The Sun.
London, England, 1861-03-06 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY.-i EVENING, MARCH 6, 1861.

NOTTINGII,I3I RACES—(This Day.)

Paid,

Closing
Price.

113nolness done

73 75
92 03

BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.
FOREST PLATE.

Confession.

10 16} d
41d1

Five ran.

6 7
75 80

RACING FIXTURES FOR 1861.
MARCH.

65 70
65 70
41 5

Shrewsbury 14
Warwick Spring 19

! 1 Llanboidy .. l6
I
Thirsk lB
i ILiverpool Hunt Club 20
Doncaster Spring 23
Newmarket F S 29
AY.

Bath 2l
Manchester 22
Harpenden- 24
Epsom
ENE.

Odiham 25
Newcastle 25
Bibury Club 26
Stockbridge 27
Winchester 2B

The bill was then read a second time.
Their Lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(YESTERDAY.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.
NEW MEMBER.

Mr. LEADER, who was introduced by General UPTON
and Mr. LONGPIELD, took the oaths and his seat on his
election for the County Cork.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The following bills were read a second time :—Devon
Central Railways; Edinburgh, Perth, ani Dundee Rail-
ways (Queensferry Branches) ; Merionethshire Railway ;
Great Dover Road; and Wexford Harbour Commissioners.

IiVIPERIAL PARLIAMENT,

HOUSE OP LORDS.—(YESTERDAY.)
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at the usual hour.

- CHURCH RATES.
Petitions against the abolition of church rates were pre-
sented by Viscount Dungannon, Lord Romney, the Earl of
Hardwick, and Lord Bcrners.
LAW OF DIVORCE.
The LORD CHANCELLOR gave notice that on Mon-
day next he should move for a select committee to inquire
into the law respecting parties who have or ought to have
the right to sue in the Divorce COurt in England, and the
Court of Session in Scotland.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The Atherton, Bedford, 84c., Gas and Water Bill was
read a second time.

ADMIRALTY COURT JURISDICTION BILL.
The LORD CHANCELLOR moved the second reading
of this bill, which he said, was one of much importance
to the mercantile marine of this country, and its object
was to enlarge the jurisdiction and impreve the
proceedings in the High Court of Admiralty. The
causes tried in the court last year amounted to 1,618, and
the average cost of each suit was £974. With respect to
the jurisdiction of the court, it was at present somewhat
circumscribed, but the present bill was to extend the juris-
diction to owners of all ships not residing within the juris-
diction of the court. The bill also, in his opinion,
made other great improvements in the law with respect to
salvage and the mode of proceeding with causes
in the court. If the bill received the sanction of Parlia-
ment he had no doubt it would be hailed by all parties
interested as a great improvement in the law as it stood
previous to the passing of the bill.
Lord CRANWORTH agreed with the Lord Chancellor
in holding that the introduction of trial by jury into the
Admiralty Court would be productive of the most mischiev-
ous effects. At present the judge of the Admiralty Court
was assisted by two nautical persons, and the witnesses

might be examined viva voce. The Judicial Committee of
the Privy Council were also assisted by two other nautical
men, but they had no power of examining witnesses, and
could not judge of the value of the witnesses by their de-
meanour. He, therefore, did not see any probability of the
appeal court arriving at a better conclusion than the origi-
nal tribunal. As the bill stood, there was a right of appeal
on all interlocutory proceedings, with the consent of the
judge, and he suggested that an appeal on matters of fact
should not be allowed, unless the judge thought fit to autho-
rise it. (Hear, hear.)

Lord CHELMSFORD said that in the great majority of
cases the proceedings in the Admiralty Court were carried
on by depositions, and in 99 out of every 100 collision cases
the plaintiff was sure to gain. He should like to know the
number of appeals in collision cases, and in how many in-
stances the decree of the Admiralty Court had been re-
versed. The questions involved were often of great impor-
tance to the litigant parties, the evidence was generally
contradictory, the points were frequently of a professional
nature, and he thought that the commercial classes would
view with alarm any proposal to abolish appeals alto-
gether. (Hear.)
After a few words from Lord WENSLEYDALE,
Lord KINGSDOWN said he had always held it to be
necessary that in all proceedings, in order to secure the
fullest and most deliberate investigaticn, there should be a
court of appeal, whicn should, when necessary, review the de-
cision of the courts below, and settle the law.' This was more
particularly necessary in regard to the Court of Admiralty,
No one could bear stronger testimo*yjo the ability and
care displayed by the learned judgelato presided over this
Court, but it was impossible altogether to avoid mistakes.
Those who supported the amendment scarcely understood
the mode of procedure in the court. It would, in fact, be
utterly impossible to carry out the bill as it stood now with-
out altering the whole procedure of the court. There was
always great contradiction in the evidence, and when, after
considerable difficulty, it had been settled what the facts of
the case were, and their bearing had been explained, the
judge retired with the nautical assessors, consulted with
them apart, and then returned and gave judgment at once,
without ever stating which particular facts had been found
and which had not. It was impossible, therefore, with such
a procedure to separate facts from law, or to say which were
matters of law, of fact, or of seamanship. Without the bill
was altered, therefore, it would be necessary to alter the
procedure of the court.
After fay/ words from the Earl of Powis,
The LORD CHANCELLOR said, he wished it to be
generally known that the clause taking away the right of
appeal was not suggested by the learned judge of the court,
who would most willingly allow his decisions to be re-
viewed. The suggestion was his own ; but he had become
a convert to the opinions which had been expressed in the
course of this discussion. He would, therefore, in commit-
tee move that this clause be struck out ; so that thing s
would remain as they were.