The Sun.
London, England, 1867-05-25 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATITROA V EVENING,'• MAY 25, 1867.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.—This Day.

SHERIFFS' COURT.
(Before Mr. Commissioner Kerr.)

THE LAW OF THE RIVER THAMES-IMPORTANT QUESTIONS

Two very important questions wero raised before his
Honour (Mr. Commissioner Kerr) this morning in referen 7,e
to the custom of the traffic on the river Thames. I❑ the
first case, Bruce v. Allen, the plaintiff, for whom Mr. Farn-
field appeared, was a br,rge owner of Dartford, and defen-
dant, for whom Mi. Green appeared, was a river pilot
Plaintiff claimed damages, iu consequence
Fanny being run down by the screw steatner Herald while
the latter was in charge of the defendant. The question
raised was whether plaintiff was bound to drop his anchor
at a certain spot, but Captain James, the harbourmaster for
the port of London, stated that the steamer was in the
wrong, and had run down the barge, which was not bound
to drop its anchor.

llis Honour found for the plaintiff with costs.
In the second case, Watkiu v. Adams, Mr. Parnfield ap-
peared for the plaintiff, who sought to recover damages
sustained through the sinking of his barge. Mr. Cottams,
for defendant, pleaded that his client was not liable. It
appeared that defendant was the owner of a certain hulk
which had been anchored in the river. Plaintiff's barge
was moored to this hulk, and one of defendant's men un-
moored it and took it to the stern of the hulk, where he
fastened it. In a gale that arose the barge sank. Plaintiff
contended that he had a right by custom to moor to hulks,
but Captain James said there was no such custom, although
barges wore frequently so moored. _ _

His Honour nonsuitod plaintiff upon the ground that he
had no right to moor his barge to the bulk.

POLICE INTELLIGEfiCE.—This Day.

BOW STREET.

CRUEL ASSAULT ON A CHlLD.—Elizabeth Brennar,
dissipated-looking woman, was charged with a savage
assault on Emily Richards, a child of about five years of

age.

A young woman, named Rebecca Williams, stated that
on the previous evening she was passing along Endell-
street, and saw the prisoner sitting on a door step. She
was very drunk. She suddenly jumped up in a fit of fury,
seized upon a little child that was playing in the street,
and dashed it upon the pavement. The child got up cry-
ing and ran away. She then rushed upon the little girl
Emily Richards, and seven times lifted her and dashed
her upon the ligstones in the same manner. Witness
gave her into custody. The other child had a black
eye.

The child's mother, a decent woman, the wife of a me-
chanic, stated that the child had a large swelling at the
back of he head produced by the fall.
The prisoner said she was drunk, and did not know
what she was doing. _ _ _

In answer to the magistrate, Redstall, the gaoler, said
the prisoner had frequently been charged at this court
with drunkenness and disorderly conduct.

The magistrate observed that the case was one of pecu-
liar inhumanity, which he felt he could not deal with in
the ordinary way. Ho should convict the prisoner under
the Aggravated Assaults Act, and sentence her to six
months imprisonment, with hard labour.

THE COTTON FAMINE FUND.

The Enrl of Derby, as chairman of the Central
Relief Committee which was established for the as-
sistance of the unfortunate operatives in Lancashire
and the manufacturing districts who were thrown
out of work in consequence of the American war,
received an influential deputation yesterday after-
noon from the National Freedmen's Aid Union of
Great Britain and Ireland, which had waited upon
his lordship to represent to him how suitably the
terribly exhausted and famine stricken condition of
the cotton-growing centre of the southern part of
the United States may be made an object for the use
of the surplus funds in the hands of the Lancashire
Cotton Famine Fund Committee. ne district iu
question embraces a belt of land about 600 miles long,
and varying from 150 to 200 miles wide, beginning
at the Mississippi, above New Orleans, and extend-
ing in a north-easterly direction, and terminating in
the western portions of North and South Carolina.
It includes an area about equal to three times that
of Ireland. The population is about a million and
a half —more than one-half of whom are coloured
people. It has been termed " The Burnt District,"
because almost every green leaf was scorched as by
fire during the drought of last summer, when no
rain fell on the district for nearly three months,
while the crops needed it most.. The whole of these
amounts, said the committee in the circular conven-
ing the deputation, would form but a partial re-
quital of that beneficence of America to Ireland de-
scribed, in 1847, " as manifestations of generosity
and charity of a nation sprung from the same origin
as ourselves, which her Majesty the Queen has seen
with the highest satisfaction." The deputation
assembled at the Premier's official residence, and
included representatives from committees for the
relief of the operatives during the cotton famine.
which had been formed in various towns; and
amongst others, from Dublin, Edinburgh, Birming-
ham, Newcastle, Belfast, Lancaster, Leeds, Man-
chester, and Brighton. There were present Sir T.
Fowell Buxton, M.P., President of the Association;
Lord Frederick Cavendish, M.P., Mr. E. Baines,
M.P., Mr. S. Gurney, M.P., Mr. T. Bazley, M.P.,
Mr. J. Pim, ALP., Mr. D. M'Laren, M.P., Hon
Arthur Kinnaird, M.P., Mr. White, M.P., Mr. Bee-
croft, M.P., Mr. P. Taylor, M.P., Mr. Pease,
M.P., &c. Sit T. Fowell Buxton, M.P., introduced
the deputation to Lord Derby, and explained the
object they had in view in waiting upon his lord-
ship. They believed that such a disposal of the
surplus fund would not only be most useful and
beneficial, but at the same time one which would be
esteemed by the American people as au exceedingly
graceful one.
Addresses from the Freedmen's Union, and also

from the former Irish famine committee, were pre-
sented to Lord Derby by tho secretary (Mr. Al-
bright) and a gentleman from Dublin.
Mr. Alderman Manton, Dr. Raleigh (Congrega-
tional minister), the Rev. Mr. Minton (Church of
England), the Rev. Sella Martin, Mr. Pim, M. P.,
the lion. A. Kinnaird, M.P., Mr. King, of Balti-
more, U.S., severally addressed the Premier in sup-
port of the application. It was represented that in
their opinion the best way to accomplish the
matter would be by a short Act of Parliament.

The SECRETARY said he had a letter from the
Rev. W. Arthur, president of the Wesleyan body,
expressing his approval of it.
Lord DERBY, in reply, said—Gentlemen, I have
listened with the utmost attention to the statement
and arguments which have been brought before me
by this numerous and very influential deputation,
and I have no donbt that whenever an opportunity,
occurs of bringing the matter under the considera-
tion of the Central Committee of Relief at Man-
chester it will receive their fullest consideration.
But I am afraid, as far as I am personally con-
cerned, I cannot hold out any expectation that,
during the present sitting of Parliament, my other
engagements will allow me to attend at Manchester,
for the purpose of holding such a committee meet-
ing. At the same time I can have no objection to
a meeting of the coundttee being held to consider
the subject even in my absence. I cannot certainly
conceive it possible that I shall find time to go there.
I regard as a very important question the disposal
of the surplus fund now remaining in the hands of
the general committee. There is no doubt that you
have put a very strong case in the representations
which you have made, but as regards the expediency
of it you must recollect that the central committee
are trustees for the donors at large, and that it is
impossible for them to pronounce for any specific
mode of disposing of it unless they have the sanc-
tion of the donors for their action. It will be ne-
cessary for them to ascertain more than could be
ascertained by the expression of views ors the part of
this deputation what would be the wishes of the
great majority of the donors. I mentioned to Mr.
Albright, in February, that, according to the best
advice we have taken, it is clear we have no power
of disposing of the surplus except under the sanc-
tion of the Court of Chancery, upon a scheme laid
before it by the central committee. You propose
to get rid of the difficulty through an act of Parlia-
ment, for the purpose of carrying out the views of
the committee.
The SECRETARY (Mr. Albright)—Or the views of
our Freedmen's Aid Union, if the central committee
should so adopt them.
Lord DERBY—To carry into effect the views of

the committee, it would be necessary for the com-
mittee to ascertain what are the views of the great
majority of the donors, and of those who have paid
up the full amount of their subscriptions. Under
these circumstances I do not think it would be right
for me to express any opinion whether the mode
which you propose is the most perfect for complying
as nearly as possible with the original intention
under which the subscriptions were given. You are
aware that other modes of disposing of it have been
suggested. There is a proposition made for the
establishment of a local hospital for the relief of
working men in the midland districts ; and another,
that those who had paid up their subscriptions in
full should receive back what would be an equitable
portion, according to the amount of their original
contributions. That is a question which also de-
serves serious consideration. If this be adopted,
there is no difficulty in the way of those who have
so contributed and have received back their pro-
portionate amounts, applying it to the purpose
stated or to any other ; but that would be a matter
for their own discretion. I cannot help thinking
that there might be differences of opinion respect-
ing the proper and best application of the surplus.
As I stated, it would be inexpedient that I, as chair-
man of the central committee, should state any per-
sonal opinion upon this occasion. I can only say
that, if I have the opportunity of being present at
the meeting of the committee, I would fairly, and
deliberately, and impartially consider what I might
deem to be the best mode of disposing of it—(hear,
hear)—and if I should be in a minority, I should
readily yield my opinion to that of the majority of
the committee, with whom I have always had the
happiness of acting in the most perfect harmony.
Nothing has ever disturbed that harmony. (Hear,
hear.) I feel bound to yield my own opinion to
that of the majority. 'Without the opportunity of
consulting witt. those gentlemen it would be impos-
possible for me to state more than I have. I have
listened with the greatest respect and attention to
the statements which you have made, and I can
assure you that they will receive my best considera-
tion whenever the committee meet.
The deputation, having thanked the noble earl,
withdrew.

RATCATCIIERS ON STRIKE.-4n and about London,
Birmingham, Wolverhampton, &c., lately there have been
a great many matches at rat- killing, and many more are in
prospect. Taking advantage of this circumstance, the rat-
catchers have for a few weeks past complained of the diffi-
culties they have experienced iu procuring the vermin in
sufficient numbers to satisfy the requirements of their em-
ployers. An order was sent from Bristol last week to
Wolverhampton—that town being, wo suppose, the grand
emporium of the trade—for a largo supply "of rats. There
were but few to bo had, and those of the smallest size.
Birmingham, Walsall, and other places wore tried, but
without success; and in despair another and more impera-
tive order was forwarded to Wolverhampton. A day or
two passed by in anxious suspense, and late on Tuesday
evening last the looked-for answer arrived. It was utterly
impossible to obtain any rats, for the ratcatchors had
struck, awl demanded a uniform price of 4s. Gd. per dozen,
irrespective of size or quality ; and this price, the em-
ployers said, they could not afford to give.—Western Daily
Press.