The Sun.
London, England, 1839-11-02 00:00:00

UNITED SERVICE GAZETTE.

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved, on behalf of Ad-
miral Sir J:lhn Ommaney, for a rule to show cause
why a criminal information should not be filed against
Mr. Alaric Attila Watts, the proprietor and publisher
of the United Service Gazette. It was for a libel upon
Adm. Ommaney, of such a character that if true, would
wholly unfit.him for any office under the Crown. It charged
him with having deliberately, and from the most sordid
motives, insulted a lady of the most exalted station, and
reverenced as much for her virtues as for her rank—
he meant Queen Adelaide, the Queen Dowager. It
appeared from the affidavits of Sir John Ommaney and
Earl Howe, that in the month of April last, it was ex-
pected that her Majesty Queen Adelaide would come
to the Tagus on her way from Malta to England.
Admiral Ommaney, whose squadron was stationed there,
sent. a ship of war to conduct the Hastings, in which
vessel her Majesty was, into the Tagus, and as soon as
the Hastings appeared in sight with the royal flag
flying, there was a royal salute of twenty-one guns fired
from the whole of the English ships in the Tagus, and
Admiral Ommaney immediately sent an officer on board
the Hastings, wishing to know when he should have
the honour of waiting . upon her Ma‘kty, to pay his
respects and receive her commands. Her Majesty re-
plied, as soon as the Hastings came to anchor. When
the Hastings came to anchor, Admiral Ommaney, with
all the officers of his squadron, went on board in un-
dress uniform, according to the usual etiquette on such
occasions. The party was introduced to her Majesty
by Earl Howe, and Sir John Omnpney's further atten-
dance was then dispensed with. A frigate and ship of
war were stationed by the Admiral close to the Has-
tings, and her Majesty subsequently expressed a wish that
he should not come so tar every morning, as the
Hastings could communicate by signal anything her
Majesty wished to convey to him. In the course ofa few
days Admiral Ommaney and the officers of the squadron
had the honour of dining with her Majesty—they were
then in full uniform. When the Hastings was leaving
the Tagus her Majesty requested that the usual salute
might be dispensed with. As soon as the vessel was
under way, however, the usual Royal salute of 21 guns
was fired, and the ships of war in the river conveyed
the Hastings a considerable way beyond the limits
of the station, and her Majesty expressed her
entire satisfaction at the conduct of Admiral Om-
maney and the officers. Notwithstanding all that,
there appeared in a Hampshire paper a statement that
Admiral Ommaney had waited upon her Majesty, with
the intention of treating her disrespectfully, in plain '
clothes, and omitted the royal salute on the arrival and
departure of the Hastings. The statement was ex-
pressed in such a way as did not call for any interference
on the part of Admiral Oinmaney, although it was
wholly unfounded ; but, upon the Gth July last, there ap-
' peered in the United Service Gazette a paragraph, which
was the subject of the present complaint. First, there
was what purported to be an extract from a Hampshire
paper, stating that their former assertion of Admiral
Ommaney not having saluted the Queen Dowager
was denied, but that it appeared he was in undress,
instead of plain clothes. Then followed a note from the
Editor of the United Service Gazelle, stating that " it
was a part of the duty, if not the only duty, of the
ancient driveller to insult the Queen Dowager. He
knew that his insolence to that distinguished lady
would gratify the Minto gang at home." These base
charges were fully denied by Sir J. Ommaney in his
affidavit, and he would read for their Lordships also a
copy of a letter written by command of her Majesty to
Lady Ommaney, in reference to that most unfounded
charge. It was dated the Bth July :
" Madam,--I cannot allow a post to leave this place
without obeying the command of Queen Adelaide, and
hastening to express the annoyance her Majesty has
felt at reading in the newspapers the shameful attack
made on Sir John Ommaney. There never was a more
abominable falsehood than the whole story. The Queen
commands me to assure you that nothing could be more
kind and attentive than Sir John's demeanour during,
her Majesty's stay in the Tagus. That he was parti-
cularly anxious to mark such attention, by directing a
part of the squadron to drop down to Belem from
their usual anchorage, and afterwards attend her Mc-
jesty a considerable way to sea, and that Sir John
and all his officers, both in their costume and in firing
their usual salutes did everything in their power to pay
honour to their visitor. Queen Adelaide is most anxi-
ous that you should receive the most speedy refutation
on the part of her Majesty, of these abominable slan-
ders, and anxiously hopes the statement I have made
will prove quite satisfactory to your feelings, and those
of the Admiral. LI have the honour to be,
" Your Ladyship's very faithful Servant,
" Gopsall, July 17th. " HO WE."
" To Lady Onimanney.
COURT.—Take a Rule.

It is rumoured in Westminster Hall that Mr. Ser-
geant Taltourd will be the new Judge.,

COMMON PLEAS-(THIS DAY.)

IMPORTANT.—lmmediately on the Judges taking
their seats, Lord Chief Justice TYNDAL called on

Mr. Serjeant WILDE, who proceeded to address
their Lordships on behalf of himself and the other
Sergeants of the Court, against a late innovation
on the ancient practice and constitution of the
Court in the admission indiscriminately of the gen-
tlemen at the bar to plead therein ; thereby violating
the exclusive privilege of the Sergeants. The innova-
tion had been made by a warrant under the sign manual
of the late Sovereign—a warrant which had come down
upon their Lordships and on the Sergeants by surprise—
to which the Sergeants had not from motives of respect
to the Crown at the time objected—and which
their Lordships, acting on the impulse of the moment,
had ordered to be recorded. This warrant had since
been admitted, before the Privy Council, by the Attor-
ney-General and the Solicitor-General, to be illegal.
The practice of the Court in relation to the Sergeants
—who were as ancient as the law itself—could only be
legally altered by an Act of Parliament.
The Learned Sergeant's argument, which was list-
ened to with great attention by a crowded court, lasted
till nearly half-past two, when
The Loan CHIEF JUSTICE said the subject was of
such vast importance, that the Court would carefully
consider it. Meantime the practice would be continued
as usual.