The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-02-18 00:00:00

LOCAL NEWS,

The Cheshire Hounds will meet to-morrow, (Saturday,)
the 19th instant, at Goostrey Village ; Monday, the 21st, at
Oulton ; Wednesday, the 23d, at Talon. Park ; Thursday,
the 24th, at Wallington Ball; Saturday, the 26th, at Norton
Priory.—At half-past ten o'clock.
BIRKENHEAD FAIR.—The next quarterly fair is announced
to take place on Tuesday next, the 22nd instant. It is ex-
pected that there will be an excellent show of horses, cattle,
pigs, &c.

Lord Sandon presented a petition from the Chamber of
Commerce of Liverpool, recommending a fixed duty instead
of the sliding scale, and suggesting the propriety of a longer
time being given for striking the averages.—Tuesday's Par-
liamentaryPraceedings.— [What length of time do the wise-
acres require for. striking the averages? A Neil, short one,
we opine, if their " recbtrithendatiOo be earried.out.]
CHARACTERS TO SERVANTS.-It cannot be too generally
known, that an individual who gives otherwise than a good
character of his servant, is now liable to an action of libel,
and to have damages awarded against him if he does not
prove, to the satisfaction of a jury, that the character is a
true one. Until the case of " Fountain v. Bootle and wife,"
heard before Lord Denham on Friday last, these were held
to be privileged communications. What will be the effect
of this new doctrine remains to be proved, in case the deci-
sion is to be considered final. It will not be safe, as hereto-
fore, to piead the general issue alone.

DISTRUSS IN PAISLEY.—The very great distress that pre-
vails in Paisley, renders it necessary that some exertions
should be made by the natives of Scotland in this country,
who are in a prosperous state, to assist their brethren. Eng-
lishmen will, we are sure, join heart and hand in such a cause.
An opportunity now offers of carrying out the good work, as
will be seen by the announcement that, on Sunday next, a
sermon will be preached at the Scotch Church, when a col-
lection will be made for the benefit of the Paisley weavers.

ALLEGED STARVATION ON SIIIEBOARD.—In our last we
gave the evidence adduced against the captain and mate of a
schooner recently arrived front Tampico, on a charge Cif
starving the crew. On Wednesday the case was again called
on, when the captain and mate both answered. The deposi-
tions of the several witnesses had meanwhile been reduced to
writing. They were read to the accused, sworn to, and signed.
IVh. Rushton then ordered the captain and mate to give se-
curity to appear at the next sessions of the Central Criminal
Court, to answer any indictment that might be preferred
against them for murder. The sureties required from the
captain were himself in £2OO, and two others in £5O each.
The sureties required from the mate were himself in £lOO,
and two sureties in £3O each. The captain immediately
entered into the required recognizances, but the mate not
being able to give bail was committed to gaol. The witnesses
were bound over to appear and give evidence.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—The following appears in Tues-
day's Gazette as the route of the judges for this circuit:—
Durham—Monday, Feb. 21. at Durham. Town of New-
castle-upon-Tyne—Friday, Feb. 25, at the Castle of New-
castle-upon-Tyne. Northumberland—The same day, at the
Guildhall of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Yorkshire—Wednes-
day, March 2, at the Castle of York. City of York—The
same day, at the Guildhall of the said city of York. Cu►n-
berland—Friday, March 4, at Carlisle. Westmoreland—
Wednesday, March 9, at Appleby. Lancashire, Northern
Division—Saturday, March 12, at Lancaster. Lancashire,
Southern Division—Thursday, March 24, at Liverpool.—
The judges are Barons Parke and Rolfe, and Mr. Justice
Wightman.

MEETING OF THE DOCK CoMIsIITTEE.—The Dock Com-
mittee held their weekly meeting yesterday, when the follow-
ing members were present :—Messrs. Horsfall, Barclay,
Holmes, Middleton, Molyneux, Sandbach, Mellor, Evans,
Tobin, Shand, Bold, and Ripley. In the absence of Mr.
Sands, chairman of the committee, Mr. Horsfall, the deputy
chairman, presided. The sub-committee for the department
of the telegraphs recommended John Rowland to be ap-
pointed to the vacant situation in the telegraph-office.—
Agreed to.—A complaint by Captain Bevis, on the part of
Captain Smithit, commander of her Majesty's steamer Me-
dina, of the conduct of the master and one of the gatemen at
Waterloo Dock, on the morning of the 15th instant, when
the steamer was coming off the gridiron in Prince's Dock
Basin, of insolence, and no officer being on the spot, was in-
vestigated at considerable length. The dock master clearly
showed that he was in no way connected with the affair, and
as to the gateman, whose name is Cainmins, it was established
that he was in some degree to blame. Hei was, therefore,
cautioned to be more careful for the future. The committee
then rose.

IMPORTANT TO TRADESMEN.-At the Court of Passage
last week, before Charles Crompton, Esq., assessor, the fol-
lowing case was heard :—Mr. Murphy opened the pleadings,
and stated that in the case his clients, Messrs. Jones and
Corlett, tailors, were plaintiffs, and the Rev. J. Aspinall, de-
fendant. The action was brought against the latter to re-
cover the sum of £l3 65., being the amount due to the plain-
tiffs for work done for the defendant and his sons.—Mr.
Raffles, counsel for the defendant, acknowledged the delivery
of the goods at the house of the Rev. J. Aspinall, in Aber-
cromby-square ; and also acknowledged that the charges
were moderate ; but he contended that the father was not
liable to pay debts contracted by his children.—The Learned
Assessor said, according to the law, and especially several
recent decisions of the judges, even in the case of int'ant chil-
dren, no liability could be placed on the father, except there
was a distinct agreement proved to have been entered into by
the parent.—Mr. Murphy thought the claim of the plaintiffs
could not be disputed. One of the rev. gentleman's sons
was 23 and the other 24 years of age. The goods were fur-
nished within thirteen months, and under such circum-
stances the money ought to be paid.—Mr. Murphy now called
Thomas Brown who deposed, I am a boot-maker in Liver-
pool ; I have invariably done some little work for Mr. As-
pinall's family. In 1841 I did some work for the young chil-
dren ; I tendered my bill in the name of the Rev. J. As-
pinall; one job I did was making 'a grown up pair of boot*
(general laughter), that is to say a man's pair. I took the
bill for the grown up pair to Mrs. Aspinall, and she paid me
for them.—Mr. Murphy, addressing the witness, is it not a
custom in Liverpool for heads of families to pay their chil-
dren's debts ?—Mr. Brown.—l can't tell that, sir, because
I'm not a law-maker.—The Learned Assessor observed that
the law was particular about younger children ; but when
they were 23 or 21 years of age, it was a hard case that debts
could not be recovered while they were under their parent's
roof unemployed ; and it was harder still that parents should
not be liable for contracts made by infant children. He
hoped a speedy amendment would be made in the law in these
respects.—The plaintiffs were nonsuited.

LIVERPOOL TOWN MISSION.—On Wednesday evening
the 13th annual meeting of the Town Mission was held at
the Music Hall, and was very numerously and respectably
attended. The chair was occupied by John Cropper, Esq.
Mr. Jones read the report, from which it appeared that vast
numbers of the local population are in a state of spiritual
privation, and that the immense majority of the poorer
classes are in the constant habit of neglecting the means of
grace. In less than 300 streets there are upwards of 15,000
children who never frequent any schools. The present dis-
tress was felt to be a great hindrance to the spread of the
gospel, and lead in many instances to Sabbath profanation.
In 274 of the streets 9,000 families have- been discovered
without any portion of the word of God. The mission has
18 agents employed, who pay 1,450 domiciliary visits, and
hold 80 religious meetings at the houses of the poor every
week. They visit the Night Asylum five times every week,
and speak of the love of God in Christ Jesus to the unfortu-
nate inmates of that place. Several adult schools had been
opened during the year : and tracts had been distributed to
the Irish reapers, the crowds collected at the assizes, the
people going to the races, and those who attended the meet-
ing of the Royal Agricultural Society in July last. During
the year the agents paid 64,565 visits, of which 14,340 were
to the sick ; they held 3,152 religious meetings and 138 meet-
ings in the open air; they circulated 1,715 religious books
and 68,000 tracts ; they had relieved 700 cases of extreme
distress, out of an extra fund placed at their disposal by be-
nevolent persons, to the amount of £B5. Through their in-
strumentality 102 persons had been added to various churches
during the year, and many had died in faith who first heard
the glad tidings of the gospel from their lips. The balance
in the treasurer's hands amounted at present tu 4179 11s. 6d.
The Rev. Mr. Lister moved the adoption of the report ; after
which several other speakers ably advocated the claims of the
mission to public support.

FRAUDS ON THE BUTTER TRADE.—The Cork Constitu-
tion of Tuesday publishes the following letter, from a gen-
tleman who was sent by a commit* of merchants at Cork
to inquire into the nature and extent of the frauds commit-
ted by the Hamburgh merchants :
," Liverpool, Feb. 7,
1842.
" DEAR SIR,—I have made every inquiry in my power
with respect to the butter imported here from Hamburgh,
&c., and have to inform you, for the information of the com-
mittee of merchants, that nearly all butter so imported, was
exported previously to my arriving here. There remains a
small parcel of it in the bonded stores, but I have not yet
been able to see it. I have given the transaction all the, pub-
licity I could, and believe that the speculation will not be
very profitable.
" Some of the merchants here think it would be advisable
that I should remain here some days longer, as it is probable
that a new arrival may take place. At the back of this you
have the places to which the butter has been shipped, to-
gether with the quantity:—
" 1841.. December 22d 60 firkins
1842.. January 21st.. 114 do
22d.. 50 do
I 27th.. 100 do
/9 28th.. 150 do,
91 11 • 120 do,
PP 7/ 50 do.

. Honduras.
. Rio de Janeiro.
. Trinidad.
. Malta.
. Bahia.
. Rio.

Honduras

firkins.
" I understand that all the above were marked on the
heads ' Casey Brothers, Cork,' but cannot learn whether the
committees brand was used or not.
" I remain, dear sir, your's truly,
" RICHARD LY.
" Commercial Hotel, Dale-streeTOW
t, LiN
verpool.
" To George Atkins, Esq., Cork."

An event of a distressing description occurred at her Ma-
jesty's dock-yard, Sheerness, on Sunday, in the river, off the
Pier. A boat, belonging to the Hawk, 74, capsised with
nine persons, six of whom met with a watery grave.
INDISPOSITION OF THE KING OF PRUSSIA.—Dusszt,
DORF, FEB. B.—We have received the painful intelligence that
his Majesty, our beloved monarch, is suffering under a severe
cold caught at Woolwich whilst inspecting the military esta-
blishments of that place and witnessing the exercises of the
artillery. The consequences are violent cough and catarrh.
On the 6th, when the king reached the Hague, the physicians
in atendance on his Majesty earnestly recommended that
the journey by way of Aix, Rolu, Dusseldorf, and Elberfield
should be relinquished, and that the king should return by
the shortest route to Berlin. His Majesty reluctantly
yielded to these representations, but proposes in the forth-
coming autumn to pay a visit to his beloved Itheinlands.

LIVERPOOL FIRE

ND LIFE INSURANCE

COMPANY

The sixth annual general meeting of the proprietors in the
Liverpool Fire and Life Insurance Company was held in the
Clarendon-rooms' on Wednesday, for the purpose of receiv-
ing the report of the directors for the past year, the declara-
tion of a dividend, and the appointment of seven (one-third)
directors in the place of that number retiring, according to
the terms of the deed of settlement. George Hall Lawrence,
Esq., chairman of the board of directors, took the chair.

The Cu AIRMAN said that i❑ calliLg attention to the object
for which the meeting had been assembled, it was not his
intention to anticipate the details of the report which the di-
rectors were now about to lay before the proprietors, but at
the same time he could not refrai❑ from the pleasure of stat-
ing that the affairs of the company continued to prosper.

They did not, however, upon this occasion, present the pro-
prietors with a result so entirely prosperous as that which this
time last year they had the honour to lay before the proprie-
tors, notwithstanding that, they had been, upon the whole,
prosperous. Their local business had done remarkably well ;
and if they had limited themselves to the town of Liverpool,
they would have had few of the losses which they had now
to lay before them. Added to that their property had im-
proved in the estimation of the public, their shares, which
were at a discount last year, ,had now, in the face of these
bad times, risen to a premium. They had also the satisfac-
tion of thinking that they had reduced the rate of fire insur-
ance here, which was the main object for which the company
was established, and they could now look forward to the re-
ward of their exertions in an increased dividend, and hold
out to the public the still further advantage of decreased rates
of insurance. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. BOULT then read the report, which is too long for in-
sertion here. It comprised a statement of the company s
affairs on the stock account, the profit and loss account, and
on the fire and life departments ; and it appeared that after
making provision for the payment of a divivdend of £ per
cent. upon the paid up capital, £:50,000 were laid by to meet
contingencies. Among the items of expense was one of £4OO
to the directors. The report concluded by stating that
having made allowances on all these accounts, sufficient was
shown to mark the steady progress of the company, and to
give assurance of its prosperity and of its ultimate success.
Mr. HEALING enquired whether he correctly understood
that in the report a charge was made for direction ?

The CHAIRMAN replied in the affirmative.
Mr. HEALING desired to know when the charge was first
proposed ?
The CHAIRMAN said last year.
Mr. HEALING asked whether permission had been ob-
tained to make that charge ?

The CHAIRMAN : Yes ; and perhaps the directors would
be more likely to recollect it than Mr. Healing.
'Mr. HEALING said he did not recollect any such perinis-
-siou being given, and he should be glad to hear the resolution
read which authorised the charge, _ _

The CHAIRMAN hoped that the word of the directors
would be taken upon this subject, because the circumstance
must be in the recollection of every one present, except
perhaps the gentleman who had put the question.
Mr. BOULT said the resolution was carried at the last an-
nual meeting, on the motion of Mr. liathbone, seconded
by Mr. Hardman Earle.
The CHAIRMAN mentioned that the reserved surplus fund
now amounted to £50,000. When it was doubled, or
amounted to £lOO,OOO, they would have power to increase
the dividend, but not till then. They had been five years in
accumulating that £50,000, and, as money accumulated very
fast, he hoped that in a couple or three
,years, they would
completely have obtained the object of their wishes, in mak-
ing the reserved surplus fund £lOO.OOO.
Mr. EDWARDS asked how much the combined capital and
the reserved surplus fund amounted to?
The CHAIRMAN, in reply, said £117,000.
Mr. H. It SANDBACR moved the first resolution, which
was to the effect that the report and accounts now read be
received and approved.

Mr. LowN seconded the motion.
Mr. HEALING said that at the last meeting some com-
plaints were made with regard to some bank shares. Had
those shares been sold ? There was a promise made at that
time that they should be sold.
The CHAIRMAN replied that some shares had been sold
since they had invested a portion of their capital in bank
shares ; but he did not understand that a promise was made
at the last meeting that what they now held should be sold.
It perhaps would have been better that they should have sold
them, but they held them still.
Mr. Nicol., one of the directors, said he did not recollect
any such promise having been made.
Mr. HEALING remarked that there was a discussion on
the subject at the last annual meeting, and that it was in con-
versation, after the general meeting, that the promise was

made.
The CHAIRMAN added, that whatever might have been
said after that meeting, the company still held the shares ;
that was quite certain.
A PitoPRIETOR inquired what number of bank shares the
Company held ?
Mr. llouLT said 740.

Mr. Wir„Liam gARLE said that as to any casual conver-
sation which was said to have taken place after the last an-
nual meeting, lie did not recollect it ; and at all events the
directors could not be bound by it.
Mr. C. S. PARKER said, neither did he recollect it.
Mr. HEALING repeated that there was such a conversation
after the meeting, and in that conversation the directors aid
they would take every favourable opportunity of selling the
shares.

Mr. WM. EARLE believed the price of bank shares vra:

much about the same now as it was then

Mr. HEALING said, they were £1 less now than they were
at that time, o that there would be a loss of some £5OO or
£6OO.
A PROPRIETOR remarked that it should be recollected that
a dividend had just been paid by the bank.
Mr. WM. EARLE thought the shares were worth about
£6 now. . .

_
Mr. HEALING had no desire to have the risk of bank
shares in addition to the risk this company ran, from the
nature of its business ; and on that ground he objected to its
holding any such investments.
CHAIRMAN said that if there was any strong opinion
upon this subject among the proprietors, he was sure the
directors would attend to it, for they had no wish to keep the
'shares.

Mr. Lowe remarked that it was in the discretion of the
directors when they sold them.

A PROPRIETOR contended that the time for selling the
shares at a favourable price had not yet arrived.

Mr. EDWARDS (we believe) said, the shares were a species
of property that might easily be disposed of to advantage at
another time, and he should say, keep them till that time
arrived.
Mr. HEALING said it should be recollected that £I,OOO or
£5,000 had already been lost in shares.
The CHAIRMAN was aware of that, but it had been lost
all at once.
Mr. HEALING, after what he had heard, said, if it were the
opinion of the meeting that the company should continue to
hold the shares, he had no objection.
The CHAIRMAN did not wish Mr. Healing to say that,
without its being understood that the directors had a discre-
tionary power to dispose of the shares.
Mr. Bocrrii said, that for his part he wished the directors
to sell the shares, but he did not think the time had yet
arrived for them to do so advantageously.
Mr. EDWARDS asked Mr. Mozley whether money would
not be cheaper by and bye? In that case the market for
shares would be better.
Mr. MOZLEY, in reply, said, that with regard to the
question of the original investment, there was no use entering
into any observations now. It really was a question of prin-
ciple upon the one hand, and of advantage upon the other ;
a question of principle if the proprietors thought this was a
class of stock which they ought not to hold, and at any sacri-
fice they ought to sell; and upon the other hand, if it was a
question.of advantage, he queried whether this was the mo-
ment in which, upon any recommendation of the proprie-
tors, the directors ought to follow it. if they came to
a resolution that they thought this stock not such as the pro-
prietors should hold, either for their advantage or as being a
description of security they wished the directors to hold, he,
as one of the directors, should feel it imperative upon him;
but not immediately, to sell that stock. if it were sold im-
mediately the consequences would be a still greater loss. if
he looked at the question in a financial point of view, he
should say, that, unless the present commercial gloom should
continue, or some circumstances arise to affect the value of
money, and anything that affected it must affect the value of
annuity property, and if the rate of money fell, they might
expect—if not in six months at least within the current year—
that every class of property paying interest, as Liverpool bank
stock, must sell to advantage. But any premature decision
upon the part of the proprietors might prevent that conclu-
sion ; at the same time, however, the expression of their
opinion ought to be treasured up by the directors, with the
view of consulting their wishes at a convenient opportunity.
Mr. BOULT, in reference to the payment of the directors,
said he had sent for the book of proceedings, from which
it appeared that, on the motion of Mr. Rathbone, seconded
by Mr. Hardman Earle, it was resolved that the sum of 400
guineas should be placed at the disposal of the directors for
distribution among themselves in such a manner as they
thought fit.
Mr. HEALING asked whether this was a resolution of the
general meeting?
Mr. BOULT said it was, and the question was, whether the
sum should be 400 guineas or £6OO.
Mr. HEALING enquired the date of the meeting.
Mr. BOULT said it was at the fifth annual general meeting.

which was held on the 10th January, 1841, at the Clarendon
Rooms. Mr. G. H. Lawrence was in the chair, and his signa-
ture was attached to the entry of the proceedings.
Mr. HEALING thought the honour of being a director was
a sufficient. compensation for the trouble of the office without
any payment.
Mr. LOWE said he thought so at the time the motion for
payment was proposed, but he was of a different opinion now.
Mr. WILLIAM EARLE was proud of the good opinion of
the proprietors in appointing him a director, but he certainly
did not consider it such a mighty honour as to compensate
him for the inconvenience he was put to. lie resided at some
distance from the place of business, and had attended sixty
or seventy times this year, and to him the office of a director
was a most serious inconvenience.
• "

Mr. HEALING thought that if a dividend was paid equal to
the amount of stock, the payment of the directors would be
more reasonable ; but when only £5 per cent. were divided,
he considered such an expenditure sothewhat premature.
Mr. GEORGE HOLT did not think that efficient persons
were likely to be found acting as directors merely for the ho-
nour. All of them were actuated more or less—and there
was no use in concealing it—by the consideration of what
was to be gained by attending; and he would assure Mr.
Healing that since the passing of the vote he complained of,
the attendance of directors had been very good indeed—better
than it was before, certainly, and in his opinion the money
had been exceedingly well laid out.
The CHAIRMAN said that as regarded Mr. George Holt
and several other of the directors, their attendance bad been
just as good without the money as with it, but still " the
labourer was worthy of his hire."
Mr. LowE mentioned that the duties of the directors had
been very laborious in the past year.
Mr. if EALING.— Have the profits been greater?
The CHAiamAN.—Yes, certainly.
Mr. HEALING.—Then if it is a matter of economy, pay
the money.
The CHAIRMAN then put the motion, and it was carried
unanimously.
Mr. HEALING moved the second resolution, confirminz
the directors' recommendation of the payment of a E 5 per
cent dividend upon the paid-up capital of the undertaking.
Mr. TAYLOR seconded the motion, and it was unanimously
adopted,
The third resolution was then proposed and carried unani-
mously, to the effect that the cordial thanks of the proprietors
be given to the directors and auditors for their attention to
the interests of the company during the past year.
The CHAIRMAN returned thanks on the part of the retir-
ing directors, observing that it had always been their object
to disclune their duties to the proprietors with zeal and
fidelity.
Mr. LowE moved.tbat the seven retiring directors he re-
elected, for they had served the proprietors well. They were
Messrs. G. H. Lawrence, Wan. Earle, George Holt, Joseph
Hornby, Lewin Mozley, William Nicol, and Herman Stol-
terfolit.
The motion having been seconded was unanimously
carried.
Mr. MOZLEY said, that as one of those whom the pro-
prietors had done the honour to re-elect upon this occasion,
he stepped forward to offer his pointed acknowledgments in
his own name, and he spoke with truism when he said he
spoke the feeling of those worthy colleagues who were as-
sociated with him, in believing that they also appreciated the
kind manner in which the motion had been carried. They
were one and all (dropping himself, if they pleased,) quite

worthy of the respect and esteem the proprietors had been
pleased to show, because no man among the whole body
whom the proprietors had previously selected, had per-
formed their duty more faithfully to the interest of this in-
stitution. He certainly took some little pride in having been
a director from the first formation of the company, for he
had always thought it disreputable to the town of Liverpool,
with its vast wealth and enormous commercial transactions,
that so much in the shape of premium for security against
risk of fire should be paid to the agents here, however well
deserving they might be for their activity and zeal, of offices
at a distance and in no way connected with the town except
in the protection that they afforded in the event of fire. They
had given strong evidence in this early stage of their proceed-
ings, now having had six years experience, and proceeding
on a limited scale, and after paying very largely for the losses
which had occurred, that there was a very ample margin left
to go towards the reserved fund, making thereby the capital
itself more secure, and the assured that further security be-
sides the very wealthy, respectable body of proprietors who
constituted this concern. With regard to the money affairs
of this institution they had been worked to the very best ad-
vantage. He need only allude to one important fact to prove
this statement, namely, that after paying £5 per cent. inte-
rest upon the paid up capital, and all the losses, they had
now, in the sixth year of their existence, a capital of £60,000,
and upwards of £50,000 of a reserved fund, thereby showing
that after paying the interest of money the directors had
nearly doubled the amount originally invested. If this had
been the case, it could have arisen only from good manage-
ment and activity—from skill in the management of the
funds entrusted to them—and from a determination that
whilst they refused no risk that was proper, they would never
take any that was improper. And if this had been the case,
how important was it that the proprietors should use all their
influence to bring the greatest possible amount of insurance,
inasmuch as the basis of the establishment was already laid,
the expenses had been ascertained, and the premiums they
had hitherto got showed a surplus.
Mr. Daniel James and Mr. T. B. Blackburne were then
appointed auditors for the ensuing year.
Mr. BILACKBURNE said he was not acquainted with the
duties of the office, but whatever they might be he would
endeavour to diScharge the duties of it faithfully.
Mr. CROSSEIELD moved that the sum of £lOO be placed
at the disposal of the directors for the time being for distri-
bution among themselves in such manner as they might think
fit. It was only proper to observe, that the resolution when
put into his hands was a little different to this, for it said "that
the sum of £4OO be annually placed," &c. He thought it
was better that each annual meeting should decide for itself,
and that on those occasions every proprietor should have an
opportunity of stating his opinion.
Mr. LOWE seconded the motion.

Mr. HEALING said that as the proprietors had been se-
duced into this allowance at the last annual meeting, he
should be sorry to offer any opposition to the present motion.
If the directors had waited till they had paid a dividend'upon
the whole stock, be should have been better satisfied.
The CHAIRMAN observed, that Mr. Healing would have
no objection to the motion if they waited till they got cent.
per cent. upon their capital!
Mr. Was. EARLE thought the word "seduction" ought
not to go forth. The vote was the spontaneous act of the
proprietors generally. .

A PROPRIETOR :-There was no seduction.
Mr. Wm. EARLE.—None at all ; and I believe it was in-
tended that it should be an annual vote.

Mr. HEALING said he should have opposed it had he been
aware of it.

Mr. Wm. EARLE mentioned that the business of the com-
pany had extended as Mr. NI ozley had said. It had increased
much in insurances on small houses, and though the amounts
came in in small sums they made a large aggregate. Gentle-
men therefore shduld exert themselves to obtain insurances
of this sort.

The CHAIRMAN said there had lately been a considerable
increase in that class of policies.
Mr. MOZLEY, in reference to the payment of the directors,
entered into an explanation of the duties they had to perform,
stating that each one received according to his attendances,
that the duties in general were very arduous, and that he
would will,ngly give what he made in this way to some
charity. He considered the money well spent, inasmuch as it
caused the business of the company to beefficiently performed.
The CHAIRMAN said, if the whole amount were equally
divided it would come to £2O eadh.

The motion was then put and unanimously carried.
The CHAIRMAN then announced that the dividend would
be payable on the Ist of March next.
On the motion .of Mr. LOWE the thanks of the meeting
were voted to Mr. Lawrence for his conduct in the chair,
and the, proceedings terminated.