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

THE LONDON DOCK COMPANIES AND
THE TRADE OF THE PORT.

Yesterday afternoon a meeting of gentlemen interested
in the proceedings of the "Association for Protection of
the Tilde of the Port of London against Dock Mo-
nopoly," was held in ithe 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 CIIAIRMO, in commencing the-proceedings, said
the object of the meeting -was to enable the business
committee of the association to ,communicate to their
friends what had been done up to the present time in
the way of opposing the bills now before Parliament at
tlae 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 Kfiegdorn,
and to every member of Parliament. Ho had much
pleasure in telling them that the appeal has been re-
sponded to in a very satisfactory manner. 'Many el 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
n. throwing oust the. bills upon the second reading.
The committee bad likewise written to Mr.' Cardwell re-
questing an interview, in girder that they might ascertain
his views upon, the subject, and whether he was prepared to
allow the dock companies to proceed with their mon-
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. DESLEY moved a resolution to the effect that the
attentpt now made by the dock companies of London to
procure the repeal of the exemption clauses of their former
acts was a direetehreach of faith with the public, and a
clear violation of the express conditions. on which their
powers of incorporation were conceded to therh, as well
as of 'the Prescriptive, cust2mary, end cominim-law rights
of the tra!ers of the free port of London.
Mr. SMITE' seconded the _solution, which was unani-
mmedy agreed to. , .

Other resolutions having been pas3ed, a vete of thanks
to the chairman tenninai,ed the proc..ecdings.

At-the meetings of the Ths.riaa and Peninsular Min-
in Companies, held yes tereay afternoon, both comlncted
by the ,a,:no direct and outer siini!ar —,-,ia,gement, the
report;•wtre, adopted. The works are stut:d to be going
on satisfactorily, and, with iinproVedarrangement at the
mines, the produce is steadily ircrcasing, while tie 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 MAIM Peninsular Company. The
respsetive-bnlakioes 0k1,768/, mid 2,2d01. are considered
sufficient to, harry . on, operations,. the present returns
being also applied with the sanction of the shareholders.