The Sun. — 1829-07-17 (London, England)

NCE. —England possesses 30,000 milea of roads, nearly. 4,000 miles of canals, and above 300 miles of railways ; whereas the territory of France, which is more than twice, as extensive, does not afford above 45,000 miles of roach, 1,500 miles of canals, and 114 miles of railways, of which latter seventy-eight are still in a Comae of C011304:00.. Athena-uni,  A coroner (in Latin coronator a corona), so called because he acts wholly for the King as chief magistrate of the common-wealth, is an ancient officer of the realm, of whom mention is made so early as the year 925, in the charter of King Athelston of Beverley. It was requisite, formerly, that a coroner should be the wisest and discretest knight that best would and might perform the prescribed duties ; and there is a writ in existence, whence it appears to have been good cause for removing a coroner chosen, that he was not a knight, and had not a hundred shillings rent of freehold. He is required by law to be a man of good ability, with lands in fee, of the county where chosen, to answer all people, and if insufficient the county to answer for him. He is chosen of the freeholders by writ, and, from the nature of his office, this right of choice, though little esteemed in the present day, is of the highest importance. There are commonly four coroners in each county.  The Ace of coroner is for life, and his duties are ministerial and judicial. Ministerially he executes the King's writs, when the sheriff is excepted to, or party to a suit ; and when the shrievalty is vacant, writs arc directed to the coroner. Judicially he takes inquisition by 12. men or more which next pass by, on persons slain or suddenly dying; or by his warrant to the constables to summon a like jury ofthe neighbourhood. He issues his warrant for witnesses, takes their examinations in writing upon oath, and if a majority. of his inquest men sign an inquisition declaring a certain person guilty of the death, he commits the offender to prison if present, or issues a warrant for his apprehension, and binds the witnesses by recognizance to appear at the next, assizes. He enrols and returns the inquisition with the verdict of murder, or manslaughter, or as it may be, to the Justices of the next gaol de-' livery ; or certifies it into the Court of King's Bench, and thereon the criminals are put upon' their trial. If witnesses die before trial, their. depositions before the coroner are to be received' as evidence. He has no authority to take an,' inquisition without a view of the body. If it be buried so long that nothing can be discovered. from the view, the inquiry must be by justices of the peace on testimony of witnesses ; and none can take an inquisition on view but the coroner.' Hence if a body be drowned and not found, the. justices, and not coroners, are to inquire. A coroner must take inquisitions himself, and not by deputy ; an inquisition, by deputy is void. The coroner and his inquest constitute an open Court, wherein proclamation is made for all persons present, having knowledge of the death, to come forth and give evidence. Sir Thomas Smith says, that the empanelling of the coroner's inquest, the view of the body, and the giving of the verdict, is commonly in the street in an open place. Of so high authority is this institution, that on suspicion of an improper verdict by a jury, the coroner may raise the body, and inquire by his inquest touching the death of the deceased. The taking of an inquisition in a close room is a violation of the common law. It is also a coroner's duty to hold inquests concerning treasure hidden under ground. By a statute, in the reign of Edward 111., coroners were not to demand or take any thing for doing their office, which only confirmed the ancient law of England, whereby any one concerned in the administration of justice is restrained from taking any fee or reward for its execution. But by an act of Henry