The Sun.
London, England, 1845-04-18 00:00:00

THE IRON TRADE.

DUDLEY, SATURDAY NIGHT.—The last of the iron-
masters' quarterly meetings was held this evening. The
prices agreed upon at Wolverhampton were maintained,
and may be quoted as follows X. s. d.

Bars - 12 0 0
Common nail rods
Rails l4 0 0
Hoops
Plates
Sheets
Pigs (Shropshire)
Pigs (Staffordshire)
There is a prevalent opinion that the last advance of
21. was uncalled for, injudicious, and likely to prove in-
jurious both to masters and men. This extraordinary
price is, however, justified upon several grounds. The
great advance which has taken place in the price of coal
and limestone, combined with at least 25 per cent. in•
crease in the wages of the miners has unquestionably
compelled the iroumasters to put a high figure upon their
make. Coal at the present moment, owing to the preva-
lence of local strikes in certain districts, is extremely
scarce, and in many other parts, where the men are ap-
parently satisfied with the wages given, the miners do
not work more than four days a week. It is a fact to be
regretted, seeing the great demand for coal, and the ad-
vance of miners' wages, that the men in many districts
of the Staffordshire coal-field, in consequence of their
absenting themselves from their work, are in the receipt
weekly of little more than when the iron trade was at its
lowest ebb. The advance in the price of coal in con-
sequence of the flourishing state of the iron manufacture
and the demand of the colliers has not been less than 3s.
per ton.
Still, it is thought, that even the increased demand,
great as it was, and the hi h rice of materials, did not
justify the advance in bars aPt one sudthia step from 101.
to 121. One sin,gular reason, however, in addition to the
more plausible ones already urged, has been given for
tshomisea:ilivathneee. It is stated, that it was suggested by
This may appear somewhat absurd view , tboustt stop great firms, with afurther orders
isto be reliedotripothn,e it is nevertheless trueg.o
Staffordshire have more
tordexertesnsive houses in South
odltaiust ha ofarietty:
that many
months to
t o
cause
Cki
ear p
ahua
sued i thanil th theye de
m acnadn. euxieuernuteeafhosr
and it was hoped, by
m alludedany to,
Unfortunately, however,
some degree it was), while it answered this manoeuvre
(if such
has
inpurpose
in-
jured other interests. Buyers imagine by whom it was projected,of those
something unsound in the rise--that thet t thQr® is
arti-
ficial, and cannot be maintained. As a
mati:erriceofis
there is at present considerable hesitation in the market
—a —a hesitation which has proved extremely detrimental
to the manufacturers and dealers in hardware goods.
Travellers from Birmingham houses, during the last
four months, have in some instances been compelled to
decline orders, in consequence of the extreme rise or
uncertainty in the price of iron. The factors of Bir
raingham have suffered severely on this amount.

With respect to Staffordshire pig iron, the opinion is
it will fall. It will be observed that, in the list given
above, the prices of Staffordshire and Shropshire pigs
are given as the same. So they were quoted in Bir-
mingham on Thursday. It was, indeed, stated that
Staffordshire had been sold at 71. ; but the purchaser
could not be ascertained. Now, the ground upon which
a reduction in Staffordshire is expected is the known
superiority of the Shropshire pigs, till lately selling at
61. 55., and now at 61. 10s. It is thought that the Staf-
fordshire makers cannot maintain an equality of price
with their Salopian neighbours.
It is but justice to the iron and coal masters to state,
that hitherto they have, daring their brief period of
prosperity, exhibited a spirit of fairness and justice
towards the mining population ; but it is to be feared
that at the present time the colliers in some districts—
in districts, too, where when wages are high men will
not work full time—do not reciprocate the good and fair
feeling manifested by their employers. Wages amongst
the thick-coal men have, as before stated, risen 25 per
cent. In the neighbourhood of Dudley a large number
of men have, notwithstanding, struck for a further ad-
vance of 6d. per day, and the consequence is, that some
of the furnaces have been brought to a stand for want of
coal. The men have now assumed the mastery, and in-
sist on the price of labour keeping pace with, and even
outstripping, the advance in iron. The advance of 6d.
a day in a man's labour is estimated at ls. per ton on
coals—a material consideration in the ironmaster's out-
goings.
It is hoped these isolated local " strikes" will speedily
be at an end.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
COURT OF QUEENS BENCH, April 17.
SOLOMONS v. LAWSON.

This was a case of libel against the Times newspaper, which
was tried at the last assizes for Surrey, in which the plaintiff
obtained a verdict to the amount of 5001. damages.
The ease originated in some letters which appeared in the
Times, respecting the state of health in which the passengers
of the ship Moffat arrived in this :country, in consequence of
the badness of the water supplied to her from a vessel, fitted
up, as was alleged, with copper tanks, belonging to the plain-
tiff, who is an hotel-keeper in St. Helena.
Mr. Sergeant SHEE now moved for a rule for a venire de
novo, or for an arrest of judgment, on account of excessive
damages.—Rule granted on the latter ground.

COURT OF EXCISE, April 17.
(Before HART Davis, Esq. J. F. STEPHENSON, Esq., and
:J. C. HERRIES, Esq.)
Thos. Edwards, of 23, Norfolk-street, Strand, private
boarding-house-keeper, was charged on four informations
with retailing foreign wines and spirituous liquors, without
license.

Sir Francis Doyle conducted the case for the prosecution ;
a solicitor appeared for the defendant.
From the evidence of an officer of Excise, it appeared
that on the 29th September he went to the house of the de-
fendant, where he took lodgings. He ordered dinner, and
was then asked by the waiter whether he would like to have
sherry with dinner, to which he replied in the affirmative.
A pint of sherry was brought up at dinner-time, and after-
wards he was supplied with brandy. He was supplied with
wine and spirits also on the two following days, without the
slightest hesitation. On the morning of the fourth day he
stated that he was about to go into the country, and re-
quested the bill to be produced of the expenses of his stay
in the house. The bill was shortly afterwards handed to
him for 1/. 7s. 4d., the waiter at the same time asking for
9s. in addition. Upon witness inquiring what the latter sum
was for, the waiter replied that it was for spirits and wine.
The sum was then paid, and the last item was entered upon
the bill.

Cross-examined--When witness entered the dining-room,
was asked by the waiter whether he would take sherry.
Did not say, I usually took sherry with dinner. When I
paid the bill, no second bill was produced. The 9s. was added
in my presence. It was written at the bottom of the bill at
my request. Will swear positively I was asked but once that
the 9s. should be put at the bottom of the bill.
Re-examined—lf any second bill had been produced,
should, of course, have received it. Never asked any waiter
to make advances of money on my account.
. .

The SOLICITOR addressed the Court for the defendant, and
contended that the officer had gone beyond his duty, and
had used every means in his power to entrap the defendant
into a breach of the law. Whether such was legitimate evi-
dence to be received, he would leave it to the Court to deter-
mine.

'fhe waiter was then called, who asserted that it was only
on the pressing wish of the officer that he had advanced the
money for the wine and spirits, and that he frequently told
him that his master had no license. He considered the sum
of 9s. a debt between himself and the officer alone, and that
his master had nothing whatever to do with the transaction.
Mr. Commissioner HART Davis, in giving judgment, said
that they considered the law against the defendant, indepen-
dent of the discrepancies in the evidence. Were the Court
to allow waiters to enter into contracts of this sort, it would
open the door and lead to collusions between servants and
masters for the purposes of fraud; and the judgment of tile
Court was, that the defendant be fined in the penalty of 251.
Henry Lamplough, chemist and druggist, of Farringdon-
street, was convicted of selling spirits of wine without license,
and fined 2/.

George Gall was convicted in the penalty of 101., for sell.
hag by auction, at the Baltic Coffee-house, ;Threadneedle.
street, without license.

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.
SENTENCES AND SESSIONAL RESULTS.
Death—Thomas Henry Rocker.
Transportation for Seven Years—Mary Ryan, R. Walker,
T. Dimsley, H. Jenkins alias Bates, C. Madden, G. Widgett,
T. Hatcher, J. Jackson, J. Smith, F. A. Arkell, J. Matham,
A. M'Coy, M. Heavy, H. Hurry, J. Clark, S. Lewis, R. Slade,
W. Hare, G. Kirby.

For Ten Years—Julia J. Payne, Margaret Doolan, Mary
Ann Birch, H. Cavanagh, S. Langdale, J. Proctor, J. Parish,
F. Payne, W. Young, H. Pratt, W. Wright, W. King, C.
Hunt, R. Fox, W. Judd, R. Slade.

For Fifteen Tears—J. Darby, J. Stock.
For Life—Edward Spicer (the mail guard).
IMPRISONMENT AND HARD LABOUR.
_ _ __

For Two Years—J. Claverie, J. Vivian, W. Jagger, J. Cor•
nigh, W. Cannon, J. Power, W. Abbott.

For Eighteen Months—Ann Forrest, R. Bannister, J. Page.
For One Year—J. Dolan, J. Hocking, C. Gregg, J. Heath,
H. Thomas J. Ellard, J. Hunt, F. Cole, J. Moore, J. Allum,
J. Clark, M. Lee, Mary Wilson, Jane White, Eliza Dunbar,
J. Hawkins, W. Winter, E. Connor, J. Herbert, S. Randall,
H. Haylor, J. Caffyn.
For Nine Months—Ann Eliza Brown, E. Owens, R. Smith,
J. Smith, W. Heath, S. Dawkins, J. Forrest, J. Collins, M.
Hawes, W. Cummins.

For Eight Months—J. Smith, J. Brown, J. White, M. A,
Smith.

- For Six Months—Mary Morris, Ann Smith, Mary A.
Brown, Jane Williams, Catharine Murphy, Mary A. Davis,
Susan Wilson, Elizabeth George, Hannah Leary, J. Williams,
J. Howard, R. Roberts, J. Bruncker, J. Edwards, H. Groom,
J. Jones, J. Ward, G. Davis, S. Davis, T. Mobbs, W. Hays,
J. Nash, W. Wood, M. Hind, C. Brady, W. Banks, G. Just,
J. Pratt, J. Booth, G. Bragg, W. Hemming, J. Stennett, W.
Harrison, J. Cormack, M. Vaughan, R. Roberts, J. Picker-
ing, H. Parrott, R. Dunnett, J. Dunsby, J. Bastable, J.
Whiteley, C. Wagstaff, J. Shargold, J. Powell, G. Powell,
J. H. Hughes, J. Sibley, J. Morrell, H. Watkins, J. Peter-
son, J. Brumell, James Williams, Isaac Newton, W. Thomp-
son, S. Axford, C. Sullivan.
For Four Months—J. Piddington, Wm. Kibbon, J. Wil-
liams, W. Gill, G. Smith, J. Scott, Mary A. Brown, Sarah
Coe, C. Coxhead, Mary A. Coombs, Sarah Smith, Esther
Hart, Eliza Brown, Deborah Raven.
For Three Months—E. Gillett, J. Easton, J. Harvey, J.
Doughty, M'Carty, W. H. Warren, A. Wright, G. Wit-
hams, T. Jones, J. Ball, E. Court, E. Lewis, R. Lewis, G.
Jones, T. Jones, T. Davis, G. P. G. Day, J. Harrison, John
Williams, C. Williams, H. Williams, T. Russell, J. Lopez,
Sarah Smith, Esther Gilbert, Sarah Limb, Charlotte Single-
ton, Eliza Jane Day, Mary A. Comber, G. Jackson, J. Keys,
J. Brown, J. Kemp, M. Steele, E. Rushton, J. Easton, J.
Halliday, Cyrus Cymes, J. M'Carty, H. Doughty H. Hayler,
E. Palmer, W. Goodale, Eliza Merewether, C. Wiltshire, D.
Thompson, J. Rainbit, W. Warren, J. Holbrook, J. Battersby,
J. Smith, jun.
For Two Months—Elizabeth Craddock, B. Washbrook,
H. Siebrichat, W. Barnes, J. Barnes, E. Ashton, J. Watkins,
J. Smith, E. Flarty, J. Gurney, J. Hughes.

SUMMARY STATEMENT OF ALL THE SESSIONAL ADJUDICATIONS

AND RESULTS.

Sentenced to die, 1 ; transportation for life, 1; fifteen
years, 2 ; ten years, 19 ; seven years, 22 ; imprisonment for
two years, 7 ' • eighteen months, 3 ; four months, 14; three
months, 51; two months, 11 ; one month, 3 ; three weeks, 3 ;
fourteen days or under, 4; acquitted, 51 ; judgment respited,
4 ; remanded and traversed, 5 ; bills ignored and discharged
by proclamation, 6 ; surrendered, 6 ; bailed, 1 ; prosecutions
withdrawn, 5 ; confessed guilt, 29 ; called on recogni-
zances, 2.

ADJOURNMENT OF THE COURT.—The Court at its rising ad-
journed to Monday, the 12th day of May next, when, by rota,
the following judges will preside, viz., Lord Chief Justice
Denman, Mr. Baron Alderson, and Mr. Justice Coltman.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
MARYLEBOIVE.

Mr. Edward Raleigh Moran, a gentleman connected with
one of the daily papers, made an application to the sitting
Magistrate, Mr. Long, on the subject of a forgery of his
name, by which some person representing him, and describ-
ing himself as the applicant, had obtained forty shares
through the medium of his forged application, in one of the
Paris and Lyons Railway Companies. Mr. Moran stated
that the secretary of the company was the son-in-law of
an intimate friend of his, and that through that gentleman
having written to him stating that the allotment of shares
for which he applied bad been made 'to him, and would be
forwarded to his address, No. 38, Manchester-street, Man-
chester-square, he obtained the first intimation of the fraud
attempted to be put upon the company in his name. The
applicant here handed to the Magistrate, through Jones, the
usher of the Court, two letters, the first of which was that
having the Christian and surname " Edward Moran," with
a description of the paper to which he stated himself to be-
long, as also the place of residence and address, as required
by the Company, " 38, Manchester-street, Manchester-
square," and giving a reference to the proprietors of the news-
paper upon which applicant was engaged. The other letter
contained the announcement made in the usual way, that the
forty shares applied for had been allotted. The applicant
further stated that he had obtained those documents through
the secretary of the Company, and the object of his present
application was to know from the worthy Magistrate if he
could not obtain some redress ; and if so, of what nature that
redress was ? _ _ _

Mr. LONG, after perusing the papers, declared his opinion
that as the applicant had not been injured in the transaction,
he could give him no assistance.

A FAMILY OF DWARFS.—Judging from the success
of General Tom Thumb's visit to our shores, one may
reasonably conclude that dwarfs are not quite so plentiful
as blackberries, and yet, at Kishorn of Applecross, there
is a family of that genus, each of them being of less di-
mensions than and as proportionate as Tom. The father
of these pigmies (John Finlay) is a poor cottar of the
ordinary or middle size, and the mother is rather beyond
it. The eldest son, Master Finlay, is upwards of 20
years of age, and stands two feet 10 inches in height.
The next is a girl, somewhat the
.; unior of Finlay in
years, and considerably less in stature, and the third,
and last, is a boy, aged 15, a mere pigmy. It is ludi-
crous to see these little creatures sit around their little
Honest
0 hn
dinner table ; but to observe them dance together, re-
minds one foroibly of the Celtic accounts of dancing elves
(the fairies of the Highlands), whose fantastic measures
so oft beguiled the wayworn Highlander, as he saw, or
dreamed
sawt them
utirdi p
tryit
hisi h lightly
fortune o n
in the
the mountain
south,
aide.
he
John
where wonders always tt a ract, one of the large gentle-
men playing the pip
Romhire el - e would complete the matter.—