The Sun.
London, England, 1847-05-20 00:00:00

BRITISH AMERICAN LAND

COMPANY.

A general Court of Proprietors of the British
American Land Company was held on Monday, at
the London Tavern. The meeting was specially con-
vened for the purpose of considering the provisions of
a Bill now before Parliament, for amending a former
Act, and granting the company further powers.
The chair was taken by Alexander Gillespie, Esq.
Mr. B. BALDWIN, M.P., said he felt bound to op-
pose this Bill, which sought to confer unnecessary
powers. He would ask whether any proxies obtained
under the circular that had been issued would autho-
rise the directors in proceeding with this Bill. He
prottsted against engaging in new works in the pre-
sent circumstances of the company. He trusted that
the course taken by the directors would not be sanc-
tioned. It was his determination to oppose this Bill
in every stage.
Mr. Biscuorp, solicitor to the company, read a
copy of the Bill. In addition to provisions respecting
the payment of interest, it provides that new powers
shall be conferred upon the company. Clause 5,
which provides that the company shall be authorised
to subscribe to other undertakings, was the principal
matter about which difference of opinion arose in the
meeting. It provides as follows :—That it shall be
lawful for the said company to subscribe towards, or
become shareholders in, any existing or future under-
taking for making or working any railway, canal,
road, bridge, dock, port, harbour, mine, or other
public works of like nature in the several provinces
and colonies in North America in the said charter re-
spectively mentioned, or their dependencies, the esta-
blishment whereof may appear to the said company
likely to further the objects for which the said com-
pany was constituted; and also to make any loan or
loans for the purpose of enabling any such public work
to be made or worked, &c.
Mr. B. BALDWIN and Mr. SAUNDERS objected to
conferring such large and extensive powers on the
directors.

After some discussion,
Mr. ROBINSON (ex-governor of the company) pro-
posed the following resolution :—" That this meeting
approves of and sanctions the Bill now read, entitled,
Sce.; and that the directors of the company be hereby
authorised to take all the necessary steps to carry the
same Bill through Parliament."
After some discussion, it was proposed, in order to
obviate the opposition of Mr. Baldwin and Mr. Saun-
ders, that words of limitation should be inserted, so as
to limit the powers to be conferred on the company to
engage in undertakings, and to subscribe only to
public works " affecting the lands of the company,
and being either within such lands or immediately
contiguous thereto."
The resolution in its amended form, as proposed by
Mr. Robinson, was seconded by Mr. Gould, and was
then unanimously agreed to.
After some routine proceedings,: the meeting ad-
journed.

FRIGHTFUL COLLIERY EXPLOSION.—SEVEN LIVES
LOST.—LEEDS, MONDAY.—Phis morning a terrific explosion
of tire-damp occurred at a colliery belonging to Messrs.
Harding and Co., New Hall, Beeston, about two miles from
Leeds, by which seven individuals have lost their lives, and
another has received injuries from which he is not expected
to recover. The explosion took place about nine o'clock.
The miners in the course of their labours broke into an old
pit, from which the confined and inflammable gas issued, and
this communicating with the lights used in the pit caused
an almost instantaneous explosion. Six of the unfortunate
persons who were at work in the pit were killed on the
spot, and two others were got out alive and conveyed to
the Leeds Infirmary. One of them has since died. The
names and ages of the killed are as follows :—George Bell,
15; Aaron Bell, 20; George Oddie, 29; William iVester-
man, 12; Joseph Longstafl; 55; Charles Duck, 14; and
John Hall, 10.

THE ARCHDUKE CONSTANTINE OF RUSSIA.—The
arrival of his Imperial Highness the Archduke Constantine
of Russia, who was expected to reach this country to-day, is
delayed for a few days. At the date of the last advices re
ceived on Tuesday, his Imperial Highness was at Hanover,
whence he intended to proceed to the Hague in a few days,
Sud thence by way of Rotterdam to London.