The Express.
London, England, 1853-02-04 00:00:00

THE REFORM MEETING AT

' This meeting, given last evening in the form of a
wird*, at the Town-hall, was expected to be an effective ga-
thering. It wee to consist of the leading reformers, or heads
of the liberal party, from all the leading towns of South and
North Lancashire, to the number of 300 or 400 persons, to
meet their representatives. In other words, it was to be a
friendly or social reunion of the representatives and repre-
sented, to talk over the leading questions which are ex-
pected to engage the attention of parliament. Great un-
animity of sentiment is believed to prevail be-
tween most of the representatives of the county
and of the boroughs of the county, on these
questions, and the object of course is to draw the bend
of union by such interchange of sentiments as close as pos-
sible. The members present were to be—Messrs. Wm.
Brown, Jas. Heywood, John Cheethsm, John Bright, T.
M. Gibson, Joseph Brotherton, Charles Hindley, W. J.
Fox, James Pilkington, Wm. Eccles, Thos. Barnes, Joseph
Crook, J. B. Smith, and James Kershaw. Gentlemen have
accepted invitations to be present from the following among
the principal towns of the county, in addition to Manchester
and Salford:—Liverpool, Warrington, Wigan, Bolton,
Blackburn, Bury, Ashton, Chorley, Colne, l'reston, Barn-
ley, Rochdale, Oldham, Stockport, and St. Helens. A
similar gathering was held two years ago, before the assem-
bling of parliament, at the Albion Hotel, which, besides
being found to give much gratification to the reform party
generally, was also found to lead to good practical results.
It was the success of that meeting which has encouraged
the party to summon another at the present time.

TrIEYELLOW FEY ER IN TIIEWEST INDIA STEAMERS.
The accounts brought by the La Plata steamer from the
West Indies, clearly show that the yellow fever has nearly
spent itself. The cues which have most recently occurred
are of a sporadic character, having no traceable origin. If
the disease was still existing in all its primitive virulence,
the La Plata would, so doubt, have brought it to Southamp-
ton, on account of the rapidity of her voyage from St.
Thomas, which was performed in 14 days. The La Plata
was the first ship that had the yellow fever on board of her
during her homeward voyage, and the first to bring a clean
bill of health after the fever had abated. During the con-
tinuance of the disease, five of the homeward bound West
India packets have been infected with it. There have died
on board the West India Company's steamers of yellow
fever two admiralty agents, one commander, rive pursers,
several officers and engineers, which, together with men,
invalids, and passengers, amount to nearly 160 persons.
There has been no calamity in the West Indies such
as the yellow fever has been for the la t 37 years. Many of
the deaths, the news of which was brought home by the La
Plata, ware of persons who were left ill at Jamaica from the
Parana steamer. It is expected that the next steamer will
bring home accounts that the fever has ceased to exist.
A SPEEDY FORTUNE.—A young gentleman of
Glasgow who has shipped for Australia these lest four
years, now finds that he has made 40,0031. by successful
consignments of rough goods to that quarter. This may
appear incredible, but it is nevertheless a fact.—No►tA
lb 444 Moil.

LONDON AND CoUNTY JUINI-STOCK

BANK.

The annual meeting of the proprietors of this bank
was held yesterday at the London Tavern. Mr. SALLEIkt,
M.P. in the chair. .

The following report and balance-sheet were real by the
secretary :
"Your directors have more than ordinary pleasure hi sub-
mitting to the proprietors a general statement of the affairs
of the company, and the result of the halt-year's accounts
ending the 31st of December, 1852. In dues last your di-
rectors decided, that the large and steady advance in the
business of t':e company made it desirable to idereaiet thy
capital from 300,01,01. to 400,0001. In carrying out this
measure, they offered to the proprietors the option of
the new capital at a preiniunt of 31. 10s. per share, sail they
have the satisfaction to state that the whole amount was at
once taken up. The sum of 17,500. arising from the pre-
mium, has cnubl-d your directors to extiuguiso the
dead weight of 17,0001., arising from the prelimi-
nary expenses which had accrued from the year
1836, in establishing the miles branches of the compdny.
During the past year your directors have opened branches
at Colchester, 11,gh 'Wycombe, Richmond and Uxbridge,
which they have every reason to believe will tend materially
to promote the interests of the company. The marked im-
provement in the progress of the bank has enabled your
directors o give expreesion to their entice approval of the
uniform seal and integrity of the mimes...us officers em-
ployed in Linden and at the country branches, by present-
lug to each ellicer a gratuity of 10 per cent. tau the umount
of his salary. The net profits of the half-year ending the
31st December, 1842, atter reserving an ample sum fur bad
and doubtful dehte, amount to 14,::99:. Ti. 2,1., as set forth
in the balance bind t, signed by your auditor*. You
directors recommend that a dividend at the rate of six
per cent. per annum, and a bonus of two per cent.
(equal to 8 per rent. on the year,) both free from in-
come tax, should now be declared. This, if ape
proved by the proptietors, will leave 4,6741. 19s. 4d.
to be carried to the guarantee fund, which will
then be increased to 44,3251. N. Tenet:leo:tors have great
gratification in stating that their respected chairman, John
Sadleir, Esq., has laid the foundation of a provident fund
for the relief of officers who, from misfortune, sickuesa, or
superannuation, may b.coma incapable of providing fur
themselves and their families. Your directors have thought
that the most acceptable return they could offer to Mr. t•ad-
leir would be some general measure by which this provident
fund might be eyetematically enlarged for the benefit of
the officers. They have given to this object their most ma-
ture consideration, and have established a graduated scale
of guarantee among the officers which combines the advan-
tage of mutual watchfulness and control over their fidelity
and good conduct, with a regular contribution by each
officer to the increase of the provident fund. Your direc-
tors anticipate that the result of this plan will, in the course
of a few years, give an extended and efficient aid to the be-
nevolent views el the chairman."

BLLANCIt &LIM.
Dzwroa.

To capital £360,670 0 0
Reserved fund
Customers balance., do 3 281,603 14 4
Profit and loin hal:ince brought forward
from last account
Net profit for the half-year, after payment
of gratuity to officers and 13,4121. 19s. 2d.
for interest t• customers ,

CREDITOR.

£3,703,470 3 9

By cloth in hand an !at calf £581,810 2 9
Government and other securities, dis-
counted bills, tee 3,088,318 14 8
Bank premises, freehold and leasehold 30,303 6 4

£3,703,470 3 9

PROFIT AND Loss ACCOUNT.

To half-year's dividend at 6 per cent. per.

.
annum
Bonus of 2 per cent.
Balance carried to gulrsutee fund 4,674 19 4

£21,546 1 9

By balance from last account £7,2443 14 7
Net profit li.r toe halt )ear 14,297 7 2

£21,546 1

The CHAIRMAN, in proposing the usual resolution con-
firming too report, remarked that as the general com-
plexion of the report indicated that degree of prosperity
for which the proprietors were all more or less prepared,
he need not trouble them with nny observations on that
point. From the time when he was first called upon to
occupy the chair—viz. at the close of the year 1818—the
bank had enjoyed an uninterrupted course of prosperity.
The financial &Wiliam' for each succeeding year had
shown en increase sod improvement of business, and
to an extent that had rendered it necessary on
two separate occasions to increase the paid-up capital.
Mr. FRITH seconded the resolution.

The report wen adopted unanimously, u were resolutions
confirming the dividend of 6 per cent., with a bonus of 2
per cent., free of income tax, and the transference of
4,6741. 19i. 4d. to the guarantee fund.

'The auditors were re-elected and thanked. A resolution
of thanks wu passed in favour of Mr. Luard, the ma-
nager; and the retiring directors, M . Wheelion, Frith,
and Springett, having bees re-elected, the business termi-
nated.