The Sun. — London, England, 1846-04-23 00:00:00

tirb it:Dtttoit SUN OFFICE, Seven ~'Clock NEWCASTLE D BERWICK RAILWAY. liOtke is hereby given, that a Special General Meeting of the Pro- Prietora of the Newcastle and Berwick Railway Company will be held In the Directors' Room, at the Railway Station, in the city of Y ork, on MONDAY, the 4th day of May, 1846, at laall-past 10 o'clock in The forenoon,. for the purpose of submitting for the approval of tie Proprietors of the said Company the draft of a Bill now before Parliatnent, intitutled " A Bill for enabling the .Newcastle and Ber wick Railway Company to make certain Branch Railways in the County of Northumterland." Dated this 20th day of March, 1845. GEORGE nrnsay, Chairman of the it oard of Directors of the sXtl C.mpAny. E W CASTLE and DAR LIA G-TON -LI JUNCTION RAILWAY. _ Notice is hereby given, that a Special General Meeting of the Pro. prieteos of thi Newcastle and Darlington Junction Railway Com pany will be held in the Directors' Room, at the Railway Station, In the City of York, on MONDAY, the 4th day of May, 1846, at a quarter past 10 o'clock in the forenoon, for the purpose of submitting for the approval of the Proprietors of the said Company, the drafts of the following Bills now before Parliament, that is to say,— "A Bill for enabling the Newcastle and Darlington Junction Rail way Company to make A railway from or near Thirsk to lialton, with a branch to Helmsley." "A Bill for enabling the Great North of England Railway Company to lease, and also to sell, their Railway to the Newcastle and Darling ton Junction Railway Company, and to authorise the raising of addi tional money by the said last-mentioned Company, for those and other purposes." " A Bill for enabling the Newcastle and Darlington Junction Rail way Company to make a railway from the line of the Great North of England Railway to itedale." "A Bill for enabling the Newcastle and Darlington Junction Rail- Way Company to make a Railway from the line of the Great North of England Railway to or near to Boroughbridge." " A Bill for enabling the Newcastle and Darlington Junction Rail way Company, to purchase the Durham and Sunderland Railway, and the Weymouth Dock, and to make certain Branch Railways in the county of Durham, and for other purposes." " A 8.11 for authorising the Sale of the Pontop and South Shields Railway to the Newcastle and Darlington Junc t ion R a il way Com pany." And Bill for enabling the Newcastle and Darlington Junction Railway Company to construct a Dock at Jarrow Slake, in the River Tyne, and to make Branch Railways and works to communicate therewith, and for other purposes." And at such meeting, it is proposed to confirm the deeds and ee oar menu already entered into between thi s C ompany and the Great North of England Railway Company, the Durham and Sun derland Railway Company, and the Weymouth Dock Company, either alone or together with any other companies, or between the directors of the same companies, or any of them, relative to the pur -1 urh chase am and and leasing of the said Great North of E ngland Railway, the Sunderland Railway, and the Wearmouth Dock, or any of them, and the works connected therewith respectively. Dated this 20th day of March, 1846. GEORGE HUDSON, Chairman of the B oard of Directors of the Newcastle and Darlington Junction Railway Company. YORK AND NORTH MIDLAND RAILWAY. Notice is hereby given, that a Special General Meeting of the Proprietors of the York an 4 North Midland Railway Company, will be held in the Directors' Room, at the Railway Station, In the city of York, on MoNowt, the 4th day of May, ISA at Ten o'clock in the forenoon, for the purpose of sub mitting, for the approval of-the Proprietors of the eeld-C-empany, the drafts of the following Bills, at present before Parliament, that is to say,— " A Rill for enabling the York and North Midland Railway Company to make a more direct line of Railway lattween York and Leeds." " A Bill to authorise the widening and enlargement of part of the line of the York and North 3lidland Railway, or the construction and maintenance of a Railway adjoining thereto." " A Bill for enabling the hull and Selby Railway Company to lease, and alma to sell, their hails ay to the York and North 3lidland d Manchester and Leeds Railway Compani es , or one of them, and to authorise the raising , of additional money by b o th or e i ther of the last-trentloned companies, for those and other purposes.", " A Bill for enabling the York and North Midland _Railway Com pany to make certain Branch Railways In the East Riding of the county of York, and for other purposes." (No. 1.) " A Bill for enabling the York and North Midland Railway Com pany to mat e certain Branch Railways in the East Riding of the county of York, and for other purposes." (No. 2.) And " A Rill for enabling the York and North Midland Railway to or Company to extend on the line of the Whitb y and Pickering Railway near And at such meeting it is proposed to confirm the deeds and agreements already entered into between this Company and the Hull and Selby and the 'Manchester and Leeds Railway Companies, or either of then, or between the I , ireetors of the same several Com panies, or any of them, relative to the purchase and !easing of the said Hull and Selby Railway, and the works connected therewith - . Dated this 20th day of March, 1645. GEORGE HUDSON Chairman of the Board of Directors , of the said York and North Midland Railway Company. EX Cll E UE K.--(THIS DAY.) (Sittings in Banco.) GATIIERCOLE, CLERK, r. :WALL. This was an action for libel preferred by the plaintiff, the Rev. Mr. Gat b emote, against the defendant who is the proprie tor of the Nonconformist newspaper, and was tried at the late assizes at Cambridge bef;)re Mr. Baron Parke, when a ver dict was given for the plaintiff—damages 2001. The circum stances of the case, it may be remembered, were the composi tion and publication of certain severe strictures in the Nonconformist newspaper, relative to observations made in a charity sermon by the reverend plaintiff on the parish church of Chatteris, in the Isle of Ely, to the effect that he would exclude Dissenters from a participation in the fuids of the charity, on the ground of their not belonging to the Church of Christ. The facts have been 30 recently and so fully re ported in The Sun that it will not be necessary now to give a detailed report of them. Sir Thomas WILDE moved for a rule to show cause why the verdict should not be set aside, and a new trial had on the ground of the a d m i ss i on of evidence which ought not to have been admitted, and of misdirection. The Learned Counsel adverted at great length to the evidence sub mitted at the trial, respecting the copy of the paper which was submitted to the jury not being the same as that sent down to the reading-room at Chatteris, and contended that this circumstance invalidated, the evidence altogether, for the paper sent to the reading-room ought to have been produced. He also condemned the doctrine laid down by the Learned Judge (Parke) at the trial, that a sermon preached by a minister to his congregation w as not a legitimate subject for public comment, for if that was the case it would be conceding a privilege to clergymen which was not given to judges, advocates, or any other public men, and would be a refusal to th e p u bli c to take notice of any remarks which might materially affect their interests. Public charity was of the very last importance, and the public had a right to inquire into and observe upon anything that had a reference to it. And when, as in the-present ease, an attempt was made by a clergyman to exclude Dissenters from participation in charitable funds, on the ground of their religious principles, he contended that sectarianism was a legitimate subject for public comment. The enunciation of the contrary doctrine to the jury before whom the case was tried was a misdirectiod, and alone afforded grounds for granting the present motion. Under all the circumstances, he submitted that he showed saffizient grounds why the Court should grant the rule. The LORD Calif liana's' said that everything that affected the public might be commented on, provided only that truth was made the basis and justice the superstructure of the ob servations. He thought that a sermon made by a pastor to his congse,gation was a fair subject for comment, but it must be commented on with truth and justice. With regard to the sermon referred to the remarks of Baron Parke could not have efLeted the issue, as the sermon had not been given in evidence. lie was of opinion also that the evidence submitted to the jury was evidence which ought to have been admitted. He, therefore, thought the rule should be refused. Barons ALDERSON' and ROUE' concurred in opinion with the Lord Chief Boron relative to the admission of evidence and did not thiak sufficient ground had been shown for a new trial. Mr. Baron• PARKE reiterated the opinion which he ex pressed oa the trial in reference to a sermon preached by a clergyman to his congregation not being a legitimate sub ject for comment. if the sermon was printed the caae would I be diff2rent. The rule was accordingly refused. This case excited great interest, every part of the Court being tilled with persons desirous to hear the result of the application. RAILWAY COMMITTEES (THIS DAY.) Sub-Committee No. 6. (Continued tern our Afternoon Edition.) WARWICZ AND WORCESTER. The case not being completed at four o'clock stood over, and the Committee adjourned till to-morrow at twelve. STANDING ORDERS' COMMITTEES. HOUSE OF LORDS. Their Lordships met this day, for the first time since the Easter recess, for the dispatch of public business. The Committee, in con sequence of Lord Da laaisie's motion, came to the determination of adjourning all the Railway Bills which came before them on second reference to Monday next. Amongst the fills so adjourned were i the following:—Londonderry and Enniskillen Extension Railway— rford, Wexford, Wicklow, and Dublin Railway —. Dublin and Kingstown. F.xtension Railway—Clomnel and Thurles Railway— Limerick, Ennis, and Killaloe Junction Railway=Great Southern and Western (Ireland)—Co rk —Cf>ek Extension —Mallow and Fermoy Rall way—Rallarn e y tion ltallway—L erne, u lr e t i . °n . Railway—Mount Melltck June- NT arrant. int, men. and nany_money V i z ti and Ballymena rtailway—Bally raZDatranno'n and Rostrenor Railway Rill—an:l7Z Belfast Junction Railway Bill. Armagh, and The Sunderland Waterworks Bill went through the Standing Or ders, and also the Sunderland Gas Bill. .............--___ TRENT VALL.h) --- 7 CONTINUATION RAILWAY. —(THIS DAY.) Several Manchester shareholders in this contemplated line being dissatisfied with the proceedings of the directors, a meeting was held to-day at the London Tavern, at the in stance of John Collier, Esq , chairman of the Manchester Sub-Committee, Francis Deflinne, Esq., one of the same body, and Thomas Carlisle Esq., of Hyde-park -place. The Committee of Management issued a counter advertise ment, stating their intentions to call a meeting, after the provisions of the Bill for dissolving railway companies should be ascertained. Some little time elapsed after the hour had passed for which the meeting was called before the pro ceedings commenced. After that lapse it was moved that Taorras Carlisle, Esq., take the chair, but that gentleman declined on the plea of a severe cold, and, on his motion, James Troup, Esq., was called upon to preside. The CHAIRMAN stated that be was but little accustomed to preside at public meetings, but he was ready to hear any gentleman, and having read the advertisement calling the meeting, _ r. PEFLINNE, Esq., stated that the chief objection of the shareholders to the conduct of the directors arose from the intontion of that body to amalgamate 1$ ith the Shropshire Union Company, the London and Dublin Approximation Company, and the Shropshire Mineral Company, part of which I,..'mpantes were well known to the proprietors pre sent. Toe proceejin:,rs, however, of this day would be mach modified by the fact that the directors had issued an adver tisement, stating. that they intended to call a metting as soou the provisions of the Government Bill, for dissolving railway companies should be known. But there were very auspicious ci rcumstances connecte d w i t h th e i nves t men t o f the funds, and it appeared, that in order to meet the pro visions of that Act the directors had been largely engaged in buying up shares, and one aucti on eer had been engaged to buy all the shares he c obtain at 30 3 . a share, and several hid been purehasel at discount, and others at 17s. 6J. It share. If this course . were g. it would be evident that the shareholders would b e Pi s l „ rs ,,, u i ed ' The object of this meeting was to answer any questlaned.that might be asked. be well to as- A SIIA RP - MOLDER suggested that it by the certain what proportion of shares had bweoenuktial P res came glin-2ctors. This was the more necessary as th{eenalutt out at a premium. ..11r. DEFLINNE—They came out at 54 premium. Tile SISAREficoLDEIt wished then to know what had bee n !mid upon. He had applied for information , but could ob ta i n i none. Mr. JOHNSON NE.-kis said that lie had replied to the letter which was addressed to them. Mr. JAMES RICHARDSON wished to know whether Mr. Deitiutte was about to move a resolution ? THE_STTN, LONDON, TirtritsDAY EVENING, APRIL 28 1 Mt Thtl CrATRMAN stated that Mr. Deflinne had stated that he wise ready to answer any questions, and that he was ready to submit a petit ion for signature. Some conversation then ensued as to the real object of the meeting, as several s't angers had just entered th- room, and, The CHAIRMAN I aving again read the advertisement, seid, that the gentleman who had convened the meeting was to make a report, the materials of which they had not been able to obtain, and they were ready, therefore, to submit a petition for the signatures of the members present. After some further conversation, the object of which was to elicit the names of some particular directors, which Mr. Dellinne refused to give, The CHAIR3IAN thought that gentleman ought to be heard to the erd of his statement. Mr. DEFLINNE then read the petition which had been pre pared, and which Was intended to be presented to the House of Commons, with a view to give greater efficiency to Lord Dalhousie's Bill, the purport of which was, that the directors had taken originally rive-eighths of the whole of the shares of the company; that on the 16th of April last year the others had come out at 5/. premium, on which a deposit of I/. is. 6d. had been paid. On the 4th of October, a further deed was prepared, by which it appeared that the directors had agreed to take up the whole of the shares, which it was incumbent upon them, but had actually taken up only one-eighth of that quantity. The petition still further stated that its ob ject was to prevent a winding up of the Company without an investigation of the conduct of the directors. Air. DEFLINNE then moved the adoption of that petition but it remained without a seconder; and a shareholder then moved that the meeting adjourn till after the meeting which the directors intended to call. This was seconded ; but a further conversation ensued, from which it appeared that this was the desire of the meeting, with the addition that an opinion should be ex psessed, that the committee of shareholders ought to have an opportunity of investigating the papers add accounts. Mr. SOLOMON then moved an adjournment for a fortnight, or three weeks. Mr. JAMES then inquired whether any report bad been issued from the Trent Valley office. Mr. DEFLINNE said tliere had been no such report. Mr. JAMES moved a resolution, which he was putting itito writing, when Mr. JOHNSON NEALE said that he had come there to give all the information he possessed respecting the Company, and he was the more desirous of doing so, because he was anxious to refute a slander which had ap peared in the limning Chronicle, he believed in the report of a statement made by Mr. Deffinne, which went to the effect of saving that he had sold the in terests of the Company. Mr. Neale then went into an ex planation of his conduct, which appeared to be perfectly satisfactory that it had been in every way honourable. In this statement it was shown that the Staffordshire Juncti.ai had offered to abandon the Welsh part of their line, and to give 15,0001. to take up all the dropped shares; and with respect to the Shropshire Mineral Amalgamated Company equal advantages were proffered; and on Mr. Neale's motion, at a meeting of the directors, it was decided that the share holders should be called together in order to effect the amal gamation, but from that meeting the Manchester shareholders had refrained from attending Such was the case, yet at a susequent period those gentlemen had openly expressed their disapprobation of the proceeding, and it was not to be wondered at that after this the direc tors did not work well with the Manchester com mittee. As regarded the opportunity of investigating the accounts, a meeting had been held on the 23d of January, since which time the committee had enjoyed ample opportu nities of seeing th , m, but, in their corp.,rate capacity, until the three weeks afterwards, when, by their own conduct, they had precluded themselves from this benefit. In reply to an inquiry, Mr. NEALE said he believed that there was but little difference between the two deeds alluded to, though he could not recollect precisely their terms; but still he could say, from recollection, that he had been obliged to hunt through them both. Mr. DEFLINNE was about to reply to Mr. Neale's remark on slander, and stated that he had been informed by a large shareholder, but after some confusion he refused to give the name, and the previous question was moved, but Mr. Deffinne persevered, and proceeded to read a letter, requesting his attendance in London to prevent amalgama tion with the companies alluded to. The letter ascribed great blame to Mr. Neale; it was dated Carlton Club, and signed H. P. Gibbs. The whole of this affair seemed to be disapproved of by the bulk of the meeting, and Mr. Neale, after requesting the note, warned Mr. Defliune to retain the note, and to produce it on a future day. The resolution for the adjournment was then put, when Mr. FIELD begged to know whether in the course of his investigation of the accounts Mr. Neale discovered any rea son for the directors dissolving the Company, to which that gentlemen replied that it depended upon whether the Com pany would put up with the losses already incurred.—(Loud cries of " Dissolve, dissolve.") Mr. CAELISLE said he was quite ready to take the money u Well he could obtain from the directors, and he repudiated any responsibility on account of the adjourned meeting. Mr. FIELD then inquired whether it was Mr. Neale's legal opinion that the whole of the money could be recovered from the Directors, to which that gentleman replied that he should not attempt any such process. Mr. FIELD then moved that the resolution be amended so as to state that the Directors having expressed their inten tion to call a meeting, that this meeting do now adjourn. Mr. (of Huddersfield) expressed his approbation of the amended resolution, and stated that he had the other day seen Mr. Churchill, who had given him every opportunity of investigating the books and accounts of the company, and he believed that those gentlemen were highly honourable. The motion was then carried almost unanimously. On the motion of Mr. YATES, seconded by Mr. SOLOMON, a motion was also almost unanimously carried, expressing the thanks of the shareholders for that gentleman's assist ance, and their confidence in his honour. Mr. NEALE briefly replied, thanks were voted to the Chairman, and the meeting separated. TATTERSAL.L'S-•THIS EVENING , Six O'C LOC K. CII ESTER -t aken 14 to 1 agst Sweetmeat —taken 14 to 1 agst Weatherbit 20 to 1 agst Miss Burns 20 to 1 agst Vitula 20 to 1 agst Polish 30 to 1 agstiPedometer—taken 30 to 1 agst C'orranna 30 to 1 agst Inheritress—taken 30 to 1 agst The Magnet 40 to 1 agst Clumsy—taken SO to 1 agst Glossy 2,000 GUINEAS WAKE:. 6 to 5 agst Tom Tulloch 4 to 1 agst lago 4 to 1 agst any other DERBY. 9 to 2 agat Sting 5 to 1 agst Tom Tuiloch 25 to 1 agat Spithead 20 to 1 agst Brocardo 30 to 1 agst lago 40 to 1 agst Crown Prince INIPERIAL PARLIAMENT. (THIS EVENING.) HOUSE OF LORDS. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Wool sack at Five o'clock. THE SEES OF BANGOR AND ST. ASAPIL The Bishop of ROCHESTER presented a petition from the Dean and Chapter of RocLester against the ution of the Sees of Bangor and St. Asaph. The Bishop of HEREFORD presented several pea ions to the same effect. The Bishop of BANGOR presented similar petitions. SALE OF INTOXICATING LIQUORS ON SUNDAY. Lord KENYON presented a petition from the church , wardens, the overseers, and guardians of the parish o. Lambeth, praying that a better observance of the Sal). bath might be enforced in the case of tradesmen. The Bishop of SP. DAVID'S presented a petition from the parish of Swabey, in the county of Lincoln, to the same effect. The Marquis of ANGLESEA presented similar pe titions. ENIPLOYMENT OF DISCHARGED CRIMINALS. The Bishop of ST. DAVID'S presented a petition from the mayor, the aldermen, and town council of the borough of Carmarthen, praying that occupation might be found for prisoners on their discharge, so that they might nut to thrown back upon their former vicious courses. Lurd WHARNCLIFFE preEented a petition to the same effect. CORPORATION FEES. f The Duke of RICHMOND presented a petition from the corporation of coopers in Glasgow, complaining that by the Act. contemplated by the Government the enforcement of fees on taking up a trade in the city of Glasgow was done away with. The petitioners were thus exposed to the influx of competition, and they bad no power of checking such a ruinous extenbion in their trade. He (the Duke of Richmond) thought that while these fees were exacted in London and Glasgow shcuid not form the exception. s Lord CAMPBLLL would be happy to see that these fees were abolished over the country. The Duke of RICHMOND presented similar petitions from the Corporation of Hanamermen. Lord BROUGHAM presented similar petitions from the skinners and glo vers , to the same effoetpe . SUNDAY SPIRIT TRADING. Lord COTTENHANI presented petitions against ti e sale of intoxicating spirits on Sunday. THE CORN BILL. The Duke of:RICHMOND presented a petition from the ministers of the Presbytery of Lorn, in the Synod of Argyll, complaining that, es their stipends were de pendent upon the market price of corn, the Government Bill would injure them, and they prayed, therefore, that such measure should not be permitted to TAX ON INSUR AN pass into a l aw . The NOBLE Dux presented a p CES. etition from Forretaxs, in the north of Scotland praying f or a repeal of this . THE NEW POOR-LAW, The NOBLE DUKE also presented a petition from a place, the name of which vv.a did not hear, praying that in the New Poor-law Bill a clause might be added making it imperative on the officers to provide a super annuation fund. THE CHARITABLE TRUSTS BILL. The Duke of RICHMOND presented a petition from l'ays!n. , ,y, in Suss x, agtiii::3t the Charitable Trusts Bill. Lord KINNAIRD presented a petition from the Re ligious Tract Association against the same measure. Lord COTTENHAM presented a petition from the governor and officers of St. George's Hospital, praying that that institution might be exempted from the ope ration of the Act. Lord STRADBROKE presented a petition from a congregation ofindependent Dissenters to the same effect. Lord STRANGFORD presented a petition from the Skinners Company, against th ! same Bill. ' Lord DENMAN presented similar petitions from 33 Thptist, and nearly 1,000 Dissenting congregations in England and Scotland. Lord CAMPBFLL presented similar petitions from the Sadlers Company, and the Deaf and Dumb Asso ciated Charity. Tho Earl of DA: noustE then rose to introduce his Bill, coliccrotog the dis:,olutiun of railway companies,, notice of which he had given I,cf , re Enter, and also to propc•se a series of res,tlutions identical with those propose.'. by Sit H. PEEL in the House of Com mons, which have already apyeared in The Sun. The. Noble Earl, in his speech, recapitulated the arguments used by Sir PEEL, and coucluded by proposing his resolutioua. posele, but it must justify cur gising these parties an ..p -' porrunity of saying whether or, n, on first censideration s ei e s d t . rection of their lines. they can r Hi wish to g ot: , b furs t t a u , r i :c , e n s t ,er thepr e.„i e l,O in the p'per to which I ton reteereee, by an ad ver,isenient from the Louden arid Y o rk Itaikv e y Cetr.p,ns. That this measure on the cost of tm.ny of the nettles nrcessary in the eenstru eiou of railways has produced rue effect with respect to the value of stock on mane' companies. I find it stated that in the case of leveret railway companies th e prem i um on the shares in 4145 before the obtaining of the Bill was obtained decreased to a discount in 1816, when the calls were being made, and I think, on mature con sideration, that in some of the cases where Bills h ave been obtained, and where in eensequence of increased cost, or increased competition, and where there is a material differenee between the prices paid and those which can row be realised that the parties purchasing these sh3res ought to have a fair opportunity of consideration. It appears from this statement that the shares at' the Caledonian Railway, 10/. paid up, eure at a pre mium of let befOre the passin g or t h e Bi ll. Since the Bill has been obtained, the shares are, however, at a discount of 3/. 6s. There are severa l ether railways in a similar position, according to this sta+enient. I will not detain the House by reading to it the names of these railways. But in eve ry case sheres in railways which bore a considerable premium previt us to obtain ing the Bill, have since they have received the sanction of the Legislature, fallen to a very considerable dis count. This is the case of Bills which have already ob tained the santion of the Legisfature. With respect to the Bills now before the House, I apprehend the same apprehension applies. It is ch , ar, how ever, that there are many projected railways which. when first proj - cted in the month of October, 1845, with respect to which the same sum could not now be obtained on the sale of shares.-- (Lang liter.) This state of thing-, therefore, differs most materially from the state in whic4 they were placed in October, 1845. I apprehend that our object is not to encourag enterprises unprofitable to the parties eligsged in them ; n e in s id er , one reason why we sheuld atot that e is parties interested an *•pportunity of re .considerirg he' ion, and appri s i ng us of their opinions upon t tliee r ubject. Now I have mentioned these considera tions, which I think should have scene weight with this !louse. '1 he first reason to which I have alluded is the enormous amount of capital which, with whatever reduc tion you may make in the amount 0. Bills, must be pledged by the Legislature to railway enterprise. The second reason why. I think we are called upon to interfere, is the greatly increased , price in the articles reauired for the construction of railways, and the great difference in the present value of shares, compared with that which they bore when the projects were originally started. The third reason, I apprehend, is to be found in the fact of the anxious desire of many parties to relieve themselves from their engagements and liabilities with resp..ct to these enterprises, I understand that a great number of the parties connected with these under takings entertain a very sincere desire to have the op portunity afforded them of relasing themselves from the it engagements.—(Hear, hear.) I must say, that in the present state of the laws relating to incohate railways, some alteration is nee, wary.—(Hear, hear.) The laws relating to incohate rsiiway companies not having received the sanction of the Legislature, is not one which should long continue. By the present law the ba! ! ilities of parties are very great, and the power of the directors and the provisional committee is very great. So far as I can judge, there is no effectual control over the acts of the provisional gentlemen and directors. I have received letters from various persons, I shall not give their names, but any Honourable Member can see the original letters, and if the statements contained in them be correct, there are proceedings on the part of those which do most certainly require some Parliamentary interference. This gentleman states, in a letter which I . received yes terday, that a great proportion of the new companies had been holding back large numbers of their shares for the purpose of " rigging" the market. In one in stance out of 42,000 share 8,000 were kept bank. In another, out of 100,000, 10,0000 were kept Leek, and in anoth er a c l ear half of the shares were reserved and sold out when the markets ranged high. But the last statement in this letter is really most extraordinary. It is stated that in the case of one railway which is mentioned several thousand pounds were taken out of the banker's hands to rig the market, that is to say, out of the 10 per cent. paid by the shareholders as de posits, money was withdrawn for the purpose of bring invested in the purchase of shares to raise the price of the scrip. --(Hear, hear, and latighte r.) In the case of some companies, it is mentioned that when parties applied for shares they were told that all the shares had been alletted and taken up, while in truth trot a singl. share had been issued —(Hear, and laught r.) I am quite sure that no respectable company comet have hee l . guilty of such cruet:edit ga as these, but stiil it is conti &no), asserted that these practises have been indulged in by many of the existing companies which are now before the public.—(Hear, aid cheers.) Really it parties will not take care of their own interests t is inapos-ftle for the Government to take care of them. (Hear, hear.) Ido not think that they wilt gain any - ihihg try the withholding of their names ; but really it Perliement gives them the power of releeeieg them selves, and they do net avail them& Ives of that privilege, then I think they will not de ei ve any of our se ii pathy ur cetninisseratien —uheers ) All that we can do is to give them an opportunity of stating tairl3, .• This was a moment of excitement, in a hick I sp, cti lated to the extrnt that I have done, arid if Parliament gives me the opportunity of repenting, and of re :easing myself trout those engagements, I a ill gladly do so." And I think that nu false sense •of shame sh ,uld prevent them from doing so. But this I do say, that if provisienal committees er directors continue to traffic in these shares we shall be called upon, in justice to the public, to subject their conduct to strict inquiry, for I do not believe that per sons acting under such circumstances are exempt from Parliamentary Loud c h eer .)— an d t h at in quiry foundation of future l eg i s l at i on i n vt,ili be th ic e q uiry•—( respect to these inchoate companies. I really treliese that it may be necessary for us, as the foundation of such legislation, to expose these transactions— (Cheers) —and to lay them hare before the world as a guide to other parties who shall b e i ncl i ned to speculate in such w.) Nithow'rSeisP the law is in a ver y un rcet to thine i nc h oa t e I do not b elieve that with re any rs s m al a a t ie i t : e t t t e : a a r y e s t ts. to r_r y ( a C a h i s Cet at ea r)eorme.s which has not obtained its Act. I very much doubt, I say, whether such parties, before they have obtained the assent of the Legislature to their Bill, have it in their power to dissolve their Company.—(Hear, hear.) 1 b..lieve the general principle of the law to be this—that those matters are guided, not by the State, but by the corn- mon law ; and if either shareholders or scripholders were unanimous as to the expediency of dissolving their company before they obtain their Act, that they have it in their power to do so. But I believe that without a perfect unanimity to that effect it is impassible for them to do so ; because, in the first plsce, the original shareholders may not be the holders of the present shares been and I believe that no case of' this kind has as yet b e en settled that a company can un d er such circumstances dissolve itself without the consent of the whole of the power hasshareholders. providentially Now, it inay be in some cases th a t taken to dissolve a company before they have obtained theilAct.—( Hear.) I believe that in many cases there is no remedy as to the time in which that assent shall be given, and it would not at all follow that the rejection of a railway Bill in the course of the present session would enable the directors, or any other parties in a company, to dissolve that company.—(llear, hear.) If such be the case, and that the deed did not contain a special clause to the coetrary—and I need not say that it very seldom hat pens that these deeds do contain such special exceptions—if the power of the Directors be AO imperfect as not to enable parties to a company to retire if they should deem fit, then I say that state of things required a remedy.—(Hear, hear.) What may be done hereafter upon this sub j. ct will depend on future circumstances, but I am now 'beatin g with the state of things as I find them at present, and I do think that the state of the law in this respect, is suet' as to require the intererence of the Legislature.—(Hear, hear.) There hare been se veral discussions in the courts of law upon the powers rf joint-st. rk companies, I articularlj in reference o railway companies, and there w,s an Act passe d in the mouth ef December, 1844, which cetiferred some very unportatit powers on Joint Stock Companies, That act, in one of its claims, provides that compaides proceed with what is called provisional registration be, .. __ tore they can do any Other act ; but in resp• ct to Companies which did not require tin- sancfioa of Par liament,nt,haatifillcutotrielqtuhiartes " be hat t ne the is scalled comp'ete re giatranon, power of the di but in railway 2 1:t p •c p t i t i t e rs s t i o s a c i i i t cu o m :l 7 ) .• p ri a b n e ie d. s, Provisional . registration for the sanction of Parliament stands in place of that. com plete othattht• But then this important question has :ins n in the P v a i t , ti ,l e n s he completehad s,,ld seri registration is not necessary, country, nanatly. .—whether the transfer of Aar( s in an inehoaf e company, or in other words, the sale of scrip was legal. In a certain case a party brought an action against another to S -w-r- t filile doubts ap Ie ar h a a i l w e a sa b y t o, e v n e under scrip The defendant alleged, that the 7th and Bth Victoria, railways were included, ~i 1 e Ax t exempted r registratione fo re in ; this railwayb o c t as e thetici there p, , trod aunryt not ,eslie,d gue aica b tli c iyd i edetnwrd transfer. th eme and seeing edeci • is • sum strictiy proper ; but the transaction has, in conse le • the purpose of quence of that decision, been invested with a B,gal character, and has obtained a legal sanction. e e n'g the defects, however, which have attended taese t ransaction s in scrip and the defects which have companyroruniteedr,ta i a l7 n e. d ads i t na h a t the been found in the law respecting railway matters, from • to throw i mprovident speculation, her Majesty's Government measure for have thought proper to originate a also the defects which have resulted railway this • state of things. This is the time when such an in terference becomes necessary, and had we attempted it before, we would have laid ourselves open to the charge putting an end as far as possible to of having done so prematurely. We do not propose that with regard to all companies, any schemes that may be attended with public advau any arbitrary obstacle in the promotion of ta4e, but to ascertain the wishes of parties who have of those wishes may operate check against many Bills before Parliament. The very expression as a pose to bring in an Act of Parliament to provide sc hemes which are not of a bond fide character. We pro enable a number, end a very cir cumstanced, all railway speculations, a power shall be no matter how given to seriph.Aders to dissolve the dompany under cer tain conditions. This we 'propose to effect, first by Bill and then by sessional order. We shall propose to share holders, say five, to address a requisition to the directors small number of the or tnenagine committee of the company, requiring them to call a meeting of the subscriber,, f.r the pupae of esc,r taing their views as to pros. tiding with the Bill or giving :it up. We propos- that it shall be obligatory en the managing ceininittee to call that treeting. We shall take .pre cautions ttr,t due notice of that in eting s h e: } he g.een. thelt. the in ee t t %n g a , ei l l y iss e c dl o a i l im i t u tc:e rod s u h e i e wld pro r v e is fi i %e s tow which shall ensure its being called. We shall then propose that at that meeting a number of scripholders, either of original shares or shares- that have been sold, holding shares to the amount of more than one-half of the whole shares originally issued, shall determine whether the company shall proceed or not. But as it must be very difficult to have a meeting which shall re present one half of the capital stock of the company, we purpose that a meeting of shareholders, represent ing one-third of the capital stock issued, shall be capable of dissoluir.g the Company, provided that the persons presont holding three fifths of the shares in value, those persons veting either personally or by proxy, shall signify their desire to dissolve the Company. We take, therefore, this security that the me. tine shall not be packed, as we shall require that the stet k represented at the meeting shall not be less than the third of the whole capital. It may be that at that meeting the amount of stock represented aid n-t he one third, and in that cause there will be a power of adjournment to another day, after due notice of the ultimate result of the two meetings, provided that one-third of the capital stock be re presented, and how the majority voting shah consist of three-fif hs of the meeting, shall b. raken decision. In order to prevent the applications of re served shares to an undue influence at the me , ring, se propose that the scrip to he represent. d shall be scrip that was issued prior to the 31st of March. With re• -pest to set ip, iu reeard to which purchases Lave taken Glace, the only security which we can take is to require that also shall have been issued before the 31st of March. Now, connected with this Bill an ancillary to it is the sessional order which I have now to propose. I believe that some such resolution is abso!utely necessary in order to give due elf et to the Bill—because it is imposeiWe net to hires:re that sonic time must elapse before this Bill is passed into a law. Unless each House of Parliament makes sane regula tion with their assent being gist* n to these Bills, in some oompanie., which I am sure are no specimen tif the genensi class of conapeniesalie dire eters and parties interested mae Press their Bill unduly on the censid. ration of the 'blouse. It is manifest that many of the parties have a direct in terest in passing their Bill into a law. This, I say, is to be expeeted, uniier the circumstances. I believe ;hat it many cesei it the Bills should receive the sanction of l'a -La ment, the ffrst thing that. would take place afterwards woe!, be to dissolve the companies, for it is my belief that many of these lines of railway are not intended to be made. Well. then, if that is to be the ultimate result of many of these schemes, is it not, I say, hest that the should not conje before Parliament at all. I propose tha: this shall Ise remedied by havin such a meeting of each company as I have already stated, and that at such meeting if it shall be carried that the Bill is not to b. proceeded with, then I say this want of sanction on the part of the shareholders must he binding. I shall not trouble the House by reading the Bill at length which her Majesty's Ministers proposed for their con sideratioc. I presume you aro already ac quainted with its provision. I believe there are many Bills entire.) , unopposed, Land I am of Opinion that many of them might pass without Par liament interfering at all, from the very fact of there be ing no opposition. I believe that many of the Bills will not be of tiny public benefit, and the country can sustuin no loss by such schemes being abandoned. I can state that there is a valley through which eleven different railways are contending to pass, and there are elevee companies specifically registed for those lines. Now it is well known that Parliament will not pass more than one line. I think that unless we have the evidence of the sanction of the scripholders, as proposed by. this Bill, for earrving on the schemes, we should not allow them to proceed. Now, Sir. I admit that this is a subject of the greatest importance ; but instremi of again pressing a Commit tee to make a district list of Bills, w pith ought, in their estimation to receive the sanction of Parliament, during the present session. Her Majesty's Government, with a deep sense of the inconvenience which may ensue, i' there is no interference with the speculation which has taken place—with a deep conviction of the advantages which will be gained by the course they have adopted namely, that the renewed consent is per& ctly legiti mate—that it is no dangerous principle of interfeceees with private capital, and if sanctioned by the House, is likely to release, for investment in profitelile business. and in other dealings, a vest amount of capital now locked up from the purposes of trade, leading to unpro titsible expenses —namely, in payments to engineers, and in payments to solicitors—(Cheer)—in a mass of Bills which will not finally receive the sanction of this douse.—(Hear, hear.) I commit these resolutions to the consideration end decision of the Hi use ; and whatever may be the result of that eecision, I shall feel satisfied that her Majesty's Cloverement. have do- e their duty in permitting no time to he lost in iningieg thes.• matters before the House.—(Cheers.) The Right Hen. Baronet then resumed his real, after proposing the fol lowing r.. solutions :- 1. That this house will not read a third lime any Bill that empower any company (whether intended to be incorporated by such Bill, or eh eadv incorporated by Act of Parliament to construct a railway, unless three clear clays before the third reading, there shall have been deposited at the Private Bill ,duce, there to be open to the inspection of all parties, a cer tificate signed and authenticated in a manner hereinafter mentioned, and comprising the particulars hereinafter ex pressed, and stating the following facts. &c 1. That a copy the Bill was submitted to the con sideration of a meeting of the scripholders of the com pany, or (in case of a company already incorporated) of the shareholders cr stockholders of the company, ape cially called fer that purpose. 2. That. such meeting was called by advertisements. inserted once in each of two o iisecntive weeks. in the Landon Gazette (if the railway be an English or Scotch railway), in the Louden and Dublin Gazettes (if the railway he an Irish railway), and in each case, in at least three London daily newspapers, and not less than three times in each such paper, in each of such two con secutive weeks. 3. In the case of the company being intended to be incorporated by the Bil! :—That such meeting was con stituted of persons producing thereat, scrip of the corn hnoiciipti.tae(t.rit:3l:roerepeesenting not. less than one-third part of the whole capital proposed to be raised by the company under the Bill (such scrip having been actually issued, or the deposits in respect thereof having been paid before the 31st of March in the present year.) 4. In the case of the company being already incor porated : That such meeting was held, except so far as is herein otherwise provided, according to the constitu tion of the company, and was constituted of shareholders or stockholders thereof competent to vote at the of ifinary meetings of the company, and representing either per sonally or at; proxies not less than one third part of the whole capital or stock of the company. " 5. That at such meeting the Bill was epproved of by persons producing thereat scrip equal to at least do ee fifths of the total amount of scrip produced at the meet be*, the votes being given and computed according to the constitution of the company. 11. That for the purposes of this order it shall be compe tent for the chairman of any meeting called in pursuance thereof in the event of the above prescribed quorum of scrip shares or stock (as the case may be) not being represented at such meeting, to cause the votes of the persons consti tuting the said meeting, approving or not approving of the Bill, to be taken and recorded, and then to adjourn the same to some clay, hour, and place to be declared by the chairman, such day not being less than three days, and not more than ono week, from the original day if meeting; and such day, hour, and place. being in the meantime advertised twice in each of three London daily newspapers; and at such adjourned meeting it shall al-ci be competent to the chairman thereof to cause to be taken and recorded the votes of such of the persons constituting the saute as have not voted at the original meeting; and the total amount of votes given at the original and adjourned inee;iiig shall be received as ifgiven at one and the saute meeting. That such certificate shall also comprise, in a tabular fbrm, the following particulais 1. The day, time, and place of the meeting, and of the adjourned meeting (if any). 2. The dates of the insertion of the advertisements for the meeting, and the names of the newspapers in which they were inserted. 3. The names and addresses of the persons producing scrip at the meeting. (S e in the case of a company already incorporated : The tames and addresses of the shareholders or stuck holders present ar the meetings 4. The detiotit'g numbers, and the anuest of the scrip respectirey produced by the persons so prouucieg tha same at the meeting:— Or, in the case of a ccmpany already incorporated : t by (irile:pse 'l ri. ' t l e. i ls.,g e leelni r smet e nce s re, igtv fact ot.ifeltehta: shareholders ,ela i l i ar u eepe n hlip t oi s ri lo:tle.,faroisrsoloirhair.ne stockholdersotnii.ierapsesp‘tr.ioicri.aka: a l t ost e btf l e d ait:iedl o : r r t t i o l a c l a a s i e li m ou a l y i stockholders t ( a b , f t e t ) , e . c . r t y ! 1 , 1 i t g l i ert(l)sideet:'several iat meeting, l, 7 m P e e r : ing, and the a moun t tr h ioi ef oittno. tp:riiiiedaunce:em;iht.f incorporated, meeting, and the anemia thereof sore p p i e n i i i 4 re:e f in: h ei e l, o 3 company pers,,n or by ro r f ox s l, la a r t es the o Itio)ri,e) already persons approving of the Bill. 7 The total amount of the capital proposed to be raised tmy the company under the Bill ;or the case of a company already incorporated, the total amount of the capital or stock of the company. IV. That such certificate shall be signed by the chair man of the meeting and by one of the solicitors the and the authenticity of such certificate shall .- the depositing le by the signature of the Parliamentary agent same. reslee.ntpeedrsobs. Mr. F. FFRENCH rose to make some remarks with respect to Irish Bills. The House would remember that at an early period of the session, the Hight. Hon. Gentle man referred to the railway Bills connected with Ireland, and stated that their Bills should be first sent to the House of Lords, and then to that House. At the present moment there were forty-three Irish Bills bef o re the House of Lord,,tive of s hich were waiting for a third reading, and although he had not the slightest objection to the course pursued by her Majesty's Government, he could not help stating that the promoters of these Bills would be sub jected to considerable hardship if the resolutions, av now worded, received the sanction of the House—for instance, the three Bills to which he had alluduel would be unnecessarily retailed. All her Majesty's Government had a right to call upon the pro moters of a railway Bill to do was this—that prior to the third reading of a Bill or its passing, that the decision of a majority of the shareholders should be obtained to its passing. He would recommend that all Bills that originated in that House should not be detained for their third read ing, but that it should be competent for theta to pro ceed, and that the same principle should be fairly carried out in reterenoe to the Irish Bills that had com menced in the Lords—namely, that they be allowed to pass there, and not be tied up from proceeding for the space of three weeks, as such an order would be the bourse of vast inconvenience to u APARTMENTSst taken AT pplace, WlNDSOR agreeably ee C a A b S i y T L toC —an 'iardlisteirr)lation; A T ri H e new STATE arrangement awsai; signed e by L oh?! C hamberlain with reference rt ie f s e J re e i d ice b3 t ' o passible, the hawking about if those tickets Earl tlie tickets li el viewing the State Apartments of the Castle. In order to far p' prevent, asas . in the streets of 11 indsor, and the impositions practised upon those victors to the town who may be unprovided with the Lord Cliamkerllin's orders, these tickets for the futur e will be available for only one week from the period at which they are dated. They are also for the future not to be transferable. It is also stated that, at a very earl period, an arrange ment w ill b e made, so that the admissions yto the state apartments will be procured by the public, at the office of Mr. Roberts, the recently appointed Inspector of Palaces, in the department of the Lord Chamberlain. The number of tickets, each to admit seven persons, issued by the four establishments in London, where they to be pro cure d , s i nce the Ist of January (the day on which the new ar rangement came into operation), up to Saturday last, exce e d s t hree thousand, ST. JOHN'S GATE. —The owners of ,this ancient strut- ture have relinquished the idea of compoing the gate, and have determined to re-case it with stone where defective. The ornamental portions, such as embattlements, lables, &c. are to be restored by the public, under the direction of the committee and Mr. W. P. Griffith, architect:—The Builder. THE NIGHTINGALE.—This charming ster, for whose melodious notes the Trumpington•road is soon"renowed, has begun to pour forth its " jug .jug" iu our neighbourhood earlier than usual this year. Last week it was heard, and by this time it is almost euiumou.— Cambridge Chronicle. Prepir4ti,as are. (wing made for the reception of the ministers, nearly 500 in number expected to attend the Wesleyan ContereitlCe, Which will be held this year iu Jiristol. Bristol diurnal. 7 ‘,..---- - —,... NAVAL IN TELLiGENCE, POIITSMOUTIL APRIL 22.—The St. Vincent, 190, Captain Sir Richard Grant, tank the flag of Admiral Ogle from the Victorious hulk yesterday, and this morning the latter hauled off to her usual moorings. The st. Vincent is now ready to go to Spithead whenever the tides will allow her. We have much pleasure in announcing that Sir Richard Grant will go to sea in her. Thirty extra riggers belonging to this dock yard were discharged into the St. Vincent yesterday, towards completing her complement, which will be made up to 950, by extra marines. The Winchester, 50, Captain Eden, flag of Rear-Admiral the Hon. J. Percy, was inspected and mustered at Spithead yesterday, by Admiral Percy, for the Commander-in-Chief; the crew were exercised in target practice, and showed Con- i siderable proficiency in gunnery. She came into harbour this morning to be dismantled prior to being paid off. Admiral Percy struck his flag last evening at sunset. She sailed into harbour hi gallant style. Two days before she left the Cape, the Helena, 16, Commander Sir C. Ricketts, Bart., sailed from Simon's Bay tor a cruize in the Mozambique Channel, and the Cleopatra, 26, Captain Wyvill, left on the 11th of Feb. for the same waters. The Royalist, 10, Commander Ogle, anived at Singapore from Miudura on the lith of February, and sailed on the 26th for Sarawak. The Diligence, naval transport, went to Devonport yes terday with the stores fur that dockyard, and supplies for the Irish squadron. Sir 1, . Burnett, 11. D., K.C.11 , F.R.S., Director-General of the Medical Department of the Navy, arrived at Hasler Hospital on a visit of inspection on Monday. The Vulture steam frigate, Captain M•Dumill, left Singa pore on the 10th of February for Hong-Kong. The Janus steamer was towed ( !) out of the harbour to Spithead by the Echo tug this morning early. She is manned by a crew from the Victory, and commanded by Mr. Flinn, master of that ship. She will " sail' . for Wool wich as soon as the wind becomes favourable. The Queen, 110, and Albi on , 92, are on t h e i r way f rom Devonport to Spithead, to join the experimental squadron. APPoINTIIIENTS. Commander J. J. M‘Cleverty (1842), who was midship• man of the Ai ia, at Navanne, arid commanded the Hon. East India Company's steamer Phlegethon, at the taking of An.oy and Cningliae in 1841, and at the destruction of the Chinese fire rafts e Chinghae, taking of Woosucg and Charghae, and the city of Ching Keang-Foo in 1842, is ap pointed to command the Polyphemus steam-sloop at Wool wich. Commander Henry Chads (1845, son of Commodore Chads, late of the Cambrian, and now in command of the Excellent gunnery ship and the .14)3 al Naval College at this port), who was Senior Lieutenant of the Harlequin, and was severely wounded when in command of ber boats in a desperate en counter with pirates on the coast of Sumatra, in 1844, is ap pointed to command the Styx, steam-sloop, on the coast of Africa, vice. llornhy, invalid e it with injured sight from the , ore,ts (.1 the glimate. Lieutenants—J. Seccombe (1842), to the Queen, app o i n t. 'Tient to the Vernon cancelled; W. J. Deaue (1843), to the Persian. Second Masters--W. H. Bourchier, to the Griffin ;R. Smith, to the Belleisle. Assistant-Surgeous--C. Roberts, to the Pique ; Francis M'Aree (acting), of the Vindictive, to the Hyacinth ; Alfred Jaekson (acting), from the Victory, to Hasler Hospital; A. -Lillie, to the Grittbn. Master's Assistant—C. P. Campbell, to the St. Vincent. Midshipman—J. H. E. Wemyss, to the Retribution. Mr. Harvey, boatswain of the St. Vincent, is appointed master rigger of Portsmouth dockyard, in the room of Mr. Maitland, recently superannuated. SHEERS:IMS, APRIL 21.-1. he Trafalgar, 120, flag-ships Captain J. N. Nutt., got under way on onday morning, from the Nore, and had proceeded as far as the Mouse, when the wind freshening from the N.E., she was compelled te bring up, where she remained till to-day, when the wind having moderated, the Monkey nod Fearless steamers took her in tow through the Swin channel to the Downs. The Brilliant, 22, Captain R. B. Watson, C.B , being com pletely titted for se.', was discharging from the basin cn Fri,:ay. She is a noble to kung craft; with all her guns and stores on board, with the exception of her powder and a portion cf her shot, she draws about 16% feet of water for ward, and 18% att., and carries her midship port nearly 8 feet from the water's edge. She will complete the adjust ment of her compasses to-day, go to the Nine to-morrow, , and sail on Friday for Spithead. The Emerald cutter, Second Master Beach, arrived from Portsmouth yesterday, with supernumeraries. She goes to Chatham to-day, to wait the paying off of the Warspite, 50, when she will convey her marines to their division at Ports mouth. • The Griffin, 6, brigantine, Lieutenant Commander C E. Wilmot, is already all atamit in the basin, haying been rigged by the dockyard riggers. Her complement of matinee joined to-day front the Chatham division Only one or two se.nien have as yet entered tor her. TUESDAY" NIGHTS GAZETTE. DIVIDENDS DECLARED. J. King, draper, Kingston upon-Hull—third div. of id. in the pound, and those creditors who wt re two late to prove lin- the first and secend div. may also receive 3s. 4d. and Bd. in the pound in addition, on any Wednesday after April 22, at the office of -dr. Freeman, Leeds. T. Humphrey, sen., and T. Humphrey, jun., shipwright/. Kingston-upon- Hull—second div. of iLid. in the pound, and those who were too late to prove fur the first div. may re.. ceive 2s. 6d. in the pound in addition, on any Wednesday, at the office of Mr. Freeman, Leeds. • S. and J. Knight, calico dealers, Manc'nester—final div of eleven-sixt, enths of a Fenny in the pound, on any TueM day, at the office of Mr. Putt, Manclnater. V. G. Taylor and E. Guy, hosiers, Liverpool—first div. of 9s. in the pound, en any Wednesday, at the office of MT. Morgan, Liverpool. J. and T. Biithey, merchants, Sheffield —second div. of 6d. in the pound, on any Tuesday, at the office of Mr. Hop* Leeds. DIVIDENDS. At the Court of Ilaokruptcy, Basinghall-street. W. Attwater, dyer, Devonshire -street, Queen-squinllo May 12, at half-past one—J. Johns, conf.tctioner, Grosvenor.. street West, Pimlico, May 12, at twelve--J. Hamilton, win! merchant, King-treet, St. James's, May 12, at elevenll4 Maclean, cloth factor, Basinghall-street, May 15, at one—a C. Green, stationer, Barge -yard, Bucklersbury, May 12, i$ hall-pabt one, In the Country. G. Perry, coachbuilder, Stroud, Gloucestershirc., May 19, at eleven, at the Bristol Ustriet Court—W. nnilinson, jullt money enlivener, Nantwich, Cheshire, May 12, at eleven, at the Liverpool District Court—J. Clarke and J. Philipet bankers, Leicester. CERTIFICATES to be granted, unless cause be shown to the contrary, on iheday - herein mentioned. J. IL Neck, outfitter, Poplar, May 14—S. Stocker, sem, hydraulic engineer, Seckford-street, Clerkeuwell, May l 4— P. Owen, Miller, Liverpool, May 14— G. Perry, coachbuilder; Stroud, Gloucestershir, May 18—G. Dardier, merchant, Liverpool, May 14—J. Walton, coal merchant, Liverpo4 May 12—J, M•Gibbon, shoem a k er , Liverpool, May 12—J.A• H. Jee, insurance broker, Liverpool; May 12—I. Robera r grocer, Mold, Flintshire, M a y 12—J. Hill, currier, Birmilig" ham, May 15—S. Rhodes, worsted spinner, Bradford, York shire, Slay 14—J. Sykey, hosier, Doncaster, May 12—J. Joplin, draper, liishopwear mouth, Durham, May 12—W. Davis, plasterer, Strangevrays, Lan cas hi re, May 12—R. E. Walker, ship broker, Liverpool, May 10—C. Rose, dyers Leeds, May 12. PARTNERSHIPS DISSOLVED. R. Hearn and T. D. Blackburn, linendrapers, Taunton — J. F. Coulstring 13alman and H. a p ti . ( ci t D. Sparks, e. Isaacs,general m i re m -w e o re rl h 7 a r n s t , s, Br Ll is i t , o e l rpoo —Es i —J. and C. Miller, calico printer., M anchester —S. Hill and H. Owens, boiler makers, Bulton-le-Moors--J. Greenwood and A. Derny, joiners, Bury, Lancashire —G, W. F. Cook and E. Humphreys, attorneys, St. Swithin's-lane—G. and S. L. Northey, lime merchants, Tavisteck—F. Blake and G. Tamplin, attorneys, King's-road, Bedtiod-row—C. J e ff ere ya and S. Nelson, music -sellers, Soho square—W. Bayley and W. C. Newby, attorneys, Stockton, Durliam—J. and WC Bliss, farmers, Tti ru pp. grounds, Nof tha.optenshire--T. LAW dun and C. Weightman, cabinet warehous emen , Ed geware • road—G. Curless, IL Casson, S. DAV, W. Curless, and J. Riley, worsted spinners, Laister Dyke, Yorkshire (so far as regards G. Curless)—T. IVatson and J. Osborne woolstapleffs Leeds —J. B. and Tmm T. Suers, farmers Newton, , LOW Dar- Innn—C. H . S m i th anti J. "links, die sinkers, Birmingham-- C. Cc Eton and G. Say le, surgeons, King's Lynn—P. Vaughan. and G. I'. Bevan, attorneys, Brecon—A. 'tent and J. Par rott, soda preparers, 'Sisson - , Cornwall—J. W. Adams and I'. Hill, siotkorekers, Manchester—R. Stones aed T. Hodg son, bras-founders, R. Greaves, J. M•Nicol, and Laurie, Liverpool (so far as regards J. Laurie)—J, P. Magor, W. Davey, and R. D a vey. common brewers, Red and td D ii. a li ‘ c • n"(so tar as regards . Davey) —W . M orley . 7r-' s o I IIW 11, Manchester warehousemen, Bread-street. Cheapside—D. Campbell and G. Greaves, horseowners, Liver pool—W. and T. Lambert, curriers, New Brentford—T. Dixon and J. Hall, surgeons, Preston —T. Dewhirst and S. Hewitt, sawyers, Bradford —E. Legit and A. Bellamy, wine merchants, Quadrant, Regent -street —R. Greenwell, D. Sacker, anti R. J. Brown, coal fitters, Sunderland—J. Ash croft, A. F. Mackay, anti D. Mackay, Liverpool —NV Carr and D. Goodall. button-sellers, Glasshouse -street, Regent struet—T. Sneed an d T. Hill, earthenware manufacturer* Hanky, Staffordshire—R. Penrose, D. Starbuck, and J. Sheppard, jun., Abergarward Colliery, Gl amongans hi re ( so far as regards . Sheppard). SCOTCH SEQIIESTRATIONS. David Weir, innkeeper, Glasgow, April 25, and May 9, at twelve, at Deans' Tavern, Glasgow. 20, at twelve, at the office of Mr. Ttionnts Lennox, grocer, C P l e a r r l k h ; P A e p rt r h il . 29, and May announcepired in t it the e ab vdeectii3t Henry instar t, atter a l' s nort but severe illness. The deceased was second son of the late and brotherof the present the Of shancon. wes born in 1815, and in 1841 lie married the el Jest daughter (4'Jan:re* Ede, Esq. Cfroanirlesllilo7lee,nyte•eho y iSe on o th f e the sas Litters R 117718 On the 13,h inst., at Bonl ogue-sur-Mer, the Hon. Mrs. Hene:r Graves, of a (laughter. On the 6th inst., at Rome, the lady of William P Price Esq. ei ri P. s , daughter. on the 16 th inst., at Highbury-hill, Mrs. H. G: W. Sperling, of daughter, still-born. On the 16th inst., at B lackheath-park, Mrs. Joseph Underwood, a a daughter. On the 18th inst., in / 3 rompton-crescent, the wife of Charles 1 !.. Pollard, Esq., surgeon, of a son. ( Gil th e Isth inst., in Gloucester-place, New-road, Mrs. LainsolB. O. a 3011. On On the lBth i nst., at Tulse-hill, S urrey, Mrs. Brand, of a daughter. 19th inst., lu Cavendish-square, the lady of W. Archer Shee, Es q., of a son , of a On the 19 th inst., a t N orwich, the wife of Arthur Tawke, MD., soil. On the 19th inst., at the Elms, W es t D er b y, near Liverpool, Mrs. G. A. Hoskins, of a son. ---. MARRIED. On the lath hist., at Surbiton New Church, Kingston-upon 'Mantes, Mut k Anthony, Esq., to Miss Ellett Marshall. On the lath iet,t , at S.. Nicholas, Brighton, Jahn Edward C. Koch. Esq., of Calcutta, to Ellen Sarah, only daughter of W. Palmer, Esq.. of Brixton-hill. DIED. On the 18th Inst., at Norwood, Arthur, youngest son of Robert Roggen, Esq. On the 18th inst., Mr. George Briggs, of Wigmore-Street, Caven dish-square. On the 19th inst., In Upper Brook-street, General Slr Moore Disney, R.C.H. aged 81. On the 20th lust., Amelia Fanny, eldest d aug h ter of John Gray, Esq., of Streatham.park, Surrey. Oa the 20th inst., Ann, the wife of Mr. H. 0. Nodes, of Chapel street, Tottenhant-eourt-road. OU the 19th iii , t., Mr. James Nlanlet Chaplin, aged 59. On the 19th lust., 11115. l'ryer, of Great Ila.ddOw, Essex, aged 84. Oa the 2011, inst., Ann, the wife Of 3).:r. John Bradley, printer, of Great Titehfteld-street, St. Marylebotre. On the 20th inst., at So uthwick.e,,reet, Hyde-park, Elias Goldsmid, Esq., aged 48. On the 20th inst., at Ucliflelo., Sussex, Isabella, relict of the late T. Kilgour, Esq., of tiethelnle„ Aberdeenshire, aged 83. On the 21st inst., Mr. rtion l a t , Tegg, of Cheapside, publisher. On the 20th inst., at B .irclbrook, Essex, the Rev. Jonathan Walton, D.D., Rector of Blrdbrnolt. Essex, nett 72. '....f.W............... - - - --- London: Printed and Published by 14TIIDO TOTING, of No. 112? Strand. Printer, at The Sun °Mee, N 0.112. Strand, ha the Precinct or th, SeYof t ua the County of Middlesex, Tlivssday, 4Prh. 33, 1841, LAND TAXES. Lord GAGE presented a petition from Sussex, pray ing that ratf a on cottagtts of 6/ annual rental should be levied on the land. LORDS' SUMMAR Y. The LORD Cu.A.tictLLon took his seat upon the woolsack at five o'clock all parties. He asked ft r nothing that was unfair to any party. But tee Hon. Gentleman should be aware, that there was a reaction g ing on among tho scripholders, and that a number of persons were buying up scrip for the purpose of compelling the companies to come up for their own purposes. He did not consider that such ,jobbers vi ere 'entitled to much consideration. The Board of Directors never knew who were the scrip : hollers, nor were they bound by any re gulution whatever to abide by their wishes. The original shareholders had disposed, as far as they were concerned, of their interest in the original un dertaking. They had disposed of all their prospects of gain, and nothing but the liability remained to them, and of course they must be anxious that the affairs of the company with which they were connected should be settled. The only persons who appeared ro him to have sr legitimate right to give their opinions, as shareholders were the persons to whom the original allotment of shares was made. There was a great facilita of giving annoyance held out by the Right Hon. Baronet to per sons who either had or represented themselves to have some interest as shareholde rs, and it was only experience :hat would make him aware of that circumstance. The Hight Hon. Baronet said that, if a me►-ting composed of a certain number of proprietors was cailt d, and ex pressed its wish for a dissolution of the company, the directors should be bound by that wish. The number of proprietors was to be one-third, and if thrce•hfti a of the meeting wished for a dissolution the dissolution was to be carried. How would the Right Hon. Baronet act if another meeting of one-third of the proprietors were to be called in another place,and three-fifths of that meet ieg were to express a wi4i to go on with the undertAing? In conclusion, he trusted that no unnecessary delay would be allowed to take place in the passing of Iri..h Bills. Sir ROBERT PEEL could not speak for the House of Lords; but he proposed that all Bills before hat House which stood tor the reading should 'see postponed till a meeting had been held, in conformity with his resolution. With respect to the question which the Hon. Gentleman put to him, that a ineeting were held of only a third of the shareholders, three fifths of whom might agree that the Bill should not be proceeded with, and afterwards another meeting of another third of the shareholders took place, who would agree to have the Bill passed, how were they to decide whether they should read the Bill a third time, he (Sir R. Peel) could only sry that the latter third of the shareholders, to obviate this difficulty, should take care to be pres, nt at the first meeting. Mr. BRUNELL regretted that these resolutions had been brought forward so late in the session ; had a similar step b , :en token at an earlier period ninny of the evils which they were now suffering would have been prevented. But even now, why were they to anew the c:;ntiugent oxpenses of committees and second readings to he incurred ? Why were they to suffer parties to be it the expense of bringing witnesses from all parts of the country and providing for them at , averns, for a loug period of time. He dared to say that, at the present moment from Hyde. pal k-c•Tner to Victoria-park, there could not • be found an unoccupied bed at any respectable tavern.—(Hear.) He contended ,that the course proposed by the Right I lon. Baronet was not fair to the country at. large. If ,hat Right Hon. Gentlemae felt that the public had sub jected themselves to great difficulties in the late mania 4' railway gambling, he might have proposed some either remedy better calculated to meet these eases. If he understood the proposition o f the Right Hon. Baronet, it was to the effect that if the holders of one-fifth of the shares in a railway under taking, should, at a meeting to be advertised, come to the conclusion that tee Bill now betore Pariiatnent, to authorise their projects, the Bill should nit then be allowed to be proceeded with, but take the case of . the representatives of 900,0001. in a railway company, would it be just or reasonable that the holders of 180,0001.. which was the fifth of that sum should be allowed to decide the tate of the undertaking. The Right Hon. Baronet had Ter) truly stated that the state of the law on this point ens very uncertain and und , firied, and the oppressions that parties had be en subjected in consequence of that uncertainty, had b, en very great. In fact, he had a letter from one 14. ntlemati, whose name he did not think proper to mention, who had ac tions commenced against him which w, utd involve him in expenses amoun;ing to 90,0001. The House would probably have read the account of the late action of Woolmer v. Toby, a new trial had :been moved fur and obtained, and the consequence would be that most prebably, for the next eighteen months or two years, the public would be left quite in the dark es to the real state. of the law o:: thii question. Under these le4)lutions no Bill, either English, Irish, oe Scotch could pass. There wouLl be power enough to carry the second re adiug and the Bill el the Cemmittee, and in that time suffi cient expenses might be incurred to ruin • a great many people. Those were considerations which he would venture to throw out for the consideration of the RiAht Hon. Grnth mate and he would suggest to him the propriety of taking steps for facilitating the winding up of railway companies, as few of the bills had reached their second reading. The SOLICI 1 OR-GENERAL rose to support the ereprietors which had been submitted ti,y his Right Hon. Friend. The first matter which they had to consider was what were the evils which they were seeking to remedy. The fiest great evil was that which had been alluded to by his Honourable Friend who had just addressed the House tnat these companies were to:ally new institutions —something which had not lefote exist. d, and therefore the law respecting them was mast complicated. The questions of law which arose were most embarrassing and difficult, in conse quence of the extent of the transactions, and the num ber of persons engaged in them. He found from the statement which had been made to the House, that the railway Bills which bad been passed the year before last, and last year, would for their completion, and carrying into effect, require upwards of one hundred millions of money. COMMONS' SUMMARY. The SPEAKER took the chair at Four o'clock. After the presenting of several petitions, Sir R. PEEL moved the resolutions of which he had given notice, with respect to railways. He thought a case had arisen for Parliament to interfere to prevent the capital of the country being emploped in useless rail way speculations. The total amount of capital required for railways would, lie felt convinced, be much greater than the Legislature ought to sanction, and under these circumstances he thought Parliament ought to have the opinion of the parties themselves as to the expediency of carrying on the difler, nt lines with whi c h, they were connected. He believed that there was a sincere desire on the part of many persons connected with railways to relieve themselves from the responsibilities under which they had involuntarily placed themselves. He was not surprised at this, consi , Jering the present state of the law with respect to inchoate com panies —a state which, in his opinion, ought not longer to exist. He thought, eo:i wing the state of many innocent and heirless subscribers to railway companies, the Legislature was culled upon to interfere, and if, after Parliament had re tiered them from. the obligatien they at present labour ef:i under, parties still continued to speculate is railways, they would be no longer objects of sympathy and pity. The Go vernment had felt it to be their duty to interfere to put an end to the improvicent speculation that was tf.kieg place in the country with respect to railways; and for that purpos he trusted that the House would adopt the resolutions he had laid on the table in order to further the operations of a Bill which 1% ould be introduced, giving power to all scripholders of inchoate rail way companies to dissolve them if they thought it necessary. The Right 11011. Baronet concluded by moving the res tion of whi c h h e h a d given notice (which lu Sun of y e ste r d ay. ) appeared in Th e Mr. F. FRF.NCII said if these resolutions were carried, the eflect of them would be materially to delay all Irish Railway Bills. He trusted that something would be done to expedite Lash fin Tway Bills. Mr. BEENALL thought that these measure ought to be ird r puteadi a ng. stop Heto long before t h ey came to a th was pertealy sure that resolutions like those prop o s e d wou l d not remedy the evils intended to be removed. Imme,se expense would have 10 be incurred, and all the evils inflicted before the cure could be applied. T e SOLICITOR, GENERAL supported the resolutions. ( LEFT Si TING.) NOTICE TO MARINERS. LIGHTHOUSE UN THE ISLAM) OF CERIGO. trade, by shi , ti Levant ap IL is is i I d about others th i interested rete made d to en the the owners understood, a Admiralty, for the erection of a lighthouse on the Island of Cerigo, at the south-east corner of the Morea, which is much wanted for the sate:3' of vessels proceedirg to the Archipelago, Smyrna. Constantinople, and the Black Sea. LI. H MOUSE ON CAPE FINISTERRE. "An application, at the instance of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation .Company, has been made to the Spanish Government, either to erect, or permit to be erected, a tightto.use on Cape Finnis Fiuisterre. As this is the most westerly promontory of Europe, and a paint which vessels genera lly endeavour to make, on their voyages to ee n or p l t a r e o e n d i Spain, Portugal. and the Mediterranean, it is a matter of su rprise that a lighthouse has not long since b there. Had there been a good light on Cape Fiuisterre, it is considered the untbrtunate loss of the Great Liverpool Would not have happened. , (LErr SITTLiG.) HOUSE OF COMMONS. The SPEAKER took the chair at Four o'clock. REPORTS. The following reports were brought up, the amend ments and alterations agreed to, and the Bills ordered to be engrossed, viz.:— West of Scotland Junction Railway. Exeter, Topsham, and Exmouth Railway. Eastern Union and Harwich Railways and Pier. Saint Austell Small Debts. Western-super -Mare Pier. Numerous petitions were presented, some in favour of, and others against, different railway Bills. Mr. LABOUCHERE moved that the report on the Rugby and Huntingdon Railway Bill be presented this day, notwithstanding the resolution of the House of the 7th of April.—The motion was agreed to. METROPOLITAN SEWERS. Sir R. INGLIS presented a petition from the Dean and Chap er of Westminster respecing a which was now pending before the House for the better regulation of the Metropolitan Sewer. The petition complained that the d'posits of the common sewers were veiy noxious and productive of great disease in the metro polis. Mr. WILLIAMS presented a petition from the in habitants of Coventry, expressing their satisfaction that a Bill had been introduced into the house for the entire removal of the penalties and disabilities to which per sons professing ti.e Cltholic re liaion were liab:e. Sir G. STRICKLAND presented three petitions in favour of the "i'en Hours' Bid. EDUCATION IN IRELAND. Mr. MILES presented a petition trout the Church of England Association in the town of Shepton Mallet, in favour of Church Education in Ireland. BISHOPRIC OF MAN,sHESTER. The Hose MEMBER presented a peiLion, iu favour of the establishing a bishopric in Manchester, without en croaching on the remit ces of the Welsh dioceses. THE LAW OF SETTLEMENT. The HoN. MEMBER also presented a petition from the guardians of the pour in Wellington, complaining 01 the Law of Settlement brought forward by the Government. GOVERNMENT FREE-TRADE MEASURES. The IIoN. MEMBER further presented a petition from the county of Somerset, against the commercial mea sures of the Government. RAILWAY BUSINESS OF THE SESSION. Sir R. PEEL rose and spoke as follows:—Sir, I gave notice, two days since, that I should feel it my duty to call the attention of the House to the state of the rail way business now pending before Parliament. No one is more impressed than I am with the conviction, in the ordinary current of affairs, of adhering to the great principle of permitting, in a com mercial country, the free application of individual entzrprise and capital, and although, in the application of capital for purposes o f commerc i a l en t er p r i se un d er the existing law, it has been the practice of Parliament to favour inchoate companies who applied to Parliament for large powers, still the general principle is so valuable, even in respect to commercial enterprise, that were the circumstances of an ordinary character I should not seek or deem it necessary to interfere. The better rule is in the application of capital in individual enter_ prise, and the usage of Parliament has been to grant powers for the formation of railway companies where no strong opposition from landowners was given, and where no competing lines urged reasons sufficiently strong why such powers should not be given. Even in respect to those I should not deem it, under ordinary circum stances, ste advisable rnle ;or Parliament to in terlese. But at the same time, at the risk of great public inconvenience. I deem it advisable that Parliament should depart from those principles in the present state of the country, in order that its capital may not be needlessly applied to railway specula tions, which confer no great public benefit, and which would paralyse all other commercial engagements. In doing so it will be necessary, before asking you for that qualified interference with this rail way speculation, fur me to describe the circum stances, and detail the reasons why I think it necessary to depart from the ordinary course observed in such matte's, in order that what I now propose may not be taken as a pre , sedent on future occasions. In the first place I shall state to the House the amount of ca pital already pledged for the Railway Acts already ob tained from Parlitsment; and also the amount of capital which would be necessary for the Bills now pentanes in order to car ry out i nto ef f ect those projects. I find that in 1844 the number of Railway Acts which ebtaised the sanction of the Legislature was thirty-seven. the capital authorised to be raised by share amounted to 13.900,000/., and th et authorised to ae raised by boas amounted to 4,600,000/., being a total amount of capital authorised to be raised by share and loan by bills, passed in 1844, amounted to the sum of 17,988,0001. In 1845 the number of railways were 150, and the share'- capital esutherised to be raised by these Ac s anicuilted to 4 5J , 85,000/. ; and the total amount of loan wet - 14,635,0u0/ ; being a total am 'ant of capital authoris , d by Acts in 1845 or 60,400,000/. I have a return of the nausea of those 13111 s which were under the consideration of the Committee, and I fled that the number of Eng lish Bills amounted to thrse hundred and sixty -i file ; that the number of Scotch Bills were one hundred and seven, and that of the Irish there were forty-three, being a total of five hundred and nineteen Bills for the United Kingdom. I find from these that ninety English Bills have capital to the amount of 184,000,0001., and, supposing they received the sanction of Parliament, an additional loan of 58,000,000/. might also be raised. The capital proposed to be raised by the Scotch Bills amounted to 28,500,000 L, with a loan of 9,500,0001. By the Irish Bills it was also proposed to raise 18,400,000/.. and loans to the amount of 5,000,000/. would be sanctioned. So, therefore, the total amount of capital authorised to be raised by English, Irish and Seoth bills amounted to 231,322,0001., and the total amount of capital authorised to be raised by loan amounted to 72,000,0001., making a total, independently of invested capital authorised by Acts, in 1845, of 30 4,000,000/. I know it is quite ttue that many of these bills are delusive, that many of them are of a competing nature, and that the can.) ing out of many of them would be unnecessary for the public interest. But a very great reduction must be made of that total amount ; and certain it is that Parliament will reject many of the Railway Bills submitted for its considera tion and approval during the present session. In short, many of the Bills are incompatible with the wants of the public; still, whatever deduction is made in the number of Bills during the present session, the total amount of capi tal, if there be no interference of Parliament—the total amount of capital which will be sanctioned in the course of the present session will be much greater than, havin.7 a due regard to the p u bli c i n t eres t , ought to be applied to the construction of railways. Now, I am afraid, owing to the number of Bills, unless there be most rigid inquiry by the committees appointed to inquire into the subject, I fear that at the end of the session, Bills will pass which, under ordinary circumstances, would not receive the sanction of Parliament. —(Bear, hear.) Now I will proceed to state what amount of capital has been paid up out of the amount which has been authorised to be received by the Bills which have already received the sanction of Parliament. Now, in respect to Bills which passed before the year 1844—1 am speaking of the Bills which passed before the session 011844—the sum of 20,867,0001 has not-yet been called up upon the shares in the rail ways which obtained before this period. Again, that must not be taken as the real amount of capital autho rised to be raised and ready to be called in, but never theless remaining unpaid, because, in many eases, money has been raised on loan on the security of out standing shares—a course which has been frequently adopted instead of calling upon shareholders for pay ment for the shares which have been issued to them. What proportion does the amount, raised by loans, ber.r to the mullet of shares on which the capital has not been paid? I can only state the fact that there re mains, an unpaid capital connected with railways, which received the sanction of Parlismrnt before 1844, to the amount of 20,867,000/, suppos ing no loans to have been raised on outstanding sharps for the purpose of completing works. With respect to Bills passed in the session of 1844, the amount of capital stock that is still unpaid amounts to 5,293,0001 In respect to the railways which passed in 1845. 118 in number, on the capital stock or sharesan nearly amount2ss d: u oee t od h po o ta is tt passed d d l e ,or amount mfenioknor before 1844, morenblw t e h4rizg:mhe raised, ngaeiivnri eaisnsl et easrutmini therestill 2a 1i779:0 r oa : ri m , don: Hills s sf. whichwhich added capital stock to be paid up of 33,242,0001 .—(Hear.) m et hoseupneotcpuoi opinions i c toi a on p ns i a o: l a w tnh h do i s c ec i cispoo w ogannnu i rs l iti l ddife b eoeosd e i course in addition i t t e i sr o ae n df e t to y: on h tta e hkee a s authorised to be raised in the course of the present session. Therefore, even with regard to this amount of capital who have h w a e ve by that opinion which shall deterumitishirnyeeonrwaeenhtdrerather or no t dtbh l yo me ein s s e egA s c p ptt e ha c ir u ast lations shall go on before they get sanctioned , f iesa P bd a a r f l t i ef a br cu r emi calling ge There fionrq tion. There has been a great change in the circumstances of these p r oj e cts e si s n t c a e nd ma t n h y ata of these e parr ties had comm i tte d themselves. In the fi pw r p s oh t ien p n la d c it i,... e b , y i bmruosutgrhetfe before e t r o o r t e h e them. op in o n ofun understand Committee r nameabilit must be' f arn i. this Rouse i n com i ng to a decision on a Bill which t was , Brunell—a gen tl eman whose great b eix h enetss exhibited p li e a r r ien t c o e, y a o t d fgorreattheactigtrea when you heard him in being examined before. In ' ROxford,think the Com m itt ee on the London a d and London, Worcest er , an d R ugby Rail ways,gave thi evidence :—" The prices are so increased, that-the lines mentioned (the Lond on an d O xford) cannot be con structed at their setled p r i ces. The materials for the construction of railways is now 50 per cent. high er than at this time last year." At t hi s point of the pro ceedings the Chairman said that the Committee thought it unnecessary to hear any more evidence on the London and Oxford line ; and after the room had been cleared for a few minutes, the Committee declared that the preamble of that law had not been proved. If the expen se has so materially increased on those kinds of materials necessary for the construction of railway—such as i ron, land, and labour—of course the estimates of the rail way company must be affected. The cost of executin g the line must be increased, and time prospect of pr o fi t must be diminished. I do not say that these circum- stances alone would warrant a withdrawal of their pro-