The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-24 00:00:00

RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURNS.

LONDON AND SOUTH-EASTEIta RAlLWAY.—Traffic re-
turn for the week ending Dec. 2J, 1856 £16,669 9 7
Corresponding week last year

Decrease in 1856

£316 19 8

LONDON, BRIGHTON, AND SOUTH COAST RAILWAY.—
Traffic return for the week ending Dec. 20,
1856...
Corresponding weak last year. 12,705 5 0
Total of the half-year to this date, 1856 416,5186 16 2
Total of the half-year to this date, 1855 391,350 0 1

GREAT LUXEMBOURG RAlLWAY.—Traffic return for the
week ending Dec. 21, 1856 £713 13 4

THE ROYAL BRITISH BANK

Meetings have just been held on this matter to settle the
list of contributories or shareholders liable to calls, before
Mr. Pugh, one of the chief clerks of Vice-Chancellor Kin-
dersley. Two lista were brought in by Mr. Harding, the
official manager, one consisting of those shareholders who
had taken shares under the original charter, and the other
of those who had taken shares under the new or supple.
mental charter. Considerable discussion and confusion
took place on the question of fraud alleged to have been
committed by the company on the shareholders, in the
course of which the chief clerk intimated that in his opi-
nion the question of fraud would not avail the shareholders
if fully proved, and he should place them on the list not-
withstanding, with, of course, liberty to appeal.
Mr. Field, who represented shareholders who came in
under the supplemental charter, made an application that
certain evidence and omissions might go together to esta-
blish what ho considered to be the general frauds of the
company, contending that his clients were not only not
contributories under the new charter, but that they w, re
entitled to recover back from the company the amounts
they had paid on their new shares.

The Chief Clerk, however, declined to entertain the ap.
plication.

The first case of importance, which will probably rule
many others of a similar description, was that of Mr.
Wlmer, of Islington, who was sought to ba made liable
under List A by the transfer of five shares.

Mr. H Harris appeared as solicitor for Mr. Ulmer, aril
stated that, although the chief clerk had laid it down that
no fraud would go in ease of the shareholders, he should,
nevertheless, be under the necessity of entering into this
case fully. The official manager stated that he should
have no difficulty in placing Mr. Ulmer on the list as
liable, and then put in the transfer and the deed, the
handwriting of each of which was admi, ted.
Mr. Gatherer, the company's registrar of shares, was then
examined. He deposed that he knew Mr. Loran de Wolfe
Cockrane, who was the transferor of the five shares to Mr.
Ulmer on 31st March, 1856. He got the shares from Mr.
Cameron, the manager of the bank. The bank must, there-
fore, have held them. He did not know whether Mr. Cock-
rane ( was a debtor to the bank or not, but being referred to
flti lirectors' "green ledger," he observed that at the time
to the close ofa' evilness
1 question Mr. Cockrane was debtor for several thousand
bank atonpopte
"tin". This
ie„k directors' "green ledger" was kept under
and key by Mr. Munro, private secretary to Mr.
Cameron, ev.t
accountl had nev
he re
fo d previouslythaseen t it.th Referringetime
the
because they
He (lid thin
Mr. Harris was a debtor for 10,0001.
Cockrane ilk the bank held these shares as security,
owerned so small a relative value to the amount
formerly a direct
they were held bthe bank, but he could not say whether
yorthe bank or not. Mr. Cockrane was
from himselfron,e_f the bank and took 10 shares in 1851
qualif yte aldhie manager, and a second 10 shares to
the " green ledger, Werreecor- The transactions entered in
ares was 2501., and they were
The consideration for the shares
kept secret from the clerks.
knowe the brokers. He found o
sold at par. He die not
reference to the " green lioeldageerd"that the sum of 2501. was
received by the batik and
but he
sum that formel the
the Ist April, 1856. It placed the to Mr. Cockrane's credit on
lair. Cockrane had also
itco nwsaidsetrhaetiiodnenfotrictablesushmares, b
or not. ft,..rcould not s whether
He
did not know in
and five shares
ahobau Stu become a director
p what
book 1 books owl i
he i
co
hf
as sold 10
01 OtwoohamreosntthosMberioßreuttht,e
tthoeMbranrthtleelaKcceorur.nts rendered to the
entered, but he found, on reference to theiriet•°" were
most of the names of the proprietors were entere 1
stated to be resolved at the last year's meeting, in
it was
1856, Mr. Esdaile in the chair, that " the ShareholdersinA Au
unbounded confidence in the honour and integrity of the
directors." (Loud laughter.) He knew, however, that
the meeting in question was not unanimous, for seversl
shareholders grumbled, and had not confidence in the
directors; but referring to the minute-book, he found that
the meeting was entered as " unanimous." Mr. Crawford,
the accountant, who bad succeeded Mr. Cameron as wane.
ger, could give the best information as to the accounts.