The Express.
London, England, 1853-08-26 00:00:00

form you that the report in the public journals of the day
is substantially correct, rud that the address of my brother
to whom the statement refers is underwritten.—l am, &c.,
(Signed) W. AUTIMIL WILKINSON:
James C. Melvin, EA.
" Norman Wilkinson, EA.. Nutlield. Surrey,
and 56, Tint ad ueedle.stree t."..

" East India House, July 23,1353.
" Sir,—Thc Courted Directors of the Host India Company
baying been informed by your orother, Mr. W. A. Wilkie-
son, MT., that the report of has ham._ publicly stated that
an offer to sell an appointment in the company's service
was made to you is correct, I am commanded to request
that you will have the goodness to communicate to me the
name of the party by whom the offer was made, and such
other particulars of the proposal as may be within your
cognisance.
" I have the honour to he, &e.,
(Signed) "J. C. liIkLvILL, Secretary.
"Norman Witainson, Esq."
"56, Threadneedle-street, July 25, 1633.
" Sir,—l beg you will inform the Court of Directors of
the East India Company that I do not feel called upon to
make any communication upon the subject of your letter
to me. . . .

" I have the honour to he, &c.,
(Signed) NoItMAN WILKINSON.
" J. C. Melvill, Esq."
East India House, July 27, 1853.
" Sir,-1 have laid before the Court of Directors of the
East India Company your letter of the 24th, in reply to
that which I addressed to you on the :3rd instant, request.
ing that you would have the goodness to communicate to
me the name of the party by whom an eff,r to sell an ap-
pointment in the Company's service was made to you, the
tact of which offer to you, and of your having been in treaty
for the purchase of the appointment, was publicly stated
by your brother, Mr. W. A. Wilkinson, and is not denied
by you. The Court regret that you do not feel called upon
to make any communication to them upon the subject. Yea
cannot but perceive that it imports your own honour as well
as theirs, that the transaction alluded to should be probed
to the bottom ; and they trust that, upon further considera-
tion, you will see the propriety of disclosing all that you
know upon the subject.
"I am directed, therefore, to add that, as it appears to
the Court that an offence has been committed against the act
of parliament, and us they apprehend that yon may yourself
be liable for the port which you have taken in it, the Court
will feel it to he their duty to order pmccedings to be insti-
tuted against you, unless by your disclosing the name of the
party more directly charged with the offence they should
feel that the ends of justice will be effectually obtained.
" I have the honour to be, &c.,
(Signed) " J. C. MELVILL.
"N. Wilkinson, Esq.'•
" 56, Threadneedle-street, July 29, 1553.
" Sir,—l beg to acknowledge your letter of the 27th
inst. 1 must protest against the attempt in the first para.
graph to gain from me an admission which may, according
to your subsequent threat, be used against me. I can only
say that I have no fear of my honour suffering by any in.
sestigation which your directors may think proper to set on
foot; and should they deem it advisable to take the pro•
ceedings threatened in the last paragraph, I beg to refer
you to my solicitors, Messrs. Borchelt and Co.
" I have the honour to be,
...NORMAN WILKINSON.

- - -
(Signed)
" J. C. Ideltill, Evi."

THE NEIV CAB ACT.

Mr. Cobb, of 14, Woburn-square, appeared yester-
day at Bow-street, to a summons charging him with pay-
ing_a cabman less than his legal fare.
The cabman read as written statement of the particulars
' of his claim, for time and distance. during the hiring, which
commenced at Messrs. Fox and Ilenderson's offices, in
New-street, Spring-gardens, at about halt-past 2, and con-
tinued up to 7 o'clock, when Mrs. Cobb and two young
children were finaliy left at the defendant's residence. Ac-
cording to the cabman, he went over nine miles of ground,
and was detained, by stoppages, exactly 189 minutes, or
three hours; his charge, therebre, was 4s. GI. for distance,
6d. the two children, and 6s. time—making a total of lls.
Mr. Cobb, without possessing a precise knowledge of the
time consumed, said he considered the charge an exorbitant
one. lie remembered that the cabman's claim for distance
was, firstly, eight miles, and he called Mrs. Cobb to prove
that she arrived home at 20 minutes to 7, and considered
the cabman's estimate of the time consumed in stoppage.
altogether extravagant. The fare paid was 9s.
Mr. Hall decided that the cabman had slaimed a shilling
too much, and that Mr. Cobh had paid a shilling too little.
Ile therefore directed the d fendaot to pay the extra shil-
ling, with the 2s, costs, and 2s. 6d. for the wluan's loss of
time.

Mr. Cobb declared that he paid considerably more for cab
hire under the new system than he did under the old one,
and he inquired if it was usual to make a man pay the
costs, when a cabman was proved to have claimed more than
he was entitled to.
Mr.

it for the day ie the evil thereof. I
will comnder that question when it comes before ate.