The Sun.
London, England, 1820-05-20 00:00:00

sAT U RD AYAI AY 20, le2o.

LAW INT6LLIGENCE.

COURT OF RING'S BENCH, MAY 19.

BELL V. THE LATE SHERIFFS OF MIDDLESEX.

This was an action against the late Sheriffs of Middlesex,
to recover the rent of certain lodgings, hired of the plaintiff
by his Grace the Duke of Marlborough.
Mr. Scatmerr and Mr. .CIIITTY conducted the plaintiff's
case, and Mr. MARRYAT and Mr. llot r the defendant's.
-The case was in substance this :—The plaintiff, us widow
lady, residing in the neighbourhood of .Manchester•square;
had let lodgings to the Duke of Marlborough. It appeared
that his Grace did not reside there, lit. came there occasion-
ally to dress. Property to a considerable amount was sent
to the lodgings at thffment times on his Grace's account.
After a considerable arrear of rent was due, three execution;
were pot in upon his Grace's property, and a broker's man
was put into possession. The plaintiff immediately gave no-
tice to into Sheriff's Officers, flopkin's and Laver, of her hen
upon the property for rent due. They assured her that she
should be paid out of the proceeds of the property, which
was afterwards valued at 3001. and the ;Noble Duke redeemed
it by paying the money, but the plaintiff was never paid.
undertaking
and new brought her action upon the Officer's
and promise.
The case went to the Jury under the Learned Judge's
directions, add they found a verdict for the plaintiff, Damages
1161. los. being the amount of rent due from the 19th of
April to the lOth of July, at the rate of seven guideas.a. week.

FOR THE SUN.

IREE TRADE.

'llll. torroß—Feeling the Question, whether it
he.' policy in, this‘Cotnilry to give increased la:-
ell y to.tl,e importation of timber from the North
of ;ttrope," to beone upon which the vital int,e-
rest of this marilinse nation greatly depends, and
then fore that no step should be taken in it with-
out lie most mature deliberation, I wish to ask
of tl)se merchants, the advocates of " Free
Irrad," who are so ardent in ptirsuit of that ob-
ject, be jollowink questions

Whalwas the value of British goods exported to the North
of Euror, previous to the period when this country, being
threaten& by our enemies with the pima of asupply of tiai-
bee from lie Baltic for the ase of our dock-yards, encourage-
ment wasirst given to import it from the British,Colonies in
North Antlica ?

What wee the tonnage at that period employed in the im-
portation o:timber front the North of Europe; and, of that
tonnage, wlat proportion was British ?
What wer. the tonnage and nomher of seamen, at that
period, emphyed in the trade to the British North-American
Colonies ?

Wliat were the amount of tonnage and number of seamen
so msployed is the year 1819 ?
Wliat was the amount of British goods annually exported
to those Colonies previous to that period?
\Vlat has been the subsequent annual export ?
Mat are the grounds for concluding that the exportation
British goods to countries in the north of Europe would he
greater now, than formerly, if increased facility were given
to the importation of their timber ?
Are there ni,t several reasons for thinking that the expor-
tatioa of British goods would be much less ?.
Are there any reasons for supposing.. that the proportion of
Brits!) ships to he employed in the importation of foreign
timier would be greater than at the period before men-
tioned ?

What arethe channels to which the ships now employed in the
itrip4rtation of timber from the British Settlements in North
Ainerica and Aftrica might be advantageously transferred,
in tla event of their being thrown out of that trade?
What would become of the .17,000 seamen, and upwards,
who savigate them, if no such new trade could be found?
What Would be the consequences to the Owners of British
'lino in general, and to the Owners of Ships in the British
Colonial Trade in particular ?
What would become of the valuable trade with Sierra
Levee, from whiCh so much advantage to this nation, and he-
nefitto the poor Africans, have been anticipated ?
is the importation of timber from the British Settlements a
profitable trade to the timber-merchaut; or -does it merely
and barely pay height to the ships employed in it?
If the latter, would not any discouragement to that trade,
arid encoura4etnent to the foreigner, be immediately follow-
ed by large importations of timber front the north of Europe?
and, in such case, would not the facility affordeditv onr bond-
ing stsletn have the effect of paralyzing, if not wholly crush-
ing, the trade with the British Colonies? .
In that case, what
.would become of our industrious coun-
trymen who have been encouraged to emigrate and establish
theratelves in those colonies, and of the large capitals ene7
harked therein? •
Unless these questions can he satisfactorily answered, it
surety tiecOmes• us to pause "before Ave aticnruf-arry-ntter'arion
in the existing laws: 1 must presume that those Merchants
.who at ardently seek such change are prepared, and I invite
them to answer them through the medium of your Paper. If
they eo not, I shall, With your indulgence, endeavour to do so
mysa.
A BRITISH MERCHANT.