The Express.
London, England, 1848-03-16 00:00:00

BANK OF ENGLAND.

A general court of the proprietors of stock in this
corporation was held in the court-zoom of the Blatt this
mornin lor the purpose of declaring a dividend, and upon
other affairs. The attendance of the proprietors was very
nuracr. oY. At 12 n'ylork the governor (Mr. Janice Morris),
the deputy-governor, and m Ist of the dire tar., eatered the
courtroom. The secretary read the minutes of the last
court.

RS DIVIDEND.—The governor atsted that this was age.
neral court, calico, pursuant to the charter anti Lye-laws, to
saltier of a dividend; anti the court of directors, having
considered the state and condition of the Bank's accounts, had
great pleasure in proposing that a dividend at the rate of 4)
per cent. should b• 3 deatred, out of interest and profits,
if the court et proprietors thought fit. (Loud cheers.)
The "rest," on the 29th of February last, was 3,946,524/.
In the previous ha:f-year it was 3,925,634/, and showing,
therefore, a clear surplus gain of 20,8901. ((fear, hear.)
After deducting the present dividend and income tax, the
" rest" would be 3,201,6391., leaving an increase of 20,8991.
The Governor moved, that the proposed dividend should be
declared. (Cheers )
Mr. FIELDER, alter referring to th 3 gradual increase in
the " rest," considered that' the life-interest propri.Cors
should he considered. lie amid move that the present
dividend be increact4l by half per cent., or to five per cent.,
for the half-year. He would prove that, so steady had been
the increase of the " rest," that his proposition should be
entertained. The hon. proprietor then went over the gradual
increase of the " rest " in support of his motion.
After a few words from Mr. Clarke, Mr. de Winton, and
Mr. D. Salomon', Mr. Fielder withdrew his motion, and a
dividend of 41 per cent. was declared.

INTERCOURSE WITH TILE CONTINENT.—The weekly
return of paweagen through the Channel ports shows the
number for the week ending March 12 to have been :
Through Boul,gne, 1,551 ; through Cabral, 178. Th.
corresponding numbers hart year were :—Through Boulogne,
860; through •alsis, 232. The passengers through Bou-
logne may be thus subdivided :—From Folkest roe, 299 ;
from Dover, 102; from London, 75—total, 476. For Folkes-
tone, 795 ; for Dover, 121 ; for London, 159—total, 1,075.
RETIRING PENSION OF TILE LATE CLERK TO
TEI HOUSE OP LORDS.—Sir,--Permit me, through the
medium of your valuable journal, to ask you what gratuitous
services the late clerk to the House of Lords rendered
during the forty years he held that situation Had he not
a splendid salary ? and though he frequently was present
when the house sat, that was a small portion of the year for
such an income. Had he paid a premium for such a laws-
tiorr, and the government thought proper to ao away with
it, some argument might be advanced in favour of the pen-
sion ; in,trad of that, hundreds may be had who would be
glad to fill the situation and divide the emolument equally
between them durieg his lifetime. Besides, sir, what are
his resources? But I need not tell you, neither need I tell
you these are not the times to lavish away 2,0001. a year.—
ONE RULe, Newcastle, Match 7.

LANDED PROPERTY IMPROVEMENT (IRELAND) Acr.
—Application• for loans under this act which appear in the
Dublin Gazette of the 28th ult.