The Sun.
London, England, 1844-12-10 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 10, 1844.

decreed to them an unlimited command of the means
and the modes of personal enjoyment, those which re-
cord their exploits against birds and hares, with double-
barrelled (MANToN's, or Mooaz's, or PURDY's) pigeon
guns, are among the most egotistical and nauseating.
It were well for a vast community of their fellow-
countrymen if the results of this intense devotion to
sylvan slaughter, for we shall not designate the in-
dolent and facile amusements of which we speak as
" sporting"—a designation to which it has no legiti-
mate claim—it would be well, we say, if the results
were simply distasteful—a chronic nuisance ;—a great
bore ;—a stupid farce. It would be well if the
only mischief provoked by impertinent announce-
ments, that on such a day his Royal Highness, or
his Grace, or the Earl of This, or Sir Robert That,
repairing at an early hour to a grand battu on the
Marquis of —'s preserves, or Lord —'s woods,
" which are known to be swarming with game, and, in
the short space of three hours, with only three guns
to the party "—brought down any imaginable num-
ber of pheasants you please, or shot more hares than
could be carried away in all the keepers' carts. A
true sportsman, who feels no pleasure in killing unless
his game have had a fair chance, who would rather
fag a whole day over a broken country to,pag half-a-
dozen brace of birds, which at the close of his work
he can look upon with quiet complacency at his own
skill and energy, than knock down in well preserved
covers, with double shots right and left, poor devils
who have not a chance of escape where men have two
eyes to look, and two barrels to shoot with ; and
whose fate is equally sealed, if, flying from the random
misses of Lord HErtay, they are exposed to a volley
from half-a-dozen Honourable Masters, whose guns,
however badly pointed, club one chance shot out of
their combined charges which finds the brain or the
heart of its bright-plumaged victim. Yet these six
" Honourable" bunglers, and their titled companions
of the cover, of corrector eye and steadier hand,
equally plume themselves on the wonders of their
prowess. The poor keepers and servants, the men
who load, and carry, and hand their pieces—the boys
who mark for them—the little, yaffling spaniels, who
run on and pick up the birds for them, and whose
contributions to the products of the day are surely
more important than their own comparatively stand-
still and mechanical operations—are never mentioned
in the grandiloquent paragraphs which announce to
an astonished world that Lord GEORGE shot the un-
heard-of number of 212 head of game with his

own gun.
In a morning paper of yesterday we find the fol-
lowing announcement, touching an illustrious gen-
tleman, who has acquired a high degree of pseudo-
reputation as " the farmer's friend," par excellence :
" The Duke of BUCKINGHAM, the Marquis of
CHANDOS, and a select shooting party, had some ex-
cellent sport during the last week. On Saturday
week the Noble Duke and party, with nine guns,
brought down three hundred head of game on the
Noble Duke's preserves at Upper Winchindon ; and
on Monday the noble sportsmen shot over the
Westcott preserves (called Gipsey Bottom), and
with sixteen guns killed four hundred head of game.'
Here are two appeals to the obsequious admiration of
the uninitiated. The nine guns of his Grace and
friends in the Upper Winchindon preserves, dropped
300 head of game ; that is to say, 33 and one-third
(for the importance of such matters demands that we
should be particular to fractions) to each gun. On
a subsequent day, the Ducal fowler and his party,
being 16 guns in all, demolished 400 head of
game in the Gipsey Bottom preserves, or
25 head to each gun. Pretty fair this
account for the work per man on one property; six-
teen brace and better one day, twelve brace and a half
the next, is the average return for each gun. But
if seven hundred head of game were slaughtered in
two days only, on but two preserves of all the broad
lands of Stowe, what may we infer the aggregate
quantity to be on all the Buckingham estates in
Bucks, Hants, &c. ? And of that vast aggregate,
what shall we reckon the daily consumption, occa-
sioned by the pillage of cottage gardens, the destruc-
tion of young corn, the barking of young trees? And
let us take the accumulated amount of all this damage
in a season at as high a figure as we may, or as the
fiercest opponent of the Game-laws assumes it in
arguing against them, how molecular a point does the
social or civil wrong it involves represent, con-
trasted with the fearful sum of human misery
and suffering, of criminal excitement and law-
less violence and murder, which is to be ascribed
to the partial protection--the arbitrary privilege,
which our code of Game-laws throws around this
species of property—or, rather, the childish manner of
dealing with it. For it is the disgrace of an era of
civilisation, the shame and mockery of a country of
free institutions, to tolerate enactments of so despotic,
insolent, and fraud-encouraging a description as
these. We found statutes on the book, dictated by
the stern, unreasoning demands of a military no-
bility, on behalf of the strongest passion, next to that
of rapine, of which they were susceptible—conceded
by intimidated or heedless national councils—con-
firmed by the wants or weakness of the SOVEREIGN
to his more formidable Barons, and the armed
feadatories of his Crown, and submitted to by the
people implicitly, or with murmurs and reluctance in
proportion as they were brought to understand, or
were able to vindicate the rights derived from their
ancestors. In the process of time we thus got rid of
the most odious of the forest laws, with their san-
guinary penalties of mutilation and death. Iron
penaitieg they were, decreed, indeed, by iron-hearted
men, but against bold outlaws and fearless foresters,
who—

' Through each deep dingle of the forest hoar,
Chased the fleet hart, or spear'd the savage boar,'

s ith bold front and open hand. If "ferce naturo
were then, as they have since been declared, chattels
in which property could be lawfully established, it
must be confessed that our ancestoral lords of the soil
had their plea for the vengeance they visited upon its
violation ; namely, that it was invaded in a most waste-
ful and wanton manner. In those good times when
"stout Earls" were subject to such impromptu excite-
ments as to vow upon the Cross "to take their plea-
sure" in the " woods" of other stout Earls on the oppo-
site side of the Border, with a somewhat significant
escort of "full five hundred fighting men," it was na-
tural for the party so threatened with such un-
bidden guests to tremble for the safety of other
possessions besides his venison. But we moderns have
not the excuse to be pleaded for our forefathers. We
legislated in the year of grace 1843 for the honour
and glory and monopoly of a mere caprice, with as
much of grim coolness and relentless severity as those
tbrefathers would have done in 1348 for the mere
reverential approaching of the Holy Rood. We
have surrounded the game with penal and specific
statutes that we deny to the protectors of human life,
or limb, or property—against the great bulk of the
people. Yet we have done so only to secure the de-
struction of that game, and their mutilation in mem-
bers to a privileged class. We visit with detestable
penalties of fine, imprisonment, and transportation,
offences of trespass against game by reason of no cer-
tificate qualification to sport; by reason of snaring,
shooting, or otherwise taking game off the lands
on which it is found. Yet we legalise the sale
of game, where the commodity is supplied
by, or with the consent of, the landed owner
to the retail dealer. Thus, we give a premium, be-
sides holding out a temptation, to the midnight spolia-
tions of the poacher. The poacher thinks, perhaps,
that it is hard for titled fowlers to be at liberty to
knock on the head 700 hares and pheasants in two
lays, which they may sell—if they please—for, say,
one shilling a piece, and though he has no chance o
getting 351. in two days, he thinks it would be plea.

suit to make 355. in two or three "cloudy nights,"
by helping himself from their assumed stock—there

to-day, here to-morrow. The owner grants depu-
tations to gam€keepers. These come into bloody
collision with the poachers. Outrages, assaults, mur-
ders follow in the train of the hatred thus engendered
between the two classes of men. Our gaols swarm
with poachers for trial; our hulks with poachers
convicted ; our penal settlements with poachers
who have taken some further but inevit-

able degree in crime. Deserted families, ruined
households, abandoned callings, desolate wives,
unfathered children, loss of liberty, loss of life, the
reprobation of friends, the rejection of society, despe-
ration, new excesses of crime, new criminal associa-
tions to incite to them—desolation, vengeance, and
despair—these are the daily gathered fruits of laws to
which no man who upholds them attributes any pur-
pose of benefit beyond securing to the aristocracy the

schoolboy, unsportsmanlike, paltry pleasure of exter-
minating game, on high days and holidays, with as
little trouble or art as if the birds were barn-door
fowls, or geese grazing on a village-green. But
justice does not sleep ! Oh, no ! She has a
" red right arm " for the poacher, it is true—
though on a balance of the good effected by
the offence of the one, or the injury perpetrated by
the pleasures of the other, it may be a grave question
whether the poacher is not much more the farmer's
friend than the Duke. But justice has also a hand
for the ruffian whose brutal violence breaks a woman's
arm, even at the humble feast which her hospitality
has accorded to him ; and with this hand justice exacts
from the brutal delinquent—a 51. note! Verily this
cannot be that old justice which was used to be " even-
handed."

Madrid journals of the 2d inst. have been received.
General PRIM had arrived at Cordova, on his way to
Cadiz, where he was to be shipped for the Marianne
Islands. He was in a very bad state of health, and
his mother had hastened to Madrid in order to peti-
tion the QUEEN that her son might be sent to Cuba
or Porto Rico, in place of the Marianne Islands, the
climate of which, it is feared, would be fatal to him ;
but the NARVAEZ Government cruelly prohibited an
interview. The eighth section of the Reform Bill,
relative to the minority of the Sovereign and the
Regency, was discussed on the 2d, and that clause
of it which conferred the Regency on the nearest re-
lative was carried by a large majority.
The Three per Cents. closed at 30 for cash, and
30} at 60 days ; and the Five per Cents. at 21 for
cash, and 21i at 60 days.

The robberies and murders which have been com-
mitted in Paris and the suburbs for the last eight or
nine years, and the conviction of a gang of fifteen
which had long infested the metropolis, has at last
induced the Prefect of Police to adopt some measures
for the protection of the inhabitants. The first step,
says one of the journals, is to increase the patrols,
each of which is to consist of not fewer than three

A Toulouse paper called the Emancipation has
publi3hed a letter from Otaheite, describing in the
most -violent language the conduct of the English
missionaries, to whom they attribute all the disturb-
ances in the island. The following extract is a speci-
men :

" It, is now evident that it is solely to the perfidious
councils of some wicked men, who cannot relinquish
their I ild instinct of internal hatred, that the present de-
plorablie state of this country is due. These men cannot
see a r tgular and strong authority established in a coun-
try wbtare they were nearly masters, and where their
intrigue 3, seconded by their influence over Queen Po-
mare- -It poor, spiritless woman, replete with vanity—
gave tb am a supremacy which they have not feared to
make even Europeans often feel. They, therefore, had
rather see the unfortunate Otaheitans perish by famine,
or deci n iated by our grape-shot, than see them escape
their y rice, and live quietly and happily under French
authorzty. Nothing is spared to deceive them, and keep
up thei hostility to us ; the most absurd tales, and most
ex tray. agant promises—everything, in short, is resorted
to for the purpose. Every day the insurgents ascend
the mountains to discover the English fleet that is to ex-
te.rmin.arzm us."
The .National, as a matter of course, believes every
word o t the latter, and thus attacks the Government
and the- _English :
" The. Emancipation's correspondent has still the good
nature t 0 ask whether the French Government will de-
mand s mine reparation of that of Great Britain ? We,
unfortu. otately, know, on this side of the ocean, what is
to be e. z petted. Instead of demanding reparation, we
have sac rificed the men who bad worthily upheld the
honour o f France against the odious intrigues of Eng-
land. Is"As a how bas the disavowal which has fallen on
those mm at been received at Otaheite ? This the Go.
vernmen .t knows but takes care not to tell. It has re-
ceived di .s,patches, and, according to its custom, it keeps
them shi sit up in the navy department's cartons, or in
other car tt ms which it is useless to name. The report
has, neve x theless, spread that the English frigate Carys-
fort, whi. istt carried to Otaheite the disavowal of Admiral
Dupetit I.r houars, has been received by the French with
indignati Dn. It is even said that their emotion has been
so great t b at some artillerymen have threatened to fire
on the fri ndly ship which brought the news of the dis-
avowal o.f the Admiral and :of his being superseded.
The Minis:nry will, probably, not explain themselves re-
garding tb ese rumours ; but the Chamber well know
how to fo.r4 them to it, provided the Chamber have in
their heart. a single drop of blood which runs in the veins
of our cow 3 trymen, who are exposing their lives yonder
in defendink g our flag against the enemies of France."
The Finch Three per Cents. were quoted at
TORTONI'S 6) on Sunday, at 84f.

ROBBER ar IN THE ClTY.—This morning informa-
tion was fo. r' warded to the various metropolitan and City
police-offic( 54 and stations of the following extensive rob-
bery of goo d.s, &c., having been committed between the
hours of he If-past five, P.M., on Saturday the 7th, and
nine o'clock :yesterday morning, at the warehouse of Mr.
James Oldl lv Ins, No. 96, Wood-street, Cheapside, viz.,
501 pieces fancy Brussels handkerchiefs, 2 pieces of
black silk di. ,A to, 7 pieces of spun ditto ditto, 8 ditto Corah
ditto, 1 ditto and 7 silk handkerchiefs, 69 fancy Brus-
sels of varion W patterns, 9 black satin ditto, 57fancy ditto,
33 pieces of chequed and fancy vestings, 24 yards of
figured and c h equed ditto, 1291 yards of rich French
satin, 52 yap& ; black satin, 45} ditto ditto, 12i ditto
fancy ditto, 10' l ditto figured ditto, 214 ditto velvet, 894
ditto vestings, 1,423 silk and satin scarfs of various qua-
lities and colour s, and about 91. in silver. A reward of
501. is offered.

WOOLEY, HE BRISTOL MERCHANT, AND MISS
BR YERS.—Thr Liverpool Albion states that these two
persons have I pe• .2n, for the last six months, and are at
this moment r sa iding under the same roof; in Liverpool,
dining togethe r at the same board, and living just as
happily as if nea fictitious correspondence had ever taken
place, or as if ti here had been no Miss Mary Ann Mor-
gan, no marria g-% 3 in London, no 47,000/. in the distance,
no charge made- at Union-hall, and as if all had been a
dream, a short, unpleasing, delusive dream ! At what
precise period a .er the examination at Union-hall Mr.
Wooley acd Mi ai ; Bryers came again together and made
up their little di Yerences report saith not. But, with
out attempting tc • draw aside the veil which surrounds
this interesting- e) )och in Mr. Wooley's eventful life, the
fact appears to Ix that that gentleman, accompanied by
Miss Bryers, cc ito .e to Liverpool about six months since,
purchased the , good-will of a public house, No. 10,
Frederick street, and that, from being a Bristol mer
chant, he transf or, med himself into a Liverpool licensed
victualler.

DRAYTON MAN on.—ln consequence of the death
of the Dowager Lao ly Floyd, Sir Robert and Lady Peel
will be prevent/ pd 4 om receiving company at the manor
this winter.

men. This, however, will afford but a trifling relief,
for, from all accounts, never was there a race of
constables, not even the old watchmen of London, so
utterly useless as the present guardians of the French
capital. In 1836 the band of felons just convicted
commenced their operations, and since that year a
vast number of crimes have been committed with im-
punity, not one of them having been at all interrupted
in their course by the interference of the police. The
noise of the scuffles in the streets, says the Consti-
tutionnel, the cries of the victims, have brought the
inhabitants to the windows, but they durst not
descend ; yet the tumult caused by these savage
assailants, and by the desperate resistance of their
unhappy victims taken unawares, never brought
to the scene of crime one patrol, one
constable, or a single individual of a body
formed for the protection of the public.
Nay, more. After the robbery, the thieves were
generally allowed to escape peaceably with their
booty. Only one had been caught, because he had
not the sense to throw away the heavy load with
which he was encumbered. It appears these male-
factors were at last discovered, not by the police, but
by a leader of the gang, who betrayed his comrades.
This journal recommends a system of police like that in
existence here, but with still more authority and power.
It is surprising that in a city like Paris, and with a
Government so watchful and generally careful of the
public safety, scenes should have been allowed to con-
tinue which would disgrace Rome and Madrid. The
Journal des Debats has another article on the election
of Mr. POLL to the Presidency, which it considers
unfavourable to order and the cordial union of the
northern and southern States. " This time," it says,
" the question was more clearly than ever a struggle
between the north and the south—between the free
and the slaves states, which have opposite interests.
Of all the characteristics of this election, this is per-
haps the most annoying. In fine, this election, by the
very choice which it has made, appears not a fit one
to resolve the difficulties in which the States have
been placed for the last eight years. For such a re-
sult, a firm and able hand like Mr. CLAY'S would
have been necessary. It has brought forward in re-
lief the tendencies which may become dangerous to
the repose of the States, and even for the maintenance
of the union. As to the great questions of the
custom-house tariff and Texas, there appears little
propability of their being soon settled. But the elec-
tion of Mr. Poia having opened the field to many
intrigues, and having set public affairs adrift, to be
acted: upon by accidental causes, and passing unex-
pectod influences, it is impossible to foretell with any
certt Linty what may occur in America during the
next four years in regard to the conduct of public
affairs."

THIS DAY'S NEWS.

PRIVY COUNCIL.-(THIS DAY.)

THE LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR OP GUERNSEY.

The Committee of the Privy Council for the affairs of
Guernsey sat to-day, by special appointment, in the
Council Chamber, Whitehall, for the purpose of con-
sidering the petition of the bailiff and jurats of the Royal
Court of the island of Guernsey, with respect to the
conduct of the Lieutenant-Governor of the island, Major-
General William Napier. The Lords of the Council
forming the Committee were the Lord Chancellor, Sir
James Graham, Mr. Baron Parke, the Chancellor of the
Duchy of Cornwall, and the Judge of the Admiralty
Court.

Mr. Burge, Mr. Stuart Wortley, and Mr. De Saumarez,
appeared on the part of the petitioners.
Mr. Roebuck and Mr. Waddington were council for
the Governor ; and
The Solicitor-General, who was accommodated
with a seat near their Lordships, appeared as assessor,
and also to assist the Court. The principal charges
against the Governor were, that in August last he ex-
pelled a man from the island of the name of Isidore Le
Comte, a subject of the King of the French, without
trial. The petitioners, considering the adoption of this
course an infringement on their rights contrary to the
laws of the island, requested a conference with the Go-
vernor, which he appointed to take place on the 9th of
October last, at his residence, Haviland Hall. Conform-
ably to that appointment the Court waited on his
Excellency, when, to their surprise, he stated
that he had certainly granted a conference in
the case of Le Comte, but that as her Majesty's repre-
sentative, the highest authority in the island, he would
communicate with the Court through the bailiff alone,
and desired that officer to say if he was fully prepared
to deliver the sentiments of the Court, and upon the
bailiff replying that he could not in this manner state
with certainty the sentiments of the jurats, he was told
by the Governor that they had better return to their
Court-house and reconsider the matter, when another in-
Orview might take place. This was accordingly done.
The course pursued by the Governor was considered un-
constitutional, and it was resolved not to accede
to the Lieutenant-Governor's terms, as uncon-
stitutional, and contrary to the spirit and in-
tent of the law. On the return of the Court to
the Governor, he refused to hold any conference except
as he had stated. Under these circumstances the peti-
tioners had presented their petition to the Queen, pray-
ing that her Majesty would be graciously pleased by her
order to declare that, in conferences in future to be held
by his Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor and the
bailiffs and jurats of the Royal Court of Guernsey, all
parties should take part ; and the petitioners also prayed
that her Majesty would declare that in the case of an
alien domiciled in Guernsey, charged with any ordi-
nary matter not of a higher nature than a private
offence, not concerning the State, that he should
be dealt with according to the common course of
the law of the island, and should not be
liable to be expelled without trial. The other petition
stated fresh aggressions, as the petitioner considered, on
the part of his Excellency, on the laws of the island—
namely, that his Excellency on receiving the warrant of
a pardon, in favour of a prisoner named Thomas Fossey,
did, in violation of the constitution of the island, send for
soldiers to force the gaol, thereby substituting military
force, in lieu of the arm of the law ; and that instead of
acknowledging the irregularity of this proceeding, he
instructed the law officers of the Crown to prosecute the
porter and turnkey of the gaol for disrespect of her Ma-
jesty's warrant, in hesitating to liberate the convict on
the application of his Excellency and exhibition of the
warrant. The petitioner, therefore, in this petition
prayed that her Majesty would be graciously pleased to
instruct and direct his Excellency Major-General Wm.
Napier to regulate his future acts in the government of
the island conformably to the laws, customs, and char-
tered rights of the inhabitants; and further, that her
Majesty would be graciously pleased to declare, in ac-
cordance with the Order in Council on the 30th of June,
1608, that it was not fit or convenient that the Lieu-
tenant-Governor should exercise any martial jurisdic-
tion contrary to the usual course of justice, except it
was in time of war or hostility, or for the suppressing
or avoiding some imminent danger likely to ensue to the
island ; and also, that her Majesty would declare her
gracious purpose not in any way to suffer the common
course of justice to be superseded by military force.
Both these petitions now came on for argument, and
Mr. BURGE, on behalf of the petitioners, occupied
their Lordships the whole morning with his arguments.
None of their Lordships appeared in their official robes.

VICE-CHANCERY.—(THIS DAY.)
(Before Sir J. K. BRUCE.)
NICHOLLS V. SPOTTISWOODE.

Mr. ANDERTON opened this case this morning. It
comes on on a demurrer by the defendant to a bill filed
by the plaintiff, Colonel Nicholls, on behalf of himself
and other parties, creditors of Mr. Alaric A. Watts,
praying the order of the Court to compel the defendant
to furnish an account of certain alleged debts and secu-
rities held by him, and which are stated to be due to
the said Alaric A. Watts, formerly editor of the United
Service Gazette, and available as assets for the benefit
of his creditors. The suit arose from transactions be-

tween Mr. Spottiswoode and Mr. Watts, extending over
a series of years. The present demurrer was moved by
ilia defendant, on the ground both of want of equity
and want of parties. In support of it it was argued
that a trust-deed entered into between Mr. Watts

and his creditors was a deed of arrangement by
which he undertook to pay, in instalments,
within the space of three years, a sum of 1,5001., and
to effect a policy of insurance on his life to that amount,
as a security for it, though the deed contained no ex-
press recital that the insurance was to be effected as such
a security. Before the three years expired, Mr. Watts
paid the 1,5001. One of the debts was due to two gen-
tlemen, named Spalding and !lodge, and they were called
partners in the deed, which, however, being only exe-
cuted by one of them, it was alleged that the other should
be made a party also.
Mr. HALLETT followed on the same side.
His HoNouß said the alleged want of equity was im-
possible—it was impossible for Mr. Watts to render the
deed void, by omitting to pay the sum mentioned in it.
The deed was a covenant to pay 1,5001. at certain times
within three years, and to effect a policy of insurance
for the single purpose of paying it ; the allegation was,
that at certain times within the three years, which had
not expired at the time the original bill was filed, this
1,5001. was paid and accepted by the trustees under the
deed, who held the money accordingly ; there was also
an allegation that these very trustees had admitted
the deed to be void ; the demurrer, therefore, for
want of equity was nothing. Then with regard to par-
ties, it was said that the assignors ought to be before
the Court; as the creditor's debt was absolutely released
by the assignee, the assignment was in the nature of an
equity, and the assignor of an equity was not, accord-
ing to general rules, necessarily a party in the case.
One of these debts was a partnership debt, and in the
deed they were stated to be partners ; without at all
questioning the law as laid down in the cases cited, he
did not apprehend that they had any application to
cases of this description, where they were dealing with
an equity, and one belonging to partners, in respect to a
partnership debt, both having agreed to sell it, though
only one of them executed the deed. For every sub-
stantial purpose of the bill both the partners were
bound. The demurrer was bad, and must be overruled
with costs.

QUEEN'S BENCH.—(THIS DAY.)
'Sittings at Nisi Prins at the Guildhall, before Lord
DENMAN and a London Common Jury.)
WARREN V. JAY AND ANOTHER.

This was an action brought against the owners of the
vessel Amelia, to recover compensation for the damage
done to sertain quantities of wheat, flour, and malt, the
property of the plaintiff, which had been shipped on
board the Amelia, and which had been damaged, as
was alleged, in consequence of the delay occasioned by
a deviation made by the Amelia in the course of her
voyage. The defendants pleaded that the deviation was
justifiable.
Mr. Whately appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. Platt
for the defendants.

It appeared that the Amelia, with the plaintiff's wheat,
flour, and malt on -board, sailed from Yarmouth for
Liverpool, on the 22d of July, in company with
the ship Martha ; they proceeded to Dungeness toge-
ther ; while at Dungeness the Amelia proceeded to ren
der asistance to the Jane, of Sunderland, which was in
distress. On her coming up to the Jane, it was disco-
vered that the vessel was deserted, there was no
human being on board her. Under these circum-
stances the Amelia took possession of her, and carried
her into Dover, whereby her owners and crew became
entitled to salvage, and the Martha proceeded on her
voyage. The Martha arrived at Liverpool on the 4th
of August, and the Amelia did not arrive until the 20th.
On her arrival it was discovered that the flour was
perishing and the wheat heated, and the damage thus
done, which was attributed to the delay, was estimated
at GA The markets also were lower on the arrival of
the Amelia than they were on the arrival of the Martha.
Lord DENstAN in summing up, said that the duty of
saving human life was paramount to every other, and a
deviation for the purpose of assisting a ship in distress
was justifiable ; but when it was discovered that the ship
in distress was deserted, and that there was no human being,
a continuance of that deviation for the purpose of saving
property merely, and to get salvage, was not justifiable,
inasmuch as it was the duty of persons in such a situa-
tion to take care of the property entrusted to
them rather than of the property of others. If they
believed that the damage done to the plaintiff's property
was caused by the deviation, then they would find fur
the plaintiff, but if they believed it was not so caused,
they would find for the defendants.

The jury retired to consider their verdict, and after
an absence of two hours and a-quarter returned into
Court with a verdict for the plaintiff—Damages 56/. 6s.

COMMON PLEAS.—(THIS DAY.)
(Before Mr. Justice ERLE and a Common Jury.)
THOMPSON V. ALDER.
This was an action of slander, brought under the fol-
lowing circumstances:—The plaintiff is a tobacconist
and cigar dealer, keeping a shop in the Old Kent road.
The defendant is a naval officer, retired on half-pay.
Mr. Alder has two sons, who, as it appeared in evi-
dence, were in the habit of passing much time in Mr.
i hompson's shop, and smoking daily a
,4.00 d many
cigars. This was related to Mr. Alder with some, as
ultimately proved, unfounded additions, one of which
was, that the young gentlemen were allowed by the
plaintiff to have letters addressed to them at his shop by
ladies. Upon this information the defendant went to
the plaintiff's house and reproached him, in rather un-
measured language, with keeping an improper house,
and encouraging young mea in profligate courses. This
language constituted the matter of the slander, for which
the present action was brought. But Mr. Alder having
subsequently learned that he had been misinformed as

to the character of the plaintiff's house, and that there
was no foundation in the statement that letters addressed
to his sons by women we re received there, he wrote
through his solicitors a most ample retractation of the slan-
der, saying that he felt bound, as a man of honour and a
gentleman, to apologise for having been betrayed by his
feelings, as a father, to make such unwarrantable
charges against a respectable tradesman. The action
however proceeded.
Mr. Sergeant Downing, with whom was Mr. Words-
worth, conducted the plaintiff's case ; and Mr. Sergeant
Shea addressed the jury at some length for the defend-
ant, complaining severely of the conduct of the plain-
tiff, in allowing the case to go on for costs, after receiving
snch ample reparation.

Mr. Justice ERLE, in summing up, told the jury that
they must find for the plaintiff, as the cause of action
was admitted. But in doing so they must set the repa-
ration against the injury, and, perhaps, very small da-
mages would satisfy the justice of the case, which ought
scarcely to have proceeded so far, after the very proper
and ample apology which the defendant had tendered.
The jury found for the plaintiff—Damages, One
Farthing.

SHERIFFS' COURT.-(THIS DAY

NOSES AND ANOTHER V. WELLS.
This was an action for goods sold and delivered, and
for money received.

It appeared that in the course of May, 1842, the plain-
tiffs, Messrs. Nokes and Burke, determined on taking a
booth at Epsom, at the time of the races, and pur
chased some wines, ales, and stout of defendant, for the
purpose of selling them there. It was agreed that the price
of these wines was to be paid thus :—The whole receipts
of each day were to be handed over to Mr. Wells at night
until the debt was paid. Subsequently, however, a bill
of exchange was drawn by a person of the name of
Millar, or a friend of his, named Low, and indorsed by
Messrs. Nokes and Burke to Mr. Webb. This bill was
in satisfaction of this debt. After the conclusion of the
races, a quantity of wine remained unsold, which de-
fendant had agreed to re-purchase of them. It was on
account of this transaction that the present action was
brought

Mi. THOMAS appeared for the defendant, and pleaded
as a set-off the original debt, which it was answered,
on the part of the plaintiff, was paid by the bill of ex-
change.

Tlre jury retired to deliberate, and, after about an
hour's consultion, gave a verdii•t for the plaintiff—
Damages, 15L 18s.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.
(THIS DAY )
In consequence of a report having been circulated in
the neighbourhood of this Court, that last evening the
police, under the direction of Mr. Superintendent Beres-
ford, of the C division, had effected the capture of another
set of gamblers, at one of the " hells in Leicester-
square, a large crowd of persons assembled this morning
round the station-house in Vine -street, Piccadilly, in ex-
pectation of seeing the prisoners brought out. The
Court was also exceedingly crowded by parties to hear
the examination.

This rumour appears to have originated under the fol-
lowing circumances :—During the last week the officers
of the Sheriff have been is possession of the Hotel de
Provence, No. 18, Leicester-square, under a bill of sale,
1,5001. having been advanced on the property. Yester-
day the present occupant of the premises, assisted by a
gang of fifteen or twenty labourers, locked up all the
rooms of the hotel, refusing to let the officers
in possession go in or out. One of them,
named John Applebee, during a skirmish last
evening, was violently assaulted by the cook of the esta-
blishment, Joseph Magora, who was given into the
charge of the police. Considerable violence was dis-
played by the ejecting party, and a large crowd of per-
sons was collected round the hotel, and remained there
for hours. At length it was found necessary to station a
body of police there to preserve the peace.
On the case being called on, the complainant stated
that he wished to withdraw his charge, which Mr.
Hardwick assented to, and the defendant was of course
liberated.

HEATING THE LOCK-UP CELLS.-Mr. Hardwick has
humanely ordered, that during the present inclement
weather, the lock-up cells shall be heated night and
morning with fire pans.

LLOYD'S SHIPPING_(THIS DAY.)
LONDON, DEC. 10.—Wind, cold northerly breeze,
and cloudy.
DEAL, DEC. 9.—Wind E.S.E. to N.E., fresh.—Sld.
Indian, Launceston; Stratford, Ichaboe; Hebden, Icha-
boe; Rowena, Gambia; Canada, New Orleans; Fortune,
St. John's, New Brunswick.
OFF PENZANCE, DEC. B.—Renown, Donald, Laun-
ceston, sld. July 23d.
NEWPORT, DEC. 7.—Sld. Elizabeth Beynon, Grenada;
John Morley, Jamaica.
HARWICH, DEC, 7.—Arrd. Thirsk packet, !London
for Stockton, with loss of bowsprit, &c.
BRISTOL, DEC. 9.—The Union packet, Williams,
hence to Goole, foundered off Padstow, on the 6th inst.,
having been in contact with the Magdelina, arrived in
the Channel from Hamburgh; three men drowned,
master and a boy saved.
SHEERNESS, Dec. 9.—The Voyager, Duncan, Nelson,
Tomlinson, and several other colliers, some with loss of
anchors, have put into the harbour, bound from London
to the north.
PORTSMOUTH, DEC. 9.—Wind N.E.—Arrd. Great
Liverpool steamer, Alexandria, left 23d ult., Malta 27th.
PLYMOUTH, DEC. 9.—Wind E.N.E.—Arrd. Courier,
de la Seine Inferieure, Gabon, for Havre ; Newham,
Armstrong, Callao, and not the Hymen, as reported;
Siegmund Caesar, Poung, Rio for Bremen ; Alexander,
Liddell, Quebec for Hull.
PENZANCE, Dse. 7.—Fanny, Batavia, for Rotterdam,
Alexander, New York, for Havre.
BRISTOL, Dec. 9.—Arrd. Delos, Wagstaff, Africa ;
Victory, Reid, Quebec.
LIVERPOOL, DEc. 9.—Wind S.E , light.—Arrd. High-
land Mary, Quebec. Sld. Princess Royal, Calcutta ;
Greenock, Mobile. Off, Cumana, Calcutta ; New
Hampshire, New Orleans.
laßwrcu, DEC. 9.—The schooner Hero, Smith, of
and from London to Amsterdam, was totally wrecked
last night on the Andrew's Point ; crew, except one,
drowned ; greater part of cargo lost.
STROMNESS, Nov. 27.—The Thomas, Price, of Sun-
derland, ashore in Hoy Sound, beat over the rocks this
morning, and has become a total wreck.
LOWESTOFFE, DEC. 9.—The weather having mode-
rated, the cargo of the Triune has been landed in a very
damaged state.
WIYENHOE, DEC. 9.—A quantity of wreckage has
come ashore at Walton-in-the-Naze ; amongst them is
four tons of castor oil, a case of shellac, marked " S. L.,
C. N. C., No. 22," also a figure-head, with a yellow
epaulet, and an arm painted blue, holding a pistol. It
is supposed to belong to some vessel lost in the Ship-
wash Sands.
CORE, DEC. 7.—Arrd. Brocket, Nixon, Valparaiso ;
Ellice, Burnett ; and Roseanne, Chrichton, Ichaboe.
THE GUANO TRADE.—Advises received this morning
from Ichaboe to Oct. 3, state that there was at that
date upwards of 300 vessels lying at Ichaboe, and that
four or five vessels were loading at each pit, and ves-
sels were arriving daily. A previous letter, dated Sept.
20, states that there was sufficient guano on the island
to load all the vessels that could be loaded for the next
six months at the then rate, but, on the 3d October, it
was believed there was not more guano left than would
be required to load the amount of shipping lying there
at that time. Stages for shipping the guano had been
erected wherever they could be placed. The Anne,
Mearns, and Josephs (Scotch), arrived there on Oct. 3,
from Liverpool. The Mary, Kingston, and Alhambra,
of Liverpool, had sailed ; also the Hawk, Thomas Nay-
lor, and Rambler. The following were amongst the
vessels loading :—The Superior, of London ; Princess
Victoria, Hopkinson, and Britannia, all of Liverpool ;
Sarah Fleming, Clydesdale, Constellation, Chieftain,
Ellen. Amongst the ships not commenced were the
Maid of Mona, Culzien Castle. and Elizabeth.

FRIGHTFUL DRAY ACCIDENT.—Last night about
eight o'clock the following melancholy and frightful
accident took place in the Blackfriars-i oad, to a man
named Joseph Monk, a drayman in the employ of
Messrs. Whitbread and Co., the extensive brewers of
Chiswell-street, which it is feared will terminate fatally
in the eourse of the day. The unfortunate man was
sitting on the near shaft driving, and on nearing Wel-
lington-street, he by some means fell under the wheel,
which passed completely over his head. Several of the
foot-passengers who witnessed the dreadful sight ran to
his assistance, and carried him into the shop of Mr.
Vinin, the surgeon: of Blackfriars-road, who found that
his skull was fractured in a most extensive manner. Mr.
Vinin immediately rendered every aid, and extracted a
portion of the skull (about three inches square) which
had penetrated, the brain, and was completely exposed.
The injuries he had rece;ved were of such an extensive
character that Mr. Vinin ordered his removal to Guy's
Hospital, where he now remains under the care of
Messrs. Cock and Hilton, the house-surgeons, who have
been unremitting in their attention to the unfortunate
man, whose death is hourly expected. At twelve o'clock
this day he was still alive, and, strange to add, quite
sensible, to the great astonishment of all the medical
gentlemen connected with the hospital.
THE ATTEMPT TO POISON A WHOLE FAMILY.—
In our last we gave the particulars of the first examina-
tion of John Wall, of Oadby, framework-knitter, on the
charge of attempting to kill his mother, father, and
brother, by administering arsenic to them, in order, as
is supposed, to obtain possession of 3001., to which him-
self and his brother and sister were entitled on the death
of their mother Rumours were afloat, in the meantime,
that he had been concerned in another attempt of the
same atrocious character, by which he sought to
rid himself of the expense of maintaining an illegi-
timate child of his wife's, by the same means, and
it was ascertained, on inquiry, that a few weeks
prior to the attempt on the life of his father,
mother, and brother, the child had been taken sud-
denly ill, under such suspicious circumstances. On the
prisoner's examination on Wednesday, the legal evidence
requisite for a committal in the first case was not pro
duced, and the second case, the charge of attempting to
poison the child, was then partially gone into. It ap-
peared that, on the 24th of September the prisoner's
wife left home, leaving a child whom she had before her
marriage with Wall, in the care of a boy. During her
temporary absence the boy saw Wall put some white
powder into some milk which had been boiled for the
child, and on telling him what he had seen, Wall reached
down the salt from the chimneypiece, and said that was
what he had put in the milk. As the evidence was in-
complete on both charges, and it is anticipated that
additional facts will be obtained, the prisoner was re-
manded to Monday. The prisoner maintains a dogged
silence.—Leicester Mercury.
Baron Rothschild has become the purchaser of
the whole of the red deer belonging to the late Hon.
Charles Stuart Wortley. The herd was last week re-
moved to the Noble Baron's seat in Bedfordshire.

MONEY AND COMMERCIAL NEWS

CITY, QUARTER TO THREE.
The Cotton market nt T,ivernnnl WtIA ver-
yesterday. About 9,000 bales were sold at id. prr lb.
advance on the lowest rates of last week. Speculators
took 2,000 bales, and the sales comprised 1,000 Pernam
at ,qd. to 51d., 200 Egyptian at sd. to 6d., 100 BAhia
at sd. to 51d., 300 Surat at 2id. to 34d., and the rest
American at 344.1. to 6d. for Orleans.—There was a brisk
demand for Shares at rising prices. Bristol and Glou-
cester, 38 37a; Chester and Birkenhead, 32; Chester
and Holyhead, 54; Churnet Valley, 665. 6d.; Eastern
Counties, Perpetual, No. 1,91 s. 10d.; Grand Junction,
2211 4 5; Great Western, 145 k 146; Ditto, Fifths, 28;
Liverpool and Manchester, Half Shares, 52i ; London
and Birmingham, 32/. Shares, 381 -a- I; Ditto, Quarter
Shares, 26* i; London and York, 34 4; London and
South-Western, 84; Manchester and Leeds, Sixteenths,
3.1; Midland Counties, 108 i i; North Union, 147 i 148;
Shrewsbury and Grand Junction, 97; South-Eastern,
38:f 394; Ditto, New, 11i 124; Trent Valley, 81; Paris
and Lyons, 655. 6d; Paris and Rouen, 394; Paris and
Strasburg, 555. 6d. 2i; Boulogne and Amiens, 51.
There are no arrivals to-day with later intelligence of
interest from any quarter.
The commercial markets are becoming quieter as
Christmas approaches, and there is a decided paring
down of operations to the lowest possible limits, in
order to enable parties to make up their books for the
year. The seasonable weather has served, however, to
give a little impulse to particular departmer is connected
with our textile manufactures.

The expectation of the terms of the French loan being
known here has caused the English Stock market to rule
dull during the greater part of the morning, although it
is not certain that much effect will be produced upon
prices here, as the principal distribution is expected to
be on the Continent.

Consols for transfer upon the re-opening of the books
are loci to 100:1. Exchequer Bills are 565. to 58s. pre-
mium, being again very firm. East India Bonds obtain
735. to 758. premium. Bank Stock has been marked
2071 to 2081. The New Three-and-a-Quarter per Cents.
are higher again, baying touched 103 k. The Three per
Cents. bring looi to 4.
The Foreign Investments are very inactive. Spanish
Three per Cents. are heavy, at 36i. Mexican Bonds
realise 36} 1; and Peruvian, 27 to 27i. Venezuela
Stock is 434. Belgian Scrip is worth 1 prem. Dutch
Two-and-a-Half per Cents. obtain 634 to 64; and the
Four per Cents., 91
The Railway Shares realise steady prices, but the
market is not quite so buoyant as yesterday.
BRITISH FUNDS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK.
(From the Official List.)

Bank Stock for Account ....,,,,.,.......»..... 208% 207% 208%
3_per Cent. Reduced Annuities ........"." ..... 100%3 %
New 3% per Cent. Annuities... ..... .........." 10334
Long Annuities, Expire sth Jan. 1860 12% 1-10
Ditto 30 Years, Expire 10th Oct. 1859
India BOllda , 1 ,(XX).. _ «es •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 'l5
Ditto under 1,000 --
Consol. for Opening ....„." lOO% %
India Stock for Account 287
Exchequer Bills. I%cl. I%d
itoeol. •••••••••••••••••••••••• •• 0111•••••••••• 56 59 pm.
WK. 00.10••••••••••••••••• ... •••••••••••• 58 56 pm.
Ditto Slat.... • m. 0.. •••••••••••• 58 56 pm.
Ditto Advertised......... ....... .....
FOREIGN FUNDS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK.
Belgian Bonds, 5 per Cent ........... ....... ......
Ditto Scrip
Mexican Bonds, 1837,5 per Cent............._ 36%
Ditto for the Account ....."..............
Ditto Deferred Stock... ..... ..... ..........
Peruvian Bonds, 6 per Cents —
Ditto for the Account. 2734%
Spanish Bonds, Five per Cent 1840" —
Ditto Three per Cent. .........................." —
Ditto for the Account ...." 3634
Venezuela Bonds, 2 per Cent 43%
Dutch 234 per Cents. ..... .. ........ .......... ......- 63% 64
Ditto 4 per Cent. Certificates 97% %
RPICES OF SHARES I HIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK.
RAILWAYS. PAID. PER SMARR.
Birmingham and Gloucester lOO ........ 963 g...... to -.
Bristol and Exeter
Bristol and ...
%
8
Cambridge and Lincoln
Chester and H01yhead"."....."•• 5 .•....... 5%
Chumet Valley .................. ..... 2 ......... 3
Direct Northern. 2%......... 2%%
Eastern Counties •.... ......•."...• 25 •••••.... 13% , to 14
Great Souther n and Western 5
8%
(Ireland)
Great Western ...........-...." " 75
Ditto 34 Shares 5O 89% 14... to
London and Birmingham ..... .... 100 .... 221. ......_. to 2203(
Ditto New Thirds 2 ..«,,,,. 3734
Ditto 14 Shares - ..... 26 ......... to
London and Blackwall 16); ..,,. 6% ..... to
London and Greenwich ...
London and South Western..
...... 41% ...... 84 ... to 85
London and Croydon ..... .......". 13% ...... 16%% ... to
London and Y0rk..................... 2% 3%
Lynn and Ely l%
Manchester and Leeds.....- ........ 70 .........110 120 to 118% 119
Manchester and Birmingham ... 40 ....... 52 ....
Dit o 4 Shares 2 ......... 4%
Newcastle and Darlington Junct. 24 ......... 60
North British 5 .... 554 ..... to —.
Richmond and West End Junct. 1
Shrewsbury, Wolverhampton,l .% 2% to
Dudley, Birmingham ... S '
South Eastern and Dover ..... .... 2334 38% to
Ditto New
York and North Midland ..... .... 50 .." lO , to
Ditto 4 Shares....".. .......... .. 25
Ditto Scarbore' iranch
Ditto Selby Scrip ......"..... ..... 20 ........ 67 '
Orleans and Vierzon
Orleans and Bourdeaux
Paris and Lyons 2 3% % to ..-
Paris and R0uen.......•................. 20 ....•.... 32%.4
Paris and Strasbourg