The Sun.
London, England, 1858-06-17 00:00:00

THE SHREWSBURY ESTATES.

We understand that an action has been commenced
by the Earl of Shrewsbury and Talbot, with the view of
obtaining possession of Alton Towers, at present held
by the trustees under the will of the late earl. The
action, we hear, will come on for trial at the next as-
sizes at Stafford, unless in the meantime, there being
no facts in dispute, a " special case" shall be agreed
upon, in order that the point of law raised on the dis-
entailing deed executed by the late earl may be argued
before the judges. This seems to be the most likely
course to be adopted. The whole question at issue now
appears to be this :—" Is the deed of 1856 to prevail
against an act of Parliament which declares that every
st.ch deed shall be void!" The late earl, as has been
previously stated, executed the disentailing deed in
1256, in order, it is contended, to go through the form
of attempting to possess himself of the fee simple of the
estates in question, every act of alienation with refe-
rence to which it is declared by the act 6th of George I.
shall be null and void. The disentailing deed was, it
appears, a necessary preliminary in order to give a quasi
foundation for the earl's will to operate upon, and in the
case of an ordinary entail would have been all that was
needed to make him owner of the estates in fee simple.
But for this deed, in this case, the present Lord Shrews-
bury would, as a matter of course, have entered into
undisputed possession of the estates. This deed, there-
fore, was the only means open to those under who!'
influence the late earl acted to raise an argument in
favour of the attempt intended to be made at some
future day to prevent the present Lord Shrewsbury in-
heriting the estates. As regards certain estates pur-
chased by the private resources of either Charles or John,
Earl of Shrewsbury, if they belonged to Earl Bertram at
his death they would pass by his will, which was per-
fectly good as to them ; but a rumour pi omits that the
daughters of the late John Earl of Shrewsbury, intend
to contest the question whether those estates did actually
belong to Bertram, Earl of Shrewsbury, at his decease.
With this question, however, the present earl has nothing
whatever to do, as he does not in any way lay claim
to the private property of any of the late earls. The
estates to which he does lay claim are those entailed
under or subsequently conveyed to the uses of the Act
6:h of Geo. I.—in other words, the estates annexed to
the earldom, which are variously stated to be worth from
30,000/. to 35,0001. a-year.—Welverhamiton Chronie/e.

The sudden death of the Lord Justice Clerk puts
within the reach of the Lord Advocate the second pleas
in the Supreme Court of Scotland. Fortune in this
case falls on the deserving. Mr. Inglis has long been
facile prineeps at the Scotch bar ; nor is it often that the
rules of political usage and courtesy lead to a promo-
tion so thoroughly in harmony with the general feeling of
the profession and the real interests of the public.
Should the Lord Advoca e elect to take the vacant
appointment, it will not be easy to supply his place
in the House of Commons, where he was rapidly rising
into deserved appreciation. The withdrawal of a lawyer
so clear-headed, so learned, so honest, and so sound, will
be a loss to Lord Derby's administration.—Morning
Paper.
ANOTHER THUNDERSTORM IN LIVERPOOL—The town
and neighbourhood was visited yesterday morning by
another thunder-storm, which for fierce violence sur-
passed even that of Saturday morning, bat its duration
was shorter. It began about three o'clock, and lasted up
to half-past four. The flashes of lightning were the most
vivid, perhaps, ever seen, and came in rapid succession,
and in immense broad sheets, arid could be seen travers-
ing the streets. The peals of thunder were terrific, and
shook the very horses. We have never heard or sees
any such rain as that which fell for about half-an-hour.
It could not properly be called rain, as it came down in
a sheet-like rush, and in a few seconds there were rivers
of at least half a foot deep in many of the streets.
THUNDERSTORM IN EDINEURSH.—The weather has
continued for some ten days unusually warm for 110
early a period in the season. The temperature has been
high, and the air sultry ; the sky generally cloudy, And
with comparatively little sunshine. Indeed, the atrau-
spheric appearances have frequently indicated the prixi'
mity of thunder, but, save for an occasional peal, this
district may be said to have escaped the electrical storms
that have visited so many parts of the island till last
night, or rather this morning. Between half an hour
morning,l
after
a midnight,ah a
randsharp
thaobuoguht onebri e
f o'clock oon
thunderstormW
over the city, accompanied by torrents ofr passedaeindn.eTe
lightning flashes and thunder-claps were fur some time
almost continuous, the lightning being of a very bright
bluish colour, and some of the peals of thunder--. 0" sn
particular that burst right over the centre of the town--
loud and prolonged. If the heavy rain, which was
probably only local, has not damaged the now rapidlY
bulking grain, the storm will, it may be hoped, other'
wise do much good by clearing and purifying tb•
atmosphere. The barometer continues steady, marking
28 8 10ths. —Scotsman.
THUNDERSTORM IN THE PROVINCES —Another befell
thunderstorm visited Manchester and the neighbour:
hood on Tuesday afternoon, and doubtless will her°
been experienced in other districts. In Mancheater,
after a hot day, though with a considerable weeterir:
breeze, the sky lowered and became very black, eo tor
artificial light bad to be used in the centre of the to!
The rain, in large drops, slightly preceded the 46031:
et which the first flash was observed about 18 ruiug;,,
before 5 p.m. Till alter 5 the storm presented this au,
ference to those lately experienced,—the lightning wir
not so vivid or near, but came at very short interr•
and as it were in groups of flashes, two or three fo r I
ing more rapidly than the flashes of as many
jseent muskets in a feu de joie. Then in a quarter
of a minute would follow another series of two o_rertilf°,
connected flashes, while the corresponding thunder
were
di-tart and not Always aud,ble. After 5 therur.
ane'_;
some more vivid flashes, and the electric distl?
evidently approached nearer. the shortest interval
tween flash and thunder being about five seconds.
a.
about
again passed to a distance and apparently ceased b
m23a
many
yi nnuatsehse s after
uf
Al
lightning
t nhing o'clock.wiuh iheNeVsteahnedi
eroasihnnoofrtet
fell
peimna:::3;ber so
1; time
in any storm.
'ed by heavy rain, wutu
o'clock,—each time accompanied
•
eratiire.
Again The storm i
t subsided, waa re etuwebdreaabkouftoarta quarter
th third
d before
time6aeb
00 1;71
Ah fearful effect f t ouounks
plane btlhye
soawuie
er
do
agyt
ah
te e
Hnd
—Manche Guardian. teurdPersfitld.