The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-23 00:00:00

giance. Well might the Lord Justioe KNIGHT
BRUCE elicit the applause of his audience on

Friday last, when he said—" It is to be hoped
that the Legislature will take steps to pre-

vont the recurrence of conflicts and corn-

plications such as the proceedings before us
exhibit and portend —miserable conflicts, distress-
ing complications, which itself has created—con-
flicts and complications characterised by the grave
frivolity, the costly uselessness, the sickening

delay, in which chicanery rejoices—conflicts and
complications which must embitter the anxiety
and add weight to the impression of sufferers
under nefariously-conducted schemes, such as the
thing ironically called the Royal British Bank—
conflicts and complications which to a civilised
people are nationally discreditable, and in a well-
governed country ought not to be encouraged."
It is a startling state of things indeed, deserving
of the severest reprobation, and calling for the
promptest and most effectual reform, when the
law to which we submit as our shield against
rogues and swindlers, is a ready instrument for
the most shameless extortion on the part of its
officers. What makes the matter worse, is the fact
that there never was a case in which cheap and
speedy justice was more desirable than in the
case of the creditors of the Royal British Bank.
The classes of which they are composed, of all
others, best deserved the protection of the law,
for, besides the proof they have given of their
good citizenship in husbanding the savings of to-
day against future emergencies, those savings
were often comparatively small and always hardly
earned, while too frequently the want of them could
not but be attended with anxieties and sorrows of
immediate application, and great in proportion to
the desert of the sufferers. One's heart aches to
think of the misery "the thing," by n• means
ironically, but fraudulently called the Royal
British Bank, has occasioned. One's blood boils
at the misery our precious law has indirectly con-
tributed to the load.
If the judgment delivered on Friday does not
belie its promise, the suspense of the creditors
will shortly be at an end, is so, indeed, so far as
the rival Courts and their officials are concerned.
By it the official assignee appointed under the
fiat of bankruptcy is put in possession of the sole
management of the affairs of the Bank. All the assets
are to be handed over to him, and the result in
all probability will be tie payment of a dividend
in the course of a few weeks. The defeated
party is allowed his share of the expenses. The
official assignee will not lose his expenses, and
will, moreover, be entitled to the customary
profits of his office. One way and another the
creditors have to look forward to a diminished
dividend. Tho necessities of many of them,
however, are so great, that a small dividend will
be accepted as a boon. Ultimately, it is to be
hoped, all will be put into possession of their
own, and the Royal British Bank will be finally
numbered with tie swindles of the past. How-
ever this may be, it will be well if so glaring an
instance of fraud and oppression as it has afforded,
be turned to good account, and lead to an im-
provement in the law, which cannot, for the
general good, be effected too soon.

The metropolitan ratepayer has reason to be
grateful. Thanks to Sir B. HILL he may now
oat his Christmas pudding in contentment ;
He is not to be taxed, at all events exclusively,
to carry down the sewerage works below Erith—

so the worthy Chief Commissioner assures him ;
and he is not, over and above every other source
of congratulation, to be saddled with the cost of
works which, for anything he knows to the con-
trary, may have to be taken up and constructed
over again. All the prestige which the star-
bedizened plan B could command has not sufficed
to commend it to the approval of the Radical
member for Marylebone. Of course it was cour-
teously received, but he nevertheless pretty
broadly intimated it would straightway be
put under surveillance. It was a suspicious
character, and he must have the report of
some trustworthy detectives; on it before he
could take any decisive step. The appointment
sought for it the plan night possibly be entitled
to, but it was just as probable it might not, and
others might have better claims. In other words,
he is about to refer it to a competent board of
three—two civil and one military---engineers,
thoroughly to overhaul it and test its claims, and
if they don't come up to the mark produce a plan
of their own, or approve of some one else's that
will. The Groat Sewerage Question, in short, is
to be referred to a competent tribunal, whose
members will grasp it comprehensively and vigo-
rously, and we trust effectually, and give in their
report as speedily aspossible. This is surely matter
for rejoicing. Of all things your English citizen dis-
likes the prospect of paying more than he ought
for having his work properlyhavin gt al d
i done, next to
so
t o that
as
to necessitate
of
so paying,
and
his having to pay twice over,
and possibly oftener than that. The inhabitants
of Erith and other places down the river have
abundant cause for congratulation also. Their
interests are to have Imperial consideration, in-
stead of metropolitan no - consideration. The
question of how far the works should be carried
in justice to all parties is referred to the same
Commission for solution. They have but to put
their case clearly before its members, and have it
asuppprpeohretedneloanse
tiht
ee;
haven be,ave etoo be delivered
warrantahl from
warrantably entertained
of being scandalously victimised. Common sense is
outraged
er et ht ohsaen who
m o
seta yp ae
io fa
cui
ot
usl 1 at
them to iCr
and
theirs. Nothing but ignorance can palliate the
culpability of such an `assertion. This ignorance
they must do their best to dissipate, especially
must they take care the Board of Engineers are too
well armed with facts to share it. Let them
remember the question which most concerns
them is to be considered first, and pre-
pare themselves accordingly. Nor let it
be forgotten the display of liberal feeling in rela-
tion to the question of contributing towards the
extension they desire will go a long way to insure
it. The metropolitan ratepayers' objections cease
when the extra amount is provided. The wisdom
of affording as few grounds of objection to the
taxpayer as possible, viewed in this light, must
be palpably apparent.