The Sun. — London, England, 1849-02-16 00:00:00

GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY• The twenty-seventh half-yearly general meeting of the proprietors of the Great Western Railway Company was held yesterday, at the Board-room of the company, at the Paddington Station. The meeting was convened for the election of three di rectors in the place of the same number who retired in rotation, and for other purposes of business, The retiring directors were eligible for re-election under the company's Act. Mr. Charles Russell, the chairman of the company, took the chair at one o'clock. The three retiring directors were Lord Barrington, the deputy-chairman ; Mr. James Gibbs, and Mr. George Jones, of Bristol ; and they had severally de clared themselves to be candidates for re-election at this meeting. The SECUBTARY having read the notice convening the meeting, The CHAIRMAN addressedthe assembly as follows : Gentleman—lt will not be necessary to detain you with any lengthened remarks upon the de tails of our accounts for the last six months. These accounts have already been in your hands for several days, and I have no doubt that you will have compared those accounts with those of the preceding half-year, and that comparison, together with the report which has been to-day circulated among us, will have directed your attention to the most important particulars of them. You will observe that our receipts from our traffic during the last half year have not increased in any material degree over the receipts in the corresponding half-year of 1847, al though in this latter period a considerable length of new line has been opened; but you must bear in mind that that new line has not been opened sufficiently long to develope the traffic of the district through which it passes, and that a considerable portion of it— I believe more than one-half—has only been opened during a few weeks of the winter months. I believe that if it had not been for these new branches and for our discontinuance of the system of return tickets, that our traffic, even upon our main line, would have fallen short during the past half-year. In point of fact, up to the mouth of October, our general receipts on the line were less than they were during the corresponding months of the last year. This can be ascribed to no other cause than to the depressed state of the country, and when we consider what is the character of the principal towns with which our line is connected, I do not think we can entertain any surprise. Those towns are Cheltenham, Bath, Bristol, and Exeter, and when we remember the heavy reverses that have fallen upon the East and West India interests, the total failure of rents in Ireland, the general stagnation of commerce throughout the country, and that in point of fact there is scarce a house at the door of which is not to be found difficulty and distress, the wonder is, not that our traffic should not have largely increased, but that it should not have materially declined. Lastly, we must recollect that in the interval to which lam adverting, the South-Western line to Datchet has been opened ; and though we may, perhaps, be permitted to entertain a doubt whether the traffic which the South-Western Company will derive from the line will reimburse them for the capital which they have expended in making it, there can be no doubt that it has withdrawn a considerable portion of our Windsor traffic, particularly until the period shall arrive when our own branch into Windsor shall have been completed. We hare endeavoured to meet those difficulties by every retrenchment which was compatible with the efficiency and safety of our line. We have reduced the trains to the extent of 800 miles a day, and we contemplate still further modifi cations in the arrangements of our trains.—(Hear.) Mr. Gooch has been able to effect very considerable reductions in the locomotive department, and although during this la,t half-year our engines have run over a considerably longer distance than they ran over in the corresponding half-year, the expense has been reduced from about 62,500/. to 53,0001., a very considerable reduction. The maintenance of way is one of the heaviest charges in our accounts. In the last half year it amounted to no less a sum than 40,0001. I believe it is the practice of most railway companies to add the maintenance of way for the first year to the cost of construction, and to carry that charge against the capital. Such has never been the practice of the Great Western Company. We have always charged the maintenance of way to our revenue account from the day that any line has been opened. The auditors have been so good as to look very mi nutely into this account, and I am sure they will bear me out in my statement, that every charge which can be properly included under the head of maintenance of way is so included, and is carried to the debit of our revenue account. We hsve lately been able to enter into a new contract for the maintenance of way, and by this contract we hope to effect a saving of 5,0001. or 5,500/. a year. Gentlemen, the cost of coke is an item in which we suffer by any com parison with the working expenses of the northern lines. They are enabled to procure this cake at about 24. a ton, while you will see, from an accurate statement which is appended to our ac counts, that we have been obliged to pay from 21s. to 245. 4d. a ton for ours. We have lately entered into a new contract fur the supply of coals, which will be supplied at a lower rate than they were formerly obtained at, by about 2s. a ton. The effect will be to enable us to obtain that coke at about 205 a ton, and the saving accruing to the company by this new contras` will be about 6 0001. a year. I have adverted to these two or three particular charges, for they are the heaviest charges in our accounts; but our attention has not been limited to them. We have had a committee of re trenchment sitting for several months, who have iestitu:ed a most careful examination of your estab lishment, and proposed every reduction which was practicable. With the assistance of that committee we hope to effect a saving throughout the general departments of your establishment to the extent of about 25,0001. a year.—(Cheers) Gentlemen, you are aware that the lease of the Bristol and Exeter will terminate on the Ist of May next. Communications have passed between the directors of the two companies, but have led to no practical result. We, of course, know with p er f ec t accuracy, what is the value of that line, and we have made the fullest and fairest communication to the directors of the Bristol and Exeter Company; but we have been unable to reconcile our experience of the past with their expectations of the future; and we heve not thought it would be right at the present time to enter into any speculative bargain whatever, and though we have not been able to continue the lease of the Bristol and Exeter, we have entered into an arrangement for the common use between the two companies of the Bristol station. The expense of a large station like that of Bristol is very consi derable, and the saving to the two companies must be great, by their using it in common. Of the equity of that arrangement there can be no doubt, and very accurate accounts are :to be kept, which wilt be open to the inspection of both par ties, and each is to bear the expense of that station in the precise ratio of the work which may be done upon it. lam happy t o s t a t e th a t th e B r i s t o l an d Exeter and ourselves still continue, and I hope N ' ill always continue, on the most friendly terms -- —(Rear, hear)and I am satisfied the cordial co- operation of the two companies on all occa s i on s must be cond uc i ve to their common interests. G en • tlemen, the par oc hi a l rates which we are obliged to pay still constitute a heavy item in our charges, and you are of course aware th a t active steps modification edalbOut to be taken in order to obtain a of, that charge. This qu es ti on was ofiractation in vestigated at any length before a Committee of the House of Commons in 1844, and in that same year a Bill was passed by which large concessions were made from the railway companies to the public. It was a distinct understandin g at that time that it was equivalent for such concession that there should be a revision of the poor-rates with a view to our relief. I feel confident that when the Goirernthent shall have adverted to the circum stances they will be q uite prepared to render us their assistance. I hope, too, the Legislature will be dis posed to,extend some consideration to us when they l ook not only to that fact, but at the very t h , ea vY burdens which have been cast u p on rue railway companies in those days when the public was under the delusion that they were to prove mines of wealth to us. We have been com pelled to p ay b y the decisions' of the Legislature the most exorbitant prices for the property which was necessary to us to enable us to carry out those works .of great national importance. I think the railway companies would do well if they were to collect some instances of those exorbitant prices, if It were only for the purpose of preserving some statistical account of the sudden rise which to,,k place in cer tain property about the m iddl e o f the last century (Hear, and a Laugh.) The law obliges us to give notice of o u r i n t en ti o n t o t a k e any laud may be required for the purposes of our railway ; and if circumstances, over which we have no control, should oblirge us to abandon or suspend our work, we have, ney.fertheless, in numerous instances, been obliged not cyily t o remunerate the owner of he land fbr the injury he ha s susta i ned by the notice that has been have of served upon hi m , b ut we c been obliged to pay most exorbitant pri ces f or the the land which will never be wanted, or for the severance of that which would in all probability never be severed.— (Hear, hear.) We have been obliged to make new lines and new branches as the only protection to our traffic Against the encroachments which have been Threatened against it. It was broadly announced in the House of Commons that, though the Legislature shall have granted a line of railway, there were n o reasons of public faith which should pre vent their granting another line of rail way running close along side of it if they a '.° ll ld think fit ; and in pursuance of this Principle, in 1845, Bills for railways were passed to the extent of 60,000,0001. ; i n 1646, of 130,000,000/. ; and in 1847, of 40,000,000/. Thus, no less than 230,000,0001. of railway Bills were sanctioned by the Legislature in three successive sessions. On each succeeding occasion that we have been obliged to go to the Legislature for a new Bill, which was indispensably necessary for our works, we have been compelled to pay as the cost of that Bill a considerable reduction in our maximum charges. We have been obliged to carry third-class passengers at scarcely a remunerative rate, and we offered them such accommodation that not only the poor but the affluent—(Hear, hear)—avail themselves of those third-class carriages; and they travel almost free of charge on our line. And besides that, we have been obliged to carry officers, soldiers, and po licemen, at half the rate which would have been scarcely remunerative. In addition to this, we have been subject to the provisions of a Bill lately passed, practically to insure the lives of those passen gers who travel with us ; and under the operation of that Bill we have been amerced in penalties on consi derations unknown to the principles of the English law, not in proportion to the poverty, but in propor tion to the wealth of the claimants.—(Hear, hear.) And lastly, we have been . assessed to the poor-rates on principles not contemplated at the time when this Bill was passed, and totally at variance with the principles applied to every other commercial enter prise of the country ; and we add not one shilling to the charge, though we are obliged to bear nine tenths of the burdens of every parish through which we pass.—(Hear.) This is but a brief anu imper fect statement of the burdens that have been cast upon us, and is it wonderful that the value of your property should hare declined ? In other countries every possible encouragement and assistance have been offered to railway enterprise.—(Hear, hear.) In America, France, Belgium, and even in Italy they have had grants of land, the remission of taxation, and loans of public money ; but here, in commercial England alone, and in these days of free trade, we have not been able to get one acre of land for which we have not had to pay double and treble its value. But, during the late pressure, it was pretty plainly intimated to us that we must look to no assistance ; and the public policy rather seemed to be directed to correct the vicious legislation to which I have alluded, and which was no fault of ours, by increasing rather than modifying the difficul ties of the railway companies.—(Cheers) The re sults are now seen, and I hope we may look for a more considerate policy towards the railway companies. I feel satisfied, if we take care that the prayer of our petition for relief in the matter of the parish rates be moderate and just, if it be firmly but temperately enforced, that we must succeed in obtaining relief. lam not aware that I have any thing more to say on the subject of those rates. The question has been taken up in confor mity with your wishes expressed at previous meetings, and I have no doubt you will give your consent to the attaching the seal of the company to the petition which we propose to present to Parliament. I cannot quit the subject of our accounts without adverting to a question which I know has occasioned considerable dissatisfaction in the public mind—l mean the discon tinuance of our system of return tickets. We have resorted to that expedient with the greatest possible reluctance, but it was inevitable. I do not believe the proprietors or the public are aware of the extent of the remission of charge involved in our system of return tickets. We have had an account carefully made of the half-year terminating on the 30th June, 1848 ; and we find that during that period the number of pas sengers who have travelled by our express and our ordinary trains was about 230,000. Of this number as nearly as possible one-half availed themselves of the use of return tickets. The number of our second-class passengers, which constitutes of course the great bulk of our traffic was about one million and fifty thousand, and of this number about two- thirds availed themselves of the use of re- turn tickets. The system of return tickets practically, therefore, amounted to this, that we remitted one third of our charge with half the first-class traffic and upon two. thirds of our second-class traffic. Nor was this all. You can have no notion of the extent to which frauds were practised upon us by the transfer and sale of return tickets—(Hear)-- and which we found it impossible to prevent. I believe a more striking instance cannot be found than is found in the practice adopted respecting return tickets of that laxity of principle—(Hear)--by which men justify themselves in doing that in their dealings towards the public which they would shrink from doing in private life.—(Cries of " Hear, hear_") I am aware that great complaints have been made of the discontinuance of the return tickets. It has been charged , on us as a breach of faith, but I know of no principle of justice or law which entitled any man to travel at the expense of another. Great sympathy is expressed for the retired tradesman, who has not taken his dinner by the road side, and unex pectedly finds himself called upon to pay 2s. or 3s. for it in the metropolis—(Laughter)—but no sym pathy is found for the retired tradesman, who is perhaps his neighbour, who has invested his hard-earned savings in railway property, at 51. per cent., but finds the rate of interest, year by year, declining, and not only that, but even his captital, diminished more than half in value.—(Cheers.) This class of proprietors is very much increasing among us. The number of our proprietors was nearly doubled in the course of last year. Now these proprietors were entitled to the same justice and consideration from the public, and from the Legislature, that any other proprietors are entitled to; at all events, from us, who are their trustees, they are entitled to the most vigi lant watchfulness of their interests.—(Loud cheers.) We have discontinued the system of return tickets until we know the result, so that by keeping accu rate accounts we shall be guided by those results in . the course we shall pursue.—(Hear, hear.) It is our duty to afford every reasonable accommoda tian to the public, but it is our right to receive a reasonable remuneration.—(Hear, hear.) For such accommodation I am sure the public have no right to complain if railway affairs are con ducted on those principles of reciprocal justice which governs all other commercial enterprises in our country. I am not aware there are any other topics connected with our accounts to which it is necessary that I should advert. The Chair man then went on to congratulate the meeting on the improvement in the aspect of their affairs which had recently taken place, and adverted to the principles which he thought it necessary for the company to be governed by in the present state of circumstances, and by which he believed it would be restored to its former sound, healthy, and pros perous condition.— (Cheers.) Mr. LAWRENCE HETWORTH thanked the Chairman for the business-like speech he had just delivered. He had never heard a speech more to the purpose, and it was to thank the Chairman that he presented himself to the meeting at that moment. The SECRETARY then read the report, which was as follows : " During last half-year two detached portions of branch line were successively opened to the public, and worked in connexion with the trains of the Great Wes tern Railway—the one on the sth September, being 134 miles of the Wilts, Somerset, and Weymouth Railway, through Melksham and Trowbridge to Westbury ; the other, on the Ist November, between Reading and Basingstoke, constituting the 15 miles which remained incomplete of the Berks and Hants Railway. " The company, aided by their additional branches, have maintained, and in some degree increased their re ceipts during the last six months, although the general business of railways in the country has fallen off, and this company has besides had to contend against some special disadvantages—the S,,uth-Western Company, at all events for the present, having withdrawn to their Datchet Line some of the London and Windsor traffic, while the Southampton and Dorchester Railway has been the means of diverting a portion of the Somerset shire and Dorsetshire trade, which used previously to pass through Taunton, Bridgewater, or Bath, over this railway. " Although the two Great Western Branches referred to have not yet been opened long enough to develope their proper traffic, either in respect of passengers or goods, so as to become remunerative in themselves, there is sufficient indication that they will, in due time, upon the revival of trade, contribute to the general resources of the company, by attracting a considerable increase of trade to the main line—besides defraying out of the receipts from the local traffic, when progressively im proved, at least a moderate rate of interest on the cost, with all their working charges. ;. The directors reportedihat they have been enabled to work the line, including those branches, at a reduc aim of 14,0001. upon the preceding half-year; while the tutal increa-e over the corresponding period of 1847, working 53 additional miles, and supporting establish ments at twelve new stations, amounts only to 4,6504-- a sum but slightly esTeeding the cost of the maintenance of way of those branches, an item which has been charged to revenue, eve n during the first year o f their being opened for traffic. "The directors have devoted their attention during many months to a careful revision of the general ex penditure, feeling, under the less prosperous condition of railway property in these times, the increasing import ance, and even necessity of making every practicable retrenchment, calculated to improve the financial condi tion of the company, without impairing the safety and ( fficiency of the line, or the management of the under taking. "The directors entertain a belief that the alterations and reductions which have been determined upon will effect an annual saving of about 25,000 L in working charges, exclusive of the sum of 6,000/. per annum, which, from the reduced price of coals under the present con tract, will be saved in the cost of coke. Some of these reductions, it is proper to mention, have been partially in operation during the latter months of 1848, but the board is of opinion that by m a further e m r e o d m i a fi y c a still in ioli be in a the tr ains, nannual nn ual saving nodo ther 0, o arrange- o a s contrasted with the expenditure even of the past six traffic this, h e sources of addition to to 3 0004 per annum. " The directors will not relax in their endeavours to conduct the wholo system under the most strict and vigilant economy, in order to increase the prosperity of the company, and afford a proper remuneration to the shareholders; and they trust the public will at length perceive how essential it is, even to their own conveni ence, that railways efficiently managed should make an adequate return for their capital, without which there can be no means of enlarging or extending those ad vantages. " The result of the audited accounts during the last six months, places the net sum of 223.9871. 193. lid. at the disposal of the general meeting; and the directors recommend that a dividend at the rate of 6 per cent. per annum, should be declared by the proprietors, payable on the Ist March in the usual way. This will leave 6,2141. 19s. 11d. to be carried forward to the account of the current half-year. "Under the authority of a resolution of the general meeting in August last, the directors have resolved to create, for construction of the Windsor Railway, 6,500 new shares of 201. each, to be issued, in conformity with the agreement, to the shareholders of the original Windsor Railway Company, and to others ; the said shares entitling the holders to a rateable dividend only, from the time when the railway itself shall be finished. "In the 'Berks and Hants Extension Act, 1848,' there is an enactment to give effect to the subsist ing agreement with the shareholders of the London, Newbury, and Bath Direct Railway Company' (a subject also mentioned in the last report), in virtue of which agreement they are to be ad mitted as shareholders of Barks and Hants Preference shares, of 5 per cent. per annum, to the amount of their subscription, which is about 460,0001. The clauses in question are now brought to the attention of the pro prietors, in order that the formal steps may be taken to authorise the creation of those preference shares to the amount specified in the Act; fur which purpose a reso lution has been prepared and will be submitted to this meeting. " Experience in some companies having shown that the proprietors of shares, upon which the capital has been called and paid up, have derived an advantage from the conversion of several denominations of shares into one consolidated stuck, and the authority et Parliament having been obtained by this company to do so, the directors recommend that such measure should be adopted with respect to the 1001., 501., and 201. Great Western shares, as soon as the prescribed conditions of the Act can be complied with. A reso lution to that effect in legal form can only be submitted to a special meeting, and if the proprietors concur in its expediency, notice shall be given to convene a general meeting of the company specially in order to confer the requisite powers fbr that conversion. " In the month of October, 1838, an order was made by the company requiring separate lists of proprietors to be made for coca half-yearly meeting, which has been acted upon ever since; but it is practically proved that the preparation of such lists (since become very volu minous) is an unnecessary expense, inasmuch as the sealed registers of shareholders, which are required by the Act, furnish the same information; and the directors recommend, under existing circumstances, that the order for the separate lists should be rescinded. " Reverting to the all-important subject of expen diture, the directors must again renew their complaint, so frequently expressed, against the system upon which railways continue to be assessed for parochial rates. Relief was promised as an equivalent, when Mr. Glad stone's Bill was introduced for compelling compa nies to convey troops and the police at very reduced charges; and to afford separate trains, with a superior accommodation for third-class passengers, at a low price, whether remunerative or not to the company—but no relief whatever has yet been afforded. " A resolution will be proposed for affixing the com mon seal of the company to a petition to the House of Commons, praying for some legislative redress for that grievance; and the matter is of sufficient importance to urge upon all the proprietors, both collectively and in dividually, every active and proper exertion to obtain this measure of justice. " Subsequently to the last meeting of the company, the directors were anxiously engaged for some time in endeavouring to arrange amicable relations with those companies whose ,railways approximate to or connect with the Great Western lines, to enable them all to dispense with the outlay of capital not absolutely required fur new lines, as well as to economise, by united establishments, for carrying on the traffic of the country. Although circumstances over which your directors could exercise no control, prevented the completion of any general or final aeree ment for the identification of those companies, they have the gratification of stating, that there is no contest now pending in Parliament or other conflict of interest, as far as they can perceive, which ought to preclude the hope of friendly and satisfactory arrangements being made between the companies separately for their com mon benefit, consistently with the accommodation and just interests of the public. " The general financial statement of the property, affairs, and liabilities of this company, so very recently published and circulated among the shareholders, renders it unnecessary to dwell upon that subject in this report. " There is no Bill before Parliament during this session for any new railway in which this company is interested, and the only measure in which they are at all concerned, is a Bill for vesting the Stratford-upon- Avon Canal in the Birmingham and Oxford Railway Company, to whom it really belongs, under an agree ment with the Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhumpton Company. " l'hu resignation of Mr. Pater Maze, of Bristol, one of the original directors of the company, who, to the great regret of his colleagues, had become unable by infirmity of health to attend the board, rendered it ne• cessary to appoint another director, being a proprietor resident within a limited distance of Bristol (the Act requiring four directors so resident), upon which occa siun Mr. James Gibbs, formerly chairman of the Bristol and Exeter Railway Company, was unanimously selected by the board to fill that vacancy. " At Ihe present meeting, three directors, via. :—Lord Barrington, the deputy-chairman, Mr. James Gibbs, and. Mr. George Jones, ot Bristol, are to retire by rotation. ['hey have severally declared themselves to be candidates for re-election at this meeting. "The half-yearly uccounts, already circulated, are ap pended to this report. together with a letter from the eaginear in relation to the works of the company, which is printed for the information of the proprietors. "C. RUSSELL, Chairman." THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 16, 1849: the shareholders of the London, Newbury, and Bath Direct Railway R 3 may bs requisite; approving or the discontinuance of the separate• list of proprietors req , nrell by a resolution passed in October, 1838; affixing the seal of the company to a petition to the House of Com• mons, against the present system of assessing rail rya) for parochial rates; and re-electing the three retiring director.. Thanks were voted to the chairman and directors, and the meeting separate d. LONDON AND SOUTH-WESTERN RAILWAY. The spring half-yearly general meeting of the pro prietors of the above railway was held yesterday, at the Nine Elms Station; Mr. William Chaplin, chairman of the board of directors, in the chair. There was a very full attendance of shareholders. Mr. WYNDHA.I4I HARDING, the new secretary, read the report, from which it appeared that the directors were of opinion the traffic during the last halt-year on all the railways in the kingdom had been much and injuriously affected by several causes, which were nut likely to be lasting in their operation. Among these were the political convulsions which had disturbed the continent of Europe. This had especially affected the French trade of the port of Southampton. The proof was to be found in the very great falling off, since the revolution, in the traffic of the railway from Paris to Havre, the port on the opposite side of the Channel. A charge of 2,4001 had in consequence been thrown, for the first time, upon the revenue of the half-year, in order to cover the interest on the capital of the Steam Packet Company, which has been guaranteed to them by this company. The general depression of commerce, and the unusual wet ness of the autumn season, had also been peculiarly in jurious to that suburban traffic, which the opening of the Datchet line, and the extension to Waterloo-bridge were c.dculated to develop. In connexion with these circumstances, the low scale of fares, adopted as an ex periment in a time of prosperity, was found to be pre judicial. As soon, therefore, as circumstances permitted, the directors raised the fares to the present scale. The expense of running trains, during the last halt-year, has been 2s. 10d: a mile—a result which, it was believed, would bear satisfactory comparison with other railways; and to this the directors would refer as a test of eco nomy. By the terms' under which the third shares 01 1647 were created, the amount of capital entitled to dividend this half-year exceeded by 1,172,2751., or 46 per cent., the amount on which dividend was paid last half-year. Under the same terms, the whole amount which may be paid up on the capital of the company would be entitled to dividend out of revenue during the current half-year. A greatly increased capital had, therefore, ie future to be provided for; and every effort, in developing the resources of this railway, as well as a rigid economy in conducting its affairs, would be necessary, in order to realise a fair remuneration to the shareholders. These efforts the directors are prepared to make, and this eco nomy they are determined to pursue. For the satisfac tion of th ose w ,h o ma y be influenced by the apprehension now so commonly entertained, that expenditure which ought to be borne by revenue is thrown upon capital, it was proper here to state, that the accounts of this com pany had undergone a rigid and lengthened investiga tion in this as in other respects, by the auditors who were appointed , by the proprietors at the last general meeting ; and the directors were indebted to those gen tlemen for several suggestions, which should bo care fully considered. On the subject of lines for which Parliamentary powers had been obtained, and which were either not commenced, or only partially constructed, the directors had merely to repels, that in reference to such lines, the best policy was to keep the powers intact. Every exertion would be made for the early opening of those lines (about 20 miles in length) which were now in progress. The Hampton Court directorsßranch was wereh ay openedpp on to the announce,lst of th a tt February. i, The Windsor, Staines, and South-Western Railway Company had made a highly satisfactory ar rangement with the Crown for extending the line into Windsor ; and a Bill introduced into Par• liament for this purpose would be submitted to the meeting. It was proposed, in . pursuance of the powers obtained by the Act of last session, that a lease for four teen years be now executed to this company, of the packets and property of the South-Western Steam Navigation Company, on such terms as would legall) secure the proprietors therein the dividend of 5 per cent., as well as the maintenance of their property, both of which were already guaranteed by votes of this proprietary. Cho directors had appointed Mr. Wyndham Harding to the office of secretary of this company, iu place of Mr. P L. Campbell, who died in September last. In connexion with this event, and from the sen-e they entertain of the abili;y and untiring zeal and energy with which Mr. Campbell's arduous duties were performed, so long as strength lasted, the directors would submit a resolution to the proprietors before the close of the meeting. The directors were glad to state, that the construction et a second railway into Portsmouth, and the other needless expenditure likely to have arisen from competition, had been avoided by an amicable arrangement with the Lon dun, Brighton, and South Coast Railway Company, en tered into shortly after the opening of the branch to Cosham. Under this arrangement, which was within the scope of the Acts of the company, this company pay 60,0001. tor their half-sh are of the lino from Cosham to Portsmouth, which was to be held jointly between the two companies. The sanction of the proprietors would be asked to an application to Parliament for extended powers of taking land upon the Basingstoke and Salisbury, and Farnham and Alton Lines. Advantage would be taken of this application to include in these Bills some formal powers which would be of use in administering the affairs of the proprietors. To these may be addet an alteration of the scale of voting to tha specifi:d in the Companies Clauses Consolidation Act. l'he parish rates amounted in the last half year to no less than 10,8331., or upwards of 11 per cent. on the balance available for a dividend. This tax (principally consisting of poor-rate) amounts annually, on every adult employeu in earning the company's revenue, to 12/. 10s.—the ave rage rates on the whole adult male population of the -country being about 30s. a head; and yet the establish ment of the railway company consists of persons em ployed at steady wages throughout the year, and there fore does not add in any way to the parochial burdens. An effort would be made in Parliament to show the un fair operation of this tax on public conveyance, and to obtain relief'. In accordance with the suggestions of several shareholders, a resolution would be submitted to the consideration of the shareholders, for the immediate conversion into stock of the new 50/. and 401. shares of 1845, and the third shares. The directors going out by rotation were Sir John Easthope, Colonel H en d erson , an d H. Iker Sep mer, A ;t a he t qwo latter gent l emen o ff ere d t h emse l ves forre.llPe Bart., and Mr. Sergeant Gaselee, and Colonel Reid, M.P., offered themselves as candidates for a seat in the direction. An abstract of the accounts has already been published in The Sun. x in mo v i ng t h e adopt i on of the repot.' wasT The interrupted tße3dlAby Mr. M. O. HILL, the Queen's Counsel, who, after eu logizing the exertions o f Si r J . E asthope in behalf of the company for a long series h of h years, moved a vote of which thanks to the Hon. B tronet, was seconded by Mr. Tite, and carried unanimously. The CHAIRMAN then proposed the adoption of the re port, and agreeing as he did with every word it conta i ned , any address from him mi g h t be e dispensed with, but as there was a numerous array of gentlemen of the press before him, he thought it as well to congratulate the pro prietors absent and present upon the increase which had taken place in their traffic, and upon the prospect which was now before them of being able to economise their expenditure.—(Hear, hear.) He could promise the shareholders, now that their Parliamentary struggles were at an end. that no exertions should be wanting on the part of the directors to secure economy c onsistent with the due and proper working of the line. As an earnest of this they had already reduced the salaries of the beads of departments, while they had made an arrangement with Mr. Birchen', the solicitor of the company, which would in future greatly reduce their law expenses; but he must add, in justice to the proprietors and Mr. Bircham, that the Parliamentary expenses would be excluded from this arrangement. Next in rotation came the engineering department. Of course they would always have at com mand the valuable services of Mr. Locke, their able engineer-in.chiet, but only for a moderate remuneration; while in every other, department the strictest economy , would be practised ( Hear, hear.) H e th en congKatu .-=- lated the proprietors upon the success which had at tended their negot ations with the Brighton Company. Had the arrangement alluded to in the report not been come to, an independent line might have been made to Portsmouth at an enormous expense, which would have established a severe competition to their own existing line, and served as a lastingmonument of the extr a va- Kant stupidity of themselves and the proprietors of the Brighton line.—(Hear.) With regard to the Windsorline, he was sure it would be a source of satisfaction to the proprietors to be told that the Great Western Company had at length, after a protracted struggle, been induced to withdraw their opposition to it, and the extension would be carried out vvith a s little delay and expen se as possible.—(Cheers.) The report had told them of the retirement of Sir John Essthope, Bart. The directors regretted the step much, but Mr. M. D. Hill had taken the subject out of his hands, and he would say no more upon it except that he heartily concurred in the compliment which bad been paid the Hon. Baronet. —(Hear, hear.) The other two gentlemen who retired offered themselves for re-election, and he hoped they hear.) With regard t o would be re.elected.—alear' the other two gentlemen who offered themselves as can didates for the vacancy created by Sir J. Easthorpe h e would say no more than this— , " How happy could I be with either." —(Hear, hear, and laughter.) He now came to the real bone of contention amongst themselves, and he hoped while he occupied their time upon it he should be listen( d to with patience and good temper.—(Hear, hear.) Just let him remind them that their line commenced in the very heart of the British metropolis, and terminated at Constantinople, the East Indies, and America.— (Hear, hear.) Moreover the Isthmus of Pan am a wa s about to be belted with a railway, and who could say but that the South-Western lino might not eventually become the leading highway from London to India and China?—(Hear, hear.) Well, then, what folly it was to Oppose the continuance of the Steam-beat Company--(N1), no.) In his opi n i on it would prove the salvation of their own property, and he trusted the shareholders would not reject the propo sal of the directors upon this s ubject.—(Yes , yes.) At all ev en t s , if they did, he could tell them that it would be the means of destroying a good deal of their traffic. lie admitted that he held largely in the Stearn-boat Company, but he did so 13, , cawe he felt d-sirous to unite their line in this way with the Rouen and Havre line. He would not detain them longer, but would simply conclude with moving . the adoption of the report, and expressing his readiness W answer any ENGINEER'S REPORT. " Gentlemen—Since the last half-yearly meeting the portion of the Wilts and Somerset railway from Thing ley to Trowbridge and Westbury having been opened for public traffic, I have only to report that no expendi ture that could be avoided or postponed has been in curred upon further works. Upon the Basingstoke Branch of the Berks and Hants Railway which has also been opened, the stations are completed, and the perma nent way is in good working order. The top ballasting and surface forming (the only works not quite finished) have been proceeded with as rapidly as the proper con solidation of the road way has allowed, and will be per fected in a few weeks. On the Hungerford line the ar rangements for goods traffic at the various stations, so far as they appear to be required, have been finished. The works of the line, the permanent way, and the station buildings, are all in very good order. On the Oxford and Rugby Railway, the rate of progress has been very limited during the winter. Such works as have been exe cuted have been arranged with a view to affording facilities for future proceedings by closing in embankments, which had been nearly completed, and by opening up such cuttings as will afford a supply of ballast, or through which ballast has to be carried to other parts of the line. Several bridges and apppoache3 for turn pike and other public roads have been constructed and opened to the public ; and most of the river bridges, commenced during last summer and autumn, have been finished to the ballast level. Between Oxford and Ban bury, a distance of about twenty-four miles, ten miles of the line are ballasted, and ready for permanent way; and seven miles more aro formed and ready for ballast; the works on the remainder are comparatively light. Between Banbury and Fenny Compton—the junction with the Birmingham and Oxford Railway, a distance of I miles—about five miles of the line are formed and partially ballasted, while the earthwork of a further portion extending to Clayton—about two miles—is nearly completed. The cutting at Fenny Compton, and the embankments beyond, leading to the junction with the Birmingham and Oxford are in progress. Nothing has been done between Eeney Compton and Rugby. Upon the Birmingham and Ox ford Railway, the works have proceeded slowly during the winter: the principal viaduct and the heaviest of the earthworks were, however, previously in a forward state. The works of the Windsor Branch are in very active progress. The plan adopted for the construction of the river-bridge, and the adjoin viaduct, has enabled us to proceed without any interruption from the floods. The unusual amount of wet weather, which has now pre vailed for so many months, has severely tried the earth work and permanent way of the new lines, and even of the old works, but I am happy to say that no serious damage has anywhere occurred; and that the working of the lines has been maintained in good order, and in perfect safety, and with as little or less ►nterruption to the regularity of the trains than during any previous winter.—l am, gentlemen, your obedient servant, " I. K. BRUNEI. " 18, Duke-street, Westminster, Feb. 12, 1849." The adoption of the report having been moved and seconded, an animated discussion followed, in which a variety of topics connected with the accounts, the branch lines in course of construction, the economical working of trains, the principles on which fares should be regulated, the safety and stability of the permanent way, and various other topics connected with the interests and manage ment of the railway were made the subjects of comment on the part of the proprietors, and of detente in explana tion by the directors and officers of the company. By many of the proprietors it was urged that the general conduct of the company's affairs was extravagant ; that too many trains were run upon the line; that the speed of the ex press trains especially, was needlessly great, and danger ous to the solidity of the permanent way; that the return ticket system ought not to have been done away with in the local traffic; and that the direction wanted an infusion of new blood into it by the admission of fresh members. The directors concurred in the necessity for an economi cal administration of the company's affairs, and assured Eh, ' meeting that, at the earliest opportunity, Mr. Cross e of their auditors, in whose zeal for their interests they express(d confidence, should have a seat at the board off,-red to him. An amendment, proposed by Mr. STANFORD, h av i ng for its object the investigation trs of the company' s affa ir s with a view for the by a committee of proprietors, pur poses of retrenchment, was withdrawn in consequence of the turn which the discussion to. , k . The report was then unanimously adopted, after which resolutions were passed approving o . f the aividend of 3 per cent. for the half year; authori sing the creation of 10,000 501. preference shares of t he Berks and Hants Railway, and the 81100=1 of so oisnY Of them among question that might be put to him on the subject of the accounn.—(Hear, hear.) The motion having been seconded, Mr. BAYER announced his intention to move an amendment, but before he mentioned its terms he went into a lengthened history of what he called " the rise and fall of the concern." The pith of his address, however, may be compressed in few words. The original line from London South ampton extended to 106 miles, cost 3 316,5941., and yielded a return of 307,0001. per annum. Their new lines extended to 109 miles, cost 3,731.910/, and yielded only 1,4301. per annum. Like the tall of Rome, then, their decline had been produced by a " Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself," and a desire to extend their territory to districts devoid of traffic, and yet costly is their maintenance. He de nounced the mixed system of carrying which existed on their line, and ridiculed ;he generosity of the direc tors, which had made the qualification to a seat at the board twenty shares, and the qualification of a com• mitteeman to investigate the accounts fifty shares. Ha attributed the ability of the directors to pay 6 per cent. per annum now to the openiu4 of the Waierleo-brid g e station; but he had reas„n to believe, from information which had reached him, that next summer they would not be able to pay even at the rate of 3i per cent. He did not agree with the steam-boat guarantee, and wound up by appealing to a gentleman who held 16,0001. worth of stock in the company, and who understood the question, to state whether he thought the steam-b.eas would ever pay. Mr. B. J. BALER, the gentleman appealed to, scouted the ♦ery idea of their ever paying. A twelvemonth tip one of the captains told him that the Steam-boat Com pany was " losing money like butter before the sun." Mr. BAKER then moved an amendment to the effect that the paragraph relating to the guarantee to the Steam-boat Company be expunged from the report, and a committee appointed to investigate the question. Mr. W. CROCKER suggested that they could not ex punge anything from the report ; and, therefore, they had better take the vote on the second part of the amendment, which he was quite ready to support. At a!I events, if they did not get out of this steam-boat affair their next dividend would not be at the rate of 3 per cent. per annum. He objected, therefore, to any party interested in the Steam-boat Company's voting upon this amendment. Mr. Locitz impugned the accuracy of Mr. Baker's figures. He denied that so much as 3,731,9101. had been expended on the branches; but, at all events, no matter what the expenditure had been in the extension, the di rectors were driven into them by the proprietors, and all he asked of these proprietors was to wait till these western extensions had been tested. The South• Western lines never colt more than 25,0001. per mile, but if they added, which`they ought not to do, the cost of the Waterloo•bridge Extension and such like works, the cost would mount up to 35,0001. per mile, while he could promise that within a twelvemonth there would be a reduction of from 12,000/. to 15,0001. in the charge for maint,nance of the per manent way. Reductions would also be made in the locomotive and carriage departments ; and he would suggest that in future the accounts of the goods' be kept separate from those of the passenger traffic. He insisted that the company was morally bound to carry out the steam-boat guarantee, but he had no objection to the appointment of the committee if it were agreed that the guarantee should be carried out, upon the committee finding that it had been le gally carried out. Mr. PIINCHARD was opposed to the steam-boats. Mr.lSergeant GaSELEE called on the Chairman to state what was the meaning of the paragraph in the report relating to the late secretary. Did the directors mean simply to pay him a compliment, or were they going to snake a grant of money to his representatives? The CIIAIRMAN explained that the directors paid Mr. Campbell before his death three months' salary in ad vance. Anything to be done for his widow would be left to the benevolence of the proprietors. Mr. Sergeant G&SELEE then addressed the meeting at great length against the steam-boat guarantee. They were neither bound in law or morality to accept the pro position._ Mr. TITE supported the guarantee, and controverted the opinion of the Learned Sergeant. He maintv.ined that 82,000/. worth of stock was held by t'ir general public in the Steam-boat Company, and only 18,0001. by psrtirs connected with the South-Western Company. Mr. RowE opposed the amendment. After some further discussion, the amendment was put to the vote and carried. A pull was dem4mied and deterred. The dividend was then declared, and the two retiring directors re•-elected. Upon the qui-stion of the election of a director in the room of Sir John Ersthope, 13Art., a poll was demanded and deferred. The shareholders then resolved themselves into a special meeting, and agreed to the proposals recom mended in the report, after a long and stormy discus ion. Thanks were then 'voted to the Chairman, and the meeting adjourned till Saturday. Tn DUKE OF ARGYLL ♦ND BISHOP TROWER A strange paragraph is going the round of the press, which reports that Dr. '['rower, Bishop of the Epis- copal Communion in the districts of Glasgow and Galloway, has actually excommunicated the Duke of Argyll on account of that nobleman attending the ministration of a clergyman ordained in England, but officiating in Scotland, without being under subjection to the local Bishop. We do not perceive what Dr. Truwer had to do witb the Duke of Argyll.. His grace is a Member of the Established Church of Scotland, and altogether beyond the juris diction of that Rev. Gentleman. Lord Blantyre, the Dake's brother-in law, is also mentioned as hay ;lig been visited with th• same sentence. If we are net mistaken his Lordship is also a member of the Scottish establishment. It belongs, we think, to Dr. Trower, through the medium of the press, to put the public right as to the true state of the case, for the ru mour, however ridiculous, will be believed by thousands. Were the Duke of Argyll really an Episcopalian, and attending the chapel of an English clergyman, we cannot see in what way he would be affected by the sentence of excommunication fulminated by the Rastor of a body to which neither the clergyman or the lay Christian be longed.—Edinburgh Post. BURGLARY AND MURDEROUS ATTACK ON AN OLD MAN AGED EIGITY.---On Wednesday night, or early on Thursday morning, a lone cottage at Bethersden, occupied, with a little laud, by an old man named Laws, who is 80 years of age, and lives by himself, was broken into, and ransacked. The poor old man was struck, in a most brutal manner, by an iron instrument, two or three times, on the head, while in bed. Weltering in his blood, he crawled, after the thieves left the house, across to a neighbour's, living at a little distance, who rendered him every assistance. Two young men, named Millen and Sheepwash, belonging to Bethersden, were apprehended on Thursday evening, and taken to Messrs. Furleys and Mercers' office, at Ashford, yesterday, on suspicion of having committed the offence, and were re manded by the Rev. N. Toke. The blows were inflicted with a piece of iron, which, with the old man's breeches, have been found in a neighbouring pond. The thieves were evidently annoyed at not find ing his watoh, which he had sold a short time before while in distress. The poor man was alive last night, but it is feared he cannot recover.—Canterbury Journal. TREATY NETWEEN ENGLAND AND BURNED.—A copy of the treaty of " friendship and commerce" concluded be tween Her Majesty the Queen of England and the Sultan of Borneo (signed in the English and Malay languages, on the 27th May, 1847), has just been laid before both House/ of Parliament. It consists of 12 articles. They provide 1. That peace, friendship, and good understanding shall for ever subsist between the two Powers of Britain and Borneo. 2. That the subjects of her Majesty shall have full liberty to ant. r into, re...ide in, and trade with all parts of the dominions of the Sultan Omar Ali Saifadeen, and enjoy the privileges and advantages of the most favoured nation ; the sub jects of the Sultan to enjoy the same privileges in this country. 8. That British subjects may purchase and ac quire all kinds of property within the dominions ot the Sultan, his Highness engaging that such British subjects shall, as far as lies in his power, enjoy full and complete protection and security. 4. That the trade between the two countries shall be perfectly free, subject only to the Customs' duties which may be hereafter en forced. 5. That no duty exceeding one dollar per ton shall be levied on British vessels entering the ports of Borneo, British goods and British trade to be exempt from all internal duties, &c. G. That no export duty shall be levied by the Sultan on any article the growth or produce of his own dominions. 7. That the ships of war of England end the India Com pany shall be permitted to enter the ports, rivers, and creeks of his dominions, and to provide themselves with such supplies, stores, and provisions as they may re quire. IL That assistance shall be rendered to vessels wrecked on the coast of Borneo. 9. That every means shall be taken by both the high contracting parties for the suppression of piracy within the seas, straits, and rivers subject to their respective control or influence, &c. Article 10 confirms the cession of the island of Labuan, situate on the north west coast of Borneo, together with the adjacent islets of Kuraman, Little Rusakan, Great Rusakan, Dasat, and Malankasan, and all the straits, islets, and seas situate halfway between the afore-mentioned islets and the main land of Borneo ; likewise, the distance of 10 geographical miles from the island of Labuan, to the westward and northward, and from the nearest point half. way between the islet of Malankasan and the mainland of Borneo, in a line running north till it intersects a line extended from west to east, from a point 10 miles north ward at the northern extremity of the island of Labuan to be possessed in perpetuity and full sovereignty by her Majesty and her successors; and, to avoid disputes, the Sultan engages not to make any similar cessio❑ of terri tory to any other nation without the consent of her Britannic Majesty. Every measure is to be taken by both parties for the suppression of the abominable traffic in slaves. The treaty, which was to be ratified on or before the the 27th of May, 1848, is signed by James Brooke, on the one part, and attested by the great seal of the Sultan of Borneo, on the other. TIMOTHY SEED.—An importation having recently taken place at one of the ports in the West of England, from one of the Prussian ports, of a parcel of Timothy seed, a question aroie as to the rate of duty a which it should be entered, the revenue offi cers considering the article to be liable to duty as grass seed, not enumerated, or to the rate of ss. per cwt., and the importers considering that as the seed was only occasionally used for agricultural purposes for the purpose of improving new meadows, and was also tiled for feeding birds, that the proper rate of duty thereon would be as si•ed not enumerated at ss. per cwt., ad valorem. It appeared, on ihquiry, that the article was well known as lisnothy gr a ss h e e d, and appropri ated to agricultural purposes, and that the proper rate of duty due thereon was as grass seed, of ss, per cwt. LAW INTELLIGENCE. JUDICIAL COMMITTEE OF TII r. COUNCIL, Feb. 15 11URADHAN ➢fOOKURJIA V. MUTHORANATII MOOKURJIA. After the case for the respondents in this appenl had closed, Mr. Turner replied at great length, and refuted the arguments brought forward on the other ,isle to show that the appefiant:vvas not the adopted son of Gun sham Mookutjia. The Cuu.mitc,y postponed their decision WI their next sitting. COURT OF QUEEIVS BENCH, Feb. 15. (Sittings at Nl.l Prins, boom Lord DENMAN and a Special Jury.) THE QUEEN V. KENDALL AND OTHERS. This was an indictmero agat [IA sh yet al p-rs ,- ms named gr. K 'AWL Mrs. Btukt, Mrs Linley. Mr. Bicldey, aid a Mr. M .the, tor having conspir, d together for t e procu ration and sale of a cadetship in the East India Com pany's service. The Attorney-General, a ith i ham were Sir Fredei irk Thesiger, Mr L. Wigram. Mr. Clarkson, Mr. Peacock, and Mr. Forsyth, p eared fir the prosecution; and Mr. Cockburn, Mr. Sergeant She.-, Mr. Sergeant Wilkins. Mr. Dowdeswell, spprared for the defendan's, who, with the exc. p , i..n of Moore, pleaded Not Built) , he having pleaded Guilty of the offt net'. It appear. d from • the statement ~f the ATTORNEY GUNERAL than Mr. Moire, a shipowner of Piym,.uth being desirous in the year 1545 to gut Mr. Henry Moore, one of his sons, a cadetship in the Dist India Company's service, he applii d to a Mr. Lavers, of China- walk, Lambeth, to , issist him in that purpose. That person introduced him to a Mrs. Linley, who introduced him to Mrs. Binks and a Mr. Kendall, the former represent ing that she could obtain the required apvointniunt in consequence of her connexion with Ludy Ripon— Lord Ripon being at the . head of the Board of Control at the time. Several negotiations took place on the subject which ended in the young man being appointed to a cadetship, the gift of Lady Ripon to Mrs. Binks, Lord Ripon having several appointments of the kind in his gift. 1,0001. was paid altogether, 8.01. to Mr. Biekley for Mr. Kendall, 501. to Mrs.. Linley, and 1501. to Mr. Bickley for the part be had taken in the affair. The young man went to India, but shortly afterwards died. The transaction having be come known to the East India Company, the present prosecution was instituted. - Ihe Earl of Ripon was examined, and deposed to the effect that not the slightest consideration was received by him or Lady Ripon for the gift of the office. Lady Ripon conferred the appointment upon the nominee of Mrs. Biuks as a favour, he (Lord Ripon) having: per mitted her Ladyship to do so. Several other witnesses were examined, and the notes, of which a portion of the purchase-money con sisted, were produced. The case was adjourned until to-morrow (this day). SHERIFFS' CuURT, Feb. 15. (Before Mr. Underbheriff I3URCMELL.) CROCKFORD V. TUCKER. In this case, which had not concluded _when we went to press, The Learned UNDER-SHERIFF said that it having been admitted that the letter was not written by the de fendant, the plaintiff's case stood on a falfo foundation. He suggested that an arrangement should be made mutu say between the parties. The suggestion was acted upon, and after some consultation, it was agreed that the jury should give a verdict for the defendant. Verdict accordingly. THE IKON TRADE. The first month of the quarter has passed away very satisfactorily, and no improvident attempt to force an alteration of prices has been ventured. In the Welsh and Scotch market it is stated that a considerable im prev,m,,nt has taken place, and higher prices are readily obtained. Here many of our mills and forges have hi. therto been employed upon the desponding engage. ments entered into before the close of the last year; but these are now being rapidly worked off, and the generality of produce is being sent out at the better figures of the late quarterly meetings, while orders are plentiful, and in many instances necessarily deferred, since makers are not inclined to accept for future de livery unless at some inducement be) and the nominal rates, and this it is hardly considered prudent to offei at present. The dealers and merchants are, however, busy, not only for everyday con umption, but they are endeavouring stealthily to replenish their empty ware houses in anticipation of a considerable impulse from the spring trade, particular!) from the United States, under which it is not improbable that a general advance in the prices of iron would be declared. At present it would be premature to offer any opinion upon the course likely to be taken next quarter. The position of mercantile and political affairs among our Continental customers is too unsettled to allow of a satis• factory calculation as regards our probable transactions with them for the next six or tee lve months; but th, advices from America are of a stirring description, and, in spite of the vast share of attention absorbed by the Californian mania, there is little doubt that considerably enlarged quantities, both of manu factured and pig iron, as also of hardware goons, will be shipped for that country. Large orders, we are told, have arrived in Liverpool by the last packet, and have been disposed of principally among the Wel.h houses, while in London extensive transactions are daily concluded. The railroad interest is also recovering eraeually from the late depression, and the improvement hitherto effected is well maintained, with an upward tendency. The abundance and cheap ness of money will cause a more early resumption of operations in these undertakings than might other wise have been looked fur ; but it is scarcely to be ex pected that they will afford much assistance in the consumption of iron during the present year, while the enormous increase in the make of that article both in Wales and Scotland has called forth an ex pression of some apprehension on the part of many conversant with the trade. The stock of pig iron in the latter country at the beginning of the pre sent year was supposed to be about 110,000 tuns, and the probable make is calculated at 650,000 more, while the whole quantity disposed of during the year 1848 was only 550,000 tons, and that much exceeded the con sumption of 1847; so that a large increase of stock is feared during the present year. The same prospects offer in Wales, and, it is thought, may prove a check upon any advantage that might otherwise have been taken in obtaining more remunera tive prices. Pig iron in Staffordshire is in considerable request, and the best qualities command rather higher figures. Coals are becoming more plentiful, the open ness of the weather having slackened the demand for household purposes. Iron-stone still maintains its im• proved quotations; stocks are very small, and holders show no disposition to make sales.—Aris's Birmingham Gazette. SHIP SYAIMSTRY.—BAPTISM EXTRAORDINARY.— Extract from the log of the third officer—" Saturday, 21st of October, at six P.M., Mrs. Shaw, an emigrant, gave birth to a son. 29th October, midnight, strong breezes and clear; passed the ceremony of baptism of the child, and named it Symmetry Thompson, after ths: ship and her captain—he and the third officer, Mr. Stan way Grocott (who officiated as chaplain), standing god father. 12.80, A.M.. Symmetry departed this life; 10 A.m., committed the body of Symmetry to the deep."— Liverpool Courier. A THIRSTY " INFANT."—ID a CII , C heard at the Stamford County Court, last week, the plaintiff, a tailor and publican, sued the defendant for 9s. Hp. for beer and sprits supplied. The Judge having learned that th. , defendant was only 18 ye .rs of age, said he might have appeared and ph-aded " infancy," but as he had not done so he would hear the case. His Honour then told the plaintiff to read the items, which he did, giving the follow ing as the amount of one day's chalking up:—" Five halt pints of ale, three glasses of gin. and water, anti thre, glasses of brandy." Judge: "And you suppli e d thi s In one day to this infant?" Plaintiff (astounded)—" Infant! why tney say he is 18 yea's old. Infant!"—Judge: "Go on."—Plaintiff: "September 20, ale 3d., ditto 3d., gin 3d., a loaf of bread fir his man when he went out shooting," &c.—Judge: " What ?"—Plaiti tiff: "He has a dog and a gun, a game certificate, and he keeps a horse to go out a-hunting; and he sometimes treats his friends."—Judge: " What is he then ?"—Plaintiff: " The son of a pawnbroker."— sludge " Wed, he is but an infant' in the eye of the law. I shall disallow from the account the charge for. spirits, and I shall make an order that the balance b,- paid when the • infant' comes of age—in three years' time.''—The plaintiff seemed puzzled with the size anti capacity for drink of the law's "infants."—Lincoln paper. SCOTCH LAW OF ENTAIL.-011 Saturday last the Court of Session approved of the first disentail under the recent statute. This is a great fact in the history of Scotland. The evils of a system introduced in the worst days of Scottish history by the worst of our Lord Ad vocates are now checked, and the soil of the country is no longer to be tied by the artificial fetters of a bar barous system. Regard for existing vested interests will no doubt prevent the full operation of this great improve. ment until many of the present generation are gone; but at the same time, there is nu man who has any love of country who will rot rejoice at ,he beginning of so ilia portant a change.— Scotsman. EXTRAORDINARY INCIDENT.--A very extraordinary adventure occurred on the Barton road, in the neigh bourhood of this town, on Thursday last. On the right hand side of the road, going to Barton, there is a ditch, which is generally, at this season of the year, filled with water. A man named Smith, residing at Barnwell, was walking by this ditch, when he saw a rat swimming along the side of it. Happ e ni n g to hav e a stick in his hand, armed with a spike at the point, he launched it at the rat, and succeeded, by a fortunate aim, in transfixing the animal to the bank. This was rare sport; but the best of it is to come. On withdrawing the stick, the body of the rat was turned over, and Smith was sur prised to see something glittering among its entrails, which, on taking it out, proved to be a Queen Anne's sixpence.— Cambridge Advertiser. " To WHAT BASE USES," &c.—Our readers' at tention may have been drawn to a large granite kerb stone at the east corner of Mr. Pye's house, Gandy street, which appears to have been part of an ancient cross, and subsequently used as the key -stone of Exeter bridge, erected by Walter Jervis, in the middle of the thirteenth century. When the bridge was taken down, in 1770, this key-stone was purchased by the late Mr Nation fora guinea, and he placed it in the situation it now occupies.—Exeter Chronicle. The town council of Newport, on Tuesday, declined to grant the use of the great room for Mr. Henry Vin cent to lecture in. It was admitted that Mr. Vincent is not now as he once was, a violent policical speaker, and it known that he is now addressing audiences in the cause, of the Peace Society. but L was thought that he might break out a;_. , ain, an l at all evi-n• s the evils which he inflicted upon Newport , n 1539 Lre still too fresh in the public mind to render pia presence desirablo.—liere jird Jour na4 THE COUNTRY MARKETS. BIR3IINGIIA3f, FEE. Is.—During the present week, owirg to the decline in London and Liverpool, our millers will not buy, except at lower rate. ; consequently very little wheat has changed hands, holders being generally firm. Rather more in quiry for barley. Fine oats meet a fair sale, at quite as much money, but secondary qualities are much neglected. Beans held for firmer prices. At this day's market, although the supply of wheat from the farmers was short, the trade ruled dull, a: a reduction of is per qr. Barley held for last week's eurielley, '• ,,, ,EiTess could however he made in sales. Os mai,.tained theta value, with but little itiguit 3. On beans the turn was again in favour of the buyer. In peas nothing doing worth notice. BRISTOL, FEB l6. —The market has been largely supplied with Er.glish whea's, barley. as well as coastwise and foreign; the arrivals of oats, principally from Ireland, were to a fair eX. tent. The trade in wheat, parricul r 1) foreign, has been very much circumscribed and depressed. We note English Is 6A to 2s; foreign. fu ly 2• p r pr. lower. Flour, is per sack, and 6d to is per barrel cheaper. The u alting barley is dull, and prices+ even of fine qualitie., are at a reduction of fully Is, and middling descriptions Is to 2s per qr. Grinding parcels are Is to 2s pet qr. low er. Oats, beans, and peas, without i.nprovement irt demand or value Wheat—English new, 425, 4's per rm. qr.; foreign w hire, 50s, 533 per 460 lbs. ; ditto ri-d, fie qualities , 475. 50s per 480 lbs ; ditto, ditto. oritinary ditto. 445. 46s pet 480 lbs ; ditto, hard. 40s, 43s per 480 lbs. Barley—Englisk malting, 31s, 34s per imp. qr. Oars—Devon and Welsh, 14 h It pct. imp. qr.; Irish white, 18s, 19s per 320 lb , . ; ditto black, 15s, 16s per imp. qr.; foreign none. Beans—English, 335, 361 per imp. qr. ; foreign, 3ls, 32s per 480 lbs. Flour—Engli-1 seconds, 365, 37s per sack ; American, &c., sweet, 26s 6d 27a 6d. SHEFFIELD, FEB. 13. The following is the inspector' return : Qrs. BN. £ s. d. X s. d. Wheat Oats . ...... Beans l5 0 ... 29 10 0 119 4 ditto Best hou ehold bread, 6d , seconds ditto, 5d per BOSTON. FEB 14.—Wheat, red 404 to 445, white 48s; oats, new lls to 21s, old 00s ; beans, new 27s to 31s, old 35s per quarter. SLEAFORD, FEB 12.—Wheat, white 46s to 48s; red 445 to 46s ; barley .26, to 285; oats 145 to 18s; beans, old 005 to 001 f new 315 to : , 35 per quarter. Gantsay.—Returns of Sales to Feb. 12—Wheat 1 99 quarters. 4311 los (average 43s 4*d); barley 300 quarters , 4021 16s (average 26s 10d); oats 179 quarters, 1261 5 1 (average lie 1*(1). . ALFORD.—Averages for the week ending Feb. 12—Wheat 443 lid ; barley 25s 8d per quarter. MARKET RASEN, FEB. 13.—Return of sales up to Satur . day last—Wheat 260 quarters 0 bushels, 5631 16s 6d (averse 42s 7d) ' • barley 26 quarters, 301 ll s 6d (average 231 6d); oats 200 quarters, 130/ lOs Od (average 13s Oid). Lourn, FEB. 14.—Wheat 38s to 48s; barley 23s to 281; oats 14s to 17s; beans 33s to 38s per quarter. LYNN, FEB. 13.—Wheat 40s, 44s to 469, fine 483 to 50.; barley 25s to 28s, fine 29s to 30s per quarter. OA KnAat, FEB. 12.—Wheat 44s to 48s; barley 24s to 29 5 ; oats 15s to 235; beans 33: to 43s per quarter. UPPINGHAM, FEB. 14.—Wheat 45s to 50s; barley 25 4 0 30s ; oats 153 to 22s ; beans 33s to 423 per quarter. Butte 12d to 13d per lb ; eggs 22 for ls. MELTON MOWBRAY, FEB. 13.—Wheat, old 48. to 51s, ne W 46s to 493 ; barley 28s to 30s ; oats, old 241 to 265, new 185 to 21s ; beans, old 40s to 435, new 32s to 36s per quarter. Butter 14d to 15d per lb ; eggs 20 to 22 for Is. GAINSBORO', FEB. 13.—Wheat 43s to 50s-386 quarter's 923/ 193 (average 473 10id) ; barley 26s to 31s-185 quarter* 299 l 9s 6d (average 29, ; oats 15 quarters. 12/ 15s (Av e ' rage 17s); beans 8 quarters, 11/ 123 (average 193). NEWARK, FEB. 14.—Wheat, white 49; to 525, extra W s , red 46s to 493; barley, malting 293 to 325, grinding 251 to 27 0 ; oats, new 15s to 18s, seed 24s to 27s ; beans, old 32s to 35* ne lr 00s to 00s ; peas, blue 38; to 42 5; ma lt 54 s to 56s ; Sprip g tares 44. to 48s per quarter. EDINBURGH, FEB. 14.—The quantity of wheat brough t forward to-day was 778 qrs, being 65 qrs less than last week. Top price was 841, and the average 2s 2d up-62 qrs unsold' The quantity of Barley brought forward was 966 qr s , being 43 qrs more than last week. Price on the top 23 down, and the average 3d-167 qrs unsold. Of oats we had 1,418 (1 11 brought forward, or 145 qrs more than last week. Top pr' ls down, and the average Id up-311 qrs unsold. The quill:: tity of beans to day was 313 qrs or 14 qr s l ess th an l as t wee, Price on the top 2s up, and the average I s Id-127 qrs unsol d' Top of Wheat' 63i1b 843 Od ... Barley ... 5741 b 3is Od Oats ••• 45ilb 23s 6d ... Beans ... 651 t 1b 35s Od EDINBURGH CATTLE MARKET, FEB. 14.—The supply cattle this morning was 567, being 29 more than last wee' • Sales were tardily e ffe c t e d. T op pr i ce 7 s 9d — current, 6 5 6a to 7s—middling and inferior 55 to 6s 6d per Dutch stone' The supply of sheep this morning was 1,645, being 562 than last week. The demand good, and all sold at from 1 9 t d 2s a head above last market. Top price of the hest mutton 6 a per lb; current 5d to sid ; m iddli ng an d i n f er i or, from a to 4,41. • GLASGOW, FEB. 14.—We had fair arrivals coastwise so d from Ireland ; from abroad they consisted of about 775 cln sr o i tern of wheat, 710 sacks a n d 872 barrels of flour, 6 quarters ,1 Indian corn, and 28 quarte rs o f r y e . B us i ness s i nce o ur 1 ! s , was scarcely so lively as during the pr ev i ous wee k, ye t pocl. kept firm, with a moderate consumptive demand for most ar` . . ties. This day's market was thinly att en d e d, an d t here 1 "7 1 little inquiry fur any description of grain o f mea l. Wheat an flour have to be written 6d lower per boll or barrel. Barn beans, and peas were 3d to 6d per boll ch e ap er . Oats ' l 'd oatmeal a slow sale at a decline of 3d to bd per boll or Ins respectively. Indian corn and meal neglected. DUNBAR FEB. 13.—Wheat, w e i g hi ng 64lb s , hrough„l 54s Od, and prices to 42.; barley, weighing 571bs, brour bt 30s 6d, and prices to 22s Od ; oa t s , we i g hi ng 451b s . 22. 6d, and prices to 19s Od ; beans and peas, weighing 61r4 brought 31s Od, and prices to 29s Od. CORK, FEB. 14.—Flour—Firsts 14s 6d to 15s 6:11; extra sceonds 13s 6d to 14. 6d ; households 1 Is to 13s ; thirds Ss to per cwt. Meal—Oatmeal lls to 11s 6d; Indian :meal 8s ; Wu" meal lls per cwt. Indian corn 7' 12s to 8 pc: ton. B r , 5 , per ton. H a y F armers 33 s O d to 40s Od; averago ~,e dealers 45s to 475; average oos Od per ton. Straw—Farnie'' 14. Od to 28s Od; average 21s • dealers 26s Od t o 3.1 5 average 00s Od per ton. Bread —Wheaten loaf 7d to **", household loaf 6d to bid per 41b. Coals—Newport 176 ' Lydney 18s ; Landore 17 ; ; b es t N eat h C ulm 16s per too. Tallow 46s 6d per cwt. Whiskey, 25 o. p., 6s Od per ilnP e s i rial gallon. Meat—Beef 4d to 7d; Mutton 5d to 6kd; ve sid to 7d; pork 4d to sid ; bacon 7d to 8d ; sausages 6d per r lb. Hops 61 lOs per cwt. Bangor slates 3/ 2u 6d to 31 53 P:b ton. Bark—Barbary 61 to 71; Valonia 11l to 131; Frey 61; English 61 per ton. Fleece Wool 10. to 12s per 1 0 14 Hemp 35/ per ton. Fish—S co t c h h err i ngs 18 s to Mb; r _,,r ditto 25s to 27. per barrel ; N ew f oun dl an d 11/ to 1 2 / 101 P' s ) ton. Timber—New Memel 4/ lOs ; old scarce ; red pin e .j 158 • yellow pine 3! per ton ; d ea l s , fi rst qua li ty, 2 0 '. seel quality 17/ per 120. Hid es —M ar k e t Il s to 16 s; salted 1160 les per cwt ; calf skins 2d t o 2id ; mar k et 2d to 2 4d P er , 0 , Guano—Peruvian 101 lOs ; Ichaboe 9' per ton. Patal o °A. White 10d to 12d ; Minions 18d t o 00d. T ar—Arc hOF 18s per brl. RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS, --- LIVERPOOL, FEB. 15. e f t STOCK EXCHANGE.—The market f or s h ares h as b een morn a ' t ,, e rtir to-day, and prices have again advan ce d ; f or London, Nort li-Vvnon, and Midland there is a strong d eman d . The sales ar• e--nertir Blackburn, Clitheroe, and West Yorkshire (B), 17;4—Great N ort.;:olt' 8% dis.—ltitto (A Shares) Deferred, s%—Lancashire toted shiro (late Manchester an d Bi rm i ngham), Fifths, 1% dir,.--'olits 101. Preference, 6 per c en t., 1/ . 1 8s. 9d. p.—Ditto, ve s „. wer Huddersfield and Sheffield), 8 c. dis.—Ditto, Halv es (Dr tc.,r o o), pool and Bury), 8% c . di s. —Di tto, Ffths (late West Riding ; 111, li 3 1 A c. dis.—London and North-W estern. 14014 c.—Ditt, f"-nitto, p.—Ditto, New Quarters, 6 p.—Ditto, Quarters (C) , 4 ,P.-Thitth Thirds, 9 1 ,4 —Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire, 4; {*' St 101. Preference, 1134—Ditto, Quarters, c. dis.—Midl snd 9234 —Ditto, New Half Shares, 434 dis.—North British„ 1 2 3 "" A rid 3% —North Staffordshire, 2% dis.—Shrewsbury, Osw Chester, 3 1 A c. dis.—Shropshire Union, 21. _Bs. 9d.—Sot 111"r'"iter and Dover, No. 2, 91 , i dis.—Tork, Newcastle, and Berwi, (t, pp". sion, No. 1), 1% p..—Ditto (N. and B. Extension), No. " Ditto (G. N. E. Purchase), 6 per ce n t. guaranteed, 1 1 ,4 c. P' MANCHESTER, FEB. 15. fl oe , STOCK Exclts,NGl.—The sales are—South-Eastern and lnr No. 4, 7 13-16 c.—East Lancashi re , 7%— Sheffield and 10316 13 5-16 dis.—Sheffield, Eighths, 6 1 A dis.—West Riding Unie " 514 dis.—Fleetwoods, dis. Leeds, Fifths, 2—Ditto, 321. SB, area , dis.—Londou and North-Western, 141—North Stafforda sire , .4, ' dis.—caledentau Preference. 11%—Manchester and Bin aingt l ' - Q carters (C), 4 % p. - BIRMINGHAM. FEB. 15. STOCK EXCHANGE.— rile business done in the stock E x o h an g- t°' a day has been as follows:—London and North-Wester n , N eyr ters, 6 p.—North Staffordshire, 2% dis.—Shrewsbury andl ham (A), 3% dis. ex int.—Ditto (B), dis. ex ib t.— s°- Staffordshire, 61s. 3d. die. ' YORK, Fits. 14. as °l' STecit EXCIIANGE.—The busiue s transacted to-day ve as ,ioli , lows:—orQat Northern, 91. ISs. 9d.—North British, 3 ;ste-l i , Ss. 6d.—York, Newcastl,, and Berwick (Extension, No. ' 0 , 1 0 0, Ditto, NN. 2 (late New Berwicks), 2 1—Ditto (G. N. B. J l'i r '" 9/. 16.3 d. HULL FEB. 15. STOCK EXCHANGE.- The sales , aro —Eastern Counties, 1 ' I I.• —a si es l( lC Northern, 108—North British, Thirds, 4% York, Nay 1 cas tle 'piti° Berwick, 29—Di tto ( Or i g i nal Newcastle and Berwicks), 2 '“4„ 114' (Extension, No. 1), 21.4—York and North Midl an d, P re f e r 01°' NEWC ASTLE-UPON-TYNE, FEB. 15. STOCK ExcnaNGE.—The sales a re—Dublin and Bella _,-„ ,it - ow' 6% —Great Northern (E), 6 per cent., % dis.—Newcastl e lisle, 109 3 4 --Dii to, Quarters, 274—North British, 1 6 Halves, 7%—Ditto, Quar , ems, 3%—North Staffordsbiro„ 24 ‘ 07 York and North Midland (E a st an d W est Ridi ng Extens, a) , " GLASGOW, FEB. 14. Srocit Excnatior.—Tlis following sre to-day's transa etio , rj e s• A berdi en, Preference, 55s.—Caledoni a n, Prefer en c e , 11 • Lode dale Junction, 61—Dundee and Arbroath, 35i, (;las/44 pits; fries, and Carlisle, 5 1 4—Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and A) 53 Ilalves, No. 1, 7—Ditto, Balv,s, No. 2, 71. 4s.—Gl; *mow Ilan Mineral, 16s.—Great Northern, I t , A—Menkland, './4%-- Ditto per cent. guarani eed 5 % f the [A DVE RT IS KM EN T. j—A lte:pected Mani J et - l Society of Friends Cured of a Cough and 4 _sa:cis/rolls Holloway's Oi n t ment an d Pill s. — Extract of a letterAo t - te d Mr. Benjamin Macki e , t o P ro f essor H ol l o way, use° Creenagh, near Loughall, September 11, 1: t o. spected Friend,—l feel it on ly an act o f j u sl i ce O t he salt t > state, that I have p ersona ll y exp er i en ce" co re benefit of thy excell e nt Pill s an d Oint.meo4 in th e for of an inveterate cough and asthma, "'bleb aft sicted r°`, A ll; three years to such an ex t ent t h at I was obli ged 0 104 about my room at night, a f ra id o f auffocatioi iif I h i c h to bed. I then tried thy i nva l ua bl e medicit test vi ";. el' am pleased to say have perf ec tly cure d use."— Sold I t o' Vendors of Medicine thr oug h out t h e ?Jobe, a O d 0. feisor Holloway's Establish men t, 24 4, Strand, L Ol3 i s lo. THE MAILS.— SOUTHAMPTON, THU, EMIL'. T'florgl 15.—The royal mail st eamer T hames, C Iptain 5 01 Abbott, CI ill leave on S a t ur d ay, the 17th, s% tith t , .0 C. West India and Pacific mails. The Iberia , Cap In': for F. Burney, will sail on the same day with the toi Vigo, Oporto, Lisbon, Cadiz, and Gib ralf,ar• ei Peninsular and O r i ental Steam Navigatii Con3P:id to ship Ripon, Captain R. Moresby, LN. , is al ' point ° 5 0 take out the East India, China and Mediterri of the 20th inst., and the Indus, Captain Soy, 'Ni ls - g o - s e cts ° with the ho meward mails on the 25th inst. ' The .'"notil°' with the ne x t h omeward Si anish and Portug ti es° - will arrive about the 25th inst. BIRTH. _ 1" • •J On the 14th i nst., at Gloueester.zquare , the wilt ' ° f Kay Shuttleworth, Esq., of a son. ------1-----tARRIED- ------- th l On the 13th inst., a t th e parish. church of Kemr_ . titer.l of Rev. J ames B us h , j un., M .A., to Augut,ta, only d.v,. R. Newl an d, E sq ., o f K empston-h-ouse, Bedfordshi, 7 .. . ............„, if' DIED On the 13th inst., at Green-'.,treet, Grosvenor-sqt /41, j, Willan, Esq., aged 77. b.t ol On the 13th inst., at Encornbe-terrace, Wandsvrort Mrs. Mackintosh, aged 85. On the 12th inst.,at Lockington-hall, Leicestershire , Frances, eldest daughter of J. B. Story, Esq., aged 1 3 . On the 9th inst.. tiarriet, wife of T. B. &mile, Esq Ravenfield-park, Yorkshire. .40P On the 9th inst., F ranc i s B . S. Wilder, Esq., of hall Surrey. ,li o° London t Printed an d P ublished by MURDO YO U raii e' , No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, Na' Strand, in the P rec i nct of the Sayoy, iu the cogay° 6„,. tiliddloata l Friday, Fobrizary_l6, 1849! ha ga Wi le;