The Sun.
London, England, 1866-05-26 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, MAY 26, 1866.

LAW INTELLIGENCE_ (This Day.)

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS.

(Sittings in Banco, before Chief Justice Erle, and Justices
Willes, Byles, and Smith.)
SCATHE V. RUTLAND.-ATTORNEYS' FEES.

The plaintiff in this case, which came before the Court
on a motion on behalf of the defendant, was a solicitcn',
who had agreed to get the defendant through the Bank-
ruptcy Court for a specified sum, but the parties differ-
ing about the amount commenced law proceedings. The
facts of tho case were devoid of all interest, but the deci-
sion of the Court is of some importance to persons not
familiar with the law between attorney and client.
The Lord Chief Justice said that in case of a disputed
contract the costs might be tried before action was com-
menced, and, whatever the terms of the contract, they were
binding upon neither party, the taxation regulating the
maximum of the fees.

COURT OF DIVORCE.
(Before Sir J. P. Wilde, without Juries.)

CHILLINGWORTH Y. THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL.-CHILLING

WORTH AND OTHERS (CITED.)
In this case, which was part heard at the last sitting,
the petitioner brought a suit, the object of which was to
prove the validity of a marriage at Gretna• green, and the
legitimacy of the issue of that marriage.
The evidence proved the marriage, but was not consi-
dered sufficient in reference to the children, and the case
stood over for the production of additional evidence.
Dr. Tristram said that since the commencement of the
suit one of the parties died, and the question of the legiti-
macy of the children would not be pressed.
His lordship then decreed the legality of the marriage.

MARKETS.—This Day.

COVENT GARDEN.
The market is seasonably well supplied with both fruit
and vegetables. The trade is steady, as follows :
FRUIT—Pine apples, 8s to 10s; grapes, 2s Od to 3s;
foreign do, Os to Os Od; filberts, 1s 9d to 2s Od per lb;
apples, 2s 6d to 4s Od per half sieve; oranges, 4s to lOs ;
lemons, 3s 6d to 7s per 100.
VsaszAsus—Summer cabbages, 9d to is Gd; cauli-
flowers, is to 2s; horseradish, 1s to 2s per dozen heads;
greens, 2s Od to 3s Od; turnips, 2s Od to 2s 6d • carrots,
4s 6d to 5s 6d
,• turnip radishes, 9d to 1s 3d;' spring
onions, 9d to is 3d per dozen bunches ; rhubarb, 4d to 8d
per bundle ; forced asparagus, 3s to 6s per bundle • old
onions, 2s Od to 2s Gd per half sieve ; seakale, is dd to
2s 6d; mushrooms, 9d to is 3d per punnet ; cucumbers,
Gd to 3s each ; cos lettuce; 10d to 1s 6d per score ; new
potatoes, 2d to 8d per lb.

POULTRY.
Goslings, 5s Od to 7s Od; geese, Os Od to Os Od; ducks,
3s Od to 4s Od ; ducklings, 3s Od to 4s Od ; tame rabbits, is
3d to 2s Od ; wild do, Os Od to Os Od ; pigeons, 6d to 10d
each ; Surrey fowls 12s to 16s ; do. chickens, 8s to 11s; barn
door fowls, 5s Od to 8s ; Guinea fowls, 7s to 8s per couple.
English eggs, 7s to 9s ; French do., Os Od to is Od per
100. Fresh butter, is Od to is 2d per lb.

Salmon, Os Od per lb; soles, is Od to BILLINGSGATE.
4s to 8s Od ; brill, 3s Od to 9s Od ; mulldts Os to Os ; doreys,
2s 6d to lOs each ; turbot, 58 to 17s 6d each ; whitings, 38
to lOs ; haddocks, 4s to 208 per dozen ; fresh herrings, 8s
to 12s per 120; mackerel, 40s to 60s per 120.
NEWPORT. 6s per pair; cod,
Beef, from 3s Od to 4s 4d ; mutton, 3s 4d to 5s 6d ; lamb,
Os 6d to 7s 6d; veal, 4s 2d to 5s 4d ; and pork, 4s Od to 5s Od
per 81bs by the carcase.

WHITECHAPEL.
Beef, from 3s 2d to 4s 6d • -Mutton, 3s 6d to 5s 6d ; lamb,
6s 6d to 7s 6d; veal, 4s 4i to 5s 4d; and pork, 48 Od to
53 Od per Blbs by the carcase.

BREAD.
The prices of wheaten bread in the metropolis are from
lid. to Bd. ; of household ditto, 6d. to 7d. per 41bs. loaf.

HIDES AND SKINS.
Market hides 56 to 64. lbs, 2jd to 2'd ; 64 to 72 lbs, 3d
to d ; 72 to 801bs, 3d to 31d ; 80 to 881bs., 3id to aid ; 88
to Nibs.' 3id to 4d ; 96 to 1041b5., Od. to Od. Horse
hides, 9s to lOs 6d ; calf skins_ (light), 2s to 4s; full, 6s 6d ;
polled sheep, Os Od to Os Od; half-breds, Os Od to Os Od;
downs, 7s 6d to 9s 6d ; lambs, 3s to 4s 9d ; shearlings,
5d to is 6d.

All these reports were received and adopted,

Court of Common Council.

A special Court of the Council was held yester-
day at Guildhall, under the presidency of the Lord
Mayor, for the purpose of electing a representative
for the City of London at the Metropolitan Board
of Works in the room of Alderman Finnis, who has
resigned.
Deputy SNELLING proposed Mr.• Alderman Stone
to fill the vacancy.
Deputy OBBARD said that before the court came
to a decision he should be glad to be informed
whether, in the event of the worthy alderman being
elected, he would be able to spare the time that was
required for the performance of the important duties
that would devolve upon him as one of the repre-
sentatives of the City of London at the Metropolitan
Board of Works. (Hear, hear.)
Alderman STONE begged to be allowed to state
that he had never solicited the appointment, and, in
reply to the question that had been put by the
worthy deputy, he could inform him that, although
he could have wished that one of the senior alder-
men had been proposed to fill the vacancy, still, if
the court should do him the honour to elect him as
their representative at the Metropolitan Board of
Works, he should have plenty of time to devote to
the_ performance of the duties that would devolve
upon him. (Hear, hear.)
Alderman ROSE seconded the nomination of
Alderman Stone.

Mr. H. LOWMAN TAYLOR said that before the
court came to a decision he should like to say a few
words upon the subject, and make them aware of
what they were doing. As one of the representa-
tives of the City at the Metropolitan Board he could
inform them that it was most important that any
gentleman who should be chosen to fill that position
should be prepared to attend every meeting of the
board. The court was aware that the Corporation
had only three members to represent them. (An
hon. member said, " Not enough.") This was quite
true. The value of the rateable property in the
city of London,. was £1,410,850, and they returned
only three representatives to the Metropolitan
Board ; whereas for Bethnal-green, Mile-end, St.
Luke's, Fulham, Bermondsey, Woolwich, and one
or two other places, in which the whole rateable
value was only just equal to that of the city of
London, nine members were returned, and it ap-
peared to him that the city of London ought at least
to return the same number of representatives, and
that at present it was most inadequately repre-
sented by having only three members at the board.
Mr. MEDWIN said he thought the court was in-
debted to Mr. Lowman Taylor for the trouble he
had taken to obtain the information he had given
to the court ; and it appeared to him that the city
of London was not only entitled to have a larger
number of representatives at the Metropolitan
Board of Works on account of the value of rate-
able property in it, but also on the ground of popu-
lation. He did not allude to the night but to the
day population, and if that were taken into conside-
ration it would be found to be much larger than
that of the whole of the districts that had been
referred to, and if the City was fairly treated
it ought to have at least 10 or 12 members at the
board instead of having only three. (Hear, hear.)
Alderman Stone was then unanimously elected,
and the court afterwards adjourned.

United Service Institution.

Yesterday Mr. F. A. Abel, F.R.S., chemist to the
War Department, Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, deli-
vered a lecture in the theatre of the institution
upon gun cotton and other new explosive agents.
His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales honoured
the lecture with his attendance, and arrived at-
tended by General Knollys and Major Teesdale.
Next to the prince was seated his Royal Highness
the Count of Paris, and the theatre was fully oc-
cupied by members of the two services, and others
interested in the subject. The lecturer began by
remarking that little, if any, change had ever been
made in the manufacture of gunpowder since its
first introduction as an explosive element, and, after
describing various compounds of chlorate of potass,
gum, resin, antimony, &c., and exhibiting the ex-
plosive properties of maay of them, he introduced
nitro-glycerine, which had, he said, first been made
practical :use of by a Swedish engineer. It was
difficult to manage, and was peculiarly dangerous.
It was liable to explode violently with almost a
r scratch, and if subjected to a moderate high tem-
perature there was great danger of chemical changes
taking place which led to spontaneous explosion. If
it could be safely employed, it would be much more
economical than gunpowder for blasting. The
lecturer went on to say that a Prussian officer,
Captain Schultz, had been commissioned to ex-
amine gun cotton, and had invented a combination
of nitric acid and sawdust, which possessed much
the same properties. He, however, finally made
his explosive of half converted wood fibre, adding it
to chlorate of potass or some other oxide, to make
it more properly explosive. The lecturer exhibited
the effects of the ignition of these compounds, and
they left a good deal of ashes, and made a good
deal of smoke. He came then to gun cotton, the
manufacture of which, by Lenk's process, seemed
hardly susceptible of improvement, and he explained
how certain improvements in the arrangement of
this material were now being tried. One, which
the Messrs. Prentice of Stowmarket had introduced
with good results, was to moderate the action of
the gun cotton by weaving it in combination with
ordinary cotton, thereby diluting as it were
the material, and moderating its action. Another
mode, in which he was conducting experiments,
was to reduce the gun cotton to pulp and make
paper of it, which was then formed into thick cart-
ridges. This seemed to promise to be very manage-
able. Mr. Abel exhibited specimens of gun cotton,
which he had subjected for months to heat of 150
deg. Fahrenheit, and afterwards exposed to sun-
light for a long period without inducing any change
in its structure. He also showed the safety with
which it could be kept by wrapping up a red hot
iron in a skein of damp gun cotton, which refused
to burn, and by drilling a hole with a red hot wire
in a damp cartridge. The lecture was illustrated by
a number of other interesting experiments, and con-
cluded with a display of gun cotton fireworks. At
the conclusion of the lecture his Royal Highness
thanked' Mr. Abel, and stated that he had been
highly interested. He said he had found the gun
cotton cartridge very good for partridge shooting,
and accepted from the lecturer some specimens o 1
his thick paper cartridges.

THE GRASS-TREE. —There are few who have ever
travelled any distance in Victoria but have met with the
grass-tree (Xanthorea), which is to be found in nearly all
parts of Australia. Up to a few months ago it was sup-
posed only to be a useless growth, encumbering the land.
A few knew from the blacks that it contained a very tena-
cious gum—the blacks used it as a glue for joining parts of
their weapons; but it is only within the last few months
that the following valuable articles have been obtained, after
great labour and expense, by a Mr. Dodd. St. Ronan's,
the place where Mr. Dodd has erected his works to carry on
the experiments, is situated about 18 miles in a southerly
direction from Colac, and here for some months past expe-
riments have been carried on in connexion with the grass-
treo. The root is the portion used in these experiments,
and usually weighs from 101 b. to 501 b. Tho root is com-
posed of the stems growing in a close mass around e
the
inner portion or kernel. From the outer portion of
the
refuse gum-shellac iu large quantities is obtainable
be made
,
refuse contains a large quantity of gas, and can
available for lighting the works. From the inner b
ualpoorttibone
is extracted, by pressing or distilling, a spirit
best brandy, also alcohol ; after distilling,afqquantbite ex-
tracted. saccharine matter remains, from which sugar
in the neigh-
bourhood
can
The present supply of grass-tree
of St. Ronan's is computed to be equal to a sup-
ply of 600 tons per week for te next ten years. Great
quantities of young grass-trees abound, which will keep
the supply up, and doubtless cultivation would greatly en-
large the roots.--Melbourne Herald.

413, vagrants 161; military offenders 7 ; besides
355 prisoners in other prisons ; making a total of
1,961 male prisoners of this county.
THE HOUSE OF CORRECTION, WEST3IINSTER.
The report of the visiting justices of this prison
was presented, which stated that the number of
prisoners in custody was 661—felons 492, misde-
meanants 132, vagrants 37.
THE HOUSE OF DETENTION, CLERBENWELL.
The report of the visiting justices of this prison
was presented. Number of prisoners this day in
custody, 178, consisting of prisoners for trial, 36 ;
for further examination, 96 ; for want of bail, 37 ;
deserters, 9.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

GLASGOW AND SOUTH-WESTERN.

A Wharncliffe meeting of this company was
held on Tuesday in Glasgow—Mr. J. Lumsden in
the chair.

- Mr.
o cloVnavi ne
nwi rnigg ht
th, e t mh ee
est ei
ne rge,tary, having read the
nmit was to enable the company to ma
The CHAIRMAN said the first bill hkeehaandatomsauibn--
tain certain railways in the county of Ayr. It was
promoted for the purpose of fulfilling an engage-
ment entered into last year with the Caledonian
Company, and the promoters of the Ayr and Dou-
glas Railway, and was intended to develope an ex-
tensive mineral district.
Mr. CLOUSTON seconded the motion approving
the bill, and it was adopted.
The next bill approved was for sanctioning the
construction of certain portions of the authorised
lines of the Crofthead and Kilmarnock Extension,
and of the company (Kilmarnock direct) railway.
It was intended to give the Caledonian Company
access from Stewarton to Kilmarnock. A bill to
enable the Solway Junction Railway Company to
raise further capital ; giving permissive powers to
the Glasgow and South-Western and North British
Railway Companies to subscribe £lOO,OOO each to-
wards the undertaking, was approved ; and also a
bill was approved for making a railway from Long-
town to Brampton, in which permissive powers were
given to the company, and to the North British
Company to subscribe £30,000 each to the under-
taking, which was estimated to cost £120,000. The
meeting was then adjourned to the 12th of June.

LAUNCESTON AND SOUTH DEVON.
A Wharncliffe meeting of this company was held
at Launceston on Wednesday, when a bill was ap-
proved authorizing the company to convert a num-
ber of unappropriated shares into preferential stock,
and to raise additional capital for laying down rails
on the narrow gauge.