The Sun.
London, England, 1869-01-20 00:00:00

LAW AND POLICE,

A DISPUTED APPOINTMENT. —At the Court of Queen's
3encli, Mr. Asgood, formerly registrar of the City
Sheriff's Court, brought an action against Mr. Nelson, the
City solicitor, for a certain amount of salary. It seems
that Mr. Asgood was registrar of the court, and Mr. Aikman
bailiff. Some disputes arose between them and the judge
of the court, and an inquiry took place before a committee
of the Court of Common Council. Both gentlemen were
removed from their offices, and Mr. Nelson, the defen-
lant, was appointed registrar. The question raised was
as to the power of removal, the plaintiff contending that
the office was an ancient one, and of the nature of a free-
hold. The case was not concluded.

AN AWKWARD MISTAKE.-At Bow-street Police-court,
a constable of the A division, was charged with a violent
and unprovoked assault on an engineer. It seems that
the constable, who was in plain clothes, was watching
ror a thief in St. James's Park, and mistook
the complainant, who was a respectable man,
for the culprit. The complainant, on being seized, flung
down his bundle and ran away, pursued by the policeman.
A. scuffle ensued, when the engineer was somewhat injured.
The magistrate remarked that it was a very difficult case
to deal with, but finally dismissed the charge, remarking
that the complainant ought to be compensated for his
injuries.

A WORKHOUSE OFFICIAL.—Edward Charles rnscall,
caskmaster of Lambeth Workhouse, was charged at
Lambeth Police-court with stealing some silver from
another officer of the establishment. In defence, he said
it was done in a joke. The magistrate said it was no
joking matter, and committed him for trial, refusing bail.
A CRUEL IMPOSITION.—At Guildhall, on Tuesday, two
cases were exposed, in which persons who had answered
advertisements of situations for disposal had been vic-
timised. In one case a young woman had in this way lost
£2, which she deposited on her engagement as an
accountant, but on going into the City to commence
her duties, found the office closed. In the other a man
paid £5 on receiving the appointment of money-taker to a
travelling concert company, and on proceeding to Per-
shore, in Worcestershire, to join the company, found that
the post was filled by a man who had paid £2O for it.

ASSAULT ON THE POLICE.-At the Middlesex Sessions,
on Tuesday, the grand jury made a presentment with
respect to the numerrui and increasing cases 'of assault
with violence committed on policemm in the execution of
their duty, and expressed their opinion that flogging was
the only punishment that would adequately meet such
cases. 'The assistant judge promised to forward the
recommendation to the proper quarter.

TESTIMONIAL TO MR. R. YOUNG.-At a meeting
.which has been held of the subscribers to the testimonial
to this gentleman, who was the Liberal member for Cam-
bridgeshire, it was reported that the subscriptions were
coming in liberally, and Thursday, February 11, was
fixed upon for a banquet to Mr. Young, and the presenta-
tion of the testimonial. The banquet will be held at
Cambridge.

Two other members of the Ministry have been
troubled with the bottle-nosed whales. The Duke of
Argyll, in reply to a letter frcm Mr. Drew, writes
believe there is no doubt whatever that the bottle-nosed
whale feeds upon fish. It is the great Greenland whale
whose gullet is so small. The food of this animal con-
sists of minute and gelatinous organisms, but the bottle-
nosed whale is armed with formidable teeth, which
must be intended and kept for the capture of fish. I
must add that I believe the capture of bottle-nosed
whales to be difficult and quite unremunerative." A similar
communication addressed to Mr. Lowe is dismissed as fol.
lows : - "11, Downing-street, Whitehall, Jan. 15, 1869.—Sir,
I am desired by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to acknow-
ledge the receipt of your letter of yesterday's date.—l am,
&c., C. RAVERS WILSON."

IGNORANCE.— The German savants who went to
Bombay last year to observe the great eclipse have
(the Daily News remarks) brought home a poor account
of wkat they saw, the eclipse having been visible only
for six seconds. But they tell some curious stories
about the natives of India and the state of their educa-
tion. At a meeting of the Geographical Society,
held last Friday at Berlin, Dr. Tietjens, who was
one of the party of observers, mentioned that
during the period of the eclipse the assembled natives paid
no attention to the phenomenon itself, as they were
entirely engrossed with watching the tent and the opera-
tions of the European magicians. They believed that the
whole thing had been got up for the amusement of the
Governor, who was present ; and after it was over
they addressed a petition to him that he would
kindly allow the exhibition to be repeated. Dr.
Tietjens also narrated one or two other traits of the
natives, from which it would appear that the European
schoolmaster has still a large field before him. Somewhere
in the neighbourhood of Bombay some ploughs which had
been imported from England were regarded, not as the
instruments but as the gods of agriculture, and were pre-
pepre4 in pi temple as agibject of Rpm.