The Sun.
London, England, 1844-12-07 00:00:00

di: nissed." He was sorry that only six Commissioners
had voted for his dismissal, and more sorry that a great
majority of the Court thought that such a probation fully
entitled him—was, in fact, worthy of having his name
placed upon that establishment.
The CHAIRMAN said something that was inaudible.
Mr. LESLIE was going on to show that Mr. Jenkins
did now what he had done in the days of his probation.
Ile had said that he had been in the habit of copying the
books of the contractor and the then clerk—(not the
present, for whom he, he believed, in common with all
the members of that Court, had the highest respect)—
Mr. Houseman, bad, at the desire of the Committee,
written to Messrs. Bird requesting them to send their
ledgers to the Court, in order to ascertain how much had
been written there by Mr. Jenkins, or any other clerk
of works.' The answer was, that the Birds threw up
their contract; but do ledger came. He now came to
Bow-street. The Court had ordered 1,400/. to be spent
on that work, and the Court had ordered no more.—
(Hear, hear.) The bill, however, for that 1,4001. came
to 2,0601. Now ho wanted to know whether that Court
was determined to hand over to parties the authority
given them by certain statutes and a Commission from
the Crown, to persons who were not mentioned in the
Commission, or responsible to that Court ?
The CHAIRMAN (interrupted)--The question had re-
ference to a certain book. He wished to hear the Hon.
Commissioner cite his authority for detaining that book.
Mr. LESLIE—The statute said that every Commis-
sioner should have the power of seeing that that Com-
mission was properly carried out. Let them bring
the measurement of the work in Howland-street, and
Mr. Jenkins with it, and he would prove his statement.
The CHAIRMAN said the indictment was that he, as a
simple Commissioner, had taken a book and handed it
over to another officer.
Mr. LESLIE said that he admitted in the fullest and
ato lknldr . Ihiee rut.zolueltdt
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ngpencil, ve
tify his so doing. le was only, as he considered, dis-
meonsit,i perfectns boorini,at it manner
beingeth that he
charging his duty as a Commissioner. He thought the
thing wrong, and he would put it on the broad principle
that he had acted rightly.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. ILlwitnis then addressed the Court very shortly,
and his manner evinced a strong indisposition to bring
himself into personal collision with any of the Hon.
Members. His statement was, that the book taken pos-
session of by Mr. Leslie was not one of those considered
as official. It contained mere private memoranda, for
the contents could not be supposed public matter until
exhibited before the Court, and was not, that he was
aware, considered official in any of the regulations or
orders. He was not aware, besides, that any of the
orders should be written in ink.

Mr. LESLIE wished to know from Mr. Dowley if these
were public documents ?

Mr.llowLEr. considered they were.
Mr. Jenkins here introduced the section of Howland-
street.

Mr. LESLIE would remind the Court that this was a
question involving an absolute loss of 15,000/. or 20,000/.
The CHAIRMAN—But the question is, has an llon.
Commissioner the right to withdraw these books?
Mr. B. BALDWIN—Mr. Leslie is going on to prove
that he was justified in the course he adopted.
The CHAIRMAN—But supposing, even for the sake of
argument, that the books were wrong—
Mr. LAURIE—Don't suppose anything wrong. Every-
thing can be proved.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. Leslie had,
first of all, established that those books were public docu-
ments.

After some interruption, which only served to distract
he attention of the Court from the main question,

Mr. LESLIE proceeded to question Mr. Jenkins upon
the average depths on the hue of Howland-street. The
work was 842 feet 9 inches in length, at an average of
14 feet 7 inches taken at seven several depths. Three
in the first hundred feet, one in the second hundred, one
in the third hundred, one in the next one hundred and
fifty, and another to the end of the work, Mr. Jenkins
thus missing one three hundred feet before he took a
depth.
Mr. JENKINS answered all questions in the affirmative,
and said, when the examination was finished, "I won't be
brow-beat, Sir; my books are down in black and white ;
and I defy the man that can say there that black is
white."—(Cries of " Order, order.")
Mr. LESLIE wished to know if the 300 yards was not
the narrowest part ?
Mr. JENKINS—My books are there ; I won't be brow-
beat—(Hear, hear)—here as I have been elsewhere.

Captain BAGUE said he had been asked that question
last Court day, and had not seen proper to give the solu-
tion that he did that day.
Mr. JENKINS—The inquiry had never been made.
Mr. LESLIE was going to put other questions to Mr.
Jenkins, when-

The CHAIRMAN said he would put it to the Hon. Com-
missioner whether he thought a reference to the How-
land-street sewer would justify him in this matter ?
Mr. LESLIE said he did not know how he could possi-
bly go on without first proving in what way the business
of the Court had been done.

The CHAIRMAN—Was the course pursued justifiable?
Mr. BROUGHTON, after remarks upon the inconvenience
that would accrue if all members of the Court were
to possess themselves of books as Mr. Leslie had done,
suggested that the Commission should appoint a special
Committee to take the thing into consideration.
Mr. BARRY BALDWIN thought that extreme cases re
quired extreme remedies. He, with the Hon. Member
(Mr. Leslie), suspected that pencilled books were not
exactly proper, and he was of opinion that the Hon.
Commissioner did only what any Commissioner of just
principles would do—he had deposited the book with
the chief clerk in the office. He did not hinder any-
body from consulting it; the only exaction he made was
.that the book should not be altered or erased
He (Mr. B. Baldwin) would have done the very same.
Thole could be no doubt entertained that the Hon. Com-
missioner intended it all to come before the Court at a
future time, and if he were the Hon. Commissioner he
would take it on the broad ground that he had a right
to take possession of the book, and that suspecting that
the book had not been kept in a proper way according to
the rules of the Court, he had accordingly deposited it
with the proper officer.
The CHAIRMAN apprehended Mr. Leslie had not de-
posited it with the proper officer.
Mr. BeinwiN contended that the book had been de-
posited by Mr. Leslie with the proper officer of the
Court, and that it had not, in the terms of the motion
before the Court, been withdrawn.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. LESLIE—Why, Mr. Hawkins afterwards got the
book and deposited it with Mr. Hertzlett. That notice
on the paper was merely an avant courier sent out by the
Chairman, to ascertain the strength of the Court. The
speaker, after some further observations, all having re-
ference to the question, during which he was frequently
interrupted by other Hon. Commissioners, concluded by
stating that he had only done, as he hoped he had always
done, his duty, and he left the matter now in their
hands.
After some other observations, a resolution was moved
by an lion. Commissioner, seconded by Mr. Hawkins,
" That no Hon. Commissioner have power to with-
draw books, or otherwise interrupt the officers of the
Court in the discharge of their duties.'
Mr. BALDWIN wished the Court should not be misled
as to the charge thar Mr. Leslie had withdrawn the
book. That gentleman had not done so, and he wished
the Court to be set right upon this point before they
came to a decision. He did not withdraw it either from
the officer or the Commissioners ; but he placed it, in
his (Mr. Baldwin's) opinion, in the custody of the person
who ought to have charge of it. The rule, No. 29, stated,
" That the clerk do reside on the premises and have
charge thereof and of the public documents." It was
true that at page 23 there was mention made of the
" books in use in the surveyors' department," but nothing
was said of that department having charge of the books
at all.—(Hear.) As he read it the clerk had had charge
of the books. Now it was with the clerk that the book
in question had been deposited, with authority to allow
any person to inspect it, but not to permit any altera-
tions or erasures to be made in it. He thought the course
taken by Mr. Leslie was a wise one, and should, there-
' fore, vote against the resolution.
Mr. WILLOUGHBY contended that the Commissioners
had no right to take possession of any book.
Mr. LAURIE denied that Mr. Leslie had in any way
impeded the officers in the discharge of their duty. There
was not a tittle of evidence to warrant such a charge.
He hoped the matter might be allowed to drop here.
The Court was on its last legs.—(Hear, hear.) He
thought its doom was sealed, and he rejoiced at it, for lie
deemed it necessary for the rate-payers that the Govern-
ment should assume the powers exercised by the Com-
missioners.
Mr. FULLER said the evident object was not to further
any public good, but to put down Mr. Leslie. He was
obliged to the Hon. Commissioner, for if he could not
agree in all the particulars, he was satisfied that he was
right in the general principle.
After some further discussion, the question was put
'rom the Chair, when there appeared for the resolution,
16 ; against it, 9—majority, 7.
The Court then adjourned.

EXPERIMENTS IN THE MARSHES

AT WOOLWICH.

Lieut.-Colonel Dansey, C. 8., Lieut.-Colonel Wylde,
C. 8., Lieutenant Colonel Chalmer, Assistant-Director-
General of Artillery, Lieut.-Colonel Durnford, Major
Hardinge, K. 11., Major Macbean, Captain Dupuis, Capt.
and Adjutant Mitchell, Captain and Adjutant Tiretuan,
of the loyal Artillery, and Captain Collin, loyal Navy,
assembled in the Marshes on Thursday afternoon, to
witness experiments with concussion shells, fitted with
fuzees, on Wilton's principle, adopted by Lieut.-Colonel
Dansey, to be fired at greater distances than point blank
range, and with an extra charge of powder, without ex-
ploding until the lapse of ten seconds, or burning the
full length of the fuzee after their discharge from the
guns, except whoa they hit a very hard object, such as
the side of a vessel, when it is expected they will at that
moment of time burst by the force of the concussion.
In consequence of the crowded state of the river with
vessels pas& ing the practice range, it was found impossible
to fire more than three rounds—two from 32-pounder
guns, and one from a6B pounder gun ; but they afforded
evidence that it is possible to make Wilton's fuzees to
carry a range of 600 yards, and project the shells to which
they are fitt, d with extra charges of powder without
the shells bursting before the time calculated upon, a
very important point, as when they burst at the mouth of
the gun, or before they reach the object against which
they are directed, they are as liable t, destroy friends as
foes. The usual charge for firing shells from guns of
the same length and calibre as those used during the ex-
periments is slbs. of powder for 32-pounders, but on
this occasion 81bs. were used ; and the usual charge of
a CS-pounder for shells is 61bs., but on this occasion
101bs were used, and the result proved that the fuzees
were perfectly safe and capi.ble of resisting not only the
extra force of the charge, but when the shells entered
the mound, which they all did without striking the bulk-
head, the yielding nature of the earth prevented their
explosion until the extreme length of the fuzee had