The Sun.
London, England, 1856-11-27 00:00:00

DUTIES OF THE COMMON SERJEANT.

Unlike the office of Recorder, which is in the appoint-
ment of the Court of Aldermen, that of Common Serjeant
is vested in the majority of the Common Council, who
" in Common Council assembled" decide the matter in
the event of a contest. The salary is 1,500/. per annum,
with some additional fees for extra business. The office
is always held by a barrister, and the main duties are
as follow :

The Common Serjeant has to attend at the sessions
of the Central Criminal Court, where he sits as one of
the City judges. The praotice is for the Recorder to
sit in one court and the Common Serjeant in another,
the judge of the Sheriffs' Court sitting (as a commis-
sioner) in the early part of the day to try any short cases
there may be before the judges come, and to prepare
the court for them. The Common Serjeant has to sit
usually about four or five days in each session, and
his ordinary duties are those of a judge in a Crown
Court. It is his duty, if any difficulty arises in any
case, to consult the other judges when they are there, or
if tne judges are not there, to consult with the Recorder,
or with the commissioner. Besides these duties he has,
in case his opinion is required, to attend the Court Of
Aldermen, the Court of Common Council, and the Com-
missioners of Sewers, to which body be cx.dicio belongs.
He also has the duty of acting as assessor to the Sheriffs
at Common Hall, on the day of the election of the City
officers, proclaiming the names and advising the Sheriffs
as to any points which may arise at the time. The Com-
mon Serjeant is the officer of the Sheriffs, and he pro-
claims the names of those who are to be nominated as
candidates. His duty as Common Serjeant practically
precludes him from practising at Westminster Hall, al-
though this originally was customary. The reason of
this is, not that he is officially prohibited froin doing so,
but because the number of sessions at the Central Cri-
minal Cuurt has so increased that he cannot do so, the
number of such sessions formerly being eight, while
now there are twelve during the year. The terms of bis
appointment do not debar him, in fact, from attending
any court, except inferior courts of criminal jurisdiction.
The present Common Sergeant has not been more than
12 months appointed, he having obtained the situation
upon the retirement of Edward Bullock, Esq., who held
the appointment between five and six years. Morning
Advertiser.

Her Majesty will hold a Privy Clucmcil to-morrow at
Windsor Castle. _ _ _

Viscount Palmerston gave a dinner to the Cabinet
Ministers last evening at his residence in Piccadilly.
Vice-Admiral the Right Hon. Sir M. Fitzhardinge
Berkeley has resumed his duties as Senior Naval Lord
at the Admiralty.
Tne marriage of Colonel ?aget with Miss Maria
Grenfell, daughter of Mr. C. W. Grenfell, M.P., for
Windsor, took place yesterday morning at St. Peter's
Church, Pimlico.
Mr. Firmly had an interview with the Chancellor of
the Exchequer, yes;erday, at his official residence in
Downing street,
Mr. John Francis had an interview with the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer to submit a proposal for stamp-
ing the covers of newspaper agents with an impre.sed
die for postal purposes in lieu of the attached label now
in use.

Lord and Lady Byron have left Eaton-place for their
son's residence in Oxfordshire. His lordship has
nearly recovered from the severe injuries he received on
the occasion of -,he recent collision near the King's
Langley station of the London and North-Western
Railway.
LADY BYRON.—By the death of Lord Scarsdale, on
the 12th inst., theaheyance of the Barony of Wentworth
(cr. 1529) is terminated in favour of Lady Noel Byron,
widow of the celebrated poet, who becomes in her own
right Baroness Wentworth.
Free emigration to Australia is again resumed, and a
large number of single girls are wanted for the colonies.
The bar silver brought by the last West India
steamer has been sold at 621 d., being an advance of
Id. on the price realised for that by the preceding
packet.
Tian Orriog or ItsconmEn.—A Special Court of
Aldermen will be held on Saturday, at Guildhall, for the
purpose of formally receiving the resignation of the
Right Hon. J. A. S. Wortley, M.P., the recorder of the
City of London, and for taking the necessary steps for
the election of his successor.

Mr. Herriss is made deputy-chairman of the Board of
Inland Revenue, and Mr, Spencer Ponsonby, wire ac-
companied Lord Clarendon in the capacity of private
secretary to the Conferences of Paris, is appointed to
the vacancy created at the Board by the promotion of
Mr. Herries. Mr. Spencer Ponsonby was previously
private secretary to Lord Palmerston during the time he
held the seals of the Foreign.office.
A dinner, in commemoration of which a piece of
plate press nted to the station-master of Windsor, took
place yesterday at Slough. The piece of plate consists
of a handsome silver vase, engraved with the following
inscription :—" Presented to John Madigan, of the
South-Western Railway-station, Windsor, by the season-
ticket holders and other passenger 4, as a trifling acknow-
ledgment of his unremitting attention to his duties, and
the primotio of their comf rt as passengers."
It is stated that 315,0001. out of the 350,0001. re-
quired as the capital of the Atlantic Telegraph Com-
pany, by whom it is hoped to establish electric commu-
nication between England and America in the early part
of next summer, has already been subscribed. 100,0001.
has been taken in the United State', 104,0001. in Lon
don, 71,000/. in Liverpool, 25,0001 in Manchester,
14,0001. in Glasgow, and 1,0001. in Leamington. On
Friday next the shares are to be allotted.
The report of the Tru-t and Loan Company of Upper
Canada, issued preparatory to their meeting on the 2d
of December, states the profits for the half-year ending
the 30th of September at 9,9841. A dividend at the rate
of 7e per cent. per annum (less income tax) is recom-
mended. 1,867/. is to be carried to the reserve fund,
which will then amount to 11,6851 ; 2501. is to he
written off preliminary expenses, and a balance of 4731.
is to be carred to the credit of next half-year,
DEATH OF Mn. ARTHUR DILLON THE ACTOR.—Mr.
Arthur Dillon, the father of Mr. Charles Dillon, the
talented lessee of the Lyceum, died on Tuesday evening,
after a long illness, at his lodgings, Broad-court, Bow-
street. Mr. Charles Dillon was on the stage in the last
act of "Fabian," when the melancholy intelligence
reached the theatre, bat it was not communicated to
him until the performances had come to a conclusion.
Mr. ANGUS B. REM:IL—This gentleman, whose lite-
rary exertions were premature:y terminated about two
years since by paralytic affection, expired at his resi-
dence at Denmark-hill on Tuesday last. He had Hot
quite completed his 35th year. Mr. Angus Reach's
amiable qualities, no less than his intellect, had endeared
hi n to a large circle of friends, and we had occasion to
record that the most successful of amateur theatrical pf r-
formances was given for his benefit. Later her Majesty
was pleased to confer upon him the gift of 1001. He
leaves a widow, but was childless, and his remains will
be deposited in the cemetery at Norwood.
METROPOLITAN BOARD OF WORKS.—RESIGNATION OF
MR. UoRRIX.—Mr. Corrie, the police magistrate of
Clerkenwell Court, and who has been, since its forma
tion, representative for the parish of St. Pancras in the
Metropolitan Board of Works, has resigned his seat at
that board. Inability to give up sufficient time to the
important duties of a member of the metropolitan board,
coupled with those pertaining to his magisterial capacity,
is a-signed as the cause of such resignation.
COLLISION ON THE LONDON AND NORTH-WESTERN
RAlLlVAY.—Yesterday morning, at ten minutes past 8
o'clock, an alarming collision took place on the London
and North-Western Railway, at Leighton Buzzard.
Happily it was unattended with lose of life. One second
class passenger carriage was almost smashed to atoms,
and the break van of the Dunstable train asas likewise
crushed. The monster springs and axletrees lying about
bent and twisted in all directions, show how violent was
the encounter. Had it happened two minutes earlier
the result would have been dreadful to contemplate, five
passengers having just got out of the very carriage that
was HO completely smashed.
TRIBUTE OF RESPECT.—On Monday evening last, a
complimentary dinner was given at the Mitre Tavern,
Fleet-street, by upwards of thirty of the gentlemen con-
nected with
the evening ; the Weekly Dispatch newspaper, to Mr.
Richard Wood, the highly esteemed publisher of that
nna!, and manager of the establishment. The chair
was filled b y the sub-editor of the paper, the guest of
of
the
h
the
teeditorrary ofs t
athe
being on
hainsdrtighhetotahnedr
members
left. The printing department was also fully represented,
there being but ono absentee on the occasion, and even
the humblest persons identified with the Dispatch were
permitted to be present, as the festival was intended to
be an expression of the general feeling entertained with
respect to Mr. Wood by all who came within the sphere
of his operations. The chairman, in proposing the
health of Mr. Wood, referred to the fact that that gen-
tleman ha'l held his arduous and responsible position
for nearly thirty-'our years, and he added, that during
that time Mr. Wood had conducted the duties of his
office in such a manner as to obtain for himself esteem
and regard, and to eecure for his proprietors the greatest
possible advantage. The editor bore his testimony to
the sterling worth of Mr. Wood, and the company
drank the tout with the utmost cordiality. Mr. Wood
returned thanks for the flattering compliment that had
been paid to him, in terms which showed how deeply he
appreciated the honour that had been conferred upon
him. The evening was spent in a manner that must
have been highly gratifying to the promoters of the
"tribute of respect," as it undoubtedly was to tke re•
cipient of it.