The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-12-08 00:00:00

A FASHIONABLE YOUNG MAN

At Marlborough-street, on Friday, Herbert Edgar
Stanbridge, a person of fashionable appearance, was
brought before Mr. Bingham for further examination,
charged with obtaining a considerable quantity of pro-
perty from numerous tradesmen by false pretences. The
prisoner, who is very respectably connected, adopted the
plan of visiting tradesmen in a handsome brougham, with
a pair of greys. The charge of obtaining a Genoa velvet
fancy dress from Mr. Nathan, of Castle-street, under pre-
tence that he was invited to Mr. Kemp's fancy ball,
and paying for the articles with a spurious check, has
already been published. Thomas Porter, shirt-maker, 94,
Strand, said he had known the prisoner for some time.
In November the prisoner drove to his shop in a brougham
and pair, and obtained a dozen shirts. He told him he
could not let him have the shirts except on prompt pay-
ment, as he knew he had been spending money foolishly of
late. The prisoner said he knew that, witness had told
him so before; but he might get the shirts made, and he
would nay for them on delivery, adding, he supposed
witness would not object to a cheque. The prisoner
called and took the shirts away in the brougham. The
prisoner gave another order amounting to upwards of .e 9,
for which he gave a cheque, first on Mr. Stophel, of Cheap-
side, for £l2 10s., receiving the difference in money, and
afterwards he got the cheque returned, and substituted a
cheque on Mr. Murray of the Adelphi, who refused pay-
ment. William Callaghan, optician, New Bond-street,
said the prisoner obtained two opera glasses, value £l5,
from him, on the pretence of giving them a trial, and
making a selection of one. He found that the glasses had
been almost immediately pledged at Attenborough's. Mr.
Bingham said this case must be dealt with as one of
illegally pawning. Mr. Stophel was next called. He said
he had received money on account of the prisoner. Had
not given the prisoner permission to draw cheques upon
him. Was aware that the prisoner drew cheques upon
him, and in September last wrote to the prisoner, forbid-
ding him to draw any more cheques. Had no funds o' the
prisoner's in his hands in November last. Police constable
Silverton, A 323, who has had the case in hand, has
succeeded in tracing, during the week, nearly £2OO worth
of property, consisting of linen, jewellery. and expensive
knick-knacks obtained by the prisoner in a very short
time from tradesmen at the West End and in the City.
The prisoner reserved his defence. and was fully corn -
miffed.

PENINSULAR AND ORIENTAL STEAM

NAVIGATION COMPANY.

The annual meeting of the proprietors of the Peninsular
and Oriental Steam Navigation Company was held on Satur-
day, at the Company's offices in Leadenhall street, London,
Mr. Wilcox, M.P., ie the absence of Sir James Matthews.
presiding. The report, a very lengthy document, published
in the form of a pamphlet, was read in extenso. The capital
account showed that the total assets of the company
amounted to £2,591,674 13s 31, the total capital to
£1,931,810, the total liabilities to £448,124 12s
4d, making the total capital and liabilities £2,379,934 12s
4d, and showing a surplus of £2l 1,740 Os 11d. The
revenue account made the gross revenue £1,691,689,
and the expenditure £197,153 lie 7d. Deducting
£147,744 43, the amount of dividends and bonus paid to the
shareholders this year, there would still remain a surplus to
be carried forward of £49,409 7s 7d. The proprietors'
underwriting account exhibited a balance of £49 248 6s,
while the reserve of the guarantee insurance fond amounted
to £211,740 Oa lid. The report concluded with the fol-
lowing paragraph, viz. :—"After the last issue of new shares,and the payment of £lO each thereon,tbere remains as avail-
able capital, not yet called up, £4O on 14,161 shares, together
with 5,839 unissued shares, amounting in all to £858,390,
which affords an ample security for the existing debenture
debt of X290,200,0r for the whole amount 0f.£500,000 author.
ised by the charter ; it also provides the means for extending
the operations of the company as circumstances may render
expedient, and shows that this part of its financial position
is in a strong and sound state. The statement of the reve-
nueis also highly satisfactory, and warrants the directors in
recommending that, in addition to the ordinary dividend of
32 per cent for the last half-year, a bonus of one pound per
paid up share, and four shillings per new share, all free of
income tax, be paid at the same time as the dividend namely
on the 29th inst. The Chairman, in moving the adoption of
the report, congratulated the proprietors on the prosperous
state of the company. He hoped the report would be considered
ample and satisfactory. The dividend payable this half year
would in fact be at the rate 81 per cent., which, added to
the 3i dividend paid in the first half of the year, would
make the dividend of the year amount to 12 per cent.
Mr. Mansell seconded the motion, which was ultimately
carried by acclamation. The dividend of the half year
was then declared payable on the 29th instant, after which
Mr. John George, M.P., and Captain W. H. Hall, R.N..
C.D., were elected'directors. The proceedings terminated
with a vote of confidence and thanks to the chairman and
directors.

GREAT FIRE AND LOSS OF LIFE.

On Friday morning, about half-past two o o'clock, fire
was discovered issuing from a large four-storey building,
situated behind the front buildings at the south west corner
of the Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow, with entrances
from the Square and Buchanan Street, and occupied by
Messrs. Stevenson, Ross, & Co., cotton yarn agents ;
Messrs. James Black, & Co., manufacturers and calico-
printers; Mr. James Paul, manufacturer (late Ewing, Paul,
& Co.), and Mr. Murray Coubrough, silk handkerchief
and sewed muslin manufacturer. The alarm was fully
half-an-hour in reaching Mr. Bryson, when he turaed out
three engines with all expedition. On proceeding to the
spot, he found that the flames had completely enveloped the
building, and that the West of England engine was already
endeavouring to subdue them. Apprehensive that the
conflagration might spread to the contiguous buildings, be
despatched messengers to the western, southern, and northern
districts, when the engines of each turned out, making in
all seven. The premises were almost wholly filled with soft
goods of the most inflammable nature, and as the buildings
were bounded on all sides with valuable property, the exer-
tions of the firemen were entirely directed to confining tio
flames to that part of the building in which they originated.
Mr. Bryson lost no time in placing his engines in the best
position, so as to enable his men to work in the most effective
manner. This done, the firemen set to work, and after two
hours' incessant labour, the further progress of the flames
was checked, but not before nearly the entire stock of each
of the above firms, Mr Coubrough excepted, had been corn
plete!y destroyed. But for the strenuous labours of the
firemen, the valuable property facing Buchanan-stree t
belonging to Mr. Bell, of Blackwall, and occupied by
Messrs. William Wardlaw and Co.. Finlie and Field, Miss
Wilkie, Messrs. Henry Field and Son, Messrs. Allan and
Ferguson, and others, would more than probably have been
totally destroyed, the two buildings being only separated by
a court about twenty feet in width. During the whole of
the day, and up to twelve o'clock at night, a constant
stream of water from four pipes was poured upon the debris,
but up to that hour the smoke and heat had not entirely
subsided. The oriein of the fire will, we believe, ever
remain a mystery. The total loss will amount to between
£55,000 and £60,000, but it is fully covered by insurance.
We subjoin the names of the sufferers, with a pretty
authentic estimate of the damage they have sustained :
Stevenson, Ross, and Co., £20,000, which will fall about
equally on the following insurance companies :—Caledonian,
Royal Exchange, Alliance, County, Northern, Guardian,
Monarch, and Scottish Union. James Black and Co,
£20,000, divided about equally between the Phoenix,
Alliance. North British, West of England, Imperial, Unity,
and Scottish Union Insurance Companies. James Paul,
about £7,000 insured in National and Imperial Companies.
Mr. Coubrough has sustained little or no loss. Mr. Scott,
of Kelly, is proprietor of the buildings. We could not
ascertain the amount for which they were insured,
or the offices on which the loss will fall. Messrs.
James Black and Co. had a large portion of their
stock packed and ready for shipment to New York, per
the s. s. Edinburgh, lying at Greenock, and prevented
coming up the harbour on account of the fog. We are sorry
to add, in connection with this serious affair, that a fireman
named John Harrison lost his life. He was in the act of
breaking in a side door leading to Messrs. Black and Co.'s
packing-room, when the door and floor gave way, and he
was precipitated into the sunk flat amongst the burning
debris. His comrades were unable to render him any
assistance, and he was not taken out for some time, of
course quite dead. lie has left a wife and two children,
who were entirely dependent upon him for support. Other
two firemen were injured to a certain extent, but they were
able to walk home. We have since learned that a number
of the officers of the Ist Royals, who were returning from a
ball in the Gallery of Art, and, of course, in full dress, lent
great assistance to the firemen, in fact, wrought at the
engines for about an hour, and did all in their power to get
others to do so. All honour to the officers of the Ist Royals
for their exemplary and spirited conduct.

A new halfpenny has been issued by the mint, for cur-
rency in Nova Scotia, which strikes us as deserving a word
of commendation. It is, we believe, the first coin ever
issued by this government in bronze, which is not only
harder, and therefore capable of receiving a sharper
impression, but preserves its colour be,ter than pure copper.
The Queen's head is pleasing', after the Wyon model, but
the reverse is a native flower, graceful and characteristic.
A specimen has also been struck of the medal which is
intended to be conferred " For Arctic Discoveries." Here
again we have something of novelty. The medal is an
octagon, and not an oval. It bears on the obverse the
head of her Majesty, with " Victoria Regina," and on the
reverse a ship stuck fast between icebergs, with, on the
foreground, a sledging party just about to start—and " IRIS-
-1855."