The Sun.
London, England, 1849-01-02 00:00:00

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listen to any explatta,iott you. way think proper to
give in answer to so serious a charge.
Prisoner—At present I shall decline saying any-
thing.
Mr. COTTINGUAM —Then you stand remanded un-
til Monday next.

FORGED BANK OF ENGLAND
NOTES.

GRAVESEND, DEC. 30 —Notwithstanding the
caution given to the public in the London journals
some days since, respecting the circulation of spurious
Bank of England 51. and 101. notes, and the accurate
description given of those forgeries, it appears so far
as is yet ascertained, that at least three 101 notes of
that description were passed and detected in this town
last week, under the following circumstances :—On
Saturday, the 23d instant, Mr. Martin, proprietor of
the Queen's Arms Tavern, paid into the County
Branch Bank in this town a sum of money, of which
a 101. note, purporting to be of the Bank of England,
formed a part. Soon after Mr. Pittock, clerk of the
bank, examined the note more particularly, and,
comparing it with a Bank of England note of the
same amount, suspected that it was one of the forged
notes alluded to. Whilst deliberating on the subject,
his brother, a grocer in IVindmill• street, came into the
bank and paid in some money, amongst which was a
10/. note, exactly similar to the other with the excep-
tion of the number. Both notes were then shown to Mr.
Ware, the manager, who, as we learn, immediately pro-
nounced them to be forgeries. Mr. Martin was sent for,
and he at once identified the note he paid in, having
endorsed on it both the name of the person to whom
he had given ten sovereigns in change for it and his
own private mark. This person was at once com-
municated with, and he stated that he got it on that
day from his brother-in-law, a publican in the town,
to procure change for it in gold. Mr. Pittock then
stated that he had changed the note he paid into the
bank on that morning for the same publican. Both
notes were, on the Tuesday following, transmitted to
London and presented at the Bank of England, where
they were branded as forgeries, and then brought
back to the Gravesend Bank where, on that very
day, another 101. note of a similar kind was paid in
by Mr. Winnett, grocer, in High-street, who had
taken it in the course of business on the previous
Saturday from a poulterer in the town. On in-
quiry, the poulterer said that he had taken the note
from the identical person to whom the other
two notes had been traced. The superinten-
dent of police (Mr. North) was then applied
to, and he and the parties. above alluded to pro-
ceeded to the publican's house. The latter, as it
seems, immediately admitted having sent out two
of the notes on Saturday to be changed, and having
paid over the other to the_poulterer, who had given
him the difference in change between his demand and
the amount of the note. He accounted for having
the notes by stating that he had changed two of them
on Saturday morning for a gentleman who occa
sionally came to his house, and whose name he sub-
sequently mentioned to the police officer. The County
Bank, as is stated, on receiving the amount of the
notes from each of the parties who paid them into it,
returned to each respectively his note. It %s as fur-
ther stated that the publican bad arranged with the
parties by paying to each 51., and giving an U
for the other 51. ; but we have been assured that two
of the forged notes are at present impounded at the
bank referred to, awaiting, as we were further
assured, the result of a communication rriLtde to the
solicitor of the Bank of England for the purpose of
ascertaining whether he would think it proper to
investigate this very singular case. Doubtless, if an
investigation does take place, the person or persons for
whom the publican changed the notes will be traced,
and he will be freed from any suspicion.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.
SOUTH DEVON.

An adjourned meeting of the shareholders in this
line was held yesterday (Monday) at Bristol, for the
purpose of considering what measures should be
adopted with regard to the special general meeting,
to be held at Exeter on Saturday next, and es-
pecially with reference to the atmospheric system of
traction.

Mr. CUILCOTT having been called to the chair, ob-
served that the manner in which the Bristol
shareholders had been treated was very inconsiderate,
to say the least of it, on the part of the directors.
How was it possible to enter into the merits of the
case if the report was not received till within two days
of the meeting ? They could form nn opinion as to
the nature of its contents. He trusted, therefore,
that as that report had not • been received,
some, gentleman would move an adjournment of the
meeting.

In pursuance of this request, Mr. FRY moved,
and Mr. CROSS seconded a resolution, that the meeting
be adjourned till Thursday, which was carried
unanimously. _

A correspondence was read which had taken place
between the Chairman and Mr. Gill, the latter gen-
tleman having stated that he was the only one who
was a dissentient to the atmospheric system, whereas
it appeared there were five or six dsssentients.
Mr. HUTTON said the directors ought to lay before
the meeting the particulars of their liabilities. He
had heard there was due to Mr. Bennett, the con-
tractor, the sum of 77,000/.—(Hear, hear.)

LONDON, BRIGHTON, &c.—Air. Peter Clarke, the
Supreme Manager of this line and its tributaries, re-
signed that post yesterday, the Ist instant, seceding to
the York and North Midland lines' management. On
Saturday Mr. Clarke received at his residence,
Brighton, in a most unostentatious manner, a magni-
ficent testimonial as a memento of the estimation in
which he was held by those over whom he has so
long presided in the Brighton company. It con-
sisted of a superb silver salver of elegant workman-
ship by Savory, and a silver claret cup, bearing this
inscription :—" Presented to Peter Clarke, Esq., by
the officers of the London, Brighton, and South
Coast Railway Company, December, 1848."

RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS.
BRISTOL, JAW. 1.
STOCK EXCHANGE.—The business was rather brisk. The
sales are—Great Western, Quarters, 2% dis.—Midland Stock,
86—Caledonian, Preference, p.
YORK, DEC. 30.

STO€K EXCHANGE.—The business ;ansacted to-day war
as follows : —Great Northern, 9 —North British, Thirds, 41.
Bs. 6d.— Ditto, Quarters, 31i —York, Newcastle, and Berwick
(Extension), No. 1, 144—Ditto (G. N. E. Purchase), 73,11
ex int.