgian 'with his 6 satellites, &c.—The Royal
Exhibition, 1851.—Valuable, newly-invented, very small,
powerful waistcoat-pocket glass,the size of a walnut, by which
a person can be seen and known la miles distant; they answer
every purpose on the race-course, and at the opera houses,
country scenery, and ships are clearly seen at 8 to 10 miles.
They are invaluable for shooting, deer-stalking, yachting, to
sportsmen, gentlemen, gamekeepers, and tourists. Opera,
race-course, camp, and perspective glasses, with wonderful
power.—Newly-constructed Spectacle Lenses of the great-
est transparent power. The valuable advantage derived
from this invention is, that vision becoming impaired is
preserved and strengthened, and very aged persons are
enabled to employ their sight at the most minute icon
pation--can see with these lenses of a muck less magnify.
ing power—and they do not require the frequent changes
to the dangerous effects of further powerful assistance. Deaf-
ness—Now Discovery._The Organic Vibrator, an extraordi-
nary powerful, small, newly-invented instrument for deafness,
entirely different from all others, to surpass anything of the
kind that has been, or probably ever can be, produce&
Being of the same colour as the skin, is not perceptible ; it
enables deaf persons to hear distinctly at church and at
public assemblies ; the unpleasant sensation of singing noises
in the ears is entirely removed ; and it affords all the assist- '
ance that possibly could be desired. 39, Albemarle-street,
Piccadilly, °beers'. —opposite the York Hotel,

Mr. Serjeant Byles and Mr. Pollock appeared for the
plaintiffs, and Mr. Knowles, Q.C„ and another learned
gentleman for the defendants.
On the 3d August the barge Thomas and Ann,
which was loaded with 46 tons of iron rails, broke
from hor moorings and drifted along the stream, until
she was carried against some barges at Limehouse.
Whilst in that position the defendant's steamer,
Tourist, came by, and her swell sunk the barge.
Next morning steps were taken to raise her by chains
attached to an empty barge above ; and, while this
process was going on, another steamer of the de-
fendants', the John Bull, came by, and the swell shifted
the barge in the chains, so that she broke in such a
mannerthat it was impossible to repair her, and her cargo
was scattered on the bottom of the river. The plaintiffs
were put to considerable expense in getting up the rails
from the bottom of the river, and they now sought to
recover for that, as well as the loss of the barge.
In the course of the case, the plaintiff's counsel ad-
mitted that he was not entitled to recover, as far as the
sinking on the first occasion by the Tourist was con-
cerned ; but as to the John Bull, his case was that that
vessel had been driven at an improper rate, and had so
caused the damage; and that she bad continued her speed
notwithstanding that a handkerchief had been hoisted on
a flagstaff, and a boat had been sent out to hail her, and
warn her to go slower. According to the defendants'
case their vessels had been properly navigated; that the
John Bull had been going half speed from Deptford; that
they lever saw the boat sent to hail them ; but as soon
as they were hailed from the barge, the engines were
stopped. It was also said that the plaintiffs were impru-
dent in attempting to raise the barge with the iron in
her; that it ought to hare been first taken out, and if it
had been, that no serious damage could have occurred.
The jury gate a verdict for the defendants.

COURT OF EXCHEQUER.
CROUCH V. THR GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY COMPANY.-
THE "PACKED PARCELS' QUESTION.
Mr. M. Chambers, Mr. Browne, and Mr. Macnamara,
appeared for the plaintiff; and Mr. Bramwell, Mr.
Wordsworth, and Mr. Clarke, represented the defendants.
This was an action brought by the plaintiff to recover
compensation in damages from the defendants for refus-
ing in their capacity of "common carriers," to deliver
certain goods which had been given to them for that pur-
pose within a reasonable time ; and that they refused to
carry the said goods without- an additional charge. It
appeared that small parcels are collected by the plaintiff
and his various agents at different places throughout the
country, by them packed into large parcels, called
" packed parcels," and forwarded to their destination,
where they are sorted and distributed to the parties to
whom they are addressed. By this the plaintiff saved
considerably on the carriage ; but this mode of conduct-
ing his business had involved him in no less than twenty
different actions with various railway companies, in most
of which he was victorious. The plaintiff in this case had
forwarded a " packed parcel" to his agent at Leeds, a Mr.
Watson Smith, who refused to pay an additional demand
of lass the proper rate of charge having been previously
paid in London. On another occasion in one of these
packages there was a parcel containing a dress from a
Miss Locke, a dressmaker, to be forwarded to the coun-
try. This parcel never reaeked the person to whom it
was consigned ; but a considerable time—three or four
months—had elapsed before it was returned to the
plaintiff, by whore it had been delivered at the defend-
ants' railway. Miss Locke sued the plaintiff in the
county court, where she obtained a verdict for 21. 175.,
seventeen shillings having been allowed for the dress
when returned. Ott the company refusing on one
occasion to receive a package from the plaintiff's
office, his son called at the companies' booking-office,
the Bull and Mouth, to demand as explanation, and
to ascertain whet was their charge for "packed par-
eels." He was told that they would charge what they
thought fit, and they had further said they did not
recognise such persons ai the plaintiff. There were
other small parcel carriers who were dealt with in a like
manner, whilst other parties were allowed to forward
their parcels, called " enclosures," which werb similarly
packed, without any extra charge being required.
Amongst these latter were Delarue, Longman, &c.,
who packed numerous small parcels in one large one,
and sent them to their agents in the country for the
purpose of distribution. It was proved that the plain-
tiff in his trade had sustained a serious loss by the course
pursued by the defendants towards him.
For the defence evidence was adduced to show that
the charge made to the plaintiff was the usual and ordi-
nary charge, and that there had been no inequality of
charge for "packed parcels," as between the sums de-
manded of the plaintiff and other persons ; that the
company had in 1851, in accordance with the powers
granted them under the act of Parliament, issued a no
tice that an extra charge would in future be made for
"packed parcels ;" and that in 1853 a notice was served
upon the plaintiff, together with others conducting their
business in a similar manner, to the effect that "all
suspected parcels" would be charged five times the rate
of ordinary parcels.
Mr. Wordsworth, in the absence of Mr. Bramwell,
having summed up the evidence for the defence,
Mr. J. Browne replied.
Mr. Baron Martin, in leaving the case to the jury,
said they must be guided by the judgment of Mr. Ba-
ron Parke, in "Pickford v. the Grand Junction Rail-
way Company," in which it was decided that railway
companies were bound to act for those who employed
them and carry their goods, and were compelled to con-
form to a reasonable charge. The risk of carrying a
number of small parcels in one "packed parcel" was
net greater than that incurred in the conveyance of
a single package, as it was very doubtful if AA action,