The Sun. — London, England, 1846-01-26 00:00:00

SAT NORTH and SOUTH WALES WORCESTER RAILWAY COMPANY. MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS. A ieeting of ths shareholders of this Company was held on rday, at the Gt .Idhall'iavern,in conformity with a reso -1 agreed to ate former meeting, in consequence cf the -1) ..o._torB having refused to accede to the request of a ;. appointed by the shareholders to inspect a bals.uce sheet of the affairs of the Company up to the present time. At - the meeting - at which thedeputation was formed, a reso ..l4tion was agreed to not to pay the additional deposit of 11. per shaxe, demanded by the Directors. Josiah Bates, Esq., was called to the chair. The CHAIRMAN said, that as many shareholders present were not aware of the preliminary meeting that had been held on Wednesday last, it might be, as well for him to state the circumstances that had originated the present meeting. They were all aware that the Managing Committee of their Company had advertised that •an additional deposit of 1/. per share would be required, with a condition that if it were not paid on or before the 30th instant, that the shares would be forfeited. That announcement naturally pro d uc ed dissatisfaction among a considerable number of 'shareholders, and they seemed to be in doubt as to what steps they should take under the exist ing circumstances, and .at a meeting, a committee was nominated, and a deputation appointed to wait on the Board of Directors , to re q uest those gentle men either to postpone the payment of further deposits, or to call a general meeting to be held at the London Tavern. The Directors refused to call a meeting, but stated that if the deputation would retire they would consider what course it would be best to pursue, and after a protracted disc had taken place, of course they were informed that the Directors had agreed to call a meeting for the 4th of February - . The deputation then requested them to extend the time for payment of the deposits beyond the 31st, or to announce that the shares would not be forfeited in the failure of meeting the demand at that period. The deputation then proceeded to ask the Directors a number of questions,—to be allowed to see the traffic tables, a nd to be informed w h a t number of Di rectors had paid their first, not their second deposit. These questions the Directors having refused to answer, the deputation withdrew. It now re inained with the meeting to agree as to what steps should be taken to protect the shareholders. The meeting was open to discussion, and any gentleman would be afforded an oppor tunity of expressing his opinions. —(Hear, hear.) The SECRETARY then read the notice convening the meeting. The C H AIRMAN said, that there was one remark which he intended to have made before calling on Mr. Com tenay to make his statement. It had been stated that the gentlemen who had commenced that agitation were persons who had purchased their shares at discount, and that they expected to realise a large profit by breaking up the Company. That he denied, for every one of the gentlemen had purchased at 15s. premium.—(Hear.) Mr. CounTE.NaY said he had purchased shares at 10s. per share premium, and was informed that no further deposit would be required until the Act of Parliament sanctioning the Bill had been obtained. He saw in the prospectus that such were the terms. He need not tell them of the panic still existing in the share market. In full reliance that the Com pany was promoted by respectable persons, and that the terms of the prospectus would be adhered to, he became a shareholder. But what was his surprise to see an advertisement in the Times, requiring 1/. additional to be paid ?—(Shame.) He thought it right to make inquiries, and accordingly called at the office of the Company. On applying there for some information, he was asked whether " he was an original shareholder?" and when he replied that he was not, he was told that he had " no right to any information."—(Shame, shame.) He was also told, that if persons got shares and. signed deeds they must abide the consequences. He then addressed the following letter to the Directors of the Com pany "TO THE DIRECTORS OF THE GREAT NORTH AND SOUTH WALES AND WORCESTER RAILWAY COMPANY. " 289, Regent-street, Jan. 19, 1846. " Gentlemen,—Some short time befo re the panic, was induced by a friend to purchase 100 shares in the re vi a ous bove railway, at a premium of ten, shillings per share. P to doing so I inquired the amount of the d that deposit, andurther was informed that it was only one pound, an no f call would be made till an Act of Parliament was obtained. The correctness of this statement is borne out by one of your prospectuses, which I 'now have before me. It states the capital at 2,000,0001., in 100,000 shares of 201. each. Deposit, 11. per Awe.' In the nineteenth para graph of the same prospectus, I find the following announcement' viz. The subscribers will be held liable only to the extent of their first deposit until an Act of Par liament is obtained, and afterwards only to the amount of their subscription.' " I am filly aware that you announce as your reasons the Turessity of complying with the standing orders of the House of Lords. But, with all due respect to yourselves, I protest against this being any justification of your flying in the face of the announcement made in the paragragph I have brought under your notice. You distinctly state, that until an Act is obtained no further call shall be made. Even if you have this right—which I for one dispute—why, in the present state of the money market, exercise it? Why not act as other respectable companies are doing (the Grand Union for example), and wait till there is some solid prospect of passing your Bill through the House of Commons ? " If everything in your accounts is fair, and your deposits are paid, what need of any further capital at present ; or, at any rate, why not call a public meeting of the shareholders, give them a full account of the present state of your pros pects, the amount of expenses up to the present time, and of the cash in hand? In my opinion, unless you act in the fair and honourable way here pointed out, your call will be in vain. Waiting your reply, " I remain, Gentlemen, yours obediently ' " F. B. COURTENAY." After having sent that letter, he observed the advertisement that appeared from Messrs. Bates and Co. He waited on these gentlemen, and told them that he would write to the Directors, and he sent the following letter : TO THE DIRECTORS OF THE GREAT NORTH AND SOUTH WALES AND WORCESTER RAILWAY COMPANY. "289, Regent-street, Jan. 19th, 1846. "Gentlemen,—After I had written and sent my letter of this morning's date my attention was called to an advertisement in this day's Times newspaper, signed J. Bates, and Co., Foundry-court. Its'purport I need scarcely state, as I have no doubt you are aware of it. However, in consequence of my seeing it, I thought it necessary to wait on these gentlemen, who informed me that they had recvested you to call a meeting of the shareholders. That a gentleman from Leeds, representing a very large number of shareholders resident in that town, had come up to London with a similar object. During the short time I was at Messrs. Bates' offices, three gentlemen, who stated themselves to be shareholders, called, attracted, like myself, by the advertisements in the Times, and one and all expressed their dissatisfaction at your conduct, and their determination not to pay the extra de posit unless a public meeting was called, and a full statement of accounts given. As I learnt that there is to be a meeting of your Board to-morrow,ll thought it as well to snake you acquainted with these facts first, and then to ask you, in the event of your being resolved' to set at defiance the wishes of (from all I have this day in the City heard), your shareholders, I sincerely believe the majority of your share holders are prepared and willing', to give to the present shareholders upon their calling at the office of the Company, and presenting their shares, information on the following poi nts First. The amount of deposits actually paid. "Secondly. The number, out of the eighty odd whose name; appear as promoters' in your prospectus, that ap plied for shares, the number of shares allotted to each ap plicant, and the amount each has paid on such shares. " Thirdly. The names and addresses of the gentlemen who now form the Board of Provisional Managers,' the number of shares originally allotted to each, the amount of deposit paid by them, and the number of shares they now each of them hold. " Fourthly. Whether there is, or not, sufficient funds in band to enable the Company to make the necessary deposits required by the House of Commons. " Such, gentlemen, is the information which I for one think you should be prepared to render to your shareholders before you insist upon another deposit being paid; and I sincerely trust for your own credit and interest, as well as that of your shareholders, that you will meet these inquiries in an explicit and candid manner, and thereby secure the confidence of those on whose behalf you are acting. For you may rely upon it that in thepresentstate of the money mar ket, and in the present temper of the public mind; also, that without yon adopt some such course as I and others have indicated, you will fail in obtaining the payment of the extra deposit, and spread confusion and dissensioi where all should be confidence and harmony .. . —I remain, gentlemen, yours obediently, " . COURTENAY." He had stated that he had written this letter late at night, intending to give his servant orders to post it in the morning; but before he did so he received the following let ter from these Directors : " GREAT NORTH AND SOUTH WALES AND WORCESTER RAILWAY, " 8, St. Mildred's-court, Poultry, "London, Jan. 19, 1846. " Sie,—l am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of this day's date, and to refer you"—(To what )—" to . the advertisements in the daily papers for the information you require as to the present position of this Company. "(Signed), C. HANBURY. "F. B. Courtenay, Esq." _(Cries of " Shame, shame.") Now, he thought he could not do better than send another letter to those gentlemen in reply to this one. "TO THE DIRECTORS OF THE GREAT NORTH AND SOUTH WALES AND WORCESTER RAILWAY COMPANY. •" 289, Regent-street, Jan. 20th, 1846. " Gentlemen, —I wrote the accompanying letter late last evening, intending to post it this morning, but before I could • do so I received a note from your Secretary, acknowledging, on your behalf, the receipt of my former communication. Without, however, affording me the slightest information, or id any way answering my lette r, or explaintng why you have departed from the announcement in your prospectus, to which I.,called your attention with respect to the deposits, you refer me, to the advertisements 'in the papers ! I ask you what advertisements ? Cer tainly, in those I have 'seen there is no explana tiou that "affords me informition as to your authority for calling for a further deposit, after the clear and explicit beige given in your prospectus, that no calls s hould be made beyond•the first deposit till an Act of Parliament was ob tained. And; theretore, I cannot but regard the note ad dressed.to on your behalf by the Secretary of the Com pany as-a dishonourable evasion of the question. In addition t o th e question I have asked you in the ac empanyin6 letter, I now tu l g inquire if you will permit me to read the deeds signed the accom panied by a solicitor, should I think shareholders, ui fit to bring one. I have only to add, that should your answer to this be as evasive and unsatisfactory as the one 1 havealready received, s h a ll feel bound to give publicityotiothroism aylearn correspondence, in or der that the great b od y of slisteshde use less it is to en deavour to gain' information from thoeivr pyi'sional managers.--I am, gentlemen, yours obediently, " F. B. COURTENAY:" Th e meeting m ight, perhaps , have observe d tha t he might be classe d among those persons who were said to be of °' an - rament"—(r Augri ter) —that he got angry ex citable tempe h nd did confess that he was rather excited som etimes ; a while writing the leetter he had just read them. Fortunately . a friend came in (a great believer in mesmerism), and said, ' tteth on y l o aug ? i ' 'tate " y o e3 c ursed railway."--(Lain Oh l u l, ra t e h l i f, s " My dear : fellow, wi le is the ) ma liter . I will calm you in a minute." Ile (Mr. Courtenay) told him what he had done, and he also reA,l the proof of the letter he had sent the Directors., "Oh," d "if that is all, I will throw you into a tranquil sleep, an I'll his friend said again— _ ,d o even more for you, for I will not only ?sothe your irrl • fated feelings,. but enable you to be present at the the meeting of.. the Board, when you Will See -; reeeptioA they will give your - lette r. 60 Alt down in your easy chair." Well, after one or two passeg, 118 Zuj.cet t aialx. experience a wonderful effect to be sure. — fusions . ) -iferedton, queition," "Go on," and some con e was , arict then, he would tell them what the Board chose to believe, he el)le4°. word that if any gentleman Committee- of .Idoilsexismna would endeavour to prove that the ifetticl giveshim paet,sntra,,,Tere.ect'ng properly, he at least s ame indulgence for hiniself 155 t for his h ,e t a i;e ol ed them to ob- ILTNeers)—but he asked the . serve that he had paid any discoveq that the Directors was. , going share,,,_ and that factory manner Tit)ol be more pleaaiiikU 9 7 1 : 11 • a "to' p a b'€' of such conduct as that attributed to them. They had, not the power to alter the time. Let them come quietly and meet the Directors. lie would not advise them to postpone the meeting. He would compromise his character by giving bad advice, because a few gentlemen, who were labouring under a mistake wished him to do so. The meeting well knew that they could not have a majority in that meeting, as but a small portion of the shareholders were present. The Directors would have no packed meeting, they would invite all to come, in order that the whole particulars might be laid before them. They should have ample financial and other statements. A SHAREHOLDER--We shall be out of Court on the 31st of January, if we do not pay the call. He did not mean to say that the Directors would take an unfair advantage of the subscribers. Had they the power, if he presented himself at the meeting, not bringing a bankers' receipt for the said deposit, to refuse me admission ? Mr. BUSHE said the advice he would give to the Directors would be this, that, scrip or no scrip, any man who had signed the deed should be admitted.—(Hear, hear.) The SHAREHOLDER said so far he was satisfied ; but the Directors, it appeared, had the power to exclude those per sons who had not paid the second deposit. He, for prudence, would go and pay up this call, but he should like to be put in possession of this—he would do so without any improper insinuation—was it incumbent on the shareholders to pay the second call, according to the standing orders of the House of Lords, prior to the Bill passing the Commons? Mr. BUSHE said, with respect to the House of Lords, his advice would be this—not to go into Parliament unless they could carry the Bill through all its stages in both Houses. After some remarks from Mr. Bushe, Mr. Finch, Mr. Mul lins, and Mr. Peacock, the resolution was then carried una nimously. Resolutions empowering the meeting to take legal means to stop the further expenditure, and censuring the conduct of the solicitors, Messrs. Bushe and Mullins, were then passed, and the meeting broke up. had alluded to the meeting of the deputation with the e he Directors, one of whom he knew personally, and (Mr. Courtenay) only regretted that he allowed his judg ment to be influenced by the majority, for he elieved that his own opinion was favourable to the sharelC dere.— (Hear, hear.) He (Mr. Courtenay) had come to that mee.t ing to investigate their affairs, and he hoped to ;:ear thut e his opinion of the Company was altogether err roneous. He repea ted that he would be mos t happy rove Mr t . o Bu h s i h in e (solicitor to the Co m p an y ) would pro He told the that he was altogether wrong.—(Hear.) meeting and thate had he held h ad them pa this th m throughout ug o h r held,money the yt for p th a e n ce,hbareeceauhsee h h e e a d o i Lt s h o i n m k u t h e h a t w t h o dw he e s d a res thatpe c h t a e b l h e o o n t i re p r a e n d y — t ( g ee a ) . f , s h a re, if he received a distinct the Directors to pay. up the a dditional net a c p a l l e l d o g f e, a that, in in a the s hetvinednrtedopf onunotdsrewceoiuvlidngbe thre.etusrannecdtitoon hoifm_Pa(rclihaemeersn.t), He would rather t rust , s a body u ntil at le indivi ast he had B got some exp the Board itself a one dual of the oard than s ins had in tended no nteantid nation to of tell their th e In affairs:what (Continued had ourre d cheers. urn ) g He e sleep, but some gentlemen did not seem to car hi e for the aic count. He was in the hands of the room , however , b u t he had only intended to tell Mr. nshe, if h had time to listen, what answer he had expected ß to have s received from the Board of Directors. Mr. o ur mesmer i c wait, if business is to be done but I think your mesmeric sleep has nothing to do with it. Mr. COURTENAN—WeII, he would pass that by. He would abandon mesmerism, and confine himself to the merits of the case.—(Loud cheering.) Gentlemen would observe in the prospectus issued by the promoters of that undertaking—in the nineteenth paragraph—there was the following announcement :—" Subscribers will be held liable only to the extent of the first deposit until the Act of Parliament shall have been obtained, and afterwards only to the amount of their subscriptions." Now, that was the paragraph, and a most important one it was to the share laolders. But he would, in addition, call their attention to the let ter of application for shares. " To the Provisional Committee, &c.—Gentlemen, I request you will allot me—so many shares — and I hereby undertake to accept these shares, or so many of them as you may allot to me on the terms of your pro spectus, to pay the deposit thereon, and to execute the Par lihmentary agreement when required." Was that not per fectly clear—in fact, could there be any mistake about it. He knew that it was said that the additional deposit was required to meet the standing orders of the House of Lords, But he would ask Mr. Bushe if that prospectus was issued L be o f r o ds re ; th an is d r i e f gu it la w t a io s n , haveaswodueltderaamkineadgaoinn w b b y y t t h h e e D H i o r u en s t e o o rs f did not withdraw that prospectus, and say to the public that in consequence of this alteration they would be obliged to alter the principle on which shares were to be allotted. That would have been the straightforward and honest course. But Mr. Bushe said they did not do that. Mr. BusHE--You did not ask me a single question en the subject; certainly I did not answer one. Some other gentle man did so, but not you. Mr. COURTENAT was sorry to find Mr. Bushe's memory so defective. He did ask Mr. Bushe, if, when the letters of allotment were issued, the Directors had put in a notification of the alteration they intended to make, and the terms on which shares were to be granted, and he understood that gentleman to reply, No. He (Mr. Cour tenay) had not the honour of being an original shareholder, but others could tell him if such a notification had been made.—(Cries of " No, certainly not.") But Mr. Bushe stated that he had teld thousands of shareholders of the in tended alteration. . Mr. BuSHE—I stated that I had informed gentlemen who held shares to the amount of some thousands. Mr. CounTENAY maintained that the Provisional Directors and the Solicitor to the Company were bound in honour to give notice of the alteration, and the terms on which they meant to allot the shares. They were bound to state the extent of the alteration, and leave it to the applicants to take up their shares or not, as they might think proper. Had they adopted this line of conduct, there would have been no necessity for that meeting.—(Cheers.) They did not, however, do so, but they made this other call, in order, as they stated, to comply with the standing orders of the House of Lords. He might be wrong in the impression he enter tained, but lie imagined that until they received the sanction of the Commons, there was no necessity for raising this money —( Hear, hear)—that was, if the deposits were fully paid. If they had received the affirmation of the House of Commons, he was sure that no shareholder in that room would hesitate to pay up the beg garly additional pound that was required of him. He maintained that the respectable position of the Company could only be maintained by the solicitor giving a full and explicit explanation of the affairs of the Company—(Cheers) —and he called upon him, therefore, to state the number of shares originally allotted, with the number allotted to the promoters of the line.—(Hear, hear.) There were 88 names on the Provisional C o mmittee and 71 of these were locally interested, who , if the l i n e paid only 2 per cent., would perhaps advantage by the transit of natural or arti ficial produce for their own lands to a much greater extent. The speaker then, at great length, contended that by their present proceedings the committee were ruining the scheme. That in the market, and he had authority for say ing so, the shares would not bring 2s. 6d., and ls. 3d. of that would be absorbed by the broker's charges. If these questions were answered in a satisfactory manner, if their affairs could bear investigation, no man of sense could doubt that instead of their line being at 7-Bths discount, it would be at least at par if not at a premium, and such meet ings asked lately taken place at Glasgow and Edinburgh would bTavoided. The Directors could not deny that the table was groaning with letters of inquiry from the share holders.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. BUSHE—Their table is inundated with scrip. Mr. CourerEsrax—You may hold the scrip, for you will not get the money.—(Hear, hea.r) When they waited on the Directors there was a great looking for scrip in cupboards, but no sections, no traffic tables were produced. A SHAREHOLDER said, amidst the utmost confusion, that he considered the speaker was occupying too much time in his address.—(Cries of " No, no ;" " Yes, yes ;" and " Go on.") Mr. COURTENAY said he was entitled to be heard to the end.—(Hear, hear.) The studied mystification of the Di rectors, their steady refusal to give the information sought, and their experience of railway projects, justified the shareholders in the course they were pursuing. Let them also look to the number of banks daily failing, a list of which appeared in the Times of that morning. With these feelings he was perfectly justified in proposing the following resolution : " That, under the circumstances now detailed, this meet is of opinion that it is not expedient to pay the second de posit, and that such payment be resisted."—(Cheers.) Mr. &SHE asked if he would be allowed to address the meeting before the resolution was passed or after ?—(Cries of " After," "Before.") Mr. COURTENAY said when he and others saw the Direc tors whose names they could not obtain ' they refused to guarantee that those shareholders who did not pay the second deposit would be entitled to be present at the meeting on the 31st. Mr. Busuir., in reply to a question, said he attended in his official capacity, by the express desire of the Board, and out of respect to the meeting.—(Hear, hear.) Capt. BACK having seconded the motion, Mr. BUsHE proceeded to address the meeting. He said, whether the gentleman who had addressed the meeting was an original shareholder or not, he should meet with every attention from him as the solicitor of the Company. lie did not now intend to follow him into detail, but would deal with the more prominent features of this address. He (Mr. Bushe) his father and grandfather, had been long connected with the City, which was a sufficient guarantee of his respectability. lie certainly felt proud to be asso ciated with the gentlemen who composed the Board, If they wished to know who they were, let them ask in the City, or at the Bank of England.—(Hisses.) They had acted like men of honour and of business, and with every desire to promote the interests of the Company; and if they had not obtained the respect of the shareholders, they ought to have done so.—(Yes, they had.) He was entitled to be heard as patiently as the gentleman who had proposed the resolution, who had in the course of his address used more flowers than facts.—(Cries of " No, no"—" Go to the point" —" What have you done with our money?" and uproar.) If they would hear him, he would compress all he had to say into one paragraph. He then referred to all the letters which he had addressed to Messrs. Bates and Co., soli citors for the shareholders, stating that he Directors would give their application the fulllest consideration at their next meeting. The Directors had not called upon any but their original shareholders, to pay the increased de posits.—(Great uproar, and cries of " Shuffling," " This time all the scripholders trust pay the additional call.") He had several times endeavoured to address them, but each time he had been interrupted, He wished to state facts, but if he was interrupted again he would leave the meeting, for ' he was of opinion that in business matters there should be no noise or uproar. With respect to the observations of Mr. Courtenay, he did not think that a respectable member of the profession ought to reply to them.—(Hisses, and cries of "What do you come here for ?") The Directors, who were respectable men, had committed themselves in an advertisement stating that two-thirds of their deposits were untouched, and deposited in a safe place. Then all the prelimi nary expenses up to 31st Dec. had been paid. The prospectus was printed and issued before the order of the House of Lords was sent forth. It, of course, placed them in an awkard posi tion, but if they had withdrawn their prospectus and pub lished another, they would have had to pay 10/. per cent. deposit to the House of Commons. The great question was how they were to go into that House. If they had not pro vided the Si. per cent. they would not have had any locus standi. He advised this as the proper course ;and his partner and the clerks of the firm would state that parties holding thousands of shares had been informed of the course they proposed to take with respect to the deposits. All the clerks and others he had sent into the country were instructed to say that it was possible an additional deposit of 51. per cent. might be necessary. They looked to the original subscribers, and not to the purchasers of shares, for the increased deposit ; and the proper time for a public meeting to consider what steps the Company shohld take should not be determined until the opinion, of the original shareholders, who were responSi ble, could he 'obtained. [Several gentlemen here - said that when Mr. Bushe's clerks nailed upon them, they said nothing about• the probability of an additional 51. per cent. being required. Great noise en sued at this, during which Mr. Bushe put on his hat and seemed out to leave, but some one cried " Mr. Bushe is going," and amidst great hissing he retired to his place.] A SITARELIOLDER wished to know what amount of the de posits had been put away? Mr. BUSHE. --Two-thirds. A SnarzeirslDEß.—Too much. Mr. Kiersan—Have they sufficient money to go to Parlia ment ?—( Hear, hear.) Mr. Busne—l will advise the Directors to prepare the statements required, and to submit them to the shareholders at a future day. That is my advice—it is sound, and I will abide by it.—(Hisses.) A SHAREHOLDER said he had bought several shares at 10s. or 12s. premium, believing that it was a good Company, and he did not think he or others were wrong in this opinion. Thee' acrimony shcrern towards Mr. Bushe would not have been uttered if he had fulfilled the statement with which lie set out—that he was there on behalf of the Di r ecto r s, and that he would reply to all statements made. If a guarantee would be given to him that the money wa Parliament, to h e should not object required re t r to g to pay pay it.o into wished now from Mr. Bushe in what position he, a purchaser of scrip, would be as a d shareholder, tio after the 30th of Mr. January,- ü ß a rtrys,t htu aeaiddidthnaott his the additional would be u ul d d be this:—his shares would not be forfeited, b u t would forfeiture. As he stated to the deputation which waited him, with Mr. Courtenay at their head, who seemedto d "lre f or gotten what he told him, that the Directors would jot play "snap" with the shareholders, and forfeit this at twelve o'clock at night on the 30th ofJettneey. Th e sa me gentleman then inquired in what position would a seripbolder be at the meeting, if he did not pay the addle tional deposits ? Mr. BUSHE said he would be in the same position as the original holder, according to rfe t i h tn e re te i r f m h s e of did the no d t ee p l ay. Still fo the shares were lia ble to of had stated this to t he shareholdei s scores times_ A SHAREHOLDER said they were bound to call the meet ing for an earlier day than the 31st, or to postpone the pay, went of the deposits to the 4th of February,—(Hear.) Bveuz said represented geutlemou whQ were Lica- LAW INTELLIGENCE. VICE-CHANCELLOR'S COURT, Jan. 24. NORTH WALES RAILWAY COMPANY 7%. ARCHER. This was a motion to dissolve the injunction, prohi biting the defendant from prosecuting the works at a port called Porthtlynilaen Harbour in North Wales, under an agreement entered into in May, 1845. The ground upon which the motion was made was the imputed suppresbion of material evidence at the time of applying for the injunction. The facts of the case appeared to be these :—" In the year 1805 a person of the name of Parry, since deceased; had obtained from the Legisla ture an Act empowering him to construct a harbour at Porthdynllaen. In the year 1844 Mr. Archer and some other persons projected a railway company, to be called the North Wales Railway Company, whicb was to commu nicate with the harbour. In 1845 Mr. Archer entered into an agreement with Mr. D. Williams, of the firm of Williams and Breeze, solicitors of the executors of the late Mr. Parry. The letter, dated May, 1844, in which this agreement was contained, stipulated for the sale of the rights conveyed by the Act of Parliament of 1806 to Mr. Archer for a sum of 6,0001., the agreement to be void unless the terminus and the port should be com pleted within three years. The North Wales Railway Company obtained their Act in June, 1845. In con sequence of some disagreement Mr. Archer entered into negotiations with another company, upon which the company obtained the injunction, upon the ground that Mr. Archer had only acted as trustee. COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, lan. 24. (Sittings in Banco.) COOKE V. WETHERELL, CLERK. This was an action brought by the plaintiff to recover compensation for the damages sustained by him in con sequence of the criminal conversation between the de fendant and the plaintiff's wife. The action was tried on the 15th of August, 1845, at Croydon, before the Lord Chief Justice of this Court. The circumstances of this horrible case are, no doubt, fresh in the recollection of our readers. Sir Thomas Wilde having, during the last term, ob tained a rule to show cause why that verdict should not be set aside, and a new trial had on the ground of sur prise, that rule came on for argument this day. The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE proceeded to read the evi dence given before him upon the trial at Croydon, after which, Mr. Sergeant SHEA, as counsel for the plaintiff, rose to show cause against the rule, and contended that the defendant was not in any manner taken by surprise, for he perfectly well knew the charges to be brought against him, and the times and places where the crime had been committed, The defendant had ten days for procuring evidence to rebut these charges, and might have brought up witnesses from Byfield, Chepstow, and the other places. He had not done so, and the general statements by the witnesses had not been impugned. He had actually been in communication with the landlady at the Beaufort Arms, where it was said he had slept with the plaintiff's wife, and yet no evidence was brought to rebut these facts. No witnesses from Chepstow had been subpoenaed, although the defendant well knew he would be charged with adultery at that place. No stigma was cast upon the character of Williams, and yet if her evidence were true, the defendant's guilt could not be denied. No new trial could be granted, according to the rule of this Court, on the ground of surprise, unless it were shown most distinctly to have been so. At Byfield the affidavits were all made by the defendant's servants. Why had they not been called at the trial? Some of them had actually been at Croydon during the trial. At any rate none of their statements contradicted the positive evidence on the trial. The further hearing of this case was then postponed till Tuesday. EXPENDITURE OF WAR. In the last three war-years, 1813, 1814, 1815, the sums expended for the service of the army, navy, and ordnance of Great Britain amounted to 197,647,3151. This expenditure was so much national capital de stroyed. A few contractors might indeed have been enriched by enormous profits at a period of great jobbing and corruption ; but there is nothing now left to show for this outlay. The money was spent in victualling troops, in paying extravagant prices for provisions in foreign countries ; in waste of the materiel of war ; and above all, in the waste of human life. We are not touching the question—whether the cause of this expenditure was, or was not, an unavoidable necessity. We only de sire to show that it was in the very nature of the ne cessity that this destruction of the nation's capital should have taken place. Now, a sum nearly amounting to two hundred millions sounds to every one as representing a very large amount of property. But still the figures convey only a vague idea, unless we can fix in our minds some notion of what two hundred millions will purchase, of things essen tially different from artillery, and powder, and " food for powder." The war expenditure of the first of these years, 1813, was 71,316,4351. There are forty-seven railways completed in Great Britain up to the present time, and these have cost 70,680,8771. These, then, offer a very fair contrast with the war expenditure of one year, the year 1813. Against the nil of capital in hand of that war expenditure we have to set the actual property created by the railway expenditure. The lines laid down exceed two thousand miles. Those lines are covered with stations, work shops, dwelling-houses for officers, bridges, viaducts. They furnish profitable employment for thousands of men; they return a reasonable, and in some cases a very high interest for the capital employed. They have brought the village and the town into close communica tion. They have imparted a new value to all commodi ties, by lessening the cost, and increasing the rapidity of transit. They have equalised prices throughout the land. They have rendered the interchange of labour more easy. They have made the country richer and its people more intelligent. In the last two war-years of 1814, 1815, the amount expended upon the army, navy, and ordnance services was 126,330,8801. As was the case with the war ex penditure of 1813, nothing of national property is left to represent this outlay, if we except a few sheer-hulks at Portsmouth, Plymouth, and Sheerness, and some old cannon in the arsenal of Woolwioh. According to the last population returns, there were, built in England and Wales, in the ten years from 1831 to 1841, half a million of new houses. Many of these were first and second class houses, a larger number third class, and a still larger number cottages. But we cannot estimate the average price of a house at less than 250/. This would give a total sum expended for the additional and improved house accommodation of the people, of one hundred and twenty-five millions. The houses are left to us. Look at the increase of comfort, the provision for an increasing population, the profitable labour em ployed in making the provision, and the permanent in come which the house-builders receive, and doubt not that the hundred and twenty-five millions were well laid out. Look at the parallel war expenditure of 1814, 1815, and see if it has left any traces but debt. Thus, then, for the cost of the army, navy, and ord nance in the last three years of war, we could have com pleted two thousand miles of railroads and built half a million of houses. The war expenditure, as is well known, was supported partly by annual taxation, partly by loans, for which we are still taxed. The loans represented the accumu lated capital not engaged in commercial and manufac turing industry, which was seeking investment in Go vernment stock. The money lent to the Government in the last two war-years of 1814, 1815, beyond the amount of debt redeemed, was .54,805,4101. We have heard a great deal of the ruin that is to ensue from the vast amount of new railway en terprise. Without reference to the mere projects of 1845, which would appear upon the face of them to be carried far beyond the point of a safe investment of capital, it appears that the new railways in course of construction in Great Britain, and for which Acts of Parliament have been obtained, are estimated to cost 51,359,3251. These railways are in number 118, and they are to extend over 3,543 miles. Thus, then, the capital seeking investments in new railways which have receive the legislative sanction, is not equal to the capital lent to government to spend in the two years of peril and difficulty, 1814 and 1815. Let it not be for gotten that the people will have all the advantages of the railways without any tex—the shareholders alone will bear the risk. The war loans of 1814-15 cost the people to this day more than two millions in actual tax ation ; and what is there to show for this continued burthen ? The railroads of 1845 will enrich the na tion and cost the people nothing.— Penny Magazine. BANKRUPTCY COURT, Jan. 24. An insolvent named Manning, who had been a general shopeeker in York-street, Westminster, was opposed by Mr. Curtis, a cheesemonger, and supported by Mr. Lucas. The complaint was, that the insolvent had defrauded the creditors who opposed out of some goods when he was about to dispose of his business. The evidence established the fact that on the 15th of December last, he sold the business (basing a short time before been paid a deposit) for 119/., and on the 19th December (only four days after) he petitioned this Court. To account for the disposition of the money, he stated that he paid his landlord 601., paid 251. into court for his creditors, paid his attorney 141., and had " frittered away," it was termed, the remainder. Just four days before he sold the business he obtained goods from Mr. Curtis to between 41. and Si., promising to be more punctual in future. The creditor had not heard of the intended sale of the business. Mr. Commissioner GOULBURN said he considered a gross fraud had been committed on the creditor. The principle involved was to be considered, and not the amount. It was a gross fraud to get goods from trades men when he knew that in three or four days he should sell the business. The Learned Commissioner asked the amount of dividend that the money in court (251.) would pay. Mr. Lucas said it would pay 2s. 61 in the pound. He could not justify the getting the last supply of goods, but if the case were adjourned the amount should be paid. The creditor asked the Court to dismiss the petition. Mr. GOULBURN said he should not dismiss the peti tion, but would make an order to punish the insolvent for the gross fraud he had committed, which would at the same time benefit the creditors. By dismissing the peti tion the money in court would revert to the insolvent ; but by adjourning the case sine die, the money would be divided among the creditors, paying them 2s. 6d. is the pound, and leave the insolvent without a protection. The Court adjourned the case sine die, and ordered a memorandum to be made on the proceedings, to the effect that the adjournment had been made on the ground that a debt had been fraudulently contracted. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. CITY POLICE. COMMITTEE. Yesterday Mr. William Bradley, of No. 9, Parsonage row, Newington-butts, was summoned before Aldermen Hooper and Musgrove, at the instance of George Fletcher, the City toll-collector at Moorgate, for unlaw fully using a chaise cart, on the 15th instant, without the owner's Christian and surname painted thereon. The defendant did not deny the truth of the complaint, but the vehicle being only used by him as a chaise, for which he paid the regular duty, he did not think that he was bound to have his name painted on the back of it. Mr. Alderman Musgrove told him that he was very much mistaken. All chaise-carts, like the defendant's, travelling within five miles of London, in accordance with the Metropolitan Stage and Carriage Act were bound to have the owner's name upon them, although the usual duty of chaises might be paid for them. The defendant evidently had no wilful intention of infringing the Act ; his neglect was apparently the result of igno rance, and he should dismiss the summons on payment of costs ; but he trusted that the press would take notice of the case, as it might prove of the greatest importance in cautioning the country people travelling near London, in having their chaise-carts in accordance with the Act, when within the five-mile circle of the metropolis. BO W-STREET. A man of respectable appearance, named Edward Bryant Garey, aged fifty-one, a solicitor, residing in Southampton-buildings, was charged on a warrant be fore Mr. Twyford, with forging and uttering a certificate, purporting to be an office copy of a certificate of the Accountant-General of the Court of Chancery, and also a cashier's receipt of the Bank of England. Mr. Clerk, the barrister, attended for the prosecution, and stated the facts of the case. It appeared that Mr. Bellamy, of Montpellier-row, Brighton, and Mr. Foster, of Stone-buildings, Lincoln's Inn, had been co-trustees of the Rev. Edward Franks, a lunatic, deceased, and the prisoner was employed by them as solicitor. Mr. Bellamy was required to pay into the hands of the Accountant-General of the Court of Chancery a sum of 2,5961. 175., and the defendant in June last inclosed to him checks for this amount, which he (Mr. Bellamy) signed, and forwarded to Mr. Foster, his co-trustee, for his signature. The check was drawn on Messrs. Coutts and Co., and was crossed by Mr. Bellamy to the account of the Accountant-General ; that crossing was afterwards struck out, and Mr. Goth ing's name inserted instead. Mr. Bellamy hearing after wards that the money had not been paid, wrote to the defendant to ascertain the cause, when Garey inclosed to him papers purporting to be a certificate from the Accountant-General, and the cashier's receipt for the amount, dated June 24, 1844. It was afterwards proved by the clerk in the Accountant• General's office, that there hail been no original certificate and receipt in that bn - me, but that the papers produced were believed to be forgeries. The prisoner, who made no defence, was remanded till Wednesday. MARLBOROUGH-STREET. On Saturday Stephen Melstead, a journeyman wheel right, was charged by his employer, Mr. H. Snell, wheel right, No. 1, Dean-street Soho. with having neglected to perform a job of work within the stipulated time. Mr. Snell proved that he gave the defendant an order to make a pair of wheels, and contracted that the order should be finished within a particular time. The de fendant obtained money on account ; but complainant had never got the wheels, nor had he been able to trace out the prisoner, except by using great perseverance. Mr. HARDWICK sent the defendant to prison for 2 days. CLERKEN WELL. Miss Susan Allen, a young lady, residing with her mother in Pearl Crescent, Bagnigge Wells-road, was summoned by John Gunn, the driver of the cabriolet No, 123, on a charge of refusing to pay his fare. The complainant said that the defendant engaged him, a n d h e conve y e d her in his vehicle to several pa . :l/n_ brokers about the metropolis, and she kept him so em ployed for several hours, until his fare amounted to 4s. On her alighting at his own residence, he was requested to call again on the following day, which he did, but all the money he had obtained was is. Miss Allen, in answer to the charge, said that it was a gross attempt to extort money, adding that she had paid the complainant considerably more than his ,just fare. She engaged him, she said, to take her to some pawnbrokers in Oxftrd-street, in the first instance, in consequence of having lost upwards of 601. worth of Property ; but having gained no tidings of it, she desired to be driven to a relative's near Covent-garden, where he was kept about twenty minutes, and from thence he conveyed her home. It being very cold, she asked him in doors and gavo him some spirits, and, at his request, she allowed him to go into the kitchen to warm himself, and while there she gave him 49., which, however, he said, was insufficient, and demanded double that amount. Having refused to accede to such an imposition, the de fendant deliberately seized a decanter that was on the table, and dashed it into the fireplace ; after which he walked away. For several days afterwards the com plainant came to her mother's residence, demanding money in the most threatening and abusive manner, and to get rid of him, on one occasion, a, shilling was 4iven him, TRESUN, LONDON,,MONDA.V EVENING-, JANUARY 28, 1848. Mr. GRZENWOOD, after hearing attentively the ex traordinary explanation, asked the defendant what • he had to say to it ?—He replied that the lady's state ment was altogether untrue, and persisted that his version of the affair was the correct oue. He moreover observed that a person who was present when he demanded his fare, wished Miss Allen to take a gold chain from her neck, foci raise money on it to enable her to pay him. Mr. GREENWOOD (surprised) : Is that true ?—Miss Allen answered that it was utterly false, and said that she had a witness to the whole transaction. The witness, a lady, was then called, and examined by Mr. Greenwood. She said she accompanied Miss Allen in the cab, and saw him paid 4s. She also witnessed his gross conduct in Miss Allen's kitchen. At the conclusion of this evidence Mr. Greenwood in dignantly told the cabman that he had been guilty of gross perjury in an endeavour to rob Miss Allen, and discharged the case, Mr. Page, the solicitor, who attended to watch the in 7!tigation, remarked that he should most assuredly indict the cabman at the sessions. WESTMINSTER. Mary Anne Anson, and Charles Tudor, two middle- aged persons, of very respectable appearance, were placed at the bar, before Mr. Burrell, charged, the former with stealing, and the latter with feloniously re- ceiving, a sovereign and a half. The case was one of a peculiarly distressing character, and should serve as a caution to persons to be exceed ingly careful with respect to matters of identity. It appeared from the statement of John Bates, the pro secutor, a carpenter, living in Blenheim-street, Chelsea, that he was passing through the King's-road, Chelsea, at about seven on the previous evening, when he was accosted by the female prisoner, who " decoyed" him away into a dark place in Lower Sloane-street, pretend ing that that was her residence. She stopped at the door of the house, and put her hand into his pocket and took out 1/. 103. As soon as she had done so she ran away, and at the same moment the male prisoner came up, and inquired of him the way to Cheyne-walk. Ile had no sooner turned away than another man made his appearance, and inquired the best road to Jew's-row, and at that moment he missed his money. Prosecutor went in search of the accused, and, shortly afterwards, found the male prisoner walking backwards and for wards near the place where he first met with the woman. He watched the male prisoner for two or three minutes, when he was joined by the female, and they walked away arm-in-arm. He followed, and gave them into custody, when they pretended to be very ignorant about - the robbery. A policeman who took the accused into custody said that the female only was given in charge by the prose cutor in the first instance, and the male prisoner followed down to the station, where he was accused of having fe loniously received the money alleged to have been stolen. The prisoners were searched, but nothing found upon them ; a little boy, however, who was in company with them, had eleven shillings in his pocket. The constable, in answer to an inquiry, said that pro secutor, before he met with the prisoners and charged them, in describing the female, said she was very pretty and fair ; and on complainant being asked by the magis trate, his description of the man, he said he was dark. Both these were very unlike the appearance of the ac cused, as the female, who appeared to be nearly fitty years of age, was dark, and the man, instead of being of that complexion, had carotty whiskers. In answer to a further inquiry, the policeman said that the prosecutor appeared to have been drinking freely, but was not drunk. The accused, who appeared much distressed at their situation, gavo a perfect and most satisfactory answer to the case. The person who described herself as a widow with three children, with a trifling annuity, said she went to a shop, in company with her son, in the King's road, and having transacted the business that took her there, joined Mr. Tudor (the male prisoner), who had been waiting outside for her, and was proceed ing towards home, when the prosecutor came up and ac costed them. She did not hear what he said, but Mr. Tudor having spoken to him, prosecutor said he was mistaken, and begged their pardon. Shortly afterwards he gave them into custody. The male prisoner, who is an intimate friend of Mrs Anson's, confirmed this statement. And a fine intelli. gent boy, fourteen years of age, was put into the wit ness-box, and deposed to the truth of the account ; the fact being, that his mother, with whom he had left home, and been in company with that evening, had never seen the prosecutor until arrested by him as described, when he apologised. Mr. BURRELL said that there was not the slightest doubt that the prisoner was mistaken in his identity. The prisoners were discharged, and left the Court with out the slightest imputation upon their character. The accused complained of the unjust imprisonment and disgrace they had suffered. WOOL TVICH. A pretty-looking modest young girl, dressed as a ser vant, applied to the Magistrate for advice under these circumstances :—She stated that she had taken a situa tion at Lady Penwick's, of Bellevue House, Woolwich common ; but she soon discovered that it was impossible for any servant to live with her, as she was in the habit of accusing them all of robbing and plundering her. Applicant left the house, and upon applying for another situation she referred to Lady Penwick, who wrote back a most injurious letter, calculated to prevent any one from taking her. She wished to know how she was to act, for by this means she might be kept out of a situa tion for ever. The Chief-Clerk said the lady was so well known for similar conduct, that he wondered at any servant going near the house, or any lady applying to her for a cha racter. He had no doubt if the applicant stated this fact to the lady who had refused to take her, she would alter her determination. THE PACHA OF EGYPT. The Semaphore of Marseilles publishes the following account of an interview with the Pacha of Egypt, com municated by M. Marmier, who is performing quaran tine at the lazaretto of that port :—" Mehemet Ali pre serves in his old age all the habits of activity acquired in his younger days. He rises early, and as soon as he is up his doors are open to visitors. He takes plea sure in receiving foreigners, and more particularly the French. The public functionaries come in to him with oat any previous demand of an audience, and the Con sul of France goes to him with the same freedom and ease as one friend calls upon another. We passed through a large hall simply furnished, in which there were persons attached to the palace, all of whom on the arrival of M. Barrott rose, and saluted him with great respect. One of these ushered us into a second room, still more spacious, lighted by very high windows, and having at the far end a divan which occupies the whole side. On this divan was seated the youngest son of the Viceroy, a boy about twelve years old, already invested with the sabre, suspended from a belt round his waist. By his side was his governor, and both pre served the utinf)st gravity. Mehemet Ali lay half in clined in a corner, supported by a pile of cushions, and holding his chibouck. On his head was the red cap called the Fez, which he has given to be worn by his soldiers instead of the turban, which is much heavier. Ile was dressed in a furred caftan of ample folds, and his fine white beard falling like flakes of silver upon his breast. In front of him was his dragoman, and by his side a do mestic, who was employed in fanning him with a bunch of palm leaves. Mout half-a-dozen other servants stood at a respectful distance, with their eyes fixed steadily upon their master, watching to catch and execute the slightest signal he might make. All the arrangements of this apartment were very plain, but simply elegant. In this group, formed near a window, in the oriental attitude of this remarkable and noble old man, and, above all, in the expression of his animated and energetic countenance, there is wherewithal for a painter of eminence to pro duce a most striking picture. We drew near Mehemet, and, after the usual formalities of a presentation, he signified to M. Barrot to sit down by his side on the div'an, and pointed out for me an arm-chair placed in front of him. Servants brought in coffee, and M. Barrott entered into conversation with the Pacha, who loves to discuss ques tions of European policy. He had just received news from Ibrahim Pacha, and spoke with delight of the accounts of his improved health, and of the reception given him at Marseilles. have always loved France,' said the Pacha, and I shall never forget that it was a French man who first held out the hand to me, at a time when I was far from imagining the destinies which Providence had reserved to me.' He then related that when he was quite young, in his native town of Romella, one of his cousins was murdered. He and his father wished to ob• tain justice on the murderer, but had not sufficient funds. A French merchant, named Lyons, who had known the deceased, gave them the necessary funds to proceed to Constantinople and accomplish their wish. `I always remembered,' continued he, with grati tude the conduct of M. Lyons, and when I was in vested with the dignity of Pacha, I wrote to him to come and see me. He was preparing to set out, when he died suddenly.' Whilst the dragoman translated to us this story, Mehemet fixed on us his brilliant eyes to see the effect it produced. I never saw more penetrating ones, except with Bernadotte. In those of the latter, how ever, there was more pride, and in those of Mehemet more keenness. Other visitors then arrived—the gover nor of the city, the English consul, and some of the chief officers of the army. M. Barrot, thinking he had given me sufficient time to see what I so much desired, took his leave, and I went away, bearing with me an indelible remembrance of the language and look of our host." Native industry petitions have been circulated in the South of Devon with more vigour than success. The conviction exists among the farmers that the settle ment of the question is the only benefit to them that can be looked for. They know that farmers have not grown rich under the corn-laws, and that the labourer has become depressed.— Western Times. NEWARK ELEcyroN.—A correspondent says, it is intended to place Mr. Gladstone in nomination at the approaching election, in opposition to the Duke's no minee, in order to give his friends an opportunity of recording their votes in his favour ; and if the elec tors will but be true to themselves, they will beat the nominee. We heartily wish they map—Nottingham iliercurp THAMES. Mr. Pelham, a solicitor, accompanied by Mr. Brown, the Registrar of Seamen, who holds his appointment from the Lords of the Admiralty, applied to Mr. Ballan tine for summonses against two persons, named Charles Bolder . and Robert Uride, of No. 3, Albert-street, Shad well; fbr an infringement of the Merchant Seamen's Act, the Bth and 9th Victoria, cap. 116, which was passed to protect seamen from the extortions and frauds of crimps. It appeared that Charles Bolder, who was a licensed man, met two seamen, and asked if they wanted a ship. They replied in the affirmative, and he put them on board the Barossa, bound for Bombay. The articles were signed by them at Bolder's house, in the presence o, his clerk, Uride. Two-and-sixpence was demanded and paid by them to Uride. The Bth clause of the Act prohibited any person from receiving remuneration for the hiring, of seamen from any one but the master of a ship ; and the 6th clause made it unlawful for any licensed agent to employ an unlicensed person to engage or provide sailors. The prisoners had, therefore, been guilty of a double offence. Mr. BALLANTINE then asked if the seamen were British registered seamen, for otherwise the Act would not apply to them. Upon being informed that they were, he immediately granted the summonses. W ANDS WORTH. _ _ A number of casual poor having been brought before Mr. Paynter, charged with refusing to work, breaking windows, and destroying their clothing, Mr. Paynter asked the porter what foo was given to them, and was told six ounces of bread and one of cheese. Mr. PAYNTER then addressed himself to Mr. King, master of the union, and said he was satisfied that there would be no diminution in these charges if the guar dians persisted in making these men work at night when they came in cold and worn out, and then required a further task from them in the morning. He did not wish to say anything harsh, but he thought that too much labour was exacted from them. Then the food was not such as ought to be given; a bit of bread and a morsel of cheese were not alone sufficient for a hungry man. He was cure that it had never been intended gtn tit,gomh by no cases of this sort, an d th e reason y avnedu t h tef e hoeuh Legislature pc e ioa g tuh i l psaelteraertlusyu unions ibbeoernnetsnthhtaihntnarl chat came a o na m u ry n I r eer suganrt should udioee a b wn e ad c s htbehyaaptneotrht the applicants n a pgl w i cs o ao r n k tth h s eoyu weres were e t rb h ne a tt n treer e a l ft s ei elsewhere. a l t i nehdreenm. not compelled very ym e bp g ae u dl l a ley r d - . u c u e sg a , ihu t they had w n n s K oort e o ki r n e a n v o er w y o i r n k te w ll a ig s en ex t a a c n t d ed an at h u n m ig an h e t, manasdtewr whereof übnriootnh, w dh w A t o ii ni ast tehr or gruel was given, and this person said that the paupers rarely refused the work, which was breaking - stones. It was very evident that something must be done, and that speedily, or attention would be drawn to it in another quarter, for the expense incurred by the county in the committment and maintenance of these paupers was enormous. Mr. Sheppard and Mr. King, the master of the union, promised to bring the subject under the notice of the board of guardians, at their next meet ing. They then retired. B RE NT FORD. Thomas Kent, a well-known desperate character, un derwent a final examination before the magistrates for an outrage, the particulars of which will be explained by the evidence. Mr. Trimmer deposed that he was a farmer living at Wargrave, and was 78 years of age. On the afternoon of Christmas eve ho was returning home on horseback about one o'clock from Henley market, when, while pro ceeding along along Grove-lane, leading from the Henley-road, through, witness's own property, to War grave, he saw a man standing, whom he now identified to be the prisoner. On coming up to him, the prisoner addressed him by name, and said, " Mr. Trimmer, some one has been stealing wood here in the lane—l think it belongs to you. If you will go with me, I will show you." Witness got off his horse, fastened him to the gate, and went with the prisoner across the field to see the wood; but, after they had gone some distance, the prisoner suddenly said to him, "It's not the wood that I want you about ; it's your money I want ;" and before witness was aware of his intentions, he struck d w a a y s in a nqauteisvtei question, and witness on the back of the head, but whether with his fist or a bludgeon he could not say. Witness instantly fell to the ground insensible, but what took place after • years, he was wards he could not tell. When he came to, he found the prisoner gone. Witness's face and head were terribly i m th e , where he had cut and covered with blood, and he found that his double cased silver watch and a bag containing 4/. in silver had wers he nao o f Henley committed f h u a l v ly ing stolen a pputst b hoea e i p gewa e wont n nnfin ve s tnea t edh o ntiwy l shd e teaeh n eatse . hhrnasdaewrtii l sgi t aicehanto f ;f i vtaheoe r es,n t rr h afr: yoh e ndber r (nell aol a atsnda p oogis p lsind. e aapa a nmobi r onlit e smte d hteaenhe h rtt market the folio wing:day. QUESTIONS FOR CANDIDATES.-Will you, if elected in Parliament, vote for the following measures, whenever and by whomsoever brought forward?-Ist. For the total, immediate, and unconditional repeal of the corn-laws.-20d. For the total, immediate, and unconditional repeal of all customs' duties on the import of the flesh of all animals fit for human food, whether living, or dead, whether salt or fresh ; also on lard, butter, cheese, or eggs.-3rd. For the re peal of so m uc h o f a ll customs ' dut i es as g i ve a p re f e rence to the produce of one country over t h a t o f ano th er ; whether the produce come s f rom a B r i t i s h possession or a LI/reign country. ~ ..keedil /Venn. DES PERATE CONTEST BETWEEN THE CI EY AUTHORITIES AND THE WA• TERMAN'S GAM-BOAT COMPANY. A contest of a liay dangerous character is rif,w being carried on between t;,e water-bailiff's men, joined with the police, under the City authorities, and the W4ter man's Steam-boat Company. It is, indeed, matter of sur prise that many lives have not been lost in the struggle which has already taken place, and we have every rea son to believe that if a prudent course had not been adopted in a remarkable emergency, we should now have to record the particulars of many inquests, tormi nating, in all probability, in verdicts of wilful murder. The Navigation Committee having succeeded in their efforts to prevent the vessels of the Waterman's Steam-boat Company from landing or embarking passengers at the new pier constructed at Blackfriars bridge, the managers of that company resolved to have a pier of their own somewhere in the neighbourhood, and selected Paul's Wharf, which lies between Black friars and Southwark bridges, as the spot in which to place floating barges for the accommodation of their cus tomers in landing and embarking. A warrant having been procured from the Lord Mayor by the water bailiff for the removal of the barges, that officer went, accompanied by some of the City police, for the purpose of executing the warrant, to St. Paul's-stairs, and found that the steam company were perfectly aware of their intention, for one of their steamers lay there with seve ral men on board, apparently prepared to resist any at tempt to interfere with their pier, which they . considered they were as well entitled to use in their business as the corporation were entitled to construct a pier for the ac commodation of others of the public, and of which the Company were debarred the use. It was between seven and eight o'clock on Thursday morning, when the water-bailiff's steam-tug approached, carrying a number of carpenters and other mechanics to remove the pier, and the moment the array appeared, the company's steamer drew across the stairs, and the captain, aided by several men, some armed with hatchets, adopted violent measures to prevent the City authorities from carrying their object into execution. One of the barges having been removed the water-bailiff proceeded to separate the other barge, fastened with chains, which was more difficult to remove. He was not long engaged in this job when the captain of the com pany's steamer drove her with considerable violence between the water-bailiff's tug and the barge, and the water-bailiff was then obliged to board the steamer with some of his men and the policemen, and to seize upon the wheel. Both barges were then taken off by the tug, and deposited, as it was supposed by the victorious party, in a place from which it would be no easy matter to transport them. The opinion formed by the city authorities was, however, rather premature. At about twelve o'clock on Thursday nigh., which was excessively dark, two steamers belonging to the company approached the place in the neighbourhood at which the barges which had been carried away in triumph were moored, for the purpose of re-capturing the Waterman's pier. There were between forty and fifty men on board these steamers, armed with hatchets, bludgeons, and other weapons, and they jumped from the steamers into the barges, shouting and swearing that their object was to carry- them away, and that no power should Prevent them. The persAas who had been appointed to watch and prevent a reprisal, if such an indignity could be averted without danger to life or limb, finding that tke enemy were not only powerful but desperate, aban doned the barges, which were, therefore, fastened by the company's men to the steamers, and tugged back to their old position at Paul's Wharf, to form once more a pier for the accommodation of the customers of the Waterman's Company's concern. Thus remain things at the present moment. The business has been resumed at Paul's Wharf with great spirit, and we understand that the matter is to be submitted to the Government, as it has assumed much too serious an aspect to be meddled with by the city police, or any other power under the control of the city authorities. It has been asserted by men who witnessed the extraordinary cir cumstances of the recapture of the barges, that it was evidently the intention of the captain who commanded the men to drive his steamer between the tug and the barge, to sink the police who were stationed upo.i the barge in the Thames. The nocturnal expedition was, we understand, conducted in such a manner as was cal culated to excite the utmost apprehensions for the lives of any who should oppose the attempts of the captain to regain the captured pier, and the success of his effort was announced by shouts and roars of exultation, and by the brandishing of torches, with which the steamers and the barges were illuminated. LOSS OF A FRENCH DIVISION IN AFRICA, FROM A SNOW STORM. A letter from Setif, dated 10th instant., gives the following details of the disaster which has befallen the column under General Levesseur : " On December 12 or 13 Colonel Herbillon, of the 61st, Commandant of the circle of Batna, left this point with two battalions of his regiment, to put a stop to the insurrection which threatened to extend to this country. He moved into the middle of the Ouled Soltan, and his presence alone was sufficient to impose respect. He arrested twelve chiefs, and sent them to Batna. The Ouled Salems, neighbours of the Ouled Soltans, refusing to listen to the voice of the Caid placed over them by the French, retired into their most inaccessible mountains, fancying that they would thus be sheltered from the action of Colonel Herbillon's column, which contented itself with allowing the goums of the submissive tribes to plunder until the arrival of General Levasseur, who has the command of the province of Constantina, in the ab sence of General Bedeau. A few days after General Levasseur arrived from Constantina with 1,200 men, and effected a junction with the column of Colonel Herbillon. He was afterwards reinforced with a battalion d'aite from Setif, which increased the force to 2,500 men, which were divided into two corps, one under Colonel Herbillon, and the other under Colonel Conelle of the 43rd, and the cavalry commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Bouscarins, of the Spahis. On the 16th all the troops, without their knapsacks, excepting a few companies left in charge of the baggage, were sent in pursuit of the Ouled Salems, and came up with them by twelve o'clock. By two all their herds and baggage were captured, the Arabs, after 1 using abou t 100 of their men, having fled to the crests of their moun tains, leaving part of their women and children behind them. The success was complete, and the chastisement severe. The troops returned to their bivouac without having sustained any loss. From the Ouled Salems the troops moved upon the Bou Thalebs, at the entrance of the plain of the Oued Na, in order to punish the Ouled Tebennes, who had risen at the voice of the Scheriff Sisaad. On the 25th December they entered the moun tains, slew about twenty of the revolted Arabs, plun dered a village, and emptied . the silos. Captain Bes siere, of the tirailleurs of Constantina, received two balls in the thigh. In the nights of the 26th and 28th the Arabs made attacks upon the bivouac, but were re pulsed in both. On the 29th Bou Thaleb, a chain of very steep mountains, was traversed, and the column esta blished itself on the north side of them, with the design of reaching the centre of the villages of the Ouled Tebennes. Here the column was awaited by the Arabs with a standard. But a few howitzers put them to flight, and being pursued by a batta lion they lost their flag. On the 30th these villages were burned and their silos emptied by the auxiliary goums. The enemy lost at least thirty men. On the Ist Ja nuary the battalions moved on beyond the burned vil lages, and carried all the positions of the Kabyles. This lesson was the more severe as this tribe has no tents, and is therefore not only entirely ruined but left with out a shelter. No one could foresee, however, the mis fortune that was about to fall upon us. On the 2d January, at ten in the morning, the weather being beautifully fine, the column marched towards the Do nairs of Nisaoud, our ally, where they were to encamp ; but about three o'clock the snow began to fall, blinded our eyes, and rendered the ground wholly impassable for the mules. At five a bivouac was, formed, but the baggage did not come up till eight o'clock, and then a part of it had been left behind in some of the narrow defiles. On the 3d, after a night of continual snow, the column renewed its march. As it went on the snow still came down, and covered the roads to the depth of eighteen inches, so that the troops could no longer find their way. At midnight they were in the middle of a vast plain without a morsel of wood for firing, the men dying with cold, and the Arab guides completely lost. We ought to have been with in a league of the smala of Msoud, but he himself was obliged to abandon all hope of reaching it. The men continued to sink under hunger, cold, and fatigue till a feeling of desolation pervaded all hearts, and order and discipline were at an end. The few tents there were became so crowded that the men stifled each other, amidst the groans of the dying. Never was so afflicting a spec tacle seen since the Russian campaign. The dawn of the 4th came on at last, and all the men and baggage that could be mustered and toll acted moved on, the cavalry taking the lead, towards Setif, which was about 10 leagues off. The men had been two days without food, and fell every moment from weakness, and became frozen. At four in the afternoon the cavalry reached Setif, and gave the sad news to the inhabitants, who hastened out to the assistance of the exhausted men; taking all their cattle and conveyances to bring in those who were no longer able to march—finding at every step unfortunate soldiers without shoes, and dying with cold and hunger. From the 4th up to the present day, we are every minute seeing men brought in by the inabitants, but between two and three hundred are still missing. To find and recover these every measure is taken. The inhabitants have shown a noble humanity, but the Arabs of the plain have stripped the helpless sufferers." THE QUEEN ' S S FEECIL—A DIFFICULTY SOLVED. There is in her Majesty's speech a passage of great im port, the exact purport of which, however, has given rise to some discussion, and considerable speculation. Her Majesty, after an allusion to the failure of the po tato crop in Ireland, says, " I have adopted all such precautions as it was in my power to adopt for the pur pose of alleviating the sufferings which may be caused by this calamity." The nature of those precautions has, it is believed, now been ascertained here. There are off the port of Cork 30,000 quarters of Indian corn, which are understood to form a portion of 100,000 quarters which have been ordered by the British government for the relief of the Irish people—a proof that her Majesty and her ministers have not been altogether insensible to the threatened destitution and starvation of the poor of Ireland.—Manchester Guardian. ACCIDENT TO LORD MOSTYN.—This venerable and venerated nobleman met, we deeply regret to state, on Sa turday last, with a most serious accident, whilst engaged in that manly sport, of which his Lordship is well known - to be a warm patron and active participator. He was, as usual, amongst the foremast in the chase, and close at the death of poor Reynard, when the horse stumbled and pitched his Lordship over head, rolling over him and kicking him se verely. We are, however, glad to state that no bones are broken, and that his Lordship, though much mangled, is, owing to the native vigour of his constitution, not only out of danger, but rapidly convalescent. The inquiries at Peng wern, o f the neighbouring gentry, during the course of the eek. wOro Anst muuer9wie—Carnarvon Zierald. RISCA COLLIERY EXPLO SION' (From the Monmouthshire Merlin.) FURTHER PARTICULARS. ,_illi Since our last account of the appall in g occurre7ol most commendable exertions, day and n i g ht ' ere without intermission, were continued, fo r the re? of removing from the fatal pit, th e seven reinelit 11l tims, who were known to be still in the workin,ed the course of Friday the bodies of Isaac BUIL DS ' 0 0 1 Barfield, and George Barfield, jun., were found,.tiogill spectacle they presented was piteous and 0%60 1 the extreme. The father, actuated by the fee' the paternal afketion, strong even in the agnnie s u ° ; ,h es t ; had firmly clasped his son in his arms, In wm' c liffe tion they were found. They had worked ie icii ,tti stalls, and at the first alarm of the direful e%Pl°e6,,,,altlil poor :lad ran to his father, who, alas, could a ; ;bpi no succour ; and overcome by the, o l ds gebfeil sunk in death together. ,‘ If he ust die F s V o ily , wrapt in his !" The deplorable fate of th. l e attel whose pious life and blameless conduct had g al , „ore' of much respect, is one of the most melancholy le'f3rito; this dreadful calamity. The remains of Is lia , c ,, epi c ' were laced in a coffin, and laid between thu_T io 00 ( contained the bodies of his two sons —three deli', met cottage ! The coroner, accompanied by the jury , th at o h n aci Se 7Dt ; empannelled on the previous day, met aga ili . o a. l b I day, to view the bodies found up to that Per l o adt spectacle was quite revolting. Decompeeitltehearei. meuced its defacing ravages, whilst the wits, ore' tives, in the anguish of almost broken hearts, p hi ` tering lamentations. of ll On Saturday night, during the solitary boors of . j v distressing cries were occasionally hear d ' lA : 1, 1 / 1 11 fearfully, on the winds, the corpses of Isaac "."- e but i , f Gullock, and James Lane, were brought e„P I of efforts to find that of George Curtis failed, woffeitto, evening, when this, the last of the thirtr_ A fi /e j o s j o was brought to the top of the shaft, Pil l ' vie , r /' and conveyed to the church, in order to be on P .h i the coroner and jury, which duty took Pl ace tiedne to forpe ! t e oo day, and the inquest was then adjourned February next, The churchyard, prepared , I terment of the numerous dead, presented an e % t etiti somewhat resembling a ploughed field, 5° e W I ? lay the upturned sods; and on Saturday, tilisidiew thirteen victims of the destroying blast wer e to pe graves— one was borne to rest in his native_Awso ir bridge. The many-coffined grave yard vies s r e e O i l' We learn, from authorityonwhich we P' -- 04,44 liance, that within the last three months. P 6 'l l o'oo portant business arrangement, the collier,' 100( dreadful a lois of human life has just tak e n /1 ;0 1 j carefully inspected by an eminent surveis"„lilsv nounced by him to be properly and s afely l re ' --- O - _______-------- EDUCATION AND GAOL .n i s i' PLINE IN AMERICA. 1,0, The following observations were last w i e e ol l V by Mr. G. 11. Vernon, M.P , to the gran' loat (1 4 East Retford sessions:-- 4, Gentlemen of the e beo fl o —On the last occasion when it would hs is % blei/ province to have presided here, I wa s OW / I/1 doing so from my then being engaged in nuitheteli what extensive tour in America. I wa s I l tforr i ," ever, as an idler, but as one seeking all the ''" Y,,, could obtain during the shortness of irY s t f,, J, 0' "LK one subject which I think deserves our ser'oo7, as members of the English c ommuniti*. nn eri l Y resolves itself into two points; first, the i t a ;b ll ,., education is conducted; and secondly, them Ittg, t ,f d ° their gaols and penitentiaries are mana,gol•• g oo V, that, in a comparatively new country, e elu r i c- f OB cif common phrase) has gone so much sties' of country, and that particularly amongst th e no ~ where every man feels ashamed who ha s 1 - 5 040 and where every man who is educated feetherdors committing a crime. In our own country ` - ,,jie A i d judice against going ahead in education ; : a i l.ce r r mediate neighbourhood a foolish Pr e. .. 1 %44 amongst the middle classes against c ", h e „ 4 1 . ,, children educated where the children e' i n otr k t classes receive their education. - But in "kbilr cto 4 totally different. I had, during my `tal c a.eyt , 1 10 41 an opportunity of visiting one of the re - weval f i establishments in that city, and I found t i," f - oerj , ,J all classes, not only in that city, but tP; r erfj whole state of Pennsylvania, were; here elberi. were all taking an education in common , 13 ; 0 004 what were the circumstances or situations -pelt/ respective parents, or what churches or the 0 tended, but all seemed bent upon attainieto. d which they were sent, that of a soup t ; e ° education, to fit them for their respece 4 eii after life. I found many of these Yeut"-,11 'Ors acute, and put several questions to them' 0/ 400 were answered in a surprising manner ;" to ,g 0 quiry, after a lengthened exa minatioulr hir# young man was who had acquitto p oi r l ti best in the establishment, I was an st cilt I was the son of the lamplighter of t"; e er, respect to the management of th, e l ,! - 4 11 . 10 1 ,0 0 penitentiaries, I find that they have estanl o. ),, if of discipline and correction which is we' r ,C pe rer / mirably, and this is to be found in the ""1 .44 offenders under confinement. The prison ir if, capable of holding 700 prisoners ; and t 1 a le )111 ,4 4 the average number confined was about ,' o f ir these have dwindled down to abo ut - bicliW 0 350. T inquired, in the various states ri 5 01,,r whether the same system was adopted, .0 , fr variably told that it was, and that e l OIL results. Education, going hand in be nci n ot7/ discipline, must produce results which are a " oe desirable, but which must in time lead t o e ; 6 :i, / better state of society in general. Th e be ' benefit in America which cannot alweY s h k J ° tr, and that is, plenty of labour. Nov, .., g iv-er i gets out of gaol, and after having sef fel 'lti4l l , , ,, for his crime which the law awards, h e et" r grates to another state where his fortee r be croiP, and his crimes are unknown, and wher e , 0 5,1 his character by following a different e°13".,001 what he had previously done where his r ' I him out. P "--------------- (os l / LLOYD'S SHIP IPA, /t 4 FORTUNATE ESCAPES FROM 5t,,13P . ,A 0 ARKLOW AND BLACKWAT D ni Dtcror 4 r , During the last week two vessels had " r ies' 1 , 0 of being wrecked on the banks, when not A - f , ' 0 been saved to tell their fate. i s j The brig Lady Mary, of Dublin, Scott,M . , t is fie pool to Trinidad, with general cargo, 1/1 1 , tbe t iii) leaky, having got on the Arklow 1 301 ,,, 0 . OM rainy weather, so dangerous to naviga w 0! ) 0 ) 4 ( She struck violently, and was miraculnu,be leP l, being lifted with a tremendous surf over '' t o° e p loss of rudder ; had she drawn a few fr e , r„d would never have come off except in atoni,,o tit ' The brig James Reid, Alexander 11);tiore(00 from Liverpool to Marichabo, with genertudy 6 the Blackwater Bank at night, and was I, 0 0 hi her preservation without damage, althouS 0 , 01 sured. the writer, hope had almost vanisb'',,gt be e 4, . 11. fi This bank is most dangerous, as there 0 1- ii igbyt which carries vessels on it in dark w inter, ,6141 lights are seen, and therefore a light ll os tev" ( save many poor fellows and val u able she' 4, —Cork Examiner. --.... •-•'''-/- OW 0 ...- ,r 1.,,,,ct • AWFUL OCCURRENCE AT ol'A ,- .n v1 464 last the Rev. W. IT. George, rector of o %o ° o' tI l tered his pulpit with the intention of e'ors/idli, sermon on the death of one of his paris h Eck 0; ? livered the fallowing singular text, fra a ~q it 4 ,,,, / " Then shall the dust return to the ear 101 Vl spirit shall return unto God who gave ' t viVity comment upon it for about five mintne s ,: f ts,'' h er i' purpose dividing my subject into two Pi fell'i l itil upon uttering this sentence he reeled, a n i t tiOp ii I P the steps of the pulpit. Several persons too D O A / diately came to his assistance ; they ' - tloefar o cq adopted various remedies for his restors.reclpiAll effect; he never spoke afterwards, and ell. WO O l , An inquest was held on the body before , i ,efi t c,r4 i , Esq., Deputy-Coroner, on the 18th inst.,. l ' o o i , of turned a verdict of " Died by the visita!" l ° ,loT or e It 4, deceased, who was much respected, is u;', de? ' ,0 5 ? has left a disconsolate widow and family"" a l f 0 5 a s' dea loss.—Somerset County Herald. air ) "JO ti! SOUTH DEVON.--The incessant I. _,cel ° o ft"( few days have done considerable datoly e o ii i i e wheats in hilly situations by washi ll g, t oil 0 ° tl from the roots. The cxtraordina r i t bot4tr weather has baffled the chronicle of. o "bsiPoe /, corder of rare occurrences, the oldest .1 1 1, ~o s ti v is not a man in Devon who rac e " . r rrW).. 4 40 1 season so long continued.—Western -I; 0 ,1 0 : 0 4 25 , :k THE LEAGUE QUARTER OF A Na.o,l lt Ylis s The subscriptions received since our g i v e ' 1 0;0 ie total amount to 80,5361. This is exetto - doryt/ subscribed at the fund meeting at Old u " iv- or, a bse r _i, r was the aggregate amount of the 5 - ~,lip-'/ 0 room. The subscriptions at Coalbro001:300; 10 2,0671.; those at Preston, Lancashire, ' 1 ,1)0 OP 'lli ter Guardian. c +be P ( OS, POTATO DISEASE.—A meeting or i, $ 0 . 1 4 c o, Liscarrol was held in the parish chaPe l c ' ll pre s4 ,,OSiV 3 •, inst.; (at which the Rev. William Goldelloot;000,0/ purpose of ascertaining the probable at 00 t b e V to the potato crop in that locality; and w fir ape o f ivy stance of the information derived to the m r. e ss ; ~d , ,,,yi The accounts given of the gradual Pr . ,,, °5 B OW, were truly appaling, and, to judge fr°l';ibls pects are gloomy, desponding, and dep_if>.} i ld 1 / BIRTHS. est rile ° ' J O i; On the 2@th inst., in New-street, SPri n g'' CV it Todd, of a daughter. 1 . _ Av o ti e On the 19th inst., at Denmark-hill, the 0 ""'' , , Esq., of a daughter. y Pr e ' ci P% On the 21st inst., in Albion-road, Hollorilq,oroe• i d.r of Charles Claridge, Esq., of a daughter, s ° l ' o 11 ' On the 22d Inst., at Milner-square, D a n gto , , e, , a ,,, of a daughter. 1 0 r,: 11 0 ' 4l r, ii i MARRIED. stet , joe of . On the 21st inst., at St. James's, Westin,'" ^ „f 10 . el` t j Bologna, to Laura Eliza, second daught er '' 1 P I ON , , Esq., of Maize-hill, Greenwich-park. DO s ,, kf/ On the 22d inst., at Twin ham Rector>, I l t i o e yoj ey ,P ) ir/ Edward Vincent, Esq., of Stratford, Else o cCOTiiili f eft daughter of the late Hon. General St. Jo"' rice' do , ch, 0 , On the 22d inst., at St. James's Chur v i t tfle is ,,lt' Webb, of Monk Sherborne, Hants, to Miso " , St. James's. 1 0' , e 1 ladd i° ie' fl' On the sth inst., at Monkrigg p , i n E e li ar .l gton' ' e fio ~,0,.. Keith, Captain, Royal Navy, aged 46. , o n 0 ,,, i it . .,n, le of On the 20th ult., on board the Reweru;oio of that . 0 from Jamaica, James Barclay, Esti, CaP" ode r ~,,pr ,f f .i,e On the 15th inst., at Edinburgh, x.- - , o , .' ,7 . Sunny-side Lodge, nearLanark, aged 6 ,.,, 4 ' 0011 10.- 4 0 1 I On the 20th inst., at Coln Lodge, 1 "' rill' i ti f " ,l i Cockerill formerly of the 67th, aged 7_„ 1 •,_., 0 , AIO On the , 21st inst., at Basingstoke, Il e "' p , i ip/R o f D.D., aged 89. ~,,. ft, •of ....."' aco „, On the 21st inst., Martha, the wife ye .- o ftw . :' place, Well-street, Hackney. ~ " Arl ie 1. 0 On the 21st inst., at Ventnor, lb ' it. or' ° ' ./ terrace, Stoke Newington. _ ben ce „ la p On the 226 inch, in Hayil-street , YOn the 22d inst., at Brighton, Ewen 4 Middle Temple, barrister-at-Jar'. 1 lat'' Cal" 06110 . ' e illv lace, N.en 1 ei j 4. Pi On the 22d inst., at Newington - P ~ i 0 o f l f ?) Maitland, Esq. _, ,„ v iritherStg el ' On the 93d inst., John TYneu" . 1/s °' o l l , -f0 a 0 ,, Isit ritp-a t to ' o p London : Printed and Published by ..„ 0. 1 19, lit Strand, Printer, at The Sun. Offtc e, laddilo o* of the Baur, I; the Conniff O 361 1946. I et t.) 3 km Pi k ' ~i