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 Land every
departure from the simplicity of ownership was
caused by documents, therefore he proposed they
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 Lind 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, ou 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, mapping, and surveying. The minor ex-
penses of the office would be the value of the stamp.
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 i 3 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.,
R. 5.1., THE BANKER._ Much surprise and re-
:;rat 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 banking firm in
Lombard-street. Mr. Salt was at the British Museum On
Saturday, investigating matters relating to the topography
and antiquity of Lis native county, Staffordshire; and was
seized with a fit in church on 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
Lis love for local antiquarian lore. He was a fellow 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 ho has presented to or
obtained for the British Museum. In 1544 ho printed a
curious supplement to Dr. Harwood's edition of Sampson
Erdeswick's " Survey of Staffordshire," the text of which
iu many parts he revised. The copy in the British >•luseum
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. Tie was a year or two short
of 60 at the time of his unexpected death.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

T HE 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 redaction 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 Swe4en.

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 petiti9n to the Emperonyester-
day relative to the Duchies of Schleswig and

dolstein.

The Emperor, in reply, said he did not deem it
necessary to assure them that, in this question, he
shoukl 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 i❑ 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 efficial or
tacit assent of the Governments. King Maximi-
lian of Bavaria it 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
Danish Constitution in Schleswig.
The official journal of the Grand Duchy of Baden
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 Lsuenburg. 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 be 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 f9r Federal execution in Holstein,
reserving to itself the settlement of the question of
the 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 Federal Diet the representatives of
Weimar and Saxe-Meiningen introduced a proposi-
tion that neither the King of Danmark nor the