The Sun.
London, England, 1841-07-23 00:00:00

THAMES-OFFICE.

Wednesday Wm. Bartlett, a waterman, plying at the Tower
i-stairs, appeared before Mr. Broderip to answer the complaint
of a gentl man, named Baxendalu, who charged him with ex-
acting more than his fare. The complainant and three othi r
gentlemen hired, the defendant at the Tower-stair•, on Thurs-
day last, to convey them on board the Soho steamer, bound for
Antwerp, lying off the Tower, and for this service 4s. was de-
manded instead of Is., the legal fare. He was then informed
by Mr. Raxendale, that if the demand were persisted in he
would be summoned before the Thames-police Magistrates,
when he pointed to his boat, and, in an insulting manner re-
plied, " You can do that if you like, there is my name on the
wherry." The name of Henry Wheatley was on the boat, and
a summons was taken out against the owner, who, on being
made acquainted with the facts, gave such information that the
defendant was compelled to appear before the magistrate, end
it seemed that he took the boat from the stairs without the per-
mission of Wheatley.
The defendant, in reply to the charge, said the gentleman
came down to the stairs during the tremendous storm on
Thursday, that he carried their luggage from the cabs to the
boat, and that he rowed them from the Tower Stairs to St.
Katharine's.

Mr. BaODERIP said the defendant had been guilty of many
offences, and was liable to a penalty for each. He had no
right to work another person's boat, and he was bound to
produce a printed list of the fares when called upon. He
was, however, only summoned for one offence, that of charg-
in; more than his fare, and it was the imperative duty of the
Magistrate, who had to protect the public as well as the
honest waterman, to inflict the full penalty when no miti-
gating circumstances could be adduced. In this case every
thing possible was done to baffle the complainant, and he
had been put to great expense and the trouble of three days'
attendance. It was quite notorious that where one case of ex-
tortion was brought forward, fifty were suffered to remain un-
punished, and the public ought to be much obliged to Mr.
Baxendale for his itterference. He should sentence the de
fendant to pay a fine of 40s. and the costs.; and he should
award some compensation to the waterman Wheatley, who had
behaved very well in the matter, and who had assisted in bring-
ng the defendant to justice.

EDINBURGH TOWN COUNCIL.

THE FAST-DAY.

Bailie RICHARDSON said he had found that the Gene-
ral Assembly had ordered Thursday first to be set apart
as a day of humiliation and prayer, in consequence of
the present position of the Church. The Church ques-
tion was one which had certainly agitated the country
far and wide, and he was not prepared to say that he
could go alcing with the majority c f the General Assem-
bly in regard to it.
Mr. LOTHIAN rose to order.

Sir JOHN DALYELL thought Bailie Richardson was
quite in order. He (Sir John) had that day learned, for
the first time, that there was to be a fast in two days
hence. He had never heard of it before in his life—
(Laughter)—and he wanted to know something about it.
Bailie RICHARDSON assured Mr. Lothian that he had
never heard of the fast until Sunday last. The state-
ment he wished to make was a very short one. Al-
though a member of the Church himself, he was
aware that a great number of those over whom he
held authority by virtue of the chain he wore, were
not bound to obey the laws of the Church ; and that
he would not be doing equal justice to those whom he
represented, if he deserted his seat on Thursday next,
merely because a fast had been ordered by the Church.
--(Hear, hear.) He had, therefore, directed the officers
-of the Bailie Court to summon all parties in the cases
on the roll for that day, as usual ; and he should
also attend to all applications from the gaol for aliment,
as on ordinary days. He did not mean to propose that
the Council should interfere in the slightest degree with
those under their authority, such as teachers and others
—some of whom were licentiates of the Church, and
might be brought into trouble for their conduct, if he
might judge from the proceedings of the Church in other
cases—(Hear, hear)—but certainly, so far as regarded
himself, being entirely independent of any thing the Ge-
neral Assembly could do to him, he intended to
charge his public duties as a magistrate the same as on
other days.

Bailie GRIEVE said, that without any communication
with Bailie Richardson or any of the other magistrates,
he had, the day before yesterday, directed Captain Steuart
to attend the Police Court on Thursday as usual. He
held that they should have " mercy before sacrifice ;"
and as there might be at least a- dozen of people in the
police cells—some of them, perhaps, innocent—h- -
not see why they should be confined an additiona,
twenty-four hours because it happened to be the General
Assembly's fast.—(Hear, hear.)
After some conversation the subject dropped.
Mr. DRYSDALE gave notice of the following motion
for the consideration of the Council, on the last Tuesday
of September :—" That the Magistrates and Council
having taken into their consideration the disputes and
differences which have of late arisen in the Church o'
Scotland, and the manifold evils to the patrons then,
arising, have resolved, and do resolve, that it is their
duty to grant no presentation to any parish in the
Church, the patronage whereof is vested in them, exeepf
to persons who are willing to obey the law of the land
and to yield submission to the, acts and orders of

General Assembly, or any other ecclesiastical court,
so far only as such acts or orders may be consistent w
that law."

Mr. WHITE said he was surprised to hear Mr. Drys
dale produce such a motion,

THE FAST-DAY. AGAIN.
The members were just about to separate, when
Mr. BLACK asked whether it was understood that all
the public institutions in the city might be open on
Thursday—the High School for instance—if the parties
in charge of them were pleased to do so.
The LORD PROVOST (with great warmth)—.l shall
deeply regret if any of the public institutions are open
on that day. If the High School were to be opened on
Thursday, I should consider it little less extraordinary
than one of our own Magistrates sitting in the next
room.

Mr. STEWART—Are the public to have their letters
delivered on Thursday ?
Mr. BLACK—Yes, that is important also. Notice
should be sent to Sir Edward Lees that the commercial
part of the community expect their letters to be delivered
as usual.

Mr. LOTHIAN-Mr. Black had better move at once
that the High School should be kept open—for that is
what he wants.

Mr. BLACK—I want nothing of the kind. I want
merely a declaration, that parties in charge of the Nigh
School, and all the other public institutions, are at per-
fect liberty to keep them open if they so choose.
The LORD PROVOST—Yes ; but that declaration would
be interpreted as being to the very contrary effect.
Mr. Dtinin—Undoubtedly it would. The best way
is to leave the inhabitants to follow out their opinions
as they like, and so avoid coming into unpleasant colli-
sion with any party.
Mr. BLAcK—That's my opinion.
Mr. DUNBAR—YCS ' • but I object to any declaration
on the subject. It ought to be observed that the present
fast was not the scheme of any faction or section of the
Church ; it was agreed upon by the unanimous opinion
of the Assembly. I do not give any opinion of the
propriety of the fast ; but I have no doubt that most
conscientious Churchmen will comply with the order.
If, however, we give the deliverance asked by Mr.
Black, it would appear as if we were stating broadly that
we will approve of the people disobeying it.
Mr. BLACK—I do not see that at all.

Mr. DitYsDALE—I move that we adjourn withou
giving any opinion.—Agreed.
The Council then adjourned.

CONSUMPTION OF SUGAR IN ENGLAND.—
Forty yews ago, when the wealth of the country was
far less than it now is, every man, woman, and child, in
the United Kingdom consumed, on the average, 22i lbF.
of sugar in the year. There are no means of finding
out with accuracy the consumption of the various ranks
into which society is divided ; but this rate of consump-
tion is not considered to be lavish for any—even the
humblest class in the community—may fairly be in-
ferred from the dietaries now in use in various work-
houses in England, where the aged paupers are allowed
seven ounces of sugar per week, or at the rate of
22 lbs. per annum. If this quantity is thought no
more than is reasonable for the inmates of a work-
house, we may be pretty certain that it is greatly
below the rate of consumption among the easy
classes, We hays been at some pains to ascertain
the yearly consumption of sugar per head among
persons in the middle rank of life, to whom
the cost is not a matter of much importance,
/and
who do not vary their mode of living with every change
in the market price of provisions. In such families the
yearly consumption is 371 b. for each individual, or
ounce per diem. In many families the consumption is
far greater than this ; but if we suppose that one-
fourth of the people of England use this moderate
quantity, the average consumption in 1801, of the re•
maining three-fourths, must have been 17 2-31 b. Last
year the average consumption per head throughout
the kingdom was 15f1b. Assuming that one-fourth of
the people used 361 b., the average yearly consumption
of the remaining three-fourths was eight pounds per
head- or just one-third of the allowance given to paupers,
and not one-half the quantity used by the working classes
in 1801. That the consumption here stated of 371 b. per
annum is not an excessive estimate, is shown by the fur-
ther fact, that every person serving in her Majesty's ships
receives for daily use 1 ounce of sugar, being at the
rate of 341 b. 3 ounces per annum. At this same rate the
consumption of the kingdom would be more than 120 per
cent. greater than it actually was in 1840.
ADMIRAL CROWN.—We observed it noticed
in the obituary of some of the rublic journals, that " Admiral
Sir Robert Crown died lately at St Peteraburgh, aged eighty-
nine. He was a native of North Britain, and entered the
Russian service at the close of the American war." Admiral
Crown was a native of our " fair city," where several of his
relations, one of them a niece, is still alive. His name was
originally Croom, not uncommon in Perth, and may be a
corruption of Crom, suet as the " Gow Crom " of Sir
Walter Scott. He entered the British navy at a very early
age, in which his tact and steadiness gained him promotion.
After entering the Russian service he attracted the attention
of the Muscovite Government, and rapidly rose to rank and
distinction in the fleet and at Court. He stood, we believe,
for many years of the first rank in the service, and enjoyed high
honours and emoluments to his dying day.—Perth Paper.