Star.
London, England, 1810-11-23 00:00:00

STEEL V. LACEY.

The question in this case is of great importance to
the commercial world ; namely, whether a ship, by
carrying false papers, renders her policy void'?
It appeared by the pleadings this 'day, that the
Pennsylvania, an American ship, which arrived with
pitch and warlike stores to this country, had insured
from London to Russia. In the coutse of her voyage
she was captured by a French privateer, and con-
demned. She had carried simulated papers,by which
it appeared, that she had cleared ottu& Bergen, in
Norway, but the Judges of the enemy's Prize Court',
condemned her on the ground that the data in the pa-
pers made her suspicio.us, and that she had not pro.
duced a proper sea passport.
The Underwriters resisted the policy, on pretence,
first, that the ship had carried simulated papers with-
out their knowledge ; and also that she had not pro-
per papers on board. _ _

Mr: Serjeant BisT contended, that a ship having
false papers on board• could noe prevent the asnirette
from recovering. It would , strike the Judges, that
every ship must have false 'livers before they could
enter any port on the Continent of Europe, in order
to deceive Bonaparte's Officers, and convince them
that she had not sailed from a British port. If the
ship in question had not hadothe papers which the
Underwriters had complained of, she would have
been 'condemned by the operation of the Berlin De-
ctee, she having been to England with pitch, hemp,
and warlike stores. Sir Wm. Scott, and other wit-
nesses from the Admiralty, had proved, that no ship
could expect to enter the ports of the Continent with-
out licences. The state of Europe was altered ; and.
if trade was to be carried on at all, it could not be
without licences. The Learned Serjeant contended,
at considerable length, that it was unnecessary for
'the assured to inform the Underwriters that he in-
tended to carry simulated papers, because the state of
Europe prevented any ship from sailing without them.
If their Lordship decided in favour of the Under-
writers, an end woul I in consequence be put to all
' trade in future. This was a most important case,
the first of the kind that ever came under their Lord.
ships' consideration ; and he was not able to cite any
case to guide them in their judgment. It was plain
that the ship was compelled to carry false papers, to
save her from confiscat:on. It would put an end to
all commerce with the Continent, if their Lordships
did not establish the plaintiff's claim.—The Court
did not give judgment.

Friday se'nnight, a melancholy event took place
at Kelso.. Convener FERGUSON, whose wife has long
been in a state of inability, arising from severe indis-
position, was called from•the room in which she was
sitting, for a short time, and on his return he found
her burned almost to death. rt appears that a spark
of fire had fallen on her garments, and scorched. her
in so dreadful a manner, that she died the neiit day. '
Monday se'nnizht, Mr. TuoursoN, a respectable
surgeon in Carlisle, was fully committed under Lord
Ellenborough's Act, by JosePli Gilpin, Esti. Major,
take his trial at, dm next, Assizes, (or ...lifting and ,
*di 4349ptiiiimitatent, Devil Amish Lottlx)N: roe ed arid prblisk4lo42/04434.
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