The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-13 00:00:00

MARYLEBONE VESTRY

G. Daniel, D.A., in the absence of the rector, was
called to the chair.
PROPOSED COUNTY PRISON AND LUNATIC ASYLUM.

Mr. JOSEPH inqu'red if the vestry hai received any
information respecting the steps proposed to be taken by
the Middlesex magistrates, in refereac,i to the County
Lunntic Asylum, and the new prison about being built.
Sir P. LAURIE, said, that he was not at the last meet-
ing of the magistrates, but his nephew was, who in-
formed him that there was a dell of mysterious secrecy
in their proceedings. It was however clear, that Sir
James Graham was opposed to their views regarding the
silent system. He (Sir Peter Laurie) looked upon the
silent system as the most dreadful punishment that could
be inflicted. It had failed in Ame.ica, and would also
fail here.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. C. ELLIOTT having spoken upon the subject, it
was intimated that the vestry would receive the earliest
information of the final decision of the magistrates upon
the County Lunatic Asylum, and the proposed altera-
tions in the prison discipline.

NoMINATION OF ctioacrtwaunEtis.
The following gentlemen were nominated church-
wardens for the ensuing year:—Mr. Charlea Elliott.
churchwarden for the parish on the part of the vestry;
Mr. W. Elridge for Trinity; Mr. C. ('arr for St. Mary's;
and Mr. Stephen Grange for Chri,tchureh.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE
MANSio.N-HOUSE.

IMPORTANT DECISION \-VITIL RESPECT TO STEAM
VESSFLs —On Saturday, Captain Race, commanding one
of the Greenwich steam vessels, was summoned before
the Lord Mayor for having acted on 13,,ard without
having a license from the Watermen's and Lightermen's
Company. The question comprehended the important
one of over-To, ding steam vessels to the great danger of
the lives 0f the people, and the interest excited was pro-
portionably crest.
Mr. Newbon, the solicitor to the Watermen's Steam-
boat Company, attended tor the defendant.
Mr. George E. Niaa, Gracechurch-street, printer,
stated that'on Monday lnst he went on board the Prince
of Wales steamer tit London-bridge, and observed that
they had not got the number of passengers whibh 'the
vessel was authori-ed to carry painted on the boat, in
conformity to the rules and regulat;ons passed some
time ago by the Court of Aldermen. He paid fourpence
for his passage to Gre, nwich, and he observed the tle
fondant acting as captain while he was' (l board. The
trip the vessel took was from Ilungerford-znarket to
Greenwich. Witness inquired at the Watermtn's and
Li htermen's Hall and found that the captain was not
licensed.

The witness, upon cross-examination by Mr. New -
bon, said the boat was not overloads d on the occasion,
but his determination to proceed had arisen from the fact
that a short time ago he had been on board a steam( r
which was most dangerously crowded. and that not
having had evidence en, ugh t!) prove his case against
that vessel, he had resolved, in order to prevent future
danger to the public, to prosecute the very first vessel
which he should find acting in opposition to the rules
and regulations ; and the vcss-1 named in the summons
was the first. He took up the ease upon purely public
grounds, and would be regulated as to his future opera •
tions by circumstances.
Mr. Bangan, clerk of the Watermen's and Lighter-
men's Company, stated that Captain Rose was not li-
censed to use a steam-boat in the river for the purpose
of conveying passengers., The captain was a freeman
of the Company by set vitude, and had been made free
on the Ilth of December, 1834.
In answer to a question fr,m Mr. Newbon, Mr. Good-
man (the chief clerk) stated that the date of the
the b
laws passed by the Court of Aldermen w
29+
1845, and the date of the settlement ot:asthemby the
judge was Dec. 22. 1845.
Mr. B tngan, in cross-examination, said that no licence
had been granted to any cal tain 'since the passing of the
rubs and regulations, neither had any been applied for,
neither had the Court of Watermen taken any steps to
carry out the rules and regulations.
The above was the case for the prosecution.
Mr. Newbon said he at once admitted that the defend-
ant was not licensed under the regulation alluded to,
but he submitted that laws, in order to be efficacious,
ought to be general, to cause a beneficial operation ;
and in the present case there had been one vessel, and
that belonging to a small and newly-established com-
pany, marked out and selected for prosecution, at the
same time that it was well known that long-established
companies were constantly acting in opposition to the
arrangements made by the Court of Aldermen.
Mr. Nias (the prosecutor) declared that he knew
nothing wha ever about the circumstances of the com-
pany to which the steam-boat bebaged. His object
was to prevent the calamities which every one aho had
any feeling and thought anticipated from the overcrowd-
ing of steam vessels.
Newbon said he had no reason to doubt that Mr.
Nlas was actuated by the best feelings; but it was
really too bad that :Al the other vessels should be al
10.4 d to escape, and one which was, perhaps, the best
regulated on the Thames, should be shot at.
The LORD MAYOR 49iii it wa, ;As duty to listen to
any charge brought under the Act, and that if Mr. New-
cho e 10 urtt4, cnar..e. Jim sandur otle;a: s agai. st
other steamers, his complaint should be attended to with
equal alacrity.

Mr. Neon bon- said the fact was, this Act and the laws
and regulations wire considered to be a mere dead letter.
They were completely inoperative, How was it posible
that the captin of a steam vessel could prevent the
i,ublic from rushing into his vessel? Wht,n the Black-
all railroad brought down 500 or 600-passengers, who
,;;;; to pr.ve;:t, them froth rushing on hoard the steamers
in waiting? If the City would he so good as to supply
the vessels with policemen to prevent the overcrowding,
the thing might be manageable, but under existing cir-
cumstances it was altogether impracticable. Ile was
aware that some remedy was necessary, but to attack a
new company for the purtwe of trying an experiment
was quite uttfto. and ungenerous.
The LORD MAYOR intimated that the case was
proved.
Mr. Newbon said the company had no alt rnative but
an appeal. The case must he laid before the Court of
Queen's Bench.
The LORD MAYOR—I consider the case established,
and I shall thank you, or any oth. r gentleman, to supply
me with similar eases; and 3ou may depend upon it 1
shall convict upon every one which is so well proved.
The deft ndant was then fine d in the penalty of 405.,
or ,yen days' imprisonment in the House 4•l* Correction.
The defendant appealed against the conviction at once,
and entered into hail accordingly.
IhscusTilso CASE.—A man, named Michael Adams,
wh,) scat. d that he was a printer, was charged with
having exposed himself hef,re ree very youthful
females on Saturday morning. Three distinct cases
were proved, and the defendant said he had been out
drinking the whole of the night before, and knew no-
thing about the matter. argued, too, that the chil-
dren had followed him, and not he the children, and that
of course, if anybody appeared to be culpable, be was
not the person.
The LORD MAYOR sentenced the defendant to be im-
prisoned in the House or Correction for fourteen days.