The Sun.
London, England, 1869-12-18 00:00:00

LAW AND POLICE.

CHARGE AGAINST THE GASLIGHT COMPANY.—In the
Court of Exchequer, Joseph Morris, an American by birth,
has brought an action for malicious prosecution against the
Cas Light and Coke Company. The proceedings originated
in the burning of Saville House, Leicester-square, in
1565, through an explosion of gas. Mr. Morris, who was
tenant of part of the prcmises made a claim against the
company fur £.2,700. Ho was himself on the Continent
exhiLiting the Aztec children at the time of the fire.
There was a dispute as to its origin, it being attributed to
the negligence of the defendants' employes, who supplied
the gas, and a great deal of litigation ensued between the
gas company and the insurance offices of the several
Lnants. The claims were referred to arbitration, and Mr.
Morris, who was nut insured, but who had a claim on the
gas company for his losses, made a mistake of
some £2OO in the amount, which mistake was rectified.
The company maintained that his claim was excessive, and
had him suddenly arrested on the charge of fraud. He
was taken to the police station and locked up for the night.
Being remanded, he was sent to the House of Detention,
and was afterwards committed for trial. When the case came
on and the witnesses were examined, Mr. Justice Lush
animadverted strongly on the institution of the pro-
secution pending a civil claim, and the jury acquitted
the prisoner. A fortnight later the arbitrator made an
award in his favour for - £2,170. Mr. Morris offered if
the company would pay his attorney's bill of £l,OOO,
to waive all right of action against them, but they declined
the offer. The defendants' counsel having asked leave to
consult, a verdict was assented to for £1,50). The Lord Chief
Baron strongly condemned the institution of criminal pro-
ceedings by the company, and said the plaintiff's character
was in no way impeached.

A TRADE QI:EST:ON.—In the Court of Common Pleas a
compositor, in the employ of Messrs. Itivington, the pub-
lishers, sued to recover a trifling amount for work clone,
the object being to obtain a decision of the court on a trade
dispute. The question at issue was whether by the custom of
the trade a compositor who had composed part of a section
of a sheet, the rest being matter already made up, was
entitled to charge as though he had composed the whole
sheet. A number of witnesses were examined on both
sides—those for the plaintiff to prove the existence of the
custom, those for the defence contending that no such
custom existed. The jury found for the plaintiff ; but Mr.
Justice Brett, who complimented both parties upon their
fairness, thought it was a proper case to bo tried in a
superior court, and reserved to the defendants' counsel
leave to move the full court.

CHARGE OF LIBEL.—The publishers of the Free Lance,
a local publication, have been charged at the Manchester
Assizes with libelling two solicitors by calling them
"impertinent and stupid." An apology was agreed to, and
a formal verdict of Not Guilty returned.
SMUGGLING ClGARS.—William Weedon, the steward of a
ship from Melbourne, has been fined £lOO at the Thames
Police-court for smuggling cigars and tobacco.

On Thursday the Right Rev. Harvey Goodwin, late
Dean of Ely, was enthroned and installed as Bishop of
Carlisle.

FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENTS.—The Gazette contains
the cowrie d'ilire for the election of a Bishop of Oxford, in
succession to Dr. Wilberforce, translated to Winchester,
and the royal recommendation of the Rev. J. F.
Mackarness to the Dean and Chapter. It is also announced
that the Marquis of Normanby is to be captain of hex
Majesty's Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms, in the
room of the late Lord Foley. The Speaker's warrants fox
the election of new members for Longford and Queen's
County, in succession to Colonel Greville Nugent and
Mr. Fitzpatrick, two of the new peers, aro published in
the Gazette.

THE FO 0 T-AND-1110 TJTH DISEASE. —A. supple-
ment to the London Gazette contains an Order in Council
empowering a local authority from time to time, with
the view of preventing the spreading of foot-and.
mouth disease, to make regulations for applying to that
disease all the provisions contained in the Conta-
gious Diseases (Animals) Act, 1869, relating to plow°-
pneumonia, or such part or parts thereof as may be
thought lit. The following rules for foot-and-mouth d:s-
ease shall, however, bo in substitution of the pleuro-
pneumonia rules contained in the seventh schedule to the
Act referred to These rules are to have effect with
respect to any field, stable, cow-shed, or other promises
infected by foot and mouth disease. 2. Animals affected
with foot and mouth disease, or herded with animals so
affected, itre not to be moved from such field, stable, cow-
shed, or other premises, or from any land or building con-
tiguous thereto in the same occupation, except either for
immediate slaughter, according to regulations to be from
time to time made by the local authority for insuring such
slaughter, or if not for immediate slaughter, under a
license signed by an officer of the local authority appointed
to issue licenses in that behalf. 3. Sheds and places used
;by animals affected with foot and mouth disease are forth-
after being so used, to be cleansed and clisigfftesl)o
the satiafactiQuA the decal althotiti.