The Sun.
London, England, 1849-01-03 00:00:00

LONDON DOCKS COMPANY.

The half-yearly general court of the proprietors in
the London Docks Company was held yesterday, at
the offices, in Princes-street, Mansion-house, for the
purpose of receiving a report from the directors, the
declaration of a dividend, and the appointment of a
director in the place of Mr. John Elliott ; Mr. John
Cattley took the chair, and

I\ Ir. Powaas, the secretary, read the following
report from the directors, of their proceedings during
the last half-year :
" The directors have now to lay before the proprietors
a report of the company's proceedings for the half-year
ending the 30th day of November last. The numlier of
loaded ships from foreign ports which entered the Lon-
don Docks during the six months ending the 30th No-
vember last was 953, measuring 234,426 tons. The num-
ber for the corresponding period in 1847 was 988, mea-
suring 260,792 tons, being a decrease'ot 26,366 tons. This
decrease in tonnage is in proportion to the decrease ex-
perienced during the same period by the other principal
docks. The amount of earnings during the six months
ending the 30th November last has been 234,390/. 4s.
Id. The amount of the like earnings for the corre-
sponding period in 1847 was 229,1441. ss. 41 The
amount of expenditure for the six months ending the
30th November last has been 132,9071. lle. 9d. The
amount of the like expenditure for the corresponding
period in 1847 was 132,8711. 15s. sd. The amount of
expenditure includes the payment of the income-tax.
By the statement annexed to the report, it will be seen
that the balance standing at the credit of profit and loss
is 228,4841. 12s. 9d.; out of which the directors recom-
mend to the court of proprietors the payment of a divi-
dend of 21. 10s. per cent. on the company's stock for the
half-year, amounting to 90,957/. 12s. 4d., leaving a
balance in favour of the company of 137,527/. Os. sd.
Of the balance standing at the credit of profit and loss,
the sum of 196,652/. 1 ls. 2d. consists of the amount of
outstanding charges due to the company on goods in the
warehouses. The stock of goods in the warehouses on
the 30th of November last was 122,504 tons. At the
same period last year it was 113,855 tons. Nothing has
been undertaken in the way of new works during the
past half-year, nor has anything occurred in the course
of that period to call for any special remark from the
directors. The warehouses of the company are well
occupied, and the directors believe that they may state
that the accommodation and facility for the transaction
of business at the docks continues to give satisfaction to
the mercantile community of this port."
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the re-
port, congratulated the proprietors upon the prosperity
of the docks during the past half-year. Their pros-
perity was greater than at any preceding period. At
the same time, every accommodation had been pro-
vided for the requirements of the trade of the docks ;
but he Would not deny that it was probable more ac-
commodation would be necessary. These docks alone
accommodated four-fifths of the Australian wool trade,
and large as was their accommodation for that branch
of commerce, it would, most likely, require extension,
for the London Docks appeared to be the chief market
for that particular article.
In reply to a question from Mr. CLARKE,
The CHAIRMAN said that the plans and estimates
of the probable extensions had been obtained from
the engineer and architect, and he was happy to say
that the cost would not exceed 20,0001., which would
be expended in raising the wool warehouses already
in existence.

Resolutions were then unaimously carried approv-
ing of the report, and of a dividend of 2/. 105. per
cent. for the half-year.
The CHAIRMAN announced that the dividend war-
rants would be ready on the 9th inst.
Mr. Daniel Meinertzha,ren was elected a director
in the place of the late Mr. Elliott, and the proceed-
ings terminated.

EXTRAORDINARY INSTANCE OF PIOUS FRAUD.'
The Yorkshire Gazette of Saturday last gives a most ex-
traordinary instance of pious " fraud" perpetrated by a
Dissenting preacher, and principal of an academy. The
individual is question is Bentley Ilaigh, Principal of
Bramham College. The gentleman, it appears, was
doubly registered for the township of Aberford and Tad-
caster, and during the late election for the West Riding,
after voting at Aberford in booth No. 1 for Sir I ;
-11.1,iirr
Eardley, coolly directed his course to booth No, 3, and
Toted o second time for the same candidate,