Star.
London, England, 1827-11-06 00:00:00

COMMON COUNCIL.

A Conti of Common Council was yesterday held at
Guildhall, for the purpose of resuming the considera-
tion of the various clauses of the proposed watch act
for the ensuing year.
On the clause appointing superintendent watchmen
being proposed,
Mr. Alderman WAITAMAN submitted to the Court
that they had no legal authority to pass such a clause,
the act of Parliament vesting the power of making re-
gulations of this kind in the aldermen, deputy and com-
mon council of each ward respectively.
The Locum TENENS called the worthy Alderman's
attention to a proviso in the act, limiting the power of
the authorities of the ward to the passing of such regu-
lations, orders, &c. as were not at variance with those
of the Court of Common Council.

some discussion having ensued on this question,
The RECORDER, on being applied to, gave it as his
opinion that this Court had the power, under the act,
of making the regulations contained in the clause under
consideration.

After some further discussion, the question was put,
and the clause agreed to.
On the next clause being read, directing the stations
of the watchmen to be decided by lot, and changed
every night, and the watchmen to traverse their respec-
tive beats four times in every hoar,
Mr. Dixon strongly objected to it. Burglaries, it
was well known, were seldom discovered until the fol
lowing day. Now if the regulations here recommend-
ed were adopted, how was it possible to ascertain what
watchman had been on duty when the crime was corn,
mitted ? And being unable to ascertain that fact, yos
lost a powerful check on the conduct of the watchmen.
Sir Ism LAURIL also objected to the clause, and
repeated several of the arguments which he-had urged
against it on a former day. Under the old system, if
you had only one suspicious watchman in the ward,
you might station him in that part of it which was least
exposed to depredations; whereas, under the proposed
system, this one individual being constantly shifted
alarm, could expose every part of the ward in turn, sup-
posing him colleagued with thieves, to their attacks.
The worthy knight moved as an amendment, that the
regulations respecting the stations, &c. of the watchmen
be left to the local authorities of the respective wards.
Mr. TICKNER seconded the amendment. By con-
tinually changing the stations of the watchmen, you
showed them that you suspected them to be rogues,
whilst, at the same time, you placed them in a situation
which prevented the possibility of their being discover-
ed, if they were really guilty.
Mr. FAVILL supported the original clause. By ren-
dering a watchman unable, until the very moment he
was going on duty, to tell where he was to be stationed,
you put it out of his power to appriz. e his colleagues,
if he had any, where they might reckon upon his assist-
ance. It bad been said on a further day, that watchmen
sometimes received money, and that there was nothing
improper in that. There was certainly nothing very
criminal in so doing ; but still the practice had this effect :
if one man gave a watchman half-a-crown for attending
particularly to his premises, so much extra time and
attention as the watchman bestowed upon these
preniises in return for the half-crown, must be taken
from the other premises on his beat, from the owners of
which he received no extra payment. By the proposed
plan, this system would be put a stop to. In short, the
balance of argument weighed decidedly in favour of
at rangement by ballot.
•
Mr. Alderman WAITIIMAN saw no objection, if he
met an old servant whom he had observed always atten-
tive to the faithful discharge of his duty, to his giving
him half a crown ; and that was all he meant to say on
a former occasion. The worthy Alderman then pro-
ceeded to argue against the ploposed clause, and sup-
ported the amendment.
Mr. E. TAYLOR, in allusion to the argument of the
worthy Knight (Sir Peter Laurie), thought it would not
be quite fair always to inflict his one bad watchman on
the inhabitants of the same beat.
After some further observations from several members
of the Court, the question was put, when there appeared,
For the amendment, 51 I For the original clause, 48.

Majority for amended ciall-ve, S.
The next clause proposed that the ordinary watch-
men should be two hours on duty and one 'tour off
during the night.
Mr. JONES moved, as an amendment, that the period
of watching be divided into two equal portions, and
that the men should take the early and late duties alter-'
nately each week.
Mr. Alderman VENAELES seconded the amendment,
which would be attended with a saving of 7,0001. or
B,OOW. a year to the city.
S-r Prim LAURIE expressed himself delighted at
having made converts to his view of the question, even
at the eleventh hour. He warmly supported the amend.,
men►.

Mr. Alderman WAITHMAN did not see why his wor-
thy friend (Sir Peter) should assume all the credit of
the conversion to himself, and not allow any to the
other individuals by whom the rejected propositions
had been opposed. He (Alderman Waithman) also
supported the amendment.
Mr. Deputy DAw expressed his surprise at this
amendment being introduced by his worthy friend op.
po,ite, and still more at its being seconded by the wor.
thy Alderman, as it was wholly inconsistent with the
resolutions on which the new Bill had been framed.

Mr. TICIENER disapproved both of the original clause
and the amendment, and recommended that the ques-
tion should be left, like the last, to the local authorities.

The amendment was ultimately negatived, and ano•
ther to the above effect agreed to.
The consideration of the remaining clauses was de-
ferr d to a futute day.

Friday next is expected to be a gay day in the City,
as great preparations are making for the Lord Mayor's Feast. The
different Companies win vie with each other In their hospitalities,
determined to give satisfaction to the civic gourmands, who will not
be sparing on the occasion, of partaking of the good things of this life.

CROIWB or Soncia —lt is not perhaps generally kngwn,
that the tune caUed "Derry Detre is originally British. The words
" Hai I'r dead down" (Hie to the oaken shades) are pure Welsh,
having, like "Ar hyd y nos," given name to a strain. The Celtic
word Berri is descriptive of sylvan scenery.
The pine backgammon has a Welsh derivative; bath,
signifying idols, and conseresux, a batik.
The late heavy rains flooded all the line of country in
Yorkshire, from Hemsley to Mahon, and for a time interrupted
the passage of the traveller. At the latter place, the Derwent rose
nearly to the mark of the highest winter flood.
A Correspondent has made the calculation, that eves y
alteration of a farthing, in the price of a quartern loaf,
makes the difference of 2,2001. in the sum expended for
bread within the bills of mortality of London, exclusive
of Westminster, in one week.
A judicial decision, at Paris, on the Quotidienne, in
'the case of a Mr. Cottn, for libel, is worthy the attention
of our Law Courts. The French Judge said, that an
Editor should not be blameable for a mere copied pa-
ragraph, and that a Jury could not legally find a
verdict of guilty for such an extract.

CLERICAL INTELLIGENCE.

•
Friday, the Rev. Menus lotion, B.D. of Catharine nail, Cam-
bridge, was elected Regius Professor of Divinity, in the University
of Cambridge, by a large majority of votes over hi.; competitor the
Vice.Chaneellor, Dr. Wordsworth, the Muter of Trinity. nil
high Professorship was vacated by the death of the Bishop of Lincoln.
The liberal Rector of St. Martin's pariah has given 5,0001. from
his own private funds to the parish, towards building a new home,
which is to be entailed upon the Rectory in perpetuity.
The Rev. Dr. Chalmers has been chosen to 111 the Divinity
Chair in Edinburgh.
Thursday, at the ordinary meeting of the Presbytery Edin-
burgh, the Rev. Mr. Henderson, of Stockbridge Chap' of Ease,
was appointed to be ?Minister of the Church and Parish of Ratho,
vacant by the death of the Rev. Dr. Duncan.
Wednesday, the 24th inst. the Rev. Wm. Fraser, jun. was or-
dained assistant and successor to his father, long the respected
Minister of the United parishes of Kilchrewan and Dalavich, pres-
bytery of Loro.