The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-14 00:00:00

THE SUN LC)NDON, MONDAY EV:I4IzNING,
_DECEMBER. 14, 1646.

correspondence, the enemy, in discovering that one of
the prizes bad drifted ashore in front' of the:city, col
lected a large force within and behind the houses in the
vicinity, and commenced a furious fire upon her. Lieut.
Parker, of this ship, in command of the prize, defended
her in the most gallant manner, and ultimately succeeded
in gAting her again afloat, having tine of her men killed
and two wounded.
It was in carrying an order to Lieutenant Parker that
Lieutenant Morris was wounded. He had been of infi-
nite service to me from the time we left Lizardo, and,
conducting himself during the engagement with remark-
able deliberation and coolness, he approached the prize
in a line to cover his boat ; and though apparently re-
gardful of the safety of the officer and men of the boat,
who were seated, he stood erect himself, and the ball
struck him in the throat. No one can deplore the fate
of this very valuable young officer more than myself.
His loss is irreparable to the service and to his family.
It may well be supposed that on perceiving the attack
upon the prize, I re-opened upon the city, which again
silenced their fire. I now proceeded with the flotilla and
prizes down the river. One of the prizes, a small
schooner of little value, having grounded in a dangerous
pass, and knowing that it would be difficult to extricate
her without causing inconvenient delay, I ordered her to
be burned. _

them as such. If we recollect rightly, the figures in our
article of,the .Ist inst. were taken from a copy lying on a
cotton broker's table, open to anybody's examination,
and apparently thus placed for the information of the
trade, or any others who chose to look at it.
Oar money market is in a sound state, with some
tendency just now to higher rates. Exchanges on Eu-
rope are falling-61 per cent. upon England, and 5.42 f.
on France, being about the highest asking rates. .At
these rates specie may flow hither without leaving, how-
ever, any great inducements to ship it. Even these
rates, however, are only commanded by the first bills—
and therefore those not well known as bill drawers, who
have surplus funds in Europe, may perhaps find it to
their interest to bring them here in specie. The rela-
tion between the import of specie and 60 days bills at
1061 may be thus illustrated :
British sovereigns of full weight, will produce here
4,84 dols. each, which is equal to
But the charges on the importation of
specie to be deducted are : loss ofin-
terest during fifteen days passage per
steamer...
6i
Freight
Insurance

LATEST FROM MEXICO, THE
UNITED STATES, AND CANADA.

16%

ATTACK ON TABASCO.
IMPORTANT RE-ACTION IN THE AMERICAN

MARKETS.
ARRIVAL OF THE GREAT WESTERN.

(FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.)

LIVERPOOL, SUNDAY MORNING.
The steam-ship Great Western, for whose appear-
ance the rogues in grain, and the speculators in cot-
ton so anxiously sought, reached this port before
eleven o'clock last night. The Great Western sailed
from New York on the 26th inst., but anchored off
Staten Island during the night, and started on the
27th, at seven, A.M., sa that her voyage may be
reckoned as sixteen days. She had a limited number
of passengers on board, and brings eleven days later
news than that previously received.
The Great Western arrived at New York on the
16th ult. Her passage home was completed, although
the weather was unfavourable, and the wind ahead, in
about sixteen days.
The Royal Mail steam-ship Acadia arrived at
Boston on the 15th !At.
It should not be omitted to state that the famous
packet ship Yorkshire, Captain Bailey, which sailed
from Liverpool on the 2d ult., reached New York on
the 18th, after the very short passage of sixteen
days. This, be it observed, is another of the
many proofs which we have of the first-rate sailing
qualities of the Yorkshire, and the almost unparalleled
capabilities of her (successful Commander. Captain
Bailey, may well feel proud of this great achievement.
We believe it to be unequalled in the annals of trans-
atlantic packet ships; but hope it is not the last quick
trip which, both the ship and her commander, will
make to and from Liverpool. _ _ .

1,25

107,75

Nett
To a bill at 60 .lays on London, at
Is to be added the interest of 75 days to its ma-
turity, equal to 14 per cent., or

We arrived safely at Frontera on the evening of the
26th, the Vixen having towed down the river five vessels
and several barges.
From Frontera I despatched my prizes to this place;
and after destroying all the vessels and craft found in the
river of too little value to be manned, I proceeded on the
31st to rejoin you, leaving the M'Lane and Forward at
anchor opposite Frontera to continue the blockade of the
river, and to afford protection and shelter to the neutral
merchants, residents of the place, who professed them-
selves in apprehension of ♦iolence from the Mexican
soldiery should they be left unprotected.
On our way to this place the prize steamer Petrita, in
company and in sight of this vessel, captured the Ame-
rican brig " Plymouth" found engaged in landing a cargo
upon the enemy's coast. M. C. PERRY.
P.S. I omitted to mention that while lying off the bar
of Tabasco, this ship boarded the Campeachy schooner
Fortuna, and the French brig Jenne Arnadee, on the
papers of both of which a notification of blockade was
endorsed.

Nett 107,75
Thus making it a matter of indifference whether the
money be brought back in specie or drawn for in 60 days'
bills.
But as the ordinary rate of interest in London does
not exceed 4 per cent., the difference between that and
our rate of 6 per cent. may tempt English capitalists to
ship specie.
THE COTTON CROP.—We have nothing to add to the
remarks we have heretofore made respecting the extent
of the crops. So far as we can gather, the estimates of
yield rather fall than rise, notwithstanding the fine sea-
son for picking has continued late.
We had reason to believe there was more than one
circular (from Savannah) with a 2,175,000 estimate,
to be sent by the same steamer and further, that
such an estimate was very common there. We
naturally, therefore, seized the figures as an exhibition
of the way in which such a quantity was made out.
But we did not think it necessary or right to give any
name, nor were our remarks intended as in any sense
personal, but rather applicable to Savannah estimates
in general. In truth, when we wrote we did not know
the framers of that circular bad written a circular in
1845 ; or if we had ever seen it, we had forgotten it.
It seemed to us a great error, on such an important
subject, to place the crop at 2,175,000 bales at so early
a period as the 24th of October, when frost or storms
might still materially curtail the quantity particularised
is this very backward season. And as public journal-
ists, reporting the state and prospects of cotton, and
finding estimates of upwards of 2,150,000 very gene-
rally sent from Savannah, it seemed right and proper to
caution our European readers against placing too much
confidence in them. Public opinion bears us out in the
view of the imprudence of making such large estimates
at so early a period; for although the weather has been
generally favourable for the crop from that day to this,
we do not yet find any general confidence, inasmuch as
even 2,050,000 bales.

In regard to the lSPLane I propose to make a special
communication.

List of vessels captured and destroyed during the late
expedition to Tabasco, under Commodore M. C. Perry.

Although the intelligence conveyed in the papers
by this arrival, extend over the lengthened period of
eleven days, we do not find any matter of importance.
The position of affairs between the United States and
Mexico, still continued warlike. The naval forces of
the former had made a successful attack upon Tabasco
and captured it, but strange to say, none of Jonathan's
forces—regular or volunteer—had ventured to retain
possession of the fruits of that brilliant achievement.
Commodore Perry had won laurels—but did not assay
to use them. Like the old veteran, rough and ready,
General Taylor, he seems to have allowed the enemy
more quarter than the Mexicans would have given
him or his. The following are the details of the affair
as reported to the secretary of the navy at Wash-
ington:—

MANNED AND SENT IN.

American barque
Mexican schooner Telegraph.
" steamer .
" steamer _

" hermaphrodite brig
" schooner .. Laura Virginia.
" schooner Tabasco.
" schooner Amada.
American brig

United States, Ship Cumberland,
Off Vera Cruz, Nov. 5, 1846.
Sir,—Herewith is transmitted a copy of a letter from
Com. Perry, accompanied by copies of other communi-
cations, giving a detailed account of his operations with
a detachment from the squadron in the river of Tabasco.
The objects of the expedition have been fully accom-
plished, and by the destruction or capture of all the
enemy's ve-sels, a check has been given to a commerce,
by which munitions of war were, no doubt, introduced
into Mexico from the neighbouring province of Yucatan.
Much prai3e is due to Corn. Perry fur the skill and judg-
ment manifested throughout the whole expedition.
The department will learn with regret the death of
Lieut. Charles W. Morris, which took place on the Ist
instant, on board the Cumberland, from a wound received
at the town of Tabasco on the 26th ult. He was an
officer of great promise, and his loss is a most serious
one to the service. _

Ebtrti 'Xbition

CHANCERY-(THIS DAY.)
The Lord Chancellor sat in the Old Hall, Lincoln's
Inn, to-day, and took appeal motions, this being the
third seal.

KIRK V. THE BROMLEY UNION.
The arguments were resumed in this part-heard
appeal, and the further consideration of the case ad-
journed to Wednesday next.

OLDFIELD V. CORBETT.
Mrs. Cobbett applied in person this morning, in this
case, for the discharge of her husband from custody.
The LORD CHANCELLOR said he would look at the
affidavits, and give judgment in the course of a week.
The Court then pro3eeded to hear appeal motions.

I am, very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
D. CONNER,
Commanding Home Squadron.

ROLLS' COURT.-(THIS DAY.)
COLEMAN V. THE DIRECTORS OF THE EASTERN COUN-

TIES RAILWAY.
This was a motion on the part of the defendants to
dissolve an injunction that had been obtained by the
plaintiff on the 19th of November last. The injunction
was to restrain the defendants from entering into a con-
tract on behalf of the Eastern Counties Railway with
the Harwich Steam-packet Company. It appeared that
the defendants and the other ,directors of the Eastern
Counties Railway, conceiving that it would have the
effect of bringing considerable traffic from Holland and
the northern pprts of Europe, were desirous of effecting
an arrangement with the proprietors of the Harwich
Steam-packet Company, guaranteeing them a certain
interest on the principal, as well as funded capital
of 150,000/. of the company, for the conveyance of
their passengers to Rotterdam and other northern
ports of Europe. The plaintiff, who is one of the share-
holders in the Eastern Counties Railway, was opposed
to the execution of this contract, and filed a bill on be.
half of himself and other shareholders, and obtained the
injunction in question, which the defendants now sought
to have dissolved. In support of the motion, it was con-
tended that it was the wish of the majority of the share-
holders that this contract should be carded out, the ad-
vantages of it being obviour, and that the reason of the
plaintiff's hostility to such being effected, originated in
the fact of his being the secretary of the General Steam
Navigation Company, with whose interests it would of
course materially interfere to have such an arrangement
as they proposed carried out.
in Asulepspsnrsr. F t
niderl
fnthesmeyo, Gtinnro,vuens
d, and. Messrs.
C iessroso.lmite
Turner,
appeared
in
n,
and another Learned Gentleman in behalf of the plaintiff
The case had nut concluded at the rising of the Court'

Hon. John Y. Mason,

Secretary of the Navy, Washington.

A DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THE PROCEED-
INGS OF THE EXPEDITION UNDER MY
COMMAND ALONG THE EASTERN COAST
OF MEXICO.
I left the anchorage of St. John Lizardo on the even-
ing of the 16th October, with the steamer Mississippi,
having on board a detachment of 200 officers, seamen,
and marines, under command of Captain French For-
rest, and in tow the steamer Vixen, and schooners
Bonita, Reefer, and Nonato, respectively commanded
by Commander Sands, and Lieutenants Commandant
Benham, Sterrett, and Hazard, and the schooner For-
ward, and steamer M'Lane, commanded by Captains
Nones and Howard, of the revenue marine.
The next morning at daylight I captured off the bar
of Valvarde the American barque Coosa, found in trea-
sonable communication with the enemy; and the same
day the Vixen chased and boarded the American
shooter Portia. The Coosa was dispatched to this place
as a prize, and the Portia was permitted to proceed, her
papers having been endorsed. From the day of our
leaving Alvarado (the 17th), up to the 22d, we had a
succession of very bad weather, which gave me much
trouble in keeping my little command together. During
the interval, however, we captured and sent in the Mexi-
can schooner Telegraph.
On the 23d, all the vessels, with the exception of the
Reefer (previously .separated in a gale) reached the bar
of the river Tabasco; and having determined on attack-
ing the commercial town of Frontera, at the mouth of
the river, and the city of Tabasco, situated seventy-four
miles higher
up, I placed myself on board the Vixen,
leaving the Mississippi in command of Commander
Adams, at anchor outside, and taking in tow the Bonita
and forward, with the barges containing the detachment
under command of Captain Forest, I crossed the bar, the
Nonata following under sail.
The Vixen, with this heavy drag, steadily ascended
the stream against a four knot current, and arriving near
to Frontera, I discovered two steamers (of which I had
received previous information) firing up, doubtless in the
hope of escape, but we were too close upon them.
Casting off her tow, the Vixen proceeded ahead, followed
by the other vessels and barges, and at once the town,
the steamers, and all the vessels in port were in our pos-
session, excepting only the schooner Amado, which
vessel, attempting to escape up the river, was pursued
by Lieutenant Commander Benham in the Bonita, and
captured.
Desirous of reaching Tabasco before they would have
time for increasing their defences, the detachment under
Captain Forrest was placed on board the largest of the
captured steamers, the Pctrits, and she, with the No-
nate, the Forward, and the barges in tow; and the
Vixen, with the Bonita, left Frontera at half-past nine
the next morning, Lieutenaat Walsh being left in com-
mand of the place.
After steaming all night, and encountering various
incidents arising frcm the rapidity of the current and
the circuitous course of the stream, we arrived at nine
the next morning in sight of Fort Aceachappa, intended
to command a .most difficult pass of the river. On our
approach the men employed in preparing the guns for
service fled, and we passed it unmolested, but I was
careful to cause the gun to be spiked.
Anticipating serious resistance at this place, arrange-
ments had been made for landing Captain Forrest with
his detachment a mile below the fort, to march up and
carry it by storm.
At noon, all the vessels anchored in line of battle in
front of the city in half-musket range, when I immedi-
ately summoned it to surrender, the boats meanwhile
being employed in securing five merchant vessels found
at anchor in the port.
To my summons, sent by a flag with Captain Forrest,
pe
al e a
ms e
odr. e Si
nu s pb er
ac tviandgo, a
than I d i
idn,
a refusal to capitulate was returned, with an invitation
reluctant to destroy the
hope that a few shots fired
tpot
place,
a camt
eet:bt
io: fi
er
answer
t ea sr
tas oi
nwo
enads a st
:ley
extruellndelyhave caused a surrender.
s would teoavrenrestth,
eandbubilediinngg
be fired, and at the flag staff,
.1) g f
id so tar as possicase o a gene-
Accordingly, I directed gunsthe
s sending
itnh e
aVnixoerndearlotnoe
allto
the vessels.to avo .
flags. • d discharge from the Vixen, the flag dis.
ra , injury to the houses distinguished by consular
appeared from
cease,
and sent Captain Forrest again
the firing to the staff. On seeing it down, I ordered
whether it bad been cut down by our
struck. The reply was that it had
shot, or purpose y
d the city would not be surrendered.
been shot away, an
C lain Forrest, with the force under
I now directed p_
a sl:fiortrethe etothleiarrn
us. This
commanded by our gU
t from various parts of the
andTtna.kentaopvoesmiteinont
brinongthhet
ocnitya
the flotilla.
his command, to
city, which was returned y
osed on the decks of the
scattering fire of Imaanudske
by
°. through our slight
small vessels, and their balls passing
the proverbial heed-
little
0r3., thoughto war d so epveenni
openly
negxtphat the enemy did us but
balwarks, and apprehending from
the marines be
lessness of sailors, that should they thewould be
I ordered the
but off by sharp shooters from the houses,
detachment to be re-embarked.
all niboht,
crews lying at their quarters ready to return the the
attacked in the narrow streets after dark,
In this position the vessels remained
and
the artilli ry of the enemy, which it was suppose Y
firteof
d he
would have had the courage to have brought down un-
der cover of the night to the openings of the streets op-
posite to our vessels, but they left us undisturbed.
Learning that the merchants, and other citizens of the
city were desirous that a capitulation should be made,
but were over-ruled by the governor, who, regardless of
consequences, and secure himself against attack, was
content that the city should be destroyed rather than
surrendered, I determined from motives of humanity,
not to fire again, but to pass down to Frontera with in)
prizes.i Ii the morning, however, the fire was re-commenced
from the shore, and was necessarily returned, but with
renewed orders to regard the consular houses, so far as
they could be distinguished. In the midst of the fire, a
flag of truce was displayed on shore ; on perceiving
which, I caused the firing again to cease,coapnyd
of which,
aptain
Forrest was sent :to meet its bearer, who submitted a
written communication addressed to me, a
with a copy of my reply, marked B and C, will be found
inclosed.
As an assurance of my sincerity, I now hoisted a white
flag, and directed the prizes to drop down the stream,
intending to follow with the flotilla ; but, in violation of
the understanding implied in the the before-mentioned

VICE-CHANCERY.—(THIS DAY.)
(Before the VICE-CHANCELLOR Of ENGLAND.)
This being the third seal after Michaelmas term the
Vice-Chancellor of England took motions to-day.

THE ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH COMPANY V. GAMBLE AND

NOTT.

This case came before his HoNoun upon motion on
behalf of the plaintiffs, the Electric Telegraph Company,
for an injunction to restrain the defendants, Messrs.
Gamble 'and Nott, from using the patent they had ob-
tained for a new invention of the electro-magnetic tele.
graph, on the ground that it was a piracy of certain
patents, the property of the ElectrieTelegraph Company.
The case was proceeding when our evening edition
went to press.

QUEEN'S BENCH.-(THIS DAY.)
LIBEL.-THE SPECTATOR NEWSPAPER AND THE SOCIETY

OF BRITISH •RTISTS.-HIIRLSTONE V. CLAYTON.
Sir Frederick Thesiger and Mr. Edwards appeared for
,he plaintiff ; and Mr. M. D. Hill and Mr. Phipps for the

defendant.
Sir F. THESIGER stated the case to the jury. He said
the plaintiff, Mr. Hurlstone, was the President of the
Society of British Artists, in Suffolk-place, Pall-mall, and
the defendant the printer and publisher of the Spectator
newspaper, and that the action was brought to recover
compensation in damages, for a libel which appeared in
that newspaper on the 11th April last. It appeared that
the society were desirous of obtaining a charter of incor-
poration, and a memorial to the Queen was framed, and
suspended on the walls of the institution, to which a
considerable number of names were attached ; amongst
which wore the names of several distinguished noble-
men and gentlemen who had either been members of
the institution, or who had purchased pictures from its
exhibitions, or given donations to the institution. If the
article in question had merely contained remarks upon the
works which were exhibited, or on the ability of the artists
however unjust, or illiberal, or severe, the plaintiff would
have had no right to complain, because any person who
exhibited a picture, as a work of art, to the public, or
published a book, offered himself to the public judg-
ment ; and a newspaper had a perfect right to critisize
them in whatever strain it thought proper. The only
appeal was to the tribunal of public opinion, and the
plaintiff had not the slightest desire to fetter criticism or
to prevent the free exercise of the critic's judg-
ment ; but he did complain that on the
present occasion, the article complained of trans-
cended the free limits of criticism, it left its proper
field and descended to an attack upon the plaintiff; and
in fact, the Society, of which he was the President, of a
private and personal nature. If the article had appeared
in any of those newspapers which, he regretted to say,
disgraced the high character of this country, and which
were in the habit of making attacks upon indivi-
duals of a grossly personal character for gain, the
Society might have treated it, and properly
treated it, with contempt, but when it had been
published in the columns of such a newspaper
as the Spectator, which, he was bound to say,
possessed a very high character, was conducted. with
great talent, and which, as far as he was able to judge,
almost invariably expressed itselfin fair and liberal
terms, and which deservedly. enjoyed great public influ-
enee and a very extensive circulation, it was impossible
a their, jury o
efh
a their
rae
eun ture
any man, or any body of men, could afford to allow it to
pass
t e his, before
or
ters. After having alluded to a number of notices of the
men,
in and
ordenrottot roincodmieae
institutionwhich had appeared in the Spectator since 1840,
and which severely criticised its proceedings, he pro-
ceeded to read the article out of which the present action
oy bme eeed
arose. After referring at some length to the conduct of
the managers of the institution, it went on to state that
there was reason to believe that they had suspended a
fraudulent list of names to the memorial, which they
had not received any sanction to use.
Mr. Nibbitt produced the memorial which had been
'ransmitted to the Home Office for presentation to the

Queen.
Mr. George Stevens, one of the managers of the in-
stitution, stated that the attention of the society had been
directed to the publication of the notices of the Spectator,
from the time rt ferred to up to the present time; that
tickets had during the whole of that time been regularly
transmitted to the editor of the Spectator, as well as
noblemen, gentlemen, and Members of Parliament, for
private views of the exhibition, and that he had been
furnished with a season ticket which had not ex-
pired, lie also proved that the names attached to the
memorial were either the signatures of the persons
themselves, or were affixed by their express permission.
Mr. HILL, Q.C., then addressed the jury on behalf
of the defendant. He said the defendant, as soon as
he ascertained that the writer of the article
had fallen into an error on account of the hasty
glance which he cast at the memorial, he made
an ample apology, and expressed regret for its
publication ; he was at a loss to understand why the
plaintiffuju had
the dno
ay a
t day on
deemed
whicht hat apology
the
rticsreffiwc sufficient. u
bOlit% the
eve 6

Mr. Flight, the solicitor, and Mr: Hassan, the srcre-
tary to the institution, callei at the office of the
.Spectaltb> newspaper, and expressed a wish to see the
editor. —They were immediately introduced to Mr. Rip-
toul, the editor and proprietor of the paper, who; on
hearing the statement that the article was de•
void of truth, informed them that he should
take the earliest opportunity of retracting the
expressions contained in the article of which they com-
plained. lie inserted a retractation in the following
number, which stated that they (the Spectator) were
bound to admit that the statement in the article was
devoid of truth, and that as it was contrary to the
policy of the Spectator to publish statements
which were untrue, they took the earliest opportunity
of retracting the statement, and expressed their regret
for its insertion. But after the interview with Mr.Rin-
toul, and before the publication of the retractation, and
when it was fully understood that the matter would be
thus settled, the plaintiff intimated through his solicitor,
Mr. Flight, that it would be absolutely necessary to
bring the matter before a jury. ,He referred to a case
tried before the late Lord Ellenborough, which was an
action brought by a Baronet named Carr against a bar-
rister named Wood, for publishing a humorous
parody on the wofks of the Baroeet, but the jury gave
an adverse verdict. In that case Lord Elleeboraugh
held that a person publishing a back, or exhibiting a
picture, laid himself fairly out for criticism, and that a'
critic had perfect right to express himself according
to his opinion. In this case nothing more had heel.
done, and what :was incorrect had been amply atoned
for. Here the defendant had been invited with others
to criticise the exhibition, and it was criticised accordieg
to the opinion of the writer. Two editions of the Spectator
were published, one on Saturday morning, and another
in the evening, which contained the markets and the
principal news of the day. A portion of the matter in
the previous edition had to be withdrawn to
make room for the later intelligence, and in
this way the paragraph complained of in the
article in question was withdrawn. Looking at
the whole of the facts, he apprehended that
the defendant was entitled .to a verdict; but if theybon-
sidered he was not, he thought they would be of opinion
that the injury which the plaintiff had sustained would
be met by mere nominal damages.
Mr. Harford, a compositor employed in the printing-
office of the newspaper, proved that the paragraph and
a one-line paragraph from the fashionable intelligence
were omitted to make room for the late news.

Mr. Brimble, a clerk at the publishing office, cor-
roborated the interview referred to, and added that as
soon as Mr. Rintoul discovered that the statement was er-
roneous, he directed him not to dispose of any more of

the early editions.
Sir F. THESIGER replied. He said the plaintiff con-
sidered the apology, as it was called, had aggravated,
instead of destroyed the sting which the libel had in-
flicted. The defendant could hardly plead carelessness,
as he had pursued the same style of criticism for many
years; besides, he had not taken the earliest opportunity
of retracting the libel, as he might have done so in the
late edition of his paper or in the daily papers.
Lord DENMAN summed up, and left it to the jury to
say the amount of damages which the plaintiff was en-
titled to. It was true the defendant had made an
apology, but he thought it would have been more satis-
factory, if, instead of saying he was bound to admit the
incorrectness of the statement, he had stated that he
was satisflk d of its inaccuracy.
The jury, after a short deliberation, found a verdict
for the plaintiff—Damages, 100/.

LEMAN, BROTHERS, V. THE GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY

COMPANy.

This was an action brought by Messrs. Leman, Bro-
thers, carrying on the business of grocers, in erken-
well-close, against the Great Western Railway Com-
pany, to recover damages fur the non-delivery of a chest
of tea, valued at 8/.
Mr. Hayes and another Learned Gentleman, appeared
or thefplaintiffs ; the Attorney-General and Mr. Haw-
kins for the Great Western Railway Company.
It appeared that Mr. Wm. Leman, one of the plain-
tiffs, purchased a grocery business from a person of the
name of Colson, at Bridgewater. After the purchase he
requested his brother in London to transmit him a chest
of tea by the railway, but, as he was unknown
at Bridgewater it was to be directed to Mr. Colson.
The chest was booked at the George and Blue Boar, and
arrived at Bridgewater. The company, however, re-
fused to give it up, alleging as a reason that it was di-
rected to Colson, who had bolted from his creditors and
become a bankrupt, and that they would detain it for
the benefit of the assignees.
Several witnesses were called on the part of the plain-
tiffs. •
The defence set up was, that the tea had been
fraudulently transferred to the plaintiffs by Colson, and,
that they had detained it and delivered. it up to his
creditors, believing that it truly belonged to them—in
which they were perfectly justified. They believed they
had performed a great public duty.
The jury found for the defendants.