The Sun.
London, England, 1857-06-30 00:00:00

BILL.

The house then went into committee on this bill.
Clauses 153 up to 160 were agreed to.
Upon clause 161 being proposed,
Mr. BLAND moved an amendment, to the effect that
in cases of bankruptcy no action should be commenced
against a shareholder in a company without leave of the
court.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL for Ireland raid the
amendment was a very important one, and such being
the case he suggested striking out of the clause altoge-
ther. If the clause was struck out he would at a
future stage of the bill bring up a clause which
would meet the views of the honourable member. It
would go to the extent of securing, during the proceed-
ings in bankruptcy, both the property and person of
the bankrupt.
Clause 161 was accordingly struck out.
[LEFT BITTING

CRYSTAL PALACE COMPANY.

MEETING THIS DAY.
,The yearly meeting of the sharehol len in this under-
taking was held this afternoon at the Bridge-house
Hotel, London Bridge. Mr. Henderson, the chairman
of the directors, presiding.
The following report of the directors was read by
the society :
The total revenue of the company during the last year
was 115,927/. 6.. M., and the expenses 87,8711. 19s. ld.
showing a profit of 27,755/. 7s. 7d. on the year's opera-
tions. A large amount, upwards of 11,0"101., has been
spent in the maintenance of the fabric. This has chiefly oc-
curred in connection with the floors and roofs of the pa-
lace, the former of which were much decayed from their
having been in contact with the earth of the flower beds ;
an .I the latter, from their nature and extent, required
time before settling to their places, during which constant
supervision and expense have been necessary. The floors
have been thoroughly repaired throughout, id such a man-
ner as to prevent a recurrence of the decay, and the roofs
of the great transept and of the other parts of the build-
ing have also been refitted, arid put into a state of perfect
repair and efficiency, and are now stronger and better than
at any former period. A considerable outlay has been
also incurred in the department of the external gardens
—works rendered necessary from the fact that a consi-
derable portion of the lower part of the park
Lad hitherto been in an unfiished state ; the whole
has now been laid out and planted, and walks
carried round the whole of the gardens, thus adding
very considerably to their extent and attraction. In addi-
tion, an extensive cricket-ground has been formed, which
will, undoubtedly, become a source of revenue in future
years. As the whole of these works are now completed, no
further outlay on this head is likely to be acquired. The
directors are deeply impressed with the great importance of
reducing the expense under all heads to the lowest possible
limit ; but still they believe that the real interests of the
shareholders are best consulted by maintaining the palace
and park at the highest state of efficiency and perfection,
and, acting on this principle, they have felt that they had
no alternative out to sanction such outlay as was necessary
to attain this object. There had been a largo expenditure
under the head of fetes arising from the cost of extraordi-
nary attractions for temporary purposes, such as for the opera
coucerts, flower shows, poultry shows, peace festival, &e. ;
but as on a careful analysis it is found that all
these have not only repaid the sums expended on them,
but have left a considerable profit, this outlay has been
practically beneficial to the company. The arrangements
made with Mr. Gye for the present year aro of a nature
considerably more favourably to the company than those
of last season, and as the opera concerts contiuue to prove
attractive the directors trust that the result will be as sa-
tisfactory as it was last year. The poultry show was en
experiment which proved highly successful, not withstaud-
ing its novelty and the season of the year at which it took
place, and it is confidently expected that shows of a
similar nature will in future become not only a source of
attraction to the public, but also of revenue to the com-
pany. The directors refer with pleasure to the augmen-
tation in the gross receipts of the company, every branch
of which shows an increase. Lae total number of visitors
to the palace daring the twelve months has been
1,412,922, against 1,352,113 in the previous twelve months,
and the amount received for admissions, exclusive of sea-
son tickets, is 70,5441. 183. against 61,1111. 12s. 2d. In
the exhibiting department is also a satisfactory in-
crease in the total amount realised, and by the operation
of economy on the one hand, and increased receipts on the
other, a net profit has been obtained of nearly 6,000/. for
the last year, against very little more than 3,000/. in the
preceding twelve months, while the building is now more
occupied both in the selling and non-selling departments,
than at any former period since the opening. Arfange-
ments have been entered into with various parties, which
the directors hope wili further increase this branch of re-
venue during the current twelve months. The disadvan-
tage under which the undertaking has hitherto la-
boured from the insufficiency of cheap and rapid means
of transit between the palace and the west-end At a meeting yesterday of Westminster Improvement
of the metropolis and other populous districts, will in a
bondholders, resolutions were adopted, authorizing the
comparatively short time be removed. The opening of the
committee to oppose the Westminster Improvements Bill
West-end line, although only to Wandsworth Common,
has already had no inconsiderable effect in increasing the No. 3, now before the House of Commons,
number of visitors to the palace. The directors are assured At the meeting of the North British Australasian
this line will be opened through to Battersea by the end Company yesterday the report of the committee of in-
of the year. They are also informed thatthe Mid-Bent line ve,tigatien was received and adopted.
will by the same period have formed a junction with the EXPORT or A STEADIER AS CARGO.—This week Messrs.
populous districts to the eastward, thus brining Green- J. and R. Young exuorted to Alexandria an iron
wish, Woolwich, and all the suburbs in that direction into steamer, weighing 100 tone, and valued at 6,000/. The
immediate contact with the Palace. It is also hoped that Clyde bill of entry gives the export as that of wrought
iron.—Glctsgow Mail.
the junction may be shortly formed with the South-
Western line, and through that line with the North- FATAL ACCIDENT IN THE LONDON DocKs.--Yester.
Wesm
the north, tern and Greatsout Wh, and estern
west Raiof Englandlways, so that excursions , n
day a man, named John Gideon, aged 40, a mariner,
fro
veyed to the Palace without change of carriage. When fel. overboard from a barge in the London Docks, and
all this is completed the great practical difficulty of ac- before the bOdy yield be recovered he was drowned.
cess to the Palace from London will be to a great extent The deceased was removed to the drad.bouse in St
obviated; and as every year must add materially to George'r-in-the-East to await an inquest before Mr.
this accommodation, the directors look forward with Baker, the coroner.
confidence to the undertaking being placed on a secure self- The return of officers to India will probably tax the
supporting basis. All liabilities under the head of " Ca- resources of the Peninsular and Oriental steamer of
pital Account " are now discharged, with the exception of
the 4th of July, but the demand for berths could not
the balance due for purchase of land and the liability in
have happened at a better period of supply, since the
respect of Dulwich Wood; and it will be seen that there
July vessels usually carry out only about a fourth of
has been no material excess over the estimates given by
the shareholders' committee and in the directors' report to the ordinary number of passengers, the heat in the Red
the last meeting. This account may therefore be consi- Sea deterring all persons from voluntarily taking a pas-
dered as practically closed, except in so far as it may be sage at this season.
effected by the frauds committed by Robson. It should be SILK CROP.—According to advises from M. Arles
remarked, however, that several considerable amounts for Dufour, of Lyons, the silk crop thus far seems to have
the completion of works to the building and park, in- realised the anticipations expressed in his former let-
curred during the last year, have been charged to revenue, ters. The prices of cocoons are extraordinarily
which might strictly have been charged to capital ; but it .
h prh as compared with those of last year, but con-
has been the desire of the directors, acting on the expressed —'o
gumption having been largely reduced, and the Euro•
opinion of the shareholders, to treat the capital account as
can crop being better than on that occasion, it is
closed, even at the expense of making the revenue account P
for the past year look less favourable than it otherwise contended there is nothing to justify an extravagant
would have done. rise, although it may possibly continue.—Times.
In regard to the Robson frauds, the directors go on to FIRE AT THE WAR OFFlCE.—Between 9 and 10 o'clock
say that the total amount of cash abstracted by Hobson, on Sunday night a fire occurred in that portion of the
together with the expenses incurred in his apprehension War Office, Pall-mall, formerly known as the Ordnance
and conviction, and in the subsequent investigation by Office. The fire was discovered by the housekeeper,
Messrs. Quilter, Ball, and Co., amounts to about 4,0J0/. who, while walking in the garden at the back of the
against which a sum of at least 1,000/. will be recoverable ,
.ouse, saw a light in one of the rooms. The fire originated
from his estate. The balence of 8,000/. the directors pro-
in the registry office, and a desk containing official docu-
pose should be written off at once to the debit of revenue,
thus leaving the capital account to bear only the amount of . meats was burnt, but no further damage was done, as
shares actually created by Robson. From the final report i the engines arrived very soon after the fire was disco-
of Diessrs, Quilter, Ball, and Co., on their investigation eared, How the fire was caused is not known.