Star.
London, England, 1826-10-16 00:00:00

BRITISH IRON COMPANY.

A Meeting of the Shareholders of this Company was
held at flAtson's Coffee House, Cornhill, on Saturday.
Mr. BAILEY rose and said, that previous to the com.
mencement of the business of the day, he thought it ne.
cessary to have a paper signed by all present, expressing
their dissatisfaction at the proceedings of the original
projectors of this Company, as such were the terms of
the advertisement convening the meeting.
A Susscatsaa objected to such a proceeding, although he was net
pleased with the conduct pursued by the Directors.
Mr. BAILEY said that he had paid SOL per share on
all the shares be held in the Company, and was a great
sufferer by the ill management of the Company. He
had demurred to ao additional call of 21.105. per share,
and the present meeting was designed to consist of such
Proprietors only as participated in his feelings of dis•
content. It was impossible to say whether the majority
of persons present had any interest whatsoever in the
concern, if they refused to tell their names, or to state
the amount of their claims.

The Gentleman assured Mr. Bailey that he held se.
fetal shares, and was a loser by them to a considerable
amount. As a matter of courtesy, he had no objection
to declare his name, which was Foss.
On the motion of Mr. T. Moxox, Mr. Bailey was don called to
the Chair.

Mr. W. CLARK said it was anticipated that some
friends of the Directors would attend for the purpose of
thwarting the endeavours of those who called the meet-
ing, and therefore the advertisement was so framed as to
exclude all but those who were dissatisfied with the con-
duct of the managers. None others were invited, and
therefore none others had a right to be present.
The CHAIRMAN said, that if further opposition were offered, the
legitimate members of the meeting would be under the necessity of
retiring to another room.
Mr. Foss asked by what right Mr. Clark attended ?
and being answered that he appeared as a scrip holder,
he denied that- there, was any such thing as a scrip-
, holder in the Company. He had no personal objection
to Or. Clark, but seeing that he had no valid inteiest
in the concern, he felt bound to insist on his exclusion.
_ _

Mr. CLARK argued that he had a sufficient interest to
warrant his attendance. He had purchased sh 4 yes,
but the Directors, availing themselves of the terms of
the deed, refused to transfer them to his name. Thus
he became a loser in the sum of 161. unless the Directors
were compelled to do him justice. They excluded bins
from their meeting, and resisted the transfer which he
claimed, because he could throw an inconvef,ient light
on their transactions; though the limiting clause of the
deed was only meant as a guard against the admission
of improper persons. Such a rejection was c4lculated
to fix a stain on the character of the individual who
was the object of it, and it was surely but fair to afford
him a hearing in order to his vindication. He was re-
jected at the Meeting of the Directors, and now Mr.
Foss would not allow him to remain as one not called
by the Directurs, for the purpose of :hewing the iniquity
of the sentence.— (Hear, hear ! ) He now called on the
Meeting to say whether they would support him or not,
and whether they would insist on his admission into the
Company ?
_ . . .

Mr: Mosou said it might save time to decide by a vote whether
Mr. Clark was to be allowed to attend, and also whether Mr. Con
was to enjoy a similar privilege.
After a very irrelevant and stormy contest, it was at length car-
ried by a majority that Mr. Clark should be suffered to remain and
take a pert in the discussion.
When it was proposed that Mr. Cort also should be permitted
to remain, several Shareholders were loud in their objections to such
' an arrangement.
A Sumuntocuaa asked Mr. Cort whether he had settled his ac-
couuts with the Company ?
Mr. COHT referred the inquirer for a triumphant an•
swer to his question, which he would find in his letter to
the Proprietors that day published. He would there
see the whole account stated, and also the mason why
some of the items had not been passed. He had re-
signed his situation in the Company, because of the re-
sistance with which he met when he attempted to point
out the ruinous effects of the conduct of some of the
Managers, and because he was not .allowed to discharge
his duty to the Shareholders.
Mr. Foss—May I ask you, Mr. Cort, was a person named Baker,
a clerk of yours?
Mr. C.—He was, Sir.
Mr.-F.—Was Baker at Congreaves?
Mr. C.—l have heard as much, and I regret it. While be was with
me I had no complaint to make of him; but I have since learned
that he offered himself to Mr. Philip Taylor.
A Suasanowas—Are you not under a prosecution of the Corn.
pony, for charging what you ought not to charge. One of the items,
I understand, is a suit of livery for Mr. Con's groom ?
Mr. Cont.—These questions are obviously put with a
design to cast an imputation on my character, and that
too by persons who are at the same time attempting to
deprive me of the means of entering upon my defence,
or meeting the calumny by a plain refutation. The
motive and the act are both equally evident and credit-
able. As to the item alluded to, I can explain it.—By
Mr. P. Taylor's permission, I kept 4 horse, which was,
in fact, es, ential to the discharge of my duty, under the
circumstances in which I was placed.; and this very ob-
jectionable item was merely the charge for a j cket,
with which I furnished a poor boy who had charge of
the horse. If the Company allowed me a hor,e, surely
I was not to bear any of the expenses incidehtal to
his keeping.
A SHARKHOLDER—No more, Sir—no more. We are hot enquir.
ins whether you were personally right or wrong. It is tnuugh
that you are at issue with the Directors.
The Meeting then divided on the question of Mr. Curt's privi•
lege to remain, which was lost by a majority of ten to nine.
Mr. Moxox here moved an adjournment, which being carried,
the meeting separated, without discussing any part of the business
for WiliCb it was enlivened.

Yesterday morning, as Mr. Francis, of Newington,
was riding at a fast trot near Croydon, the bore sisLi•
doily tipped, atid fell. Mr. Francis wa, t‘rown m r
.Js head with great vi.,lence, and we Are sorry t
lie now lies in a dani.terous ktate, his collar-bone tictilg
!ractureJ, and his boJy dreadfully bruised.