The Sun.
London, England, 1852-04-08 00:00:00

TRIBUNALS OF COMMERCE

Yesterday a general meeting of the supporters of this
reovernen, eenveeed by the lien. Secretary, F' "cis
Lyne, was bold at the 'London Tavern. Toe following
gentlemen were on the platform:—Acton S. Ayrton,
Esq.; J. S. Hamilton Flumphreys, Esq ; Andrew Hen-
derson, E-q.; C. R. Richardson, Esq.; D. C. Aylwin,
Esq.; John Edward :Woodroffe, Esq.; G. L. Jackson,
Esq.; Thomas Francis, Esq.; Barnes,
Esq.; G. V.
Buller, Esq.; Thos. Biggs, Esq.; D. 11. Woodfall,
Esq.; Charles Cowan, Esq., M.P.; John Fenton,'
Esq.; John Day, Req.; Thos. Watson, Esq ; Ed-
ward Cook, Esq.; Henry Sewell, Esq.; William
Brown, Esq.; William Smily, Esq.
Several letters of apology, some from influential
parties, were read, stating inability to attend, and among
them the following:—
" Reform Club, Pall-mall, April 1, 1852.
" My dear Sir,—As I em leaving town on Wednes-
day next, I shall not be able to attend the meeting you
have appointed. Judging by all the facts bearing upon
your case that have come under my observation, I am
disposed to consider the treatment you have received
eg riginal romoter of
from the parties, who may be fairly stated to have
usurped your position of bin the o
Tribunals of Commerce in this country, as extremely
unfair towards yourself, and an outrage on ordinary
justice and common propriety. Therefore, I have affixed
my signature to the inclosed printed letter; and am, my
dear Sir, yours truly, p
" LAWRENCE IIEYWORTH.
" Francis Lyne,
Copy of the letter alluded to as having been signed by
Mr. Lawrence Heyvvorth, as follows:
"London, April 1852.'
"To Mr. John Mathison Fraser, 34, Mark-lane.
Mr. Daniel M`Farlan, 154, Fenchurch-street.
Mr. Richard C. Polhill, 15, Mark-lane.
Mr. Charles White, 15, Bar e-yard.
" " Gentlemen,—As one of the certain
general committee I
have learnt with much regret that certain disputes have
disturbed the harmony which should exist between
yourselves and our honorary secretary, Mr. Francis
Lyne. I lament now to find that it is not likely that
the movement can be benefited by the joint services of
and considering that Mr. Francis Lyne WAS
yourselves and Mr. Lyne. Under such circumstances,
origi-
nator of the movement, that the public money was ad-
vanced to aid the cause called to our notice by Mr. Lyne,
and that his zeal:and energy have on various occasions
been applauded (without intending to offer you any per-
sonal offence), I request, as one of the general commit-
tee, that you will be good enough to give up to Mr.
Lyne all books, moneys, and
papers relating to this
the
committee. I am, Gentlemen, your most obedient
movement, and that you will
servant,
(Signed) " LAWRENCE HEYWORTII.
"To Francis Lyne, Esq." retire from the executive
" Moorgate-street, April 3, 1852.
"My dear Sir,—I am sorry that it is quite out of my
power to attend the public meeting which has been con-
vened, and which is to be presided over by Sir James
Duke. You are aware, lam sure, that your exertions
alone, in behalf of Tribunals of Commerce, have in-
duced me to give my subscription in aid of the funds
which have been raised to promote their establishment;
and believing, as I do, that an improper attempt has
been made to endeavour to take from you the credit of
originating the design to establish them in this country,
I hope you will be able successfully to establish your
title to public support as the originator. At any rate,
I beg leave to repeat my assurance that to you, and to
you alone, my subscription can be ascribed.—l remain,
my dear Sir, yours very truly,•
" GEORGE 11. FOSTER.

s r th April, 1852.
" To Francis Lyne, Esq."
inity-
quare linjd by your favour
" Tr
"My dear Sir,—I am happy to
say die. I fear it will be
of Saturday that you are progressing f
1 for me to at-
tend your meeting on Wednesday, foram confined to
I can scarcely put it to quitethe impossible
the house with the gout, and my foot is so swollen that
W. J. HALL."
With best re-
gards, my dear Sr, yours faithfully,
J. DUKE, Bart., M.P., took the chair, Sir J
that on a question of such importance hair, and said
he was placed
in the position of their chairman in consequence of the
requision of seven or eight gentlemen,
ought, as one of their representatives, towho thought he
preside on this
occasion. In doing this be should abstain from taking
part either for or against any g`mtlenian present who
might have opposite views, but would confin himself to
seeking such information as would • • •
justify him in de-
ciding on the resolutions which were to be proposed to
the meeting.—(Hear, bean)
Mr. Stanley then handed in a protest on behalf of four
members of the executive committee.
Mr. STANLEY, h • _ having read the protest, stated that if
Mr. Lyne thought proper to put any •
question to him, he
should be happy to answer it.
Mr.m LYNE having replied in the negative.
Mr. LEE then moved that the report
ground. With
prepared by Mr.
L
ji Mr. RAINY;h seconded
administration
of motion.thea
counrt.r
Lyre should b© read to the meeting.
country
ay etg
great
at ht eenh
change
read e hishas rheepeohr t, as f follows:
"For
proposed.l l w
commercial of this
" For
" That some change is necessary, I believe eve
engaged with trade is ready to admit, andtrh
yatmthane
change proposed would tend to aid the progress of the
moral improvement of the people of this country, and
the enlargement of trade by the consequent greater cer-
tainty of the stability of
know, agree in saying—this concurrence of opinion I
have made my weapon t
gaged in! o fight the hard battle I have en-
.ln the year 1847, when the great corn failures took
keenly was it felt in the Corn Ex-
change
that our present
for the economical law system is not well adapted
and
speedy adjustment of disputes
arising out of trade t
or usages.
liceniransactions, built either upon con-
tractsand patient y,I say, was this felt, but, like good
feeling was Englishmen,maniiested under trial, no expression of
myself, through so ' About the end of 1849 I was
know that we wanted' peculiar circumstances, made to
country, and less able Tribunals of Commerce in this
secret, 1 began to talk than the corn factors to keep a
about it, and the more I did so
the more agreement
business on this sew of opinion I found amongst men in
law courts by all ject; and every one conceded that our
ne!saus should be avoided by men of
business. New We
but it requires two toknow, one man can make a quarrel,
disputants choose, t make it up, If one out of two
courts—to settle a ° take the mad path—our law-
or revenge, or from simple dispute, whether from malice,
" When I found blindness, who can prevent him?
I then conceived the myselfidea
supported by so much sympathy,
to consider the ,
,e.a of getting up a public meeting
Com-
merce, and I ,et 'flfu.lcot of Tribunals of Com-
Lord Mayor theadvantagesmen of such tribunals over
a small sheet of engaged in trade. I took first
object appeared 80 ordinarystrongly
foolscap paper, hoping, as the
leading fin",a would sign to recommend it.elf, that the
such firms doing so, the it; and that some four or five
the meeting. Lord Mayor would at once call
" It is almost n
'e
-nnecea
complete greenhornro ery for me to tell you I was a
at
movements, everything that time with regard to public
I pertaining to such was new to me.
" The first thing
firms of the city of bad to learn was that the great
in such matters. ILondon like to follow, and not to lead
leading firms on naeu3t say the holding back of the
a mighty difficulty this lecasion was a modesty that placed
El InY way; and perhaps I was
forced to sham
not a part of m a boldness which is really
culty, by adding foolscap
nature. I faced the diffi-
memorial 18 feet lon seal) to foolscap,: till I made my
—the Corn Market f, aignod by most respectable firma
for me) leading the way
full force (the staff ot life then
out an exception, follottwY• ; and every other trade, with-
members of the Steele 2g, supported even by sprightly
" I then gave notice xchange.
London, that 1,000 mercantile
the Members for the city of
three, and even six firms (some with two,
meeting should be
held,
desired that 'a public
Tribunals of Commerce, Sir
to consider the subject of
enough, in consequeno, Sir James Duke was good
carefully examining the -' to call upon me, and utter
the monster document. ruemorial, he added name to
" Baron Rothschild
sign it, but they and Mr. Mastermen did not
movement, at the gave their support to a
enteer „"euele time, in favour of a
Chamber of Cd
as distinct from a Trib for London a thing
man ie from his wife! No man
of Commerce as a
Man can know the need of
a Chamber of Commerce for
and unless there is a Chan London more than I do,
in the city of London, I wouldr of Commerce established
warn
to keep his thoughts to himself,
f_ any friend of mine
l
feel that he could originate , however sure he might
fellmeecreetures. The table of the
good for his
thrown away. But mark one the bundle of sticks is
Messrs. Rothschild and M
—lBtCre of
the reasons given by
cry for a Chamber of Corem:lau for supporting the
of that chamber to form a
committee
wish was, out
investigate and determine questions
of gentlemen to
rests of merchants, by establishing" affecting the lute-
tion, so as to avoid the enormous
elites
an-
nually spent in litigation in the law of money
injury of all persons concerned, many courts, to the great
purely mercantile character, depending eases being of a
correct knowledge of customs, of trade more upon a
upon the technicalities of i
Judicial and commerce than
point they are too frequently deeid_l3,lactice, upon which
is a Court of Arbitration, and I believe At Madras there
ye a merchant there,
if ho does not submit to its rules,
fellow. If were adopted such a rule in
thought a shabby
don we should be guilty of an ; e
ariete;inble offence on the
the City of Lon-
don
that we were interfering with the
liberties of the
Crown. No Arbitration Ccurt will do
the merchants
any substantial good unless it is given
ment. I wish Messrs. Rothschild andNV the Parlia-
asterrnan were
here now to supporst this sound reason;
say I invited them, as my respect for them' as ng. I can only
public men
would over lead me to do.
"The first public meeting for the eo •
nsitderation of the
Tribunal of Commerce movement took
of February last year. The task of place iae on the 18th
committee tell upon myself, and e ormanzllng a general
ot waste my
time in crying over the fact that none of the leading
houses would come forward, for we are
end
not to do our daty,
we are told, as well es vet COe.
Itocan grumble over
circumstances W 3 cannot control. Allis, that
to the last day of my life I shall be proud of sll5
mittee I did form; and this is me the °
arodpsportunity to
perfoina a very sacred duty towards
that
~,Ili!'
com-
mittee, many of whom are Members of "
ment, and all very busy, active, useful ~ ,
men in
the world. They told inc at the first that they
were so over bead and cars in
support.
engagements, that they
could not promise to me any direct committeelaidpport.
Having put my hard to the plough
encouraged
not like to turn
back, and anotber thing that supportedand
me is, that I know, if a cause is a good
.on to suc-
cess, one, what We
call accidental circumstances often leads
when forelaid clever plans led. Bur
when I ,be-
gan to work I found I had undertaken a task which