The Sun.
London, England, 1825-12-02 00:00:00

UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE.

CAMBRIDGE, DEC. I.—We understand that the Attorney-
Geneml has already commenced a canvass for the representa-
tion this University at the ensuing general election. It is
Stated in a London Paper, that should Lord Palmerston de-
cline, Mr. Robinson, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, will
offer on the Catholic interest. Had the Right Hon. Gent. no
higher pretentions to the honour of representing the University
than his support of the Roman Catholic question, his chance of
success would be very slight indeed, the great majority of
the University having :so decidedly declared its opinion of
the danger of granting political power to the Papists.—
The names of several other candidates are mentioned, but
we know not upon what authority.—The select preacher at
St. rdary's Church for the present month is the Reverend Dr.
Wait, of St. John's College.—J. M. Norman, M.A. of Tri-
nity College, has been called to the bar by the Hon. Society of
Lincoln's Inn.—The Earl ofAlbernarle has been pleased to ap-
point the Reverend Gooch Fowell, M.A. one of his Lordship's
domestic Chaplains, to be perpetual Curate of St. Mary's, in
Thetford ; and the Mayor, Burgesses, and Commonalty of the
said borough, have appointed the Reverend G. Fowell to he
Preacher of the aforementioned Church, and Master of the
Free Grammar School and Hospital, in Thetford, according to
the last will and testament of Sir Richard Fuluterston, and the
Act of Parliament founded thereon.

DESPERATE AND FATAL DUEL.—A letter from
Ailayence states, that the 16th inst. furnished a
duel which offers an extraordinary example of
animosity. A Prussian officer and a student
were at. a ball at Wisbaden ; the latter trod un-
intentionally upon the foot of the former; when
the ball was over, the officer expressed his anger
to the student, who replied that he had already
begged his pardon, and now renewed his apology.
The officer, not being satisfied, proposed a duel,
which was accepted, and pistols were agreed
upon. The officer stipulated that the combat
shout(' not terminate without a serious wound, or
the death of 'one of the combatants; he fired
first, and missed ; the student had the same
fate. They loaded again ; and four or five times
the event was the same. At the fifth discharge,
the officer having missed his aim, the student
fired', and stretched his adversary on the ground,
the ball having passed through both temples.—
(Mode.)
ROME, Nov. 16.—The celebration of the Jubi-
lee has brought to light the facts of a frightful
crime,.which.perhaps would otherwise never have
been discovered. A young lady, of the city of
Assir.e, having inherited. a large fortune from her
mother, was .sought: after in marriage by several
persons,'buther father, knowing that if she were
once settled in matrimony, he would lose the
usufruct and administration of her property, con-
ceived the resolution of effecting her disappear-
ance. Aided, therefore, in his horrible project,
by ix muoo,, maid .era suit, he conducted the lady
to a lonely house in the country, and shut her up
in a room, the door of which he had built up,
-leaving only a small aperture, through which the
said servant occasionally served her with the
coarsest kind of food. In this situation the un-
fortunate youny„, woman had been for ten years,
-subsisting on the most wretched and scanty al-
'lowance. But, on the approach of the Jubilee,
the wretched father found himself the victim of
-the most excruciating remorse, and, as the best
atonement for his wickedness, he made a public
declaration of his diabolical proceeding. The
.first care on the part of the Authorities of Justice,
on hearing the affair, was to send immediate relief
Ito the young lady. The first words she uttered,
on being released from her dreary confinement, j
,rwerej ".Do not injure my father."

BRITISH GAS-LIGHT COMPANY.

In consequence of an ad vertieement in the daily
papers, calling a meeting of the Proprietors of the British Gas
Light Company, several gentlemen attended at the Auction
Mart, in Bartholomew-lane, yesterday ; the object of the meet-
ing, as stated in the requisition, was to take into considera-
tion the answer of the Directors to a resolution passed at a
meeting of some gentlemen, whose shares had been declared
forfeited, because they had not paid up their deposits on the last
call. At the our tppointed (one o'clock precisely) there were
about 20 persons in the room, but not one of them seemed to know
why they were there, or what was to be done, and some were led
to think that it was altogether a hoax, an opinion which received
apparent confirmation by a written paper being put over time
fire-place, containing these word.:—" The British Gas Light
Company met, and adjourned sine die." The trick, in part
succeeded, for many went away on the instant ; amongst the
number were some reporters for the daily press. However, the
placard was soon committed to the flames, and in a few minutes
after, Mr. Fenton, of Austin-friars, who, as Solicitor to the
complaining parties, caused the advertisement to be published,
came into the room, accompanied by ieveral others.
Mr. Ilona-tee an original Proprietor,
.begged to know from
whence the requisition emanated; and what was the object of
the meeting ?
Mr. FENTON replied that it, came from him, on behalf of
such shareholders as the Directors thought proper to say had
forfeited their claims' upon the Company. The meeting was
intended for such alone, and all other persons might retire.
Mr. HORNE contended that, as a subscriber to the British
Gas Light Company, lie had a right to be present.
A long and rather warm discussion took place on this point,
and it was finally agreed that, as no Chairman would be ap-
pointed, all that pleased might remain.
Mr. Vie; e: us then stated that this meeting had been con-
vened with the view of getting some information on the situa-
tion of the Company.
A Shareholder—Mr. Vigers is not a subscriber, therefore can
have no right to demand any investigation.
Mr. %TIGERS said he appeared there for his daughter, Miss
Vigers, who was a holder of several shares; and, as he believ-
ed, a parent could not be denied the right of protecting the pro-
perty of his child.
Mr. Ho aNE observed, that the application should have been
made before the shares were forfeited ; the deposits not having
been paid up on those shares, the lady could no longer be con-
sidered a proprietor. He was at a loss to think what could be
the object of seeking for information under such circumstances.
Mr. FENTON replied that the object was simply to enforce
the claims of those whose shares were said to have been forfeit.
ed, or to get back their money, because they conceived they
had been unjustly excluded.
Mr. Homtem could not but think it was very natural that
when they declined paying up on their shares, that they should
have been excluded.
Mr. VIGERS was glad to meet Mr. Horne on this occasion,
because he recollected that, at a former time, that gentleman
had taken a very active part against hint. The object of those
who were hostile to inquiry was quite-manifest; they did all to
depreciate the value of the property, until they brought the
shares down to 91. discount, and then they bought up all they
could get, in order to speculate with the public money. The
Directors, at the last general meeting, had made statements
without figures—they had produced no accounts or documents
to satisfy the Proprietors that their contracts were judiciously
made, and a great majority of those who held shares began to
be alarmed.
Mr. HORNE said, that if the concern was as unpromising as
it had been represented, there was the less reason for regret on
the part of those who were now complaining of exclusion.
Mr. FENTON said that wasno reason wliy they should tamely
submit to imposition, when they had the power to enforce their
right by an appeal to a court of law.
A SHAREHOLDER observed, that all persons who put their
names to the deed were hound to pay up the calls, and having
declined to do so, they of course had broken their contract, and
had no longer any legal claim on the company.
Mr. FENTON protested against this construction of the thing.
The Directors were the first to break faith. It was set forth
in the prospectus, that 20,000 shares would be issued at 50/.
each, whereas only 8,000 had been given to the public. This
reservation was evidently for stock-jobbing speculations, as had
been said by the first legal authority in the country, amounted
to a fraud in law.
Mr. HORNE said, that if there was any thing that required
investigation, those who felt dissatisfied had only to go about
and get the names of six proprietors holding 200 shares, and
they could then call a general meeting of the subscribers; if
they could not get six names it was proof that the Directors
still possessed the confidence of the public, and he for one had
as yet seen- nothing in their conduct to warrant hint in with-
drawing it.
Mr. FENTON then begged leave to put the matter fairly be-
fore the Meeting, by reading the requisition, together with the
Directors' answer, as follows .
" At a Meeting of the Proprietors of the British Gas Light
Company, held at the office of Mr. F. T, Fenton, Austinfriars,
on Nov. 16, it was resolved—
" That an application be made by Mr. Fenton, on behalf of
this meeting, to the Directors of the British Gas Light Com-
pany, requesting them to call an early general meeting of
proprietors, and to come to the same prepared with lists of the
original shareholders, distinguishing the number of shares taken
by each ; and also a full statement of the receipts and dis-
bursements of time Company, with
,the several times when, and
the names of 'the persons by whom, the deposits were made ;
and also a full statement of the several contracts entered into
by the directors, together with a general statement of theatritirs
of the Company."
Mr. FENTON observed, that the demands here made were
nothing hut what the proprietors had a right to expect. How
far the Directors performed their duty, would be seen by the
following letter received in reply
4 British Gas Light Company's Office, George-yard,
Lombard-street, 18th November.
" Sra—ln reply to your letter of the 14th inst. covering a
resolution entered into at your office on the same day, 1 haven)
acquaint you, that the Directors have no wish to withhold from
any part of the proprietors of the British Gas Light Company
such information as they may demand, at the same time con-
sistent with the interests of the whole ; but they do not feel at
liberty to act upon the unauthenticated document which you
have been pleased to transmit. I have -the honour to be, Sir,
" " Your very obedient humble servant,
To F. T. Fenton, Esq. " CHAS. T. Mu.,
&c. &c. Secretary to the Company."
Mr. FENTON said.that it was perfectly clear this was a mere
evasion.

A SHAREHOLDER said, that notwithstanding all the objec-
tions that had been started, lie could see no very strong ground
for apprehension ; he knew that Alderman Thompson had
purchased shares when they were at a considerable discount,
and it was fair to infer that a man of his penetration would not
have connected himself with the Company, if he had any doubts
as to the propriety of its management, and the honour of the
managers.

„
It was suggested that the Alderman was in the iron trade,
and therefore that he might have speculated on that account.
Several gentlemen observed that .this could not be, as Alder..
man Thompson was above any such mercenary feeling, and, in
the next place, that he had nothing to do witk the description
of iron used by the Company.
Mr. FENTON said, that it was a waste of time and words to
argue a matter at the Auction Mart, which could be better dis-
cussed in a Court of Law ; his clients had the power, and did
not want the will to try the question of right, and he would
venture to say that every one who had been so expelled would
get back their money if they pleased.—After some further con-
versation the meeting broke up.

NEW PUBLICATIONS.-The following Works
have been lately published by Mr. Colburn, No.
8, New Burlington Street, (removed from Con.
duit Street) viz.-1. Reminiscences of Michael
Kelly, of the King's Theatre, 2 vols. Bvo.-2.
The Diary of the Marquis de Dangeau, kept for
ahoy, itarry y ro at the Court of France. Edi-
tions in-French and Etrgli!,l., 2 cola. Svo.-3. i tie
fifth and sixth volumes of the Memoirs of the
Countess de Geniis.-4. A second edition of Ma-
tilda, a Tale of the day.-5. The Diary and
Correspondence of Samuel Pepys, Esq. Secretary
to the Admiralty, during the reigns of Charles
11. and James IL, and the intimate friend of
Evelyn. Edited by Lord' llraybrooke, 2 vols.
4t0.-6. The Miscellaneous Writings of John
Evelyn, author of Sylva, &c. now first collected,
with notes, in 1 vol. 4to. uniformly with the Me-
moirs.-7. A third edition, revised, of Tremaine,
or the Man of Refinement, 3 vols.-8. A second
edition of Doblado's Letters from Spain.-9. An
Essay on Absentees, by Lady Morgan.-10. New
editions of the Second Series of Sayings and
Doings, and of the Second Series of Highways
and By-ways) each in 3 vols.