The Sun.
London, England, 1853-09-03 00:00:00

POLIC INTELLIGENCE

MANSION-HOUSE.— DESERTION OF SEAMEN.—
John, Williams was charged with having deserted from
the Omega, in which he had been engaged as a seaman.
Mr. Samuel Pot. master and part owner of the
Omega, said the detenda-it sicrued articles on the 14th
of May to go to Adelaide. His final port of discharge
was the city of London. He sailed with us from Lon-
don, but deserted the ship at Adelaide, on the Ist of
September, 1852. I produce the log-book which con-
tains a report of his desertion, and the desertion of three
other seamen.

Sir John Mugrove—By whom is that report signed ?
Witness—By myself.
Sir John Musgrove—By yourself alone ?
Witness—By myself alone.
Sir John Musgrove The act, I find, requires that the
desertion should be certified by the captain and mate,
or some other competent authority in addition to that of
the captain.
Witness—The mate was unwilling to sign, and the
rest of the crew also showed great reluctance to certify.
In fact they ss ere waiting the opportunity to desert
themselves. The defendant was to receive V. 15s. per
month.
Sir John Musgrove—Now, if the log-book had been
properly signed, the captain who has been thus cruelly
treated, would not onlrj have the satisfaction of seeing
the seaman sent to prison, but would have been entitled
to the money, whicia I must now order, lam sorry to
say, to be restored to the morally guilty defendant.
The defendant here wished to make some observations
expressive of his unconsciousness of having committed
any offence ; but
Sir John. Musgrave said—l do not wish to hear a
word from, you. You are discharged.

BOW-STREET.—Charles Clements, potman of the
George public-house, Great Queen-street, was charged
before Mr. Jardine with having twice set fire to his
employer's house.
Mr. C. S. Large, the landlord, stated that about
half-past three o'clock in the morning of August
23, he, was aroused from his bed by an alarm of
fire. He found the house full of smoke, and on
going down stairs saw the inside of the parlour
in flames. Assistance was speedily procured and the
fire was put out, it having been confined to the room.
The prisoner was at the top of the house at the time,
and helped to give the alarm, but he did not leave his
room. On a subsequent examination of the room, in
company with a police-officer, he saw a quantity of
paper forced into a hole in the wainscoating, in such a
manner as to excite suspicion that it was intended to be
fired, especially as it was part of a daily newspaper of
recent rate. The parlour was consequently watched for
r a day or two, but on the 25th, during the temporary
absence of witness, some one had set fire to the paper,
and a portion of the wall was burnt out. Witness ascer-
tained that the prisoner had been into the room during
the interim, without having any business there, and this
fact coupled with other suspicious circumstances in-
duced him to have the man taken into custody.
Inspector Mitchell stated that there had been four
fires in the same house and the one adjoining it since
the prisoner had been at Mr. .Large's, and he had ascer-
tained that there had been fires likewise at the houses
where the prisoner had been previously employed as
pot-boy. He bad been heard to complain of the illibe-
rality of the insurance companies on one of those occa-
sions for not giving him some compensation or reward
for assisting in putting out the flames, as had been done
in previous instances.

Edward Hooper, a lodger in the prosecutor's house,
who said he was nearly suffocated by the smoke on the
morning of the fire, deposed that the prisoner raised one
of the upper windows and called " Police," when the
alarm was given.

Emily Thompson, prosecutor's sister-in-law, saw the
prisoner go into the parlour a short time before the
second fire on the 25th ult. He had no business there,
and others might have walked in besides him.
Ellen Gardener, cook, said that she had some con-
versation with the prisoner upon the subject. She ob-
served that it was a fortunate thing that Mrs. Large
(the landlady) and the children were away when the fire
broke out. He replied, " Perhaps it would never have
happened then. Men often send their families away at
such times." Witness made no remark, but she con-
sidered it a very unjust reflection upon the character of
their master. After this, on another day, the prisoner
said he thought it was very odd that the insurance office
people did not come and make inquiries, and give com-
pensation to those who had caused the fire to be put
out. He also stated that if he had known there was
going to be so much fuss about he would not have given
the alarm.

Mr. Bouter, landlord of the Bell, Leicester-street, Lei-
cester-square, stated that the prisoner was formerly in his
service as pot-boy. On the 10th of March, 1851, a fire
occurred at his house, and the insurance office awarded
compensation to the servants for the loss of their clothes.
The prisoner received a share of the money, and witness
gave him an additional 51., as he had represented his
loss at greatly beyond the amount allowed by the office,
which was a fourth of 101. Witness had no means of
knowing what was actually destroyed, as the prisoner's
room was burnt quite out. On the 6th of February,
1852, another fire occurred in the house, and while all
the inmates were escaping through the roof, the prisoner
was seen up another ladder, in a place of safety. Wit-
ness went into the prisoner's room directly afterwards,
and found his box entirely empty. Still he had no sus-
picion that the prisoner had had anything to do with
the fire ; but when he claimed compensation for the de-
struction of his things, witness refused to allow him
, anything. Some time after this a bracket lamp up stairs
was discovered to have been forcibly turned against the
wall, and it must have been done by a servant in the
house. Witness did not dismiss the prisoner from any
suspicions of this sort, but for using abusive language to
his (witness's) mother. Shortly after the second fire he
told one of witness's other servants that he did not get
so much by it as he did by the first one.
Mr. Jardine thought that although these conjectures
were not legal evidence, there was suspicion enough to
justify further inquiry, and therefore the prisoner must
be remanded.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

NORTH BRITISH.

The following are the most important parts of the re-
port of the directors, to be presented at the half-yearly
meeting on the 14th inst.:—
" The revenue has fully and steadily maintained, in
the last half year, the former rate of increase, being
7,138/. 3s. 81d. in excess of the corresponding period of
1852. The directors, in obedience to the wishes of the
shareholders, as expressed in the resolutions come to by
them at the general meeting in March last, proceeded to
carry through the bill which they then reported they
had given notice of and lodged. They were successful
in obtaining the bill, as regards its financial clauses,
practically, in the shape in which it was prepared.
The object of the bill was not only to confirm the
legality of the No. 1 preference stock, and the ar-
rears of dividend thereon, but to facilitate the raising
of 330,500/. which the company had been authorised to
raise by the act 1851 as a postponed five per cent. pre-
ference stock ; but which, except to a small extent, it
had not been found practicable to issue, and conse-
quently, to pay off the obligations come under by
former directors to banks, the purpose for which the
second preference stock had been created. By the pre-
sent bill the company is authorised, in lieu of the second
preference stock, to raise 150,3001. by debenture, and
180,200 by a preference stock, at a rate of dividend not
exceeding 5 per cent., to rank in all respects, alike as re-
gards dividend and arrears of dividend (excepting always
that the 21 per cent. of arrears resting on the 6 per cent.
dividend for the half-year ending 31st July, 1852, is to be
paid preferably to all other dividends), paripassu with the
51. guaranteed shares. It is now for the shareholdersto de-
termine, in accordance with the powers conferred on
them by the statute, what should be the amount of the
new shares, and by what.instalments or calls, and at
what periods, and in what manner, and subject to what
terms and conditions, such shares are to be issued.
The directors have given this subject much and anxious
consideration, and they have formed a distinct opinion
that the new shares should be issued to bear a 5 per
cent dividend, and in a mode and on terms otherwise
to place them, in as far as possible, on a level with the
existing 51. guaranteed shares, so that from and after
the 10th of April, 1854, when the 6 per cent. dividend
cease on the 51. guaranteed shares, the new shares shall
be in all respects on an equality with them, and the
600,0001. and 180,0001. practically form one stock. The
directors recommend that the new shares should be left to
be disposed of by them for the benefit of the company at
the times and in the manner which, in their judgment,
may appear best calculated to promote that benefit to
the largest extent. They feel satisfied that in this way
they will not only best maintain the credit of the com-
pany, but will obtain a premium amply sufficient to
meet the sum necessary to enable them to pay off, as
they now propose to do, upon the credit of that pre-
mium, the arrears of 21 per cent. due on the Si. guaran-
teed shares as at July 31, 1852. The directors having
found that considerable diversity of opinion existed as to
whether the arrear of dividend arising in the half-year
ending July 31, 1852, and which in terms of the act just
passed must be paid out of the first free revenue of the past
half-year, should be paid to the present holders of the
stock or to those who held the stock at the date when
the arrear occurred, laid a case before counsel, who have
advised that steps should be taken by means of an amicable
suit to obtain a judicial decision on the point. The direc-
tors would therefore recommend that they be authorised
to pay such portion of the arrear as appertains to the
stock which is still in the possession of the parties who
were the registered proprietors of it at 2d Sept., 1852,
when the books were closed for the dividend on which
the arrear occurred, and that the balance, applicable to
stock which has been transferred since that date, be con-
signed in bank to await the result of such suit, should
the parties interested fail to come to such extrajudicial
arrangement themselves as shall enable the directors
safely to pay. Claims have been preferred, on behalf
of the committees of the 5/. guaranteed shareholders in
Edinburgh and London, to be relieved of costs incurred
by them in, as these committees consider, promoting
and largely aiding the carrying of the act which
has lately passed. The directors have always declined
to come under any pledge in regard to these expenses,
and now refer the claim to the shareholders. The
revenue of the half-year, with the balance of 4,1531. 5s s}d.
from the former period, after deducting working expen-
diture, interest on bank and contractors' debts and de-
bentures, leaves a free revenue 19,5941. 10s. 64d. This
would afford a division of 6 per cent. on the existing 51.
guaranteed shares, and leave a balance of 1,794/. 35. 61d. ;
but the arrears at 31st July, 1852, are by the late sta-
tute made preferable to all dividends ; and so the ac-
count falls to be stated thus :
Balance from last account £4,153 5 5f

For revenue this half-year 15,441 5 li

FROM TEE LONDON b.A TTE Y ESTER DA Y.

WHITEHALL, A IJ(k. .

The Queen has been pleased to appoint New-
land Welsby, Esq., Barrister at Law ; William John
Williams, Esq., Inspector of P/iBOIIS ; and Baly,
M.D., Me,:ical Superintendent of Aiitlbank Prison, to be
her Majesty's Commisiuners for enquiring into Leicester
County Gaol and House of Currecdon.
WAR-OFFICE, SEPT. 2.
2d Regiment of Foot—Major-General Sir John Rolt,
K.C.B. and K.C., to be Colonel, vice Lieutenant-General
Alexander George, Lord Saltoun, K.C.B. and K.T., de-
ceased, Aug. 29.
21st Regiment of Foot—Major-General Sir De Lacy
Evans, K.C.B.' to be Colonel, vice General the Right
Honourable Sir Frederick Adam, G.C.B. and G.C.M.G.,
deceased, Aug. 29.

WAR-OFFICE, SEPT. 2.
Royal Regiment of Ho-.•se Guards—Lieut.-Col. Charles
Du Pre Egerton, from half-pay Rifle Brigade, to be Lieu-
tenant-Colonel, vice Brevet-Colonel Bouverie, who ex-
changes ; Brevet-Lieutenant-Colonel Honourable G. C. W.
Forester to be Lieutenant-Colonel, by purchase, vice Eger-
ton, who retires; Brevet-Major Honourable Horace Pitt
to be Major, by purchase ; Lieutenant Francis William
Fitz-Hardinge Berkeley to be Captain, by purchase, vice
Pitt; Cornet George Philip Cecil Arthur, Lord Stanhope,
to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Berkeley, Sept. 2.
Ist Dragoon Guards—Lieutenant Samuel Pearson, from
the 12th Light Dragoons, to be Lieutenant, vice Hancoke,
who exchanges, Sept. 2.
12th Light Dragoons —Lieutenant Jeremiah Hancocke,
from the Ist Dragoon Guards, to be Lieutenant, vice Pear-
son, who exchanges, Sept. 2.
2d Regiment of Foot—Major Stanhope Wm. Jephson,
to be Lieutenant-Colonel, without purchase, vice Burns,
deceased, July 1; Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Oliver Rob-
inson, to be Major, without purchase, vice Jephson ; Lieu-
tenant Robert Holdsworth,. to be Captain, without pur-
chase, vice Robinson ; Ensign John Croome, to be Lieu-
tenant, without purchase, vice Holdsworth, Gentleman
Cadet John Wimburn Lawrie, from the Royal Military
College, to be Ensign, without purchase, vice Croome,
Sept. 2.
th Foot—Captain John Millar Bannatyne, from the 21st
Foot, to be Captain, vice Charter, who exchaages, Sept. 2.
21st Foot—Captain Ellis James Charter, from the Bth
Foot, to be Captain, vice Bannatyne, who exchanges,
Sept. 2.
OOth Foot—Lieutenant Richard Townsend Gray, to be
Captain, by purchase, vice Bellingham, who retires ; En-
sign George William Bunbury, to be Lieutenant, by pur-
chase, vice Gray; Charles A. Penrhyn Boileau, Gent., to
be Ensign, by purchase, vice Bunbury, Sept. 2.
59th Foot Assistant-Surgeon William Braybrooke,
from the Staff, to be Surgeon, vice Campbell, deceased,
Sept. 2.
62d Foot—Lieut. McKay Rynd to be Captain, by pur-
chase, vice Hewett, who retires ; Ensign Edward Henry
Hunter to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Rynd ; Geo.
Wm. Bulkeley Hughes, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase,
vice Hunter, Sept. 2.
65th Foot—Lieut. Jas. Paul to be Captain, by purchase,
vice Barry, who retires ; Ensign Geo. Buck to be Lieute-
nant, by purchase, vice Paul ; Chas. Jas. Urquhart,
Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Buck, Sept. 2.
91st Foot—Ensign Henry Aubury Bond to be Lieu-
tenant, without purchase, N ice John M`Pherson, deceased,
Aug. 24 Gentleman Cadet Thomas Erskin Arthur Hall,
from the Royal Military College, to be Ensign, without
purchase, vice Bond ; Sept. 2.
95th Foot—Ensign Edward William Eddington to be
Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Maxwell, who retires, Sept.
2 ; Basil Charles B aothby, Gent., to be Ensign, by pur-
chase, vice Eddington, Sept. 2.
Ist West India Regiment—Lieutenant Oliver George
Stokes to be Captain, by purchase, vice Lloyd, who re-
tires, Sept. 2.
HOSPITAL STAFF.—William Sinclair, Gent., to be As-
sistant-Surgeon to the Forces, vice Braybrooke promoted
in the 59th Foot, Sept. 2.
MEMORANDA.—The commission of Lieutenant John
O'Efea, of the 25th Foot, has been antedated to 7th Sept.,
1852.—The Christian name of Lieutenant and Adjutant
Walmsley, of the 15th Foot, is "James," and not "John,"
as hitherto stated.

£15,594 10 64
7,408 3 9

Arrears at 31st July, 1852

Leaves £12,186 6 9i
applicable to the payment of the 6 per cent. dividend on
the 51. guaranteed shares. As, however, that dividend
amounts to 17,8001. 75., and thus there is a deficiency
of 5,614/. Os. 21d., to pay both arrears and dividend,
the directors propose, as before mentioned, to pay out of
and on the credit of the premiums to be received on the
new stock, the amount of the said arrears, viz., 7,4031.
3s. 9d., and accordingly recommend the declaration of a
dividend at the rate of 6 per cent. od the 5/. guaranteed
shares, payable on 14th October next, to such share-
holders as are registered and not in arrear on the 6th
day of September proximo, and that the surplus be
carried to next half year."

THE SUN. LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 3, 1853.

SPORTINfI INT LLLIGENCE.

BETTING AT MANCHESTER—YESTERDAY.
There was a very small muster at the rooms this
morning, most of the members having left for Lincoln.
For the Leamington Stakes the only horses in force were
the Friar and Scarecrow. For the St. Leger. \Vest Aus-
tralian and Sittinghourne were in force. The Reiver
was backed for 501. at 10 to 1, the layers willing to gu
on. Closing prices :

LEAMINGTON STAKES.
4to 1 agst The Friar (taken to 251.)
4to 1 agst Scarecrow (taken to 2501.)
10 to 1 agst Little Fawn (taken).
GREAT YORKSHIRE HANDICAP.
14 to 1 agst Hungerford (taken).
16 to 1 agst Gossamer (taken).
20 to 1 agst Georgy (taken).
CESAREWITCH STAKES.
33 to 1 agst Pelion (taken).
33 to 1 agst Winter (taken).
1000 to 20 agst Contentment (taken).
1000 to 20 agst Boarding School Miss.
ST. LEGER.
3001. even on West Australian (taken).
4 to 1 agst Sittingbourne (taken).
10 to 1 agst The Reiver (t..ken).
THE DERBY.
7to 1 agst Autocrat.
25 to 1 aget Mary Hill (taken).

LINCOLN RACES.-THURSDAY.

;;

INNKEEPERS' SELLING STAKES were won at three heats
by Capt. Reynard's Vinegarette, 3 yrs (301.), 6st 41b
(Oliver, jun.), beating Mr. Lister's Criterion, (3 yrs (301.),
Est 71b (Wells), Mr. Morris's Sir Rowland Trenehard, 5
yrs (301.), 7st 111 b (Basham), and three others.

The Albert, St. John's to Liverpool, 27th, lat. 51 N., I
long. 16 W.

fho Byron, of St. Andrew's

w Brunswick, to I

The America, of St. Ann's, N
York, 9th, lat. 51 N., long. 23 VF
The China (Dutch barque), Liverpool to Batavia, Aug
8, lat. 37 N., long. 10 W.
The Cunard (ship), Clyde to Quebec, 21 der: out, 19.t.53
N., long. 36 W.
The Harmony, Ardrossan to Quebec, Aug. 24.
The Spartan (ship), of Greenock, lat. 55 N., long. 15W.
The Weibar Volt, Aug. 5, lat. 4 N., long. 11 W.
The Clio, Liverpool to China, Aug. 7, lat. 41 N., long.
12 W.

Scotia, Cls

to New

The Cameleon, Liverpool to Batavia, July 6, lat. 3 N.,
long. 37 W.
The Richard Cobden, London to Charleston, Aug. 27,
lat. 50 N., long. 4 W.
The Noord, Hartlepool to Batavia, Aug. 7, lat 3 N.,
long. 19 W.
The Hendrina, Hartlepool to Bat via, Aug. 23, lat 49
N., long. 6 W.