The Sun.
London, England, 1841-02-22 00:00:00

LAW INTELLIGENCE

COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH, FEB. 20.
(Sittings at Guildhall before Lord DENMAN and a
Common Jury.)
RICHARDS V. YOUNG.—LIBEL.

TllO ATTORNEY-GENERAL stated the case as follows :
Gentlemen of the Jury—The plaintiff in this case is a
, respectable merchant of this city, and the action is
brought against Mr. Murdo Young, the proprietor and
editor of a newspaper called The Sun, a paper of con-
siderable circulation, and against the respectability of
which it is not my business to say anything, except
with regard to the conduct of Mr. Young in this par-
ticular transaction, which I am sure you will very
ranch condemn. Gentlemen, where a newspaper falls
into any tni.stake inadvertently the greatest indulgccce
ougdt to be extended to it. We are all very much
indebted to the Press—looking at the great advantage
and benefit which the public derive from its labours,
it sliould be treated with the greatest leniency ;
but when the editor of a newspaper opens his
columns for the purpose of calumny, and makes
himself an instrument to gratify the malignity of others,
it baccmes a case of great agglavation ; and when pro-
duced before a Jury, they well consider that very serious
dam lees should be awarded for a libel so published to
the World. Mr. Richards, in February, 1836, had the
misfortune to be persuaded to become a shareholder in
an undertelvng called the Southampton Docks Com-
pany. His attorneys were Alliston and Locke, and they
asks(' him to become a shareholder in the undertaking,
respecting which there was a Bill before Parliament. Gen-
, th.tnen, one of the questions you will have to consider will
be whether Mr. Richards was the originator of the
scheme. You will find there was not the smallest pre-
tence for that assertion. He took forty shares, and
paid the deposit of 100/. on them. Gentlemen, Mr.
Richards did Lot trafiie in these shares, and speculate
or: them, but kept them ; and the Bill passed and re-
ceived the Royal assent in the month of May, 1836.
Mr. Richards soon had reason to regret that he had
taken eery shares at all. He found that it was a job.
lie was called upon to support the Directors, who
wished to have a salary for themselves; he refused
to do so ; and from that time to the present.
lie has been continually in opposition to the Directors,
for he found flat it really was not a concern which
would prosper and could not be carried into effect.
But, ge„tletnee, there were others who had different
objects in `view—the Surveyor had a b.ll to make up—
the Sclicitors thought it for the:r advantage that the
concern should go on, and it did go on although ineffec-
tidily. Oa the 28th of February last there was a
rtee:ing of the Dirt ctors and Proprietors, and oo the
fulawing day, namely, the 29th of February, there
wss published in The Sun newspaper the libel of which
e complain. It came forth in the shape of a report of
a speech, suppolsed to have beta delivered there by one
of the Directors of the name of Liggins. Now, gen-
tlemen, if such a speech had been made there would be
110 justification to publish the calumnies uttered at a
meeting of the Proprietors of a Joint Stock Company.
But, gentlemen, you will find that Mr. Young lent
himself to the Directors—that he sent a reporter there
to take the proceedings, cod published them on the
29ea of February, and again on the 2d of March,
which must be considered a gt est aggravation
of the injury. The libel is in these words, and is sup-
posed to be a speech of Mr. Liggins, one of the Di.
cetors :—" Mr. Richards had complained of the little
work that had been dote (although he would observe
that they had hundreds of men employed), but be did
not pay his fair proportion of the expenses to
which 1 e was legully liable." Now, Gentlemen,
his name is there, as should have been the names of all
the patties who subsetibed, because he had taken forty
shares berme the Act was passed, but that he was the
originator of one of them is what I utterly den;'. The
Learned Counsel then procesded to read the libel :

" And notwithstanding that fact, Mr. Richards had
himself coolly gone into a Court of Law, and stated
in his affidavit that he had reason to believe (he being
one of ti e originators of tbe Company) that such Com-
pany was a bubble Company, and that the Act was ob-
tained by gross fraud and misrepresentation, and that
the e never existed any fair or reasonable intention of
carrying the projected object to any useful purpose, or for
the benefit of the Subscribers.--(Loud cries of Hear,
hear?) Now Mr. Richards was a party to the appli-
c,ition to Parliament for the Act of Incorporation, and
it was to be presumed that he was well acquainted with
all that had taken place, and it would be for them to
determine whether they would receive the e statements
from an ind.vidual who had gone into a Court of Law,
swe iring thai. to be true which he well knew to be false."
You have, therefore, Gentlemen, here brought forward
a direct charge of perjury, of judicial perjury, against
Mr. Richards, that he made an affidavit in the, case,
stating facts which he we 1 knew to be false, for which
he might be indicted, and, if convicted, would be liable
to be transported to But my Bay. Gentlemen, a letter
was written to the proprietor of The Sun, giving him
an opportunity, if he thought fit, of ir quiring into and
correcting the misrepresentation which his publication
coatrined. No notice was taker, of that letter. The
writ was sued out, and then, after the writ was sued
outs Mr. Young called at the office_ of Mr. Loveless,
the attorney for the plaintiff, and I should like to state
to you the conversation that then took place, and as I
believe it will be correctly proved to you. The de-
fendant, Mr. Young, said that he was an innocent party,
and had not published the libel from any mel cious mo-
tives. Very well, if he had sent as he said, through in-
advertence a reporter to the meeting, and if through
same indiscretion these calumnious expressions had been
introduced, and that Mr. Young was willing to apolo-
g'ze, it might be a harsh thing to press the act on against
him. Mr. Loaless required that the manuscript should
be given up, in order that the plaintiff might fix the Di-
rectors with the publication, and that then the action
would he stayed, as the plaintiff had no wish to put Mr.
Young to tiny axpense. Nothing could be fairer than
such an offer, if Mr. Liggins had usod these words
the plaintiff could not take an action against him for
having circulated such a slanderous matter all over the
empire, but be says to Mr. Young, give us up the ma-
nuscript and we shall let you go scot free. Mr. Young
said he would consider of the offer, and would call again
in a fortnight. Time was given him to consider of it and
to makeup his mind whether he would furnish the plaintiff
with the evidence, which would enable him to maintain
an action against those who were really the originators
of the libel. Gent'enien, M. Young did not call again,
and what is now the consequence. Is it that the libel
was published through inadvertence ? No, Gentlemen,
lie now throws himself into the arms of the Directors,
and it is clear that we are now carrying on an action
against Liggins, who is the real defendant in the cause,
and that Mr. Young has been indemnified by the D:-
rectors. Instead of returning in a fortnight he refused
to make any concession or explanation, and alien
the rvAion goes on he pleads a justification, which is in
reality an indictment for perjury against Mr. Richadrs.
Nnsv is that conduct in the proprietor of a newspaper
that deserves any indulgence. Mr. Young knew no-
thing of the disputes between Mr. reichards and time
Ds:eters, and yet he cline forward, a hen he had the
offsr allowed to escape from the effects of the publica-
tion, to justify it. Not only would he not give up the
means of tracing the libeller, but he himself became the
lib. filer in his own proper person, for he now brought
forward the charge against Mr. Richards. Now, what
do you think, gentlemen, is the justiEzation ? It is no
less than this, that Mr. Richards had wilfully and know-
ingly taken God to witness what lie knew to be false,
and you are to say, gentlemen, whether he is guilty or
not. The justification amounts therefore to an indict-
ment for wilful and corrupt perjury on the part of Mr.
Richards. The libel stated that Mr. Richards was one
of the originators of the Company. That was untrue.
It stated that Mr. Richards had made an affidavit that
the Company was a bubble Company ; that the Act of
Parliament had been obtained by fraud ; and that there
never existed any reasonable hope of carrying time object
out to the useful extent proposed. That was the affi-
davit which it eves alleged Mr. Richards made, and then
here conies the assignment of peijury, whereas in truth
and in fact those statements were false, and whereas in
truth and in fact the plaintiff at the time of making his
afii•lavit had to reason to believe that the Company was
a bubble Company, or that the Act of Parliament was
obtained by false representation ; and whereas in truth
arid in fact the plaintiff well knew that at the time he
made the affidavit in question, he was swearing falsely.
No indietmeats for pcij'lry could contain assignments
.more pa ecise than those—" He well knowing at the time
tolne
tpiidyr
he made those affidavits that he was swearing to that
ove
atrinisprepared to melt
which was fillse." Now I should like tiousktiiifiocwatsite.theirf
the attempt is made,
that Mr. Richards was not one of the originators of
the Company, that he was introduced, and took shares
suchatn. ytnceamantptst:hm:
show
attempt
tnsbheaot should 1 dda b:tei
while the Bid was before Parliament . that from the
beginning he opposed what he considered to be the im-
proper conduct of the Directors; and with respect to
the manner in which the Bill was carried before Parlia-
ment, I am prepared to show how the subscription lists
had been got up, who were the subscribers, and whether
they took shares or not. lam also in a situation to
show how the subscriptions were filled up to com-
ply nominally with the orders of the Haute of Lords ;
and I am prepared to show that there were subscribers
who did this for the purpose of deceit. lam prepared
to show what amount was paid up, and what also was
done with the money ; but at pie.:ent I am content ito
prose the conversation that took place between Mr.
Young and Mr. Lowless, and then we shall see whether
Mr. Young will prefer any .na.ctinent for the purpose
of suppoiting the charge he has had the hardihood to
prefer against this individual. I really do think, with
great. submission to the Court, that this is a case of
great aggravation, and 1 hope, gentlemen, that you will
think it to be a case that eught to he visited with
sei ions damages.

The affida;it Wed at the Starop.efilee, showing that
Mr. Young was the pzopr.9Wr of the newspaper, %las
thon put in and rea4, and the pary^r of the 29th of
FLlnuary,lB4o, and the 2d oflreb, were proved
and put in.

Lord DENMAN—Now, I suppose, you want the
passages that are marked in these papers read.
Mr. TIIESIGEIt—I think, my Lord, that it will be
nezessary that we should have rather more than those
read. But those pelts can be read first.
The Clerk then read the following part of the speech
of the Chairman :—" He stood there as the organ of the
Company, and it was with the greatest reluctance he
interfered. He felt, however, that the moment was
arrived when it was strictly within the line of his duty
to ask whether a Proprietor, standing in the position
of Mr. Richards, would be permitted to proceed in
such a strain.—(Loud cheers.) Mr. Richards had
complained of the little work that had been done (al-
though he would observe that they had hundreds of
men employed), but he did not pay his fair proportion
of the expenses to which he was legally liable."
Lord DENMAN—Then, does it appear that Mr.
Richards bad been speaking before?
Mr. THESIGER—Yes, my Lord, it implies that.
Lord DENMAN—Oh, I was not aware of that.
'lie Clerk then proceeded with the reading of the
Chairman's speech :—" He would observe further that
Mt. Richards was one of the originators of the Com-
pany, his name being embodied in the Act of Incorpo-
poration, and notwithstauding that fact, Mr. Richer&
bad himself coolly gone into a Court of Law, and stated
in his affidavit that he had reason to believe (he!being
one of the originators of the Company) that such Com-
pany was a bubble Company, and that the Act was ob-
tained by gross fraud and misrepresentation, and that
there never existed any fair or reasonable intention of
carr}ing the projected object to any useful purpose, or
for the benefit of the Subscribers.—(Loud cries of
" Hear, hear.") Now Mr. Richards was a party to
the application to Parliament for the Act of Incorpora-
tion, and it was to be presumed that he was well ac-
quainted with all that had taken place, and it would be
for them to determine whether they would receive these
statements from an individual who bad gone into a
Court of Law, swearing that to be true which he well
knew to be false."
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL—WeII, then, there is the
paper of the 2d of March ; what do you wish to read
from that.?
Mr. THESIGER—Mr. Richards says immediately
following that, that if he had made any such statement
the Chairman would have been the first to :top him.
" It was stated that he believed there was fraud—that
he admitted to be a strong term, but he did not wish to
be personal in the slightest degree. It was stated that
he was privy to all the introductory arrangements, but
that he must beg leave to deny ; lie was merely asked in
ale street to become a subecriber."" The Chairman said
they had eothio to do with what took place between
Mr. Richards and his friend in the streets. They must
take the facts as they stood, and, to use a legal phrase,
Le must say that Mr. Richards was out of Ccurt." Then
Mr. Richards immediately followed ; but I think if
Mr. Richards' speech before that of the Chairman's is
read, I shall not have occasion to trouble the Court
further.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL—That is at the bottem
of the 4th column.
e Cl:rle then proecesled to read the following :
" Mr. Richards would urge upon the Proprietors pre-
sent to take into consideration, before they passed the
Report, tlee difference between a Report in writing and
that which they could see with their own eyes, if they
went down to the town of Southampton. They would
see a certain number of piles drisea, but as to any
thing approaching the shape of a Dock, be certainly
could not see it. If there was a Dock about to be es-
tablished at Gosport, with a railroad to it joining the
Southampton Railway, why should not the people of
Gosport be sharers in the great advantages which their
Chairman held out t r them ? He believed he was ad-
dressing men of business, and he callel upon them to
do what they would do in their own own private affairs
viz., to go and judge with their own eyes. When they
had leturned from Southampton, let them go and exa-
mine the share list, and ascertain how many of them
were likely to be paid up. The argument of the Di-
rectors was that because so many shares had teen
/add up to the present time, that they would be paid
up in future. The Directors had given them the
state of the balance sheet up to the 31st of December,
but he (Mr. R.) could give it them up to three days
ago, and he could tell them that although very consi-
derable sums had leeu received since that Report, the
balance in hand did not exceed 4,0001. With respect
to what he had said of the state of the works, it up-
peased to him, although he admitted that he was not a
scientific man, that nothing approaching the shape of a
Dock had yet been marked out, and, he would add, that
the opinion of the ixoisle of Southampton was, that it
would require an enormous sum to complete the works.
He understood further, that had the original plan been
adhered to, instead of 3.50,000/. being required, persons
who had a knowledge of the matter stated to !din that
if the immense quantity of mud land which had been
take:i was to be covered with buildings and docks, the
sum would be really enormous, and far exceeding any
th'ng which they could raise. Piles had originally beta
driven out in the mud at such a distance that it Wll3
dangerous for the shipping, and en accident had occurred
in consequence ; however, these piles had be ea removed,
and the Docks a ere now being made on a much small
scale. He had before cautioned them to look well to
the share list before they placed credit on the statement
that the calls would be regularly pa's' up. He held in
his hand a letter from a shareholder in Liverpool, show-
ing that a very strone feeling on the subject existed in
that town. The writer had had communications with
other shareholders there, who were of tne same opinion
as 'drastic. (Mr. Richards was proceeding to read a
paragraph in the letter, when he was met by lcud
cries of " Order, order," and " Chair, chair.")"
Mr. Lowless sworn and exa-niued by the ATTORNEY-
GENERAL.

Arc yt,u the attorney for Mr. Richards ?—I am.
Is he u merchatt in the city ?—He i 5.
Did you write a ItAter to Mr. Young respati.ng the
puhfication of this hbel?—l did.

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL—We Lave g,ileo you
notice to produce Mr. Lowless's later of the 28th
MarA, 1840.

Mr. THESIGER—Perhaps you have a copy of it.
The Attorne3-General can read a copy. (The officer
then read the copy of a letter which was handel in by
the witness.)
Was a writ sued out at that titte;?—No.
Was any answer received to that latter?—None.
A'ter that letter had been sent, did Mr. Young call
upou you ?—lie did.

On what day?—On March 31.
Mr. THESIGER—When was the later written ?—lt
wa3 written on the 28th and sent on tile 30;11.
And on the 31st he caFcd ?—Yes.

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL—State any conversation
that passed betNeen you and Mr. Young on that occa-
sion. Witness—He said it was very hard for him to
be sued—that he was a perfect stranger to the plaintiff
—that he could not by possibility bear malice against
him, and that it had not been intentionally done—that
the paragraph had been overlooked. I then remarked
that it aprealed he had been paid for the publication ;
he said he had not been paid exactly for publishing it,
but that he had sent a reporter to the meeting at the
request of the Directors ; that they had paid him for
the attendance of the reporter and the reporting, and
had taken 300 or 400 copies of the newspaper containing
it ; and he remarked it was not to Le expected that he
coil I afford so much space in his paper to such a sub-
ject unless he was remunerated for it in some way or
other. I told him if be would give up--
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL—Did he say anything
more about the Directors ?—He said it had been pub-
lished at the request of the Directors, and I said that if
he would give tot: the means or proving the publication
against the parties who had really published it, so that
proceedings might be had againA them--
Lord DENMAN—Tt.a:. is, against the Directors?
Witness---;Yes. The action against him should be stayed,
as there was no wish on the part of the plaintiff to put
him to expense or trouble. Ha said he would consider
of it, and call or give me an aaswer in a fortnight, ald
begged that no proceedings might be taken in the
meantime.

ATTOrtNEY•GENERAL—Did you suspend the
proceedings for a fortnight ?--I did ; and for a much
longer time.

Lord DENMAN—Did he cull ?—He did not call.
11.31 r. Lowless is in error, no doubt from a
dciect of memory. Mr. Young did call a second
and third time. But that was not all. Mr.
Young stated that whatever he had said must be
considered to be without PREJUDICE, to which
Mr. Lowless assented. It is absurd to suppose
.711 r. Young could have acted other:vise ; but Mr.
Young, as duJ'ndant, could not be a witness in
Ais own person.]
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL—He did net call at all ?
You then filed a declaration ?—Ye;.

And found a plea of justification upon the record ?
Yes.

The ATTOUNEY-GENERAL—I believe the paper of
the 2d March, containing the same report, has been
put in ?
Lord DENMAN—Yes, it has.

Cress-examined by ill.: suppo.,e you
were aware that Mr. Richards attended the mating ?
Only from the rewspapors ; 1 was not concerned fur Mr.
Richards at that time.

You are now aware of it ?—Cortainly.
From Mr. Richards ?—Yes.

The ATTORNEY• GENERAL-L
DO you know anything
of this trlnsaction, except what has come to your know-
ledge a the solicitor of Mr. Richards ?—lie.
Mr. TIIESIGER—Have you commenced any other
actions on account of this publication—any action
against Mr. Liggins ?—Ycs, against Mr. Liggins..
Per the statement he made at that meeting ?—Ycs.
And for the publishing it?—Yes, and for publish-
ing it.

When was that action commenced P.—At the same
time with the present one. I told Mr. Young so at
t} at time.

Did you at any time see Mr. Bertram, and was any-
thing said about dropping both the actions it the Com-
pany would take Mr. Richards's shares off his hunds ?

distiticth

Mr. THESIGER—Not distinctly? Why, was it not
proposed that the proceedings in both actions should Le
dropped, if Mr. Richards's shares were purchased at 101.
discount ; and was there not a split about the money that
was to be paid ?—Not distinctly. There had been
disputes between Mr. Richards and the Company, and
I had endeavoured, by ell in my power, to bring them
to an end.
Then had some proceedings taken place between
Mr. Richards and the secretary?—Mr. Bartrum called
upon me and said that all had been settled ; I showed
him a letter from the secretary.
Mr. THESIGER—NOW, don't talk about the secre-
tary, Sir ; we have nothing to do with the secretary.
I ask you, was it not distinctly agreed to settle these
actions, on condition that Mr. Liggins, or some person
on behalf of the Company, should purchase Mr. Rich-
ards's shares at 10/. discount ?—Certainly not. It was
stated that if the disputes could be arranged, the ac-
tions should be settled on proper apologies being made,
and the costs paid as between solicitor end client.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL—Was not all this stated
to Mr. Bartrum distinctly to be without prejudice?
—Yes.
Mr. TIIESIGER—Do you mean to swear that the
negotiations between yourself and Mr. Bart um were
stated to be without prejudice ?—Distinctly so ; I have
one letter from the secretary stating so.
Mr. TwessrdEn—Now, really, Sir, we cannot hear
anything about the secretary. Will you swell., that,
between yourself and Mr. Beaman it was ever stated
that what was proposed was without prejudice ?
Certainly.
Was it stated when you met ?—lt was so stated.
Verbally?—Verbally.
Do you know anything about the docks yourself?—
No. I have been at Southampton, but not to the docks.
Have any actions been brought against Mr. Richards
by the Company ?—Several.
How many ?—Four or five for calls.
Has he paid them up ?—They are all paid now.
Were the actions defended?—Since I have been
concerned-for him I have defended none. I have car-
ried them up to a certain point and then ceased.
Mr. THESIGER.—Ay ! Made a show of fight and
then, when it came to the point, gave in.
The witness was here about to retire, when he was
prevented by Mr. Thesiger, who asked,
Did not Mr. Young at the meeting you had with him
at your office, offer to insert an apology in his news-
paper?—He said he would insert any thing I pleased,
but I said that would not suit our purpose.
Lord DENUAN.— You wished to be supplied with
information ?—Yes.
The ATTORNEY.GENERAL----TO supply you with
means of proving -it against the proper parties ?—Our
object was to make the parties prove what they had as-
serted.
That he should give you the means of proving ?
Certainly.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL.—And as the negotiation
was without prejudice I can't go into that.
'l'his closed the ease for the plaintiff.
Mr. THESIGER then addressed the Jury for the de-
fendant. May it please your Lordship—Gentlemen of
the Jury.-1 think the last answer, or nearly so, will
satisfy you that this aefon ought Dever to have been
commenced against Mr. Young, the proprietor of The
Sun newspaper, because it has now been proved, that
it is not in the slightest degree necessary for the vindi-
cation of the character of Mr. Richards, the plaintiff.
Every atonement that could possibly be made was of-
fered by my client, but yet it appears, that the plaintiff
choose s to persevere in thew proceedings against him,
when it was perfectly clear that he will have an oppor-
tunity of having the whole matter fairly contested in
the action which he has brought against Mr. Liggins,
the Chairman of the Southampton Dock Company,
which is now pending its this Court. I sin anxious to
show you, gentlemen, that in the whole of this
transaction there Las been nothing to reflect upon
the character or conduct of Mr. Young, the
respectable proprietor of The Sun newspaper. My
Learned Friend, the Attorney-General, in his ad-
dress to you, would not cast any blame upon
The Sun, but lie did not dare to praise it. He
would not dare to give it that character for respect.
ability which he knows it deserves, because he well
knows it would not tend to make out the case he
wishes to make before you. I Lelieve it has very
rarely happened indeed that Mr. Young has been guilty
of any conduct, or put under such circumstances as to
compel him to appear before a Jury—very rarely indeed.
He is extremely anxious to avoid, in his newspaper, all
matter at all reflecting upon individuals. Ile belie% ea
that his duty as a Journalist, confines him to matters
of public importance ; and in the diligent discharge of
that duty, be has unfortunately fallen into the error
which compels him to appear before you to-day.
IVith respect to the claim for damages, my Learned
Friend the Attorney-General has endeavoured to show
a mercenary motive on the part of Mr. Young. Now,
gentlemen, what (Ices the whole of that amount to?
1 was indeed surprised to hear what fed from my
Learned Friend—l was surprised to hear the observa-
tions he was instructed to make in regard to that most
mportant national undeiteking, the establishment of
large and commodious docks ht the port of South-
ampton. He has endeavoured to make you believe
that it has been undertaken for the mere purpose of
speculation, that it has been undertaken by persons of
no character, and, in fact, to use a term of my Learned
Friend's, that it is a bubble Company from beginning
to end. Now let me oissecie to you that my Learned
Friend merely insinuated all diet, and that he offered
no proof of it whateser, and I defy him to do se.
He says so, he is so instructed, but 1 am
bold enough to say that it is a most important
undertaking, one which will be attended with the
greatest national advantages, and it is one which I hope
will soon be carried out to its fulfilment, and that the
adventurers who have joined it, I have no hesitation in
saying, with a view to their own interest, but I will
also say, with a view to the public advantage, or they
wonll never have obtained the sanction of the Legis-
lat ire to their Bill, will be rewarded. Well, this being
a great national undertaking, everything connected with
it, of course, was of great public importance, and as
there was to be a meeting of the Proprietors of shares,
at which the Report of the engineer was to be read,
and as it was expected to be moat numerously attended,
and it being thought to be for the advantage of the
undertaking that the public in general should under-
stand how the affairs of a work of such public importance
were going on, a request was sent to my respectable
client, Mr. Young ; of course that request being made
by the Directory, that he would send a reporter to the
meeting. Now, gentlemen, could it possibly have been
anticipated that at that meeting there would have been
arty charge made against Mr. Richards, the plaint.ff, by
Mr. Liggins ; that there would have been any attempt
at disorder made by Linn such as to make it the duty of
the Chairman to call him to order ? Does anything ap-
peer but a fair and honest desire that all the mattsrs
and concerns of the Company—the more especially as
the Report of the engineer was to be considered—
should be laid before the public, in order that they
should form their own idea of what prospect there was
of the ultimate success of the vast undertaking ? Ac-
cordingly the Directors make the request, and a re-
porter is sent to the meeting by Mr. Young. Now.
gentlemen, look at the way in which the proceedings oh
this meet ng are sent forth to the world. lt begins—