The Sun.
London, England, 1854-05-02 00:00:00

TESTAMENTARY JURISDICTION BILL.

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL brought up the above
bill, which was read a first time, and ordered to be read a
second time on Friday next.
CITY OF LONDON CORPORATION COMMISSION.
In reply to Sir B. HALL,
Mr. LABOUCH ERE stated that the commissioners ap-
pointed to inquire into the state of the Corporation of the
City of London had made their report, and it was now in
the hands of the Secretary of State for the Home Depart-
ment. (Hear, hear.)

MONEY ORDERS.
Mr BLAND wished to ask the Secretary to the Trea-
sury why a charge of one halfpenny has, since the Ist day
of April, been made at the Money Order-office for printed
forms of application heretofore furnished gratis.
Mr. HAYTER said five forms of orders were supplied
for a halfpenny, and it had been found that the arrange.
ment was for the advantage of the public.
TROOPS FOR THE EAST.
Lord LOVAINE asked if the steamers engaged for con-
veying troops to the East were employed for the use of the
troops alone.
Mr. B. OSBORNE believed they were exclusively so.
Lord LOVAINE—How came it to pass, then, that the
reporter to the Times obtained a passage out mi'board one
of these vessels ?
Mr. B. OSBORNE was not aware that the reporter of
the Times did obtain a passage on board one of. the
steamers, but he ought to have had notice of the question.
Lord LOVAINE gave notice that he would repeat the
question.
MORE ESTIMATES AND ANOTHER BUDGET.
Col. BLAIR observed that the Education (Scotland)
Bill stood for second reading on Friday, and he should be
glad to know if it was intended to bring it on then ?
Lord J. RUSSELL replied in the negative, as the Go-
vernment on that night proposed to ask for additional esti-
mates both for the navy and army, and the house would be
asked to go into supply for that purpose on Friday. On Mon-
day next (this day week) the Chancellor of the Exchequer
would make another financial statement to the house.
INNS OF COURT.

Mr. BOWYER asked Lord John Russell when the com-
mission to inquire into the inns of court will be appointed,
and whether the commissioners will be empowered to in-
quire into the property of the inns of court, and the pur-
poses to which such property is now applied, and its
management.
Lord J. RUSSELL said the terms had been settled by
the Lord Chancellor, but he could not state what the powers
of the commissioners would be.
OXFORD UNIVERSITY BILL.

The house then went into committee on the Oxford
University Bill.
On clause 1, which appoints the commissioners,
Mr. HORSNIAN moved an amendment that the clause
should be postponed, with a view to leaving out the names
of the Bishop of Ripon, Lord Ellesmere, Mr Justice Cole-
ridge, and Sir J. Audrey.
Lord J. RUSSELL objected to this course, contending
that those gentlemen were in all respects qualified to act
as commissioners.
Mr. HORSMAN repeated his objection, more especially
to the Bishop of Ripon, as he contended a bishop had
ample duties to attend to in his own diocese.
Sir J. PAKINGTON said no two individuals were more
entitled to respect than the Bishop of Ripon and Judge
Coleridge, but the question was, Were they able to devote
their time to such an inquiry as this ?
Mr. SOTHERON thought the attempt to erase from
the bill the first clause, which appointed the commissioners,
seemed like taking off the head and leaving nothing but the
trunk. He hoped the house would ou no account consent
to postpone the clause.
After some remarks from Mr. Heywood, Mr. Blackett,
and Mr. Wigram,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that
if ho understood the discussion aright, it turned partly on
the general question as to the fixing of the names at the
commencement or close of the committee, and partly on
the names themselves. Of course, the house by passing
names now, would not be precluded from the substitution
of other names hereafter. Ho believed that there was no
choice between giving the largest discretionary power and.
adopting propositions of the broadest character. He held
that it was the duty of Government to appoint men who
would be satisfactory to those whose whole life and hopes
were bound up in the welfare of the University. Objec-
tions had been urged against two of the proposed commis-
sioners, Mr. Justice Coleridge and the Doan of -Wells, on
the ground of their religious views. It had been properly
replied to that objection by an hod. member who had
spoken, that those wero matters which ought not to be dis-
cussed there; but he might observe, that ho believed the
statements put forward in that respect were not justified
by fact. Then Sir J. Awdrey was objected to because ho
was supposed to have expressed dissent from the bill ; but
having received Sir J. Awdrey's evidence, his (the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer's) opinion of the general tenor of
that evidence was that it was conceived entirely in accord.
ance with the spirit of the bill. What were the views Sir
J. Awdrey had expressed? That college ought not to
maintain the monopoly of instruction--that it was doubt-
ful whether the oaths ought to be retained, and that the
restriction of holy orders in reference to fellowships ought
to be relaxed.
Mr. HEY WOOD—But as to Dissenters ?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHAQUER was not
aware that there was anything about Dissenters in the bill ;
but what he contended was, that generally the evidence of
Sir J. Awdrey was in accordance with the spirit of the bill.
Then the hon. gentleman wanted a scientific man ; but, if
he had searched through the University, it was doubtful
whether in general acquirements, including science, a man
could be found equal to the Dean of Wells. He obtained
the highest scholarship in the university ; took a double
first class in classics and mathematics ; and had filled the
professorships of astronomy and moral philosopy. Then
it was said these commissioners had other dutiesto occupy
their time. If it were desired to reform any institution—
to improve its organisation, instead of disorganising it—
they must carry with them the confidence of those with
whom they had to deal, and must appoint men to carry
out that reform in whom the institution had confidence,
and in whom Parliament had confidence ; for this, it was
necessary to appoint men of great experience, and ability,
and honour, and tried prudence; but where were such men
to be found if they were to be precluded from making
choice of men already filling high and important stations ?
With regard to the Bishop of Ripon—when ho was re-
quested by the Government to allow himself to be nomi-
nated as one of the commissioners—the first thing he did
was to write to say that his diocese had the first claim upon
his care, and before he could consent he must know that
the nature of the duties required of him were such as he
could discharge without interfering with the duties of his
diocese. The bishop was informed that what would be
required of him was a general supervision in the framing
of general rules, and not the dealing with a large mass of
details, which would be left to the secretaries.
Mr. DISRAELI protested against the principle which
he understood had been laid down by the right hon. gen-
tleman that what they were to decide was not so much
the clauses of the bill as who were to be the administrators
uponnpet:
e pn
to whom the carrying out of those clauses was to be en-
trusted. No principle could be more dangerous. What
belse contended was, that they should first settle what was to
not
lo
eZtrhetom,saict,nlloatdhuitetshem,en deliberate as to who wore the most coin-
s soe andflv
tethaostfioblilbutehbieynofttffihueceensecheto(airbianecte.etsrhteaaiburldisdhpeeocdsi,sitinaoinonds
of those whom it wasT proposed to appoint as trustees to
carry theminKtoiNeffaecto.
N inquired in whom the appoint-
meSnitr ojf. pA
the secretary would be vested, and who was to be
appointed
RUSSELL replied that it had not yet been
ord. ?
fixed who should fill the office of secretary ; if it were de-
sired he should have no objection to introduce the names
and at a later per
aiod otherwise the crown would appoint them
words from Mr. HORSMAN, the committee
ffitexrt a he
few sla
words
divided.

clause
For
For
amendment l4l
theth e
169
Majority for the Government --28
The clause was agreed to, as was clause 2, and, after son
discussion, clause 3. A long debate took place on the wonting
of that part of clause 4 which prescribes that no oath taken
by any officer of the University shall be pleadable in bar of the
authority of the commissioners ; Sir Wm. Heathcote moved
the omission of these words and the substitution of a modified
prvizo not waking mention of Buy oath. On. division this

) amendment was negatived by 118 to 69, majority, 49;
; i and the clause was agreed to.
On clause 5, which substitutes the Hebdomadal Council
for the Hebdomadal Board,
Mr. WALPOLE explained the grounds of amendment
which he proposed to the sixth clause, which provides
for the composition of the council. His amendments
went to increase the number of heads of colleges or halls,
who were to be part of the council, from six to seven, and
to do the same as regarded the professors, and to provide
that, instead of such heads being elected by the congre-
gations, they should be selected from among themselves
by the heads of colleges or halls, and to make similar pro-
vision in regard to the selection by the professors from
among themselves.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER removed
front clause 5 some words connecting it with the provi-
sions for the composition of the council ; and, after dis-
cussion and a protest from Mr. NEWDEGATE, the clause
was agreed to.
Ott clause 6, Mr. Walpole's amendments being moved,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER entered
into argument to show their inexpediency, urgin e that the
word clique seemed expressly invented to describe the li-
mited constituencies they would create, and that the whole
bill was passed on trust and confidence in the men for
whom legislation was being att-mpted.
A long discussion followed, in the course of which
Mr. NEWDEGATE protested against the depriving the
government of the University of its free and popular cha-
racter, and instanced, as one of its merits, that convocation
very nearly crushed the Tractarian heresy at its oustet.
Mr. LO WE ridiculed the picture drawn by Mr. Newde-
gate, and in turn referred to the discreditable spectacle of
men having been brought up in hundreds from all corners
of the kingdom to condemn Dr. Hampden's book, which
few of them had read. He spoke from experience in de-
scribing the Government of the University as an oligarchy.
Mr. HENLEY contended that the proposed plan woul 1
throw the whole power into the hands of the younger
members, who would be an oligarchy of about a hundred.
He also avowed much apprehension of the increased in-
fluence of Tractarianism from the new constitution, in
which the clerical element was far too prevalent.
Mr. E. DENISON, Sir W. HEATHCOTE, and other mem-
bers having taken part in the discussion, the committee
divided on the amendment relating to the election of the
heads, and the numbers were—
For the amendment
For the original clause
Majority against Government —l3
Mr. WALPOLE then (as we understood) suggested that
the words in the clause giving the Chancellor the power to
appoint one of the heads of houses to be a member of the
hebdomadal council should be omitted.
Mr. GLADSTONE said there was no objection to the
omission of the words, and they were accordingly struck
out.

Mr. WALPOLE said that his next amendment, which
proposed that " the six professors of the council should
be elected by the professors from among themselves,"
was the same in principle as that which had just been
agreed to, and would probably be consented to by the
Government.
Mr. GLADSTONE admitted that this amendment was
virtually included in the decision to which the house had
come, and he would therefore agree to it.
A conversation then followed with regard to the struc-
ture of the clause, and the distribution of the members of
the council among the elective body.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER proposed
to drop the seventh professor, and that the wording of the
clause should stand thus, " six professors to be selected
from themselves."
Mr. HORSMAN objected to that, as it would greatly
reduce the professorial element of the Hebdomadal
council.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER asked
what the movers of the former amendment meant by the
term " to be selected."
Mr. WALPOLE explained that the heads of houses
would select from among themselves by election those per-
sons whom they chose to invest with the powers of their
representatives.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER stated
that he should persist in the insertion of the words,
" one other such professor to be separately elected by the
professors."
Mr. DISRAELI did not object to this seventh profes-
sor, but the seventh should be elected by the professors of
theology ; and he should therefore move the addition of
the words "of theology."
The committee divided, when there appeared—
For the amendment
Against l4B-13
Lord J. RUSSELL said it was proposed to amend the
end of the clause, so as to make it agree with the changes
already made in it; but at that hour (12 o'clock) he would
not proceed further with the committee.

Tlie house then resumed, and Thursday next was fixed
for the further proceeding with the bill.
PUBLIC PROSECUTORS BILL.

-----
On the order of the day for the second reading of this
bill,

Mr. R. PHILLIMORE said that as the Attorney.Gene-
rat had assured him of his intention to carry a measure on
this subject through the house during the present session,
he should not press the present bill.
The ATTORNEY-GE NE RAL protested with some vehe-
mence against the idea that he had promised to carry a bill
on a subject of such difficulty during the present session.
What he had promised to do was to prepare a bill, which
he hoped he should be able to introduce this year.
The bill was then withdrawn.
RAILWAY AND CANAL TRAFFIC REGULATION

MR. ROWLAND RILL AND THE

POST-OFFICE.

For more than a half century there have only been
two secretaries to the Post-office department—viz., Sir
Francis Freeling and Colonel Maberly. Sir Francis
was brought up in the Post-office, and had performed the
humblest as well as the highest duties of the department.
He was a protege of Mr. Palmer, the great Post-office
reformer, on account of his intelligence and his wil-
lingness to carry out Mr. Palmer's views. At Sir
Francis's death, however, the Post-office was in dis-
repute. There was a loud cry for reform ; its revenue
was decreasing, and there was a general belief that the
department had not kept pace with the spirit and
wants of the age. At this time, Lieutenant-Colonel
Maberly, a member of the House of Commons, had
distinguished himself in the house for his business
habits, and he was selected by the Whig government
to succeed Sir Francis Freeling. He, of course, was, a
stranger to the business of the department. He had not
been secretary many years before Mr. Rowland Hill pro-
pounded the penny postage plan. Colonel Maberly was
first opposed to its introduction. It was however carried,
and Mr. Hill was after a time installed into the depart
ment, with co-ordinate authority with the colonel. This
created some slight embarrassment. Colonel Maberly
has therefore retired, and Mr. Hill has now succeeded
him with undivided power, to carry out in its integrity
that great measure on which his fame will securely rest,
and the utility of which has been long ratified by the
Government and the country. Mr. Hill has now had
many years' experience of the whole machinery and
working of the Post-office, and will have nothing to
learn in that respect. It is singular that all postal
reformers have been unacquainted with the depart-
ments which they have revolutionised. Men intimately
acquainted with the machinery of the Post-office, who
know every cog, pin, and wheel, as it were, that keep
the machine moving, see insuperable difficulties in any
great reform. Reformers, however, perceive nothing
but the simple and great principle they have discovered,
and they instinctively and rightly think that it is pos•
sible to remove every obstacle that prevents that prin-
ciple from being carried out. It is in the perseverance and
enthusia-m of such reformers that mankind have been
benefited. Mr. Rowland Hill has now had his aspira-
tions gratified. Raised by the Government and the
country, he is placed in a supreme position, by which he
will be enabled to mould a great governmental depart-
ment of a great country, so that it shall be a blessing to
the whole world, assisting commerce, promoting educa
tion, providing abundant facilities for social intercourse,
and contributing as much, perhaps, as anything► can con-
tribute to the peace and prosperity of the world.

NOTES ON TIIE PRACTICAL WORKING
OP MR. CARDWELL'S BILL.

Under the powers contained in this bill, " any person
who complains of any Company, with respect to the
.arrangements for receiving, forwarding, or delivering
traffic ;" or, " with respect to the times of starting, stop-
ping, or arriving of trains ;" or, "with respect to the tolls,
rates, or charges exacted by any company ;" or " in any
other respect ;" zn,,y petition the Court of Chancery for an
order referring the caso to the Board of Trade, and the
Board are empowered to report to the Court their opinion
on the same, and "on any arrangements as to the traffic,
or any regulations for conducting the same; or any adjust-
ment of the tolls, rates, and charges which appear to the
Board fitted to remedy the grievance complained of," or,
" to be just and reasonable ;" and the court may make such
order on the report as the Court thinks fit.
These provisions would invest the Court of Chancery,
and, practically, the Board of Trade, with absolute power
to interfere with the profits of railway companies by the
alteration of tolls. To govern the whole management of
the line and its branches, by settling the starting and ar-
riving of trains, thereby fixing the speeds of running.
To order any number of carriages or waggons to be sent
through, without regard to expense, in any direction, or
to any distance where there is a continuous line, and to
enforces compulsory partnership between competing com-
panies having directly hostile interests, thereby rendering
one party responsible for all the acts and defaults of its
rival in trade, and without any of the control and check
which the companies now possess of absolving themselves
from liability by ceasing to book through.
At the same time, the bill leaves with the directors of
railway companies all the responsibilities to life and pro-
perty which are involved in the conduct of the daily traffic,
in addition to those whhich might be produced by the
orders of the Court of Chancery.
Passing by the subject of tolls, which is simply one of
confiscating the rights of parties who have laid out their
capital on the faith of their acts of Parliament, the practi-
cal questions involved in the compulsory through booking
system, the regulation of trains, and the sending through
carriages, deserve attention.
By the harmonious action of friendly companies, through
booking has extended of late years throughout the greater
part of the kingdom, and through carriages are generally
forwarded wherever the traffic is sufficient to warrant it,
but the arrangements have necessarily certain limits.
As it is, an enormous amount of labour and expense
has been cast upon the companies. The booking
through on the London and North Western rail-
way has already produced more than 33,000 different
rates in the merchandise traffic on that line, and if the
booking were confined to all stations on that line alone, the
number of different rates and classes of tickets would be
530,160. Now, there are on the lines associated with the
clearing-house (omitting all lines south of the Thames),
2,312 stations, and if all these were compelled to book with
each other, the number ofdifierentfares and classes of tickets
would amount to seventy-eight millions, eight hundred
and forty-four thousand, seven hundred and thirty•five.
The largest station on any line could not even hold the
tickets, to say nothing of the enormous staff required to
manipulate them. Again, if the London and North-
lyestern Company were compelled to send through car-
riages to all the lines with which they now exchange
through booking, their trains, averaging less than 15 car-
riages, would extend to 72 carriages on each train. Of
course this number could not be conveyed, and the num-
ber of trains must consequently be quadrupled.
But this is by no means the measure of the work which
might be created should the Court of Chancery think fit.
Had the clauses been limited to compulsory through book-
ing, by the most direct route between two points, the
principle, though equally objectionable, would have been
intelligible; but Mr. Cardwell's avowed' object is to secure
through accommodation wherever, and by as many routes,
as there are continuous lines.
The particular instance selected by Mr. Cardwell, as an
illustration of the ground for Legislation in regard to pas-
sengers, was the Aberdeen line to London ; and he com-
plained that although .a passenger could book through by
the direct and shortest route, be could not take a through
ticket to diverge at a particular point on his journey, and
proceed thence by a circuitous line.
It may be useful, therefore, to examine this particular
case.

There are thirty-four different and continuous railway
routes between Aberdeen and London, by which carriages
could be sent through, and no less than nineteen of them
are actually shorter than the one upon which Mr. Cardwell
rested his grievance.

Almost all largo termini would exhibit as many roads to
any given place, and some of them a far greater number.
Now, the Court of Chancery might " think fit" to order
through booking, and the sending of through carriages by
all of them, in order to avoid the charge of partiality ; and
in that case, the classes of tickets numbering 77,844,735
must be indefinitely multiplied. The state of helpless con-
fusion into which the railways would be thrown if booking
through were ordered by various routes may be imagined ;
the delays at stations—the irregularities—the mistakes—
and the claims arising from them—would bring the whole
system to a dead lock within twenty-four hours. The
number of portmanteaus and other articles of passengers'
luggage conveyed upon the London and North-Western
alone exceed twenty millions annually. How many of
these would reach their destination if a variety of routes
were open to send them astray ?
But to insure the thorough booking, the Court of Chan-
cery must deal with the times of starting and arriving of
the trains. On the London and North-Western Railway
and its branches there are now running, daily, 705 trains.
The arrangement of this mass of work requires the nicest
adjustment, and the continual attention of the directors
and a large staff of officers. An alteration of some of the
trains would involve extensive changes throughout the
system, and probably on a dozen contiguous railways.
The Court of Chancery, on the report of a military
elgiueer of the Board of Trade, might by a single change,
throw their entire time table into a state of dangerous en-
tanglement, and, what with booking everywhere, sending
through carriages for the convenience of everybody in
every direction, render it pretty nearly impossible to en-
sure
going anywhere in reasonable time.
But it may be replied that the Court of Chancery would
not insist on applying their powers so extensively, but
would select particular routes in each direction.
Exactly so—and this fact illustrates the injustice of the
power. The court may. "think fit" to choose a few certain
routes (probably circuitous as suggested by Mr. Cardwell,
because the direct routes rarely require adjustment), in
order to produce and regulate the amount of competition
as it pleased. It could thus check or let loose competition
in any particular direction, or to any extent it might think
fit ; in fact, it could crush any particular railway which
became obnoxious to the Board of Trade.

But what principles aro to guide the court in its deci.
sion ?

Is the public interest exclusively, or the interest of the
proprietors of the line under consideration, or the advan-
tage of some hostile company, seeking to earn a dividend,
which it has failed to secure on its own line, out of the
revenues of its richer neighbour, to determine the point.
Is a short middle link in a chain to be made entirely
ob edient to the longer line? Is a trunk line to have its
trains fitted to the numerous and important branches in
its vicinity, which again interlace with other trunk lines?
•rare the small companies to be made subservient to the
large ones? Are the tolls to be adjusted (reduced) on the
principle of assisting the circuitous railway to compete
with the direct one ?
It would appear from the bill that there is absolutely no
rule for the court but its "discretion under the special
circumstances of the case ;" and thus, there being no ap-
peal, no legal rights (for all would be swept away), the
gre ttest injustice might be inflicted under the guise of
public advantage.
But a very serious qt.t.-tioa--arises also on the question of
responsibility.
Juries and public opinion are increasingly severe on rail-
way directors and officials—persdnal responsibility is de-
manded, and a bill is, or was, in contemplation to define
it. Thus the Board of Trade is to regulate the manage-
' menu, and the whole consequences of their orders (neces-
sarily issued on the report of parties who have only a theo-
retic knowledge of the subject) is to be visited on the un-
happy instruments of their will. Would any one submit
to penal consequences under such a system?
The practical results of this bill would be to check that
growing tendency to self-adjustment which in spite of the
numerous difficulties interposed by complexity of interests
created by Parliament, has already cured many of the evils
complained of, and has largely extended the benefit of
through communication by continuouslines; would increase
jarrings and jealousies between the companies themselves
and between tho companies and the Government ; would
incalculably increase litigation and expense by perpetual
application to Chancery ; would swell the working ex-
penses of railways ; delay the trains ; introduce uncer-
tainty in transit ; and, in fine, render the safe working.
of the railway system, which. is already somewhat diffi-
cult, pretty nearly impossible.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MANSION-HOUSE.— William. Russell, a person in
the employment of Mr. Cooke, of Goodman's-yard, tal-
low welter, was brought up for re-examination upon the
charge of having whipped a poor lad, aged eleven years,
named Charles Bryant, in the eye.

The complainant, who it is feared will lose the sight of
his eye, was in a cart with a man who was driving it
shout a fortnight ago in Cheapside. The defendant in
opposition to the street regulations, drew his horse in
front of the cart, but was passed by the driver and, ex•
asperated at the check, cut with his whip at the driver
with desperate violence. The whip missed the person
for whom it was intended, but almost cut the eye out of
the boy, who still remains in the hospital in a very bad
,tate.

The defendant attempted to justify his conduct by
asking why the driver of the cart drew across him in
the street.

Sir R. W. Carden said the conduct of the defendant
was in every respect brutal, and remanded the case for
a week in order that some arrangement serviceable to
the complainant might be made in the interim.
Joseph Keefe, servant to Messrs. Dawson and Co., of
Sherburne-lane, and Cannon-street, newspaper agents,
was brought up, charged with having stolen the sums of
31. ls. 6d. and 71. 103., the property of his employers,
with which he had been entrusted.

The money, it appeared, had been given by the cashier
of the prosecutors to the prisoner for the purposes of the
establishment, and misappropriated by him.
The prisoner said he had unfortunately taken it into
his head to drink very largely after be had received the
money, and upon recovering from his intoxication be
found himself at Reading with no more than ss. in his
pocket.
Committed for trial.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.—A well-dressed wo-
man, who gave the name of Mary Brown, was charged
with having picked the pocket of a lady named Gar-
ratt, residing at No. 51, Porchester-terrace, Bays-
water.

Mrs. Garratt said on Saturday afternoon she was
walking in Regent-street, when the prisoner and
another female came before her, and after proceeding
some distance suddenly turned round, and the pri-
soner put her hand into her (complainant's) pocket,
and took her purse, which contained three half so-
vereigns and some silver. The prisoner and her
companion walked away. She followed, and touching
the prisoner's arm, begged her pardon, and said she had
picked her pocket. The prisoner affected to be indignant
at the charge, and her companion also denied that any-
thing wrong had been done. The prisoner's companion
then went close up to the prisoner, and complainant dis-
tinctly saw the prisoner pass the purse to her. The pri-
soner told her she was quite willing to be searched.
Complainant answered that would be of no use, as she
had seen her give the purse to her companion. The pri-
soner then said if complainant would forgive her she
would give the purse up. The prisoner's companion
gave her the purse, and then went away. The prisoner
called a cab, but complainant told her she would not
allow her to escape, and when the cab came up she
compelled the driver to drive them to the station house,
where she made the charge against the prisoner.
The prisoner's solicitor cross-examined Mrs. Gar-
ratt, but could not succeed in shaking her testimony in
the slightest degree.
Mr. Bingham complimented Mrs. Garratt on her pre-
sence of mind, and the great judgment she had dis-
played throughout in such a trying situation, and in her
evidence before the court.

The prisoner was fully committed.
William, Turner was charged with having uttered
serveral forged 51. bank notes to various tradesmen.
John Lowe, landlord of the Grosvenor Arms, said
the prisoner came to his house on the 10th of February,
and ordered half a gallon of gin, remarking that he was
a customer of the late landord's. The prisoner handed
him what purported to be a Si. note, and received the
change.
The next case was for passing a forged Si. note to Mr.
William Thornback, landlord of the Red Cross public-
house, on the 10th of March.
The offence was committed under precisely the same
circumstances as in the first case.

The third case was for passing a forged 51. note to
Sarah Horn, landlady of the Three Tuns public-house,
Portman-square, in payment of a pint of brandy.
Mr. Henry Wybird, Bank of England inspector,
proved that all the notes were forgeries.
The prisoner was fully committed.
Inspector Whall, the senior inspector of the C divi-
sion, a very steady and active officer, intimated to the
magistrates of this court that his connexion with the
police ceased from that day, he having served the full
time, retiring with full pension and first-class certificate.
The magistrates paid the inspector a just compliment for
the mode in which he had discharged his duties through.
out his period of service.

THAMES. —Niel M 'Clean, 29, a seaman and pas-
senger on board the Joshua, from Australia, was charged
with stealing 60 ounces of gold-dust on board that ves-
sel whilst on the high seas. When taken into custody there
was found in his possession one bag, containing eight
small pieces of gold, •ne large piece of gold, eight
sovereigns, three pieces of quartz, one gold pin, five
gold studs, and a cigar-case.
Mr. Wontner, for the prosecution, said he attended
on the part of Mr. Thomas Nauntin Virtue. whose
( father resided at Amersham-park, Newington, and
there was something peculiar in the features of the
case. His client, like many other young gentle-
men, had been smitten with the gold mania, and
had gone out to the diggings, where he realised gold-
dust and nuggets to a considerable amount. Whilst
at the pursuit he and eight friends dug a shaft to the
depth of 100 feet, and in one day realised gold to the
value of 1,0001. Having been so successful, he resolved
to see his friends in England, and took his passage from
Melbourne in the Joshua. The prisoner was also a
passenger in the same vessel, and had a berth beneath
his. Mr. Virtue kept his gold dust in a cigar case
covered over with a quantity of shag tobacco, and left it
in his berth. In about three days after leaving Mel-
bourne, he missed his box, and on informing the captain
a search was made, but it was nowhere to be found.
Shortly after Mr. Virtue missed a bottle of gin from his
berth, and seeing the prisoner drunk suspected that he
had not only stolen the gin but the gold dust and nug-
gets also. On missing his property, Mr. Virtue de-
scribed the gold dust and nuggets to the captain and pas-
sengers. It would be shown that the carpenter of the
Joshua saw the prisoner throw something like a cigar-
case overboard, and that he had given a woman named
Levi, who would probably be yet forthcoming, she being
one of the passengers, a quantity of gold dust to take
charge of. The prisoner, in course of conversation,
showed Mr. Virtue a nugget which the latter felt satis-
fied had formed part of his stolen property. The pri-
soner's belt, in which he bad his gold, was then examined,
and the captain, as well as the passengers to whom Mr.
Virtue, on discovering his loss had described his pro-
perty, at once expressed their opinion that it tallied
with the description. It was thence inferred that he had
given his own gold to the woman Levi, who is not as yet
forthcoming. Mr. Virtue had procured most of his gold
at Balarat, and the gold found on the prisoner was of
that quality.
The prisoner said that he, too, had been at Ballarat,
but when questioned as to the place showed himself
totally ignorant of the locality.
Mr. Virtue was then called, and gave evidence con-
firmatory of the above statement. Witness, after his
loss, and when his suspicions against the prisoner were
excited, asked the prisoner to show him his gold, but
he replied, "No, I have been put up to that."
Mr. Ingham—What did he mean ?
Witness—l suppose that he had been put on his
guard. He told me he got most of his gold at Califor-
nia, and about forty ounces at Ballarat, whereas the
gold found upon him had very little Californian, the
principal part being the produce of Ballarat and Ben-
digo.

The prisoner, who was given into custody on the ar•
rival of the vessel on this port on Saturday, when called
on for his defence, said he wished to have the case re-
manded, so that he could procure professional assist-
ance. He insinuated that it was a trick on the part of
the prosecutor to cheat him out of his gold, and that to
prosecute it he bad requested Mrs. Levi to show him
his (prisoner's) gold.
The case was remanded until Friday.

PRIVATEERING.— This savage business—the destruc-
tion or confiscation of private property in war—has, we
trust, received its death-blow. England and France
have both decided not to issue letters of marque to
Americans ; and it is believed that our Government has
expressed to those Powers its determination not to to-
lerate the fitting out of privateers within its jurisdiction
to operate against the vessels of either of the belligerents.
If this determination should be faithfully carried out, it
will obviate the greatest danger which exists, of our
being ultimately involved in the conflict. A few yee.rs
ago the United States. was, at war with Mexico. Our
commerce was floating on every sea, and if privateers
had been fitted out in England and France, or either of
them, with letters of marque from Mexico, the damage
done to our commercial interests would have been im-
mense. But during the whole of that war not a single
American merchantman was captured on the high seas.
This shows that the English and French Governments
afforded no countenance to such acts of robbery
nay, that they exerted their influence to prevent
them. The United States now has an opportunity
to return the compliment. By all means let her do
so, not merely because it is a just reciprocity, but
because it is right in itself, and its opposite is
wrong. A convention between the United States
and England and France is probably under negotiation
at this moment, which will henceforth prevent priva-
teering, and will also establish by mutual consent the
principle long contended for by the United States, that
neutral ships make free goods, except contraband of war.
The admission of this principle on the part of the bel-
ligerents will create an immense demand for our ves-
sels during the war, both steamers and
it sailing ves-
sels. For all freights and passengers,will give
our vessels a decided preference over English, French,
Russian, and, in fact, over the vessels of any other
nation. We hope our people, as well as our Govern-
ment, will have the wisdom to use their privileges
without abusing them. We must expect some annoy-
ances here and there, growing out of the war ; but if
we are patient and forbeariqk even under provocations
(which we can well afford to be), they will not harm us.
As lookers-on, and perhaps ultimately as an umpire be.
tween the belligerents, the United States has its proper
Work to perform, and we trust will not be found want-
ing.-7 New York Town? of Oommerce. '