The Sun.
London, England, 1851-11-10 00:00:00

POOR-RATES.

At the Mansion-house on Friday, R. King Fletcher,
a whitesmith, from Tewkesbury, was brought before
Alderman Wilson upon a warrant signed by two
magistrates of that town for the apprehension of the
defendant, for the non• payment of a poor-rate amount-
ing to Bs. Gd.
Mr. Goodman (the chief clerk) informed the alder-
man that the expenses accumulated upon the unfor-
tunate man, who in all probability was not able to
pay a shilling, amounted to the enormous sum of
71. 193., so that the demand was at that moment Si.
7s. Gd., the original claim being no more than Bs. Gd.
Alderman Wilson—This is certainly a most ex-
traordinary case. How does it happen that you are
placed in this difficulty for the sum of Bs. 6d. ? The
defendant—l was not in Tewkesbury at the time
the warrant was issued. I was in London, out of
employment, but the summons was served upon my
wife. I have every reason to believe that spite has a
good deal to do with this proceeding against me, or
why should Ibe followed to London at an expense
which they must know I cannot pay ?
Alderman Wilson—lf the case be as you describe
eo cyeoeudri proceeding
ifehasan
(lb e eenhilidnrdeenednoaws?tranTghee one.
Where
fietnhdteharneet —aprrT he y are with me in London. I hope your
worship will accept bail for my appearance.
Alderman Wilson—l regret that I cannot take bail.
'ulohtiisl
t\hveararrarnitvaclomofpetlislo moine to
fkreoemp
Tyeowukiensbcuurystody
to
to-
morrow.

The defendant was then sent to the Compter, under
special directions from the alderman as to his treat-
ment there.

The defendant was.
again brought on Saturday
before Alderman Wire anofficer from Tewksbury
having
appeared for the purpose of executing the
warrant.
Alderman Wire having been informed of the cir-
cumstances of the case, asked the Tewkesbury con-
stable how it happened that the expenses were so
large ? The officer replied that the defendant was
able to pay the rates which he had refused to pay, and
the authorities had accordingly sent after him, and the
expenses had been incurred in travelling and looking
after him.
The defendant—I am not able to pay the rate, and
am not able to pay the demands, and that was well
known in Tewkesbury.
Alderman Wire—l have no alternative but to land
the defendant over to the officer. I cannot, however,
do so without stating that the inhabitants of Tewkes-
bury are, in my opinion, b'und to inquire into the
mode in which their money is expended in looking

TRIBUNALS OF COMMEARCE.
A meeting of the society for promoting the esta-
blishment of tribunals of commerce, mad reducing our
various mercantile laws to a simple and intelligible
commercial code, took place on Saturday at the
London Tavern, under the presidency of Mr.
M'Gregor, M.P.
The object of the meeting was to afford Mr. Leoni
Levi, of Edinburgh, the author of a work on the
subject, an opportunity of submitting his views as to
the formation of a code of commerce for England.
Mr. LYNE, as the honorary secretary, explained
how it was that they had invited Mr. Leoni Levi
to meet them. Although they knew that the whole
commercial community agreed in the principle of
tribunals of commerce, and upon the immense advan-
tage which would result from them, yet the magni-
tude of the task that they had undertaken was such
that they had to proceed in it step by step. The
committee had been in communication with the
Chambers of Commerce of Manchester and
Liverpool on the subject, which had at
length been taken up by them end by other
commercial bodies. It had been sugg-ested by in-
fluential persons that the time had =Tier' when they
should think of preparing tiip draft of a commercial
code for Great Britain. When the suggestion was
made, the committee felt its importance, and applied
to Lard Brougham to point cut a gentleman qualified
to frame such a code. The Noble and Learned Lord
took time to consider the subject, and consulted other
authorities, and ultimately he suggested, as did also
Mr. Hume, that the committee should hear the views
of Mr. Leoni Levi. Upon a suggestion from so high
a quarter they could do no less than act. He was
aware that some prejudice might be entertained on
the part of the public against a foreignerta being in-
vited for such a purpose instead of some member of
the English bar ; but that objection had been well
answered by Jeremy Bentham, who had pointed out
the great advantage which woild result from per"
naistieg-a-ioreigner la-, take ''fttelUld in ennipetation
with the native authorities in framing such a erode.
Bentham even went so far as to propose " that for
the drawing of the original draught all foreigners be
admitted into the competition, and that in so far as
applicable, unless it be in all particulars taken to-
gether decidedly inferior, the draught of a foreigner
be employed in preference."
_ _

MX.. LEONI Live then presented himself. He said
he believed the committee had undertaken a task whieh
would confer the greatest benefit upon the country
when it should be realized ; but it was one which
could not be accomplished satisfactorily without the
greatest caution, and a full knowledge of all matters
bearing on the subject. A code of commerce should
embrace all the several branches of commercial law
by which the mercantile community, in its various
relations, could be effected. Starting with merchants,
it would be necessary to define what belonged to' the
civil law as regarded minors, unmarried females, and
idiots. Then they would have to deal with the law of
partnership; and here they would have to consider
the different relations of general and private partner-
ship, unlimited liability, and partnership with limited
liability. Again, they must consider the law of gene-
ral contract, and contracts for sales—a subject
which in itself opened a large field for discussion,
inasmuch as the law was widely different in Eng-
land and Scotland. Next, there was the law of
exchange—of principal and agent, including broker-
age and insurance. Then there was the law
of shipping, the law of bankruptcy, and, lastly,
mercantile jurisdiction. A code of commerce should
define the law in all these several branches. In some
points the law was established permanently, but in
others it was changeable with varying circumstances,
and it would be necessary in the code that these
should be divided and kept distinct. It would also
be essential, in dealing with the subject, that they
should conciliate the various interests, and combine
those which were at present permanently opposing.
In bankruptcy again there was a considerable differ-
ence between the English and Scotch law. The Eng-
lish bankrupt law had been the subject of constant
alteration and change, while the Scotch law had been
permanent; and any one who attempted to combine
the mercantile laws of Great Britain into a simple
and compact code must deal with all these points, and
overcome all these obstacles; The object in which
the society had embarked in this respect was one of
the noblest in which they could engage, for it was
the chief point in all reform of mercantile law, and
would prove to be the readiest means of extending
information upon the subject. Though the commer-
cial law of Great Britain was at present frightfully
confused, it wa3 yet based on sound and solid
principles. Under a mass of heterogeneous materials
it contained the results of profound reflection and
wisdom, deep march, and the principles of a normal
standard for the administration of justice. The first
thing to be done was to extract from these materials
what was the law, and to lay it before the public in a
plain, practical, and intelligible form ; not to frame a
new law, but to bring the law as it was under the
comprehension of every one affected by it. The
proper course would be to depute a person, qualified
and able to grasp the whole subject in all its difficul-
ties and details, to prepare such a project of law, com-
prising under distinct heads the permanent law, that
which was susceptible of modification, and that
wherein the Scotch and English laws differed. This
project should then be forwarded to the various mer-
cantile communities, in order that they might criti-
cise it, and explain the customs in different places, and
the variance that there was from the law as it ap-
peared to be. He would allow six months for the in-
quiry, and would suggest that the Chambers of Com-
merce at Liverpool and Manchester should be re-
quested to investigate the law under its different
heads, as the law of partnership, the law of exchange,
and so on. Then, having obtained tile views of
these impeetant bodies, and of the leading mercantile
men of the country, he would propose that their ob-
servations should be compared and considered, and
that where they agreed in support of any point, that
article should be inserted in the code. In this way,
by such gradations, a code of mercantile law might
be formed which would have the concurrence of the
whole of the mercantile classes of the kingdom, and
which would then be sufficiently ripe and matured
to be submitted for the sanction of the Legislature.--
(Hear, hear.) Committees had already been formed
in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Birmingham, and he
had addressed a meeting in Dublin on the subject;
and in all these places he had found that the mercan-
tile body were unanimous.
The brief outline given by Mr. Levi appeared to
give general satisfaction. The chairman expressed
his full concurrence in it, and his belief that it was
perfectly practicable, and concluded by proposing a
vote of thanks to Mr. Levi, which was seconded by
Mr. Paul, and carried unanimously.

THE PANAMA RAILWAY.
The following description of the works in progress
on the isthmus by Captain Abott, of the West India
Mail steamer Thames, will repay perusal :
" Sir,—For the'information of the directorsJl beg to
inform you that, during the stay of the Royal Mail
steamer Thames at Chagres in September last, I
availed myself of the opportunity offered me by the
late resident engineer at Navy Bay to visit the works
there and the Panama Railroad, accompanied by the
Admiralty agent and some of my officers. The day
I selected unfortunately proved a very unfavourable
one, notwithstanding which we went about two miles
mweardee,mauncdhthgerastyifisteedmtaotieseme
anthneer pirnogwrhesish
theand a half, or nearly three miles, on the railroad, and
they
had
c work
was going on. The rails are laid on piles, very
thickly placed, and apparently very substan-
tial ; a considerable distance is already filled in
round the piles, and under the road, with a sortof earth
much resembling brick-earth, which I shouldimagine,
would soon bind, and form a fine embankment. The
navigators were at work at the time we visited the
road carting this sort of earth from a bank through
which they had made a short cutting; the waggons
were transported by a locomotive engine. The line,
as you may be aware, is being made in sections.
The length completed to run on from Navy Bay is,
lam told by Mr. Preston, the engineer, three miles,
and he hopes by Christmas to have the line
the na-
completed
to Gatun, a distance of seven miles. From
tune of the earth that they are filling up with between
the piles, I should conceive that after it had laid for
some little time and got firm, the road will be inde-
pendent of the piles,
even should they in the course of
time give way or be eaten with worms. At present, Mr.
Preston assured me there was not the slightest ap-
pearance of e a thing, and many hundred of piles
su_ h
had been in the ground since the commencement.
I should imagine they had at least 150 men employed
on the section we visited, principally, I think, nabligr
of Cartlaagena. The offices and workshops on the
section have every appearance of a system of deter-
mination to get on, and the wharfs made afford great
facilities for landing materials and provisions. While
we were there, a brig of about 450 tons came along-
side the wharf, where she had 2.0 feet of water, and
although a lightThreez9 was blowing from the north-
ward with a swell ;;outside, the water was perfectly
still and smooth in the bay. I should ,observe, also,
that we saw passenger carriages, first and second
of a very superior description, and nicely fitted these
had been sent from America, and were at the station
ready for use at an hour's notice, also several luggage
vans, and another making at the station.

MUNIFICENT DONATlON.—Recently -- Gillow,
I; q., a Mexican merchant, visited this town on maters
connected with his mercantile pursuits. In the course of
his stay he presented to a reverend gentleman the sum of
2,000/. for the purpose of building schools for the education
of the poor children of the town.—,Liverivo/Mercury.