The Sun.
London, England, 1834-07-29 00:00:00

INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT, JULY 28.

Emily Phipps, whose case was before the Court on a former
day, was now again brought up.
The insolvent is a married woman, but has not lived with
her.husband for some time. She had passed as a widow, and
the case had been adjourned at the original hearing until this
day, that her description might be amended. The opposing
creditors were a Mrs. Smith, a widow, and two other persons.
A question was raised, whether the insolvent, being protected
by her coverture, could be remanded to prison by this Court,
for fraudulently contracting the debts due to her opposing cre-
ditors, and whether, as she could not legally contract a debt.
she would come within the clause of the statute.

The Learned CHIEF COMMISSIONER, after saying that he did
not consider the insolvent amenable to the jurisdiction of this
Court, as to a remand, inasmuch as she could not in law con-
tract a debt; but that his Learned brother Commissioners were
of a different opinion, adjudged that she should not be entitled
to the benefit of the Act until she should have been in prison
eight months from the date of her petition, at the suits of
Mrs. Smith, Mr. Ford, and Mr. Almond, for fraudulently con-
tracting the debts due to those creditors.
Thomas Henry Richards, whose case was adjourned from a
former day, in order that the evidence of the Sheriff's Officer
by whom he was arrested might be taken, was now again
brought before the Court ; he was supported by Mr. COOKE.
Mr. WOODROFFK appeared to oppose his discharge, on the
ground that the arrest at the suit of a person of the name of
Lawes had been collusive. The evidence of the Sheriff's
Officer was completely at variance as to the circumstances of
the arrest, from that which had been given by Lawes on the
former hearing. _ _

The Learned CHIEF COMMISSIONER, after designating the
case as a most profligate attempt to trump up a debt which
had never existed, ordered the petition to be dismissed, and it
was dismissed accordingly.

The pilcliard..fisliery has been commenced by the
driving boats at various points of the coast of Cornwall, and in
some cases they have been tolerably successful. The fish
taken are of good size, but as yet are deficient in flavour.

THE CROPS.—The crops in this neighbourhood,
particularly those in any rich or deep soil, have been seriously
injured by the late rain ; they have almost generally lodged,
and smut prevails to an extent indeed seldom before known in
this quarter, not only among the wheat crops, but also those
of the barley. The farmers seem to be still unacquainted with
the cause from whence this disease proceeds, and there are
very many reasons assigned for its appearance. Thunder--
rain—sowing at an unpropitious season—sowing at a certain
quarter of the moon—heavy dew—fog, &c. ; but we are in-
clined to think, and experience confirms our opinion, that if
the seed, a day or two previous to its being sown, was steeped
in pickle, made strong enough to support an egg floating on
its surface, and afterwards sprinkled with lime, it would alto-
gether prevent smut. The meadows along the Shannon are
flooded, upwards of two feet of water lying on them, and as
there are few of these callows yet mown, there is but a slight
chance of their being of any use to the proprietor. We are,
however, glad to say, the potato crop in general looks well.
Athlone Paper.
THE BRISTOL COAL FIELDS.—At length these
inexhaustable stores of riches are about to be worked with
vigour. Since the Avon branch of the Coalpit-heath railroad
has been open, the Coalpit-heath coal has found its way to
within a a few miles of the metropolis ; and the demand has so
increased that the coal-owners on the line are using every ex-
ertion to enlarge their works and augment the supply. The
contractor on the Bristol branch (now within three miles of
the city) urges on the work both by night and day. As yet
only two collieries have got their branches laid into the main-
road; but others are in progress and will soon be completed.
Notwithstanding all the disadvantages of new works, and in-
adequate supply, upwards of 40,000 :tons of coal have been
carried down the road by the Coalpit-heath Company alone.
It will be cheering to our fellow-citizens to be looking for-
ward (and not very far forward) to see Bristol a great coal-
shipping port; nor can we close our eyes to the fact, of the
vast importance which, in a commercial point of view, an ex-
tensive coal trade will be to us. We hail the change, as re-
gards our native city, as the precursor of lasting and substan-
tial benefits.—Bristol Mercury.

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY, JULY 29, 1834.