The Sun. — London, England, 1861-08-05 00:00:00

THE ROYAL INSURANCE COMPANY. The annual general meeting of the shareholders of this company was held on the 2d inst., at the company's offices, in North John-street—Charles Turner, Esq., the Chairman of the company, pre siding. The actuary and manager of the company, Mr. Percy M.. Dove, first read the advertisement con vening the meeting, and subsequently the annual report, as follows : REPORT FOR THE YEAR 1860. " In submitting to the proprietors of the Royal Insurance Company a report of the business proceedings of the year 1860, the directors desire to avoid any lengthened introduc tion, and prefer at once to enter on the subject-matter of consideration, under separate heads of detail. 4t They commence, therefore, by a reference, in the first place, to the general progress of the company. ti This will be found to equal, if not to surpass, any ex pectation which could have been formed of it. " As the success of the company, even in its earliest years, received the marked attention, and elicited the surprised comments of writers best acquainted with the history of in surance companies, it will not be unadvisable to contrast the advances anuually made in the years of its then in • fancy with the increased magnitude of its income at the period of its present maturity. "The following brief statement, therefore, founded on a Comparison made between the revenue of the company in its various departments for the last year with the revenue of the first few years of its existence, will very pointedly exhibit the progress of your business, and is now presented as worthy of your deepest and most careful attention. "It is found that the fire premiums of the year 1860 equal the total fire premiums collected for the seven years from 1845 to 1851 inclusive; that the life premiums of the same year (1860) exceed the entire life premiums of the eight years to 1852, inclusive ; whilst the amount received for the purchase of annuities in that same year alone, is largely in excess of the total collection on that branch of business for the first ten years of the company's operations. "No comment is needed, or would in fact serve to add force to the exhibition in this paragraph of an amount of progress which, it is believed is unsurpassed, considering that it applies with almost equal force and significance to each of the three branches of the company's business. " But each requires more particular attention. FIRE BRANCH. "The Fire Branch has certainly shown no exhaustion during the year 1860 of that impetus which had previously brought it to a position of the first magnitude among the insurance companies of the United Kingdom. The fire premiums in 1859 had advanced the sum of £228,314 7s. 3d. In 1860, the amount of fire premiums has arrived at a sum of £262,977 19s. 11d., showing an increase of £34,663 12s. Bd., exceeding the large advance of the preceding year, so that in two years the fire revenue of the company has been enhanced by the enormous sum of £66,829 17s. sd. lc The Parliamentary report of returns of duty paid to Government for the year 1860 exhibits the augmentation of the business in a more prominent way, as it affords the means of comparison with other companies. The proprietors will be gratified to learn that the increase of duty paid by the Royal in the last year is more than double that of any other company, either London or provincial, whilst only one of those companies even approaches to 50 p er cent of thead vance of this company. Our inc rease actually equals 30 per cent. of the entire increase of the whole of the metro politan offices combined, whilst of the provincial offices it forms upwards of 30 per cent. of the total advance of the other 28 offices established out of London. " The report of August, 1860, expressed but little hope of a successful termination of the year now under investiga tion, from the anfavourable aspect which its expired portion then presented. It happens, however, that the large in crease of premium which has been received in the year has restored the position of the account, and the directors are enabled unexpectedly to announce a full average result in an amount of credit to Profit and Loss Account for the year of £41,067 16s. 3d. LIFE BRANCH. " The reports of the company for several years have had invariably to announce a constant periodical expansion of its life business, the new policies of each succeeding year showing an advance over the one that had immediately preceded it. A similar result is shown in the year 1860, the premiums on new policies, after deducting guarantees, being £15,0f9 17s. 10d., which is an increase on that item of £1,993 17s. sd. above the amount received for the year 1859. " But even this advance is small when compared with the sudden and remarkable momentum which has been given to this branch of the business in the present year (1861). " It was not until the commencement of the year that the public seemed to have become fully acquainted with the fact that the Royal Insurance Company had published late in the last year an account of the investigation into the assets and liabilities of the life department, under a novel form, and in as plain and intelligible a manner as the abstruseness of the subject admitted, together with the entire statements and valuations necessary for that purpose. "It is conjectured from the extensive notices of this pamphlet and its accompanying diagrams, which have ap peared in the periodicals of the day, that it has largely attracted the attention of vast numbers of persons in all parts of the United Kingdom, as well as in other parts of the world. Indeed a most satisfactory and conclusive that such is the case is afforded by the fact that the sum assured on new policies in the six months to the 3d of June in the pre sent year is actually 50 per cent. in excess of the sum as sured in the corresponding months of the year 1860, although the latter amount in itself exceeded the sum assured in any like previous period of time. " If this success be continued, the Royal Insurance Com pany would, with respect to the amount of its new business, be at once placed (at least with one or two exceptions) at the head of all the insurance companies doing business in this country, and the anticipations of the last report, to the effect that the details of the life business then to be pub lished would form an epoch of the establishment, will have a speedy and very happy realisation. ANNUITY BRANCH. " The accession of business in this department has been already adverted to. " From the increased applications to the office on this subject, it would appear that persons contemplating the purchase of annuities are now more than ever sensible of the necessity of sinking their money in companies of un doubted resources, and where facilities will be honourably and willingly afforded for the periodical payments to be made to them wherever the annuitant may be residing. GREAT FIRE IN LONDON. "Although the event does not fall into the period em braced in the present review of the company's affairs, it would be obviously impossible to avoid an advertence to the late conflagration in London, which, from its calamitous extent, has not been equalled in this country during the last two centuries. "The loss to be sustained by this office will bo about £70,t00, or perhaps £75,000. Considering, however, that the company effects the largest business in London of any provincial office, and now closely approaches some of the largest London offices in its issue of fire policies, it is con cluded that the above amount, undoubtedly large in itself, is nevertheless fortunately below the average of loss sus tained by the offices generally. It will not be inappropriate here to state that within three days of the announcement of the fire to this office measures were taken that the London branch should be in possession of ample funds to meet every loss, in order that no inconvenience should be sus tained by the claimants, and that before the expiration of a week from the date of the fire immediate payment was ordered to such of these as were enabled to give a statement of their respective claims. "It may safely be affirmed that no company has had placed before it so repeatedly the possibility of such fires as the recent one, and the directors cannot refrain from repro ducing the following passage from their report read to the proprietors in August, 1858. It is there stated— " That the character of some recent fires, and the cir cumstances attending them, have revealed more clearly than was perceived before, the significant fact that exten sive conflagrations, far beyond the ratio of ordinary occur rences of the sort, are within the bounds of possibility. These thmgs indicate strongly the necessity of prudence in dealin g with the surpluses of income which accrue. On the other h an d, it ma y h o p e d th a t th e so under judgment which exists on the subjecr of insurances may lead to the a4°P c I °lx of a more protective rate of premium on many h a s tha n h as has hithertohitherto been obtained. The illusion which prevailed of late years on the subject of the imagined magnitude and of the smallr'f the profits of a fire insurance busi ness, suc tess of the resources trans actions involving with which on, has been for a time large contingencies could be carried have, by the adverse experience of the offices which one after another, been discon tinued within the last few y ears Y '‘ Tho Great Fire which has now taken pl ac e es tabli s h es .the propriety of these remarks, rks new fire insurance company hereafter to be established will meet even with partial encouragement if it have not of s ubscribed but paid-up capital, whilst no ull sufficiency, not prudent capi talist will embark in such a new enterprise, yet ignore collected, th e possibility that, until an ample reservesfund is which requires several years might to accomplish, investment, and it may be a large portion of his subscription,gs n oi t at any moment be required to meeteet some unexpe c t e d], oe equal, or even greater, mag nitude than the recent onee an "At the same time it must be acknowleged. that when such n reserve, fully equal to any probable coFtingency sr any possible succession of them, is really obtained, and that the rates of premium established are j u diciously remunerative, being neither excessive nor insufficient, both being equally reprehensible, no company establish ed for any purp?se whatever in this country has greater element of stability within itself than a well•governed insurance office. " It is satisfactory to the directors to announce in con nexion with this subject, and it may perhaps be deemed a happy illustration of the truth of that opinion ju,t expressed, that the amount to the credit of the reserve and profit and loss accounts of this company would be sufficient to pay the loss sustained by this hitherto unexampled calamity, were it thrice the amount it proves to be. "The reserve fund therefore being collected and retained i for the precise purpose of meeting such exceptional occur rences, and for re-assurance of outstanding risks, is the source whence it is proposed the London claim should be paid. DIVIDEND AND BONUS. "The state of the accounts for the year and the condition cif the company generally having occupied the attention of the directors, they have arrived at the determination to re commend a dividend of 3s. per share, and a bonus of 4s. per share, together 7s. per share, free of income tax. "CHARLES TURNER, Chairman. "July 27, 1861." _ . The CHAIRMAN said—Gentlemen, the business of the company, for the year 1860, as detailed in the report which you have just heard read, does not, I think, call for any especial remark, beyond that of congratulation on its continued rapid progress in all ' lB branches. (Hear.) The amount at the credit of _ n Profit and loss on the 31st of December, 1860, 4 na anted to £^l 000 from which, •T i , , 1 you approve t.),,f:l,l!,cali i .vidend of 35., and the bonus of 4s. t orntn 7,,, e ,. making together is. per share, re deductut'll ( 1 by the, directors, you must o f i'37 ,oo Le o a . runt of £34,000, leaving a balance wid, coositl t erit h s e carried on t o this year's account; the year 18g0, , g , that there was, at the end of advisingarrieunt at the credit of the re serve fund of £166,x00, the dire c t ors . have no hesi tation Nihatever i n 416nd recommended in th _„, you to make the divi- I.:sir report, inasmuch as the reserve hind profit anrl_ loss of the, still amount, after the di v i de , together will £203,091. occurrence recommenda (frear•)` They make has been paid to tion, notwithstanding the f th ‘ e teat fire, which is alluded to in the.r e : p c :,. ° , which does not come into the ealculati onoi l l e o st an n unexarnplec: in Tit; except as a matter of prfcautionan- , looking for ward to the future. That tire wag maLmitude, and in the extent of tho loss which it inflicted ou the insurance co mpanies. I believethat no occurrence of eimilar magnitude, or inflicting a similar amount of loss, had happened for nearly 200 years. (Hear, hear,) But the event, lamentable as it is, demonstrates very clearly the necessity of an ample reserve fund in carrying on the business of an insurance company, and amply justifies those warnings, alluded to in this report, which have been given by the board from time to time in the reports of previous years. (Hear, hear.) I have already alluded to the uncertain nature of an insu rance business, when we look only at a single year, or at one or two years together ; and although I quite agree with the remark made in the report, that, looking at a large number of years, no busi ness proves safer, I also feel that,- looking at a few years only, a reserve fund is absolutely necessary to give permanence and stability to the dividend, the very nature of the business being such, that the losses of one year may sweep away the profits of a great many years preceding. (Hear, hear.) The position, gentlemen, obtained by the Royal Insurance Company, and the promptitude with which it provided funds for the payment of its late losses, as alluded to in the report, has n ot only added to its reputation, but has already given an impetus to its progress, and its business has considerably increased, especially in London. (Hear, hear.) You will have seen, gentlemen, in the newspapers, reports of meetings held by the insurance offices from time to time, for the pur pose of considering the position in •whofichthothlaetye were placed, by an event of the nat ur e dnieseastetdrowuisthfirelerOcannrilekiansgsuinratno etehse,iralblustihneesosfficoones found that the premiums received , engaged in that business, in the t p a o k r i t n o g f t L ho on a d v o e n r. , aver age of the last 10 or 12 years, vvereno to t a th d o equateto the risks incurred ; and they came conclu sion, which I think was a very natural one, that the premiums should be brouhgehatr.)moTrehouypodnid no a par t with those risks. ( Hea r, attempt—as some of the Le .rates nmerchants seem to have supposed—to raise the of premium, for the purpose of creating a fund for the payment of past losses. (Hear.) That did not enter into their calculation, nor do I think it ought. (Hear, hear.) But they were certainly justified in looking to the future, and in taking care, that as far as possible, the premiums charged, in that particular department of their business, should be adequate to the risks which the offices were called on to incur. (Hear, hear.) Now, gentlemen, without reference to the great fire at all, the premiums previously received were found not to have been sufficient to cover the risk, and to pay the past losses, and if they were not sufficient, when that fire was ex cluded from consideration, the insufficiency was, of course, considerably greater when it was taken into account. (Hear, hear.) The rates, therefore, have been readjusted, with the view, if possible, of in ducing parties who have produce in the port of London to classify that produce, and those who have warehouses to build those warehouses with better provision for the security of the produce placed in them. (Hear, hear.) That is the basis on which the increased premiums were calculated. (Hear, hear.) The representatives of the insurance offices subsequently held a meeting, and came to the conclusion that those premiums might be modi fied. (Hear, hear.) They have modified them to some extent, and I believe our excellent manager, Mr. Dove, is of opinion that the modified rates will be found sufficient. (Hear, hear.) I need scarcely say, either of him or of the board, that we have no wish to charge exaggerated premiums. (Hear, hear.) Such has never been our policy ; but we do think, as I have already said, that the amount paid by the merchants should be adjusted to the risks incarred. (Hear, hear.) Gentlemen, it is a happy thing perhaps that a good many of the weak offices in this country had withdrawn from business before the occurrence of the late fire. If not, one or two things must have occurred ; either those weak offices would not have been enabled to pay their proportion of the loss, and so the insured would have suffered ; or, if the proprietors had been able to meet their liabilities, large calls must have been made upon them, and great misery must, in all pro bability, have been endured. (Hear, hear.) As it is, I believe nothing of the kind has occurred, or is likely to occur. (Hear.) You have heard some thing, no doubt, of a contemplated new office; and a good deal was said lately, at a meeting of the mer chants of London, about the exorbitant rates of premium demanded by the insurance offices, and about the great success which some offices have achieved. That there have been such successes is no doubt true ; but there was one thing which these gentlemen kept carefully out of sight—l allude to the number of offices which, within the last 20 years, have given up business—some of them abso lutely ruined, others because they found themselves on the high road to ruin. Now, in looking at what has been accomplished by successful offices, the fact ought never to be lost sight of that there have been other offices which have been utterly unsuccessful ; and the only proper mode of coming to a correct conclusion is to take them all into ac count, and look at the average result. (Hear, hear.) Upon this point I have some very important and remarkable statistics, which I should like briefly to bring before you. One of the larger London offices, the Sun, publishes annually a list of offices discon tinuing business. (Hear, hear.) The last issue of that company announces the total number of these, during a lengthened period not precisely specified, as 95 ; while the number of existing companies is 52. But, gentlemen, taking a certain definite period, which perhaps will be the most satisfactory course, I find from other sources that, within the last 17 years, 48 new offices have been established, of which only 12 now continue in existence, showing that the fire insurance business has, not been successful with all offices, at all events. (Hear, hear.) This, gentlemen, refers to fire offices only; but if the life offices are included the fate of the larger number of these offices must be considered most extraordinary. I am quite sure you are not pre pared for the statistics which I am about to read to you. During the 17 years to which I have referred, 580 new insurance companies have been projected, of which 233 have ceased to exist, having altogether gone out of being ; 11 have amalgamated with other companies; 134 have sus pended their business ; and 42 are winding up in Chancery. (Hear.) I have thought it right to bring this matter before you, because a great deal of op probrium has been thrown upon companies for hav ing raised their premiums as though they were en deavouring to extort a large amount of money from the public to which they are not entitled. I think the facts which I have given you are sufficient to show that that imputation has no reasonable founda tion. (Hear.) I do not know that I have any further remarks to make, but I shall be happy to answer any questions which any proprietor may wish to put, and I now beg leave to move " That the report now read be received and adopted, and printed for circulation amongst the proprietors." Mr. SAMUEL iiOLME—Mr. Chairman and gentle men,—l should consider myself guilty of great presumption, in a large meeting like this, in rising to second the resolution which has been put from the chair, had it not been for the circumstance that first I had been requested by several gentle men to do so, and next that I had been connected with this institution from its very commencement. Sir, I do not look upon the seconding of the resolu tion as the mere formal matter which it is some times held to be ; because I admit the responsibility of it, and I say that every person who sanctions a rtpiibnoerat indorses it, and sends it forth to the world With his imprimatur; and the public have a right assured that the report we send forth so sanc tioned auopt and adopted , .. is one which is a symbol of the and tm e o a pinions of the meeting who do so this Now, sir, from the com mencementhave ever had a or e Life Assurance Association we deed, unless fully sort of objection to receiving divi sured that such dividend has Because a I hold that our first duty been warranted. —without reference to ( 13 s e h eli l n l iary consideration wy shall be seen of our own—is this— that n to the assured, and that next itashafillsbtegivle security placed upon le so to such a basis as that there do assurancebel believe, the assurers, together with a fair and reason y ab a hin considerable fit for the risk which the assurers re_ufnat. sir, from an intimate knowledge company, and from an acquaintance acquaintance, though I am not a director, w ith its details, that the Royal Assurance does offer this i n faith and in sincerity, and that n o dividend h as ever yet been paid by this society which has not been fully warranted by the state of its accounts. (Hear.) Sir, reputation in public companies is just as necessary to eventual success as the reputation of an individual ; and unlimited confidence must be placed by the pub lic in an association of gentlemen, who not only give a - guarantee for the security of the property, but likewise give a guarantee that this security shall be perpetual, as far as human security can be made, for life assurance in some cases may not be payable for forty years, or in some fifty years to come ; and hence the necessity that it should be placed upon a foundation which is undeniable and secure. Now, sir, my confidence in the Royal is unabated; prin cipally on account of knowing the state of its affairs, and more so from the open, plain, and straightfor ward statements which are continually put forth. And I may just say here that I rejoiced when Mr. Dove sent forth that pamphlet to the world, clear and logical as it was, appealing to facts and not to assertions, throwing clown the gauntlet, as it were, to the , world, challenging opinion and criticism—if criticism were possible—and challenging contradic tion to the facts—if contradiction were possible— which were there put forth. Sir, we have just had to contend with a calamity, unprecedented, I be lieve, since the great fire in London in 1666 ; and it has swept away a large sum—the report states £70,000 or £75,000. It may be the latter, and this shows us the wisdom a n d the security of having a reserve farad—(hear, hear)—not a reserve fund which has been created by calling upon us for addi tional subscriptions, not a reserve fund which is taken out of subscribed capital, but a reserve fund amounting now to £166,000, which has been fairly and honourably created out of the profits of the concern, out of the premiums paid by the company. Therefore, sir, I assert that is a large foundation, and one upon which we may congratulate ourselves. With these few remarks I beg most cordially to second the resolution. (Applause.) The resolution for the adoption of the report was then put and carried unanimously. The CHAIRMAN next moved—" That this meet ing approves of the declaration by the directors of e.dividend of 3s. per share, and a bonus of 4s. per share, out of the profits of the company to the 31st December, 1860, the same to be payable on or after the 12th day of August inst., free of income tax." Mr. C. MOZLEY, in seconding the motion, said — The resolution is one which usually elicits the kindly and sympathetic feeling of a meeting of shareholders, and which is invariably received with consideration and with regard. (Hear.) But in seconding a reso lution of this kind, under somewhat peculiar cir cumstances, I feel that it may be needful that I should preface it by .a few remarks. They shall be but few; but, inasmuch as some objections may pos sibly be taken to the amount of dividend proposed, I think it due to myself to say that I am the last man to come forward in this meeting, or in any other,and to recommend a dividend to be paid which I did not think the finances of the company would justify. (Hear.) True it is, Sir, that a very severe loss has been suffered by this company, in common with many others, owing to the recent calamity in London; but the able remarks which have been made by the chairman, and followed up by Mr. Alderman Holme, must have convinced the shareholders that while security is given to the assured, it is not ne cessary that we should deprive those who have been the assurers, by means of their property invested in this company, of that natural return which they have a right to look for from their investment. (Hear.) A remark may naturally be made that the business of the company, however great and pros perous, shows only an amount to the credit of profit and loss of £71,000, while the loss by the recent fire was £75,000. I have heard it mooted out of doors that it is considered trenching too far to as sign a dividend to the shareholders when the profit of the company has been already absorbed. But what I contend for is that, by the results of our business up to the present period, and by the judi cious arrangement of our funds, we have made a re serve of £166,000 up to Christmas last, and that even when the dividend and bonus which you are now asked to give have been paid, you will still be add ing to that reserve fund a sum of £37,000, making its total amount £203,000. Now, unless we are to believe that calamities of this kind are to be con tinuous, I think that reserve is ample, not only , to meet the contingency which has just occurred, but to enable the directors to give a dividend to the shareholders which will yield them the interest for which they are entitled to look upon the capital they have embarked. (Hear, hear.) On these grounds I approve of the dividend proposed by the directors. (Hear, hear.) The reserve fund you look to, not only to give security to the assured, which is a more important consideration than any other, but you look to it also to equalise the divi dend which you give to the shareholders, so long as the resources of the company, the state of the reserve, and the pro g ress of your business shall be sufficient and ample to justify it. (Hear, hear.) The resolution, after a short discussion, was un animously carried. Mr. JOHNSTON then moved the following resolu tion :—" It being stated that the following directors retire by rotation at this meeting, but were eligible for re-election, namely :—Michael Belcher, Esq., Thomas Bouch, Esq., G. H. Horsfall, Esq,, R. L. Jones, Esq., E. T. Kearsley, Esq., William Smith, Esq., and Charles Turner, Esq. ; resolved, that the retiring directors be re-elected directors of this company." Mr. Johnston remarked that all the retiring directors were well known to the share holders, who were equally aware of the efficient manner in which they and the other directors had conducted the company's business. Mr. LANCASTER (of London) seconded the reso lution. The CHAIRMAN, in putting the resolution, hoped that Mr. Titherington would not next year move, and that Mr. Younghusband would not second, any addition to the dividend. He did not think it would be wise to declare any additional dividend until the reserve fund (after calculating for the £75,000 loss) amounted to something like £200,000. They should certainly not look forward to an increased dividend for next year, and probably not for the year after. The resolution was then put and carried. The CHAIRMAN, in moving the re-election of the auditors, said—lt is not for me, as chairman, to say anything about the auditors, who are put there to see that the accounts are kept correctly, and that the finances are properly applied, but as far as the opinion of the board is concerned, the auditors fully do their duty to the proprietors. (Hear, hear.) The following is the resolution :—" That Wm. Tither ington, Esq., and John Dickinson, Esq., be re-elected auditors for the ensuing year." Mr. CORBALLY seconded the resolution, which was unanimously adopted, Mr. CARTER inquired what was the amount of the reserve fund ? The CHAIRMAN—It was £166,000 on the 31st of December last ; and the £37,000 which will remain at the credit of profit and loss, after payment of the dividend, will raise it to £203,000. Against that must be set the loss of the £75,000, and the other losses ofthe year. These losses are primarily charge able upon the profits of the present year ; but the loss of the £75,000 is an exceptional and extraor dinary occurrence, and the business of this year will, in all human probability, show a certain amount of loss. Mr. CARTER—Does the amount received for pre miums, as stated in the roport, represent a net amount, after providing for re-assurances ? The CHAIRMAN certainly. _ _ _ Mr. TITHERINGTON—In acknowledging your kind confidence in re-electing my colleague and my self, I assure you that to the best of our ability we have discharged our duties faithfully in the audit ing of these accounts. Our position is somewhat like that of detectives ; at all events we are here to see that everything is right. (Hear, hear, and laughter.) We have, in reply to the summons of your manager, which I think it is but right in justice to him should be read, had access to every document connected with the company. Mr. Titherin4ton here read the letter; — "Royal Insurance• office, Royal Insurance-buildings, North John-street, Dale-street, Liverpool, June 25, 1861. " Dear Sir,—Will you oblige Me by your attendance to audit the accounts of the company for the second half of the past year, at:your earliest convenience? " Referring to our letters on former occasions asking for the strictest scrutiny iato the accounts and examination of the securities held by the company for loans and invest ments and cash vouchers, 1 shall be much gratified by your examination of these documents on this occasion, and, in deed, on the occasion of every future audit likewise. " I trust you will be enabled to name an early day for the commencement of this work.—l am, dear Sir, yours truly, (Signed) "PERCY M. DOVE, Manager. " Wm. Titherington, Esq." I should wish it to go forth (he said) that we have access here—ready access, willing access—given to us to every document connected with the company, and we have passed again under examination every Toucher, every deed, and every certificate (and it is matter, I assure you, of no light moment togo through them all in the case of a property represent ing something like £850,000), and I have great pleasure in testifying to you and the proprie tors present that we found everything in the most perfect order, and perfectly correct. (Applause.) I only regret, gentlemen, that I had to take excep tion ; but it was merely out of good feeling, and knowing that the company could afford a little more money. The CHAlRMAN—Gentlemen, I should like to say one word. I can assure you that the directors feel very sensibly the able and efficient manner in which Mr. Dove has discharged his duties, under very trying circumstances, during the past year, and particularly at the period of the late fire, when his opinion and his judgment were looked up to very much by the associated companies. Allow me to move that the th an ks of the proprietors be given to ef theth e manager,company, deputy but particularly manager, t and eMr. Dore, other fe officers for the able and excellent manner in which they have managed the company's affairs. (Applause.) which N l I l r r . was 1 tucNyG carried H r o u o s T n e E a n rr a e D i m s e e u c s o l n y d . ed the resolution, Mr. Chairman, and t.coteosataThicineodhgn—epfir I rres meppm a er m ai it obligedremarks se forwhitchht e o ch y oa o mv u e_ , 1 l falleni in e n f t r paid em t the e o as s chairman respects o the nly company servelnaree Iyaerits.muatnurdreefecriaormlei career rh th o e tt its loss of £75,000 .Pe May, in a ways, be useful in securing m increasedma prosperity. (Hear.) Let the true principles and uses of a reserved fund and the necessity of its being fully anip!e once be fixed, as it will be after the day's proceedings, on the minds of the proprietDrs,and I am satisfied the company will continue to be one of n l y t r o y n . e '3 I f the m m o o s s t t , have no doubt, I say, t in future years, and fi s r u m e e l y e s e s s cu t a i b c l i o s m h epda, hat n a i s e s i t i n i s t c h e e r t e a o i u n through a lengthened period fir beyond what any of us shall live to see, it will be second to none in its permanent hold OH the confidence of the com munity. (Hear.) Without entering on the pro cesses by which it is calculated the end may be at. tained, - I may venture to state that long and re peated reflection on the position of the company since the great fire has brought conviction to my mind that the prospects of the future were never so bright for us as they are now. The fire branch, as you have heard, has arrived at a magnitude which THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, AUGUST 5, 1861. no one anticipated or dreamed of ten years since. The life business has recently made a rapid sprin g far in advance even of its former success. The late enormous loss to the offices forms an additional page in the lesson which teaches us that the element of danger from fire has been greatly enhanced in the last few years. I only pause to name two causes— the general use of lucifer matches and the increased instances of spontaneous combustitn. This event, I say, will inculcate caution and prudence in every representative of an insurance company at all capable of acquiring wisdom by experience. Much has been said of new insurance companies. One or two may certainly arise from time to time, destined, however, I fear, if we may judge from the crude and delusive statements which were received as truths at some recent meetings in London, to add to the beacons of warning with which the last few years have been prolific. But indeed any company, old or new, seeking to obtain unfair advantages over their con stituents by excessive rates, on the one hand, or temporary popularity by insufficient rates, on the other, will meet a like fate—utter disappointment and failure. The directors of the Royal will, lam satisfied, continue to act on right principles and with sound judgment ; and I hope that measures in contemplation, yet in embryo, will make this com pany known and esteemed wherever the knowledge of British commercial enterprise shall extend. (Hear, and applause.) Mr. TITHERINGTON was satisfied that no single mind could grasp the whole of the company's vast operations without suffering from the strain caused by such heavy resonsibility, and he hoped, there fore, that Mr. Dove would confine himself as much as possible to the higher portions of the business, and surround himself • with master minds in the various departments. Otherwise he felt sure Mr. Dove's mind must yield to the enormous pressure. Mr. Titherington hoped that the meeting would give an expression of their opinion that the Board would never stint Mr. Dove that assistance in the heads of departments which the increased and in creasing business of the company might require. The business was really enormous, and by and by would astonish the proprietors. Mr. HALL had great pleasure in proposing the following resolution :—" That the thanks of this meeting be presented to the Chairman, Deputy- Chairman, and Directors of the Company ; to the Directors and Secretary of the London Branch, and also to the members of the Managing Com mittee, and the Company's Agent at New York, for their valuable services during the past year." Mr. DOWDALL seconded the resolution, which was adopted unanimously. The CHAIRMAN, on behalf of himself and his colleagues, returned their sincere thanks, and as sured the proprietors that they were at all times most desirous of doing their duty to the company, their energies and minds being constantly devoted to this object. He trusted that their endeavours, with the able assistance of the manager and the other officers, would be as successful in the present as they had been in previous years. (Applause.) The proceedings then closed. ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE. WESTERN CIRCUIT.- 7 -Boamix, AUG 3. Charity Hoskin was indicted for the wilful murder of Annie Hoskin, at Truro, on the sth of June. Mr. Stock prosecuted ; and Mr. Holdsworth, at the request of the judge, watched the case for the prisoner. From the statement of the counsel it appeared that the prisoner was a person in very humble life and had passed most of her days in extreme poverty. A few years ago she married a person named Hos kin, by whom she had three children, two of whom were dead, and the other lived chiefly with the pri soner's mother. Some four or five years since her husband deserted her, and since that time she had been in the very depths of poverty, generally living in different workhouses. In the month of April she went into the workhouse at Truro, being at the time large in the familyway. On the 10th of May she was delivered of a female child. She remained in the workhouse until Tuesday, the 4th of June, when, by her own desire, she quitted it, taking her child with her. About a quarter before twelve o'clock on that night she was seen by a woman named Williams in a street in Truro. She then had a child with her. About 4 o'clock in the morning a policeman saw her, but then she had no child with her. About 5 o'clock that morning a barge man, going down the river with his barge, dis covered the body of a child in the river. He took it up, and found a piece of tape tied to the arm of the child and a piece of culm tied to the other end of the tape, as if to sink the body. The bargeman then carried the body to the police-station, and it was identified as the body of the prisoner's child. A surgeon was called in, who examined the body, and he stated that the death of the child was caused by drowning. When the policeman saw the prisoner at o'clock in the morning, he asked her what she was doing at that early hour. She said she was wait ing to see Bennett the butcher, to send a message to her m other. The policeman then walked on. About 7 that morning the prisoner was appre hended in the Truro market-house. She was asked where her child was. She said she did not know, but afterwards said " I gave it to George Willes yesterday afternoon to put it out to nurse." Willes was then apprehended, and asked what he hed done with the child. He said he knew nothing about it. He afterwards said to the prisoner " I never saw you yesterday afternoon. I never saw you till 10 o'clock last night at the Barley Sheaf." She made no answer. They were then put in separate cells. About 8 that morning two policemen went to her cell to search her pockets. She handed over a purse containing some pence. She was much excited. She said "My God,l will knock my brains out before to-morrow against the wall; hand my clothes over to my mother. I shan't be alive in the morn. ing. I wish I had left the child in the road and thrown myself in the water instead." A policeman remained in the cell with her and she repeatedly threatened to destroy herself. She asked if there were any marks or bruises on the child's face. The policeman told her he did not know, but it was bleeding at the mouth. She said " Oh, I never slap't it, or bruised it, or broke anything." She then asked it there was anything broken. The policeman replied that he did not think the , e was. She said George Willes ought to have given her some money. She had done it all for want. She said " I am so miserable, if I had a knife I would cut my throat. You shall not have to go to Bodmin against me. I don't care where Igo to, I will soon follow it." In the course of the day she asked if they ever hanged women. The policeman said " Yes, but in such a case as this they might not, as it was a young child. It appeared that the prisoner had been living with George Willes for some months. When the prisoner was before the magistrates she said " I have done it through poverty." Mr. Houldsworth addressed the jury on behalf of the prisoner. Their sympathy would be for this poor woman. There was every probability that some other person had committed this act, be cause the prisoner had a home in the workhorse. There could be no doubt Willes was the father of the child, therefore she was anxious to put the child to Willes ' in order that she might provide a livelihood for herself. He urged that the prisoner should have been cautioned before the policeman questioned her. She had stated that she had given the child to Willes, and when he denied it and she found his story believed instead of hers she had be come in such an excited state of mind that she did not know what she said when she made statements which they had heard detailed by the policeman. The act was more that of man tl an a woman ; it was more the interest of Willes to get rid of the child, because he would have to provide for it. What object had she of getting rid of the child ? He sub mitted that there was not that conclusive evidence which would 'justify the jury in convicting the pri soner. Mr. Baron Channel], in summing up, told the jury that they were to discharge their duty according to their oath upon a calm review of the evidence. The jury retired for a long time, and then brought in a verdict of Guilty, but strongly recommended the prisoner to mercy, on the ground of her extreme poverty. Mr. Baron Channell then, in the most feeling manner, passed sentence of death upon the prisoner, but said he would take care that the recommenda tion of the jury should be forwarded to the proper quarter. Richard Perry Wm. Arthur and Richard Cory wereindicted for killing and slaying Samuel Mit chell at Medrose. The jury at first returned a verdict of Not Guilty, but the judge asked the jury if they thought the death had arisen from natural causes, and not from the fight. Thy jury said, " Oh no, it was from the fight." The Judge th en exp l a i ned t h e l aw o f th e case t o the jury, and after some time they returned a verdict of Guilty. Th e pr i soners were sen t ence d t o one week'simprisonment. CIVIL SIDE. (Before Mr. Justice Lyles and a Common Jury.) TRETIIEWAY V. GREGG. Mr. M. Smith, Q.C.. and Mr. Kingdon were counsel for the plaitiff ; Mr. H. T. Cole appeared for the defendant. The plaintiff in this case was a miner, and the defendant was a gentleman carrying on business in Lombard"stret:t, and the act i on was brought for work done t o a mine called the East Fowey Mine, in Cornwall, o f which the defendant was one of the adventurers. Evidence having been given to prove that the defendant was an adventurer in the mine and that the work was done, The jury found for the plaintiff for £5l 9s. KNIGHT V. HORSWALL. Mr. M. Smith, Q.C., and Mr. H. T. Cole were counsel for the plaintiff; Mr. Collier, Q.C., and Mr. Kingdon for the'defendant. This was an action for breach of promise of mar riage. It was stated that the parties had agreed upon a verdict, and the defendant was desirous of stating that there was not the slightest imputation upon the character of the lady, and that he had not been induced to break off the match from any miscon duct on her part. A verdict was then taken by consent for the plaintiff, £lOO damages. TILE GREAT ROBBERIES OF SUGAR. FINAL EXAMINATION AND COMMITTAL OF THE PRISONERS. On Saturday Frederick Henry Drake, aged 29, late clerk and cashier in the service of Messrs. Bryant and Hodge, sugar refiners of Fieldgate street, Whitechapel, and Henry Cooper, a grocer, of No. 18, Aldgate, at the corner of Jewry-street, were brought before Mr. Woolrych, at the Thames Police-court, for the fifth time, to answer numerous charges of larceny, fraud and forgery, by which they had obtained hogsheads of raw sugar, refined sugar, and treacle, va l ue d at upwards of £2,000, the property of Messrs. Bryant and Hodge. Mr. Sleigh, barrister, instructed by Messrs. Langford and Marsden, solicitors, conducted the prosecution ; Mr. Charles Young, solicitor, de fended Drake, and Mr. Ribton, instructed by Mr. Buchanan, solicitor, appeared for the receiver Cooper. On the prisoners being placed in the dock there was a tremendous rush of persons at all the doors of the court, which was immediately crowded, and continued so until the close of the proceedings. For the better understanding of the evidence given on Saturday a short summary of the testi mony given at the former examinations is necessary. Drake, whose connexions are of the highest respec tability, and who has received a first-rate education, had been in the service of the prosecutor for three years. Great confidence was reposed in him by his employers, and he lived on their premises. He was dismissed on the 29th of June last, and imme diately afterwards proceeded to Ramsgate, where he lived with his wife in the fast style to which he was accustomed for a few days, until he was ap prehended by Dunaway, a detective officer, 129 H. The manner in which the prisoners carried on their nefarious system of plundk was very peculiar. Forged orders for the delivery of goods purporting to be signed by several wholesale grocers, customers of Bryant and Hodge, were given to carmen ofrespec tability, presented at the prosecutors' sugar-house, and the goods named on the orders, consisting of hogsheads and (tierces of raw sugar, puncheons of treacle, and refined sugar in large quantities, were obtained. Cooper was the principal receiver of the stolen property. After the apprehension of Drake, Mr. Hodge waited upon Cooper and found on his premises in Aldgate four hogsheads of sugar which had been stolen from prosecutors' premises and de livered to a carman on the production of a "manu factured order." Three other hogsheads of sugar consigned to Cooper, and obtained in a similar man ner, were found in Smith's warehouse, in the City. They had been deposited there in the name of Francis. Cooper, on being questioned by Mr. Hodge, said that Drake represented to him that he had the privilege of dealing in sugar with his employers' customers, and obtained a commission of ls. or Gil. per cwt. on all sales he effected. On the following day, and before Cooper was given into the custody of Dunaway, the detective, he gave Mr. Hodge a written statement, purporting to be an account of all his transactions with Drake. The prisoners had been frequently in the practice of meeting at the Prince of Orange public-house in Fieldgate-street, and at other times employed a boy named Sutcliff, in the employ of Bryant and Hodge, to convey mes sages and money from one to the other. Drake managed to obtain a "duplicate order" for the de livery of one puncheon of treacle from Mr. Pepper, a gentleman in the employ of Travers and Son, wholesale grocers and tea dealers in the City. This order was altered and mutilated, the 1 transformed into a 6, and the words "duplicate order" torn off. With this order a carman employed by Drake managed to obtain 6 puncheons of treacle from the prosecutors, and the prisoner sold them to a grocer in the Whitechapel-road for £5O, which was alleged to be £lO below the real value. Mr. Bowdler having read the voluminous evidence given on former examinations, and of which the above is a summary, Mr. Sleigh called the following additional wit nesses. John Carey, a carman in the employ of Statham and Co., carriers, said that he had been to the pro secutor's sugar refinery with orders for hogsheads of sugar, which Drake gave to Messrs. Statham's clerk. Caroline Elizabeth Mears, landlady of the Prince of Orange public-house in Fieldgate-street, said she had frequently seen the prisoners in her house. They were in the practice of meeting once a-week, and sometimes oftener. When Cooper visited her house he used to ask her to send to the prosecutors' sugar-house for Drake. In cross-examination by Mr. Ribton, the witness said that when Coop er ca ll e d h e said that he wanted to see Drake to negotiate for the purchase of a pub lic-house. Cooper also told her there was an action about it. Mr. Peter Parton said he was a carrier, in part nership with Mr. Statham, of Gould-square, Crutched-friars. On Saturday, June 22, he sent Carey, one of his men, to Bryant and Hodge's sugar-house with a van to fetch four hogsheads of sugar. The delivery order for those hogsheads was given to him by Drake. Carey obtained one hogs head of sugar only, which he delivered to Cooper at his shop in Aldgate. On the following Mondayand Tuesday ho sent Carey to the prosecutors' sugar house for the three other hogsheads, but he could not obtain them. On the Tuesday afternoon he came to his office. He said to him " I have had another lost journey after the three hogsheads." Drake said he would see all about it, and gave direc tions for the sugars to be conveyed to Smith's ware house, in H .rp-lane, Tower-street. Two or three days afterwards Cooper waited upon him, and said, " I want them there three hogsheads of sugar which you have deposited at Smith's warehouse." He had previously obtained the three hogsheads of sugar and warehoused them in Harp-lane, in the name of George F ranc i s an d C o. H e told Cooper it was no use asking for the sugars unless he had an order for their delivery. Cooper called a second time, and said, " Why can't I have those sugars?" He repeated what he had before said, and Cooper expressed an intention of seeing Drake, and obtain ing an order. An order was subsequently obtained. He saw it on his desk. That order was destroyed by himself or Mr. Statham, his partner. Mr. Hodge was recalled by Mr. Ribton and cross-examined. He said he was not aware that Drake was dealing with Henderson and Constable. Drake .had made purchases of treacle of Newson and Co., and he was censured for doing so. He was sure Drake had no dealings with Henderson and Co. Drake had dealings with a grocer, and sold him s i x puncheons of treacle obtaine from the sugar-house by means of a manufactured order. He was not aware Drake had extensive dealings with other people. He was sure it was not so. Cooper had given him an account of his transactions with Drake. The hooks and accounts delivered to him by Cooper had been examined by a public account ant by his direction. In answer to Mr. Sleigh, the witness said—There are now four hogsheads of our sugar on Cooper's premises, and three more at Smith's warehouse. They were obtained by the prisoners from our sugar-house with " manufactured orders," purport ing to be signed by customers of ours. Cooper was never a customer of ours. I never saw him in our sugar-house. Mr. C. P. Kemp, accountant, of Gresham-street, said—l have examined Cooper's books, handed to me by Dunaway, the detective officer. In my judgment, the books, which purport to contain an account of transactions with Drake, the receipt of sugars, and the payment of money, were all made up at one time. It was a singular fact that the ac count with Drake was on the wrong side of Cooper's ledger. All the other accounts were accurately posted. This witness then went into very minute particulars, all tending to prove that Cooper had made all the entries in his books of transactions with Drake at one time. He was frequently inter rupted by the prisoner. At last Mr. Woolrych peremptorily ordered Cooper to be silent, and said his interests wer9 represented by counsel and solicitor. Mr. Sleigh then entered into the particulars of another case of larceny, fraud, and forgery. The learned counsel called Wm. Henry Perrins, buyer to Henderson and C 0.,. Great Tower-street, who said—lt is my duty to sign delivery notes. Mr. Sleigh handed to the witness a form, partly written and partly printed. It was to the following effect :—" London, 90, Great Tower-street, City, 24th May, 1861. Messrs. Bryant and Hodge—please to deliver to bearer two tierces pieces T. (in a triangle) 19 4 (Statham). Henderson and Constable.-; W. H. P." Mr. Perrins continued—This is one of the blank .. lithographed f orm s we use. It is a lithographed sre form. Neither the writing nor the signature. " W. H. P." is in my handwriting nor taxect, my authority. Our firm did buy a parcel of sugars from Bryant and Hodge. Cross-examined by Mr. Ribton—l have seen Drake. He was an in voice clerk. I have put questions to him about this order. It is an unusual thing for me to sign delivery orders. Mr. Peter Partin was again examined. He said —I have had this forged order in my hand before. it was handed to me by Cooper. He said I must have those two tierces of sugar in to-day. I do not know Cooper's handwriting. When our man brought the two tierces of sugar to me I ordered him to convey them to Cooper's, No. 18, Aldgate. Mr. Sleigh then called alcud, " Frederick Henry Drake," and, to the surprise of almost every one in court, the prisoner Drake left, the felon's dock, en tered the witness box, and was sworn. He said— I was in the employ of Bryant and Hodge for three years, and left them a few days before I was taken into custody. I have known Cooper since December, 1858. Mr. Sleigh--Look at that forged order. Drake—T ilis order was written by Cooper's brother-in.-law at a public-house opposite White chapel Church, in the presence of myself and. Cooper. I cannot remember the sign. The land lord's name is Norton. Cooper's brother-in-law was directed by me and Cooper to write that order. On its being written Cooper put it in his pocket and took it away with him. The blank form was ob tained by me from Henderson and Constable, where I was transacting some business one day. I was present when the two tierces of sugar were delivered to Statham and Partin's cart. Mr. Sleigh—Who wrote the initials " W. H. P." on the forged order ? Drake—:The initials are in the handwriting of Cooper. Mr. Ribton—You stole the form from Henderson and Constable P Drake—l took it. Mr. Ribton—You stole it, sir. Drake—l took it. Mr. Ribton—l - low many more blank forms did you steal ?_ - Drake—l took no more, sir.—l most likely took that from lieneierson and Constable's sale-room. I have no remembrance of taking away others. I was going over some books when I took the form. Mel dola is tte name of Cooper's brother-in-law. Mr. Ribton contended there was not a tittle of evidence to confirm the accomplice who had com nr.tted a felony to get the paper. Mr. Woolrych—l must send this case before a jury. The prisoners are committed to Newgate for trial. Mr, Sleigh—The next case against the prisoners is one of a serious nature. Drake obtained an order from the firm of Travers and Co., wholsesale grocers, for 5 cwt. of titlers (large sugar loaves), and Cooper added to it 5 cwt. more, and obtained of Bryant and Hodge that quantity of refined sugar. Cooper re ceived the sugars, and helped to unload the cart which conveyed them to his shop in Aldgate. Mr. Woolrych asked if it was necessary to mul tiply cases against the prisoners, and upon this a conversation ensued between counsel, Mr. Young and Messrs. Plunkett and Robinson, clerks to Lan ford and Marsden, solicitors for the prosecution. It was agreed upon that no more cases should be gone into. Mr. sleigh—lt is possible we shall prefer other charges of larceny, and for the jury at the next Old Bailey Sessions, with the particulars of which the prisoners' solicitors shall be supplied. The prisoners were then committed for trial. It was agreed they should be brought up again on Thursday next, to enable Mr. Bowdley, the second clerk, to complete the depositions. THE BARON DR YiDIL. IThe public are already aware that the application which was made to the Chief Justice at chambers to admit the Baron de Vidil to bail, upon the chat ge of feloniously wounding his son, Alfred John de Vidil, was refused, and the baron, consequently, will have to remain in Newgate until the session of the Central Criminal Court, on the 19th inst. The following additional facts, however, in connexion with this extraordinary affair, and which have been obtained from a source on which the fullest reliance may be placed, will doubtless be read with interest. Although the Baron de Vidil stands committed upon the capital charge of feloniously wounding his son with intent to murder him, it appears that ever since ha has been in custody he has asserted that there is not the slightest foundation for such a charge, and the account he gives of the transaction, and which he will attempt to establish if he should be put upon his trial, is this :—On the day the occurrence took place the baron states that he and his son were on the most friendly terms, and they agreed to ride to Claremont to pay a visit to the Comte de Paris, and the other members of the late French Royal family who are residing there, and they afterwards agreed to go to visit the Duc d'Aumale at Orleans House ; on the way the baron asked his son to stop and dine with him at Hamp ton, but he. without assigning any reason, refused to do so, and the baron was very much annoyed at the obstinate manner in which he persisted•in his refusal. Nothing particular, however, occurred until they arrived in the lane where the transaction took place, and here, either by accident or design, the young gentleman struck his father somewhat sharply with his riding whip. The consequence was that the baron, under the influence of momentary excitement, struck his son two severe blows on the head with the butt end of his own whip, but he had no idea that he had inflicted any serious injury upon his son. Young De Vidil is of very weak and nervous tem perament, and there appears to be no doubt that when he first applied for a warrant against his father he had not the most remote idea of charging him with committing a felonious assault upon him, and that his object in seeking the protection of the law was that he might not be liable to any further attacks of violence from his father. After the occurrence had taken place the baron states he treated the matter so lightly that he hardly even thought of it, and his journey to Paris was quite unconnected with the affair. It was here that he first became aware that a charge of some kind or other had been made against him in England, and he at once applied to the Proc , reur-General upon the subject; by this functionary he was informed that his son had made a charge of a serious charac ter against him to the British authorities, and that although there was no treaty that would justify his extradition, and there was no intention on the part of the French Governmant to give him up, still it was suggested that he had better leave Paris. It seems that pending the proceedings, and while the matter was under consideration by the French Go vernment, the baron, who had been placed under temporary restraint, expressed his determination to go to England to meet the charge, whatever it might be, that was made against him, and he made a personal application to the Procurier du Roi to that effect ; it was upon this requisition that he was brought back to this country, and upon his arrival in London he, for the first time, learnt that he had been accused of a capital crime by his son. As a good many incorrect statements have been made with reference to the property to which the baron's son was entitled, and the interest the Baron de Vidil had in this property, it may be as well to state the exact position of the parties in reference to these matters. It appears that by the marriage settlement executed upon the marriage of Susannah Jackson, the late baroness, with the Baron de Vidil, a sum of £20,000 was vested in trustees, who were to pay the interest upon this sum to the baroness during her life, and after her decease to pay over the interest to her husband, the baron. The marriage settlement went on further to direct ' that upon the death of the baron the prin cipal sum of £20,000 should be paid over to such issue of the marriage as should attain the age of 21 years, to be equally divided, and in case of there being no such issue the money was then to be paid over to Miss Sarah Jackson, a sister of the deceased lady, or her issue. • With regard to a further sum of money in which the Baron de Vidil was supposed to have an interest, it appears that by a will and codicil of Mr. John Jackson, the father of the late baroness, a sum of £lO,OOO was bequeathed to Alfred John de Vidil, the baron's son, upon his coming of age ; that sum has been paid to him and is now at his absolute dis posal, and the Baron de Vidil would have no inte rest whatever in this money, unless in the event of his son dying without making a will, or bequeath ing it to him by such an instrument. Since the proceedings that took pl ace before the magistrate at Bow-street, the son of the baron, who, it will be remembered, p os iti ve ly refused to give evidence against his father, and who WaS threatened to be committed to prison in consequence of that refusal, has been staying at the residence of Mr. Parker, his relative at Ware, in Hertfordshire, and it is said that h e still adheres to his determi nation not to give any evidence, although he is bound over as a witness for the prosecution. A e . cording to the ordinary cour se of proceeding, h e would have to give his evidence before the grand jury; if he should refuse to give any evidence they on his would have no power to compel him ; all they could do would be to make an applicactriiomnetow the Court,un. der and it is not a all improbable that in the absence of any information by the prosecutor, and ..as commit refusal to give each evidence, or to explain ussti edin ignoring the ordinary alleged case, s t w h h e a bill, h . wet/id un doubtedlywouled bt this commit ted, they would . feel themselves .:-- • •fi be the course that e taken. It is understood that no furthe • i e ll i , re a u i m id B,7ccase i attempt will be mad© to procure the liberation of th an d he will consequently r e baron on bail, em ai Lis case shall hav e been- disposed of in due course of law, either by the grand jury ignoring the bill, or his being tried by a jury. He does not appear so much affected by his confinement as would be imagined, and during the list few days he has been visited by several persons of distinction, who seem to take the greatest interest in him, and to be strongly impressed with the conviction that he is entirely innocent of the crime of which he is ac cused. RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE. SOUTH DEVON. A special general meeting of this company was held on Tuesday at Plymouth, Mr. T. Woollcombe in the chair. The CHAIRMAN explained that the object of the meeting was to authorise the directors to affix the common seal of the company to a lease of the Corn,: wall Railway to the associated comp a nies for 1 : 00 u years. The line would be worked under the direc tion of a joint committee, of which four would be appointed by the Cornwall Company, two by the Great Western, three by the Bristol and Exete r, r , and three by the South Devon C om pany. 1 " e chairman or vice-chairman was to be annually se" lected from the Cornwall section of the committee, but the chairman was not to have a casting vote. Five members of the committee were to form quorum, and the differences, if any, were to be settled by arbitration. The solicitor having read the heads of the lease , a formal resolution approvin g it, an d au thorising the directors to affix the common seal of the corn' pany to the lease, subject to such modifications 03 might be agreed upon, was unanimously adopted, and the proceedings terminated. GRAND TRUNK OF CANADA. The traffic receipts on this line for the week encl. ing the 13th July amounted for local passengers t ° 18,641 dols, for foreign passengers to 4,380 dols., for emigrants to 4,365 dols., for mails, &c., to 3, 263 dols., for local freight and live stock to 16,28 1 dols., for timber and lumber to 3,820 dols., for firewood to 1,598 dols., and for foreign freight a " ou, live stock to 4,998 d o l s .—t o t a l, 57,345 again 55,393 dols. for the corresponding week of 1860 , showing an increase of 1,953 dols. The total traffic receipts from the Ist to the 13th of July amounted to 113,291 dols., and for the correspondin g period, of 1860 to 107,147 dots., showing an increase s' 6,143 dols. NORTHERN OF CANADA. The total traffic receipts on this company's line, 94 miles in length, from the Ist of January to the 6th of July, amounted to £43,187, and for the corre' sponding period of 1860 to £34,132, showing an increase of £9,055. • NEW YORK AND ERIE. The traffic returns on this company's line, 494 miles in length including branches, amounted fo r the month of June to £85,951, and for the WI month of 1860 to £80,312, showin g an increase 0 £5,639. GREAT WESTERN AND WEST MIDLAND' The laying down of the narrow gauge on tb, e , Great Western line b e t ween P a ddi ng t on an d Read ing it is expected will b e com pl e t e d i n the cours e of a few weeks. This w ill com pl e t e th e narrow gauge communication from the West Midland 1 01 ,1 to London. At present all the g oo d s traffic anc! portion of the passenger traffic of the West Mid, h land to London passes over th e L on d on a nd Notc h Western line. The Worcester and Hereford sectl t ' of the West Midland, it is expect e d, will be open about the let of September. COUNTRY MARKETS. LEICESTER—Aua. 3. A fait supply:of wheat to-day. Trade firm, and late prieo3!, fully supported. White wheat, from 65s to 708 per o f —red, 55s to 60s per 36 stone; a v er y m iddli ng suPPIY : barley, grinding, 29s to 31s ; malting, 36s t o 40s per c ifif l oats, 28s to 34s per 24 stone. Beans w ere inactiveo 48s to 58s ; new, 36s to 46s per 38 stone. YORK—Auo. 3. ,itli , At this market to-day wheat was in sm a ll supply, ' ",,, a dull sale, farmers asking higher ra t es . Grinding banro, met a moderate sale, but late rates supported. Oats W e in steady demand at last week's prices. Beans quiet. 0 ,,,,, Wheat, red 48s to 54s Oats.... 2Bs to , White do .51s to 608 Beans 48s to 580 Barley .30s to 34s Pea s ... ....._ s to --. flour, 5 Malt, 70s to 72s per qr. ; rye, 36s per qr. ; /41 to 45s per sack. NORWICH—Auu. 3. The attendance of factors and farmers to-day was go° Jl and wheat was in fair supply. Trade slow, at is under 00 prices of the preceding week. Malting barley nearly no . minal ; grinding in short supply. Little doing in oatoo beans, or peas. Flour a shade easier. White wheat. 54s to 58s Red wheat 48s to 52 4 Malting barley....4ss to 47s Chevalier barley 41s to 44 0 Distilling. ~.,318 to 34s I Oats.. 26s to 3 0 ° • _ EOM-, 38s Od to —s 0d per sack from the miller. NORTHAMPTON—AUG. 3. At this corn-market the supply of wheat was barley al l average one. Trade active—prices ranging 56s to 60s fc' r old, and 40s to 58s for new. A small trade in barley,, malting 37s to 40s, grinding 33s to 35s per qr. Oats !' s " moderate show, and prices as before—quoted at 20s to PZ, per 24 stone. Beans, old, 34s to 555; peas, 448 to nr Rye, 37s to 42s ; malt, 70s to 74s ; flour, 42s to --s P sack. CAMBRIDGE—Ana. 3. r ice A limited supply of wheat, with a firm trade ; 0. were rather high—white, from 54s to 58s:; red, 40s:to d a „ Barley in small Supply, malting —s to —s, grinding vA to 325. Oats variea from 20s to 30s. Beans were aal sale, from 40s to 44s per qr. THE MAILS. MAILS DUE. Australia, Ceylon, and Mauritius (via South. 16. ampton) . „. .„ Aug: 31, - - - (via Marseilles) Aug. -, .. Aug. ''' - - Do. Brazil and Cape Verds .. .. .. Buenos Ayres, Monte Video, &c. .. • • 13 Cuba and Mexico .. .. .. .. .. Aug. 6 Canada, &c. (via L'derry) Aug. " t 1. Cape of Good Hope, &c. .. .. • . .. Sel 3 -' China, Penang, and Singapore (via S'ampton) Aug. Do (via Marseilles) Aug. e , Gibraltar (via Southampt on ) India (Calcutta), Ceylon, &c. (via Southampton) Aug. 1 Do. (via Marseilles) Aug. 0 , India (Bombay), ( v i a S out h ampton) .. • • Aug 4. Do. (via Marseilles) .. .. Aug . , 1. , Lisbon .. •,. .. .. .. .. Aug. ' Malta, Egypt, an d Ad en ( v i a Southampton) .. Aug. 2 Do. k (viz Marseilles) .. Aug. ii, Vigo, and Oporto .. .. .. • • • ' Aug.A 7. United States, California, ero. .. • • • • ' ll4 °' 10. Western Coast of Atrica, Madeira, Teneriffe .. Aug' i s, West Indies and Pacific, Ce i rth agena , C u ba, &c. Aug. STEALING BANK OF ENGLAND NOTES.---At Salford Police Court on Thursday, Robt. Lawton and Ds .° i Hourdle, were charged with stealing three £5 8au1",,, ° 0 England notes. The prisoners went into the parlour of a Lamb Vaults, Salford, on Wednesday evening, and cha t l two of the notes. Their conduct excited th e s u s picion of u ' e ; tectives Henry Hargreaves t and Hollingrake, and jus t As h a third man joined the other two at th e d oor o f the vaults, o detectives walked up and took t wo o f th em in to custodly t er , third managing to escap e. Ten pounds in money r , found upon one of the mex i , and a £5 no te upon the oth t o On Thursday morning, 'Wore the men were brought h il ., the police-court, a police and-bill reached the office descr ; ing the loss of the three notes at Oldham, and offering reward for the recovery of them. The prisoners wer e order 0 to be handed over to the police authorities at Oldham. [AnvEnusEßlENT.]—Holloway's Ointment and Pll is f r en Disease prevented or Cur.3cl.--Scorbutic humours so 0 appear during childhood that it behoves - every nurse to know how to en tdicato them without clungerdis. delay. In whatever way these constitutional taints _ .. y play themselves they may be surely met and successfuo treated by using Holloway's noble remedies according t° instructions folded round ettch packet. Their emplopUeslie attended by no risk ; by their means this formidable lefoab may be arrested and extirpated in its early progress b 1: 0 the scor utiO it reached the vital ergans. When once be attained poison is overcome the soundest health maY e antidote and preserved by occasiorlany using theens. and paying proper attention to diet and v mother or ...t _ B 1: N. T I - 1 s. ANsTTGE,—On the 2d int 4., at Madeley-wood, NSr. wife S of hro Jarae s pshiret Mrs. John Ansti ce, of a son. Esq., of A son. D o wAALlEuENrir_ay mileOonntthhee:2lBst i th n u st l:, a a t 2 tLee , NVKent, the inehtster- roa d, Mrs. G. Owen, of a son. R AD ,,y.—On t he 3d inst . , at 29 , Woburn-square, Mrs. Radley, of a son. MVR,RIAGES. MAcDONALD — FRASER.---On the 3d inst. at the Scott' . National Church, Crown Court, Dr ry-fane 149e ' Donald, only surviving daughter of bi the late ' Thes• M a to donald, Esq , Fortwilliam, Inverness-shire, Scotland, Captain George Fraser, 42d. Royal Highlanders. t near Much W en l oc k , Richard Orlebar, ORLEBAR—BOUGHTON,,—On the 30th ult., at Skil3° 13. 0 of Richard Orlebar, of II inwick House, Bedford' shire, to Frederica St, John, youngest daughter of Sir W. E. Rouse Boughton, Bart. Esq., eldes, 0, BAILEY.—On the Ist i p us t t 6 , at John Bailey, aged 85, GROVER.—On the 30th ult. at at New Peckha m, John 'rhos, AT Uxbridg e, Grover, Esq., or Bedford-row, solicitor, aged 56. HI LL — On the I s t inst ,at Worthing , Charles Hill, Esq.' of Woolaston House,'Northainpronshire, aged 50. LADD.--On the Ist inst , Juliana, widow of Mr. E. 1C• Ladd, late of Custom's, aged 53. OxsLow.—On the 30th ult., at Woodbridr,o House, nef‘ r Guildford, the Hon. Edward MainwaringM.E. OuShYSV? aged 62. ROBERTS.—On the 27th ult., at Marlows, Hemel Haar stead, Herts, Wm. Roberts, Esq., aged 61. - - - - - -- , Th ra St LONDON : Printed and Published by MURDO A No. 112, Strand, Printer, at T RE SUN Office, No. 112,Str00; in the Precinct of the Savoy,. in the County of 13 ( 1 d io Monday, August I, 1161. 0fne,...._2., --, .10 ItEA trod The 4,o eivk i ec nninez rance "Fire - or the ; "Life 'turns s hr, hi, t hat it P ROF Tai i lit ot ko , ' ll lld chain th e 8, Da Pi iso.row.llll