The Sun.
London, England, 1863-12-08 00:00:00

Law Amendment Society.

The third general meeting of this society was held
last evening at 3, Waterloo-place, Pall-mall, Sir
Richard Graves M‘Donnell in the chair.
After a few remarks from the Chairman, express-
ing diffidence in occupying the position of chairman
after an absence of many years from England, a
paper was read by Mr. Robert Wilson, on " Transfer
of Title to Land." In it he submitted that posses-
sion was presumptive evidence of ownership irre-
spective of documents, and on the other hand every
theeiwlieityof ownership
therefore he proposed they
erascdaeupsaerdt übrye
documents,fro m
should register possession as the simple representa-
tive of a title that was simple, and as a basis for the
registration of the documents by which for the time
being a title is complicated. He explained that one
of the great obects he had in view was to endeavour
to turn back the attention of Mr. Torrens' papers on
the " Transfer of Land and Registration of Titles,"
applied as supplementary to the Irish Estates Court
Act.

Mr. HENRY PALMER (secretary) stated that he
had recently made inquiries into the working of
the Land Transfer Act, and that it appeared that the
applications to the Land Registry Office represented
property to the value of nearly two millions. An
estate had been very lately entered of the value of
£700,000, and those of the value of £50,000 value
might, on an average, be registered with an inde-
feasible title for about £5O as the expenses of the
office. The principal charges would be for adver-
tisements,enmapping, and surveying. The minor ex-
se sof the office would be the value of the stamp.
p
He further stated that it was not correct that the
majority of the applications were by proprietors of
land sold for building purposes.
On the motion, of Mr. T. Webster it was agreed
that all discussion on the paper should be adjourned
till the first week in January, when the discussion
on Mr. Torrens's paper would also come on.
The report of the committee appointed to con-
clude the negotiations with the Social Science Asso-
ciation for a closer union with that body, on the
basis of the draft agreement submitted to the last
meeting, Was read. It recommended that the
united associations should be called, the National
Association for the Promotion of Social Science,
with which is united the Society for the Amend-
ment of the Law." And that the first department
of the united association should be styled, " The
Department of Jurisprudence and Amendment of
the Law."

The meeting was then addressed by several
gentlemen as to the details of the amalgamation of
the society, and votes of thanks were passed to the
officers who had, and those who were now, serving
the society.
The proceedings concluded by a vote of thanks to
the chairman.

SUDDEN DEATH OF MR. W. SALT, F.S.A.,
111.R.5.1., THE BANKER.—Much surprise and re-
gret was caused yesterday, not only in the City but in the
British Museum, by the announcement of the sudden death
of Mr. William Salt, junior partner in the firm of Messrs.
Stevenson, Salt, and Sons, the well-known bunking film in
Lombard-street. Mr. Salt was at the British Museum on
Saturday, investigating matters relating to the topography
and antiquity of his native county, Staffordshire; and was
seized with a fit in church en Sunday morning, from the
effects of which he died. Mr. Salt was a well-known and
familiar visitor of the British Museum reading room, from
his love for local antiquarian lore. He was a follow of the
Society of Antiquaries and an active member of the Royal
Society of Literature, besides being a zealous supporter of
every charitable institution. He is known in the literary
world by the number of old books he has presented to or
obtained for the British Museum, In 1544 he printed a
curious supplement to Dr. Harwood's edition of Sampson
Erdeawick's " Survey of Staffordshire," the text of which
in many parts he revised. The copy in the British Museum
bears the inscription from his own hand, " Only twenty
copies of the list of MS. printed. No. I—British Museum."
Mr. Salt was much respected in commercial Circles, and
highly esteemed among literary men for his amiable dispo-
sition and pleasant manners. Ho was a year or two short
of 60 at the time of his unexpected death,

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

THE CONGRESS.

PARIS, DEC. 8.

The replies of the Emperor of Russia and the
Kings of Saxony and Wurtemburg to the Emperor's
invitation to the Congress have been published this
morning. The Emperor of Russia states that he
has always recognised the utility of an understand-
ing among the Sovereigns. All the acts of his
reign attest his desire to substitute relations of con•
fidence and concord for the state of armed peace,
weighing so heavily upon the peoples.
His Majesty then says that he had taken the
initiative in this direction by the reduction of his
army, and continues :

" Eventualities of a nature to menace the security
and even the integrity of my states alone caused me
to abandon this path. I have an earnest desire to
be able to re-enter it, and spare my people the sac-
rifices which their patriotism accepts, but for which
their property suffers.
" Nothing could better hasten this movem
than a general pacification of the questions which
agitate Europe. I should be happy if your Ma-
jesty's proposition lead to a loyal understanding
between the sovereigns ; but for this to be practi-

tally realised can only proceed from the consent of
the other great Powers. It is indispensable for
your Majesty to define the questions upon which
an understanding would have to be arrived at, and
the bases upon which it would be established.

" The object of the pacification of Europe will
always have my most earnest sympathies."
The first conference took place yesterday, at the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for the conclusion of
a treaty of commerce and navigation between France
and Sweden.

THE SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN QUESTION.
VIENNA, DEC. 8.

The Vice-Admiral Irminger, the Danish Extra-
ordinary Ambassador charged with the notification
of the accession of King Christian IX., has left this
city without being received by the Emperor.
This circumstance is regarded as a confirmation
of the view that, in spite of the withdrawal of the
March patent, Austria still insists upon Federal
execution in Holstein.

A deputation from the Municipal Council of
Vienna presented a petiti'n to the Emperor yester.
day relative to the Duchies of Schleswig and

Holstein.

The Emperor, in reply, said he did not deem it
necessary to assure them that, in this question, he
should fulfil his duties as a Prince of the German
Confederation, and strive with all his power for the
preservation of the constitutional rights of the
Duchies. His Majesty stated, however, that the
Municipal Council would do much better if, instead
of discussing high political questions, they would
direct their activity more to commercial affairs.

FRANKFORT-ON-MAINE, DEC. 5.
The sitting of the Diet, which was to have taken
place on Thursday, was adjourned to-day, and im-
patient folks imagined the week would not close
without a definite decision. They have been de-
ceived, however, for the Diet will not sit to-day, but
has postponed its meeting until Monday. This
fresh delay is attributed to the difficulty of the two
great German Powers in coming to an agreement
with the other members of the Confederation.

Austria and Prussia, in fact, are in open oppo-
sition to their confederates, who persist in wishing
to occupy the Duchies, in order to hand them over
at once to the Duke of Augustenburg.
The movement, however, continues throughout
the country, and is strengthened by the official or
tacit assent of the Governments. King Maximi-
lian of Bavaria ie expected with the utmost im-
patience, as it is believed he will place himself with
Saxony at the head of the German patriots. Com
mittees are constantly upon the increase; subscrip-
tion lists fill rapidly, many persons giving conside-
rable sums; recruiting offices have been opened—
among other places, in this city—and men of great
influence, through official position and fortune,
figure among the most vigorous promoters of the
movement.

Little probability, therefore, exists that the minor
States will change in opinion. Voluntarily or in-
voluntarily they are dragged on by their subjects,
and several of the evening papers say that the rea-
son for the Diet not sitting to-day is that by Mon-
day all the envoys will have received full powers
to vote the occupation of the Duchies. This pre-
supposes that hopes are still entertained of the two
Great Powers ultimately joining the National
party, considering themselves released from the
Treaty of London by the promulgation of the new
DADWI Constitution in Schleswig.

The official journal of the Grand Duchy of Bade❑
speaks upon the subject as follows

"It is possible that Austria and Prussia, taking
into consideration the manner in which they regard
the obligations incumbent upon them through the
Treaty of London, may be prevented from acting
against the Protocol-King in the Duchies of
Schleswig-Holstein and Lauenburg. But this
protocol in no degree imposes upon them the obli-
gation of undertaking anything in his favour, and
of obstructing those Governments who, free from
all real and fictitious ties, are ready to pronounce
themselves against him, and to defend the
good right of Schleswig-Holstein and of their
Duke. Neither Austria nor Prussia are entitled to
dictate laws to the Confederation in this respect, to
cause the protocol of London to be ratified, and to
indicate the moment when the Diet has to
defend the resolution passed by the majority.
These two Powers no longer possess the right of
determining or rejecting the means fitted to put the
vote of the majority in execution, or to attribute to
an action in which they take a part, a character in
conformity with their views. If the Diet passes
any other decree than that of continuing the execu-
tion, the order given to the four States entrusted
with carrying it into operation will have ceased to
exist. The Diet must then issue fresh directions
as to levying troops, as to their command, and as
to the civil Commissioners it intends to appoint.
The Groat Powers will there bo entirely free to hold
themselves aloof from these measures, conformably
to the policy they still pursue. The Confederation
has force sufficient at its disposal without them, to
attain the object at which it desires to arrive, to
give liberty to Holstein, and to continue the former
right of alliance of Holstein and Schleswig."

FRANKFORT, DEC. 7.

The Federal Diet has passed by a small majority
the resolution for Federal execution in Holstein,
reserving to itself the settlement of the question of

th© succession.

The order for the advance of troops into the
Duchy was immediately despatched.

DRESDEN, DEC. 7 (Evening).
The Dresden Journal of to-day publishes a tele-
gram from Frankfort, stating that in to-day's sit
ting of the Ftideral Diet Oa representatives ol
Weimar and FAxe-Meiningeu introduced a proposi-
tion that neither the TZing of Denmark nor the

Duke of Augustenburg should be recognised as
the Sovereign of Lauenburg, but that the Federal
Diet should rather take that Duchy under its own

administration.

This proposition was referred to the committee,
who will make their report and proposal thereon.

FRANCE.

BOURSE, Dec. 7.—The market has been rather
more buoyant, and the business done shows an
improvement. Threes, for the Account, are now at
67fr. 20c. Mobilier have advanced to 1,050 fr.
Railway market firm, but without any material
change i❑ quotations up to the present time. The
market closed as follows:

4t per Cents .. 94 90
Do. end month....
3 per Cents
Do. end month 67 15
Credit Mobilier 1040
Do. end month 1015
Bank Shares 3350
Credit F oneier 1260
Roman —

Italian Loan 7l 70
Do. end month 7l 45
New ditto
Do. end month —
Russian

Austrian

• Spani,,la Threes.,,
• •Home Debt .. SO
Deferred -
MAY%

RAIL'

Cash. Account.
970 970
970 96:5

Orleans
Northern ....
New ditto
Lyons and Mediterranean 925 .. 932 50
New ditto . 885
Geneva
Southern ..
Westeen
Eastern
Sardinian
Austrian
Lombard
North of Spain
Saragossa
Ditto to Barcelona

680 .. 683 75
510 - - -
476 25 .. 480 -
400 - .. 401 25
395 - 393 75
520 - .. 522 50
525 - .. 527 50
617 50 .. 620 -
300 - .. 305 -