The Express. — London, England, 1849-09-25 00:00:00

CITY OF LONDON REGISTRATION. Mr. Wanting took his soot it 10 o'clock yester day mond , I, sad promodat to dam the tollowisp Jodi mat la a sass whisk woo reputed to tits &prom a tow days ego. He said: I saw rowed to Mimeos of the awe of Mr. Jahn Getting. whirl was MI elaborately disereed before me a few days ago. Immediately after the dieresOia I expressed the opinion I thee formed el it; bat, is coesequesee of what was subsequently said, and it terra( eat to be a este of cessiderably greater impetrate than anything which had bees staled is the fint larres bad isdicated, I sail, from the respect dee to what had her urged before me, I should farther consider it, aad look into the decided eases upon the point. Tr 111:11111.4•111•4 are these : —Mr. John Getting stands ea the list of persons eatitled to vote in the election of membere far the City, is respect of property occupied by him in the parish of St. Andrew liadenatatt. H. resides near the White But, at N trweed, which is within 7 miles of the Cil ; be bee resided then for •soillelent length of time, sad he ocrepies a eeentiag-house at 46, Lime must, is respect of which he claims a right to vote. Haviag bees duly ob jected to. be appeared personally to sutra the right he wrench for. ii. stated that he essapies a coantiag-house at 46, Lime-street ; that he has reepied it for the last 26 yore, and that he pays a real ef 264. a year for it, *web formerly the rent wu math hi ghe r. He is properly rated to all the rates, sad they lave Mr duly paid. Ile has re sided for • saltier time while the seven miles. To ar rive at his counties boom he nest eater from the ,trees at • large covered gateway, which leas into a sort of quad nest., or open oranyerd, in which there are them houses. Tame three hour are nor= hem each other, all having separate and respective doors. These houses also vuy in height, and have separate roofs. Mr. Getting's counting house is one cf those house+, the one whisk is situated on no left band tide, entering from the street, of the quai. tangle, or court-yezel, and the door through which ha enters into his casting-hew from the wart yard leads only into it. The large d q w w i ay is open daring the day, but closed by fel wooden gates at sight, which are locked or bolted de, and in ese el which there is • wicket large suough for the Oros sad egress of person., but not of earriere. There is aoto • lock era key to that wicket. Mr. Getting may have a key of it at say dr he pleases. A. occupier of another counting house, in the some court-yard. who has also boss objected to, and who is precisely similarly situated to Mr. Getting, Las • key of that wicket, and can enter to his counting. g house at all hours, without requiring the permission or as - Woos a any ece. Mrs. Darsafrod is Mr. Gettinebi lora 43 lady, 0 whoa be rents his countiag.house, and she redden to another boos is the same coart-yard or roamer, gg which hors faces the late gateway, though situated in or 7 towards* , lefthand earner. Kr. °Malt has two keys to 2 the dyer of his counting-hoes*, or of which he retro the 12 of, and the other he allows Mrs. Duasford to 19 ETe lisa at she, fur • consideration paid to bee by hies, may is his tco atesseecier his tore. Mrs. Deward bee upright to enter at any time into his eratiarkeess eager far the 2 purpose of Weaning it, and as his servant; sad she use only enter it by coming oat of the hoese in whisk dhe /*- tides, crossing • part of the open court-yard, 9114 entering la L at his separate and distinct countieg.hows door. Mrs. Dace - ford shuts the large wooden gates at night, and opens them is the mornisg. There is a bell-pull at the tide of the large getaway in Lime street, sad tee bell attached thereto, which is in the court-yard, may be nog by any person, for _ any purpose or for any party, indiscriminately, within the courtyard, at any time, night or day. There is also a bell at the doer of the Irons in which Mrs. Danford resides, 4 with her same urn it ; sad upon the door of that house there is likewise a private knocker. For the convenience 1 of the occupier, of nutmeats in the said courtyard or i quadrangle, there is a passe= or communication through i do house in which Mrs. Donsfoed resides, into Biliter. ern, and through which bar tenants may pus at any time of the day, to any place in that 'detain, but which comae - ideation she ants up at night by • door. The right to vote of Mr. Walter Logan, Mr. Alfred Piglet, Mr. Francis P. 6 ter, Mr. Matthew Janata People well, Mr. Oeorge D vy 1 Stibbard, and Mr. William Vincent, all having earths,- ' bosses; also at No. 46, Lime-street, depends upon the dea _ Wen to be come to upon Mr. Letting's c teri. It is also midi that that decision must govern the right to vote of a very extensive and respectable class of persons in the City. When I stated what I thought of Mr. Getting's case, reording to the present decisions of the Court of C moon 3 Phu, and the coastruction that has boa put upon g the Reform and Registration Aets, Mr. Ledger, with 1 considerable zeal, expressed apparent surprite, and re quested to know if I intended to abide by that .puws - having, as he then stated, lest year pronounced a dsWaa _ precisely the reveres in the use of Mr. Francis Pegter, which was, as be said, an exactly similar case. That Ws neither • candid nor correct representation on the pan of Mr. Ledger. Mr. Peglei's case was neither discussed before i me, nor decided by me lest vier •it came before me is , 1 _ September, 1847. It had not been ci ted, nor had I any ree collection of it, when I expressed my view of Mr. O otirg's right. When Mr. Polies ease wu brought bef.re me, bra 6 did sot attend himself, bat his clerk did, mad that clerk left 4 the case considerably short, in point of evidence, In favour of 3 the voter, ef what it now is. The newspaper report which Mr. Led ger sarequently handed up to me star, that Mr. - P piles's clerk deposed, that these term, houses wen situated in • court ; that ' they did ant open one iota the other, but 4there was only or palilie ~usaea to them all, sod that 2 MIS th•JURh • gate at the wed of a passage." And upon then refining to my own metes of weal then - took place, I dad the clerk stated, that these three houses were in a court ; that there was • gate at the end of the pe sags which led into that court, which gate was shut when it bwme dusk *very evening, and after dusk no tenant or other pueoa could get admittance into that wort without rioting a hill, sad having the gets opened by • porter, who lived la Mn. Darned's house. That wee the gist of the evidence which that clerk gave, as to Ibis siteatissel these hoarse; and, although I certain.y am Ciii Ward to think that the Reform Act did toques =ler to give is such occupiers as these geatlemen the tto vote, yet. as I read the law, and the ern which bad tham bees decided by the C sun of Appeal, and by base d, I WU bound until they had been reversed, ehrlibel. er relaxed, I felt unable to place Mr. Pegler's memo the register, and with Mr. Smith's entire es you shall presently find, who appeared in seise= of the vote, I so decided. But besides Mr. Get. thig's we having sow Wooed the circumetaness attending Mee rights of these goalless before re is a more full and favourable position, there have. since Mr. Prier's cam was before me, been various eases takes upon appeal from the reran barristers to the Court ei Common Pleas, which have larded opportunities to that court which it had not had before, of giving expositions of the law, and of the con struction f the Reform and RegistrationActe, which the revising banisters bat not the advsstage of in 1847. At that time, according to the cases while bed then been decided, great stress was laid urn r whisks= set sow to be er :2w geed tor a moment. Fr somenipt ether things, it was am watended, that on ,to adds ha to vote, mast have a key to his outer deer. Mr. Ira, Mauls heel sow said, " I do not think it matters whether hero or has ' not a key of the outer door to let himoll is end eat when be pleases.' It stood then decided that • rase most ban an exclusive occupation, that "to entitle ea erapin to vote as a tenant, he must show that he is not dereast epos the goodwill or leave of another, for any cheerier, wessary to the full, free, and exclusive 'soonest of his hew. . . . That he must command the entracte to it, and the exit from it;' and that if he cannot do that, " hie occupation cannot be considered an exclusive occepatioa." Now the Lord Chief Justice of the Cout of Craws Pleas bat declared "it mart be ceateaded, that the twat is to have an absolute right to eater at some times but not at Were." Again, " iik• steers of an =shuns arra over the outer door is not entegh to deprive a party of he right to vote ;.: and. again, . the objectioa that he mat have as exelonve control over the outer door seems tome to have no form Tee fen that he had not such as exclusive 1•3•1101, may be &circumstance which tends to show that Is Is sot a tenant, but it the Macey be establabed by other evidesse, Ido not we what ohs that isolated fist ie. ' It was there also rented that die character of occupien eader the Registratrs Act meet be made out as strictly to stable him to vote, as it would = neessesty to make out that dorsa ls.= order to establish • setdement, or to sustain an indict wit fee tombs:, ; whetesioncording to Me Latina's re ports ihr that year, vol. 2, part 2, p. 9S, he Lad Chief Julio al Ow Common Pleas my :—" This tout had repudiated on Weer wares the iSfITOSSIS drawn from Dermot and liershey asese, which have best cited for the pens sea of thrown. some light epos the constreetion of the Reknit Act, house the °bier of the law in thew cases are quite different from those contemplated by the statute rder consideration.' And Mr. Imam Cantu says:—"The burglary mew are not like she present, became some re deemers wets =hared into that branch of the law, whiskies ahead not think onnelves justified is applying to the earnstiem ef the statute before the eon." Farther, at the WO of the statement of Mr. Pesler's we, when it was blare me in 1847, sal =tat all had been said upon it whisk awald with any row have boa urged, Mr. Sydney Smith, who =peered with Mr. Lager, in sup port a that gentleraa's vote, and Mr. Smith is sot • gentleman to allow • veto to slip is any ewe which pro slt i ate sei t/ w fair ground to induce him to think i it m ray he semeluded his address to that he of ledger er n mri o lad by gr had bar not fii= is rn i t i : ; that the Court of C o mmon Pleas had M yet, otter rho best coniaderatien he had bon :rre ea lsolow lira the eases which had at that time been Wiled by it, to have smislaterpreted ths Reform and Re ar lotion Ars ; that this seen was helpless ; that probably die better way would be to have the cases of gentleman situated se Mr. Pegler we met by a short enactment by parliament ; and that, sada these eirosstances, he would not then continue to pros to have Mr. Pegler's same ea the register. Now, these ars the circumstances, both wto the facts and the law, whisk related to Mr. Pegler's ease, when it wasbefere me in 1847, and whisk ewe Mr. Ledger brought forward jest now is the way he did to show that, if 'should decide at present in freer of Mr. Getting's right to vote, I must be the author of condiang decisions. I shall have to decide in Mr. Getting's favour ; and yet, strictly spear., upon taking all the einumstriess late wonsiderrion, I do sot think I shall be fairly open to Mr. Ledger's charge ; but, prate I felt I should. that would act for • moment to deter me from mew ..td es I theesat oce reedy sad jusly. If av disposed of *at part of W ease l I may remark, that Mr. Baia and Mr. Ledger appeared far the cbjectioa in Mr. Getting's ease, but iz t eZport of the votes of the other pallemen, who are site ata, sad hr. Brows swirled the validity of the eider Woes tram to the names if the latter. On the or load, it ww werada that thew three house, are all within one certil•ge, that the large gateway is to be held to be the street rof all the houses is the quadrangle, that the Cs. Dis. l 5 0 2 0 1 0 • 0 THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 25, 1849. Ibis Hedy bee the emissive costensi of lapss and egrets E l p t s : "newsy 1 and fiat, en Me resides la me of dame simples et 46, Unenromte did self,bla she, by the ohmmeter she softens, redeem se the sitrods• of kd with her. It ems riltstheir to net of their shersimer, bemuse they might deep ia their fognMin-honer if they pews; sad several veer wore sled, Mr. Brows robieggerogb go "Pins v. Smedley," &- died by the Court et Osearomf rms. Os the edam side, It nes selmined that the landlady her ass the embasive sentsel el tbe int these soft disroset mad separate heroes, and that the 'aislemelense ef the landlady es* of them is net seamiest to law, a '''sl u ng Z le " Tense. Lockett," Latw., vol. 11., part 1., p. 19, end k other lately-decided cases, to deprive the tenants of the right to vets. There is no oesedso that them 'asthma hold seder a solleleet demise mem the landlady to make thus her taunts. There is no deign that then are sepa rate or distinct houses. Mrs. Doneked mean eater into say one of them without quitting her owe hems sod en tering in at the separate and respective deers which lead from the epee coart.yard into Mess emietiag-hews; ; and them is as little dimbt that she is only permitted by the occupiers to enter them at sack dean as may suit their movesienes, is the elasreeter of their servant, sad it that character alone. Under all the elms they are them gentlemen only lodges', herb gno tto vote, or am they tenants of counting hose's, whisk saddle them to yens ? The Reform Act spatially nosegises a " connting-heem" as a tenement or Ein reopen of which an oestapier Mall have a vote, he be etherodes muddle& The ems of " Pitts o ," whisk hes hem neared to en an authority against the right to rote here, dna no: appear to me to govern the present we. Is that ems the owner of • heave end shop occupied the shop and resided ea the first floOr. He let the emend and third A tors to another person, who had the exclaim metro' over the resets ea those doors, and also a latch key of the street doer. Tee owner had also a latch key of the street deer, and when the party coropyins the upper rooms was aad knead the street door fastened, he had to enter tie ores through the shop of the mine,. It was held there that the party was a mere lodger. end not entitled to vote. It was dear, as Lord Chief Judos Tindal stated in giving judgment, that the landlord of the house Mere ally gave a limited enjoyment to the party who occupied the upstain teems. The street door had a lock, to which the potty had not • key, and his right of nesse though it was net interfered with, was merely permissive. Can it be sail that this is an analogous ease to the present ? What " merely permissive," near have these 'ratlines from Mrs. Dunsford, anises it can be at the luxe gateway ? They all have, or all may have, A key to the wicket, by which to secure to themselves free eat full acmes to their crontieg-honer at all times. Bat , Weiss it that they have sot the excludes control over that pm se gateway, or access through it, yet I have shown you, 1 her the &Maims of the le trued judges of the Court of Com , elm Plea., that it is not 1110111111137 they should have that ex elusive control, and that the absence of it, ander certain lair. madames, is of no coniegesboo, earners than that of not possessiag a key of the outer-door. They have an absolute right to enter la at the large gotewsy, and it is not to be said that they have that Omelette right sometimes but not at all times. Well, then, does the landlady 'a residence in one of the homes destroy the eight which these gentle men would otherwise have to vote, for that really appears to me to be the may question ? The nature sad extent of the party's laterest : the enure, amount, sad quality of the oc cupation are to be considered. Now, it is beyond divots, that Moe are separate or distinct hones, and that counting houe give the right to vote ; and spa this question what could be more explicit than that which Ur. Justice Mauls lass down in " Toms v. Lockett " : " I think the spirit of the cases on the sarject is this, that when the owner of a house is the person who lime in, and occupies the whole of it, end takes in some ether parses to live with his is the hoses, although that puma nay wimpy a room therein, which nobody else occupies ; and although he may have ingress and egress to and from that room whenever be pleases, yet if the owner of the house retain, his general shunter of master of the house which he did before, then that the person so occupying is • lodger, and not a tenant within the Reform Act. The question of whether the party is • lodger or tenant, I think depends en the clicamstance of there being a person living in the house I. the quality and capacity of • muter of the house, and having some degree of control over that part of the house which the party occupies. Where that is the cess the party is not a meant within the act, but • mere ledger, to whom the statute does not give the elective franchise." Mrs. Bam ford does not live Ia Mr. Genial 's counting-house she does net live in the house in which that cosatieg-houn is, and she neither exercises any degree, nor has the power of exercising any degree of control whatever over that counting boom, er over the boom of which it forms • port. Is the case of " Wansey v. Perkins," in Barron and Arnold, vol. 1., part 111., p. 409, a party exclusively occupied the whole of the seemed door of a home, and his landlord resided in the same house. The outer door of the house was kept closed, and both the landlord and the other party had a key thereto. In that sera it wee held that the parry occupying the second door wee a mere lodger; but Lnrd Chief Justice Tindal, in de livetiro judgment, mid—" If the premiens is the °mope ds* of the claimant were so completely divided from the sestet the horse, that the landlord had given up the con trol IMF them, the case would have been different ;" that is to say, if I uaderstand it, the claimant would have been sodded to vo's. In the case before us are the aounting• been sot as completely divided from Mrs. Danford's Imam a it is almost possible to conceive they mold have besa ? And again, I would ask, what earthly deg or 1 particle of control has she over them ? Then them te e the ems of Dewed:as tr. Lockett, Lutw., vol. 2 , part 1 , p. 33, where the aperient conspied • counting-boom at No. 11, kkelklane, an whiah the appellant's landlord and silt ether persons likewise occupied counting-homes. Then line was a wooden gate, and a door at the outer entrance, whisk were opea all day, but shut and locked at eight by the landlord's clerk, who, with his family, resided on the premises 4, protect them, and to fasten and unfasten the gets and door on the inside, night and morning. He alone had keys of the gat* and door. That was held by the Court of Appeal to be • perfectly clear case in favour of the voter, sad the real lentil of the landlord's clerk was not meridered to affect, in the slightest degree, the voter's Mr. S usi., Janice Mule says—" This is • caes of a emu held by the appellant, at a rest of 201 a year, epee that there is a total aheme of clreuretenese sterMeg POI it we not compied by him as tenet. There is nothigs to restrain and every thing to forward sea on 'meridiem. There is no keyhole outside the gate, to order le allifill Marrs i bet • servant, living on the premises, is reedy to admit the occupiers of the counting-houses whenever they dish proper. It appears, therefore, to re, that the shrine he a exclusive • control aver his emnting.hstre se it le =se a sea to have." It it true, it easy he sail, that se tie hadlord did not himself mile dam, that that h set seer ding to the letter of It, t sear is _plat, but the ease is very inpatient en showing the spirit of mastroc , ilea adopted try the Court of the &Mar which Pre the Ihneshise • and, mowing to a drilla" of the Lord Chief Jades, die words used in that statute ars to be wandreed la ampler and liberal sense. When I Melt, throbs', at the extent of the ieterest, the nature, areenill, end pea* Mar occupation, I cannot discover one regal e. Mire 1 surd to expunge the names of these gentlemen from lbe Bet of voters, and, consequently, I must meriale the 'Be'ad's which have been trot to them , bet, rider all tbe deem. PARLIAMENTARY AND FINANCIAL REFORM. MEETING IN LAMBETH. Last evening a public mottos took place, at the Oscsgs-strist National fikhool-roses. Lanbetb-walk. ke the purpose of Imagine as exposition of the priselpas sad of Use National Parliensistary sad Famenal litefsen a ir ciente. and of townies a district ssessiMiss is essassisa With the parent society. The place of -~s dams to the midst of a very densely peopled aoiptbssrhsod. sad there was a wenerses end Wendy, audience. Mr. F. DALTON presided ; and air F. Knowxus, Bart, and T. lilintena, Esq., Mantled as a deputation from the association. _ _ The CHAIRMAN, It meat the proceeding., briefly neapitidata the objects of the sesoela as stand in its printed re port. expressed his emadent gage of the sac- Gem of the tinily, seeing that it numbered seem its sup porters 1110 CUM of Cobdem, Home, and Wahmeley, and waited in its favour the suffrages ad ailealle and working dames, who had now Oxalis side their lancet..., and combined in one grand sad inealademeeement. (Cheers.) Sir F. KNOWLES, afteir raft tbe Mario &guested by the Association, said that ammo *Ott think they went too far, whilst MAIM lbswgthey an not go I. ° l enema. The object Dal bees to safes sea greatest umber = 1. 14 ° (ll nuntuale Maaantet el rim ; that ems ch asm was wades to prineat the advocates el wider measalres tea gag feather. Mats. beeir.) The eaascil, in minting these tenets es be jest sad pease es he oh tank by no means premeneed as eras *nag of oases. (Beer, bear.) No °seam dreemito psalmist peeliammit ter 'storm ; the only thing to be done wester Smuts es the eoutitusaans. In the eseatia thanks to las old essetitu- Non of Enema, workbag as. might maim the ege fram eities, and they w wild soon Sim the 1108111 is masted of liberal =. The borough females was to be en the registration court+. To NOM these chine' lands were neemary ; end. if the working Meese failed se support this mov e ment, they would putty what their anemia said of these—that they wen unworthy the fur aim. (Hear, hear.) On the lowest calculation mere working man paid is unjust taxation a pound a yew Mee than hs ought; and surely it was worth his while es pay a [shallot a year so remedy this grievance. (Hear, bear.) Let ' tro t v " ic . tso ceun wll i : wrested f rgee a r r e ‘ ..r ". bases". end Mr. ROBERTSn moved: " That this metiag, highly ap proving of the principle. sad objects of the Natlonel Puha ' meatary and Financial Reform Association, do form them delves into a district a rainy, to be ce ll ed s The Lambeth liana Reform Alleviation? " Ma. SOWARDS, in seconding the resolution, observed I smote borough of Waal had 14,000 Gloaters, while there mee BO members in the hover who did not in the aggregate tso large a number. (Hear, hear.) Of the seven I muss dada* in this country, only *nonillion had votes ; and this injustice would cootinue till the people Ocoee to themselves. The people were taxed without their consent, as much as they were by the ship-money of Charles I. Henn it was that we bad 200 admirals in time of peace. (Haar, hurl T. WENTBER, Esq., said that all his sympathies were with the working men; bat with the existing power of pro perty and rank in this country, he thought it imposibie fee the operative dames to obtain their rights without the aid of those above them in the axial scale. He wu set one of thus philosophers who would sacrifice to a thee:mad no tion of right the chance of ob.aining political heeds in the present generation. (Hear, hear.) Could the aristo cracy but take a just view of their own interests, they would at cue admit the people within the pale of the constitution ; while for the middle classes to war against that clam Mu which they had sprung wee absolute madam. (Chasm) It we. on a recognition of this fact that the present amagia time was founded. They held that to benefit one his by the injury of another was the most short-sighted pd icy imaginable. Only in one way coal political rights be won : by union and exertion on the part of the working men—not the sluggards who dissipated their minims in alt-house., and neglected their familie., but the hard-working, careful men, tato knew their Tighe, and wen prepared to obtain them. (Cheers.) In alluding to the course taken by the metropo litan press on this 'movement, he observed that the organ which wielded the greatest lodging* was the most infamous, and had damned the English Om:solar throughout the Con tinent, by perpetrating the foulest and most atrocious libels onEnglish truth and humanity in reference to theHuogarisn question. (Loud cheers.) Considering the press the artil lery of their cause, he cordially recommended to the support of the people the Daily News and the Morning Adverts:es', as the only morning journals which supported this move ment. (Hear, hear.) Let the people invest themselves with the franchise, and this ',pantry would then become happy and peaceable at home, and respected abroad, as the supporter of popular liberty, and not the ally of despots. (Cheers.) The resolution was then put, and unanimously carried. Mr. FRANKLIN moved the appointment of a committee to carry out the foregoing resolution. Mr. TOWNSEND seconded the resolution, which was agreed to ; and the proceedings terminated with a vote of thanks to the chairman. steam, without costs. Kr. LIDO= said that as the list wee not finally closed, parkspe the court would allow him to call attention to the ism* of George Crewed,-hick stood in the same position as these in whisk the court had now decided. With respect to the remarks of the mart relative to his former observations. be begged to state that he spoke upon his recollection of a newspaper report. He tvd since react the ease to which that report referred, and although it mist net be considered the same in all respects as the came now decided, be thought there was •• great a similarity that the court would exonerate him from all intentional unfainsen or dbcourtesy. Kr. M'Casuartz mid he did not attribute any discourtesy to Mr. Ledger, but be wee bound to set the matter right. The name of George Crantoad was then retained on the list on the ground 'mentioned above. The following is the malt of the revision of the list for Litigate and Billingsgate ward : Liberia claims snowed 6 „ disallowed 9 Liberal objections sustained Conservative Doable objeetione sustained Liberal do., failed or withdrawn lO C4neervative 13111107110ATZ Tau cos Maximo CLetus.—Thomas William Burr elairaed a right to vote is repeat of premises Stated at No. 8, Damian-street, is the perish of St. Botolph's, Ilishopegate. It appeared, hawever, that the elaiamot's same wee not on the rate.bovk for the rate published on Ire 31st July. lie had occupied the and had paid all the previous rates for the year, had sent in his claim to be rated on the 26th August, subeeqesatly to the publics tism of the het rate. 8111111 contended that the est of parliament did net pesseribe say particular tires for claiming to be rated. If the claim was made at any time before the completion of the register, it would be a sabstaatlal sandiance with the 27th and 30th mates. of the Reform Act. He therefore submitted that if the qualificatioa wee sufficient in other repeats, the claim ought to be allowed. There was no doubt as to the occupation of the claimant, and the only question wee whether the sea-payment of the last rate was to dis qualify him. In the &ease of any distinct provision as to time ia the sot, he thought the court lased to construe the statute in a manner favourable to the voter. Baowiti submitted that iso claim Gould be allowed if the party had not paid all rates previous to the 31st July. The words of the at were in the pest teses— he " for which that the daemon shall have been rated." Though admitted the palest of the enema to beat was on the list present hardships in plantar eases—such as the instance, yet he feared that, if the court wore to decide in favour of the view takes by Mr. Smith, it would open the door to grent abuses. Kr. 831111 t replied that the object of the art was to give every facility . for . the udraashannent of perms peesening prresimasceas—not to save trouble to oblecters. Yr. il *Camas mid the point raised was ate of great isepreasee, and "piked time for consideration. He should, therefore, reserve his decides. Judgment defared. The following is the result of the revision for Bishopegate Ward : Liberal claims allowed Liberal claims disallowed Liberal objections sustained lB Liberal objections failed 3 CeseanWve *Meadow sustained Conservative objectless failed Double objection austaised ........... • • Ezainged by barrister The court adjourned till this mania at 10 o'clock. got court. BALIIOLt, Barr. 22. gd is et drop oat yesterday afternoon moon ine retas Prisons Allot. gal Nu" AD A 1_ Ilighoess Primo Albert. stelaysoisd Aisew r ; b ; r i d s o M Welm, rode sst as \mistook —The royal soy the essinacral lasts& Lady Portman. ids. s ea Ilma Tanslisma of laveresald, sad Dr. itabsrtsse. ilsisssy oat nave Balmoral as Wedassday tbs _ _ sr David Davies let town yest rday afternoon 'I , do N o m 811111 SON, the reeddeseo of her Mejery the ewes Dower/. D espa tehp from the Governors of the West India o ws. owl she noes the Governor of Bermuda, were l oolverl peculiar at the Colonl4.ofllee. D e spatches were sent off yi steidsy evening from osCeieetel-0111es for the GOVellieri of Hoag /Colic cellos, Thti UTZ ZING CHARLES ALBERT.—The foneeel Orrice la the repose of dm cod of his Majesty the King Chula Albert will take Owe oa WeelaesJay, the 26. h bet , at It ma., at the Sardinian Chapel, Lincoln's-ilia- Sada Loa° olouonax.—The noble and learned lord isesetetee his sweaty first year on Wrdneaday hat, aa which oweloa a lege petty aasemteled at Broupliam-hall. THE HECATE STEAMER. AND TEE CAPE o GOOD Bore. —Ws are authorised to slaw that t►e reports which boo been circulated that the Hecate had bees ordered, at elect notice, to the Caps of Oood Hope, are satirely nu losaded, No remit has boos ordered especially tor that THE CHOLERA. The followings the Regietrar-Oselesars return of deaths from ehol.ra and from diarrhea, registeted in Lauda. ea Thunday, Friday, sad Saturday, the 20.1 i, 2let, sad 22nd, Seownsber, 1849 : Estimated populismo ad London at the mid le of 149: U 06,076. TIER Return of dead; trout the lining Board of Ell MINUS. laws ctrl diorrhata reported to 1 yoMerday, September 24. Cho. Dim I Ilaathestor Maaaleld 0 1 Medway Noath Newark..... 0 1 Newcastle-on-Troth 3 0 Newton Abbot 2 1 North Witohford 3 0 Norwich Nottlogbau 0 1 Okehamptos 1 0 Oldham 4 0 Ormakisk 1 0 Pembroke Porohore Peterborough Pookllagton 3 0 Petatywel Pamela Woad Prmeot 2 0 Prates 1 1 Wier& Selina Radii& 1 0 NorWd 6 2 Ilemeird Balbubas 2 isms I 1 0 MIMI _0 3 Cho. Dig. Alterstoke ' - 2 Ashton netetr•Lyne 2 Ay MMus 4 Banbury Barnstaple Bas'ord 2 Bedminster Berwick , es-Tweed 3 Bumleswade Binsinghent.. - 0 Blackburn Veen Bolton Boomers and Clay ton 0 Bradford and North bailey 8 Bonebtos (Great) Chester 1 Bridgwater Brigitte& Bristol B:iLaseashin) 2 0 C7s . 11 - isWra 3 2 6 moss Chitral Caskanicank Cosidkas 5 Drawl I . iey 0 2 Dayton 2 _ Dia*, Dow 2 Dungy ll Eal lai rilmsbeess • Buirmaiaridow 2 Bakeligil Salo Me l7 She Sell Habeas 1 Sb•PP , 7 Sheptesi Lall.o Shrewsbury Bo■th Shields 1 410 6 111 Itsams _ 0 ralenlli ? •• 1 =6..... •• is Cherbesi Gook 1 °ravens& mad Mikes HSIKOMI Statiags _ 3 Ilaver!aydwre. : 0 Stopuisg Stockport Stockton ... lO St Tbomss Stoke Daserel 6 Btoke-upon-Trent 1 Stourtaidp a Stour Stroud &sadaland 6 Swansea Tavisteek 1 Tesslele (Bersecd Cutts) Testicles 9 T. 1 Hayfield sad Glos -0 Heme sop l Hempstead 0 Hitch's 3 liolliasbourae Hamden Huddersfield Hull 13 Isis *1 IVA . • Kies i SNIP imrs Xestsa 3 0 Isruhurseelt la•Pigur Tioettane 0 Tivettos Todsordes 1 Total's Truro 1 Truesouth 22 Uxbridge 1 Wakefield 4 lasi 47 Links laillsli Walsall 4 W W= " 1 1 Wil (Salop) 2 WM Swiwisli Wen Dote 3 Worms* 3 Wlialsabarn Wlildiaves 1 17 Wilma Wirral Lftered • =mar a a Wisbesch Low Mee*MY Wim 1 Wo h istaatea ' Weiverhuipioa sad Bilados Warsaw 9 Maeda, Milldam 1 Pail. Okla. Mimi& CM ba) Maw (Me Saud Tai—Losim mei TM P,s Total . The deaths ars returned giatrar's districts, u it is I •very plus separately. 1 Wyeasbe T0ta1.... 633 173 ch. Di.. Wataa Raid& 2 o Henleaseir 1 0 =also Total 2l 0 Ch. Dis. Ay.. 122 41 .... 633 173 ~..• 21 0 076 214 :ordhas to samrintendest ro ad impracticable to distioraish Fula.- Cholera. Diarrl.ms. dos in dm_ Sepumwher. tiqsvusber 23 . MO M& sands .11 2 — tric — th Oka ;an iii i Mil Th. Fa S. TL Fri. 8 --i--; Locate 1656 19tra 121 110 1321 32 38 4 Wed Districts 263 301 10 9 7 1 7 2 North Districts 34 377 10 I. 131 3 6 Central Dotticus 366 374 20 10 141 4 4 East Diu nits 331 393 19 18 31 6 8 1 South Districts .... 410 603 6. 46 62 19 18 1 ---t —r— West Districts. Kensington Chelsea t. George, Kano 1 Ter-'guars Westssmster 81. Martin . in- tit* 1 Fi e lds 24 25 —1: • St. James, West I 'Muster North District& I Marylebons 4. 1 Hampstead Si. Pancras lelisgtos 37 56 1 3 6' 1 Hackney .. •.. Central Districts. Bt. Odes 63 64 4 1 1; S tran d 42 44 3 1— 1 Holborn Clarkentrall Bt. Lek. 47 60 1 11 I East Lemdoa 4O 3 2 1 West Laudon 29 2 4 2 1 London City Bast Districts. Fhoreditels Bethnal-green Whitschspel Su George- in - the Lief • 41 1 2 2 Btepuey Poplar ' 31 61 2 South District& St. 84TiOilt 4 2 7 1 3 1 St, (Have 2O 1 41 Bermondsey 81. Hoary, South- wark New ingtoo 66 18 9 2 lambote • 116 1 20 11 3 7 Wandsworth Bothorbitho Orienwick Bl 13 8 6 4 2 Lewisham Toed deaths from Cholera, mistimed from &Sows. bee 17. 1848, to Sept. 29, 1649 Ditto ditto from Joao 17, 1349, to Sept. 22, 1619 1 General Register Offlos, Sept. 24, 4 o'clock. STOCKPORT. Oa the evenin g _ of Friday last Mr. Prentice , deli vered lecture no Financial end Pindiamentary Reform, in the hall of the Lyceum, Stockport, to a numerous sad atten • ties auditory, Charles Bedews, Esq., in the chair. Mr. Prentice, on behalf of the Meacham r Association, has at tended meetings at Gloucester, Stroud, Worcester, Leicester, Derby, Birmingham (twice), Wrexham, Itutbin, Denbigh, Llangollen, Rdinburgh(twitie), Heddingtoe, Paisley, Green ock, Kilmarnoek, Suring, Perth, Dundee, Dumfries, New castle-upon• Tyne, Bolton, Littleborough, Rochdale, Ashton under.Lyne, Hyde, R.eyton, ltiwtounall, Cuper-in-Fife, St. Andrews, Kirkcaldy, Dunfermline, Warrington and Stock. I port. At all these places an unanimous feeling h as been mani fested in flavour of evensive financial reforms, and for such further reforms in the representative 'potent as should give to the people a more complete control over the Mouse of Com mons. We understand that it is the intention of the Man chester Association that all the boroughs north sad west of sae Treat should be visited is @secession. RAILWAYS. EDINBURGH, PERTH, AND DUNDEE. The following is the report 14 the directors of this line, formerly the Edinburgh and N Arthern Railway, to be sub mitted to the half-yearly general meeting of th e share holders, held at Edinburgh this day To the present report the directors, as usual, have appended the statement of capital and accounts to the close of the half year ending 31st July last. CaPITAL ACCOUNT.—The total assets to that date, inclusive of them for the Leith mad Gunton line, amount to £1,961,692 3 9 And the expenditure, inclusive also of the Leith and Grantor), to The expenditure daring the last half yea mamma to £217,34315 3 The unproductive capital is estinstted at £300,000, ex pended chiefly oa the Dunfermline end Kirkcaldy Harbour breaches, the Tay Ferry, and Greaten Pier works. The capital authorised by the compaay's acts, as stated in detail in an appendix, is Share Capital. Loans. Total. L 2,600,260 0 0 £833,332 0 0 £3,333,612 0 0 From which there is to be deducted of unissued capital £3,264,437 0 0 Bat this amount will, in the meantime, practically be dimi nished very materially. First—To th e silent of the capital represented by works and branches, the construction of which may be considered Au postponed, viz. : Leith braaeb extension, &c. Roscobie and Heltyllead branches Baratisland harbour improvement Together £290,323 0 0 And second—By the ateallathe adopted at the previous half yearly meeting, whereby certain shares were directed to be r.stvisted in amount, and others forfidtad ; involving an amount of 266,9481. By these reductions, amounting in the aggreeate to 657,2711., the immediate espial Is reduced to 2,707,1461. floese degree of dffileislty has been experienced in realising the composition, which, by the resolution of the proprietors, was made the condition of the forfeiture of the shares em braced in the meaning of restriction and forfeiture already adverted to, and on which mutest' of a limited amend only had be mode. The eireansetanees of a large numbie of the holden were found to be seen as to pun le w d. the Fu sibility of soaring mum% stogy patties ed the elignialei composition, while seamy wen able to pay only is part leek ' some it became necessary to deal with tndlvideally ; and although the malt has scarcely been so favourable as might have been wished, the expediency, if not necessity, of the measures adopted mast be doubted. Besides the recovery of a considerable amount of arrears, the sum of about 36,0001. will be credited to the company by the forfeiture ; and the shares whereon arrears had aseumeleted, without prospect of payment, may be withdrawn. The declaratiou of [white's cenequent on these arrangements will be sub mitted for coalirotation. The arrears oa the other storks amount to 29,6384. 16s. 9d. lustions have bees, and will continue to be, made, to re duce this amount as far as practicable; but it is ream mended that 613 shareware which the arum of 4,1471. 14e. 16. appear to be irrecoverable, should now be forfeited. la aaticipstion of the issue of the preference share capital, recently authorised by the proprietors, the directors have, in compliance with applications from shareholders, already given off shares to some amount. Considering the rate of guarantee at which that stock is to be issued—that it is spe cially authorised by set of parliament—end that the com pany is unineembered with other preferential obligations, save to the extent of 6 per cost. interest on 96,9201., it is to be expected that these &MI will be is request as a good and safe investment. The current expenditure's capiial account being ratified to a very smell amount, the outlay will new be conduct chiefly to the payment of outstanding accounts and obligations, the discharge of which will enable the directors, probably at nest half-yearly meeting, to define the amount of the capital ac count, so far as relates to expenditure, and the construction of works hitherto approved of end authorised by the proprie tors. Beeswax—The revenue amount will not occasion mar pries to proprietors antedated with the present position of the undertaking. Considering the circumstance of the Den hemline branch Meg yet only partially *Posed, sad esti mating the gnat disadvantage occasioned by the in complete state of the works connected with the fer- rim, sad the moat of the requisite maehisery for trans poetise the geeds traffic is balk, the meson Gould net be expected to approach the meant which it most Isla steely attain whoa them impediments are removed. To the Ferry works especially, and their influenee os the traffic and iln te, allusion h more than ones been made ; but it as pee to remark, for the sake of distant proprietors, whom isformatios with respect to the Use Is necessarily ha- Fidget, that although considerable progrrs has bees made, these works are yet nclinished, and, eessequently, the va rious et:strode:me to the developmeat of the trails which have bese experieseed daring the last eighteen months stall centime to be felt. The report of the engineer will, how ever, show that tbe works are sow so far advanced u to ad mit of the compasy's arrangements being brought late operatics at a very early period. The Tureens for the half-year amounts to 52,2291.185. lid ., to which there is to be added 5,3081. Is. Id., the balance on the former half-year. Deducting working and other charges, sad the en= of 10,4461. 6a. 9d. of interest os loan capital, cbargeabla against the half-yeaz's revenue, there remains 8,5151. 13s. Id. Out of this sum there will be payable 2,4231., being the hell year's dividend at the rate of S per cent. per annum on 96,9201 the paid up amount of Greaten preference capital; and the balance of 6,0921. 13s. Id. has been applied towards the payment of themes' on those temporary advances fast hankers and others, which will necessarily be extinguished by the hinds to be realised from the preference share capital of tbe ecmpany. The pamengen and goods carried during the half year have been :-Ist elan—Passeagen 44,4134; 2nd class, 145,673; 3rd class, 364,887; 4.a ;lase, 101,910. Total, 668,534 p•asengers ; goods sad minerals, 120,b86 tone; gross receipts, 56,8141, le. lid. No information of any prettiest value can be obtained by a comparison of this traffic with that of the corresponding period of the previous year, the line amiss then been but partially in operation ; hot does the traffic, of the ball year ending with January last, being—tat clast—Paesengers, 4`,•'.99; 2nd clue, 140,236; Sod class, 362,892; 4th class, 100,964. Total, 648,691 emergent goods and minerals, 99.661 tons, gross receipts, 64,7071 li. 9d., afford any just comparison, there being, in ail eases, a marked difference in the traffic of the two periods. But, in the present instance, it is so far satisfactory to perceive that there is an increase on the groestreffic of the last over that of the former bEt-year, which Is usually the mat productive. Although the revenue falls greatly short of its estimated amount, the directors connive that there is no ground what ever for disappointment, seeing, that as regards all practical results, matters remain as at the close of the former half year. Relying, however on the assurances of their engineer, ea to the period when tie unfinished works will be in a state 'deficiency, the directors anticipate being non enabled to pessent a much more favourable revenue account than the present, and one of which the resources of the undertaking, peat as these undoubtedly are in point of population, manu factures, and mineral wealth, warrant the expectation. EIPINDITMII.—It is sanely necessary to my, that the obstacles which limit the traffic and revenue have the effect also of increasing the working expense'. The expenses for the half-year amount to 38,8301. 2s. 2d. In contrasting the principal headset expense with those of the haleyear ending January 31, one or two explanations may be net out of place : 31st January. LoeeenoUve. Pommes.. Goods and Minerals. Malatenanee. E a. d. C s. d. E s. d. E a. d. 10,303 16 6 6,356 s 3 4,30311 3 2,9J8 IS 11 31st July. 9,99917 7 7,494 9 7 5,018 0 1 4,01518 31st January. Barotaland Tay perr y. Tunnel. Oss Works. Glawai Perry. Charges. E s. d. E a. d. E s. d. E s. d. E •4. 5,064 911 2,170 e 3 841 0 4 221 19 0 1,418 910 31st July. 5,077 13 11 2,321 6 0 eel lo 3 309 6 3 2,557 2 7 LOCOMOTITI DIIPARTMLIIT. There is • Saying of 5031. 18s. lid. In this department last half year, principally oa coke and wages. On the northern section, the cost of this department has been 111 d. per truth, per mile. Goons D 444444 nerr.—The increase here amounts to 7451. Ba. 84., and it is to be attributed to the large increase on the tonnage. PASSIM/Unit DEVARTUMIIT.—There has been a saving is this department of 8711 12s. Bd. About 2001. of this saving has been effected by dispensing with omnibuses at Dundee and Leith ; the remainder hasbeen effected generally on the other items. 11A1NTENANCE or WAY.—The increase of 1,1071. 3s. 3d. under this head is to be accounted for by the maintenance of 25 miles of additional line having beets taken from the con tractors in April and May last, and fallen upon the company. The directors have intended a contract with respectable parties for the future maintenance of the whole line for a period of years, on terms advantageous to the company. The rate per mile, inclusive of the wages of pointamen and signal men, is 984 17s. 6d, expense' in this department are much the same as those of the former half year. The goa's traffic con voted in the latter half year has, however, been greater. RATES AND TAXES.—These have been considerably on the increase. The poors' rates demanded have, in many cases, been very extravagant. Should tee principles which have ruled in several recent decisions of the Engliih courts be adopted here, a con•iderable relief will be ok:ained, but if nor, a general legislative enactment will be very much called for. Whilst it is apparent that the heavy expenditure is, to a certain extent, attributable to the incomplete state of the arrangements and works, still, the thorough investigations which the directors have personally made into every depart ment, satisfy them of the practicability of that expenditure being considerably reduced. Some of the measures for that purpose are now in operatioa, and w.LL be followed by others as opportunity occurs. To be estimated correctly, however, the present expenditure should be viewed not so mach in relation to the amount of revenue as to the length of line worked. With both railway and ferrite in a state of e ffi ciency, the consequent in.rease of traffic will not, u in ordi nary circumstances, be followed by a proportionate increase of expenditure ; on the contrary, the directors, with some de gree of confidence, look to the expenditure as now at its maximum. The expediency of working the railway and ferries by contract has been well considered, but so far as their pees nt information extends, the directors incline to the opinion that working the railway at I• ast by contract would not effect a saving of expense. With regard to the terries, the cam may be different. The directors have been able to ascertain accurately the terms on which the Burntioland Ferry could be so worked, and arrangements are in progress by which a considerable geeing will be effected. The large steam vessel, fitted to accommodate 25 loaded waggons, has been delivered, and will be employed on the Burntieland Ferry, so seen as the pier works and requisite machinery can be completed. This vessel was originally designed for the Tay Ferry, but the directors being advised that one of somewhat smeller dimensions would be better adapted to the landing places and velocity of the tides, it was thought expedient to place her on the Barntial;nd Ferry, and to order the second vessel, required of lees sire and draught of water, but adapted also to carry loaded wag gons. By this arrangement • saving of expense will be effected. The new pannier vessel, the Express, built by Messrs. ' Miller, Revenkill, and Co., was delivered in Spring, and is now plying the Burntisland Ferry. la a former report, the directors pointed out that an ob stacle to the traffic, u well as a source of expense, connected with the Tay Ferry, would be removed by the formation of the branch at Breughty, to join the Dundee and Arbroath Railway. Belying on the repeated assurances of the directors of that line that the construe:the of the branch would be immediately undertaken, your director held out the prospect of its being completed by this time, but have been disap pointed. They are now informed that it lses been actually contracted for, and will be immediately coast/acted. Farther delay sad toss it is therefore hoped will be avoided. The weeks on the remaining fear miles of the Dnnferm. line branch are now making wok program as will ensure the entire branch being mimed previous to November next. By an agreement entered into,* 1847 to facilitate and save expense connected with the escasisig of the Townhill trans way by the Dunfermline branch, that tramway has become the property of the company at the price of 5,0001. sterling. By admit junction (the ground foe which is to be provided by the former owners) the extensive coal traffic passing slug I the tramway will be brought on to this line. By a mile and a halt's extension of the tramway a connexion may be ob tained with the Well wood coal, which is known to be of great extent and of superior quality; and it is hoped that the owners of that coal will shortly and themselves of the facilities afforded them for forming the connexion. Since the previous haleyearly meeting, the directors have' made the following additions to the plant, viz. 500 coal waggons 20 cattle waggons, 110 goods and gr a in trucks, and 20 Passenger carriages. The important subject of depreciation has necessarily ems pied the attention of the directors. They are inclined to r e . commend that the rolling stock, which is now in a very efficient state, be maintained in that state of efficiency oat of the current revenue ; and that an annual sum, the amount of which an be fixed at the next half-yearly meeting, be laid aside for replacement of rails, theirs, sleepers, &c. They would also recommend that au annual sum, to be determined at the same meeting. be laid aside to meet the depreciation sae replacement of the steam vessels. Meantime the subject of depreciation will command special attention and ceneder Woo. By a temporary arrangement entered into in Ma y last with the director,of the Scottish Central Railway the tensors I Estes tar the two miles of their line made nee of by this com paw were fixed at the following : Passenger, Ist dam, BJ. ; lad clam, 61. ; 3rd class, 4i. • merchandise, le. ; and 'minerals, 6d. per ton. By subsequent arrangetnent these rates an subject to modification on traffic fa short distances, sad under special circusitanoes. Impressed with the desirableness of avoiding a eampetiUms for traffic, the result of which might, as it has peeved la many other cases, be productive of great loss to both com panies, the directors have catered into an agreement with the Seattieli Central Company for an equitable division of tra m ° , which, it is believed, will be mutually beneficial, in asmuch as I; secures to each company its legitimate trade, and obviates all the evils arising from oompetition at mire munerative rates. At the former half-yearly meeting the approval of the shareholden was given to three bills then before parliament. Two of these were passed, viz : Ist, bill for an augmentation of capital ; and, 2nd, bill for the Greaten Pier &elan and Landing Slip. The latter contained clauses for authority to dispense with gatekeepers at certain road-crossings now in very limited use, but were withdrawn in consequence of the opposition of parties whose rights were said to be affected. A clause was inserted in this bill and passed, changing the fanner name of the company to that of the " Edinburgh, Perth, and Dundee Railway Company." The third bill, to enable the company to carry the Dun formalise Branch Railway over the Townhill and Halbeath tramways, the directors withdrew in order to avoid the ex pense of a parliamentary opposition, which they perceived 631,5871 to be inevitable; and with the view to an application to the Railway Commissioners, who (efts, arrangements had been made with certain parties interested) were btlieved to be possess( at the requisite powers to enable the ooMpany to enure the *biome meght for without as stet of parliament. It has not been neesseary to prosecute this applicatioste arrangements having been made with she owners of the tramways to permit the works to Following out Me views of the r=o d is, as expressed by the chairman at the meeting in July last, with regard to she audit of the amputee books, written instractkma were given ' by letter addressed to the auditors, of which a copy is ap pended to the accounts. Time instructions, while faithfully attended to, m they have unquestionably been with regard to the present aceottals, appear to the directors to empire bend such an audit as meet give the proprietors the Sunset confidence in the accuracy of the amounts. The directors folly relied on being able to submit to the present meeting the auditor's report on the late Edinburgh, Leith, and (}canton books; but Mr. Watson states that, from the multiplicity of the act nets, he has been enable to complete the audit, and desires to be allowed until next meeting to do so. I; certainly would have been desirable had this delay been avoided. By order of the hoard (signed), Jolts Ruroun. chair man ; WILLIAM DUNBAR, deputy-chairman ; HiNRY Luis, seeretery.—Edinburgh, 18th September, 1849. 485,6(*1 4:34.743 13 3! NORTH BRITISH. The report of the directors or the North British Railway, which is to le submitted to the halt-yearly meeting of the shareholders on Wednesday next (to-morrow) states; The passenger traffic duties the list half year, as compared with the corresponding period of the preceding 'ear, has been se under: lets. 184 g. Number at Ta.onsers. Moue, Re ceived. Number of Papongero. Money Its. i•ed. amis. 61106 190.233 w.• 179,9{6 C 6,609 16 61 10,417 10 2 1%374 6 51 147, 48,331 2n4, 173,01 , 314. I 284,233 4th Z 7,753 2 2 12,914 18 74 1 14.017 14 6 529,800 IS 2 The tonnage sanded along the lines this half-year I. 196,185 tons, being an increase of 67,628 tons on the cor responding period of last year. Thu money received for goods was, for the hell-year of 1848, 22,481!. 2e. 3,t ; for that of 1849, 37,9571. U . , tag en CCESSIIIII s. 73 • bei * or 16,4661. 16s. 4d. ---- In making this comparison, it must be borne is mind that the mileage has been Increased from 80 nuke to 110, but that the general trade of the country has been very much de mised—a state of matters which has materially affected the of all railway era other carrying'eompanies. Net withstateling this, Ito , there hes been a gradual in crease of traffic on the line. The receipt from passengers (although the numbers have fallen off) hae increased about oneroizth, and the receipt from goods about two-teirds,while the increase in mileage is three-eighths. 1 After making the various deductions for interest, working eXpellieS, &C., the free revenue from the main line and Del kelth branch is 15,2801. 61. 101., and from the liawick branob, 1,9841. Ss. 6d. The former sum will yield a dividend of 7s. 6d. per share, on the original and consolidated Dalkeith shares of 251. each, and of ls. 61. per share on the unconsolidated Mantle shares of 61. each, and will leave a b dance of 8801. 61. 10d. , which may be laid aside as a fund to meet the depreciation of rails, ele. The directors would reeoniesend that the revenue applic able-to the liawick branch be carried over to next half-year's account. In consequence of the arrear of the ordinary business of the company, necessarily caused by the sittings of the in vestigation committee, and the books being occupied by the accountant, the director have found it impracticable to get the accounts and balance sheets made out and audited this half-year, in time to have the details of this subdivision put in such shape and published, as they had intended. They have no reason to doubt, however, that their accuracy will be duly certified before the meeting takes place, sod in the future reports the details can be more fully given. In the meanwhile they may state, that in charging the interest of loans against the revenue, they have assumed the outlay for the several lines at the full amount mentioned in the investigation committee's report, as at 31st January, 1819—the date of the last balance. From that amount they have deducted the amount of share capital; and, on the balance, which forms the loan capital, they have charged interest,—lst, at the rats of six per cent. on so much of the calls on the preference stock as were due and paid prior to 31. t July ; and 2nd, on the remainder at the rate of 41 per cent., wrack' is the average rate presently payable on the money borrowed on debenture. Although this no doubt beers heavily upon the receipts, and consequently on the dividend of the pest half•yeer, par ticularly as regards the half and third shares (which, how ever, are not likely again to be similarly affected), yet the directors conceive it to be the proper principle of charge, and they have then fore adopted it. For the state of the works, the directors beg to refer to the report of the engineer. This report states that the distance between St. Boswell's and Hawick, the portion of the line not yet opened, is about 121 miles, and the works on it are so tar advanced as will admit of its opening about the end of this month or beginning of the next. On the Kelso branch, the contracts are expected to be all finished by next spring. Oa the Dunse branch, which was mowed for public traffic in August last, the works on it are now reduced to the devising up of the slopes and other light finishing . The North Ber wick branch may be opened, tribe work is pushed, in Janu ary next. The Trauent branch has been foe a considerable time finished, and all the work that has yet to be done, which is chiefly the formation of sidings at Trauent, may be com pleted about the sod of next month. In regard to the state of the conspan''s affairs and its future prospects, it acme unnecessary for the director to do more than refer to the report of the committee of investiga tion laid before the shareholders so recently as 9th ult. There were, however, various suggestions made in that report regarding the future management of the company's affairs, to which the shareholders, at their last meeting, called upon the directors to give their favourable considera tion ; and to such of them as seem to require especial notice, they will now briefly advert. The first suggestion to which they will call attention re lates to an improvement in the form of keeping the books, and upon this point they may at once state, that although in general they think it somewhat hazardous to make any change upon a system which has been found to work so ac curately as not to have produced, as stated by Mr Cope, any " error affecting the result of the accounts as between the directors and shareholders or the public," in a series of trans actions embracing nearly four millions of money, y et, as they desire to meet the wishes of the shareholders in re gard to this, they have ordered the suggestions of the com mittee to be acted on as far as possible. For the reasons before given, it has been impossible to adopt them so fully, in the present report 'and states of accounts, as the directors could have wished. The next suggestions relate to the adoption of greater economy in managing and working the line, and in the con struction of such works as are yet unfinished. The com mittee have done the directors the justice to state that the subject of economy in management was very fully considered and reported upon by them long before any investigation was thought co*. It may therefore be enough at present to ea y, that the views which the directors entertained coin cided in a great measure with those of the committee. and that both before and sine* the date of the committee's re port, they have been acted upon to a very considerable extant. They will continue to be so whenever an opportu nity actors. As regards economy in construction of works, the direc tor may mention that, by curtailing plans, &c. , they have very materially reduced the expense of such stations as have been recently contracted for. They will follow the same course in regard to the remaining stations. The third suggestion to be adverted to relates to the run stag of additional trains to Portobello during the summer months. Upon this point the directors venture to differ from the committee. There are already 19 trains daily to Porto bello and 21 from it. Theis appear to them to be ample, as to number, for the accommodation of the traffic. Whether a new arrangement may not be advisable is matter for lair inquiry, and due attention will be* given to it. The fourth suggestion to which the attention of the direc tors was called, refers to the introduction of new members into the direction, and the appointment of two auditors in place of one, as at present. These points will be fully con • sidered at next half- yearly meeting, when, according to the company's act of parliament, any changes which may be de termined upon fall to be made. In the meantime the direc tors may say that while they doubt the expediency of ap pointing gentlemen from a distance to attend to the current business of the company, they will not object to any change by which the efficiency of the direction may be increased. and the true interests of the company promoted. The question of a depreciation fund is referred to in the report of the committee, and is one of considerable difficulty. The directors do not think that any such fund is required in regard to the rolling stock, inasmuch an, from the great ad vantages afforded by the company's works at St. Margaret's, that stock has hitherto been and may continue to be kept up in an efficient state by the ordinary annual replacemee.ts and repairs made upon it. But they concur in opinion with the committee that a moderate sum ought to be set apart yearly, for replacing the rails, chairs, sleepers, and other fixed stock, which cannot be kept up in the same way as the rolling stock. The only other suggestion in the committee's report to which the directors will advert is the recommendation that the resolution to continue the payment of interest on the quarter shares, passed at the meeting on the Bth March last, should be rescinded. The directors would be well pleased if this recommendation could be carried out with justice to all parties, because the continuing to pay that interest is throw ing an additional burden upon the capital account. They doubt, however, if it would be either expedient or fair alto gether to rescind the ranutioa which was so recently comet to, and they are rather disposed to recommend that the in terest be paid down to 31st January, 1850, being the date when the next half-yearly which time, or very soon afterwards, the Kelso branch will be eompleted . The quarters will th ey take dividend along with the other stocks. balance will be ' , truck, and about This estrangement would carryout the spirit of the resolu- Men of Bth March, and would, it is thought, do substantial justice to alt parties. It is, however, for the shareholders to decide, and the directors have given special notice to enable them to do so at this meeting. In February and September, 1847, the directors were em powered, in order to meet certain over issues of shares, to capitalise part of the money authorised to be borrowed under the acts for the quarter and third shares, and to issue shares to that amount. A considerable portion of this has not been =it honed, and the directors wo u f t e shareholders to au th orise them to bone e „ to unissued stock, or so much of it as s net be Wei )101=re. A etiolation to that effect egi/1 lie mflinefthed ' . II. ... :4 t -- ---, .......-__ ni p .... . • .. , - • .1 - ,:* .: . .4 r r ~..- - _.....• \- • s ------ ' '~ `\ 1 1 ~ : f