2Kbe Vrobintes.
Mr. William Yates Peel has resigned his seat for Tamworth, on the score of domestic affliction. Mr. Peel has recently lost his wife, Lady Jane; and one of his sons is dangerously ill.
Mr. David Barclay has announced his intention of vacating a seat for Sunderland, in consequence of commercial reverses. Two candidates are in the field,—Mr. William Arthur Wilkinson, of Croydon Lodge, a Radical; Sir Hedwortb Lambton, Mayor of Sunderland, a Whig. Mr. Hawes also has been mentioned.
There is no longer much doubt that a new election will have to take place in West Gloucestershire. The Honourable Grantley Berkeley, in a letter to the papers, states that be is called upon to prove his qualification; that he has no money to fee counsel ; and that he shall defend his seat in Parliament before the Committee. It is not expected for a moment that the honourable gentleman can maintain his qualification.—Gloucester Journal.
The reports from the manufacturing districts are, on the whole, of' a more favourable character. In Manchester, the number of mills at work has increased, and upwards of 2,500 more hands are now employed than were engaged last week. At Ashton it is expected all the mills will be at work before the end of the present week; and at Oldham and Stockport, the increase in the number of mills working full time is satisfactory—in Stockport, the number has increased threefold since the 15th of October last. The manufacturers are understood to have considerable orders on band for execution as soon as the state of the money-market will permit of their being put in hand.—Morning Chronicle, City Article.
The distress amongst the operative classes of Bradford does not exhibit any symptoms of abatement; on the contrary, it is evidently on the in- crease. During the present week hundreds have been thrown out of em- ployment; and the destitution is not now confined to the wool-combers, but has reached the wool-sorters and mechanics, &c., many of whom may be seen parading the streets daily. We have heard of one large spinning- firm who are about to close their establishment altogether.—Leeds Mercury.
According to report, the colliers' union is about to be dissolved. The funds are nearly exhausted; and there is a dispute about money matters between the " Miners' Attorney-General," Mr. Roberts, and the Unionists.
A meeting of the proprietors of the Royal Bank of Liverpool was held On Monday, preparatory to the reopening of the establishment next day, on a new footing. We copy the summary account of the arrangement given by the commercial writer in the Times. "The 1,0001. shares are to be converted into five shares of 2001. each, in order to enlarge the constituency, and 400,0001. new capital is to be raised by the issue of 4,000 preference shares of 1001. each, to be paid up on the 10th of January next, and the liability on which is to commence on the 1st of January. These shares are to bear 7 per cent interest; and so soon as dividends equal to 7 per cent from the date of the reopening of the bank shall have been paid also to the original shareholders, then the preference shareholders are to divide surplus profits beyond that sum. Meanwhile, only 5 per cent is to be paid to original share- holders until a reserved fund shall have been created to the amount of 100,0001. It is also provided that the paid-up capital only, and not the deposits or other funds, shall be employed in advances on open account; that no advance be made beyond 20,0001. without security, and that the highest advance on any security whatever be 50,0001. ; that shares of the bank be not taken as security, that directors have no voice on advances to parties con- nected with them either by relationship or business, and that paid directors and manager have no advances whatever. Two paid directors are to be ap- pointed, with 1,0001. per annum each; and Mr. Chaffers, who has consented to a reduction of salary, is to continue manager. The paid directors and manager are to constitute a permanent committee, two being a quorum, to determine upon advances or the opening of accounts, and no advances are to be made against the veto of any one of them. It was further arranged, that proprietors subscribing to the new preference shares shall be freed from liability to pay the call recently an- nounced; and that as regards those who may decline to take their rateable pro- portion of such new shares, a sale of the shares may be effected in the market, the proprietor being relieved thereby from the payment of the call upon his making up any loss which may be occasioned; he, on the other hand, taking the profit if they should be disposed of at a premium. An election of directors then took place; and the parties chosen were Messrs. Highfield, Booker, Tyrer, Shand, Stock, Bibby. Samuel Holme, and Imrie. It was stated during the meeting, that 'satisfactory arrangements have been entered into with the London Joint Stock Blink.' On the affairs of Messrs. Barton, Irlam, and Higginson, against whom a Sat in bankruptcy has been issued, no new light was thrown."
The shareholders of the Liverpool Banking Company, which suspended payment on the 19th October, held a meeting on Tuesday. Mr. Powles having been called on to preside, Mr. Wilson, the manager, read an address from the directors, recommending measures for the resumption of business.
To this end a call of 21. per share would be indispensable. The capital of the com- pany was declared to be too small; and the directors advised that steps should be taken at the next annual meeting to increase it. The plan recommended by the di- rectors was the creation of 12,000 preference shares of 201. each, 121. being payable by instalments, exempt of all liabilities incurred before issue, and guaranteed a preferential interest of 61. per cent, with equal participation beyond that sum with the original shares. The capital of the bank would thus become 200,0001., 140,0001. being paid up. After an elaborate inquiry into the state of the accounts, which on the whole were deemed satisfactory, the meeting passed a resolution de- daring that the directors pursued their labours with the confidence of the meeting; and directing that if before the general annual meeting on the third Tuesday in February they should be enabled to lay before the share- headers any decisive details, a meeting should be convened.
The Leeds Mechanics Institution had a grand annual soirée on Wednes- day, in the Music Hall; Mr. Charles Dickens in the chair, supported by Mr. George Stephenson the engineer, Dr. Hodgson of Chorlton-upon.lifed lock, Mr. Edward Baines, and other gentlemen. Although suffering from severe cold and hoarseness, Mr. Dickens made one of the most effective speeches that he ever delivered; heartily moralizing the incidents of the In- stitution, and trumpeting its progress. Mr. Stephenson told the young men that he himself had risen from a lower position of life than any one in the room.
Three men and a woman are in custody at Swansea on suspicion of having been concerned in the recent robbery of Dr. Bowring and his brother. Notea similar to those stolen had been seen in the possession of two of the men.
A prize-fight, near Birmingham, between the " Manchester Pet " and Stephens, a Birmingham man, has resulted in the death of the former.
Twenty miners have made a narrow escape in a colliery near Wakefield. While at work, one observed that the material became soft and wet; he gave the alarm, and the people were all drawn up: in a short time all the workings and even the shafts were filled with water.
Netley Place, near Shere, in Surrey, has been destroyed by fire. The owner, Mr. J. Frazer, had resigned the mansion to Mr. Cubitt's care, that it might under- go a thorough interior improvement; and the workmen alone had charge of it at the time of the disaster.
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