The Sun.
London, England, 1838-09-07 00:00:00

An excursion was yesterday made by seve.-al of the Direc-
tors, and many of the Proprietors, of this Company, down
the River, with the intent of mixing the "utile cunt dulci,"
the purpose being to increase its trade beyond its present
scope. It is well known to the majority of our readers, that
on the south coast of England, on the western coast of
France, and in the :Mediterranean, numerous applications
have been made to the Commercial Steam-packet Company to
place vessels on stations which would promote the already
rapidly increasing communication between the ports on those
shores and that of London ; and it is equally well known,
that the only reason why these demands have not been hitherto
complied with is, that the Directors did not consider it re-
quisite that the number of shares issued some time since
should be extended. The applications, however, for an in-
crease of the Company's boats on the stations to which they
are at present sent, and from stations where the inhabitants
of sea port towns are desirous they should be sent, have be-
come so frequent and so imperative, that it was at length
thought the time had arrived when the original shareholders
could he appealed to, for the purpose of giving such an in-
crease of capital to the disposal of the Directors, as would
ensure, from an additional owlay, that certainty of an in-
creased profit which must, in every case, follow a demanded
increase of expenditure by the public. Yesterday was ac-
cordingly fixed upon for an excursion of the Directors and
Shareholders down the river, for the purpose of considering
the objects the Directors have had in view. Eight o'clock in
the morning was the hour fixed on for the departure of the
Company's vessel (the Duchess of Kent) allotted for the oc-
casion;fifty
ftayda shareholders
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but the state of the weather promising at that hour
wardnothings
e s
of
friends
board by half-past
eight o'clock, and at nine the vessel pro-
ceeded on her progress towards South-end, the limit of the
excursion.

At three o'clock, immediately after the vessel had left South-
end for London, the Chair was taken by Mr. COATES, and
after the cloth had been removed, and the usual loyal toasts
drank,

The CHAIRMAN would now call their attention to the espe-
cial matter which, as a commercial body, had brought them
together in a friendly and social intercourse. They were all
aware of the additional demands which had been made upon
the Company for vessels ; that, in consequence of this demand,
the Grand Turk had been purchased, and they had built
another vessel—the City of Boulogne. This had absorbed
capital to the amount of 25,000/. ; but this expenditure had
given them a name and a pre-eminence on the French
coast, which, if they were but true to themselves, nothing
could shake or eclipse.—(Hear, and cheers.) Let them,
then, only maintain their position, by increasing their capi-
tal, and they would achieve their object.—( Cheers.) It had
been found, that in respect to their repairs they had not here-
tofore gone to work with sufficient economy : a delay, also,
in making the necessary repairs had occurred already, be-
cause they had no dock where they could be conducted on
the spot where they should be made. The Directors of the
Company had entered into a treaty with Mr. Alderman
Thompson, who was a considerable shareholder in the Com-
pany, and had taken from him a large dock, where all their
fleet could be kept in proper order, and where the necessary
repairs could be made under one management, with no loss
of time, and with a saving of expense, he understood, which
would amount to several thousand pounds per year.—( Loud
cheers.) All these arrangements, he was sorry to say, had
made their exchequer run exceedingly low at present ; but it
was for them to meet the difficulties and circumstances thus
created. __(Hear, hear.) It had been found absolutely
necessary, from the circumstances he had stated to them,
that the number of shares in the Company should be
extended. It had been found desirable that 6,000 additional
shares should be issued, which he could not but deem a
small number, when he contemplated the respectability, the
numbers, and the character of the body from which the
institution emanated ; and he would now take the liberty of
stating, that on the 27th of last month a private meeting of
shareholders had been called, and from a statement then made
of the advantages likely to be obtained by an extension of the
Company—at that private meeting several sharesholders had,
in addition to the shares they already held, taken some
50, some 20, some 10, and some five additional shares : thus
showing their confidence in the integFity of the Board, and
the prospective advantages likely to be obtained by the Corn-
pany.—( Hear.) Miglit he now be permitted to say on his
own part, as one of the Directors of the Company, that it
had availed itself of a new Act of Parliament in a manner
which had not been achieved by any other Company in the
country. With great labour tmd difficulty they bad under this
Act obtained letters patent, and they had procured every ad-
vantage which they could have obtained if they bad by petition
obtained an Act of Parliament for themselves, for according
to these letters patent, if any man holding shares sold or trans-
ferred them, his liability ceased, whereas in other Companies,
parties holding shares could be pursued and were liable to
the full amount although they had sold their shares, and had
no interest whatever in the Company in which the shares
were held.—( Hear, hear, hear.) It was right that these
facts should be stated to them, and he felt the more sure that
if their shares were extended they would soon bear a high
premium, and the Company would be thoroughly successful.
He would conclude by giving them " The Commercial Steam-
and may it realize the success to which it is
packet Company
so justly entitled."
.The toast was drank with loud and continued applause.
Mr. ANDERSON had known this Company since it had first
breathed its existence. He was aware of all the obloquy, the
opposition, and the insinuations which had been originally
heaped
asainst it.—( Hear.) He well remembered the
timeu e whened it was said, that it never could by any possibility
cc
—that it was a bubble created by interested parties to
s
promote interested purposes—that it had no public object in
connection with it, and that the Licensed Victuallers could
not understand the nature of, and could not manage a Steam
Company, and that those who embarked their money
Navigation
in it would as certainly lose it.—( Hear.) He was not so un-
read, nor were any of them so unread, that they did not know
the greatest wide' takings, whether of a commercial or a na-
tional character, must commence from small beginnings, and
that in their projects they must tread upon the heels of one
party or another. It must have been known that a strenuous
opposition would be exerted against them ; but all sensible per
sons should have suspended their judgment until they had
seen how the parties conducted the business deleted to them.
And he had seen, in spite of the accusations, the opposition,
and the insinuations that the Company could not be main-
tained—!l
it had started with two or three small vessels;
at
and when the question was whether it could maintain itself
months, its Directors not only sustained three vessels
tfowrelt‘h.e isperiod, but in that time they added to their number,
and not a year had passed without their strengthening; it with
an additional number, added to in quality as it was in sruantity,
until they were strong enough, not only to hold that which
they were
possessed of, but also to obtain possession of the
strongholds o those who had set themselves up as their oppn-
nents.—( Cheers ) Tice. Licensed Victuallers had well proved
themselves capable of managing a Company of this descrip-
tion—they had
proved themselves also deserving of public sup-
portand the public were anxious to render it to them—
(le' ar)—and he was proud to be able to state that such was
the confidence the public reposed in them, that many who
„,,ere not of their body were most anxious to become share-
holders in the Company. He could state this, relying on
distinct facts ; for not only had he been commissioned to
take fresh shares for some gentlemen who had already pro-
perty embarked in the Company, but also to take shares
for some who had not any shares in it.—( Hear and cheers.)
He made these observations in compliance with the request
of several gentlemen, and in the absence of their respected
Chairman, of the Lord Mayor, whose company had been ex-
pected, with that of Mr. Wright the banker. And as a fur-
ther proof of his sincerity on behalf of the Company, he would
conclude by stating that he, in conjunction with Mr. Wright
and Mr. Bleaden had fought the battle for their letters patent
until they had achieved the object they had in view. —( Cheers. )
After several other toasts, the vessel having arrived at her
destination ( London-bridge), the Company separated highly
gratified with the transactions of the day. A very large num-
ber of shares, beyond those already announced, were taken in
the course of the day.

REPRESENTATION OF SALFORD.

MANCHESTER, THURSDAY MORNING -The Reformers of
the borough of Salford gave their excellent representative,
Joseph Brotherton, Esq., a splendid public dinner last even-
ing, in the Assembly-room of the Manor Hotel, on the occa-
sion of his return from attending his Parliamentary duties.
Nearly two hundred gentlemen assembled to meet the Hon.
Member, and they received him with the strongest demonstra-
tions of enthusiasm. The chair was occupied by Joseph Ryley,
Esq., a consistent Reformer, and John Dracup, Esq., officiated
as Vice. President.
The first toast was " Her Majesty the Queen, Duchess of
Lancaster, and Lady of the Manor of Salford," which was re-
ceived with three times three and immense applause.
The next toast was " Her Royal Highness the Duchess of
Kent ;" and following that " His Royal Highness the Duke of
Sussex, and the rest of the Royal Family in England."
These toasts were loudly applauded.
The PRESIDENT begged to propose the health of her Ma-
jesty's Ministers. They bad, he observed, had many diffi-
culties to contend with, and perhaps they had fallen into
errors; but for what they bad done lie was sure they were en-
titled to great credit.
The toast was then drunk with cheers.
The PRESIDENT, after a very high eulogium upon the
public and private character of the Hon. Gentleman, gave
" The health of Joseph Brotherton, Esq." At the mention of
the toast all the company rose and saluted it with a series of
general cheers.
Mr. BEOTHERTON then rose. This is the first opportunity I
have had of personally thanking my friends for their unwearied
exertions in preparing for that scrutiny which we have under-
gone, and for defending the election. I shall ever remember