The Sun. — London, England, 1846-08-28 00:00:00

'E RIA.L P ARLIAMEN T . HOUSE OF LORDS, August 27. The LORD CHANCELLOR, took his seat on the 'Wool- Mick to-day at half-past Three o'clock. The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH presented a petition from certain attorneys praying that attorneys might be appointed judges under the Small Debts Bill. The LORD CHANCELLOR, while he had admitt6d the qualification of attorneys, thought it would not be right to allow attorneys to be judges in the courts. Messengers brought up several Bills from the other Louses. PAWNBROKERS' BILL. The Earl of CLAXENDON presented several peti tions in favour of this Bill. this DISTRI CT LUNATIC ASYLUM S BILL. On the motion of the Earl of CLARENDON, pro- Bill w as read a third time, subject to amendments posed by Lord ISlonteagle, and agreed to. RAILWAY COMMISSIONERS' BILL The Earl of CLARENDON moved the third reading of this Bill. He said this Bill had originated out of the recommendation of three railway Committees, two of the House of Commons and one of their Lordships' House. It did not pretend to be a final an d complete mea ion when it had been taken up sure. The perio d of the sass iv preve nted ,the Govern ment from ging it the mature deli a'ation it deserved. He was anxious that it should yet be taken up, and a final substantial measure laid down, the principles of which should be explicit, and held sacred against encroachment ever after. He was anxious that the mind of Parliament should be known, that it was not their intention to do by delegates a duty which properly belonged to themselves. There was no real opposition to this measure in the other House, and he hoped that it would meet with a similar reception from their Lordships. e tted that this The Earl of ELLENBORO UGH regr measure should have been brought under their Lordships' consideration in the absence of his Noble Friend best quainted with these matters, inasmuch as he was lately President of the Board of Trade, and the great portion of his time was exclusively given to railway matters. —(Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") He boar himselof f had great objections to public boards, from a d Poor-law Commissioners—(Hear, hear, and laughter)—to a board for the administration of the affairs of the empire. He believed that a more perfect measure than this might have been devised. The commissioners to be appointed ,should be gentlemen whose time should be exclusively given to the carrying out of this measure ; but it ap peared by the Bill that they must be members of other Government boards. On these grounds, therefore, this measure had not his assent. It did not provide that the commissioners should be individually responsible, and was therefore highly objectionable. The Earl of CLARENDON—You don't mean to divide against it? The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH--Oh; no; but I re gret that it has been brought forward. The Bill was the read a third time and passed. PAWNBROKERS' BILL. This Bill was also read a third time and passed. STANDING ORDERS. On the motion of the Earl of SHAFTESBURY some alterations were made in the standing orders of the House. Lord MONTE AGLE sincerely hoped that the standing orders of both Houses would undergo a complete revision the next session, and thus thousands of pounds,whieh they caused to be unnecessarily expended,would be saved to the people of this country. Messengers from the House of Commons brought up several Bill_-, which were read a first time. DISTRESS IN IRELAND. The Earl of RODEN trusted that before their Lord ships adjourned he might be allowed to address them on a subject which was of the greatest importance to thou sands in Great Britain. The Noble Lord at the bead of her Majesty's Government had, a few days ago, intro duced in the other House a measure for the purpoee of relieving the peop in le the of Ire potatoland from crop. For the sad effects of the late failure that measure the Government were entitled to much gra titude. The present Lord Lieutenant of Ireland was also a gentleman of the most humane disposition, and there could be no doubt that he would do his utmost to relieve the distress es of the Irish people during the en suing winter. He (Lord Roden) had himself, within the last few days, travelled through the g re ater part of the p rovince of Ulster, and he was grieved to say that there was i.ot one field of potatoes (which, their Lordships were aware, was the staple food of the people of Ireland)ht was ac which was not tainted and blighted, and that blig companied with a blight in the oat crop.—(Hear.) He said their Lordships would be aware that the potato formed the greater part of the food of the population of that country, and, therefore, if that root failed, the cala mity must be deep. But, after had the means taken the by the Government already, he hoped that quantities of food on the west shores of th ac e island, he meant the fisheries, might get cess into the interior by inland communication, such as railroads, which would greatly cheapen the necessary supplies of food. He was sure this would be the effect of railways, and he recommended the lending of money for that purpose. His Lordship referred to the Mutlingar line, and the branch from Galway t Athlone, o which w as rejected during the present session o , as likely t effect his Lordship's object. Lord COURTOWN then addressed their Lordships, but in a tone of voice quite inaudible in the gallery. Lord MONTEAGLE said he felt extremely obliged to his Noble Friends. Their Lordships would now see that all the statements which lie had formerly made were fully borne out. There had been a very ill effect pr oduced b y the payment of hi g h wages in the Government works. Be would wish to draw attention to a paper on their Lordships' table with respect to the constabulary force, they would see that they had remitted 180,000/. contri bution, by the way of bonus, to the people of Ireland, and if they examined that they would see that they deprived the peaceable counties of that expen diture which was sent, lie woul d almost say, as a kin d of bonus to the disturb ed distriti. The Duke of GRAFTON offered a few observations, which were inaudible in the gallery. The Earl of CLARENDON said he could not allow the debate to conclude without offering a word or two. He could not but express a desire that the advice of the Noble Lord opposite should be adopted. The accounts read by that Noble Lo rd (Roden) had been d by all the intelligence received from the sister country. Their Lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS, August 27. The SPEAKER took Use - Chair at Half-past Three 'clock. THE NEW HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT. Mr. FORSTER moved for a message to the Lords for a copy of the report on the Progress of the Building of the Houses of Parliament. The motion was agreed to, and a message was ac cordingly sent to the Lords. DEBTOR AND CREDITOR. Mr. WARBURTON obtained leave to bring in a Bill to amend the law of debtor and creditor. CORN-LAWS. Mr. B. ESCOTT gave notice that he would move to niorrow for a return of the amount of duties paid on wheat, barley, peas, and beans, since the passing of the Corn-law Act, which account was to be made up to the date of the return. SMALL DEBTS BILL. On the motion of the ATTORNEY-GENERAL the Lords' amendments to this Bill were read ant agreed to. PAWNBROKERS' BILL. The Lords' amendments to this Bill were agreed to. The House then adjourned, at half-past Four o'clock, till half-past Two o'clock to-morrow. SLIGO AND SHANNON RAILWAY. The first general meeting of the proprietors of the above undertaking was held yester da y afternoon, at Win chester House, Old Broad-street, when the usual routine business of a first general meeting, namely, the appoint ment of directors and a secretary, was gone through. The receipts were stated to be 4,8541. 45., and the ex penditure was 2,3761. 2s. I ld. The liabilities of the Company did not exceed 300/. The remuneration of the directors was fixed at 300/. per annum, and the secretary's salary at 2501. LONDONDERRY AND ENNIS KILLEN RAILWAY. The ordinary half-yearly meeting of this Company was held yesterday , at one o'clock, at 5, Church-passage, Guildhall; J. J. Frith , E s q ., in ; chair. The Directo rs present were, Sir J. R. Campbell, Mr. Thomas, Mr. G. Tyrrell, Mr. Warren, Mr. Clay, and Mr. Banbury. Very few shareholders were present. The advertisement convening the meeting having been read, the seal of the Company was affixed to the register of proprietors; and the minutes of the preceding meet ings having been read and confirmed, Mr. HEMMING (the Secretary) read the report of the directors, which stated that they had had reason to ex pect that it would have been in their power to have fixed the day for opening the line between Londonderry and Strabane, and that this event would have taken place within a week or ten days of the present time. Every arrangement was made, not only for the completion of the works, but for the commencement of the traffic on the Ist of September ; nd the contractor could with ease have accomplished his works, if the due payment of the calls had placed the necessary funds at the disposal of the directors. The works are still proceeding to an extent commensurate with the means provided. The directors regretted that the very considerable amount of arrears bad, for the present, frustrated their exertions, and deceived their expecta tions. But for this, the important and profitable portion of the line, from Derry to Strabane, would have now been open to the public; and the Company would be fast approaching that high position among the commer cial enterprises of Ireland, which the directors hoped it was ultimately destined to attain. The leniency hithe rto shown, by not enforcing the payment of arrears of calls, had been, thus far, attended with a beneficial result; payments to a considerable amount had recently been made by shareholders, who, if more severe measures had been adopted at an earlier period, would have found great difficulty in meeting their engagements. It was the shareholders who had paid their calls, and who might with good reason have felt that further indulgence to the defaulters was an act of injustice to themselves, to decide whether this leniency should now have a limit, or whether that discretion, which there is reason to believe had hitherto been conducive to the generabe exer -1 inte rests of the country, should continue to cised. Th e directors impressed upon the share holders the urgency for their co-operation to com plete the line to Strabane, which might still be finished before the end of the pre sent year. The open- reepee.."."'" ~..........--- ing of the line would save one day's post between Derry and Dublin, and otherwise produce chairs of great local importance, with every prospect of a air return to the shareholders, on which point the directors had not seen asion to change their opinion. Anticipating the difficulty which was now generally felt in procuring en gines, they have ordered w su o ffi ul c d ien b t e t r o ead ep y en to t m he eet li t e he ; carr i ag es and trucks a lso h d public wants, se so on as thefun e d u s rr a e t ut their i ilitie s e. - posa l were adequat e to meet the . The Act of ParliEamigehnttmfiolreethoef athlteerpaetrimonanoefutthwe aliyneofhthadoz Strab been:obtained. ane line had been laid ; and the remainder of that portion of the line was in such a forward state as only to era tion of the shareholders to ensure its require the co-o p being opened for traffic at an early day. The members of the deputation who visited the works were much gra tified at being e nabled to satisfy themselves, by personal o b s ervation, of the increasing commercial importance of Londonderry, and the general character of its imports and ex rts. According to t he Central Railwa y Act, four of your director and one of your auditors go out of office by rotation. The four gentlemen who leave the direction are Philip Hanbury, John Leathem, George Tyrrell, and Daniel Warren, Esqs. , and the auditor, John Elliott, Esq. They are all eligible, and offer them selves for re-election. It is gratifying, continued the report, to be able to refer to a palpable benefit already conferred upon the locality by the construction of these works ; and the more so as it gives reasonable hope of increasing prosperity and happiness to Ireland. At the recent spring assizes at Londonderry, the presiding judge, referring to the light character of the calendar, stated his conviction that the same was mainly attributable to the labour provided by the rail ways in progress, notwithstanding so large a number of strangers had been attracted to, and were employed in, the formation of the works; and with this and similar testimony to the benefit which Ireland derives from her railways, it is surely not unreasonable to expect that her Majesty's Government will see the policy of doing something to redeem those enterprises from the de pression under which, from various causes, they all, more or less, are labouring. The accounts were made up to the 31st July, 1846, but since that period they had received calls amounting to 8,1101. A report from the engineers, Messrs. Stephenson and Ross, was read, which stated that the works, as far as they had been executed, were highly creditable to the com pany and the contractor ; and that it was a matter of serious regret to them that inability to meet the certi ficates for works executed had delayed the completion of the contract, which, but for such impedimekts, could have been now completed. They expected that the completion of the works to Strabane would take place before the end of the year, if not sooner. That portion of the line, not only promised much traffic, but, from the circumstance of the Dublin mails, as now arranged, meeting in Derry, the opening of this line would hasten the mails sufficiently to enable the merchants of Dr to answer their letters the sae day ; in fact, bring Derry one day nearer to Dublin and London, for all purposes of commerce. The balance sheet set forth the receipts at 73,3831. 7s. 6d.; the expenditure, 67,2111. 12s. 5d.; balance at bankers, 6,1711. 15s. ld. Receipts since last half-yearly report, 29,381/. 4s. 5d.; expenditure, ditto, 30,209/. 3s. 2d. The CHAIRMAN said he had very little to remark upon with respect to the affairs of the company, as the report which they had heard read entered so fully into detail, except to express his regret and the regret of those with whom lie acted at the tone of complaint which they were compelled to manifest with regard to the non-pay ment of calls. It was a source of great disappointment to the directors that the line had not yet been opened as far as Strabane, which, but. for the non-payment of those calls, would have been opened at the end of this month. They had now, in his opinion, obtained a very valuable pro • perty, and it would be their own fault if it was nut opened from end to end early in the ensuing year. Mr. SKINNER inquired if a list had been made out of the shareholders who had not paid their calls ? The CHAIRMAN said such a list had been made out ; it would be necessary to ask the shareholders how the directors should act with respect to those defaulters, whether it would be advisable to resort to legal proceed ings or not. Sir J. R. CAMPBELL said he was applied to by the board to superintend the making out of the list and to examine into its accuracy. It would not be well, he thought, to produce the list publicly, but the shareholders might inspect it at the secretary's offs e. Mr. THomas (deputy chairman of the Chester and Holyhead Company) thought it would not be advisable to produce the list, as their condition as a company might be thereby deteriorated.' A DIRECTOR said that, probably, if the defaulting shareholders knew that the calls were limited to 151. per share, and the traffic on the line would yield them Si. per cent., they would be induced to pay up at once. Mr. SKINNER wished to know if his impression was correct that the line was not to be carried further than Strabane without the consent of the shareholders ? The CHAIRMAN said the impression was perfectly correct. When the line was completed to Strabane they should call the shareholders together and say, " There is a property created for you, will you go further or not ?" The amended Act of this session did not alter the amount of capital, it was merely an Act to alter the course of the line. Mr. VANDEPUT recommended the carrying of the line ten miles beyond Strabane, to Newton Stewart. Mr. WATSON inquired if the line was fifteen Irish or English miles in length ? The SECRETARY said English miles. All Irish rail ways wero measured in English miles. Mr. WATSON said he had recently been in Derry, and having made several inquiries respecting the line, he found that the traffice between that town and Strabane was so considerable as to entitle it to the appellation of its " spiciest" portion. They would, he believed, have so much traffic on the fifteen miles that they would be encouraged to extend it. The CHAIRMAN stated, in reply . to a question, that the amount of unpaid calls, in addition to the 121. paid, was upwards of 30,0001. Mr. WATSON said it might be some satisfaction to the shareholders to know that the agricultural traffic was as good, if not better, in winter than in summer. A SHAREHOLDER inquired if more than the 151. would be required for completing the line, and, if not, whether the directors intended to call upon those who had paid their 151. to pay an additional amount? The CHAIRMAN said a meeting would have to be called to determine the matter ; and if there was a de ficit, that they must help the directors to get rid of it. Sir J. R. CAMPBELL said a circular had been sent to those shareholders who had not paid up all their calls, and that the replies which they had sent were couched in a friendly spirit, some saying that they would pay at stated periods, others that it was their intention to do so, and promising to fulfil the wishes of the directors as soon as possible. The probability was, if legal proceed ings were adopted, that they would rather lose than gain. It would be well to leave the matter in the hands of the directors, in order that they might exercise their discretion as to the best mode of obtaining the money. The CHAIRMAN said, since the making up of the ac counts, 6001. of the first calls, 1,7251. of the second, 1,6871. 10s. of the third, and 3,9851. had been received, making altogether 8,110/. The report was then read and adopted. A resolution was next passed empowering the di rectors to adopt such course for recovering the arrears as they might think fit, and as might be most condu cive to the interests of the Company in each particular case. The retiring directors were then re-elected, a vote of thanks passed to the chairman and directors for their services, and the meeting separated. SOUTH YORKSHIRE COAL, AND GOOLE AND DONC ASTER RAILWAY. A meeting of the shareholders in this amalgamated undertaking was held yesterday at the London Tavern, Bishopsgate• street, for the purpose of receiving the re port of the directors as to their success in obtaining their Bill during the present session. The meeting was nu merously attended, and the chair taken at one o'clock by Charles Thompson, Esq. The solicitor having read the advertisement, by which the meeting had been convened, The CHAIRMAN said—Gentlemen, owing to the absence of Lord Wharncliffe and Lord Fitzwilliam, the duty de volves upon me of presiding to-day. Lord Wharncliffe has been taken ill with a severe attack of the gout, which prevents his attendance. We have not been so success ful as we expected in the last session of Parliament, but at the same time we have cleared the road for future proceedings. We have been placed in a very painful situation, owing to the delays that have arisen in the different Committees, in which we have had to defend our case from no less than nine competing lines, of which, I think, seven have been completely defeated, and with one we have made arrangements to take half the line from the Sheffield Grange to Barnsley, involving a capital of about 450,0001., which will be distributed among the shareholders of the Goole and Doncaster and South Yorkshire Amalgamated Com panies, one share for every five, provided those gentle men wish to take them, and if they decline to take the shares we have companies and persons ready to take up the whole of the shares that may be so refused. The expenses attending the Parliamentary proceedings have been much greater than we anticipated at our last meet ing. We said then that we supposed that they would be ss. or 7s. on every share. A SHAREHOLHER--2s. 6d., or ss. The CHAIRMAN —Very well, 2s. 6d., or ss. Since that time we have been put to various heavy expenses in the House of Commons and the House of Lords, which have run up the expenses to about los. per share. The remainder of the deposits will be returned to those parties that shall signify their assent to take some of the Goole and Don caster shares at 31s. ; the South Yorkshire shares at 30s. All those persons that wish to withdraw from the Com pany, and send their scrip, may have the whole of the remainder of their deposits paid at the bank.—(Hear, hear.) But as our position is now perhaps one of the best in the kingdom, I may safely say that where there were nine lines and nine capitals deposited with the Accountant-General for this very ground that we wish to occupy, it would be suicide on the part of any shareholders in these lines to take their money back. We have now almost a prospect of certainty of obtaining our lines in the next) ear. We have the assistance of every landowner on the line, and I believ e, were it not for the sake of the tolls which Parliament 1, vies on any line of railway, those landed proprietors would make the line upon their own property.—(ear,Baxter will read the report, which I hope will be satisfactory to you. Mr. BAXTER accordingly read the directors' report, which gave a history of their labours during the pre sent session, and concluded by recommending the share holders to continue the scheme, as they entertained the most sanguine hopes of obtaining the line in the ensuing session. This recommendation was received with loud applause. Sir CHARLES DODSON then said—Gentlemen, it ap- THE SUN, LONDON, PRIDAY EvtNlN'a pears well the report which has seasion for three_ 1 our worthy Chairman, as as A satisfgctory si could Ist. been read by the secretary, are as . to me that the obsetions that have fallen from authorised, by ar. :satireting. to .rs that the they have been very ono - .Jattle to fight, and that y ....cessful in that battle. Gentle beP a directorstedpossibility, h ( a C had I :en= animal that is said to have nine l lt tL ter)—and, so in this case, there were nine men, th ( e t r a e u i . : c i o v t n e s nnsungd o of lines s those with eightw h a i r c e h a c o t u u r a directorslly and finallyh ad disposed con tend,aoudfn a ‘ d . gyre "Hey, a ry t the circumstances, hear.") adr.t a nA be . an t of, if I understand the report correctly.—(Applause.) Mr. BAXTER—That is perfectly correct. Sir J. DOBSON—And with respect to the remaining one, though it survives, if I understand the report cor rectly, in one half, or moiety of it, we are interested. The arrangement that has been made gives us an in terest in one side of our line, or border ; and upon the other we have an absolute interest, and the only matter that remains is to get these two lines, and there seems to be very little doubt that we shall be able in the ensuing session of Parliament to obtain a Bill to carry that into effect. I think, therefore, that lam entitled to say that the report is highly satisfactory, and for that reason I shall take leave to move that it be adopted, and the terms in which I shall move its adoption are these— " That the report be adopted, and that the provisional directors be authorised to take steps for the immediate prosecution, in the next session, of such further applica tions to Parliament as they may think advisable, and generally to treat with any other companies or parties upon any matter which in their judgment they may con sider beneficial to the interest of the shareholders." Gentlemen, I shall place perfect reliance in the directors, and I think that the majority at least of us who are here assembled will take the same view of the question. Captain LAWES seconded the resolution, which was put and unanimously carried. In reply to a SHAREHOLDER, The CHAIRMAN said—No further deposits will be required for the next session of Parliament.—(Hear.) Mr. KITCHINOR—I ,beg to move a vote of thanks to the directors for their honest, zealous, discreet, and proper conduct to the present time—(Cheers)—which I am sure convinces the meeting that their subsequent conduct will be worthy of the confidence of the share holders generally.—(Cheers.) Mr. CARDEN having seconded the resolution, it was put, and unanimously carried amid loud cheers. In re sponding thereto, The CHAIRMAN said—Gentlemen, on the part of my colleagues and myself, I return you our most grateful acknowledgments for your kindness in looking upon our exertions in the way that you have done. You may rely upon it that our future exertions will be stimulated by your kindness on this occasion. I have given indivi dually twenty months hard work to this line—(Cheers) —almost without being absent a day, and I have been assisted by other gentlemen who have been equally in terested with myself in the success of this undertaking; and we now beg to return you our most grateful thanks for the great kindness which you have manifested to , wards us on this, as well as every other, occasion. The meeting then separated. WHITEHAVEN AND FUR: JLTNCTION RAILWAY. _ The ordinary half-yearly meeting of this Company was yesterday held at the offices of the Company, No. 1, Guildhall Chambers, Basinghall•street, London. The chair was taken at one o'clock precisely, by James Clay, Esq. The SECRETARY having read the advertisement con vening the meeting, proceeded to read the report, of which the following is an abstract : The progress which the directors have to report during the past six months is less than they were led to expect, and is owing to the unprecedented difficulties with which they have had to contend in obtaining pos session of the land. " They have, however, within a short period, completed the purchase of the land for upwards of thirteen miles of the line, and upon this portion the works are in progress. " Within the next few weeks nearly the whole of the remainder of the land will be obtained, as the difficulties in making the arrangements have been mainly overcome in the effect of the purchases just completed. "Arrangements have also been made for the imme diate commencement of the heaviest portions of the earthwork and masonry at various points on the line. " The timber for the Duddon viaduct having been contracted for, and the plans decided upon, this important part of the works will be at once commenced. " An agreement has been concluded with the Fur ness Railway Company for the use of their line, which has access to extensive spoil banks, which the directors have power to remove, and which will materially facili tate the speedy completion of the earthwork of this por tion of the line. " A contract has been made, on advantageous terms, for the purchase of the rails, and the delivery thereof will be made as required. " The directors have to announce, that, during the present session of Parliament, the royal assent has been given to an Act authorizing a deviation of the line near Kirksanton, by which a considerable saving of expense will be effected, and the line be improved; and the Act also enables the Company to make an extension from the Whitehaven terminus to a junction with the White haven and Maryport Railway, thus opening an impor tant and direct communication with Scotland and the north of Ireland, as well as with Newcastle and the north eastern districts, to complete which this was the only link remaining to be sanctioned by Parliament " The traffic is greatly increasing in connexion with the port of Whitehaven; and looking to the increased facilities which it will derive from the construction of this line, the directors are unchanged in their opinion that the Whitehaven and Furness Line will give ample remuneration to the shareholders for the comparatively small expenditure required to complete the line. " The rejection by the Standing Order Committee of the Bill for the proposed Lancashire Extension, has been already announced to the shareholders, as also the dissolution of the rival company, by whom the opposition was originated and supported. "By the company's Act of this session the directors are empowered to pay interest on the calls until the opening of the line. This the directors propose to do at the rate of four per cent. on the deposit and calls already paid; and the first half-yearly payment of interest will be made on the sth day of January next. No share holder will, however, be entitled to interest upon deposit and calls so long as a call on any share regis tered in his name remains in arrear." The following statement of receipts and expenditure up to 30th June last was also laid before the meeting:— Dr. X. s. d. To Amount expended to 31st Dec., 1845 8,799 0 7 To Amount expended to 30th June, 1846 : Engineering and surveying £325 16 8 Parliamentary expenses, on account Directors 3OO 0 0 Rent of Offices 52 10 0 Advertising •.. 38 11 1 Stationery and Printing 6O 3 2 Secretary and Clerk's Sala ries, and Office Expenses 214 3 8 1,491 10,290 Balance 56,655 Cr. £66,945 By amount received to 31st Dec., 1845 £50,757 By amounts received to 30th June, 1846 : On account of first call on 2,321 shares £6,963 0 0 On account of second call on 4,543 shares.. Interest Transfer fees 9,086 0 0 119 3 3 19 15 0 16,187 £66,945 Deposited with London Joint Stock Bank at Interest 45,000 Cash at Bankers 11,655 £56,655 The report was then received and adopted, after a short discussion, which arose on the subject of the slow progress of the works on the line. Some discussion then arose upon the non-payment of the calls, of which there were 4,149 defaulters on the first, and 12,507 on the second call, which ended in Mr. LEVY moving a resolution to the effect, " That a circular be sent to all those persons who had not paid their calls, informing them that if all arrears were not paid up by the 15th of October, legal measures should be taken to enforce the same." Mr. WAYLEY seconded the resolution, which was car ried unanimously. It was then proposed that the Earl of Lonsdale, Peter Fisher, Esq., James Clay, Esq., Stephen Philips, E.q., and Matthias Atwood, Esq., be elected as directors of the Company. Mr. BURT moved, as an amendment, that three gen tlemen, Mr. Hones, Mr. Ballantine, and Mr. Harling, shareholders of the Company, be nominated, in conjunc tion with the Earl of Lonsdalo and James Clay, Esq., as directors of the Company. Mr. LEVY thought it not very business-like to propose parties to the meeting of whom they knew nothing. After a somewhat stormy discussion, Mr. Burt refus ing to withdraw his amendment, a scrutiny of votes was taken, when there appeared — For the amendment 240 For the original resolution Majority . Two auditors were appointed, a vote of thanks was given to the directors and the chairman, and the meeting broke up. LYNN AND ELY RAILWAY COMPANY. The half-yearly meeting of this company took place yesterday at the London Tavern ; Sir W. Folkes in the chair. The following report was read:— The directors have every reason to believe that they will be able to opr:n for traffic the portion of the line be tween Lynn and Downham—a distance of 11 miles—in the course of next month. The contractor has engaged to finish the portion of line between Ely and LittAeport— a distance of 4 miles—by the 30th of November next, and there will then remain a length of about 8 miles, which would be finished at the same period as the rest of the line, but for the works connected with the rivers Ouse and Wissey. " In pursuance of the provisions of the Act of In corporation, and of the resolutions of the special general meeting of proprietors, held on the 17th day of June last, the directors have proceeded t o b orr ow money upon debentures, in lieu of making, for the present, any further calls upon the proprietors. " The proprietors will recollect that the directors were - ..viny in the present ah. ...)111 for amalgamating this company with the .e.ty and Huntingdon and Lynn and Dereham Railway Companies. " 2d. A Bill for extending the Wisbech Branch to March. " 3d. A Bill for extending the Wisbech Branch to Spalding. " With regard to the first-mentioned Bill, the direc tors would refer the :proprietors to the following para graph in their report to the half-yearly general meeting, held on the 26th day of February last : " ' The Bill for amalgamating this Company with the Lynn and Dereham and Ely and Huntingdon Rail way Companies, has also been introduced into the House of Commons. As, however, the amalga mation was not agreed upon until the 31st of December last, the Parliamentary notices for the Bill could not be given until after the time prescribed by the standing orders had expired. The Standing Orders' Committee have therefore necessarily reported to the House this non-compliance with their regulations, but there is every reason to hope that, as the Bill affects no interests but those of the proprietors in the respective companies, the Select Committee, to whom this Bill has been referred, will recommend that the standing orders be in this case dispensed with.' "The Select Committee, contrary to the sanguine ex pectations of the directors, declined to recommend that the standing orders should be dispensed with, and the Bill was therefore lost for the present session. The directors will, however, take care that proper steps are adopted in the next session for bringing in a Bill for an amalgamation—a measure essential to the interests of the three companies. " The Bills for the extension lines to March and Spalding passed through the Standing Orders' Com mittee of both Houses of Parliament, and through all their stages in the House of Lords. " The Bill for the extension to March was withdrawn, in pursuance of an agreement entered into by the direc tors with the promoters of the Wisbech, St. Ives, and Cambridge Railway, and the Eastern Counties Company, as the purchasers of that line, by which agreement the use of that line is secured to this company upon advan tageous terms. " The Bill for the extension line to Spalding was most unexpectedly rejected by the Committee of the House of Commons, although strenuously supported by the Eastern Counties Company, with whom the directors had entered into most satisfactory arrangements with regard to the line. " The lines from Manchester by way of Buxton, Mat lock, Ambergate, Nottingham, and Grantham to Spal ding, having received Parliamentary sanction in the present session, the necessity that exists for filling up the gap between Spalding and Wisbech, and thus com pleting a direct communication between Norwich and Manchester becomes more than ever apparent, and this subject will receive the serious and careful consideration of the directors. " The cash accounts to the 31st of July last have been iubmitted to, and approved by the auditors." The following is a statement of the cash account: — RECEIPTS. Shareholders for calls .Z 163,002 10 0 Ditto for interest on calls Ditto for calls paid in advance 6,965 0 0 On debentures 76,600 0 0 18 3 7 3 0 0 2 1 2 1 £246,800 16 PAYMENTS. Expenses of Act of Parliament Advertising, printing, and stationary Engineering and surveying, including costs of extension surveys ... Law costs 2,200 0 5 Parliamentary expenses 1,515 7 0 Bankers' charges, travelling expenses, and petty disbursements Office salaries and rent 15,465 18 3 834 8 1 879 4 4 334 11 4 261 0 1 Debenture stamps Directors, as per ♦ote of last general meeting Auditors 600 0 0 20 0 0 Office furniture Land and compensation Sleepers, rails, and chairs Store yard and stores Carriage builders, on account Contractors for permanent way and stations, on account Cash at bankers Ditto in the hands of storekeeper Ditto in the hands of secretary 430 11 11 59,681 3 6 48,589 0 4 699 12 0 1,778 0 0 28,375 2 4 ... 81,648 5 5 248 9 10 40 7 9 £246,800 16 11 The following is an abstract of the engineer's report : " In my lust report on the 23d of February, I stated that the first contract, extending from Lynn to Denver, was just let, and that this portion of the line would be completed by the 31st of August. " The embankments stand remarkably well, and there is not the slightest appearance of slip or settlement in any of them. The viaducts over the river Nar on the main line and branch to the harbour, together with all the other bridges and culverts, are built. The earthwork is finished, with the exception of a short length of low embankment at the extremity of the harbour branch, which could not be proceeded with until the bridge across the river Nar was finished, over which a portion of the earth had to be carried. It is, however, rapidly progressing, and will soon be completed. The bridge for carrying the turnpike road over the railway, near Lynn, which, with the approaches on each side, has been the heaviest work upon this portion of the line, is finished, and the traffic may be turned over it in the course of a week. " The temporary station at Lynn, the station house at Downham Market, and the minor station houses and gate lodges at the several public road level crossings are in a forward state, and I have therefore every confidence in assuring you, that this portion of the line will be ready for opening as soon as the engines arrive, which have been promised by the manufacturers early in September. " The second contract, being the remaining portion of the main line, and in length 12i miles, has been let to Messrs. Gregson, contractors, for a sum under my esti• mate. Operations have been commenced in several places, and the works are rapidly progressing. The portion of the line between Littleport and the junction with the Eastern Counties Railway, a length of four miles, is to be ready for opening by the 30th of Novem ber. The remaining 81 miles will be finished by the 30th of June in next year. " By opening the line, however, from Lynn to Down ham Market, and from Littleport to Ely, so great a saving of time will be effected in the journey between Lynn and Ely, as, in my opinion, to ensure the whsle of the London traffic passing along the railway. " The branch to Wisbech is now the only part of the line which is not commenced. This has been set out a considerable time, and the contract may be proceeded with whenever you give me the necessary instructions to that effect. "J. S. VALENTINE." A resolution adopting the report was then agreed to unanimously. A desultory conversation ensued as to whether the amalgamation which had been entered into between the three lines—the Lynn and Ely, the Lynn and Dereham, and the Ely and Huntingdon Railway, still prevailed. It appears that a deed has been drawn up, but the share holders, when the Bill is obtained, will have the power of disappro►ing of it, thereby rendering the amalgama. tion deed nugatory. A vote of thanks having been passed to the chairman, the meeting separated. ELY AND HUNTINGDON RAIL WAY. The half-yearly meetini of this Company took place yesterday at the London lavern; Henry C. Lacey, Esq., in the chair. _ . Similar reports to the preceding were adopted unani mously by the meeting. In consequence of the passing of the London and York Railway Bill, the Company have obtained an Act, authorising the raising, by the creation of new shares, an additional capital of 120,0001. These shares will not be issued without the sanction of the Company. The meeting then separated. LYNN AND DEREHAM RAILWAY COMPANY. The half-yearly meeting of this Company took place yesterday at the London Tavern ; Henry C. Lacey, Esq., in the chair. The following report was read : " The proprietors will recollect that the directors were authorised, by a special meeting, to apply in the present session for a Bill for amalgamating this Company with the Lynn and Ely and Ely and Huntingdon Railway Companies. " The Bill for amalgamating this Company with the Lynn and Ely and Ely and Huntingdon Railway Com panies has also been introduced into the House of Com mons. As, however, the amalgamation was not agreed upon until the 31st of December last, the Parliamentary notices for the Bill could not be given until after the time prescribed by the standing orders had expired. The Standing Orders' Committee have therefore neces sarily reported to the House this non-compliance with their regulations. " The Select Committee, contrary to the sanguine expectation of the directors, declined to recommend that the standing orders should be dispensed with, and the Bill was therefore lost for the present session. " The following is an abstract of the cash accounts:— Receipts PAYMENTS. Expenses of Act of Parliament 12,726 8 0 Engineering and surveying 1,975 17 2 Law costs Directors, as per vote of last general meeting Land and compensation Sleepers, rails, and chairs Contractors for permanent way and stations, on account . Cash at bankers 5,236 11 49,343 0 Total of all payments £127,936 3 9 " The following is an abstract of the engineer's report : "In my report of the 23d of February last, I stated that the first contract, extending from Lynn to Nar borough, a length of nine miles, had been let, and would be ready for opening on the 31st of August. " The works have been rapidly progressing, and are so far advanced as to enable me to assure you that the line may be opened to the public as soon as the engines, which the manufacturers have promised early in Sep tember, can be obtained to work it. " The second contract, being a distance of five and a half miles, and extending from the termination of con tract No. 1 to the town of Swaffham, has been let to Messrs. Fly and Frost, contractors, for a sum under my estimate, and they have commenced operations in several places. The time fixed for the completion of this portion of the line is the 30th of June in next year. 5 2 2 1 7 3 9 0 AUGUST 28, 1846. " The remainder of the line, a distance of about eleven miles, is set out, and should I shortly obtain your per mission to proceed, the whole of the between Lynn and Dereham may be opened throughout early in the autumn of next year. "J. S. VALENTINE." The report was moved, seconded, and carried unani mously. A vote of thanks was then passed to the Secretary, and the meeting separated. TAFF VALE RAILWAY. BRISTOL, WEDNESDAY.—The half-yearly meeting of the proprietors in this company has been held at the White Lion in this city. There was a numerous attend ance of proprietors. Sir J. J. Guest, chairman of the board of directors, presided. The Secretary, Mr. KENWAY, read the report, which stated that the directors were pleased at having it in in their power to recommend a dividend of d/. 3s. per share (less ld. on each original share), and that the sum of 4591. be carried to the fund for the depreciation of stock. Though the accounts showed a slight decrease in the gross receipts in the half-year, as compared with the last, yet it should be observed that the receipts of these six months exceeded the corresponding six months of 1845 by the sum of 4,771/. lls. 6d. The bridges and remaining part of the double line are in a great state of forwardness, and should the traffic re quire it, may be completed before the end of the year. The extension of the Rhondda branch to the colleries of Messrs. James and Messrs. Insole and Son is now finished. The Bill for the extension of the branches up the two Rhonddas and for enabling the company to complete their arrangement with the Marquis of Bute has passed both Houses of Parliament, and only awaits the royal assent. The directors congratulate the com pany on a final and satisfactory settlement of all questions with the Marquis of Bute, by which extensive accommodation for the speedy shipment of coal, at fair rates, will be afforded, and such as no other port in the Bristol channel can offer to the public. The retiring directors are Messrs. W. Coffin, H. Rudhall, and R. Jones, who are eligible for re-election. The CHAIRMAN had little to add to the report, but he must take the opportunity of congratulating them upon the great amount of traffic which would be brought upon the Taff Vale Railway by the formation of the Aberdare line. Some were sanguine enough to expect as much as 2,000 tons a day, but the directors calcu lated on as much as 600 tons a day. Mr. HUTCHINGS, M.P., asked what expense had been gone to in opposing the Vale of Neath line, and whether the committee, who had proceeded to London respecting it, were authorised by the directors ? The CHAIRMAN replied that the expense occasioned by the opposition was about 1,5001., and The SECRETARY read the minutes of the directors' meeting, from which it appeared that the chairman, de puty-chairman,-and three other directors, had been ap pointed as a Parliamentary Committee, to attend to all the Parliamentary business connected with the company. Mr. J. PRICE said that dissatisfaction was felt by many proprietors about the opposition, and he should be glad to have some explanation of the circumstances. Mr. POOLE (one of the directors) said, that if the directors had not opposed the Vale of Neath line they would not have been any longer entitled to the confi dence of the proprietors.—(Hear, hear.) The Vale of Neath line was put forward as a competing line with the Taff Vale Railway, and - Mr. Fisher, who prepared the traffic tables, relied on much of the traffic now car ried by the Taff Vale line being taken by the Vale of Neath line.—(Hear, hear.) Further, their station at Mevthy, was to have been crossed by the Vale of Neath line at a height of thirty-five feet, and the only approach to it would have been by one arch. Mr. HUTCHINGS condemned the expense as useless. He did not think that the Taff Vale Railway would suffer a loss of traffic. One'or two of the proprietors vindicated the conduct of the directors in opposing the Bill. In answer to a question put by Mr. J. PRICE, The CHAIRMAN said that the negotiation for leasing the Aberdare line had only just been commenced, and, therefore, nothing definite could be stated. The sub ject, before any step should be binding was taken, would be submitted to the consideration of the proprietors at large. He would mention, however, that there was an amicable feeling existing between the directors of both companies. Resolutions adopting the report, and declaring a divi dend of 31. 3s. per original share, were then passed. Messrs. W. Coffin, 11. Rudhall, and R. Jones were re-elected directors. ROMANTIC ADVENTURE. Paris is the place for romantic adventures. One night, some months ago, a young officer of a cavalry regiment was returning to his barracks late at night, when he saw on one of the bridges a young woman of considerable beauty, but clad in the mean gar ments of a workwoman, preparing to plunge into the river. He seized her, and threatened to take her to the station-house. She supplicated, however, so earnestly to be left alone, that the officer consented to release her; first, however, exacting a solemn pro mise that she would not repeat her attempt. She hurried away; but the young soldier deemed it right to follow her. Luckily it was that he did so; for no sooner did she believe herself free from observation than the unhappy girl plunged into the river. The officer was close upon her, and, with some difficulty, and not without danger, succeeded in dragging her to land. This time he insisted upon accompanying her home. With extreme reluctance, the would-be suicide led him to a miserable lodging in the most wretched part of the town. Knocking at the door, an old woman ap peared, to whom the officer related what had happened. " Ah, madam," she cried, "it was for that, then, you borrowed my clothes!" and she went 'on to relate to the young officer that the pretended unknown was no other than the daughter of a nobleman of the highest rank, and that she had that night come to bor row the dress in which she appeared, in order, as she said, to avoid discovery in a love adventure. In proof of the truth of the story, the old woman pointed to the young lady's dress which she had left on assuming her coarse attire. This naturally excited the young man's curiosity to the highest pitch. He insisted on accompanying the young lady to her father, to whom he related all that had taken place. Warm thanks were, of course, heaped upon him, and he was invited to the house, at which he subsequently became a constant visitor. An intimacy sprang up between him and the young lady, which ripened into affection, and the affection resulted in a marriage, celebrated a few days ago. This tale is true, strange as it may appear. It has, of course, created an immense sensation in the higher circles of Parisian society; and at present it is said that all young unmarried ladies are bent on attempting to commit suicide at midnight, in the hope of being saved by a handsome officer of hussars. It is so romantic ; and whatever is romantic has immense popularity in Paris. AGRICULTURAL REPORTS. (From Bell's Weekly Messenger.) NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE, AUG. 13.—Harvest is rapidly proceeding, four-fifths of the wheat having been carried in good condition; the crops are very variable—some very good, others indifferent. Upon the whole, we consider it a full average as to quantity; the quality bold and heavy, though not so white and rather rougher in the skin than in 1844. Barley is light in the straw, but off the wold land will be of fair malting quality; on the strong land it is late and bad; some fields green, others part green, part nearly ripe. Oats an average crop. Beans wretched (one to three sacks per acre); some fields scarcely worth reaping. Turnips are uni formly a full splendid crop, up to the knees in top, and turning fast. Potatoes rapidly decaying. Wheat, the chief dependence of the farmer, is very seriously re duced in price: old red of 611 b. per bushel has been sold for 355. per qr.- how can language be found sufficiently strong fully to describe the treachery of those men who have brought the country into this state? It also appears that the operatives are beginning to find in the attempts their masters are making to reduce their wages, that they have merely been used, as the monkey used the cat's paw, to pull the chestnuts out of the fire. As the loaf increases, wages fall. EAST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE, Atm. 20.—We are now in the midst of our harvest operations ; in the southern parts of the riding, the principal part of the wheat is secured in superb condition ; in the northern districts it is yet for the most part in the field, although should the weather b© favourable, ere this comes from tke press much will have been secured. As it is, the weather for the last few days has been unsettle d and threatening, and has caused considerable anxiety to the farmers who have their corn yet abroad ; it has not, however, sustained any injury from sprout as yet. We scarcely recollect a year since the summer of 1826, when the fields were cleared with such rapidity as in the pre sent year. The wheat upon almost all descriptions of soil has cut up a very light crop, and has gone into very little space. Oats, although much improved are short in the straw, and a light crop ; barley is still worse, and beans are nearly a failure altogether. The yield of the wheat crop, upon which such great anticipations have been formed, seems to disappoint general expectation, and it is our firm conviction that if the East Riding yield "stook and bushel," to use the East Riding phrase, we are below an average. Yet from the expe rience of those who have thrashed, we feel.satisfied that we are to have no such yield, and our firm conviction is, that we are four or six bushels under an average. The quality is superb, equal to 1844, and the accounts of the weight are good. The potato crop is again a failure, to all appearance worse than the last year. Doubtless, this circumstance, taken in connexion with the deficient yield of the wheat crop, has the tendency to cause the present advance in the price of wheat, but the price must be much higher to enable the farmer to pay his way with the present crop. Turnips grow beautifully, and the prospect for winter keep is good. BRECONSHIRE, AUG. 18.—I travel frequently through the greater part of South Wales, more especially through Breconshire, and as I perceive you are favoured by correspondents with agricultural reports from most of the English counties, I do not sea why you should not hear a little concerning the proceedings in this county, as I think we can boast of farms and farmers equal to any in England, in the Vale of Usk. More than two-thirds of' the wheat has been housed in very good condition, and will, I think, yield very well, although there is a general complaint of a defficiency in the head. The crop is much lighter than last year, with regard to the straw, but the head heavier and finer sample. The weather at present is very unfavourable, scarcely a day passing by without heavy showers. It will oc casion serious loss to the small farmers situated near the foot of the mountains, many of whom have as yet scarcely any of their hay in. Several fields have been down for the last three weeks, the weather being so fickle. I counted very many that had not been mown, which it would be scarcely worth while to do so late in the season. The barley and oat crops are rapidly falling under the stroke of the sickle, in expectation of fine weather after this continuance of wet. They are on the average light, in particular the oats, scarcely repaying the husbandman for his trouble. Peas, also, are simihr to the oats, the pods few, and not Irell filled. Of turnips, both swedes and common, we could scarcely have a finer show, the leaves looking healthy and of such a luxuriant green hue, quite different from the last year's. I have seen several of the size of a large basin. Last year's destructive disease has again attacked the potatoes, but in a more virulent form. We were in expectation that we should have escaped it, but in the midst of our hopes it came like a sudden blight, and we have nothing to look forward to but the entire extirpation of the root from this kingdom. The poor labourer will suffer, as potatoes are the principal food of his family; but if corn be cheap it will not make such a material difference. There is also almost an entire failure of the apple, scarcely a tree laden with fruit to be seen anywhere, which will cause old cider to advance in price. ATTEMPT TO POISON. DEATH OF ONE OF THE SUFFERERS. A most diabolical attempt to poison the whole family of Dr. Grattan, of Drummond House, county Kildare, was made on the 17th inst. His eldest son, a lad of fifteen, died in consequence; and Mrs. Grattan, the four surviving children, and a servant maid are still in a very precarious condition. From the circumstances brought to light at the inquest, and from what we have learned from other sources, it would appear that Dr. Grattan, alarmed at the wide-spread failure of the potato crop, and anxious to make timely provision for the wants of his labourers likely to be deprived by this mysterious visitation of much of their ordinary food, had a small supply of Indian meal brought from Dublin at his own cost for the purpose of introducing it amongst them and familiarising them to its use. Some prejudice against it having been ma nifested, Doctor Grattan, in order to remove it, if pos sible, determined to use it in his own family ; and upon finding that his domestic servants refused even to prepare it, insisted on their doing so, and stood by until his di rections were obeyed. Of the meal thus prepared he and all his children partook ; in the kitchen, the ser vants refused to eat it, and their share was given to four calves, all of which died shortly after. The following morning Doctor Grattan was actually engaged in inves tigating this extiaordinary occurrence, which had imme diately been spread abroad amongst the ignorant peasantry as to the effect of the Indian corn, when his eldest son called him to breakfast, mentioning at the same time that they had just breakfasted on flummery, and what was very curious, that they were every one of them sick and vo miting ; and true it was. When he reached the house he found Mrs. Grattan, the four children, and a servant maid exhibiting all the symptoms of poisoning by arsenic. The doctor having by his accidental absence escaped partaking of the poisoned food, was able to give instant assistance to the unfortunate sufferers, and had used the ordinary antidotes and remedies hours before medical assistance could possibly have reached them from any other quarter. To this most providential oc currence it may in all human probability be attributed that any of them are now living. In spite of every care his eldest son died within 21 hours, and the others of the family are not out of danger. An inquest was held upon the body of the young and unfortunate victim on Friday, and a verdict implicating the cook in the transaction was found, in consequence of which she has been committed to Naas gaol. The matter, however, is still far from being cleared up; but the investigation is being actively carried on by Richard More O'Ferrall, Esq., M.P.; assisted by Wm. Foote, Esq., J.P.; J. H. Nangle, Esq., J.P.; and J. Doffing, Esq., stipendiary magistrate. We have every hope that the perpetrators of this awful affair will be promptly discovered and brought to justice.—Dublin Evening Post. DUTCH AND FLANDERS MAILS. THE HAGUE, AUG. 26.—The Staats Courant of this day publishes, in the Dutch and French languages, the treaty of commerce and navigation between the Nether lands and Belgium, concluded on the 29th of July, 1846. It fills eighteen columns of the official paper. THE HAGUE, AUG. 25.—Accounts from Malta, of the 13th of August, announce that the squadron under the command of his Royal Highness Prince Henry, arrived in that harbour on the 10th inst. _ _ ZIERIKZEE, AUG. 21.—Yesterday evening aboutnine o'clock, Franz Antoon Berwald, commanding the fish ing boat, the Jonge Frederick of Zierikzee arrived here with six of the crew of the Helen, Capt. F. Orfeur, an English schooner from Liverpool, bound to Dordrecht, which was stranded and went to pieces yesterday morn ing in the Banjard. The wind was so high, that though many boats attempted to approach the wreck, this was the only one that succeeded in rescuing, after great efforts, these men from the most imminent danger. Tr_eir gratitude and joy were unbounded, and fully participated by their brave companions. BATAVIA, JUNE 26.—The epidemic disorder in Ka doria has again broken out with increased violenct , . Up to 29th May, 588 persons had fallen victims to it, and 1,160 were still ill. BRUSSELS, AUG. 24.—The trial of Messrs. Ridder and Borquet will probably be concluded on Wednesday evening. The list of witnesses for the defence was ex hausted to-day, and the Attorney-General commenced his address. The witnesses examined to-day, who re ceived orders from De Bidder, gave evidence of his soli citude for the interest of the Government, as well as to the pains he took to contract for the lowest prices possible. M. de Dordolot stated, that in consequence of the re duction which De Ridder caused him to make in the prices, the Government gained a sum of 800,000 francs. The King and Queen, the Duke de Brabant, and the Count de Flandre went yesterday, at ton o'clock, to Ant werp They went to the exhibition of paintings, where the King desired to see several artists, with whom their Majesties conversed with great affability. In the room allotted to the engravings his Majesty stopped a consi derable time before ten splendid engravings on wood by Mr. Henry Brown, professor in the academy. The King desired to see him, and their Majesties complimented him in the most flattering terms. Their Majesties re turned to Brussels the same evening. It appears from the further accounts respecting the murder of M. Londoz, that there are several errors in the statement, and especially that there was no violent struggle between him and the murderer, as represented. Nothing is yet known respecting the murderer, though the most diligent inquiries are being made. MRS. TROLLOPE AND THE COLD-WATER CURE.—In the new work, entitled "Travels and Travellers." just laid before the public, from the pen of the cleverest and most spirited of modern female writers—Mrs. Trollope—there will be found some revelations of perhaps the greatest of modern mysteries—those of Graffenberg. The pamphlet of Sir Ed ward Bulwer Lytton has already attracted public attention, in no ordinary degree, to the physiology of the cold water cure ; and should it prove that so acute and talented an ob server as Mrs. Trollope has been led, from experience, to form similar notions upon the matter, there can be little doubt that the medicine-men among our tribes have amply suf ficient cause to set their house in order. SLAVE TRADE.—By a Parliamentary document (pro cured by Mr. Hume), it appears that there were in the year 1845 (the return being made up for the let of July, as an average for the force employed for the whole of the year) 56 ships, of 886 guns, and 9,289 men, employed in the sup pression of the slave trade; of which 27 of the vessels, with 282 guns and 3,334 men, were employed on the west coast of Africa station. Although the ships were furnished with slave-trade instructions, they were only employed in cruising against slave vessels as the other duties of the station on which they were respectively employed would permit. By the second branch of the document it seems that the charge for the ships of war employed in the suppression of the slave trade in the course of last year was 706,4541., and the deaths of officers and men numbered 259, and others invalided to 271; making a total of deaths and invalids in one year 530. The mortality in vessels on the west coast of Africa was 166, and the invalids 104; and the vessels not exclusively employed on the west coast of Africa, respectively 93 and 167. Thus it will be seen that the expense of vessels to suppress the slave trade in one year was 706,4541., and the deaths and invalided officers and men 530. INTERESTING DISCOVERY AT GLOUCESTER.--A dis covery of a curious and interesting nature has just been made at the Gas Works near the Quay, in this city, where the workmen, in sinking the ground for the erection of a new gasometer, have arrived at what was evidently an old quay wall, consisting of large stones, three or four feet square, and rather more than a foot thick, laid upon piles. This old quay wall runs parallel with the present quay, but not less than 120 feet distant from it, showing that the course of the Severn has receded very much, and that the houses, warehouses, part of the gaol, &c., now standing along side the Quay, are situated on what was anciently the bed of the river. This change was probably the work of very many years, and caused by the current gradually washing away the alluvial soil on the opposite shore. The discovery is highly curious in another point of view. This old quay wall is no less than eighteen feet below the surface of the ground, and leads to the natural inference that the level of the city of Gloucester at the date of the erection of that wall, which was probably in the time of the Romans, was eighteen feet below the present level of that city. The spot has been visited by several of the archaeolo gists now in Gloucester, and by other gentlemen, and they all, we believe, concur in the opinion that this excavation has brought to light some of the work of the Roman occu pants of the old Caer-Glow.—Gloucester Journal. MYSTERIOUS AND HORRIBLE AFFAIR.—It was only on Saturday last that the Coroner of Rochester made a re presentation to the Magistrates of that city of the frequent exposure of the dead bodies of infants within his jurisdiction, but the case we have now to describe far exceeds in atrocity all the acts of which he then complained. On Monday morning, between two and three o'clock, Mr. Richardson, a coke and lime burner, living at Chalk-pit-hill, Chatham, was awoke by the barking of his dogs, and on looking out of his bed-room window, saw on his premises the figure of a woman, apparently with only a petticoat and shawl thrown over her, but thi❑king it might be an old tramping woman who occasionally slept about his place, he thought little of the circumstance. The dogs still barking, he looked again, when he saw the same woman approach the mouth of the coke oven, and suddenly throw something into it, when a bright flame burst forth from the same, and appeared to scorch her, as she quickly drew back, as if to avoid being burnt. The heat of the furnace at the time must have been intense, as it had been burning 18 hours. Having accom plished her purpose, she hastily quitted the yard. He re lated what he had observed to his wife, who remarked that most likely it was something the party had stolen and wanted to get rid of, and under this impression he retired to rest. In the morning, when he went to the oven, he was horror struck at beholding what appeared to him to be the remains of a child lying in the burning mass. The bones in shape were distinctly to be seen, but on disturbing them crumbled into ashes. They were carefully extracted from the furnace, and conveyed to Mr. Steddy, surgeon, of Chatham, but of the original it does not appear that anything can be pro duced on which an inquest might be held. The case is in volved in the greatest mystery, and has produced, as may be imagined, an extraordinary degree of horror and excite ment in the neighbourhood. THE WEYMOUTH HARBOUR OF REFUGE.--We are now on the eve of great events with regard to this port and watering place. The sum of 30,0001. was voted last week in the House of Commons to carry on the construction of a breakwater at Portland. All things are now ready, and be fore another week we expect to be able to announce that this great national project is begun. We are to have a large supply of convict labour, and as Portland Roads is so safe a place for shipping, we expect the hulks will be brought down from Portsmouth or Chatham to be tuachyred ;hue 04' their reception.--Shethorne Jownal. RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS. LIVERPOOL, AncrsT 27. STOCK ExcnANGE.—The snlf29 arc—Birkenhead. Lancashire. and Cheshire Junction, p.—Birmingham and Dudley, 1 p.—Bir mingliam and Oxford, 3% p.—Boston, Newark, and Sheffield, % dis. —Boston, Stamford, and Birmingham, 11s. dis.—Chester and Birk enhead, 1 dis.—Eastern Counties, YOrk Extension, 365. p.—East Lan cashire, 8% p.—Edinburgh, Leith, and Granton, 17% —Glasgow and Dumfries, 1 dis.—Goole and Doncaster, 16s. dis.—Huddersfield and Manchester, 1% p.—Ditto, Extension, % p.—Leeds and Dewsbury, New Shares, % dis.—Leeds and Thirsk, 501. Shares, 3 dis.—Leicester and Bedford, Bs. 6d. dis.—Liverpool, Ormskirk, and Preston, % P. —London and North Western, 205—Ditto, Fifth Shares, 20 p.—Lon don and York, % dis.—Manchester and Southampton , 21 dis—Mid land Stock, 139—Ditto, 401. Shares, 12% p.—North-Eastern, 283. dis.—North Staffordshire, 3% p.—North Union (B), 150—North Western, 3s. p —Reading, Guildford, and Reigate, 245. 6d. dis.—Shef field and Manchester, No. 3 p.— Shrewsbury and Hereford-shire Scrip, % dis.—Shrewsbury, Oswestry, and Chester, 1% dis.—Shrews bury, Wolverhampton, and Birmingham, % p.—Shrewsbury, Wol verhampton,and South Staffordshire, % dis.—Shropshire Union Rail way and Canal, Bs. dis.—South-Eastern, Half Shares, p.—South and Midlands Junction, 18s. 6d. p.—South Staffordshire Junction , 3s. 6d. p.—West Riding Union, 2% p.—Cork and Killarney, 435. dis. —East Indion Railway, % p.—Dutch Rhenish, % p. MANCHESTER, AUGUST 27. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The sales are—Blackburn, Clitheroe, &c., 1 dis.—Boston, Stamford, and Birmingham, 12s. dis. —East Lanca shire, 8% p.--Fast Lincolnshire, % dis.--Fleetwood, Preston, and West Riding, % dis.—Glasgow and Dumfries, % dis.—Grand Union, % dis.—Huddersfield, Halifax, and Bradford, 2% p.—Huddersfield and Manchester Railway and Canal, 1% p. —Leeds and Thirsk, 4 dis.—Liverpool and Bury, New, 1% p. —Liverpool, Ormskirk, and Preston, 3 9-16 p.—Manchester and Leeds, 33 p.—Manchester and Southampton, 1 dis.—North Eastern, 1% dis.—North Western, 3S • Gd. p.—Oldham, Birkenhead, &c., 19s. dis.—Preston and Wyre, Halves (B), 5-16 p.—Sheffield and Manchester, Quarters, No. 3, 3-16 p.—Shropshire Union Railway and Canal, % dis.—South - Eastern and Dover, Halves, No. 4, % p.—Trent Valley, Midland , &c., 1-16 c. p.—West Lancashire Coast, 16s. dis.—West Riding Union, 2 13-16 p. LEEDS, AUGUST 27. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The sales are—Blackbwn and Ailttag, 8 Bs. 6d. c. p.—East Lancashire, 8% c. p.—lluddersfield and anches ter Extension, 2 p.—Huddersfield and Sheffield, 7% p.—Leeds and Bradford, 4144 c. p.—Leeds and Dewsbury, 3% p.—Ditto, Branches. 1% p.—Ditto, Extension, 4 dis. —Leeds and Thirsk, 4 dis.—DittO , New, 3 dis.—Manchester and Leeds, Fifths, 84 p.—Ditto, Exten sions, 21. 9s. p.—Newcastle and Darlington Extensions, 101. Is. North British, Half Shares, 5% p.—Ditto, Carlisle Branch, 565. p. —Boston, Stamford, and Birmingham, 14s. 6d. dis.—Grand Union, 13s. 6d. dis.—Lancashire, Yorkshire, and North Eastern, 275. die Leicester and Bedford, 9s. 6d. dis. —Liverpool, Ormskirk, and Pre' ton, 3% s. p.—London and Manchester (Rem.), 2% dis.—Malte n and Driffield Junction, 7s. Gd. s. p.—Manchester, Buxton, Matlock , and Midland, 20s. p. s.—North Western, 4s. p.—Sheffield, Rother ham, and Goole, 20s. dis.—Shropshire Union, 9s. dis.—West Riding Union, 41. 17s. SHEFFIELD, AUGUST 27. &rock Exciaixoz.-The sales are-Grimsby and Sheffield Exten sion, 17s. 6d. dis.-Ditto, Quarter Shares, 34 dis.-Ditto, Railway and Dock, 2 dis.-Boston, Newark, and Sheffield, 16s. 6d. dis.-Eas t Lincolnshire, 13s. 6d. dis.-Leeds, Wakefield, and Midland, 163. die. -Manchester and Lincoln Union and Canal, 17s. dis.-Sheffield and Lincolnshire Extension, 16s. 6d. die. HULL, AUGUST 27. STOCK Excmarroz.-The sales are-Eastern Counties, York EV' tension, 234-North British, Carlisle, 4/. 2s. 9d. s.-Amberga te * Nottingham, Boston, &c., 355. 6d.-East Lincolnshire, IN.-Liver pool, Ormskirk, and Preston, 31. Bs. 6d.-North Western, 4s. P. -- Shrewsbury and Birmingham, 2% -West Riding Union, 41. 183.- - Leicester and Bedford, 12s. 9d.-South Midland, 15s. p. s. YORK, AUGUST 27. STOCK EXCHANGE.-The sales are -Grand Union (Nottingham and Lynn), 135.-London and York, 1/. 195.-Newcastle and Dar" llngton, New, 113§ -North British, 3834-Ditto, Carlisle Extension , 4/. 35.-North 'Western, 1/. 65.-West Riding Union, 41. 18s. 6d. EDINBURGH, AUGUST 26. STOCK EXCUANGE.—The sales are —Aberdeen, 85A —Armagh and Portrush, 14s. Gel—Caledonian Extension, 33s.—Direct Northern, 335. 6d.—East Indian Railway, 17s.—Edinburgh and Glasgow, Quar ters, 17% —Edinburgh and Northern, 10 —Ditto, Newport, 181s—Edi,, 0 " burgh and Perth, 70s.—London and York, 40 s. — North Britis h, 38,0 —Ditto, Extension to Carlisle, 81s. 6d. — Scottish Central, 19%--- South Midland, 555. Gd.— Stirling and Dunfermline, 275. THE MINERAL RICHES OF THE ISTHMUS Or PANAMA.—At the present moment, when either the c utting, of a canal through the American isthmus, or the making or a railway, or both, are nigh to be accomplished, a report ol! the mineral riches of that locality has been widely circulate° in the French periodicals, which, as the name of Baron Thdnard has been introduced therein, deserves some atten tion. It is said that a distinguished French engineer, on surveying the isthmus for professional purposes, has ails; covered gold in the sand of the sea-shore, the amount et which he calculates at five milliards of francs. The construe" tion of a canal or railway would be paid a hundred-fold by the gaining of this precious metal, &c.—The Builder. FRACAS IN CASHEL.—We have heard on good auth? d rity that a disturbance, which it was first apprehended won be of a serious character, took place in Cashel on Thursdaie evening. As we are not, however, yet in possession ofttilt, circumstances from which it originated, we can only s a t , what our informant assures us occurred. It a ppears Mr. Smith O'Brien, M.P., had been in Cashel on ThursdsP and after having passed the day with Mr. Doheny, was tertained in the evening by his friends and admirers to dinner at the hotel. In the course of the evening two P lu o f ties assembled in the town, one carrying a stuffed effig); • Mr. Doheny which they were threatening to burn, an collision having taken place, the police were called out n der the command of a magistrate and sub-inspector, And et. der was soon restored.—Cork Reporter. §t ; HARVEST.—We are now in the middle of har ve st' and on Friday and Saturday last—two splendid d a Y:fe , a great deal of stuff was cut down. Shearers l b getting unusually high wages—viz., from 2s. 6d. O t to per day—and the demand for them is greater than re supply. Trade otherwise is so good that our op e fo r tives are unwilling to leave their usual avocations ant the hard work of reaping. For some time ,P the weather has been wet and unsettled, sii" • o g considerable amount of injury was done to all gru b crops. We are sorry to say that in this neighbourars. wheat is a light crop, decidedly inferior to previous 9%, At the sales on foot, it went off at a figure far from renl,u, at rating. On a farm near Girvan, some acres were scr oi a from 41. to 6/. per acre—scarcely enough to pay see labour. Indeed, generally, our farmers will be out of Pt with this crop, Beans are also a poor crop—in sole stances almost a total failure. Oats generally look pro D▪ rop and are expected to turn out well at the mill; but the ll n 4 will not supply much fodder, as the straw is genen short. The continued rains have rather injured 10'10 crop, fresh shoots from the root coming up green as all among the nearly ripened stuff. The hay crop is not Ye',i .„ secured. Quantities of it have been lost by the flood s 'ls rotted by the rains. Indeed, much of the meadow black and weather -bleached, and inferior to previous ny With the shortness.of the crop of ryegrass hay, ca aS of the May droughts, a poor aftermath, and the shortnThay straw in the oat crop, fodder will be dear this year. Door already sells in ricks at from sd. to 7d. per stone, and ct o it be got anything worth under 50s. per 100 stones ; last 3.;,.anY was only 40s. Turnips antad also a back-going look in hag now ; but we hope ide of dry fostering weatherer now set in, and that they will recover rapidly. 133 .. i r b - l e ier short in straw and light this season also ; and, on the " ill b e taking into account the dead loss from potatoes, this vi a losing year for our grain farmers.—Ayr Observer. c+ ,, 0 00 11 0 SUICIDE OF SIR J.,ISHAM.-011 Tuesday tu.rl . „b i ont about half-past six o'clock, the man-servant of Sir 16, Bart., who has resided for upwards of two years at ir Pittville-villas, was alarmed by his master not nisk l g o ar appearance to dinner at the us ua l hour, and also by t e Af r pearance of blood soaking through the ceiling of th t7O/1 ing-room. He hastened to Mr. Newenham, che ln i i i l s " afl° told him lie feared hi s m as t er h a d d es t ro yed himself. Newenham immediately accompanied him to the housetteed found the bed-room of the unfortunate gentleman fire p in the inside. A smith was immediately sent for, htl ss 00 lice-sergeant, who was present, finding the door W oo a locked but bolted, forced it open. On entering th e r oil's' dreadful spectacle was discovered, the body of Sir Ja s io g t it was found lying on the right side in the bed, gr s S e ll double-barrelled pistol in the right hand, one hn-ielcet which was discharged, and a small single-barre lle°,.i d on pistol in the left ; another pistol was lying by the b e ~ 7 Th e a table, on which were some loose pe rc ussion 01 5 e whole of the pistols, with the exception of th e jets! h., 11 ",, charged, were loaded with ball. It appeared th e ‘be VA : c had penetrated the roof of the mouth and into tike repo— Which must have caused instant death, and from The o , ll ' being smothered, no alarm was given at the time' his collar fortunate Baronet was in his night dress, with , ot it , opened. He was a fine athletic man, apparent! t h e 8 10' years of age, of rather eccentric habits. He was it," North" son of the late Sir Justinian Isham, of Lamport amptonshire, and was unmarried. His mother, Lady still survives.— Cheltenhnm Examiner. last B Sunday,un E ' BRIDE'S maTdeu a ßr ß oe A e a t.m Mr. James Funnell. The clergyman was perierra marriage ceremony for a young couple name! FannY,Adi, and Thomas King, when the clerk contempla tin g the f'eos' attire was struck with the appearance of a b rooch in I'oo — b church, awkward b y t he e t t ) t l vo ts tume which irresistibly reminded him of one worn s e similar occasion by his wife, who died about a yee r „ o o, Still he gazed as the service proceeded, and every It De became: more assured that the brooch was actualkidta. which he had missed from his late wife's wedding is about the 13th of last January. The happy pair WP", 0 0 1 7. short time united, and had left th e c h urc h door, 00111;erto by a merry party of their friends, and the morning., Ae ici, he u" had been brought to a cl ose , w h en F unne ll , w h o se sus w hy this time amounted t o cer t a i n t y, spo k e to Weston , „ A O!: constabulary, on the subject of recover i ng his lost P s of That officer, reckless of disturbing the soft drea nl i Vent blushing bride, instantly made the awkWard.oo,:i Where did her brooch come from ?" King at O' ° dtin.;,73 it was a love-token from him to his sweethearAestia, their days of courtship, but was not equally connli,Vll:(., as to the party from whom he had himself received 0,10 0 ;., then proceeded to the residence of Mrs. Sophi a rbr l/tb O. King's sister, and she admitted having given it to vieurigb!fro but alleged that she had bought it ten years ago, stpiVeTi e r Mr. Funnel!, however, persisted in his claim, a ll t o o py accordingly took Sophia Skinner into custody , t ° f in% at consternation of the -wedding party. On the floolgall,b, the prisoner was brought before Mr. J. V f i r .: 4 4 , o 1 31- r, Lewes, when the prosecutor positively identifieurbsea th et by a notch, and also stated that the prisoner had he w" -- on ployed in his house from the 26th of December to t orels! leg January, when she left, and that a few days sae! . r art le t ba looking over the house, th e b rooc h an d seve ral oni e tig ht were missed. The prison er a ll ege d th a t she b° afith to broach at Brighton t en y ears ago, w h en s h e liviecolL a, Attree ; she was held t o b a il i n t wo sur iti e s of appear and take her trial at the sessions.—Suss ex i,;o o ' , .. [AnvERTISEMENT.]—A BED- RIDDVI4 vs 1 WONDERFUL EFFECTS OF HOLLOWAY'S OINTMENT "' 1111" SO Robert Stephens, of Barkingside, near the Red gol o vo . 0 thigh nineteen years ago, which affected his knee so se o d go i : o pa; oblige him to relinquish his trade as a shoema ker olg oaten uy London Hospi th tal for seven weeks ; the surgeons, wi sh oleSI tate his leg, he left, and for eleven years endured lrftlele' be• li fering, two of which he was completely helpless and u.-voelca,alof7 now by using Holloway's Ointment and Pills for ay e will!, drag able to dress himself and walk by the aid of crutchlt by 0P. 4 000 probability of a certain cure. These medicines are 0' 0 44 s`" gists, and at Professor Holloway's E,tablishMent, London. r * BIRTHS. At the Manse, of Eddrachillis, Sather landsbiret Niven vela Stewart, of a son. sertt 01 ° On the 23d ult., at Larnica, the lady of - f cypru her Britannic Majesty's Consul for the I s land 0 ". daughter. M T!ire Budd, Esq., of a daughter. ark , t On the 20th inst., at St. Ronans, Winkfield, the joy of Ou the 23d inst., at Sussex-gardens, Tryde-P of George Reece, Esq., of a son. J A IV' MARRIED. h t C. il• Jabs of On the 25th inst., at Hornsey Church, Capta. of ...- of the Madras Engineers, to Maria, eldest Barclay . , Esq., of Hornsey-lane. DIED it Eci fil e On the 27th inst., at Waterloo . place, Pall-ros-, -.4 ...,,, Boyd, Esq., of Merton Hall, in the county of INTigt°l4 1010 in the 76th year of ,Alexander e. fMr eh On the 14th inst I . 111° Inner, son Co- ' ar- WO , Thomson, late of Mortimer-street, Cavendish -egg ht the ilig On the 22d • inst., at the Palace pf Holyrood , d e e, S W° Thomas, Earl of Strathmore. On the 17th inst., at Hawkhill-place, DWI- Newell, Esq., aged 82. Udde r On the 23d inst., at Hungerford, Captain John Li formerly of the 15th Hussars aged 71. Daniel stuarft On the 25th inst., in Upper Harley-street, daug Esq., of Wykham-park, Oxford, aged 80. _ oft --------- Ull. t )f "“ r ecin t° London: Printed and Published by MIURDO YO _ ► ma p Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, No. 112, StrucV_Viii" of the savoy, In the County of Middlelleis x' 28, 1846. o rr e ;g4 r, A 1 1 '41411111 0r - ,,, ire ] _T silk Pen 11;1; Te n day. eze4 4 4 Jett Act di s , tha