The Sun.
London, England, 1853-07-15 00:00:00

HAM AND VIRGINIA WATER.

CHERTSEY SESSIONS.-JULY 13.

Thomas Stanwood and his wife appeared to an infor-
mation laid under the Turnpike Act by Mr. James Wil-
ling, for having, at the Virginia Toll-bar, exacted a
return fare of is. 4d. on the afternoon of the 9th of
June, for a carriage and four horses, a similar toll
having been paid for the same vehicle on its first passing
through the bar.
Mr. Horne, Clerk to the Trust, defended and raised
a preliminary objection to the complainant giving evi-
dence.

J. Willing stated that was his fourth appearance
in reference to the case, because technical objections
had been previously raised ; but he was determined to
have the question decided, being of public importance,
and the defendant having obtained a very large sum of
money from the public illegally. As to Mr. Horne's
present objection, he would not trouble the magistrates
to go into it, as there were witnesses now present to
state all that was necessary to give jurisdiction. He
therefore called
Mr. Philip Willing and Mr. Bradfield, who wero in
the carriage on the day named, stated that on the
vehicle first passing through the toll-bar, a toll of
is. 4d. was demanded and paid. On the return of the
party, a second toll was asked. Mr. James Willing
produced the first ticket, and demanded to pass; he was
refused, and paid the second toll on compulsion. De-
fendant—Thomas Stallwood's name only was up at the
bar as collector, but his wife received the money, and
acted under the orders of Mr. Jackson, the toll in-
spector, who was present.
On cross-examination by Mr. Home, it was deposed
that both carriage and horses belonged to members of
the party accompanying the witnesses, and that there
was no plying for hire.

Mr. Horne then objected that the case had failed, for
that an office copy of the tolls, exhibited at the bar, had
not been given in evidence, and becar se the wife had
received the second toll when her husband was the col-
lector, and the husband, therefore, was not responsible.
The magistrates having inspected the tickets, and re-
ferred to the act of Parliament,
The Chairman said they were unanimous that a clear
case had been made out under the act ; the public had
to thank Mr. Willing for the trouble he had taken. and
they should fine the defendant 20s. for taking the toll
20s. 6d. the expenses of the summons, and
order the expenses of the witnesses attending from
London also to be paid.

GENERAL COMMITTEE OF CONTROVERTED ELECTIONS.
—Mr. Baines, Mr. Walpole, and Mr. Patten have been
appointed members of this committee in lieu of of sir
J. Trollope, Sir F. Baring, and Mr. Sotherton, who lad
resigned.

Yesterday a very serious loss was announced at
Lloyd's, which, for a time, created much anxiety, in con-
sequonce of the number of passengers, and the valuable
freight of gold which was known to have been shipped
on board,the unfortunate ship. She was the Condor,
Mr. Leighton commander, a fine vessel of nearly one
thousand tons burden, the property of Messrs. Gibbs
and Bright, the Great Britain owners, of Liverpool, and
while on a voyage from Australia to London, with some
fifty or more passengers, 80,0001. worth of gold, and a
cargo of wool and other merchandise, she took fire on
approaching the Line, and was totally destroyed.
Providentially all on board, with the specie, were pre-
served. The Condor left Melbourne for England about
the first week of last April, and according to the
papers which had been received announcing her
departure, her passengers comprised Mr. and Mrs.
Wickham and family, Mr. and Mrs. Pellett and
child, Mr. and Mrs. Bidgood, Messrs. Smith, Faulk-
ll'-r, Mann, Marshall, and Airs. Malcolmson, and 35 in
too second cabin. The voyage was prosperous enough,
and there was every likelihood of its being a more than
ordinarily favourable one. On the shin nearing the Line,
however, about the 10th of June, her position being lat.
5 S., long 25 W., the startling discovery was made that
she was on fire in the hold. A brief examination sufficed
to tell that it was raging, amongst the bales of wool.
Every means' were adopted in the hope of suppressing
it, but all efforts failed, the destructive element having
evidently obtained a general hold of the cargo, defying
all the exertions that could then be brought to bear
by the crew in extinguishing it. The preservation of
the passengers, crew, and the gold on board, had pre-
viously occupied the attention of the master, and the
order had been given to prepare the boats and have
them in readiness to meet any sudden case of emer-
gency. At this critical juncture, the burning ship
attracted the notice of a French barque, the Charles
and Pauline, M. Mains master, which was bound from
Granville to some port on the adjacent coast of South
America. She immediately bore down to the Condor
and laid too. There appearing no probability of saving
the ill-fated vessel, as the fire kept increasing and extend-
ing over her, the passengers were sent on board the.
barque, and the boats were then employed in the tran-
shipment of the boxes of gold. This being successfully
accomplished, the whole of the specie being saved, the
crew were eventually compelled to abandon their ship,
the heated state of the decks having prevented them re-
maining by her any longer. In a short time she burst
into a general body. of flames and was destroyed.
The Charles and Pauline, with her increased and valu-
able freight, then made all sail for the nearest port, and
on the 15th of June succeeded in reaching Pernambuco,
where all were safely landed. The authorities then
investigated the services rendered by the barque, and
awarded her the munificent sum of 12,G00/. as salvage.
There is little doubt that the fire arose from spontaneous
ignition among the cargo of the Condor, as was the case
with the ship Adelaide, from Australia, whose extraor-
dinary escape from destruction was reported a short
time since. The Condor is understood' to be heavily
insured.