The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-01-26 00:00:00

THE EASTERN COUNTIES RAILWAY

Yesterday afternoon a special general meeting of the share-
holders in this company was held at the London Tavern, in
,pursuance of a regnisition to the directors, dated the 20th
of December; for the purpose of taking into consideration
the general position of the board of directors, and the
state of the company's affairs, and to adopt such measures
as might be deemed necessary, and could be legally taken,
for the due and proper administration of their affairs.
Mr. Waddington, M.P., the chairman of the board of
directors, entered at one o'clock, and was received with
loud applause by his friends, and with furious yelling on
the part of his opponents. Who cheering!greatly pred
minated.

Mr. Sergeant Gaselee'appealed to the meeting gtia the
chairman whether the latter would not best consult his
own feelings and that of the meeting by retiring from the
chair that day, instead of presiding over the proceedings.
The Chairman (Mr. Waddington) said, that on the 7th
of December there was a resolution passed in that room,
requesting that he should leave the chair. He then stated,
that until the shareholders had an opportunity of reading
that statement which he should put forth, giving an
explanation of his conduct, and defending himself against
the charges made, he would not leave the chair. On the
II th of December a special board of directors was held,
when those directors felt it to be their duty to request
that he should cease to be a director of the company.
He told them what he told the shareholders, which was,
that he had a complete answer to the charge, and that
that answer should be forwarded within a, given time,
He redeemed his pledge, and the shareholders were
assembled to-day to decide whether or not he had satis -
factorily answered the accusations against him. As the
shareholders decided that day, so should be his deter-
mination whether or not he took any part in the direction
of the affairs of the company. Until that time, he should
retain his seat as chairman. (Applause and hisses.)
Mr. Bruce (director) referred to a pamphlet that had
been published, stating that there was nothing but anarchy
and confusion at the board. He referred to the charges
he brought against the directors at the meeting in Aup
last, ;which; he contended, had not bees

denied, not disproved. He would do his bast whilst he

remained a director to procure for them a proper state-
ment of their accounts, but he should decline taking any

part in the administration of the affairs if they re-elected
Mr. Waddington as their chairman. He again condemned
the past et:lnduct of the • chairman; and concluded by
moving that the meeting dotifirni the resolution of the
meeting in August last, appointing the conxmittee of in-
vestigation, and requests them to continue their labours
till the general meeting in February next.
Dr. Reilly seconded the motion.

Mr. Goodson denied the statements that had been put
forth bj, Mr. Time with reference to the manner of
obtaining proxies, and
,nioidd art amendment to the effect
that the committee of investigation should be dissolved,
and that the chairman had fully met and answered the
charges that had been brought against him.
Mr. W Tegg seconded .the amendment.
Mr. Helps said that the directors had exceeded their
powers, and had misapplied funds, as trustees, without in
the slightest degree consulting the interests of the share-
holders, no man could doubt. He did not propose to con-
sider this question as to its legal bearings, but by analys-
ing the statements the chairman had put forth in vindica-
tion of his claracter. The speaker then entered into other
statements pit forth by the chairman relative to the net
earnings of the line, the bead debt, the dividend, &c., and
then read various extracts from the evidence reflecting on
the chairman's conduct. In conclusion, he said that, tipon
the evidence he had read, he found Mr. Waddington wholly
unworthy of the confideride f the shareholder's:

Mr. Norris (one of the committee of investigation);
addressed the meeting at some length, reiterating the
charges brought against the chairman.
The Chairman replied with some force, and charged
the committee with damaging the property of the com-
pany. He was satisfied that his character had been
Vindicated, since he held proxiesi rrepresenting £1,379,000
stock, and 2,025 votes, whilst Mr. Lewis's proxies only.
represented £231,000 stock and 4,299 votes.
Upon a show of hands, the amendment was negatived
by an enormous majority, but a poll was demanded, which
will finally close and be declared on Tuesday next.

The Belgian Steam Transatlantic Company's steam-
ship Belgique,l;put back into Southampton, on Thursday
evening, having one of her boilers burnt, and her main-
mast sunk, and about Ave feet of water in her hold. She
went into dock yesterday.

To our young friends who are aspirants for celebrity in
the art of penmanship, and still further to qualify them-
selves for the duties of a mercantile life, we cannot
recommend them to pursue a better course than place
themselves under the tuition of lgessrs. Thompson, of
Clayton.square, whose success i, commensurate with the
multitudinous results they have attained for their pupils.
LIMEKILN-LANE MUTUAL IMPROVE'rENT SOCIETY. —The
members of this society met on Wednesday night for the
discussion of the various systems of " Decimal Coinage,"
and after a debate which showed a very earnest spirit of
inquiry among the members. it was decided to petition
Parliament to reform our system by introducing a decimal
system, with the farthing as the basis. The chairman
announced Lthat the subject for next Wednesday was,
"Does eloquence or music exercise the greatest influ-
ence ?"

The Journal des Debats publishes a letter from Berlin,
dated the 21st, which states, that in a cabinet council
held that day, at which the King presided, it was decided
that Prussia should take no initiative in reference to the
participation of Prussia in the peace conferences, and
should make no concessions susceptible of changing her
actual position.
The will of the late Thomas Cubitt, Esq., is one of the
longest on record, and extends to 336 Chancery folios,
covering thirty Skins of parchment. The personal estates
exceed one million (termed in law of upper value), and
is charged with the highest amount in the scale of pro-
bate duty, the stamp being £15,000. The widow has an
immediate bequest of .e 20,000, and an annuity of £B,OOO.

THE ANTI-SCRIPTURE READER CRUSADE. - Since the
beginning of the present year the anti-Scripture reader
crusade has increased in intensity, and the readers have
been repeatedly assaulted at Grange's-road, Upper
Patrick-street, and Walkin-street. In the latter locality,
on Monday, they were pelted with stones, and covered
with filth. It is, however, right to state that the better
class of the people, generally of the humblest ranks, who
inhabit those suburbs, begin to manifest no small degree
of shame and indignation at the conduct of those of their
co-religionists who take part in these scenes, and the
outrages are confined to a rabble of children. These dis-
graceful exhibitions no doubt would long since have ceased
in Kilkenny, were they not instigated and fomented by
influential parties behind the scenes.—Kilkennv Moderator.

ACCIDENTAL POISONING —On Tuesday afternoon three
gentlemen were accidentally poisoned at a dinner party
at Provost M'lver's house, Dingwall,,tScotland. It appears
that the party consisted of Provost M'lver, Mr. L. M.
Mackenzie (of Findon), two Catholic priests, and several
ladies. After dinner, and when the ladiesthad retired, the
gentlemen were seized with pains in the throat and
mouth, and in half an hour the two priests and Mr. Mac-
kenzie were dead. Provost M'lver was in a hopeless
state yesterday morning. The case is undergoing inves-
tigation. it is believed that the roast meat was garnished
with hemlock, and that the wine excited the chemical
action of the poison. The names of the priests are the
Rev. James Gordon Beanley and the Rev. Angus Mac-
kenzie Eskdale. Mr. Mackenzie was about to become
son-in-law to Lord Lovat. None of the lAdies were
affected.

FALL OF:THE WALLS OF MESSRS. HOPKINSON'S FACTORY.
—On Thursday morning about 11 o'clock, the gale of wind
which prevailed at intervals throughout the day, being
then at its highest, the great mass of brickwork forming
the eastern and south eastern wal's of the recently destroyed
pianoforte factory, in the New road, St. Pancras, fell to the
ground with a tremendous crash. A chandler's shop in
Fitzroy-row, adjoining. the factory, with the houses on each
side, numbered respectively 34 and 35, was buried in the
falling mass, and rendered a complete heap of ruins. The
screams of women and children wore heard is every direc-
tion, but a strong body of the S division of police from
Albany-street station having arrived, and labourers being
procured, steps were taken for. removing the rubbish. Seven
or eight persons were got out 'in an insensible state, and
conveyed at once to the University College Hospital. It is
a remarkable as well as fortunate circumstance that of the
seven taken to the hospital six were sufficiently recovered to
leave in the course of the day. Several poor families have
lost all their furniture by the occurrence.

ACT AGAINST THE IMPORTATION OF IRISHMEN.—There
was an amusing act of Parliament passed in 1425, which
was entitled, " Scotchmen should bring nae man furtb of
Ireland without ane testimonial." It was explained in the
act that this was not done "to break the auld friendship
between the people of Scotland and the Irishry of Ireland."
In connection with this act there was a good story told of
a scene between Lord Meadowbank, now Mr. Maconochie,
and Daniel O'Connell, which occurred in the course of a
debate in the House of Commons. Daniel O'Connell had
made a very violent attack upon the Scotch statute book,
and maintained that the whole of the old Scotch acts of
parliament were relics of a barbarous age, not founded
upon right reason or sound policy ; upon which Mr.
Maconochie rose up and begged to dispute the accuracy of
Mr. O'CoinnelPs statement, for, so far back as 1425, there
was an act passed in Scotland against the importation of
the Irish: (Laughter and applause.)—Sheriff Barclay's
Lecture at Dundee.

TRADE REPORT.-FRIDAY

--......-----•---.

The improved tone noticed in the Ccittort
market, at the close of last week, has continued throughout
the present, and considerable activity and more cheerfulness
have prevailed. In American a good business has been
transacted; " asking prices" generally are considerably
above quotations, bat a sufficient supply of reasonable
Cotton being offered to satisfy the daily requirements, prices
are barely 1-16 d. per lb. dearer. Brazil and Egyptian are
steady with rather more enquiry for the latter. Surat in
good request, and slightly dearer. The weekly sales are
reported 70,220 bales, of which 10,400 are on speculation,
and 10,270 for export.

COTTON

GAMBIE

OLIVE OIL : 5 tuns Sevil

£5O 103 to £5l

SIIUMA

PricespaidiCurrt. Prices
this week-] Mid. Fair.

)0 bags at 119 6d

&RINA : 10 ton

AGO FLOUR : 800 1

TRAT,E

Is 54c1, no seller
Is 6.1,'1s 64d no

Lption. T

Stocks

12?
5;
1222053
61
f

57480
44150
3570
63390

ved at 75s 6d to

£5 10s,

1 103; 10 tune Lisbm at

at Glasgow

Ils 9d

,gs offered at auction, 21s only bid.

ayerS at

Is 61; 1 t

, .
110 s ; discolourea, ping, 3
brown : good, 100
Div' :
LINSEED 01

IN VII

100 tons at £l2,
: 20 tons at £4l

Sellers at

rALLO V

for March delivery at

SIPAN WOOD

sold, at
4 every

duc'ed, and
1; cream,

grey, 105 s to 107 s 6d
intimo's, 90s to 92s ad.

non American'

Ratail sal

LtRD is retailing at 653 to 6

AD scarce, and much wanted