The Express.
London, England, 1868-12-17 00:00:00

BREAKING DOWN OP if MAIL STEAMER.

Off TELSORAIII.)

BOUTHAMPrON, Dec. 17.

The steamer Southampton, which left hero last
midnight, with the Channel Islands mail, broke down
about forty miles distant and was obliged to return here.
The mail will be despatched in the steamer Normandy at
half-past S ta-night.

SHAREHOLDERS' PROTECTION ASSOCIATION.
(THIS DAY./

A meeting was held this day, at 1 o'clock,
in the London Tavern, the object of the promoters being
to form an association for the protection of share-
holders._ _ .

Mr. Heat Bacon, who was moved into the chair,
opened the proceedings by expressing his regret at
not observing a larger number of shareholders pre-
sent. He was induced to call a meeting in obedience
to a vast number of communications from shareholders
and joint-stock proprietors complaining of the doubt and
anxiety under which they were suffering in regard to the
proceedings of their respective companies and their lia-
bilities therein, and strongly urging him to take the ini-
tiative in the establishment of some society that would have
the effect of protecting them from the dangers to which
they were exposed. The lawyers were always considered
to be a great social plague, but it appeared to hint that
the liquidators were • muck greater one. It was a shame
that the liquidators should be allowed by the court the
enormous sum of 12 guineas a day. He confessed he did not
believe that many great bankers or merchacts of the City
would take a leading part in the organisation of a protection
society. The sooner they gave up the pernicious syetem
of following great names, which so often led to nun and
destruction, the better. He proposed that they should
establish a self-supporting orgamastion which would enable
them to gain all the information they might need, and to
obtain the best legal advice in regard to the con-
dition, the circumstances, and the accounts of
the various companies with which they were con-
nected, and that the subscription should be
two guineas • year. Under the existing system there
were no means by which shareholders in town and country
could commnnicate with each other. Such a society.. he
proposed would furnish such means. The law at present was
in a most disgraceful state. They saw frauds of the grossed
kind concocted by men in a good mercantile position.
These frauds bad been perpetrated in the most barefaced
and abominable manner. Shareholders had been plun-
dered to an enormous extent, and the proceeds of the
plunder had been either invested in the purchase of
estates or expended in the way of securing seats in par-
liament. (Hear, hear.) Out of • great number of
frauds there were only within • considerable
period two convictions, and those for fraud.
connected with a certain well-known bank. One of the
offenders was still in durance vile, but the other had been
released by the Secretary of State, on the ground that
further confinement in prison would be injurious to the
culprit's health, and that within a period of seven
or eight months he had lost 121bs. in weight.
(Laughter.) (hi the other band, there had been
twenty-seven premature deaths within twelve months, in-
cluding seven suicides, all to be traced to that unfortunate
transaction. The hon. gentleman having stated some
other facts connected with this subject, concluded by urg-
ing upon the meeting the necessity of immediately form-
ing themselves into such a society as he suggested.
After much discussion a resolution, moved by Dr. Toil,
and seconded by Mr. Nun, was carried, which delarod
the necessity for the immediate formation of
the rociety, that its objects be to enable mem-
bers to obtain every information respecting companies
in which they are interested, to obtain the best legal
advice, and to institute prceocutions in cases of well-
useertained frauds.
A resolution of thanks to the chairman concluded the
proceedings.

ANOTHER CASE OF HYDROPHOBIA AT HALIFAX.
--Three or four weeks ago a lad named Ramsden, about
8 years of age, living in Rangabank, Halifax, was
shockingly worried on the neck, mouth, and cheek, by a
mad dog. For some days past he has appeared to be
recovering under the medical care of Mr. WWilliams, but
symptoms of hydrophobia have set in, and the poor lad is
not expected to recover. A medical consultation was held
on the case on Tuesday. Three deaths from hydrophobia
have occurred within a brief time in the borough arming
from the attacks of dogs.
•

SINGULAR CASZ 0V POISONING.—Dr. Caffo, in
the Jorermel d.c Coottlaissamees Mr:dieeks, describes a case
of poisoning by nitro-benzine, which occurred a. short
time ago at Stattord.. A vigorous young man of 24, who
was engaged in emptying • cask of artificial oil of bitter
almonds by means -of a syphon, thereby unconsciowdy in-
troduced some nitro-benzine into his system. He did not
discover it at once, but continued to work for two hours
longer, when he was seized with headache, vertigo, and
stuttering; his face assumed • bluish tint, and he fell
down in a fit. Vomits were administered without success,
and he died on the following day. Upon dissection the
whole body emitted a strong smell of bitter almonds ;
ecchymosis was remarked on the stomach and other
organs; the liver was extremely yellow, and the milt
large, friable, and red. The most remarkable circum-
stance in this case is. that the poison remained so long in-
active.
A FORT ON FlRZ.—Yeaterilay vritnossod a con-
flagrAtion of a most unusual and disastrous character, in.
tlO lees an event than the destruction of a United
States fort just within the entrance of our harbour, the
fortification in question being none other than the cele-
brated and renowned Fort Lidayette, around which cluster
so many incidents of historic note, pregnant with the
memories of the numerous disloyal man of prominence of
our nation who were confined within ifs strong walls
during the late rebellion. The conflagration found origin
in the following manner:—lt •pp that about ton
minutes before one o'clock yesterday afternoon fir was
discovered from the side of an old and unused chimney on
the land side of the fort, where one of the labourers of the
engineers' deportment, named Joseph Minim, coo bwry to
the orders of impeder, lighted a fire beneath a esd
covering the casemate cm that ride for thaeopai=
waranng his dinner. The fire had ined
headway before it was discoversd.—gaNsw York Noel,
Deo. 2.