Star.
London, England, 1828-11-26 00:00:00

FIRE ENGINES.

Yesterday the following estaortlinary, and, to the its.
habitants of London, most important decision, was made
by Mr. Gltturrti,' the sitting Magia at, at
bonne office. . .
Mr. William., a Gentleman residing in Stafford street,
New-road, was summoned to pay the k .al fees to the
fire engines, for extinguishing a fire in his chimneys
A lad, who described himself ab gettiaA his living
'4 any 'how he could," dep bed that lie saw is largo
croA d collected in the street, 411 J a total blase p,o-
cledittg from the chimney N 0.6.

Ms. Wiliam: was about to speak, when
Mr. GRIVIITH interrupted him with_" Sir, the case
is proved ; these is an end of the bust, ess.*
Mr. Williams— The witi;ess has proved rather too
much: I will prove that so far from a bl.lzl. there was
no fire at all. 1 wss in the hooe, and, if I could be
sworn, would depose to the fact.
Mr. Gillen rit —You cannot prove a negative. .
Mr. Wil,iams—Not An abstract negative; but I can
,lisp ove a contingent negative. I have my neighbours
Present to prove that prior to the collection or the crowd
at the first cry of hre, they had watched the chimney,
being in positi •ns from which they must have seen
flames or spark', hdd any such existed. - They will de-
pose that there we; e neither—that there was nos even a
greater degree of smoke than is every day seen Com
k then chimneys.
- MF. GiliFlTH—But the boy has sworn there was ai
flame.
Mr. Williams—lt is a contest of evidence for dia
Magistrate to decide. The neigborribood is most vile,
And the t.oy can give no account ef himself but.that he
gets I.is living how Ire can ; he should be cross exourred.
rile Act of PArliameht, however wise, holds out an im.
manse trail tation to getting up these cases ..f tire; the
to • and to chimney-sweepers, am makes the oath of
sparks seen oat of a chimney a mo.t prufi.able j .b.
Mr..6II,IFPITII-•-1 have already decii.ted Vie case, Sir;
I will hear no more.
Mr. Williams—That is my complaint. Your have de.
cider' the case without hearing it; you have stopped me
io the points I wished t s put ; you refuse my evidence.
It is not for me to &s 1 ate a Nligistrate's decision On
hearing a case ; but • I insist, Sir, you do not de.ide
without hearing it.
Mr. Commis—You may indict the.bny for perjury.
Mr. Williams—lt is not, Sir, for a Magistrate to
amerce the public by an intemperate or it.cau•i•os de.
cisi,•n, and then refer people to wen an expansive and
troublesome remedy. Y•iur sciu.i• yan I sagacity as a
Magistrate will, I hope, prevent t!ie necessity of any
•uch indictment.

Mr. Gaiter ru (imp.ssioned)—Well, Sir, then bring
forward your witnesses.
Th•eepersons. named Neale, Preston, and Mills, de•
posed on oath that they W.lt. heti the chimney on Vitt
first cry of tire, prior to the point at which the boy said
he saw Vie flame, and that there-was net even a spark,
or a greater smoke than they had often seen before.
Mr. Williams—i WAS present all the time in the
kitchen, and on vie it,of, and can positively swear thein
was nn fire. Many more neighbours tan deese..to
ti):- - •

Mr. GB:Farm—You can't prove a negative.
Mr. oliam —Four persons are vratshing the same
ohjeLt ; one under the influence of a high reward, de.
osed to seeing what the other three, being impartial,
dePosed not to !lase existed. The conflict of testimony
is the point for the Magritte to decide. .
• •Mr Gni rarrii—Not one tf )our tra•nesses say any
thing more than I could -say silting on this 'bench. •
h great • ar with —That, Sit, I assert,
in v.e st:ongestterins.l can u.e, to be a great eiror...-
all trriir, WO, tail the only p int cn which the case turns.
I'he w itste•ses swear that they were in a posithui froth
which they must have stets the tire had.. it ezisted.—
Could 'on, Sir, have 'eel' it Born that bet ch ? • •
• Mr. GRIFIITII-1 won't, Sir, be crGss.examittedi
Ins minter.
• 1
Mr. Williams—By your decision anylnars, unaweJ
iby crost.examination, and fearless of iontraoictsny evi.
dente, has only to swear to a flinte or spat ks out of a
eimney, and the householder must pay about st. ie.
nalt~. Tt.e inhabitants a f London wilt be much ot liged
to you fur such a proCieding. I shall appeal against
the decision.
Mr. GhIFFITirs!-YOU may; bu' I Jou% advise jou.
Mr. Wiltiana—,Few fersons advise appeals bY which
their jiidgneents are to be exposed.
19 .Gftiveirrit (mildly)—Theie will be al'executit*
rn your house-it yow doust. pay...
Mr. Williams—Which ought to have made the Mi•
gis-rate tht nru.e cam ious in his decisive,. The Act
flees a niatciwurn, and the Magistrate may awatd 'a
leis sum.-
'Mt . tiatirmit—Our roe is, to make GentlemEn pay
the masimunt, god those rot Gentlemen to pay less.
Mr. Wi hams—lt is met tor mein detry the nrp tro is
absurdity of this rule. The waning of the Act and the
public interest do not turn u,>on gentleman or not gen-
tleman. ~This rute•eloakes gentlemen tie victims
of these file inspoetions iio comm-in in London.;—
Pe ompt tulle of sts-iistaoey 7s the object of the law ; and,
in :his instance, th.-.fif‘t ngi e(a hand engine) did not
strive until sime timb sifter the pretended fire was ac-
knowledged to be our.-

II Jr '
The opening of Coven G trden Theatre is pnstpon
to Monday next, it having bees, found impossible to
complete the sew arrangrmentelor lighting the !muse
before that day. ' 04 •
Letters, elated the 31sit'ult. have been received from
Odessa. The following extract Vgifi one of them will,
IperhAps, shnw that the Riktiansdal`nlit intend to remain
wholly inactive during winter Vernon on the side of
Turkey :—'• The first conisact for transports taken up
at Odessa by the Russian Government, expires the 200
of October (ht of N tvembet). The Government offer
to take up the same ships for four months certain t om
the Ist of November, at 2 roubles 10 copecks per chet-
vert of wheat for the larger, and 2 roubles 40 col ecks
per chetvert, per month, for the smaller vessels; cop-
perifd ships to have 10 copecks per chetvert pey month
more, reserving the right of employing them for a fur-
ther period of lour months on the old terms of. 2,500
roubles per 1,500 chetverts per month for a vessel car.
tying 1.500 chetverts and upwards, aped at twa roubles
per chetvett per month for smaller. onet."

t

CON. &EXCHANGE, MARK-LANE,. Nov. 26.
We hail a great many of those country buyers at market this
morning who declined purchasing op .Monday; and although the
arrivals are agalelidge, the factors, finding the country custorners
still in the market; will hot give way in prices, and Monday'rquota-
ion was demanded for fine samples of Wheat, but very little was
done. Barley was very dull sale, at Monday's currensy..,i3Oats
scarcely maintained the price of last market-day.

What, English (4n.)
Irish
. forelpi
Bader, FAglish

111"ATIONS SINCI MONDAY.
i 3.150 ' Foreign
1,100 Oats, English
21,550 Irish
.2,500 I Foreign
.•—• 1 Flour (sacks).

11,100
5;100

•

•

a
' if

16,450
1 c-00
6,400

TH,3
iihroweerbe
TIFAAS. OF THE-1,10.40tcp,