The meeting will perceive by these statements, that besides the salary of the Secretary to the committee, which was fixed on the very lowest scale, viz. 150 rupees per mensem, the allowance to the agent in London, and the charges of the solicitors here; the expenditure of the committee has been limited to rupees 485,1,40 principally for Bank notes, advertisements, and postage. The committee, in now submitting their proceedings, since the last General Meeting, for the inspection of the subscribers, have only further to state that they trust they will meet their approval. With the writer of that letter, we entirely concur, and recommend what he has said to the grave consideration of all concerned. We are totally averse to the practice which has hitherto prevailed of calling the public meeting of this institution in a private office, where it was impossible that any thing like a decent sprinkling of the shareholders could be brought together. In fact we are of opinion that summoned in this way, the meetings can hardly be called any thing but private, and are considered rather in that light than in the other by the great body of the subscribers, particularly among the native community. Why not convene the Bank meetings in the Town hall, an apartment large enough for every purpose and which no one would demur in entering, as he is all right and proper, but for general meeting of would into a private office. For committees, the latter bodies so large as that of stockholders in the bank, every much better adapted. one will allow that the Town Hall is in all respects The plan proposed by our correspondent, of announcing the measures to be brought forward at the General Meeting, is an excellent one, and if adopted, would give every one an opportunity of stating his opinion. As it is, many, for the reason above stated, do not attend, and tions which they find made, seconded, and for the most those who do, are quite taken by surprise as to the mopart agreed to by the subscribers-who are present. This ought not to be, and a public notification of the business to be proceeded with, would have the effect of putting every one on his guard. We could wish that the late proceedings, in justice to all the subscribers, had been tested in this manner, in which case we should have (Signed) D. GREENHILL, Chairman. looked forward to a very different result. Bombay, 13th January, 1838, With regard to the allowance given to Mr. Ashburner, we think it quite an extravagant one, considering the Proposed by Dr. Henderson, seconded by Mr. R. present circumstances of the bank. His first allowance Smith, and carried unanimously. That the report now read to the meeting be approved, adopted, and published for general information. Proposed by the chairman of the committee, seconded by Jugunnath Sunkerset, Esq. That in consequence of the unavoidable detention in England of Mr. Ashburner, this meeting authorize and empower the committee to pay him an additional sum, to the amount voted to him at the meeting of the 11th January, for his travelling and other expences, for the remaining period he may be obliged to remain at home; to be calculated in the proportion of the former grant. Proposed by Dr. Scott, seconded by Dr. Henderson. That the thanks of this Meeting be given to the Chairman and committee for their attention to the in terests of the shareholders. was understood to include the amount of passage money Proposed by Colonel Wood, seconded by Mr. and most economical plan, would be to recommend Mr. Ashburner to return, and leave the future management of the Bank affairs to the London committee, several That the thanks of the Meeting be given to Mr. active members of which are directly interested, in its Simson for his conduct in the chair. (Signed) success. The accouutants whom that body has been requested to engage, if well selected will be able to comJ. B. SIMSON, chairman. municate all the information requisite on provincial We have had several communications on the subject of the late bank meeting, but as we consider it unnecessary to give a place in our columns to many when one will equally well answer the purpose, we have selected the letter which appears to us to contain the greatest modicum of what can be reasonably said against the proceedings in question. banking, and thereby supersede the necessity for an agent to make himself acquainted with the details. If these accountants have not been already engaged, they ought to be so immediately, and dispatched to Bombay to open an institution of some description or other. With active assistance, a moderate capital, and a fair field to act upon, there ought to be no further enquiries for an agent to make in either England or Scotland, which could not be much more satisfactorily and profitably answered here.Bombay Gazette, Jan. 17. UNIVERSAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY. There was a numerous attendence of the share holi- | accounts and statements laid before the meeting, apers of the Universal Assurance Society at the office of the pear satisfactory, and are passed accordingly. It was secretaries, on Saturday at eleven o'clock. The annual then proposed by Mr. A. F. Smith, seconded by Mr. accounts were laid on the table. We give a brief A. Beattie abstract of the proceedings. It appeared that the amount of the risks outstanding in India to 30th November last and in England to 30th June 1837, was Co. Rs. 85,28,435 on 744 lives in 827 policies, thus giving an average of Rs. 10,312 on each. The lapses from the commencement of the society in 1834, to the present period, London and Calcutta inclusive, are in number twenty; the aggregate amount of claims thereon Co. Rs. 1,92,333. "That it appears of great importance that tables be obtained as early as possible regulating the rate at which policies may be purchased by the Society from parties willing to dispose of them, and that the Directors be requested to bring this matter again to the notice of the Parent Society." The assets are as follows:-Of the Indian Branch invested in Co. Paper and on deposits of Bank shares and Co. Rs. 5,71,66. Of the Parent Society, in other simi-profitable branch of annuity business in this country. lar securities £41,398, or Co. Rs. 4,13,984. Total Assets Co. Rs. 9,85,645. The report of the directors of the Parent Society was read by the Secretary, after which on the motion of Hon'ble Mr. Shakespeare, seconded by Mr. G. Hill, it was resolved-That the report read, together with the It was afterwards proposed by Mr. T. H. Gardner, seconded by Captain Thomson, that the Directors be requested to urge the society in England to send out annuity tables to enable the Society to undertake the Mr. Pattle and Mr. Beattie, who went out of the direction, were unanimously requested to continue their services, and they were re-elected accordingly. Upon the motion of Mr. E. S. Ellis, thanks were voted to the chairman, Mr. Pattle, and the meeting separated.Oriental Observer, Jan. 6. Present-Dr. Jackson, W. P. Grant, Esq., T. H. 4th No. of the Journal of MeGardiner, Esq., and J. H. Peterson, Esq. dical and Physical Society. Richardson's Literary Leaves 8vo. I. U. S. Journal do. Donors. Drs. Goodeve and Author. J.H.Stcoqueler, Esq. And the following circulation of books, &c. during December : Dr. Strong informed the meeting that as it was probable, that the members of the Medical and Physical Society might have occasion to remove their books from the Asiatic Society, he was desirous to offer the society the use of a part of the Library rooms or a separate room, and asked whether there would be any objection on the part of the Proprietors of the Calcutta Public Library; when it was resolved in compliance with Dr. Strong's wishes, that it would be a mutual accommodation to have the books of the Medical and Physical Society placed in a part of the Library rooms, distinct from their own collection and in charge of a dufftoory, which would be the only expense to the society, as the librarians of the Calcutta Public Library offer their services gratui- General Literature.. tously to the Society. After this the Curators reported that three hundred and forty-six volumes were purchased during the last month, Novels Periodicals...... Sets. Vols. ..167 388 .172 427 122 The subjoined report was read by the Secretary, when day the 16th February next, at noon, for the purpose of it was Proposed by Captain Alexander St. Leger McMahon, and second by Mr. J. W. McLeod, and carried unanimously. 1. That the secretary's report just read, is approved, and that it be published. Proposed by Mr. Richard Walker, seconded by Mr. Theodore Dickens, and carried unanimously. II. That the accounts now submitted are approved and passed by this meeting, and that the books be closed accordingly. Proposed by Mr. J. W. Cragg, and seconded by Mr. A. F. Smith. 1II. That a half yearly dividend at the rate of 12 per cent. per annum, or Co.'s Rs. sixty (Co.'s Rs. 60) per share, be now declared. Proposed by Mr. Theodore Dickens, and seconded by Mr. Wm. Bruce, and carried unanimously. IV. That this meeting, made special for the purpose, approves and confirms the resolutions passed at the special general meeting of proprietors on the 15th December, 1837, for increasing the capital stock of the Bank, in the manner then and there laid down, with the following alteration in the 3d resolution, viz., of adding the words " or any other" after the word "abovementioned," and also that the day on which shares shall be sold pursuant to the 5th resolution shall be the 16th February, 1838, and not the 1st February, 1838, as originally expressed. Proposed by Mr. T. Dickens, and seconded by Mr. H. M. Elliott. V. That at the ensuing sale on the 16th February next, purchasers, after payment of the premium in cash, may give their promissory notes payable on or before the VI. That the psesent meeting be adjourned to Fri. declaring and selling the shares not taken up. The above divisable profits of the present half year, have therefore to be spread over a considerably larger capital. But they amount notwithstanding to a rate exceeding 12 per cent. per annum, by a small fraction. It may be well to remind you also with reference to the profits realized on the past half year, that during a considerable period the state of things at Home and in China operating on the market here, naturally caused a larger diminution of our deposits, and thereby contracted in proportion the funds of the Bank disposable for the lucrative work of discounting. But for this, the profits of the period, would probably have been greater. If you divide the whole-say 12 per cent., which may be thought expedient to facilitate the proposed further increase of 8 lakhs of stock, the dividend on each share The notes in circulation have been lower than usual this half year, which is believed to be owing mainly to the long delay in the arrival and consequent issue of the new Company rupee notes. Our sicca notes were of course troublesome to customers, and therefore exchanged more largely than before for the Company rupee paper of the Government Bank, which assimilated with new specie currency of the country. Thus, last half year our extremes of circulation were Company's rupees 5,01,218 and Company's rupees 2,18,161 while in that preceding, they reached Company's rupees,7,43,000 and Company's rupees 3,38,000. I am not aware that any thing of importance remains to be added to this report. The last augumentation of stock has all been taken ad subscriber up with the exception of the following. capital of,. Seventy shares of absentees in Europe not yet declared. ter These last will fall to be sold at an early day, (which will be duly announced) along with any shares of the fresh stock proposed to be finally voted this day, which the proprietors on the spot having the option to take up, shall not think fit to accept, on the 1st of February next. J. YOUNG, Sec. Union Bank. Cr. | July 1, 1837. of 30th June, cription on 16,299 5 4 30,42,567 0 0 34,02,852 28 Co.'s Rs. 33,96,857 6 0 34,32,891 10 4 3,54,290 6 0 33,96,857 6 0 2,700 Rs. each 16,20,000 00 Ditto Supplemental The Trustees of the Union Bank in Account Current with share at 900 the Proprietors of the Bank. Dr. Dec. 31, 1837. To Establishment and House rent, from 1st July to this date,. To Charges General Being for Law Charges, Stamps, Stationary, &c., To Printed Bank Notes. For amount written off against them. To balance In Dead Stock, 1,55,418 15 4 6,37,141 5 4 7,92,560 4 8} 30,330 0 0 Rs. each,.... 5,40,000 0 O 21,60,000 0 1,66,467 0 0 55,400 0 0 6,60,700 0 0 4,239 11 5 8,82,567 0 0 30,19,567 00 Add amount of appt. profit 3,26,802 15 10 1,51,200 0 0 1,75,602 15 10 32,18,169 15 10 83,758 5 6 48,908 7 1 8,900 0 0 1,404 2 11 to that date,. Less Dividend paid to proprietors,.. Dec. 31. Less due on deposit Account,...... 59,95,149 4 0 Calcutta, December 31, 1837. A. H. SIM, Accountant, ROMAN CATHOLIC GENERAL MEETING. PRINCIPAL ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, 15TH JAN. 1838. | manifested during their career, and for many of the The Most Reverend Dr. R. St. Leger in the Chair. The annual meeting of the Roman Catholics for the election of wardens, was convened by the usual notifications this day, and at 8 A. M about twenty of the most respectable Catholic gentlemen were present. On the chair being taken, the most Reverend Dr. St. Leger, addressed the meeting, informing them, that the purpose for which they had assembled was familiar to them, and that he felt it his duty to express the satisfactory manner in which the outgoing wardens, Messrs. M. Crow and Thomas Gregory, had conducted their honorary duties and, said the Reverend gentleman, they are entitled to the thanks of the community for the attention they ; improvements which they had introduced. The Reverend gentlemen then thanked Messrs. Crow and Gregory, and the business of the day proceeded. On a suggestion from one of the gentleman present, Messrs James Rostan, Junior, and B. Furie were chosen Scrutineers, and Messrs. Crow and Gregory tellers; on the votes being collected the following result appeared. Mr. Francis Rodrigues Mathew Augier. Samuel Jones.. John Michie...... 16 votes. 12 ditto. 4 ditto. 2 ditto. Messs. Rodrigues and Augier were elected Wardens, and after thanks were voted to the most Reverend Chairman, the gentlemen retired.-Hurkaru, Jan. 16. REPORT BY THE DIRECTORS OF THE BENGAL BONDED WAREHOUSE ASSOCIATION. Report by the Directors of the Bengal-Bonded Warehouse Association, submitted to a General Meeting of the Proprietors held on 12th January, 1838. Had the Association been definitively constituted, the period for the Meeting would have been in November; but the Directors have deferred calling you together, till the Draft of the Incorporation Act should be published, that you might at the same time have an opportunity of taking its provisions into final consideration. The course of the Act to its present stage may be shortly stated. The measure was quite new. We had no precedents here for our guidance. On being desired by the Right Hon'ble the Governor-General to prepare a draft, we made our legal advisers acquainted with all that had taken place on the subject, whether in correspondence with Government, or at the proceedings of meetings; and we from time to time gave such assistance, in suggestiny and revising, as was required, and we were competent to afford. After much labor a draft was at last handed up to the Government, too voluminous probably, as it attempted, by express regulation, to provide for whatever seemed to be of likely occurrence. We were then required to place our counsel in 'communication with the Advocate-General, for the settlement of the Draft. It had become obvious, that the dimensions of the Draft must be greatly curtailed, to render it eligible to be passed into a law. This having been effected, after much pains and care had been bestowed upon the task, a Draft was in October returned to Government, in a very abridged form as compared with the original. It had been thought that, were the Society empowered by enactment to frame by-laws (subject of course to the confirmation of Government,) for its internal administration, all such rules instead of encumbering the Draft had better be left to be prepared, discussed, and submitted, after |