The Sun.
London, England, 1859-01-19 00:00:00

LONDON AND WEST3UNST.E.R BANK.

The half-yearly general meeting of this bank took placo
to-day, Mr. Alderman Salomons in the chair.

The report stated that the net profits of the bank for the
last half-year were £86,360 10s. hi., after the various de-
ductions. This sum, added to £9,852185. ld., the balance
of the previous half-year, and another surplus of £lO,OOO
reserved in December, 1857, but not required, would make
the total sum now available £106,203 Bs. 2d. Out of this
the directors had paid the interest on the surplus fund at
6 per cent., and they now declared a dividend at the rate of
6 per cent. per annum, and a bonus of 6 per cent on the
paid-up capital. After these payments there would be a
balance of £12,073 6s. 11d., of which £2,073 ss. 11d. wculd
be added to the surplus fund ; and the directors recom-
mended that the remaining £lO,OOO, set apart in December,
1857, be also added to the same fund, which would then
amount to £181,407 17s. 10d.

It appeared from the balance-sheet that the total assets
were £12,737,223 ss. sd.

There was a brief discussion, but the report was adopted
unanimously.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

BETTING AT MANCHESTER.—TtESDAY.
TWO THOUSAND GUINEAS.
10 to 1 agst Phantom (offers to tako)
600 to 30 agst Ralpho (offered)
CHESTER CUP.
60 to 1 agst Blackthorn (taken)
60 to 1 agst Herne (taken)
50 to 1 agst Royal Sovereign (taken)
500 to 7 agst Solomon (offered)
500 to 7 agst Raspberry (offered)
100 to 1 agst Telegram (offered)
DERBY.
40 to 1 agst Reynard (taken)

THE LATE CATASTROPHE AT THE
POLYTECHNIC.

ADJOURNED INVESTIGATION.

Yesterday, at two o'clock, Mr. Wakley, coroner for

Middlesex, and the jury empannelled on the 6th instant, to
investigate the circumstances connected with the recent
catastrophe at the Polytechnic Institution, re-assembled at
the Lecture-hall of the College of Dentists, No. 5, Caven-
dish-square, for the purpose of further prosecuting their
inquiry.
It will be recollected that the jury were sworn as to the
death of Emma Pike, who, with her father and other mem-
bers of her family, were passing down the staircase at the
moment of its fall. The proceedings excited very deep
interest, and the spacious room • in which the inquiry was
held was densely crowded.
Mr. Sleigh, instructed by Mr. Greatorex, attended to
watch the proceedings on the part of the directors of the
Polytechnic Institution ; Mr. Collier, M.P., Q.C., ap-
peared for Mr. James Thompson, the architect; Mr. Gor-
ing, solicitor, appeared for Mr. Bedford, the mason who
was employed to let the iron treads into the steps
of the staircase ; Mr. Hughes, solicitor for Mr. Pep-
per, then lessee of the -institution ; and Mr. Matthews, soli-
citor for Mr. Pike, the father of the deceased child.

The first witness examined was Mr. Smith, who stated
that he was present at a number of experiments made by
Mr. Marsh Nelson and Mr. Eales, the architects, upon a
portion of the fallen staircase. In the course of those expe-
riments the top stair of the upper flight had been very
severely tested, and before it yielded it bore an enormous
strain-20 times as much as it would ordinarily have to bear.
Mr. Marsh Nelson, one of the architects appointed to give
his opinion as to the cause of the calamity, then read his
report, which having alluded to the nature of the accident,
went on to state that it was his opinion that the alteration
of the staircase was not the cause of the accident, but That
the fall was caused by the giving way of the bottom
landing (or the steps immediately resting upon it) of the
first flight. The landing was supported by one end being
pinned into the wall, and on the other by a joggle joint
of imperfect construction, instead of having a solid
bearing upon the iron girder, as . is usual.
The landing was cut to a feather edge, and nearly on the
point of this rested the first of a flight of 18 steps,
each five feet in length, and although the steps
were
*pinned into the wall, Mr. Nelson considered that
quite insufficient for such a staircase. ' The report went on
to state the parts of the institution which were not fire-
proof, and concluded by recommending the jury to make such
a presentment to Government as would induce Parliament
early in the ensuing session to re-consider and re-construct
the present inefficient building clause, and the laws for the
supervision of places for public amusement, so as to
prevent as far as possible a recurrence of accidents
which have been so frequent of late.
Mr. Eales, the other professional gentleman, then read
his report, which in the main agreed with that of Mr.
Nelson. He condemned the manner in which the
repairs to the stairs had been effected, and recommended
for the future that geometrical staircases for public places of
amusement should be prohibited, and that for the future
it should be strictly enforced, that when the ends of stairs
projected from the wall, those ends should be supported by
rests rising from the ground.

The Coroner said, the jury having heard the two reports
read, he thought that, in order to allow time for considera-
tion, the present inquiry had better be adjourned for a
short time.

The inquiry was adjourned until three o'clock on Mon-
day next.

THIS DAY'S MARKETS.