The Express.
London, England, 1862-06-10 00:00:00

THE EXPLOSION AND LOSS OP LIFE IN

BISHOPSOAMSTREET.

CORONER'S INQUEST.-(THIS DAY.)

This day, at noon, Mr. Serjeant Payne, coroner
of London and Southwark. and • jury, met in the
large assembly room at Mi. Woodin's Wine Shades, Bishops-
gatestreet, for the purpose of inquiring into the dream.
stances connected with the respective deaths of Ada Minnie
Boor, aged 18 months, and Sarah Ann Bordeux, the unfor-
tunate persons who perished in the fire which occurred on
Saturday last in the premises of Mr. Boor,wholesale chemist,
of No. 5.5, in the nine street.
The inquiry excited considerable interest, and amongst
those present was the Rev. T. Hugo, the incumbent of All
Saims. Mr. Tindal Atkinson attended to watch the pro.
continue on the part of the owners of the pre-
mises. Mr. Gordon attended on behalf of the Royal
Society for the Protection of Life from Fire. Cap-
tain Shaw was also in attendance to represent the
firs brigade. Mr. Charles White sad Mr. Hayes attended
to represent the Mercantile Fire-office. Mr. Dean, solicitor,
of 27, New Breed-street, attended on the part of Mr. Boor.
Mr. Deputy Pilchard was present, to watch the ease on
behalf of the ward ; and Mr. A. H. Clapham, solicitor,
attended on behalf of the parish authorities.
The jury having been sworn the following evidence was
taken. The bodies, which had previously been viewed by the
jury, presented • sickening !spectacle.
The Coroner inquired who first discovered the fire
The Summoning Officer—The person is in the hospital.
Wm. Evans said that he was assistant to Mr. Boor, a
wholesale and retail chemist and druggist, of 66, Bishops-
pte.street. On Saturday morning he was in • beck room.
and first beard of the occurrence by the shock, which forced
him woes the room. He ran into the front room, looked
out, and sew the flames coming up. He tried to get back
to get his clothes, but was unable, and he returned to the
front room, and remained until • ladder: came, and be was
taken down. The bunkhouse was a warehouse. There
was a small room between the back warehouse and the
counting-house. There was also a small room leading into
Artillery-lane, on the ground Boor. The shop was stocked
with goods such as are usually kept in an ordinary druggist's
shop. The counting-house contained the books, and the
room, stock. The front cellar was under the @hop, and the
back cellar contained principally " empties." The front
cellar contained stock. No business was carried on up-
stairs. lie thought the fire began in the basement.
Charles Warren, a carver of cabinet., who was in the
shop at the time of the explosion • J. Heaney,
chemist, of Evertors, near LiverpOol, said C.
Eatwell, who saw the explosion, gave evidence,
after which the housemaid, the sister of the elder
deceased, was examined. None of those witnesses could
give any positive clue to the immediate cause of the explo-
sion._

Alter some additional evidence the inquiry was adjourned.

CRYSTAL PALACR COMPANY.-(THIS DAY.)

The fourteenth ordinary general meeting of the
proprietors was held at 1 o'clock, at the London Tavern.
Mr. T. N. FARQUHAR in the chair.
Before the meeting, bills were freely distributed on be-
half of Mr. England, one of the directors, calling upon the
meeting not to allow him to be removed from the board.
When the directors entered the room there were loud cheers
for Mr. England.
The easittasa said, as that was • meeting at which the
accounta were not presented, he had nothing to easy with
regard to them. During the last half-year the board had
withdrawn as much as parable from the policy of
providing special attractioes, and the results were so
far satisfactory. It was natural that immediately
after the opening of the Exhibitiou there would be some
falling off ; but the number who visited the Crystal
Pekoe on the previous day was greater than the
number on the same day last year. The Flower
Show had also been • great success. The Handel
Festival would, he believed, be one of the most astounding
musical performances ever witnessed, and • complete
success in • pecuniary point of view. The building
itself had never been in so sound and perfect •
condition as it was at that moment. The eciastrockon of
the additional railway mentioned in the report would no
doubt prove most advantageous as regarded traffic ; while
the arrangement made with reseed to the land would re-
lieve the company as respected the rent paid for Dulwich
Wood. All that had been done to the building during this
year was of a lasting kind, and would not require reparation
during their time. He was confident that at the end
of tits year the bard would be enabled to
present a satisfactory financial statement; they were
willing to be judged by the results. He thee re-
ferred to the case of Mr. England. No exertions
would, he said, be wanting on his own part to
avoid anything unpleasant. With the prooeedinp out
of which the unfortunate disclosure referred to in the
report arose he found no fault. If a man connived that he
bad suffered wrong be had • right to resort to • kgal re-
moody ; but at the same time be was bound to take care
that has own condone was anaamilthle. Having elected
to take a certain mune be wished and lambed
public discussion, and he had thee so alternative bat to
retire from public life and make that conoessicie to
bpublic opinion which circumstances demanded. (Hear,
ear.) He would then have been entitled to look
for that sympathy which his cue ao doubt meta-
-1 rally demanded- He had, however, adopted_ as his
motto, " Sio volo sic jubeo," and thus defied public
opinion. ("Oh, eh.") Whoa the Times and another
morning paper had made comments on the ease, the case
had clearly a public one ; and the &redoes could
not pass the matter over without rendering themselves
liable to have it mid that they approved ef what had co-
cuned—(" No, no," respooded to by cheers). A man's
domestic hearth was his castle 60 long as those was no
publicity on his own part.
Mr. Ainurron wished to know what wu the charge
against Yr. England.
The CHAIRMAN mid the report was in the loom. (Criss
el "What is the charge l")
The CHAIRMAN said the facts were not disputed, and hs
would therefore repeat them. (. voice, ' They were
brought out in cross-examination.) He then went on to
make his statement, to the effect that Mr. Eng.
land prosecuted a man for perjury in swearing before
the surrogate he had his (Mr. England's) mown to marry
his daughter ; whereas it turned out that the young lady
was born during her father's cohabitation with his present
wife while he was the husband of another woman. Ple thee
declared his inability to keep company, with Mr. England
at the board after what had been published, and observed
that the effect of the board's doing so would be to create
a prejudice spinet the compeny, adding that if the Dourpunned by the board were challenged, a ballot would be
takes, and if the result were adverse to the directors, they
would. retire. ((bean.) He concluded by moving the
adoption of the
Mr. ANDIRMOriZty chairman) seconded the motion.
Mr. TAILOR t that before condemning Mr. Eng-
land the other directors ought all to be able to declare that
there was nothing in their private history ef which they
were ashamed. (Cheen.)
Mr. Enownt, who was received with cheers, mid be could
not see what his private character had to do with the board.
At the first board meeting after the trial, the chairman,
speaking to him in • very kind manner, asked him to plate
his reeigoatioe in kis hands to be dealt with as he
thought proper. He declined to do so, at the
same time declaring that be was twilling to take the
sense of the shareholders. If he thought that this was a
genuine expression of feeling on the part of the board be
would bow to it ; but he believed the object was to get rid
of him in consequence of the reforms, in effect-
imr;rehaich he had made enemies. What had been
to occurred a quarter of a century ago, and it was a
doses years agonises) he married his present wife. (Cheers.)
He had got rid of many of the superintendents at the
palace ; he was awned of wishing to make • clean sweep ;
and on one occasion the chairman said to him, " U you get
rid of Mr. Howley and Mr .Grove you will have to
get rid of me." He had no desire, however, to get
rid of good working was, but only of the drones
in the hive. He had not been keg at the board before
there was a dispute there as to who had the hamar of in-
troduciog him. There arose, however, a growing jealousy
of him, sod the report in the newspapers had been made a
pretext for getting rid of him. In conclusion, he stated
that he married his present wife within 14 days after the
death of his first wife, and made an earnest appeal to the
meeting for sympathy and support.
Mr. Lava mid the reel question was whether the com-
pany was to lose Yr. England's services or those of the
other directors. (Hear, hear.) Hs deprecated discussion
of • painful private subject.
Mr. JIMILINI moved an amendment, declaring that the
removal of Mr. England from the board was neither neces-
sary we desirable for the interest of the company.
[The meeting was proceeding when our report left.]

LONDON AND BLACZWALL RAILWAY.

(THIS DAY.)

An extraordinary meeting of the proprietors wan
held at noon at the London Tavern, Bishopegate-street, " for
the purpose of coneiderrag and determining upon the exercise
of the pewees conferred by the London and Blackwell Rail-
way Act, 1862, with reference to the raising of capital, and the
shares created under the powers of ' The London
aad Blackwall Railway AM, 1860,' and the creation of new
shares in lieu thereof • sad to consider and determine upon
the preferential, fixed, fluctuating, contingent, perpetual, or
tenantable dividend, and such other privileges or restric-
tions as the company think fit to be attached to such new
shares, and also to any preference shares into which any or-
diaary shares created under the act of 1860 may be con-
verted.
The following report was issued to the Proprietors :
•• The bill in parliament, which was submitted to, end ap-
proved by, the proprietors on the lit April last, having re-
ceived the royal assent, the directors have convened an
extraordinary meeting of the company for the 10th
day of June rent, for the purpose of rag
into effect those proviaions of the act which
relate to the creation of preference shares. It will
be in the recollection of the proprietors that in Au-
gust, 1860, it was resolved to create 46,134 shares of 61.105.
each, for the purpose of raising the 300,0001. capita', autho-
rised, by the London and Blackwell Railway Act, 1880. Of
those shame 24,735, representing 160,1771. Hi., were taken
up by the proprietors, and 21,419 shares, representing
139,2131. 10s., tannin unissued. It will be proposed at Use
meeting to cancel the 21,419 shares not issued, and to create
in lieu thereof the more number of shares of
61. 10s. each, and to attach to such shares a
preferential perpetualdividend at the rate of 4/.los. percent.
per annum on the amount for the time being paid up. The
act of 1862 provides that, upon the issue of any shares as
preference shares under the powers of that act, the holders
of any shares created under the powers of the act of 1860
may require the company to convert such shame into pre-
ference Mares, retitled to • preference dividend of not ex-
ceeding 41. 10a. par cent, per annum, upon payment of the
difference (if any) between the price at which such shares
were issued, and the nominal value of such preference shame.
provided that notice of the intention to exercise such right of
conversion be given in writing to the secretary, within two
months after the day of holding the meeting at which the
creation of the preference shares was sencticned. The shares
sot exchanged for preference shares will, after the next half-
yearly meeting, be converted into stock, in accordance with
the conditions upon which they were issued. It
will, therefore, be proposed to the meeting that
the preterence shares, into which any such or-
dinary shares may be converted, shall be of the
same nominal value of 61. 10e., and shall be entitled to the
same preferential perpetual dividend of 41. 10e. per cent
per annum as the other preference shares now proposed to
be created. The preference shares created in lieu
of the 21,419 ordinary shares not issued, will be
offered in the first instance to the proprietors
registered in the books of the company at
the date of the meeting, in the proportion of one share for
every 801. stock, end for every eight shares created and
tweed under the provisions of the act of 1860. Imme-
diately after the meeting • circular will be sent to each pro-
mister, with forms of application for pre's:ores shares, and
of notice for conversion of ordinary shares into preference
shares." . .

Tlie;Ctisnutar said the report entered eo fully into the
matter to which it related that it could not be neosmary for
him to make any remarim. Since the last meeting, when
the subject was fully dimmed. the bassi bad given the
matter their best attention, and they were unanimously of
opinion that the preference shares which it was now pro-
posed to offer, bearing 41. 10s. per met. per annum, would
be readily taken op by She proprietors in genereL
A series of rmointioas founded on the !sport were the.
moved from the chair, mid adopted. The last of these Geo-
tutions was as follows :—" That upon every preferential
share now to be created and lined a deposit of 11. 10s. be
paid on or before the Ist day of July next, and that the re-
maining 51. per share be paid by instalments at the follow-
ing dams, via., 11. 10s. par share as the Ist September,
1802, lf. 10s. per share on the lab November, 18W, U. per
share on the let January, 1863, and if. per share on the
Ind March, 1863."

The old charter of the state of Connecticut, in the
United States, granted by Charles IL, two bandied years
ago, still bangs in the office of the Secretary of State at
Hartford, the capital of the above-named state.

BANK OP BRITISH NORTH AMERICA.
(THIS DAY.)

This afternoon the 26th yearly general meeting
of the above bank we held at 7, St. Helena-plaoe ; Mr.
Cana in the chair.
_ .

v The statement
44 accounts presented to the meet*
shows a net profit for the year 1881, after providing for bad
and doubtful debts, and making additional provision
for old dependencies, of 61,2121.45. ld. Ont of this amount
the directors have declared a half-yearly dividend, payahle
on and after the sth July next, at the rate of is per cont
per annum, free of income tax, leaving 1,2121. 4s. id.
to be added to the red or balance of undivided profit,
which, including this addition, amounted, on 31st Dectsmber,
1861, to 126,9781. 7a ld., after providing far the dividend
that was paid in January last.
The report was adopted.