The Sun.
London, England, 1868-10-26 00:00:00

THE DOULTON TRIAL.

The trial of Mr. Doulton, on a charge of fraud, began oil
Thursday, before the Correctional Tribunal of Brussels.
At the commencement of the proceedings the President of
the Court said he had received several letters from the
defendant, who not only refused to attend the trial,
but challenged its competency. In the first place, he
maintained that the offence which was alleged to have been
committed was committed in England ; and, in the:second
place, that there was no offence at all. The first witness,
the Burgomaster of Brussels, then stated the principal
facts of the case. He said that the municipal
authorities of Brussels had long seen the neces•
sity for the unification of the Seine, and had
advertised for tenders from those who were disposed
to undertake that vast work. The house of Langrand-
Dumonceau first applied, and their offer had been under
consideration, and the bargain well-nigh concluded, when
Messrs. Doulton and Swann applied for the contract, pro-
posing to undertake the works for £240,000 less than the
firm which had first made an offer. Not knowing
Messrs. Doulton and Swami the witness bade them reflect
before formally making such a proposal. After much
hesitation the contract was, however, concluded. Tho
concession subsequently included Mr. Albert Grant.

Much evidence of a strange character was then given,
one witness alleging that Mr. Albert Grant had changed
his name, after having become bankrupt once or twice in
Germany. At the conclusion of the case the decision was
reserved.

It should be added that the exact charge against Mr.
Doulton is "of employing fraudulent manoeuvres and
persuading to the existence of false enterprises, to cause to
be delivered to him, through the Belgian Public "Works
Company, of which be is director, sums of money amounting
ko 148,075 f. 37c.," the amount named representing between
£6,000 and £7,000 English.

Mr. Doulton, M.P., writes to the papers, giving an ex-
planation of the proceedings now being taken against him
at Brussels. He says :--" About three years since I
became one of the concessionaires for important works in
Brussels, baying for their object the sanitary improvement
of that city, and in the obtaining of which concession I
necessarily incurred very many heavy pecuniary
liabilities. As concessionaire, I, in the first instance,
sought for competent contractors in England to
execute the works at the estimated amount ; fail-
ing in this, I entered into provisional arrangements
with Belgian contractors, who undertook the execution of
the contract for 2598,000, being considerably less than any
tender I had been able to obtain from an English con-
tractor; they agreeing also to contribute such a sum as
would enable me to discharge the beforenamed
Subsequently to this an English company was formed to
purchase the concession and contract ; and I was requested
to occupy an official position in connection therewith.
This I accepted ; and at the same time, and before the
assignment of the contract to the company, informed the
board of directors (they having had a claim made upon
them for a large amount by one of the parties to whom
I considered myself liable) that my arrangements with
the contractors would enable me to meet all claims in con-
nection with the obtaining the concession, whereupon the
following resolution was passed Resolved, that upon
Mr. Doulton giving the company a complete indemnity
against all claims whatever, excepting as set forth in the
articles of association, that he be at liberty to make any
arrangement with the contractors which he may think fit,
provided that the terms of the contract above referred to
he in no way affected thereby.' This indemnity was
given, and the contract sealed with the contractors. No
sooner, however, had the works commenced with vigour,
and the exceptional value of the concession become appa-
rent, than attempts were made to injure the company,
with the evident object of getting the concession rescinded,
by circulating charges against myself and the more pro-
minent members of the city authorities, with whom it was
alleged I had a corrupt agreement. This attempt, how-
ever, collapsed, by the prosecution of the journal which
originated the report, the editor of which was mulcted in
heavy damages. The attempt to injure the company then
took the form of the present proceedings against myself,
on the ground that the arrangement made with the con-
tractors for payment of the liabilities before alluded to
was contrary to Belgian law. Directly this question
arose, I, although assured that my position could
be neither legally nor morally assailed, but with
a view of removing all proceedings that might in any
way injure our enterprise, made an offer to the board of
directors to refer everything in connection with or relating
to the formation of the company and the contract to
arbitration, the arbitrator to be appointed by themselves ;
and to this the board assented, appointing as arbitrator

the eminent barrister, John Horatio Lloyd, Esq. I further
offered to deposit, pending his decision, the whole amount
I had received, together with an account of my disburse.
ments. Accordingly, I did deposit this sum with the corn.
pang, to await his reward. Beyond this simple statement
of facts I do not desire at the present time to occupy
your space, especially as, although the inquiry is closed in
Brussels, no decision has yet been arrived at. When that
is given I may, if necessary, ask your indulgence to lay
before the public evidence which will reveal as gross a
case of persecution as few have had to encounter, but
which, as the largest shareholder, I am glad to say, has
not had the effect contemplated, viz., to damage one 01
the most valuable concessions ever obtained by English
enterprise."

Viscount Bury not long since was instrumental in
saving the life of ono of the crew of a small boat which had
swamped at Mudford, near Christchurch. On Wednesday
Lord Bury received the following letter from tho Queen,
dated Balmoral, Oct. 10, ICGS : —"Dear Lord Bury,—Thf
Queen desires me to express to you tho great pleasure which
it has given her Majesty to become acquainted with
the details of your most gallant action, and her Majesty
congratulates you on the successful performance of a deed
which you will remember with just prido as long as you
live. Your companion in the enterprise also deserves till
Queen's warmest commendations, and her Majesty desires
mo to inquire what can be done for him. Perhaps you wit
let me know whether it would be desirable to have hi!
name brought forward as you suggested in your letter,—;
gelioyo trulY YotirF, T. )4,l3wDuLru.".