The Sun.
London, England, 1851-06-25 00:00:00

JUNE 25.

1851.

TRIBUNALS OF COMMERCE

A pe;,ie meeting, cenventid by the secretary of the
committee for the ee:ablishment of tribunals of corn-
mere°. was held yesterday afternoon at Willis's Rooms.
Lord Wl:Pent:We was to have acted as chairman, but
sent an excuse, statieg that his ill health prevented him
from attending; and, in cone( quence, Mr. Montagu Gore
presided. In opening the preceediegs, he observed that
the object of the meeting was one or great public utility,
and, if carried out, could not fail to be productive of
great good. The smallness of the attendance ought not
to discourage them, for they were aware that most great
meesures in England had risen from small beginnings.
Tribunals of commerce had been carried out suc-
cessfully in France and Belgium, and he had no
doubt corresponding benefits would accrue to this
country by their introduction. It was very desirable
to collect all the information they could with
relation to the working of these courts in other
countries, to show the public the geed that might be
expected to arise from them here. This he considered the
first point to which they should turn their attention.
His time and service would always be willingly given to
carry out this object, The scheme was not opposed to
the legal profession, but merely sought to protect com-
mercial men against the present expensive system and to
render the law accessible to them. The laws affecting
commercial matters did require revision, for in many
cases they were aware that the expenses had amounted
to thousands when they ought only to have been hundreds.
Mr. F. LYRE, secretary, said that the large merchants
of London, when he first introduced his project, were
totally ignorant of tribunals of commerce, and were, for
that reason, averse to them; but they now raw the bene-
fits they would prove both to the ttrong and weak.
Many who at first held back till they should comprehend
the principles of the scheme proposed, now understood
them, and came forward to tender their support. There
existed in Belgium a tribunal of commerce in every city I
and
county, town, and in all towns of any commercial
orindustrial importance; they were exclusively com-
posed of merchants and manufacturers chosen from the
most eminent, and particularly from among the prin-
cipals of . the oldest established houses, having
a reputation for judgment and probity. The list
ofjudges. chosen in each province or locality,
was submitted to the State authorities for approval.
The judges held office for two years. Each tri-
bunal was composed according to the population or ne-
cessities of the town or province. There was also a pre-
sident judge, and twelve, eight, six, four, or two judges
elected and constituted, besides an equal number of sup-
plemental judges. These judges occupied the bench on
each occasion, one of whom presided. They were at-
tended by a consulting barrister, who was alone a paid
functionary, the situation of a commercial judge being
purely honorary. Although they might not adopt this
system or the French one, yet it was most desirable to
ascertain how they worked. This was the object of their
committee. It had been proposed in the city to petition
the House of Lords on the subject, but it would be better
for them to wait and go there strong, and look out and
show them such a mass of evidence as would convince
them that these things were not a shadow, but a reality.
After explaining that he did not wish to say anything
against tne legal profession, for whom he entertained
great respect, he said that quirks and quibbles were too
much encouraged in the law courts. These they wished
to remove, and, if they effected the charge, the smallest
tradesman would benefit ley it. They would now rather
lose 50/. or 601. than go to law. He concluded by show-
ing that these tribunals would afford equal protection to
both rich and poor.
Mr. RAINY moved the first resolution:—
" That this meeting considers the establishment of
tribunals of commerce would tend to diminish unneces-
sary litigation, as well as furnish the means whereby, at
a small cost and the least possible salary, differences
among commercial men and others may be satisfactorily
adjusted."
The questions they were to consider wore, whether the
present legal procedure was such as to call for change,
and also whether the means proposed was sufficient for
the purpose. The evils of the present tribunals bad been
loudly complained of, and through the press had been
made very generally known. He then detailed several
caws in the Court of Chancery to show the great ex-
pense and loss of time incurred in procedure in that
court.
Mr. 11. H. LESTER seconded, and Mr. W. CARPENTER
supported the resolution, which was carried.
Mr. Green, Mr. J. Y. Ball, and other gentlemen, ad-
dressed the meeting, and moved votes of thanks to the
press for their exertions in the cause Of law reform, and
to the chairman for his conduct in the chair; after which
.he meeting separated.

STEAM COMMUNICATION WITH AMERICA
The Commissioners to whom was referred the con-
sideration of the claims of Ireland to have one of her
western ports selected as the point of departure for
Transatlantic packet steamers have made an elaborate
report, which concludes as follows :
It will be seen by what we have already stated, and
from the appendix attached to this report, that in the
protracted and detailed inquiry that has devolved upon
us, we have listened to all the arguments and facts that
have been urged upon our attention, and have sought
out such officers in her Majesty's service as have had
personal acquaintance with the western and southern
coasts of Ireland. Wo have asked opinions from
officers of the coast guard, and persons connected
with the merchant service; we have applied to municipal
bodies, to local committees, and to individuals who have
taken a prominent part en this question. We have found
a desire for the transference of the packet station
strongly entertained by many persons connected with Ire-
land, founded on the hope that it would produce inci-
dental benefit to the neighbourhood of the port selected,
and to those parts of Ireland which must be traversed
to reach it. To this desire we have paid great deference,
and have considered the subject with an anxious wish to
arrive at a conclusion which would promote the com-
mercial and general prosperity of Ireland. But, on a
careful review of the arguments that have been advanced,
wo do not consider them to be sufficient to justify us in
recommending such a change. Some of those arguments
are of a speculative character, depending upon improve-
ments which have not yet been effected, and which can-
not be anticipated with any certainty. The principal
remaining grounds upon which the measure is advocated
are, the benefits which Ireland would derive from being
made the medium of intercourse between Great Britain
and America, and the saving of time and reduction of sea
voyage which the United Kingdom generally would obtain
in the communication with that country. We have shown,
however, that the gain of time that could be calcula-
lated upon, would not, even under present circum-
stances, as regards the greater part of the United
Kingdom, be considerable, if compared with the whole
length of the voyage, and that it will be of still less
importance if the mail packets are required to touch at
Holyhead. On the other hand there is reason to believe
that the frequent transfers to which both passengers and
goods would be subjected in the transit between any
plcco in Egland and Scotland and a port of the west
coast of Ireland would prevent any large amount of
traffic between those countries andliorth America being
cenducted by the new route. We find no reason to con-
clude that tne local and 'Articular advantages resulting
from the proposed measure would be so great, or the
saving of time so important, as to counterbalance the
large additional expense which would be entailed upon
the imperial revenue, and the evil; and inconvenience
which would be inflicted on the great body of the mer-
cantile and travelling portion of tne community by re-
moving the packets from the place were they were ori•
givally established, as being the focus, of the commercial
transactions of the United Kingdom with the North
American continent. —We have, &c.,
" GRANVILLE. " J. F. BORGOYNS.
" W. COWPER. " S. ELLERBY."
" JAMES A. GORDON.

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a party at Croydon, who is privileged to ltity all
cast-off uniforms is that place. ; „.4 • , L;f
• •-y
ALhrman FARLEIWTHER—Very ; Wo%Ttlif 'ki
inquiry into it, and see if your Statement tr.,.'
rrisenet—l hope you will admit me to ba11.4
the articles, all: Ted to be stolen, from an old man tht.e7tShi,74,-.
met in Throahire-square; and if I am allowed to be at
liberty I may, perhaps, be able to meet with him again.
Alderman FARERRoTIIER—Iinder the circumstances,
I feel I should not be justified in accepting bail.
Prisoner—l assure you lam innocent your Worship.
Alderman FAREBROTHER—I cannot help it. I shall
remand you for a few days.
The prisoner was then remanded, and bail was re-
fused.

SOUTHWARK.
Yesterday Frederick Cornelius Lewis, a young man of
respectable appearance, was placed at the bAr before Mr.
A'Beckett, charged with stealing two 51. Bank of England
notes, and two sovereigns, from the purse of John Jen-
nings, a seaman, recently paid off from one of her
Marsty's ships.
Mr. Clarke, box keeper of the Victoria Theatre, stated
that on the preceding
night, while in the box-lobby of
the theatre, his attention was drawn to the complainant,
who was sitting between the prisoner and a female in the
saloon. The complainant appeared to have been drink-
ing, and he held in his hand a 51. note, which was torn in
the middle, and he asked the prisoner to give him up two
other Si. notes which be said he had belonging to him.
Witness, upon seeing the state of the complainant, and
hearing him demand the restoration of his money, went
up and spoke to the prisoner, asking him if had the
sailor's two 51. notes. The prisoner immediately
produced two Si. notes, and said the complainant gave
them to him to keep, adding that the sailor was a friend
of his, and that they both came up that day from
Rochester by the train. Witness took the two 5/. notes
from the prisoner, who wanted them back again, ex-
claiming that he was only keeping them safe for the
owner until he was sober. The prisoner also asserted
that the woman sitting with him was his sister, and the
tailor having afterwards stated that the prisoner had
some gold beonging to him, ho (witness) called forward
Murray, the officer of the theatre, and gave the prisoner
into custody.
The prisoner here ejaculated—" As the case has taken
so serious a turn, I should wish to have a solicitor
in attendance to defend me from such an Accusation."
Mr. A*I3EcKETT—Do you wish to put any questions
to the witness?
Prisoner—The greater part of what ho states is
wrong. I was not sitting by the sailor's side at the time,
nor did I say the woman was my sister.
In reply to Mr.wA'Bt etockoketpt,latehee
iwnitthneesssalsoaoin.
d he had
correctly described what
Marra.Y, the constable of the theatre, confirmed that
portion of Mr. Clarke's evidence which related to the
prisoner having asserted that the sailor was his friend—
that they had come up by the train from Rochester the
same day, and that the woman in company was his
sister. Murray added that ho searched the prisoner,
and in his pocket found a phial half full of laudanum, a
sovereign and a half in gold, besides sOlllO silver and a
knife.

The sailor was next examined, and he stated that he
was paid off from the Wellesley, and came up from
Chatham on the previous day. When the train arrived
at London-bridge he was looking after his luggage,
and (Aired to assist him,
when the prisoner came up
and a woman whom he called his sister was with him.
They all left the terminus together, and they afterwards
went into several public-houses and had beer and rum,
and finally the prisoner proposed that they should visit
one of the theatres. They then went to the Victoria,
and while in the theatre the prisoner and the woman
asked him how much money he had, and he told them
ho had three 5/. Bank of England notes and three sove-
reigns. They then adviseA that he should give one of
them the money to keep for him in case of accidents,
and es he supposed the woman to be the prisoner's sis-
ter ho handed her over the notes and sovereigns. He,
however, on reflection, thought he had done wrong in
Entrusting his money to the hands of strangers, and he
was in the act of demanding it back, when the first wit-
ness came into the saloon and interfered; that when ho
called upon the woman to restore the money she refused,
and the prisoner pulled one of the notes, that which was
torn, out of his pocket and gave it to him, but he refused
to give up the others until they were demanded by the
boxkeeper, and he then gave up the two other Si. notes
to that gentleman.
Mr. A'BECKETT, in allusion to the phial of laudanum
found on the prisoner, asked the sailor what liquors he
had been drinking in the company of the prisoner and
the woman, and whether they had an opportunity given
them of mixing anything of a deleterious character in
the drink.
The complainant, in reply, said in some places they
had beer and rum before the bar, and at other houses
they went into the parlour and had liquor there; that he
did not attend much to what they were doing, as he was
so overjoyed to get ashore.
Mr. ATECKETT—Then the prisoner did not come up
with you from Chatham? Complainant—l never saw
him until he offered to assist me with my luggage at the
terminus at London-bridge.
In reply to other questions, he said that he had paid
for all the liquor they bad; that he believed he changed
a sovereign for the purpose.
Mr. A'BEcxETT inquired what had become of the
woman whom the prisoner called his sister, and who
acted such a prominent part in the transaction?
Murray said that she was not taken into custody. That
he saw her in tho court before the case was called on,
but that she had since left the place altogether.
Mr. ATECKETT (to prisoner)—Do you wish to ask
the sailor any questions? Prisoner—l only wish to
ask him whether I did not advise him at our house to
take soda water instead of grog, and that I paid for it?
The complainant said he had no recollection of such a
circumstance.
Prisoner exclaimed—My character is at stake. I
wish to have the matter sifted before any decision is pro-
nounced.
Mr. ATECKETT—You may depend upon it that the
whole of the circumstances shall he thoroughly investi-
gated, and for that purpose I shall remand you until
Thursday.

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.
GRAND EXTRA NIGHT.
IL PRODIGO.
It laupectfally annennced that a Grand EXTRA /TIGHT will
take VIM on THIS EVENING. Jane 25, when will be presented
Anber's last grand Opera, entitled

IL PRODIGO,
Recently produced with immense success at the Academie de Mu-
sique, Paris, under the name of L'ENFANT PRODIGIIE. The
Costumes under the superintendence of Madame Copere, executed by
Miss Bradley and Mr. Coombes. The appointments by Mr. E. Brad-
well. The Machinery by Mr. D. Sloman. The Miss en Scene under
She immediate direction or Mr. A. Harris.
Jeitele, Madame Sontag ; Nefte, Madame Ugalde (of the Opera
Comilu,, Paris, (her Brit appearance in England) ; Reuben, Mons.
Massol ( iis Original Character at the Academie de 3lusique); Azaele,
Signor Gardoni; Amenofi, Signor Mercuriall ; Nemrod, Signor
Casanova; Canope, Signor Scott' ; Monaton, Signor Scapird ; Hoc-
Cods, Signor Coletti ; L'a, Madlle. Carolina Rosati.
The Co:plets of the Chameiler in the Fourth Act will be sang by
Madame Cgalde.
The New Scenery, by Mr. Charles Marshall, will represent Act 1.
The Habitation of Reuben, in the Valley of Gessen. Act 2. The
Grand Square of Memphis. Act 3. The Temple of Isis. Act 4. The
Desert. Act 5. The Valley of Gessen. In Act 2 a grand Diver-
tissement, composed by M. Paul T:tglioni, comprising the celebrated
Pas de Poiguard, supported by Madlle. Carolina Rosati, Madlles.
Kohlenberg, Rosa, Esper, Jullien, Lamoureux, Dantonie, Ausinla,
san-
don, Pascalea, Soto, Soldansky, Emma, Eliza, Lev
Beale, and the Ladies of the Corps de Ballet.
The Opera will commence at Eight o'clock..
Applications for Bones, Stalls, and Tickets to be made at the Box-
office of the Theatre.

THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET.
Mr. B. Weuster, stole Lesser an.i manager, Brompton.
THIS EVENING,
Will be performed THE CA DI ; or, AMOUTS AMOMC
s, Mr. Leigh
Moors.
With the Farce of JOHN DOBBS. John Dobb
Murray.
To be followed by the Drama of TIIE WH DES HORSEne, Mrs OF
L. THE
PEPPERS. Gerrald Pepper, Air. Hudson; adtle. S.
Buckingham.

THEA,TicE ttOYAL, ADELPHI.
under the dire
ectionF of Madame Celesta
ATF.NIN(4.
Will be performed the Comedy of AUL PRY. Colenel
Smith ; Hardy,
Mr. Wright P ; Grasp, Mr. 0. M.
Mr. Emery ; Paul Pry,
Willis, Mr. Worrell ; AfttriAll, Miss Ellen Chaplin.
To he lollowed by n,w cormc Opera, entitled GOOD NIGHT,
SIGNOIt. PANTALON. Doctor Tititofolo, Mr. Pact Bedford ; Signor
Pantalon, Mr. floney ; Leto, .Miss Woolgar; Columbine, Miss Kath-
leen Fitzwiillam.
To conclude with the laughable farce of A NIGHT of HORRORS.

V.Ol-ta.L PRINCESS'S THEALIi.E, OKFORD-tiTREET.
Under the Management of Mr. 0. Keas and Mr. Keeley..
THIS EVENING,
Will be performed a new Play, called THE DUKE'S WAGER.
Characters by Messrs. Kean, Wigan, Wynn, Cooke, Everett; Mrs.
Winstanley, Mrs. Wigan, Miss Viv.ish, and Mrs. Kean.
Alter which a new Farce tailed APARTMENTS.
"Visitors to the Exhibition may be accommodated."
To conclude with a new grand spectacular Extravaganza (taken
from a Tale, by Washington Irving), entitled TUE ALUAM BRA ;
or The Three Moorish Princesses. Characters by Messrs. Keeley,
Harley, A. Wigan, Wynn, Cooke, Flexmore ; Misses Murray, Dilly,
Vivash, Roberteon. Leclerq, Keeley, Mdlle. Anriol, and Mrs. Keeley.
Private Boxes, &e., to be had of all the Booksellers, and ox Mr.
IlteSingham ; of whom also places may be taken at the Box-office,
Oxford-street, from Eleven till Four o'clock.