The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-08-10 00:00:00

STATE OF TRADE.

In former periods of distress, such as 1817 and 1819, the
inhabitants of most of the country towns were enabled to
support themselves by their own resources, or by the assist-
ance of their friends, till business revived. Such, however,
has been the length and severity of the present calamity,
that the people in the country villages are, in general, as
ill off as those in large towns. Galston, New Millis,
Darya, fur instance, are one mass of misery. In Galston,
out of between .500 and 600 looms, only about 100 are at
wort:. Thirty pounds sent to Galston' and forty to New
Millis and Duvet, from :he Edinburgh Committee, would
have gone but a short way among such a number of suf-
ferers hail they not been aided by private charity. The
people of these places are warm in their expressions of gra-
titude to the Marquis of Hastings and the Duke of Port-
land. They have both come forward with a liberality
equal to the emergency. Oatmeal and other articles have
been liberally distributed from Loudon Castle ; and the
Duke of Portland has expended about 6001. in labour and
money from the commencement of the distress.—Caledunion
Mercury.

Fosi.trt.—There is a great demand for reapers here at
present, and several farmers cannot procure so many as
they require. Many are paying them 10s. to 14s. per
seek, and victuals.—/hid.
PROPOSED PUBLIC MEETING AT MANCIIESTER.-A
meeting of the requisitionists was convened by circular, and
was held yesterday (Monday) at the Spread Eagle Inn ;
when it was unanimously resolved, that a public Meeting,
for the purposes mentioned in the requisition to the Church-
warthms, should be convened, as early as possible, by the
tientlemen who signed the document, or such of them as
might be thought requisite; and a Committee was ap-
pointed to make the necessary arrangements for that pur-
pose.—Manchester Mercury.

During the late drought, the take of salmon in this
neighbourhood was so very trifling, that many of the sta-
tions which were considered the most ♦elpable on the Tay
v.cre abandoned by the owners, and the fichennen removed
rat ther down the river. Since the late rains, however, the
ulmon have been coming up more freely, and on Sunday
yr ek they were observed from the bridge passing along in
at ebb tide. Last week, at one of the stations near
Elcho, of which Mr. Proutlfont is tacksman, 159 full-sized
salinoo were taken at three successive hauls.—Perth
Clthrier.

RI LIEF IN CASES Or SHlrviltECll.—The Port of New- I
cAitle Association for the Preservation of Life from Ship-
urea, held a general meeting of the subscribers, at the
Ifinity House, on Tuesday last, William Clark, Esq. in
the chair; when a report was read, stating the progress that
114; been made, with the assistance of the Parent (The
16yal National) Institution, in ',lacing the extent of coast
coining within the operation of the Port of Newcastle As-
sociation, in a state to render very efficient assistance to
teasels in distress. This association, although in an infant
'tate, has done much towards furnishing the coast between
Holy island and the Tyne, with life boats and Captain
Manby's apparatus—there being hardly any place of im
ntinent danger to vessels, between these two points, but
what is provided with one or other of these means of pre-
serving life. Rewards have been given to fifteen indivi-
duals who have been instrumental in saving the lives of
seventeeen seamen and two passengers from vessels wrecked
on this coast. The report, in alluding to the state of the
funds of the association, gratefully acknowltdged the libe-
ral support received from the nobility, clergy, and gentry
a the neighbourhood, but lamented the great want of an-
nual subscriptions, for which the association could alone
look to the public at large. The Hope Insurance Associa-
tion of Newcastle has subscribed five guineas for the cur-
rent year, to the Association ; and the Marine Insurance
Association of Myth, and the Friendly Insurance Associa-
-6°o of Seaton Sluice, ten guineas each, for the current
year.

HIBERNIAN MINING COMPANY.

At one o'clock yesterday the Half Yearly Mretiog of the Hi-
bernian Mining Company Tits held at the City of London Tavern.
11.1.1 AM Brut.. El., in the ('hair.
. .

The CHar /I MAN %did that the Meeting was held in accordance
with the Act of Parliament, and he apprehend. ! that li•tle else VIM
to be done than to read to the Pmprietor. the Royal of the Dir; e-
ters, and the accounts of the receipt: and expenditure trifice the last
half yearly meeting.
The Report was then read, which described the afrairs of the
Company as being sufficiently prosperous, art! stated that the em-
bankment at Ross Island WAri nearly completed. and that they were
now proceeding to cast out the water. They were also proceeding
rapidly at Castlemayne.
_ .

I
n reply in a question from a Proprietor,
The I'llAln as AN said that since the last calla IL per chars, 484
shares had been surrendered, upon which shares 11/. per share had
been previously paid. One gentleman, however, who had surren-
dered 160 *harm had applied yesterday to have them back again;
but this the Directors were not disposed to agree to, unless a
positive order from the Proprietors was given to that effect.
A PROPRIETOR asked the Chairman if the Company was going
on well?

The CHAIRMAN replica, that theirs WU like all other mining
apectilationo, and of caortte was liable to failure.

A PROPRIETOR asked how they mood as to the cash account?
to which the Chairman replied, that there was quite enough to carry
on the Company.
In reply to questions from the Proprietors,
The CM Al II 31 AN said that -originally there were 10,000 shares,
227 of which had never been appropriated, and 50 were disputed,
or at lent no, paid for ; and for then 50 shares an action had been
conimenced against the person to whom they had been appropri-
ated. He was a Peer of the realm, and a rich man, so that he must
of course pay tho calla which hail been made. Upon the first call
of 21. per share. there were 97 allarem not paid upon. Upon the
second wall three were 1.11911 shares in a similar predicament ; and
on the third call 4,144 abates had been paid for. But in addition to
those which had not been paid for on the former c die 4111 surren-
dered altogether. and 9,663 had not paid the third Call of I/. per
share. The totalaum which should Inn IMO, andiated notaneen
Paid was of Which he calculated that 11.0,101. wan good,
only that it was at the moment inconvenient to the holden of the
shares to pay the call made upon them.
filr. Hl.Alxr, said, that tinder all the circtimatances of the case,
lie thought the Company was tint warranted in proceeding. He
thought the Report gave s very unfavourable aspect of affairs.
Indeed, It appeared to hint to he preposterous that 'nines in Ireland
club, be properly managed by Directors sicino in King's.Arms-
yard. Oilier mining companies managed fowlers better, for the
Directors took it in turn alternately to visit the ?Lines, to see and to
&net as to the proceedings. He was of opinion that die Company
e nil I not answer the purpose for which it was esiablislind. In
11'ieklow there v....re 8.000 persons engaged in the mines, and those
mines were all productive; but he was sorry to nay that he believed
this Company would not be so successful. He wan of opinion, at
all events, that a larger call than that of 71. per share must be made
: before any thing could be realized.
A PaerettiEtiaa asked if the Directors had visited the mines.
The CHAIRMAN said that Captain Beaufort had visited them,
and he Was one of the Directora; and lie had reported favourably
of then', with the exception of that of Bonmahon, which had been
given up.
Mr. BARTLEY it quite unnecessary for the Directors to
interfere. He would not give fit. for the shares if the Directors
were to go down ; for they knew nothing about it. With respect
to the Directors of the Company to which M. Blaine hail alluded.
they bad talked largel...of their prosperity and of their profits, and
yet, strange to say, they had never nettle any dividend. The Di.
sectors of the llibernian Mining Company had not promised profits,
because, until the embankments were completed, and the engines
erected, they could rot form an opinion as to their eventual sue.
cess. Their expectations of raising copper at Ross Island were very
sanguine. Copper had been rained there in former time., when the
aid of machinery was not to be obtained, and surely. with that
aid, it was not presuming too mu li to expect to succeed in the
undertaking. The agents in Kerry were all men of experience.
carefully selected in l °rowan, and these were the persons to be
relied upon, and not the Directors, who wereof course unacquainted
with mining.
A {PROPRIETOR said that in mining speculations, two great
essentials were required—money and perseverance; and it would
bean act of the greatert weakness to abandon the undertaking in ita
prevent stage. The expeetatiena from the Ross Island mine were
favourable, but or course It would be impossible to state what
'nigh• he the result.
11'. BLAINE said that as Mr. Bartley was acquainted with
mining matters, be, instead of Captain Beaufort, ought to have
gone to Ireland.
A PROPRIETOR said that, at present. a knowledge of engi-
neering was far more useful than a knowledge of mining, at Rosa
Island, and therefore Captain Beautiart was a more proper person
to go than Mr. Bartley. He had also to observe, that there was
hardly a large mine in Cornwall which had not a board of manage.
ment in London.

Mr. Ilaaiss: said that it was impossible to enter into the ar.
mints, fie want of time; but that he felt reluctant to pay his
fourth call, when other persons hail asotasaidasair third..
"Phe Ceraritafax said theta could be no relucones in the caso.
treatise he Waal do so, having alloited the day of option to pass
without airrentleting.
Mr. BLAINE said that, its that case, the Directors ought to go to
law, to make the defaulters pay up.
The (lima MAN said that while there was a prospect of getting
it without going to law. they did not wish to go to extremities.
There had been an arrear of 6,0101/., but 2.00/. of that arrcar
had been since paid. The Company had 12,1100/. in hand, be-
sidrs which he expected would be paid up, upon the shares
which hail not hitherto been paid for.
31r. 0 EGOM Y (the Solicitor to the Company) said that he had
exercised his discretion in not bringing actions for moneys which
he believed would be gradually paid tip, before any process of
law could be carried into effect against the defaulters.
A PaoPnicr on, who declared himself to be one of the de-
faulters. said that lie was ready to lay down his money, if there
was really any reasonable prospect of realizing a profit, and not for
the purpose or equalizing a less. Ills objection was, that there was
an original defect its the Company in not taking a sufficiently large
deposit. As matters stood, seeing so many shares deficient on one
call and on another, he really despaired of any thing being done.
Mr. PALMER clod that he had recently ao: a specimen of the
ore from Ross Island, in conseatienceof which lie had increased his
shares to the number of 100. The Directors were always willing
to give every information to the Proprietors ; and had, in fact, done
so at the last General 31;eting.
The letter from Captain Beaufort was here read, which gave a
flattering prospect of the affairs of the Company, and stated that
the receipts of the Valentia Slate Quarry were now beyond its ex. ,
penditure.
Mr. Maitre said, that 2.9001. had been expended upon Bon.
mahon, and only fiuo/. worth of ore had been raised ; Ito that now
that the mine was abandoned a loss of 2.4001. had been sustained.
He was therefore justified in tae opinion he bad expressed.
Mr. BARTLEY said that if a mine turned out badly the Direc-
tors were not to blame ; the fact of having raised AO/. worth of ore
was their best justification that the iadications of a mine were not
fallacious.
Mr. itt.Atxt moved that another month be allowed to those who
had not paid up their last call, to consider whether or not they •
would surrender their shares.
A Pam. ttivron said, that after the notice which had been
issued, it would be a dangerous precedent to adopt.
The Resolution was then put from the Chair and negktived.
The Report and Statement of Accounts were then ordered to be
received, to be printed, and circulated amongst the Proprietors.
A PROPR I TORV moved, that a list of the Proprietors be printed
and sent round to the Proprietors, with Stars attached to the names,
to denote the number of votes to which each Proprietor was
entitled.
This' Resolution was agreed to ; after which a vote of thanks to
the Chairman and Directors was unanimously pissed, aid the
Meeting dissolved.
•
FIRST PAROCHIAL MEETING OF CATHOLICS.

[Prom the Dablb! Morning Regisieriof Monday.] 1
We have the pleasure of publishing this day the resolutions
passed at the first parochial meeting of Catholics that has been held
in Ireland. They are sensible, independent, firm, and fit for the
times. The proceedings were most interesting, and have already
given an impulse to the public feeling in that quarter of the coun-
try, which is manifesting itself in separate meetings of the Catlin.
lies of the different parishes. 'Phis promises well. It was a de-
lightful and proud spectiela to witness the assemblage of honest
men in the old Abbey of Cong—and it is an interesting fact, that
no place was more suited to commence the work of the regenet a-
tion of Ireland, than this majestic monument of what Ireland once
was. Cong Abbey was the solitary retirement of Roderic O'Con.
nor, after he yielded up the throne of Ireland. He remained there
for many years, and until his death. Hie remains are buried in the
chapel of the monamtery. The seat occupied at the present meeting
by the venerable Lord Abbot, who for a period of more than 42
years has presided over the people of Cong, was at the head of the
grave of the monarch, and the table placed at the foot of the ancient
altar covered his remains, Such associations could not fail of
awakening peculiar feelings in a meeting of Irishmen.—Since the
meeting at Cong there have been parochial meetings at Devlin,
Louisburgh, and Lecanvey, at all of which independent resolu.
,ions were adopted. The resolutions were principally to this effect :
To send unremittingly, and without delay, petitions to Parlia-
ment ; to sustain the clergy ; to support the forty-shilling free-
holders; and to promote education.

Yesterday a Coact of Directors was held at the East
India Ilouse, when the undermentioned ships were thus
timed, viz. :—The Coldstream and Cumbrian for Bengal
direct, to be afloat the 10th inst. and sail from Gravesend at
the expiration of thirty days from that day.
Pomr-Orrter PaosecirrioN.—We are informed, that
in consequence of an information lately lodged against a
respectable merchant in the North of Scotland, for Laving
sent, by a common carrier, a number of letters put up in
a parcel, the full penalties of M. for each letter were called
for and recovered, the one-half falling to the informer.
Parties cannot be too cautious as to sending lettem;otherwise
than by post, the Act of Parliament imposing the penalties
being Imperative, and not admitting of any modification.

THE BRITISH PRESS.

CORNWALL AND DEVONSHIRE MINING
COM P.I N Y.

A General Ilfeeting of the Shareholders (exeNsive of the Di.
rectors, er the Advertisement stated who had signed the Deed
of Set Lhootot, took piece at Ration's Coe-house, Citimitill, yestzr..
day, for the purpose of considering what steps It would be proper
to adopt for the protection of their names in the above-projected
A swiciation.

Sono after one o'clock, about a dozen gentlemen assembled, and
of -r some little delay as to who should take the chair, it was at
length moved and seconded that Mr. Woolley Mould do so.
The (him a MAN announced to the Meeting the object for which
they had been called together. He understood that Mr. Clark was
prepared to make snore observations relative to the allliirs of the
Company, after which he should be happy to hear ally other gm-
dental] who might be disposed to address them.
Mr.CI.AnK said be would begin the few °inert/Reiman he had to
make by adterting to the meeting width took place on the Ith of
this month, at the office of the Company. At that meeting all
persons who ha -I not sigmd the deed of sec lement were refined ad-
'Minion. He liimaellhad gone there, by virtue of an authority from
a gentleman who had signed the deed anti who retitled in York-
shire, and requested to be allowed to eater the room ; but still the
objection was taken, that not bejig Milner a qualified subscriber
under the deed, lie could not be admitted, and he felt himself bound
to aubmit to that declaim. However, in the cowrie of the day a
motion was made that he should be admitted, on the ground that
he had some statemtne to lay before the'Directors, which it was
thought it would be important for them to know, and accordingly
it was ruled that lie should enier the rood. He did so, and this

gave him an oppmtunify of observing scone part of the aws pro.
ceedings, but not of course that part which occurred early, and
which no doubt the present meeting were desirous of being ac-
quainted with. This, however, he understood, had happened, that
the full and explicit account which he gave of the whole of the
mysterious transactions connected with this Company, at the meet-
ing of Scrip and Share Hohleis on the 'gth of July last, was amply
and folly confirmed by such of the partible those transactions who
were then present at the meeting of t jljr ors on Friday hurts
That was a very imports t fa% for mile eldeis to how. 11C. ,
cootie, suhrtguent to the tiseeilast ass Welded (that was the"
alerting of the 27th of July) there hail appeared a letter in the
newspapers, signed by Me. Wilks, junior, denying the whole of
that statement, which, to use his own language, consisted of
" gross falsehoods, and deliberate and malicious inventions."--
It was very easy Mr a gentleman, when put upon his defence, to
make assertions • but it would have been much tame satisfactory
to the world if Air. Wilks. instead of confining himself to these
general terms of denial, when accused of having done acts which
no respectable man would have done under any other eircum.
stances, he had stated why and wherefore was the statement un-
founded. But to proceed. lie understood that Mr. Teague ad-
mitted in the room, at the Meeting on the 4th inst., that the whole
amount which he and those who sold the mines to Mr. Wilks were
to receive from that gentleman for those mines was 700001., for
which Mr. Wilks charged the Gonpany 121,000/. Mr. Teague
fu-ther stated, that all the money which he had received on ac-
count was 19.7001., notwithstanding the important fact that Mr.
IVilks hail received from the Comp my, on account of the our.
chase, 44 00111. Now, he was informed that a question was pat to
several of the Directors who werethen present, whether they had

participited in any part of those ill-gotten gains ? and that six of
those gentlemen, namoly, Mr. Peter Moore, Lord Palmerston, Mr.
Newman. the Hon. Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Philip Peering, and Si.
Wm. Kaye, all declared in the moist solemn manner, upon their,
honour, that they knew nothing at all about the transactions. Ile
was always disposed to believe gendercea when they made solemn
asseverations of that kind, anti he about,' be very sorry to throw
discredit on the statement so deliberately made by those gentlemen,
but he confessed that his mind was not altogether free from
suspicion, as regariedone or two of them, who, however, it was only
justice to say, should at present he nameless, that they might not be
invidiously distinguished from the rest ; and he would further say,
that if, in the result of' the investigation, which mutt take place, he
found his suspicions unfounded. he would make an honest declara-
tion of their innocence. (Ilear, hear.) 'Whatever, therefore, were
his doubts as regarded those one or two gentlemen, he was bound
to give them full credit for their denial, until the contrary should
be found to be the tract. With respect to the rest of the individuals
he had named, he molt firmly believed them to be innocent, be.
cause it was in consonance with what he knew of their general cha-
racter; and he was sure such a solemn deseavoaal of any participa-
tion would lay them open in such a way to the censure of the
world, and would fix on them a stigma so indelibly, tom they
would not, ar men of honour, have veittured to make it, if they
knew at the time that they were not innocent. lie could not help
stating that s something passed at the meeting, which had reference
to the feemre Meeting of the 27th of July, where Mr. Kershaw
made some observations with regard to Lord Palmerston, and tome
other of the Directors. At the la.st Meeting Lord Palmerston was
present, and took the opportunity of correcting die statement of Mr.
Kershaw. As he ( r.Clark ) was informed, his hordship,at ter speak-
ing in very good teems of what he knew of Mr. Kershaw, proceeded
to say, in contradiction to whet that Oentletnan had stated at the
Meeting in July last, that the first time he (L Al Polmeriton)
ever met Mr. Wilks was at a Meeting of tfie Board of Directors of
the Welsh Iron Company, and that Mr. Kershaw WAS thefivesent
wiagi‘auag with ale. Wilkaa:'' theaefeeeolaid 41is LotatUrp,
Kershaw could not besseefelei as to the churaeldi of Mr. Wilks, by
having seen nun (Lord Palmerston) in oonipany with Me. Wilks
antecedently. This was a very important fact, because Mr. Ker-
shaw, as he (Mr. Clark) recollected, said that he had been misled
with regard to Mr. Wilks, by having sects him in the compaay of.
Lord Palmerston and other highly respectable persons. He felt it
but fair to make this statement ; and had Mr. Kershaw been now
present, it would have afliirded him an opportunity of captaining
himself' on the subject. Lord Palmerston then went on to say,
" that Mr. Kershaw never communicated to him any suspicions he
(Mr. Kershaw) might have entertained as to what was going on." It
would be recollected that Mr. Kershaw stated, at the Meeting in
July, that he had gone round to all the Directors, and spoke of the
necessity of a Meeting being called, as he thought something was
wrong.
Mr. Swan begged pardon for interrupting the speaker, but he
thought that it was asked distinctly that day of Mr. Kershaw, whe-
thet he did call on Lord Palmerston, and that his answer was
" No."
The Citainatase—l think you are right, Sir.
Mr. CLARK—Then it was stated correctly in the Newspapers.
Mr. SWAN—No, there was a mistake in the Newspapers.
Mr. Roe—Yes, there was a mistake in the Newspapers. He
begged also to remark that, with respect to the statement made as
to Mr. Kershaw having repined confidence in Mr. Wilks, in corms
quence of seeing him in company with Lord Palmerston, it seemed
that Mr. Kershaw was understuod to ascribe his acquaintance with
that Oentletn tn to that circumstance. Now, what he (Mr. Hoe)
thought Mr. Kershaw meant to say was, not that his first con-
n.'xion with 3lr. 11'illes was not prior to having seen him with Lord
Palmerston, bat that seeing hint with such a person as Lord Pal-
merston coaSrmed his good opinion of Mr. \1 ilks, and gave hint
greater confidence in that person's integrity.
Mr. SWAN-1 think that was the sense in which Mr. Kershaw
'Mel to be undo stood.
Mr CLARK —MT impression is, that Mr. Kershaw stated his
confidence in Mr. Willis and the Company to arise partly bona see-
ing him in company with such persons as Lord Palmerston. The
manner in which Lord Palmerston has explained it sets the matter
right, anti certainly does not fix blame on any one.
Mr.„Ror only wished to absolve Mr. Kershaw from the imputa-
tion of stating what was not the act. As reference had been made
to the former Meeting of Shareholders, he wished to make another
statement respecting Mr. Kershaw. A question having been asked
him (Mr. Hoe) upon the subject of' what Mr. Kershaw had said, as
to the influence which Mr. Wilk* had over him, he (Mr. Hoe) said
he underoond Mr. Kershaw to have said that he was personally
under the influence of Sir. Wilt, a so much, not as to do the thing
which was wrong, but that, 'teeing things go on wrong, not to be
able to to what was right. lie had since seen Mr. Kershaw who
had stated to him that he meant only to any, when speaking of Mr.
%%Tit Irs's influence; that he ( Mr. liVilks) had that influence gene-
rally upon all the Directors of the different Companies to which lie
belonged, and that he (Mr. Kershaw) did not mean to say he was
lima If under the influence of Mr. Wilks tR 4i ,what was wrong,
but that he was inclined to acquiesce in wiseliaa was._
metaled, in consequence of the general infrefswa
At sserl.
The CHAIRMAW—One remark he nuiee was, that Mr. Will%
came in on them one day, with his fist up, and saying that if they
slid not allow hint to purchase the shares, the whole concern might
go to the dog..
Mr. Hot: repeated that Mr. Kershaw did not mean to say that
Mr. Wilks had any personal influence over him.
A Gentleman, who was present at the former Meeting, here ob-
served, that these were not Mr. Kershaw's words; but that he
spoke only of the influence which Mr. Wilks had over himself per-
sonally.
Mr. ROE—Although lie did say so, he did not mean it in that
light. As a proof that lie could only mean to speak of the general
influence possessed by Mr. Wilks, he ( Mr. Roe) would mention
one circumstance. There were two bills given to Mr. Wilks on one
occasion five 5,000/. each, and those bills were signed by hoed Pal-
nurstim and several other Directors when Mr. Kershaw was pre-
sent; but, so far from Mr. Waits having any personal influence
over him, he was one of the Directors who refused to put his name
to the bills.
Mr. CLARK—This matter beingso far explained, he would take
the liberty of stating how it was Mr. Kershaw had explained his
conduct to him. Mr. Kershaw had informed hint that a week or
two after his resignation he waited upon Sir William Kaye, Mr..
Peering, sad Mr. Dunn, and requested them to call a meeting of
the Shareholders and Scripholders, and lay before theta a full
statement of the Company's affairs, assuring them that it was his
belief there was something wrong in the concern ; but they dime.
girded his recommendation. fleet ii would he observed that Mr.
Kershaw did not in this instance even mention the name of Lord
Palmerston. While on this subject lie would just mention a little
anecdote, which, though not altogether regular on the present cicala
sion, would help to exemplify Mr. Willta'a character a little fur.
titer. Mr. Kershaw stated that 1110 shares wire set apart for each
of the Directors, that he (Mr. Kershaw) psid 201. on each share ;
soon after which he sold them to Mr. Wilks. inn. for html, a share,
receivin; part of the money in ciudi, and his bills for the remainder,
but which bill, when due were not paid. Ale. Willis then imme-
diately went into the market and sold these shares for 101. a share.
(Hear, hear.) This was a tact mentioned privately to him (Mr.
Clark); and it wax a very important one, as it showed that such
was Mr NVilkes anxiety to raise money by all manner of means,
that it induced him to give irt!. a share, and instantly to points) the
market and take 10/. a share, and then to give his own acceptances
payable at a future period, but width acceptances when due were

he pos.

not Paid. (Moth laughter, and erica of, " That is ' raising the
wind' at all events.") But 111r.lks in that extraordinary letter
of his denied positively the truth of the statement which be (Mr.
Clark) made at their fortiu r nicetiti! This, however, was an
anecdote which would come in confirmation of his general charac-
ter; and he (Mr. Clark) woithl venture to say, dist betUre he had
done with that gentleman he would disclose such transactions of his
with oilier Companirs 1:3 would eclipse the very statement now
!adore .he 'corp. And Olen llr. ‘Vilks thout;itt proper to impute
to him, notwithstanding the admissions of 'lir. Teague, anti the
other circontstitices of confirmation of its truth, insanity for
making this statement. (Laughter and hear. A voice—" It it be
madness, it is niatin...ss that bath some method in it.") But that

Vat not the only ,hing 31r. li'dka had done : he had iummitted
great error in judgment at the acme time. for lie had serv,il him
(Mr. (:lark) with a notice of an action. Nov it could tun be a

yfry wine net to nerve a ntniliiian with tiptire of an ac,ion.

(Lsnett:ee) Another important circumstance also came out at the
meeting on Friday last. It would be recollected that on the day
on which the deposits were appointed to be paid into the banker's
hands upon the shares allotted, deposits upon 284) shares only Were
paid. This was in April. Mr. Wilk* on the same day gave an
order for the purchase of 80 shares, and on the following day he or-
dered 920 shares more, making together 1000, all of which were to
be delivered on a future day. The party thus purchasing must
necessarily have the full knowledge that those shaves could not be
delivered to him. inasmuch as Only 2110 shares had been issued to
the public; but it was einzular that when the day of payment for
thew shares arrived, which had the effect of raising their value in
the market. 5,009 and odd were issued to the public. In con-
sequence of that manoatere the day of payment arrived., and who
did the meeting suppose were the parties who drew the drafts
for the payment of those 1000 shares ? The nature of the gentle-
toe, were—'lr. lierithaw. 31r. Peter Moor:, and Mr. Aaron. Now,
what he would observe was, that admitting 3lr. Peter 3100/fe's de-
claration upon his honour Winn his oath, for he swore it), that he
did not participate in any part of that transaction—that was to say,
the 41.000/.—.the produce of the share's, and that he knew nothing
niche matter, yet the shareholders could Dot pearibly infer that
he kali, nothing about the twine of there abeees, when he was
peas ohs eignetialtewirselts for their pastime. &al if thatialtf
dishonourable transaction on the part of Mr. Wilk., he thouglit tr
was fair to infer it to be equally dishonourable on the part of those
who signed the checks in furtherance of that dishonourable transac-
tion. (Cries of " Certainly it was.") But it' they pleaded igno-
rance, then it only made the matter worse, because it was not usual
for persons entrusted with the iminggement of such Alsip; to sign
checks fora sum of 6,000 t. and upWards, in ignora..ce of the pur-
pose for which it was requited. Upon the face of it. therefore,
there was as much culpability almost attaching to them as Pi Mr.
Wilke; for they lent themselves to the payment of the money. and
Were consequently almost as much parties to the crime as that in-
dividual. It was at all events calculated to place Mr. Peter
Moore, until the master were more clearly explained, Knifing the
number of those whose veracity was not to be depended upon, al-

though made upon his honour.
The CHAIRMAN —The checks, although made payable to
Messrs. Alarjorinenks and Co., were written across by them, and
paid into 31r. Wilks's own bankers.
Mr. CLAN K understood that Mr. Peter Moore had taken great
offence at his conduct at the Meeting on Friday last. When he
( Mr. Clark) was admitted into the room, after a few observations,
lie proceeded to put questions first to one and then to another, but
he found he l-.d been anticipated by gentlemen who were in the
room behire him. He, however, said that it be had been there at
the commencement, he woule have put thin question to every one
of the Directors individually—whether upon his honour he had par-
, ticipated in the funds or not; but before lie had finished his
sentence, Mr. Moore got up and said he did not approve of such a
line or conduct, nor did he understand what right a person hail to
make such observations. To this, he (Mr. Clark) replied—With
submission to you, 1 think an honourable man never rem be of.
fended by a fair question which is calculated to elicit truth, and I
put it to you, Sir, as a Gentleman and a man of honour, whether
you participated in this money? Mr. Moore, although much
irritated, felt it necessary to declare upon his honour he never did ;
but he continued to remark that he did not understand having
such interrugatoriets put to him by any person. The feeling
thus excited, Ito (31r. Clark) understood still existed against
him ; but lie wished Mr. Moore to understand that it was not
Mr. Peter Moore, nor Mr. Anybody, that he intende.l per-
sonally to offend upon any of these occasions; it was die actiatis
of men that he looked at, and not at the persons. If it had
been Lord Palmerston, or any one else, however great, he would
have said to Lim what lie did to Mr. Moore, merely to give hint an
opportunity to clear his own character, and to satisfy the minds of
the public. Until the Inquiry now about to commence, and which
lie was confident would be followed up, canto to an end, he should
teumend his opinion tes regarded every person. But when the result
of that inquiry should be known, then, let the odium fall where it
might, he now declared upon his honour that it should fall with its
full weight. (lieu.) There was another singular circumstance
that had room out in some way or other, and which was, that at the
meeting at the Albion Tavern on the 7th of April, where it was
settled and determined how much Mr. Wilks should pay for the
mines and charge to the Company, there was upon the minute
book no other entry than this—That at such a meeting, Samuel
Moltssailaritet is the Chide, it was so and so determined, +MSC
mentiartiag ewe word as to who the persons were that composed the
meeting{ This was a singular oireunimanee. • If the patties'
meant to act fairly and It mourably, they would have put their
names; but no--they had been all omitted, and it was fair to infer
purposely so. The reason for doing so wits evident enough. It
was a guard upon themselves. They thought that if ever the
transaction disclosed itself, it might be difficult to find out who
were the guilty parties. It appeared that Mr. Samuel Barnet was
there. 1%4 gentleman was a Alember of Parliament (for
Richmond), and he (Mr. Clark) only wished that he was
tow present, to say whether he was at that meeting or
not. As to the facts he had stated, they were more than sub-
st tntiated by the confessions of the parties. No one could doubt
the facts; all they could doubt was, whether they had arrived at
the whole of the facts. lie was of opinion with many others, that
when this matter came to be sifted, it would assume new features,
calculated greatly to enhance the delinquency of some parties. The
object of the present meeting was to appoint a Committee of Share-
holders ender the deed, not Secripholders under the settlement, to
act on behalf of die whole beefy, so that no impediment might oc-
cur when application should be made to the Directors for an insight
into the affairs of this projected Company. Be had reason to believe
that the Directors had begun to feel that things must be brought to
light, and that they were engaged in an active scrutiny of the af-
fairs. He was quite sure, if the Shareholders directed their
steps in a firm and proper manner, that the honourable part of the
Directors would co-operate with them. In order that Mr. Wilks,
nor any other gentleman might have no grounds of complaint for the
future, he would not enlarge upon the subject, nor found any
opinion upon it, hor do any one thing that should call in question
their proceedings. He was quite sure that the result of their in-
quiry would be to trace home to the parties the full amount of
their delinqueacy : and then it would retrain for the Shareholders
to say how they would deal with them. lie concluded by moving
a Resolution, declarutory of the astonieliment with which they re-
garded the manner in which this Company had been concocted,
but that they suspended their judgment upon the facts elicited for
the present ; and that a Committee of Shareholders should be ap-
pointed.
The CHAIRMAN said, before he put the resolution he wished to
say a word or two. It was stated in the papers that Mr. Clark
was refused admission et the late meeting. That certainly was the
case. But after Mr. Teague and Mr. Swan had satisfied the coin.
party that the authority produced by Mr. Clark was from a Share-
bolder, Lord Palmerston was a most strenuous advocate for Mr.
Clark's admission ; and it was by his Lordship's and the Hon.
Mr. Sullivaree exertions that Mr. Clark was at length allowed to
Come into the room. As far as he (the Chairman) had an oppor-
tunity of observing the conduct of Lonl Pilnterston, he would say
that his Lordship had on all occasions evinced the greatest desire
to act with the most perfect fairness and that indeed the whole of
his Lordship's conduct had been marked by the most honourable
bearing. No men could have acted with greater propriety
throughout.
Mr. CLARK IRA it appeared that Mr. Teague, who was the
owner of the_ greater proportion of the mines bought hy Mr. Wilke
was also a Ofrector, and was the person who moved that 51,000/.
of the Company's money should be pail to 111 r. Wilke, to enable
that gentleman to pay for the mines which he ( Mr. Teague) had
sold to him. He had another important fact to communicate. He
had received a letter authorizing him to say that Capt. Liynn and
Mr. Richards had been employed to value one of the mines on the
part of Mr. Teague anti Mr. Vivyan and the original proprietors,
when those gentlemen, in January 1825, estimated the mine at
30001. In April, 1825, the same mine was valued by the meeting
at the Albion Tavern at 20,000/. to Mr. Wilke, who was atlowed
to charge the Company 30,00 W. The letter, which was his autho.
sit), he could at any time produce in any court of justice to prove
the fact. It was a most extraordinary cutting and slashing with
the public money. Men must have more titan common impudence
to enter into such transactions.
Mr. SWAN said that as Mr. Teague had stated that the mines
were sold by him (Mr. Swan) to Mr. Wilks, he would explain
what was the fact. Mr. Teague employed him to dispoeoof the
mines, and he accordingly agreed in Alarch. 1825, to sell them to
Mr. Wilke, jun. for 4,0110/. payable by instalments. The first was
paid by 31r. Wilks to Mr. Teague ; but when the second became
due Mr. Wilks refused to pay it, unless lie (Mr. Swan) gave up
the agreement. This was refused, because Mr. Swan had an into.
rest in one of the mince. Mr. Teague applied several times for the
agreement, ant) at length obtained it,tapott the ground that lie could
not get his money without it. The agreement was then handed to
Mr. Wilks to be destroyed, as he and 3lr. Teague had agreed upon
smother more favourable in its terms to the purchaser. By the
terms of the second agreement 4.18101. was to lie paid by instalments
of 3501. down, 6501. 26th July. 11125,1,1100/. 26th Oct., 1,0001 211th
January, and remaining 1.5001. on 26th April, 11126. Only the
two first instalments had been paid, so that. the mines were for.
kited.
The CHAIRMAN—But was not the 54,0001. sufficient to enable
him to pay the instalments upon all the mines ?
Mr. SWAN—Moat certainly.
Mr. CLARK—The Company would have no mines and no secu-
rity, if it were not that the whole contract was vitiated by fraud.
The resolu ions were taco put and agreed to, and the Meeting
adjourned.

On the 21tli ult. at midnight, the town of Ifaubetage
was visited by a tremendous storm. The electric fluid
struck with such force the lightni;ig conductor of the gun.
owder magazine, that a ceutitiel, who was near it, was
knocked down, and remained senseless for nearly two hours.