Star.
London, England, 1826-01-26 00:00:00

BOARD OF TRADE AND THE SPITALFIELDS

WEAVERS.

Yesterday, Messrs. Homewood, Poytnn, Wallis,
Harris, and others. forming the deputationappointeJ to
present to .the Board of Trade the petition agreed to at
the meeting held last week of the inhabitants of the
parish of St. Matthew, Bethnal-green, had an audience
of the Board, which lasted upwards of two hours.
The Members of the Board present on this occasion
were, Mr. Bowsaw; (Chancellor of the Exchequer),
Mr. HUSRIsSON, and Mr. GRANT.
The petition, which prayed that " the Honourable
Board would devise some means to avert the distress
that has overtaken th. numerous persons engaged in the
silk-trade," in consequence of the repeal of the prohi-
bitory system, having been read, the deputation re-
quested to know what answer they should return to
their constituents?

Mr. HusittssoN, in reply, stated at some length the
reasons by which he felt compelled to adhere to the de-
termination of throwing the trade open under the pro-
tecting duty cf 30 per Cent. provided by the late Act
~f Repeal. He admitted that the existing distress in
the silk-tra 'e (wi►ich he sincetely lamented) was, in a
considerable measure, owing to the expected importa-
tion of foreign bi k s ; but thought that it was to be as
crihed in a still greater degree to the excessive specula.
lions in which the silk manufacturers had recently in-
du►lged. He felt quite assured, at all events, that the
introducti,tn of a free syst.m would ultimately he at•
tended with the g►eatest benefit,not only to the country at
large, but more particularly to t' e silk-weavers them-
selves. He was by no means, however, so wedded to his
opinions as not to rent tunce them willingly, if they could
be proved to be erroneous ; and he could assure the de-
putation, that it they would only convince him of the
:•rt'priety of retracing his steps, no false notion of con-
sistency shoul I prevent him from being the first to go
before Parliament, and move for the continuance t.l
the prohibitory system. In the mean time he was sorry
to say, that w.th the views he had n the subject, lie
could not give the deputation any hope that (i►ve?u-
ment would in ertere in the matter of the r petition.
The distress which the silk weavers experienced was
hut a temporary evil, that must be borne. Neither were
they the only distre.sed class in the community ; many
other classes—the cotton-spinner, in particular—being
in a stale of Nearly equal suffering, in consequence 01
the generally depressed condition of manufactures and
commerce at the prese t moment.
Mr. Hostewoon. Mr. Porrox, and Mr. WALLIS,
severally addrebsed the Board in support of their peti-
tion. /laving urged particularly, the advantage which
the foreign silk weaver has over the English one, in
consequence of food and everything else being s:► much
cheaper, and taxes so much lighter, abroad,
Tre CHANCCLLOR of the EACHLHUER remarked, that
the deputation, as well as other people, were very much
mistaken on these points; for that the French workmen
have heavy taxes to pay as well as ours have, and find
it nearly as hard a task to live upon their earnings as
ours do.

The deputation confessed that on all these points they
entertained, in common with the public, very different
notions ; and that, as regards both the prices of provi-
sions and house rest in France, they were sure it could
be easily demonstrated that the foreign workman had
eminently the advantage.
The CHANCELLOR Ot the EXCHEQUER and Mr. Hus-
IL tssou joined in replying, that they toad given t e whol-
mattcr the fullest consideration, and viewed the orra
tin f the new law in etery possible shape; and that
after all they had heard, their opinions were unchanged.
Mr. Hostawoon—What answer, then, dyne please, Gentlemen,
Mall we take back to our constituents ? Are we to understand that
Government can afford us no bop* of relief?
Mr. Hosusson—You will please just to report faithfully what
has now passed between yourselves and the Board.

Monday se'nnight, the Earl and Countess of GALLO-
swim left Galloway House, in Scotland, for London,
with the prayers of the poor, and the wishes of all
classes for their speedy return.

The Constitmtio mod mentions, that a College of
Jesuits is established at Brigg, in the Valais, that it is
attended by one hundred French youth, and that the
son of M. Counmorstan, the Attorney-General of the
Royal Court of Lyons, had lately escaped from the
discipline of its Reverend Fathers, and after various
adventures had arrived at Geneva in rags.
The Alissoloaghi Gaieties, No. 9d to 94, inclusive,
have been received. The last number, which is dated
the 2.1 December, contains, among other intelligence,
the lollowing paragraph Our fleet is sailing be-
tween the Scropades and Cephalonia, and that oldie
enemy between Chiarenza and Zante." On inspection
of a map it will be seen that Missolonghi is not block.
aded by sea—a proof of which is the very circumstance
of our receiving the papers.
Letters from Liverpool, dated Tuesday evening, an-
nounce the stoppage that morning of the banking-house
of Mr. Joszpir Hanwem. This event had caused con-
siderable sensation in the town. A great number of
tradesmen were in ihe habit of keeping cash in Mr.
HADWEN'II bank, and it is feared that the stoppage will
be productive of much embarrassment. A very tavour-
able statement of the affairs of the bank was exts bited,
and strong hopes are entertained, that Mr. HADWLN
will be enabled to meet all his engagements with his
creditors. The immediate cause of the stoppage is the
failure of some houses exclusively engaged in the
hide trade, and the apprehension of the failure of others
in the same line of business.
The Booksellers' Club, which is held at the Albion,
and consists of the oldest and most respectable persons
in the trade, has never since its first establishment,
about twenty years ago, to this day, ever had a single
failure out of their whole number. No fact can speak
more decisively than this.—Brilish Press.

•,
LAW iibititt
. . • • , . .
•
int cdictira - •
. . .
This iriorning the Judges bf the Omits of King'i
Bench, Common Pleas, and the Etchequer, assembled
in the Long Room adjoining the King's Bench Court,
for the purpose of being nothinated to their respective
Circuits, preparatory to the Commencement of the en-
suing Lent Assizes. The following is the arrangement i
Hotta Caacme—The Chief Baron and Mr. Baron Graham.
OXFORD Dino—Mr. Justice Park and Mr. Baron Gerruw.
Mustrno Drno—Lord Chief Justice Best and Mr. Justice
tiedale.
Waseaau Unto—Mr. Justice Burrough and Mr. Justice Gainer.
NORFOLIC Dr:To—Lord Chief Justice Abbott and Mr. Justice
Holroyd.
Notenasa Dino—Mr. Justice Bayley and Mr. Baron Hullock.

COURT OF KING'S BENCH, J•trvaT
COLEMAN V. snaMoNDS.
Mr. BIOVOHAM moved for a rule to show cause why
the verdict obtained for the defendant should not be set
aside, and a new trial granted. The cause was tried
at the Sittings after last Term, and was an action to
recover on a bill of exchange. The defence made out
was usury, and it appeared that a foreigner named
De Lisle was concerned in this transaction, together with
taylor named Meago, who had endorsed the bill, and
one Coates, a draper and mercer in St. Martin's-lane.
The Learned Counsel now read an affidavit on the part
of the plaintiff, stating that Coates had declared there
was no usury in the transaction, and that he (the plain
tiff) had given a valuable consideration for the bill,
and knew nothing whatever of any illegality with
respect to it, as it had come into his bands in the ordi-
nary course of business.

lite Coons. refused the rule. and said that if the plaintiff bail
given a valuable consideration for the bill, he had his action against
Meago, the person by whom it was endorsed to !Auk refused.

WOOD V. WOOLER.
This was an action against Mr. T. J. Wooler, whose
name has often been before the public, for the amount
of a bill for printing. a work called The Mechanics'
Chronicle. At the trial before the Lord Chief Justice.
in Middlesex, the defence relied on was, that the plaintiff
was in partnership with a person named Keen. In,
support of thii, evidence was given of payments made
by checks, in the name of Keen and Wood, and of
tiansactions in which both acted ; but Mr. Keen denied
a general partnership, or a partnership in the subject
nutter of the cause. The Lord Chief Justice left the
case to the Jury on the question of partnership, and they
returned a verdict for the defendant.

Mr. KELLY moved for a new trial, on the ground
that the Chief Just.ce should have informed the Jury
that the plaintiff might be in partnership with Mr.
Keen, in particular works, and yet not his general
partner ; or that Mr. Keen might be a dorthant partner,
in either of which cases Mr. Wood might sue alone.
The Coeur thought the evidence fully supported the verdict, and
refused to disturb it.
Tilt KING W. LISTER.
This was a proceeding by scire facia', at the snit of
the Crown, calling upon the defendant to chew cause
why a patent granted to him for the improvement of
the manufacture of wool by means of machinery should
not be repealed. Tne cause was tried last week before
Mr. Justice BAYLEY, and a verdict found for the Crown.
Mr. GURNEY, for the defendant, now moved to set
aside this verdict, on the ground that the Learned Judge
laboured under a misapprehension, on the trial, of the
facts of the case. The Lesrned Counsel observed, that
another patent, something similar to the one in question,
had been previ .usly granted to a Mr. Hadden, but had
only been used by Lim in Glasgow; and althou4h
the patent in question was found.fd on that of Mr. Mad-
den, still there were certain alterations and improve-
ments which in fact made it a new invention.

The LORD CHIRP JUSTICR wits of opinion, that the
specifications of the two patents were so similar, that
they could only be looked upon as one and the same
invention. The view which the Learned Judge took of
the case at the trial, was therefore right, and the verdict
ought not to be disturbed.—Rule refused.

THE ICING U. JOHN STAMP SUTTON COMM
Mr. TAUNTON appeared to shew cause against a rule
for teipi!ing judgment tint the verdict of guilty, ob-
tained in this case against the above defendant, who
to-d.sy appeared on the floor of the Court. The objection
to the conviction was, that the defendant had been
found guilty by the Jury, of consp ring together with
Richard &Afford Cooke, and which latter defendant
had plea ed in abatement, but had never been tiled.
Mr. Canvases was heard at considerable length in support of the
rule to arrest Judgment.
The Comm atter ►earing the point of law argued, were of
opinion the rule fur arresting the Judgment most be discharged.
blr. Tautrunt thee muted the Judgment of the Court on the
defendant.

The LoaD Cum" Jurrict—Do you desire to suspend the
Judgment some time longer?
Mr. CAmeam.i. said, he was not instructed to make an applica-
tion having that object.
The Loan CrissJusescs—lt is a matter fur your consider.
ation, and we will give you time to consider what you will do.
Let the defendant be committed to the custody of the Marshal of
the Marsha'sea.

The defendant was tbeu taken out of Court.
COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, JANUARY SS.

PULPING AT SALES ST •UCTION.—CROWDER V. AUSTIbi.
This was An action brought by the plaintiff, an emi
sent solicitor, against the defendant, a horse-dealer, to
recover the price of a horse sold to him at Aldridge's
Repository, for 201.
The cause waii tried before the Chief Justice daring
the last Term, at Guildhall. At the trial, it appeared'
in evidence, that the groom of the plaintiff attended the
sale in the character of a puffer; with exception of the
defendant, the highest bidding, bona fide, was 221.
Undir the dilation of the Learned Judge, the plaintiff
WAS nonsuited, on the ground of fraud, as the conditions
of ale stated, that .. the highest bidder should be the'
purchaser;" and it also appeared, that the groom had
told the defendant that the horse was sound, except a
crack in the heel.

Mr. Serjearit WILDS moved the Court to set aside
the nonsuit, arguing that in point of law there was no
fraud, and that in fact a Court of Equity would comrel
the completion of the purchase, but, unfortunately,
equity was a commodity too dear fur the occasion._
The oractice of puffing, he held, was notorious, and if
to puff was to c.,rninit a fraud, it would reduce every
sort of public sale to a" Dutch Auction," which began
at a high piece, and gradually reduced till a purchaser
was found. The Learned Counsel quoted the case of
Howard and Castle, 6 Term Reports, 642, and also the
very elaborate opin oa of Lord Rosslyn, who had put
the case of the property of infants, bein4 valued by
Trustees, and afterwards sold by auction; if such pro-
perty could not be protected by being bid for by the
seller, the property might be sacrificed ; and also al-
luded to the 17th Geo.lll. c. 50, s. 10. which gave the
bonus of the duty where property was bought in; from

;Ara if UI faii to ;titer tilt the re. tistaiiiie
gothied -bidtl;ngrb7ifirielki..l:::7-z
• Tlin COVET, under all the Elreamitanees, gianted *kiln
impressed ther opinion that the point had been cineill settled. bf
Lurd Mansfield and Lord Kenyon.

sHaiturrs COURT,. JAN. tt
IN MI MATtIIR 07 bans, Awn maiiriNDAte. A it:44141C:
This was an Inquibiticus held under a Writ Inquiry
before the Comminioners, Messy,. EVA /ICC Woutraff,
and Pall.t.rsiong, and a Jury, ,to inquiry into the state
of mind of Mrs. Ann Martindale, the *Liar. of Capiain
Martindale, and whether Or not she is capable of nut:
wing her affairs?
After hearing several witneties u to the Lady's state of mind,
the Jury expressed themselves satisfied, and gave "their decision—
" That Mrs. Martindale is of unsound mind, and has been so fro,
the 14th of January, 185.4."

COURT OF COMPENSATION, 3 -Ail/AST U.
Yesterday, a Court of Compensation was held at the
Town Hall, Southwark, for the purpose of deciding Oa
the claims of those whlse premises have .b-en polled
'dowu for the erection of the new London Bridge.' The
housesl'or•-which compensation was claimed, were Nos,
314 anl-315, in High street, in the Borough, and two
tenements in the rear, situated in Pepper•alley. The
City had offered 2 5001. for the interest of the whole
property, and it was stated that more substantial pre.
mises could be purcuased for less money. Three stnr
veyers said, t'ley It.td been over the premises, aod va•
lued them at 2,3501. Bat on the part of the claimants,
tour Surveyors were called, and they proved that the
lowest v4lue of the premises was 3,3001. ind they varied
from that sum to 3,7001. The Jury, however, returned
with a verdict of 2,6001. for the claimants.