The Sun.
London, England, 1857-01-12 00:00:00

PIGEONS.

The following were the successful competitors :—S.
Summerhayes (five prizes), Master Horner, W. Burning.
ham, Thomas Twose, Thomas Bridges, G. C. Adkini
(seven prizes), W. F. Cross (two prizes), Jones Percival
(four prizes), W. T. Square, F. A. Lavender (two
prizes), F. C. Esquilant (four prizes), W. Woodhouse,
E. Maddeford, F. Esquilant, Harrison Weir (six prize.),
J. Thomas (two prizes), Mr. Steib, E. Russell, E. R.
Maddeford (three prizes), F. Thurkell, Rev. F. Watson,
C. Eluett, G. C. Atkins, J. Choyce, jun, Mrs. Pettat,
and Graham Vivian.

RABBITS.
Class 1-15 t, William Brewer ; 2d, WOliam Arthur
Class 2-Ist, G. Mills ; 20, Charles Sellen
Class 3=-Ist, Thomas Pinchbeck"; 20, H. Dixon, jun
Class 4-18 t, Charles Sellen ; 20, James Stinton, jun
Class 5 —LA, Nathaniel Norman ; 20, Alfred English
Class 6-Ist, Charles Sellen.
Class 7—lac, H. Child ; 20, Charles Sellen.
Class 3-Ist, George Wells ; 2.1, G. F. Greensill.
Class 9-Ist, S. C. Baker ;2i, M. Taylor.
There were a variety of others highly commended, and
the exhibition, which will be continued to-day, to-
morrow, and Wednesday, was eminently successful.
The regular Saturday concert's were continued, but,
notwithstanding Madame Raderador ff was as enchanting
as ever, the attractions of the poultry show proved too
much for the musical entertainmeot.

Naval and Military Intelligence.

An order has been received at Chatham for the fol
lowing regiments to be forthwith completed to their full
establishment—viz. :-26th Cameronians, 27th Enni—
killens, the 37th Regiment, and 87th Royal Irish Fuel:
leers. The Duke of Cambridge has authorised the

transfer of a number of soldiers belonging to the 34th
Regiment to the 26th, 35th, and 31st depots, at the
Provisional Battalion, Chatham.
Second-class Staff Surgeon J. Ewing has been relieved
from medical duty at Chatham, for the purpose of
proceeding to Dublin to join the 95th Regiment. Staff
Assistant-Surgeon C. E. Le Febvre has likewise receives
directions to leave Chatham and proceed to Newcastle,
where he will perform medical duty with the depot of
the 85th Light Infantry.
The screw steamship Cornwallis, 60, Capt. R. A.
Powell, and the frigate Mmander, 44, Capt. the Hon. J.
R. Drummond, are appointed to leave Hamoaze to-day
for Plymouth Sound. The crew of the frigate Eagle, 50,
Capt, H. A. Story, at Devonport, got up lower yards
and topmasts on Saturday. These ships are all in the
Coastguard service.
Retired Rear-Admiral Robert Henley Rogers died at
Plymouth on Thursday. This officer entered the navy in
the spring of 1796 as first-class volunteer on board the
Concorde, 36, Capt. Anthony Hunt, whom he followed,
in August of the same year, into La Virginie, 38.
After cruising on the Irish and Baltic stations he sailed
for the East Indies, where from September, 1798, until
his return to England in April, 1803, he served on
board the Suffolk and Victorious, 74's, flagships of
Vice-Admiral Peter Rainier, and the Orpheus, 32,
eammardei by the late Hon. Chas, Elphinstone Fleem-
ing. Of the latter ship he was confirmed a lieutenant,
after having acted for more than 13 months in that
capacity, Feb. 4, 1803. His succeeding appointments
were-May 14, 1803, to the Impetueux, 74, Capt. T. B.
Martin, attached to the Channel fleet; Feb. 21, 1805, to
the Drake, 16, Capt. Drury, with whom he proceeded to
the We-t Indies; May 23 and Dec. 2 following, to the
Penguin, sloop, Capt. G. Morris, and Hercule, 74, flag-
ship of Rear-Admiral J. R, Dacres, on the same station;
June 18, 1806, to the Veteran, 64, as signal-lieutenant
to Rear-Admiral Dacres ; Sept. 14, 1807, to the acting
command of the Hunter, sloop; March 4, 1808, as before
to the Veteran; and June 17, 1809, as senior (after 10
months of half-pay) to the Rhin, 38, Capt. C. Malcolm.
For his active services in the last-mentioned ship in the
Channel and on the north coast of Spain he was pro-
moted on the Ist February, 1812, to the rank of com-
mander. His last appointment was to the Dover troop
ship, the command of which he retained from the 30th
July, 1814, until the 6th August, 1816. During that
period, besides visiting the West Indies and the Baltic,
he accompanied the expedition against New Orleans,
where he served on shore in the breaching batteries and
in command of a body of seamen, and was particularly
noticed for his exertions by Sir E. T. Troubridge. He
attained the rank of captain on the 2d of September,
1816, and accepted the retirement on the first of Octo-
ber, 1846. On the 11th of June, 1851, he was placed on
the list of retired rear-admirals.

Several extensive improvements and alterations are
being carried out ii Chatham Dockyard, which, when
completed, will make that establishment the moat com-
modious Government dockyard in the kingdom. One of
the principal improvements now in progress is at No. 7
granite slip, which is to be lengthened 60 feet, giving a
length of 330 feet. In order to give a solid foundation
to sustain the immense weights which will be laid on
this slip, an immense number of piles have been driven,
on which is laid a bed of concrete 15 feet in depth to
receive the granite floor. The width of this slip will
be 80 feet. The roof is of galvanised iron supported
on iron columns. No. 2 dock is also in course
of being lengthened to 360 feet, and will be the
largest dock of any belonging to the naval establish-
ments. Considerable difficulties have been experienced
during tie progress of this work by the constant break-
ing in of the water, to remedy which two powerful pumps
have been erected, which discharge four tons of water
per minute day and night. A new workshop for the
convicts has been erected at the eastern end of the dock-
yard, 240 feet in length and 30 feet in width, contiguous
to which is a double range of buildings for cement mills,
the machinery for which will be erected this week. The
whole of the above works are being carried out-by
Messrs. J. and C. Rigby, of Westminster. A new police
station is also being built by Messrs. Foord and Sons,
whu have just completed a suppling kiln, in which the
timber used in the dockyard will be steeped. The station
formerly used by the dockyard force has been removed
to make room for the improvements in progress.
A new 36-gun frigate, to be called the Mersey, has
been commenced at Chathan]D ,ckyard. She is laid down
in the new slip from which the Etna floating battery was
launched some time since. The Mersey will be one of
the longest frigates in the service, it being intended to
construct her upwards of 300 feet in length.
The Racoon, 21, one of the new descr►ption of screw
corvettes n•w being built at Chatham, is progressing
very fast, and is expected to be ready for launching in
the ensuing spring. This vessel and her sister ship, the
Charybdis, 21, will be fitted with machinery of 400•
horse power.
Her Majesty's steam vessel Antelope arrived at Ports-
mouth yesterday from Woolwich.
Her Majesty s steam troop ship Simoom, 18, Com-
mander Cooke, had her compasses adjusted in Ports-
mouth harbour on Saturday.
Her Majesty's paddle frigate Furious, 12, was taken
out of dock at Portsmouth after repairs on Saturday,
and into the steam basin, to complete her refit.
Tne Trident, 6, Commander Close, and the Meteor,
steam-battery, were removed from the fitting basin at
Portsmouth on Saturday.
The Bulldog, 6 guns, paddle wheel steam ship, Com-
mander A. C. Gordon, arrived at Sheerness yesterday,
at 11 a.m., from the North Sea, last from Hull. The Bull-
dog was sent from Sheerness in company with the Sala-
mander, 6 guns, paddlewheel steamsloop, Commander
G. T. Mecham, in search of the missing ships from Arch-
angel, bound for Dundee. It has been ascertained that
seven out of the eight missing ships have found shelter in
the different ports on the coast of Lapland, and it is
feared that one ship has been lost on the Lapland coast.
Her Majesty's iron paddlewheel steamvessel Oberon,
ately emj 1 ,yed in the packet service between Malta and
the lonian Islands, was on Saturday paid off at Wool-
wich.

The freightahip Osprey, having shipped 60 quarter
barrels of bail cartridge, and 28 half-barrels of blank
cartridge, from Wool job Arsenal, sailed on Saturday
afternoon for Corfu.
The Sir George F. Seymour freightahip, Capt. Abell
went down to Woolwich on Saturday from St. Ka
tharine's Docks, laden with a cargo of Ordnance stores,
and, after embarking 4-i tons of ammunition, she sailed
for Bermuda
The freightship Neptune arrived at Woolwich-pier on
Saturday from the docks for the purpose of embarking a
,cargo of ordnancc stores for Gibraltar. The Clara
Louisa having completed her cargo of Ordnance stores
for Woolwich Pier, has hauled off to the buoy to fill in
her magazine with ammunition for Malta.
The following appointments have been made at the
Admiralty :
First Lieutenant H. B. Roberts, Royal Marine Artil-
lery, to be Quartermaster of the Portsmouth division of
Royal Marines ; Lieut. H. M. N. Dyer and Lieut. J.
G. Mead, to the Indus ; the Rev. H. Parmenter, chap-
lain, to the Majestic ; W. Lawrance, surgeon, to the
Isis ; F. E. Law, midshipman, to the Royal Albert (for
disposal) ; G. C. Harvey and C. F. W. Johnson, midship•
men, to the Indus (for disposal) ; C. J. Kent, naval
cadet, to the Royal Albert (tor disposal) ; R. H.
W. Cornwall, naval cadet, to the Sanspareil ; R. H.
Hainond, W. J. Ogilvy, J. Anderson, and L. P. Willan,
naval cadets, to the Duke of Wellington (for disposal) ;
C. Hobart, naval cadet, to the Devastation ; G. R.
Henage, H. V. Smith, and C. G. Whitelock, naval
cadets, to the Victory (for disposal) ; Henry John Sut
tan,second master to the Victory ; John J. Morgan,
second master, to the Hawke ; E. A. Bindon, second
master, to the Myrmidon ; H. G. N. Walsh, master
assistant to the Indus ; amid James H. Wallis, assistant
clerk, to the Megtera.

THE GREAT EASTERN MONSTER SHIP.—Mr. S. Beale,
deputy chairman of the Midland Railway Company, and
whose name has long been honourably connected with
the industrial and mercantile pursuits of this country, is
now supplying Messrs. Scott Russell and Ge., the build-
ers of the monster ship, with immense iron plates to be
used in her construction. We had an opportunity of
seeing a number of the plates at the Midland Railway
station, Derby, on Wednesday last, on their way from
Mr. Beale's Parkgate works at Masborough, to Black-
wall. The plates have been expressly rolled for the
bows of the great ship at Millwall, and vary in size from
2 tons to 2. tons, the largest plate being 27 feet long by
4 feet 3 inches wide, and 14 inch thick. The rough plates
from which these beautifully finished plates were cut out
were of course much larger. The plates, which have
been planed, are quite free from blisters and blemishes,
the edges are perteet, and altogether they are an admir-
able specimen of what can be effected in these days of
progress. The difficulty in the manufacture of plates of
these dimensions is in having to deal with such a large
mass of iron in a welding heat, and to pass it under the
rolls the requisite number of times. As far as we know
these plates, in combined size and weight have never
been approached. One fact will show at once the trade
estimate of the difficulty of making heavy plates. At the
quarterly meeting of ironmasters, when the price of iron
is fixed, the price paid for plates varying from 3 to
3i cwt is at the rate of 11. per ton for every single cwt.
above that amount. In general practice plates weighing
from 12 to 15 cwt. each have. been considered very
heavy, and have seldom been exceeded. The difficulty
of rolling these immense masses of iron was enormous.
The process is this :—Between 3 and 44 tons of iron are
bound together and placed in a furnace expressly con•
sti ncted for_ the purpose, and, after the iron has been
heated to a white heat, it is withdrawn and carried to
the rolls, and by admirable mechanical arrangement rolled
into plates. The heat given off during this process from
such an immense surface and mass of iron is so great
as to prevent the workmen approaching within one or
two yards of the plates without their clothes being set
on fire or the skin burnt off their hands and faces. ' I❑
the ordinary process of rolling iron a plate weighing
9 cwt. is considered ss very large one. The largest plate
that had ever been rolled previous to those to which we
allude was one exhibited at the Paris Exhibition, weigh-
ing 1 ton 6 cwt., and which' elicited so many remarks.
One of the plates was 5 feet wide and 17 feet 10 inches
long. During the recent war Mr. Beale unde;rtook to
roll plates for the Government floating batteries, which
operation he duly performed to their complete satisfac-
tion ; and a number of the sides of these modern engines
of war were constructed at his celebrated works. It is
probable that the information and experience gained by
the construction cf these plates enabled him to accom-
plish a still greater triumph in the manufacture of iron.
—.Derby'Reporter.

LAW INTELLIGENCE—Jan. 10.

TICE-CHANCELLOR KTNDERSLEY'S
CHAMBERS—JAN. 10.
IN THE MATTER OF THE ROYAL ERFFISH BANS.
A meeting was held in this matter for the purpose of
making a call.
Upon reading the affidavit of the official manager it
appeared that the debts of the company were 554,000/.,
and that the assets were computed to realise 280,0001.,
with a doubtful item of 41,000/.,in respect of the Cefn Iron
Works in South Wales, but it was expected that advan-
tage would be taken of the bankruptcy to cause a for-
feiture of the lease of these works, and therefore no value
could be put upon this item. The official manager pro-
posed to make a call of 751. per share upon the share-
holders already settled upon the list, and representing
1,507 shares, which it was estimated would produce
about 100,000/.
Mr. Reeti attended for several shareholders, and
objected to the call being made for so large an amount
as 751. per share, as he understood that the assignees
were insisting upon the payment by the shareholders of
a ca 1 of 501. per share alleged to have been made by
the directors three days before the bank was dissolved.
Mr. Burton then read the report of Mr. Harding, the
official manager, presented to the Court of Chancery, on
the general position and prospects of the undertaking,
and which formed the basis of the present proceeding for
making the proposed call, of which the following is an
abstract :—Mr. Harding states that the total amount
due by the bank is 554,560/. Appended to the affidavit
is the list of contributories, holding, in the aggregate,
1,507 shares ; and another list of persons holding 1,493
shares, the latter being those who dispute their liability
as shareholders. A paper is also annexed, showing that
the assets and credit of the bank were estimated, on the
20th of September last, at 299,9271., exclusive of the
lease of the Welsh mineral property, estimated at 40,000/.
With respect to what Mr. Harding says :—" But in
consequence of the said bank having since been adjadi
cated bankrupt, as hereinafter mentioned, I am informed
and advised that the lease of the said Cefn Coal and Iron
Works has become forfeited ; and, under such circum-
stances, I believe that no such sum as 40,0001., or
thereabouts, can or will be realised by the assignees
under the said bankruptcy. That, so far as I have been
able to ascertain, and to the best of my knowledge, in-
formation, and belief, the assets of the mid bank are not
sufficient to meet the liabilities thereof, and if the said
assets are realised under the most favourable circum-
stances, there will still be a deqciency of at least
220,0001., or thereabouts, and that such sum must be pro-
vided by calls upon the shareholders in the said bank ;
and, in order to provide the fuuds required to fully pay
and satisfy the creditors of the said bank, and equalise
the payments or contributions of the several share-
holders, I believe it necessary that a call should be made
upon the contributories who are settled on the list with-
out delay." The affidavit then goes to state that, in
consequence of legal proceedings having been taken by
some of the creditors against the shareholders, many
of them were disposing of their property, or were
about to leave the country ; that others of them
were 'willing to pay the amounts due on their shares ;
and he believes it would be most beneficial to the
shareholders generally if a sum of 100,0001. were
immediately raised by a call, but the sum he does not
think could be raised by any less call upon the contri
butories tban one of 751. per share upon the holders of
the 1,507 shares, and another call of a similar amount, to
be made upon the holders of the 1,493 shares who dis-
pute their liability.
The Chief Clerk, adverting to that part of the state-
ment above given as to the forfeiture of the lease of the
property in Wales, observed that the forfeiture would, in
all probability, be one of the unfortunate results of the
proceedings that had been taken in Bankruptcy, simul-
taneously with those in Chancery. It was to be feared
that the lessors would take advantage of the act of
bankruptcy, an advantage that they could not have taken
had the bank been only wound up in Chancery, and if
so, a less would accrue to the estate in the shape of
assets to be divided among the creditors of 40,0001. or
60,000/.
Mr. Burton said that a further complication had oc-
curred in the course of the last day or two. Mr. Hard-
ing, the official manager of the Court of Chancery, had
been served with a writ at the suit of Mr. Maxwell, pne
of the assignees of the Court of Bankruptcy, and the
petittining creditor of 1,9931., as a creditor of the bank ;
and he had also, it was understood, bee' served with
similar writs by Mr. Richardson and Mr. Ritchie, t wo of
the other assignees, through Messrs. Linklater, the
solicitors in Bankruptcy.
The Chief Clerk—Against whom ?
Mr. Barton—Against the official manager of the
Court of Chancery. The call of 501. made by the Court
of Bankruptcy on shareholders, in addition to the call
of 751. in Chancery, would not affect the latter ; but the
former, if found to hold good, and if it were enforced,
would go in aid of the liquidation of the debts to the
extent of 75,0001., and, if added to the call of 751., and
all were paid, which was questionable, would produce
sufficient to pay 20s. in the pound—a consummation, he
need not say, most devoutly to be wished for. (A. laugh.)
If the amount represented by the proposed calls could
possibly be realised, it would have the effect of staying
the most harassing actions, and enable the estate to be
wound up with what it was almost amusing to contem-
plate— surplus for division among the shareholders.
Mr. Reed (of the firm of Reed, Langford, and Mars-
den), on behalf of the directors of the bank, said he was
afraid that betwee& the proposed calls nothing would be
got from either. One of his clients, Mr. Alderman Ken-
nedy, was the only person as yet who had paid the 501.
call made by the Court of Bankruptcy, amounting on his
shares to 1,0001., and be (Mr. Reed) also held the alder-
man's receipts from creditors in respect of a great many
debts be had paid, so that if these were allewed to go as
a set-off against the call, his client would have nothing
more to contribute.
Mr. Chilton said that, on proper evidence being given
to the official manager, it was in his discretion to allow
such payments as against the amount of call.
Mr. Reed—This was all very well as regarded the
more moneyed shareholders. There were those who
e mid pay the 501. or 751. alone, but who could not pos
sibly. pay the two calls, or 126/. For instance, there was
one shareholder holding shares, and who looked to them
almost entirely for his income, arid whose friends might
assist him in contributing to pay the 501. call. He would
therefore suggest that a call of similar amount should be
made by the official manager, and that he should so
make it as that it might be payable by instalments, for
he did not believe that a quarter of the persons settled
on the list could pay the calls now made. It was inexpe-
dient, he thought, to raise the question as to the validity
of the call, which must be made and paid in some shape,
as it was so desirable to get rid of the fearfal litigation
that was now going on, and likely to continue, by reason
of the claims of fr.:clitoris. The creditors trusted the bank
on the faith of the names of the shareholders, and he
could not understand what honesty there was in the
shareholders endeavouring to shirk their liability. All
the shareholders, he thought, ought to pay up, and his
clients were ready, according to the extentof their means,
to do so, and he was afraid that naany of the poorer share-
holders. would have to get away under the pressure. In
justice to the assignees in bankruptcy he must state
that they had refrained from doing this, and he knew that
Messrs. Linklater had had instructions to issue writs to
the amount of 20,0001., if they saw that the interests of
their clients were likely to be damaged by the issuing of
writs ; and he did not wonder, after the decision of the
Lords Justices, at creditors putting themselves in a po-
sition to take proceedings.
Mr. Burton said that it the calls were paid the ruinous
expenses of actions would be stopped.
A Shareholder—There may be shareholders who can
pay one, but not both calls, and if you put the extra
pressure on them they may be ruined.
Mr. Burton— There were many who would sacrifice
their fortunes to stay harassing executions, and a large
body of shareholders, who had fled the country, had ex-
pressed their willingness to do everything to stay execu-
tion.

Mr. Harding had been told by some shareholders that
they would consent to a call of 2001. or more, if litiga-
tion and execution could be stayed ; and payment or
the call would have that effect, as it would be the imme-
diate means of satisfying creditors.
Mr. Randall hoped it would be clearly understood
that whatever course was determined on all those who
paid the 50/. call in Bankruptcy wou d have credit given
them to that amount.
A Shareholder also hoped that those shareholders who
were also depositors would have the amount of their de-
posits allowed them against the call. (Yes, yes.)
Mr. Harding, referring to the Joint Stock Companies'
Winding-up Amendment Acts, said that by the 29th
section, in the event of a call being made, it was in the
power of the official manager to give time to the share-
holders for it 4 payment.
Mr. De Metz—Actions were increasing daily. (A
voice—" Going on like snowballs.")
The Chief Clerk was of opinion that the more assets
the official manager got into his hands the better would
he be able to deal with the parties. He did not know
what mind exactly the creditors must be in after what
had happened, but it ought to be known after the fear-
ful litigation and expense that he I taken place in both
courts, that 555,0001. of debts had been proved in Chan-
cery without a single farthing expense, while the very
contrary had occurred in bankruptcy, where they would
not receive proof of debts made in Chancery, but put the
parties to all the trouble and expense of proving them
over again before they could be entitled to the dividend.
He (the Chief Clerk) could not arrange the payment of
the call, but could only declare it generally. He could
not measure the means or fortunes of the unfortunate
shareholders.
Mr. Barton —No; but the officialmanager could under
the 29th section of the act.
Mr. Randall—My client is a schoolmaster in a country
town, and he is willing to pay as far as he can, but not
to such an enormous extent.
Mr. Reed said he believed the question of the validity
of the
sb oenfo.reAstnhOo/et.
hrl:eaarltql ihncaoruße
courts,
shareholder,
tthhoeye
might
would
moc
efo
nmGt e
ononen:
athl ha
Ai
ds ttpec
paid
m
the call on upwards of 20 shares made by the Court of
Bankruptcy, and 8001. to creditors, and had at the pre-
sent moment executions to the extent of 3,0001. or
4,000/, in his house, and yet he was desirous of doing
all in his power to meat calls to stave off executions.
He (Mr. Reed) would suggest that the call of 751. be
reduced to 251.
Mr. Harding—That would only realise 30,0001.
Mr. Vanderpunt (for Messrs. Linklater and Uck.wood,
solicitors in bankruptcy) said that a considerable sum
was being collected under the call in bankruptcy.
A Shareholder—How many actions are being brought?
Mr. Vanderpunt did not know how many.
Mr. Argies—Out'.
!.
Vanderpunt—ThatMr.
we have the opinion of counsel confirming the goodness
of the call.
The Chief Clerk said, on a review of all the facts, one