The Sun.
London, England, 1855-06-27 00:00:00

STRAHAN AND CO.'S BANKRUPTCY.

The following letter has been addressed to a contem-
porary :

Sir,—The candour of these bankrupts in having come
forward and volunteered a statement of the whole of their
nefarious dealings with their creditors' securities at the
meeting in the Bankruptcy Couit yesterday will be fully
appreciated by reference to the 7th and Bth George IV.,
chap. 29, the 52d section of which declares that "no
banker, merchant, broker, factor, attorney, or other agent
as aforesaid shall be liable to be convicted byany evidence
whatsoever as an offender against this act, in respect of any
act done by him, if he shall, at any time previously to his
being indicted for such offence, have disclosed such net
on oath, in consequence of any compulsory process of
any court of law or equity, in any action; suit, or pro-
ceeding which shall have been bona fide instituted by
any party aggrieved, or if he shall have disclosed the
same in any examination or deposition before any Com-
missioners of Bankruptcy."
The bankrupts, having made " a clean (I) breast" of
it, may now snap their fingers at poor Dr. Griffith and
the rest of their victims ; but it is to be hoped that such
an absurd " saving clause" will not be allowed to con-
tinue to disgrace the criminal law of this commercial
country.—Your most obedient servant,
Westminster, June 26.

W. E. K.

The illustrious maestro Meyerbeer was present at the
seventh meeting of the Musical Union, yesterday, at
Willis's-rooms, and on being introduced by the director
was received with great applause by the distinguished
members of that institution.

A Paris letter, in the Independance of Brussels, says :
—" The marriage of Col. Fleury, Aide•de-camp to the
Emperor and Commandant of the Guides, with Mdlle.
S ant Paul, is shortly to take place. A brother of M.
de Valabregue, equerry to the Emperor, is about to
spouse the niece of General Lawcestme."
The Moniteur de l'Armee, of the 12th inst., says—The
Russians are beginning to run short of cannon balls and
grape shot. A recent order of the day of General Osten
Sacken would at least seem to indicate it. To supply
the deficiency they use fragments of our shells, which
the enclose in canisters.

The Germanic Diet held a sitting on the 21st, when
it received a letter from the Senate of Hamburg, inform-
ing it of the rejection of the bill on the Constitution.
The letter was referred to the Political Committee.
The Committee of the House of Lords, appointed to
consider Earl Shaftesbury's bill for the limitation of the
hours of labour amongst needlewomen, report that it is
inexpedient to proceed with the consideration of the
measure.

In consequence of so many invalids arriving from the
Crimea, the accommodation in the Ordnance Hospital
at Woolwich has become too small. The Government
have directed another building to be added to one of the
wings of the hospital, to consist of six wards. In order
to make room for this addition, a large room and some
stables will have to be pulled down. Workmen are
therefore employed in building stables in a large field
outside and close adjoining the hospital gates. That part
of the hospital formerly used as the " cadet's hospital,"
but now used as officers' quarters, is to be made into
wards.

Owing to the immense number of artillerymen who
have left Woolwich garrison for the seat of war, the ar-
senal has become destitute of those valuable protectors
of the ordnance stores, the consequence of which is that
the metropolitan police have had to supply their place,
and now occupy the different guard-rooms as barrack-
rooms, beds, &c., having been put into them for their
accommodation. Likewise, from the same cause, the
company of artillery stationed at Purfleet have been
withdrawn, and a company,of the Royal Bucks Militia
sent there in their place. The Guards belonging to the
East Wharf, West Wharf, and Magazine are withdrawn,
and only one guard from the militia mounts the main
guard, under an officer.
THE SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE FAlLlTRES.—Birming-
ham, Tuesday.—Private meetings, pursuant to adjourn-
ments, of the creditors of Messrs. Hickman, of Bilston,
Messrs. Whitehouse and Jefferies, of the Phcenix Works,
West Bromwich, and of Mr. Jefferies, of Hartshill, a'l
ironmasters, were held in this town yesterday afternoon,
for the purpose of hearing the statements made by the
several firms, and of determining what course, under
existing circumstances, ought to be adopted. The at-
tendance was numerous. The debts and liabilities of
the Messrs. Hickman were stated to be 116,0001.
and their stoppage was attributed to the refusal of
their bankers to further extend their advances. A
composition, payable at certain periods, was proposed,
which led to considerable discussion; but ultimately
it was pretty 'generally understood that the payment
of 2s. 6d., at three, six, and nine months, and
a further payment of 2s. 6d. within two years, would be
accepted by the creditors. Nothing was, however,
finally determined, and a committee was appointed to
inquire into and report upon the affairs of the firm. The
estate of Mr. Jefferies, of Hartshill, was represented as
likely to realise ss. in the pound, ana a proposition to
pay and secure that amount was proposed. That of
Messrs. Whitehouse and Jefferies is likely to be less
productive to the creditors. A composition of 2s. in
the pound was offered, and a petition for a private ar-
rangement under the Bankruptcy Act to prevent an
appearance in the Gazette was resolved upon, and will
be presented immediately. The liabilities of the two
firms amount to 100,0001. Committees of inspection
were also appointed to investigate the state and pro:-
pects of both the last-mentioned estates, but no day was
mentioned, as we understood, whrma they
ex-
pected to report the creditors. would be