The Sun.
London, England, 1835-07-28 00:00:00

HOUSE OF LORDS.

APPEALS.
(Before Lords BROUGHAM, DEVON, MORTON, and others,

HOGOAN V. RANKEN.

This was an appeal on the part of Mrs. Sophia Hoggan, or
Smith, relict of Alexander Smith, of Laud, against Thomas
Ranken, common agent in the process of ranking of the credi-
tors of William Smith, eldest son of the said Alexander Smith.
The LORD-ADVOCATE (with whom was Mr. SuAw) stated
the appellant's case. The point at issue was the validity or
nullity of au instrument of sasine arising out of an erasure in
the date. -

Sir W. FOLLETT appeared for the respondent.
At five o'clock the further hearing was postponed until to•
morrow (this day.)

COURT OF CHANCERY.

The VICE-CHANCELLOR and. Mr. Justice BOSANQUET
sat as Lords Commissioners.

IN RE CHAMBERS, A LUNATIC.

Mr. JACOB and Mr. RICHARDS were heard on a petition
in this matter, which was partly discussed on Saturday.
Mr. Chambers, whose bankruptcy has been so long in liti-
gation, was appointed several years ago Committee of the
estate of John Chambers, a lunatic, and at the time the
banking-house stopped payment, his accounts, as Commit-
tee, remained unsettled. Another Committee was after-
wards appointed, and, several orders had been made for
passing the account, on some of which the assignees of
Chambers were before the Court. The Master acting under
these orders, had taken the accounts, and having found a
sum due from Mr. A. Chambers, a petition was presented,
praying the confirmation of the Master's report, and that
the securities which had been given by Mr. Abraham
Chambers for duly accounting might be delivered out, for
the purpose of being sued upon. This petition was opposed
by the assignees, on whose behalf it was urged that the
finding of the Master was not warranted by the evidence
before him, nor by the terms of the reference. If, however,
the petitioner would content himself with proving the
amount of the debt which might be found due under the
Commission, the objection raised would be waived by the
assignees.

Mr. DUCKWORTH supported the petition.
Mr. KINDERSLEY appeared for Sir Samuel Chambers,
the heir-at-law of the lunatic.

Their LORDSHIPS thought that, from what had been
stated, it would be necessary that the Master should re-
view his report, and they accordingly made an order direct-
ing him to do so generally, and, to prevent any question as
to the jurisdiction, the order was to be entitled to lunacy
only. The Master was to be at liberty, as he had been
under former orders, to state any special circumstances, and
the costs of all parties were ordered to be reserved.

OPERATION OF THE DIVISION OF PROPERTY.
—ln the United States it has nearly completed its work of
destruction, and there we can best study its results. The
English laws concerning the transmission of property were
abolished in almost all the States at the time of the Revolu-
tion. The law of entail was so modified as not to interrupt
the free circulation of property. The first generation having
passed away, estates began to be parcelled out ; and the change
became more and more rapid with the progress of time. At
this moment, after the lapse of little more than sixty years,
the aspect of society is totally altered ; the families of the
great landed proprietors are almost all commingled with the
general mass. In the State of New York, which formerly
contained many of them, there are but two who keep their
heads above the stream, and they must shortly disappear. The
sons of these opulent citizens are become merchants, lawyers,
or physicians. Most of them have lapsed into obscurity. The
last trace of hereditary rank and distinction is destroyed, for
the law of partition has reduced all to one level.— Tocqueville's
Democracy in America.
COAL-PIT ACCIDENT.—We gave in our last the
full particulars of the distressing event which had occurred in
one of the mines of Mr. Fletcher, at Little Lever, from the
roof of the pit falling in, and thereby inundating the mine
from the river Irwell, and by which sad misfortune seventeen
individuals were hurried into eternity. Since that time, the
most unremitting exertions have been made to get at the bodies
of the poor sufferers, and two of them, Greenalgh and Hurst,
have been brought out. An inquest has been holden upon
them, and it appears, from the evidence of the superintendent
of the mine, that there was not the most remote apprehension
of danger from the quarter which caused the calamity. The
water in the pit at the beginning of this week was said to be
still forty yards deep, and with all the extraordinary exertions
which are used they are not enabled to reduce it more than a
yard and a half in twenty-four hours. We trust, however,
that ultimately the relatives may have the satisfaction, sorrow-
ful though it be, of knowing that the bodies of the deceased
have been found, and that they were reverently consigned to
their native earth.—Preston
MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.—These Sessions com-
menced yesterday morning, before B. Retch, Esq., Chair-
man, and a Bench of Magistrates. The calendar is some-
what heavy, containing the names of 150 prisoners, but the
charges are of a petty nature, such as larcenies, assaults, riots,
and disorderlies. There are more prisoners for trial this ses-
sion in consequence of their being intermediate to the sessions
of the Central Criminal Court. Henry Terry, a private in
the Coldstream Regiment of Guards, was indicted for stealing
two hooks from the British ,fuseum, which were severally laid
to be the property of the King, the Archbishop of Canter-
bury, &c Evidence was called to prove the case, and the Jury
found the prisoner Guilty. The sentence of the Court was
that the prisoner should be imprisoned six months, six weeks
of the time to be solitary confinement.
ADVENTURE BETWEEN A HOTTENTOT AND A
LION.—The grass about us was exceedingly tall, and the
country abounded in spring-boks : one of our Hottentots
thought he perceived one amidst the grass, and kept close up
to it in order to make sure of his shot, when, on rising to dis-
charge his piece, he found himself close upon a large male lion,
which instantly set up a loud roar. The man fled, and being
near the waggons, was not pursued by the liou. The manner
in which he related the story was exceedingly amusing, and
characteristic of the Hottentot. " I saw," said he, " a spring-
bok which I made sure of having in the pot to-night ; but
when I got close to it, I found it was the Governor. I was
just going to fire, when he asked me in a loud tone, What
are you going to do?'—' Oh !' said I, beg your pardon. I
did not know it was your honour, or I should not have presumed
to have drawn so near you. I hope your Honour will not con-
sider it an insult, and I shall instantly retire.' So I scampered
away a great deal quicker than I went to him."—Steecintan's
Wanderings iii South Africa.
DIVERS, AND THEIR POWER OF SUSPENDING
RESPIRATION.—Surprising statements have been made by
travellers—a privileged race—respecting the powers of pearl-
fishers and others in voluntarily suspending their respiration
under water at considerable depths : some have mentioned
half hours, and some even longer periods, as within the bounds
of possibility. Dr. Lefevre, of Rochefort, who was lately
stationed at Navarino, had ample opportunity of putting the
powers of the best divers to the test. He witnessed the per-
formances of those who were employed to fish up the relics of
the Turkish fleet sunk in Navarino harbour. The depth to
which they had to plunge was ono hundred feet; but though
the Greek divers are, and have always been, famous for their
prowess, none of them could sustain submersion for two whole
minutes together. Seventy-six seconds was the average
period in fourteen instances accurately noted; and frequently,
after reaching the surface, blood issued from the mouth, eyes,
and ears of the swimmer. But in general these people can
repeat their task three or four times in an hour.—Medicee
Gazette.

A MYSTERY.—Not far from the Chateau of Ver-
sailles is a small cottage-built house, the entrance to which is
by a low narrow door at the side. It is very clean and plea-
santly situated. Carriages, calashes, and cabriolets, are stop-
ping here constantly. People come from Paris, St. Cloud,
Sevres, and from all the towns and country round about. You
knock once, then again, and even a third time. At the third
knock the door is opened by a negress or mustee. She leads
you into a dark apartment, and silent as the grave. There you
find a flambeau, and follow without a guide the long corridor
before you. You then proceed under a subterranean roof, and
shortly arrive at a sort of temple which is occupied by a female.
She neither rises nor opens her mouth ; and converses with
you only by signs, from which you are made acquainted with
very surprising things that have already passed, as well as
with those which are to come. When you leave her she im-
poses an oath—your right hand placed upon your breast—not
to repeat to any to any one whatsoever revelations she may
have made to you ; neither to disclose the name of the street,
nor the number of the house in which she dwells. The secret

must necessarily be ill kept, or that there is in truth something
magical attending it, since people go there from all parts, and
frequently wait till nightfall before their turn comes. —Le
Voyageur, Observateur, et Raconteur.
The court-martial ordered on Lieutenant Stovin,
late of his Majesty's brig Algerine, on charges of repeated
. drunkenness and unofficerlike conducted, promoted by the
mate and master of the vessel, commenced on Tuesday last on
board his Majesty's ship Victory, in Portsmouth harbour, Vice-
Admiral Sir Frederick Maitland, K. C. 8., President. The
evidence for the prosecution occupied Tuesday and Wednesday
last, the principal points of which were, that the commander
had been repeatedly drunk, and at one time charged the master
(Mr. Heath) with an unnatural offence, and threatened to
shoot him. In consequence of which the master declared him-
self under an arrest, and the mate, Mr. Carden took upon him-
self the command of the vessel, and ordered the Lieutenant into
arrest. The defence commenced on Friday morning, and the
evidence has occupied till Saturday evening, and is not now
concluded. The prisoner's witnesses deny the charges in toto,
asserting that the commander was never tipsy, and that any
appearance of it was the result of ill health. The contrariety
of evidence is most extraordinary ; on one occasion in particu-
lar, when the Governor of Teneriffe and the British Consul
came on board and lunched with Lieutenant Stovin, the pro-
secuting witnesses declare that he fell dead drunk on the table,
before the Consul and Governor rose from lunch, while the
prisoner's own witnesses swear as positively that he accompa-
nied his guests to the quarter-deck, and shook hands with them
on their going over the side. It is supposed that no sentence
will be given until the Consul has been inquired of as to those
matters. Whatever may be the result of the present trial, it is
expected that the mate and master will both be tried for de-
priving their superior officer of his command. The trial has
excited considerable interest in the naval world on account of
the novelty of the circumstances.—. Portsmouth Herald.