The Sun.
London, England, 1841-04-09 00:00:00

FROM THE MORNING PAPERS OF YESTERDAY.

TIMES.—A great sensation was occasioned in the City
to-day at the absence from their house of business of Mr. F.
Wakefield and his son, who carry on business as bankers and
stockbrokers, under the firm of "T. Wakefield and Co."
The house is one of the oldest in the list of London bankers,
although it has been lately but little known in that capacity.
Their absence has given rise to various rumours, one of which
is that their deficiencies amount to about 70,0001. Mr.
Wakefield was the treasurer of the managers of the Stock-
Exchange, and the committee of managers sat to-clay to in-
quire into the state of their affairs in connexion w►th him,
when an inspection of their cash-box showed they had sus-
tained no loss. It should be distinctly understood that the
committee of managers manage the property of the Stock-
Exchange, while the general committee manage the business.
It is necessary to make this remark, because a rumour has
gone abroad that the general committee sat on the affair,
which is not the case, nor would it be a matter for their deli
beration.

The English Stocks have not been firm to-day, and it is
thought a rather increased demand for money at yesterday's
rates has principally acted upon the market.

CHRONICLE.—The Market for British Securities has
been flat to-day, although unattended by any alteration in
price. There has been considerable excitement on the Stock
Exchange, in consequence of the disappearance of an old mem-
ber of the house, who acted as treasurer of the decayed fund,
and also as manager of the house revenues. The party in
business
,as in aßprrniavda-t es
trbeaentk. er, but
iqnu
7tvei
eohrnya was sba
eal
lel smno,
aei gf
oaairgi degdiwn
thbhau
hi
nts
he Committee on Banks of
Issue have determined en examining two witnesses only from
Scotland, to give evidence on the system of banking and
the Church both of England and Scot-
icnutrerreensetsy thtsacntqlanuardterareof tshoe
itkingdom.into
tw Tsehe banking
etinns,we
e
hear, like
Scot-
land. They are at present suffering from internal
divisions and schism, one party being in favour of
the high note, the other for a low note system.
Under this state of things, we hope the Commit-
tee will deal impartially with both parties ; and if they
have resolved to adduce two witnesses only, that they will select
owe from each, so as to give the people of Scotland the benefit
of a full and impartial inquiry. The investigation, to be satis-
, factory, must not be liable to the imputation of being " one-
sided." In a matter of such vital importance to the future
well-being of the entire community, the Committee are bound
to elicit the truth, and this, perhaps, they cannot accomplish in
a question attended with so much intricacy and diversity of
opinion, without giving the views of the most experienced men
on both sides. But the Committee have confined themselves,
we understand, to the examination of two witnesses generally
for each separate class of professional interests involved in the
inquiry ; and if this be the case, the Scotch bankers cannot
complain if they should be restricted to the same number, pro-
vided the gentlemen selected shall be acknowledged as their
fair and full representatives. When parties differ among them-
selves, however, it is always difficult to get them to agree in-
the choice of delegates, and the Committee may have found it
necessary in this instance to make their own selection.

POST.—The leading subject of conversation among men
of business of all classes was another of those distressing cases
of suspension of payment which have become so frequent of
late. It was ascertained at -an early hour of the day that
Messrs. Wakefield and Son, of Broad-street, who have for
many years past been in the enjoyment of a high degree of po-
pularity as stockbiokers and private bankers, and whose credit
L yemined unimpaired up to the close of the Stock Exchange

yesterday, had disappeared;* parties calling at their office for
the purpose of receiving moneys being referred to their
solicitors. The elder Mr. Wakefield was treasurer of the
Decayed Members' Fund, formerly chairman of the
General Committee of the Stock Exchange, and, we be-
lieve, still an influential member of the body. The firm
were in the confidence of the Equitable Life Assurance Com-
pany for whom they acted as brokers. Their connection
with that eminent institution was alone sufficient to give them
a superior standing in the line of business in which they were
engaged, so that they were freely trusted with the custody of
negotiable securities of all descriptions, the safety of which,
whatever amount was in their hands, is not, we hope, to be
doubted. The habits of Messrs. Wakefield have been so
uniformly quiet and business-like as to forbid the suspicion of
an improper use having been made of any property of the
sort. The claims upon the house, on Stock Exchange ac-
count, are said not to be' large, the more considerable propor-
tion being distributed among its private connections. Several
of the personal friends of the parties will, it is feared, be, as is
too often the case on the occasion of failures, severely in-
jured. It is rumoured that Messrs. Wakefield obtained
yesterday, in common wr•ith other bankers, a large
amount of dividend warrants from the Bank of Eng-
land. There has not yet been time to procure payment
of such warrants, but it is taken for granted that no difficulty
would have been found in getting advances of cash upon them.
Messrs. Wakefield were, we hear, in the position of guarantees
for an official assignee of the Court of Bankruptcy. The dis-
closures made the other day in the case of Mr. Abbott may
possibly have led to a more rigorous observance on the part of
the Commissioners of the regulations appertaining to this re-
sponsible class of men, and, assuming that the individual gua-
ranteed has placed sums tf money to some extent belonging to
the creditors in whose behalf he has been employed in their
hands, the embarrassments of Messrs. Wakefield may have
been brought on in a great measure by the necessity which has
existed for the withdrawal of the same at a short notice.

By an Order in Council inserted in last night's Gazette it is
declared, in pursuance of certain Acts of Parliament passed in
the third and fourth years of the reign of her present Majesty.
that the ships of all such foreign Powers as have treaties of
reciprocity with this country, and the cargoes imported or
exported therein, shall be admitted on payment of like rates of
duties arid toils with those charged on British vessels and their
cargoes. This order is one of very considerable importance to
the mercantile and shipping classes, and of some interest to the
public generally. It is thought extraordinary, therefore, that
when the intention of Government was formally made known
on the subject through the columns of the Gazette, the foreign
Powers having treaties of reciprocity with us, and which are to
participate in the change, could not have been enumerated. It
is not to be supposed that every merchant carries in his memory
a precise knowledge of all the commercial treaties and arrange-
ments entered into between his own and other States. The
niggardliness of our officials in their mode of putting informa-
tion of this nature before the public, although they must neces-
sarily have tho requisite materials at their fmgers' ends, has
frequently been pointed out to us in terms of well-merited
disgust.

lIERALD.—An extraordinary degree of excitement was
occasioned on the Stock Exchange, as well as in the City ge-
nerally, by the non-appearance at the usual hours of business
this morning, and subsequent announcement of the failure,
of Messrs, Wakefield and Son, the very old established
Stockbrokers, carrying on a banking business as well in
New Broad-street. This event caused very considerable
surprise, and does not appear to have been in the least
anticipated in any quarter down to the last moment. The
firm Was one of long standing, of high respectability on
the Stock Exchange, and of credit unquestioned. Its con-
nections were also of first-rate importance and value, as
may be estimated by the single fact that, among others of note,
the house acted as brokers for all the ♦ast stock transactions of
the Equitable Assurance Company, the well-known wealthiest
corporation in the world. What may be the amount involved
in this unfortunate insolvency cannot, of course, be yet known
with any sort of certainty ; some reports carry it as high as
120,0001., but it is believed, in quarters more likely to be cor-
rectly informed, not to exceed 60,0001. Neither the proxi-
mate or more remote causes .of the stoppage can be even
guessed at, for, singular to state, it is understood that
they transacted bona fide stock-brokering business for prin.
cipals only, that they were not in the habit of jobbing
or speculating on their own account, and have actu-
ally no account of the sort open now, so that as far
as the Stock Exchange is in question on that head it is sup-
posed they cannot be declared to be defaulters in the usual
way, that is, posted on the black board. It is understood how-
ever, that they were concerned in various trusts in their bank-
ing business, as well as for the Stock Exchange, where the
elder partner of the firm was treasurer of the fund for the
relief of decayed members. There are various reports in cir-
culation in respect of large losses incurred under the head of
these trusts, which it is not necessary to advert to, as after all
they may be cleared up, and the trust moneys lying probably
in deposit with the bankers, with whom, distinct from their
own banking concern, they kept a private account for their
stock business. The answer at their office to all inquiries of
parties interested, was a reference to their solicitors. Alto-
gether it is very rarely that any event of the kind has produced
o painful an impression as this failure.

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, APRIL 6.
EXTRAORDINARY TRIAL FOR FORGERY.

A case came on in the Commission Court this day before
Judges Peirin and Crampton, which has created considerable
interest among the banking and mercantile classes in this
city. The facts of the case are briefly these :—Mr. John
Cluff, of the firm of William and John Chaff, extensive mer-
chants in the Manchester trade, William Cluff having also
an establishment in Manchester, was charged with having fe-
loniously uttered a Bill of Exchange, drawn at three months,
for 272/. 165.,. bearing date the 3d of February, 1841, and
purporting to be the draught of Andrew Thompson. Tke
bill was sent in with some others to the Bank of Ireland on
the 11th of February, and discounted. It was, however, sub-
sequently discovered to he a forgery.
At the trial this morning, Andrew Thompson, the fictitious
acceptor of the bill, proved the signature as endorsed not to
he in his handwriting, and further swore that he had not au-
thorized any person to sign it.
Mr. O'CONNELL, who appeared for the accused, found a
flaw in the indictment, which, after setting out the forged
acceptance, has these words,—" which said acceptance is as
follows" (the bill was then described and signed)—" Andrew
Thompson," whereas, on the bill it was Andr. Thompson."
Counsel for the prosecution submitted that it was a case
which might be amended by the Court, under a late Act.
On reference to the Act, the SOLICITOR-GENERAL said he
was bound to acknowledge it only applied to civil, and net to
criminal cases.
Mr. Justice PERRIN directed the issue to be sent up to the
Jury, who at once acquitted the prisoner, and he was discharged
from custody.
'The Commission adjourned to the 14th of June. The Court
was densely crowded.

DUBLIN SOCIETY.—The following official letter has been
addressed to the Commissioners by Mr. Norman Macdonald,
Under-Secretary :
" Dublin Castle, March 29, 1841.

" My Lords and Gentlemen,—From your known zeal for
the advancement of science and the diffusion of useful know-
ledge, the Lord Lieutenant is desirous of obtaining your advice,
in what form and under what regulations the Parliamentary
grant of 5,3001., hitherto voted to the Dublin Society, might
be most effectually devoted to the above object for the benefit
of the Irish nation, as, in consequence of the refusal of the
Dublin Society to make, at the instance of Government, cer-
tain changes in its constitution and management, which were
strongly recommended by Parliamentary Committees, his Ex-
cellency has felt it his duty to intimate to that Society his in-
tention of declining to propose to Parliament a continuance of
their grant.
" The chief points to which his Excellency wishes to direct
your attention are, whether it would be desirable to form an
entirely new institution, either separate from or in connexion
with any or with all these societies now established in Dublin
for the promotion of science and the useful arts, or to assist
them severally in their present forms.
"- It will be also for you to consider and advise 'upon the par-
ticular organization by which scientific institutions would seem
best fitted, in your opinion, to attain these objects, and which
ought, therefore, to be required by Parliament as the condition
upon which they should receive support from the State.
" His Excellency will direct that you shall be furnished with
the Report of the Committee of the House of Commons, in
that on
nupon tihrei
Irish
m aEnsatLat tof Dublinaa and
t he
evidenceSociety,as
takenell as
before them, which will afford you much valuable information
emeens, in
on the points above referred to.—l have, &c
" N. H. MACDONALD."
" To his Grace the Duke of Leinster, the Earl of Rosse, the
Viscount Adare, Sir John Burgoyne, Sir William Hamil-
ton, Captain Larcom, Professor Lloyd, Professor M'Cul-

lac'h."
One of our Contemporaries, in remarking upon the appoint-
ment of this Commission last week, entirely mistook its ob-
ject, inasmuch as he imagined that the duty assigned to the
Commissioners was to "settle the differences between the Go-
vernment and the Society." The preceding letter shows that
nothing of the kind is contemplated. The " differences"
arose out of the refusal of the Society to make changes recom-
mended by the Parliamentary Committees, and those " differ-
ences" have been terminated by the withdrawal of the grant,
—Dublin Evening Post.

MELANCHOLY SUICIDE.-At a late hour on
Tuesday evening an inquisition was taken before Mr. Wakley,
M.P., and a Jury of gentlemen resident in Burton-crescent, at
the residence of W. Rolls, Esq., No. 19, Mabeldon-place,
New-road, on view of the body of Lieutenant-Colonel Thos. 1
Dorville, aged 66, late of the Grenadier Guards, who com-
mitted self-destruction under the truly melancholy circumstan-
ces below detailed: —Jane Gray stated that she was a servant
in the family of Mr. Rolls, and knew the deceased, who was
a relation of her master, and who was staying with his family
upon a visit. He had enjoyed good health and spirits until the
last few days, when he became very dejected and melancholy.
Indeed he had become so much so that Mr. Rolls deemed
it advisable that she and a fellow servant named Goodie,
should sit up with deceased in his bed-room alternate
nights. On Monday night last it was witness's turn to
sit up with him, and she did so. Deceased slept very
well during the night. About five o'clock on that (Tuesday)
rr orning, she was sitting close at the foot of his bed, when the
deceased suddenly sprang up and jumped out of it, exclaiming
" murder, murder !" several times, apparently in great fright.
Before witness could recover herself from
whanehrdicmhb
alarm, the deceased rushed towards the window, which is very
mignienette box stationed on the sill of the window. She
Mr• Rolls,
low, andh ithrowingmself into
theup areat he s hash
beneath,ben t
carryingforwards
witha precipi-
tateddw..h i,,,_
3.
immediately raised an alarm, and accompanied
itle'fsrom uncle! him.
d I wound appa-
rently in the
rently quite lifeless, and bleeding from a dread u
havingwre theyiinformed
rfmoue
returned a ver-
head. The Jury, after a short consultation,.
injuries caused
diet " That the deceased died from mortal injuries caused by a
is Peninsular
stated
fall from a second floor window." The deceased was an old
nddhidmeeoefastehde clyirincugminstahnicse,niinghtoft.cthi.oethbeas, area,.
The. Lord president (Lansdowne), after the
Easter recess, will submit two important propositions to the
House-of Lords-1. To appoint a Select Committee on the
subject of interest p
b 11 f r am cl.
change. 2. To present a i o en ing the law of prin-
cipal and factor.
officer,ha
d no
0 less than
btshleeravnoenthd
parretoemWias
horsest erlyo
shoto,
The Earl of Shaftesbury On Tuesday,'
acting as
sneaker of the House of
.Lords, presented a petition from Lady
Henley, widow of the Right Hon. Robert Henley Lord Hen-
ley, on behalf of. her son Anthony. Lord Henley, for
him his right to vote at th 4 elections of representative Peers
for Ireland. Read, and referred to the Committee of Pri-
vileges. • °i
battleu
ll
e op t 4u
"e
xYi t_

A meeting of the subscribers of the testimonial to be
presented to William Evans and John Wheelton, Esqrs.,
late Sheriffs of London and Middlesex, took place yes-
terday afternoon at the London Coffee-house, Ludgate-
hill, for the purpose of carrying the iutentiona of the
subscribers into effect.
At two o'clock the Chair was taken by Hum-as Huotins,
Esq., late M. P. for Oxford, who said that he regretted Bogie
person of higher rank and station was not called upon CD
preside. He was, however, most willing ta undertake
that duty, and to bear his testimony of respect and admi-
ration to the conduct of the gentlemen in whose favour the
testimonial was subscribed. It was true the interest had
in some degree subsided, by reason of an Act of Parliament
having since been introduced on the subject on which
their claim to notice and respect arose. But so tar from
that detracting from the merit that succeeding tiE es would
attach to them for the patriotic andnational manner in which
they had upheld the just privileges of the subject and the
laws of the country, that estimation would only be enhanced
by the circumstance that the Legislature thought it its duty
to guard against the recurrence of such a state of things as
led to the difficulty in which the Sheriffs ware pLeed, and
in which they had shown so much integrity and upright-
ness of purpose.--( Hear, hear.) He should now call
upon the treasurer to read a statement of the receipts and
expenditure.
The Treasurer then read a statement of the accounts,
from which it appeared that a sum of 3201. 15s. had been
received, and 55/. 6s. was yet to be collected, making
a total of 3761. Is. A sum of 651. ss. had been expended
in advertisements, printing, and other incidental expenses,
and the balance, which would be available for the
purposes of the testimonial would be about three hundred
guineas. He understood that Mr. Sheriff Evans, who had
been consulted along with his colleague upon the matter,
had expressed a wish that the articles presented to him
should be a silver salver and two ice vases, and Mr. Sheriff
Wheelton wiliedi that his should be a candelabrum to
correspond with that which had been lately presented him
by the Corporation.
Mr. WIRE said, of course it should be the object of the
subscribers to have the money expended in the way which
would be most pleasing to the Sheriffs, but he wished to
know, now that the articles to be presented were rgresd
upon, whether the Committee was at liberty to go and
order these articles when they thought proper.
The CHAIRMAN said, perhaps he should have given some
explanation of what had previ iusly taken pLce. The
presentation of the plate hart beau so long delayed, that
the Committee thought they might take a step in advance,
and atter conferring with the Sheriti,, 1E %Nes sug-
gested that the Sheriffs should each order the articles
they had selected from their own goldsrritht, and not to
exceed 150 guine is in value—whatever deficiency there
might be in the suoscriptions to be made up by the She-
riffs themselves. Now whether the Managing Committee
had exceeded their powers in so doing it was for the
meeting to determine.
After some further discussion it was proposed by Mr
WIRE that the four Treasurers, the Chairman, and the
Rev. Mr. Jennings, Prebendary of Westminster, be ap-
pointed a Committee for the ordering and arra-gement of
the plate.—The motion was unanimously adopted.
Mr. Valuta then moved that the following be the in-
scription on the plate—" This silver salver and two ice
vases (or candelabrum), was presented to William
Evans, Esq. (or John Wheelton, Eaq.), at the expiration
of his year of °Esc, as one of the Sheriffs of London
and joint Sheriff of Middlesex, in testimony of the high
approbation of the subscribers of the conduct of himself
and his colleague, in preferring to eadure a painful and
protracted imprisonment, rather than submit to the unde-
fined and arbitrary privilege assumed by the House of
Commons, whereby they were required to violate their oath
of office, anti disobey the Queen's writ, which they bad sworn
to observe, and to perpetuate the high sense of the respect
and admiration entertained by the subscribers of the firmness
and dignity displayed by the sheriffs during their imprison
merit, in vindication of the majesty of the law and the just
liberty of the subject." It was unnecessary for him to say
one word upon a subject weich had been so frequently dis-
cussed, but it should be borne in mind that, notwithstaisding
the boastirgs of the House of Commons, and all their
turnings and shifts, they were compelled to submit to the
judgment of a Court of Law ; and all who venerated their
institutions and their liberty, should be ready to come
forward and acknowledge their obligations to the Sheriffs,
who had so firmly resiAed the arbitrary encroachments of
power.
Mr. TAYLOR sec,nded the motion. He would remind
the meeting that only one part of the grie,.ances had yit
been redressei, for the House of Commons could still de-
clare anything a privilege which it pleased. The same arbi-
trary power had recently extended itself to the army and Ec-
clesiastical Court and the Court of Session in Scotland, and
it was their duty to do all they could toresist it. Curiously
enough a nearly similar case had recently occurred in New.
foundland, and the House of Commons, which had to da-
ringly attempted to set itself above all law, had brought
for ward aa an argument for destroying the legislative laody
of Newfoundland, that it had taken upon itself to supersede
the law of the land by imprisoning a Sheriff and one of
the Judges of that Culonv.—( Hear, hear.)
The motion was carried unanimously.
After some discussion as to the time when the plate
should be presented, it was agreed that the Committee
shculd be entrusted with the arrangements on that point
also.

Thanks were then voted to the Chairman, and the
meeting ieparateJ.

THE STEAM-SHIP PRESIDENT.

Liverpool, Weinesclay Morning, Ten o'Clock.
We are still without any news of this steam- ship. The wea-
ther is thick, and the 'telegraph cannot pass through to Holy-
head. The following is a list of the passengers who embarked
on board the President at New York :—P. C. Pfeffel, of New
York ; A. R. Warburg, New York ; Lieut. F. Lenox and
Mr. Courtney, British army ; Tyrone Power and servant,
England; C. A. D. Meisegares, Philadelphia; S. Mails,
New York ; C. L. Cadet, Buenos Ayres; T. Palmer, Balti-
more; Dr. M. Turner, Cuba; T. Blanchor, Cub% •' John
Fraser, New York ; A. Van Lohe, jun., Amsterdam ; A. S.
Byrne, London; Thorndyke, New York; W. W. Mar-
tin, England ; E. B. Howell and friend, New York ; A. Li •
vingston, New York ; Rev. G. G. Cookrnan, Washington
(city) ; D. Deuchar, Scotland; R. Morris and child ; E.
Berry ; J. C. Roberts, New York ; J. Leo Wolf, wife, and
child ; Master Mohring— Total 27, and two children.