The Sun.
London, England, 1849-03-14 00:00:00

STATE OF TRADE.
(From the Manchester Guardian of !his day.)
MANCHESTER, MARCH 13.—The ck.: that bu.inc-..5,
received last week, from the accounts i,rouOlt by the
American packet and the overland mail have been felc in
somewhat diminished degree to day. But though ootton
has recovered much of what it then lost, th, re retains, on
the whole, a strengthened impression that the pr.( ser:t
range of prices must eventually be rasher lime:el by the
Weight of the supply, and this impression tends to pri:duce
caution in our market. Ia the let us received to .day
from Italy, previous ordess are countermanded in con-
sequence of distrusted paper having beon put out by the
Leghorn Bank, and of a depreciation of the Tuscan and
rtoman currencies by forced issues of inconvertible
paper on the part of the provisional govern-
Meats. 'While, therefore, e slightly improve] feeling is
Perceptible, as compared with last week, still business
drags heavily, and not a little irregularity exists.
The transactions of the day have been of very limited
amount, buyers having shown no disposition to operate.
Prices have consequently, been very imperfectly tested;
but it is evident that, although the quotations are gene-
rftfly the same as those of a week ago, yet, in most
things, sales coufd be effected only through some con-
cessions. Goods are, on the whole, firmer than yarns;
and, of the latter, spinnings for home manufactures are
better than those for exportation.
ROCHDALE, MARCH 12.—We have had a quiet market
today, and the merchants have purchased very sparingly,
at last week's prices. In the wool market there is no
change to report from that of the preceding Monday.
HALIFAX, MARCH 10.—The state of trade, in our
Piece Hall and in the warehouses, is about the same as
last week. The demand is not brisk, and is chiefly for
htatings, which go off at rates nearly equal to the ad-
vanced cost of the raw material. Yarns are ffrm, at late
rates, and the spinners are fully employed on old orders;
but the shipping houses are extremely shy of giving out
new orders at the improved rates. There is no altera-
tion to quote in wool, which maintains its price with
considerable firmness. _ _

HUDDERSFIELD, MARCH 13.—The market keeps up
the character of the last few weeks, and everything indi-
cates a steady, improved state of trade. A good business
is do:ng in the warehouses. I❑ vestings, we have not
beard of many orders being yet received.
LEEDS, MARCH 13.—We cannot report any material
change in our cloth market since last week. The amount
of business done at our halls to day was about the same
as last Tuesday, and prices were unaltered. There is
litle doubt the higher prices asked by the manufactu-
rers interfere with the business in some.clegree, and
check the merchants in their purchases.

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.
HOME ClRCUlT.—Maidstone, March 13.
(Before Mr. Justice WIGHTMAN.)
Charles Ahleton, a boy, twelve years old, was indicted
for feleniet.sty and maliciously setting fire to a stack of
straw, tify6" property of James Russell, with intent to in-
jure him.
The prosecutor in this case is a farmer at Horton
Kirby, and it appeared that the fire in question occurred
on the 6th November in last year, the day when it will
be remembered, owing to the sth falling on a Sunday, the
commemoration of the Gunpowder Plot was celebrated.
Lille only actual evidence against the prisoner was that
he was seen tear the place about the time the fire
broke out.
Sir Percival Dyke, the magistrate who committed the
prisoner, proved his signature to the depositions, and
also that be gave the prisoner the formal caution re-
quired by the late Act of Parliament before he made a
statement which was then given in evidence.
Mr. Russell, the prosecutor, proved that 80 leads of
straw wero consumed by the fire.
In cross-examination he said that, when the prisoner
was under examination upon the charge, some questions
were put to him by the magistrate, and among others
he was asked if he had not set the stack on fire ?
Mr. Justice WIGHTMAN ached the witness if he was
Sure the magistrate put such a question as this to the
prisoner?
The witness replied that he forgot whether the
Magistrate put the question, but he certainly was ques-
tioned while under examination. _

---
The prisoner's statement was then read. It was to
the following effect :—I did it with a lucifer. I got the
lucifer from home. I don't know why I did- it. I am
sorry I did it. I never thought of doing it before that
Morning. I carry lucifirs because the men some-
times want one to light their pipes with. I struck the
Lucifer against the quick, and set fire to the stack un-
derneath.
Mr. ADDIS N, in addressing the jury for the prisoner,
Proceeded to comment upon the proceeding that bad
been adopted of questioning a child like the prisoner,
which he said was quite repugnant to the spirit of Eng-
lish law. The Learned Counsel concluded his address by
calling upon the jury, under these circumstances, to
dismiss the statement in question entirely from their
Mind, and as their was nothing else against the prisoner,
they would then feel it their duty to return a verdict of
Not
Guilty.
Mr. Justice WIGHTMAN, in summing up, said, with
regard to the observations that had been made as to the
Prisoner being questioned while under examination, un-
doubtedly if a magistrate were to put questions to such a
child to induce him to make a confession, it would not only
be a dereliction of duty in that capacity, but also as a man ;
bat he must remark that there was no evidence of the ma-
gistrate having so acted, and, on the contrary, the witness
said he could not recollect who put the questions. The
Learned Judge then explained to the jury that a person
under seven years of age was altogether irresponsible,
but between that age and fourteen a person might be
convicted of this or any other offence, if the jury should
be of opinion that he possessed what the law described
as a mischievous discretion, or that he had understand-
ing enough to be aware of the mischievous nature of
the act he was committing, and its dangerous conse-
quences.
The jury, after a short deliberation, returned a verdict
of Not Guilty, and the Learned Judge gave directions
that the prisoner should be at once placed in the charge
of his father, who was in waiting to receive him.
Alfred Humphrey, 18, and Iden Ellis, 18, were con-
victed of feloniously setting fire to a barn, containing a
large quantity of wheat, oati, and barley, amounting in
/nine to more than 5001., the property of Edward
Monckton, and were sentenced to be transported for
fifteen years.