The Sun.
London, England, 1848-09-08 00:00:00

SEWER RATES.

Yesterday, at a meeting of the Metropolitan Sewer
Cominifsioners, held at the chief office in Greek-street,
Soho, an appeal was entered on behalf of the Vauxhall-
bridge Company against the rating of the bridge by the
Commissioners of Sewers. The Rev. William Stone
presided.

The CHAIRMAN of the Bridge Company said that they
objected to pay the rate on the ground that the charge
was made contrary to the Act of Parliament, and be-
cause the• had no beneficial interest in the sewerage.
The bridge was not drained by the Commissioners, and
they therefore considered the charge to be unwarrant-
able. He cited in support of their claim to exemption
the cases of " Eve v. Brothers," " Tracy v. Taylor," and
" Soley v. Wilson." He also read an extract, showing
the law with respect to sewer rateage, from " Challis on
Sewers," page 265. His argument, upon the whole, was
that the bridge was not the species of property intended
to be rated.

Mr. HUTTON said that the question was, whether the
parties appealing to be exempted possessed an occupa-
tion of a beneficial character, for it bad been decided,
over and over again, that property giving beneficial oc-
cupation was liable.

Mr. lIERTSLET, the Order Clerk, said that there could
be no question as to the benefits conferred upon the com-
pany by the outlay of the sums which had been ex-
pended in draining the approaches to the bridge on both
sides. The Vauxhall sewer was a long and expensive
sewer, and, as it was the fact that the Vauxhall-road
was now three feet below high water mark, it was also
true that, if it was not for the sewer built there, the
property of the directors would be materially injured
from floods, which would render the approaches to the
bridge impassable.
Mr. LESLIE considered that the cases cited were not
in point. The saving clause of the statute under which
the company acted actually condemned the course they
(the company) were pursuing in resisting the rate. No
doubt the directors were the representatives of a bene-
ficial occupancy, and the sum charted being not more
than the poor-rate, could not be fairly objected to.
Mr. IluTTort then moved, that the usual course for
enforcing the payment of the rate in this case be adopted.
Mr. CHADWICK, in seconding the motion, said that
there could not be any question as to the beneficial
occupancy.

'!'he motion, upon being put, was unanimously carried

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

PORTSMOUTH, SEPT. 7.—There are reports in the
dockyard that the Admiralty have an intention of re-
verting to a former plan of economy by reducing the
working hours in the establishment one day in each
week.

The "Vesuvius steam-sloop, Commander Austin, left
this morning for Woolwich, to be paid off.
The jury masts of the Termagant were taken out to-
day.

hear-Admiral de Starck died on the 4th instant, at his
residence, Kensington, aged 84. The deceased was mid-
shipman of the Latona at the relief of Gibraltar in 1782;
Lieutenant commanding the Suwarrow lugger, Liberty,
brig, and Millbrook schooner, and very actively em-
ployed. Gazetted 1803. Vide Allen's New Navy List.
By the above death Captain Sir W. 0. Pell (1813) is
made Rear-Admiral of the Blue, which causes a vacancy
in Greenwich Hospital.
The Admiralty are expected at this port on their an-
nual official visit of inspection on the 14th instant.
Wind, W.; moderate breezes and cloudy weather.
ROYAL MARINES.

Lieutenant-Colonel Stevens. of the Chatham division,
is ordered to relieve Colonel Pileher in the command of
the corps at Pembroke, Colonel Pileher being promoted
to Second Commandant of the Chatham division.
We are requested to state that Messrs. Helby and
M'Crea, who passed their examinations in gunnery a few
days since, as mentioned in our impression of the 4tb,
obtained first instead of second class certificates.
PLYMOUTH, SEPT. 6.—The Duck lighter arrived on
Monday with stores from Chatham.
Her Majesty's packet Peterel, 6, Lieutenant• Com-
mander Thomas Creser, arrived on Tuesday from Fal-
mouth, and the same day came into harbour to be ex-
amined.

Her Majesty's brig Ferret, 8, Commander George
Sprigg, will be paid off to-morrow.
Mr. E. Elliott, draughtsman, Devonport Dockyard, is
appointed Measurer, in place of Mr. G. Gcod, appointed
Foreman.

In consequence of the ratification of the armistice be-
ween Germany and Denmark, great activity prevails
among the merchant vessels of northern nations, so long
waiting here. Every preparation is now making for the
immediate departure of shipping belonging to Denmark,
Prussia, Hanover, Oldenburg, arid other northern states.
Wind, N.W.; light breeze.
WooLlexcif, SEPT. 7.—The Niger steam sloop, the
Plumper, the Dover, and the Minx steam-vessels having
been ordered to be ready for trial at an early hour to-day,
the Niger had her steam up and a large party on board
before 7, A.M. Shortly after 7 o'clock the Niger left
her moorings under the charge of Lieutenant Robertson,
assistant to Captain Austin, C. 13., with Mr. Casey, Cap-
tain Austin's engineer, and proceeded down the river to
test the speed and capabilities of the vessel. Mr. Lang,
master shipwright at Woolwich Dockyard, under whose
superintendence the vessel has been built, was also on
board to witness the result. The Niger went at a very
moderate speed at first, owing to the number of vessels
in the river, and continued at that speed until opposite
Purfleet, when the Monkey steam-vessel appeared in
sight, having on board the Earl of Auckland, G.C.8.,
First Lord of the Admiralty ; Rear-Admiral Dundas,
C. 8., First Naval Lord of the Admiralty; Captain Fitz-
hardinge Berkeley, C. 8., Captain Lord John Hay, C. 8.,
and Captain Alexander Milne, Lords of the Admiralty;
Captain Sir Baldwin Walker, K C. 8., Surveyor of the
Navy ; Captain Ellice, Comptroller of Steam Ma-
chinery ; Lieutenant-Colonel Irving, of the en-
gineering department ; Captain Halstead, RN., and
Mr. F. P. Smith, of the screw propeller de-
partment. Their Lordships gave the signal for the
Niger to proceed at full speed, and the steam was got
up, but owing to a hot bearing in one of the engines the
speed was slackened until the screws were a little re-
laxed, when the vessel went on, and soon got ahead of
the Monkey, making an average speed of 10 knots per
hour, the engines making 64 evolutions per minute. On
arriving opposite Sheerness their Lordships gave the
signal to lay to, and came on board the Niger to witness
the working of the engines, and expressed themselves
much pleased will the manner in which they worked.
Captain Berkeley and Captain Milne also particularly
examined the manner in which the guns could be worked,
and ascertained that those allotted to the vessel were too
long to be used with effect, and others of a shorter de-
scription will be substituted. The guns at present or-
dered are, one 68-pounder of L 5 cwt., 10 feet long ; one
10-inch gun, 85 cwt., nine feet four inches long ; and six
8-inch guns, 65 cwt., nine feet long. The 8-inch guns are
already on deck, and the traversing platforms of the
68-pounder and 10-inch guns placed in their proper
position, and ballast equivalent to the weight of
the guns, and 140 men, the number of her crew,
with the requisite number of shot and shells on
board, in addition to the allowance for water, pro-
visions, and 200 tons of coals ; and yet the vessel
was not within 15 inches of her regulated water line of
draught, the correct draught of water during the trial
being about 13 feet fore by 14 feet 10 inches aft. Their
Lordships were much pleased with the performance of
the engines; and when the suggestions of Captain A.
Milne are adopted for her guns, the Niger will prove a
war-steamer equal to any afloat. Lieutenant Robertson
deserves great credit for the manner in which the experi-
tuents
,on this and on former occasions have been con-
ducted, as it is no
.ordinary task to teat experizaeut6l •