The Sun. — London, England, 1846-08-31 00:00:00

NAVAL IN TELLIGENCE. ADMIRALTY, L 1 UG. 27. P nill andP PROMOTIONS. I. Arthur Forbes, t o be C a ptain. —"isltrit-Surg John Forbes (e) to be Sur b eon. 4e stalant-burg eon eon John Findlay, ditto. AUGUST 28. APPOINT. ejeetwiender Hugh Goo t ME o the NTS Ocean. enaut C. B. Stockdale, ditto. t!aeutenant John Dewar, ditto. utenant Ch - le II • I to the Poictiere. Lieutenant Charles S a tr ) o L ve . r, di t . to. ,Th e i „OE lIETIREINIENT lOR THE . NAVY. Ate m I,l)°Winfe plan of retirement for the officers of d . the P ad; 7 *-b'y is different from those previously issue .. .. — for ik 'merit having thought proper to make provision / e 4e retirement of‘ 200 captains of the Royal Navy, my ties 0 3 , Con amissioners of the Admiralty hereby give no //elan tile conditions upon which officers may take ad of this grant. 7t. q 4" OF RETZREMz'ET FOR 200 CAPTAINS. seby 5 , " - The rank of retired rear-admiral to be given fority to such applicants from the 14s. 6d. half-pay he l d t : alaY be willing to accept it, with the pay of 1/. ss. 11 44 1 , 1 ' a nd the co rrespon di ng pens i on to t h e i r w id ows, secothe usual restriction s . 10 nni ! l d• -- --An addition of 7s. 6cl. per day to be given bsl£lehrits by seniority from the 12s. 6d. and 103. 6d. eeePY. l ists, bein g re ar. captains of not less than twenty and 55 3 ears of age. Officers fromtai 4,mt Ist to be permitted to assume the titlef retire ne t t te _ „ at the period when they would o have ob - acti ve nag by seniority had they retnaineA upon .. the . Their Widows to he entitled to a pension of Ithe t p t e lYear, end to the pension of rear-admiral's widow T e .tue rank retiredrear-admiral has been attained. ti;erd.,.... n The vacancies upon the 11 list to be filled up Per °f , a enieeity by officers now accepting the 18s. !a de t, bur no new admission to the 1/. list to be are, lo ; : rl ti- it is reduced below the number of twenty rietiti:'..ch it is not to exceed afterwards. The perma ltpliee'llred list to be reduced to 100, by making one 411 'trnent for every two vacancies—the first 25 offi :tebilip"n the list receiving 11. s=. per day, and the the png day With the right of assuming °f retired t r r ear-a - dmiral, when entitled to it by to ur Jth--The active list of captains not permanently l t e e e t e si d , 50 0. A proportionate reducdon to be made aensi st 01 f.,, 6 3. and 12s. 61. half-pay lists—the first to pi fth r 0 captains, and the latter 100. . t ale, u * -1 00d service pensions to be retained by cap- Sig deli r a n they r eac h the rank of rear-admiral or retired ~mir 1 . ; - The Promotions from the captains' lists to the th e na‘4 list iu f u t ure to b e cont i nuous, reserv i ng a l ways proolibted riglit of the Crown to select officers for * th l teas s , i n °4 the higher as well as the lower ranks, prej the public interest requires such an exercise of ogativt. in nu admirals' list not permanently to exceed 4 10 1 -„"rliaher, and to be thus distributed:-30 admirals, aeh squadron ; 45 vice -admirals, or 15 o each Rntl. 75 rear-admirals, or 25 of each squadron. 4 ' 44 .4 1 ° be a tla promotion in the course of the air t t i n i 4 ,jenr, w‘iiiehg t ,s• the 20 senior officers upon the list Will b e included. sr I ptle, ee , plan This to come into operation on the Ist It t o t a oer of the present year, and all letters relating to hg o ft e treate as strictly confidential. th e s " s Pot d in Europe, who may be desirous of accept (4 the, 'reti rement, will not he excluded in consequence I st 0 ,. 'l' let ters not reaching the Admiralty before the e uoh _tobe . r next, as a reasonable time will be allowed a Ppheations.—By command of their Lordships, IL G. WARD. TH E SQUADRON OF EVOLUTION. . IsiitiCile'rfeNlOUTll, SUNDAY.—Vice-Admiral Sir William C -f 2•13, Commander-in-Chief of the Channel lae a ti9a , put to sea from Lisbon on the 18th inst., in V itie lbr nia, 100, Captain Richards, with the St. %v i t .": and all the other ships of the squadron except at aloar and Superb, which are for the present left Lt b „-et 31 a. It is said the squadron proceeds to Lagos • . - tr a ter, thence to Gibraltar and Tetuan, where Alel t ; • Parker will part company, and proceed to Cohenwhen thesquadron will return to Cork, and s • The pithead. l aentf °ll ly trial of sailing of any interest since we last th e O ried the squadron was, on the 10th inst., between Atte,,t• V incent and Hibernia, the ships of the Vice 'urea and Chief Commodore : 114,3 CLOSE HAULED. rittil s 1 % double reefed topsails and courses, topgallant l ad. ) J te„ l° ' and spanker. Hibernia no wizen to e pfeel!an ale t o 7 1 nd from N.E. by N. to N.E. Rate e: se ling, 6 te 9;:ght knots. Angle of inclination of St. Vincent, nEAR/NGS AND DISTANCES OF HIBERNIA. At ilh. Om.A.m. At 3h. 45m. P.M. o lc N. 22E. S. E. 8,121 yards. ee - Ind 41- ward of St. Vin. I To leeward of St. Vincent, tt t, 1 , 6 00 yards. 7, ar 162 yards. e ,Se RESULT. gib e "neent, in 4 hours and 45 minutes, weathered I ' ll 4 4 miles and 662 yards. Coo OFF THE as WIND. er the s ame sail above. Wind, N.E. by N. se, 8-E. Distance run, 26 miles. nEARINGS AND DISTANCES OF HIBERNIA. ah 50m. P.M. At 6h. 35m. P.M. S 0 •23. 8 ' 121 yards, S. 79, W. 0.25. 7,471 yards, t . e. a -head of or astern o f 4 eent, 6,312 yards. St. Vincent, 4,178 yards. RESULT. V incent, in 3 hours and 45 minutes, headed e i ' e e l mile, s and 3 2 0275y e a Va s rds. The Queen is improved on a wind, in fine weather ; 4 St. Vincent is equal with a h ead sea —on a wind the Zt. Vincent the best—off the wind the queen has the ad iaatage. Both these ships superior on a l l points to which is not improved from what was done to n Indock. when ' Tratalgar very'Liad,• and the Hiller eia no. better ; the latter his no guns on her carter -deck or forecastle. , _ Superb, Vanguard, and e l , Pus much alike. The Cyclops and Polyphemus, is ' ch ance, either sailing or steaming, with Rattler—she 'quite perfection. t he tg the steamers the only members of that portion of „squad ron _ remaining at the above date were the 14e4"i,Ps and Polyphemus, paddle-wheel sloops, and the ti,"er, screw propell e d, w hi c h l atter i s pronounce d b y efe _ William Park er as th e most per f ect man - o f -war Tier that ever came under his notice. P ry royal yacht, Captain Crispin, conveyed her es 1G441 hairy the Duchs of Kent from Osborne to kteloort yesterday en route to London, after visiting her har i iee st Y and Prince Albert, and will to-morrow convey to a Jesty th e Q ueen Dowager from Gosport to Cowes, dep r zt a / a similar v i s i t, pr i or to h er M a j esty t h e Q ueen ' s ,trture on her next mar i ne excurs i on , w hi c h ( weat h er , PliQ'ernlitting) is fixed for Wednesday next. Various h: ar e rumo ure d s likely to be honoured with a visit I tti e t M ajesty, and first on the list stands the Chateau the t Ihe roy a l squadron will b e composed, as b e f ore, o f " roy a l The A yachts, the Black Eagle and Garland Vise s ee-etnerica '0 tain the Hon. John Gordon, (14 Y l7 e ; all Y ins t p j eeied, ' a p nd her crew mustered, yester- Nl4 t he Port Admiral, Sir Charles Ogle, prior 1) her mouthiiPtii;:erletPesl3.mouth. She went out of harbour under d tg S 4 sail in a most beautiful manner, and anchore ; she sailed at nine last night for Ply paide ee l b ut Whether to refit for further service or to d b I _ l 4 p i e ' is still very problematical. She was fitte out 4 4intir il nuth in the most perfect style by Lieutenant t the (the gentleman who was so hardly treated r a . tilai ttouiCv.e ° ann. martial), and never having had the oppo eat. refitting whilst on foreign service she requires fortnle;vir repairs, but which would not take longer than me t,lbt - , i 'g i ht to coin ' plete, when she would again be un eiel the most effective ship of her class afloat. „ at 4 e ; teeeund. 6, Lieutenant- Commander Wood, arrived 04` t i l ) le .ad from Sheerness yesterday afternoon.. She is ' s 3'e e ri g, of the Rapid class, on the design of the sur -oti a nd a v er y p ret ty model she I , e- , 1 .-4ightni n steam-vessel arrived this morning he oolvvichis supposed to be in attendance upon thla e 7 .4 1 ,3 of the Admiralty during their official visit g i tt `ea, their own yacht, the Black Eagle, being en , ato n - Ati estb form one of the royal squadron during her The J,„'s next marine excursion. the tzvalmouth navy lighter arrived with stores from estern yards this morning. G. W4ttNEss AUG. 29.—The Hound, 10, Commander Iv e as te e °d, hauled: out of the basin on SateuredasKe, wasand 'ete ee - " e wed to the Nore on Wednesday, where and inspected by the Commander-in and he e - gursday sailed for Portsmouth to bo paid ad 'tic wages and receive her final orders. out le , Recruit, 12, Commander Adolphus Slade, hauled f or q ° ' the basin on Wednesday, and sailed on Thursday Threenhithe, to have her compasses adjusted. l'are a e Raven cutter, Lieutenant Stephen, returned yes , 11! front Portsmouth, with supernumeraries. oinbad lighter arrived yesterday from Wool- T l , With stores for the dockyard. steee,e following vessels occupy the basin:—Dragon Nlur eeSte-"frigate, ready for commission ; and the d : he e : a t n.d Chichester, 50-gun frigates, fitting for a I ,Salps. tY,all l : - "k—lioratio, 44, fitting for a block ship; Eu es'irle,',44, fitting for a convict hulk at Gibraltar; .e "ert:eaaead steam-frigate, for commission ; and th a), 4garbour—Oce / 4 , brigantine, building. an, 80, flag ship, pro tent.; Raven, th e au and Wildfire steamers. 4- ' - E ON BOARD HER. MAJESTY'S LIThSTEAMER VESUVIUS. 0 e- , 1 e folio 4 M' s: wing no tice was received on Saturday at Ir, ' 6 l4 lte ex A exu 15, 1846.—Her Majesty's steamer bo ar e ti v ins arrived from m Vera Cruz last night, having on teid,h.a mortal fever, which occasioned the death of and v e ar- a t Present suffering from its frightful effects. The uve, r ae s e i ,a vvent round to Melville Islands this morning to n in quarantne. .Yest r , th i, — Tutty mornin a sermon on behalf of the funds t et e4 e elospical for Consumption and Diseases of the Che i s ii ,. It°3 4 re ' ehe d by the Lord Bishop of Jamaica, .be r e t' lie e P i ghness the Duke of Cambridge, at the par . ish fo ch e urcl: "lecti.: At ladeu of a very eloquent discourse, a "r tt ,;'n was to the amount of 311. 10s. Seityvier SMITH.—The Sheriffs of the City of e e 'teci4,''sve, in the case of Smith, fixed the period for his th" Pt. 2 . 0 at the Utmost limit allowed by law, on Monday, e IC. There will be at least four petitions presented to ~t-eriee-Ine Secretary, praying for a commutation of his sen k•offee-Inmely, one front Mr. Walters, of the Guildhall 4„coa c i -61 'se, signed by himself, family, and servants; a eeo tee e t ne, signed by de p in general a third one from 'ro le f is t', where his fanlily u a j re' L well known; and a fourth B ever e r m embers of the Society of Friends. In addition,. t elkti , affidavits from ' the late fellow-servants of Smith l ae to minor details, will be forwarded to Sir G. Grey. a li have Put th emse l ves i n commu nication with PP sgron Platt, wh o said that he saw no reason w h y an iiizi a4 414tlen sh ould not b e ma d e t o th e C rown , b u t declined 414428 441 • 11 qQV Olt filihiNte LONDON AND SMITH-WESTERN RAILWAY. The 24th half yearly general meeting of the proprie tors of this railway was held on Saturday at the offices of the company, Nine Elms, Vauxhall. The meeting was also made special for the purpose of con sidering and determining upon the expediency of pur chasing the Richmond Rail ay and the works connected therewith, authorised by the Richmond Railway Act, 1845, end also the Guildford Extension and Portsmouth and Farcham Railways, and the works connected there with, authorised by the Guildford Extension and Portsmouth and Fareham Railway Act, 1846 ; and if such pnrchases, or either of them, should he deemed ex pedient, then to proceed to consider and determine the terms and conditions upon which each of the said pur chases, or such of them as should he approved, ought to be carried into effect, and to make all due and proper provisions accordingly ; and also to consider and deter mine on the means of providing the amount of shares, stock or money, which it might be necessary to provide, for the purpose of completing the said purchases or either of them. The chair was taken at one o'c!oek by W. J. Chaplin, E: q., the chairman of the Committee. The attendance of shareholders and directors was very numerous. The Secretary (P. L. Campbell, Esq.) havii:g reed the advertisement convening the metting,;and the minutes of the last meeting having been confirmed, The SECRETARY, at the request of the Chairman, pro ceeded to read the report, of which the following is an extract : " In submitting the usual half-yearly accounts, the directors have the satisfaction of informing the share holders, that although important reductions were made in the charges fur passengers and goods, and without the opening of any additional lines of railway, the receipts of the six months present an increase over those of the corresponding period in last year of ... £11,017 3 9 Towards this sum the passenger traffic _ _ . .._ bus contributed 44 46 Goods traffic The gross income of the six months 11,017 3 9 amounts to The gross expenses (including inte rest on borrowed capital) amount to 95,209 18 1 Showing a balance of £87,089 5 4 " This balance of 87,089/. ss. 4d. is divisible among the shareholders, and the directors recommend the payment therefrom of a dividend, subject to income-tax, of 11. 17s. 6d. per share, which will leave a surplus of 1,004/. ss. 4d. applicable to the services of the current half-year. " The dividend warrants will be issued on Monday the 31st instant, in order that the proprietors may not suffer inconvenience from the delay, which has from unavoid able causes taken place, in calling them together at this season. season. " The proprietors v. ill observe that an unusuallyincreased amount of accommodation has been afforded to the public, whilst the rates of carriage have been so much reduced, that the Company's gross receipts show com paratively little growth ; and, although there has been an absolute increase, there has been a relative diminu tion of the working expenses. The directors do not an . . ticipate any difference of opinion at the present day with reference to the policy of widening the base of your business, and increasing the public convenience to the utmost verge which regard for your interests will allow; but these results have not failed to convince your direc tors of the necessity for a cautious pursuit of this policy. With reference to the progress of works executing by the Company under powers obtained previous to the session of 1846, the directors regret that the completion of the Bishopstoke and Salisbury branch has been de layed beyond the period which they had expected ; the obstructions of the landowners have, however, been in several important instances, unusually great, and the contractors have been delayed by the difficulty they have experienced in obtaining any sufficient or steady supply of labour. The directors arc, however, sanguine that this branch will be opened for traffic during the month of October next. "'As regards the extension from Nine Elms to Water loo-bridge, the directors have to report that the works, having been submitted to tender, have been contracted for by responsible, parties on satisfactory terms, and that the contractors are now proceeding' rapidly. In exer cising the powers confided to the Company for possess ing temselves of the properties requisite for this un dertaking, the directors have been most anxious to pro ceed with a due regard for the many and varied inte rests affected ; they have, therefore, anxiously and pa tiently considered all the claims made upon them, and if their forbearance has partially delayed the prosecution of the work, it is gratifying to state that they have hitherto avoided all litigation.—(Applause.) " The directors have also taleen steps for enlarging the Company's wharf and warehouse accommodation next the Thames, in connexion with the present Nine Elms Station, so that greatly increased facilities for the transaction of the goods' business will be presently at the service of the Company at a comparatively small cost. "The works of the . Southampton and Dorchester Railway are in a favourable state of progress : the diffi culties raised by the Commissioners of Woods and Forests as respects the forming of the line through the New Forest have been removed, and your directors are led to hope that the entire line will be opened early in the next summer.—(Applause.) The Richmond Railway was opened in the month of July last, and by an agreement between the two com panies, is worked by this Company. Much negotiation has taken place between the two boards of direction, with a view to the purchase of the Richmond line and works ; and, subject to the confirmation of this meeting., a provisional agreement has been entered into, and con cluded on terms less beneficial than your directors had b6pedat aneirliei period they 14eeininiaid ho verer, , to your adoption, not doubting that:Mll ffevelopment of the traffic of the Richmond line will justify the higher terms consented to. The next subject calling for observation is the result of the late session of Parliament, and, in submitting it to your consideration, your directors have to report that they have been successful in obtaining all the most im portant Acts which were promoted directly by this Com pany, viz.:— " 1. An Act for generally amending the Company's powers. " 2. For an extension to London-bridge. " 3. For a bianch to Hampton Court. " 4. For a branch to Chertsey and Egham. " 5. For a branch to Farnham and Alton. " 6. For an extension from Basingstoke to Salisbury ; whilst they have to regret the failure of the Wimbledon and Epsom branch, and the Romsey and Redbridge Junction Bills. " The directors have lost no time in acting on the powers they have thus obtained, and, except as regards the London-bridge Extension, the engineers have al ready set out the several lines upon the ground, and the plans and specifications will be, at no distant day, ready for contract. " The Act for sanctioning the extension to London bridge has passed so very recently, that the directors cannot in this case report similar progress ; neither can they omit to congratulate the proprietors on their suc cess in this application.—(hear, hear.) The Bill had to encounter far more than ordinary difficulties. To re concile or resist successfully, under any circumstances, the vast number and amount of interests connected with the properties on this line, must have been a work of di fficulty ; and to these was added the long and patient examination of the Royal Commission on the Metropo Titan railways, besides the usual ordeals of a committee in each House of Parliament. Your directors believe that this extension is the only one, out of many similar schemes, which has survived the scrutiny to which all were subjected ; and they cannot overrate the importance they attach to the powers which have been thus acquired of connecting your undertaking with the very centre — the commercial heart—of the metropolis.—(Cheers.) Thus far successful, as regards the Bills directly promoted by this Company, it is with much regret that your directors find themselves unable to report results of a like character as to those measures which they promoted in alliance with others. __ " In the Portsmouth district, Parliament has seen fit to sanction the atmospheric line, and to reject all the proposed line by Chichester, except the small portions between Guildford and Godalming and between Ports- mouth and Fareham. It would be in vain to repeat, that the line which has been thus sanctioned is very far inferior to that which has been rejected in every point of comparison which ought to govern decisions upon such questions: were it not in justification of the past proceedings of your directors, and of those which they will recommend for your future adoption, necessary to bear in mind that the Chichester line had better gradients—lighter works—more local accommodation and less railway to construct—and that it established shorter communications between London and every town which either line proposed to accommodate. Your directors have cause to believe that a line between Godalming and Chichester, when again presented to Parliament, will, with certain modifications, not mate rially impairing the line of last session, meet with the approval of the great landowners who joined in the late opposition.— (Cheers.) They have, therefore, directed their attention carefully to this subject, and will shortly be prepared with definitive recommendations upon it. "As respects the portions of line which the Guildford Extension and Portsmouth and Fareham Company ob tained powers to construct, your directors have to report that they have, under the powers of the Act incorporating that company, entered into a provisional contract with the directors for the purchase of their undertaking, on the terms of this Company bearing the entire expenses of the Guildford Extension Company (past and future), and repaying their shareholders the full amount of their deposits, with a small premium to cover interest thereon. This purchase your directors recommend you to sanction, and they have the satisfaction of adding, that at their request, the Guildford Extension Board had immediately on the passing of their Act directed the works to be set out, and that the plans and specifications are already prepared for contract. " West of Exeter, the Central Cornwall and Devon scheme was unfortunately withdrawn from the con sideration of Parliament by its non-compliance with the standing orders, as were also large portions of the lines projected by the broad gauge interests for North Devon. The Great Western Company, and their allies have carried their project for connecting Plymouth and Fal mouth, and the West Cornwall Railway, but these measures were not sanctioned without reservations in favour of the central communication proposed by the Central Cornwall and Devon Company, if the same should be hereafter sanctioned by Parliament. By these reservations the propriety of extending the narrow gauge system to Falmouth and the Land's End, appears to your directors to be fully recognised.—(Cheers.) "East of gieter, this company was allied , with the rIE6 4 i ll upPb :tensive, cane i n ' trd te n ' ell $uP5 epo 1. to f• dg 4 , 0 0 4 2 4 0 4 ;. ed i n the n ' ? sarpro nd Clls o l: in % B i C OO5 are I nn igi% 4 id Cti 1W k • so of eel'd a g.br Dt s t vAd ; 7cl" Eno now - (1 0 A 61)%4 11, nto Tont 100 ed P` at the , vc644/1. re E a il be o ireffs - ,too woo., be Ai r ir he 1 , " put . 5 64 100 ) 0 A We' s Ol fp (o e - e 1 010, °boll 0 011 w t he at '• be 1(1.1 0 4 ) Ili Y. 6 ,' / 'sow •• „ of to BC°°' L oci 1 1 0 °1 0 t l oft" soo 7 TH E SUN, LONDON, _MON DA V' London, Salisbury, and Yeovil Company, as respects the country between Basingstoke and Yeovil, and with the Exeter, Yeovil, and Dorchester Company, as respects the line between Yeovil and Exeter. Against these measures the Great Western propo:.ed an extension of their Berks and Hants line from Hungerford to West bury, and a line called the Exeter Great Western Rail way, between Yeovil and Exeter. The former was re jected for non-compliance with the standing orders of the House of Commons; the latter being referred to the same Committee with the London, Salisbury and Yeovil, and Exeter, Yeovil and Dorchester Bill., was, after a most protracted and careful inquiry, rejected on the merits, whilst the Bills in this Company's interest were unanimously passed.—(Applause.) In the House of Lords the successful Bills were referred to a Com • mittee, and this tribunal ultimately crane to a decision unfavourable to them, at the same time avowing by a distinct resolution, that their objections were founded on the details of the measures then before them, and that a line of railway from Salisbury by Yeovil to Exeter was desirable. Your directors therefore regard these lines as merely postponed, and they have lost no time in directing Mr. Locke carefully to re-ex amine the district in question, with a view to the removal of every objectionable portion of the schemes, and ren dering them as perfect as possible, including within their scope the most direct practicable route to Plymouth and other parts of Devonshire. "It cannot be a matter of surprise to you, that the directors are unable now to report fully on the measures which they will recommend you to adopt or aid in the next session of Parliament, as regards these districts. Their attention, and that of their engineer, has been given unremittingly to the subject, but, unable to propose to you the schemes in a matured and well-digested shape, they prefer the postponement of any further report upon the subject, merely adding at present, that - they have no hesitation in recommending you to support renewed ap plications for lines to embrace all the material objects of the Bills of the last session.—(Applause.) "In addition to the undertakings of the last session, your directors have also under their careful consideration measures for extending railway accommodation to a con siderable space of country west of Richmond, interme diate between the Great Western and South-Western lines—(Cheers)—believing that the population and trade of those localities will gain far greater convenience by a connexion with this railway, and particularly with its London stations, than can be otherwise secured to them. " The junction of this railway with the lines centering at Oxford in conformity with the views of the Govern ment, continues to engage the consideration of your directors ; and their attention has also been invited to the construction of some important branches from the Southampton and Dorchester Railway, on which your directors will communicate to you a mature judgment at no distant period. " The proprietors would probably desire some intima tion of the views of the directors, as to the manner in which they deem it advisable to raise the capital neces sary for the lines which it has been intimated will be applied for next session ; but in the present unsettled state of these questions, and considering the numerous interests which have to be consulted, the directors deem it their duty to postpone any announcement of the course which may, at the present moment, appear to be most desirable. It will be their duty, as early as they feel the service of the Company requires it, again to call the proprietors together ; and they purpose, on that occasion, to lay before them not only their recommenda tions as to the particular 'schemes which shall be pro secuted, but also the manner (as regards capital and otherwise) in which they think the proceedings ought to be taken. " Your directors also think it right again strongly to recommend the project of establishing a steam-packet company in connexion with the railway, to the notice of the proprietors."—(Loud applause.) " From the capital account of the Company laid before the meeting, it appeared that the Amount expended up to 31st Decem ber, 1845, as per last report had been £2,623,006 1 5 That there had been since paid from Ist January to 30th June, 1846 : For stations £l,C6O 0 0 For land and compensa tion For construction of way and works For ditto, balance ac- count of Gosport line 5,671 11 8 For land surveying and valuing... .. . ... 411 9 9 11,577 11 5i X 2,634,583 12 101 The receipts of the Company had been as follows for new lines : For.deposits on Eighths £32,285 5 0 For second call on ditto 32,195 0 0 For third ditto For fourth ditto 42,346 0 0 For fifth ditto For sixth ditto For deposit on new shares For second call on new 501. shares.... For.second call on new 401. shares 18,940 0 0 For third call on new 501. shares 199,685 0 0 For third call on new 401. shares 18,256 0 0 For fourth call °anew 501. shares 173,850 0 0 For fourth call on new 401. shares 16,528 0 0 For debenture bonds... 52,000 0 0 999,172 5 0 Payments had been made as follows, for the undermentioned lines : Epsom Line Metropolitan Exten 85,217 16 9 Guildford Line Guildford, Chichester, Portsmouth, and Fareham Chichester and Ports- mouth Southampton and Dorchester 242,099 4 7 Cornwall Central and Devon,Old Company 3,000 0 0 Ditto, New Company 78,750 0 0 Bishopstoke and Salis bury branch Exeter, Yeovil, and Dorchester Company 17,875 0 0 London, Salisbury, and Yeovil Company For Rails and Chairs 27,544 17 7 Printinv,Stationary,Szc 3,514 5 9 Surveying and Engi neering Law Expenses Carriages .... Engines 15,115 6 3 Interest on New Shares 4,311 15 11 Debenture bond stamps 60 0 0 £831,959 10 8 Leaving a balance of £167,212 14 4 The report having been read, The CHAIRMAN rose and said that he was glad to meet the proprietors on this occasion. The vicissitudes through which, they had just passed were of no ordi nary character. They had been compelled to await the result of Parliamentary Commissions, Select Commit tees, Mr. Morrison's Committee, and Government Com mittees on the termini,as well as a variety of other proceed. ings arisingout of the sessional orders for the better control and management of railways. But, he believed, after all they found things in the same condition as they had at the close of last session. There certainly was the shadow of something coming in the form of a Govern ment board, but at present, he believed, nothing was definite. The proprietors must, no doubt, have a pretty good conception of the painful position in which their 'directors had been kept during the session that had just closed. If, however, the report which was that day presented to them met their approbation, and he trusted that it would, the directors would cheerfully continue in their labours on behalf of the company.—(Applause.) There were one or two items of expenditure in the aceount just read by the secretary that might require some explanation; he alluded to the sum of 2,7941., which had been expended for re pairing and altering the stations, and the item of 2,351/. in new works, according to contract. There was also the sum of 2,1391. for printing and stationary, which in cluded tickets. With regard to the last.named item it might seem rather heavy unless some explanation were given. The increase in the item for printing, &c., then, arose from the change which had been adopted in the ticket system, and the whole machinery, and the charges for repairs, and the improvements of the stations, &c., was owing to the increased business of the Company as regarded both passengers and merchandise at all the stations. Notwithstanding the defeats which they had sustained during the late session, he might at all events congratulate the proprietors on the Bills which they had succeeded in obtaining. The first to which he would direct their attention was the London-bridge Extension Bill.—(Applause.) lie conceived that every one of the proprietors must at once see the benefits which that measure was calculated to confer on this Company.— (Hear.) Indeed it would be impossible for him to detail all the advantages of such an extension. The metropo litan trade must be in an ex - raordinary manner influ enced by it, and if ever there was a doubt as to the po licy of spending money for the purpose of extending the line from Nine Elms to Waterloo bridge, and again from Waterloo bridge to London-bridge, such doubt he thought must now be completely removed by the illustration afforded by the opening of the Richmond Railway.—(Applause.) The directors of this Company had, as the proprietors were aware, tried to purchase that railway, the proprietors of which were desirous of selling it to them, and it might therefore be supposed that the matter would be considered in a fair, open manner. But such was the importance of all these extensions and routes to the metropolis, that those gentlemen, feeling strongly the importance of their line, would not be con tent, unless paid a greater amount of money than they had originally asked. When he assured the meeting that the traffic on that railway had reached to 60,962 pas sengers in four weeks—(Loud applause)—which was half the number of passengers that had passed on the en tire line of this Company, extending over 99 miles, ex clusive of Richmond—they would be able to judge that the influence occasioned by the extension to Waterloo bridge. must be exceedingly great, inasmuch as it would have the effect of doubling the value of the property.— (Hear, hear.) And as they had now obtained Bills for branches t? Hampton Court, Alton, Farnham and other places, all in the vicinity of the metropolis, he trusted that at the end of / 1 400 Pan they weaki be able to re. port as favourably of them as of the Richmond line. — (Applause.) The Hampton Court branch must become a very productive source to the metropolitan trade, and there would necessarily be an amply remunerating traffic. The Chertsey and Wey bridge lines would also contribute in an eminent degree to the prosperity of the Company. The Alton and Farnham line would also be a highly remunerative line. The next point on which he wished to say a few words was their future policy. He flattered himself—indeed, he felt confident—that it was the anxious wish of the proprietors, that their di rectors should evince the greatest desire at all times to remain if possible on friendly terms with the lines east and west of them.—(Hear, hear.) But ho regretted to say that so far that principle had signally failed, whether it arose from a low state of morality in the railway world—(Hear, hear, and laughter)—or from business, or from the interference of third parties, he knew not. Tnis remark applied particularly to gentlemen interested in the Yeovil district, for when the proprietors of this company contemplated repose, a third party stepped in a - id projected another line for that locality; and the di rectors, notwithstanding their desire to maintain peace, did not succeed in obtaining their rights peaceably. He would repeat, therefore, that that principle had failed, and he felt that there was now no way open to them for the future, but to occupy in a spirited manner the whole of those districts is ith which they contemplated interfering, and which were at present unprovided with railway ac commodation. They had certainly got a line secured to Salisbury, but upon what principle they had lost the remaining tract of country to Exeter it was difficult for his colleagues and himself to comprehend. They had sepplied a direct line to Sherborne, under the sanction or wishes of Government, (which had endeavoured as far as possible to promote the most direct lines), but in doing so they interfered slightly with the park of a cer tain nobleman (Lord Digby). They were, therefore, compelled to instruct their engineer, Mr. Locke, to devise an alternative line which would afford quite as ample ac commodation to the peop'e of Sherborne as could be d sired. The worthy chairman of the Committee of the House of Commons (Mr. Beckett Denison, he be lieved) took the trouble of going down personally to inspect Lord Digby's park, and the result was that he decided in his opinion this company should not be driven to the use of any alternative line. The House of Com mons, therefore, gave them their Bill, having previously biserte 1 a claure in the Bill to present them from wantonly sporting with Lord Digby's property. Now it so happened that in the House of Peers this line was at once thrown out, and having had the alternative line stopped in the House of Commons they had no relief, and lost their Bill. He had confidently antici pated that Mr. Locke would have been present at this meeting, but lie had found that morning that that gen tleman had gone to Exeter for the purpose of surveying the whole of the line as well as examining the whole of the district between Exeter and Cornwall and Plymouth, in order to lay the result before a meeting of the pro prietors at the earliest possible moment. The plans which he would lay before them would no doubt be of the most comprehensive character, and such as to ensure the approbation of the Legislature; they would afford a complete and comprehensive mode of communication on the narrow gauge.—(Applause.) The Chairman then said that he hoped the meeting would excuse him if in passing he took occasion, in justice to himself and brother directors, to say a few words with respect to some reports which had gone forth to the public to the effect that they had betrayed the proprietors' interests with respect to the country lying west of Salisbury. (He then proceeded at great length to show that they had acted in strict conformity with the rules of justice and good faith in all matters af fecting the interests of the proprietors, and he challenged any one to come forward and prove that he had in any instance failed to fulfil to the very letter any agreement or engagement which he had entered into with any other company. His defence of the conduct of his co adjutors in office elicited loud applause from the nume rous body of proprietors present.) With respect to the Portsmouth line of the rival company the chairman re marked, that every one must acknowledge that it was a very bad line—(llear, hear)—that the country through which it passed was very thinly populated—(Hear, hear) —that it had very bad gradients—(Hear, hear)—that it was a most extensive line and not a very direct one ; and he felt confident that this Company would be able to compete with them most successfully.—(Applause.) This Company had a line to Godalming, which was six miles nearer to London than that of their rival. They had also removed the difficulties which unfortunately existed with the landowners in Sussex, and with the permission of the proprietors the directors of this Com pany would be able to show the public to their complete satisfaction that they offered the best accommodation to that district.—(Cheers.) He thought it would be as well to say a word with regard to the atmospheric line, because he presumed that many of them had read the railway journals, in which they would see that after all that had been said about atmospheric power, the locomotive was to be the one that would be adopted, and this Company had therefore been deluded or choused out of the line.—(Hear, hear.) 'With respect to the Richmond Railway, he need not trouble them. The di rectors had much satisfaction in announcing to the shareholders the selection which they had made, or in fact he should rather say the honour which had been conferred upon them, by the two distinguished indivi duals (Earl Morley and the Hon.W. F. Scott, M.P.), who had consented to fill the vacant directors' seats. TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES. COURT CIRCULAR. (Cheers.) He trusted that the proprietors ;;ouil appreciate the arrangement which had been made for the election of those individuals, and that they would unanimously approve of it.—(Cheers.), As he was not aware of any other subject on which it was necessary for him to trouble them, he would conclude by moving—. " That the report be adopted, and printed and circulated amongst the proprietors."—(Cheers.) Mr. REED having seconded the resolution, it was eventually carried unanimously, after a very lengthy de sultory conversation. It was—then moved and agreed to that a dividend of 375. 6d., subject to income-tax, bo declared for the half year, ending June 30 last. It was also preposed and agreed to that the directors be, and they are hereby, authorised and requested to take all such preliminary steps, and make all such arrangements with other com panies and parties as shall appear to them necessary or expedient for attaining powers to enable this Company, either alone or jointly with such other companies or parties, to form such extension and branch lines of rail way as to the directors shall seem conducive to the interests of the company. The fourth resolution, which was agreed to, was that the Right Honourable the Earl of Morley be, and he is hereby, elected a director of this Company. The fifth resolution was to the effect that the lion. F. Scott, E,q., M.P., be, and he is hereby, elected a director of the Company. This was also unanimously agreed to. Lord MonLEir and F. SCOTT, Esq., M P., returned thanks for the honour conferred upon them. Mr. CURRIE then moved that the allowance to the directors be increased from 1,0001. a year to 2,000/. Mr. Sergeant GAZELEE moved as an amendment, that the allowances should be 1,5001. per annum. After some discussion upon the subject of whether it was or was not necessary to give notice of such a course of proceeding, Mr. Sergeant GAZELEE withdrew his amendment. Mr. TAIILIN then moved that the subject be taken into consideration this day six months. The amendment haring been put it was negatived by a corsiderable majority, and the original resolution was carried. Mr. AITKEN said that he hoped, in consequence of the resolution having been objected to by some of the pro prietors, the directors would not accept of the proposed accession to their allowance. The business of the general meeting having then been brought to a conclusion, the meeting was made special, and the following resolution was proposed : " That this meeting approves and sanctions the pur chase of the Richmond Railway, and the other property and effects of the Richmond Railway Company, on the terms specified in the minute of the court of directors, held on the 28th of August instant, and produced and read at this meeting, and the directors are hereby authorised to complete the said purchase, and to do all proper acts for effecting that purpose, and also to make arrangements and take such steps for providing and pay ing, or transferring the stock, shares, and money necessary to be provided and paid or transferred on completion of the purchase as they shall find needful or expedient, with powers for the directors on the part of the com pany to make or consent to such modifications in the de tails of the terms of purchase, as reported to this meet ing, as they shall consider expedient. Mr. Sergeant GAZELEE wished to know how it was that the proprietors were to give 66 per cent. for one third of their profits, the present Company had already two-thirds of their profits ? The CHAIRMAN explained that whatever proportion was left to the Richmond Railway was no matter to this company, provided that portion was worth the price offered for it. _ Mr. Sergeant GAZELEE wished to know if they had made the agreement on the traffic of the last three or four weeks, which had been during the best month of the year. He thought that it would be better to let the Richmond Company have the benefit of the winter season, and then make terms with them. The CHAIRMAN said that in his opinion the traffic on the line would be very considerable, and although the ' traffic had been during the best month of the year, still there were other advantages to be looked for to make up for that, which were the opening of the line to Water loo and London Bridges, and also the carriage of goods and agr i cu ltural produce, which w ere not as yet carried on the line. In answer to a question put by a shareholder, The CHAIRMAN said that the original offer made to the Richmond company had been 91. premium on their shares ; that agreement had not been carried out pre vious to the opening of their line, and in consequence of the large amount of traffic upon that line the proprietors had thought it right to demand 101. for their shares. The directors did not think it worth while to stand out upon the question of the additional one pound, especially as by the present alteration in the standing orders of the House there would be less time than b e f ore t o ma k e arrangements for the extensions of lines b e y on d Rich mMr. CHADWICK. the chairman of the Ri c h mon d Com pany, said that the offer on the part of th e Ri c h mon d arrangement. ond, and they thought it best a t once to conclude the Company was perfectly bona fide, and the directors were quite prepared to hand over the line on the terms men tioned in the resolution.—(Cheers.) The resolution was then unanimously agreed to. The next resolution was one respecting the purchase of the Guildford Extension and Portsmouth and Fare ham Railway on the terms proposed at a late general meeting of that company, on Wednesday, the 26th of August. After a few words from Mr. Helps and other pro prietors, This resolution was also unanimously agreed to. In answer to a question put by a shareholder, it was EVENING, AUGUST 3!, 1846. stated that there would be a call of 5/. on the 26th of Stp - ember next, and it was probable that there would be another within three months from that period. A vote of thanks was then proposed to the directors and the chairman, and the meeting broke up at half pass four o'clock. RAIL WAY LEGISLATION. Sir,---I observe in the Times of to-day, with some suprise, a copy of a draught report which I prepared, as Chairman of the Committee on Railway Legislation, for the consideration of the Committee ; but, on showing it to the few members who remained in town, it was not thought possible in the short interval that remained be fore the prorogation of Parliament, for members to give it due consideration, or even to get a sufficient number together for that purpose : it was, therefore, not consi den d by the Committ ee , b u t s i m ply laid before them. — Yours obediently, J. MORRISON. Basildon, Aug. 29. RURAL FETE AT OSBORNE HOUSE. On Saturday afternoon her iviaj;sty ;ve7an;nTertain tnent in the true old spirit of E ng li s h hospitality, to all the labourers and workmen, with their wives and families, on the estate of Osborne. A large tent was erecten in the park in front of the house, ornamented with flags, and the band of the 74th Regiment played. At three o'clock 270 persons sat down t) dinner, and after having well rejoiced themselves, amusements in all variety were carried on till half-past seven o'clock. The music played merrily to the dancing, and country dances succeeded each other rapidly. A match was played at cricket, for which her Majesty gave a prize—boys and men ran in Packs—and prizes were also awarded for running matches, hopping matches, hurdle races, quoits, " Catch the man with the bell," and other sports, which afforded equal enjoyment to those who took part in them and to those who were spectators. Her Majesty, her Prince Consort, and the juvenile members of the Royal Family were present throughout, and seemed thoroughly to enter into the games, and to enjoy the power of affording so much innocent satis faction to so many of their dependents. Her Majesty gave theft* to celebrate the birthday of his Royal Highness the Prince Consort. The Bishop of Oxford arrived at Osborne House, on Saturday afternoon, on a visit to the Queen. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent left Osborne House, at ten o'clock, on Saturday morning, for her residence, Frogmore House, Windsor. her Royal Highness was attended by Lady Anna Maria Dawson, Baroness de Speth, and Sir George Couper. Yesterday morning, her Majesty and Prince Albert, and the Ladies and Gentlemen of the Royal Suite, at tended Divine service, at Osborne House. The Bishop of Oxford officiated. The Royal children were taken airings, yesterday, in the pleasure grounds. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester arrived in town on Saturday morning from Richmond, and paid a visit to her Majesty the Queen Dowager and her Royal Highness the Princess of Prussia, at Marlbo rough-house. Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Hereditary Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg Strelitz arrived in town from Kew on Saturday, and also visited the Queen Dowager and the Princess of Prussia. In the afternoon the Queen Dowager, the Princess of Prussia, the Duchess of Cambridge, and the Hereditary Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg Strelitz, took an airing together in the Parks, in an open carriage and four. His Royal Highness Prince George visited the Queen Dowager and the Princess of Prussia on Saturday. Yesterday her Majesty the Queen Dowager, her Royal Highness the Princess of Prussia, and his Serene Highness Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar, attended Divine service in the Chapel Royal, St. James's. The prayers were read by the Rev. T. Helmore, and the les sons by the Rev. J. C. Haden. The sermon was preached by the Rev. Dr. Sleath, who took his text from Isaiah, chap. 55, verse 13. The anthem was " 0 give thanks" (Boyce). Mr. Cooper presided at the organ. The royal suite included the Viscountess Barrington, the Countess Haack, Earl Howe, Count Puckler, Baron Witzlebew, and Sir Andrew Barnard. At the early service in the Chapel Royal, yesterday, the Rev. Mr. Haden officiated. _ _ _ Her Majesty the Queen Dowager, and her Royal Highness the Princess of Prussia, attended divine service yesterday afternoon in Westminster Abbey. The Vis countess Barrington, the Countess Haack, Earl Howe, Count Puckler, Baron Witzleben, the Rev. J. R. Wood, and Sir Andrew Barnard, were in attendance on her Majesty and her Royal Highness. The sermon was preached by the Rev. Dr. Wordsworth. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, attended by Lady Anna Maria Dawson, Baroness de Speth, and Sir George Couper, Bart., arrived at her residence, Frogmore•house, near Windsor, at half-past three o'clock, on Saturday afternoon, from Osborne-house, Isle of Wight. The High Bailiff of Guernsey had an interview with Sir George Grey on Saturday, at the Home-office. Colonel Wylde had an interview with the Earl of Clarendon on Saturday at the office of the Board of Trade. The Millbanlc Prison Commission had a meeting on Saturday at the Penitentiary. Mr. James Walker had an interview with the Chan cellor of the Exchequer on Saturday. Captain Brand reth had also an interview with the Right Honourable Gentleman. sir. G. C. Lewis had an interview with Sir George Grey on Saturday at the Home-office. Mr. Horner had also an interview with the Right Hon. Baronet. Dispatches were received on Saturday at the Colonial office from the Governor of Gibraltar. The Marquis and Marchioness of Lansdowne left tcwn on Saturday for Dover en route to the continent. Viscount Palmerston left town on Saturday. TRIAL of the FRENCH REGICIDE. COURT OF PEERS.—THIRD DAY. SITTING OF AUGUST 27. (Continued from The Sun of Saturday.) The Court assembled at eleven o'clock, and proceeded at once to deliberate with closed doors on the charges against the prisoner. The Court remained in consulta tion the whole day. As the hours passed over and no decision was come to, great anxiety was manifested by the crowd assembled outside. A little after six o'clock the doors were opened to the public. M. Baroche, the prisoner's counsel, was in his place, but the prisoner himself was not present. After the appel nominal had been made, The President rose, and, in the midst of the deepest silence, read the following verdict:— " Whereas Joseph Henry is proved to have attempted to kill the icing on the evening of the 29th of July last —a crime provided for by Arts. 86 and 88 of the Penal Code—and whereas the punishment is to be graduated in proportion to the circumstances, and nature of the crime, according to Arts. 7, 18, and 30 of the Penal Code, which declares the peines afflictives et infamantes to be-Ist, death; 2d, hard labour at the hulks for life; 3d, banishment; and 4th, solitary confinement; the Court condemns Joseph Henry to hard labour for life." The Court tit Ai separated. The following highly distinguished company have honoured the Lyceum Theatre with their presence during the week, to witness the new burlesque of the Magic Morn Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge, the Duke and Duchess of Beaufort, the Ladies Somerset, the Duke and Duchess of Leinster, the Marquis of Donegal!, the Marquis of Conyngham, the Earl and Countess of Chesterfield, Earl Radnor, Countess of Essex, Earl Bective, Lord Dillon, Lord Suffield, Lady Macdonald, Lord Fitzgerald, Lord Monson, Lady Webster, the Hon. Captain Mocdonald, Sir J. Lowther, Bart., Sir Edmund Antrobus, Sir F. Trench, Sir A. Corbett, G. Wombwell, Esq., V. Stanley, Esq., &c. &c. " A HORRIBLE STORY."—A paragraph, having the above heading, appeared in some of the papers of Saturday, putting forth a statement that a pie had been sent to the bakehouse of Mr. Just, Nassau-street, to be baked, which was afterwards found to contain the body of a new-born child. There is not one word of truth in the statement from beginning to end; and Mr. Just, who carries on a very re spectable business as a baker, in Nassau-street, is determined, if possible, to find out the author of so base and wicked a fabrication, invented, no doubt, 1)3-swam malicious villain to injure him in his business. FUNIBBAL OF LADY SHELLEY.—The remains of Lady Shelley, who (lied at Elcott House, Berks, were removed for interment in the ancient family chancel at Horsham. The funeral took place on Friday, August 28, and the procession was accompanied by a great concourse of the inhabitants. The same tribute of respect as observed at the funeral of Sir Timothy Shelley, Bart., was paid to her memory, all the shops being closed. For her charity to the poor, for her kind services wherever they could be useful, and for her friend ship with the families seated in the neighbourhood, the re membrance of Lady Shelley will be long held in the highest s. teem. FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE GRAVESEND AND ROCHES TER, RAILWAY.—On Friday afternoon W. Woodford, a plate layer employed on this line, lost his life by the half-past three o'clock up-train passing over :him in the tunnel near Rochester. It was the duty of the deceased, with others, to examine the rails in the tunnel every time a train passed, and he had done so many hundreds of times. While in the tunnel on this occasion, the train approached, and the whistle was blown as it entered the tunnel, about three quarters of a mile from the spot where the deceased was; the deceased heard it, and asked his fellow-workmen what train that was, and the latter having told him, went to pro cure a fresh candle, theirs being nearly burnt out ; he left the deceased still at work. On returning he found the de ceased lying, dead upon the rails, his head and both legs being cut in two. lie should have stepped to the side where there is room to stand out of the way, and hold by the bar rier while the trains pass ; he had probably delayed it till too late. lie had a red light with him to exhibit if he wanted to stop a train. The engine-driver did not feel the engine pass over anything; the speed was 16 miles an hour. The jury found a verdict of Accidental Death at the inquest held on Saturday, and expressed their full conviction that the accident did not occur through the negligence or mismanage ment of the superintendent or any other person connected with the management of the line. The line was opened in February, 1845, and this is the first accident that has oc curred upon it. CONsUNPTION.—Died, yesterday morning, soon after three o'clock, Mr. James Thomas, in the Richmond Ward of the hospital for Consumption, at Chelsea. Mr. Thomas had for many years attended die Marlborough -street Police court for this journal. It is gratifying to learn that all that medical science could effect was rendered to him, and his pas sage to the grave was soothed in every kindly manner that could be suggested or effected. It is added, with regret, that his poor widow has not the remotest means of burying him ; his only son is at sea, and probably little dreams ef the early fate of his poor father. Mr. Thomas was highly respected by all who had his acquaintance, and he has died universally regretted. THE LATE GENERAL NOTT.—Lord John Russell, we understand, has given one of the best livings in his gift to a son of the late General Xott. The gallant officer did not live long enough himself to enjoy the fruits of his dis tinguished services. Acts of this kind go a great way to strengthen a Government in the feelings of a people so accustomed to the abuse of patronage as to be really grateful for its honest distribution. :~ JC - THE FORGERY AT COUTTS'S. ARREST of CAP PAIN RICHARDSON, the CH AIR MAN of the WORCESTER, TEN BURY, and LUD- LOW RAILWAY COMP/ANY. At a late hour on Saturday, Captain Richardson, the Chairmen of the Worcester, Tenbury, and Ludlow Rail way C.ilnpany, was brought to the Mansion-house, in the custody of City Policeman Russell 34, of the detec tive force, before Alderman Musgrove, charged with having altered a cheque upon Coutts's bank for the sum of 10/. to the sum of 5,000/. The case, as may well be imagined, excited the greatest interest. Mr. Bush, of the firm of Bush and Mullins, solicitors to the Committee of Bankers for the Prosecution of For geries and Frauds, appeared for the prosecution. The prisoner having been taken by surprise, was un defended. Mr. Bush stated that he was agent to Messrs. Fry and Co., the agents to the Worcester, Tenbury, and Ludlow Railway Company, of which the prisoner was the chair man, and he had to charge that prisoner with having altered a cheque upon Coutts's bank, which was origi nally drawn for 101. to 5,0001., and with having received the proceeds and appropriated them to his own purposes. At present he would call only such witnesses as might be necessary to prove that there was foundation for a remand. At a future day he should produce some very important and complicated evidence, calculated to esta blish the charge in the most effectual manner. Alderman MusGstovE— At present, prisoner, there is no evidence against you; there is merely the statement of Mr. Bush, and I Wish to know whether you would dasire to ask that gentleman any question? Prisoner— I am so much surprised at the charge, that I had rather say nothing until I have an opportunity of consulting my solicitor upon the subject. Mr. Bush said he held the cheque in his hand. The prisoner had, he said, stated to him that he filled up and signed a cheque for 101. on the 7th of July, which had been drawn upon Coutts's bank; that the same had after wards been returned to him signed by two other directors of the company; and that subsequently it had been paid into Messrs. Coutts's bank, the sum of 10/. being altered into the sum of 5,000/. 11er. Robert Hare, clerk at Messrs. Coutts and Co.'s banking house, looked at the cheques produced by Mr. Bush, and stated that be paid that cheque, which pur ported to be for 5,000/., on the 20th of July, to a person at the counter. He did not know to whom he paid it He paid the amount in five notes of 1,000/. each. The witness here produced the notes as those which he had paid. Mr. Bush—Have you reason to believe now that the cheque was forged ? Witness—The cheque bears the proper signatures. Mr. Bush—Have you heard what induces you to be lieve that it is in part forged ? Witness—l have. Mr. Henry Jerningham, a clerk in the Bank of Eng land, stated that on the 20th of July he changed three 1,000/..bank notes, which were all dated Feb. 13, 1846. The person who presented the notes gave the name of J. Jones. They were paid in gold. Mr. William Higman, of the Issue-office of the Bank of England, stated that the three notes for 1,0001. each having been sent for gold, were brought to him by the last witness, who said that a gentleman required gold for them. 'Witness perceiving on the notes only the address of " Dublin," asked the gentleman, who he had not the slightest doubt was the prisoner, what part of Dublin he resided in. The prisoner replied, " The Linen Hall." Witness asked him to write it on one of the notes, and handed him a pen for that purpose. The prisoner appeared to be very nervous, and requested witness to write it, and he did accordingly write on one of the notes the words " Linen Hall," and asked the prisoner his address in London ; to which the answer was" Furni val's Inn Hotel." That address witness also wrote upon the note. The sum being a large sum for gold, witness went to Mr. Marshall, the chief cashier, to consult him on the subject. Witness was sure he asked the prisoner from whom he had had the notes, and the prisoner said from Coutts's. When witness mentioned that circum stance to Mr. Marshall, that gentleman requested him to trace to whom the notes had been first issued by the bank, and he did trace the notes, and found they had been issued to Coutts's. Oti leaving Mr. Marshall, wit ness found that the prisoner, to whom the gold had been already paid, had left the bank, and he had him brought back till the notes should be traced. Mr. Thomas Ager; clerk in the Issue Department of the Bank, stated that he was present while the prisoner was receiving the gold, during the whole time. He had not the slightest doubt as to the identity of the prisoner. He had to call the prisoner back to re-weigh the gold, as it was a large amount, and there was some suspicion at tached to the circumstance. Witness went to the cab in which the prisoner was about to seat himself, and said he was sorry he (the prisoner) must bring the money back to be re- weighed. The prisoner said, " Oh, it's all right," and he came back. At last Mr. Higman told witness to let the prisoner go, and he did so. Alderman MUSGROVE said the experience of the pri soner must inform him that there was evidence enough given upon which to remand him for further examination The prisoner wished to have time to consult with his legal adviser. Alderman MUSGROVE—The case is a very serious one, and you shall have a full opportunity of consulting your solicitor. Do you wish to say anything now ? Prisoner— Mr. Bush can bear witness to the fact, that I took con sidtrable trouble to ascertain who committed this for gery in my capacity as chairman of the company. Mr. Bush—l have to say that the prisoner and others consulted me on the subject of this forgery, and what took place upon that consultation led to this result. Prisoner—He knows that I went to Coutts's Bank upon the subject, accompanied by the solicitor, and un accompanied by any of the other members. The prisoner was then remanded till Tuesday. SUICIDE OF COL. THORNTON, CHARGED WITH UTTERING FORGED NOTES. On Saturday, during the early part of the day, In spector Tedman, of the D division, entered the Mary lebone police-court, and communicated to the magistrate the fact of a prisoner having committed suicide in the station-house of that district. It appeared that a person, who gave his name and address " Charles Walter Thornton, 3, Hartland-terrace, Kentish Town," was taken into charge for having offered at the shop of Mr. Bennett, watchmaker, of Oxford-street, a 51. note, sup posed to be a forged one. Inquiries were at the same time made, and Mrs. Harding, jeweller, of Holles-street, Cavendish-square, and Mr. Bishop, bootandier, of Con naught-terrace, identified the prisoner as having passed 101. and 51. forged notes upon them. Two other similar charges were established, and these were found to form portions of an extensive system of fraud which has been for some time in practice. On the prisoner being searched when he was taken into custody, a forged 51. note and two genuine 51. Bank of England notes were found upon him, and 91. in gold. At his lodgings a quantity of valuable jewellery was discovered. Shortly before one in the mornnig, on a police constable entering the cell, he was found quite dead, having strangled himself with his pocket-handkerchief. The deceased was about forty years of age, and had at one time held a com mission in the East Indian army. On Saturday an inquest was held on the body at two o'clock, before Mr. Wakley, M.P., at the Marylebone workhouse. Police constable George Henry Maclarell, 110 D, was first called. He saia he was on duty on Friday night at the police station in Marylebone-lane. About one o'clock yesterday morning he was directed by Sergeant Brown to go round the cells. On arriving at that one in which deceased was confined, he saw that a silk hand kerchief had been passed through the bars of the little opening in the cell door, and hitched on to the belt on the outside. On opening the door the deceased was found banging with the silk handkerchief round his neck, and quite dead. Thomas llooper, police constable 213 D, stated that he took the deceased into custody at eight o'clock on Friday evening for endeavouring to pass a forged Si. Bank of England note at the shop of Mr. Bennett, in Oxford-street. On his arrival at the station, lie said he could easily account for the possession of the note, and a person who had received one, residing in Princes-street, having been sent for, came and identified the deceased, who had purchased some jewellery and given her a forged note. He was locked up in the cell at nine o'clock. He was then in a perfectly sound state of mind and quite sober. He gave his name as Charles Walter Thornton, of 3, Ilartland-terrace, Kentish-town. Mr. Inspector Tedman here produced the property, which was found on the deceased's person at the station, and that subsequently found at his residence, most of which had been proved to have been obtained by means of forged notes corresponding with that on his per son when taken into custody. On his person were found a forged 51. note (in addition to the one he had at tempted to pass with Mr. Bennett), two good Si. notes, eight sovereigns, one half.sovereign, eight half-crowns, two sixpences, two gold brequet chains and seals, a small box, containing two purse slides and rings, and a bead purse. There was also a diamond ring on his finger. At his lodgings, found in a jewel case, were one 10/. note, good, four brooches, five coins, some gold Indian coins, one gold eye-glass, nine seals, one silver pencil case, one silver toothpick, two gold union pins, three rings, and one eardrop. On these articles being pro ' duced to the coroner, many of the tradesmen present stepped forward and identified the various articles which they had sold to the deceased and given the change for the forged 5/. notes, and which they also produced. The notes in question are anything but good imitations, being apparently lithographed. They all bore date the 3d of March, and, were backed by the deceased with the name " Woodman, Roinford." Mrs. Mary Thornton, the widow of the deceased, was next examined. The unfortunate lady was supported into the room by several of her friends and accom modated with a chair. She appeared deeply affected. She said she had been married to the deceased six years, and resided at 3, Ilartland-terrace, Kentish-town. He was a colonel in the East India Company's service, but had only recently returned from Egypt, where she had been with him. She knew nothing of his affairs, but always understood that he was a gentleman of inde pendent property. He was at home all day yesterday up to five o'clock, when he went out, saying that he should.. go to billiards. He was then in excellent health and si irits. Ile had never complained of pain in the head, or threatened or attempted to destroy himself. He was: a very temperate man. Ile had no relatives living. They had all died in India. She could not ac count Oar his possession of the forged notes. Mr. Thomas Warren, of 3, Commercial-place, Kent ish-town, said he had known deceased for several years. About dame months ago he returned from Egypt, and ;i n c . e., tin a time he had resided in Grove street, Camden towel,_znd his present residence. There being no further evidence, the Coroner at some length dw elt upon the melancholy circumstances of the case, an d ~.:aplained the law as related to cases of in sanity and '-de-se. The mom ha ,ving been cleared of strangers, the jury for so me t i me ci ,aliberated, and ultimately returned a verdict,, " That thus deceased hung himself, but in what sate of mind 14ii•as at the time, there 'was no evidence to show." luspector Tedthen\yuliedtethr,egroncr to know what he was to dniarytOsig prikelstbroduced, as the tradesmen who had'incii'defraMed demanded to have it restored to them. The CORONER said, had a warrant been issued against the deceased, it would then have been my duty to claim the property on behalf of the Crown ; but as it had not, he could make no order in the case. The inspector had, therefore, better represent the subject to the Police Commissioners. The proceedings in this extraordinary case then t'er minated. SECOND REPORT FROM THE SE; LECT COMMITTEE ON RAILWAY ACTS ENACTMENTS. The Select Committee appoined to inquire whether, without discouraging legitimate enterprise, conditions. may not be embodied in Railway Acts better fitted' than those hitherto inserted in them to promote and secure the interests of the public, and who were em powered to report their observations and opinions thereupon from time to time to the house, have con sidered the several matters to them referred, and have agreed to the following report. Your Committee have examined several witnesses, and received documentary evidence on the state of railways, and the legislation respecting them, in this and other countries; and have called for returns from the British' railway companies illustrative of their past and present' condition : they have also to regret that the delays ex perienced by them in obtaining various returns, ora subjects connected with their inquiry, have not aliowel them to present these observations at an earlier period. It appears to your Committee that, without discourag4 ing legitimate enterprise, the railway legislation of this: country may be materially improved by the adoption of a better system of control and supervision applicable to, all railways at present existing or to be constructed hereaft, r, and by changes in the course of procedure ne ce,sary to obtain railway Bills. The line between public and private legislation has sAdorn been correctly drawn in this country. Indi viduals and associations have in all times been allowed to assume the exercise of powers which properly belong to the Executive, without being subjected to due respon sibility ; and in a large class of Bills, private in name, but often affecting important public interests, the exist ing mode of procedure before the Legislature supplies no adequate means for obtaining a knowledge of the real merits of measures to other parties than those who promote or oppose them. Without entering on an in qairy into the relative advantages or disadvantages of such a state of things at differant periods in the progress of a nation, your Committee conceive that the time has arrived when it can no longer be continued with safety, and that a regard to the best interests of the community requires the adoption of a very different system. Among those public objects which hitherto have been the subject of legislation in private Bills must be included the means by which the communications between the dif ferent parts of a country are effected. The roads of a country, from the very nature of things, are public concerns; they are as necessary to a people as the air they breathe. The very nature of society implies that men should have access to each other for the supply of their respective wants, whether they live in towns, or are scattered over the face of a country ; and the common sense of mankind tells theta that the roads and streets should be free from obstruc— tion. In this country, from the remotest times, the title. of the Sovereign, as representing the nation, to the control of its roads, has always been allowed. The designation of King's highways, by which the public roads were known, sufficiently indicates the right which the Crown possessed and exercised over them. The practice of entrustirg to associations locally interestell the making and repairing of roads, with the power of levying tolls to repay the outlay required for that pur— pose, which first became general towards the middle of the last century, amounted merely to a delegation for a. time by the Legislature, on certain conditions, of a por— tion of the powers of Government to meet a public ex— igency, but never to a permanent transfer of them. The, public have always possessed the right to control the trustees, and to withdraw from them the management of the highways included in their trusts ; and there are re peated instances, in our own times, of the exercise of this right. The period is not remote since an extensive Parlia mentary inquiry was instituted into the state of the turnpike trusts of the country, when the right of the nation to regulate and control the management of its highways was practically vindicated, and, among other results, a number of toll-gates in the neighbourhood of the metropolis, felt as an inconvenience by its inhabi• tants, were ordered to be removed. But of all the means of communication between dif ferent parts of a country, that by railways is by far the most important. If it be necessary for the public wel fare that a country should never divest itself in per petuity of its right of property in its ordinary highways, it is still more important that it should not part with the right to control its railways. On an ordinary road there could have been no monopoly of the means of conveyance; a man might travel by it at all hours, and in any manner he pleased ; but on a railway he can only travel at such times and under such arrangements as those who are entrusted with its direction may choose to adopt. If one coach on a road charged too much, travelled at too slow or too quick a rate, or failed in other respects to give satisfaction, another might have been started ; but on railways there is no option ; the passenger must either submit to the regulations fixed by its directors or abstain from using it. It has now been ascertained that of f petition power part my the hope of relief from the objectionable course pursued on one railroad, by having recourse to a competing line, must in a great measure be abandoned. It is confi dently stated by nearly all the witn esses exam i ne d by your Committee that the public cann o t co un t on b e i ng a re b l t i i e si v v e e d ex by ere c i o se m clw u yes n 7 d e obc r fuo ancom panies. ao panics. From the very nature of things, therefore, a i y an intolerable i r n , t a r l e n o e y e e • h o e m s c u p k b e n o c y r t exercistoe s aossn from i t he sbl s o , abuse ; and it can only be rendered inno x i ous b y sub jecting it to rigorous control and supervisi o n. But besides, as a railroad is so superior to a ll o th er means of communication that it must necessarily super sede them, and confers the greatest advantages on the localities through which it runs, it becomes of the greater consequence that the lines for railways should be wisely selected, and that railway companies should not be suffered, by an injudicious choice, to inflict in jury either on the public in general, or on the owners of property. That these objects were not at first suffi ciently attended to in this country can hardly be a mat ter of surprise, when we reflect on the ignorance with respect to the nature of the change about to be effected by the new power thus brought into action, which then generally prevailed. The Liverpool and Manchester Railway, executed under the greatest discouragements, first demonstrated the possibility of realising projects which to the minds of most men had before appeared chimerical. But even after the success of' this experi ment, the consequences to society which would result al t c i rt r iytnl,so consequences a g n nr u o daep nol from the adoption of this new means of communication, were seldom correctly appreciated, even by men of the best understandings ; and, under such circum stances, it is the less to be wondered at that extensive powers should have been given to railway companies, without the accompaniment of such safeguards as sub sequent experience has proved to be necessary CO the protection of the public. The foreign Govern ments which profited by our experiment, with one exception, were at first misled by it into. an imitation of our practice ; but they soon became aware of the evils that might result to the public from parting in perpetuity with the uncontrolled property in them. Belgium, the configuration of a great part of which, namely, the Western, highly favours the con struction of railroads, is the only country of which the Government from the first laid down a systematic plan respecting its railways, which it afterwards strictly ad hered to ; that plan embraced the whole kingdom, and it had exclusively for its object to communicate, at the cheapest possible rate, the benefit of railways equally to every part of the population. The lines in Belgium were till lately begun and completed by the Govern ment itself, through the means of loans ; and it was en abled to fix the fares at an exceedingly low rate. The original system has been so far departed from of late, that several lines of railway have been conceded to private companies, for terms of years, on conditions ex tremely advantageous to the public, but none of theee roads are yet open to the public. Franco did not proceed so systematically. The first railroads were constructed solely with a viQW to the conveyance of coals to the places where they were con sumed. The success of the Liverpool and Manchester line suggested the idea of conveying passengers, and the line from Paris to St. Germain was conceded to companies in 1835, the two roads of 'Ver sailles, and that from Montpelier to Cette, in 1856 Other lines were undertaken by private companies, and some by the Government itself. But at length the in convenience of numerous undertakings without order, without any common plan or general deeir, began to be felt ; and the Government occupied itself seriously with the formation of a plan in which' these means of communication should be created and connected with each other according to a system pre viously adapted. This system is explained at consider able length in the report of the commission charged with examining the Projet de Loi relating to the estate lishment of the great lines of railway presented tO the Chamber of Deputies on the 16th April, 1542. The first general rules was, that the great lines should all run frein Paris in the direction of the frontiers by land and sea ; Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, the Mediterranean, Spain, the Ocean and the Channel. In these directions, the points of Lille, Strasbourg, Lyons, Marseilles, Bor deaux, Nantes, were to be touched on. The next object, as France was not a vast plain like Belgium and Prussia, was to select the directest and shortest lines , except - where the height of mountains might render it advisabl • to turn them ; and the plan of conceding the lines to private companies on leases was recommended. The law of 1842 is considered the basis of the French system. In the speech of M. Dumon, in the Chamber of Depu ties on the 31st January, 1846, an account is given of the manner in which the views of the Act of 1842 have been carried into effect. In 1842 there were voted 3,481 kilometres of railway. In 1844 the number of kilometres of railways to be constructed had increased to 4,950. Hitherto extensive assistance by the State had been granted ; but the successful results of the lines to Orleans and Rouen led to offers by private companies to construct some lines at their own expense, and on these terms the Amiens, Boulogne, Montereau, and Troyes lines were conceded. In the session of 1845-6 additional lines were decided on, making a total of 4,998 kilometres, or about L 3,0100 English miles. Of the new lines, the y_tnts, and assistance, and the lines of Tours . and , considerably less than was and Lyons and Avignon, were conceded without t any S a e Stras bourg with assistance, but eons: e present time tho granted by the law of 1843. 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