The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-04 00:00:00

REGENT'S CANAL COMPANY.

The half-yearly meeting of this Company was held yester-
day, at the establishment, City-road Basin, J. E. D. Bethune,
Esq., in the chair. The report of the directors stated that
the agreement as to the project for transforming the Regent's
Canal into a railway having become void in consequence of
the required amount not having been subscribed, the sum
of 5,0001. deposited as caution money by the committee of
that scheme, became the property of the Regent's Canal
Company, and that the same had been transferred to the ac-
count of the reserve fund, thereby increasing the amount 01
that fund to 13,835/. 183. 2d. The committee had borrowed
of this amount 2,6051. 17s. 3d. to pay for a portion of the
property required for the new entrance to the Limehouse
Dock. The tonnages in the six months ending the 31st
of May, amounted to 528,865 tons, producing a return
18,934/., and the profit for the half year ending 81st of
March last, amounted to 13,057/. 163. 9d., making with
3931. 4s. 6d., an amount of 13,451/. Is. 4d. to be carried to
the profit and h,ss account. A deduction of five per cent.
on the net profits of the half-year was suggested as a remedy
for preventing the reserve fund sinking below 10,000/, the
amount agreed upon for that fund before a dividend be de-
clared. In conclusion, the committee suggested a dividend
out of the profits of 12s. per share, leaving a balance of 600/.
towards the next account. After the reading the report Mr.
Greeu and Mr. Mayhew were rather vituperative against
some of the directors for jobbing in the shares of the com-
pany, which ltd to a long discussion, in which the Chairman,
Mr. Alderman Wilson, Mr. Ilitchins, Mr. G. R. Robinson, the
solicitor, Mr. Lyon, and others took part. The transfer•
book was ordered to be produced by the Chairman; but, on
examination, for the last twelve months no shares were found
to have been disposed of by the directors, which explanation
seemed to be satiAactory. A proprietor asked if the Com-
pany had conic to any understanding between the East and
West India Dock Railway Company, in respect to the canal?
The Chairman said he could not at present publicly state
what had transpired, but they might rely on the committee
being quite alive to the interests of the proprietors. After
a deal of discussion on various topics the report was adop'ed,
when the committee and auditors were elected, and a vote
of thanks having been passed the chairman, the meeting
separated.

COLuN lAL MONOPOLY.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlR,—Can you or any of your readers assign to me a sound
reason why I, who am denuded of all protection on the corn
I grow and sell, should be required to support the colonial
monopoly, by paying a protected price for the sugar, coffee,
&c., I may require for myself and family ? It was surely
always understood that when the differential duties on corn
were abol6lied (the trifle which remains for three years
being little more than enough to pay the costs of registra-
tion), the differential duties on all other articles were to be
abolished also.-1 am, sir, &c.,
A TENANT-FARMER.

We are requested to state that Mrs. Jameson's new
work, " Memoirs and Essays on Art, Literature, and Social
Morals," will be published by Mr. Bentley, New Burlington-
street, on Friday next, the sth inst
SUICIDE OF A YOUTH.—Yesterday an inquest was
held before Mr. W. Baker, jun., deputy-coroner, at the Ship,
in Finsburp•square, on the body of John Treacher Hall,
aged 17 years, who committed suicide by swallowing an
ounce of arsenic. It appeared from the evidence that the
deceased was the son of a respectable hat• manufacturer, of
No. 6, Finsbury-square. For some time past the deceased
had been in a low and desponding state of mind. He was
.object to repeated bleeding at time nose, which appeared to
alarm him and prey on his spirits. He was very absent in
conversation, and there was no doubt his mind had become
' affected by his infirmity, which he Concealed from his
family. On Sunday morning the deceased's brother, Mr.
Arthur Hall, left him in bed awake. Shortly afters Ards a
noise was heard in the room by one of the servants as
was passing the dour. Mr. Hall immediately proceeded to his
brother's apartment and found him lying on the bed in a
state of great exhaustion and pain. Medical assistance was
sent for directly, and Dr. Pervia was scon in attendance. He
found the deceased vomiting and in a state of collapse. He
prescribed for the deceased, and when he was restored to con-
sciousness Dr. Pervia asked him what he had taken. The
deceased rep!i,d he had taken arsenic The deceased also
informed Dr. Pervia that he had obtained the arsenic six
months ago from the warehonse of his brother, who is a
wholesale druggist, and that he had come to the determina-
tion of committing suicide, as there was no object worth living
for. The deceased expired at one o'cl. ck on Sunday, three
h. u s after he had taken the arsenic. On a post mortem ex-
amination of the body, Dr. Pervia found a large quantity of
arsenic in the deceased's stomach. The jury returned a ver-
dict "That the deceased committed suicide while in a state
of mental derangement."

FARRINGDON GENERAL DISPENSARY AND LYING-IN
CHARITY.—The annual dinner of this institution was held
yesterday evening at Anderton's Hotel, Fleet-street. Mr.
Alderman Copeland, M.P., who had corsented to preside,
being by reason of a family affliction prevented from attend-
ing, Sir James Duke, M.P., the Alderman of the ward, took
the chair. About thirty gentlemen sat down to an excel-
lent dinner provided by Mr. Clemow, which, with the wines,
gave great satisfaction. Mr. J. Galswerihy, the secretary,
read the report, from which it appeared that the number of
patients relieved during the last year was 3,133. The com
mitten announced the removal of the dispensary to much
more commodious premises in Bartlett's-buildings, Holborn,
an inspection of which they invited. It appears that the
limited income of the charity is by no means commensurate
with the calls upon it, and the greatest de-ire was expressed
to free the institution from the debt of 3001. which at present
hampers its efficiency. A donation of 30/. from the Presi-
dent, Lord Denman, was announced amid the cheers of the
meeting, and a list of further donations, amounting to HI.,
was read by the treasurer, Mr. Deputy Beoford. Arrange•
ments were made for bringing the claims of the charity and
the great amount of good effected by it under the notice of
the wealthier inhabitants of the ward by means of a deputa-
tion, and also for insuring more harmonious action between
the committee and medical officers, the latter of whom, it
appeared, claimed a vote in the proceedings of the com-
mittee. Since the establishment of the charity, in 1828, up
to the commencement of the present year, relief has been
afforded to no less than 53,590 patients, of whom at least
one-fourth, inclusive of midwifery cases, have been attended
at home.
FATAL ACCIDENT ON BOARD HER MAJESTY'S SHIP
CALEDONIA.—PLYINIOUTIL JUNE 2.—On Sunday, the 31st
ult., at sunset, when lowering the maintopgallant mast on
board her Majesty's ship Caledonia, 120, Captain Sir Manly
H. Dixon, lying in Hamoaze, the lizard unfortunately gave
way, and the mast fell on the deck and killed three persons.
It appears that the top-gallant-yards of this ship—fore, mein,
and mizen—are usually sent down at sunset; but, in conse-
quence of the Admiralty order for examining her spars and
rigging, instructions had been given on board to lower the
top-gallant- masts, in addition to the yards, so as- to be the
more forward for commencing work the next day (Monday).
At the time of the accident, Captain Dixon, the three Lieu-
tenants (including Lieut. Jones, the officer of the watch),
and most of the crew, were on deck. The lizard, unfor-
tunately, ti as not securely stopped, and when the man at the
mast-head found it slipping from the mast rope, he sung out,
as usual, "Stand from under." There were from forty to
fifty hands underneath, who rushed forward out of danger.
The sufferers, who were more aft, and not in a dangerous
position, unhappily followed the others, and thus came right
under the mast. In falling from the mast-head the top-gallant-
mast caught in the rigging, canted, and fell horizontally
across the deck. Three persons were killed on the spot, viz.,
Mr. C. P. Lamb, assistant clerk, William Slaney, a marine,
leaving a widow and five children, and Thomas B. Herbert,
first-class boy. Charles Pomeroy, a boy, had his shoulder
dislocated, and was otherwise severely injured. The calamity
has deeply affected Captain Dixon and the officers, and they
have evinced their sympathy for the widow of the marine by
a subscription in her behalf. The Captain has given 21., Mr.
Bone, purser, 11., and the other officers in proportion. The
marines volunteered a day's pay each. The boy Pomeroy-
was taken to the Boyal Naval Hospital, at Stonehouse, where
an an inquest is to be held this evening on the. retrnoa
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LEOPARDprile:aNilTed ApTearßbeAlVToainTnEedlisiwmoorwthn and
aßattersea,
wasin
thatleopard
ex i t
consequenceemen t
at large near the common. A gravel digger observed what
of its having
he thought to be a dog, but on his approaching the animal
he found his mistake, and ran off for assistance to secure
the interloper, and information was given to some travelling
menae eries at the fair held near, when it was ascertained
that a young leopard had escaped from one of the vans, and
the owner of the missing animal set out in search of it. In a
very short time lie was joined by a large number of persons,
who went in pursuit of the fugitive. The furze was beaten,
and the common was scoured, but without success. The
huntsmen were then apprised that their "game" had pro-
ceeded towards some cottages near Battersea. The sports-
: men, the number of whom' had considerably increased,
' then came up, and the " view halloo" was given, but the
leopard was disinclined for further chase, and taking up
his abode in a cart-shed, quietly permitted his keeper to
secure him.

BIRMINGHAM TO BE ERECTED INTO A GREAT CEN-
TRAL MI. ITARY DEPOT.—It has been stated in Birmingham
this week, in quarters likely to be well-informed, that Go-
vernment intend to erect the military station there into a
grand central depot, and to remove to it the greater part of
the troops now stationed at Weedon. The central position
of Birmingham, communicating as it now does by railway
with all the principal ports in England, has, it is thought,
suggested the propriety and advantage of making it the seat
of a central depot, inasmuch as at a moment's notice troops
might thence be dis,patcbed cad landed ip a few bouts in
any Put of 6cotland, England, or Ireland.