The Sun.
London, England, 1844-11-23 00:00:00

BRAZILIAN GOLD MINES.

A meeting of the holders of shares in the Cata
Branca (Brazils) Gold Mining Company was held at
the office of the Society, Broad-street-buildings, at
half-past one yesterday, for the purpose of receiving
the half-yearly report of the Directors ; George Hay-
thorne, Esq., in the chair.
After reading the advertisement convening the
meeting, the Secretary proceeded to read the report,
by which it appeared that there had been a decrease
in the quantity of gold produced from the " lode"
during the last half-year, in comparison with that
produced from a similar quantity of lode in the
year 1840, and those intervening. The rate of the
produce of the gold in the year 1840, as compared
with the lode was 974 lbs. of gold for 18,230
tons of lode, while in the last half-year it was only
1541b5. of gold for 7,900 tons of lode, being a
falling off in the proportion of about 23 to 51. The
cause of the decrease was attributed, by those who
were deputed to examine into it, to the tact of what
is technically termed a " slide" running longitudinally
through the bed of lode at an angle of 42 degrees, by
which the quality of the productive earth was consi-
derably deteriorated. To counteract this, it became
necessary to sink a bell shaft to the depth of 100
fathoms, and now they found a considerable improve-
ment in the quality of the lode. The excavated
earth, by the usual process, produced as much gold as
covered the expenses of working the shaft. The
Directors had deemed that it would be advisable to
make a call on the Shareholders, but they had re-
frained from doing so as yet, and made themselves
liable to 8,0001. debt.
On the motion of Mr. GREY, seconded by Mr.
WILAy, the report was adopted, and ordered to be
printed for circulation; after which a vote of thanks
to the Chairman, and one of confidence in the Three-
'ory, were passed, and the meeting separated.

'UBLIC -ATIIS AT EDINBURGH.— A numerous
meeting was held on Wednesday in the Hopetoun
Rooms, Queen-street, of the friends and supporters of
the scheme for supplying baths for the working classes,
to eonsider of the means for increasing the funds in
behalf of that object. The meeting, which was crowded
by a numerous assemblage of all classes, was called at
the instance of the Committee for erecting the baths,
and the interest in the proceedings was maintained
throughout. The Duke of Buccleuch took the chair,
amidst loud and frequently repeated expressions of ap-
plause. On the platform beside his Grace, were Lord
Dunfermline, theLordJustice-General,Lord Cuninghame,
Lord M'Neill, Andrew Rutherford, Esq., M.P., Bishops
On Wednesday last the Lord Mayor accepted the Terrot and Gillot, Sheriff Speirs, James Simpson, Esq.,
invitation of the General Purposes Committee to dine advocate, Robert Chambers, Esq„ &c. &c. The Duke
at Masons'-hall Tavern, White-alley, Coleman-street, made a very suitable speech on the occasion, and was
when Mr. Bailey, the proprietor of the tavern, prepared followed by the Lord Justice-General, Lord Cuninghame,
a most splendid entertainment. Deputy Stevens, who Andrew Rutherford, Esq., M.P., and other leading men
has been for many years one of the most popular and in- in the northern metropolis, when several resolutions in
fluential members of the Corporation, presided upon the accordance with the object of the meeting were adopted.
occasion, and was supported by Deputy Peacock, the A vote of thanks to the Noble Chairman was proposed
popular member for Bishopsgate, and several others of by a working man of the name of Watson, who paid a
the Court. His Lordship was received in the warmest high compliment to his Grace for the deep interest he had
manner, and responded to the toast of " His health" in manifested on all occasions for the welfare of the work-
such a manner as drew down the strongest expressions ing classes. The Duke subscribed 1001., the Duchess 251.,
of applause from the company. and many other liberal subscriptions were announced.
THE RAILWAY RIOTS IN LEICESTERSHIRE.— SMITHFIELD CLUB CATTLE SHOW:—The show will
Several examinations of parties concerned in the riots commence on Wednesday, Dec. 11, and continue open
consequent upon the attempt of the railway surveyors to the three following days, at Baker-street. On account
get upon Lord Harborough's property, have taken place of the increased number of visitors which has taken place
before the county magistrates. In some cases the par- since the change of locality, the arrangements for their
ties have been held to bail for assaults; in others the accommodation will this year be considerably increased.
magistrates have refused to grant warrants. On Monday The space in the upper portion of the building appro-
upwards of 200 special constables were sworn in for priated to implements will also be extended, on account
twenty-one days, and placed in various parts of Staple- of the magnitude of their exhibition at the late show at
ford Park, and there are also several in the neighbour- Southampton.
ing villages, headed by some of the Leicester county GRAND MUSICAL FESTIVAL AT VIENNA.—There
police force; they keep watch in parties of about twenty, was a grand musical festival held at Vienna on the 10th
and are relieved every eight hours. It was stated at of this month, by the Society of Musicians of the Aus-
Melton on Wednesday that the surveys had re-corn- trian Empire. The concert was held in the Imperial
menced on the Oakham Canal towing path, and as Winter Riding-school, on which occasion upwards of one
there appears to be a right of way reserved to the public thousand artists, vocal and instrumental, gave their ser-
by the Act of Parliament, it is not thought that Lord vices, to assist in the performance of Haydn's cele-
Harborough or his advisers will venture again upon brated oratorio of the " Seasons," which was performed
ejecting the railway agents from it. in a style of magnificence never before excelled.
THE NEW BUILDING ACT.—Scarcely any Act of CORONER'S INQUEST.—DEATH OF A DISSENTING
the Legislature within the last twenty years has had such MINISTER.— On Thursday Mr. Baker held an inquest at
an effect upon the labouring classes as the above. The the Golden Eagle, Stepney, on view of the body of the
leading provision of the Bill relates to all buildings Rev. Edwin Parsons, aged 47, a Dissenting minister,
" commenced" after the Ist of January, 1845, the con - attached to Baalam chapel, Mile-end-road. It appeared
sequence of which has been the commencement of an from the evidence, that the deceased was residing in
immense number of houses in every part of the metro- Assembly-row, Mile-end. On Friday morning last, be-
polis, the suburbs especially,- where the utmost activity tween twelve and one o'clock, he was alarmed by a noise,
prevails. The plan adopted by the speculators in bricks which he thought proceeded from his garden, at the back
and mortar appears to be the finishing of the foundation of the house. He immediately went out of his room to
and ground-floors, leaving the final completion till a igo down stairs, when his foot caught against something,
future period. In order to accomplish this end, brick- and he fell down nearly half the flight of stairs. In his
layers and labourers have been hired with eagerness by fall he knocked down some flower pots. Mrs. Parsons
the traders, and a great many men, thrown out of em- afforded him immediate assistance, and he was carried
ploy by the scantiness of their own trades, have readily into his room. The deceased gradually sank from the
found employment as labourers. At this season of the effects of the injuries he received, and died on Tuesday
year, when the mass of bricklayers, &c., are generally j last. Verdict, "Accidental death." Deceased was
unemployed, the demand for labour is particularly gra- highly respected by his congregation, over which he had
,
tifying. presided many years.