The Sun.
London, England, 1870-02-01 00:00:00

LAW AND POLICE.

INSPECTION OF MEDICAL REPORTS ON RAILWAY ACCI-
DENTS PrzommTED.—The Court of Common Pleas gave
judgment on Monday on an application made on behalf of
a plaintiff in an action against the Brighton and South
Coast Railway Company, to inspect the report by the
medical officer of the company on the accident at New
Cross, in which plaintiff had been injured. The Chief Jus-
tice referred to the rule that all documents prepared with
a view to litigation were privileged, but pointed
out that where fraud was alleged this rule must always be
adhered to. But this case came within the general rule,
the report having been prepared with reference to im-
pending litigation. It was not necessary that the-litiga-
tion should be commenced, or that communication
should be between the parties and their legal advisers, if
they related to litigation which there was reason to ex-
pect. The other judges concurred, and the rule was re-
fused.

IMPORTANT QUESTION UNDER TILE MERCHANT SHIPPING
ACT.—On Monday, in the Bail Court, Mr. Justice Hannen
heard an application for a writ against the justices of Cardiff,
who had ordered payment of wages to a carpenter. He
had been engaged for a three years' voyage, and had
worked for three months, but he had not signed articles.
The captain admitted the dismissal: and the only
question for the Court of Queen's Bench to con-
sider was whether a carpenter, who had not signed
articles, came within the 188th section of the Merchant
Shipping Act, which gave justices the power to enforce
the payment of seamen's wages. Mr. Justice
Hannen said although no articles had been signed
the fact that the carpenter had acted upon the agree-
ment was sufficient evidence to his mind that the
justices had jurisdiction over the carpenter as a seaman,
and he therefore discharged the rule.

AN L'iItEPRESSIBLE NEWSPAPEIL WRITER.-
Within the past month an article was published in the
Boston Times which had a most unparalleled history. The
writer, who is a steady go-to meeting citizen, it seems, had
his mind filled with his subject before going to bed, and
determined to submit it to paper at the first opportunity.
His bed-room adjoins his parlour, in which he customarily
writes ; and, some time early in the following morning our
friend awoke while sitting at his escritoire, wondering
why the room was so dark. His first thought was that
his wife had taken away the light to inspect the children's
dormitory, and he sat until his patience gave out waiting
for her return. But she did not come, and he went to the
parlour door and inquired in tones somewhat different
from those which distinguished his courtship, what was the
cause of delay. The voice in reply came from the bed-
room, and thither he went to find his wife in bed, who
asked him in wonderment what had caused him to get up
at that untimely hour. He had risen in his sleep, partially
robed himself, and had written the article while in a som-
nambulic state. We regret that we did not preserve the
cod), of the article so written ; but from our recollection
of its chirography, it was a fair specimen of our friend's
rather peculiar but exceedingly plain handwriting. He
assures us that ho had not made a single correction mark
on it ; aryl also that there were two interlincations on the
m muscript, carated and interpolated with as much pre-
cision as if the article had been written by him in day-
light and with his eyes open.--13J,,t0n
,Times, Jan. 9.

A LIIIP ON FIRE IN BRISTOI:JI.kRBOUR.—Be-
tween eight and nine o'clock on Saturday morning a
fire was discovered to have broken out in de hold i f
the barque Pellicano, a large Portuguese vessel,
only about six months old, and lying on the
Butt; in Bristol Harbour. She had recently discharged
a cargo of wheat for Messrs. Wait and James, and bad
then gone into dock for a few repatim, 'cavil* the dock
only on Friday. It is stated that the accidental up-
setting of an oil lamp in the hold of the vessel originated
the conflagration. All the city engines and firemen
promptly attended, but they did net produce much
elect. The flames quickly spread into, the cabins, and
about midday such dense volumes of firojand smoke rose
from the forepart of the vessel Slat it•was the general
impression she must burn out. About six o'clock, however,
the flames were got under. Of itho forepart of the
vessel, only the hull waisaved. ThAdamage will be very
considerable