The Sun.
London, England, 1814-10-14 00:00:00

lIONV-STREFIT.

. •
'GuNtoWbER.—A question came on to he heard
yesterday morning before &c. in
‘ehich the safety
,of the pal)lie and the dealers in
gunpowder ate materially interested. The Act
of King William, under whieh the complaint was
brought) restricts the depositing- of nuantities of,
gunpowder ‘,\.tik bin three miles of the City of West-
minstet, to giOird against the dangerous conse-
quences to ilia Alajesty's sithects by explosion.
A ma.nufacturer is only allowed to have 200 lbs.
and
.other persons'are only allowed to hare 5.01b5.
This Nvt.as an information brought against Mr.
Burton, for ha'ving lqOV4.- %weight of gunpowder
concealed under hays "afid straw, in his coach-;
house, in Burton :11tni.s..:

Mr. ALLEY attended to conduct the prosecu-
tion, and liridly stated the case, and said that,
allowing Mr. Burton to be a manufacturer of,
gunpowder, the Act of Parliament permitted him
to have 4.gunpowder on his premises,4
he should only .gq.for the forfeiture of Millis. of
the,gunpowder, and the I.lenalty allowed by the
Act, ‘vblch va two shillings for every pound.
He- called May and Golf, the Police-Officers be-
longing to' linion !Lill, to prove the case.
From their evidence, it -appeared, that on. the
21st (lay of September last, iu consequence of
.a•
private information,' they went with a search war-
rant in imrstsit of *large quantity of concealed
gunpowder. They. endeavoured in vain to gain
admittance by IA stable, and they avoided using
force, to guard against the possibility of an ex-
plosion. They were told Mr. Burton was not at
house, but that Isis son was in the neighbourhood
attending a sale. They told Ishii their business,
and must search his stable; he took them at their
literal request, and skewed them his stable, which
was distinct from his father's. The Officers in-
formation- was so very good and correct, that they
discovered the manceuvre, End persevered till they.
found Mr. Burton senior's stables ; ansi in the
coach-house they found concealed, under Some
hay and straw, sixteen barrels of gunpowder; con-
taining 561 h. each, 'and eight half-barrels, con-
taining 251 b. each. They seized the whole, and,
conveyed them to a yard in the Borough.
Mr. GURNEY attended for Mr. Burton, and
cross-examined the Offices May as to whether he
did not expect to gain inure by the business if a
conviction took place than if it did not. The
Officer answered the question very firmly, that he
did not, but that he expected to be paid his ex-
pellees.
Mr. ALLEY called Mr. Burton's son to prove that
the premises where the gunpowder was seized, as
well as the gunpowder, were his father's, both of
which lie very readily adMitted.
• Mr. Gutixey was then about to examine him,
but Mr. ALLEY objected to a question, as is
termed in law, being- a leading one; but Mr.
GURNEY insisted, as he was his Learned Friend's
witness, he bad a right to put a question in amore
leading way than he had done.
The substance of Mr. Burton, jun.'s evidence
Was, that his father had gunpowder mills at Ton-
bridge ; that the 100011). of gunpowder, in ques-
tion, had arrived from there in a waggon on the
morning of the day the officers seized it, between
ten and eleven o'clock. That not beLpr prepar-
ed to send it off. to where it was intewin for, he
had thought it riot st, safe for it to remain in the
waggon as to unload it, and put-it into the,coach-
house. After that, he monnsted his -horse, and
rode off: to his father's carrier, and Cawston, his
ligtherman, to convey it with all speed to Black-
wall, to be shipped for ‘Vales, where it was in-
tended to be- sent.

llr. GURNEY argued, that the information could
not be supported under the 1101 section of the
Act of Parliament, which stated that the defendant
must •he keeping it in his possession ; whereas it
never . was in his possession, as he was not at
home. Mr. reminded him, that the clause
also said, " or having in his possession."
Mr. iALEY very satisfactorily answered Mr. 6.'s
objections.
Mr. BurNte, in giving judgment, said he had
no doubt but that the case came within the mean-
ing' of the Act of Parliament, and therefore con--
demned SOOlbs. of the gunpowder, with the pe-
nalty of 3s. for •each pound, amountinq to SO!.
The Wheat Sheaf, on Lisson-green; has lately
been broke open. Henry Stevens, Hugh Morris,
anti Amelia Buckley, suspected of ha; ing com-
mitted the burglary, were brought up for exami-
nation. No proof wa<s adduced against them ;
but a dark lanthorn, an iron crow, a bottle of
phosphorus, and other implements used in house-
breaking, being found upon theta when they were
apprehended in the neighbourhood, they were re-
manded for further examination.

John Boot, charged with uttering several ficti-
tious notes, underwent a fourth examination.—
The Magistrate informed him that be must pro-
duce good and sufficient bail..

W.-Carter, C. Cowdell, and J. Lawtence, three
grooms, who were apprehended on St,ndar,night
iii Gos'well-strcet, with:a large huddle., the con-
tents of- which have been since proved to b new
livery for the'coachman of Mr. Bush,'.o Broad-
street, were committed for trial.