The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-06-01 00:00:00

ARIGNA IRON AND COAL COMPANY.

On Tuesday a Special General Meeting of the Proprietary of this
C pany was held, .1. linontnix. Esq. M.P. in the Chair.
Mr. Morns, in the ale,erce of Mr. Hlehens, who was prevented
by indisposition, moved a Resitlu;i m for thereon-iv:4 of the follow.
ing persons from the direction of the affiiirs of the Company, vie.
Joseph Clarke, Henry Clarke. John [Suwon, Timothy ll'rancis
Burr, and Aubone A. Surtees. Ile then read numerous charges '
against the Directors, to which Mr. Ccaltx 1: replied.
Mr. Huts. in reply to Mr. Clarke, was of opinion that the
conduct of the Directors towards the Proprietary was one continued
system of delnsion. lie should first refer them to the Report which
the Deputation of Directors who went to Arigna, accompanied by
their Secretary, had made. In that Report it was stated, that the
deputation, in their great real to do their duty, went down the
shaft, while their Secretary carefully examined it outside. (Hear.
hear, and a laugh.) They, on their return, prepared a Report. In
which they assured the proprietary that the works were In the most
flourishing state, when,the contiary was the ease. He would ask
was not this delusion 1 (Hear.) He should next advert to the
Report 'of the sth of December, wherein it was stated that the
Company had 8.0410 tons of ore ; three tons of ore to one of pig iron
would make 2,900 tons of metal, which at 191. a ton, would pro.
duce 20.0,10/. at an expenditure of 9,0001., thereby realising a profit
of 11,0001. in nine months or a year. He would ask, had that been
done ? No ' • then the proprietary was again deluded. In the Re-
port of the 231 of February, 182fs, they stated that the pig iron
manufactured at Arigna would produce the highest price lit-Ireland,
and advised it to be shipped fur this market ; consequently it was
shipped, the bills of lading arrived, and all there could begot for
it here was M. 10s. per ton, at a time when iron wire mush
more 'valuable than it• wax now. Was not this another
instance of delusion practised on the unsuspecting Shareholdets P
He now should beg leave to dlreertne attention of the Meeting to
the oondnct of she Directors in their resignation. On the 13th of I
May, 1828, they announced their ip,ention of resigning their offices.
In doing so, they forcibly carry off one of the most important do.
eutnente—be meant the book by erhich they would be able to get
some account of the distributions( Shares.—To this.day the Com..i
mime had never been able to get any account of it, nor, he believed,
ever would. When the Directors pursued such conduct, there could
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not bee doubt that they had criminal intentions even in the concoct.
ing Male Company, and they never had any intention except to
pose on the Proprietary with the most base delusion. He had no
dotsbt that if the property had been managed it would bate proved
highly valuable.
Mr. BannEw then came forward, and Mr. Hills begged leave
to ask hint a question. How much of. the 15,0 W did he get, or
hew was it divided ?—Mr. Reuben said he got a thousand of it,
and that's all he knew.
Mr. Ilium asked him, was he not aware how the balance was
divided ?
Mr. DENstarr begged to call the gentleman to order. It was
quite out of order to go fishing after evidence. Mr. Reuben
ought not to answer any questions which might tend to criminate
others.

Mr. litcr.s said, that it was greatly for the interest of the pro-
perty that the Directors should be instantly removed, inasmuch as
they had all the funds at their disposal, and kept no accounts of
the application. He understood twat they recently sent Mr. Vi-
vian all the money, without any accounts being furnished, or any
psrticulsr or specific object to apply it to--and he, fur one, had not
the highest opinion of Mr. Vivian. He concluded by impressing
on the meeting the necessity there was fax the removal of such men
from the Direction.

Afr.SURTEES rose and said, as one of the Deputation who went
to Arigna, he felt himself personally alluded to. He must say,
that with respect to the Report which had been drawn up, and
which the gentleman said was drawn up for the purpose of deluding
the proprietary, such was not the case. On his return to Dublin, he
drew up the Report in the presence of Mr. Coe, and upon every para-
graph asked him,was that true? and had his assent to every line in It.
Mr. Surteet then alluded to the requisition. That he believed was
signed by twenty-Hve Gentlemen, for the purpose of calling
meeting of the Proprietors to consider the conduct of the Directors,
and he concluded by solemnly declaring, that if he considerctl
that he was not entitled to receive the 10471. he would not
lisve touched it ; and he protested to God he thought the trans.
action an honourable one.

Mr. BENT, M.P. began by reading a letter to him from Mr.
Flattery, setting forth. that he (Mr. Flattery) having been invited
to wait on Mr. John Hinde. the latter, who, with Mr. Reuben,
were the agents of Sir William Congreve, informed Ma. Flattery
that the sum of Id 600/.. so much in dispute, was bona Ade divided
between Sir William Congreve and others of his party, that a con-
-tract was drawn to divide the money in the manner smilltd, and
be (Mr. J. 'bride) received his 1000/. by virtue of auto agreement,
Yd Mr. Bauben the same. Mr. Bent then 'fated that he had
since its receipt seen Mr. J. Hinde, who confirmed the statement,
Mr. Bent then animadverted on Mr. Clarke's having told him that
when Sir William Congreve went out of town, he (Mr. Henry
Clarke) and his brother bad to pay the sum of 25,000!. for tat
;hese of the mines, whilst Sir William was amusing himself in tbet
;eountay ! When he and Mr. Brogden joined the Company hi
found the deeds already prepared and executed, setting forth the
payment of the sum IN 25,0001. to Mr. Flattery. and that he, with
some other Gentlemen in the Direction, offered Mr. Latouche for
Ain third interest in the lease, the sum of 12.500/. which was refused.
Without other belief than that•the sum of 25,0001. had bccn truly
paid for the lease of the willies, did he and his friend dlr. Brogden
join the Company, at the Solicitation of Sir IVilliam Congreve.
As soon as information reached him and Mr. Brogden of the as-
sertion of Mr. Flattery. relative to the division of the 15,0901.
amongst the Directors, they attended the first meeting after of the
Director', to demand an explanation, ,•hich they would not con-
descend to give, one of the Messrs. Clarkes alone saying, that when
it was necessary he would justify what had been done. Mr. Brogden
and Mr. Bent then made a motion to call a meeting of the Pre.
prietors in July lust, which was overruled. Mr. Bent, on the Mb
of December last, soli that he challenged the Directors to say that
either lie or Mr. Brogden were ever cognizant of the fact of asp
lees sum than 25,0001. having been paid for the Lease, atoll they
brought it forward. Mr. Bent begged to call the attention of the
Meeting to the most important confirmation of his assertion of
the conspiracy against him and Mr. Brogden, no less than against
Me Company. It was known to many who were present, that
with a view to some operation of the nature of that which had
been practised, Mr. Flattery was made to execute a sale of the
row, in the first instance to 111 r. Vivian and Major Mode; and
that such sale, however, was afterwards passed, by without the first
being cancelled. It occurred to those gentlemen, that if they could
prevail on Vivian and II inde to act on the instrument executed by
Flattery to them, and to assign the same over to the Company fur
the sum of 25,0001., they would have it in their power at once
to silence Mr. Flattery and every other complainant. Mr. Bent
stated that the most urgent entreaties had been made to Major
Hinde for several days previous to the Meeting of the Sth of De-
cember, which the Major, however, had the good sense to resist.
They then had no other course but boldly to avow that they had
divided the 15.000/. amongst the Directors. Mr. Bent then called
upon Major Ilinde, who being a Shareholder was in the room to
confirm what lie had advanced touching the urgent applications
made to him as described—[which the Major did most unquiet:l-
-callyl—and he finished by defending himself and Mr. Brogden, as
to the removal of the papers and books of the Company to Mr.
Crawford's, in order to ensure them better protection.
" 4, Arundel-street, Strand, May 10, 1826.
" Sir,—Mr. J. Hinde informed me that the 16,0001. was di-
vided, in accordance with • contract drawn up to such effect as
follows, viz.:_ Joseph Clarke - £5,000
Henry Clarke . 5.000
Sir WM. CANIgITTO 3,000
Sir Wm. Conrere, el Mr. Bauben - . 1,000
Agents I Mr. J. Hinde - - 1,000
--
£16,000
Major HINDE said, the parties mentioned by Mr. Bent actually
received the money. He saw a written agreement in the hands of
dlr. Holroyd to that effect, of which, if it did not exist itself, a
copy did. He was applied to by Sir William Congreve, to execute
such as.ignment on the day or two previous to the general meeting
in December. which he peremptorily refused. With regard to the
sneer of Mr. Dunstan, of his being a Major, it was true he was not
a Major of the British Army. but he was a Major in the Brazilian,
which was recognized by this Government.

Mr. WILLIADI CLARKE then addressed the Meeting at consider-
able length, and made many very strong animadversions or the
conduct of the Directors; after which,
Mr. DENMAN rose, and demanded to be heard. The acts of the
Committee were, he said, totally illegal. The Mt of Parliament,-
which be held in his hand, did not at all warrant the proceeedings
which they had adopted. Now, as to the 15,0011. lie should not
now dismal the propriety of withholding it from the Shareholders
but he certainly was of opinion, that the Shareholders would be best
consulting their interests, if, instead of going into Chancery, they
left it to arbitration, and he was convinced that any two gentlemen
would be able to ascertain whether the Messrs. Clarke were en-
ti7led to the 15,0001., or to a part of it. It certainly would not be
for the interest of the legal adviser of the Committee, as a Bill in
Chancery was far more profitable to him.
A SHAREHOLDEa said that Mr. Camerford had not received any
money as yet.
Mr. DENMAN replied that he did not furnish his account for
fear it would startle the Committee.
A SHAREHOLDER perfectly concurred with Mr. Denman as to
the propriety of leaving it to arbitrar.mi.
The CHAIRMAN said the Meeting was not convened for that
purpose.
Alt. PENMAN requested the Requisition to be read.
Mr. rAMERTORO read the Requisition.
Mr. DE WMAN then resumed. lie observed, that the conduct of
the Committee was most unjust in the course which they were pur-
suing. Here were men who voluntarily resigned their office, and
they would not be permitted to retire but a sigma was endeavoured
to be thrown upon them by the proceedings of this day. He then
moved an adjournment, which, aftet a most angry discuasiou,
was negatived.
The original Resolution vas then put and carried. Thanks
being then voted to the Clubman sad Committee, the Meeting
broke up.

GENERAL CORAL AND PEARL. FISHERY ABIOCIATION.
—The meeting of this Association, which was appointed to
be held yesterday, at the house of the Association, Broad-
street-buildings, has been postponed to the Slat July.
Yesterday a Court of irectors was held at the Best
India House, when Captain Thomas Francis Balderston,
of the ship Asia, took leave of the Court, [previous to de-
parting for Bengal direct.

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