The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-08-13 00:00:00

SEIZURE OF ARMS.

Three other men, named Harvey, Flittern, and Leech,
were next arraigned, charged with having guns in their pos-
session. John Taylor, Esq. solicitor, appeared for Hervey,
and wished the case to be gone into, but they were remanded
till to-morrow, (this day.)

MEETING OF THE SHAREHOLDERS
lisT THE
LIVERPOOL & MANCHESTER FISH COMPANY.

On Friday a meeting of the shareholders in the Liverpool
and Manchester Fish Company took place at the Clarendon
rooms. Mr. Owen, of London-road, was called to the chair.
Two of the directors, Mr. J ames Bateson and and Mr. Spence
were present, as was also Mr. Christian, the company's legal
adviser.

The CHAIRMAN alluded to the thin attendance, which, he
said, would have presented a different appearance had the
meeting been called to declare a dividend, instead of enforc-
ing a call. He next proceeded to read a report drawn up by
the directors at the close of last year, and signed by them all.
From the enquiries he had made he was satisfied that this
report embraced a fair statement of the company's position.
He regretted that it had not been printed, and a copy trans-
mitted to each shareholder. Such a proceeding would have
shown the shareholders how they stood, and it would have
silenced themany annoying rumours afloat. It appeared from
the report in question there had been an actual loss on the
sale of fish of nearly £2OOO ; the receipts for that article
having been about £lOOO, while the expellee incurred in hiring
boats, salaries, &c. amounted to nearly £3OOO. The directors
found this a ruinous business, and of course they soon gave it
up. Eight " well boats" had been hired at an outlay of £7O
per month, for the purpose of bringing the fish to market;
but from the difficulty of procuring it, and the impossibility
of selling it except at this enormous loss, the engagement was
cancelled as soon as possible. The next loss resulted from
the sale of the company's premises in James'-street, as com-
pared with the price paid for it. It had recently been pur-
chased by the Chester and Birkenhead Railway Company for
£6520, and will be paid for in November. The number of
shares originally issued amounted to 12,600, on which is
each was paid on allotment. The first call of £1 per share
was paid on 4150 shares. At the present moment the Albion
Bank had a balance against the company amounting to about
£BOOO, and they were pressing for a settlement. The second
call had realised about £9OO. The only creditors of the com-
pany were the Albion Bank, Messrs. Christian, solicitors to
the company, and Mr. Pratchett, the accountant. To meet
their claims, after receiving the money for the premises in
James'-street, would require about £2OOO, and as nearly half
the shareholders who signed the deed of settlement were either
insolvent, dead, or could not be found, it would require a
s !coed £1 a share from the remainder to meet the liabilities
of the company. The chairman said, in conclusion, that it
was a bad business, and there remained no alternative but to
make the best of a bad job.

SPENCE, Esq. as a director of the company, and also
a director of the Albion Bank, would say that neither him-
self or any of his brother directors had ever received the
value of an oyster shell belonging to the company. He was
induced to become a shareholder at the request of his friend
Mr. Bateson. He originally took 50 shares,—he increased
them to SO by purchasing at a premium, and he rendered
himself liable for 50 more. But every penny due on these
shares had been paid, as the bank book would show. He
would however, unburthen his mind as to the appropriation
of the shillings. Out of the 12,600 shillings paid at the for-
mation of the company, Mr. Pratchett received £lOO, Mr.
Peake received another £lOO, Mr. Pierson contrived to get
£lOO note, and the Messrs. Christian, according to previous
arrangement, received £lOO ; and £l2B 16s 3d was paid into
the Albion Bank to the credit of the company.—Mr. Spence
proceeded to make some remarks as to the peculiarly delicate
situation he held as a director of the Fish Company, and also
as a director of the Albion Bank. The majority of the di-
rectors of the latter establishment were exceedingly anxious
to have their account settled with the Fish Company, and he,
knowing how they were situated, was anxious to afford thein
every accommodation. The result was a good deal of un-
pleasantness.
It was finally resolved that a call of £1 per share should be
made upon the shareholders. The meeting then separated.

FIRE.—On Friday evening a fire was discovered in an eld
warehouse, in Finney-lane, Thomas-street, South John-
street, occupied by Mr. Atkinson, and used as a drying-kiln
for cotton. A plentiful supply of water being at hand, the
fire was got under in a few minutes.

A FEMALE RESCUED FROM DROWNING.—On Friday
last the wife of a labouring man, occupied on board of a ship
lying in the Brunswick Dock, in attempting to get on shore
(after having been on board the vessel with some articles for
her husband), fell into the dock. Exertions were made to
assist her by the people on the quay,. but without success,
and the poor woman was a.
Williams,ut to sink,—when one of the
dock gatemen, named William i sprang into the
water from a vessel near the spot, and, at the risk of his life,
fortunately succeeded in rescuing her from impending death.
Such an act is worthy of not only the highest commendation
but of some substantial reward.