The Sun.
London, England, 1845-02-07 00:00:00

LONDON AND COUNTY JOINT-
STOCK BANK-
The Directors and Shareholders of this establish-
ment held their usual half-yearly meeting at their
office, 71, Lombard-street, yesterday.
The SECEETARY read the advertisement c nven
ing the meeting, and the Directors' report, of which
the following is the substance
" Your Directors have again much pleasure in laying
their half-yearly report before the Proprietors.
" Your Directors are happy to report that the business of
the Bank continues to improve and to inerease, and they
recommend the payment of the usual dividend, at the rate
of 5 per cent. per annum on the capital stock of the
Company for the half-year ending Dee. 31, 1844.
" The Proprietors will recollect, that at the last
meeting the Directors reported they had, by a second
verdict, maintained their right to hold the Scrip of the
Royal Mail Packet Company, which had been lodged
with them for advances bona fide made to Messrs. Coils,
the brokers of Messrs. Acraman, of Bristol.
After alluding to the law proceedings (the trial
against the assignees of Messrs. Acraman) the report
stated " that the present head office could not afford the
accommodation required by the great increase of the
Company's business, and that they had obtained the
more extensive premises, 21, Lombard-street, to which
they intend to remove during the ensuing month."
The CHAIRMAN then proceeded to address the meet-
ing at considerable length. lle congra'ulated the
Shareholders on the prosperous state of the affairs of
the bank for the past half-year, which he said had
not only been very satisfactory, but far exceeded the
most sanguine expectations of the Directors. He then
alluded, to the state of the branch banks, which he
said were equally satisfactory and profitable in their
results. With regard to the legal proceedings in
which the Company were likely to be involved, he
said this was the third time they would be compelled to
take their position as defendants, in order to submit to a
fury of merchants the question as to whether they
had a right to dispose of scrip of vihich they hail
become the holders. lie next read the balance-sheet,
by which it appeared that a large sum was to be
placed to the credit of the Company. Having
spoken at considerable length, and congratu-
lated the Shareholders upon being the pro-
prietors of •so prosperous and profitable a con-
cern, he next answered several questions that
were put to him by some Proprietors upon matters ol
detail, and the replies appeared to give general satis-
faction.
The meeting unanimously adopted the balance-
sheet, re-elected the out-going members of the Board
and auditors, and having passed a resolution to the
effect that the Directors be paid 1,5001., to be divided
amongst them as remuneration for their services, the
usual votes of thanks were passed, and the meeting
separated.

MORTALITY in the METROPOLIS

The following are the results of "A Table of Mortality
in the Metropolis, showing the Number of Deaths from
all Causes registered in the Week ending Saturday, the
Ist of February, 1845." The Table is issued from the Office
of the Registrar-General:

CAUSES OF DEATH.

Weekly
Total. Average of
Five Years
Epidetnic,Endemic, and Contagious Diseases 200 184
Diseases of variable or uncertain seat llO - 106
Diseases of the Brain, Nerves, and Senses 155 159
Diseases of. the Lungs, and other Organs of
Respiration
Diseases of the Heart and Blood-vessels 29 24
Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other
Organs of Digestion 63 71
Diseases of the Kidneys, &c 6 6
Childbirth, Diseases of the Uterus, &c. lO 10
Diseases of the Joints, Bones, and Muscles 4 6
Diseases of the Skin, &c ••••••
Old Age, or Natural Decay B9 70
By Viol‘mce Privation, or Intemperance
Causes specified... 1004 954
Deaths from all Causes 1011 963

DE&TIIS rnost THE 'PRINCIPAL DISEASES INCLUDED UNDER

TILE ABOYE HEADS.

Weekly Average
Total. of Five Years.
Consumption
Scarlatina, 35 36
Pneumonia ..,.......
Dropsy ..... .. .. .....
Hooning Cough .. ......... ..
Typhus
Small Pox 42 20
Disease of the Heart
Measles 36 24
Apoplexy .......... ... .... ... 26 19
Diseases of the Brain 7 10
Diarrhoea..
Sudden Deaths
DISTRICT&

Deaths Weekly ;Arita
hi Average of in
the Week. Five Years. the Week,
West
North lB9 176 199
Central
East 221 209 274
south

Total .. . .... ....... 1011 963 1236

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.
PROM THE EVENING PAPERS 07 YESTERDAY.
STANDARD.—The debate in the House of Com •
mons last night was—as always happens on the second
night of the session, when there is no amendment to the
address, and scarcely a formed opposition party—very
flat, and, if we may apply so undignified a word, " rag-
ged"—a thing of shreds and patches. We regret that
the Premier was not able to give a more encou-
raging reply to the question put to him re-
specting . the proposed refuge harbours in the
Channel ; but we are bound to own that we feel more
regret, than surprise at the Hight Honourable Baronet's
hesitation. Ile knows that the construction of the har-
bours will involve a considerable expense, probably five
or six millions ater.ing, and be knows, no Minister ever
had such good reason to know it, that: a,. surplus of re-
venue over income is a principal, spring of national pros,
perity ; that surplus his wisdom has
:secured, and with
it the inseparably attendant prosperity ; and he must 1.1. e
forgiven if he is reluctant to riek thern.—at all events
reluctant .to plesige himself to any expensive measures
until Parliament has given him security that the means
of effecting it should. not fail without encroaching upon
his snrplu3. On the other hand, we cannot help seeing
that the Channel refuge harbours are a necessity created
by our arnetdented commerce, and by the change that
P
steam navigation Intbt effect in thesystem of maritime war.
Nor can we he blind to the fact that if they arc not under-
taken by a Minister as bold and successful in his financial
policy as Sir Robert Peel, they never will be undertaken
at alt. . The sum proposed is large, say six millions
sterlirg, but these six millions could not be expended in
one year, two years, or probably in less than six years.
The expenditure until all the harbors should be corn-
pleted woeid, therefore, scarcely exceed one mdlion
per annum in . the whole six ytars—little more
than one year's produce of the property-tax. Is
it possible, however, to imagine a-1y money so
welt hid out ? Had Mr. Pitt realised his
plan of a refuge harbour at Dover, whica in the
then imperfect state of c instructive science it was calm-
lated would c.),t four millions (though it is now esti-
mated at no more than two millions and a half), there
is no doubt that the four mll4olls woul,l, beeore this,
have been re-p lid five times over in vessels (lives
out of question) saved from shipwreck ; five times
over again, in lacilitiei afforded to Cr e river com-
merce, and twenty times over in the advantage it
would have afforded during the late war. The
Channel haebours, acCompanied by the increase in cur
steam navy in progress, would in fact double—more
than double the power of this country, offensive as
well a, defensive, in any future war with a
neighbouring nation of the Continent. We '
do not, however, contemplate the subject in a military
light. Preparation for war is no doubt the best guarantee
of peace, but there are other guarantees of peace much
pleasanter, which the Channel harbours, more especially
the Dover harbour, would give us in full measure. Free
communication and active commerce are these pleasanter
guarantees, and the harbours of which we speak would
draw nearly all the coasting trade of Western Europe to
our side of the Channel. Even at present Ramsgate, ill-
beaced as that harbour is, serves sometimes as an entrepot
:ween Dieppe and Dunkirk, Havre and Rotterdam ;
but Dover, standing as boldly as it does stand out
in the Channel, flanked by Dungeness on one side, and
the noble roadstead, the Downs, on the other, would,
with a safe, capacious, deep-water harbour, become
the universal entrepot f the Channel coasting trade
for both sides. This is a subject upon which, as
the elder-readers of the Standard know, we have
long held 'very strong opinions ; but if it were pose
sible to strengthen our previous convictions they
would be strengthened by a glance at Mr. Wyld's
recently published and splendid post map of Europe.
In this
flap the distances of the several ports in the
Channel ffromeach other are re carefully laid down, and it
is impossible
not to see in a comparison of these dis-
tances, th 6 enaoacrtn.rs. amothis country.. unt of coasting commerce that
uartyariurceas in not providing a safe, capacious,
O'Connell.
deep water
Linen. has been outvoted in the
Councilhere eo f .wthaes R. :Peontal
to Association. In the very chamber
Those who but latel fad.iwntictie, he has been defeated.
upon and flattered him,
now presume :to beard.LilsFranken.stein, he has
to
created a monster which refuses be
the servant—,
longer subser-
vient
to.his will. The master has become
the slave. The Association is paramount eoras leader.
The head is moved by the tail. Thissticie
of those who depend on the popular breath for ullerypfate
tion which they occupy. The inferior minds which they
invited to cofoperatowith them-as instruments, combine
to dethrone their chiefs: they either consign their leaders
to oblivion,: or retain them fora time, 'as the ministers of
their own purposes—the creatures of their open or covert
designs. The question, whether the Members of Parliament
who have become members of the Repeal Association
should attend to their Parliamentary duties, was sub,
mitted to the Repeal. Committee ; and the following re-.
solutions were discussed and adopted That, however
desirable it may be that a discussion should take
place in the House of Commons with a view to ex-
pose
the injustice of the proceedings connected
with the late State trials, this Association is so
deeply impressed with a sense of the hopelessness of
obtaining redress for the wrongs of Ireland from the
Imperial- Parliament, that we cannot recommend that
the Irish Members should be called upon to attend such
discussion." There is an appearance of. moderation in
this resolution, which wiluld imply a discretionary power
in those with whose rirlitimentvry duties it interferes
" We cannot recommend," but we do not absolutely
forbid, you to attend-the. House of Commons, of which
you are Members There is reason to b9liers that tai

or something like this, was suggested by Mr. O'Connell
in the Committee, as an ingenious mode of flattering
the vanity of the new dominant spirits of the Associ-
ation, while it left the repeal Members of Parliament
to take their own course. This res, lution was
moved at the Conciliation Hall, on Monday, by Mr.
Smith O'Brien, and seconded by Mr, James Belly, both
being Members of the House of Commons. Mr. O'Con-
nell, making a virtue of necessity, would have been content
with this. He would have found a loop-hole sufficiently
large to enable him to escape from the recommended ab-
sence from Parliament. Had nothing more stringent than
this resolution been in existence, O'Connell and the
majority, if not the whole, of the "Repeal Members"
would have been in their places in Parliament in less
than a month. The Repeal Committee were aware of
this. Another resolution was therefore proposed, as a
clincher to that we have given, viz. :—" That the at-
tendance of the Irish Repeal Members in the Conci-
liation Hall would be most conducive to the
great object of the Asscciation, the restoration of
our domestic Legislature." This resolution is not more
humiliating to the "Liberator," than it is opposed to his
wishes, and fatal to his policy. We believe that he would
gladly escape from the trammels and the toils which his
task-masters impose on him. It is evident, from the way
in which he—cautiously, but with sufficient explicitness to ,
be understood—alluded in his speech at the Conciliation
Hall, on Monday, to the debates on this resoulution in
the Committee, that it had given rise to considerable
opposition ; in fact, that he was strongly averse to it ;
but had been defeated. " There were disagreements and
discrepancies among the members," said Mr. O'Connell,
"respecting its adoption." It was, however, adopted
by the Committee, and submitted to the public
meeting at the Conciliation Hall for approval.
It was proposed by Mr. Barry, and seconded by Mr.
M'Neviu—two of those fiercer spirits, whose influence
has acquired ascendancy in the councils of the Asso-
ciation, and cast O'Connell into the shade. The aid of
such men was useful while they acted in the capacity of
subordinates. No sooner do they take the lead than di%i-
sion and confusion are introduced to the council, and will
soon extend themselves to the body of the confederation.
O'Connell has succumbed to a faction in his own

camp. The moral courage and exquisite tact by which
he acquired ascendancy over his countrymen, and incited,
guided, or checked them at his pleasure, has departed.
The Irish Samson is now shorn of his strength. Though
he go forth and shake himself, as in other times, the
change is manifest to all. He is now fit only to make
sport for the Philistines. The men who have deprived
him of his power, now bind him with the cords they have
woven, and he cannot go whither he would. Whether
consciousness of the humiliation the Repeal Association
has inflicted will rouse the spirit of O'Connell into
action, and induce him to disobey the mandate which is
interposed between the repeal Members and their Par
liamentary duties, remains to be seen. If that mandate
of the now dominant spirits of the repeal movement be
obeyed, there is not a slave, however abject, who will
not hail O'Connell as a brother in bonds.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
COURT OF EXCHEQUER, Feb. 6.
(Before the Lord Chief BAnos and a Special Jury.)
TRIAL AT BAR.
THE ALLEGED FRAUDS UPON THE REVENUE.

THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL V. SMITH.

(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
Daniel Wentworth Thornton—ls a supervisor of Excise.
Surveyed the premises of Mr. Smith from the 29th of Sept.,
1838, to May, 1843. Produced the last entry under which
they worked, on the 16th of September, 1840.
Cross-examined by Mr. KELLY—When he surveyed the
premises he was generally there from eight to nine hours
a day. The officers on the premises were himself, another
officer, and the supervisor.
To Mr. Baron ALDEBSON—Was then an officer—is now a
supervisor.
To Mr. KELLY—These were always present when a charge
was taken. There were always officers there during
the
distilling week. That was not constantly the case during
the brewing week. The officers examined the premises
sometimes at night. They could do so at any uncertain
time, if they thought it necessary to take the distiller
by surprise. Did not know how long the premises had been
wed as a distillery. The officers knew that there
was a water pipe for supplying water from the large reservoir
over the ,a;ranaries. That reservoir *as capable of containing
s.tveral hundred thousand gallons of water. It was supplied
by the 'East London Company. A vast quantity of water
was necessary for the purposes of a distillery. the stables
at the opposite side of the road and the dwelling-house were
supplied from that reservoir. Did not know in what way
the rectifying distillery of Mr. James Smith was supplied.
Was never before aware that it was supplied from a branch
pipe from the said reservoir. All the cocks and pipes in a
distillery have, according to the Act of Parliament, parti-
cular colours to distinguish the liquid which passes through
them.

Mr. KF,Ltx—We hare heard a great deal about spirits
passing from the vat No. S in the distillery to No. 17
in. the rectifying-house. Point out these on the model.
(The witness did so, and also showed the plan of
the reservoir in the building, on the top of which was
the above-mentioned reservoir.) After the spirit was
deposited in that receiver, the Excise had done with it, ex-
cept that the spirit, when the manufacture was completed,
and thus passed into that receiver, was dipped, and the quan-
tity to be charged with duty was ascertained. After that the
Excise had done with it. The officers had to ascertain whether
the quantity of spirit corresponded with the quantity of wash
from which it was made ; 100 gallons of wash, at 50, was
calculated as capable of yielding 10 gallons of spirit, but it
ought to yiskl more. If the product was less, the charge was
made on the wash ; that is, up to 10 gallons. If it exceeded
10, the excess was charged up to 12 gallons. If the
excess was more than a gallon, and a fourth above
that, it was inferred, according to the 71st section
of the Act, that fraud had been committed. After
the officers had once charged upon the spirits in the
receiver they did not make any other charge upon it when
removed to the larger vats. At every distillery the s:-irits
in the receiver was ganged two or three t hues a day or oftener.
When the tpirits was removed to the vats, stock was taken
by the rdlkcrs about once a fortnight. The spirit was re-
moved the receiver to the vats by pumping it out. In
toe vats the officers might examine it at any hour of the day
twilight, and as often as they pleased. Knows enough of the
busioes3 to ha able to say that the quantity of spirits pro •
duced varied with the density and strength of the wash and
the quality of the grain.
lte-examined by Mr. J.vmus—Stock was taken once a fort-
‘Vitness knew nothing of the underground pipe lead-
ing to the receiving.house. A different set of officers attended
to that establishment.
Some time was Ulm occupied in reading the description of
the premises and utensils returned, according to the Act, by
the defendant to the Excise authorities.

Mr. Wiliiam 3Torland, a land-surveyor, examined by Mr.
JAnyrs--:-Ile made the model in Court, on a scale of three-
eighths of an inch to a foot. The pipes are all made to the
iame-scale. A part of one end of the premises was omitted.

Cross-examined by Mr. KEt.t.y—Li the model two-thirds
'of the tank were left out, because otherwise the model would
be too large. Did not know enough of the Lusiness to be
able to say what became of the water which was conveyed
by the pipe under the road to the rectifying-house. The
whole ()Nile premises (the rectifying-house) and the VC3,3C:S
were supplied from that pipe, with th 9 exception of a spirit
vat in the cellar. The pipe had no connexion with the spirit
receiver.

Joseph Drinicwater, examined by Sir Tnosies Wrenr.—Ts
supervisor of Excise of Stepney second division. Took charge
of Mr. Smith's premises in \larch, 1812. Left it in August_
\Vas aleo absen t from December to January, when he returned,
and remained in survey of the distillery up to June last. Had
examined the reservoir mei aecertained there was an error
in the drip before taken. The model ii Court is a correct
model of the premises. The entrance to the rectifying-house
was in Brick-lane. It was surrounded bv a wall which sepa-
rated it from the distillery, with which therm wasno apparent
communication. In the distillery there were two very
large water-tanks. In Brick-lane there were very
large stables, in which the horses belonging to the two
establishments, the distillery and rectifying-house, were kept.
311 the carts he had ever seen belonging to either establish-
ment were marked with the same name—Thomae Smith
and Co. The processes of distilling and brewing were not
carried on at the same time, but in different weeks. In
brewing, when the water was put to the grain, it was called
worts. The vessel was called the under back ; from that it
was conveyed to the coolers, and from them ran into the
wash back, in which the process of feementation commenced.
The strength of the wash was ascertained by its specific
gravity. After that was ascertained, the distiller was allowed
to add yeast or other ferment to it. After fermentation
•commenced the gravity diminished ; but no charge
was estimated until it went to the still. It was
then estimated according to the attenuation that
had taken place. in the process of fermentation; that is,
the difference of specific gravity from the first to the last.
The change was made for one gallon of proof spirits for
every five degrees of attenuation upon a hundred gallons of
wash. The receiver had glass sides and a glass top. It
was not an exact level, but was somewhat inclined. The
quantity in the receiver was ascertained by the dipping rod,
which was dipped into it through an opening in the top,
which was covered with a brass plate at other times. The
quantity contained in the sloping span was ascertained by
measuring in water to the length of the level. Witness first
took the drip by measuring in the water in September, 1842.
He measured in 260 gallons, and the dipping rod told an in-
clination of four inches six-tenths.
To Mr. Ilaron ROLFE—It required 260 gallons of water to
rise to the level of the highest part of the bottom.
To the Loan CILIFF BARON—The dipping-rod having
shown an inclination of four inches and six-tenths to be
covered by 260 gallons, in making the charge that quantity
was counted for the first four inches and six-tenths shown by
the dipping-rod ; and the remainder of the charge was cal-
culated by the dimensions of the vat and the height of the
contents. The drip taken before was set down as four inches
seven tenths, with the same quantity of water. That one-
tenth difference in the calculation made a difference of about
nine gallons in the estimate of the charge. A part of the re-
ceiver was sunk in the ground. The place where it stood was
very dark, and in taking their charge the officers were
obliged to use a lamp. The place altogether was very in-
convenient fbr them.—(The witness explained by the. model
the position in which the officers stood when using the dip-
ping-rod, and pointed out the alleged inconvenience, which
we could not explain without the same means.)—The depth
of the receiver was 45 inches ; the spirit was pumped up from
the receiver into the vats. Two of the vats were over the
receiver. The vat No. 8 was the furthest from the receiver,
from which the spirit was pumped into it, through a pipe 26
or 28 feet long. There was an Excise lock upon the pump, and
when thereceiver was exhausted the pump was locked.
He knew the large water tank over the granary, from which
a pipe ran the whole length- of the Wilding. A branch
from it' led into the spirit house, and to a small tank under
the vat No. 8. That small tank was entered in. the Excise,
both as a spirit and a water-tank. From that there was a
the
rectifying , under hit e
mett r r iwa
teh wa any intoo t
h e r
pipe,
itpee,
and a branch from these 'led -to the back.
the e
have water
bebeiciancukaolr:
all\or.niWitness—Yes
ligTuohrealways
ralLetannosNw—affeeiri.e:
Sir T. WILDE You m
eisso—lrov;Yiesng;
you in a mistake. I thought b
The witness then pointedout liquor" you meant spirit.
and their ramifications in th the course of these pipes
several places there were cocks byo establishments. In
other fluid could be stopped off from which the water or
After the jenction.pipe, which crossed•unde different branches.
the rectifying-house, it went on. to trlthe road, entered
in which there - were no spirit vats. 13.uotoin the No.o 134e'
went next into the spirit store-house, No. 's
there communicated with almost all the- vats: It and
colas_municated directly with the vats from No. 14 to No.;
and sent off branches to the others, and to the receiver and
the wormhead. There were cocks to all these pipes, and
branches, by which the water could be stopped off from any
or all of them. The principal pipe, from which the junction
p pi e crossed under but the
joined the main of the East London
Water Convoy; but the junetion-pipe azttl the brauchea

in the rectifying-house had no connexion with the water-main.
There was a trough which traversed the top of the distillery
from the large tank, and crossed over the carriage-way, into
the rectifying-house, where it supplied all the worm tubs.
The worm tubs in the distillery were also supplied from it.
In the rectifying-house there was a small tank which was
filled with water pumped up from the worm tubs, by the
same machinery that worked the pumps in the distillery.
In October, 1843, being in the rectifying-house, with
two surveying examiners, Cameron, and Prankish, and an
officer, Batten, they noticed that water was coming into
the worm-heads. It was about three days after that he gave
directions t 3 open the ground. It was on the 14th of October
they first observed the water in the still-heads. On the 15th
they saw Mr. George Smith, the defendant. Mr. Cameron
asked him if there was a communication between
his distillery' and his brother's rectifying-house ?
He replied, "You are not going to catch me." Cameron
observed that " no doubt Mr. Smith had heard from his
brother what occurred at the rectifying-house the day be-
fore; but that all they (the officers) wanted to know was,
whether there was a communication between the two pre-
mises." (The witness here obtained permission to refer to
the notes which he made of the conversation immediktely- af-
ter.) In answer to another question from Mr. Cameron, Mr.
Smith said that " a pipe from the large tank supplied
the troughs which communicated with every part of the
two premises, with the water-main, and consequently with
all the houses in the neighbourhood." They then caused the
water to be stopped, by putting a plug in the hole of the
tank from which the water flowed through the downright
pipe into the troughs ; and on going into the rectifying-
house they found that the water still flowed for
five minutes in the worm-heads. The next day
they traced the pipe, which entered the rectifying-
house from the distillery, to all the vats in the rectifying-
house. They were not then aware that the pipe came from
the distillery. They thought it came from the water-main.
Mr. KELLY—Are those notes original, or a copy of what
you first wrote ? Witness—They are the original.
Mr. KELLY then asked to look at them, but
The CIUEF BARON said that the Learned Counsel could not
have them until the witness had finished using them. They
were not evidence, but only used to refresh his memory.
Cross-examination resumed—Had suspected before that
there was a pipe underground communicating from the dis-
tillery to the rectifying. house. On the 17th, From all they
had observed, they determined to open the ground, and they
proceeded to do so in the rectifying-house. They
traced the pipes there to the junction-pipe leading
from the distillery. Mr. Cameron went in :the meantime
to Mr. G. Smith, the defendant, and stated his intention of
opening the ground in the distillery. Mr. Smith at first said
that they should wait until they had done in the other house,
as he wished to employ the same men. Mr. Cameron per-
sisted, and, after a time, Mr. Smith gave him the men to do
the work. On that night some one took ont a plug from the
water main, and flooded the excavation in which they had
traced the pipe that day.
Mr. KELLY—YOII must not charge us with what the water
company did.
Examination resumed—On the 18th and 19th they traced
the pipes across the road, and the whole way to the granaries.
Cameron then said to Mr. Smith that he thought it
would be possible to transmit spirits from the distillery
to the rectifying-house through that pipe. Mr. Smith
said that it was impossible, as it would require a
left-handed cock to do so, and he defied them to find a left-
handed. cock on his premises. The officers said that they
would make the experiment with a tub of water. Mr. Smith
said if they succeeded, they would do more than any one else
ever did or thought of. They made the experiment, however.
Having connected the tub, containing sixty gallons of water,
by a hose with the pipe, and having stopped off the cocks of
all the branches except that leading to the vat, No. 17, in
the rectifying-house, the water passed from the tub to the
vat in about a minute. Witness and Cameron remained
in the distillery attending to the tub, while the
officers went into the other house to watch the result
at the vat. Some of Mr. Smith's Servants and he himself
were present. After the water was gone from the tub Mr.
James Smith came in, and said that the conduct of the
officers was diabolical. Mr. G. Smith said that they had
put some water in the tub, and that they had made it dis-
appear as if by some magic of their own. After this ex-
periment, the officers said they would repeat it with spirits.
They asked Mr. Smith's permission, which he refused to
give. He said that to pass spirits in that way would be
illegal ; he would not oppose them by force, but would hold
them responsible for whatever they did. Witness procured
a pipe eleven feet long, with which he connected the spirit
..N vat o. 8, in the distillery, with the vat No. 17, in
the rectifying-house. The strength of the spirit in No. 8 had
been first ascertained by the other officers. The spirit
was then permitted to flow from the vat into the pipe, but
after a short time it ceased to flow. This was ascertained

upon examination, to be occasioned by air in the pipes
This was remedied by permitting water from the water-tank
to flow through them, as there was a great pressure ;
and the leaks being stopped with putty, the spirits
in the vat, No. 8, was examined, and it was found
that about 33 gallons had been used in the first trial. The
cock of No. 8 was then turned, and the spirits permitted to
flow into the pipe. Whilst it was running he went round to
No. 17, in the other house, and foiled the spirits coming in
very fast, and of a great strength, gradually increasing
to eleven above proof. lie had samples of the spirit
in Court. He had not himself tested the strength
of the spirit in No. 8. When they were satisfied with the
experiment they got out the spirit that remained in the
pipes, by causing the water from the tank to flow through
them, which forced the spirit out. They afterwards tasted
the water, and found that it had no flavour of spirit. When
they were about to make the experiment, Mr. G. Smith
said they would contaminate all the water on the
premises with -spirits, and the horses would be drunk for
weeks. Subsequently, on the 30th, Mr. Smith tol I hint that
his family had not been able since the experiment to get a
drop of water free from the taint of spirits. Witness said he_
would taste the water himself; but Mr. Smith would not
allow him, and asked " By what right he attempted to enter
his (defendant's) house?"
To the CHIEF BARON—The quantity of spirits which re-
mained in the whole line of pipes, after the flow from one vat
to the other had ceased, would be about 450 gallons. These
might (if allowed to remain long in the pipes) become mixed
s ith a little water.
The CHIEF BARON—Then every time the machinery was
employed to pass spirits from the one house to the other 450
gallons would be placed in jeopardy ? Witness (to Sir T,
Wilde)—The mixture of the water would not be of
any consequence, because all the spirits had to be
re-distilled in the process of rectification. After
the experiment, it was found that there were 3,500%
gallons in vat No. 17, which had before been empty. Eleven
hundred gallons of water were afterwards passed through
the pipes to show that no spirit remained in them.
Sir f. NN'teme said that no was now about to examine the
witness on another part. of the case.
The Loim CHIEF JUSTICE said that it would be more ex-
pedient to adjourn the examination till to-morrow, as it was
now beyond half. past four.
Mr. kELLY submitted that it was highly desirable that the
jury should examine the premises in person, as it was evident
that the model, elaborate as it was, cEd not enable ;hem to
judge correctly of the evidence.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL said that, if the application had
been made before the trial had proceeded so far, be should
have been disposed to accede to it. But he thought it would
now be highly inexpedient.
Mr. MARTIN could not see what was the objection. The
defendant's friends could exercise n influence or misrepresent

anything, as the premises were entirely in the hands of the
Excise.

The CHIEF BAnoN thought it would be necessary now to
go on as well as they could with the assistance they already
possessed.
The Court then rose.

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.

OLD COURT.

Isaac Harmon, 30, bricklayer, was indicted for the
manslaughter of Mary Anne Brown.
The prisoner and the deceased cohabited together, and
resided in Groat Peter-street, Westminster. On the -
night of the 10th January the prisoner went home in a
state of intoxication, and he was very angry with the
deceased for keeping him at the street-door, and not let-
ting him in immediately ; and when he went into the
room he was heard to say that he would " pay her" for
it, and make use of very bad language towards her. In
a short time the noise of a scuffle was heard, and then
a heavy fall upon the floor; after which the prisoner was
heard to say, " My dear Mary, what is the matter ?"
Ile then gave an alarm, and on tne other lodgers going
into the room, the deceased was found lying upon the
ground insensible, and shortly afterwards she expired.
The prisoner, on being questioned, said that the deceased
fell clown from the bed ; but he afterwards asserted that
he lifted her out of bed and put her in the chair, and that
she fell off the chair to the ground, and he denied having
ill-treated her in any manner.
From the evidence of the surgeon it appeared that the
heart of the deceased was very much diseased, but the
immediate cause of death was congestion of the brain,
which ho said might be occasioned by the action of the
diseased heart, or from great excitement. There were
no marks of violence upon the body of the deceased, and
the cause of her death was net by any means clearly made
out.—The jury returned a verdict of Not Guilty.
Thomas IViker, 42, sailor, was charged with having
feloniously uttered a forged order for the payment of
31. 10s., with intent to defraud James Waters.
From the evidence adduced it appeared that the prose-
cutor keeps a beer-shop and lodging-house for sailors in
Ratcliffe-highway., and the prisoner was living in his
house. On the occasion in question the prisoner pro-
duced what is termed an advance note, which he repre-
sented he had received from the owners of a vessel
. called the Maria, in which he had obtained a berth in a
voyage to Malta, and which would entitle him to receive
3L 10s. after the vessel had sailed. The wife of the pro-
secutor believing the story to be true, advanced the pri-
soner 11.25. upon the note, which afterwards turned out
to be a forgery ; there being no such vessel as the Maria,
nor any firm of the name to which the note was addressed
for payment in Mincing-lane.
The jury returned a verdict of Guilty, but recom-
mended the prisoner to mercy.
The prisoner was then convicted upon a second in-
dictment for a precisely similar offence.
Mr. Justice WILLIAMS sentenced the prisoner to be
kept to hard labour for two years upon each indictment,
that being the lightest sentence the Act of Parliament
empowered him to pass, but it was intimated that a re-
commendation would be made to the Secretary of State
.to remit the second two years' imprisonment.
James Bridgman, 24, was indicted for stealing a quan-
tity of tools in the dwelling-house of John Cross, and
afterwards burglariously breaking out of the same.
The. jury found the prisoner Guilty, and he was proved
to have been before convicted of felony, and sentenced
to six months' imprisonment.
Mr. Justice WILLIAMS sentenced • him to be trans-
ported for ten years.

MINISTERIAL APPOINTMENTS.—The following para-
graph appeared yesterday in a morning Contemporary
whose abject servility is but ill-rewarded by its patrons:
" Our well-informed Contemporary, the Times, stated yes-
terday morning, in its leading columns, that Sir George
Clerk was to be the Vice-President of the Board of Trade. In
the House of Commons, last night, Mr. Young moved for a
new writ for the borough of Stamford, Sir George Clerk
having accepted the office of Master of the Mint. So much
for the early and accurate information of the Times!
Neither Mr. Cardwell nor Sir George Clerk has been .ap-
pointed Vice-President of the Board of Trade, although our
Contemporary first gave the appointment to one, and then to
the other."

The stupidity of our Contemporary is,
if possible,
greater than usual. The office of Master of the Mint Is
always held conjointly with that of either President or
Vice-President of the Board of Trade. There is but
one salary—two thousand pounds a-year—specifically
allotted for the Board of Trade, and the office of
Mater of the Wet, whieh has no duties attached,