286 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. [September i, 1881. 
made to get an injunction against this Company, and 
thereby stop its proceedings. Those who have watched 
the papers will have noticed that the case was set 
down for hearing tc-day. The case came on before the 
Vici-Chanccllor to-day, and with the following, which 
I think will be a most gratifying, result to the share- 
holders. It bears out on the face of it, I may say, 
all you have been led to suppose, and it puts an end 
once and for all to all questions of litigation, and 
places the Company in the position it was in — in fact 
in a better position than it was in before these pro- 
ceedings commenced (hear, hear). I will read you what 
took place: — "The Plaintiffs having since the com- 
mencement of the action made inquiries and had an 
opportunity of investigating the Defendants' patent and 
their mode of manufacture, an''), being satisfied that it 
is not an infringement, desire to withdraw from the 
proceedings, each party paying their own costs. To 
put an end to the possibility of further litigation and 
competition, the Plaintiffs have agreed to dispose of 
their Patent to the Defendant Company fur a small sum 
which scarcely covers the amount paid by the Plaintiffs, 
in the belief that Montoison's Patent was the sole one 
capable of being upheld for this manufacture, and both 
parties now ask the Court to direct an Order in the 
terms of this arrangement, which is embodied in an 
agreement dated the 6th day of June, 1881." That, 
gentlemen, has passed by an Order of the Court ; we are 
now once more perfectly free from litigation, and we 
start on the commencement of what we term a new 
financial year, free from all disturbances of a legal 
nature (cheers). I think, as many of you are in- 
terested, and as the Parent Company is interested in 
the French Company, I should state to you that we are 
proceeding now rapidly to the completion of the French 
works. We had an interview with our commercial 
manager in Paris yesterday. I do not think it would 
be wise to go into figures with you at this meeting, but 
I may tell you that there is not the slightest shadow of a 
doubt that the prices which have been arranged at which 
the coffee can be sold in Paris, and the price at which it 
can be manufactured, will lead to such profits to the 
French Date Coffee Company that the prospectus, as 
originally isued to the shareholders will be more 
than fully carried out (cheers). With respect to the 
German Date Coffee Company, the position of affairs 
is simply this : By the commencement of August 
we shall be in a position to sell our Coffee. We 
have entered into a provisional arrangement with a 
very large merchant in Germany to undertake the 
sole sale of the manufactured Coffee there at a price 
considerably in excess of the price which we thought 
satisfactory in this country, and at a price which 
will leave very large profits to that. Company. Now, 
gentlem-n, as we are more free, we shall be able in 
a very short time to bring before you our American 
and Spanish and our other Patents (bear, hear). From 
Spain we have most satisfactory intelligence, after 
tasting the Coffee, that there will be a very, very 
large trade indeed. The documents are all being trans- 
lated into Spanish. A certain amount of time must 
take place before we can bring these matters before 
you in the shape of a prospectus, but at a very 
early date we shall do so. The United States Com- 
pany is also progressing very satisfactorily. Ar- 
rangements, or, rather, communications, have taken 
place with very eminent firms abroad, and I have 
no doubt that we shall be speedily enabled to place 
that before you (cheers). With regard to Belgium 
and other places we are in a similar position. And 
now, as I said before, we are once more free, and 
all litigation is at an end; and I feel certain every day 
more and more, that everything which has been 
said to you from the Chair from the time we started 
np to the present time will be more than fully realised, 
and the Parent Company will take that position which 
in the month of January it was pointed out that it 
would take, and which I feel certain will be as sa- 
tisfactory to you as it will be to the Board of Di- 
rectors (cheers). Before I sit down I should like to 
say that if, in defending the Company against these 
peculiar attacks which have been made upon it, I 
have personally in any way given offence to any one 
in connection with it, it was simply done as a 
matter of duty in defending your interest. Courtesy 
is the style which I should always like to deal 
in, and if in any way I have trodden upon any one 
in connection with it, I trust, as litigation has ceased, 
all ill-feeling has ceased, and that we shall go on 
carrying out the programme which we have laid 
down, and that we shall see by the balance 
sheets of this and the other Companies, that the 
Date Coffee Company and the subsidiary Companies 
will all pay very large dividends, and be of that com- 
mercial value which, from the first, 1 have predicted 
(cheers). With these few remarks I formally move 
the adoption of the report and accounts ; my friend 
Lord Poulctt will second that, and I will sit down 
to give any shareholder an opportunity to put any 
question which he may be inclined to ask. 
The Right Honourable Earl Poulett. — I beg to second 
Mr. Haymen's statement. 
The Chairman (after a pause), said. — As no share- 
holder has .any question to put, I will put the ques- 
tion — that the report and accounts be received and 
adopted. Those ia favour of that will signify the 
same in the usual manner. 
The resolution was carried unanimously. 
The Chairman. — The next question is the re-election 
of Auditors, which I will propose, and which I will 
ask some shareholder to second ; it is as much a 
Shareholder's question as a Director's, in fact, more 
so. I therefore beg to propose that Messrs. Fred. 
Maynard & Co. bo re-elected Auditors, and perhaps 
some shareholder will kindly second that. 
Mr. Barton. — I will second that. 
The resolution was carried. 
The Chairman. — That, gentlemen, concludes the busi- 
ness of the meeting ; but perhaps you will allow me 
to state once again my entire confidence in the success 
of the Company, and I am confident that before the 
close of this year we shall be calling you together 
for that happy sort of meeting in order that we shall 
propose a dividend to you (cheers). 
A shareholder. — If I am in order, I should like to 
ask one question. 
The Chairman. — I will answer any question. 
The Shareholder. — I do not know why the Govern- 
ment charge us 2d. a lb., and why coffee and chicory 
are admitted at l£d. per lb. I have made a calculation 
on the basis of 40 tons per week, and I find it makes 
a difference in the year of 10,000Z. in the profits of 
the Company. 
The Chairman.— It is impossible to ask the Govern- 
ment why they charge it. They charge it to us on ground 
coffee and the berry. If ground coffee is brought to 
this country it is charged 2d per lb. 
Mr. Frost. — What is the nature of the opposition to 
the German Patent ? 
The Chairman. — I think it would be unwise to say. 
We are not a German meeting. 
The Shareholder.— The result is, that we have not 
had any bonus from the German Patent. 
The Chairman. — I do not think it would be wise to 
make the statement. 
The Auditor. — 1 am much obliged to you, gentlemen, 
for re-electing me auditor, and I congratulate you on 
being shareholders in so prosperous a Company. 
The Chairman.— That concludes the business of the 
meeting. 
Mr. Maitland. — I think, gentlemen, before we separate 
we should propose a vote of thanks to the Chairman. 
Mr. Pittman. — I beg to second that. 
The motion was carried, 
