The Sun.
London, England, 1825-11-26 00:00:00

GOLDEN LANE BREWERY.

The Annual Meeting took place on Thursday
last at the City of London Tavern, for the purpose of electing
three Directors and one Auditor, in the room of those going out
by rotation. Much interest appeared to have been excited by
the offer of some of the large share-holders who had tendered
their services gratuitously, and by some allusions having been
made in the advertisements, that for some years past the nine
Directors had appropriated to themselves the salaries formerly
apportioned to the original number of fifteen, although the ,
number had been reduced for tiro purpose of economy.
Mr. SWAN took the Chair; and, in an eloquent speech,
complained of the charges brought against the Directors, de-
claring that although nut so successful as he could wish in the
management of the concern, yet that every attention had been
paid. Ile then took a luminous review of the affairs of the
Brewery since the year 1311, the period that the majority of the
present Directors were elected, and appealed to the Committee
of Investigation whether every possible information bad not
been affintied them.

A SHAREHOLDER said, that the observations of the worthy
Chairman were for the most part correct, but he must recollect
that the Committee had wished for an account of the assetts
(exclusive of premises) in 1811, together with .a clear explicit
statement of returns of business done, trade expcnces, and profit
and loss each year. Had that been rendered to them and printed
for the use of the proprietors, as it ought to have been done,
they would have known what portion of thanks were due for the
able management of the Directors—As it. was, the statement laid
before the Committee was so mixed and complicated that it was
like those read to the general annual Meetings, more calculated
to confuse than inform. The admission of the Chairman of the
diminution of the capital since 1811 was not very complimentary
to any body of men who continued to receive salaries from an un-
profitable concern, and he must for a moment allude to the same
Directors in haying usurped an authority which he thought was not
justifiable, in taking on themselves to refuse offers of great
moment, and worthy of the most serious consideration, for the
purchase of the shares and advance of capital with an im-
proved management, which might have been of the greatest
advantage to the share-holders in restoring the value of their
property. Yet theseoffers had been declined without even taking
the opinion of those to whom the property belonged.
After Several other Proprietors had delivered their sentiments,
and suggested various plans for future improvement, the ballot
commenced, and the old Directors were re-elected.
The general tenour of the observations seemed to be, that,
from the present price of beer, the low value of the shares, the
extent of the freehold premises for business of any magnitude,
that a very advantageous speculation offered itself for a few
capitalists to unite, and, by a popular system of management,
would soon restore it to its former importance in the Trade.
The usual thanks were proposed, in very handsome terms, to
the Chairman, and passed unanimously, when the Meeting
was dissolved.