The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-30 00:00:00

AILWAY COMMITTEES Resolutions, approving of the agreements, wero then
• (YESTERDAY.) I unanimously agreed to, as were also resolutions em-
powering the directors to carry out the provisions of the
agreemE6lNlP"

In reply to Mr. COTTINGRAN, the complainant said
that she believed the prisoner was paring his finger nails
with a penknife at the time she was wounded ; that she
beard him exclaim that he had a knife in his hand, and
desired her to stand off. This was after she was wounded.
The prisoner asked the complainant whether she did
not attempt to strike him with the empty pewter pot, and
that he put up his hand to ward off the blow, which was
the way the accident occurred ?
Her reply was that she did make such an attempt, and
that she still believed that the wound was accidentally
given.
Mr. COTTINGRAM—Then if that was the case why did
you afterwards give the prisoner into custody ? Com-
plainant—l was in a passion with him then.
She then explained that she received a visit from the
prisoner and another gentleman that morning, and that
the former made her a present of a sum of money, and
promised to pay the doctor's bill if she did not press the
charge. That as she was still under the impression that
it all arose from accident, she consented to the proposed
terms, and therefore now wished to decline any further
proceedings in the case.
Mr. COTTINGUAK said that he should not permit a
case of so serious a nature to be settled in the manner
desired ; that if offences of that kind were allowed to be
made up persons would frequently go unpunished who
deserved to be prosecuted; that he should certainly have
a further investigation of the case, although the com-
plaining party had exhibited such a disinclination now to
press the charge.
Sarah Selina Parish was then called, and, on being
sworn, she stated that she was present on the above
occasion. That she heard an altercation between the
parties, and saw the complainant snatch up a pewter
pot full of beer off the table in the parlour, and dash
its contents in the prisoner's face. They were standing
close together at the time, and the complainant was
about to strike the prisoner with the empty pot, when
she was forcibly put out of the room, and she imme-
diately afterwards exclaimed that she was wounded ;
that she (witness) heard the prisoner exclaim, after the
beer was thrown over him, that ho had a knife and he
would use it.
The prisoner hero asked the witness if she did not
previously see him paring his finger nails with a pen-
knife ? and her reply was, that she saw nothing of the
kind. She, however, admitted that she did not notice
the accused take the knife out of his pocket ; he might
have had it in his hand for all she knew before the beer
was thrown over him.
John Humphreys stated, that he was the proprietor of
the house, 9, William-street, Walworth, and let it out
in lodgings to single ladies ; that on the preceding night
he was occupied in reading a newspaper in the room
where the parties were, and heard some strong language
uttered, and then saw the bear thrown over the accused.
He (witness) also heard the words relative to using the
knife mentioned by the prisoner, but did not see him
stab the complainant. He (witness) on seeing the
woman bleedic.g called the accused an unmanly fellow,
and he was afterwards given into custody.
The prisoner declared that it all arose from accident ;
that when he went into the house he pulled out his pen-
knife and began to pare down his finger nails ; that
while he was so engaged the complainant, on some fan-
cied insult, threw a pot of porter in his face, and she
was about to strike him also when he put up his arms to
save himself, and that in aiming a blow at his head her
hand came in contact with the knife, and that was the
only way he could account for what had happened. He
added that he had no malicious intention, that the knife
was previously in his hand, and he submitted that it was
a very different case to that of having taken the weapon
from his pocket for the purpose of using it.
The prisoner then called forward a gentleman named
Bridgman, who, on being sworn, said, that he accom-
panied him to the house in question, and was present in
the parlour when the occurrence took place on the pre-
ceding night ; that he saw the knife in his friend's hand
before the beer was flung in his face, and that he was
using it for the purpose of cutting his finger nails at the
moment he was struck at by the complainant, who was
most insolent in her conduct.
The complainant again interceded in the accused's
behalf, saying that she freely forgave him, and that she
knew that he did not wound her intentionally.
The policeman, who was called into the house on the
occasion, said that he did not find the knife with which
the alleged wound was inflicted, and did not examine
the prisoner's pockets at the time.
Mr. COTTINGLIAM said, in a case of such a descrip-
tion it was the policeman's duty to have searched the
prisoner before he did anything else, and that all persons
in the police should know, on taking a prisoner into cus-
tody under such circumstances, it was most important
to make a strict search on the spot where such offence
was perpetrated, in order to find the weapon with which
the injury was inflicted. The magistrate then proceded
to say that it was absurd for the accused to assert that
he was in the act of paring his finger nails with his
knife in the parlour of a brothel at the time the wound
was inflicted on the complainant, and that it was quite
evident that he had given a sum of money to his victim
in order to prevent her from appearing against him. He
(the magistrate) perceived by the police-sheet that the
prisoner was by profession a surgeon; he certainly had
acted with great folly in entering a house of such a de-
scription, and then quarrelling with one of its abandoned
inmates, which led to the result that had taken place ;
he regretted seeing a man of the accused's profession
place himself in such a position, but he was bound to
do his duty to the public ; and though it was not pro-
bable that a jury would convict the accused upon the
evidence of the complainant, yet he should give her the
opportunity of preferring her indictment against him at
the sessions, and for that purpose should adjudge him to
enter into his own recognisance in 501. and find two
sureties of 501. each, to appear at the next Contra.
Criminal Court sessions.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
GROUP I.

—The CHAIRMAN then said, that at the meeting recently
held the Bills which he was then about to submit to the
meeting, had received its sanction and approval, but it
appeared, however, that that meeting was not held in
strict conformity with the requirements of Lord
Wharncliffe's standing order, the notice for convening
it not having been sufficiently long ; under these
circumstances it was thought advisable by their law
clerk that another meeting should be held for the pur-
pose of complying with the requisite standing order.
It would be his duty, therefcre, again to submit those
Bills to their notice; and, with the exception of one or
two of them, he did not think it necessary to trouble
the meeting with any remarks, the whole of them
having been fully gone into at the last meeting. The
Ilford, Tilbury Fort, and Southern! Railway, he thought,
required a few remarks. The length of the line was
thirty-five miles, and the branch to Battle-bridge six
miles. The line was proposed to leave the main line
at Ilford, and proceed along the south coast of Essex,
and keeping as near as possible the line of the River
Thames. The traffic taken upon this line had induced
the directors to believe that this was one of the
best lines ever projected by any company in this dis-
trict. The directors hoped that, through the medium of
cheap fares which they intended to adopt in this line,
that they would be enabled to draw off a considerable
portion of the passenger traffic at present using the
means of water communication, and afford a cheap and
expeditious route to Margate, Ramsgate, and the Con-
tinent. There would also be a considerable amount of
goods traffic, the line passing through a highly impor-
tant agricultural district, and supplying the wants of
Raynham, Dagenham, Tilbury Fort, and the districts
around those places.
Mr. T. LEONARD fully concurred in the opinions just
expressed by the chairman, as to the valuable nature of
this line. The goods traffic would be of considerable
amount. The line would pass through about thirty
miles of fine grazing district, upon which tens of thou.
sands of cattle were continually grazing, which would
no doubt be conveyed by means of this railway. A great
source of profit would also be found in the traffic arising
from the great lime pits with which the district abounded.
The coal traffic would also be of considerable amount.
A SHAREHOLDER wished to know of what use it would
be to make another station at Battle-bridge ? There was
already a company which proposed to make a station
there.

The Select Committee appointed to consider the merits of
the Bills comprised in this group re-assembled in Room 30,
at the usual hour this morning; Lord Granville Somerset in
the chair.

THE SOUTH-EASTERN SCHEMES.

Sir J. Naysmith corroborated the testimony of a former
witness as to the injury the proposed Mid Kent line would
inflict upon Lullingstone Castle and park.
Mr. John Clutton, the secretary of the South-Eastern
Company, proved the estimates for the land and stations
of the proposed lines.
Mr. E. J. Morton produced the population returns, by
which it would appear the South-Eastern lines would ac-
commodate 13,745 more local residents than those of the
righton.
Mr. Dow, the civil engineer who had tested the relative
qualities of the stratas in the cuttings and tunnels of the
two schemes, gave it as his decided opinion that if the
Brighton Mid Kent line were granted they would never
succeed in getting through Broughton-hill, while, at many
points where there were cuttings, the surface of the rails
would be several feet under water. A shaft had been sunk
under his direction on Broughton-hill, and the strata was
found to be wet and bad. Such difficulties as these did not
exist on the South-Eastern lines. On these lines the strata
was dry and good.

This:closes—the case of the South-Eastern Company, with
the exception of a few documents which have to he put in.
The Committee then adjourned till Tuesday,:the 13th of
April.

PETITIONS ON PRIVATE BILLS.
HOUSE OF COMMONS.
(Room 23, before Mr. Examiner MAY. )
UNOPPOSED LIST.
WATERFORD AND LIMERICK RAILWAY (PETITION
FOR ADDITIONAL PROVISION).
In this case, after the usual evidence had been tendered, it
was decided that the standing orders should not be dispensed
with.
CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD-RAILWAY (EXTENSION
TO CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD).
This case was adjourned for further consideration.
OPPOSED LIST.
EDINBURGH AND NORTHERN RAILWAY (No. 2
BRANCH FROM BURNTISLAND TO DUNFERMLINE
BRANCH, &c.)
In this case it was decided that the standing orders should
be dispensed with, and the Bill be proceeded with.
CORNWALL AND CENTRAL DEVON AND PLY-
MOUTH RAILWAY AND BRANCHES.
This case was adjourned for further consideration.

The CHAIRMAN said that the Hon. Proprietor seemed
not to understand the nature of the Bill ; the Battle-
bridge referred to wa. a Battle-bridge in Essex, and not
at Pentonville.
Mr. KENT said that he did not believe this line could
ever pay. He deprecated the attempts of companies to
make so many branch lines—they were always injurious
to the main trunk line.
The CHAIRMAN—If the Hon. Proprietor will look at
the map, he will see that the proposed line is one which
is calculated to draw a considerable share of traffic.
Mr. KENT did not understand figures, it was no use
showing it to him.
The CHAIRMAN begged to say that he did understand
them, and had considered the subject at considerable
length. If the Hon. Proprietor would take it upon his
recommendation, he would find that he would not act
wrongly either for his own interests, or the interests of
the company.
The resolution approving of the Bill was then put, and
unanimously agreed to.
The CHAIRMAN said that the next Bill he had to
submit to the meeting was the "Stations Enlargement
and Amendment of Acts Bill."
Mr. PRICE wished to know whether the clauses he
objected to at the last meeting had been expunged from
the Bill?
The CHAIRMAN said, that after mature consideration,
the directors had come to the determination to allow the
clauses to remain, and if the Commissioners thought it
desirable to expunge them, the directors would nut ob.
ject to doing so.
Mr. PRICE objected on principle to the clauses; he did
not wish to see a railway company mixed up with the
affairs of a steam-packet company. There were a num-
ber of minutiae connected with a steam-packet company,
which a railway board could not control; and a steam-
packet company in connexion with a railway company
would be certain to prove an entire failure.
A SHAREHOLDER said that the Southampton Com-
pany had made it answer very well.
Mr. PRICE said, that in that case the Southampton
Railway Company had only made an advance of money
on the security of the boats.
The CHAIRMAN—That was all the company pro-
posed to do in the present case. The directors saw that
it would be of no use having a railway to Harwich, un-
less a steam packet company was in connexion with
that port, such a packet company as should make the
port one worthy of the great traffic which would arise
between that port and the Continent.
Mr. PRICE objected to the clause as it then stood, as
it did not state that the money was to be advanced on
the security of the boats of the company.
Mr. DUNCAN said that he thought the most convenient
course would be to allow the clause to pass as it stood.
It would be idle to suppose that the directors would ad-
vance the money unless upon sufficient security.
The CHAIRMAN then put the resolution, and Mr.
Price declining to move any amendments, the original
resolution was agreed to, there being only one hand
(that of Mr. Price) held up against it.
The other Bills (ten in number) were then put seri-
atim, and unanimously agreed to.
The CHAIRMAN said that he wished to make an im-
portant statement to the meeting, and one which, con-
sidering the great attention the subject was re-
ceiving at the hands of the Railway Com-
missioners and of the Government, he wished to
go forth to the litrly of the shareholders. The
share capital of the company for the new lines was
2,700,0001., with power to borrow 555,000/. They hal
the power of raising under Bills already sanctioned
1,665,000/, and there was yet a call of 10/. remaining
upon the York extensions, which would give a capital of
1.850,0004, from these two sources a capital of 3,515,0001
The whole of the capital required fur the new lines was
only 2,700,0001. ; the company had, therefore, a surplus
capital of upwards of 800,000!. to meet any contin-
gencies which might arise. There was also another
subject to which he would just allude. Numerous
letters had been received from the heads of colleges at
Cambridge, expressing their opinion of the general
arrangements of the line, and particularly referring, in
the most flattering manner, to the arrangements of the
company at the time of the recent election of the Chan-
cellor of the University.
A vote of thanks was then proposed to the Chairman,
and the meeting broke up.

WORCESTER, HEREFORD, ROSS,
AND GLOUCESTER RAILWAY.
A general meeting of the scripholders in this com-
pany was held yesterday, at the Company's offices, 449,
West Strand, Sir R. Price, Bart., Presides ; of the Com-
pany, in the chair.
The CHAIRMAN said that they had been called to-
gether for the consideration of a matter that would be
found to be very simple, and would occupy but a very
short time. They were all aware that at the last meet-
ing complaints were made of the large amount of the
solicitors' bills, and it was then agreed upon that they
should be taxed. However, the directors discovered
that such a proceeding would be attended with a great
deal of delay and expense, which they were most anxious
to avoid, and had therefore come to the determination
of endeavouring to make an arrangement with the soli-
citors. With a view to the accomplishment of that
object, his friend, Mr. Baker, with a great deal of trouble
and loss of time, went into an examination of the items
of these hills, and the result was that they had resolved
to deduct a considerable sum from the gross amount of
-these bills. It would now be for the proprietors to say
whether or no they would sanction that arrangement, or
still persevere in their original determination of having
these bills taxed by the taxing-master. As he had said
before, the latter proceeding would be long, tedious, and
expensive, and the chances were that they might effect
no saving at all. The amount they had agreed
upon to deduct from the bills was 4,0001., which would
now leave the claims at the sum of 10,143/. Bs. 10d., and
the shareholders should be satisfied with that arrange-
ment. He begged to propose a resolution to that effect.
The CHAIRMAN, in answer to some questions from the
shareholder, said it was true that there were other Bills,
but that that meeting had not been called for any pur-
pose other than that which he had stated, and he would
not be drawn into any other statement,
Several Shareholders having insisted on knowing what
the other Bills were,
711 r. BAKER (a director) said that there could be no
sAojection to his stating what they were. The reason
that the solicitors' bills were so heavy was that
they had been compelled to employ six of
them. Then, with regard to the engineers'
claims, that of Mr. Brunel was very small indeed;
but with respect to the bill of their local engineer, Mr
Foljamb, he had to state that he was their local en-
gineer at Gloucester, and it was through his mistake
that the Bill had been lost on the standing orders. In
Consequence of that, they had taken from his bill
4681. Bs. ld., leaving him, in fact, very little more than
his costs out of pocket; and the whole amount of all their
engineering expenses did not exceed 6,500/. If, then, the
shareholders were willing to accede to these arrangements,
the directors would be in a position to declare a dividend
of 45., which would still leave about 500/. in hand, which
would be quite sufficient to meet the small outstanding
bills.

After some discussion, the meeting unanimously
agreed to the recumniendation of the directors, and then
separated.

EASTERN COUNTIES RAILWAY.
A special general meeting of the shareholders of this
compaly wai pat r Jay held, at the I3ishopsgate Station
'of the company, fur the purpose of confirming an agree-
ment for the lease, ti.j the above-named company, of the
East Anglian Railways, and for the purchase of the
Enfield and Edmonton Railway ; at which special meet-
ing the Bill for carrying the first mentioned agreement
into effect, and the other Bills promoted by the Eastern
Counties Railway Company in the present session, were,
In pursuance of the standing orders of the House of
Lords, submitted to the shareholders for their approval.
The chair was taken at one o'clock by D. Wadding-
ton, Esq., the deputy-chairman of the company.
C. P. RONEY, Esq., the secretary to the company,
baring read the notice convening the meeting,
The CHAIRMAN said that he regretted the absence, in
common with the other proprietors, of their respected
'Chairman, who was at present staying on the
Continent, but who did not think that it would be
necessary for him to post from France in order
to attend this meeting, thinking that the propositions to
be submitted to the. meeting would be unanimously
agreed to. The object of the present meeting was to
approve of the agreement entered into with the directors
of the Eastern Counties Railway with that system of
railway called the East Anglian system, including the
Lynn and Ely Railway, the Lynn and Dereham Railway,
and the Ely and Huntingdon Railway. The Lynn and
Ely Railway was about 26 miles in length, and there was
also a branch to Wisbech, about 10 miles in length.
The Lynn and Dereham Railway was about 261 miles in
length. Of the Ely and Huntingdon Railway there was
only five miles at present under contract, upon that
portion of the line between St. Ives and Huntingdon,
and as the directors did not propose to call
upon the East Anglian directors to promote that
portion of the line between St. Ives and Hunt-
ingdon, the whole extent of mileage included
in the East Anglian system would be about 67 miles ;
and it was this extent of proposed mileage that the
directors sought to obtain the sanction for at the present
meeting. The amount of capital upon which it was pro-
posed to guarantee a per centsge by the Eastern Coun-
ties Company was 884,0001., the amount of borrowed
capital would be 170,000/., making a total of 1,054,0001.
Upon this amount of capital the directors of the Eastern
Counties Railway proposed to pay for the first year
after the railways were completed 5 per cent., and
after the first year 6 per cent. in perpetuity. The Lynn
and Ely Rsilway, when constructed, would complete the
communication between London and Lynn. The Port
of Lynn was the port from which the town of Cam-
bridge and other places in that district derived their
supply of coals. The Lynn and Dereham Railway was
a line which would open up a large agricultural traffic
between Lynn and the interior of the county of
Norfolk, and also a considerable local traffic.
The St. Ives and Huntingdon Railway was
a natural communication from the Wisbech and St.
Ives Railway, and the Cambridge and Huntingdon
Railway, but the company having received powers only to
make the line from Cambridge to St. Ives, they
wished therefore to obtain power to run on at once from
St. Ives to Huntingdon. The importance of so doing
would be at once evident from the fact that the Midland
Railway Company had proposed to construct a line from,
Leicester, by Kettering in Northamptonshire, to Ifil.:ot-
ingdon. It would not, of course, be necessary to enter
at that moment into the details of the traffic whi ,h
might be expected to flow from this source (Jll V`, the
main line of the Eastern Counties Rail”day. The
directors of the Midland Company conc•;pipa'that it
rrould be of advantage to them, a;d the directors
of the Eastern Counties br..';teved also that
it would tend to incre-,ae the prosperity
of their line. With respect to the whole
system of the East Anglian. Railways, he believed that
the only wry to work thein to advantage to the proprie-
tors, would be for theta to allow the system to come
under P* united management with the Eastern Counties
Ra"%aY, and it was his firm opinion, shared also by his
1-e gues that they were running no' risk whatever in
erOlino.
„svhih,, P a the meeting to sanction the agreement
-East A had
.entered into with the directors of the
the agt,eeraaenntßahilways. There was ,Lie contingency in
nworaiech. he
wish might had no doubt the meeting would
&vent of the ainto operation,. via., that in the
=lore than eighty peseterona Counties Company paying
nt.,.then the Lynn and Ely,
'with a present miniraunatdaividend of six per cent.,
!Should rank with
twsotern Counties shares,
?hough always to receive
I).'hcent., less than the
the
neaotber Bill to which
astern Counties shareholders.
le would call the attention of
the line
a elt.7inti
tilez Irwaanse branching out
from Enfield to Edmonton; it
-of the main line at Edmonton, and
.field; the length of the. line was. about "to
three miles.
to eighteen months. since
.the. directors were ap
to by the inhabitants in the neighbourhood of Eng, rd e
e to
support; them in their application to Parliament. Ac.
the
they subscribed tor 500. shares in the concern,
the total number of shares in which was 1,800, and the
13,ropozed estimate 36,0001. The directors of that line
then opened up a communication with the Eastern Coun-
ties directors as to the working of the line, and the result
Df their negotiations bad been that the Eastern Counties
directors had agreed to purchase the remaining 1,300
shares, at a premium of ss. per share, being rather more
than 5 per cent, interest upon the whole of the money
expended. This agreement it wits now proposed to sub-
put to the meeting ter its approval.

THAMES.
A young woman, named Mary Fitzgerald, was
brought before Mr. Yardley charged with stealing a
bundle of linen from the house of a poor old creature
named Sarah Grey, of 8, Raymond-place, St. George's-in-
the-East.
It appeared from the evidence that the prosecutrix
works a mangle, by which she obtains a scanty living.
On Saturday evening the prisoner called upon her for a
bundle of linen which had been left by her mother to be
mangled in the early part of the day. It was delivered
to her, and she managed at the same time to take away
another bundle of linen which was also left with the old
woman to be mangled. The prisoner delivered the
bundle to another mangling woman named llare, in the
same neighbourhood, in whose possession it was found,
and who was the means of causing the prisoner to be
apprehended. She was committed for trial.
TVESTMINS7ER.
Shortly after the disposal of night charges, an elderly
gentleman waited upon Mr. Broderip, and entreated
him to render him some assistance in recovering his
nephew, who had been inveigled away from his home on
Saturday.
Mr. BRODERIP inquired by whom?—Applicant replied,
by a woman.
Mr. BRODERIP asked for what object?—Applicant
said it was his impression, and that of the other mem-
bers of his family, that her object was to induce him to
marry her.
Mr. BRODERIP wished to know his age ?—Applicant
replied, twenty-six.
Mr. BRODERIP supposed that the nephew had boen
a consenting party in the transaction. The young man,
he presumed, had not been induced to accompany her
contrary to his own wishes?—Applicant was not aware
that he had.
Mr. BRODERIP intimated that he could not assist the
applicant.
The gentleman was desirous of knowing whether the
magistrate could net afford him some aid if it could be
clearly shown that his nephew was of an imbecile state
of mind?

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
MARLBOROUGH-STREET.
Captain Sympson, of Lane's Hotel, was summoned be-
fore Mr. Bingham, for having horsewhipped and kicked
Lewis Nottidge, his servant.
The complainant said, he was Captain Sympson's
groom. On Wednesday afternoon Captain Sympson,
after being out for an afternoon's ride, brought his mare
into Bushnell's stable-yard, and sent for him (com-
plainant) to take charge of the animal. Complainant
attended his master's summons immediately, and on
taking the mare into the stable the captain called him
A lazy --, and a drunken rascal." Complainant
asked his master if he addressed such language to him?
His master said he did ; and he then told his master if
the scandalous names were repeated, he would leave him
to dress the mare himself. Captain Sympson ordered
him out of the stables. He told the captain he would
leave the stables, if the owner came and desired him to
do so. The owner was sent for, and, complainant, on
receiving directions to leave the stables, was about to
comply, when the captain proceeded to lash him over
the head with the riding whip he had in his hand.
Complainant stopped this assault as soon as he could by
wresting the whip from his master's hand. His master
kicked him about the legs as he was about to quit the
stable. The next day his master sent for him to settle
the affair, but he told his master he should appeal to the
law for the abuse and the injuries he had sustained.
An ostler, named Stone, said ho heard the capain
call his servant bad names, and afterwards saw kiln
horsewhip him.
Richard Bu!,'nnell, the owner of tl3' stable-yard, said
he was not present at the comawdeement of the differ-
ence. He was sent for, and I,y the captain's desire he
told the complainant to leave the stable. Witness saw
the captain strike F,is servant with his riding-whip.
n Sympson, The complainant was perfectly sober at the time.
Captainpson, in defence, said that the complain-
antr proceeded to handle the mare in such a way as led
bl to suppose that the aninr.:l would injure itself. He
`,poke to the complainant, who replied he might dress
toe mare himself. He ordered the complainant out of
the stables, being irritated at his insolence. The coin-
*plainant refused to go, and then he certainly did give
him a slight cut over the shoulders with a light whip
which he carried. He denied having applied the filthy
name to the complainant as sworn to, and he further
denied having kicked the complainant. The next
morning he sent for the complainant, intending to give
him 11. for what he had done to him. The complain-
ant stopped his go©d intentions by saying, if it cost
him 501., he would have redress at law.
Mr. BixGriAm called up the complainant, and asked
him if he was unwilling to accept a sovereign from the
defendant?—The complainant said, his master never
made him an offer of a sovereign. His object was not
money; he would not take a sovereign now; and if the
defendant was fined, and any part of the fine went to
him, he was willing to have it placed in the poor-box.
Mr. BINGHAM asked the stable-yard keeper how many
blows he saw given?—The witness said, he saw one or
two blows; there might, however, have been a gre:dter
number.
Mr. BINGHA.M said, the assault was or a trifling
character. Had there been uo prsvocation, a fine of
40s. would have been sufficient on a gentleman of the
defendant's station; as there appeared' to have been
considerable provocation, he should make the fine 20s.
and costs.

Mr. BRODERIP observed, that if even that were shown
it would ❑ot give him tho power to interfere. Had ap-
plicant's nephew any property ?
Applicant rep!ieii, none. The woman was a person
of interior condition in life to the young man, and it was
the opinion of his family that she wished to get married
to him from a belief that there was or might be some
pr;verty coming to him.
Mr. BRODERIP repeated that be had no power to in-
terfere. If the young man were of an imbecile state of
mind the remedy they had was by habeas corpus. Ap-
plicant had better consult his legal adviser, who would
apply to one of the judges.
Applicant, who was accompanied by a brother of the
young man spoken of, then thanked the magistrate and
withdrew.

A BAREFACED THIEF.—An Irish limper) named
Thomas Maguire, was brought up on Saturday, charged
with stealing ruin from the ship RoVer, It appeared
that the prisoner with others were discharging rum
from the ship, and after they had finished their work,
Mr. Shaw, the shipping clerk, found that two puncheons
had been broached, and a portion of the contents ab-
stracted. When the men were being paid, Mr, Shaw
offered a reward of 10s. fer the discovery of tho thief,
when Pad:ly, as soon as he had got his comrades away,
said that if the promised doeeur were handed over
he would give the required information. Mr.
Shaw immediately began to count out four half
crowns; but, before giving them, and in order to make
" assurance doubly sure," he asked, in another whisper,
" You're certain, of course, that you know the right
I man ?" "Oh ! begor, I am as certain of it," was the
reply, "as I am of my own existence; I know him better
than I know my brother!" Mr, Shaw was satisfied; and
minalgesusirtoh,s poanacmket minute the half-crowns were jingling iu
breunvelbayrion, Shaw then listened for the grand
anzl Maguire speedily satisfied and astonished
t.h
00:Liming, " You see the thief afore you. I am e
lan. Me own four bones broached the casks and
drank the rum; and fair, betune you and me and the
wall, blow the betther gallon of it I had for the last
twelve months! It's not my saying alone; all the neigh-
bours in the street will tell you the same thing, for they
all had a nip." Mr. Shaw called a policeman, and the
fellow was given in charge ; and, on being brought to
bridewell, the turnkey booked him as being drunk. Sir
Joshua Walmsley said he had never heard of a more
barefaced act in his life, and ordered him to pay a fine
of ss. and costs. The fellow was about to pay the five
shillings out of the ten shillings he had re-
ceived from Mr. Shaw, when the latter claimed the
money as his property. Sir Joshua said ho had no
power to order it to be refunded ; and Maguire having
paid the fine out of the reward, he was discharged.—
Liverpool Mercury.
ROBBERY AT SPROWSTON.—On Tuesday police-
constables Goodchild and Emms were on duty at three
o'clock in the morning, at Sprowston, when they met a
man with something on his back. Immediately he
caught sight of the policemen, he threw down his
burden and ran off. He was pursued for three-quarters
of a mile and captured, when he proved to be George
Fisher, of Pockthorpe. The article he had thrown
away was a pail, the property of Mr. Thomas Burrows,
of Sprowston. The prisoner was brought before S.
Bignold, Esq., and the pail being sworn to, he was fully
committed for trial.—Norfolk Chronicle,

SOUTHWARK.
Mr. John James, a surgeon, residing at Champion-
hill, Camberwell, was brought before Mr. Cottingham,
charged with wounding Caroline J
ing night. ones on the preeed-
The complainant, a woman or
I much reluctance in coming the town, who showed
lodged at 9, William-scree' forward, stated that she
preceding night the pr; .:Walworth, and that on the
gQntleraao
, called to • -soner, accompanied by another
parlour together, an - ace her. They were in the back
something offensi, 4 after some time the prisoner said
the contents of ', ,e to her, and she immediately threw
about to strik, 4.pot of porter in his face ; that she was
thrust out of " hun with the empty pot, when she was
discoveredthat ht°stile: D.l discovered by some other persons, and then her rigbt hand, w, was bleeding from a wound across
assailant given In t• .en a policeman was called, and her
think zow that t' J custody. She added that she did not
de Prisoner Wounded her intentiongllY.

FOIE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENINGb_ MARCH 30, 1847

restoring the pensions of the non-commissioned officers
and privates to the position in which they stood formerly.
He entirely concurred in the opinion, that if this Bill
should pass, that bounties should be given. He preferred
Mr. lityndham's Bill to this, for now they would be
placing one large body of soldiers in opposition to
another, and he would therefore recommend the Ministry
to take a leaf out of that excellent book. He told them
beforehand, in order that they might know what they
had to do. Supposing they saw that they could not stop
the Bill in the other House, and could not therefore pre-
vent this injustice to the old soldier, as compared with
the new troops—supposing they were to vote for the
whole clause, the Noble Lord must see what a predica-
ment they would be in. The army, he believed, was
never in higher discipline or in better condition than it
was at the present moment. He believed it was invincible;
and as for comparison with foreign armies, there was no
sort of comparison that could be instituted with our own,
for they were altogether different bodies. He had re-
ceived a letter from an officer of considerable standing
in the army, in which that gallant officer denounced
the proposed change as being injurious to the
discipline and the service of the army. The
Noble Lord then proceeded to read an extract from
a speech made upon the subject in 1806, by the Right
Hon. George Canning, in order to show that that
eminent statesman's opinion was unfavourable to limited
enlistment. He warned them against any interference
with the discipline of the army, and he hoped the House
would in some degree check the desire of some Hon.
Gentlemen to " experimentise" in matters which they
did not understand ; with these opinions, he be?ged to
move for copies of all the correspondence that had taken
place upon the subject of this measure, between the
Government and the Horse Guards ; also of all the
correspondence that had taken place with general officers
in reference to the same matter.
Earl GREY said that he would follow the rule
of brevity, which the Noble Marquis had
laid down, on principle, but which he had
so much overlooked in practice, He would take another
opportunity of speaking to the question of the measure
of limited enlistment, for that measure was not yet be-
fore the House ; but with reference to the motion of the
Noble Marquis, he thought it must be apparent to their
Lordships that it would be subversive of all the princi-
ples in which the business of the Government was car-
ried on, if such returns as those moved for were granted.
The Government had consulted the authorities of the
Horse Guards on the framing of this measure. He
trusted that their Lordships would not accede to the
proposition of the Noble Lord.
The Earl of CARDIGAN said, he must state that he
looked with great apprehension on the policy of the Go-
vernment in the introduction of this Bill, for
shortening the period of enlistment in the army.
He thought that the objects which the mea-
sure contemplated could be better obtained by
giving a better pension, when those individuals who
served were discharged, and by taking means to shorten
the period of colonial service. Even by the present Bill
it was only proposed to give, after a period of 34 years'
service, a retiring pension of 6d. per day, which was the
lowest amount of parochial relief given to the persons
who were employed to break stones. He did not think
that they were thus holding out any inducement to men
to enlist in the army. But if the Legislature did intend to
carry this measure into a law, he trusted that they would
take into consideration the propriety of at any rate restrict-
ing the present ualimited power which was granted to the
men of purchasing their own discharges. He could not
conceive how the law could be made to operate in the
relief of men stationed in the colonies. They would be
obliged to keep up a perpetual system of transport from
this country to the colonies, in order to relieve these
men ; and they placed the officers who were
there stationed in a most difficult position by
removing the men just as they had be-
come disciplined. He should wish to make one
other observation, which he had not seen adverted to in
the other House of Parliament. 'There was a strong
prejudice in this country, as their Lordships were aware,
against a large standing army. Some of their Lord-
ships might remember that, ten or fourteen years ago,
a large body of men, somee here above 30,000, marched
through the streets of London, in all the pomp
and panoply of marshal array. He might be told that
that body of men had dispersed quietly; but the Govern-
ment of the day were not at the time so sanguine of their
doing so, for they had giien orders to have every man
in readiness who could be found in the neighbour-
hood of the metropolis. Now, supposing that at some
future time a similarly large body of discharged sol-
diers—men who had been taught the use of the mus-
ket for ten years—suppose that these men refused to
disperse so quietly as the others had done, he could as-
sure their Lordships that it would be found a most diffi.

cult matter to suppress them. For these reasons he
believed tha ithe intended measure would be found in-
effective.

The Marquis of LONDONDERRY bad only one
observation to make in reply. He had only taken the
same course as a Noble Lord opposite had taken, in reply
the other night to a Noble Friend of his on his right,
and he thought that out of courtesy the papers he asked
for might have been granted. If he had been wrong in
his supposition that the 6ci. a day was not to be granted,
he begged to be excused for the error, and would with-
draw his motion, at least so far as the first part was
concerned.

The motion was then, by leave, withdrawn.
COLVILLE PEERAGE.
Lord COLVILLE, after a brief conversation, postponed
his motion until to morrow,
The Duke of RICHMOND thanked the Noble Lord
on behalf of the Scotch Peerage for having taken charge
of the matter, which he deemed to be of the utmost im-
portance.

LAW OF SETTLEMENT.
The Duke of RECHNIOND presented several peti-
tions from Sussex and Northamptonshire, against the
law of settlement. The petitioners from the latter
county particularly complained that, after having, by
subscriptions, succeeded in clearing their villages of the
persons who were, from their position, best fitted for
emigration, they had been inundated 'with poor from out
parishes. He thought that certainly the Act of the last
session was one of the most clumsy Acts of legislation
that had ever passed any public body, and trusted that
the Government would shortly bring forward some rues
sure for its amendment.