The Express.
London, England, 1864-03-23 00:00:00

TIM NATIONAL BANX.-(THL 11.4 E)

A special general meeting of the shareholder,
was held at 1 o'clock at the offices in Old Broad-street, Mr.
JOet:Ple Nuts M'KENNA in the chair, for the purpose of
increasing the capital of the bank. A series of resolutions
for this purpose was read by the SlEcerfaitY (Mr.
Power) at the commencement of the meeting. The first
of these resolutions was to the effect that the capital of the
bank, being 1,000,000/., divided into 20.000 shares of :AN.
each, be increased by the creation 20,000 new shares of 50t,
each, 5/. per share to be paid on allotment and •27.,.
by instalments. By another resolution it was provided
that the new shares should in the tint instance be offered
to the present proprietors at a premium of 2:.1. per
share in the proportion of one new for each
old share, and that any shares not accepted
by proprietors should be offered to other persons at a
premium of Ail. ; and by subsequent resolutions it
was provided—" That such premiums shall be added
to the reserved fund of the society to the extent of
254 per share, and that the excess of premiums
to the extent of 5/. per share beyond 2:1. per share
obtainable on shares not taken up as aforesaid by the pro-
prietors, shall be payable to the shareholders who decline or
omit to take up such shares, in the ratio of 5/. for every
share not taken up."
The CHAlliltaN, in moving the adoption of the resole.
tious, dwelt on the increasing prosperity of the hauk,
Thirteen years ago, he observed, the market
value of the shares was about ;10,000!. ; at pre-
' sent it was 1,00,00 //. The circulation of the bank
was one of the beet indications of the general char...ter of
its business. Since the passing of Sir Robert f'eel's Car-
rem, Act the general circulation of the Irish banks had
diminished ; whereas in the case of that bank the average
circulation had increased from 852,000/. is I+4i to ijal,uuoi.,
according to the bat published returns.
Mr. F. NZWSAM thought the board was proceeding too
feat. He should prefer a call of A//. being made on the
existing shares. He suggested that, instead of what was
proposed, 1,000 new shareeshould be issued to the existing
shareholders without a premium.
After some discussion the resolutions were adopted.

THE MURDER AT HENNOR, NEAR
LEOMINSTER.

CONFESSION OF THE PRISONER.

At the— Hereford Assizes, yesterday, Thomas
Watkins, 27, was arraigned on the charge of wilfully mur-
dering Mary Ann Watkins, his wife, at the out-parish of
Leominster, on the lath of January.
The prisoner's appearance was either improved since his
confinement. He looks more robust than when before the
magistrates at Leominster. On his arraignment he pleaded,
in a subdued tone, "Guilty."
His Lordship inquired of the prisoner if he understood
the effect of his plea?
Prisoner—l am guilty.
The Judge asked tbs prisoner if he had ally counsel em.
ployed to defend him.
Prisoner—No, I am guilty.
His Lordship—Would you like to be defended by
counsel

Prisoner (with tears in his eyes)—l leave it in your
hands ; which you pleue.
Mr. Justice Pigott—Would you wish me to assign you
counsel ? _

Prisooer—l should.
Mr. Weightman (interposing) said he wu mime I to de-
fend the prisoner.
The Judge (to prisoner)—Have you engaged counsel'
Mr. Weight/nen—l have been retained by the attorney
(Mr. Whatley, as we understood), to defend the prisoner,
at the request of the prisoner's amber. There was at first
a difficulty in finding money to defray the costs of the de-
fence; and the poor woman had spoken to two other
counsel before I wu requested, and consented to undertake

it.
His lordship informed the governor of the gaol (Captain
Cowtoo) that the mother of the prisoner was to have access
to him, so as to arrange whether he was willing to accept
the counsel she bad retained, or whether the prisoner would
leave it to his lordship to assign him counsel, so as to make
preparation before 7 o'clock to-night.

DEATH OF THE. EARL OF ABERDEEN. —A BER-
BERS, TUESDAY EVENING.—George Hamilton Gordon, Earl
of Aberdeen, died at the family seat, Redder House, Aber-
&mashies, a few minutes peat 12 this morning. His
lordstiip had been unwell for a cossiderable period, the
principal ailment, it is understood, being diabetes. De-
ceased was burn in 1616, and bad consequently only retched
his 48th year. He married in 1810 Lady Mary Baillie of
Jerviswoode, who survives him, with • family of three eons
and three daughters. As Lord Haddo, the late nobleman
represented the cuuoty of Aberdeen in parliament for •
number of years, and succeeded his father in the earldom in
1660. Lord Haddo, the new peer, who has entered his gird
year, is at present on • visit to his uncle, the Hoc. Arthur
Gordon, Governor of New Brunswick.
FRENCH REVOLUTION'S-T.—The name of
libusqui—Louis Auguste Blanchi—one of the most persistent
revolutionists in Frame, is just now once more before the
public. The poor man, whose life has been one alternation
of plotting and punishment, has just been removed from
priest to hospital, from which place it is thought be will
never passim:it alive. It is only in France that one can
find such au individual. His career reads like •
romance. When he left college he began to con-
spire, and seems to have always been one of
those curious reasons" who conclude that whatever ie,
in the shape of • government, is bad. He was wounded
in the affair of the Rue St. Denis, where be received his
baptism of fire in 1827. He fought in the days of July and
was decorated ; he wee immediately again in opposition,
and was condemned and imprisoned. As soon as he was
Gee be made gunpowder for a purpose and was implicated
in the conspiracy of the Rue de Lourcine. He wee con-
demned to death in 1840. In 1818 he was liberated by the
revolution, and returned to Paris to conspire agaitist the
provisional government ; then came ten years imprison-
ment—thee liberty—then • conspiracy against the Empire
--end then the present imprisonment—hospital--death
OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE RACKET MATCHES.—
The single match was played yesterday at Prince's Club,
Hans-place, Mr. Daniel, of Trinity. representing Cambridge,
and Mr. Walker, of Brasencee, Oxford. The tint game was
well contested up to 12, when Mr. Daniel went in and
finished it. The wooed game was won without difficulty
by Mr. Daniel, Mr. Walker obtaining only 3. In the third
game Mr. Walker could not get more than 6. and Mr.
Daniel thus won all three games and the match. Mr. Daniel
played throughout in very good style, his sharp hitting and
unerring eye gaining him great applause.
Till: PRESS AND THE JOCKEY CM:B.—The stewards
of the Jockey Club, an the case stands, have inflicted •
gross Moult upon the English press We can confidently
appeal to the sympathy of our contemporaries and the
public. We assert the freedom of public opinion. and
deny that we can be controlled, and censored, and puoislied
by the arbitrary dictators of the stewards of the Jockey
Club. Were we to do otherwise we should betray
our calling. On the conditions tendered by the
stewards, were they enforced by other authorities,
a reporter could never report, • writer could never
comment on any public event unties in compliance with the
dictation of the occupiers of the place which he happened
to enter. We should thus abandon all right to cnticise
magistrates, theatres, railways, companies, public meetings,
and the whole circle of general deeds and actions. The
absurdity is too great. The meaner in which the press
exercises its functions is obvious and well known, and we
think we are warranted in saying, both for our contem-
poraries and ourselves, that we have not merited the gra-
tuitous outrage which has been inflicted on English jour-
nalism in the person of " Argns."—Mornino Pool.
DERBY SPRING Cnemse FAIR.—TLESDAY.—AL
this annual fair, held to-day, there was • tolerable pitch of
eheese, the show consisting of Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire,
and Leiontershite dairies. There was a good attendance
of buyers, and a brisk demand eras experienced at prices
rather in favour of the seller. The show of Stilton, was
moderate. and sales took place readily at extreme rates.
The best dairies made 735. to 78e.; seconders, SAL to 725.;
thirds, 60s. to 635. per cwt. Stiltoes realised 9,1. to lld.
per lb.
RAILWAY •ND PUBLIC COMPANIES IN PAELLA-
argtrr.—A committee, consisting of Lord Stanley (chairman),
Mr. Ingham, Mr. Cobbett. and Sir E. Kemson, has been
appointed to commence its sittings immediately after the
Easter recess, to investigate the merits of the various new
schemes for railway oommunicatiou in the metropolis. Ori-
ginally the number of schemes proposed for this purpose
amnunted to 16, but since the decisions rejecting several of
them, on the report of the joint committee of both bowie
of parliament, appeared they have become reduced to the
still formidable following number of 25, which will now
form the subject matter of inquiry—viz., Charing cross
Railway, East London Railcar, Great Eastern imectinel),
Great Eastern (Metropolitan Station and Railways), Great
Northern and Victoria Station, Great Northern iNo. 1,
Barnet branch), Hampstead, Midland. North Western. and
Charing-moss Junction, London and Blackwell Railway,
London, Brighton, and South Oran (additional powers),
London, Brighton, and South Coen (new lines at Batterreal,
London, Chatham, and Dover (No. I), London, Chatham,
and Dover (2 new lines), L',04011 Low Level Mecropo-
titan (additional powers). Metropolitan (Notting-tin
sad Brampton Extension), Metropolitan (Trinity.equare
Extension), Metropolitan and St. John's Wood. Metropolitan
District, Metropolitan Greed Union, Midland (St. Pater,'
Branch). North London (additional powers), North Loudon
(Kingsland and Tottenham), North and South Loodou
(High Level Janctiou), Tooting, Merton, and Wirubledou
Extension, Waltharnstoc. Clanton, and City. 31 cet:ugs
and conferences of the principal promoters, solicitors, and
engineers have recently been held with this view of comic;
to some arrangements, inter Pe, in accordance with the su..-
gestioas attained in the report of the ism-liar:watery
committee, and with a view to facilitate the inquiries of the
forthcoming committee. A committee, consisting of Mr.
Scholefield (chairman), Messrs. Ferrer, Lord .1. Brovme,
Mr. Handley, and Colette' Maxwell, will also meet to con-
sider aodckcide upon the merits of the Alton, Alreeforl. s1:1
Winchester, Farnham, APlershott, awl Woking, lab of Pur-
beck. London and South Western (additional work.?.
London end South Western (Chertsev Extension). Peters-
field and Bishops Waltham Railways, Salisbury and
Yeovil, Salisbury Railway and Market House. SouthanTroa
and Netley Railway ; Station, Egbam, and Woking. :"..air
Pineal. and Cambridge Town, Seoul/iodide and Volk Torn,
end Aldershott, West Draytin, and Staines.