The Sun.
London, England, 1869-04-26 00:00:00

LAW AND POLICE.

A DISCREDITABLE CASE.—In the Vice-Chancellor's
Court, on Saturday, in the case of " Johnson v. Ham-
mans," Sir R. Malins expressed his strong disapprobation
of the suit. It had been going on for seven
years, to raise money for a child 13 years of
age, who had, on coming of age, repudiated it.
For raising £B5O, £5OO costs had been incurred, and
the father being dead, the widow, who knew nothing of
the matter, was called upon to execute a, deed to charge
property worth £2,450 with £1,350. Such a suit was a
scandal to the court. After some observations from the
counsel, the Vice-Chancellor said he should investigate
the whole matter, and see if there was not some
means of preventing these poor people from being beg-
gared by these pr,ccedings, and making those pay the
costs who had taken such an improper course.

A DIFFICULTY RESPECTING AN INVOICE.—In the Court
of Exchequer, on Saturday, an action was brought for the
non-acceptance of twenty parcels of hops, in which a
verdict had been found for the plaintiff for £l3O, leave
being reserved to the defendant to move for a rule, which
had been obtained accordingly. Two questions were dis-
cussed : whether an invoice of the Lops, which contained
the words " that the hops sold were to await orders," and
which was returned by the defendant on account of the
price, formed part of the contract declared upon ;
the second question was whether a subsequently-
signed proposal of the defendant to take the hops at £9
instead of .4:9 95., would, with evidence of a verbal assent
by the plaintiff, form a good memorandum of the bargain
within the Statute of Frauds. Their lordships decided
both questions in the affirmative, and discharged the rule.
Tux MERCHANTS' COMPANY.—Messrs. Lane, Chapman,
and Ifelbert, three directors of the late Merchants' Corn-
' pany, again appeared before the Lord Mayor on Saturday
to answer the charge of having made a false statement
with • intent to defraud the shareholders. The
counsel for the prosecution took occasion to deny the
statement made. by Mr. Lane at the last hearing, that
an attempt had been made to compromise the case, and
that the court was being used as a vehicle of extortion.
'[he proceedings were further adjourned to Friday next,
when it is anticipated that the evidence in bupport of the
charge will be completed. The defendants were allowed
to go upon their personal recognisanccs, each in the sum
of £l,OOO.

INEFFICIENCY OF THE Law.—At Marlborough-street,
on Saturday, Mr. Knox convicted three nightliouse-
keepers in penalties of each. The defendants intimated
that they should appeal, and it was stated that the
cases could not be heard at the sessions until
the aith July. The ina:;istrate then said that as at
such a late period of the parliamentary year it would be
impossible for the Legislature to deal with the matter,
the object of the question being raised at the sessions
would be defeated. He therefore cancelled the con-
victions and dismissed the summonses, telling the police
that under the circumstances they nilgl4.as well give up
their supervision.

In our report of the charge against the directors and
o!hcers of the National and Provincial Union Assurance
and Loan Society, it was stated that Winks and Jones
were bailed, and Reid and Kiddie remanded in custody.
It should have been Winks and Kiddie were bailed, and
Reid and Jones remanded in custody.

Immediate steps are about being taken to test
the validity of the rival claims to the Wicklow peerage
and property.

Mrs. Dr. Mary Walker, after several applications
for office, has received an answer from President Grant
that she might have an interview when dressed as becomes
her sex.

The velocipede mania has reached the distant
Highland village of Braemar, where the country black-
smiths are diligently engaged constructing machines to
rival in speed the light and airy French vehicles.

The Asiatic understands that in all probability
Sir Henry Durand will be the next Lieutenant-Governor
of the Punjab. Mr. George Campbell and Sir Richard
Temple are also named.

The Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress propose to
entertain her Majesty's Ministers at a grand banquet on
Wednesday, June 30. Prior to that date they propose to
give a banquet to her Majesty's Judges, and another to the
bishops and clergy.
TILE M&IIARAJAII DRULEEP SINGIL—HiS High-
ness the Maharajah Dhuleep Singh has been adding con-
siderably to a noble collection of rare and foreign birds
which lie has formed at his seat at Elvedon, near Thet-
ford, Norfolk. The Maharajah has also been forming a
menagerie, and a herd of antelopes has just been added to
it. A member of the Barr family is still with the
Maharajah as falconer.
CABINET COUNCIL.—At the Cabinet Coil held
at Downing-street on Saturday, the Ministerssop
were the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone, the Lord Chan.
cellor, Earl de Grey and Ripon, the Earl of Kimberley,
the Right Hon. H. A. Bruce, the Earl of Clarendon, Ear's
Granville, the Right lion. E. Cardwell, the Duke of
Argyll, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the 'tight Hon.
Hugh Childers, the Right Hon. J. Bright, the Marquis of
Hartington, and the Right Hon. C. Fortescuc.
ESCAPE FROM GAOL IN IRELAND.—Either gaolers
just now are very lax, or the prisoners are more than
ordinarily "cute." Another clever escape from gaol at
Queenstown is reported in an Irish journal. A mar
named Clarke having had his breakfast brought to him
by the wife of the ga,oler, forced her into the cell he had
occupied, taking her keys from her and locking her up.
With these lie unloc:zed other do, rs, and made his way tc
the street before the loud cries of the imprisoned womar
had attracted the attention of the officers; of the prison.
Clarke was in prison for theft. He has not since beer
heard of.

DISCOVERY OF NATURAL G AS. —Some workmen,
while boring for water at Middleton Tfall, Upligill,
observed that gas escaped from the bore. They applied s
- light, and instantly the gas blazed up into a beautiful whit,
flame, and continued to burn with increasing force until it
was extinguished by the workmen in order to resume boring
After the men had finished their "shift," the gas had con-
siderablyincreased in volume; it was again ignited, and -
pai I ofc)ir.7 water sli-spended o cer it, which was boiledinthirty
minutes. The strata from which has evolves is well known
to min :ralogists as the marl which overlie the rich bitu.
miuous-shales of this district, Judging from the c,:tenl
of the ,source of supply and the richness of the gas, it
might he profitably employed for oil-making, heaqng, war
illumin itivg purposes.—Scldsman.