The Sun.
London, England, 1824-09-23 00:00:00

THE MINT AT 110MUAY.

The Cirmnsuaw wished to explain, that in consequence of
the urgency of the service, the Court of Directors had taken up
two ships without complying with the regulation of 'publicly
advertising for the contract.
In answer to a question from Mr. Hu ME, the Chairman ex.
plained, that the vessels were wanted for 700 tons of machinery
thr the. Mint at Bombay, and the ships taken up were well
adapted for the purpose, and the prices extremely moderate.
Mr. If irate still preferred the public mode of advertising for
any contract.—The motion was then granted.

MRS. PRANCKLYN'S PENSION.
The CHAIRMAN then notified the recommendation of the
Court of Directors, that a pension of 3001. a year be grunted to
_Mrs. Franeklyn, the widow of one of the most distinguished
military officers who had served them in India, the late Gene-
ral Stevenson. The case was shortly this :—ln the year 1804
or 1005 the General died, and a pension of 300/. a year was then
unanimously granted to his widow. She, however, subse-
quently married Mr. Franeklyn, a gentleman of fortune, and
her pension lapsed ; but unfortunately, owing, to the death of
Mr. Francklyu, and the depreciation of his West Indian pro-
petty, the widow now represented herself as having been left
permyl4.., end the Court of Directors have recommended that
her pension should, under her present circumstances, be revived.
Mr. LowtinES thought the lady ought to have made a more
provident second marriage. He then digressed into the consi-
deration of the slave population of the West Indies, and into
the state of slavery in which the brewers of London kept the
public about beer.' —(A laugh.)
Mr. S. DIXON approved of the pension to the widow, and
remarked that as to the present quality of London porter, he.re-
membered a few years ago, w hen the potency of the beer was such,
that after drinking is quart of it, no street in London waswide
enough for the individual. The brewers bad certainly found
our the means of diminishing this intoxicating efFect In ,their
prerient mode of brewing.—(A laugh.) •
Mr. II yam, had the highest regard for the services of the late
General Stevenson, and approved-of this pension, as well as
thought the widow entitled to the arrears due since the death of
her last. husband ut lent.
The CHAIRMAN replied, that the subject of arrears had been
(sold:lend by the Court of Directors, but they had decided upon
the mere granting of the pension.
The vote was curried unanimously.
, Nflt. alatt.witinANKs' CLAM
The CHAIRMAN said that this Court was farther matle•spe-
cial vet:ant:lhr a vote for granting to Mr. James Marjoribanks
0,028 rupees for arrears clue to him on the Bengal Civil Ser-
vice Establishment. He would shortly explain the grounds of
die grant. Mr. Marjoribanks had obtained leave to repair front
Bengal to the Cape for the • recovery of his health. On the
voyage the smell pox broke out, and the passengers were re-
fused permission to land at the Cape without the usual quaran-
tine delay. The ship being 'obliged to continue her voyage to
England, the passengers were necessarily obliged to accompany
her, and the object of this grant was to put Mr. Marjaribanks
in the same condition, having returned to Bengal within his
tittle of leave, as he would have been had he been enabled to
stop at the Cape.
In answer to _a question from Mr. Hume, the CHAIRMAN
replied, that there was no precedent for such a motion as this,
istal that Mr. Perry, another of the civil servants; who accom-
panied Mr. Marjoribanks, did not make application for a simi-
lar allowance, because he obtained leave on urgent private bust-
ness to remain in England, with the opportunity of resuming
his situation in India within five years.
Mr. !Juan: opposed this precedent ns one fraught with dan.
gerous consequences, considering the facility which prevailed
of obtaining medical certificates. In looking to the papers ex-
planatory of the present case, he saw no necessity for Mr.
Marjoribanks' return to Europe on the contrary, he might
have remained at the Cape of Good Hope, for it would be seen
that when. he, in. conjunction with other passengers, applied to
the Governor for permission to transship themselves, their up.
plication was at once acceded to, and they were informed that
therinigitt quit their own ship for any other in the bay, except
the Voyageur. Instead, however, of doing so, they applied to
have some mean% assured to them of obtaining necessaries,
which were inconsistent with the quarantine laws, and therefore
no answer was returned to them. The Captain' being unable
to remain with his cargo its the bay, would wait no longer, and
the parties preferred coming to Englund to transshipping them-
selves. He should, therefore, oppose this motion, on the
ground of its Injurious tendency as a precedent. If health
were the object of the parties, they could not have recruited it
better than by remaining in one of the bays of the Cape of
Good Hope.
Mr. TRANT justified the claim of Mr. Marjoribanks, and
denied that he could have enjoyed his health in the stormy sea-
son in Table Bay at the Cape.
Mr. SAMUEL Dexox thought that Mr. Marjoribanks might
have transshipped himself at the Cape. if the condition were
fair and rational, the parties ought to have abided by it. He
could not. assent to this vote without further explanation.
Mr. LowN DES said, that as the stormy season was coming
on at the Cape, it was unreasonable to have required Mr.
Marjoribanks to have remained there on shipboard.
Mr. ttruttr opposed the grant.
Mr. Bucx INGHAM also opposed the grant, and said it was
a tidlacy to confer any allowance, upon the mere representa.
don of individual respectability.
Mr. l'amso sr thought the allowance claimed ought to be
admitted, and hoped the opposition would be withdrawn.
Gen. Toon wroN was sorry that he could not agree to the
vote, because the parties might, in his opinion, have remained
at the Cape. Ile concurred in thinking the precedent dangerous.
Mr. Jolts/ ST WART hoped the Court would hesitate before,
by granting this motion, they let in a precedent which was
capable of being much abused. lie wished to have more in-
formation on dais subject before he decided.

A PROPRIETOR, whose name We could not learn, supported

IC motion.

---
Air. WE unz No also approved of it.
The CHAIRMAN defended the course pursued by Mr. Mar-
joribankst which he positively declared was imperative on him
under existing circumstanced. The compensation wad not

given as a boon, but as a. right. The recommendation was
signed by 21 of die Directors, and be hoped would be adopted
by the ProPrietorc
Air. H
U explaind, and said he must take the sense of the
Court on the grant. - •
Mr. (InANT and Mr. S. DIXON also explained. •
Mr. Maar moved an adjournment of the question until this
day fortnight. . .
The CIiaIRMAN said that their decision, whatever it was
this day, was still open to a future day's discussion, as each
vote must have the approbation of two separate Courts.
The motion of adjournment wait then put and negatived,
and the original question carried without a division.
Mr. nu ME gave notice, that he would on a future day take
the sense of another Court against this flagitious precedent for
disposing of the public money.;