The Sun.
London, England, 1826-08-29 00:00:00

FOSSIL BONES FOUND IN FRANCE.

In seVeraPplacturof the chalk mountains of Querey, in
the department of'the Lot, are to be found the remains of
'a sort of rectilinear and circular entrenchments, formed of
rough blocks. The most remarkable of them are on the
summits of two mountains, in the parish of Breingues,
district of Figeac, one of which lies on the right, and the
other on the left bank of the Sele. Among the rocks on
the right bank are several holes or caverns. with traces of
mason' work before them, as r is the 'case with most of the

recesses in the rocks along the banks of the Lot, SAe, &c.
,Triditions of treasures concealed in these caverns, have
occasioned search to be made in them every way. In
1816, almost the whole inhabitants of Breingues paid a
visit to those above mentioned: At the one,-the month of
which the rocks almost entirely concealed, the entrance
was found to be blocked up with earth. The peoplit act
-to work to remove this, and 'at three feet depth came upon
the skeleton of a man, and near it a sort of fork, with
two prongs of iron. This discovery made them still more
intent upon the search, and by the-help,of a windlass' they
removed the earth, and continued working to a perpendi-
cular depth of eighteen metres. At this depth the per-
pendicular direction of the cavern altered to three hori-
zontal branches, which were tilled up in the saint way
with earth and rubbish. The workmen followed one of

these, but were soon stopped by three large stones, placed
one above another, evidently by the hands of man. On
removing them it was obeerved, that on' one side they
were all of a reddish earthy colour, like other stones
raised from the surface of the soil; bitt, on the reverse'
sides, there were traces of crystogamia, moss, byssui, &c.
which plainly showed they must have-lain long in the air
before they were brought under ground. The men were
now quite convinced that behind these were concealed the
caves containing the treasures; but, instead of them, they
found an extmordinery heap of bones, a part of which
Was mixed with earth and rubbish of 'stones, but others
were very carefully placed away in the narrow crevices of
the rocks. Several heads of an unknown kind of deer,
and many otheri, not mixed with earth, but carefully ar-
ranged, were discovered in a hole covered with a flat
stone. Now and then the masses of stones and heaps of
common earth were interrupted by small piles of clayey
sand, or alluvial soil, as if they had been deposited by the
sep. It was easy to see that the river never could luive
deposited them here, and that it must have been the work
of man, for they were pressed together, regularly disposed,
and, above all, surrounded by small very white chalk-
stones, which, even if the water had deposited the piles
so regnlarly, must necessarily haii been soiled;: besides,
the elevation of the eleven, more than 300 metOes abOve
the bed of the river, banished all supposition that they
could have been occasioned by the 5616.

In the hops of proving more fortunate in the other
branches of the cavern, operations in the one where the
experiment had been fiat made were abandonedi but, in
the others nothing was (maul except bones, collected in
the same manner. So great a quantity was dug up, that,
em were torn
°ff
ifgathered into a heap, they would have occupied a space
of more than 20 cubic metres. The greater part of them
Aziliedm:Ybeen t
them them a short time before. When brought into the air
they
appearbeedenams
efresseahlyassliiid thete
white.
lshAmong
dis-
tinguished' the skull of a rhinoceros, three teeth of the same
animal, the head of a kind of deer not now existent, the
antlers of which resembled in some degree those of a young
rein-deer, fragments of the large enders of a kind of deer
not now known, but which were shaped not unlike those
--„ .
urge ox, and the tlugh-bone,of a horse.
of the common kind; and, filially, the ehouider.biadeofa

An Irishman on hearing that Reynolds, the Dra-
nudist, intended giving a continuation of his Lif.
nud Times, exclaimed, " What I two lives ; by the
powers! though nine tailors have only one life, there
are craturs that have nine lives, and this Reynolds,
if not stopped, will show himself a true Tom, de-
pend on't.

On Saturday a Meeting of this Company took lakes at
the London. Tavern, for the <purpose of examining the
accounts. Reporters were at 'first refused admission, upon
which a sharp discussion took piece.
Mr. CLARK proposed that the Reporters be forthwith
admitted.

Mr. P. MOORE and Mr. LANGSLOW opposed the motion,
which was carried by a majority of 23 to 5,
Mr. PETER MOORE was in the Chair.
The CHAIRMAN rose to put the first resolution, which,

after a great deal of exceedingly unnecessary discussion,
was-agreed to.
The balance sheet was then read, from which it appeared,
that the sum of 102,1701. 10s. 1 Id. had been teceked and
expended since the formation of the Company--one item
of which expenditure, Mr. Wilkes bill, amounted to 3,5141.
Mr. HARRIS then-moved that the Report of the Au-
ditors be read.

Mr. LANGSLOW and P. MOORE opposed the motion.
Several SHAREHOLDERS—We are satisfied of the legality►
of entertaining the proposition just made.
Mr. LANGSLOW said, the deed stated 'that the Auditors
should make a Report to the Directors, not to the Pro-
prietors. •
Mr. CLARK said, that if the. Proprietors were not put in
possession of the contents of the Report, they must re-
main in ignorance of facts which it. was highly essential
they should know.
Mr. PETER MOORS here struck the table a violent blow,
and again called to the Proprietors to look to the Deed of
Settlement.

A SIIAREIfOLUEIt-I ask you, Mr. Moore, whether the
deed has not been violated by the Directors taking enor-
mous sums of money.
Mr. J. CAMPBELL—I believe that not one guinea has
been taken by the Directors that was not according'to
the Deed,
Mr. P. Moottu---I'll have thelleed read.

SHAREffoLDERs—It.is only (or the purpose of delay
that those objections,are made—let it be put to the vote.
Mr. PM,* Moon (hitting the table , bard)-111 •go
according to law.
• Mr. 'YENNING (Chairman of the Auditors) stood, that
he should read the Report as part of his speech.
Mr. YENNING/ then read the Report, whirl represented
that the most gross negligence had existed in the direr-
tion ; that the money of the Company had been most
wantonly squandered by the Directors and Mr. 'Mika ;
and that they made the most enormous charges for at-
tendances, although they merely attended for their own
profit. •

Mr. P. MOORE again objected that the deed was not
adhered to.

Mr. LANGSLOW.--I move that the. deed he adhered

Mr. P. MooRE, without having waited till the meeting
could think of holding up their hands upon curb a 'propo-
sition, aid aloud, knocking violently against the table,
" It's carried."—(Roars of laughter.)
Auditors lVlr.Cti,isandic,
nrot
their
raneiiiidoseta' cheers.vnnrs t 0
of the transactions of those who had mismanaged the con-
cern, stumbled upon a transaction which required an ex-
-I)l.kt-cal:idle hi:unlit:at:ler;
planation from the Directors' minute-book ; but the 'Seere-
utry told them they should have every thing hilt that book.
They next found it necessary to ask for the Company's
Committee's share-book; but they were informed that
there was no share-book. It was, however, ascertained,
closer inquiry, that there had been a share-hook, but
the person in whose custody it had been last seen was Mr.
Willis, in whose office it lay. Mr. Clark then alluded to
the payment of 12,500/. to Mr. Wilks, to pay over to Mr.
Jones, the proprietor of one of the mines, called Coedal-
lan. This sum, it was found, had not been paid 'Over to
Mr. Jones until long aftetwards. Besides the shares which
the Directors had appropriated to themselves, they kept
away from the public many more shares, for their interest
in which they received from Mr. Wilk& the sum of 50Q!.
each—(Cries of shame.)—and up to this time they had
never paid a farthing of the deposits. If they had col-
tilled that engagement, 50,000/. additional would
now be at work. Of other shares, which produced
premiums in the market, upwards of 1,700/. had been
divided amongst. the Directors.--(Cries of shame.)--
The Directors had contrived, with great ingenuity,
to increase their fees for attendances; they-were not con-
tent with sitting and charging. for four or five days a
week. They divided the days into six Committees; for
attending all of which they made their charges. They had
their Special 'Board, their Committee of -111iinitgernent,
their Committee of Accounts, their Instalment Commit-
tee, their Dividend Committee, their Deed and ,Rent Roll
Committee—(Loud laughter)—and they transformed
themselves every half hour, in order to get. hold of the
property of the unfortunate Shareholders. In the space
of eighteen months
Mr. Peter Moore had £ a.

X ■.

for attendance, the By the deed ha ought
sum of 859 19 to have had 283 10
Barrett - g
Kershaw 659 10 Ditto
Perring 166 9 Ditto
Gray l97' 19 Ditto
&c. So that the, Directors had paid themselves
3,319/. 75., whereas they ought to have had no more
than 1,2321. I4•s.

The Deputation sent into Wales, in their Report, re-
commended a resident Director. This report was signed
by Messrs. Gray, Kershaw, and Wilks, and Mr. Gray was,
recommended to such office. A house, formerly in the
occupation of Col. Wardle; was purchased for the sum of
750/. and an outlay to be made thereon of 2,5004, but,
in addition to which, a further sum had' been expended,
so that the residence stood the Coma any in 5,00011. As,
regards the 7504 to be paid to Mr. Wardle, a receipt only
for 3504 was to be found. Mr. Wilke' was paid 1,2724
lila. 9d. for stamps, for the conveyance of certain pror
perty, but the deeds had never been executed. Mr. Clark
then said, that it was a pleasing task for him to commu-
nicate to the proprietors, that this was a valuable concern;,
but he declared that it required a rigid economy, and
strict management.
Mr. LANGSLOW entered into a justifictoion of the con-
duct of himself and brother Directors.

Mr. 'YENNING (one of the Auditore)..As an instance
of the total neglect of the Directors, he would state, that
at one time not less than 60,0004 were allowed to remain
in the Banker's hands. Shortly after that period a cheque
was drawn for 12,5001. in favour of Mr. Wilke, for the
ostensible purpose of liquidating the debt due to Mr.
Jones, the vendor of part of the property; but this moony
Mr. Waits had kept hiMself, and the Auditors adjourned
their Meetings from time to time, until they obtained from
Mr. Wilke a proper acknowledgment that the money .4bll
CibittaKtitd t
w,
hl;atthAr
eld.eVedserb‘evice iv
ereroiou l
thdionlyobeaxbly eeutye
d.
someeeMn r n
Mr. VERIIKKE, the Solicitor to' the Company, replied,
utlpiati):7Amir.wlllu,titikshelykans,ewbeoetfatisheo., matter, he was firmly Or-
snarled that.the sole cause why the deeds were not drawn •
thedr! ,6401L.8.
ywnhliecvhehde
theliad
freeltioe‘ihyvieenteldiftrfleositinc:ititlitlvieti:Cih:otmoiLethu,epla
Committee of the Shareholders be appointed
rinih,leeosllljisting...fre.th,e
Oakley,
theJosepph Wells, i%. Tura'ra', sod fl.. Selby, to examine into
log, to be called by this Committee, with call convenie►i~t
dispatch."
Rlr„ h,.►~a `a r~►a Maid, that if this matioi► Were carried,
A ,a~ erne of West caailmaii assured the Proprietors
w
e
tarttfusion was here exhibited, in the
lhnbleaei'arrds:gihtlilaaoaldijk,l:oll:fll4l44l;, iBh,tle;lll:ct's_eshpeteh;u:Ttlniarr►PdnvPrdoe. neverts.llne iddoelot.ito the
le
heardetdirbieey.e i*a
nag' leed:: toi that
Auditorsr tee rin,theael T 161 (Cries
tat':
id! tfocrbi hears!t
,e4l
man, and the meeting adjourned.