The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-05 00:00:00

GRAND JURIES.

The ASSISTANT-JUD4LE moved, pursuant to notice,
that several presentments of the grand juries with re-
spect to their duties be referred to a committee to report
upon to the court. He briefly referred to some facts
which had come under his notice while presiding in
that court to show that grand juries were often
a mode by which villains escaped. A short time
ago he had impounded a document, which was a
written agreement between certain parties that a sum
of money should be paid to a witness, in the
event of his varying his evidence before the grand jury,
so as to obtain the acquittal of the accused. In another
case there was a notorious offender, a woman who had
been five times indicted before the grand jury, and every
time the bill had been ignored. This was certainly un-
accountable, and it was equally strange that in other
cases they not unfrequently found a true bill when there
was no evidence at all.—([Tear, hear.) After animad-
verting upon some of the City authorities, to whom he
had written upon the subject, and who had not had the
courtesy to answer his communication, he moved the
appointment of a committee, and expressed a hope that
the legal members of the bench would afford their
assistance. . _

Mr. LAURIE threw out some practical suggestions on
the subject. He had made a motion in that Court some
years ago, that a clerk should attend the grand juries,
which had been carried, but it was singular that it had
never been acted upon. Since that course had been
adopted at the Central Criminal Court the number of
bills thrown out had decreased from twelve per cent. to
five per cent.

The ASSISTANT-JIIEGE feared that that plan would
not be of the same value in the small cases tried in
.that
court as it was in the cases of greater magnitude tried
at the Old Bailey.
The
rn
motion was agreed to ne. con., and a committee
nominated.—Adjourned.

BANK OF ENGLAND.
(From last Night's Gazette.)
Account, pursuant to the Act 7th and Bth of Victoria, cap. 32, for
the Week ending on Saturday, the 28th day of. November, 1846.
isstra DapaandENT.
X.
Notes issued .. .. • • • • 28,313,5:15

Government debt • • 11,015,100
Other securities •• • • 2,984,900
Gold coin and bullion 11,807,087
Silver bullion

£28,313,545

I X
28,313,545
11. MARSHALL, Chief Cashier.
1846.
EpsaxstEst T.

Dated the 3d day of December,

BANKING D
£•
Proprietors' capital.. 14,553,000
Rest ••••••• • • • • • • • 3,479,967
Public deposits (in-
cluding Exchequer,
Commissioners , of
National Debt, Say-
ings-banks, and Di-

Government securi-
ties (including Dead
Weight Annuity) • • ' 12,808,119
Other securities • • • • 13,562,822
Notes ... ........ • .. 8,325,745
Gold and silver coin • • 694,587

vidend accounts).. 8,447,560
Other deposits • • 8,018,C01
Seven day and other

bills _
892,355

X 35,391,273

£35,391,273
M. MARSHALL, Chief Cashier.
1846.

Dated the 3d day of December,

BENTLEY'S MISCELLANY FOR DECEMBER: The
power which a really accomplished writer exercises
over his readers is strikingly exemplified in Fenimore
Cooper's new romance, " Captain Spike; or, the Islet of
the Gulf." In the portion which he has yet given to the
public, through the medium of this Magazine, no extra-
ordinary incident is narrated, no monstrous character is
introduced, no trick is played off to electrify or galvanise
the spectator. A rakish, Luspicions looking craft, com-
manded by a regular sea-dog of a captain, is highly de-
scribed working out to sea in a manner to keep clear of
an impertinent revenue steamer; and yet such is the art
with which the manoeuvres on board are related, that
even the most determined landsman is excited, despite
of himself, and feels an unaccountable interest in the fate
of the impudent Molly Swarth, her Captain, and her
crew. Maxwell's story of " Brian O'Linn," is as rollick-
ing a picture of life ashore as Cooper's romance is of
life at sea. " Long Jim" is an amusing sketch of that
most despised and terribly hunted biped, a Tipperary
process-server. This number of Bent,lll has also con-
d other literary gent, Albert Smith,
Wtribilulitaiomns
Jordan, Miss
merdisaancdaaLtealdloy,
aNnu
cele-
brities.—Morning Post.
His Royal Highness the Conde de Montemolin
(de jure King of Spain) has signified his wish to witness
the performance of a pure English drama, and with this
view his Royal Highness, it is understood, has intimated
his intention of honouring the performance at the Hay-
market Theatre on Wednesday next. We understand
his Royal Highness, who is well acquainted with Eng-
lish literature, has expressed a desire that the per-
formances should include the School for Scandal.
have given
y
The Southampton Railway Compan
notice of an application to Parliament for power to en-
large their proposed terminus in the York-road, near
Waterloo-bridge, and to extend the same into the
Waterloo-bridge-road. This extension will be a great
accommodation to the public, as it will open a direct
line of communication over Waterloo-bridge with the
Strand, the Birmingham Railway, and all the northern
parts of the metropolis.
extend to London-
Although the
Railway
will
ultimatelyß A w A
bridge, the principal terminus will be at Ilungerford-
bridge.a
It is intended that terminus shall be built
s
there to surpass in magnificence anything of the kind
South-Western
that has been built. It is considered highly probable
that the company will, at no distant day, purchase the
present Suspension-bridge, build another on the site, and
convey passengers over the Thames in to the heart of
Loradon.—Hampshire Guardian.
NEW POSTAL ORDER.—'this day (Saturday) the
new postal order, requiring letters for the first delivery
to be left at the London receiving houses before a quar-
ter to eight, instead of eight o'clock, will take effect.
The collections will in future be made at forty-live
minutes past seven o'clock, in order to dispatch all
letters and newspapers by the morning mails.
MANCHESTER, DEC. 4.—Last night a gang of
well-experienced burglars, by means of the use of the
"jemmy," forced an entrance through the front door of
Mr. James Boon's house, Wilcornbe-street, Hulme, and
by means of false keys succeeded in opening several of
the drawers, from which they stole jewellery to the
value of 701., and 291. in gold. Nothing has yet been
heard of the thieves.