The Sun.
London, England, 1853-01-22 00:00:00

A I:TSTRALIAN AGRICULTURAL COMPANY.

Yesterday the twenty-ninth yearly meeting of the
shareholders of this company was held at the London
Tavern, to receive the report of the directors, and to
elect the successors to the outgoing directors and
auditors. Mr. John Studhohne Brownrigg in the
chair.

The Secretary having read the notice of the meeting,
The Chairman, in consideration that a great many of
the constituents of the meeting had but recently become
shareholders of the company, gave a brief history of its
rise and progress. He laid before them the conditions
of the original charter, which had been of such a cha-
racter as to press` heavily upon the company, and to
encumber their proceedings, until by making critinual
applications to the Colonial-office they obtained the
grant of their land fully in fee-simple. This change took
place in 1847. Having succeeded in this, it was the
•duty of the directors, he said, to see how to turn the
property of the shareholders to the best advantage, and
with that view they gave their attention to carrying out
a plan of emigration so as to keep up a supply of
labourers, as the system of convict labour had ceased.
Such a plan of emigration was premature, and failed ;
and he felt heartily glad that it had not taken effect, as
if it had they would not have been able to act as they
had clone so much to the advantage of the proprietors.
The report commenced with it tabular return of the
sheep, horned cattle, horses, &c., in possession of the
company in the years 1849, 1850, and 1851, how they
had been acquired, and how disposed of. The stock re-
maining in hand upon the 31st of December, 1851, was
122,573 sheep and 9,196 horned cattle. The returns of
the horses, ponies, &c., were made up to the 31st of
March, 1852, upon which date the company possessed
1,569 horses and ponies anti 92 asses and mules. The
sales of live stock in 1851 amounted to 2,695/. 15s. 7d.
The total number of persons in the company's colonial
establishment, exclusive of women and children, upon
the 31st of December, 1851, was 403, showing, as com-
pared with the returns of the previous year, a decrease
of 62 persons in the service. It was mentioned in the
last report that consequent upon the discovery of gold it
had been expected that a desertion of the shepherds and
others for the gold. diggings was likely to have an injurious
effect upon the company's finances. Such desertions,
however, were not of an extent to influence the opera-
tions of the year so materially as was apprehended, but
by the last advices it appears that not only among the
shepherds and the miners at the company's coal works,
but also amongst all classes of the company's servants,
desertion has become general. To remedy this evil, 80
coolies were imported from China. During 1851, 45,642
tons ofcoals were sold at the pit's mouth, being an increase
of 558 tons upon the sales of the previous year. The
realised and estimated revenue for the same year was
43,5671. 15s. id., and the expenses of management
27,8161. 18s. 10d., leaving a surplus revenue of 15,7501.
16s 3d., being an increase of 4,2651. 2s. 3d. upon that
of the previous year, and 11,5201. 4s. 4d. upon that of
1849 ; and sufficient to allow of a dividend of 1/. lls. 6d.
per share, equivalent to 41 per cent. upon the paid-up
capital. Gold having been found upon the company's
Peel River estate, and as they are by their charter and
Act of Parliament precluded from working gold mines,
it is proposed to form a new company for the purpose of
purchasing the Peel River property for the present com-
pany, every shareholder of which shall be entitled to the
privilege of taking as many shares as may be equivalent
to his present interest. The paid-up capital of the pre-
sent company is 351. per share, or a total capital of
350,0001. The operation of the proposed sale of the Peel
River estate will be, that the original capital of the com-
pany will virtually be paid back to the proprietors with
an addition of 151. per share, while they will retain two
estates of more than 700,000 acres upon the north bank
of Port Stephen's, and extensive property at Newcastle,
with the plant and machinery, and a coal field of 2,000
acres, and a contiguous property of 6,000 acres, believed
to contain coal in abundance. A bill is at present be-
fore the Legislature, the effect of which will be, that the
shares will become 251. shares instead of 1001. as at pre-
sent, with 17/. 10s. paid on each, and liable only to pos-
sible future calls of 71. 10s. per share, instead of 651.,
and that each proprietor will have two shares instead of
one. This report having been read,
The CHAIR3fAN went through each head of it, and
elucidated it to the meeting ; and, in answer to the
questions of a shareholder, stated that the coal was sold
by the company at 13s. 6d. per ton, and had been at 6s.
per ton, but that the retailers sold it at Sydney for 655.
per ton, carrying them a distance of 80 miles. He then
gave a detail of the operations which have been carried
on by licence-holders upon the company's estate insearch
of gold, and mentioned as a fact that a lease was being
made of 640 acres to another company for seven years,
with a clause of surrender upon six months notice, at a
rent of 5,000/. per year, and a reservation of 1-sth of all
mineral produce as a royalty.
Mr. DE SALTS advised that Chinese miners from the
co 4 mines at Shanghae shoul.d be procured to work -the
company's mines, and mentioned that the Pacific and
Oriental Company had to pay 70s. per ton for coals at
Sydney. He also suggested the propriety of building
docks at Newcastle, establishing steam-packets between
Port Stephen and Sydney, and giving all possible en-
couragement to the establishment of railways.
The Hon. J. T. LESLIE MELVILLE said that the chair-
main had told them of the difficulties which had attended

the obtaining of the free grant of their estates, but had
not told them it was himself who had overcome them.
(Cheers.)
_ _

Mr. TOOKE then moved a vote of thanks to the chair-
man for such energetic services.
Mr. PARSONS seconded the motion, which was carried
unanimously.
The CHAIRMAN having returned thanks for the honour
clone him, laid before the meeting the result of an assay
made upon native clay and quartz sent home from the
colony, and which was of a very favourable character,
and then moved the adoption of the report, which was
unanimously agreed to, as was. the declaration of the
dividend.

Sir WALTER M. TOWNSEND FARQUHAR, Bart., was
elected a director in the room of Mr. Locke, disqualified,
and Mr. D. C. Marjoribanks an auditor.
The outgoing directors and auditors were then re•
elected, and the proceedings terminated with a vote of
thanks to the chairman and directors.

THE ILL-FATED AMERICAN EMIGRANT SHIP
THE ST. GEORGE.

-
It will be in the recollection of our readers that the
unfortunate vessel, the St. George, Captain Bairnson,
bound from Liverpool to New York with emigrants,
was destroyed by fire upon the 24th of December. The
following are the names of the British subjects who were
rescued by the American ship Orlando and conveyed to
Havre, whence they have Leen forwarded direct to New
York, rim. :
Matthew Conway
Mary Duffy
Biyan Miles
*lames Conner
John Hs,nkin
William Larkin
Ham. Casey
John Kenden
Hannah Kenden
Ellen Eagan
Ellen Kelly
Mary Ann Hogan
Jos. Brien
John Gallacher
Mary Gallacher
Biddy Gallacher
Patrick Raney
Bessy Rushin
Hannah M`Burty
Thomas Derken •
Ann Farley

John Richardson
Peter M'DoPnell
John Conway
Felix Conway
Owen M‘Guire
Irvine Foster
Jane O'Neil
Jane Donnelly
Ann Logan
Ally Logan
Francis Durk
Ann Farral
Ham. Farral
James Hover
Michael Lowe
James Lowe
Lawrence Walsh
John Fennessey
Michael Campbell
Patrick Kelly
Patrick Glyno
John King
James King
Charlotte Neil
Michael Farrand
Catherine Riley
Ann Riley
C. Riley
Mary Nolan
Thomas Burns
George Washington
James Waters
Mary Ann M`Cabe
Dl. M`Guire
Charles Bettram
Feared that the following 49
idoned, viz. :
Ellen Shrugal
Michael Scarrassy
Samuel Storr
Mary M`Guiken
Alice M`Guiken
Francis Durk
Ann Farrell
Ham. Farrell
James Farrell
John Farrell
Mary Farrell
Martha Farrell
Winfred Hever
Patrick Lowe
Mary Crawford
Bridget Crawford
Margaret Campbell
Edward Reynolds •
Ann 3.l`Neil
Peter Swanton
Jane Swanton
Peter Herberg
James Dogarty
Charles Betcan

Eliza Gibbennan
James Brothers
Patrick Brothers
Richard Brennan
Michael Tolan
John Shrugal
John Parker
John Storr
Bridget Nugent
Mary Hollian
Richard Muldeon
Alice Muldeon
Bridget Muldoon
James Sands
In all 70 persons. It is g
were either drowned or aban
Bridget Queenan
Betty Lyons
Mary Reedey
Jane Reedy
Ellen Reedy
Bridget Miles
Mary Farley
Margaret Barry
Hannah Lyons
Susan M`Kelliss
Sarah M`Kelliss
Daniel M`Kelliss
John M`Kelliss
Jire Hogan
Ann Hogan
Margaret Ford
Ann Ford, an infant
Charles Smith
Ellen Wall
Mary Wall
Garrett Wall
Thomas Wall
Anthony Brothers
Catherine Barrett
John Shrugal
These lists account for
stated to have been on boars
her destination.

119 of the 121 passengers
d when the vessel started for

DESPERATE ATTEMPT AT SUICIDE BY ONE OF LORD
CAMPBELLS'S HOUSEHOLD. - Yesterday morning, be-
tween seven and eight o'clock, the greatest consternation
was created in Strathenden House, the mansion of the
Lord Chief Justice of the Court of Queen's Bench, at
Knightsbridge, in consequence of the discovery that one
of the servants of the establishment had mad? a despe-
rate attempt at self-destruction, by cutting her throat
with a table-knife. She was removed to St. George's
Hospital, where she was attended by Mr. Buckland, the
house surgeon. Her wound is of a very dangerous cha-
racter, and renders her recovery doubtful. This horrible
mode of self-destruction has of late become very preva-
lent among suicides, as there are four cases of the same
nature at present in the above hospital—viz., two men
and two women.

MRS. GORE'S NEw NOVEL "THE DEAN'S DAUGHTER,"
is just published. All novel readers will hail with plea-
sure the appearance of a new work by the distinguished
authoress of " Mrs. Armitage," and "Mothers and
Daughters." The clever pen of Mrs. Gore has been idle
for so long a period that unusual curiosity has been
excited respecting "The Dean's Daughter." It is, we
understand, specifically a story of the times we live in,
of stirring interest, and highly moral tone, without for-
feiting the reputation for brilliancy and playful satire
which attended the earlier works of this popular novelist.