GENERAL GRANT EXPEDITI N.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1230, 12 February 1878, Page 2

GENERAL GRANT EXPEDITI N.

An adjourned meeting of the shareholders in the company formed for the recovery of the gold which was lost on board the General Grant, wrecked at the Auckland Islands in 1866, was held yesterday afternoon at Radcliffe's Hotel. There were about twenty of those interested present. Mr H. Thomson was moved to the chair. The question of admitting the representatives of the Press was put to the vote, and it was decided almost unanimously that the reporter should be allowed to be present. The Chairman then read the following report:— A meeting of the committee appointed, to examine the log and diaries of the Gazelle, &c, was held on January 18th, when the following report was unanimously adopted. The com mi tee are of opinion that the promoters were not warranted, by the evidence in their possession, in asserting that they had fourd the wreck of the General Grant. That sufficient exertion was not used by the persons in charge of the expedition to ascertain whether anything of value remained among the rocks at the bottom of the bay where the wreck was said to have befin seen. That the apathy displayed a I above is evidence of a foregone conclusion that search was useless, owing to the wreck never having been found. That after August 24th nothing like gold seeking was ever attempted, and the time thenceforth spent at the Auckland Islands was not employed for the stated object of the expedition. That with the exception of a few very stormy days, the crew were employed in loading the vessel with firewood, and getting sealskins. That the crew having been paid off on November 20th, the coals charged for by Nichol and Tucker on November 21st have nothing to do with the expedition. That neither Captain Giles's log, McConville's diary, nor the diver's diary allude to Stevens and the seaman said to have been left in charge of the wreck of the General Grant. That .£SOO having been paid for the use of steamer, the owners have no right to charge for gear, sails, &c. That not only should no further call he paid, but that the promoters should refund charges made in error, and moneys for which no conside* ration has been given. The Chairman stated that several matters mentioned in the report had been explained. For instance, the memorandum of agreement was dated June 12th, and as certain items in the accounts were dated prior to that day, some objection had been taken to them. It had, however, been shown that the charges thus made had been really incurred on account of the expedition. Mr Hennah entirely absolved the owners of the Gazelle from any blame. He could not agree with the report where it implied censure upon the promoters. Mr J. B. Sheath said the report was not intended as a censure upon the promoters, but was a statement of facts. It could not bg denied that there had been some misleading, but the report did not say who was to blame for it.

Mr Alfred Thompson moved the adoption of the report. . Mr Cook seconded the adoption pro forma. He commented upon the absence of anything in the diaries which the committee had examined to show that the wreck of the Q-eneral Grant had been seen. The members of the expedition appeared to have quietly enjoyed themselves in sealing and cutting firewood for fifty-one days, and when they had spent as much time as they thought proper they returned. The last thing that seemed to have entered their mind was looking for gold. The captain had on his return stated his belief that no ship coidd remain there for twenty-four hours in a gale of wind, yet at first the company was told that the vessel had been lying there for twelve years. Captain McClatchie replied that so convinced was the man who said he had found the wreck of the truth of his discovery that he was willing and anxious to return to the Auckland Islands, to find a crew and everything for the Gazelle, and to take charge of her without any wages. Mr Hassal maintained that the promoters had acted in good faith throughout. It wag the general belief at the time here, in Dunedin, and in Invercargill, that the wreck had been found. The Chairman said the promoters undoubtedly did think the wreck had been found. The committee, however, blamed them for being too positive in their statements. Reference was made to the original proposals to form the company, when the words used were found to be " to recover gold from the wreck of the General Grant." Mr Hassal contended that these words would not bear the construction now sought to be put upon them. There was no statement in them that the wreck had been found. Mr Hennah deprecated the statement that the promoters were not warranted in what they had done. If the censure were applied to those who misled the promoters he would not object to the report being adopted. The Chairman assured the meeting that the committee had no intention to throw the blame upon the promoters. Mr Cook said the shares had been sold to the public on the faith that the vessel had been found, and that all that had to be done was to send down a diver. After some further discussion, Mr Hennah moved the substitution of the word 'misled ' for * not warranted,' in the first paragraph. Mr Payton seconded the amendment, which was agreed to, and the report so amended was. then adopted unanimously. A rote of thanks to the chairman terminated the proceedings.