Star.
London, England, 1823-11-19 00:00:00

THR PRZDICRICK.

This was a case of seamen's wages. Two seamen
named Beer and Waters had given in a summary peti-
tion claiming trifling balances as due to them for ser-
vices on board this vessel. Two witnesses were ex-
amined on the summary petition, and the owners had
replied by an allegation pleading desertion on the part
of the seamen. _

This case was argued on a former day for the seamen
by Dr. Lostitkoros. Dr. JENNett and Dr. J. ADDAMS,
were this day heard for the owners,and the principatques-
tion turned en the circumstances under which the sailors
quitted the ship in the West Indies. The vessel sailed
from London with a crew of four officers, besides,,the I
captain, seven foremast-men, and two boys. She ar-!
'rived at Jamaica on the 22d. On the 25th, the master
went ashore on business. The mate, who was examined
for the owner, declared that, the foremast-men, who had
been busy on that day getting out part of the cargo, be-
came intoxicated, and quarrelled with the steward for
not giving them more ram; that when the captain came
on board, Brewn, one of the foremattsmen, went up
and demanded rum from him, and, on the Captain's
refusal abused him, challenged him to fight, &c.
The captain hereupon said, "If you are dissatis-
fied with your treatment on board the ship you had
better go ashor:; the boat is ready." The other fore=
mast-men thereupon said, if. one goes we will all go, and
accordingly quitted the vessel.
A variety of other circumstances were pleaded and
spoken to on both sides ; but the facts above stated were
principally relied upon by the Learned Counsel as dis-
entitling the seamen to their wages.
GUM/WALL—It was yesterday decided that it is
only in cases where property has been unlawfully ob-
tained, as well as-illegally pawned, that the owner can
have his scmedy under the statute against the pawn-
broker : it is a decided case that he may recover the
property by an action of trover.
A decision in a case of cessio lately took place in tile
First Division of the Court of Session in Scotland, which
may be of some importance to half-pay Officers. A Cap,
tain on half-pay, who had obtained his commission by
raising an independent company at the commencement
of the war, had become insolvent in consequence of
some farming speculations. He had lost a small estate
left to him by his father, and had incurred debts to the
amount of about £6,000, to meet which he possessed
nearly £4,000, thus affording to his creditors about lils.
'or 13s. in the pound. Two of the creditors, whose
relaims amounted to about riso, objected to the insol-
vent obtaining the kenefit of the cessso until he had made
'over some part of his pay. A variety of cases wets
stated by their Counsel, in which Officers in similar cir-
occ
enmstances were called upon to give up a half or a third.
9f the Government allowance. The Ceurt, however,
found that it had no power to compel an 014er to enter
into any arraagemeat of that kind, though a contrary Is*
lief had for a considerable number of years prevailed.
No imputation of fraud had been made on thE present
. asion ; and it was observed that the stint craved foe,
would scarcely 'amount to a fat thing in the pound to the
objeming creditors, or partite Counsel they at the bar
for his appeatanci.