The Express.
London, England, 1859-06-16 00:00:00

THS WESTERN BANS OP LONDON.

Messrs Unwin and Arber, the auditors of the
Western Bank of London, in anticipation of the
meeting fixed for next Tuesday, have addressed a
circular to the shareholders, in which they insist
upon the necessity of a full investigation into the
facts and charges advanced. The document con-
cludes is follows :

Thew personal matters being briefly referred to, we are
desirous of saying a few words es to the genets! management
of the tank, which, uit did not properly come before us
until the half. yearly audit in January, we did not refer to in
ow report to the directors; and as the statement at the last
meeting show. bateau" upon ward& scesunte, bills, and
prcmluory note., &e., umeding 30,0001., whilst in January
last we wire assured that 1,2001. was a full end stabeient
estimate of these liabilities, we submit that any eulogy of ta,
nienammunt generally was premature, and if the -directors
were not aware of the twined stUe of albs, it was, to soy
the least, culpable negligence on their part. The director.
cannot, however, plaid ignorance of the tub. At the audit
previous to the snowing in January last, the auditors made a
strong remonstrance on the character of the business done,
end especially as to the improper advanoes of large amount.
on second mortgagee end rewriting of inaufficlent value.
'Some special ewes were brought to their notice, where money
had been umaced la the most tw kkes manner; and it was
only after the strong ',sumac* of the directors that these
advances should be reduced without delay, and that the
reserved fond should be maintained in its integrity, that
the balance sheet wee signed by the auditors. No
.saner, however, was the meeting over, than thew pro.
seises were diermarded, and the fact that on the 19th
of March leer, the wh de available resources of the bank
were reduced to 30.000/. in the till, and at the Bank of Lon-
don ((the government stock and railway bonds being mon-
for 80,000/.), shows at ow portion*
e the condition of the
ek, end ooneequent danger to the shareholders. We have
only further to odd, that (hematites of boldlog overdue bill. in
distill se cult wee within the knowledge of the directors. A
gentleman, who retired from the bard in the early part of last
year, Draught the subject to their knowledge ; the manager
Promised that sub pr wilco' should not wow again, sad
induced him to refrain from bringing the matter before the
hoed in a forme! manner. This gentleman Gan be referr,d
to if necessary, and he has left a report in the bank protesting
against the cher...e'er of the advance. previous to the meet-
ing in July, 1868. It is understood that the direc-
tors have weed under the advice of C 0628114 and Name.
Dawson and Bryan are understood to hare takes the *pinks
of If r. Lake Russell end Whets, and It is Mated that this
opinion is adverse to the course they have adopted. If this
opinion Is produced, it will in any case relieve the board
from the imputation of having acted on soother opinion,
taken by the manager on a ease prepared by himself yr his
own solicitors. The notification that the directors will sow
ask that the vote of 1,0001. for their services may be con•
finned, afford' a fair opportunity for cowidering the circum-
stances which have led to the present position of affairs. It
in evident there is misconduct somewhere; it Is the share-
holders alone who can decide. Under the Joint Stock COO,
ponies Act the eliareholdeni eta appoint inspector., who may
examine on oath the officers of the bank, or it is competent
fir the shareholders to require the Word of Trade to make
this Investigation. We hope that they will adopt the Bret
thrum, in order that for our own ja•tiftation we may not be
under the tensity of adopting the altemative.

ACCIDENT ON THE LOI'IDON AND Sorra WESTERN
RAlLWAY.—Yesterday Mr. SW*lllt Payne held on inquest
at Cioy's Hospital on the body of Richard Lake, a guard is
the employment oldie London sad South-Western Railway
Company, who died from injuries received on that line on
Monday night law. The deceased wee (nerd to the gouda
train which left Windsor in the earning of Monday last, and
a few intimates before eleven o'clock It strived at the Brent-
ford•sintion, and, according to the statement of John &evas-
ion, a porter at that station, an alarm being given, be was
required to go back for about twenty yarda from the platform
oldie station on the down line to pick up the deceased. He
found him lying between the up and down line. The train
was only then drawing Into the station. He wis then
put into the break-van, and taken to the hospital. Whales
did not see bow the accident happenr d. Than had been no
train at the Waite just before. His proper place as guard
of the train would be la tee van is front ad the Week. It
was the opinion of this witness that the deemed meet have
been standing on the steps and lost his hold. Hs eras per-
fectly sober at the time, end be might have thought that he
was newer than be was to the station. The suns of the
hospital said the deceased was brought in goon after 12 cfclock,
and he told her that the engine had gone on after the train
Bret stopped. He died about half-peat 6 o'clock on Tuesday
morning. Both his legs were emealted, sued the bones pro-
truded. He said that the train stopped In the first instance
before it got to the station. end that it than went on
and he fen dews. Tbejary raarsed yerdiet "at:.
dental death."