The Express.
London, England, 1849-03-08 00:00:00

BRITISH COLONIAL BANK AND LOAN

COMPANY.

- - -
Yesterday the annual meeting of shareholders in
the above concern took place at the company's tam, 60,
Moorgatestreet. Mr. J. fireWAIIT is the chab.
The report of the directors was read by the 811CARTAILT,
from which it appeared that slate the last annual meeting
debentures to the amount of 1,5001. have been paid off,
leaving the sum of 3,0001. only, due by the company. The
receipts of rents and istarest were not so large ae in the
previous year, and the falling off is attributed to the de-
pression eaistiogh. Aus relia, in common with meet other
parts of the world. In eniseguenea of being obliged to re-
serve a sum of 1,3121., to meet the event of a Chancery suit
being decided against the company, the directors recommend
a dividend of 21. per cent. only.
The CHAIRMAN expressed regret that the peculiar cir-
cumstances in which the company wss placed did not justify
the directors In recommend a larger dividend. There
were sr! 'nit grounds, however, for hoping that their condi.
tioa would be much improved during the present year. To
render the Australian colonies prosperous, extensive emigra-
tion and ext inercased demand for the staple commodity of
the country were indispensably neoessary, and he was happy
to say that in both respects there was a fair prospect of a
gram improvement as compared with the last year or two.
He was serryato be obliged to mention that there wee last
year a falling of in the amount of rents end interest re-
aped, but the directors were gradually and steadily clearing
off liabilities, and he believed that by persevering in the
course which they had adopted, the proprietors would even-
tually receive the money invested by them in the undertak-
ing. The lawenit—to meet the expanses of which a sum of
1,3121. had been reserved—wee occasioned by an alleged
defect is the title of the company to certain lands on which
they had lent money. If they succeeded—end an opinion
favourable to them bad been gives—the snot reserved would
of course be available for distribution; but, if the suit ens
decided against them, the company would incur a loss of
about 3,5001. including the sum originally advanced.
1 Several Paorairrogs upraised dissatisfection at the high
salary (8001. a peer) paid to the manager in Australia.
The CHAIRMAN steed that the salary of their
had hewn already reduced (rim 1,0001. to 8001. a ye He
considered it very desirable that an individual bolding a
situation involving so much treat and responsibility should
be liberally remunerated.
The report wee then received and adopted, and the three
retiring directors were reelected.
A conversation ensued between the shareholders and the
dinettes, in whisk the former strongly advocated the adop-
tion of measure. calculatod to ensure the speedy winding.up
of the ocaspany's affairs, and they were amend that the steps
necessary to attain that object would be taken as speedily as
was consistent with a due regard to the Mumma of the share-
holders themselves.
A dividend of 21. per cent was then declared, and the
meeting separated.

APPOINTRIMT OP HARBOUR Man= OP THE
PORT OF LONDON —Yesterday the port of London and
Navigation Committee of the Common Council met at the
Guildhall, for the purpose of electing a principal and super-
intending harbour master, vacant by the resignation of Com-
mander Fisher, R.N., who has redred on a pension after 30
years' service. It will be recollected that Captain Caffut,
it.N., was nominated by the Lord Mayor, as one of the har-
bour masters, when Commander Fisher retired, but*thielec-
don of principal and superintendent harbour master was
vested in the navigation committee. Mr. Rowland, of the
Greenwich station, who has been harbour master for up-
wards of 26 years, was nest in rotation to Commander
Fisher and, according to the rules and regulations
of the eoerwation, was entitled to the situation of
principal and superintending harbour master. An at-
tempt, beware,', was made to induce the navigation com-
mittee to deviate from the ordinary practice in favour of
Captain Cdfin, and great interest was excited. The com-
mittee diseased the question with cleaeddoon, and at length
name to the determination that the old harbour Rasters
should rise in seniority according to the established usage,
end Mr. Rowland was appointed principal and superintend-
ing harbour-master, at a salary of 5001. per annum ; Lieut.
Stone, R.N., of Linseltouse, second, at a salary of 4001. ,• Mr.
James, of Gravesend, third, 8001.; and Captain Cahn to
eater, ma his co/les/ea had formerly done, at a salary of
2501. By the] existing act of parliament, all rules orders,
and directions, given by the principal and eaperititending
larboor-masts, are to be obeyed and followed by the other
harbour-masters, and hence the necessity for appointing
gentleman accustomed to the duties.
Cnourne.—Yeeterday the following fresh cues
were repoeted to the Board of Health :—Bethnal-grren
Lunatic Asylum, 1; Bhacklewell, 1 • Bhepherd'ellush, 21,
fatal ; 1 fatal ; itiecarte'V, 1, Kilbarnie 2, 1
fatal; tueWsleM 6, 3 fatal ,• Charlestown, Dankrialine,
fetal ; Dudermline, 3, 1 fetal.—Total, 20 new eases ;
10 death&

IRELAND.

Dusuy. lIIARcz 7.

. •
The elearmes system still continues in many parts
of this country. In the vicinity of Dungarvon last
week twenty-four houses were levelled to the ground,
and it is said that the neighbouring farmers were
I afraid to give the turned-out inmates any shelter,
through fear of their landlords. Thus, we are now
undoing in Ireland all the work which the landlords
did fifty years ago, in order to increase their political
influence by manufacturing forty-shilling voters.
At the various military stations the late orders for
discharging soldiers have been carried into effect. At
Buttevant, last Saturday, 70 men were discharged
from 41st Regiment, and neirly 200 more are to be
discharged in a few days, but this intention will, pro-
bably, be at once abandoned. The Cork Constitution
says, that the Cameronians would have discharged
270 mon but for the news from India.
The tide of emigration proceeds with rapidity.
Several general traders and shopkeepers have left
Tribe for America. A good many emigrants of
social consideration ere leaving Limerick this month,
many of them persons of property, who wish to invest
their means more profitably than in this crumbling
couoti y.
The contract for supplying the tarps in the Cork
district, for the next seven months, is singularly low,
namely, fresh moat at 3d. per lb., and bid. for the
41b. loaf of bread. Such a contract shows the gloomy
prospect before the Irish agriculturist.