The Sun.
London, England, 1850-08-29 00:00:00

THAMES.

Mr. John Francis Fawcett, master of the Anna Jane,
was finally examined, charged with carrying and convey-
ing a quantity of foreign manufactured silk, over ar:d
ahove the value of 201., whereby, under the 52d section
of the Bth and 9th Vic., c. 87, the goods were liable to
seizure, and the defendant to a forfeiture of three times
their value.

On SAurclay last, Mr. Hammond, landing surveyor of
Customs, saw a porter taking Out a chest which defend-
ant admitted to be his, and said it only contained his
clothes, at a wrong gate. After some parly the cheat
was examined, and 416 yards of China silk were dis-
covered, the greater portion being in concealment at the
bottom of the chest, upon which the goods were seized
and information laid.

Mr. wig, who appeared for the defence, cross-ext-
mined all the witnesses at great length, and took several
ohj. cticais to the informations, which however were over-
ru!ed by Mr. Ingham.
Mr. Connell, the Queen's appraiser, proved that the
silks were sionla 401., at.d liable to a duty of 6!. 6s. The
deft neatit I ad, therefore, rendered hireselt liable to a
penalty tit 12C1., 'tab rewer of reduction on the part of
the tragiztrate to one-fourth.
Mr. IronAst said thtt, indeyendent of the defendant's
own words, who admitted that he intended to evade the
duty, the plan of concealment proved the intent to smug-
gle, and he should impose a penalty of 601.
Mr. Lewis—Reduce it to a. fourth, Sir.
Mr. IsiGHAm—l fear I have even now dealt too
leniently.
The fine was immediately paid.
James Evans, James Taylor, John Spencer, John
Hew, on, Richard Mummery. Robert May, Richard Hall,
illiam Hallybone, and 14 idiam Hudson, the crew of
the Caledonia steamer, belonging to the General Steam
Navigwion Company, and trading between London and
Hamburgh, were brought before Mr. Ingham, charged
with smuggling eighty pounds of foreign manufactured
tobacco.

Mr. Beverley, clerk to the solicitors of the Customs,
appeared on the part of the Crown; Mr. Joseph Smith for
t'ie prisoners, who were all arraigned together; and,
after sc•me discussion, it appeared that ten informations
had been tiled. The cases were heard separately.
All the dt feudants pleaded not guilty.
It appeared troin the evidence of Mr. David Samuel
Herding, an inspector of Customs, that upon the arrival
f the Caledonia at .Uorselydown from Hamburgh, on
Tuesdey, he rummaged the► vessel, and on removing
one of the lockers in the ferccastle, on the lei board bow,
he found a place of concealment in the lining of the
vesse 1. It was paint( d over, and the officer had to
remove a board before he could discover the con-
ct alrcent, and he then bad to draw up the tobacco,
to which pieces of string were attached, and glued
to the back of the board. It was the most skilful cen-
cealment of smuggled goods ever known. The officer
requested the captain and mate to muster the crew,
which was done, and the question was put to each of
them, who "concealed the tobacc,,:' They all denied
any knowledge of it. They were asked what it belonged
to, and they said they did not know. Mr. Earding gave
them several
,hours to consider of the matter, and to
give up the name of the party to whom the tobacco bi-
longed, but not one would impeach his shipmate, and, in
consequence of instructions from the Board of Customs,
the whole crew were arrested, every rain on board
being liable.

James Evans, who was the first called upon pleaded
not guilty, and Mr. Harding gave evidence at length to
the above effect, and added that the Caledonia was not
driven into this port by stress cf weather or unavoid-
able causes, and that the tobacco was liable to a duty of
94. sd. per lb. The forecastle was the men's place of
livit.g, and the tobacco could not be concealed withou t
their knowledge.
Mr. Smith made a long address in favour of the men,
and conciemned theLconduct of the Board of Customs in
selecting the crew for prosecution only, and not pro-
ceeding against the captain and mate, who were more
likely to smuggle than the foremast bands. Ile also
said that a wore disgraceful prosecution he never
heard of.

Mr. INGICAX could not go along with Mr. Smith in
what ho said, and did not think it probable the captain
and mate concealed the tobacco or had anything to do
with the transaction. Ile had no doubt whatever the
delendant or one of his s!eipmates put the tobacco in the
place where it was found, and that all had a guilty
knowledge of it. He fined the didendant 100/, and iu
default of payment, sentenced him to be imprisoned for
six calendar months.

The other defendants were then separately charged,
and the evidence was repeated in each case, which pro-
of the magistrate until a late hour.
protested their innocence. They
lwAuenlrigeethdaelilhdeecfoennitvdtiaionntgetsl (with the exception of Hudson),
and in di fault of ming 100/. sentenced to six months,
imprisonment in Kingston House of Correction. It
appe ired that Hudson was not on board when the seizure
was made, and the magistrate decided that he was not
liable.