The Sun.
London, England, 1832-09-07 00:00:00

CREDITORS OF HIS HOYAL HIGHNESS

THE DUKE OF YORK.

The Committee of the creditors of his Royal Highness
the Duke of York again met on Wednesday, when several ad-
ditional and highly-respectable members were elected, and
intimation was given that many of the creditors who had
hitherto abstained from joining the coalition, from false
delicacy, had signified their determination to lend their aid
towards prosecuting the projected inquiries, in which men
of the first professional eminence are engaged. No com-
munication had been received from S r Herbert Taylor or
Sir Benjamin Stephenson (the executors of his Royal
Highness), nor had the former condescended to make any
reply to one of the creditors who had applied to him by
►etter to know whether there was any truth in the state-
ment put forth in the Court Journal, that " arrange-
ments were making far the discharge of his Royal High-
ness's debts." The Committee again adjourned to Wed.
nesday next, and will thus continue their meetings
weekly until the task they have undertaken has been
completed.

REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS IN CHANCERY.
In the present stage of this interesting question, it may
be desirable to give a sketch of the proceedings in Chan-
cery, as far as the Master has made his report, which we
believe was up to March, 1830. From a cursory view of
the documents which we have seen, it appears that the
original suit was commenced, apparentlyon the part of the
creditors at large, by Messrs. Greenwood and Co., but
evidently with a view to their own interests and the ac-
commodation of the executors, as the other creditors were
never consulted on the subject. Under this suit certain
interrogatories were put to Sir Herbert Taylor and Sir
Benjamin Stephenson, which they have answered upon
their oaths, profehsing to give a full and particular account
of all the circumstances which have come to their know-
ledge respecting the affairs of his Royal Highness since his
death, and of all the property of which he died possessed.
This account is classed under separate heads, and may be
taken as follows :

THE HOUSE IN SP. JAMES'S PARE,-The facts con-
nected with this house, which, our readers are aware, was
rebuilt under his Royal Highness's direction towards the
close of his life, and which has since been purchase d by
the Marquis of Stafford, form a very prominent, although
unsatisfactory, article in the answer of the executors. It
appears that previous to the demolition of the old house,
the lease of which had nearly expired, Messrs. Cox and
Greenwood held a mortgage upon it for 30,0001., and
that upon the new lease being granted by the Crown, a
further mortgage for 30,000/. was granted to Sir Coutts
Trotter, upon the condition that this second mortgage
should stand first in point of priority. His Royal Hig h-
nese having subsequently applied to the Treasury for money
to enable him to go on with the new edifice, this
was
acceded to, upon an agreement that the mortgage held by
Sir Coutts Trotter should be transfer red to the Commisy-
sioners of Woods and Forests, with a right on their part
to take possession of the house in liquidation of such ad-
vances as they might make, in preference to the other
mortgages. It was subsequently proposed that Messrs.
Greenwood and Co. should release their mortgage on the
house of 10,0001., and accept, as security in lieu, 10,0001.
worth of plate then in the hands of 'Messrs. Coutts and
Co., and which, with a view to this new arrangement,
was transferred to Sir Herbert Taylor, under an order of
the Duke of York. It so happened, however, that this
intended release never took place, nor was the plate ever
charged with any part of Messrs. Greenwood and Co.'s
debt, although an understanding to that effect had existed.
Thus the mortgages remained in their original form.
The Commissioners of Woods and Forests being now con•
stituted first mortgagees on the estate, under their cove-
nant, proceeded to advance to the Duke of York sundry
sums, amounting in the whole to 47,0001. towards com-
pleting the building. Thus matters stood upon the death
of his Royal Highness, when the Commissioners of Woods
and Forests, according to the terms of their mortgage-
deed, laid claim to the premises, having a charge upon
them to the amount of the sums advanced, as well as for
rent due to the Crown ; that is to say, 30,000/. for the
transfer made by Sir Coutts Trotter, 47,0001. for cash
advanced for the building, and 3,2801. for rent due to
Michaelmas 1827. In this state of things the executors,
with a view of avoiding expense, thought proper, in con.
junction with the Commissioners of Woods and Forests,
to have the property valued; and it was accordingly valued
by competent persons at 81,913/. 13s. 6d., a sum which
they found fell short of the charges of the Commissioners,
and therefore they gave up all farther right to it ; in other
words, abandoning the interests of those tradesmen who
had been devoting their time, money, and materials to the
erection of the house, and sacrificing their property to the
payment of debts which had been incurred long before
their labours had commenced. In allusion to this gross
act of injustice the executors say " that Harry Burrell and
others of the tradesmen claimed a lien upon the house, but
that they knew of no such lien." On this head, however,
we understand the Committee are in possession of the best
information, and are convinced that the executors will
find, as well as the Commissioners of Woods and Forests,
that these acts will be proved to be not only inconsistent
with common honesty, but with the terms of the mort-
gage-deed, as well as the law of the land.

THE MANOR OF CHERTSEY. -The next head of pro-
perty left by his Royal Highness, into which the executors
inquired, was the Manor of Chertsey, Bromwood, and
Hardwick, leased by the Crown to his Royal Highness ;
but here was another blank. This inalanr had been already
mortgaged to the Princess Augusta Sophia for 6,0001.,
and this, on being valued, proved to be worth only 2,0001.,
which was less than the rent actually due to the Crown,
independent of the mortgage : so that the poor Princess
had her share of mortification, and the manor was return-
ed to the source from whence it came.
()AMA NHS ESTATt.--This property, which was sold
to Mr. Hughes Ball, actually produced less by 20,000/.
than the debts by which it was encumbered, and the only
sum realized by the investigation of this part of the estate

PERSONAL ESTATE OF HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS.—Here.
tofore, with the exception of the 1,1031. received from
Mr. Hughes Ball, the executors seem to have received no-
thing ; and we now come to the personal estate and effects
of his Royal Highness, which have been converted into
Exchequer Bills, or otherwise accounted for.
The following ai e i•erns from this bead of exposition :
Cash found in testator's residence £295 0 6
At Hammersley's, his bankers
First sale of horses by Tattersall
At Coutt's banking-house
A Quarter's annuity, due Jan. 5, 1827 6,499 0 0
Half a year's annuity from Hanover
Sales of furniture, wines, china, &c. by Christie,
and three different payments 4,733 10 7
Sale of fire-arms, trinkets, and jewellery ; also by
Christie 7,167 7 0
Furniture and pictures, by Christie
Sale of books by Sotheby 5,094 4 1
Second sale of horses by Tattersall 195 17 6
A Quarter's pension from Ireland 1,747 15 4
SUNDRY EFFECTS PURCHASED BY HIS LATE MA-
JESTY
Renters Share of Covent-garden
Ditto Drury-lane
Balance due by Mr. Kendal, his Royal Highness's
Steward 2,836 1 0
Hay sold by Worley
Adding to these the interest and profit on Exche-
quer Bills, which were purchased as the funds
came in, the gross amount of this first division
of the produce of the personal estate is 51,909 18 6
SALE OF PLATE.—Next comes the sale of the plate
taken by Sir Herbert Taylor from Coutt's Bank-
ing.house (already mentioned), and other plate,
of which his Royal Highness died possessed
This fetched, after deducting expenses
To this is to be added moneys yet to be received
and acknowledged to be owing to the estate of
his Royal Highness, amounting to
Giving a total of the gross receipts on account of
the personal estate of his Royal Highness, by his
executors
DEBTS DUE BY HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS.
And now we come to the set-off against these receipts;
and this is a subject to which we may hereafter refer
more fully.
The Judgment Debts, that is to say, those upon
which judgments had been obtained in the Court
of King's Bench, and passed by the Master, and
which have been since paid, amount to
The Bonds on which judgments were not oh
tained 97,506 14 4
The simple contract debts to various tradesmen

Grand total proved under the decree

Thus it will be seen, that there remained to pay the
bonds, debts, with interest, and simple contract debts, in
March, 1830, rather more than 30,000/. ; but what may
have since been done with this money, the further report
of the Master can only show. To make this report, the
Master will no doubt, in due time, be called upon; but,
in the interim, the creditors look, with natural surprise,
at the entire omission of any allusion in the executors' affi-
davits to the jewels, which, it is said, three days after the
Duke of York's death, were valued at 150,0001. in the
presence of Sir Herbert Taylor, and carried down to
Windsor. It was well known, the value of jewels pos-
sessed by the Duchess of York wis immense, and yet no
account whatever has been rendered of these—no allusion
either has been made to a large portion of personal pro-
perty described as given to the valet of his Royal High.
ness (to the amount, it is said, of 1,0000, after his Royal
Highness's death—neither h•ls any reference been made to
legacies paid, since the Duke's death, to different persons,
under a testamentary paper left by the Duchess of York,
but which was not acted upon in her life-time. These,
as well as a great variety of other matters, which have
reached the knowledge of the Committee, do not seem to
have come within the observation of the executors; but,
as their attention will agai❑ be called to the subject, in all
probability a more detailed, as well as a more satisfactory,
explanation of the affairs of his Royal Highness will be
obtained ; and, from what we hear, with obvious advan-
tage to the creditors. It must now depend on the cre-
ditors themselves to protect their own interests, for it is
pretty clear the executors are not disposed to move with-
out strong incitement. Many of the debts which have
been admitted by the Master require revision; and if we
ate not mistaken, the claims on the estate of his late Ma-
jesty are not without foundation.
Pending these inquiries, we observe that the monument
proceeds but slowly towards completion. There are not
above two or three men employed upon it ; and even these
seem to think they might be engaged in more agreeable
labours, for they cannot be deaf to the sneers in which the
passengers indulge when witnessing an outlay of money
that might be so much more appropriately applied to the
relief of persons who have but too much reason to regret
their confidence in the honour of the Illustrious Prince
whose statue it is intended proudly to display, and which
we believe has already been completed by the sculptor.

IRISH SNAKES I—A gentleman called at our
office last night, with a female snake, three feet three
inches in length, which was killed yesterday in a field at
common.
MilecroEs, near
.Newtonards, by two boys, sons of Mr.
BitAnsitAw. It is of the species known to naturalists as
the
English snake, and is, we believe, perfectly
innolims: These snakes are very numerous in certain
districts in England; but thanks to St. PATRICK, they
have, till lately, been totally unknown in the Isle of Saints.
They have, however, recently been seen in different parts
of the county of Down; and their appearance has been
variously accounted for ; some alarmists going the length
of affirming that they, with the prevailing pestilence, are
only a foretaste of the unhappy fruits to be derived from
that horrible measure the Reform Bill. We have also
been told that one of the zealous anti-reformers of that
eounty has introduced the breed of these reptiles into Ire-
land, with the intention of counteracting the influence of
other "snakes in the grass," which, he says, are unhap-
pily too plentiful here. The futility of the popular belief
that snakes cannot live in our blessed land has been most
fully demonstrated ; as the one shown to us had not only
lived here, but showed its capability of propagating
its
species—several large eggs having been found in its
ovarium. —Belfast Chronicle.

A WOLF'S NEST.—On the 27th of May
last, Mr. ELIAS PARKii, of the town of Niagara, went
into the woods in search of wolves, armed with a musket.
These animals had previously committed great ravages
among the sheep and cattle in that vicinity, and the night
before had filled the woods with their howlings. Taking
his course by a range of trees, he proceeded about a mile
and a half in the direction he supposed they were to be
met with, when he found a white wood tree, of prodigious
length and size, on the ground, which he supposed was
cut down by the Indians. The tree was hollow as far as
be could discover, and from the tracks which had the ap-
pearance of being recently made, he supposed it might be
inhabited by wolves. How to discover whether such was
the case or not, puzzled him much. He was alone, and
did not like the idea of attacking his enemy, with the
sure prospect of meeting with defeat, if not with death ;
nor did he wish them to escape. However, after consider-
ing a few minutes how to proceed, with his penknife he
cut a pole lif:een or twenty feet in length, and, leaving his
gun at the entrance of the log, entered the hollow, pole
in hand. When he had proceeded about twenty feet into
the region of darkness, carefully using his pole to ascertain
that the way was clear before him, he perceived two large
sparkling eyes glaring upon him, and heard same faint
growlings, plainly demonstrating the species and temper
of their owner. Deeming it imprudent to make further
researches without the aid of his trusty gun, which he
had left at the entrance, he went back and returned with
it to the place where he first discovered the eyes, intending
to fire at them. But finding he could not take sure aim,
owing to the darkness, though the eyes were visible, he
was obliged to retreat. He then gathered some old wood,
and stopped up the entrance, leaving room to insert the
gun, which lie did, and fired several times but from the

distance, obstructions, or some other cause, without effect.
Leaving his musket at the mouth of the log, he then re-
traced his steps home for assistance, which he obtained.
On going back to the log, he found all things as they
were left. With axes they cut into the log, at short dis-
tances from the butt towards the limbs, nearly sixty feet,
when an old wolf was discovered, with several younger
ones. As they were crowded into a narrow space, it was
an easy matter to secure the young ones (four in number)
alive, after the old one had retreated a few f, et and wa-
shot. Mr. P. informs us that he has two of the young
ones now in his possession.—Lockport Balance.
The Mahometans, if they can any way find
the means, erect tombs over every one of their relations,
from the simple white grave-stone with a turban at the
head of it, to the most splendid mausoleum.
DON PEDRO.—The following is an anecdote
from an American Paper: —" It is known that the ex-
Emperor of BRAZIL is an accomplished musician, and ha-,
composed many pieces of striking merit, among others a
National Hymn and the " Te Deum" which was sung at
his marriage. At the commencement of the last war be-
tween the Brazilians and the Buenos Ayreans, the Estrx-
ROR composed a triumphal march, which, when comple-
ted, he sent to the commander of his troops, ordering it
to be played on the occasion of the first victory which they
might gain. Unluckily, however, his troops sustained so
severe a defeat at Ituz lingo, that they lost all their bag-
gage, not excepting that of the General in Chief, among
which was the Royal composition in question. It thus
fell into the hands of the enemy, and has become part or
their national music, which they play to this day.
The following curious scene is said to have
passed on Wednesday, in the office of M. HEuoLn DE
BOISNART, at the Prefecture of Police :—a " gentleman"
assuming the character of a commercial agent, and dis-
playing a splendid establishment, had a daughter, who was
sought in marriage by several young men of respectability,
but the affections of the young lady and the preference of
the father fell upon a suitor who stated himself to be an
Italian by birth, and the union was only delayed till the
usual certificates should arrive from Italy. The intended
and his future father in law met accidentally before M. H.
DE BOISNART, who has the surveillance of such convicts
as, after having been liberated from their chains, are still
kept under the eye of the police. The mutual surprise of
the two parties may be well imagined. An explanation
became necessary, from which it was elicited that one had
pissed six years at the hulks in a well-known sea-port of
France, where the other had previously passed ten years.
—Paris Paper.
IMPORTANT TOATTORNIES,&C.--Thursday
morning the Grand Jury brought into court two hills for
murder, which they ignored,—namely, against ELIZA-
BETH JOBLING and JANE HAWKSLEY. Lord Moarrrn
proceeded to the Bench, and conferred for a few moments
with Mr. BARON BOLLAND, after which the learned
Baron stated, that in the cases above mentioned, the
prisoners had only been committed for concealing the birth,
and, as costs were not allowed in prosecutions of this na-
ture, he feared it was too common to prefer bills for the
capital offence for the sake of obtaining the allowance of
costs. It was a practice which ought to be discontinued ;
and as he understood that in the present instance there
was no evidence to support the capital charge, he should
take care that the costs be not allowed. It was extremely
improper that crimes should be enlarged for such purposes,
and especially that a person committed for concealment of
birth should be indicted capitally, as it could not fail to be
extremely harassing to a mind already sufficiently harassed
by the minor charge, even though the Grand Jury should
eventually throw out the bill. His Lordship said, he
trusted that this public notice of the practice would correct
the evil.—Lancaster Journal.

KILKENNY COAL AND THE CHOLERA.—
But a still more efficacious specific was found in Kilkenny.
I learned, in passing through, that no case of cholera had
occurred in that populous town, while all those around
were infected, and a cordon of distemper was drawn, as it
were, in a circle about it. This singular exemptio❑ was
attributed to the vapour exhaled front Kilkenny coal in the
process of burning. It is a fuel which certainly possesses
properties very different from any other known carbona-
ceous substance. The gas extracted is not sulphureous,
but carbonic, and is as highly dangerous as that in the
grotto " Del Cane," when breathed in a close room ; in
fact, it is the same kind of gas. It is very possible that
this active and deleterious vapour may have a powerful
effect in killing infection ; and from the universal use of
the coal in the town, the whole atmosphere may be as
effectually fumigated as the wards of an hospital hyoxygen.
I was further assured by a medical man, that not only this
city had escaped the disease, but that every village in the
county was more or less exempt in proportion as they used
the fuel. If this effect be found to be certain and perma-
nent, it may afford important information. —Corres-
pondent of the New Monthly Magazine.
At Manchester, on Saturday there was a brisk
demand for good fresh samples of old wheat, of which
sales were made to a considerable extent, at very full
prices, in some instances at Id. a 2d. advance: in oats
❑ot much done, but they too were rather higher than in
the middle of the week. Flour and oatmeal found sale to
a moderate extent at the previous rates. Little new grain
was offered, and for it the prices remained unaltered.
The weather has been dry since Friday, and considerable
progress made in this district in carrying that part of the
crops which remained out ; with a few fine days harvest
operations will be completed. At our Corn Exchange
this morning there was a thin attendance of the trade. Of
English and Irish new wheat several parcels offered, and
there was a large show of granary samples. For fine old
wheat there was a very limited retail demand at Friday's
prices, which were, however, Id. a 2d. higher than those
of this day week ; but middling kinds were in vain pressed
at Tuesday's currency—the Irish ❑ew wheat did not go,
though offered at 3d. per '7O lb. reduction. Of fine oats
the market was bare, still few were wanted, and the
trifling parcels that were sold were at fully Id. advance on
the currency in the middle of last week, though at not
higher rates than those of last Tuesday : the only sample
of Irish new was bought at 2s. 141. Barley and malt
were held at rather higher prices, but very little done in
either. Beans, peas, and Indian corn all flat. Fine
Irish flour in moderate request at the prices of this day
week, as also new meal, which was scarce and fetched
255. 6d.; old was retailed at 21s. to 225. 6d. as in quality.
A parcel of Western canal flour in bond was let go at
165., being a decline of Is. per barrel. For wheat little
inquiry.

COUTTS, THE GREAT BANKER.-THOS.
COUTTS, who long moved at the head of the moneyed and
banking interest of the metropolis, was the fourth and
youngest son of JOHN COUTTS, originally of Dundee, and
afterwards of Edinburgh, where he held the office of Chief
Magistrate in 1743. The mother of Mr. COUTTS was a
daughter of Sir J. STEWART, of Allenbank, in Berwick-
snire, who was the maternal grandson of Miss GRIZEL
COCHRANE, daughter of Sir J. COCHRANE, the associate of
RUSSELL and SIDNEY in their project for liberating Bri-
tain from the tyranny of the last STUARTS. Mr. CouTTs
was born about the year 1731. His father carried on
the business of a general merchant, and established the
bank which has attained such distinguished respectability
under the auspices of Sir WILLIAM FORBES and his de-
scendants. An elder son, JAMES, entered into partner-
ship with a banking-house in St. Mary-axe, London,
which corresponded with that of JOHN COUTTS and Co.,
Edinburgh. Subsequently, THOMAS COUTTS, the sub-
ject of the present memoir, entered also into that house.
He then became partner, with his brother, of a banking
house in the Strand, which had long been carried on un-
der the title of Middleton and Campbell : and finally, on
the death of his brother, in 1778, he became the
sole manager of this extensive concern. He died at his
house in Piccadilly, February 24, 1823. Mr. Courrs
possessed the accomplishment and mariners of a
gentleman ; plain but fashionable in his dress ; sedate
in his deportment; punctual and indefatigable in business,
even to a very advanced age. His great ambition
through life was to establish his character as a man of
business, and he certainly obtained such a reputation in
that respect as few men have enjoyed. Instances are re-
lated of his refusing to overlook a single penny in accounts,
even with those friends to whom he was in the habit of
dispensing his hospitality with the most liberal hand.
With such qualifications, and blessed with length of days
beyond the usual span of human life, it is not surprising
that he acquired immense wealth, and placed himself at
the head of that important class to which he belonged.
Nor was he exclusively a man of business; he enjoyed the
society of literary men in a high degree, and was distin-
guished for his taste in theatricals. He was also a liberal
d Spenser of his wealth to the p00r.... Chambers's Hitiou
of Illustrious Scotsmen.

This is an anticipation by a few days of the regular pe-
riod of issuing these notices, and it differs front the last,
which took place in June last, in fixing the rate of inter-
est at 3, instead of 4 per cent. This has been taken in
the city as an indication of the correctness of what has
been frequently stated of late, that the Bank Directors
propose to increase their discount business, and that in•
stead of transacting it at one uniform rate, they will ad-
just it in all instances to the value of money in
the open market. There is much doubt, how-
ever, whether this policy will produce the effect
intended by it, of an augmentation of the pro-
fits of the Bank, and it will be an immediate
and serious injury to the private bankers and capitalists
who are in the habit of devoting their spare funds to the
same mode o f employment. The parties do not, in point
of fact, stand by any means on an equal footing; private
capital being the fruit of a- man's industry, which he can-
not have acquired without payment of full value for it,
while that of the Bank of England is produceable at plea-
sure, and to any extent, by new issues of paper. There
is not, in the present state of trade, employment to be
found for one-tenth part of the deposits lying in the B ink,
and if the rate of interest, already ruinously low, is forced
,till lower, we may again be driven, even in the face of
our recent experience, into the mania of foreign loans and
bubble companies.— Times.