The Sun.
London, England, 1857-02-28 00:00:00

THE ROYAL BRITISH BA AT K AND MR.
UMPH_REY BROWN,

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR,—My attention has been directed to a para-
graph in your publication of the 25th inst., in which
Mr. Humphrey Brown is represented as having, at
a meeting at Tewkesbury, on Tuesday last, used
the following language, as applied to me. Mr.
Coleman had "put forth to the world that he owed
the bank a sum of 70,0001., that that statement had
been put forward by Mr. Coleman for the most
dastardly purpose, that of creating in the mind of
the public a feeling that he, Mr. Coleman, was the
man to bring people to book. It was a disgrace to
Mr. Coleman, and was a downright lie."
I pass by the consideration of this language, and
shall direct myself to the facts in which alone the
public are interested.
It is perfectly true that I stated at the meeting
of the shareholders of the Royal British Bank,
held at the London Tavern, on the 20th day of
September last, that Mr. Brown was indebted in a
sum of 70,0001. The amounts standing to his debit
on the day that the bank stopped payment being
as follows :

£ e. d.
Drawing account 37,997 18 3
Discount ditto
Past due bills 7,569 6 2
Advances

Together 75,31311 2
In addition to which there was interest from the
30th June to the sth September. The amount
stated by me was, therefore, considerably less than
the actual balances of the books.

Except the above past due bills for 7,5601. 6s 2d.
the only securities held by the bank were the fol-
lowing ten ships mortgaged to them by Mr.
Brown. :

The Rory Brown
„ Wasp
„ Bride
„ Hero 432 „
„ Madonna 256 „
„ Helen Lindsay
„ Ocean Wave
„ Hornet 1,285 „
„ Ambrosine 457 „
„ Magdalena
Also an equitable charge on BUII.IO freehold property
stated to be worth 1,0001.
Five of these ships proved valueless to the bank
under the following circumstances :,
The whole of the ships were mortgaged to the
bank iu 1854. The fist five, however, being
Gloucester ships, I was informed that Mr. Brown
had requested that no registry of the mortga es
should be made there, as it would injure his posi-
tion, and that ho had promised that on their re-
turn from their then voyages he would have them
registered in London, when the mortgages could be
entered.

Mr. Brown, however, subsequently again mort-
gaged the three first of these ships to their full
value,' and to other parties, to the prejudice of the
bank ; he sold the two next without the consent or
knowledge of the bank, and also drew against the
freight of the Ambrosine ; and I was assured that
no part of these proceeds had been paid to the bank,
and that the directors did not discover these facts
till August, 1856, when they learnt that the secu-
rities which they had up to a few days before con-
sirlered to be of the value of 50,0J01., had by these
acts dwindled down to about one-half.
With these facts and figures I leave the public
to judge of the truth of my statement ; and as to
the language applied to me personally, I can with
much pride allow it to pass with that contempt it
deserves.

Apologising for the length of this communication,
I am, Sir, yours, &c.,

J. E. COLEMAN,
36, Coleman-street, Feb. 27, 1857.

THE MAILS.

SOUTHAMPTON, FRIDAY,

The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer
Tagus, Capt. E. Christian, sailed to-day with the
mails for Vigo, Opoito, Lisbon, Cadiz, and Gibral-
tar, 31 passengers (24 first-class, 6 second, and 1
deck), bar gold value 53,1421., and 1,5001. in sove-
reigns for Cadiz, and a general cargo. Among the
passengers are the Count and. Countess Lavradio,
dse. The Tagus also tikes out Captain Tregear,
Messrs. Gaby and Fox (two of the company's offi-
cers), Mr. Cerinac (the company's superintendent
shipwright), Mr. Abbinett (the diver), and 33 men,
with a quantity of requisite gear to render assist-
ance to the steamer Madrid on the rocks off Vigo.
Nothing further is known here as to that vessel's
couditon. The next succeeding steamer for the
P.mincoi!fir pentl, on -Elio 7th proximo, will bo the
Alhambra. The Indus, Captain G. 13, ocks, is pre-
wing to take out the India and China mils on
the 4th, arid the Ripon, Capt. R. W. Evans, with
the homeward mails from that quarter, is due on
the same day. The Royal Mail Company's steamer
Atrato, Capt. Wooley, leaves on the 2d with the
West India, Mexican, and Pacific mails, and the
Avon, Capt. Revett, on the 9th, with the usual
mails for Br azils and the River Plate. The Orinoco,
Capt. Sawyer, is due on the Ist, with the next
homeward West India and Pacific mails, but is not
expected tefore the 3d. The Tamar, Capt. Jellicoe,
with the Brazilian mails, is not looked for till
towards 111., close of the month, having been de-
layed at Vigo two or three weeks on her outward
passage by an accident to her machinery.