The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-20 00:00:00

MOM
consideration advising you not to make the application
at that court 13s. 4d.;" and then " to advising you to
bring the present action in the Court of Exchequer
13a. ,td."—(R :ars of laughter)—and so on. That would
be the result of the proceeding, and deeply was it to be
lamented that such things were. As far as the de.
fendaut was concerned, he knew nothing about the
affair. It was quite clear that a mistake bad been
made, and therefore he submitted that the smallest of
damages would be an ample compensation.
Mr. Baron ALDERSON toi.d the jury the plaintiff any
way was entitled to the 3s. 4d., and then they must say
what sum he ought to have for the mistake that had
been made.
The jury. after a long consultation, returned a verdict
for the plaintiff—fir the 3s. 4d., and one farthing for
the damages sustained.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
MANSION-HOUSE.
Mr. Robson, the solicitor to the Admiralty, appeared
before the Lord Mayor, on Saturday, to prosecute two
seamen for the violation of 7 and S Viet., c. 112, com-
monly called the Merchant Seamen's Act, in committing
frauds. These were the first cases which were ever
brought before the chief magistrate, and a great deal of
interest was excited.
Edward Jackson, a young fellow, was the first charged
under the Act, the violation of which was calculated, ac-
cording to Mr. Robson's representation, to occasion a
vast deal of mischief to the merchant seamen's service.
In many instances frauds, had been committed by per-
sons who had applied for register tickets, and who
made away with the money advanced to them, to the
great prejudice of those who had engaged them, relying
upon the truth of the representations made by the appli-
cants. In all such cases it was the determination of the
Board of Admiralty to prosecute.
Mr. E. H. R. Coleman, clerk to the General Register
and Record Office of Seamen, in the Office of the Port
of London, No. 2, Hamet-street, Minories, stated that it
was part of his duty to record the tickets transmitted to
the out-ports. These tickets were kept in the office.
When a seaman was registered at one of the out-ports a
duplicate of the ticket was required to be sent up to the
head office, where it was registered. The ticket pro-
duced was forwarded by witness to Hull for the purpose
of being registered. It was numbered 219,017, and was
issued to Edward Jackson, at Hull, on the 21st of
March, 1846. It was returned about the 30th to the
office in London. Witness knew the prisoner as Edward
Jackson, who applied on the 9th of April for a ticket,
and again on the llth at the office in Hamet-street, and
was desired to call on the 13th, which he accordingly
did, and received the ticket numbered 328,825, and
dated the 13th of August, 1846. The original and the
duplicate corresponded exactly.
Mr. Charles Stone, a clerk in the same office, stated
that he remembered the prisoner's application for the re-
gistered ticket, and that the necessary questions were
put to him upon the occasion. The answers were taken
in writing by the witness.
The prisoner, in answer to the question whether he
had ever been registered before, replied " No." It was
necessary for the applicants to sign the original and the
duplicate; and in the original and the duplicate the sig-
nature was exactly the same.
A shipping agent for the Sailors' Home, in Well-
street, stated that he shipped the prisoner on board the
Scotia, Captain Strickland, in April. The prisoner had
a registered ticket with him, numbered 219,017. Wit-
ness did not ask him where he got the ticket. The ticket
produced was the same number, and signed with the same
name, and tilled up in the same way. The prisoner
signed the articles, and got an advance of wages, but
never joined the vessel at all.
The prisoner said he had no defence to make, and he
was committed to New-gate.
The next case was that of Joseph Porter, alias J. Potter.
Mr. Coleman, of the General Register and Record-
office of Seamen, stated that the prisoner applis d for a
register ticket, and the ticket numbered 31,671, was
issued on the 24th of July to him, in the name of J.
Porter. The original ticket and the regular ticket were
issued under the provisions of the Merchant Seamen's
Act. On the 9th of April the prisoner applied for a
register ticket, as a first ticket; and afterwards applied
on the 11th, in the name of Joseph Edmund Potter.
The ticket 'silted to him was numbered 328,893. The
first ticket was returned to the office as having been the
number of a deserter from the ship Wilson. The sig-
natures to the two tickets were the same in every re-
spect, with the exception of the spelling of the names of
Potter and Porter. By the change of names the prisoner
had escaped detection.
Mr. Stone, at the same office, stated that the neces-
sary answers had been taken in writing to questions
asked before the issue of the tickets ; and the prisoner
had, in answer to the question whether he had been ever
registered before, replied in the negative.
Mr. Joseph Jones, assistant shipping agent, stated
that he shipped the prisoner on board the Wilson, on
the 9th of April. The prisoner had then a registered
ticket, No. 31,671, and was so registered according to
the regulations.
The prisoner was then committed to Newgate.
The offence has been of late one of very frequent occur-
rence. The registered ticket has been considered suf-
ficient to justify the giving of an advance note, for which
the delinquent receives money, after which he runs off
to play the same sort of game.
GUILDHALL.
On Saturday the several summonses that have been
issued against Mr. J. Barber, as solicitor of the Metro-
politan Railways' Junction Company, and Mr. T. R.
Kemp, one of the provisional committee men, were,
after several hearings, decided upon by Mr. Alderman
rharcres were preferred
Gibbs and 61r r.
by Mr. G. Jones, the chairman of the acting committee
of shareholders—viz., those against Mr. Barber being,
that he, as solicitor of the company, did fail in register-
ing, in accordance with the 7th and Bth of Vic., a list
of the subscribers' names and a copy of the allotment
letter, and against Mr. T. R. Kemp for signing his name
as a director to the company's scrip, without holding a
share in the undertaking.
The evidence in support of the information was taken
at some length on the 4th inst., and the magistrates
withheld their decision until this day, in order to consult
the City law-officer. That being known, much curiosity
was manifested to learn the result, and the court was
filled by many interested parties.
At half-past two Mr. Alderman Gibbs and Sir Peter
Laurie came upon the Bench, and had evidently taken
great pains in arriving at a decision in strict accordance
with the Act.
Mr. Alderman GIBBS, in very brief terms, remarked
that, as regarded the summons against Mr. Kemp, and
that against Mr. Barber for not registering the allot-
ment letter, they considered had not been proved ; but,
in respect to the summons for the non-registering of the
subscribers' list, they were of opinion that the Act
clearly specified the registering of such a list, and as the
defendant had not complied, they convicted him in the
penalty of 101.
Mr. Wire, who appeared for Messrs. Barber and
Kemp, then gave notice of appeal. Ile believed the re-
sult was contrary to the terms of the Act ; and he
thought he could, with the greatest confidence, state that
scarcely a new projected railway company had registered
a subscribers' list.
Sir P. LAURIE replied that they had taken much pains
in arriving at a just decision. They had had good
legal assistance, and therefore the conviction of the de-
fendant must be confirmed by them.
CROYDON.
On Saturday, the Croydon Railway Company were
summoned under their Act of Parliament for running
an engine connected with the atino,pheric apparatus
employed upon the said railway, which engine was not
made upon the principle of consuming its own smoke,
and for which illegal neglect the company had incurred
a penalty of 51 per day for every day upon which such
engine was used.
Mr. Bodkin appeared for the company, and Mr. Lund
attended to support the complainants. There were twelve
separate summonses against the company for as many
different days when, it was alleged, the " smoke" nui-
sance had been created.
Mr. Lund simply alluded, in opening the case, to the
terms of the Act of Parliament applicable to the case,
and called
Mr. R. L. Peacock, who stated that he resided at Nor-
wood, near the engine station used for the purpose of
exhausting the air-tubes upon the Atmospheric line, and
he had frequently observed smoke arising from the chim-
ney. He did so on the lath and 14th. and several other
days in February.
Mr. Peacock, in cross-examination by Mr. Bodkin,
said he was not well acquainted with the nature of ma-
chinery of this description, and although he had seen
the engine in question on several occasions, he could not
say whether it was constructed upon the principle of
consuming its own smoke.
Mr_ said this isaisale of axe
complainant.
Mr. Bodkin urged the magistrates to hear in mind,
that all the company were required to do was to use en-
gines constructed upon the principle of consuming their
own smoke, and there was not the slightest proof that
they had not done so. The company, he should shot
the magistrates, had adopted every improvement to
effect this object, and if any effectual method could be
shown whereby it might be attained they would readily
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subject then went, upon the principle of consuming its
b b
own smoke. Mr. Field added, that since that period
gentlemanther
there had been an i
named
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the company.
James Pearson, the superintendent of the engine de-
partment at the Norwood station, was also examined,
and he proved that the company had endeavoured by
every means in their power to effect the consumption of
the smoke from the engine, and that they had adopted
the most recent improvement, which was at this moment
beinee carried out, to effect that object.
Mr. Lund replied.
The CHAIRMAN, after a short consultation with his
colleagues, said that the Bench were of opinion, that all
the company were required to do, was to use engines
constructed upon the principle of consuming their own
smoke, and that they had done all in their power to effect
that object. They therefore dismissed the summons.
The other summonses, as they nearly involved the
same question, were of course withdrawn.

UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE, OXFORD, APRIL 17.--
This morning Mr. Arthur De Butts, 8.A., of Trinity College;
Mr. Edward Post', 8.A., of Oriel College; and Mr. John
William Burgon, 8.A., of Worcester College (the latter gcted
en-
tleman obtained the Newdegate prize last year), were ele
to the vacant fellowships at Oriel College, two of which were
caused by the secession from the Church of England of the
Rev. John Henry Newman and Mr. Albany James Christie.