The Sun. — London, England, 1845-12-10 00:00:00

ONDON AND BRIGHTON RAIL WAY COMPANY. The Commenter (in continuation from our Afternoon Edi ti al of yesterday) said—l was then placed under obligations ts , that gentleman, which no provocation whatever in any case would le id me to disregard; but I never for one moment can feel any difficulty in drawing a line of demarcation b daveen public and private dutron the present occasion. I think that this - will be better done by giving the narrative of Ili atter which led to th e l as t meet i ng , t h an b y any at iitir t or mine to follow M r . Wilki nson th roug h out hi s w h o l e ement. This will put you in possession of the facts of tl a case, and correct some misrepresentations, quite it: tentional, I am sure, in the statement of the Croydon Chairman. It will, at the same time, do a ray with any controversy which might arise from that at itement. Gentlemen, the statement may occupy some por tan of your time, but, considering the magnitude of the interests involved, the attack upon the character of your Di rectors—a body in whom you have placed a great trust and confidence—l am sure that you will not consider as waste any amount of time necessary to the full statement of tl e caste. We intend in this narrative, however, to Plsat out the principal reasons which, I believe, d7mated the Croydon - 1-3oard.—(llear, hear.) It unfortu merely happens that there are two distinct interests to re g :rd at the Croydon Board. They have not only the Croy d •n interest: to attend to, bat attention was also demanded from them as the directors of the Direct Portsmouth line. Thus von will tind that the Chairman of the Croydon Company is the Chairman of the Portsmouth Company, the Directors of the one Company are the Directors of the other; the secretary, the solicitor, and the engineer of the one Com pany, in like manner, hold corresponding offices in the other. —(Hear, hear.) This extraordinary position of the Croy & a Directors and officers is the cause of all our differences. Their Directors had in this treaty with our Company a double object in view. They bad to keep in their mind two objects—the first the proper and legitimate interests of the Croydon Company, and secondly, the promo tion of the Portsmouth Company. The first object was per fectly legitimate on the part of the Proprietors of the Croydon Company, and ought to form the basis of their amalgamation. These gentlemen are then in a falleciousposition. They come to us as the Croydon Directors, but with the feelings and mo tives and objects of the Portsmouth Directors. Theirhands were indeed the hands of Esau, but the voice was the voice of Jacob.—(Cheers and " Hear, hear," intermingled with hisses and "No, no.") That which is the real source of all tie difficulty does not admit of doubt, and these objects are very clearly explained in 'Mr. Wilkinson's address, and this was shown before, because, in the conference with the Croydon Directors, we were asked to admit th e kortsmouth Directors to an amalgamation, and it ecas threatened that if we did not, the Portsmouth Com pany would apply for an independent access to London. In snaking this statement I have somewhat forestalled the nar rative, but I did so, lest iu the after part of it it might not be distinct to those present. What I have stated in tRr - -narrative will call for the production of the correspondence which has taken place between the two Companies. Those gentlemen amongst you who have been present at the previous meeting will doubtless have listened to many repetitions of them, but it is absolutely ntceseary that the correspondence be read, to put into its proper position the facts of the case. Mr. sfaveort thought that as the correspondence had been read at the previous meetings, and published in many of the Lendon papers, the repetition of it might be spared to the meeting. If there was any portion of it new, he, and he was sure the meeting, would have no objection to give their pa tient attention to it. The CHAIRMAN—I would ask the meeting to allow me to proceed in the way best calculated to bring the facts before you. There are letters which have not appeared in the newspapers, and which throw a great light on the corre spondence. The letters as they have appeared are not also in the order of correspondence, and are very different em that in which they were rea d en t h e f ormer occasion. -The order we have adopted is this—namely, that in which the letter arrived at and departed from our own office. Such is the only order on: which you can found a fair conclusion as to the conduct of your own Directors.—(Hear, hear.) And I have also to offer an explanation on some parts of the cor respondence which has been read, but I think this course will also occupy the shortest time. The letters which had passed between T. J. Buckton, Esq., Seeretary to the London and Brighton Railway Company, and R. S. Young, Esq., Secretary of the London and Croy don Company, with respect to the amalgamation of the Com panies, anti wnich have already appeared before the public in half a dozen shapes, were then read. The CHAIRMAN—On last sitting down I was informed by itr. Crowlev that in reading my statement I made a serious, mistake. Ile tells me that in speaking of certain misrepre sentations I used the words " it was quite intentional," in place of "unintentional," and I therefore take the first oppor tunity of correcting the error. Gentlemen, it is necessary that I should state that your Board, with reference to the pro posal of amalgamation, was perfectly unanimous. The letter read to you was adopted by the Board with perfect una nimity. When modifications proposed by the Croydon Company came under consideration, then unquestionably a difference of opinion arose among the members. of our Board. We were not unanimously of opinion that the proposition should be rejected. The proposal was adopted by a majority of the Board, only two gentlemen (I was one) dissenting from the motion. Now, you will naturally ask why I make such a statement ? The reason is, that Mr. Wilkinson, in his state ment—very unnecessarily, I think—made known the fact that I had dissented from this proposal.—(Hear, hear.) But, gentlemen, I may ask you to draw the dis tinction between the unanimity of the Board in its deliberative capacity and its unanimity when it has acquired an executive character. When the Board has assembled in its deliberative character, is it to be wondered at that out of ten gentlemen there should not be some difference of opinion, and so far from that fact being discreditable to you, the Board, I think, ought to take credit for it. We prove by this independence of opinion that we are not following a leader—that we are not acting upon his dictum—but that when we once decided that the proposal should be made to the Croydon Board, the Board of the London and Brighton alters - its character; we then be come executive, and it is the duty of those who are in the minority to act with the majority.—(Cries of " Hear, hear.") I appeal to those gentlemen who have in remembrance how I brought this matter before them, whether it was not done with all apparent cordiality on my part.—(Hear, hear.) I much 'doubt whether any gentleman suspected that the pro posal I brought forward was not approved of by myself, and I may further say that, in consequence of the proposal made to the Croydon Company, an agreement was drawn up be tween Mr. Wilkinson and myself, which the Secretary will now read. Mr. BUCKTON read an agreement to the effect that the Directors recommended to the respective Proprietors of the two Companies that the 50/. sharesof the Brighton Com pany should rank as 501., and that the Croydon shares of 201. should rank as 181.105., and the other shares which might be issued in the like proportion, the details to be settled by a committee of three members from each side. The SECRETARY also read certain minutes emanating from the joint committee, which were ultimately not confirmed. The CHAIRMAN said these minutes were not read by the Chairman of the Croydon CoMpany, and for this reason, that no subsequent confirmation had been made of them, but still there was a sufficient reason why they should be read to the meeting. They showed what were the in tentions of the, committee with respect to those arrange ments. In the first place, it would be observed that they had provided for this point, that in all questions of agreemel entered into between the two Companies with other Companies it would be necessary to notify the same to the partner Company. At our second meeting the question arose as to whether the minutes were correctly recorded, and a motion for the confirmation of the minutes was opposed by the gentlemen of the Croydon Board. There was no doubt that the question might be justly raised as to whether the minutes were correct in every word, but to their substantive correctness I may safely pledge myself ; but we felt that it was not right to insist on this ar rangement as absolute and final. It was our wish to meet the views of the Croydon Company, and in accepting any arrangement or modification of the minutes we viewed it as embodying a regula tion te put the question of the two Companies at rest. At the same time these miuutes were not confirmed, and might nut be considered binding on ' the Croydon Board. Finding, however, that we did not proceed satisfactorily, the second meeting of the committee was wholly occupied in the discussion of the question of the confirmation of the minutes. Man y e , things that . had b een state d b y me to the CiLtirman f the Croydon Board have afterwards formed the subject of a public statement by him. All state melts 111 ode at the Board by one gentleman to another have always bees considered confidential. _ I have, however, no resnon to regret those statements being made, as I dare say was not done with any bad feeling. I slid to Mr. Wilkin 1115n that my state of health would not permit me to continue working to farther the arnalgFnation, and that it would be neces3ai=y that some other gentleman should take my place, and I would therefore propose to my Board to remove me from the duty, and appoint another in my stead. Mr. Wit_ Janson has slated the fact, and I certainly think that there W notllin i .; to be ashamed of in it.—(Hear, bear.) It might l- itye appeared to them that I did not wish to bring this Amalgamation to a : close, but such was not the case. !iv - . made an application to ,rcti~:~ my Board, who were v Of opinion that a member of their body could be ill spared in such an important crisis, and that therefore they would continue me in office. I think that it Is very much to be regretted that so large a portion of the statements made by the Croydon Company should consist in reports of conversation. I could not undertake to report a conver4:ition that had taken place five or six weeks since with any accuracy. I can only say that when I have to re port a conversation I will give the facts as accurately as posiible, and unless it is necessary, I will not refer to any converation whatever. By some minutes of Saturday, the let of Nov., it was agreed that the amalgamation should take plafle, and that the consideration of the Wandsworth branch should be referred to separate committees, who would report aep_trately on it ; that each Board should exercise its func tions as uvaal, and tluit ail matters concerning both the COm panics should be referred to the two Boards jointly. Mr. Wilkinson proposed there should be an amalgamation of the two lines from January, 1846, and the consideration of that proposition was also to be referred to a committee consisting of ;x members of each Board. We have been accused of wishing to have a greater number to represent our Board on the joint committee than the Croydon Board. Yon will see,• by our requisition, that the Directors of both Companies were to consist of equal numbers, and that they should decide on the ‘Vandsworth branch, which, in my opinion, is the only difficulty between the Companies. It L; easily re II that the agreement between the Brighton and S'outli.l% estern Companies would not permit of any amalgamation between the Brighton and the Croydon, who proposed to carry out the Portsmouth branch. The committee; were each to report to their separate Boards. ' The amalgamation proposed by Me. Wilkinson was voted against by Messr;.• Hill and V.atson. If you refer to the c 9 py of the minutes which were referred to by Mr, Wilkinson, yOtt will find that this carenmstance was omitted. I do not say that the omission is made intentionally by the Croydon Company, as it mi ght laays arises i o:n many circumatancas. The gentlemen who voted foe Mr. Wilkinsan's amendment were from the Croydon Board, RA the three gentlemen from the Brighton Board voted against it. it appears a little hurl to me, considering the re ;dines: with which the Croydon members obtained the firs: prons,sition, that the Brighton Board should be held bowal bv an arrangement in the making of which their delegates were not considered. It is con sidered that as the majority of the gentlemen resent were in favour of the arrangement that it is to be lin ding, but I will show why we should entertain a con trary opinion. A good deal rests on the fact. of our secretary laving written a letter inclosing a copy of the minutes, and it is necessary that that letter should be read. You will ob serve that it is written on the same day as the meeting of the committee,- viz., the Ist of November. That letter inclosed a copy of the minutes of the committee of amalgamation, and requested an early appoint- Emit -of the six members of the Croydon Board to act with the members of our Board until the Act of Amalgamation should be obtained. An advantage is here taken of a very simple error which our secretary had Committed in the hurry of business, and in consequence of that. error they make a demand that we shall consider our selves bound by that letter. Before the committee broke up it was agreed that the two Boards should meet on the Di of Nov. following, as it was necessary that a com- munication between the two Boards should take place. The mee:ang on the sth did take place, and the deci sion to which our Board came will appear by the letter which the secretary would read, and which would inform them that the Brighton Board had come to the conclusion that the proceedings of the Croydon Board were illegal, and that the Brighton Board would submit some other proposi tions to them, and that if they found anything to object to in them, the Brighton Board would re-consider them. The propositions as then made would not be read, as they were printed for the use of the Shareholders. Before reading the letter which required the attendance of the six gentlemen of the Croydon Board, he would remark that the letter was not the act of the Brighton Board, it was written under the direction of the joint committee. It was signed by the secre tary in his usual manner. Mr. Wilkinson relies very much on the fact that the Croydon committee had broken up at the time the letter was written, and as this is what they would have does if they had not found the members of the Croydon com mittee, I conclude, from that circumstance, that there was some misunderstanding between the two Boards, as it was understood that each Board should sit until it received some communication from the other Board, and, notwithstanding that agreement, the Croydon Board broke up without re ceiving any communication from the Brighton. The next letter is one from the Croydon Board, telling the names of the gentlemen appointed to sit on the joint committee, and requesting that an early a pp o i n t men t o f th e B r i g ht on dele gates should take place. That letter was received on the same day that our letter was written. Mr. Wilkinson said that it was written before the meeting of the Croydon committee, and there does not appear to be any reason to doubt that assertion. We cannot, however, attempt to judge, as we do not possess the faculty of clairvoyance. That letter also declined the proposition offered by the Brighton Company, and offered to receive any other terms that could be proposed. After that letter nothing was done until the two Boards met on the 17th, and I will not notice much of the proceedings that took place, as I am sorry to say that many angry expressions were used on both sides. The gentlemen of the Croydon Company began by taking the South-Western agreement, which agreement Y will not enter into now, as Mr. Parsons, who follows me, will speak on it in a more able manner. The Croydon gentlemen threatened to go to our constituents to annul that agreement, and afterwards asked for a copy of it. I told them that it was not in my power to give them a copy, but I would submit their request to the Board. I then proposed that the agreement should be re ferred to the joint committee for consideration, but this they also declined. I then said that I did not think that any arrangement they could make would necessarily clash with their interests. I said that I hoped that the Brighton Company, the Croydon Company, the South- Western Company, and the Portsmouth Company, would all be parties to an agreement that would be advan tageous to them all.—(Hear, hear.) I believe that such an arrangement can be effected—(Cries of " Hear, hear") — and that arrangement, I may say, has made con siderable progress during the consideration of the question of amalgamation. The Croydon people are not, as yet, parties to our agreement with the South-Western Company, but they insisted on an amalgamation between the Croydon, Brighton, and Ports mouth Companies, as the only terms they would accept.— (A Voice, "No such thing.") I will ask Mr. Wilkin son not to interrupt me. I do not make the as sertion unadvisedly, and I will appeal to the gen tlemen present whether my statement is not correct. A counter resolution was made on the part of the Croydon Company, which it was unnecessary to read, as it would be found in the right column of the paper. [The document referred to wasa printed paper, which was distributed through the room, containing the terms of both Companies for effect ing the amalgamation ; and the paragraph alluded to the management of the affairs of the two Companies pending the amalgamation, which has already been laid before the public.] The case really rested upon a comparison of these two pro positions, and if you will compare these you will find that on our part they are quite reasonable ; and if any objection could be offered it should be on our side. We have to urge that the propositions OR the other side are impracticable, and, con sequently, could not be carried into effect. There was no diffe rence as to the appointment of the number of directors to constitute a joint committee, which we proposed to be ten, and the Croydon Company twelve, of which we suggested that five should be nominated by each Board, while the Croydon Company contended that there should be six. --(Hear, hear.) This was an immaterial point. But in the third paragraph of the paper (the document al ready mentioned) there was a substantial difference. Now,.it must be evident to you that we have claimed no advantage over the Croydon Company in consequence of our larger capital. But the Croydon t ompany had made an addition to that position, namely, that no greater number of votes should be tendered on either side than the members present on the other side. Now, how was it to be determined which of the gentlemen should retire from his post? We must take, first, the vote as to which should be excluded, should there be an excess of the representatives of one of the Com panies. It does not provide that no greater number of one should be present, but merely that no greater number of votes should be present. Now this is impracticable. To the fourth paragraph there was no objection, it being the same on both sides ; but to the fifth—namely, as to the jurisdiction of that committee, there was a most important difference on our side. [The proposition referred to by the Chairman was to this effect, that all matters relating to new projects or engagements, or the raising of new capital, be left to the said committee for consideration; and the alteration proposed was, that all other matters except those should be left to the committee, with out reference to the Board for confirmation. ] Now, we wish to have the decision of this committee submitted to the Board, which would be composed of equal numbers of both Companies. We do also require that in any resolutions that may be adopted by the proposed committee, we shall have some little voice. —(Hear, hear.) Without this how could could your Directors carry on the business of the Company, or delegate the transacting the whole of the affairs of the Company? There would be no difficulty in delegating power to Directors on the part of the Croydon Board, but such is not the case with us. The vacancies that might occur on their Board could be filled up by them without delay, while it would be necessary for us to call a general meeting, by the votes of which alone this appoint ment of our representatives could be effected, for we have no legal power to act otherwise. The sixth proposition (to the effect that the Boards be limited on the passing of the Act for amalgamating the two Companies, and that the united Board be gradually reduced, by resignation or other wise, to ten in number) had been objected to by the Croydon Company. He would not dwell on this. The last abjection that had been made was respecting the branches—namely, to Bognor, Littlehansp ton, Steyning, Newhaven, Eastbourne, Hailsham, East Grinstead, and Dorking, to Reigat e . Th e y wou ld find that Wandsworth was not included in this. The Croydon Cora pony had no interest in any of these lines, except that from Dorking to Reigate ; therefore we had no wish to give them a voice in these matters. Upon these your Company felt themselves bound to differ. [The Chair man here directed the Secretary to read the correspondence that had taken place on these as well as the other matters mentioned in his speech, which have already been given in extenso in our report of the meeting of the Croydon Company on Tuesday last.] With respect to the Great Kent Atmospheric Railway, there was one thing which was entitled to notice, that was the condition that was made, to the effect that, if the undertaking did not succeed, that no more than ten shillings a share should be demanded from the Shareholders. We have no hesitation in laying before you the agreement between the Croydon Company and the Portsmouth Company. It does not appear to be perfect, for it does not appear to have the consent of the Portsmouth Company, for if it had been otherwise, how could that Company seek for an independent access to London ? Now, the fact is, as it would seem, that the Ports mouth Company merely wanted to use the Croydon line until they could better themselves. The SECRETARY here read, according to the direction of the Chairman, the various letters that passed between the secre taries of the two Companies with reference to this point, and also as regarded the suggestion of Mr. Burchill to open the agreement between the London and Brighton and South- Western Companies. The CHAIRMAN resumed—At the very time when Mr. Burchill was waiting for an interview with their Board, who had actually prepared a letter to effect the amalgamation. In the statement that had been made by the Chairman of the Croydon Company, that letter had been put earlier in the series, but they had assigned it its proper place. Mr. WILKINSON wished to know whether that was the last letter? The CHAIRMAN bail that it was. • Mr. Wicxisesosi—Then we have never seen it. The CIIMRMAN—NO, you have not ; it is the previous one. The SECRETARY then read a letter of the 24th November, stating that the Brighton Board could not concur in calling the proposed meeting, deprecating the system of threatening and dictation adopted by the Croydon Board, and regretting that the spirit displayed by the two Boards was not reel procsl. The answer of the Croydon Board to that letter was also read, denying, on their part, the use of threats or dictation, but stating the determination of the Croydon Board to call the Proprietors of both Companies togcther, at the same time expressing their desire to keep up that friendly feeling that had hitherto existed between the two Companies. Several other letters were also read, after which, The CHAIRMAN stated that he believed that that com pleted the series of the correspondence that had taken place. The Proprietors would perceive that in what they had now concluded the Directors and himself had passed over many matters of irritation—(Hear, hear)—and he trusted that if ever the Proprietors entertained any doubt whatever ai to the good faith of their Directors, those doubts had been ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE. 1 V ORTHERN ClRCUlT.—Li verpoo l, Nov. 8. Mr. Baron Parke and Mr. Justice Williams sat at eleven o'clock to-day, and proceeded with the business of the Winter Assize. The calendar is not heavy, and their Lordships will, it is expected, finish the busi ness in the course of the present week. The calendar contains a list of sixty-two prisoners. Of these, four stand charged with attempts to murder in various ways, four with rape, four with manslaughter, ten with cutting and wounding, and six with burglary. (Before Mr. Baron PARKE.) CURIOUS CHARGE OF ASSAULT.--The Rev. Thomas Ca, ter, Edward Rayner Highton, Charles Bromley, Robert Evans, and John Jones, were indicted for Rd assault on John Reed Miles. Mr. Monk conducted the prosecution ; the defence was conducted by Mr. Brandt and Mr. Drinkwater. This indictment was preferred and found at the last assizes, but the parties having traversed, it now came on for trial. The defendants are connected with the borough gaol, Mr. Carter being the chaplain, Mr. High ton the governor, Mr. Bromley one of the turnkeys, and the other defendants are engaged about the gaol in other capacities. Mr. MONK stated the case, and called the prosecutor. It appeared from his statement that he was appointed as schoolmaster in the gaol, in the year 1841, and had con tinued in that office up to April in the present year, when the transaction took place, which resulted in this indictment. On that day, the 16th of April, he had a conversation with Mr. Highton, who showed him some anonymous letters which had been sent to the magis trates, and which complained of Mr. Highton's conduct. Mr. Highton said that some of the things stated in the let ters were true, and some were not so; that he had admitted the truth of some of the complaints, and the magistrates had forgiven him, and that they had farther handed him letters that he might ascertain whether they had ema nated from any person empliqed in the gaol, in which case he had the power of dismissing th e p ar t y on t h e instant. Mr. Highton intimated his suspicions of a per son known as Scotch Jemmy, who was employed as a mason in the gaol, and whose son he had dismissed, and requested the witness to endeavour to ascertain Scotch Jemmy's feelings towards him. The witness suggested that a few glasses of whisky would probably be the most successful means, and requested Mr. Highton to leave the modus operandi to him, saying that by Saturday he thought he could ascertain the state of Scotch Jemmy's mind towards Mr. Highton. In the course of the same day the witness saw Mr. Carter, who said that Mr. Highton was about to make some inquiry. The witness said he thought that was rather premature, after the ar rangement he had made with Mr. Highton about Scotch Jemmy. A short time after, however, he was sent for to the governor's house, and there he found arranges meets made for the inquiry, a table being set out in the parlour with writing materials for two persons. Mr. Highton and Mr. Carter were there, as well as a gentle man of the name of Archer, the surgeon to the goal. Mr. Carter said they were about to call in certain par ties to examine, and that the witness would be required to assist. Witness said he would go over to the other side of the room, where he could see the faces of the par ties under examination. Mr. Carter replied, " No, no; we want you to sit down there;" pointing to one of the desks, and appear to be assisting in a friendly manner. That will lull suspicion. A number of persons were examined, Mr. Carter and the witness both taking notes. Mr. Carter put the questions. While the examination was going on witness heard some observations made, either between Mr. Archer and Mr. Highton, or Mr. Archer and Mr. Carter. The parties were at this time rather behind him, and he could not s , e who spoke, but the one said," It is not like that;" to which the other an swered, " Wait, the paper runs." This observation at tracted his attention, and induced him to suppose there was another object in the arrangement which had been made, different from the professed one. The examina tion continued, however, till about five o'clock, when Mr. Carter got up, looked at his watch, and, gathering his papers together, said the further investigation had better be postponed till the following day. Witness ga thered up the papers which he bad written, on which Mr. Carter desired witness to hand them to him. Wit. tiers declined, saying they were to guide his mind in the inquiry as to Scotch Jemmy. Mr. Carter insisted on having them, and the witness refused to give them up until, as he said, he had taken a copy of them. Mr. Car ter again demanded them, and said they were his, and, the discussion waxing warmer, the witness said thatwhat he had heard induced him to think the whole was a trick, and that he would lay the papers before the chief magis trate, with his own comments. Some further conversa tion took place, and Mr. Carter said he would send for a magistrate, to which the witness replied that they must let him have a messenger to send for a legal ad viser. Mr. Highton then went out of the room, and came back with a card in his hand. He wrote something, and showed it to Mr. Carter. Mr. Carter said, " No, we must use force." Both then came round (Mr. Archer had previously left the room), and Mr. Highton rapped on the door, on which Mr. Bromley entered. The wit ness then gave the papers a twist as if about to tear them, when he was seized by the parties and a struggle took place, in the course of which the other defendants came in and assisted. He was finally deprived of the papers, and was taken to the officer's lodge very much exhausted. He afterwards left the gaol, but could not get home, and was assisted to a public-house near by a person of the name of Buckley. Ho went home in a cab, and was for some time under medical care. full and explicit confidence of the Proprietors was all the Directors looked to as their recompense and reward—(Hear, hear)—and when they lost that, when the confidence of the Proprietors in them was in the slightest degree impaired, it was the bounden duty of the Directors to remove all obsta cles to the Proprietors having such a board as they may think best calculated to secure their interests.—(Hear, hear.) In conclusion, the Directorsand himself asked the Proprietors to sink all matters of difference, and as they gave a hearty vote in favour of amalgamation, so they would give an equal hearty vote in favour of the motion he (the Chairman) had now the honour to submit for the adoption of the meeting : " That this meeting adopt as their ultimatum the proposal made by their Board to the Croydon Railway Company on the sth day of November last, and that in the event of its not being accepted, it will become expedient to call another meeting of the Company, with a view to rescind the proposal of amalgamation, passed on the 6th of November last."—( Hear.) General MOODY seconded the motion. Mr. WISHAW considered that it would be better, before the discussion on the motion was proceeded with, that the meeting should be put in possession of what the agreement with the South-Western Company was. The Chairman had stated that Mr. Parsons, one of the Directors, had some state ment to make on that subject. Mr. PARSONS then proceeded at some length to detail the motives that had induced the Directors of the Brighton Company to enter into the agreement with the South-Western Company, observing that that agreement would be beneficial to the Brighton Pri prietors, but whether it was good or bad, having been entered into, it ought to be adhered to. The real question for the consideration of the meeting was. not whether there should be an amalgamation between the Brighton and Croydon lines, but whether there should be an amalgamation between that and the Portsmouth. He, for one, wished to see the amalgamation between the Brighton and Croydon lines effected, but he could not consent to it if it was to be carried out upon principles that would materially injure the former.— ( Hear, hear.) He was convinced that in all the Brighton Board had done they had the public good and the interests of their Proprietors at heart.—(Hear, hear.) The Brighton Directors might be alleged to have intended to have made a monopoly of the traffic in this direction. The whole matter of the agreement turns upon the Ports mouth Atmospheric Company. Mr. Parsons, as a Brighton Director, was opposed to amalgamation with that Company. It has been said that that Company is intended for the ser vice of the public, and the Brighton Company have op posed it. But the report of the Board of Trade is just a running commentary on the agreement between the Brighton and Great Western. The character of the Portsmouth line is stated by the Board of Trade when they say the cost is far beyond any proportion with the ex • pected returns. Through fourteen miles of the line the 51.1: client is one in eighty, and for the next sixteen miles it is one in 100. If amalgamation with it is to be entered into, there will be an opposition line to the Brighton Company, proposed between Guildford and Chichester, the two princi pal towns in that district. The consequence would be reta liation and disadvantage. Mr. WILKDrsoN, Chairman of the Croydon Company, said that he and the Croydon Company asked to see the agree ment spoken of and could not. He further begged to say that they had never made an amalgamation with the Ports mouth Company a condition of amalgamation with the Brighton Company. (Mr. Parsons—" He has said it would be a consequence.") The fact is, and there is nothing more, that the Croydon Directors are many of them Directors of the Portsmouth Company, and what passed between them and the Brighton Company at the Board was merely that they intended, if the Bill for the Portsmouth Company were carried, to amalgamate the Croydon line with it, and the Brighton Company might join them if they wished. There had been • taunts thrown out because they were Portsmouth Directors, but there was no necessity for their having anything to do with the Portsmouth line un less they chose. Indeed he thought that the Portsmouth line was the grand attraction to the Brighton Directors to think of amalgamation with the Croydon line that thereby they might secure th e t ra ffi c o f the district. He said that the meeting was about to be pressed to an ulti matum on the amalgamation with the Croydon Company, but he begged to remind them that that was not the method of obtaining that amalgamation, which he could not but think they deserved. Mr. HARDBY said he was pushed, by all that had hap pened, to the conclusion that a little more good spirit and patience would do much for a happy result. He would to very reluctantly pressed to decide at the pre sent meeting to an ultimatum. A resolution of amalgama tion had already been passed. He wished much to consider what were the means of continuing the negotiation which was to be so abruptly terminated.--(Hear.) The interests of the Brighton and the Croydon lines he believed to be identical. Much he feared might be attributed to the temper of the two Boards. An ultima tum at the present meeting would be treating the other Company much worse than had been complained of. He would suggest an adjournment of the present meeting for a short time, and the previous adoption of a resolution to the effect that the Company were friendly to the consideration of an amalgamation, should it be necessary. Should the Boards feel so, he would suggest that a small committee of the Proprietary should be called, to consist of three exclusive Proprietors of the Brighton Company and three of the Croydon Company. He even felt inclined, if the meeting were agreeable, to put his suggestions into the form of a resolution. Mr. GRANTHAM rose to say that the gauntlet of contention had been thrown down by the Chairman of the other Com pany. He had brought forward a budget of faults, which he laid to the account of the Brighton Directors. Mr. Grantham said he had always been opposed to amalgamation with the Portsmouth Company, and was now ten times more so. An amalgamation with that Company was a necessary consequence of amalgamation with the Croydon line. The atmospheric prin ciple is not yet sufficiently tested. The Brighton Company would, therefore, be saddled with the expenses of the experi ments. He sat down with expressing his opposition to amalgamation. The CHAIRMAN of the Croydon Company begged to deny that he had ever gone into the Brighton Board-room using threats and intimidation.--(Great confusion.) The CHAIRMAN of the Brighton Company would say, with the Directors by him, that the distinct recollection on their mind was, that Mr. Wilkinson had used threats. Mr. TAYLOR said that an amalgamation with the Croydon Company appeared at the last meeting desirable. He had heard nothing at the presen t meeting to make it less desirable now, and it might yet appear to he for the advantage of the Com pany to amalgamate with the Direct Portsmouth Com pany. In setting about discussing the advantages of amalgamation with the Portsmouth Company, he was inter rupted by the Chairman, who begged him to keep to the question. It had been contended that the contract with the South-Western entered into must bind them, were it advan tageous or not ; but he would say, however strange it might seem to oppose such a doctrine, that in a kind of property which is continually changing hands the Proprietors could not be bound by what was done by previous acts of the Proprietary.—(Hisses.) None but legal bonds could bind them.—(Hisses, which continued till he moved as an amendment—" That the two Boards continue to consider the proposal of the amalgamation.") Mr. KEE= seconded it. He thought it would be a reflection on the Croydon Company to pass the resolution proposed to them. He hoped they would still insist on an amalgamation. He was amazed that the Croydon Directors had not been allowed to read the contract between the Brighton and the South-Western Companies without con dition. (The Chairman begged to say condition was neces sary to guard against mischief) He thought, then, there was nothing between them—nothing to overcDme. Mr. LEvr begged the Directors would not press the resolu tion In cross-examination, he declined answering whether he had circulated placards through the town reflecting on the character of the defendant. Was examined before the visiting justices respecting this matter ; and has not since acted as a schoolmaster in the gaol. The reason for keeping the papers was what the witness had over heard, not that he wanted them to guide his inquiry as to Scotch Jemmy. It appeared, from the testimony of William Salisbury and William Buckley, who saw the prosecutor after this occurrence, that he then seemed very weak and ex hausted. It appeared from the evidence of the medical man that he showed great difficulty of breathing and complained of intense pain in the head. There were, however, no serious external marks of violence. Mr. BRANDT addressed the jury for the defence, con tending that, even on the showing of the prosecutor himself, who, having closed the mouths of all the de fendants, was there to tell his own tale, they had acted with great forbearance and discretion. They had a right to insist on the prosecutor giving up these papers; they expostulated with him—they proposed calling in the intervention of a magistrate, and it was only when the prosecutor was on the point of destroying them that they used force to get them back, and no more force than was absolutely necessary. His LORDSHIP summed up, and left it to the jury to say whether the defendants had assaulted the prosecutor for the purpose of recovering papers belonging to them, in which the prosecutor, as their clerk or servant, or hold ing himself out as their clerk or servant, had been writing, and whether they used more violence than was necessary for that purpose.—Verdict, Not Guilty. Mr. BARROW had entire confidence in the Directors ; and he believed the terms offered in the resolutions to the Croy don Directors were reasonable, but he hoped there was still a middle position and course. Neutral persons called in would not be able to effect much if the Directors failed. He thought the Croydon Directors were anxious for an amalga mation. There might be a misunderstanding on the part of both of the Chairmen. He begged, therefore, to submit whether it would not meet the DirectOrs' views to adjourn the meeting, and to continue the negotiation between the two Companies. Mr. HENDERSON said there were substantial points of difference between them, and therefore the Proprietors had beea called together to say what they should do. One of these points was amalgamation with the Portsmouth Com pany. This had not been made an express condition, but he knew the effect of statements—support would begin and amalgamation would ensue. Another point was that in re ference to the South- Western line; that point had not been started previous to the threat of calling the meeting. It had been a mere makeway. But the great point was what control the Croydon Board would have over the affairs of the Brighton line. Mr. Wilkinson first proposed that the Croydon Board should have the whole control of the two lines. He mentioned particularly Steyning. What, he asked, had Mr. Wilkinson to do with that as a Croydon proprietor? He (Mr. Henderson) thought the Wandsworth line should be a sine cud non. They had lost that already in Parliament, but he expressed hopes of yet obtaining it. He said, before sitting down, it had to be decided who were reason able, and what they were to do. Mr. CASTLE SMITH moved, as an amendment, " That the Brighton Company do invite the Croydon Company to re consider the proposals made to them on the sth of Novem ber last, with a view to amalgamation." Mr. COY seconded it. The CHAIRMAN being called on for his opinion on the amend. ment, said, after the very extensive correspondence, he had no hope of gaining anything unless they went to the Croydon Company with something ultimate. But for the moderate terms of the Croydon Board at their last meeting, he had no hope but of meeting the Proprietors to ask them to rescind the resolution giving them instruction to consider amalga mation, as they had been unable on any terms to effect it. • On account of that meeting, however, he hoped they had yet cue opportunity, and but one, of offering terms. The last amendment moved was put by the Chairman to the meeting. It fell to the ground without a vote. That moved by Mr. Taylor was then put, when only 13 voted in favour of it. York, Dec. 8. Mr. Justice Erie and Mr. Baron Platt, the judges ap pointed to try the prisoners at these assizes, came into the city of York on Saturday. The calender o f pr i soners is un usually heavy, considering the short interval of time since the summer assizes. There are eighty-one persons in all to take their trials; three of these on the charge of murder ; five, man slau..;hter ; one, uttering base coin ; seven, horse or cattle stealing ; seven, sheep stealing ; three, rape ; two, attempting rape ; five, burglary; seven, stabbing or wounding ; five, unnatural offence ; sixteen, stealing from the person ; five, robbery with violence ; one, offence against the bankrupt laws ; one, receiving stolen goods ; one, forgery ; four, stealing from a dwelling house ; one, false pretences ; two, night poachin g ; one, the same, with vio l ence ; one, feloniously killing a horse.; one, perjury ; one, arson. (Before Mr. Baron PLATT.) CHARGE OF MANSLAUGHTER — The first case taken, the only one arising in the city of York, was that of Edward Lunn, age fifty-two, who stood charged with the offence of manslaughter, in having, in the month of October last, at the parish of St. Crux, occasioned the death of Ann Downes, by administering a phial of lau danum in place of a mixture prescribed for a cough. Mr. Matthews and Mr. Blanchard appeared for the prosecution ; the prisoner was undefended. It appeared from the statement of Mr. Matthews, that the deceased, an old lady, 81 years of age, had resided in the Merchants' Hall, York, along with her daughter and a servant-maid, named Clark, and was subject to a cough, for which she was in the habit of procuring a mixture, supplied by the prisoner. The prisoner was considered a respectable chemist and druggist. Tho fe male servant was sent, on the 18th of October, for the usual mixture, when, by some accident, the bottle con taining that medicine in the shop had been removed, and another containing the laudanum put in its place. The consequence was, that a large quantity of laudanum was delivered to the servant by mistake, a sufficient quantity to cause death : it was shortly after given to the de ceased, who, although attended by the prisoner, and, at his instance, by a medical man also, expired on the 21st. There was no doubt that the death had been caused by the poison thus administered. But Mr. Matthews, who now prosecuted upon the coroner's inquisition, said, that the grand jury had ignored the bill of indictment pre ferred upoa the same facts. The Learned Counsel did not consider the case one in which the prisoner could be rightly convicted of the crime of manslaughter. But it was right, nevertheless, for the security of the publio, that the ground for an acquittal should be understood. Here, it must be admitted, the unfortunate occurrence bad arisen from a mere accident, and not from any ap • parent neglect of the party accused. Had the death been occasioned by such neglect, the result would have justified a conviction upon this serious charge. The Learned JUDGE said that he quite agreed with the remarks addressed to them by Mr. Matthews, and directed the jury that the priscner should be acqt:itted. removed.—(Hear.) He thought also that the Proprietors would see that their Directors had pursued a most concilia tory spirit, and that in their anxiety to give effect to their wishes expressed at the last meeting, they had carried con cession as far as they could consistently with a due regsrd to the interests of those parties whom they, repreßentecl.—(Hear, hear.) He (the Chairman) thought that he had shown that there was no foundaton whatever for the allegations that had been made, that the Board of Di- rectors of the Brighton Company had refused to meet the Directors of the Croydon Company in equal numbers—(Hear, hear)—to discuss such questions as might arise before the Act of Amalgamation had passed.—(Hear, hear.) Nay, they had the authority of Mr. Wilkinson for saying that it was so. The Directors of the Brighton Company . did not object to the Croydon Directors seeing their agreement with the South-Western Company. All that they required was that they should not make use of it to the detriment of the Brighton Company or without their consent.—(Hear, hear.) As regarded the policy to be pursued with respect to the Portsmouth line, there could be no doubt that that The original motion was then carried by a very large ma. jority. The thanks of the meeting were then voted to the Chair• man, and immediately after adjourned. LLOYD'S SHIPPING. EAST INDIA SHIPPING. Arrivals--Maria, Stephenson, fromßengal, off Brighton, sailed July 19, St. Helena October 21; Princess Royal, Hoodless, from Bengal, at Liverpool, sailed Aug. 24, St. He lena Oct. 26 : Eleanor, Hasless, from Mauritius, in the Downs, sailed Sept. 16 ; Brechin Castle, Barclay, from Ben gal, in the St. Katherine's Dock, sailed July 21, St. Helena Oct. 21; Olinda, Taylor, from Bengal, in the Downs, sailed June 26, Mauritius - Aug. 30; Anne and Jane, Smith, from Bengal, at Liverpool, sailed Aug. 20. Arrivals at St. Helena—Legeira, Oct. 13, prize to the Penelope—Thomas Henry, 14th, from Calcutta, and sailed 15th to London ; Cadet, - 15th, from Portsmouth, and sailed 18th to the Cape; Marmion, from Madras; Lena, from Ichaboe; Cacique steamer, prize to the Penelope; Tom Cringle and Cassandra, 16th, from Ichaboe; Mary Stewart, from Salcianha Bay ; Malvina, 17th, f rom B atav i a, and sailed to Hamburgh ; Louisa Munro, from Ceylon and Cape, and tailed 18th to London ; Jane Catherine, from Madras, and sailed 20th to London ; Dream 18th, from coast of Africa ; Melville, 17th, from Madras and Mauritius, passed to London ; Chilena, 19th, from Singapore, and sailed 20th to Liverpool ; Inchirman, 19th, from Bom bay; Hampton, 20th, from the Cape; Arrow,. from Zanzibar, and sailed 22d to London; Lucinda, 21st, from Bombay, and sailed to Liverpool ; Westmoreland, from coast of Africa; Nereide, from the Cape, and sailed 22d to London ; Clara, from Bombay, and sailed 22d to London ; Hope, 22d, from Calcutta, and sailed 24th to Liverpool; Galatea, from Algoa Bay, and sailed 22d to London ; Hart land, from coast of Africa, and sailed 25th to Liverpciol; Lady Flora Hastings, from coast of Africa; Nautilus, from Madras, and sailed 22d to London ; Ino, from Madras, .and sailed 24th to Liverpool ; Antilla, from Calcutta, and sailed 24th to Liverpool; Egerie (French frigate), from Bourbon; Birman and Scourfield, from Calcutta; Robert Clive, from London; Caribbean, 23d, from Mauritius; H.M.S. Larne, from coast of Africa; William Wright, 24th, from Cape, and sailed 25th to London ; Senator, from Calcutta; Clipper, from the Cape. formed grave matter tor consideration by the Brighton Pro prietors, but that constituted no part of the amalgamation—it only comprehended questions beset with difficulties.—(Hear.) It was for the Proprietors to say whether the course that had been pursued by their Directors met with their approbation, and received the sanction of their mature judgment, and in order that the Proprietors present might come to an un biassed judgment, and act only upon what they heard that day, the Directors had n e ith e r so li c it e d o r sought for a single proxy.—( Hear, hear.) It was therefore open to the Proprie tors present to come to any decision that they thought right. They might, if they pleased, declare that the fair and equitable proposal on the part of the Brighton Directors having been rejected by the Croydon Board, the amalgamation was at an end ; of that there could be no doubt. —(ilear, hear.) It was clear that the resolution to amal gamate was subject to certain details, and if they could not be a cce d e d to, i t was open to the Proprietors of the Brighton line to declare all at, an end.— (Hear, bear.) The Directors, h owever , were unw illi ng t h a t their Proprietors should a d opt that extreme course, because, looking to the fair and reasonable views manifested by the body of Croydon Proprietors at th e mee ti ng o f T ues d ay l ast, they were of opinion that one more effort might be made to settle the details of amalgamation; and they advised the Proprietors to adopt their prop osa l of the sth of November last as their ultimatum. Anything short of that would l eave approved of t t e h d e r hy the .the P i r r opr ie Proprietor D irectors or n o t. theit doubtful ceeree • a w do h p e He could assure the Proprietors that the labours and responsibility placed upon the Board of Director s f ar exceeded anything which they had anticipated - v o le , they took office ; they had, however, the satisf ac t ion of knowing that their exertions had been of advan tage to the Company, because they had been repeatedly and cordially acknowledged by the Proprietors. The (Before Mr: Jt.stice Max.) William Hodgson, aged nineteen, was indicted for having, on the 9th October, at Bidlington, in the East Riding, stolen three gimmer sheep, the property of Henry Frost. Mi. Raines and Mr. Liddell conducted the prosecu tion, and Mr. Dear sley defended the prisoner. It appeared from the evidence that the prosecutor, who is a butcher, had put a small flock of sheep into a field near his residence, and, on going to count them missed three, one o f which was afterwards discovered alive upon the premises of a neighbour. That sheep the prisoner admitted he had found and placed there. But at the house of the prisoner there were found the car casses of two others ; and the prisoner had taken two skins, which were identified, to a feltmonger. Ile had confessed his guilt to the police-officers upon his appre hension. Convicted.--Sentence deferred. Mr. Joseph Hume, M.P., and a deputation, had an interview yesterday with Sir Robert Peel, in Downing street. THE SUN, LONDON. WE EVENJNG, DECEMBER 10, 1845. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. MANSION-HOUSE. THE THAMES, SO UTH END , AND N ORTHERN AND E ASTERN JUNCTION RAILWAY COMPANY.-Yesterday Mr. Char pock, the barrister, appeared before Alderman Gibbs for the purpose of applying for a summons calling upon the Secretary of the Thames, Southend, and Northern and Eastern Railway Company, to answer for having in serted the nawe of Mr. Richard Garde, a member of the bar, in the prospectus of the Company, as one of the Provisional Committee, without that gentleman's know ledge or consent. Mr. Charnock said he applied for the summons under the 7th and Bth of Victoria, cap. 110. His client was a gentleman who happened never to have had anything at all to do with railway speculations. so that the proceed ings he had to complain of naturally excited the utmost 'surprise and indignation. No authority had ever been given by him to use his name in any Railway Company, and the first intimation that he received that he was a Provisional Committeeman was the following docu ment : " The Thames, Southend, and Northern and Eastern Junction Railway Company. " Sir,—l ani desired by the Committee of Manage ment to inform you that 100 shares have been reserved in this undertaking for each gentleman of the Provisional Committee. " You are, therefore, requested to insert in the ac companying form the number of shares you wish to be allotted to you not exceeding 100. " I am also desired to inform you that the Managing Committee have fixed Saturday, the Sth of November next, as the last day upon which the deposits on any shares you may require can be received.—l remain, Sir, your very obedient servant, " ANDREW ELLISON, " Company's Temporary Offices, 53, Comb London. " Dated the 30th October, 1845." The letter inclosed the following printed form:— " To the Managing Committee of the Thames, South end, and Northern and Eastern Junction Railway Company. " Gentlemen, —I request that you will allot me shares in the above undertaking, and I hereby undertake to accept the same; and to pay the deposits thereon, and to sign the necessary deeds, when called upon to do so. " Member of the Provisional Committee." Perceiving that there was a secretary to the Company which had thus adopted him as one of their Provisional Committee, Mr. Garde determined to call as soon as possible at the offices at Cornhill, to rectify the error, by a complete denial of all knowledge of the Company. Upon calling at No. 53, Cornhill, he four d that a re markable bustle was stirred up, and a great ostentation of business seemed to move the establishment. Ho mentioned that he was desirous of speaking to the secretary, but he was informed that Mr. Elli son was not to be seen ; that he was, in fact, in the country. He then said he wished to see somebody with whom be might communicate upon a subject connected with the Company, and he was then addressed by one of the clerks, to whom he stated the nature of his business. He requested that the secretary would take his name out of the prospectus, as he had nothing whatever to do with the Company, and had never sanctioned the use of his naiae as a member of the Provisional Committee. His request was com plied with by the clerk with whom he communicated in his presence, and Le left the house in the belief that there would be no repetition of the circumstance, and, of course, that nobody - would consider him to be in a posi tion to which he had never laid any claim. He was mis taken. On the Bth of November he r ece i ve d th e follow- ing letter by post:— " The Thames, Southend, and Northern and Eastern Junction Railway Company, "53;Cornh a ill, - Nov. 8, 1845. " Sir,—Your attendance is requested at a meeting to be held at the Company's office on Monday next, the 10th instant, at twelve o'clock precisely, to take into consideration the proceedings of the Company. " I am, your obedient servant, " A. STOW (for Mr. Russell). " R Garde, Esq., Middle Temple." Mr. Garde supposed that some gentleman of his name must be connected with these speculations, in which he had never had the ambition to be involved, and that the error would, in all probability, correct itself. The matter, however was followed up most industriously, and on the sth of December he received the following agreeable communication : " 21, Cork-street, Bond-street, Dec. 5, 1845. " Sir,—Mr. Russell, of Gray's Inn-square, solicitor to the Thames, Southern, Northern, and Eastern Junction Railway, having informed us that you are responsible, as a member of the Committee, for the expenses in curred in bringing forward the above-named line of rail way, and having referred us to you for the payment of our account for surveying, amounting to 1,0841. 12'. 9d., as we are much in need of the amount, we have to re quest your early attention to a settlement of the same. " We are, Sir, your most obedient servants, " COPE and EALES. _ " To Richard Garde, Esq., Middle Now, it would be a difficult thing to find any case in the history of railways, extraordinary as that history was, to compare with the proceedings so briefly de. scribed. Here was a gentleman, who had no connexion on earth with any railway, dragged in as a Provisional Committeeman. He had never written for or accepted a share; he had gone to the concern and denied all knowl,dge of it; and down came a demand upon him to the amount of 1,0001 Alderman Ginns—What course did he then pursue? Mr. Charnock—lie wrote the following letter next day to Messrs. Cope and Ealos:— " 12, - Portland-place, Clapham-road, " Nine o'clock, Saturday, Dec. 6, 1845. " Gentlemen,—ln reply to your letter of the sth of this month, and which I only received this morning, I beg to inform you that neither Mr. Russell, nor any other person, had any authority from me to insert my name in tho prospectus of the Thames and Southend Railway, &c. My name was inserted without my knowledge, and whna I discovered that such an unwar rantable liberty had been taken with my name, and such an imposition attempted to be practiced on the public, I called at the office and ordered my name to be taken out, and which one of the clerks did iu my presence. " As there is not any other Richard Garde, a member of the Temple, but myself, it is quite evident, from your letter, as well as Mr. R usse ll' s statement to you , t h at I am the person meant in the prospectus, and not Mr. Garde, of Stephen's-green, who is the person meant as the Director of the Manchester and Birmingham Railway. _ _ _ _ " I, therefore, am of opinion, with some of my friends, that I am now in a position to bring the parties to jus tice, and shall, therefore, early on Monday next, take the preliminary steps, before the Lord Mayor, against Mr. —, &e.—l have the honour to remain, " Gentlemen, your obedient humble servant, " RICHARD GARDE. " Messrs. Cope and Eales." The name of Mr. Garde had been introduced . in the prospectus with this high-sounding epithet—" one of the Directors of the Manchester and Birmingham Rail way." In such a case as had been represented, it was presumed that it was the province of the Chief Magis trate, or his representative, to interpose, and the Learned Counsel confidently repeated that a summons should be . issued. Alderman Gams said that no paper had been exhi bited to him from which it appeared that the name of Mr. Garde had been used. Had Mr. Charnock a prospectus of the Company, in which prospectus the name was inserted under the head of the Provisional Com mittee ? Mr. Charnock said he had no document of the kind, but he had no doubt that he should bo able to procure one. He submitted that, upon the mere statement he had made, a magistrate would be sanctioned in granting a summons to the secretary. Alderman GIBBS said he considered it to be necessary that Mr. Charnock should produce the document to which he had referred, before a magistrate could be jus tified in issuing a summons under the Act of Victoria. Mr. Charnock—We shall endeavour to procure what you think necessary. Mr. Garde is determined to do all in his power to obtain satisfaction for so extraordinary an outrage, and he believes this course to be the most likely to accomplish that object, as well as to do public justice. - Air. Garde—l feel greatly annoyed at the whole busi ness. lam not a man of fortune or property, and it would appear from the advertisement that I connived at passing myself off as a person of unlimited means. I am anxious, amongst other things, that it should appear that I have not endeavoured to favour an imposition. GUILDHALL. William Giddings, of the City police, was brought berore Alderman Hunter, charged with being drunk while on duty, and insubordinate when at the station house. Mr. Joseph Boyd, inspector of the second division of City police, stated that while at the station-house on Saturday morning, Sergeant Bain came and reported that the prisoner was in liquor on his beat, and unfit to do his duty. He at first refused to come to the station, but eventually did so. He (witness) told him that he was suspended, and had better go to bed, but he refused, and wanted to go out again; at last he became so ♦io lent that he was obliged to be locked up. His case had been laid before the Commissioner of Police, who di rected him to be taken before the magistrates, in conse quence of repeated acts of misconduct on the part of the prisoner. _ Sergeant Bain stated that about a quarter past twelve o'clock on Friday night he observed the prisoner drink ing with a girl of the town, and partly intoxicated. This was in Angel -court. Skinner-street. About one o'clock he again went round, and found the prisoner still drink ing with the same female. A third time he went round and found him intoxicated and incapable of doing his duty. Alderman HUNTEU said that this being the second case within these few days of the police being neglectful of their duty, he should send the prisoner for seven days to prison. BOW-STREET. Mrs. Jane Cook, the wife of a tailor residing in Far ringdon-street, appeared on a summons before Mr. Twy ford to answer a complaint preferred against her by a Young man, named &rid, for having assaulted him under the following singular circumstances : Ile complainant stated that he resided at 21, Regent villas, Avenue-road, Regent's-park, and is a private gentleman. On Monday last, about one o'clock, he was Coming out of the Insolvent Debtors' Court,:in Portugal street, accompanied by a tipstaff from the Queen's Bench Prison, and being told previous to his coming dowc stairs that the defendant was waiting to speak to him, he sent down word there was no use in her seeing him on the matter she came about, as they could come to no agree ment. Shortly after, on his getting to a room on the first floor, defendant flew at him, and having kicked him behind, struck him also with her fist, for which she was taken into custody, but being in the custody of . the tip. staff, he had no opportunity of following up the charge, as he was compelled to return to the Queen's Bench Prison instead of attending at the station-house in the character of a complainant. Mark Bond, a teacher of languages, and brother of the complainant, having confirmed the foregoing statement. The complainant said, in answer to the Court, that the defendant's husband agreed to accept of los. in the pound on an account that was between them, and for which a receipt was given in full, which seemed not to have satisfied the defendant, who persevered in insisting that a balance was still due. Mr. TWYFORD inquired how the complainant was enabled to attend, if he was still a prisoner in the Queen's Bench ? The complainant's brother replied that he bad been discharged in the morning, and was about to leave town. In answer to the charge, Mrs. Cook said, that about two years back her family got acquainted with the com plainant and his brother, who were then almost in a state cf nudity, and often crying for want, since 'which time he contrived to get married to a widow old enough to be his gyandnio:her, being now sixty-five years of age, keeping 11 , -r carriage, and in the enjoyment of 1,8001. a-year ; and on her husband furnishing a bill for the amount of the clothes that had been supplied, not only to himself, but also to his brother, he compounded for what he had had himself, and drew a bill of 181. 10i., being the amount due by him for the brother. Such an act of ingratitude na turally exasperated her, and on going to Portugal -street for the purpose of demanding the balance, she threatened to expose the contents of a quantity of letters which she had in her possession of his respecting his wife, upon which he pushed her against the wall, at the same time using an offensive expression, and she considered she was to a certain extent justified in kicking him for such conduct. The complainant admitted that his brother had com mitted some letters to the defendant's husband, but that had nothing to do with the charge of assault. Mr. TWYFORD said the proper course would be to try and obtain restoration of the papers alluded to by summons, and as the complainant was no longer a pri soner in the Queen's Bench, perhaps he would be sa tisfied if the defendant would promise not to molest him in future. The complainant said he had no objection, and the de Pendant having made the required promise, she was dis , charged. MARLBOROUGH-STREET. James Baydon, a waterman, was brought before Mr. Maltby, charged with striking Joseph Mitchell on the head with a hammer in Coventry-street. The complainant, it appeared, was desirous of going towards his home in North-street, Stepney, by one of the Blackwall , omnibuses, and for that purpose went to the Black Horse public-house, where the Blackwall om nibuses stop for passengers, and where the defendant nets in the capacity of Waterman. The complainant, who had been drinking, was objected to as a passenger on that ground, and this having led to words between the defendant and himself, the complainant received a blow on the head from a hammer which the defendant had in his hand. The blow cut through the com plainant's hat and inflicted a severe wound on his head. The defendant said the complainant was intoxicated, and on being refused admission into the omnibus, he got enraged and struck at him repeatedly. While warding off the blows, the hammer which he had in his hand must have accidentally come in contact with the complainant's head. Mr. MALTBY considered the assault so ferocious and unprovoked, that:he should inflict the full penalty of 51., or two months' imprisonment, and in addition revoke his license. Harance Flynn and William Eckhart, a German, were charged with being suspected thieves. Mr. Grant, breeches and gaiter maker, of Piccadilly, said the two prisoners came into his shop a few mornings ago to make a trifling purchase. After they had left he missed some hanikerchiefs, which he suspected they had stolen. He sent a description of the prisoners to his neighbours, in case they should receive a visit, and on Monday, on being informed that the prisoners had called at a shop in his vicinity, he caused them to be apprehended. On searching them, only a few half pence in money were found, but they had a new piece of silk handkerchief, evidently the produce of their morning's labour. They were remanded to find an owner for the property, and to inquire into their characters. William Heiron, of Mead's-court, was charged with having committed an assault on a married woman named Cox. The complainant said she was going home to her lodg ings iu Castle-street East, about one o'clock, when she was accosted by the defendant in Mead's court. She repulsed his advances, and instantly received a violent bl,w on the face, which blackened her eye, and for the mo ment stunned her. A gentleman who was passing, seeing the assault, came to her assistance, and succeeded in securing the defendant. The gentleman accompanied her to the station-house, and signed the sheet, but he was not in attendance. The defendant declared his entire innocence of the charge. He was about to put the keyin:the door of the house where he lodged, when he saw some man strike a woman. He went forward to her assistance, and was given into custody as the person who assaulted the woman. The complainant said the defendant was the man who stiuck her. Mr. MALTBY inflicted the penalty of 51., which was immediately paid. The defendant shortly afterwards returned into Court with a female named Blabey, living in Mead's-court, who said she witnessed the whole affair.. The complainant and a man (taller than the defendant) were quarrelling in the court for about a quarter of an hour. The man at last struck the woman, and then the defendant came forward and said, " Don't strike the woman, strike me." The man went away, and shortly afterwards the woman gave the defendant into custody as the man who•had assaulted her. The woman was intoxicated at the time, and was unable to distinguish the party who had struck her. Mr. MALTBY decided on sending for the police-in spector who booked the charge, in order to make a further investigation into the case under the new aspect which it had assumed. MARYLEBONE. Lieutenant-Colonel Tellbc,t, residing at No. 5, Douro Cottages, St. John's Wood, was charged before Mr. Rawlinson, with having violently assaulted a journey man plasterer, named John Raines. Co . mplainant stated that, on the evening of the 4th instant, after he had left his work, ha was proceeding towards his home, accompanied by two other workmen, wham he had occasion to leave for a short period, in the Park-road. They went on without him, and soon after wards, as he was about to rejoin them in South-bank, he passed defendant, who struck him violently with his umbrella, and knocked him down. He got up as soon as he was able, and was again attacked by the defendant, who gave him a blow with his fist. In answer to a question from the Magistrate, Complainant said—l had given him no offence what ever. After he had assaulted me he was going to run away, but I gave him in charge to a policeman. He Was taken to the station-house, where he left his card, but was not detained. The above evidence was for the most part corroborated by two other persons ; one of whom said, that as com plainant was moving along he happened to brush against defendant's arm. Lir•ut. -Colonel Talbot stated in defence, that on the evening alluded to several men passed him in a very disorderly manner, and amongst them was complainant, who, after attempting to trip him up by the heels, ran off with the view of effecting his escape. He (defen dant) pursued him, and on coming up with hum, com plainant attempted to strike him. He (the defendant), in his own defence, then gave him a blow. Mr. RAWLINSON—Have you any witness in support of your statement ? Defendant--I have not, Sir. Mr. RawLinson—Then the evidence is all on one side. Under the circumstances, I should recommend you to make some small satisfaction to the co tuplainant. Defendant—l had rather pay a fine than let him have any reward, as I don't consider myself to be in the wrong. The MAGISTRATE decided the case by ordering de fendant to pay 405., and an additional 25., the cost of the warrant. Complainant here stepped forward, and said that, in consequence of defendant's conduct towards him, he had lost three days' work, and had also been obliged to go to a doctor. Mr. RAwraNsox—l can't help it. The fine goes to the Queen, but I bad rather that the defendant had made you some satisfaction. The penalty and costs were paid. WORSHIP -STREET. Henry Edwards who stated himself to have been for merly an actor at the Garrick Theatre, was charged before Mr. Bingham with causing a serious disturbance at what is called the " Free Church," in White's-row, Spi tal fields. - The Rev. George Montgomery West, who said he wts the ordained minister of the church is question, appeared as the complainant. Mr. BINIFAM asked him if it was a church of the established religion? to which he replied that it was not at present under episcopal jurisdiction, but was regularly licensed, and the service performed in it was that of the Church of England. The complainant then proceeded to state that the de fendant was known as a prominent member of a body of professed infidels, who occupy a building in White chapel, denominated " The Hall of Science," which he said was regularly used for the propagation of their infidel principles; and some time since several of their prominent speakers came with a number of their fol lowers into his church, and publicly challenged him to a discussion of the comparative merits of Christianity and Atheism, they having learned that he had delivered lectures on the subject. By advice of some of his Christian friends he accepted the challenge, and they subsequently had a number of discussions, from which his opponents at length withdrew, and a large and respectable meeting was afterwards held, at which resolutions were passed, to the effect that his argu ments in favour of Christianity had triumphantly over thrown th e t h eory o f t h e i nf i dels. Copies of these reso lutions sere given in the presence of witnesses to a Mr. Harwood, the understood proprietor of the " Hall of Science," and to another principal member of the fra ternity, and these resolutions, lie observed, referred also to, and pointedly contradicted, a slanderous statement which the defendant, Edwards, had publicly made on the platform of their hall last Tuesday evening. He came now to the immediate subject of complaint, and said that three lectures had been announced to be de livered at the Free Church on different evenings by a New Zealand chief; for the purpose of explaining to the Christian public the savage manners and customs of the native New Zealanders, and of the happy progress which Christianity had lately made amongst them through the agency of the missionaries in that part of the world. On Monday evening there was an assemblage of at least 2,000 persons in the church, to hear one of these lectures; but during a portion of the proceedings, the defendant commenced interrogating the lecturer, speaking at the EXTRAORDINARY CASE. The Court of Assizes of the Bas Rhin was occupied 0 0 he 29th and 30th ult. with the following extraorditlari case. In August last, two soldiers, in garrison at ;iv's' burg, named Tschupp and Bigalleu, crossed the frontier into Baden to pass the day. On their return, and when on a bridge, Tschupp said to Bigallet, who was nearly intoxicated, "Come and see how strong the water runs. Bigallet went to the side of the bridge, and having 1 081 : 4 forward to look at the water, Tschupp suddenly laid 11.11 of him and threw him in ; then, supposing, as 8 matter of course, that the man must be drowned, as the current was strong, and he was not in a state to hell ) himself, hurried to Strasburg, and entered his barracks before the gates were closed. Providence, however, bed willed that this atrocious act should not remain COw coaled. The bridge . is built on boats, and the fall of Bigallet was broken by one of the cabels by which al . are fastened togeth e r. Af ter hi s fi rst i mmersion, w hich completely cured him o f hi s i ntox i cat i on, he caught by this rope, and, after struggling for a great time , his cries were heard by some boatmen, just as he "? 5 sinking from exhaustion, and they sa ve d hi m . T he dismay of Tsch u pp was very great on the followill morning, when he saw living the man whom he suppose° to be dead. Bigallet made his declaration, and Tschupp was arrested. At first he' declared that he had not been in company with Bigallet ; but several witnesses, who had seen them drinking together during the day' having come forward to prove this fact, the prisoner was confounded. Still, however, he refused to confess his crime, which was unaccountable, as the two soldiers were supposed to be friends. When Tschupp had been in prison for som e ti me , h e reso l ve d to avow h i s g uilt. and declared that he had been induced by the wife of th e man who keeps the cantine, whose name is Caphiot, to commit the deed. This woman, in whose service he Was' had, he said, told him that Bigallet, her former servant, and with whom she had entertained criminal relations , was constantly extorting money from her, on a menace of apprising her husband of what had taken place, and that she was therefore resolved to get rid of him. Sh e told the prisoner that if he would take Bigallet out for the day, and in the evening throw him into the river, she would reward the act liberally, and she gave bue 10E to spend, in order that he might so overpower Bigallet with drink as to render him incapable of resist ance. Tschupp said that he objected to commit the crime, but the woman told him that if he refused she would stab him ; and that, therefore, partly from fear, and partly from the hope of reward, he at last consented. The woman was taken into custody, and both were tried for the attempt to commit murder. The evidence on the trial fully corroborated the statement of Tschupp as to the female, and they were both found guilty by the jury. T:.chupp was condemned to twenty years' imprisonmen t with hard labour, and exposure on the pillory. The female prisoner was condemned to ten years' imprison ment with hard labour, but without exposure on the pillory. POST-OFFICE MISMANAGEMENT.—It is a strange and anomalous fact, that a letter from Paris reaches Gala shiels sooner than one from Glasgow, the latter usually lying twenty-four hours at Edinburgh. —Border Watch. THE WONDER OF WONDERS.—AN enormous bear fed upon bread for the last twelve months, challenges corn parison with any of the prizes at the Ba zaar . This an will be exhibited d ea d an d dressed, so as to show the dept . ' of fat, during Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturdays the four days of th e cattle-show, in front of Mr. Ray's pre wises, No. 8, Icing-street, Baker-street, two doors only from the Bazaar, and was fattened by those celebrated P errequiers: perfumers, hair- cu tt ers , an d h a i r-dyers, Messrs. Ross and Sons, 119, Bishop sga t e - s t reet , L ondon, of whom only can the genuine bear's-grease be o bt a i ne d . [ADVERTISEMENT.] —Deaf ness an d D e f ec ti ve Visien Rellieved.—Th e un d erment i one d sent i nto the country f ree by post.--39, Alb emar l e - street, Pi ccad i lly, and 25, South Ca" tle.street, Edinburgh.—. Acoustic Instruments.—l nv i s ible Voles Conductors, whe n fi xe d i n t h e cav i ty of the ears, are not en" comfortable, nor more percept ibl e t h an having a small p i ece ot wool in its place. Th ey ena bl e i n di v i duals at an advanced age , and of extreme d ea f ness o f 40 an d 50 years ' standing, in3tea tl to join in gene ra l conversat i on, and to catch the soun d o f a distant low speaker at c h urc h, t h eatre, &c. They pour the conversation into the ears t o suc h an extent that i n t h e roo severe cases deafness cannot be observed. Also, eriiiee' Ear Cornets, French, German, and Spanish Artificial Ears' and Improved Hearing Trumpets of every description. Oe n / of those instruments have received the arobation of the Royal So c i e ty an d R oya l I nst i tution of Great Britain. Th e newly-invented Spectacles, immediately they are placed before extremely imperfe c t v i s i on , i t i s b roug h t to its youthful, De tains and original state. Also, Achromatic Telescopes, Opera Glasses, Micro scopes , &c. aution—Messrs. S. and B. Selo' mons, Opticians, are net in any way connected with a person of the same name in their immediate neighbourhood, nor in part of the country. To prevent mistakes, be cautious, an Observe—Only to be had at 39, Albemarle -street, Piccadilly' opposite the York Hotel, and 25, South Castle-street, Edin burgh. [ADYERTISEMENT.]—and The Earl of Aldb o rough -- Holloway's Pills.—Aa astounding Cure by this rairaeuloa e , Medicine after ev er y o th er means h ad failed. See extrac t n' his Lordship's letter dated Villa Messina, Leghorn, Feb. 21 : 1845. "To Professor Holloway. Sir,—l beg to aeguainb you that your pills have effected a cure of a disorder in lei liver and sto mac h w hi c h a ll t h e most eminent of the faca l tY home and all over the Continent had not been able to effec t Nay, not even th e wa t ers o f C ar l s b a d or Marienbad. (S i gn el Aldborough."—These wond er f u l Pill s w ill cure any d isea se e, the liver and stom ac h. —S o ld ( a l so H olloway ' s Ointmen t) ai Professor Hollo wa y' s es t a bli s h ment, 244, Strand and by medicine vendors throughout the civilised world BIRTH& On Saturday, December 6, at the Vicarar, Wickham market, Suffolk, the wife of the Rev. Weeden Butler, of Wilt daughters. On the 30th ult., at William-street, Lowndes-square , th e lady of R. F. Browne, Esq., surgeon, of a son. On the 4th inst., a t Hi g hbury-place, Mrs. John Gosnell, of a daughter. On the sth inst., the wife of Mr. Thorna; Robert Dutton, Stones-end, Southwark, of a son. On the sth inst., at Rutland-gate, Hyde-park, Mrs- S' Holmes Godson, of a daughter. On the 7th inst., at Torrington square, the wife of Fitzherbert, Esq., of a son. On the Bth inst., in Portland-place, the lady of Charles Bevan, Esq., of a son. MARRIED. On the 4th inst., at Claydon Church, Robert Roder ell, to Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Kirby, late of the Royal Artillery. On the 4th inst., at the British Embassy, Brussels, the Rev. - Vaughan Thomas, of Oxford, to Catherine, third daug ll- ter of the late Lieutenant-General G. Johnston, of Norbiton Hall, Surrey. On the Bth inst., at Marylebone Church, Mr. W. Skinn er, of Bermondsey-stre e t, t o C aro li ne E l i za b eth, secon d d a ughter of Mrs. Barnes, of P rov id ence - row, Finsbury-square. lED. On the IStl i o f October, D at Calcutta, John Campbell Dick, Esq., Bengal Civil Servic e . On the 6th ult., at Kingston, Jamaica, James Jackson Sewell, Esq. On the 3d inst., at Torquay, Captain the Hon. Charles Leonard Irby, aged 56. On the sth inst., at Turner's-hill, Cheshunt, Thomas Sil ders, Esq., surgeon. On the sth inst., at the Vicarage, Chieveley, Berks, Charles Wetherell, third son of the Rev. J. E. Robinson. On the 6th inst., at Cambridge, Eliza, the wife of Zachariall Scrope Shrapnel, of St. Peter's College. On the 7th inst., at the Lodge, in Hyde-park, Mall Cecilia, daughter of Henry Frederick and Lady Mary Stephen son, aged 10. London : hinted and Published by DIURDO YOUNGr, of No. 112, Str a nd, Printer, at The Sun Office, No. 114 Strand, in th e Precinct of the Savvy, in the ColultY Middlesex, Wednesday ,December 10, 1846. " top of his voice," and charging him yeti beng an itn' poster, and declaring that the only &Ject in view Ives ro 'make money, although, the complainant said, no ch arge inn been made to the public fur admission. Immediately urn that, as if by concert, a most extraordinary and " sr parently unearthly" noise of yelling and sere aming re sounded through the church, so that the lecturer wan obliged to leave the platform, and the greatest excite' meat was occasioned amongst the audience, especially the females. This scene of disorder continued about e quarter of an hour, and complainant fearing that property of the church was i n d anger of beingdestrore° , and that perhaps it would end in a serious riot, sea for the police, and the defendant was given in charge to them. Order being then restored, the lecturer resanaeo , and afterwards the meetin g qu i et l y separate d . The defe ndent, in answer to the charge, denied that he had made such a disturbance as had been alleged , although he certainly did der:ounce the exhibition of the New Zealand chief as an impostor, for he had known, that person about town f ur p er h aps twenty years, and had seen him exhibit in the same cLaraeter when de' fondant himself was some years ago at the Garrick Theatre. When he saw his old acquaintance, therefore, as a lecturer in the church on Monday evening, he did put a few q u esti ons t o hi m , an d requested to be informed when he came from New Zealand to this country? The other pretended to answer him by counting upon his fingers to the amount of two years and seven months' Defendant then exposed the imposition, and it was the exposed imposture, he said, that caused the uproar, god, not his wish to cause disturbance. It was true, he addeet that no charge had been made at the doors for acmes' • sion to the meeting, but in the course of the proceed ings collection of money was hinted at, and the question was raised whether it sh ou ld b e 2d . or 3d. each, but lle,' addressing the complainant, w h o was i n t h e c h a i r, w i s hes to know to what purpose the money was to be applied , and the question was then dropped. The complainant said there was no imposture intended as intimated by the defendant, and the cries end gestures of the chief, which the defendant had now gr a teequelf mimicked, to cause a laugh amongst those around, were not those of the lecturer himself, but to give the auditors an idea of the savage manners of the natives. Mr. Bmortaat told the defendant that if he deemed the alleged chief to be an impostor, and wished to ex' polo him, he must not do so by creating in the meetings disturbance, which might have had serious cense' quences, and he was liable to punishment under the statute. The complainant now said that his object was not to have the defendant punished, but to be insured against future disturbance, for the last of the three lectures WO yet to be delivered. The defendant was held to bait, one surety in 1001 [The " New Zealand Chief," whom the defendant de' dared to he the lecturer above mentioned, was at this Court some years back, charged with being drunk and with beating his wife, and he was proved to be an Irish man of the name of Byrne. From the account which be then gave of himself, it appeared that in his youth be • had fallen into the ha n d s o f th e N ew Zealanders a fter shipwreck. His shipmates, he said, were eaten by the Cannibals, but his life was preserved, and he lived amongst them, taking part in their wars, until he be' came a chief ; and the beautiful tattooed marks about kis face and other p ar t s h e state d to b e so many marks el , honour for various victories. He stated to Mr. Broughton , the magistrate, that he was about to proceed again to New Zealand upon missionary affairs, so that he may possibly have been there in the interval and recently re' turned to England as stated.] SMITH The Annua. 15,4 4 ° Pen, T tent a t ' ha n i nt d: letted, and raY extem mbiti tl ox with ] tb -O Den from Vi e _ RUX A A Le, 141 d i Me d etverer 0 4:"InZs of ,ZOCk, iCentic ATMos p. th:2 )°1, 114, :naliflfert( :r4a rum: MagerlVElia 4 A new niti c 7 1 ,c AL NA,„ tat t1 e41 144. Irtth re Itt: s ured (1t,. 6 ! Nrfc W.-7 0 0;a Itt,teratt N,_mteees 11'lsh PoZZ, p,,,„ r o th e 1 ,, %ateli er 44 1 . ti `, or Y ty ke d 1 %,, 0 T t* t lb ti h.