The Sun.
London, England, 1826-01-06 00:00:00

POLICE I N

MANSION.IIOUSE.
NEW WEIGIII'S AND mr.‘ii rs

Yesterday a tradesman came before the Loan MAYou to
complain that the City Officers had refused to stamp a nom-
. sure, although it was accurate in • its demensiona according to
to the legal measure. He produced an iron veksel on which
was inscribed " Imperial half-peck." lie had, lie said, come
all the way from Ireland, arid had procured 14,1 of these yes-
ads to be made of wrought iron, as the least perishable mate-
riel, for the use of the Government Offices at the (imports, to
serve as standards. The Hall.keeper at Guildhall, however,
positively refused to stamp the vessels, although. he admitted
they were perfectly accurate. No reason was assigned for the
'refusal, except that it was contrary to practice to stamp iron
vessels; but there was a prodigious outcry against such vex:sets
by the makers of wooden measures, who exclaimed against
things of so durable a nature, as a ruinous innovation.
The Lona) MA TOR observing that there was a piece of brass
affixed to the iron vermeil, about two inches below the brim,
for the purpose of receiving the stamp' ' said that all vessels most
be stamped close to the top. It would, he said, be evidently
improper to stamp vessels in the manner, proposed by the com-
plainant, as they may be filed down to the stamp, or the stamp
itself, as it was intended to be in a separate piece of metal,
might be removed and affixed to another vessel. 13ut his Lord-
ship saw no reason why iron vessels, might not be stamped in
.proper manner, when used for dry treasure, as it was proposed
in this case; he was not aware that they were as perishable as
wood, or more perishable than other metallic measures which
were stamped without objection or hesitation. His Lordship
then sent for .Mr. Temple, the Hall.keeper, who has the super-
intendance of the Weight and Measure Offices, to learn the
grounds of the refusal.
Mr. Temple attended, and stated, that he had objected to
stamp the iron measures on the round of custom. There was
no instance of the stamping of iron measures, and the process
was extremely difficult and inconvenient.' He did not, however,
act upon his own discretion in the matter, but upon the audio.
rity of the City Lands Committee, who controuled the business
under the advice of the City Solicitor. About eleven years
ago an application was made to have some iron measures
stamped, and the opinions of the City Law Authorities
were taken on the subject. They considered that the Cor.
poration ought not to stamp them, and upon this opinion,
the City Lands Committee had declined to comply with the
application. lie had acted upon this declaration, but he could
not state what ware the legal grounds on which the decision was
made.
The Lorin MAYOR considered .that custom alone could not
warrant tine refusal to comply with the present application. If
any new material were discovered that was adapted as well
as wood to form measures, why should it be rejected ? Things
were now made of iron, the idea of which had never before
entered the mind of man as capable of being formed of such
a material. Iron boats had been made, and iron ships were
talked of. His Lordahip recommended that these vessels should
be stamped, on the payment of a fee proportioned to the extra
trouble.

Mr. Temple said, he would, as the case WWI one of import.
ance to the public, submit to the City Lands Committee, and to
the City Law Officers.
The Lonn MAYOR approved of this course. At the same
time his Lordship stated to Mr. Temple that very numerous
complaints had been made to him by parties, who stated that
they could not get their measures stamped, and were conse-
quently rendered liable to penalties.
Mr. Temple stated, that no selection was made ; the names
of parties were put down as they came, and theifltneastures were
stamped in turn, and only a certain number was stamped fur
each person.
The -LORD MAYOU expressed himself satisfied with the
regulations. _

The opinion of the City Solicitor on several points relative to
the New Measure Act :—He has pronounced that old pewter
pots, if they be reduced to the standard size, and the old mark
be 'erased, may be tamped, and that the satire may be done with
respect to the coal measures.
There are, upon the best calculation, 1,800,000 ale and beer
measures in the City and suburbs. Of these 49,040 pots have
been stamped at the Measure (Mice, front the 28th of No.
Vember to the '3lst of December. As they have not so many
persons employed at the Measure Office, ‘Vesttninster, it will
be some time before the whole-wilt be completed, and the pub.
licans, if the Act were to he put in execution, are liable to the
penalties for noncompliance. There have been stamped 2,660
great wine measures; 3,268 pints, anti 9,495 small measures,
and other measures, in the whole 22,992. The new
standards arc about one sixth larger than the old wine
measures,_ and one-sixtieth smaller than the old beer men.
sures. The new dry measure is about one thirty-second
part larger than the old. Great quantities of the old beer
measures are made to serve by having the bottom a little
raised. The poorest classes are much discontented with the new
measure, as they consider they will autrer by the regulation,
while the wine drinkers will gain. The trial of the measures in
the City is extremely strict, as in the olden time and the capa.
city of every pot is tried by water fl•om the standard measures,
while at Westminster only half a dozen, or little more, are tried
out of each lot, and the rest are stamped on the faith of those
which were tried. Such is the popular reliance placed on the
superior attention given, from time immemorial, by the rorpo.
ration with respect to the full and legal measure far the use of
his Majesty's subjects, that during the last tneudght a num.
ber of measures which had been tried at Westminster were
afterwards brought to Guildhall, in order that the City seal
might be impressed upon them. The fees in the City for try.'
precisely selyTiie similar.ea paid The
else. la-
u
where are higher.
ing and stamping pewter pots are three.pencel>er dozen. Those
at sr
es are
e
opt?rn
the
vreightitslantiitionwouf griweee,i ib)
In all cases of reference to local custom, its ratio to the new
standard is to be specified in the Contract, or the contract to be
void. Local measures may be used, if their proportion •to the
new standard be ascertained and impressed upon them. The
proportions are not easily ascertainable by those in the country.
Numbers of local measures have been sent to Guildluill to be
stamped, hut they have been rejected.

BOW-STREET. •
Ctruious A rram—A young man, named Henry Hope,
was yesterday brought before Sir It, ni Om, by Ledbitter,
the police constable, into whose custody he had been given by
Sir Henry Wright Wilson, Bart., and a Magistrate for the
county of Middlezex, for "'stealing" two suits of clothes, the
property of the said Sir 11.1 V. Wilson. The prosecutor had
applied to the Chief Magistrate for n warrant to apprehend the
prisoner, but Sir lt. thorns: declined to grant one, and adopt-
ed the milder course of issuing a summons, which was given to
Ledbitter, who attended at Sir H. W. Wilson's hodse at Chel-
sea, at the time that the defendant was appoint's' to tall for
some money due to him, but when he did appear•be was given
in charge by the prosecutor for felony. The defendant was
prenticed to the prosecutor from the Foundling Hospital, and
Lewis A. Petit, Esq., one of the Committee, anti Mr. Lives-
ley, the Secretary to that institution, attended to watch the
proceedings on his behalf.
When the young man was called forward to answer the cons-
r plaint of Sir H. W tison, who sat on the Bench, Sir it. 111 tt N tE,
With a view, as it seemed, to make the ease as short as possible,
informed the gentlemen from the Hospital ache circumstances
tinder which the defendant appeared before hitn. 11e was ap„
prenticed for 7 years to Sir 11.W.1Vilsonois a servant, and dim,
was a stipulation In the indenture (as was the custom with the
Hospital) that at the expiration of his apprenticeship his master
should furnish him with clothes to the value of N., to enable
hint top to another service. Now it appeared that when the t
term had expired, Sir H. W. Wilson chose to retain the de-
fendant in his service, where he remained for some years, anti
when his term of free service began, Sir Wary gave him the
quantity of clothes stipulated for in the indenture, anti con-
ceived that in fitting him ant to remain in his employment, he
had just tot melt performed the comma as if the defendant •
had gone into another family. The defendant lately left the
service, and took with him two suits of livery. claiming them
as his own. These were the short facts ; and the only ques.
thin as it appeared to him (Sir R. Hirnie) was, whether the
clothes were the property of the prosecutor or of the defendant.
Sk WilsOn then, in a loud- tone, and greatly in the
form w. 4 met speech, stated his case, in spite of repeated intimn-
lions from the Chief' Magistrate that it was only* waste of
time. Ever since the defendant came into his service he had
been regularly supplied with his two suits of clothes rt.yvia,
His establishment were all supplied with clothes twice a.yeer.
as Mr. liurkit, his tailor, who had worked for his family (no
inconsiderable one in this country) for thirty five years,- could
testify. The defendant when he first came into his service r,
ceived preseints of linen from Lady Nilson ; and when his