The Sun.
London, England, 1857-12-23 00:00:00

EAST INDIA HOUSE•

MEETING THIS DAY.

The quarterly general court of proprietors was held at
the India House, Leadenhall-street, this day, at 12
o'clock, for the purpose of submitting for confirmation
the resolution of the general court on Dec. 16, approv
ing the resolution of the Court of Directors of the 2d
inst., granting to Major-General Sir Archdale Wilson,
Bart., K.C.8., an annuity of 1,0001, and to Lady Neill,
widow of the late Brigadier-General Neill, and to Mrs.
Nicholson, the mother of the late Brigadier-General
Nicholson, special pensions of 5001. per annum re-
spectively, in addition to the allowances they are
entitled under the regulations.

Mr. R. D. MANGLES, chairman of the Court of
Directors, presided.

The meeting of the last Court having been confirmed,
The CHAIRMAN announced that the dividend warrants
for the half-year would be ready on the 6th of February.
A PROPRIETOR said he wished to know, previous to
the resolutions being carried, whether any steps bad
been taken to meet the contingency of General Sir A.
Wilson's death.

The CHAIRMAN said the business of the Court was
confined to confirming the resolution of the previous
Court or not—no alteration can be made in the terms
of the resolution.

The resolution was then formally put to the Court.
Mr. LEWIN said he did not approve of the sums
mentioned ; on the contrary, he thought tha sums totally
inadequate. With respect to the annuity of 5001. which
it was proposed to give to Lady Neill, he thought it was
much too small to enable her to maintain her proper
position. The Government bad conferred upon
her all the nominal honours of a K.C.E., but he
thought she would be better without that mark of dis
tinction. Everybody knew who General Neill was—
(hear)—and therefore there was no necessity, for the
purpose of perpetuating his memory, of conferring an
empty title upon his widow. (Hear.) He thought that
the annuity ought to be 7501. The hon. proprietor was
then about to enter into the question of the employment
of steam vessels in the conveyance of troops to India,
wnen

A PROPRIBToIt rose to order. He submitted that the
hon. proprietor was out of order.
Mr. LEwIN said he had no wish to be irregular. He
would presently move his resolution as a substantive
motion.

The CIIIIIIMAN then put the resolution, which was

carried.

Mr. JONES then rose for the purpose of moving the
following resolution, viz. :—" That it is due to the
advancing intelligence of the people of India that a
deputy from each university in the several Presidencies
be maintained at the public expense in this country,
with a view to inform the proprietors as to the wishes
and complaints of the people of India." He commenced by
complaining of the manner in which he had been treated at
the last court, when he brought for ward his resolution,
namely, counting him out. There was another circurestance
much to be regretted—that was the small attendance that
day. Such an attendance would almost justify the
threat that had been held out, that the Government
would, in a short time, entirely abolish the corporation.
He contended that the best judges of the wants and ne-
cessities of the natives of India were the Court of Direc-
tors, (Hear, hear.) The chairman bad stated that
the present mutiny was but a sepoy rebellion.
Against such an opinion he would place the opinion of
Dr, Duff. He was not of that opinion. The sepoys
had been inflamed by the natives of India, and the
mutiny was the result of the discontent that pervaded
the entire Indian population. The law of inheritance
was a great source of discontent, and he was fortified
in his opinion by a passage which he found yin a work
published by a Hindoo society, which stated tbat
if the present course of interfering with the religious
opinions of the natives was pursued, they would
have at least 80,000,000 of discontented subjects. (Hear,
hear.) The hon. proprietor then referred to the opinion
of the Hindoo with respect to the possession of property
which they believed necessary to their future salvation.
He next referred to the policy of Lord Dalhousie, which
he characterised as reckless, obstinate, and tyrannical ;
the violation of treaties, and the robbing of the native
princes of India, had led to the present unfortunate
affairs.

The CHAIRMAN here announced that ho had just
received intelligence from India. The note he held in
his hand was as follows :—" The Government ha s
received intelligence stating that Lucknow has been
relieved."