The Sun.
London, England, 1852-08-04 00:00:00

EVENING, AUGUST 4, 1862.

Lure. Thus the law student would have an opportunity
of commencing and afterwards continuing his studies
under able professors, both in the Ura'vtrsities and in
London, with all the advantages that tha wealth of those
bodies and inns of court could command. While on
this subject we would throw out the suggestion that in-
teresting and instructive popular lectures on the laws of
the country might be given at Mechanics Institutions
and other similar places. The publicity of our courts of
justice, the presence of a jury of fellow-countrymen, and
th_a practice of oral examination render our trials matters
of universal interest, and several branches of the law,
by means of such lectures, might be brought to the
knowledge of the community which is bound to obey
them.

The subject of the relations between the bar, the
attorney, and the client was brought before the society
in a report . which
was much eonsidered, and 83 to
which the
ado Ned: following
resolutions were eventually
"That any
b practiceo which has a tendency to prevent
the public frumeept tLrough the c''taining the assistance of cett.lsel ex-
should be disri tinu
ofempdti.
muchcolsory intervention of an attoreey
e Thee sothe 91st section of the Act 9th end
-10,h Victoria, c. 95, as prevents a barrister frotn.advo-
eating the causes of suitors in the county courts unless
instructed by an attorney should be repealed."
The litter resolution a
hasih e
by a Bill of this session for
now been adopted by both
Houses of Parliament, b
'
extending
the tor of the county courts bee ro-
the jurisdiction
pealed this clauEe offormer Aot. It will be for the
bar to consider whether it will act on the firzt of the
above resolutionwhi
ocebe,m
it has power to do, if it should
s,
see fit, and should the 'an require it.
The other principal roea law
which, either .in the form oflrerleesorofint amendment
qa reports,
have been before Parliament and the country since the
last annual meeting of our society, •
houseoi of Commons on the
have been the report
of the Commissioners of the
laws of partnership, and the bills
for extending the ju.
risdiction of the county courts,be ex
for amending, the patent
laws, and for diminishing t
under commissions de lunatico inquPeirrie
endso.°f proceedings
In the consi-
deration of these several measures this society has taken
expect from past
will b
an active part, and we may reasonably
experience that its laboursa beneficial effect in
determining the course of legislation.o
established,efi and
• Local administration of
justice is n
has been found of infinite practical benefit,
council hope to see it gradually extended as t, and your
well to suits
of an
jurisdictions legal character,
w i
11
equitable nature asleatshto, those o£ f a
and that in local courts, at least,
be amalgamated.
We should also call your attention to an effort that is
in progress for extending the jurisdiction of the County
courts in Scotland, the precursors of our own coauntY
courts, and for improving the procedure of sheriff's o
rior courts by introducing vied voce evidence, and j)°-
making
other reforms.
We eatirely concur in the propriety of these changes,
find we call on the law reformers of England to aid
their fellow-labourers in Scotland in effecting them. It
is only just to say, that among the whole body of judges
of different degrees in the United Kingdom, we know of
none more zealously or usefully employed, or more de-
serving of general respect, than the resident sheriffs of
Scotland. It must be gratifying to the society to reflect
that while their president was mainly instrumental in
introducing the now populer county courts in England,
another of their members (Lord Murray), now one of the
establish-
Lords of Session, brought forward the Bill for
ing these courts under the name of. Small Debt Courts
in Scotland.
The proposed reforms of these courts would also bo
steps towards assimilating the law of the two countries—
an object your council have much at heart, and on which
bestowed much attention.
they have already
Since our last general meeting the important Act for
admitting the evidence of parties in suits in the supe-
rior courts, which originated in a report of this society,
has come into operation. At first, as might have been
expected, the alteration was followed by some cases of
perjury; but we doubt whether in a single instance the
fraud was successful; and we aro happy to say that tes-
timony has been borne in favour of this Act by many of
the judges of the superior courts, some of them in their
places in Parliament, in addition to the evidence re-
cently given at the request of this society by the judges
of the county courts.
The chief subjects in which our society has taken
part, in which no movement has been made during the
last year, are the laws of debtor and creditor, of divorce,
and those relating to deceased persons estates. But al-
though there may be some matters in which little pro-
ress is making, the general cause of the amendment of
the law was never in so promising a. state before. Hap-
pily leer reform is beyond the region of party politics,
and we therefore can count within our ranks distin-
guished men belonging to all the present divisions of
the State, whose opinions on many other subjects are at
variance. At the beginning of the session the Speech
from the Throne, expressing, of course, the views of the
party then in power, recommended the amendment of
the law; and scarcely was another party installed in
office than it announced law reform as one of the prin-
cipal features of its policy.
Under such favourable circumstances every measure
of law amendment on which there is a general agreement
of opinion should be pressed forward for immediate
enactment.
To turn to full account the present opportunity the
powers of law reformers must be gathered and concen-
trated. The organization of the Law Amendment So-
ciety affords the means of eslimining and bringing for-
ward any measure of legal improvement, and the names
of its members, not to speakof 'past
its acts, present, we
trust, a sufficient guarantee for the work being done
efficiently. Such being the case, it seems quite un-
necessary and a loss of strength to have separate
so-
cieties for isolated objects.

Since the last general meeting 44 new members have
been admitted, making the present Lumber 340, and the
balance of income aid expenditure, instead of being
against the society, as it was last year, is now in its
favour. Still, the exertions of the society
.are .crippled
for want of larger funds, and its potency diminished by
the want of a greater body of associates.
With a larger income two important objects at least
might be attained—the formation of a good library of
reference and news-room, with some of the social advan-
tages of a modern club, and the engagement of a paid
assistant secretary, to be in daily -attendance at the
rooms, and qualified to give aid to Members of Parlia-
ment and others who might want information on ques-
tions of contemplated legal changes.
A freer use of the power of printing would also be
of much service, and would much facilitate the proceed-
ings of our committees.
To supply these and other deficiencies we call on
our fallow-members each to exert himself in his own
sphere to make known the objects of the society, and to
obtain for it recruits who sympathise in those objects,
and who by their personal efforts and pecuniary contri-
butions, or, yet better, by both combined, will aid in
their attainment. Especially we would call on the lay
members of our society to endeavour to increase the
number, of those who do not belong to the profession.
The combination in due proportion of the two ele-
ments of professional and non-professional members is
most desirable, and would, we are convinced, produce a
result. far better than can be attained by either class at-
tempt:ng to act alone.
Tu the honour of the legal profession its members
have come forward in the cause of law reform in a body,
powerful alike by number and by position; but while we
count many honoured names among our lay members the
whole number of such members is but small.
As a means of extending a knowledge of our society's,
proceedings, we recommend that the annual reports of
the council should bo widely circulated, and we advise
that the council should be empowered to adopt such
arrangements as they may deem expedient fur establish-
ing a connexion between the society and such town-
councils, chambers of commerce, justices at quarter-
s!ssions, and other bodies unconnected with party
po-
litics as may be desirons of entering into relationship
with it.

The interest in the objects of our society which our
treasurer found to exist in different parts of Scotland,
which ho visited last autumn, is evidence of a wide-
spread feeling of sympathy and concurrence of opinion,
which under good arrangement may servo to create for
us powerful auxiliaries. Such a connexion as we have
referred to would, we believe, be mutually advantageous;
and among other benefits to our society—benefits which
would ultimately be partaken in by those who conferred
them—would bo increased means of collecting informa-
tion on the actual working of our laws, and practical
suggestions for their improvement.
Your council have shown that this society has assisted
in the settlement of several questions of the most diffi-
cult and complicated nature—she Court of Chancery, the
Masters' office, the procedure of the superior and county
courts, the enfranchisement of copyholds, and the trans-
fer of land. It will be the duty of this society to watch
over all these alterationss and the new state of things in-
troduced by them, and thus to obtain the speedy, cheap,
and satisfactory administration of justice for all classes
of the community.
But the society has also a still higher duty, which is,
if possible, to obviate the necessity of law-suits, or, at
all events, to diminish their number. Under any cir-
cumstances a law-suit must often be productive of much
expense, anxiety, and distress. Prevention is better
than cure, and if the law were presented to the public in
a more intelligible and accessible form manyla:evn-st ill-
declared which are now rendered necessary from the pr:
declared state of the law would be prevented.
It is needless to remind the society that the rules re-
lwing to the law in this country are scattered through
1,000 volumes, and that it is thus difficult for the prac-
titioner, and often impossible for the unprofessional
man, to ascertain the exact state of the law.
The council, therefore, urge on the society that it
cannot better employ its influence and exertions than
in attempting some remedy for this state of things.
This is to be found in a comprehensive digest, conso-
lidation, and codification of the whole of the
statute and
common law. A part of this, the criminal law, has al-
ready been effected, and only wants the final stroke to
complete it. But the whole of the other branches of the
statute law, and the whole of the other branches of the
common law, in accordance with the recousenendatiobe,„3
of the learned Criminal Law Commissioners, 611"1di it
subjected to this process; and if there be any par's_ the
which more calls for it than another it is Peerlready
commercial law, as to which some steps hatv has
been taken, and as to which a great iateresi, Eegiand
been
expressed as well in Scotland and Ireland_ jam' eeticp.
by :zany important commercial bodi"riuu which all our
Here is a woethy object, t° °_bdcoyeted. Nor do
exertions are required and should. be
the other subjects
the council believe that, considoritehge
sce,e, ,
ry outing the
already euecessfully dealt witsh,,tb,:tioa, if the mite zeal,
I course of its nine years' nsint.'l`o„ee as Cu former ocea-
, boldness end judgment be rmvP_,,:i.
aions, its exertions will bo in 3'"
- -

'•
See Scotch County Courts. Tatin and Ritchie, EdialoariCh.

NAVAL 1N TELLIGEN CE.
THE NEW REAR-ADMIRAL.
The Commander-in-Chief of the coast of Africa sta-
tion, now Rear-Admiral Bruce, who has attained bit flag
by the death of Si: T. W. Loring, at present as commo-
dore of the first class, enjoys all the privileges of his
new rank, and we presume that like Rear-Admiral
Panshavve, C. 13., his predecessor, A who also succeed to
his flag whilst =amending in chief on the coast, he will
continuo in the command, with the blue at the naias.n
instead of a red pendant. Rear-Admiral Bruce has seen
some dashing service since he entered. the navy, as will
be seen by the following epitome of his career, to which
we may add that he commanded the Queen, 116, for a
short time, and that since be has been on the coast of
Africa, the sanguinary affair at Lagos, for which the
most niggardly promotion was given, took place under
his direction.
Henry William Bruce, born Feb. 0, 1792, is third
and only surviving son of the late Rev. Sir Henry
Hervey Aston Bruce, Bert., by Letitia, daughter or
the late Roy. Dr. Henry Barnard, granddaughter of
William Bernard, Bishop of Dorry, and 'mice of
Thomas Barnard, Biabop of Limerick. He is uncle of
the present Sir Henry Hervey BART, Bart. This
officer enteral the navy tovvards the (Lee of 1803, as a
boy, on board the Euryales,
36, Captain Hon. Henry
Bieckwood, nod on Oct. :21, 1805, was present as mid-
ssepmao, at the battle of Teafaleser. In 1806 he
joined the Ajax, 74, commended by the same officer,
end, on her destruction by fire off the Dardcuelles, Feb.
14, 1807, became attached to the Endymion, 40, Captain
.llon.lTnomas Capel, part of Sir John ehos. Duckworth's
force at the rossago of those straits. Atte r further as-
ssting at th s embarkation of Sir John ea eare's army at
Comma, in January, 1309, Mr. Bruce rejoined Captain
Blackwood in the Warspite, 74, stationed in the Nerth
Sea, and on Jan. 5, 1510, he svas promoted from the
Bellona, 74, Captain John Erskine Douglas,- into tae
Prospero, sloop, Captain John Hardy Gody, from which
he was, however, removed on the 17th of the same
month to the Belvidsra, 36, Captain Richard Byron.
While in that shin he in part commanded her boete, in
conjunction with 'those of the Nemesis, 28, at the very
gallant capture, off the coast of Norway, of 2' Danish
gun-vessels, the Bolder and Thor,of 8 guns and 45 men
each, and destruction of a third, July 23, 1810; obtained
the cfficial notice of his captain for his skilful manage-
ment of the Belvidera'e main• deck stern-chasers, when
she ably escaped, after a long running fight, and a loss
of amen killed and 22 wounded, from a powerful Ameri-
can squadron under Commodore Rodgers, June 23, 1812,
on which occasion he was himself slightly wounded;
again served in the boats with those of a squadron
under recut. Kelly Nazer, at the boarding and capture,
on Feb. 8, 1813, after a most obstinate resistance, of the
car n r eori
n da ne Bcl
sent tder2-sofm-menarleaen
eLxoptlteeirty,w ofh
ichsix
wasla -apcokunnodwe r.
ledged by the especial thanks of the commander-in-
chief; and subsequently in
7 aidedtaking and destroying
the privateers Bunker's Hill, of c guri and 72 men, and
gunst
ecommand f
and 70 men.
of
aptam Bruce, who was
advancedo 015
hthe Manly brig, May 27,
1814, next, in August of that year,xe taccompanied Rear-
Admiraland, Cockburno the
re t uu prn tohfe
tPheatßuri!!
has far as Notting-
ham,from Wash-
winhgotsoen, hoistedatehkeereewle
fofiragh his British
services arm y
dgtue
acknowledgments
se that gallant officer,
honour, with others, to receive. I S he had the
September follow-
ing the Manly was employed up' thenP
dur-
ing the advance of Major-General Ross
river
We soon afterwards find Captain Brusceonr
tßalqmore.
England with dispatches in the Rover sloop, and,
to
paid off in September, 1815, successively employ'eudniii
escorting the outward-bound East India trade to the
southward of the equator, in convoying home a fleet of
merchantmen from Barbadoes, and cruising cff Dieppe
for the purpose of intercepting Napoleon Bonaparte,
should occasion offer. On March 16, 1821, he was ap-
pointed to the Sappho sloop, and, being the senior com-
mander on the Cork station at the time of George IV.'s
visit to Ireland, was promoted to post rank, by commis-
sion dated Nov. 16 in the same year. He subsequently,
from Oct. 4, 1823, until April 3, 1824, officiated as flag-
captain in the Britannia, 120, to the Hon. Sir Alexander
Inglis Cochrane, commander-in-chiet at Plymouth ;
commanded the Imogene, 26, on the South American
station, from June 7, 1836, until paid off at the close of
1839; and, on Feb. 1, 1842, was selected by his brother-
in-law, Sir Thomas John Cochrane, to be his flag-
captain in the Agincourt, 72, on the East India station.
Captain Bruce married, first, Feb. 9, 1822, Jane, second
daughter of Admiral Hon. Sir Alexander Inglis Coch-
rane, sister of Rear Admiral Sir Thomas John Cochrane,
and sister-in-law of Rear Admiral Sir Edward Thomas
Trowbridge, Bart., by whom, who died June 22, 1830,
he has issue two sons and two daughters. He espoused,
secondly, March 13, 1832, Mary Minchin, youngest
daughter of the late Colonel George Dalrymple, and by
that lady he also has issue.
THE SAFETY OF THE HARPY.-We are glad to find
that the Harpy has been heard of at Fayal, which place
she had reached in great distress, from Rio, with inva-
lids, bound to Englaud. The Harpy is one of the " no-
torious half-dozen" iron squadron, and one of a class
that has been reported officially to be unfit and unsafe
for a sea voyage. We are not at all surprised to hear of
disasters befalling any of the half-dozen, and after the
repeated warnings the Admiralty have had, officially
and otherwise, they incur a fearful responsibility in
trusting them at sea. The Harpy has been on the south-
east coast of South America for some years, and
was ono of the squadron engaged is the Parana. She is
badly designed, and is iecapable of carrying her intended
weights. She is very much overpowered with machi-
nery. She is under 350 tons, and yet she has engines
of 200-horse power. She le one of the disgraceful Navy-
office blunders.-Herald.

MALTA, JULY 27.—For the last few days we have
been anxiously looking for the Indian snail, and as the
Medina did not appear, apprehensions of accident were
generally entertained. The French steamer Lougbcr,
however, has just arrived, and by her we learn that the
mails had not yet reached Suez, although the East India
Company's steamer Victoria, from Aden, had arrived
on tho 20th.
On Sunday last the Prince Ferdinand° Maximilian,
brother cf the Emperor of Austria, arrived here in the
Volta steam-frigate, from Malaga and Algiers, and left
us again last night for Naples, as it is said. He is a
very unassuming young man, end earnestly entreated
that all the official ceremonies attendant on his arrival
might be waived. During his short stay ho visited all
the places he thought worthy of notice, and amused him-
self in his apparently favourite pursuit of a nurnismati-
cian, adding several coins to his store, and more espe-
cially the coins of the olden day. He would not be ac-
companied by any one in his rambles, not even from
the Consulate, being desirous of enjoying absolute
freedom.
His Excellency the Governor, who is slowly recover-
ing, was too unwell to pay any
had he been disposed to accept i attention to the Prince,
it.
With reference to my cemmunication of the 22d lest.,
news has reached this place from Tripoli of the arrival
there of the French fleet, and that unless the French-
men still retained by
mival had threatened to proceed to acts of hostility. The
Paella is resolute, and when the mail left pertinaciotetly
the Pacha were given up, the Ad_
refused to give up the men.
PORTSMOUTH, TUESDAL—The u
Ediretnburgh, 56, Capt.
Chads, C.B. (screw gunnery ship), rned into thie
harbour from her Channel cruise this afternoon. She
returned to Spithead yesterday. Since she left Queens-
town, last Wednesday, she has been at sea, maneeuvring,
drilling:, and exorcising her crew in gunnery. She has
proved, under steam, sail, and steam and sail, a most
efficient vessel, realizing, under certain circumstances,
upwards of 10 knots per hour. On coming up to Spit-
head she dressed ship, manned yards, and saluted the
royal standard as she passed Osborne.
The Fairy, Ro:;a1 yacht, Commander Crispin, em-
barked the Quoeu and Court last evening, about half-
past five, from Osborne, and steamed with them round
the squadron at Spithead, which dressed ship, and
manned rigging and bulwarks as the
Ab e t
r her Sovereigne,triei:y
s passed.tto
No gunpowder
l ewate.
enrde paid, l
havingrhe R
ceeyunatlerymeaenhdt ed the
Victoria
Cowes yesterday, after coaling in this harbour for the
Queen steam yacht hasilblbeuceotn regularly put
AnTt.hweerlp,irterip
employed
mwmheatind her, and
ionn commissions
service
i Mc 0 r
a. PI
iae uult,e
nmabanystt eL:
Lieutenant Mason, of
rnatnadfl opa tu)e, h
etsos
Ca
at ttehned.
et present she is commanded
utlapoonVhicetrolrymp(tehreialSHenigiohrneLssietuhteenGa
rine of Russia, now in the Isle of Wight.
designed
master-shipwright of this dockyard, I,2lBl6c'tonnesw,4oo-horse power,
harbour to-day to make her by Mr. Fincham, the late
was taken out of
mile in Stthoke
CaptuaiungWheas,rdoefnt,heofsustlraeasdt
Captain
first trial at the measured
Henderson, C. 8., com-
mandingCß:t.ebaanal". reoansai in
eoprailment
a et tafloat;hl snienrnt Fort;
alltr.Semerset-house,
of this dockyard and Zr,
of the Navy P
, and
staff- Murray, thne
and report upon her qualities.w esntheouintadi
s 16 revolutions,
and averaged 10.12.6 knots, under the unfavourable cy:
Furnstances of violent winds the whole time of trial' All
her sea stores and provisions were on board. .
her de
tfelontbrisi enrele'er
ing, and will go to Spithead to-rnorrow.and r
si , m en t hscise
etobccio; e Weolrige,
The Tiger, 16, Captain Giffard, bent sails this morn-
The Inflexible, Itoeam C°mTmbursday, and her
will be paid wages
morning from the
crew will be granted lea_ve::::_crsTt-teieusetnentcannote
The Cornelius Grinnell arrive
Thames.
°;on a charge of heeinllgofebntreyeni
geeßeorvatLehelnern,.erntenarAtinaiToe.e.erups,
Watson Hall, of this, e p
erland on the Ist: as
officer
dressed when on duty
He is sentenced
drunk and ,iroP ,',
NTMENTS. tilt., has this
3—Surgeon John Davidson, M.D.I
to be cashiered.
do fa
yt
been dtaoypbcreattotbinFualaaPL 10At
e.
np":l.obui
perintendent of the Lord Auck-
landWOOLWl % _.
thebilotnissay,
( l 83
,4. 5c1)0,1111
Thomas
raj 0
at ,s,
Fennell
iePrinell and W. M. Chamber. h
. entered as third-class assistant engineers, and pttivaecebd"l:l
of the Magicienne steam-frigate, Captain Wil-
liamin eh ergo of the advance squadron of w
on
3streriTFee_cdr.;:atnwin,isot.ewspe-:10_,op, Commander Powell, recently
Gibraltar, is to Le
this Tort on Fr day 1-(3m
paid a
off t
y next.
RIFLED iVi
. MORTAR.—A largo piece. of ordnance, of
2ntir:lynew con.truction, has just been finished' an
. Royal Arsenal, and will shortly be conveyed to a il
theburynea to try experiments with it at that
Some idea may be formed of the strength
when it is stated that it is thirty-two incheso to Shoo-
t, long range.
the mortar
end has thirteen inches of solid meta; in di'
wthich is only right inches in diameter,
great depth, compared with other
bly intended for tiring solid shot so,
gated or sugarleaf ehapp, end ~: e•,"' diameter
a, round the scare,
m and from. its
mortars it is proba-
Sheila of the don-
Tue
grovel;
in
the
mortar
14,0,a-tier to the Minie balls.
z,alitaily opposit,, each other, orily two. placed heti-
EL Ld of an oval shape, wiat•

out any flat part, as in small rifled arms. The rifled
mortar weighs upwards of 114 cwt.

SPIRIT of the PUleiLie JOURNALS.
TIMES.—It is said to have been a practice with Eas-
tern potentates, when they
wished to effect the ruin of
any particular man, to make him a present of an elr-
phant—if the animal were white so much the better.
There was no getting rid of the honourable encumbrance.
The recipient of the
gift and his family might be re-
duced to their last grain of rice; or, as the Duke of Nor-
folk would say, to their last
but the interesting animal must have his four meals
air-
ings,him, itnofsahcat,maplolpinch of curry-powder;
a day, and his various attendants to take him on his °
thosehial ,cotountslmesasilitiottolethse-crsomicbeshiwmh,itcoh ds:
much promote elephantine comfort. Conceive the feelings
o
Ithe wretched Indian as he gazed upon the vast crea-
ture into whoseginterior all his
de gl • ees earthly possessions were by
passing in the shape of tit-bits ,such as might be
offered to the Sultau s gift. There was, however, no escaoe
—ruin was a mere question of time—at all events, the
animal must be fed. Now, whatthat elephant was in the
hands of the Eastern Prince the oifi
this moment to a citizen of London. ce of " sheriff " is at
ostra-
cise him, as the Athenians would have
They can't
e done—they can't
have him shot from behind a stone-dyke,
is with deliberative assernb'ies of is.n inas the practice
to be stilettoed or poisoned, as
wastekne—wa DO
o Crhs
these
Sia!:Z3.3 and Borzins—but they can " make" him Sheriff.
They cr.,n force him to accept an of which will inter-
fere with the necessities of his business, with n hie ordi •
-
nary evocations, with his comfort, and his peace of mind.
Tht y can compel him, under heavy pecuniary penalties,
to take upon himself duties which may be most distaste-
ful to hi.; feelings as well as damaging to his fortunes .
If once nominated, however reluctant a candidate he
may be known to be, there is no escape from the ehriev.
tatty or the payment of 400/. In point of fact, it is idle
to enlarge upon the disagreeable nature of the office;
for there are plenty of men forthcoming who are
willing to accept that as an honour which others
are as anxious to avoid as a painful respensibility and a
serious loss. It is this consideration which renders the
conduct of the citizens more preposterous. Granted,
that some person must needs serve the office of sheriff.
Granted, that the office should only be intrusted to per-
sons of station and respectability; bat, when it is matter
of notority that there is an abundance of persons, both
of good station and high respectability, who are willing
to discharge the duties of the shrievalty, why should the
citizens go out of their way to select those very persons
who are most reluctant to undertake it? Even under
our new Militia! Bill we are to try the bounty first, and
fall back upon the ballot afterwards. One volunteer is
worth twenty pressed men,—why, e then, press the twenty
and kick the volunteer out of doors? Why, without
any colourable pretext, or shadow of necessity, drag that
which should be a dignity through the mud? Whenever
we find any paucity of willing candidates—whenever
duties which obviously must be discharged by somebody
are neglected by everybody, it will be time enough to
visit the recalcitrants with fine and indignity. As yet
no such necessity has occurred; but, still the practice is
to elect the unwilling, and to let the willing go free. The
fact is that the annual election of sheriffs to serve for
London and Middlesex has degenerated into a pretext
for the most paltry extortion. There is no expectation
that the unwilling nominees will serve, but there is a
certainty that they will be compelled to pay 4001. into
the hands of the City Treasurer. The nature of the
proceeding appears to be somewhat as follows. Under
the Common Council Act of 1748 the Lord Mayor has
the privilege of putting in nomination a number of names,
not exceeding nine, of persons for election by the livery
on Midsummer-day. If the Chief Magistrate for the
City took ordinary pains—as much pains as may be im-
plied by
the exchange of two lines in writing by the
penny post—there would be nothing very unreasonable
in such an arrangement. The proof, however, that
even this slight degree of trouble is not taken, may
be gathered from the proceedings of the recent elec-
tion. On that occasion, two
sell and Moore, were put in gentlemen, Messrs. Gris-
Hooper, who was acting as deputy fornomination by Alderman
under a mistaken impression that
the the Lord Mayor,
serve. It is not oar wish to make oui were willing to
any
Alderman Hooper, for he has since done rl case against
his power to repair the consequences of As that lay in
.
doubt he acted just in the same way that others No
done before him, and the consequence was, that thAhtave
unlucky nominees were elected. What takes l -wo
such an occasion may, perhaps, best be gath pace upon
ered from
the description given a few days back by two Common
Councilmen. " I was at the Common Hall the other
day," said Mr. Dakin, " when two gentlemen were re-
turned by the Livery, and I never witnessed so mon-
strous and complete a farce. I saw a party heading
and directing a number of persons who acted under his
control, no doubt upon an understanding with
other parties, and caring nothing whatever about the
dignity of the office, and I saw the persons who had
thus been marshalled make the return in conformity
with the arrangements by which other persons were fa-
voured with exemption." Mr. Deputy Lott, who fol-
lowed this speaker, backed op his statements in every
particular, and declared that he bad never witnessed
more "disgraceful jobbery where all was jobbery." The
bad seen " hundreds of dirty hands held up for the re-
turn of a junior alderman, in order to free the senior
alderman, who had particular reasons for knowing the
customers, from the obligation to serve." Despite of all
these declarations, and despite of a motion made before
the Court of Aldermen, the two unfortunate nominees
have been compelled to pay the fines, which they have
done under protest, and the fines have been maintained.
A report will be found in another portion of oar
columns this day which affords ample proof that per-
sons of respectability and station in the City are forth.
coming who are eager to solicit that very office which
others so strenuously repudiate. Why then this silly
degradation of what should be an honourable post? The
remedy in a case of this kind is so very simple and ob-
vious that one is ashamed even to offer a suggestion. We
presume there can be only two objects in view; the first
that fit and proper persons should be chosen as sheriffs;
the second, that their choice should received the assent
and :approbation of the citizens. It is only necessary
that willing candidates should certify their willing-
ness to the Lord Mayor, or to any other City officer,
who should propose the names for the approbation
of the citizens. Nothing more i 3 wanting if willing
candidates are forthcoming. On the other hand, if
the time should ever arrive when the gold chain and
other gaudy appendages of this high dignity should
have lost their attraction, and if the office issmiversally
felt to be a thing which must be avoided at all hazards,
then it would be a moat scandalous oppression to force it
upon this or that obnoxious individual merely arbitrie
popularis aurce.pf, If the duty is so detestable, lettit be
compulsory on all in turn, or, still better, let some per-
son be paid to discharge the
disagreeable responsibili-
ties of an odious office. We do
not,however, think that
this contingency has as yet occurred. As the report of
this day proves, many persons covet the distinction; it
is, therefore, a mere scandal to make the election for
the shrievalty an excuse for extorting money. The
practice is most dishonest, and
highest degree to the citizens of
London.

VICTORIA LONDON DOCK.
Yesterday the ordinary half-yearly meeting of the
above company was held at the offices of Messrs.
Burchell and Parson, 47, Parliament-street, West-
minster.

SAMUEL Li, 2ETO, Esq., having been elected to the
chair, called upon Mr. Smith, the secretary, to read
report
the notice convening the meeting, and also
of the directors, which states that since formationtee establish-
of the company, which has for its object,.
et
Thames, in
meat of a commodious dock north of b
North Woolwich,
the immediate neighbourhood of
aged in negotia-
the directors had been actively
vieweng to strengthen-
tions with various parties withitau
upon such a basis as
the
ing the company, and p
out
ofail there was a reasonable
undertaking, which
would not be commenced until to insure the carrying out
be continued, and
assurance that the
crorily complet matured Bidder,
speedily and satis aompany,
having his plans
the engineer of the
docks,
and works intended in the first
of the proposed
ciltructed, and which comprise an
placing
the
instance to be constructed,
odation of 90 acres, with a mile
area of water adce
quay room, and 160,000 feet of proof
of wharfage a
are qsubmitted to Messrs. Peto, Betts, and
sheds; y vs:
the de the directors congratulate the pro-
BrasseD authe result. Those eminent contractors
iefors on
undertake the completion of the
pr .. red to
are preps
sum of 400 000/.2 which is the amount
works for the ,
wor
e capital of the company ; and so con-
of the snare
contractors
of the returnwhich
-aced are the . May
vi ated for this outlay, that they have offered
be antler')
to lease the docks for 21 years, at a rent of 51. per
cent. per annum on the amount of the contract. The
report adds that a body of capitalists have volun-
teered to join the company, so that the completion of
the share list is guaranteed.
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the're-
port, congratulated the ' proprietors on the present
aspect of the great national undertaking in which they
had ecabarked. It was satisfactory to the directors
thus early to be able to introduce the important un-
dertaking to the public with every prospect of success.
—(Hear.) The best test that could be given of the
probability of the ultimate success of the venture was,
that the contractors offered to complete the works
for the amount of capital raised upon the shares, and
to guarantee a dividend of 5 per tent. per annumt•7;
(llear, hear.) It was only necessary to look to h
groat increase in the number of our ships, morew _at
par-
ticularly of large steamers, for which theme
ata:
~,,,,e i the
present no suitable accommodation, to
completion
a dock
good that would result from the complbee
company.—
of the dimensions contemplated by
t f the existing
(Hear.) Laoking at the working
dieasoon to look for
dock companies, the directors
had
place the Vic-
such a co-operation from allasu
position as to be se-
toria Dock Company in such
paying speculetinn.—(Hear.)
cond to no other as a
cusiy adopted, and a vote of
' The report was ucanii:
2 to the chairman and di-
thanks Laving been Veservices the business of the
rectors for their paas
_, services,
ordinary meetioguw
o_s'
f the company was then held,
A special :Leen:
--g gentlemen were unanimously
when the following
Morrilon, Fsq., David
elected directors:—Charles
George Peabody, Tzsq., and J.
Waddington, -b
Ueyvso° . -(1.
Rood, Es It was also uLanimously
i Pemberton .
quorum of
a future three should form a
resolved that i
directo.v-g, • The meeting then separated.
____.

j3oGgEss of EMIGRATIoN. It
is said that of
1,500 weavers at preseat unemployed in Paisley, 1,200 are
desirous of emigrating--representing, At the least, 6,000 ja-
diTiduals!7-North