The Sun.
London, England, 1851-12-05 00:00:00

LAMBETH.

Thomas Bew, the notorious begging•letter impostor,
who has been in custody for some weeks on two charges
of gross fraud—the first in obtaining 251. from the Earl
of Digby by false representations, and the second in
getting 201. from his Grace the Archbishop of Canter-
bury by the same means—was again placed at the bar
before the ion. G. C. Norton.

Captain Wood, the managing director, and Mr. Fer-
guson, the clerk to the Mendicity Society, were present
to watch the case.

Mr, NORTON, in committing the prisoner for trial, re-

marked that the public were much indebted to the Noble
Earl (Earl Digby, who had attended the court) for
having, at his advanced period of age (nearly 80), and
at this inclement season, travelled nearly 200 miles to
discharge what be considered to be an act of duty by as-
sisting the ends of justice. In no class of cases more
than the present was justice more frequently frustrated,
as the fraud was generally practised on aged and nervous
persons, and therefore it was most praiseworthy on the
part of the venerable Earl to come forward as he had
done.

PENINSULAR AND ORIENTAL STEAM
NAVIGATION COMPANY.
The annual meeting of this company was held
yesterday at the office in Leadenhall-street, Captain
S. Thornton, R.N., in the chair. The meeting was
numerously attended.
The report, read by Mr. Howell, the secretary,
announced a sum disposable for the half-year's divi-
dend of 50,216/. The directors recommended a di-
vidend of 4 per cent. upon the half-year, amounting
to 42,0001., which left a balance to be carried to the
next year's account of 8,2161. Two screw steamers
of 1,200 tons and one of 1,800 tons have been ordered
to be built. The two former are expected to be
ready in January, and the latter by next May. The
directors have also purchased on the stocks two other
screw steamers of 700 tons each, for the purposes of
the monthly (or more frequent) communication be-
tween Calcutta and China. The first, the Shanghai,
was dispatched for her station on the 221 of October
last, and the second, the Chusan, will be ready for
sea early in January. The report also states that—
" In order to meet the growing demands of the public
on the company's lines of communication between
England, India, and China, &c., for more
extended passenger accommodation, and also
for an increased rate of speed, the directors have con-
tracted for one of a series of larger steamers, which
they have named the Himalaya,' measuring upwards
of 3,000 tons, and to be propelled by engines of 1,200
horse-power. The hull is now in progress by Messrs.
Mare and Co., of Black wall, and the engines are
being constructed by Messrs. Penn, of Greenwich.
The directors have confidence in stating, that they
expect this ship to realize a higher rate of speed than
has hitherto been attained by any large ocean-going
steamer." The loss of the Pasha, one of the Com-
pany's steam-vessels, in the Straights of Malacca, on
the 21st of July, by collision with the company's
steam-ship Erin, was adverted to in terms of deep re •
gret, on account of the loss of life by which
this melancholy accident was attended; but, with this
exception, the company's fleet was reported to be in a
most efficient state, and their affairs generally in a
satisfactory condition. The directors congratulated
the shareholders upon the removal of the difficulties
which have hitherto impeded the construction of the
railway through Egypt, the works upon which will
now be carried forward with all possible speed. The
directors finally recommend a dividend of 4 per cent.,
clear of income-tax, for the half-year ending the 30th
of September last, payable on the 23d inst.
The report having been read,
The CHAIRMAN assured the shareholders that the
directors would follow up the inquiries already being
made in India relative to the loss of the Pasha, and
that they would visit with their severe displeasure
any person guilty of negligence on that occasion.
The rest of the report presented, be said, one unvaried
subject of congratulation. The company had, he be-
lieved, fulfilled the expectations of the Government,
and had increased the confidence reposed in them by
the loyal and faithful discharge of all the obligations
which they had entered into with the state. The
directors had had it in their power to assist the Go-
vernment by the conveyance of troops, &c., to the
Cape of Good Hope, and it was a subject of congra-
tulation that during a period of seven years, and
comprehending about eighty voyages, only one mis-
hap had occurred in bringing the mails from China to
this country.
General BRIGGS moved the adoption of the report ;
and

Dr. BEATTIE, in seconding the motion, declared
that the commencement of the railway through Egypt
was owing to the persuasive influence of Lord Pal-
merston, to whom the company was deeply indebted.
In reply to Mr. LEWIN,
The CHAIRMAN said he had no doubt the new
steamers in course of being built for the company
would be able to accomplish the speed required by the
new contrast.
Several gentlemen expressed their satisfaction with
the position and prospects of the company, and their
confidence in the directors.
The election by the directors of Mr. W. F. Do Salis
to fill the vacancy at the board occasioned by the death
of Sir J. Pirie, Bart., was confirmed ; and Mr. J. C.
E wart and Captain A. Nairne, the outgoing directors,
were re-elected.
The recommendation of a dividend of 4 per cent.
upon the half-year was also agreed to, and the meet-
ing separated after a vote of thanks to the chairman
and directors for their services.
The extensive operations of the Peninsular and
Oriental Steam Navigation Company will be best
seen by a list of the vessels which now form the
company's magnificent steam fleet;—
Southampton and Alexandria service.
Ripon, 1,500 tons, 540 horse-power.
Indus, 1,400 tons, 450 horse-power.
Bentinck, 1,800 tons, 520 horse-power.
Suez and Calcutta service.
Hindman, 1.800 tons, 520 horse-power.
Precursor, 1,600 tons, 500 horse-power.
Haddington, 1,500 tons, 500 horse-power.
Oriental, 1,600 tons, 500 horse-power.
Bombay and China service.
Singapore, 1,300 tons, 500 horse power.
Ganges, 1,300 tons, 500 horse-power.
Malta, 1,225 tons, 450 horse-power.
Achilles, 1,000 tons, 420 horse power.
Pekin, 1,180 tons, 430 horse-power.
Braganza, 800 tons, 280 horse-power.
Intended for Suez and Calcutta service.
Pottinger, 1,400 tons, 450 horse-power.
Calcutta and China service.
Erin, 850 tons, 280 horse-power.
Lady Mary Wood, 650 tons, 260 horse-power.
Shanghai, screw, 700 tons, 100 horse-power.
Canton Local service,
Canton, 400 tons, 150 horse power.
Constantinople and Peninsular service.
Sultan, 1,100 tons, 400 horse-power.
Euxine, 1,100 tons, 500 horse-power.
Tagus, 900 tons, 280 horse-power.
Montrose, 650 tons, 240 horse-power.
Iberia, 600 tons, 200 horse-power.
Madrid, 500 tons, 160 horse-power.
Jupiter, 600 tons, 260 horse-power.
Vessels building.
Himalaya, 3,000 tons, 1,200 horse-power.
Bengal, screw, 1,800 tons, 400 horse-power.
Madras, ditto, 1,200 tons, 300 horse-power.
Bombay, ditto, 1,200 tons, 300 horse-power.
Chusan, ditto, 800 tons, 100 horse-power.
Total-35.455 tons, 11,500 horse-

lower.

WATERLOO-BRIDGE COMPANY.
Yesterday the half-yearly general meeting of
proprietors was held at the Freemasons' Tavern,
W. Anderson in the chair.
The report read by the secretary, after referring to
the satisfactory position of the company, stated that
the receipts arising from tolls for the half-year, from
February 23 to August 23, amounted to 10,7041. 9s.
101; the receipts for the corresponding period of the
previous year being 8,434/. 18s. Bd., showing an in-
crease of 2,269/. 1 ls. 2d., of which 1,4001. 2s. was for
horses and carriages, and 869/. 9s. 2d. for foot pas-
sengers. There had been a further increase since
August last of about 1,3461. on these items. This in-
crease had been in a great degree owing to the attrac-
tion of the Great Exhibition, and consequent greater
traffic. The balance in hand, which in February was
0001. 25., after payment of current expenses, interest
on bonds, dividend of 3s. 6d. in the pound to the
annuitants, and other disbursements, now amounted
to 2,8141. Os. 11d. Several vacancies in the direction
had occurred, and the committee, in closing their re-
port, assured the proprietors that everything affecting
the interests of the company had received their best
attention, and expressed their satisfaction that the
bridge was still in a perfectly sound state, without
any appearance of defect or settlement.
On the motion of the CHAIRMAN, the report was
unanimously adopted, after which the auditor's report
was read to the meeting and confirmed.
Three vacancies in the committee having been de-
clared, Sir John Rennie, Mr. A. Gordon, and Mr.
J. Ivatt Briscoe, who had retired by rotation, were
re-elected ; Mr. Benjamin Olivera was proposed as
a member of the committe, in the room of Mr. Bread-
nall deceased, and unanimously elected ; Mr. J. R.
Walsh being also again chosen as auditor of the com-
pany.
Some conversation took place on the subject of a
project for a railway across the Thames over Hunger-
ford-bridge, some account of which has appeared in
the papers, by which, if carried out, it was supposed
the interests of the company might be affected. The
Chairman stated, however, that, as far as could be as-
certained, there was no such project in existence;
that no Parliamentary notice had been given, and the
necessary deposit bad not been paid ; nor were the
railway company (the South-Western) aware of the
.
scheme referred to ; was therefore unnecessary for
the company to take any step in the matter.
Thanks were voted to the chairman and directors
for their services, which were briefly acknowledged
by the former, and the meeting adjourned.

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