The Sun.
London, England, 1845-06-26 00:00:00

SCHWEPPE'S SODA and other ALKALINE
WATERS continue to be manufaetured, as usual, upon the
largest scale, at their several establishments, and to maintain their
supremacy over all others. Each bottle has its proper proportion of
alkali ; but, to prevent imposition, consumers are earnestly requested
to ascertain that a label, with their name, is over the cork of each
bottle of Soda Water, and a label on each bottle of Lemonade and
Potass Water. Schweppe's Liquid Magnesia is of the finest quality,
and strongly recommended as a cure for gout, acidity of the stomaoh,
&c., by the first London physicians.
51, Renters-street, London.

THE CIRCUITS' COMMISSION
REPORT.

TO THE QUEEN'S MOST GRACIOUS MAJESTY.
Your Majesty having been pleased to issue a commis-
sion under the great seal, dated the 14th of February,
1845, directed to Sir James Parke, Knight, one of the
Barons of your Majesty s Exchequer ; Sir Edward
Hall Alderson, Knight, one other of the said Barons ;
Sir John Taylor Coleridge, Knight, one of the
Justices of your Majesty's Court of Queen's Bench ;
the Honourable James Stuart Wortley, Fitzroy
Kelly, and William Whateley, and John Green-
wood, Esquires, and Sir William Heathcote, Baronet ;
and Edmund Denison and Thomas Grimstone Bucknall
Esteourt, Esquires ; whereby, after reciting that it had
been humbly represented unto your Majesty that the
circuits of the judges in England and Wales are very
unequal, as well in extent as with respect to the number
of causes tried upon such circuits respectively, and that
the intervals between the period of holding the same
in each year are also very unequal ; and that it had
been consieered that some alteration in these parti-
culars might be conducive to the public good, your
Majesty was graciously pleased to appoint the said seve-
ral persons, or any five or more of them, to be your Ma-
jesty's Commissioners for inquiring and considering
whether it would be expedient, with a view to the more
convenient and better administration of justice, that any
and what alteration should be made in the division of
England and Wales into circuits for judicial business,
and in the periods for holding such circuits, and whether
it would be necessary or proper that any change should
be made in the law terms for the purpose of such altera-
tions, and also for considering in what manner such al-
terations may be best effected :
We, the commissioners, whose hands and seals are
hereunto set, have carefully examined into the questions
referred to us, and humbly report to your Majesty the
result of our inquiries.
We first proceeded to consider whether the in-
conveniences arising from the unequal division of
the year into two circuits are such as to require
a change, and how such change may be best ef-
fected. At present the interval between the sum-
mer and spring circuits is nearly eight months, whilst
that between the spring and summer circuits does
not exceed four ; and the former interval includes
the whole winter, with its long nights, and its increased
suffering, amongst the poorer classes. It cannot, there-
fore, Ise wondered-at, if, from the longer interval alone,
at the spring circuit, the civil business should more than
equal, and still less if, from the combined effect of' both
causes, the criminal business should very greatly exceed.
that of the summer circuit ; and thus the burden upon
the jurymen at the two assizes is disproportioned, and
the prisoners committed soon after the summer assizes
are necessarily imprisoned for a much longer period than
those committed after the Lent assizes.
This has led to the special commissions for delivering
the gaols, issued for the last two years, under which
sittings have been held in the larger counties in the
months of December and January. These have sup-
plied a remedy for the particular evils against which
they were directed, but are themselves liable to the
most serious objections. The sittings have been held
to the great inconvenience and expense of jurors,
sheriffs, and others, whose duties require their attend-
ance at the assizes, and who were called from
their homes once oftener in the year than heretofore.
They have been unattended by the same full bar which
the union of criminal and civil business attracts to the
ordinary assizes, which is not only an important benefit
to the accused, but a great security for the due adminis-
tration of justice ; and they have been presided over by
a single judge, a course by no means so satisfactory as
where two judges travel the same circuit, and have the
opportunity for mutual advice and assistance.
It appears to us that the necessity for a third circuit,
for criminal cases, with its attending advantages, may be
obviated, and the benefit of a more speedy trial of of-
fenders obtained by a permanent arrangement whereby
the circuits may occur at equal intervals of time, and the
business be equally distributed between the winter and
summer assizes.

And this can only be done by an alteration in the time
of holdinr, the spring circuit ; for to alter the summer
circuit, and to fix it during the months of September and
October, would, we are convinced, be inexpedient. It
would take from the bar and the judges, and indeed the
whole legal profession, that wholesome vacation which
alone, by its annual recurrence, brings them back
with minds refreshed by leisure and varied study
to their important duties, and it would be to
devote a period of the year to the assizes at which
the gentlemen and farmers of the country, who in general
have to act as jurymen, are otherwise much engaged.
In order, therefore, to divide the year equally, the
spring assizes must begin early in January ; we think
about the 11th January would be found most convenient,
as being immediately after the Christmas quarter ses-
sions, when the gaols will have been delivered of the
smaller offences by the local magistracy.
In order to accomplish this, Hilary term must be
changed; and we at one time supposed that the post-
ponement of Hilary term till the beginning of March
would be the best arrangement. But we have thought,
on fuller consideration, that it is desirable to have two
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