The Sun.
London, England, 1845-02-04 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY MORNI

instead of all that miserable weakness which we see daily
going on in Doctors' Commons.—(Cheers.) The Li-
beral Members, myself among them, may not be able
perhaps to do much good, but we trust that we may pre.
vent a considerable degree of harm, as in the last session,
in the case of the M,isters' and Servants' Bill.—(lm-
mense cheering). We destroyed that Bill—(Cheers)
which at once made the industry and labour of the
working man not worth a twenty-four hours' purchase;
which placed him at the mercy of his employer,
for if he gave but a disrepectful look, or, as it was called
in the Bill, " misbehaviour," it subjected him to three
months on the tread-mill; but there was no like punish-
ment if the mastermisbehaved himself. Oh, no. It be-
hoved the friends of the people to keep a sharp look out
for those measures, and therefore, I say, that if we do
not much good, we can at least prevent some mischief.—
(Great cheering.). Mr. Moore has expressed a hope that
I will not suffer the Post-office espionage to remain as it
is. I hope that you all know me sufficiently well to be-
lieve that I will not allow it so to remain. On the last
day of the past session I gave notice that I should call
the attention of the House to the Secret Committee Re-
port, and to-morrow I will renew that notice—(Tre-
mendous cheering)—and I will undertake to prove that
that report was made for the sole purpose of mystifying
the public. Sir James Graham had named his own
jury, and I was excluded from it.—(Hear, hear.)
I could have given them some real information,
and they declined to possess it.—(Laughter and cheers.)
No, they said this—at least they meant it:—" The state-
ment mast be screened from the public; now we know,
that if you come into this room, you will let the cat out
of the bag."— (Laughter.) But I have done that pretty
well already.—(" You have," and laughter.) Ah, but
then they were in doubt about my statements; but was
there one of those statements once controverted—one

THE GRAVESEND STAR STEAM-
PACKET COMPANY.

In compliance with an advertisement which appeared
in the Times, calling a meeting of the Shareholders of
this Company, a numerous and highly respectable assem-
blage of that body was held yesterday, at the George
and Vulture Tavern, Lombard-street. At a few minutes
past one o'clock, upon the motion of Mr. Marryat,
George Frederick Young, Esq., was unanimously
called to the chair.
Mr. MARRYAT said that as they had met for the pro-
motion and protection of their interests as Shareholders
in this Company, he trusted that all the information that
could be procured for the furtherance of those objects
would be elicited ; but he would suggest that it would
be well that none but Shareholders should be present.
After a short discussion, it was agreed upon that the
newspaper reporters should be allowed to be present ;
but no other persons who were not Shareholders or
Proprietors.
The CHAIRMAN then proceeded to say, that as he felt
he owed the meeting some explanation for having called
it, he would now beg leave to offer that explanation,
and in doing so those whom he had the ho-
nour of, addressing might rest assured he would he
exceedingly brief. The reason he had taken upon him-
self to call this meeting was this': There were many
Proprietors and Shareholders, who;like himself and those
by whom he was surrounded, had long been engaged in
this unfortunate Company. When first they embarked
in it, he thought they might say, without vanity, that
they did so without any desire to induce others to follow
their example, but merely for the purpose that was ap-
parent—namely, a commercial speculation; but, owing to
the faith reposed in those to whose management the
alitirs of the Company were entrusted, very many
persons were induced to embark their capital in it, and
had it not been for this feeling, he pledged himself that
he, and many others whom he knew, would:have long
since retired from the Company altogether.—(Hear,
hear.) He did not mean to indulge in any observations
which might be deemed individually offensive ; but, at
the same time, be would not hesitate to say that the
affairs of the Company had been not only fraught with
disaster and loss, but they, had been conducted in a
manner which he for one could not approve of ; and he
would go further, and add that his opinion was, that
many of, the losses of the Company had been owing to
those to whom its management had been entrusted.—
(Hear.) He, in common with the other Shareholders,
had received the printed circular or notice of
the Directors, and he should confess that that rotice did
strike him with amazement, and it was in consequence
of it that he had deemed it his duty to call this meeting.
—(hear, hear.) However, he had resolved to restrain
his feelings, and not to give expression to his suspicion
until this meeting was held ; and here he would say,
that a more bold attempt of a body entrusted with the
management of the affairs of a Company, to hold the rod
over that Company, and dictate to them the terms upon
which they should almost sacrifice their own interest, he
had never heard.—(Hear, hear.) The proposition of the
Directors was to this effect, that they would either buy
up the shares from the Proprietors at 12s. per share, or
that the latter should pay up n dividend of 11. per share.
But whether these propositions were the result of an
ascertained fact by the Directors, to the effect that the
property was worth no more—a matter which every
individual Shareholder was entitled to be informed upon
—they were left in utter ignorance of. For these reasons
he would say he did think that such a course of conduct
was not becoming on the part of the Directors.
—(Hear, hear.) The circular of the Directors had
led many country Shareholders to believe 'they
had no other alternative than that it proposed.;
and to his own knowledge many female Shareholders
had actually acceded to the proposition, believing that
this treatment of them was such as they had no valid
means of resisting.—(Hear.) Now, he did think this
was a position in which the Shareholders should not
have been placed ; and he entertained the hope that the
Directors would give the fullest and most frank and
satisfactory statement of the affairs of the Company ;
that those affairs would appear not to be in so bad a
state as the Shareholders had been led to suppose ; that
if the property was to be sold, it would bring a larger
sum than could be expected from the statement of the
Directors ; and that if such should be the ultimate reso-
lution of the Shareholders, the proceeds should be
divided fairly, pari passu, between them.—(Hear, hear.)
The Directors had called upon the Shareholders to do a
certain amount by a given day, without affording the
latter sufficient time for consideration. There were
many Shareholders in the country who were at a loss to
know how to act. They had asked his advice.
This he did not like to give ; but the course
which he himself thought he ought to
adopt, was to call upon the Directors for their consent,
and ask them in decorous, but at the same time firm,
terms, fur a full explanation of the affairs of the Com-
pany.—(Hear.) If the Directors had the power to buy
up the shares, he had no doubt but the Shareholders
could get an inhibition from the Court of Chancery to
restrain them ; but he did nut think the deed of settle-
ment gave them that power.—(Hear, hear.) After a
few further observations, the Chairman concluded by
repeating what he had said at the outset—namely, that
under the circumstances he had mentioned, he had
deemed it his duty to call the present meeting in
order that they might adopt whatever means they
deemed most expedient fur the protection of their
own interest ; begged that hard words might not be
used, as they would only throw impediments in the
way of business ; and thanked his auditory for the at-
tention with which they had heard him.
Mr. HITCHENS concurred in all that had fallen from
their respected Chairman. He fully agreed with him
that it would be injudicious to use hard words, though
they broke no bones. At a former meeting of the Share-
holders at Gravesend, it was agreed upon that the Com-
pany should be broken up, but that had not been done,
and he was at a loss to know why it had not. It
was true they had been told a flattering story as to the
state of their affairs, and that a dividend of 10 per
cent. had been declared. But, he would ask, what had
they now? Why, nothing.—(Hear, hear, and a laugh.)
He would ask, what right had the Directors to say now
they would take upon themselves to dispose of a property
that for the last ten years had been getting worse and
worse ? He denied they had any such right, and there-
fore they should not call upon the Shareholders to sell
their property until a full and fair statement had been
laid before them, showing the real and actual value of
it.—(Hear.) The Shareholders had seen no data what-
ever upon which the Directors had gone in order to
ascertain the value of their property, and, therefore, be
would say, without wishing to use hard words, that on
his soul he had never seen or heard anything like this in
his lice.—(Hear, and a laugh.) After applauding the
course taken by the Chairman, Mr. Hitchens concluded
by moving the first resolution, which, with the others,
will-be found in our advertising columns.
The CHAIRMAN was of opinion that from this meet-
ing ought to emanate a requisition to the Directors to
call a general meeting of the Shareholders, and to ex-
press a strong hope that the former would at that meet-
ing evince a wish to adopt whatever course should be
deemed most advisable by the latter, instead of coming
with their pockets filled with proxies, in order to enable
them to carry out their own views.—(Hear, hear.) In-
deed, he could not think they would do otherwise, and
therefore he would suggest the adoption of such a re•
quisition.
the meeting.
the T reuaseursearid,o ft
htaht ew
hCeonnetiprasnt yh,enseaxvrt
to be present, as it was anonymous ; but he was
adds
edMraercksvAeedrittNitsment calling this meeting, he did not in-
tendhe
glad that he had attended. He felt that he should take
to himself a share of the discredit, if any there was,
that should fall upon the Directors. He had been urg-
ing them since July last to make out a statement, but
they had not done so. He was not a Director, but the 'Trea-
surer of the Company, and, as such, he felt proud of the
confidence they reposed in him.---(Hear.) He did not,
however, mean to throw any reflection upon the Direc-
tors, for he believed the majority of them to be highly
course
erathbalet
thee Shareholders
m en
should
and to adopt
out.—(Hear.)any
Some of the Directors were men of considerable wealth
and influence, and would, therefore, be ashamed to do any
act unworthy of men of high character.—(Hear, hear.)
He had not a copy of the deed of settlement, , but he
willing
believed it would be found that its clauses were very
strong, and that none of them conferred the power on
the Lord Chancellor alluded to by the Chairman. He
would suggest that four or five of the Shareholders
should meet the Directors, and ask them to show,
if they could, whether they had had good premises for
the arguments set forth in their circular.
Here a short discussion took place upon the wording
of the resolutions (which will be found in our first page)
and requisition, which, having been agreed to, a vote of
thanks was passed by acclamation_to the Chairman, and
the meeting separated.

contrary evidence found against it? They escaped, how-
ever, as well as they could, and screened Sir J. Graham
as much as possible. I have read since that time in some
newspaper that the secret office is closed, and that the
clerks are sent to the right about.—(Laughter and
cheers.) Is that report satisfactory ? Is it nut as pro-
bable that it is only removed from the Post-office to the
Home-office—(Shouts of laughter)—and that the ser-
vice: of the clerks are transferred to Sir J. Graham's

outer room?—(Laughter.) It will be a more convenient
arrangement; so that if any of you write to me—and my
letters have been opened before now—there will be no
time lost. He can at once say, " What is this, see what
is written to Duncombe, and let me know imme-
diately."—(Shame, and hisses.) Oh, what a stain
to our country in the eyes of foreign nations. What
indignity that the prisons of despotic foreign Powers
should be filled with victims to our Post-office-espionage.
The blood of the nine men who have lately suffered in
Calabria is on the Post- office of England. It is a well
known fact now that we gave the Pope information of
what vvas gOing on in his dominions, and it is equally
well known that .on the principle of " one good turn
deserves another," be has done the Government a good
turn now by using his iAfluence on the politics of Ire-
land.--.—(Hear, hear.) The Government said, "We
assisted you in putting down rebellion i❑ your terri-
tories, now give us your assistance- with Daniel O'Con-
nell." I trust and hope that there is sufficient
independence remaining with the people of Ireland that,
be their religious principles what they will, they will
not allow a foreign potentate to interfere in their
struggle for their political freedom.—(Great cheers.)
My friends, lam reminded of the trades' conference. I
do then say that I trust the metropolitan trades, and the
tra les throughout England, will meet by delegates here,
for it is quite clear to me that there is now an attempt
to pr‘judice the public mind against all combinationl4
saving always COKltnuations of capitalists.—(Hear,
hear.) The Honourable Speaker made some further
observations on the principles of trades' unions, and
concluded by thanking them for the confidence they had
conferred on him; and be hoped that the ensuing session
would not in any way shake their friendship—that he
would meet them at the end of it, and be as warmly
greeted as he had been that evening. He then sat
down amid enthusiastic applause.
Several other speakers followed, and a ball wound up
the festivities of the evening.

ASHBURTON:A MODERN WONDER.—One of the
most extraordinary prodigies of railroad and printing
dispatch has taken place this week that has ever been
recorded from this town, viz., the working men's ad-
dress to Mr. Matheson, relative to the silver snuffbox,
tngether with Mr. M.'s answer, were sent off from the
po-t-offiee here at half-past six o'clock on Sunday even-
ing last for insertion in the daily Sun, London news-
paper, and, wond, rful to relate, on Tuesday morning,
about seven o'clock, both documents, and a highly inte-
resting leading and appropriate article appeared in that
journal, and arrived here, thus having traversed upwards
of 400 miles, in addition to the process of composing,
printing, B,:c.—Western Times.
DEATH OF LADY MARY BAGOT.—It iS with
regret that we have to announce the decease of Lady
Mary Bagot, eldest daughter of the Earl and Countess
of Mornington, and widow cf the late Right Hon. Sir C.
Bagot, the late Governor-General of Canada. This
sad bereavement was most unexpected, her Ladyship
having been only considered slightly unwell within the
last fe w days, her illness being supposed to have risen
from a cold. On Saturday night alarming symptoms
displayed themselves, and shortly after five o'clock on
Sunday morning her Ladyship breathed her last, at the
family residence in Porchester-terrace, her complaint
having terminated with inflammation. The deceased
lady, who was, as we have above stated, the eldest
daughter of the Earl and Countess of Mornington, was
born sth February, 1786, and married 22d July, 1806,
the Right Hon. Sir Charles Bagot, second son of the late
Lord Begot, by whom her Ladyship had a family of ten
children, seven of whom are living, Lieut.-Colonel Bagot
and the Countess of Winchilsea being her eldest son and
daughter. By her Ladyship's demise the Duke of Wel-
lington, Lord and Lady Charles Wellesley, the Earl and
Countess of Westinoreland, Lord and Lady Fitzroy
Somerset, the Earl and Countess of Mornington, Lord
and Lady Cowley, Viscount Wellesley, the Earl and
Countess of Winchilsea, Viscount and Viscountess Chel-
sea, the Marquis and Marchioness of Douro, Lieut.-Col.
and Mrs. Fraser, Viscount Burghersh, the Hon. and
Rev. Dr. Gerald V. Wellesley, Lord Bagot, the Hon.
W. Bagot, the Earl of Uxbridge, and several other
families of rack, are placed in mourning.
Several large pensions have lately fallen in by the
death of the -recipients. These are the late Sir Gore
Ouseley. 5,0001. a year ; the Earl of Limerick, 8461. ;
and Lady Ann Culling Smith, " sister of the Duke,"
6001. There is also from 7,0001. to 10,0001. per annum
by the death of the Princess Sophia of Gloucester,
partly arising from Parliamentary grant, and partly from
the salary which she received as Ranger of Greenwich
Park.

COMMITTAL OF A .SCHOOLMASTER TO MAIDSTONE
GAUL.—ROCHESTER, FEB. I.—Yesterday a full Bench
of County Magistrates for the north division of the
lathe of Aylesford, assembled at the offices of
Messrs. Essell and Hayward, and were occupied
nearly the whole of the day investigating several charges
of a revolting description against Mr. John Williams,
of 21, Gibraltar-terrace, New-road, Chatham, and
who has hitherto enjoyed the reputation of conducting
an extensive and respectable boarding-school for the
education of young gentlemen. It appeared from the exa-
mination of several of the boys that their master had,
up to this charge made against him, about
twenty boarders and about fifty day scholars, and
at night their master had occasionally different young
gentlemen boarders to sleep with him, when he behaved
to them in a most revolting manner. These abomi-
nable acts of the master were first discovered by Mr.
and Mrs. Janes, of Rochester, who had a son a boarder
at the establishmant, and who had come home to them
so exceedingly ill, that they called in Dr. Anam Martin,
of Rochester, to attend' the boy. The boy related
that which implicated the master, and the pri
sorter was immediately apprehended. Several of
the boys were examined, among whom were
Twister' Janes, of Rochester, aged 10 years ;
John Strotht.r, of 35, John-street, Rotherhithe, 10 years
old, and Thomas Janes, aged 15 years. Each of
their evidence went to prove such offences against the
prisoner that the Magistrates, without the least hesita-
tion, fully committed the prisoner for trial at the next
Maidstone assizes, on each separate case. The pri-
soner is about sixty years of age, and has moved for
some years in respectable circles in the neighbourhood.
EXTRAORDINARY RUSE.—In consequence of the
fall of snow on Friday morning, the following clever
trick was well and successfully played throughout the
metropolis. Between eight and half-peat eight, a
printed circular, headed with the royal coat of arms,
and looking as official as possible, was distributed, not
only among the squares at the West-end, but very
bountifully in the neighbourhoods of Walworth and Cam-
berwell. The circular ran as follows :—" Metropolitan
Police, Scotland-yard.—The inspectors and sergeants
of police have received instructions from their super-
intendents to desire every private on their several
beats to report the non-compliance of householders and
others with the enactment of the Police Amendment
Act, relating to the removal of snow, or other obstruc-
tions of the footway in front of their houses, whereby
a fine of not less than 10s. is imposed for every such neg-
lect." Within half an hour after the delivery of this ap-
parently official handbill, another knock or ring followed
at the street door, and the question was as duly put—
" Please will you have the snow swept away from the
front ?" In more than eight instances out of ten the
trick succeeded, and sums varying from 6d. to 2d. were
realised by the holders of the brooms and shovels from
each house. The alarm excited by the official appearance
of the handbills may be well and truly imagined, while
the offer of service just after breakfast shows the
greatest judgment and knowledge of human nature.
Considerable sums, comparatively speaking, were cleared
by the speculation—one well-worthy of the Stock Ex-
change itself. The bills had evidently been printed some
in anticipation of a snow storm.
NEWLY-DISCOVERED FISHING BANK.—A fish-
ing bank of great extent has been recently resorted to
by the fishermen, at a distance of about eighty miles to
the east of Scarborough, where large quantities of fish,
partienlarly soles, of superior size and excellence, are
now regularly taken, and such has been the effect of this
fresh source of supply to the fish-markets in the interior
of the country, that soles are now selling in the Leeds
and other markets of the manufacturing districts, at a
reduction of from fourpence to sixpence in the pound.
This newly-explored mine of marine wealth has obtained
the appropriate name of the Silver Bank.—Leeds Mercury.
RARE DEER STALKING.—On Tuesdnv week a full
Mrown stag was shot in the woods of Acnilty, by Mrs.
oss, of Rossi°. This is the second instance of this lady's
display of adroit deer-stalking this season, having a few
days previously shot another stag with the German rifle,
Scottish Refivmer's Gazette.
EXTRAORDINARY CHALLENGE FOR FIVE HUN-
DRED GUINEAS.—Messrs. Byles and Pooke, of Windsor,
Berkshire, have made a challenge to all England to show
weer, a pony, and a hog, collectively, against any three
ta.,414r species, bona Jai:‘ rLc p. upvi Ly of any
tWQ ir3ividtlala 111 one Own.

Lord Chancellor, in
NEW QUEEN'S COUNSEL.—Mr. Russell Gurney
honase
roefeetihveedsoanns
ionftiMmart.ißonarfernomGtuirleney, we are informed,
reply to his application, that he will be called within the
bar as one of her Majesty's Counsel. The effect of this
appointment will be to place him over the heads of Mr.
Sergeant Channell and Mr. Sergeant Shee, who are
many years his seniors both in rank and standing at the
bar, and to lead those eminent and talented men on the
Home Circuit, unless the Lord Chancellor grants them
patents of precedence. In fact, owing to the elevation
of Mr. Platt to the bench of the Court of Exchequer,
and the appointment of Sir F. Thesiger as Solicitor-
General, both of whom belonged to the Home Circuit,
Mr. R. Gurney will lead the entire bar on;that circuit.
MINISTERIAL ARRANGEMENTS.—It IS now defini-
tively arranged, we believe, that the Right Hon. Sir
Thomas Fremantle goes to Ireland as Lord Eliot's suc-
cessor in the important office of Chief Secretary ; that
the Hon. Sidney Herbert leaves the Admiralty, and
takes Sir Thomas Fremantle's place as Secretary at
War, with a seat in the Cabinet ; and that the Right
Hon. H. T. L. Corry succeeds to the First Secretary-
ship of the Admiralty, vacated by Mr. Sidney Herbert.
With regard to Mr: Cardwell, M.P., whose name has
been mentioned in print, in connection with these neces-
sary changes, we are enabled to say that, up to the pre-
sent moment, he has not accepted any appointment
under Government, but it is hoped that, ere long, the
country will have the benefit of his services. It was
stated in the City on Saturday evening, upon authority
which admits of no doubt, that Mr. Thomas Baring,
M.P., has been invited by Sir Robert Peel to take an
office in all r.spects suited to his talents and commercial
knowledge, and we fully expect that we shall, in a day
or two, have to announce his accession to the Ministry
in a position in which he can be eminently useful. Lord
Dalhousie, as our readers are aware, quits the Vice-
Presidency of the Board of Trade, and will become the
head of that department by reason of the retirement of
the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone.—Morning paper.
Viscount Malden, eldest son of the Earl and Coun-
tess of Essex, and nephew to the Duke of St. Alban's,
has entered tie aer.oy as Emige, Ic the I2th Regimezt of
FOOtt