The Sun.
London, England, 1827-05-12 00:00:00

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS.

The Court sat in Banco this morning till one o'clock,
when they proceeded to join the other Judges in the Exche-
quer Chamber, to decide on a writ of error. Nothing of
public interest occurred.

ARCHES' COURT.

THE. CHURCHWARDENS OF ST. GEORGE'S, CAMBERWELL V.

JOSEPH EVAM, ESQ.

This was a suit for the subtraction of poor-rates,
brought by the Churchwardens of St. George's against
Mr. Evans, the barrister, to recover a rate of 6d. in the
pound, made by the Select Vestry, for the repairs of the
church.

The case was fully argued on the last Court Day, when
Mr. Evans appeared in person, and stated rery ably his
objections to the rate. The case now came o❑ tor judg-
ment on the admission of the libel.

Sir JOHN NicHoLt, said, th^t as the case now came on
upon admission of the libel, the Court was bound to assume
that the contents of that libel could be proved. Its form
had not been objected to, and all the objections arose upon
the legality of the rate. The objections were, that the rate
should be paid by the whole parish, and made by an open
vestry, but the Act of Parliament the 5S Geo. 3, cap. 43,
by which district parishes were created, expressly enacted
that those district parishes should be considered separate anal
independent parishes for all ecclesiastical purposes; the repairs
of the Church therefore were clearly to be paid for by the
district, and by rates levied on the rateable property be-
longing to that district. The next question was, who had
the power to make the rates, and there could be no doubt
that by the late Act of Parliament, which empowered the
Commissioners for building new Churches, to appoint a
number of substantial householders as select vestrymen to
recognize all matters connected with the Church, the select
vestry so appointed in the parish of Saint George's,
Camberwell, had ample power ,to make the rate.
But it was objected that the rate was retrospective, an
therefore illegal, bat it was well known that it was a f.e
quent practice in parishes to borrow money on the crc'?ic
of the rates ; and indeed it could scarcely be otherwise, for
it was impossible to calculate how much money it was ne-
cessary to raise, until the repairs had bean completed, or,
at all events, commenced. After adverting to several
other minor objections, the Court observed that it had
no discretion to refuse to admit a rate which was
clearly legal, even though an improvident expenditure
could be proved. In such an event, the regular course
would be to enter a caveat before the Ordinary ; but if the
Ordinary assented to any repairs, the Court had not juris-
diction even to compel the Vestry to produce its accounts.
Upon all these considerations, therefore, the Court felt it-
self bound to pronounce for the admission of the libel.

THE COMMITTEE OF THE EARL OF PORTSMOUTH V. MART
ANN HANSON, CALLING HERSELF COUNTESS or roRTs-

MOUTH.

In this case, Mr. Glennie, Lady Portsmouth's Proctor,
prayed the Court to grant time to the first Session of next
Term, to put in an allegation in answer to the libel.

Dr. LUSIIINGTOti said the first Session of next Term
was a long time, bat he would not oppose the motion if
Mr. Glennie undertook to serve his party with a copy of
the allegation six days liefore the Term.
The CouaT granted the prayer, upon the condition
stated by Dr. Lushington.
The Court then adjourned.

The Princess Augusta entertained the Duchess
of Gloucester and a select party to dinner on Wednesday,
at her residence in the King's Palace, St. James's.
The Duchess of Gloucester and the Princess
Augusta took an airing together in the Parks on Thursday.
Their Royal Highnesses visited the Princess Sophia, at her
apartments in the King's Palace, Kensington.
The Duke of Wellington appeared at the
King's Court on Thursday, in the Regimentals of the let
Regiment of the Foot Guards, of whicij his Grace is Colonel.
DOVER, MAY 11.—Sailed the Royal George
steam-packet for Boulogne, with his Excellency the Count
d'Aglie, the Sardinian Ambassador, and his suite.

The new Attorney-General (Sir J. Scarlett),
on re-entering the House, last night, took his seat on the
bench behind the Treasury bench ; but when Mr. Canning
entered the House, he beckoned the Learned Gentleman,
who thereupon descended, and took his seat on the Trea-
sury beach, alongside Mr. Canning.

GRAND BALL AT KINGSTON HOUSE.—
The Countess of Listowell's Grand Ball at Kingston-house,
on Thursday night, will be long panegyrised in the fashion-
able world, for the splendour, liberality, and refined taste
displayed throughout. The noble suite of rooms were most
splendidly illuminated with Iva' lights, placed in chande-
liers of the most superb designs. The matchless beauty of
the decorations were heightened by a conservatory at the
end of the ball-room which contained all the choicest
,ants of the East, tastefully illuminated with variegated
lamps, at the end of which was an elegant transparency,
representing an Italian scene by moonlight. The odour
of the plants, wafted by a gentle breeze from the conser-
vatory to the rooms, kept them in delightful temperature.
At the little Theatre in Catherine-street, last
night, the tragedy of King John, followed by the farce of
<4 Rowland for an Oliver, was well performed by a pri-
vate company.
i\IR. CANNING'S REPLY TO SIR THOMAS
LETnnarnax.—The interest that has been created in the
breast of every person who has read the above speech, has
hardly ever been surpassed by the act of any one man, and
has created more noise than any thing except the fact of
SALE and Co., 33k, Strand, making the best Welling-
ton's in the World for one Guinea a pair.

On Thursday last Rear-Admiral Sir E. W.
C. R. Owen was unanimously re-elected M.P. for the
Town and Port of Sandwich; after which Election an Ad-
dress from the Mayor, Jurats, and Commonalty, was also
unanimously voted to his Royal Highness the Duke of Cla-
rence, congratulating him on his appointment to the office
of Lord High Admiral of Great Britain; which Address is
to be presented by the Gallant Admiral and his Worthy Col-
league, Joseph Marryat, Esq.
TRENT AND MERSEY CANAL.—The new
tunnel at Harecastle Hill, Staffordshire, was opened on
Monday week. This tunnel is nearly two miles in length,
and in a direct line, so that one entrance may be seen from the
other. There is a towing-path throughout, with a strong
iron hand-railing. This tunnel has been completed in the
short space of two years, whilst the old one, about thirty
yards from the new one, was in progress eleven years.—
Shrewsbury Chronicle.

The late proceedings of the Marquis of Lon-
donderry are considered quite natural and con-
sistent, since a " Vane" is affected by every
wind that blows,