The Sun.
London, England, 1821-04-26 00:00:00

SURREY SESSIONS.

THE 'COAL TRADE.
Yesterday the Co*lift sat again, pursuant to
adjournment, to determine upon the memorial of
Mr. I'. Bradfield, praying that F. Biggs, Esq.
the principal cOal-meter for the county of Surrey,
should be dismissed from his office, on the ground
of malversation of duty.
Mr. NOLAN spoke chiefly fo the evidence,
which, he, contended, had utterly failed to sup-
port the memorial. There were many witnesses,
• he observed, had not been called, whose testi-
mony would have been against Mr. Biggs, had
the sweeping charges which had been brought
against him been founded in truth. There were
many coal-sellers on the different stations who
might have. 'been' called to prove inattention on
the part of Mr. Biggs, had any such existed,
but of these not more than two or three had come
forwf:rd, and their testimony was such as .had, in
some instances, negatived the _ complaints. If
any injury had been sustained, as was charged
to have been through the negligence
.or malver-
sation of Mr. Biggs, why had not some of the
injured purchasers been brought forward ? Not
one had appeared to urge the least complaint;
11 and it was in evidence; that when complaints
had been made to Mr. Biggs, he instituted lie-
mediate inquiry, and that whenever he found
there was any reason to complain against the me-
ters, he immediately and fearlessly dismissed
them from his service. The witness Winchester
had proved, that Mr. Biggs had been accustomed
to send him about the wharfs with a book, to
receive any complaints that might be made
against them.

Mr. NOLAN having gone througlithe whole of
he case, the Court adjourned fur an hour, during
which time the Bench retired to' a private room
to consult. On Their return
The CHAIRMAN, addressing Mr. Biggs, said
that the Court had weighed every material cir-
cumstance that had transpired during the time
that they had been occupied, very properly, upon
this long, and to the public, important investiga-
tion. The great duty of the principal meter was
to stand between the public and the coal-dealers,
and to protect them from the latter by prevent-
ing fraud both in the measure and the quality of
the coal. The memorial had charged him with
having connived at, and participated in, the frauds
of coal-dealers, but fortunately for him no such
charge bad been proved, or even attempted to be
proved, as the only sentence of the Court on such
an occasion, must be final dismission from his
office. The Court, however, were clearly of
opinion that the charge of having failed to provide
a sufficient number of labouring meters to do the
duty of the office had been substantiated ; and the
Court directed that for the future he should pro..
vide a greater number. There were several oth.,r
charges upon which, the evidence -was, but slight,
and some upon which no evidence at all had been
adduced. These the Court would pass over.—
The next charge which presented itself, was that
of having allowed Fisher to remain upon the
Putney station, in contradiction to the spirit of
the Act, which directed that the meters should
he changed monthly. This charge had been very
properly admitted by the Learned Counsel ; and
it was proved by Fisher, who certainly appeared
to be as stupid, though as honest a witness as
ever appeared in a Court of Justice. It was a
suspicious circumstance that Mr. Biggs should
employ him, knowing his situation. The con-
nection which Fisher had with Mr. Phetum the
Court could not but say bore a very bad com-
plexion. The Court hoped, however, that this
would be rectified, and that the father and son
would be no longer allowed to act together on
the same station, relatively like two buckets in
a well. The Court had found that the negli-
gence of Mr. Biggs, in not providing a sufficient
number of men to do the duty of the station, had
led to the leaving of tickets at the public-houses
of the stations for the dealers, which did away
with the security intended by the Act. They
were of opinion, that for the future he should be
much more upon the alert in this particular, and
that he should have the tickets materially altered,
and the precise address of the Office given upon
them. The Office itself was not such an Office
as the Act contemplated, and also required re-
formation. The Court then gave Mr. Biggs to
understand, that any future complaint that should
be proved would be fatal to him.

Ou the 10th instant, as stated in our last, the
officers of the law proceeded, under the protec-
tion of a strong military force, to eject the te-
nantry of Strathbrora, which they effected with-
out opposition; the people having taken the
alarm on the approach of the military, carried
out their furniture, and fled to the neighbouring
hills, whence they surveyed the, demolition of
their houses. Mr. J. MACBEAW, Sheriff-officer,
had been sent from this place with criminal let-
ters, against those who had been most active in'

the deforcement of the civil officers, upon the for-
mer occasion ; but though parties of men and wo-
men were seen moving- about among the hills,
and were repeatedly pursued by. the soldiers,
only two men and a woman were apprehended,
who *ere brought to this' town in the mail, by
the officer,. and lodged in gaol,. to stand trial.on
the 28th inst. for the alleged assault and rioting.
Lieut. ASH, a very active' young . officer, while,
with three soldiers, pursuing one of the flying
parties, came by an accident in crossing a deep.
stream, which was howe'r attended with no
Other serious consequence than a, severe ducking..
iLaps of stones were found concealed with turf,
which, it is supposed, had been collected, to give
a warm reception to the officers, if they had not,
been supported by such an overwhelming force.
Decreet summonses of, removal were afterwards
issued against the tenantry of Gruids, who had
also fled from their homes ; the military, includ-
ing the reinforcethent which joined them last
week, about 150 strong, are to be stationed in
Sutherland, until the people of Graft's are eject-
ed at Whitsunday.—(lnverness journal.)

A floating chapel is about to be built at Hull,
for the religious instruction, of the Lumo:ous sea-
men, who, En the coarse of their Lusluess, visit
that port.