The Sun.
London, England, 1854-01-17 00:00:00

REMOVAL OF THE COURTS OF LAW
FROM WESTMINSTER.

DEPUTATION TO LORD ABERDEEN.
A deputation from the Incorporated Law Society
waited upon the Earl of Aberdeen yesterday, at his
official residence in Downing-street, for the purpose of

laying before the Government a proposition for the re-
moval of the courts of law at Westminster to the neigh-

bourhood of the Inns of Court.

The deputation consisted of Mr. Kindersley, president
of the society ; Mr. Sudlow, vice-president ; Mr. Cover-
dale and Mr. Keith Barnes, members of the council ;

and Mr. Maugham, secretary.
The deputation having been introduced to the noble
earl, stated the grounds upon which they were induced
to make a representation to the Government. The in-
sufficiency of the present courts had long been felt by
the public and the members of the legal profession.
There were now at Westminster Hall only five rooms of
moderate size and two small ones, whilst not less than
fifteen or sixteen were requisite, including courts for the
Lords Justices, the Master of the Rolls, and the new
Vice-Chancellors, with several courts of Nisi Prius and
Appeal. The application which the deputation had now
to make was not merely for the removal of the present
courts, which were ill-constructed and without sufficient
accommodation for the judges, the bar, or for jurors,
witnesses, suitors, and attorneys ; but for the construc-
tion of not less than eight new courts, with convenient
rooms and offices. The courts at Westminster were a
mile and a half distant from the centre of law business,
the daily resort of professional men, as well as of a
large proportion of the public. The aggregate of ex-
pense and loss arising from these hindrances in the way
of justice and of the general business of the law showed
that the erection of new courts in what might pro-
perly be termed the "Law district," would be a mea-
sure of public economy, besides being calculated to
lead to increased facilities and expedition in the prac-
tice of the courts far beyond what could be hoped
for under existing circumstances. The deputation sub-
mitted that there were no adequate courts for the equity
judges recently appointed, that the Queen's Bench did
not afford to the suitors and their witnesses sufficient
space, to the attorneys convenient access to counsel, or
to the public that accommodation which was essential to
the administration of justice they should possess ; that
the Common Pleas had no suitable court for the trial of
causes during term ; that the practise court of the
Queen's Bench and the inner court of Exchequer are
used for trials at nisi prius, but are much too small ; that
consultations involving important interests are frequently
held in the passages and avenues of the courts ; that the
only places of waiting for jurymen, witnesses, and par-
ties in attendance are the great ball and the passages of
the courts ; that attorneys are obliged to hire rooms for

their witnesses at the neighbouring coffee-houses, or to
walk about the hall without a seat or the means of re-
freshment ; that the attorneys have no room to which
they can retire to prepare any document requisite at the
moment, or to answer letters, and that in numerous in-
stances daily appointments before the common law

judges at chambers and before the masters and registrars
in Chancery and other engagements of an urgent nature,
are rendered ineffectual through the absence of profes-
sional men, who, at the very moment, were probably
waiting unoccupied at Westminster. The proposed site
for the new courts was between the Temple and Lincoln's
Inn, in the centre of the metropolis and of the law dis-

trict. It would consist of a quadrangle of about 700 ft.
by 480, in the centre of which the new courts and offices
would be erected. The effect of clearing away the lanes
and alleys within that area would be to widen the Strand
and Fleet-street by 100 feet, Carey-street by 60 feet, and
unite them with the new street into the city of London
from the Record-office now in course of erection on the

Roll's estate in Chancery-lane. The estimated cost of
the building and site was 1,197,074/., viz., the cost of the
site (about 8 acres) 675,0741. ; building for common law
and equity courts, 300,0001.; approaches, foundations,
sewerage, warming, ventilating, gas, furniture, fittings, de-
corations, &c., 180,000/. ; contingent and incidental
charges, 42,0001. From this there was to deduct 523,5001.

for the value of ground rent for chambers on the pro-
posed site ; for the sale of the various offices of the Mas-
ters record and writ clerks, registrars, accountant-gene-
ral, value of the present site at Westminster, and of the
Roll-offices, &c., leaving the ultimate cost of the site and
building 673,5741. It was also urged that a favourable
opportunity had now occurred for clearing the site of the
present insufficient courts, and appropriating it to the
completion and improvement of the Houses of Parlia-
ment.

The Earl of ABERDEEN' observed that the proposed
undertaking was entitled to favourable consideration,
not only on account of the inconvenience and insufficiency
of the present courts, but also on account of the great
public improvement which would be effected by their
removal to the neighbourhood of the Inns of Court. He
had already communicated with the Lord Chancellor on
the subject, and the proposition had met with the noble
and learned lord's sanction. The undertaking, however,
was one of such great magnitude and public importance
that it would require much consideration, more parti-
cularly with respect to the means of defraying the neces-
sary expenditure.
The deputation explained to the noble lord the various
means by which it was proposed to raise the requisite
funds. These were the accumulation of surplus interest
arising from stock purchased with the suitors' money
not directed to be invested (and to which interest they
have no legal claim), amounting to 1,241,1881. stock ;
the sum of 201,0281. stock, the accumulated surplus of
the suitors' fee fund since 1833 after paying all the
charges thereon ; the surplus fees paid into the Treasury
to the consolidated fund since the Ist of January, 1838.
It was submitted that, although out of these receipts
the pensions and compensations allowed to the holders
of abolished offices have been paid, that pensions or
compensations granted on effecting alterations of the law
for the benefit of the community at large should be paid
out of the consolidated fund, and not by the suitors of
the court.
The Earl of ABERDEEN remarked that the appropria-
tion of part of the " suitors'. surplus fund" to the re-
moval of the old courts, and the erection of new buildings
on an improved site, would require mature consideration.
He would, however, investigate the subject, and have
AR early interview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
He would in all probability see the Chancellor of the
Exchequer that day.
The deputation afterwards waited upon Sir William
Molesworth, Chief Commissioner of Public Works, at
his office, Whitehall, and submitted to the right hon.
gentleman the plans and estimates for the proposed
buildings. They also entered into a full explanation of
the inconveniences sought to be removed, and of the
advantages to be obtained, both by the suitors and the
public generally, by the purchase and appropriation of
the proposed site.
Sir Wm. MOLESWORTEL examined the plans and esti-
mates submitted, and inquired into the sources from
which the expense was proposed to be defrayed. The
right hon. gentleman intimated that it had long been
his opinion that the courts of law should be removed to
the place proposed, and promised to give his favourable
attention to the subject.
The deputation then thanked the right hon. baronet
for his courtesy, and withdrew.

ANOTHER DEATH FRO3I THE COLLISION ON THE
EASTERN COUNTIES RAILWAY.—THETFORD, JAN. 15.
—As was anticipated in our report of Friday of this sad
occurrence, Mr. Ellisson, the barometer and mathemati-
cal instrument maker of Norwich, who sustained such
serious injuries in the recent collision on this line, gradu-
ally sunk under them and died in the course of yester-
day, making the sixth sufferer who perished by this un-
fortunate occurrence. Like the Rev. Mr. Beil, he was
a .passenger in the down-train. Mr. Phillips, of Bir-
inmgham,whose injuries are a a very serious character,
is proceeding favourably. Edward Dury, a
stoker, whose
left arm and leg were fractured, is going on as well as
his sad injuries will permit, as also are the other sufferers.
The friends of Mr. Ashcroft, the superindent of the per-. manent way, against whom a double verdict of Man-
slaughter has been returned, are about to
apply to a
judge at chambers to put in the necessary bail for his
appearance at Norwich, at the assizes.
AN EMPEROR'S: PRESENT.—The Cologne Gazette of
the 9th says :—" The Emperor of Russia has just made
a present to the Emperor of Austria of a tent. It is
made of double white sail cloth, of a conical form, with
red bands round the edges, and surmounted by an eagle
in massive gold. It is composed of two compartments,
which may be separated at will, and each of which is
provided with a carpet. The furniture is simple but
solid, and all covered with morocco leather. There are
bags in Russia leather for packing every part during
removal."

COLLEGE OF PHARMACY.—An association of chemists
and druggists has just been instituted, for the purpose
of establishing a college of pharmacy. This association
designates itself the British Association of Chemists and
Druggists ; and, in an address to the entire body of
chemists and druggists of the United Kingdom, it states
their number at somewhere about 10,000, and that, in
order to confer upon this body—respectable in social
position as in numbers—a professional status, the corn- ,
mittee proposes, in the first instance, a complete and
recognised registration of all duly qualified chemists and
druggists, and that the functions of this association shall
be limited to the granting of certificates of qualification,
to maintaining a complete register of all persons pos-
sessing such certificates, and to the proper discharge of ,
the duties of a board of examiners. The committee
state further that they have already received, from many
members of the medical profession, their approbation of
the proposed plan for the establishment of a school of
Pharmacy, and they propose to confer upon their asso-
ciates a diploma or certificate of qualification, as issued
,by direction of the British Association of Chemists and;4llggifsts.