The Sun.
London, England, 1845-12-19 00:00:00

----Y

BANK 4)F ENGLAND.
Qt.arterly General ii,lecting of the Proprietors of
this Corporation, accordin,r to the terms of the charter
?f incorporation, was betcryesterday, at twelve o'clock,
in the Bank parlour, but it was entirely of a routine cha
meter. All that was done was the readi!,g of the
Minutes of the previous tweeting, which being confirmed,
thQ proprietors adjourned.

A very
iFtluentia.l meeting was held on Wednesday last.
at the office of Messrs. Amory, Sewell, and Moores, 25,
Throgm'
,rton.street, by gentlemen interested in railway
Prejeets, with a view to the equitable arrangement of juet
demands, and the resistance of claims obviously made
uer the impression that the dread of ruinous law
charges would induce com'phiance ; as also to ascertain
the legal liabilities of committee-men, shareholders, and
applicants for shares ; and further, to elicit the actual
circumstances of various railway pie jects, and which
are
matters far too weighty and important for individual
reeponsibility.
It was unanimously resolved that, for the accomplish-
ment of such purposes, a society should be formed, to
be called the " Railway Mutual Protection Society."
William Collins, Rs M.P , was unanimously called
to the chair. (I"
D. W. HARVEY, Esq., proceeded to explain in detail
the objects of the proposed society. He stated that his
attention had been drawn to the subject by friends who
_had received, as members of provisional committees, or
as scrip-holders and allottees of shares, applications from
aolicitors printers, engineers, and others, for the pay-
:lent of large sums of money. Such applications excited
aral ; and, as they were now becomieg very general,
„
"nale plan must be devised by which equitable claims
might be arranged, and unfair demands resisted. Nor
v
_as it less Bearable that the actual condition of very
!any railway projects should be ascertained, as there
.I;as great reason to apprehend that many of the plans
apoeited at the Board of Trade, and with the Clerks of
t vata Peace, were so imperfect, owing to the haste with
nich they had been got up, as to render it hil
Probable that not one quarter of the seven hundrghedy
plans deposited would stand the test of examination be-
fore a Parliamentary Committee. It must be manifest,
institute
to embark on a sea of litigation with effect, or to
the necessary inquiries into the state of the
inns project , would be to entail upon individuals great
; ,','Nr and serious expense, and that, too, in a cause
aaleh involves the interests of thousands. Judging from
;70 numerous inquiries which had been made of the
sZeitors since the previous advertisement, it would
ta that few persons of station or property were
unropt. An individual who might be bold enough to
kuth dutler ta e such litigation would have to encounter so
Acuity from the combined resources of bodies,
corporate in their nature, and possessed of large funds,
Tont mortification and defeat mutt be the inevitable result.
te. him and his friends, therefore, it was clear that such a
erte of things could only be successfully met by an asso-
ti4tion of persons interested in the objects he had men-
ti.o.ne.d- He then proceeded, at considerable length, to
'.`all the plan of the society. The particulars were
_re-
ceived with great interest, and met with the unanimous
enforced
of the meeting. Mr. Harvey then strongly
orreed two considerations upon which the friends
the proposed society insisted. First, that while
titierY member of the -society would have access to
i epinions. of eminent counsel intended to be
takeao, as also to the best advice which the cone-
r:ttee and solicitors of the society could give, yet
Very subscriber would be at liberty to choose his OWR pro-
ialonal adviser. Secondly, that no proceedings, either
°J: attack or defence, would be adopted which were not
4uviously just, and preceded by strenuous efforts to
en°Mmodate the matter upon equitable terms. Mr.
Garvey then mentioned, by way of illustration, a case
blotch had within a few days been placed in the hands of
the
solicitors in whose house they were assembled. A
vtlt had been served on a respectable professional gen-
tleman in the country, who had allowed his name to be
Plcaned Upon the provisional committee of a projected rail-
ThaY. The claim was for 1,6001. doe to a printer. The
that
consulted his own solicitor, who advised
0 at the opinion of an eminent counsel should be taken
tn various points of law, as also that a barrister of high
Nsv,arlding should be retained. It was just at the moment
r, nen the unhappy defendant was ruminating upon this
-f,"„rel,icainary outlay, that his attention was called to an ad-
,,a`rt'sement headed " Railway litigation," and straight he
'oe to town. He was informed that in point of law there
was or n. o defence, and that at all events he would
ola'o •
n the best opinions at the moderate outlay of two
guineas, by joining the society to which the advertise-
;eat referred. But his great advantage would consist
ea in the determination of the society to shield him
rum
oppression, for upon reference to the list of the
Provisional committee, upwards of eighty in number,
more than sixty were found to be men Of substance and
beittwo, and who, if friendly interference failed, would
compelled to contribute their proportion, and
Mated at their own cost.—(Here several gentlemen
that they were in the same predicament.) After
.eutr• Harvey had given his reasons for the liability,
It, to be enforced, of the members of a commit-
', as well by creditors as amongst the members them-
' lees
7 11,4 he proceeded to a class of cases still more nu-
a.e.s, and, in point of law, still more difficult to deal
ft`ow
.ai--that of the allotters of shares. While there was
n„ulch reason to apprehend very many projects had
eep,„.l.t origin in the professional activity of solicitors and
slel. "'errs, with no other objects than their own exclu-
Nadvantage, and as such, must be doelt with as
ua
do4a4atent contrivances, yet there was no reason to
14 that there were many projects very desirable
j„ be accomplished, and intended to be carried out
,"` a manner honourable to all parties. The recent
Ptbie bad descended upon the good and vicious schemes
.nth unsparing equality, and had thus exposed the one
and frustrated the other. The proposed society would
*toive allottees of such opposite schemes in a very -dif-
ferent spirit. To the allottee in a line never intended to
re formed, and having little else for its object than pro-
ssionallunder, it would be said, "resist to the utmost;"
bloile the p
allottee in a useful line, honestly pursued, would
he told that, unless the committee and solicitors were
authorised to tender the payment of a liberal contribe-
ltp towards expenses inseparable from the under-
and of which a satisfactory account would
• hatqud, such party would receive no countenance
Whatever from that society; but where such an overture
Contribution was declined, the party aggrieved would
Qccire the ready assistance of the society. It must be
Well known to gentlemen present that many railway pro-
'lents were winding themselves up, but upon terms most
unfair. He instanced a case of his own, in which he had
Paid 2/, 12s. 6d. per share upon 100 shares, and he had
beenJuet informed by a copious circular that the cora-
,;aittee had resolved to return 405., and to retain the resi-
!lie for divers little contingencies—among others, the pro-
Beeution of an engineer for a neglect of duty. Some men
'might consider 40s. a godsend, and so it would be if
11:°.thiner, more could be obtained ; but, for one, be was
11' Prepared
it,quiely to contribute 621. 10s., under the
ta .pression that was idle to contend with a powerful
°LnUlittee with large funds at their dispoeal. But all
4
'cu were not as resolute, and he would ask in what
5Y could an individual so circumstanced protect him-
' elf so effectually as by mutual co-operation? In one
• 3.5 e the many struggle for the many, in -the other the
idividual for all. (Here a gentleman said he thought he
new the railway alluded to, and that he was in the same
",ht.) After many other remarks, to which the corn-
Say listened with great attention, Mr. Harvey read the
/ l,l.°Posed rules, which, upon full discussion by many of
t"..e, gentleman , present, were unanimously adopted, and
"e.red to be printed.
,
CIIRISTMAS, of Raymond-buildings, Gray's Inn,
emit he attended at the instance of various clients,
no had paid upwards of 100,000/. towards various
*aliwas' projects, many of which, there was too much
reason to apprehend, were extremely suspicious in
. th •
Inreir origio, and not less so in their management.
''ta, strongly urged the great importance of calling
'Tao the promoters to satisfy their subscribers as
,
their present state and prospects. He thought
:very honest provisional committee would readily
4caPond to the inquiry. His clients and he were moot
ady to give their fullest support to a society, the ob-
`t.% and intended rules of which he entirely approved.
several gentlemen present were anxious to open their
Midget of grievances, and some pointed allusions were
'made to a company proposing a direct line to Exeter, to
Vine in Canada, and also to the Royal North of Spain
'liway, but the Hon. Chairinan intimated that no
tattsonable time would be sufficient for the detail of rail-
Wee
.7 grievances.
The rules having been agreed to seriatim,
Sir NV. LOWTRoRP moved that D. W. Harvey, Esq.,
should be appointed the president of the society, and
that the thanks of the country were due to him for L_
.'vas
originated this important undertaking, which
the appointment
unamiously adopted by acclamation ; as was also
aPpointment of Messrs. Amory, Sewell, and Moores,
14) be the solicitors ; and Mr. R. P. Davis, of the firm of
John' and Co., to be the treasurer of the so-
ciety.
R -Upon the .acknowledgment of the honour done to his
rM by their appointment, Mr. AMORY observed that he
and his partners had been primarily induced to connect
themselves with the society by its great public utility and
thea
.peculiar legal condition of railway projects; and he
m°,lred that it should be fully understood that while the
advice of their firm would be cheerfully given to every
—lelnber, that there was not the slightest obligation to
eb.s,,ge their professional services.
u Pon acknowledging a vote of thanks to the chairman,
that gentleman observed that the best proof he could give
of
his cordial approval of the society was the immediate
payment of his subscription. This example was followed
Y onwards of forty gentlemen ;present, and a list of
neatly one hundred persons, chiefly residing in the
eouritry, was given in.

Lord Dinarben has suffered a painful shock by the
dejiPt of the melancholy news of the death of his brother,
vo onel J. Hughes, C.B , who, we are informed, expired on
," 29th ult. at Poggibtaizzo, in Tuscany. The gallant do-
lt' "ti'ed served in coTtugal and Spain. under Sir J. Moore,
1,1'4- Was present at the cavalry actions at Mayorga and Bene-
rit.o. Subsequently lo again proceeded to the Peninsula,
served from February, 1813, to tLe ending the war in
01524, , including the action at 3.lorales, the battles of Vittoria,
tiis.‘l4le,and Toulouse, for which he was rewarded with the
tuctton of a medal and two clasps. He was severely
wounded
'ett in encountering the enemy near Ellite, in the south
of Prance.

Lord C. Wellesley left Alasley House tm Weeues-
(ll,' oil his return to Stratlitiel,save, to meet, her Ladyship,
who is staying there with the Duke of Wellington. His
rm-nre1$111I) canni to town to consult his medical attendant,
uip; for some days suffered from lumbago.
1 XTLREMENT OF COLONEL Bin FROM THE 2D
4,elalalENT OF LIFE GUARDS.—Colonel Reid. the recently-
!lotted M.P. for Windsor, has just retired, upon half- pay,
from the Lientenant-Coloneley of the-2d Regiment of Lifo
Guards. It is expected that Major M.Douall, who stands
Ilext for promotion in the regiment, will succeed to the
vacancy created by the retirement Colonel Reid. A - step
in their. respective ranks will also be obtained by the senior
caPtam, lieutenant, and cornet.