The Express.
London, England, 1853-05-27 00:00:00

IRELAND.

DrRLIN, MAT 26.
Her Excellency the Countess of St. Germans paid
another visit to the (heat Exhibition yesterday, and
after some time spent in the inspection of its con-
tents. expressed herself much pleased with the addi-
tional treasures which are unfolded among them
from day to day. The arrangement of the great
central hall has now been brought almost to a state
of actual completion, and all the galleries, in which
some of the most interesting articles of native manu-
facture are displayed, have been finished for some
time past. The northern hall may also be considered
as complete, and the machinery court will very soon
be in working order throughout. The most back-
ward portion of the Exhibition is the foreign depart-
ment, owing to delay in the arrival of goods, parti-
cularly of the articles expected from France. The
greater portion of these have now, however, been re-
ceived, and we may expect to see this department
completely arranged in a few days. The splendid
Gobelin and Beauvais tapestry, and the beautiful spe-
cimens of Sevres porcelain, contributed by the Em-
peror of the French, arrived last evening.
Several of the fine pictures by Belgian artists exhi-
bited :here have already found purchasers. There
was some increase in the number of visitors yester-
day, but a great many are still waiting to hear tho
completion of the arrangements
_announced. The
numbers yesterday were:

Season ticket holders
Number of persons at 12s. 6d.
Suldien of the 62. ad It‘ giment ..... 77
Total .

4,532

MAGI)ALENA STEAM NAVIGATION
COMPANY.

The first annual meeting of this company vas held
yesterday at the London Tavern, in compliance with the
deed of settlement. .1 1). PoWI.P.B, Esq., took the chair and
reed the report, of which we give an abstract.
The directors state 'that they have contracted with
Messrs. Saatuda, Brothers, of Dinek...ll, for the build-
ing of three iron steamers, in length, respectively-175 feet,
130 feet, and 165 feet; the total cost, including engines,
lying 31,1931. The contracts stipulate for the first two
boats to be complete and ready for sea on the 21st August,
and for the third to be ready in the first week of Decem-
ber. Boats Nos. 1 and 3 are both intended to be placed on
the r Ter Magdalena, but the fits: will be so c instructed,
as to render it avail►ble for the traffic on the river
Atrato, and for ocean traffic along the coast,
whenever there shall be occasion so to employ her.
Tee directors trust, by the end of the present year, to have
three boats in the River Magdalena. The directors, having
availed themselves of the information of intelligent persons
employed in the navigation of the river, state that the re-
sult of their inquiries is that the profit of one boat, making
two voyages per mouth, would be 19,1161. per annum.
Supposing this to be done for only nine mantis in the year,
the profit would be 14,3.591. 10s. Information has reached
the directors that coal exists within a moderate distance of

banks of the Magdalena. They have taken means to
have the locality thoroughly examined ; and if the result
should be satisfactory, they trust that great advantage will
accrue to the company from this source of supply.
The report was adopted unanimously, and the retiring
directors were re-elected.

A Peorutrrou wished to have some idea of the probable
ea:la. lie wished to know if any more than the three
boats would be constructed ?

The CHAIRMAN said they would have one boat more.
The cost of the three boats was 36,0001.
Mr. MORGAN said he saw the directors had rendered
themselves liable to a great responsibility, for they had only
got paid 17,8101., whlst they had paid 36,0001., leaving
18,3401. to be provided. He saw one difficulty in the nomi-
nal amount of their shares being 20/. ; he thought they
might be reduced to 51., and the capital reduced to a like
amount. In conclusion, he would move that the capital
be reduced to 50,0001.. the shares being of 51. each, and
that a special meeting be called for that purpose.
A Psoruturon asked what shares were paid on.
The CHAIRMAN said that 27,000 had been paid on. It
was well that no more had been subscribed, as their present
capital would be amply sufficient if they did no more than
construct steamers. Another boat would he necessary ; in
fact the circumstances of the trade required it. He con-
sidered it would not be prudent to limit the capital to
50,0001., u proposed by the hon. proprietor.
Mr. HAZLEWOOD (a director) thought the two next calls
might not be enforced, which would be a medium course to
that proposed.
Mr. Monume said he had heard that some were thinking
of enforcing their deposits from the chairman, and that was
an additional reason far reducing the capital to what bad
been subscribed.

The Citainmotar said the shares were not purposely kept
back ; the directors had taken a large proportion of those
which had been peid upon.
Ur. WAILD (a director) said that four boats ought to be
established to destroy competition. Including contin-
unties, this would take at least a capital of 65,00k01.
The CHAIRMAN sugatstcd that the propetition for re •
clueing the capital had better be left to the directors, and
they would consider the subject and call a special meeting.
After a vote of thanks to the Chairman, the meeting then
adjourned.