Star.
London, England, 1826-08-16 00:00:00

THE LONDON SMELTING ASSOCIATION.

A Meeting of the Shareholders of this Company was
held yesterday. at Batson's Coffee-house, for the purpose
of taking into consideration the state of their affairs.

Mr. W. CLARK, being called to the Chair, made a
statement of facts relative to the origin of this *theme,
and to the disposal of the deposits which had been paid
upon the Shares issued. It appeared that Mr. Hendricks
was the projector of it, and that by the Prospectus it
was proposed that there should be .4000 Shares, but
without stating the amount of the capital, it being inti-
mated that 11. per Share in the first instance would be
sufficient to enable the Directors to proceed with expe-
riments in smelting and calcining ore in London. Only
820 of those Shares were taken up, and he (Mr. Clark)
bad learned, that nith the exception of a small balance
still in the hands of Messts. Sikes, Snaith, and Co.,
bankers, who had since become bankrupts, the greater
part of the money had been appropriated by Mr. Hen-
.dricks in discharge of a private debt he owed to Mr.
Pass, although it was pretended that the limey had
been appropriated- in the erection of machinery, and
making experiments. Now, according to the informa-
tion he had received, the machinery had been erected
long before the Company was formed, for which a
small sum only was paid to Mr. Pass, to whom it be•
longed, as well as the patent. He loudly complained of
the conduct of the nine Directors, all of whom had
signed An authority to the bankers, empowering them
to pay out money to the order of any three of them.—
Of those nit* Gentlemen, two bad become bankrupts,
three had gone to the Continent, and the rest declined
interfering with the concern. He particularly com-
plained or Mr. Annichines conduct, who was then per
sent in the room: He admitted that that Gentleman
'had offered to pay his proportion of the money that bad
been misapplied. He, however, was responsible to the
Shareholders, not only for his own conduct, but for the
conduct of those with whom he acted. He (Mr. Clark)
therefore recommended the Shareholders to persevere,
and recover the money, of which, in plain terms, they
had been robbed by the most nefarious means; it never
having been the intention of the projectors to carry
the sci.eme into effect, but merely to put the money
into their pockets.

Mr. Amuitust said, that be had been made a Director aping
bio will, and withdrew his name a few days after. Mr. Hendricks
laid prevailed upon him to sign the paper, of which he had no re.
collection whatever at the time Me. Clark had applied to him upon
the subject.
A person on the behalf of Mr. Hendricks banded in =bunts,
obewmg the disbursements of the money, with the exception of a
small balance, for which disbursements, be said, Dlr. Hendricks
bad vouchers.

These accounts were commented upon as being very
unsatisfactory; and, after a great many criminatory
remarks, especially with reference to the conduct of
Mr. Hendricks, a resolution was passed by the Meeting,
declaring this disgust at the conduct of the Directors,
and their determination to commence a prosecution
against the parties, unless measures were speedily
adopted to repay the amount of the deposit•.
A Committee of four persons was then appointed, for the purpose
of investigating the Company's affairs, and the Meeting dissolved.

His MAJESTY intends to place the Emperors, Kings,
Princes, ropes, Bishops, Generals, and distinguished Commanders,
sa exquisitely painted by Sir THOMAS LAW/LID:CZ, in the new
lery, at Buckingham House, according to their degrees of merit.
FATAL AFFAIR.--An Inquisition was taken on Mon-
d.ty night before T. Higgs, Esq. Coroner for West-
minster, at the Board-room of the Hospital, in James-
street, Buckingham gate, touching the calamitous death
cf William Bass, an elderly man, resident in St. Mar-
garet's, who was unfortunately run over on Tuesday
last. After the Jury had consulted for a considerable
time, they ttt.linetl an unanimous verdict of " Man
slaughter" apinst William Murray, the driver, who was
yesterday ct rnrnitted to Newgate for trial..
'l7suts4ay morning a man of the name of Charles
Hall, of Shelton, was killed on the Pottery Race-ground,
Staffordshire, in consequence of fighting with one Skin-
ner: The quarrel originated with Skinner, who accused
Ilan of detrauding him of half-a-crown. Hall received
a blow on the neck, supposed on the jugular vein,which
ttrrainated his existence.

LAW REPORT.
COURT OF CHANCIIRY. Avow IS.

JOINT STOCK COMPANIES...-ZIPA RTII.-•••• VA NSA MDT.

Mr. HZALD presented a petition, praying a bill filed
against the partners of a Joint Stock Company might'
be dismissed, and the defendants pay the costs. The,
usual practice is for the plaintiff to pay costs on his bill
being dismissed, but it was stated that the hardships,
and peculiar circumstances of this case, justified a devia-
tion from the general rule. Mr.Vansanden, having sub-
scribed 801. to become a member of a Joint Stock Com-
pany, engaged in a mining speculatiou, became dissatis-
fied. He consequently filed his bill against the mem-
bers of the Company, 14 io number. Before it was
filed, some threats had been held out against the plaintiff,
and the 14 defendants put in 14 separate answers, all in
the same terms, and the same schedule to each. A
motion WAS then made before the Vice Chancellor, which
induced his Honour to direst a refetenee to the Master.
The question subsequently came before the Lord Chan-
cellor, who was of opinion the Court could not compel
the 14 defendants to put in a joint answer. The con-
sequence was, that the plaintiff, unable to sustain the
accumulating load of espence occasioned by litigation
in a Court of Equ'ty with fourteen defendants, was
forced to give up the suit. Mt. Heald now contended
that the Court ought to make the defendants pay the
costs, because they had made it impossible for the plain-
tiff to proceed.

Mr. Ham opposed the motion.
The Lon° CHANCELLOR held. that he had no autho-
rity to say the Court could dismiss the bill without coats ;
and Mr. Heald took nothing by his motion.