The Sun.
London, England, 1866-02-21 00:00:00

RAILWAY ACCIDENTS.

Sir R. PEEL asked the President of the Board of Trade
whether his attention had been directed by the Govern-
ment inspectors of railways to the alarming condition of
several of the arches of the viaduct spanning the Tame
Valley, near Tamworth, on the Midland line of Railway,
and inquired what steps had been taken by the Board of
Trade in the matter, with a view to the protection of life
and property ?

Mr. M. GIBSON said ho had not been able to obtain
so much information as ho desired. The accident alluded
to took place on that part of Midland Railway opened in
1839, at which time the Board of Trade had no power of
inspection. He would look into the matter more closely,
and lot the right hon. baronet know the result.
JURIES IN CRIMINAL CASES BILL.

Sir C. O'LOUGHLEN moved the second reading of his
bill, which was meant to remedy some of the great incon-
veniences which at present existed in the jury laws. His
bill had nothing to do with cases already decided; it re-
lated to the keeping of juries, and to the discharge of juries.
Now, for his part, ho could not see why any difference
should be made between juries summoned in misdemean-
our cases and those called together to dispose of felony
cases. The jury in misdemeanour were allowed to go to
their homes, supposing the case lasted over the day, and
he thought it unjust that juries in felony cases should not
be allowed the same privilege. That matter had been
dealt with in his bill ; and another hardship, which had
long betn complained of he had attempted to deal with.
Where it became necessary to lock up a jury for
the night, his bill directed that they should be taken to an
hotel and be supplied with beds, instead of continuing
the inhuman practice of locking them up in the court-
house, the judge by the present law having no power to
direct their removal to an hotel. Ho also proposed that
the judge should have the power of ordering jurors re-
freshment. The bill laid down most distinctly that the
judge should not have the power of discharging juries ex-
cept in the several instances specified in the bill, and then
followed the directions with respect to juries, in cases of
illness either of the judge, the witness, or the accused.
The measure would prevent a repetition of the scandal
that had occurred in Charlotte Winsor's case, as it
directed that the judge should have the power of dis-
charging the jury after they have been kept in confinement
a reasonable time, which time he (the judge) shall decide,
and from his decision there should be no appeal. (Hear.)
He begged attention to the 13th clause of the bill, by
which it was distinctly enacted that it should be legal on
the part of a jury to return a verdict on Sundays. (Hoar.)
Ho hoped the house would allow the bill to be read a
second tune, wheu any amendments hon. members might
think it advisable to make could be settled in committee.

Mr. NEAT T supported the second reading of the bill.
He thought it was a very good bill, and calculated to
remedy an ovil in the present state of the law which had
too long existed.

Mr. S. B. MILLER objected to many of the provisions
of the bill as altogether unnecessary.
Mr. WATKINS thought the bill ought to bo allowed to
go to a committee, because, in his opinion, the hon. mem-
ber had made out a complete case, showing the necessity
that existed for an alteration in the law with respect to the
locking up and discharging of juries.
Mr. G. HARDY said he had no objection to that part of
the bill giving the judge power to order the jury refresh-
ment. He, however, did not think it would be wise in the
house to pledge itself to the proposal in the bill with re-
spect to the discharge of juries until the case of Charlotte
Winsor had been decided in the Exchequer Chambers.

The SOLICITOR-GENERAL said he should not have
opposed the measure if the hon. baronet had confined it to
the giving of rofeeshments to jurors after they had retired
to consider their verdict. With respect to the provisions
relative to the discharge of juror►, he could not give his
assent to tho measure now before she house. The
case of Charlotte Windsor had been alluded to dur-
ing the discussion on the bill, but if the Exchequer
Chamber, in the case about to be submitted to it, con-
firmed the judgment of the Court of Queen's Bench,
the law with respect to juries will bo settled as
clearly as it could possibly be. Ile thought the bill, at
present at all events, ought not to be allowed to proceed.
Ho aid not think, in nine cases out of ten, the verdict
would be satisfactory to the public, if tho jury were to be
allowea to separate during the trial, and before giving
their viordict. If his hon. and learned friend would limit
the object of his bill to giving refreshment to juries ho
would not oppose it, but if the other provisions wore
passed then he should feel it his duty to object to its second
reading.

The hon. and learned gentleman then postponed the mo-
tion for the second reading of the bill until the lath of
April.

TELEGRAPHS (ILELAND) BILL.
This bill passed through committee.
The house then adjourned.

MARKETS.---This Day.

MARK LANE.

Fresh up to our market to-day the arrivals of home-
grown wheat were but moderate. The condition of the
produce was very middling, and all good and fine dry
samples moved off steadily, at full quotations. Inferior
qualities, however, were a dull inquiry, on former terms.

With foreign wheat the market was moderately supplied.
On the whole, the trade was firm, and a fair amount of
business was transacted, at full prices.

Floating cargoes of grain were in fair demand, at late
rates.

The supply of barley on sale was very moderate. The
trade in consequence ruled firm, and the value of good and
fine malting produce had an upward tendency.
The malt trade was firm, at fully late -rates.
The market was but moderately supplied with oats. The
demand ruled far from active, at late rates.

Both beans and peas met a slow sale, without leading to
any change in prices from last week.
There was a moderate demand for flour, at late prices.

511IP ARRIVALS THIS WEEP.
Wheat. Barley. Malt. Oats. Flour.
English and Scotch 2050 1120 1970 2380 88U
Irish

Foreign 2670

26350 120 mks.

COMPARATIVE QUANTITIES AND PRICES OP GRAIN.

For the week ending Feb. 'For the corresponding wook
17, 1866. last year.
Qrs. Aver. 1 Qrs. Aver.
Wheat 61,055-45s 9dl Wheat 67,929-38s 4d
Barley 63,361-33 s 9d Barley 60,089-29 s 2d
Oats

BOROUGH. HOP.
Our market is quiet ; nevertheless, all descriptions of
hops support late rates.

WIIITECHAPEL.

The supplies of moat on salo are tolerably large, host
descriptions are in fair demand, as follows :
Beef, from 2s 10d to 4s 6d; mutton, 3s 10d to bs 2d ; veal,
48 4d to 5s 4d ; and pork, 4s to 5s 4d per Blbs by the carcase,

A BODY WASHED ASHORE.--BREST, Feb. 17.--
The body of a woman, apparently that of an Englishwoman,
of about 28 to 30 years of age, was washed ashore on the
south-east coast of the island of Hoedic on the 1211 inst.
There were three rings on one of the fingers, the inscrip-
tion on which could not be read ; on a remnant of a shift
rou4* neck are the words "Emily do J3onl anit"