The Sun.
London, England, 1866-12-07 00:00:00

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

DONINGTON HUNT MEETING.--THURSDAY.
This exclusive and artistocratic gathering was inaugu-
rated to-day under the worst possible auspices, rain falling,
with but slight intermission, all the day, rendering the
course and its approaches a perfect quagmire. The course
is situated in the valley of the Trent, about nine miles from
Derby and one from Castle Donington. It is a fair hunt-
ing country, but the bad weather had the effect of making
the ground exceedingly holding, and at one time, when
the rain uwas coming down iu torrents, a postponement of
the sports was mooted ; but the weather subsequently
clearing up the whole of the races were brought off in good
time. The various events require no description other
than that appended :
The Trent Bank Stakes of 5 sows each, for horses which
have been and are now regularly hunted ; 12st 71b each ;
thorough breds 141 b extra ; winuers once 71b, twice 141 b
extra ; maidens at starting allowed 51b; gentletneu
riders only ; about four miles.
12st 2lb (Col. Knox) 1
aged,tlr. Burton's Fickle 03,,00dy,ag
12st 21b (car. 12st 51b)
(Owner) 2
Duke of Hamilton's Clifton Grove, 12st 21b
(Mr. Wombwell) 3
Mr. T. Percival's Marksman, aged, 12st 21b (car. 12st 71b)
(\l.r. Coventry) 0
Betting-5 to 4 agst Marksman, and sto 2 agst Tom
Moody. The favourite showed in front to the first fence,
where he came down, and Fickle Joe was left with a clear
lead of Tom Moody till within a quarter of a mild of home,
when Tom Moody headed Mr. Burton's horse, and, main-
taining the lead to the finish, won easily by a couple of
lengths. Clifton Grove was placed a bad third. Marks-
man, who, after falling a second time at the brook, was
not persevered with, did not pass the post. On returning
to scale the Duke of Hamilton objected to Tom Moody and
Fickle Joe on the ground of having gone on the wrong
side of a flag, but the objection was overruled.
A Pony Stake of 1 sow each, with 15 added, and 5 to the
second, for ponies of all ages, up to 14 hands high ; 10st
71b each ; weight for inches below that height ; one
mile.
Mr. Thomas's Rosa, aged, lOst 71b (Carroll) 1
Mr. Roddham's Flower of Yarrow, 10st 71b

(H. Audinwood) 2
Mr. J. Cannon's Wasp, lOst (T. Cannon) a
Mr. T. Pegg's Macaroni, 10st (car. lOst 21b) ...(Morley) 0
Mr. C. Wolff's Nolan, 3 yrs, 10st. (Spaffor,...,) 0
Mr. T. Muggleston's Lecturer, lOst 71b (W. Fren ch) 0
Mr. E. Slater's Metty, Bst 71b (Brantley) 0
Mr. S. Turner's Nancy, Bst 71b (Corapton) 0
Mr. R. Barker's Pretty Girl, lOst 71b (J. Knott) 0
Mr. S. Goodacre's Queen of Trumps, Oat 101 b ...(Stagg) 0
Mr. Pickering's Caller-Ou the Second, lOst 71b (J. Page) 0
Lord Queensberry's Balloon, 10st 71b (Owner) 0
Marquis of Hastings's Fire King, 7st 71b (Dutnelow)
Betting-5 to 4 agst Rosa, 4to 1 agst Pretty Girl, sto 1
agst Wasp, and 7 to 1 each agst Metty and Flower of Yar-
row. Rosa jumped away in front, attended by Pretty Girl,
Metty, Flower of Yarrow, Caller-Ou the Second, and
Wasp, but they were never able to reach the favourite, who
made all the running at a rattling pace and won easily by
four lengths from Flower of Yarrow, who took sec,Jnd
place after going three quarters of a mile. Waspa was
beaten three lengths for second place. Caller-Ou the Se-
cond was fourth, Metty fifth, Queen of Trumps sixth,
Pretty Girl seventh, and Fire King last.

Match : 50 sovs each, 10 ft. Last three miles of Trent.

Bank Stakes Course.

Mr. J. B. Angell's Pony, lOst 71b (Mr. Gerard) w.o
The Farmers' Hunt Cup, value 50 suns ; 50 to the second ;
three year olds lOst, four llst, five 11st 71b, six and up-
wards 12st ; half breds allowed 71b ; to be ridden by
farmers or their sons only, who have never ridden for
hire, ecc. ; Trent Bank Stakes Course (about four miles).
Mr. Brockton's Nonpareil, by Haworth, aged, 11st
(Owner) 1
Mr. T. Cooper's Huntsman, 7 yrs, 11st 71b (car. list 91b)
(Horspool) 2
Mr. G. W. Coleman's Done Brown (h b), aged, list 71b
(Owner) 3
Mr. P. Goodchild's The Miller (11 b), aged, list 71b
(Mr. J. Perkins) 0
Mr. Radford's Coleorton Lass, 5 yrs, list (Spafford) 0
Mr. Potter's Jack o' Trumps (11 b), 5 yrs, list
(H. Audinwood, jun.) 0
Mr. Stevens's Lady Melbourne (h b), 5 yrs, 11st (carried
11st 41b) (Mr. Dabbs) 0
Mr. Batten's Athcle (h b), 5 yrs, 1Ist
Mr. Pretty's Queen of the Vale, 5 yrs, list (Mr. Bateman) 0
Betting-5 to 2 agst Jack o' Trumps, 3to 1 agst Non-
pareil, and 4to 1 agst The Miller. Nonpareil cut out the
work clear of Jack o' Trumps and Lady Melbourne to the
brook, which the three got well over, but Queen of the
Vale and Coloorton Lass came down and took no further
part in the race. A couple of fences further on, Nonpareil
refused, and the favourite was left with a slight advantage
of Lady Melbourne to the fence leading to the piece of
plough where Jack o' Trumps came down, and the horse
went on riderless. Nonpareil, who was got over at the
second attempt, now approached Lady Melbourne, and the
pair led alternately to the fourth fence from home, where
Lady Melbourne came down a buster, which contretemps
let up Huntsman and The Miller, who closed with Non-
pareil, and the trio ran in a cluster till the last fence but
one from home, when The Miller came down, and Non-
pareil quitting Huntsman, cantered in a winner by 10
lengths. Done Brown was a bad third. Refusals and
falls prevented any of the others passing the post.

The Ladies' Plato of 5 sovs each, with 30 added; throo
year olds lOst 21b, four list, five list 51b, six and aged
list 101 b ; mares and geldings allowed 3.1 ; winners
once 71b, twice 101 b extra (matches excepted), (extreme
penalty); maidens allowed 511): three miles.
' '

MI. C. 11. barew's Dermot Asthore, by Barbarian—Harp,
12st llb (Mr. Coventry) 1
Mr. Thorne's Brighton (h-b), aged, 12st 31b (ear. 12st 41b)
(Mr. Millward) 2
Hon. S. Montgomery's Guardsman, 5 yrs, 12st 91b

(Col. Knox) 3
Mr.H. Rhy, jun.'s, Preferm;nt, 3 yrs, lOst 91b (J. Reeves) 0
Dr. Malchoon's Robin Hood (h-b), 5 yrs, lOst 121b(Tobin) 0
Mr. Gerard's Sutton, 4 yrs, lOst 61b (Owner) 0
Marquis of Hastings's Cantharides, lOst 121 b
(Mr. Wilkinson) 0
Mr. J. Day, jun.'s, Jane Shore, 5 yrs, llst 121b(Cannon) 0
Mr. A. Jacobson's Harkaway, list 71b (Mr. Wickman) 0
Betting— sto 4 on Dermot Asthore, 2 to 1 agst Jane
Shore, and 10 to 1 agst Brighton. Cantharides made play
for about a mile, when Brighton took up the running, and
carried it on till within a quarter of a mile from home,
where Dermot Asthore, who had been waiting, went to the
front, and won easily by five lengths. Guardsman was a
bad third, and nothing else passed the post.
The Donington Park Hurdle Race Stakes of 5 sovs each
with 25 added; 12st 71b each ; winners of 200 sovs 141 b,
100 71b, of any other race 51b extra; marQs and geld-
ingsht allowed 31b, half brads 71b, maidens 51b; weig s
not to be accumulative ; two miles,
Gamma di Vergy—
Mr. C. H. Carew's Shakespeare, by .
.. (Mr. Coventry) 1
Capucine, 5 yrs, 12st 1 llb ........... .
(Owner) 2
Mr. Percival's Charlie (h-b), 11st 13 b
Truant, late Tom
Mr. P. Herbert's Robin Adair (latxe.)...
(Mr. Davenport) 3
over hurdles.
Paine), aged, 12st 111 b (inc. 71b
list 131 b
Duke of Hamilton's Wedding Peal,
(F. Wombwell) 0
Lot d Queensberry's Blood Roy.
Name), 12st 41b (Col. Knox) 0
Mr. Craven's Skiff (late
aged,allo.A..
al,
_°ag4edy,rs,l2st 41b (0 wner) 0
list 61b (Mr. Brockton) 0
Mr. J. Hall's Charlie, with whom
play till within half a mile from
was Robin Adair, made
the front and won easily
Shakespeare came to
home, when Charlie. Robin Adair was a bad
lengths from
by two
pulled up on the post.
The others
third.
Betting-6 Rtooblinonlirbakespeare.

RACING FIXTI
FEBR

RES FOR 1867.
rARY.

Lincoln l9
Harrow ............... 2l
MA

Nottingham 24
Derby
'H.

Liverpool 5
Chelmsford
Bromley

West Drayton l9
Epsom
Lewes
,IL.

Northampton
Windsor
Newmarket Craven 8
T hirsk

Newmarket Ist Spring 22
Durham.. 22
Catterick
Ctiester
'AY. '

York
Doncaster Spring
Salisbury

Hath
Harpenden
Epsom

Ascot 4
Windsor
Manchester
B i bury
Newton l9

Stockbridge 25
Chelmsford 26
Newcastle
Worcester

Railway and

tiler Companies.

PENINSUAR AND ORIENTAL STEAM NAVI-

GATION.

The annual general meeting of this company was
held yesterday at the offices, Leadenhall-street ;
Mr. P. D. Hadow, the deputy-chairman, presided.
Mr. C. W. HOWELL, the secretary, read the re-
port, which stated that the company stood possessed
on Sept. 30 last of stock in ships, less the amount
deducted for depreciation, £3,043,164; also of lease-
hold and freehold property in England and docks
and premises at Calcutta, Bombay, Hongkong,
Singapore, and other stations, £259,090 ; stock of
coals, naval and victualling stores, amounting to
£473,856 ; also cash at bankers, investments, bills
receivable, balances in agents' hands, and debts due
to the company, £368,181, making the total assets
£4,144,290. The capital received from proprietors
at that date amounted to £2,300,000, on debentures
to £626,500, and in anticipation of the ninth and
tenth instalments £34,605; total capital £2,961,105.
The liabilities of the company in bills payable and
otherwise amounted to £724,171, making the total
capital and liabilities £3,685,276, showing a surplus
of £459,015. The revenue account showed that
the gross receipts or income of the company, from
freight, passage-money, postal service contracts,
and other sources, amounted for the 12 months
ending Sept. 30 last to £2,243,076. The expendi-
ture and charges on revenue, including interest on
debentures, with the reserve for insurance, and out-
lay for wear and tear, and renewal of ships, for the
same period, amounted to £2,094,493, leaving a net
profit of £148,583. From this was deducted
£77,000 for dividend of 31 per cent. for the half-
year ending March 31, and £67,500 for the half-
year's dividend now recommended at 3 per cent.,
leaving a balance of £4,083. The annual premium
of 5 per cent. on the estimated value of the float-
ing property of the company, covering ordinary
sea risks and credited to the proprietors' under-
writing account for the year ending Sept. 30, 1866,
was £llO,OOO. From this was deducted value
of steamship Jeddo, wrecked on the Choul Kader
Reef in February last (less depreciation) £52,200 ;
also damage to the company's property at Calcutta
by the cycicne in October, 1864, £770 ; leaving a
balance of £56,030, out of which it was proposed to
pay the proprietors at the rate of 2} per cent., leav-
ing £363 for the reserve fund, which would then
amount to £450,015. The tabular statement of the
company's fleet showed that there were 10 ships—
live screw and five paddlewheel—on the Mediter-
ranean service ; seven screw on the Calcutta and
Suez line ; 18 screw on the Bombay and Suez and
Bombay and China lines ; four screw on the Ceylon
and Sydney line, and two paddle and five screw on
the Hong Kong and Shanghai, China Coast, and
Japan lines, making together 46 ships, aggregate
tonnage 74,341 tons and 16,580 horsepower.
There were five ships under repair of an aggregate
tonnage of 8,928 tons and 2,300-horse power.
These, together with steam-tugs, transport, store,
and coal ships, amounted in the aggregate to 99,963
tons Customs' measurement, and to 19,655-horse
power. The Surat, after performing a complete
voyage on the Southampton and Mediterranean
lines, during which she steamed 8,858 miles, at an
average rate of 11 knots per hour, was despatched
to Calcutta, via the Cape, on the 7th ult., for ser-
vice between that place and Suez. The Avoca,
Malacca, and Sunda had likewise been finished, and
sent to the East. The Avoca made the passage from
Southampton to Bombay in 65 days, the Malacca. in
55 days, and the Sunda in 58 days. The Geelong.
left Southampton for Bombay on the 9th June, and
arrived out on 30th July in 51 days. Al those
voyages were made under easy steam. The Candia,
Nubia, and Delta were again in active service, each
having received new boilers and a thorough repair
and refit. The first brought to Suez, two days
within the contract time, the Calcutta and China
mails, delivered on the 27th ult. The Granada had
been sold to one of the princes cf Japan on advan-
tageous terms. The number of vessels under ex-
tensive repair had of late been unusually large. This
ha I arisen from the circumstance that many of the
co:npany's ships were built about the same time and
the necessity for new boilers and a general refit
came round at nearly the same period. Several of
the finest ships—among them the Pera, the Simla,
the China, the Ceylon, the Nubia, the Candia, the
Nepaul, the Benares, the Emeu, the Salsette, and
the Delta—had now undergone a complete renewal,
and some had still to be Idd up for the same pur-
pose. The repairs and renewals of the last nine of
the slips came into the accounts for the financial
year, and the consequence was that the amount ex-
pended in that say hal exceeded the total of that
spent in repairs and renewatls, together with the sum
set apart for depreciation in former years, when the
repairs had been of the average amount. For the
year 1865 the cost of repairs stood at £294,459,
and the amount set apart for depreciation was
£115,000, making together £409,459. In the ac-
counts for the present year the amount expended in
repairs and renewals alone had reached the unusual
sum of £439,400, but as the vessels repaired and
renewed during this and the preceding year had
been rendered in many respects as good as new, the
directors had not considered it necessary to charge
any reserve for depreciation against the revenue of :
the last financial year. The Board looking forward
to the pdssibility that the company might soon be
invited to submit tenders for new
services, the
sequently petitioned her Majesty in Counciliit for a
they con_
no-f
supplemental charter, authorising an act
£1,000,000 to the present capital of the company,
by the creation and issue of 20,000 new shares of
£5O each. The directors greatly regretted the loss
by death of two members of the Board in the last
half-year, Mr. Plowden and Capt. Nairne, who had
discharged their duties with great assiduity. The
vacancies, in accordance with the deed of settlement,
were filled up by the appointment of Mr. E.
Thornton, C. 8., and Mr. G. C. L'Estrange, sub-
ject to the approval of the proprietors. The Board
proposed, prior to the half-yearly meeting next June,
to nominate Mr. H. Bayley, now one of the assistant
managers, to the post of director. The Indian and
China mail Contracts taken in 1853 and 1854 were
terminable by the Government or the company
on 12 months' notice, and the existing Australian
contract, which commenced in February last, was
terminable in like manner on two years' notice.
Those contracts comprised the whole of the mail
services now worked by the company. Ihe Parlia-
mentary Committee of 1866, after a most searching
inquiry, recorded their " opinion that the services
under the several contracts to which reference had
been made had been wellperformed," and the direc-
tors felt warranted in stating that the facts and evi-
dence submitted to them could have led to no other
conclusion. The subject was now under the consi-
deration of the several departments of the Govern-
ment. The directors had completed their arrange-
ments for a trial of extra voyages between Bombay
and Suez; the first steamer would leave Bombay on
Jan. 19, and Suez about Feb. 5, in correspondence
with the steamers to leave Southampton on the 20th,
and Marseilles on the 28th January. A service four
times a month would then be temporarily estab-
lished. In the face of the existingstagnation of trade
vith the East, the directors congratulated the pro-
prietora on the fact that they were enabled to recom-
mend a dividend of 3 per cent. for the last half-year,
making, with 31 per cent. declared in June last and
21 per cent. ftzi:t the
underwriting account, a total
of 9 per cent.
eyear. The amounts now avail-
able
dividend able would be—for 3 per cent., and under-
writing account 21 per cent., togeth-er 5"1- per cent ,
free of inco
me-tax, payable in
one warrant ou Fri-
day, 28th inst.

The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the
,t
daythe
report, expressed regret thatAndeo
cHirnr.73, uni-t'ol.;; to attend in thna
in copse:fit:enc.:: of illness. It was interec=tie
inectil:g is respcct, of its being 25 years since the
first annual meeting of the company was held in St.
Mary-axe, when the company had a much smaller
undertaking than at present. It had been carried
ont from the commencement with prudence in
every way, and with due enterprise. The founders
of the undertaking would, he trusted, bealways held
in grateful remembrance. The company had been of
vast importAnce to the country • by extending com-
merce to the East. His worthy friend the secre-
tary, had compiled an account of the* progress of the

company up to the present time, for which he de-
served the thanks of the proprietors. It showed
how the Government had assisted th..mi ;n the un-
dertaking, and the parsimonious conduct of the
authorities. They never had a tender accepted by
the Government through favour to the company,
but because it was lowest, except in one or two cases
when another company tendered for contracts and
came to an untimely end. They owed nothing to
the Government far their support ; all the company
had obtained had been fairly earned and fairly won.
The capital account was now larger than ever it was
before, owing to the call on the new shares, but the
money had been judiciously expended on property
abroad and would be remunerative to the company.
The ships that had been renewed were now as good
as new ships, the company's fleet was in a perfect
state of efficiency, and he could say that commanders
and officers were able and efficient in every respect.
The new capital they proposed to get power to raise
would not be lightly expended. They would only
expend what was requisite for the purposes of the
company. When they got the supplemental charter
they would call up £5 a share, and he might mention
that the ratio of the new share capital to the old
would be as 2to 5. The business of the company
had suffered to some extent from the late panic and
the commercial crisis, but he was glad to say that re-
cent advices from the East showed that things there
were improving. The experimental service had
long been thought of by this company. The experi-
mental line from Suez to Bombay had been pro-
posed to the Government 18 months ago, but owing
to official delays the matter had been allowed to
remain in abeyance. They were, however, going
to put the vessels on the route to see how the ser-
vice would be conducted with advantage in case it
should be adopted. He then adverted to the Par-
liamentary Committee on Communications with the
East, before whom many rash statements were
made, being the reverse of accurate, and those were
completely refuted by the excellent secretary, who
had compiled facts and figures in support of his
statements. Their company had come out of that
searching investigation with credit, and it was
acknowledged by the committee that the service by
the company was well performed. Their establish-
ment in Bombay had been enlarged for the repair
of ships, and was of considerable value to them.
The motion for the adoption of the report having
been seconded,
Mr. GLIDDON called attention to the compara-
tively small sum paid by the Government for the con-
veyance of the mails, which he stated was at the rate
of ld. per ton per mile, being the same rate as that
paid for the conveyance of coals on the railways.
The Secretary said that according to measurement
it was little more than id. a ton per mile.
Mr. JONES suggested that greater facilities might
be afforded to second-class passengers in their ships,
or that a separate service might be organised by
the company for that purpose ; at the same time he
thought the present very efficient service of the
company and speed of the ships could not be per-
formed at less expense. He referred to the excellent
conduct of Capt. Hector in one of the company's
ships during a typhoon, which proved they had not
only able commanders but efficient crews.

A discussion ensued, and after explanations by
the Chairman, the report was unanimously adopted.
A dividend of 3 per cent. for the past half year was
declared, together with a payment of 2f per cent.,
for the year ending Sept. 30 last, out of the under-
writing account, making together 51 per cent., pay-
able on the 28th inst.

On the motion of the Chairman, Mr. E. Thorn-
ton, C. 8., and Mr. G. C. L'Estrange were unani-
mously elected directors of the company.
On the motion of Dr. Evans, seconded by the
Chairman, the best thanks of the meeting were
unanimously tendered to Mr. Howell, the secretary,
for the important facts he had compiled in respect
of the public services performed by the company.
The proceedings concluded with a vote of thanks
to the chairman.