The Sun.
London, England, 1856-09-19 00:00:00

THAMES.

ILLICIT DISTILLATION.—Benjamin Jeffries, Jas. Vor-
rig', and Adam Sims, were brought before Mr. Selfe,
charged with illegally working a private still in an un-
entered place.

Leonard Lee, an officer of Inland Revenue, said he
went to the house, 11, New-street, Stepney, and, upon
entering at the back of the house, discovered Morris in
the act of pouring out spirits from one vessel to an-
other, and on going upstairs met Jeffries coming down.
He found a large copper still in full operation, with a fire
under,it. The still was charged and giving off spirits.
He found two gallons of strong spirits in a pan, and a
large quantity of molasses, wash tube, and all necessary
apparatus for carrying on illicit distillation.

Frederick Pargiter gave similar evidence, and believed
the still had been in operation some time, and the re-
venue defrauded to a considerable extent., .He found
Sints in a room up stairs, and he denied having anything
to do with the still.

Jeffries, in defence, said he was the person working
the still ; and Morris said, " I plead guilty." Sims de-
Oared lie was innocent of any knowledge of the still.
Mr. Selfe said he had a doubt in favour of Sims, and
gave him the benefit of it by discharging him. He con-
victed Jeffries and Morris, and sentenced them to pay a
fine of 30/., and in default of payment to be imprisoned
and kept to bard labour for three calendar months.

John Allen, an elderly man, of No. 25, Trafalgar-
place, North-street, Bethnal-green, was charged with a
similar (donee.

Mr. John Vanstone said he was an officer of inland
revenue, and that he went yesterday to the house No.
1, Pleasant-place, Pleasant-row, Stepney-green. He
entered the house by the front door, and on going
into a back room, discovered a copper still, charged with
gallons of molasses wash, and running of spirits.
There were three gallons of rnannfactured spirits in
bladders. It was commonly called "jigger stuff" among
the trade. The prisoner made no resistance, and walked
quietly with him to the station-house.
The prisoner said Mr. Vanstone's statement was oor.
rect. Hg worked the still for another man. It was not
his own.

Mr. Selfe asked if the prisoner was known.

Mr. Vanstone—Oh, yes, sir; we are very old acquaint.
antes indeed. He has been convicted of working private
stills more than once.

Mr. Selfe—Do you press for a penalty on a second
conviction I If so, you must prove it formally, and I
shall then be compelled to fine him 1001., and in default
six months' imprisonment, and hard labour.

Mr. Vanstone—l only ask for the lowest penalty.
Mr. Selfe fined the prisoner 301., and in default three
months' hard labour.

SCOTCH AFFAIRS IN 1856.

Under this' heading a traveller in Scotland writes in
a morning contemporary of yesterday a rather amusing
medley of facts and inferences :

"The railroad, and steamer, and electric telegraph have
put a new face on Auld Scotland ;' dirt is less sacred,
the English less foreign, and wisdom is not claimed as a
Scottish monopoly. Newspapers here are improving in
tone, though still tremendously ecclesiaWcal, and town
councils do not devote more than half their time to
theology. Lord Palmerston's letter to the clergy of
Edinburgh, however hetorodox in divinity, has had a
salutary sanitary effect. The closes in the High-street
are occasionally washed down, and the chief streets are
not so perilous to passengers. The Highlands are rapidly
replenishing the lowland towns with unskilled labour.
It is a remarkable and too suggestive fact that the Irish
have been displaced at Greenock and Port Glasgow by
the Highlanders underworking them.
" The Evangelical Alliance concluded its meetings at
Glasgow a few days ago; the whole thing appears to
have been very dull, though very good.
" The Free Kirk people are building medieval chapels,
with tapering spires and niches, as if for taints, all over
Scotland.

"The harvest is very promising. The potatoes, how-
ever, are extensively diseased. Labour seems abundant,
stud the working classes appear satisfied.
"It is universally understood here that the Duchess
Dowager of Argyll has joined the Roman Catholic
Church, in spite of the advice of Dr. Pusey, of Oxford,
who has been labouring to draw her back. The Duchess
of Buccleuch and the Marchioness of Lothian have also
' gone over' to the Roman Catholic Church. They have
all entered by the porch of the Scotch Episcopal com-
munion, which people here regard as the half-way house.
" There is less of ecclesiastical controversy in Scotland
than there used to be.

"The repairs and restoration of the cathedral of Glas-
gow are admirable, and now nearly ended.
"A great battle is being waged in the newspapers on
the comparative morality of the Scotch and English.
The Scotch are convinced that they beat the English
hollow. There are two great points. The English beat
their wives, which the Scotch do not. The Scotch get
often blin fou' with whisky, which the English do not.
Is it a perfect equation t Is it better to drink whisky,
or to beat wives

" There is great need of a more patriotic and liberal
spirit among some of the heritors of Scotland in reference
to the conservation of ancient ecclesiastical remains.
Some of the noblest ruins are crumbling away in the
rains and frosts with scarcely an attempt to arrest the
calamity. A very remarkable instanca of this is seen in
the ruin of Jedburgh Abbey. Part of the nave is en-
closed as a Scotch parish church, with ugly tiers of gal-
leries, the recent flat roof occasionally descending in
fragments, and the remainder of it, consisting of exqui-
sitely beautiful Norman pillars and doorways, and win-
(lows, is day by day going to pieces.
"The Scottish service, tastefully performed, is really
very beautiful, andlts severe psalmody, as in Glasgow
Cathedral, is something impressive in one of these noble
edifices.

" Throughout the counties the little lairds, often
upstarts, imitate the great lairds in religion, habits, and
sympathies. Were the Duke of Buccleuch to turn
Mormon, at least a hundred lairds around him would
turn Mormons too. This habit is nearly universal, and,
as not a few of the aristocracy have turned Romanists,
we shall bee not a few of the aspiring laixdo follow."