The Express.
London, England, 1868-10-17 00:00:00

CHARUS OP LIBBL.

At the justice-Mom of the Manion-house yes-
terday, Mr. Adolph linemen, wine merchant, 14, George.
street, City, appeared before the Lord Mayor to answer a
summons taken out by Sir Ronald Macdonald Stephenson,
chairman of the Ottoman Railway Company, charging
lien with having, in the months of August and September
last, written and published a false and defamatory libel
concerning the complainant and the other members of the
council el administralion of the Ottoman Railway Com-
ael•
Mr. Montagu Williams conducted the prosecution; and
Mr. Eolaud appeared for the defence.
In his opening statement Mr. Williams said that the
(beige was touuded on letters written to Lord Stanley,
the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, by the defendant, tinder
the hollowing circumstances. It appeared that the Otto-
man Railway was a line from Smyrna to Aidin, and as it
was consuleted a great boon to the Turkish empire, an I
• large sum of money was required in carrying it out,
the government of the Sultan agreed to pay subsidies
amounting to 112,001 g. per annum, but of these there wes
now an arrear of neady 200,e0a1. The company, being
unable to obtain the money, memorialised Lord Stanley to
interfere between them and the Ottoman government for
the purpose of enforcing payment. Lord Stanley deter-
mined to assist them in every way in his power, and a
compromise was suggested on the part of the Turkish
government, who offered to pay a certain sum of money.
The defendant, however, wrote to Lord Stanley stigmatis-
ing the touucil of adnuiustration of the company as any-
thing but men of honour or credit, and informing his
lordship in so many words that if they got this matey
they would apply it to their own purposes. Lord Stanley
uyin this communicated with the directors, and informed
them that, in consequence of representations
made to bun by Mr. and several share-
holders of the company, he must decline to
render them further assistance in obtaining a settlement
of their claims. Mr. Mason having written to Lord
Stanley as "secretary of the committee of consultation of
sharrhoklers," Mr. tooper, the solicitor of the company,
sent him a letter, asking what interest be had in the com-
pany, and requesting him to furnish the names of the
committee of consultation ; but to that communication he
made no answer. In these circumstances the only thing
the directors could possibly do to clear their characters
was to take out a summons against Mr. Elliman, the wily
lemon they could lay bold of, believing as they did that
there was no such body as a committee of consultation in
caidence. The learned counsel then read some of the
litters written by the defendant to Lord Stanley, which
were afters ards put in ill evidence, and concluded by
saying that the consequence was that the company had
not received the money, and had been prevented from
enforcing their just claims.
Mr. biased Reddest, librarian and keeper of the papers
in the Foreign-office, was then called, and predated tame
letters received by Lord Stanley at the Finvigti-office
from the defendant, as secretary of the committee of con-
sultation of the shareholders of the Ottoman Railway.
The first was dated August 19,11108, andenclosed "a trans-
lation of the reply of the Turkish government to a me-
morial which the director* and secretaries. of the three
Anglo-Turkish railway companies had sent to his lordship
for transmission to the Turkish government." The letter
pact eded to esy that " the committee was of opinion that
the reply of the Turkish government represented the true
state of affairs, and that the allegations of the Anglo-
Turkish railway coin) auies were utterly unfounded and
ininrs et in every particular. The committee therefore
thought it right that his lordship should know
the °Onion of what they believed to be the majority of
the 1.1 &I thollit. I s in the Turkish railway companies, at any
rate that of the Smyrna and Aidin Railway, in case his
lordship's aid was again requested." In the second letter,
dated Sept. Ist, the defendant raid the committee of con-
sultation were of opinion that the board had behaved
scandalously, both towards the shareholders and the
Turkish government. lie enclosed "a report of the com-
mittee of investigation," in which he said, the directors
were convicted or having Mimed bonds to be a mortgage
and first charge on the railway, whereas they had uo
authority to issue such liond• and were expressly for-
bidden to issue them by the Turkish government. These
bonds, he added, were issued at a discount to the con-
tractors, and to hide the transaction the discount was re-
presented by a certificate of work which was alto-
gether fictitious. The committee knew, he sad, that if
the Turkish government did resume the payment of the
guarantee, all the money so obtained would be misapplied
by the directors for payments to the debenture holders ;
the committee therefore prayed that her Majesty's
govei !anent would refuse to support the directors. In
the third letter the defendant informed Lord Stanley that
several share and bond holders of the Smyrna and Aidin
Railway had decided to sue the directors of the com-
pany for improper issue of bonds and shares, being ad-
vised that the directors were individually liable for the
money received on the stud securities. The committee of
consultation had also protested against the payment of any
moneys guaranteed to the railway tothe present tauten of
admiuirtiatiou, whom they deemed not fit to be entrusted
with the moneys of the company. The shares of the
company being to bearer, and the holders unknown, the
usual remedies of shareholders against directors wore
unavailable. In conclusion his lordship was again re-
quested to withhold his assistance until the de-
cision of the courts here was obtained. In cross-
examination the witness produced another letter, dated
30th September, from Mr. Ellisson to Lord Stauley,
in which the defendant said the terms used in a previous
letter as to the council of administration being unfit to be
entrusted with the moneys of the company had reference
to the official conduct of the council, and that there was
not in the remotest degree any imputation or doubts as to
the personal integrity of the members of the couucil
vidually.
kr. Williams—This letter was written utter we
firm atoned the defendant.

lir. Polaud raid all the charges that had been made
would be justified.
Letters written by the direction of Lord Stanley to the
deft utlant and to the secretary of the Ottoman Railway
Company, dated 16th September, informing them of his
loidship's decision to withdraw the unofficial assistance
he had hitherto given to the claims of the company, were
then put in and read, and the case was thereafter ad-
journed till Wednesday nest.

THE IHIFH CHURCH.-Thu largest awl most
entlausirwtic meeting over held in Doncaster assembled in
the Guildhall of thus town on Thursday evening, for the
purinse of hearing a lecture by the 'Roy. J. G. Rogers,
D.A., on the all-alworhing question of the day, viz., the
proposed disestablisliment of the Irish church as by law
cstabliihed. The chair was occupied by Mr. J. W.
(leaders, and the lecturer, in a very able manner, ash,taiii-
lug from all perronalities, treated the subje .t in all its
timings, and at the close of his address, Dont Milton, ono
of the liberal candidates for the southern division of the
Wert Riding. pro noted a re,4,lation pledging the inloting
to suppwt Mr. titadstoise's policy, which was merit enthu-
siastically tarried, two haudu only being held up in oppo-
sition. The proceedings, which bad hen of the most
orderly description, the lecturer not being oina inter-
rupted except by the applause of his audience, were then
brought to a clo:a by the most ringing and hearty cho .rs
for Mears. Gladstone Bright, lend ale .41 for the liberal
candidates fur the division, Lord Milton and Mr. Beau-
mont.

LAIIPLOUG le 8 PYItETIC RALINE.—Curve Foyers,
Eruptive Affections, lirodsoho. Moe or 8i11..0 Nicknrio. —Suitt by
1•11•4 LW, ioaolirr, Loh lao:l•orArbi.l.--tA4verweveneubi

Admiral Mendez Nunez has been nominated
Lieutenant-General of the Navy, and his aeoond in
command. Labo, has been appointed to the com-
mand of the Pacific fleet. It is asserted that Senor
Santos Alvarez will be appointed as Spanish Minis-
ter to Portugal.
The high prices of provisions and wine are
abating.
Marshal Serrano and Admiral Topete, *mom-
panied by several journalists and political person-
ages, will kayo to-morrow morning to visit the
exhibition at Saragossa. A brilliant reception is
being prepared for them. It is believed that
General Evertor° will go to Saragossa to meet
Marshal Serrano and Admiral Topate.
Senor Olozaga is expected in Madrid, and great
preparations aro being made in his honour.

MADRID, Ocr. 16.
The Minister of Justice has given orders that
ever• case of arbitrary arrest, in violation of the
privacy of domicile, shall be brought before the
courts.

A decree has been issued annulling the decree of
the 23th of July last, which authorised religious
communities to acquire and possess property, and
putting into force instead the law of July, 1837,
which gives that right to cloistered MOM= indi-
vidually.
An amnesty has been granted for offences against
the press laws.
The Junta has resolved to propose that the
colonies should be represented in the Cortes by
four members,
The Junta also proposes that all children born
of women who are slaves shall be declared free,
their freedom to date from Sept. 17.
Decrees have been issued recalling the represen-
tatives of Spain at the courts of Constantinople,
Paris, London, Vienna, and Berlin.

ITALY.

FLORENCE, OCT. 16.

The Nazione of this evening publishes a semi-
official article upon the Roman question. Advert-
ing to fresh rumours of Franco-Italian negotia-
tions on that subject, the Nazione says, " It would
be erroneous to conclude that such negotiations
are wholly suspended. We are therefore inclined
to admit that fresh plans have been proposed, and
fresh negotiations opened. The despatch of the
23th January, published by the Unierrs, upon
the moduli eirendi between Italy and Rowe,
is the last act to our knowledge of the Franco-
Italian negotiations. If the steps taken on both
sides have not yet obtained the mocha rioendi
which the Italian government wishes to see
adopted by Rome, it may now be hoped that
matters have well advanced towards that result."
The Auzione in conclusion reminds its readers
that the programme of the ministry is to obtain a
solution of the Roman question by time and
moderation, avoiding all violent and precipitous
MUMS.

VIE DISTURBANCES IN DRESDEN.
DRFSDEN, ()cr. 16.

The magistrates warned the inhabitants to-day
not to congregate in the streets, but although the
police threatened to use force to disperse any
tumultuous assemblages, large crowds assembled
again this evening, and numerous patrols had to
be ordered out. The troops charged the mob,
btriking them with the flat of their swords. In-
fantry closed up the streets, and a large number of
arrests; were eftected, in addition to those aleady
made. Tranquillity was gradually restored.