The Sun.
London, England, 1848-06-29 00:00:00

THE SUN, LON‘D-ON, THURSDAY 7 EVENING, JUNE 29, 1848.

'WINTER V. FRAZis:R.—JUDGMENT.

The Judge of the Admiralty Court gave the judg-
ment of their Lordships this morning, on this appeal
from the Court of British Guiana, affirming the decision
of that Court with costs.

NUSSMAT DIAN BAND! p. WAJID ALI KIIAN.

The further arguments in this appeal from the Su-
preme Court of Bengal were resumed, and occupied their
Lordships the remainder of the morning.

VICE-CHANCERY.-(THIS DAY.)
(Before the VICE-CHANCELLOR of ENGLAND.)
JENKINS V. BRIANT.
The further arguments in this part-heard cause occu-
pied his Honour the whole morning.
(Before the Vice-Chancellor WIGRAIII.)
Several of the cases which stood on his Honour's paper
to-day were postponed, in consequence of the absence of
Mr. Wood, who was summoned last night to Ramsgate
by the electric telegraph, in consequence of the sudden
and alarming illness of his mother, the relict of the late
Alderman Sir Matthew Wood.
The Vice-Chancellor Knight Bruce did not sit to-day

EXCHEQUER.-(THIS DAY).
(Before the CHIEF BARON, and a Special Jury.)
BOOSEY V. PUBDAY.

This action, which occupied the Court some time yes-
terday, was brought to recover nominal damages from
the defendant, for publishing certain airs contained in
Bellini's celebrated opera of La Sonnambula, of which
the plaintiff claimed to be possessed of the copyright in
this country. The action was also brought for the in-
fringement of a duet that had been selected from the
opera, and accompanied with appropriate words.
The main facts of the case were these—the opera of
La Sonnambula was the production of Bellini, a
foreigner, and in the month of February, 1831, was
assigned by him to the managers of the Carlanos
Theatre, at Milan, and also to a foreigner named Gro-
vanni Ricordi. In June, 1831, Ricordi assigned his
interest in the copyright, so far as regarded this coun-
try, over to Mr. Boosey, the present plaintiff, who is a
music publisher in Holles-street; and Mr. Boosey, in
May, 1844, had the copyright entered in his name at
Stationers' Hall, in accordance with the statute of the
sth and 6th Vic., c. 45. Subsequently the defendant
published and sold copies of the airs in question, which
the plaintiff alleged was an infringement of his copy-
right.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL for the defendant, con-
tended that as the assignment was made in 1831, the
case was not to be governed by the entry which was
made at Stationers' Hall. The statutes which governed
the case were those of Anne and George 111., which
had received the construction of the Court in Chappel
v. Purday. In delivering judgment in that case, the
Court expressed an opinion that those Acts were passed
for the encouragement of native authors, and laid it
down distinctly that they only applied to the works of
native authors. He, therefore, contended that no
foreigners could possess the copyright in this country,
and not having the copyright was unable to assign it
over to another.

The LEARNED JUDGE said if the jury found the facts
to be as stated by the witnesses, and they were not dis-
puted, he was of opinion that the plaintiff was not the
proprietor of the work within the meaning of the statute,
and that there was no subsisting copyright in this
country, the work having been published in all parts of
the world as the production of Bellini, before the entry
at Stationers' Hall. _ _

A verdict was ultimately taken by consent of the
parties of " Not Guilty " as to the infringement of the
opera, and " Guilty " as to the infringement of the
duet.

COMMISSIONERS OF SEWERS.
(THIS DAY.)
The Metropolitan Sanitary Commission held a Court
of Sewers this morning; Lord Morpeth in the chair.
Mr. BYNG, in reference to an erroneous statement
which had gone abroad as to the expense of the Com-
mission, stated that such a reduction had been made in
the working staff of the Commission as to produce a
saving to the public of between 5,000/. and 6,0001. per
annum. _ _

The report of the Survey Committee represented the
ordnance survey of London to be going on in a most
satisfactory manner. There were two surveys going on,
one of the surface and the other of the subterranean
sewers.

In answer to a question from Mr. LESLIE,
Sir HENRY DE LA HECHE stated that the plotted
sheets of the Wustminliter district might be delivered
within three weeks. He had made inquiry at the Ord-
nance-office, and ascertained that the 19,0001. to be ex-
pended on the portion of the survey at present in hand
included every expense. It did not, however, include
the cost of the subterranean surrey.

A lengthened discussion then arose as to the expe-
diency of proceeding with the subterranean survey be-
fore the Court was i❑ possession of an estimate of the
cost.
Ultimately it was resolved that the reports contain-
ing these recommendations should be referred to the
consideration of the general purposes committee, and
authority was given to the Ordnance Surrey Committee
to order the expenditure of the sums immediately re-
quisite for the purposes of the subterranean survey.
Some other routine business was gone through, and
the court adjourned for a fortnight.

COLLEGE or PRECEPTORS.—The seventh general
half-yearly meeting of the College of Preceptors, which
is situate in Bloomsbury-square, and instituted for the
purpose of placing the scholastic profession in its proper
position with the other liberal callings, was held to-day
at the Freemason's Tavern; 11. S. Turrell, Esq., of
Brighton, president of the council, in the chair. The
repast, after alluding to the steady progress of the in-
stitution, and the object for which it was founded, stated
that tests had been fixed upon to ascertain the fitness of
those who wish to become schoolmasters, for the duties
they were about to undertake. Boards of examiners'
had been appointed, and four examinations had
already taken place, and diplomas hail been granted to
numerous candidates. A charter of incorporation had
for some time been in preparation, and the draft for it
was now under the consideration of the Government
authorities. The report further stated that the subject
of female education had occupied the anxious considera-
tion of the council. After a brief but excellent speech
from the chairman, an elaborate address to the recipients
of the diplomas, by Mr. Eccleston, M.A., of Sutton
Colefield Grammar School, diplomas were awarded to
the several gentleme❑ who had been successful by Dr.
Wilson. The revised rules were adopted, and the meet-
ing, which was well attended, broke up.
FIRE AT BOW-COMMON.—Yesterday afternoon,
shortly before five o'clock, a fire, attended with very
serious, if not fatal, consequences, broke out upon the
premises belonging to Messrs. Denton and Jutson, the
extensive oil merchants and varnish manufacturers,
situate on Bow-common, Bromley. The flames
originated in the following manner :—One of the work-
men, in attempting to extinguish the fire under one of
the stills, poured what he imagined to be a bucket of
water into the grate, instead of which it proved to be a
pail of spirit, and the instant the same came in contact
with the furnace an immense body of flame shot forth,
which completely enveloped the workman, and, rushing
out of the door of the still-house, fired upwards of 20
casks of oil standing in the open yard. Owing to the
exertions of the workmen and others, the fire was sub-
dued, the damage being confined to the destruction of a
' portion of the,still-house and an adjoining shed, with 20
casks of oil. The workman who was the innocent
cause of the disaster was so severely burned about the
body that he was obliged to be carried to his home.
Messrs. Denton and Jutson were uninsured.
EXTENSIVE ROBBERlES.—lnformation has been
given to the police with the following description of a
man who, on Friday last, stole 1501. in gold and bank-
notes from the counting-house of Messrs. 'Whitbread
and Co., the brewers in Chiswell-street. He is a waiter
at taverns and tea gardens, is 45 years of age, 5 feet 4 or
5 inches high, of dark complexion, with black whiskers,
is round shouldered, and stoops a little in walking. He
was dressed in a black coat and trousers, a dark vest, and
an old silk hat. The shop of Mr. Webster, 120, Ber-
mondsey-street, was robbed of a glass case, containing
twenty-two gold seals, nine brequet keys, between
thirty and forty gold brooches, forty gold pins, two cards
containing miniatures and penknives, and various other
articles.
THE NEW HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT.—The Select
Committee in their report on the new Houses of Parlia-
ment, just printed, give the result of their inquiries into
the duties of the Serjeant at-Arms of the House of
Commons, and make several recommendations with re-
spect to the office, with a view to the regulation of the
same before the occupation of the new Houses of Parlia-
ment. The Serjeantsat- Arms, it appears, has to attend
on the Speaker during the sitting of Parliament, and on
her Majesty at such times as Parliament is not sitting.
He is the " housekeeper," and has the control of the
porters, and the salary is 1,500/., and a residence is pre-
pared for him. His patronage consists in various ap-
pointments to situations connected with the House. It is
recommended that the salary be 1,200/. a year with the
residence prepared for him in the new palace, his salary
continuing at the 1,5001. until such residence is prepared.
On vacancy, the deputy serjeaut to receive his present
salary of 8001. without an allowance of 200/. for house
rent; that the deputy housekeeper's office, 500/. a year,
be abolished, and the duties transferred to the assistant
sergeant, who has 4251., whose salary be increased to
5001., with a residence in the new palace. Upon vacancy
it is recommended that the salaries of the first and
second doorkeepers be reduced from 8741. and 4001., to
3001. and 200/., and also upon vacancies 2001. to be the
maximum and 1001. the minimum of a messenger's salary,
I and that not more than 101. a year be the increase, at the
I discretion of the Serjeant-at-Arms. The four messen-
gers now appointed have each 300/. it year.