The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-06-02 00:00:00

LONDON AND BRISTOL RAIL-ROAD COM-
PANY.

Yesteerlay a Meeting of the Shareholders of the London and
Bristol Mai .turd Company was held at the London 'Pavan, pur-
euant to adoenisemcnt. At a quarter past one o'clock IL D.
Davie, Esq. Mla., was called to the chair.
The CRAIRSIAN then proceeded to inform the Shareholders
present, that the object for which they bad been reenter! to meet
will, to consider the expediency of discontinuing the proceedings
which had been undertaken to promote the deqn fur which the
S.OO psny was instituted. lie wished to state to Rae Meeting that
the purpose then under comidmation was the result of the wishes of
the noire Proptietary. In that desire. however, the Shareholders
were not influenced by any whet' cause than the impracticability
of carrying into etre:* those measures which, at the original form'.
Lion ot the Company, appeared to be desirable and feasible. The
rtc•ermioation to abandon the project war, not excited by any oda-
wallow meat is the agents appointed to conduct the business. In
flat respect the affairs of the Company were confessedly placed in a
sruation sery different from those of many other Companies, which
Lid been found delusive in principle and practice. and in which
no part of the deposits could be recovered. In the present case
every Shaveholdor would ree-lee back Pis. of the 11. which had been
11:1VII&CPli on each share. The facilities which the contemplated
rail-read would atrd.l, in respe,n to conveyanceof Welsh and Irish
goods, were undeniable, and might. at no very distant period, be
vitalized. The Company had certainly commenced under highly
favourable auspices, which were indeed changed—not by any de-
fect Li the principle on which it was established. nor by. any 4m-
propriety in those individuals who conducted its tune:teams.
• The alteration was attributable solely to the revulsion which had
taken place in the clrcumatances of the country, and whirl, comm.
qusntly affected the prosperity of various Institutions, which were
advancing to beneficial completion, but were checked in the
general calamity. In that distress the London and Bristol Rail.
road Company participated. The money derived from the first
and only instalment of If. on 10,203 shares subscribed for had been
invested in the funds • and a loss aas incurred of 1,0341. 18a. 4d. in
selling out stock at • ;educed rate, to meet the unavoidable expenses
of the Company. The difficulties which presented themselves against
the execution of the design at the present period induced some
Shareholders to request of him to convene a Meeting of Directors,
for the purpose of suggesting to. the 'Shareholder,' the propriety of
not proceeding further in an attempt to actsamplii.h the plan of the
Prospectus. To prove the respectability of the applicants, he
should name 3lr. Thomas Wilson, their City Bert...misfire, and
31r. Richardson. In compliance with the wishes thus expressed,
a Meeting of Directors was convened, and they agreed on the ex-
pediency of adopting the auggeation, as would Dopesr from a state-
ment, which he begged leave to read, to that effect. [The statement.
detailing the proceedings of the Company, and recommending its
dissoiution was then read,) The Chairman next proceeded
to advert to the accounts, which had been audited, of the ex-
penditure ot the 10.211.51. received as the first and only instalment.
That expenditure, inclusive of the loss on the sale of stock, and all
the items of ying, painting, maps, advertisements, tavern ex-
penses, and payment to Secretary, Re. was 2.3751. 14s. 4d. and
would allow a return of 15s, on every 11. paid for the instalment
The Chairman concluded by eulogiaing the Surveyor, Ale
3l•Adam, and Mr. Bayley, the Secretary.
Mr. W. CLARKE, Ind other Shareholders, agreed that the too.
tier..,rn of the charges on the espemliturtlist was highly laudable,
1 rd stewed a great contrast to the accounts of other Companies.
A d-sultory conversation ensued on topics connected with that
document, and with the wording of the Resolutions. An addition
of 221. to 781., in consideration of the services of the Secretary, was
agreed to unanitndosly.
Some conversation followed as to the disposal of the surplus of
about 120/. which would remain after payment of the 15s. per
share. etc. It being considered too trifling to be divided among
the 10.265 Shareholders, the Meeting ultimately determined to
bestow it on Charitable Institutions. .

Ito*lotions (for which see Advertisement) mere then passed, and
the hleetine separated. much satisfied at the amicable manner in
*hitt the proceedinp had been conducted.

SELECT PASTRIES.

On Wednesday the inhabitants of the parish of Mile-end Old
Town held their anniven.ary dinner at the Golden Eagle Tavern,
Mlle-end.road, to commemorate the rejection by Parliament to
impose nn them the administration of a Select Vestry. Above two
hundred oflise parishioners, and of the most respectable class, were
present. R. 11. HALL, EMI. presided.
When the cloth was removed, the CHAIRMAN proposed " The
health of the King, and may he ever remember his own declaration,
that the crown is held trust for the benefit of the people." (Loud
and reiterated applause.)

The Royal Family:" (Cheers.)
" The Navy and Army of the Empire." (Cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN, in proposing the next toast, said it was one
which he felt assured that every man who then heard him would
drink with pleasure. The inhabitants of Mile-end had by their
/ate exertions succeeded in discomfiting • moat outrageous attempt
ro deprive them of their parochial privileges, and he doubted not,
should the obnoxious measure be again contemplated, they would
be found equally ready to resist it; he would offer no further ob-
servation, but propose Prosperity to the hamlet of Mile-end Old
'town, and may it never be visited by en great& calamity as • Select
Vestry." (Loud cheers.) When these had subsided, the Chairman
odd the next tout on his list required no comment; the conduct of
the gehtleroen It included, and their successful exertions, were known
and appreciated. " The Committee, who successfully combated
and no triumphantly defeated the late attempt to deprive the inha-
bitants of their just rights."
Mr. STEPHENS next TOW, and after offering some introductory
observation., proposed the health of their Chairman, to whose pa-
Diode exertions they were principally indebted, in successfully re-
sisting the establishment of • Select Vestry in their hamlet, and
whose valuable services must merit the lasting gratitude of the In-
dependent Inhabitants of Mile-end Old Town.
The CHAIn HAN then rose, and said he was fully sensible of the
honour his fellow-parishioners conferred on him, and regretted that
he could not, In terms adequate to his feelings, express the gratiti.
cation he experienced at receiving so flattering a testimony of their
approbation. Ile considered the occasion of their then assembling,
ins. to celebrate the rejection of a Bill applied for to Parliament, to
establish • Select Vestry in their parish, as an object of the greatest
importance. There unfortunately existed an Inclination in those per-
sons who possess only • limited parochial authority to extend their
powers and tamper with public rights, and should they be thwarted
in their measures, or meet with an honest opposition, they immedi-
ately apply to Parliament, and through its aid endeavour to throw
up a barrier to any scrutiny into their conduct, and thus prevent
the inhabitants from having the slightest participation in parochial
proceedings. Such was the system of those they had been com-
bating, who, when they found they could no longer stand the test
of public inquiry, as • last resource applied to the Legislature, not
alone for Indemnity for the past, but for immunity for the future,
and the most unlimited and uncontrolled power; but thanks
to the exertions of those with whom he had the honour
to be associated, and the patriotic interference of • number of
the Members of the House of Commons, the attempt proved fu.
tile, and its projectors were compelled to abandon their dbtgracelul
fame. Their success was. indeed, unexampled ; other parishes
were not an fortunate—they were hound hated and foot, and their
inhabitants had no voice In parochial affairs. What to attribute
ibis to it was hard to divine: it might be, perhaps, owing to disin-
clination on the part of respectable persons to interfere; and the con-
sequence nxestarily was. that Ignorant and interested men assumed
all authority, and thus disgusted those who would othetsise be
able to give some protection to the public. It was in the recollee.
lion of the Meeting, that a few years since a struggle commenced in
Newington, on the very same principle as in Mile end, and that
struggle, he was happy to say, had at length terminated success.
fully for the parishioners, the fill fur a select vestry having been
withdrawn, on a compromise taking piece. The inhabitants of
that ',wish had also met to commemorate their triumph. and he
was glad to perceive that • piece of plate had been presented to
Mr. Samuel Palmer, than whom no one could have merited it
more. But in looking over the proceedings, it struck hint as rather
a Orange circumstance, that on that occasion a Mr. John Wilkes
i a
solicitor, in returning thanks for his health being drank, expreaed
his satisfaction at the triumph the parishioners of Newington had
obtained In successfully resisting the imposition of • Select Vestry
Dill. Could this be the Mr. John Wilke, also a solicitor, who was
the projector and framer of the proposed Bill for Mile-end, who
attended the secret meeting where the measure was lint propounded,
end who with a very einctintoninus enuntenonce occupied no less than
an hour in expatiating on the benefits and ermint rating the adven-
t/wet that would accrue from the institution of n select vestry. It
struck him, though he would not positively assert it, that it wax
the identical gentleman, and that the Select Vestry advocate of
Mil.-end, anal the Anti-ache: gentl:man of Newingtim, were one
and the Vitae person ; if moll was the t:e-t,sti.e coincidence was
OWN eller/ordinary, and evincttl a wondertol facility in changing
eatedniente. After dwelling upon some other topics, and calling
the attention of the Meeting to the grow job which was now under
invemigstion in Spitallields, •job entirely emanating from the Se-
lect Visary, he concluded by assuring the parishioners, that when.
ewerhis exertions were required, or he could be employed for the
boned< uf the hamlet, he would cheerfully come forward. (Loud
citgrt.)
The healthy of Sir F. Burdett, Messrs. llobhouee, Pesch. Pal-
jeer, Laniloon. and Hume. General Ferguson, Sir Robert Wilson,
and 'Colonel Johnson, i%1.P., whose patriotic exertions produced
elielli.enmti,ure of their opponents, was next drank.
The health. of Olr. Dexter, the president, and Mr. Austin, the
hate churchwarden, were then given. Both gentlemen returned
shanks t and the latter begged to propose the health of Mr. Wil-
liam., "Ito Irld contributed so much to the niumpli they were then
IRK to celebrate. _

Mr. Id I LIAA MS returned thanks, and said that in advocating
►he Interests of the hamlet, he was. perhaps, influenced by it sel-
iteh motive, for that having considerable property within it, it
must he much deteriorated if subject to the noxious it.fluence of
a Select Vestry. They ought ee►tsinly to congratulate themselves
en their sneers., especially if they looked only into the neighbour-
ing parish of Spitalfields.and saw the impositions it Lad been sub-
jetted to.
The health of fir, Stephens was next given, and that ger•.t!eman
rammed thanks in an admirable address, at the conclusion of which
Leveret '• The British Shipowners. and may they soon be released
Mill the Reciprocity Duties' Bill."
Amer several oth,tr toasts, among which was " The independent
inhabitants of Spitalfields, and may they soon succeed in the aboli-
tion of their Select Vestry,"
The company separated at an advanced hour. having passed the
eva►ng in the greatest hilarity. The dinner and wines were ex-
Caw!.