The Sun.
London, England, 1855-02-15 00:00:00

THE LONDON DOCK COMPANIES AND

THE TRADE OF ME PORT.

Yesterday afternoon a meeting of gentlemen interested
in the proceedings of the " Association for Protection of
the Trade of the Port of London against Dock Mo-
nopoly," was held in the Ship Tavern, Water-lane, to
receive a report from the business committee with
respect to the dock companies' bills now before Parlia-
ment. The meeting was pretty numerously attended,
and the chair was taken by Mr. W. J. Hall.
The CHAIRMAN, in commencing the proceedings, said
the object of the meeting was to enable the business
committee of the association to communicete to their
friends what had been done up to the present time in
the way of opposing the bills now before Parliament at
the instance of the dock companies, and also to ask their
co-operation with a view to defeat those measures. They
had also sent copies of the report of the association to
every chamber of commerce in the United Kingdom,
and to every member of Parliament. He had much
pleasure in telling them that the appeal has been re-
sponded to in a very satisfactory manner. Many of the
public journals had commented favourably upon the
report, and the chambers of commerce had requested
their local members to co-operate with the committee
in throwing out the bills upon the second reading.
The committee had likewise written to Mr. Cardwell re-
questing an interview, in order that they might ascertain
his views upon the subject, and whether he was prepared to
allow the dock companies to proceed with their mea-
sures. They had not yet received his reply, but they
expected to have it in the course of that day. They had
also obtained the promise of an interview with Lord
John Russell on Friday next, but that morning his lord-
ship wrote to say that, being summoned to go abroad,
he would be unable to receive the deputation.
The following was the note addressed to the secretary
of the association :
" Lord John Russell presents his complimente to Mr.
Sidney Smith, and as he leaves England on Thurs-
day on a special mission to Vienna, he regrets ex-
tremely that he will not be able to receive the deputa-
tion on Friday next."
Mr. BESLEY moved a resolution to the effect that the
attempt now made by the dock companies of London to
procure the repeal of the exemption clauses of their former
acts was a direct breach of faith with the public, and a
clear violation of the express conditions on which their
powers of incorporation were conceded to them, as well
as of the prescriptive, customary, and common-law rights
of the traolers of the free port of London.
Mr. SMITH seconded the resolution, which was unani-
mously agreed to.
Other resolutions having been passed, a vote of thanks
to the chairman terminated the proceedings.

At the meetings of the Iberian and Peninsular Min-
in4 Companies, held yes terday afternoon, both conducted
by the same directors and under similar management, the
report; were adopted. The works are stated to be going
on satisfActorily, and, with improved arrangement at the
mines, the produce is steadily increasing) while the ex-
penditure has been diminished. The retirement of
Mr. Pegler, the original chairman, was followed by the
institution of Chancery suits against him and others for
improperly dealing with shares of the companies, but
the proceedings have lately been compromised by the
return of 2,100 shares in the case of the Iberian, and
500 shares in the case of the Peninsular Company. The
respective balances of 1,765/. and 2,20.01. are considered
sufficient to carry on operations, the present returns
being also applied with the eanCtl9l2 the Ohitrehtfidere.
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