The Express.
London, England, 1866-03-05 00:00:00

SIR ROBERT PILEL.M.P., AT TAMWORTM.

Sir Robert Peel presided at an annual meeting,
on Friday night, of the Feaeby Club, Reading Room, and
Library, of which he is both the founder and the presi-
dent. He was accompanied by Lady Emily Peel, and
Mr. John Peel, the other M.P. for Tamwortb, and his
family, were also present. Later in the evening, Sir
Robert gave an interesting address upon " Ocean
Telegraphy, and a cruise on board the Great Neaten)."
To illustrate the importance of the laying down of • tele-
graphic cable between England and the United States, Sir
Robert referred to the preparations male for war with the
American public by this country in November, 1861. when,
he thanked God, Lord Palmerston was Prime Minister of
En land. (Hear, hear.) All thole expensive preparations,
and the anxiety with which the reply of the American
government waa awaited during two months, might have
been saved if such a communication had existed. He was
sorry that pest endeavours to bring it about were Doi
encouraging in • commercial sense. Electricians, how-
ever, were still perfectly confident of ultimata success.
The right boo, baronet thee sketched the construction of
• submarine cable, and afterwards gave a brief but
succinct history of ocean telegraphy up to the period of
the " magoifiaeot eommereial speculation,' comprised in
the purchase for something over 20,0001. of the Great
Eastern, which in building had cost hundreds of thousands.
Sir Robert described the laying of the shore sad of the cable.
When this had been somessfully done, he went out in a
steamer to bid his friends oat board the Great Easters a
pleasant end a successful voyage. So great was the swell
of the Atlantio that he got nearly drowned in getting to
the monster ship ; and on leaving her, and when be was
about to jump down some yards on to his steamer, he
saw a great shark swimming around the ship in
the clear blue water. If, therefore, he had missed
his footing, his position would have been somewhat die-
agreeable, (Laughter.) Sir Hobert raid that when be
stood o• the *oast at Valentia, end saw from three bold
headlands the huge waves of the mighty Atlantic bating
in to the inmost names of the rooks, it was impossible
that be should not feel his mind lifted up in eoetemplation
upon the sublime works of nature. As ha stood there his
'memory brought back the beautiful lines of Byron, stains
183 in the 4th canto of "Childs Harold's Pilgrimage."
which he quoted. " Dree,d,fathomlessodoce,' "repeated Sir
Robert, " why, there is no man with a breath of life in
him who knows better than I do the meaning of that
fathomless, aloes.' I have experienced in my own
person the grandeur and the terror of • scene which no
words of wise can express. In the midst of the heaving
mean, at night, I have seen every one of my companions
go to the bottom. For a time four of us only wen
bat my three remaining companions died by my side.whilst
I was waiting in momentary expectation of being called to
my last amount."

CHINA STEAMSHIP AND LABUAN COAL
COMPANY (LIMITED).-(THIS DAY.)

The annual meeting of the shareholders was held
at 1 o'clock, et the London Triers ; Mr. JOHN Rims in
the ehsir.

The CHAIRMAN stated that it was proposed to adjourn
the meeting until the 30th of April next, the sealants not
being yet ready. It was now seoertained that the mines in
Litman contained large quantities of good steam
coal. The directors had received various opinions
from the east in *entire:ratio* of this view, and
the manager Mr. Price, who had just retuned, was also
furnished with facts in 'import of it. The ooel was sully
convertible into patent fuel, and it contained a large propor-
tion of petroleum oil, and it was the opinion of Mr.
Campbell, an authority on the sub t, that in that point of
view the company's property would prove extremely valu-
able. The direct we had been in negotiation with the govern-
ment for extended privilege*, and a new lease was
in preparation which would give the company control of
the timber. The great difficulty was the want of adequate
labour, and to remedy this it wail necessary to provide
suitable reeidenees for the coolies and their families.
Under an agreement with the government, giving them
several theme's& of sores of land, they would be
enabled to do all that was requisite to that respect.
Besides the coal there were petroleum springs, which would
probably yield a good profit. Independently, however, of
extra mama of profit, the Labium coal alone would pro-
bably yield a good dividend. There was, in feet, nothing
but the difficuty with regard to labour to prevent them
from making • large profit. They could ship
coals in Labuan at 10a. per ton, while wale shipped
from Eoglind were sold in the Chinese Bee*
at 583. or 601. It was stated in the prospectus that the
company would construct • railway to • point where owls
could be shipped. That project bad been delayed until the
board had obtained a report on the subject, and this had
now been received from • competent pereos. Mr. Novell.
That gentleman said that the survey was nearly completed,
sad that the laud afforded great facilities for the works.
The present steam Beet wee not well adapted for the trade,
bat he believed that if three or four good steamers were ein-
tend, no other ectespany, however well subsidised it might
, could compete with them.
Mr. Sinclair, manager to Labeler Mr. Pries, the gearval
manager. and other gentlemen, mid* eorrobeirat:re stet,
rotate as the result of their own observation in Littman.
30thAtf Wr 4010. dimwits the meeting was adjourned till the
o April.