The Sun.
London, England, 1853-12-03 00:00:00

. ( Frain the Morning Chronicle.)
An act of Parliament, passed five centuries ago, after

stating in its preamble that the "errors, defaults, and
misprisions notoriously used in the City of London, for de-
fault of good governance, by the Mayor, Sheriffs, and Al-
dermen, could not be inquired nor found by people of the
same city," proceeded to enact that the corporation should
forthwith amend its behaviour, under penalty of fines for

the first and second default, and of disfranchisement for

the third. Provision was further made that "it should be

begun to inquire upon them at St. Michael next coming,
so that, if they did not afford due redress, it should be in-
quired of their defaults by inquests of people of foreign
counties," which " foreign counties" the statute then enu-
merates. Surrey, however, is not mentioned, which is
somewhat singular, especially as Sussex has a place in the
list. The omission may perhaps be partially accounted
for by the fact that the only portion of the metropolis
which then existed on the Surrey side of the river, being
(as it still is) in an anomalous species of vassalage to the
City, could not supply an independent tribunal ; whilst
the rural parts of the county had not at that period at-
tained any great commercial importance. On the connec-
tion existing between London and Southwark we now pro-
pose to make a few remarks, leaving those who are so in-
clined to speculate on the possibility of some analogy being
discoverable between the errors, defaults, and mispri-
sions" of the fourteenth century and those of the nine-
teenth, as well as the difference between an inquiry before
the Commissioners of Edward 111. and those of her pre-

sent Majesty.
The suzerainty enjoyed by the City over the Borough,
originally established by a charter of Edward 1., and con-
firmed in several succeeding reigns, was extended to its
present limits by Edward Vl.—who, in consideration of
a sum of 6471. 2s. ld., added to the former grant a convey-
ance of all the property of the Crown situate within the
borough (excepting certain specified tenements) together
" with the lordship and borough late the possession of the
Archbishop of Canterbury." For 500 marks more, seig-
niorial rights and a considerable extent of legal jurisdiction
were also conceded ; and the powers which the corporation
thus acquired by bargain and sale—on terms which were
fair enough, according to the estimate of the times in
which the transaction took place—have not been suffered
to become obsolete by non-user. Mr. Pocock, one of the
speakers at the meeting of the inhabitants of Southwark
on Friday last, states that he has resided in the borough
more than fifty years, and has been repeatedly summoned,
by the Lord Mayor's precept, to serve on grand and petty
furies ; and another gentleman complains that he and his
neighbours are required to attend Corporation Courts, only
" to be told that there is no business for them to do, and
that they may quietly retire to discharge their own," but
that they are nevertheless fined if they disobey the man-
date. From a third speaker, we learn that the City has
disposed of the meterage of the borough "in what they
call offices"—a purely technical term, which, when em-
ployed in connection . with coal and corn duties, may be
said to derive its signification from the Latin verb offeio,
" to obstruct or annoy"— and that it has monopolised the
entire csntrol of the river, in which the inhabitants of
the southern shore have an equal interest with the citi-
zens. A member of the medical profession, who also
attended the meeting, dwelt on a grievance of a dif-
ferent character—stating that the governing body
had wholly neglected the duty of cleansing streets and im-
proving drainage, as well as of taking other precautions
against infectious disease. The complaint, though by no
means unfounded, was, perhaps, in one respect, -somewhat
unreasonable—for " charity begins at home," and the pa-
trons of Smithfield cannot be expected to act with any
great zeal in the removal of nuisances. It is true that, by
au old statute of Henry VII., the slaughter of cattle with-
in the walls of London was forbidden, as a practice " al-
lowed in few noble cities and towns, or none within Chris-
tendom, where travelling men have laboured," lest it
should "engender sickness, to the destruction of " the
people ;" but the penalties which that act imposed—viz.,
xij pence for an ox, and viij pence for a cow or other beast,
killed in violation of its provisions—have since been re-
placed by a table of tolls, more advantageous to the go-
verning body, if not to those over whom their jurisdiction
extends. Probably, there is no part of the metropolis
which so much requires improvement as Southwark ; but
there are reasons which render it very improbable that the
corporation, as at present constituted, will be inc d
line to
contribute for such purposes any large portion of the vast
funds at its disposal.
We have already referred to the manner in which the
Borough became, in a certain sense, the property of the
City ; and, at first, the corporation practically recog-
nised the principle that property has its duties as well as
its rights. Before the close of the year in which the grant
from Edward VI. was obtained, an alderman for the ward
of Bridge-Without took his seat with the representatives
of the other districts ; and, according to Stowe, South-
wark at one period sent deputies to the Common Couueil.
In course of time, however, Bridge Without was restricted
to certain houses at the foot of old London-bridge ; and on
the erection of a new bridge, with no houses in the corres-
ponding position, Bridge Without became a sinecure,
much resembling those ancient dignities against which we
find Consumpta per mare marked in our Clergy Lists. The
agent of destruction was, in the present case, not the sea,
but the river ; and although the constituency was swal-
lowed up, we are not aware that theinfluence and patronage
belonging to the office suffered any similar catastrophe. To
Bridge Without each senior Alderman in his turn may re-
tire whenever a vacancy occurs, and may enjoy that repose
which digestive powers impaired in the public service have
a right to demand.
The inhabitants of Southwark not unnaturally feel
themselves somewhat aggrieved by the position in which
they are placed. They entertain a very reasonable objec-
tion to taxation without representation ; and they fairly
inquire why their own borough should be " left behind in
the march of improvement,' now that Manchester and
Birmingham have obtained municipal institutions. On the
question whether they ought to seek an entire dissolution
of partnership with the City, or a maintenance of the pre-
sent connection with a more just and equal distribution of
power, there was some difference of opinion in the meet-
ing ; but the majority were of opinion that the latter al-
ternative would be the more desirable. The attendance,
however, was not sufficiently large to render the resolution
which was ultimately passed a decided indication of the
puouc Jesus% ...., 11... 1).-••••.11171. • ,nel +Ma is searCeiV tO be
regretted, since, in the present stage of he inquuT, use
great object is to ascertain facts, leaving for subsequent
consideration the legislative measures which it may be de-
sirable to adopt.
On one point only we can speak without hesitation.
Everything that appears to be, in the language of the day,
a "sham" must be thoroughly sifted, and either converted
into a reality, or altogether got rid of. Inquest men—to
take an example from the evidence on Friday--- must no
longer be compelled to waste their time in attending purely
formal meetings. As matters stand, they are bound to
assist in maintaining the Queen's peace, but the police re-
lieve them of that trouble. They are required to see that
the common ground of the city is not encroached upon, but
there is a salaried surveyor far more competent to deal with
such matters. They are enjoined to examine weights and
measures, but there is an inspector paid to do the work.
And lastly, they are directed to prevent those who are not
freemen from opening shops in the city ' • but this, so far
as it is done at all, is done by the Court of Aldermen and
the ward beadles. Navigation Committees, again, must
not in future consist of twenty persons, " none of whom
have any knowledge of the river beyond what they have
picked up as committee-men ;" and the salaries of officers
—or their fees, if it be necessary to retain a mode of pay-
hitochpathy
ment so objectionable—must be honestly proportioned to
pricethe
which of
they the
can
servicesafforwd ,pinacoete,tocrthtoe
eTorrethnedirer
the influence which they possess with the dispensers of
patronage. We hope that the corporation will cordially
co-operate in effecting reforms so obviously expedient ;
and
we observed with pleasure the resolution recently
agreed to by the Court of Alderman, in .
man, in which they express
their desire to assist the inquiry now
proceeding, and their
willingness to supply " all the documents and information
in their power."
By acting in accordance with this deter-
mination they will best discharge their duty to the public,
whilst they will secure a favourable consideration for such
evidence as it may be in their power to produce.

LOSS OF A. VESSEL AND CREW.—The schooner Prim-
rose, of Lossiemouth, belonging to Messrs. R. Brander
and John Maconachie, left London on the 24th of Sep-
tember last, in ballast, bound for the Baltic. She has
never since been heard of ; and it is feared that the ves-
sel, with all on board, must have perishe td
in the eqTheui-
noctial gales of the 25th and 29th Sepmber.
crew consisted of Captain Thomas Mason, who has loft
a widow and three children ; George Garvock, mate, who
has left a wife and two children ; Alex. Martin, widower,
aged eighteen,
belonging to Dundee, who has left a young family ;
James Barron, aged nineteen, only son and chief sup-
-7liurghead ; and a
e st a
iOl
ogri,b c
port
young man whose name is unknown—in all six souls.
eldetstofsownidoofwJi3amarers°nOgijlvyam,
The captain, the mate, and James Barron belonged to
Lossiemouth. Considerable sensation has been excited
by the melancholy diaster ; and much sympathy is felt
for the relatives and families of the unfortunate sufferers.
The crew was composed of a set of very sober well-con-
ducted young men ; and Captain Mason was universally
valued and esteemed for his experience and edciuprigencyht
as
a seaman, as well as for his s
conduct. The Primrose was an excellent vessel, built
at n e
Spey i 1851, and was therefore comparatively new.
We regret to say that she was only partially insured.—
Elgin Courier.
ACCIDENT ON THE SOUTH WALES RAILWAY.--The
inquest on the body of the unfortunate engine-driver,
Thos. Simpson, who was killed on Tuesday morning last
by the overturning of the down mail-train on the line
the Naas cutting, between this place and Gatcombe,at
was brought to a close at a late hour on Thursday, The
principal witness examined was the stoker to aY. The
train, William Chapman, who deposed that the mall-
proceeded safely past the Gatcombe station, t
the train
diately on entering the Naas cutting th °ll'
and
inane.
over from the left side, and fell en itssidee engine turned
of rails. Witness found himself in a moment on the up line
ground, but he escaped with a bruise thrown to the
train consisted of engine, tend ise on the head, The
tender, and
carriages. There were only nine three passenger
As soon as he
came to himself, gem in the train.
train came up, and they 1 , the two guards of the
they found him lying looked for the deceased. At last,
they under
travelling the tender. The train was
at its usual
man, and was quite p
sober.
The deceased was a steady
when asked to give a reason
er. The witnesses generally,
the frost and w for the slip, attributed it to
eweather. The slip was described as
about thirty yards t i
quantity of n length and ten in depth, and the
earth
moved was about 400 tons. The soil
was loose
With__marl, and rock peeped out in places. Several
witnesses had through the cutting
day, and passed
saw nothing to excite suspicion. The Jury
ultimately returned a verdict of accidental death, at the
same time they appended to the verdict a recommenda-
tion to the South Wales Railway Company to have the
cuttings on the line watched. Three days before this
fatal occurrence, a large piece of rook fell from another
cutting (near Chepstow) on to the linhi e, but
tr wain sas luckily
observed immediately, and an approaching topped
while it was removed.
EXTENSIVE ROBBERY OF COTTON
W.—t the Liverpool
police court, on Wednesday, John oods, a warehouse-
man, and Ann Hindle, were committed for trial for ob-
taining 43 bales of cotton, value from about 4501., upon
fraudulent representations. Athe manufacturer from Old-
ham, named Bentley, bought cotton, and w also
brought up, but there being no evidence to connect him
with the fraud, ke was discharged.