The Sun.
London, England, 1868-02-18 00:00:00

LAW IN TELLIGE N CE--- rhis Day.

JUDGMENT IN THE CASE OF THE GREAT EASTEP.II
STEAMSUIP.—His lordship Sir R. Phillimore, gave judg-
ment to-day in the Admiralty Court, - in the
case of the claims by about 300 seamen engaged on
board the Great Eastern, for wages. The question raised
was whether the Steamship Company (Limited) were liable,
or Jules Despecher, a French gentleman, Alio had
chartered the vessel on account of the French Exhibition.
The speculation failed, and the ship returned to Liverpool
Messrs. Mortens and Clint, shipehandlers, had painted
the vessel, at Liverpool, whilst on a gridiron, on the
order of Sir James Anderson, the master. Further paint
bad been ordered as stores by Mr. Yates, who was secre-
airy to the Steamship Company and. alsa for Jules
Despecher. The vessel had been let to the Telegraph
Company, and chartered to Jules De.specher. It had been
employed, in laying down the cables, arid afterwards char-
tered to the French company. The liability of , the
limited company was denied, and the question now
raised was of public importance.—His lordship said
the question he had to decide in this case was, whether
the owners had parted with possession to the charterer,
ind whether the captain, Sir James Anderson, had held
himself out as master of the owners. After referring to the
evidence of Sir James Anderson, who had stated that ho
'3ad acted as agent for both, "an d also to that ofttlr. Yates, who
was also agent for both, he was of opinion that Sir James
Anderson had held himself out as the master of the owners,
mnd that the limited company had not by the charter
parted with possession to Jules Despecher. As to the
stores, the claim was abandoned, as ordered byll.lr. Yates,
ior the French company, and he therefore found for the
plaintiffs for £lBB Us. 2d. and costs.—On the question
being asked whether the court would order the ship to be
sold for £lBB, Mr. Butt protested against such an order,
and it was not made.

AN IMPORTANT DECISION IN VTR PROBATE COURT.—
In the suit of Hunt v. Gotby, Mr. Lopes made an appli-
cation to the court which involved one of the most impor-
tant decisions that has hitherto been made in probate mat-
tors. The application was made for the purpose of en-
forcing the discovery of papers which, it was alleged,
were in the hands of an opposing party in the suit.
It was brought under the 3Gth section of the Act which
constituted the court itself, and which gave the power of
a common-law and equity jurisdiction to the judge. In
giving his-decision, the learned Judge-Ordinary said that
during the time the court had been constituted this ques-
tion had only once been raised, and at that time the 36th
section had not been cited to the court. It was a matter
of great moment that all letters should be ptloduced,
as they would throw on many occasions great light upon
the feeling and disposition of parties. The case he alluded
to was that cl Peacock and Lowe, and in that case the
court refuse. application, and the parties hack then
gone into eqt:ity, where, he believed, they still rer ained.
He considered all papers auxiliary to the matter, and arliouie,
therefore make an order of inspection.

FIRE AT THE CHARING CROSS STATION
THIS AF7ERNOON.

This afternoon, about a quarter to two o'clock, a
very large fire broke out in the Custom-house de-
partment of the Charing-cross station. Consider-
ing the comparatively small dimensions of the de-
partment the flames ascended with unparalleled
fury. It is in that portion of the building which is
at the extreme end of the arrival trains platform
and is above the place where the lamps are
kept. Ib ia auppaaca that aorna core. buts-
tible material must have exploded, and thus
set light to the wooden framer ork of the shed.
The consternation created amongst the crowd of
passengers, officials of the hotel and station, and
abmen and their horses may well be imagined.
Assistance, however, was promptly at hand, and
the hose connected with the establishment was
brought into operation. The engine from Chandos-
street was the first to arrive; but others rapidly
followed. The flames, however, were very obsti-
nate. It is feared that the glass-roof beneath which
this burning mass is situated will be seriously in-
jured, if not destroyed.
At three o'clock the flames were so far subdued
as to allay all fear of its extending to other parts
of the building. The loss of property,by the fire
must'be very great.

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