The Sun.
London, England, 1847-11-22 00:00:00

JEWISH DISABILITIES.
(From the Times.)
It will very soon be seen what reception will be
given, in the great council of the nation, to the ver-
dict of its greatest city in the last case of religious
liberty. This question would not be worthily settled
if the decision were otherwise than formal and ex-
plicit, given on a clear understanding and by a candid
vote. We lately published a letter in which it was
argued that the test at present supposed to operate
against the admission
.of the class in question to the
national cony:els was never devised with any such
end, and might be evaded without any illegality.
Much of such reasoning may be true, but to pro-
ceed on its suggestions would not be more un-
becoming to the. country itself than unacceptable to
that portion of lie citizens who were to benefit by
the evasion, Least of all people are the Jews given
to bro:. ches of form or law, and it certainly is not
On. this particular occasion that they would transgress
their wonted rules. It is not in claiming the rights
of citizenship that they will, for the first time, neglect
its duties. The case was not thrust upon the court
by clamour, and it is not to be decided by shuffling.
An honest and straightforward sentence of the
House upon the continuance of the religions disabi-
Ede% of the Jews is the judgment by which the Jews
*in abide. They will not avail themselves of the
shabby shelter of a quibble. It is " a grave political
question," and it will not "be unconstitutionally
solved." Our own opinions on this subject are already
known, nor are we greatly apprehensive that they
will be found at variance with those of the nation.
Ile theory of religious tests in civil affairs has been
too long abandoned, that little need be said to convince
any thoughtful advocate of the opposite system that
the removal of Jewish disabilities is but the consistent
and necessary development of a long established prin-
ciple. We say that the disability now affecting a
Jewish candidate for Parliament is the last of a long
series of similar restrictions, differing in no essential
point from any of those which have successively,
yielded to the suggestions of humanity and the dic-
tates of reason. If, indeed, the particular case of the
Jew had been exempted from all those remissions of
penal rigour which testified the growing enlightenment
of the times ; if the gradual indulgence to the varia-
tions of Protestant churches had never been extended
to such a creed as his ; if the idea had never been
abandoned that Christianity could only be becom-
ingly professed by the exclusion of a Jew from the
social community ; if he were still confined to his
Jewry, stigmatised in his costume, oppressed by
special enactments, and proscribed by universal con-
sent, then it could be easily understood that his
opinions should be still held destructive of his civil
rights, even though such a persuasion had been ex-
ploded in all other cases of heterodoxy. Nay, if the
abolition of all these substantial penalties had merely
been a concession to the instincts of humanity—if,
while civilised Britain extinguished such barbarous
badges of Judaism, Christian Britain still shrank
from all social contact with the Jew, then would his
disabilities be consistently supported. But when the
spirit of the age has involuntarily and insensibly
become such that not the smallest repulsion is in-
dicated between the citizens of the two creeds,
—when the followers of the proscribed faith
are employed in all the common duties of citizen-
ship, and confessed to be exemplary in the discharge
of them—when they take not only equal, but ex-
traordinary rank in the social scale—when they are
admitted to acquisitions of influence and offices of
trust, how can they be consistently visited with a
disability based only on assumptions which are thus
practically exploded ? A Jew can only be reason-
ably excluded from Parliament on account of his
misbelief, or on account of opinions dangerous to
the commonwealth. The latter cause will not be
alleged, since the political demeanour of the Jew is
allowed to be beyond exception. If the former
cause holds good in this case it holds good in every
other. If the Jew is to be visited for the sins of
his fathers with any civil incapacity, be should be
visited with all, short of those examples of active
persecution which humanity forbids. It is impossible
that a man who conscientiously votes egaiest the
admission of a Jew to Parliament can conscien-
tiously hold any but necessary dealings with him
in any other transaction. Persecute him he may
not, but avoid him he must. As regards the re-
ligious bearings of the question, he can only justify a
vote of exclusion on this particular point by a con-
tinuous expression of his convictions in all other
actions of life—by a return, in fact, to that general
deportment towards Jews which has been abolished
by the operation of the surest and most unexception-
able agents. Nature and reason have insensibly de-
cided the point, and their judgment may be read in
the daily events of life. As regards the political
bearings of the question, nothing is even likely to be
urged requiring a reply, though objections against
" aliens" have certainly been suggested, and in these
particular quarters, too, where the system which
enabled a Mussulman nabob to buy his seats in the,
House of Commons found its boldest defenders
The most plausible argument alleged against the
impending decision is, that, inasmuch as it will
amount to a national negation of Christianity, it must
most seriously injure the prospects of national reli-
gion ; that it comes as a conclusive sin upon repeated
errors ; that it finally destroys our character of a
Christian kingdom which we had hitherto retained,
and removes the last barrier which might have been
opposed to national indifference or infidelity. It is
said that the exaction of even a nominal conformity
is something, and can only be dispensed with at a
great cost of credit and consequences. Such argu-
ments are serious indeed. We admit they would
decide the question, if sound, and they demand,
therefore, a careful consideration. It is not disguised
that they apply with more or less force to all the
questions previously raised and decided on cases of
religious liberty. It is admitted that " much has been
lost " by the abolition of other tests of conformity
somewhat less momentous than this. The force of
the argument, therefore, must depend upon the postu-
late, that a remission of such kind of tests entails a
certain peril upon the religion they protected, and
implies a certain indifference in its protectors. A
succession of such acts should consequently have
issued in the degradation of the authority and in-
fluence of the faith, and in the apostacy of
latitudinarianism of its votaries. Religion should
have flourished nobly while tests abounded, and
should decline when they were removed. Now, take
the testimony of two characteriitic periods to the
truth of the proposition. In 1752 the City of London
presented a most vehement petition against such an
emancipation of the Jews as Mr. Pelham proposed to
grant; the whole country was in an uproar against
such an outrage upon their faith ; and the prospect
of little less than a religious insurrection compelled
the Ministry to withdraw their plan. In 1847 the
City of London elect a Jew for their representative,
and the nation remains passive under the instigations
of those who recommend a similar demonstration.
Steadfast faith was, therefore, the characteristic of
1752, and indifference is that of 1847. Now, is
there one among the thousand readers of these
columns, in the smallest degree acquainted with
the history of the country, who does not know that
the very contrary is the fact? As much religious
spirit could not have been then collected from the
province of Canterbury as is now manifested in every
county town. Nor are we speaking of those erratic
orirregular impulses which may be reputed as in-
volving n o great gain. We say that such a spirit as
Hookerillustrated and Andrewes taughtis inconceiv-
ably more rife and active now than it was at any of
those former times. While the Church of England
was receiving the presumed support
ed support of these protec-
tive tests—while a crushing interdict lay on the most
excusable phases of nonconformity—while the mob
were permitted to burn meeting-houses and harry
priests, the most deplorable abasement of spirit and
practice pervaded every department of her ministry,
and every portion of the people. Cathedrals went to
ruin, while chapters pocketed the funds ; parish
churches were seldom water-tight, and con-
gregations were nominal; the most open in-
fi.delity was professed by the upper classes,
rsing in the Hellfire Club and culminat-
log at Medenham Abbey ; nor did anything
but a most exemplary Court under George 111. save
‘l3_ from worse morality than that of France. And
now, after all the successive concessions have been
/Tide to religious freedom, what is the result? Reli-
g"u ff*renee ? We will only shortly state what
We ere Surello
in of one will deny, that between the land-
there
was
no sloat. and the accession of George IV.
present for the sin in any degree comparable to the
for the Yi
extension,. and activity of
religions spirit,
ertions, influence, and au-
thority of the church,
takoarbl thegeneral decency of
morals, and the unrolls manifestations of faith.
it is matter of history that°
infidelity, the
are not incompatible with the most rigorous tests
t utter hollow.
utmost laxity of discipline, and the moat
their
ness of spirit. It is matter of experience
remission is compatible with sincere convictions
awakened energies ; with undiminished faith and
laborious works. And, if this be the cue
not be justified in co ncluding that religious'impryovwee
ment may go handin hand with enlightened toleral
tion ?

(From the Observer.)
So much has been said and written on the pro-
priety of admitting the Jews to an equal participa-
tion
in the rights of citizenship, that we should
scarcely dwell on the subject, which, though it oc-
cupies a considerable space in the columns of the
Morning Herald and the Standard, does not suffi-
ciently attract the notice of the pnblic at large. This
indifference on the part of the English people is
sufficiently significant of their opinions and feelings
on the subject, and demonstrates that we could no
more get up a Lord George Gordon riot at the pre-
sent day than we could an auto da fe at Smithfield.
Persecution for conscience sake is no longer possible,
trust
its
vue, oo.rrollary, exclusion from public of 'ices
of
ck now. Let the opponents to the Admis-

sion of the Jews to Parliament crier a gorge deployer
as they list, their exhortations and arguments, theo-
logical and political, must fail with all those who re-
member, that as Christianity is now u ged as an
insuperable bar to the emancipation of the Jews,
whose efforts it is asserted must ever be directed
against our faith, so our Protestantism was exhibited
as in the utmost danger—nay, as certain of destruc-
tion—if Catholic Emancipation were granted.
'The argument against the Jew is, that this is a
Christian country, that its people is a Christian people,
and that the Jew, being neither a Christian, nor pro-
perly, an Englishman, is, and ought to remain, ex-
cluded from Parliament. The argument against the
Catholic was, that he worshipped the Virgin Mary
and saints, statues and images, and that in fact he was
an Idolater, and no Christian ; that, moreover, his
paramount obedience to a foreign potentate and spi-
ritual master would always neutralise his allegiance
to his native sovereign whenever it appeared to clash with
the supreme obligation of his exclusive religion. The
reasonings against the admission of either Catholic or
Jew are similar. But Parliament has disregarded
those admirable deductions of logic by the opponents
of Catholic emancipation, and by its acts has de-
clared them to be untenable. If the arguments
against Catholic Emancipation were deemed by the
Legislature as futile and irrational as the penal laws
themselves were oppressive and impolitic, those em-
ployed against the Jews are still more so, and a for-
tiori to be disregarded. The Catholic was looked
upon and designated, not as a Christian, but as an
Idolater. The Jew, however, though no Chris
tian, is not only a worshipper of the true and
only living God, but Christianity has its origin
in Judaism—its founder was a Jew his
apostles were Jews. The Jew, therefore, in a
religious point of view, must occupy a much higher
space in the veneration and confidence of the Pro-
testant Christian than the idolater Catholic ; but the
Catholic has, notwithstanding his idolatry, been ad-
mitted to a full participation in political rights—why
not the Jew, the worshipper of God, and the founder
of our Church ? He will plot, say you, against
Christianity, because he is no Christian ; so will the
Catholic against Protestantism, if difference in religi-
ous persuasion must necessarily create a desire in the
dissentients for the destruction of each other, a neces•
sity which is by no means evident. Nay, more, the
Jewish senator is rather likely to become a juste milieu
arbitrator between Catholics and Protestants, not
without some leanings in behalf of his Protestant
fellow-subject, if historical recollections of persecu-
tions endured in the dark ages are calculated to con•
firm prejudice and hatred against Catholics, and the
sense of the toleration he has uniformly experienced
from Protestants in free countries produce attach-
ment, loyalty, and affection for the institutions which
have secured to him the fruits of his industry and his
rights as a man. In religious questions he must ever
side with that party whose object is toleration, libera-
lity, and knowledge ; on these depends his own conti-
nuance as a free citizen and legislator. Protestants, will,
therefore, always have him on their side when they are
engaged in promoting and extending the Protestantism
founded on the right of private judgment and pro-
gressive improvement. And should the Protestant
part of the Legislature for a moment forget their
principles, and be inclined to revert to any of the
slightest intolerance of the penal laws, the Jew would
see in this retrogression the precursor of his own re
newed degradation, and accordingly oppose them. Of
the Jew, therefore, neither the Protestant nor Catho-
lic has anything to apprehend as a religious oppo-
nent. That the Israelite will, by his admission into
Parliament, have facilities to subvert Christianity, or
corrupt it.by the introduction of rabbinical or Talmu-
dic doctrines and superstitions, is a supposition too
absurd to need refutation. The objection against the
Israelite as being a foreigner is equally untenable.
He is no more a foreigner here in England than is
the Saxon population in Wales or Ireland. The
Welsh are the original Britons. The Saxons came
from Germany, as did the Jews from the Holy Land,
hut are either therefore to be deemed at this day
foreigners in Wales—are the Welsh the only subjects
of Queen Victoria ? The Jews are not more a dis-
tinctive race in England than are the Saxons in
Wales. Yet the Welsh and the Saxons are deemed
native subjects, and why not the Jew ? Is he not
amenable to the same hurthens and the same laws as
his Christian fellow-subject ? The law constrains him
to perform all the duties of a citizen, because it re-
cognises him as a subject. Why should it not entitle
him to all the privileges of one ? But the Jew him-
self, it is said, proclaims himself a stranger and a
sojourner with us, and looks forward to be restored
to the land of promise. But does the law take this
belief of some or all of the Jews into account, and
dispense with his obligations to the state as a citizen ?
Certainly not. He must perform them all, pay
taxes, and submit to all the duties of a fubject. It
leaves him no option ; at least it should allow him
such as regards the higher privileges of a citizen, and
leave him free to be a Member of Parliament. If so
it suits him and any of the constituencies of the
country to make him one. It can with truth be
affirmed that there is no argument or pretence of
; argument against the admission of the Jews
to all offices of trust and honour that is not
capable of refutation. In France, in Holland,
in America, none of the inconveniences and
dangers have appeared from their perfect eman-
cipation. In those countries they are found to be
subjects as loyal, peaceable, industrious, and talented
as the rest of the community. They have proved
themselves so in England, and it is to be hoped that
we shall see, in the course of the ensuing session, this
remnant of a barbarous, cruel, and superstitious gene-
ration erased for ever from the statute book, and thus
remove from us a reproach to which the most glo-
rious institutions and the most renowned nation for
its wealth, its civilization, dominion, and power
ought to be no longer obnoxious.

LIE " DODGES" OF lIIENDICITY.—AII know of
various " dodges" practised upon the credulous, and
even the suspecting, but a couple, which are now profit-
able to two individuals, are worthy of record. There
is a hungry man, who prowls about the street with
bread-crumbs in his hand. He watches his opportunity.
Upon seeing respectable, charitable-looking people, he 4
►lingado.vens.theeinorsels before them, far in advance, and
then manages to be picking up the food, and devouring
it with assumed voracity, just as the people pass. Ten
to one but, h gets4a sixaeßce, for his performance. The
next is -still mgre,clever. A girl, of about 13 years old
or younger, goes abroad with half a dozen halfpenny
boxes of lucifer matches. In some great thoroughfare,
and :the- rnbst dirty part of it, she lets fall her ware's.
Ilia`matches are strewed aq about, anffshe falls to work
-deliberately picking np, one by one, the scattered
matches. The passe, s-by, to whom she does not even
cast a glance, say, " poor thing;" and many of them
give her more than three times the value of her matches.
This industrious young lady was seen three times during
last Friday busily performing her profitable part, and
the public will do well to bear this in mind, fur it is
a pity to encourage such deception, especially in the
young.
WESTMINSTER. COURT OF SBWERS, FRIDAY.—
A General Court of Sewers for Westminster was held
at the Court-house, Greek-street, Soho-square, Captain
George Bogue, R.N., in the chair.—The Lord Chan-
cellor and the Westminster Commissioners of Sewers.—
The Chairman wished to take the opinion of the Court,
whether, in so important a matter as that now before
them, the answer of the Lord Chancellor's secretary
being a verbal refusal to renew the commission, could in
point of law be received, and whether a written answer
should not be obtained from the Lord Chancellor oa the
subject ? Mr. E. Willoughby said the court could not
be appointed at the whim of any Lord Chancellor, as
Acts of Parliament had declared that commissions of
sewers shall issue, giving power to the Lord Chancellor
for the time being to appoint the commissioners, which
provisions had been followed up, approved, and ratified.
If any legal enactment was made to supersede him, as a
loyal subject he should feel bound to obey it; but while
the law was in existence, he should like to kiow why
the commission should be thrown into abeyance. The
court had recently been invested with additional powers
by Act of Parliament, and:these additional powers had
been granted with the concurrence of Government. He
felt assured the Lord Chancellor had not had his atten-
tion drawn to all these facts, and therefore he thought a
deputation should wait upon him to point out the diffi-
culty that would arise if the commission were allowed
to drop without some other course being adopted. The
Honourable Commissioner concluded by moving a reso-
lution, " That a deputation do wait on the Lord High
Chancellor, respectfully urging him to renew the com-
mission." The resolution having been seconded, Mr.
Hawker thought they had done quite enough already,
and that it would be the most dignified course not to
complain of not being re-appointed. Mr. France was of
opinion it would be extremely indecorous to take any
further steps in the matter. Mr. T. Donaldson thought
the great question was whether the public should suffer
by their works being stopped at once, and it was a pity
the Lord Chancellor had not allowed matters to go on
until Parliament adopted some other mode of operation.
If the Lord Chancellor allowed the commission to lapse,
he could not be aware of the consequences. Some other
business having been transacted, the Court rose at a.late
hour.

THE LATE GENERAL OUDINOT—The Emperor of
. _
a.
Oudinot on the occasion of the death of the
Russia has addressed the following letter to
zjUaernsehrabl
his father :—" I received, General, at the end of Octo-
ber, the letter which you sent to me to mention the
death of the venerable Marshal Oudinot. The loss of a
man whose name ranked among the first at a period so
fertile in great captains cannot but be strongly felt by all
who ronder homage to talents and military glory. The
noble deeds and honourable character of the Marshal
had gained the esteem and affection of my late brother,
, the Emperor Alexander, and I know that the marks of
honour which he received from him had always left in
his mind a grateful reminiscence. This is an additional
reason for me to regret him, and to sympathize in the
affliction which his death has caused to his country and
his family. I cannot, therefore, but be sensible to your
attention in informing me of that event."
A few evenings since a large squib was lit and put
on the ground in the Market-place, `yells.
bed-
have
It flew
db
for prompt assislo4—Bath Chronicle.taanndcelathtoe th eo
house e mayor'swould
done was about
don. The "rune
across the street

/HZ SUN, LONDON,

HAMBURGH MAIL.
COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

FRIGHTFUL EFFECTS OF FEVER
ON BOARD AN EMIGRANT SHIP BOUND
FOR CANADA.
" St. John's, New Brunswick, Oct. 19, 1847.
" You probably have learned, ere this, part of the
dreadful story of the ship Avon, Nicholas Johnson
master, of 1,100 tons register, with about 500 pas-
sengers, which vessel arrived disabled at Miramichi.
No fiction (for it would require a perverted or dis-
torted mind to give birth to so horrific a tale) could '
pourtray the frightful scenes that occurred on board
of that ill-fated vessel, or relate the extent of misery
and suffering which were borne by most of the pas-
sengers in listless and mournful despair, and by others,
including the captain, with a fortitude bordering on
the most romantic heroism. Already, at the onset,
the vessel's doom seemed sealed, for, encountering
heavy weather, she lost several spars, and suffered in
her rigging, which retarded her progress during
the voyage ; still, all would have been compara-
tively well but for the quality and perverseness of the
passengers themselves, who were the most unruly, tur-
bulent, and wildest set that ever Ireland sent forth. In
vain did the captain and mate exert every nerve, and use
every means and persuasion to bring them under some
kind of rule for their own preservation's sake. They
would harken to no remonstrances, adopt no sanitary
measures, and even resisted and repelled with main
force every attempt that was made to ventilate and
clean the steerage. Listlessly they would behold the
violent typhus fever spread among them and cause
immediate death. But this was not all ; the infatuated
beings, moved by some inconceivable and demoniacal
spirit, would not separate themselves from the dead,
until the infection rose to such a pitch on board, that,
frantic with despair, the captain, uniting with the
Presbyterian part of the passengers, and a few able
hands of the crew still remaining, assailing the unruly
in their stronghold and giving them regular battle,
succeeded in overcoming them, when to their horror
and dismay they discovered above sixty dead bodies
stowed away in chests or sewed up in beds !! The
deep received them, and many a fresh victim soon
followed, until the largest portion of the passengers,
including all the crew except two hands, died away I
" The emigrant agent, Mr. Perley, has just re-
turned from Miramichi, where he instituted, by order
of Government, a most searching investigation re-
specting the immense loss of life sustained on board
the Looshtauk, which catastrophe attracted so much
attention at home a few months ago. It now officially
appears that out of 462 passengers
There died on the passage out ...... 153
And shortly after arrival ...

249
Sent to Quebec
Discharged at their own request, after per- 213
forming quarantine

462
But of these surviving 213 emigrants only 190 are
still in existence! presenting a total loss of 272 lives
out of 462, or about 60 per cent., independent of the
numerous crew and worthy mate, who, with the ex-
ception of five hands, have all perished.
" It has been established by the unanimous evidence
of many of the surviving passengers, that far from
any blame being attached to the captain, both he and
his deceased mate exhausted every possible means to
alleviate the boundless misery and suffering of their
passengers ; but in vain were their humane and un-
ceasing efforts directed towards arresting the deadly
distemper aboard ; it was written above that they
should not succeed. Not only did the greatest por-
tion of the emigrants succumb under the virulence of
the disease, but all the crew gradually sickened, and
were consigned to a watery grave, until none of the
ship's company remained, but the captain and his
mate, the miserable though not idle spectators of the
melancholy scene around them, providing for all and
for everything as long as their noble souls could resist
the moral afflictions they endured, and the bodily,
fatigue they underwent. Most liberally and gratui-
tously did the captain distribute all the stores to those
who stood in need of them, and he even at last was
forced to perform the office of cook in his own cabin
for the sick ; with his own weak hands he cut holes
in the deck for the purpose of ventilation, and left no-
thing untried which humanity could suggest, for
such was the violence of the fever among the pas-
sengers, and their consequent weakness, that scarcely
any one could rise from his couch to come on deck to
breathe a purer air.
" When off Prince Edward's Island, the Loosh-
tauk fell in with a vessel, of which the captain
begged assistance, but self-preservation taught the
other to decline acceding to his request. The former
then bore up fir a neighbouring port in the island,
but the pilot who came alongside sheered off imme•
diately he heard the fatal condition of the ship, and
the wind springing up favourably for the opposite
mainland, he at last got into Miramichi Bay, where
a steamer towed .the vessel up the river, after the
most frightful voyage on record, Completely wor-
ried out, and a prey to the intensity of his feelings,
the captain became delirious on his arrival, from
which state, he happily recovered after a month's
able treatment on shore.

" Such is the horrible picture I have to draw of
these two ships, to which I might add a sad tale of
many similar disasters; but my pen refuses to pro-
ceed in so doleful a task, and I shall close my letter,
already too long, by warning emigrant how they
proceed to this hemisphere, where they can expect
little or no sympathy, as sufficiently evinced by the
blunt report of the commissioners., which I have
enclosed, and to which, .1 am satisfied, you will give
publicity in the cause of humanity."

HAMBURCIII, Nov. 15.—With very little business
on the Bourse, there has been no essential variation
in the price of the funds. Exchange on London was
in great request.
FRANKFORT, Nov. 12.—1 n some of the funds only
was', there any activity. Amsterdam Two-and-a-
Half per Cents. were more in demand, as were like-
wise Moscow and Darmstadt. All the other funds
were in the same state, and yesterday Spanish 'Funds
were-withont animation. On the whole, business was
very insignificant.
ALTONA, Nor. 15.—Our little fair was extremely
well supplied, but scarcely more than the half was
sold.

BRESLAIL—No change of importance has taken
place here since our last report, except that there is
a general tendency to depression, especially in the
case of rye. Several purchasers from Upper Siberia
helped to keep up the prices yesterday, otherwise
there must have been a considerable abatement. The
best qualities of wheat still maintain their price.
STETTIN, Nov. 12.—Our supply of herrings has
been considerably augmented by fresh arrivals, in
consequence of which there has been considerable
reduction in the prices. _ _ _

BRESLAU, Nov. 13.—We have had many pnr-
chasers in the wool trade within the last week or ten
days, and within that period about 1,000 cwt. have
been purchased in the market, the prices, however,
were very low, cheaper even than last month.
STETTIN, Nov.l2.—Our corn market was not only
firm this week, but there was even a tendency in the
prices to rise.

ST. PETERSBURGII, Nov. 5.—A spirit of speculation
begins again to manifest itself in our corn trade.
The price of rye remains firm at 18r. ; very little
business is doing in wheat.—Hamburgh Papers, No-
vember 16.

THH THOROUGH IMPROVEMENT OF THE METRO-
POLIs.—However the proposed new street may be car-
ried out, it will hay* the effect of further burthening
Cheapside, if that is possible, unless, at the same time,
another direct street is formed from London-bridge to
St. Paul's. But the reply would be, the Improvement
Commission must not venture within a small space in the
heart of the metropolis, called the " City," as that is
" forbidden ground." Again, therefore, this must be left
to the Corporation; and what will they do? Nothing, or
worse than nothing! And so things go on, and ever
will, unless the " thorough improvement of the whole of
the metropolis, upon one specific and well digested plan"
(without respect of persons, as Benchers, Aldermen,
Common Councillors, &c. &c.), is entrusted to one
efficient Improvement Commission, with ample powers,
so as to obviate the necessity and consequent delay and
cost of applications to Parliament in each case; and then
Southwark, Lambeth, and the outskirts will receive a
due share of attention, as well as the more wealthy
quarters of the City and West-end.—Builder.
THE STEAM-VESSEL ACT.—It gives us pleasure to
state that the provisions of this Act, which was of so
much importance to the public, are likely to be rigidly
enforced by the officers deputed on the part of the Crown
to see that all steam-vessels going to sea, and carrying
passengers, are provided with the proper quantity and
description of life-boats, not failing to take care that
such as are not so provided, and therefore not enabled
to make the periodical return required by this salutary
enactment, are brought specially under the notice of the
Government authorities, in order that they may be
forthwith required to furnish their vessels with the re-
quisite complement. Without specifying particular ves-
sels, we may state this supervision has been found to he
called for with regard to some of the steamers in imme-
diate communication with the continental ports from the
ports on the south-eastern coast, which have now been
amply supplied with all the requisites for the safety of
the public, in case of probable danger at sea requiring
abandonment of the main craft; and the same interfe-
rence has been found requisite in respect to steam-ves-
sels trading from the port of London with cargo, but
which alto generally carry a considerable number of
passengers to the foreign port of destination. This
strict carrying out of the provisions of this most im-
portant and salutary enactment is very satisfactory to
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LAW INTELLIGENCE.
COURT OF EXCHEQUER, N0v.20.
(Sittings in Banco.)
The Court was occupied nearly the whole of the
day with a case arising out of an order made by Mr.
Baron Platt respecting the delivery of certain title
deeds, upon which it was contended a lien was held
by the attorney to the defendant.
The particulars of the case were not of sufficient
interest to the public to warrant a lengthened report.

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, Nov. 20.
BOOST V. TOMLIN.

Mr. Sergeant BYLES applied for a rule to show
cause why an order obtained by the defendant in this
case, and made by Mr. Baron Parke, should not be
rescinded. The order directed the plaintiff to strike
out the first and second counts, or the third count of
the declaration, it being alleged by the defendant that
they could not be pleaded together without a violation
of the ordinary rules of Court in such cases. The
action had been instituted in consequence of the
alleged infringement by the defendant of the copy-
right of an air contained in Bellini's opera of La
Sonnambula.—Rule granted.

COBBETT V. lIIIDSON.

At the conclusion of the business of the Court, Mrs.
Cobbett appeared on the floor of the Court, and re-
quested their Lordships to issue a habeas corpus,
calling upon Captain Hudson, the Keeper of the
Queen's Bench Prison, to bring her husband, William
Cobbett, before their Lordships, for the purpose of
showing that the return made by him to a certain
writ was a false return, and that her husband was
i
illegally detained n custody.
The COURT promised to look over the return, and
give their decision on Monday.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
MANSION-HOUSE.
On Saturday John Fisher, a savage-looking fellow,
who stated that he had lately come from Manchester,
where he could not get work, was brought before the
Lord Mayor, charged with having committed an out-
rageous robbery.
The shopman of Messrs. W. and G. Mott, of 36,
Cheapside, jewellers, said, that at about a quarter
before ten o'clock in the morning he heard a crash, and
saw that the window, in which were several watches,
was broken, and that the prisoner, who had done the
mischief with a large stone, about 121 b. in weight,
had taken a tray containing a dozen gold watches,
worth to the firm about 1201. The prisoner struggled
hard against the attempts to dispossess him of his
plunder. The watches were scattered about the
streets, and picked up by the passers by, but one of
them, which had been hanging in the window, was
lost. They sustained no damage beyond breaking the
glasses.
A City policeman, who was on duty in Cheapside
at the time of the robbery, saw a crowd collected
about the shop, and saw the prisoner on the floor on
his back, struggling violently with several persons
who held him down. The fellow seemed determined
to carry off the plunder, and to smash all around him,
but was at last mastered and dragged to the station-
house.
The LORD MAYOR—Prisoner, what account do you
give of this desperate robbery ? The prisoner, in a
whining tone, quite at variance with his act, said—
I've got nothing to say, my Lord, but that real dis-
tress drove me to it. Indeed it did.
The LORD MAYOR—What ! Hunger made you run
away with a dozen gold watches ? The prisoner—
Yes, indeed, your Lordship ; but that I was so poor,
I wouldn't have thought of such a thing.
The LORD MAYOR—You'll go for trial to the Old
Bailey. I suppose you thought that was the best way
to relieve your distress? The prisoner—Yes, I
thought they'd last me some time.
The LORD MAYOR told the shop:ran he was sur-
prised that more frequent attempts were not made
upon valuable articles so foolishly exposed. The City
jewellers really seemed to think that they were privi-
leged against all attempts at robbery.
Tha prisoner, who said he thought it a great hard-
ship that he should be sent to take the trouble of a
trial, was then committed.
A jeweller who was present said, he kept an oak
stick in his shop, and the moment he observed any
fellow endeavouring to steal, he used it with the ut-
most violence about his shins, and sent him away

roaring.
John Wheeler was charged under the following
circumstances :
Mr. Francis Dodd, silversmith and jeweller, at 78,
Cornhill, said—A little before nine o'clock on the
morning of Wednesday, the 17th inst., the prisoner
came into the shop and asked the price of some dia-
mond mourning rings. I told him from 3/. 15s. to
81. or 9/. He required to see them, and I put them
on the counter before him. He looked at one for
5/. lOs , and handled several others. There was but
one that fitted his finger. lie then took up a hoop
ring, of which he asked the price, and while I was
looking for the figure I saw his hand, which was over
the tray, pass to his pocket, and I immediately missed
a ring. The prisoner then took up another hoop
ring and asked the price, and then dropped into his
pocket another, which jingled. He then selected a
ring, and asked to look at some pencil-cases, and
whilst I was showing him some, another person came
in and asked for a watch ring. I said I had none, and
he went away. The prisoner then asked for a watch
key. I showed him one, and he told me to make out
a bill of the articles, and he would call again. He
had his hand on the door, and I stopped him and told him
he had some of my property. He denied that he had,
and I said I must search him. I then put my hand
into his pocket, but could not find anything, and I
said that I would send for a policeman. I told him
to empty his pockets, and he took out some silver, and
I observed that he had something in the palm of his
hand. At last he gave me one of the rings, declaring
that he had not any other, but put the other on the
counter, and begged that I would not punish him. I
gave him into the custody of a policeman. The two
rings are worth 51. 12s. 6d.
The prisoner said, the awkwardness with which the
thing was tried on,
_showed that he had never made
any attempt before.
The LORD MAYOR said, Mr. Doad was more in-
debted to his own vigilance than to the inexperience
of the thief.
The prisoner was committed.
A man named Enos Hancock, one of those persons
who help abandoned women of the town to rob gen-
tlemen at night in the streets, was brought up
charged with having performed an office of that kind
some nights ago.
A prostitute of the lowest sort about a fornight ago
was charged, with having snatched a gold watch of
considerable value from the fob of a gentleman who
was passing through Thames-street. She passed it
over to a man who had been observing her from a
concealed place, and that man was identified as the
prisoner. She was taken into custody and committed
for the robbery, but the prisoner was kept out of the
way for some time ; at last he was detected lying in
wait for another customer, whose pockets were tried
by a female thief, who supplied the place of the girl
nosy in Newgate, and was apprehended.
The prisoner said he was a hard-working man, and
never stole a watch or knew a naughty woman in his
life, for he had a watch as well as a wife of his own.
He was committed for trial.
Leybe Aaronson Jacob Friedeburg, Raphael
Kaufman, and Ichman llefuscowitz, the persons
charged with having an immense number of forged
notes, purporting to be the bank paper of the Russian
Government, were brought before Sir G. Carroll for
re-examination.
Mr. Ballantine, the counsel, and Mr. Peachy, from
the offices of Messrs. Oliverson and Co., solicitors,
of the Old Jewry, attended for the Russian Govern-
ment ; Mr. Robinson, of the bar, and other counsel,
appeared on the part of the prisoners.
Mr. Ballantine said he was under the necessity of
requesting that the Lord Mayor would further post-
pone the case, as the Russian Government, to which
a message had been transmitted, desiring that the
necessary testimony should be sent over to England
to show that the notes were forgeries, had, by mis-
take, sent over authentic notes of the bank, from a
comparison of which it would be very readily seen
that the notes found in possession of the prisoners
were fabricated. As the courts of justice in England
required evidence of a more conclusive kind, those
who conducted the prosecution, upon finding that
the Russian Government had fallen into an error
which it was important to have at once corrected,
sent over to that country for some person qualified
to discriminate between the real and the false
notes, and
now applied to the Lord Mayor for the
further postponement of this important case to the 11th
of December, when the prisoners could be committed
for trial upon the perfect evidence that would then be
produced.
The counsel for the defence considered it a great
hardship upon the prisoners that they should be sub-
jected to such delay.
Mr. Ballantine said he did not think there was any
hardship at all in the matter, but it certainly would
have been a very great hardship upon the poor Rus-
sians if the villanous forgeries which had been seized
in the possession of the prisoners had obtained circula-
tion amongst them, as was intended. The forms of
English law demanded the production of evidence
which was not considered necessary in Russia, and he
thought it very lucky for the prisoners that it was in
their own country they were to take their trial.
The LORD MAYOR said the application of Mr.
Ballantine was as reasonable as any that could pos-
sibly be imagined. The offence of which the pri-
soners were accused was one of great magnitude, and
they should be remanded until the 11th of December,
two days before the commencement of the next
session.