fees, &c.

wilf 1 disobedience to lawful commands, or for home or abroad; application of money paid for continued wilful neglect of duty. 5. Twelve weeks for combining with any other or others of the crew to disobey lawinl corunands, or to neglect duty, or to impede the ravigation of the ship or the progress of the voyage. Fines may be deducted from wages, and both imprisonment and forfeiture may be inflicted if necessary. Consuls abroad may appoint a court for the trial of complaint on the high seas and abroad.

Commencement of Act.-The provisions relating to powers given to the Board of Trade, the local marin boards, register and shipping offices, and examination of masters and mates are to come into operation immediately. So much of it as relates to compulsory production of certificates of masters and mates; agreements with seamen, advance of wages, health on board ships, desertion, discipline, log-books, and lists of crews, payment of wages and discharge of seamer, shail commence 1st January, 1851, for such ships as are then in the United Kingdom; with respect to those not then in the kingdo as soon as preparations are made for another voyage outward.

The remainder of the Act has reference to the keeping of log books, to the mode of discharging seamen abroad and at home; to official returns relative to the merchant service; inspection of vessels and mode of procedure against offenders or violation of the law, for misconduct either at COUNTY COURTS EXTENSION BILL. This measure is a most important addition to the Act of the 10th Victoria, "for the more easy recovery of debts and demands," by which the County Courts could hear and decide actions when the sum demanded did not exceed twenty pounds. (An abstract of the Act was given in Noble's Almanack for 1846. The principal object of the present bill is to extend the jurisdiction of the County Courts to the recovery of any debt, damage, or demand, not exceeding the sum of fifty pounds." It is provided that if there shall be sufficient reason for bringing the action in a superior court, the plaintiff may take it to the superior court instead of the County Count; but unless the judge at the trial shall certifiy that there was such reason, the plaintiff is not to obtain his costs, though he may obtain judgment for the amount awarded to him. A c'ause has been inserted giving an appeal, in cases between £20 to £50, from the County Courts to any of the superior courts at Westminster, two or more of the puisne judges whereof shall sit out of term as the Court of Appeal for that purpose. Another important provision is that, by agreement of both parties, the County Court shall have power to try causes to any amount, or causes in which the title of land, or to any tithe or toll, shall be in question. These courts will thus answer the purpose of courts of reference or arbitration. The judges of County Courts are also empowered to appoint umpires in cases of arbitration, when there has not been a sufficient appointment, or application of the parties. It is further provided, by way of simplifying proceedings and lessening expenses, that when the defendent can agree with the plaintiff as to the amount of debt or demand in respect of which a plaint has been entered, and upon the terms and conditions upon which the same shall be paid or satisfied, such agreement, on being duly signed, shall be as conclusive as if the judgment of the court had been given. This will in many cases diminish the number of witnesses necessary to be brought and so lessen expense. Altogether the Act is a most important one to the trading community, and it is to be hoped that, although the court of appeal may be an inducement to run clients to expense, that the profession will enable the full benefit of it to advantage the public.

MARINE INSURANCE. (By Act 7th Vic. cap. 21.)-Policy of Insurance upon Vessel, Goods, or Freight, where the sum insured does not exceed £100. If the premium does not exceed the rate of 10s. per centum on the sum insured, 3d.; not exceeding 20s. per cent., 6d. ; not exceeding 30s. per cent., ls.; not exceeding 40s. per cent., 2s.; not exceeding 50s. per cent. 3s; if exceeding 50 per cent., 4s. Policy for any certain period of time, for every £100, and also for any fractional part of £100; not exceeding 6 calendar months, 2s. 6d. ; exceeding 6 calendar months, 4s. Where the sum insured exceeds £100, then for every £100, and also for any fractional part of £100, whereof the same consists. If the separate interests of two or more distinct persons shall be insured by one policy or instrument, then the said respective duties as the case may require shall be charged thereon in respect of each and every fractional part of £100, as well as in respect of every full sum of £100 which shall be thereby insured upon any separate and distinct interest. For every £100, and also for each fractional part of £100, 28.

THE NEW STAMP ACT.-13 and 14 Vic.. cap. 97.-This Act, the operation of which commenced on October 11th, 1850, contains 21 sections and a long schedule of the new duties to be enforced some of the most important of which will be found at page 31 of this Almanack. The Stamp Duties imposed by various statutes are hereby repealed--and the duties are to be under the care of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue. The Stamp Duties on a bargain and sale, and on leases for one year are repealed-and any additional duty on a conveyance by feoffment or bargain and sale are repealed. Ali persons receiving monies for Stamp Duties and misappropriating the same, to be liable for the amount, to be enforced by the Court of Exchequer. Progressive duties are not to be charged on deeds or instruments in respect of other deeds or instruments duly stamped and referred to therein. For securing the payment of proper Stamp Duties penalties are imposed, with a proviso that they may be remitted if it be proved that the omission to Stamp within twelve months arose from "accident, inadvertency, or urgent necessity." If doubts arise as to the sufficiency of Stamp duty paid on deeds, on payment of a fee of 10s., Commissioners are to assess the proper duty-and if parties are dissatisfied therewith they have an appeal to the Court of Exchequer according to whose decisions the duty is to be paid. Conveyances, mortgages, and settlements of property under contract or obligation before 20th March, 1850, exempted from any increased ad valorem duty. Deeds, &c.. may be stamped either in London or Dublin. The former allowance of 7 per cent. to dealers in receipt stamps is granted under this Act. The duty on conveyances by this Act is 10s. per cent. Copyhold estat s passing by surrender and admittance and not by deed, the same amount as that paid on memorials, viz., 2s. 6d., with progressive duty of 2s. 6d. for every 1080 words. On leases of land, houses, &c., at a yearly rent, a duty of 10s. per cent. On mortgages and bonds, &c., 2s. 6d. Reconveyances-the same duty as on mortgage; schedule, inventory, &c., of lands, houses, furniture, &c., same duty as on agreements, &c.

BANKRUPTCY.-The following are the new Stamp Duties on Bankruptcy proceedings, under 12 and 13 Vic. Cap. 106:-Every petition for adjudication of Bankruptcy, or for arrangement between any Debtor and his Creditor under superintendance and control of the Court, or for certificate of arrangement by Deed, £10. Declaration of Insolvency, 2s. 6d. Admission or Deposition of Trader Debtor, 2s. 6d. Bond (with sureties), 5s. Application for search for petition or other proceeding (except search for the appointment of any sitting or meeting), 1s. Allocatur by any Officer of the Court, for any Cost, Charges, or Disbursements, where such Bill of costs shall not exceed £5, 1s. 6d. Exceeding £5 and not exceeding £10

2s. 6d.

Exceeding £100 and not exceeding £150 £1 08

20

5s. Od.

150
200

"

200 1 108 300 2 08 500 3 ОБ

PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND MUSEUMS.-This Act is passed to enable Town Councils to establish Libraries and Museums for the use of the public. It repeals the Act 8 and 9 Vic. cap. 43, for encouraging the establishment of Museums in large towns, and the present Act may be adopted in any municipal boroughthe object of it being as expressed "to give greater facilities than now exist for establishing and extending public museums of art and science in municipal boroughs, and for the instruction and recreation of the people." In any borough, the population of which exceeds 10,000, the Mayor, on the request of the Town Council, may ascertain whether the Act is to be adopted, by the votes of the burgesses, and when adopted all necessary things are to be provided out of a rate of not more than a halfpenny in the pound per year. The public Libraries and Museums are to be held by the Town Council in trust for the benefit of the inhabitants. The admission to such Libraries and Museums is to be free of

charge. The Act contains eleven sections. Although the former Act relating to Museums is repealed, any begun or established under it may be maintained and continued under the present Act. By the adoption of this Act-the taxation for which is self-imposed and small-the inhabitants of large towns, especially the working classes, will be able to avail themselves of the highest sources of recreation and improvement.

RATING SMALL TENEMENTS.-13 and 14 Vic., cap. 99. This Act was passed for the better assessing and collecting the poor and highway rates in respect of small tenements. It is provided that vestries are to determine whether tenements of a yearly rental not exceeding £6, shall be rated to the owners instead of the occupiers, and when thus rated the owners are to be rated in a reduced scale. The goods of the occupiers are to be liable for the rates as well as the goods of the owners. Municipal privileges are not to be taken away from occupiers by reason of the owners being rated. Owners of tenements hela for longer periods than from year to year are entitled to add to the rent the amount paid for rates, The Act extends only to England and Wales, and is now in operation,

In

THE CENSUS FOR 1831.-In the last session of Parliament an Act was passed providing for taking an account of the population of Great Britain. This is to be done under the superintendence of the Secretary for the Home Depart、 ment, and registrars of districts in England are to be formed into enumeration districts. The several registrars of births and deaths are to return to their superintendents a sufficient number of persons, duly qualified, according to instructions, to take an account of the population in the several districts;these are to called "Enumerators." The Census in England is to be taken on Monday the 31st March next, of all persons in houses on the previous night. In Scotland, Sheriffs are to appoint Schoolmasters to take the account. England and Scotland, "Schedules " are to be left at every house to be filled up by the occupiers, and to be delivered to an "Enumerator "under a penalty of £5, which schedules are to be collected on the 31st March, and to be corrected if found to be erroneous, The Secretary of State is to obtain returns of houseless, or of persons travelling, or on shipboard, on the night of Sunday, the 30th March. Guardians and overseers are to pay the persons employed under this Act, and Parliament is to reimburse the several parishes. Every person refusing to answer the "Enumerator," or wilfully giving a false answer, is to forfeit not more than £5, nor less than 20s., to be recovered in a summary manner,

THE NEW FRIENDLY SOCIETIES ACT.--This Act, which was passed to consolidate and amend the laws relating to Friendly Societies, contains fifty-two clauses, besides several schedules. It is an important piece of legislation, and it was passed, according to the preamble, to make further provision for the protection of members against "fraud and misapplication of the funds." The laws are now consolidated into one statute, and the other acts are repealed, except so far as they are required for matters to be transacted or perfected. The object for which Friendly Societies may be formed under this At are detailed, arising principally from death, infirmity, or sickness. There is a clause in it to prevert the recurrence of the horrible scenes arising from "Burial Clubs," from which money was obtained on the death of children. Now, for a child under ten years of age, no money is to be paid, except for the actual funeral expenses, and then not exceeding 34.;-nor is this money to be paid except to the undertaker or person by whom the funeral is conducted. In case of members dying, it is necessary produce the certificate of a surgeon or coroner that there was no reason to attribute death to poison, violence, or criminal neglect; and that to the coroner it did not appear that the party had been deprived of life by means of any person beneficially interested in obtaining burial money from any other society. The act is now in force,

HEIRS AT LAW AND NEXT OF KIN.

The following Names are a portion of Thousands upon Thousands which, the Publisher has, of Advertisements for HEIRS AT LAW & NEXT OF KIN-of wealthy persons who have died INTESTATE IN INDIA, and all over the WORLD: the bona-fide ADVERTISEMENTS of which are in most cases in her own possession. These have been, during a long period collected at an immense expense, and still continue to be so. The Almanack for 1841 contained the names of FOURTEEN HUNDRED PERSONS. The one for 1842 contained the names of TWELVE HUNDRED not in that of 1841; in 1843 there were SIXTEEN HUNDRED AND SIXTY names, including Unclaimed Dividends, &c.; in 1841 FIFTEEN HUNDRED names; in 1845 upwards of ONE THOUSAND names; in 1846 ONE THOUSAND names; in 1847 ONE THOUSAND names; in 1848 EIGHT HUNDRED names; in 1849, SIX HUNDRED AND FORTY-FIVE; and in 1850, SEVEN HUNDRED AND SIXTY-FIVE names,-Total, 1.000. None of the following names are in any of the preceding Almanacks. Those Almanacks may still be had; they are sold by Mr. STRANGE, 21, Paternoster-Row, London, the price of each is only Sixpence, and any Bookseller can procure them -All letters to be pre-paid and addressed "Mrs. NOBLE, 23, Market- Place, Hull."

Having such an immense collection of Newspapers and Gazettes of all ages and dates, containing Thousands upon Thousands of advertisements, as also the Bank of England UNCLAIMED LISTS OF DIVIDENDS, &c., not yet advertised in the Almanacks, other enquiries may be made.

MODE OF APPLICATION which must be strictly attended to, or no answer will be sent:-A post paid letter enclosing sixpence and one postage stump (to pre-pay the return letter), or seven postage stamps, requiring information respecting the names in this Almanack, or of those of 1841-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-50, or any other names, will receive immediate attention per return of post, post paid.

The following Names were Advertised for according to their respective dates.

Bradley, Charlotte
Baker, Richd.
Biggs, Edwd. Smith
Brown, Thomas
Benton, Sarah
Brandon, Elizabeth

Broyden, Thos.

Boston, James
Barker, John

Ball, George

Bayly, Matthew
Ballenger James

Bragg, Joshua Lucock

Bowen, Thos.
Brondon, Wm.

Beck, John

Beard, Samuel

Barton, Wm. Henry
Bannister, Richd.

Bristow, John Frank-
lin

Bradley, Charlotte

Bowen, Mary

Burrows, Wi.
1836.

Bright, Robt.

Butcher, Thos.
Blewitt, Edwd.

Bewley, Susan

Barker, James

Bright,Mary