The Sun.
London, England, 1853-09-30 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 80, 1858.

FREE TRADE FREEHOLD LAND SOCIETY.

SOUTH SEA COMPANY.

COURT OF ALDERMEN.

The Quarterly General Court of Proprietors was
held yesterday, at the establishment, in Threadneedle-
street. Charles Franks, Esq., took the chair.

Yesterday a court was held for the purpose of taking
part in the proceedings of the Livery in the election of a
Lord Mayor for the ensuing year, and upon other busi-
ness.

Messrs. Harrison, Thornton, Poynder, Edwards,
Berens, Hunter, and L. Melville were chosen a com-
mittee of by-laws for the year ensuing,
Mr. GIBSON, the secretary, read the account, by
which it appeared that the balance of the company's
bond debt remained at 4,500/.

The CHAIRMAN said—He thought it would be agreeable
to the proprietors to know what had taken place since their
last meeting. It would be recollected that the object of
the bill introduced last session, was to carry out the re-
solution of this court, authorising the companty to under-
take the management of trust business, and all such
proprietors as thought fit to retire, to receive their pro-
portion of the property of the company. That bill met
with a favourable reception in the House of Commons,
and passed the third reading, and it was hoped by the
directors that the bill would have passed the House of
Lords during the late session, but on the first reading
several gentlemen objected to the bill, and it was ex-
ceedingly difficuit to understand what their interest was,
but still the House of Lords thought fit to admire their
objections, and the bill was consequently lost for the
session.

Mr. HAMMOND asked if there was any new offer on
the part of the Government ; or was the Chancellor
prepared to pay them off in January ?
The CHAIRMAN said the Chancellor had obtained an-
other bill to enable him to make a fresh offer, but it
might not be proposed ; no other proposal had yet
been made to the company.
M. PARNELL thought the wisest course would be to
take measures to wind up this company. He hoped
some corporate body would take the matter up, as it
might be done at small expense.
Mr. POWNALL said it was hard for them to bear all
the expense of an act that was to give certain executors
and trustees a right to come there and vote.

The CHAIRMAN said it would give them the right of
saying whether they would accept of certain terms or
not, but not a right to come there and vote as proprie-
tors. The Chairman observed that the Winding-up Act
did not apply to their company. They must have an
Act of Parliament to wind up.
Mr. W. L. JONES could not understand why the
directors had a right to keep the money of the pro-
prietors in their own hands. Was it to bring things to
this state of uncertainty that they had gone out of
their way to get the standing orders set aside, and in-
curred expense in Parliament ?

The CHAIRMAN said the directors, in proceeding with
that bill, had only acted in accordance with the resolu-
tion passed at the last court of proprietors.
Mr. W. L. JONES thought the chairman had taken
them by surprise, when he stated that they were not at
liberty to divide the money which would now come into
their hands. He would like to know if they, the directors,
felt themselves justified in assenting to any terms with-
out the written consent of the parties interested, and
which he saw mentioned in the act of Parliament.
The CHAIRMAN replied that the company could accept
those terms proposed, the consent having been previously
given by the parties interested ; their consent in writing
was not essential to approval on the part of the com-
pany.

-Mr. HAMMOND expected to come there for the purpose
of hearing how he was to get his money. (Langhter.)
As a large proprietor, he was much interested in know-
ing at what period he could receive back his capital ; he
might make provision for employing it beneficially.
(Hear, hear.) By this time he expected there would
have been some communication between the Chancellor
of the Exchequer, the directors of the Bank of England,
and the company, on the subject of refunding the pro-
prietors.

Mr. PowNALL said he was in the same position, for
he expected to have received 12,0001. or 13,0001., and
had made a provision for it. (Hear.) If any difficulty
existed at present, no time should be lost in getting an
act of Parliament to enable the directors to pay the
money of the Chancellor over to the proprietors. To
get an act of Parliament to receive back their own pro-
perty appeared to him a fallacy. (Laughter.)
The CHAIRMAN said it was a fallacy for those who had
lent money to the Government ; but here they had pur-
chased a portion of the capital of the South Sea Com-
pany, and were about to receive cash for the shares or
stock of that company ; that was the difficulty.
Mr. HAMMOND hoped the Government would act
fairly by them, and keep to the arrangement already
made.

The CHAIRMAN had no doubt on that subject. (Hear.)
Mr. HAMMOND said they had agreed for money. As
trustees, they (the directors) had no right to accept
stock ; and, if they did invest in stock, they would be
liable to the consequences.
Mr. POWNALL said there was no obligation to take
stock as they had agreed for money.
A PROPRIETOR suggested the necessity for the Board
of Directors at once taking measures for insuring the
act of Parliament, so as to be enabled to pay the pro-
prietors their capital at a stated period. The directors
had hitherto acted perfectly in accordance with the
charter, and also in obedience to the wish of the pro-
prietors. (Hear.)
The CHAIRMAN could only say, that from all he knew,
there was no doubt but they would have their money.
Mr. HAmmoND wished it to be made public, through
the press, that it was the wish of the proprietors to have
their money, as promised by the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer; and that they hoped he would facilitate the
passing of an act of Parliament for enabling the directors
of this eompany to pay such money to the proprietors.
_ _

Mr. BAKER moved a vote of thanks to the chairman
and directors, which was carried, Mr. JONES being the
only dissentient.

The Court then adjourned.

CRICKET.

THE ELEVEN OF ENGLAND v. TWENTY-TWO
OF STOURBRIDGE.

The final score of this great match, which terminated
on Saturday, at the Earl of Stamford and Warrington's
seat, Enville-hall, near Stourbridge, did not reach us till
yesterday. The Eleven-, powerful as was the team in
opposition to them, carried off the victory in eight
wickets. One main feature in this match was, that
Bickley took all the wickets of the Eleven in the first
innings. This was the final score :—Stourbridge-Ist
innings, 97 ; 2d innings, 78. The Eleven-Ist innings,
169 ; 2d innings, 7.

UNITED ELEVEN OF ENGLAND v. TWENTY-
TWO OF HAMPSHIRE.

This interesting match was resumed and brought to
its conclusion on Day's Ground, at Portsmouth. The
United Eleven won by 16 runs, the following being the
ultimate score :—The United Eleven-Ist innings, 70 ;
2d innings, 42. Hampshire-Ist innings, 62 ; 2d innings,
34.

WRECK OF AN AUST.RALIAN EMIGRANT

SHIP.

Our Australian despatches contain particulars of
the loss of the Earl of Charlemont, Captain Garner,
a Liverpool emigrant ship, carrying 435 passengers,
bound for Sydney and Melbourne, which went
ashore on Barwen Heads on Saturday, the 18th of
June last. The Earl of Charlemont sighted Cape
Otway on the preceding Friday, passed it about 12
o'clock, and kept off about two miles from the
shore. About five o'clock the same evening she
was 20 miles from the lighthouse, a breeze blowing
off the shore. The vessel lay to for the night,
which was quite clear, the moonlight lasting until
four o'clock, the vessel bearing in and out during
that time. At four o'clock there came on a dense
fog, so thick that the nearest object was not visible.
The captain was on the poop from four until half-
past five o'clock, when the vessel struck. There
was no wind at the time, but the tide was setting
in strongly, and the vessel bumped so violently
that the foremast went over the bows at once,
carrying away the rigging, and so close was the
vessel to the shore that some of the crew clambered
down the chains, along the fallen mast, and made
to the shore by swimming a few yards. The vessel
then fell on her starboard side and began to fill,
and the tide rising made a clean breach over her.
Capt. Garner's statement is as follows :

" Made Cape Otway Lighthouse between 2 and 3
o'clock on Friday afternoon. Steered N.E. by E., wind
S.W. Double-reefed topsails, furled foresail, !mainsail,
and jib ; sailing about four knots. Continued this course
until about half-past 5 o'clock, when hove to. At this
time I judged the ship to be about six or seven miles
from the land ; weather squally, with rain, and hazy.
About 11 o'clock wore ship. Steered from S.E. by S.
to S.S.E., until 3 o'clock a.m. on Saturday. Squally,
with rain. Wore ship to W.N.W. No land in sight.
Supposed that the ship during the time she hove to had
drifted from the land. Steered the above course until
half-past 4 a.m. Wore ship to bear up for the har-
bour, which I judged to be distant about fifteen
miles, bearing N.E. About 20 minutes after this,
found the ship in a sea way, which proved to be
breakers. Immediately put the helm hard to port,
and in a few seconds the ship struck heavily. I
was on deck from ten minutes to 4 o'clock a.m. to
the time she struck. Set the foresail. In about ten
minutes the tiller and wheel were carried away. At
daylight ordered the foremast to be cut away, to lighten
the ship forward, and get her further on the beach.
Cut away the main-topmast rigging and back-stays,
reserving the mainyard to get the boats out. Gig
launched, and swamped. Jolly-boat launched to con-
vey a line on shore—it capsized, but the crew retained
the line, and made it fast to the rocks. The line, how-
ever, was of no use, having fouled among some rocks in
deep water. The long boat was next launched, and it
capsized ; then the life-boat, and it capsized—both boats
losing the line. The latter boat was saved from damage,
and hauled up on shore by the crew, A passenger now
volunteered to swim ashore with a line from the jib-
boom, and succeeded in landing. To the line we at-
tached a strong rope, which he and the men already
there hauled on shore, and made fast to the rocks. The
officers and men then launched the life-boat from the
shore and made the ship. This boat was now slung by,
head and stern, like a cradle, to the strong rope already
made fast from the ship to the shore, and landed the
passengers ; the ladies and children first, then the in-
valids and married men, and then the remainder—the
captain remaining on board, and attending at the gang-
way until all the passengers had been safely landed ; the
whole being effected without accident by about half-past
eight o'clock at night."
The Geelong Advertiser, of June 20, in its ac-
count of their escape, says :—That after the ves-
sel fell on her side and began to fill, three life boats
were launched and three attempts were made to
carry a rope ashore. Each attempt failed ; the boats
were capsized, but the crew manning them escaped,
and getting ashore, cowardly left their companions
and passengers to their fate. During this time the
greatest order prevailed. Mr. Savage, a steerage
passenger, then undertook to carry a rope to the
land, swam ashore, at the risk of his life. and suc-
cessfully accomplished it. The life-boats were then
attached to the rope, and the lady passengers and
children were safely landed, then the married men,
and finally the bachelors, with the exception of
about forty, who dropped over the bows of the ves-
sel, and swam ashore some time before the rope was
fastened to the land, rendering assistance to the
boats, and carrying the female passengers through
the surf. Not one life was lost. Fires were
lighted, round which the passengers crowded ;
some food was procured from the vessel, some
sheep, and a bullock from Mr. M'Vean's station,
and they all lay that night unhoused.
The gentleman from whom the Geelong Adver-
tiser derives this information, states that no blame
is attributable to the captain by the passengers, and
that a testimonial had been signed the day previous
to the wreck, thanking Captain Garner for his uni-
form kindly conduct. The first and second mates
deserve notice for their exertions from the time
' the vessel struck until seven o'clock on Saturday
evening.
The police magistrate received intelligence of the
wreck at a quarter to eleven on Sunday morning,
and at a quarter past eleven started for the scene of
the catastrophe, accompanied by Mr. Atkins, of
Mack's Hotel, Lieutenant Berry, Sergeant Lewis,
and four cadets of the mounted police. They ar-
rived at the wreck at one o'clock, found the majo-
rity of the passengers at Mr. AlL'Vean's station,
where they had received every Attention both as
regards food and comfort. Several were encamped
in the neighbourhood under tarpaulins, and the re-
mainder, consisting of able-bodied men, were assist-
ing the crew to laud-the baggage by means of ropes
or hawsers.

All the passengers, in. number 435, are saved.
The captain, officers, and crew are worn out with
fatigue, and are now recruiting themselves at Mr.
McVean's station, and to-day the crew and able-
bodied male passengers will endeavour to secure the
remainder of the luggage. The police magistrate
made every possible arrangement for the comfort
of the unfortunate immigrants. Soon after the
departure of the police magistrate, Dr. Strutt, the
immigration agent, and Mr. M`Pherson, harbour
master, proceeded to the wreck with carts of pro-
visions, comforts, a. Mr. Storey, Mr. Dalton,
and several other gentlemen, also visited the wreck.
His worship the Mayor of Geelong has, with com-
mendable promptitude, arranged with the police
magistrate for the dispatch of eight bullock drays
early this morning, for the purpose of bringing to
Geelong all the women and children and the sick.