The Sun.
London, England, 1842-01-19 00:00:00

ST. KATHARINE'S DOCKS.

Yesterday the half-yearly meeting of the Proprietors
of this Company was held at the Dock-house, Tower-
hill, for the purpose of receiving a report from the
Court of Directors, for the declaration of a dividend,
and on other affairs. Mr. Thomas Tooke, the Chairman
of the Company presided.
The CHAIRMAN stated that, in compliance with the
provisions of the Dock Act, the purpose of the meeting
was to consider the amount of dividend to be declared
upon the fixed capital stock of the Company, for the
half-year ended the 31st December last. From the ac-
counts, it would appear that the credit balance on the
31st of December, 1840, was 119,443/. I Is. Bd. ;
whereas the balance at the like period in 1841 amounted
to 120,5261. 2s. 10d., showing an increase ; a result
which, under all the circumstances as connected with the
state of trade during the past year, was to be considered
satisfactory. With respect to the tea trade, which formed
a most important branch of foreign commerce, there had
been some improvement in it, notwithstanding the in-
terruption to the intercourse with China during the last
year ' • but the arrivals had been protracted beyond the
usual period. The number of packages of tea imported
into London during the past year was 401,481 ; in 1840
only 363,928—showing an increase during the last year
of 37,553 packages ; of which increase, more than one-
half (being 20,112 packages) was landed by the Com-
pany. The stock of goods in warehouse on the 31st of
December last year was 69,515 tons—rather less than
at the corresponding period in 1840 ; but it was to be
observed that since the first week of the present month
the quantity in warehouse had gradually increased, and
that now it exceeded the tonnage in warehouse at the
like period in 1840. As respected the shipping that
frequented these docks during the last year, there had
been an increase over the preceding year of 114 ships,
of the aggregate register tonnage of 21,316 tons, as
would appear from the following statement :-
1840._
1841.
_ _

Ships. Tons. Ships. Tons.
Entered with cargoes ...535 ..... 132,062 605 149,478
Ditto light to load. 296..... 37,729.....340 41,629

---
Total 831.....169,791.....945.....191,107
Exceeeding in 1840
over 1841 .21,316

. .
945.....191,107
Of this excess there were with cargoes-
-70 ships .................. 17,416 tons
and to load 44 „ ................. . 3,900 „

114 21,316 „
And during the same year no less than 10,354 lighters
entered the docks with goods and to load.
The returns of shipping that entered the port of Lon-
don with cargoes during the years 1840 and 1841, showed
an increase in British ships of 71,493 tons, and a falling
off in the foreign tonnage of 35,487 tons, leaving an in-
crease in the year 1841 over the preceding of 26,006 tons.
The Court of Directors recommended to the Proprie-
tors the declaration of a dividend of 2i per cent. upon
the capital of the Company for the half year ending 31st
December last.
The resolution was carried, and the thanks of the
meeting were voted to the Chairman, the Deputy-Chair-
man, and the Court of Directors, for their attention to
the affairs of the Company.
It was moved by Mr. POYNDER, seconded and carried
unanimously, that the thanks of the meeting be given to
Sir John Hall, the Secretary, for The zeal, ability, and
persevering attention he had continued to show in the
management of the Docks. The thanks of the meeting
were passed to Sir John Hall, and he expressed his ac-
knowledgments, after which the meeting adjourned.

FIRE IN THE HARROW-ROAD.—In the ac-
count of this fire, which appeared in The Sun yesterday
afternoon, it was stated that the pot-boy employed in
the beer-shop was the only person missing, and that ho
had perished in the flames. The statement, we regret to
say, is confirmed. After considerable delay and diffi-
culty, the firemen succeeded in discovering the body,
which was so disfigured that, but for other circum-
stances, it could not have been recognised. It was car-
ried to the vaults at Paddington church, and an inquest
will be held on it in the Course of the day.