The Sun.
London, England, 1853-12-23 00:00:00

JOINT-STOCK BANKS.
40 I all Australasia 7B 81
40 all British Colonial Bank ,
and Loan Company
50 all British N. American
20 2 Chrtd. Bnk.of•lndia,
Austral., and China dis 1i
25 5 Chad. Bnk. of Asia lll Adis
100 25 Colonial
100 20 Commercial of Loud —
20 10 English Scottish and
Australian Chad._
20 15 London Chad. Bilk
of Australia A 1 p
50 20 London and County
50 10 London Joint Stock
100 20 Lond.andWestminst — ... 40
100 35 National Provincial
of England
20 10 Do. New ••• •••
50 221 National of Ireland .„
20 all New South Wales
25 all Oriental Bank Co:
poration
100 25 Provincial of Ireland
10 all Do. Now —
5 1 Itoyal Australn. Bkg
and Gold Imp. Co 4d— par
25 25 South Australia —
25 all union of Australia 74 76 74
2A Do. New —
50 10 Union of Loudon
40 all (Union of Madrid
MISCELLANEOUS.
5 5 lAubin (.;(xtl and Iron
25 17.', Australian Agricult. 46 47 4G
20 12 Australsu.Pcifie
10 8 Australn. Royal Mail ...
10 2 ;I, I Berlin Water Works
50 3874 Brit. American Land 70
5 1 Brit. & Coln. Smcltg.
and Reduction Co
100 324 Canada Company
5 5 'Crystal Palace 2a —2.; p
l 7A
5 4 Do. New 24 p
4 2 Crystal Pal. of France
20 3 Eastern Steam ......
25 20 ElectricTelegTaph (A) 16
25 15 Do. (B) ll 13
1 1 Vcctrie Tel. of Irel.
15 14 Gen. Steam Navigat.
20 18 General Screw Steam ••'
20 71 Irish Beetroot Sugar
20 6 Magdalena St. Navig,.
1 all Nat. Pt. Steam Fuel •••
10 4 Netherlands Laud 2 ld
2 IN.S. W. Coal & Inter-
Stem. Nay. Co
... --
1 all N. B. Australasian / .•
1 6 Do. New. 8 ---
20 10 Nrtli.o7Errop-.:Stearn •
5 all Peel Rr, Lfl. & Minrl.
50 all Peninsular dr Oriental sP
Gs xd & b
50 25 Do. da. ,
2 all Portland Iron Co
•••
100 GO Royal Mail Steam
1 all Scot. Austral. Invest •1
1w p
25 25 South Austral. Land 40
1 all Submarine Telegraph par -.
",P
100 28?, Van Diemen's Land 15

CHRISTMAS RAILWAY TRAFFICS.—From an early
hour this morning, the greatest activity prevailed at the
us railway termini, particularly the South-Eastern,
Great Northern, Eastern Counties, and North-Western,
in consequence of the immense number of packages and
parcels of game and poultry that were constantly arriv-
ing, by the passenger and other trains. A consignment
(4.800 Turkeys, 1,600 geese, besides several hampers and
crates of other descriptions of poultry, was received at
the Eastern Counties terminus for a salesman in Leaden-
hall-market, and the quantity of game that arrives from
the North of England and Scotland is scarcely credible.
The contractors for the delivery of railway parcels being
unable to comply with the provisions of the act of Par-
liament for the delivery within a specified time after
their arrival in the metropolis, have been compelled to
hire extra porters, vans, cabs, and other vehicles to ac-
celerate the welt.

FREE TRADE FREEHOLD LAND SOCIETY.

Last night the first annual meeting of the shareholders
in the Free Trade Freehold Land Society, was held at
the Freemasons' Tavern, Great Queen-street, Lincoln's-
inn-fields.

The meeting was fixed to take place at seven o'clock ;
at that hour the room, one of the small ones, became
crowded to excess, and a great number of shareholders
still continuing to arrive, it was found to be utterly im-
possible
to transact the business of the evening in the
then state of the apartment and lobbies adjoining.
Mr. Squu (the secretary) then came forward and
sail, owing to the exceeding large number of share-
holders present, the committee were under the necessity
of requesting the gentlemen to adjourn to the hall—
(cheers)—where they would find much better accommo-
dation than the limited size of the present apartment
offered.

On our entering the hall we observed the following
gentlemen on .the platform :—Sir Henry Winston Bar-
ron, Bart.; John Beadnell, Esq.; Lemuel Brockelbank,
Esq.; Captain John Bishop-Culpeper, Henry E. Canney,
Esq.; James Wyld, Esq., late M.P. for Bodmin ; Fred.
A. Daviss, Esq.; W. Dickinson, Esq.; Lieut.-Colonel
Dickson, John Gate, Esq.; Joseph Gimson, Esq.; W.
S. Hodgkinson, Esq. ; Jos. Haynes, Esq. ; Jenkin
Jones, Esq.; S. M. Martindale, Esq.; Thomas A. Pott,
Esq.; Lieutenant-Colonel Starr, Rowland Stagg, Esq.,
G. Tyler, Esq. ; T. C. Unwin, Esq. ; H. B. Taplin,
Esq.; S. P. Hook, Esq.; Azimulah Khan, on a mission
from India, in a magnificent Oriental costume, which
attracted much attention, and many other highly influ-
ential gentlemen.

The CHAIRMAN (James 'Vyld, Esq.), on taking his
seat, said he felt great pleasure in occupying the chair ;
it was an honour he did not expect. The meeting hav-
ing been pleased to appoint him to preside over their
deliberations, he should rely on all of them to support
him in fulfilling that duty. He thought that the first
business of the evening consisted in reading the notice
convening the meeting. He should call on the secre-
tary to do se.
The SECRETARY then read the advertisenaent.

The CHAIRMAN —That being done, the next thing for
them to hear was the report of the executive committee.
Mr. SMITH then read the report, from which it ap-
peared that the executive committee of the Free Trade
Freehold Land Society, in presenting their report, con-
gratulated the meeting •n the great success that had
crowned their labours—success very far beyond their
most sanguine expectations, and exceeding, they be-
lieved, abything hitherto accomplished by any freehold
land society. The total number of shares enrolled since
the society was established on the 15th of August
amounted to 2,021, representing a capital of 80,840/.
In forwarding the interests of the society, the committee
had held six public meetings, viz., at the Whittington
Club, Strand ; the Belvedere, Pentonville ; the Hanover-
square Rooms ; the Horns Tavern, Kennington ; the
Beaumont Institution, Mile-end ; and the Hall, Cam-
berwell—the results of which had been very gratifying,
and those results had been obtained at a very small
expense. The expenditure for office fixtures and furni-
ture to the present time had been but 1541. 18s. Bd., and
, the current expenses of management and rent for the
four months the society had been established, 3131. 10s.
9d., making a total of 4651. 9s. 7d., less than 12s. per
cent. on the amount of capital subscribed for. The
report went on to state that it was satisfactory to find
that the two estates already purchased for the society at
Anerly and at Camberwell were eagerly sought after,
and the executive committee confidently believed that
the representations made by the surveyors in reference
to them would be fully realised, and that they would
prove highly advantageous to the shareholders, either
for the purposes of building, investment, or profitable
re-sale. The committee had arranged that the first
public ballot for rights of choice to these estates
should take place on Monday, the 30th of January
next. Other estates were under the consideration of the
surveyor, and the committee hoped shortly to be en-
abled to satisfy the shareholders in every direction. The
committee, in conclusion, observed that by a continua-
tion of the co-operation which had hitherto been shown
by the members, combined with economic management,
and a judicious investment of the funds of the 'society,
they had no fear that in a very short time the Free
Trade Freehold Land Society would rank second to
none in efficiency and prosperity.

The reading of the report was frequently interrupted
by loud cheers, and on its conclusion,
Mr. PARNELL moved that the report just read be re-
ceived and printed for circulation among the members of
the society.
Mr. PATEMAN seconded the motion.

The CHAIRMAN then formally read the resolution, and
having put it to the meeting, declared it carried unani•
mously.

In accordance with the rules of the society, the exe-
cutive committee all went out of office at this meeting,
but the whole offered themselves for re-election.

The CIIIIIMAN said, agreeably with the rules of the
society, they had now to elect an executive committee,
as the term of office had expired of those gentlemen who
had till this evening fulfilled the duties of that com-
mittee.

A long discussion then took place with respect to the
desirability of limiting or increasing the numbers of the
existing- committee. At length
Mr. JENKIN JONES moved that the whole of the exe-
cutive committee whose term of office had expired be
re-elected.

Mr. GATE seconded the motion.
The CHAIRMAN then put the resolution to the
meeting, and declared it carried unanimously.
Mr. TYNDALL then moved that Mr. Canney, a gentle.
man upon whose honour they could all rely, and who
held a large, if not the largest, number of shares in the
society, be elected an auditor. (Cheers.)
Mr. JONES said it gave him great pleasure to second
the motion of Mr. Tyndall.

Tho CRAIRMAN then put the election of Mr. Canney
as an auditor to the meeting, and declared it carried

nem..dis.

Mr.].) ATEMAN then proposed as the other auditor to
be elected by the meeting a gentleman in whom they
could place the most implicit confidence—(cheers)-111r.
G. Tyler.

Mr. SIIEE bogged to second the nomination of Mr.
Pateman.

The CHAIRMAN declared the election of Mr. Tyler
carried.

The meeting was subsequently addressed by Captain
Bishop•Culpeper, Colonel Dickson, Mr. Gate, Sir H.
W. Barron, and Mr. Jones.

A gentleman, whose name we could not learn, then,
in a very neat manner, proposed a resolution to the fol-
lowing effect :—" That the thanks of this meeting are
justly due, and are hereby awarded, to James Wyld,
Esq., for the urbanity and impartiality with which he
had conducted the proceedings of the evening."
The vote of thanks, having been seconded, was then
put to the meeting, and carried amidst loud cheers.
The CHAIRMAN, in rising to return thanks, said,
first of all he must thank them for the honour they had
just conferred upon him ; yet (said the Chairman with
ia:l
smile) he thought he deserved it. (Cheers.) He had
endeavoured to conduct the business of this large and
highly influential meeting in a manner that
would reflect honour on the society.
ceeded, the vote of thanks that the in eTe fith; hadhewoa sl la
idan suestullfei
most enthusiastic manner awarded
more most heartily to
ficient proof. He begged once
uthpuonnkhtilmte. meeting for the honour had conferred
The proceedings then terminated.

lastT HsEunCzawroms.
announcingoffitheeerfsacot
fo ft
hteh the
landingimme-
diate
department of Customs, including some of the highest
—A paragraph appeared in some of
su p e rya'ns nPulteion '
officers in the service, and the announcement specifically
of
several
mentioned the names of the parties who were thus to
there was not the slightest foundation for the
retire from the public service. We have reason to
know that
statement, and in fact that it was from beginning to end
a pure fabrication.
VIE SUPPOSED
MURDER AT EAST ACTON.—ADDI-
TIONAL PARTICULARS.—Some trace of the friends of the
deceased has been discovered. It appears that on the
morning of Saturday last, the 17th instant at 5 o'clock,
a young gentleman, named J. W. Roberts, suddenly
and mysteriously disappeared from the Southampton
House Academy, at Kentish Town, and notwithstand-
ing the exertions of Mr. Saltmarsh, the proprietor of
the academy, and the deceased's friends, no trace of the
youth could be discovered. The miszing youth (Roberts)
is described as being 17 years of age, but apparently
much younger, and has light hair. He was dressed
very respectably, in a black cloth overcoat, frock coat,
waistcoat, and black trousers. The body found in
Irvins-lane answers the description as far as the personal
appearance is concerned, but of course no identity could
be made by the clothing, as that of the deceased has not
yet been discovered. The coroner's officer for the Acton
district has forwarded information of the discovery of the
body to the friends at Southampton House Academy,
i
and no doubt the body will be identified as that of the
missing party, Roberts. The police are still makingin-
quiry into this extraordinary and mysterious affair.
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE.—The Professors of University
College gave their first college soiree for the winter ses-
sion on Wednesday evening, in the handsome library
vefe rayr t
,b ewaeurtei ful
exhibited photographic
during
tahre- : drawings,
evening,
and adjoining room in the college. A great number of
and other works
fine paintings by Mr. G.
apartment containing them lc Lance. rrhe F laxingannsscutpe-
including some
tures are always much admire:
which these leallingtheseto toiciocailzraryhi,n
agreeable reunions are held. The attend-
ance 9f guests, as usual,