The Sun.
London, England, 1829-07-11 00:00:00

KING'S BENCH BAIL COURT.

Mr. Justice BAYLEY, Mr. Justice LITTLEDALE,
and Mr. Justice JAMES PARKE, sat in the Court
to-day. Their Lordships were occupied the whole
morning in hearing arguments respecting the proper
construction of a lease, of no interest except to the
parties concerned.

COURT OF EXCHEQUER.
THE SOLICITOR-GENERAL V. CLARKE.

This was an information filed by the late Solicitor-
General (Sir N. Tindal), to recover from the de-
fendant various penalties to which he had rendered
himself liable for selling goods by auction, without
first obtaining a license. There was also another
count in the information4eharging him with refusing
or neglecting to pay the auction duty on goods he
had sold, whereby he subjected himself to heavy
penalties.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL stated that the defend-
ant resided at Barking, in Essex. In the month of
March last he published hand-bills, giving notice
that he should, on such a day, " sell by hand" a
quantity of household furniture. It being known
that the defendant was not a licensed auc-
tioneer, two excise officers were sent to at-
tend the sale and witness the proceedings. On
their arrival they found the defendant surrounded by
about forty individuals, and he was in the act of
putting up a lot consisting of two chairs. He asked
who would give him five pounds for the lot. A
person present offered four pounds, and she was de-
clared the purchaser. It was afterwards stated, that
the officers were present, and the sale was discon-
tinued, upon which the officers went away, but re-
turned again in about an hour, when they witnessed
the sale of several articles in the same manner.
They then interfered, arid informed the defendant
he was subjecting himself to very heavy penalties,
but he said, " he had consulted his law books on
the subject, that they were quite clear on the sub-
ject, and lie did not fear; for any man was at liberty
to sell by hand, without a licence." The Commis-
sioners of Excise afterwards offered not to take
legal proceedings against the defendant if he
would take out a licence and pay the auc-
tion duties upon what he had already sold ; but
the defendant was so positive that he was right in
his construction of the law, that he refused all over-
tures. The Learned Counsel stated, that all sales
which took place, and where public notice of any
sort was given, so as to cause a number of persons
to assemble and become competitors in purchasing,
came clearly within the meaning of the Statute
regulating Auctions, let the mode of selling be ever
so fanciful or contrary to the usual practice. The
Learned Judge would tell the Jury that such was
the proper interpretation of the law. It was only
necessary therefore for him to prove the facts to en-
, title him to a verdict.

Excise Officers employed on the occasion proved
the facts as stated by the Solicitor-General.

There was no defence.
The CHIEF BARON charged the Jury, who im-
mediately returned a verdict for the Crown.
Several other Excise causes were disposed of
during the morning.

The Duke and Duchess of CLARENCE, and
the Duchess of SAXE WEIMAR, honoured the performance
at the Italian Opera House on Thursday evening, for the
benefit of Signor CURIONI, with their presence.
The Princess AUGUSTA left town yesterday
morning, on a visit to the Bishop of ROCHESTER, at his
Palace, Bromley, Kent. Her Royal Highntss remained to
dinner with his Lordship, and returned to town in the
evening.
The Duke and Duchess of CLARENCE en-
tertained the Duke of SUSSEX and a select party to dinner
yesterday, at their residence in the King's Palace, St.
James's.

The Duke and Duchess of CLARENCE and
the Princess SOPHIA visited the Princess AuGusrA yester-
day morning.
Earl and Countess of BATHURST left town
on Tuesday, on a visit to Lord GRENVILLE, at his seat at
Dropmore.
Captain BASIL. HALL'S volume of Forty
Etchings, taken in North America, will be published on
Monday in royal quarto, by SIDIPKIN and MAitsnALL,
Stationers'-court.

CORK ELECTION.—The election commenced
on Tuesday. Sir AUGUSTUS WARREN was proposed by
Col. HODDER and SAMUEL LANE, Esq. GERARD CAL-
LAGHAN Was proposed by H. B. WESTROP, Esq. as proxy
for his father, and seconded by Col. LONGFIELD. Mr.
CALLAGHAN addressed the electors, and was replied to
triumphantly by Mr. COLTHURST, Dr. BALDWIN, and
Co' 1-lonnea. The Court adjourned until )esterday.
Each party is confident of success.—Dublin Morning
Register, of Thursday.
DRAMATIC MAGAZINE.---The first Number
of this promising periodical is headed with an accurate
likeness of FARREN and LISTON, as Adam Brock and
Charles XII. in the well-known afterpiece of that
name.

-
Mr. BLIGH, who arrived at the Foreign
Office yeste►day, did not come from Lord STUART DE
ROTHSAY, at Paris, with despatches (as stated in the
Court Circular), that gentleman came direct from his
father's seat, Cobham, Kent.

In our account of the distribution of Uni-
versity prizes it should have been stated, that the young
gentleman who gained the second prize in the Latin class,
and also a prize in the second Greek class, is the Earl of
LEICESTER, the eldest son of the Marquis TowtasHEND.
As the Government security in the granting
of annuities is deemed superior to all others, it is common
enough to hear wishes expressed for the promulgation
of the tables by which the new Annuity Act is to be
into operation. In this Act power is given to
ther o
Treasury to receive every descrilition of Govern-
ment u
stockh in payment for annuities granted for life, or
brought
gt
term of years. It is considered desirable by those
conversant with the mechanism of dealings in our va-
rious Government securities, that advantage should be
taken of the Annuity Act to extinguish some of the
minor descriptions of them, which would at once sim-
plify the public accounts, and save expence in the ma-
nagement, by getting rid of the distinct books of transfer,
and the separate offices established for the purpose. Be-
sides this, there is a positive loss to the holders of these
minor funds who may wish to sell ; for, though they pay
the same dividend, and of course rest on the same security
as others of a large amount of capital, they are not so
marketable, and do not produce so good a price. No
benefit whatever is derived from the existence of so many
different heads of public securities. The French have an
advantage over us in this respect, their debt consisting of
only three descriptions of stock..—