The Sun.
London, England, 1826-12-11 00:00:00

ARIGNA COMPANY.

(From the Times of Saturday.)
Yesterday the Committee appointed by the House of
Commons $O. inquire into the conduct of those Members
of the House who are connected with the Company above
mentioned, and to report,en the evidence adduced, met at
one o'Cloelc, for the purpose of carrying on the investiga-
tion, and examining witnesses. The meeting was fully at-
temled, but was 'confined to those Members who had been
appointed on the Select Committee. Mr. Robert Grant
in the Chair.
-We-understand that the first subject of consideration
was that of. the course of inquiry to be pursued, .whieh
having been in some measure determined, the Sit;retary Of
the .Coropany wee called; but he not being in waiting,
Mr. Comerford, the SOlicitor to certain Requisitionists
who have disapproved of the conduct of the Ex-Directors,
wad then called in and examined. In reply to questions
Which Were, put to him, he stated, that he was not Solici-
tor to the Company ; but, as before mentioned, acting, for
a majority of the Shareholders in the investigation lately
carried on out, of doors, Nothing important to the great
queStion before .the. Committee came out. Application
having been made by the pelt), most interested in, this in-
quiry (Mr. Brogden), to be allowed to attend for the pur-
Mse of examining Nvitnesses by himself or his Counsel,
r. Harrison, who was. in waiting, the Committee pro-
ceeded to discuss the propriety of acceding to such a re-
quest. After having been occupied fora short period in
considering this subject, they decided that any Honourable
Member should he allowed: to be present during the inves-
tigation, and that under these circumstances, 'Mr. Brogden
had an undoubted right to be present.
If we are rightly informed, Mr. Brogden objected to be
present as a disinterested individual, claiming it as a right
to have the power of taking an active part in the inquiry, as
he considered it necessary for the elucidation of truth that
the witnesses should be closely examined- tonching certain
points: We believe.that the result of Mr. Brogden's ex-
postulation was, that no evidence having as yet' been
brought forward which implicated that gentleman, it was
deemed inexpedient to admit him on any but the general
grounds before stated.
The Seeretary to the Company, upon being called, was
examined upon generel points, and in accordance with the
order of the Committee, produced the documents connected
With the Company ; which, if we may judge of :their im-
portanee by their bulk, must necessarily occupy, in no
slight degree, the time of the Committee and ,the curiosity
of the public. -
This witness having retired, Mr. Henry and Mr.loseph
Clarke, two of the Ex-Directors, who were in attendance
With Mr. Heeling, their Solicitor (formerly the Solicitor
to the Company), were called. Mr. Henry. Clarke was
only, however, examined. To the evidence of this witness
much ithpintence , was attached, he being one of the ori7
ginal concoctors of this Company, and the person through
whose hands the spoilof, 15,004 passed, prior to its mis-
application---now the great point of inquiry.
We understand that Mr. Serjeant Adams, formerly
standing Counsel to the Company, and ! the gentle Man
who so resolutely opposed the admisson of persons connee-
- ted with' the Preis, 'at the meeting of 'Oki Comtany When
retained the first. exposh took place, was on the art 'of this
witness; but the Learned Serjeunt was not called upon
by the Comthittee to give his services. in the investigation.
We helieye that the Learned Gentlemen, having been one
of the original Proprietors and the Legal Adv)ser of the
Ex-Directors, will himself' be called as a witness upon this

important occasion.
After an examination of Mr. Henry Clarke, which last-
ed upwards of an hour, but which we omit out of defer-
ence to Parliamentary usage, the Committee adjourned
until to=morrow (this day) at eleven. The witnesses were
called in, and desired to attend at that hour.
Amongst, the witnesses present were, besides those
whom we have mentioned, Mr. Wilson, late of the km of
Wilson and llolroyd, the former solicitors of the Com-
pany ; and Mr. Butt, formerly a clerk in the employment
of the Company. We noticed also Major Mule, a large
proprietor.
Mr. Flattery WAS not in attendance, although k was
stated that an order had been served upon him.

On Saturday, the Comthittee of the House of Cominens upon
the sit jest of the proceedings of tide Company resumed its labours.
Attire' hour of eleven Many of the members bad arrived, and Mr,
Robert Grant, the -Chairtrian, twit* taken the chair, liusinees
was immediately commented, in the early stages of the pro..
eeedings Of the day, 11Ir. 13rOgrlen bent present, a slight dieens=
trimn. took piece upon the point referred to in our last account of
what occurred before the Committee, as to the permission to that
lion. Member to examine the several witnessee touching the mat-
tars in whirl' he felt interested, It will be recollected, that upon
she lion. Mtimber's' application in the first instance, it was, for
reasons then assigned, deemed ineipedient to accede to his re-
quest. 'The Committee, however, upon further consideration, al-
tered theiCfirrit resolution, and inflamed Mr. Brogden'that he
was at liberty to put inch questions as he might' think proper to
the Witheises, through the medium of the chair.' In the count°
of the ' cenvereation which "arose when 'thin Communication was
made, the Chairman' apprized the members of the CoMmittee that
he had received a letter from Sir Win, Congrevt., in Which that
rion. Member had rereteeted permission to be preeent by Counsel,
his indieposition being such as to render his personal 'attendance
impossible. h was hereupon suggeited by one of the Members of
the Cominitttie, that it woidd be unjust to admit Counsel en 'be-
half of one Hon. Member, and to reject an application of a similar
mauve on tlie part of soother. • '
Mr. 110111101'NY, in expressing himself on this suliject, stated
that it ',could he clearly an act. of injustice to comply with Sir W.
Congreve'e request, Without gantillg a cOrrespouding indidgence
to the How. Member thin present. •
lifi;.:Broarlin having ietitiO, a considerable period was DiTu
pii'd in discuising the propriety of allowing both mernberia have
the assistance of room 1. It was hi the end deemed tioadvisible
to deviate from the course adopted in the first itertance, while it
was also admitted' that it %torrid be an act/of injustice to the lion.
Member, whose illness prevented his attendance, to allow Mr.
'Broaden to enter into the examination to whit Is we have previ
oiisly referred. In'. the diseustirro on ;he propriety of erhuittine
or rejecting : this very imopot t privilege, Mr. Maberley, AlderrnaM
Wait:hem), Mr. Horace Time, Nicholas Cidireene: and thel
Chairman, took an active part.
At half-pait 12, the examination of Mr. Henry Clarke, who,'
front his evidence, appears to have been, the most active pereon
Concerned in the operations of the company, was resumed, in
the eonrso of his examination eopieri of the original agreementa for
the purchase of the,property were put 4. From the first egree.
Ment drewti pp, it appeared that the, property, 'cOnsisting of car.:
Win mines End royalties in the neighbourhood of Arigna, wee seld
try: Beger Flattery to John Vivien and 11. 3. Ilinde, for the
P• • r ts • •
M of 0;0001:, subject to certain conditions. I nor agreement
beari date' the 30th Of October, 1324, and ie executed by Roger
Flattery on hiS part, lord witnessed by William Healing (the pri-
vate, rolicitor to the Clarke., and formerly solicitor to the Cons,
pal), a receiptheing annexed thereto, for the sum of 1501. iii
part of the purcharetmoney It will be in the recollection of our
readers that at a Meeting of the Company held (we believe) in
May last, diet thin agreemeet was adverted , to by Mr. Bent, and
alto the circtunetance of Major !Thle, one of the parties, !wing
boon 6,poilid to a few days before the Meeting in December, 1825,
tooll,place, in sign a letter, ante-dated, authorising the Clarke% to
diaPose of the property to the Company for 25,000/, holding
'15,0001,, the balance of the actual purehaSe-money, at his (Major
Mule's) and Mr. Vivian's disposal ; thus to make it apparent
that those
,partieA were the purr:hoer* of the,property. This
(melt not having beta' acceded to on the part of Major Hintht,
who, op to that period, 'had been in ignorance of the existence of
inch a docriment, it became. necessary for the parties who had
actually participated' in the spoil to conceal this fact, and make
that explanation' on the sth of December, whith at that time
(401.1004 se much public asionishineut.
'Ore Soon(' agreeMent which was laid before the committee'
wa'''ll.sloll by Henry' Clarke on the part of hithself and hit brother,
and svecititit titft Warmer in which the spoil was to be divided,--,-
`ft% a his,
ct idalrita:wvd:tevteut.re';forntoicknl
o.teeft ioloi e general character
a:ha: tu
Agreementoftheeavei; ear (n4'po' if
we
t
agreement heti* referred to. 1324, hieing the same date as the
BtaYll"L. state, that the answer of Joireph and Henry Clarke
to time slut Clitery instituted by three of the members of the
ttemouttit-11;tifol:tlenlittttitnt (out of doors) Warr, in time course of
mi.! Henry Clarke was eimnirieil very: minutely on the subject
of' tbe origin of the c(""PaitY.
,in ;detailing the operations of
the company
.its lts earlysts ee, lie Pt4ntined hinitelf gsPertati to

the statements which he has averred in the Court of Chantey,
and those made by his brother at the meetings of thccompany.—
It was evident,. however, that in some particulars, there were
discrepancies, which led to further questions on the part of
members of the committee, with a view of eliciting the facts
connected with the formation of the, company, which is
apparently involved in so much mystery. This line of inquiry
Was, however, discontinued as not being. iu conformity with
the rules laid down for the gevernmeut of the committee.—
In the course of the:exaMination, Mr. Henry Clarke retired
upon two or occasions, to. afford the committee an op-
portunity of considering the nature of the questions he' proposed,
and also to allow them son►c relaxation from the fatigues neces-
eerily attendant -upon the close attention which had been devoted
to the subject. ,
• It ie expected that this witness will not be again called, until
other witnesses, important for the elucidation of the facts, shall
have been examined, and in pursuance of this intention Joseph
Clarke, hiS brother, was ordered to attend on Monday.
The Secretary of the Company. was called in at a late per►od of
the day, and directed to produce the agreement before referred to,
or any agreement bearing the same date. The deed of settlement,
as well as other documents of such date, were accordingly laid
upon the table.
Amongst the witnesses in attendance• were Mr. Joseph
,Clarke,
Mr. Butt, and Mr. Flattery. Mr. Joseph Clarke was attended
by Mr. Healing, the soliCitor, and by Sergeant Adams. The pre-
sence of Mr. Wilson, the late partner of Mr. Holroyd, was dis-
pensed with, the Committee having ascertained in the course of
the inquiry, that he was altogether unacquainted with the excep-
tionable transactions in the company, and an Order Was issued for
the attendance of Mr. Holroyd, who.was the solicitor employed
upon thSoCcasion, and who drew up the 'agreemSnts. . An order
was also homed for the attendance of Major Hinde,, whose evi-
dence,. it is supposed will be exceedingly
.important.