The Express.
London, England, 1853-09-16 00:00:00

THE WAGES OF roLLIEES.

The Messrs. Charlesworth, the well known pro-
prietors of extensive collieries in the West Riding of York-
shire, and the employers of no lees than about three thou-
sand working miners, have, en the recent rise in the price
of coal, pursued a course which seems at least well worthy
the consideration of other proprietors, more especially of
those whose men have struck or determined upon striking
fur a certain advance of wages. The price of coal, 03 is
generally known, was risen 10d. • ton at tho commence-
ment of the present month. Immediately this advance wu
determined on the Messrs. Charlesworth voluntarily, and
before any movement on the part of their workmen, inti-
mated to them that they should advance their wages—those
of the bottom or pitmen fifteen per cent., and those of the
top or hank-nen ten per cent. Accordingly, on Saturday
the 3rd inst., the men were paid their increased were?,
which they received, naturally enough, with feelings ef
gratitude and pleasure. Influenced by those feelings they
at once determined upon having a general holiday in order
that an opportunity nfi:,.ht be afforded to them of collec-
tively returning thanks to their employers for the liberality
end generosity they had manifested, and in order that they
might celebrate in • suitable manner the bringing about of
what they had so long desired—an increase of their wages.
Monday last was the day chorea by the men for this pur-
pose, and it was indeed to them an occasion of joyous
festivity.

SERIOUS ACCIDENT TO LORD SOUTTIWELE.—A
serious accident occurred to Lord Viscount Southwell oe
Sunday afternoon, while passing the kennel of one of hff
watch-dog., a powerful mastiff. Ills lordship, as was his
usual custom, stayed to fondle with the dog, which sud-
denly seized his master and tore off the greater part of his
clothing, and when beaten with a stick the enraged animal
pulled him t 3 the ground and endeavoured to drag him to
the kennel, but hie cries for assistance were heard by the
servants, who came up and beat eff the dog with an one
bar. His lordship is severely bitten in the thigh, and his
hands and fingers are extensively laccrated, the tenches
being laid bare. hles•rs. Ricketts and Roden, of Wait-
' with, Lord Southwell's medical attendant•, were Mune-
distely called in. Up to the present time the symptoms
arc as ',wearable as can be expected, considering the acme
nature of the injuries rece,ved.—lfrorcester eleronicle.
ACCESSION OP roinTNE.—A poor weaver naiad
liayton, residing in Caldengate, in this city, has just come
into possession of a large fortune—it is said or SOO/. a yeas
—by the death i f a younger brother, a wealthy hop met-
chant and spirit dealer in Manchester. —Carlisk Journal.

Yesterday a half-yearly general court of the pro-
rioters of the Bank of linglend was held for the purpose
isrcossidenag a dividend. It was also one of the quarterly
general courts appointed by the charter.
The minutes of the previous meeting having been read
sad confirmed,
The liuveaxoa (J. O. flubSard E.q.) spoke as follows :
Th. uueseaor aecisaints the court that this is one of the
quarterly penal courts appointed by the charter, and that
it is also see of the half-yearly general courts appointed by
the 1-ith bye-law for the making of dividend'. That the
net Inuits of the half-year, ending on 31st August lest were
fesl,•4ll. 7e. Id. ; makiog the amount of the rest on that
us, 3,106,0742. 14. 8.1., and that after providing for a
d.voired of 41. per nat., the rest worth. be 3.014,(5X1.94. Yd.
The Court of Directors therefore propose that a,dividend of
41. per mat. be made (if this court think fit) of interest and
pndits for the hallycir ending 31st August last, without
deduction on account of income tax.
The tondos was then put, whether • dividend of 41.
per rent should be declared.
Hr. Cooke said he seconded the proposition with plea-
sure, as he conceived that a full dividend had bees the
result of the prudence and management of the directors is
the past year; firstly, in making mese; during the first
part of the year, then in giving assistance to legitimate com-
merce, and, lastly, in putting a check on extravagant specu-
lation and pre venting the subtratnes of public credit being
frittered by undue specul.tion. While the public inter-
est had been consulted, that of the proprietors had not been
neglected; and both the public and the proprietors must
feel satisfied with the result; whereas if the interests of
either bad been neglected, the Bank would
have been nahjected to much blame. Thee wets
not exactly considering the mere question of a
dividend to-day, but it was also 01-en to them to lock to the
prospects of the future, and when they looked to what had
taken place with regard to their neighbours at the India
House, it put them in mind that the pined of their owe
charter was drawing to a close, and that the circumstances
of this corporation must also be made the subject of investi-
gation. When he looked back to 1830 and considered the
alterations which took plate in their charter.—(Cries of
'.Question
A ritortii aeon rose to order—The observations of the
honourabie gcnticznan were not relevant to the object be-
fore the court.

Mr. CUl,aa would bend to the opinion of the eourt, but
be thought the question of a dividend was connected with
their future prospects, and that A was legitimate to go into
that subject.
'the Govrattot said, on the part of the directors and
personally, he should be sorry to check the observations of
the hon. gentleman, but when their relevancy was chal-
lenged he was booed teeny that they did not exactly apply
to the question of dividend, and it was hardly desirable to
proceed with them, unless the proprietors present wished
to Gated to them.
Mr. Coox x said he would not now press the subject. as
there would be plenty of time to do so nest year, and would
content himself with seconding the motion.
The motion was then put and carried unanimously.
Toe (iuVrRNOR then stated that the warrants for divi-
dends would be delivered and payable on Tuesday, the 11. h
Cl October nest.
The Court then broke up, the proceedings having lasted
tautly seven minutes.

AUSTRALIAN ROYAL MAIL STEAM
NArIGATIoN COMPANY.

Yesterday an extraordinary general meeting of
the shareholders of this company was held at the London
Tavern to receive • further report from the committee of
abareholden, to slier the qualification of directors, and to
elect • new board of directors and an auditor. G. 0.
FRITH. Esq., presided.
The Si, arreath having read the circular letter issued
by the shareholders' committee, recommending the follow-
ing eight gentlemen to be the new directors—Mews. R. T.
Davies. Best, Gurney, Henderson, 3lalins, Moore, Bernal,
and Parkes,
C liAl RYAN was anxious, not having had the oppor.
tu.nty of being present at the last meeting, to say that he
concurred with tie rest of the board that the unqualified
ensure cast upon the directors by the shareholders' com-
mittee was undeserved. With regard to the mode
in which the business of the company should be car-
ried on, his opinions were known, and it would
be therefore unnecessary for him to dwell upon that
point. lie would merely observe that be should consider
himself Nettle future rather as a mediator than in any
other capacity, and whatever measures brought forward
by the new board, which, in his opinion, were calculated to
benefit the interests of the proprietors, should have his
hearty support. (Hear, hear.) There was at present •
vacancy at the present board, and their first badness, be
apprehended, would be to fill up that and then to the
resignations of the directors, so as to afford the proprietors
the opportunity of rlecting the new board. Before, how-
ever, proceeding to the election it would be necessary to de-
cide whether the proposition of the committee for reducing
the qualifications of the directors from 100 to 60 shares
should be acted upon, and perhaps some member et the
Committee would move a resolution upon the subject at ones.
Mr. HMI oxitaoee (a member of the committee) proposed
a nsolutioa in accordance with the suggestion.
Mr LANCASTRII moved, a/ an tinenclinCnt, that the
present meeting be adjourned, and that • special meeting be
called, for the purpose of considering the propriety of wind-
in up the company.
MC NUM' II tnT, in seconding the amendment, said he
believed the only way of extricating themselves from their
difficulties was by winding up their affairs.
Mr. SHIPII VW (a director) considered the Marnallaallar
Sion of the committee inconsistent with their repeat, sad at
the same time impracticable. lie awed, es aa armainaat,
that the question of redociag the amilidisatisnattbediesstan
be postponed, and that a general mead's be alai Oar soma
day in October to consider the propriety of relating the
swatter of directors to six ; to appoint • new bend ; and
to alter to much el the 41tb clause of the deed of settle-
meat se required the qualification to be held six nelitlis pre-
vious to the election, and that the sanction of the President of
the Budd of Trade to such alteration be obtained. And the
names which at such adjourned meeting he should propose
mate new directors were Mr. Philip Blithe, Capt. Gilmour,
Mr. Betakes, M.P., Mr. La Rothe (a gentleman who had
a large Merest in Australia, and who was oleos shipowner),
Mr. Malawi, and Mr. R. F. Davison. (Hear, hear.)
The CUAIIIIIIAPI pat the amendment of Mr. Lancaster,
which was lost by a large majority. The original resolu-
tion for reducing the qualification of the directors was Urea
pat. end after some conversation,
Mr. COIIiZAD asked how many shareholders there were
who were qualified for the direction by holding 100 shares.
The CnAIRMAX ripped that there were 131 proprietors
wen qualified, in regard to the number of shares
held sad the time during which they had possessed them.
Mr. BallitinD altered his amendasest, withdrawing
that part of it which pledged the meeting to the list he had
'Mt". amendment, as altered, was then put to a show of
bends, and carried.
Mr. A. blooms demanded a ballot, which, however, win
set persisted in, and the amendment was adopted, the day
of the meeting in October to be fixed by the chairman.
• Paoratrroa inquired what etepe were being take. to
despatch the Australian.
A DIitECTOS replied that until they knew what was to
be done, and who were to be the directors, no steps could
be taken. He regretted the loge of money, and more Ulna
all, the loss of podia confidence which resulted from the
delay in despatching their ships, but until the affairs of the
company were tented in one way or another, it could not
be avoided. The lies in money was considerable, for they
must be aware that the whole of the staff had to be kept up,
and that the ships' companies were oa pay.
A vote of thanks was then passed to the committee,
and the chairman, tad the meeting separated.