The Sun.
London, England, 1869-02-24 00:00:00

COUNTY COURTS AMENDMENT ACT.

Mr. GIBBS, of Wolverhampton, proposed a resolution
on: this subject as follows :—" That the County Courts
Amendment Act of 1867 ought to be further amended by
some such clauses as the following, viz.:-1. An action
may be brought in the county court of the district where the
debtor resides ; or if the plaintiff gives security for costs, in
the county court of the district where the plaintiff resides.
3. In any action for the recovery of a trade debt, as
defined by sec. 3 of the Act of 1867, to which an unsuccess•
ful defence has been made, the order shall be for payment
within fourteen days, unless the creditor shall expressly
agree to take payment by instalments or at a later date.
Mr. WRIGHT (of Birmingham) seconded the resolution.
Mr. NORWOOD, M.P. for Hull, said 1 e had introduced
a bill into Parliament on this matter, but it had not any
clause on the point of security for costs.
The resolution was carried.

The comparative statement of pauperism in the
eleven divisions of England and Wales for the month of
November, 1867 and 1868, has been issued. With two
exceptions, there was a considerable increase in every divi-
sion of the number of paupers receiving relief during each
week of 1868 as compared with 1867.

EXTRAORDINARY LONGEVITY.—The following

illustrations of prolonged existance appeared in the
obituary of the Times of Tuesday. The deaths of four
ladies and as many gentlemen are recorded, whose united
ages amounted to 669 years, giving an average of 83 years,
seven months and 14 days to each. Of the ladies, the
youngest was 80 years of age, and the oldest 87 ; of the
opposite sex, the youngest was 80, and the oldest had
reached the great age of 91. One of the latter had been
for 64 years a domestic in a private family, and was the
last survivor of three fel!ow-servants whose united terms
of service exceeded 150 years.
FARM LABOUR. —On an arable farm it will
usually be found that more men are wanted in summer
than can be conveniently employed in winter. At the
same time it has ever been our plan to keep as uniform
a set as posale in all seasons. This has been managed
by setting aside for the winter jobs which, if done
in summer, would interfero with the harvest, root culti-
vati m, &c. Such work will be topping of trees, trimming
hedges, cleaning ditches, and such occasional pieces of
hedge-throwing as may have been determined upon. This
hedge-grubbing we do in the dead of winter. It is done
at a fixed price, and, as our bailiff says, you need not look
80 closely after men when they have their "own work" in
hand ; but when they are at work for the master, on all
sorts of odd jobs, and on short days, there is no knowing
where to find them within a mile or so. The price
paid is 6d. per perch for grubbing and levelling the whole
wood, " mocks " (stumps) and " moors " (roots) belonging
to the men. This furnishes them with a good supply of
firewood, and with all they get no bad addition to their
ordinary wages ; albeit, if done by day-work, it would
cost the farmer double the money.—Chantkr of Agricel.
TO.IMICIL

AND COMMERCE.

post. Great Britain takes nearly four times as much of
Russian goods as does Prussia, the next largest customer.
Russian trade has developed rapidly during the last ten
years, and still makes steady progress.

THE ARCHBISHOR OF CANTEI?BURY 02V
THE SERVICES OF THE CHURCH.

At the meeting of Convocation on Tuesday the subject
of Ritualism and the Privy Council judgment came before
the Upper House. The Archbishop of Canterbury read
portions of the letter he had addressed to a rural dean on
the subject. It referred to a memorial addressed to him.
His Grace said I need scarcely assure you that the
memorial will receive my most careful attention, and that
I shall not fail to consult my brethren of the episcopal
bench on the subject whenever an opportunity occurs.
At the same time I would express my opinion that
the recent decision of the Privy Council in the
case of ' Martin v. Mackonochie ' has ruled merely two
points—namely, first, that lighted candles may not le
used in the celebration of the Holy Communion except for
the purposes of light ; second, that it is not lawful to
consecrate the elements kneeling. I would observe that
all persons ought to be very cautious in dealing with the
judgment of the court, and that ()biter dicta, or reasonings
by which such a conclusion is arrived at in the document
which announces such decision must not be considered
as part of the judgment itself. They appear 0 me to be
only valuable as indicating how such points might be
decided if they were at any time brought before the
tribunal which has pronounced the judgment and ex-
pressed it in the document in which such °biter dicta are
found. My opinion is, that in matters not positively
settled, where any doubt arises in a clergyman's mind, or
where there is any dispute between a clergyman and his
parishioners, such clergyman is bound to consult his
ordinary, who, after considering all the circumstances,
will be ready to decide for him how he ought to act. lam
not of opinion that there is any advantage in having
services in different places, and under widely different
circumstances with varied congregations, all brought to
one stereotyped and invariable form. A certain amount
of liberty with respect to music and various other matters
is evidently contemplated by the law of our Church, and
I do not suppose that our bishops would ever be found
willing to interfere with this liberty, or that they would
be doing their duty by so interfering."

CHILD MURDER IN NEIVGATE.

-

A singular case of child murder has been brought under
the notice of Mr. William Payne, the City coroner, at an
inquest held in the chaplain's-room of Newgate Prison, on
the body of an infant girl, named Mary Jane Baker, aged
4 months. The deceased was the daughter of a young
woman very ignorant, and who could neither read nor
write. She had never been brought up to any
occupation. Though she was but 25 years of age,
she had bean frequently convicted of trying to
pass bad money. Last October, while undergoing a sen-
tence of eighteen months' imprisonment for that offence
in the Westminster House of Correction, she gave
birth to the deceased child. Shortly after the birth of
the child her sentence expired, and she was liberated.
During the latter part of the month another charge of
passing bad money was brought against her, and she was
tried on the 2nd of December at the Central Criminal
Court, and having been found guilty, was sentenced to five
years' penal servitude. Dr. John li. Gibson, the
prison surgeon, deposed that when he was called
into the prisoner's cell on Monday morning, and when
he saw the child lying dead he said to the prisoner,
"How did this happen?" She replied, "I pressed it
against my breast, and I meant to do it until it was
dead." He told her that he would be obliged to tell the
prison authorities what she bad stated, and she said, " I
will tell them myself." There was no mark of violence
upon the body, but the post mortem examination
shewed that the deceased bad died from the effects of
suffocation. The unfortunate woman was called into
the court by order of the coroner. The depositions of
the other witnesses were read over to her, and she was
asked if she had any question to ask the witnesses.
She replied, " No ; I have done it, and I am very sorry
for it." A verdict of " Wilful Murder " against her was
returned.

LAW AND POLICE.

-.~ __

THE POST OFFICE DIRECTORY. —ln the Vice• Chancellor's
Court, on Tuesday, before Vice-Chancellor James, a case
was heard in which Mr. Kelly, of the Post Office Direc-
tory, sought to restrain an infringement of his copyright
by the publishers of the " Architects, Engineers, and
Building Trades' Directory." Mr. Kelly had obtained an
injunction ex parte during the long vacation. The
defendants had put in an answer denying the charge of
piracy, stating that they employed fifty persons for
personal canvass, besides 800 local correspondents. The
case was not concluded.

A PRETENDED OFFICER OP THE CHANCERY COURT.—
At the Marlborough-street Police-court Charles Hill was
charged with fraud. The prisoner, it will be remembered,
represented himself as an officer of the Court of Chancery,
and by telling persons that property left to them was in
the jurisdiction of the court, he obtained money for fees.
The magistrate remarked that it was astounding that
London people should be so readily taken in, and remanded
the prisoner.
REFRESHMENT HOUSES.-On Tuesday the keeper of a
refreshment and lodging - house was summoned at
the Thames Police Court for having infringed
the Public-house Closing Act of 1864, by keeping open
between the hours of one and four in the morning.
The magistrate held that the duty of proving that
the persons served were not lodgers rested with the police,
and as they were unable to do so, the summons was
dismissed.

ROBBERY BY RAILWAY OFFICIALS.—Four men, em-
ployed on the Midland Railway as engine driver, goods
guard, stoker, and pointsman, were charged at Chester-
field with stealing seven quarts of port wine at the Stretton
siding. It seems that, owing to frequent robberies from
the goods trains on this line, two detectives were employed,
who captured the prisoners. The bench having heard the
evidence, committed all the men for trial, and refused
bail.

DEATH OF BARONESS CRAY OF GRAY.—We have
to record the death of Madelina, Baroness Gray of Gray,
which occurred suddenly at Edinbnnth on Saturday last.
DEATH OF A NAVAL VETERAN.—We have to
Announce the death of the oldest officer in the navy, viz.,
Admiral Davies. He was the only survivor of Lord
Howe's action on the glorious Ist of June, and died at
Bath, on Sunday last, in his 91st year. He preserved his
senses to the last, and was highly esteemed by all whc
knew him.
COUNTY COURT PROCEEDINGS. —A short measure
has been prepared by Mr. Norwood, Mr. Akroyd, and
Mr. Mundella for facilitating proceedings in the county
courts. It simply provides, that actions for goods sold
and on bills of exchange may be brought in the district
where the plaintiff carries on business, and extends tc
county courts the Bills of Exchange Act, 1855, in all case
in which the sum mentioned in the bill or note exceeds
in amount, and is not payable by instalments. Judgment
may be had in default after personal service in certair
_
cases.

REPORTS ON FOREIGN 2IIANUFACTURES

A Blue-book has just been issued containing the reports
of her Majesty's Secretaries of Embassy and Legation on
the trade and commerce of the countries in which they
reside. The first on the list are the United States a
Colombia, where, Mr. Bunch tells us, the nations:
revenue has been seriously affected by the political
crisis.

More than half the Customs' revenue
is especially hypothecated to British creditors. The
immense coalfields which exist in Colombia, perhaps
the largest in South America, have as yet been scarcely
worked. It is satisfactory to find from the Austrian
report that both the imports and the exports of Austria
shew a considerable increase, the foreign commerce having
returned to its-former channels, and the evil influence of
the war being over. The bountiful harvest produced an
immense exportation of grain, and the inauguration of a
more liberal commercial policy has already reaped its
reward. No lea than 100 pages of the Blue-book
are devoted to the report of Mr. Thurlow on
Java and its dependencies. This account of the
Dutch East Indies, which contains a suggestion for the
benefit of the English mercantile fleet, who have a chance,
in the event of the monopoly of the Dutch shippers being
abolished, of securing a good share of the carrying trade
of the Dutch Indies. The principal item in the trade of
Baden is the tobacco culture, which is very popular
among the peasantry and more remunerative than any
other product. Italy exhibits a somewhat discouraging
commercial table. The Customs Department attribute
the general depression to the monetary crisis at the begin-
ning of the year, the forced paper money, the cholera, the
war, the failure of the silkworms, and the grape
disease—a chapter of accidents long enough to
account for a good deal. The report from
Belgium shews that the imports of steel from
England have increased considerably since 1867, while
those of steel bars have decreased. The trade in iron of all
sorts shews a decrease in the imports from England, while
the importation of machinery from England has experienced
a marked diminution. In the cotton trade there has been a
revival, English imports occupying the first place. Com-
mon paper is exported to a large extent, England taking more
than one-half. Of the Russian trade we have fewer details,
Mr. Rumbold having been only a very brief time at his

E4T
tfiTlY 1 'MI' r
", •

HER MAJESTY.

OSBORNE, Feb. 23.

The Queen, accompanied by Princess Louise►
drove and walked in the grounds yesterday 11W13-
ing.

In the afternoon her Majesty drove out again'accompanied by Princess Beatrice, and attcndeu
by the Dowager Duchess of Athole.

LATEST INTELL IGENO

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

AUSTRIA

VIENNA, Feb. 24'
The New Free Press of to-day says :—Sigl3or
Calegari, a confidential agent of the Italian Govern;
ment, is at present, by order of the Italian Minister °,
Finance negotiating the conclusion of an imports°
financial operation on the seeurity of the ecelesinS"
tical property.

DESPATCH OF THE AMERICAN MARS'
SOUTHAMPTON, Feb. 23.
The North German Lloyd steamer •New 1.-(1r11
Captain Nordenholt, sailed this afternoon with the
English, French, and German mails for New fork,
120 cabin and a full complement of steerage l'a*g:
sengers, also a general cargo, including French
jewellery from Havre, value 115,000 francs.
QUEENSTOWN, Feb. 24..
The Inman Royal Mail steamer City of 1351tv.
more, from New York, arrived here at 4.45 loll'
to-day, and having landed mails and passenger's'
proceeded immediately for Liverpool. All well.
She brings no specie.

GREENCASTLE, Feb. 24.
The Allan steamship Hibernia, which left Port-
land on the 14th inst., arrived in L-ugh Foyle at
9.10 a.m. to-day with mails and passengers. S"
landed the London mails and proceeded for
Liverpool.

FRANCE.
BouRSE, Feb. 23.—Three o'clock.—The market
closed 'as follows :
41 per Cent. -
ao
End of month — ltOlin Fives 57 ' 3 per Cent
End of month 7l 42-} Mexican Loan ... 25 25
Credit Mobilier
~
.....
End of month 3OO Spanish Threes 33
.......
Credit Foncier -.1610 --- Home Dubt —
..., End of month... Deferred
RAILwArs. Cash
Orleans
Northern
..... 1195
Lyons and Mediterranean
Southern.... 62l±
Western
Eastern
• • 585
Sardinian
Austrian
Lombard 4B2f
North of Spain
Saragossa
Roman 4B}