The Sun.
London, England, 1856-11-03 00:00:00

DEATH OF SIR JOHN JERVIS.

We regret to announce the death of Sir John Jervis,
Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas. This me-
lancholy event took place, as we are informed, on Satur-
day night, and, we believe, had been foreseen for some
time, though so speedy a termination to the disease with
which Sir John Jervis was affected was not expected.
That disease had latterly assumed the form of atrophy,
itself merely the result of a long period of delicate health,
by which a constitution naturally robust was gradually
impaired and undermined.
Before his elevation to the Chief Justiceship, an event
which took place in the year 1850, the late Sir John
Jervis was distinguished more for his general ability,—
for his quickness and dexterity as an advocate, than for
any special knowledge of the law or profound acquaint-
ance with its origin and principles. He was no black-
letter lawyer, perhaps, but he was a most shrewd and
ready counsel; and this quality, which he possessed in a
pre-eminent degree, and the want of which has con-
demned many a profound black-letter lawyer to vegetate
inseen—a legal cactus—in Stone-buildings or Figtree-
court, procured for Sir Johu Jervis not only a large
share of professional emolument, but ultimately raised
him to one of the highest stations on the bench.
It may not, perhaps, be generally known that the late
Chief Justice served for some time in the army before
trying his fortune at the bar. Being induced, we know
not from what cause, to change his profession, he was
called to the bar in the year 1824, went the Oxford and
Chester circuits, and soon attracted attention by his
ability. Becoming a Queen's Counsel, and his reputation
still continuing, he was raised to the dignity of Attorney-
General in the year 1846, an office which he filled with
great capacity in a very trying time, as our readers will
remember when we remind them that Sir John Jervis
was Attorney-General in the year 1848, and that he suc-
ceeded, without a single exception, in convincing those
misguided political offenders who then attempted to dis-
turb the public peace. In 1850 he was raised to the Chief
Justiceship of the Common Pleas, in succession to Lord
Truro, who was raised to the Chancellorship. It was
feared by many that an advocate by some thought un-
scrupulous, and, at any rate, distinguished by dexterity
rather than profundity, might not have worn the ermine
of the bench with becoming gravity and impartiality.
This fear, we are bound to say, proved entirely without
foundation. The common sense which Sir J. Jervis pos-
sessed in addition to his great professional experience
kept him clear of all judicial blunders, and in criminal
matters, which form so large a portion of judicial duties,
an abler judge in all probability never sat on the bench.
His sagacity and acuteness here found a fitting field, and
his dexterity and sound practical sense stood him in
good stead, whether in detecting crime or in exposing
the fallacies put forward by counsel. In his purely legal
decisions he showed the same qualities, and we believe
we only utter the opinion of that profession which this
day meets together after the long vacation in Westmin-
ster-hall when we say that in all respects the late Sir J.
Jervis was an excellent judge.
In politics we need hardly say that the late Chief Jus-
tice was a Liberal. He sat for Chester from 1832 to 1850,
and invariably voted with his party, except on one or
two occasions about the year 1836, when he thought him-
self ill-used by the Government, who refused him, as we
have heard, an Indian judgeship. In this, as in so much
else in life, what seems to a man injustice is often good
fortune in an unkind shape. His health would not pro-
bably have withstood the change to a tropical climate,
and certainly, had he quitted England for a seat on
the Indian bench, he would never have lived to rise to
be one of the chief judicial dignitaries of the mother
country. An Indian Judgeship is, no doubt, a high
dignity, bat is also a high "shelf," and when a man
has been on a high shelf for 20 years in a tropical cli-
mate he may be fit for many things, but he is off the
rail of promotion which runs through Westminster hall,
and can hardly expect to rise to the Chief Justiceship of
the Common Pleas, It is expected that, as is customary
in such cases, the ♦acant judgeship will be offered to Sir
Alexander Cockburn, her Majesty's Attorney-General.

RESIGNATION OF MR. BARON PLATT.

We are informed that Mr. Baron Platt has resigned
his seat as a Baron of the Exchequer. Mr. Watson,
Q.C., is spoken of as likely to become the new judge.

COWES, ISLE OF WIGHT.

ROYAL YACHT SQUTDROZTINTELLIGHNCE.—The build-
ings at Cowes Castle to adapt it for a club-house for the
Royal Yacht Squadron are proceeding most satisfactorily.
The present fine weather has very much favoured the
work, and, from the great strength of men set on the
work, there is great probability of the buildings, though
so massive and extensive, being finished in the time
agreed on.
PUBLIC RIGHTS.— A great sensation has been created
in Cowes by a notice from the Royal Yacht Squadron to
the local Board of Health of their intention of closing the
roads at the front and at the back of the Castle one day
at least in every year, and at their having erected two
stone piers, one on each side of the upper road, to fix
chains on, and thus exclude the public. As these roads
are the only ones leading from the town to the baths,
the public esplanade, and to several noblemen and gen-
tlemen's houses, and to Mrs. Goodwin's cottages in the
West Cliff, and have always been open, the inhabitants
have resolved to remove any obstructions to the road by
force, and resolutions of the Local Board have bean car-
ried to that effect. The Secretary to the Royal Yacht
Squadron has written an explanatory letter, stating that
the club is bound by its lease to close the roads and ex-
clude the public from using them one day at the least in
every year, and enclosed an extract from the lease to
that effect. He also adds, "I hope this will be satis-
factory ; if not, allow me to remind the board that, if it
should at all be deemed necessary for the Royal Yacht
Squadron to close the road for 20, 50, or 100 days In
the year, it is competent for it to do so." This letter has
not made matters better. The Local Board has memo-
rialised the Woods and Forests. The inhabitants con-
sider that a more tyrannical proceeding could not be
taken even in Russia, and are determined to bring the
matter before Parliament rather than submit. The Go-
vernment is not likely to get much by this anti-liberal
move.

The yachting season has been brought to a close, and
the numerous yachts that graced our roadstead have
now their keels fast in the mud of the Medina.
Sir H. B. Hoghton's schooner yacht " Gipsy Queen"
has been hauled up on Hansen's slip for repairs, &c. The
"Titania" is refitting for a voyage to the Mediterranean ;
the "Coquette" is also refitting.
Algernon Greville, Esq., has purchased a steam yacht
of about 70 tons.

Mr. Houldsworth has purchased the "Julia," 111
tons, late the property of W. Pearith, Esq.
W. Tomlin, Esq., has purchased the schooner "Coral
Queen," of 117 tons, late the property of the Earl of
Selkirk.

CURIOUS CIRCUMSTANCE.—The burial-ground attached
to St. Mary's church, West Cowes, was closed this day,
Ist November. It had been used as a burialground for
more than 200 years, and it is a curious circumstance
that the first person buried in it was a man by the name
of Denham, and the last a woman of the same name.