1 NOVEMBER 1856, Page 4

SCOTLAND.

A curious exercise of something like despotic power over the press lately took place at Dunbarton. The Superintendent of Police brought an action in the Small Debt Court against the editor of the Dunbartou Herald, claiming 121. as damages for a constructive libel. The news- paper obtained a report of evidence at the trial, which annoyed Mr. Steele, the Sheriff-Substitute; and he took the bold step of issuing an interdict to restrain the editor from printing the report. The case was -appealed to the Sheriff-Principal of the county, Mr. Hunter ; who has pronounced an interlocutor reversing the decision of the Substitute, and recalling the interdict. The case was quite a godsend to the district in these dull days ; and the Dunbarton Herald made the most of it, by eloquently printing a blank in its pages where the evidence would have been.

A boiler at the Dairy Iron-works, Edinburgh, exploded very early on the morning of the 23d ultimo and a mass of brick-work was hurled upon neighbouring house, killing three of the inmates—a mother, son, and daughter.