The Express.
London, England, 1850-04-29 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, MONDAY EVENING, APRIL 29, 1850.

THE DEPUTY CHAIR AT THE INDIA HOUSE.
There is a curious and not a very creditable story
Levirculation in circles woolly well informed on such
saldects relative to the recent eiection of Dety
Chairman of the Court of Directors of the East rgts
Company. The direetori Who this year made preten-
sions to that isikential pest were, it is well known,
Sir James Weir Hogg, Bart., M.P. (whom the Globe
states to be called in the City " The 'lag of India"),
and Lieut.-CoL Sykes. The former, it will be recol-
lected, has already been twice chairman of the court;
whilst the latter has not as yet been seated in either
chair, bat is understood to be anxious to have that
honour. The objections of the directors generally to
be peesided over by whet hem been significantly
termed a " diplomatic" chairman or deputy chairman
were, however, thought to be so strong as
to render the election of Sir James Weir
Hogg somewhat unlikely ; and previously to
the day of election it was generally understood that
Col. Sykes had received promises of the supped of
twelve directory, a number which the death of Sir
Alexander Galloway rendered suffieient to place him
in the deputy chair.
On the important day, the court (so the story rune)
was attended by 22 directors, and Mr. Shepherd, the
deputy chairman daring the past year, having been
called to the chair, the ballot for the deputy chair was
proceeded with. In this ballot the new chairman re-
fused to take any part ; thus leaving only 21 directors
to vote. AU of them apparently voted ; but, on the
box being opened, there appeared to be 10 votes for
Sir James Hogg and 10 vote. for Colonel Sykes,
making only 20 instead of 21 votes. It',
was therefore suggested that there might have
been some mistake on the part of the director
whine vote was thus missing, and it was resolved to
repeat the ballot. But, on this being done, the result
was again the same; to all appearance 21 directors
voted ; bat, on examining the box, there were again
only 20 votes found; and as before, 10 were for Sir
James Hogg and 10 for Colonel Sykes. It was in vain
that the directors looked at each other for some expla-
nation—none was offered ; and recourse was, eons,-
quently, obliged to be had to that provision of the
33rd Ciro. 111., c. 135, which enacts that equality
of votes in the Court of Directors is to be
taken as a rejection of the motion, except
in cases of election to office or place where
there shall be more than oce candidate ; in which
case the determination shall be made by lots,
to be prepared and drawn by the treasurer of the
company. As, however, there is now no treasurer of
the Bast India Company, the secretary, Mr. Melvin,
prepared and drew the iota on this occasion ; when
Sir J. W. Hogg proved to be the fortunate director.
lie was accordingly forthwith installed into the
deputy-chair, and will, in due course, be spin chair-
man of the court.

Oa the breaking up of the court considerable ex-
citement and curiosity very naturally prevailed
amongst the directors as to who the defaulter was ;
and a companion of notes has, it is added, induced a
general belief that he is a gentleman formerly in the
company's commercial marine, and who subsequently
was in China. No little annoyance is also upraised
is to the deception thus practised on the court.