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of Bankruptcy, Liverpool.-Stephen Davis, York, furrier, March 27 at 11, District Court of Bankruptcy, Leeds.-John Strachan, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, common brewer, March 24 at 12, District Court of Bankruptcy, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.Thomas Henderson, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, draper, April 4 at half-past 11, District Court of Bankruptcy, Newcastle-uponTyne.-Edward Henry Street, Exeter, Devonshire, cabinet maker, March 23 at 1, District Court of Bankruptcy, Exeter. -William Sims, Redruth, Cornwall, linendraper, March 23 at 1, District Court of Bankruptcy, Exeter.-Wm. Falla, Hulme, Lancashire, builder, March 30 at 12, District Court of Bankruptcy, Manchester.-John Clegg, Liverpool, licensed victualler, March 21 at 11, District Court of Bankruptcy, Liverpool.-William Harris Spicer, Dudley, Worcestershire, and Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, hatter, April 3 at 10, District Court of Bankruptcy, Birmingham.

To be granted, unless an Appeal be duly entered. Moses Draper, High-street, Southwark, Surrey, and Ramsgate, Kent, straw-bonnet maker.-T. Chapman the younger, Chenies-street, Tottenham-court-road, and Great George-st., Euston-square, Middlesex, dairyman.- George Turner, St. George's-place, North Brixton, and Wandsworth, Surrey, baker.-Joseph Johnson the younger, Liverpool, estate agent.

SCOTCH SEQUESTRATIONS.

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Joseph Bartram, Eakring, Nottinghamshire, wheelwright, March 18 at 9, County Court of Nottinghamshire, at Newark. -Richard Warburton, Liverpool, stonemason, March 6 at 10, County Court of Lancashire, at Liverpool.-Isaac Knowles, Liverpool, butcher, March 6 at 10, County Court of Lancashire, at Liverpool.-John Alexander Dutton, tailor, Liverpool, March 6 at 10, County Court of Lancashire, at Liverpool. -John Langdon, Liverpool, shoemaker, March 6 at 10, County Court of Lancashire, at Liverpool.-John Langsdale, West Derby, Lancashire, commission agent, March 6 at 10, County Court of Lancashire, at Liverpool.-Thomas Guest, Birmingham, guard-chain manufacturer, March 11 at 10. County Court of Warwickshire, at Birmingham. -Ezekiel Woolf, Birmingham, watchmaker, March 25 at 10, County Court of Warwickshire, at Birmingham.-Wm. Arch, Birmingham, butcher, March 25 at 10, County Court of Warwickshire, at Birmingham.-John Spedding, New Monkwray, near Hensingham, Cumberland, out of business, March 21 at 10, County Court of Cumberland, at Whitehaven. -Jonathan Daniel Sear, Bletchley, Buckinghamshire, carpenter, March 20 at 12, County Court of Buckinghamshire, at Newport Pagnell.-William Barnes, Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire, draper, March 20 at 12, County Court of Buckinghamshire, at Newport Pagnell.-William Hepher the younger, Swavesey, Cambridgeshire, butcher, March 18 at 10, County Court of Huntingdonshire, at Huntingdon.-George Gardner, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, out of employ, March 16 at 10, County Court of Gloucestershire, at Tewkesbury.-David Gray, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, tailor, March 16 at 10, County Court of Northumberland, at Newcastle-upon-Tyne.-Samuel Hayes, Hulme, Manchester, vanman, March 20 at 12, County Court of Lancashire, at Manchester.-Charles Sawkins, Gravesend, Kent, plumber, March 4 at 10, County Court of Kent, at Gravesend.-Obadiah Dutton, Coventry, Warwickshire, watchcase maker, March 22 at 12, County Court of Warwickshire, at Coventry.-J. Beers, Coventry, Warwickshire, brewer, March 22 at 12, County Court of Warwickshire, at Coventry.-John H. Cozens, Chilham, Kent, grocer, March 10 at 10, County Court of Kent, at Ashford.-Walter Webb, Biddenden, Kent, butcher, March 11 at 10, County Court of Kent, at Tenterden. The following Persons, who, on their several Petitions filed in the Court, have obtained Interim Orders for Protection from Process, are required to appear in Court as hereinafter mentioned, at the Court-house, in Portugal street, Lincoln's Inn, as follows, to be examined and dealt with according to the Statute:

March 15 at 10, before the CHIEF COMMISSIONER. Thomas Clement, Artillery-place, Woolwich, Kent, butcher. -Wm. Kitto, Hatfield-place, Westminster-road, Surrey, gas

manager to the Royal Surrey Theatre.-John Hunter, Easthill, Wandsworth, Surrey, assistant chaplain to the Wandsworth and Clapham Union.

March 15 at 10, before Mr. Commissioner MURPHY. Jane Hall, Bridge-place, City-road, Middlesex, generalshop keeper.-Wm. R. Wright, Plaistow, Essex, merchant's clerk.-Wm. Hunt, Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, brewer. —Mary Ann Page, Royal Crescent-mews West, Notting-hill, Middlesex, out of business.-William Edwards, Kent-street, White-street, Southwark, Surrey, blacksmith.-Charles Davis, Tiverton-st., Newington-causeway, Southwark, Surrey, furniture broker. Friday, Feb. 24.

Assignees have been appointed in the following Cases. Further particulars may be learned at the Office, in Portugalstreet, Lincoln's-inn-fields, on giving the Number of the Case.

Daniel Hurley, Houndsditch, City, licensed victualler, No. 64,162 T.; Louis Castrique, assignee.-Wm. P. M. Croft, Great Windmill-st., Haymarket, Middlesex, licensed victualler, No. 64,191 T.; James Chilton, assignee.

Thursday, Feb. 23.

Orders have been made, vesting in the Provisional Assignee the Estates and Effects of the following Persons:(On their own Petitions).

son.

Thos. Axtens, Westminster-bridge-road, Lambeth, Surrey, in no business: in the Debtors Prison for London and Middlesex.-James Carter, Chester-place, Old Kent-road, Surrey, out of business: in the Debtors Prison for London and Middlesex.-Ninian Craig, Northumberland-court, Strand, Middlesex, captain 1st West India regiment: in the Debtors Prison for London and Middlesex.--Henry Barth, Russellcourt, Drury-lane, Middlesex, bookseller: in the Debtors Prison for London and Middlesex.-Joseph Steele, Damestreet, Islington, Middlesex, patentee: in the Debtors Prison for London and Middlesex.-Thomas Tarrant, South-street, Hercules-buildings, Surrey, ironmonger: in the Queen's Pri-Thomas Packer, Blackman-street, Southwark, Surrey, photographic artist: in the Gaol of Surrey.-Edward Flanagan, Molyneux-st., Edgeware-road, Middlesex, out of business in the Debtors Prison for London and Middlesex.Joseph Adams, Lower Thames-st., City, captain of a schooner : in the Debtors Prison for London and Middlesex.-Thomas Price, Broad-street, Lambeth-butts, Surrey, assistant to a dealer in marine stores: in the Gaol of Surrey.-John Wood, Lausina New-road, Peckham, Surrey, shoemaker: in the Gaol of Surrey.-John Coldwell, Harwich-place, Commercial-road East, Middlesex, baker: in the Debtors Prison for London and Middlesex.-Jeremiah T. Hooper, Harper-mews, Theobald's-road, Middlesex, wheelwright: in the Debtors Prison for London and Middlesex.- Thomas Raymond, Bishop'sroad, Paddington, Middlesex, auctioneer in the Queen's Prison.-Henry Wm. How, Thomas-street, Hackney-road, Middlesex, out of business: in the Debtors Prison for London and Middlesex.-Martin Grimes, Newton-street, Holborn, Middlesex, out of business: in the Debtors Prison for London and Middlesex.- Robert Swift, Emma-place, Commercialroad East, Middlesex, iron bedstead maker: in the Debtors Prison for London and Middlesex.-James Wrench, Whittlebury-street, Euston-square, Middlesex, fly proprietor: in the Debtors Prison for London and Middlesex.-C. Allwork, Bloomfield-street, North Dalston, Middlesex, out of business: in the Debtors Prison for London and Middlesex. - John Crocker, Goodge-street, Tottenham-court-road, Middlesex, van proprietor: in the Debtors Prison for London and Middlesex.- Robert Sandys, Connaught-terrace, Limehouse, Middlesex, master mariner: in the Debtors Prison for London and Middlesex.-Charles P. D'Azene, Essex-street, Strand, Middlesex, of no business: in the Queen's Prison. Saturday, Feb. 25.

(On their own Petitions).

Wm. Moon, Preston, Lanashire, out of business: in the Gaol of Lancaster-John H. Baker, Langley Broom, Langley Marsh, Buckinghamshire, out of business: in the Gaol of Aylesbury.-Elam Sims, Tredegar, Monmouthshire, gentleman's servant: in the Gaol of Monmouth.-Mary A. Culmer, widow, Dover, Kent, milliner: in the Gaol of Dover.-Caleb Gilbert, Coad, Craswell Clodock, Herefordshire, farmer: in the Gaol of Hereford.-Wm. Eastwood, Kirk Heaton, near Huddersfield, Yorkshire, out of business: in the Gaol of

York.-James Raistrick, Horton, near Bradford, Yorkshire, tailor: in the Gaol of York.—John Jennings, Manchester, out of business: in the Gaol of Lancaster.-Edward Pearson, Preston, Lancashire, out of business: in the Gaol of Lan

caster.-W. Wharton, Longfield-hill, near Gravesend, Kent, Kent, confectioner: in the Gaol of Dover.-J. Hart, Brighton, Sussex, retailer of beer in the Gaol of Lewes.-R. Williams, Cathay, Bristol, rag dealer: in the Gaol of Bristol.-Thomas Youil, Manchester, commission agent: in the Gaol of Manchester.-A. Mathison, Manchester, brewer's traveller: in the

farmer: in the Gaol of Maidstone. — John Poole, Dover,

A SOLICITOR, admitted in Easter Term, 1852, and possessed of a good Library, is desirous of an ENGAGEMENT in a respectable Office. The prospect of a Partnership preferred. Unexceptionable references. Address M. L., Jurist Office, 3, Chancery-lane.

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London Commissioners to Administer Oaths in Chancery, in addition to the usual information. By WILLIAM POWELL, of the Inland Revenue Office, Registrar of Certificates.

Stevens & Norton, 26, Bell-yard, Lincoln's-inn.
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Gaol of Manchester.-F. Draffen, Hulme, Manchester, tailor: THE LAW LIST for 1854: containing a List of the in the Gaol of Manchester.-F. P. Toms, Kingsbridge, Devonshire, lieutenant in the Royal Marines: in the Gaol of St. Thomas-the-Apostle.-Wm. Ash, Cotts Beeralstone, Devonshire, miner in the Gaol of St. Thomas-the-Apostle.-J. Bond Cooke, Rugby, Warwickshire, out of business: in the Gaol of Coventry-Richard Thomas Hart, Wilmington, near Dartford, Kent, licensed victualler: in the Gaol of Maidstone. -Robert Gibson, Wigan, Lancashire, out of business: in the Gaol of Lancaster.-Chas. M'Clunan, Manchester, commercial traveller: in the Gaol of Lancaster.-George Foster, Southport, Lancashire, joiner: in the Gaol of Lancaster.John Croft, Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire, out of business : in the Gaol of Lancaster.-William Carter Stafford Percy, Hulme, Manchester, machinist: in the Gaol of Lancaster. -Chas. Edw. Chadwick, Hulme, Manchester, out of business: in the Gaol of Lancaster.-Richard Williams, Liverpool, pilot in the Gaol of Lancaster.-Wm. Moore, South Shore, Blackpool, Lancashire, painter: in the Gaol of Lancaster.-Edward Holmes, Manchester, out of business: in the Gaol of Lancaster.-Jas. Morton, Manchester, out of business

in the Gaol of Lancaster.-John Shaw, Rochdale,

The PRINCIPLES of the LAW of REAL and PERSONAL PROPERTY; being the Second Volume of Blackstone. This Edition contains the whole of the original Text, incorporating the Alterations, and additional Chapters on the Railway, Copyhold, and Inclosure Acts. Questions are appended to each Chapter of this Edition. Stevens & Norton, Bell-yard.

Lately published, price 1s. 6d.,

MR. PURTON COOPER'S MANUAL of CHANCERY CHAMBER PRACTICE, uniform with the Second Edition of his NEW CHANCERY ACTS and ORDERS, which is now ready, price 4s., and will be found very convenient for interleaving. Butterworths, 7, Fleet street.

Just published,

Lancashire, woolstapler: in the Gaol of Lancaster.George A DIGEST of all the CASES DECIDED in the

COURTS of EQUITY in IRELAND, as reported in the 19th

Rothwell, Rochdale, Lancashire, woolstapler: in the Gaol of and 13th Volumes of the Irish Equity Reports, in the 1st Volume of the Lancaster.

The following Prisoners are ordered to be brought up before the Court, in Portugal-street, to be examined and dealt with according to the Statute:

March 14 at 10, before Mr. Commissioner MURPHY. Thomas Henry Brewer, Chryssel-road, North Brixton, Surrey, housekeeper.

March 15 at 10, before the CHIEF COMMISSIONER. John Clarke Catling, Marlborough-terrace, Marlboroughroad, Queen's-road, Dalston, Middlesex, architect.

INSOLVENT DEBTORS' Dividends. Edward Lawrence Levy, Doughty-street, Mecklenburghsquare, Middlesex, attorney-at-law: 28. 10 d. in the pound. -John Barker, Bishop's Hatfield, Hertfordshire, chemist: 18. 6d. in the pound.-Richard Sculthorpe, Northampton, out of business: 18. 7d. in the pound.-Francis Besley, Abingdon, Berkshire, assistant to a coachmaker: 1s. 11d. in the pound.-Edward Hollingworth Delafosse, Craven-street, Strand, Middlesex, captain on the reserved list of the Royal Navy, on half-pay: 48. 6d. in the pound.-Reuben Whitehead, Botesdale, Suffolk, farmer: 48. 34d. in the pound.M. Marshall, Kingston-upon-Hull, bookbinder: 38. 24d. in the pound.-John Jagger Atkinson, Halifax, Yorkshire, stuff manufacturer: 18. 3d. in the pound.-Clarence Rhind, Chatham-hill, Kent, clerk in her Majesty's Dockyard at Chatham : 58. 3d. (making 128. 10 d.) in the pound.-Wm. Crawley, Wood-st., Cromer-st., Brunswick-square, Middlesex, lieutenant on half-pay in her Majesty's 27th Regiment of Infantry: 68. (making 148. 9d.) in the pound.-Colin Baxter Greenhill, Manor-terrace North, King's-road, Chelsea, Middlesex, clerk in her Majesty's Ordnance Office: 48. (making 118. 84d). in the pound.-Thomas Jennings, Keppel-terrace, King's-road, Chelsea, Middlesex, purser in the Royal Navy: 58. 3d. in the pound.-Wm. Paterson, Wandsworth, Surrey, travelling draper: 28. 04d. in the pound.-Henry Crosby, Gravesend, Kent, out of business: 208. in the pound.-Geo. Eli Wright, Queen-st., Edgeware-road, Middlesex, parchment label manufacturer: 20s. in the pound, and interest.-Robert Welsh, Wellington, Shropshire, draper: 18. 5d. in the pound. -George Sheppard, Canterbury-st., York-road, Lambeth, Surrey, superannuated cook in her Majesty's household: 58. (making 88. 6d.) in the pound.

Apply at the Provisional Assignees' Office, Portugal-street, Lincoln's-inn-fields, London, between the hours of 11 and 3.

Irish Chancery Reports, and in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Volumes of The
Irish Jurist. This Digest is incorporated in the 5th Volume of The
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THE LAW OF SETTLEMENT.
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ABOLISHING the REMOVAL of the POOR and REDISTRIBUTING the BURDEN of POOR-RATE; with a Proposal for more equitably Redistributing that Burden. By ROBERT PASHLEY, Q. C., Author of "Pauperism and Poor Laws."

London: Longman, Brown, Green, & Longmans.

BILLS and CLAIMS in CHANCERY PRINTED with
care, expedition, and economy; and New Forms of Chancery
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SUGGESTIONS and PLAN, with Tables, for the ESTA

BLISHMENT of COPYHOLD ENFRANCHISEMENT and
IMPROVEMENT SOCIETIES. By ARTHUR SCRATCHLEY,
M.A., Author of "A Treatise on Benefit Building Societies," &c.

C. Mitchell, 12, Red Lion-court, Fleet-street.
Loans granted to facilitate the enfranchisement and improvement of
copyhold and life leasehold property, by the Western Life Assurance
Society, 3, Parliament-street, London.

Printed by HENRY HANSARD, PRINTER, residing at No. 14. Park Square, Regent's Park, in the Parish of St. Marylebone, in the County of Middlesex, at his Printing Office, situate in Parker Street, in the Parish of St. Glies-in-the-Fields, in the County aforesaid, and Published at No. 3, CHANCERY LANE, in the Parish of St. Dunstan in the West, in the City of London, by HENRY SWEET, LAW Boox SELLER and PUBLISHER, residing at No. 41, Great Coram Street, in the Parish of St. George, Bloomsbury, in the County of Middlesex. Saturday, March 4, 1854.

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be of a very different description; for, owing to the

The Scale of Charges for Advertisements will in future be simplification of Chancery procedure, the reduction in as follows:

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£ s. d.

020

026

030 36 040

And so on, at the rate of 6d. per line.

A discount, proportioned to the number of repetitions, will be allowed upon all Advertisements ordered for three or more insertions.

LONDON, MARCH 11, 1854.

THE Court of Chancery, formerly the most unpopular tribunal in the kingdom, has now so far relieved itself from the opprobrium of its immemorial abuses and oppressive exactions, that in many respects it is considered by competent authorities as a sort of model court, the procedure of which may be generally imitated with advantage to the suitors and the public. The causes which have brought about this happy change are sufficiently obvious: the credit is due, in the first instance, to the enlightened inquiries of the Chancery Commissioners, and, in the second place, to Lord St. Leonards, to whose experienced hands was intrusted the task of moulding into a simple and comprehensive system the reforms which the commissioners had sketched in outline. Some thirty years ago Lord Brougham declared that 66 no man, who ever put a forensic habit on his back, would think of advising a suit in equity to recover 50%., 80%., or 100%. Can there, then, be a greater libel upon the law of a country than to say that a man must be kept out of his right, because, if he sought it, the costs of the Court of Chancery will be his inevitable ruin?" If the noble and learned Lord were now to put the same question, the answer fortunately would VOL. XVIII. I

expenses, and the increased judicial staff of the Court, the suitor has no longer any occasion to dread those eternal gates," "the terrors of which were so powerfully described by the same great authority. The business of the Court now flows on in one unimpeded stream, and that "fresh pasture, which is the sweetest," is always to be obtained both in the courts of the first instance and in the court of appeal; though, in reference to the latter tribunal, we may observe that it is somewhat unjust as well as anomalous; that the suitor has no certainty whether his case will be heard by the full Court, or by the two Lords Justices, or by the Chancellor sitting alone. If there be any advantage in having the opinion of three judges, or of two judges, instead of that of a single judge, the suitor should be entitled to claim this advantage as a right, instead of obtaining it, as he does now, as a mere matter of chance.

In confirmation of the present satisfactory state of Chancery procedure, we may mention that the Divorce Commissioners, as well as the Commissioners appointed to consider the question of testamentary jurisdiction, have both recommended, that in the new divorce court, which, perhaps, is to be constituted, and in the new probate court, which is not to be constituted, the Chancery mode of procedure should be generally followed. The former say, "that in general the process, practice and pleading shall conform to the process, practice, and pleading of the Court of Chancery, as recently improved, with such additions as may be beneficially derived from the ecclesiastical system." The recommendations of the latter need no observation, now that they have been ignored, and the general plan of reform suggested by Sir R. Bethell, and sanctioned by the high

authority of the Master of the Rolls and Sir James jurisdictions, substituting district offices, in which wills Graham, has been adopted by the Lord Chancellor. This view of the practical effects of the system introduced by Lord St. Leonards into Chancery has been acted upon by the Lord Chancellor in the measure which he introduced some short time ago for the transfer to the Court of Chancery of the testamentary jurisdiction at present exercised by the Ecclesiastical Courts. In fact, it was scarcely possible for his Lordship to have adopted any other course; for, as we have already observed, the Chancery Commissioners recommended that the system of procedure in the new court of probate which they proposed to establish, in all essential particulars, should be the amended procedure of the Court of Chancery. Although the interests of Doctors' Commons were very fairly represented on the commission, it certainly would have been something more than a mistake if the Lord Chancellor had sanctioned the constitution of a new and separate tribunal merely for the purpose of continuing the monopoly of the testamentary business of the country in the hands of the practitioners of Doctors' Commons. The Queen's Advocate dissented from the report in toto; Sir G. J. Turner, L. J., Sir R. T. Kindersley, V. C., Sir W. P. Wood, V. C., and Sir J. Dodson were in favour of adding the testamentary business to the Court of Chancery, to be administered on a separate and distinct system, as the appellate bankruptcy jurisdiction is now administered; and the Master of the Rolls, Sir James Graham, and the Solicitor-General were of opinion that the most expedient course would be to carry this business to that court which already possessed the largest share of testamentary jurisdiction-namely, the Court of Chancery. The majority of the commissioners recommended that appeals from the proposed new court should be taken in the first instance to the Court of Appeal in Chancery, thereby shewing that to some extent they were willing that this description of business should go to the Court of Chancery. The Chancellor, exercising, as we hold, a very wise discretion, adopted the views of the minority; for if he had not done so, the case would have stood practically thus the general procedure was to be that of the Court of Chancery, the appeal was to be to the Lords Justices, and yet a new court was to be constituted! The suitors and the public would naturally inquire, for what purpose? The only answer which could be given would be this-for the benefit of one particular class of practitioners, whose rights are still to be so tenderly regarded by the Legislature, that for a limited period they are to have a monopoly of all the common-form business. The Parliament and people of this country have always regarded with jealousy and suspicion proposals for the establishment of new courts; and much as they may rejoice that the Court of Chancery has, in the fulness of time, undergone a thorough and efficient reformation, we believe no law reformer would have the moral courage deliberately to propose that a new court should be established as a second Court of Chancery in everything but the name. The measure of the Chancellor follows in every particular the scheme of reform which was propounded to Parliament by the Solicitor-General in April last. It sweeps away all the multitudinous, inconvenient, and expensive local

of personalty up to 15007. may be proved in common form. All contentious jurisdiction is for the future to be exercised by the Court of Chancery, and it is not anticipated that the amount of business to be transacted will throw much additional labour on the judges. The noble and learned Lord stated that it would occupy about sixty days in the year, which, divided between the four Chancery judges of the first instance, would be fifteen days for each. But if the facility which for the future will be afforded to suitors, in having all questions relating to wills decided expeditiously and economically by the same Court, should occasion a sensible increase in this description of business, the only course which then would be necessary would be to appoint an additional Vice-Chancellor, the expense of which neither Parliament nor the country could with any propriety begrudge. We repeat, that the principle of the measure is sound, inasmuch as it concentrates in one tribunal that jurisdiction which was arbitrarily and inconveniently divided amongst several tribunals, all having separate courts of appeal. If the Court of Chancery were empowered to summon juries to decide questions of fact relating to wills, or if the parties were permitted by consent to take the opinion of a judge on such questions, with the limitations sug gested by the Common-law Commissioners, there would then be no necessity to invoke the aid of any other Court whatever. It is proposed that the probate should be valid for the whole of England. It is not necessary to dwell upon the obvious advantages which must arise from the abolition of the doctrine of bona notabilia; but the noble and learned Lord, to render his measure complete, should make provision by which one probate should be valid and effectual for the whole of the United Kingdom. We believe that there are no differences even in the Scottish system, which is the most dissimilar to our own, which would prevent this arrangement from being easily made. An impression prevails that divorce cases will be taken to the common-law courts, instead of the mixed tribunal which the commissioners recommend. This, perhaps, would be the most judicious course, for the constitution of a new court, without the most overwhelming grounds of necessity, is a measure which experience shews Parliament will not readily sanction. We trust, that, whatever course may be adopted in reference to this extremely difficult and delicate subject, husband and wife, as a matter of justice, will be put on an equality with respect to both kinds of divorces. The commissioners say that "divorces à mensâ et thoro are little more than separations-they only last until the parties think fit to be reconciled-and they are granted at the duct of either of them, such as cruelty, adultery, or the suit of the husband or wife, where the gross misconlike, has rendered it impracticable for them to live together." They further say, that "divorces à vinculo should be allowed for adultery, and for adultery only; that divorces à vinculo should be granted on the suit of the husband, but that the wife should only have a right to apply for divorce à vinculo in cases of confess that we can see no sufficient sanction for this aggravated enormity, such as incest and bigamy." We distinction, on either moral or religious grounds, and we trust that it will be reconsidered before any measure on the subject is introduced into Parliament.

Correspondence.

WESTMINSTER IMPROVEMENT BONDS.

66
TO THE EDITOR OF THE JURIST."

SIR, It is extremely important that the statements made in a leading article of THE JURIST should be correct, not only as to the law, but as to the facts from which its inferences are drawn. It is more especially So when the subject of the article is the value and effect of securities current in the market, such as Westminster Improvement Bonds. I lose, therefore, no time in calling your attention to an omission in your article of last week on that subject, namely, that its writer did not refer to, and was doubtless not supplied with, a copy of the Westminster Improvement Act of last session, (16 & 17 Vict. c. clxxvi, local and personal), being "An Act to amend and enlarge the Powers and Provisions of the Westminster Improvement Acts, 1845, 1847, and 1850."

saves any right of priority which they might otherwise
have possessed. That right of priority would, I ima-
gine, be any right obtained by a previous mortgage, or
by registering judgment in an action on a bond. The
proviso as to the liability of the corporate property
alone does not appear to me to operate as a charge, but
is simply expressio eorum quæ tacite insunt. (The
Sunderland Marine Insurance Company v. Kearney, 15
Jur. 1006). It is, of course, impossible to speak with
certainty as to this deed without inspecting it, but it
seems probable that its object was to vest the property
in trustees for the benefit of all the bond creditors rate-
ably, and that of the two mortgages. The general act,
10 Vict. c. 16, which bears the same relation to com-
missioners for carrying on public works that the Com-
panies Clauses Consolidation Act does to public joint-
stock companies, and contains a similar provision for
charging mortgages pro ratâ, without priority, does not
seem to be incorporated with any of the Westminster
Improvement Acts; hence the necessity for this trust
deed. The probable result will be, that all bond cre-
ditors will share equally. Bond creditors under this
deed can only enforce their securities according to its
provisions, while previous bond creditors will probably
be obliged to accept fresh bonds under it, unless the
commissioners prefer to pay them off. Any right or
remedy to which they might be entitled on obtaining
judgment adversely to the proposed arrangement, could
only operate a second charge on the real estate of the
corporation after satisfaction of the bonds granted
pursuant to the deed.
T. J. B.

COMMISSIONERS TO ADMINISTER OATHS
IN CHANCERY.

On a very recent occasion the four acts were laid before me, to ascertain the effect and operation of the bonds, which seem to me, as far as they are affected by the first three acts, correctly set out in your article. The commissioners are incorporated, with powers to make certain improvements, and are required to give security for the completion of a portion of such improvements, namely, in the amount of 10,000l. for the completion of Victoria-street, and 5000l. for the completion of a secondary street. They are authorised to enter into this security themselves, and the profits of the undertaking are to be paid to the parties giving such security, who are thus, in consideration of this limited liability, placed in the position of the shareholders of an incorporated company, of which the entire capital has been paid up. As such a corporation, the The Lord Chancellor, under the powers of the 16 & commissioners are empowered to borrow any sum of 17 Vict. c. 78, intituled "An Act relating to the Apmoney which they shall judge necessary for the under-pointment of Persons to administer Oaths in Chancery, taking, (Horton v. The Westminster Improvement Com- and to Affidavits made for Purposes connected with missioners, 7 Exch. 780)—that is, the entire working Registration," has appointed the following gentlemen capital-the lenders of which are therefore the parties to be Commissioners for administering Oaths in Chanat whose risk their operations are carried on. There cery:were, however, certain public grants or charges in aid of the undertaking, namely, 50,000l., which the Commissioners of Public Works (Woods and Forests) were authorised to apply in its aid after the opening of Victoria-street, and three sums of 30,000l., 20,000l., and 3000%., which are charged upon the probable increased value of the poor and highway rates, to be derived from the houses to be erected on the land of the commissioners-the two first after the ascertainment of a certain expenditure, the last with the consent of the vestries of the parishes of St. Margaret and St. John, Westminster; any interim deficiency, however, in the rates is charged on the undertaking in favour of the parishes.

The act of 1853, after noticing that Victoria-street had been completed, and the security for 10,0007. vacated, directs that the security for 5000l. shall be given, and enlarges the powers of the commissioners. It reenacts their borrowing powers, authorises them to lend money, and to erect and purchase houses themselves, (SS. 64 et seq.); it shews that the Commissioners of Public Works have advanced 30,000l. on the security of a mortgage and bond, and that another sum of 30,000/. is specifically charged on certain portions of the land in favour of a private mortgage; and in sects. 75, 76, and 78, discloses circumstances which may materially affect the bondholders-namely, that on the 26th May, 1852, the commissioners executed a mortgage and deed of settlement for securing the performance of bonds granted pursuant thereto, and which deeds the statute confirms. It thus provides that previous bondholders may exchange their bonds, so as to become entitled to the benefit of the mortgage, and

To be London Commissioners.
Herbert Sturmey, 8, Wellington-street, City.
James Goren, 29, South Molton-street, Oxford-street.
Charles Rogers, 22, Manchester-buildings, Westminster.
Frederick William Remnant, 52, Lincoln's-inn-fields.
John Henry Benbow, 1, Stone-buildings, Lincoln's-inn.
William Hope Whidbey Burnett, 3, Serjeants'-inn,

Fleet-street.

William Blackman, 1, Raymond-buildings, Gray's-inn.
Jones Spyer, 30, Broad-street-buildings, City.
Willoughby Raimondi, 23, Surrey-street, Strand.
Frederick Kidman Parkinson, 37, John-street, Bed-
ford-row.

square.

Henry Maltby, 7, Bank-buildings, City.
William Francis Low, 67, Wimpole-street, Cavendish-
Henry Tayler, 15, Church-street, Spitalfields.
Frederick Maples, 6, Frederick's-place, Old Jewry.
William Henry Rymer, 5, Whitehall, Westminster.
Robert George Smith, 5, New-inn, St. Clement Danes.
John Frederick Isaacson, 40, Norfolk-street, Strand.
James Lane, 63, Chancery-lane, and 61, Gracechurch-
street, City.

To be Commissioners in England.
George Harrison Gardner, Windermere, Westmorland.
Charles Thomas Phillips, New Windsor, Berkshire.
John Henry Wade, Pudsey, West Riding of Yorkshire.
Thomas Forster, Brampton, Cumberland.
Charles Reginald Gibson, Dartford, Kent.
William Charles Cripps, Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
William Marshall, Durham.
Charles Anthony Branson, Sheffield.

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