The Sun.
London, England, 1850-05-23 00:00:00

vestry of the inhabitants of Brighton for the purpos of
electing thirty directors and guardians of the poor t I ;he
parish for the ensuing year. By the local Act, the 6-.11
George IV., chap. 179, sec. 199, the overseer and church-
wardens were ri quired to convene such a meeting on
every first Monday after Easter, and accordingly they
called such a meeting ou the 4th of April last, swing
in the notice that it' any poll was demanded it would be
taken on the two following days at the Town-hall At
this meeting thirty•thr( e gentlemen were put in nomins-
Lion, and eventually a poll was demanded and commenced
on the following day. The next morning, however,
seven other gentlemen were put in nomination before the.
poll opened, but the electing officers refused to receive
them: At the close of the first day's poll, there being
two rival lists, the overseers and churchwardens, seeing
that the result of the poll was likely to go against their
own party, iuduced three of the gentlemen who had
been nominated to resign, and thereupon the remaining
thirty were declared to be duly elected. They, however,
had,no power to do that, nor had the parties themselves
say right to reign, since they were bound to utuiertske
the office in the event of the rate-payers selecting them

to tile it. On the first day only thirty rate-payers out
of some 4,000 and 5,000 polled, the others, nu doubt., re-
lying upon the rule that after a poll had been demanded
all the nominees were bound to go on with it to the
close of the couple of days, and to terve, should they be
elected by the majority. The Court would, therefore,
pt-rceive th.it great injustice would be done to the rate-
payers if any of the nominees could resign in this man-
❑er; and as it was evidently contrary to law, it was
hoped there would be no difficulty in granting the appli-
cation.

Mr. Justice WIGHT➢SAN—You may take a rule to show
case.

Rule nisi accordingly.

SHERIFFS' COURT.-(THIS DAY.)
(Before Mr. Under-Sheriff BuncaELL.)

EXTRAORDINARY CASE.-WHURR V. SMITH AND WIFE.

This was an action brought to recover the sum of 951.
4s. 6d., for the board and lodging of defendant's wife,
before marriage, under very peculiar circuthstances.
The plaintiff is a tailor, residing at Selbridge-place,
Westbourno-park, and defendant had been in his employ
as ei jourteyman, in consequence of which he had an op-
portunity if forming an acquaintance with the sister of
plaintiff's wife, and eventually a clandestine marriage
took place, as it was alleged, whilst she was of weak
intellect and under age. Shortly after plaintiff was ar-
rested on a capias, to prevent him leaving the country,
defendant and his wife having sworn to a debt being due
to them of 451., but subsequently defendant's wife wrote
a letter expressing her deep regret that plaintiff had been
arrested on an unjust cause, and assuring him that she
was in a state of temporary insanity when she joined in
the proceedings and swore she had a claim against
him. Plaintiff sued for two and half years'
board and lodging, at 30/. per annum, and- for
goods supplied, and medical attendance on Mrs. Smith.
In the examination it was shown that Mrs. Smith was
entitled, under a will, to a sum of 200/., and that plaintiff
received, and kept the interest. The witnesses for
the defendant considered that Mrs. Smith was treated
more like a servant than a relative, and by no means in
a kindly manner. That Mrs. Smith was, unfortunately,
at intervals, affected with aberration of intellect, was
admitted on both sides; and she had been two or three
times in Ilanwell Lunatic Asylum.

The Learned UNDER• SHERIFF said that, by not plead•
ing, the defmndants had admitted that there was something
due, and left it to the jury to say, from the evidence,
how long defendant's wife was a servant, and how long
boarding and lodging with the plaintiff, when too ill to
be able to do domestic work.
The jury gave a verdict for 701. 15s.

MARLBRO'-STREET.---(T HIS DAY.)
CHARGE OF FRAUD.—Ann Maria Tolfrey was placed
before Mr. Biugham charged with obtaining the sum of
35/. from Mr. William Richardson, boot maker, 19, Sun-
street, Bishopsgate-street, under false and fraudulent
pretences.
The prosecutor deposed that in the month of July,
1848, he became acquainted with the prisoner through a
sister of his, to whom he had advanced 501. to carry on
an action against a man for breach of promise of mar-
riage. After the action was settled the prisoner sent a
letter to him by his sister stating that if he let her
(prisoner) have the 501. that he had advanced to his
sister, she would get him a Government situation. In
consequence of this communication he went to the de-
fendant's house in Coventry-street, where he saw her. She
then told him that if he advanced her 501. she would get
him an appointment as messenger in a Government
office. He replied that he would do so provided he was
satisfied the affair was right. She said, "Oh, you have
no occasion to doubt me. I am a person of great in-
fluence, and am personally acquainted with Lord Alfred
Paget, and he is the person to whom I shall write to
about the appointment, and I will let you know the re-
sult in the course of a few days." She then pressed him
for some money, but he declined to advance any at that
time, but a few days after he sent her 15/. by his sister.
About the 10th of July in that year, 1848, he received
from the prisoner the letter produced, which was to the
effect that if ho waited upon her she would give him the
necessary documents appointing him to the situation. He
accordingly called upon her the same day, when she
showed him a letter which she'stated she had received
from Lord Alfred Paget, wherein his Lordship informed
her that he had succeeded in getting him a
situation in the Home-office through her I.i-com-
mendation. She then asked him for more money,
and he gave her 101. She wanted another 10/., but not
having so much with him he asked her to accompany
him to his house, when be would give it to her. She
went home with him and he then gave her the money.
After that, in October, 1848, she called upon him and
told him that he was to be installed into his situation on
the following Monday, on which day he was to meet
Lord Paget at her house, and that his Lordship would
be his surety. He went there on that day, but the pri-
soner had left the place, and no one knew where
she was gone to. This excited his suspicions, and
on his calling upon Lord Alfrk d Paget, he was informed
that his Lordship knew nothing at all about the pri-
soner, and that she had used his Lordship's name with-
out his authority. Witness saw nothing more of the
prisoner till last night, when he met her at Knights-
bridge. He followed her to her lodgings, 17, Park-side,
and having procured the assistance of a constable, gave
her in charge.
The prisoner, who is suspected to have duped others
y similar means, was remanded for a week.

DEATH OF MR. J. FERGUSSON, W. S.—We regret
to recerd the demise of James Fergusson, Esq., W.S, Char-
lotte-square, which took place on Sunday morning last. Mr.
Fergasson, we understand, was suddenly attacked with
apoplexy,-and had only been ill for about two hours when
death -terminated .his sufferings. He became a member of
the Society of Writers to the Signet in 1814, and was gene-
rally esteemed by the profession, and by a large circle of
private friends.— Scottish Press.
In trifles,. infinitely clearer than in great deeds,
actual character is displayed.—Eliza Cook's Journal.
SOUTH AMERICA.—LIVERPOOL, WEDNESDAY.—
Accounts from Para of the 6th ult., received via the'United
States, announce that the yellow fever was raging at that
port with great virulence, and that many foreigners and na-
tives had died, Mr. Richard Ryan, her Majesty's Consul,
died on the 2d ult., and much alarm prevailed. Letters from
Venezuela of the 9th ult. announce the embarkation of Ge-
neral Paez, under sentence of banishment, for St. Thomas.
Accounts from Buenos Ayres- of the 2d of March report that
the convention lately entered into between the British and
Argentine States was being carried out into practice. The
corvette Twenty-Fifth of May—one of the Argentine vessels
captured off Monte Video by the Anglo-French naval forces
on the 2d of August, 1845—had been formally restored to
the rightful owners, the Captain of the Harpy acting on be-
half of the British authorities, and the captain of the port on
that of the Argentine Government. On the flag of that Re-
public being re-hoisted, it was immediately saluted by her
Majesty's frigate present with 21 guns, and the salute was
returned by the flag-ship.
Many of the principal manufacturers of this town
are engaged in the preparation of articles of the first class
for an exposition to take place immediately in Landon. It
would appear it was originally intended to remove the entire
of the Birmingham exposition of last year, but this could not
be effected by reason of sales by private arrangement having
diverted some of the specimens from the collection. Tne
loss, however, will not be felt, as their place will be supplied
by equally novel, if not more costly productions. In select-
ing the Messrs. Benetfink and Jones, of London, to superin-
tend this exhibition, it would seem that the choice was in-
fluenced by a knowledge that these gentlemen have had—
although but a young firm—considerable previous practical
experience in the several branches of art manufacture in
question.—Birmingham Gazette.
OPENING OF A NEW CHURCH AT DERBY.—Yes-.
terday (Wednesday, 22nd inst.) a new church was conse-
crated at Derby, by the Bishop of Lichfield, who was
assisted by the Venerable Archdeacon Hill and other of the
neighbouring clergy. The sum of 841. was collected on the
occasion, after an impressive sermon by his Lordship. The
present church is erected to the memory of the late Bishop
Shirley, who tool; an interest in the projection of this move-
ment a few years ago, by which a portion of one of the large
parishes of L erby has been divided, to be called St. Paul's,
and the present parish church erected, affording accommo-
dation to the north-eastern suburbs of this populous town.
The erection is in the decorated or middle pointed style,
cruciforni in plan, and has been built by Mr. John Wood, of
Derby, from designs by Messrs. Barry and Brown, of Liver-
pool, the architects. It is capable of accommodating 600
worshippers on the ground floor. In the afternoon of the
same day, a public meeting was held at the Town-hall, on
behalf of the Co-operative Church Building Society, at
which the Bishop presided, The Venerable Archdeacons
Hill and Rushton, Sir Henry Wilmot, Bart., William Evans,
Esq., M.P., and others addressed the meeting.
There is a report current in New York that Capt.
Warner is about settling in that country, having made ar-
vangementa with the American Government for the purchase
of the long range and invisible shell.
harpist,.ot. waxhooDiEsFjltusOtliDe: lbe s be
nr atd
c eof
SurneCd°toic ECEnaglTa;27,Taliftiegr ancea
Queenl)l e audience Anne-street,
nne
bs
several years, gave a matinee musicale yesterday, at the new
ytr eheits, p
earn,.
odr delightedman ces. Hae
clir'"oestvifevdeann'dßfa°(srila
of his • ,
played several own studies,' a Fantasia on subjects
from Robert le Diable, variations on the air " Nel cor piu,"
and the "Carnival deVenise ;" fully supporting the reputation
he has gained of being the greatest performer in Europe. In
his hands all the imperfections of the instrument disappear.
Its tones are round, mellow, and vocal; its sweeping chords
have a resonance which no pianoforte can equal, and it is
capable of every variety of harmony and modulation. We
have never heard but one performer who could be compared
to M. Godefroid, and that was the late lamented Parish
Alvars ; a man who, like M. Godefroid, also possessed a great
and original genius as a composer.
WALWORTH LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC INSTI-
TUTION.- On Tuesday evening the members of the elocution
class of this institution gave an entertainment in the New
Lecture Hall, Carter-street, consisting of recitations,
scenes from comedies, &c., and acquitted themselves
in a manner that was highly creditable both to themselves
and to their instructors. They were repeatedly and de•
servedly applauded by a numerous audience, and the whole
went off admirably.
Ilummrrr.—Sir Peter Laurie blandly, requesting
the omnibus conductor to " put him down."—.Punch.

THE SUN,

Balance of profit and
loss for 1848

Net profits for the year ending Decem-
ber, 1849

Deduct half-year's dividend to Mid-
summer, 1849 11,250 0 0
Ditto ditto Christmas 11,250 0 0
Balance of profit and loss
carried to that account
for 1850 B2B 14 1

LONDON,

NATIONAL BANK OF IRELAND.

The fifteenth annual general meeting of the
proprietors of the National Bank of Ireland was held
yesterday, at one o'clock, at the office of the society,
13, Old Broad-street, when, pursuant to the deed of
settlement, four of the directors went out .of office,
which created four. vacancies in the office of director
to be filled up.

On the motion of T. LAMIE MURRAY, Esq.,
OCTAVIUS OMMANNEY, Esq., was called to the chair,
who requested the Secretary to read the advertise-
ment calling the meeting, and the report of the
directors.

The SECRETARY read the report as follows :
REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS OF THE NATIONAL
BANK OF IRELAND, MADE TO THE PROPRIE-
TORS AT THE FIFTEEN-111 ANNUAL GENERA L
MEETING, HELD AT THE OFFICE OF THE
COMPANY, No. 13, OLD BROAD-STREET, LON-
DON, ON WEDNESDAY, THE 22ND MAY, 1850.
The directors have pleasure in meeting the proprit -
tors, and submitting for their approval the usual stat;
ments of the bank's accounts tor the past year.
The general result of tie harvest in Ireland in the
last year was on the whole favourable, in respect to the
abundance and average quality of the gi ain crops, but
Ireland being essentially an agricultural country, the
ruling low prices of its products have had a depressing
tendency upon the farming interest generally.
The loss, however, from the disease in the potato
crop has proved less than was at one period anticipated.
After four years of unexampled depression and suf-
fering amongst all classes and interests, it affords the
directors much gratification in being enabled to state
that there are symptoms of improvement, and indica-
tions of returning confidence, which, although sluw in
their operation, are on that account, perhaps, not the less
secure.

The directors have deemed it prudent to transact a
restricted business; it is their intention to continue in
this watchful course until the restoration of credit and
confidence has produced its effect on the trade, agricul-
ture, and commerce of the country.
Money has been abundant with a limited field for its
legitimate employment, and consequently but a low rate
of interest could be obtained for a large amount cf sur-
plus capital of the bank.
All the ascertained bad debts of the bank have been
written oft; and the half-yearly dividends, at the rate of
5 per cent. per annum, have been paid.
The undivided profits at December, 1848, were :
Reserve fund .‘50,105 4 4

£54,(95 17 2

19,338 1 3

73,433 18 5

23,328 14 1

Leaving amount of undivided profits
to the credit of the reserve fund at
December, 1849 . £50,105 4 4
The favourable aspect in political affairs generally has
been productive of very beneficial results to the trade of
the United Kingdom, which continues to exhibit the
most marked evidences of improvement; and it is hoped
that Ireland will, ere long, large];' participate in the ge-
neral prosperity.
There are now to be elected four directors, in the room
of Thomas Lambe Murray, Esq., Sir Ralph Howard,
Bart., M.P., John Clement Ruding, Esq., and James
Rutile, Esq., whose term of office has expired, but who
are re-eligible, and offer themselves accordingly.
Approved by the Court,
(Signed) T. LAMIE MURRAY, Chairman.
The CHAIRMAN said the report had so fully entered
into every subject connected with the bank that little
was left for him to do but to congratulate the meet-
ing on the state of the accounts during the past year.
Although the directors had not been able to receive
so large an amount of profit as in the previous year,
yet he thought be might fairly use the term congra-
tulation with reference to their transactions, when
they took into account the calamities which had
fallen upon the country in which their operations were
carried on. It would be needless and out of place
for him to enter upon any consideration of the state of
Ireland, which was so perfectly well known to most
of the gentlemen present ; but he could not forbear to
state that, during a period of extreme depression and
suffering, with which it had pleased Divine Provi-
dence, doubtless for wise purposes, to afflict the
country, it was matter for congratulation to see the,
he might almost say, unexampled forbearance and
resignation with which every class of society had
endured their afflictions. When a body suffered the
members also suffered with it, and perhaps banks,
which were most sensitive members of a commercial
community, were the first to feel any disorganization
or disorder in the body. Their circulation became
restricted, and their means were abstracted or diverted
to supply the necessities of society. It had been a
matter of prudence and necessity with the directors
of the National Bank of Ireland to preserve the capital
of the bank intact, and with that view they had let -
terly had recourse to a restricted business, but they
had not restricted the business so as to bring
loss on individuals connected with the bank
and the country generally, but they had so restricted
it with reference to every application for an account'
with the bank where the directors thought they could
not grant those applications with safety. That restric-
tion had necessarily trenched on the profits of the
bank during the last year. The directors, however,
had been enabled to preserve the rest and undivided
profits of the bank at the same amount as they were
last year, namely, 50,0001. odd, which was sufficient
to meet any emergency that might arise in this bank,
and was equal in proportion to those of any bank in the
United Kingdom, not excepting the Bank of England
in proportion to the dividends. It was a matter of
difficulty to place out the superabundant capital of
this bank upon safe investments which would
yield a good return ; but the directors had
inscribed the word "security" on their banner,
and they would adhere to it in all their trans-
actions with unflinching scrupulousness. The ex-
penses of the bank had had some little influence on
the profits recently, for where they had suddenly left
off doing a very extensive business, they could
not as suddenly reduce their officers without doing
great injustice to several of them. They had, how-
ever thought it prudent not to take new hands into
their employment, but to endeavour gradually to bring
down their expenditure to the standard of the business
which they were at present transacting, which would
make a very considerable difference in their favour
for the future. There was another matter to which
he might refer, and that was the expense of their local
directors in Ireland. Some apprehension appeared to
have existed that they were extravagant in
that respect ; but when he stated that the
expenses of their local directors did not
amount to 9001. a year, be thought the meeting would
agree with him in thinking that was a small sum. It
afforded the directors and himself pleasure to state
that the resources of the bank at the present time
exceeded those of any prior period.--(Hear, hear.)
There really seemed a sort of inclination among the
public in general to favour this bank, if he might
judge from the repeated applications to the directors by
persons doing businses with other banks to come over
to this bank, and there appeared to be a greater de-
gree of confidence placed in it than at any previous
period of its existence. He might add that the di-
rectors had closed the branch at Parsonstown, as
it had not answered their expectations. It would
be needless for him to enter into any statement
as to the future, but be was glad to perceive
signs of improvement in the agricultural and
commercial prospects of the country, and
as that improvement seemed to be gra-
dual, he hoped it would be permanent also.
He thought the transactions of the Incumbered Es-
tates Commission would tend greatly to improve the
country, as they would open up a field for the
investment of capital and the proper employment of
the labouring classes. The directors, entrusted as
they were with the 'management of the affairs of the
bank, were glad to catch at the slightest ray of light
which broke upon the darkness which for some years
had pervaded Ireland ; and he sincerely hoped when
the clouds dispersed it would not be attended with
the cry of " Breakers a-head," but with the full view of
a haven in prospect, to which he trusted the vessel
would be safely guided.—(Hear.)
Mr. NEWSAM had occupied a seat on the direction
with their excellent chairman, and be was satisfied,
from experience, that any questions that might be put
to him would be answered in a straightforward
manner.—(Hear, hear.) Two years ago he and Mr.
Johnson were ousted from the board to make room
for Mr. John O'Connell and another gentleman,
without the slightist complaint being made against
their previous conduct, but, at the sugges-
tion of several proprietors, he had. sacri-
ficed his own feelings, and bad abstained since
then from taking any part in the proceedings of
the bank. The time, however, bad now arrived when
he felt that he could consistently break his silence and
ask a few questions, without laying himself open to
the imputation of being actuated by improper
motives.—(Hear, hear.)
Passing then to the re-
port which had just been read, he would take
leave to ask whether or no he was right in
considering that the gross earnings of the
bank for 1849, after deducting the bad debts,
amounted to 19,338/. ? He had already mentioned
that he was removed to make way for Mr. John
O'Connell.
Mr. E. SMITHWICK observed that no reproach at-
Oched to the direction for that, as it was the act of
the shareholders, and not of the directors.—(Hear.)