The Express.
London, England, 1853-10-01 00:00:00

GENERAL SCREIV STEAM SHIPPING
COMP A
-- - -

The half-y:arly meeting of shareholders was held
yesterday at the Loud HA Tavern; Mr. J. M. ELLts in the
chair.

The report, after stating that the progress of events hod '
gone fir to realise any try treahle impression which the
suitemeet of the hot belt year's report might have made on
the minds of the shareholders proceeded to say "That in-
(lured by the pre-eat septet of politico! affore, and the
temptations which large thipmentr of Fold like that by the
flarbieger may effeir, the box rel Isere determined to pot a
proper armament on hoard of each of the company'. pima.
buard have made a satisfactory arrangement with the
Petent Fuel Company, which is to give as a penalty a es r•
toin quantity of fuel, to he delivered .0 equal proportions in
the wane of three years. The ships employed in the
ludisn service have acquired the confident, of the public,
as is well exemplified by the greater number ui passengers
—the shipmt les of goods have iorreated—and France is
in;voning to avail herself of the Indian line for the con-
veyance of her merchoudise ; at the same time the expen-
diture of fuel has been much reduced, the ships have after
a first voyage returned with their machinery in excellent
order —the voyage, hive been perfarmed with a degree of
pcactuality that leaves but little more to be expected, and
as a natural resale the expenses have been considerably
diminished. The board's experience bag caused improve-
ments in the 1,800 ton ships, which have economised
space—piving accommodation fry a greater cumber of pin-
e/niers, and ter additional cargo. The ventilation of the
evens has also been improved. which will he most accept-
able to passengers in a tropical climate. The continental
services have, in the aggregate, been conducted with their
usual success. To relieve the vessel, employed in them
fen ordinary and necessary repairs, the board hove lately
purchiised, at public auction, the Alar, an iron vessel of
.'ter tons burden, and 80 hone-power. She is now running
between London wad Dunkirk. Tee increase of business
between Lanhen and the countries of which Harlingen is
the port, demands a larger vessel than the Lord John
Russell, and the board are about to contract for a new
ship; it has long been required by the merchants engaged
in the trade. The Sir Robert Peel has been seems fully em-
ployed on the South African toast service ; her passengen sad
cargo have, in fact, exceeded her weaned accommodation.
The board have purchased the Natal, of 680 tons, and 100
honcipower, to complete this service, according to the eon-
tract. She will proceed to her destination in the coarse of
next month. The departure r f the Harbinger fur Port
eleilip and Sydney, was anneamed in the last report.
Her passage to Port Phillip in 09, and that of the Helles-
pont in 75 days, was hailed with the highest satisfaction In
the colonies, and greatly tended to remove the repugnance
which had sprung up in the put tie mind, to steam oosunth
melon by the south. The Harbinger's return, ma the
Cape of (hood Hope, instead of Cape Horn, weakened the
prestige which the (onward pert, had won; but, is a
pecuniary team, the results of the voyage are satisfactory.
titre is to sail on the 6th proximo, on her wend voyage to
Port Phillip and Sydney. The Argo ceded on the Bth of
Mil, sad lift St. 'Vincent on the 23rd of the Mlle month
sixes which no ioformation of her progress has been re-
wired. The *hips of 2,500 tons are in a forward state. Thee
Craves is nearly ready for sea; the Jana is receiving her
reiehinery; and the Golden Fleece will he launched in •
few days. The Cttettil it is intended to despatch in the
brat week of December, end the board hope the other two
will follow at intervals of two menthe The Met ship has
cagier aof 404 hone-power, but the power of the second
and third is reduced. In order to maintain an alienate
monthly line, regularly and efficiently, and with duo re-
gard to the public teigeecies, four large ships will be
required; and as the Argo main be transferred to the
Indian line, for which she woe originally intended, the
directors contemp`sto the purcbxse of another ship. Under
such an arrangement, the Harbinger will be considered as
an auxiliary to either this or the Indian mail service.
The reserve fund now amounts to 24,386/. 2.. Id. In-
surance Fund : With the exception of the Argo, the whole
of the compeny', eneels are now at their owe risk ; a policy
on her for 35,0001. expires ow the 31st of De-centime. The
sobscrioed capitol am ants to 045,9801., of which 683,6621.
is path. The calis, the di.eetor. era happy to state, have
been met satetfoctotily. The directors recommended the
shareholders to carry any balance which may •opear on the
31st of December next, at the debit of profit and low, to an
account in susnense, to be liquidated a• preltrainary
expense", in the confident hope that they will enjoy ties
means of peovidttig a regular and continuous dividend from
the tat of January following."

The CHAIRMAN, in 'seeing the adoption of the report,
entered into details with regard to the earnings of the
wen sn77 s vessel,.
Mr. Curiagton, Mr. Rose. and one or two other share
bolder, ham g objected to the adoption of the report in the
abs-ace of M. accounts, the resolution was limited to its
reception, and in that sense was unitaimourly agreed to.
The CHAIRMAN then stated wha* V e en icantial result
of the accounts would be if in a stets to be presented to the
meeting. From this statement it appeared 'bit the total
loss since the commencement of the company was 35,0001.,
including 5,11191. interest paid to shareholders.
The SECHLTAIIt then read what would substantially be
the position of the accniiits if in a state to be presented re-
gularly to the meeting. The rc:ult was, that OA:tr.:appeared
cu the debtor side of the profit and loss acc-mnt a sum of
39,9031. 16s. M., awl on the creditor side a sum of
36.2811. Its.
Resolution' were then agreed to for dividing 4 per cent.
per annum fur the half-year, in accordance with the recom-
mendation in the report, and for altering the days of hold-
ing the half-yearly meetings, with a view to greater con-
venience as to the time for pupating the accounts.
Alter a vote of thank* to the Chairman the meeting ad-
journed for 21 day., so as to have the accounts rectified and
prevented.

APOTIIECARIZS' HALL—Names of gentlemen who
passed their examination in tit,: science and practice of
medicine, and received eertiflc Ice to prrc•ba, on Thurs-
day, Sept. 29:—Edward Vaughan, Keyrsham ; William
S eventon, Cheadle; John Bishop King, Brighton ; Stephen
John Burt, London.
ItAttwAr CumniNArtos. --It is stated that a
general arrangement is in a forward state between the
•arious narrow-gauge companies interested in the traffic of
the dime:eta mid-west of Loudon—that is to say, between
ts.e London and North-Western, tho Midland, the Oxford,
Worcester, and Wolverhampton, the Woree.ter and Here-
ford, the Newport, At.erpa•enny, and lit refotd, and the
South fleaff.adabire C-nnpanies. The managers of these
various companies, it is said, are prepared to consider their
oan lines and those of the other companies as if they be-
lungi d to one common undertaking.
CRIMIL IN FRANCE.—A soldier of the 2nd Regi-
ment of Artillery, named bluoyer, deserted on the 311th of
August lest from his regiment, then stationed at Lyons.
He took with him his earhine, three pistils, and a num►er
of ball cartridges. After proceeding tome little distance
towards Saint Valier he perceived two gendarmes. Ile
turned across the trlds to avoid them ; but they, having
seen him, and ►uspecting he was a dem tter, went in pursuit
of h'en. Oa* of them, ni.med Geignet, scom got hear him,
end called on him to stop ; but ho took no notice.
The gendarme repeated his injunction, whereupon he
raised his carbine, and cried " Conn no n eeeee —I am •
deserter." The gendarme, however, advanced to seize him.
He then took deliberate aim at Lim, and soot him through
the head. The unf r:unate man fell dead. On this the
murderer took to Mast, and sought refuse in • wood. An
alarm was given, and in a short time the wood was sur-
rounded by the inhabitantsof the adjacent villages. Bat
knowing him to be armed, they were afraid to go near him,
and sent dogs to attack him. At last he prepared to leave
the wood, but a gun was disch4reeet at him. Seeing that
gripe was imp ieeihle, he di•eta•grd his carbine, which he
cad reloaded, and his ti.t, is in Mr air, and gave himself
sm. Three days back I, wit brought ti trial ht fir. • Court
Vat:irl at Lyons. All :net he said in his il,f,nce was, that
he had murdered the g ndsrme hi:cause he bad wished to
arrest him, when be had tarok up his mind todesert at every
clot. The Court condemned him to death.

Ar L NtiArrY ILLVSTRATiON.—King William the
P girth was one ,lay inspecting a militia regiment, with tl •
Duke of Buckicithom on one side, and a sou-burnt Indiau
veteran on the other. The King suddsnly found it neces-
sary to make a speech, and the natural topic wu the
noes contingencies of a mutiny career. By way of
iilustr.diun, he pointed to the Doke un his left, and said,
•' Von sec trs supported here, on ens side, by a descendant
•f he Pluttegentt—me whos lineage is equal to my own;
wt ile, on the oil ar, my nue is pressed by a man sorting
from the •cry dregs of the pto;.:d."—lVieo Quarterly
R rine.* October.