Star.
London, England, 1826-05-25 00:00:00

NEW LAW COURTS.

r►-

TO TUE EDITOR OF THE STAR.
Ma. Roma—Several of the Public Prints cootinoing to give
detached observations respect's., the New Law Courts, I trust you
will do me the favour to insert in your columns the following state-
ment of the circumstances attending the erection of those buildings.
I am, Sir, your very obedient servant.
Lincoln's Inn Fields, May 20,1826. JOH N SOA NE.
In July, 1820, I was directed by the Lords Commis-
sioners of bit Islajesty's Treasury to prepare plans for
New Courts of Law on the site of the old building con-
nected with Westminster Hall. Ilaving surveyed the
premises, and made plans of the Old Courts, and their
appurtenances, I consulted the different Officers of the
several Courts, to know what improvements or addi-
tional accommodations they would consider necessary.
in the event of the New Courts being erected.
Several des*ns were made and submitted to the
Lords of the 1 seasury, who, after having attentively
examined the same, directed me to 14y them before the
Judges of the different • Courts, for their opinion and
approbation.
The plans were accordingly submitted to tke Judges
at different times, and .likewise shewn to some of the
Gentlemen of the Bar, upon these occasions, various
alterations and improvements were suggested, and their
Lordships most strongly recommended that the Courts
should not be made too large,—the old Courts being
stafficiently capacious.
The plans altered agreeably to the suggestions made
to me, were then, together ss ids an estimate of the pro-
bable erasense attending the execution of the several
works, pre.ented to the 14,)rds Commissioners of his
Majesty's Treasury, who were plea.ed to approve the
same, arid directed me to commence the buildings with-
out delay, and to have them completed with all possi-
ble dispatch.
The design thus sanctioned contained seven Courts,
with retiring-rooms for the Judges, the King's Kemecn-
brancer, the Sergeants, the Bat t isters, theProthonntaties,
and other officers attached to the different Courts,
and three rooms, &c. for the accommodation of the
Grand Jury.
The High Court of Chancery, besides a retiring-room
for the Lord Chancellor, and the r •om for his Lordship's
attendants, has a room for the Masters in Chancery and
the law library. and another for the Ban isters; there is
also a large gallery, which when divided agreeably to
the original intention, will afford separate accommoda-
tion for the students, the public, and others connected
with the Court.
Tie Court of King's Bench, and the Court of Common Pleas
have galleries for the same purpose,
To each of the Courts there is a separate entrance from West-
iniaster Hall, and likewise from St. Margaret-street, with other
subordinate entrances; and also two general lines of conununica-
lien parallel with Westminster Hall, one from the entrance ince
the Court of King's Bench to the staircase loading to the House of
Commons,-.-the other from the retiring room of the Judges of the
Court of Kings Bench, also leading to the staircase of the House of
Commons t—this latter communication is unavoidably not la a
laraight line, but this will net be matter of surprise when it is recol-
lected that the building contains seven distinct Courts, with all
their various and complicated accommodations combined together
is a situation trammelled with the buttresses of Westminster Hall,
the irregular projections of the old stone buildings, and other din.
collies not lees formidable: The buildings were begun in October
len, and by great earthen raised to the roof early in 1824. 10
the mouth of March in that year, I heard for the first time that
objections had been taken to the new buildings; first, that they ex-
tended too far into New Palace Yard ; and secondly, that the
t exterior was nut in the Gothic style. An inquiry was then insti-
tuted for the purpose of examining the building, and the works
having been surveyed by the gentlemen who caused the inquiry. it
was resolved that the exterior of the building should be in the
Gothic manner, that the entrance iota the Court of King's Bench
from Westminster Hall projected too far into New Palace Yard,
that the Courts were too large, the rooms next New Palace Yard
unnecessary, and that these rooms and the Court of King's Bench
I should be pulled down; and the space added to the area of New
Palace Yard ; and I was directed se make designs upon these ideas.
Many plans were made exceedingly, and submitted, from time to
time, to the same Gentlemen; who, after due deliberation, deter.
mined that the reduced space was insufficient, that the buildings
next New Palace Yard should be pulled down, and the exterior
decorated In the Gothic fashion.
Subsequently, different designs were made for gothicising the
eater4er of the Court of King's Bench ; and finally, one of them
being approved, bas been carried into execution, an estimate of the
expense having previously been made amounting to about 90001.
During the progress of this inquiry, I stated the fact of the bund-
ling. not projecting further into New Palace Yard than those erected
lin the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and which were recently removed.
I also took the liberty of stating, that from all the information It
bad collected from these most conversant with the requisites for the
Courts, every part of the new 'buildings, proposed to be pulled down
as useless, was essentially necessary for the business of the Coates
and the public accomutedadon.
As the principal reason assigned for destroying these buildings
was their not synametrising with the front of Westminster Hall,
to remove this objective' I submitted to the Committee several
disigns fur gothicishig the exterior of the Court of King's Bench.
very unlike the present front, but, in my judgment, more in charac-
ter with the front of Westminster` Hall, and at the same time pre.
posing the advantage of primeval; the ethele if the room, end ether
oceeinnsoilinens, already referred to in this statement.
It has been already noticed that the Judges, sad other authorities,
( had been consulted upon the general design f the Courts, and pre..
Openly to the commencement of the fitting up of the same, plans
Were made, dimwits( the manner in which it was proposed to cont.
piece each of them; models were also made, and in order that the
whole should be completely understood by ose beet able to deter.
mine what would be most convenient, the fittings were put up in a
temporary manner in each Court, so that a competent judgment
might be feinted of what the results would be.
These temporary fittings wino inspected by the Mgrs, and by
Many Gentlemen of the Bar, as well as by the °Seers of the
cations, and the alterations suggested by these authorities, from time
to time, were in every respect carried into effect.
Begirding the objections made to the situation of the Jury box
Is the Court of King's Bench, I beg to observe, that is the original
plan for fitting up this Court. as well as in the temporary fittings,
the Joey bee was placed ea the right of the Tribunal, but it was
afterwards directed to be removed to the opposite side, to enable
the King's Counsel, as !understood, to have a separate entrance into
the Court.

In reply to what has been said respecting the want of space and
accommodation in the Court of Mines Beech, I have to observe,.
that the area of the new Court of King's Bench ntains 11111 super-
coddal feet, with seats re 4 feet in length, for the acoonmandation of
the Kings Counsel and the ether Gentlemen of the Bar.
The Court in the Sowings House, lately aced as a temporary
Court of King's Bench, and which has been admitted by several
Gentlemen of the Bar to be sufficiently large, contains about 10051
superficial feet, and about 170 feet of seats fur the King's Counsel
and for the Gentlemen of the Bar.
Tie Old Court of King's Bench in Westminster Hall contained
within the walls about $lO superficial feet, and about 105 feet lineal
measure, of seats for the accommodation of the Bar.
llforemight be added, but the leading points having been ex-
plained, I am unwilling to trespass further on the public than I eon-
eider to be absolutely necessary for the justificative of my profes-
sional character.

The Lady of Admiral Sir SIDNEY SMITH, Bart. died
at Paris, on the evening of the 18th instant.
Writs for the election of iL Peer in the room of Lord
CARLSSON, deceased, were issued on'ibe 9th Instant.
An extraordinary circumstance occurred at Ilfra-
combe on Wednesday sennight. As some of the men
belonging to the Preventive Service were out on a
cruise, they saw something floating on the wa.er ; and
Oh approaching it they discovered it to be what slilors
call a monk, • or devil fish, with a large bird, called a
sliag,,pkttif (trifler! down' .thritat. Thiird, it ap-
peared, !lad fastened hr.& to the. inside of the fish with
iia bill.t Ytio sailors let go the bitcli and caught the fish!

THE ARMY. •
Yesterday morning, Detadlinunts belonging to eke 4th and 11ti
Regiments Light Dragoman, and 16th .Laneers. marched from
Westminster, for the Cavalry Depot in Maidstone.
A general court-martial ii ordered to assemble at Devonport, for
the trial of the Paymaster of the 32d Regiment, on' charges to ke
preferred against him.
The Vittoria transport arrived at Devonport on Wednesday from
the River, and on Friday embarked a detachment from the Depot
Companies of the 71st Regiment, under the command of Captain
HENDERSON, to join the head-quarters of the corps in Canada. The
Vittoria will call at Newry, in Ireland, to embark a Detachment of
another Regiment for the some destination.
Wednesday, the 17th Regiment of Foot, at Edinburgh, sub..
scribed one day's pay for the relief of those suffering from want of
employment, on which occasion three cheers were given by tl.e
men, to testify their feeling towards the success of ibe subscription.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

EPSOM RACES.
COMM DAT, wemiesovr, KAY U.

The Downs, to-day, did not present a very numerous attend.
mice, the great majority of the people keeping themselves in reserve
for tomorrow, Thursday. The company, however, was respectable.
There were not many betting men here; sad dote who did at.
tend, cane net so much for the sake of the races as to acquire some
information to guide them in the present complicated state of the
betting, which was never before known to bens uncertain.
Mr. Forth's sinning gain today has given Premier a fine lift
for the Derby; he is now first favourite, and, from 'being si horse
of line action, and a bustler, has a good chance.
It is impossible to describe the confusion which prevails; but it
may be imagined, when we say that the General will not start for
the Derby ; ner will Panic, it is said, or two or three other favour-
ites for this great stakes.
The dismay which prevails prevents our giving any other than
the following statement of odds :
MAZY.
4to I apt Forth's I 8 to 1 apt Monarch
to 1 apt Advance I 10 se 1 agst Moslem
OAKS.
2to 1 agst Problem I 6to 1 agst Parapluie
Ste 4 ens of the two wins.
We are assured that Chiffney is engaged to ride Premier.
The running is as follows:
The Woodcut Stakes of 50 sov. each, h. ft. for two yr-old colts,
Est. 61b. fillies tat. 31b. The last half mile.
Mr. Forth's 1. by Interpreter, out of Dandiutte's dam
Mr. Alockford's b. f. by Smolensko--Stella
Mr. Griffiths' b. f. Sylph, by Spectre • 3
The following started, but were not placed s—Mr. J. Smith's
b. f. by Carbon ; Gets. Grosvenor's Sparkler by Blackloek ; Lori
Ezeter's brother to Attica.
Betting--4 to 1 apt Sparkler--4 to 1 agst Sylph-4 to 1 apt
Medford, and 4 to 1 apt the winner.
Alockford Went off at a bustling rate, making the first ;running,
and was closely followed by Forth's and Sylph, with all the ethers
at their heels to the cords, when Forth's came in front, and a des.
pent. struggle ensued between these three home, the latter whining
by a length ;it was a fine race. The younkers, though it is nut
often the case, came off like old ones, without making any false
starts, and the whole kept so close together, till near home, that a
sheet would almost have covered them.
The winner rode by H. Edwards' Mockford by R. Boyce, Sylph
by John Day, Lord Ezeter's by Robinson, Sparkler by 8. Day,
and Carbon by G. Dockery.
The Surrey Stakes of 25 save- each, 15 ft. 5 only if declared, Jtc.
Derby Course.
Mr. Mills Trinculo, 4 yrs. Est. 41b. • 1
Mr. Pettit's Rigmarole, 4 yrs. '7st. 91b. 2
Mr. Mockford's Valasquex, 4 yrs. 7st. 91b. 3
Two paid fifteen sovereigns, and siz paid five sovereigns.
Betting even on Trincido against the field.
Rigmarole jumped off at starting, and kept on at a rattling rate,
with the lead full three lengths of 'frineulo, until they came to the
distant post, when the latter came up, let loose, and won a very
pretty race cleverly by a length. Valasquez bad no chance of
winning.--.-Sam Day rode Trinculo, a lad Rigmarole, and youpj
Buckle Valasquez.
The Gold Cup, value 100 sous. by subscription of 10 sees. each;
and 20 added from the Stud Fund. 5 yrs. Est. 41b. ; s yrs. 9.4;
S f re. 3st. 101 b ; 6 yrs. 9st. ; and aged, Ost. Sib. Mares ind
Geldings allowed Sib. Two miles. Winners extra. The Win-
ner to be sold for 250 son. &c.
General Grosvenor's Crockery, 4 yrs. 0 1
Mr. Rogers' Jocko . 0
Mr. Yates's Fille de Joie, 5 yrs • •S • 0
The following started, but were not placed : Mr. Scaides Jack
Dunce Mr. Denison names f. by Whalebone, Mr. Farrall's Tamar.
Mr. &dads' Speculum, Mr. Pickford's Moninda,, Mr. Perth's
Catiline, and Whiteside 's Brother to Antonio.
Betting-4 to I apt Crockery, and 4to 1 apt -Ado.
Menimla took the lead at starting, going off at score to the cords,
Jocko, Crockery, and Fille de Joie, who were till then in die
crowd, clot* to the haunches of Monhnia. These three then singled
themselves out, prepared for a terrible struggle, and they all ran
head and head till a short distance from home, when Fille de. Joie
and Monimia severally gave way, and it finished in a dead beat
between Crockery and Jocko, the other two lying close behind
Mile de Joie only half a length.

. t

The Dead Heat.
Even in betting—Crockery for choice. They beds wept *if at s
slow rate, each jockey seemingly having orders to wait a time ; bat
after the turn of the hill, Crockery thought proper to let loose ; a
floe neek-and-neek race followed right home, the General's filly
winning by a sock only. Many good judges say, that had Jocks)
made the Era running, he certainly would have won. The urioner
was claimed by Captain Lock. Crockery rode by young Siocklet,
Jock, by a boy, FiUe de Joie by Spring, Jack Bunce by Barnard,
Speculum by Charles State. lidonimia by P. Boyce, taint by
Lye, Tamar by Miller. and Dunsen's by a boy.
Tbe rain descended all day in torrents.

111 t oats.
The following Fillies are expected to start for the Oaks &gee
at Epsom, to morrow:
Duke of York's b. f. Rachel, by Whalebone.
Lord Jersey's ch. f. Butterfly, by Magistrate.
Duke of Grafton's ch. f. Problem, by Merlin.
Duke of Grafton's b. 1. Parapluie, by Merlin.
Duke of Graftem's br. f. by Woful, out of MUtortia.
Lord ligrement's br. f. bfignionette, by Whalebone. •
Mr. (late General Grosvenor's) ch. f. Tears, by Woful.
Mr. Forth's h. f. by Interpreter, out of Longwalst's dam.
Mr. Forth's b. f. by Interpreter, out of Dandisette's dam.
Kr. Myttima's b. f. Louisa, by Orv:11e.
And perhaps ow or two more.
SOUTH SHIELDS RACES—Mosso*.

A Sweepstakes of S sot's. each, and 2S added, was won in two
heats by Mr. Shipley's b. m. Panorama beating Mr. Hudson's
ch. g, Carlos aid three others. 3to S on Carlos ; and, after t►s
first heat. 3 to 1.
•The Purse of SOL was won in three heats by •Mr. Hudson's b. f.
Miracle, ►eating seven others.

tuna AT.
The Purse of SOL for horses that never won was won by Paso.
raw, beating the. others, in twobtats.
A Parse for Asses was won by Carlo., beating eight others; in
dun heats.

FOOT RACE.
The second mask for 500 sovereigns, between R. Beddoe, jun.
and Captain Petrie., took place ever two miles of Durdham
sure, three Miles from St. Albans, on Tuesday. The race was 21
miles, and Beddoe woo. giving the Captain three minutes. Heavy
sums were pending upon the race.
GRAND PIGEON MATCH.
The second day of the' match of WOO so?. at .50 birds each, be-
tween Messrs. Osbaldeston and Ross, was decided yesterday, at
the Red House Indoor', Battersea, in favour of Mr. Osbaldeates,
who killed 38, and Mr. Ross only 35, losing by three birds.—ls
the hrst 25, Mr. Ross was one a head. The match, therefore, is
won by Mr. Osbaldeston as tollows :
Ma. Osmunams. Ma. Ross.
First day killed . . . . 30 I First day killed . . . . so
Second day
68 '6s'

Messrs. TERRY, BELLAMY, Mrs. YATES, (late gig
flaverox), and MIS HUDDAILT, form a sterling part of
blialuneat of the Birinioghain Theatre.
1410 le,s that' sixty-three horses ate named for duo
Gloucester stakes to be run for at the Cbehetsbasaasjes.
Mr. WATT'S Belzoni havtag beat Lord 10111111114 T's
&dismiss u Yosk, 4 Dew Ant favourite for the appr.osehiog
St. Leger.


TRAVELLING FOR PLEASURE.

TOWN IN CANADA.

Swift fly the horses oa the road
For pleasure mow we go,
Twelve in a coach. a eumnion load,
A equalling child or two.
Sometimes we're wet, sometimes upset,
As we fur pleasure roam,
But roil and care we choose to bear,
Rather than stay at home !
The steam-boat rushes op the tide,
Rich is the landscape round,
Near to the fertile banks we glide,
No fear of being drowsed;
Wilt boilers burst, and scald we must,
As we for pleasure roam;
Farm and smoke our senses choke,
While boric away from home!
With fragrance sweet, and breezes kind,
The south wind gently blows—
Oppresed with heat and languid mind,
-We're luU'd into repose ;
Now bail gonna rise, red lightning flies,
As we for pleasure roam,
And thunders roll t' appal the soul,
While we are far from home!
Worn with fatigue, with aching head,
And visage all forlorn,
We throw our weight upon a bed,
Made of the husks of corn.
'Moog* bugs and gnats, and Seas and rats,
As we for pleasure roam;
Such vermin keep our eyes from sleep,
And make us wish for home!
On current smooth, the batteau floats,
Sy Wand, point, and bluff,
The song and jest, no ewe denotes,
The amersmana voles is rough.
See rocks appear, the Rapids neer,
As we for pleasure roam,
With risk at hie we love the strife,
Better than quiet home!
To ride an old hack bone is bad,
The slow canal boat wane—
The jolting calache drives us mad,'
And waggons make us eons.
With bruises, groans, and broken bones,
We still for pharSTO roam,
And if your ease can't bear all these,
You'd better stay at bane

NEW-YORIC, Arm 12.

IMAM Of TIIII MARRIAGII PRO.IIII6.•••••CRAWRORD O.
ISCNYORD.
This cause came on yesterday. at the Circuit Court,
Judge WA LWORTII presiding. Mr. Crawford, the plain-
tiff, is an instance, and a singular one, of an attempt to
"bring a Lady to her bearings," and appeal to a jury
for redress against fickleness and infidelity—and, indeed
we have a right to say, that if the records of our Court
bear testimony against the falsehoods and f6llies of the
men, (and they are mulcted in damages for such follies)
we see no reason why a Lady, with a heavy purse and
a whimical taste, should not have justice meted to her.

" In Adam's GU we sinned all."
Mr. Crawford, the complaining swain in this case, is
from Westchester. He is not one of your roystering
Tom and Jerry rogues, who make love to every pretty
girl, break latnps, knock down watchmen, &c. but is a
substantial grey-headed Gentleman of seventy•four !
The Lady is a widow, pretty well stricken in years, (say
sixty-five) and having a " shockingly beautiful" estate,
as they say in New England. For the comfort of both
parties, they resolved to come together, " for better and
ter worse." The Lady was " asked three times in
church," the wedding cake made, the parson bespoke,
the bride-maids named, and every thing arranged snug
and comfortable—but, lo and behold! when all was
ready, the widow " bolted," as they say on the turf; she
had changed her mind ; s'ie had a right to do so, hav-
ing a good estate; and for this abandonment, at a criti-
cal period, and for this loss of a comfortable home, a
velvet cap, arm chair, slippers, hot apple toddy at night,
and " all that sort e thing," the plaintiff claimed da-
mages at the hands of the Jury.
Several witnesses were introduced to prove the de.,
clarations of the L idy, as to..lur intentions of marrying
the plaintiff, and the preliminary arrangements; all I
testified that the plaintiff was a very respectable,
worthy, ill-treated Gentleman, against whom no charge
could be brought, and whose comforts were materially
abridged by this cruel desertion; it was shown that he
had no property himself, and therefore, considered it
necessary that his wife should have some ; it was also
proved that the parties had been acquainted a whole
fortnight, and hid several opportunities, in that time,
to declare their mutual attachment, which they did one
. evening at tea time—always a comfortable occasion.
For the defence, Mr. ANTHON, in a speech somewhat
store rhetorical than the Learned Gentleman's usual
display, argued a variety of very pathetic topics. He
talked of an ancient Lady's d) ing meditations being
disturbed by the rude assaults of a still mere ancient
Gentleman's amorous inclinations. He told the Jury
that the plaintiff saw the Lady's charms in her rent
roll, not in her face ; that the courtship, though scat-
tered over two wh .le hours of intercourse, and though
confined to the mo.t common place matters, was still a
waint one, for the frigid temperatures of 7a and 65;
that Mr. Crawford was lame, And Mrs. Benford para-
lytic ; that the first visit of affection was likely to have
been fatal to tl e plaintiff, who was exhausted by a'
weary pilgrimage of sixty yards; that the promise of,
marriage was purely conditimal, and rested on an if;
that Mrs. Benfotd, on the bridal night, unconscious of
her destined happiness, had hobbled to "a public"
with a tribe of great grand children ; that moreover,
besides being very old, she was very foolish ; that the
whole business was got up by a busy body, who wished
to escape from supporting the plaintiff any longer; and
be concluded by beseeching the Jury to fling the cloak
of their verdict around the trembling limbs of his aged
and paralytic client.
The witnesses for the defence proved that the par-
ties were introduced to each other, in " a joke." The
bridegroom was represented as being " capable of at-
tending to lady's business, and taking all her little
matters off her hands." But it appeared that he was
lame and nearly blind; that the most trifling exertion
put him out of breath, being phtliisical, and that be
laboured under the suspicion of being over poor. The
lady said if she married, Mr. H. should "give her
Away," because he gave her away twenty years before;
and her dress should be black, because it suited her
age, and that she would scot be married at all, except
her property was put out of the way of any young and
vigorous husband like Mr. Crawford. Mr. C. on his
side, protested his sole desire was "to bury her along-
side ef his first wife."
It appeared that some good-natured friends stopped
the old Lady in her career of matrimony, and on the
wedding night, when all the friends of the bridegroom
were met, and the ardent lover clad is bridal apparel,

Instead of the fair dulcinea rushing to his eager ,em-
braces, with all her houses and lands, comes a lawyer's
letter, declining the affair altogether. " and, therefore,
the plaintiff brought his snit, Ilcc."
At this stage of the nose. Judge Walsworth sod Lawyers were
quite eahauated, and adjourned for two hours.
When the Corn met, Mr. Martin S. Wilkins addressed
the jury with his usual felicity of sarcasm and humour.
The audience was convulsed with laughter. and more
than once the gravity of the bent') was disturbed.—'
When he described the projected marriage, and corn
gated it with that of our first patents (of whom the
/siren might almost have been contemporaries) the
venerable lady herself, who sat on the back seats, laughed
so loud as to require an intervention of the crier. Mr.
Wilkins pressed Shakspeare, Milton, Hudibras, ind Joe
Miller into the service of his fancy ; and after an hour's
speech, in which the ludicrous, the ar4umentatit e, and
the pathetic, were strangely blended, left the fib ,r to
Messrs. Price gild Maxwell. the plaintiff's counsel.—
The address of the latter Gentleman was one of the
most ingenious we ever heard. He contrived, eith ad-
mirable dexterity, to make his hearers forget all the
ludi:rous parts of the trial, and came near convincing
us that none but very old people ought to enter into the
marriage state. For all others, it was utterly impos-
sible to be happy. No one but a dexterous pleader
would have eff cted this, a;id such a one was Mr. M.

- .
The Learned Judge summed up the evidecce, and laid down the
law, with great perspicuity ; and the Jury listened with great pa-
tience. The Jury then retired—the lawyers retired—old Air.
Crawford and old Mrs. Benford retired,—and, as it was rather late
our reporter retired, to hear the verdict, which this morning will
be brought into Court.
N.B. The Jury awarded to the loving old Gentleman a verdict
a Iwo hundred dollars, and eat& A warning to coquettes.