The Sun.
London, England, 1844-05-18 00:00:00

COURT OF SEWERS.

A Court of Sewers for the City and Liberty of West-
mius:er, and part of the county of Middlesex, was held
at the Sewers'-office, Greek-street, Soho, yesterday. In
the absence of the Chairman, Mr. Donaldson,
Mr. WILLOUGHBY was called to the chair. _ _

Several new Commissioners were sworn and took
their scats, among whom was, Mr. Dodd, the Member
for Maidstone, and Mr. Barry Baldwin, the Member for
Totnes. • .

The routine business of the Court having in a great
measure been gone through, the Court proceeded to con-
sider the appeal of the Western Literary and Scientific
Institution, in Leicester-square, against the payment of
rates to the Sewers. After a short discussion the ap-
peal was refused, on the ground that the tax would not
ultimately fall upon the Society, but on their landlord.
On the question that the Court should receive and
consider the report of the Committee, on view of the
drainage of Kensington New Town, and of the Kensing-
ton Sewer at South-end, and in the neighbourhood of
Earl's-court, a short discussion took place, which ended

in a motion from
Mr. CHAMBERS—That the report be printed pre-
viously to its being considered at the next Court.
The motion was agreed to.
On the question that the Court should receive and
consider a report from the surveyors as to the state of
the work in those parts of the•sewer in Gloucester-road,
Paddington, viz., 30. feet and 60 feet, which they consider
it necessary to have rebuilt, after a short conversation,
the report of the surveyors was read, which stated that
they had proceeded, agreeably to the order of the Court,
to remove the earth and brick-work for 30 feet and .60
feet of the sewer, and that from their inspection of it
they found the upper sides of the arches in such a state
as to require rebuilding, and they estimated the expense
of that at 1171.
Mr. B. BALLWIN, M.P., considered that the report
might have been more explicit, and he would, therefore,
move that the report should be referred back to the

surveyors.
Mr. LESLIE wished to know from Mr. Dowley, whe-
ther he considered the form of the arch adopted in this
sewer the proper one ?
Mr. DowLEY thought that it was, provided the bank-
ing had been well done. In his opinion the whole bank
had failed in consequence of the want of proper
banking.
Mr. LESLIE wished to know whether it was part of the
duty of the contractor to do the banking ?
Mr. DOWLEY said that it was.
Mr. LESLIE was satisfied that the honour of the Court
and the character of the contractors and the officers of the
Court was at stake before the public. -Now, all he
wanted was to have the whole question fully and fairly
investigated. The present was a most important question
This great work—one which he contended was never
required to carry off the small quantity of water that
passed through the sewer—had been found to be defec-
tive at almost every ten feet. Within that space the
arches had been found to give way for a distance of no
less than 750 feet. Now, under such circumstances, was
it not incumbent on the Court to inquire whether the
failure had taken place in consequence of the Court
having adopted the arch that had been built, or from any
fault of the contractors, or from any negligence on the
part of the servants of the Court? If either of the
latter, the Court would know how to deal with them.
Now, with respect to the first point, was there any man
among the Commissioners who was virtuous enough to
get up and say that what had taken place was the fault
of himself and his brother Commissioners?—(A laugh.)
They ought to satisfy the public that they intended to do
juitice. If it was the fault of the contractor, he was
bound to make it good ; if it was the fault of the Court
they were bound to remedy it by leaving off the course
they had pursued; and if it was the fault of the officers of
the Court, they were bound to call upon them to come
forward and give an explanation of the course of con-
duct they had pursued. Let them have an inquiry, and
go boldly into the question as trustees for the public.
He thought Mr. Dowley, Mr. Hawkins, and Mr. Bell,
would give their evidence much better before a jury
than in that Court. It was idle to refer the report back
to the surveyors, as they could not be expected to say
more than they had done. In his opinion, the whole
matter ought to be opened to public investigation ; and
for himself he was anxious to go to the root of the evil
at once, and that could not be better effected than by
summoning a jury. If the Court granted him that jury,
the persons he should call before it would be General
Pasley and the Rev. H. Moieley, of Queen's College.
Captain BAYNE—WiII they come here without being
paid ?
Mr. LESLIE-I am sure I don't know; but this I am
certain of, that you don't.—(Laughter.) Mr. Leslie
observed, in continuation, that the only effect of re-
ferring the report back to the surveyors would be, to
delay the matter till the next Court day, whereas, if
such a course was not adopted, they might have a jury
next week.

Mr. HAwKEs objected to the matter being referred
back to the surveyors. He thought the best course
would be for the Court then to adjourn, and proceed
immediately to the examination of the sewers. He be-
lieved that the whole failure had arisen, not from a
defect in banking up the walls, but from the nature of
the arch. As to calling out a jury, he thought it absurd;
they had a great many scientific men in that Court, and
they could decide the subject better than a jury. He
should move, as en amendment, that the Court should
adjourn till Tuesday next, unless they adjourned now for
the purpose of examining the sewer.
Mr. B. BALDWIN thought that the differences that
seemed to exist in the Court showed that the report
ought either to be referred back to the surveyors, or
that a jury should be summoned.
Mr. ALLANSON thought if the worthy Commissioner
(Mr. B. Baldwin) would add to his- motion, to refer the
matter back to the surveyors, and that the Court should
meet on Tuesday to receive their further report, all
difficulty would he obviated.
Mr. B. BALDWIN adopted this suggestion, and after a
short discussion the motion was agreed to.
Mr. LESLIE said that the motion having been agreed
to, he would postpone his motion which stood in_the paper
for that diy, till Tuesday.
The CHAIRMAN thought that, as the motion stood for
that day it ought to be proceeded with, and- he should
altogether object to its being either withdrawn or post
poned.
Mr. LESLIE said that he had consented to postpone
the motion at the request of several members of the

Court.
The CHAIRMAN said he should certainly put the
motion to the Court if the worthy Commissioner would
not proceed with it.
Mr. LESLIE observed that if he was to be forced in
that way he must go on with his motion, but if he took
up more time of the Court than the Commissioners ex-
pected they must blame themselves and not him for it.
The Commissioner then proceeded at some length to
contend, that the cause of the failure of the
sewer ought to be made as public as possible,
or the character of the Court would be con-
siderably lessened. The Worthy Commissioner
concluded by making the motion of which he
had given notice, to the effect that a jury should be sum-
moned, for the purpose of pronounc►ng a verdict as to
the cause of the failure in the sewer.

The CHAIRMAN objected to the motion. He was not
desirous of screening anybody. If the Court had com-
mitted en error, let it come manfully forward, acknow-
ledge it, and take care not to do it again. The Worthy
Commissioner had entirely misunderstood the statute.
The jury that Court could summon could not effect the
purposes that the Worthy Commissioner had in view.
Added to this, there could be no necessity for summoning
a jury, because, if it was the fault of the Court itself,
they Inuit take care not to do the like in future. If it
was the fault of the contractor, the Court had their
remedy against them in Westminster Hall; and if it was
the fault of the officers of the Court, the Commissioners
would surely know how to deal with them, without
the intervention of a jury.
Mr. G. GUTCH thought the report that would be re-
ceived on Tuesday would develop the whole clause of
what had taken place.
Mr. HAWKES thought the calling out of a jury would
be a most cumbersome mode of proceeding. If the Court
was not competent to act for itself, he thought the sooner
they abrogated their duties for that of a jury the bettor.
After some discussion,
Mr. LESLIE replied ; and, upon a division, the motion
was lost by a majority of 10, there being 3 for it, and 13
against it.
On the motion of Mr. FULLER, Mr. Bird, one of the
contractors of the Court, was ordered to attend the Court
on Tuesday next.
' The Court, at a late hour, adjourned to Tuesday
next, at twelve o'clock.

PROVINCIAL BANK OF IRELAND.—OR Thursday the
annual general meeting of the Shareholders of this Company
was held at the establishment in Old Broad-street, Mathias
Attwood, Esq., M.P., in the chair. After a few prefatory re-
marks by the chairman, Mr. Marshall, the secretary, read
the report of the Directors, in which the usual allusion to the
agricultural and commercial state of Ireland was •made,
which last year passed over with greater exemption from
mercantile failures in trades connected with Ireland than for
many preceding years. The linen manufacture of Ulster was
fairly maintained, and as to the cultivation of flax, it had
greatly increased in the quantity raised, as well as in the
importance of the quality, which being conducted under the
Belgian system of management recently introduced, and now
becoming so prevalent in the north of Ireland, it was thought
it would supersede in a great measure the necessity of im-
porting the finer description of flax from the Continent. The
only circumstance of importance connected with the Bank of
Ireland, was the discontinuance of the branch bank of Money-
more, in the county of Londonderry. Allusion was made to
the low value of money which had been greater during the
past year than at any period since the establishment of this
bank, in the year 1825. The Government regulation as to
the system of banking generally was not thought likely to
affect the banks of. issue in Ireland, while at the same
time no new banks of issue in any part of the kingdom
will be allowed. Though the accounts showed the income
not to be equal to former years, the Directors were, not-
withstanding, enabled to continue a dividend of eigh per
cent. per annum, as hitherto, and would also make an addi-
tion of 2,300/. to the rest of last year. The rest, on the 25th of
March, 1843, was 97,121/. 9s. 10d., from which deduct two
half-yeailv dividends, together 43,290/., would leave a ba-
lance of AO2ll, 9s. 10d., to which must be added the nett
profits fur the past year, 45,5011. 4s. 10d., showing the rest
on the 30th of March, 1844, to be 99,422/. 14s. Bd., from
which it was proposed to pay a dividend of four per cent.
for the half-year ending at Midsummer next, at the rate of
eight per cent. perannum. The report was adopted, and
four Directors having been re-elected, thanks were
unanimously voted to the Chairman and Directors, and also
to Mr. Marshall, the secretary, and the principal officers of
the establishment, when the meeting adjourned.
THE WEATHER IN CANADA.—During the past
week ml-• weather has been uncommonly fine, and, for the
season, warmer than we recollect to have ever expe-
perienced. The thermometer during the day could not
have been much below 70 deg., and the nights have been
as mild and balmy as in the month of June. The ice
has almost entirely disappeared from our harbour, and
we understand that the river is clear as far down as
Sorel.—Moyarcal Courier, April 15.

ROYALISTS IN FRANCE.

The following letter has been addressed by Henri de
France, Due de Bordeaux, to those Legitimist Deputies who
have been re elected by their constituents, despite the
strenuous exertions of M. Guizot and his colleagues :

Goritz, MarCh 19, 1844.

" I have been informed, Gentlemen, of your re-election to
the Chamber of Deputies, and I hasten to tell you how re-
joiced I feel at this result, and to offer you my congratula-
tions. It would have been a subject of ceaseless and poignant
regret to me if your visit to me during my residence at
London should have been the means of depriving France of
the services of such worthy defendersof her interests. I am
both happy and grateful that the electors of the towns of
Marseilles, Toulouse, Montpellier, Doullens, and Ploermel
have done so noble an act of justice, and have so ably refuted
those calumnies which- were so industriously circulated re-
specting my visit to England, and yotir visit to me at London.
All who came to me during my brief sejour in the English
capital know full well that not a syllable • escaped from my
lips which was not couched in the form of an ardent desire
for the welfare and happiness of France.
" The sentiment of generosity which has instigated these
honourable men, who do not yet participate in all our con-
victions, to rally around us under those circumstances, ought
to inspire us with fresh hope, that the day may yet come, a
happy day of conciliation, when honest and sincere men of all
parties and opinions, abjuring these divisions by which they
have been so long estranged from us, will meet together in
good faith on the ground of monarchical principles and na-
tional liberties, to serve and defend our common country.
" I renew-to you, Gentlemen, the assurance of my esteem
and my constant and sincere affection. " HENRI.
" To Messieurs Berryer, Blin de Bourdon, De Larcy,
De la Rochejacquelin, and De Vainly."